Of course, the punch Larry swung at Dustin at the hospital back then rendered Joan’s relationship with him even more ambiguous. In response to Dustin’s confession, Joan merely replied indifferently, “There’s someone whom I love.”
All at once, a wave of bitterness surged within Dustin. He had known that he wouldn’t be able to get her love and had long since expected such a response, but he had never counted upon such an indescribable feeling upon hearing it directly from her mouth.
Before he had figured out how he should reply to that, Joan continued, “Besides, he loves me a lot as well, and our relationship is going very well.” She then halted her steps and stared right into his slightly anguished gaze. “If possible, I hope we can be friends forever.”
“Friends?” Dustin muttered. He snorted softly before shaking his head, the sorrow within his eyes brimming to the point of overflowing like a tidal wave.
In the next moment, Joan asked him in a choked voice, “Dustin, tell me this. What’s your relationship with Alpire Group? What was your motive in requesting to see Larry? Are you working with them to destroy his company?”
“Destroy?” Dustin echoed. “If all the fittest were to be accused of destroying the weak, would there still be order in this world?”
Bolstering her courage inwardly, Joan raised her voice to make herself sound more imposing. “You know full well that Norton Corporation is not weak. I don’t know what method Alpire Group used to acquire Norton Corporation’s branch companies, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that Norton Corporation will not be impeded by Alpire Group or the market considering its operation and capabilities.
“Since you represented the chairman of Alpire Group to meet with Larry, I know you must be aware of Alpire Group’s true motive in acquiring Norton Corporation. Likewise, you must know their plans after having done so.” By then, her hands had already clenched into fists.
She truly couldn’t figure him out, so she could only feel him out. But from the look of things then, she wasn’t likely to gain any valuable information from him.
Dustin was silent for a moment before he commented, “Joan, although you’re a student at Nirhaven College, you’re still unfamiliar with business matters. I’m not the person behind Alpire Group. Indeed, their target is the entire Norton Corporation, but I have no say in whatever they do. The only thing I can do is to tell you both all this. If it weren’t because of you, why would I seek Larry Norton out? Joan, I prioritize you in everything I do.”
He sounded very sincere, and Joan could only hear the candor in his voice. Upon hearing his answer, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her tone eased as well as she murmured, “You know what, Dustin? The thing I fear most is that you’ll one day tell me that everything that had befallen us was all your doing.
“When Larry told me that it was you who met with him, I really couldn’t believe it. I know you’ve always been a good person. You saved me and promised to never hurt me. So, I trust you,” she continued without noticing that his fingers were trembling slightly.
When Dustin heard that, he knew that the day she feared would come sooner or later. All he could do was to draw out the coming of that day, making it slower. Meanwhile, he must treat her better so that their ties would remain close when the day came.
But given the situation then, everything he had planned seemed impossible. Considering her abiding trust in me now, how much would she hate me when she learns the truth? I once promised to never hurt her, but for the sake of that promise, I’ve been hurting the person she loves. In that case, is it considered hurting her indirectly?
Nevertheless, he couldn’t be bothered about that. The only thing he craved was every ray of sunshine that shone around her and every puff of air that glided over her. No matter how despicable and shameless the method, he felt that everything was worth it as long as he could see her.
