Chapter 200
My Mute Bride
âI donât want to play with you! How could you treat my little brother this way?â
Little brother? Justin was shocked.
Rachel was also astonished.
Holding on to the music box, Charlotte complained loudly, âThis is the first time that my little brother is gifting me a music box, yet you broke it! Youâre going overboard again and again!â
Stunned, he asked, âCharlotte, youâre angry because of this?â
âWhy else would I be angry? Besides, you guys never told me I had a brother!â She cried as her voice grew louder and her shoulders trembled in anger.
At that moment, Samuel wiggled out of Rachelâs arms and ran toward Charlotte to hold her hand. Like a little adult, he consoled her, âItâs alright. Iâll get you a new one, so donât cry, okay?â
Seeing this, Rachel was filled with mixed feelings.
Unlike the complicated thoughts of adults, the hearts of children were so pure.
In the end, it was Samuel who managed to calm Charlotte down. However, there was still a look of disdain in Justinâs eyes as he watched them bitterly.
Then, Frankie brought the two children from Justinâs office to the lounge to have some snacks, leaving Rachel and him to face each other.
âIâm sorry. I didnât know Samuel would come.â
âDo you think that an apology can undo what you have done?â
He continued with an icy tone, âWell done to you and your son for targeting Charlotte.â
Hearing this, she furrowed her brows. Though everything could be explained, she chose not to say too much.
âIâll get someone to pick him up. He wonât be staying long.â
âWhatever.â
After saying this, he turned to look at his laptop and ignored her.
Right after she came out of the office, she called Jolly, yet no one picked up. Perhaps she had gone somewhere to have fun.
Just as she was about to enter the elevator, her phone vibrated in her pocket. Initially, when she answered the phone, she thought that it was Jolly, but was met with a strange yet familiar voice.
âRachel.â
Jeffereyâs voice had not changed at all even after five years. He always spoke to her harshly and arrogantly. âWhere are you now? I want to see you.â
She clenched tightly onto her phone before calming down a moment later. âSure, but Iâm not free right now. Letâs talk after Iâm off from work.â
It seemed that he did not understand what she was saying. With a low voice, he told her, âIâll be waiting for you at the café beside the Burton Group in half an hour.â
Half an hour?
She sneered as she looked at her watch.
An hour and a half later, she finally went down to the café slowly after seeing more than ten missed calls on her phone.
When she reached, she recognized him almost immediately.
Unsure if it was just an illusion, she felt that he had aged quite a lot seeing that the gray hair on the side of his temples had turned completely white. He also looked very haggard.
Even so, he had a stern look plastered on his face the moment he set his eyes on Rachel. With a grim expression, he chided, âYou made me wait here for one hour!â
Unaffected by his behavior, she replied calmly, âItâs just one hour. There are people who wait for a day even after making an appointment to meet me. Iâve already made an exception for you.â
âWhat appointment?â His face went livid. âHow could you associate me with them? Iâm your father!â
As he was speaking, he looked at her from head to toe. âDonât try to act so brazenly now that youâve got your mutism cured. No matter where you go, you still have to come back to Riverdale, to the Hudsons.â
âYou came all the way here just to tell me this?â
Then, his eyes darkened as he remembered what he had come for. âWere you the one who posted the article about Amber?â
Rachel wasnât surprised at his reply as she had already expected it. âNo.â
Indeed, it was not her but Jolly who posted the article.
âWho would post things like that if not you? Who else would know so much besides you?â
âWhat are you trying to say?â
Just as she spoke, he stood up and roared, âWhat kind of attitude is this? Delete it if you were the one who posted it. Come to me if you have any resentments against me. Why are you taking it out on your sister? Sheâs marrying Justin soon.â
âWhat does her marriage have to do with me?â Her fingers circled her cup. Then, she reminded him faintly, âAnyway, she was supposed to marry Justin six years ago, wasnât she?â
Upon hearing this, he froze.
âWasnât the perfect younger daughter of the Hudsons supposed to marry him?â
âYouâre clearly back for revenge.â His face darkened immediately. âIâm warning you. Donât do anything to hurt Amber. Otherwise, donât blame me for disregarding our father-daughter relationship.â
âWhat father-daughter relationship have we got?â
Giving him a cold glare, she continued, âFor many years, Iâve always wanted to ask you how my mother actually died.â
Suddenly, she stood up with a stern expression on her face. As she got up, the chair scuffed against the floor and made an ear-piercing sound.
Everyone in the café turned to glance at them displeasingly.
At that moment, he looked as though he had seen a ghost. Gazing at him, she spoke calmly while stirring her coffee, âDonât worry. Even if you did kill my mother, the statute of limitations had already run out. What are you afraid of?â
Twenty years have passed, so nothing would happen to him even if there was sufficient evidence now.
This was the main reason why she was so heartbroken.
âWhat nonsense are you talking about? Who told you this? Was it that damned old hag?â
Clank! She dropped her spoon all of a sudden which made a sharp metallic sound when it touched the wall of the cup.
Staring daggers at him, she warned, âSay one more word about Grandma, and I can assure you that the criticisms of Amber online will be so great that you wonât be able to do anything!â
âSo, youâre admitting that you did it, arenât you? Amberâs your sister. How could you do this to her?â
âWhy didnât the fact that we are sisters cross her mind when she spread the rumor of me having an illegitimate child? And why did you turn a blind eye to it then?â
âI didnât know youâd come back!â
âOh, stop pretending! I wouldnât have left Riverdale for five years if you really treated me like your daughter. What kind of sister behaves like Amber and treats me this way? So, donât try to tell me that youâre my father.â
âOr perhaps, I should call you Uncle Jefferey?â She gave him a cold glare.
He narrowed his eyes in disbelief.
âYou⦠What are you talking about? Are you crazy?â
âYou know very well what Iâm talking about.â
âDo you remember everything that had happened when you were a kid?â
âWhat do you think?â Her lips lifted into a sarcastic smile as she adjusted her sunglasses.