《My Mute Bride》


 My Mute Bride Chapter 1

    My Mute Bride Chapter 1


    Chapter 1,My Mute Bride


    On the night of her wedding, Rachel Hudson sat on the edge of the bed with a bitter taste in her mouth


    that extended deep into the bottom of her heart. Amber Hudson was unwilling to marry the disfigured


    eldest son of the Burton Family, so her father had asked Rachel to take her ce instead.


    After that, she was carried into the Burton Residence with neither a wedding ceremony nor wedding


    guests like a bride who couldn¡¯t rise to the asion, making her utterly disappointed with the Hudson


    Family. Just then, the creak of the door being pushed open interrupted her thoughts, and she looked up


    to meet a man¡¯s long, narrow, and sharp ck eyes.


    It was Justin Burton, her current husband. He was tall and slender but not burly, whereas his angr


    face and tightlypressed lips made him look cold, arrogant, and aloof¡ªjust like amanding


    hawk in the dark night. However, his originally handsome face was regrettably marred by a scar.


    It ran from his forehead to his chin, lending him an air of ferocity. Rachel subconsciously averted her


    eyes under his prating gaze. Suddenly, he said with absolute certainty, ¡°You aren¡¯t Amber Hudson.¡±


    Thedy before his eyes was obviously more beautiful than Amber. Rachel instinctively put out her


    hands and gestured to him. Justin frowned. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Rachel was startled for a moment. It was only then did she realize with the benefit of hindsight that he


    couldn¡¯t understand her signnguage. After smiling an embarrassed smile, she took out the paper and


    pen she had brought with her, wrote down a sentence, and showed it to him. The next instant, she saw


    the man¡¯spletely frosty eyes. He let out a sneer and said, ¡°What does Jefferey Hudson mean by


    this?


    He knows that I want Amber, yet he sent a mute, illegitimate daughter over on purpose?¡± The words


    ¡®mute, illegitimate daughter¡¯ caused Rachel¡¯s breath to pause, and she slowly dropped her eyes. The


    next instant, the man lifted her chin and asked with a voice as chilly as the water in winter, ¡°Does the


    Hudson Family think I¡¯m so easy to fool?¡± Rachel¡¯s tiny hands clenched into fists in her sleeves. He¡¯s


    furious. Is he going to throw me out right away?


    If that¡¯s the case, what about Grandma¡¯s medical expenses¡­ she thought to herself. She wanted to


    exin, but she could only feel her throat tighten under the man¡¯s chilling gaze. As her eyes slowly


    dimmed, the man suddenly ordered, ¡°Come here.¡± This is¡­ Is he allowing me to stay?


    Rachel was delighted at first, but she then thought of what she was about to face. She slowly became


    nervous, and a thin sheen of sweat coated her palms. Upon seeing her hesitation, Justin thought she


    had chickened out. He then demanded impassively, ¡°I¡¯m very dissatisfied with the fact that your family


    has substituted the bride with someone else.


    But now that you¡¯re already married to me, you have to fulfill your obligations as my wife.¡± Rachel bit


    her lower lip,y t, and turned her face to the left. Then, she heard a mocking sneer as it reached her


    ears.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you to wait on me while I take a bath.¡± Rachel¡¯s face, which was as white as porcin,


    turned red instantly. She swiftly sat up and saw the man coldly enjoying how she had made a fool of


    herself. Anger filled her eyes, and she thought to herself, Is he having fun while making fun of me?


    Justin¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and his voice turned grim. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Rachel


    suppressed her emotions and slowly walked up to him, but she identally scratched his skin with her


    clumsy fingers.


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    Suddenly, Justin grabbed her wrist and closed in on her. ¡°Did you do it on purpose?¡± Rachel was


    dumbfounded for a moment. Then, she shook her head with confusion in her clear eyes. As Justin


    stared at her, another pair of clear and bright eyes unwittingly appeared in his mind, reminding him of


    the Hudson Family¡ªthe chief culprit who had destroyed those very eyes.


    He promptly sneered and said, ¡°I had no intention of touching you tonight, but since you can¡¯t stand


    being lonely, I can only help you out.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 2

    My Mute Bride Chapter 2


    Chapter 2,My Mute Bride


    One nightter, Rachel woke up with her body aching all over. However, Justin was nowhere to be


    seen, and only the slightly cool smell of tobo lingered in the air. Rachel dragged her fatigued body


    to the bathroom and took a shower.


    She first saw a beautiful middle-aged woman sitting on the sofa aftering downstairs, but thetter


    simply stared at her coldly with her arms folded across her chest. Rachel had seen this woman in the


    photo her father had shown her. She was Sue Praham, Justin¡¯s maternal aunt.


    It was said that Justin lost his parents as a child and was brought up single-handedly by Sue until


    Arthur Burton, the Old Master of the Burton Family, brought them back to the Burton Residence. Justin


    built his own business empire with his own abilities, and he had always been filial to Sue as if she were


    his biological mother.


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    At this moment, Sue looked Rachel up and down before saying, ¡°Jefferey Hudson, that old fox, didn¡¯t


    keep his word. He knew that we wanted Amber to marry into the family, yet he sent you¡ªa mute¡ª


    instead. Does he think the Burton Family is a garbage recycling center? I always wonder why Justin


    keeps you around, but since things have turned out this way, you¡¯d better behave yourself.


    Don¡¯t think you will have a meteoric rise by marrying into our family. We, the Burtons, aren¡¯t fools. All


    right, go and prepare lunch first. Since you¡¯ve married into our family, you should be a virtuous wife!¡±


    Therge Burton Residence was obviously not short of servants, but Sue ordered a neer who


    had just married into the family to prepare lunch. Rachel dropped her eyes in the face of Sue¡¯s sharp


    gaze. Even though the woman was making things difficult for her on purpose, she couldn¡¯t fight back


    for the time being.


    A woman with neither power nor influence could never disobey these people, so she could only avoid


    trouble whenever possible. As such, she merely turned around and went to the kitchen. It¡¯s just a meal,


    so it¡¯s not a big deal, she thought to herself. However, her concession didn¡¯t earn her respect.


    Instead, Sue took it for granted by assuming that Rachel was weak and could be easily bullied. She let


    out a cold snort and curled her lips before saying, ¡°As expected, you¡¯re simply unpresentable!¡± Rachel


    paused for a moment and then left as if nothing had happened. Soon after that, Justin returned from his


    company.


    As Sue smiled and asked him to have lunch, he turned around and immediately saw Rachel bustling


    about in the kitchen with an apron on. He knitted his brows, but Sue lied with a smile when she noticed


    this. ¡°She insisted on preparing lunch herself. Perhaps she wants us to taste her cooking,¡± she said.


    Justin nodded his head without saying anything else. Rachel had lived with her grandmother since she


    was a child, so she was pretty good at cooking and doing household chores. She soon made four


    dishes and one soup before serving them at the dining table. The servants saw how virtuous and


    capable she was, yet they had little respect for this newly married wife of the family.


    In the eyes of the public, only those of the lower sses would serve people; after all, the upper-ss


    people were to be served. Throughout lunch, every single person including the servants focused their


    attention on Justin while ignoring Rachel as if she didn¡¯t exist.


    She felt ill at ease because of this, wanting to get away from such an atmosphere. Hence, she casually


    took a few bites, nodded to them, got up, and went upstairs. After Rachel left, Sue curled her lips and


    comined, ¡°She¡¯s so rude. Does she think she can look down her nose at everyone because she¡¯s


    mute?¡±


    Justin picked up his documents right away and began reading them without raising his head. When she


    saw that he wasn¡¯t responding to her words, Sue rolled her eyes and continued, ¡°Justin, the Hudsons


    don¡¯t know what is good for them. They have simply insulted us by palming off an inferior and giving us


    a mute!


    How dare they expect you to give financial aid to their family business? I think they must be dreaming!¡±


    Sue was aware of her nephew¡¯s means and wasn¡¯t worried about the Hudson Family taking advantage


    of him; she simply couldn¡¯t help feeling ufortable at the thought that they had taken such an


    unpresentable mute as a wife, for it would inevitably cause her to beughed at by the wives of other


    families when she went out.


    However, Justin still gave no response¡ªhe didn¡¯t even have an expression on his face. When she saw


    that he obviously didn¡¯t want to talk about this subject, Sue said with an ingratiating smile, ¡°Julian is


    finallying back after studying medicine in France for so many years. He can¡¯t call a mute an inw,


    can he?


    People willugh at him if word gets out about this. Just get rid of that mute after a while. I¡¯ll help you


    look for someone else to assume the position of Young Madam Hudson, okay?¡± Atst, Justin gave a


    response this time. He nced at her expressionlessly and replied, ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing regarding


    this matter, so don¡¯t worry, Aunt Sue.¡±


    Sue¡¯s face froze at the cold and distant tone of his voice. After he left, Mrs. Duncan, one of the servants


    at the Burton Residence, came up from behind andforted Sue in a whisper, ¡°Please don¡¯t think too


    much of it, Madam. Young Master Justin said so because he¡¯s worried that you¡¯ll be overburdened with


    worries.¡±


    Sue sighed with a worried expression. ¡°How could I not overthink it? Justin¡¯s personality has changed a


    lot ever since he was rescued from the human traffickers. He¡¯s no longer as easily approachable as he


    used to be when he was a child. Even though I have been living in ease andfort ever since he


    brought me to the Burton Residence, I know that he mes me deep down inside.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for my carelessness, he wouldn¡¯t have been abducted by the human traffickers and


    suffered so much.¡± Mrs. Duncan¡¯s lips quivered, but she didn¡¯t know what else to say. She thought to


    herself, Young Master Justin has been invincible in themercial world over the past ten years, but


    he has also be increasingly unfeeling and indifferent. It¡¯s no wonder the Madam is so worried


    about him.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 3

    My Mute Bride Chapter 3


    Chapter 3,My Mute Bride


    Meanwhile, the Hudson Residence was ringing with cheers andughter. Blessed with incredibly pretty


    looks, Amber was holding Jefferey¡¯s arm as she pleaded like a spoiled child, ¡°Please buy me a


    Maserati, Dad. Our family received 10 million from the Burtons, so we don¡¯t have to worry about money


    anymore!¡±


    Jefferey was sitting on a chair and reading a newspaper. Upon hearing her words, he turned his head


    and red at her peevishly. ¡°How could you have the cheek to ask for a luxury car? You refused to


    marry into the Burtons when you were asked to. I really have no idea what you were thinking about.


    The Burtons are so rich; would you not have whatever you wanted once you married into the family?¡±


    Amber wrinkled her nose with a disdainful expression.


    ¡°Dad! Justin Burton looks extremely ugly and is said to have an entric character. It disgusts me just


    to think about him, so I¡¯ll never agree to marry him! Rachel, that forsaken mute, married him in my


    stead, didn¡¯t she?¡± she protested before pausing for a moment. Then, she rolled her eyes and smiled


    slyly. ¡°I would be willing to get married if I were to marry Julian Peters, though. He is said to be a Doctor


    of Medicine in France.


    He¡¯s such a handsome and promising young man, which is pretty close to my ideal type of


    person.¡± She¡¯s the apple of my eye, after all¡ªI have spoiled her ever since she was a child. I can¡¯t


    force her to marry someone she dislikes, but she has be more and more unreasonable as I spoil


    her, Jefferey thought to himself. He poked Amber in the nose and replied, ¡°Julian Peters is Sue


    Praham¡¯s son, not the heir of the Burton Family. What¡¯s so special about him?


    Besides, Justin Burton will not be made a fool of easily. Where was I supposed to find a substitute for


    you in a short time if it weren¡¯t for her?¡± Amber raised her chin disdainfully. ¡°Even if she wasn¡¯t there to


    substitute for me, there would be someone else. Perhaps she¡¯s only too eager to marry into the


    Burtons! A mute who cannot speak should simply be grateful for being able to marry into a wealthy


    family!¡± Jefferey merely smiled without saying a word.


    Only he knew that he had forced Rachel to marry Justin using her grandmother¡¯s life-saving money, but


    there was no need for his little princess to worry about this. Even though Rachel was also his own


    daughter, a mute who had been left in a remote mountain vige for many years before resuming her


    rtionship with him had noparability with a beloved daughter who had been spoiled and doted on


    since childhood.


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    Moreover, unlike Amber, Rachel couldn¡¯t win glory for the Hudson Family. As the father and daughter


    were chatting happily, thepany suddenly called. After Jefferey answered the phone, his


    countenance changed all of a sudden. ¡°What did you say? The funding from the Burton Family is


    empty? That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    Then, his face became increasingly grave as the person on the other end said something. Amber was


    seated near Jefferey, and she turned ghastly pale when she heard that the money that should have


    come to their hands was gone. ¡°What should we do, Dad?¡± Jefferey knitted his brows as he thought of


    something. Then, he uttered bitterly between clenched teeth, ¡°What a b*stard Justin Burton is! How


    dare he y tricks on me?


    How could he go back on his word after I married my daughter to him?¡± ¡°That ugly monster is simply


    too annoying!¡± Amber thanked her lucky stars. ¡°It¡¯s lucky that I didn¡¯t marry him. It¡¯s crude for that sc*m


    to go back on his word!¡± Then, she looked at her father and asked hesitantly, ¡°What should we do next,


    Dad?¡± Jefferey collected himself and pondered for a moment. ¡°Since he¡¯s being unkind to me, he


    shouldn¡¯t me me for being treacherous.


    Don¡¯t forget that Rachel is now one of the Burtons.¡± Amber smiled instantly when she saw how her


    father appeared to have a card up his sleeve. She thought to herself, Dad has always been wise and


    resourceful. Well, Justin can only resign himself to getting ripped off! In the meantime, Rachel was


    mopping the floor while Sue sat on the sofa and drank some tea, eyeing the other woman in a


    nitpicking manner. ¡°Be sure to mop the floor clean.


    As the daughter-inw of the Burton Family, you ought to manage your household with industry and


    thrift. You shall sweep and clean up the rooms every day from now on. Mrs. Duncan is an old servant


    of the Burtons, so we shouldn¡¯t keep overworking her. Share some of her burdens as you should since


    we Burtons don¡¯t want azy daughter-inw,¡± she said.


    She despised this mute, but she couldn¡¯t drive thetter away in a grant way. After all, it was mainly


    out of concern for the Burton Family¡¯s reputation that hadsted for 100 years. Therefore, she wanted


    to make Rachel back out and go away herself in the face of hardships.


    ¡°Of course, if you feel wronged, you may leave the Burton Family. All right, I¡¯ll be having afternoon tea


    with someone else outside very soon. Hurry up and work, and don¡¯t bezy!¡± After finishing her


    sentence, she picked up her handbag and went out.


    Rachel watched until Sue had gone out before she heaved a long sigh. She thought to herself, Sue


    Parham is simply too difficult to deal with, and it¡¯s quite tiring to get along with her.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 4

    My Mute Bride Chapter 4


    Chapter 4,My Mute Bride


    After Rachel spent the entire morning doing household chores, she had a dry throat and wanted to help


    herself to some water. As she walked past the turn of the staircase, she incidentally overheard two


    servants secretly talking about her. The first servant said, ¡°I heard that Amber Hudson graduated


    overseas with a doctorate. Not only does she have a pretty face, she¡¯s very good at dancing as well;


    she even won the Riverdale White Swan Dance Championshipst year.¡±


    The other servant replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? Just look at the woman Young Master Justin is currently


    married to. She can¡¯t speak and is submissive all the time; moreover, she married into the Burtons


    without a wedding. She¡¯s so cheap. Just what kind of a madam is she?¡± ¡°Well, Young Master Justin has


    a scar on his face, but he is a man of great capabilities.


    Besides, he is rich and powerful. A mute woman would never have the chance to be his wife, don¡¯t you


    think so?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. I heard that mute people like her arebeled as people with third-grade


    disabilities.¡± Third-grade disabilities¡­ Rachel¡¯s eyes flickered. In reality, she wasn¡¯t born unable to


    speak.


    A big fire had damaged her throat when she was ten, but her father was reluctant to spend a lot of


    money to send her abroad for treatment. Hence, her medical treatment was dyed again and again.


    She didn¡¯t understand why when she was little, and it wasn¡¯t until she had grown up that Rachel


    realized this was only because she was not the beloved daughter who grew up by her father¡¯s side.


    Instead, she was an outsider who had been brought back to the Hudson Family midway.


    Therefore, thesements had no effect on her at all. She smiled unconcernedly and was about to


    turn around and leave when an icy and harsh voice spoke outside. ¡°Who allowed you to gossip about


    the Burton Family¡¯s matters as you please?¡± The two old female servants looked back sharply and saw


    the frosty-looking Justin, who could freeze someone to death with his eyes alone, staring at them with


    narrowed eyes.


    They panicked at once and begged him by saying, ¡°We won¡¯t do it again, sir! It¡¯s our fault! We¡¯ll never


    shoot our mouths off again! Please let us off, sir!¡± However, Justin still looked frosty and was not visibly


    moved at all. Frankie Beckham, his assistant who had been following behind him, stepped to the front


    and said to the two servants, ¡°From tomorrow onward, both of you don¡¯t have toe to work


    anymore.¡±


    The two servants were immediately devastated. Suddenly, Justin looked in Rachel¡¯s direction. After


    ncing at the dirt on her hands and the apron on her waist, he knitted his brows slightly. ¡°Why are you


    doing these things? You¡¯re thedy of the house.¡± Rachel was somewhat baffled by the interrogative


    tone of his voice. Is he really unaware that Sue has been ordering me about? Justin frowned slightly at


    her silence.


    ¡°There are servants in the house, so you don¡¯t have to do these things from now on.¡± A myriad of


    thoughts crossed Rachel¡¯s mind, but she nodded obediently without giving anything away. She untied


    her apron and put down the broom. As she was about to go upstairs, she inadvertently cast her eyes


    upon the two old female servants.


    They had been fired, and they were currently kneeling on the ground. A thought came into her mind. In


    reality, this man didn¡¯t do so to help me; he merely did so for the sake of the Burton Family¡¯s dignity,


    she thought to herself. Cindere¡¯s story existed only in fairy tales, not in her understanding of reality.


    Therefore, she wasn¡¯t grateful to Justin since it would be too foolish to do so. She returned upstairs and


    had just opened the door to her bedroom when her cell phone suddenly registered an iing phone


    call. She nced at the screen and saw that Jefferey was calling her. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she


    answered the phone. Unbeknownst to her, Justin received a text message from Frankie downstairs. It


    read, ¡®The Hudsons have called Mrs. Burton.¡¯


    Justin¡¯s eyes darkened slightly, and his expression was inscrutable. Rachel, who didn¡¯t know that her


    cell phone had been tapped by the Burton Family, listened quietly as Jefferey spoke on the phone. He


    said, ¡°I need your help, Rachel¡ªit¡¯s an emergency. Go to Justin¡¯s study, look for a business contract


    marked in red with the word ¡®Property¡¯, and take pictures of it for me. Be sure to photograph every page


    of it, and don¡¯t get caught by him.¡±


    He spoke like it was an easy thing to do, but it wasn¡¯t a trivial matter at all. Naturally, Rachel fell silent


    for a moment without agreeing to it. Since Jefferey had expected that she might be reluctant to do so,


    he added meaningfully in a colder voice, ¡°I know that you¡¯re a filial kid. Don¡¯t forget that your


    grandmother is still waiting for you.¡±


    Rachel was stunned by the words, ¡®your grandmother is still waiting for you.¡¯ Her grandmother was still


    lyingatose in the hospital, and she knew from her understanding of her father¡¯s cold-blooded


    personality that he really wouldn¡¯t care about the former¡¯s life and death.


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    She couldn¡¯t bring herself to feel any familial affection toward him since she had long been thoroughly


    disappointed with such a cold-blooded father, but her grandmother was different. No matter what, she


    couldn¡¯t ignore her grandmother¡¯s safety. Which was more important?


    She had made a choice deep down inside. When she returned to the room, Justin was leaving with an


    overcoat in his hand. Before he left, he took a nce at her. There was a dark glint in his eyes that she


    couldn¡¯t understand, but she didn¡¯t give it much thought and waited in silence until night fell.


    After 11.00PM, the servants had gone to rest. Rachel stood outside the door to Justin¡¯s study, her hand


    already pushing down on the door handle.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 5

    My Mute Bride Chapter 5


    Chapter 5,My Mute Bride


    Rachel¡¯s palms were a bit sweaty as she was still somewhat nervous. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she


    pushed the door open. The room was dark. Lighting her way using her cell phone, she walked up to the


    desk until her eyes fell upon the drawer below the table. When she opened the drawer, she saw an


    envelope marked in red with the word ¡®Property¡¯ as she had expected.


    She then picked up the envelope, feeling somewhat puzzled as to why such an important document


    wasn¡¯t locked away. She quickly realized something, and her expression changed slightly. Just as she


    was about to leave, the lights suddenly turned on with a click. ¡°Are you looking for this?¡±


    When the man¡¯s apathetic and cold voice sounded, she dropped the envelope in her hand to the floor


    in fright. At this moment, Justin was holding an identical envelope, whereas the envelope Rachel had


    dropped to the floor opened up. Is the envelope actually empty? she thought to herself in great shock.


    Justin¡¯s deep eyes were calm and inky ck, but they were more like the sea before the storm with


    invisible waves surging underneath the sea surface. ¡°Jefferey Hudson told you toe and take it, am


    I right?¡± Rachel¡¯s breaths quickened involuntarily. He knew the truth all along and was waiting to catch


    me in the study?


    Upon realizing this, she instantly felt a chill running up her spine! Suddenly, the man stepped toward


    her. Her pupils shrank, and she felt like he was stepping on her heart with every step he took. Finally,


    he stopped in front of Rachel and looked down at her taut face. ¡°You¡¯re bolder than I thought,¡± he said,


    though no one knew if he was actually mocking or praising her. Rachel smiled wryly in her heart. She


    wasn¡¯t bold, but she simply had no other choice.


    She didn¡¯t try her best to exin herself in front of this clever man; the harder she tried to exin


    herself, the more she would seem to be covering it up. The more she spoke, the more mistakes she


    would make as well. Hence, the only thing she could do was to remain silent. Suddenly, Justin¡¯s voice


    became extremely prating. ¡°As my nominal wife, you stole the Burton Family¡¯s trade secret. If I call


    the police right now, you¡¯ll spend the rest of your life in jail.¡±


    He took out his cell phone with the number 110 disyed on its screen. His thumb hovered over the


    dial button, and it seemed like he was about to press it the next instant. Rachel looked up sharply as


    she could no longer maintain herposure. However, Justin was still indifferent. ¡°Are you afraid


    now?¡± Rachel pressed her lips together with all her might as all the blood drained from her face. If I go


    to jail, what will happen to Grandma in the future?


    Upon seeing how pathetic she looked, Justin asked with a sneer, ¡°Do you want me to let you off?¡±


    Rachel raised her eyes at once. Will he really be so kind-hearted? Just as she had expected, the man


    smiled a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. He then said in a mocking voice, ¡°You¡¯re quite obedient to


    Jefferey. You do whatever he asks you to do, but don¡¯t you know that this is illegal? Well, since you¡¯re


    so obedient, take off your clothes right now to please me!


    Perhaps I can be pleased enough not to hold you ountable.¡± Rachel was stunned. She was as


    humble and weak as an ant before this powerful man, but even an ant clung to life, let alone a living


    person like her. She closed her eyes forcefully. After opening her eyes again, she began to undress


    slowly while her hands trembled. Justin was surprised. He had purposely mocked her in such a way,


    but he didn¡¯t expect her to do as he asked.


    Great, I¡¯d like to see to what extent she can go for this! he thought to himself. Rachel first took off her


    coat before unbuttoning her shirt¡­ Perhaps even God was helping her, for when she was about to take


    off her bra, Justin¡¯s cell phone rang right then¡ªFrankie was calling him. ¡°It¡¯s been arranged, sir.


    Jefferey Hudson has taken the bait.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Justin replied softly. After hanging up the phone, he


    looked up at Rachel.


    The woman¡¯s thin and frail body trembled as she stood there; concealed in her reddened eyes were


    feelings of vulnerability and sadness that she wouldn¡¯t easily reveal. Suddenly, he lost the will to go on,


    and he waved his hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Your long face is disgusting, so get out.¡±


    Rachel froze in ce at his sudden change of mind, her hands still on her bra as she was about to


    unsp it. Justin impatiently urged, ¡°What are you waiting for? Get out!¡± Only then did the sudden


    realization dawn on Rachel. Is he actually¡­ letting me off? She quickly got up and left, not daring to


    stay even a second longer.


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    After returning to her room, Rachel was in a constant state of trepidation since she feared that Justin


    might suddenly change his mind again. She waited in fear until it was 12.00AM, and she gradually felt


    relieved when she didn¡¯t see the maning back.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 6

    My Mute Bride Chapter 6


    Chapter 6,My Mute Bride


    Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Hudson Residence was tense. After answering the phone call,


    Jefferey paced back and forth in the living room with a sullen look on his face. Just then, Amber came


    back from outside and was puzzled at the sight of this. ¡°Dad?¡± Jefferey smashed a mug in anger. ¡°What


    an idiot Rachel is! The photos of the contract she sent to me are all fake! She must have been caught


    by Justin! I was actually careless!


    Thepany¡¯s share prices have plummeted, and it won¡¯t be long before thepany loses more


    than tens of millions.¡± Amber was so shocked that she dropped the handbag in her hand. She asked


    hurriedly, ¡°How did this happen? Are there any solutions?¡± Jefferey thought for a long time with a grim


    expression. Then, he looked at her meaningfully and said, ¡°Only you can help me, Amber.¡± ¡°Me?¡±


    Jefferey nodded.


    ¡°Yes. Rachel probably angered Justin by marrying him in your stead, which is why he¡¯s taking revenge


    on us Hudsons in such a way. Unfortunately, I¡¯m not someone at his disposal! Amber, don¡¯t you fancy


    Sue¡¯s son, Julian? As long as you can make him side with you, I¡¯ll have a way to help him gain


    possession of Justin¡¯s entire wealth. By then, wouldn¡¯t everything the Burtons own belong to our family


    instead?


    Ha¡­ Since Justin has the guts to treat me like this, I¡¯ll make him pay a heavy price!¡± ¡°Can you really


    ruin Justin, Dad?¡± When he saw how his daughter doubted his words, Jefferey sneered and said, ¡°Of


    course. With Rachel as my pawn, what should I be afraid of? Hence, you must go to the Burton


    Residence as soon as possible¡ªyou must waste no time.¡± However, Amber instantly hesitated when


    she heard Jefferey asking her to go to the Burton Residence.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, Dad¡­ I have no problem with seducing Julian. After all, I don¡¯t mind doing so since


    he¡¯s an excellent young man, but¡­ what if that ugly monster named Justin takes liberties with me? I


    heard that he likes me, so I¡¯m afraid that he might take advantage of me, Dad.¡± Since Jefferey knew


    what she was worried about, he patted her hand andforted her by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Butter Sue


    up first when you¡¯re at the Burton Residence.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    If Justin does something to you, ask Rachel toe out and act as your shield¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t dare to


    refuse helping you. Moreover, you can take advantage of her to make Julian yours.¡± Amber bit her lip in


    reluctance. In the end, however, she agreed to it for the sake of her family¡¯s business. ¡­ When Rachel


    got up in the morning, she found that Justin hadn¡¯te back all night. As such, she breathed a sigh of


    relief.


    She didn¡¯t know how to face him at present, so she felt more relieved by not seeing him for the time


    being. She wasbing her hair in front of the mirror when a servant suddenly barged into the room


    and took her stuff out of the master bedroom right away without saying a word. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯


    Rachel signed in confusion. To her horror, the servant replied with a contemptuous smile, ¡°Young


    Master Justin said that you are to stay in the room in the side wing, and you shall not get close to the


    master bedroom from now on!¡± Rachel was stunned. She didn¡¯t expect Justin to continue holding her


    ountable forst night, but he had no intention of letting her off easily at all. Now, he had driven her


    out of the bedroom.


    With that, Rachel carried her stuff and went to the furthest room under the servant¡¯s mocking gaze.


    Since Justin didn¡¯t allow her to get close to him, she would stay as far away from him as possible. At


    present, everyone in the Burton Residence knew that Justin had thrown his newly married wife out of


    the master bedroom, so everyone looked at the woman with mockery wherever she went. Even Sue


    looked at her gloatingly as if she had already guessed what would happen to her.


    ¡°How is it? It¡¯s not that easy being the wife of the Burton Family. It¡¯s not toote to leave right now, you


    know.¡± Every word Sue said implied that Rachel should get lost. However, thetter remained silent in


    her own way, and it felt as though she couldn¡¯t understand what Sue was saying at all. It was her way


    of using silence as a countermeasure, but Sue gnashed her teeth in anger. ¡°You¡¯re quite stubborn for a


    mute who can¡¯t speak.


    I¡¯ll see how long you can hang on!¡± No one in the Hudson Family hade to visit Rachel ever since


    she came to the Burton Residence, and no one even cared or asked about her. Anyone with a


    discerning eye could tell that Rachel was spurned in the Hudson Family, and this made Sue confident


    enough to bully her as if justice was on her side.


    Rachel was in no mood to tangle with Sue, so she stayed quietly in the room in the wing, never stirring


    from her own turf. However, Amber suddenly came not long after that. As soon as Amber arrived, she


    was chased away by a frigid-looking Sue. ¡°How dare you have the cheek toe to the Burton


    Residence?


    Get out, please.¡± However, Amber¡¯s purpose this time was to win Sue¡¯s favor first. Instead of being


    frightened, she behaved as if she was at a loss for what to do. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Madam Parham. It¡¯s my fault


    for blindly listening to Rachel and agreeing to let her marry into the Burtons.


    Please don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± Sue¡¯s eyes widened when she heard something fishy about Amber¡¯s


    words. ¡°What do you mean? Make yourself clear!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 7

    My Mute Bride Chapter 7


    Chapter 7,My Mute Bride


    Amber told Sue the entire story from A to Z in an innocent demeanor,beling Rachel as a vain and


    scheming woman who had coaxed her younger sister. As she stood beside them, Rachel watched


    Amber¡¯s pretentious act coldly with an expressionless face. She didn¡¯t defend herself under Sue¡¯s


    disgusted and contemptuous gaze, for she knew it was unnecessary to do that. Since Sue didn¡¯t like


    her, she would never believe her.


    As she expected, Sue looked askance at her as though she was looking at something filthy. ¡°No


    wonder you don¡¯t want to leave¡ªyou¡¯re after the Burtons¡¯ family fortune. What a vain and scheming


    b*tch you are!¡± Amber smiled smugly upon seeing this. Then, she moved close to Rachel and


    whispered in a voice audible to only both of them, ¡°Dad said you must go along with me.¡±


    Rachel turned her head suddenly, and her pupils shrank. What do you want to do? Naturally, Amber


    could understand Rachel¡¯s signnguage. She smiled and replied in a whisper, ¡°You don¡¯t have to care


    about that. You just have to go along with me, or else¡­ I¡¯ll tell Dad about it.¡±


    Seeing how the sisters weremunicating, Sue looked at Amber and asked in puzzlement, ¡°What did


    she say to you?¡± Amber acted worried as she sighed and said, ¡°Rachel hates me now. I¡¯m apologizing


    to her since I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Sue let out a cold snort. ¡°What a disgusting woman you are! I


    have seen many scheming b*tches who try to climb the socialdder by marrying above their station,


    but it¡¯s my first time seeing such an annoying mute.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart had gone numb after hearing so many hurtful remarks. In the ensuing time, Sue


    softened her attitude toward Amber, and they soon talked andughed while chatting. After all,


    compared to the mute Rachel, Amber was more to Sue¡¯s liking. Moreover, she had a silver tongue and


    made Sue happy with just a few words.


    On the contrary, Rachel seemed like an unconcerned outsider. In the evening, Justin came back. Apart


    from being dressed scrupulously in a ck suit with no creases, he had his short hair slicked back


    neatly which revealed his attractive forehead. He looked very much like a business tycoon; despite the


    scary scar on his face, the way he pursed his thin lips looked very masculine and noble.


    Amber was stunned the instant she saw him. Rumor had it that Justin was an extremely ugly man, and


    Amber believed it, but she didn¡¯t expect him to still be so handsome even with a scar on his face!


    Amber was overwhelmed with regret. She couldn¡¯t reconcile herself to this; had she known earlier that


    Justin was so masculine, she would have never let Rachel marry him back then!


    However, she then remembered what Jefferey had asked her to do¡­ She was in a dilemma, but her


    own idea got the better of her in the end. I will have both Justin and Julian to myself! As long as these


    two men fall deeply in love with me, Dad¡¯s objective will be achieved in a different fashion, she thought


    to herself.


    ¡°You¡¯re back, Justin.¡± She approached him while assuming a veneer of maidenly shyness, feeling


    indescribably smug at the thought that this excellent man had proposed marriage to her back then. To


    everyone¡¯s surprise, however, Justin looked at Amber very coldly. The woman was puzzled, and even


    Sue herself was in disbelief. Justin had personally proposed marriage to Amber back then, so he


    definitely liked her. Why was he reacting like this?


    Is it because Rachel married him in my stead? Is that why he¡¯s angry with me and giving me the cold


    shoulder on purpose? Amber thought to herself. When she became convinced of this, she felt relieved


    at once. ¡°I have something very important to talk to you about, Justin.¡± The man paused, knowing that


    Amber hade because of Jefferey.


    ¡°Come with me.¡± She hurriedly followed Justin with a hint of joy on her face. On the other hand, Rachel


    stood beside the sofa with her eyes fixed on him the whole time, yet he went straight to the secondUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    floor without looking at her. Sue darted a look at Rachel, who had always been practically non-existent,


    and sneered.


    ¡°Do you see it? Amber is the one Justin loves, and there is no ce for you here. If you¡¯re smart


    enough, you should leave as soon as possible. Don¡¯t end up in misery and bring disgrace upon


    yourself.¡± Rachel had gone numb after hearing a lot of Sue¡¯s taunts. However, there was one thing that


    she couldn¡¯t figure out.


    Before the wedding, the Burton Family had always believed that it was Amber who was going to marry


    Justin, but why weren¡¯t there any wedding ceremonies or wedding guests? After all, Justin was the one


    who had asked for Amber¡¯s hand on his own initiative. Nheless, she didn¡¯t want to think about this.


    However strange this was, it had nothing to do with her. When Rachel returned to her room, she


    suddenly found that her cell phone had registered several missed calls. When she looked at it carefully,


    she found that these calls were from Riverdale General Hospital, and she immediately called them


    back. ¡°Is this Miss Hudson speaking?


    There¡¯s something wrong with the patient, so pleasee to the hospital as soon as possible,¡± said


    the person on the other end. Did something happen to Grandma?! Rachel thought to herself.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 8

    My Mute Bride Chapter 8


    Chapter 8,My Mute Bride


    Rachel panicked at once, and she went downstairs before running out in a hurry. The servants were


    about to stop her, but Sue stopped them from doing so since she thought that Rachel had run away in


    a fit of pique after being irritated by the scene of Amber and Justin getting along. She said, ¡°Ignore her.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It¡¯s good that she¡¯s leaving!¡± On the other hand, Rachel took a taxi to the hospital downtown.


    Fortunately, her grandmother was already out of danger¡ªa new resident doctor of internal medicine


    had operated on her. Lying on the sickbed with her eyes closed was a gray-haired old woman whose


    faint breaths proved that she was still alive.


    Rachel¡¯s tears fell in drops as she kneeled before the sickbed while holding her grandmother¡¯s hand.


    She didn¡¯t cry when her father forced her to marry into the Burton Family, nor did she cry whenever


    Sue gave her a hard time or whenever the servants looked down on her.


    However, her grandmother, who had treated her most kindly, was the only thing who could tug at her


    heartstrings; she would break down if her emotional anchor copsed. Just then, there was a knock on


    the door. Rachel looked back subconsciously and saw a young and handsome man in a white coat.


    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Julian Peters, the patient¡¯s chief surgeon. You must be the patient¡¯s family. I need to talk to


    you about her condition.¡± Rachel was grateful to the doctor who had helped her grandmother. She


    wiped her tears, made a few gestures, and gave him a sincerely grateful smile. Julian was stunned by


    thedy¡¯s smile. Her eyes, which had been washed with tears, were as extremely beautiful as the


    rainbow after the rain.


    ¡°Ahem, you¡¯re wee.¡± He didn¡¯t understand signnguage, but he somehow understood what


    Rachel meant. ¡°The old madam¡¯s condition is only stabilized for the time being, and she still needs to


    undergo another major surgery. In the meantime, please try your best to speak to her ear and spend


    more time with her.


    Soothe her emotions and tell her not to be nervous; it will be good for the surgery¡¯s effects.¡± Rachel


    pursed her lips and nodded slightly. Since she knew that the doctor didn¡¯t understand signnguage,


    she merely listened quietly to him while smiling politely from time to time. Julian felt very well-disposed


    toward this beautifuldy at first sight, so he made a special effort to tell her some safety precautions.


    Just as he was about to leave, Rachel stopped him.


    She took a pen from her handbag, wrote an IOU with her name and phone number on it, then handed


    the paper to him with both hands. Julian looked at the beautiful handwriting on the IOU, then at her fair


    and elegantly beautiful face. He shook his head with a smile and replied, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± He


    knew that the old woman¡¯s granddaughter had financial difficulties at present, so he had no intention of


    taking it.


    However, Rachel didn¡¯t agree and stubbornly shoved the IOU into Julian¡¯s hand. Julian turned her


    down repeatedly but failed, so he had no choice but to ept it. However, he now had a different


    understanding of thisdy¡¯s character and felt increasingly well-disposed toward her.


    After he left, Rachel breathed a sigh of relief with a clear conscience. Her grandmother had a tumor in


    her brain, but no one dared to operate on her since she was too old. She had beenatose for a long


    time, and arge amount of money was needed to keep her alive. Rachel learned from the nurse that


    the Hudson Family had stopped paying for her grandmother¡¯s medical expenses.


    With no one paying the medical bills, her grandmother¡¯s medication was naturally cut off, which was


    why her grandmother¡¯s life had fallen in danger.


    If it weren¡¯t for Julian¡¯s help, her grandmother could have died today. This showed how cruel Jefferey


    was. Not only did stealing the document cause her to offend Justin, even her father stopped paying for


    her grandmother¡¯s medical expenses.


    Since that¡¯s the case, why should I go back to the Burton Residence? Since Dad won¡¯t pay for


    Grandma¡¯s treatment, there¡¯s no need for me to go back anymore, Rachel thought to herself.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 9

    My Mute Bride Chapter 9


    Chapter 9,My Mute Bride


    Rachel stayed in the hospital the whole time. However, Jefferey called her again at 10.00PM. She


    stared at the phone for a long time without answering it, but the screen continued to sh rapidly. In the


    end, she gritted her teeth and answered the phone. Jefferey¡¯s voice was unusually cold.


    ¡°I heard from Amber that you left the Burton Residence this morning, so I figured that you must be at


    the hospital with your grandmother. You should know why I stopped paying the hospital bills, right?¡±


    Rachel pressed her lips together, knowing it was because she had failed to aplish what he


    previously told her to do.


    Then, she heard Jefferey sneer. He threatened, ¡°Do you not want to go back to the Burton Residence


    anymore? I¡¯m telling you, Rachel¡ªyou must go back! If you refuse to return, I¡¯ll make all the hospitals


    in the city afraid to take your grandmother in. You know that I can do so. Of course, if you don¡¯t believe


    me, you can give it a bold try.


    If your grandmother dies unexpectedly, you¡¯ll be the one killing her.¡± Rachel¡¯s expression changed; she


    held her cell phone tightly and breathed rapidly in fear. At this moment, she wished she could speak


    and vent all the resentment she harbored against this father of hers. Having achieved his goal, Jefferey


    smiled in satisfaction.


    ¡°You¡¯d better be obedient, or else you won¡¯t be able to bear the consequences.¡± After Jefferey hung up,


    Rachel looked at her grandmother as she continued to lie on her sickbed. She thought bitterly to


    herself, Had I been a little more sessful in life, I wouldn¡¯t have been at Dad¡¯s disposal, nor would


    Grandma¡¯s illness have dragged on until now. Soon, it was 11.00PM. After taking a deep breath,


    Rachel took a taxi back to the Burton Residence.


    The servants had gone to rest by then; since Rachel hadn¡¯t had anything to eat since this morning, she


    walked lightly to the kitchen to grab a quick bite. However, as soon as she reached the living room, she


    was startled by a dark silhouette leaning against the wall in a corner. Apparently, the man had spotted


    her as well.


    Why is Justin here? Where¡¯s Amber? she thought to herself. When he saw her looking around, Justin


    narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Rachel took out her pen and paper and


    wrote, ¡®Amber.¡¯ Justin¡¯s eyes darkened. Staring at the woman¡¯s face, he then asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid


    that I might rece you with her?¡±


    Rachel was stunned by Justin¡¯s question. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know what to say. Justin lightly


    flicked the cigarette butt between his fingertips that hadn¡¯t burned to the end with his fingers, and the


    cigarette butt fell to the floor, its sparks dying out bit by bit. Then, he raised his eyes and looked at her.


    ¡°Amber is staying at the Burton Residence. I hope you¡¯ll understand what to say and what not to say in


    front of her in the future.¡± Rachel was startled. Was he warning her not to make Amber angry? She


    slowly dropped her eyes upon recalling how Amber looked like she was determined to win Justin¡¯s


    heart during the daytime. Her sister had always bullied her over the years, so why would Rachel cross


    Amber on her own ord?


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    If possible, she wished she had no dealings with Amber forever. Unfortunately, things turned out


    contrary to her wishes. As it turned out, Amber knocked on the door of Rachel¡¯s room the next morning.


    ¡°Rachel, I heard from Madam Parham that the pond in the backyard is quite a fun ce. Would you like


    to go with me to have a look at it?¡±


    She looked at Rachel expectantly like a vivacious and harmless little girl. Rachel looked around


    imperceptibly and found that Mrs. Duncan and the other servants were keeping a close eye in their


    direction. Perhaps the Burtons might say something about me again if I refuse to go, she thought to


    herself. Therefore, she nodded in agreement.


    The two sisters walked together in the Burton Residence¡¯s courtyard. It had to be said that the Burton


    Residence was simply too magnificent, for even Rachel sighed to herself. It was said that Arthur


    stepped down from his position ten years ago and had been recuperating physically and mentally at the


    Burton Residence since then, whereas Justin managed everything and was even more powerful than


    Arthur had been back when he was in his prime.


    No one could take advantage of Justin in themercial world, and numerous people were eager to


    ingratiate themselves with him. The pond in the backyard of the Burton Residence¡ªthe residence of a


    family with an abundance of manpower and wealth¡ªwas asrge as an Olympic-sized swimming pool,


    and there were all kinds of precious fishes swimming in it.


    Rachel stood on the ssical-style bridge with Amber as they looked down and appreciated the


    scenery. For the next one or two hours, Amber happily enjoyed the scenery, and both sisters got along


    well enough without any trouble. However, as they were about to leave, Rachel¡ªwho had been


    walking ahead of Amber¡ªwas suddenly pushed by thetter from behind.


    She nearly tripped, but when she steadied herself and looked back, Amber had fallen into the fish pond


    with a ssh. ¡°Help! Help¡ª¡± Rachel was stunned on the spot as Amber¡¯s cheap trick was too obvious.


    How could therge Burton Residence not have any surveince cameras installed?


    Amber would give herself away once the surveince videos were checked. However, she had always


    been a clever one. Could she have not thought about this?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 10

    My Mute Bride Chapter 10


    Chapter 10,My Mute Bride


    Before long, Amber¡¯s cries for help had drawn a group of people from the front hall. As Rachel had


    expected, the first thing Amber did after being rescued from the pond was to question her tearfully,


    ¡°Why did you push me, Rachel?¡± Rachel frowned at the sight of the reproachful eyes from the people


    around her. However, with so many people watching, what ought to be exined had to be exined.


    She shook her head while exining with signnguage.


    I didn¡¯t push her. Amber, the only person at the scene who could understand what she was signing,


    snickered in her heart. She pretended to look shocked and replied loudly, ¡°Did you say that you hate


    me? Rachel¡­ Why would you hate me? We¡¯re blood sisters¡­ How could you be so cruel?¡± Rachel¡¯s


    expression turned cold, for Amber had wilfully distorted the meaning of her exnation.


    Judging from the peculiar expressions of those around her, they obviously believed Amber¡¯s lies.


    Thanks to the lies that Amber deliberately spread, everyone in the Burton Residence knew that Justin


    loved Amber but ended up marrying Rachel¡ªthe one who had schemed to get married to him.


    As a result, they loathed Rachel and sympathized with Amber. Moreover, thetter won their favor with


    her honeyed words. ¡°The way I see it, she did it because she¡¯s envious of Miss Amber.¡± ¡°What a vicious


    woman she is! She evenid a hand on her sister.¡± ¡°She looks pitiful on the outside, but she has such a


    wicked heart.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Amber felt smug deep down inside upon hearing thements around her, yet she pretended to look


    aggrieved as she turned to Sue. ¡°What happened isn¡¯t what you think it is, Madam Parham. My sister


    didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡± Sue¡¯s eyes were as piercing as knives as she scolded Rachel harshly, ¡°What a


    dishonest and vicious woman you are! A woman like you doesn¡¯t have to stay at the Burton Residence


    anymore!¡± Amber even added fuel to the fire as she said, ¡°Please let my sister off, Madam Parham.


    I understand her; if it weren¡¯t for my sudden visit to the Burton Residence, she wouldn¡¯t have been


    provoked to the point of doing this to me.¡± Rachel looked even colder upon hearing what everyone had


    said. How could she not understand Amber¡¯s purpose in doing this? She simply wanted to drive her


    away from the Burton Residence, and Sue, who happened to have the same idea in mind, yed


    along with her.


    The two women clicked instantly as they took advantage of each other. Nheless, how could Rachel


    let herself be made a scapegoat? She took out the pen and paper that she had brought with her in her


    handbag and wrote, ¡®I¡¯d like to request to have the surveince videos checked to prove my innocence.¡¯


    However, Amber didn¡¯t get nervous at all; instead, she was emboldened by Sue¡¯s support. ¡°I really


    won¡¯t me you, Rachel. Just admit it; even if you have the surveince videos checked, you¡¯ll only get


    humiliated even further.¡± Just then, Mrs. Duncan chimed in, ¡°The surveince camera is broken,


    Madam.¡±


    Sue nced at Mrs. Duncan and nodded. She lied through her teeth, ¡°That¡¯s right. It has been broken


    for several days, and the repairman will being to fix it tomorrow.¡± All of a sudden, Rachel wanted to


    laugh; this was clearly the crappiest set-up. These women were from wealthy and distinguished


    families.


    Crafty as they were, they couldn¡¯t have possibly been unable to tell what actually happened, yet they


    deliberately ignored the truth. They probably had the surveince cameras switched off in advance,


    which was why they didn¡¯t have anything to fear. It wasn¡¯t that Amber had seeded in setting her up;


    it was just that everyone here never epted her.


    To them, it didn¡¯t matter whether she was right or wrong. All that mattered was that only Amber was


    worthy of Justin, and she¡ªa mute¡ªwas not! Rachel initially thought that Amber was the only person


    behind this set-up, but she didn¡¯t expect that everyone in the Burton Residence would gang up with her


    sister and target her. Perhaps this has been premeditated?


    she thought to herself. As it turned out, Rachel was right. Sue took advantage of the situation and


    demanded, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve done something so wrong, it is useless no matter how you exin it.


    You must apologize to Amber!¡± Rachel¡¯s hands clenched into fists at her sides. After all, an apology


    would be an admission of wrongdoing in a different form. Right now, she was enduring everyone¡¯s


    scornful and contemptuous gazes like a universally condemned vicious woman.


    She took a deep breath, looked at everyone in a dignified manner, and wrote down her stance. ¡®Why


    should I apologize for something that I didn¡¯t do?¡¯

 My Mute Bride Chapter 11

    My Mute Bride Chapter 11


    Chapter 11,My Mute Bride


    Sue frowned in displeasure. This mute simply won¡¯t back down! she thought to herself. ¡°The servants


    around have seen you pushing Amber into the pond. Do you still want to make excuses for


    yourself?¡± These people were far away in the front hall when Amber fell into the pond. Do they have


    irvoyance?


    She didn¡¯t even bother to tell a more convincing lie, Rachel thought to herself. Her jaw was set.


    Evidently, she didn¡¯t believe such a ridiculous excuse. The atmosphere was tense for a moment; the


    Burton Family purposely said that the surveince camera was broken, yet Rachel couldn¡¯t forcibly


    have the surveince videos checked.


    Just then, a familiar and gentle voice spoke from behind them. ¡°I can prove that she didn¡¯t push the


    other woman.¡± Rachel was stunned when she saw who the visitor was. Isn¡¯t he¡­ Dr. Peters? The


    slender young man walked toward them and came to Sue¡¯s side. He said, ¡°I¡¯m back, Mom.¡± Sue


    beamed with delight at once as she affectionately held her son¡¯s arm. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed toe


    back this afternoon, Julian? Why did youe back in advance?¡±


    Julian answered with a smile, ¡°Actually, I came back half a month ago¡ªit¡¯s just that I interned at the


    hospital for some time. I came back today to give you a surprise at first, but I didn¡¯t expect to see such


    a scene.¡± As he spoke of this, his eyes fell on Amber, and his smile faded somewhat.


    ¡°I clearly saw you falling into the pond yourself. Why did you use Miss Hudson of pushing you into


    the pond?¡± Everyone was stunned upon hearing his words. In particr, Amber had a slight change in


    countenance, and she bit her lip. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I felt like Rachel pushed me. P-Perhaps¡­ I was wrong.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Mrs. Duncan was about to say something, but Sue instantly silenced her with a nce. After all, she


    knew how stubborn her son was. Now that he had seen it, the tension would only rise if others


    continued to mislead him. At the thought of this, she turned to look at Rachel in a disapproving attitude.


    ¡°You and Amber are sisters.


    She isn¡¯t an outsider, so a little misunderstanding isn¡¯t a big deal.¡± Amber nodded vigorously as she


    took the opportunity Sue had given her to get herself out of the awkward situation. ¡°That¡¯s right, Rachel.


    I must¡¯ve mistaken someone else for you, and I¡¯m sorry about that. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    However, Rachel didn¡¯t want to ept Amber¡¯s perfunctory apology, so she didn¡¯t give thetter even a


    look in response. Instead, she fixed her eyes on Julian. This man has helped me once again, she


    thought to herself. As she was really grateful, she thanked him with a gesture. Since he understood


    what her gesture meant, Julian nodded at Rachel.


    In reality, he was also surprised at first. He didn¡¯t expect thedy whom he had met once at the hospital


    and felt well-disposed to would be his cousin-inw. For some reason, he had a strange feeling; it was


    as though he found this regrettable. However, he didn¡¯t give it much thought as he could only turn his


    eyes back to Sue.


    ¡°Let¡¯s drop the matter here, Mom.¡± Sue understood that Julian didn¡¯t want them to go on. That¡¯s the


    kind of person he is. He always steps in whenever he encounters an injustice because of his


    particrly strong sense of right and wrong, she thought to herself. Since she didn¡¯t want to upset her


    son over such a trivial matter, she nodded with a smile and replied, ¡°Let¡¯s go.


    I haven¡¯t seen you for so many years, so let¡¯s have a nice chat.¡± The crowd then left slowly, leaving


    only Rachel and Amber at the scene. Amber got up from the ground and stared at Rachel with a


    slightly peculiar look in her eyes. ¡°Do you know Julian in person?¡± Rachel ignored her, though. Amber


    quipped, ¡°Rachel¡­


    As expected, you and your mother are people of the same sort.¡± She then left, leaving a cold-looking


    Rachel behind. Ever since Rachel went to live with the Hudson Family more than ten years ago, Amber


    had been using her of being the daughter of a homewrecker, insinuating that her mother had given


    birth to her by seducing Jefferey.


    When Rachel was little, she wished she could tell them that her mother wasn¡¯t that kind of person. Her


    mother was not only of gentle disposition but also talented and well-versed in literature; she was the


    best mother in the world!


    However, it wasn¡¯t until she had grown up that she found how foolish she had been. Why would a


    bunch of bloodsuckers who couldn¡¯t tell right from wrong care about the truth?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 12

    My Mute Bride Chapter 12


    Chapter 12,My Mute Bride


    After Justin came back, Sue exined the incident and made a few indifferent remarks. The man


    merely cast a casual nce at Rachel, who was standing in a corner, without stating his position. Even


    so, Rachel wasn¡¯t disappointed since she had expected such an oue long ago. On the other hand,


    Amber couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inwardly. Doesn¡¯t this show that he doesn¡¯t care about Rachel at


    all? she thought to herself.


    With a big smile on her face, she walked up to Justin and held out to him the coffee she had brewed.


    ¡°Have some coffee, Justin. You¡¯ve been busy all day long, so let¡¯s quench your thirst with this.¡± Much to


    her surprise, Justin refused and said, ¡°It¡¯s not necessary. It¡¯ste, so you should go home now.¡±


    Amber¡¯s smile froze on her lips. She deliberately acted cute, pretending not to understand that Justin


    wanted to chase her away. ¡°I want to learn something from you so that I¡¯ll do a better job of helping my


    Dad manage hispany in the future, Justin. Can I do that?¡±


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    Normally, a man wouldn¡¯t have the heart to refuse a coquettish plea made by such a pretty and


    gracefuldy, but Justin narrowed his eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave right now, you don¡¯t have toe here


    anymore.¡± The scar on his face made him look very menacing when he looked at someone chillingly.


    Upon that, Amber¡¯s expression changed slightly. She hurriedly smiled in a cating manner to save


    herself from the embarrassment. ¡°All right, all right. I know you are afraid that my Dad will be worried


    about me, right? You¡¯re only saying so for my own good, and I understand that, Justin. In that case, I¡¯ll


    be going home first.


    I¡¯lle again some other day.¡± She was still smiling when she left, but her face instantly darkened as


    soon as she left the ce. In the end, she nced at the Burton Residence¡¯s gate with a look of


    determination in her eyes. After Amber left, Rachel held a cup of brewed Earl Grey tea and ced it on


    Justin¡¯s desk.


    She knew that Justin liked to make a cup of tea whenever he came home from work, which was why he


    refused to drink the coffee Amber had brewed. However, her body tensed up subconsciously as she


    could sense his dark gaze falling on her even with her head lowered. ¡°Why are you lingering around


    here?¡±


    Rachel pursed her lips and looked up at him. Then, she put her palms together and ced them


    between her neck and her shoulder to make a sleeping gesture. Aren¡¯t you going to sleep? She merely


    asked the question casually, but the man had obviously misunderstood her. Justin furrowed his brows


    and asked, ¡°Do you want to sleep with me?¡±


    Rachel was stunned for a moment before she shook her head vigorously. Justin then strode off and


    replied, ¡°Since that isn¡¯t the case, don¡¯t disturb me.¡± Rachel froze on the spot for a moment before


    leaving in silence. However, neither of them spotted Julian standing outside the window.


    A hint of shock shed across his eyes; he wanted to reminisce about the past with Justin at first, but


    he didn¡¯t expect to witness this scene. Justin isn¡¯t actually nice to her, he thought to himself. Upon


    realizing this, he immediately figured out what had been puzzling him. No wonder even Mrs. Duncan


    dares to lord it over her.


    Julian heard from the nurse who looked after Rachel¡¯s grandmother that someone had paid for the old


    woman¡¯s treatment at first, but the financial support had been cut off for no reason. Thus, he


    spected that Justin was probably the one who cut off the financial support, which was why Rachel


    was worried.


    Furthermore, he heard what Mrs. Duncan said during the daytime and witnessed Sue¡¯s manner toward


    Rachel. What else could he not understand? Come to think of it, any woman would find herself in a


    very difficult situation if she was a mute who couldn¡¯t speak, was detested by her husband, and had an


    awkward position in the Burton Family, let alone a weak and helpless woman like Rachel. How could


    she afford her grandmother¡¯s expensive medical bills?


    Rachel was only a stranger whom Julian had met twice, but for some unfathomable reason, Julian


    found his heart aching for her. Perhaps I should help her, he thought to himself. ¡­¡­ When Rachel


    woke up the next morning, everyone else in the Burton Residence continued to ignore her. Sue had


    stopped asking her to do the household chores ever since she did it and was stopped by Justin.


    Rachel finished her lunch under the servants¡¯ contemptuous gazes, but when she got up, Julian called


    her, ¡°Miss Hudson.¡± He did not address her as his cousin-inw. Instead, he kept calling her ¡®Miss


    Hudson¡¯ so that she didn¡¯t feel so embarrassed. Rachel¡¯s face showed a look of confusion.


    Then, she heard Julian reply, ¡°The hospital director told me that your grandmother has regained


    consciousness. As it happens, I¡¯m going to the hospital to do a follow-up examination on her, so I can


    give you a lift.¡± Rachel was first delighted at the news of her grandmother regaining consciousness, but


    she then hesitated somewhat.


    She asked with signnguage. Can I go with you? Since he knew what she was worried about, Julian


    shook his head with a smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± In the end, Rachel¡¯s eagerness to visit her grandmother got


    the better of her.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 13

    My Mute Bride Chapter 13


    Chapter 13,My Mute Bride


    Julian¡¯s car was a gray Infiniti; it looked very inconspicuous on the outside, and it felt as gentle and


    peaceful as the feeling Julian gave Rachel. It was quite the opposite of Justin, for that unfeeling man


    always drove a ck Maybach, a luxury car worth more than 20 million that drew the eyes of the


    crowd. Why am I thinking about him all of a sudden? Rachel thought to herself. She bit her lower lip in


    vexation and looked out of the window.


    Meanwhile, Sue happened toe back with Mrs. Duncan as soon as the car drove out of the Burton


    Residence¡¯s gate. Mrs. Duncan was stunned for a moment and said, ¡°Madam, was that Young Master


    Peters¡¯ car just now?¡± Sue nodded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mrs. Duncan replied hesitantly, ¡°I just saw¡­


    Young Mistress Rachel in the car.¡± Sue¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t mistake someone


    else for her?¡± Mrs. Duncan nodded seriously. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Young Mistress Rachel was sitting in the


    passenger seat, and Young Master Peters was talking merrily to her.¡± Sue fell silent and nced at the


    outside of the gate with a gloomy look in her eyes.


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    ¡°Find out how they know each other.¡± Meanwhile, Rachel and Julian hurried to her grandmother¡¯s ward


    after they arrived at the hospital. When she arrived at the door, Rachel heard her grandmother


    laughing; she saw through the ss door that the nurse was telling her grandmother a joke. As she


    looked at her grandmother¡¯s gentle smile, she felt warmth in her heart. Rachel pushed the door open,


    and her grandmother¡¯s eyes lit up when she raised her head and saw her.


    ¡°Rae!¡± As she got very emotional, Rachel hurried to her side and supported her. Then, she shook her


    head at her and gesticted. You¡¯ve just gotten a little better, so you can¡¯t get out of bed just yet. You


    should get some more rest. Rachel¡¯s grandmother could only go along with her andy back on the


    bed. She replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m in good health. In fact, I feel full of strength.¡± Rachel peeled an apple


    for her grandmother with a gentle smile.


    Then, she scooped it out into a bowl with a spoon, put a tiny fork that she had brought with her in the


    bowl, and handed it over to her grandmother. Rachel¡¯s grandmother was old, and her eyes were lined


    with wrinkles. When she saw how filial Rachel was, her eyes couldn¡¯t help but sparkle with tears. ¡°I


    have been a burden to you, my dear granddaughter.¡±


    Rachel slowly shook her head and gestured. We¡¯re a family, so there¡¯s no burden to speak of.


    Grandma, you have to build up your health and get better as soon as possible. I still want to travel with


    you in the future; didn¡¯t you say that your greatest wish is to see Mount Fuji in Japan? Rachel¡¯s


    grandmother smiled with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll get better as soon as possible.¡± Julian sighed inwardly at the warm and touching scene


    before his eyes. He hadn¡¯t had a father since he was a child, but Sue had been very attentive to him,


    and she had never denied him anything in terms of material needs. Even so, he was touched deeply by


    Rachel¡¯s rtionship with her grandmother.


    Heforted Rachel in a gentle voice and said, ¡°I just talked to the nurse, Miss Burton¡ªshe said that


    your grandmother is fine. I¡¯ll go to prepare the documents needed for the follow-up examination on her,


    so take her to my officeter.¡± Only then did Rachel recall that Julian was here as well. Upon realizing


    that she had ignored him for a moment, she felt somewhat embarrassed. Thank you, Dr. Peters. Thank


    you for your help over thest few days.


    You¡¯re a kind person. Julian couldn¡¯t understand Rachel¡¯splicated signnguage, but her


    grandmother exined it to him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s my duty anyway,¡± he replied with a smile. After Julian


    left, Rachel¡¯s grandmother winked at her and teased, ¡°Is this handsome young man your boyfriend, my


    dear granddaughter?


    I have been in aa for such a long time, so why didn¡¯t you tell me that?¡± Rachel was startled; she


    didn¡¯t expect her grandmother to get the wrong idea about her rtionship with Julian. Her


    grandmother had beenatose for such a long time and was totally unaware of what had happened


    to her.


    Moreover, she didn¡¯t want to tell her grandmother that she had gotten married lest thetter became


    upset. Therefore, she shook her head and gestured to her. That¡¯s not the case, Grandma. He is a kind-


    hearted doctor who has helped us. Rachel¡¯s grandmother was a bit disappointed, but she got over it


    nheless.


    My granddaughter is such an outstandingdy, so she¡¯ll meet a partner who is truly nice to her in due


    time. Rachel spent the entire afternoon with her grandmother before leaving the ward. She then went to


    the hospital director, intending to ask how much money would be needed for her grandmother to


    undergo her next major surgery.


    To her surprise, the hospital director replied with a smile, ¡°Please be rest assured, Miss Hudson¡ª


    someone has already paid the money on your behalf. Your grandmother¡¯s surgery has been scheduled


    for next Monday, and you don¡¯t have to pay for it again.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 14

    My Mute Bride Chapter 14


    Chapter 14,My Mute Bride


    Rachel was shocked. Who is helping me? she thought to herself. She wrote down on the paper, ¡®Sir,


    could you tell me who paid the money so that I can thank the person?¡¯ After recalling how Julian had


    told him not to let it slip, the hospital director could only refuse with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Hudson,


    but the person forbade our hospital to reveal his name, so please forgive me for withholding the


    information.¡±


    Rachel nodded in disappointment. On her way back, she kept thinking about this. Out of the people she


    knew, no one could have helped her to pay the money in full. No matter how hard she racked her


    brains, she couldn¡¯t figure out who it was. Even though she didn¡¯t understand why the person wanted to


    help her, she had to repay such an act of great kindness!


    I don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯ll find a way to find the benefactor in the future either way, she thought to


    herself. The car soon returned to the Burton Residence. At that moment, the sky gradually darkened;


    no sooner had Rachel arrived did Juliane back as well. As luck would have it, they met again in


    the living hall.


    ¡°I was about to pick you up and send you back, Miss Hudson. I searched all over the hospital, but I


    didn¡¯t find you; it wasn¡¯t until I asked the nurse that I learned you had left,¡± said Julian as he greeted her


    with a smile. For some reason, seeing the fair and beautiful face before his eyes put him in a good


    mood.


    It was as if all the fatigue he felt after spending an entire day operating on patients had been swept


    away. Rachel smiled apologetically and wrote to him. ¡®Thank you, Dr. Peters. I had something else to


    attend to, so I left first.¡¯ Julian waved his hand and smiled, revealing his white and shiny regr teeth,


    Meanwhile, his eyes sparkled as though there were stars in them.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me since it¡¯s nothing. I can give you a lift again if you want to go to the hospital


    in the future. It¡¯s all right.¡± Rachel truly thought that Julian was very kind as he was the only person in


    the Burton Residence who had shown her kindness. He was Sue¡¯s son, but the mother and son were


    unlike each other. Compared to the stern Sue, Julian had an unusually great affability that made people


    unconsciously feel drawn to him.


    She wrote, ¡®The hospital director said that my grandmother¡¯s surgery has been scheduled for next


    Monday. Are you going to be the chief surgeon, Dr. Peters?¡¯ Julian nodded with a smile at the sight of


    her beautiful handwriting. ¡°Yes. Please be rest assured, for your grandmother will make a full recovery


    after the surgery.¡± Rachel smiled in relief upon hearing his words. They chatted for a while before


    Rachel went upstairs.


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    As soon as she entered her room, she saw Justin sitting on the sofa. He lit a cigarette with dexterity


    while fiddling with the cigarette case and lighter in his hand. His expression was cryptic and hard to


    discern in the curling white smoke, causing the atmosphere in the entire room to be extremely strange.


    Rachel was a bit surprised.


    They had met by chance outside the kitchenst time, so could this be a chance encounter too? But if


    this encounter happened by chance, why would he make a special effort to show up in her room? Just


    then, Justin stood up from the sofa, moved close to her, and lowered his head. ¡°You had fun outside


    with Julian for the entire day; when you came back, you two exchanged nces and chatted for a long


    time downstairs.


    You look soft and weak, Rachel, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so ambitious as to have designs on


    Julian.¡± Rachel¡¯s expression changed. She quickly took out her pen and paper and exined, ¡®It¡¯s not


    what you think it is. Julian is my grandmother¡¯s chief surgeon, and we were talking about my


    grandmother¡¯s condition.¡± Justin took the paper and nced indifferently at the words on it.


    Then, he tore it with both hands and threw it to the floor. His brow darkened, and his eyes were deep


    and chilling. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m blind?¡± he asked. This woman has never smiled ever since she came to


    the Burton Residence, yet she smiled more happily than ever at Julian downstairs just now.


    On the other hand, Julian was looking at her as if he was looking at the woman he loved. Only a fool


    would believe there¡¯s nothing fishy about this! he thought to himself. ¡°You couldn¡¯t take advantage of


    me, so you approached Julian instead. Do you think he¡¯ll really love you? Do you think he¡¯ll really love


    a mute who is no longer a virgin?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face suddenly turned pale. There¡¯s nothing between Julian and me, so why would he


    misunderstand me? Is it fun to insult me in such a way? she thought to herself. She was no longer in


    the mood to exin herself.


    Just let him believe whatever he thinks. Her expression turned cold. Not wanting to argue with Justin,


    she walked past him and moved ahead, but he suddenly grabbed her wrist!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 15

    My Mute Bride Chapter 15


    Chapter 15,My Mute Bride


    The world spun around Rachel as she found herself being pinned down on the sofa by Justin, whose


    eyes were so sharp as if they could prate a person¡¯s mind. ¡°How dare you have designs on Julian,


    of all people? What is your purpose, to sow discord between us or to make me lose face? Or are you


    doing so to deliberately take revenge on Sue because of your hatred toward her?¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t move at all as Justin held her wrists in a vice-like grip. She panicked at once. What


    does he want to do?! she thought to herself. Justin gently traced her brows and eyes with his thumb.


    ¡°What a clear and beautiful pair of eyes you have. Unfortunately, they¡¯re tainted with ill intentions and


    the filth of someone who would stop at nothing to get what she wants.


    How could a pretty and innocentdy exist in the Hudson Family?¡± Surprisingly, his tone of voice


    betrayed a hint of strange hatred. Hatred? Rachel couldn¡¯t understand where his hatred came from.


    She tried with all her might to break free of his grasp, and her mouth opened and closed repeatedly as


    she mouthed, ¡°Let go of me¡­ Let go of me¡­¡±


    However, Justin grasped her so hard that it hurt her. As she thought of how she had been living in


    trepidation in the Burton Residence over thest few days and how he was slinging mud at her right


    now, all her grievances welled up inside her at once. While she struggled, the medical report issued by


    the hospital fell out of her pocket¡ªit contained her grandmother¡¯s medical history.


    Justin picked up the report, took a look at it, and looked stunned for a moment. It turns out that she isn¡¯t


    lying, he thought to himself. He then looked down at the woman beneath him who had already burst


    into tears. This was her first time shedding tears in front of him, and she cried without making a sound


    as tears flowed silently down the corners of her eyes. For some reason, his initial anger dissipated


    inexplicably. ¡°I¡¯ll let you off this time.


    If I see you getting too close to Julian again in the future, I will lock you up,¡± he uttered. Thest three


    words he uttered made Rachel tremble all over. After he left, she tremblingly picked up the medical


    report and put it away. Finally, she closed her eyes hard as a slightly hoarse crying voice came from


    her throat. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she had no choice, she really wished she could stay away from


    the Burton Residence and never see Justin ever again! ¡­


    The next morning, Rachel woke up with her eyes puffy from crying. She had deliberately avoided


    meeting Julian since the night before; whenever she happened to run into him, she would pretend not


    to see him. In order to avoid suspicion, she didn¡¯t even go downstairs until Julian had left.


    On the other hand, Sue felt even angrier when she saw how Julian was about to speak, yet he said


    nothing in disappointment. She went straight up to Rachel and warned, ¡°No matter what your purpose


    is, you mustn¡¯t get close to my son in the future. Do you hear me?!¡± Since she had no intention of


    arguing with the older woman, Rachel nodded and was about to leave. However, Sue barked coldly


    and said, ¡°Stay where you are!¡±


    Rachel stood in ce with her back to Sue. She listened as the woman let out a sneer behind her and


    threatened, ¡°If you dare to harbor any improper and dirty thoughts, I¡¯ll make your life worse than death.¡±


    Rachel turned around and looked at her. She then exined with her paper and pen, ¡®Dr. Peters and I


    met purely by chance; there isn¡¯t any purpose that you¡¯re thinking about.


    I¡¯ll never speak to him again in the future, and I¡¯ll stay away from him.¡¯ Sue¡¯s expression eased


    somewhat when she saw that Rachel had written down her pledge. ¡°I don¡¯t care whether what you said


    is true. In any case, if you dare to act counter to what you¡¯ve said today, I will let you know that I, Sue


    Praham, am no slouch!¡±


    Rachel put away her paper and pen and left in exhaustion. After she left, Mrs. Duncan came forward


    and said to Sue, ¡°Madam, I don¡¯t think what she said is believable.¡± Sue raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why


    would you say so?¡± Mrs. Duncan¡¯s expression was meaningful. ¡°Young Master Justin loves Miss


    Amber, so he¡¯ll divorce Rachel sooner orter.


    Rachel has probably predicted this, which is why she¡¯s hitting on the kind Young Master Peters,


    foolishly attempting to take advantage of him to seek connections with those rich and powerful.


    Therefore, she wrote the pledge today just to keep you in check.¡± Sue¡¯s face darkened at Mrs.


    Duncan¡¯s words.


    ¡°In that case, how do you think I should deal with her?¡± Mrs. Duncan thought for a moment and replied,


    ¡°I think there are two things we should do. Firstly, we should stop Young Master Peters from meeting


    her.


    Secondly, we should get Miss Amber to drive Rachel out as soon as possible. That way, this scourge


    will not be able to continue staying at the Burton Residence. Otherwise, there might be untoward


    complications¡­¡± Sue was lost in thought upon hearing Mrs. Duncan¡¯s words. After a long time, she


    dialed Amber¡¯s phone number.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 16

    My Mute Bride Chapter 16


    My Mute Bride Chapter 16


    Meanwhile, Amber was savoring her freshly painted fingernails. She tucked her cell phone between her


    chin and her shoulder as she greeted, ¡°Hi, Madam Parham.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Amber. There¡¯s something that I¡¯d like to talk to you about.¡±


    Amber straightened up upon hearing Sue¡¯s words. ¡°Please tell me about it, Madam Parham.¡± After


    listening to Sue¡¯s words, she hung up the phone and stared nkly at a spot on the floor.


    After Jefferey came back from hispany, he waved his hand before her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with


    you, Amber?¡±


    His daughter came back to her senses and grabbed his arm at once. ¡°Dad! You must help me with the


    matter that I told youst time!¡±


    Jefferey was startled for a moment before he knitted his brows. ¡°Don¡¯t fool around! Rachel is still of use


    to me in the Burton Residence, so don¡¯t do anything foolish.¡±


    Amber was unconvinced. ¡°Dad, I can also help you if I win the two men¡¯s hearts. Why must you count


    on Rachel, that mute? What can she do?¡±


    Even though Jefferey doted on Amber, he was aware of her willfulness. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Amber. All you


    have to do is win Julian¡¯s heart. It will be better if you can make him do whatever you say since that will


    enable my n to be better aplished in the future. Don¡¯t think about everything else. Justin has a


    heart of stone, so you¡¯d better not mess with him.¡±


    Amber shook her head. ¡°No, no, no. You¡¯re wrong, Dad. Justin is very nice to me. He likes me, and I¡¯m


    confident of making him fall in love with me. As for Julian, he¡¯ll also be mine sooner orter-please say


    yes, Dad. If you get Rachel out of the Burton Residence, my n will be halfway aplished!


    Please, Dad!¡±


    However, Jefferey didn¡¯t want to see Amber making trouble no matter how much he doted on her. ¡°All


    right, don¡¯t say that anymore. I won¡¯t help you with this, so you should stop having designs on Justin as


    soon as possible. I¡¯ll never let him off, let alone allow you to fall in love with him. That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    In the end, Amber still couldn¡¯t shake Jefferey¡¯s determination; she red at him from behind with a


    look of displeasure as he left. However, even her father couldn¡¯t stop her when she became wayward.


    ¡°I must get married to Justin by whatever means. He should have been my man! Rachel seized my


    husband for herself!¡± After


    that, she gritted her teeth. ¡°Since you¡¯re not going to help me, I¡¯ll just do it myself, Dad!¡± Then, she


    dialed Rachel¡¯s number.


    Rachel was watering the flowers when she received a phone call from an unfamiliar number. It was not


    until she heard the voice on the other end that she realized it was Amber. ¡°It¡¯s me, Rachel.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Rachel¡¯s hand that was holding the watering can paused for a moment when she heard Amber¡¯s


    maliciousugh over the phone. Amber then stated her purpose on her own by saying, ¡°I won¡¯t beat


    around the bush, Rachel. I want Justin, so please leave on your own initiative. Since you¡¯re my sister, I


    won¡¯t make things too difficult for you. How about that?¡±


    Rachel simply wanted to


    laugh. They¡®re father and daughter, yet one is forcing me to stay at the Burton Residence while


    the other is threatening and asking me to leave instead. Does that make a fence¨C


    sitter who does whatever they want me to do? she thought to herself.


    Of course, she wasn¡¯t intimidated by Amber¡¯s threat. Jefferey controlled her grandmother¡¯s health,


    whereas Amber was only a wayward and self-centered little girl. Therefore, she hung up the phone


    directly without saying a word after Amber made this absurd request.


    The other woman red at her cell phone with an extremely gloomy expression, and her face was as


    ck as thunder. Suddenly, she hit upon an idea, and the corner of her lips turned up. ¡°You forced me


    to do this, Rachel!¡± The smile on her lips was as strangely and charmingly beautiful as a flower. Right


    after that, she called another person and said, ¡°John, I want you to help me find a high school PE


    teacher. By whatever means, get him toe and see me.¡±


    As expected, a video made it into the list of trending topics on social media by the third day. It


    contained a confession of a bald middle-aged man, who gave an ount of how he had a rtionship


    with a female student a few years ago when he was a teacher at a high school. Furthermore, he


    described a string of unscrupulous details, including how he and the female student had had sex in


    hotel rooms.


    Rachel¡¯s photo appeared in the lower corner of the video. After that, someone began to dox her, and


    netizens quickly dug up her name, her address, and her identity as an illegitimate daughter. As the


    incident escted very quickly, another post titled ¡®The Scandalous Story Between the Mute Wife of the


    Burton Group¡¯s President and Her High School Teacher¡¯ made it into the list of trending topics and was


    ranked first by theizens.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 17

    My Mute Bride Chapter 17


    My Mute Bride Chapter 17


    ¡®Holy smokes, how exciting this is! That¡¯s Mr. Burton¡¯s wife! What a cheater!


    ¡®Speaking of which, why would Mr. Burton marry someone who¡¯s mute? It makes no sense


    whatsoever.¡¯


    ¡°Thedy¡¯s quite the looker herself. Just how specific are her tastes for her to go after a bald teacher


    like him? That¡¯s just so gross!


    Instantly, Justin read a series of stingingments. He stood up with a whoosh before picking up his


    jacket and leaving the office.


    Meanwhile, Frankie hastily followed him.


    Oh dear, Mrs. Burton is going to be in trouble.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Justin soon drove home in his Maybach, and he immediately flung his phone at Rachel the moment he


    stepped inside the house.


    Rachel was taking an afternoon nap when he did so, her eyes suddenly fluttering open from his


    actions. Her eyes were still hazy with sleep when she quickly sat up and picked up his phone. She


    looked at it in confusion for a few moments before opening up the link disyed on the screen. As she


    scrolled further down, her expression sank.


    Who was the one who posted all of that online?


    Many people knew about what had happened back during her high school days, but she had lived a


    peaceful life for so many years since then. Why was it resurfacing now?


    A frosty and low voice rang out above her. ¡°What is going on here?¡±


    Rachel pressed her lips together tightly, and her expression could not get any more tense. She quickly


    scribbled out her answer on a piece of paper. ¡®I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either


    Everything was pure fiction, be it the bald teacher¡¯s ims, the lies that she had seduced a teacher, or


    the other nderous stories!


    Justin still didn¡¯t make a sound. All of a sudden, Sue came into the room with Amber in tow. She


    charged over furiously and pointed at Rachel¡¯s head while tearing into


    her by saying, ¡°You shameless woman! You¡®vepletely ruined the Burtons¡¯ name! All those ugly


    past deeds of yours are stered over the inte right now!¡±


    Amber stood behind Sue, and a look of schadenfreude shed across her eyes when she caught sight


    of Rachel¡¯s pale face. She then feigned worry as she spoke to her. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Rachel? Wasn¡¯t


    he your PE teacher back in high school? Why would he say such scandalous things? Is he getting


    revenge on you because you broke up with him years ago?¡±


    Amber had especially emphasized those triggering words such as ¡®PE teacher back in high school and


    ¡®broke up. As such, Sue immediately blew her top upon hearing that. ¡°Even Amber knows all about it!


    How are you going to exin yourself now?¡±


    Rachel turned her head to look at Amber before writing down her response. ¡°You¡¯re lying. You said that


    I broke up with the PE teacher. Do you swear on your conscience that you¡¯re not lying?


    Deep down, Amber wasn¡¯t afraid of all those lies and blind beliefs. She feigned a hurt look on her face


    and said, ¡°Why are you talking to me in such a way? I¡¯m just worried about you.¡±


    I guess Amber is just too into her role. It¡®ll be a pity if she doesn¡®t go on to be an actress, Rachel


    thought to herself.


    Hence, she turned around to look at Justin. When she saw how his brows were furrowed into a tight


    frown as he stared at her with a probing gaze, Rachel gave the situation some thought again. She then


    wrote on her paper, ¡°I¡¯ve never done any of this. Please believe me?


    Sue pointed a finger at Rachel¡¯s nose. ¡°All right, you mute-you clearly ended up like this because you


    gave into temptation willingly and have no respect for yourself, and you¡¯re here ying the victim? I¡¯m


    going to kick you out of the Burton Family today. We do not want women who aren¡¯t mindful of their


    conduct!¡±


    Rachel thought that she had exined everything that she needed to. It didn¡¯t matter whether Sue


    believed her or not, for the important thing was that Justin believed her.


    After all, only Justin had the power to help her prove her innocence!


    As such, she kept her eyes on his expression.


    Sue nearly keeled over from anger when she saw how Rachel ignored her, and her words turned even


    more caustic. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he name anyone else in the video? Why was it only you? Your behavior is


    the problem! I¡¯d advise you not to argue


    anymore; this matter has already caused a huge stir, and everyone out there knows about it. Don¡¯t


    me me for being cruel either-we, the Burtons, cannot allow you to stay any longer!¡±


    All of a sudden, she shoved Rachel forcefully.


    Thetter stumbled from the force of the push, and she steadied herself with much difficulty. She


    reflexively looked at Justin, only to see that the man¡¯s eyes were filled with bottomless cold apathy¡ª


    there was no sign of concern at all.


    Rachel¡¯s heart immediately sank into the abyss.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 18

    My Mute Bride Chapter 18


    My Mute Bride Chapter 18


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Please don¡¯t me my sister, Madam Parham. It¡¯s all in the past. Rachel was young, and she didn¡¯t


    know any better. It was only because of a slip in judgment that she-¡±


    Amber pretended to beg for mercy on Rachel¡¯s behalf. In truth, however, she was deliberately fanning


    the mes.


    Just as she wanted, those words instantly drew Sue¡¯s ire. She grabbed Amber¡¯s hand and interrupted


    her by saying, ¡°You¡¯re still speaking up for her, Amber? She plotted to steal your fiance, and she also


    has no sense of propriety. A woman like her is practically sullying the Burtons¡¯ name!¡±


    Sue got more and more worked up as she continued. She then pointed at Rachel. ¡°You¡¯d better scram


    right now! You,¡±


    Sue still had more words to say, but then Justin stopped her with a gesture. His gaze darkened as he


    immediately gripped Rachel¡¯s wrist and coldly tossed a few words her way. ¡°You there. Follow me.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even give her a chance to respond.


    Justin was exceptionally strong, and Rachel felt like her wrist was about to be broken from being


    squeezed in his hand. He dragged Rachel back to his room and mmed the door before swinging her


    onto the bed.


    Rachel fell clumsily, for the sudden movement made her head spin. Just as she was about to get up


    from the bed, Justin pressed down on her and locked her firmly underneath his body.


    What is he nning to do?


    Panic immediately colored Rachel¡¯s eyes, and she couldn¡¯t stop herself from shrinking back. However,


    she couldn¡¯t escape at all because Justin had her firmly pinned down.


    A dangerous aura radiated from him, making her feel extremely uneasy.


    ¡°What are you hiding for? Feeling guilty already?¡±


    Justin gave a cold chuckle, and the mocking look in his eyes intensified.


    Rachel had seen that expression of his; when she heard him speak again, she


    promptly widened her eyes and red back.


    Justin eyed her. The cold words raining down on her head seemed to be a precursor to his fury.


    ¡°Jeffrey really did raise an obedient dog.¡±


    Rachel froze before she grabbed at the bedsheets. She then shook her head and


    gestured, I didn¡®t do anything.


    She was not Jeffrey¡¯s dog, and she hated the Hudsons. After all, she was forced to marry into the


    Burton Family only because she was concerned about her grandmother


    ¡°What? You want me to believe you just because you shook your head?¡± Justin¡¯s voice gradually


    became deeper. His rough hand moved upward, seeming as though he would snap Rachel¡¯s neck at


    any moment.


    He was truly incensed now. Ever since the mute woman arrived at their household, the Burtons hadn¡¯t


    had a moment of peace. Now, she even caused a huge scandal like this. She was just a mute, yet they


    had underestimated her.


    Rachel¡¯s face turned red from exertion as she valiantly tried to fight off his powerful grip. She didn¡¯t


    want to die, for her grandmother was still waiting to be rescued-she could not die either.


    ¡°Looks like you won¡¯t admit it unless I mete out some sort of punishment!¡± Justin let out a cold scoff


    when he saw her struggling stubbornly. All of a sudden, he put in more power and lifted her up


    completely.


    Rachel was so startled that she let out a cry. Even though she couldn¡¯t speak, fear still made her throat


    produce a hoarse sound. It was scratchy and unpleasant to the ear, and it drew Justin¡¯s ire.


    The man lifted her up and brought her straight to the bathroom. Then, he flung her into the gigantic


    bathtub before he coldly ordered, ¡°Take off your clothes!¡±


    Rachel froze.


    What was Justin going to do?


    She lifted her head, but all that met her gaze was Justin¡¯s icy cold eyes, devoid of any warmth. Right


    now, any exnation she could give would seem weak and useless.


    Rachel snapped her eyes shut and bit her lip. After some hesitation, she gave into the situation, and


    she began taking off her skirt with slow movements. Off went her blouse, and off went her safety


    shorts. In the end, all she had on was her bra.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 19

    My Mute Bride Chapter 19


    My Mute Bride Chapter 19


    Every inch of her body was exposed to Justin¡¯s eyes, and nothing was hidden. Right now, she felt she


    was like a ything with no respect.


    The next moment, Justin turned on the tap filled with cold water.


    Icy cold water spilled over her head, viciously drenching the rest of her body. Instantly, all the warmth


    that her body had vanished. Rachel shuddered violently as all the color left her face.


    It¡®s so freezing cold.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more time-is the news true?¡± Beyond the curtain of water, Justin spoke to her in a low


    voice, each word he said pounding at Rachel¡¯s heart icily.


    Rachel shivered as she shook her head. Even though her teeth chattered, she would not admit to


    something that she hadn¡¯t done.


    No, it¡®s not true.


    Her entire body was being assaulted by the cold water to the point that she was shivering from the


    cold. Any other man would have felt something upon seeing her like this.


    Likewise, Justin was no exception. After he temporarily stopped the water to let it drain, Rachel


    wrapped her arms around her chest. She kept shivering, and her face had already turned green from


    the cold.


    ¡°As long as you admit it, I will let you go,¡± he said frostily. This was thest chance he would give her.


    Rachel continued to shake her head. She forced herself to put up with her difort and gestured with


    her hands, still shivering all this while.


    I never did any of it. Won¡®t you believe me?


    Justin did not know signnguage, but he could still see that she was denying the usations valiantly.


    If she hadn¡¯t been a Hudson, he wouldn¡¯t have continued treating her like this. After all, he had ways of


    finding out the truth, and there was no need for him to do any of this. However, she was a Hudson, and


    she had to fail in upholding her duties and caused such trouble.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Can the Hudson family even breed good people?


    With that thought in mind, Justin¡¯s anger reared its head again. He immediately turned on the tap once


    more and said, ¡°Stubborn, aren¡¯t you? In that case, just stand here until you admit it.¡±


    Water once again spilled over her, and Rachel¡¯s shoulders shrank back violently.


    However, Justin took a step back and coldly looked at his watch, nary a sign of concern on his face. He


    wanted to see how long Rachel could withstand this treatment


    Time ticked by. Rachel stood in the tub, her mind addled from the rush of cold water. Meanwhile, her


    thin legs kept shaking. Several times, she nearly toppled over from losing her footing. Despite all that,


    she had no intention of giving in. She could not shoulder such a heavy, scandalous burden, but she


    wasn¡¯t willing to let herself be humiliated for nothing either.


    She would not admit to something she never did! Wasn¡¯t it just water anyway?


    She was not afraid.


    Rachel had no idea how much time had passed. Justin¡¯s expression turned darker and darker as he


    looked at his watch amidst the sloshing of the water in the bathroom.


    Thump.


    In the end, Rachel could no longer hold herself up and copsed into the water. The agony she felt


    when her knees smashed into the edge of the tub left her sight dark, and she keeled over.


    Justin¡¯s forehead screwed up into a tight frown, and the expression on his face turnedplicated. His


    large frame made the bathroom seem cramped inparison.


    She never once said anything even before she fainted. There must


    be something else behind this matter.


    In the end, Justin fished the little figure out of the bath. He dried her with a towel and carried her back


    to the bed.


    My head hurts, and my throat itches.


    Rachel felt absolutely weak when she woke up, and she was drenched in cold sweat. She shivered as


    she clutched her nkets tighter, tears misting over her eyes.


    Scanned with CamScanner


    The door suddenly swung open violently just then, and it startled her.


    Mrs. Duncan looked at her in displeasure before pping a bowl down. ¡°Mr. Burton wishes for you to


    have this.¡± The soup sshed out of the bowl, sttering over the bedside table.


    Rachel quietly pulled out some tissue paper and wiped away the spilled soup.


    Judging from the smell... It¡®s ginger soup.


    ¡°Such a cmity-bringer, falling sick shortly after marrying into the family. A cripple is a cripple, all


    right,¡± Mrs. Duncan scoffed coldly. With that, she whipped around and left.


    Rachel¡¯s head felt like it was about to split apart. Naturally, she was in no shape to get worked up over


    Mrs. Duncan¡¯s caustic words. She did her best to lift her hand up and toss the tissue paper into the bin


    nearby.


    Meanwhile, She didn¡¯t consume a drop of the ginger soup. Who knew whether someone had spiked it?


    After all, there were too many people in this household who wished her harm.


    It hadn¡¯t been long since she set the ginger soup aside when the door opened again. This time, it was


    Justin.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t stop herself from shuddering when she saw him. At the thought of what had happened


    last night, her skin chilled again, seeming as though she was soaking inside a tub of icy water once


    more.


    I¡®m scared...


    Rachel forced down her fear and did her best to sign. Someone framed me.


    Unfortunately, Justin didn¡¯t understand her. His tone was cold as he said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to keep


    gesturing. Since you won¡¯t admit to it, then you will have to prove to me yourself that you have nothing


    to do with that matter.¡±


    Rachel stiffened. What did he mean by that?


    ¡°Put on some clothes.¡± With that, Justin turned around. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you downstairs.¡±


    Justin drove her straight to the private high school she once studied at. Other than the principal, the PE


    teacher who was involved stood inside the principal¡¯s office as


    well.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, there¡¯s most likely been a misunderstanding over that incident back then.¡± The principal


    was a nervous, timid mess when faced with Justin. He was deeply afraid that he would offend the


    Burtons because of this old incident.


    Justin lifted a hand and cut off the principal. ¡°Is that him?¡± he asked expressionlessly as he looked at


    Rachel.


    Rachel and the bald PE teacher looked each other in the eye from where they stood between the


    principal and Justin. All those unpleasant memories from high school instantly crashed over her, and


    she reflexively shrank back toward Justin.


    Justin caught sight of this instinctive action, and it inexplicably caused his heart to clench.


    Yes. Rachel stiffly nodded.


    ¡°Tell me everything about the incident now I want to know the beginning, the in between, and the


    results.¡± Justin¡¯s voice was frosty and distant. When he looked at Rachel, his gaze was devoid of any


    warmth a husband should have.


    The others inside the office exchanged nces. It seemed that the rumors were true; what kind of


    rights would a mute who married into the Burton Family have?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 20

    My Mute Bride Chapter 20


    My Mute Bride Chapter 20


    Justin had brought a signnguage teacher to the principal¡¯s office so that she could help Rachel


    interpret her responses.


    At that moment, the woman clenched her teeth and met the PE teacher¡¯s


    gaze. The person in the video isn¡®t me. Please exin yourself.


    ¡°How can it not be you?¡± the PE teacher insisted. ¡°You were the one who seduced me back then.¡±


    You¡®re lying. Rachel quickly signed. Why would I seduce you?


    When the teacher¡¯s interpreted response reached Justin¡¯s ears, he fell into thought. Although Rachel


    was a mute, she was still the eldest daughter of the Hudson Family after putting aside her unfortunate


    circumstances. It was indeed unexpected to think that she would seduce an ugly PE teacher.


    However, the PE teacher had his owneback. ¡°You wanted to raise your gym scores. The university


    you applied for required excellent scores across the board, but your grades for gym were too low. You


    couldn¡¯t sessfully tempt me and you threatened me with a video clip, so I was forced to change your


    scores.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face drained of color, and she frantically defended herself by signing away.


    ¡°How could I seduce a teacher just to change my scores?¡¯


    The way Justin looked at her changed. Amidst the tense stand-off, he gave an order coldly. ¡°Check the


    records,¡± he said.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    The school records would have all of a student¡¯s grades, and everything would be clear as long as they


    checked the records.


    Rachel¡¯s school records were soon retrieved. Despite her muteness, she excelled in every subject,


    save for the ¡®fail¡¯ grade at the end of her second semester as a sophomore, which had been struck out


    with red pen.


    Anyone could see what the problem was since the grade had been changed to a higher one when she


    had failed it.


    Intense coldness bubbled instantly in Justin¡¯s eyes. ¡°What else do you have to say for yourself?¡± he


    asked Rachel coldly.


    Rachel¡¯s face was even whiter than the walls around her, and she shook her head weakly.


    Smack. The packet containing her school records was flung onto the desk. ¡°From now on, you are no


    longer the mistress of the Burton Family.¡±


    The entire office went horrendously silent after those words fell.


    Rachel panicked. She didn¡¯t dare to believe that Justin would so easily believe the PE teacher¡¯s


    testimony.


    No, she could not let the Burtons hate her! She had to exin things clearly since she couldn¡¯t afford to


    leave the Burtons. After all, her grandmother was still in Jeffrey¡¯s clutches.


    Since she was still in a panic, Rachel blocked Justin¡¯s path and hastily signed


    something. I can get my schoolmates back then to back me up.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. We Burtons have already been embarrassed enough!¡± Justin¡¯s tone was cold


    beyond belief. He swept his gaze over her in distaste and left withrge strides, not once hesitating at


    all.


    ¡°Allow me to send you off, Mr. Burton.¡± The principal quickly followed him. Meanwhile, the teachers who


    were left behind also scattered.


    Rachel¡¯s mind was nk as she looked at Justin¡¯s back. Someone bumped into her, and she staggered


    from the impact. Her knees crashed against the coffee table from this, and she crouched down from the


    pain.


    ¡°Are you okay, Rachel?¡± a man called out behind her.


    Rachel snapped out of her pain. She reflexively turned around, but before she could regain her footing,


    she hastily took several steps back to look fearfully at the bald man before her.


    Everyone else in the office had left; she and the PE teacher were the only ones left.


    Don¡®te closer


    ¡°I thought that there was going to be a huge disaster since Justin Burton came knocking on the


    school¡¯s door.¡± The PE teacher chuckled coldly. ¡°Who would have thought that it would be resolved so


    easily? Looks like your time with the Burtons hasn¡¯t been great, Rachel.¡±


    Thetter¡¯s limbs instantly chilled. She looked at the door through the corners of her eyes before she


    tried to make a break for it. However, the PE teacher¡¯s eyes were sharp and his movements were swift.


    In one move, he gripped her arm and dragged her back roughly before viciously flinging her onto the


    couch. ¡°You haven¡¯t even exined yourself properly. Why are you running?¡± he asked maliciously.


    Rachel saw stars from the impact, and her heart dropped into an abyss.


    Don¡®t touch me! Someone, save me!


    She opened her mouth and did her best in an attempt to make a sound, but regardless of her efforts, all


    she could make her throat produce was a hoarse, sobbing sound.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± The PE teacher¡¯s gaze moved downward, a perverted smile appearing on his face


    as he stared at Rachel¡¯s heaving chest. ¡°If you had just been willing to be a good girl back then, I


    wouldn¡¯t have been worried about you making a fuss, and I wouldn¡¯t have thought of covering it up.


    Now¡¯s a good chance for me; not even Justin Burton wants you now, so why don¡¯t you juste with


    me¡­¡±


    Rachel shook her head in despair. She shrank into the corner of the couch, her entire body trembling


    The truth back then was actually simple-a lecherous PE teacher wanted to take advantage of a mute


    girl, but he wasn¡¯t able to get what he wanted. In order to hide the truth, he fashioned a situation, one


    where he blew the whistle instead when he was the viin, and he sent the school into an uproar. No


    one cared about the truth at all, for all they wanted was to be entertained.


    Right now, not even Justin believed her.


    The man¡¯s hand was already reaching toward her. Rachel¡¯s eyes were filled with fear, and they were


    wide with despair.


    Don¡®te closer...


    All of a sudden, the office¡¯s door was sent flying onto the wall with a loud crash. The entire room


    practically shook. The next moment, the PE teacher let out a blood curdling cry as someone knocked


    him over.


    By the time Rachel regained her senses, the PE teacher¡¯s lecherous face was already viciously


    mashed into the ground by a foot in a leather shoe. That foot rubbed hard against his face like it was a


    clear


    ¡°Ah-¡± The PE teacher¡¯s features contorted into an eerie facsimile as he screamed.


    Rachel lifted her head. When her gaze moved upward from the shoe, her entire body froze.


    The gigantic figure¡¯s shadow descended, swallowing up Rachel¡¯s entire figure amidst the dust in the


    room.


    The man¡¯s cold, handsome face was a little bit of a blur. His voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it was authoritative.


    ¡°Whichever hand he used to touch my woman, then that hand will be maimed.¡±


    It was Justin


    Didn¡®t he leave?


    Justin¡¯s assistant, Frankie, retrieved a pinhole camera from behind a painting in the office. ¡°Everything


    has been recorded, Mr. Burton.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until the PE teacher had been dragged outside that Rachel returned to reality. She looked at


    the man in front of her in shock. You were here the whole time?


    Justin¡¯s forehead twisted into a small frown as he looked at the disheveled woman.


    There were far too many holes in the news story, and it couldn¡¯t hold up at all. However, it was also


    difficult to find any definitive proof because of how long ago it was. That was why he pulled this stunt so


    that the PE teacher could have a taste of his own medicine. However, Rachel had to suffer unjustly for


    this.


    Suffer unjustly?


    When those words shed across Justin¡¯s mind, his forehead twitched.


    Rachel didn¡¯t know what Justin was thinking, but she let out a sigh now that the truth hade to light.


    She gripped the corner of the couch, just barely managing to support herself. However, the pain from


    her knees assaulted her again when she stood up, making her topple to the ground.


    As she let out a scratchy cry of shock, a pair ofrge hands steadied her just in time.


    Justin¡¯s eyes darkened when he saw the bruises on Rachel¡¯s knees. ¡°Are they injuries from just now?¡±


    Rachel felt uneasy, afraid that she had once again caused trouble


    against the couch and carefully signed. I can walk by myself.


    The tears in the tiny woman¡¯s eyes had yet to dry, and her pretty little face was pale and haggard. She


    clearly was in a lot of pain, yet she still gritted her teeth and forced herself to pretend that everything


    was okay.


    Justin¡¯s heart clenched. When she stood up, he pressed a hand onto her shoulder before taking off his


    jacket and wrapping it around her. Without another word, he scooped her up into a princess carry and


    carried her away under everyone¡¯s stunned gazes.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 21

    My Mute Bride Chapter 21


    My Mute Bride Chapter 21


    It felt like a dream to Rachel as Justin carried her into his car; she couldn¡¯t even feel the pain in her


    knees anymore. It was the first time she felt that this man wasn¡¯t as cruel and heartless as he seemed


    on the surface.


    Rachel looked at him as she sat inside the car. Why did you help me?


    Justin still hadn¡¯t answered the question that she had asked him back in the principal¡¯s office. After all,


    deliberately going through the effort to set up a trap did not seem like something that he would do.


    Justin watched as her hands signed away. Even though he couldn¡¯t understand signnguage, he


    could still figure out her thoughts through the grateful look in Rachel¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. I didn¡¯t do it for you.¡± Justin¡¯s tone was as cold as his expression. ¡°I only


    looked into this matter for the Burtons¡¯ reputation. You married into my family, so you are a Burton. It¡¯s


    best that you behave yourself so that we can live together peacefully. Otherwise, do not me me for


    my callousness if you cause another controversy like this.¡±


    The icy voice resounding around the car interior instantly smothered the warmth flickering in Rachel¡¯s


    heart. That¡¯s right. Why would Justin go through so much trouble for me?


    Rachel couldn¡¯t stop herself from shivering at the memory of his treatment of herst night. It wasn¡¯t


    cold, but she still shuddered. If something like this happened again, Justin would certainly kick her out.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    As such, neither of them spoke on the trip home.


    Justin did not stay after he sent Rachel back to the Burton home. Instead, he got the chauffeur to send


    him to his workce. Soon, the car sped down the highway.


    ¡°Everything with the school has been dealt with, Mr. Burton. There won¡¯t be any rumors about that past


    incident anymore. The media outlets have also prepared their scripts for their apologies.¡±


    Justin leaned back in the back seat, his eyes closed as he rested. His handsome features were


    reflected in the window¡¯s ss, but his expression turned harsher and


    colder. ¡°A mere gym teacher wouldn¡¯t have been able to spread the news about such an old incident


    and cause it toe back to public consciousness.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that someone else is behind the incident¡¯s resurgence?¡±


    ¡°Investigate the situation properly before he¡¯s handed over.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The next morning, news of Rachel¡¯s gym teacher sexually harassing female students surged to the top


    of many trending news lists, and multiple victims jointly voiced their condemnation. News about the


    Young Mistress of the Burton Family was promptly buried by this, dropping from its top spot on the


    trending list. Discussions about that promptly fell to the wayside.


    ¡°The gym teacher has already been handed over to the relevant authorities. We will continue to follow


    up on the developments regarding his years of crimes¡­¡±


    A reporter was narrating the news for the day on the television screen.


    ¡°You can¡¯t believe the news nowadays¡ªthey¡¯re always changing their stories every day.¡± Sue huffily


    switched the television off. She then crossed her arms and sat on the couch, fuming


    She initially thought that she could use that piece of news to kick out that eyesore of a mute, but she


    hadn¡¯t expected for the mute to be wrongfully used. Even more surprisingly, it was Justin who


    personally brought the mute with him to get to the bottom of the matter.


    Could it be? Sue¡¯s brows furrowed. How was it possible, though? She had personally raised Justin


    herself. How could he be interested in someone like Rachel? Yet, she still couldn¡¯t figure out why Justin


    continued allowing Rachel to stay with the Burtons.


    ¡°Miss Hudson is here, Madam Parham.¡±


    The servant¡¯s voice pulled Sue¡¯s thoughts back to reality.


    ¡°You¡¯re here, Amber.¡± Sue got up to greet the woman. ¡°Why are you here so early in the morning?


    Have you¡­ seen the news?¡±


    ¡°News? What news?¡± Amber sat down on the couch as she looked at Sue with a


    puzzled expression.


    ¡°You know, news about that mu-your sister. Investigations now show that she had been framed. That


    gym teacher from your school has been reported as well. He¡¯s been arrested already.¡±


    ¡°Huh? How could that be?¡±


    ¡°Also, weren¡¯t you confident when you said that your sister used to be in a rtionship with that


    teacher? How could things have turned on its head so suddenly? Now, everything is just going great.


    I¡¯m worried that Justin will say that I was jumping at shadows!¡±


    Obviously, Sue was putting the me on Amber.


    Thetter stiffened slightly, a bewildered look on her face. ¡°Madam Parham, that incident had the entire


    school up in arms back then-everyone in school knew about it. How did Justin settle it after visiting the


    school once?¡±


    Sue¡¯s expression stiffened when she heard that.


    ¡°Still, the guys writing those news reports sure have guts. They know that my sister is married to Justin,


    yet they still pushed those reports out the door anyway. They must not be worried about offending the


    Burton Family.¡±


    Amber¡¯s words reminded Sue of something, and her mind suddenly came to a stop.


    ¡°Are you saying that Justin only did this because of our family¡­¡±


    Amber lowered her head to sip her tea. She forced herself to smile and proceeded to absolve herself of


    any responsibility. ¡°Just act like nothing happened, Madam Parham. My sister is thedy of the Burton


    Family now, after all¡ªthe downfall of one means the downfall of all.¡±


    The way she said thatst sentence was especially loaded with meaning.


    Sue¡¯s face turned green. With Rachel¡¯s ¡®precedent¡¯ of tricking Amber and marrying into the Burton


    Family, Sue did not doubt the woman¡¯s words at all. Anyway, Justin¡¯s behavior was indeed unusual.


    How could he have gone through so much effort just to prove the innocence of a mute woman? He had


    to be doing it for the Burtons¡¯ reputation. That damned girl!


    Upon thinking about this, Sue set her teacup down heavily. ¡°Mrs. Duncan, where is that girl? Where did


    she run off to? Doesn¡¯t she know that she has to greet the guests whenever they are over? Such ack


    of manners!¡± she said none-too-kindly.


    ¡°I shall call her now.¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel was currently resting in her bedroom. She didn¡¯t dare to drink


    the ginger soup that Justin had gotten Mrs. Duncan to bring to her after being drenched in cold water.


    When she came home that morning, her entire body was wrecked with chills. Even with her nket


    wrapped tightly around her, she still shivered.


    The graceless sound of the door opening woke Rachel right up from her nightmares. When she opened


    her eyes, she saw Mrs. Duncan standing by the door.


    ¡°Why are you still sleeping?¡± Mrs. Duncan asked in surprise.


    Rachel stretched a hand out from under her nket and weakly signed. Did something happen?


    ¡°Stop gesturing. I don¡¯t understand anything.¡± Mrs. Duncan¡¯s voice was dripping with distaste. ¡°Madam


    Parham wants you to go downstairs. Miss Hudson is here.¡±


    Amber is here? Rachel¡¯s heart sank. After internally struggling with herself for a long while, she gritted


    her teeth and mbered out of bed.


    Amber had to be involved for that high school incident to suddenly see a resurgence. After all, she was


    the one who wanted to get her kicked out of the Burton Family. Since her threats didn¡¯t yield any


    results, then this was most likely her revenge.


    Although Rachel wasn¡¯t willing to interact with Amber more than was necessary, Justin loathed for her


    to cause more trouble for him. So, Rachel had to carefully handle Amber. At the very least, she couldn¡¯t


    get into another fight with her sister.


    Rachel changed into a simple white dress before heading downstairs, and her face waspletely


    devoid of any color. When she went down the stairs, her footsteps were also shaky. If she hadn¡¯t had a


    hand on the rails, she would have probably lost her bnce and rolled down the stairs.


    ¡°Rachel, why don¡¯t you look so good?¡± Amber lifted her head to look at her, feigning a look of worry


    Sue rolled her eyes at Rachel in displeasure. ¡°Why are you acting like you¡®re on death¡¯s door? Is it


    because you want your family to think that you haven¡¯t been living well with us? Is it so that you can


    embarrass us? Aren¡¯t you yourself to me for your own condition?¡±


    Rachel stood at the bottom of the stairs. She didn¡¯t even have the strength to argue otherwise.


    ¡°What are you standing around for? Bring some snacks here. You¡¯re an illegitimate child, all right-you


    don¡¯t even know any decorum around guests. What a useless thing with no mother to raise her.¡±


    Rachel quietly clenched her fists as she listened to Sue¡¯s insufferable grumbling. However, all she


    could do was take it. She nodded her head before heading into the kitchen.


    Amber¡¯s gaze shifted over to her. ¡°Rachel looks unwell. I¡¯ll go and help her.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 22

    My Mute Bride Chapter 22


    Rachel was dishing up some desserts in the kitchen when Amber suddenly came in. ¡°Let me help you,


    Rachel.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s back froze, and she subconsciously took a step back to keep a safe distance from Amber.


    Amber looked at her with her head tilted to one side and asked, ¡°What¡¯s with that look on your face?


    Are you afraid that I¡¯ll eat you alive?¡±


    Rachel signed, You don¡¯t have to pretend to be kind to me. You¡¯re the one behind the news, aren¡¯t you?


    Rachel was good-tempered, but she had always had a clear understanding of things.


    ¡°What do I have to do with something you¡¯ve done yourself?¡± Amber snorted coldly with her arms


    folded across her chest. ¡°You should¡¯ve seen clearly by way of this incident that you¡¯re unwee in


    the Burton Residence. Why would you ask for trouble by insisting on staying?¡±


    Rachel looked at her and exined dryly. You and Dad arranged for me to marry into the Burton Family


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right, but I didn¡¯t know what kind of person Justin was back then. Now it seems to me that


    Dad¡¯s move is as wrong as wrong can be. As his daughter, I should help him correct his mistakes.¡±


    You should say that to Dad. The look in Rachel¡¯s eyes was determined. If Jefferey wanted her to leave


    the Burton Family, she would definitely leave at once without a word. As long as her grandmother¡¯s life


    wouldn¡¯t be endangered, she would not stay in the Burton Residence with her heart in her mouth even


    for a moment longer.


    However, Amber misunderstood what Rachel meant, and her face fell at once. ¡°Are you trying to


    pressure me using Dad? What do you think you are? Do you think he married you into the Burton


    Family because he thinks highly of you?¡±


    Rachel frowned. What sort of logic does she have? Did she be dull while studying abroad? They


    disliked Justin for his ugly appearance, but they had to depend on the Burton Family. Hence, they


    secretly substituted Amber with me and plunged me into this abyss of suffering. What does she mean


    by saying that Dad thinks highly of me?


    Just then, Amber added, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Rachel¨CJustin is mine. The status of Mrs. Burton should have


    belonged to me, so you should give up the idea as soon as


    1/4


    possible. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being unpleasant with you. I have shown you mercy this time!¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Has she shown me mercy? Rachel thought to herself. She red at Amber and wanted to refute the


    latter at first, but she didn¡¯t want to make this a bigger deal than it was. What do you want me to do?


    ¡°I want you to ask Justin for a divorce and leave the Burton Family.¡±


    That¡¯s impossible. Rachel shook her head.


    ¡°In that case, don¡¯t me me for being unpleasant with you, Rachel. Don¡¯t forget that I have got


    something else on you even if the matter with the PE teacher is false!¡±


    Rachel knitted her brows.


    ¡°I heard that Hans has returned to the country. If Justin learns about that matter¡­¡± Amber¡¯s eyes were


    full of cold sarcasm.


    Don¡¯t talk nonsense! At the mention of the name, Rachel¡¯s face suddenly became even paler, and her


    hand trembled slightly as she held the corner of the table with it to support herself. I haven¡¯t been in


    touch with Hans for a long time. Seeing that Amber refused to give up, she clenched her fists before


    the look in her eyes gradually turned calm. If you insist on doing so, then I guarantee you that you won¡¯t


    be able to marry into the Burton Family even if I leave the ce.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Rachel took her cell phone out of her pocket in front of Amber.


    ¡°Did you record our conversation?¡± Amber¡¯s face darkened fiercely. Never in her wildest dreams did


    she expect Rachel, who had always submitted meekly to insults, to have such a card up her sleeve. If


    Justin heard what she had just said to threaten Rachel, the consequences would be disastrous. After


    all, the news about the so-called ¡®PE teacher¡¯ had brought disgrace on the Burton Family.


    Rachel signed back. I don¡¯t want to fight with you over anything. As long as Dad agrees to it, I¡¯ll leave


    the Burton Family at once, so don¡¯t force me! Even a worm would turn, and Rachel looked quietly at


    Amber with calm and powerful eyes. Since Jefferey couldn¡¯t do anything with Amber, Rachel was under


    pressure from both of them. She couldn¡¯t keep awaiting her doom in such a way; if she really caused


    trouble, Justin would


    definitely throw her out!


    Amber stretched out her hand exasperatedly and tried to snatch Rachel¡¯s cell phone. ¡°Give me your


    cell phone!¡± I have been careless, and I need to get rid of this voice recording! she thought to herself.


    Rachel hurriedly dodged Amber¡¯s hand, identally knocking over the te of desserts behind her as


    she failed to dodge it in time. The te hit the ground with a loud tter and smashed into pieces.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Amber?¡± Sue¡¯s inquiring voice sounded from the living room.


    Upon seeing this, Amber became even more anxious. While Rachel was unprepared, she snatched the


    cell phone from her and threw it directly into the kitchen sink. The cell phone was instantly submerged


    under the running water with a ssh. Then, as they were scrambling for the cell phone, Amber


    unexpectedly hugged Rachel right away before both of them fell onto the ground. ¡°Aaah¡ª¡±Her scream


    reverberated around the kitchen.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± A man¡¯s deep and cold voice sounded at the kitchen¡¯s entrance. Before they


    realized it, Justin hade back, and he happened to stumble upon their argument.


    At this moment, Rachel was pinned underneath; she raised her head in pain to see Sue and Justin


    walking inside one after another. Justin¡¯s tall figure stood behind Sue like amanding mountain. At


    the sight of the scene, she trembled subconsciously.


    Before Rachel could exin herself, Amber, who was sitting on the floor, cried first, ¡°My hand is


    bleeding, Justin!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my!¡± Sue eximed. ¡°How did you hurt yourself?¡±


    Red blood oozed out of Amber¡¯s palm and dripped onto the ground as her hand pressed on the


    porcin shards. ¡°I saw that Rachel looked unwell so I went to help her, but I didn¡¯t know why she


    pushed me instead. Ugh¡­ It hurts so much, Justin¡­¡±


    This¡­ is sheer nonsense! She¡¯s confusing right and wrong! Rachel thought to herself. With her face


    deathly pale, she subconsciously looked at Justin and shook her head vigorously. She believed that


    Justin wouldn¡¯t easily believe Amber¡¯s clumsy trick.


    Meanwhile, Justin frowned slightly as he strode past Sue and crouched down in front


    of the two women. However, he merely took a cold nce at Rachel. The next instant, he stretched out


    his hand toward Amber. ¡°Let me take a look.¡±


    Amber was still sobbing as she tremblingly reached out her ¡®tender¡¯ hand to Justin. ¡°Ugh¡­ It really


    hurts. I just wanted to help Rachel, but she said she doesn¡¯t like it that I keep turning up here. She even


    said that she¡¯s thedy of the house here. Should I note, Justin¡­¡±


    Thedy of the house? Justin¡¯s face darkened slightly as he gave Rachel a cold look. ¡°This is the


    Burton Residence. It¡¯s not your turn to decide who cane, don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart sank as she looked at Justin in disbelief. Her face was pale as if she had lost too much


    blood, and she shook her head almost imperceptibly. I didn¡¯t say that. She thought to herself, I didn¡¯t do


    anything. Why does he refuse to listen to even a word of my exnation?


    Justin helped Amber up and ordered the servant to fetch the medicine right in front of Rachel. When


    Amber took the opportunity to lean against him, he didn¡¯t dodge her,


    As they left the kitchen, Amber¡¯s eyes gleamed with smugness, and she threw Rachel a warning look.


    Your cell phone is gone. If you still dare to shoot your mouth off, you¡®ll be dead meat.


    On the other hand, Sue red at Rachel with disgust when she saw that thetter was still sitting on


    the floor. ¡°Why are you still sitting here? Hurry up and clean up the ce! I really have no idea what is


    wrong with the Hudson Family. You and Amber are both daughters of the same family, yet they married


    such an unpresentable person into our family. What bad luck this is!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 23

    My Mute Bride Chapter 23


    My Mute Bride Chapter 23


    ¡°Clean up this ce and pour another cup of tea,¡± ordered Sue.


    After the woman left, Rachel fished her cell phone out of the kitchen sink. Unfortunately, the cell phone


    had been thoroughly submerged under water and could not be switched on anymore.


    Rachel didn¡¯t expect Amber to have the nerve to be so reckless in the Burton Residence. However,


    when she recalled how Amber had just acted like a spoiled child in front of Justin, she was somewhat


    saddened. It wasn¡¯t because of Justin, but because she had seen Amber having her way in such a way


    as she grew up.


    Amber will get whatever she wants as long as she acts like a spoiled child before the people around


    her. On the contrary, I¡­ Never mind, everyone has their own destiny, she thought to herself. After


    putting her cell phone away, she gathered the porcin shards and threw them into the garbage can


    without saying a word. Then, she dished up the desserts again, made the tea, and brought them to the


    living room.


