Seeing that his wife was in deep thought, he narrowed his eyes and asked with a faint smile, “What are you thinking about?”
It was then that Catherine came to her senses.
She tucked the stray hair behind her ear and answered with a hint of melancholy, “I was just thinking how amazing it would be if Charis were here with us.”
Even now that they had an adopted daughter, she still thought of her biological daughter from time to time.
As a matter of fact, Catherine did not think she would ever forget about her.
Luke put his hand on top of Catherine and caressed it.
“If she knows how happy we are now, she’ll also be happy.Our relationship has gotten better.This was what she had always wanted to see.But the past is past.What’s important right now is to live our lives in the present.”
All of a sudden, the lights in the restaurant went off.
“What happened?” Catherine shrank into Luke’s arms like a frightened bird.
Luke put his arm around her shoulder and comforted her.
“It’s okay.Look.”
A romantic classical music played, and the string lights in the restaurant flickered on, creating the illusion of a river of stars in the distance.
Several waiters then walked over to them with a cake and a bouquet of red roses.
“Congratulations, Mr.and Mrs.Turner, on your 30th anniversary.”
In the eyes of many, a marriage that could last for thirty years was one of a kind.
Catherine covered her face with both hands, her eyes a little red and brimming with tears.She was not young anymore, yet romance still found its way to her.
Luke put his hand on her shoulder and reminded her, “Blow the candles now.The wax is going to drip on the cake.”
“I want to take a picture first.”
Catherine took photos of them before blowing out the candles.
With that, the waiter turned the lights on again.
However, just as the lights went back on, a woman seemingly in her 40s, wearing a fur coat, pushed the doors of the restaurant open and walked straight to Catherine and Luke.
Luke frowned with dissatisfaction and said crossly, “Excuse me, we’ve reserved the entire restaurant for tonight.I’m afraid you’ll have to find another place for dinner.”
“Oh, no.I came at the right place.Actually, I’m looking for you,” Johanna replied with a sly smile.
She cast a glance at the cake on the table and added, “Sorry to have interrupted your wedding anniversary celebration.”
“You’re…Johanna White?”
Catherine stared at the woman for a few seconds before returning to her senses.
“What brings you here? Sorry to tell you, but the Tumer and the White family are not close.”
“It seems that you don’t know what has been going on at home, Mrs.Turner.”
Johanna wrapped herself tightly with the fur coat and exuded a sense of calmness intermingled with firmness.
Having been involved in the business world for decades, Johanna had a different personality from Catherine, who had been trained in the arts and strictly disciplined by her family.
While Johanna was polite to everyone, she carried herself differently.
Sensing the unfriendliness in Johanna’s voice, Luke furrowed his brows and butted in, “As Natalie’s mother, you must be aware of the feud between her and my daughter.Please leave.We don’t want to see anyone who has anything to do with Natalie.”
With a sneer on her face and sharpness in her eyes, Johanna remarked, “You need to discipline your adopted daughter.If she doesn’t stop, the Turner Group you have dedicated your lives to may crumble.”
Catherine pressed her lips together.
She was aware that Vivian was currently working at the Larson Group.
But then, a sense of unease settled in her stomach upon seeing Johanna here.
At this moment, Catherine forced herself to calm down and beckoned Johanna to an empty seat.
“Fine.Please sit, Mrs.White.Let’s hear what you have to say.”
While Catherine had not had much contact with Johanna, she had heard of her reputation from various business partners, who had all described her as fair and just.
Johanna enjoyed talking to intelligent individuals.She sat down, handed thuy the document to Catherine, and went straight to the point.
“Vivian is now working in the Larson Group, seeking revenge for Charis.I was concerned that the two of you might be taken advantage of, so I felt the need to visit you in person.I’ve come here to urge you to discipline your adopted daughter and mitigate any potential losses.”
Luke’s expression turned from shock to rage as he went through the materials.
Slamming the documents on the table, he yelled, “We should never have adopted Vivian at all!”
A chill ran down Catherine’s spine.
What could cause Vivian to do such a thing? Vivian had promised her that she would leave the Larson Group soon.
Had she been lying? It all made sense to Luke when he saw the odd look on Catherine’s face.He sputtered, unable to believe it, “You were aware she had been working in Brandon’s company? You knew?”
Catherine lifted her head and met Luke’s eyes.
Minutes passed and she did not utter a word.Luke’s anger grew at Catherine’s silence.He angrily got up, tossed the cake to the floor and stormed off.
