Chapter 87
The evening’s tension seemed to hang in the air long after Rebecca had been taken away. Whispers rippled through the villa, and the guests, now scattered across the room, began speculating about the incident. I couldn’t help but overhear snippets of their conversation as I stood quietly, trying to maintain my composure.
“This Mrs. Fuller has always been at odds with Ms. Larson. Since the latter has officially joined the family, Mrs. Fuller probably pushed her due to jealousy,” one guest whispered.
Another chimed in, “I don’t think so. Mrs. Fuller’s always been decisive. She knows what she’s doing, and it’s not her style to cause a scene like that.”
“But didn’t you see Mr. Fuller? He was clearly worried for Ms. Larson,” a third voice interjected. “If you were the wife, how would you feel if your husband was more concerned about another woman?”
“That’s true,” another person agreed. “Now that Ms. Larson has rejoined the family, she’s not going to let this go. Mrs. Fuller might find herself in a difficult position.”
Their conversation veered into the direction of how my life might soon become harder. “Seems like Mrs. Fuller’s got a rough road ahead of her,” one of them concluded.
I stood there, absorbing every word, but didn’t let it show on my face. The gossip was petty, and I refused to let it drag me down.
Joe, ever the opportunist, appeared beside me, eager to cash in on the spectacle. His eyes sparkled with malicious delight as he leaned in, taunting me. “So, Scarlett, are you showing off your jealousy now? But I guess I can’t blame you. After all, Rebecca has beauty, status, and lineage on her side. She’s clearly worthy of Ashton, but as for you…”
His sentence trailed off, leaving the implication hanging in the air. The subtle attack was clear: he thought I wasn’t good enough for Ashton.
Raising my gaze to meet his, I smiled with a calm confidence. “Yes, it may be obvious. But compared to your sneaky scheming, I’m proud to say I have nothing to hide.”
His expression faltered for a second before he scoffed, unable to come up with a decent response. “You…” He fumed, but the words stuck in his throat. Frustrated and outplayed, he walked off in a huff.
With the crowd slowly dispersing for the night, I made my exit, leaving the gossip and drama behind me. As I stepped into the cool night air, I spotted John sitting on a swing in the courtyard, a serene smile on his face.
I couldn’t help but laugh lightly, a bit of disbelief in my voice. “I never thought you’d be the type to enjoy real-life dramas.”
His smile didn’t falter as he leaned back, clearly amused. But I knew him too well—five years ago, John would have handled things much more directly. Now, it seemed he preferred to manipulate situations from the shadows, to watch others squirm while he remained untouched.
I walked away from him, not wanting to engage further. Life had changed, and so had John.
It wasn’t long before I realized the situation. The southern suburbs were far removed from the city, a wealthy residential area with no taxis in sight. The roads were quiet, and only those with special permission could enter or leave. I had no choice but to walk out of the golf course area to find a taxi, a journey that seemed endless.
As I walked barefoot along the asphalt, a car appeared behind me, its headlights shining in the darkness. It followed me at a deliberate, slow pace. I didn’t have to guess who it was. John.
Increasing my pace, I tried to ignore the car, but it stayed right behind me. Frustrated, I stopped and sat on the grass, deciding to let him make the first move. A minute later, he joined me, sitting down beside me with a long, weary sigh.
“Letty,” he began, his voice heavy with an emotion I couldn’t place. “Don’t you believe that a bad person can turn over a new leaf?”
I turned my head toward him, refusing to answer his question directly. “What’s your motive for coming back this time?”
John, ever the enigma, stretched out on the grass and stared up at the dark sky. “I got lonely,” he said softly, as if confessing to a crime. “I thought I’d come back and live a good life with you.”
His words were hollow, and there was no warmth in them, only a coldness that reminded me of everything he had done. “Do I have to die to be free from you?” I muttered, my eyes on the distant streetlights, the weight of the moment pressing down on me.
He chuckled, but it wasn’t a comforting sound. “I won’t let you die. You still have a future ahead of you. Without you, I can’t go on.”
The words were chilling, and I felt a knot form in my stomach. I didn’t respond. What could I say? I had no desire to relive the past, to revisit the pain.
After a long silence, he spoke again, his voice quieter this time. “Leave Ashton. We’ll live a good life together. We can still be happy like we were when we were young. He’s not worthy of you.”
I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at the irony. “We can never go back to how things were. Grandma is gone. The old mulberry tree at the front door is cut down. John, please… stop ruining my life.”
His eyes remained fixed on the sky, distant and unreadable. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his words heavy with resignation. “I’ve tried to. But it’s useless.”
I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. What was the point in continuing this conversation? The past was a weight I couldn’t escape, no matter how hard I tried.
I got up, feeling the need to leave before I collapsed from the emotional toll. “Take me back. I’ve had enough.”
He didn’t argue. He drove me back to Peakville Estate without another word. As I reached for the door handle, he suddenly locked it, turning to face me with a dark, almost predatory look in his eyes.
“Don’t you have a goodnight kiss for me?” he asked, his voice laced with a dangerous edge.
I glared at him, my voice cold. “Just open the door.”
He leaned back against his seat, a smirk curling at his lips as he cocked an eyebrow. “What do you think Ashton would feel if he saw you in a car with another man for so long?”
I couldn’t help but clench my fists, my frustration boiling over. But instead of responding, I simply stared out of the window, determined not to let him see how much his words affected me.