    At this moment, the servants had treated the wound on Amber¡¯s hand. In reality, her injury wasn¡¯t


    serious. It was merely a small cut made by the porcin shards, and it had stopped bleeding while the


    servant was bandaging it, but Amber¡¯s eyes were still teary. ¡°It hurts so much, Justin. Is the wound not


    bandaged properly?¡±


    Justin held her hand and looked at it carefully. Then, he replied impassively, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. If you¡¯re


    worried, I¡¯ll have someone take you to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Will the wound be infected? I might have to get a tetanus shot.¡±


    Rachel felt likeughing deep down inside upon hearing Amber¡¯s words. The woman studied medicine


    herself, yet she pretended to be naive and ignorant.


    ¡°Why are you still standing over there, Rachel?¡± Sue snapped when she suddenly noticed Rachel


    coming out. ¡°Not only are you mute, but you¡¯re clumsy and oblivious as well. What are you waiting for?


    Hurry up ande over to apologize to Amber.¡±


    Rachel was stunned. Why should she apologize? She didn¡¯t do anything wrong. After putting down the


    desserts and the tea, she silently stepped to one side.


    Sue refused to let her off, though. ¡°Did you hear me telling you to apologize? Are you not only mute but


    also deaf?¡±


    ¡°Never mind, Madam Parham.¡± Amber leaned against Justin while assuming a magnanimous


    demeanor. ¡°Rachel probably didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    Upon hearing Amber¡¯s words, Sue took her hand and replied, ¡°You¡¯re too kind hearted. No wonder you


    were hoodwinked by some heartless people. If only you were the daughter-inw of the Burton Family.¡±


    Upon hearing her words, all the servants in the Burton Residence had a peculiar look in their eyes.


    Rachel clenched her fists secretly as she felt deeply humiliated. After all, Sue¡¯s attitude toward her was


    the most important reason why she had no position in the Burton Family.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I came back to get something, and I have to go back to thepany in a while. Have


    a nice chat.¡± Justin¡¯s voice interrupted their conversation as his tall figure stood up from the sofa. He


    then shot a nce at Rachel before saying, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    A startled Rachel looked at Justin in surprise. Is he helping me out of this predicament?


    Sue¡¯s face darkened for a moment as she watched Rachel and Justin going upstairs. She said angrily,


    ¡°This mute really does have some tricks up her sleeve. She has made Justin so protective of her!¡±


    Amber thought nothing of it, though. ¡°Justin is only doing so because he pities her, Madam Parham. If


    he really was protecting her, why didn¡¯t he refute your words?¡± In her opinion, not only was Justin not


    protecting Rachel, he even loathed the woman very much. Perhaps he called her upstairs at this


    moment to give her a dressing-down. It¡¯s her fault that I¡¯m wounded, after all, she thought to herself.


    She felt incredibly smug upon recalling how attentive Justin was to her just now.


    Meanwhile, after Justin closed the door to his study, Rachel took out the pen and paper she had


    brought with her, wrote down a sentence, and showed it to him. ¡®Thank you for helping me out just now!


    Justin nced at the sentence and snorted coldly. ¡°Helping you out? That¡¯s just your imagination.¡±


    Rachel was startled.


    ¡°What happened in the kitchen just now.**


    ¡®I didn¡¯t do anything.¡¯


    ¡°How did Amber hurt her hand if you didn¡¯t do anything. What were you two arguing about?¡± Justin


    stared coldly at Rachel with stern eyes. ¡°Did Jefferey tell you to search my ce for something again.¡±


    No, he didn¡¯t.¡¯ Rachel hurriedly shook her head Amber. She suddenly stopped before finishing the


    sentence in her notebook. She hesitated for a moment, not knowing whether she shouldplete the


    sentence or not.


    ¡°Keep on writing.¡± Justin¡¯s cold and deep voice sounded from above Rachel¡¯s head as he suddenly


    closed in on her, causing her to mark a dot on the paper as if the tip of her pen had been filled with


    lead. She could only bite the bullet and continue, ¡®Amber told me to ask you for divorce because she


    wants to marry you. This was true, and everyone in the Burton Family could tell what Amber was


    thinking about even if she didn¡¯t say it.


    ¡°Are you unwilling to do so?¡± Justin¡¯s voice sounded in her ear.


    Rachel was surprised at once. For a moment, she was at a loss for a reply. This wasn¡¯t a question of


    whether she was unwilling to do so or not. After all, she didn¡¯t marry him in Amber¡¯s stead on her own


    will back then.


    ¡°What? Has Jefferey Hudson regretted it so soons¡± Justin let out a cold snort. ¡°You Hudsons really are


    as shameless as usual. You marry their daughters off as casually as if you¡¯re selling cabbage.¡±


    His insulting remark was harsh to the ear, but Rachel had grown used to it. What puzzled her was how


    he sounded like he didn¡¯t care about Amber. Instead, he seemed to loathe the Hudson Family. But if he


    loathed the Hudson Family, why would he insist on marrying Amber back then? Why would he be so


    attentive to Amber in the presence of other people!


    However, Justin didn¡¯t continue his speech. He stared at her coldly and said, ¡°I called you upstairs to


    tell you something.¡±


    Puzzlement showed in Rachel¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been married to me for such a long time, but you have not returned to your


    parents¡¯ home, right?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard the word ¡®home¡¯. She carefully nodded her head, though


    the Hudson Family really wasn¡¯t worthy of the tender sentiments meant by the word ¡®home¡¯ in her


    opinion


    ¡°I¡¯m free tomorrow, so I¡¯ll apany you back to your parents¡¯ ce.¡±


    Rachel threw Justin a look of surprise. Why would he want to apany her back to the Hudson


    Residence?


    Justin¡¯s eyes darkened when he saw her hesitation. ¡°What is it? Do you not want me to go back with


    you?¡±


    Rachel quickly shook her head. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want him to go back with her; it was just that


    she couldn¡¯t understand why he wanted to do so.


    Justin waved his hand impatiently when he saw how inarticte Rachel was. ¡°All right, there¡¯s nothing


    else. You may get out now.¡±


    Rachel nodded. When she reached the door, she heard Justin¡¯s voice from behind. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that


    you should submit to humiliation when I told you to know your ce. You¡¯re the wife of the Burton


    Family, so think over what you should do and what you shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Rachel paused for a moment as she was closing the door. After a long time, she nodded her head and


    left.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    As soon as the door closed, Justin sat down behind his desk and swiped his slender finger twice


    across his phone¡¯s screen. After he tapped the icon of an application unavable in the market,


    Amber¡¯s voice rang from the phone. She sounded very different from just now with her biting and harsh


    words.


    In reality, Rachel¡¯s cell phone had been tapped since the first day she married into the Burton Family.


    Therefore, Justin knew exactly who she had talked to on the phone, what the person on the other end


    had said, and what had been recorded on her device. However, he was truly surprised that Rachel


    would record her conversation with her own younger sister. I have underestimated this mute, he


    thought to himself.


    ¡°You probably don¡¯t know this yet-Hans has returned to the country¡­¡±


    Justin¡¯s brow furrowed slightly when Amber¡¯s threatening voice sounded through his cell phone¡¯s


    speaker. Hans? He let out a cold snort. None of the two Hudson sisters is easy to deal with. I¡¯d like to


    see for myself during the visit to the Hudson Residence what Jefferey Hudson, that old fox, is nning,


    he thought to himself.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 24

    My Mute Bride Chapter 24


    My Mute Bride Chapter 24


    After returning from the Burton Residence, Amber was on cloud nine.


    Upon entering through her house door, she was immediately called out by Jefferey. ¡°Where have you


    been, Amber?¡±


    Since Amber had just set foot into the house and hadn¡¯t noticed her father sitting on the couch, she


    was taken aback by his voice. ¡°¡­ I went to the Burton Residence¡­ You wanted me to get close to


    Justin, right?¡±


    ¡°Foolery!¡± After smacking his hand against the table, her father sprung up from his seat. ¡°I asked for


    you to get close to the family, not fool around as you wish! Exin the news to me.¡±


    She asked guiltily, ¡°What news? I-I¡¯ve got no idea.¡±


    ¡°As if!¡± Jefferey was utterly vexed as he said, ¡°You¡¯re my daughter, and I¡¯ll never allow you to be


    married to such a rascal like Justin Burton. You¡¯ve seen what he¡¯s capable of, and he¡¯s a bone-deep


    schemer!¡±


    After having countless exchanges with Justin, Jefferey had long figured out that the former was a man


    who never let his actions be limited by moral boundaries. Otherwise, Jefferey wouldn¡¯t have taken the


    risk of offending the man by sending Rachel over as a substitute spouse.


    On the other hand, Amber, who had a different opinion, saw a slight relief of tension on her father¡¯s


    face and immediately took the opportunity to grab his arm. As she tried to charm her father, she


    expressed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. In truth, Justin treats me very well. Earlier today, he even gave Rachel a


    good scolding right in front of me, believing whatever I told him! From what I see, there¡¯s no point


    letting Rachel stay in the Burton Family.¡±


    Gradually, she revealed everything that had taken ce in the Burton Residence earlier. Of course, it


    was filled with twists of her own.


    The more Jefferey listened, the uneasier he grew. ¡°Listen to me, Amber-Justin is no simple man.


    Do you think he hasn¡¯t seen through your subtle gestures?¡±


    For a man who dwelled so deep in the business world, Justin had certainly witnessed every plot that


    could happen. Thus, how could he possibly fall for mere tricks of a


    simple-minded girl?


    ¡°Jeez, Dad, don¡¯t worry! I promise I¡¯ll get married into the Burton Family, and by then, Justin would


    surely help with our business.¡±


    ¡°Amber!¡± Jefferey was outraged, and he revealed a ring gaze as he rebuked, ¡°This will be myst


    warning! I won¡¯t allow you to proceed with this fantasy of yours. If you still insist on it, I¡¯ll send you out of


    the country to continue your studies at once, and you¡¯ll no longer have to even think about Julian.¡±


    Amber dumbfoundedly stared at her father¡¯s stern look and quickly swallowed up the words she was


    about to speak as a smirk froze on her face. It was not until she finally regained her senses that she


    nodded her head, agreeing to her father¡¯s words.


    Upon seeing his daughter so dispirited, Jefferey felt slightly sympathetic and patiently stated, ¡°I¡¯m only


    deciding this for your sake. Don¡¯t be mad, okay? Go get some rest now. Justin¡¯sing to visit in the


    morning.¡±


    ¡°Justin¡¯sing to our ce?¡± Amber¡¯s eyes instantly twinkled.


    Is heing because he knows I¡¯m hurt?


    The next second, her father¡¯s words shattered her dreams. ¡°If Rachel was indeed of no use, she


    would¡¯ve returned without her husband.¡±


    ¡°Return? Rachel¡¯sing back as well?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Jefferey. He then warned, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you everything I should, Amber. Please


    end everything you have going on with Justin, and do not cause any trouble tomorrow.¡±


    Although Amber was dissatisfied, she didn¡¯t dare to show her objection to her father.


    In her mind, Rachel wasn¡¯t evenpetition, so Justin had to being for her.


    As for Julian, she had already formed a n to bait him.


    These men will surely fall under my grasp!


    The next morning, Justin brought Rachel back to the Hudson Family.


    In the living room were gifts of all shapes and sizes, which left the servants of the family peering in


    confusion.


    Isn¡¯t Miss Rachel said to bepletely worthless in the Burton Family, even more so than the servants


    there?


    Besides, the man was supposed to be hideous ording to the rumors, but that wasn¡¯t the case at all.


    Despite the scar on his face, his appearance was impable. Instead, the scar had proven to be a


    boost to his masculinity.


    Upon seeing this, Amber was drenched in envy as she saltily uttered, ¡°Wow, Justin, you¡¯re so nice to


    Rachel. She¡¯s very fortunate to have entered the Burton Family!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Justin for you, Amber.¡± Jefferey shot her daughter a warning leer.


    ¡°Mr. Hudson.¡± Justin lifted hismissures and greeted, ¡°These are some simple gifts I¡¯ve prepared for


    you, including a couple of presents specifically chosen for the both of you since it¡¯s our first time


    meeting.¡±


    Upon those words, Amber¡¯s eyes instantly glistened. ¡°There¡¯s a present for me too?¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    With that, Justin nced at Rachel.


    Upon recognizing the signal, she handed a bag that she had been holding on to Amber.


    Justin had given her the bag before they came down from the car, and she didn¡¯t know what was inside


    it either.


    Without showing any courteousness, Amber tore the gift open and quickly cried, ¡°This is the ne


    that I¡¯ve been dreaming of! How did you know, Justin?¡±


    In the bag was Tiffany¡¯s newest release. Evidently, the amulet was very pricey, and it was highlighted


    by the diamonds glowing underneath the sunlight.


    At that, Rachel was also stunned.


    Although Justin had always been a generous man, for him to give his sister-inw such avish item


    on their first official meeting was quite the surprise.


    Jefferey felt awkward by this and said, ¡°That¡¯s too expensive for a gift. Return the gift,


    Amber!¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t much, Mr. Hudson-it¡¯s merely a ne,¡± Justin replied in a calm voice. All of a sudden, he


    grabbed Rachel¡¯s hand and said, ¡°After all, it¡¯s a gift personally selected by a sister to another, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    When Justin clutched her hand, she felt a chilly sensation on her back while looking at his inexplicable


    grin.


    Hesitantly, she nodded her head.


    Meanwhile, Amber was certain that Rachel wasn¡¯t the one who had picked the ne, and it was


    solely an excuse to confuse Jefferey while allowing Amber to receive the gift. After bearing that thought


    in mind, she was exhrated.


    For a while, the group had a casual chat.


    In the meantime, Rachel was silently peeling some fruits at the side. Just as she was about to bring the


    apples to Justin, Amber suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s your first time here, Justin, so let me show you around!¡±


    ¡°Amber¡­¡±


    ¡°Jeez, Dad, you¡¯re always talking about business during family moments. That¡¯s so boring! I¡¯m showing


    Justin around.¡±


    As she spoke, she separated both of their hands and pulled Justin away before Jefferey could say


    anything else.


    After withdrawing his vision from the duo, the father turned to Rachel with a cold gaze and interrogated,


    ¡°Did you buy the ne?¡±


    Rachel put the te of peeled apples down and nodded her head.


    ¡°You must catch him fast before he develops any intentions toward Amber.¡±


    Rachel remained silent for a while before she signaled something. Amber has feelings for Justin.


    There¡¯s nothing I can do if she were to approach him actively.


    ¡°She¡¯s still an immature youngdy. Are you going to let her do as she wishes?¡± Jefferey angrily stared


    at her. ¡°No matter what, you¡¯re still her sister. Are you going to


    watch as she walks herself into the fire?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel felt a stab in her heart.


    Amber and Rachel were only one year apart, yet her younger sister was the one to receive all the love


    from their father while she was unhesitantly shoved into the hell that was the Burton Family. Not only


    that, she was even guilt-tripped to continue doing so.


    My sister?Other than to put on a facade, when had she ever called me her sister?


    ¡°You still owe me an exnation for the mess-up with the documents previously. You¡¯d better fulfill your


    orders this time.¡±


    Upon hearing those words, Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    What does he want me to do right now?


    She didn¡¯t have the courage to anger Justin anymore.


    Out of the blue, Jefferey¡¯s tone turned gentle. ¡°Rachel, you¡¯re my daughter regardless of what happens.


    It pains me to see you getting mistreated in the Burton Family, so I¡¯ll surely give you a solid spot in the


    family.¡±


    After listening to her father, Rachel was stupefied.


    Jefferey looked at her and handed Rachel a miniature paper bag. ¡°As long as you bear his child.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 25

    My Mute Bride Chapter 25


    My Mute Bride Chapter 25


    Although he was speaking in a low volume, the words thundered in Rachel¡¯s ears.


    Other than their wedding night when Justin had nailed her out of vengeance, he was always giving her


    unfiltered cold treatments. Despite knowing what kind of man he was, Jefferey still insisted that Rachel


    was to bear his child.


    What bullsh*t is this?That¡¯s impossible. Rachel shook her head.


    Jefferey¡¯s expression remained calm as he stated, ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. Feed him with this-pour it in his


    drink when he¡¯s not watching, and you¡¯ll eventually get impregnated.¡±


    Instantly, Rachel was thoroughly dumbfounded.


    What father in the right mind would say such things to his daughter?


    When she previously returned to the Hudson Residence, she bore an optimism that her father would


    show her some sympathy, but it ultimately vanished as each day went by


    Despite that, she had never expected her father to treat her as an object that was to simply be sold off


    to the Burton Family. After all, she believed that he still had a heart.


    Did you ever see me as your own daughter, Dad? As she stared at Jefferey, she attempted to draw a


    little empathy from her father.


    ¡°Of course! You¡¯re even the young mistress of the Hudson Family, so you¡¯ve got to know that these


    burdens are yours to carry, Rachel. Once you give birth to Justin¡¯s child, his family will belong to you¡ª


    this will be beneficial to you as well.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    As he smugly continued exining his ns, the insatiable greed in his eyes felt like an avnche


    falling upon his elder daughter.


    She gritted her teeth and expressed. I can¡¯t do it.


    After receiving a warning from Justin, she refused to y with fire any longer.


    Instantly, Jefferey¡¯s face became gloomy. ¡°Do it even if you can¡¯t.¡±


    Before Rachel could sign anything, she was interrupted by Amber and Justin¡¯s voices from outside the


    room.


    He swiftly shoved the paper bag into her hands, grabbing her hands as he sternly reminded, ¡°Don¡¯t


    forget that your grandmother is still in the hospital.¡±


    Since her father had leverage on her, no matter how resistant she was, she had to force herself to take


    on the mission.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Justin¡¯s voice sounded behind them.


    Upon feeling a chill in her spine, Rachel hastily stuffed the paper bag into her sleeves.


    ¡°Nothing much. Just a simple catch-up since it¡¯s been a while since shest returned.¡± After


    straightening his back, he calmly turned to Justin with a forced smirk. ¡°She mentioned that she has


    been well taken care of at the Burton Residence.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Justin gave Rachel a knowing look.


    As their eyes met, she couldn¡¯t hide her guilt as her face turned pale.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ Dad hasn¡¯t seen Rachel for so long, so why don¡¯t we just leave them two to chat? Let me bring


    you upstairs, Justin.¡± Amber hated it when Justin showed Rachel any attention, so she dragged his


    arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Rachel can lead me.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel was visibly stunned as she peered at him in a perplexed manner.


    Amber tugged his arm disappointedly. ¡°Justin¡­¡±


    ¡°Before we came here, Rachel promised to show me the ce she resided in before she married me.¡±


    After jerking his arm away, he sent Rachel a cold leer. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Rachel?¡±


    At the mention of her name, all she could feel was coldness and nothing else.


    What does he want to do?


    Amber watched as Justin and Rachel went upstairs, and she furiously stomped her


    foot.


    ¡°Sit down, Amber.¡± Looking at his rebellious daughter, Jefferey was tilted.


    How intriguing of him! Jefferey couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it was that Justin did to charm his


    daughter, making her so hooked onto him.


    If that were to go on, he would be in a lose-lose situation.


    Meanwhile, Rachel led Justin to her bedroom upstairs.


    As her room was facing north, there wasn¡¯t much sunlight in the space.


    She felt slightly cramped after shutting the door and pulled the chair at the desk out, inviting Justin over


    for a seat.


    ¡°This used to be your room?¡± He gave her an indescribable look.


    In response, Rachel nodded her head, to which the man in front of her frowned.


    Rather than a woman¡¯s bedroom, the room seemed much more like an isted study. It only had


    shelves filled with books, an old desk, and a single bed sitting in the corner.


    Who would ever expect Jefferey to let her daughter live in such a miserable room? After all, the


    Hudson Family came from a wealthy background as well.


    However, with how he was willing to send Rachel into the Burton Family, it was clear that the mutedy


    bore no significance in her father¡¯s heart-she was merely a tool.


    Meanwhile, Rachel anxiously stared at Justin, having no idea what he was about to do. After all, he


    simply stood before the bookshelves. After pulling a book out from the collection, he asked in a


    seemingly nonchnt manner, ¡°What did Jefferey say to you just now?¡±


    Rachel shook her head carefully, but she was feeling nervous deep down inside.


    ¡°Nothing?¡± He raised his head and revealed an icy gaze. ¡°What¡¯s that in your hand, then?¡±


    As the words escaped his mouth, Rachel¡¯s mind instantly went nk as she


    subconsciously took a step backward, almost drenching the paper bag in her hand with her sweat.


    He saw it!


    Despite her retreat, Justin stood still¡ªit was even scarier than if he were to move forward. Gazing at


    her chillingly were his eyes that resembled an abyss.


    Rachel remained still even though her shoulders trembled, and she eventually reached out an arm


    toward the man before slowly opening her shut palm.


    Now, all she could do was resort to her survival instincts.


    All of a sudden, the door suddenly sounded with a creak.


    ¡°Justin!¡± With the sweetest smile in the world, Amber pushed the door open and entered. ¡°I brought


    some fruits for you.¡±


    Instantaneously, there was a slight impatience on Justin¡¯s face. He answered in a dull tone, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°No worries. Just make yourself at home.¡± As she brought the fruit tter into the room, Amber gave


    her sister a mean nce when she walked past her. ¡°Do you want to go and help in the kitchen,


    Rachel? The servants don¡¯t know what Justin is allergic to.¡±


    After nodding her head, Rachel sneakily jerked her leg and kicked the paper bag she identally


    dropped earlier under the bed.


    I shall take my leave. Have a good chat.


    As soon as the door was shut, she was finally able to breathe properly. Thanks to being anxious


    around Justin, she had drenched the back of her clothes with cold sweat.


    She could never bring herself to drug anyone.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Justin and Amber¡¯s voices could be heard.


    ¡°Do you like the ne?¡±


    ¡°I love it! How can I not? It¡¯s a present from you!¡±


    ¡°You studied medicine when you were overseas, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s what the family specializes in.¡±


    ¡°You already have the forms from Hudson Pharmaceuticals. What¡¯s the point of studying abroad?¡±


    ¡°I know, right? I have no clue as to what¡¯s going on in my father¡¯s head. We already have patents for


    the forms. Why should I even bother learning any other stuff?¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then you must have seen the forms at home, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Upon the term ¡®form¡¯ being uttered from inside the room, Rachel¡¯s heart immediately sank.


    At that moment, everything became clear to her; she finally understood why Justin had decided to


    apany her back home and tried getting close to Amber.


    For centuries, the Hudson Family had been the leading name in medicine; the most valuable thing in


    thepany wasn¡¯t their brand nor Jefferey¡¯s sense of business, but the family¡¯s secret forms that


    had been kept away from public knowledge.


    That was what Justin wasing for.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 26

    My Mute Bride Chapter 26


    My Mute Bride Chapter 26


    Meanwhile, Amber felt a little awkward during Justin¡¯s interrogation inside the bedroom. ¡°O-Of course, I


    have! It¡¯s a family heirloom!¡±


    Having mastered psychology after years of business, he could tell she hadn¡¯t the slightest idea based


    on how she was mumbling.


    You sly fox, Jefferey! You don¡¯t even trust your daughter!


    However, since Jefferey had sent Amber to study medicine, it was obvious that he wanted to prepare


    her to take over Hudson Pharmaceuticals in the future.


    Justin didn¡¯t expose his rival despite knowing this.


    Just then, Amber hastily switched the topic. ¡°Honestly, Justin, I¡¯ve got no interest in managing the


    family business. Besides, Dad sent me to study traditional medicine, so I think I should branch out on


    my own. Why don¡¯t you lend me a hand?¡±


    Justin lifted his gaze from the book and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I want to work in a hospital.¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°Tran-Q.¡± Amber warily studied Justin¡¯s expression, fearing that she might expose herself.


    Tran-Q?


    Justin seemed like he had realized something.


    ¡°Sure.¡± He spoke with a freezing tone that resonated within the house, and anyone who paid attention


    to his voice could easily be captivated.


    It was lunchtime soon, and Amber continuously served food to Justin.


    In response, he simply thanked her and turned to grab a ss of water without touching any of his


    cutleries.


    Upon seeing that, Rachel mentally shook her head.


    Having spent her fair share of days at the Burton Residence, she knew Justin¡¯s dining habits very well.


    For one, would never eat any food that was served to him with personal cutleries. Also, as long as


    there wasn¡¯t a serving spoon on the table, he wouldn¡¯t start eating


    Amber is going overboard with her bootlicking. However, since they¡¯re so close to each other, perhaps


    he¡¯ll make an exception for her, Rachel guessed.


    Meanwhile, Justin noticed that she was zoning out and pushed his te before her. ¡°The family chef is


    quite talented! Eat up, Rachel.¡±


    The woman was surprised by his caring tone; when she regained her senses, she saw that Amber was


    evidently upset.


    If gazes could kill, she would¡¯ve been murdered by her sister a million times over.


    Rachel felt a chill down her spine, and she couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Justin was purposefully doing


    this to trigger Amber¡¯s hatred toward her.


    I can¡¯t finish this. She signaled and pushed the te back to him. You eat up.


    However, the te was stopped halfway on its way back to Justin.


    When Rachel saw his cold leer, her hand immediately turned into jelly and she no longer dared to push


    the te any further.


    After a short while, she forced a smirk and pulled the te back to herself. Thanks.


    Throughout lunch, Jefferey sneaked some questions about Justin¡¯s business. Thetter was probably


    in a good mood, for he revealed some inside information about hispany.


    ¡°Director Humphries from the Security Council said that?¡± Jefferey¡¯s eyes shone like


    stars.


    As he remained as calm as usual, Justin stated, ¡°Actually, it was my assistant who heard it from


    Director Humphries during a partnership meetingst week. However, the risk of loaning remains high,


    so even the Arden Group is still waiting whilst observing.¡±


    ¡°If Arden Group has set its eyes on the loaning terms, it must mean they¡¯re


    exceptional,¡± Jefferey expressed in delight, ¡°What a fine day. Bring some wine over, Rosa!¡±


    When she saw her father being sox, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but break into a cold sweat.


    Although she wasn¡¯t exactly informed about the business industry, she could tell what Justin just said


    was merely a guess, and the profit-loss probability was 50-50. Moreover, the way he casually brought


    up Director Humphries and the Arden Group bought Jefferey off so easily.


    With how significant the Hudson Group¡¯s loss was right now, Jefferey¡¯s debts would certainly reach new


    highs if he were to actually invest in a new field. By then, one mistake could cost him the entire


    company.


    Despite the endless thoughts in her head, Rachel never once made a single sound.


    Later on, the hellish lunch finally ended.


    Since Justin had a meeting to attend at work, he couldn¡¯t stay any longer. He took his leave along with


    Rachel, to which Amber and her father went and sent them off.


    ¡°Come visit often, Justin!¡± Amber acted cutely as she dragged Justin¡¯s arm. Anyone who heard her


    right then had goosebumps all over themselves.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, Mr. Burton. You still have to go home and change.¡± Justin¡¯s driver let out a small cough


    and reminded them of the time.


    ¡°All right,¡± Justin responded with a subtle nod before ncing at Rachel as she stood beside him. ¡°Get


    in.¡±


    Upon that, Rachel regained her focus and immediately followed behind after nodding.


    Meanwhile, Justin revealed a frown as he grew impatient. In his mind, Rachel was always staring into


    space lethargically like a dummy. She watched him converse with Amber all this while, yet she showed


    zero reaction.


    Before she got on the vehicle, she walked past Amber. Thetter whispered in her ears, ¡°What he said


    about returning to keep youpany is just bullsh*t! Justin¡¯s only here to see me. Well, you¡¯ve seen


    how much he adores me. I reckon you¡¯ve


    never even gotten a gift from him, have you? In his eyes, you¡¯re nothing more than a ve.¡±


    Although Rachel was tilted, she maintained an apathetic expression and signaled. In that case, why are


    you trying so hard to be his ve?


    She was a kind person, but she would never give in to a bully.


    After expressing that, she turned around and hopped into the car.


    As they watched the car fade into the distance, Amber stomped her feet and vented to her father by


    saying, ¡°Look at her smug face, Dad! If she were to stay with the Burton Family any longer, she¡¯s going


    to step over us sooner orter.¡±


    Jefferey revealed a frown and uttered, ¡°Stop your foolery. Did you tell Justin what I told you to?¡±


    Amber was stunned for a while before she realized what he meant and answered, ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°What was his reaction?¡±


    ¡°He agreed to it without any hesitation.¡± Upon being reminded of that, Amber felt overjoyed. ¡°He said I


    could check in with Tran-Q to work any time soon. By then, I¡¯ll get to meet Julian every single day.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Jefferey thought about it for a bit before he nodded his head. ¡°By then, you shall direct your


    focus on Julian and less on Justin.¡±


    Despite her reluctance, Amber obediently nodded her head like a good daughter would before grabbing


    her father¡¯s arm. Then, they walked back into the house together.


    On the other hand, the vehicle which Rachel and Justin were in had just exited Hudson Residence,


    proceeding slowly on the road while a good-looking duo could be seen in the rear mirror.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me what Jefferey gave you earlier.¡±


    A man¡¯s low voice sounded in the car, and not a tinge of emotion could be found in


    Since Rachel was prepared for this, she warily signed. Nothing. He just told me to warn Amber not to


    get too close to you to avoid spreading any rumors.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Unexpectedly, her chin was tightly clutched as a tingling pain took her by surprise, causing her to let


    out a cry.


    ¡°Aaah¡±


    He¡¯s not buying it?


    Then, Justin coldly scoffed as he strengthened his grip, seeming like he was squeezing a little duckling


    to death. ¡°Is my man Jefferey afraid of rumors, or is he afraid of sending his beloved daughter to the


    wolf¡¯s den?¡±


    At that, Rachel was so startled that even her actions of attempting to shove Justin¡¯s arm away slowed


    down.


    The wolf¡¯s den?Is he straight-up admitting that he¡¯s scheming against the Hudson Family?Is he really


    going for the forms?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 27

    My Mute Bride Chapter 27


    My Mute Bride Chapter 27


    Rachel was badly hurt by Justin¡¯s grip, yet she could only let out a hideous wail. Even the driver, who


    sneaked a couple of peeks, was pained by the view.


    ¡°What about the item Jefferey gave you?¡± His freezing voice echoed in the car. Justin was certain that


    Jefferey had handed her something, but they were interrupted by Amber just then.


    Rachel started tearing up as she continuously shook her head in an aggravated manner.


    When her devastated look reached Justin¡¯s eyes, he subconsciously loosened his grip.


    It had been so long since that particr exchange; even if he did give her something, she must¡¯ve


    concealed it by now. There was no way she would show it to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s best if you remember that living with the Burtons means you¡¯re one of us. You¡¯d better not waver


    your loyalty¡­ or else.¡±


    After seeing her curl up in the corner of the seat with a face as pale as snow, he immediately let go of


    her.


    He was aware of Rachel¡¯s position in her family. Although he wasn¡¯t sure back then, he had certainly


    confirmed his suspicions after having visited the Hudson Residence earlier.


    If it weren¡¯t for the leverage her father had against her, she wouldn¡¯t have been so obedient toward him.


    After being reminded of the matter with the hospital, Justin had alreadye up with a n.


    Meanwhile, Rachel, who was staring at him in terror, grabbed her aching neck with one hand as she


    pushed herself against the car door. It was not until she was sure that he had unhanded her that she


    finally dared to take a breath.


    As a result, the strangling incident moments ago had left a scar in her heart-it was indeed a challenge


    for her to remain by Justin¡¯s side.


    After dropping her off at the Burton Residence, Justin went straight to Burton Group.


    Frankie, who was Justin¡¯s assistant, poured a ss of tea and entered thetter¡¯s office.


    ¡°I¡¯ve talked to the hospital, Mr. Burton. Miss Amber can go for her internship first thing tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Have you informed Julian already?¡± Without lifting his head, Justin took a sip of the tea before turning


    a page of his book.


    ¡°Not yet. Doctor Peters is absent today, but the Dean will inform him soon.¡±


    He lifted his head slightly and asked, ¡°Is Rachel¡¯s grandmother hospitalized there?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Frankie nodded. ¡°Doctor Peters is indeed her main operator, but¡­¡±


    Upon sensing the pause in his assistant¡¯s speech, Justin raised his head and asked coldly, ¡°But what?¡±


    ¡°The hospital records show that he had paid for her operation bills.¡±


    Frankie was thoroughly baffled as to why Julian would pay for Rachel¡¯s grandmother to undergo


    surgery.


    Upon hearing that, Justin revealed a frown.


    As he continued to turn the pages, Frankie¡¯s face slightly froze.


    After a while, he hesitantly stated, ¡°You seem to care about your wife very much, Mr. Burton.¡±


    In fact, the book Justin was reading was a guide to signnguages-one that Frankie had never seen in


    his boss¡¯ office. Since having entered his office, Justin never once let go of the book.


    As he pondered on Rachel¡¯s situation, Frankie couldn¡¯t help but feel confused.


    ¡°Should we call the hospital and request for a more refined surgeon?¡±


    Just as Justin was thinking about something, he became distracted by Frankie¡¯s words and


    immediately shot him a cold leer.


    His assistant was taken aback by this and hastily apologized, ¡°I¡¯ve spoken too much.¡±


    After he exited the office, the room became silent.


    As Justin¡¯s fingers brushed against the pages of the book, he had reached itsst page and noticed


    some words on an empty space there. Evidently, the book had its share of age given its faded texts,


    though one could still read it with ease. It was the lyrics of ¡°To the Oak:


    ¡®If I love you, I won¡¯t climb over you like the vines, stepping over you to look refined¡­


    As Justin read the elegant handwriting, the image of Rachel¡¯s weak, tranquil eyes popped up in his


    mind. Even a submissive girl like her is into such poetry.


    On the other hand, Rachel had just entered the Burtons¡¯ home.


    In the living room, Mrs. Duncan was cleaning the table alone. Although she had seen Rachel¡¯s return,


    she didn¡¯t even bother to greet her.


    Rachel wasn¡¯t mad about this, and she simply signed. Where¡¯s Madam Parham?


    If Sue wasn¡¯t at home, she could rx and go upstairs for a rest.


    Sadly, Mrs. Duncan showed her a scowl. ¡°What are you saying, Mrs. Burton? I can¡¯t understand you.¡±


    At that, Rachel was stunned because what she had just expressed wasn¡¯t actually signnguage. A


    normal person would havepletely acknowledged what she was trying to ask


    She was about to pull out her notebook and write something down in it when a familiar voice sounded


    from behind. ¡°My mom went out with her friends. What do you need?¡±


    When she turned around, she saw Julian smiling at her.


    Rachel turned toward him and nodded her head as her way of greeting him. Then, she proceeded to


    write in her notebook, ¡®Nothing much. I brought something from home, and I just wanted to give it to


    her?


    In fact, the item she brought from home had been prepared by Jefferey¡¯s underlings under his order.


    After all, she was a daughter of the Hudsons, and the family was depending on her although they


    weren¡¯t showing her any love. Hence, out of courtesy, Jefferey had prepared a simple gift for the


    Burtons.


    .


    ¡°I think she¡¯s going toe homete. Whatever it is, you can hand it to Mrs. Duncan.¡±


    She nodded her head to express her acknowledgment.


    ¡®Why are you home? Don¡¯t you have work today?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m on leave today,¡± Julian exined. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m going to the hospital tonight. Do you want to


    come along?¡±


    Rachel was surprised by his offer, but she shook her head after a short while, rejecting his offer with a


    beam.


    Maybe not today, but I¡¯ll go tomorrow.¡¯


    Upon remembering Justin¡¯s mistreatment of her after her interaction with Julian, she was immediately


    perturbed. Thus, she thought it was best for everyone not to cause any misunderstandings.


    After expressing that, Rachel pointed upward and made a sleeping gesture, suggesting that she was


    going upstairs for a rest.


    In Julian¡¯s eyes were subtle traces of disappointment, though he still nodded his head. ¡°Okay. Rest


    well.¡±


    Then, he watched as she walked up the staircase, noticing that she was visibly weak. For some


    reason, Julian¡¯s desire to protect her grew even stronger.


    When night fell upon the city, the second bedroom on the second floor of the Hudson Residence still


    had its lights on.


    ¡°All right. Thank you, Dean. I¡¯ll arrive at the hospital first thing in the morning.¡±


    As she clutched her phone, she couldn¡¯t hide the merriness in her voice.


    Shortly after the call disconnected, she received an employment notification on her phone and


    immediately sent a text to Justin. ¡°I¡¯ve received the news from the


    hospital, Justin. It¡¯s such a pleasant surprise that you arranged this so quickly. Thank you so much!


    After waiting for a long while, she had yet to receive a reply.


    At that time, it was already eleven at night. Justin is probably home and is sharing a bed with Rachel


    right now. At that thought, the grin on her face froze.


    No, wait! Rachel and Justin don¡¯t share a room! She remembered what Sue told her.


    But Dad¡­


    She seemed to have realized something, and she hastily picked up a tiny, white bag from her drawer.


    Earlier that day, she had retrieved the bag under Rachel¡¯s bed before leaving her


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    room.


    Thanks to the fact that she majored in medicine and how she had been familiar with both traditional


    and modern medicine since young, she could easily determine theponents thatprised the


    substance in the bag just by looking at it and taking a whiff.


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, Dad was the one who gave this to Rachel¡­ Is he asking her to drug Justin with


    this?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 28

    My Mute Bride Chapter 28


    My Mute Bride Chapter 28


    The next day was a fine day.


    Sue woke up early in the morning to have breakfast with her son.


    Sitting in front of the table, Julian couldn¡¯t help but nce upstairs and ask, ¡°Where¡¯s Rachel?¡±


    By right, he didn¡¯t have to care about Rachel this much, but he just couldn¡¯t bear seeing Justin¡¯s


    attitude toward her.


    ¡°Why do you have to bring her up this early in the morning? You¡¯ve just spoiled my day!¡± Sue put a


    peeled egg onto Julian¡¯s te and said, ¡°Have an egg, son.¡±


    Julian frowned. ¡°Mom, please be kinder toward Rachel. It¡¯s not easy for her either.¡±


    Sue was displeased on hearing that. ¡°You just got back recently. You don¡¯t know about our current


    family situation. Originally, Justin was supposed to marry Amber¡ªthe second daughter of the Hudson


    Family, but Rachel tricked Amber and palmed herself off to marry Justin. Are you expecting me to be


    kind to a woman like her? In my opinion, Justin should divorce her and cast her out.¡±


    Julian¡¯s frown deepened as he had never known this story.


    Just as they were talking, the sound of footstepsing down from upstairs came forth from the living


    room-it was Rachel getting ready to head out.


    Hearing the sound, Sue nced toward the living room and immediately wore a gloomy face. ¡°You¡¯re


    thetest to wake up in the whole family. You¡¯re just azy good-for-nothing.¡±


    Rachel stood quietly and made a gesture. I¡¯m sorry.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll understand your hand gestures?¡± Sue rebuked crabbily. ¡°Where are you going early in


    the morning?¡±


    ¡®Hospital? Rachel wrote in her notebook.


    Sue looked disgusted. ¡°Don¡¯t you know you¡¯ll carry home a lot of bacteria going to the hospital every


    day?¡±


    When she said this, she hadpletely forgotten the fact that her son was a doctor, and the period of


    him staying in the hospital was way much longer than Rachel¡¯s. Therefore, the number of patients and


    bacteria that he got in touch with was much more than Rachel too.


    Seeing Rachel being yelled at by Sue, Julian quickly stood up from the dining table and interrupted,


    ¡°I¡¯m done eating, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Already? Eat more, Julian.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Julian grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and said, ¡°Rachel, I need to talk to you


    about your grandmother¡¯s surgery. I can give you a ride to the hospital.¡±


    Rachel quickly nodded.


    The top priority now was to escape from Sue; otherwise, Rachel might not be able to get away from


    being scolded by the former the entire day, let alone going to the hospital.


    ¡°Hey,¡±


    Sue didn¡¯t manage to stop Julian, and she couldn¡¯t be too mean to Rachel since Julian was around, so


    she could only watch them leave the house one after another.


    ¡°Damn it, that mute! Julian must be possessed. How could he side with her?¡±


    Mrs. Duncan, who was setting up the dining table at the side, reminded Sue as she heard their


    conversation. ¡°We have to put our guard up, Madam. Although Young Master Justin always gives


    Rachel the cold shoulder, Young Master Julian is good tempered and kind. We won¡¯t know if this mute


    has some other thoughts.¡±


    Sue¡¯s heart jolted when she heard that, and her expression changed immediately. ¡°She better not! If


    she dares to approach my son, I¡¯ll surely drive her out of the Burton Family!¡±


    However, Sue was indeed worried knowing Julian¡¯s temperament.


    While on the way to the hospital, Julian took out a packet of biscuits from the back seat. ¡°You haven¡¯t


    had breakfast, have you? You can have some of this first. There¡¯s a breakfast shop beside the hospital;


    you can get breakfast there when we arriveter.¡±


    Rachel received the biscuit and wrote in the notebook. ¡°Thank you!


    Julian took a look at it and praised, ¡°You have very nice handwriting.¡±


    Rachel continued to write, ¡®Thank you for helping me just now!


    ¡°It¡¯s my mom¡¯s fault. Please don¡¯t mind her.¡± With his hands ced on the steering wheel, Julian


    apologized to Rachel while driving. ¡°My mom is a little stubborn. She¡¯s often mean to people outside of


    the family. If she has treated you badly, I¡¯d like to apologize to you on her behalf.¡±


    Rachel stared at the man in front of her who was good-looking and soft spoken. It was hard to imagine


    that Julian was Sue¡¯s son because there was a world of difference between him and Sue, who was


    mean and hostile.


    ¡°By the way, I heard that the one who was supposed to marry Justin initially is your younger sister?¡±


    Startled, Rachel then nodded slowly.


    ¡°What happened? Why did you take her ce instead?¡±


    Rachel remained silent.


    The reason wasplicated and could not be exined in just a few words. Moreover, she couldn¡¯t tell


    Julian the true reason as she wasn¡¯t someone that would speak ill of others behind their backs. The


    truth was, Amber thought Justin was ugly, so she made Rachel stand in for her in the marriage instead.


    Seeing Rachel remain silent, Julian felt sorry for her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have asked you this.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s okay. Rachel shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in the future if there¡¯s a chance.¡¯


    ¡°Sure.¡± Julian smiled. ¡°Next time, if you¡¯re getting bullied in the household or if Justin doesn¡¯t treat you


    well, you can always talk to me. I can help to talk to him.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s okay. Rachel quickly waved her hands about.


    If Julian really said something to Justin, she couldn¡¯t imagine how Justin would treat her. It would most


    probably make things worse.


    Julian felt helpless all of a sudden.


    Although this girl was a mute who looked delicate and fragile, she had a determined aura. Her gentle


    eyes were filled with strength, which caused one to not be able to look away from her.


    Wasn¡¯t a girl like this more worthy to be loved than Amber?


    Julian just couldn¡¯t understand what was on Justin¡¯s mind.


    Soon, they arrived at the hospital. Julian went to meet his walk-in patients while Rachel went straight to


    her grandmother¡¯s ward.


    During this period of recuperation, Nancy looked much better than before. When Rachel arrived, she


    was busily chatting with the patient next to her. The moment Rachel came into her sight, she smiled


    brightly. ¡°Speak of the devil! I was just saying Rae should being to visit me soon.¡±


    Rachel smiled gently and held Nancy¡¯s rough hand. How are you feeling? Is everything okay?


    ¡°I¡¯m good, but look at you! You¡¯ve lost so much weight in such a short period. Did you not eat properly


    because you¡¯re worried about me? Or is it because Jeffery didn¡¯t treat you well?¡±


    Nancy had always been displeased with Jefferey.


    Don¡¯t worry, Grandma. I¡¯m good.


    ¡°d to know. By the way, Rae, is the operation fee very expensive? I think I¡¯m fine now and I can be


    discharged tomorrow.¡±


    No way. Rachel pressed Nancy¡¯s hands and wore a serious look. You must do the operation. Don¡¯t


    worry about the money. It has already been settled.


    ¡°How?¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Rachel pursed her lips. My dad got it settled.


    Nancy looked at Rachel in suspicion. ¡°Really?¡±


    Yeah. Rachel nodded seriously.


    To not make Nancy worry, she could only say so. If Nancy knew she married into the Burton Family for


    the sake of her medical fee, she would surely refuse to proceed with the operation.


    True enough, Nancy was relieved. ¡°Hmph! Looks like Jefferey still has some conscience. Nevertheless,


    I don¡¯t think he genuinely wants to help us but he¡¯s just eyeing our prescription.¡±


    Prescription?


    Rachel was startled. What prescription is that?


    Nancy looked around the ward before she lowered her voice and said, ¡°I¡¯ve not told you thisst time


    but back then, Jefferey fetched you back to our family precisely for the sake of the prescription. The


    prescription¡ª¡±


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    A familiar voice emerged from the door and interrupted Nancy¡¯s speech.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 29

    My Mute Bride Chapter 29


    My Mute Bride Chapter 29


    The moment Rachel heard the familiar female voice, her back immediately became stiff. Then, she


    turned around to see Amber standing at the door in a white robe, staring back at her with an arrogant


    look.


    Why are you here? Rachel was shocked.


    Nancy frowned. Subconsciously, she held Rachel¡¯s hand tight and bit her tongue.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to do my internship. Do you think everyone¡¯s like you-unemployed and living off the elderly?¡±


    Amber mocked Rachel nastily.


    Internship?


    Rachel stared at Amber in shock.


    Indeed, Amber was dressed in a white robe of Riverdale General Hospital. Holding the patients¡¯ record


    book, she entered the ward and walked up to Rachel and Nancy. ¡°What a coincidence. I¡¯m assigned to


    do a checkup for your grandma on the first day of my job.¡±


    Rachel instinctively put her guard up and stood in front of Nancy protectively.


    ¡°Rae.¡± Nancy patted Rachel¡¯s shoulder before looking at Amber and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve never thought


    that the second daughter of the Hudson Family would leave the family business aside to work in a


    hospital. What an ambitious girl.¡±


    Amber had an arrogant look on her face. ¡°The elderly sure know how to speak appropriately. Unlike


    someone, who¡¯s not only a mute but even irritates the others.¡±


    Truth was, Amber had arrived at the hospital early in the morning and the director received her


    personally. Besides that, everyone in the hospital treated her respectfully.


    Hearing that, Nancy snorted, ¡°But s, a person with an evil heart can never be a good doctor. Amber


    Hudson, I don¡¯t need you to do my checkup. Please ask another medical staff toe.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Amber¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Who are you calling evil hearted?¡±


    ¡°The one who attacks others like a mad dog.¡±


    All this while, Nancy¡¯s temper wasn¡¯t the best thanks to the hostile treatment she had received during


    the early years when she raised Rachel on her own.


    Moreover, she had seen the doings of Jefferey and Amber over the years. If it wasn¡¯t that she wished


    for Rachel to receive adequate education, she wouldn¡¯t allow Rachel to stay in the Hudson Family.


    Amber had never been provoked like this before, so she immediately yelled, ¡°You old hag, don¡¯t you be


    ungrateful! It¡¯s your honor to have me do a checkup for you, yet you call me evil-hearted?! The evil


    ones here are you and your daughter who passed away at a young age. She was a mistress and still


    wanted to retain a good reputation? Serves her right to give birth to a daughter who is a mute. All these


    are retributions!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Nancy was so annoyed that her face turned pale. With her hand ced at her chest, she was


    at a loss for words.


    Meanwhile, Rachel was stirred up. She quickly helped Nancy with her breathing while waving her


    hands at Amber, gesturing for her to stop going on.


    ¡°What? Did I hit on the nail and make you feel embarrassed? Rachel. You, your mother and your


    grandma are all the same. Do you think very highly of yourselves? I¡¯m warning you-you better stay


    away from Julian and stop having wishful thoughts.¡±


    Rachel was worried that Nancy would be provoked again, so she shoved Amber to drive her out


    ¡°How dare you touch me? Let go of me! What are you doing?¡± Amber pushed Rachel forcefully, which


    caused thetter to stumble backward with a bang and slump onto the ground. Her back hit the edge of


    the bed, and it was so painful that she almost couldn¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°What happened?¡± A male voice emerged from the entrance.


    ¡°Julian.¡± Amber quickly changed her expression. Initially, she still wanted to continue humiliating


    Rachel, but she immediately feigned a pitiful look the moment she saw Julian. ¡°Julian, she pushed me


    first.¡±.


    However, Julian couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to her and quickly went up to help


    Rachel get up. ¡°Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?¡±


    Rachel was in so much pain that even her tears rolled down, but she shook her head and looked


    toward Nancy, who was lying on the bed.


    Julian understood her intention. After helping Rachel to sit down at the side, he quickly did a checkup


    for Nancy with his stethoscope. ¡°Take a deep breath, ma¡¯am. Lie down first and don¡¯t think of anything


    else. Try to control your breathing.¡±


    On the other hand, Amber was pissed off. ¡°Julian, 1¨C¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± With the stethoscope in his hand, Julian turned around and shot a fierce re at Amber.


    ¡°Who allowed you toe here? Get out!¡±


    It was just her first day in the hospital as an intern, but she actually came to the ward without any


    doctor¡¯s permission and proper training. Worst of all, she hurled insults at the patient. After the situation


    was settled, Julian reckoned he had to have a talk with the chief doctor who allowed Amber to barge in


    the ward.


    After some time, Nancy finally calmed down and her heart rate went back to normal. Shey on the


    bed and rested while Rachel sat beside her, holding her hands tight.


    ¡°Your grandma is fine. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Julian cooed Rachel.


    Rachel nodded.


    ¡®Is Amber going to work here? Can you not let her be in-charge of Grandma¡¯s case?¡¯


    Julian¡¯s face turned gloomy when Rachel brought this up. ¡°Leave this matter to me. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    With that, he immediately turned and walked out.


    Meanwhile, Amber was still waiting outside the ward. The moment she saw Julian walk out, she quickly


    walked up to him and exined, ¡°Julian, it¡¯s really not like what you¡¯ve seen. It¡¯s her who pushed me


    first.¡±


    With a darkened face, Julian wore a rare, cold expression. ¡°Amber Hudson, do you really think the


    other patients have not heard what you said to Rachel and Grandma?¡±


    There were other patients in the ward too, so Julian could find out the truth by just asking them.


    Amber¡¯s face turned pale. The process of her getting into the hospital was so easy with Justin¡¯s help


    that she got too carried away. She merely wanted to humiliate Rachel but had never expected things to


    turn out this way.


    She was even more aggrieved to see Julian siding with Rachel. Gritting her teeth, she said, ¡°Julian,


    why are you always protecting her? Don¡¯t forget that she¡¯s your inw.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    With an indifferent look, Julian said, ¡°We¡¯re in a hospital and she¡¯s the family of a patient. What does it


    have to do with what you said?¡±


    Amber was rendered speechless. Blood boiled, she stomped and snapped, ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Madam


    Parham!¡±


    With that, she ran away angrily.


    Standing in the corridor, Julian frowned with an impatient look as he watched Amber run away.


    Both Rachel and Amber were the daughters of the Hudson Family, yet there was a world of difference


    between them. Rachel couldn¡¯t even afford Nancy¡¯s medical fee, so it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine how much


    suffering she had gone through at home since young


    After coaxing Nancy to rest, Rachel followed Julian to his office to treat the wound.


    Rachel¡¯s ankle was scratched as a result of being pushed by Amber. Actually, the bleeding had


    stopped and she wasn¡¯t affected too badly, but Julian still insisted on treating her wound.


    ¡°Done. Try to stay away from water these few days.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡¯ Rachel wrote the two words and showed them to Julian.


    Seeing Rachel¡¯s neat handwriting in the notebook, Julian asked out of the blue, ¡°Before this, I¡¯ve heard


    from your grandma that you were not born mute. Have you thought of treating it?¡±


    Startled, Rachel then shook her head.


    Indeed, she wasn¡¯t born mute. Back then, a fire ident caused her to lose her voice. Initially, the


    doctor said it could be cured, but after so many years, she had missed the best timing to treat it.


    Besides, she couldn¡¯t afford the medical fee, so she had never thought about getting it healed at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can talk to you about thister. Did you hurt your back too? Let me have a look.¡±


    At that moment, Julian¡¯s office door was left ajar. None of them had realized that someone from the


    outside was taking pictures of them being alone in the room. Snap! A scene of them which could easily


    cause misunderstanding was captured.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 30

    My Mute Bride Chapter 30


    My Mute Bride Chapter 30


    In the office of Burton Group, Justin was reading the ns of a project from hisptop.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, our greatestpetitor for the East Pearl Project this time is Imperial Group. They¡¯ve


    already negotiated the terms for the piece ofnd, so it¡¯s quite difficult for us to overtake them at this


    moment.¡±


    Frankie¡¯s voice, which was filled with worry, came forth from behind theptop.


    Justin said, ¡°Easy doesn¡¯t exist in building a business.¡±


    Frankie chewed on Justin¡¯s words.


    Burton Group was an establishedpany, so theirpetitors would naturally be powerful too.


    Moreover, an insignificantpetitor would not possibly show up in front of Justin.


    Just as they were talking, Justin¡¯s eyes darkened as he saw something on theptop screen.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Burton?¡± Frankie¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he started worrying for the staff in the


    engineering department. ¡°Is there a problem with the n?¡±


    It was only after seeing theptop screen, which was turned around by Justin, did Frankiee to a


    sudden realization.


    The screen showed Justin¡¯s mailbox. Half a minute ago, he received an anonymous email that only


    contained a picture, and the content of the picture was¡­


    Frankie¡¯s expression turned sullen. ¡°Mr. Burton, this picture¡­¡±


    Rachel and Julian were visibly seen in the picture, and the pair was in a treatment room. Julian was


    holding Rachel¡¯s hand while checking on her with his head lowered.


    Justin stared fixedly at their hands which were held together and ordered coldly, ¡°Look into the IP


    address and find the sender.¡±


    Frankie shivered as a chill ran down his spine. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Staring at the picture, Justin tapped the table with his finger. His eyes darkened more at the thought of


    the incidents that happened recently.


    Although the Hudson Family had sessfully swapped Rachel with Amber and made the former marry


    into the Burton Family, the oue was not as well as they had expected


    On the other hand, Rachel¡¯s eyelids had been twitching the whole afternoon, and she felt perturbed for


    some reason.


    She stayed in the hospital until the evening. Just so happened, Julian was about to get off from work,


    so he fetched her home too.


    The moment they arrived at the Burton Residence, Sue stopped them.


    With a displeased look, Sue darted a nce at Rachel and said, ¡°Julian, why did you guyse back


    together?¡±


    Before Rachel could write something in her notebook, Julian had already spoken up to exin.


    ¡°Coincidentally, I was done with work, so I drove her back. It¡¯s just a small favor since we¡¯re rtives.¡±


    ¡°Who says she¡¯s our rtive?¡± Sue cast a disdainful nce at Rachel. ¡°No one knows how long more


    she will be able to stay at ours. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mom.¡± Julian immediately interrupted Sue with a slightly sullen look.


    Seeing Julian¡¯s reaction, Sue had no choice but to m up reluctantly and bite her tongue. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll


    stop. It¡¯s rare that youe home this early, so let¡¯s spend some time together,¡± Sue said kindly.


    Considering Rachel¡¯s situation in the Burton Family, Julian nodded and turned to Rachel. ¡°Rachel, go


    and have some rest first. I¡¯ll call you when it¡¯s time for dinner.¡±


    Rachel looked at Sue hesitantly.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Sue wanted to talk to Julian and had no desire to be bothered with Rachel, so she waved


    her hands about and wanted Rachel to leave quickly as if she was a jinx.


    Rachel was relieved.


    After hearing the sound of the door closing from upstairs, Sue removed her disdainful look and peeled


    an apple for Julian, who was sitting across from her on the couch. After some small talk, she asked,


    ¡°Julian, I heard Amber is now an intern in your hospital?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Julian was a little absent-minded.


    ¡°Amber is the second daughter of the Hudson Family. Not only is she educated with a good family


    background, but she¡¯s pretty and innocent too. I¡¯ve met her before. She¡¯s a kind girl. Do take care of


    her more since she¡¯s working with you now.¡±


    Julian replied indifferently, ¡°She doesn¡¯t work with me.¡±


    After seeing how Amber hurled insults at a patient in the morning, Julian decided that he would


    definitely not ept someone like her to be his assistant intern. Regardless of how she got into


    the hospital, he was determined to ask for Amber to be reced.


    ¡°Did Rachel tell you something?¡± Sue furrowed her brows. ¡°That mute, she can¡¯t talk yet she¡¯s good at


    gossiping. She just can¡¯t bear to see her sister doing better than her.¡±


    Julian wore a solemn expression. ¡°Mom, can you stop judging a book by its cover?¡±


    He was well aware that his mother was a mean woman. In addition to Justin¡¯s attitude, Julian knew


    Rachel¡¯s situation would be full of hardships in the Burton Family, so he felt sorry for her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not judging a book by its cover. I¡¯ve investigated it before,¡± Sue exined to Julian patiently. ¡°The


    mute¡¯s mother was a mistress and caused Amber¡¯s mother¡¯s death back then. A woman like her is a


    jinx.¡±


    Julian frowned. ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Amber told me personally.¡± Sue sighed. ¡°This afternoon, that girl came to me, weeping. She told me


    that an unpleasant incident happened in the hospital this morning and that you¡¯ve misunderstood her.


    After hearing her exnation only did I realize how pitiful that girl is. She lost her mother at a young


    age. It must have been tough for her.¡±


    So, it¡¯s Amber


    Julian¡¯s frown deepened as the guilty party was actually filing aint first. ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t just


    listen to a story from one side.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Sue¡¯s expression changed all of a sudden seeing how Julian was still siding


    with Rachel after all that she had told him. ¡°Did the mute bewitch you? Why do you keep siding with


    her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not siding with her; I¡¯m just siding with the truth. Also, Mom, you should stop interfering with


    Justin¡¯s household matters. He has his life, and we have ours.¡± Julian looked at Sue seriously,


    ¡°What do you mean? You¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired, Mom. I¡¯m going back to my room to have some rest first.¡± Julian ced his mug forcefully on


    the table to interrupt Sue. Thereafter, he went straight back to his room.


    Meanwhile, Sue was hot under the cor to see Julian leave.


    Rachel was resting in her room and was shocked when she heard a bang from downstairs all of a


    sudden. Although the room door was closed, she could still hear Sue¡¯s angry yell from downstairs.


    ¡°After all these years of raising him, he started rebuking me now that he has some achievements?!¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be angry, Madam. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not Young Master Julian¡¯s intention.¡±


    ¡°How is it not? He thinks I¡¯m shameless for staying in the Burton Residence, doesn¡¯t he? Even Justin,


    his cousin, has neverined about me, but he on the other hand-is he really my son?¡±


    ¡°Please calm down and have some tea, Madam.¡±


    Just then, another loud bang emerged, which sounded like ceramic shattering.


    Rachel tightened her grip on the book, feeling puzzled.


    In fact, she thought it was weird all this while. The Burton Family had an extensive family business.


    Even though Justin had lost his parents at a young age, he didn¡¯t necessarily have to be raised by Sue,


    his youngest aunt.


    On the other hand, given Julian¡¯s attitude, it seemed like he didn¡¯t prefer Su¨¦ to stay in the Burton


    Family.


    A whileter, Rachel finally heaved a sigh of relief as the noise downstairs gradually ceased. Flipping to


    the next page of the book, she just had no intention to care about these matters of the Burton Family.


    But s, the peace did notst long. Before she could finish reading a page, someone flung her door


    open from the outside without even knocking on it.


    Shocked, Rachel lifted her head in puzzlement.


    Standing at the door was Sue, who was staring at her furiously as she had nowhere else to vent her


    anger but at her. ¡°Stupid mute! Pack up your stuff and get out of the Burton Residence immediately!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she gripped the page tight.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 31

    My Mute Bride Chapter 31


    My Mute Bride Chapter 31


    Looking arrogant, Sue was filled with contempt as she red at Rachel.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen Justin¡¯s attitude toward you. I don¡¯t care what tricks you¡¯ve used to rece your sister to


    marry into this family, but do you think you¡¯re fit to be a part of the Burton Family given your


    disability? Don¡¯t you dare to start dreaming about approaching my Julian. I¡¯m telling you-in your


    dreams!¡±


    I¡¯ve never thought of approaching Julian. He¡¯s just my grandma¡¯s doctor-in-charge!


    Rachel quickly wrote down this sentence to show Sue.


    ¡°What the hell!¡± Sue flipped Rachel¡¯s notebook away furiously.


    The notebook fell on the floor, so Rachel quickly went to pick it up.


    ¡°Mrs. Duncan, get a cab and send her back to the Hudson Residence right now! Tell them that she¡¯s


    not allowed to enter the Burton Residence again in the future; otherwise, they shall bear the


    consequences!¡±


    Looking contemptuous, Sue immediately ordered the servant to pack up Rachel¡¯s stuff and throw them


    out.


    Mrs. Duncan couldn¡¯t wait to see Rachel be driven out of the Burton Residence, so she rapidly stuffed


    Rachel¡¯s belongings into the luggage and dragged it out.


    Rachel had very few things to begin with, so her stuff couldn¡¯t even fill the entire luggage.


    Rachel¡¯s face turned pale all of a sudden when she saw that a corner of the luggage was not properly


    zipped up. She staggered toward Mrs. Duncan to take the luggage back from her because there were


    her mother¡¯s relics in it.


    ¡°Mm¡­ mm¡­¡± Rachel struggled to speak, so all she could do was let out a coarse sound. Despite her


    trying hard to gesture, no one understood her.


    As such, they argued all the way to the entrance.


    ¡°Get lost!¡± Sue pointed at Rachel with an extremely menacing look.


    All Rachel wanted was to get her luggage back, but she was mistaken for refusing to leave. As such,


    Mrs. Duncan pushed her and said crabbily, ¡°We¡¯re asking you to leave. What are you doing?!¡±


    Rachel stumbled and lost her bnce. She screamed as her body fell backward.


    However, she didn¡¯t feel any pain as she had imagined. A pair of big hands supported her back steadily


    from behind. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± A cold rebuke emerged.


    Rachel lifted her head to see Justin¡¯s frigid face under the light. At this moment, he was staring at the


    front with a slightly angry look.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Rachel¡¯s belongings fell out of the luggage and spread over the floor. With that, Justin immediately


    realized that she was going to be chased out.


    ¡°How dare you?¡± Justin let go of Rachel as his face darkened even more.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s¡­¡± With her face turned as pale as a sheet, Mrs. Duncan stuttered while ncing at Sue


    helplessly.


    Neither did Sue expect that Justin would appear all of a sudden. Guilt-stricken, she still said stubbornly,


    ¡°Justin, we can¡¯t let this woman stay. The Hudsons are clearly ying with us by doing as such. We


    can¡¯t be bullied by them!¡±


    ¡°Whether I keep her or not is my own business. Others have no right to interfere with it.¡±


    Justin¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t too loud but it was strong, and no one was excused from his statement.


    It was rare to have moments like this where Sue would feel embarrassed. She raised Justin on her


    own, and everyone in the Burton Family respected her, so she had always been arrogant. However,


    she didn¡¯t dare to be haughty when faced with Justin.


    Immediately, she was intimidated and attempted to exhort Justin nicely, ¡°Justin, don¡¯t be angry. You


    shouldn¡¯t take your marriage lightly. You guys have not registered anyway, so it doesn¡¯t count.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel clenched her fists as she became hopeful all of a sudden.


    The marriage between the Burton Family and the Hudson Family was a sudden


    decision. Although Rachel couldn¡¯t escape from it, if Justin was determined to abandon her, there was


    nothing Jefferey could do either. If that happened, she wouldn¡¯t have to continue staying cautiously with


    the Burton Family.


    However, Justin caught a glimpse of Rachel¡¯s hope in her eyes. At that moment, without even realizing


    it, Justin¡¯s face darkened.


    Is she hoping to leave the Burton Family? In her dreams!


    Justin¡¯s strong and loud voice emerged in the yard. ¡°If you¡¯re referring to this matter, you don¡¯t have to


    be worried, Aunt Sue. We¡¯ll get our registration done tomorrow by


    2 P.M.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    There was a change in everyone¡¯s expression, including Julian, who just walked out of the house upon


    hearing the noise.


    Seeing Julian walk out, Justin¡¯s eyes darkened even more. He grabbed Rachel abruptly and stared


    fixedly at her. ¡°Without my permission, she¡¯s not allowed to leave the Burton Residence, even if it¡¯s her


    own will.¡±


    Rachel moaned and gritted her teeth as she felt her arm hurting.


    In everyone¡¯s eyes at that moment, it seemed as if Justin was protecting Rachel.


    However, Julian¡¯s eyes darkened.


    Sue wore a sulky look but didn¡¯t dare to say anything further.


    VOrea


    After all, they were staying at the Burton Residence, and Justin was the master of this ce.


    ¡°Follow me upstairs.¡± After giving the short, precisemand, Justin retracted his gaze from Rachel


    and strode toward the mansion.


    Rachel quickly took the luggage and followed Justin. While passing by Julian, she heard him asking in


    a low voice, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    She nodded and quickly caught up with Justin as she didn¡¯t dare to stay on any longer. However, Justin


    overheard Julian¡¯s question and felt disturbed for some


    reason.


    Once the door of the master bedroom upstairs was closed, the mansion became silent.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Giving off a cold aura, Justin unbuttoned his zer and sat down on the couch.


    Rachel shook her head. I don¡¯t know.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Justin snorted. ¡°Are you very close to Julian?¡±


    His cold voice echoed in the room while Rachel¡¯s heart jolted.


    ¡°Mm¡­ mm¡­¡±


    Before she could think of a reply, Justin stood up suddenly and grabbed her cheeks with a fierce look.


    ¡°You¡¯re really something. Aunt Sue wants to drive you out because of Julian, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­mm¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re refusing to admit it? What¡¯s it about then?¡±


    Rachel shook her head incessantly to deny it, but Justin showed her his phone. On the screen


    stered a picture of her and Julian in the hospital.


    Justin did not let go of her cheeks and continued with harsher words. ¡°Does Jefferey think that he


    would be able to seize the Burton Family through his two daughters?¡±


    Rachel shook her head helplessly as tears welled up in her eyes.


    Justin¡¯s pupils dted as he saw her weak and helpless look. ¡°The reason you willingly reced Amber


    to marry into the Burton Family is due to your grandma¡¯s illness, am I right?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard the word ¡®grandma¡¯. Fear umted in her eyes at


    once.


    What does Justin want to do?


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re so obedient to Jefferey?¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes were so frosty that it would leave one flustered. Rachel instinctively wanted to recoil, but


    her back was already ttened against the wall, and she could feel the coldness from it.


    ¡°Have you ever thought that if Jefferey can control you due to this matter, so can I?¡±


    At that moment, Rachel felt her blood run cold.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 32

    My Mute Bride Chapter 32


    My Mute Bride Chapter 32


    There was a tinge of coldnessing from his fingers onto her cheeks that were held with force.


    However, the voice ringing next to Rachel¡¯s ear was even colder.


    At this moment, she felt her head ringing as it went nk. Anxious, she quickly turned to look at Justin.


    It was only then that he gradually let his grip off and took his seat on the sofa again. With his chin


    slightly tilted upward, he said with an arrogant, cold look, ¡°I thought that you were lying. Now I see that


    you¡¯re willing to do anything to help with your grandma¡¯s illness.¡±


    After a few moments, she suddenly remembered that she had to breathe, so she took a deep breath in


    too quickly. Due to that, she choked hard and ended up holding her neck with her body leaning against


    the wall as she had a consecutive string of coughs.


    She choked so badly that tears welled up in her eyes. Amidst her coughs, her hand that was holding a


    pen trembled. ¡®What do you mean?¡¯


    Seeing that, he calmly took a breath in before letting it out. As he tucked his crossed fingers between


    his knees, he looked up at her before saying, ¡°I want to make a deal with you.¡±


    There was a brief pause before he continued his next sentence.


    ¡°I want the Hudson Family¡¯s prescription.¡±


    It¡¯s the prescription again! He¡¯s indeeding for the Hudson¡¯s prescription!


    When she heard that, her face turned pale as she shook her head several times. What prescription? I


    don¡¯t know.¡±


    The Hudson Family¡¯s prescription was a trade secret that serves as the key livelihood of Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals. Even Amber didn¡¯t know much about it, much less Rachel, the neglected daughter


    who was born out of wedlock.


    ¡°We¡¯re not in a rush.¡±


    Of course, he was aware of the limitations of her capabilities.


    ¡°The Hudson Family owns many prescriptions, but I only want one-the one in Jefferey¡¯s private safe.¡±


    Upon hearing that, she shook her head helplessly. ¡®You¡¯re asking too much from me?


    No matter which prescription he¡¯d ask for, she wouldn¡¯t be able to obtain any of them.


    ¡°Too much?¡± As he looked at her neat handwriting on the notebook, his face turned dark. He then


    looked at her with a cold gaze before he blurted, ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m asking a lot from you because it¡¯s


    what you Hudsons owe me!¡±


    Years back, they were the ones who caused Katie¡¯s death in that fire. It was a blood debt that had to be


    paid back, so there was no way he¡¯d be asking too much from them.


    As his train of thoughts ran through his mind, his face turned even darker. In a cold tone, he continued,


    ¡°Jefferey will be celebrating his birthday at the end of the month. If you manage to get it, I¡¯ll help you


    eliminate the evidence he has against you. You will no longer be restricted by them.¡±


    Hearing his deep voice echo in the room, she shuddered.


    Justin wants to do something to Grandma¡­ No way!


    ¡°Have you considered it?¡±


    ¡°Give me some time? She could onlypromise.


    Nevertheless, she knew that she was unable to do what he asked of her. Not to mention, she didn¡¯t


    even know where the safe he mentioned was. How could she get the prescription?


    ¡°Are you trying to negotiate with me?¡±


    Gritting her teeth, she held onto the pen tightly as she wrote, ¡°Grandma¡¯s operation is next Monday. I


    can only do that after her operation ends.¡±


    Looking at her determined look, he knew that he¡¯d gained nothing if he were to push her further. After


    giving it some thought, he briefly replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After waiting for so many years, he didn¡¯t mind waiting for a mere few days.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to pull anything funny.¡± Before he left, he gave her a warning. ¡°Don¡¯t forget. No one is going to


    have your back if you screw up.¡±


    Right after that, the door was mmed shut with a bang, causing Rachel to tremble.


    After a few seconds, she held onto the arms of the chair before she sat down as her legs felt weak.


    It seemed that she could no longer reside in the Burton Family nor in Riverdale, so she must bring her


    grandma and leave as soon as possible.


    The next day.


    When Justin was about to head out in the morning, he bumped into Julian at the door.


    ¡°Morning.¡±


    ¡°Waiting for someone?¡± Justin nodded in acknowledgment as he gazed past Julian and noticed that he


    was leaning against a car like he was waiting for someone.


    Without bothering to evade, he replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to work. On the way, I¡¯ll bring Rae to see her


    grandma at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Rae?¡± The nickname sounded extra unpleasant to Justin¡¯s ears as the look in his eyes turned cold.


    At this moment, Rachel came out of the house carrying a minimalistic white tote bag. Seeing the two


    men looking at her, she was stumped.


    What are the odds of such a coincidence?


    She had even deliberately decided to leave a littleter than usual just to avoid these two men.


    ¡°Morning, Rae!¡± Julian¡¯s voice traveled past Justin¡¯s figure and entered her ears.


    Out of instinct, she looked up and offered the source of the voice a smile, but her smile quickly faltered


    when her eyes met Justin¡¯s. Hence, she tentatively gave a nod in response without budging.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡±


    Julian¡¯s voice could be heard once again. It was as warm and gentle as the morning sunlight


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll drop her off on my way to work.¡± At this moment, Justin¡¯s voice echoed in


    the front porch, somehow dimming the warmth of this morning¡¯s sunlight.


    Hearing that made her face freeze.


    ¡°Rae¡­¡± Julian¡¯s gaze turned serious.


    Inevitably, she didn¡¯t have the guts to look at Julian in his eyes as her clutch on the tote bag strap


    tightened. Under Justin¡¯s pressuring gaze, she slowly threaded toward him and got into his car.


    He didn¡¯t even have to say anything else.


    Meanwhile, Julian seemed like a kicked puppy as he watched her sitting in Justin¡¯s


    car.


    As Justin walked past Julian, he put his palm on Julian¡¯s shoulder firmly before saying in a cold tone,


    ¡°You should call her Rachel; she is your inw, not your friend.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Upon hearing that, Julian froze in his tracks.


    As the MPV left the front porch, the atmosphere at the scene seemed too heavy for a day in summer.


    The white figure standing at the front porch became smaller and smaller in the rear mirror, and Rachel


    couldn¡¯t help but sink into a state of guilt.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you unwilling to be in my car?¡±


    At this moment, a cold voice spoke up from beside her. At once, she snapped out of her thoughts and


    shook her head in denial.


    ¡°Then, are you disappointed because you didn¡¯t get to ride with Julian?¡±


    Once again, she shook her head. ¡®I don¡¯t want to ride in his car. Even if I didn¡¯t get into yours, I wouldn¡¯t


    have gone with him.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Really?¡±


    ¡®Madam Parham doesn¡¯t like it when I get too close with Julian, so I will keep my distance from him.¡¯


    After being around Justin for some time, she learned that it was vital for her to get things straight so


    that unnecessary misunderstandings wouldn¡¯t happen.


    Hearing that, he couldn¡¯t help but scoff. ¡°Very sensible of you.¡±


    Sue had always taken Julian¡¯s marriage seriously. Usually, she wouldn¡¯t even approve of normal girls,


    much less Rachel.


    After taking a nce at her, Justin turned his attention away to the view outside the window before he


    said monotonously, ¡°Stay away from Julian. Don¡¯t get into trouble.¡±


    She nodded immediately to indicate that she had understood.


    Seeing how obtuse she seemed, he no longer felt like talking to her. Hence, he shut his eyes and


    leaned back into the seat.


    The view outside the window was moving backward at a high speed, and it was silent in the car.


    Hearing the steady and soft breathsing from the man sitting next to her, Rachel no longer felt


    anxious.


    At this moment, she tentatively turned to look at him.


    The scar on his face seemed to have faded a lot, and he didn¡¯t look as scary and tenacious in his


    sleep.


    Just as she was observing his features, she suddenly saw from her hindsight that the driver was


    checking her out from the rearview mirror. At once, she was stumped. Not knowing what else to do, she


    quickly bowed down to reach for her tote bag that had fallen between the two seats in hopes that the


    awkwardness would dissipate.


    The moment she picked up the tote bag, her wrist was grabbed by a big hand.


    Inevitably, she was caught off guard. She initially thought that Justin must have woken up, but he


    seemed to be still having his eyes closed when she turned to check on him. Nheless, she also


    noticed that droplets of cold sweat trickled down his forehead where the scar was imprinted on his skin.


    He must be having a nightmare.


    Would a person like him get nightmares too? Though she couldn¡¯t understand why, she felt a little bad


    for him.


    After a few moments, she finally calmed herself back down and decided to carefully retract her hand


    back.


    ¡°Katie¡­¡±


    After a string of murmurs, he suddenly opened his eyes. At this moment, his gaze was as cold as a


    sharp sword, puncturing into her eyes in a swift action. Stupefied, she couldn¡¯t help but shudder as she


    held her breath.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 33

    My Mute Bride Chapter 33


    My Mute Bride Chapter 33


    The atmosphere in the car almost felt like it was frozen.


    Justin looked like he was still trapped in his dream as he hadn¡¯t loosened his grip on Rachel¡¯s wrist. His


    sharp gaze slowly turned out of focus as he looked in her direction, and it seemed like he was looking


    at someone else through her.


    At this moment, she was too terrified to budge an inch.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, we¡¯ve reached the hospital.¡±


    The driver¡¯s announcement managed to snap him out of his thoughts, clearing the haze before his


    eyes as he began to get a clear look at the woman in front of him. Almost immediately, his expression


    turned back to his usual cold look before he blurted, ¡°Get down.¡±


    Not daring to dy further, she quickly obliged by grabbing her tote bag and got out of the car.


    As she watched the MPV take off from the hospitals entrance, she heaved a sigh of relief. However,


    she was still dwelling on what happened earlier as she rubbed her wrist that was held forcefully. Out of


    instinct, she turned her wrist several times to ensure that it was still intact.


    This man is scary even in his sleep.


    However¡­ She heard him call out a name earlier.


    Was it¡­ Katie?


    Meanwhile, Justin was still in a trance after the car had left the hospital.


    As the driver held the wheels, he asked with a worried look, ¡°Mr. Burton, did you have a nightmare


    again just now?¡±


    Justin¡¯s thick brows furrowed as his expression turned stoic.


    It had been years since hest dreamt about the big fire.


    Human¡¯s memory was bound to fade off as time passed. No matter how hard he tried


    to remember, his memory of her seemed to be gradually fading away.


    He couldn¡¯t recall when was thest time he remembered her face. All he could remember was a pair


    of eyes filled with tears in the big fire. Every time he tried to take a better look at her face, the dream


    would end.


    Earlier, he saw Rachel¡¯s face on the girl in the fire.


    At the thought of that, he clenched his fists so tight that his green veins looked as if they were popping


    out.


    How could she?


    ¡°To the cemetery.¡± The driver could hear Justin¡¯s cold voiceing from the backseat.


    The driver was caught off guard when his gaze met Justin¡¯s through the rear-view mirror. At once, his


    hands that were gripping the wheel trembled before he answered, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t say anything else after that sinct instruction.


    Meanwhile, Rachel was spending the entire day at the hospital with her grandma.


    It was going to be Monday the next day, and her grandma¡¯s operation was scheduled to start early in


    the morning. It was specially arranged by Julian in regards to Rachel, so she was going to keep her


    grandmapany throughout the night.


    ¡°Her temperature¡¯s normal. If no problem urs, she¡¯ll be able to undergo the operation early in the


    morning.¡±


    In the ward, Julian was measuring Nancy¡¯s body temperature as he spoke to Rachel about things she


    should look out for prior to the operation.


    ¡°She has to fast starting this afternoon. Later around 2 P.M., she¡¯ll have to undergo an enema. There


    will be some slight difort, so do give her a heads up to mentally prepare.¡±


    With a nod, Rachel wrote, ¡°I¡¯ll let my grandma know.¡±


    ¡°Right, you must¡¯ve not had lunch yet.¡± Taking a nce at his watch, he proposed,


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat together.¡±


    Nheless, she shook her head in rejection, ¡®No thanks, I¡¯d like to keep my grandmapany.¡±


    As Julian was about to say something, a woman¡¯s voice cut him off, ¡°Julian, you¡¯re here. I¡¯ve been


    looking for you high and low.¡±


    Upon hearing that, both Rachel and Julian frowned, and they did it almost in sync,


    None of them needed to look to know that it was Amber,


    ¡®Dr. Peters, you can go along with your work. I¡¯ll head back in.¡¯


    At once, Julian held on to Rachel before he said, ¡°You still need to eat.¡±


    That made her halt her steps. In the next moment, Amber was already standing right before the two of


    them.


    When Amber saw how he was holding onto Rachel, her face turned dark,


    It took Rachel a moment before she snapped out of the trance and pulled her hand back with a frown


    on her forehead.


    As Julian¡¯s gaze swept past Amber, he said coldly, ¡°We¡¯re going to eat. What do you need?¡±


    ¡°You two?¡± The raging fire in her eyes was evident. She gritted her teeth as she said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little


    inappropriate for you two to eat together?¡±


    Just as Rachel was about to free herself from his grip, he spoke up. ¡°There are so many people in the


    hospital cafeteria. What¡¯s inappropriate about eating together? Your house rules must be very strict,


    Miss Hudson.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean it that way, ¡­ Julian, I¡¯m here to ask for your thoughts on a case diagnosis¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s lunch break now.¡±


    With a courteous yet distant tone, he didn¡¯t bother to let her finish as he cut her off. ¡°We can talk after I


    have my lunch. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    It was rare for Rachel to see Amber embarrassed like that. What was more, Rachel didn¡¯t expect that


    Julian, who had always been kind to everyone, would treat her so coldly. She was a little stumped at


    the moment, and she was already led down the hallway away from Amber when she came to her


    senses.


    ¡®Wait! At this moment, she tentatively tugged on his sleeve.


    ¡°What is it?¡± He stopped in his tracks immediately.


    ¡®Dr. Peters, you should go ahead and eat. I¡¯m not hungry yet?


    Though it was satisfying to see Amber getting bbergasted, Rachel insisted on turning him down.


    In response, he frowned and asked with patience, ¡°Are you avoiding me? Is there a reason why you¡¯re


    doing that?¡±


    Hearing that, she shook her head before offering him a smile. ¡°I need to go keep grandmapany?


    After that, she turned on her heels and headed back to the ward.


    The moment she turned around, the smile on her lips slowly went missing. In the current situation she


    was in, she couldn¡¯t afford to offend Sue anymore.


    As he watched her walk away, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a mixture of sadness and disappointment.


    It was a feeling that he had not felt before in the past two decades.


    As soon as she walked into the ward, her grandma looked at her with a stumped expression. ¡°Why are


    you back already? Didn¡¯t you go to eat with Julian?¡±


    How did you know that?


    Obviously, Rachel was surprised to see her reaction.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°How can I not know? I was the one who asked him to bring you to get something to eat,¡± she said with


    a triumphant smile on her face. ¡°Dr. Julian is a good man. Not only does he look good, but he¡¯s also


    good in many other aspects as well. Most importantly, I can see that he has feelings for you. Rae, you


    should grab the chance.¡±


    At once, Rachel reached forward to cover her grandma¡¯s mouth. Don¡¯t say that! We shouldn¡¯t tarnish


    his image and name. The rtionship between us isn¡¯t what you think it is. You¡¯re overthinking it. What


    is Grandma thinking? Is she trying to y cupid?


    Seeing that Rachel had gotten all flustered, her grandma thought it was best for her to stop going on.


    Nheless, she still felt a little dissatisfied with how the conversation ended. ¡°Rae, never think too


    lowly of yourself. In my eyes, you are so much better than Amber.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel could only shake her head helplessly.


    Whether she was better or not, it no longer mattered. The truth was, she was already married to Justin.


    At this moment, her grandma held onto her hand before sighing, ¡°My beloved Rae is all grown up


    already. You¡¯re a chip off the old block; you look as beautiful as your mother was.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t really have many memories about her mother, and whatever she now knew were stories


    she heard from her grandma. From her grandma¡¯s eyes, her mother was smart, gentle and kind-she


    was the finest woman in the world.


    How did my mother die?


    When Rachel brought this up, her grandma¡¯s face turned pale, and she fell silent.


    Just as Rachel thought that her grandma would tell her the story as she usually would, she suddenly


    lowered her voice before murmuring, ¡°Because of a piece of the prescription.¡±


    Prescription? Why is it the prescription again?


    At once, Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She simply stared at her grandma with a dumbfounded face.


    Her grandma then asked, ¡°Rae, do you remember what happened when you were young?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 34

    My Mute Bride Chapter 34


    My Mute Bride Chapter 34


    Shaking her head, Rachel gave her grandma a nk look.


    She couldn¡¯t remember most of the things that had happened when she was young. All this while, she


    suspected she learned the ability to recollect memories a littleter than other children since she


    couldn¡¯t remember much. Besides that, she only remembered a little of the time before she arrived at


    Riverdale.


    Seeing her reaction, Nancy reached out her frail, bony hand to brush several strands of Rachel¡¯s fringe


    behind her ear, revealing her neat, beautiful face.


    As if she was talking to herself, she murmured, ¡°It seems that you don¡¯t remember. If you did, you


    wouldn¡¯t have followed Jefferey here.¡±


    Hearing that, she was dumbfounded. Why? Didn¡¯t Dad bring us over to Riverdale because he thought


    that our old ce wasn¡¯t safe?


    When Rachel was young, she lived in the mountains with her grandma and mother. (This novel will be


    daily updated at .novelheart)After a huge forest fire happened which resulted in her mother¡¯s


    death, Jefferey brought her and her grandma over to Riverdale. ¡°Of course not, that old dog, he did it


    because¡­¡±


    Because of what?


    After the ident was brought up, Nancy looked uneasy. Sadness seemed to have emanated from her


    clouded eyes.


    At this moment, Rachel tugged on her grandma¡¯s sleeve. Grandma, are you okay?


    All of a sudden, Nancy snapped out of the trance before she replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She then gently patted the back of Rachel¡¯s hand as she said, ¡°Rae, you must live a happy life. We just


    have to be honest and true to ourselves. That suffices. Your mom who¡¯s looking over you from above


    will want you to be safe and sound.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel nodded obediently.


    ¡°Right, Rae, do you still keep the box that your mom left for you?¡±


    Yes. She nodded once again.


    ¡°You must keep it well.¡±


    Grandma, what¡¯s inside the box?


    From what seemed to be the beginning of her memories, Nancy had been asking her to keep the box


    well. However, the box was square like a cube, and there was no opening to it. It looked like a piece of


    wood that had been tinkered on.


    Nevertheless, Nancy referred to that as a box.


    ¡°One day, when you open it, you¡¯ll know.¡±


    She said that meaningfully, but Rachel was still confused. She couldn¡¯t help but feel that her grandma


    was hiding something from her.


    As the operation was scheduled to take ce in the early morning, Rachel could only catch a wink of


    sleep for a brief moment.


    The fact that Julian would be the lead surgeon for the operation made her feel so much more at ease.


    The light of the operation room was on while she waited alone. At the break of dawn, the operation was


    finally done and the door of the operation room was pushed open, revealing Julian who walked out as


    he was taking off his mask.


    ¡°The operation was sessful. Your grandma is fine.¡± With his gaze fixed on her, he told her with a


    smile.


    It was only then that Rachel could heave a sigh of relief as shey back against the chair,


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Instinctively, he quickly reached out, making a gesture to help support her.


    She then shook her head. Thank you.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s my job as a doctor. You should go catch some sleep since you didn¡¯t rest very well


    last night. Your grandma¡¯s still on anesthesia and she won¡¯t be waking up so soon.¡±


    Hearing that, she nodded without shifting her body.


    Throughout the operation, she had been tense as she waited. Now that she could rx, her legs felt so


    weak that she couldn¡¯t even walk.


    Seeing that, Julian felt his heart ache. ¡°Let me help you.¡±


    She then waved him off. ¡°I¡¯ll rest here for a while. I¡¯ll leave my grandma to you then.¡±


    Needless to say, he could clearly feel she was distancing herself from him. He was about to ask her


    something, but he held it back when he saw how weak she seemed. After debating with himself, he


    didn¡¯t speak up about what was on his mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you some food then.¡±


    Before she could reject him, he had already handed her a bottle of water and left.


    Once again, she was alone in the empty hallway.


    Since the operation was over, she now had to face the things that she dreaded. She couldn¡¯t help but


    feel nervous about it.


    Meanwhile, in the morning, at the Burton Residence.


    ¡°Justin, go easy on the caffeine. It¡¯s bad for your health.¡±


    At this moment, Sue ced a cup of fruit juice in front of him before taking a nce in the direction of


    the second room. ¡°Rachel didn¡¯te back for the past two days. I wonder what she is up to that she


    can¡¯t even take care of her husband. This is absurd.¡±


    As Justin read the newspaper, he said disdainfully, ¡°She¡¯s taking care of her grandma at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°There are caretakers in the hospital. Is it really necessary for her to be there 24/7? Julian hasn¡¯te


    home for these past two days too. Every time I called him, he said that he was busy. I¡¯m sure that


    Rachel is bugging him.¡±


    Hearing that, Justin looked up from behind the newspaper with a dark gaze.


    ¡°Justin, don¡¯t get mad at me if I say this as I know that you feel sympathy for the mute, but the Burton


    Family isn¡¯t doing charity. We don¡¯t just take in anyone. Not only is the mute not behaving herself, she


    even goes out to do inappropriate stuff. I¡¯m sure she has some ulterior motive.¡±


    Sue got more agitated as she went on. ¡°Julian¡¯s always helping her, and he doesn¡¯t even listen to his


    mother now. You remember how soft-hearted he always was, don¡¯t you? It must be the mute who


    seduced¡­¡±


    Suddenly, a loud thud sounded from the coffee cup colliding with the dining table. Sue¡¯s ongoing nag


    stopped at once as she looked up frantically to meet with Justin¡¯s cold expression


    ¡°Justin, I may have said a little too much, but¡­ I¡¯m doing this for you.¡±


    He then cut her off, ¡°Aunt Sue, you can start thinking about Julian¡¯s marriage if you¡¯re free.¡±


    That caught Sue off guard.


    ¡°I¡¯m done eating. I¡¯m heading to thepany now.¡±


    With that, he grabbed his coat and left the dining room inrge strides.


    Hearing the roar of the engine starting from the porch, Sue blurted out as her face sank, ¡°That mute is


    such a scourge! Justin made it obvious that he doesn¡¯t want my input on this, so it seems that she


    won¡¯t be going anywhere for some time. What a bummer.¡±


    As Mrs. Duncan tidied the table, she consoled Sue. ¡°Madam, there¡¯s no need to let her bother you.


    After all, she is mute. That¡¯s all she is. Julian won¡¯t be interested in her. However, are you really


    interested in Ms. Amber?¡±


    ¡°Amber Hudson?¡± Sue scoffed. ¡°What¡¯s so great about the Hudson Family? They just run a traditional


    medicine business. If it wasn¡¯t for Justin¡¯s proposal, they would¡¯ve never had the chance to enter our


    family.¡±


    Meanwhile, Mrs. Duncan was confused. ¡°Then you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just watch them fight. It¡¯ll even be great if they both end up losing. The thing is, I¡¯ll have to talk to


    the Tuscan Family if the mute stays any longer.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    At the mention of the Tuscan Family, Mrs. Duncan was stumped. ¡°Are you still dealing with the Tuscans


    ¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish, Sue suddenly recalled something and she beamed. ¡°It¡¯s been


    some time since west visited Old Mr. Burton.¡±


    With a nod, Mrs. Duncan agreed. ¡°Every summer, he¡¯de from his hometown to the summer vi in


    Riverdale for vacation. We have just missed the season.¡±


    At this moment, Sue looked like she had an idea. ¡°Ever since Justin got married, Old Mr. Burton has yet


    to meet his new daughter-inw. I should go visit him and give him a heads up.¡±


    Hearing that, Mrs. Duncan was stunned for a moment before she quickly reacted with a smile on her


    face. (This novel will be daily updated at .novelheart)¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re the one who raised


    Young Master Justin. Everyone in the Burton household respects you¡ªeven Old Mr. Burton listens to


    you.¡±


    What Mrs. Duncan said had sent all of Sue¡¯s worries out of the window. With a triumphant look, Sue


    announced, ¡°This weekend then. Prepare some presents. I¡¯ll pay Old Mr. Burton a visit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 35

    My Mute Bride Chapter 35


    My Mute Bride Chapter 35


    In the headquarters of the Burton Group, there was incense with the scent of tea leaves burning. The


    refreshing scent had set a good tone for people to focus.


    Though Justin wasn¡¯t old, he was rather old-fashioned. He did things in a minimal manner, and he


    always had a stoic expression. Perhaps that was why he was in charge


    of thepany at such a young age. Moreover, he was well-respected by everyone there,


    ¡°Mr. Burton, the East Pearl Project is almost finalized. These are thetest updates.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He took over the documents and flipped through them as he leaned against the couch. At this


    moment, he casually asked, ¡°How are things at the hospital?¡±


    At once, Frankie answered, ¡°The operation went smoothly. Mrs. Burton has been taking care of her


    grandma on her own, and she¡¯s recovering well and will be discharged in a week. Besides that, Mrs.


    Burton has been looking around for houses.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s looking for houses?¡±


    ¡°Most probably it¡¯s for her grandma to stay after she gets discharged,¡± he exined. ¡°Initially, Mrs.


    Burton has been staying with her grandma in the Hudson Residence. However, now that Mrs. Burton¡¯s


    married, her grandma probably doesn¡¯t want to continue staying there since they aren¡¯t rted.¡±


    His words were carefully chosen as the truth was actually harsher. Based on Rachel¡¯s position in the


    Hudson Family, her grandma would probably not livefortably there.


    Hearing that, Justin remained quiet for a moment before saying, ¡°Regarding the house, arrange it for


    them privately.¡±


    Snapping out of a trance, Frankie answered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t Mr. Burton uninterested in Mrs. Burton¡¯s condition? His attitude toward her changes every day¡­


    On the other hand, Rachel had kept her grandmapany at the hospital for a few days. Seeing that


    she seemed to be covering well as she regained her energy, Rachel felt relieved.


    Early in the morning, Julian did his rounds and came to check for any post-op infections. After that, the


    hospital had arranged a single ward for Nancy which was much quieter than before.


    ¡°Your grandma¡¯s recovering well. If this goes on, she may be able to get discharged earlier than


    expected,¡± Julian said with a smile as he tucked his stethoscope into the pocket of his white coat.


    ¡°Thank you for everything these past few days, Dr. Peters.¡± Although Nancy¡¯s head was bandaged, she


    didn¡¯t look like a patient at all. She was very energetic as she held Julian¡¯s hand, giving him a look of


    adoration.


    ¡°There¡¯s something that I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you.¡±


    With a gentle smile on his lips, he said, ¡°What is it? Please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°What do you think about Rachel?¡±


    What Nancy said had left Rachel bbergasted, and she had nearly cut herself with the knife she was


    using to cut apples.


    Meanwhile, Julian didn¡¯t think it was odd. He took a nce at her before saying, ¡°Rae¡¯s good. She¡¯s


    beautiful, and her personality is easygoing. Most importantly, she¡¯s kind.¡±


    ¡°Do you not mind that she can¡¯t speak?¡±


    It was only then that he sensed where the conversation was heading, so he was stunned for a moment.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Before he could answer, Rachel quickly tugged on her grandma as she signed. Grandma, what are you


    talking about? Cut it out.


    ¡°She¡¯s even shy now,¡± Nancy said with a smile. ¡°Dr. Peters, Rae is around the same age as you.


    Although her academic background isn¡¯t as extensive as yours, she didplete her masters and now


    has a steady job. She¡¯s working at the Riverdale City Council Library as a bookkeeper.¡±


    Just like that, Nancy blurted everything out. She sounded like she was on a blind date trying to build


    her reputation. At that moment, Rachel wanted to bury herself deep in the ground.


    ¡°Dr. Peters, Rae is a gooddy. You should consider her.¡±


    At this point, Julian looked a little confused. As he took a nce at Rachel, he noticed that she was


    carefully shaking her head as if asking him for help.


    It seemed that Nancy had yet to know his rtionship with Rachel. Not only that, she might not even


    know that Rachel was already married to someone.


    After chit-chatting, Nancy urged Rachel to send Julian off, which was a rather obvious attempt of giving


    them a chance to be alone.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t take what my grandma said earlier to heart?


    As soon as they exited the ward, she quickly apologized to him.


    Obviously, Julian didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Does your grandma not know that you got married? Why didn¡¯t


    you tell her?¡±


    The Burton Family was a rich family in Riverdale, so getting married into the family was considered a


    good thing no matter what Justin was like as a person.


    However, she could only show a forced look. ¡®Please keep this a secret from my grandma for now. I¡¯ll


    tell her everything when the timees?


    Maybe she wouldn¡¯t even have to tell her if she could sessfully bring her grandma and leave


    Riverdale together.


    Seeing how troubled she looked, he frowned. ¡°Is there something held against you that forced you into


    marriage with my cousin?¡±


    Hearing that, she froze.


    ¡°He has always been introverted, so it was surprising when I heard that he was getting married. I


    initially thought that it¡¯d be a business marriage of some sort. I heard that Hudson Pharmaceuticals had


    been in a pickle previously. Are you doing this because of the Hudson Family¡­¡±


    Seeing his concerned look, Rachel was touched, yet she felt aggrieved.


    Although Julian¡¯s guess was notpletely right, it was the first time anyone had asked her this


    question after she was married to Justin.


    Everyone thought that she was very lucky to get married into the Burton Family; a mute that got


    married with Justin Burton must be very grateful.


    Shaking her head, she denied.


    At this moment, her phone rang, interrupting their conversation.


    After unlocking her cell phone, she saw an unfamiliar number calling her. After the call got connected,


    the sound of a man could be heard. ¡°You must be Miss Hudson. I¡¯m from the property center. Are you


    looking for a house? I happen to have one on hand, and I can bring you over to take a look this


    afternoon.¡±


    As she couldn¡¯t speak, she wanted to end the call and text him back. However, Julian reached out and


    offered, ¡°Let me.¡±


    As the two of them stood quite close, he heard what the property agent said earlier.


    He knew about her looking for a stay anyway.


    With gratitude, she then passed the phone over.


    ¡°Hello, it¡¯s not very convenient for her to pick up the phone right now. You can tell me about the


    property instead. This afternoon?¡± He took a nce at his wrist watch before saying, ¡°Can we meet


    around 12.30 at noon? I¡¯ll be having my break at that time so I can go over to take a look. Mm-hmm,


    okay then.¡±


    After hanging up, he returned the phone back to Rachel. ¡°I¡¯ll apany you to look at the house at 12


    noonter.¡±


    At once, she shook her head frantically. ¡®No need to trouble you. I can go myself?


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you seem a little gullible.¡± He offered a subtle smile before adding, ¡°I¡¯m free this afternoon


    anyway, so I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!


    She couldn¡¯t reject him as she knew that she¡¯d be a little afraid to view the property on her own.


    Not long after, it was 12 noon. Julian drove Rachel to meet with the property agent at the ce they


    agreed on earlier.


    The property agent who was wearing a formal suit was very friendly as he introduced them to the


    features of the house. ¡°A unit is 150 square meters. Each block has a lift of its own, making it very


    convenient for elder people. It¡¯s very suitable for your condition.¡±


    Following the property agent, Rachel took a good look at the unit right in front of her. It did seem like


    quite a good ce.


    The building has fifteen floors, and each unit had kitchens and bathrooms. They were also fully


    renovated and ready for moving in. Most importantly, the location was great. It was just a ten-minute


    walk away from the library she worked at. If something urgent came up with her grandma, Rachel could


    rush home very quickly.


    But¡­


    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like it?¡± Julian¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°I think it¡¯s not bad here.¡±


    With doubts, she asked, ¡°How much is the rent here?¡¯


    Seeing her handwriting, the property agent smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Hudson, this unit is very


    affordable. The monthly rent is three thousand.¡±


    Three thousand?


    Rachel was stunned to hear that.


    Though she didn¡¯t have experience in renting houses, she knew that based on the location and the


    renovations, she couldn¡¯t even afford a bathroom with three thousand.


    How is that possible?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 36

    My Mute Bride Chapter 36


    My Mute Bride Chapter 36


    Having noticed that Rachel seemed doubtful, the property agent quickly said, ¡°If you think it¡¯s


    expensive, the price is still negotiable. I can bring the price down to two thousand.¡±


    At once, she widened her eyes in disbelief at what she just heard.


    She hadn¡¯t even said anything, and yet the property agent lowered the price by a thousand?


    That¡¯s ridiculous!


    Simrly, Julian sensed that something was off, so he asked straightforwardly, ¡°Are there any problems


    with this unit?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that, sir? There isn¡¯t any ce that is more suitable within three miles. There


    are no problems with this unit¨Cit¡¯s even new! The price is also very affordable.¡±


    ¡°Based on what you said and what we see, the rental of this house is the problem.¡±


    When the property agent heard that, his face froze. Looking at Rachel with a questioning face, he


    asked, ¡°Do you two think that it¡¯s too cheap?¡±


    Rachel then nodded honestly.


    ¡°This¡­¡± The property agent scratched the back of his head immediately. ¡°Two thousand isn¡¯t so bad¡­¡±


    At this moment, Rachel looked up the rental of houses within the area on her phone only to find out that


    the average rental was around fifteen thousand. That made her even more suspicious.


    Tugging on Julian¡¯s sleeve, she shook her head.


    Understanding what she meant, he announced, ¡°We want to have a look at other ces first. We¡¯ll


    decide againter.¡±


    With that, he was prepared to leave with Rachel.


    Anxious that they might leave, the property agent called out to them. ¡°Why don¡¯t you name a price?


    You can pay any price and rent it.¡±


    That rendered them speechless.


    When they were back in the car, Rachel took a look at the other houses and their respective rentals


    that were sent by the same property agent. It only left a frown on her face.


    Was the market price so bad these days or was the property agent just bad at his job? Even for a unit


    with four rooms and two living rooms, the monthly rental was below three thousand.


    ¡®Sorry, I don¡¯t think any of the houses you offered suit me.¡¯


    She replied to the text message courteously.


    In response, the property agent said, ¡®What kind of houses are you looking for? I have all kinds of


    variety


    She didn¡¯t reply to him anymore. Looking at the conversation on her phone, she silently sighed.


    To be frank, she didn¡¯t have much money at the moment. All she could afford was a small house.


    Julian could see the content disyed on her phone screen, so hemented, ¡°This property agent is


    so weird. There are all sorts of people these days. It¡¯s lucky that I came with you today. Who knows


    what his ulterior motive is.¡±


    In response, she nodded in agreement before she quickly blocked the property agent with a flick of the


    finger.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t rush when looking for houses. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll settle this issue for you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, thank you. I can do it on my own!


    After thanking him, she continued to scroll through her phone to look for information regarding house


    rentals online.


    She really didn¡¯t want to bother him with anything else anymore.


    Meanwhile, Justin was reading through documents in his office.


    After his assistant, Frankie, got a call, he came over to report tentatively. ¡°Mr. Burton, there were some


    complications with the agent. He got blocked by Mrs. Burton.¡±


    Furrowing his brows, hemented, ¡°Such a small matter, yet they can¡¯t even do it right.¡±


    Hearing that, Frankie was breaking out in cold sweat. ¡°It¡¯s mainly because the houses you own aren¡¯t


    exactly suitable to be rented out. It¡¯s also hard to match the price with the market ratings. This¡­¡±


    Seeing that Justin had a cold, stoic look on, Frankie quickly added, ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    That seemed to satisfy the man more than the excuses.


    Frankie then sighed to himself.


    Why is my boss doing this to me? They¡¯re already married, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with taking care


    of his own wife. Why can¡¯t he just arrange it for her? Why does he have to make it so much more


    complicated?


    ¡°Right, Mr. Burton, Old Mr. Burton called earlier in the afternoon when you were in a meeting.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°What did my grandpa say?¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton is at the summer vi. He has invited you over to have a meal this weekend.¡±


    ¡°What else did he say?¡±


    ¡°For y-you to bring Mrs. Burton too.¡±


    Hearing that, he furrowed his brows.


    At night, Rachel ate dinner with her grandma before she left to head back to the Burton Residence.


    By the time she got home, it was alreadyte and the maids of the Burton Residence had already gone


    to rest. That made her sigh in relief as she quietly headed to her room to get a fresh set of clothes.


    When she was organizing her items, she saw something that her mother had left behind-the ck cube


    box.


    Recalling what Nancy said, Rachel had a hunch that there must be some secret kept with the box,


    As she was scrutinizing the box, the sound of an opening door could be hearding from next


    door.


    Justin¡¯s study room was right beside.


    He¡¯s home?


    As she registered that, she quickly stuffed the box back into the bottom of her wardrobe.


    After waiting for some time, things seemed to have quieted down. Nheless, she was still a little


    uneasy as she hesitated to open the door. Once she did, she saw that the light in the kitchen was lit,


    and a tall silhouette could be seen standing by the door.


    It was not her first time seeing him boil water in the middle of the night.


    There were maids at home, but Justin wasn¡¯t one to always order them around.


    ¡°Is stalking part of the task Jefferey gave you?¡± A cold voice came from the kitchen.


    At once, she snapped out of her trance. With one of her hands on the rail, she didn¡¯t know whether she


    should go downstairs or just head back.


    ¡°Prepare some tea and send it to the study.¡± After that instruction, he ced the tin of tea leaves that


    was half-opened back down on the table before heading upstairs using the stairs on the other side.


    After standing for a while, she walked downstairs to make some tea.


    Justin had a habit of drinking Earl Grey tea when he did his work at night. It was the first habit of his


    that she learned about after getting married.


    The scent of the tea leaves emanated in the study room, and it had a hint of milk to it.


    ¡°I heard that your grandma¡¯s operation has already been done.¡±


    She was about to leave after putting down the teacup, but his voice stopped her. Hearing that, she


    looked up and nodded tentatively.


    ¡°Have you thought of how to execute what I told you to do?¡±


    She clenched her fists as her expression turned helpless.


    ¡°Jefferey is holding a birthday party at the end of this month. This is the invitation card.¡±


    A gray invitation card was slowly pushed in her direction until it was right before her. His long fingers


    were pressing on the paper with force.


    ¡°It will be held at the West Magnolia Wine Brewery. If my guess is right, his safe should be right within


    the brewery.¡±


    Her hand that was holding the invitation card trembled.


    How does he know about the Hudson Family so well?


    ¡°How do you know that?¡¯


    At this moment, he took a nce at her. He didn¡¯t answer her, but he said, ¡°On that day, all you have to


    do is to avoid the guests and go to Jefferey¡¯s study room to find the safe.¡±


    She was put in a tough spot. ¡®Even if I find the safe, I don¡¯t have the passcode to open it.¡¯


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±


    Confused, she didn¡¯t understand what he meant. All she had to do was find the safe? If she couldn¡¯t


    open it, finding it would be useless. However, she could only say yes for her grandma¡¯s sake.


    ¡°Take this.¡± Justin handed her a piece of card. ¡°There¡¯s no passcode.¡±


    She was surprised and couldn¡¯t help but look at him with a stupefied look.


    Is he helping me?


    He didn¡¯t bother to wait for her to take it, so he simply tossed it onto the table.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    A crisp noise sounded as a result of his action. It wasn¡¯t loud, nor was it soft, but it was enough to


    frighten her.


    ¡°If Jefferey ckmails you again next time, let me know immediately.¡±


    As she bit her lower lip, the feeling of gratitude that she hadn¡¯t expressed was instantly washed away.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 37

    My Mute Bride Chapter 37


    My Mute Bride Chapter 37


    It was only until Rachel left the room that Justin took the tea next to him and had a sip.


    The Earl Grey tea had a thick fragrance and the light vor of the milk bnced out the bitterness


    perfectly. The fragrance mixed with the aroma of the room and it had a calming effect. He was actually


    lost in his thoughts when he heard the door of the next room close.


    After Rachel took care of her grandma in the hospital for a few days, thetter had a great recovery.


    This afternoon, Rachel was getting some things in a convenience store nearby. As soon as she walked


    out of the store, she saw a figure in a suit bow slightly to her. ¡°Miss Hudson, Old Master Burton wants


    to see you.¡±


    The person was none other than Arthur¡¯s personal butler. This time around, it seemed like Arthur


    wanted to meet her.


    Ever since Justin took over the Burton Group, Arthur had already retired and he rarely appeared in


    Riverdale anymore. It was rumored that he would go to a mansion in the suburbs of Riverdale every


    summer to avoid the heat. Apart from that season, even the family members of the Burton Family


    would normally not be able to see him too.


    After Rachel got into the car, she fidgeted with her fingers anxiously as she watched the scenery


    outside the window going backward.


    It was most likely that the butler noticed her anxiety, so he consoled her, ¡°Miss Hudson, you don¡¯t have


    to worry. After all, you have already married Young Master Justin. It¡¯s time to pay a visit to the elderly in


    the family.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel pursed her lips and nodded politely.


    At this moment in the summer mansion in the suburbs, Sue appraised Tina Burton from head to toe as


    the formerplimented sweetly, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since Ist saw you and you¡¯ve grown into a fine


    young woman.¡±


    Tina was Justin¡¯s cousin and she was the only daughter of his paternal uncle. She had been spoiled


    since young, which resulted in her short temper. However, she knew how to please Arthur.


    Currently, she was sitting beside Arthur as she replied with a chuckle, ¡°You look younger too, Aunt


    Sue.¡±


    Sue sighed. ¡°Young? Not at all. I¡¯m so worried that the white hair on my head has increased.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tina blinked in response. ¡°Is there something that is troubling you? Let us know so


    that Grandpa can help you out.¡±


    11


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to speak ill of this but based on Justin¡¯s character and family background, it is


    impossible for him to marry a mute. If you knew this, you wouldn¡¯t have agreed, would you?¡±


    Meanwhile, Arthur was sitting in a master chair. He had a white beard on his face, and he looked stern


    and strict. However, his tone was politely cool. ¡°Since young, Justin has been very opinionated. Since


    he has already made a decision, I¡¯m sure he has his own reasons for doing so. Even though the young


    lady of the Hudson Family has a speech disability, she might be good at something else.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Arthur had done his research and he knew that Rachel had graduated with a masters degree. Even


    though she had never inherited her family business, she had a stable job and was also a humble


    person. No matter what, she was still the youngdy of a prestigious family. It was better to marry her


    than to marry someone who just wanted the wealth of the Burton Family.


    ¡°Good at something else? Well¡­¡± Sue frowned and muttered, ¡°We can skip this topic. I feel


    embarrassed even by just talking about it. It¡¯s fine if they just have a quarrel among their family


    members. It¡¯s not a good thing to expose the ws of the family to the public after all, but it was on the


    news.¡±


    ¡°The news?¡± However, before Arthur could say anything, Tina opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard


    about that. I thought Justin had resolved everything?¡±


    ¡°What news?¡± Arthur asked with a frown.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Tina immediately took her phone out. ¡°This is it. I wanted to tell you this but before I


    could do that, an exnation had been published. Since that was the case, I didn¡¯t want to disturb your


    rest.¡±


    After seeing that Tina took the opportunity to speak about Rachel, Sue was overjoyed. She sipped her


    tea quietly at the side as she enjoyed the drama that was indirectly started by the other woman.


    Sure enough, as soon as Arthur read the news, his expression immediately darkened. ¡°What rubbish!


    Are they joking around with the reputation of the Burton Family?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Tina tried to console him, ¡°Don¡¯t get angry, Grandpa. Didn¡¯t I say that they had given


    an exnation? No matter what the truth is, I¡¯m sure Justin will handle this.¡±


    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t even have the ability to handle this, he doesn¡¯t have to be the president of Burton Group


    anymore,¡± Arthur announced with a dark expression. ¡°Rachel has only joined our family for such a short


    time, yet she already caused so much trouble. It¡¯s clear that she¡¯s up to no good.¡± She¡¯s just a mute.


    How could she have stirred up such trouble? It¡¯s unreasonable!


    After some hesitation, Tina said, ¡°Grandpa, actually I¡¯ve heard some stories about this cousin-inw of


    mine.¡±


    ¡°What about it? Do you know her before this, Tina?¡± Sue asked with a shocked expression.


    Tina then exined, ¡°I¡¯ve studied abroad with her sister, Amber, and I am quite close with her. Back


    then, I heard her mention this elder sister of hers and I heard that she was a loner. It


    seemed like she had a hard time getting along with her ssmates and her behavior in school wasn¡¯t


    that good. Apart from that¡­¡±


    ¡°What else is there?¡±


    ¡°Apart from that, she¡¯s also an illegitimate child. She is not a real member of the Hudson Family to


    begin with, so I think she¡¯s not good enough for Justin.¡± With that, Tina revealed a disdainful expression


    on her face.


    While they were chatting, someone announced from outside, ¡°Sir, Miss Hudson has arrived.¡±


    With a frown on his face, Arthur said, ¡°Let her in.¡±


    Hence, the butler brought Rachel into the room. She still had her usual canvas bag as she held a bag


    of fruits she brought from the convenience store. It was quite difficult to tell that she was the youngdy


    of a prestigious family.


    Upon seeing that, Sue asked rather grumpily, ¡°Why did youe here wearing such clothes?¡±


    Rachel held the bag close to her as she felt wrongly med. After all, no one had told her that Arthur


    wanted to meet her today. Since the butler picked her up from the hospital immediately, she did not


    have the time to change.


    Tina had heard of Rachel before this, so she appraised thetter from head to toe. When she saw


    Rachel¡¯s face, she could not help feeling pangs of jealousy. I can¡¯t believe that she¡¯s


    so pretty. However, as soon as she remembered that Rachel was a mute, she immediately felt better.


    So what if she¡¯s pretty? She¡¯s just a mute in the end.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, this is Old Master Burton and that is Young Master Justin¡¯s cousin, Tina.¡± The butler


    introduced the people present to Rachel before Arthur indicated for him to stand aside.


    Rachel nodded politely at Arthur and Tina as she pointed at her lips to exin that she could not


    speak, looking polite and understanding the whole time.


    Arthur, on the other hand, was looking closely at her. Even though she could not speak, her demeanor


    was quite graceful, so he was slightly relieved. ¡°Take a seat.¡±


    Hence, she sat on the chair next to Sue, but she only sat on half the chair with her back straight.


    Arthur nodded and continued, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you married Justin. I¡¯ve been wanting to see you


    and I understand that it¡¯s quite sudden today. I hope I didn¡¯t interrupt your day.¡±


    Rachel then took out a pen and a piece of paper. ¡®Since the elders in the family want to see me, it¡¯s


    perfectly reasonable, no matter when it is.


    When Arthur saw her neat handwriting, he quietly approved of her more. At the same time, her


    handwriting reminded him that she was a mute.


    Arthur¡¯s expression darkened as he asked in a low voice, ¡°I heard that the person who was about to


    marry Justin first was your younger sister?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 38

    My Mute Bride Chapter 38


    My Mute Bride Chapter 38


    Rachel could not refute Arthur¡¯s words.


    Everyone in the Burton Family knew that the person whom Justin initially wanted to marry was Amber,


    but she, a mute, was sent to the Burton Family on the night of their wedding instead.


    Before Rachel could reply, Sue immediately continued speaking, ¡°I know, right? I heard that she


    threatened her sister and said that our family is a dangerous tiger den. Apart from that, she also said


    that Justin is ugly and weird. Then, she pretended to be doing her younger sister a favor by marrying


    into our family.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression immediately changed when she heard that.


    ¡®I have never said these words:


    ¡°You are still trying to argue!¡± Sue still wanted to say something but Arthur broke her off.


    ¡°Enough. We don¡¯t have to dwell on the facts.¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes were as cold as Justin when he looked at


    Rachel, which in turn made her shudder even though she was not cold.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, since it was a misunderstanding, why don¡¯t we resolve it? It brings no one happiness to


    force both of you to be together. It¡¯s without a doubt that you are notpatible with Justin.¡±


    Rachel clenched her fists tightly as she looked at Arthur in shock.


    He then continued in a low voice, ¡°Not many people know this marriage to begin with, so it¡¯s probably


    better to stop right here to prevent more losses. The Burton Family willpensate you. Just forget


    about the marriage after that.¡±


    Rachel looked at the people around her. Some of them were looking at her gleefully, while others


    merely seemed disinterested.


    Even in her dreams she wanted to get away from the Burton Family, but Jefferey would never let her do


    that and neither would Justin. She could imagine the consequences if she did that.


