Chapter 798 A Ruthless Rejection
Eva went over to Amelia’s place at night. After dinner, she played with Tony for a while. When Tony had fallen asleep, she dragged Amelia to the guest room where she was staying. “Tell me honestly, Amelia. Who did James fall in love with?” she demanded.
Amelia plunged into silent contemplation for a moment before she answered, “I’ve indeed seen that girl before. Her name is Nina Yates, and she’s the heiress of the Yates family. She’s stunningly beautiful, even more so than Derrick. In fact, she can be considered a rare beauty. It’s understandable that James fell in love with her at first sight.”
At that, Eva grew a touch irate and griped, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier that he developed feelings for another woman, Amelia? Then, I could’ve taken preventive measures and wouldn’t be in such a passive position right now.”
Staring at her, Amelia advised earnestly, “Eva, the two of you are of two different worlds in the first place. Don’t hound him relentlessly, lest you can’t even be friends in the end. It’s been several months since you pursued him wholeheartedly, but you can tell he has no interest in you at all. Let it go.”
Upset, Eva sulked.
“This wasn’t what you said previously, Amelia. You even helped me with a makeover, so I’m no longer a tomboy. As the saying goes, a persistent pursuer can soften the staunchest heart. As long as I pursue him relentlessly, I believe he’ll accept me one day,” she countered curtly.
After pondering for a while, Amelia changed the subject. “I wish you all the best, then.”
Grabbing her hand, Eva reassured in a soft voice, “Don’t worry about me, Amelia. I know what I’m doing.”
“I really hope so. I don’t concur with women casting even their dignity aside for the sake of pursuing a man.”
“Got it.”
Amelia didn’t try further convincing her otherwise, merely urging Eva to rest well before returning to her bedroom.
The night passed peacefully.
The next day, Eva implored Amelia to accompany her to the hospital on the pretext of a stomachache.
In the car, Amelia questioned once more, “Are you really having a stomachache, Eva?”
“Of course!” Eva asserted.
However, Amelia could see that her complexion was rosy. She appears to be in the pink of health, not at all looking as though she has a stomachache. Oh well, she’s probably fibbing, making up an excuse to go to the hospital to seek James out.
Verily, she was worried that Eva’s painstaking efforts would ultimately end up in vain.
When they arrived at the hospital, Eva got her wish of seeing Nina.
At the sight of James going all out to gain Nina’s favor, she went green with envy. She immediately rushed over and yanked the man to her side as she snarled, “Who is she?”
James hurriedly put distance between them and explained to Nina urgently, “Don’t take it the wrong way, Ms. Yates. She isn’t my girlfriend.”
Following that, Eva’s temper spiked further.
“When am I not your girlfriend, James? So, she’s Nina Yates?” She shot daggers at Nina, radiating hostility.
Eva was astounded by the woman’s beauty, but it was promptly overwhelmed by her envy. A sense of inferiority inexorably flashed through her.
She’s truly too beautiful. If such is my love rival, I don’t have any chances of winning at all.
Conversely, Nina greeted her good-naturedly, “Nice to meet you. I’m Nina Yates. And you are?”
Eva gritted her teeth. James pulled her behind him and whispered, “Stop embarrassing yourself, Eva. I’ll really be mad at you if you scare her.”
His warning had Eva letting out a bark of furious laughter.
Catching sight of Amelia who was approaching, Nina greeted her with a smile, “It’s been a long time, Amelia.”
Amelia inwardly heaved a sigh. My fears have come to pass. Nina is here, so things would be tense between everyone if Eva were to kick up a fuss for real. Besides, Nina is innocent.
Despite the thoughts running through her mind, Amelia inquired gently, “Why are you here at the hospital, Nina?”
“Carter is injured, so I accompanied him to the hospital.” Nina sighed, the smile on her face fading slightly.
“How did he get injured all of a sudden?” Amelia queried in puzzlement.
“He had a fight with June because of the matter concerning Ms. Larson.”
Amelia’s mouth twitched, but she stifled the urge to pursue the question further.
Just then, Carter strolled over after having his hand bandaged. When Amelia saw the size of the bandage, she reckoned that he likely fractured his hand.
“Why did you get into a fight with June, Carter?” she asked.
Casting a glance at his injured hand, Carter declared, “He was asking for it.”
