Docunts in hand, Zen was waking into Christian’s office when she heard him on the phone. Instinctively quickening her footsteps, she walked up to him and asked, "What have you arranged?"
She was aware that Christian had been constantly monitoring Wendy’s movents these days but she had no clue as to what he was planning. Was he planning to harm Wendy or was he finally succumbing to his feelings for her?
Hanging up, Christian threw his phone onto the desk.
Sitting back in his chair, Christian crossed his legs and looked up at Zen, sneering, "Have you forgotten your place?"
"Who was that on the phone? What on earth are you scheming to do?" Zen demanded. Then, looking serious, she warned him, "Listen to , Christian. You’d better not plan anything against Wendy."
"What can you do to if I’m scheming against Wendy?" Christian retorted, looking at her with disdain, as though she was sothing inconsequential.
Seeing the steely resolve in his eyes, Zen suddenly felt very afraid as she asked again, "What in the world are you planning?"
She had been working for him for five years now. Before Wendy’s re-appearance, she had been able to stay with him without feeling guilty. But now that Wendy had co back, Christian was obviously scheming to harm her and there was absolutely nothing that Zen could do to stop him.
In fact, she didn’t even know what Christian was planning to do.
Looking at the phone that he had just thrown onto the desk, Zen suddenly had an idea and, in a flash, reached out for it. She was going to find out who Christian had been talking to.
Grabbing the phone, she took a few steps back and checked the call list on the phone.
In the next second, however, Christian had stepped towards her and snatched the phone back from her.
He followed that with a hard slap across her face, admonishing, "Stay out of my business, Zen! You have no right to interfere in whatever I do!"
He had poured his rage into that violent slap. Almost imdiately, Zen’s face swelled up and turned red and blotchy. Fingering her cheek gingerly, she stared at the enraged Christian as her heart pounded rapidly. She was afraid.
"I’m not like the others. They don’t know, but I do. Your feelings for Wendy..."
But before she could finish her words, Christian had slapped her again.
Staring at Zen, Christian ordered harshly, "Get out!"
Touching her swollen face gingerly, Zen obstinately stood her ground.
Actually, she was feeling conflicted, caught between her friend and the man she had secretly loved for five years.
In the past, when she thought that Wendy had died, she had told herself that the war between Christian and Michael had nothing to do with her. That was why she had opted to join Christian at his company.
However, now that Wendy had co back from the dead, Zen realized that she was now a mber of the camp that was at loggerheads with Wendy. And here she was, at the crossroads, not knowing which side to take.
She was lost as to whom she should be supporting.
"Hahaha..." Zen laughed bitterly as she stopped fingering her swollen cheeks.
Standing tall and facing Christian, she deliberately told him what he did not wish to hear, "You are too much of a coward to face up to what your heart is telling you. In the past, I had often wondered why you would make a trip to Rheinsville City every few months, even when you had no business etings planned. But now I know. It’s because Wendy was there, right?"
Zen knew that she had hit the nail on the head when she noticed Christian’s increasingly thunderous face and the nacing look in his eyes.
Still smiling bitterly, she continued, Also, after Wendy had co back to Lake City, you would tail her discreetly in your car. And not just once, right?"
Christian’s nacing look turned absolutely lethal at her two very accurate observations.
Walking up to her, he gripped her by the chin, forcing her to look up at him as he said icily, "Knowing too much will do you no good."
Stunned at first by his response, Zen burst out laughing.
She continued laughing until gradually, her laughter turned into tears.
***
After a long three-hour drive, they finally arrived at Linton. This was the first ti in almost six years that Wendy had visited her hotown.
During her years of absence, apart from keeping in touch with her mother, Wendy had not done much for her. Wendy, who had been fatherless since she was very young, was Mary’s only child. The only thing she knew about her dad was what Mary had told her, that he had died. Until today, Wendy had no idea who her dad was or what his na was because she had been given her mom’s last na.
Mary rarely, if ever, spoke about Wendy’s dad. When she was a kid, Wendy had asked questions out of curiosity. However, that curiosity and the need to know faded as she got older.
Back then, Wendy had gotten married without informing Mary. It was only after that incident, five years ago, when Wendy had allegedly fallen into the sea, that Mary had found out about her marriage.
At the ti, the news of Wendy’s accident had spread like wildfire across the city and Michael had practically combed every inch of the city, looking for her.
There had been a ti when Mary had thought that Wendy had drowned. She had only felt reassured when Wendy called her after the incident to let her know that she was still alive.
When Wendy called her yesterday to inform her that she would be coming ho with her kids, Mary had gone grocery shopping first thing in the morning to make them a nice al. Then she stood by the door, waiting for them to arrive.
Looking out from her house, Mary noticed two cars driving in her direction. Since she had not seen Wendy for more than six years, she had no idea what car she would be driving.
However, luxurious sedans like these ones were rare in this town. Mary guessed then that the cars heading in her direction was Wendy.
Walking out, Mary peered expectantly at the first car. Wendy had parked it safely by the road before quickly unbuckling her seat belt to get out.
Tears welled in her eyes the mont she saw Mary. Extending her arms, she ran towards Mary and hugged her, crying out, "Mom..."
In fact, she was too choked up to talk. Seeing Mary for the first ti after six years, Wendy felt a surge of guilt for not being there for her mom for such a long ti.
Mary patted her gently on the back, comforting her. "I’m just happy that you’re back! So very happy!"
Mary sounded relieved and overjoyed, like one who had recovered sothing precious that had once been presud lost for good.