    With the great pressure ced on her, she shook her head.


    Arthur¡¯s expression darkened in response. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do that? Even if you are the youngdy


    of the Hudson Family, you are not good enough for our family. On top of that, you are an illegitimate


    daughter. No matter what, to our family¡ª¡±


    The words ¡®illegitimate daughter¡¯ stabbed at Rachel like sharp daggers.


    WON


    She clenched her fists so hard that her fingernails dug into her skin,


    ¡°Grandpa.¡± A loud voice rang from the door, breaking the tense atmosphere in the room.


    Rachel immediately raised her head and saw Justin walk past the door inrge strides. His tailor made


    ck suit fit his body perfectly and his tall height emanated a cold and indifferent air.


    ¡°You¡¯re here, Justin,¡± Arthur said coolly. ¡°Good timing-let¡¯s clear things in your presence.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa.¡± Justin shot a nce at Rachel. ¡°Rachel is already my official wife. Marriage is not child¡¯s


    y and I have never considered a divorce.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense!¡± Arthur¡¯s expression darkened as his tone became harsher. ¡°The woman whom you


    are going to marry is the second youngdy of the Hudson Family, but they were so ¡®kind¡¯ to give us a


    mu¡ª¡±


    ¡°Grandpa.¡±


    Before Arthur could utter the word ¡®mute, Justin interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯ve never said that the person I


    wanted to marry was the second youngdy of the Hudson Family.¡±


    With that, silence fell upon the entire room.


    Rachel was also stunned to hear that and she looked at him in surprise.


    ¡°I want to marry the daughter of the Hudson Family but I never said that she was Amber Hudson.¡±


    Justin¡¯s exnation had once again proven that they had heard him correctly.


    With a confused look on his face, Arthur asked, ¡°You¡¯re saying that the woman you wanted to marry


    from the beginning was Rachel?¡±


    Justin did not reply to him. However, Sue was unable to stand the former¡¯s silent approval anymore.


    ¡°Justin, don¡¯t fool around. How could you possibly want to marry a mu¡ª¡±


    ¡°Aunt Sue, you probably don¡¯t understand me well.¡±


    With that, Justin shot her a stare so cold that she shut her mouth on her own ord.


    He did not n to bring Rachel here at all. He could immediately know the person who gave Arthur the


    suggestion to bring her here.


    And so, the atmosphere seemed to have be frozen at that moment.


    Justin was almost as stubborn as Arthur. Upon seeing this situation, the butler quickly tried to calm


    them down. ¡°Sir, young master, the chef said that dinner is ready. Why don¡¯t we start the meal first?¡±.


    Arthur frowned before he stood up, holding his crutch for support. ¡°Let¡¯s tuck in,¡± he said coolly.


    Upon hearing that, Rachel heaved a sigh of relief.


    When they ate, she sat beside Justin. Even though her clothes were quite in, her demeanor was


    graceful and elegant.


    When she saw that Justin did not eat much, she took the initiative to peel the shells of the prawns for


    him, leaving just beautifully peeled prawn meat in his te.


    Of course, Arthur did not miss this.


    Rachel has the rare air of an elegant and generous youngdy, and she also has the attributes of being


    an obedient wife who can take good care of her family. If she weren¡¯t a mute, it¡¯s actually not a bad


    idea for Justin to marry her,


    After dinner, Justin was summoned to the study by Arthur while Rachel waited for them in the living


    room


    After the maid poured tea for them, Sue chatted happily with Tina.


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long since west met, Tina. I heard that you are nning to be engaged soon after


    coming back?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Tina replied with a smile.


    ¡°I heard that your partner is the eldest son of Riley Corp., who is young and capable. I have to say


    -you really are lucky!¡±


    Tina, however, seemed to avoid the topic of the engagement as she murmured, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t have


    ns to get married so soon.¡± Through the corner of her eye, she shot a nce at Rachel and


    suddenly changed the topic. ¡°Hey, why didn¡¯t you hold a wedding when you marry Justin?¡±


    Rachel was sipping her tea when she heard that. In the end, she lifted her head but she had no idea


    what to reply.


    Sue then said annoyedly, ¡°Look at her! If we hold a wedding like this, we will be aughing stock. We


    can¡¯t possibly risk such embarrassment.¡±


    ¡°You have a point.¡±


    Tina looked at Rachel and said, ¡°I heard from Amber that if I told her about Justin¡¯s character, the


    person who would marry him might be her, not you.¡±


    Rachel froze upon hearing that, having no idea what Tina meant by this.


    ¡°I saw you peel the prawns for Justin but he doesn¡¯t eat any of it. Is there a point in pleasing him this


    way? I hate materialistic women who don¡¯t have dignity.¡±


    Even though Tina¡¯s voice was not loud, her arrogant attitude still insulted Rachel, as though thetter


    was lesser than Tina.


    As the time dragged on, Rachel found her expression bing more forced.


    While they were speaking, Tina¡¯s phone rang. As Rachel was quite close to her, she saw the caller¡¯s


    name=¡¯Amber Hudson? Truth was, it was a rather unpleasant sight for her.


    ¡°Excuse me for a moment. I need to pick up this call. Aunt Sue, do have a nice chat with her.¡±


    With that, Tina walked out of the room while holding her phone. Before she left, she even shot a nce


    at Rachel disdainfully and arrogantly, as though she was not worth looking at.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Meanwhile, Sue sipped her tea slowly. This trip back home is worth it. Even if Rachel¡¯s marriage can¡¯t


    be cancelled for the time being, the rudeness of everyone in the Burton Family is enough. I just don¡¯t


    believe that this little mute is able to take the pressure for a long time.


    On the other hand, after Justin was called into the study by Arthur, thetter went straight to the point.


    ¡°What the hell do you think about this marriage?¡±


    Justin had a cold look on his face. ¡°I won¡¯t have a divorce with her for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Why? I can tell that you don¡¯t like her. If she¡¯s healthy, then so be it. However, she¡¯s a mute. She is


    obviously not good enough for you.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, I don¡¯t care who I marry, as long as she is the daughter of the Hudson Family.¡±


    Arthur froze upon hearing that. He looked at Justin in shock for a long while before he returned to his


    senses. ¡°Justin, don¡¯t tell me that you are still brooding over that past incident.¡±


    A cold look appeared on Justin¡¯s face and his expression became even darker with the mention of the


    incident.


    Upon seeing that, Arthur frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you that the fire was an ident.¡±


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t.¡± Justin¡¯s gaze was firm and harsh. ¡°The mountain fire was caused by Jefferey just to kill


    one person.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 39

    My Mute Bride Chapter 39


    My Mute Bride Chapter 39


    ¡°Who did he want to kill?¡±


    ¡°Lionel Hudson.¡±


    This name had disappeared in Riverdale for many years. It had been so long that even Arthur was


    unfamiliar with him, but it was easy to tell that Lionel¡¯s incident was strongly rted to Jefferey.


    ¡°Jefferey¡¯s older brother?¡±


    Justin nodded. ¡°After the fire, the shares in Jefferey¡¯s hands had increased by more than 130 percent.


    He became the biggest shareholder of Hudson Pharmaceuticals and took over thepany after that.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s gaze became more serious. ¡°Justin, this is the private matters of the Hudson Family.¡±


    The casualties resulting from internal battles within rich and prestigious families were usually covered


    up pretty well. It was meaningless to recount such a mysterious incident from so many years ago.


    Meanwhile, Justin¡¯s tone was extremely cold. ¡°There¡¯s karma in murdering someone. Jefferey should


    pay the price for this.¡±


    After seeing that it was useless to advise him anymore, Arthur controlled his expression and sighed


    helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m tired. You may go back first.¡±


    Without another word, Justin left.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    After that, the butler came into the room to pour a cup of tea for Arthur.


    ¡°Sir, the young master is still young so he is more impulsive. It¡¯s natural that he cannot tolerate the


    urrence of such an incident. After all, the fire that year almost killed him.¡±


    Back then, the members of the Hudson Family stopped the Burton Family from putting out the fire. If


    Justin did not get lucky and escaped, he would have died in that fire.


    ¡°Do you really think that it¡¯s because of his own life that he never let the Hudson Family off the hook?¡±


    A worried expression shrouded Arthur¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sure that another child died in the fire back then.¡±


    The butler froze. ¡°You¡¯re saying that the young master is doing this because of the child?¡±


    Arthur nodded in response.


    Everyone else knew that Justin Burton, the first young master of the family, was a cold-blooded man


    with a heart made of stone. He would do anything to achieve the greatest profit. However, only Arthur,


    his grandfather, knew that Justin valued loyalty and decency.


    Upon hearing that, the butler sighed. ¡°In that case, this is a tricky matter indeed.¡±


    Ever since Justin returned from the summer vi, he was not in a good mood at all.


    In the evening, Rachel brewed a cup of tea and brought it to his study.


    However, Justin did not drink tea like how he usually would and neither did he look at her. He just


    looked at the page in front of him, but he never even flipped it. The frown on his face was quite


    terrifying


    Are you in a bad mood?


    Rachel looked at him tentatively.


    He shot a look at her and clenched his hands around the page, but he did not reply to her.


    She asked worriedly, Is it because your grandfather asked us to have a divorce? If he asks about this


    again, how do you want me to reply?


    She merely wanted to be clear about what he thought, so that she would not make any mistakes that


    would offend him in the future.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    After hearing those five cold words, Rachel pursed her lips and took a step back tentatively as she


    prepared to leave.


    Justin¡¯s temperament was changing quite fast and it made her unable to anticipate anything at all.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    His voice suddenly rang from behind her, making her turn around in shock.


    With a huge study table between them, Justin was looking at her coldly. His stony expression was


    entuated by the ugly scar on his face. As he stared at her with a pair of cold eyes that sent shivers


    down her spine, anxiety bubbled up within her.


    His voice was not loud but it was firm. ¡°Do you hate Jefferey Hudson?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart stopped beating for a moment before she shook her head,


    Justin¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Why do you not him? He asked you to take Amber¡¯s ce to marry me,


    and he put you near me just like a chess piece whom he could control. Apart from that, he even


    threatened you with your family¡¯s life. Why don¡¯t you hate him?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression tightened as she clenched her fists.


    After a moment, she still shook her head.


    Even so, he is still my father who raised me for so many years, and he has given me an excellent


    education and a life that¡¯s better than the average. Otherwise, with my disability, I¡¯m afraid my life


    would not be asfortable now.


    ¡°He is also a murderer!¡±


    His cold voice echoed in the room and as Rachel met his red eyes, her heart sank.


    What do you mean? Who did he kill?


    Justin¡¯s expression became increasingly sullen.


    Perhaps the conversation he had with Arthur just now¡ªthe first conversation of this topic that included


    the truth that he had been finding out all these years-or the nightmares that happened frequently


    because of Rachel¡¯s presence caused that emotion to bubble up within him again.


    Presently, he looked at Rachel in front of him. She had a pair of eyes that were very simr to Katie¡¯s


    innocent, na?ve, and pure. It was as if all the adjectives that describe beauty would describe her eyes.


    However, Katie was gone forever and the person currently in front of him was a mute, who was also the


    daughter of a murderer.


    Justin swept away the drink that Rachel made with a loud crash. The tea cup fell to the ground and split


    into many pieces, and the hot water sshed onto her ankle.


    ¡°Oh!¡± she yelped in pain.


    ¡°Get out of here!¡±


    She froze. What happened to you?


    ¡°Can¡¯t you understand me?¡± Justin roared, his eyes rather terrifying at this moment.


    She took a step backward subconsciously. After a while, she did not care about the pain she felt in her


    ankle anymore and left in a rush.


    She could not imagine the consequences if she stayed for another second longer, for she might be torn


    apart by the man in front of her.


    After she left, Justin walked to the windows and opened them to let the cold air blow on his face. After


    his depressed emotion was slowly brought away by the wind, he slowly calmed down.


    Then, he heard the sound of the door closing in the next room, followed by the sound of the lock


    clicking


    He arched his eyebrows when he heard the sound.


    As soon as he remembered the conversation he had with Rachel just now, he suddenly became


    flustered.


    So what if I tell her so much? This mute is just Jefferey¡¯s chess piece! Even if I hold her soft spots


    against her, it can¡¯t change the fact that she is a member of the Hudson Family.


    On the other hand, Rachel sat by the bed for a while as she felt the aftershock.


    Through the corner of her eye, she nced at the grey invitation card on the dressing table.


    When she saw that, her heart immediately tightened. Jefferey¡¯s birthday party would fall on the day


    after tomorrow, and she could not escape the thing that Justin wanted her to do.


    The night had fallen, and the Burtons¡¯ summer vi in the countryside was solemn and quiet.


    On the balcony on the second floor, Tina wasying downzily with her phone in her hand. ¡°Grandpa


    doesn¡¯t like her but Justin insisted on marrying her, so he can¡¯t do anything about it. Amber, I think you


    should just give up. Justin is a weird person.¡±


    Amber said something on the other end of the phone that made Tina slightly impatient.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see about that. It¡¯s gettingte now. ¡®ll hang up first.¡±


    With that, she immediately hung up andined, ¡°She¡¯s asking me for help for such a small matter.


    I¡¯m toozy to care about it.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± A tall figure walked out from the room. Even though the lights were dim, his handsome


    face was not obscured.


    Tina turned around from the balcony and shrugged. ¡°Nothing much. Amber asked me to attend the


    birthday party of Old Mr. Hudson. It seems like she still hasn¡¯t given up on Justin.¡±


    ¡°Are you going, then?¡±


    ¡°No. There¡¯s nothing fun about birthday parties. What am I going to do? Watch a bunch of people tter


    him?¡±


    The man hugged her waist. ¡°But your father asked me to go.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She froze for a moment before returning to her senses. Her eyes lit up as she said, ¡°Then I¡¯m


    joining as well.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 40

    My Mute Bride Chapter 40


    My Mute Bride Chapter 40


    In the end, two days passed since Rachelst saw Justin.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, Young Master Justin has a meeting so he¡¯ll be backter.¡±


    The driver exined to her the reason Justin was absent as he drove her to the birthday dinner party.


    Meanwhile, she nodded to indicate that she understood. Nheless, there was a hint of apprehension


    on her face.


    Rachel was well-aware of her non-existent position in Justin¡¯s heart. Furthermore, his instructions for


    her to attend this birthday dinner weren¡¯t even for the sake of celebrating the birthday of his father-in-


    law, Jefferey.


    Right after she got out of the car, the butler led her toward the reception area.


    ¡°Miss Rachel, the Master is greeting his guests at the front foyer and Miss Amber is in the living room


    with her friends. I¡¯ll lead you there.¡±


    Thanks.


    As they crossed the main hall, therge semi-outdoor swimming pool was located right past the french


    doors and there were a bunch of balloons by the side of the pool.


    Suddenly, she was caught by surprise and she slowed down her footsteps subsequently.


    She could distinctly remember from her fuzzy memories of the first and only time she came here many


    years ago.


    It was during Amber¡¯s tenth birthday and Jefferey had spent 1.8 billion to purchase this manor, which


    was registered under Amber¡¯s name. That day, there were many guests in attendance, such as their


    rtives and elders from the Hudson Family and Jefferey¡¯s business associates.


    Rachel remembered a ten-year-old Amber being surrounded by the guests and thetter stood right in


    the middle, standing out like a shining diamond among the children.


    ¡°Rachel, if you agree to be my servant then I¡¯ll allow you toe and stay with me anytime you want.¡±


    ¡°Amber, are you actually asking your sister to be your servant?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s no sister of mine! What kind of sister is she? Do you have a mute sister?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±


    At that time, Rachel had juste to stay with the Hudson Family for about two years and she had


    been quite unwell as she recuperated in the hospital for almost a year. Therefore, the time


    she had actually spent together with Amber was barely more than six months and the former had


    merely known that thetter had a straightforward but wild personality.


    ¡°You stupid mute. It would be an honor for you to be my servant. Don¡¯t you dare act so high and


    mighty!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hit her!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Blood! She¡¯s bleeding!¡±


    Just then, Rachel stood by the edge of the french windows and suddenly, she felt a prick of pain on her


    forehead which caused her brows to furrow tightly.


    ¡°Miss Rachel.¡± The butler¡¯s voice brought her back to reality.


    ¡°Miss Rachel, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She revealed a forced smile and shook her head. I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go.


    In fact, she wasn¡¯t originally so submissive but she was forced to give in as she was in a less


    advantageous position. She hade to the realization that remaining alive was not as easy as she


    thought after going through hardships and experiencing so much pain.


    In the living room, there was a group of youngsters gathered around. Most of them present were


    youngsters from the Hudson n, plus some of Amber¡¯s ssmates and friends.


    ¡°Amber, your elder sister is here.¡±


    Standing among the crowd, Amber turned her head and just then, there was a sh of disdain across


    her face. Half-jokingly, she replied, but there was a serious note to her tone, ¡°My sister¡¯s no longer the


    same as before. She¡¯s full of air now. Everyone¡¯s here waiting for her to arrive. I guess she¡¯s made a


    good match so she no longer gives any regard to us.¡±


    Rachel frowned in response and merely nodded to the crowd as an indication of greeting. Then, she


    remained silent.


    Meanwhile, Amber looked behind her and she purposely raised her voice as she announced, ¡°Rachel,


    why are you here by yourself? Where¡¯s Justin?¡¯


    Amber didn¡¯t address Justin as her brother-inw but she called him by his name to prove their intimate


    rtionship.


    He¡¯s busy so he couldn¡¯t make it under short notice.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be busy with? Even so, couldn¡¯t he take some time to apany his wife to his


    father-inw¡¯s birthday dinner?¡± Someone in the crowd blurted this out and shortly after that, the crowd


    whispered among themselves.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I thought Rachel had married well but perhaps her life is not as good as it seems.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite obvious with her being mute. Furthermore, she married Justin on behalf of Amber so


    obviously he wouldn¡¯t be attracted to her, would he?¡±


    ¡°I heard that the Hudson Family was spared because Amber went to plead for mercy.¡±


    Just then, Rachel nervously gripped her bag tightly. She had no intention to exin herself so she


    turned around and headed toward a corner to avoid the crowd.


    However, Amber grabbed Rachel¡¯s arm andmented with a condescending tone, ¡°Go and get me a


    bottle of wine from the cer.¡±


    Rachel frowned and responded, Why don¡¯t you go and get it yourself?


    ¡°Me:¡± Amber surveyed the surroundings and replied matter-of-factly, ¡°I need to entertain my guests,


    can¡¯t you see that? If I leave right now, would you be able to entertain them?¡±


    Rachel was unable to speak and she wasn¡¯t familiar with these people either so Amber¡¯s words were


    clearly intended to embarrass her. The former clenched her teeth and then she spun on her heel to


    walk away.


    However, Amber raised her voice and shouted, ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t you know where the cer is? If you don¡¯t,


    then make sure to ask one of the servants. They can¡¯t understand your gestures so you¡¯d better bring a


    notepad with you!¡±


    At that moment, there were countless mockingughs that rang out, which sounded quite grating to the


    ears.


    Meanwhile, Amber reached out for a ss of wine from a waiter as she looked at Rachel¡¯s retreating


    back, a deep look in her eyes.


    The show was about to start.


    The wine cer was located on the other side of the living room and it was one level below so Rachel


    had to take the elevator.


    However, perhaps the elevator was faulty and awaiting repair or for some specific reason, but Rachel


    waited for ages but to no avail. In the end, she decided to take the stairs which was situated by the


    side.


    She walked on the carpeted floor in her high heels so the sound she made was soft and practically


    inaudible over the loud music from upstairs.


    As soon as she arrived at the lower floor, she came toward a row of bookshelves and a resting area.


    The wine racks were ced further inside and the racks were much taller than her. She took a few


    steps forward before realizing that she hadn¡¯t asked Amber which wine she wanted.


    Originally, Rachel intended to head back to rify but in the end, she considered it and realized that


    she was quite likely to be humiliated by Amber for no reason once again. As such, she


    decided to grab a random bottle.


    As soon as she took the bottle of wine in her hands, she suddenly heard some whispers from outside.


    Rachel paused in her tracks immediately.


    Someone¡¯s here?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to join your friends upstairs and have a chat?¡± The man had a low baritone.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about? If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t even attend this dinner. None of them from


    the group upstairs are worthy of anything. Their family background is quite normal. The Hudson Family


    is going downhill too. Otherwise, do you think Jefferey Hudson would have sold off his daughter for a


    mere twenty to thirty million?¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice sounds familiar. Rachel gripped the wine bottle tightly in her hands and her


    expression tightened. She looked through the gaps in the wine rack and saw that there was a shadow


    of a couple in a tight embrace by the corner. Tina?


    In the corner of the cer, there were two figures closely entangled with each other on the couch. The


    woman had a throw covering her body but her bare shoulders were exposed to the air. She looked


    seductive as she leaned against the man¡¯s shoulders and panted. It was quite evident that they had


    just ended an intense tryst.


    Meanwhile, Rachel was significantly stunned and she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes.


    In fact, Tina was betrothed to the eldest son of the Hindenburg family-Noah Hindenburg. Are they just


    seeking exhration in someone else¡¯s wine cer?


    Rachel didn¡¯t want to get involved in someone else¡¯s matters. After all, it was best to avoid things that


    were indecent so she turned around to leave.


    She was in a hurry and didn¡¯t pay attention to her surroundings. Just then, a loud noise was produced


    as her dress got caught on the edge of the rack. The ripping sound of material rang out all of a sudden


    and it was exceptionally grating to the ears in the silent cer.


    The air became still for a short moment and soon after that, someone reacted.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Tina¡¯s voice rang out instantly.


    Meanwhile, Rachel¡¯s expression changed and she hurriedly grabbed the hem of her skirt to run


    off.


    However, Tina¡¯s cold voice suddenly rang out from behind. ¡°Stop!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 41

    My Mute Bride Chapter 41


    Chapter 41 The Secret Room In the Study Room


    ¡°Rachel?¡± Tina frantically yelled out to her.


    Instinctively, Rachel turned back. She was way more embarrassed to have encountered such a


    transgression.


    ¡°Y-You shouldn¡¯t misunderstand¡­¡± Tina¡¯s current expression was quite ugly.


    Just then, Rachel didn¡¯t understand why Tina was so anxious. Although this was an awkward situation,


    thetter was engaged to Noah anyway, so it was quite normal for them to be enamored with each


    other. Pleasure time with each other wasn¡¯t exactly something to be ashamed of. However, a moment


    later, as soon as she saw the guy behind Tina, the reason finally dawned upon Rachel. The man wasn¡¯t


    Noah at all.


    I came to get a bottle of wine. Rachel tried to put on a calm front and held up the bottle of wine in her


    hands to show Tina.


    In fact, she had never met Noah and she didn¡¯t know what he looked like either, but she happened to


    have met the guy behind Tina yesterday at the Burtons¡¯ summer vi located in the outskirts of town. If


    she wasn¡¯t mistaken, this man was the driver for the Burtons.


    ¡°Rachel¡­ I mean¡­. Rach,¡± At that moment, Tina was evidently at a loss for what to do and she


    stammered as well. ¡°Things are not what it seems. We were just¡­¡±


    ¡°She saw everything.¡± A male voice rang out from behind Tina and the man spoke with a definite tone.


    Upon hearing that, Rachel unconsciously shuddered.


    Just then, Tina had also begun to calm down and her expression darkened as she stared at Rachel.


    ¡°Did you see everything?¡±


    Instantly, Rachel shook her head vigorously to deny it.


    ¡°Stop pretending. You¡¯ve seen everything, right?¡± Tina nced at the wine bottle in Rachel¡¯s hands.


    ¡°How long have you been here for?¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel took a step backward. She had an awkward look on her face and she couldn¡¯t quite


    find the words to exin herself.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even though you¡¯ve seen us.¡± Tina exhaled deeply and her expression was quite


    somber. ¡°If you dare to reveal what you saw today, I swear you won¡¯t be able to live in peace in


    Riverdale.¡±


    Rachel held onto the wine bottle tightly. After a short pause, she nodded in response, as she did not


    want trouble either. It would not benefit her to reveal Tina¡¯s private matters.


    Tina¡¯s fingers continued to tremble uncontrobly as she watched Rachel leave the cer. Soon after


    that, the man behind her took her hands into his before he said in a low voice near her ears, ¡°Can she


    be trusted?¡±


    Tina¡¯s expression was solemn. ¡°Even if she can¡¯t be trusted, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. She¡¯s a


    mute and she already has trouble surviving in our family, so do you think she would have the guts to


    reveal anything? Besides, she doesn¡¯t have any proof at all.¡±


    Meanwhile, the man glowered.


    On the other end, Rachel ran out of the cer frantically. Finally, she managed to get to the upper floor


    and she ran toward an area with people around. Unfortunately, she ran straight into a waiter and fell to


    the ground.


    ¡°Miss, are you fine?¡±


    Shocked, Rachel quickly shook her head and she slowly came to her senses.


    She heard some musicing from the living room further ahead so she quickly handed over the


    bottle of wine in her hands to the waiter. Then, she gestured, Please help me pass this to Amber.


    Earlier in the cer, she had torn her dress. There was not much time left and she still had toplete


    the task assigned by Justin. It was quite likely she would be mocked by Amber if she went back into the


    living room.


    The dinner hadn¡¯t officially started so Jefferey was still entertaining his guests in the reception area.


    Therefore, she would have to take this opportunity while he was still entertaining his guests to slip into


    his study room and look for the safe that Justin mentioned. The mansion was massive but fortunately


    for her, Jefferey¡¯s bedroom and study room were located on the third floor of the function room tonight.


    In the end, Rachel seeded in finding the exact location of the study room based on her memory.


    She pushed the door open with a loud ¡®ck¡¯. There was a smell of smoke that hit her as soon as she


    entered the room. It didn¡¯t smell like sandalwood but rather, it resembled the smell of incense that was


    usually burnt during prayers.


    She scanned the surroundings and finally located the source of the smell. There was an extinguished


    incense burner located on the first row of the bookshelf and behind it was a statue of the Deity of


    Medications.


    The Hudson Family came from a medical background so naturally, it was their tradition to pray to the


    Deity of Medications. Jefferey was quite particr about maintaining traditions so all of this seemed


    quite reasonable.


    ording to Justin, Jefferey¡¯s safe was located within the shelf to the right of his study table.


    And so, Rachel swiftly made her way there and pulled open the shelf door.


    Indeed, Justin was right and there was a rectangr silver safe located within the shelf and it was built


    into the bookshelf. The safe was digitally locked and a password was required to unlock it. Without that,


    there was no chance of opening it. Moreover, it would be wishful to attempt to steal the safe as it was


    built into the bookshelf.


    She took a few photos of the safe and sent them off to Justin.


    ¡®The safe is here, so can I go now?¡¯


    She waited and waited, but there was no reply from the other end.


    Rachel felt quite anxious and just as she was about to leave, she heard voicesing from outside all


    of a sudden.


    It looked like Jefferey was back.


    She nced to her left and right but then she realized that there was nowhere for her to hide.


    ¡°Umph¡ª¡°


    Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind her and mped down on her mouth. Then, she was


    dragged toward the back.


    After Rachel hade to her senses, she found that she was in a dark environment and there seemed


    to be a suffocating smell of incense that was quite offensive. She would have coughed out loud if her


    mouth wasn¡¯t currently covered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound.¡± A low voice rang out by her ear.


    Just then, Rachel¡¯s back stiffened.


    It¡¯s Justin! He was here all this while!


    It seemed like Jefferey had brought a guest into the room and their conversation from outside was


    clearly audible through the thin board of the bookshelf. It sounded like they were discussing the


    problems faced with the transport of medical equipment.


    At that moment, Justin had a hand ced against the board of the bookshelf and he concentrated on


    the sounds outside for a short while. His sharp nose was illuminated by the rays of light that passed


    through the crevices and his expression looked quite cold.


    As for Rachel, she slowly calmed down.


    After Justin had ensured that they wouldn¡¯t be discovered for the time being, he released her from his


    tight grip and she could finally breathe in normally.


    The secret room waspletely dark and nothing could be seen in here. There was merely a flickering


    light source from behind and the whole ce was quite eerie.


    Rachel drew back and remained in a fixed position.


    Her back remained tightly pressed against Justin¡¯s chest and their breaths were in sync just then. The


    tiny secret room was so quiet that their rapid heartbeats were clearly audible.


    After quite some time, there was a burst ofughter from outside.


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Riley. I¡¯ll get Tomas to draft the agreement.¡±


    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡±


    Rachel finally heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing the door shut from outside.


    Just then, Justin released her from his arms.


    Somehow, he pressed on a button and the bookshelf gently twisted and it opened outward. Suddenly,


    the light flowed in from outside and illuminated more than half of the secret room.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s gone. Come on out.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Rachel recollected her senses and nodded her head as she followed Justin out of the room.


    How did you get here?


    If he was able toe here in person then why did he force me to go through this frightful episode?


    Justin shot her a cold and indifferent look. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t here, do you think you would be able to open the


    safe?¡±


    Can you open it?


    Shocked, Rachel stared at him but she quickly regained herposure.


    Justin was a man of many talents so surely, there was nothing that could trouble him. Besides, this was


    merely a simple and tiny safe.


    Meanwhile, he ignored her and nced behind her thoughtfully. Then, he coldly eximed, ¡°How many


    people do you think have lost their lives because of your family?! We¡¯re already in the 21st century but


    you¡¯re still worshiping such a thing?¡±


    Worshiping such a thing?


    Rachel¡¯s expression went still and her eyes followed his gaze behind her. Just then, she saw the full


    view of the secret room. Inside the room, there was a mini-sized altar and the flickering light from


    earlier was in fact an incense burning in an incense holder.


    She couldn¡¯t help moving closer to take a look, but her face paled immediately upon noticing the deities


    on the altar

 My Mute Bride Chapter 42

    My Mute Bride Chapter 42


    Chapter 42 The Woman in the Photo


    The so-called Deities were in fact not deities but a piece of wooden que carved with the birthdate


    and time. The four edges had locks on it, which were spray-painted red and bolted tightly to the ground.


    On the right side of the que, there was a framed piece of bright yellow talisman and the writing on it


    was messy and indecipherable.


    Just then, Rachel¡¯s feet felt as if they were filled with lead. Her eyes were fixated upon the talisman and


    it felt as if she was about to bore a hole into it and find out what was beneath the frame.


    Just then, Justin could sense that there was something wrong with her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    However, it seemed that Rachel didn¡¯t hear his words at all and she reached out an arm toward the


    talisman.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Justin pulled her back.


    They must not touch a single item here. Otherwise, if Jefferey came back and saw it, he would


    definitely realize that someone had broken into the ce and therefore it would be harder for them to


    obtain the form next time if they failed to get it this time.


    However, Rachel¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet and she was still staring fixedly on the talisman with a


    dazed look on her.


    Is she possessed?


    Meanwhile, Justin frowned and admonished, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    He was never a believer of spiritual objects, so he reached out his arm and immediately removed the


    talisman to reveal the frame behind.


    There was a ck-and-white artistic photo in the frame and it was evidently taken from a studio. The


    photo looked like it had been taken in thest century.


    The woman had on a traditional outfit and she looked very young. She had a demure smile on her face


    which somehow looked quite familiar to Justin. He seemed to have seen her from somewhere before.


    ¡°Boohoo¡ª¡°


    Suddenly, there was a sobbing sound that came from behind.


    Justin was momentarily shocked and he looked back to see a face filled with tears.


    Rachel¡¯s hands gripped the bookshelf tightly and her eyes were red-rimmed. Although she tried hard to


    suppress her emotions, she couldn¡¯t seem to control her immense sorrow and she sobbed in a hoarse


    voice.


    Justin nced at her face and suddenly, he seemed toprehend the part of the situation.


    The woman in this photo was¡­


    At that moment, Rachel¡¯s vision was blurry. The bright-red ne, the clear birthdate and time,


    coupled with that exact same photo that she had as well¡­ Each of them seemed to be a clear


    indication for her.


    Just then, the sound of Justin¡¯s phone vibrations rang out from his pocket. Frustrated, he nced at the


    safe right in front of him and then he took a look at Rachel.


    After quite some time, he put back the talisman and dragged Rachel out of the room.


    ¡°Umphhhh¡ª¡± Rachel struggled to break free as she wanted to remain there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at it!¡± Justin reprimanded her in a low voice. ¡°Even if you continue staring at it, she won¡¯t be


    able toe back from the dead.¡±


    This woman¡¯s such a bother. If I knew that there would be such an ident, I might as well not get her


    toe along.


    At the lounge of the second floor, Frankie sent a paper bag containing a gown into the room before


    retreating and closing the door after him.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, how did Mrs. Burton end up like this?¡±


    Justin frowned slightly in response and he remained lost in thought. ¡°How did Rachel¡¯s birth mother


    pass away?¡±


    Previously, he had assigned Frankie to conduct the investigation when he knew that he was going to


    marry Jefferey¡¯s daughter.


    Frankie paused momentarily. ¡°It was due to a car ident.¡±


    ¡°Is that confirmed?¡±


    ¡°This was what was recorded at the police station. Mrs. Burton¡¯s birth mother didn¡¯t have a stable job in


    the past and she usually went out to work at night. Once, she consumed too much alcohol and ended


    up losing control. That¡¯s how she got into a car ident and passed away.¡±


    ¡°What did she work as?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Frankie hesitated.


    Truth be told, Frankie had already reported this matter to Justin in the past and it wasn¡¯t something that


    was hard to find out either. In the records, Rachel¡¯s mother provided illicit services. Because of her


    great looks, she was considered to be a popr hostess at one of the high-end clubs at that time and


    Jefferey had been a regr customer there.


    ¡°After some time, she suddenly quit and left the industry. She disappeared for quite some time and


    after that, Jefferey received the news that she had passed away from a car ident, leaving a young


    daughter behind.¡±


    Illicit services?


    Justin recalled the photo he saw at the altar. Come to think of it, Rachel had a strong resemnce to


    the woman in the photo and both of them had a demure and docile look¡ªthere was a clean look in


    their eyes. Whatever it was, she didn¡¯t seem like one who would resort to working in such an industry.


    Just then, Frankie noticed Justin¡¯s silence and he couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°I thought you went to seek for


    the form today? Why are you suddenly asking about this? Did something happen?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Justin finally recollected his thoughts. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the form another time.¡±


    As soon as he finished his words, he raised his arm to look at his watch. ¡°Has the dinner party started?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s started. Everyone¡¯s waiting for you to get there and they¡¯ve asked after you quite a few times


    already.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Frankie asked, revealing a surprised look.


    Just then, Justin replied in a low voice, ¡°Inform Jefferey that I¡¯ve got something else on. I¡¯ll head back


    with Rachel.¡±


    His original n was to get Rachel to look for the safe. Once her face was captured on the footage of


    the surveince camera at the corridor, then even if he took the form with him, she would be the


    suspect in Jefferey¡¯s mind.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect that there were so many disruptions which had dyed his time.


    Right now, it looked like Rachel wouldn¡¯t be able to continue attending the dinner party.


    As soon as he finished his sentence, there came the sound of the door opening.


    Rachel pulled open the door and stood at the entrance. Her new gown was quite figure-forming and the


    ck-colored ruffled dress perfectly entuated her neck and shoulders, putting her snowy-white neck


    on disy.


    It was quite evident from her eyes that she had just cried as they were tinged red from earlier, but that


    just made her seem more delicate than ever.


    I¡¯m fine. I can attend the dinner party.


    Justin was significantly stunned by her response.


    Meanwhile, it was dark out and the ballroom was filled with people.


    Amber was currently chatting with her friend. Mid-conversation, one of the waiters handed over a bottle


    of wine from the cer to her. Subsequently, he leaned over to whisper something into her ear.


    Thereafter, she revealed a smug smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Amber? Why are you so happy about a bottle of wine?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be happy about? It¡¯s just wine,¡± Amber muttered as she raised her brows. ¡°I¡¯m happy


    because someone who¡¯s overestimated herself has jumped into a trap herself without even taking a


    look.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Her friend couldn¡¯t understand Amber¡¯s words and surveyed the


    surroundings confusedly. ¡°I thought Tina said she wasing? It¡¯s quitete already, so why is she not


    here yet?¡±


    ¡°She left.¡±


    ¡°Left? When did that happen?¡±


    Amber then mentioned with a meaningful tone, ¡°Her well-kept secret was revealed so she¡¯s busy


    sorting things out. I don¡¯t think she will be in the mood to join the dinner party. If I were her, I would


    definitely be trying to figure out how to kill off the person who knows my secret.¡±


    ¡°Kill someone? What in the world is going on?¡± her friend questioned with a frown. ¡°I really don¡¯t know


    what you¡¯re talking about anymore.¡±


    As she said that, someone standing next to them suddenly said, ¡°Justin¡¯s here.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Amber¡¯s expression brightened upon hearing that and she stood up from the couch immediately. She


    hurriedly checked her hair and straightened her clothes. Then, she followed everyone¡¯s gaze and


    nced in that direction.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that your elder sister?¡±


    In fact, Amber had already seen the duo as soon as her friend¡¯s words hit her ears.


    Standing at the staircase, Justin was dressed in a crisp, ck tuxedo and his expression was as cold


    as before. The terrifying scar on his face did nothing to hide his good looks and right now, he was


    walking toward the middle of the ballroom.


    Rachel was his partner and she had changed into a ck-colored ball gown. At the moment, she held


    onto his arm and had an elegant andposed look on her face. In truth, their arrival was quite


    harmonious and they looked the perfect match.


    However, this scene was quite jarring to Amber.


    All of a sudden, she clenched her fingers tightly and her newly manicured nails pierced into her palm,


    practically piercing through her flesh.


    Rachel¡¯s able to attend tonight¡¯s dinner with Justin and she exhibits suchposure too! Is she


    showing off in front of everyone and mocking me?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 43

    My Mute Bride Chapter 43


    Chapter 43 The Third Choice


    Justin very rarely appeared in public, but the guests present at the Hudson¡¯s dinner party could clearly


    identify him by the ugly scar on his face.


    ¡°Is this Justin Burton?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t look as terrifying as everyone mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! And his rtionship with Rachel seems quite good too.¡±


    Just then, the crowd whispered among themselves in the ballroom. Fortunately, there was background


    music to mask their voices and at the same time, someone had already approached Justin to greet him


    so the scene became quite lively all of a sudden.


    Countless people came forward to hand Justin their name cards. Just then, Rachel instinctively wanted


    to withdraw her hand and walk off but Justin grabbed her hand tightly. She nced sideways and met


    his calm, steady look.


    All of a sudden, she was significantly shocked. After that, she stood there hearing thepliments


    from the crowd and once she looked up again, she had already revealed a graceful smile to the crowd


    around them.


    Since young, she had practically never experienced such attention from anyone. In the past ten years,


    her life had been as quiet as her condition and there was not a single ripple in her uneventful life. She


    was always the non-existent person at every event of the Hudson Family.


    However, her marriage to Justin seemed to be the turning point of her life.


    ¡°Amber, your sister and brother-inw seem to have a good rtionship.¡±


    Amber¡¯s friend¡¯s words hit her ears and the ugly look already present on Amber¡¯s face turned uglier.


    ¡°It¡¯s all just for show. He can¡¯t possibly ignore her in front of so many people!¡±


    As Amber said that, she left her friend and strode purposefully toward Justin.


    ¡°Justin.¡±


    Rachel was currently by Justin¡¯s side greeting the crowd when she was suddenly interrupted by


    Amber¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Justin, why did you arrive sote? Rachel came by herself earlier so I thought that you were not


    joining us tonight.¡±


    Amber behaved as if Rachel, who was currently standing by the side, was invisible. In short, the former


    focused only on talking to Justin.


    Everyone present clearly caught her emphasized words that Rachel had ¡®came by herself¡¯.


    Meanwhile, Justin replied indifferently, ¡°There was something urgent at thepany so I got the driver


    to send Rae here first. Did I miss anything interesting?¡± His words spoke volumes.


    Amber¡¯s expression stiffened in response and she nced at Rachel before replying awkwardly, ¡°You


    didn¡¯t miss anything. Did Rachel mention anything to you?¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t answer. However, his eyes focused on Amber¡¯s neck. ¡°The ne suits you.¡±


    He changed the topic so quickly that everyone was quite perplexed. Meanwhile, Amber¡¯s face lit up


    and she suddenly revealed a coy expression as she touched the diamond ne on her neck


    without saying a word.


    This was a gift from Justin when he apanied Rachel back to the Hudson Residence previously.


    ¡°The birthday boy is here.¡±


    Someone hollered loudly and the crowd¡¯s attention became focused on the other entrance of the


    ballroom. Just then, Jefferey entered the room while chit-chatting with a few of the Hudson rtives


    and they managed to attract everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Justin, let¡¯s go and wish Dad a happy birthday!¡±


    Amber immediately reached out for Justin¡¯s hand and dragged him along. As for Justin, he didn¡¯t object


    to it and he left Rachel standing right there.


    Momentarily stunned, Rachel felt an inexplicable sense of sadness well up as soon as Justin¡¯s arms


    were removed from her side. In all honesty, she couldn¡¯t control the emptiness in her heart.


    Obviously, everyone would like a dazzling woman, right?


    Despite Amber¡¯s personality in private, at the very least, she was a likable character on the surface.


    Meanwhile, Justin was dragged by Amber and they came to stand right in front of Jefferey. The former


    then turned around to nce further toward the back and noticed that Rachel had walked off quite a


    distance away.


    ¡°Justin, could you give me a hand with the cake?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± He then collected his thoughts and followed Amber along to push the cake trolley. However, his


    thoughts remained fixated on where it was originally. All of the thoughts swirling in his mind were


    rted to the scene earlier in the study room. He couldn¡¯t quite shake off the scene of that woman¡¯s


    devastated and distraught look from his mind.


    As for Rachel, she had no intention to join the crowd so she took a seat in a secluded corner. As she


    sat there, she saw Amber and Justin push out a cart with the birthday cake on it for Jefferey. Soon after


    that, she walked off by herself to get a bottle of wine. Normally, she abstained from alcohol but today,


    she wished to have a drink.


    As soon as she recalled her mom¡¯s tablet being locked-up in such a cramped space by Jefferey, she


    felt a burst of anger that welled up within her and threatened to spill over.


    It was clearly evident that it wasn¡¯t an altar tomemorate the dead. The bright-red locks and the


    walls full of talismans were clearly an arrangement specifically there for the dead and it wasn¡¯t intended


    tomemorate but instead, it was to suppress the dead!


    Did Mom really lose her life from a car ident? Suddenly, Rachel was quite suspicious of the whole


    incident.


    The night had fallen and the full moon was clearly mirrored in the swimming pool by the ballroom.


    ¡°Do you n to get drunk and then act pitiful in front of Justin?¡±


    There was a female voice that rang out from in front of Rachel, causing her to clench the bottle of wine


    in her hands tightly as she raised her head to nce across the room.


    Somehow, Amber had trailed after her.


    ¡°Are you keeping quiet because I guessed correctly?¡± Amber crossed her arms and her four-and-a-half-


    inch high heels clicked loudly against the tiles next to the swimming pool. She nced at Rachel with a


    cold expression and the haughty look on her face was clearly evident. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must have forgotten.


    You¡¯re a mute so you can¡¯t even express yourself.¡±


    Rachel shot her a look and gestured, What do you want?


    She¡¯s not inside fawning over Justin or acting as the dutiful daughter in front of Jefferey, but she came


    over to find fault with me. What¡¯s the point anyway?


    ¡°I¡¯m here for something important of course! Justin just drank some wine earlier and now, he¡¯s having a


    discussion with my dad about business matters so I came out to take a breather. I¡¯ll have to head back


    inside soon.¡± As soon as Amber finished her words, she snorted coldly and added, ¡°Do you think that


    everyone is as useless as you?¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel clenched her fists tightly and her expression darkened slightly.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Did I say something wrong?¡± Amber scanned her surroundings and replied


    smugly, ¡°How dare youe here anyway? Have you forgotten how you fell to the ground and sliced


    your forehead open when you were young?¡±


    Just then, Rachel felt a throbbing pain on her forehead as soon as Amber brought up the incident from


    their childhood. Since young, Amber had a mean streak in her that was asparable as right now. In


    the past, she had pushed Rachel into the unfilled swimming pool, causing thetter to fall to the ground


    and bleed profusely. This remained Rachel¡¯s worst nightmare even up till today.


    ¡°Do you think that Justin will stand by me, just like how Dad did, if the same thing happened again


    today?¡± Amber questioned, her expression turning vicious.


    Instantly, Rachel¡¯s face turned and she took a step backward instinctively.


    ¡°Why are you so anxious?¡± Amber stared at Rachel with a cold look and then the former removed her


    ne in front of thetter. ¡°We¡¯re no longer kids so obviously we have to act our age. Do you think


    that I¡¯m still the same as when we were kids?¡±


    As soon as she said that, the ne soared into the air at a perfect angle andnded with a ¡®plop¡¯


    sound into the swimming pool.


    Rachel frowned at her, What are you doing?


    ¡°You¡¯ve got two options right now. One, jump into the pool and get it for me. Two, I¡¯ll tell Justin that you


    grabbed my ne and dumped it into the pool. Do pick one. I must say that I¡¯m quite generous to


    you.¡±


    Pale-faced, Rachel confronted Amber, Why are you doing this?


    Meanwhile, Amber scanned her from head to toe and replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t avenged myself from the


    episode at the pondst time, so I suddenly realized it. This is fair, right?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel clenched her fist tightly and her palm throbbed with pain. She fell into the


    pond at the Hudson Residence because of her own doing and now she¡¯s ming everything on me?


    In the past, Rachel had tolerated Amber¡¯s tyranny and overbearingness because the former was


    thankful for Jefferey¡¯s kindness in taking in her and her grandmother after her mom had passed away.


    However, the scene at the altar today had overthrown everything in her mind.


    Amber, I think I¡¯ve got a third option.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 44

    My Mute Bride Chapter 44


    Chapter 44 Does He Really Know Sign Language?


    Amber was startled. ¡°What do you mean by a third choice?¡±


    Before the woman could even react, Rachel suddenly lifted her hand to push Amber¡¯s shoulder.


    Ssh!


    There was a huge ssh in the swimming pool.


    ¡°Cough¡­ Ahhh¡­ Help me!¡±


    Rachel silently stood beside the pool as her expression grew colder under the moonlight.


    The third choice that she had mentioned was to push Amber with that damn ne together into the


    swimming pool.


    Themotion at the swimming pool quickly alerted the people in the hall, so the attendants


    immediately saved Amber from the pool. One by one, they hurriedly covered her with towels, but even


    so, she had made herself a fool in front of everyone.


    ¡°Amber.¡± Jefferey held Amber in distress. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Then, she let out a loud cry while pointing at Rachel with a trembling finger. ¡°She pushed me!¡±


    The moment her words came out, it caused an uproar among the surrounding guests.


    His face darkened as he red at Rachel. ¡°What happened?¡±


    However, she remained silent and refused to deny or confirm Amber¡¯s usation.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this, Rachel. Have you already decided to abandon your family just because you are


    now Mrs. Burton? How dare you do this to Amber! If anything happens to her, I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    ¡°What will you do?¡± A deep voice was suddenly heard from behind Rachel as it interrupted Jefferey¡¯s


    lecture.


    Before she could even turn around, her body waspletely engulfed by an enormous shadow.


    As he looked at Justin, Jefferey could not help but significantly control his temper. ¡°What is it, President


    Burton? Are you now going to defend your wife?¡±


    His words immediately reminded everyone else that Rachel was no longer the neglected daughter of


    the Hudson Family. Rather, she was now Justin Burton¡¯s wife, so no matter what she did, he still


    needed to pay some respect to Justin.


    While being as indifferent as usual, Justin uttered, ¡°This is your family¡¯s business. I¡¯m just here to have


    a look.¡±


    His words were clear as ever.


    Upon listening to him, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but silentlyugh at herself. How could he ever speak up for


    me?


    If he were willing to help her, Amber wouldn¡¯t have had the confidence to y such tricks with her.


    Upon hearing Justin¡¯s words, Jefferey finally let out a huge sigh of relief. After all, since Justin was


    here, it wouldn¡¯t be wise for Jefferey to immediately use Rachel, so he coldly questioned, ¡°Rachel, I


    want you to tell me what happened earlier. How did Amber fall into the pool all of a sudden?¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Meanwhile, Justin tucked both his hands into his pockets and he stood aside as if he was an outsider


    watching the drama.


    After withdrawing her gaze, Rachel lost all hope as a hint of grievance was seen on her gorgeous face.


    Amber wanted to grab her ne which fell into the pool. I tried to pull her back, but she fell in the


    end, she exined through her gestures.


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Jefferey¡¯s voice deepened. ¡°Why would Amber jump into the pool for a ne?¡±


    You can ask her that for yourself. When she was in the Burton Residence back then, she also jumped


    into the fish pond for no reason. Am I right, Amber?


    There was a hint of coldness on her face as her usual calm personality had now turned aggressive


    when she brought up the ¡®fish pond¡¯ incident.


    Sure enough, Amber¡¯s expression suddenly changed as she hid inside Jefferey¡¯s arms. If she mentions


    the ¡®fish pond¡¯ incident at the Burton Residence, it wouldpletely destroy my reputation.


    The surrounding guests couldn¡¯t understand signnguage except for Jefferey and Amber, so all of


    them were looking at each other, wondering what Rachel had said.


    ¡°What fish pond?¡± Justin¡¯s voice was loud, but those three simple words just so happened to fall into


    Rachel¡¯s ears.


    She instinctively nced at him in shock. He actually knows signnguage?


    As for Amber, her face quickly paled while she exined in panic, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I didn¡¯t say that it was


    her who pushed me into the pool. I¡­ I was just trying to grab my ne. It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    The moment she exined what had happened, the guests immediately discussed it among


    themselves.


    ¡°Did she really use the other woman by mistake?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this count as nder?¡±


    Meanwhile, Jefferey¡¯s expression darkened because he was infuriated after being embarrassed in front


    of all the guests. ¡°Amber, what are you talking about? Have you lost your mind?¡±


    Upon listening to the whispers of the other guests, he angrily threw her aside before leaving.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Amber was now covered in a towel as she looked really embarrassed.


    Then, the housekeeper asked everyone to return to the hall while leaving the frantic Amber alone.


    Rachel, I¡¯m not done with you yet!


    Because of the farcical scene, Jefferey was so embarrassed that he ended the banquet early.


    Therefore, Rachel and Justin returned to the Burton Residence in the same vehicle.


    ¡°You are quite a good liar.¡± His deep sarcastic voice echoed within the car.


    She was immediately left dumbfounded as she stared at him. He knows that I was lying?


    Justin¡¯s narrow eyes slowly focused. ¡°Unfortunately, you were still too impulsive. There are many


    surveince cameras at the banquet.¡±


    If Amber hadn¡¯t panicked after Rachel mentioned the fish pond, Amber could have checked the


    surveince video straight away and the truth would have been revealed.


    Rachel let out a sigh of relief and leaned against her seat after she heard him. There wouldn¡¯t be any


    surveince cameras at the pool. She isn¡¯t that stupid.


    Since Amber had the courage to throw the ne into the pool for her to retrieve, she would have


    definitely made sure that the scene wouldn¡¯t be captured by the surveince camera just like what she


    had done at the Burton Residencest time.


    Sadly, she didn¡¯t expect Rachel to push her straight into the pool.


    However, it was all thanks to Justin¡¯s help.


    After a moment of silence, Rachel asked, Do you understand signnguage?


    She wanted to know why he acted like he didn¡¯t understand her at all when she came to Burton


    Residence when he actually knew signnguage all this while.


    While looking at her, Justin slightly furrowed his brows to show his annoyance. ¡°What does that have to


    do with you?¡±


    For a moment, Rachel was taken aback, so she changed the question. You knew that I was lying, so


    why did you help me?


    If she hadn¡¯t mentioned the fish pond all of a sudden, Amber wouldn¡¯t have felt nervous and the scuffle


    wouldn¡¯t have ended so quickly.


    ¡°Help you? You are thinking too much. I was just helping to preserve the Burton Family¡¯s reputation.


    The Young Madam of the Burton Family wouldn¡¯t do such a degrading act,¡± he coldly answered.


    Upon listening to him, she couldn¡¯t help but feel gloomy. Is he ming me for causing him trouble


    again?


    Ding!


    Suddenly, a message was sent to Justin¡¯s phone, breaking the awkward atmosphere.


    Rachel quickly withdrew her gaze and silently swallowed the other questions she had in mind.


    Instinctively, she turned her head toward the car window.


    Meanwhile, he unlocked his phone and read the message sent to him.


    ¡®President Burton, I¡¯ve done what you asked me to do. Just as you had expected, it is a method of


    suppressing wronged souls that is rumored among the geomancy believers.¡¯


    As he looked at the message, his eyes nced to one side.


    At the same time, Rachel leaned against the car window while quietly gazing outside in a daze. The


    side of her face looked extremely gentle and soft, but after a closer look, he could see the gloom within


    her eyes which she started to have after exiting the study room.


    Then, Justin replied to Frankie, ¡®Go and investigate how Rachel¡¯s mother had died back then.¡¯


    ¡®Didn¡¯t she die in a car crash?¡¯


    ¡®Apparently not.¡¯


    After he typed those two firm words, he kept his phone away as his expression became serious.


    If her mother actually died from a car crash, Jefferey wouldn¡¯t have felt so guilty that he has to turn to


    such a superstitious method. Suppressing a memorial tablet is just simply absurd.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 45

    My Mute Bride Chapter 45


    Chapter 45 Her Mother¡¯s Cause of Death


    Rachel had always been in a daze ever since she returned from the Hudson Family¡¯s birthday banquet.


    She went to the hospital the next morning.


    ¡°She always goes out every day. At this point, she might as well stay at the hospital.¡± Sue stood in front


    of the dining table as she red at Rachel, but she didn¡¯t stop Rachel.


    ¡°Madam, I don¡¯t think you should worry too much about it since she definitely won¡¯tst long with Mr.


    Burton,¡± Mrs. Duncan answered.


    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°The two of them are still sleeping in different rooms at this moment and if this woman can¡¯t bear any


    child for him, they won¡¯tst long even if they don¡¯t hate each other. On top of that, she is a mute.¡±


    Upon listening to Mrs. Duncan¡¯s words, Sue subconsciously nced upstairs and suddenly thought of


    something. ¡°Then, if another woman bears his child, won¡¯t this solve all of our problems?¡± she asked


    thoughtfully.


    Inside the ward of Tran-Q, Nancy was recovering well and she could now begin to walk.


    Rachel was apanying Nancy while she ate her breakfast. Granny, can I ask you something?


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Last time, you told me that my dad brought me home because of something else. Wasn¡¯t it because my


    mom passed away?


    Nancy¡¯s hand trembled slightly as she ate the porridge. ¡°Why are you suddenly asking me this?¡±


    Rachel gently smiled. In the past, I would get a headache whenever I tried to remember my childhood,


    so you always told me not to think about it. Now, I¡¯vepletely forgotten everything. If I don¡¯t ask you,


    I may not even remember what my mom looks like.


    ¡°Are you starting to miss your mom?¡± Nancy sighed as she pulled Rachel into her arms and patted the


    younger woman¡¯s shoulder tofort her. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much if you can¡¯t remember. All you need to


    do is to be happy.¡±


    As she leaned against her granny¡¯s arms, Rachel was filled with mixed emotions.


    Granny, my dad told me that Mom died from a car crash.


    Nancy¡¯s eyes immediately darkened as she fell into silence.


    Due to Rachel¡¯s identity as Jefferey¡¯s illegitimate daughter, she seldom mentioned her biological mother


    in front of him or the Hudson Family.


    However, the statement that her mother died in a car ident was the one she had heard the most.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. She died in a car crash.¡± Nancy¡¯s voice sounded obscure and reluctant.


    Then, Rachel rose to her feet. However, you told me before that I lost my voice in a forest fire. Before


    that, Mom had been with us all the time in the mountains with no roads, so how did she end up in a car


    ident?


    Even though she had no memory about it, she had heard about it from Nancy many times before.


    Before the Hudson Family had brought her home, Rachel, Nancy and her mother lived in a remote


    mountainous area where there were no roads and cars. That was the reason why the fire brigade


    couldn¡¯t enter to save them during the forest fire.


    After listening to Rachel, Nancy turned her face away as she was obviously dodging her


    granddaughter¡¯s question. ¡°Why are you asking me this today?¡±


    Rachel pulled Nancy¡¯s sleeves, trying to gesture at Nancy to lift her head so that she could be


    observed while speaking.


    ¡°Rae, I¡¯m feeling a bit tired today. I¡¯m heading to sleep.¡± Nancy¡¯s voice sounded hoarse as she pulled


    her nket andy down on the bed.


    Upon seeing her this way, Rachel did not dare to ask any more questions.


    Since Rachel was a kid, Nancy would rarely mention her mother to her. Now that her body was not in


    the best of health, Rachel did not want to agitate her any longer, especially when she had discovered


    that the cause of her mother¡¯s death wasn¡¯t an ident.


    When Nancy fell asleep, Rachel closed the door and went out.


    ¡°Rae.¡± The moment she went out, she ran into Julian, who just came to work. ¡°You arrived much earlier


    today.¡±


    He initially wanted to drive her here, but Sue had informed him that Rachel left earlier in the morning.


    Upon seeing him, Rachel nodded and smiled reluctantly.


    ¡°What is it? Is there something bothering you?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.


    ¡°Is it because you still can¡¯t rent a room?¡± A concerned Julian asked.


    She didn¡¯t want to exin much to him, so she simply nodded her head. I¡¯ll just tell him it¡¯s because I


    can¡¯t rent a room. Besides, it is indeed something that bothers me.


    He smiled and answered, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry anymore since I¡¯ve already arranged everything for


    you.¡±


    Rachel was stunned when she heard his words. He has arranged everything?


    ¡°There is a housing estate half a mile away from the hospital called Glendale.¡± After they entered his


    office, Julian ced his keys on the desk and showed her the photos on his phone.


    ¡°It is a house with two bedrooms and it belongs to my friend. At the moment, he is studying abroad for


    another two more years, so it is temporarily unupied.¡±


    However, without even looking at the photos, Rachel immediately shook her head. Your friend¡¯s house


    is not suitable for granny.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already spoken to my friend. He said that he doesn¡¯t care about the rent. He just


    wants you to take care of his furniture.¡±


    While Rachel still hesitated, Julian took out the tenancy agreement. ¡°It¡¯s a formal process and I¡¯m just


    the middleman. You don¡¯t need to feel pressured by it.¡±


    At this point, there was no way for her to reject him.


    Although he had helped her a lot to secure this house, she knew clearly that she should stay far away


    from him.


    Thank you, but I can¡¯t ept it. She returned the contract to him with a firm look. Dr. Peters, Granny


    will be discharged in a few days¡¯ time, so I will find a house for her myself. Thank you for taking care of


    her during this period. Granny and I really appreciate it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be polite with me.¡± Julian¡¯s face darkened.


    Rachel shook her head while she clenched the writing pad in her hand. Then, she rose to her height


    from the front of the desk and gestured to leave.


    He knew that it was useless to say anything, but upon looking at her leaving, he suddenly felt


    disappointed in his heart.


    Julian had never tried so hard to help a girl or felt this frustrated before. No matter how much he tried to


    help Rachel, she always seemed to shrug it off.


    His instincts were telling him that she was avoiding him on purpose.


    Frankie went into Justin¡¯s office with a document in the afternoon. ¡°Director Burton, this is the


    investigation report you wanted.¡±


    Justin lifted his head slightly before he flipped through the document. ¡°Tell me everything.¡±


    ¡°Since you are in a hurry, I still can¡¯t confirm the minor details, but I found out that Miss Hudson¡¯s


    mother is actually someone else. The woman who died in the car crash isn¡¯t her biological mother,¡±


    Frankie exined.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Justin nced at him. ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°Their ages don¡¯t match. The woman died in the car crash when she was 23 years old, but at that time,


    Miss Hudson was eight when she was brought back to the Hudson Family.¡±


    Her mother was 23 years old when she was eight? Justin¡¯s eyes grew colder. ¡°This doesn¡¯t mean


    anything per se.¡± We can¡¯t rule out the possibility that Jefferey might be inhumane enough to


    impregnate a 15-year-old girl.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just their ages. Their backgrounds don¡¯t match either. We had previously overlooked one thing,


    which is Miss Hudson¡¯s granny.¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes happened tond on Nancy¡¯s profile in the document.


    Frankie continued, ¡°Miss Hudson¡¯s granny was born in Somerset Mountain and she has nothing to do


    with the woman who died in the car crash at all.¡±


    Somerset Mountain?


    Justin¡¯s hands suddenly trembled as he held onto the document. At the same time, his eyes seemed to


    grow tense.


    Frankie suddenly seemed to realize something that made his face freeze. How could I forget that I


    must never mention Somerset Mountain in front of Mr. Burton?


    Back then, the biggest kidnapping case in Riverdale was the abduction of the Young Master of the


    Burton Family, who was Justin himself, by human traffickers. Therefore, Somerset Mountain was the


    ce where he had almost lost his life.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 46

    My Mute Bride Chapter 46


    Chapter 46 What Is Your Bargaining Chip?


    The name ¡®Somerset Mountain¡¯ echoed within the office.


    Justin¡¯s expression visibly darkened as the ugly scar on his face trembled vigorously, as if the


    protruding vein from his forehead was suppressing his sudden surge of emotions.


    ¡°She was born in Somerset Mountain?¡±


    Frankie returned to his senses and he quickly nodded his head. ¡°Yes, Miss Hudson was eight years old


    when she was sent to the Hudson Family with her granny.¡±


    ¡°They were brought from Somerset Mountain?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± He nervously looked at Justin.


    After all, 20 years had already passed and the servants of the Hudson Family had changed many


    times, so it wasn¡¯t easy for Frankie to find out that Rachel was brought over with her granny, let alone


    discovering their origins.


    Upon listening to Frankie¡¯s answers, Justin was instantly filled with mixed emotions. All of a sudden, he


    closed the document in his hands and said, ¡°I want you to find out more about it. Let someone else


    head to Somerset Mountain to investigate.¡±


    For a moment, Frankie was startled. ¡°President Burton, why are you suddenly so interested in


    investigating this?¡±


    However, Justin didn¡¯t answer as he coldly uttered, ¡°Go and look for the survivors of that forest fire


    back then. No matter how big or small, I want to learn everything about Rachel, her granny and the


    Hudson Family. Hurry up and go.¡±


    Upon facing Justin¡¯s cold gaze, Frankie quickly nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ll ask someone to look into it


    immediately.¡±


    Justin nodded slightly.


    ¡°By the way, there is one more thing I need to tell you, President Burton.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°About Miss Hudson renting a house outside, the intermediary couldn¡¯t get into contact with her, but he


    has Dr. Peters¡¯ number. When I called him today, he told me that Dr. Peters had already rented the


    house.¡±


    ¡°He rented it? Where is the house?¡±


    Frankie stuttered, ¡°Glendale.¡±


    Justin tightly furrowed his brows in that instant. A house in Glendale?


    In the night, the particrly clear sound of an engine was heard in the courtyard of the Burton


    Residence.


    Rachel had already taken a shower and she was now reading a book on the side of her bed. As soon


    as she heard the engine sound, she immediately closed the book and put it aside before wearing her


    sandals.


    She had been waiting for Justin to return.


    When she went downstairs to the living room, he had just removed his jacket and handed it over to the


    maid. The moment he saw hering down, he immediately furrowed his thick brows. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you


    asleep yet?¡±


    Rachel shook her head and pointed at the kitchen. I¡¯ll go and make some tea for you.


    When she was done making the tea, she brought it over to Justin¡¯s study room, but he wasn¡¯t there.


    However, the bedroom next to his study wasn¡¯t closed shut, so she could hear the sound of water


    sshing on the floor.


    Therefore, she simply waited for him in the study room, but a frayed newspaper on his desk quickly


    caught her attention.


    Even though the paper looked ancient, the masthead ¡®Riverdale Times¡¯ was still clear to the naked eye.


    Below, the front page headline had an eye-catching title¡ª¡®Justin Burtin, the eldest grandson of the


    Burton Family was sessfully rescued from a group of human traffickers in Somerset Mountain


    before their den was burned to crisp by a forest fire.¡¯


    It¡¯s a newspaper from 20 years ago.


    Rachel was stunned upon that sight.


    It wasn¡¯t difficult for her to discover that Justin was abducted years ago, but she was curious as to why


    he had retained the newspaper until now.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± A gloomy voice was suddenly heard behind her, which gave her a fright.


    Immediately, the newspaper fell onto the floor mat.


    I¡¯m sorry. Rachel quickly leaned over to pick it up.


    However, Justin was much faster than her. Before she even had the chance to touch the newspaper,


    his huge hand had already taken it away.


    With a dissatisfied tone, he asked, ¡°Who allowed you to simply touch my stuff?¡±


    Rachel felt her heart racing as she revealed an apologetic expression. I¡¯m sorry.


    After he impatiently red at her, he ced the newspaper back in the drawer of his desk.


    Before he closed the drawer, he saw the ck and white photo of ¡®the burning Somerset Mountain¡¯ in


    the newspaper. All of a sudden, he tightened his fingers as if he wanted to tear off the edge of the


    newspaper.


    Out of the corner of his eye, Justin nced at Rachel and remembered what Frankie said to him earlier


    in the evening. Suddenly, he had a suspicion in his heart. ¡°When did the Hudson Family bring you


    back?¡±


    For a moment, Rachel was left startled, but she carefully answered him. When I was about eight or


    nine years old.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how old you were when they took you back?¡± Justin nced at her sideways and


    questioned, ¡°Where did you live beforeing back to the Hudson Family?¡±


    Rachel shook her head. I don¡¯t remember.


    After seeing her reaction, the anger on his face grew as he sneered, ¡°You don¡¯t remember or you don¡¯t


    want to talk about it?¡±


    Even though he was certain that it was Jefferey who set that fire in Somerset Mountain 20 years ago,


    he never found any evidence to prove the man¡¯s guilt.


    When Justin realized that Rachel was brought back to the Hudson Family not long after the fire, he


    couldn¡¯t help but suspect whether these two situations were connected.


    However, she just couldn¡¯t remember what happened to her back then as she revealed a bitter


    expression. I fell really ill after they brought me back to the Hudson Family, so I can¡¯t remember


    anything before I was eight.


    She couldn¡¯t even remember what her mother looked like, but Nancy had luckily kept a photo of her so


    that Rachel wouldn¡¯t forget.


    Upon seeing that Rachel couldn¡¯t remember anything, Justin began to lose his patience. ¡°Since you


    don¡¯t know anything, what are you standing here for?¡±


    After gritting her teeth, she decided to tell him. You told me before that you want to make a deal. Now, I


    would like to renegotiate the terms with you.


    His expression immediately darkened as he scanned her face with his cold gaze.


    If I can help you to locate the form, will you allow me to leave the Burton Family?


    ¡°You want to leave the Burton Family?¡± Justin¡¯s narrow eyes focused slightly on her.


    Rachel pressed her lips and exined, Since I wasn¡¯t the one you nned to marry in the first ce,


    you can go to the Hudson Family and ask forpensation after my departure. If you really want to,


    I¡¯m sure Amber will still be willing to marry you.


    In the meantime, Justin¡¯s face became gloomy. ¡°What happens afterward?¡±


    Afterward? She was confused. What do you mean by afterward?


    Then, he stepped forward toward her. As she was engulfed by his imposing shadow, she could hear his


    cold voice sweeping across her ears. ¡°You can finally be together with whoever you like afterward. For


    example, Julian. Am I right?¡±


    A startled Rachel took a step back, but Justin grabbed her at that moment.


    ¡°Are you starting to think that I¡¯ve been too tolerant with youtely?¡±


    She shook her head and tried to calm herself down. There¡¯s nothing between the two of us.


    ¡°I¡¯ve known Julian for many years, but I¡¯ve never seen him this concerned about a woman. He would


    drive you to the hospital, buy you breakfast, take care of your family, and even¡­¡± Justin¡¯s eyes


    suddenly grew colder. ¡°He even took you and your family in to live with him.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression immediately changed. What are you talking about?


    She was confused because she did not agree to live with Julian at all.


    ¡°Are you now denying what I¡¯m saying?¡± He tightened his fingers around her hand to the point where it


    almost shattered her delicate wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you didn¡¯t know that the house in Glendale was


    registered under Julian¡¯s name. Also, don¡¯t tell me that you are only renting his house. This kind of


    childish trickery won¡¯t work on me.¡±


    Her face paled as she never agreed to rent Julian¡¯s house at all. I really don¡¯t know anything about it.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Justin coldly stared at Rachel with his knife-like eyes as if he was slicing her body bit by bit. ¡°If you


    want to negotiate, you must first have a bargaining chip. What is yours? Is it your body?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 47

    My Mute Bride Chapter 47


    Chapter 47 Do You Remember?


    The sky was already bright when Rachel regained consciousness. She didn¡¯t know when the man next


    to her left, but the residual warmth of his body was still on the bed. When she tried to move, she could


    feel the soreness and pain all over her body as if she was crushedst night.


    Rachel tried her best to sit up while she held her nket. After a moment of dizziness, she stared at


    the light shining through the curtains and thought about what Justin had said to herst night.


    ¡°I want you to remember this. Once you¡¯ve joined the Burton Family, only I can decide when you can


    leave.¡±


    Rachel then tightly held the nket. Am I destined to be under the control of someone for the rest of


    my life? No. For Grandma¡¯s sake, I must change my current situation. I can¡¯t let it continue.


    As she thought about it, her phone suddenly rang. On the other side, Jefferey¡¯s cold voice was heard. ¡°I


    want you toe home immediately as I need to talk to you.¡±


    As she looked at her phone, Rachel furrowed her brows. He¡¯s definitely calling me over to ask about


    what happened that day at the banquet. It just so happens that I have something to ask him too.


    When she arrived at the Hudson Residence, the housekeeper informed her that Jefferey was waiting


    for her in the backyard.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before that I¡¯m only having her by my side for a purpose other than cing someone near


    Justin.¡±


    ¡°What purpose does she have? That mute whom you raised for many years is always bullying Amber.¡±


    When Rachel came to the entrance of the backyard, she could hear the voices of two men through a


    screen. One of whom was Amber¡¯s uncle¡ªJosh Steward.


    Since Josh had doted on his niece, Amber, he was now infuriated with Jefferey¡¯s decision. ¡°Jefferey!


    Don¡¯t forget that Amber¡¯s mother suffered from depression then because of that mute! Do you want to


    see Amber going down the same path?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Amber is my precious daughter; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed Rachel to


    marry Justin. Don¡¯t you know what kind of a person Justin is?¡±


    As she listened to their conversation, Rachel froze on the spot as she suddenly felt empty in her heart.


    He¡¯s right. Everyone knows what kind of a person Justin is. He knew that sending me over would be a


    torture, but he still did it. It is a fact that I was never well-liked in the Hudson Family.


    Then, she heard Josh¡¯s response. ¡°Since she has married him, you should just sever your rtions


    with her. Overall, I don¡¯t want Amber to see her ever again. Even I feel infuriated whenever I see her.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. Even if she isn¡¯t married to the Burton Family, I still can¡¯t afford to cut off my rtions


    with her.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten that she is our only clue to the form?¡±


    The form? Rachel felt a thump in her heart. I¡¯m sure that he mentioned that I¡¯m the only clue to that


    form.


    However, she didn¡¯t dare to continue eavesdropping on their conversation anymore, so she went to


    wait for him in the living room. At the same time, she carefully thought about their conversation and felt


    that something was wrong.


    Not long after, Jefferey sent Josh off and saw her in the living room. ¡°When did you return?¡± Jefferey¡¯s


    expression looked strange.


    Rachel calmly exined, I¡¯ve been here for a while. Rosa told me that you are meeting a guest, so I


    chose to wait here.


    Now that she had exined to him, she nodded her head at Josh, who was behind Jefferey, to greet


    him. However, Josh let out a grunt and nced at her with disdain before leaving without saying a


    word.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    After Jefferey had sent the man off, he returned to sit down while the maid served them with some tea.


    Dad, what did you want to ask me about?


    ¡°Amber told me everything. You were the one who pushed her at the banquet, right?¡±


    Jefferey had a somber expression and his eyes were staring at Rachel in a way that he wouldn¡¯t even


    use on strangers.


    However, she remained calm. The truth depends on who you believe in. No matter what I say, you¡¯ll


    always believe Amber¡¯s words. Am I right?


    It was always the same ever since she was a kid. There was one time when they went to the vineyard


    in the outskirts where she had been pushed by Amber into a waterless pool. It had resulted in Rachel


    knocking her head on the ground, but no matter how much she had used Amber, it was all brushed


    off by Amber¡¯s simple reply. ¡°It was Rachel herself who tripped.¡±


    Amber never bothered to apologize.


    Upon listening to Rachel¡¯s words, he was infuriated as he bellowed, ¡°What are you saying? You are


    Amber¡¯s older sister, so you should always tolerate her.¡±


    So, if shemits murder in the future, are you going to frame me for her crime as well if you have the


    chance to do so?


    It was what Jefferey had done when he forced her to marry into the Burton Family.


    Rachel was usually calm and she had hardly ever been this aggressive, so Jefferey was taken aback


    for a moment. After a while, he was enraged and mmed the table in front of him. ¡°Do you really think


    you can say anything you want now that you have the Burton Family¡¯s backing? Don¡¯t forget that you


    are still a member of the Hudson Family.¡±


    While she looked at his angry face, she became calmer instead. Dad, I have dreamed of Mom for the


    past two days.


    He was stunned for a moment as the rage faded from his expression, but no one knew whether it was


    from guilt or something else. ¡°Your mom passed away many years ago. Didn¡¯t you forget everything


    after a bout with that serious illness?¡±


    She wore a gentle expression. My memory has be better recently.


    Jefferey was stunned as he looked at her in shock. ¡°Do you remember anything?¡±


    Rachel tentatively exined, I keep having the same dream of Mom bringing me up to the mountains


    to collect the herbs. At the same time, she kept telling me to memorize the¡ª


    ¡°What?¡±


    The form.


    He immediately jumped from the couch and looked at her in joy. ¡°The form? Have you remembered


    it?¡±


    As Rachel looked at him, she was stunned as her eyes were filled with mixed emotions. Before she


    arrived, she had already prepared what she was going to tell him so that she could find out the cause


    of her mother¡¯s death from him. Actually, she wasn¡¯t sure whether the form had anything to do with


    her mother¡¯s death, but she gambled with her chance. By the looks of it, her suspicions were correct.


    The car drove all the way to the Hudson Vineyard in the outskirts.


    While he sat on the back seat, Jefferey continued tofort Rachel. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t remember it.


    I¡¯ll take you to see something that¡¯ll definitely spark your memory.¡±


    She gently nodded her head and thoughtfully looked outside the window. What is this form? What


    does it have anything to do with me? Why would Jefferey, who loves her daughter a lot, stop


    interrogating me to hurriedly bring me to this vineyard as soon as I mentioned the form?


    While they were on the road, those words echoed in her mind. She is the only clue to the form. I¡¯m


    the only clue? Does this mean that Jefferey raised me up in the Hudson Family all these years because


    of this?


    The moment they arrived at the vineyard, Jefferey immediately brought Rachel to the same study room


    as their previous trip. As she looked at the direction of the bookcases, she suddenly became gloomy


    while resisting the urge to question him about the tablet and geomancy located behind the bookcase.


    ¡°Rae,e here.¡± Jefferey immediately opened the safe under the desk in front of her and removed a


    letter before handing it over to her. ¡°Open it and have a look.¡±


    What is this? Rachel silently guessed something in her heart.


    ¡°This is the secret form of the Hudson Family that has been passed down from generation to


    generation.¡±


    She clenched her hands. This is the thing that Justin is trying to locate.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 48

    My Mute Bride Chapter 48


    Chapter 48 A Pointless Form


    As Rachel retrieved the envelope from Jefferey¡¯s hands, she noticed that it was thin and virtually


    weightless.


    Can I look at it? she asked, looking curiously at him.


    It was strange that he was handing her something that even Amber hadn¡¯t seen before.


    Yet, he nodded his head in the affirmative. ¡°You¡¯re my daughter. Whatever belongs to the Hudson


    Family also belongs to you. Why wouldn¡¯t you be able to open it?¡±


    With that, Rachel carefully opened the envelope in front of him and pulled out a yellowing piece of


    paper with delicate rows of writing in between red lines.


    ¡®Valerian, passionflower, hops¡­¡¯


    There was nothing special about this piece of paper. Wasn¡¯t it simply the form for the Hudson


    Pharmaceutical¡¯s sleeping pills? The ingredients listed on the paper were exactly the same as those


    listed on their medicine boxes.


    Perhaps that was the only strange thing¡ªthe contents were exactly the same, with no listed dosages


    on this piece of paper.


    As Rachel was pondering the matter, Jefferey spoke urgently, ¡°Well, Rae, do you remember anything?¡±


    She shook her head.


    Of course she didn¡¯t remember anything. She had been lying to him from the get-go.


    ¡°Look at it carefully.¡± He seemed a bit impatient. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your mother had you memorize the


    medicine¡¯s dosages? Try to remember it.¡±


    Upon hearing his words, she finally understood what he meant.


    It was obvious that Jefferey had a list of ingredients but none of the required dosages.


    Yet, the sleeping pills were Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ top-selling product. Its production had never


    stopped all these years. How did they manage to produce it if he didn¡¯t have the precise dosages?


    All of a sudden, Rachel¡¯s heart sank.


    Dad, how did my mom die? she asked.


    The sudden question caused his expression to stiffen. ¡°I thought I told you she died in a car ident.


    Why? Did your grandmother say something?¡±


    While looking at Jefferey¡¯s guilty expression, Rachel happened to nce at the bookcase situated at


    the far end of the room from the corner of her eye.


    After a heartbeat, she slowly shook her head in denial.


    Only then did his expression rx.


    Given that she couldn¡¯t remember anything, he sank in disappointment onto the chair behind his desk.


    Even when she returned the form to him, he carelessly tossed it aside, as if absolutely unconcerned


    about it.


    Indeed, the contents listed on the paper did not have any financial value¡ªwhat was worth a lot were


    the required dosages. It was no wonder he previously had the paper locked up so carefully.


    ¡°Let¡¯s forget Amber for now. How¡¯s your progress on what I asked you to do?¡± Jefferey asked coldly


    from behind the desk.


    As she tried her best to look calm, Rachel answered, I¡¯m on it.


    ¡°It¡¯s true we can¡¯t rush it, but you need to hurry. The Hudson Family needs the support of the Burton


    Family, not just for me but for yourself too.¡± While looking at her, he asked, ¡°Do you have any more of


    the drug left?¡±


    She frowned before she shook her head.


    That packet of drugs had been thrown away a long time ago. After all, her room was rarely visited by


    anyone; so, she imagined that the drugs were still under her bed at this moment.


    On the other hand, her father was thrilled, thinking she had already used them up. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone


    send you another packet soon. Remember¡ªdon¡¯t use too much at one go, or you¡¯ll be discovered.¡±


    Upon having no other choice, Rachel nodded in understanding.


    For now, Jefferey locked the form for the sleeping pill inside the cab. With a demeanor that was


    completely different from how he usually treated her, he added, ¡°Rae, you don¡¯t get to return often. You


    shoulde home with me tonight and have dinner with the family.¡±


    His change in attitude surprised her, but she surmised that it was likely because she brought up the


    medicine form.


    It was only when night fell that Riverdale became a bustling city.


    Inside the summer vi owned by the Burton Family at the outskirts of the city, it had been a while since


    Tina was summoned into the study by Jason.


    ng!


    The thunderous sound of porcin being shattered rang from the study.


    ¡°Tina!¡± While in the living room, Lilian anxiously stood up.


    ¡°Sit down.¡± Arthur was still holding his cane and seated unmoving on the couch with a severe


    expression.


    Lilian¡¯s face paled, but she dared not rebel against him. ¡°Tina is still a young kid who doesn¡¯t


    understand things, Dad. I¡¯m afraid she might say something that enrages Jason so much that he¡¯lly a


    hand on her.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t interfere even if he does. She is indeed the one at fault here.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s your most beloved granddaughter, Dad¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± His cane mmed once on the floorboards, interrupting her words. ¡°Did she consider the


    repercussions of what she did? Clearly, I must have spoiled her too much for her to turn out so bold


    andwless! How are we going to exin ourselves if the Johansson Family finds out about this?¡±


    Lilian watched Arthur in the silence as her face became pallid.


    Meanwhile, Tina was still on her knees inside the study. Her knees were already slightly bruised, but


    she had remained stubborn. ¡°I take responsibility for what I did, but I¡¯m not going to exin myself.¡±


    At this moment, Jason was so angry that he was trembling. While pointing at her nose, he yelled, ¡°No?


    Tell me, then¡ªwhat are you going to do about your betrothal to the Johansson Family? You¡¯ve


    disgraced me. You¡¯ve even disgraced your grandfather!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? We can just call off the engagement. I don¡¯t want to get married anymore.¡±


    ¡°Hah! And what makes you think we¡¯ll call off the engagement just because you don¡¯t want to get


    married anymore? This n was set in motion a long time ago and it¡¯s not up to you to decide whether


    you want to or not!¡±


    As she turned her face away, Tina muttered, ¡°Whatever you say.¡±


    Her recalcitrance had enraged Jason even more. ¡°Let me tell you something, Tina Burton. I have


    already transferred Henry Offerman somewhere else, so don¡¯t think you¡¯ll ever see him again from


    today onward!¡±


    Tina¡¯s expression immediately changed. ¡°Where did you transfer him to?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. At any rate, it¡¯s somece you¡¯ll never locate and if I find out that you¡¯re


    looking for him, I¡¯ll send him somewhere even worse and farther.¡±


    ¡°How can you do that?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m your father!¡± Jason coldly red at Tina. ¡°You can continue to kneel here until you finally


    figure things out and willingly marry into the Johansson Family.¡±


    With that, he stormed out of the study without looking back.


    The door mmed shut with a bang.


    Upon hearing the door being locked, Tina gritted her teeth so hard that they nearly shattered before


    pulling her cell phone out of her pocket to call Henry. ¡°Hello?¡±


    The other end of the line was silent for a long time.


    ¡°Say something! My dad says he has transferred you. Where did he transfer you to?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t talk to each other again in the future, Tina.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked anxiously. ¡°Where are you right now?¡±


    ¡°At the airport,¡± Henry answered weakly. ¡°Mr. Burton¡¯s men are right next to me, so I can¡¯t tell you


    where I¡¯m going. The point is that I won¡¯t be able to see you again in the future. Keep your head down


    and don¡¯t enrage him. Live your life well.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re at the airport? Where are you going? I¡¯ming to find you.¡± Tina immediately stood up


    and went to open the door, but it was locked from outside and couldn¡¯t be opened no matter what.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    ¡°Open the door! Open the f*cking door! Are you all dead?¡±


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    From the other end of the line came the announcement to board the flight and the call ended before


    Tina could say anything else.


    ¡°Hello? Hello? Henry!¡± While still holding onto her cell phone, she finally broke down.


    Deep in her heart, she wondered who had spilled the beans. How did they know to tell what had


    transpired to her father and her grandfather so that she would have no way of hiding the truth?


    There weren¡¯t many people who knew about this matter.


    All of a sudden, Tina recalled the incident from the Hudson Family birthday feast a few days prior. It¡¯s


    her. It has to be her, that mute woman!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 49

    My Mute Bride Chapter 49


    Chapter 49 So It Wasn¡¯t Marriage Leave?


    A weekter, Nancy was discharged from the hospital.


    Ever since Rachel indicated that she was about to regain her memories, Jefferey¡¯s attitude toward her


    had warmed considerably. He called her multiple times in that week itself and invited her home for


    dinner.


    His behavior led her to confirm that her mother¡¯s death was connected to the medication form.


    ¡°I can take care of myself, Rae. Why did you hire a nurse?¡±


    Inside her bedroom, Nancy was looking out through the door and she grumbled a little at Rachel¡¯s


    waste of money.


    As Rachel stacked a pile of clothing onto the shelves, she nced up at Nancy with a smile. The nurse


    was introduced by Dr. Peters, she signed. She¡¯lle over every day only to help you make your


    meals and tidy up the ce. If anything happens, she can also contact me in a timely manner.


    Although Rachel hadn¡¯t epted Julian¡¯s offer to help her find a ce, she had epted his


    assistance to introduce a nurse instead.


    ¡°What can happen to me? I¡¯m fully recovered now.¡± After looking around for a moment, Nancy sighed.


    ¡°It is true that this ce is a little toorge for a single person. It¡¯s such a pity that you can¡¯te over


    to stay with me.¡±


    Rachel lowered her head in guilt without much exnation.


    Nancy had assumed Rachel was still living at Hudson Residence, in which Rachel saw no need to


    rify the situation as she was considered a member of the Hudson Family.


    ¡°Dr. Peters is a good man, Rae. We should find an opportunity to thank him.¡±


    Yes, Dr. Peters is a good man, Rachel agreed.


    ¡°How about this? Have hime over for dinner this weekend. I¡¯ll make us all some pierogi.¡±


    The moment she heard Nancy¡¯s words, Rachel stopped stacking the clothes for a while and


    immediately shook her head. He¡¯s an extremely busy man.


    ¡°Whether he¡¯s upied or not is his business because we have to show our gratitude.¡±


    Knowing that she wouldn¡¯t be able to change her grandmother¡¯s mind, Rachel surrendered and agreed.


    When the time came, she simply needed to tell Nancy that Julian wasn¡¯t free.


    As if she saw through her granddaughter at a nce, Nancy responded, ¡°Well, call him now and


    arrange a time. I want to ask him whether there is anything I should avoid eating, anyway.¡±


    At once, Rachel lifted her head and nced at her watch. I have no time, Grandma. I have to be at


    work soon.


    ¡°Oh, Rae¡­¡±


    It was only after she mmed the door shut that she let out a sigh of relief.


    She knew that her grandmother was intending to set her up with Julian, but she knew that it was


    impossible. As she couldn¡¯t exin much to Nancy, she could only avoid her grandmother for now.


    Moreover, she hadn¡¯t lied; her leave had ended today and she would have to head to the City Council


    Library in the afternoon for work.


    Meanwhile, at the Burton Group, the engineering department was holding a project summary meeting


    for their bid inside a conference room.


    ¡°The bidding results for the Brentwood New City project have been released. Everyone¡¯s hard work


    during this period has paid off, thanks to President Burton¡¯s great support of our engineering


    department too. Once the contract has been signed, we¡¯ll be able to start implementing our overall


    n¡­¡±


    After Justin had listened in for a while, Frankie entered the meeting room after answering a phone call


    and whispered, ¡°We¡¯ve finished investigating your email leak, President Burton.¡±


    ¡°What did you find?¡±


    ¡°We have tracked the IP address of the sender to an address abroad and managed to pinpoint a


    specific location.¡±


    Justin frowned at that.


    When the meeting ended, he returned to his office.


    With a solemn expression, Frankie handed the investigation report to him while saying, ¡°Here¡¯s the


    specific address.¡±


    When Justin saw the ¡®SG Conglomerate¡¯ logo on the report, his gaze slightly darkened. ¡°Are you sure it


    came from aputer inside SG Conglomerate?¡±


    Frankie nodded. ¡°ording to this report, five of the floors in this SG Conglomerate building are rented


    out. For now, we¡¯ve only managed to pinpoint the IP address to this building but not to a specific


    computer there. Thework in this building is protected and our technology department hasn¡¯t been


    able to hack into it yet.¡±


    SG Conglomerate had crossed paths with Burton Group three years ago. At that time, SG


    Conglomerate was trying to break into the domestic energy market only to have Burton Group snatch


    the project right from their hands. Because of that incident, the twopanies were not on good terms.


    ¡°Do you think these photographs were sent by someone within SG Conglomerate, President Burton?¡±


    As he lifted his head from perusing the report, Justin answered coolly, ¡°How do you think the previous


    two photographs have affected Burton Group?¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Now that the two photographs involving Julian and Rachel had been brought up, Frankie felt perturbed


    and answered hesitantly, ¡°Maybe they¡¯re trying to do the same thing that happened before and exploit


    public opinions to affect Burton Group¡¯s reputation and, with that, its stock price.¡±


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t need to send the photographs to me if that were the case.¡± Unerringly, Justin pointed


    out the w in Frankie¡¯s logic.


    If the other party was trying to do as Frankie said, they could simply send the photographs to the


    media, write a news report, and hire some people to smear Burton Group¡¯s name online. There


    wouldn¡¯t be any need to send the photographs to Justin¡¯s email inbox at all.


    A stumped Frankie stood there with mouth agape as Justin¡¯s logic was irrefutable. ¡°So, they¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°It might not have anything to do with them.¡±


    After all, five floors of the building were rented out. From their previous conflict, Justin knew the people


    of SG Conglomerate weren¡¯t so foolish as to do something that could be discovered upon initial


    investigation.


    As such, he instructed Frankie, ¡°Find out whichpanies are renting the five floors and the


    backgrounds of their respective person-in-charge. Also, have the overseas market research


    department monitor SG Conglomerate¡¯s recent movements.¡±


    In truth, Justin wasn¡¯t expecting for an incident so minor to be connected with SG Conglomerate. After


    all, Rachel was the intended target of the email. At first, Justin even assumed that it was a repeat of the


    previous rumor incident and he was nearly certain that it was the handiwork of the mindless Amber.


    However, judging from the current situation, things weren¡¯t as simple as he thought they were.


    As the saying went, it was better to be safe than to be sorry. It was best that he investigated the


    incident thoroughly.


    ¡°What has Rachel been doingtely?¡±


    Frankie paused. ¡°I was just about to tell you that her grandmother has left the hospital today and she is


    staying near Newbridge. She has a nurse taking care of her and the nurse¡ª¡±


    ¡°What about the nurse?¡±


    ¡°The nurse was introduced by Dr. Peters,¡± Frankie answered in nervousness.


    Justin snorted coldly. ¡°I see that he¡¯s making a career change from a doctor to a housekeeping agent.¡±


    He and Julian had never gotten along as kids and as they grew up, their personalities had only


    drastically diverged. In his eyes, Julian was an idealistic child who never grew up whereas in Julian¡¯s


    eyes, Justin was nothing more than an opportunistic businessman.


    ¡°And the ce that she rented is at Newbridge?¡± Justin continued asking.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Frankie nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not far from the City Council Library where she works.¡±


    Works?


    If Frankie hadn¡¯t mentioned it, Justin would have forgotten that Rachel was a working adult with a job at


    the City Council Library.


    ¡°She must have a lot of time on her hands if she can take such a long break.¡±


    ¡°She applied for annual leave,¡± Frankie exined. ¡°It was followed by another week of sick leave


    because of her grandmother. That¡¯s why she could take such a long break.¡±


    ¡°Annual leave?¡± Justin narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t marriage leave that she applied for?¡±


    Frankie froze, afraid of having misspoken.


    It was already in the afternoon when Rachel left her grandmother¡¯s rented residence. When she arrived


    at her ce of work, it was still the lunch hour.


    In an attempt not to disturb her coworkers resting in the office, she immediately entered the library to


    organize the shelves after she kept her bag aside.


    Her main responsibility was to return the borrowed books to the shelves and to keep the mantelpieces


    and archives organized. Although it was not a well-paid nine-to-five job, the workload was steady and


    leisurely. More importantly, not a lot of social interaction was required.


    ¡°Excuse me, are there books about history and literature over here?¡±


    Rachel was in the midst of moving a few returned books from a small cart onto the shelves when a


    man spoke up behind her all of a sudden. Her body had stiffened as a result and she froze, feeling like


    her feet had been cemented into the ground.


    As if it carried all the brightness of her childhood with it, the man¡¯s voice had illuminated the rare few


    memories of her younger days where she was kindly treated.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 50

    My Mute Bride Chapter 50


    Chapter 50 Pulled From Hell


    ¡°I remember that they were here.¡± The voice behind her was clear and powerful. ¡°Am I correct,


    Rachel?¡±


    As she slowly returned to her senses, Rachel spun around to look at Hans.


    ¡°Long time no see.¡± The man before her was a head taller than her. In the eight years that passed since


    shest saw him, his bright and handsome visage was more mature than in her memory, but his smile


    was as still as brilliant as ever.


    In astonishment, she gaped and signed. How¡­ Why are you here?


    As his entire family emigrated eight years ago, she thought she would never see him again.


    In her twenty-nine years of living, he was one of those rare folks who brought warmth to her life. Like a


    sun, he had brightened her entire youth. When she was lonely and helpless, he stood firm and


    unmoving by her side.


    Now that they were in the cafe next to the library, where the rich smell of coffee wafted, Rachel studied


    the man in front of her for a long time, feeling like she was in a dream.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m handsome, Rachel, but I¡¯m going to blush if you keep looking at me like that,¡± Hans teased


    by batting his eyelids at her.


    She couldn¡¯t resist rolling her eyes at him. I see that your narcissism has never gone away, she


    retorted.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll treat that as apliment,¡± he chuckled before he looked out the window. ¡°Things have


    changed a lot here, but you work in a good environment and it puts me at ease.¡±


    When did you return? she asked.


    ¡°A while ago, but I was busy with the procedures surrounding my work transfer. If I knew your


    grandmother was in the hospital, I would have looked for you sooner to help you out.¡±


    Work transfer?


    A dumbfounded Rachel stared at Hans. You¡¯reing back for work?


    ¡°Of course. Did you think I was back on vacation?¡±


    How about your parents¡­ Midway through her signing, Rachel stopped as she suddenly realized that


    something was amiss.


    Hans, who was seated opposite her, forced a smile before he admitted with a pained expression, ¡°My


    mom¡­ passed away two years ago.¡±


    Her expression froze. I¡¯m sorry.


    The primary reason why he had suddenly emigrated all those years ago was because of his ailing


    mother and she needed year-long treatment abroad. For the ease of receiving treatment, his father


    chose to sell theirpany and move the entire family along.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Hans purposefully gave a breezy smile. ¡°Two years have passed since then. My mother has


    suffered a lot in life and maybe death was a relief to her.¡±


    All of a sudden, Rachel felt saddened.


    His mother, whom she had met before, had been an extraordinarily gentle mom and that was how she


    raised a son with such a bright and warm personality.


    Snap!


    Hans suddenly reached out and snapped his fingers in front of Rachel¡¯s face, which startled her.


    What are you doing? she asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so sad, okay? Whenever you do that, I¡¯ll have tofort you instead. I remembered that


    when we were in high school and I broke my leg, you cried so hard that someone not in the know


    thought I hurt you¡­¡±


    Rachel snickered.


    ¡°Alright, forget about me. How are you doing?¡±


    I¡ª


    Before she could finish signing, her cell phone rang, which interrupted her.


    When she looked down at it, she realized that it was a call from Frankie. All of a sudden, her heart


    thumped with a bad sense of foreboding.


    ¡°Are you at the library right now, Mrs. Burton?¡± Frankie asked when she answered the call.


    Rachel tapped once on the back of her phone in reply.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. President Burton has arranged for me to send some candy to your office as wedding


    favors for your coworkers. The candy is on its way here and I¡¯ll have someone drop it off for you once it


    arrives.¡±


    Wedding favors? she thought in astonishment. Had she heard wrongly? Was Justin actually arranging


    for her coworkers to receive wedding favors?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hans piped up opposite her.


    As she looked into his bright eyes, she felt inexplicably bitter. Nheless, she simply tapped on her


    phone once more and hung up after a moment.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he repeated. ¡°Why do you look so upset?¡±


    While forcing herself to be calm, Rachel shook her head. Nothing, she signed. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m needed


    back at the office and can¡¯t apany you anymore.


    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s okay; go back to work then. I don¡¯t need you to keep mepany.¡± With a sigh of relief,


    Hans slouched in his chair with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll just sit here for a bit before heading home. I¡¯ll look for you


    on another day.¡±


    Okay. After she nodded, she stood up only for him to stop her.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you forgotten something?¡±


    Rachel paused and looked at Hans uprehendingly. What? she asked.


    He waved his cell phone at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to leave me with a way to contact you?¡±


    For some reason, or maybe due to the ring afternoon sun, his smile was so brilliant that it felt like he


    was pulling her from the brink of hell back into the world.


    A few minutester, still seated next to the window, Hans rxed when he saw that the WhatsApp


    number she gave him was valid. Then, he put his phone down in relief. He couldn¡¯t help smiling as he


    picked up his coffee cup and looked out of the window to see her returning to the library.


    Rachel was still awkward and silly in a cute way just like all those years ago.


    Meanwhile, she was surrounded by her coworkers once she returned to the office.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t say a word, Rachel!¡±


    ¡°I know! So secretive.¡±


    ¡°It must be because your husband is rich and handsome, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hide him! Bring him here for us to look at him sometime.¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    As she was bombarded by questions of all sorts, Rachel stared at her coworkers in befuddlement.


    Since she couldn¡¯t speak, she rarely interacted with them. While they weren¡¯t hard to get along with,


    she wasn¡¯t exactly close to them either and it was truly her first time being swarmed like that by them.


    ¡°Rachel must have married well. Look at how her husband had someone send us wedding favors. How


    sweet!¡±


    Immediately after her colleague had said those words, Rachel spotted favor boxes on the nearby


    desks. Those red and intricately carved wooden boxes were elegant and ssy.


    She immediately understood what was going on in an instant.


    The person in charge of distributing the favors was a man in a suit. He had a straight posture and wore


    the look of an assistant, but it was Rachel¡¯s first time seeing him.


    After he finished distributing the boxes, he asked in an extremely deferential manner, ¡°Where do I leave


    the leftovers, Mrs. Burton? Assistant Beckham had me bring some extra over just in case.¡±


    All at once, her coworkers¡¯ voices lowered as they stared at her in envy.


    Their eyes on her made her feel uneasy, but she forced herself to be calm and pointed to her own


    workstation. Just leave it there.


    The man who had brought the wedding favors immediately nodded and he dropped the remaining


    boxes on her desk before saying, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else you need, Mrs. Burton, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡±


    Rachel quickly thanked him, hoping he would leave sooner.


    The moment he left, the atmosphere in the office minutely changed. As they stood around the office,


    her coworkers exchanged nces with all sorts of expressions.


    From a corner, someone piped up, ¡°Let¡¯s wish Rachel a happy marriage!¡±


    Once the dam was broken, wishes of ¡®Happy marriage!¡¯ was thrown at Rachel from all four corners of


    the floor.


    Even though she forced herself to smile in gratitude, a sense of uneasiness was brewing in her heart


    as she thought, What on earth is Justin up to?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 51

    My Mute Bride Chapter 51


    Chapter 51 Were There Enough Wedding Favors?


    Rachel entered the study at night to serve Justin with some tea.


    At the sound of the door being opened, he instructed her without looking up, ¡°Put it down.¡±


    Even though she did as he asked her to, she stood there without leaving.


    Finally, he looked up at her. ¡°Did you need something else?¡±


    Rachel hesitated for a moment before she signed. Do you have a solution for the medication form?


    While keeping his gaze on her, Justin answered, ¡°We previously missed our chance, so it¡¯ll be difficult


    for us to go back to Hudson Vineyard. We might be able to head there on the pretext of discussing the


    wine business, though. Why? Do you have a solution?¡±


    She shook her head.


    For now, Rachel didn¡¯t n on telling him that she had seen the form.


    Since the dosages weren¡¯t listed, she was worried that even if she informed Justin about it, he would


    think she was hiding something from him.


    Justin asked in a careless manner, ¡°I heard Jefferey took you to the vineyardst week. What were you


    doing there?¡±


    It was right after he dropped the question that Rachel¡¯s heart raced loudly.


    How could she have forgotten that he knew her whereabouts like the back of his hand?


    He¡­


    Upon seeing that she was unable to exin herself, his gaze darkened. ¡°Did he ask you to do


    something else?¡±


    As her expression tightened anxiously, she nodded. He gave me a packet of drugs.


    ¡°Drugs?¡± Justin frowned. ¡°What kind of drugs?¡±


    Rachel made a few hand gestures with slight embarrassment.


    As he hadn¡¯t learned signnguage for a long time, he waspletely unable to read the specialized


    term. Since he was close to losing his patience, he tossed a pen and a piece of paper onto the table


    before he instructed, ¡°Write it down. What kind of drug was it?¡±


    Her face reddened. Even after she had picked up the pen, she hesitated for what seemed like eternity


    before she finally and carefully wrote the word¡ªLSD.


    The drug Jefferey gave her was actually researched and developed by Hudson Pharmaceuticals itself.


    LSD was merely a simr drug that was avable on the market.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    After having worked in the market for many years, Justin was long ustomed to the darker side of


    human nature. Drugs like these were always essories in ces like nightclubs and he instantly


    understood Rachel¡¯s meaning.


    ¡°Jefferey wanted you to drug me with it?¡±


    She felt both embarrassed and terrified as she nodded again.


    He snorted coldly, ¡°And where is it now?¡±


    Rachel pursed her lips. I threw it away.


    In truth, she never even brought it back to Burton Residence as she had discarded it outside the house


    as a precautionary method.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t even consider you a person.¡± The mocking tone stung as it came from behind the desk and


    reached her ears.


    Although what Justin said was the truth, Rachel neither had the wish nor the method to deny it. Yet, it


    was still humiliating to be ridiculed like that.


    If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going back to my room now.


    He subtly nodded.


    As he watched her walk away with such fragility that a slight gust of wind could knock her over, he


    suddenly asked, ¡°Were there enough wedding favors to share with your coworkers?¡±


    A startled Rachel looked over her shoulder in confusion.


    Now that he was separated from her by the length of the study and the huge desk, Justin¡¯s severe face


    was softened by the soft yellow light above him, which made him suddenly look friendlier¡ªeven with


    that terrible scar on his face.


    As she stared absent-mindedly at the scar, she suddenly returned to her senses and quickly nodded.


    Yes.


    She was rmed¡ªslightly fearful and repulsed, even¡ªto the point where her shoulders shook as she


    nodded, as if she was afraid he would do something harmful to her in the next second.


    It was in that moment when any cordiality that Justin felt dissipated into thin air, although he himself


    couldn¡¯t describe what he was expecting.


    What gratitude could he have hoped for from a woman who was forced by her family to marry him and


    spend her life walking on eggshells by his side?


    Once she returned to her room, Rachel let out the breath she had been holding.


    When she recalled Justin¡¯s sudden change in expression, she felt a tad bit of the lingering fear.


    As the man¡¯s mood easily changed from one moment to the next, she had no idea on how to read him.


    However, it was likely that he asked someone to drop off the wedding favors to make it clear to her


    coworkers that she was married and to prevent anything untoward from happening to her.


    Rachel concluded that was the most likely exnation.


    The next day, she went to work as usual.


    The moment she stepped off the subway, she received a text from Hans. ¡®Good morning.¡¯


    ¡®Morning.¡¯


    ¡®Do you usuallye to work at this hour?¡¯


    She thought, Come?


    As the word shed before her eyes, Rachel stopped in front of the library and looked up from her


    phone only to spot a figure with a straight posture, standing by the door and waving at her from a


    distance. Hans?


    Her eyes brightened as she quickened her footsteps toward Hans while she clutched her phone. Yet,


    before she could even take two steps, a shrill voice shouted behind her, ¡°Rachel Hudson!¡±


    The people around Rachel who were heading into work halted in their steps and she was no exception.


    As she turned her head to look at the source of the voice, a loud p descended fiercely upon her


    cheek.


    Before Rachel could even see who the culprit was, the other woman had already caught Rachel¡¯s shirt


    and unceremoniously threw Rachel to the ground before hurling her fists.


    ¡°You b*tch, you¡¯re trying to destroy someone else¡¯s happiness just because you¡¯re unhappy! I¡¯ll kill


    you!¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡± Hans sprinted down from the steps and he forcefully separated the two women before


    warning, ¡°I¡¯m calling the police if you hit her again.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead!¡± The woman retorted shrilly. ¡°Do it. I want to see whether anyone in all of Riverdale would


    dare to arrest me.¡±


    However crazed the woman was acting, her arrogant tone was familiar.


    While Rachel was being protected behind Hans¡¯ back, she was shocked to discover who her visitor


    was¡ªit was Tina.


    ¡°Are you okay, Rachel?¡± Hans asked.


    At this moment, Rachel¡¯s ears were still ringing and as she clutched the cheek that was pped, she


    stared at Tina in bewilderment.


    What are you doing? she signed.


    What on earth had happened to cause Tina to lose her marbles when Rachel had no quarrel with her?


    ¡°I¡¯ve really underestimated you. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still trying to act innocent! Who do you think you


    are? You¡¯re just some b*tch that your family sold to my cousin. Didn¡¯t my cousin tell you that the Burton


    Family matters are none of your business?¡± A furious Tina red at Rachel as she continued, ¡°I¡¯m


    telling you that I¡¯ll never forget this. You made life difficult for me and Henry, so I¡¯m returning the favor!¡±


    None of the barrage of usations had made any sense to Rachel, but she understood one thing,


    which was Tina must have misunderstood her.


    ¡°What do you mean by the Burton Family? Your cousin? What are you talking about? Don¡¯t be afraid,


    Rachel. We¡¯ll call the police. This woman must be mad.¡± While he still protected Rachel, Hans pulled


    out his cell to call the cops.


    Rachel quickly caught hold of his sleeve. You can¡¯t call the police, she signed.


    A long time ago, Justin had already warned her to mind her ce and not cause any more trouble for


    him. Since Tina was a member of Burton Family, the only one who would be hurt was Rachel herself if


    she allowed the situation to escte.


    Meanwhile, the crowd around them was gossiping.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it just yesterday when Rachel came to work to give out wedding favors? What¡¯s going on


    here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! ¡®Destroying someone else¡¯s happiness¡¯? Is her husband cheating on someone else with


    her?¡±


    A shocked Hans looked at Rachel. ¡°You¡¯re married?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 52

    My Mute Bride Chapter 52


    Chapter 52 Is She Cheating on Justin?


    Facing Hans¡¯s surprised look, Rachel could only force a bitter smile. Yes, I am indeed married, but for


    rather embarrassing reasons.


    The library security guard hurried over but was blocked by Tina¡¯s bodyguard, and the two parties were


    at a standstill.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Hans was calm in the face of the ruckus. ¡°I don¡¯t care about your background. We are living in a


    civilized andwful society now. Do you really think you¡¯re beyond thew?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± Tina snorted mockingly and turned to Rachel. ¡°I underestimated you. I


    have heard that you have aplicated rtionship with Julian Peters, and now, there¡¯s another man!


    Does Justin know that you are spending his money on men?¡±


    In the face of public condemnation, Rachel clenched her teeth and was about to stand up for herself


    when Hans shielded her behind him.


    She looked up with a shocked expression. The next second, he confronted Tina,menting, ¡°Battery


    and assault of others in public ces will result in five to ten days of jail. As for nder and defamation,


    serious cases will warrant a maximum of three years¡¯ prison sentence.¡±


    His words were confident and persuasive. Even Tina, who was used to having her own ways, was


    secretly taken aback by the seriousness of the offense.


    Just then, a bodyguard stepped in and advised her in a whisper, ¡°Miss Burton, if this gets out of hand,


    I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯d be hard for us to exin to Mr. Burton. Let¡¯s leave now.¡±


    Tina was recently released by Jason after being grounded for a while. If the Burtons got hold of her


    misdemeanor, she might be grounded again. By then, it would be harder for her to regain her freedom.


    ¡°You stupid girl! We shall see. This thing between us is not settled yet!¡± After ring at Rachel, she


    immediately scurried out of the building with her bodyguards.


    ¡°Nothing to watch here. Ladies and gentlemen, please disperse.¡± The security helped to disperse the


    crowds that had gathered.


    Hans turned around to check on Rachel. ¡°Are you alright? I¡¯ll bring you to the hospital for a checkup.¡±


    She shook her head. I¡¯m fine, thank you.


    He took a better look at her and said with heartache, ¡°Look, your face is swollen. Your injury must be


    quite serious. Since my ce is not far from here, I¡¯ll bring you home to dress your wounds.¡±


    Indeed, Tina did not hold back at all when she delivered that p. As a result, Rachel¡¯s right cheek was


    awfully swollen, and she looked disheveled, with a head of messy hair.


    She knew that she couldn¡¯t head into work in her current state. She did feel ufortable when the


    crowd gossiped about her just now, so she epted his kind offer. To be honest, she cared less about


    how the others perceived her than how Hans saw her. Therefore, she wanted to use the opportunity to


    exin herself.


    He rented a duplex one block away from the library. His ce was decorated in a simple fashion, and


    his living room was full of boxes of various sizes.


    ¡°Take a seat for now. I haven¡¯t had the time to tidy up my ce.¡±


    She nodded and took a seat on the sofa, and soon, he appeared with a pack of ice. Thank you. She


    took the ice pack and carefully pressed them against her cheek.


    The chilliness of the pack contacting the burning sensation on her cheek resulted in a sharp pain that


    shot through her, turning her cheek numb from the coldness.


    ¡°Have some water.¡± He poured her a ss of water. Steam from the hot water rose in the transparent


    ss and dissipated into the air in no time.


    Across the coffee table, he took a seat facing her and asked out of concern, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t


    want to lodge a police report? She assaulted you in a public space, and there are multiple witnesses.


    Cases like these are sure wins.¡±


    Even after hearing his question, she shook her head slowly. Since he was an attorney, she knew that


    he¡¯d definitely help her if she asked. Still, considering that the perpetrator was Tina, a member of the


    Burton Family, she could only endure it all.


    She is the cousin of Justin Burton, the president of Burton Group.


    ¡°The Burton Group?¡± His face went nk. ¡°How did you get into trouble with the people from Burton


    Group?¡±


    When he connected the dots with clues from Tina¡¯s words, he suddenly came to a realization and gave


    Rachel a shocked look. ¡°Are you really¡­ married?¡±


    Once he asked the question she feared the most, she tightened her grip around the ice pack and tried


    to keep her calm. Then, she gave him a slight nod. It¡¯s an undeniable fact after all.


    A look of disappointment shed across his eyes, but he forced a smile. ¡°Well, I should wish you a


    happy marriage!¡±


    His wish¡ªthough well-intended¡ªsounded like piercing sarcasm when itnded on her ears.


    ¡°When was it? Have you had the wedding?¡±


    She shook her head slowly. Why would the Burtons want to hold the wedding for their mute daughter-


    inw? They¡¯d only make a joke out of themselves.


    More than that, she was well aware that Justin only kept her around to use her. Once she had no value


    to him, he¡¯d kick her aside.


    Hans followed up, ¡°What is your husband like? Is he good to you? You¡¯re not put into any difficult


    positions, right?¡±


    She was caught by surprise and felt a lump in her throat. Everything¡¯s pretty good. I-I still have things to


    do. I need to head back to work.


    Lowering her head to dodge his gaze, she hurriedly picked up her bag to leave.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    She heard him calling from behind, but she dared not turn around lest he saw tears streaming down


    her face. Things had changed over the eight long years, and the same went for rtionships. Even


    though he would always be the light in her life, they could never be the same again.


    Meanwhile, Tina had hopped on an army green supercar.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you guys following me around.¡± Dismissing her bodyguards with a few words, she finally


    took off her sunsses.


    After a loud revving of the engine, the supercar sped through the street. Amber¡¯s gentle voice was


    heard from the direction of the front passenger seat. ¡°You alright, Tina?¡±


    Tina answered with silence and a sullen expression. Although the sunsses shielded half of her face,


    it was easy to tell that she was sulky.


    A clever twinkle shed across Amber¡¯s eyes. ¡°Tina, I know the man who protected Rachel just now.¡±


    In the morning, Tina had called her to ask for the address of Rachel¡¯s workce. At that time, she knew


    that things were going to turn into a dramatic mess, which was why she happily followed along to


    witness the drama. However, it was beyond expectation that she got juicer gossip from the trip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± Without as much as taking a look at Amber, Tina stepped hard on the


    elerator and brought the car onto the freeway.


    Shocked, Amber hurriedly clutched at her seatbelt, suppressing the nausea in her. ¡°The man is called


    Hans Egerton, and he is Rachel¡¯s first boyfriend. He attended the same high school we attended.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡±


    The car was speeding too fast, and they even had a couple of close calls, where they almost crashed


    into the divider when Tina changednes. In the passenger seat, Amber was scared out of her mind.


    Tina Burton is a madwoman!


    She quickly added, ¡°Hans and his family migrated overseas early on. Recently, he suddenly returned,


    and the first thing he did was to look for Rachel. There must be something fishy between them. Don¡¯t


    you want to teach her a lesson?¡±


    Hearing that, Tina finally released her foot on the elerator, after which the car finally settled into a


    steady and normal speed.


    ¡°Continue,¡± she ordered coldly.


    When Amberposed herself, she exined, ¡°You can¡¯t teach Rachel a lesson by assaulting her like


    what you did today. Anyway, her rtionship with Hans is definitely a valid concern. If Justin hears


    about that, I bet Rachel is going to have a tough time.¡±


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s cheating on Justin?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s suspicious no matter how you look at it. No one really knows for sure.¡±


    Tina gave it some serious thought and shot a look at Amber through her sunsses. Then, she


    smirked. ¡°You¡¯re really something! With that, you are trying to turn her into a scapegoat. To make Justin


    divorce her, you have the heart to trample over your own sister.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 53

    My Mute Bride Chapter 53


    Chapter 53 You Don¡¯t Have to Tread Carefully Around Anyone


    Amber grinned at Tina¡¯sment. ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons. Humans are self-centered, aren¡¯t we all?


    Still,pared to my rtionship with her, our rtionship is more solid! Who does she think she is?


    She could neverpare to you! I don¡¯t know what the bad blood between you two is, but as your


    bestie, I choose to stand by your side.¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    In the matter of a few words, she slyly absolved herself from any responsibility in the incident today.


    To her, Tina was nothing more than a foolish daughter of a wealthy family who had given up a potential


    match with the eldest son of the Hindenburg Conglomerate and went with a chauffeur! Wasn¡¯t that pure


    foolishness?


    As expected, Tina did not doubt her words at all, still appearing rather glum. ¡°I want that mute to suffer


    ten times the humiliation that Henry had gone through! I¡¯m only driving her out of the family¡ªthat¡¯s


    considered going easy on her!¡±


    Amber moved her gaze away. A malicious gleam appeared in her eyes when she looked down with


    glee.


    Night descended on the city. After work, Rachel went home to the Burton Residence and headed


    straight to the bathroom. Staring at her swollen and red cheek in the mirror, she tried to touch it but only


    ended up inhaling sharply from the pain.


    The injury was obvious, and it was hard to miss. Apart from the red marks, she suffered a couple of


    scratches that were probably the product of Tina¡¯s diamond nail art.


    After an afternoon, scabs started to form on the scratch marks, which made them look even more


    terrifying.


    I guess I can¡¯t meet Grandma today with this face of mine.


    At the sudden thought of her grandmother, she reluctantly took out her phone to text her.


