Vivian was reluctant to tell Rachel about Evelyn’s death. Maybe her mother already knew. Whatever the case, she did not want to continue this topic further lest she caused her mother more grief.
Chatting a while longer, Vivian finally left. She had only just turned the corner of the street when she spotted a tall figure.
Benedict was leaning against his Range Rover. Upon noticing Vivian, he called out, “Get in. I’ll send you back.”
Although she knew she should not be too friendly with Finnick’s enemy, she found that she did not actually hate Benedict. Strangely enough, she even felt a sort of kinship with him.
She had a lot of questions that she hoped he might be able to answer.
That was why she nodded in agreement. He swiftly opened the car door for her, gesturing her to step inside like a gentleman.
Sitting down in the driver’s seat, he started up the engines.
Benedict broke the silence first, “I never thought you would be Ms. Rachel’s daughter, Vivian.”
Vivian bobbed her head, replying, “Yeah. I never expected my Mom to know you either.”
“Seems like we’re fated to meet.”
Benedict glanced at her, discovering that she looked even prettier from the side.
Focusing his attention back on the road, he stopped the car at a red light.
He spoke up again, “Ms. Rachel was very nice to me when I was young. Unfortunately, things happened and she left my life. I honestly never thought I would get to see her again today.”
“My Mom told me about you, about all the things you did when you were a little boy.”
“Did she tell you I was a naughty one?”
“No. She actually kept praising you, saying how you were very smart and understanding. She liked you a lot. You and… Evelyn.”
She had thought that by mentioning Evelyn, he would talk a little bit more about his sister. To her disappointment, he did not.
Instead, he seemed much more interested in her. “Where were you when Ms. Rachel was working for us? I’ve never seen you even once.”
“I was at Miller Residence.” She explained. “Mom told me your family did not like outsiders staying there. Left with no other choice, she sent me off to live with the Millers.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
His voice was sincere as he uttered, “If it weren’t for us, you probably wouldn’t have needed to live with the Miller family. I have a rough idea of what sort of people they are. I’m sure they didn’t treat you very well, did they?”
“Forget it. It’s all in the past now. You were just a kid back then anyway.” Slowly but surely, she had been trying to get over her past. “Besides, Finnick has already taught them a harsh lesson for what they did to me. I don’t hate them anymore.”
She should not have brought up Finnick’s name. The moment his name left her lips, Benedict tensed.
“Who knows if Finnick did that for you or for himself? Don’t be so naive! He’s not as perfect as you think he is! He’s a hypocrite!” His voice came out stiffly.
Vivian would not allow anyone to speak badly of Finnick in front of her.
She scowled, snapping, “Benedict, could you not get so agitated at the mention of Finnick every single time? Do you really know what happened back then? Maybe it’s not what you think it is!”
“You leap to his defense each time! How very stupid of you!” Benedict’s face was blank as he hissed, “I’ve never seen such an idiotic woman as you! You’re so foolish! An idiot!”
At this, Vivian understood that it was pointless to argue with him. They would just end up hurting each other.
Her tone was less than friendly when she demanded, “Let me off. I want to walk back home myself.”
Sensing the unpleasant atmosphere in the car, Benedict realized that Vivian had misunderstood him. In truth, he was not against her specifically.
“Please don’t misunderstand. I don’t hate you; the one I hate is Finnick.”
Now feeling embarrassed for her mistake, she suggested, “Then maybe you misunderstood Finnick too. Did the Morrison family actually investigate the incident carefully back then?”
For a long while, Benedict was silent. Vivian did not prod him further.
Abruptly, he uttered, “At the time, the Morrison family was in dire straits. We did not have the time and energy to investigate that matter.”
His w bewildered Vivian. The Morrison family, one of the top three families in Sunshine City, were in dire straits?
He did not elaborate further, probably finding it too humiliating to tell her.
