Chapter 30: Chapter 31

Rachel didn’t expect that Amber would show up in such a high-class restaurant. She took a few more glances at Amber. When Amber was forced to leave back then, she also requested to take back the wedding ring that she had given to Rodney. Not long after, the ring appeared in a pawn shop. She had actually traded in a ring that only worth a few thousand dollars. One can imagine how distressed her life was.

During the car accident issue with Amber last time, Amber was dressed like a poor person, old fashioned and lacking of vitality.

She definitely looked like she wasn’t living a good life. Rachel scorned in her heart, “Weren’t you so arrogant at that time? Now you know how tough life is when you leave the Barron family, don’t you?”

...

In Rachel’s heart, Amber was now the embodiment of a poor hopeless person. But looking at her current appearance, she was a little surprised.

Compared to the last time, Amber became a completely different person. Although she was not wearing luxury clothes, those were not cheap items as well. Most importantly, this high-class restaurant was not open to any ordinary people.

Could she be married to a rich man? Amber Stone was beautiful indeed and had the capital to be married to a rich man. But wasn’t she infertile? It’s difficult for an infertile woman to remain in a rich family. Rachel thought of a word, “Lover.”

Only this kind of explanation was valid enough. Thinking that Amber might be a lover of a big-bellied man, she suddenly felt happy in her heart.

“This is the consequence of going against me. Amber Stone, you deserve it!” thought Rachel.

While she was all jolly, she suddenly saw a young and tall figure walking in the direction of Amber. Then Rachel’s joy vanished immediately because she saw the man sitting down opposite Amber.

After the man sat down, Rachel saw his face clearly. It turned out to be Elliot Thomson, who competed with Rodney for the urban construction project. Elliot was as good-looking as Rodney and had a good family background. The only bad thing was that he was a playboy.

It seemed that Amber must be one of his many lovers. Thinking of it this way, she felt at ease again.

When her mood became better, Rodney also arrived. He went straight to Rachel and said, “Mum, I’m a little late because I had something to settle.”

“I just arrived as well,” Rachel replied as she subconsciously glanced at the seat where Amber was sitting, “Did you see Amber eating here too? She’s really something now. She actually became a lover of Elliot.”

Rodney’s gaze swept in the direction of Amber and Elliot. When he saw the charming smile on Amber’s face, his chest tightened.

As his mother was there, he retrieved his gaze as if he hadn’t seen Amber at all. “Mum, what would you like to eat?”

In the past, Rodney always looked at Amber like the apple in his eye. But now, he behaved in such an attitude. Rachel was so excited, her son had finally let go of Amber! She could be relief now. Because she was so excited, her voice became a little different while replying, “Anything, it’s up to you.”

Knowing that Amber had actually been divorced, Elliot didn’t sleep well all night after he went back yesterday. He was even more depressed when he thought of the fact that the man had cheated on her. He wasn’t a gossipy person, but he was very curious about the identity of the man who cheated on her.

He held back for the whole morning because he didn’t have the nerve to ask. Now it was meal time, the Thomson family’s rules forbid talking while eating. So, he also had developed the habit of eating and not talking. But today, he finally couldn’t help asking, “Amber, I’m very curious about your ex-husband’s identity. Is he also from South City?”

Amber had long noticed Elliot’s hesitation, but she didn’t expect him to be hesitating on this. She replied flatly, “No.”

“Did both of you get married because of love?”

“You can say so, I guess?”

Elliot was a little jealous. “Why did he cheat on you?”

“Does a man need a reason to cheat?” Amber sneered.

“Why aren’t you willing to mention him? Does he still pains your heart?”

“There’s only pain when there’s love. I didn’t love him anymore since a long time ago. How is there pain?” Amber asked.

Rodney didn’t expect that Elliot would discuss this topic with Amber. He heard it clearly and his expression changed in an instant.

This woman actually said that she didn’t love him. She was indeed cruel!

“I’m very curious about his name. Can you tell me?”

“No.” Amber put down her cutlery. “He’s just an insignificant person. Why do you want to know?”