    ¡®Grandma, I have been quite busy with worktely. I won¡¯t be visiting you for now. Take care of your


    health and eat your meals regrly.¡¯


    Grandma¡¯s reply came fast. ¡®Are you off on weekends then?¡¯


    She hesitated for a moment and decided that her injuries would have healed by the weekend. ¡®Yes, I¡¯m


    off this weekend.¡¯


    ¡®Great. Visit me on the weekend. I¡¯ll make you some delicious gnhis.¡¯


    Rachel beamed warmly at the text from her grandmother and replied, ¡®Sure.¡¯


    At the same time, she heard car engine sounds from downstairs, and she immediately knew that Justin


    was back.


    Sue was busy leading Justin to the dining hall. ¡°Justin, you¡¯re home! Julian¡¯s home early today as well.


    Dinner¡¯s ready, so get your hands washed and join me. It¡¯s so rare to have the whole family back for


    dinner!¡±


    Justin took off his coat and handed it to the attendant. First, he scanned the living room, where he


    found Julian seated on the sofa. Next, he stole a look at the stairs and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Rachel?¡±


    ¡°She went straight into her room aftering home.¡±


    ¡°Tell her toe down for dinner.¡±


    With that, Justin went into the living room, leaving Sue standing there. She stole a nce at Mrs.


    Duncan and reluctantly had thetter go upstairs to get Rachel.


    Right as Justin seated himself on the sofa, Mrs. Duncan walked down from the staircase. ¡°Young


    Master Justin, Mrs. Burton says that she¡¯s feeling sick. She will skip dinner and sleep.¡±


    ¡°Why is she so fussy?¡± Sue rolled her eyes and mocked Rachel out loud, saying, ¡°It¡¯s just her first day


    of work. Was it that tiring for her? Why is she acting so dramatic?¡±


    ¡°Mom.¡± Julian gave her an impatient look, turned to face Mrs. Duncan, and asked, ¡°Why is she sick? I¡¯ll


    check on her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Justin spoke all of a sudden, and Julian¡¯s movements froze. Across from the coffee table, she


    met his icy re that came with a hint of warning.


    He wanted to say something more, but Sue¡¯s re made him hold his tongue. ¡°Go on without me.¡± He


    left an emotionlessment and turned to walk up to check on his wife. His mom stared as he left and


    grabbed Julian before hissing, ¡°What were you thinking just now?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to check on her.¡±


    ¡°Why check on her? Julian, this is thest time I¡¯m telling you this: do not get involved with Rachel¡¯s


    business in the future. If not, don¡¯t me me for being hard on her.¡±


    In the guest bedroom on the second floor, Rachel had just turned off themp on the desk and was


    about to go to bed when the door creaked loudly behind her.


    Shocked, she quickly spun around, only to find a slender figure standing straight at the entrance. The


    bright lights in the corridor lengthened his shadows that were cast onto the floor and so happened to


    end at her toes.


    Almost as if it was reflexive, she took a few steps back and gave him a terror-stricken look.


    His eyes narrowed at the sight of the ice pack in her hands and the swollen cheek. ¡°What¡¯s the matter


    with your cheek?¡±


    Before she could react, he had walked up to her and lifted her chin between her fingers. When he


    noticed the injuries, his face fell. ¡°Who did this to you?¡±


    She pursed her lips.


    Nothing. I was careless and got into an ident.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m blind?¡±


    The marks on her face were clearly from a p. Under his cold stare, she knew that lying was futile


    and decided toe clean.


    It¡¯s Tina.


    The answer was unexpected, and Justin had a look of shock in his eyes.


    ¡°Do you know the reason behind this?¡±


    Rachel nodded, but after some hesitation, she shook her head.


    She only had two encounters with Tina: once at the summer vi and once at the underground wine


    cer of the Hudson Vineyard. Although she did not know the exact reason behind Tina¡¯s hostility, she


    guessed that it must have had something to do with that incident at Hudson Vineyard.


    Justin fell into deep thought as he connected the dots between the incidents that had happened during


    the week. He mumbled in a low voice, ¡°Her rtionship with the chauffeur has been brought up to


    Grandpa. She was grounded until today. Do you think that was the reason?¡±


    While speaking, he stared squarely at her with a chilling look.


    Wait, has Tina¡¯s affair with the chauffeur gotten out? Is she angry because the cat¡¯s out of the bag?


    Her hands that were holding the ice pack turned numb. A heavy silenceter, she nodded and


    confessed to him. At the underground cer of Hudson Vineyard, I identally bumped into her and


    the chauffeur together.


    When she confessed, she cautiously observed the change in his expression and exined.


    But I promised her that I wouldn¡¯t tell a soul about it.


    ¡°I believe you¡¯re not that foolish.¡± His face scrunched up into an unfriendly expression.


    Indeed, Rachel telling on Tina and the chauffeur would not benefit her at all.


    It was all a misunderstanding because the birdbrained Tina thought that Rachel was the only person


    that knew the secret. That was why she immediately believed that Rachel was the rat after the affair


    was exposed.


    I¡¯m sorry for giving you trouble again.


    She looked at him uneasily. Her doll-like face was badly swollen, bruised, and bloodied. In her dark and


    clear eyes, he saw anxiety and vulnerability like a fragile porcin doll.


    gued by a mix of annoyance and perplexity, he coldly reprimanded her, ¡°I told you to follow the


    rules, but I didn¡¯t tell you to take abuse! Do you not understand my words?¡±


    His sudden temper took her by shock.


    ¡°As long as you are my wife, you don¡¯t have to tread carefully around anyone in Riverdale, including


    Tina.¡±


    His expression darkened even more. After that, he flung the door open and yelled down the staircase,


    ¡°Julian, bring the first aid kit to me!¡±


    The door to the guest room remained open. She looked on as Justin¡¯s figure wandered further away,


    and it took her a long time to recover.


    This was probably the first time she had enjoyed his kindness first-hand. Was he caring for her?


    She frowned at that notion. Even if he was truly caring for her, that was no reason for her to change her


    perception of him.


    After all, he and Dad are the reasons behind my suffering now.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 54

    My Mute Bride Chapter 54


    Chapter 54 Get a Divorce


    ¡°Keep your injury away from water, or it might get infected.¡±


    Thank you, Doctor Peters.


    ¡°Just drop the formalities around me.¡± While packing the first aid kit, he took a look at the ice pack at


    the side. ¡°Don¡¯t use that anymore. An ice pack is good for reducing swelling, but you have external


    injuries as well.¡±


    She nodded obediently.


    From the start, she had only been using the ice pack as a pain-killing measure. After putting on the


    cooling medical ointment, her burning skin felt more relieved. Since the pain was reduced, she didn¡¯t


    need the ice pack anymore.


    ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t asked you this. How did you get injured?¡±


    She shook her head. It¡¯s nothing. I was just careless.


    As it was alreadyte, but Julian was still hanging around, she dared not keep him around for long,


    even though he was technically helping Justin out.


    When Julian noticed Rachel ncing at her watch, he picked up the hint and knew that she wanted him


    to leave. Forcing a smile, he said to her, ¡°You should get some rest for now. I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    She nodded at him.


    On his way back to his room, he walked past Justin¡¯s study. Be it intentional or unintentional, the room


    to Justin¡¯s study was kept slightly ajar. In it, Justin was seated at the study table and pouring over


    documents as usual.


    Julian went up and knocked lightly on the door. Only when Justin looked up did Julian say, ¡°Justin,


    Rae¡¯s injury isn¡¯t serious. You don¡¯t have to worry too much about it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Justin stared at him and corrected, ¡°You should call her Rachel.¡±


    Julian tightened his grip on the first aid kit and replied with a serious expression, ¡°Justin, instead of


    finding fault with me, why don¡¯t you show her more care?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s between me and her. None of your business.¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Then, he turned his gaze to the documents in his hands and added, ¡°Shut the door when you leave.¡±


    Hearing that, Julian had his eyes darkened, and soon came the sound of the door closing.


    Regardless of his emotions, Julian would always remain rational and mannered, a quality that marked


    the greatest difference between him and Justin.


    After the footsteps faded away, Justin tapped on his phone screen and made a call.


    ¡°Arrange for two men to follow Rachel around.¡±


    Frankie paused over the phone and said in confusion, ¡°I thought you said not to track her anymore.¡±


    Justin merely answered, ¡°This is for her personal safety.¡±


    In the next two days, Rachel had no choice but to go to work with a face mask on.


    The incident at the library entrance went viral, and her coworkers all knew about it, but no one brought


    it up in front of her. Still, people were gossiping behind her back.


    Standing in front of a bookshelf, she was organizing the books ording to their codes as usual when


    she overheard familiar voices a row of shelves away.


    ¡°I never heard about her dating, and now she¡¯s suddenly married. Who knows? She might have had an


    affair with a married man, got him to divorce the wife and marry her!¡±


    ¡°Right? I heard what happened that day! She was beaten up badly, but she didn¡¯t even fight back!¡±


    ¡°I bet the man who protected her was the husband. He¡¯s rather hot, not gonna lie.¡±


    Rachel clutched the books tightly and silently pressed herself against the bookshelf that hid her well. It


    wasn¡¯t until the two coworkers left that she straightened up and continued arranging the books.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you exin yourself when they spread the rumors?¡±


    A male voice rang out from behind, causing her to pause in surprise. She whipped around to find Hans


    standing there. She had known that he¡¯d be here because he had texted her in the morning to inform


    her about having something to tell her.


    They have their freedom. I can¡¯t control what they want to say about me anyway.


    ¡°What about your husband? Is he going to watch on as you get bullied?¡±


    Hans¡¯s brows were knitted in a fury. ¡°Last time, it was his cousin who hit you. Today, your coworkers


    were talking behind you. Is this what you mean by doing well?¡±


    Rachel had no idea what prompted him to blow up right as he met her, and she frowned worriedly.


    What¡¯s wrong with you?


    He looked as if he had nowhere to release his pent-up anger. He wanted to say something, but he


    could not speak freely in the quiet atmosphere of the library. Frustrated, he took her arm and said,


    ¡°Follow me out. Let¡¯s talk.¡±


    Just like that, she followed him all the way to the courtyard between the two library buildings.


    ¡°Rachel, tell me truthfully. Did you willingly marry Justin?¡±


    At this point, he had let go of her hand, and a serious expression crept up his refreshingly handsome


    and clean face.


    She was huffing and puffing, and her chest rose and fell with it. His words made her heart sink as she


    turned her face to the side in an attempt to escape his gaze.


    Despite that, he could sense her guilt and said sternly, ¡°Look at me in the eye. Don¡¯t lie.¡±


    She pinched her palm and forced herself to calm down when she lifted her face to look at him.


    I have nothing much to say to you.


    ¡°Jefferey forced you to marry Justin, didn¡¯t he?¡± Hans did not want to go in circles anymore. ¡°To finance


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals, he sold you to Justin Burton!¡±


    His words were direct and firm, and he gave her no chance to exin herself, leaving her staring at him


    in shock.


    How did you find out?


    He took a sharp breath, and his face looked ashen. ¡°Ah, so that is the case.¡±


    Muffled groans suddenly escaped from her throat.


    Hans!


    She eximed in her heart, but she failed to stop him. She could only look on as he cursed. ¡°That son


    of a b*tch!¡± Then, he whipped around to punch on the wall. The next second, his ring red blood


    trickled down from the white wall.


    Eyes widened, she hurriedly grabbed his hand to check on him. The skin of his knuckles was torn; the


    white debris from the wall was mixed with his blood, looking scarily messy.


    Follow me to the hospital.


    Instead, he tugged at her. ¡°Rachel, get a divorce and leave the Burtons.¡±


    She stopped in her tracks with her back facing him, having no courage to turn around. Of course, she


    was dying to get a divorce so she could leave the Burtons alongside that scary man whom she called


    her husband.


    ¡°I know what your concerns are. I will help you to take care of your grandma. If you¡¯re worried about the


    reach of the Burton Group because of their influence, I could arrange for your grandma to settle down


    overseas. I am going to take up your divorce case, and I promise you that you could leave the Burtons


    unharmed.¡±


    Since Hans was an attorney who had made his name in the industry, he had the confidence to make


    the promise.


    A long silenceter, she mustered up the courage to turn around and face him.


    Thanks, but I can¡¯t leave just yet.


    ¡°Why?¡± His expression fell, and he fumed. ¡°What are you waiting for? I heard that Justin Burton is a


    cruel man who¡¯d do anything to get his way. He¡¯s also a greedy person. What kind of life are you


    leading with the Burtons?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes upon hearing that. Who told you so?


    As Hans had just returned to the country, he wouldn¡¯t have known the details if no one had revealed


    insider information to him.


    ¡°Is that important? Aren¡¯t those facts?¡±


    She nodded solemnly and stared calmly but firmly at him.


    It is important.


    She had an inkling that someone must have set up a trap behind her back and somehow got Hans


    involved.


    Knowing that Rachel was as stubborn as a mule, Hans could onlye clean. ¡°I don¡¯t know who that


    person is. Last night, I received an anonymous text, but when I called back, the number was already


    invalid.¡± As he spoke, he handed her his phone. ¡°Look.¡±


    The text was short, but it sinctly exined the background of how Rachel married into the Burton


    Family. On top of that, it mentioned the grievances she suffered in the family: facing the dismissive


    attitude of the servants and getting framed for things she did not do¡­


    After reading the text, she had a better idea of the mastermind behind this plot.


    Hans, do you really want to help me?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 55

    My Mute Bride Chapter 55


    Chapter 55 The Reason for Staying


    Hans replied firmly, ¡°Of course!¡±


    Without a doubt, he¡¯d love to help her out so that she could live well. If not, he wouldn¡¯t have decided to


    return to work in the country.


    If so, you should just stay out of this.


    ¡°Why?¡± He frowned in utter disbelief.


    If my guess is correct, the text was from Amber.


    Amber¡¯s warning was still fresh in her mind. If the Burtons and the Hudsons were a pool of mud, she


    was already knee-deep in it. She had no wish to get Hans involved in the mess.


    ¡°Amber Hudson?¡± His frown deepened. ¡°Why would she do that?¡±


    Back in high school, Amber was a grade lower since she was younger. Because of that, Hans did not


    interact with her much, and his only knowledge of her was her being Rachel¡¯s sister.


    Hans¡¯ question took Rachel by surprise, and a bold guess popped up into her mind. She started to


    suspect that all the scheme was merely Amber¡¯s plot to make her leave the Burtons.


    I don¡¯t know. Still, she kept the idea to herself.


    ¡°Rachel.¡± After calming down, Hans attempted to persuade her. ¡°No matter who sent me the text, the


    content is a fact. Am I right? If the Burtons are unfair to you, you don¡¯t have to stay with them and


    endure the sufferings.¡±


    She shook her head.


    I am not staying at the Burtons for their sake.


    ¡°Who are you doing this for?¡±


    At this point, Hans did not get her at all.


    Since Rachel¡¯s grandmother had been discharged from the hospital after a sessful surgery, as long


    as she agreed to it, she could totally leave the city that brought her sorrows with her grandma.


    A short hesitationter, she finally confessed the real reason behind her insistence on staying put.


    I need to look into my mom¡¯s cause of death


    Next, she told him about the incident at the Hudson Vineyard, to which he responded with shock. ¡°Are


    you suspecting Jefferey for killing her?¡±


    She gave him a heavy nod, and a stifling silenceter, heposed himself and returned to the topic.


    ¡°So, are you going to leave the Burton¡¯s after you get to the bottom of your mom¡¯s death?¡±


    Yes.


    With a grave expression, he vowed, ¡°Great. I will help you with the investigation.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    To that, she reacted with a frown and a serious stare. Initially, he wanted to add something, but she


    was staring at his hand as she signed.


    I will bring you to the hospital.


    ¡­


    When dusk arrived, the skies of Riverdale that extended into the distant mountains were decorated with


    gorgeous colors.


    Once Amber was home, she was immediately called to the study.


    ¡°Dad, did you call for me?¡±


    She was in a great mood and had been smiling ear-to-ear since she stepped into the house. In


    contrast, Jefferey had a serious expression on his face as he interrogated her, asking, ¡°Where were


    youst weekend?¡±


    ¡°Last weekend?¡± She went nk for a moment before answering, ¡°I yed golf with some friends.


    Why?¡±


    ¡°With whom?¡±


    She was taken aback again, and guilt crept onto her face. At this point, she was talking in a cautious


    whisper. ¡°My college mates.¡±


    ¡°That was Tina Burton! She is Justin¡¯s cousin and Jason¡¯s daughter!¡± Jefferey¡¯s expression fell. ¡°Jason


    and Justin have never seen eye-to-eye. Look, the Burtons have a very different family dynamic than


    ours¡ªtheirs are superplicated, and trust me, you can¡¯t handle it. Don¡¯t hang out too much with


    her.¡±


    His warning earned her protest. ¡°Oh, if I can¡¯t handle their family dynamics, how is that mute going to


    handle it better?¡±


    Jefferey raised his voice. ¡°How could youpare yourself to Rachel? I only need her there as Mrs.


    Burton. As long as she is still Justin¡¯s wife, we could borrow the prestige of the Burtons to run our


    business. As for the life she¡¯s leading at the Burtons¡­ That depends on her luck.¡±


    Amber paid no attention to his words. ¡°Dad, have you ever considered this? She isn¡¯t even close to us.


    If she has firmly established herself as Mrs. Burton, do you seriously think she¡¯d bother to help us out?¡±


    Jefferey¡¯s heart sank at the possibility, and the wrinkles around his eyes scrunched up.


    ¡°Before this, she had to listen to us because of Grandma. Now that Grandma¡¯s out of the hospital, that


    is no longer an effective bargaining chip for us. If Rachel manages to capture Justin¡¯s heart, do you


    really think she¡¯d bat an eye at us?¡±


    Jefferey fell into deep thoughts after the somber reminder from Amber.


    Even after she left, her words were still echoing in his ears, prompting him to revisit Rachel¡¯s unusual


    behaviortely. After some thought, he started to feel that something was wrong.


    In Rachel¡¯s twenty years of living at the Hudsons, she had never once brought up the past. Why did


    she suddenly bring up the topic of some herbal medicine form after a mere few days of marrying into


    the Burtons?


    His expression hardened as he walked around the sofa to pull out a drawer from a side dresser, from


    which he took out a brown-colored pill bottle.


    He red at it for some time before he made a call.


    ¡°Tomas,e over tomorrow morning. I need your help to deliver an item to the Burtons.¡±


    During the night, Rachel prepared some tea and delivered it to the study for Justin.


    Lately, he had gotten used to drinking the tea she made for him. Inparison, the tea prepared by


    Mrs. Duncan was too unrefined, ording to hisints. Therefore, if Rachel had the time, she


    would bring him a pot of tea at the same time every day.


    The tea delivery was also one of the rare moments in the day when she would meet with him.


    He looked up and rested his gaze on her right cheek. Then, an almost unnoticeable frown appeared on


    his face. ¡°How¡¯s your cheek?¡±


    She reflexively touched her cheek.


    The red marks and the swelling were basically gone, and thankfully, the scabs from the nail scratch


    were already falling off, leaving two pinkish scars that were jarring on her pale skin.


    She shook her head at him.


    Nothing serious.


    He nodded and changed the topic. ¡°Can youe with me to Old Mr. Burton¡¯s summer vi


    tomorrow?¡±


    She was taken aback and asked him cautiously.


    Do I really have to go?


    ¡°Why? Are you busy?¡± He stared at her again. ¡°There¡¯s a family banquet tomorrow.¡±


    She fell deeper into thoughts. Wait, is Justin attending the banquet with me? But I have agreed to meet


    up with Hans tomorrow.


    When she met his inquisitive eyes, she quickly exined.


    Oh, no, nothing important. I have agreed to spend the weekend with Grandma and make some


    gnhi. That¡¯s okay. I will update her and change the date.


    Her uneasy expression reminded him of her conflict with Tina, and he interpreted her reluctance as her


    unwillingness to meet Tina. ¡°Since you have agreed to meet your grandma, just go ahead with the n.


    There¡¯s no need to cancel.¡±


    Surprised by his words, she stared at him nkly.


    Can I?


    He replied emotionlessly, ¡°It¡¯s a family banquet tomorrow. There will be a lot of attendees, and your


    absence won¡¯t be felt. You¡¯re not that important, anyway.¡±


    Despite his icy tone, she felt relieved to be excused from the event and nodded in silence.


    Indeed, she was a nobody to the Burtons. More precisely, her absence at the family banquet would be


    the best for everyone involved.


    The next morning, the driver and assistant picked up Justin from the residence very early.


    There was a shareholders meeting in the morning. After that, they would travel to the summer vi.


    Arthur rarely visited Riverdale, and the only time he returned was during July or August when he¡¯d


    enjoy a short stay at the summer vi. Therefore, the family decided to hold the banquet around that


    time.


    ¡°President Burton.¡± Frankie was waiting for him beside the car. When he saw Justin, he immediately


    went up with a package in his hands. ¡°A delivery person stopped by just now and handed me a


    package for Miss Hudson, so I signed it for her.¡±


    Justin took a quick nce and was surprised to find out that the sender was Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    He frowned and questioned, ¡°Who delivered this again?¡±


    ¡°Uh, he was just an ordinary delivery person.¡± Frankie quickly nced in the direction in which the


    delivery person left. ¡°There¡¯s nothing odd about him.¡±


    On the other hand, the look in Justin¡¯s eyes hardened. He curtly ordered while eyeing the package,


    ¡°Open this.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 56

    My Mute Bride Chapter 56


    Chapter 56 Tonics


    Frankie paused for a while before reacting and hurriedly took apart the wrapper. Then, he took out the


    item enclosed in bubble wrap.


    Looking confused, he reported, ¡°It¡¯s a bottle of cough syrup.¡±


    There was abel for cough syrup on the bottle, and it carried the logo of Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    One could clearly read the manufactured date and ingredients. It was a product that Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals marketed.


    However, Justin¡¯s gaze turned slightly heavy at the discovery of the bottle, for he believed that the


    Hudsons would not have posted a bottle of cough syrup to Rachel. That is impossible!


    At this point, Frankie also picked up on Justin¡¯s uneasiness and trod carefully. ¡°President Hudson, is


    there any problem?¡±


    Justin looked calm and did not give away his emotions, after which he instructed Frankie in a low voice,


    saying, ¡°Get someone to test the contents of the bottle.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Frankie nodded and secretly guessed that the bottle of medicine must be problematic. After


    that, the business sedan left the neighborhood and traveled to the building of Burton Group.


    On the way, Frankie brought up the topic of the shareholders meeting. ¡°President Burton, I think your


    uncle might create trouble in the meeting over the Brentwood New City project.¡±


    Jason Burton?


    Justin¡¯s face was as expressionless as usual. ¡°Huh. Ever since he formed connections with the


    Hindenburgs, he appears more confident than before.¡±


    ¡°It seems so. The internal issues that surfaced from the project this time are closely rted to him.¡±


    ¡°Have we dealt with those involved?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We left one unharmed, ording to your orders.¡±


    Justin gave a light nod and changed the topic. ¡°Tina is going to attend the meeting, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    After all, she also holds somepany shares.


    Frankie nodded. ¡°If everything goes smoothly, all the shareholders will show up.¡±


    Although Justin remained silent, his steely gaze, as seen from the rearview mirror, was as deterring


    and unapproachable as a steep cliff to climbers.


    The day of the family banquet was arranged so that it coincided with the annual shareholders meeting.


    All the shareholders of Burton Group would normally show up. Since the Burton Group was a family


    business, their shareholders were the Burton family members and some old business friends who had


    helped build thepany into its empire.


    ¡°Burton Group has invested more in the Brentwood New City projectpared to the sum of the other


    two major projects fromst year. Do you think that¡¯s reasonable?¡±


    In the meeting, Jason aimed the question directly at Justin, but thetter did not look disturbed at all.


    ¡°The new project¡¯s estimated return is five times ofst year¡¯s projects. In other words, byunching


    this project, we will receive the same amount of profits as all the projectsbined fromst year.¡±


    ¡°What about the risks? Are you disregarding the risks as well? Our industry is currently going through a


    change due to the tightening of federal policy. This is not the time to expand our investments.¡±


    ¡°Policies are only there for show. If everyone is as timid as you, what is the point of investing?¡±


    The air of the meeting room froze after Justin left his unreserved remark. As anticipated, Jason¡¯s face


    turned ashen after being attacked by his nephew.


    In the end, the other shareholders had to interject to spare Jason from the humiliation so that the


    meeting could be continued.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    After the meeting, Jason scoffed and left the room fuming without as much as taking a look at Justin.


    As for the remaining attendees, none had the guts to talk more than needed, and they dispersed right


    after.


    Only Tina was lingering in the room. She leaned sideways against the meeting table as she confronted,


    ¡°Justin, you humiliated Dad in front of everyone. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve crossed a line?¡±


    He nced at her and leaned back into his chair with sped hands. ¡°Not all businessmen need to


    y nice and charitable to get around. Speaking of which, Uncle Jason seems to be very charitable


    toward the Hindenburgs. Too bad I am not going to do the same to him.¡±


    Tina¡¯s expression fell. ¡°Are you mocking me?¡±


    It was a known fact that Jason had attempted to arrange a marriage with the Hindenburgs in order to


    forge business connections. To most people, such action was normal for the elite families, but Tina took


    offense and felt humiliated.


    ¡°That was a reminder.¡± His gaze was as cold as ice, sending out warning signs. ¡°Clean your own mess.


    Don¡¯t involve the innocent.¡±


    ¡°The innocent? Who are you referring to?¡± The corner of her lips lifted into a smirk. ¡°Ah, that mute,


    Rachel?¡±


    The way she referred to Rachel as ¡®that mute¡¯ was surprisingly jarring for him, and his displeasure was


    evident from the look in his eyes.


    She whipped around and pressed her hands on the table. With a mocking expression, she fired back at


    him, ¡°Justin, I am reminding you out of kindness as well: take control of that mute of yours. And don¡¯t


    keep your own family at arm¡¯s length. Today, she could only be meeting with her first love that shows


    up from nowhere, but who knows she¡¯d carry his child someday down the road? You¡¯d get cuckooed.¡±


    He calmly rose up and questioned with a low and dismissive tone, ¡°Do you think every girl acts like


    you?¡±


    Her expression darkened at his insult.


    Standing up, he buttoned his coat and replied casually, ¡°If you keep finding trouble, I don¡¯t mind


    sending an address to the Hindenburgs. I believe that Noah Hindenburg would love to take care of that


    lover of yours.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± She gritted her teeth in resentment. ¡°My marriage to Noah is arranged by Grandpa!


    How dare you interfere?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    His reply was curt but explosive.


    She felt a shiver across her body, knowing very well that Justin had the ability to do almost anything


    she could imagine.


    ¡°Wow, look at you acting all protective, threatening me because of her! Could you have fallen for her?¡±


    He was already at the door when he heard Tina¡¯s fuming interrogation. His pupils wavered.


    The insolent girl went in full force and fanned the fire. ¡°Do you really believe that she¡¯s a prim and


    proper youngdy? Do you know who she met and what she did behind your back?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a busybody.¡±


    With that, he marched out of the meeting room.


    Frankie had been waiting for him at the door. The moment he saw his boss walking out with a chilling


    expression, he got goosebumps from the fear.


    ¡°President Burton, shall we head directly to the vi or¡­¡±


    Justin cut him off with a sour look, demanding, ¡°What has Rachel been up totely?¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson goes to work andes home as usual.¡±


    ¡°How about today?¡±


    Frankie felt his heart sink; he did not arrange for the men to follow Rachel around on weekends.


    The thought of Rachel¡¯s words fromst night troubled Justin. ¡°It¡¯s been quite some time since


    Grandma was discharged from the hospital. Send her some tonics as a token.¡±


    Frankie was taken aback by the random request. ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°Now.¡±


    The icy tone sent a chill down Frankie¡¯s spine. ¡°Sure, I will get it arranged.¡±


    Night descended on the city, and the streets were lit up with warm lights.


    A cab came to a stop in front of Burton Residence. Rachel paid her fee and looked up at the second


    floor from the entrance, from where she could see the brightly-lit study.


    Justin is home.


    When she stepped into the living room, she was greeted by Mrs. Duncan¡¯s bizarre remark. ¡°Mrs.


    Burton, could you please inform me if you areing homete? I have been thinking if I should


    deliver tea to the young master!¡±


    Rachel forced an apologetic smile at her. She put away her belongings and immediately went to


    prepare tea.


    Upstairs, Justin had been waiting for a long time in the study.


    When he heard her soft knocking on the door, he announced, ¡°Come in.¡±


    She pushed the door open and instantly spotted his face that was calm as usual. Next, she glided


    toward him with the tray of tea in her hands.


    ¡°Where did you go today?¡± His voice was low.


    She carefully ced the teacup on the table.


    I told youst night that I would be visiting my Grandma.


    ¡°How¡¯s her health?¡±


    She¡¯s doing pretty good.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± He lifted his head without warning. ¡°Has she taken the tonics I sent her?¡±


    She turned to him with a thunderstruck look.


    Tonics? What tonics? She thought to herself.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 57

    My Mute Bride Chapter 57


    Chapter 57 Trap


    The next moment, Justin had already stood up, prompting Rachel to instinctively take a step backward.


    Closing the distance between them, Justin spoke in a cold voice. ¡°Why? Is it not to your grandmother¡¯s


    liking? Has she not taken it yet? Or¡­ do you not know anything about it?¡±


    Justin closed his hands around her neck and¡­ Bang! She ruthlessly mmed against the closet.


    Scared out of her life, Rachel yelped, but her hoarse voice only made her look even more pitiful.


    Even though he watched the woman¡¯s facial features distort in pain, moisture clouding her beautiful


    innocent eyes, he felt nothing in his heart.


    The one thing he hated the most was people lying to him, and even more so if the lie was particrly


    crude.


    ¡°Was I too lenient with you? Is that why you are so fearless to do these things under my nose?¡±


    Rachel shook her head and sobbed, her face turning red.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Tell me, where did you go today?¡±


    I never went anywhere.


    ¡°Is that so? If you didn¡¯t go anywhere, that means you disappeared into thin air for a whole day?¡±


    Justin tightened his grip, causing Rachel to throw her head back in pain, her hands clinging on to


    Justin¡¯s arms and making frantic motions.


    That was her survival instinct.


    ¡°You¡¯re plotting something with Jefferey behind my back, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    That¡¯s not true.


    Rachel shook her head furiously, and with a mighty wave of his hand, Justin swept the tea set off the


    study desk onto the floor.


    Crash! the cups and saucers shattered into pieces, and the scalding tea sshed onto Rachel¡¯s feet.


    She screamed in pain, her hoarse voice resounding eerily in the room.


    Justin pinned her down on the desk violently, then proceeded to scoop up a medicine bottle from the


    mess. His expression was cold as he asked, ¡°Is this the medicine?¡±


    There was abel on the brown bottle stating that it contained cough medicine from Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals. The liquid within it rippled under themp, a cold light shimmering within.


    Rachel¡¯s expression went stiff.


    What is this?


    She had never seen this object before.


    ¡°This is the medicine Jefferey sent to you. How would you not know anything about it?¡±


    Mr. Burton, this bottle of medicine contains hallucinogens, and if consumed over a long period of time,


    it would cause blindness and even kidney failure. This medicine isn¡¯t even supposed to be on the


    market. Frankie¡¯s words still rang in Justin¡¯s ears, and he tightened his grip around the woman¡¯s neck.


    Rachel¡¯s already weak voice waspletely distinguished in her throat, leaving only her eyes that still


    had a deathly stare, as if threatening to fall out from their sockets.


    Justin¡¯s expression was terrifyingly dark. ¡°You¡¯re so obedient to Jefferey. If you died here, do you think


    he woulde and take care of your corpse?¡±


    He didn¡¯t even give Rachel any chance to exin as his hand mped harder, intent on strangling the


    woman. However, her struggles to be freed from his grip only proved to be futile.


    The woman¡¯s face turned purple and tears fell from the corners of her eyes. She was in an obvious


    panic, and Justin¡¯s eyebrows were also knitted tightly together.


    After a while, he let go of her.


    The force pressing against Rachel¡¯s neck disappeared, and her instinct to survive propelled her to


    break free from Justin¡¯s death grip. She fell onto the rug, coughing incessantly.


    Justin stooped down in front of Rachel with the medicine bottle in hand. ¡°Drink it.¡±


    Rachel put a hand over her neck and whimpered. There was no strength left in her to exin.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that this is an aphrodisiac?¡±


    Raising Rachel¡¯s chin, Justin forced her to look up at him. With his other hand, he put the bottle to her


    mouth, ¡°Drink it.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s shoulders trembled violently as her body went cold. She shook her head helplessly, trying to


    move back and escape.


    Justin grabbed her cheeks forcefully and didn¡¯t wait for her to swallow as he poured the liquid into her


    open mouth.


    The bitter medicine flowed down her throat with no signs of stopping, and even her nasal cavity was


    flooded.


    Rachel struggled desperately; the brown medicine spilled all over her body, but arge amount was


    already in her stomach.


    She coughed and sputtered and even tried to throw up.


    The bitter sting of the medicine conquered her mouth, and the fishy stench caused her stomach to turn.


    She kept coughing and retching, but nothing came out of her mouth.


    Soon, a burning sensation invaded her stomach, leading her to fall onto the floor in agony and curled


    up into a ball.


    Justin looked coldly down at her. ¡°Next time Jeffery sends another bottle over, you¡¯ll have to finish it as


    well. This is what you get for being arrogant.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s ears were still ringing, so she couldn¡¯t make out what Justin was saying. Her eyes couldn¡¯t


    focus, then everything faded into darkness.


    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, but she did feel that someone was carrying her, after


    which she heard someone arguing.


    The next time she woke up, she found herself in a hospital ward. The blinding white greeted her when


    she opened her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± An unfamiliar girl¡¯s voice sounded.


    Rachel took a long time to adjust so that she could see the nurse clearly.


    ¡°She¡¯s awake. Go get Dr. Peters.¡±


    Rachel sank into thought.


    Dr. Peters?


    Is that Julian Peters?


    Rachel rested her head on the pillow, remembering what had happened to her before she passed out.


    Justin had forced her to drink the medicine.


    Soon, a set of hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. Julian had arrived.


    After the checkup, Julian had Rachel lean against the bed. ¡°You¡¯ll have to be hospitalized for two days.


    Don¡¯t move around too much because your body is still quite weak. You¡¯ll also get drips every day.¡±


    Rachel was pale.


    You¡¯re the one who saved me?


    Julian nodded.


    The night before, he was downstairs when he heard noisesing from the study and suspected that


    something was wrong. When he barged in, Rachel was already lying on the floor, unconscious.


    ¡°About that medicine you drank, its contents have already been analyzed. It is a chronic medicine not


    found anywhere on the market, and if you take too much of it, it will cause kidney failure. It¡¯s a good


    thing that we discovered it earlier; you would¡¯ve died otherwise.¡±


    So it wasn¡¯t an aphrodisiac? Rachel thought.


    She gripped the nket tightly, the ringing in her ears now singing in her mind. If she remembered


    correctly,st night Justin said that Jefferey had sent her the medicine.


    Dad wants me to poison Justin¡¯s food with the medicine so that he would die? So this is why Justin was


    so angry, she realized.


    Seeing Rachel¡¯s pale face, Julian prodded, ¡°Rae, tell me the truth. Was it my brother who forced you to


    down the medicine?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t have time to nod before a cold and low voice sounded from the other side of the door.


    ¡°Thebel on the medicine bottle belongs to Hudson Pharmaceuticals. Julian, I¡¯m afraid you have the


    wrong idea on who was forcing who to drink it.¡±


    When she realized who it was, she froze.


    The anger still remained on Justin¡¯s face. As soon as he made it through the door, he threw Rachel a


    cold re. ¡°I can sue you for intentional homicide based on this bottle of medicine alone.¡±


    Julian frowned as he looked at Justin, then turned his gaze toward Rachel. After a long while, Rachel


    gritted her teeth.


    I drank the medicine myself.


    ¡°Why?¡± Julian¡¯s face was full of disbelief.


    ¡°Now that things are cleared up, Dr. Peters can leave and mind his own business now.¡± Justin chased


    Julian out unapologetically as he locked his eyes on Rachel. ¡°I still have something to talk to her


    about.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel had her face turned as pale as ashes. Julian wanted to say something, but


    Frankie had already opened the door. ¡°Young Master Peters, please.¡±


    Once the door closed with a click, the ward went so silent that one could even hear the sound of a


    needle dropping.


    As she watched Justin walk closer to her, her breaths becamebored. She had her back against the


    headboard, so there was nowhere to run.


    ¡°Scared now?¡± Justin sneered, and his dark eyes looked like cold des. ¡°You should¡¯ve been scared


    when you joined hands with Jefferey to poison me.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 58

    My Mute Bride Chapter 58


    Chapter 58 Unable to Save or Harm Anyone


    I didn¡¯t.


    Rachel shook her head furiously to deny.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t join hands with Jefferey, or you didn¡¯t poison me?¡±


    Justin gave another snort. ¡°Ah, I forgot. You didn¡¯t have time to poison me, did you?¡±


    Rachel leaned against the headboard with helplessness reflected in her eyes. She couldn¡¯t do anything


    except shake her head and deny it.


    I really don¡¯t know what that bottle of medicine does. It wasn¡¯t the medicine I got before.


    Justin grew impatient. ¡°You don¡¯t have to rush to deny it. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. By the way, did you


    forget about something? Our deal is still ongoing.¡±


    Rachel froze.


    I already did as you told me to. I went to the vineyard.


    ¡°Yes, but what of the end result? You didn¡¯t get the prescription, did you?¡±


    At the mention of the prescription, Rachel gave her own palm a mighty pinch in an attempt to calm


    herself.


    Will you let me go if I give you the prescription?


    Justin¡¯s cold gaze bore into her. ¡°You know the prescription?¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Jefferey took me to the vineyard and showed me the prescription.


    ¡°Why would he suddenly take you to the vineyard?¡±


    It¡¯s part of a deal. I agreed to help with his work at the Burtons.


    Justin¡¯s eyebrows scrunched up as he examined her, trying to judge if her words were real.


    After a while, he grabbed a notebook from the bedside table and tossed it on the sheets. Then, a cold


    command came from his thin lips. ¡°Write it down!¡±


    Rachel took the pen with her slender yet pale fingers. She recalled the contents of the prescription she


    saw in the study that day and replicated them on the notebook stroke by stroke.


    Angelica¡­


    After writing down the first ingredient, Rachel¡¯s hand paused for a while. Out of the corner of her eye,


    she nced at Justin, who was staring at her. Her heart trembled a little, and then she gritted her teeth


    as she wrote two words. Three ounces.


    ¡°Done?¡± Justin took the notebook offered to him suspiciously while she gingerly nodded.


    The ingredients in the prescription were all traditional medicine and their amounts, which were beyond


    Justin¡¯s professional knowledge.


    ¡°If this were the real deal, then we¡¯ll let bygones be bygones. But if you dare lie to me¡­¡± Justin threw


    her a cold re, then finished his sentence while putting the prescription away safely, ¡°Be ready for a


    permanent stay in the hospital.¡±


    Rachel shivered, then unconsciously gripped the nket tighter.


    After obtaining the prescription, Justin left in a hurry, for he needed to verify it as soon as possible. It


    was not until after the door clicked shut when Rachel gradually rxed and stopped pinching her palm.


    Phew! She must not stay in Riverdale any longer, and she dared not imagine what would happen to her


    if Justin found out that the doses in the prescription were incorrect.


    Presently in the MPV that was leaving the hospital and heading toward Burton Group.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, do we go straight to thepany or¡ª¡±


    ¡°To the research institute.¡±


    Justin held the prescription Rachel wrote, deep in thought. After a while, he ordered, ¡°Have someone


    check if Rachel went to Hudson Vineyard after Jefferey¡¯s birthday celebration.¡±


    Frankie was stunned for a moment. ¡°Understood.¡±


    The car soon arrived at the medical research institute owned by Burton Group that was located on the


    west side of the city.


    Burton Group¡¯s intention to purchase Hudson Pharmaceuticals wasn¡¯t something new. Even before


    this, Justin had nned its execution for a long while, but Burton Group had never entered the medical


    field before. Hence, many things had to be built from scratch.


    The medical research institute was one of the crucial starting points.


    ¡°Mr. Burton! What brings you here?¡± A middle-aged man in a white coat greeted Justin as he walked


    out of theboratory.


    Justin handed the prescription to him. ¡°Professor Collins, I¡¯d like you to take a look at this prescription.¡±


    ¡°Prescription?¡± Professor Collins pushed his sses and studied the contents on the paper for a long


    while, his expression serious. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the prescription for the sleeping pill manufactured by Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals?¡±


    ¡°Sleeping pill?¡± Justin suddenly remembered the medication he saw when he was going through the list


    of contract breaches, and the Burtons¡¯ ancestral sleeping pill was one of them.


    He then asked, ¡°Can you really concoct the medication based on this prescription?¡±


    ¡°Of course. The prescription isn¡¯t that rare, since the ingredients are already listed on the package. The


    key is in the dosage. Everypany has their own doses and usage, and those must never be


    announced to the public, or others would copy them.¡±


    At that, the look in Professor Collins¡¯ eyes turned curious. ¡°Mr. Burton, how did you get this


    prescription? It should have been one of the trade secrets of Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    Justin had no intention of answering. Instead, he looked at theboratory behind Professor Collins. ¡°I


    heard that there¡¯s a neer in theb?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Tommy is my student, and he¡¯s an intern here. Still, the professional tasks are left to the


    professionals only. Oh, right, Tommy was the one who analyzed the medicine Assistant Beckham


    brought over yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Right, the medicine. I took a look at it too, and I wanted to ask you. The medicine is unable to save or


    harm anyone, so why would Hudson Pharmaceuticals produce something like that?¡±


    At that, Justin frowned ever so slightly. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®the medicine is unable to save or harm


    anyone¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bitter medicine with a stinging smell to boot. However, it¡¯s a chronic medicine that would only


    take effect if taken over a long period of time. No one in this world would be foolish enough to take this


    medicine for that long.¡±


    ¡°What if it was mixed in with the food?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Professor Collins shook his head. ¡°If that medicine is mixed in with any food at all,


    it would be detected almost instantly. The taste is so weird that no one would be fooled.¡±


    Justin¡¯s frown deepened at those words.


    In the afternoon the next day, Rachel had slept drowsily for a whole day in the hospital, and she didn¡¯t


    even have any lunch. It was almost evening when she woke up, and the vibration of her phone had


    roused her.


    ¡°Hello? Rachel, is that you?¡± Hans¡¯ panicked voice sounded from the other end of the line.


    Rachel knocked twice on the back of the phone to indicate that it was her.


    Hans immediately rxed, and his relief was felt on the other side of the line. Heined, ¡°I sent


    you so many messages, but you didn¡¯t reply. Okay, since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll hang up now. I¡¯ll tell you on


    WhatsApp.¡±


    Rachel found a number of unread messages and missed calls on her phone, all from Hans.


    ¡®I¡¯m passing by the libraryter. I¡¯ll bring you something to eat.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re noting to work?¡¯


    ¡®Why aren¡¯t you replying? Is this an inconvenient time?¡¯


    ¡®The people at the library said that you took the day off. What happened?¡¯


    Rachel checked the timestamps. The first message was sent in the morning, and thest one was sent


    12 minutes ago. Almost a whole day had passed without any replies from her. No wonder Hans was


    worried.


    ¡®I¡¯m fine. I just felt a little unwell and had to stay in the hospital for a few days.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re hospitalized? Is it that serious? Which hospital is it?¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s not serious at all. The doctor just said I had to stay in the hospital to recover. Don¡¯t worry, and you


    don¡¯t have toe.¡¯


    After a while, Hans sent another message. ¡®Tell me the truth. Did Justin do anything to you?¡¯


    Rachel¡¯s hands trembled as they held the phone. Even the mere sight of Justin¡¯s name invoked fear in


    her. The terror he incurred in her had seeped into her very being.


    It took a long while before she sent the simple message. ¡®No.¡¯


    ¡®Which hospital are you staying at?¡¯


    Hans was persistent in his questioning, and his attitude was resolute. ¡®I¡¯ming over to visit you.¡¯

 My Mute Bride Chapter 59

    My Mute Bride Chapter 59


    Chapter 59 Hans Sent Me


    Seeing the continuous stream of iing messages, Rachel made a decision and replied, ¡®I¡¯m really


    fine, just a little tired. I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡¯


    After that, no matter what Hans sent, she refused to reply. After a while, Hans sent onest message.


    ¡®Rest well.¡¯


    Then, Rachel¡¯s phone finally went inactive, allowing her to sigh in relief, but her emotions at that


    moment were unbearable.


    If Hans came at this hour and bumped into Justin, or if anyone else witnessed his visit, it would only


    cause more trouble. Rachel put down her phone and got down from the bed to pour herself some


    water.


    It was then when she heard the sound of the door opening, and a set of high heels screeched against


    the floor. ¡°Mrs. Burton! Why are you pouring water on your own? Could it be that Justin didn¡¯t even


    bother to hire a care worker for you?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t even have to look up to know that it was Amber.


    It was a great chance for Amber to ridicule Rachel now that thetter was hospitalized, so Amber


    wouldn¡¯t pass it up so easily.


    Why are you here?


    ¡°Don¡¯t get so wary. I heard that you¡¯re hospitalized, so I came over to visit. After all, you¡¯re my sister,


    right?¡± Amber¡¯s cynicism was unmistakable right from the start. ¡°Even Dad asked me to treat you


    better, so apparently, the Hudson Family has to rely on you in the future.¡±


    Amber walked up to the table. ¡°Allow me to pour you some water; it¡¯s just a little matter you shouldn¡¯t


    concern yourself with.¡±


    With that, she poured out a ss of water in front of Rachel and handed it to her. ¡°There. Drink up.¡±


    The water was still boiling hot and emitting vapor.


    Rachel nodded slightly in thanks, but she never believed that Amber would be so kindhearted all of a


    sudden.


    Just as expected, right before Rachel was about to take the ss, Amber let go.


    The ss went crashing on the floor, and as it shattered, the hot water sshed in all directions.


    Rachel didn¡¯t manage to dodge in time, so the hot water scalded her feet and caused her to inhale


    sharply in pain. She had to use a corner of the table as support in order to stabilize herself.


    ¡°Oops! I¡¯m so sorry. I thought you¡¯d hold it better.¡±


    Amber feigned surprise at Rachel. ¡°Did you get scalded? Come on! I told you not to drink water that¡¯s


    boiling hot. I¡¯ll go get another ss of cold water for you.¡±


    What do you want?


    ¡°What do I want? Don¡¯t you know already?¡± Amber¡¯s expression changed faster than lightning. ¡°Did you


    think I forgot about the time you pushed me into the water? You good-for-nothing dummy!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face went pale as her pupils contracted rapidly.


    How could she forget? Amber wasn¡¯t one to let someone off the hook so easily. Rachel had made a


    fool of Amber in front of the guests at the birthday celebration, so she wouldn¡¯t let it go just like that.


    While Rachel was wrapping her head around that fact, Amber had already fetched a cold ss of


    water.


    The warm sunlight shone in from outside the window, and it lit the ss up like antern. However, the


    light in Amber¡¯s eyes was stone cold.


    Rachel instinctively put up her arms to cover her face.


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    The chill Rachel had braced for didn¡¯te. Instead, Amber¡¯s scream shocked her, and as she raised


    her head to look, she saw Amber¡¯s arm pinned behind her by a short-haired woman. Amber¡¯s back was


    forced into a bend to amodate the posture, and she was still screaming when the ss in her


    hand was taken away from her.


    ¡°Who are you? How did you get in?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that the rtionship between doctors and their patients is so tense; it¡¯s thanks to


    doctors like you who abuse their patients.¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice was cool andcked emotion, and she seemed to be pinning Amber¡¯s arm


    effortlessly. However, no matter how much Amber struggled, she couldn¡¯t break free.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Amber shrieked. ¡°Let go right now, or I¡¯ll call the police!¡±


    ¡°Struggle any more, and you¡¯ll have to bid your arm goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bluff me; I¡¯m a doctor, and I¡ª¡±


    Amber was still prideful at first as she tried to move a little, but a crisp sound of something cracking


    filled the space when she moved, as if it were the sound of celery being broken in half. She was


    stunned for a while, and then another horrifying scream escaped her mouth. ¡°Argh!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart was beating wildly as she witnessed the scene. She frantically gestured, pleading with


    the short-haired woman to let Amber go.


    Amber was the apple of Jefferey¡¯s eye. If anything happened to her, no ordinary person would be able


    to handle the consequences.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    A man¡¯s voice came from the door. Rachel quickly looked up to see Julian at the door.


    Julian walked hurriedly in. At the same time, the short-haired woman had already tossed Amber to the


    side.


    Amber staggered a little, and Julian hurried over to support her. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Julian! I¡­ I think my arm is broken.¡± Amber was in so much pain that beads of sweat rolled down her


    forehead, and she was close to tears. She leaned into Julian¡¯s embrace and kept shouting, ¡°It hurts so


    much!¡±


    Julian spoke to the short-haired woman coldly. ¡°Who ordered you to do this? Do you know how long


    you¡¯d be in jail for assaulting someone?¡±


    It¡¯s not like that!


    Rachel immediately stood in front of the short-haired woman and shook her head furiously in Julian¡¯s


    direction.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She helped me.


    Julian was slightly stunned in disbelief.


    At that moment, Amber sobbed even louder in Julian¡¯s arms. ¡°Julian, it hurts so much that I¡¯m going to


    die! Take me to the orthopedics and ask for Doctor Edwards! I think my arm is really broken.¡±


    ¡°You should take a trip to the psychiatry first.¡±


    Rachel was still bewildered when a hand grabbed her. The short-haired woman had pulled her behind


    her, and she spoke with a poker face. ¡°So you call a crazydy who sshes hot water on her patients


    a doctor?¡±


    ¡°Hot water?¡±


    Out of the corner of his eye, Julian saw the mess under the table and noticed that Rachel¡¯s feet were


    swollen and red from the scalding. In an instant, he understood the events that transpired, and he


    pushed Amber away with a livid expression.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Amber shrieked as she supported her dislocated arm, tears streaming down her face. Still, she


    gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Julian, don¡¯t believe them! They¡¯re working together toy the me on


    me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that.¡± Julian sent her a cold re.


    Ever since he witnessed Amber¡¯s wickedness at the pond in the Burton Residence, he knew then that


    Amber was no kind soul. He guessed that the incident today must also be Amber¡¯s doing.


    Seeing the futility in covering the truth, Amber was so pissed that she started crying. ¡°Julian, how could


    you!¡±


    ¡°If you have time to yelp here, you¡¯d be better off getting a doctor to join your bones back.¡± The short-


    haired woman nced at Amber and said meaningfully, ¡°If you drag it out, there might be side effects


    even if they were joined back.¡±


    At that, Amber was so frightened that she went pale in the face. She could only manage to stutter, ¡°Y-


    You just wait! You¡¯ll get awyer¡¯s letter in no time!¡±


    After saying that, she ran away in haste, shielding her ¡®broken¡¯ arm, and even her silhouette looked


    panicked. As soon as she was gone, Julian took Rachel¡¯s hand. ¡°Let me check for any injuries.¡±


    Rachel sat by the bed and carefully lifted the legs of her pants. There was arge swollen area on the


    exposed surface, and blisters were already forming on her skin. Julian frowned inpassion. ¡°Hang


    in there. I¡¯ll go get some medicine.¡±


    Following that, Julian left as quickly as he hade.


    After the door mmed shut, Rachel was left alone in the ward with the short-haired stranger, allowing


    her to finally have the time to observe and register her appearance.


    The stranger was a great deal taller than Rachel. She had a slender figure and was d in army green


    overalls and leather boots. The features on her face were bright and bold, and she looked cool yet


    spirited at the same time.


    She said, ¡°My name is Janice Hawkins. Hans sent me.¡±


    Her reply caught Rachel by surprise.


    Janice walked over to the corner where she had ced the gifts and picked up the fruits and flowers.


    She held them higher for Rachel to see. ¡°He said that you got sick and were hospitalized. He thought


    he shouldn¡¯t make an appearance, so he asked me to visit you in his stead.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 60

    My Mute Bride Chapter 60


    Chapter 60 On the Run


    ¡°Try to avoid water around your injured area, and take care not to burst the blisters.¡±


    After Julian applied the ointment on Rachel¡¯s injury, he told her, ¡°The weather is too hot, so I won¡¯t


    bandage it. Don¡¯t let the nket touch it when you¡¯re sleeping; just stick your legs out as much as


    possible.¡±


    Thank you.


    Rachel expressed her thanks as she looked at Julian, but still, thetter was worried. ¡°If Amberes


    again, you have to press the bell to call for a nurse. I¡¯ve ryed the matters to the hospital, and they¡¯ll


    get her transferred as soon as possible.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s pretty forehead wrinkled ever so slightly.


    It¡¯ll be fine. You don¡¯t have to go to such lengths for my sake.


    The tension between Amber and Rachel went beyond the hospital, so no matter where she went, as


    long as they saw each other, Amber would never give up on humiliating her sister.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not solely for your sake. Her character is ill-suited for a doctor.¡± At that, Julian frowned


    and nced at his watch. ¡°Just rest up first.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gaze was soft as she nodded in response. When Julian was leaving, Janice was in the


    corridor making a call.


    ¡°I¡¯m already at the hospital, and I¡¯m right outside her ward now. I met her just now too.¡±


    ¡°She seems to be fine, so she must be all right. I¡¯ll askter.¡±


    As she was talking, she saw Julian leaving the ward. They exchanged nces and gave each other a


    nod in ce of a greeting.


    ¡°I¡¯m hanging up. The doctor just left, so I¡¯ll go in now.¡±


    In the ward, Rachel invited Janice to take a seat.


    How did Hans find out that I¡¯m staying here?


    After signing, Rachel realized that thetter might not understand, so she was about to take out her


    phone when Janice replied, ¡°He didn¡¯t know either. I simply made deductions, and I only told him where


    you are just now.¡±


    Rachel was stunned. You understand signnguage?


    Janice seemed to be at ease. ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°Hans mentioned that your grandma underwent surgery here before, and coincidentally, I have a friend


    in this hospital.¡±


    After hearing her reply, Rachel nodded.


    Sorry for all the trouble you took toe here. I¡¯m all right.


    ¡°It¡¯s not much trouble. Also, there¡¯s something about you that I¡¯m quite interested in.¡±


    Rachel was bewildered.


    What about me?


    ¡°The matter with Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    Janice remained calm as she looked at Rachel in silence. However, her calm gaze caused Rachel¡¯s


    heart to squeeze in panic.


    What do you want to ask me about?


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Janice asked, ¡°Do you know anyone by the name of James Baker? Your father Jefferey might know


    him.¡±


    Rachel thought for a while, confusion apparent on her face.


    ¡°Or should I say, he also goes by the nickname ¡®Gunny¡¯.¡±


    At that, Rachel immediately nodded.


    ¡®Gunny¡¯ was one of Jefferey¡¯s assistants. He used to drop by the Hudson Residence often, and he was


    also on good terms with Amber. Amber, too, used to call him ¡®Uncle Gunny¡¯.


    ¡°Have you seen him recently?¡±


    I haven¡¯t seen him in a long while.


    ¡°When was thest time you saw him?¡±


    Rachel tried to recall. Around half a year ago. I remember it was winter, and it was snowing. It was right


    before New Year¡¯s.


    ¡°Half a year ago?¡± Janice repeated the time, then asked, ¡°Then do you remember what he brought to


    the Hudson Residence? What he said, what he did, anything of the sort?¡±


    To Janice¡¯s dismay, Rachel shook her head. It had been too long, and she never liked to be in contact


    with such people. Every time they came, her grandmother would pull her aside and avoid them as


    much as possible, so she didn¡¯t have much of a chance to see anything.


    Seeing Janice¡¯s serious expression, Rachel couldn¡¯t hold back her question.


    Why are you asking about him?


    Janice came to her senses and looked at Rachel. ¡°Nothing, we just suspect that he¡¯s a murderer on the


    run.¡±


    Rachel was stunned, and her pupils constricted quickly.


    Murderer? she thought.


    Still emotionless, Janice changed the topic. ¡°Right, other than asking me to visit you, Hans also asked


    me another thing.¡±


    Rachel was still in shock and wasn¡¯t able toe around; she simply stared at Janice in bewilderment.


    ¡°Hans told me that you suspect that your mother was murdered. If it were true, then it wouldn¡¯t be too


    far-fetched to assume that James was involved.¡±


    Who exactly are you?


    Rachel forced herself to calm down and stared intently at Janice.


    ¡°Oh right, I forgot to tell you what I do for a living.¡± Janice lowered her head and retrieved her


    credentials from her pocket. ¡°I am the vice leader of the Riverdale Investigation Bureau.¡±


    Investigation Bureau? Rachel thought as she looked at the credentials in disbelief.


    Meanwhile, at the Burton Group Headquarters. Frankie rushed into Justin¡¯s office with a document and


    a recording in hand.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, after the birthday celebration, Miss Hudson really did go to Hudson Vineyard with Jefferey,


    and someone actually witnessed Jefferey taking Miss Hudson to the study.¡±


    The recording was yed on Justin¡¯sputer, and it showed footage from the CCTV at Hudson


    Vineyard. The screen showed Jefferey and Rachel getting out of the car together and walking into the


    residence.


    At theputer, Justin¡¯s slender fingers were propped up against his chin, and the shadow cast on his


    face hid the scars out of view. Only his cold side profile was visible, and it was obvious that he frowned


    as he watched the recording.


    Looks like she wasn¡¯t lying.


    Frankie handed the document to him. ¡°Another thing. You asked me to investigate matters regarding


    Miss Hudson¡¯s mother, and I found something that might need your immediate attention.¡±


    Justin calmed himself down, took the document, then leaned against the chair as he flipped through it


    casually. Seeing therge words ¡®Missing Persons¡¯ printed on the document, he had his gaze


    darkened. ¡°What is this?¡±


    Frankie replied, ¡°Not long ago, you asked me to investigate Miss Hudson¡¯s background, but I found out


    that Miss Hudson had zero records before she returned to the Hudson Family. I got someone to dig


    deeper, then found out that¡­ 8 years ago, Miss Hudson was trafficked.¡±


    Trafficked?


    The expression on Justin¡¯s face changed as he looked more closely at the files in the document.


    The word ¡®trafficked¡¯ was almost a taboo to Justin.


    Caution was written all over Frankie¡¯s face.


    ¡°Even though we still haven¡¯t figured out the exact situation at that time, we can infer from the timing of


    the report that Miss Hudson went missing at birth. 28 years ago, Jefferey filed a report at the police


    station in person, and he had been looking for her since then, until he found her again 20 years ago.¡±


    Justin knew all too well what it was like to be trafficked by human traffickers. His hand held the papers


    with a little more force, and he tightened his grip until his knuckles went white. He couldn¡¯t believe that


    Rachel was trafficked as well, and itsted for 8 whole years.


    ¡°Mr. Burton,¡± Frankie called Justin gingerly. ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    Justin came to his senses, but still, he looked at the document in his hand, lost in thought. After a while,


    he ordered, ¡°Get someone you can trust and ask them to pay Hudson Vineyard a visit.¡±


    ¡°Go take a few pictures.¡±


    After Frankie left, Justin found that his gaze kept going to that document. He read the records time and


    again, and he still couldn¡¯t calm down after a long while. He didn¡¯t expect that Rachel went through the


    same experience he did.


    So, 20 years ago, when Jefferey set fire to everything, Rachel hadn¡¯t been taken home to the Hudsons


    yet, and she was living in extremely difficult conditions. She must have been around Katie¡¯s age then.


    For unknown reasons, when Justin connected all this to Professor Collins¡¯ words, his frown deepened.


    Could it be that Rachel really had no idea that there was something wrong with the medicine from


    Jefferey?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 61

    My Mute Bride Chapter 61


    Chapter 61 How Did You Get Hurt?


    For several days in a row, Rachel didn¡¯t see Justin. On the contrary, Janice came every day, bringing


    prepared meals with her.


    Sorry to trouble you.


    Rachel felt very embarrassed about it. Then, Janice opened the lunchboxes and put them on the table,


    saying, ¡°I was entrusted by others to be faithful to you. Besides, I also have a favor to ask of you.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly at that.


    If you¡¯re asking about James, I really don¡¯t know much about it. Other than my father, who was close to


    him, Amber was too, so maybe you should ask her.


    ¡°No, we¡¯ll alert them if I ask her. Oh yeah, you should not mention this matter to your family either. It¡¯s


    for your own good.¡±


    Rachel nodded a little to show that she understood, but she was still puzzled.


    You guys suspect that James killed someone, right? Who did he kill?


    ¡°The sales agent of a pharmaceuticalpany.¡±


    Why?


    ¡°Our initial hypothesis is that it was due to businesspetition, and James was just a henchman who


    was instructed to do so.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart stuttered at that. Did this mean that Hudson Pharmaceuticals was involved? What about


    Dad?


    Aren¡¯t you afraid of alerting them by telling me this?


    ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± Janice looked at her, her gaze calm. ¡°James is Jefferey¡¯s tool. Aren¡¯t you also suspecting


    that your mother¡¯s death is rted to Jefferey? And don¡¯t you already n to leave Riverdale? By the


    way, Hans asked me to bring word, saying that your grandma¡¯s situation has been arranged. As long


    as you¡¯re ready, you can leave Riverdale at any time.¡±


    Hearing these words, Rachel had her face suddenly be tense, and her fingers clutching the


    silverware trembled slightly.


    She had to leave because she could never hide the fake prescription from Justin.


    It waste in the evening when the roar of nes crossed over the Riverdale airport. After the van


    picked up the people from the terminal building, it drove down the airport highway.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, it¡¯s still necessary for you to personallye. This time, the contract for Brentwood New


    City has finally been signed, so the engineering team can go ahead and carry out tasks with


    confidence.¡± Holding the contract in his hand, Frankie couldn¡¯t hold back his joy.


    Justin said, ¡°Don¡¯t take it lightly. They might jump the gun.¡±


    ¡°You mean Jason Burton¡ª¡±


    ¡°He has suffered a loss this time. I¡¯m afraid the marriage between Tina and the Hindenburgs will have


    to be ahead of the agenda.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the things you asked me to prepare have been ready for a long time.¡±


    Justin nodded slightly.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, I believe you must be tired after these few days. Let¡¯s send you home to restter.¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯ll go to the hospital.¡±


    Hearing the crisp reply, Frankie felt his heart thump faster. Somehow, he inexplicably felt worried for


    Rachel.


    It was already dark when Julian took Rachel¡¯s examination report and knocked on the door to enter the


    ward. When he came in, Rachel was leaning on the bed, looking at the moonlight outside the window.


    ¡°Do you want to go out for a walk?¡± Julian¡¯s voice pulled Rachel¡¯s thoughts back. Then, she froze for a


    moment and turned her head back.


    Putting his hands in the pockets of his white coat, Julian showed her a warm smile. ¡°It should be boring


    for you to stay in the ward all the time, right? The rosebuds are blooming outside, so I¡¯ll take you out to


    have a look.¡±


    Rachel hesitated for a moment but nodded. She didn¡¯t tell Julian that she was leaving Riverdale, so she


    still had to thank him for taking care of her these days.


    The hospital¡¯s courtyard wall was filled with rose vines of all colors at this moment as Julian helped


    Rachel walk toward the small pavilion. ¡°Your health indicators are already normal, but the injury of your


    foot has yet to heal, so it¡¯s not convenient for you to walk around. Therefore, I still rmend you stay


    in the hospital for two more days for observation before being discharged; it¡¯s safer that way.¡±


    It¡¯s better for me to be discharged from the hospital as soon as possible.


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Do you have something to do?¡±


    Nothing. I¡¯m just bored staying in the hospital.


    Julian nodded to show that he understood.


    By the way, thank you for taking care of me this time, and thank you for helping to hide this from my


    grandma.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. However, do you still n to keep the matter of your marriage to my brother hidden from her?¡±


    Rachel thought for a moment. There should be no need for that in the future.


    Hearing that, Julian froze. ¡°Are you nning to tell her?¡±


    Rachel was about to answer when her gaze suddenly withdrew for a moment, and her hand trembled


    before she reflexively pulled it out of Julian¡¯s hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Confused, Julian followed Rachel¡¯s gaze only to see Justining toward them.


    ¡°Justin? When did youe?¡±


    Justin had been here for a while. When he didn¡¯t see Rachel in the ward, he looked through the window


    and saw the scene of Julian holding Rachel as they went for a walk downstairs.


    ¡°I just arrived.¡± With that said, he fixed his gaze on Rachel and continued, ¡°Are you so seriously


    injured? Why don¡¯t I have someone get you a wheelchair so that you can go out easily.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel turned pale, and she bit her lip.


    Julian¡¯s gaze settled on his brother, and he said, ¡°Justin, Rachel¡¯s foot is injured.¡±


    The weather was hot, and despite Julian¡¯s repeated instructions to be careful, Rachel¡¯s burns still


    became infected and had to be wrapped up in gauze, and now, with gauze wrapped around her feet


    and her wearingrge slippers that didn¡¯t fit her feet, she was having a hard time walking.


    Justin¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly, and his gaze fell on the injured foot. ¡°How did you get it infected?¡±


    It¡¯s nothing; it¡¯s almost healed.


    Rachel wasn¡¯t willing to exin further.


    ¡°It¡¯s wounded again, even though the old wounds are not yet healed. Therefore, she still needs more


    rest. Justin, if you are too busy with your work, you don¡¯t need toe to the hospital so often. I am


    here to take care of her.¡±


    Due to the medicine, Julian had been wary of Justin. Thus, he was about to support Rachel to go back


    to the ward when Justin stopped them with a dark look. ¡°Wait.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s shoulders trembled when she felt Justin¡¯s tug on her arm. Then, she looked up at him with


    shock and fear.


    Instantly, Julian¡¯s face changed. ¡°She¡¯s already hurt in such a manner; what else do you want? Don¡¯t go


    overboard!¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Dr. Peters, you¡¯re too dedicated to your patient.¡± Justin gave him a sideways nce and picked up


    Rachel in front of him. ¡°But you seem to have forgotten that she is my legal wife.¡±


    At that, Rachel¡¯s mind went nk as she looked up and saw the slightly green stubble on the man¡¯s


    sharp chin. The outline of his whole face was extraordinarily cold and angr when illuminated by the


    moonlight. Suddenly, the summer breeze blew, blowing the roses in the courtyard and making the


    petals fall on the ground. After that,rge dark clouds in the distant sky crept in, as if there was a big


    storming.


    At this moment, the corridor was full of people staring at them, so Rachel struggled to get down.


    ¡°You¡¯d better not move.¡±


    A deep, cold voice rang in her ears as she did so.


    ¡°But if you really want to sit in a wheelchair, I don¡¯t mind either.¡±


    Rachel shivered as she used one hand to clutch the corner of her hospital gown tightly. The faint smell


    of tobo that came from the man¡¯s body was familiar, yet struck fear into her heart.


    Later, Justin put her back on the hospital bed and swept a nce at her. ¡°How did your foot get hurt?¡±


    Rachel clutched the sheets, her face pale.


    I identally burned it.


    ¡°You did this to yourself?¡±


    Seeing that she didn¡¯t speak again, Justin frowned before pouring a cup of water. On seeing Rachel¡¯s


    fearful expression, his frown deepened, and he handed over the cup. ¡°Have some warm water.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel revealed a stunned look of disbelief.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 62

    My Mute Bride Chapter 62


    Chapter 62 Let Me Go and Marry Amber


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken the prescription to have it analyzed. If this prescription is true, I¡¯ll let bygones be bygones.¡±


    As Justin¡¯s voice fell, Rachel felt flustered.


    Then, Justin nced around the ward, where there were a few piles of fruits and flowers. ¡°Someone


    came to see you?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart thudded, and she tried to suppress her anxiety. My friends came by.


    Justin didn¡¯t seem to think much about it as he replied, ¡°Since you¡¯re injured, stay in the hospital for two


    more days, and go back when you¡¯ve recuperated fully.¡±


    No need. I can be discharged tomorrow.


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Justin looked at her gauze-covered foot and said firmly, ¡°No.¡±


    I still have to go back to work at the library.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that; your leave is already approved.¡±


    At that, Rachel looked stunned, as Justin seemed to be different from his usual self today.


    As they were talking, the sound of a door opening came from outside. ¡°Justin, when did you arrive?¡±


    The voice of Amber interrupted the conversation between the two people. As soon as Rachel heard her


    voice, her foot hurt reflexively.


    Frowning, Justin questioned unhappily, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you knock on the door?¡±


    Amber put out her tongue at him and smiled intimately at him. ¡°I forgot. After all, I got too excited to


    hear that you¡¯re here. You¡¯ve been away for work for so long and didn¡¯t even pick up the phone.¡±


    Justin answered indifferently, ¡°I was busy.¡±


    ¡°I understand; work is important.¡±


    Amber stood in the doorway for a while, then suddenly looked at Rachel before warning her, ¡°Rachel,


    you need to rest more since you are injured. Why are you still running around? Others in the hospital


    are talking about you.¡±


    Rachel pursed her lips and did not say a word. No wonder Amber came so quickly.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Justin looked at Amber.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I look for you even when nothing is wrong?¡± Amber instantly turned around and pulled out a


    chair to sit.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve received Tina¡¯s invitation yesterday. She¡¯s going to be engaged at the end of this month.


    Justin, since you don¡¯t have a female partner and I don¡¯t have a male partner either, why don¡¯t we go


    together?¡±


    Hearing these words, Rachel looked upset, and she silently clenched her fists. She was very self-


    aware, but it was too awful of Amber to say this in front of her.


    Justin nced at her and replied, ¡°Let Julian apany you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I have a female partner, so I can¡¯t apany you.¡±


    Amber¡¯s face changed, and she said sharply, ¡°How is that possible? Who is it? Why didn¡¯t I know about


    this?¡±


    A trace of impatience surfaced on Justin¡¯s face. Looking at Amber, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember the


    engagement party of my family? Is it hard to guess who my female partner is?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Amber¡¯s face stiffened, and she subconsciously looked at Rachel. Justin actually wants


    to bring Rachel to attend the party?


    Rachel was also surprised as she looked at them in disbelief.


    Gritting her teeth, Amber still said obstinately, ¡°She¡¯s injured. I don¡¯t think she can go.¡±


    ¡°There is no hurry. The engagement party is at the end of the month, so there is still time.¡±


    Hearing that, Amber felt speechless. Seeing that Justin looked cold and unwilling to entertain her


    anymore, she suddenly thought of something and said to Rachel, ¡°Did you tell Justin something? You


    got injured because you were careless and didn¡¯t hold the cup properly. You can¡¯t use me of that!¡±


    Rachel frowned. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know whether Amber was stupid or what. Justin¡¯s face


    changed as he looked at Amber and questioned, ¡°Her injury is rted to you?¡±


    Shocked, Amber panicked. ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean that. Justin, it has nothing to do with me. They wronged


    me! That woman even twisted my arm. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Justin frowned coldly.


    Seeing his expression, Amber felt despair filling her. ¡°Justin, don¡¯t misunderstand me. I¡¯ll exin to you


    another time.¡±


    With that, Amber red at Rachel and then quickly left. As the door of the ward closed with a click, the


    room returned to silence. Whenever Justin and Rachel were alone together, they always felt that the


    room was extra quiet. She couldn¡¯t talk, and she did things carefully and cautiously, as if she was


    always trying to make herself invisible.


    ¡°Was your injury caused by Amber?¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Rachel clutched the sheets and did not say anything; she had no intention of provoking a disagreement


    between them.


    ¡°You¡¯re both daughters of the Hudson Family. Even if you are the illegitimate one, you don¡¯t have to be


    so submissive.¡±


    Looking at her unresponsive appearance, Justin coldly barked, ¡°Did you hear what I said?¡±


    Rachel trembled in fear and looked at Justin in trepidation.


    ¡°Your weakness and ipetence are a disgrace to me!¡±


    When Rachel saw Justin¡¯s irritated look, she suddenly felt that this man was not as unfeeling as


    outsiders said. Perhaps he just didn¡¯t want to hurt her.


    If you want, I can leave your family, and you can marry Amber.


    Justin¡¯s expression sank as he fixed his gaze on her.


    It wasn¡¯t me that you wanted to marry initially either, and you know that it was my father¡¯s arrangement


    for me to stay by your side. So, instead of suspecting me of harming you all the time like this, why don¡¯t


    you let me go?


    ¡°What makes you think I will let you go?¡±


    I¡¯m no use to you. No matter if you want to deal with the Hudson Family or do something else, Amber is


    more suitable than me.


    Rachel was calm as she gestured with her pair of fair and slender hands. She still had a glimmer of


    expectation that Justin would let her go since she had no value to him, so she could leave Riverdale


    with her grandmother openly.


    ¡°What kind of ce do you think my family is? You cane and go whenever you want?¡± Justin¡¯s


    hands pressed hard on the sheets as his tall figure enveloped Rachel in it. At that, her shoulders


    jerked, and she backed up reflexively.


    ¡°Let you go? Let you go so that you can remind Jefferey that I¡¯m looking for the Hudson Family¡¯s


    remedy?¡±


    I won¡¯t do that! Rachel hurriedly shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Justin stared at her coldly and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve only ever believed in things I can


    control in my own hands or dead people.¡±


    Taken aback, Rachel froze on the spot, unable to move.


    ¡°You¡¯d better stay here and not make a fool of yourself. It¡¯s not for you to say which one among you is


    more valuable.¡±


    With that, Justin straightened up and left, banging the door as he went. As the cold wind blew across


    Rachel¡¯s face, she shivered. Clenching her fists, she looked in the direction of the door, her brows


    furrowing.


    How could she forget that for Justin, she was simply a ything in his palm and a pawn against the


    Hudson Family? Even if she was an unwanted child, it was impossible for him to discard her like that.


    Outside the corridor, Justin looked angry. Frankie had been waiting there and spoke when he saw


    Justin. ¡°Mr. Burton. Just now, Miss Amber came out crying. Is she¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, Justin nced at the door and interrupted, ¡°Book a restaurant tomorrow and


    invite her out for dinner.¡±


    Frankie froze for a moment, but he did not dare to ask more. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 63

    My Mute Bride Chapter 63


    Chapter 63 Working Together


    The next morning, Rachel insisted on going through with the discharge procedure. Therefore, Julian


    took half a day off to send her back to the Burton Residence.


    ¡°My mother is not at home today, so you can take a good rest for a day,¡± he urged as he helped her


    back to her room. ¡°Even if you are recuperating at home, you should rest well. Don¡¯t move around as


    your injury will take at least three to five days to fully heal.¡±


    She nodded. Thank you.


    Then, Julian nced at a figure hiding by the door before he deliberately raised his voice and added,


    ¡°Some servants in the family have stayed here for a long time and have thus forgotten their identity.


    Although I am not the head of this house, I still have the power to dismiss servants.¡±


    The shadow at the door shifted for a moment before it was Mrs. Duncan who walked out. She


    sheepishly answered, ¡°Young Master Peters, I just care about Ra¡ªI just care about Mrs. Burton and


    wanted to see whether there is anything I can help with.¡±


    Julian snorted coldly. ¡°Is that so? You¡¯re not here to spy on us?¡±


    At that, Mrs. Duncan¡¯s face paled.


    He warned, ¡°I¡¯m going back to work in the afternoon, so you better serve her well. If anything happens


    to her, my brother won¡¯t let you off the hook.¡±


    She hurriedly nodded, not daring to say anything more.


    When he left, she stood in the doorway and looked at Rachel before speaking in an odd way, ¡°Mrs.


    Burton, what do you want to eat tonight? I¡¯ll have the kitchen prepare it.¡±


    Rachel shook her head. I don¡¯t have much appetite. Don¡¯t mind me; just close the door for me.


    ¡°You need to eat a little. I¡¯ll have the kitchen prepare something light for you.¡±


    Mrs. Duncan¡¯s uncharacteristic manner left Rachel feeling puzzled, but Rachel thought that her


    behavior was a result of Julian¡¯s words just now. So, Rachel didn¡¯t think much about it.


    ¡°Please rest first and I will send up the food tonight.¡±


    Once Mrs. Duncan left, Rachel carefully got out of bed and opened her suitcase. Then, she ced the


    small wooden box that her mother left her into the canvas bag she usually took with her. Rachel did not


    intend to bring many things with her when she left Riverdale as a little savings and her mother¡¯s items


    would be enough.


    At night, Rachel ate some food before she felt tired. Then, she pulled the covers over her and went to


    sleep. At this time, the sound of an engine roared in the courtyard. It wasn¡¯t long before Amber helped


    Justin into the living room.


    ¡°Oh, Amber, what¡¯s wrong with Justin? Has he been drinking?¡± Sue eximed and went forward to


    help.


    ¡°Madam Parham, Justin seems to be drunk. I¡¯ll send him up to rest.¡± Amber had a concerned look.


    ¡°Miss Amber, you drank a lot too. Are you alright?¡± Mrs. Duncan wanted to lend a hand, but Sue¡¯s


    nce had stopped her from doing so.


    Then, Sue instructed, ¡°Mrs. Duncan, go and search for some hangover remedy and send it upter.


    Amber, you should send Justin to his room. It¡¯s the second room on your left on the second floor. Don¡¯t


    enter the wrong room.¡±


    Amber nodded as she met Sue¡¯s gaze, trying to suppress her excitement that even her hands that


    were supporting Justin trembled. Sue smiled meaningfully and added, ¡°Amber, please take good care


    of Justin.¡±


    ¡°I will, Madam Parham.¡±


    After she ced Justin on the bed, Amber carefully probed him. ¡°Justin, are you okay?¡±


    However, Justin remained unresponsive as hey on the bed.


    Upon seeing that, she carefully removed a white paper bag from her purse before she turned her back


    on him to pour the substance from the bag into a cup of water by the bed. ¡°Justin, drink some water.


    You¡¯ll feel better.¡±


    As he was knocked out from the alcohol, he did not react as she poured half the cup of water down his


    throat. After she ced the cup aside, she then climbed onto him and pulled off his shirt.


    At that instance, the man¡¯s wheat-colored chest waspletely exposed in front of her while his cold


    and handsome face was like the embodiment of desire such that she couldn¡¯t help but want to leap on


    him.


    While Amber kneeled on his body, she began to remove her own clothes.


    In his state of drunkenness, the man suddenly opened his eyes. A startled Amber paled with fear as


    she stammered, ¡°Y-You¡¯re not drunk¡­¡±


    In the next second, the man¡¯s gaze drifted up before he fiercely rolled the woman over and pressed her


    down. As his alcoholic breath came toward her, she looked into his handsome and drunk face.


    Suddenly, she came back to her senses and calmed down. After drinking so much tonight, how could


    he still be sober? Not to mention, she had given him that packet of pills!


    While the man ripped her clothes, she immediately went all in. Moving around to circle the man¡¯s neck


    with her arms, she called out to him in a soft voice, ¡°Justin¡­¡±


    At this time in the living room on the first floor, Sue listened to themotioning from upstairs and


    she couldn¡¯t hide a smug smile. She waved her hand toward Mrs. Duncan before she said, ¡°There¡¯s no


    need to send it.¡±


    Mrs. Duncan understood and ced the hangover remedy aside.


    ¡°By the way, that mute¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve included a sufficient amount of sleeping pills in the food given to her earlier. She won¡¯t


    wake up tonight, so she definitely won¡¯t ruin anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great then. This is such a golden chance, so she must not ruin it. She¡¯s just a useless mute, so


    how can she even begin to fight for a ce in the family? Dream on,¡± Sue snarkily replied.


    She knew that Justin had invited Amber out for dinner, so she guessed that they would be intimateter


    at night. After all, she had confidence in Amber¡¯s wiles and tricks. All Sue needed to do was to go with


    the flow and take care of that mute for them.


    ¡°Madam, isn¡¯t it a bit too risky for us to do this?¡± Mrs. Duncan looked concerned. ¡°If outsiders know


    about this, isn¡¯t this bad for the reputation of the Burton Family?¡±


    Sueughed. ¡°Who will spread this around? Amber?¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Mrs. Duncan looked startled. ¡°Young Master Justin will me us for this, though.¡±


    ¡°What does this have to do with us? Amber was the one who brought him back and we can¡¯t control


    what they doter, right? Don¡¯t think so much about it. We didn¡¯t do anything.¡± After saying this, Sue


    yawned and went toward the bedroom. ¡°I¡¯ll get a good night¡¯s sleep tonight.¡±


    It was alreadyte at night, so Rachel was in a deep sleep and having a dream. Suddenly, she vaguely


    felt like someone had pulled her up as the cold breeze snaked into her pajamas, making her shiver and


    subconsciously stretch out with her hands to pull the quilt up. However, before her hand could even


    reach the quilt, she was pressed down and something entered her body in the next second.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    The d¨¦j¨¤ vu feeling invaded all Rachel¡¯s limbs, causing her to cry out in pain and shock. Then, she was


    jolted awake from her dream and when she opened her eyes, she saw the man who was riding on her


    body.


    Justin! How could he be here!


    Cold sweat instantly broke out from Rachel¡¯s back at that sight. She wanted to scream, but she couldn¡¯t


    as she desperately tried to escape this nightmare. This must be a nightmare.


    With bloodshot eyes, Justin looked like a beast that had escaped its cage and was nearly ripping her


    apart. No matter how she struggled, he had her in his grip. Next, the sweat slid down the scars on the


    man¡¯s face andnded on her face as it mixed with her tears.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 64

    My Mute Bride Chapter 64


    Chapter 64 Making a Wedding Dress for Others


    The next day.


    ¡°Madam! Madam,e upstairs and take a look!¡±


    The inside of the room was dim and the curtains were drawn tight.


    Rachel was woken up by the shouts outside the room. With a bang, the door of the room opened from


    outside. She cowered in fear before the pain on her feet forced her to open her eyes.


    Sue stood at the door and with just a nce, she saw Rachel with her bare shoulders and the room


    was messy. She immediately became upset and scolded, ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±


    The room still smelled of lovemaking while the floor was scattered with women¡¯s intimate clothing. On


    top of that, there was blood on the sheets mixed with unknown stains too. It was not difficult to imagine


    what had happened in this roomst night.


    However, Rachel was bewildered. What happenedst night? The soreness all over her body was


    reminding her ofst night¡¯s memory. She was deep asleep when Justin suddenly barged in and tore


    her clothes. No matter how much she had struggled, he pounced and wrestled with her like a wild


    animal. As she shuddered violently, she did not dare to believe the scene before her.


    ¡°Madam, Miss Amber is still in Young Master Justin¡¯s room.¡± Mrs. Duncan¡¯s voice came from behind


    Sue.


    Sue red at Rachel. ¡°Hurry up and wear your clothes! Are you nning to show your body for the


    whole family to see? What a shameless thing!¡± With these words, Sue and Mrs. Duncan left in a hurry.


    Rachel¡¯s mind went nk as her ears buzzed.


    On the other hand, Amber woke up alone from Justin¡¯s bed in the master bedroom. She was unclothed


    while therge room was empty, save for herself.


    ¡°Amber.¡± Sue hurriedly entered.


    ¡°Madam Parham!¡± As soon as Amber saw Sue, she immediately jumped into Sue¡±s arms and cried.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Madam Parham. Why am I here? Isn¡¯t this Justin¡¯s room? My clothes¡­ Me and Justin¡­¡±


    Amber burst into tears.


    Sue looked around the messy bed before she revealed a puzzled look. ¡°Amber, don¡¯t cry first. What


    happenedst night?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I don¡¯t remember anything!¡± Amber¡¯s eyes were red and tears were falling from them. ¡°If


    my father knows about it, he will kill me!¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Was Amber trying to ckmail the Burton Family? As she was a sly old fox herself, Sue looked slightly


    contemptuous as she nced at Mrs. Duncan.


    Mrs. Duncan immediately understood and added, ¡°Miss Amber, don¡¯t cry first. Young Master Justin


    went out early in the morning and he seemed to be sleeping in Mrs. Burton¡¯s roomst night.¡±


    At these words, Amber¡¯s tears stopped abruptly and she looked at Mrs. Duncan incredulously.


    Sueforted Amber by patting her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Amber; if you can¡¯t remember it, you can


    slowly think about it. Go and wash up first while I¡¯ll have someone send you a set of clean clothes.¡±


    After saying this, Sue waved her hand and brought Mrs. Duncan away with her.


    As soon as the door closed, Sue¡¯s expression sank. ¡°Useless fellow. She literally allowed the chance to


    slip away herself.¡±


    Mrs. Duncan asked, ¡°Then, about what happenedst night¡­¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t bother with it. Let her figure it out herself.¡± A furious Sue coldly added, ¡°That mute ended up


    benefiting from it!¡±


    Inside the room, Amber¡¯s face was gloomy. Did Justin actually sleep in Rachel¡¯s roomst night?


    It was noon at the headquarters of Burton Group when Justin ended his call in exasperation after he


    noted the number of missed calls on his phone. After a while, Frankie came in a hurry. ¡°President


    Burton, Miss Amber called again. She said she wants to see you.¡±


    ¡°Tell her that I¡¯m not avable.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Frankie nodded.


    Justin had an ugly expression earlier this morning.


    ¡°Were there any other calls besides hers?¡±


    Frankie was taken aback. ¡°No.¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyebrows instantly knotted together before he threw the phone onto the table in impatience.


    It was out of necessity when he used that woman to vent his desire. Last night, he wasn¡¯t drunk at all,


    but he wanted to see what kind of tricks Amber had up her sleeves. However, he didn¡¯t expect her to be


    so bold as to dare to drug him. However, when he woke up early in the morning and saw Rachel¡¯s tear-


    stained face beside him, he suddenly felt indescribable guilt in his heart and hurriedly fled.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, if you have no other orders, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Frankie¡¯s voice pulled back Justin¡¯s


    thoughts.


    Justin frowned and answered, ¡°Wait. Go and find a geomancy master who can read my fortune to


    come to my office.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Frankie froze for a moment, looking incredulous. A geomancy master who can tell one¡¯s


    fortune? ¡°President Burton, what do you want to do? I thought you didn¡¯t believe in that.¡±


    ¡°Just do as you¡¯re told.¡±


    Frankie nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going.¡±


    Justin acted in an extremely irritated manner today and several heads of departments were scolded


    early in the morning. Thus, it was better to talk less and just focus on work.


    ¡­


    It had rained all afternoon in Riverdale and the drizzle only stopped in the evening. Mrs. Duncan


    knocked on the door with dinner again with a shifty look. ¡°Mrs. Burton, dinner is ready.¡±


    Just put it on the table, thanks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care when you eat the food, but I have to watch you take this medicine.¡±


    Medicine?


    Since Rachel was taken aback, she looked up and saw the box of medicine in Mrs. Duncan¡¯s hands.


    Then, she noticed thebel ¡®morning after pills¡¯ on it. She felt a stabbing pain in her heart for no reason,


    which caused her face to pale at once. If Justin didn¡¯t want her to get pregnant, why did he treat her


    that wayst night?


    She remembered all that happenedst night. In fact,pared to their wedding night, he even gave


    her the illusion of being gentlest night. However, at this moment, the pills told her that it was really


    just a mirage.


    As Mrs. Duncan thought that Rachel was unwilling to take the pills, she said, ¡°Mrs. Burton, this is not


    me giving you a hard time, so don¡¯t make it difficult for me.¡±


    Give it to me. Rachel stretched her hand out.


    After she watched Rachel finishing her medicine, Mrs. Duncan was relieved and added


    contemptuously, ¡°Remember to eat your food.¡±


    Rachel did not respond as she held the cup with a gloomy face. Perhaps the pills had dissolved too


    quickly as she felt a burst of bitterness in her throat.


    Then, the phone on the table lit up for a moment before a text message from Hans popped out. ¡®How is


    it going? You¡¯re discharged from the hospital and returned to the Burton Family, right?¡¯


    Rachel collected her thoughts and quickly replied with two words. ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯


    Then, Hans asked, ¡®Grandma¡¯s side has been arranged for. How much luggage do you have? Do you


    need my help?¡¯


    ¡®Not much; I have nothing to take with me.¡¯


    Rachel nced at the canvas bag hanging by the door. Only her mother¡¯s belongings and her bank


    card were in the bag and she needed to leave Riverdale with as little as possible, so she didn¡¯t n to


    take anything else with her to avoid alerting others to her n.


    ¡®Okay, when you¡¯re ready to go, let me know.¡¯


    As she typed on the phone, the door opened from behind her. When she looked up, she met the gaze


    from a pair of narrow and cold eyes and her hands trembled. With a plop, the phone fell with a loud


    sound in the quiet room.


    A frowning Justin looked at the floor and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 65

    My Mute Bride Chapter 65


    Chapter 65 What Do You Mean?


    The phone on the ground was still disying the WhatsApp screen and the lighting from the


    screen was piercing her eyes.


    Before she coulde back to her senses, Justin¡¯s long legs had already stopped in front of her before


    he slowly bent down.


    Rachel¡¯s face immediately pale as her heart started to race.


    Right when she was about to take her phone, the screen suddenly dimmed before it blinked to lock


    itself.


    ¡°Check whether it¡¯s still working.¡±


    As she stared at the phone that he handed her, she gingerly took it. It should be fine.


    ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡±


    Justin¡¯s gazended on the table and he wasn¡¯t suspicious at all.


    The dishes that Mrs. Duncan sent over were still releasing steam.


    When Rachel calmed down, she ced her phone on the table with the screen facing downward and


    she acted like nothing happened.


    Why did you return much earlier today?


    Justin frowned. ¡°What? Do you want me toe backter?¡±


    Rachel was taken aback. That¡¯s not what I meant.


    While gazing at her, he threw a document file on the table. ¡°Take a look at this.¡±


    The ck filended on the table with a silent thud.


    After she hesitantly opened the document file, Rachel¡¯s pupils constricted when she read the content of


    the document before her frail shoulders started trembling.


    There was a sealed rune paper in a stic bag on the first page. It was exactly the same as the one


    she saw in Jefferey¡¯s darkroom with detailed exnations next to the rune paper.


    ¡°Those in geomancy said that this is used to subdue vengeful souls and it has a ritual along with it. It¡¯s


    not easy to carry out the ritual unless you have murdered someone or caused someone¡¯s death.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head abruptly shot up before she looked at Justin in disbelief.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. I don¡¯t believe in this, but I still find it weird that Jefferey keeps items like this


    in his darkroom, so I had someone investigate it to see whether we can get something. It seems like


    he¡¯s probably involved in your mother¡¯s death at this rate.¡±


    At this moment, Rachel¡¯s hand that grasped the document tightened to the point where the joints of her


    fingers turned pale.


    Although she couldn¡¯t understand what the rune had meant, she knew that it wasn¡¯t a good omen when


    she saw her mother¡¯s tomb being chained by four crippled men in red.


    Why did you help me to investigate this?


    ¡°Since we had a deal where you help me to look for the medication form, I can assist in investigating


    the mystery behind your mother¡¯s death.¡±


    Her eyes darkened.


    To be honest, she didn¡¯t want Justin to help her out with this.


    This man was too maniptive. Even if he really wanted to lend her a helping hand to investigate her


    mother¡¯s death, he might end up using it as a leverage to coerce her in the future.


    There wouldn¡¯t be any good ending if she were to make a deal with the demon, but she had no choice


    but to follow along with it.


    Thank you.


    Rachel felt anxious as she looked at Justin and noticed that he hadn¡¯t left.


    Is there anything else?


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    At the same time, he was staring at the woman in front of him intently as he couldn¡¯t seem to forget


    about what happened yesterday night.


    He had been like this for the entire day.


    At first, Justin concluded that it was due to the effects of the alcoholbined with the drug that Amber


    gave him yesterday, but he could feel his body getting heated up the moment he saw Rachel again.


    ¡°Did you know that Amber drugged me after sending me home yesterday night?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel looked stunned before she quickly shook her head. I didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Is that so? Are you sure that Jefferey didn¡¯t ask Amber to seduce me since he couldn¡¯t rely on you to


    do so?¡±


    Amber? That¡¯s impossible. If he wanted to do that, he wouldn¡¯t have asked me to rece her as your


    bride.


    Upon hearing that, the man¡¯s narrowed eyes became cold.


    Are you sure you were drugged yesterday night?


    Justin looked at her. ¡°Why do you sound disappointed?¡±


    At that, Rachel was taken aback before her face flushed red. That¡¯s not what I meant.


    ¡°What do you mean then?¡±


    She took a step back instinctively. When her back was closely pressed against the back of the chair,


    the strap of her night gown suddenly slid off her shoulder, revealing her pale shoulder. In the


    meanwhile, the other thin strap of her night gown rested on her corbone and looked like it might snap


    anytime soon.


    His pupils constricted, causing her to anxiously pull up her strap.


    ¡°What are you trying to cover when I¡¯ve already seen everything?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel became so embarrassed that she wanted to disappear. Still, she couldn¡¯t


    help but think about what happenedst night before her face blushed even more.


    As he watched the woman in front of him bit her lips and sucked in her cheeks, Justin¡¯s frown


    deepened.


    A whileter, she gasped loudly when he dragged her to the bed.


    She could feel her mind bing nk the moment her nightgown was peeled off.


    ¡­


    As the sky darkened, the Burton Family¡¯s summer vi was illuminated by yellow lights.


    Tina¡¯s outfit was in a mess as shey on the couch while wearing her green spectacles. The television


    in front of her was currently ying a foreign romance movie while she was surrounded by bottles of


    alcohol on the ground.


    ¡®ng!¡¯ The loud noise of beer bottles shing into each other rang from the entrance of the door.


    ¡°Who said that you are allowed to drink a lot? What if someone else sees you like this?¡±


    Jason was standing in the living room and the moment he saw her looking like she was in a mess, he


    was pissed off. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re getting engaged at the end of the month!¡±


    However, she didn¡¯t spare him any nces before she chuckled coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t forget


    about that. I¡¯ll marry into the Hindenburg Family as you wish and help you with your business.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Isn¡¯t this arrangement for your own good? Noah Hindenburg is young and


    sessful. Everyone in Riverdale will be envious of your marriage!¡± Upon noticing that Tina couldn¡¯t be


    bothered by what he had said, Jason dropped the topic. However, his expression turned serious. ¡°I¡¯m


    here to discuss something with you.¡±


    ¡°What is it? I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Do not interfere with anything rted to Justin.¡±


    When she heard those words, Tina burst intoughter with an obnoxious expression.


    ¡°Are you even listening to what I¡¯m saying?!¡± Jason raised his voice. ¡°He has removed all of the men


    whom I¡¯ve arranged for the project in Brentwood New City. Although he¡¯s considered young among


    your generation, his connection runs deep. Try not to offend him, do you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± she answered nonchntly before pulling her nket. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest now. If you still want


    to lecture me, you can continue to do so!¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    His eyes widened in anger and he couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to Tina any longer when he saw her


    slumped state. If it weren¡¯t for the engagement at the end of the month, he would have asked her to


    kneel for a few more days.


    ¡°You better behave yourself for the rest of the month! If not, that kid¡¯s not going to make it back alive!¡±


    The sound of the door mming shut echoed throughout the room.


    After a long while, Tina suddenly rose from the couch before she took the whiskey bottle next to her


    and took a huge gulp from it. Then, she aimed the bottle at the television screen in front of her.


    ¡°What a bunch of useless losers! Why can¡¯t I offend him? So what if I do it? He can try to kill me if he


    can!¡±


    The sound of the ringing phone on the table finally reached her ears after a series of crashing noises.


    However, her gaze darkened upon seeing the caller ID.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 66

    My Mute Bride Chapter 66


    Chapter 66 nning Her Escape


    Although it was already midnight, the bars along Riverdale¡¯s Vista Road were still brightly illuminated


    by the streetlights.


    ¡°Why did you ask me out sote at night?¡±


    Tina toyed with the wine ss on the table as she dragged her sharp nails along the surface of the


    ss.


    Then, Amber exined, ¡°Remember when you wanted me to investigate Henry¡¯s current location? I


    managed to get it two days ago.¡±


    Tina¡¯s expression changed at that moment and she was bing agitated. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me


    earlier? Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s at a factory situated in the north of Africa. That¡¯s probably the furthest foreign factory under the


    Burton Group. Your father had transferred him there to be a coolie.¡±


    ¡°Send me his exact address.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid doing that would be useless.¡± Amber frowned with a conflicted expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Then, she opened the gallery in her phone before she pushed her phone slowly toward Tina¡¯s direction.


    Under the illuminating bar lights, the dazzling phone disy showed the image of a foreign death


    certificate with Henry¡¯s name printed on it.


    It was at this moment when Tina¡¯s pupils constricted before she snatched the phone in disbelief.


    ¡°Two days ago, my men returned with the news that Henry was robbed on his way to purchase


    supplies and by the time those from the Burton Group found him, he was already gone..¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Tina mumbled as her face paled. Then, she quickly contacted someone and asked


    with a cold voice, ¡°Hugh, where is Henry right now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen to your excuses! If you don¡¯t tell me where he is now, I¡¯ll make sure that you won¡¯t


    be working in Burton Group from tomorrow onward!¡±


    After she heard something from the other end of the call, her gaze slowly dimmed.


    She suddenly threw the phone aside in anger, which resulted in a loud crash and causing Amber to


    shriek before she stared at Tina in fear.


    A secondter, tears started to fall from Tina¡¯s eyes.


    A whileter, Amberposed herself before she tried to console Tina. ¡°Tina, you have to stay strong


    because it¡¯s impossible for the dead to be resurrected. I feel like I¡¯m also partly responsible for this as I


    shouldn¡¯t have invited you over for my father¡¯s birthday party. If I hadn¡¯t done that, Rachel wouldn¡¯t


    have discovered the truth and the subsequent events wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡±


    Tina¡¯s eyes were red. ¡°Rachel¡­¡±


    She repeatedly mumbled Rachel¡¯s name as she continued downing shots after shots of whiskey.


    An eye for an eye, Tina swore to exact revenge on those who caused Henry¡¯s death.


    ¡­


    The morning sunlight pierced through the curtains the next morning.


    Rachel woke up from her dream and she opened her eyes to see the repetitive patterns of the ceiling. It


    took her a while to recover from her daze when she heard the sound of water running down the drain in


    the bathroom.


    A whileter, she quickly closed her eyes and turned around when she heard the bathroom door


    opening.


    The sound of soft footsteps was approaching closer toward her before the other person sat by the


    bedside.


    ¡°Still tired from yesterday?¡±


    Justin¡¯s simple words had caused Rachel¡¯s eyelids to twitch before her face flushed. After she forced


    herself to open her eyes, she cautiously wrapped the nket around her before she sat up.


    Then, hemented nonchntly, ¡°I was still wondering how long you¡¯re going to keep up the act.¡±


    His hair was still wet as water droplets continued to drip onto his tanned chest before it fell into his


    towel.


    As she recalled what had happened yesterday night, Rachel lost all courage to look at the man.


    After wearing his shirt, Justin looked at her before he sneered, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are unable to even


    fake being asleep. What was Jefferey thinking when he sent you over?¡±


    With that, he rose to his feet and prepared to leave. However, a hand reached out from the nket and


    grabbed hold of him.


    When he turned around to see the woman, he noticed that most of her flushed face was hidden under


    the nket as she stared at him with teary eyes.


    A frowning Justin stared at her from above before he asked, ¡°Do you want me to apany you?¡±


    Rachel immediately quickly shook her head before her slender finger cautiously pointed at his shirt.


    Your shirt button¡¯s wrong.


    He was taken aback and looked down to see that two of his buttons had been wrongly buttoned,


    making him look disheveled.


    A whileter, his deep voice rang out in the room. ¡°Do it for me.¡±


    A stunned Rachel had no choice but to extend her bare arms and grab her nket with one hand while


    she used another hand to undo the buttons on Justin¡¯s shirt amidst his pressurizing gaze.


    As he stared at her exposed bare shoulder, his dark pupils slowly constricted. ¡°Are you taking your


    sweet time so that you can try to seduce me?¡±


    Rachel paused and quickly shook her head.


    I¡¯m not.


    ¡°You¡¯re not what?¡±


    She followed the direction of Justin¡¯s gaze and looked down before gasping and tightening her hold on


    the nket. At this moment, her pale face went as red as a tomato before she quickly hid her face


    underneath the nket.


    Justin didn¡¯t know why, but his mood brightened when he saw Rachel being so anxious.


    After he buttoned his shirt again, he got up and left.


    ¡°It¡¯s still early. You should continue sleeping if you¡¯re still tired.¡±


    Justin¡¯s maic low voice along with a slight hint of gentleness echoed through the room.


    By the time Rachel came back to her senses, he had already left. It seems like this is the first time


    Justin has actually spoken to me with so much calm. Is he worried about me?


    She was confused.


    Buzz¡ª


    The sound of the vibrating phone rang out from the side of the bed.


    When Rachel saw Hans¡¯ text messages on her phone, she quickly returned to her senses.


    ¡­


    In the library, he was walking past rows and rows of bookshelves while pushing his cart, helping her to


    ce books on the higher parts of the shelves. ¡°Is your leg better now?¡±


    Rachel nodded. It¡¯s almost healed.


    ¡°How¡¯s the packing?¡±


    I¡¯m almost done since I don¡¯t have much to pack in the first ce and I can leave anytime I want to. I¡¯m


    just worried about Grandma.


    As Nancy¡¯s condition was unstable, she might not be able to withstand the long distance travel.


    Upon hearing that, Hans suggested, ¡°I can help you with that. I have a friend who works in a private


    hospital and he can help you out. If you send your grandma to the hospital earlier, they can help to


    make your identity anonymous.¡±


    However, Rachel looked hesitant. That might not be possible. If I send Grandma over, it would be hard


    for me to keep it a secret. Moreover, Justin might be able to trace everything to you, so you¡¯ll be


    dragged into this as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it.¡±


    No. She shook her head with determination and rejected Hans¡¯ suggestion.


    Although she was fine with him helping her out with small issues, she couldn¡¯t risk having him involved


    in her ns.


    Knowing that Rachel was a stubborn person, Hans argued, ¡°ording to what you¡¯ve said, Burton


    Group is extremely powerful, so Justin will be able to track you down no matter where you try to escape


    to. If you were to bring Nancy along with you, it would be impossible for you to even leave. I swear to


    God¡ªJustin will get his karma one day.¡±


    Upon hearing Hans cursing Justin, Rachel suddenly frowned.


    She didn¡¯t agree with hisments about Justin. Although Justin was a fearful man, he did help her


    out on several asions in the past.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Rachel, what are you thinking about?¡±


    I have an idea. She snapped out of her trance.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    He mentioned that besides those whom he can control, he only trusts those who are dead.


    Hans was stunned.


    As long as I¡¯m dead, he won¡¯t try to look for me or make things difficult for Grandma.


    Rachel ced the book in her hand onto the bookshelf with a calm and determined look in her eyes.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 67

    My Mute Bride Chapter 67


    Chapter 67 Are These Your Professional Qualities?


    While Rachel was in the midst of her conversation with Hans, she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket.


    Upon reading the message that she had received, she looked stunned.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Nothing. It¡¯s just a spam message. Don¡¯t you still need to provide legal aid? Go on with it, then.


    Hans took a look at his watch. ¡°Aright. We shall leave it at that for now. I¡¯ll talk to Janice if you want to


    continue with your n so that she can get someone in the system to help you out.¡±


    After he left, she unlocked her phone again and frowned as she stared at the text.


    It was a message from Justin.


    ¡®Don¡¯t go anywhere after work. I¡¯lle and pick you up.¡¯


    If it weren¡¯t for his saved caller ID, Rachel would have had a hard time believing that this was


    something Justin would say.


    ¡®I have a meeting at noon, which means I¡¯ll get offter than usual today. So, I don¡¯t want to bother


    you.¡¯


    Still, she didn¡¯t receive any reply after sending him that text.


    As Rachel was still busy with her work, she didn¡¯t think much about it and kept her phone in her pocket.


    At noon, Sandy, the library¡¯s director, went to Rachel¡¯s department to get a few helping hands.


    ¡°We do not have enough manpower, so I¡¯ll need one person from your department to help attend to the


    guests during the meeting for these two days.¡±


    Upon hearing that, everyone in the office looked down. It seemed like none of them wanted to do


    something that wasn¡¯t beneficial to them.


    Why would someone want to attend to guests when they could just stay at the back and scroll their


    phone?


    ¡°Rachel should be the one.¡± Suddenly, an ill-intentioned voice rang out from the corner.


    A stunned Rachel looked up from herptop.


    ¡°We are all super tired from rearranging the archives, but Rachel took a two month holiday and


    probably had rested well, so I think that it would be fair to get her to do it. Don¡¯t you think so as well,


    Rachel?¡±


    However, Sandy frowned and interrupted before Rachel could say anything, ¡°Adelyn, if you don¡¯t want


    to take the job, you don¡¯t have to make others your sacrificialmb.¡±


    The woman who was by the corner answered with a voice that wavered, ¡°I was just kidding.¡±


    Sandy red at her before deciding, ¡°Is this a suitable time to crack a joke? I¡¯ve decided¡ªyou¡¯ll be the


    one then. Follow me.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Adelyn¡¯s expression changed.


    Moments after Sandy left with Adelyn, everyone in the office looked at each other before they started to


    gossip.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention before that Rachel has someone backing her up? Look at Miss Patterson¡¯s attitude


    earlier. She was obviously shielding Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Nah. I feel like Adelyn asked for it since she shouldn¡¯t have assigned someone else to do the job that


    she didn¡¯t want.¡±


    ¡°I mean, Rachel took so many days off this month and she even took sick leave for a few days after


    returning from her wedding leave. I heard that her husband actually contacted the manager and


    personally informed him about it.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡±


    Some of their gossip had reached Rachel¡¯s ears, which caused her to frown instinctively. Still, she


    maintained herposure and continued her work to bookmark the overdue books that hadn¡¯t been


    returned on herptop.


    Nheless, just because she avoided trouble didn¡¯t mean that it wouldn¡¯t look for her.


    ¡°Rachel.¡± Olivia, who was sitting right in front of Rachel, knocked at the partition between them. ¡°It¡¯s


    been a while since you got married, but we still haven¡¯t met your husband. What does he look like?


    Who is he? When are you letting us meet him?¡±


    When she recalled Justin¡¯s face, Rachel felt her heart tightening.


    He¡¯s just an ordinary man. There¡¯s not much about him.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Your husband has sent his secretary over to provide us with your wedding sweets


    after your return from your wedding leave. He even contacted the manager for your sick leave and the


    manager immediately gave you a month off.¡±


    As she was aware about this, Rachel looked shocked when she heard Olivia¡¯s words. Did Justin


    contact the manager to take a month of sick leave for me?


    Well, he overreacted. I¡¯m fine anyway. Aren¡¯t I at work now?


    ¡°Still, we all want to meet him, Rachel.¡±


    Nevertheless, Rachel knew that none of these people cared about her wellbeing after her marriage.


    Instead, most of them just wanted to see her making a fool out of herself.


    Still, this conversation would never end if she refused to let them meet Justin.


    He¡¯sing over to pick me up from workter tonight.


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s so sweet!¡± Everyone in the office sounded jealous.


    ¡°He even picks you up from work!¡±


    Rachel lightly added, You guys can meet him by then.


    ¡°Sure! We will just observe him from afar to satisfy our curiosity.¡±


    Still, her facial expression was nonchnt and devoid of any emotions.


    While the others were still gossiping, thendline on Rachel¡¯s table rang.


    ¡°Hello? This is the file management department.¡±


    ¡°Rachel, I need you toe and help at the meeting room. We don¡¯t have enough manpower right


    now.¡±


    It was an internal call from the vice manager of the library.


    ¡°Miss Patterson has asked someone else to help out, though. Do you guys still need more help?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s being responsible for giving out drinks for the guests. We still need someone to serve the


    executives at the front row, which you¡¯re most suited for.¡±


    A slightly confused Rachel still agreed in the end.


    It had been a while since the meeting had started and when she entered the room with a jug of water,


    Mr. Ronin, who was the manager, only informed that the person whom Rachel would serve was seated


    in the first row.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Among the midst of men in suits in the meeting room, there was a woman in a royal blue working suit


    who was on her feet. She had a slender body with perfect makeup and she was now currently seated


    in the first row of the room.


    Miss Patterson pointed at that woman. ¡°That¡¯s the person in charge of the charity donation by the


    company this time.¡±


    As the man sitting next to that woman was extremely tall, most of her figure had been blocked by him.


    So, Rachel was unable to see the woman well even after looking in the direction that Sandy pointed at.


    ¡°Just serve them water as you go along.¡±


    Alright.


    Rachel quickly went over with a jug of water.


    As the attendees were having a short break from the meeting, the entire area was noisy as everyone


    discussed the new building expansion.


    At the same time, she had bent down to refill the sses of everyone in the first row before she finally


    reached the woman in the royal blue suit. Right when Rachel was about to refill the woman¡¯s drink, her


    familiar voice rang, ¡°What a coincidence. We ran into each other again.¡±


    Rachel was shocked as she looked up to meet the woman¡¯s gaze.


    It was at that moment when the atmosphere became tense.


    Who else could act so obnoxious if it wasn¡¯t for Tina?


    Why is she here?


    Rachel felt pity toward Tina after learning from Justin that Henry had passed away. She couldn¡¯t help


    but wonder whether Tina was aware of the news yet.


    ¡°Is it that hard to refill my drink? Do I have to do it myself?¡±


    Tina¡¯s voice caused Rachel to return to her senses.


    I¡¯ll do it.


    Rachel refilled Tina¡¯s drink before giving Tina a look that indicated that she was leaving.


    However, Tina suddenly smirked and pushed the ss of beverage that Rachel had just refilled right in


    front of her while no one noticed.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    The document on the table was immediately almost drenched, which caused the nning department¡¯s


    executive to gasp as he stood up abruptly. ¡°Hey, what are you doing?!¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t believe that Tina would frame her tantly right in front of everyone.


    ¡°Did you do that on purpose?¡± She red at Rachel coldly with hatred in her eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that


    the professional qualities of an employee in City Council Library would be worse than that of the


    workers in our frozen warehouse!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression froze.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 68

    My Mute Bride Chapter 68


    Chapter 68 Nice to Work With You?


    Everyone¡¯s gaze immediatelynded on her while some of those in charge of the meeting had already


    headed over with some tissues to help clean up the mess.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Look at this! All of our materials are soiled now.¡±


    ¡°Tomas, grab five fresh copies of the meeting materials.¡±


    The spilled beverage continued to drip from the table to the ground, forcing all the executives at the first


    row to stand up. As a result, the scene quickly became chaotic.


    When an anxious Rachel tried to grab more tissue papers from another helper to clean the table, she


    was stopped by Sandy. ¡°Rachel, you can head back now. You¡¯re not needed here anymore.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just let her off without getting her to apologize for causing the meeting to end up like this, can


    you? The library is really generous to allow someone with professional qualities such as hers to


    continue working here, huh? Is there even a need for an expansion at this rate?¡±


    Although Tina¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, her cold voice still echoed in the huge meeting room.


    Rachel¡¯s expression immediately changed before Sandy quickly came to her rescue. ¡°Miss Burton, this


    is really a misunderstanding. She¡¯s not doing it on purpose by not apologizing.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you let her speak for herself? Does she need others to help her exin herself?¡±


    Sandy frowned. ¡°Miss Burton, that¡¯s because¡ª¡±


    Not wanting to cause any dilemma for Sandy, Rachel interrupted with a sign gesture. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t


    do it on purpose.


    ¡°This¡­¡± The nning department¡¯s vice executive looked stunned. ¡°She is¡­¡±


    At this moment, everyone gave Rachel strange looks. Although it wasn¡¯t her first time being stared at


    like this, it didn¡¯t make her feel any better.


    Sympathy as well as ill-intentioned looks were both humiliating for her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t speak?¡± Tina gave her a side-eye before she intentionally added, ¡°It¡¯s my bad, then. Since


    everyone is raising awareness to be nicer to the disabled, my apologies to you.¡±


    ¡°Rachel, is it?¡± Tina continued her acting and nced at Rachel¡¯s work permit. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You won¡¯t


    me me for this, won¡¯t you?¡±


    At this moment, a bitter smile appeared on Rachel¡¯s face. It¡¯s fine.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a misunderstanding.¡± Sandy came to her rescue again.


    After giving the crowd an apologetic nod, Rachel decided to turn and leave with clenched fists.


    ¡°Hang on,¡± Tina called out. ¡°Miss Patterson, since we need to understand more about the library¡¯s


    historical and cultural background, you should allow her to be in charge of providing us with guidance.¡±


    A stunned Rachel gave Tina a shocked look before Sandy exined, ¡°Miss Burton, Rachel has never


    been in charge of any foreign exchange work. Moreover, as you can see, she¡¯s not really suitable for


    this job.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? From what I see, she¡¯s quite suitable for it. Besides, since she has been working at the


    library for a long time, she should know her workce¡¯s historical background well, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Of course! No one else is better than Rachel in terms of how familiar she is with the library. She even


    won first ce in the library¡¯s historical quizst year.¡±


    Another woman¡¯s voice rang out behind Sandy and it immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention.


    Rachel felt her heart clenching up at that moment as her ears rang from that woman¡¯s sharp voice.


    Then, she turned around to see Adelyn staring at her with a hostile look.


    Sandy still wanted to defend Rachel, but the library manager shot Sandy a warning look. ¡°Sure. Since


    this is someone whom Miss Burton has handpicked herself, it would be easier tomunicate with


    each other in the future.¡±


    As Burton Group was the main donor of the library¡¯s reparation and expansion, even the executives of


    the nning department had to listen to Tina. Even though it was obvious that Tina was targeting


    Rachel, they didn¡¯t want to offend Burton Group because of an employee.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m looking forward to working together with you.¡± Tina looked at Rachel with a cold glint in her


    eyes, causing Rachel to quiver a little.


    When the meeting had finally ended, Rachel started to pack her stuff to leave the office.


    Her intuition told her that Tina was up to no good after Tina selected her to be in charge of docking.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    Rachel stopped in her tracks after one of her colleagues called out for her.


    As she turned around, she saw Olivia, who was in the same department as her, running toward her


    with two more colleagues. Do you guys need anything?


    ¡°Rachel, have you forgotten that you were supposed to bring us to meet your husband after work?¡±


    Rachel was stunned as she hadpletely forgotten about this.


    Since I got off workte today, he won¡¯t being anymore, so I¡¯m taking the subway home.


    This was the excuse that she prepared beforehand.


    ¡°Huh? Why didn¡¯t you tell us about it earlier? We even waited for you for such a long time.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°Exactly! We wouldn¡¯t have wasted our time if you had told us earlier.¡±


    I¡¯m sorry.


    Suddenly, the sound of a car honking interrupted the others fromining.


    Rachel looked up to see a stationary ck business car at the side of the road.


    ¡°Miss Hudson.¡± Frankie alighted from the front passenger seat before waving at her.