Before he walked out, he swiveled around to face Johanna in anger.
“I’ll return home immediately to personally handle this matter.Don’t worry!”
With that, he left, Catherine hurrying after him.
Johanna smiled at the receding figures of the couple.
Just then, Beal stepped in, holding an ice cream cone from outside the restaurant in his hand.
As he saw the two angrily storming off, he asked curiously, “Have you finished talking with them already, honey? That was quick!”
“I know, right? Luke was extremely furious. He won’t be letting Vivian off the hook so easily this time.”
Johanna’s mood lifted as she saw the ice-cream in Beal’s hand.
She took the spoon and tasted it.
She let out a sigh as it landed on her taste buds.
“It tastes just as it did before.Here, you taste it too.”
Beal couldn’t help but shiver as he ate the ice-cream Johanna fed him.
His face contorted at the cold and he said, “It’s winter in Mexico now, honey.I’m too old to down food for young people.”
Johanna’s preferences were strange as she liked to eat food regardless of whether it was in accordance with the season.
However, Beal always spoiled her.
“I told you to exercise more with me.You’re always in the study, and you never move around.Now you understand why good health is important.”
With a smile, Johanna looked him up and down and said, “It seemed to me Catherine dotes on Vivian a lot.Despite how angry Luke was, she didn’t utter a word.Luke on the other hand, is quite different.He won’t allow Vivian to destroy his company.”
Natalie was surprised to see Catherine with her mother at the interrogation room.She asked Johanna, “Did you call her back, mom?”
“Yes I did.Vivian is part of the Turner family and Catherine had the right to know what happened.”
Johanna receded a few steps with Natalie and said, “Also, I’m sure Catherine must have a lot to ask Vivian face to face.”
Vivian did not dare look up.Her eyes were on Catherine’s tightly clenched fists, and her entire body trembled.
“Give it to me straight.What’s happening? We never asked you to get revenge on Natalie!”
Catherine’s voice was hoarse as she asked.She stared down at Vivian, disappointed, and pulled out the document Johanna had given her, tossing it at Vivian.
The papers made their way to the floor, each one covered in evidence of Vivian’s crimes.
Seeing that Vivian didn’t say a word, Catherine became angrier.
The disappointment in her heart was even more than anger.She said, “I have treated you as my own daughter, and I had almost devoted all my love for Charis to you.”
Catherine placed a hand over her mouth as she broke down into tears.She had made the worst judgment and she regretted it! Vivian had only been using her from day one! Vivian’s eyes were filled with sadness as she raised them.She did her best to conceal her emotions.She couldn’t help but be sad as she thought of how kindly Catherine had treated her.
Even though Vivian had not spent a lot of time with Catherine, the warmth Catherine had shown her made a significant impact.
Vivian gritted her teeth and made up her mind.She turned to Natalie and said, “No one else in the Turner family was aware of what I was doing.This does not concern them in any way.I will face the consequences alone.”
All she could do was try not be a burden to the Turner family at this point.
Natalie could tell the Turners had nothing to do with Vivian’s revenge judging from Catherine’s words.She found it disappointing.
Who else was Vivian getting help from if not the Tumer couple? It was as though there was an invisible enemy hidden behind everything, peering at her and Brandon.
Natalie was about to ask more questions when Catherine lifted her purse, ready to slam it on Vivian’s face.
She asked hysterically, “Not once have Luke and I thought of taking revenge on Natalie and Brandon.What made you do this? What was your goal? Are you trying to ruin the entire Turner family?”
Catherine was aware they were also partly responsible for Charis’ death.
Besides, the Larson Group was not one the Turner family could bear to be at odds with.So despite the resentment in her heart, she had no other option but to give up the idea of revenge.
Now Vivian had ruined everything, making the Turner family’s endurance to be all for naught.Seeing that Vivian didn’t say a word, Catherine became angrier.
Vivian didn’t dodge the blow.She closed her eyes and let Catherine vent her anger.
However, the purse didn’t reach her.
Catherine’s face was drenched with tears.She didn’t want to be like this.
New Book: Beginning with a Daring Encounter
Celsie was tired of being labeled as an introvert, workaholic, and dull virgin by her friends. Determined to prove them wrong, she made a bet that she would do something daring on her 25th birthday. Now that the day had arrived, it was time to fulfill her promise. On her daring to-do list, there was one task: a one-night stand with someone.
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