When Victor regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was Gloria beside him. “How did I end up here?”
“Come on, you had a concussion. Where else would you be except for the hospital? The crematorium?”
A still slightly dazed Victor sat up on the bed. “I remember now. It’s Justin. That b*stard knocked me out. Right, where’s Miss Rachel? Where is she right now?” If he wasn’t awake before, he certainly was by now. “Justin took her away, didn’t he? I have to look for her right now!”
Gloria immediately stopped him as she used every ounce of her strength to keep him on the bed. “What are you going to do in this condition? You know it’s useless!”
“That good-for-nothing took Miss Rachel away! I can’t just stand by and watch!”
“She’s fine; she’s now staying at Southwind Villa. I sneaked in to check on her before.” Her expression was a little complicated. “I feel she wouldn’t want to see me, so I didn’t enter, though.”
Victor slammed his fist on the bed. “What does he want with Miss Rachel? They’re already divorced, but he still won’t let her go! He even caused a scene at her grandma’s funeral!”
“I’ll ask him about this matter later. Don’t worry about it.”
“What do you think his answer would be? How are you still able to see him as a proper human being after all he has done?”
Victor was so furious that he would blow the roof off the ward if he could. “Look at all the pain he has made Miss Rachel endure!”
“There must have been a misunderstanding!”
“Gloria, there’s something wrong with you! You were raised by him, so you’re unable to have unbiased thinking!”
Gloria’s expression suddenly changed as she rose to her feet. “Fine! I’m biased! Are you happy now?”
Her hands were clenched into tight fists as her eyes reddened. She managed to swallow her suppressed emotions as she spoke, “Don’t worry about the matters concerning Grandma; I’ve asked someone to take care of them.”
With that, she took her bag and left the ward without looking back.
Victor watched her leave before he scratched his head in frustration. He was starting to regret not choosing his words earlier.
To Gloria, Justin was a benefactor who raised her.
Even if he really was a wretched criminal, she wouldn’t be able to criticize him like everyone else did.
After she left the hospital, Gloria hailed a cab.
“To Burton Group, please.”
The driver had just passed the traffic lights when Gloria suddenly thought of something. “Sir, please change the destination to the Burton Medical Research Institute on Central Street.”
Since it was already in the afternoon, the heater was switched on in the café as the winds outside were freezing.
“Ria, what’s the matter? You didn’t inform me of your visit beforehand; what if I’m not there? You’d have come here for nothing.”
Amber stirred the coffee in front of her as she studied Gloria.
“Don’t call me that. We’re not that familiar with each other.” Gloria’s expression was cold. “Justin wanted you to help with the development of a new drug, so you’d definitely spend time here on a daily basis to have your efforts recognized. You wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
“You don’t have to be so wary around me. We had a misunderstanding before, which Justin has already explained to me. You are his savior’s daughter, so after I’m married to him, I will also treat you well.”
“No need. That was between me and him.”
“I’m not here to discuss relationships. I just want to give you a piece of advice: leave Justin.”
The spoon in Amber’s hand halted as she answered warily, “Don’t tell me you like him?”
“If I really did, you wouldn’t even have a chance.”
“Then, why should I leave him?”
“Do you know why Justin wanted to marry you and no one else?” Gloria frowned as she quietly looked at Amber. “The Hudson Family isn’t exactly on par with the Burtons. Why would he insist on marrying you? Haven’t you wondered about that?”
The tension in Amber’s eyes was unmistakable. “Why?”
While they were all at the dining table in Southwind Villa at night, the maid brought out the final dish and moved aside to await further orders.
Rachel had her head bowed as she ate and she soon finished half of the food on her plate.
Justin gave her a look and placed a piece of meat on her plate. “Take your time. What’s the rush?”
She tightened her grip on the utensils as she glared at the meat on her plate. She suddenly felt her stomach churn, so she covered her mouth as she ran to the bathroom where she started to puke.
His expression soured at lightning speed.
With a loud ‘bang’, he slapped the utensils on the table.
Rachel gave a painful shout as she felt searing pain on her scalp.
Justin grabbed her hair and forced her to look at him, “Are you that disgusted with me? Is it so nauseating to dine with me?”
“Ahhhh!”
She tried to struggle free as if her life depended on it and her face was flushed.
As he held her collar in a death grip, Justin dragged her to the dining table and placed a whole plate of meat in front of her. “Eat! Finish it all!”
Rachel gritted her teeth, not making a sound.
“Am I expected to feed you?”
She paled as she picked up the pieces of meat and forced them into her mouth.
The oily smell suffocated her and she had to suppress her urge to throw up again.
Justin’s fury never receded. He stubbornly watched Rachel eat the food even though she really could no longer endure the smell, which caused the anger inside him to grow even stronger.
“Stop eating!”
She didn’t seem to hear him as she kept stuffing the meat into her mouth like clockwork.
“I said, stop eating!”
Justin snatched the plate away.
The white porcelain plate crashed to the floor. As the plate broke into two against the tiles, the meat and broth that it contained splashed everywhere.
Rachel covered her mouth with her hand as she tried to resist the nausea at her throat. However, the moment her digestive juices rose up, her nasal cavity was filled with the smell and she was helpless as she vomited
everything.
As the smell of vomit invaded their nostrils, Rachel was especially affected by it. She uncontrollably emptied the rest of the contents in her stomach onto the floor.
Justin was fuming as he grabbed the tablecloth and flipped everything on the table over.
Amidst the loud crashing of items, he turned and left the scene.
The maid hurried over the moment he departed. “Mrs. Burton! Are you all right?”
Rachel could hardly straighten herself as she weakly waved her hand to signify that she was alright.
“I’ll bring you some water. Please take a rest.”
The maid had only just gone when Rachel slid to the floor while holding the chair for support. It was as if all her energy was drained from her and with a sour feeling in her nose, the tears fell from her eyes.
She didn’t know how much longer she had to play the puppet in a puppeteer’s hands.
Did she really have to live the rest of her life facing Justin and enduring the pain they inflicted on each other?
The maid prepared a glass of honeyed water for Rachel. “Come, Mrs. Burton. Have a drink.”
“I’ll tidy up and prepare another set of dinner for you.”
It’s okay. I don’t want to eat anything now. Rachel placed the glass down and she straightened the pajamas she was wearing. Please take me to my room to rest. I’m tired.
Justin didn’t show up at the villa for a number of days.
After the morning assembly, Frankie brought Justin two documents that required his signature.
The moment when Justin signed his name and returned the documents to his assistant, he asked, “How is she these days?”
“Miss Jennifer said that Mrs. Burton has been taking her meals as usual for the past two days. She’s also recovering well from her injuries and she even took a walk in the yard today.”
The look in Justin’s eyes clouded over. Just as expected. As long as I’m not there, she will live happily!
