Chapter 16 This Is A Family Matter


    Nelson watched Julia walk away. It was a mere coincidence that this hospital belonged to the Xu family.


    He hadn''t expected to see her in the hospital while he was on tour.


    "Dr. Zhang." Nelson beckoned to a doctor. "Help me figure out what''s wrong with Julia Gu and why she


    was here."


    As soon as he skimmed Julia''s report, Nelson realized it would not be as simple as she had made it


    seem. It seemed as if Terence had caused her great suffering.


    Closing the file, he said, "I see. Thank you." Nelson handed the file back to Dr. Zhang and walked out.


    On exiting the hospital, he took out his phone and dialed Terence''s number. As soon as thetter


    picked up, Nelson asked, "Where are you?"


    Terence had received a call from Jean and was on his way to pick her up when Nelson''s call came in. "I


    have a personal matter to attend to. What''s up?"


    "I was at the hospital for an inspection today. Guess who I ran into?" Nelson asked.


    When Terence did not respond, Nelson realized his friend was not in the mood to y games. "I met


    Julia," he stated.


    Terence''s body tensed up. He clenched his fists tightly and felt a flicker of annoyance at even


    discussing Julia.


    Pretending to be nonchnt, he asked, "Why was she at the hospital? Shooting for a film, perhaps?"


    On the other end of the phone, Nelson grinned. He knew Terence was anxious to know even though he


    was not letting it show.


    "She was here to see a doctor," Nelson replied coolly.


    "She was there to see a doctor?" Terence was having difficulty believing it. His heart was now


    throbbing very loudly. "What''s wrong with her?"


    He was afraid that Nelson might find out he was more worried than he was letting on. But, his slightly


    trembling voice had already betrayed him.


    "I could tell that she has lost a lot of weight. She told me she had a cold. I wasn''t convinced so I looked


    into her case and found it was serious. The doctor treating her exined her condition to me and I


    could not believe that we were talking about the same Julia. She has a poor stomach and does not eat


    properly.


    Terence, do you remember that she used to call you every day and ask you if you''de home for


    dinner? I heard that she waited for you every day. I don''t think she used to eat without you. I guess


    she''s had her stomach trouble since then."


    shbacks of their early days of marriage shed before Terence''s eyes immediately.


    Julia would call and ask him to join her for dinner. No matter what his response was, she would tell him


    that she would wait for him to return so that the two could eat together.


    The maid had informed Terence that Julia would wait at the dinner table for a long time every single


    day. If he did note, she would eat the cold food.


    This went on for the entire three years of their marriage.


    Terence had thought that Julia''s show woulde to an end soon. But, he hadn''t expected that it


    wouldst until they got divorced.


    A couple of mixed feelings surged through his mind.


    "Hello? Terence? Are you still there?" Nelson asked when his friend did not say anything for several


    minutes. "Enough of this indifference. Stop lying to yourself. If you have feelings for Julia, you can win


    her back. It''s not toote—"


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    "Nelson, don''t you have anything useful to do today?" Terence questioned, cutting him off. "Do you


    need me to ask your dad to arrange a job for you? Then you won''t have all this free time to give me


    lectures," Terence spat out.


    Nelson was shocked. "What''s wrong with you? I am saying this for you well-being. I do not want you to


    end up regretting this in the future!" he said, adamant. But Terence was not going to have it. "You don''t


    have to worry about it. Just mind your own business," he snapped.


    His mind was now nk as he continued driving. Terence arrived at his destination and there was


    Jean, waiting for him. He exited the car and held open the door for her.


    Jean felt that he was a little preupied. He was visibly tense. She felt a little embarrassed. "Did I


    interrupt your work?" she asked gently. "I know you are busy, and I am sorry about stealing you from


    your work."


    "You don''t have to apologize," Terence smiled. He focused his eyes on the road thinking how different


    these two sisters were. They wereplete opposites! Where Jean was kind and considerate, Julia


    was vicious and selfish.


    "It''s a pleasure to go shopping with you."


    Jean''s face turned red. "It''s all my fault. Julia and I don''t really get along now. She doesn''t even answer


    whenever I call her. Besides, I don''t have any other friends in H City. So, I had no choice but to bother


    you."


    "Did she give you a hard time?" Terence asked.


    "No, of course not." Jean brushed it off. But Terence wasn''t convinced.


    "If she does this again, you need to tell me," he said coldly, looking at Jean.


    "Actually, she didn''t give me a hard time." Jean smiled bitterly. "It''s my mom. I went to see her


    yesterday and saw what a terrible life she is living. She is scrambling to make ends meet. I had no idea


    about any of this in the years that I was living abroad."


    She looked sorrowful as she continued, "Mom is living in a home that is the size of a room. It is barely


    thirty to forty square meters. Even her clothes are in such dire condition. I''m sorry forying this out in


    the open."


    "Really?" Terence frowned. "I remember buying an apartment for her when Julia and I got married. How


    could she...?"


    "I don''t know either." Tears rolled down Jean''s eyes.


    "I had no idea of my mother''s living conditions while I was abroad. But I wired Julia money every month


    and asked her to give it to Mom. I wanted her to live afortable life. But I don''t know what went


    wrong. In my absence, Julia was her only family. I would not believe Mom was suffering so much if I


    hadn''t seen it for myself yesterday."


    Although Jean didn''t say it, it was obvious what she was implying.


    She had sent money to Julia for their mother, but thetter had kept it for herself.


    Jean was trying to sling mud at her sister. And Terence didn''t doubt it for a second.


    Taking out a tissue from the box on the dashboard, he handed it to Jean. "Do not cry. If this is true, I will


    handle it," he promised.


    "Terence, I can''t trouble you with this matter," Jean said immediately. She was afraid that Terence


    would investigate it and find out the truth. "It''s a family matter after all, and you and Julia are now


    divorced.


    As for Mom, I''m back now. I''ll take care of her."