Chapter 159
My Mute Bride
The window was left open, allowing the breeze to blow through the curtains. The cool wind brushed against Rachel and it jolted her awake from her nightmare. When she looked beside her, there was no one to be found.
Justin was long gone and he left nothing but destruction behind. It didnât take long for Rachel to wake up completely but that only brought her a new round of suffering. The insults he hurled at her and what happened in the brutal night cut away at her soul like invisible knives. At that thought, she gripped the blanket tightly and cried into her pillow.
Frankie handed the document to Justin the first thing in the morning. âHereâs the information you wanted, President Burton. Dr. Peters is planning to study abroad and he wants to take a family member with him as well. He applied for the spot too.â
He plans to do what? When Justin saw who Julian wanted to bring with him, his face fell and he hurled the whole file into the trash can.
Upon hearing the crash, Frankie shivered in fear and he said nothing. Justin then ordered, âGo to Julianâs place and take her passport.â
âSir, how do you know that he has Mrs. Burtonâs passport?â
âWhere else can it be?â Justin roared as he clenched his fists. How dare he try to take her away without my permission? He has stepped out of line! Out loud, he said, âFrankie, I need you to do one more thing.â
âYes, President Burton.â
And so, Justin told him what Frankie needed to do.
It was the Hudson Foundationâs opening ceremony the next day and the event was held at Riverdaleâs Hotel Platinum. After the event ended, Frankie came over in a hurry and reported, âPresident Burton, Dr. Peters has barged into your home.â
Justin, on the other hand, buttoned his coat calmly and murmured, âLetâs go and take a look then.â
Meanwhile at the villa in Southwind, Julian was injured and being held by two bodyguards. âLet me go, you b*stards!â he yelled. âIâm calling the cops!â
Justin came just in time to hear that. âYou wouldnât have come over yourself if you thought the cops could help.â
The moment Julian saw Justin, he struggled furiously and roared, âJustin Burton!â
However, the bodyguards held his arms down firmly. Upon seeing that, Justin raised his hand. âLet him go.â
The bodyguards let Julian go but the latter couldnât even lift his arms. âGive me my stuff back!â he shouted at Justin.
âYour stuff?â Justin looked at him mockingly. âItâs your fault you lost your stuff. Why are you making a ruckus here? And call me Justin.â
âYou sent someone to break into my place, took Rachelâs and my passports away, and now youâre denying it?â Julian was usually a mild-mannered person but Justin managed to rile him up. The former was going overseas soon, so he wanted to help Rachel out. Truth was, he had been keeping Rachelâs passport with him so she could leave Riverdale anytime she wanted, but now Justin had crushed that plan too.
âYour passport, huh?â Justin took a red passport out and handed it to Julian. âI was just about to bring this up. My employee took yours by accident. Was about to give it back to you. Donât want to mess up your plan to study overseas or your motherâs going to yell at me.â
Julian snatched it from him. After he took a look to confirm it was his, he asked, âWhereâs Rachelâs?â
However, Justin merely looked at him coldly. âWhat does her passport have to do with you?â
âWake up, Justin! Do you really want to lock her up in Riverdale for life? For what? Just so you can keep her as a mere mistress? Thatâs an insult to her! What did she do to deserve this?â
âOn her own? Nothing.â Justin countered. âItâs just a series of unfortunate events, really. Sheâs born to the Hudsons and her father gave her to me as a present, so you have no right to criticize me.â
âWhat if sheâs the one who saved your life?â
Justinâs expression changed as he questioned, âWhat did you say?â
Meanwhile, Julian was shivering angrily but he held his fury down and gritted his teeth. âA girl saved you after you were abducted back then, right? That girl is none other than Rachel!â
All of a sudden, Justin gripped Julianâs collar. âWhat did you say?â
âRachelâs the girl who saved you twenty years ago. You thought she was dead but in fact, she isnât.
Jefferey took her back so thatâs why you couldnât find her, at least until now. But I guess youâre mad enough to torture the one who saved your *ss, huh?â
Justin couldnât believe what Julian was saying and the former was petrified for a long while. When he snapped out of it, he shoved Julian away and roared, âYouâre the mad one here!â
âYou donât believe me?â
Justin, however, only answered coldly, âYou just made that up to save her.â
âItâs the truth. Janice gave Rachel all the info on Somerset Mountain. You can take a look if you still arenât convinced.â
âYouâre telling me that you have proof?â
âObviously. Why do you think I know all about that story? Letâs meet up with Rachel. Iâll get her to tell you who she really is.â
Suddenly, Justin looked up at the second floor. Someone had been standing behind the curtains ever since he came back. He still didnât believe Julian fully but in the end, he took the latter into the villa with him.
On the other hand, Rachel quickly came downstairs and she paled when she saw the injuries on Julianâs face. Are you alright, Dr. Peters? She gave him an apologetic look.
Julian shook his head. âWhereâs the file I gave you last time? I need it.â
Rachel froze before shaking her head.
âYou havenât told him, huh? I knew it. I told him youâre the one who saved him. Now I just need the file to prove Rachel was still shaking her head. I burned the file.
âYou burned it?â All the color drained from Julianâs face and he held Rachel by her shoulders. âWhy did you burn it? Do you know what youâve done?â Thatâs the only evidence Janice managed to scrape up.
If Rachel burned it, thereâs no way anyone can prove that sheâs Katie.
Justin looked at them coldly. âHad enough?â
âI wasnât lying, Justin!â
âEnough!â Justin barked. âIâve had enough of your lies! Did you forget I told you everything about Katie, woman? Iâve seen through your lies.â
âBecause Rachel forgot about it!â Julian explained. âRachel, tell him!â
Rachel teared up but she couldnât bring herself to say anything.
Meanwhile, Justin clapped mirthlessly. âIf I hadnât found Katie, I would have been fooled by the both of you.â
Rachel was stunned to hear that. What do you mean you found Katie?
âA month ago, I found the one who saved me. Youâre too late, it seems.â Justin looked at them icily. At this point, if looks could freeze, the whole villa would have been turned into ice.
Rachel tried to force a smile but she couldnât. Thatâs absurd! She never wanted to talk about her past, but someone just came along and filled the hole she left. To make things worse, Justin believed it like the idiot he was.