    She was stunned.


    Justin actually is here? I already texted him to tell him that he didn¡¯t have to, though.


    ¡°Rachel, is that your husband?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that he¡¯s noting?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know that he would being.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Let us meet him then!¡±


    As she forced a smile, Rachel felt her throat bing bitter.


    I¡¯ll ask whether he wants to see you guys.


    She initially wanted to prevaricate them, but she was left with no choice at this moment.


    ¡°Miss Hudson.¡± Frankie quickly moved forward as he wanted to open the car door for her.


    Hold on. Don¡¯t open the car door yet.


    Rachel motioned at the driver.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Justin¡¯s voice rang out next to her ear.


    Rachel hesitated for a while before she asked cautiously, Those are my colleagues and they said that


    they want to meet you.


    He frowned.


    I¡¯m sorry. You can just act like I never said it.


    Then, she continued, Please wait for me for a bit, I¡¯ll get down and exin to them.


    However, Justin reached out to grab her hand before she could get down from the car.


    The moment Rachel felt his cold hand on her palm, she trembled before looking up in confusion.


    However, he wasn¡¯t looking at her. Instead, he rolled the car window down.


    ¡°Are those your colleagues?¡± His deep voice echoed through the car.


    As it was already evening, the scar on Justin¡¯s forehead made him look fierce under the streetlights,


    which caused Olivia and the other colleagues to shudder when they saw him. All of them looked like


    they had seen a ghost and none of them dared to move forward.


    Rachel suddenly felt embarrassed and angry. Without waiting for Justin to say anything, she reached


    over him and pressed on the window button to roll the window up.


    Let¡¯s go.


    Upon noticing Rachel¡¯s gesture, Frankie gave Justin a hesitant look before Justin slightly nodded.


    As the car drove toward the city, the view of the library slowly disappeared behind their backs.


    When he observed that Rachel wasn¡¯t in a good mood, Justin asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    However, she remained quiet for a long while.


    I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t expect my colleagues to react like that.


    ¡°Are you angry on my behalf? It¡¯s not a bad thing to bring people fear.¡±


    As she paused for a moment, her confused gaze met Justin¡¯s dark gaze. He had a calm look that


    looked way more mature than someone of his age.


    Why?


    ¡°If you are feared, others won¡¯t try to provoke you and that will save you from a lot of trouble.¡±


    Rachel was taken aback as she looked at Justin. With the progress of medical technology and the


    Burton Family¡¯s financial resources, the scar on his face could be removed as long as he was willing to


    undergo the process.


    So¡­ What you¡¯re saying is that you left the scar on purpose?


    Justin then gave her a look and didn¡¯t deny her words.


    The car became quiet for a moment before Rachel summoned her courage and asked, Where did you


    get this scar?


    Upon seeing her hand signals, the man¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Do you want to know?¡±


    Rachel was shocked.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 69

    My Mute Bride Chapter 69


    My Mute Bride Chapter 69


    However, she shook her head after hesitating for a few seconds.


    She didn¡¯t want to know.


    Her grandma had always told her that knowing many secrets wasn¡¯t a good thing since she was young.


    Still, Justin continued with his words, ¡°It happened a long time ago.¡±


    Rachel was slightly stunned.


    His parents had passed away when he was a kid, so he had grown up with his aunt after that. It would


    have been fine if he came from a normal family, but he spent most of his life in the Burton Family where


    everyone was sly and cunning. She couldn¡¯t fathom what he had endured while he was growing up.


    Suddenly, she felt like he wasn¡¯t as fearful as he was in the past and his scar wasn¡¯t no longer


    intimidating.


    Then, Justin asked, ¡°I heard from your father that you were kidnapped as a child?¡±


    Kidnapped?


    Rachel froze for a moment before she cautiously shook her head. I don¡¯t remember much about my


    childhood. Why are you suddenly asking this?


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    He looked away before he closed his eyes while she looked deep in thought.


    As to the matter of her kidnapping, Rachel had heard twopletely different versions ever since


    she was young. ording to Jefferey and the servants in the Hudson Family, she was kidnapped at


    birth and taken away before being stranded for eight years.


    However, her grandmother had told Rachel that she had been living with her in the mountains since


    young.


    It was impossible for her grandmother to kidnap her in the mountains, wasn¡¯t it?


    Rachel suddenly thought of something.


    The next day, she asked Janice to meet her at a cafe.


    ¡°One cup oftte and a cup of cappino, please.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Please wait a minute.¡±


    As soon as the waiter left, Janice asked, ¡°Hans has already told me about your ns to leave


    Riverdale. Have you thought things through?¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I can only leave.


    ¡°But, the risk of faking your own death is extremely high. It won¡¯t be worth it if something really happens


    to you.¡±


    I know, but there is no other way.


    ¡°Why exactly do you want to leave all of a sudden? Hans never said anything specifically on the


    phone.¡±


    Justin wants me to find a prescription for him, but I couldn¡¯t find it, so I gave him a fake one.


    Rachel briefly exined to Janice about the prescription.


    ¡°Prescription?¡± Janice pondered. ¡°Isn¡¯t that considered a core secret of Hudson Pharmaceuticals?¡±


    Yes. However, the core secret would be the dosage used since all of the ingredients in the herbal


    form would be stated on the medicine box after all. What matters the most is the amount used.


    ¡°So, are you saying that even Jefferey doesn¡¯t know the dosage?


    That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking as well.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± A puzzled look appeared on Janice¡¯s face. ¡°Since this is the Hudson Family¡¯s core


    secret as well as an heirloom, how could he not know about it? Didn¡¯t you say that the prescription is in


    his hands?¡±


    Rachel looked fairly stunned.


    ¡°Think about it carefully. How did the prescription that you¡®ve seen look like?¡±


    The paper is slightly yellowed and it looks like it¡¯s generations old. It¡¯s also written with traditional


    words.


    Then, she thought for a moment again. Oh, the prescription is also written in a thin body with a brush.


    ¡°Are you sure that the exact dosage wasn¡¯t stated?¡±


    No. There weren¡¯t even spaces for the dosage, so I¡¯m sure that they didn¡¯t fade over time either.


    Nevertheless, Rachel couldn¡¯t understand why Janice was suddenly concerned about the Hudson


    Family¡¯s prescription. She signed in puzzlement, Why are you asking me this?


    Janice immediately withdrew her serious gaze. ¡°Hang on.¡±


    While Rachel waited, she started to tap on her phone before she slowly pushed the device toward


    Rachel. ¡°Look, do you know this person?¡±


    The phone contained the personal information of a person with a ck and white ID photo. It seemed


    like this file was created years ago.


    The man in the file was in a military uniform. With extremely handsome features, he looked like he was


    in his early twenties.


    Rachel shook her head in confusion. I don¡¯t know him.


    She had never seen this man or this photo before.


    Janice frowned. ¡°This man is Lionel Hudson.¡±


    Rachel froze.


    Lionel Hudson was Jefferey Hudson¡¯s older brother; in short, Lionel was also her uncle.


    ¡°You must have never met Lionel since he had already passed on when you were born. His death was


    suspected as a homicide and the police were investigating his case for a long time back then.¡±


    Rachel had heard about this case as the Hudson Family always talked about Lionel¡¯s cause of death


    every time his name was mentioned. Apparently, he went hiking with his fianc¨¦e and she ended up


    pushing him off the cliff.


    Did they catch the perpetrator after that?


    Janice shook her head. ¡°The police had investigated this case for a few years, but they could never


    discover where that woman went. It was like she had vanished into thin air. Most importantly, the


    Hudson Family had done all they could to stop the police from pursuing the woman.¡±


    Why?


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± The way Janice looked at Rachel was odd.


    I don¡¯t know.


    ¡°Lionel¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Selena Hudson, is also the adopted daughter of Old Mr. Hudson.¡±


    The Hudson Family had already lost a son and they refused to allow their family scandal to be


    publicized as they might not be able to suppress the news if the murderer was really Selena. The


    moment that the reporters were informed about this, the Hudson Family¡¯s reputation would be


    tarnished if the incest rtionship had made the headlines.


    Janice continued, ¡°It was rumored that Selena was already pregnant when she escaped and for the


    child¡¯s sake, the Hudson Family only stopped pursuing after what happened. Back then, the Hudson


    Family was way more powerful than they currently ask, so they managed to suppress the case until


    now.¡±


    Rachel looked helpless.


    The Hudson Family indeed had lived a glorious life before Jefferey took over the Hudson Family.


    I¡¯ve never heard anyone mention Selena or the fact that my uncle had a child, though.


    ¡°Well, of course you never heard about it since they are both dead. After their attempt to track her for a


    few more years, the police finally found the bodies of Selena and her daughter.¡±


    Three sentences into the storyter, three people had already died.


    Rachel only felt a gust of wind from the back of her head. Why are you suddenly talking about this?


    Janice gave Rachel a meaningful look. ¡°It¡¯s because the police suspected Selena and her daughter to


    be the earliest kills of Gunny after tracing back to his case.¡±


    Gunny again?


    Why would Gunny kill them?


    ¡°Gunny works under Jefferey. To put it bluntly. Jefferey wanted them dead.¡±


    Why?


    ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Janice looked at Rachel before using her slender yet strong fingers to take the coffee that


    the waiter brought over. Then, Janice took a sip from the mug with a calm demeanor.


    Rachel gradually returned to her senses. Are you implying that it¡¯s for the prescription?


    After all, this topic had started because of the prescription.


    ¡°Lionel and Jefferey were the only children of the Hudson Family back then. ording to my


    understanding, Lionel had always been Old Mr. Hudson¡¯s favorite, so the inheritor of Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals would have been Lionel if there were no idents.¡±


    Are you suspecting that Jefferey murdered Lionel because of the ancestral prescription?


    ¡°It¡¯s highly likely.¡±


    However, the prescription that I saw didn¡¯t even have anything on it, not even the dosage.


    Upon hearing that, Janice looked conflicted. ¡°Rachel, have you ever thought about how this issue might


    be rted to you?¡±


    Rachel was taken aback. What do you mean?


    ¡°Selena and her daughter died twenty years ago and you were taken back to the Hudson Family by


    Jefferey at around the same time as well. Back then, he instructed for you to be taken care of, but he¡¯s


    now using you without any qualms¡­¡±


    You¡¯re saying that my father did all of these because of the prescription¡­


    Rachel felt her heart sink.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 70

    My Mute Bride Chapter 70


    Rachel was confused because she had never met those people whose names Janice had just


    mentioned. While Rachel never thought that she had anything to do with them, she couldn¡¯t exin


    why everything seemed to revolve around the prescription.


    ¡°Despite theck of evidence to prove the connection between your return to the Hudson Family and


    those people¡¯s deaths, I can¡¯t help but think these two matters are somehow rted, if we consider the


    timeline.¡± Janice then asked in a hushed tone, ¡°Did Grandma talk to you about the prescription?¡±


    Upon hearing Janice¡¯s question, Rachel was stunned. When her grandma was still in the hospital, she


    had mentioned the prescription to Rachel, but her exnation was interrupted by other matters at that


    time,


    No. Rachel gestured as a sign of denial.


    Janice appeared to be disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Let¡¯s not talk about it then. Anyway, I¡¯ll definitely help


    you to leave Riverdale. At the same time, you can be rest assured to know that I¡¯ll take care of the rest


    of the matters.¡±


    Thank you.


    ¡°You¡®re wee. Anyway, I have other matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll make a move first.¡±


    Rachel nodded as she watched Janice entering a jeep through the caf¨¦ window. Deep down in her


    heart, she felt sorry for lying to Janice although she didn¡¯t have a choice. After all, Rachel¡¯s grandma


    used to educate her about how words were capable of misleading people. Thus, she decided not to


    discuss something she wasn¡¯t sure about until she understood what was going on.


    As soon as Rachel returned to the library, her colleague had informed her, ¡°Rachel, Miss Patterson


    came earlier. She wants you to deliver these files to the person in charge of the engineering


    department in Burton Group.¡±


    Rachel was taken aback as she was reminded of her casual encounter with Tina at the meeting the


    day before. Alright, thank you.


    It waster in the afternoon when Rachel arrived at Burton Group¡¯s lobby where she typed a few words


    on her phone to show it to ady at the front desk. ¡®Hi, I¡¯d like to meet Director Rnd of the


    engineering department!


    The receptionist gave her a strange look. ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m from the City Council Library. I¡¯m here to discuss the library¡¯s architectural history with Director


    Rnd!


    ¡°Please give me a moment. I¡¯ll make a call right now to confirm your appointment.¡±


    Rachel nodded and stood aside to wait.


    ¡°Hello, Sandy. Someone from the City Council Library is here and it looks like she has an appointment


    with Director Rnd¡­ Oh, sure, I¡¯ll let her in then.¡± Upon hanging up the call, the receptionist turned to


    Rachel and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve just confirmed your appointment. Please give me a moment.¡±


    ¡®Thank you!


    A few momentster, the elevator gave a short ring before someone in a pair of high heels walked out.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Director Rnd¡¯s secretary, Sandy Patterson. You must be Miss Hudson, right?¡±


    Rachel responded with an affirmative gesture. Yes.


    ¡°Director Rnd is still at the construction site and I¡¯m just about to head there. Perhaps I could take


    you there with me?¡±


    Rachel was stunned. If you¡®re too busy, I cane another day.


    ¡°We¡¯re always busy in our line of work. Are you scared of going to the construction site?¡± Sandy knitted


    her eyebrows and borated, ¡°Because I just received a phone call and was told that Director Rnd


    has something rather urgent to talk to you about.¡±


    Okay then, is it far from here?


    ¡°Nope. It¡¯s not that far from here, actually. I¡¯ll drive.¡± Sandy seemed like a nice person as she asked


    Rachel about the City Council Library while riding the elevator with her to the underground car park.


    Soon, they hit the road as every single object outside the car window looked like they were traveling in


    the opposite direction at high speed. As the tall buildings in Riverdale City slowly disappeared from


    sight, the city view was then reced by greenery and nature.


    Meanwhile, Rachel was sitting on the front passenger seat when she took a look at her watch. Then,


    she realized it was already 4 PM. We still haven¡¯t arrived there yet?


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there. This project site is the closest one to ourpany, in fact. Thest project took us


    half a day for a round trip.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel set her sights outside the window and wondered, We¡¯re about to arrive at


    the border between Riverdale and Southville. If we keep going, we¡¯ll soon find ourselves on the


    East Coast. After another thirty minutes of driving, she leaned against her seat and yawned just when


    the car finally pulled over.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°Here we are.¡±


    She exited the vehicle and followed Sandy when she heard the sound of tidal waves a close distance


    away. Oh my god! I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re now on the East Coast.


    ¡°This way, Miss Hudson.¡±


    Thank you. Rachel gestured to express her gratitude and wrapped herself in her sweater before she


    made her way to the beach. Soon, upon the sight of ady standing by the seaside, she froze in her


    tracks, as if her legs were rooted into the ground.


    ¡°We meet again, Rachel¡± Tina wore a dress in the color of light beige while the bodyguard who held the


    umbre above their heads acknowledged Rachel with a smile. At the sight of them, Rachel suddenly


    had a bad feeling and subconsciously backed away.


    ¡°Here is the person whom you¡¯ve been looking for, Miss Burton. Perhaps I¡¯ll excuse myself then.¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    Rachel was left alone with Tina and her two bodyguards at that moment. Therefore, she gestured in a


    panicky manner and asked, What do you want?


    ¡°Rx. I just want to have a little chat with you. Look at how beautiful the sea view is.¡± Tina¡¯s voice was


    apanied by the sound of the rough waves, which sent chills down Rachel¡¯s spine. ¡°Did you know


    that Henry loved enjoying the sea view? In fact, he once told me that he wanted to buy a house by the


    seaside and live with me there so that he could watch the sunrise every morning. It was because of this


    that proposed the project of building a seaside resort. This piece ofnd that we¡®re currently standing


    on will soon be that resort¡­ Do you think there is a chance Henry can still see it?¡±


    Rachel paused and expressed her thoughts with her hand gestures. He is in a better ce now. May


    he rest in peace.


    ¡°He is dead!¡± Tina suddenly flipped and red at Rachel like an angry beast. ¡°You¡¯re the reason why


    he is dead. Do you know how it feels to be dead?¡±


    At that moment, Tina seemed like a lunatic who had just lost her mind as she had a sinister and scary


    look. An intimidated and frightened Rachel took a step backward as she scanned her surroundings,


    only to realize there was no one else by the beach.


    ¡°Restrain her!¡±


    As soon as the two bodyguards heard those cold words, they quickly grabbed Rachel and manhandled


    her.


    In the meantime, she violently shook her head while staring at Tina like she wanted to say something


    desperately. However, the voices she made were drowned by the howling sea breeze as she was


    taken to the seaside, leaving traces of her struggle behind her on the beach.


    On the other hand, Tina followed behind them while the wind caused her hair to billow wildly in the air.


    ¡°Rachel, we all have to be responsible for the mistakes we make. Did you know you took a life just


    because you snitched on us?¡±


    Rachel shook her head, wishing she could just shout with her voice that it wasn¡¯t her who snitched on


    Henry.


    ¡°I want to know how Henry felt before he died. I want to feel the way he did, so why don¡¯t you tell me


    about it?!¡± Tina didn¡¯t even bother to look at Rachel as she instructed the two bodyguards by simply


    moving her finger.


    A secondter, Rachel felt a violent forceing from behind her head, whereupon she was


    completely buried beneath the surface of the water. While the rough tidal waves kept hitting her in the


    face, her nostrils were also filled with the stench of the seawater. At the same time, she struggled with


    all her energy, feeling as if her limbs were about to snap, but even so, she couldn¡¯t free herself from the


    two men¡¯s strong grip.


    After what felt like forever, the two bodyguards lifted her to the surface of the water. When the air she


    inhaled went down her throat, she couldn¡¯t stop shaking and coughing violently, as if she was about to


    cough her lungs out. I didn¡¯t do it! I didn¡¯t snitch on you guys!


    Just when Rachel thought Tina had retaliated enough, Tina raised her hands in the air and red at


    Rachel to give her signal. Then, the sea water flooded into Rachel¡¯s nostrils once again. Although she


    could hear the sound of waves around her, she was being suffocated to the point where she no longer


    had the strength to fight back.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 71

    My Mute Bride Chapter 71


    ¡°Miss Burton, we¡¯re going to kill her if we continue doing this.¡±


    ¡°Why should we be worried? If she dies in this situation, we¡¯ll just feed her body to the fishes in the sea.


    I want her to pay for Henry¡¯s death with her life!¡±


    ¡°Miss Burton, I wouldn¡¯t say anything if it¡¯d someone else, but she is Young Master Justin¡¯s wife after


    all.¡±


    Tina was rendered speechless before she warned, ¡°Rachel, you better learn your lesson this time. Our


    game has only just started!¡± Then, she left with her men after making her point clear.


    Then, Rachel crawled back to shore in a drenched state. The sea breeze concurrently blew and sent a


    cold chill down her spine, making her slouch as she frantically looked around her. A few moments had


    gone by as she failed to spot a single soul. Soon, she knew why she was alone after she realized that


    she was on a sea coast that was under development.


    It was already after dark when Justin left thepany and returned to Burton Residence. As soon as


    he stepped into the house, Sue quickly approached and greeted, ¡°You¡¯re back just in time. Wash your


    hands and get ready for dinner.¡±


    He removed his vest and asked, ¡°Is Rachel back?¡±


    ¡°Nope, what¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you pick her up from work?¡± she probed even though she was happy to


    see him return without Rachel.


    He frowned and looked at the time, thinking that Rachel should have been back by now because it was


    already consideredte by the time he had finished his meeting. Thus, he took off his vest and walked


    toward the living room while making a phone call. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The number you¡¯ve dialed is currently


    unavable. Please try againter.¡± An intercept message was heard.


    Sue added, ¡°She is an adult, so what could possibly happen to her? Don¡¯t worry, Justin. Why don¡¯t


    you sit down and enjoy your dinner? She¡¯s probably returned to her maiden home or something.¡±


    Nevertheless, Justin seemed like he didn¡¯t hear Sue¡¯s words as he proceeded to make another phone


    call. ¡°Hello? It¡¯s me. Is Rachel home?¡±


    It was after hearing the other party¡¯s answer that he hung up the call and grabbed his vest before


    leaving.


    Sue quickly gave chase and asked, ¡°Where are you goingte at night, Justin?¡±


    A few momentster, he sped in his ck sedan on the highway in Riverdale while Frankie¡¯s voice was


    heard from the earpiece. ¡°I just asked the people from the library and they said Tina had a meeting


    about expanding their project there, in which she appointed Young Mistress Rachel to be the person in


    charge.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°After that, Young Mistress Rachel went to the Burton Group in the afternoon, but she was never seen


    again. Then, I requested the security department to show me the security footage, so I¡¯m sure she was


    taken by someone from the engineering department.¡±


    ¡°What about Tina then?¡±


    ¡°She was not in the office the whole day and it also appears that she can¡¯t be reached at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Who took Rachel away?¡± The man¡¯s growl intimidated Frankie.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in front of Burton Group¡¯s entrance in twenty minutes. Bring our men with you!¡± Justin


    ordered with a cial voice. Upon finishing his sentence, he removed his earpiece and tossed it onto


    the passenger seat next to him with a darkened expression.


    Deep down in his heart, he reckoned Tina had a role in Rachel¡¯s disappearance, considering how


    lightly Tina regarded a person¡¯s life. After all, she had been spoiled until salt wouldn¡¯t save her since


    she was a little girl. In fact, his initial n was to have Frankie oversee the City Council Library¡¯s


    construction project that was funded by Burton Group as he wanted to avoid any unwanted attention


    and interference.


    Justin thought that Tina would go easy on Rachel since she was his wife, only to realize he was


    wrong after the fact


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Twenty minutester, he arrived at Burton Group when Frankie came with Director Rnd. Moments


    after alighting from his car, Justin shut the door behind him and took big strides toward them.


    ¡°President-¡°Before Director Rnd could finish his sentence, a heavy kicknded on his chest,


    whereupon it sent him staggering backward before he toppled over with a painful scream.


    ¡°You kidnapped her, didn¡¯t you?¡± Justin¡¯s rage was uncontroble.


    ¡°President Burton, it wasn¡¯t Director Rnd who took her away. It was his secretary instead.¡± As he


    was scared by what he saw and heard, it took Frankie a while to make sense of what was happening


    before he anxiously exined, ¡°Since Sandy lives out of the way from here, I don¡¯t think we¡®re going to


    make it on time.¡±


    Justin fixed his gaze on Director Rnd. ¡°Your secretary?¡±


    At this moment, Director Rnd was frightened out of his wits. ¡°President Burton, I swear I don¡¯t know


    anything about that! I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Justin walked closer to him and asked, ¡°So, are you saying your secretary did all this


    behind your back?¡±


    Director Rnd repeatedly nodded. ¡°I was in a meeting for the entire afternoon, so I have no idea what


    has been going on.¡± As soon as he finished his words, Justin grabbed him by his cor, towering


    over the director like a huge mountain and suffocating him with the intimidating aura.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you one more time. Where did Tina tell you to take her to?¡± Justin¡¯s cial eyes


    seemed as if he had the intent to kill.


    Frankie, who was standing beside him, answered, ¡°Director Rnd, do you know who Tina kidnapped?


    It¡¯s President Burton¡¯s wife! Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done?¡±


    As soon as Director Rnd heard that, his face paled. ¡°What? She is¡­ President Burton¡¯s¡­¡± The


    moment the man stammered, he had identally given himself away that he was in fact aware of


    Rachel¡¯s disappearance..


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk!¡± He decided to cooperate, knowing he couldn¡¯t get away with his mistake. ¡°I¡¯ll give Sandy a call


    right now and ask her where she took Rachel to.¡± Then, he rummaged through his pocket for his phone


    in front of Justin and Frankie before dialing his secretary¡¯s number. Once the call was connected, he


    desperately asked, ¡°Where did you take President Burton¡¯s wife?¡±


    A few momentster, Director Rnd turned on the loudspeaker, whereupon Sandy¡¯s trembling voice


    was heard. ¡°East Coast. I took her to the East Coast, but I didn¡¯t know she¡¯s the president¡¯s wife! You


    need to save me, Director Rnd!¡±


    Save you? He¡¯ll need to save himself first from the way I see it! Frankie thought.


    After learning the exact location, Justin immediately entered his ck car to start the engine before


    driving across Riverdale at lightning speed in the night.


    On the other hand, Rachel was walking barefoot on the highway for what seemed like an eternity. Her


    phone was also out of battery as she simply couldn¡¯t switch it on. Then, she tried to g a car down for


    help, but her sorry state had only scared every driver who approached her away. Because of that, she


    was forced to continue walking amidst the chilly wind as her entire body shook while she hugged her


    arms.


    Not knowing how long she had been walking, her legs began to feel numb as she struggled to take a


    step forward. Soon, she felt so overwhelmingly dizzy that she had to stop and hold onto the railing by


    the roadside to take a rest. However, as soon as her hand came into contact with the railing, she felt as


    if the whole world was spinning around her shortly before she copsed onto the ground.


    In that instant, Rachel wondered how good it would be if she had just died there and then. After all, her


    death wouldn¡¯t need to be faked and she no longer needed to worry about her grandma¡¯s safety either.


    While Rachel was absorbed in her thoughts, she was suddenly distracted by a car¡¯s ring headlight


    that forced her to raise her arms with thest bit of energy to cover her eyes. Soon, the car pulled over


    by the roadside at a distance not far away from her, whereupon a tall silhouette emerged in the light


    and ran toward her.


    The man anxiously called out, ¡°Rae!¡±


    Am I dreaming?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 72

    My Mute Bride Chapter 72


    The tall figure ran toward Rachel. As the headlights shone on his back, it almost blinded her. Before


    she passed out, she could hear a familiar yet strange voice. She recognized it as a specific man¡¯s


    voice, but his panic and concern was alien to her. It must be me hearing things.


    The ck car then drove without a hitch on the highway toward Riverdale.


    Rachel was roused by the warm breeze in the car. She drowsily opened her eyes to see the man


    driving at the front seat. He looked solemn from the side as his slender fingers were on the steering


    wheel.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Justin saw her from the back mirror. ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    She moved her arms, only to realize that a coat was draped over her. It smelled of cologne and


    tobo. After being stunned for a while, she clenched her fists before reaching out to sign. I¡®m fine.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    No.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡±


    It¡¯s okay, I just need to head home and rest.


    Even though the heater in the car was already turned on, Rachel was drenched since she was at sea


    and her body still remembered the sensation of walking for 2 hours in the ocean breeze. As a result,


    she shivered at that thought.


    Thank you foring to rescue me. I¡¯m a little tired; I want to sleep for a bit.


    Justin frowned before he slightly nodded. ¡°Go to sleep then.¡±


    There was no further movement from the back seat. Then, he nced at the mirror to notice that she


    had already curled up into a ball under his coat. She looked like a stray cat that had been bullied and


    his frown deepened at that sight.


    Rachel actually hadn¡¯t slept. She had buried her face in the coat, thinking that Justin knew what Tina


    was going to do to her since he was able to quickly locate her, yet he had allowed it to happen.


    Justin and Rachel were still a long way from Riverdale and they had remained silent throughout the


    entire journey.


    The car finally pulled up at the garage of Burton Residence. Then, he carried her out from the back


    seat. She was shivering as she hid under the coat and even her lips were pale.


    ¡°Young Master Justin.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Julian? Get him upstairs.¡± As he left the cold words behind him, Justin carried Rachel away.


    The servants in the Burton Residence couldn¡¯t help but stare with eyes as wide as saucers while they


    watched him carry her up the stairs.


    ¡°How did she end up like this?¡±


    The moment Julian saw Rachel¡¯s condition, his face went as pale as a white sheet. ¡°Justin, what did


    you do to her?¡±


    Justin was indignant. ¡°I just found her and brought her back. What do you think I did to her?¡± He balled


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    his hands into fists, the expression on his face shifting.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Rachel was still unconscious, Julian really wanted to pester her and ask


    what had happened. What was Justin trying to do?


    Julian took a thermometer and checked her temperature. ¡°She has a fever.¡±


    ¡°Is it serious?¡±


    ¡°Depends on the person.¡± He didn¡¯t even look at Justin as he exined, ¡°If the person is weak, the


    fever can affect their brain or induce other symptoms. She hasn¡¯t even fully recovered and her leg¡¯s still


    injured! How did she end up like this? Where did you find her?¡±


    Upon seeing the filth on Rachel¡¯s face, Julian shouted as he could no longer control his anger.


    As Sue and Mrs. Duncan eavesdropped from the other side of the door, his shout suddenly startled


    them. Sue hastily moved to open the door to go in, but Mrs. Duncan held her back.


    Surprisingly, Justin was slow to anger. His gaze fell upon Rachel¡¯s tightly closed eyes before he pushed


    out two words between his teeth, ¡°The beach.¡±


    The beach? Julian was stunned before he tried to calm himself down. ¡°Get someone to change her into


    clean clothes. I have some fever medicine with me and I¡¯ll let her take some while observing how it


    goes. If her fever recedes by tomorrow morning, she¡¯ll be fine. If the fever persists, we¡¯ll have to get her


    to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Justin, I still want to remind you about one thing.¡± Julian stood up and squarely faced Justin. ¡°She is a


    real live human being. I don¡¯t care how you married her. She¡¯s a good girl, so even if you don¡¯t like her,


    you can¡¯t torment her.¡±


    Justin¡¯s voice was lowered as he replied, ¡°Just get the medicine.¡±


    Julian thought that Justin didn¡¯t care about whatever he said, which caused Julian¡¯s handsome face to


    be distorted in anger. He then clenched his fists and left in fury.


    It was deep into the night when a night breeze picked up on the balcony, which hinted at an iing


    rainfall.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, Director Rnd¡¯s a senior in the engineering department, so his skill in the profession is


    unquestionable. He was confused this time around and it really could be Tina who pushed him to it. It


    may not have been his intention to do it, so I¡¯m afraid it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to fire him just like that.¡±


    Justin¡¯s tone was cold. ¡°So, you mean to say that he is allowed to do anything as long as he didn¡¯t


    mean to?¡±


    On the other side of the phone, Frankie was so scared that he shuddered andcked the courage to


    raise any objections again.


    ¡°Get the HR department to look for his substitute.¡±


    Justin turned his back to the wind and lit a cigarette. He didn¡¯t manage to get many puffs before the


    wind scattered it. ¡°What about Henry¡¯s death?¡±


    Frankie came around and responded gingerly, ¡°We¡¯re still investigating it, so there should be some


    news soon.¡±


    ¡°Get someone to keep an eye on Tina for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After the call ended, Justin extinguished the cigarette and he strode into the house.


    Rachel had already taken the medicine and headed off to sleep since she was still in a drowsy and


    feverish state. Her pale cheeks were lined with fine beads of sweat, which reminded him of that day


    when she passed out after he had forced medicine down her throat.


    He felt his heart turning cold and after a long while, he sat down by the bed to hold her hand. She


    whimpered. It sounded so pitiful and her eyebrows were knitted so tightly, as if she was trapped in a


    nightmare.


    ¡°Rae,¡± Justin called her name, but he didn¡¯t receive any response.


    It was true that Rachel was in the midst of a dream. She was dreaming about the fire-the one that had


    haunted her from her younger days up until now. Every time she had that dream, the more she


    suspected that it was not a dream, but a real memory hidden somewhere in her mind; yet, she couldn¡¯t


    clearly recall it.


    It was already noon the next day when Rachel woke up. She reached out and felt for the rm clock


    on the bedside table. 11am?


    When she noticed that, she hastily threw the nket aside and got out of bed.


    Right at that moment, the door clicked to announce Justin¡¯s arrival-he was carrying a bowl of congee


    with his hands. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    Rachel felt a little awkward as she managed to ster a smile on her face. I just woke up. Aren¡¯t you


    going to the office today? I have to head into work now.


    ¡°I helped you to take the day off.¡± He ced the bowl down and replied earnestly, ¡°So, you don¡¯t have


    to go to work today. You woke up at the right time. Here, have something to eat.¡±


    I can¡¯t. The library¡®s expansion is especially crucial in its early stage. I cannot take leave just like that.


    As soon as Rachel finished signing, Justin¡¯srge hand pressed on her shoulders until she surrendered


    and sat down. ¡°I already said that I took the day off for you. You are not in the condition to do any


    strenuous work.¡±


    She would never have beaten him in terms of stubbornness, but she suddenly found it weird that he


    had the patience to convince her like this. In fact, she was bewildered at the fact and sat on the bed


    again in a daze.


    ¡°Have some congee.¡± Justin pointed toward the bedside table. ¡°It¡¯s with seafood.¡±


    Rachel shook her head. Thank you, but I¡¯m not hungry. Just leave it aside.


    He frowned as indignance creeped onto his face-it was an obvious premonition to another outburst.


    She instinctively tensed as her face paled.


    Upon seeing her so weak and frightened, Justin suddenly felt endless annoyance. After a while, he


    suppressed his emotions and reached out with his long arm to take the bowl. ¡°Open your mouth.¡±


    Rachel stared in disbelief at the spoon being brought right in front of her.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 73

    My Mute Bride Chapter 73


    When the spoon came near her mouth, Rachel subconsciously dodged back a little. I¡¯ll do it myself.


    Justin frowned, but he handed the bowl over to her. As for her, she avoided his gaze while lowering her


    head and slowly eating.


    ¡°Your foot injury is slightly infected, so you shouldn¡¯t work for the next two days.¡±


    As she was taken aback, she thought that if he hadn¡¯t pointed it out, she wouldn¡¯t have noticed that her


    burned foot, which was healing fast, had been freshly bandaged again. She had returned home sote


    last night, so she naturally knew who bandaged it.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    They¡¯ve arranged for me to handle the matter of expanding the library, though, so I need to meet


    the people in charge from the Burton Group.


    ¡°It can wait until your injury is healed.¡±


    But the Burton Group¡­


    ¡°I will handle it. You don¡¯t need to worry about this matter.¡±


    A stunned Rachel nodded.


    Justin¡¯s recent attitude toward her seemed to have really changed, regardless of whether it reminded


    her of Henry¡¯s death at that time or arriving on timest night. It made her feel incredulous.


    Later, Justin waited until Rachel finished her food before he left.


    ¡°Stay at home to recuperate and don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±


    As the low voice echoed in Rachel¡¯s ears, she looked at the empty bowl left by the bed. For a moment,


    she felt moved and she couldn¡¯t help but grab her wrist.


    Last night, she had actually woken up once in the middle of the night and found herself clutching


    Justin¡¯s shirt. He had been leaning against the bed to sleep on the floor. At that moment, she was still


    feverishly delirious and thought she was dreaming, but as soon as she released her hand, the man by


    her bedside opened his eyes.


    Hisrge hand had reached out to touch her forehead as he asked, ¡°Not feeling well?¡±


    Rachel remembered thest time she was under the weather; someone had also kept an eye on her


    throughout the night when she was much younger. Her grandmother was by her bedside then and the


    peace Rachel feltst night was simr to what she experienced in the past.


    Tina was standing at the balcony on the second floor of the vi in her pajamas in thete afternoon


    when her phone rang.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Miss Tina, you must help me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tina carefully spoke while she still had a can of beer in her hand.


    The phone call was from Director Rnd of the engineering department.


    ¡°President Burton wants to fire me because of yesterday¡¯s incident.¡±


    ¡°Fire you? Because of what had happened yesterday?¡±


    ¡°That was not a small incident, Miss Tina. You¡¯ve caused me a lot of trouble this time.¡± On the other


    end of the phone, Director Rnd cried out, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that Miss Hudson is Mr.


    Burton¡¯s wife?¡±


    Tina sneered, ¡°If I had told you earlier, would you have dared to do that?¡±


    No one would dare to be involved if they knew Rachel¡¯s identity, which was not what Tina had intended.


    As he was stuck, Director Rnd had no choice but to rely on Tina now. ¡°Miss Tina, I did everything


    ording to your instructions. Won¡¯t you speak up for me? My work-¡±


    ¡°Have you gone through with the interview yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, but the newsing from the HR department is that President Burton has immediately


    instructed them to look for my recement. So, it should be true.¡±


    Shezily leaned on the railing and took a sip of her beer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my brother won¡¯t really fire you,


    not for now at least.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did he tell the HR-¡±


    ¡°It was just to threaten me to stop.¡± Tina gave a disdainfulugh. ¡°He never thought that apart from


    deterring me, he¡¯ll also cause Grandpa to look down on him by doing this. Rx, I will handle this


    matter.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Tina downed all of her beer in one go before she pinched the can so hard


    that it was deformed.


    She had known Justin for many years, but she had never seen him care this much about anyone since


    he was a child. As he was born into such a family, it was no wonder he did not dare to care about


    anyone. She¡¯s just a mute. What can she do?


    Rachel had spent the entire day at home. When she heard the engine sounding from downstairs


    at night, she initially thought that it was Justin who had returned. After a moment, it was Julian who


    knocked on his door while carrying his medical briefcase.


    ¡°The wound was not wet, right?¡±


    No.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. You still need to change the bandages and medication again. If there¡¯s no problem after a


    while, we can remove the bandages and wait for the wound to heal on its own. However, you still need


    to rest more.¡±


    Thank you.


    As Rachel¡¯s injured leg rested on the square bench, Julian methodically bandaged her wound. The light


    inside the house was bright and it emitted a soft glow as it reflected off the top of his head. ¡°What


    happened yesterday? Was it him again?¡±


    No, it has nothing to do with him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t defend him; I know him. He doesn¡¯t care about anything but his business and he doesn¡¯t care


    about anyone except himself. He¡¯s been like this since he was a kid.¡±


    She wanted to exin on Justin¡¯s behalf, but upon looking at Julian¡¯s determined look, she didn¡¯t know


    how to begin.


    As those two were chatting, Mrs Duncan¡¯s voice drifted from downstairs.


    ¡°Young Master Justin, wee back. Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Madam hasn¡¯t eaten yet either. I¡¯ll get the kitchen staff to add another dish.¡±


    ¡°Where is Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Burton is upstairs.¡±


    Mrs. Duncan¡¯s voice was much higher than usual, as if she was deliberately trying to alert someone. It


    was hard not to hear the oddity in it.


    At that, Rachel¡¯s heart stuttered. Julian, you should go.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he called me in advance to dress your wound. He told me toe back from work earlier.


    Besides, we aren¡¯t doing anything wrong, so why should we be afraid?¡±


    After Julian bandaged Rachel¡¯s foot, he unhurriedly packed his medicine case. Soon, the sound of


    footsteps came from outside. When she turned to look at the door, Justin had already opened the door


    and he entered. ¡°Are you changing the bandages?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve just finished with it. I¡¯ve already told my sister-inw what she should avoid. Rachel, I¡¯m


    leaving.¡± Julian picked up his medicine case. His repetitive usage of ¡®sister-inw¡¯ insinuated his


    deliberate intention to remind everyone about his identity.


    Without a change in expression, Justin answered, ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner togetherter.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The moment that Julian left, Justin closed the door and saw that she was holding a book in her hand,


    so he casually asked, ¡°What book are you reading?¡±


    Rachel turned the cover over to let him see-it was a novel in German.


    ¡°You know German?¡±


    I took a course in college, but I¡¯m not very proficient in thenguage.


    Justin had remembered visiting the Hudson Residence once earlier and noticing a whole shelf of books


    in Rachel¡¯s tiny bedroom. There was a wide range of books in variousnguages, some of which he


    couldn¡¯t even understand.


    ¡°Are there any more sides to you that I don¡¯t know?¡± As his low voice sounded in her ears, she


    subconsciously gripped the corner of the page.


    Justin threw a box toward her before he sat on his own at the side, his long and slender fingers pulling


    at his tie. ¡°This is for you.¡±


    Rachel saw the box containing a phone next to her and she froze. For me?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your phone broken? Don¡¯t switch off your phone in the future and once you have turned it on,


    remember to set the emergency contact to Frankie.¡±


    Why?


    ¡°I asionally won¡¯t be able to take calls, but Frankie will be around 24 hours a day.¡±


    A frowning Rachel looked at Justin in surprise as it seemed that he had misunderstood something.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 74

    My Mute Bride Chapter 74


    Regardless of what Justin thought, he had indeed taken care of her a lot in the past two days.


    Thank you.


    At night, Rachel couldn¡¯t concentrate on her book with the sound of water sshing in the bathroom.


    After a certain period of time, the sound of water ceased abruptly. She immediately came to her


    senses, then closed the book and set it aside before quickly pulling up the quilt and lying down. She


    turned her back so that it was facing the direction of the bathroom, and she made sure to only upy a


    small part of her side of the bed.


    After the door opened, there was a slight rustling sound of the covers being lifted behind her.


    ¡°Are you asleep?¡±


    Rachel shut her eyes even tighter. In the next second, a huge hand passed through the gap between


    her neck and the pillow, then she was pulled into his arms. His body temperature was abnormally high


    after the shower, much like a steamer that was exuding heat.


    Rachel opened her eyes in a panic before she heard his voice from above her head. ¡°Go to sleep.¡±


    The sound of even breathing swept past the wisps of hair next to her ears, and the man¡¯s chin was


    pressed against the top of her head. Rachel felt like a small bun being pressed into the steamer. The


    heat was making her panic, but somehow, she felt at ease, and she slowly began to rx.


    After Rachel spent a few days at home resting, her foot injury was almost healed. This afternoon,


    she was alone in the garden tending to the flowers and nts when Mrs. Duncan hurriedly opened the


    door and came out. ¡°Mrs. Burton, quickly change your clothes. Old Mr. Burton wants to see you.¡±


    The scissors in Rachel¡¯s hand trembled slightly, and she abruptly cut off a rose stem, whereupon a


    large, vivid rose fell onto the grass. Did he say why he¡¯s looking for me?


    ¡°How would I know that? Anyway, he¡¯s asking for you. Quickly go back and change your clothes. It will


    take quite a while to get to the summer vi from here,¡± Mrs. Duncan urged. Rachel could only set


    down her things and go back to change her clothes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you a cab.¡±


    That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll drive there.


    After Rachel drove off, Mrs. Duncan¡¯s expression changed immediately. ¡°Damn. When Young Master


    Justin is home, she pretends that it hurts everywhere, yet now she can drive on her own.¡±


    On the road leading to the outskirts of the city, Rachel looked at the three rmended paths on the


    navigation system. Her finger hovered for a while as she hesitated, then she deliberately chose the


    third route.


    Janice mentioned that there was the least traffic surveince on that road, especially since there was


    no time to repair it after the heavy rain some time ago, so there were many blind spots.


    The sky was gradually getting dark. Justin was attending a liquor party at the famous Gathering Night


    Club in Riverdale.


    He took over the Burton Group at such a young age, so if he simply relied on his brain and ced


    himself on a high horse as the rumors imed, it would simply be impossible to carry out certain


    businesses.


    Frankie answered a call outside the private room and came back to whisper in Justin¡¯s ear. ¡°Mr. Burton,


    Old Mr. Burton called on Mrs. Burton again.¡±


    Justin frowned, then calmly clinked sses with Spencer, who was next to him. After taking a sip of the


    wine, he used the excuse of needing to go to the bathroom to leave the room with Frankie.


    ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°It should be in the afternoon. Someone from the summer vi called and said that Mrs. Burton had


    already arrived.¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes darkened a little, and he was seemingly deep in thought.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much to worry about. Old Mr. Burton doesn¡¯t have any grudge against


    Mrs. Burton. Maybe he just called her over to lecture her a little. It should be fine.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Tina?¡±


    Frankie was startled. ¡°Do you think this may be rted to Tina again?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t just think so I¡¯m sure of it.¡± With that, Justin strode out of the clubhouse without any hesitation.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, what about Mr. Campbell,¡±


    ¡°You keep an eye on him.¡±


    Meanwhile, a butler was bringing Rachel into the meeting room where she wentst time. When she


    walked in, Arthur was drinking tea. There was a middle-aged woman in the room who was standing


    aside in a straight suit, probably to serve drinks.


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton, Miss Hudson is here.¡± The butler stood at the door and waited until he got a neutral


    response before signaling for Rachel to go in.


    ¡°Have a seat.¡± Although Arthur was getting older, when he spoke, he was still full of life.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Rachel nodded and cautiously sat down.


    ¡°Just answer whatever I ask you.¡± Arthur nced at her; his bleary eyes contained a hint of coldness,


    and he made no attempt to hide his dissatisfaction toward Rachel.


    Rachel visibly hesitated. At this moment, the middle-aged woman standing next to the old man spoke.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll trante for you.¡± It turned out that she was a signnguage interpreter.


    Go on and ask, then.


    ¡°You married into the Burton Family because of your father¡¯s coercion, right?¡±


    Yes.


    ¡°Jefferey must have also used this to force you to do a lot of other things,¡± Arthur said while taking a sip


    of tea. ¡°I heard that you were hospitalized some time ago.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Yes.


    Rachel discreetly sped her hands together. I was not in good health, so I was hospitalized to


    recuperate for a while. There was no special reason.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Arthur asked in a rhetorical tone that indicated he was obviously not convinced. ¡°Do you


    think that because you and Justin are living together far away from me, I¡¯d be too dim-witted from old


    age to know anything?¡±


    I didn¡¯t mean that. It was really because my health wasn¡¯t good.


    Rachel wanted to exin more, but Arthur seemed to have run out of patience. He tapped his crutches


    against the ground, then said coldly, ¡°Go to the ancestral hall and pay your respects.¡±


    Startled, Rachel looked toward the hall in disbelief.


    Because the family banquet was held in the summer vi every year, the Burton Family¡¯s ancestral hall


    was built there as well. The style of the courtyard house was somewhat ipatible with the


    European-style buildings in the distance. However, the fact that the Burton Residence survived the fire


    that year already proved the family¡¯s wisdom and luck.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, we¡¯re here.¡±


    As she looked at the gate of the ancestral hall in front of her, Rachel clenched her fists, then stepped


    in. With a creak, the door behind her was closed, and she was the only one left in the ancestral hall,


    which was lit only by the swaying candlelight. The moment she looked up, she saw the ques of the


    Burtons¡¯ ancestors. She shivered involuntarily as she felt a gust of cold wind.


    After walking one round, Rachel hesitated as she stared at the yellow futon ced before the ques,


    then she finally went to kneel down and pay her respects. To every ancestor of the Burton Family, I


    have no intention of offending and disturbing. I¡¯m sorry. She didn¡¯t believe in Gods and spirits, but


    Nancy had taught her to be respectful since she was a child.


    The sky outside waspletely dark now.


    ¡°Miss, Old Mr. Burton asked Rachel to pay her respects at the ancestral hall.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Tina immediately turned around from the balcony. She looked far into the northwest


    direction, where the ancestral hall was situated, while sneering, ¡°That ce is so eerie. It must be


    enough to frighten that mute.¡±


    ¡°But I saw that she didn¡¯t talk much with Old Mr. Burton after she arrived. I don¡¯t know what made the


    old man unhappy, but he straightaway punished her and sent her to the ancestral hall.¡±


    ¡°What other reason can there be? She¡¯s not even a pleasant sight, and her very presence is an


    eyesore. It would be fine if that mute knew her ce, but she¡¯s actually affecting thepany¡¯s


    personnel transfer, so how could Grandpa possibly keep her?¡± After saying that, Tina nced toward


    the southeast direction. ¡°Let¡¯s just wait. I¡¯m guessing my cousin is probably arriving soon.¡±


    ¡°Young Master ising? He can¡¯t possibly care so much for her, right?¡±


    ¡°You all think that Justin is haughty, indifferent, unscrupulous, and doesn¡¯t treat people like human


    beings, right?¡±


    Her subordinate looked sullen and dared not say anything.


    Tina let out a coldugh. ¡°In fact, he¡¯s the most indecisive member of the entire Burton Family!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 75

    My Mute Bride Chapter 75


    The sky was already dark when the MPV drove into the summer vi.


    ¡°Young Master Justin, why are you here at this hour?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Grandpa?¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton is already resting. How about I get someone to arrange for you to stay here tonight?


    Then if there¡¯s anything, you can talk to him tomorrow night.¡±


    Outside Arthur¡¯s room door, Justin was stopped by the butler. The door was tightly shut, as if the old


    man didn¡¯t intend to see him at all.


    ¡°Young Master Justin, Old Mr. Burton is really resting


    Justin clenched his fists. ¡°Where¡¯s Rae?¡±


    The servants on the side dared not speak.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°Are you all mute?¡± Justin looked around, but no one dared to answer his question, so his face turned


    gloomy in an instant. ¡°I¡¯m asking all of you a question!¡±


    The atmosphere in the living room was deathly still, and everyone was staying silent out of fear.


    ¡°Oh, a rare visitor.¡±


    A sarcastic voice sounded from the stairs, and Tina stood there with her hand on the handrail. ¡°I


    thought I was hearing things, but you¡¯re really back, Justin.¡±


    Justin frowned, but he appeared calm.


    ¡°Justin, it¡¯s unlike you toe here and make a fuss sote at night. Did something happen to the


    company?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Rae?¡±


    ¡°Rae? Oh, you mean my mute cousin-inw. I seem to have heard that Grandpa called her over today,


    so you should ask him.¡±


    The impatience in Justin¡¯s eyes intensified. He didn¡¯t want to continue talking nonsense with her. ¡°Leon,


    is Grandpa really asleep?¡±


    The butler replied helplessly, ¡°Young Master Justin, If Old Mr. Burton says that he¡¯s going to sleep, that


    means he doesn¡¯t want to see anyone anymore. If you believe me, then just listen to me and don¡¯t ask


    any more questions. Tomorrow morning, Mrs. Burton will definitely return in perfect condition.¡±


    ¡°Where is she now?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Justin-¡± He was about to say something but was interrupted by the sound of the door


    opening behind him.


    The servant who opened the door stood by the door, then a cold voice sounded from inside. ¡°Ask him


    toe in.¡±


    Something flickered across Justin¡¯s eyes, then he immediately entered the room.


    The butler wanted to give Justin a word of advice, but he didn¡¯t manage to pull him in time, so he could


    only stare at the closed door and sigh.


    He had watched Justin grow up, but he had never seen him act as irrational as he was now. He was


    focused on searching for one person; no wonder Arthur was so angry.


    Right now, the only person in the Burton Family who was delighted was Tina.


    Even in August, the mountains were exceptionally cold at night. This temperature wasn¡¯tparable to


    the city¡¯s


    Rachel was only wearing a dress, so she was shivering as she kneeled in the ancestral hall.


    The light inside was dim, and she didn¡¯t bring her phone in, so she didn¡¯t even know what time it was.


    The creaking sound of the door opening came from behind, causing Rachel to shudder in fright as she


    looked vigntly at the door.


    Under the moonlight, a pair of high heels cked against the floor as the woman stepped through the


    door with the moonlight shining behind her. Then, she walked toward Rachel.


    It wasn¡¯t until the visitor got closer that Rachel saw her figure, and her pupils constricted.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days, but we meet again, Rachel


    Tina stood a short distance away from Rachel. As usual, she appeared domineering. ¡°Don¡¯t you think


    that we always meet at the weirdest ces? You must¡¯ve owed me a lot of money in your past life,


    huh?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t have a phone, nor did she have a paper and pen, so she couldn¡¯t respond to Tina¡¯s


    remarks and could only listen as she spoke,


    Tina walked one round in her 4-inch high heels, then she crossed her arms, as if she was watching a


    show, looking extremely smug. ¡°Did you know that Justin arrived half an hour ago?¡±


    Rachel froze.


    Justin is here?


    ¡°Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to want to care about you at all. Grandpa called upon him to talk about


    something. After he got out, he went to the guest room to rest. He didn¡¯t even ask about you.¡±


    How¡¯s that possible?


    ¡°Are you surprised? You don¡¯t believe me? Tina let out a bitterugh. ¡°Let me tell you why: It¡¯s because


    there¡¯s no need to be falsely affectionate and pretentious with a dead person.¡±


    What did you say?


    Rachel¡¯s expression changed to one of disbelief.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be long before you be one of these ques. You¡¯ll be ced in this ancestral hall, and


    it¡¯ll be dered to the public that you have passed away due to a certain illness, leaving Jefferey a


    large amount of money aspensation. Do you think he¡¯ll pursue it then?¡±


    Rachel staggered as she stood up from the futon.


    This is impossible. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, so why would the Burtons want to kill me?


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Tina yed the recording. ¡°Listen for yourself.¡¯


    Chapter 15


    After a loud noise, Arthur¡¯s voice came from the recorder. ¡°Justin, I¡¯m very disappointed with your


    recent behavior. The Burton Family is like a tough bone-not easy to chew-but this does not mean that


    Jefferey won¡¯t try to fool you.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, Jefferey isn¡¯t that capable yet. You¡¯ve overestimated him.¡±


    *Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know anything. He¡¯s capable enough to rece the bride. The way you handled


    It has already disappointed me. You should¡¯ve let Rachel leave. She¡¯s worthless.¡±


    We¡¯re only keeping her to get the form.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we already get the form?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still matching the ingredients, so there¡¯s no final product yet.¡±


    ¡°Then, let me ask you-what are you going to do after we get the final product?¡±


    After a silence thatsted for several seconds, a gust of cold wind blew in the ancestral hall, causing


    the back of Rachel¡¯s neck to turn cold.


    After some time, Justin¡¯s voice rang in the recording. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    Arthur didn¡¯t make anyments, but the conversation changed abruptly. ¡°Did you order for the


    company¡¯s personnel transfer?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t given the order, but I had that idea.¡±


    ¡°For that woman?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for the normal operation of thepany,¡± Justin answered in a calm tone. ¡°Since Zayn dared to do


    anything he desired because of one sentence from Tina, that meant that he didn¡¯t have any regard for


    thepany¡¯s rules. Keeping him will cause something major to happen.¡±


    ¡°What if I say that something major will happen if that mute stays by your side?¡±


    When this sentence emerged from the recorder, it echoed in the huge ancestral hall.


    ¡°Then, it¡¯s all up to you, Grandpa.¡±


    When the simple and concise sentence was spoken, not a trace of reluctance could be heard. It was as


    if she was an item to be bought and sold at will; only her body substantiated her existence.


    Arthur said, ¡°She will be a que in the Burtons¡¯ ancestral hall. Are you willing to let that


    happen?¡±


    ¡°Marrying her was originally for the exchange of benefits.¡±


    Rachel was taken aback, unable to believe what she had just heard,


    After the recording finished ying, Tina gave her a condescending look, but there was slight


    sympathy in her eyes. ¡°Did you hear that? Grandpa doesn¡¯t n to keep you around anymore Keeping


    you at the Burton Residence is the biggest mistake Justin has made in his life. If you¡¯re still counting on


    Justin to save you, then I advise you not to continue with your wishful thinking, because he¡¯s not


    coming Previously, I thought he cared about you, but now, it seems like he doesn¡¯t¡±


    Rachel sank down onto the futon


    Am I really going to die here?


    Every one of Tina¡¯s mocking remarks made its way into her ears, gnawing at her nerves like dense


    insects.


    Justin was so indifferent in the recording that it felt like he was apletely different person from the


    one who had been taking care of her for the past few days.


    Which one is the real him?


    Tina continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that if you snitch on me, I¡¯d kill you? I¡¯m a little upset now that you¡¯re not


    gonna die at my hands.¡±


    Rachel suddenly came to her senses. Shooting Tina a nce, she was struck with a sudden thought


    as she retrieved a chalk from the incense case and started writing on the ground.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Tina frowned and stared for a long while.


    ¡®Do you really think the person who snitched on you was me?¡¯

 My Mute Bride Chapter 76

    My Mute Bride Chapter 76


    After writing thest word, the chalk Rachel was using broke and rolled around on the ground.


    ¡°It hase to this point. What other tricks are you trying to y with me?¡± Tina¡¯s expression was


    nasty. ¡°Of course you¡¯ll refuse to admit that you were the snitch. When would a murderer ever admit


    that they killed someone?¡±


    Not bothering to argue with her, Rachel kneeled on the ground and wrote one word.


    Amber


    ¡°Are you saying that Amber revealed the secret?¡± For a moment, Tina was stunned. Then, she seemed


    to think of something which caused her to scoff. ¡°If you want to me it on someone, you should at


    least me it on the right person. Before Henry¡¯s incident, Amber knew nothing about the matter


    between us. Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡±


    Rachel looked silently at Tina, her calm gaze making thetter a little panicked.


    Tina was indeed a little dumb, but she wasn¡¯t an idiot.


    That day, Amber had asked her to go to the wine cer. There were waiters around, but she insisted


    that Rachel go to the already suspicious ce. As for how Tina and Henry ended up at the wine cer,


    no one knew, but Rachel was sure that it must have had something to do with Amber.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± All of a sudden, there was an extremely unpleasant look on Tina¡¯s face.


    She suddenly remembered that before Jefferey¡¯s birthday banquet, Amber had invited her multiple


    times to make sure she would turn up, and she waited until she was around before telling the waiter the


    specific ce to get the wine and to not go to the underground wine cer.


    Suddenly, the creaking sound of the door closing rang out. Tina came and left in a hurry as her figure


    instantly disappeared from the doorway.


    Looking at the doors of the ancestral hall, which was once again closed, Rachel breathed a sigh of


    relief. She felt difort in her palms, so she opened up her hand, only to see that the chalk had


    broken into countless pieces, and her palm was full of powder.


    The next day, Rachel was awoken by the sound of the door opening.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, wake up.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s body was freezing as she opened her eyes in a daze, and she could barely prop herself up


    from the hard ground.


    The butler, Leon, was waiting at the door. ¡°Mrs. Burton, Old Mr. Burton said that you cane out


    now.¡±


    Rachel nodded, and her knees were numb when she stood up. If it weren¡¯t for the help of the servants


    on both her sides, she would have tumbled onto the ground.


    When she noticed how skilled the servants were at supporting her, she wondered if the Burtons often


    sent people to the ancestral hall to kneel as punishment.


    The servants helped Rachel into the guest room, which was actually a suite. There was a living room


    outside, clean clothes on the bed in the bedroom, and hot water running in the bathroom.


    Rachel was stunned. Wasn¡¯t I supposed to go see Old Mr. Burton?


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton said to let you shower and freshen up, then have breakfast before going to the living


    room to talk.¡±


    Where¡¯s Justin?


    Chapter 76


    ¡°Young Master Justin should be with Old Mr. Burton now.¡±


    He didn¡¯t leavest night?


    ¡°No.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rachel fell deep in thought. I can handle myself. You guys can leave now


    ¡°All right, Mrs. Burton.¡±


    In the bathroom, the steam was dense as Rachel soaked herself in the bathtub. When she thought of


    the recording Tina had just let her listen to, she felt dejected.


    At the end of the day, Justin had changed the way he treated her just to get the prescription


    After holding her breath for a while, Rachel suddenly broke through the surface of the water and


    inhaled deeply.


    After having breakfast, Rachel went to see Arthur, who was eating breakfast with Justin and Tina


    beside him. When Rachel entered, Justin simply shot her a faint nce but said nothing


    Arthur asked, ¡°Have you eaten? If you haven¡¯t take a sea! Let¡¯s eat together¡±


    I¡¯ve already eaten.


    ¡°Sit down, then. Have you figured everything out in the ancestral hallst night?¡±


    Rachel was struck with the question before she even sat downpletely, so she was caught off guard


    Arthur nced at her. ¡°Have you figured out why I sent you to the ancestral hall?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.


    ¡°Do you really not know, or are you just pretending not 10?¡±


    Rachel nced subconsciously at Justin


    The man was as calm as ever. As he ate his porridge, his expression never changed. It was as if


    Arthur¡¯s conversation with her had nothing to do with him.


    ¡°Grandpa, why are you trying so hard to talk to her?¡± Tina rolled her eyes, then ced some food in


    Arthur¡¯s bowl. ¡°You should¡¯ve just let her kneel for a little longer so that she wouldn¡¯t interfere with your


    meal.¡±


    Arthur replied, ¡°That¡¯s true. You¡¯re just a pawn the Hudsons sent as a recement to marry There¡¯s no


    point in talking to you since there¡¯s no cure for stupidity. But, if you don¡¯t understand current affairs,


    you¡¯re really hopeless.¡±


    I don¡¯t understand what you mean.


    ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t understand. Starting from today, you¡¯ll stay in the summer vi¡±


    When Rachel heard this, she was startled


    Widening her eyes, Tina sprung up from her chair. ¡°What do you mean, she¡¯s staying here? What right


    does she have to stay here?¡±


    Arthur shot Tina a disgruntled nce. ¡°She¡¯s the Young Madam of the Burton Family


    Obviously, this wasn¡¯t the oue Tina expected.


    Meanwhile, Rachel was even inore surprised than Tina. From the recording Tina let her listen tost


    night,


    Chapter 76


    they clearly wanted her dead, so why would he ask her to stay here?


    All of a sudden, she had a bad premonition.


    ¡°Grandpa, because of this mute, Justin,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Arthur forcefully set down his cutleries while shooting Tina a warning nce. ¡°Tina,


    your attitude has been getting worse recently. Sit down. You have no manners at all.¡±


    Tina dared not disobey the old man¡¯s wishes no matter how headstrong and reckless she was.


    ¡°Justin, what do you think about this?¡±


    Justin set down his cutleries as well, then a few words escaped his thin lips. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, Grandpa.¡±


    Rachel simply gave him a nk look.


    After breakfast, she returned to the room with Justin.


    Rachel felt anxious the whole way there, because she reckoned that Arthur wasn¡¯t letting her stay here


    for any good reason.


    In the suite, she was going to ask a servant to send tea over, but Justin pulled her down to sit.


    ¡°Are your knees bruised because ofst night?¡±


    Rachel nodded cautiously.


    After kneeling all night, her knees were bruised. If it weren¡¯t for the help of the servants this morning,


    she wouldn¡¯t have managed to walk.


    ¡°You kneeled in the ancestral hall all night just because Grandpa asked you to? Are you stupid?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Justin, here¡¯s the salve.¡±


    Justin gave a slight nod before waving dismissively at the servant.


    After he heard the door close, he squatted down to apply the salve on her knees.


    Startled, Rachel looked rather abashed. I can do it myself.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±


    With his huge hand, he rubbed the salve all over her knees. The salve most likely promoted blood


    cirction and dispersed stasis; it stung when he first applied it, but soon, there was a cooling


    sensation, and the smell of musk in the room dissipated.


    At this moment, Justin¡¯s behavior waspletely different from when he was in the dining room just


    now.


    ¡°It should be fine now.¡±


    Thank you


    Wiping his hands, Justin sat down.


    Rachel carefully asked, Can I not live here?


    Justin frowned slightly. ¡°Grandpa only lives here for two months every year, and he¡¯ll be leaving


    Riverdale in a month. By then, you won¡¯t have to stay here anymore.¡±


    I need to work. It¡¯s very inconvenient for me to go back and forth from here.


    Chapter 76


    ¡°We¡¯ve already helped you apply for a leave of absence.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression changed, and she wanted to say something, but she eventually set down her hand


    and wordlessly lowered her head.


    There was a high chance Arthur was asking her to stay here because he nned to find the right time


    to finish her off. She was about to lose her life, so why was she even talking about work?


    Justin suddenly held her hand. ¡°Are you upset?¡±


    Chapter 77


    Rachel froze; the heat on the back of her hand made her feel a little flustered.


    ¡°When the Burton Group¡¯s East Pearl Project ends, I¡¯lle and get you as soon as I can.¡±


    Justin¡¯s voice was deep and powerful, inexplicably causing Rachel¡¯s heart to thump at an unusual


    rhythm.


    After Justin slowly drove out of the summer vi, Tina stood on the balcony on the second floor of the


    vi, her expression solemn.


    ¡°What the hell is Grandpa thinking? Is his mind muddled? He actually wants to keep the mute girl here!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably keeping her here to prevent her from affecting Young Master Justin¡¯s decisions


    regarding thepany. It seems like your prediction is correct.¡± The voice of her assistant, Simon


    Wilde, sounded from behind.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect Grandpa to be so soft-hearted. Now that he¡¯s keeping her here, the other Burtons


    might think that she¡¯s gotten his approval and is officially part of the family!¡±


    After saying that, Tina fiercely pped the balcony railing, and the look in her eyes was ruthless. ¡°This


    is great. Now that she¡¯s being kept here, I can¡¯t even take action against her.¡±


    ¡°Miss Burton, didn¡¯t you send someone to investigate Amber? Maybe that matter really has nothing to


    do with Rachel.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡±


    Simon pondered for a while. ¡°Lately, Amber has been spending time with Young Master Peters. She


    has also actively signed up for hospital seminars and conferences, and¡­¡±


    ¡°And what?¡±


    ¡°And I think Jefferey met with Madam Parham in private. It seems like she has some interest in Young


    Master Peters.¡±


    ¡°Amber¡¯s interested in Julian?¡± Tina was surprised. ¡°Since when?¡±


    After all, before this, she had heard Amberining that she should be the one marrying into the


    Burton Family, not her mute sister. She had always been unsatisfied because of this, so why was she


    suddenly changing targets?


    ¡°ording to the information I got from the hospital, it has been quite a long time, and the Second


    Young Lady of the Hudson Family actually went to work as an assistant for Young Master Peters. This


    happened before the Hudsons¡¯ birthday banquet.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Tina¡¯s brows furrowed.


    She didn¡¯t believe that Amber would snitch on her. After all, the matter about her and Henry wasn¡¯t


    affecting Amber at all. Besides, now that Amber was interested in Julian, it was even more likely that


    she wasn¡¯t involved.


    On the balcony, there was a gust of breeze, and Tina could see the parking lot in the distance from the


    corner of her eyes.


    ¡°Rachel drove here on her ownst night, right?¡±


    Simon was taken aback for a moment. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Looking at the white car, Tina had a malicious look in her eyes. She hated it most when other people


    yed tricks on her


    After Justin left, Rachel hurriedly sent a message to Hans.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 77

    My Mute Bride Chapter 77


    Chapter 77 Add the Swing Too


    Rachel froze; the heat on the back of her hand made her feel a little flustered.


    ¡°When the Burton Group¡¯s East Pearl Project ends, I¡¯lle and get you as soon as I can.¡±


    Justin¡¯s voice was deep and powerful, inexplicably causing Rachel¡¯s heart to thump at an unusual


    rhythm.


    After Justin slowly drove out of the summer vi, Tina stood on the balcony on the second floor of the


    vi, her expression solemn.


    ¡°What the hell is Grandpa thinking? Is his mind muddled? He actually wants to keep the mute girl here!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably keeping her here to prevent her from affecting Young Master Justin¡¯s decisions


    regarding thepany. It seems like your prediction is correct.¡± The voice of her assistant, Simon


    Wilde, sounded from behind.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect Grandpa to be so soft-hearted. Now that he¡¯s keeping her here, the other Burtons


    might think that she¡¯s gotten his approval and is officially part of the family!¡±


    After saying that, Tina fiercely pped the balcony railing, and the look in her eyes was ruthless. ¡°This


    is great. Now that she¡¯s being kept here, I can¡¯t even take action against her.¡±


    ¡°Miss Burton, didn¡¯t you send someone to investigate Amber? Maybe that matter really has nothing to


    do with Rachel.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡±


    Simon pondered for a while. ¡°Lately, Amber has been spending time with Young Master Peters. She


    has also actively signed up for hospital seminars and conferences, and¡­¡±


    ¡°And what?¡±


    ¡°And I think Jefferey met with Madam Parham in private. It seems like she has some interest in Young


    Master Peters.¡±


    ¡°Amber¡¯s interested in Julian?¡± Tina was surprised. ¡°Since when?¡±


    After all, before this, she had heard Amberining that she should be the one marrying into the


    Burton Family, not her mute sister. She had always been unsatisfied because of this, so why was she


    suddenly changing targets?


    ¡°ording to the information I got from the hospital, it has been quite a long time, and the Second


    Young Lady of the Hudson Family actually went to work as an assistant for Young Master Peters. This


    happened before the Hudsons¡¯ birthday banquet.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Tina¡¯s brows furrowed.


    She didn¡¯t believe that Amber would snitch on her. After all, the matter about her and Henry wasn¡¯t


    affecting Amber at all. Besides, now that Amber was interested in Julian, it was even more likely that


    she wasn¡¯t involved.


    On the balcony, there was a gust of breeze, and Tina could see the parking lot in the distance from the


    corner of her eyes.


    ¡°Rachel drove here on her ownst night, right?¡±


    Simon was taken aback for a moment. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Looking at the white car, Tina had a malicious look in her eyes. She hated it most when other people


    yed tricks on her.


    After Justin left, Rachel hurriedly sent a message to Hans.


    ¡®The n might have to be brought forward.¡¯


    Hans¡¯ reply came in an instant. ¡®What happened?¡¯


    ¡®The Burton Family is keeping me in the vi on the outskirts.¡¯


    ¡®What did he do to you? Are you okay?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m okay for now, but I think now¡¯s a good opportunity. When I came, I used the winding mountain road.


    Although it¡¯s different from the route we previously nned to use, perhaps it¡¯ll make more sense if I


    met with an ident on the way back to the city.¡¯


    It was difficult to convince Justin with their original n of her mitting suicide¡¯. After all, with so


    many suicide methods, it would be rather bizarre for her to drive all the way out there, but she now had


    a more reasonable excuse.


    Whatever the reason, if she drove down from the summer vi and something happened along the


    way, it would be considered an ident.


    After a while, her phone vibrated, whereupon Hans¡¯ message popped up.


    ¡®No matter what you decide, I¡¯ll support you. Don¡¯t worry. Keep yourself safe. I¡¯ll discuss this with


    Janice.¡¯


    ¡®Okay.¡¯


    After she sent out her final message, a knock sounded on the door.


    Rachel immediately deleted the entire conversation and turned away from the window.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton.¡± The woman who came in was dressed in the vi¡¯s maid uniform, and her face was like a


    robot¡¯s¡ªvoid of expression. ¡°Butler Leon asked me to show you around.¡±


    It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want to go out.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you when it¡¯s lunchtime.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    After the door closed, Rachel breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the edge of her bed with her


    phone in hand.


    She subconsciously looked around the room she was in. Somehow, ever since she stepped into the


    vi, she kept getting the feeling that she was being watched. No matter what she did, she felt like they


    knew.


    After the meeting in the afternoon, Justin returned to the office.


    Frankie had brought three sets of renovation drawings over.


    ¡°The designer made these three sets of drawings in different styles ording to your requirements.


    Which one do you think is more suitable?¡±


    Justin studied them for a while. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°What do I think?¡± Frankie hesitated. ¡°The design on the left has a romantic theme thatbines


    Greek culture withplex mythology, while the one in the middle vaguely looks like the style of a


    European court, luxurious and extravagant¡­ But I don¡¯t think those are the main points.¡±


    Justin asked nonchntly, ¡°What¡¯s the main point?¡±


    ¡°The middle one has the brightest and warmest colors, especially the design of this small garden¡ªif


    you add a swing in it, it would likely paint a beautiful scene when Mrs. Burton reads or ys with the


    children there during sunset.¡±


    As soon as he said this, the office fell silent.


    ¡°Did I say that she¡¯s going to be staying in this house after it¡¯s renovated?¡±


    Frankie nearly bit his tongue.


    His bbing would get him in serious trouble sooner orter.


    After a long while, the man tapped the table twice. ¡°This one.¡±


    Frankie carefully looked over and saw his slender and strong finger pointing to the drawing in the


    middle, whereupon he broke into a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll get the designer to start working on it.¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯d like me to do?¡±


    ¡°Add the swing too.¡±


    Frankie was momentarily stunned, then he quickly recovered and replied, ¡°Sure.¡±


    The door of the office closed, and Justin sat back in his chair while casually flipping open the folder


    beside him. Inside was the information about Rachel which Frankie hadpiled.


    As Justin thought of the simr experience he went through when he was a child, his eyebrows


    twitched vigorously. It was as if the fire that happened two decades ago was uring right in front of


    him, instantly causing him to clench his fists.


    Jefferey was not fit to be a father; he wasn¡¯t even worthy of being a human.


    After nightfall, Justin read a book as he leaned against the headboard.


    It was 12.00AM, but he found it hard to sleep, as there seemed to be a familiar smell on the pillows and


    quilts. He had never found the house to be so empty before.


    After unlocking his phone and taking a look, he noticed that there were no personal messages other


    than some unread emails.


    Meanwhile, Sue was awakened by the sound of an engine running outside the window.


    ¡°Mrs. Duncan? Is Julian back?¡± She called out aftering out of the bedroom.


    Putting on her coat, Mrs. Duncan came out of the nanny¡¯s room and hurriedly responded, ¡°Madam,


    you¡¯ve forgotten that Young Master Peters is working the night shift tonight. I think Young Master Justin


    was the one who went out.¡±


    ¡°Justin?¡± Sue immediately grew a little more alert. ¡°He drove out by himself in the middle of the night?


    Where did he go?¡±


    Mrs. Duncan shook her head. ¡°The servants in the house have all gone to bed, and Young Master


    Justin didn¡¯t tell anyone. I came out because I just heard you calling me.¡±


    Sue frowned. After being struck with a sudden thought, her face suddenly sank. ¡°He couldn¡¯t have gone


    to¡­¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 78

    My Mute Bride Chapter 78


    Rachel couldnt sleep well the whole night.


    The vi was too quiet She had a nightmare, in the dream, everyone from the Burton family was


    chasing after her with knives in their hands. There was no way for her to escape, and when they finally


    chased her into a forest, the knives in their hands turned into torches.


    She yelled for help, but her throat hurt so badly that no voice came out


    *Ahti¡±


    She woke up in a cold sweat and opened her eyes immediately.


    The curtains were not drawn properly-the moonlight that shone in cast a ghostly shadow on the wall


    lamp.


    A click came from outside the door. When she heard it, she hugged the quilt tightly.


    A tall figure was illuminated by the light outside, casting a long shadow on the carpet.


    *It¡¯s me.¡±


    A familiar voice rang, and Rachel stared at the person at the door expressionlessly. She looked as if


    she hadn¡¯t woken up from the nightmare-her face was pale under the moonlight.


    In the next second, the lights in the room were turned on, and the room became much brighter in an


    instant.


    Seeing Rachel still trembling, Justin suddenly felt distressed and strode over. ¡°Did you have a


    nightmare?¡±


    Under the bright light, Rachel came back to her senses and nodded absent-mindedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s all over.¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Why are you here?


    It was already past 2.00AM. Looking at the rm clock by the bed, for a moment, Rachel even thought


    she was still in a dream.


    ¡°I just came back to get something.¡±


    Get something? In your pajamas?


    Rachel¡¯s eyes fell on Justin¡¯s outfit.


    If she recalled correctly, this was his pajamas set from the Burton Residence-blue-gray pajamas.


    ¡°Drink some water.¡± Justin poured her a ss of water.


    Thank you.


    ¡°What did you dream about? Was it so terrible?¡±


    Rachel was still shaken from recalling the dream just now.


    However, she shook her head. I can¡¯t remember clearly now.


    After a tiring dream like that, Rachel felt even more exhausted-she couldn¡¯t help but let out a yawn.


    Seeing that, Justin said, ¡°Get some sleep.¡±


    Rachel was taken aback for a moment. Are you going to sleep here too?


    ¡°This is also my home. Where am I supposed to sleep if not here?¡±


    Chapter 78


    Didn¡¯t you onlye back to get your things?


    ¡°Are you urging me to leave?¡±


    That¡¯s not what I meant.


    Rachel shook her head hurriedly.


    ¡°Then go to sleep.¡± Justin took away the cup in her hand and put it on the bedside. Before Rachel could


    react to it, he hugged her and pressed her on the pillow.


    Although his strength was a little hard on her, it inexplicably brought a sense of peace in her mind.


    Rachel slowly closed her eyes and drifted into slumber.


    Early the next morning, Arthur was feeding his fishes by theke.


    ¡°Did Justine byst night?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t hide anything from you,¡± Leon confessed. ¡°Indeed. He arrived at 2.00AM but left early this


    morning he also caught up with the morning meeting at the office. Everything is normal.¡±


    ¡°Do you think this is normal?¡± Arthur sprinkled all the fish food in his hand, immediately causing a


    school of carps to fight for it.


    Leon replied, ¡°I heard from the doctor that Young Master Justin can now go to sleep even without


    taking any medication. I think this may have something to do with Mrs. Burton. In fact, rather than


    letting the young master travel back and forth everyday, I think you might as well let Mrs. Burton


    return.¡±


    ¡°The more he is like this, the more I can¡¯t let that little mute go.¡±


    ¡°Why is that so?¡±


    ¡°Men are meant to do great things. And if they were to be disturbed by these puppy loves, they are


    destined to achieve nothing in the future. Besides, it¡¯s not as if there were no such precedent in our


    family!¡±


    Leon was startled. ¡°You are thinking of the Second Young Master again.¡±


    Arthur held on to the railing. His sunken cheeks were reflected in theke water, showing a somewhat


    rare expression. ¡°Isn¡¯t his father¡¯s lesson enough to teach Justin?¡±


    ¡°Sir, that was just an ident.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an ident, but purely an evil fate. So there should never be such womanly benevolence in


    Justin anymore.¡± Then, Arthur straightened up and asked, ¡°Is he still investigating the Hudsons


    recently?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is. He also checked Jefferey¡¯s overseas bank ounts a few days ago and found that he has


    a tendency to transfer funds, so he¡¯s prepared for whatever that might happen.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s good news that he hasn¡¯t gone too far. Continue to shadow him. If there is any trouble, report


    back to me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Arthur left it at that.


    For the several days that Rachel stayed in the vi, Justin wouldete at night when everyone was


    asleep, and Rachel had gradually gotten used to his appearance.


    This was a strange feeling-it was as if they were having an affair, but it made her feel at ease each


    time.


    Chapter 78


    In this huge vi, Justin had be her only pir of support.


    ¡°Madam, are you going out?¡±


    I¡¯ve been away for too long, so I¡¯m nning to go back to see grandma.


    Rachel carried her bag and asked carefully, Can I?


    The servant said, ¡°Of course, madam. Butler Leon didn¡¯t leave any words about keeping you home. Do


    you need me to arrange for a car?¡±


    It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s more convenient for me to drive there myself.


    ¡°Alright, then. Pleasee back soon.¡±


    Then, Rachel heaved a sigh of relief as she drove away from the vi and watched the gate of the vi


    in the rearview mirror get farther and farther away.


    Arthur didn¡¯t seem to have any great malice towards her. Except for asking her to kneel in the ancestral


    hall the first night, he never treated her badly after that. She could also do anything freely in the vi.


    Back in the city, Rachel drove the car directly to the alley in the old city.


    ¡°Rachel! Over here!¡±


    Across the street, Hans waved at her.


    This was an old neighborhood-many ces were already marked for demolition, and there were many


    turns into narrow alleys, so it was hard for one to find their way around.


    ¡°Did you have any trouble getting out?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.


    ¡°This way.¡± Hans led her into a tailor¡¯s shop, whereupon he greeted the old tailor in the shop intimately


    and then opened the curtain before he took Rachel to the backyard.


    Janice already had a pot of tea ready under the old locust tree.


    I¡¯m sorry I waste.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m on leave today anyway-I had nothing to do at home.¡± Janice cocked her chin. ¡°This ce


    is about to be demolished soon. It wasn¡¯t easy to find your way here, huh?¡±


    It was okay.


    Hans said, ¡°This is Janice¡¯s grandpa¡¯s tailor shop. It¡¯s more secretive here.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk business.¡± Janice dipped her finger in the water and drew some routes on the stone table. ¡°I


    have studied the routes. When there is heavy rain, the trafficwork in these ces has no signal.


    This is also a section where idents happen frequently-it¡¯s not going to be hard to hide from


    everyone.¡±


    Rachel nodded with a grateful expression on her face.


    ¡°The recement corpse has also been found. The person has just passed away more than a month


    ago she is well preserved, and her figure is simr to yours. When the timees, the car will be


    burned, and the body will bepletely unrecognizable. We only need to make some arrangements


    for that.¡±


    You can find things like this too?


    Rachel was surprised.


    Chapter 78


    Hans nced at Janice. ¡°Do you think she has been in the investigation bureau all these years for


    nothing? She knows her way around both thewful and uwful worlds. There are still a lot of ces


    in the ck market that do the business of ghost marriage. I guess this could be said to be a gray


    area.¡±


    Ghost marriage, huh?


    Rachel had heard people say that before, and she suddenly felt a little bitter in her heart.


    She didn¡¯t expect that, one day, she would be involved in such a situation.


    Janice sipped her tea and looked at the horizon like an old cadre. ¡°Right now, all we are waiting for is a


    rainstorm.¡±


    The sky in Riverdale was as blue as the ocean. These past few days had been sunny.


    Amercial vehicle was parked opposite a department store in the old town.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, I have actually seen the locations of those holdouts before, and they only have little effect


    on the nning.¡±


    In the back seat, Justin looked through the car window and saw a white car on the opposite side with a


    familiar license te number.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 79

    My Mute Bride Chapter 79


    ¡°Is that Mrs. Burton¡¯s car?¡±


    Following Justin¡¯s gaze, Frankie blurted out.


    Night lell.


    Back at the vi, Rachel gave the car key to the servant to park and walked into the house by herself.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, you¡¯re home! The kitchen crew is preparing dinner.¡±


    No need for that. I¡¯ve eaten.


    Rachel nodded politely and returned to the bedroom.


    She turned on her phone and checked the weather forecast several times on several different


    applications. ording to those apps, it seemed that there would be signs of rain next week, but


    weather forecasts were never ones to be the most reliable.


    After a simple wash, Rachel wiped her hair as she came out of the bathroom. When she saw the


    canvas bag casually ced on the sofa, her eyes froze for a while. After thinking about it, she went


    over to take the medicine.


    Justin woulde every night, so I¡¯d better eat it just in case.


    Late at night, as Rachel¡¯s sleep was light, she felt someone ¡®invading¡¯ under her quilt. She had no idea


    since when it started, but the scent of the man had be familiar to her; it even became a constant


    somehow.


    ¡°Are you asleep?¡±


    A low voice came from behind.


    Hearing that, Rachel didn¡¯t open her eyes. On the one hand, she was too sleepy, and on the other


    hand, her fear of Justin seemed to have dissipated into the night.


    Justin looked at the woman on the pillow; his dark eyes were deep and unfathomable.


    In fact, his face had been somber ever since he entered the room.


    ¡°The butler told me that you went out today.¡±


    Rachel, who was on the pillow, moved her headzily as a response.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    This questioning tone made Rachel¡¯s heart skip a beat from the nerves.


    When his big hand slithered in along the edge of her nightdress, the cool touch awakened her instantly.


    ¡°Hmm-¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Rachel tried to turn around but was caught by her shoulders.


    ¡°Hmm!¡± she eximed, making a hoarse and low voice.


    The moonlight outside the window shone on her face. Before she coulde to her senses, her pupils


    shrunk suddenly-a broken and tormented voice escaped her throat, and the light in front of her eyes


    began to tremble intensely.


    In their movements, the dark green silk quilt slipped off the bed, and the moonlight illuminated the men


    and women who had merged together.


    Chapter 79


    This feeling of strangeness and familiarity shattered all of Rachel¡¯s rationale while the sensation of pain


    and joy were entangled; she wanted to yell, but she couldn¡¯t make any noise. After the intense


    movement, she was already soaking wet from the sweat.


    Not knowing how long after, the man¡¯s dull grunt came from behind her ears. He grabbed Rachel¡¯s long


    hair, causing her severe pain. Rachel raised her neck abruptly and was forced to reach the climax in


    pain.


    Soon, there was a sound of water in the bathroom.


    After a while, the sound of water stopped,


    Rachel closed her eyes immediately. If Justin were to turn on the light at this moment, he would


    definitely be able to see that her face was burning red.


    Then, the sound of rustling cloth spread from inside the room.


    With a click that signaled the closing of the door, the huge bedroom fell into a numbing silence.


    It took a while before Rachel dared to open her eyes.


    She got up while holding the quilt, only to see an empty room; Justin had already left.


    He seemed a little strange today.


    In mid-August, the temperature began to drop, while the time that Arthur took for his walks gradually


    lengthened.


    ¡°Young Master Justin hasn¡¯t been here in two days. I¡¯m not sure what is going on.¡±


    Arthur was leaning on his crutches. While ying with two walnuts in his other hand, he said calmly,


    ¡°Since when did he stoping over?¡±


    ¡°Three days ago. After he came by that night, he left in a hurry and didn¡¯t stay overnight.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been three days, huh.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Leon helped the old man walk to the bridge. ¡°And the young master hasn¡¯t gone home as well in


    these three days. He has only been sleeping in thepany, it seems that he hasn¡¯t been in a good


    mood.¡±


    Hearing that, Arthur¡¯s face darkened. He then took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, obviously


    unhappy.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, sir? I thought you wanted the young master to have less contact with Miss Rachel.


    He hasn¡¯te by for so many days, which means he is concentrating on work. Isn¡¯t that what you


    wanted?¡±


    ¡°Do you really think he didn¡¯te over because of work?¡± Arthur snorted coldly. ¡°He is still too young


    and reckless-he¡¯s always quick to lose his cool. Forget it. It¡¯s time to tell her toe to the study.¡±


    Leon was startled slightly before he answered, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Rachel was soon summoned to the old man¡¯s study-the first time since she hade to live in the vi.


    A huge desk separated Arthur and Rachel.


    ¡°This is a check for 10 million, and a divorce agreement.¡±


    A document was slowly pushed to Rachel.


    Seeing that, she was startled. Do you want me to sign it?


    ¡°You and Justin are not suited, and I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to stay in the Burton Residence. Am I


    right?¡±


    Razte stared at the agreement for a long time then suddenly raised her head. This is not the first time


    you


    unve Juster why do you think I would agree this time?


    Fools rush in where angels fear to tread At that time, you had only amved at the Burton Residence, and


    it was normal that you couldn¡¯t see the situation clearly, but now that it has been so long, you should


    probably understand


    Arthur looked at her with a calm expression in his eyes, but with weather-beaten indifference. Although


    you can11 speak, you should be a sensible person¡±


    Rachel clenched her fists subconsciously


    After a long while, she signed the agreement with a few strokes.


    After all, Arthur didn¡¯t really give her an option. On the first day when she was told to kneel in front of


    the ancestral hall, he had told her that in the Burton family, his words were virtues, and no one could


    ever disobey his decision


    The following day, at the Burton Group.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, Old Mr. Burton had someone send this over.¡±


    Justin raised his head from behind theputer. As he opened the first page of the folder, his eyes


    narrowed slightly before he immediately threw the folder aside. ¡°Leave this alone. I will exin to


    Grandpater.¡±


    ¡°Actually, that¡¯s not all. He also sent over a video.¡±


    With that, Frankie handed over his mobile phone.


    Justin frowned. He tapped his fingertip on the screen, whereupon the video began to y.


    Arthur¡¯s voice sounded first. ¡°This is a check for 10 million, and the divorce agreement.¡±


    And the video showed everything after that.


    Seeing thest image of Rachel¡¯s signature, Justin¡¯s face sank at once, and he quickly picked up the


    folder at the side to flip directly to thest page.


    Rachel¡¯s clear and neat signature was reflected in his pitch-ck eyes.


    Frankie said cautiously, ¡°Mr. Burton, Mrs. Burton probably didn¡¯t do this willingly, nor was she


    necessarily interested in the 10 million. It is Old Mr. Burton that we¡¯re talking about.¡±


    As if he didn¡¯t hear him, Justin grabbed his mobile phone and opened a special software. He looked at


    a radar-like red dot moving along the main roads in downtown Riverdale.


    She didn¡¯t do it willingly?


    If she were unwilling, why would she leave the vi and run out so impatiently?


    ¡°Mr. Burton, where are you going? You have to attend the dinner tonight!¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t answer but rushed out instead.


    Rachel made an appointment with Janice and Hans to meet in their usual spot.


    Janice said, ¡°The day after tomorrow is the best time based on thetest news from the Meteorological


    Bureau. If nothing goes wrong, this will be thest heavy rain this summer.¡±


    ¡°I will meet you at the ident site then. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 80

    My Mute Bride Chapter 80


    Chapter 80 A Feeling That He Will Remember Forever


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Hans asked from beside Rachel.


    However, she ignored him while typing a line on her phone before sending it out. ¡®I came out to the city


    to see grandma and to buy something along the way.¡¯


    ¡®I happen to be near your grandma¡¯s house. I will pick you up. There is a banquet, and I want you to


    attend with me.¡¯


    Rachel¡¯s expression froze. ¡®I haven¡¯t gone to grandma¡¯s yet. I¡¯m still buying things.¡¯


    Seeing Rachel¡¯s expression getting more and more ghastly, Hans realized that something was wrong


    and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is Justin looking for you?¡±


    After the notification popped up on her phone again, Rachel only nced at it, and immediately picked


    up her bag before rushing out.


    I have something to deal with. I¡¯ll take my leave first.


    At once, the white car drove away from the alley and drove all the way to the central business district of


    the main city.


    The screen of her mobile phone remained on the interface of her chat with Justin.


    ¡®Well, since you are visiting the mall, buy yourself a dress while you¡¯re at it. Then,e to Grand


    Mapel Hotel in an hour to apany me to the dinner party. By the way, I like red.¡¯


    Rachel faintly felt that there was something wrong, and her instincts told her that Justin might know


    something.


    Even then, she told herself not to be nervous, or else she would mess everything up.


    As quickly as possible, she went to the dress shop and bought a red gown.


    ¡°Madam, would you like to try something else?¡±


    No need. Just this one will do.


    ¡°Hi. The total would be 43,000.¡±


    Rachel took out a ck card from her bag and handed it over. Swipe this.


    Across the street, in the ck car, the secondary card deduction reminder sounded with a ding.


    Justin¡¯s face remained gloomy as always.


    The sky gradually darkened.


    Rachel arrived at Grand Mapel Hotel before the agreed time. She changed into her high heels before


    getting out of the car, and as she approached the magnificent hotel door in front of her, she took a deep


    breath and squeezed her handbag.


    ¡®I¡¯m here. Where are you?¡¯ She sent a message over and waited for Justin¡¯s reply.


    ¡°1204¡±


    Without any further boration, a series of room numbers appeared on the screen of her mobile


    phone. Rachel was taken aback for a moment and replied, ¡®Okay.¡¯


    After getting out of the elevator, she walked toward the room while feeling unsettled along the way.


    Ding-dong.


    As soon as the doorbell was pressed, the door opened up. A tall figure shrouded the lights, making her


    subconsciously half a step back, but upon seeing Justin¡¯s attire and suit, her hanging heart slowly


    settled.


    Aren¡¯t we going to the dinner party? Is it in this hotel?


    As soon as she entered the door, Rachel asked her question.


    Behind him came a clicking sound, signaling the door being locked.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask me why I decided to take you to the party all of a sudden?¡±


    Rachel was taken aback for a moment. You said to never question whatever you said.


    ¡°Wow. I see that you have taken everything that I have said to heart, huh?¡±


    Justin¡¯s big hand stroked her hair and touched her earlobe. Feeling that, Rachel trembled.


    What is up with you?


    ¡°The dress looks good. Did you choose it yourself? How long did it take?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s skin was very fair. Against the redness of her dress, her lips appeared even redder and her


    teeth even whiter. She looked like a rose¡ªdelicate and radiant.


    Not long. There were not too many red dresses in the store.


    ¡°Have you managed to see your grandma?¡± Justin asked nonchntly as his hand on her earlobe slid


    down onto the nape of her neck.


    Not yet.


    All of a sudden, Rachel gasped.


    Justin squeezed her neck but didn¡¯t put any strength into it. ¡°Was it ¡®not yet¡¯, or you never nned to go


    at all?¡±


    At this point, Rachel¡¯s eyes remained clear and innocent; she only looked at him in panic.


    As the grip on her neck got tighter and tighter, the air pressure around her ears got lower as well.


    ¡°Since you have signed the divorce agreement, why are you in such a hurry toe and apany


    me to the dinner party? Why didn¡¯t you go to see your grandma? Hmm?¡±


    Rachel returned to her senses abruptly. Old Mr. Burton told me to sign it.


    ¡°Are you meaning to say that it was not your intention?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Justinughed and turned his face to look away at something. ¡°Then tell me: Where did you go


    this afternoon? And who did you meet?¡±


    Rachel was immediately taken aback upon realizing that he had found out.


    I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.


    ¡°Still lying to me?¡± Justin strangled her neck fiercely. ¡°Who is that man? Who is that man that made you


    run out to see him multiple times?¡±


    Rachel was choked out of breath for an instant, and there was a hoarse and unpleasant sound in her


    throat.


    Justin had never once felt what he was feeling at this moment¡ªit was a feeling of burning rage in his


    chest that could never be extinguished. The image of her chatting andughing with that man in the old


    district three days ago was imprinted on his brain, lingering in his mind.


    Rachel had never smiled like that in front of him, not even once.


    He was jealous¡ªcrazily jealous.


    The feeling of being influenced by emotions was very bad, and he didn¡¯t like it one bit, so he didn¡¯t go


    to the vi for the past three days, thinking that he could get past his irrational state that way¡ªuntil


    today, when he saw the signed divorce agreement.


    All of the suppressed emotions exploded in an instant, like a wildfire raging across the wastnd,


    getting absolutely out of control.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you onest chance. Who is that man that you went to meet, and what is your rtionship with


    him?¡±


    Rachel shook her head desperately, her face turning blue.


    Justin¡¯s face became more and more serious. ¡°Still refusing to tell the truth, huh. Then how dare you


    say that you did not sign the agreement voluntarily! I bet you would risk your life for this man, wouldn¡¯t


    you? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll grant you your wish!¡±


    In the next second, Rachel was thrown onto the bed, whereupon she hit the back of her head against


    the edge of the bed. Tears overflowed from her eyes, but she ignored the pain and only shrank back in


    horror.


    His big, cool hands grabbed her thin ankles and separated them fiercely.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    With a ripping sound, the red dress was torn in the air.


    ¡°Rachel Hudson, remember that you were sold to me by your father. Even if you are disabled, as long


    as I haven¡¯t had enough fun with you, you can never leave the Burton family. Where did he touch you?


    Here? Or here?¡±


    The friction on her skin made Rachel yell, and her hoarse voice echoed in the room.


    After the madness, the bed was a mess.


    Rachel was trembling on the bedside while clutching the bed sheet tightly with both hands, as if that


    was herst piece of dignity. Her eyes were red, and her focus was gone.


    Justin sorted the cuffs of his suit, turned around to see her disheveled state, and reached his hand out


    toward her.


    Rachel trembled fiercely and quickly retreated back to the corner of the bed while holding the quilt.


    Justin frowned, suppressing the inaudible annoyance in his eyes, and said coldly, ¡°So you feel


    humiliated? You¡¯d better remember this feeling. If I catch you cheating again, it will be more than that.¡±


    With a bang, the door closed, and the door frame even trembled.


    Rachel looked at the TV cab with almost lifeless eyes while her tears fell.


    In the corridor of the hotel.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    As soon as Justin came out, Frankie quickly followed. ¡°Mr. Burton, the dinner has already begun, and


    we are all waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°They are all here?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Howard of Vortex Networks, Mr. Quill of Omega Productions, and¡ª¡±


    As if he hadn¡®t heard him, Justin listened with a sullen face and suddenly said, ¡°Go and investigate the


    man that I saw in the old district that day.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The man whom she refused to name even at the brink of death.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 81

    My Mute Bride Chapter 81


    Chapter 81 The Lie Bes the Truth


    ¡°Grandpa actually asked her to sign it?¡± Tina turned back to look at her assistant.


    ¡°Yes. He offered her ten million for that. I saw the agreement. It¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°So she¡¯s moving out, I presume?¡±


    ¡°In a couple of days, if nothing else happens.¡±


    Tina sneered. ¡°What are you waiting for, then? Now that she¡¯s no longer a part of the family, nobody¡¯s


    gonna be there for her, not even if she¡¯s dead.¡±


    Riverdale¡¯s skies were getting overcast. ording to the weather forecast, a storm was inbound. It was


    already dark when Rachel came back to the vi. ¡°What happened, madam? You don¡¯t look so good.¡±


    I¡¯m fine. I just need some rest.


    Rachel felt distraught, as if she had no strength. The two-hour trip back had exhausted thest of her


    strength, so she fell asleep the moment she came back to her room. She didn¡¯t even have time to


    change. The nightmares came as usual. The man in her dream felt more powerful and abusive than he


    was in real life. Rachel tried to break free of his grasp, but to no avail.


    The night engulfed the vi bit by bit.


    ¡°Young Master Justin.¡± The servant took Justin¡¯s suit from him. ¡°You¡¯re early today. Have you had


    dinner?¡±


    Justin nodded. ¡°Where¡¯s the madam? Is she home?¡±


    ¡°She came back a while ago, but she didn¡¯t look too good. Skipped out on dinner, too.¡±


    Hearing that, Justin frowned.


    The room was dead silent. Rachel was on the bed, covered by a nket. But when she heard


    someoneing in, she shot up. The moment Justin came in, he was met with Rachel¡¯s fearful gaze,


    and a pregnant silence came between them.


    ¡°You need to eat.¡± He came in with Rachel¡¯s dinner.


    I¡¯m not hungry.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to eat even if you¡¯re not hungry.¡± Justin brought the spoon close to her mouth, insisting that


    she needed to eat.


    Rachel was still traumatized from what happened earlier, so she had a bite without resisting.


    ¡°Is it too hot?¡±


    Rachel shook her head, scared.


    ¡°Have some more.¡±


    Justin kept feeding her, as if what he did earlier didn¡¯t affect him. Rachel couldn¡¯t understand him no


    matter how much she tried. It was like he thought everything could be forgiven after a fair punishment


    was meted out.


    After she was done eating, Justin said, ¡°I¡¯m taking you back to the city tomorrow.¡±


    Did your grandfather say you can do that?


    ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s permission when ites to you.¡±


    Rachel gripped the nket tightly, and she felt her heart getting squeezed by something.


    Justin knew he shouldn¡¯t have said that, not after what happened that afternoon, so he tried tofort


    her. However, Rachel instinctively avoided him. His hand froze for a moment, but still he pushed a lock


    of her hair back and held the back of her head. ¡°I know you hate what happened earlier, but that¡¯s on


    you. You should have known the line you cannot cross.¡± He gazed at her.


    Rachel froze up.


    ¡°Do you understand me?¡± Justin tightened his grip around her neck.


    Yes.


    ¡°I have work tonight, so you¡¯ll have to sleep alone.¡± Justin left right after that.


    A short whileter, Riverdale was graced by rainfall. Rachel pulled back the curtains just in time to see


    Justin driving away into the dark. After he was out of sight, she texted Hans. ¡®Two in the afternoon.


    Tomorrow.¡¯ That was the only thing she told him.


    The rain was getting heavier. Eventually, a sh of lightning arced across the sky. Unbeknownst to


    anyone, two men in ck raincoats were secretly approaching the white car in the vi¡¯s car park.


    The rain still didn¡¯t let up the next day, but that didn¡¯t change Rachel¡¯s ns. She packed her things


    and left the vi, while Arthur was standing beside the window to see her off. However, he looked


    upset.


    ¡°Sir, I know you¡¯re upset about Young Master Justin¡¯s decision, but you don¡¯t have to worry about it.


    He¡¯s still young, so he doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re doing it for his own good. Besides, the madam lost her


    family¡¯s support, and she seems to be a nice person.¡±


    ¡°Being nice won¡¯t cut it in our circle. Even if she doesn¡¯t get herself in trouble, trouble wille to her.¡±


    ¡°What are you worried about, sir?¡±


    Arthur remembered something, so he didn¡¯t exin. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    Rachel was driving down the hill, just going past a sign that told the drivers to be careful. With her


    hands on the wheel, she nced at the GPS and realized she was nearing her destination.


    There was a corner up ahead, so she stepped on the brakes, but the car didn¡¯t slow down. What? She


    quickly turned the steering wheel, and the tires screeched, but she managed to turn the corner, albeit


    barely. The car¡¯s wipers were clearing the rain away from the windscreen, while Rachel was drenched


    in cold sweat. The brakes malfunctioned.


    At the same time, Justin was in the middle of a negotiation in the club.


    ¡°Very well then. Another two percent. For the sake of the coboration.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯ll make the right choice, Mr. Leoric.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you, then.¡±


    ¡°Likewise.¡±


    After he sent Mr. Leoric off, Justin got up and buttoned his suit.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Finally getting his chance, Frankie went up to him in a hurry. ¡°Sir, the madam¡¯s in trouble.¡±


    The news surprised Justin.


    ¡°Our sources told us Tina sabotaged the madam¡¯s car this morning, and the madam left the vi half an


    hour ago.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± Justin growled.


    Frankie panicked. ¡°You were negotiating, so¡­¡±


    Justin¡¯s face fell. ¡°Give me the car key.¡± Right after Frankie handed him the key, he snatched it and


    stormed off.


    The rain was pouring then, as unbelievable as it was. Because of the downpour, multiplendslides


    were urring throughout the city, congesting the traffic. Due to the severity of the situation, even the


    news was livestreaming the government¡¯s efforts to solve the situation.


    At the same time, Rachel was still stepping on the brakes desperately to stop her car from tumbling


    down the hill, but to no avail. The car wouldn¡¯t go slower than eighty kilometers per hour, and given the


    weather condition, she was seriously over the speed limit. Her phone started ringing incessantly


    halfway through, and after much difficulty, she managed to take the call, though she thought it was just


    Hans.


    ¡°Where are you right now? Stop the car!¡± Justin growled.


    His voice alone made Rachel shiver in fear, and she almost crashed into the guardrail. The tires started


    screeching again, and Justin heard it as well.


    ¡°Did something happen to the car? Rachel? Dammit!¡± Justin yelled furiously, but he couldn¡¯t do


    anything, since Rachel couldn¡¯t give him any response.


    Justin ended the call, and Rachel felt like herst hope was gone. All that was left was despair. She


    thought she¡¯d y out her fake death n after she departed the vi, but she never thought she would


    really die. But just when she thought all hope was lost, her phone rang again. When she saw Justin on


    the screen, she realized he was video calling her.


    ¡°Alright, just nod or shake your head depending on your situation. Are the brakes malfunctioning?


    Including the handbrake? I got it. Now listen to me. Calm down and head to the East Coast highway.¡±


    East Coast highway? That¡¯s not in my n, she thought. Rachel had arrived at her destination as they


    spoke. The rain and the wipers were making it hard for her to see, but she noticed a familiar person on


    the roadside when she took a nce. Hans!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 82

    My Mute Bride Chapter 82


    Chapter 82 No Mercy


    Rachel¡¯s car wouldn¡¯t stop speeding and swerving through the road. The rain was making it difficult for


    Hans to see as well, but the moment he saw through the wipers, he could see Rachel in the car.


    However, instead of stopping for him, she kept driving ahead. He knew something was wrong, so he


    chased after her.


    The East Coast highway was the one with the least traffic in the city, especially on rainy days. Even so,


    that didn¡¯t make Rachel rx one bit, not after she had sped past three cars. At that point, she was


    drenched with sweat.


    ¡°You¡¯re on the highway now, aren¡¯t you? The cops are clearing the path right now. Turn on cruise


    control and brace yourself for a crash.¡±


    A crash? All the color drained from her face, and she started imagining every horrific way to die in a car


    crash.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, so don¡¯t worry. You should see a container in the middle of the road in a couple of


    minutes. Crash into it, and the airbags will shield you. That¡¯s the only thing you can do now.¡± He looked


    at her calmly.


    Rachel gritted her teeth. Not like I have any other choice.


    A whileter, Rachel realized there were barely any cars on the road. The rain was still crashing down,


    but Rachel had no time to care about that. She was still driving, but her hands were already sweaty,


    and she almost lost her grip on the steering wheel. Eventually, she saw a blue container standing in the


    middle of the road. Remembering Justin¡¯s advice, she crashed into the container¡¯s side.


    Bam!


    A momentter, smoke billowed from the engine, and mes roared.


    That was what Hans saw when he got to the scene. At the same time, a ck car sped past him before


    screeching to a halt in the middle of the highway. Justin then sprinted toward Rachel¡¯s car and


    smashed the window.


    Hans was in his car, watching the scenario unfold in the rain.


    ¡°Rachel!¡± Justin was roaring and yelling at everyone to disassemble the car to save Rachel.


    The airbags sprung into action the moment Rachel crashed into the container. She could feel her whole


    body getting squashed by a soft, airy thing, and she felt suffocated by the airbag. The car stopped


    quickly after the initial crash, but she couldn¡¯t get her ears to stop buzzing. A long whileter, the sound


    of something smashing her car¡¯s window made her snap out of it. She tried to see who it was, but all


    she could make out was a familiar face. The rain made everything blurry, after all.


    The scene of the ident was cordoned off by the police a short whileter, while the sirens of


    firetrucks and ambnces kept ring around her.


    Rachel was sent to the emergency room, while Justin waited for her in the corridor. His fists were


    clenched, and the veins on his forehead popped. Obviously, he was furious.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. Just had a minor concussion. She¡¯ll be alright once she rests up,¡± the doctor said, and


    Justin¡¯s fury was assuaged, albeit only slightly.


    After the doctor was gone, Justin asked Frankie, ¡°Where¡¯s Tina?¡±


    ¡°Winston just called me. Said she went to a yacht banquet with some friends.¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes glinted mercilessly. ¡°Ah, so she has chosen death.¡±


    ¡°President Burton, she is your cousin. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s¡ª¡± Before he could finish, Justin gave him a


    look that chilled him to his bone.


    That night, Rachel wouldn¡¯t stop vomiting, and the nurse kept going in and out with a basin in hand.


    Justin¡¯s mood took a turn for the worse. ¡°I thought she¡¯s fine. Why is this happening?¡±


    The nurse looked fearful. ¡°It¡¯s a side effect from the concussion. Vomiting is normal.¡±


    I¡¯m fine. Rachel was on the bed, looking frail. However, she felt lucky that she got out of that alive.


    Compared to that, vomiting a few times wasn¡¯t that bad.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Rachel shook her head. She didn¡¯t even have the strength to reply after vomiting so much. I¡¯m tired. I


    want to sleep.


    ¡°Alright. Sleep tight.¡± Justin tucked her in and patted her through the nket.


    His concern felt so unreal for Rachel, but she was too tired to care, so she slept almost immediately.


    When she woke up the next morning, she felt some of her strength returning.


    Frankie came in with a lot of stuff in hand. ¡°President Burton, madam, breakfast is here.¡±


    Rachel sat up against the bed, staring at the table that was filled with food in disbelief. Why¡¯d you buy


    so much?


    ¡°President Burton told me to. Said he doesn¡¯t know what you like, so I should buy everything first. But


    I¡¯ll buy your favorite next time.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± At the side, Justin coughed.


    Just when Rachel was still in a trance, Frankie was already pushing the overbed table toward her.


    ¡°What would you like, madam? We have English breakfast, sandwich and coffee, mochi, red velvet


    cake, and¡­¡± As Frankie was listing out the things he bought, he was reminded of something, and he


    smiled. ¡°Um, President Burton can help you with this. I still have work to do, so see youter.¡±


    Subsequently, Justin cleared his throat. ¡°What would you like?¡±


    Rachel was surprised, but only for a moment. She then pointed at one of the items on the table. That


    one. Mushroom soup and garlic bread. A local specialty, and a great one at that too. You should eat


    too.


    Justin nodded, and he took a cup of coffee. ¡°I thought I told you to wait for me yesterday. Why¡¯d you go


    off on your own?¡±


    I have a car there. I can¡¯t just leave it in the vi.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a car. Just leave it behind. Not like it¡¯ll go missing anyway. You can still get into an ident


    even without the brakes malfunctioning in that kind of weather, you know that?¡± Justin suddenly raised


    his voice, scaring Rachel. ¡°Don¡¯t do that ever again.¡± He frowned.


    Rachel nodded. When she recalled how panicked he looked in the video call the day before, she felt


    confused.


    Justin was a man of few words, and nobody could guess what he was thinking. However, throughout


    the terrifying drive the day before, all she could hear was his voice, panicked and worried. She could


    feel that he was worried, but he kept it in check and calmed her down.


    Knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door. ¡°Hello.¡± It was a familiar voice, and Rachel looked up in


    shock.


    The visitor was none other than Janice. She nodded at Rachel first before turning to Justin. ¡°I¡¯m


    Rachel¡¯s friend. Heard she¡¯s in the hospital, so I came for a visit.¡±


    Justin, however, froze up when he saw Janice. He saw Janice before back at the old district. She was


    one of the two people standing beside Rachel after all.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, I presume?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Hello.¡±


    ¡°Janice Hawkins.¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You girls have fun.¡± Justin stood up without asking further.


    However, Janice shrugged calmly. ¡°I¡¯m not here for her. I¡¯m here for you, Mr. Burton.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Janice curiously. Justin shared her sentiments.


    In the corridor, Janice whipped her ID out. ¡°Sorry for disturbing you, but I need to confirm a few things. I


    got to know Rachel because of that case as well.¡± At a closer look, Janice¡¯s ID read ¡®Investigation


    Bureau Deputy Chief.¡¯


    ¡°What case?¡±


    ¡°Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ contraband.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Justin¡¯s face fell.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 83

    My Mute Bride Chapter 83


    Chapter 83 I Cannot Do That


    Rachel rested her head against the pillow, looking at Janice curiously. What did you guys talk about?


    Janice was sitting beside the bed, peeling an orange. ¡°Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ contraband. Wanted


    to know if he¡¯s looking into it. Makes it easier to see you using that excuse.¡± She gave half the orange


    to Rachel.


    He admitted it?


    ¡°Of course not. He¡¯s not stupid. Businessmen hate getting involved with us. If he admits to it, he¡¯s


    gonna have to help us, and that means we¡¯ll be going to hispany a lot. You think he¡¯ll let us do


    that?¡±


    So are they really looking into Hudson Pharmaceuticals?


    ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    Rachel was obviously surprised.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t give me that look. Everyone knows the Burtons have been antagonizing the Hudsons for a


    while now. And from what you told me, I can see what he thinks about the Hudsons. I don¡¯t know much


    about business, but it¡¯s important to know everything about yourpetitor. That¡¯s why they must have


    been looking into the Hudsons. As for what they¡¯re investigating, it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±


    You¡¯re trying to wheedle something out of him?


    ¡°And I failed, obviously.¡± Janice looked at her. ¡°Hans is right. Justin is moreplex than he lets on.


    You¡¯re right to leave him.¡±


    Rachel paused for a moment. If it weren¡¯t for him, I would have been gone forever.


    Worried that Justin might get suspicious, Janice didn¡¯t stay for too long. After all, there were people


    guarding Rachel 24/7 now, and Janice knew they¡¯d report everything back to their boss¡ªJustin.


    Back at Burton Group, Frankie came into Justin¡¯s office with a bag. ¡°The repair shop¡¯s mechanic sent


    this over, President Burton. Probably the madam¡¯s personal belongings. She must have left it in the


    car.¡±


    The dirty canvas bag made Justin frown. She doesn¡¯t even have a decent bag. This is the same one


    she¡¯s been using since I met her. ¡°Put it here.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡±


    ¡°Janice visited the madam thest time the madam was in the hospital. The staff told me she got into a


    fight with Amber then. Apparently, that¡¯s the first time she met the madam. They have never seen each


    other before.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s her rtionship with Hudson Pharmaceuticals?¡±


    ¡°The Investigation Bureau is very secretive, but they usually only take on big cases. She didn¡¯t do


    anything after she got into theirpany, though I suspect that she¡¯s rted to Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals¡¯s agent¡¯s death.¡±


    Justin thought about what Frankie just said. He knew that case too, so he wanted to see if the


    connection was there.


    ¡°Should we look into this, President Burton?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Justin looked at his desk. ¡°And get everyone back. I want them to stop looking into this. Cease


    the R&D¡¯s activities on Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯s meds. Delete all the data as well.¡±


    Frankie was shocked. ¡°But we spent a lot of time getting those. There¡¯s even Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals¡¯s sleeping pill¡¯s recipe in there. If we delete everything, everything we did would have


    been for nothing.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think the bureau¡¯s deputy chief would personally look into a regr agent¡¯s death?¡±


    Frankie stopped talking.


    ¡°There must be something off with them. Something we don¡¯t know.¡± Justin¡¯s eyes twinkled. Ever since


    Janice brought up Hudson Pharmaceuticals that morning, he knew his ns had to be changed.


    After the doctor was done checking up on Rachel the next morning, a guest came uninvitingly. When


    she saw who it was, she couldn¡¯t believe it. Jefferey?


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you¡¯re in the hospital, Rachel? I wouldn¡¯t have found out if Amber hadn¡¯t told


    me. You shouldn¡¯t keep quiet about everything, you know.¡± He put the fruit basket down. ¡°I got your


    favorite fruits here.¡±


    A frown creased Rachel¡¯s forehead. Why are you here? After everything that happened, she had


    stopped seeing Jefferey as her father.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been getting along well with Justin recently, haven¡¯t you? I heard Arthur has allowed you to


    stay in the vi. That¡¯s the Burtons¡¯ most important estate. Only those who Arthur acknowledges get to


    stay there.¡±


    Rachel looked at him calmly, but that only made Jefferey nervous. A whileter, he cracked a smile.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not important. I know you¡¯ve never been one to chase after something like fame or fortune.


    As long as you¡¯re happy, I¡¯m fine with it.¡±


    Rachel forced a smile and kept peeling the orange. Always holier than thou. No matter the case, he


    can justify his actions, just like the time he married me off to Justin. After she finished peeling the


    orange, she put it on the table, telling Jefferey to eat it.


    That delighted Jefferey. ¡°Rachel, I know Amber¡¯s wronged you, but she¡¯s still your sister after all. Just


    let it slide this time. She¡¯ll need your help.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Rachel¡¯s face fell. Why? So she can sleep with Justin? So she can keep urging Tina to kill me?


    Jefferey froze up.


    Dad, I know I¡¯m a mute, so I¡¯ve never asked for much. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m an idiot. I know more


    than I let on. Amber tried to kill her on multiple asions. That was just pure evil.


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    Why are you here? Get to the point.


    Jefferey stopped acting loving and resumed his cold, indifferent self. But Rachel was used to it. A


    momentter, he put something metallic on the table. It was the size of a nail, so it was inconspicuous.


    ¡°Put this in Justin¡¯s car.¡±


    What is this?


    ¡°A listening device.¡± He looked at her darkly. ¡°Thepany¡¯s running into some trouble. I suspect that


    Justin¡¯s getting in touch with our supplier.¡±


    The listening device glinted menacingly under the light.


    Rachel frowned. I can¡¯t do this.


    ¡°You have to. The family¡¯s survival rides on this. You¡¯re a part of us. Don¡¯t forget about that.¡±


    If that¡¯s true, then why didn¡¯t youe visit me thest time I was in the hospital? Rachel brought up


    thest time she was hospitalized.


    Jefferey froze up.


    Do you know why I was hospitalizedst time? Rachel stared at Jefferey coldly. If you really think of me


    as family, you wouldn¡¯t have tried to kill me. That poison almost killed me. You think you can still get me


    to help you after that?