Amelia wanted to speak further, but he beat her to it. “Why are you here at the hospital? Are you not feeling well?”
“No. I accompanied Eva here. If you don’t mind, let’s go and have a cup of coffee. We haven’t talked in a long time,” Amelia suggested.
Carter deliberated for a moment and was just about to respond when James interrupted in a rare show of enthusiasm, “Sure! It so happens that I don’t have any patients. It’ll be my treat. If you don’t like coffee, Ms. Yates, we can have something else. Feel free to name any place.”
His intentions were as clear as day.
Eva was so livid that her face flushed bright red. Tugging at him, she whined, “I’m feeling terribly unwell, James. Please check me out instead of going for coffee with them.”
James, on the other hand, anxiously wanted to put distance between them.
Clocking Eva’s drama, Amelia felt her head throb.
“Stop messing around, Eva. Everyone is watching!” she chided.
Only then did Eva stop kicking up a fuss.
They all went to a coffee shop nearby.
Amelia ordered some food. James turned to Nina and inquired earnestly, “What would you like to eat, Ms. Yates?”
“Just take care of your girlfriend, Dr. James. I can take care of myself,” Nina replied courteously yet detachedly.
She felt somewhat awkward since Eva was glowering at her as though she was her mortal enemy.
James glared at Eva, his blood boiling.
For a moment, the atmosphere took a dip.
Amelia could only pretend that she hadn’t seen anything and questioned, “How are things between you and Jennifer, Carter?”
“Same old, same old,” Carter answered despondently.
“His relationship with Ms. Larson is terrible now, Amelia. Previously, he spotted June, Ms. Larson, and Ms. Yard in a heated argument. He strode right up and beat June up without a single word. Alas, Ms. Larson wasn’t appreciative and even told him not to bother her. And so, the two of them plunged into a stalemate. I initially planned to explain things to her, but he forbade me from doing so,” Nina interjected.
Even without having witnessed the scene, Amelia could imagine it in her mind.
Eva evidently understood Nina’s meaning as well, for she sneered, “Ah, so you’re dating Mr. Scott, Ms. Yates. Since you already have a boyfriend, don’t seduce someone else’s man like a vixen. It isn’t morally right to do so.”
Nina eyed her in bafflement.
Meanwhile, Amelia frowned and threw Eva a warning look.
“Ms. Yates, my cousin is blunt sometimes, so don’t take it to heart,” she murmured apologetically.
Nina shook her head. “I’m fine. Just call me Nina, Amelia. It feels formal that you’re addressing me as Ms. Yates.”
“Sure!” Amelia agreed readily.
At that, Eva snorted disdainfully.
Amelia turned her gaze to Eva. Just when she was about to speak, strains of a commotion drifted over from upstairs. They all looked up, only to see Cassie throwing a glass of water in Jennifer’s face. When Carter saw that, his expression changed drastically. Taking the stairs a few at a time, he sprinted up and seized hold of Cassie, who was poised to hit Jennifer.
“Are you okay, Jennifer?” he asked in concern.
Jennifer felt wretched in her drenched state. When she spotted Carter appearing like a knight on a white horse, a glimmer of warmth flashed across her eyes. She was just about to speak when she glimpsed Nina, who swiftly ran up. Her gaze abruptly went cold, the glint of warmth earlier all but gone.
“Are you okay, Ms. Larson?” Nina queried worriedly.
Shaking off the water from her head, Jennifer replied calmly, “I’m fine.”
Nina took out a clean handkerchief from her bag, urging, “Use this to wipe your face, lest you catch a cold, Jennifer.”
Taking the handkerchief, Jennifer wiped her face casually.
“Thank you, Mr. Scott, Ms. Yates. Cassie and I were merely playing around. Please excuse us if there’s nothing else,” Jennifer stated.
Carter regarded her conflictedly. He was still holding tightly onto Cassie’s hand, in fear that she would go crazy and hurt Jennifer.
Amelia followed them up as well. As she watched the entire mess, she internally lamented her bad luck. Gosh, what a small world that all women who once had grievances with each other are gathered together in the same place!
Seeing that a crowd was gathering, Cassie shook Carter’s hand off. She shot Jennifer a glare before snagging her bag and stalking off. No sooner had she taken a few steps than she spotted Amelia, who was standing at the back. At once, the hatred within her surged to the forefront.
