A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 6
A Life Debt Repaid
âOf course!â Cordy certainly came to like Richard a lot after spending a week with the boy. âIâve left you my number, so call me anytime you miss me. Iâll even come to meet you when Iâm free.ââLiar, liar, pants on fireâ¦âCordy dropped to a crouch then, which took her considerable exertion.Nearby, the nonexistent man was left frowning as she tenderly tousled Richardâs hair from the same height as the latter. âYes, pants on fire.âRichard beamed adorably then and gave her a peck on the cheek.The nonexistent man frowned even harder then.âI have to go now,â Cordy told Richard with a tender look.âOkay, Mommy. Donât run or you might fall,â Richard called after her sweetlyâthe boy simply refused to stop calling her that even after a week.When Cordy tried to, Richard would become alarmed, thinking that she was abandoning her, his little eyes turning red and welling with tears from misery.It certainly stopped Cordy from being stubbornâthe boy would get it when he was older anyway.As she limped out alone from her ward on her crutch, John kept following her.She wanted to stop him more than once, but she held her tongue.It was not until they reached the main entrance that she spoke. âMr.
Levineâ¦âHowever, he simply walked past her, opening the door of the black Maybach parked in front of her like a gentleman.As Cordy frowned, he said, âIâll give you a ride home.ââI shouldnât trouble you. I can get home by myself.ââI have a car,â he insisted simply.Cordy stared at him. Was he bragging?âItâs no trouble,â he added.Cordy genuinely found it difficult to talk to him, but she compromised regardless.He seemed to have this mystical ability to stop her from refusing, though refusing was just going to be a waste of timeâit would never work.As she got into the luxurious sedan, John asked, âWhere do you live, Ms. Sachs?ââNorth Garden,â she replied.She never returned to Sachs Mansion ever since she returned to the country, and her so-called family never cared.âYeah,â John said, giving the chauffeur a look.The chauffeur quickly nodded and slowly drove out of the hospital.That was when John suddenly leaned toward Cordy.She was startled even though she was clearly waryâJohn had always kept his distance.Still, she looked on as he helped her put on her seatbelt, and she was left pursing her lips.After he was done, he said evenly, âYou donât have to clench your fists, Ms.
Sachs.âCordy promptly looked down.She did not notice that she was doing that.As the awkwardness of the situation unfurled, John added, âDonât worry, Ms. Sachs. Iâm not the type to sleep around.âCordy was speechless.How narcissistic could he get?!Unable to hold back just then, she blurted, âHow did you get a kid if you really were?âShe regretted it almost as soon as she said itâshe was not close enough to John that they could joke like that.Indeed, John turned to look at her and held her gaze for a long while.However, just as she thought about changing the subject, John said, âIt was against my will.âCordy was dumbfoundedâsomething like that could happen to a burly man who measured up to six feet tall?!âI guess sheâs quite assertive.â Cordy tried to play along.âShe was on that day.â John nodded, glancing at her again with his dark gaze.Somehow, Cordy felt like their conversation was not that dull.âAnd? How did you two end up separated?â Cordy asked, trying to change the subjectâshe was also curious as to why Richardâs mother would leave them.âShe doesnât like me.âCordy was dumbfounded againâsomeone dumped a man as gorgeous as him?!âIf she doesnât, why would she bear your child?â It just did not make sense.âShe never wanted Dicky,â John said coolly. âShe was actually going to abandon him after delivering him.â Cordyâs heart actually felt as if it was cut by a blade right then. She did not even want to imagine the scene where a newly born Dicky, so young and defenseless, was almost dumped without an ounce of sentiment.âItâs right to separate yourself from a woman like her,â she said earnestly.John pursed his lips and stared fixedly at her, as if there was something on her face.Cordy touched her own cheeks self-consciously. âMr. Levine?âJohn turned away and kept the back of his head to her for the rest of the journey.Cordy frownedâhe was certainly volatile.Still, considering that she mentioned his unpleasant relationship, it would make sense that he would be in a bad mood.The car was silent until it stopped outside Cordyâs apartment.âThank you,â
Cordy said as she maintained her distance from him.John nodded. âTake care, Ms. Sachs.â âYeah,â
Cordy replied, while feeling relieved inside.She had to admit that she was slightly worried that John would insist on walking her to her apartment unit. Her tolerance toward strangers was already at its limit after he brought her to her apartment block.He was certainly considerate, and she actually felt less wary toward himâeven though she should be very wary against him.â¦Meanwhile, in the car, the chauffeur called out to John. âSir?âCordy was already gone from sight, but John was still staring at the direction from which she left, while his phone had been ringing for a while.John eventually turned away, remaining impassive as he answered the call. âGrandpa.ââIsnât Dicky getting discharged today? Why isnât he here?â Alan Levine asked.âWe will arrive soon,â John replied. âBut I must be clearâwe wonât be staying at the manor.ââWhy?â Alan sounded clearly upset.âDickyâs introvertedâhe doesnât like having too many people around. Iâll bring him over to meet you, and then leave with him,â John said staunchly.âAt least have dinner before you leave.âIt was Alanâs final compromise.ââ¦Sure,â John agreed.He rarely returned to North City following his parentsâ death, and he would not have returned at all if his grandfather did not coerce him with his own mortality.And if he did not, he probably would not have met her again.â¦Monday was a clear day.Cordy put on a business suit and light makeup, while letting her silky hair loose nonchalantly over her shoulders. Even though she was still on crutches, it did not hamper her weathered yet beautiful appearance.Her lawyer, Andrew Jacobs, accompanied her to Starstream Group.A man quickly approached them, greeting Cordy. âMs. Sachs.ââMr. Lang.â She nodded.Stephen Lang, the deputy general manager of Starstream Group, was one of Cordyâs motherâs most trusted employees. When Simon took over, he went on a major reformation, swapping out much of the old guardâonly Stephen remained.His position and influence in Starstream certainly went without saying from that fact alone.âLetâs go,â Cordy said without delay. âActually, Ms. Sachs, today isâ¦âCordy frowned at Stephenâs hesitation to speak.âI just got the news when I came in today. The board chairman⦠I mean, your father is going to appoint Noel Sachs as CEO of Starstream Group, giving her full authority over all company affairs. Theyâre actually holding a succession ceremony now.âSimon Sachs and his daughter were as despicable as they were shameless!Even so, Cordy said coolly, âIt doesnât matter.â