    Jefferey was fuming, but he couldn¡¯t say anything to that. A whileter, he gritted his teeth and asked,


    ¡°Can¡¯t you help me this time, Rachel?¡±


    Rachel frowned, but her silence was the answer. Now that her grandmother was no longer held


    hostage, Jefferey couldn¡¯t control her anymore. It would be pure stupidity if she kept sabotaging Justin


    for him.


    m! Jefferey mmed open the door and stormed off, but his voice rattled across the corridor. ¡°You


    ungrateful cur! All the money spent on you, gone to the dogs!¡± Arriving at the elevators, Jefferey angrily


    tossed the listening device into the trash can.


    With a ding, the elevator arrived. Jefferey went inside the moment the doors opened, but right after he


    left, a person in white came out from the corner and rummaged through the trash can. When they


    found the listening device, they looked at it for a while before holding it tightly.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 84

    My Mute Bride Chapter 84


    Chapter 84 The Business He Negotiated


    Rachel stayed in the hospital for just three days, since she didn¡¯t suffer any injuries aside from a minor


    concussion. On the day of her discharge, it was Frankie who came to deal with the paperwork, and she


    reflexively looked behind him.


    ¡°President Burton isn¡¯t here,¡± Frankie answered. ¡°He¡¯s been busy over thest couple of days. In some


    business talk with his partner. That¡¯s why he wanted me to take you home first.¡±


    Rachel nodded, though she felt slightly crestfallen.


    In the car, Rachel took the back seat, while Frankie took the passenger seat. ¡°Madam, the guys from


    the repair shop sent your bag back. You left it in your car. It¡¯s in the back seat. Why don¡¯t you check


    and see if anything¡¯s missing?¡±


    Looking at the canvas bag beside her, Rachel rummaged through it for a moment, and she frowned.


    Weird¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, madam?¡± Frankie asked.


    Rachel snapped out of it and shook her head. It¡¯s not anything valuable anyway, so I guess it¡¯s fine, she


    thought.


    Right after she came back to the Burtons¡¯ vi, a servant came to help her with her stuff.


    They kept asking her if she needed anything, and even Mrs. Duncan¡ªwho never smiled at her¡ªwas


    beaming. She even asked what Rachel wanted for dinner.


    Anything¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to go that far.


    ¡°No can do. Young Master Justin said the whole family is having dinner together tonight. He¡¯s going to


    throw you a little wee party.¡±


    Rachel was touched. Nobody had been so kind to her ever since she was little. Even though Justin


    wasn¡¯t nice to her, at least he had taken care of her welltely. He even saved her life a few days


    earlier. But that made her hesitate about the n.


    Rachel came downstairs to help even before it was dark, starting with Justin¡¯s favorite tea.


    That of course irked Sue, and she clicked her tongue. ¡°That b*tch. She¡¯s nothing more than a lowly


    servant, but she¡¯s acting like she owns the ce.¡±


    Mrs. Duncan sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone hear you. Everyone¡¯s saying that Young Master Justin is paying


    a lot of attention to her now, and Master Arthur wanted her to live in the summer vi. She¡¯s already


    established her spot here.¡±


    Sue¡¯s face was red with anger, but before she could say anything else, they heard the sound of a car


    coming in.


    Rachel quickly turned around, then the servant greeted, ¡°Young Master Justin, wee home. Hm?


    Miss Hudson?¡±


    Amber and Justin came in side by side, chatting happily. When Rachel saw this, her hand trembled,


    and the tea fell.


    ¡°Madam! Are you alright? Let¡¯s clear this up.¡±


    Sue beamed the moment she saw Amber. ¡°Justin, you should have told me you¡¯re bringing Amber


    back. I would have asked them to make her favorite food.¡±


    Amber held Sue¡¯s arm affectionately. ¡°Oh, you know me, Mrs. Parham. I¡¯m not a picky eater, so I¡¯m fine


    with anything. Besides, I¡¯m on a diet, so I can¡¯t eat that much.¡±


    ¡°You are still slim though. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    After Justin took his suit off, he noticed Racheling out from the kitchen.


    Do you want some tea?


    ¡°No. Let¡¯s have dinner.¡±


    Rachel looked at Amber. Why¡¯d the two of youe home together?


    ¡°Do I need to report everything to you?¡±


    Rachel froze up.


    Amber answered, ¡°We went for a golf session and had lunch. Don¡¯t you know that, Rachel?¡±


    Golf? But Frankie told me he¡¯s busy meeting business clients. Is this his business? ying golf with


    Amber?


    ¡°Can you stop with the questions? He¡¯s a man. He doesn¡¯t have to report every little detail to you.¡± Sue


    rolled her eyes. ¡°Besides, Amber¡¯s your sister. Now run along and prepare for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Justin, I started on a new book two days ago, but some parts confused me. Can you help me with it?¡±


    Amber took Justin to the living room, leaving Rachel alone.


    Watching their leaving figures, Rachel looked forlorn.


    After Justin had taken his seat, Rachel was about to sit beside him, but Sue stopped her. ¡°Hold it. Go


    check on the soup and take it here.¡±


    Rachel obliged, but when she came back, Amber had taken her spot.


    ¡°Here, Justin.¡± Amber fed Justin a fishball right in front of Rachel, and he ate it without any hesitation.


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Told you so. You¡¯ve been exhausting yourselftely. Have some more.¡±


    Rachel wanted to join the conversation as well, but there was no opening, so she left alone after she


    was done with her soup. Everyone went on happily, as if nobody cared that she left.


    After dinner was over, Justin asked the driver to send Amber home.


    Rachel had been waiting in the bedroom after she showered. The moment the door was opened, she


    sat up.


    Is she on her way home?


    ¡°Yes,¡± Justin answered curtly. He opened the cab, took his pajamas, and went outside.


    Where are you going?


    ¡°The study.¡±


    Aren¡¯t you going to sleep here?


    Justin gazed at her. ¡°Do you want me to sleep here?¡±


    Rachel froze up. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. I¡¯m saying that this is your room, so¡­ All at once, she


    blushed, at a loss for words.


    ¡°Just go to sleep, and you don¡¯t have to do anything around here. That¡¯s the servant¡¯s job. Remember,


    you¡¯re my wife.¡± With a click, he closed the door behind him, leaving nothing but silence for her. His


    footsteps gradually faded into the distance.


    Rachel remained on the bed, stunned. She wondered what went wrong, and what caused him to give


    her the cold shoulder again.


    It was alreadyte at night, but Justin was still going through his emails. ¡°A master¡¯s degree from


    California State University, a famouswyer, and a top partner at aw firm.¡± He was looking through


    the r¨¦sum¨¦ of an elite. The photo on that r¨¦sum¨¦ showed a handsome, summery young man. In


    contrast, Justin was looking cold. Eventually, he closed hisptop.


    It was a Friday afternoon. Rachel was packing her things up after work when she received a call from


    Julian. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you outside the library. Come right out after you¡¯re done with work.¡±


    Rachel saddled her bag and came out. She saw Julian¡¯s car right away, and he was waving at her from


    inside. Why¡¯d youe?


    ¡°Get in. We¡¯ll talk then.¡± A short whileter, they rejoined the traffic. Since it was peak hour, it was a bit


    congested.


    What¡¯s the hurry?


    ¡°Grandma saw the news.¡±


    Rachel was shocked, then she looked at Julian curiously. The case of her crashing into the container


    because of her car¡¯s malfunctioning brakes shook the city. Even though Justin managed to keep it


    down, lots of people still found out about it. She thought her grandmother wouldn¡¯t know about it, since


    she usually didn¡¯t care about current affairs.


    When did she find out?


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°This morning, I guess. She saw the newspaper.¡± Julian frowned. After a while of hesitation, he


    continued, ¡°It¡¯s in the entertainment section. Didn¡¯t you see it?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 85

    My Mute Bride Chapter 85


    Chapter 85 He Won¡¯t Fall For a Mute


    When she searched for the trending entertainment news that day, the first one that showed up was


    something rted to Burton Group. ¡®Burton Group CEO, Justin Burton appears with Amber Hudson.¡¯


    That was the first headline she saw, and most of the other news were fake, though that didn¡¯t stop the


    writers from publishing them. The article that got the most shares went along the lines of ¡®Sisters


    fighting for the position of CEO wife.¡¯ At that point, it had more than ten thousand shares.


    Rachel paled, losing the courage to keep on scrolling. How should I exin this to Grandma? What if


    this is the news she saw?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Julian reassured her. ¡°It¡¯s not too serious yet, and Justin should have sent


    his men to keep this down by now.¡±


    We can¡¯t lie anymore.


    ¡°You want to tell her the truth?¡±


    That¡¯s all I can do now. Rachel stared down at her phone¡¯s screen that was dark, her fingers trembling.


    They arrived at Rachel¡¯s grandmother¡¯s ce a short whileter, but her grandmother didn¡¯t look too


    happy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be off to get something. See youter.¡± Julian excused himself after sending Rachel to her


    grandmother¡¯s ce.


    After he closed the door, Nancy sat down on the sofa, turned the TV on, and kept changing the


    channels.


    Rachel fidgeted for a moment, but eventually, she sat down beside her and started testing the waters.


    Are you mad at me, Grandma?


    ¡°Why would I? You just forgot to tell me you got married, after all. You just forgot to tell me who you


    married. Heard he¡¯s from some kind ofpany. Rich man, huh? Can¡¯t even find out anything about


    him.¡±


    Rachel knew she was in the wrong, so she tried her best tofort her grandmother. You were


    undergoing a surgery, so I didn¡¯t tell you about the marriage.


    ¡°Is that so? So you admit it eh?¡±


    I never wanted to hide it from you. It happened too suddenly, so I didn¡¯t know how I should break it.


    Nancy looked at her seriously. ¡°Tell me the truth. Did Jefferey force you into this? What kind of man is


    Justin Burton? I heard he¡¯s an ugly, grumpy man.¡± When Rachel didn¡¯t answer the question, Nancy


    shot up furiously. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to talk to Jefferey. What kind of man would force his daughter into


    this?¡±


    Rachel quickly stopped her. No. He¡¯s really nice to me. I was unwilling to marry in the first ce, but he


    isn¡¯t as bad as the media makes him out to be.


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then why is he seeing Amber then?¡±


    It¡¯s a misunderstanding, Grandma. Just some lie a reporter spouted. Don¡¯t believe it.


    She quickly scrolled through the older news on her phone and showed it to Nancy. See? He saved my


    life. The picture showed Justin breaking the car¡¯s window, and Rachel could be vaguely seen in it.


    The horrific scene drained the color from Nancy¡¯s face. ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    Rachel held Nancy and caressed her back to calm her down. It¡¯s in the past now. Don¡¯t worry about it.


    ¡°Let me have a look. Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    I¡¯m fine. Really.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know this happened. I thought you were working.¡± Nancy shivered just from the thought of


    it. ¡°Is he really nice to you? That Justin?¡± she asked.


    Yes. Rachel nodded. Worried that Nancy wouldn¡¯t believe her, she added something else. He¡¯s Julian¡¯s


    cousin. You like Julian, don¡¯t you? He¡¯s a nice guy, so his cousin¡¯s a good guy too.


    Nancy only believed her when she told him that Justin was rted to Julian. Rachel took that chance to


    massage her, then Nancy held her hand and looked at her. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, Rachel. You don¡¯t have to


    stay married if he¡¯s abusing you. Divorce isn¡¯t a big deal now. Not like how it used to be.¡±


    Rachel nodded.


    Nancy asked Julian to stay for dinner, and she asked him a lot of questions about Justin. Eventually,


    the dinner came to an end, and Nancy sent them off. ¡°You should let me meet him if you have the


    chance. Take him to me.¡±


    Rachel agreed vaguely and left in a hurry, saying she had something to settle at home.


    ¡°Buckle up.¡±


    Thanks for helping me back there.


    ¡°No prob.¡± Julian held the steering wheel. ¡°We¡¯re a family now, and Justin isn¡¯t as cruel as the media


    makes him out to be. I was just telling the truth.¡±


    Is it true he got into a fight for you when you guys were kids?


    ¡°Yep,¡± he answered. That surprised Rachel, since she thought he made that up.


    ¡°I was a sickly kid who grew slow, so everyoneughed at me. Called me names.¡± He smiled gently at


    Rachel. ¡°Bean sprout. That¡¯s what they called me. Then when I got into elementary school, Justin was


    already a sixth-grader. One day, our seniors got in my way after school. Justin came to my defense,


    and guess what happened?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.


    ¡°We were both beaten up, and they took all our money. Justin lost one shoe as well. Our families were


    shocked when they saw us. Almost called the cops too.¡± Julianughed as he recalled that day.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t believe it. She couldn¡¯t believe a kind, brave boy who protected his younger cousin like


    that was Justin. But he doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s close to you.


    ¡°Because something happened to him. You should have seen the news too. Justin was abducted when


    he was thirteen, though he was found after a month. But he got a scar on his face, and he started


    closing himself off.¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Now, Rachel could understand why Justin turned out the way he was.


    As the night crept on, the lights around and in the vi lit up, showing the way home for the Burtons.


    Just as he was nearing the gates, Justin saw Rachel getting out of Julian¡¯s car from afar. Julian was


    chatting with her, and she was smiling at him.


    When they heard the hum of his car¡¯s engine, they looked back.


    ¡°Wee home, Justin.¡±


    Justin looked at them darkly and grunted. He then went into the vi without even looking at Rachel.


    Rachel froze for a second, and she tried to catch up to him so she could exin herself, but she


    realized he wasn¡¯t looking back, so he couldn¡¯t see her.


    Justin went to the study after he came home, but then someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± A


    momentter, Rachel came in with the tea set. She poured him a cup of tea and put it on the table.


    When he realized she wasn¡¯t leaving, he looked at her. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    Grandma called Julian earlier, so he came to pick me up at the library. That¡¯s why we came back


    together.


    ¡°And why are you telling me this?¡±


    She pursed her lips. I don¡¯t want you to take this the wrong way.


    ¡°Take what the wrong way?¡± He looked at her darkly. ¡°That you might be having an affair with him?


    Even if he¡¯s not my cousin, Julian¡¯s still a PhD in medicine and the youngest chief in his hospital. Do


    you think he¡¯d fall for a mute like you?¡±


    Rachel froze, for the insult hit her like a truck. The shock was enough to cause a ringing in her ears. At


    the same time, Justin¡¯s gaze was like a sharp knife that stabbed through her heart.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 86

    My Mute Bride Chapter 86


    Chapter 86 Nod or Shake


    Rachel stared at Justin in disbelief. That¡¯s not what I meant.


    ¡°No? Then why were you exining?¡±


    I¡­ Justin looked at her coldly. ¡°You should know the real reason people actually respect you now. Don¡¯t


    get ahead of yourself.¡±


    Justin¡¯s insult tore her to shreds, but a part of it was her fault. She tried to be frank with him, but there


    was always a possibility of disaster, and knowing Justin, that possibility was high.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you may leave now. And keep your head down.¡±


    Rachel wanted to stay, but when she met his indifferent gaze, she had no choice but to leave. Right


    after she left, she bumped into Julian.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You look pale.¡±


    Indeed, she was pale. I¡¯m fine.


    ¡°Is it about something Justin said to you?¡±


    Rachel shook her head, but she looked crestfallen. Her forlorn look made Julian ufortable for


    some reason, and he frowned.


    Early the next morning, Rachel woke up to make breakfast.


    ¡°Good morning, Master Justin.¡± A servant greeted Justin, then she served him a cup of coffee.


    ¡°Madam has made breakfast for you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that,¡± he answered curtly. With that, Justin left without even looking at Rachel.


    As Justin drove away to work, Rachel was left alone, sad and despondent. Justin¡¯s sudden attitude


    change caught her by surprise.


    That afternoon, Rachel went to the restaurant near the library to have lunch with Hans. Since the fake


    death n was ruined, they set everything aside for now.


    Janice said, ¡°Burton Group closed their research center.¡±


    Why?


    ¡°Not sure. Probably because I told Justin about the investigation. He¡¯s a cautious man, so you can


    rx for now. He should be stopping everything rted to the recipe for now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for the best.¡± Hans heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°We¡¯ll have some time to prepare. Faking your death


    is too risky. After all, you can¡¯t just live your whole life with a different identity.¡±


    Janice continued, ¡°And there¡¯s one more thing. It¡¯s about your mother.¡±


    Rachel was surprised. She did tell Janice about the secret room before, but Janice reacted weirdly


    back then. She said she wanted to look into it.


    ¡°If I¡¯m correct, Jefferey will visit your mother¡¯s grave on Ancestors¡¯ Day.¡±


    Why?


    Janice dipped her finger in water and drew aplex shape on the table. ¡°Is this the talisman you saw


    back in Jefferey¡¯s secret chamber?¡±


    Rachel took a look and nodded hesitantly. The memory was too vague, so she could only make out the


    rough shape.


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s simr. ording to your description, only wronged souls are targeted by the soul


    locking array and talisman. It¡¯s simr to a case three years ago, so I recognize this talisman.¡±


    ¡°Can you speak English?¡± Hans was confused, so he urged, ¡°Make it simple.¡±


    ¡°In other words, this array is locking an innocent soul. The guy who did this is probably scared that his


    murder victims would haunt him, so he made a secret chamber to make a tribute to appease their


    spirits.¡±


    You¡¯re saying Jefferey murdered my mother?


    ¡°You can say so for now. It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve seen this kind of case.¡±


    Rachel froze. Even though she had suspected Jefferey for a long time now, Janice¡¯s exnation


    served to deepen her guess more.


    ¡°Shame you don¡¯t know who your mother was, or it would have been an easier case.¡±


    Rachel looked pale. You said he¡¯s going to visit her grave on Ancestors¡¯ Day?


    ¡°Yes. Anyone who makes this array has to pay a tribute every Ancestors¡¯ Day. Since he believes in the


    ult, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll do the same.¡±


    ¡°Wait, that leaves us with¡­¡± Hans counted the days. ¡°A few days to work with. Ancestors¡¯ Day is next


    week.¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re right, the grave he¡¯ll be visiting on that day is your mother¡¯s.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart sank when she heard that.


    A short whileter, she left the restaurant. As they sent Rachel off, Hans started to worry. ¡°You should


    have told only me, Janice. I can just get this matter investigated on my own. This is just going to pile up


    on her. Now she won¡¯t leave the city before she gets to the bottom of this.¡±


    Janice looked at him calmly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel it? She¡¯s not in a hurry to leave.¡±


    Hans was surprised to hear that.


    As dusk descended upon the city, the neon lights drowned the skies out with its ring ze. The


    traffic, as usual, was congested.


    Justin had just gotten out of a dinner appointment, a stack of documents on hisp. When he was


    halfway through it, the car screeched to a halt, and he was thrusted forward, causing his documents to


    fall.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Frankie held the back of his seat.


    ¡°A bike just ran across,¡± the driver answered fearfully. ¡°Are you alright, Mr. Burton?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Bikers are crazy.¡± Frankie sighed before going down to pick the documents up. But suddenly, he saw


    something that made him freeze.


    ¡°Mr. Burton.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    He pulled out something ck from under his seat and handed it to Justin.


    It was a ck metallic item the size of a nail. If it wasn¡¯t because of Frankie going down to pick the


    documents up, nobody would have noticed this item under the seat.


    Justin¡¯s face darkened. The wind started screaming into the night, calling upon a downpour.


    Back at Burton Residence, Rachel was drying her hair after her bath when she heard someone


    mming the door, shocking her. Oh, you¡¯re back. Are you done with work?


    Justin had just finished a cigarette, and he was in his suit, looking furious. ¡°Do I need to report


    everything to you?¡±


    That¡¯s not what I meant. Rachel snapped out of it, and she felt worried. Did you have dinner already?


    Do you want some tea?


    ¡°No.¡± Justin sat down beside the bed, only twenty centimeters away from Rachel. ¡°What have you been


    doing for the past two days?¡±


    Rachel paused, then she said honestly. Work. And I went to see Grandma.


    ¡°Besides that?¡±


    Besides that? Rachel thought of Hans and Janice, and her heart sank.


    ¡°Did you see someone you shouldn¡¯t? Or did you do anything you shouldn¡¯t do?¡±


    Rachel was looking more panicked by the second. The moment she shook her head, she took an


    involuntary step back.


    However, Justin caught her hand and asked coldly, ¡°Why do you look so panicked?¡±


    Rachel let out a hoarse moan, but she held in the pain and shook her head. She started tearing up, but


    that was only a fa?ade to Justin. The very next moment, he flung her onto the bed.


    Justin looked at her haughtily. ¡°Look at this. Take a good look at it.¡± He let the ck listening device fall


    to the ground, and it spun for a while before stopping at the edge of the carpet.


    Rachel paled.


    Before she could answer, Justin leaned down and held her cheek tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything. Just nod


    or shake your head, you hear me?¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Rachel was already on the verge of tears from the pain.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 87

    My Mute Bride Chapter 87


    Chapter 87 Don¡¯t Cry, Rachel


    Rachel¡¯s face was starting to contort from the grip.


    The pain was making her cry, but Justin showed no signs of stopping. In fact, he gripped her even


    tighter. ¡°Understand?¡±


    Rachel nodded with difficulty, and her tears streamed down her cheek, falling onto the back of Justin¡¯s


    hand.


    ¡°Have you seen Jefferey before you were discharged? Did he give you a listening device and asked


    you to install it in my car?¡±


    Rachel nodded. The moment she did so, Justin¡¯s grip tightened even further, almost crushing her face,


    and it suffocated her.


    ¡°I protected your grandmother, and this is how you repay me?¡± If looks could kill, Rachel would have


    been dead by now.


    Rachel shook her head fervently and struggled with all her might, trying to exin herself. By ident,


    she toppled the ss of water and medicine on the table, sshing the water everywhere.


    The sight of those medicines drove Justin further into his fury. He was reminded of something, and he


    flung her onto the bed.


    The back of her head crashed against the edge, and she started seeing stars, while her consciousness


    started to fade.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been working with Jefferey ever since you married me. You¡¯ve been getting information he


    needs and using us to control your family¡¯spany. And you n to back out the moment you finish


    the job.¡±


    No. I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°No? Then what¡¯s this?¡± He picked up the meds and hurled it at her. ¡°Then what¡¯s this?!¡± he roared.


    Rachel was shivering with fear. When she finally saw what the meds were, she froze. Wait. Those are


    the birth control pills I put in my bag. She didn¡¯t find it when Frankie gave her the bag back, so she


    thought they were lost. Why did they show up here?


    ¡°Finally remembered it? Anything you want to say for yourself?¡±


    I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? You just don¡¯t want to admit it, right? You want to cut all ties with us, right? Been


    contacting awyer for that as well, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Rachel was petrified, and she gaped at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to get away with that!¡± He tore his clothes apart, flying into a rage, not unlike a beast.


    ¡°Aahh!¡± The pain finally made Rachel cry, and she shouted hoarsely.


    Justin was pulling her hair, thrusting fiercely with every pull, as if he was releasing all his anger with


    each movement. ¡°You¡¯re not the one who can decide whether you get knocked up. Don¡¯t even think of


    cutting off your ties with us. Not unless I get tired of you. You¡¯re just an object, and don¡¯t forget about


    that. This isn¡¯t some ce you cane and go as you please!¡±


    Rachel struggled at first, but her strength left her eventually. Even though Justin was still humiliating


    her, she was already numb to it.


    The heinous and inhumane criminal activity that would go unpunished went onte into the night. When


    he was done, Justin, now a rapist, stormed off and mmed the door shut, the impact causing the


    room to shake.


    Rachel was still staring up into the ceiling, but she couldn¡¯t even feel an inch of her body.


    The next morning, when Julian realized Rachel wasn¡¯t here for breakfast, he asked Mrs. Duncan,


    ¡°Where¡¯s Rachel?¡±


    Mrs. Duncan was setting the table, but her expression was odd. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s still sleeping.¡±


    Sue rolled her eyes and scoffed. ¡°Why do you care? The whole house was shakenst night. Honestly,


    how did she even manage to rile Justin up that much? Couldn¡¯t even sleep well for Pete¡¯s sake. Alright,


    enough about them. Finish your breakfast, son.¡±


    Despite his mother¡¯s reassurance, Julian was worried, and he didn¡¯t feel like eating. After breakfast


    was done, he went upstairs to check on Rachel while his mother and Mrs. Duncan were distracted.


    ¡°Rachel¡­¡±


    Nobody responded. Julian kept waiting by the door, but suddenly, he had a bad feeling about it, so he


    spun the doorknob. It was unlocked, so he got in with no problem, but when he saw the scene, he


    immediately froze. ¡°Rachel!¡±


    Rachel was only covered by a thin nket, and she was curled up like a ball on the bed. She noticed


    Julian, but she didn¡¯t even show any reaction. Her eyes were empty, like two little voids.


    Julian stood there for a while before approaching her carefully. ¡°What happened?¡±


    He could see her ankle, and it was bruised. Her shoulders were sttered with bruises too. When she


    saw Julianing closer, Rachel suddenly curled up and moved backward.


    Julian was about to hold her hand, but what he saw next stopped him. The bed was caked in blood;


    some were dried and ck, while some were fresh. Obviously, she just bled out earlier. ¡°Did Justin do


    this?¡± Julian couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. A whileter, he held Rachel. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the


    hospital.¡±


    But when she heard the word ¡®hospital¡¯, Rachel turned back and shook her head adamantly.


    Julian teared up. ¡°Give me a second.¡± He rushed downstairs and came back up with his medical kit.


    Sue and the servants were staring at him weirdly, but he ignored them and locked the door.


    Realizing this, Sue started banging the door. ¡°What are you doing, Julian? Justin¡¯s going to take this


    the wrong way! Get out here right now!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Master Julian.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Julian banged the door back, silencing everyone outside. He was furious, but he held it down


    and sat beside the bed with his medical kit in hand.


    ¡°Calm down, Rachel. Let me see your wounds.¡±


    Rachel stared at him, who was looking at her gently, trying to look as kind as possible so she¡¯d feel


    more at ease. All of a sudden, she started tearing up, and she cried.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t cry, Rachel. Don¡¯t cry.¡± Julian held her hands, but they felt cold. He wanted tofort her,


    but when the nket slipped away, he teared up after seeing the bruises on her. A momentter, he


    turned back to wipe his tears. Is he mad? How could he do this to her?


    Sue and Mrs. Duncan were waiting outside for a while, with the former listening closely to everything


    that was happening inside. When she heard Rachel¡¯s cry, she started panicking. ¡°That vixen! How far


    does she want to go?¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Madam. Something must have happened.¡±


    ¡°Of course something¡¯s going to happen. They¡¯re alone in a room in broad daylight. Scandalous!¡± But


    then someone suddenly opened the door from inside, and Sue almost fell down. If it weren¡¯t for Mrs.


    Duncan, she would have bumped against her son.


    Julian was furious.


    Initially, Sue wanted to grumble, but one look at her son silenced her. She had raised Julian for thirty


    years, but that was the first time she thought he felt terrifying. Most of the time, he was a mild-


    mannered man.


    Mrs. Duncan was shocked as well. ¡°What happened, Master Julian?¡±


    Julian looked at her darkly. ¡°I need someone inside.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 88

    My Mute Bride Chapter 88


    Chapter 88 Just Stop


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll do it.¡± Mrs. Duncan volunteered herself after Sue pinched her.


    ¡°No.¡± Julian was blocking the room, stopping anyone from seeing what was happening inside. He then


    pointed at a young maid behind Mrs. Duncan. ¡°You. Come with me.¡±


    The young maid was surprised, so she looked at Mrs. Duncan to ask her opinion.


    ¡°Is something the matter, Master Julian? She¡¯s a newbie, so I can¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. I said I want her. Do you understand me?¡± Julian growled darkly, silencing everyone. After the


    young maid went into the room, Julian closed the door again, leaving everyone dumbfounded. When


    they heard the door locking up, Sue knew she couldn¡¯t find anything out.


    Sue frowned. ¡°What happened inside?¡±


    Mrs. Duncan shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s dark. Can¡¯t see a thing.¡±


    When Sue recalled what happened the night before, her frown deepened further.


    At the same time, Julian turned the lights on. When the maid saw the state the bed was in, she paled


    and gasped. Julian told her, ¡°Take her to the bathroom and bathe her.¡±


    ¡°Master Julian, what h¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask. And what happened here stays here, got it?¡±


    The servant nodded hastily.


    Steam from the hot water was filling the bathroom up. Rachel was in a bathtub, staring ahead nkly,


    while the maid silently was wiping her body.


    In the meantime, Julian was standing outside, telling the maid to put some salve on Rachel¡¯s wound on


    the lower body. The moment the pain assailed her, Rachel curled up. When she recalled what


    happened the night before, she started shivering. ¡°Did I hurt you, Madam?¡±


    A drop of tear rolled down Rachel¡¯s cheek; that was her answer. The maid stopped asking, but she was


    more careful with Rachel after that.


    Everyone said Madam¡¯s lucky she married Master Justin. Said nobody would want a mute like her


    otherwise. But I haven¡¯t even been here for a week, and Master Justin has already raped her. Lucky? If


    this is lucky, hell is heaven.


    The rain persisted for a whole day in Riverdale.


    When Amber came back home, she noticed her father¡¯s white car in the yard. ¡°Oh, Dad¡¯s home?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss. He came back this morning. Mr. Grant is here too.¡± She looked up, but the study was


    locked. ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    The servant shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but Master doesn¡¯t look happy. He was talking about some


    project when I brought him tea. Something about Burton Group.¡±


    Amber¡¯s heart sank.


    At the same time, it was all doom and gloom in the study. Suddenly, Jefferey pushed all the documents


    onto the ground. ¡°We were so close to signing the contract! Why¡¯d they change their partner all of a


    sudden? I thought the bid was public. Everyone saw our ranking!¡±


    Mr. Grant was sweating buckets. ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened. They just changed their minds all of


    a sudden.¡±


    ¡°At least give me a reason.¡±


    ¡°I heard President Wyatt met up with Justin this morning.¡±


    ¡°Justin Burton?¡± Jefferey¡¯s face fell.


    ¡°Mr. Hudson, Burton Group has been attacking us over thest few years, and you expected that to


    happen this time too. If this keeps up, they¡¯ll eventually acquire thepany.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± Even though they were going downhill, they were still a bigpany, so a merger


    wouldn¡¯t happen so easily. Jefferey pushed down on the table, his gaze dark. ¡°I have an ace up my


    sleeve.¡±


    Mr. Grant said nothing.


    On the other hand, Julian took a day off to take care of Rachel. He was worried the servants might


    botch the job, not to mention Sue and Mrs. Duncan might trigger Rachel¡¯s trauma. ¡°Here, you should


    eat something. You haven¡¯t had anything for lunch.¡± He helped her sit up. ¡°Take it slow.¡±


    Even though she had done nothing but lie on the bed the whole day, Rachel still looked lethargic. You


    took a day off for me? Sorry for troubling you. She forced a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Here, have some soup.¡±


    Rachel nodded and took small sips of the soup. It was a sweet soup, but it tasted bitter for her.


    When they heard the hum of Justin¡¯s car, both of them were shocked, but Julian pretended nothing had


    happened. ¡°Rest up. Text me if you need anything.¡±


    Alright.


    At the same time, Justin had juste in.


    ¡°It¡¯s raining heavily. Have you had dinner, Master Justin?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he told Mrs. Duncan curtly and went upstairs, only to see Julianing out of his bedroom.


    After Julian had closed the door, he asked Justin, ¡°Oh, did you juste back?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He looked at the te Julian was holding. ¡°We have servants here. You don¡¯t have to do


    everything yourself.¡±


    The fact that Justin didn¡¯t even mention Rachel angered Julian. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me why I¡¯m


    doing this? She can¡¯t even get out of bed. Heck, she can¡¯t even move. She¡­¡± Julian noticed Mrs.


    Duncan when he took a nce downstairs, so he held his anger back. ¡°What did you do, Justin?¡± he


    growled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your opinion about my marriage,¡± Justin retorted coldly before walking past him and


    heading toward the study.


    Julian asked after him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to see her?¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t even look back. He closed the door, and the sound rattled across the corridor.


    As the night went on, Rachel eventually drifted to sleep. Her pain was keeping her awake, but her


    exhaustion wouldn¡¯t let her wake up. In her state of semi-consciousness, she felt someone sitting


    beside her. Is this a dream? The moonlight shone on the bed, casting a shadow on it.


    After she woke up the next morning, Julian came in with breakfast. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake.¡±


    Rachel nodded and pushed herself up. Were you herest night?


    ¡°No. Why?¡±


    She looked at the ss on the table curiously and shook her head. Nothing. Probably just a dream.


    Just when they were chatting, someone opened the door. When she saw who it was, Rachel trembled,


    toppling her breakfast.


    Julian quickly moved the te away. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    I¡¯m fine.


    Justin¡¯s face darkened, but he went into the closet room quietly.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    Even though he had closed the door, Justin could still hear Julian¡¯s concerned voice. He was buttoning


    his sleeve, but he couldn¡¯t make it even after a few tries. Frustrated, he took his tie off and tossed it on


    the sofa.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a new one for you.¡± Julian cleaned the ce and was about to leave, but Rachel tugged on the


    hem of his shirt.


    She was shaking her head nervously, ncing at the closet room. Julian knew what was happening


    immediately. She¡¯s terrified. What on earth happened that night? What made her so scared of him?


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    A momentter, the closet room¡¯s door was opened, and out came Justin in a new set of clothes. The


    moment he came out, he saw Rachel tugging on the hem of Julian¡¯s shirt. When she saw him, there


    was a suppressed fear in her eyes, but also disgust.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 89

    My Mute Bride Chapter 89


    Chapter 89 Won¡¯t Be Able to Clear Their Names


    Justin¡¯s face strode toward the door. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you leave for work soon, Julian? You should mind your


    own business,¡± he uttered just before he stepped out of the door.


    ¡°Caring for patients is my business,¡± Julian replied. Justin tightened his grip around the doorknob as his


    gaze dimmed. Bang! The whole house seemed to shake the moment he mmed the door shut.


    Rachel¡¯s body jolted with shock, and she flinched as Justin shut the door. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Justin


    comforted her by patting her gently, but his gaze seemed to turn serious as he did so.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Breakfast is ready, Young Master Justin. Would you like to drink coffee or¡ª¡± The maid greeted Justin


    the moment he got down to the living room, but he interrupted her before she could finish her sentence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything.¡± Justin shot his maid a hostile re. ¡°You have a lot of free time, huh? You don¡¯t


    need toe in for work anymore. We don¡¯t need you since we have to get our own food anyway!¡±


    Justin didn¡¯te back for a whole week after that. In the meantime, Rachel¡¯s injuries were recovering


    well, and a new batch of maids had arrived to rece the previous batch. One morning, Mrs. Duncan


    was preparing joss papers in the backyard; she intended to burn them at the cemetery the next day.


    Rachel was standing by the window on the second floor, and she realized that Ancestors¡¯ Day was


    coming soon when she saw what Mrs. Duncan was doing. She tightened her fists when Janice¡¯s words


    rang in her mind all of a sudden.


    That night, Julian ced some vegetables onto Rachel¡¯s te while they all had dinner together. Sue


    happened to notice this, and she questioned Julian in a rather puzzled tone. ¡°Your brother has been


    away for nearly a week now, and we haven¡¯t heard any news from him. Did you contact him in the past


    few days?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve been busy in the hospital. I don¡¯t have the time to fuss over his matters,¡± Julian replied.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Sue shifted her gaze toward Rachel. ¡°Do you know where Justin went? When is he


    coming back?¡±


    Rachel froze for a moment before she shook her head. Ever since Justin left home a week ago, they


    hadn¡¯t contacted each other at all. ¡°You don¡¯t even know where your own husband is. How impressive!


    You don¡¯t even work, and all you do is stay home andze around. I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re


    doing,¡± Sue mumbled.


    ¡°Stop talking, Mom,¡± Julian muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯m in my own house. Why can¡¯t I talk? I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s mute,¡± Sue hissed.


    Rachel lowered her bowl. I¡¯m done eating. After excusing herself from the table, Rachel walked off


    while Sue continued to nag andin at the dining table.


    As the night fell, a ck MPV sped down the highway that led toward Riverdale¡¯s airport. The driver


    asked, ¡°Where are you headed, Mr. Burton? Home, or¡­¡±


    ¡°You can send Gloria back to the hotel, and then I¡¯ll go back to the office,¡± Justin replied in a calm


    voice.


    ¡°Are you still going to the office at this time of the night? Isn¡¯t your wife going to get worried if you stay


    out sote?¡± A woman¡¯s crisp voice came from beside Justin. The reflection on the car window


    revealed a pretty youngdy in her twenties. She didn¡¯t have the most stunning facial features, but she


    had the youthful and energetic look of a young girl.


    ¡°She won¡¯t,¡± Justin replied simply.


    The young girl froze for a moment when she heard that, but he simply turned to nce out the window,


    and neon lights illuminated his skin, leaving spots of light on his face. There seemed to be a hint of


    loneliness beneath his stoic demeanor.


    The next morning, Rachel drove out of the house on her own. She waited nearby the Hudson


    Residence, and she finally spotted Jefferey¡¯s car leaving the house during noontime. Without any


    hesitation, she started her engine and trailed behind his car.


    Jefferey drove all the way to West Magnolia Cemetery. It began to drizzle when he arrived, and ck


    umbres could be seen moving around the burial grounds. Rachel put on her raincoat before she


    covered her face with a mask and sunsses. Then, she continued to follow the man into the


    cemetery. There used to be a piece of privatend in the West Magnolia Cemetery that was used as


    the Hudson Family¡¯s ancestral grave. Later on, the government decided to expand the grounds and


    standardize the ce. The Hudson¡¯s ancestral grave was supposed to be removed, but the Hudsons


    managed to keep a spot just for their family since they had some connections back then.


    This was the first time Rachel had ever set foot in West Magnolia Cemetery. Why would my mother¡¯s


    grave be in the Hudson Family¡¯s private burial grounds? Rachel felt her heart sinking as she watched


    Jefferey halting his footsteps in front of a tombstone. ¡°I¡¯m here to see you,¡± he said as he lowered his


    body and ced some daisies on the ground. ¡°I brought your favorite flowers,¡± he added.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t hear everything that he said, for the sound of the rain was too distracting. However,


    she saw him kneeling in front of the tombstone for a long while, where he spoke to himself


    continuously; he even pulled out a bottle of alcohol.


    ¡°I¡¯lle to visit you again this time next year.¡± Jefferey poured the rest of his alcohol on the ground


    surrounding the tomb. ¡°Enjoy your drink. Although you¡¯ve been buried alone here, you wouldn¡¯t be as


    lonely that way. We¡¯ll all be reunited over here, and we¡¯ll be together even a hundred yearster,


    alright?¡±


    Rachel only stepped out from behind a pine tree after Jefferey had walked off into the distance. That


    was when she carefully made her way over to the tombstone. The cemetery looked especially gloomy


    due to the cloudy weather. She nced at the fresh daisies as she arrived at the tombstone. Fear


    seized her as she thought about pushing the daisies aside, for she expected to see her mother¡¯s name


    engraved on the tombstone once she did so.


    After standing around for a long while, Rachel finally reached her hand toward the flowers. Her pupils


    narrowed the moment she saw the name on the tombstone, and her expression faltered immediately.


    At that very moment, a ck shadow towered over her head. Before she had the chance to respond,


    she felt a strong blow against the back of her head. She let out a groan before she copsed head-first


    onto the ground. Just before she copsed, she caught sight of the picture on the tombstone. It was the


    exact same picture as the one that she had seen in the darkroom, and it was the same one that Nancy


    had been secretly hiding. How could this be possible?


    On the other side, the pitter-patter of the rain continued even after Julian came out from one of his


    surgeries. He checked his phone to find an unread message. ¡®I¡¯m in a bad mood, and I had a few


    drinks. Can youe and pick me up?¡¯


    Julian frowned. ¡®Where are you now?¡¯


    ¡®Hignd Hotel, Room 2318.¡¯


    After Amber sent the text with the room number, she turned around to nce at Rachel, who was


    unconscious. A cruel look surfaced in Amber¡¯s eyes. Julian paid no attention to Amber regardless of


    how much she tried to attract him, and she felt a strong sense of hatred for Rachel whenever she


    thought about this. How could a mute like her get to marry Justin? How could she also get all of Julian¡¯s


    care and attention?


    All Amber had to do was snap a photo of both man and woman once they were in the hotel room


    together. That way, they wouldn¡¯t be able to clear their names no matter how much they tried to. Amber


    was certain that Justin would no longer be able to ept Rachel once he saw such pictures of his wife.


    Rachel finally woke up because of the pain she felt at the back of her head. She opened her eyes to


    find herself staring at the simple patterns that covered the ceiling of the room. Where am I? She held


    onto the sheets as she sat herself up, and she immediately felt a chilling sensation against her skin.


    Then, she looked down to find herselfpletely naked. There wasn¡¯t a single piece of clothing on her


    under the sheets, and she panicked the moment she realized this.


    Ding dong. Rachel¡¯s face turned pale when she heard the doorbell. Right then, her cell phone began to


    vibrate at the bedside table. ¡°Hello? Rachel? It¡¯s me. Are you in there?¡±


    Rachel froze for a moment, but she heaved a sigh of relief when she realized that the voice belonged


    to Julian. The only thing she had to wear in the room was a robe, so she wrapped it around her body


    before she rushed out to open the door.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Julian asked the moment he saw her.


    Rachel¡¯s head was still spinning, and she looked dazed and drowsy as she had just woken up. Julian


    frowned and sniffed a few times as he looked at her. ¡°Did you really drink alcohol?¡±


    She was stunned by his question. Momentster, she realized the strong scent of alcoholing from


    her own robe. I don¡¯t know.


    ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Julian asked.


    Rachel shook her head. All she recalled was herself being struck in the head, and she woke up in the


    hotel room after that.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who sent me a text message?¡± Julian stared at her.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 90

    My Mute Bride Chapter 90


    Chapter 90 Beating Her at Her Own Game


    What message? Rachel asked in return.


    ¡°Oh no.¡± Julian¡¯s face darkened, for he heard a series of hurried footsteps outside the door.


    ¡°This is the room, Justin. I saw them heading in with my own eyes. They¡¯re even doing this in the


    middle of the day! They don¡¯t show any respect toward you at all,¡± the voice said. Rachel¡¯s expression


    grew stern the moment she realized that the voice belonged to Amber. Their visitors jabbed on the


    doorbell continuously, each ¡®ding dong¡¯ followed by the next.


    ¡°Unlock the door.¡± Justin¡¯s ice-cold voice sounded from behind the door.


    ¡°Sure, Mr. Burton,¡± Amber replied.


    Right then, Rachel turned to see Julian looking as pale as a ghost. She couldn¡¯t imagine how things


    would turn out if Justin saw her dressed in a robe and sharing a room with Julian.


    Beep beep. The door was opened from outside. Amber was the first to cry out at the top of her voice. ¡°I


    can¡¯t believe you¡¯re actually doing such things behind Justin¡¯s back, Rachel!¡±


    Justin strolled into the room with his long legs, and the look in his eyes made him look like he was


    about to murder someone. The scar on his face made him seem more sinister than ever.


    Rachel felt a shudder down her spine. Amber, on the other hand, was pleased with herself. She had


    initially intended to snap a few pictures and let them be, but she happened to hear that Justin was back


    in town after a business trip. Therefore, she decided to change her n and get Justin to drop by


    instead.


    ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding, Justin.¡± Julian frowned.


    ¡°A misunderstanding?¡± Justin muttered in a hostile tone. ¡°Give me an exnation then. What sort of


    misunderstanding is this?¡±


    For some reason, Rachel felt a sense of hopelessness when she saw the look on Justin¡¯s face. You


    won¡¯t believe me regardless of what I say, right?


    ¡°I believe in my own eyes,¡± Justin replied tly. The air was silent around them for a while before Amber


    shifted her gaze upon Rachel. ¡°Your acts are an embarrassment to the Hudson Family. Rachel, I can¡¯t


    believe you¡¯d still do this even though Justin has been so nice to you all along.¡±


    Nice? Rachel thought bitterly. There was a tight lump forming in her throat. He hurt me one time after


    another, and he left injuries all over me. He even has other women outside! He has never trusted me


    before. Is this what others would consider as a ¡®nice¡¯ person?


    Justin¡¯s gaze shot toward Rachel when he caught a whiff of the alcoholic scent in the air. ¡°Were you


    drinking?¡±


    No.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°No?¡± Justin asked again.


    ¡°Wait a second, guys.¡± Julian spoke up to cut Justin off before looking at Amber. ¡°You seem really


    certain that Rachel and I came over to get a room. I was wondering¡­ How did you find out about this?¡±


    Amber¡¯s expression stiffened immediately. ¡°I¡­ I had a friend that happened to pass by. My friend told


    me about this, so I immediately gave Justin a phone call.¡±


    ¡°Your friend? Does this person look like your friend?¡± Julian pulled his phone out and yed the


    footage he had obtained from the hotel lobby. An hour ago, a man in a raincoat was seen carrying


    Rachel out of the car. The man brought Rachel all the way up to the hotel room, and soon enough,


    Amber was seen rushing up behind them.


    Rachel¡¯s expression fell when she realized what had happened. She realized that Amber was the one


    who had knocked her out, and also the one who brought her over to the hotel, so she turned toward


    her. Why did you try to harm me?


    ¡°Who¡¯s harming you right now?! Stop talking nonsense,¡± Amber replied indignantly.


    ¡°I knew something was odd even before I came here, so I obtained the CCTVs for the hotel area. It¡¯s


    obvious that Rachel had been forcefully kidnapped and brought over to this ce. You were the one


    who nned this all out,¡± Julian dered.


    The look on Amber¡¯s face was no longer as bright as before. ¡°That¡¯s not it, Julian. Rachel had a lot to


    drink, so I had no choice but to find her a hotel. I went downstairs to call Justin immediately after


    arriving here because I was hoping Justin would pick her up, but¡­ I can¡¯t believe Julian showed up!


    That¡¯s right. Rachel must have called Julian toe over. Perhaps she¡¯s a little more honest after


    drinking. I¡¯m sure she has feelings for Julian.¡± Amber hastily came to that conclusion while she looked


    at Justin¡¯s stone-cold expression.


    ¡°Only a woman as evil as you would have her head filled with such dirty and nasty thoughts!¡± Julian let


    out a light scoff as he red at Amber. He didn¡¯t bother to conceal the hatred he felt toward her. ¡°There


    are so many loopholes in her story, Justin. Are you really going to believe her words?¡± Julian asked.


    Amber was starting to get flustered. ¡°It¡¯s the truth! Rachel did have a lot to drink, Justin. I don¡¯t know


    what is going on here.¡± Everyone¡ªeven Rachel¡ªshifted their gazes toward Justin. Things couldn¡¯t be


    any more obvious, so there didn¡¯t seem to be a need for them to say anything more.


    However, Justin merely threw Rachel a nce before he addressed her in a t tone. ¡°You should get


    changed and go home since you¡¯re feeling fine now.¡±


    Rachel froze as she couldn¡¯t believe her ears; even Julian was rather taken aback. ¡°Justin,¡± he


    muttered.


    ¡°I have matters to handle in the office. You can send her home since you¡¯re here, Julian.¡± With that,


    Justin took a final stare at Rachel; there wasn¡¯t a hint of warmth in his gaze. Rachel felt as if someone


    had poured a bucketful of cold water on her head as she watched Justin leave.


    Amber was extremely pleased with that oue at that point. ¡°Wait up, Justin!¡± she cried as she went


    after him. Their voices gradually disappeared down the corridor.


    ¡°Are you okay, Rachel?¡± Julian asked.


    Rachel tugged her lips into a bitter smirk. I¡¯m fine, thanks.


    Julian clenched his fists in anger. He felt extremely sorry for Rachel then.


    ¡­


    Rachel didn¡¯t return home to the Burton Residence that night. Instead, she paid her grandmother a


    visit. The wide smile on Nancy¡¯s face refused to leave after she found out that Rachel was there to visit.


    ¡°I had a feeling that you¡¯de back today. I only thought about it for a while earlier, and here you are


    now!¡± Nancy said with a smile. ¡°Are you the only one here?¡± Nancy nced over her shoulder. ¡°Didn¡¯t


    you bring that man?¡±


    At that moment, Rachel stuffed her head into Nancy¡¯s chest in order to conceal the tears gathering in


    her eyes.


    ¡°Aw, what¡¯s this? You¡¯re a grown woman. Do you still want to act all childish in front of me?¡± The old


    lady only recognized that something was odd when she noticed that Rachel¡¯s shoulders were


    trembling. Nancy still had her hands stained with flour from making dumplings. ¡°What is it, Rachel? Did


    someone bully you?¡± Nancy asked.


    Rachel finally burst into tears after she heard her grandmother¡¯s concerned and loving tone. She felt


    sorry for herself. After getting married into the Burton Family, Rachel hadn¡¯t been concerned even


    when they shot her cold res. She didn¡¯t even feel too sad when Tina pped her in public, or when


    everyone gave her judgemental stares. She wasn¡¯t even troubled by the fact that Amber had tried to


    frame her. However, for some reason, Rachel felt as if her insides were filled with sorrow after she saw


    how cold and heartless Justin was toward her. That was when she lost control of her emotions.


    Rachel nearly passed out after crying for a long while. Nancy had to pat the younger girl¡¯s back and


    wait until she was done crying before pouring a ss of water for her. ¡°Tell me about it, Rachel. Who


    was the one who bullied you? Was it Justin?¡±


    No. I¡¯m just really stressed out at work. Rachel made a sign while letting out a sob.


    ¡°You¡¯re still trying to lie to me at this point, huh? I watched you grow up. Don¡¯t you think I know the sort


    of person you are?¡± Rachel had always been an obedient and thoughtful child, and she had been


    independent and strong-willed since she was young. So, how could her job stress get her to cry so


    badly?


    I¡¯m really fine, Grandma. Let me help you with those dumplings. With that, Rachel brushed her tears off


    before she walked toward the kitchen. It was clear that she wasn¡¯t going to tell Nancy about anything.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 91

    My Mute Bride Chapter 91


    Chapter 91 A Useless Move


    Nancy felt her heart ache as she watched Rachel walking off.


    ¡­


    Amber was in her bedroom on a phone call with Tinater that night. ¡°Tina, did you know how angry


    Justin was when he saw that mute girl earlier? If Julian hadn¡¯t stepped forward to protect and rify her


    side of the story, I¡¯m sure that she would have gotten chased out of the house the very next day,¡± she


    uttered.


    ¡°What happened after that?¡± Tina asked.


    ¡°Justin found out that I was the one who was behind all of this in the end. However, he didn¡¯t me me


    for it at all. I told you, didn¡¯t I? He never cared about that mute to start with!¡±


    Tina let out a chuckle on the other end of the line. ¡°I¡¯ll have to congratte you then. It looks like you¡¯re


    one step closer to bing my cousin-inw.¡±


    ¡°To be honest¡ª¡± Amber didn¡¯t finish her words as she was shocked by the person who pushed her


    bedroom door open. ¡°Dad,¡± she muttered before hastily ending the call.


    Jefferey was clutching onto the doorknob, and his face appeared rather grim. ¡°What have you been


    doing the whole day today?¡±


    Amber¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°N-Nothing much¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard everything that you said, and Tomas told me about it as well. That was too bold and risky of a


    move!¡± Jefferey cried.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± Amber was so shocked that her face turned into the color of paper. ¡°Please listen to me, Dad. I


    can exin¡ª¡±


    ¡°You should think twice before doing such a thing in the future,¡± her father replied.


    The fear in Amber¡¯s expression was reced by a look of confusion after she heard what Jefferey said.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­ angry at me?¡± she asked him. Amber couldn¡¯t believe it at all. She had expected her


    father to give her a huge scolding after finding out about her scheme against Rachel, and Julian¡¯s


    involvement in it.


    ¡°Rachel¡¯s practically one of those useless moves made in chess,¡± Jefferey uttered with the same nk


    expression on his face.


    ¡°What do you mean by that, Dad?¡± Amber asked.


    ¡°She has the guts to ignore my orders and words now that she¡¯s in the Burton Family. I should have


    never allowed her to marry into that family from the very start,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°I told you to watch out for her since a long time ago. She¡¯s a cunning one,¡± Amber replied.


    ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t mean that you should continue with such reckless ns on your own.¡± Jefferey shot


    Amber a re. ¡°Today¡¯s incident could have taken a turn for the worse if Justin hadn¡¯t decided to be a


    little more lenient and generous toward you.¡±


    Amber beamed. ¡°Justin does treat me pretty well, Dad. He didn¡¯t me me after what happened today,


    and he even bought me dinner after that. This shows that he doesn¡¯t care about Rachel at all. She may


    as well be a decorative piece of furniture at home. I told you, Dad. It would have been much better if


    you had allowed me to get married into the Burton Family.¡±


    There was a change in Jefferey¡¯s expression as he knitted his brows a little. Hudson Pharmaceuticals


    had just undergone a spot check by the drug administration agency, and a good number of their


    medications had been confiscated. Thus, theirpany had no choice but to dy some of their


    client¡¯s orders. On top of that, Jefferey had lost so much money after investing in property. With that


    thought in his mind, he gently patted the back of Amber¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m not against the idea of you dating


    Justin, but I want you to promise me one thing.¡±


    Amber was delighted. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I need you to get me some private and confidential files from Justin,¡± he uttered. Amber was stunned


    to hear his words.


    ¡­


    The next day, Rachel headed out to meet Janice. They had agreed to meet up at their usual spot, and


    Janice ordered a pot of tea the way she always did.


    Where¡¯s Hans? Rachel asked after cing her bag aside.


    ¡°He has an important court case today, so I doubt he¡¯ll be able to rush over in time,¡± Janice answered.


    Rachel nodded to show that she understood.


    ¡°You seemed really anxious to meet up with us. Was there some sort of development in the matter after


    what happened yesterday?¡± Janice asked.


    Yeah. Although Rachel had fainted after getting hit in the head, she still had a distinct memory of the


    photo and name she had seen on the tombstone before passing out. She was surprised when she


    found out that the one person the Hudsons never spoke of in the family was rted to her mother. After


    some contemtion, Rachel finally began to tell Janice about it. You told me that Lionel and Selena¡¯s


    death was rted to Jefferey somehow, right? Is that true?


    ¡°It is true, but such things are hard to prove since so much time has passed. Lionel died after his car


    flew off a cliff, and Selena disappeared in the ocean. Both of these incidents urred around the same


    period of time, and there were a few puzzling details about it but no solid evidence. Why? Why are you


    talking about them all of a sudden?¡±


    I stalked Jefferey and followed him to the cemetery yesterday.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Janice could tell that something was wrong when she saw how Rachel seemed to hesitate with her


    words. ¡°What is it? Was there an issue?¡±


    You said that he would visit my mother¡¯s grave during Ancestor¡¯s Day, but I finally saw the grave that


    he visited yesterday.


    ¡°Do you know that person that he¡¯s visiting?¡± Janice asked.


    Rachel nodded.


    ¡°Well, who is it?¡± Janice asked again.


    A troubled look surfaced in Rachel¡¯s eyes as she carefully drew a few strokes on the table with her


    finger. Janice froze and stared at the other girl with a look of disbelief. ¡°Are you sure? How could it be


    her?¡±


    Rachel gave Janice a firm nod. She had written the word ¡®Selena¡¯ on the table, for she was certain that


    the picture on the tombstone was the one that her grandmother had shown her. It was also the same


    picture that she had seen in the darkroom¡ªthe ck and white image of a young girl with a broad grin.


    Rachel¡¯s hands were trembling as she held onto her cup of tea. Her thoughts were all over the ce. It


    had been so many years, yet she had no idea that her mother was the child that the Hudsons had


    adopted all those years ago. Selena was her mother.


    ¡°Hold on. Let me make sense of this.¡± Janice ced her cup on the table. ¡°When looking at Jefferey¡¯s


    generation in the Hudson Family, the two eldest children are Jefferey and Lionel. Then, Old Mr. Hudson


    took Selena in, and Selena and Jefferey gave birth to you? But that doesn¡¯t make sense. Selena¡¯s just


    an adopted child, so the family would have no reason to disagree if she wished to be with Jefferey.


    Why would she have to leave Riverdale?¡±


    I don¡¯t know.


    ¡°Selena¡­ Jefferey¡­ Lionel¡­¡± Janice repeated those three names a few times before she abruptly


    lifted her head. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. Selena disappeared out in the ocean back then, so¡­ Rachel,


    could your mother possibly have been pressured by someone else in the past?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression stiffened. What do you mean by that?


    ¡°Based on what I know, Selena used to be one of the highest achievers in pharmacology. There were


    only a few women who even had the opportunity to study overseas at that point, so Old Mr. Hudson


    was very fond of her. She was in charge of half of the Hudsons¡¯ pharmaceutical business back then.¡±


    Was my mother the person who was managing the business?


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ve investigated this for a long while, but we still don¡¯t know why the Hudsons chased Selena


    out. If we look at the timing, this happened when she got pregnant with you.¡±


    That doesn¡¯t make sense. If she were coerced to leave, the Hudsons would have no reason to chase


    my mother out after she was pregnant.


    Janice knitted her brows. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that most of the people from back then are gone. Furthermore,


    you don¡¯t remember much of your childhood. This is a tough case.¡±


    Rachel thought of something then. I think there might be someone who can give us answers.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 92

    My Mute Bride Chapter 92


    Chapter 92 Tales of the Past


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Janice asked.


    My grandmother. Rachel assumed that the whole picture would be clearer once she found out


    who her mother was, but things only seemed moreplicated. Somehow, her mother was involved in


    the Hudson Family¡¯s fight for their inheritance that happened all those years ago.


    The sun was shining bright on top of her head when Rachel left the restaurant. She saw Hans jogging


    toward her from a distance away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯mte, Rachel. Are you and Janice done talking?¡±


    Yeah. We¡¯re done. Rachel wore a rather stiff look on her face.


    ¡°What is it? Why do you look so pale?¡± Hans asked.


    It¡¯s nothing. There are just some things that I need to rify with my grandmother.


    Hans held onto her arm. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    Rachel gave him a nod, but it was clear that she wasn¡¯t paying attention to his question.


    ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you let me send you back?¡± he offered.


    I drove here.


    ¡°No. I¡¯d be worried if you had to drive back now,¡± he replied. Rachel couldn¡¯t reject his stubborn


    determination in the end. However, neither of them realized a moving figure that had been standing on


    the street just opposite the restaurant. There were a few cigarette butts lying right beside the man¡¯s


    feet. ¡°Hello? The person you told me to keep an eye on is going into a car with a man. Do you need me


    to continue following her? You¡¯ll have to top up some cash for my car ride then,¡± the person said.


    A woman¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°Who did she go off with? Did you take any


    pictures?¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to know? You didn¡¯t tell me to take pictures,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Take them now.¡±


    ¡°I told you that she already got into the car with someone else. They¡¯ve left.¡±


    ¡°Are you an idiot? I gave you a simple task, and this is what you managed to aplish?¡± the woman


    cried.


    The young man¡¯s face darkened when he heard the woman shouting at him through the phone. ¡°Are


    you scolding me right now? You watch out! I¡¯m not going to entertain you anymore if you scold me


    again.¡± The young man ended the call right after finishing his words. He grumpily threw his cigarette


    butt onto the ground. ¡°F*ck! What was that? How dare she shout at me!¡±


    The young man turned to look at the car opposite the street. He studied the details for a while, even


    memorizing the car te number.


    ¡­


    Hans stopped his car in the alleyway and stayed there even after Rachel left. He nced up to look at


    the light turning on in one of the units. Nancy was both surprised and d to see Rachel showing up at


    her front door. ¡°What brings you here today?¡± she asked.


    I have a few questions for you, Grandma.


    It was rare for Rachel to be so serious, and Nancy seemed rather taken aback by this. ¡°What is it?


    Come in and have a seat before we talk.¡± There was a faint scent ofvender that lingered on the


    couch. No dilly-dallying was involved¡ªRachel got straight to her point once she sat down.


    I¡¯d like to ask you about my mother, Grandma.


    The smile on Nancy¡¯s face faded a little as she looked away to avoid Rachel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Why would you


    ask about your mother all of a sudden?¡±


    Is she my mother? Rachel typed out Selena¡¯s name and handed her phone over to her grandmother.


    Nancy¡¯s entire body jolted with shock when she first saw the name, and her expression changed within


    seconds. There was no more exnation needed. ¡°How did you find out about this, Rachel? Did


    Jefferey tell you about this?¡±


    No. I did some of my own research.


    ¡°Your research? What have you found so far?¡±


    I¡¯ve found quite a lot of things. I found out about my mother¡¯s actual identity and her cause of death.


    Rachel told Nancy about everything that she saw at the Hudson Vineyard. Nancy was trembling with


    anger by the time she heard about what Jefferey had done in the darkroom. ¡°Jefferey, that disgusting


    rat! He was already desperate for her when she was alive, and he¡¯s still not letting go of her right now.


    He¡¯s inhumane! He¡¯s going to hell!¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    What do you know about this, Grandma? What is the truth?


    The anger remained on Nancy¡¯s face, and she sighed and groaned a few more times before she


    spoke. ¡°I never intended to tell you about this, Rachel. However, I guess I can¡¯t hide it from you now


    that you¡¯ve found out about this. I¡¯m not actually your biological grandmother.¡± Rachel froze on her


    spot. She couldn¡¯t believe Nancy¡¯s words.


    ¡°Your birth mother is Miss Selena, whom Old Mr. Hudson adopted as his daughter all those years ago.


    When I was still with the Hudsons, Miss Selena helped me out a lot. That¡¯s why I left along with her


    once she got into trouble and was chased out of the Hudsons,¡± Nancy exined. Rachel was starting


    to see howplicated things were back then.


    Selena was an orphan adopted by Old Mr. Hudson, and she had grown up with two brothers¡ªJefferey


    and Lionel. Old Mr. Hudson was a kind and loving man, and he had always treated Selena as his own


    child. He sent her overseas for her studies and let her take over half of the pharmaceutical business


    after she returned to the country.


    ¡°After that, the Hudsons somehow provoked some other people, and they then found themselves being


    attacked. Lionel had been doing a lot to help, but he suffered a sudden death during then. All of the


    pharmacies were shut down for investigation after that, and Old Mr. Hudson¡¯s health only deteriorated


    more every day. At the same time, the eldest son from Circa Pharmacy in Jacksonville showed up to


    propose to Selena,¡± Nancy continued.


    Rachel froze. What happened after that?


    Nancy shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Old Mr. Hudson was thinking. I recall how it was raining


    heavily that day. Miss Selena knelt outside the house for the whole night, but Old Mr. Hudson ordered


    the maids to pack her items before he kicked her out of the Hudson Family the next morning. The


    Hudsons no longer had a daughter after Selena was chased out, so Circa Pharmacy naturally couldn¡¯t


    continue to ask for a marriage. After that, I left with Miss Selena, but we were kidnapped by some


    people and thrown into some sort of ferry.¡±


    Was it someone from Circa Pharmacy who kidnapped you guys?


    ¡°No,¡± Nancy said with a stern expression. ¡°You probably wouldn¡¯t have guessed it if I don¡¯t tell you now


    ¡ªit was Jefferey, that horrible, evil man. He made a deal with Circa Pharmacy just for the sake of


    inheriting the family business. He knew that Old Mr. Hudson had given all of the medicinal recipes to


    Miss Selena, which was why he chose to kidnap her.¡±


    Rachel felt like her mind was spinning in circles. She was too confused by everything she had just


    heard. Technically, her mother and Jefferey were siblings based on their titles. Yet, Jefferey went


    against Selena for the sake of some medicinal recipes. But how could that exin Rachel¡¯s existence?


    How was she brought into the world?


    How did my mother give birth to me? Did Jefferey do something to her¡ª


    ¡°Pfft. That b*stard doesn¡¯t deserve a woman like her,¡± Nancy mumbled. ¡°If Lionel hadn¡¯t passed away


    so abruptly, the Hudsons had already nned to host a wedding. Miss Selena and Lionel had agreed


    to exin everything to Old Mr. Hudson once things were over, but they hadn¡¯t expected a sudden


    ident to ur.¡±


    Are you saying that my father is Lionel?


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You are the only inheritor that descended from the eldest child of the family. Who does


    Jefferey think he is? He¡¯s nothing more than a crazed psychopath and a b*stard who plots and


    schemes to benefit himself!¡± Nancy was tearing up as she got emotional. ¡°After Miss Selena and I


    managed to escape from the boat, we stayed in my old house in the mountains. But a few yearster,


    Jefferey managed to find us. There was a huge fire after that¡ªthe fire practically engulfed my whole


    vige,¡± Nancy said.


    Rachel had vague memories of such an incident. She couldn¡¯t recall much from her past, but she often


    had a dream in which there was arge fire that wouldn¡¯t end. She remembered how she couldn¡¯t seem


    to run out of the fire no matter how much she tried. The dreams made sense to her now since it was


    actually what happened.


    ¡°Your guess was right, Rachel. Jefferey was the one who murdered your mother, and they thought that


    they could get all the details for the medicinal recipes after that. Unfortunately, there were no quantities


    or measurements in the recipes.¡±


    Right then, Rachel jumped up in surprise once more. She thought about the prescription that Jefferey


    had shown her in the Hudson Vineyard. The tiny handwriting she saw then belonged to her mother.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 93

    My Mute Bride Chapter 93


    Chapter 93 Acquiring Hudson Pharmaceuticals


    ¡°After your mother passed away, you lost your voice during the huge fire. For the sake of your safety, I


    told Jefferey that you were the only one who knew about the medicinal recipes. That was why he


    agreed to bring you back into the Hudson Family. That was also how the public recognized you as an


    illegitimate daughter of the Hudsons,¡± Nancy said.


    But I don¡¯t remember any of the medicinal recipes.


    ¡°Your memories are engraved within you, Rachel. I¡¯m sure you remember everything that your mother


    had ever told you¡ªyou simply lost your memories temporarily. You¡¯ll recall all of it someday.¡± Nancy


    pulled out a picture of Selena¡ªthe same ck and white picture that was on the tombstone.


    Rachel felt her heart aching when she saw the picture, and tears trickled down her cheeks without any


    warning. Nancy teared up as she pulled the young girl in for a hug. ¡°My darling, if Selena is watching


    from above, she¡¯d be pleased to see what a beautiful and kind woman you¡¯ve turned into.¡±


    Rachel cried for a long while after that. Whatever she had just heard was simply too much to process.


    No matter how harsh Jefferey had been toward her in the past, she had always treated him as her


    father. She had always believed that a parent would care for their child regardless of how harsh they


    might be. However, it turned out that he wasn¡¯t her father at all¡ªthat exined why he was so


    heartless toward her. She brushed her tears off as she recalled what Janice had told her. Grandma, do


    you remember what the person who killed my mother looks like?


    Nancy clenched her fists. ¡°I¡¯d recognize that person even if he turned into ashes. He was a vicious


    killer; he set the whole mountain on fire to destroy all evidence. He nearly killed all of the vigers


    there.¡± Rachel hastily unlocked her phone to look for an image of a wanted man before showing it to


    Nancy.


    ¡°He¡¯s the one. I recall how he had arge mole on his face.¡± Nancy¡¯s voice was trembling, and her face


    was pale as she recalled the terrifying memories of her past. Rachel tightened her grip on her phone as


    she tried to calm herself down. She wanted to avenge her mother¡¯s death, and she wanted these


    people to pay for what they had done.


    The skies were turning dark, and Hans stepped out of the car when he saw Racheling out of the


    building. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Rachel shook her head. Grandma told me the whole story. I¡¯ll tell you about it when we get into the car.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Hans pulled the car door open. ¡°Let¡¯s talk in the car.¡± They were talking when a shrill siren


    interrupted their conversation. Rachel looked up to see a ck MPV on the street opposite them. Her


    face turned pale immediately.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Hans could sense that something was wrong with Rachel.


    She didn¡¯t have the chance to respond to him as her phone kept ringing in her pocket. Her hands were


    trembling when she pulled her phone out to look at the caller ID. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one minute to walk over


    and get into the car.¡± The man¡¯s voice on the other end of the phone was deep and stern.


    ¡°Rachel,¡± Hans said when he noticed the car opposite them. He held onto her arm. ¡°Is that him?¡±


    She gritted her teeth as she pushed Hans aside. You should leave now. I¡¯ll text youter. Rachel


    hurried toward the opposite side of the street after that. Justin was a man who didn¡¯t take no for an


    answer¡ªHans might be in danger if she made Justin wait for a while more.


    The man in the ck MPV wore an icy, forbidding expression on his face. His still, dark eyes were so


    terrifying that anyone who looked into it would feel their hearts pounding with fear. Justin stared out the


    car window to look at the man in front of the white car parked opposite the street.


    Rachel got in from the other side of the car. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Justin ordered coldly. The MPV left the alleyway


    right after that. Justin didn¡¯t utter a single word on the way back, and the silence only made Rachel


    more fearful. She felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her throat. The driver didn¡¯t head in the


    direction of the Burton Residence. Rachel felt herself getting more terrified as the roads outside looked


    increasingly unfamiliar to her.


    They arrived at a vi on the outskirts of town. Justin removed his coat and threw it on the couch the


    moment he stepped into the house. Rachel, on the other hand, hesitated when she arrived at the


    doorstep. She nced around to see that the interior of the house was modern and brand-new. In fact,


    the insides still had the smell of a newly-renovated house. There wasn¡¯t a single soul in therge


    building.


    Justin loosened his tie before he abruptly turned to face Rachel. ¡°Ah!¡± She screamed as she felt as if


    her scalp was about to be torn apart. Justin had grabbed onto a handful of her hair before he shoved


    her against the wall. ¡°You disappeared for two whole days because you went to meet that guy, right?¡±


    She was close to fainting because of the pain. Her face was filled with terror as she looked up at him.


    ¡°Hans Egerton, a Master of Laws graduate from California State University and a rtively well-known


    youngwyer¡­ Why are you meeting awyer behind my back? What are you trying to do? Are you


    going to get a divorce?¡±


    She shook her head frantically as she tried to push him away.


    ¡°What sort of reason are you nning to give, then? Domestic abuse? Or something else? Huh?¡±


    Justin tugged onto her hair and flung her aside.


    With a loud cry, she stumbled and fell onto the couch. When she next looked up, Justin had already


    stepped closer to her. ¡°Tell me, what are you trying to do?¡±


    Rachel edged away from him fearfully. Both her legs were shaking uncontrobly. No. I¡¯ve never


    thought of getting a divorce.


    ¡°Why are you meeting awyer, then?¡±


    I¡­ I just wanted to ask him about some other things.


    ¡°What other things?¡±


    She gritted her teeth as she hastily came up with a random excuse. It has to do with my inheritance in


    the Hudson Family.


    ¡°Oh? Is that all?¡±


    That¡¯s all.


    ¡°Really? Are you sure you¡¯re not hiding anything from me?¡± Justin¡¯s gaze was stony and grave¡ªeven


    thest hint of humanity had disappeared. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have any other rtionship with you apart from


    meeting you as awyer?¡±


    Rachel jolted with surprise.


    ¡°I heard that a woman¡¯s first love is the hardest one to let go of, isn¡¯t that right?¡± The man¡¯s eyes were


    filled with jealousy. Rachel felt as if she was falling into an endless pit. Her face turned pale as she


    realized something¡ªJustin knew about this all along!


    The very next moment, she let out another cry as Justin tugged her up from the couch by grabbing onto


    her hair. When she fell back onto the couch, he pressed his fingers against both sides of her cheeks as


    he hissed at her. ¡°You used Julian as a shield so that I wouldn¡¯t find out about this first love of yours.


    You sure put in a lot of work just to achieve this!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t provide him with any other response apart from wailing in agony. The searing pain in her


    scalp made her feel as if she was about to pass out, but Justin didn¡¯t show a hint of pity toward her as


    he tore the cor of her shirt open.


    ¡°Which part of you has heid his hands on? Here? Or here?¡± Rachel¡¯s figure trembled with fear that


    seemed to fill all of the bones in her body. Her face was the color of paper as she red at Justin with


    her bloodshot eyes. She couldn¡¯t make a sound at all.


    All of a sudden, she felt a surge of energying from within her, and she used it to shove the man off


    of her. Bang! He fell back against the coffee table, and he let out a painful groan as he tried to sit


    himself upright. His hand was covered in blood when he reached and felt the back of his head.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    For some reason, Justin seemed to calm down as he sat on the ground and stared at his bloody hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive. What is this? Are you trying to protect your own body for the sake of that man?¡±


    Don¡¯t you daree any closer to me. Rachel was shaking, and her hands were trembling as she


    signed the words that she wanted to say to him. You only got married to me because you want to


    control the Hudson Family, and I can help you with that.


    ¡°What help can you provide?¡± Justin scoffed. ¡°Did you forget that you¡¯re just an illegitimate daughter?


    The only purpose you serve is to keep me entertained in bed¡ªyou aren¡¯t of any other value to me.¡±


    I can help you to acquire Hudson Pharmaceuticals.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 94

    My Mute Bride Chapter 94


    Justin felt his heart skipping a beat before he darkened his gaze. Both of them weren¡¯t far apart from


    each other-the couch and the coffee table were the only pieces of furniture between them. A standin


    lamp was ced right next to the couch, and the dim light shone upon Rachel¡¯s face as she moved. It


    was the first time Justin had ever seen Rachel that way-her bloodshot eyes were filled with hatred and


    resentment. It didn¡¯t seem like her anger was directed toward him-it looked more like she was angry at


    the Hudsons.


    He was dazed for a moment, but he quickly calmed himself down before he sneered. ¡°Are you


    daydreaming or something?¡±


    There¡¯s something wrong with the Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ medication. They¡¯ve provided a number of


    fake drugs to a few suppliers.


    Justin froze. Even Amber didn¡¯t know anything about this, so how could an illegitimate daughter like


    Rachel hear about such news?


    As long as you can help me to get a job at Hudson Pharmaceuticals, I will be able to get proof of them


    manufacturing fake medication. Rachel¡¯s thoughts were clearer once she managed to calm down. She


    realized that both she and Justin could exchange information and benefit from one another when they


    couldn¡¯t achieve certain things independently. Jefferey was an enemy to both of them, and she figurec


    that she could temporarily be friends with her enemy¡¯s enemy.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Justin was quiet for a long while before he abruptly leaned his weight against the coffee table to get


    onto his feet. Rachel¡¯s face turned pale as she grabbed onto a vase beside her.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he said as he shot her a re. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just agree to partner up? Are you


    going to work with a dead body if I die from losing too much blood? Go find me a first-aid kit.¡±


    She was stunned for a long while, but she finally heaved a sigh of relief when she realized that Justin


    looked a lot calmer than before. A few minutester, she came back with a first-aid kit to help Justin


    clean his wound. He let out a hiss, and she felt her hands shaking as she tried to clean the blood. She


    was a lot gentler the next time she touched him.


    ¡°Why are you suddenly going against the Hudsons?¡± he asked.


    I¡¯ve thought about it. He¡¯s bad to me, and he has never treated me like his biological daughter. / want to


    make sure I have a n B for myself. Rachel didn¡¯t mention anything about her mother as she recalled


    how Janice had told her to keep It a secret.


    ¡°Did you find out about something?¡± Justin asked out of nowhere.


    Rachel was rather surprised at first. Is there something I should know about?


    He frowned. He felt troubled whenever he thought about the information that Frankie had gathered for


    him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he mumbled.


    Rachel stepped aside to tidy the first-aid kit after she was done cleaning Justin¡¯s wound. He no longer


    seemed as threatening and powerful with a bandage wrapped around his head, and he even looked


    rather amusing because of the ribbon knotted on the back of his head. ¡°You haven¡¯t exined the


    whole thing with yourwyer to me yet.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s actions of tidying the first-aid kit came to a halt before she turned around. Her eyes were calm


    but firm as she stared at him. You¡¯re not allowed toy hands on him.


    His eyes turned cold, and he felt his chest tightening when he looked into Rachel¡¯s steady gaze. ¡°Are


    you giving me a warning right now?¡±


    Since you¡¯ve made a deal with me, I deserve to benefit from this deal as well.


    ¡°Benefits? So, the benefit you want is for me to not mess with this man?¡±


    I¡¯ll help you acquire Hudson Pharmaceuticals, but you cannot touch the people around me. I don¡¯t want


    you to act all suspicious all the time. This is a pretty good deal for you, don¡¯t you think? Rachel was a


    little nervous-she had no idea how Justin would respond to her words.


    He stared at her silently as his gaze grew dimmer. ¡°Fine, I promise.¡±


    In the past, Rachel had always been someone whopromised and gave In to him, so It was a shock


    for him to hear her making such a request. He wondered if Rachel was genuinely looking for a n B


    or if she just created such lies to protect that guy. Regardless, he was pretty eager to see what sort of


    impact an Wlegitimate daughter might be able to generate in thepany.


    A conversation was happeningte at night in the Burton Residence. ¡°Are both of them not home? Did


    you call and ask Frankie?¡± Sue asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Frankie said that Young Master Justin wouldn¡¯t being home because he has other matters


    to handle,¡± the maid replied.


    ¡°What about the mute?¡±


    ¡°Frankie didn¡¯t say anything about that. But considering how distant they seem recently, my guess is


    that they aren¡¯t together now.¡±


    Sue was visibly pleased as she sipped on her tea. ¡°Things will be over once he¡¯s past that initial stage


    of excitement. Justin has met so many other girls, anyway; what¡¯s the blg deal about this mutedy?


    She¡¯s not even obedient. He¡¯ll get bored of her after a while.¡±


    *But I heard that Young Master Justin brought another woman back from his business trip, Madam


    Parham,¡± Mrs. Duncan uttered.


    Sue¡¯s expression grew alert upon hearing the other person¡¯s words. ¡°A woman?¡±


    ¡°He even arranged for her to stay in a condominium. I heard she¡¯s a university student who got into one


    of the universities in Riverdale.¡±


    ¡°Who is she? Did you run a thorough investigation on her background?¡± Sue asked.


    Mrs. Duncan shook her head. She had gotten the news from Justin¡¯s driver. The driver was puzzled to


    see a woman beside Justin when he picked Justin up from the airport.


    Sue knitted her brows. ¡°Get someone to Investigate her background. I don¡¯t want her to take advantage


    of Justin.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Three dayster, Rachel was called to help out with the logistics at the City Council Library. There was


    a groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation, and Rachel bumped into Tina while they were in the


    washroom. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Rachel.¡± Tina shot Rachel a side nce while she fixed her makeup in


    front of the mirror. ¡°You look like you¡¯re doing fine. I thought you¡¯d have to rest for at least a year after


    that car ident.¡±


    Rachel clenched her fists. She couldn¡¯t stop herself from shuddering at the mention of the car crash it


    was something that troubled her even after so long. You were the one who caused that ident!


    ¡°So what if I was the one who did it? Does my brother look like he¡¯s about to hold me responsible for


    it?¡± Tina gave Rachel a cocky stare. ¡°The whole Burton Family knows that I was the one who did it, but


    what are you going to do about that? I¡¯ve told you this before-no one cares about you, even if you¡¯re


    part of the Burton Family. You¡¯ll have to pay for Henry¡¯s death eventually.¡±


    Her chilly voice echoed in the washroom, and Rachel felt a chill running down her spine. Tina was a


    complete psychopath.


    ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something else that I wanted to remind you about.¡± Tina raised an eyebrow. The


    slight smirk on her lips made her look especially sinister. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t own the title of ¡®Mrs.


    Burton¡¯ for much longer. Who would¡¯ve expected another woman to appear in the picture out of


    nowhere, right?¡±


    Rachel had no idea what Tina was talking about, but Tina simply let out a cold scoff before she took her


    handbag and walked off. The groundbreaking ceremony was hosted on an empty piece ofnd. Justin


    showed up at the ceremony as he was one of the investors. Rachel, on the other hand, stood with a


    team of girls that were on duty for the ceremony. She held a tray that had a pair of scissors on it


    -the scissors would be used to cut the ribbonter.


    Although Rachel was a distance away from Justin, she could see him with an unfamiliar woman. The


    woman seemed to have reced Frankie¡¯s role as his secretary. ¡°I¡¯ve never cut a ribbon for a


    ceremony. Isn¡¯t this fun?¡± The woman¡¯s high-pitched voice didn¡¯t seem to fit in with the rest of the


    crowd.


    However, a rare loving expression surfaced on Justin¡¯s face when he turned to the woman. ¡°Would you


    like to try it?¡±


    ¡°Can I do that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s just cutting a ribbon,¡± he replied.


    Rachel heard him speaking while she brought the tray over to them, and she looked up to meet Justin¡¯s


    eyes. His gaze seemed unfamiliar to her.


    Without even a slight change in expression, Justin reached for the scissors on the tray before he


    handed it to the girl beside him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± The girl gave Rachel a warm smile. ¡°You¡¯re really pretty, Miss,¡± shemented on


    Rachel.


    Rachel froze.


    Tina, who had already gotten her own pair of scissors, made a sharpment when she heard their


    conversation. ¡°Gloria, I¡¯m afraid she doesn¡¯t want you to call her ¡®Miss.¡± She sniggered.


    The young girl didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind Tina¡¯sment.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 95

    My Mute Bride Chapter 95


    ¡°No one would think you¡¯re mute if you just kept your mouth shut for once, you know.¡± Justin red at


    Tina from the corner of his eye.


    ¡°I¡¯m not mute,¡± Tina said with a smirk. She rolled her eyes at Rachel before she lifted her scissors and


    cut the red silk ribbon into two. Snip! After the ribbon-cutting ceremony was over, Rachel brought the


    ribbons off the stage. She felt a sour feeling in her chest while she watched Justin and the other girl


    standing close to each other. She had never seen Justin being protective of anyone else in such a bold


    and open manner. Even if he did that to Amber, Rachel knew that he only yed along for the sake of


    the Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    The rest of the celebration was hosted in a hotel. Rachel felt bored out of her mind as she watched all


    the guests clinking sses and socializing with one another, so she decided to head out for a walk.


    ¡°What are you doing here on your own?¡± A man¡¯s voice sounded from behind. Rachel jumped a little


    before she turned to see Justin dressed in a full ck suit. He looked especially handsome under the


    dimly-lit night sky. It was a little hot in there, so I came out for a stroll, she replied.


    Ever since they established the deal between them three days ago, Justin had been treating her in a


    cold and distant manner. He no longer asked about her schedule or whoever she met up with. Why are


    you out here? Rachel stole a nce behind him before she continued with the rest of her sentence.


    Your new secretary looks really young.


    ¡°If you have the free time to check out my new secretary, why don¡¯t you use some of it to think about


    the partnership between us?¡± Justin held a document out to her.


    Rachel froze for a second. Is this a letter of appointment?


    It was a contract for the role as the deputy director of the finance department in Burton Group. Justin


    had already signed his name and stamped thepany¡¯s stamp on the document. ¡°You¡¯re an


    illegitimate daughter-it would be hard to get Jefferey to allow you to be a part of Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals as he wouldn¡¯t want you to be involved in their internal affairs. It¡¯d probably take you


    years toe up with a n that could work,¡± Justinmented.


    How does hiring me as a staff in the Burton Group help with anything?


    ¡°I¡¯m an efficient and effective person. Doesn¡¯t Jefferey wish to learn some details about the Burton


    Group¡¯s partners? He¡¯ll certainly get closer to you once he learns that you¡¯re a part of thepany.¡±


    Justin exined.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    She immediately understood the situation. I¡¯ll draft my letter of resignation tomorrow.


    Justin gave her a faint nod.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you, Justin. What are you doing here?¡± A young girl exaggerated her


    movements to push the heavy ss door open before she stuck her head out the balcony. Her hair


    was tied up in a ponytail, and her petite face was glowing with youth. Rachel tightened her grip around


    the documents she was holding.


    The iciness on Justin¡¯s face faded significantly as he turned to look at the young girl. ¡°What brings you


    here?¡±


    ¡°I was too bored, and there were a lot of people surrounding me and asking me questions. I had to find


    a way to escape them.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Rachel. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before! I saw you


    during the ribbon-cutting ceremony! Hello, my name¡¯s Gloria. I¡¯m Justin¡¯s, Oops.¡± The girl stuck her


    tongue out and giggled. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m President Burton¡¯s secretary. I¡¯m still on probation.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Gloria continued talking. ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t talk?¡± She eyed Rachel puzzledly.


    Rachel subconsciously stared at Justin, but Justin didn¡¯t seem interested in introducing the two women


    to each other at all. Instead, he nced at his watch. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Glo. It¡¯ste now.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Where are we going?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that this ce was boring? I¡¯ll bring you somewhere else for food,¡± Justin offered. ¡°Right


    now? But there are a lot of people waiting out there for you¡± Gloria protested.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to care about those people,¡± he muttered. Gloria looked like she wanted to talk to


    Rachel for a while more, but the younger girl had no choice but to keep up behind Justin as he began


    to walk off.


    For some reason, the breeze seemed chillier as Rachel watched the two people walking away from


    her. She couldn¡¯t help but shudder a little. Justin had a new love interest, and he no longer cared about


    Rachel-but wasn¡¯t this what Rachel had always longed for? If that was the case, why did she feel so


    hurt deep down?


    As the night went on, Justin sent Gloria home after they had a meal. As he was on the way home,


    Frankie nced at the rearview mirror for a while before he hesitatingly parted his lips to speak.


    ¡°President Burton, there¡¯s been some gossip going on in thepany recently.¡±


    ¡°What are they talking about?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s about you and Miss Hochmann. They said that you chose a youngdy to be your secretary and


    that both of you-¡± Frankie was interrupted before he could finish his words.


    ¡°Do you need to tell me this? Do you need me to teach you what to do?¡± Justin uttered.


    Frankie¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I know that you would like to protect Miss


    Hochmann, but these rumors can be hurtful, and she¡¯s still a young girl. If someone tries to use this


    against you guys¡­ The board of directors-Jason and the rest of them-have been waiting to find fault in


    you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. Gloria¡¯s starting school next month, so she won¡¯t be at thepany a lot,¡± Justin


    replied with a calm look on his face. Frankle looked as if he was about to say something else, but he


    held his words back in the end. He couldn¡¯t understand what his boss was trying to do at all.


    On the other hand, Jefferey was quick to learn about the news of Rachel quitting her job and Jolning


    the Burton Group. Things went just as Justin had expected it to-Rachel received a call from Jefferey


    right after she started working at her newpany. Jefferey asked her to meet up with him.


    The breeze was strong, and the sun was blinding at the Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ production factory.


    Rachel squinted to get used to the sunlight when she first got out of the car, and she soon saw a figure


    waving at her from a distance away. ¡°You¡¯ve been here when you were just a child, Rachel. Do you


    remember this ce?¡±


    Jefferey brought her for a walk in the factory¡¯s workshop, and Rachel tagged along with mixed


    Riverdale. The rest of the factories were built in further locations to save costs on the workforce sry


    and rental. ¡°In the past, our ancestors had insisted that everyone who inherited Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals had to get a degree in medicine. You know that, right?¡±


    Yeah.


    ¡°Well, things are different now-we have a research team, and we¡¯re a listedpany, so it¡¯s more


    important for the person who takes over to have some management skills. In other words, I have the


    power to decide who I wish to hand thepany to,¡± Jefferey exined.


    Why are you telling me all this? Rachel asked.


    ¡°Do you know why I¡¯ve never allowed Amber to get involved with thepany, Rachel?¡± Jefferey didn¡¯t


    answer her question. Rachel shook her head as she didn¡¯t understand why.


    ¡°Amber is bad at managing a business, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good fit for her to take over thepany.


    Inparison to her, you¡¯re much more mature and stable. You¡¯ve been outstanding ever since you


    were a child,¡± Jefferey said.


    Rachel let out a scoff in her heart as she could predict what he was about to say next. ¡°Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals will fall into your hands someday.¡± Her gaze darkened-she didn¡¯t look pleased by the


    news at all. ¡°I heard that you quit your job and got into the Burton Group, is that right?¡± Jefferey asked.


    As expected, their topic had shifted onto this matter. Yes, she replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. You should help your husband out with some work since you¡¯ve married into the


    Burton Family. This shows his trust toward you, and it¡¯s also a great oppo continued.


    What opportunity are you referring to? she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a chance for us to build a rtionship between bothpanies. The Burton Group has always


    taken the lead in the property industry. Wouldn¡¯t all parties be happy if you were able to help your old


    man out a little?¡±


    Would all parties be happy? Rachel let out another scoff in her heart. Jefferey was probably the only


    one who¡¯d benefit from such a suggestion. But I don¡¯t understand much about Hudson Pharmaceuticals


    business, so I¡¯m not sure I can be of any help even if I wanted to help you.


    Jefferey beamed at her. ¡°That¡¯s no issue at all. If you¡¯re willing to do this, I can get someone to


    familiarize you with our business so that you can make someparisons to your work at the Burton


    Group.¡±


    Is this the right thing to do? she asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong about it. You¡¯re my daughter, and you¡¯re part of Hudson Pharmaceuticals as


    well. I trust you to do a good job,¡± he sald while patting her on the shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the


    past from now on. Family members shouldn¡¯t hold any grudges with each other, right?¡±


    Rachel tried her best to force a pollte smile onto her face.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 96

    My Mute Bride Chapter 96


    Aftering out of the factory, Rachel said goodbye to Jefferey. Then, she drove out of the area. But


    suddenly, she stopped by the side of the road, got out of the car at lightning speed, and retched while


    holding on to a tree on the roadside.


    At the thought of how Jefferey had forced her mother to death, she couldn¡¯t wait to cut him to pieces.


    Earlier, the feigned courtesy with him made her feel sick in the stomach and very disgusted.


    At Burton Group, Frankie led Rachel through the cubicles in the finance department and said, ¡°Miss


    Hudson, this is your office.¡± Turning to everyone, he added, ¡°Gather around, guys. Stop the work in


    your hands for a moment. This is our new deputy finance director. Let¡¯s get to know each other.¡±


    The staff in the finance department all got to their feet and greeted, ¡°Hello, Miss Hudson.¡±


    Maybe it was because Frankie had already told the staff in advance, so everyone in the finance


    department didn¡¯t act surprised at the fact that Rachel was a mute, and they seemed friendly.


    After Rachel greeted each of them, she returned to her office.


    Actually, Justin merely sent her here as a pretense, and she didn¡¯t actually have to do any work.


    Therefore, she wouldn¡¯t really have any interactions with the staff here. Her only job was to keep an


    eye on the Hudsons¡¯ movements.


    Suddenly, a knock came on her door, and she raised her head to see a familiar face-Gloria.


    On the other hand, Gloria wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised to see her. Standing with her back straight in


    front of her desk, she ced a document on Rachel¡¯s desk and said with a smile, ¡°Miss Hudson, this is


    the document President Burton wanted me to send here. Also, he asked me to check if there¡¯s anything


    else you¡¯ll need.¡±


    hipped through the document, closed it, and pushed it back to her. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t this be sent to the legal


    department? Did youe to the wrong ce?¡¯


    ¡°Maybe I sent it to the wrong ce, then.¡±


    Quietly. Rachel stared at her and started writing something on the memo pad. ¡®Are you doing this on


    purpose?¡¯


    Gloria read the graceful writing on the memo pad and eximed, ¡°You¡¯re very smart, Miss Rachel!¡±


    She


    giggled and continued, ¡°Justin is away at the moment, and I was very bored until I heard some


    secretary saying that a new deputy director has arrived in the finance department. So I came over to


    confirm my guess.¡±


    ¡®What was your guess?¡¯


    ¡°When I saw you speaking with him on the balcony that day, I already had a hunch that you have an


    extraordinary rtionship with him, but I didn¡¯t have the opportunity to ask. Looks like I¡¯ve guessed it


    correctly! You¡¯re Justin¡¯s wife, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart skipped as she measured up the young girl in front of her. Below the age of twenty, she


    should be at the most innocent period of her life-simple and candid.


    But if she was really simple and candid, she wouldn¡¯t have appeared next to Justin. All of a sudden,


    Rachel became wary. ¡°Who are you?¡¯


    ¡°Me?¡± Gloria asked, blinking. With a sly expression, she sald in a purposeful manner, ¡°Miss Rachel,


    what you really want to ask is the rtionship between Justin and me, isn¡¯t it?¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    The spot between Rachel¡¯s brows twitched. The look in this young girl¡¯s eyes was very intelligent,


    untainted and clear. With just one look, Rachel could tell that she was very well protected, which was


    why she could point out the things she observed so bluntly.


    ¡°Well, you can make a guess about my rtionship with Justin.¡±


    Rachel frowned. ¡®I can¡¯t guess it! And neither do I want to, she added in her mind.


    ¡°Are you angry?¡± Gloria asked, blinking at her suddenly. ¡°But I heard that you have a very good


    temper.¡±


    Her words caught Rachel by surprise, but just then, another knock came at her door.


    ¡°Miss Hochmann.¡± It was Frankie this time, and he seemed relieved at the sight of her. ¡°President


    Burton is back and looking for you now. Why did youe here?¡±


    Gloria said, ¡°I was bored so I was just walking around. Why is he looking for me?¡±


    Frankie¡¯s eyes darted to Rachel hesitantly, and his voice turned into a whisper. ¡°Well, President Burton


    found someone to buy some palmiers because you Ilke it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Gloria eximed with sparkling eyes and immediately walked toward the door. When she


    reached the door, something popped up in her mind suddenly, and she turned around. Waving at


    Rachel as she giggled, she asked, ¡°Do you like palmiers, Miss Rachel?¡±


    Rachel felt a wrench in her heart, and she shook her head grudgingly.


    Looking as though it was unfortunate, Gloria sighed and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll eat it by myself, then. He


    doesn¡¯t really like sweets as well.¡±


    Then, she disappeared from the door, leaving Rachel feeling suffocated, as though something was


    stuck in her chest. It was as if the air couldn¡¯t reach her lungs, and it was hard to breathe.


    So there exists such a woman whom Justin is willing to take care of attentively, she thought.


    In the evening, Rachel asked Hans out for dinner.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gone through the legal documents you gave me. Thewsuit with Hudson Pharmaceuticals is very


    difficult indeed. It can also be seen from thesewsuits that they never resolved its financial crisis from


    before.¡±


    Rachel was puzzled. But when I married to the Burton Family, Jefferey had made a deal with Justin


    and got a rather huge sum of money.


    ¡°Maybe this hole is a bottomless pit, and that money Isn¡¯t enough at all.¡±


    Even though Jefferey agreed to let me have ess to the internal works of Hudson Pharmaceuticals, I


    still haven¡¯t seen the core financial status. Most of the members in the finance department are his


    confidants.


    ¡°Be patient. There will be a solution in the end.¡±


    Rachel nodded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not speak about this. You don¡¯t look so good recently. It must be too stressful, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I¡¯m fine.


    ¡°Since the first day I knew you, I already know that you¡¯re the kind of person who would carry all the


    burden by yourself. You can really be such a bore,¡± Hans said, rolling his eyes at her. ¡°Eat some meat


    to replenish your protein.¡± Then, he cut a piece of beef and ced it onto her te.


    Initially, Rachel wanted to thank him, but for some unknown reason, her stomach felt queasy at the


    sight of the meat, and she quickly covered her mouth.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± he asked with a concerned look in his eyes and stood up.


    It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m going to the washroom.


    Crouched in front of the toilet in a cubicle, Rachel retched, but nothing else came out except her


    stomach Juices.


    When she stood up, she felt her eyes spinning, and could only try to recover as she held onto the wall.


    Then, she heard the sound of high heels clicking on the floor from outside. ¡°I got it, Dad. How can I


    forget when you¡¯ve said it more than a few hundred times?¡±


    Hearing the familiar voice, Rachel stopped her hand from opening the cubicle door. Amber? What is


    she doing here?


    Outside, Amber directly put her call on loudspeaker mode as she ced her cell phone next to the


    basin. While retouching her makeup, she continued the call.


    ¡°It¡¯s the information on the internal tender, after all. So, it won¡¯t be that easy to obtain. I¡¯ve only


    managed to ask Justin out for dinner today. I can¡¯t make it too obvious.¡±


    ¡°Get it done as soon as possible. The deadline is drawing close. You have to get it before the day after


    tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it, for sure. You should just wait.¡± She reapplied her lipstick delightfully in front of the mirror and


    continued, ¡°Dad, you still have to rely on me at times like this. What can you expect if you rely on that


    mute who is siding with others? I¡¯m hanging up now. Justin is still waiting for me at the dinner table.¡±


    The conversation ended. Finally, Amber left, and Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. Information on the


    internal tender?


    After returning from the washroom, she appeared a little absent-minded, and Hans asked with concern,


    ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Are you feeling unwell? I¡¯ll bring you for a checkup at the hospital.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 97

    My Mute Bride Chapter 97


    Rachel shook her head. My stomach feels sick. Maybe I ate something bad.


    ¡°Let¡¯s order something that goes easy on your stomach, then.¡±


    As her gaze drifted away to a spot far away, Rachel could see Amber having dinner with Justin.


    Because of the distance, she couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying at all, but she could clearly see him


    Unknowingly, her hand was gripping the tablecloth underneath the table tightly. Although she was


    aware that Justin was merely putting up a show with Amber, she was still upset.


    Since when did every move that man made affect her heartstrings so greatly? In addition, his contact


    with any woman would break her heart.


    For some unknown reason, she suddenly thought of Gloria. If he could act that attentive with Amber


    even though it¡¯s just a pretense, then how is he treating Gloria? she wondered.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Hans asked, twisting his head backward as he followed her gaze, but she


    suddenly grabbed him. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Let¡¯s go to another restaurant. A dark shadow hovered over her eyes.


    At night, when all the Burtons had already turned in for the night, Rachel went downstairs to make


    herself a cup of tea. She ran into Justin who had just returned.


    You¡¯re back sote.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Justin uttered, taking off his jacket and tossing it casually on the couch.


    Seeing that he wasn¡¯t going to bother about her, Rachel felt snubbed, and she strode into the kitchen to


    make her tea with a gloomy look on her face.


    Recently, she had spent severalte nights as she was busy gathering information about Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals.


    With only the wall lights turned on, the kitchen was a little dingy, and Rachel opened the overhead


    cab to look for the tea leaves while waiting for the water to boil. After she finally saw the container,


    she realized that it was ced furthest on the inside, and it was difficult for her to reach it with her


    height.


    A long arm stretched over her head and leaned against the cab door. In a nonchnt voice which


    carried a soft tobo scent, he asked, ¡°What do you want to get?¡±


    The smell of the man¡¯s cologne traveled up her nose, and she felt a tight squeeze at her heart; even


    her shoulders shuddered along.


    She pointed at the spot, and Justin passed her the tea contalner.


    Thank you. She wanted to offer him a cup when she remembered that he always liked the tea she


    made.


    But before she could, he asked, ¡°How are things golng with Hudson Pharmaceuticals?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s fingers, which were about to sign something, turned stiff, and she tasted something bitter from


    her throat. I found some loopholes, but they aren¡¯t enough to hit any critical points. Jefferey and his


    employees still don¡¯t trust me at the moment, so maybe I still need to work on it.


    ¡°No hurry. The people from the Investigation Bureau are also investigating Hudson Pharmaceuticals. I


    can still wait a little.¡±


    After giving him a nod, she suddenly remembered what happened at the restaurant and couldn¡¯t help


    but ask. Are you still in contact with Amber recently?


    Jerking his head to look at her with a thoughtful look in his eyes, he asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    It seems like Jefferey is nning to use her to get the information on the tender from you. So, you


    should be wary of her.


    ¡°How did you find out about this?¡±


    Stunned, Rachel noticed that Justin didn¡¯t seem one bit surprised at all. She recollected herself. I heard


    it by chance. Forget it if you don¡¯t believe me.


    The sound of water boiling echoed in the kitchen, and she hurriedly turned around, rushing over to the


    boiling water. As Justin watched her back while she was busy, the knot between his brows turned


    tighter. His profile under the lighting appeared especially deep-set with a hint of aloofness.


    leaving earlier this evening popped up in his mind. ¡°Did you hear about that this evening?¡±


    Upon hearing the voice from behind her, Rachel stopped her hand mid-air while she was pouring


    herself tea.


    ¡°Where did you go this evening?¡±


    I had dinner with a friend.


    ¡°Which friend?¡± Justin asked in a growl, taking a step closer to her. ¡°Do I know him?¡±


    With her waist against the kitchen counter, she had no other ce to retreat.


    cing his broad palms on both her sides, he leaned down and warned, ¡°Rachel, I did promise you


    that we¡¯re merely cooperating with each other, but this doesn¡¯t mean that you can go out on a date with


    another man in a public ce without any care. Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re Mrs. Burton now.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    There¡¯s nothing else between us. We¡¯re just friends.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin it to me, so keep those words for now. Exin it to the media when they¡¯ve


    snapped pictures of you.¡± His voice was incredibly icy, and there was not a shard of warmth in his eyes.


    Spitting each word, he added, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t find it troublesome.¡±


    Rachel was wholly frightened.


    ¡°If there¡¯s an opportunity, remember to find out about Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ situation from that


    friend, Officer Hawkins, of yours.¡± With that said, he left the kitchen with his jacket in his hand.


    Then, Rachel heard the sound of footsteps drawing further away in the living room as she held her


    mmy palms tightly. When she heard the door closing upstairs, she suddenly twirled around and


    started retching into the washbasin. By the time she was finished throwing up her stomach juices, she


    had already lost every ounce of energy left.


    At the same time when she was having the bitter aftertaste in her throat, her chest was also feeling


    tight with bitterness. A sharp sting stung her nose and her eyes turned red, then tears started falling


    into the washbasin beneath. She had no idea why she was so upset. It was as though she was being


    strangled and her heart was feeling wave after wave of sharp pain.


    The next day, Frankie passed a document to Justin in the office and said, ¡°President Burton, this is the


    information you asked for about the tender.¡±


    ¡°Make a reservation for lunch today and find an opportunity to put this in an appropriate ce,¡± Justin


    instructed.


    In reply, Frankie nodded, understanding what he was nning.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Justin asked, casting Frankie a look when he saw that he didn¡¯t leave yet.


    Hesitantly, Frankie said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing else, actually. It¡¯s just that, didn¡¯t you find a mini detectaphone


    from your car thest time? I was thinking about it afterward and remembered that Amber was also in


    your car before that.¡±


    Justin lifted his head, the look in his eyes shifting.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton doesn¡¯t have many chances to contact Jefferey, and was hospitalized before that. So, I


    Investigated the surveince at the hospital and saw that Jefferey had been there before, but a fight


    broke out between them, and this is what I discovered.¡± Then, he took out a USB sh drive and


    passed it to Justin.


    Justin plugged it into theputer and opened the file. It showed the surveince footage in front of an


    elevator in the hospital, and the time was the day Jefferey went to look for Rachel. In the video,


    Jefferey clearly looked furious, and he threw something into the bin. However, when the elevator doors


    closed, a person wearing a white robe appeared out of the emergency staircase next to it and retrieved


    that thing after rummaging through the bin.


    ¡°That¡¯s Amber,¡± Frankie said, his volce echoing in the office. He was a little uneasy because he only


    found out the truth after this incident had passed for quite some time.


    Staring at the frozen image on the screen, Justin looked grim. ¡°I got it. Get back to work for now.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After Frankle left, Justin was deep in his thoughts for a long time, looking distracted.


    In the afternoon, Rachel went looking for Justin to report about her Investigations on Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals.


    Knock knock, knock


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    His office was huge and old-fashioned. Built and designed in an outdated style, it was not only dreary


    but lifeless, and this was the first time she visited his office.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 98

    My Mute Bride Chapter 98


    ¡°Sit.¡± The finance director, Fanny Bronson, is Jefferey¡¯s number one right-hand employee, and they¡¯re


    guarding against me heavily. I can¡¯t ess their original ount book.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Justin said, pouring out a cup of tea and then pushing it slowly in front of her. ¡°Soon,


    you¡¯ll be able to check their ounts openly.¡±


    Why?


    ¡°Hudson Pharmaceuticals will soon fall into another round of financial crisis.¡±


    Rachel was puzzled at his words, but the cell phone she ced on his desk suddenly vibrated at this


    time.


    From the corner of his eyes, Justin saw Hans¡¯ name and lowered his head to taste the tea. Suddenly,


    he kept away the tea he just had and the one he offered to Rachel, saying, ¡°This tea is regr. By the


    Startled, Rachel secretly held her palms into fists. Justin was clearly aware that Tina didn¡¯t like her, not


    to mention she almost got her killed. Yet, he wanted her to attend Tina¡¯s engagement party with him.


    Can / skip it?


    ¡°No,¡± he said curtly, his eyes fixed on her. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your title now.¡±


    Pursing her lips, she was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Also¡­¡± He cast a cold look at the cell phone on the desk. ¡°Since it¡¯s a deal, you should show some


    progress, but you¡¯ve shown me nothing until now. Do you think I can continue to believe that you have


    what it takes to help me acquire Hudson Pharmaceuticals?¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    I¡¯m thinking of a n.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid there would¡¯ve been progress already had you spent half of the time chatting with others on


    coming up with a n.¡±


    His words caught her by surprise, and she stared at him in shock.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you three days. I need to see evidence which shows a concrete financial loophole within


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡± His words echoed in the room.


    Three days? That¡¯s impossible!


    While they were in a stalemate, the door swung open.


    ¡°I went out to buy a watermelon. It¡¯s really sweet, Jus,¡±


    Rachel peered over at the person who just entered the room, and that person stopped mid-sentence.


    Carrying a watermelon in her hands, Gloria was stunned for a moment when she saw Rachel, and she


    turned to Justin in reflex. ¡°Uh¡­ Am I interrupting your meeting? Should I go out for now so you guys


    can continue?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Justin said. ¡°We¡¯re done talking, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to cut the watermelon, then!¡± Gloria eximed and looked at Rachel happily. ¡°Miss Rachel,


    why don¡¯t you join us as well?¡±


    Thanks, but no. Then, Rachel stood up and gestured to Justin. I¡¯m leaving first.


    Justin¡¯s face was stony, and when he recalled that her phone vibrated for a split second earlier, it


    turned even more solemn.


    Meanwhile, after Rachel left his office, she heard the lively voice of the girl behind her, and her


    footsteps gradually slowed down; even her knees and feet felt a little numb. If it wasn¡¯t for the purpose


    of destroying the Hudsons, Justin would never have married a mute like herself.


    She once thought that the care she received before was maybe because the scar on his face


    resonated with her, and that was why he felt a little pity for her.


    But Gloria¡¯s appearance shattered all her fantasies, and she could now clearly see that Justin would


    never have any feelings for herself.


    After seeing how he doted on a person he loved, she was sure that this man was only aloof and


    emotionless to the person he didn¡¯t love.


    His warning was like a ticking bomb, and it made her very unsettled.


    Rachel knew for a fact that if she didn¡¯t show any real results as soon as possible, Justin might not


    have the patience to continue coborating with her.


    Hence, for the next few days, she went to Hudson Pharmaceuticals very diligently.


    One afternoon when she just arrived, she was invited into Jefferey¡¯s office by his assistant.


    ¡°What the hell! We¡¯re friends when he can use me, but he kicks me aside when I¡¯m not of any use! Get


    out, all of you!¡±


    A document flew out of the office andnded next to Rachel¡¯s foot, startling her. The documents and


    ornaments on the desk were all swept to the floor, and the secretary was crouching on the floor,


    clearing up the mess.


    Rachel looked at the assistant in surprise. What happened?


    Sighing, he knocked on the door twice and reported, ¡°President Hudson, Miss Rachel is here.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The assistant gestured for Rachel to go in.


    The moment she stepped into the room, she saw Jefferey clutching onto the desk with an ashen face,


    and the entire room was trashed.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Rachel.¡± Jefferey stepped out from behind the desk. Then, he grabbed her by her


    shoulders as though she was hisst hope. ¡°You have to help me this time. You have to get Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals out of this crisis.¡±


    Rachel was puzzled. What happened?


    ¡°Pacific Inc. suddenly withdrew their funds, and our factories abroad have stopped operations. Without


    funding, we now have a huge problem, and if we don¡¯t fill up this hole quickly, the board of directors


    will hold someone ountable. I won¡¯t be able to keep my position then!¡±


    Isn¡¯t Pacific Inc. a long-term partner of Hudson Pharmaceuticals?


    At the mention of this, Jefferey turned sullen. ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of ingrates. I did my best to help them


    win the tender, but they ced all the me on me when they didn¡¯t win as expected. Then, they


    withdrew their funding just like that¡­¡±


    Tender? Rachel repeated in her mind, and she suddenly figured it out.


    By now, Rachel had alreadyposed herself. Calm down. First, I have to see how much you¡¯re


    lacking in funding.


    ¡°You¡¯re willing to help?¡±


    Of course, but the finance department doesn¡¯t allow me to see the ounts this whole time.


    ¡°You want to check the ounts?¡± Jefferey asked, and a wary look shed across his face


    immediately.


    Putting on an awkward look, Rachel stepped away from him. I know you¡¯re worried about me checking


    the ounts. I¡¯ll try my best to convince Justin, but I¡¯m such a klutz, and I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be easy to


    convince him. I can only hope for the best regarding how much he¡¯s willing to help.


    Silence loomed over the office for a long while as he pondered over it before making a call. ¡°Let Fanny


    from the finance department know that Rachel is free to check the ounts as she likes in the future.


    Just say that I gave her the green light.¡± After hanging up the call, he looked at her. ¡°Rachel, will this


    do?¡±


    In response, she nodded, and her eyes were calm and friendly. However, it made Jefferey feel


    inexplicably panicky.


    Somehow, he felt that this submissive daughter waspletely different from before.


    When she came out of the office, the next thing she did was send a text to Justin. ¡®I have ess to the


    ounts now. It¡¯s true that Hudson Pharmaceuticals is in trouble because they lost their funding. How


    do you n to proceed?¡¯


    A few minutester, she received a reply. ¡®We¡¯ll speak about it when we meet. Let¡¯s have dinner


    together tonight!


    Rachel was somewhat taken aback by this.


    The venue was a western restaurant. Before getting out of the car, she straightened her hair in front of


    the mirror. For unknown reasons, her heart was beating very fast.


    This would be the first time she had dinner with Justin in a restaurant.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 99

    My Mute Bride Chapter 99


    ¡°Hello, miss. Do you have a reservation?¡± the waltress at the entrance asked.


    Rachelmunicated in signnguage, and the waitress was at a loss of what to do. Thus, she peered


    into the restaurant, trying to locate Justin.


    ¡°Miss Rachel, over here!¡± A crisp, clear voice came from a table next to the windows, and it was Gloria


    waving her hand at Rachel. She was dressed in a pale yellow dress with her hair down around her


    shoulders, and her smile was refreshing and warm.


    Rachel felt her heart drop, and her grip on her handbag tightened without her realizing. The seat was at


    the table next to the window, and the view outside was the bright lights of the city.


    Why are you here?


    ¡°Justin is making a call right there,¡± Gloria exined, pointing to the outdoor dining area.


    Through the French windows, Rachel saw his tall figure with his back facing the restaurant while he


    spoke into the phone, and aplicated look shed in her eyes.


    ¡°What would you like to eat, Miss Rachel? We ced our orders earlier, but you should take a look as


    well,¡± Gloria said, pushing the menu to her. Rachel only managed to nce at the menu when Gloria


    added, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try this, Miss Rachel? I think it¡¯s not bad, and this dessert as well. I ordered one


    earlier. Would you like one as well?¡±


    Rachel froze for a moment and decided to stop flipping the menu, pushing it away. You can decide.


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t mind that I¡¯m joining you guys for dinner.¡±


    Curling the edge of her lips, Rachel forced a smile. I don¡¯t mind. We¡¯re here to discuss work, anyway.


    ¡°Actually, it was only both of you having dinner together tonight, but I asked if I could join when we were


    getting off from work, and Justin agreed to let me tag along.¡±


    Narrowing her eyes, Rachel could clearly feel a trace of pressure.


    ¡°For a business marriage like yours, actually you have no rtionship to speak about besides


    business, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m not interested in the title of Mrs. Burton, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me


    as a threat. However, I won¡¯t leave Justin¡¯s side in this lifetime. We¡¯ve known each other for ten years


    Instantly, Rachel dug her fingernails into her palms. Ten years¡­ she repeated in her head. Justin


    already knew this girl for ten years. How old was this girl even ten years ago?


    Just what is your rtionship with him? Rachel asked.


    Giggling, Gloria peered over Rachel¡¯s shoulders and said, ¡°You¡¯re done with your call? I just finished


    ordering the food with Miss Rachel.¡±


    The ss on the window reflected Justin¡¯s figure as he walked up from behind Rachel and naturally


    slid into a seat next to Gloria without hesitation. Inparison, Rachel was the one who seemed like


    an outsider.


    ¡°What were you chatting about? You seem so excited.¡±


    ¡°Miss Rachel just asked me what¡¯s our rtionship, but you came back before I could answer her.¡±


    Hearing that, Justin nced at Rachel and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t seem like such a curious person to me


    Rachel was startled, and Gloria quickly said, ¡°She was just asking casually. Why are you being so


    fierce? It¡¯s kinda terrifying.¡±


    The muscles on Justin¡¯s face eased up, and he changed the topic of conversation. ¡°How are things


    going with Hudson Pharmaceuticals?¡± Rachel cast a nce at Gloria, and he exined calmly, ¡°It¡¯s


    okay. Gloria is not an outsider. Just speak your mind.¡±


    His words sent a wave of jealousy over Rachel¡¯s chest, leaving her feeling bleak. On the other hand,


    Gloria merely chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not the least Interested in your official business. You guys can continue


    while I go to the washroom.¡±


    Rachel passed a document to Justin. Just as you expected, Hudson Pharmaceuticals is in a financial


    crisis after falling out with Pacific Inc. Now, they¡¯re in a desperate need for funding, and Jefferey wants


    me to ask for help from you. As part of the deal, I requested ess to the original ounts, and I¡¯ve


    already gone through a part of it.


    ¡°The financial situation of Hudson Pharmaceuticals is worse than I imagined.¡±


    What do you n to do?


    Closing the document, Justin looked up at her with aposed face. ¡°Isn¡¯t Jefferey hoping that I¡¯ll help


    him out? I¡¯ll do as he wishes and help him.¡±


    Startled, the things Justin just said made Rachel¡¯s heart pump faster. She could totally imagine that


    Jefferey would be so furious when he heard this news, and she was afraid he might even pass out


    because he couldn¡¯t catch his breath from the sudden rush of anger.


    Are you really doing this? What if he flips?


    ¡°Does he have the guts to?¡± Justin asked calmly instead. ¡°After having an argument with Pacific Inc.


    and losing his only backup, where else could he retreat if people within the industry knew that he fell


    out with the Burton Group as well?¡±


    From the moment Amber stole the information, he had yed along with her, nning to lure her.