As past grievances and present loathing seized her, she strode over and bumped Amelia’s shoulder, causing the latter to stumble.
Steadying Amelia, Eva barked, “Hey! Are you blind? You’re no different from an uneducated shrew with your crude and rude behavior!”
Cassie merely harrumphed before walking away.
“What’s her problem? How boorish!” Eva growled.
Amelia tugged at her hand before she walked over and inquired politely, “Are you okay, Ms. Larson?”
Sweeping an indifferent glance over her, Jennifer replied stiffly, “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Clinton.”
Amelia heaved a sigh. Well, she really hates me because of Laura’s matter.
“I’ve got something else to do, so I’ll be taking my leave first, Mr. Scott, Ms. Yates,” Jennifer murmured aloofly.
Carter grabbed her hand and dragged her down the stairs without a single word.
“Let go of my hand, Carter!” Jennifer exclaimed.
Still, Carter remained silent.
Eva, on the other hand, turned to Nina with a grim look and remarked, “Your boyfriend has left while holding another woman’s hand, Ms. Yates.”
Chuckling, Nina clarified, “Carter and I are just friends. It’s not what you think.”
When Eva heard that, her face fell. Contrarily, James’ expression radiated excitement.
Jennifer, who was dragged out of the coffee shop, shook Carter’s hand off and snapped, “What exactly do you want, Carter?”
Carter looked at her with a gloomy expression. Gritting his teeth, he hissed, “Do you love him so much? He’s in a relationship with countless women, yet you have to stoop so low to be one of them?”
Such fury blazed within Jennifer that she chortled.
“What right do you have to question me, Mr. Scott? You look like an angry husband who caught his wife cheating on him. Don’t tell me you have fallen in love with me?” Jennifer scoffed.
“Yes, I’ve fallen in love with you. I was a b*stard in the past and didn’t know how to cherish you, but I do now. Please give me another chance, won’t you?” Carter shouted in a repressed voice.
Jennifer was promptly stunned.
His expression turned gentle as he pleaded softly, “Please give me another chance, Jennifer. I’ll treat you well.”
As Jennifer snapped back to her senses, she took a step back. Casting a sorrowful glance at him, she turned around and walked away.
Carter grabbed her hand.
“Jennifer, please give me another chance, won’t you?” he begged agonizingly.
Jennifer tilted her head upward to force back the tears welling in her eyes. Then, she whirled around and punched his chest uncontrollably while venting, “I hate you, Carter! I detest you! If you’d even said that to me a year earlier, we won’t end up like this! I would’ve agreed ecstatically. Subsequently, we might have gotten married and had children. But now… we can never go back to how we were in the past.”
My mother’s illness and the video of me with someone else have become indelible stains on me. As such, we’re destined to have no future!
Carter allowed her to strike him as she pleased. When she finally had enough, he pulled her into his arms and murmured, “As long as you’re willing, we can definitely go back to how we were in the past. You only need to love me as you did back then. Everything else isn’t important anymore.
Jennifer struggled, but the man was hugging her too tightly that she couldn’t budge at all.
“As long as you’re willing, Jennifer, we can definitely go back to how we were in the past,” Carter said.
However, his words were like knives, stabbing Jennifer in the heart.
If I’d heard such words from him a year or two earlier, I would’ve agreed happily. But now, things are no longer the same. I’m in an inextricable relationship with another man, and I even got myself in a love triangle. Worse still, I was caught on video. I’ve long since become notorious in Tayhaven. While those acquainted with me respect me as the sole heiress of the Larson family, they talk about my figure and the like behind my back, their language filthy and crude. I’m no longer worthy of him.
“Let go of me first,” she uttered calmly.
Carter let go of her. He dipped his head and stared into her eyes that had reverted to their usual serenity. “Please give me another chance, Jennifer.”
Shaking her head, Jennifer said, “I’ve still got some business to handle, so I’ll be leaving first. Besides, there’s someone else by your side now. Ms. Yates is beautiful and docile, very much pleasing. Don’t let her down.”
“Nina and I—”
“Mrs. Scott must like her a lot as well, no? She makes a perfect match with you. She’s stunning, but you’re not too bad yourself. All the best. If the two of you were to get married one day, I’ll definitely give you both a sizeable monetary gift,” Jennifer added, cutting him off.
