After a long while of dry heaving, Rachel suddenly lifted her head at Julian’s question.
Following his line of sight, she lowered her head to see her abdomen. In that instant, she zoned out as if she had just realized something.
Meanwhile, Justin was taking care of Gloria in the ward.
After getting anesthetized the night before, she finally woke up. Seeing the man that was snoozing beside her, she carefully lifted her hand and caressed his face.
Justin opened his eyes. “You’re awake.”
Gloria hastily withdrew her hand as she trembled and gasped.
“Don’t move, they’ve put a cast on your leg.” Justin pressed her shoulders and continued, “The doctor said that you should rest more, but don’t worry, it’s nothing serious.”
After nodding her head, she rested against the pillow and turned to Justin.
“Something was wrong with the horse I rode.”
“I know. I’ve sent my men to look into it.”
“The horse was meant to be ridden by Rachel, so whoever did it wasn’t actually targeting me.”
Upon hearing that, Justin’s eyebrows furrowed somewhat. “Are you saying that someone wants to cause Rachel harm?”
“Yes.”
After letting out a deep sigh, Gloria lifted her head and lowered it back down into a more comfortable position. “Many people hate seeing her hanging around you. Even though I haven’t been in Riverdale for long, I’ve seen numerous people who detest her, but I cannot tell who the suspect might possibly be.”
“Don’t worry, they’ll figure it out.”
After covering her with the sheets, Justin then informed, “I’ll go get the doctor.”
Just as he was about to leave, Gloria suddenly grabbed his wrist. “Justin.”
He was slightly dazed by this and asked, “What is it?”
Gloria’s eyes were filled with a sense of dependence as she asked, “You will never abandon me no matter what happens, right?”
Justin’s gaze was firm as he held her hand and answered, “Never.”
He then continued, “Stop thinking about these things and get some rest. I’ll help you to apply for a few days off from school.”
“Okay.” When Justin disappeared from the door, Gloria’s eyes gradually dulled.
Ever since she was hospitalized, Justin rejected as many projects as he could while Rachel constantly traveled back and forth between the hospital and the Burton Group.
In the afternoon, Rachel walked out of Tran-Q with the burning sun above her head.
As she clutched the test report Julian had given to her earlier, she could feel the dizziness in her head.
“You’ve been pregnant for two months.”
His words sounded in her ears continuously, yet she couldn’t accept this reality.
As she caressed her stomach, she couldn’t believe that she was bearing a new life within her-a life she and
Justin made.
What should I tell him?
Since her head was spinning with thoughts, Rachel drove around Riverdale’s city center without knowing where to go, and she ultimately decided to visit her grandmother.
She had just entered the neighborhood when she saw Victor holding her grandmother as they walked around the area.
“Rachel!”
Since Victor had perfect eyesight, he spotted Rachel with one glance and waved at her.
As she held her purse, Rachel walked over to the duo. How are you, Grandma?
Grandma squatted and patted her knees. She then smiled and said, “It’s been ages since I recovered. It’s only
a scratch, so it’s nothing serious. In fact, I’ve been bored as hell these past few days!”
Still, you’ve got to take care of yourself. Old people heal slower, after all.
“I know, so you should just stop worrying.” As she spoke, she stood up and grabbed Victor with one hand and Rachel with the other. “Let’s go home. We’re making pierogi today!”
Victor immediately suggested, “In that case, I’ll go get some sauerkraut since Rachel loves to pair them with cheese.”
After he finished his sentence, he left Nancy with Rachel and rushed out of the neighborhood.
As they watched his fading figure, Grandma chuckled. “Oh, look at that child! I only mentioned it once, and he has already carved it into his brain. He’s quite an attentive boy despite being so clumsy most of the time!”
Meanwhile, Rachel smiled without saying a word.
As she helped her grandmother up the stairs, a senile man’s voice was sounded from behind them.
“Nancy!”
Rachel hadn’t realized it at first, and it wasn’t until her grandmother halted her steps did she remember that it was her grandmother’s actual name.
They saw an old man after they turned around, and he was sporting a camouflage outfit with an aged, torn, leather bag. Meanwhile, he studied them hesitantly.
Rachel was stunned for a short while, but she eventually recognized the old man as her eyes lit up.
Grandpa Irwin?
Before she was sent back to the Hudson Residence, Rachel lived together with her mother and grandmother. Grandpa Irwin was one of the people she could barely remember from back then.
Although her memory was somewhat hazy, she could remember him-he always returned with gifts like candies, books, and toys from the city.
After all, kids remembered the happy moments in their lives very clearly.
With Grandpa Irwin’s presence, all the memories from her childhood surged through her mind.
In Nancy’s living room, Grandpa Irwin started tearing up after finishing his third bowl of pasta. “A big flood happened in our area, and the entire house collapsed eventually. Since then, I’ve been living alone. After racking my brains, the only ones I thought I could depend on were you guys, but Riverdale’s so big that it took me more than a month to find this place.”
“More than a month?” Grandma frowned. “How did you know we were in Riverdale?”
“20 years ago, the car that sent you and Rae away came from Riverdale!”
“Like you’ve said, it’s already been 20 years. What made you so sure that we’d still be here?”
Grandpa Irwin was stunned for a bit, but he then explained, “I wasn’t sure either. Since I had no one else left, thought of just trying my luck. Honestly, if I couldn’t locate you guys, I would’ve just looked for a job here in Riverdale and live a lonely old man’s life to the end.”
Just as Nancy was about to continue asking, Rachel interrupted her.
‘Where are you living right now?’
“Rae?” Since Grandpa Irwin didn’t know about Rachel’s condition, he was stupefied by how she presented her message by typing into her phone.
Nancy explained, “The fire from 20 years ago burned her throat, and she never recovered from it.”
“How could that be? Can’t it be cured even with Riverdale’s top-notch medical standards?”
Grandpa Irwin had a look of sympathy as he continued, “Rae used to be adorable back when she was a little
girl. Why would the Gods curse you this way?”
On the other hand, Rachel ignored his words and shook her phone to indicate that he had yet to answer his question.
Upon seeing that, Grandpa Irwin answered, “I’m currently staying in an underground spot not far from here. Right, I came here because I heard that the neighborhood is looking to hire a security guard. Look at me, almost forgetting what’s important!”
As he spoke, he pulled out a piece of wrinkled paper from his pocket. “It’s written here.”
‘Looking to hire a security guard for 2,000. Food and shelter provided.
Rachel took the paper and read it before handing it over to her grandmother.
“That is indeed our neighborhood.” Nancy nodded her head. “However, security is tight around here and the owner has high expectations, so they wouldn’t accept an outlander. Perhaps you should look somewhere else.”
Upon hearing that, Grandpa Irwin was visibly disappointed. “Is that so?”
However, Rachel waved her hand and signed enthusiastically. ‘I can recommend you to the management and discuss your rent as well as the owner’s suggestions. I’m sure it’ll be no problem to secure your employment here!
Suddenly, Grandma pulled her arm under the table.
As she turned to her, Rachel saw her grandmother giving her an odd look.
She failed to comprehend her grandmother’s hints, and she felt rather confused.
Shouldn’t she be happy to see an old friend?