Five years ago, when she saw the news about Wendy’s death, she had been devastated. From the ti when Wendy was a very young child, Mary had been a strict disciplinarian who rarely smiled at her only child. In fact, Wendy had learned how to cookfor herself from the ti she was about six or seven years old.
Mary had put all her ti and energy into her students. All her colleagues at the school that she taught had complinted her on her excellent work ethics, always the first one in and the last to go ho. Any class that she was in charge of would always be the best performing class in the school.
However, no one knew that the reason why she did not wish to go ho was because she did not wish to see Wendy. Because she would be reminded of Wendy’s dad whenever she looked at her only daughter.
Due to this distance between them, Marry did not even know that Wendy had been married for a few years before her accident.
Truth be told, she had never shown any affection or care for her daughter. On her part, Wendy would co ho during the traditional holidays and spend the obligatory few days with her before leaving again.
In any case, Wendy was her only child. When Mary found out that Wendy had fallen into the sea and was presud dead, she had been truly devastated.
Seeing that her daughter had returned from the dead and seed to have done pretty well for herself, Mary could not help but feel guilty for not being much of a mother to her in the past.
She was sorry for not showing Wendy any affection or concern when she was growing up. Being fatherless, she had not gotten any love from her mother either.
Fortunately, her daughter was alive and well, and Mary now had a second chance to make it up to her. Sniffling, Wendy wiped away her tears and noticing that Mary was also weeping, she smiled. "Mom, don’t cry. Look at , I’m right here, alive and well!"
Of course, Wendy was well aware that Mary had been very cold to her when she was growing up but blood ties could not be dissolved...
Ever since she was a kid, Wendy had understood the challenges that her mom had faced, and she had never once blad her mom.
After they had composed themselves, Mary was a tad confused when she saw the two grown-ups and two kids standing behind Wendy.
On the phone yesterday, Wendy had not ntioned bringing anyone else with her.
She had only ntioned that she would be bringing her two kids back for a visit.
"And these are?" Mary asked.
Imdiately, Wendy introduced them. "This is Todd Lewis, a famous global designer. He’s on a business trip to Lake City and wanted to stop by to pay you a visit."
"How do you do? My apologies for stopping by uninvited," Todd smiled amiably.
"Oh, not at all. I’m very happy that you have decided to co to our little town for a visit," Mary replied. Eyeing him, she nodded satisfactorily, concluding that Todd was a pleasant and well-mannered young man.
"And this is..." Wendy looked at Michael and hesitated, reluctant to introduce him to her mom.
However, Michael seed to have taken over at this point. Refusing to let Wendy make the introduction, he said smilingly, "Hi Mom. I’m Michael, Wendy’s husband."
Hearing his na, Mary’s expression changed decidedly.
She knew now why he had looked familiar.
After she found out about their marriage, Mary had conducted a thorough investigation of them and their situation.
Obviously, the outco of the investigation had yielded so damaging information. But then again, after Wendy had disappeared into the sea, Michael had searched endlessly for her and seed to care for her a lot.
Feeling conflicted, Mary was not quite sure how to respond to Michael now.
Regardless of how she felt about the way he had treated her daughter, he was still a guest in her house.
So, she nodded her welco.
"Co here, Jake and Leah. This is Grandma," Wendy pushed the kids towards Mary.
The two little guys were natural charrs and instantly greeted their grandmother in unison.
Clearly overjoyed, Mary gave them each a little welco gift uttering, "Very good."
Having been inford that the kids would be coming with Wendy, she had prepared the gifts in advance.
Michael had turned around to look at Todd with displeasure when he heard Leah also calling Mary ’Grandma’.
Why did Todd’s kid get to call Wendy’s mom ’Grandma’?
His animosity towards Todd increased by a few degrees.
Todd was obviously vying with him for Wendy’s affection. And, he had even used his child shalessly to boost his chances with her.
"I’ve made lunch. You must be hungry after that long drive. Co inside now and eat," Mary urged, leading them into the house.
Mary had not cooked a lot of food because she had not known that Michael and Todd would be coming too.
"Please take a seat. I’ll just whip up a couple more dishes," she said, planning to go into the kitchen.
"Leave it, Mom," Wendy stopped her from doing so. Looking at the array of food on the table, she continued, "They’re not strangers. We’ll make do."
"Yeah, that’s right, Mom. I’m no stranger. Besides, there’s plenty of food here already," Michael had seized upon the chance to call Mary ’Mom’.
Glaring at Michael, Wendy warned him in a low tone, "Stop calling her that!"
"What do you an, stop calling her that?" Michael protested, adding, "What’s wrong with calling my wife’s mother ’Mom’?"
Upset with him, Wendy kicked him under the table.
However, she missed her target and kicked Todd by mistake, making him gasp.
"Oops, I’m so sorry, Todd," Wendy apologized, a tad embarrassed.
"It’s OK," Todd replied.
Looking from Todd to Michael and back again, Mary seed to have understood what was going on.
"Co, let’s eat. Tuck in," Mary smiled. She helped the kids with their food, making sure that they were eating properly.
Fortunately, in deference to Mary, Michael did not act up at the dining table and the al proceeded harmoniously.
After lunch, both Michael and Todd wanted to help do the dishes.
So, when Mary went into the kitchen to take over, she was shooed out by them.
Exasperated, Wendy looked at the two n in the little kitchen and suggested, "Hey guys, why don’t you co on out and let do the dishes?"
Needless to say, Michael would never ever have been in a kitchen, let alone do the dishes. As for Todd, he was a guest and should not be doing the dishes anyway.
However, Wendy was also pushed out of the kitchen.
After which, the two n pulled the kitchen door shut.
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