Carter’s expression darkened a shade. Looking right into her eyes, he asked in a hoarse voice, “Is this really how you think?”
Averting her gaze, Jennifer didn’t reply to that. She merely noted, “I’ve still got a business lunch with a representative from another company later, so let’s talk another day. Please excuse me.”
Carter clutched her hand, offering, “I’ll go with you.”
Jennifer wanted to shake his hand off, but she was no match for his strength.
Gazing up at him, she beseeched, “Allow me some dignity, Carter. I don’t want you to see me in a wretched state every time you bump into me. We never dated, so you don’t need to take responsibility for me. I’m serious.”
Carter fixated his eyes on her.
“I beg you.”
At that, Carter was a touch startled. Seizing advantage of his moment of distraction, Jennifer withdrew her arm and quickly left in her high heels.
Amelia walked over and queried softly, “Are you not going after her?”
Carter retracted his gaze and gave a bitter chuckle, lamenting, “In the past, she was the one who chased after me relentlessly. Now, the tables have turned, but she’s avoiding me like the plague. I don’t know what else to do anymore.”
Pausing for a moment, he sighed glumly. “I was in love with you for many years, but you became another man’s wife. Now, I would like to start a new relationship, but the person I fancy fled. Say, isn’t my EQ pathetically low? There are only two women whom I ever had feelings for, but neither ended up belonging to me.”
Amelia threw him a look before she shifted her gaze back in the direction in which Jennifer had long since disappeared. “The Carter I know will never give up.”
In response, Carter merely chuckled wryly. Out of the blue, Amelia noticed that the beard on his chin wasn’t shaved clean. Well, he’s indeed much more dispirited now.
“I’m sorry you had to see all that, Amelia. I’ll treat you to a meal another day. I’ve still got some work at the office,” said Carter half-heartedly.
Amelia nodded.
Subsequently, Carter told Nina to go home by herself, claiming that he had something to do at the office and needed to make a trip back.
Nina wasn’t the clingy type either, so she urged him to leave, telling him she would just take a taxi home later.
As soon as Carter had left, James immediately offered in all earnestness, “I’ll drive you back, Ms. Yates.”
Nina glanced at Eva, who was eyeing her with hostility, before courteously turning him down. “It’s okay. I’ll be fine taking a taxi home later. Anyway, thank you for the offer.”
James didn’t give up but insisted, “It’s better that I drive you home. Not only are you alone, but you’re also stunningly beautiful. There are many perverts nowadays, so I’m worried that something might happen to you.”
“That’s not an issue. I’ve been learning combat arts since young, so the average ruffian isn’t my match. You should drive your girlfriend back instead,” Nina declined politely.
She turned to Amelia. “I’ll be leaving first, Amelia. Let’s go out another time.”
“Have a safe trip home.”
No sooner had Nina left than James deflated like a balloon, his usual handsome and dashing self nowhere to be seen.
Seeing him all crestfallen, Eva seethed. Needless to say, she felt all the more bitter.
“Have you really fallen in love with her, James?” she asked seriously for the very first time.
James turned to look at her and likewise answered solemnly, “Yes, I’ve fallen in love with her. She’s very different. With a mere look, I can see right to the bottom of her heart. Therefore, I want to pursue her.”
“What about me, then?” Eva countered.
A flash of guilt flittered across James’ eyes.
“I’m sorry, Eva. You’re nice, but you’re really not my type. Previously, I only planned to try dating you for Amelia’s sake. However, feelings can’t be forced. I’m used to speaking bluntly, unlike locals, so I apologize if my words hurt you. Nonetheless, I don’t want you to fall deeper,” he explained somberly.
Eva’s eyes turned red-rimmed. She bit her lip hard and stared at him for a long time. An eternity later, she reluctantly replied, “It’s okay. Never mind that you don’t like me now, for it’s enough that I like you. I believe that I can move you with my sincerity. Sooner or later, you’ll fall in love with me.” After saying that, she hurried away while dragging Amelia along, so frantic that it was as though the hounds of hell were on her heels.
James gazed at her gradually disappearing figure with guilt welling within him. Only after she was gone from sight did he head toward his car. Opening the car door, he climbed into the car and sped away.
