It was already dark outside when everyone came out after signing the documents. “Let’s have dinner together, Rachel.” Victor was still delighted. “I haven’t seen you for so many years, and I have lots of stuff to tell you about.”
“No!” Before Rachel could respond, Charlotte suddenly sprang toward them from Justin’s side, clinging onto Rachel’s leg while eyeing Victor with hostility. “Mommy is going home with me. She’s not going to dinner with some bad teacher.”
Victor was startled for a moment before he recalled that Rachel had given birth to a daughter before leaving back then. “Rachel, could Charlotte be…”
Rachel gave him a slight nod with tenderness in her eyes.
“Then what about Samuel?”
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it some other day when there’s an opportunity.” Rachel then glanced behind her. “It’s already getting late today, and I may have to go to the hospital, so let’s meet up some other time, Victor.”
Victor was somewhat disappointed. Still, he replied, “Okay.”
“Why don’t we exchange our contact numbers?” Rachel took out her cell phone first.
“Sure.” After that, Victor hailed a taxi and left. However, he warned Justin before he left by saying, “If you dare to harm a hair on Rachel’s head, I will never let you off!”
Justin’s face darkened at Victor’s words, whereas Rachel quickly urged the taxi driver to drive. When Rachel, Justin, and the two kids were the only ones left at the police station’s entrance, Rachel shot a glance at him. “Let’s go.”
However, Justin was as cross as a bear. “Are you letting him off just like that? I haven’t gotten round to examining my injury yet.”
“Are you coming or not?”
“Where are we going?”
“To the hospital” Rachel shot back icily. “Don’t you want to have your injury examined? Let’s get it done. I’ll take the responsibility if there’s anything wrong with it.”
When Rachel registered Justin at the hospital’s emergency department, she ran into Julian, who happened to be on duty today. He asked, “Why are you here in the hospital? Are you unwell?”
“It’s not me; it’s your cousin.” Rachel threw a glance at the waiting area in the distance. “Victor is the teacher in charge of Samuel’s class. He and Justin ran into each other at the school’s entrance, and they came to blows.”
“Victor?” Julian was very surprised. “What a small world.”
“It’s a long story.”
“Just give it to me. I’ll check on him.” Julian took the medical card from Rachel and took Justin right away to the debridement room, whereby he examined Justin’s eye injury with the aid of a flashlight. “It’s not a big deal. You’ll be fine once we apply some medicine on it.”
“Are you sure that I’m completely fine?”
“Who is the doctor here, Justin-me or you?”
Justin answered back coldly, “I’m afraid that you might shield that brat on purpose. Who knows if you’re on his side?”
“I have no leisure for that.” Julian shot him a disdainful look. “You completely deserve to be punched in the face.”
“What do you mean by that?” Justin knitted his brows. “Could there be bad blood between me and that brat as well?”
“This has nothing much to do with him, but he regards Rachel as his own sister, you know.”
“Is this about Rachel again?” Justin looked annoyed.
Julian slammed the tweezers down onto the porcelain dish. He then replied coldly, “The fact that you don’t remember it doesn’t mean that it never happened. Rachel has never been unfair to you; you’re the one who has been unkind to her the whole time.”
Justin’s face darkened, for it wasn’t the first time he had heard this. “What do you mean by saying that I’ve been unkind to her? The responsibility of a failed marriage should fall on both sides at the very least, yet you speak for her unconditionally and shift all the blame onto me. You have such a close relationship with her, don’t you?”
“Well, won’t believe me? Let me tell you what you did back then.”
“That’s not necessary! I’ll find out about the truth myself. I don’t need you to tell me about it,” Justin replied before he picked his overcoat and stormed out of the room.
Rachel and the two kids were waiting outside the door when they saw Justin coming out in a huff. “Daddy!” Charlotte ran toward him.
However, instead of hugging Charlotte, Justin said coldly to Rachel, “Take Charlotte home. I have something else to attend to, so I won’t be giving you all a ride.”
Rachel was baffled as she watched him storm off in a great rage. “What has gotten into him again?”
“He’s pissed off because something’s hit a nerve in him, I guess,” Julian answered with an apathetic expression. He didn’t believe that Justin was totally uninterested in what had happened back then. When he finds out the truth and figures everything out he’ll realize how cruel he was to Rachel back then.
The night was dark, and the dim yellow light shone on the French window. At that moment, a woman’s figure reflected upon it. The woman’s body was wrapped in a pink silk slip dress as a pair of arms hugged her from behind. “What are you thinking about by yourself here? Did you dress in such an attractive manner because you knew that I’d be coming today?”
Amber shuddered. “When did you arrive?”
“Just a moment ago.” Noah seemed impatient as he lowered his head and kissed her neck.
Amber suddenly grabbed his hand and kept it from moving about. “I’m not in the mood today.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Are you going to keep carrying on with me on the sly like this? Will you marry me if I break off my engagement with Justin?”
In an instant, Noah lost all his interest; he let go of Amber and sat down alone on the sofa nearby. “Why are you talking about this? You’re only saying so simply because you’ve sensed danger upon your sister’s return, am I right? You talk as if you’re willing to give up on Justin for my sake.” Just forget about scheming against each other. We’re both wily foxes, after all, he thought to himself.
“What does that girl think she is? How could she pose a threat to me?”
“Is she not posing a threat to you?” As he sat with his legs crossed, Noah pulled off his tie, revealing a large part of his chest in a raffish demeanor with a half-smile on his face. “Why did I hear that she’s moved into the Burton Residence, though?”
“What did you say?” Amber’s expression changed.
“Don’t you know that yet? No wonder you look so unperturbed.”
“When did this happen? This is impossible!”
“Why don’t you make a phone call and ask about it yourself? Not only has that woman moved back with feverish haste after Old Mr. Burton’s birthday banquet, she’s even taking the kid to and from school with Justin. The way I see it, you’ll cease to be Justin’s fiancée very soon, much less marry into the Burton Family.” Noah snorted coldly while flicking some cigarette ash away. “I’d advise you to stop indulging in wishful thinking and serve me well. Even though I won’t let you be a part of my family, I’ll give you your due.”
Amber’s shoulders were trembling as Noah’s humiliating words hit her eardrums one after another. Rachel has actually established herself as the lady of the house just like that! / worked hard for five years, yet I didn’t manage to do that. How did she do it upon her return? she thought to herself. “Young Master Noah, I have been
carrying on with you for so many years. I won’t be asking too much of you if I beg you to do something for me, right?”
“Tell me about it.”
“Mr. Wayne of Golden Herbs Enterprise seems to be on good terms with you.”
Noah’s pupils contracted slightly. “What do you want to do?”
Amber lifted a corner of her mouth and sat astride Noah’s lap. “You just need to introduce me to him. It won’t do you any harm.”
Noah was rendered speechless by her words.
The next morning, Frankie was startled to see Justin when he clocked in at the company as usual. “President Burton? What brings you here at such an early hour?”
Justin looked up from behind the computer. He was still wearing the clothes he had been wearing yesterday.
“What’s up with your eye, President Burton?”