“I want to beat him up!” Elliot said frankly. “I’ll beat this heartless man each time I see him!”

“Speaking like you’re so faithful.” Amber chuckled.

“I am indeed a playboy, but that is before marriage. I will treat my wife well if I get married.”

Amber shook her head. “Men always say that before marriage.”

“I’m not that kind of person, really!” Elliot was a little anxious when he saw that she did not believe him. “I can prove it to you.”

These words sounded like a proposal in Rodney’s ears. He stood up suddenly and walked towards Elliot. “Mr. Thomson!”

Elliot looked up. “Mr. Barron is also here for a meal?” Then, he saw Rachel. When he was a child, he had seen Rachel before.

Out of courtesy, he got up and walked over. “Hello, Ms. Grant!”

Rachel nodded with a smile, but her eyes were fixed on Amber. Amber acted as if she didn’t see them at all. She leisurely picked up a piece of tissue and wiped her mouth. Her indifferent behaviour made Rachel feel extremely upset. “Elliot, who is this?”

asked Rachel.

Elliot looked at Amber and said, “Amber, come over and let me introduce you.”

Amber stood up and took her bag casually. Instead of walking towards Rachel, she walked toward the door and said as she walked, “Elliot, take your time to catch up with your old friends. I’ll wait for you at the entrance!”

This was simply an extremely rude behaviour. Rachel and Rodney’s expression turned unpleasant. Elliot also knew that this behaviour was inappropriate. Amber had always been a very tolerant person. Why did she treat Rachel like this? He couldn’t figure out the reason. He smiled at Rachel and said, “She’s afraid of meeting new people, Ms. Grant. Please don’t blame her!”

Rachel was stunned. If Amber was just an ordinary lover, she wouldn’t have dared to be so arrogant, and Elliot would not have been so humble. Rachel immediately felt very unhappy. “It was you who asked for it, Amber Stone. Don’t blame me,” thought Rachel and then she said to Elliot, “Although our families have not been in contact for a long time, as an elder, I have to advise you. Someone like you shouldn’t be dating a woman who has been divorced.”

“Thank you for your reminder, Ms. Grant. But Amber is different from the others. She is gentle and kind, it’s just that she had met lousy people.”

Rodney’s face darkened with anger when he heard that. Rachel did not expect Elliot to reply like this. Hence, she swallowed back the slandering words that she wanted to say about Amber.

Elliot continued to speak for a while before he went after Amber. Seeing that he had disappeared, Rachel snorted and said, “See? This is the wife you had before, such poor upbringing. Elliot is really blind.”

After saying that, she realised that she had scolded her son indirectly. So she changed her words and said, “Fortunately, you realised your mistakes and took a U-turn. Or else I don’t know how long we’ll be tortured by her.”

Rodney didn’t say a word. He had always thought that Elliot was just playing around, he didn’t expect him to have such a high opinion of Amber.

“Elliot was handsome, dashing, and knew how to coax women....” thought Rodney and his heart suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

Rachel didn’t know what her son was thinking. “Rodney, when you’re free, do visit the Black family more often.”

“For what?” Rodney asked in return.

“To enhance your relationship with Celia and to be on good terms with Channing?” Rachel said earnestly, “Rodney, I think the issue regarding the urban construction project should be because Channing was unhappy. You and Celia have been dragging on for three years. It has been so long, it’s inevitable that he has no thoughts about it.”

“Isn’t the engagement date already set? What else is there to be dissatisfied with?” Rodney was a little impatient.

Seeing that her son was impatient, Rachel had no choice but to keep quiet grumpily.

Elliot caught up with Amber at the lift. “What’s going on?”

“What?” Amber asked as if she didn’t know what he was referring to.

“You didn’t save me any face just now,” Elliot murmured, “Amber, why did you do that? Let’s put aside the fact that Rodney had saved you that night. His mother is an elder. You shouldn’t have left just like that. It’s very impolite.”

“What kind of elder is she?” Amber thought of how Rachel had tortured her in the past, and a trace of hatred appeared in her eyes. “That woman’s face irritates me. As for Rodney Barron, do you think he genuinely wanted to save me?”