    Everything was a trap he set up for Jefferey, and he was so shrewd that it gave Rachel the chills.


    Suddenly, the sound of a piano ying came from the stage in the middle of the restaurant, attracting


    everybody¡¯s attention. Lifting her head to the source, Rachel saw Gloria seated at a white grand no


    as her fingers danced across the keyboard.


    She yed the plece ¡®Canon¡¯ very smoothly, and it was filled with robust and lively emotions. The notes


    chasing after each other in the melody was like she was telling a tale of longing and pursult.


    When she finished, the restaurant burst out in a round of apuse.


    A group of children gathered next to the stage Immediately pped. ¡°You¡¯re amazing! y another


    one!¡±


    Smiling brilliantly, Gloria then changed the tune beneath her fingers, ying a merry piece this time. On


    Then, Rachel suddenly saw the warmth in Justin¡¯s dark eyes across her as he watched Gloria. It was a


    peaceful look that she had never seen before.


    When Gloria was back from ying the piano, she asked, ¡°Are you guys finished? I¡¯m famished. Can


    we eat now?¡±


    As Rachel watched Justin passing a piece of napkin to Gloria for her to clean her hands, she felt a


    bitter tasteing from her throat. I¡¯m leaving first, then. You two enjoy your meal.


    ¡°What are you saying, Miss Rachel?¡± Gloria said, looking curiously at Justin.


    Frowning, he asked, ¡°Why are you in such a rush to leave? Do you have something on?¡±


    Yes, I¡¯m going back to check the ounts, and to prepare for work tomorrow. Also, I need to prepare


    the Information on the thing you just mentioned. Enjoy your meal.


    ¡°You¡¯re so busy that you¡¯re skipping dinner?¡±


    I¡¯ll eat when I get back. Rachel had already stood up with her handbag in hand as she waited for


    Justin¡¯s reply.


    Justin was quiet for a couple of seconds before the words left his lips. ¡°Go, then.¡±


    After giving him a nod, Rachel turned and left.


    ¡°Why are you leaving, Miss Rachel?¡± Gloria asked, standing up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother about her,¡± Justin interrupted, looking a little sorrowful. Even his jet-ck eyes seemed


    very gloomy.


    Seeing how depressed he seemed, Gloria wiped the smile off her face. ¡°Actually, you still care about


    her a lot, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°How can you tell?¡±


    ¡°From everything.¡±


    With a knot between his brows, Justin avolded this topic and switched to another, saying, ¡°Didn¡¯t you


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    say that you¡¯re not ying the no anymore?¡±


    Since she was young, Gloria had learned to y the piano, and she was very gifted. Originally, the best


    for her future would be to continue this study abroad, but she didn¡¯t want to. Instead, she went behind


    Justin¡¯s back and enrolled into a university in Riverdale. After throwing a round of tantrum, she vowed


    not to y the piano again, and more than six months had passed since she threw that fit.


    ¡°I felt like ying all of a sudden,¡± she answered, looking at her own hands. ¡°ying asionally is


    good. Maybe I can be a piano teacher in Riverdale one day.¡±


    ¡°But your talent is wasted in Riverdale.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I think, Gloria wanted to say something else, but stopped suddenly when she realized


    that Justin seemed to be in a daze. She rolled her hands into fists as she told herself, Forget it.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 100

    My Mute Bride Chapter 100


    Meanwhile, at the basement carpark, after Rachel got into her car, the safety belt wouldn¡¯t budge even


    after she tugged at it a few times. Drained of energy, she slowly slumped onto the steering wheel while


    thinking, Ten years¡­ How many decades does a person have in his lifetime?


    Earlier, when she watched how brilliantly Gloria seemed to be shining while surrounded by the children,


    she felt a sense of shame forming in herself for the first time in her life. That girl was so perfect, and


    she carried a sense of cheerfulness and brightness which waspletely different from herself.


    Honk! The sound of her car honk echoed through the parking garage as she identally leaned on it. It


    was so loud that it shocked her and jolted her back to her senses violently.


    What am I thinking about? she asked herself. / still haven¡¯t avenged my mother, and I¡¯m being


    sorrowful for no reason over here.


    After she cleared her mind, she remembered Justin¡¯s words from dinner earlier, and she drafted a text


    message before sending it to Jefferey. Then, she drove out of the parking garage.


    Under thete evening lights, Riverdale appeared to be especially lively. However, Jefferey had been


    staring at the text on his cell phone for a long time with an incredibly sullen face.


    ¡°I¡¯m home, Dad!¡± Amber announced from behind him and hugged him around his neck from the back


    aftering into the house. ¡°Daddy, I saw a bag I really like today. Will you please buy it for me?¡±


    After yanking her hand away, he scolded, ¡°What else can you do besides buying handbags?¡±


    His cold voice boomed through the living room, startling Amber. ¡°What¡¯s the problern?¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you this. Where did you get the information about the tender?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ from Justin¡¯s car.¡±


    ¡°And he let you take it so easily?¡± The expression on Jefferey¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I should have known


    that you won¡¯t be of much help with that intelligence of yours. Great, instead of being any real help,


    you¡¯ve pushed me into the fire pit and someone else now has something he can use to threaten.¡±


    Never been chided so angrily by Jefferey before, Amber whimpered, ¡°What happened exactly, Daddy?¡±


    ¡°What happened? It¡¯s all because of you!¡± he shouted. ¡°The information on the tender is fake, and


    Pacific Inc. used this information I gave them to join the tender. They ended up inplete defeat and


    announced one sidedly that they want to end the coboration with us. Now, ourpany has lost its


    source of funding and we need a huge sum of money. Once the board of directors gets word of this, do


    you have any idea what will happen?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s gonna happen?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be removed from my current position as the president and someone else will be selected to rece


    me.¡±


    All blood drained from Amber¡¯s face, and she heard a ringing in her head.


    ¡°Calm down, Dad. I-I¡¯ll ask Justin for help right now.¡±


    ¡°Save it,¡± he spat. ¡°From now on, just stay out of the way. Rachel had already asked Justin for help.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s willing to help? Justin will never listen to her!¡±


    ¡°Of course he will since he has something to gain from it. Look at this!¡± he snapped, showing his cell


    phone screen to her.


    ¡°15%¡±


    After she read the text, her eyes widened. ¡°Burton Group wants to buy up 15% of our shares and even


    wants to put it under Rachel¡¯s name? We can¡¯t let this happen!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already decided to agree to it and to sell the shares under your name. The press conference will


    be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o¡¯clock.¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡± she cried. As she watched his back while he walked away without turning back, she was so mad


    that she stomped her foot. Why should I sell my shares to that mute? Dad¡¯s crazy, and even Justin has


    lost his mind as well? Furious, she took out her phone and made a call. ¡°Hello, it¡¯s me. I can transfer


    fifty thousand to you today. Just get the things done early as I instructed. Tomorrow afternoon, I don¡¯t


    want to see her appearing at Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    The next day, Justin and Rachel left Burton Group together in a car to head toward Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals to sign the agreement.


    ¡°The fact that Jefferey is willing to cut out a slice of his cake shows that the internal financial situation of


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals is already very terrible. All you have to do is get a hold of their actual financial


    situation, and you don¡¯t have to do anything else after that,¡± the man said in an aloof voice in the car.


    Rachel nodded. I got it.


    Suddenly, her cell phone rang, and she hung up the call without even thinking after seeing the caller ID.


    Since she was seated next to Justin, she didn¡¯t dare to take any risks.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you picking up the call?¡± he asked.


    It¡¯s not an important call. Getting business done is more important.


    After she exined herself, she turned her phone on silent mode, but at that moment, she received a


    text message. Hans is hospitalized after getting beaten and needs a blood transfusion urgently. Where


    Instantly, she straightened her back and grabbed the door handle. The text message was from Janice,


    and so was the call earlier.


    I want to get out


    With a frown, Justin asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    Anxiously, she gestured at him in signnguage. I¡¯m sorry, but I have to take care of an emergency


    now. Can you please wait for me to sign the agreement when I¡¯m done?


    ¡°What¡¯s the emergency?¡±


    Rachel clenched her jaw tightly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t say it?¡± The look in his eyes gradually darkened. ¡°Give me your cell phone. Give it to me.¡±


    Along with his cold order, the air in the car suddenly turned heavy, and the car slowed down. Facing


    Justin¡¯s piercing cold stare, Rachel gritted her teeth before suddenly turning around and opened the


    door.


    ¡°Stop the car!¡± he shouted, his eyes widening.


    The screeching sound of the brakes echoed at the intersection.


    Justin caught hold of nothing but air as he stared at the opened car door, for Rachel had already


    jumped off the car and tumbled onto the street. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the car was already


    reducing its speed at the intersection, she would have been half-dead even if she didn¡¯t end up


    completely dead after this leap.


    However, she had already scrambled to her feet right now and was running away while staggering.


    The driver was pale from the shock as he uttered, ¡°President Burton.¡±


    The muscles on Justin¡¯s face were stiff while he watched Rachel from behind as she limped away into


    the distance. Finally, he came back to his senses and withdrew his hand, clutching it into a fist. ¡°Drive


    on. Let¡¯s go to Hudson Pharmaceuticals first.¡±


    Hurriedly, Rachel took a cab to the hospital, where Janice was pacing around in front of the surgery


    room. Upon seeing Rachel limping over, she rushed to her and asked, ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    How¡¯s Hans doing? Rachel was more worried about him instead.


    ¡°I have no idea who he offended, but he was beaten up badly. He lost too much blood and needs a


    transfusion urgently, but the blood bank in the hospital doesn¡¯t have enough. I remember hlm telling me


    before that you have the same blood type as him. So, you¡¯re the only one I can look for.¡±


    Rachel nodded and quickly indicated that she was willing to donate her blood.


    In her highschool years, when she and Hans became friends, they unexpectedly found out that they


    shared the same blood type.


    In the surgery room, the needle pierced into her vein, and fresh blood flowed through the catheter. Only


    one thought was going through her mind as she gazed at Hans, who was unconscious next to her.


    Please let everything be okay.


    After the blood transfusion, she walked out with a pale face, and Janice helped her to take a seat. ¡°Sit


    down and rest for a while. The operation will take some time.¡±


    What happened? Why was Hans beaten up?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 101

    My Mute Bride Chapter 101


    ¡°The police are still investigating exactly what happened. Apparently, he received an anonymous text


    and left his office in the afternoon. In the end, he was beaten up.¡±


    Hans has a good temper and had just returned to the country. Who could he have offended?


    Shaking her head, Janice said, ¡°He¡¯s awyer, and it¡¯s very often that they offend someone. It¡¯s not


    something surprising. We¡¯ll have to wait for the police investigations to know the details.¡± When she


    saw the injury on Rachel¡¯s legs, she added, ¡°Let¡¯s attend to your wounds first. I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    At the debridement department of the hospital, the doctor bandaged Rachel¡¯s wounds and left her with


    advice such as avoiding contact with water and such, to which she nodded obediently.


    After Hans had his surgery done, he was wheeled into a ward, and Rachel stayed with him in the room.


    Later, Janice received a call and said that she had to leave at thest minute.


    Go ahead. I¡¯ll stay here. It¡¯s fine.


    ¡°Please keep himpany for a while then.¡±


    On the hospital bed, Hansy there with seven or eight stitches on his forehead, and he was still


    unconscious because the anesthetic had yet to wear off.


    As Rachel tucked him under the nket properly, her heart was in a mess. Hans had just returned to


    the country and barely received any cases. Why would he suddenly offend someone who would beat


    him up so badly?


    ¡°Is Hans staying in this hospital?¡± A familiar voice came from the door.


    Jolted away from her thoughts, Rachel turned and saw that the door was pushed open as Justin


    stormed in in his ck suit.


    With a bang, the door closed behind him, and Rachel sprang up suddenly. The piercing pain in her


    knee made her face contorted with agony.


    Justin¡¯s gaze went past her and fell on the bed behind her. ¡°This is the emergency you told me? It is an


    emergency¡­ if it¡¯s a funeral.¡±


    In an instant, Rachel felt as though she had fallen into a pit, and she stepped backward subconsciously


    until her thigh was pressed against the side of the bed. She held onto the rail at the end of the bed for


    support.


    Looking at her coldly, Justin asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have an exnation for me?¡±


    Hans lost a lot of blood in the surgery and he has a rare blood type. The blood bank in the hospital


    doesn¡¯t have enough, so I have to be here.


    ¡°Really? So you jumped off the car like a madman without any regard for your life, just because of a


    call?¡±


    It was an emergency. I¡¯m sorry. All of a sudden, she felt a tightness in her throat, and her hands


    stopped mid air as she tried to say something.


    With his hand around her throat, Justin gripped her as easily as he was holding a chick. He was looking


    down at her from above, enveloping her in a dark shadow. She stopped breathing as he hissed, ¡°I¡¯ve


    warned you before, Rachel. As long as you¡¯re still Mrs. Burton, you have to stay away from other men.


    Looks like you didn¡¯t listen to a word I said, huh?¡±


    No. Rachel shook her head lifelessly and struggled to gesture. Hans and I are only friends.


    However, Justin was unmoved. As a man himself, he didn¡¯t believe at all that pure friendship could


    exist between a man and a woman. It seemed impossible to him that a man who was willing to travel


    thousands of miles back from abroad for Rachel¡¯s sake had no designs toward her.


    ¡°So, does this mean that you will drop everything in your hands ande running toward him without a


    care whenever this friend of yours is in trouble? Is he the most important thing in your life?¡±


    Choked by his grip, Rachel was unable to make a sound, and her face was turning blue. In those


    innocent eyes of hers, hot tears rolled around before falling down and dripping on the back of the man¡¯s


    hand.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    At that moment, a surprised look appeared in Justin¡¯s eyes because a hand was suddenly grabbing the


    hem of his suit, and was tugging it downward strongly.


    Without anyone noticing, Hans had woken up and had gotten a hold of Justin¡¯s clothes. ¡°Let her go!¡± he


    cried in a hoarse, trembling voice.


    Rachel¡¯s face waspletely drained of color now. She yelled wildly in her mind, Let go quickly, Hans!


    Let go now!


    ¡°You¡¯re asking for it!¡± Justin growled, his dark eyes narrowed.


    Rachel coughed and abruptly lifted her neck, which was held in a death grip, and thest tiny gap in


    her throat for air was also blocked. In her dizziness, she felt herself being thrown to the side violently.


    Then, she heard Justin¡¯s loud voice in her ears as he barked, ¡°Someone,e here and break one of


    his legs!¡±


    Those words were like a bomb exploding in her head, and she saw two bodyguards barging into the


    room, but nobody from outside had the guts to stop them.


    Like a madman, Rachel lunged forward and flung herself on Hans. Don¡¯te here! Stay away!


    In spite of that, Justin merely spat coldly, ¡°Pull her away.¡±


    ¡°Rae!¡±


    Hans¡¯ eyes were bloodshot as he struggled to grab her, but the bodyguards peeled her away from him


    forcefully and dragged her aside roughly.


    Pulling out a chair, Justin then sat down on it and said emotionlessly, ¡°Do it.¡±


    One of the bodyguards raised a piece of wood and smashed it into Hans¡¯ calf with full force.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    The scream of the man echoed in the ward for a while.


    Hans¡¯ eyes were about to pop out of their sockets, and his face was covered in cold sweat. Even


    though he was in so much pain that his veins were popping, he gritted his teeth and spat, ¡°You¡­ will


    die a horrible death!¡±


    Justin merely lifted his hand and moved two fingers slightly. ¡°Continue.¡±


    Blows rained upon Hans¡¯ leg like raindrops in a storm once more.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The blood stain on the bed grew bigger, and Rachel started screaming madly, but all she could make


    were hoarse, terrible noises.


    In the end, Hans passed outpletely in a pool of blood on the bed which sent shivers down her


    spine, and she was released. Slumping to the floor lifelessly, she stared in disbelief at everything she


    just witnessed, and she felt as though her heart had been ripped apart into a million pieces and was


    trampled on the floor.


    A momentter, she heard the sound of shoes on the floor. She then saw a pair of shiny leather shoes


    in front


    of her.


    Clutching her by her cheeks, Justin forced her to lift her head. The face that had a scar left by a cut


    looked especially horrifying at this moment. ¡°Did you see it? You caused all of this.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and her face was covered in tears by now. Doctor! Where¡¯s the doctor?


    Somehow, she managed to break free from his grip with a surge of strength, and she staggered to run


    outside. She wanted to get the doctor here because he could definitely save Hans.


    However, Justin grabbed her hair and caught her back effortlessly. Then, her knees buckled, and she


    dropped to the ground heavily, sending a piercing jolt of pain through her that almost knocked her out.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± A vicious voice could be heard above her head. He had his big hands pressed


    down firmly on her shoulders, pinning her to the floor.


    As she knelt there on the floor, all sorts of emotions washed over her simultaneously-humiliation, rage,


    and despair. Without warning, she grabbed his arm and sank her teeth into it.


    ¡°Argh!¡± Justin grunted, and a look of pain shed across his face as he released his hold on Rachel. He


    was already bleeding from her bite; even his white shirt was now stained red from the blood.


    ¡°President Burton!¡± the bodyguards eximed and rushed to support him.


    Holding his arm, Justin red furiously at the woman in a corner of the room. The edges of her lips


    were tinged red with fresh blood, and the look in her eyes was close to insanity as she stared at him


    with a deep hatred.


    He had never seen her like this before.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 102

    My Mute Bride Chapter 102


    A whileter, Rachel stood up by leaning against the wall and staggering away.


    The bodyguards wanted to stop her, but he said coldly, ¡°Let her!¡±


    Without Justin¡¯s permission, no doctor would listen to Rachel¡¯s request, not even if it was an


    emergency. Hans was crippled now, since there was aminuted fracture in his left leg.


    Later, Justin took her home by force and locked her up for three days. As a protest, she didn¡¯t even


    take one bite of the food the servants sent her. It was only three days, but she was only skin and bones


    at the end of it.


    Riverdale was once again graced by rainfall and lightning. ¡°She¡¯s still not eating?¡± The servant shook


    her head, looking troubled. Julian frowned when he heard that. ¡°This can¡¯t go on.¡± With that, he went


    upstairs.


    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t go, Julian!¡± Sue tried to stop him, but to no avail.


    Julian made a beeline for the bedroom. Rachel was curled up on the bed in her white nightgown, her


    hair unkempt, and her face pale. If he didn¡¯t know better, he would have thought she was dead.


    ¡°Rachel.¡± He quickly went up to her, but when he came closer, he carefully hunkered down, worried that


    any sudden move might make her break apart.


    He knew better than anyone what not to do, since it was the same situation asst time. Back then, she


    was also curled up on the bed, and the bed was caked in blood. She looked like a broken, lifeless doll.


    ¡°Rachel.¡± He carefully held her shoulders. ¡°What happened? Tell me.¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    But Rachel said nothing. She was shrouded in a deep, dark despair.


    Julian felt powerless, but he had to carry on. ¡°You have to live on no matter what happens. Your


    grandma needs you; don¡¯t forget about that. Just eat and keep on living. Everything will get better.¡±


    Rachel stared at Julian, but she didn¡¯t look like herself anymore. Her mind was nk. On the first day,


    all she could think of was how Hans¡¯ leg got broken. On the second day, all she could think of was


    everything that happened ever since she was married to Justin. It was maddening, and it almost killed


    her. But on the third day, she couldn¡¯t remember anything.


    All she could think of was that she was a jinx; she thought perhaps everyone around her would be


    better off if she never existed. Nobody would be able to threaten them then. There was nothing in her


    gaze. Her eyes were lifeless.


    Julian panicked. He couldn¡¯t take it anymore, so he held her up and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll take you away from


    this ce.¡±


    Sue was shocked to see Julianing out with Rachel. ¡°What are you doing, Julian? What if Justin


    sees this? Put her back quickly!¡±


    The moment she said that, Justin came in from the entrance with all his fury. When she saw Justin,


    Rachel quickly curled up further.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking her away today no matter what.¡± Julian¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I¡¯m not letting her die here.¡±


    ¡°And why is she going to die?¡± Justin looked at him gravely.


    ¡°Because of your abuse.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Is that what you told him? That I¡¯m abusing you?¡± Justin looked at her and came up to


    them.


    All the color was drained from her face, and she gripped Julian¡¯s shirt.


    ¡°You¡¯re denying it?¡± Julian took a step back, rmed.


    Justin was still looking at Rachel calmly. ¡°Your friend was injured because of you. You¡¯ve been throwing


    a tantrum for a few days now. Yes, you me yourself for this, but I don¡¯t think your friend would want


    to see


    this, right?¡±


    When Rachel heard this, she quickly looked up, and she started panicking.


    Julian frowned, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll tell you after she heals up.¡±


    Julian still had his suspicions, but Rachel tugged on his shirt and signed at him. Put me down.


    That surprised Julian, but before he could put her down, Justin was already taking her from him.


    ¡°You¡¯re still injured. Best not touch the ground.¡±


    Rachel shivered when she felt his anger, and she tried to break free, but Justin the criminal whispered,


    ¡°You¡¯d better follow my orders if you don¡¯t want me to break his other leg.¡±


    Rachel trembled, but Justin took her back up nheless. Even though she was in his arms, all she


    could feel was a terrifying iciness, and all the rm bells went off in her head, as if any sudden


    movement might break her down.


    ¡°Hans¡¯ report is out. Comminuted fracture in his left leg.¡±


    Rachel paled. You¡¯re a madman, Burton!


    ¡°You should have known it¡¯s not easy dealing with me the moment you married me. Everything you


    havees from me. You have no choice but to follow my orders from now on.¡± Justin the abuser


    looked at her coldly. ¡°Or I won¡¯t mind seeing him wheelchair-bound for the rest of his whole life.¡±


    Rachel shuddered heavily.


    After he put her down, Justin tossed a document on the table. ¡°Share transfer agreement. Sign this,


    and you¡¯ll be one of the biggest shareholders. You¡¯ll have the right to take part in the BOD meetings.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at it. If she knew the deal would cost Hans his left leg, she would


    have killed herself back in the car crash.


    ¡°Sign it,¡± Justin threatened her coldly. He gripped her hand tightly and moved it to the signature line.


    Rachel gritted her teeth and signed the papers, but every stroke felt like torture for her. Tears started


    falling on the paper, and along with it, thest remnants of hope within her.


    Justin frowned heavily, as if his sorry excuse of a conscience was telling him to stop.


    I won¡¯t see Hans again. Let him go.


    However, Justin¡¯s ego was so fragile that one little plea was enough to make him go berserk and engulf


    his conscience. What reced it was boundless evil. ¡°Come with me to Tina¡¯s engagement banquet


    this weekend. You¡¯d better stay in line and act your part as Mrs. Burton,¡± he threatened her once again


    and


    stormed off with the agreement.


    Rachel plopped down on the carpet and sat there for a long time, all the while holding the edge of the


    table, trembling in fear.


    After the share transfer, Rachel became one of the shareholders of Hudson Pharmaceuticals, and the


    finance department stopped treating her like garbage. She went into the office to check the ounts,


    but she found no trouble with it. However, she suspected that the chief had another ount in his


    hands.


    On the other hand, Janice ordered a cup of coffee and waited for her below thepany.


    Sorry. Been busy thest couple of days.


    ¡°I know. I saw the news. Congrats.¡± Janice had a dark look in her eyes. She was different from usual.


    ¡°Why did that happen to Hans?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 103

    My Mute Bride Chapter 103


    Rachel gritted her teeth as she held her despair in. I don¡¯t know.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? I was gone for less than two hours, but he was already unconscious when I came


    back. Blood was everywhere, but you were nowhere to be seen. And you tell me you don¡¯t know?¡±


    How is he looking now?


    ¡°Take a guess, genius,¡± Janice growled. ¡°Comminuted fracture. The doctor suggests getting his left leg


    amputated and recing it with a prosthetic. Do you have any idea what this will cost him?¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Rachel was still gritting her teeth while holding her tears in.


    ¡°What on earth were you thinking?¡±


    I¡¯m sorry


    ¡°Apologizing won¡¯t cut it! What are you doing? You¡¯re still helping them even at this point? What are


    you trying to cover up for those b*stards?¡±


    I¡¯m still looking into it. Give me some time.


    ¡°I can afford the time, but not Hans!¡± Janice was furious. ¡°Rachel, Hans has gone above the call of duty


    for you. He tried to get you away from the Burtons! Heck, Riverdale, even! But what did you do? You


    won¡¯t even tell me who broke his leg! If you¡¯re a novel protagonist, you¡¯ll be nothing but a coward!¡±


    Rachel still wouldn¡¯t say it, but her fists were already red from all the clenching. She couldn¡¯t say it, for


    the Burtons were unbelievably powerful in Riverdale. Janice might be a deputy chief, but she still had to


    be careful, even with the Hudsons. There was no way she could take on the Burtons, who could


    effectively ignore thew. Rachel was clear that she needed more evidence and a more powerful


    individual to take Justin out.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t talking? Fine!¡± Janice mmed a document on the table. ¡°This here is a formalint.


    I¡¯m sure Justin¡¯s behind this. The prosecutor is already looking into the case. I hope you¡¯ll be the


    witness on the day of the trial. I pray that you at least have that shred of conscience left. You¡¯d be


    nothing but trash otherwise.¡± Janice then stormed off.


    Rachel was left alone in the caf¨¦, looking pale. A whileter, she drove to the hospital herself. Before


    she got into the ward, she heard the doctor saying, ¡°We¡¯ll need your family¡¯s permission for this surgery


    as soon as possible. It¡¯ll be better for you.¡±


    ¡°My father¡¯s overseas, so he can¡¯te at the moment. I don¡¯t n on telling them either, so I¡¯ll sign it,¡±


    Hans answered weakly.


    Rachel knocked on the door, but she didn¡¯t have the courage to go in.


    ¡°Rae?¡± Hans looked up to see who was there.


    The doctor said, ¡°Think about it then. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thank you, doctor.¡± Hans patted the edge of his bed. He was listless, but he managed to smile.


    ¡°Come in. Have a seat.¡±


    Hans¡¯ left leg was in a thick bandage, and the nket couldn¡¯t cover it. Rachel was heartbroken to see


    him in this state. She felt a surge of sadnessing up, and she started crying. I¡¯m sorry.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize, silly girl. Stop crying though. It¡¯ll ruin your makeup.¡± Hans raised his hand,


    but he realized he couldn¡¯t reach her. There was barely any distance between them, but he couldn¡¯t


    make it. That realization made him despondent. ¡°You can¡¯t stay with the Burtons anymore, Rae. Justin


    is too dangerous.¡±


    This is my fault.


    ¡°It¡¯s not. I might have lost a leg, but we can still make it if we cut our losses right now. Come with me,


    Rachel. I can¡¯t protect you here.¡± That was the most powerless Hans felt after he came back. He used


    to be a proud young man who thought that a sense of justice alone was enough to destroy the world¡¯s


    injustice. But in the face of the cold, hard truth, his light was swallowed up by the darkness, and what


    reced it was an overwhelming powerless feeling.


    Rachel clenched her fists, keeping quiet for the longest while. Just drop the case, alright?


    Hans was shocked. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Drop the case against Justin and go overseas to get treated. Nevere back. Rachel was holding an


    enormous pain within her; only her tears could express it. She knew how hurtful it must have been for


    Hans, but she had to say it.


    ¡°Are you scared of him, Rachel? Did he threaten you?¡± Hans flew into a rage. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be


    scared of him. My firm has the bestwyers in the nation. They said the evidence is enough. If we go to


    trial, we can send him to prison!¡±


    That won¡¯t happen.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s impossible! We just have to work for it!¡± He tried to hold her arm, but the searing pain from


    his leg forced him back onto the bed.


    Rachel quickly held him.


    ¡°You have to divorce him, Rachel!¡±


    That can¡¯t happen! Just listen to me, Hans! If you¡¯re doing this for my own good, then drop the case!


    ¡°What if I refuse to?¡±


    They stayed in a stalemate for a long while, and Rachel kept gritting her teeth. I¡¯ve fallen for him. I can¡¯t


    leave him. Everything will be better if you just leave.


    Hans was horrified to hear that. He quickly gripped her arm. ¡°Impossible! You wouldn¡¯t fall for a demon


    like him!¡±


    Rachel was unbelievably calm, and she pulled her arm away. Just drop the case if you¡¯re really my


    friend. Thank you. With that, she stood up. Speedy recovery.


    ¡°Rachel!¡± Hans yelled after her, and he fell off the bed in an attempt to catch up to her.


    Rachel¡¯s hand trembled, but in the end, she steeled herself and left without turning back. She just


    pushed away the only man in the world besides her grandmother who actually cherished her. God


    knew how much that hurt. How did ite to this? She didn¡¯t have time to think about that. All she


    could do now was the next right thing, and the next right thing was making sure the viins got their just


    desserts; that included Jefferey and Justin.


    Tina¡¯s engagement banquet was held on the weekend as scheduled. The hall was resplendent and


    ostentatious, just like how Tina was. Rachel came all alone after sorting out the finance data that


    morning.


    ¡°Rachel!¡± a familiar voice called out to her, and she could recognize it anywhere.


    Gloria was in a sea blue dress that day. She lifted her dress slightly and trotted up to Rachel, a smile


    stered on her face. ¡°You¡¯rete, Rachel. Justin¡¯s right there. I¡¯ll take you to him.¡±


    Rachel nodded, but just when they were about to leave, they ran into Tina and Amber. Tina was the


    star of the day, so she was wearing a disgustingly white dress, looking like a viinous princess out of a


    tacky TV show.


    The moment she saw Rachel, Tina rolled her eyes. ¡°I did not have to see her today.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here too, Rachel?¡± Amber looked at Rachel and Gloria oddly. ¡°And I thought you wouldn¡¯t


    come. Everyone thought Justin only brought his secretary with him. Wow, even a secretary outranks


    you now, Rachel?¡±


    Rachel clenched her fists, but she didn¡¯t have a goodeback for that.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 104

    My Mute Bride Chapter 104


    As Gloria hated seeing the two, she dragged Rachel and walked away. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Rip! Just then, a sound pierced between the quartet.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Amber screamed. ¡°Gosh, Tina-your dress!¡±


    Unfortunately, it was already toote by the time Rachel realized it. Her heel had been on Tina¡¯s dress


    right then, tearing the whitece apart with an idental step and causing a big hole in her outfit.


    ¡°You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?!¡± Tina eximed, her face filled with fury.


    Meanwhile, Rachel hastily stepped aside. At that moment, they heard another ripping sound. It turned


    out that her heel was stuck in the hole she had just made on Tina¡¯s dress, and Rachel ended up


    erging the hole as she jerked her leg away, and it seemed rather ridiculous.


    I¡¯m sorry!


    ¡°What are you signing about?¡± Tina was utterly vexed as she eximed. ¡°You must have done it on


    purpose! You want to embarrass me in front of everyone, don¡¯t you?¡± As she spoke, she shoved


    Rachel away.


    ¡°Be careful, Rachel!¡± Thanks to Gloria¡¯s swift senses, she quickly held onto Rachel before getting in


    front of her. She then said, ¡°It¡¯s just an ident. It¡¯s pretty obvious to me that Rachel was trying to


    apologize. What do you want more from her? It¡¯s just a dress!¡±


    ¡°Just a dress, you say?¡± Amber crossed her arms. ¡°Oh, little girl! Do you know how much effort was put


    into making this dress? A craftsman from Italy spent one whole year sewing every single thread with


    his own hands! This dress could buy an entire city!¡±


    While Amber was adding fuel to the fire, Tina yelled with a dull face, ¡°Security, send her out of the


    building!¡±


    At once, the security guards rushed over. When the guards grabbed Rachel, she staggered and almost


    fell, feeling so ashamed that she wanted to dig a hole and hide herself. Upon witnessing this, the


    people around them had no idea who she was, and they gave her judgmental stares while criticizing


    her.


    Seeing this, Gloria shouted, ¡°How are you all being so unreasonable? Let go! Let go of her!¡±


    ¡°This is my engagement banquet! This is my house! Who are you to give orders?¡±


    Tina proceeded to leer at her guards. ¡°What are you waiting for? Send her out right away!¡± she yelled.


    Tactfully, the security guards tossed Gloria outside the premises as well.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Gloria shrieked as both women fell onto the ground simultaneously.


    Out of the blue, a figure walked out from the shadows of the crowd. When he saw that the two of them


    had copsed to the ground, Justin hurried over and helped Gloria up before interrogating Tina,


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡±


    Once Gloria got up, Rachel, who was still lying on the ground, felt the weight off her. Although her


    knees were still tingling, she forcefully supported herself against a table beside her and barely


    managed to stand up, all the while remaining silent.


    For some reason, Justin withdrew his extended hand as he looked at Rachel in confusion.


    ¡°Did you bring her here to throw shade at me, Justin?¡± Given Tina¡¯s temper and the fact that she was


    the highlight of the night, she was remarkably bold. ¡°She deliberately destroyed my dress and ruined


    my banquet! How is she going to pay for this?¡±


    To that, Justin¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°So that¡¯s why you had the guards throw them out?¡±


    Immediately, Tina was stunned.


    ¡°Whoid their hands on these women?¡± Justin swept his gaze across the squad of security guards,


    who instantly lost their uniformity upon the man¡¯s intimidation.


    ¡°Perhaps I should break all of your arms!¡± As he casually spat those words, the room consequently got


    quiet.


    Among the crowd, some stared at each other in a baffled manner while others gasped out of shock.


    Rachel was stunned as well, for she had never expected Justin to be this outraged.


    In the nick of time, Jason and Noah arrived at the scene upon hearing the chaos. ¡°What¡¯s all this


    about?¡±


    As he held Tina¡¯s hand, Noah then questioned, ¡°Are you hurt, Baby?¡±


    The woman had a long face as she shook off Noah¡¯s hand.


    Several people from the crowd quickly ran toward Noah and briefly ryed what had happened earlier


    in a whisper. At once, Noah chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s no big trouble. It¡¯s just a dress, Baby. I¡¯ve got


    another one prepared just for you. Why don¡¯t you go and get changed?¡±


    Having said that, he turned to Justin and stated, ¡°We¡¯re a family. Justin, so don¡¯t be so hostile. It¡¯s just a


    minor


    quarrel, and it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know how Tina¡¯s temper is. She¡¯s just her stubborn self! But for some


    reason, there are voices constantly telling her to misbehave!¡±


    Despite fooling around most of the time, Noah was pretty perceptive when it came to determining what


    kind of personality one possessed. He then proceeded to give Amber a threatening scowl.


    At that, the woman¡¯s face turned pale. Noah then continued, ¡°The banquet is starting soon. Spare me


    some pride, will you, Justin?¡±


    When he saw how Justin had no intention of pursuing the matter, Noah asked Tina to go and get


    changed before he dispersed the crowd, finally keeping the situation under control.


    ¡°I¡¯lle and drink with youter, Justin. Hope that¡¯s enough for an apology.¡± After he finished


    speaking, Noah walked away.


    Meanwhile, Rachel slowly calmed down as she stood by the side.


    ¡°You good?¡± Justin¡¯s voice was heard from the front.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Rachel was momentarily dazed by this, and she raised her head to see Justin holding Gloria¡¯s hand,


    checking to see if she had any injuries. ¡°Let¡¯s visit the doctorter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Tina¡¯s a bullying b*tch! That¡¯s right-Rachel!¡± As Rachel popped up in her mind, Gloria turned


    around


    and quizzed, ¡°Are you fine, Rachel?¡±


    In response, the woman shook her head.


    At the same time, Justin¡¯s eyes fell upon Rachel, who was lurching while holding herself up at the table.


    In that instant, there was a trace of sympathy in his eyes, but it quickly vanished when the woman


    turned to him.


    ¡°Go get rested if you¡¯re hurt.¡± It was yet another emotionless string of words, but that didn¡¯t affect


    Rachel since she had long gotten used to his apathy.


    Meanwhile, Gloria witnessed the darkness in his eyes and it made her ponder.


    Since Rachel was injured, her knees were in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t walk properly. As such,


    she could only stay still in the resting area while Gloria tended to the guests along with Justin. When


    she saw the both of them traveling among the masses, Rachel felt even more like a stranger, not


    knowing why Justin insisted that she attend the banquet. All this stepping on me just for the sake of the


    Burtons¡¯ dignity?


    ¡°Honestly, who¡¯s that Gloriady?¡±


    A familiar voice sounded from her back, and before she realized it, Amber was already right beside her.


    At her sister¡¯s presence, Rachel immediately frowned.


    ¡°Earlier on, I heard that Justin hired a young, female secretary who¡¯s constantly following him around. I


    guess seeing is believing, and reality has smacked me in the face tonight. How could you allow her to


    stick around him so much like a bug?¡±


    As she nced at Amber, Rachel responded by signing a few words. Aren¡¯t you constantly sticking to


    him too?


    ¡°D*mn you¡­¡± Amber was visibly tilted. ¡°Where is she from?¡± Earlier on, she had assumed that Justin


    was only protecting Rachel, but upon careful observation, she realized that the man only cared for


    Gloria, and the guards were only hesitating because they were aware of Justin¡¯s rtionship with the


    younger woman. Thus, knowing that made Amber on edge.


    I have no clue.


    ¡°How could you not know? Don¡¯t you work at Burton Group? That¡¯s his secretary! When did he hire her,


    and where is she from?¡±


    If you want to know it so badly, why don¡¯t you go and ask her in person?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 105

    My Mute Bride Chapter 105


    ¡°Are you trying to start a fight with me? Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re superior just because you got a spot in


    the family. If not for Justin, how long do you think you¡¯ll be able to stay on the throne? Either way, I¡¯m


    still impressed.¡± Amber suddenly lowered her body. ¡°Hans already got his leg broken, yet you¡¯re still


    attending the banquet with the assant himself like nothing happened.¡±


    Instantly, Rachel¡¯s pupils contracted.


    How did you know about it?


    Even Julian had no clue that it was Justin who broke Hans¡¯ leg, but Amber knew everything about it!


    It was you!


    Rachel immediately straightened her back.


    The whole episode of Hans being beaten up and sent to the hospital-it was all part of Amber¡¯s n!


    It must have been her!


    To avoid the shares in her hand from getting transferred away, Amber came up with a n to take


    Hans out to dy the transfer. Hence, she was always observing the entire incident, and that was also


    how she knew that Justin broke his leg afterward.


    How could I have not seen thising?!


    As she stared straight at Amber, Rachel struggled to stand up by herself.


    In response, her younger sister forcibly pressed her shoulder, shoving her back on the couch as she


    muttered, ¡°Do you really think that Justin¡¯s not aware of this? Do you know what he¡¯s even more aware


    of? The fact that I¡¯m the real heir to the Hudsons, and you¡¯re but a worthless ident!¡±


    Like a de that pierced through her chest to the heart, those devastating words hit Rachel¡¯s deepest


    wounds,


    At once, Rachel¡¯s eyes reddened with tiny blood vessels.


    Curse you, Amber!


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Amber replied scornfully. ¡°If curses actually work, nobody would be able to live in this world.


    Since you¡¯re not doing anything about Gloria, I¡¯ll do it myself, so you just wait and see!¡±


    As she watched her sister¡¯s leaving figure, Rachel couldn¡¯t stop trembling as drops of tears flowed


    down her cheeks.


    It¡¯s because of me¡­ It¡¯s all because of me!


    I shouldn¡¯t have dragged Hans along in the first ce!


    Everything is toote now!


    At this time, a person in a tailcoat walking across the room came into Rachel¡¯s line of sight.


    After regaining her senses, she seemed to have an epiphany. She swiftly held onto the couch as she


    struggled to get up.


    Afterforting Tina, Noah had exited the dressing room with a delighted face, clearly satisfied with


    the engagement party.


    Although it was merely a business engagement, it was still a boost to his name as his fiance was


    known by the public to be exceptional in terms of looks, academics, and capabilities.


    All of a sudden, he was blocked by a simple figure.


    ¡°You are?¡±


    In front of him was a woman that appeared rather gentle with a pair of eyes that seemed to have wept


    earlier. Everything about her invoked pity.


    Despite his history as ady charmer, he had never seen one with such a look. At first nce, he had a


    slight indecent urge, to which he quickly took control of. ¡°Rachel?¡±


    ¡®I have something to tell you!


    Rachel showed him her phone¡¯s screen.


    After adjusting his cor, Noah peeked around. ¡°That¡¯s not good, is it?¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s important, and it¡¯s about Tina.


    Upon reading that, he was slightly taken aback.


    From the center of the banquet hall, the timbre of the piano graciously resonated throughout the air.


    Meanwhile, every guest was awaiting the arrival of thedy of the night.


    After fixing his bowtie, Jason, who was among the crowd, joyously waited for the official deration of


    the integration between the Burtons and the Hindenburgs. Once that was aplished, he would be


    even more respected among the board members in the Burton Group.


    On the other hand, Gloria said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Rachel in a bit-let me go and get her.¡±


    ¡°Save it. She doesn¡¯t like such gregarious atmospheres.¡±


    Gloria peered at the man beside her in a daze. ¡°You seem to know very well about her.¡±


    At that, Justin slightly tensed his brows.


    Even he himself was unaware that trivial matters had started popping up in his mind, such as her liking


    for sweet and sour foods, her love for desserts, and her preference for silence over merriness.


    ¡°I remember how you didn¡¯t know how to read signnguages. Did you learn it for her sake?¡± Gloria¡¯s


    voice pulled him from his thoughts.


    ¡°How do you really feel about her?¡±


    Her volley of inquiries forced him to question his own subconscious, yet after a long time of thinking


    about it, he didn¡¯t have a definite answer either.


    ¡°You¡¯re in love with her.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Justin answered rather quickly.


    Upon that, Gloria¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°In linguistics, when people give an answer so quickly without giving


    the question any thought, the person is most likely telling a lie.¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    At that, Justin¡¯s frown became deeper.


    Before they could proceed with the conversation, music thundered across the banquet hall.


    When they heard the music, the guests simultaneously turned toward the spiral staircase.


    As she donned a snowy engagement dress, Tina appeared like a queen as she walked down the stairs


    to the tform of flowers, waiting for Noah toe and get her.


    Noah, who came out from a door at the opposite side of the room in his ebony tailcoat, appeared as if


    he was particrly full of energy.


    However, his expression was somewhat hideous as he furiously paced toward Tina.


    A loud p soon pierced through the banquet hall, leaving the masses¡¯ jaws wide open.


    Noah sent Tina falling against the railing with one smack as he yelled furiously, ¡°You b*tch! Has it been


    fun toying with me for so long?¡±


    Tina pressed her face and stared at him in disbelief. ¡°How dare you hit me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the only thing I want to do. I¡¯m dering that this engagement is officially canceled!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Jason rushed toward Noah in a panic. ¡°Are you mental, Noah?¡±


    ¡°Am I mental?¡± Noah let out a disdainful scoff before he proceeded to pull Tina¡¯s hair and violently


    strangled her neck. ¡°This woman is so shameless! Despite our engagement, she¡¯s been seeing another


    man behind my back, and she even bore a child for that imbecile! How bold of the Burtons to present


    such an unfaithfuldy to the Hindenburgs! Tell me, who¡¯s the crazy one here?¡±


    Immediately, the guests gasped in shock and their whispers started filling the banquet hall.


    At once, Jason¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense, Noah! Who told you such crap? Don¡¯t defame Tina


    like that!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Noah continued to tug Tina¡¯s hair. The woman couldn¡¯t stop shrieking as she yelled, ¡°Ahh!¡±


    ¡°Enlighten me, then-whose child is it that¡¯s inside you? Do you dare to take a DNA test?¡±


    Instantly, Tina¡¯s face turned pale as she covered her abdomen, too afraid to voice a word.


    After he finished speaking, Noah shoved her away from himself.


    When she fell to the ground, Tina let out yet another scream of pain as she held onto the rail of the


    spiral staircase, unable to help herself up.


    Jason was deeply embarrassed by this, and he attempted to stop Noah¡¯s frenzy. ¡°Come on, Noah. Let¡¯s


    talk about it properly afterward, okay?¡±


    ¡°Zip it!¡±


    Noah shouted furiously. With a swing of a hand, he grabbed Tina by her face. ¡°This must be the reason


    you tried so hard to intoxicate me, wanting to f*ck me so hastily that night, huh?¡±


    As those humiliating words were loudly announced, the Burtons lost every trace of pride they had left.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 106

    My Mute Bride Chapter 106


    Upon hearing that, Jason was so embarrassed that he could barely stand still.


    If he had known that Tina was indeed pregnant, he would have forced her to abort it even if it was the


    end of the world. Little did he know, her ballsiness allowed her to conceal the truth even from her


    father!


    Now, how was he supposed to clean such an enormous mess?


    ¡°Ah! Blood!¡±


    An anonymous voice shouted just then, to which the crowd redirected their eyes at Tina¡¯s crotch.


    Evidently, blood was flowing down her little thighs as her white, silky dress was stained red. The view


    was rather nauseating.


    As the woman¡¯s father, there was no way Jason could leave her alone. Therefore, he ordered someone


    else to carry her and send her to the hospital. Meanwhile, the situation was getting out of control.


    Gloria clutched Justin¡¯s sleeves as her face turned pale. She said, ¡°Oh, dear¡­¡±


    In response, Justin patted her shoulders tofort her. Hisposed mannerism suggested that he


    was used to such a sight.


    It seems that ying with fire eventually got her burned.


    ¡°You¡¯re not surprised at all¡­ Have you known this long ago?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Did you cause all of this?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± answered Justin as he looked into the distance before asking his assistant, ¡°Where¡¯s the


    missus?¡±


    With that, Gloria was baffled.


    Indeed, they hadn¡¯t seen her for a while.


    As if he had thought of something, his face darkened all of a sudden.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Wait for me here. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    After leaving her behind, Justin hurriedly departed.


    On the second floor of the banquet hall, Rachel was standing in the corner with the greatest view in the


    room.


    Having witnessed everything that happened downstairs, she gripped the rail tightly. Her hands started


    shaking when Tina started bleeding and was sent to the hospital.


    ¡°Like what you see?¡±


    A familiar man¡¯s voice sounded from behind.


    At once, her body froze. When she turned around, Justin¡¯s hand was already on her neck. ¡°Who gave


    you such balls to look for Noah?¡±


    While being strangled, Rachel was forcefully pushed against the rail as her body was correspondent to


    the


    ground. A release of a hand would drop her to the first floor.


    Yet, she gritted her teeth.


    I¡¯ve got no idea what you¡¯re talking about.


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Justin took a step forward as he tightened his grip. ¡°Not many apart from you know


    about Tina and Henry¡¯s affair. You swear it¡¯s not you?¡±


    Will you believe me if I say it¡¯s not me?


    Rachel nced at her surroundings from the corner of her eyes and saw the grand piano on the first


    floor. If she were to fall, she would be disabled if not dead.


    Since she did not dare to shake him off too violently, she proceeded to sign a bunch of words. I don¡¯t


    even know about her pregnancy!


    At once, Justin was stunned.


    Indeed, even Jason didn¡¯t know about Tina¡¯s pregnancy, so how could Rachel possibly know about it?


    With that, the force on her neck lessened as Justin pulled Rachel from above the rail.


    Thetter couldn¡¯t stop coughing as she held onto the rail.


    ¡°It better not be you. If I find out that you were the one who told Noah¡­ You know what¡¯sing for


    you!¡±


    Stupefied, Rachel shook her head in panic as she staggered backward.


    Upon seeing that, Justin was reminded of her injury from earlier, and he couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Why


    are you running around when you¡¯re still hurt? Is this not enough chaos for you?¡±


    I just wanted to rest in a quieter ce.


    ¡°Go home. Your business here is over.¡±


    Okay.


    As she watched while Justin left, Rachel finally heaved a sign of relief.


    Eventually, she was able to hold back her coughs while the anxiety in her eyes vanished and she


    regained her cool.


    Back at the library¡¯s pre-construction ceremony, she had caught Tina sneakily swallowing some pills


    while hiding. From then on, she had been wary of her movements. Later on, she found out that Tina


    was consuming fte, and that pretty much confirmed her suspicions.


    The child certainly did not belong to Noah, or else she wouldn¡¯t have to be so shady about it.


    After linking to it all the previous incidents, Rachel added fuel to the fire and exaggerated her words


    while talking to Noah. She was aware that no man in the world would be able to ept the fact that


    their woman was cheating on them, especially when they were womanizers like Noah.


    Without a doubt, Tina¡¯s engagement banquet had turned into a troublesome drama.


    Meanwhile, Amber was utterly dumbfounded by the exposure. However, as Tina¡¯s so-called best friend


    and the only doctor on the spot, she had to act like it and escorted Tina to the hospital.


    Outside the surgery room, she was continuously trying to consult Tina¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Burton-that¡¯s Dr. Vidar who¡¯s currently operating on your daughter. He¡¯s the best in


    the hospital, so Tina will surely be fine.¡±


    As she wiped her tears, Lilian felt upset and perturbed. ¡°Why did she cause such a big feud? Her dad¡¯s


    now trying to apologize to the Hindenburgs. How embarrassing!¡±


    Meanwhile, Amber pursed her lips forcefully.


    Now that the connection between Tina and the Hindenburg Family was spected to be over, Amber


    wondered if Tina could continue staying in Riverdale. If she were to continue interacting with thetter,


    she would surely stain her name.


    Havinge to that, she came up with an excuse and took her leave.


    Right when she was entering the emergency exit, a figure suddenly grabbed her and covered her


    mouth while pressing her against the wall.


    Amber widened her eyes and mumbled, ¡°Mmph!¡±


    With a dull face, Noah then interrogated, ¡°You must have known about the affair between Tina and that


    foul scoundrel, right? You even hid it for her, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    After shaking her head vigorously, she started bursting into tears.


    Noah obviously had too much to drink as he reeked of alcohol. As he groped her body, he didn¡¯t even


    try to conceal the indecency in his eyes. ¡°I should have known that she¡¯s not much of a properdy


    since she¡¯s always hanging around with you. B*tches, all of you b*tches!¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed Amber¡¯s cheeks and said scornfully, ¡°She¡¯s already had


    her punishment. What about you?¡±


    Amber cried and pleaded, ¡°I did nothing. Please let me go, Noah, I knew nothing about this! Nothing, I


    swear!¡±


    ¡°Nothing at all? How do you expect me to believe that?¡±


    With that, the clothes on her shoulder were torn. Before she could scream out loud, a big hand was


    forced upon her mouth.


    In the dark emergency room, all that could be heard were the steps of some medical staff walking


    around in the building.


    Her body was trembling, yet she was too timid to yell.


    Who is it? Who revealed the entire thing?


    Meanwhile, Rachel put the checkbook back to its spot before leaning against the back of the chair.


    After contemting for a while, she couldn¡¯t figure out who her father would have handed the


    checkbook to for safekeeping. Since the checkbook was hidden, there had to be some reason behind


    the concealment. Perhaps¡­


    Hudson Vineyard popped up in her mind.


    All of a sudden, the door creaked open.


    Upon raising her head, Rachel saw Amber crossing her arms at the door with an irksome face. ¡°How


    devilish can you be, Rachel? Seizing my shares and viewing yourself as a tycoon? Why didn¡¯t you


    answer my call?¡±


    Rachel glowered and took a look at her phone.


    I probably missed it. I was busy this morning. You got a problem?


    ¡°Of course I have a problem. Do you know that Tina miscarried? She wasn¡¯t able to keep her child, and


    her chances of getting pregnant naturally has decreased. She¡¯s infertile now!¡±


    Rachel responded with a scowl and gestured. What does that have to do with me?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 107

    My Mute Bride Chapter 107


    ¡°Nothing to do with you? Cut the sh*t! If you weren¡¯t the one who exposed Tina, who else could it be?¡±


    I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about


    As she studied Rachel¡¯s expression, Amber tried to pick out hints of guilt as she skeptically questioned,


    ¡°It¡¯s really not you?¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    What else should I say to prove it?


    ¡°It better not be you, then! Let me warn you, if we discover that you¡¯re the snitch who affected the


    business between the Hindenburgs and the Burtons, Justin will surely give you hell!¡±


    Amber coldly continued, ¡°The Burtons have decided to send Tina overseas for better care, and I guess


    that¡¯s something worth celebrating for you, huh?¡±


    Rachel stared at her sister in silence. You were the one who leaked the incident back at the Hudson


    Vineyard, weren¡¯t you?


    After reading the signs, Amber¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    You¡¯re standing here furiously because you¡¯re concerned about Tina. Or is it because once you lose


    her, there¡¯s no one else to take a bullet for you?


    Apparently, Rachel¡¯s words hit the bullseye on Amber¡¯s unhealthy intentions.


    There was no way on earth that she would treat Tina as a true friend; thetter was merely a tool for


    her sess.


    Amber was triggered by this, and she bellowed, ¡°So what? Who do you think you are? You think you¡¯re


    worth my while?¡±


    How was he to you?


    ¡°What? Who?¡±


    Then, Rachel wrote a name on a strip of paper before pushing it to Amber.


    Noah¡¯s name was clearly written on it.


    At once, Amber¡¯s face turned pale.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡­¡±


    Rachel pressed the bell beside her, to which her assistant quickly entered the room. ¡°What is it, Miss


    Hudson?¡±


    Please see the guest out.


    Amber gazed at her sister in dismay. After a while, she regained her senses and clenched her teeth.


    ¡°Just you wait, Rachel!¡±


    When Amber was finally escorted away, Rachel leaned against the back of her chair as tranquility filled


    her eyes.


    After the miscarriage, Tina had even be infertile and was so depressed that she was virtually


    insane; she merely stared into space all day. Since her connection with Noah was thoroughly cut off,


    Jason decided to send her abroad to heal for the sake of the family and his daughter.


    Does Justin not suspect my involvement in this matter?


    Who am I kidding? Of course he does.


    The cancetion of Tina and Noah¡¯s engagement waspletely disadvantageous to the Burtons. On


    the other hand, the split was nothing but good news for the Hudsons since the Burtons were their


    competitors.


    A simple but unbreakable n, and all it needed was a push from me!


    When evening came, Rachel invited her grandmother for dinner after cleaning up her desk.


    Due to her force of habit, Nancy took a look behind Rachel, only to be disappointed.


    ¡°How many times have I told you to bring Justin along so I can take a good look at him? There¡¯s not


    even a strand of hair from him after so long!¡±


    He¡¯s been upied with work. He¡¯lle as soon as he has the time.


    ¡°Only God knows if that¡¯s the truth,¡± she uttered with a frown. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be a typical grandma,


    but if you¡¯re not happy spending the days with him, you should get a divorce soon instead of wasting


    your time that you can spend on looking for another man instead.¡±


    As she served her grandmother some food, Rachel simply smiled without a word and let the matter


    pass.


    After dinner, she walked down the stairs alone.


    When she was in the neighborhood, she caught someone hiding behind a tree suspiciously.


    Rachel became alert at once, and she inserted her hand into her bag and grabbed the self-defense


    rm, preparing to draw it out as soon as any sudden movements urred.


    Recently, she had been feeling as if someone was observing her every move.


    No¡­ I have to get to the bottom of this!


    ¡°Who¡¯s that? Why are you hiding?¡±


    As soon as a man yelled, the figure behind the tree twitched.


    The shout hade from a patrolling guard on duty. As such, the figure immediately turned around


    and rushed toward the neighborhood gates.


    ¡°Freeze!¡± The security guard started chasing after the silhouette.


    After being stupefied for a few seconds, Rachel followed after the guard.


    Initially, she had chosen this neighborhood for her grandmother to reside in due to its security as all the


    guards were wary and well-built. As expected, the guard had captured the shady man before he could


    reach the gates.


    Soon, the residents who were walking around the area went over to surround the guard and the so-


    called thief.


    ¡°He must be a thief that has been troubling the neighbors these days, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure of it!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s quite young. Why is he doing this?¡±


    ¡°Kids nowadays have nothing better to do.¡±


    Among the chatter, Rachel studied what was happening from afar.


    It was a young man barely in his twenties. He looked like a delinquent with his hipster, dyed hair that


    was rather eye-catching.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening to him?¡± Someone shouted among the crowd, to which the crowd started scattering


    at once.


    The youngd that was being suppressed by the security guard suddenly shook violently, and white


    foam appeared in his mouth while his eyes turned white. The freakish sight immediately scared the


    crowd away.


    Unlike the others, Rachel immediately regained her senses.


    He¡¯s having epilepsy.


    Swiftly, she hurried over to the man and pointed at the passersby. After kneeling on the ground, she


    lifted the young man¡¯s head from the back of his head before pulling out a pen and sticking it in his


    mouth, separating the tongue and his two rows of teeth.


    Simultaneously, she made a telephone sign at the witnesses.


    At once, someone understood her. ¡°Ambnce, yes?¡±


    In response, Rachel nodded her head.


    ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll call for an ambnce right away.¡±


    Very soon, the ambnce arrived. Since Rachel was the first witness and the first person to provide


    emergency assistance, she was called upon by the medical staff to escort the man to the hospital.


    ¡°You handled it pretty well. Have you studied first-aid before?¡±


    In the emergency department of the hospital, the nurse pulled the curtains and came out to talk to


    Rachel after checking on the patient. ¡°Are you his family?¡±


    After shaking her head, Rachel wrote a line of words for the nurse. ¡®I was just passing by and lent a


    hand as / could. Can I go now?¡¯


    ¡°What? If you don¡¯t know him, who¡¯s supposed to sign for him?¡±


    The stunned nurse nced at the bed in the ward before patting the side of the bed. ¡°Hey, say


    something if you¡¯re awake. This kinddy here has sent you to the hospital. Are you going to let her


    pay the bills for you as well?¡±


    Behind the piece of curtain, the young man twitched a little, yet he continued to shut his eyes, acting as


    if he was dead.


    In fact, he had woken up a while ago and was merely pretending to be asleep.


    Then, Rachel reached out her hand and took the bill.


    ¡®Give it to me.¡¯


    After settling the medical fees, Rachel epted the receipt.


    Meanwhile, the young man was still lying on the bed with his attention-seeking emerald hair on the


    white pillow.


    After standing beside him for a while, Rachel ced the receipt beside him and tore a piece of paper


    before writing on it and cing it down.


    Having done that, she finally left.


    When she was gone, the young man opened his eyes, got up from his bed and saw the note beside his


    pillow. ¡®Remember to im your meds when you wake up. I¡¯ve paid for the bills, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡¯


    After reading Rachel¡¯s clear and elegant handwriting, the young man stared at the exit in confusion.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 108

    My Mute Bride Chapter 108


    When Rachel exited the hospital, the sky was already dark.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±


    A familiar voice from behind her caught her by surprise. Instinctively, she turned around and saw


    Janice.


    The woman was holding a thermal container and had just left the parking lot. She seemed to be


    walking toward the inpatient department.


    ¡°Have youe to see Hans?¡±


    Rachel shook her head and frowned.


    There¡¯s something I have to deal with here.


    ¡°To think I expected you to have thought it through.¡± Suddenly, Janice¡¯s face turned gloomy. ¡°What did


    you say to Hans that made him drop thewsuit out of nowhere? He¡¯s returning for further treatment at


    the end of the month.¡±


    However, Rachel revealed nothing.


    Despite the guilt in her heart, she didn¡¯t know how to exin things to Janice. Perhaps in this case,


    saying nothing was the best choice as ate apology could never justify one¡¯s mistakes.


    ¡°Where are you headed to?¡±


    Home.


    Janice nodded her head and said, ¡°I see. Coincidentally, Hans wanted me to hand you something, but


    since you¡¯re already here, why don¡¯t you go and get it from him instead?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel was taken aback.


    When she saw how the woman hesitated, Janice vented her frustration and said, ¡°He¡¯s leaving soon.


    Aren¡¯t you going to see him even for a bit? Where¡¯s your heart, Rachel?¡±


    I don¡¯t mean it like that.


    ¡°In that case, what are you waiting for?¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Janice put the container in Rachel¡¯s hand.


    With that, Rachel entered the ward with the container in hand.


    Janice was right-Hans was leaving soon, and it was only right for her to see him for onest time.


    In the ward, Hans was seen reading a book by the window while sitting in a wheelchair-the sight pained


    her deeply.


    When she saw him, Rachel zoned out and stood by the door for a long while.


    As if he had a detector in his brain, Hans suddenly turned around and saw Rachel by the door. He was


    stunned, but his eyes lit up. ¡°Rachel?¡±


    In that instant, Rachel felt like she was carrying the weight of ten elephants. Eventually, she started


    walking into the room.


    Janice wanted me to give this to you. She said that you¡¯re leaving at the end of this month.


    When Hans¡¯ eyes fell on the container, they dimmed slightly.


    ¡°Yes, the doctor suggested overseas treatment. We¡¯ve even contacted the hospital I¡¯ll be heading to.¡±


    That¡¯s good to hear.


    Hans grabbed a wooden box from a bag beside him and handed it to Rachel. ¡°By the way, I believe this


    should be returned to its rightful owner.¡±


    As she stared at the wooden box, Rachel was devastated inside.


    Back when she decided to fake her death and escape, she had gotten Hans to help her safekeep the


    wooden box as it was the only thing her mother had left behind for her.


    Thank you.


    ¡°I¡¯ve dropped thewsuit against Justin.¡±


    She nodded her head and signed some gestures. I heard it from Janice.


    ¡°Do you have nothing else to say to me?¡±


    Stay well when you go abroad for your treatment.


    As she clutched the wooden box, Rachel turned around and left.


    She feared that if she were to stay any longer, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back her tears. By then, her


    emotions would flood the room, and it would be a hassle to control the situation.


    Before she exited the room, the voice behind her eximed, ¡°Rachel, I don¡¯t believe that you¡¯ve fallen


    for Justin, nor did you have me drop thewsuit solely because you love him! Can¡¯t you at least tell me


    the truth before I go?¡±


    Upon those words, Rachel¡¯s hand that was on the doorknob slightly trembled. However, she simply left


    the room in the end.


    As she made her way home in a taxi, she clenched her teeth while her eyes turned red.


    Watching as the hospital faded away from the view, she couldn¡¯t hold in her tears any longer.


    The pain in her heart was so agonizing that no words could describe the despair that was surging


    through every vein in her body-she felt weak.


    In this world full of man-made rules, Hans and Rachel were merely a raft that was struggling not to be


    swallowed by the deep abyss of a sea.


    The Burton Family was the enigma, and Justin was the hell.


    For Rachel who had been living in hell, Hans was herst ray of light, and she wouldn¡¯t mind watching


    it from afar. She even hoped for the light to be safe as it continued to glow for a long time.


    Soon, the sky started pouring as the sound of rain engulfed the city.


    When Rachel finally reached home, it was already pitch ck.


    ¡°Where were you?¡±


    As soon as she entered the house, Justin¡¯s voice echoed through the living room.


    With that, she stopped taking her shoes off.


    I went to visit Grandma.


    ¡°Is that so? Until this hour?¡±


    Something happened on the way, and it took some time.


    ¡°Did something happen on the way, or did it happen to a person that you couldn¡¯t let go of?¡±


    As he stood up from the couch, Justin looked at her with an icy gaze.


    Rachel took a step backward as she shivered. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.


    ¡°How was your chat with the man? Merry?¡± Justin started to approach her. His giant body resembled


    the colossal, grey clouds. Although he wasn¡¯t even close, his appearance alone was enough to


    suffocate her.


    He was angry-exasperated, even.


    Rachel startedmitting herself to work and slowly neglected him. Not only that, she started


    spending all her free time with her grandmother, and all she did when she got home was to sleep.


    Ever since then, Justin had been bearing the frustration. When he was notified that she went to meet


    Hans again and had also received the files, he could no longer put up with it.


    Hans is leaving Riverdale, so I¡¯ll never meet him again. I was only there to retrieve something that was


    mine. I honestly have no other intention.


    As she ignored her grandmother¡¯s advice, she anxiously pulled out the wooden box from her bag.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    It¡¯s something my mother left behind before her death. It was with him, and he returned it to me. That


    concludes whatever connection we have between us.


    ¡°Why would your mother¡¯s inheritance be with him?¡±


    Immediately, Rachel was stupefied.


    How could she have forgotten that the wooden box symbolized something significant?


    Just then, the thunder roared across the sky as the rain got heavier.


    Not only was Justin going to inquire more about the box, he then coldly added, ¡°I heard a joke earlier


    today, the deputy chief of the Investigation Bureau purchased a corpse from the ck market.¡±


    At that, Rachel felt the goosebumps on her body and started sweating profusely.


    ¡°Since you can¡¯t exin why it was with him, why don¡¯t I give it a go instead?!¡±


    Suddenly, Justin revealed a dull face as he tossed a folder of documents at Rachel.


    Papers of documents fell upon the ground with a whoosh.


    Among the papers, Rachel was shocked by a couple of photos.


    He knew.


    He knew about the faked death¡­


    Justin strangled her ferociously and struck her against the wall. He then growled, ¡°On the day of the


    ident, why did you drive all the way down the hill? Spill!¡±


    He yelled as if he had forgotten that Rachel was a mute that didn¡¯t have the ability to speak.


    As his growls echoed in her eardrums, Rachel felt like she was being torn apart inside out as buzzing


    sounds were all her brain could receive.


    ¡°You were slowly setting up your escape ns. I¡¯ve got to give it to you-they were wless. Why have I


    never realized that you¡¯re such a scheming b*tch? Are all your friends like this too? Huh?¡±


    As his grip tightened, the green veins in his hand palpitated violently.


    Meanwhile, Rachel¡¯s throat was constricted; all she could make were noiseless wails as her face


    turned purple.


    Her eyes seemed as if they were popping out as she was attempting to cry for help.


    What was a moment more depressing than death?


    Perhaps it was when one was getting strangled by their beloved with no ways to escape.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 109

    My Mute Bride Chapter 109


    At that moment, Rachel¡¯s heart was wretched; she had no idea when she¡¯d fallen in love with this man.


    Perhaps it was at Tina¡¯s wedding banquet, during which she witnessed how he had ignored the rumors


    and gossip while defending her despite being mad with jealousy himself.


    Perhaps it was on the day of her car ident, during which heforted Rachel by telling her not to


    be afraid because he was waiting for her. Perhaps it was when he came to her defense and scolded


    the servants shortly after she married into the Burton Family. Or perhaps it happened even earlier¡­


    When Justin saw how Rachel¡¯s eyes slowly dimmed, he felt as though a corner of an iceberg had


    suddenly broken into pieces. His heart wrenched terribly, and his hands trembled. ¡°I warned you not to


    test my limits!¡±


    Gasp! Air suddenly filled Rachel¡¯s lungs the instant the grip on her throat loosened, and she copsed


    onto the ground and coughed incessantly.


    Meanwhile, Justin strode out in a huff. ¡°I¡¯m going to break his other leg right now!¡±


    Instead, Rachel clung to Justin¡¯s leg with all her might. Thetter had broken one of Han¡¯s legs before,


    so she would never let the same thing happen again.


    At the sight of this, Justin grew even more irritable. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    However, Rachel summoned up all her strength and held onto his leg desperately, she couldn¡¯t let go of


    it no matter what. Then, with a loud bang, Justin pulled open the door to the vi. The violent storm


    instantly burst into view, and Rachel, who was clinging desperately onto Justin¡¯s leg, was dragged all


    the way to the courtyard.


    The woman¡¯s knees bled from being dragged across the cobblestone path. Then, Justin seized her by


    the cor and roughly lifted her up. ¡°Are you even willing to risk your life for this man¡¯s sake?¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t make any sound other than a whimper, and she couldn¡¯t exin herself. In Justin¡¯s


    opinion, the only bonding that could exist between a man and a woman was a romantic one. Please let


    Hans off.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Hurt suddenly showed in Justin¡¯s eyes as the twinge in his heart made him feel very irascible. ¡°All right,


    just kneel here if you want me to let him off! The longer you kneel, the longer I¡¯ll spare him!¡± As soon as


    he finished his sentence, he clutched Rachel¡¯s cor and flung her onto the cobblestone path with a


    loud thud.


    Ugh¡­ Rachel gritted her teeth hard and slowly got up. Then, she knelt down at Justin¡¯s feet as the ice-


    cold rain pattered against her face. She could hardly open her eyes in the rain, yet her pallid face wore


    an


    expression that was both vulnerable and stubborn.


    Justin mmed the door shut with a loud bang, leaving Rachel to kneel alone in the rain under the


    pitch-ck night.


    The night sky darkened, and the rain became heavier. Peals of thunder boomed one after another as if


    to deliberately keep everyone awake tonight. Just then, a white sedan pulled up in the garage. Julian¡¯s


    expression changed instantly when he came back to see such a scene in the courtyard. ¡°Rachel¡­¡±


    The woman was kneeling as straight as a ramrod like a statue. Drenched to the skin by the rain, she


    seemed to have lost consciousness, but she still gritted her teeth hard nheless.


    ¡°What are you doing, Rachel? Get up,¡± Julian urged as he pulled at her, but he couldn¡¯t get her to


    move.


    Just then, Mrs. Duncan hurried out of the house and held the umbre over Julian¡¯s head. ¡°Young


    Master Peters, y-you¡¯d better stay out of this.¡±


    Julian nced in the direction of the study on the second floor, and his face darkened even more. He


    immediately walked into the house. ¡°Young Master Peters¡­¡± Mrs. Duncan hurriedly went after him.


    Julian went to knock on the door to Justin¡¯s study, but there was no answer from the inside. ¡°Open the


    door, Justin! Did you order Rachel to kneel outside? Are you out of your mind? Why do you treat her


    like this again and again? She is your wife!¡±


    ¡°Julian!¡± Sue hurried out and grabbed Julian after hearing the noise. ¡°The way I see it, you¡¯re the one


    who is out of your mind. Why do you keep meddling in Justin and his wife¡¯s affairs?¡±


    ¡°Justin has gone too far!¡±


    ¡°Even if he has gone too far, it¡¯s still a matter between him and his wife. If that mute cannot ept this,


    she can just ask for a divorce and leave. However, she¡¯s continuing to stay at the Burton Residence


    despite Justin¡¯s treatment, isn¡¯t she? Has anyone forced her to do so?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Young Master Peters. Please stop adding fuel to the fire. Young Master Justin won¡¯t listen


    to


    you!¡±


    However, Julian burned with anger upon listening to Sue and Mrs. Duncan¡¯s words. ¡°All right, he won¡¯t


    listen to me, and none of you are brave enough to get around him, right? Great!¡± He dashed


    downstairs, took an umbre, and ran outside.


    ¡°Where are you going, Julian?¡±


    Julian took off his coat and draped it around Rachel¡¯s shoulders as he stood next to her while holding


    an umbre. The umbre wasn¡¯trge enough to cover both of them, and it covered Rachel more than


    it covered Julian, so it didn¡¯t take long before he was partially drenched.


    Sue was heartbroken at the sight of this. As she stood in the hallway, she kept stamping her feet while


    urging, ¡°What are you doing, Julian? Hurry up ande back!¡±


    ¡°Since Justin insists on torturing people in such a way, I¡¯ll stay with her! Just think of it as me atoning


    for his wrongs!¡±


    Julian¡¯s words buzzed in Rachel¡¯s ears. She nced up at him and wanted to say something, but her


    arms were so heavy that she couldn¡¯t lift them. She could only shake her head weakly at him, signaling


    for Julian to


    go back.


    Julian tucked Rachel¡¯s bangs to one side and responded in a mild and yet resolute tone, ¡°It¡¯s all right,


    Rachel. Even if nobody sides with you in this family, I will stay with you!¡±


    Sue¡¯s head was throbbing with anger. She couldn¡¯t make her stubborn son change his mind, but she


    didn¡¯t dare to talk to Justin.


    Meanwhile, in the study on the second floor, a corner of the curtain was lifted by arge hand. Justin¡¯s


    cheerless eyes looked down at the figure standing in the courtyard; no one could describe how


    affectionate Julian looked as he held the umbre and protected Rachel. At once, Justin flung the


    curtain away, his face livid.


    Just then, the sound of Sue knocking on the door urgently from the outside could be heard. ¡°Please let


    Rachele back in, Justin. Even if she has made a big mistake, you can divorce her and let her


    return to her family as ast resort. Don¡¯t let others use us of bullying people.¡±


    However, her words were met with no answer.


    Sue continued, ¡°Can¡¯t you change your mind out of consideration for Julian? Just think of this as a


    favor to me. You know how kind-hearted Julian is. He can¡¯t bear to see this!¡±


    Still, there was no answer from inside the room.


    ¡°Justin¡­¡± Sue spent ages trying to persuade both Julian and Justin, but she failed to make any of them


    change their minds. Finally, she plonked herself down in front of the door and wiped her tears.


    The rain outside the window showed no signs of stopping until midnight, upon which it was slowly


    reduced to a continuous pitter-patter of raindrops. When Justin pulled the door open with a loud creak,


    both Sue and Mrs. Duncan let out a gasp. Their eyes were wide open with fright, and all the words they


    had originally nned to say froze on their lips.


    Justin said in a cold voice, ¡°Tell her to get inside!¡±


    With that, Rachel and Julian were helped into the house by the servants. Both of them were chilled to


    the bone; the servants wrapped them in towels, but it couldn¡¯t stop the biting cold from freezing their


    bodies inside out as they were soaked to the skin. ¡°Hurry up and bring the ginger tea over! Julian, hurry


    up and have some ginger tea to warm yourself,¡± Sue urged.


    Julian took the cup of ginger tea, but he held it out to Rachel instead.


    Thanks. Rachel carefully took the teacup from him.


    Just then, a servant¡¯s inquiring voice came from behind. ¡°Is this yours, Mrs. Burton?¡± She was holding a


    wooden box in her hands. However, the box had gotten so badly soaked by the rain that its surface


    swelled with signs of chipping. ¡°This box seems to have been soaked through.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 110

    My Mute Bride Chapter 110


    Rachel took the wooden box from the servant and put down her cup of ginger tea without turning a hair.


    Then,


    she gesticted several words. I¡¯m going upstairs first.


    Sue shot a nce at her and grumbled snappishly, ¡°What are you gesturing about?¡± She almost hated


    Rachel to death at this moment. Ever since Rachel married into the Burton Family, Julian¡¯s rtionship


    with Justin and herself had gotten worse. She¡¯s simply a scourge, she thought to herself.


    Rachel took a hot bath, during which the wooden box kept floating on the water. The swollen and


    cracked part of its edges chipped off bit by bit, revealing distinct traces of carving on it. On each of its


    six faces was a differentbination of Arabic numerals. ¡°13, 20, 22, 18¡­¡± Rachel mouthed to herself.


    This wooden box was the only thing left behind by her mother, and she had been keeping it in a safe


    ce before this. She had never found a way to open it, but now, it seemed that this wooden box didn¡¯t


    need to be opened-what mattered were the numbers on its faces instead. What do these numbers


    mean, though? she thought to herself. ¡°Achoo!¡± When she sneezed, Rachel finally realized that the


    water in the bathtub had cooled somewhat.


    The rain stopped the following day, and the sky cleared up. After being exposed to the rain for an entire


    night, Rachel woke up feeling dizzy. Still, she forced herself to get out of bed. She had to take the


    wooden box and go to Nancy. Perhaps Grandma knows the secret of this wooden box, she thought to


    herself.


    However, as soon as she came downstairs, she came face-to-face with Justin, who was walking down


    the


    stairs opposite her. Since she was startled by this, she quickly gestured without thinking. Where are


    you going?


    A sullen look instantly took over Justin¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m going to my office!¡± Is she so worried that I¡¯ll give


    Hans a hard time? he thought to himself. After finishing his sentence, he quickly went downstairs and


    left by car without having breakfast.


    Rachel was deeply perturbed as she heard the roar of the car engine outside. Before leaving the


    Burton Residence, she made a special effort to send Janice a text message. It read, ¡®Tell Hans to leave


    Riverdale as


    soon as possible. The sooner, the better.¡¯ Justin might noty a hand on Hans today, but she couldn¡¯t


    guarantee that he might suddenly be irritable one day and strike again.


    Janice¡¯s reply came soon afterward. ¡®It¡¯s none of your concern.¡¯ Her hostile attitude upset Rachel again


    for a while.


    She then took a taxi to Nancy¡¯s ce. Nancy had juste home from grocery shopping, and her face


    lit up with happiness when she saw Rachel. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go to work today? Why are you here so


    early in the morning?¡±


    I want to spend time with you, so I took a day off.


    ¡°As it happens, I just bought some groceries, so I¡¯ll make fish soup for you at midday. Look at you-


    you¡¯ve lost weight,¡± Nancy said while carrying the groceries she had bought into the kitchen. ¡°I met a


    young man at the food market today, and he helped me to carry the bags of groceries all the way down


    here. Young men these days are really nice.¡±


    Rachel helped Nancy put the groceries away before tugging at thetter¡¯s sleeve. Grandma, there¡¯s


    something I¡¯d like to ask you.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Do you remember this? Rachel produced the wooden box that had been soaked in waterst night


    from her handbag. Right now, it was not so much a wooden box as a rectangr wooden block; it was


    just that the block had been carved to look like a wooden box to pull the wool over one¡¯s eyes.


    Nancy was stunned for a moment before she recognized the wooden box. ¡°Is this¡­ what yourte


    mother left behind?¡±


    Rachel nodded.


    Nancy wiped her hands and carefully took the wooden box from Rachel. ¡°How did it be like this?¡±


    It became like this after being soaked in water. It¡¯s covered in numbers. What do these numbers mean?


    Nancy frowned with a stumped expression on her face. ¡°Your mother didn¡¯t tell me anything about


    these numbers back then. She merely told me to give this wooden box to you once anything happens,


    and she said that the secret of the prescription is all in here. This¡­¡±


    The prescription? Rachel was perplexed for a moment. What could these numbers have to do with the


    prescription? Over the next three days, she clutched the wooden block in her hand and scrutinized it


    carefully She almost knew all the numbers on its six faces by heart. Still, she couldn¡¯t figure out the


    connection between these numbers and the prescription.


    At noon on the third day, she suddenly received a phone call. ¡°Where are you?¡± Janice¡¯s voice sounded


    chilly, hoarse, and somewhat different from usual.


    Rachel was startled for a moment as she didn¡¯t know how to answer. Just then, Janice continued, ¡°I


    forgot that you can¡¯t speak. Come here-i¡¯ll send you the address.¡±


    Is anything wrong? Rachel thought to herself.


    ¡°Hans¡­ is dead.¡± Three words came from the other end of the line as Janice spoke with a choke in her


    muffled voice.


    Rachel¡¯s hand trembled, and her cell phone dropped to the ground with a thud.


    How can that be possible? she thought to herself.


    When Rachel stumbled to the morgue, Hans¡¯ face had been covered with a piece of white cloth.


    Meanwhile,


    Janice was standing at one side talking to a few police officers. When she saw Rachel, her face


    instantly clouded over. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯ting.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mind was nk. When she lifted the white cloth, Hans¡¯ good-looking face appeared under it,


    and his lips werepletely colorless. Rachel fell to her knees with a loud thud. This can¡¯t be possible!


    This is impossible! she thought to herself.


    ¡°He was murdered. If I hadn¡¯t tracked his location through his cell phone, the police wouldn¡¯t have


    found him so soon.¡± Janice¡¯s voice sounded from behind. ¡°He had his throat slit at the western outskirts


    of Riverdale. Who do you think did it?¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t hear Janice¡¯s voice, nor could she cry out loud. Her kindly and serene-looking face


    looked like that of a robot as she numbly faced everything before her. She couldn¡¯t ept such reality


    as it was too much like a nightmare.


    Janice dragged Rachel to her feet. After a few seconds, she could no longer restrain herself. She


    thundered, ¡°I¡¯m f*cking talking to you! Do you know that Hans was deliberately murdered?¡±


    Rachel finally came to her senses and turned to look at her in a daze. Why?


    ¡°What do you think? Hans had few acquaintances in Riverdale. Apart from old friends like us, he hardly


    had any enemies. There¡¯s only one suspect I can think of!¡±


    Rachel was stunned. Justin¡­ Turns out he didn¡¯t spare Hans¡¯ life after all, she thought to herself. No


    one knew where she got the strength, but she suddenly broke free of Janice¡¯s grasp and ran outside


    like crazy.


    Meanwhile, Justin had just finished a meeting at the Burton Group. He took a sip of coffee, looked up,


    and


    saw Gloria sitting on the sofa reading a book.


    Just then, a suddenmotion broke out outside. ¡°You can¡¯t go in, Mrs. Burton¡­¡± Right after that, the


    door to the office smashed against the wall with a loud bang.


    Rachel stood at the door with bloodshot eyes. Her chest was heaving heavily as if she had run an 800-


    meter sprint, and her whole body was trembling.


    ¡°Miss Rachel!¡± Gloria stood up from the sofa.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Justin asked, ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    Rachel stepped inside. Feeling that something was wrong with her expression, Gloria immediately told


    the assistant outside to close the door instead of poking their nose into it.


    What happened to Hans was your doing, wasn¡¯t it? Rachel gestured quickly with her hands as she


    approached the desk step by step.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Justin¡¯s face darkened involuntarily at the thought of Hans¡¯ name. He asked icily,


    ¡°Are you here to question me if I have broken his other leg in secret?¡±


    Rachel was unmoved by his words, though. She balled her fists so that her nails dug deep into her


    palms, but her face still wore a serene expression. Do you really think you can escape punishment by


    law after hiring someone to kill him?


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Hans¡­ is dead.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 111

    My Mute Bride Chapter 111


    Justin looked visibly stunned at first, but he calmed down soon afterward. He then asked indifferently,


    ¡°Did youe all the way to question me just because of this?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and her hands kept trembling. A human life is so unworthy of notice in


    your eyes. You were the one who did it!


    Seeing how aggrieved Rachel was, Justin immediately boiled with rage. He replied with a sneer, ¡°Who


    cares if I¡¯m the one who did it? This is Riverdale! What can you, a mute illegitimate daughter, do to


    me?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. Amid Gloria¡¯s scream, she suddenly picked up a bronze figurine from


    the desk and struck Justin on the head with it.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Justin let out a loud cry of pain as he failed to dodge in time. Gloria ran toward them like crazy


    and pushed Rachel away before asking, ¡°Are you okay, Justin?¡±


    The man covered his forehead with his hand. Blood seeped through his fingers and trickled down the


    scar on the corner of his eye to his neck, making him look fiercely menacing.


    Rachel then slumped to the ground, her eyes full of despair and fearlessness. Hans is dead, and


    Justin¡¯s the one who did it. I must avenge him!


    Gloria stood in front of Justin and yelled like crazy to those outside, ¡°Guards! Where are the security


    guards?¡±


    People soon burst into the room, and Rachel was dragged away by the security guards as she


    continued to clutch the bronze figurine. Before she left, she red furiously at Justin with a look in her


    eyes that was terrifying-it was as though she would definitely kill him once she had the opportunity.


    Justin felt so suffocated, and it seemed like his chest was about to burst while he watched Rachel


    being marched away. She actually wants to kill me and then herself for the sake of that guy!


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± Gloria looked anxious as she supported Justin with her hand.


    Janice was the first person to visit Rachel after she was sent to the police station. ¡°I heard about what


    happened. You¡¯re too impulsive-how could you get yourself into such a state?¡±


    Merely half a day had passed, but Rachel¡¯s eyes were deeply sunken with exhaustion. She looked like


    nothing but skin and bones; it was as though she was merely a body without a soul. Upon hearing


    Janice¡¯s words, she turned up the corner of her mouth to form an aggrieved smile. I¡¯m the one who got


    Hans killed. I¡¯m guilty.


    ¡°The prosecutors are already collecting the evidence. Since Justin is the prime suspect, I suppose he¡¯ll


    receive a subpoena from the court very soon.¡±


    What can I do?


    ¡°You can testify as a witness. He broke Hans¡¯ leg, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Rachel nodded while gritting her teeth hard. Now that things had turned out this way, she was no


    longer afraid of anything. If the worst came to the worst, she would fight to the bitter end to send Justin-


    that murderer-to jail.


    Janice clenched her fists and remarked frostily, ¡°Had you been willing to testify long ago, such a thing


    probably wouldn¡¯t have happened, nor would have Hans died.¡±


    Janice had always been outspoken, and her words stabbed Rachel in the heart where it hurt the most


    like a knife, reminding her that what killed Hans was not Justin but her indecision.


    Meanwhile, in the Hudson Residence, Amber was shocked when she heard the news. ¡°What? Rachel


    wounded Justin?¡±


    Jefferey was putting on his overcoat in a hurry to go out. ¡°How can that be fake? The police department


    has even called me! She really is out of her mind! How dare she hit her husband? She¡¯s putting us


    Hudsons in jeopardy!¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute, Dad.¡± Amber grabbed Jefferey¡¯s arm as he was about to leave. ¡°How on earth did that


    happen? With her disposition, she wouldn¡¯t have the nerve to do such a thing unless she was driven


    into a corner.¡±


    ¡°Does being driven into a corner justify her hitting him? She really is insane!¡± Jefferey was burning with


    anxiety, fearing that the Burton Family would be displeased with the Hudson Family for this. Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals¡¯ recently acquired shares might all be transferred back into Justin¡¯s hands by then;


    theirpany would be handicapped at every turn, and Jefferey would no longer remain in his position


    as thepany¡¯s chairman. Since he didn¡¯t have time to exin more to Amber, he left home in a


    hurry.


    Amber stood at the door for a while. Then, she took out her cell phone and made a phone call. ¡°Is this


    the municipal hospital? Hi, I would like to ask about a patient in Ward 402 named Hans Egerton. How is


    he?¡±


    ¡°Ward 402? Let me look it up. Oh, that patient has been discharged from our hospital.¡±


    ¡°Discharged?¡± Amber was startled for a moment. ¡°Okay, I got it. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    Amber had a vague realization when she hung up the phone. The only thing apart from Nancy that


    could make Rachel so crazy was Hans, so something must have happened to him. Amber clenched


    her fists as she recalled how Noah had humiliated her at the hospital earlier on. She must get Rachel to


    leave Riverdale once and for all; only by doing so could she marry Justin and get rid of Noah.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Rachel stayed in the detention center for half a month. Jefferey hade once during that period, but


    she refused to see him; she heard that he had made quite a scene outside because of that. Her other


    visitors were Janice and those from the police station, who came to ask her about some specific details


    about the


    incident.


    On the day of the scheduled trial half a monthter, Rachel waited in the waiting room for the public


    servants to take her to the court to testify. Instead, she met Gloria. ¡®Why are you here?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m here to get you out.¡± Gloria had lost quite some weight, and she looked at Rachel with a trace of


    hostility in her eyes. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know this yet, but the trial has been canceled.¡±


    Rachel was stunned upon hearing her words. ¡®That can¡¯t be possible!¡¯


    How could the trial be canceled with so much evidence being present? Janice is there, and I¡¯ll testify in


    court, she thought to herself.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t enough evidence, and Justin has nothing to do with Hans¡¯ death. You have wronged him.¡±


    Rachel popped up from her chair and red at Gloria. She was filled with anger, but she couldn¡¯t find


    an outlet for it.


    Gloria, who couldn¡¯t understand signnguage, looked at her with sympathy. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you


    believe it or not, but I am confident that Justin isn¡¯t such a person. He has nothing to do with this. Did


    you know he had to get seven stitches on his head after you hit him? How could you really have the


    heart to do that?¡±


    Rachel clenched her fists tightly, not believing a word of what Gloria said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, do you? Let me take you somewhere!¡± Gloria said before she picked up her


    handbag and stepped outside. Then, she urged snappishly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving yet? You¡¯ve been


    released on bail!¡±


    Rachel followed Gloria to the western outskirts of the city. The scene had been cleared up; Gloria didn¡¯t


    tell her about it, but Rachel knew what this ce was. The chalk marks were still on the ground,


    allowing one to see a vague human-shaped outline. Upon seeing this, Rachel slowly turned pale.


    ¡°On the day Hans was killed, Justin was with me the whole time, so I can testify that he had done


    nothing.¡±


    Rachel slowly knelt down on the soil, her fine hands touching the withered grass on the ground. Her


    lips trembled as the jumbled scenes of Hans being killed shed across her mind. The words ¡®He had


    his throat slit¡¯ as mentioned by Janice kept reverberating in her head. I don¡¯t believe it!


    Gloria and Justin are in the same boat, so she will definitely shield him no matter what he does, she


    thought to herself.


    ¡°All right, you won¡¯t believe what I say, but you will probably believe what your friend says, won¡¯t you?¡±


    A stunned Rachel looked up to see Janice standing behind Gloria-she had arrived before Rachel


    realized it.


    Gloria got back into her car and waited, watching from afar as Janice squatted down, touched the


    withered grass on the ground as Rachel did, and sat down casually on the ground. ¡°The police have


    collected all evidence. Hans¡¯ cell phone records showed a call from an unfamiliar number that couldn¡¯t


    be traced. He lost contact with me after answering that phone call, and this isn¡¯t the primary crime


    scene.¡±


    Rachel was stunned. Well, where was it?


    ¡®It was at the municipal hospital¡¯s parking lot!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 112

    My Mute Bride Chapter 112


    Janice showed Rachel a video. ¡°This is the surveince footage of the municipal hospital¡¯s parking lot.


    Hans had just been discharged from the hospital that day, and I was about to pick him up. But for some


    reason, he left the inpatient department alone and was caught up from behind by two men.¡±


    Rachel could see the scenes in the video very clearly. Two men dressed in ck caught up to Hans


    from behind and dragged him into a van, leaving only a wheelchair in the parking lot. He didn¡¯t even


    have the opportunity to call for help, nor could he run away in time. At the sight of the scene, Rachel


    felt very suffocated; she felt out of breath with a lump in her throat. How hopeless he must¡¯ve felt at that


    time!


    ¡°These two men are fugitives with a criminal record. For now, the investigation shows no connection


    with


    Justin. The police suspect that Hans was killed because he saw something that shouldn¡¯t be seen.¡±


    Janice put away her cell phone. ¡°A smuggling transaction, perhaps.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t breathe as she ced her hands on the ground. Even if Justin wasn¡¯t the one who did


    it, such a thing would never have happened if he didn¡¯t break Hans¡¯ leg.


    After Janice left, Rachel went back to the city in Gloria¡¯s car. Since she could no longer stay at the


    Burton Residence, Gloria took her to her apartment. ¡°You can stay here first for the time being. Few


    people know about this, so it¡¯ll be over once youpose yourself and apologize to him as soon as


    possible. After that, just go to work as you¡¯re supposed to. Life goes on, anyway.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face was pale as she gripped the sofa cushion. Do I have to apologize to him? Sheughed.


    Why should she apologize to a madman who had deliberately hurt people?


    Gloria darted a look at her. ¡°I understand how you feel right now¡­¡± she said. At first, she wanted to say


    something, but she ultimately bit back the words on the tip of her tongue. ¡°Never mind. Just get a good


    rest first.¡±


    The door mmed shut with a loud bang, and the house fell silent.


    After cing her hand on the sofa to support herself, Rachel got up and looked around her. The


    apartment Justin had arranged for Gloria was a duplex in an upscale neighborhoodplete with a


    neighborhood security system and property management services. It was furnished extravagantly,


    which showed how important Gloria was to him.


    Rachel felt for the liquor cab and took out two bottles of wine. Then, she staggered to push the


    bathroom door open, filled the bathtub with cold water, and soaked herself in it. The liquor gave a


    burning sensation as it flowed down her throat, but her body was as cold as ice.


    No one knew how much time had passed when the sound of the door being opened was heard outside.


    By then, Rachel had drunk herself unconscious. When the man pushed the bathroom door open and


    saw the bathtub filled with red water, his expression changed at once. ¡°Rachel!¡± A pair ofrge hands


    immediately lifted her out of the bathtub. Her clothes were soaked through, but there were no wounds


    on her body. Only then did Justin notice the red wine bottle in the bathtub.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    At that moment, Justin¡¯s anger instantly got the better of him. He grabbed Rachel¡¯s cor fiercely and


    bellowed, ¡°Do you want to die? Are you sulking here for someone to see? Just slit your wrists and hang


    yourself if you have the guts! How dare you threaten to kill yourself for another man¡¯s sake? Have you


    forgotten who you are?¡±


    Rachel looked drunkenly at the man before her eyes. Since she no longer had the strength to push him


    away,


    sheughed maniacally. Isn¡¯t this what you want to see? Hans is dead. Isn¡¯t this what you want to see?


    ¡°How many times do I have to repeat that I have nothing to do with his death? If you really have the


    proof, go out and sue me right now! Sue me!¡±


    Rachel felt nothing but destion when she heard how confident and righteous Justin sounded. She


    thought to herself, Such is the world that we live in. It overflows with material desires, and whoever is


    rich climbs to the top by stepping on countless dead bodies under their feet. Justin is no different from


    Jefferey since both of them are murderers.


    Seeing how she had made a mess of herself, Justin flew into a rage and mmed her head into the


    bathtub. ¡°The way I see it, you really are out of your mind. You need to sober up!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s mouth and nose were filled with alcohol-vored water as the sound of churning water


    resounded in her ears. When Justin¡¯srge hand grabbed her by the hair and lifted her head up, she


    leaned against the bathtub and coughed non-stop. She had be much more sober, and she


    coughed until her eyes turned red. Then, she stared at Justin so hard that her eyes were bulging out of


    their sockets. I want a divorce!


    Who cares if I¡¯m sober? I hate him; the more sober I am, the more I hate him! she thought to herself.


    Justin¡¯s face darkenedpletely when he realized what Rachel meant. ¡°You really are clueless about


    ordinary people¡¯s sufferings after living a life offort for such a long time. Do you think I¡¯ll let you off


    if you pretend that you want to kill yourself? You want to ask for a divorce, riht?¡± He grabbed her wrist


    and moved his fiendish-looking face close to hers. Then, as he looked down at her, he uttered word by


    word, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll give you a chance! I¡¯ll let you off if you do this. Change your clothes and go out with


    me!¡±


    Justin took Rachel to a well-known clubhouse in Riverdale. As soon as they arrived, a heavily made-up


    middle-aged woman took Rachel to the dressing room to change her clothes without the need for his


    instructions.


    Momentster, Rachel was dressed in a ckce slip dress, and the strong perfume she had on


    almost suffocated her. Meanwhile, Frankie looked nervous as he stood outside the dressing room.


    ¡°Who will you arrange for her to serveter, Miss Rosaline?¡±


    Rosaline nced at him perplexedly with a cigar dangling from her lips. ¡°Since when have you started


    paying attention to these things, Mr. Beckham? Don¡¯t worry, someone brought here by President


    Burton himself mustn¡¯t be an ordinary person, so she¡¯ll be presented to the Burton Group¡¯s important


    clients, of course.¡±


    ¡°To tell you the truth, she is,¡± Frankie began, but Rachel opened the door and came out before he could


    finish his sentence. ¡°Well, you look really demure.¡± Rosaline immediately went up and grabbed her.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky, mydy. Mr. Wayne likes pretty and innocent-lookingdies like you.¡±


    Mr. Wayne? Frankie¡¯s expression changed. Just then, an attendant¡¯s voice sounded from behind.


    ¡°President Burton is looking for you, Mr. Beckham.¡±


    While Frankie was distracted, Rosaline had already taken Rachel away. When he saw what was going


    on, he became incredibly anxious. How is this allowed at all?Rachel is President Burton¡¯s wife! How


    can she¡­


    The moment Rachel stepped into the room and saw the unbearably vulgar furnishings, the purple


    waterbed, and the tools, she immediately realized what she was about to face. Her pupils dted, and


    she turned around in an attempt to run.


    ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± Rosaline red at her. ¡°You don¡¯t know the rules, do you? Is this your first


    time?¡±


    Rachel shook her head desperately, wanting to exin that she wasn¡¯t that kind of person.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re gesturing about.¡± Rosaline flung Rachel onto the bed with a frosty face.


    ¡°No one can get out of my ce after entering through the door. Just behave yourself and wait. I¡¯ll


    teach you a good lesson if you irritate the guest!¡±


    The door closed with a bang. Soon after that, a man came in. Despite his short stature, he was very fat,


    and his greasy face was all meat. The instant he saw Rachel, his eyes lit up. ¡°The woman Rosaline has


    arranged this time is not bad. You look like a high-ss woman! Why haven¡¯t seen you before?¡±


    Rachel cowered at once; her limbs went cold the instant she looked around the room and saw the


    blindfolds and the whips hung on the wall. She shook her head. I¡¯m not


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The man took a whip off the wall and stepped toward her with a lewd smile on his


    face. ¡°Will you get undressed yourself, or do you want me to undress you?¡±


    Rachel clutched the clothes on her chest and backed away helplessly. Don¡¯t do this¡­ However, the


    instant the


    man waved his whip and jumped on her, she fell into despair with hopelessness in her eyes.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 113

    My Mute Bride Chapter 113


    Rachel backed away in horror, but she was grabbed by the leg and dragged out of bed. It hurt when


    she knocked the back of her head against the edge of the bed, but before she could let out a cry, the


    fat man reached his hand out and ripped the strap of her dress in two. Then, a storm ofshes rained


    on her like crazy


    ¡°Aaaah!¡± She couldn¡¯t dodge theshes in time, but her muffled and hoarse cries of pain filled the man


    with great sensual pleasure. His greasy face was glowing all over as he became more and more


    excited, and he impatiently reached for Rachel¡¯s chest.


    Just then, the door was kicked open with a loud bang. Mr. Wayne was startled by this as he shuddered


    and paused what he was doing. ¡°Who the f*ck=¡±Before he could look back, everything suddenly went


    ck before his eyes. Someone had quickly covered his head from behind with a piece of ck cloth


    and held him down in a corner. As he was being beaten up, he screamed repeatedly.


    Meanwhile, Rachel cowered beside the bed. She looked like a rag doll; her hair was disheveled, and


    her clothes were in tatters. At the sight of the scene, Frankie turned pale. He hurriedly took off his suit


    jacket and covered her body with it.


    Then, the sound of someone¡¯s slow footsteps came from the door. Upon taking the hint from the frosty


    look in the man¡¯s eyes, Frankie immediately made a gesture to the security guards and signaled them


    to drag Mr. Wayne-who was still screaming and moaning inside the bag-out of the room.


    The door closed again with a click, and Rachely prostrate at Justin¡¯s feet, her whole body trembling. I


    know I¡¯ve done something wrong.


    Don¡¯t do this¡­


    As he looked down at the woman before him, Justin¡¯s eyes were as cold as a block of ice. He squatted


    down and lifted her delicate, pretty face in a subtle and gentle manner. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re aware of


    your mistakes. Remember what you felt today, once you leave the Burton Family, you¡¯ll be a


    nobody who can be trampled on by anyone.¡±


    Rachel shivered as she grinded her teeth. Why? Why me? Justin still had numerous choices even


    without her. Why would he insist on torturing her like this? Why wouldn¡¯t he let her off?


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re Rachel Hudson. You¡¯re a daughter from the Hudson Family on paper, but in


    reality, you have no one at your back. Compared to Amber, you¡¯re easier to manipte. Besides, even


    if you die at the Burton Residence one day, do you think anyone would ask me anything about it?¡±


    Justin¡¯s words reached Rachel¡¯s ears one after another, jabbing at her every nerve like thorns.


    Meanwhile, Rachel¡¯s limbs were as cold as ice as she was plunged into the depths of despair.


    Justin stared at her face and studied it for a moment. Then, he let go of her and turned around before


    saying, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a night topose yourself. Go to work on time tomorrow morning.¡± After that, he


    left without looking back.


    Rachel ced her hands on the floor to support her trembling body. She tried hard to clench her hands


    as if to grab something, but all she could grasp in her hand was nothing but a handful of air. It¡¯s my fault


    for overestimating the meaning of my existence and underestimating how cruel Justin can be. I got


    Hans killed by thinking too highly of myself. Since she felt extremely dirty all over, Rachel kept rubbing


    the areas on her shoulders where the man had touched her. As she recalled what had happened just


    now, she felt a surge of gastric juices from her stomach. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± After cing her hands on the floor,


    she puked her guts out like crazy.


    Meanwhile, Frankie straightened up when Justin walked out of the private room. ¡°How should we deal


    with Mr. Wayne, President Burton?¡±


    ¡°Beat him up, sever his tendons, and leave him in the suburbs. Make sure to leave no trace behind.¡±


    ¡°I got it. By the way, Miss Hochmann just called to ask your whereabouts. She seems to have


    something urgent to talk to you about.¡±


    Justin took a look at his cell phone and noticed several missed calls from Gloria. After pondering for a


    moment, he then replied, ¡°Stay here and send her hometer.¡±


    ¡°Yes, President Burton.¡± Frankie sighed as he looked at Justin¡¯s receding figure. I simply can¡¯t


    understand what¡¯s going on in his mind, he thought to himself.


    Gloria looked anxious as soon as Justin arrived at her apartment. ¡°Why are you sote? Miss Rachel is


    missing! She was still here when I left. Could something have happened to her? Should we call the


    police?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡±


    Gloria was stunned. ¡°Did you take her away?¡±


    Justin nodded slightly. Then, he let go of Gloria¡¯s hand, went to the sofa, and sat down. ¡°Do you have


    any liquor?¡±


    Gloria silently curled up her fingers. As she looked at the man from behind, a hurt look suddenly


    shed across her eyes. ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    Later on, Frankie sent Rachel back to the Burton Residence. When Sue saw her, she looked like she


    had seen a ghost. ¡°It appears that you still know how to return, eh? Your husband was injured, yet you


    went back to your parents¡¯ home for more than half a month. Since your parents¡¯ home is so good, you


    might as well note back at all.¡±


    Rachel went straight upstairs without exining a single thing.


    Sue still wanted to say something else, but Frankie stopped her. ¡°Please don¡¯t mind that, Madam. Mrs.


    Burton is tired after helping President Burton deal with some work-rted matters.¡±


    ¡°Work-rted matters?¡± Sue rolled her eyes. ¡°She made a career for herself only by depending on


    Justin, and now she¡¯s putting on airs with me. She¡¯ll regret it one day.¡±


    Frankie smiled in embarrassment. ¡°Please have an early rest. I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute! Why hasn¡¯t Justine back yet?¡±


    ¡°President Burton has gone to Miss Hochmann¡¯s ce.¡±


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sue was startled. Then, she asked with a frown, ¡°Just who is this Miss Hochmann? Justin cares so


    much about her.¡±


    Frankie shook his head to show that he had no idea about it.


    ¡°Do you really have no idea about it, or do you not want to tell me about it?¡±


    ¡°I really have no idea about it. In any case, she is probably someone important to President Burton,¡±


    Frankie replied with an indifferent expression. After excusing himself, he promptly left.


    When she heard the sound of the door being closed upstairs, Sue snorted coldly and sat down sulkily


    on the sofa with a shawl draped around her shoulders. ¡°I haven¡¯t even gotten rid of the mute, yet


    there¡¯s already anotherdy popping out. Why weren¡¯t there so many issues before this?¡±


    Mrs. Duncan came over with a cup of tea. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should be worried, Madam. Miss


    Hochmann looks young, and it¡¯s said that she¡¯s still a college student.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m curious about. How did a little girl who¡¯s just starting college get to know Justin?


    Furthermore, he¡¯s so protective of her that he even allows her to mess around with thepany¡¯s


    affairs.¡± Sue pondered for a moment. ¡°No, this won¡¯t do. Mrs. Duncan, have someone check this little


    girl¡¯s background. I can¡¯t help but feel worried.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±


    Justin didn¡¯te back that night. The next day, Rachel went to work early as she didn¡¯t dare to


    disobey him. As soon as she arrived at the office, she heard the door opening behind her before she


    sat down. Gloria waved the paper bag in her hand and said, ¡°I bought some breakfast, and I bought


    one for you while I was at it.¡±


    ¡®Thanks!


    Gloria put down the breakfast, but she had no intention of leaving. ¡°Hey, do you have any books about


    signnguage? Why don¡¯t you lend me one or two?¡±


    Rachel was dumbfounded as she didn¡¯t understand what Gloria¡¯s words meant.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t keep talking to myself all the time. It¡¯s tricky tomunicate with you,¡± Gloria exined.


    Then, before Rachel could respond, she suddenly changed the subject and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be reporting back


    to college at the end of this month. By that time, you¡¯ll be the only person left by Justin¡¯s side. You must


    be happy, right?¡±


    Rachel knitted her brows, and her eyes darkened. ¡®Do you think I should be happy to be coerced into


    living a life worse than death in such a prison-like ce?¡¯ Gloria was like a flower that Justin kept in a


    greenhouse all the time. Since she had never experienced pain, she thought that what she wanted was


    also what others wanted. In reality, one man¡¯s meat was another man¡¯s poison.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 114

    My Mute Bride Chapter 114


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Gloria¡¯s childish stubbornness was written all over her face. ¡°Never mind, I


    can¡¯t exin it clearly to you anyway. In short, Justin isn¡¯t as devoid of human feelings as you perceive


    him to be. He cares about you a lot, you know.¡±


    Does he really care about me? All of a sudden, Rachel felt likeughing.


    When she saw how unmoved Rachel was, Gloria felt annoyed. ¡°How could you be so ignorant of what


    is good


    for you? I have made myself so clear to you, yet you don¡¯t even understand a word of what I have said.


    Anyway, I¡¯ll stop being nice to you if you dare to hit him again!¡± she warned. Then, she picked up the


    breakfast bag from the table andmented, ¡°I must be out of my mind to have bought breakfast for


    you!¡±


    With that, the office door mmed shut with a loud bang. Rachel could see clearly through the blinds


    how Gloria threw the breakfast she had initially bought for her into the trash can before leaving


    exasperatedly. She took a deep breath, swept the discarded documents on the table aside, and sat


    down.


    Meanwhile, Gloria went back into Justin¡¯s office in a huff. Then, she plonked herself down on the sofa


    and gulped down a ss of water. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You look so mad.¡± Justin¡¯s voice came from


    behind theputer.


    ¡°I was bitten by a dog.¡± Gloria replied in a petty manner. ¡°I seriously don¡¯t understand your taste for


    women. Thedies around you are weirder than one another.¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Justin looked at Gloria in bafflement and was about to say something, but Frankie knocked on the door


    and came in just then. ¡°President Burton, the human resources department needs you to sign this letter


    of appointment. Amber Hudson cane to work from tomorrow onward.¡±


    ¡°Give it to me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gloria sprang up from the sofa. ¡°Amber ising to work at the Burton Group? Why didn¡¯t I


    know about this?¡±


    Justin replied impassively, ¡°You never liked to concern yourself with work-rted matters in the first


    ce.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she working at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°The Burton Group¡¯s research team is short of hands, so I asked her toe.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Gloria hurriedly ran over to Justin and held his hand. ¡°You mustn¡¯t sign the letter.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like her,¡± Gloria replied with a frown. ¡°She¡¯s obviously a vain woman. Don¡¯t you feel sick to your


    stomach with her around you every day?¡± Despite her limited contact with Amber, Gloria disliked her


    very much.


    Justin let go of her hand and said seriously, ¡°This is about work, Gloria. Be a good girl.¡±


    ¡°Even I can tell that Amber has evil designs on you. If you let her work at the Burton Group, she and


    Miss Rachel will meet frequently. Don¡¯t you care about what Miss Rachel might think?¡±


    However, Justin¡¯s eyes darkened at Gloria¡¯s words. ¡°What if I tell you it was Rachel¡¯s suggestion to let


    Ambere and work at the Burton Group?¡±


    Gloria was stunned. How could that be possible?


    After letting go of Gloria¡¯s hand, Justin quickly signed the appointment letter. Meanwhile, Frankie


    hurriedly took to his heels with the document to stay out of trouble. Justin said, ¡°Gloria, you just need to


    stay happy. These matters are none of your concern.¡±


    The woman looked at Justin while forcing a wry smile on her radiant and beautiful face. For some


    reason, she couldn¡¯t help feeling that she had made a wrong decision by giving up piano anding to


    Riverdale to


    further her studies. It wasn¡¯t until she was here that she realized that Justin¡¯s world was much more


    complicated than she had imagined, and it seemed that her life was no longer as happy as it used to


    be.


    In the afternoon, Rachel went to Justin¡¯s office before clocking out. This is some financial information


    about Hudson Pharmaceuticals. Since five years ago, huge amounts of money have been transferred


    into a secret offshore ount in batches every year.


    Justin leafed through the documents, but he didn¡¯t have quite the patience to continue reading them.


    ¡°Does Jefferey have a trusted confidant who lives abroad?¡±


    Rachel shook her head. As far as she knew, there wasn¡¯t such a person.


    Justin exined, ¡°It¡¯s almost impossible to have these sums of money transferred to an offshore


    ount unless someone is managing the money overseas.¡±


    There¡¯s one possibility


    Justin and Rachel looked at each other as a name crossed their minds. When it came to a trusted


    person, no one could be more trustworthy than Jefferey¡¯s own daughter. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Amber out for dinner


    this evening,¡± Justin said.


    Okay. Rachel gathered up the documents and put them into her handbag. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m


    clocking off first. I¡¯m going to visit Grandma.


    Justin didn¡¯t even realize that his brows had furrowed in sullenness when he saw how apathetic Rachel


    looked. However, thetter noticed something and looked at him calmly. If you don¡¯t agree to it, I can


    go home right now.


    Justin¡¯s eyes darkened at once. ¡°Are you telling me to make a choice or teaching me how to do


    things?¡±


    Rachel remained silent. She was doing everything Justin told her to; now that Hans was dead, she had


    nothing to be afraid of except her grandmother.


    Justin shot her a cold nce. Then, he left first with his cell phone in tow.


    The office became empty in an instant, and a cold wind blew through the window, causing Rachel to


    shiver with cold before she clutched the cor of her suit jacket. On her way to visit Nancy, she drove to


    Old Street to buy some of her grandmother¡¯s favorite old-time snacks for her. This street, which was


    about to be demolished, was the only ce in Riverdale that still made these traditional snacks. After


    everything was packed up, she walked out of the shop with the snacks in her hands. When she looked


    up and saw the sign of the tailor¡¯s shop across the street, the scene of her talking and joking with Hans


    and Janice suddenly shed across her mind, and her heart ached terribly at once.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±


    Rachel thought it was an illusion when the familiar voice came from behind. Then, a figure emerged


    from a corner in an alley. Sporting neatly-cut short hair, the person looked her up and down with a pair


    of deep eyes. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Rachel waved the bag of snacks in her hand.


    There was a trace of disappointment in Janice¡¯s eyes when she realized why Rachel was here. ¡°Are


    these for your grandmother?¡±


    Rachel nodded. It was entirely through Hans that she got to know Janice. Now that Hans was dead and


    she was the person who caused it, her rtionship with Janice became strained. They used to be


    friends who hit it off right from the start, but now, they could only look at each other in silence, and it


    made both of them feel awkward.


    Janice eventually said, ¡°I¡¯m still investigating Hans¡¯ death. I¡¯ll seek justice for him. Justin didn¡¯t do


    anything to you, did he?¡±


    No, he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Janice sneered coldly. ¡°He didn¡¯t hold you ountable even after you hit him, so why


    should I be worried about you? Hans came to such a tragic end because he was so worried about you.¡±


    Rachel was rendered speechless. Her mind was in turmoil, but she couldn¡¯t say a word to refute


    Janice.


    They then went their own separate ways. As Rachel looked at Janice from behind, she suddenly put


    her snacks on the roof of her car and went after her. Wait a minute. She tugged at Janice¡¯s sleeve. I


    have something to tell you.


    Janice cast an inquiring nce at Rachel with a frown.


    I suspect that Jefferey wants to transfer Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ assets. He¡¯s preparing to short-sell


    thepany, leave it a shell of itself, and then move his entire family out of Riverdale. He might even


    leave the country


    Janice¡¯s pupils shrank. ¡°How did youe to such a conclusion?¡±


    I¡¯m certain there¡¯s something wrong with Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ trademark prescription. The


    company has been sustaining itself using fake prescriptions, but medicinal product regtions have


    be increasingly strict over the past few years, and idents have happened more frequently. I


    suspect that the agent you talked about had been killed because he discovered something off.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 115

    My Mute Bride Chapter 115


    ¡°Is this why you quit your former job and went to work at the Burton Group?¡± Janice looked at Rachel.


    ¡°Did Justin ask you to look into it?¡±


    Rachel averted her eyes in the face of Janice¡¯s questioning. I have something else to attend to, so I¡¯ll


    be leaving first.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Since she was unable to stop Rachel, Janice could only watch as her car drove off into the


    distance.


    When Rachel reached Nancy¡¯s ce, she pressed the doorbell several times, but nobody answered


    the door. Just then, the door of the opposite house suddenly opened, and a middle-aged woman poked


    her head out. ¡°Are you Madam Tiller¡¯s granddaughter?¡± She looked Rachel up and down with a look of


    puzzlement. ¡°Madam Tiller has been sent to the hospital. Don¡¯t you know that?¡±


    Immediately, Rachel¡¯s expression changed upon hearing the woman¡¯s words.


    When Rachel arrived at Tran-Q¡¯s emergency department in a hurry, she nearly bumped into a nurse


    holding some medicine. She gesticted at the medical staff at the nurses¡¯ station for a long time, but


    no one understood what she meant.


    Just then, a familiar male voice sounded from behind. ¡°Rachel?¡±


    Hi, Julian. Rachel turned around to see Julian. After she exined the situation to him, Julian asked


    the staff at the nurses¡¯ station. Upon learning that Nancy was receiving emergency treatment, he


    hurriedly took Rachel there.


    ¡°Hi, Madam Tiller.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Nancy, who was lying on the sickbed, was startled for a moment when she saw Julian and


    Rachel. ¡°Why are you here, Rachel?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes were red with worry. How are you, Grandma?


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine. I just took a tumble and grazed my skin; it will heal once I go home and apply some


    cream to it. But Victor was worried, and he insisted on sending me to the hospital.¡±


    Rachel followed Nancy¡¯s gaze and saw the young man standing nearby. It¡¯s you?


    The young man¡¯s blond hair was particrly obtrusive in the white-painted emergency department.


    Isn¡¯t he the young man who had a fit of epilepsy in the neighborhood that day? Rachel thought to


    herself.


    At the sight of Rachel, the young man scratched his head with a look of embarrassment. He exined


    awkwardly. ¡°Madam Tiller is old, and I was worried that it would be bad if she had a sprain or bone


    fracture, so I brought her here. I have probably overreacted.¡±


    Rachel shook her head. Thank you.


    After that, Nancy took Rachel¡¯s hand. ¡°I have to thank Victor for helping me catch the thief. Didn¡¯t you


    say that you wereing over for dinner? I thought of going out to buy some fish, and I ended up


    having my handbag snatched. I went after the thief, but I fell while doing so.¡±


    How could you go after a thief at such an old age? You shouldn¡¯t have done that. Rachel was


    exasperated. What should I do if anything happens to you?


    Julianforted her at one side by saying, ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as Madam Tiller is okay. I have asked the


    doctor who applied medicine to her wound-it¡¯s only a superficial wound, so she doesn¡¯t need to be


    hospitalized.¡±


    Only then did Rachel breathe a sigh of relief. Still, her heart ached a lot when she saw the gauze


    bandage on


    Nancy¡¯s knee.


