Chapter 1037
Raeleigh reckoned that Santiago had an attitude problem.
"Well, if you don''t own up to your mistakes and make amends, I''ve got to let Jepherson know so
that he''ll intervene," Raeleigh said. Santiago seemed to shrug her off. "I''m a grown-up, I know what
I''m doing," Santiago said as he shook his leg. That air of nonchnce annoyed Raeleigh.
"Yeah, right," Raeleigh said. "You aren''t sensible enough. Hence, you''ve got it all wrong." While
Raeleigh was reprimanding Santiago, Scarlette wondered what happened. "What has Mr. Santiago
done?" she thought. "Raeleigh has always been mild- mannered. The fact that she wants to bring
this up to Mr. Jepherson is indication enough that Mr. Santiago must have done something that''s
rather uneptable."
"Well, then. Hurry up, Raeleigh", Scarlette thought. "I can''t wait to see Mr. Santiago eating some
humble pies."
"Are you done b*tching?" Santiago said. He turned hostile all of a sudden, catching Scarlette off
guard. She then stood up and said, "Raeleigh, I''m going to the washroom. Wannae along?"
"Nah, go ahead," Raeleigh replied.
Scarlette had a feeling that Raeleigh''s gaze was suggestive of her being good-for-nothing. In spite
of that, she had to make a move lest Santiago took his anger out on her.
Hadrian was sitting near the elevator while Scarlette had gone to the washroom. Raeleigh and
Santiago were then sitting outside the intensive care unit without thepany of other people.
Santiago shook his leg and said, "I''ll tell him then."
Raeleigh looked at Santiago. "What are you gonna tell him?" she said.
Santiago looked at Raeleigh. "Well, what do you want me to tell him?" he said.
"Tell him the truth."
"Telling the truth, that’s how I roll."
"Is Deanna..."
"Deanna’s like a sister to me," Santiago said. Raeleigh paused for a moment before she said, "Is
Deanna your..."
"Deanna''s like a sister to me," Santiago interjected. Raeleigh then stopped talking and remained
quiet.
After sitting for a while, Santiago stood up. He took a pack of cigarettes and left to take a puff.
Scarlette dashed towards Raeleigh the moment Santiago left.
"Raeleigh, what''s going on?" Scarlette asked. "What have you guys been talking about?" Raeleigh
did not respond. She watched as Santiago puffed smoke rings along the corridor.
Raeleigh did not speak to Santiago for the rest of the day. They had dinner at eight o''clock in the
evening. Soon after that, Jepherson called.
Raeleigh went to the washroom as she answered the phone. Jepherson was about to have a rest.
He called Raeleigh to check in on her.
"Nothing much to do," Raeleigh said. "We''ve been keeping an eye on Deanna. She hasn''t woken up
yet. I''m worried since it''s been three days she fell into aa." Raeleigh did not say anything about
Santiago. As much as she wanted to bring up what he had done, she held back.
Raeleigh did not say anything about Santiago. Jepherson did not ask about Santiago either.
"Do you miss me?" Jepherson asked. Raeleigh blushed. As she looked into the mirror, she found
herself blushing as red as a tomato.
"Well, not really," Raeleigh said. It was not the case that she was reluctant to admit that she had
been missing him. Quite the contrary, she did not have the time to think about other matters since
she was hung up on Deanna. Besides that, she had been busy bombarding the doctor with
questions whenever he came to check in on Deanna.
Jepherson had not crossed her mind for the better part of the day.
To Raeleigh, cultivating a loving rtionship is equivalent to seasoning a pot of stew. It takes time to
season the stew with the right amount of condiments and herbs before one can deliver the perfect
recipe.
"I''ve been missing you though," Jepherson said smilingly.
"But it’s been only a day since west met."
"One day''s like an eternity to me."
"You sweet talker."
"Women love it, don''t they?"
Raeleigh did not respond further. Bored, she could be seen pursing her lips and cupping her
blushing cheeks as she sat on the toilet seat.
"I''m travelling elsewhere. I''ll be back in a few days’ time. Take care. Call me up if there are any
pressing issues.”
"Alright, you too. Stay safe and take care."
"Okay."
Raeleigh wanted to hang up on Jepherson as she did not feel like talking.
Jepherson let out a long sigh in response. "Are you tired?" Raeleigh asked as she knitted her
brows.
"It was an intense quickie in the hospital, so I’m exhausted," Jepherson said as he turned off the
light and snuggled under the nket. Raeleigh blushed. She then hung up on him.
Jepherson shed a smile. He called her back immediately.
Raeleigh hesitated for a moment before answering the phone. "Now what?" she said.
"I just wanna hear your voice."
Raeleigh stopped talking as Jepherson chuckled. Although she was at a loss for words, she did not
hang up on him. She listened as he chuckled over the phone.
"Can I propose to you when I''m back?" Jepherson said when he stopped chuckling.
Astounded, Raeleigh said, "I can''t wait."
She remained quiet thereafter as she touched her head.
"I don''t think your family would ept me," Raeleigh said matter-of-factly.
"Who cares?" "Then, why did you get me to pretend to be
Santiago’s girlfriend?"
Raeleigh was very much aware that they would cause quite a stir if they were to go public with their
rtionship. Consequently, she would be in hot water too.
To Raeleigh, life had been rather meaningless. Nheless, she had tried her level best to lead a
fulfilling life over the years. She had yet to have any notable aplishments in her career. Now
that her grandmother was in her twilight years, she thought that it would have been such a pity if
she chose to give up then.
"Well, I changed my mind," Jepherson said. Raeleigh asked, "Why though?"
"For no particr reason."
Raeleigh did not respond immediately. She paused for a while. Then, she said, "I''m willing to trade
lies for a lifetime of peace."
Jepherson furrowed his brows. "Say what?"
After a brief pause, Raeleigh said, "As long as you aren''t marrying someone else, I''m willing to stay
by your side. It doesn''t concern me if we aren''t legally married."
Jepherson frowned. "If we aren''t legally married, then our child will be born out of wedlock and will
thus be deemed an illegitimate child. In the unfortunate event that I pass on, you won''t be able to
inherit anything from me."
Amused, Raeleigh said, "If money is what I''m after, then I would have married someone else. I''m
sure you know what I mean."
At that moment, both of them remained silent. Raeleigh kept holding her cell phone. Foremost in
her mind was not the pursuit of wealth, even though she did not hail from a moneyed background.
She reckoned that money could not bring her everything she wanted.
Money was not the be-all and end-all in life. It had nothing to do with one''s future or rtionship.
She was longing for something else. Not money.
She was very certain about it.
"So, I''ve met a silly girl who''s willing to sacrifice her life for me, yet is asking nothing in return."
"I, Jepherson Richards, hereby swear that I would marry no one, and no one else but Raeleigh
Anson in my life. In the event that I do not honor my words, I shall be doomed to a lifetime of
loneliness."
"Stop talking nonsense. It''s not that I had forced you to swear on it. You''re used to swearing. I''m
wondering if you actually remember all your vows."
Jepherson'' s lips twitched. "It'' s something important. Why can''t I swear a solemn oath? Can''t you
be a little more serious?"
"Am I not being serious enough?"
Raeleigh felt frustrated and had misunderstood him. Amused, Jepherson said, "You sure?
Obviously, you don''t trust me."
Raeleigh kept silent. She then hung up on him. Upon hearing the beep, Jepherson looked at his
phone. At that moment, he was so angry that he burst into maniacalughter.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.