Chapter 198 Afraid That I’ll Hit Her?
“Before questioning me, think about how you’re speaking to me.”
The more Courtney thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Everything that had been on her mind during this period came pouring out. “You think that it’s expected of me to put Jordan first. I’ve admitted that Jordan and Tina are both equally important to me, but you didn’t believe me, nor did you acknowledge it. I really want to know; where in my heart do you want me to place Tina? And have you ever considered Tina as your family before? As your own daughter?”
“Also, about your childhood sweetheart, Mikayla a.k.a. Miss Vivian Shepherd. Sure, you said that she’s your sister, and I believed you. But, did you know about the suspicions that arose? The rumors that were spreading? Even your cousin knows that you look down on me. If Vivian is your fiancée, then what does that make me? A secret lover for you to spend your money on?” All the yelling was making Courtney exhausted. She snarled viciously, “I’m not that despicable!”
After pouring everything out in one breath, she stared at Alexander for several moments. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her head was lowered as if she was being terribly insulted.
“Let go of me!” Her upset cries drifted in the wind.
Alexander was strong, and the hand clutching Courtney’s was stuck firmly like glue. She couldn’t shake him off no matter how hard she tried.
After a long time, he began in a hoarse voice, “I’m sorry about the children. I was wrong, but it’s not that I didn’t consider your situation or your mood… That day, I…”
Whatever he said next was incoherent.
He was so upset that he couldn’t form proper words.
How could he be so unreasonable as to ask a mother to give up on her own child and place all her attention on someone else’s child instead? At that time, he had acted preposterously because Jordan’s situation had put him in a bad mood.
“I’m sorry.”
Men rarely explained themselves. Even though the words were on the verge of his lips, all that came out was an apology. Others may have found it superficial, but those two words carried an extremely heavy weight to him.
He understood now that his reputation wasn’t that important, nor were the trivialities in life. Only when one’s life was at stake would they be able to clearly see what was of utmost importance.
“I’m sorry for everything that I did. I’m sorry for hurting you. Courtney, I’m sorry. I’m always looking for more conventional ways to express my feelings for you, but I don’t think anything can measure up to the words ‘I love you’.”
“Courtney, I love you.”
The night was breezy, but a sudden warmth wrapped around Courtney. She was too weak to struggle, so she cried even louder. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and the heat she felt earlier was vanquished by the mountain breeze.
She heard her dull voice yell discontentedly, “You b*stard!”
But, in the end, she remained peacefully in his arms. She appeared wronged—like a child who had their candy taken from them.
There weren’t that many misunderstandings in the world; everyone just needed to be honest with each other. Only by taking that step would others know what one wanted to do. Acting according to the unstable changes of one’s heart couldn’t compare to the clarity of expressing one’s true feelings.
When they got back to the car, Courtney sneezed.
Alexander turned off the air-conditioning, then wrapped his jacket around her; his eyes were full of concern.
“Have some tea.”
“Thank you.” Courtney sniffled, then took the cup of tea from him.
After calming down, both of them said nothing about what had just transpired.
It was shameful—two adults yelling and fighting on the road in the middle of the night over a little spat!
After a long time, Alexander broke the awkward silence. “About the fire: the matter was investigated before you resigned. Louie was the one that started it. At that time, Jordan had entered the freezer by mistake. Although Louie didn’t admit to this, he must’ve drugged Tina to make her unconscious. I never got the chance to tell you all these.”
Courtney nodded. “I know.”
There were two reasons she said those two words. The first was because she had personally gone to Eastbrook to make a thorough investigation of the matter, then had deliberately left her assistant from Sunhill Hotel clues about the night market; otherwise, those good-for-nothings at the police station would’ve ended up with nothing.
The second reason was that she knew why Alexander didn’t tell her the truth after the matter had been investigated.
At that time, Lucian was hospitalized and in critical condition. Not to mention, she had just cast Alexander’s dignity aside and broke up with him. During such a crucial moment, judging from his temperament, he would definitely not go looking for her.
“What about the person behind it?” Courtney prompted.
Louie was an apprentice from a remote fishing village. If no one was deliberately guiding him, he wouldn’t have harmed children as it didn’t do him any good. His actions were obviously motivated by personal interests; there was no other explanation.
Courtney reckoned that there were too many people cooperating with him in this matter. The two waiters at the hotel were a good example—they told Courtney that Jordan had gone to the bathroom as if they were temporarily arranged to mislead her. Everything was too much of a coincidence.
“It was Mikayla. I’ll make sure she apologizes to you and Tina.”
The fact that Alexander was so certain was a surprise to Courtney.
“Mikayla?”
“Are you that surprised?” Alexander looked at her in disbelief. “Did you not doubt her at all?”
Anyone who pondered over it for a while would find the situation suspicious. At the entrance to the kitchen that day, the fire had clearly started, so why did Mikayla suddenly rush in when no one knew that Jordan was in there?
Besides, judging from her behavior during the few times that Alexander was in contact with her, she was reluctant to discuss the events of that day. Her panic was evident.
As Jordan’s savior, it could be considered modesty if she didn’t want to take credit, but any mention of this incident made her appear uncomfortable. This just showed that there was something wrong with this situation.
“No,” Courtney refuted, “I don’t think that it was entirely her doing. If she had really planned it all by herself, then why did she make such a huge mistake in the last part knowing that it would arouse suspicion?”
“Maybe she didn’t think that the fire would get so big.”
“Or maybe… the person who planned to do this with her changed their mind at the last minute, hoping to use this chance to kill two birds with one stone.” Courtney turned to Alexander, her face a mask of calmness. “They were hoping to cause a misunderstanding between us, while at the same time, make you suspect her.”
Alexander stiffened as if he had thought of something. “Who do you suspect?”
“There may not be thousands of people in Melrose City who want Mikayla and I gone from your side, but there are still hundreds who do. It would be hard to crack, but I think Mikayla knows.”
Courtney’s expression was impassive. “If you don’t mind, let me handle this. I’d like to find Mikayla and ask her some questions.”
“You’re going to question her?”
“Why? Do you not want me to? Afraid that I’ll hit her?” Courtney raised an eyebrow at Alexander while she probed him on purpose.
An easy smile spread across his face as he leaned back and said quietly, “You may not know this, but Mikayla has a ninth-degree black belt in Taekwondo. She can split bricks with her bare hands.”
“You’re joking, right?” Courtney’s eyes widened in shock.
What Alexander said next made her feel as if she had just been doused with a basin of cold water. “You don’t believe me? Her ex-husband shoved her when he was drunk, and as a result, she broke his arm.”