Looking at Amber sneering, Elliot suddenly remembered the relationship between Rodney and Celia. “Did he save you because he knew you were the daughter of Mr. Black?”

“I don’t know! You’re the only one who knows about my relationship with Channing Black.”

“Is that so?” Elliot frowned. The scene of the fight at Club Cobalt flashbacked before him. At that time, it seemed that Rodney was holding Amber in his arms. “Amber, do you really not know Rodney?”

“I know him, but he doesn’t know me.” Amber replied quickly. Elliot frowned slightly as if he had missed something.

The first episode of the blind date reality show was aired, and the audience ratings were very good. On the first day, the viewing figures reached 8 million.

On the next day, discussions about the blind date reality show were all over the social media. The TV station’s publicity team was very good at pushing the discussion on Twitter and Instagram. With several big shots reposting it, it was hard not to be popular.

Shannon had nothing to do at home and was watching TV. Switching from channel to channel, she was suddenly interested in the replay of the blind date reality show. She was enjoying it very much when Celia came downstairs and sat down beside her.

“Mum, the boredom is killing me.”

“Go shopping with someone.” Shannon’s gaze was focused on the TV.

“That’s meaningless. There are only these many places in South City, and I’ve already gone to those places before.”

“Then do some hydrotherapy?”

“Mum!” Celia was a little unhappy to see that her mother’s attention was not on her. “Can’t you have a chat with me? What’s so good about a lame TV show?”

“This TV show is interesting,” Shannon replied.

Celia took a glance at the TV, and the screen just happened to be displaying all the female guests in a sweeping motion. She suddenly widened her eyes. “Mum, that person seems to be Amber Stone?”

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Shannon was stunned.

“Rewind it! Hurry up and rewind it!” Celia snatched the remote control from Shannon’s hand and rewound it back, pausing it at the part Amber was captured. She exclaimed, “Mum, her name is Amber Stone!”

Shannon didn’t pay much attention to her before this, but when she heard what Celia said, she also started to focus on female guest No. 5. Since no one inquired about female guest No. 5, so she didn’t pay much attention to her. She only realised that the female guest’s name was indeed Amber Stone after her daughter pointed it out.

Amber went on a blind date? The mother and daughter duo exchanged glances. Shannon reacted first, “Would they just have the same name?”

“We can’t see her face clearly with the mask on, but her figure and facial shape are very similar to Amber’s.”

“It’s not Amber. Look at her, she’s wearing braces. Amber is so beautiful, how would she wear something so disgusting?”

Shannon denied.

“Let’s look at her personal information first,” Celia continued to rewind it to the part of female guests’ self-introduction.

The written information shows that her name was Amber Stone, 28 years old, and was an ordinary employee who once had an unfortunate marriage. She was a mother of a three-year-old child. Due to her sufferings from the previous marriage, her standard for a partner was, “A man who is loyal and will not lie. Best if there isn’t a mother-in-law.”

Most of Amber’s information was true. She really wanted to find a father for Mel. However, she was worried that men would choose her based on her looks, so she purposely put on braces to make herself look uglier.

If someone was willing to choose her in this state, then the man was definitely not one who chose her based on her looks. In addition, Mel’s age was false. As for her standard in choosing a partner, that was her real thought. As long as the man is loyal and she won’t have a mother-in-law, it would be good enough. She had enough of Rachel’s temper when she lived with Rodney.

She already had a sense of phobia towards mother-in-laws.

“It shouldn’t be Amber. How could Amber have a three-year-old child?” Shannon finished reading the information first. Amber and Rodney had only been divorced for three years. How could the child be three years old?

“But why does she look so identical?” Celia muttered, “Although she wore braces, I still think she looks like her. Could it be that the child was adopted?”

“Alright, let’s stop thinking about this. Whether she is Amber or not has nothing to do with us. If you are bored, shall I accompany you to somewhere outside?”

“Mum, I don’t want to go out. I was just thinking if you could ask Dad to call Rodney over for dinner tonight.”

Shannon was very clear about her daughter’s ideas. She sighed and said, “Okay! I’ll call your father and tell him.”