Chapter 53 You Don’t Have to Tread Carefully Around Anyone
Amber grinned at Tina’s comment. “That’s one of the reasons. Humans are self-centered, aren’t we all? Still, compared to my relationship with her, our relationship is more solid! Who does she think she is? She could never compare to you! I don’t know what the bad blood between you two is, but as your bestie, I choose to stand by your side.”
In the matter of a few words, she slyly absolved herself from any responsibility in the incident today.
To her, Tina was nothing more than a foolish daughter of a wealthy family who had given up a potential match with the eldest son of the Hindenburg Conglomerate and went with a chauffeur! Wasn’t that pure foolishness?
As expected, Tina did not doubt her words at all, still appearing rather glum. “I want that mute to suffer ten times the humiliation that Henry had gone through! I’m only driving her out of the family—that’s considered going easy on her!”
Amber moved her gaze away. A malicious gleam appeared in her eyes when she looked down with glee.
Night descended on the city. After work, Rachel went home to the Burton Residence and headed straight to the bathroom. Staring at her swollen and red cheek in the mirror, she tried to touch it but only ended up inhaling sharply from the pain.
The injury was obvious, and it was hard to miss. Apart from the red marks, she suffered a couple of scratches that were probably the product of Tina’s diamond nail art.
After an afternoon, scabs started to form on the scratch marks, which made them look even more terrifying.
I guess I can’t meet Grandma today with this face of mine.
At the sudden thought of her grandmother, she reluctantly took out her phone to text her.
‘Grandma, I have been quite busy with work lately. I won’t be visiting you for now. Take care of your health and eat your meals regularly.’
Grandma’s reply came fast. ‘Are you off on weekends then?’
She hesitated for a moment and decided that her injuries would have healed by the weekend. ‘Yes, I’m off this weekend.’
‘Great. Visit me on the weekend. I’ll make you some delicious gnocchis.’
Rachel beamed warmly at the text from her grandmother and replied, ‘Sure.’
At the same time, she heard car engine sounds from downstairs, and she immediately knew that Justin was back.
Sue was busy leading Justin to the dining hall. “Justin, you’re home! Julian’s home early today as well. Dinner’s ready, so get your hands washed and join me. It’s so rare to have the whole family back for dinner!”
Justin took off his coat and handed it to the attendant. First, he scanned the living room, where he found Julian seated on the sofa. Next, he stole a look at the stairs and asked, “Where’s Rachel?”
“She went straight into her room after coming home.”
“Tell her to come down for dinner.”
With that, Justin went into the living room, leaving Sue standing there. She stole a glance at Mrs. Duncan and reluctantly had the latter go upstairs to get Rachel.
Right as Justin seated himself on the sofa, Mrs. Duncan walked down from the staircase. “Young Master Justin, Mrs. Burton says that she’s feeling sick. She will skip dinner and sleep.”
“Why is she so fussy?” Sue rolled her eyes and mocked Rachel out loud, saying, “It’s just her first day of work. Was it that tiring for her? Why is she acting so dramatic?”
“Mom.” Julian gave her an impatient look, turned to face Mrs. Duncan, and asked, “Why is she sick? I’ll check on her.”
“It’s fine.” Justin spoke all of a sudden, and Julian’s movements froze. Across from the coffee table, she met his icy glare that came with a hint of warning.
He wanted to say something more, but Sue’s glare made him hold his tongue. “Go on without me.” He left an emotionless comment and turned to walk up to check on his wife. His mom stared as he left and grabbed Julian before hissing, “What were you thinking just now?”
“I just wanted to check on her.”
“Why check on her? Julian, this is the last time I’m telling you this: do not get involved with Rachel’s business in the future. If not, don’t blame me for being hard on her.”
In the guest bedroom on the second floor, Rachel had just turned off the lamp on the desk and was about to go to bed when the door creaked loudly behind her.
Shocked, she quickly spun around, only to find a slender figure standing straight at the entrance. The bright lights in the corridor lengthened his shadows that were cast onto the floor and so happened to end at her toes.
Almost as if it was reflexive, she took a few steps back and gave him a terror-stricken look.
His eyes narrowed at the sight of the ice pack in her hands and the swollen cheek. “What’s the matter with your cheek?”
Before she could react, he had walked up to her and lifted her chin between her fingers. When he noticed the injuries, his face fell. “Who did this to you?”
She pursed her lips.
Nothing. I was careless and got into an accident.
“Do you think I’m blind?”
The marks on her face were clearly from a slap. Under his cold stare, she knew that lying was futile and decided to come clean.
It’s Tina.
The answer was unexpected, and Justin had a look of shock in his eyes.
“Do you know the reason behind this?”
Rachel nodded, but after some hesitation, she shook her head.
She only had two encounters with Tina: once at the summer villa and once at the underground wine cellar of the Hudson Vineyard. Although she did not know the exact reason behind Tina’s hostility, she guessed that it must have had something to do with that incident at Hudson Vineyard.
Justin fell into deep thought as he connected the dots between the incidents that had happened during the week. He mumbled in a low voice, “Her relationship with the chauffeur has been brought up to Grandpa. She was grounded until today. Do you think that was the reason?”
While speaking, he stared squarely at her with a chilling look.
Wait, has Tina’s affair with the chauffeur gotten out? Is she angry because the cat’s out of the bag?
Her hands that were holding the ice pack turned numb. A heavy silence later, she nodded and confessed to him. At the underground cellar of Hudson Vineyard, I accidentally bumped into her and the chauffeur together.
When she confessed, she cautiously observed the change in his expression and explained.
But I promised her that I wouldn’t tell a soul about it.
“I believe you’re not that foolish.” His face scrunched up into an unfriendly expression.
Indeed, Rachel telling on Tina and the chauffeur would not benefit her at all.
It was all a misunderstanding because the birdbrained Tina thought that Rachel was the only person that knew the secret. That was why she immediately believed that Rachel was the rat after the affair was exposed.
I’m sorry for giving you trouble again.
She looked at him uneasily. Her doll-like face was badly swollen, bruised, and bloodied. In her dark and clear eyes, he saw anxiety and vulnerability like a fragile porcelain doll.
Plagued by a mix of annoyance and perplexity, he coldly reprimanded her, “I told you to follow the rules, but I didn’t tell you to take abuse! Do you not understand my words?”
His sudden temper took her by shock.
“As long as you are my wife, you don’t have to tread carefully around anyone in Riverdale, including Tina.”
His expression darkened even more. After that, he flung the door open and yelled down the staircase, “Julian, bring the first aid kit to me!”
The door to the guest room remained open. She looked on as Justin’s figure wandered further away, and it took her a long time to recover.
This was probably the first time she had enjoyed his kindness first-hand. Was he caring for her?
She frowned at that notion. Even if he was truly caring for her, that was no reason for her to change her perception of him.
After all, he and Dad are the reasons behind my suffering now.
