Chapter 389 Karma Transmigration
It rained heavily outside the window, and the raindrops beat the leaves of the sycamore trees on the streets of Riverdale to pieces. There was a constant stream of people in the English restaurant. The restaurant’s atmosphere was undoubtedly much more lively and boisterous than a French restaurant.
“The fish and chips here are good; Charlotte and Samuel like them very much,” Justin said. As he spoke, he poured a cup of tea for Rachel. “After dinner, I’ll order a takeaway for two fish and chips, and you can take them back for the children.”
“You still think about the little gluttonous duo?”
“In the past, I was too busy and spent too little time with Charlotte. If you are busy in the future, you can leave both children to me. Then, you can pick them up when you are not busy.”
These words sounded inexplicably unpleasant.
Rachel’s eyes darkened slightly. “Regarding things in Burton Group, is Robin still giving you a hard time after Julian took over? Why don’t I talk to Julian?”
“There’s no need for that. Robin didn’t make things difficult for me. In fact, after Julian took over, it was a lot easier on me. I even took a month’s leave, and no one has urged me to return.”
Justin pretended that everything was fine. Rachel took his words at face value and actually let out a breath of relief.
“That’s good. I told you things would still be the same even after Julian took over. He’s your own family, after all. At the very least, he won’t let a man like Robin show off his authority.”
Justin didn’t answer; instead, he gave her the fish and chips and urged, “Eat more.”
After Julian joined Burton Group, Robin really stopped putting pressure on me. In other words, I have no pressure in Burton Group now because I have nothing to do. The moment someone overruns my work, it also means my authority has been overridden. Even so, I can understand everything Julian has done. If it were me, I would have done the same myself. Why? Because I’m the biggest threat.
“Did Charlotte cause any trouble during the days I’ve been gone?”
“Most of the time, she’s very well-behaved. But if you really want to know, you should attend the parent-teacher conference for her when the time comes. There was no huge trouble, but there were many small issues. For example, she was having many disputes with her classmates.”
“Let Victor be strict with her. She has never been in contact with her peers since she was a child, so she is used to being self-centered.”
Rachel was a little surprised.
“What’s wrong?”
As he saw her looking at him in astonishment, he asked, “Is there something on my face?”
After that, she immediately came back to her senses. “No, I’m just a little surprised. Didn’t you always think that it’s not a bad thing for Charlotte to be self-centered?”
“If she’s too self-centered, she’ll be vulnerable toward setbacks in the future. I can’t accompany her for the rest of my life.”
“Yeah, that’s true. Don’t worry. She’s alright.”
She smiled. “There are so many people backing her up, so there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Just as she was talking, her phone suddenly rang. It was Julian.
“Sorry, I’m going to answer this call.”
“Sure.”
Rachel left the seat and pressed the answer button while walking toward the bathroom, “Hello?”
“Rach, where are you?”
“Out having dinner.”
“With Jolly?”
“No, with Justin.”
The other end of the phone went suspiciously silent for a long time. Rachel glanced at the screen of her mobile phone curiously. However, she did not hang up. “Hello? Julian?”
“Huh?”
“I thought you hung up the phone. It’s raining today, and the signal must not be good.”
“When did he come back?”
“I don’t know. We just coincidentally met today, so we had dinner together, and we were just talking about work.”
“Where are you? I’ll pick you up.”
Rachel was slightly stunned.
His tone suddenly made her feel uncomfortable.
She kept frowning after she came back from the washroom.
“Sorry to keep you waiting for a long time.”
As he saw her furrowed brows, he couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“It’s nothing. Let’s eat.” Rachel squeezed out a smile.
Julian’s attitude on the phone earlier made her feel inexplicably uncomfortable.
He stopped asking further when he sensed that she didn’t wish to say more. So, instead, he only kept giving her food, asking her to taste them. Meanwhile, he, himself, did not eat much.
After dinner, he ordered an English dessert for her.
“They have this here?”
Rachel felt surprised as she looked at the mouth-watering sea salt caramel pudding in front of her. “The last time I ate this was five years ago.”
In the past, only the cook of the Burton Family could make this, as they were not sold outside.
“Have a taste.”
After taking a bite, she was even more surprised. “It tastes exactly the same as I imagined it to be.”
Even after so many years, she still remembered the warm feeling in her heart the first time she had this sea salt caramel pudding.
I remember that day very clearly. Justin was not at home that day, and it was raining heavily too. When I returned from outside, I was locked out by Sue until the middle of the night when Ms. Grace secretly let me in and made me sea salt caramel pudding.
Although it was an unpleasant past, such a touch of warmth was also a memorable thing for Rachel. “I remember that only Ms. Grace can make this, and I didn’t ask her how she did it back then. I also don’t know where she is now.”
Justin replied, “This place is established and run by Ms. Grace.”
Rachel’s eyes widened, “Really?!”
“It’s true.” Justin smiled, and it softened the austere look on his face. “Why don’t we call her out, and you can ask her personally?”
“Is she here?”
“She should be,” Justin said while raising his hand to call for the server.
However, when he turned his head, he saw a figure coming in from the restaurant’s door. The smile in Justin’s eyes suddenly disappeared.
The visitor looked around and happened to meet Justin’s eyes.
Likewise, she also spotted the figure, and her eyes contracted a little in response.
Julian was dressed in a brown trench coat. Under silver-rimmed glasses, his eyes were warm yet spirited, and he walked straight to their table.
“Julian.” Rachel stood up.
He looked at her and said, “It’s raining cats and dogs today, so I wanted to pick you up.”
Once the concise sentence fell, the air suddenly condensed.
She furrowed her brows and said, “Didn’t I say I drove here? So I can go home by myself!”
“I’m worried,” said Julian. As he spoke, he even gripped her arms. “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
All of a sudden, Justin grabbed Julian on the shoulder. “Julian.”
In an instant, the facial expression on Julian’s face sank. “What are you doing?”
“I should be asking you that. What are you doing?”
“I’m here to pick up my fiancée. What do you think I’m doing?”
Like a shot, Justin’s arm suddenly froze. Fiancée?
Similarly, Rachel was also stunned. Since when did I become Julian’s fiancée? Why am I not aware of this?!
At this moment, many people in the restaurant had started looking at them. Since she did not want to embarrass everyone, she apologized to Justin, saying, “I’m sorry, I have to go first.”
Justin’s hand on Julian’s shoulder trembled. It froze for a second and fell.
“Rachel, let’s go.” Julian took her bag and glanced at Justin before leaving. His eyes were icy, as if he had turned into another person.
She was dragged away by Julian, and when she was about to reach the entrance, the server stopped her with a bag. “Ma’am, the fish and chips that gentleman packed for you.”
Just as she was about to take them, Julian said, “There’s no need. Let him keep it for himself.”
With that, Julian directly took her and left the restaurant.
There was only Justin left on the seat, and she did not have the time to finish the sea salt caramel pudding across from him.
When he looked at the back silhouettes of the two people leaving, they looked like a perfect match. The only trace of warmth on his face disappeared with the disappearance of Rachel’s figure. Almost instantly, a great sense of loss swept in.
He abruptly frowned and grasped the corner of the table to pant. Then, as he felt his chest seemingly crushed by a boulder, he gasped for air.
Is this considered karma? Justin thought mockingly. I let Rachel suffer in the past, and now it’s my turn. I deserve to suffer as she did. I deserve all this.
