Emery spotted the despise in my eyes. “I feel happy when I spend money. Besides, the two young men were really handsome and I had a great time talking to them. I think it’s money well spent.”
“Yeap, I agree,” Camelia interjected, “I haven’t been this happy for a long time. This feels better than going for a drink at the bar. I came out looking prettier and in a better mood, so it’s worth the money.”
Now that they put it that way, I could only say that they had put their money to good use.
Our next stop was the beauty salon. By the time we finished a spa, it was already afternoon.
I just got out of the spa when Kristina called. “I don’t need your card. I’ll take the cash as your accommodation fee and for taking up my time yesterday. As for the card, you can take it back.”
“Sure, you can give it back to me, but I’ll need to make this clear—you need to go back to J City if you refuse to take the card. Your uncle is a bone cancer specialist, he will figure out a way to cure you. If you keep up the stubborn act, you’ll only end up putting your life on the line. If you refuse to go back, then I’m not taking back the card. You can take it as a token of appreciation for what you did for Summer.”
A long silence ensued. “Why are you helping me?”
I found myself asking the same question. Why am I helping her?
It took me some time to think of a reason. “I don’t know why I’m helping you, but I don’t have peace in my heart if I leave you just like that. Actually, I’m just returning the favor. After all, you’re the one who reminded me about Summer. So let’s call it even between us.”
“So you ended up being my savior. How ironic,” she said, her voice soft and mellow. “But still, thank you. I know it’s no use saying this, but I still want to let you know I’m grateful.”
I did not say another word but hung up after that.
I felt a burden lifted off my chest after the call. Actually, I was not even sure if Kristina would accept my offer. She might continue working at the bar, and this would make me feel bad for her. However, it also meant she would have to accept the bank card. Although there was not a lot of money in it, it was still enough to last her some time. I hope she would be able to think things through and return to J City and the Lorraine family. It would be better to be around people who could help her.
After Emery and Camelia were done with their facial treatments, they both decided to go to the mall for a shopping spree. I naturally had no objections, so I went along with them.
Having bustled about the entire day, we went to a restaurant specializing in grilled fish. Just after we had taken our seats, Emery looked at me and clicked her tongue. “What are young girls nowadays thinking? How does she stand being with such an old man?”
Hearing that, I was stunned for a moment. Then, I glanced over my shoulder, only to be greeted by the sight of a couple with a huge age gap. It wasn’t a mere assumption, for the woman was kissing and being all lovey-dovey with the man in public without the slightest hint of embarrassment. From the look of things, they definitely weren’t father and daughter, but lovers.
However, I only took a gander. When I saw that the woman was all but lying on the man who seemed to be about sixty years old, I didn’t continue watching them. After all, it required fortitude to gaze at such a scene for a long time.
Camelia, on the other hand, frowned slightly. “The age gap here must be at least thirty over years. Is such a romance truly love?”
In reply, Emery shook her head. “Nope. It’s apparent at first glance that the old man isn’t quite right in the mind. He seems a tad senile. As such, the woman is most likely eyeing his money.”
Nevertheless, I remained quiet through it all since it was rather difficult to judge such a matter. We then ordered our food, and it was served very quickly. Ah, it’s been a long time since I last had grilled fish! I buried my head in the food and started eating with relish. Meanwhile, Camelia and Emery were still discussing skincare routines, including the fact that they should avoid eating spicy food, reduce their sugar intake, and have more collagen. After all, women would slowly lose collagen after twenty-five years old, so they could only rely on money to retain their beauty.
In that, I had to concur. Toward the end of their conversation, they then decided to register for a body conditioning class tomorrow to enhance their figure and deportment.
Sure enough, women were forever pursuing beauty all their lives.
“Yvonne Wilde, I asked you to accompany my father for a stroll! Why did you bring him here? Do you have any professional work ethics?” A voice abruptly rang out behind me.
Upon hearing the familiar name, I couldn’t resist looking over my shoulder. By then, the woman, who had been in the old man’s embrace, had gotten to her feet. With an apologetic expression on her face, she explained to the fuming woman, “I’m sorry, Ms. Langston. Mr. Langston said that he craved grilled fish, so I brought him here. I’m sorry. I won’t do it anymore.”
That woman, however, seemed fit to be tied. Glowering at her, she snarled, “Why are you doing everything he says? Don’t you know that he has high blood pressure and has to be circumspect in his diet? Also, don’t think that I’m unaware of your ploy. “My father is senile. Are you trying to coax him into marrying you so that you’d have a share of the assets when he dies? Let me tell you, that’s a pipe dream! It’s impossible! Now, scram! Here’s your pay for having taken care of him for the past few days. Don’t you ever step foot into our house again in the future!”
Throwing a stack of bills into Yvonne’s face, the woman then left with the old man. As Yvonne stood by the table, the diners in the restaurant stared at her as though watching a show. From the few simple words, everyone could discern the meaning clear as day.
Is she that strapped for cash? Didn’t John give her quite a tidy sum after breaking up with her? So, why has she been taking care of an elderly senile man for the sake of money? Besides, their posture earlier was really intimate.
Puzzlement swamped me.
Again glancing back, my brows furrowed when I saw her picking up the money from the floor in a mini skirt. I was at a loss for words. We choose our paths in life, and though we have no idea whether it’ll be good or bad, we should make a conscientious choice from the very beginning itself.
After she had picked up all the money, she stood up. The moment she caught sight of me, she froze for a moment before sneering, “What a coincidence, Ms. Stanhope! You’ve again seen me at my lowest.”
