Chapter 234 History Is a Cycle
After Rachel left the ward, Justin looked down at the back of his hand. Her warmth still lingered there from when she had smacked his hand away.
The sunset outside the window couldn’t have come at a better time, and the evening sun dyed the entire sky lovely warm hues. At that moment, Justin’s lips curved up into a shallow smile. A gentle warmth settled on his face, warming away the coldness.
People should look ahead, and the past was not important.
Justin wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but Rachel didn’t come back. He was about to press the buzzer and ask a nurse about this when Frankie suddenly knocked on the door and entered. “Mr. Burton.”
“Why are you in such a rush?”
Frankie was supposed to deliver some papers, but he had worked up a sweat running here. “I just came from the parking lot. I saw Miss Hudson being taken away by some people from the villa.”
Justin’s expression changed.
At the same time, Rachel was sitting inside a black Rolls-Royce with a spacious interior. The world outside the car zoomed past her.
The sound of a ringing tone reverberated inside the car. She gripped her phone and glanced at the old butler next to her.
“Can I take this phone call?” she asked, neither panicked nor comfortable with the situation.
When he saw the name ‘Julian’ on her phone screen, the butler nodded his head. “You may, Miss Hudson.”
Rachel answered the call and said, “Hello, Julian. Something has come up at the last moment, so I can’t go back with you. Sorry about this, but please pick up Charlotte and Samuel for me and send them home.”
Julian’s voice drifted over the speakers. There was a hint of anxiety in his voice. “Are you okay? Where are you now?”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
Rachel never once mentioned that she had been kidnapped throughout the conversation.
An hour later, the car arrived at the Burtons’ summer villa. Ever since she first stepped into the car, Rachel more or less knew the reason behind this trip—it certainly was not a simple trip meant for fun.
“Old Mr. Burton, Miss Hudson is here.”
“Come in.”
“This way, Miss Hudson.”
The Burtons’ butler opened the door to the study and beckoned her inside.
Before she entered the room, Rachel glanced at the electronic password lock through the corner of her eyes.
She hadn’t been able to enter this room prior to this visit. Indeed, it seemed that she could only get an open invitation by getting close to Justin.
The moment she stepped inside, she caught sight of an old man with white hair sitting behind the desk there. He was reading a book, but when he saw Rachel come in, he marked his place with a bookmark and set the book aside. He crossed those withered hands of his and placed them on top of the desk as his heavy gaze settled on her.
“Sit.”
Rachel sat down across the desk.
“It has been a while. I heard that your muteness has been cured. Congratulations.”
“Your mind is still as sharp and healthy as ever. I believe the same goes for your physical health?”
“Not quite, but it doesn’t matter. I simply wish for my descendants to surpass their potential and manage the family business well when they inherit it.”
“You’re a fortunate man to have so many excellent children and grandchildren.”
It was a normal conversation, but the politeness they employed was like a series of dancing blades.
Indeed, Arthur was a man who had seen a lot in life. He was solemn and calm as he poured Rachel a cup of tea, unfazed. “I heard that you have been caring for Justin recently. I should thank you properly.”
“It’s fine. It’s my duty, after all.”
“No.” His words took a turn. “Where should I begin with the word ‘duty’? Have you forgotten that you and Justin have divorced? You guys are no longer tied together, you know.”
Rachel showed a small smile. “You’ve misunderstood me. When I said ‘duty’, I meant that it is my duty to repay kindness that’s been shown to me. He did get hurt because of me. So, I shall repay this debt with kindness as well. Taking care of him until he has recovered is something that I should do.”
“Is that really what you think?”
Arthur pressed a button on the remote under his desk, and the projector behind Rachel lit up. Security camera footage began to play on the projector screen behind her. It was during the day of the birthday banquet at the summer villa. Rachel had avoided the guests and crossed the banquet hall before heading into the deserted side hall by herself. She had even attempted to open the door to the study, but she failed in the end, and Justin had discovered her.
“How would you explain this, Miss Hudson?”
However, being discovered so quickly was within Rachel’s expectations. “You saw it too. I was looking for something.”
“What were you looking for?”
“Don’t you know what it is?” Rachel looked at Arthur calmly. “If that incident from five years ago had been resolved, I wouldn’t have come back to cause this bit of trouble for you. You have the evidence for Hans’ death, don’t you?”
“It turns out that you actually returned for the evidence. You’re a sentimental one.” Approval flashed across his eyes. “If it wasn’t for how special you were, then it wouldn’t have been out of the question for Justin to marry you.”
“You don’t have to flatter me, for I am an ordinary person. Isn’t this the same as the last time you called me here back then? Remember when you wanted to make a deal and get me to leave Justin?”
History was a cycle, and it was shocking how similarly events could play out.
After her forced marriage to Justin back then, Arthur had also brought her over to the study and forced her to sign the divorce papers since he felt that she had been affecting Justin too much.
Today, he was doing the same thing—even the tactics he used were the same.
The old man replied, “I do indeed have the evidence. If I hand it over to you, will you immediately leave Justin and never show your face to him again?”
The corner of Rachel’s lips quirked up. “You are still the same as ever with your love for trickery.”
“What did you say?”
“I don’t have to bring up the number of cameras and audio recorders hidden around this house, do I?” Rachel surveyed the room, and her gaze promptly landed on the mini camera on the bookshelf across her. “You planned to bait me here and play the recording to Justin, making him think that I only got close to him because of some ulterior motive. You wouldn’t have to give me anything, and you’d get to remove yourself from the picture easily—just like how it was back then.”
Arthur’s expression stiffened. The awkwardness he felt from having his plans exposed was clearly written on his face, and he gave a dry cough. “You’re smarter than you used to be.”
“I do learn from my mistakes. Your family was the one who taught me everything, after all.” Rachel smiled. “It’s better to be a bit more honest when striking a deal.”
Arthur’s expression darkened. After a period of silence, he spoke. “I can give the evidence to you, but I need some time in case you renege on your word,” he said solemnly.
“You have time to think it over. You’re not the sole person I’m relying on.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Julian told me that Justin’s amnesia is a kind of retrograde amnesia. His memories are being intermittently cut off, but he can still remember some things. You probably don’t want him to remember what he has forgotten, do you?”
“How dare you!” Arthur’s expression instantly shifted as he smacked the desk hard and stood up. That was his Achilles heel, and he had no way of hiding it.
Rachel had returned to her home country for some time now. While she hadn’t made any progress in her other pursuits, she could clearly see how well Arthur had kept Justin’s amnesia under wraps.
To the old man, there was nothing better than having Justin put his rage and hatred behind him and throw himself entirely into inheriting the family business. That was why he absolutely didn’t want Justin to recover his memories. To that end, he was willing to let Amber marry into the Burton Family—after all, she didn’t want Justin to remember either.
