Carson spun the tip of his phone between his two fingers and turned around. He gazed down as he rested his arm against the railing, noticing a Porsche parked near the entrance. It was Victorâs car, to be precise.
âIf you want to know who ordered me to do this, why donât you just ask him?â
Rachel followed Carsonâs gaze and looked down. She happened to catch Victorâs eyes as he exited the vehicle.
Carson gently smiled as his glass touched the empty one in Rachelâs hand. âIâll go in first. The air outside may make you feel comfortable, but itâs a little chilly. You should be careful not to catch a cold.â
Without waiting for Rachelâs reaction, Carson turned around and headed into the hall. Rachel quickly looked away and pressed her lips together. She wasnât sure why she felt nervous when she and Victor exchanged glances just now.
âBecky, donât worry. I know what Iâm doing. You donât have to follow me.â Meanwhile, Susan, who had just separated from her mother, found Becky waiting for her on the stairwell of the banquet hallâs second floor. âIâm glad you know. I did it for your own good,â Becky said earnestly.
Susan lowered her gaze and didnât say anything. The scenario when Rachel got out of Victorâs car lingered in her mind. For her own good? Everyone consoled and wished her well as if they all believed she wasnât deserving of being Victorâs wife. They urged her to sensibly let go of Victor.
But⦠Rachel wasnât any better than her! Susan was adamant about not giving up and she was jealous, but she never showed it. âI know,â she responded and nodded politely. Hearing this, Becky felt a little relieved. She had been so worried about Susan. Susan noticed Carson come in from the balcony as soon as she raised her head to look at the hall. Rachel was standing behind him.
Carson seemed to be the type to get along with everyone, but those who truly got to know him learned that he was a ruthless man with murderous intent behind his playful smiles. He was a sly fellow. Susan had been with Victor for the past three years. She knew Carson and Victor had a strong bond, so she made an effort to get close to Carson in the few occasions they would meet. However, he hadnât been so nice to her. He would treat her as if she were a stranger. But now, Carson, whom Susan had worked so hard to please, had a very different attitude towards Rachel. Susanâs eyes narrowed and she couldnât help but bite her lower lip. Her thoughts were filled with questions. Why?
Why did Victor and Carson treat her like this while they acted nicely toward Rachel? All of a sudden, Carson keenly sensed that someone was looking at him. Following his gut, he cocked his head slightly and saw Susan standing by the stairwell. Carson fixed his gaze on Susan and gave her a playful smirk.
He then raised the Susan in his hand and proposed a toast to her. Seeing that Carson noticed her looking at him, Susan was startled for a moment before swiftly turning away. Becky was observing Susanâs emotional state closely as she stood next to her. When she noticed her sudden jerk, she followed Susanâs sight and saw Carson and Rachel together. âBecky, I need to go to the bathroom.â
After saying that, Susan lifted the hemline of her dress, turned around, and walked away.
Beckyâs eyes darkened when she looked at Susan who was in a hurry to leave. She only knew about the invitation recently and couldnât understand why Susan had invited Rachel to her birthday celebration tonight. In fact, Becky had always wanted to ask Susan why she did it, but she was well aware that Susan wouldnât tell her anything. Becky let out a sigh and sensed that something could go wrong later. âLetâs hope that the celebration ends successfully tonight,â she muttered to herself. After Susan came out of the bathroom, a random waitress approached her. The waitress suddenly reached for her hand and placed a keycard on top of her palm, murmuring something only the two of them could hear âDr. Turner requested I give it to you.â
After saying that, the waitress quickly left, leaving Susan perplexed and unable to ask any further questions.
Looking down at the keycard in her hand, Susanâs eyes turned cold. She then clenched the keycard and inhaled deeply. After she calmed herself down, she stepped out in a much better mood. When she came out, Victor just arrived in the hall. The crowd fell silent and everyoneâs gaze was focused on Victor. Susanâs parents rushed to welcome him, but anyone could notice the expressions they wore on their faces. James had a pleasant smile on his face while Tammy walked alongside him, their arms linked together. She didnât seem to be feeling great.
At first glance, they didnât look like they were meeting their daughterâs future husband. It appeared like they were meeting their boss. âDad, Mom.â Susan walked up to her parents and greeted them sweetly.
Then, she lifted her chin up. âVictor.â Seeing this, Tammy felt bitter. She was so worried about her daughter being heartbroken. When she remembered how Victor had hurt her daughter, she looked absolutely displeased. âThink about where you are and control yourself!â James said in a hushed but aggressive tone, noticing his wifeâs attitude.
Hearing this, Tammy felt even more aggrieved. As Susanâs father, all James could do was watch his precious daughter being wronged. But when Tammy came to her senses, she thought of the Sullivan family and Victor standing in front of her. Her husband was right. âMom, since Victorâs here, itâs time to start the party. Kindly ask them to take the cake out.â Susan was aware of how much her mother cared for her and she was scared that her mother would make a mistake, so she made an excuse to ask her to leave. âOkay, Iâll handle it.â Tammy nodded. The four of them were standing in the middle, looking like a real family. The others didnât dare to approach them at all. They were envied by everyone because of their glamorous auras.
Tammy then excused herself and left. James breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that Victor didnât notice anything at all. â
lispleased, not only would they not be able to celebrate Susanâs birthday tonight, but the Salazar family as a whole would be ruined. âMr. Sullivan, thank you for coming. Itâs a bit crowded here. Thereâs still little time left before the celebration starts. How about going to the second floor first to rest?â On the second floor of the banquet hall, there was a luxurious lounge where guests from wealthy families could relax and unwind. Victor would rarely attend these banquets in the last four years, and when he did, he just stayed in the lounge for a short period of time before leaving. James personally requested someone to vacate the lounge for Victor because he knew about his habits. âAlright.â
Victor gazed around the hall but couldnât find the person he was looking for. His eyes were deep and no one knew what he was thinking. In his mind, there was only one person he wanted to see.
âThenâ¦â James was delighted to hear that Victor agreed, so he looked at Susan and pushed her to Victorâs side. âSusan, accompany Mr. Sullivan upstairs and make sure heâs comfortable.â
âYes dad,â Susan answered in a calm tone. The people around them seemed to be amused by this.
Their gazes follow the couple walking side by side. When they reached upstairs and shut the door close, Susan looked at Victor and spoke gently. âVictor⦠Iâm really happy that you came.â During the past few days, Susan was stressing about it and had been unsure whether Victor would come to her birthday party or not.
âHappy birthday,â Victor said in a flat, emotionless tone, âThank you very much. I appreciate the birthday gift you prepared for me. Ivan sent it yesterday.â Susan raised her hand as she spoke, touching the necklace around her neck that she received the day before. âItâs beautiful, Victor. I like it so much.â
âReally? Good thing Ivan has an eye for these things and he chose well. Iâm glad you like it.â Susanâs smile faltered as she heard this, then she let go of the necklace pendant.
There was a sudden ache in her chest.
Susan had assumed that Victor personally picked the necklace himself. She clenched the pendant again unconsciously. She felt a tiny discomfort in her hand as the edges of the pendant brushed into her palm, but it was nothing compared to the pain that was spreading through her heart. Victor even admitted it so honestly âReally?â Susan grumbled bitterly as she forced a smile. Knock, knock, knock. All of a sudden, someone knocked on the door. Susan cleared her throat and quickly regained her composure. She was ready to turn around to open the door when the person on the other side pushed it open first.
âOh. Did I disturb you two?â Carson stepped in with a smile.