Blinking, Rachel spread her hands and sighed. “We were once married, after all. I’ve only been gone for five years, and you’ve wiped me out of your mind completely. How heartless of you, Justin Burton.”
Looking at his shocked expression, Amber couldn’t help but turn stiff.
When the exhibition ended, Justin left Amber at the venue and left by himself. “What the hell is going on?” he shouted at Frankie the moment he got back to his office in Burton Group. “Isn’t she dead already? So what’s this now? A zombie?”
With his forehead covered in cold sweat, Frankie explained tentatively, “Back then, the doctor said that you couldn’t deal with another blow, so the old master ordered everyone not to mention a word about Mrs. Burton and to just say that she’s dead…”
“So none of you ever told me about any details of her, and there isn’t even a picture?”
“It’s true that there were no pictures.”
“What?”
Sighing helplessly, Frankie said, “You should ask Old Mr. Burton about Mrs. Burton. Please don’t put me in a tight spot.”
He was just an employee, and Arthur had already made his orders very clear. So, since five years ago, nobody dared to mention the name ‘Rachel in front of Justin. But, who would dare to?
Seeing how furious he was, Frankie asked cautiously, “Um, President Burton, should I tell the HR department to prepare for her dismissal?”
“Her dismissal?” Justin shot him an angry glare. “We poached her from SG Pharma, and it took us six months to find someone as outstanding as her. Who will replace her if she’s dismissed?”
While Frankie was displaying a sheepish expression, Justin added, “Keep her for now. And tell the HR department to keep looking for a suitable candidate.”
“Yes, President Burton. But, aren’t you the least curious about what happened in the past?”
For the past five years, nobody dared to mention Rachel, and neither did Justin ask anyone about her.
“Not at all,” he answered curtly. “I’m just concerned about the results she can bring to Burton Pharmaceuticals.”
Silently, Frankie gushed, He’s indeed fit to be the boss! Even if he has lost his memories, he isn’t a tiny bit interested to know anything about his ex-wife even though she showed up right in front of him now. Hats off to his level of indifference!
At the same time, Rachel had just returned to her office in Burton Pharmaceuticals. She was on the phone with Jolly while flipping through some documents.
“So, he really doesn’t remember anything about you at all?”
“Yeah,” Rachel answered. “It really seems like he remembers nothing at all.” She was the one who first brought up the term ‘ex-wife, and the shock he showed didn’t seem staged at all.
“During the past few days, I’ve been checking up on his situation over the years. Everything seemed pretty normal except for one thing.” Jolly said.
“What is it?”
“It’s my dad who told me this. Five years ago, Burton Group was openly and secretly suppressing Hudson Pharmaceuticals. It was obvious to everyone that they were in a rush to acquire it. However, at that time, the Burton Group suddenly put an end to their acquisition and left it unchecked.”
Rachel frowned. There were too many points that baffled her, and she couldn’t figure anything out for the moment. “Let’s leave this for now. Regardless whether he really lost his memories or how much he forgot, I’ll still go ahead with the things I want to do without a change of plans.”
“So, what do you plan to do now?”
“I think the surveillance evidence might be in his house, so I’m planning to make a trip there.”
The next afternoon, Rachel appeared at Justin’s mansion with some documents, and she pressed on the doorbell.
Ding dong, ding dong.
“Coming!” the servant said from the inside. “Hello, may I know who you are?”
“I have something here for President Burton,” Rachel began and showed the servant her business card. “He told me to wait for him at his home.”
After the servant took a look at the business card, her expression remained unchanged. “I’m sorry, but you should look for Mr. Burton at the company. He has instructed us not to allow anyone into the house if it’s regarding work.”
Then, the servant shut the door with a loud bang in her face.
“Huh?” Rachel gasped after she was snubbed. What’s wrong with Justin? He’s not working at home anymore? He was never this way before!
Just when she was about to leave, a girl’s voice sounded from above. “Hey, why are you at my place?”
Jerking her head to look up, Rachel saw a little girl hanging over the railing on the second floor balcony, blinking her grape-like, shiny dark eyes at her.
That was her daughter whom she had to leave behind in Riverdale after she gave birth to her. For five whole years, she had never seen her once.
“Hey, I’m asking you a question! Why are you here to look for my daddy? Do you like him and want to marry him as well?”
“No, … I’m here to discuss something with your father.”
“That’s what every woman who comes looking for him says.”
Not sure what she should say, Rachel simply answered, “I’m really not here to marry him. Since he’s not around, I’m leaving now.”
“Hey!” Charlotte yelled and stomped her feet on the balcony. “I didn’t say you can leave yet! Hold on!”
Just one look and Rachel could tell that she was a pampered child, but her spoiled ways were not annoying at all.
“Do you know how to bake cookies?”
Nodding, Rachel asked hesitantly, “Why?”
The little girl’s eyes sparkled, and she said, “Don’t go. I’ll open the door for you.”
Without waiting for Rachel’s reply, the little girl ran back into the house. And soon, the servant from
earlier opened the door again. Running out of the house in her teddy bear indoor slippers, she ran up to Rachel in her tiny steps and said, “Come with me.”
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Her hands were warm as she grabbed Rachel’s hand and pulled her into the house.
Helplessly, the servant said, “Miss Charlotte, Mr. Burton has said many times that you’re not supposed to bring a stranger into the house.”
“She’s not a stranger because both Daddy and I have met her before.”
“Huh?”
“Just go and do your work, Mary. We’re gonna go bake cookies now.”
After that, she dragged Rachel into the kitchen and released her as she pointed at the ingredients on the kitchen counter. “Can you make me a gingerbread man with all these?”
Rachel glanced at the ingredients and nodded. “Yes.”
“Make it, then,” Charlotte said and crossed her arms as she stood aside. At such a small age, she already had a domineering expression, exhibiting a justified look when she instructed people around.
However, Rachel was not mad at all, and she rolled up her sleeves to start working without another word.
After filling the pastry bag with batter and brushing a layer of butter on the baking tray, she squeezed the batter in the pastry bag onto the tray and made flower shapes.
“You really know how to do it?” Charlotte uttered while looking from the side with her head tilted. “All the women who came before this said they knew how to do it, but they were just humoring me and wanted me to put in a good word for them in front of Daddy.”
All of a sudden, Rachel felt her heart drop, and it wrenched. It was not surprising that many women threw themselves at Justin because of his status. While it didn’t matter to the adults, it was a torture for the child because she had to deal with this sort of issues at such a young age.
“Why do you want to bake cookies?”
“My aunt’s birthday is coming soon, and I want to prepare a gift for her.”
Seeing how she was looking at the baking tray in anticipation, Rachel held out the pastry bag to her and asked gently, “Would you like to give it a try?”
