Chapter 23
CHAPTER 23
“Happy Birthday Veronica, From Akash.” Reba read the words written on the cover. She opened it,
and there were hundred dor bills inside. “What’s this?” Her heart skipped a beat. A woman receiving
money from a man outside the family wasn’t something that could be overlooked.
“My boyfriend,” Veronica lowered her head and rubbed her thumb on her palm. “He sent it to me. He
didn’t even have the time to talk to me on the phone. He sent me this shitty envelope through a friend.
And that’s not even his handwriting.” She paused. “I don’t get it. What does that mean? Does he not care
about me? Does he think as long as he sends some cash, I’ll be his girlfriend?” Reba thought for a
little while and asked, “What does he do?” “I don’t know. I met him at a party, and he said he’s a
businessman and gave me his visiting card,” Veronica exined. “Since then, we kept meeting outside
often, and he’s a good guy. He never talks about his work, but he does know how to paint, and he gave
me one of his original paintings. However, he didn’t even have time to make a painting for my birthday
this time.”
“Send me his details.”
“Why?”
“I’ll do some investigation on him.”
“What?” Veronica was shocked. “Investigation? What are you talking about?”
“Our parents are rich, so there’ll be many men who’ll try to trap us,” said Reba. “If we do a
background check on your boyfriend, we’ll know whether he’s a fake or not.” “Background check?”
Veronica didn’t like what she was hearing. “Wait, did you do a background check for Benjamin before you
married him?”
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Reba’s expression froze. She hadn’t done that. She was so emotionally driven after losing her
virginity, she didn’t care what his identity was. She married him after he agreed to marry her. She just
assumed he didn’t have a family because he never brought it up.
Reba took a breath and asked. “Are you just passing time, or are you serious about him?” “Why
would I get upset if I wasn’t serious?” replied Veronica.
“Mm, but are you sure you want to marry, though?” “What do you mean?”
“Look at our parents. They had four children, and people think they’re the perfect couple, but we know
they’re not even living in the same room anymore. They juste together for appearance sake. And
look at Shawn and Elizabeth. They used to roam together like birds made for each other before
marriage, but now, you don’t see them smiling together.” “What are you getting at, sis?” Veronica
frowned. “Are you telling me I shouldn’t marry?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying.” Reba stressed her words. “Don’t marry unless it’s necessary, or it’ll
only be a burden for you. So, do some checking on Akash to see if he’s worthy or not before
proceeding.” “No,” Veronica shook her head, “I’d rather ask Akash directly instead of doing sneaky things
in the dark. Anyway, thanks for your time. Take care.” She took the envelope and walked out. Reba
sat there, lost in thought for a while. “She’s right about one thing.” Reba nced toward Benjamin’s
bed. “I never bothered to do a background check on him.” She remembered their past conversations to
see if she could pick up any clues about him, but really, there was nothing significant. “Now that I think
about it, he never talked about his past, did he? It is indeed strange. Why didn’t I notice it sooner?” she
thought for a bit.” Should I ask him? But if he’s got some dark past, I might bring the trauma back” She
was not heartless enough to put a person through such a thing. “How should I get the info from him
then?” Her stomach grumbled again and brought her out of her thoughts. She grabbed the potato chips
packet and hurriedly ate them.
And because of hurriedly crunching and swallowing the spicy chips, she ended up coughing a lot. It
wasn’t going away. There was no water bottle around. The dry cough hurt her throat, and tears clouded
her eyes.
Benjamin got off his bed and went to the fridge and took out a water bottle. She looked at him in great
surprise. She didn’t think he would wake up from her cough and then get off the bed to give her a water
bottle. (How nice of him.)
However, Benjamin didn’te to her but walked straight back to his bed.
The cough that briefly stopped began once again as shock took over Reba’s expression.
Benjamin sat down and finished half the bottle before putting the cap on. He kept staring at her without
blinking.
She was looking at him, but she didn’t even make a gesture to show her need of water.
“Hmph,” Benjamin snorted and tossed the bottle onto her bed. Before she knew it, she ended up
grabbing the bottle and drinking from it. While she was doing it, she realized that he was still looking at
her, and she ended up spilling the water.
Benjamin slightly shook his head before lying down on his bed and pulling the nket back on.
Reba pped her hand to her forehead in a mix ofplex emotion. She had never felt this
embarrassed in a long time. It proved extremely hard for her to digest the fact that she drank water from
a bottle he had given her. After all, she always thought she was above him, that she was more powerful
than him in many ways. However, now that thousandyered illusion was beginning to be shaken by the
storm of difort brewing in her heart. She felt like some invisible chains began to bind her.
And she could hear the men she had datedughing inside her head, saying that she will eventually lose
to himpletely like how she lost her virginity to him.
“No. I’m Reba Sterling,” she thought. “I’m the best! I have no equal! I won’t let this injury cripple my
confidence!”
At the same time, near the airport. Oliver just reached the airport in a taxi. He paid using the tinum
card before stepping out. He didn’t have any luggage, except for one small bag that had a pair of clothes,
kitchen tools, and some cash he had withdrawn from the ATM.
“Getting this card from Devon was easy,” Oliver smiled as he briefly stared at the card. “All I had to do
was remind him of the weed packet under his mattress, and then he went back to his old self and
completely forgot about this card. It’s scary how drugs have made a strong man into a cripple in a matter
of months. I won’t take drugs anymore, so I won’t be like him, but there are still a lot of ways to
have fun in this world.” He was walking in through the entrance. “Once I leave this city, my second life will
begin.”
Two giant men in ssy gray suits that were walking out of the airport picked him up by the arms from
either side and took him outside. “Hey, who are you two? Put me down!” Oliver yelled. “I haven’t done
anything wrong!” One of those men whispered in Oliver’s ear, “As long as you are holding the tinum
card, you don’t want to leave the city, or your death will be news on TV for a hit and run case.”
Those words sent shivers up and down Oliver’s spine. “Just go back to the vi, and be a good butler,
Oliver ude.”
Saying that, the two giant men walked away without looking back. Oliver, however, still found himself
shivering uncontrobly. A tall and sturdy man like him who had severed the heads of thousands of
chickens and cut open the necks of even more buffalos when he was working at a farm was now close to
peeing in public.