Pursing my lips, I lowered my head and commented, “You have plenty of choices, so why must you relegate yourself to this?”
“Haha!” Yvonne gave a bark of laughter. As she brandished the money in her hand, she stared at me and retorted, “You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, Ms. Stanhope, so you’ve probably never suffered much in life, no? Thus, you likely have no idea how someone with no money survives. “People are born in different classes, and someone like me is destined to be trampled upon and humiliated ever since birth.
In that case, why should I make life unnecessarily difficult for myself? I’d be better off resigning myself to fate and make money however I can do so. “Isn’t this pretty good? Look, I’ve only taken care of that old man for a few days, and I’ve gotten tens of thousands in addition to the money he gave me. That’s a huge sum. You said I have plenty of choices.
Indeed, I do. Considering my academic qualification and good looks, I can get an office job with five or six thousand a month. “But then, I’ll have to go to work early and get off work late, not to mention pandering to my superior. I’ll have to lower myself all my life, and I might even have to pay the price with my health. Yet in the end, I might not even afford to buy a house when I’m old. Say, what’s the use of dignity and pride?
“From your standpoint, you can’t understand me. Likewise, from my perspective, I can’t understand you. I wanted to marry John because I’ll never again have to worry about money besides getting to live out my life in bliss. So, why did you put a stop to that? Was it because of my filthy means of making money?
“But the truth is, I’m a commodity in his eyes—one that requires some occasional spending for maintenance. The only difference is that he’ll place me in Stanhope residence for show at the end of the day. Ms. Stanhope, a few words from you extinguished all light from my life in the blink of an eye.”
“What kind of logic is that?” Emery countered with a hint of contempt. “If you regard yourself as a commodity, then you should act like one. A commodity has value. Do you know your value? “Why on earth did you attach such a high value to yourself when you’re a commodity that has changed hands every so often? Do you think you’re worth that much? You’re a commodity that has zero aesthetic and practical value, yet you price yourself as a customized commodity. Do you think you’re worth that price? Well, the answer is no.”
Oh my God, Emery is simply… Amazing!
All at once, Yvonne’s face flushed bright red at her lecture. After a long while, she glared at her and snapped, “What has that got to do with you? How’s that your business?”
At that, Emery merely snickered, not in the mood to continue debating with her. “It’s indeed none of my business. Let’s go!”
Naturally, there was no way we could continue with the meal after that debacle. As Emery strode out of the restaurant while dragging Camelia and me along, she muttered, “People are really ridiculous nowadays. Her values are erroneous, yet she doesn’t allow anyone else to point them out. Come on!”
After saying that, she turned to me with a frown. “Well, I’m curious. How did you get acquainted with that freak? Damn it, she’s just pissing me off so badly!”
Startled for a moment, my gaze remained locked on hers. With the corners of my mouth twitching, I replied, “You don’t remember her? She was a hostess at your nightclub back then. She was forced to drink, so John and I intervened. I later got her a job at Nick’s company, but it wasn’t long before she got her hooks into John.”
Emery was stunned for some time before she blurted, “Dang! Are you serious? It’s been so long that I don’t have any recollection of her. She’s really crazy.”
After exiting the restaurant, we went straight to the mall. Once those two women started shopping, they were in a world of their own. When the shopping spree drew to an end, the entire trunk was filled to the brim.
Completely worn out, I sat at the lounge on the first floor and waited for them while they shopped.
I had just sat down for a brief second when I spotted a man dragging Yvonne out of the mall by the hair. His movements were vicious and indifferent, turning her silky hair into a tangled mess.
“Please let go of me! I’m sorry, I won’t do it anymore. I beg you! I’ll give you all the money, so please let go of my hair!” Yvonne wailed at the top of her lungs.
However, the man showed no signs of taking mercy on her. Instead, his grip on her became increasingly brutal. “You’ll do anyone as long as they give you money, huh?”
The man’s vulgar words were indeed unpleasant, and he proclaimed that in a booming voice, so everyone around them heard that. As they unwittingly attracted people’s attention, an elderly lady stepped forward and persuaded, “Young man, just talk it out if there’s a problem. This isn’t an appropriate way to treat a woman.”
“She doesn’t mind doing it with any man and has now given me STD! This is all on her! Not only is she filthy as hell, but she also ruins others! It’s already merciful of me when she’s such a despicable woman!”
Yvonne then fell to the ground while struggling with him. Looking all pathetic, she stared at the man as she rebutted in a tearful and aggrieved voice, “I didn’t! It wasn’t me! You’re the one who contracted it, for I’ve got no STD at all! All those are wealthy men, so how could they possibly have STD? It’s you who contracted it by sleeping around with random women, yet you’re blaming me?”
Slap! The man didn’t pull his punches, so it was a heavy blow. At that strike, Yvonne saw stars, and blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth.
“What a load of crap! Would you have gotten STD if you haven’t gone to the nightclub to prowl for men even when you were together with Mr. Stanhope? Did you think that wealthy men have no STD? Even if they do, would they tell you? You’ll even do it with an old man in his sixties or seventies for a quick buck, so who would believe you when you say you have no STD?”
Upon hearing this, a sense of unease flooded me. Could it be that I’ve truly hit the nail on the head, and Yvonne Wilde truly has STD? At the thought of this, I hastily took out my phone and called John.
Fortunately, it was relatively quiet on his side when the call was connected. When he heard the commotion on my end, he asked, “Where are you? Why is it so noisy? And what happened?”
“I’m at the mall. Where are you?” I demanded. When I saw the man beating up Yvonne, my brows inevitably creased. Standing up, I headed toward the security booth.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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