Chapter 216
My Mute Bride
It was already dark outside when everyone came out after signing the documents. âLetâs have dinner together, Rachel.â Victor was still delighted. âI havenât seen you for so many years, and I have lots of stuff to tell you about.â
âNo!â Before Rachel could respond, Charlotte suddenly sprang toward them from Justinâs side, clinging onto Rachelâs leg while eyeing Victor with hostility. âMommy is going home with me. Sheâs not going to dinner with some bad teacher.â
Victor was startled for a moment before he recalled that Rachel had given birth to a daughter before leaving back then. âRachel, could Charlotte beâ¦â
Rachel gave him a slight nod with tenderness in her eyes.
âThen what about Samuel?â
âItâs a long story. Iâll tell you about it some other day when thereâs an opportunity.â Rachel then glanced behind her. âItâs already getting late today, and I may have to go to the hospital, so letâs meet up some other time, Victor.â
Victor was somewhat disappointed. Still, he replied, âOkay.â
âWhy donât we exchange our contact numbers?â Rachel took out her cell phone first.
âSure.â After that, Victor hailed a taxi and left. However, he warned Justin before he left by saying, âIf you dare to harm a hair on Rachelâs head, I will never let you off!â
Justinâs face darkened at Victorâs words, whereas Rachel quickly urged the taxi driver to drive. When Rachel, Justin, and the two kids were the only ones left at the police stationâs entrance, Rachel shot a glance at him. âLetâs go.â
However, Justin was as cross as a bear. âAre you letting him off just like that? I havenât gotten round to examining my injury yet.â
âAre you coming or not?â
âWhere are we going?â
âTo the hospitalâ Rachel shot back icily. âDonât you want to have your injury examined? Letâs get it done.
Iâll take the responsibility if thereâs anything wrong with it.â
When Rachel registered Justin at the hospitalâs emergency department, she ran into Julian, who happened to be on duty today. He asked, âWhy are you here in the hospital? Are you unwell?â
âItâs not me; itâs your cousin.â Rachel threw a glance at the waiting area in the distance. âVictor is the teacher in charge of Samuelâs class. He and Justin ran into each other at the schoolâs entrance, and they came to blows.â
âVictor?â Julian was very surprised. âWhat a small world.â
âItâs a long story.â
âJust give it to me. Iâll check on him.â Julian took the medical card from Rachel and took Justin right away to the debridement room, whereby he examined Justinâs eye injury with the aid of a flashlight. âItâs not a big deal. Youâll be fine once we apply some medicine on it.â
âAre you sure that Iâm completely fine?â
âWho is the doctor here, Justin-me or you?â
Justin answered back coldly, âIâm afraid that you might shield that brat on purpose. Who knows if youâre on his side?â
âI have no leisure for that.â Julian shot him a disdainful look. âYou completely deserve to be punched in the face.â
âWhat do you mean by that?â Justin knitted his brows. âCould there be bad blood between me and that brat as well?â
âThis has nothing much to do with him, but he regards Rachel as his own sister, you know.â
âIs this about Rachel again?â Justin looked annoyed.
Julian slammed the tweezers down onto the porcelain dish. He then replied coldly, âThe fact that you donât remember it doesnât mean that it never happened. Rachel has never been unfair to you; youâre the one who has been unkind to her the whole time.â
Justinâs face darkened, for it wasnât the first time he had heard this. âWhat do you mean by saying that Iâve been unkind to her? The responsibility of a failed marriage should fall on both sides at the very least, yet you speak for her unconditionally and shift all the blame onto me. You have such a close relationship with her, donât you?â
âWell, wonât believe me? Let me tell you what you did back then.â
âThatâs not necessary! Iâll find out about the truth myself. I donât need you to tell me about it,â Justin replied before he picked his overcoat and stormed out of the room.
Rachel and the two kids were waiting outside the door when they saw Justin coming out in a huff.
âDaddy!â Charlotte ran toward him.
However, instead of hugging Charlotte, Justin said coldly to Rachel, âTake Charlotte home. I have something else to attend to, so I wonât be giving you all a ride.â
Rachel was baffled as she watched him storm off in a great rage. âWhat has gotten into him again?â
âHeâs pissed off because somethingâs hit a nerve in him, I guess,â Julian answered with an apathetic expression. He didnât believe that Justin was totally uninterested in what had happened back then.
When he finds out the truth and figures everything out heâll realize how cruel he was to Rachel back then.
The night was dark, and the dim yellow light shone on the French window. At that moment, a womanâs figure reflected upon it. The womanâs body was wrapped in a pink silk slip dress as a pair of arms hugged her from behind. âWhat are you thinking about by yourself here? Did you dress in such an attractive manner because you knew that Iâd be coming today?â
Amber shuddered. âWhen did you arrive?â
âJust a moment ago.â Noah seemed impatient as he lowered his head and kissed her neck.
Amber suddenly grabbed his hand and kept it from moving about. âIâm not in the mood today.â
âWhatâs wrong?â
âAre you going to keep carrying on with me on the sly like this? Will you marry me if I break off my engagement with Justin?â
In an instant, Noah lost all his interest; he let go of Amber and sat down alone on the sofa nearby. âWhy are you talking about this? Youâre only saying so simply because youâve sensed danger upon your sisterâs return, am I right? You talk as if youâre willing to give up on Justin for my sake.â Just forget about scheming against each other. Weâre both wily foxes, after all, he thought to himself.
âWhat does that girl think she is? How could she pose a threat to me?â
âIs she not posing a threat to you?â As he sat with his legs crossed, Noah pulled off his tie, revealing a large part of his chest in a raffish demeanor with a half-smile on his face. âWhy did I hear that sheâs moved into the Burton Residence, though?â
âWhat did you say?â Amberâs expression changed.
âDonât you know that yet? No wonder you look so unperturbed.â
âWhen did this happen? This is impossible!â
âWhy donât you make a phone call and ask about it yourself? Not only has that woman moved back with feverish haste after Old Mr. Burtonâs birthday banquet, sheâs even taking the kid to and from school with Justin. The way I see it, youâll cease to be Justinâs fiancée very soon, much less marry into the Burton Family.â Noah snorted coldly while flicking some cigarette ash away. âIâd advise you to stop indulging in wishful thinking and serve me well. Even though I wonât let you be a part of my family, Iâll give you your due.â
Amberâs shoulders were trembling as Noahâs humiliating words hit her eardrums one after another.
Rachel has actually established herself as the lady of the house just like that! / worked hard for five years, yet I didnât manage to do that. How did she do it upon her return? she thought to herself. âYoung Master Noah, I have been carrying on with you for so many years. I wonât be asking too much of you if I beg you to do something for me, right?â
âTell me about it.â
âMr. Wayne of Golden Herbs Enterprise seems to be on good terms with you.â
Noahâs pupils contracted slightly. âWhat do you want to do?â
Amber lifted a corner of her mouth and sat astride Noahâs lap. âYou just need to introduce me to him. It wonât do you any harm.â
Noah was rendered speechless by her words.
The next morning, Frankie was startled to see Justin when he clocked in at the company as usual.
âPresident Burton? What brings you here at such an early hour?â
Justin looked up from behind the computer. He was still wearing the clothes he had been wearing yesterday.
âWhatâs up with your eye, President Burton?â