    Victor then carried Nancy piggyback to Rachel¡¯s car, whereas Julian went out after them and handed


    the medicine to Rachel. ¡°The dosage and directions for use have been written inside. I¡¯ll find time to


    visit Madam


    Tiller over the next few days, so you don¡¯t have to be too worried.¡±


    Thank you.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Julian took a nce at Rachel¡¯s car. Then, he asked with a frown, ¡°Do you know that


    young man?¡±


    I guess so. We met once before.


    ¡°One should always be mindful of guarding against harm from others, Rachel. This young man seems-¡±


    I know that. I¡¯ll ask about it. Rachel also felt strange as Nancy seemed to be quite familiar with this


    young man. Besides, she felt somewhat disturbed upon recalling how he had previously stalked her in


    the neighborhood.


    Following that, Rachel drove Nancy back to thetter¡¯s ce. After opening the door, she pointed


    toward the bedroom and signaled for the young man to help her grandmother inside. Please get some


    rest first, Grandma. I¡¯ll go and prepare dinner.


    ¡°Oh, sure. Why don¡¯t you stay for dinner as well, Victor? I have to thank you for what happened today.¡±


    Victor immediately waved his hand, but Rachel nodded. I got it.


    After leaving Nancy¡¯s bedroom, Rachel poured the young man a cup of tea. Then, she keyed in a


    sentence on her phone¡¯s screen and showed it to him. Thank you for what happened today!


    The young man immediately shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing-that¡¯s what I should do. You saved my life


    before, and this is nothingpared to it. By the way¡­¡± He produced an envelope from his pocket.


    ¡°This is for you.¡±


    Rachel took the envelope and opened it to see a stack of banknotes contained inside. It was a thick


    stack consisting of banknotes in small denominations, including banknotes of 100, 50, 20, and even


    five bucks. Victor then exined, ¡°This is for covering my medical expensesst time. I haven¡¯t


    collected enough money yet, so I can only give you this much for the time being. I¡¯ll work to return the


    rest of the money to you bit by


    bit.¡±


    Rachel was startled for a moment before she pushed the envelope back to him. ¡®It¡¯s not necessary.¡¯


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°No, you have to keep it,¡± the young man said stubbornly. ¡°I never owe anyone favors.¡±


    Rachel had no choice but to drop the subject for the time being. So you¡¯ve been helping Grandma by


    her side these days?¡¯ She had heard from Nancy several times that a young man often helped her


    around and scrambled to help with all the dirty and heavy work. At first, Rachel thought the young man


    was a volunteer serving the elderly in themunity.


    The young man nodded his head somewhat uneasily.


    ¡®You were stalking mest time, weren¡¯t you?¡¯


    Seeing what Rachel¡¯s gestures meant, the young man suddenly turned pale. He looked like he wanted


    to exin, but he didn¡¯t know where to start.


    Rachel studied him closely for a long time and was helpless when she noticed that he was sweating


    profusely. ¡®What¡¯s your name?¡¯


    Only then did the young mane to his senses and suddenly stand up as straight as a ramrod. ¡°I¡¯m


    Victor Wade; it¡¯s spelled as V-I-C-T-O-R. You may call me Victor.¡±


    Rachel nodded. ¡®It¡¯s not a big deal, so you don¡¯t have to overthink it. Since you¡¯ve paid the money back


    to me, you no longer owe me anything.¡¯ When she noticed that Victor¡¯s expression was still somewhat


    strained, she offered him to stay. ¡®Please stay around for dinnerter!


    Only then did Victor¡¯s expression ease, and he immediately helped to carry the vegetables into the


    kitchen. ¡°I¡¯ll help you. Usually, I¡¯m the one helping Madam Tiller to pluck the vegetables. ording to


    your grandmother, the vegetables i pluck are very clean.¡±


    Rachel smiled and nodded.


    Victor appeared to be in his early twenties. Normally, a person at his age should still be a student, but


    he seemed to have entered the workforce for a while.


    Later on, Rachel left after having dinner with Nancy. She asked Victor, ¡®Where do you live? I¡¯ll drive you


    home!


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary.¡± Victor immediately shook his head. ¡°I live nearby, so I¡¯ll go home on foot. Please go


    ahead with your affairs.¡±


    Seeing how fast Victor had run away, Rachel failed to stop him, and her outstretched hand froze mid-


    air for a long time before she retracted it. She then drove her car around the neighborhood. When she


    saw from a distance that Victor had gotten on a bus, she followed him. Julian is right; one should


    always be mindful of guarding against harm from others, she thought to herself.


    The night was dark, and Rachel drove for half an hour and waited until Victor got off the bus at the stop


    before the final stop. When she looked at her surroundings, she was surprised to find herself in the old


    district. The tailor¡¯s shop owned by Janice¡¯s family was nearby, and she had been there in the


    afternoon. The walls around her were marked with the words ¡®To be demolished.¡¯ Furthermore, Victor


    lived in a remote valley with low houses.


    Since Rachel couldn¡¯t drive her car into the alley, she could only get out of the car and follow him at a


    distance. After tailing him for a while, she suddenly lost sight of him.


    ¡°Have you been following me?¡± A male voice was heard from the darkness behind.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 116

    My Mute Bride Chapter 116


    Rachel¡¯s heart tightened, and she instantly pressed her back against the wall.


    Victor emerged from the shadows. Just then, an aged voice suddenly came from inside the alley.


    ¡°Victor, is that you?¡±


    Before Rachel coulde to her senses, Victor had walked up to the person. ¡°Why are youing out


    by yourself, Grandma? How many times have I told you that it¡¯s hard to see things clearly at night?


    What if you trip and fall again when youe out?¡±


    Rachel followed the voices with her gaze and saw the innermost small house. The house was dimly lit,


    and an old woman was standing tremblingly at its door, supporting herself with a walking stick.


    Meanwhile, Victor addressed her as his grandmother.


    The small house was in a dpidated condition. It was in disrepair for years, and its walls were mottled;


    there wasn¡¯t even a decent chair in the house. Victor pushed the clothes away from a corner on the


    sofa before taking off his jacket and spreading it over the surface. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t frown upon this,


    Miss Hudson. Please have a seat.¡±


    Rachel looked at the old woman who was bustling around in the house.


    Victor exined, ¡°My Grandma is old, so she can neither see nor hear well. But for some reason, she


    can hear my voice.¡±


    ¡®Are you and your Grandma the only ones in your family?¡¯


    ¡°Yeah, I have lived with Grandma since I was a child.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t bear to listen to such words. After all, she and Nancy had also depended on each other


    for


    survival as she grew up.


    Just then, Victor¡¯s grandmother¡¯s voice came from the room inside. ¡°Victor,e and look for the tea


    caddy. We should pour a cup of tea for our visitor!¡±


    Victor hurriedly went into the room. ¡°Don¡¯t trouble yourself with that, Grandma. We don¡¯t have tea in the


    house¡­¡±


    ¡°I recall having some tea around the house, though. How could we let the visitor leave without having


    something to drink?¡±


    With some difficulty, Victor finally managed to coax his grandmother out of bustling around. He lifted the


    curtains, came out, and was about to talk to Rachel, only to discover that she had already left with the


    envelope ced on a corner of the old and shabby table. He was startled by this, and he quickly


    grabbed the envelope before going out after her, but all Victor heard was the sound of a car engine at


    the entrance to the alley.


    When Rachel got home, Justin hadn¡¯te back yet. She checked the time, and it was a little past


    11.00PM. A dinner wouldn¡¯t have taken such a long time, so it seemed that he must be sending Amber


    home. Since Rachel didn¡¯t give it much thought, she entered the kitchen and helped herself to some


    water.


    Just then, Julian came out of his bedroom. He asked, ¡°How is Madam Tiller?¡±


    She¡¯s all right. She¡¯ll be fine after getting some rest at home.


    ¡°What about the young man then?¡±


    There¡¯s nothing wrong about him either. I have helped him before, so he probably wants to return the


    favor, which is why he has been helping Grandma around these days.


    Julian was still worried, though. ¡°I¡¯ll help you look into his identity. This person suddenly popped up


    from


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    nowhere, after all.¡±


    Rachel shook her head. Victor and his grandmother depended on each other for survival, and he was


    filial to the elderly. Even if he seemed slovenly on the outside, he hadn¡¯t done anything bad, so he


    probably wasn¡¯t a bad guy.


    When he saw that Rachel was reluctant to do so, Julian decided not to insist. ¡°By the way, the results of


    the


    drug analysis you asked me to do earlier havee out.¡±


    Rachel took the documents from Julian, but she was somewhat confused as she read them. She had


    never studied medicine and had only a smattering of herbal medicine, so she couldn¡¯t quite understand


    the ingredients listed in the report.


    Justin exined, ¡°These kinds of herbal medicine and healthcare products, including the pills and the


    oral liquids, have little effect on the human body. One might as well say that they deserve neither credit


    nor me. Technically, the Food and Drug Administration should have been able to discover this.¡±


    Everything stays quiet most of the time as long as no human lives are involved.


    Julian was somewhat stunned, whereas Rachel looked very calm. Hudson Pharmaceuticals had set


    foot in Riverdale for so many years, so it more or less had some connections in the government.


    Otherwise, it would have gone out of business long ago with the prescriptions Jefferey had. After all,


    these prescriptions were handed down from their ancestors without the dosage specified. With Julian¡¯s


    lab test results and the previous results from Janice¡¯s investigation, Rachel was now certain that


    Jefferey had been crying up wine and selling vinegar these years by selling fake medicine. The Hudson


    Family¡¯s century-old clinic had six prescriptions handed down from the ancestors, but none of them


    ended up falling into Jefferey¡¯s hands.


    As they were talking, the sound of a car engine was heard from outside. As soon as Justin came in, he


    saw Julian and Rachel standing together; they looked like a well-matched couple under the kitchen¡¯s


    bright light. He frowned for a moment, but he quickly assumed his usual expression soon afterward.


    ¡°Hi there, Justin,¡± Julian greeted first.


    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Justin responded. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep yet?¡±


    ¡°Rachel asked me to test some stuff earlier, and the results happened toe out today, so I¡¯m giving


    it to her.¡±


    Justin looked thoughtful as his eyes fell on Rachel¡¯s hands. Meanwhile, the woman collected the


    documents and gestured to him. Let¡¯s talk about it upstairs.


    Justin nodded slightly.


    Rachel truthfully recounted Julian¡¯s words and her own conjecture in the study.


    Justin looked at theb test reports in his hand. ¡°I also had someone test the sleeping pills before the


    research and developmentboratory was closed, but the results aren¡¯t out yet. This is quite thoughtful


    of you. However.¡± He suddenly raised his head with darkened eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Jefferey


    doesn¡¯t have the prescriptions in his hands? What about the prescriptions you gave me?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her hand trembled, causing theb test report in her hand to float


    down on her feet. I have forgotten about this, she thought to herself.


    Justin stared at her coldly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to exin this?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s throat tightened. I didn¡¯t mean to lie to you. I did so at the time to stay alive.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell the truth?¡±


    You wouldn¡¯t have believed me. Rachel¡¯s expression was strained as she gestured carefully with her


    hands. ¡®Under the circumstances at the time, you wouldn¡¯t have believed me at all if I told you that the


    prescription I¡¯d


    seen had no dosage listed in them.¡¯


    Justin¡¯s originally deep and cold eyes looked stunned for a moment. He had the impression that Rachel


    seemed to have said many times that he wouldn¡¯t believe her, and he had indeed never done so.


    Whenever she came into contact with Jefferey or other men, his first response was always to think that


    she wanted to betray him and run away from him. ¡°Just forget it. I hope that you won¡¯t hide anything


    from me anymore.¡±


    Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. I need to clock out earlier for the next few days. May I do that?


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Grandma has hurt herself a little, so I need to go to her ce every day to look after her.


    Justin nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Also, I saved a kid several days ago when he had an epileptic fit. He has been taking care of Grandma


    lately, so if you¡¯re worried, you can have someone check him out.


    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±


    He¡¯s only in his twenties, and he lives with his grandmother in poor conditions as they depend on each


    other for survival. Earlier today, I followed him to his ce to take a look. His grandmother can only


    sink or swim by herself without him. Rachel gestured expressionlessly like a machine devoid of feeling.


    Justin felt irritated for no reason. He chided, ¡°Am I a person who kills people indiscriminately as I


    please in your eyes?¡±


    Rachel kept a straight face. That isn¡¯t what I mean. I¡¯m just telling you these things in advance to avoid


    any unnecessary misunderstandings. Now that Hans had died, she couldn¡¯t let any innocent people get


    hurt because of her anymore.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Justin stared at her coldly. ¡°Why do I feel that you¡¯re making a stand against me, though?


    You¡¯re provoking me in such a way!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 117

    My Mute Bride Chapter 117


    Rachel clenched her fists, but her eyes looked as calm as a deep pool of stagnant water.


    ¡°Are you so unwilling to stay by my side?¡± Justin recalled the night of their wedding when he first saw


    her. At the time, she looked so weak and serene with a pair of innocent and kind eyes. However, his


    extreme hatred for the Hudsons was so tangled up with his pity for her that it ultimately gave rise to a


    desire to imprison her by his side forever.


    Meanwhile, Rachel clenched her fists without uttering a sound. Hans¡¯ death was something she could


    never get over. Even if Justin didn¡¯t kill him, he had indirectly caused his death by breaking his leg.


    Therefore, she couldn¡¯t forgive the man before her. Of course, perhaps he didn¡¯t need her forgiveness


    at all.


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    As soon as the two words were uttered, Rachel turned around and left without hesitation.


    The sound of the door being closed reverberated in the study. After several flicks of the lighter, smoke


    curled upward behind the desk, blurring the man¡¯s stony and gloomy face as he knitted his brows


    tightly for a moment.


    A weekter, a batch of drugs sold overseas by Hudson Pharmaceuticals was inspected at the aviation


    transportation center, and it revealed serious issues regarding the drugs¡¯ quality. This incident was


    instantly publicized in the news media, causing a public uproar. As a result, arge number of agents


    gathered at the entrance of Hudson Pharmaceuticals and condemned thepany, demanding


    refunds and payments of liquidated damages.


    ¡°You must help me this time, Rachel! If Justin doesn¡¯t help us, Hudson Pharmaceuticals will be finished


    once these agents make trouble!¡±


    However, Rachel remained calm andposed as she poured a cup of tea and handed it to Jefferey.


    Don¡¯t worry. No one wants such a thing to happen. Don¡¯t you know someone in the Food and Drug


    Administration very well?


    ¡°When someone falls from power, those beneath him tend to run away. Who would dare to help me


    right now if the public outcry isn¡¯t dealt with? What¡¯scking isn¡¯t people, but money!¡± Jefferey was so


    anxious that he broke out in a cold sweat. After all, the situation this time was much more serious than


    the previous one. ¡°Rachel, you¡¯re now Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ major shareholder, so you¡¯re both


    responsible and obligated to help solve this. Otherwise, this won¡¯t do you any good either!¡±


    Are you threatening me?


    Jefferey¡¯s face froze at her question. ¡°T-That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    Rachel turned around and took a document out of the cab.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    The solution to the problem. I thought about it as soon as the incident broke out. Now, it depends on


    whether you¡¯re willing to do so.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Jefferey¡¯s face gradually hardened as he opened the document and turned a few pages. ¡°Do you want


    me to cede thend in the southern Suburbs of Riverdale? Is this what you want or what Justin wants?¡±


    I don¡¯t have the capability to ask Justin for help without you having to sacrifice anything. Rachel


    responded with a cold expression. By the way, isn¡¯t Amber working at the Burton Group as well? If you


    think I can¡¯t help you, you can ask her instead. Perhaps she can persuade Justin better than I can.


    Jefferey¡¯s face darkened. Would he have to go so far as toe here and ask for Rachel¡¯s help if


    Amber could really persuade Justin? Justin is obviously coaxing her by spending money to buy her


    some presents, but she can¡¯t see through this herself, he thought to himself. ¡°I¡¯ll take it back and think


    about it.¡±


    All right then, goodbye and take care. Rachel rang the bell at hand. Soon after that, her secretary


    opened the


    door and came in to escort Jefferey out of the office.


    After Jefferey left, Rachel sat down with a text message from Justin disyed on her phone¡¯s screen. It


    read, ¡®Has he agreed to it?¡¯


    ¡®Not yet, but I think he¡¯ll agree to it.


    ¡®Add fuel to the fire then.¡¯


    Rachel slowly clutched her cell phone as she read the text message.


    On Friday, Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ share price plummeted before the stock market was closed for


    the day, thepany¡¯s stocks even hit rock bottom once.


    At the Hudson Residence, Jefferey threw the contract onto the table. ¡°They¡¯re forcing me to sign my


    own death warrant!¡±


    Amber quickly advised by saying, ¡°Take a sip of tea and calm down, Dad. I told you long ago that


    Rachel is unreliable. Right now, she can do anything just to please Justin.¡±


    ¡°That b*tch is living off me while secretly helping someone else!¡± When Jefferey recalled how Rachel


    had climbed her way up to her current position and how he had to do things ording to her likes and


    dislikes these days, he felt that he had been tricked. He was so angry that he could hardly breathe.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. I¡¯ll definitely find a way to kick Rachel out of the Burton Group.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you.¡± Jefferey clenched his fists with a slight twitch in the corner of his eyes and his aged


    face covered with lines. ¡°It¡¯s time to let her know that it¡¯s not that easy to stay by Justin¡¯s side.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do, Dad?¡±


    Jefferey made a phone call. ¡°Jeremy, have someone go to Somerset Mountain and pick up a person for


    me.¡±


    After signing thend transfer agreement with Jefferey, Justin and Rachel came to the southern


    Suburbs of Riverdale together. Frankie pointed at a piece ofnd in the distance and said, ¡°ording


    to the development n, a hot spring resort is to be built on that site. However, we can reduce the area


    covered by the hot spring resort and build a hotel instead. Meanwhile, thisrge piece ofnd is


    suitable for being made into a golf course.¡±


    Justin nodded before ncing at Rachel. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Rachel was startled for a moment before she answered him solemnly. I don¡¯t think that a sole golf


    course built here will bepetitive enough with the golf course in the western suburbs. People prefer


    quietness nowadays, and this ce is very close to the temple. As a matter of fact, we can consider


    integrating Buddhist elements into the project and build a secluded holiday resort.


    No one knew how much time passed in the mountains as the morning bell rang and the evening drum


    sounded every day. Since this ce was near Brisc Mountain, one could clearly hear the sound of


    the monks ringing the bell on the mountain.


    Justin looked thoughtful upon hearing Rachel¡¯s words.


    ¡°Justin!¡± Just then, Gloria trotted over from a distance and held Justin¡¯s arm. She asked excitedly, ¡°I


    saw some horses being raised over there. Is a horse ranch going to be built here?¡±


    ¡°Do you wish to have a horse ranch built here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! That way, I cane over to ride horses after itspletion. This ce would be huge! If a


    horse ranch is built, it¡¯ll be thergest one in Riverdale!¡±


    Justin shot a nce at Frankie and ordered, ¡°Get it done.¡±


    Frankie looked at Gloria in a stunned manner before he nced at Rachel in amazement. In the end,


    he bit back what he wanted to say and sighed inwardly.


    On the other hand, Rachel pursed her lips with a bitter taste in her mouth. Since he had never nned


    to ept my suggestion in the first ce, why did he even ask for my opinion? she thought to herself.


    Gloria, who was unaware of their previous conversation, cheered happily when she heard that a horse


    ranch would be built here. ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look at the horses over there. It¡¯s still early, so let¡¯s ride


    a horse!¡± Then, she dragged Justin away.


    Rachel stood where she was, whereas Frankie turned around and spoke to her after taking two steps.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go there and take a look together, Mrs. Burton.¡±


    Okay.


    ¡°Actually, the horse ranch might not be built in the end. Building a horse ranch here is a huge


    investment with little profit and high risk. When a feasible nes out in the end, your n would


    probably be more practical.¡±


    I just mentioned it without thinking, so it has nothing to do with me. Rachel looked unperturbed as she


    followed the two talking and joking figures ahead of her toward the stable.


    Meanwhile, Frankie caught up with her from behind. ¡°Have you ever ridden a horse, Mrs. Burton?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll choose a docile horse for youter to avoid any idents.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 118

    My Mute Bride Chapter 118


    Rachel followed behind Justin and Gloria at a distance while listening as the staff member exined


    the horse before them. ¡°This horse is quite small in stature, and it¡¯s quite docile. Mrs. Burton, since


    you¡¯re a novice at horse riding, you may try riding this one,¡± he said.


    Rachel tried to touch the colt¡¯s head. When she saw that the colt didn¡¯t resist her, she breathed a sigh


    of relief. She had never ridden a horse before, but she was looking forward to it.


    After everyone had chosen their own horses, the staff members in charge led the horses out of the


    stable. At the sight of the scene, Rachel became somewhat nervous.


    ¡°This horse is so good-looking!¡± Gloria¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°Miss Rachel, your horse is much


    more good-looking than the one I chose. I¡¯d like to swap my horse with yours.¡±


    Rachel hesitated somewhat as she looked at the horse behind Gloria. The horse Gloria had chosen


    was too tall; Rachel had never ridden a horse before, so she didn¡¯t dare to ride such a tall one.


    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Justin, who had already mounted his horse, rode over and eyed the


    two of them.


    Gloria exined, ¡°I like Miss Rachel¡¯s horse, so I want to swap my horse with hers, but she seems a bit


    reluctant.¡±


    Justin frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you choose this horse yourself? Why don¡¯t you like it anymore?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see Miss Rachel¡¯s horse just now. Her horse is so adorable.¡±


    Rachel looked visibly troubled. However, when Justin was about to say something, she suddenly


    stepped aside and gestured. I¡¯ll give you my horse then.


    Gloria smiled. ¡°Hehe, thanks! I just know that you have a big heart, Miss Rachel,¡± she said. After


    finishing her sentence, she got on the horse, snatched the reins from the staff member¡¯s hand, and


    rode off with a squeeze of the horse¡¯s belly. Her voice could be heard in the wind as she shouted, ¡°I¡¯m


    riding off first! Hurry up and catch up with me!¡±


    Justin straddled the horse while looking at Rachel. ¡°If you¡¯re afraid, just choose another smaller horse.¡±


    Rachel shook her head. It¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯ll give it a try.


    ¡°The horses in our ranch are quite good-tempered,¡± said the staff member as he mounted her on the


    horse. Luckily, despite the horse¡¯s tall stature, it was quite good-tempered, and it walked slowly. With


    the staff member leading the horse, Rachel was no longer afraid after riding the horse for a while.


    Justin didn¡¯t seem to be worried about Gloria, who was galloping her horse in the distance, as he


    followed behind Rachel with just the right distance between them. Rachel¡¯s long hair was swaying in


    the wind, and her white shirt, brown vest, and riding outfit fit her figure very well. The scene looked


    lively from behind as the sun slowly set in the west.


    ¡°Would you like to try riding it faster, Mrs. Burton?¡±


    Rachel hurriedly shook her head.


    ¡°Actually, you can give it a try,¡± the staff member kept persuading as he pulled the reins, patted the


    horse, and quickened his pace.


    Rachel instantly became nervous, and her back tensed up. The staff memberforted her by saying,


    ¡°Rx, Mrs. Burton. The horse isn¡¯t trotting fast.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t speak and wanted to gesture something, but the staff member couldn¡¯t see it since he


    was leading the horse at the front. At the sight of the scene, Justin immediately bellowed, ¡°Slow down!


    Who told you to lead the horse at such a quick pace?¡±


    The staff member was so startled that he stumbled, but he didn¡¯t manage to stop the horse in time.


    Rachel cried out in rm and nearly let go of the reins in her hand. Luckily, the staff member grabbed


    the reins with all his might. Still, Rachel broke out in a cold sweat as she felt terrified.


    ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Just then, a scream was suddenly heard from a distance.


    Upon being surprised by this, Rachel watched from afar while Gloria¡¯s horse raised its hooves high,


    and the reins snapped in two mid-air. As Gloria failed to catch them, she fell off the horse.


    ¡°Gloria!¡± Justin immediately turned his horse around and hurried there.


    Rachel was startled as well, and she hurriedly got off the horse before rushing over to the scene. When


    she arrived, Gloria was lying on the ground with a look of agony on her face, whereas Justin squatted


    down next to her but didn¡¯t dare to move her carelessly. He looked back and yelled at Rachel, ¡°What


    are you waiting for? Call the ambnce!¡±


    Rachel shuddered upon being yelled at. She fumbled for her cell phone in a panic, only to recall that


    she had left her cell phone in the dressing room while changing her clothes there.


    Meanwhile, the staff member nearby had called the ambnce. ¡°Hello, is this the first-aid center?¡±


    There was a first-aid station in the park. Frankie hurried over with the staff members and carried Gloria


    away on a stretcher, whereas Justin followed them all the way with a look of anxiety on his face that


    one had never seen before.


    Rachel was somewhat at a loss as she stood where she was. Suddenly, she noticed from a distance


    that several staff members couldn¡¯t get Gloria¡¯s horse to move even after they had pulled on the reins.


    Instead, it kept giving backward kicks like crazy. The voice of the staff member who had led her horse


    just now came from behind. ¡°It¡¯s strange. Why is this horse so irritable today? Has it eaten something


    wrong?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat. Somehow, she instinctively sensed that someone had been


    fixing their gaze on her the whole time. When she looked up toward the direction of that gaze, she saw


    what seemed like a figure disappearing from the rooftop of the park¡¯s hotel some distance away. If


    Gloria hadn¡¯t swapped horses with her today, she would¡¯ve probably fell off the horse instead.


    At Tran-Q Hospital, Justin kept waiting outside the operating room as Julian operated on Gloria himself.


    When Rachel arrived, the surgery wasn¡¯tpleted yet. When Justin saw her, he said, ¡°You aren¡¯t


    needed here. Go home first.¡±


    Just then, the door of the operating room suddenly opened from the inside. Julian took off his face


    mask and came out. ¡°She¡¯s all right, so don¡¯t worry,¡± he said.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Justin heaved a sigh of relief.


    ¡°She broke two ribs and tore her thigh muscles, so she needs to be kept under observation in the


    hospital for quite some time. Isn¡¯t she said to be very good at horse riding? Why did she have such a


    nasty fall?¡±


    Justin looked upset. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have allowed her to fool around. She wasn¡¯t very familiar with the


    horses in the ranch.¡±


    Suddenly, Rachel shook her head and handed Julian a packet; it was a sealed white bag that


    contained some particles.


    Julian and Justin were both startled. ¡°What is this?¡±


    The horse feed from the ranch. Before Rachel left, she deliberately went to the stables and took a look.


    Surprisingly, the manger used to feed Gloria¡¯s horse had been emptied. Since Rachel had a weird


    feeling about this, she scratched the bottom of the manger while no one was noticing. Then, she


    packed the


    particles and left.


    Justin¡¯s face instantly clouded over. ¡°Are you suspecting that this has been premeditated?¡±


    Rachel nodded.


    ¡°Julian.¡±


    ¡°I got it.¡± Julian took the bag of horse feed. ¡°I¡¯ll take this to my friend and ask him to help test this to see


    if there¡¯s anything wrong with it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and Gloria is still under anesthesia. Why don¡¯t you two go home and rest first?¡±


    Justin shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯ll be here with her.¡±


    The startled Julian subconsciously looked at Rachel, only to see her imperturbable expression. She


    seemed to have be ustomed to such situations. In that case, I¡¯ll be going back first.


    Justin then looked at Julian. ¡°Haven¡¯t you gotten off duty yet, Julian? Go home with her then.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Justin wheeled the gurney himself as he followed behind the medical staff to the ward; it was as if his


    entire mind was focused on the person lying on the sickbed.


    It wasn¡¯t until Justin¡¯s figure disappeared in the elevator that Rachel came to her senses. Suddenly, she


    felt a surge of gastric juices in her stomach, and she couldn¡¯t help but rush to the trash can before she


    retched into it.


    ¡°Are you okay, Rachel?¡± Julian¡¯s concerned voice sounded from behind.


    The woman waved her hand to signal that she was fine.


    Julian suddenly recalled how he had once seen her throwing up at home. His tone changed abruptly as


    he asked, ¡°Does this often happen to you these days?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 119

    My Mute Bride Chapter 119


    After a long while of dry heaving, Rachel suddenly lifted her head at Julian¡¯s question.


    Following his line of sight, she lowered her head to see her abdomen. In that instant, she zoned out as


    if she had just realized something.


    Meanwhile, Justin was taking care of Gloria in the ward.


    After getting anesthetized the night before, she finally woke up. Seeing the man that was snoozing


    beside her, she carefully lifted her hand and caressed his face.


    Justin opened his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    Gloria hastily withdrew her hand as she trembled and gasped.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, they¡¯ve put a cast on your leg.¡± Justin pressed her shoulders and continued, ¡°The doctor


    said that you should rest more, but don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡±


    After nodding her head, she rested against the pillow and turned to Justin.


    ¡°Something was wrong with the horse I rode.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ve sent my men to look into it.¡±


    ¡°The horse was meant to be ridden by Rachel, so whoever did it wasn¡¯t actually targeting me.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Justin¡¯s eyebrows furrowed somewhat. ¡°Are you saying that someone wants to


    cause Rachel harm?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After letting out a deep sigh, Gloria lifted her head and lowered it back down into a morefortable


    position. ¡°Many people hate seeing her hanging around you. Even though I haven¡¯t been in Riverdale


    for long, I¡¯ve seen numerous people who detest her, but I cannot tell who the suspect might possibly


    be.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    After covering her with the sheets, Justin then informed, ¡°I¡¯ll go get the doctor.¡±


    Just as he was about to leave, Gloria suddenly grabbed his wrist. ¡°Justin.¡±


    He was slightly dazed by this and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Gloria¡¯s eyes were filled with a sense of dependence as she asked, ¡°You will never abandon me no


    matter what happens, right?¡±


    Justin¡¯s gaze was firm as he held her hand and answered, ¡°Never.¡±


    He then continued, ¡°Stop thinking about these things and get some rest. I¡¯ll help you to apply for a few


    days off from school.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± When Justin disappeared from the door, Gloria¡¯s eyes gradually dulled.


    Ever since she was hospitalized, Justin rejected as many projects as he could while Rachel constantly


    traveled back and forth between the hospital and the Burton Group.


    In the afternoon, Rachel walked out of Tran-Q with the burning sun above her head.


    As she clutched the test report Julian had given to her earlier, she could feel the dizziness in her head.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been pregnant for two months.¡±


    His words sounded in her ears continuously, yet she couldn¡¯t ept this reality.


    As she caressed her stomach, she couldn¡¯t believe that she was bearing a new life within her-a life she


    and


    Justin made.


    What should I tell him?


    Since her head was spinning with thoughts, Rachel drove around Riverdale¡¯s city center without


    knowing where to go, and she ultimately decided to visit her grandmother.


    She had just entered the neighborhood when she saw Victor holding her grandmother as they walked


    around the area.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    Since Victor had perfect eyesight, he spotted Rachel with one nce and waved at her.


    As she held her purse, Rachel walked over to the duo. How are you, Grandma?


    Grandma squatted and patted her knees. She then smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s been ages since I recovered.


    It¡¯s only


    a scratch, so it¡¯s nothing serious. In fact, I¡¯ve been bored as hell these past few days!¡±


    Still, you¡¯ve got to take care of yourself. Old people heal slower, after all.


    ¡°I know, so you should just stop worrying.¡± As she spoke, she stood up and grabbed Victor with one


    hand and Rachel with the other. ¡°Let¡¯s go home. We¡¯re making pierogi today!¡±


    Victor immediately suggested, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll go get some sauerkraut since Rachel loves to pair them


    with cheese.¡±


    After he finished his sentence, he left Nancy with Rachel and rushed out of the neighborhood.


    As they watched his fading figure, Grandma chuckled. ¡°Oh, look at that child! I only mentioned it once,


    and he has already carved it into his brain. He¡¯s quite an attentive boy despite being so clumsy most of


    the time!¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel smiled without saying a word.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    As she helped her grandmother up the stairs, a senile man¡¯s voice was sounded from behind them.


    ¡°Nancy!¡±


    Rachel hadn¡¯t realized it at first, and it wasn¡¯t until her grandmother halted her steps did she remember


    that it was her grandmother¡¯s actual name.


    They saw an old man after they turned around, and he was sporting a camouge outfit with an aged,


    torn, leather bag. Meanwhile, he studied them hesitantly.


    Rachel was stunned for a short while, but she eventually recognized the old man as her eyes lit up.


    Grandpa Irwin?


    Before she was sent back to the Hudson Residence, Rachel lived together with her mother and


    grandmother. Grandpa Irwin was one of the people she could barely remember from back then.


    Although her memory was somewhat hazy, she could remember him-he always returned with gifts like


    candies, books, and toys from the city.


    After all, kids remembered the happy moments in their lives very clearly.


    With Grandpa Irwin¡¯s presence, all the memories from her childhood surged through her mind.


    In Nancy¡¯s living room, Grandpa Irwin started tearing up after finishing his third bowl of pasta. ¡°A big


    flood happened in our area, and the entire house copsed eventually. Since then, I¡¯ve been living


    alone. After racking my brains, the only ones I thought I could depend on were you guys, but


    Riverdale¡¯s so big that it took me more than a month to find this ce.¡±


    ¡°More than a month?¡± Grandma frowned. ¡°How did you know we were in Riverdale?¡±


    ¡°20 years ago, the car that sent you and Rae away came from Riverdale!¡±


    ¡°Like you¡¯ve said, it¡¯s already been 20 years. What made you so sure that we¡¯d still be here?¡±


    Grandpa Irwin was stunned for a bit, but he then exined, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure either. Since I had no one


    else left, thought of just trying my luck. Honestly, if I couldn¡¯t locate you guys, I would¡¯ve just looked for


    a job here in Riverdale and live a lonely old man¡¯s life to the end.¡±


    Just as Nancy was about to continue asking, Rachel interrupted her.


    ¡®Where are you living right now?¡¯


    ¡°Rae?¡± Since Grandpa Irwin didn¡¯t know about Rachel¡¯s condition, he was stupefied by how she


    presented her message by typing into her phone.


    Nancy exined, ¡°The fire from 20 years ago burned her throat, and she never recovered from it.¡±


    ¡°How could that be? Can¡¯t it be cured even with Riverdale¡¯s top-notch medical standards?¡±


    Grandpa Irwin had a look of sympathy as he continued, ¡°Rae used to be adorable back when she was


    a little


    girl. Why would the Gods curse you this way?¡±


    On the other hand, Rachel ignored his words and shook her phone to indicate that he had yet to


    answer his question.


    Upon seeing that, Grandpa Irwin answered, ¡°I¡¯m currently staying in an underground spot not far from


    here. Right, I came here because I heard that the neighborhood is looking to hire a security guard.


    Look at me, almost forgetting what¡¯s important!¡±


    As he spoke, he pulled out a piece of wrinkled paper from his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s written here.¡±


    ¡®Looking to hire a security guard for 2,000. Food and shelter provided.


    Rachel took the paper and read it before handing it over to her grandmother.


    ¡°That is indeed our neighborhood.¡± Nancy nodded her head. ¡°However, security is tight around here


    and the owner has high expectations, so they wouldn¡¯t ept an ounder. Perhaps you should look


    somewhere else.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Grandpa Irwin was visibly disappointed. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    However, Rachel waved her hand and signed enthusiastically. ¡®I can rmend you to the


    management and discuss your rent as well as the owner¡¯s suggestions. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be no problem to


    secure your employment here!


    Suddenly, Grandma pulled her arm under the table.


    As she turned to her, Rachel saw her grandmother giving her an odd look.


    She failed toprehend her grandmother¡¯s hints, and she felt rather confused.


    Shouldn¡¯t she be happy to see an old friend?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 120

    My Mute Bride Chapter 120


    Shutting the door, Nancy gripped Rachel¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Why would you find him a job?¡±


    Rachel, however, was dazed. Grandpa Irwin is our neighbor and he is always good to me. If he were to


    move in, you could take care of each other! Besides, you don¡¯t know a lot of people in Riverdale, so it¡¯s


    a win!


    Seemingly anxious, Nancy frowned and mumbled, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±


    What¡¯s wrong, Grandma?


    ¡°Irwin¡­ However, Nancy stopped after muttering his name. ¡°Nevermind. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s hard for him as


    well, being so old and living without his children. We¡¯ll go as you wish, then. Plus, he gave us a lot of


    help back then.¡±


    Revealing a smile, Rachel grabbed Nancy¡¯s hand.


    I know what you¡¯re worried about, Grandma. Often, those who approach use with ill intent, but not


    all people are evil, are they?


    Besides, seeing Grandpa Irwin today reminded me of many fond memories from my childhood.


    ¡°Really?¡± Nancy asked, her eyes shimmering.


    Yes.


    Rachel sternly nodded her head.


    At the sight of Grandpa Irwin, Rachel was able to piece together many fragments of her memory,


    including the one when he bought her a cotton candy from town and it was her mother that opened the


    door for him.


    ¡°Cotton Candy for Rae! Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Say your thanks, Rae.¡±


    Her mother whispered into her ears. The scene was rather unreal. After all, this was the first time


    Rachel had recalled it after twenty years.


    Pondering on it, Nancy expressed, ¡°Must have been fate. Some things are meant for you to remember.¡±


    Very soon, Victor returned with the chives and Nancy promptly started making the dumplings.


    Meanwhile, Rachel contacted the management team about the security post, which the administration


    kindly agreed to.


    ¡®Where do you live, Grandpa Irwin? I¡¯ll help you move to the workers¡¯ hostel tomorrow¡¯


    Grandpa Irwin shook his head and rejected, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t have much to transport. I¡¯ll go hometer


    and return tomorrow. You just carry on as usual, Rae. Now, I can easily take care of your grandmother!¡±


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Upon hearing that, Nancy was visibly annoyed as she revealed a scowl.


    ¡°The pierogi is done!¡± Victor then served the main dish on the table along with some condiments.


    ¡°Eat up before they get cold, Madam Tiller and Rachel. I shall go home now.¡±


    However, Nancy quickly interjected, ¡°Join us, Victor!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. My grandma¡¯s waiting for me to have dinner with her and it¡¯s gettingte.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel caught his arm. ¡®Let me send you back.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Rachel.¡±


    After giving her grandmother a signal, she grabbed her bag and put on her shoes, thereafter walking


    out the door.


    In response, Grandma uttered, ¡°Go on. Drive safe!¡±


    Following behind Rachel was Victor, who scratched his head and was forced to follow her lead.


    Having sent Victor to his doorstep, Rachel gave him a box of pierogi and told him to share it with his


    grandmother.


    Victor was taken aback by this, and he murmured, ¡°That¡¯s too much, Rachel.¡±


    After shoving the container into his hands, she pulled an envelope from her bag and ced it on his


    knees.


    Stunned, he opened the envelope and saw a neat stack of hundreds. He was utterly stupefied by this


    and asked, ¡°What¡¯s all this, Rachel?¡±


    In response, she showed him a pre-written message.


    I¡¯m lending this money to you, so remember to write me an IOU. Take this money and sign up for night


    school. Take up sses that you¡¯re interested in so you can take care of your grandma even better and


    let her be rest assured!


    Victor peered at Rachel dumbfoundedly and hastily turned away.


    Meanwhile, she could hear choking voices from the co-pilot seat.


    As she was about tofort him, he pushed open the car door, fearing that she would see his weeping


    face. It was not until he was far away that he shouted, ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back for sure!¡±


    Rachel beamed and started driving the car amid the night.


    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t notice that when she had left the alley, Victor was stopped by several


    unknown figures.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Grab him!¡±


    As soon as he heard those words, he was restrained by two big men and his face was pushed against


    the unpainted concrete wall. Eventually, he started bleeding as a result of rubbing his face against the


    wall.


    Meanwhile, the pierogi and envelope had fallen to the ground.


    From the dark, a woman in a pair of heels appeared and bent down to pick up the envelope. ¡°And I was


    wondering why you¡¯ve been so distant with me. It seems to me you have found yourself a new mommy,


    huh?¡±


    ¡°Give my stuff back!¡±


    ¡°Your stuff?¡± The woman got closer to her and patted his face with the envelope. With a vile expression


    on her face, she pressed his head down and sneered, ¡°So this is what you¡¯ve been doing for me?¡±


    ¡°F*ck you! Who agreed to help you, anyway? You begged for a favor, and it¡¯s solely up to me whether


    to fulfill it or not!¡±


    Upon getting spit on her face, the woman grew infuriated as she thundered, ¡°Sick of life, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°F*ck me up if you have the balls to do so, b*tch!¡±


    ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t dare?¡± The woman took a step backward. ¡°Go on! Rough him up!¡±


    The young man let out screams of pain as he was trapped in a corner.


    After a while, the woman stepped on Victor with her heels as she looked down on him. Then, she


    grabbed the money from the envelope and threw it all over his body.


    ¡°What happened today is merely a lesson. If you fail to meet my expectations by the end of this month,


    I¡¯ll make sure that nobody finds your body. Just know that I was only sparing you some pride, you son


    of a b*tch!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    After the gang of men departed, Victor, who was lying t on the ground, eventually helped himself up


    with tremendous effort.


    ordingly, he picked up all the cash on the ground and attempted to press it t before keeping it


    safely. Seeing how the box of pierogi was smashed to bits, he gazed at the ruined pieces and finally


    found some intact ones. He ced them back into the container, cherishing every untouched piece like


    they were gems.


    After that, he wiped the bloodstains on his face and returned home as if nothing happened.


    That night, Rachel had a nightmare.


    In the dream, she was holding her child¡¯s hand and was running across the field.


    Out of the blue, the sky turned dark and she could only feel the air in her hands. No matter how hard


    she tried, she could never find the child again.


    All of a sudden, Justin¡¯s face appeared out of thin air.


    ¡°Just do what you¡¯re expected of. Don¡¯t even think of anything you shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    The view then cut to Hans with a bloody face. ¡°He broke my leg and caused me to die, yet you¡¯re


    bearing his child and living a happy life with him? That¡¯s so unfair, Rachel!¡±


    Meanwhile, she was surrounded by countless mockeries and scoffs, as if the demons and their


    underlings had been unleashed from hell and were staring at her with their green, demonic eyes.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    She shrieked huskily. Upon being awakened by her nightmare, she got up with her back drenched in


    sweat.


    By then, the sun was already shining brightly.


    While her heart was still palpitating, she subconsciously touched her abdomen.


    It had only been two months, yet she could already feel the tiny life inside of her.


    Are youforting Mommy, Baby?


    However, Mommy is too weak to protect you as countless people would hate to see you being born.


    Hans has died¡­ Uncle Hans, the one who was always kind to Mommy has died, so she can¡¯t shake


    your father off herself.


    How could Mommy give birth to your father¡¯s child?


    I¡¯m sorry, Baby!


    As numbness tingled Rachel¡¯s nose, tears started dripping down her face.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 121

    My Mute Bride Chapter 121


    After seeing his client, Justin hurried to the hospital.


    Upon entering the ward, he saw Gloria sitting on the bed while having her meal. ¡°You¡¯re early today.


    Have you eaten? Want to share?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good. I had lunch with a client just now.¡±


    ¡°I see. If you hade even earlier, you would¡¯ve met Rachel. Look, she made some chicken soup for


    me. It was fish soup yesterday. Though fish soup helps with recovery, she said it¡¯s better to switch to


    other vors


    at times.¡±


    Justin was baffled by this, and he promptly asked, ¡°She¡¯s beening every day?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Ever since I got hospitalized, she visited me every single day with various kinds of meals. She


    even insists on preparing them herself because takeaways are too greasy and it¡¯s best I avoid them.¡±


    ¡°Why have I never seen her?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s avoiding the time that you woulde.¡±


    Gloria looked into his eyes and continued, ¡°You truly went overboardst time. If I were in her shoes, it


    would¡¯ve been hard for me as well. Why don¡¯t you take the chance to talk about it with her?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Justin, you¡¯re always holding back your thoughts and behaving like you¡¯re the coldest man in the


    world.¡±


    ¡°Eat up. I¡¯ll go get some fruit.¡±


    Having said that, Justin exited the ward.


    Upon his exit, Gloria turned to the piling baskets of fruit and snorted.


    Get some fruits? Does he think I¡¯m a child?


    On the other hand, Rachel was cleaning the vegetables in the kitchen while Nancy was watching TV in


    the living room.


    Suddenly, the doorbell rang.


    ¡°Victor! He¡¯s always forgetting his keys!¡±


    Nancy nagged as she walked to the door.


    Since she feared that her grandmother would fall victim to more idents, Rachel had given Victor a


    duplicate house key.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Do you still remember me, Madam Tiller? I¡¯m Frankie. I visited you once before.¡±


    In the kitchen, Rachel was stunned momentarily when she heard the familiar man¡¯s voice. She cleaned


    her hands and rushed out from the kitchen, only to see Frankie standing by the door with several bags


    in his hands.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton.¡±


    While Nancy was still in a daze, Frankie had the men behind him start moving things into the house.


    ¡°President Burton heard that Madam Tiller was injured some time ago, so he decided to provide some


    self care products to her.¡±


    ¡°T-There¡¯s no need for this. I haven¡¯t even finished using the things you gave mest time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s merely his token of appreciation. There¡¯s no need to take it too seriously. Do you mind stepping


    aside, Madam Tiller? We don¡¯t want to injure you.¡±


    Behind Frankie were four men carrying a massage chair into the living room.


    At once, Rachel went to move the furniture in the living room to prevent any unwanted crashes.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your young master, then?¡± Nancy interrogated Frankie. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since he¡¯s married


    Rae, yet I¡¯ve never even seen him once.¡±


    To that, Frankie responded, ¡°He¡¯s right downstairs. There are still things left to move up here.¡±


    Downstairs?


    Upon hearing that, Rachel could feel her heart thumping, and she immediately stopped her


    grandmother from exiting the house.


    Stay here, Grandma. I¡¯ll go down for a bit.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    However, Nancy did not notice Rachel¡¯s anxiousness and she yelled as thetter was walking out the


    door, ¡°Tell Justin toe up and eat!¡±


    When she reached downstairs, Rachel saw Justin just getting out of the car. His hands were tucked in


    the pockets of his cks as he observed the neighborhood¡¯s atmosphere.


    Why are you here? There was nothing on Rachel¡¯s face but alertness.


    After ncing at Nancy¡¯s unit, Justin then queried, ¡°Did you like the things I sent you?¡±


    I don¡¯t remember having crossed your boundariestely.


    At this moment, Rachel behaved like a wary wolf that was showing its teeth to predators when it was


    being threatened.


    Suddenly, the warmth in Justin¡¯s eyes vanished. ¡°I¡¯m just sending some gifts to your grandmother.


    What¡¯s the big deal?¡±


    Oh, is that so? Is it as simple as that? Nothing like a warning?


    Rachel signed rather hastily as she was strung tight.


    She was aware of the fact that Justin knew about her weaknesses. After losing Hans, the person that


    she cared about most in the entire Riverdale would be her grandmother. Thus, rather than ¡®sending


    gifts¡¯, it felt more like he was hinting at her not to do anything rash or have any foul ideas.


    Instantly, Justin¡¯s joyous mood disappeared into thin air. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, Rachel.¡±


    With that, he immediately pulled open the car door, seeming like he was about to enter the vehicle.


    When she saw that he was leaving, Rachel heaved a sigh and was about to go back upstairs.


    However, she was stopped by a shout of her name.


    ¡°Rae!¡±


    Sporting the neighborhood security guard¡¯s outfit, Grandpa Irwin was grabbing a fish by its tail as he


    walked over to her with a bright smile on his face. ¡°Fresh fish from the market. I heard you wanted to


    make some fish soup, so I got it for you!


    Rachel suppressed her perplexed emotions. Then, she nodded her head and thanked him.


    Having hopped onto the car, Justin saw the old man conversing with Rachel the moment he shut the


    door. At one nce, his eyes narrowed and twitched.


    As Rachel was walking up the stairs with Grandpa Irwin, they bumped into Frankie who was talking on


    the phone.


    ¡°Yes. Got it. I can see them.¡±


    As he made eye contact with Grandpa Irwin on the narrow staircase, Frankie¡¯s eyes instantaneously


    turned darker as he signaled two of his henchmen. ¡°Go.¡±


    Before she realized it, Grandpa Irwin screamed as two men pinned him down.


    Meanwhile, the fish that was once in his hand fell to the ground and jumped as it struggled.


    What are you doing?


    ¡°My apologies, Mrs. Burton. It¡¯s Mr. Burton¡¯s order.¡±


    Meanwhile, Grandpa Irwin yelled in pain, ¡°What is this about? Let go of me!¡±


    At the sight of that, Rachel¡¯s face immediately turned pale. As she expected, Justin would never visit


    with simple intentions.


    Since she knew that Frankie would need to use the stairs, she blocked his path downstairs. Upon


    catching sight of Justin as he stood downstairs, she immediately gestured, What the hell are you


    doing?


    He was an innocent old man that barely had any rtionship with her, yet Justin wouldn¡¯t even let him


    go.


    Meanwhile, he revealed an expression that was terrifying as ever.


    ¡°Do you know who he is?¡±


    He¡¯s merely a security guard for the neighborhood! Have you gone insane?


    ¡°He¡¯s a human trafficker!¡± Justin growled and grabbed Rachel¡¯s wrists that were making signs. ¡°What


    are you waiting for? Get the man out of here!¡±


    When Justin shouted toward the back of her, Frankie was slightly stupefied and quickly had the men


    send Grandpa Irwin to the car.


    Meanwhile, Rachel was trying to shake Justin off, though everyone knew she didn¡¯t have the strength


    to repel him.


    It was this helpless sensation again-one that resembled an avnche, pushing everything to the


    ground. It was the same feeling Rachel had in the hospital ward back then, when Justin had his men


    press her down, making her watch as he broke one of Hans¡¯ legs.


    No¡­ Not again¡­


    Instinctively, she bit Justin¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    He loosened his grip after letting out a cry, allowing Rachel to escape his grasp and charge toward


    Grandpa Irwin.


    Since she could not shout, she could only tug on the henchmen¡¯s arms forcefully.


    As one of the men was growing impatient, he shoved her away with a swing of a hand.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Burton!¡± Frankie rushed over to help her up after seeing her fall, only to have his face turn pale.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mrs. Burton?¡±


    Justin was pressing his hand when he heard Frankie¡¯s question. Then, he turned to Rachel as she


    copsed on the ground. Fresh blood was flowing, staining her skirt crimson.


    At once, his eyes opened wide.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 122

    My Mute Bride Chapter 122


    Blood spread through Rachel¡¯s skirt as a stabbing pain came from her abdomen. She pressed a hand


    to it, her face pale.


    My child, my child.


    Justin shoved Frankie aside and scooped Rachel up. ¡°What are you standing around for? Get driving to


    the hospital!¡±


    It was then that Frankie snapped out of it, and the car sped down the streets of Riverdale while running


    several red lights.


    After making it to the emergency room, Julian stepped out once Rachel had been checked over.


    ¡°How is she?¡±


    Julian confirmed that the door had been shut tight before he allowed his expression to fall. At the same


    time, he stopped Justin from going in.


    ¡°Are you concerned about her?¡±


    ¡°Stop asking me things like that. What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant!¡± Julian raised his voice, his low tones reverberating through the corridor, shocking the


    few medical staff nearby until they had looks of bewilderment on their faces.


    Why was the usually even-tempered Dr. Peters so furious?


    Instantly, Justin¡¯s head was filled with a buzzing sound. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said that she¡¯s pregnant. She¡¯s already more than two months along.¡± Julian¡¯s expression was dark.


    ¡°I wanted to tell you about it a few days ago, but you were busy taking care of Gloria. Not only that, you


    never asked once about Rachel. So, I thought that there was no difference whether I told you at all.¡±


    Justin was still stunned. He stared dumbly at the door to the ward, seeming as though he hadn¡¯t heard


    Julian.


    Rachel was pregnant all along? Am I going to be a father?


    ¡°Justin Burton!¡±


    At the thought of Rachel¡¯s condition, Justin quickly snapped back to reality. ¡°How is she now?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re only asking this now? What were you doing before you thought of that?¡±


    ¡°What exactly is going on with her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine for now. The baby is also doing okay. However, her condition isn¡¯t stable. The first three


    months of pregnancy is the time when you should be at your most careful.¡±


    Having heard that, Justin let out a breath.


    Meanwhile, Rachel leaned against the headboard of her bed inside the ward. She was already awake,


    and her mind was wandering as she stared out the window. Just then, the door behind her opened up.


    She could tell from the sound of the footsteps that it was Justin, and her back stiffened at that.


    ¡°Are you still unwell? I know that you¡¯re awake.¡±


    After a long moment of silence, Rachel finally turned around.


    What did you do to Grandpa Irwin?


    Justin¡¯s face darkened slightly at the mention of the elder man. ¡°That is none of your concern.¡±


    He¡¯s an old man. Just think of it as my plea to you, so please let him go. Take all of it out on me-


    whether it¡¯s your resentment toward me or the Hudsons. Don¡¯t hurt anyone who¡¯s innocent! Now that


    Hans is in your sight, is that not enough for you?


    Rachel was on the verge of a breakdown, her eyespletely bloodshot as though they would burst


    the next moment. Her gaze was fixed right on Justin.


    ¡°Are you saying that he should avoid punishment just because he¡¯s in his twilight years? He¡¯s a human


    trafficker!¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel¡¯s despair grew. She ended up letting out a chuckle as she looked at Justin.


    You can¡¯t even make up a convincing excuse. Grandpa Irwin, a human trafficker? In that case, why


    didn¡¯t you hand him over to the police?


    Justin grew impatient. ¡°Think what you want, but I must have him arrested!¡±


    At the thought of the incident from 20 years ago, he couldn¡¯t wait to chop all of those involved into little


    pieces.


    Jeffrey Hudson and the gaggle of traffickers who sold him were the true culprits-none of them had


    better think of escaping.


    However, what about the police? More than 20 years had passed since then. Even if the police could


    find proof, the statute of limitations on the case had already been reached. Didn¡¯t that mean that the


    culprits would still go free?


    Justin was in the middle of his tirade when he got a phone call. After ncing at Rachel, he left the


    room with his phone in hand.


    After the door shut with a bang, the room descended into silence.


    Rachel clutched the bed sheets tightly, her face as gray as ash.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± Frankie¡¯s voice rang out over the phone¡¯s speakers. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten hold of some news. The


    man recently came to Riverdale. He said that he went to a friend for shelter, and that he¡¯s an old


    acquaintance of Rachel¡¯s grandmother.¡±


    ¡°An old acquaintance, you say?¡±


    Justin¡¯s forehead tightened into a frown. He recalled that Jefferey had razed the forest around


    Somerset Mountain back then; Hudson Pharmaceuticals had seemingly bought that forest for


    development. Hence, it was reasonable for the people who lived there to know Rachel¡¯s grandmother.


    ¡°What else did he say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing-his lips are sealed. He won¡¯t admit that he¡¯s been an errand boy for traffickers. The


    documents at the police station have long since been destroyed as well. We won¡¯t be able to dig up


    anything from them.¡± Frankie¡¯s tone was troubled. ¡°Mr. Burton, it¡¯s been 20 years. Could you have been


    mistaken about the people involved?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Justin¡¯s voice was eerily cold, and one could sense the iciness from it.


    He would never forget that day from 20 years back. It had been swelteringly hot, and the loathsome old


    man who had locked him up cracked open a corner of the cer and warned him savagely through the


    opening-if


    Justin did not obey him, he would let the boy starve to death inside the cer.


    The cer had been dark and damp, and he hadn¡¯t been able to see anything. All he could smell was


    the stench of pickled vegetables.


    If Katie hadn¡¯t saved him back then, he would have died down there.


    ¡°What should we do with him now, Mr. Burton?¡±


    ¡°Lock him up until he confesses to all his crimes. Then¡­ send him to the police.¡± Justin paused a bit


    there. If it wasn¡¯t for his concern toward Rachel and the child in her belly, he would have gone over to


    deal with the old man personally.


    The next day, Rachel continued to rest in her room at the hospital. Julian told her that she needed to


    stay in bed for the next few days, or she would have difficulty keeping her baby.


    Tap, tap, tap.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    She looked up from her book and saw Gloria slowly entering the room with a cane in one hand.


    Rachel immediately got up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move. I can walk by myself.¡± Gloria hastily waved a hand. It was somewhat of an arduous task


    for her to make her way over to the bed with her cane. ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m okay. Why are you here?¡¯


    ¡°I heard that you were admitted here. I was worried you¡¯d be bored out of your mind, so I came over to


    chat with you.¡±


    Rachel was stunned.


    Gloria pressed her lips together before she reluctantly admitted the truth. ¡°All right, I was actually


    bored, so I came to see you. I¡¯ve already asked the doctors about you, and Dr. Peters said that you¡¯re


    pregnant.¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s right:


    ¡°That¡¯s good news. Justin is already at that age, and it¡¯s about time for him to have children of his own.¡±


    Happiness showed in Gloria¡¯s eyes.


    Rachel didn¡¯t understand it, though. ¡®Don¡¯t you like Justin?¡¯


    If a person liked someone, how could they be so magnanimous to the point of allowing their beloved to


    have a child with another woman?


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gloria said in a straightforward manner with a shrug. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t stop me from staying by


    his side. I think that even if he has eight or ten kids, none of them would be more important than me.


    It¡¯s just like how I don¡¯t think anything has changed even with you being around him.¡±


    The corners of Rachel¡¯s lips twitched up. ¡®You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I don¡¯t intend on keeping


    the baby!


    ¡°Huh?¡± Gloria froze as she stared at the phone¡¯s screen. ¡°Why not? This is your first child with Justin!¡±


    Rachel felt a bitterness in her throat. She didn¡¯t know how she should exin to Gloria, nor did she feel


    any need to


    Neither of them realized that someone had been standing by the door all this while.


    Upon hearing Gloria¡¯s question, the person clenched his hands tightly while his expression darkened.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 123

    My Mute Bride Chapter 123


    ck. The sound of the door knob turning could be heard loud and clear.


    Gloria and Rachel froze for a moment, and the former¡¯s words came to an abrupt halt. She was


    surprised by this, and she looked at Justin as he walked inside. ¡°When did you arrive?¡±


    Meanwhile, the man¡¯s expression was cold.


    ¡°Gloria, go back to your room for now.¡±


    Gloria stiffened up and eyed Rachel worriedly. She only left once thetter signaled that she would be


    fine.


    Justin and Rachel were now the only ones left in the room.


    ¡°You don¡¯t intend to keep the child?¡±


    His cold voice resounded throughout the room.


    Now that Gloria had left, it felt as though the temperature in the room had dropped by several degrees.


    Rachel gripped her nket tightly. Yes.


    Since the baby was fated to live a tragedy if they were born, it would be better if they never got to start


    their story. They would be born to a mute mother who wouldn¡¯t have the ability to protect them, and to a


    father who did not love them at all. Who would be able to bear such a childhood?


    Rachel¡¯sposed expression incensed Justin. ¡°And who let you make such a decision by yourself?¡±


    A shadow loomed over her. The sudden assault of pain from her arm made Rachel suck in a breath.


    Her face, which was already pale,pletely drained of color then.


    Most frighteningly, she was surprised to find that she could feel a faint sense of happiness.


    At the very least, Justin wanted the baby.


    ¡°Listen up carefully-you will keep this child. You don¡¯t have the right to decide otherwise. Your job


    includes giving the Burtons children, and they will bear the Burton name. You don¡¯t have to care for


    them; all you need to do is birth them. Once they¡¯re born, someone else will take care of them.¡±


    Those words of his were like cold water from a bucket, drenching Rachel and making a bone-deep chill


    settle inside her.


    Did Justin not intend for her to raise her own children?


    She stared at the man before her in disbelief, her heart lurching violently.


    Justin whipped her hand away, his gaze frosty beyondprehension. ¡°Do not make me remind you of


    your ce again-you are just something that Jefferey Hudson gave us. I do not have that much


    patience for you!¡± He even delivered another whammy before he left. ¡°Take a guess as to whether that


    old man can live the rest of his life in peace if something happens to that child?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face was an ashen color.


    The door mmed shut, and the walls vibrated from the impact.


    All of a sudden, she felt nauseous. With a hand on the wall, she ran over to the bathroom and


    repeatedly dry heaved.


    Everything before her disgusted her.


    All the good people were either dead or being threatened. Meanwhile, the evil people who were left


    were living their lives out in the open with no restraints despite all the evils they hadmitted. In a


    mid-sized city


    like Riverdale, people were used to dirtying their hands for an advantage, and they stepped on others


    to get ahead in life.


    After Justin stepped out of the room, he looked at his hands. He had used too much strength when he


    closed the door, and his hands had felt the impact. His ears were buzzing as well.


    In reality, he was feeling quite regretful.


    ¡°Are you all right, Mr. Burton?¡± Frankie had been waiting outside all the while. ¡°Miss Hochmann has


    been worried sick.¡±


    Justin frowned. A brief silenceter, he spoke. ¡°Let the old man go for now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Send someone to keep an eye on him.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Frankie didn¡¯t dare to ask too much. As he followed Justin out of the building, he gave a


    report on thepany. ¡°We have some results from the investigation on that foreign ount. Each


    time a huge sum of money was credited into it, Amber just so happened to be abroad.¡±


    Justin¡¯s brows furrowed.


    It turned out that the foreign ount was tied to Amber.


    Nheless, he had already figured that out. Jeffrey treasured that daughter of his; it was impossible


    that he would not give her anything to do and just let her be a regr doctor.


    ¡°She¡¯s been lying low recently. What has she been doing?¡±


    ¡°I was about to tell you that-it seems that Jefferey has recently gotten involved with a family business


    from abroad. Both parties have been pushing hard for a union, and it seems that they intend to have


    Amber marry into that family. By the way, they¡¯re called the Albrights.¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes darkened at that.


    After Rachel was discharged, Frankie took her back to the Burton Residence so that she could rest.


    Sue¡¯s face turned green when she received news of Rachel¡¯s pregnancy. ¡°When was this? How long


    has she been pregnant?¡±


    Frankie stopped her. ¡°Madam, Mr. Burton has made it clear to let the youngdy rest. Do not disturb


    her for no reason.¡±


    ¡°No, that wasn¡¯t my intention. This is Justin¡¯s first child, after all. I should get a clear picture of the


    situation, shouldn¡¯t I? That way, Mrs. Duncan can make the appropriate arrangements as well-we want


    to find out what she wants for her meals.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Madam Parham. Mr. Burton has asked me to hire a nutritionist, and this


    professional will be in charge of her dietary requirements from today onward.¡±


    ¡°Does he need to go to all that trouble? Don¡¯t we have enough servants in this household to wait on her


    considering how many we have?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that. Mr. Burton highly values this child.¡± Frankie knew that there was no use


    borating. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I shall take my leave. Goodbye, Madam Parham.¡±


    As she looked in the direction of the master bedroom, Sue¡¯s expression quickly darkened. Despite all


    her bestid ns, the unexpected happened-the mute had gotten pregnant.


    Things were harder now.


    After Frankie left, she ordered the servants away and returned to her bedroom to make a phone call.


    ¡°Hello? It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± The voice who answered her belonged to a man, raspy the way that most middle-aged


    men¡¯s voices were. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Would I be calling you for idle conversation?¡±


    Her question was returned with silence.


    ¡°Fine. You¡¯re always like this,¡± Sue muttered impatiently. ¡°I¡¯m calling you because there¡¯s something I


    want you to do. Do you know that the mute is pregnant?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I only found out about it today too. Let me remind you out of the goodness of my heart-if you don¡¯t do


    something, everything so far will go to waste!¡±


    The waiter poured the red wine with perfect precision, having already ced white napkins down.


    Justin automatically picked up his ss. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re a connoisseur when ites to wine. Why


    don¡¯t you try this then?¡±


    However, Amber¡¯s tone was nd, a departure from her usual enthusiasm and gentleness. ¡°You can¡¯t


    possibly have called me out here just for a wine tasting session, right?¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression did not change. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with work recently, so I haven¡¯t had time to ask


    about you, How have you been doing since you started work at your new workce? The others at the


    research institute haven¡¯t been giving you a hard time, have they?¡±


    ¡°Why would they? Who doesn¡¯t know that you¡¯re the one who got me into the Burton Medical Research


    Institute?¡± Amber changed the topic. ¡°However, I was going to talk to you about this-I might not be able


    to stay at the research center.¡±


    ¡°Why is that so?¡±


    ¡°My father still wishes for me to go abroad to further my career.¡±


    Justin fell silent. Then, he lifted up his wine ss and took a sip.


    that staying here won¡¯t achieve anything either. You¡¯re my brother-inw, and people talk about me


    behind my back since I frequently have lunch with you.¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Justin suddenly brought out a small, ck velvet box and slowly pushed it over to her. ¡°I initially wanted


    to give you this. Since you¡¯re about to leave the country, this is probably no longer of any use.¡±


    The lid of the box opened with a light click before Amber¡¯s eyes, and a diamond glittered brilliantly


    under the lights once the box opened up.


    Simrly, the woman¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°This is¡­ Justin, is this¡­¡±


    It was a diamond ring.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 124

    My Mute Bride Chapter 124


    Night came, and Rachel leaned against the headboard of her bed as she read her book. There was a


    bowl near the bed, and its contents-a concoction to keep her energy levels up during her pregnancy-


    was already finished. As Rachel read her book, she unconsciously caressed her belly.


    Although she wasn¡¯t at a stage where her belly would show yet, she could already sense the presence


    of this new little life. This was probably what they called the bond between mother and child.


    Rachel had spent thest few days alone, and as the days passed, she grew even more fonder of this


    child. She recalled that Justin had also grown up without his own parents as well. As long as the child


    in her belly had the Burtons¡¯ blood flowing in their veins, no one would mistreat them. After all, the child


    was innocent.


    Just then, the door opened with a creak. The light footsteps that Rachel then heard were different from


    how they usually sounded. She froze, and when she turned around, she saw an unwee guest.


    Amber?


    Why are you here?


    ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± Amber paced around her room. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re pregnant, so I came


    all the way to see you. After all, that kid in your belly is my nephew.¡±


    Amber then stretched a hand out, and the diamond ring glinting on her ring finger was especially


    radiant. ¡°Take a look. What do you think this is?¡±


    Rachel frowned. What exactly is your motive?


    A document then fell onto Rachel¡¯s nket with a smack.


    ¡°Sign this.¡±


    Rachel stiffened, having seen the words ¡®divorce agreement written on the paper. She then looked up


    in disbelief.


    Amber was absolutely smug. ¡°Justin wanted me to bring this to you. He¡¯s already signed it. As soon as


    you sign the papers, you won¡¯t have any more ties with him.¡±


    That¡¯s impossible.


    ¡°Impossible?¡± Amber chuckled coldly. ¡°You really thought that your position as thedy of the Burton


    family is secured just because you¡¯ve got a bun in the oven? Let me tell you this-all I need to do is


    make some little scheme, then that child in your belly will be utterly worthless.¡± The Albrights


    overseas? It¡¯s all just a cover.


    Amber had begun putting her ns together ever since she heard about Rachel¡¯s pregnancy. After all,


    she didn¡¯t believe that Justin felt nothing toward her. Men were the embodiment of jealousy, so if Amber


    showed signs that she would leave, Justin would certainly find a way to stop her from doing so-even if


    that meant kicking Rachel out of the picture.


    ¡°This is an ambitious gamble. If I lose, then the only thing I can do is go abroad. However, it¡¯s clear that


    I¡¯ve won this gamble.¡± Amber showed off her ring, a pleased look stered on her face. ¡°I love the ring


    that Justin has given me. We¡¯re about to get engaged, so don¡¯t me me when I show you the door if


    you insist on continuing to embarrass yourself.¡±


    Rachel clutched the paper tightly, and her face was awfully pale. This was impossible. Justin has said


    before that he wants me to keep this child. I won¡¯t believe you.


    ¡°Who cares if you keep that kid? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you take good care of the baby as long as it isn¡¯t


    a stillborn!¡±


    Amber¡¯s hand reached over, and Rachel whipped the former¡¯s hand away in fear. As a result, the sharp


    edges of the diamond on the ring sliced across Rachel¡¯s face. Instantly, she felt a deep pain worming


    its way through her flesh.


    Amber let out a surprised shriek and red at her balefully. ¡°What did you do? You¡¯ve dirtied my ring!¡±


    Rachel pulled her nket off and got out of bed.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Move. I¡¯m going to look for Justin and get the answers straight from him. Evidently, Rachel did not


    believe a


    single word of what Amber said.


    ¡°Stop right there. Justin doesn¡¯t want to see you at all. How can you be so insolent?¡±


    As they tussled, the bowl fell to the floor with a crash before shards of porcin flew everywhere.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± Amanding voice could be hearding from outside the door. Justin then


    entered the room with wide strides.


    Amber promptly feigned a weak, soft look before making her way over. ¡°Justin, I spoke nicely to her


    when I asked her to sign the papers, but she lost her temper and threw stuff at me. I¡¯ve gotten hurt.¡±


    Justin nced at Rachel. Thetter¡¯s eyes were red-rimmed as she stared at him in a stunned manner.


    ¡°Where did you get hurt?¡± Justin withdrew his gaze and picked Amber¡¯s hand up to check for injuries


    right before Rachel¡¯s eyes.


    In truth, Amber wasn¡¯t hurt at all. The sole patch of blood on her hand was also from Rachel when the


    ¡°Get the servants to patch you up. It shouldn¡¯t be serious.¡±


    Justin¡¯s worry and concern toward Amber felt like stabs to Rachel¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Leave this to me.¡± Justin wrapped an arm around Amber¡¯s waist and patted her back. ¡°Don¡¯t let your


    mood be affected by this.¡±


    ¡°What about the divorce agreement?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After Amber left, Justin¡¯s eyes quickly chilled. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to rest well? What were you doing?¡±


    Was what she said true? You want a divorce?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you¡¯ve been waiting for since the beginning? I¡¯m just fulfilling your wish.¡±


    At that, Rachel¡¯s mind went ck. She staggered backward, but she ended up stepping on a porcin


    shard. A sharp pain shot up her foot, but she didn¡¯t flinch at all-it seemed as though the pain would


    make her mind clearer, letting her realize that this was reality and not a nightmare.


    Justin¡¯s eyes darkened. Just as he was about to approach her, he noticed a figure standing near the


    door through the corner of his eyes.


    ¡°You will leave once the divorce is finalized. Once the child is here, you are free.¡±


    Those cold words made Rachel feel like she had been plunged into an icy bath. She didn¡¯t even have


    the energy to sign her response, seeming as though something had sucked all the strength out of her


    in an instant.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sign this.¡± Justin walked over to her side and ced the papers and a pen before her. There were two


    copies of the divorce agreement, and Justin had already signed both of them.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes instantly teared up, but she forced back her tears as she epted the papers. However,


    she


    couldn¡¯t stop her hands from shaking. The only sounds that could be heard in the room was the


    scratching of the pen as she signed her name.


    The freedom that she yearned for was finally in front of her. Once she finished thatst stroke, she


    would no longer be Justin¡¯s wife, nor would she have any more ties to the Burton Family. However, that


    last stroke felt astronomically difficult. No matter how she tried, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to fully finish


    her signature.


    Justin suddenly grabbed hold of her hand and roughly finished it for her. ¡°That will do. Keep this copy


    for yourself. Frankie will bring someone over to help you move your belongings tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    Rachel fell and sat on the bed upon hearing those cold words tossed at her. Meanwhile, her foot


    continued to bleed. The shard embedded in her flesh was like a thorn, digging deeper and deeper into


    her foot. It even felt as though it would dig all the way to her heart and open up all those old wounds


    that never got a chance to properly heal, causing them to bleed again.


    On the other hand, Amber¡¯s cheers drifted up from downstairs.


    A gust blew in from the balcony. The copy of her divorce agreement flipped over from the wind,


    stering itself to Rachel¡¯s foot. With that, blood soaked into the paper,


    The words ¡®divorce agreement¡¯ were stark. It was as though a hole had suddenly opened in her heart,


    and a storm raged on within it. She asked herself this-didn¡¯t she actually wish to escape from this


    ce?


    That day hade atst. However, why did she feel so awful about it?


    Rachel pressed a hand to her chest, and her bony fingers clutched her pajamas tightly while creating


    wrinkles in it. Still, she couldn¡¯t stop the pain that assaulted her like a raging wave. She felt as though


    she was about to pass out and die, for even breathing was a task.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 125

    My Mute Bride Chapter 125


    Rachel moved straight back to Nancy¡¯s ce without bringing much with her. When Nancy saw her


    coming back with all her luggage, she immediately realized that something was wrong. ¡°Why are you


    moving back suddenly, Rachel? Did something happen?¡±


    However, Rachel gave her no response. She washed her hands as she stood in the bathroom, rubbing


    soap on her palms again and again as if to wash something away.


    ¡°Are you trying to worry me to death, Rachel? If you keep doing this, I¡¯ll give Dr. Peters a call.¡±


    Suddenly, the woman came to her senses and stopped Nancy. Let¡¯s move away from Riverdale,


    Grandma.


    Nancy looked dumbfounded and stunned upon hearing this.


    The next day, Victor put the suitcases into the trunk before pping the dust off his hands. ¡°Remember


    to give me a call when you and Madam Tiller arrive at the new ce, Rachel. Tell me your address,


    and I¡¯ll go to visit you two when I¡¯m free.¡±


    Rachel forced a smile while pointing at his unkempt blond hair. A student should behave like a student.


    Dyeing your hair back to ck would suit you better, you know.


    Victor scratched his head. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± As the car slowly drove away from the neighborhood,


    he ran after the car, waved his hand, and shouted, ¡°You have to call me, Rachel! I¡¯ll definitely dye my


    hair ck when I see you next time!¡±


    The car soon disappeared at the neighborhood¡¯s entrance, and Victor walked back in dejection. There


    were still some belongings in Nancy¡¯s apartment, all of which Rachel had given to him.


    As soon as Victor reached the entrance to the apartment building, he bumped into someone in a


    moment of inattention. ¡°Hey!¡± Thedy¡¯s shrill voice was somewhat harsh to the ear. He frowned in


    displeasure and looked back, only to see a youngdy hopping backward on crutches. Turns out that


    she¡¯s a cripple, he thought to himself.


    Thedy red at Victor. ¡°Are you blind? Why don¡¯t you watch where you¡¯re going?¡±


    Victor was miffed in the first ce, so thedy¡¯s words enraged him even more. He snapped, ¡°Who are


    you using of being blind? Don¡¯t you know how to speak properly?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You look like an undesirable person. Are you really a resident of this


    neighborhood? Are you here to steal things?¡± Gloria asked. Suddenly, she realized something and


    immediately reached into her pocket. ¡°Where¡¯s my cell phone?¡±


    ¡°Me? Steal things?¡± Victor¡¯s face was livid with rage. ¡°Are you here to fake an ident to ckmail


    me?¡±


    ¡°Just you wait! If I can¡¯t find my cell phone, it means you¡¯re the one who stole it! It was still here just


    now! Stay where you are!¡± Gloria fumbled about for a while before suddenly finding her cell phone in


    her trouser pocket.


    Upon seeing the change in her expression, Victor let out a sneer. ¡°Well? Aren¡¯t you going to call the


    police? Do you want me to lend you my cell phone if you don¡¯t have one?¡±


    Gloria looked embarrassed.


    Victor shot her a disdainful look before turning around and going upstairs. It just isn¡¯t my day today! he


    thought to himself. After going upstairs, he took out his keys and unlocked the door. Just as he was


    about to close the door, an arm suddenly stopped him. ¡°Hey! Wait a minute!¡±


    Victor flew into a rage when he saw that it was thedy from just now. ¡°Are you done yet? Why are you


    following me to my house?¡±


    ¡°Your house? Is this your house?¡±


    ¡°Surely this isn¡¯t your house even if it isn¡¯t mine, right?¡±


    Gloria was startled for a moment. She then muttered, ¡°I must have remembered it wrongly. Didn¡¯t


    Frankie say that Rachel and her grandmother live in Unit 201?¡±


    Victor was about to close the door at first, but he paused upon hearing Gloria¡¯s words. ¡°Are you looking


    for Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Do you know her?¡± Gloria¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Victor sized her up warily and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with her?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Gloria thought it over for a moment. ¡°You may consider me her sister-inw.¡±


    ¡°Are you Justin¡¯s sister?¡± Victor blurted.


    ¡°Do you know me?¡±


    Victor¡¯s face hardened at once. ¡°Get lost at once! Stay as far away from here as possible!¡± Then, he


    mmed the door shut right away with a loud bang. When he helped Rachel pack up her belongings,


    he saw her blood stained divorce agreement, and various news reports of domestic violence shed


    before his eyes. Moreover, Justin had such a bad reputation, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine what


    Rachel had suffered.


    The sound of someone banging the door could be heard outside. ¡°Are you done yet?¡± Victor pulled the


    door open with an impatient expression.


    Gloria nearly punched him in the face. ¡°Why did you be so hostile all of a sudden? I¡¯m here to


    look for Miss Rachel, not you! Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She isn¡¯t here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. She just moved here yesterday!¡± This time, Gloria was smart enough to prop the


    door open with her crutches, making Victor unable to close the door. Then, she hopped into his house


    and yelled as she entered, ¡°Miss Rachel! I know you¡¯re home, Miss Rachel!¡±


    ¡°Stop yelling! Were you a duck in your previous life?¡± Victor bellowed to stop Gloria as his head was


    throbbing because of the noise she made. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that yourself? Rachel has moved away.¡±


    ¡°Moved away?¡± Gloria hopped into the room inside to see the belongings packed neatly on the floor.


    There didn¡¯t seem to be anyone living here. ¡°Where has she moved to?¡±


    ¡°How would I know that? Rachel left in a hurry without telling me anything. She drove away by herself;


    anyway, she¡¯s going to leave Riverdale.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gloria¡¯s expression changed. ¡°How could she drive by herself? She¡¯s pregnant!¡±


    ¡°Pregnant?¡± Victor¡¯s expression changed as well.


    ¡°When did she leave, and in which direction did she head off to?¡±


    Victor was stupefied. ¡°She left just a moment ago.¡±


    Gloria immediately took out her cell phone and dialed a number. Victor wanted to make a dig at her


    about her cell phone at first, but he shut up upon seeing her expression.


    ¡°Justin, Miss Rachel has moved away!¡±


    On the other end of the line, the person was at the Burton Group¡¯s quarterly summary meeting. As he


    held his cell phone, Justin slowly clenched hisrge hand with veins pulsing on the back of it. He


    thought to himself,


    She actually ran away just like that. Who gave her the nerve to do so?


    The expressway was brightly lit with streetmps as night drew in. Rachel pulled up at a rest stop. I¡¯m


    going to buy some stuff, Grandma. Wait for me inside the car.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Nancy nodded with a yawn. ¡°Okay. How much longer will it take for us to get there, Rachel? You


    haven¡¯t told me where we¡¯re going yet.¡±


    Soon. We¡¯ll be there very soon.


    It was easy for an old person to be fatigued by a long journey, and Rachel was worried that Nancy


    might not be able to bear it. Therefore, she hurried along the way and didn¡¯t dare to waste too much


    time. She wanted to get off the expressway and find somewhere to take a rest as soon as possible.


    She didn¡¯t know where she was going, nor did she dare to tell anyone about it. She feared that Justin


    woulde after her for the baby¡¯s sake, but she was even more afraid that someone with evil


    intentions might want to kill her to root her out. Without the protection offered by the title of Mrs. Burton,


    she couldn¡¯t establish herself in Riverdale at all. Not only that, many wanted to kill the baby in her


    womb. Rachel shuddered at the thought of what Amber had said the other day.


    ¡°Wee. Your total is 103 bucks.¡±


    Rachel walked out of the convenience store with the shopping bags in her hands. Just then, the


    convenience


    store worker suddenly called out to her from behind, ¡°You forgot your sour plums, miss!¡±


    Rachel was startled for a moment. As soon as she turned around, her head was suddenly covered


    from behind with a piece of ck cloth. The next second, everything went pitch-ck before her eyes.


    ¡°Mmm-¡±


    Therge shopping bags containing all the stuff she had just bought dropped to the ground, scattering


    biscuits, milk, and some choctes everywhere. Rachel struggled desperately while attempting to call


    for help, but she could only let out faint, hoarse cries. Then, as she felt a sharp pain in the back of her


    head, she saw stars and passed out.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 126

    My Mute Bride Chapter 126


    Rachel regained consciousness soon afterward. When she came to her senses, she found herself


    surrounded byplete darkness as her head was still covered with a piece of ck cloth. Meanwhile,


    her hands and feet were tied as she was thrown into the back seat of a van.


    The van sped along the expressway for a long, long time before finally reaching its destination. ¡°Get


    her out of the van and into the house.¡±


    Rachel tensed up all over. Right after that, she was carried out of the van by two men. The ck cloth


    covering her head was pulled off with a swoosh, and a bright pendantmp overhead shone on her


    eyes. The light was so blinding that she lowered her head and kept averting her eyes, unable to adjust


    to it for a while.


    ¡°Don¡¯t untie the ropes for her lest she doesn¡¯t stay still.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t even have enough time to see who her abductors were. When she finally adjusted to the


    light in the room, those people had left, leaving her alone in the spacious living room. As her hands and


    feet were tied, she sank into the sofa. It was with great difficulty that she turned over and sat up. When


    she looked around her surroundings, she found this ce somewhat familiar. However, before she


    could remember which ce this was, the roar of a car engine sounded outside the vi.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    The door opened with a beep. ¡°She¡¯s inside, President Burton.¡±


    Rachel looked up from the sofa, and her heart shuddered violently when she saw the person who


    entered.


    Dressed in a well-pressed pitch-ck suit, Justin stood at the door and saw Rachel with her hands and


    feet tied. At the sight of this, his ck eyes were instantly aze with anger. He turned around and


    gave the man at the door a loud p that resounded around the door. ¡°Who did this?¡±


    The man was pped so hard that the corner of his mouth bled. As he covered his face with his hand,


    he shook like a leaf and responded, ¡°President Burton,¡±


    ¡°President Burton, the ones he brought with him are neers. They didn¡¯t realize it was actually Mrs.


    Burton,¡± Frankie quickly said in the man¡¯s defense. Then, he red at the group of men. ¡°Can¡¯t you


    guys do a good job of such a petty thing? Will you bear the responsibility if Mrs. Burton gets hurt?¡±


    Justin entered the house and locked eyes with the woman sitting on the sofa. The atmosphere was


    tense for a few seconds as they were locked in a standoff. Then, he untied the ropes on her hands and


    feet, revealing bruises on her fair skin.


    Frankie hurried to get the first-aid kit.


    ¡°Give it to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, President Burton.¡±


    At the sound of the door being closed, silence befell the room. Soon enough, Rachel and Justin were


    the only ones left.


    Justin took out the salve and reached for Rachel¡¯s hand, but she retracted her hand and averted her


    eyes. He said with a frown, ¡°Amber has information about the Hudson Family¡¯s offshore bank ount.


    Just set your mind at rest and give birth to the baby. Don¡¯t think about anything else. Once the matter is


    over, you¡¯ll still be Mrs. Burton.¡±


    However, Rachel remained unmoved.


    As he grew impatient, Justin grabbed her wrist and forcibly applied the salve to her bruises.


    Suddenly, Rachel struggled and pushed him away with all her strength. She tried to run to the door, but


    unfortunately, she was dragged back and flung onto the sofa before she could even take a step.


    Justin gripped her cheek. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes were red as she stared hard at Justin. She wanted to look for Nancy. He had her


    abducted from the expressway, but Nancy was still there. Nancy couldn¡¯t drive alone, nor did she know


    her way around the ce, so Rachel didn¡¯t dare to imagine what would happen to her.


    However, Justin thought Rachel wanted to flee from him. ¡°Don¡¯t make me lose patience with you! Do


    you think you can simply run away with your grandmother? Don¡¯t you care about the old name named


    Irwin anymore?¡±


    What did you do to Grandpa Irwin?


    Justin¡¯s cold eyes darkened. ¡°Guess what will happen to him if anything happens to our baby.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face turned deathly pale. Why? Why must those around me be put under threat like this one


    after another? I have never thought of hurting anyone, but why is fate never on my side? Why must be


    tortured in such a way, so much so that even my friends and rtives have to suffer as well?


    Tears streamed quietly down Rachel¡¯s face before it sshed onto the back of Justin¡¯s hand. His tightly


    knitted eyebrows twitched, and he unconsciously rxed his grip on her. After a moment, he let go of


    the woman. ¡°You will stay here from today onward until you give birth to the baby.¡±


    Rachely prone on the sofa and coughed with her hand clutching her throat. Will you let me go after I


    give birth to the baby? She no longer wanted to get involved in the conflict between the Burton Family


    and the Hudson Family, nor did she want to continue being a part of the divorce-and-remarriage drama.


    Right now, she just wanted to leave Riverdale and stay out of trouble with her grandmother. Since


    Justin wanted the baby, she would give him the baby. In fact, she didn¡¯t want the baby anymore.


    Justin¡¯s face darkened at once. She¡¯s still bent on leaving! he thought to himself.


    Just then, amotion was heard from the outside. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Justin yelled impatiently


    toward the door.


    Frankie hurriedly pushed the door open and entered. ¡°President Burton, they caught someone


    sneaking around outside.¡±


    ¡°Who is it? Bring him in.¡±


    Several bodyguards came in while twisting a young man¡¯s arms. ¡°Let go of me! I can walk by myself!¡±


    The blond-haired young man¡¯s ck T-shirt was stained with mud, and his ripped jeans had been


    washed multiple times; one could no longer tell its original color. Even though anyone could tell at a


    nce that this slovenly young man was unlearned and incapable, he looked unruly and rebellious with


    a fearless expression while being held down by the bodyguards.


    Rachel¡¯s expression changed at the sight of him.


    ¡°Are you all right, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Shut up and behave yourself!¡± A bodyguard kicked the young man in the back of his knee.


    The young man fell to his knees with a muffled moan. Rachel quickly went over to him anxiously, but


    she was stopped by Justin.


    ¡°What are you doing? Let go of Rachel!¡± The young man still looked ferocious as he kneeled on the


    ground.


    ¡°Do you know each other?¡± Justin shot a nce at Rachel.


    He is innocent! Rachel responded. Then, she quickly gestured to the young man. What are you doing


    here?


    However, Victor couldn¡¯t understand signnguage, and he thought Rachel was asking him for help.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Rachel. I¡¯ll get you out of this ce. What an isshole! When I get out of here, I will sue


    him until he


    spends the rest of his life in prison for imprisoning you illegally!¡±


    Just then, Frankie hurriedly trotted to Justin¡¯s side and whispered something to him.


    Justin shot a cold nce at the young man. ¡°Are you Victor Wade?¡±


    Victor frowned. ¡°Do you know me?¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re already here, just stay here and keep Rachelpany.¡±


    ¡°Why should I stay just because you¡¯re telling me to?¡±


    ¡°I heard that your only family member is your senile grandmother, right?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do?!¡± Victor¡¯s expression changed. He began to struggle, only to be pinned


    fiercely to the ground by the bodyguards. With his cheek pressed against the floor, he red furiously


    at Justin. ¡°Whatever you want to do, direct it at me. If you dare to touch my Grandma, I¡¯ll kill you and


    your entire family!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face instantly turned as white as a sheet, and she staggered to Victor¡¯s side to cover his


    mouth.


    ¡°Mmmm! Rachel, let go¡­ Mmm¡­¡±


    Justin responded, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Rachel if I have the guts to touch your grandmother? Just


    behave yourself and stay here. Don¡¯t y any tricks. Otherwise, it¡¯s easy to make a person vanish in


    Riverdale.¡± After finishing his sentence, he shot a nce at Rachel and strode off.


    Justin¡¯s voice continued to reverberate throughout the room. Rachel¡¯s hands and feet were as cold as


    ice, and her arms were trembling as she helped Victor up. She thought to herself, His words are


    directed at both Victor and myself.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 127

    My Mute Bride Chapter 127


    Once Justin left, Rachel helped Victor up from the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Rachel. Are you good?¡±


    As she shook her head, her eyes remained dull.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry for getting you involved!


    ¡°Justin¡¯s simply not human! How could he do that to you? You have a child inside of you!¡±


    Rachel peered at him in shock. ¡®How did you know?¡¯


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a long story. I only knew Justin wasing for you thanks to that crippleddy.¡±


    That crippleddy?


    Victor exined the entire incident to Rachel, to which she finally understood what went down.


    ¡°She imed to be Justin¡¯s sister, and she acted in such an overbearing manner the entire time. She¡¯s


    just like Justin, for both of them are very difficult to interact with. After I got to know about it, I hid in the


    Burton Group¡¯s parking lot the entire evening. When Justin finally showed up, I followed his car all the


    way here, and that¡¯s how I found you. Don¡¯t worry, Rachel-I¡¯ll take you with me tonight.¡±


    However, Rachel shook her head and brushed the grass off his clothes.


    ¡®We can¡¯t leave just yet.¡¯


    ¡°Although they look tough, there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll be guarding the ce the entire night. I¡¯m certain that


    we¡¯ll find a way out!¡±


    Victor was pretty confident with his deduction.


    As she peered out of the living room¡¯s window, Rachel saw three to five bodyguards standing in a


    disorganized manner outside. They looked into the house from time to time and safeguarded every


    entrance and exit


    s, Victor is only a young boy.


    As expected, while Victor was on guard in the living room for the entire night, the gang outside stayed


    around for the same amount of time. When dawn came, he was letting out continuous yawns as his


    eyes reddened while new batches of guards arrived for the next shift.


    ¡°F*ck!¡±


    He clenched his fists and uttered, ¡°These b*stards!¡±


    When the sun rose, Frankie sent a maid over.


    Victor quickly recognized him, and he asked vigntly, ¡°Why are you here? Where¡¯s Justin?¡±


    Since he had no intention of debating with the kid, Frankie simply signaled for the maid to do her job.


    ¡°This is Madam Mary. She¡¯ll be responsible for taking care of Mrs. Burton from now on.¡±


    However, Victor did not give up and continued, ¡°Do you intend on locking Rachel up in this sh*thole?¡±


    ¡°This is entirely for Mrs. Burton¡¯s safety.¡±


    ¡°What a load of crap! Do you lock a prisoner up for their own safety?¡±


    Upon seeing how Victor was significantly dumber, Frankie realized that he couldn¡¯t be reasoned with,


    yet he


    could do nothing to send him out of the house.


    Just then, he suddenly remembered the young master¡¯s order and ced a few books on the table. ¡°If


    you have nothing better to do, you can read these.¡±


    ¡°What are these?¡±


    ¡°These are books on signnguage. It¡¯ll help youmunicate better with Mrs. Burton.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯d need a lesson from you guys? Why should you care how Imunicate with Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s entirely up to you!¡±


    Frankie couldn¡¯t be bothered with such nonsense, and he nced upstairs. He knew that Rachel was


    already awake but refused toe downstairs, so he shouted, ¡°Mrs. Burton!¡±


    ¡°Do give me a call if you need anything, Mrs. Burton. Mr. Burton wille whenever he¡¯s free.¡±


    However, he received no response from upstairs.


    Victor crossed his arms and scoffed, ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve been ignored, you imbecile.¡±


    Frankie shot him a warning nce and said, ¡°Here¡¯s a friendly reminder-don¡¯t try anything stupid, and


    don¡¯t even think of escaping with Mrs. Burton. Otherwise, she¡¯ll meet the same agonizing fate as you.¡±


    At once, Victor charged toward the door and yelled, ¡°You¡¯d better run, you spineless scum!¡±


    Once Frankie left, the door from upstairs could be heard being pushed open.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    After he rushed up the staircase with big strides, Victor went to support Rachel. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    Her face seemed pretty messed up with the pair of dark circles around her eyes.


    ¡®Help me, Victor


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    I need to know how Grandma is. Can you go check on her for me?¡¯


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go right now.¡±


    After taking a few steps, Victor turned around and asked, ¡°Will you be fine here alone, Rachel?¡±


    I¡¯ll be fine!


    Upon being reminded of her grandmother¡¯s condition, Rachel couldn¡¯t sleep well the entire night. After


    all, her grandmother¡¯s health was one of her biggest concerns.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as possible.¡±


    When Victor walked out the door, the guards didn¡¯t care to look at him as their assignment was to keep


    Rachel under their watch, so Victor¡¯s departure was rather smooth.


    At Tran-Q, Gloria held her cane and pushed the servants that were trying to help her away. ¡°I don¡¯t


    need your help. I can walk just fine by myself. Where¡¯s Justin? I need to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Your leg has yet to fully recover, Miss Hochmann. Mr. Burton has specifically ordered for you to stay


    put in your bed.¡±


    ¡°Stay put? What makes you think I can do that? Get me discharged by today!¡±


    As she spoke, she pulled the door open and exited the ward.


    However, she carelessly bumped into Julian and staggered as thetter dropped a stack of books in his


    arms.


    In a sh, all the magazines and newspapers scattered on the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dr. Peters.¡±


    As she was about to help him pick up the books, the cast on her leg hindered her from squatting down.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Julian stopped her and proceeded to pick them up.


    Gloria initially wanted to express her apology, but she was distracted by the headline in the newspaper


    that was on the floor. Instantly, she frowned and asked, ¡°What is this?¡±


    After picking up his magazines, Julian followed her line of sight and answered, ¡°That¡¯s today¡¯s news.


    Don¡¯t you know about it?¡±


    At once, she grabbed the newspaper.


    ¡®JUSTIN BURTON, PRESIDENT OF BURTON GROUP AND AMBER HUDSON, FACE OF HUDSON


    PHARMACEUTICALS TO BE ENGAGED THIS WEEK. ALLIANCE OF THE CENTURY¡­


    As if the gargantuan font size wasn¡¯t enough, the editor of the paper had to bold the texts as well.


    Gloria was shocked by the news, and she frowned even more bitterly. ¡°Is he really getting engaged to


    Amber? Let me call him.¡±


    As she stood in front of Julian, Gloria dialed Justin¡¯s number on her phone.


    ¡°The number you have dialed is unavable¡­¡±


    On the other hand, Julian had anticipated the missed call. He revealed a calm face with an underlying


    hint of anger. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to call him these few days, but he hasn¡¯t picked up once. It seems like


    he¡¯s not going to exin anything to me as well.¡±


    ¡°No way. I have to talk to him! He¡¯s not the unfaithful man he appears to be. He even got Rachel


    pregnant!¡±


    As she finished speaking, Gloria clutched her phone with a heavy expression. ¡°I¡¯ll go and find him!¡±


    Watching as she furiously walked away, Julian stood still, experiencing countless mixed feelings in his


    heart.


    At that very moment, he realized that he could never bring change to the world as if a person¡¯s destiny


    was solidified at the beginning of their life. How Justin was always protecting Gloria; how Rachel was


    always bullied since she was a kid, and the boastfulness of Tina and Amber.


    All of a sudden, he received a call from a foreign number.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve given it some thought. There are still some things that need to be taken care of, though. I¡¯ll go as


    soon as I¡¯m done with them.¡±


    Riverdale was no longer what it used to be.


    ¡°Here are some antivirals, Mrs. Burton. Do consume them before each meal.¡±


    As she stared at the bowl of ebony, medicinal soup in front of her, Rachel chugged them down without


    any


    questions.


    While the bitterness quickly lingered in her throat, the smell from her exhtion almost made her throw


    up. Nheless, she was able to endure it and swallowed everything down.


    ¡°Please enjoy your meal. I¡¯ll go and clean up the ce.¡±


    Except for Rachel and her food, the dining room became hollow.


    Meanwhile, apanying her was the news that was being broadcast on TV.


    ¡°Yesterday, Burton Group and Hudson Pharmaceuticals announced that Justin Burton, the President of


    Burton Group, has proposed to Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ Amber Hudson!¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Upon hearing that, Rachel jerked her neck and swiftly lifted her head, peering at the TV as her face


    turned pale.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 128

    My Mute Bride Chapter 128


    When Victor finally returned, the sky was already pitch ck.


    ¡°Grandma is fine, Rachel.¡±


    Upon entering the house, he ryed everything to her and said, ¡°While you were being sent herest


    night, they picked Grandma up and brought her back to her ce as well.¡±


    Rachel, who was sitting at the dining table, regained her senses after being stunned for a few seconds.


    ¡®That¡¯s good to hear.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯ve done what you told me to do, Rachel. I told Grandma that you got into a fight with Justin, but


    you¡¯re currently resting at home right now and can¡¯t go visit her for the time being. Grandma bought it


    and had me bring some fish soup to you.¡±


    As he spoke, he ced the thermal container on the dining table. ¡°Come and have some while it¡¯s still


    hot.¡±


    However, Rachel simply pursed her lips. She seemed to be rather exhausted.


    ¡®I don¡¯t have the appetite. Why don¡¯t you eat up instead, and I¡¯ll go get some rest!


    After grabbing her phone, she walked out of the dining room.


    Victor watched her leaving back, and he couldn¡¯t stop worrying.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Rachel, Madam Mary?¡±


    As she grabbed a new pair of cutlery, Madam Mary shook her head and replied, ¡°I have no idea. She


    looked fine earlier.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    From the corner of his eyes, Victor nced at the remote control on the dining table as he thought


    about it.


    After returning to her room, Rachel never showed herself again.


    Later on, Madam Mary prepared a ss of hot milk and went upstairs. She knocked on her door, but


    there wasn¡¯t any response. ¡°I¡¯ming in, Mrs. Burton.¡±


    ¡°Aaaaah!¡±


    Upon hearing the shriek from the second floor, Victor sprung up from his seat at the dining table and


    stormed upstairs in a sh.


    Rachel was sitting on the carpet, and her bottoms were full of blood.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and call Mr. Burton!¡±


    Madam Mary had fast reflexes, and she quickly said, ¡°This is a sign of a miscarriage. The baby is


    doomed if we dy any further!¡±


    ¡°Get the phone. Where¡¯s the phone?¡±


    Victor searched for his phone anxiously. ¡°I don¡¯t have that b*stard¡¯s phone number!¡±


    ¡°I have it. Let me, let me.¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin was having dinner with Amber.


    ¡°Justin, now that the entire Riverdale knows about our engagement, even my father cannot do anything


    about it even though he¡¯s against it.¡±


    Justin answered curtly, ¡°Mr. Hudson was nning to send you abroad. What¡¯s going to happen to the


    business over there if you stay here?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. There¡¯s no business over there except for some minor things that my dad doesn¡¯t want any


    outsiders to handle, so I¡¯ll have to visit there once or twice every year. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll have to stay there


    for extended periods.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Will you be going this year as well?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°When are you going? Give me an estimate.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Amber was visibly skeptical as she studied his face. ¡°Why are you asking me all


    this,


    Justin?¡±


    He maintained the same expression and exined, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted an engagement


    ceremony? I¡¯m just fearing that your trip might sh with our engagement ns.¡±


    Amber was overjoyed upon hearing his words. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m being serious. As long as you like it, I¡¯ll do anything to make you happy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so nice to me, Justin.¡±


    Just as he was about to ask something else, his pocket started vibrating.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Burton, Mrs. Burton is bleeding profusely, and the child may be at great risk. Where are you?


    There¡¯s no hospital nearby.¡±


    At once, Justin¡¯s eyes sank.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Amber¡¯s concerned tone came from across the table.


    However, Justin regained his senses and answered, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Hello? Mr. Burton?¡±


    After yelling at the phone for a long time, Madam Mary realized that the call had already been


    disconnected.


    As Victor helped Rachel up, he was enraged and growled, ¡°What did Justin say?¡±


    ¡°He hung up on me¡­¡±


    ¡°What the f*ck? That motherf*cker!¡±


    Just then, Rachel made a sudden movement in his arms as she clutched his sleeves.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    Julian


    She wrote the name in Victor¡¯s palm.


    ¡°Julian? Dr. Peters?¡± He quickly acknowledged her message. ¡°I¡¯ll call him right away!¡±


    Since it was already gettingte at night, Julian put everything he was doing on hold and rushed to the


    house from the hospital. His heart palpitated at the sight of Rachel¡¯s worn-out body after she had been


    bleeding out profusely.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget I asked. Please get out. I need to stop her bleeding.¡±


    After hauling Madam Mary and Victor out of the room, Julian helped Rachel stop the bleeding and


    disinfected her wounds.


    As the hemostat crashed into other medical tools, it produced a cold nk.


    Rachel grabbed his arm and moved her light-toned lips, but she couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    Upon seeing that, Julianforted her by saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything will be fine once I stop the


    bleeding. It¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    Then, Rachel loosened her hand as tears started falling from the corner of her eyes, moistening her


    pillow.


    When she remembered how Justin wanted to keep the child and insisted that she stay by his side, all


    the while telling her that his rtionship with Amber was merely a facade, yet he was nowhere to be


    found at


    such a critical moment.


    How did I let a man like this be the father of my child?


    As the anesthesia was dyed, the tingle in her abdomen quickly numbed her.


    In that instant, nothing orderly was in her mind.


    She couldn¡¯t figure out how she had led her life into such a situation.


    All the possibilities in life, yet she managed to find herself in the abyss, unable to crawl out of the


    darkness. Instead, she found herself sinking even deeper into it.


    Soon, the sound of a car engine was hearding from the yard.


    Upon seeing Justin¡¯s arrival, Victor bellowed, ¡°I thought you¡¯d forgotten about Rachel.¡±


    Before he could approach Justin, thetter¡¯s bodyguard caught him.


    Victor struggled as he shouted, ¡°Let go of me! All you shameful dogs, does it feed your pride


    suppressing a pregnant woman?¡±


    Disregarding the young man, Justin went straight upstairs.


    Just as he got upstairs, Julian came out of the room with a dull face.


    ¡°How is she?¡±


    ¡°The situation is bad.¡±


    After shutting the door, Julian revealed a scowl. ¡°She¡¯ll need a better bed to rest in. If this happens


    again, the child will be gone for good.¡±


    At once, Justin tensed his brows.


    ¡°I can¡¯tprehend how you¡¯re able to neglect and hurt her so heartlessly simply for the sake of


    business, money, and influence. She¡¯s forgiven you countless times, yet you constantly cross the line


    again and again. Do you realize what you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Julian continued in a more solemn voice, ¡°You¡¯re getting engaged to Amber while you lock her up in


    here. You¡¯re forcing her to be the third wheel in your rtionship. Have you ever considered how she


    actually feels


    about the situation?¡±


    Based on what he knew about Rachel, this was much more agonizing than being murdered.


    While her pride was downright shattered, the boundaries of morality had gone over her head. How


    could anyone not be worried about her?


    In response, Justin uttered, ¡°There are some things you don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ll exin everything to her.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. There are many things that I do not understand.¡±


    After grabbing his first aid kit, he walked toward the staircase. ¡°Nor do I intend to. I¡¯ll be overseas very


    soon, so it¡¯s best you hire a private physician to tend to her. Otherwise, you¡¯re going to regret it if


    anything happens again.¡±


    Among the footsteps descending the stairs, Justin twisted the doorknob.


    After pushing the door open. Rachel was seen quietly resting on the bed in the dim light of the room.


    On the ground was an uncleaned carpet that was stained with her blood; it sent shivers to anyone who


    saw it, and that included Justin. He was dumbfounded at the sight of the carpet.


    When he saw how she had no reaction when he walked in, he assumed that she was asleep.


    Then, he walked to the bed and sat down beside her. After raising his hand in the air for a while, he


    ced it on her cheek.


    Only if you weren¡¯t Jefferey¡¯s daughter; if you weren¡¯t one of the Hudsons, things wouldn¡¯t have turned


    out this way¡­

 My Mute Bride Chapter 129

    My Mute Bride Chapter 129


    Rachel¡¯s face was soft and tender to the touch. Although she was pregnant, she was much skinnier


    than she was before.


    At this moment, the initial cold gaze of the man had a sh of pity in it. His gaze was fixated on her for


    a very long time, and it seemed that he had no ns to leave.


    The sound of vibrationing from the phone was exceptionally loud and clear in the house.


    After taking a look at the caller ID on the phone, Justin covered the nket over her before leaving with


    his phone.


    At the sound of the door closing, she opened her eyes. She could hear the sound of a phone call going


    on from outside the door.


    ¡°Have you gotten home?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bring you to try the gowns out tomorrow.¡±


    Lingering in the air was a hint of alcohol from his body.


    After hearing the phone call, she could roughly guess who he met beforeing over.


    At the thought of that, her eyes turned red as tears started cascading down her cheeks.


    Meanwhile, Amber, who was in a car, had a dark face after she hung up the phone.


    From the window of the car, she could clearly see the vehicle parked at the entrance of a vi some


    distance away.


    Before he finished eating with her, he left saying that he had an emergency. As she had a gut feeling


    that something was off, she decided to tail him, only to see what she wished she didn¡¯t.


    Rachel, why are you always in the way?


    At once, Amber¡¯s grip on the car¡¯s steering tightened, and her eyes were clouded by a shade of


    coldness.


    Julian had told Rachel to rest in bed more. To avoid mishappenings, Mary had cleaned and organized


    the bedroom on the first floor so that Rachel didn¡¯t have to get off the bed much. Not only that, Rachel


    was also


    served with all sorts of nutritional supplements every day.


    At this moment, Gloria came to visit with bags of items. Rachel didn¡¯t even know how Gloria knew that


    she was here.


    ¡°Rae, I¡¯ve brought you some presents!¡±


    After saying that, she started taking out everything in the paper bag and ced them on the bed. ¡°This


    is a piece of clothing for the baby. It¡¯s pink and super cute! This is a small dress. Maybe she can wear it


    when she grows up. Oh, and this! It¡¯s a dinosaur onesie. She can wear it when you want to bring her


    out during winter. There¡¯s also a baby pram that I left outside!¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Gloria was showcasing all the items she bought on the bed like she was running a store.


    At this moment, there was a knock at the door.


    Holding a rattle drum, Gloria shed Rachel a smile before saying, ¡°Isn¡¯t this rattle drum adorable? The


    baby will surely like it.¡±


    With the nket covering over half of her body, she caressed her stomach; herplexion was pale


    yet peaceful.


    ¡®How are you so sure that it¡¯s a girl?¡¯


    Everything Gloria bought was for a girl.


    ¡°Call it a gut feeling. I think a girl will be adorable. Justin has such a cold personality, so it¡¯s not the best


    if you get a son like him. Thus, a girl will be better since she will be as gentle as you are.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel forced a smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are you opening a boutique?¡±


    With a bowl of soup in his hands, Victor walked in to see that Gloria had ced a number of goods on


    the bed. At once, his face turned sour before heined, ¡°Are you here to make a mess? Go along,


    get out. Don¡¯t disturb Rachel from resting.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s here to make a mess? Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯ve bought some stuff for the baby?¡±


    ¡°All I know is that Rachel can¡¯t use these right now, so you can keep them and scram!¡±


    ¡°Say that again!¡±


    Seeing that the situation was getting tense, Rachel quickly tugged on Gloria¡¯s hand before she shook


    her head at the both of them.


    Upon Rachel¡¯s persuasion, Gloria suppressed her anger as she gave Victor onest re.


    ¡°Rachel, try this chicken soup.¡±


    After he set the small table onto the bed, he ced the bowl down while kicking the bunch of items


    along with the rattle drum away purposely. The goods that were initially ced on the bed then fell to


    the ground with some cking noise.


    After witnessing that, Gloria was so angry that she could re a hole into his face. If it wasn¡¯t for


    Rachel, she might have fought with him head-on.


    ¡®Alright, you two should cut it out and go eat too.¡¯


    ¡°Rachel, remember to drink the soup. I¡¯lle to pick it up in a bit.¡±


    Nodding her head, she patted Gloria on her hand. ¡®Alright, go ahead.¡¯


    Though Gloria wasn¡¯t in her most active state since she was in crutches, she didn¡¯t forget to bump into


    him hard enough to make him stagger. With that, she strode out of the room with satisfaction stered


    on her face.


    Rubbing his arm, he sucked in a deep breath before he followed suit. ¡°We didn¡¯t prepare your share.


    You can eat outside if you want to.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can tell me what to do?¡±


    At this moment, Gloria sat at the dining table before she spoke in the direction of the kitchen. ¡°Mary, I¡¯d


    like to have half a bowl of rice.¡±


    Mary was the caretaker who previously took care of Gloria at her apartment. She was meticulously


    chosen by Frankie from a pool of candidates. Due to the suddenness of this incident, they didn¡¯t


    manage to find someone suitable, so Mary was lent over to help out for the time being.


    That exined how Gloria knew that Rachel lived here.


    With her teeth gritted, Victor was fuming at this point.


    Rolling her eyes at him, she purposely took a bite of the braised pork right before his eyes as she


    happily munched on it. ¡°Why? Do you want to bite me? Let me tell you, not only do I want to eat here,


    I¡¯m even nning to stay here!¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°If you have the power, then kick me out of the house. Oh, do you own this house?¡±


    With a scoff, she continued, ¡°Silly kid, do know your ce. You¡¯re just a maid that¡¯s taking care of Rae.


    Who do you think you are? You¡¯re the one who should scram!¡±


    At once, Victor¡¯s face turned pale.


    As her initial n was to get him to walk away, she didn¡¯t expect that his next move would be to pull the


    chair back and sit down. He didn¡¯t waste any time before picking up the utensils and started to eat at a


    fast speed, In no time, there were not many pieces of braised pork left.


    ¡°Are you mad? Is there nothing for you to eat after you leave this ce? Why are you stuffing yourself


    up before you leave?¡±


    After he finished eating, he wiped his mouth before roaring, ¡°Who said I¡¯m leaving? Let me tell you. I


    will be here as long as Rachel is here. Don¡¯t even dream that you can make me leave!¡±


    ¡°Y-You¡­¡±


    ¡°What you? You can ask Justin. He told me to stay and read more of these books.¡±


    As he said that, he picked up a book about signnguage and flipped it open to a page that he hadn¡¯t


    read yet. He then waved it in her face with a triumphant look.


    Pouting her lips, she replied, ¡°Can you even understand its content?¡±


    As the door of the bedroom wasn¡¯t closed shut, Mary heard themotion outside when she came in


    to send Rachel some side dishes. With a frown, she offered, ¡°Mrs. Burton, I¡¯ll shut the door for you.¡±


    It¡¯s okay. Let it be.


    At this moment, the corners of her eye crinkled slightly.


    Listening to Victor and Gloria bickering downstairs, Rachel felt as if the atmosphere of the big house


    became less lonely


    After Mary left, she fished out her phone to take a look at the recent news.


    All of Riverdale was well informed about the engagement of Justin and Amber. Due to the various news


    outlet interviews, pictures of the two kepting up.


    After scanning through several pages, she saw a picture of Justin putting on a jacket for Amber. Her


    pupils shrunk on instinct as she ced her phone face down on the table.


    She didn¡¯t want to look at it anymore.


    After some time, she picked up the spoon before forcing herself to eat the rice, dishes and drink the


    soup.


    One spoon after another, she filled her mouth with the food that was given to her. At this point, she was


    struggling to munch and swallow.


    Although her abdomen pain was awful, she had to give birth to the baby and think of a way to leave


    Riverdale.


    Everything will get better.


    However, she suddenly felt that something was stuck in her throat and she couldn¡¯t even swallow the


    rice.


    At this moment, she coughed.


    Droplets of tears streamed down her face, falling into the bowl of soup.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 130

    My Mute Bride Chapter 130


    After Mary came into the room to tidy the small table, Gloria came in hugging a big box.


    Initially, Rachel was trying to figure out what fancy new toy Gloria brought along; she was surprised to


    see her taking out an old CD yer to put on the cupboard opposite the bed.


    ¡°The music yed by an old CD yer makes people feel calm and peaceful. I heard from Dr. Peters


    that you have insomnia, so you can try this out.¡±


    After Gloria inserted a CD into the yer, music with a historical tone started ying out of the


    speakers.


    Rachel enjoyed it as she felt much more at peace in her heart.


    Taking a seat by her bed, Gloria asked, ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡®Thank you.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. I¡¯m not the one who got this. I¡¯m just a runner.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel was stunned.


    The yer seemed to be an authentic vintage item that wasn¡¯t designed to just look old. Hence, it must


    be an antique with a hefty price. With that information, she could roughly guess the source of this CD


    yer.


    ¡®Turn it off.


    As she typed the three words on her phone, the light in her eyes dimmed.


    Looking at Rachel¡¯s expression, Gloria was caught off guard. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, his intentions and


    thoughts are good. It¡¯s not that I want to side with him, but he¡¯s really not a bad person. Though he¡¯s


    cold on the outside and he may do wrong things at times, he has his reasons.¡±


    As Rachel held onto her phone, her face turned sour.


    She couldn¡¯t ept what Gloria said of him. Rachel only knew that Justin was the one who broke


    Hans¡¯ leg, captured Grandpa Irwin, and decided to marry Amber. Nobody forced him to do any of that.


    To put it simply, he was just a possessive scumbag who¡¯d do anything to reap benefits from it.


    ¡°Rachel, do you know how Justin got the scar on his face?¡±


    ¡®How did he get it?¡¯


    ¡°His parents died in a car ident, and he was the only one who survived the crash. After that day, the


    scar was left on his face when he was ten years old. Since then, he had gone through various


    horrifying


    experiences like being kidnapped, ckmailed, and human trafficked. The fear from everything that


    you can or cannot possibly think of has been haunting him for over twenty years and counting. Do you


    know that he has really bad insomnia? He can only sleep with the help of medication, but he doesn¡¯t


    take them usually as he is afraid that he¡¯ll end up at a different ce when he wakes up.¡±


    Looking at Gloria dumbfounded, Rachel asked, ¡®How do you know all these?¡¯


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Taking a deep breath, Gloria replied, ¡°Haven¡¯t you always been curious about how I got to know him?¡±


    ¡®Yes.¡¯


    ¡°He was in a fire when he was young. A firefighter sacrificed himself to save him. That firefighter was


    my father.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel seemed to be more stumped.


    She had never imagined that they had such a rtionship.


    Gloria continued, ¡°I was born on the day my father sacrificed himself. Since then, I lived alone with my


    mother, but she left when I was three. I became a burden to everyone, living in a rtive¡¯s house for a


    few days before moving to another. That was when¡­ Justin found me.¡±


    Though Gloria didn¡¯t borate much, Rachel could imagine how dark it was for her back then.


    Before Justin appeared, she was a young girl who couldn¡¯t take care of herself. Not only that, she was


    pushed away by rtives who didn¡¯t care much for her. It was in painful to even think about it.


    No wonder¡­


    At that moment, Rachel understood why Gloria relied on him so much. Moreover, it also exined why


    he treated Gloria with all the love and patience that he had.


    They had salvaged each other when they were in a dark ce; they were a god-like presence to each


    other.


    At this moment, Gloria¡¯s eyes turned red.


    Rachel quickly held her hand as if telling her with the warmth of her n that everything was over.


    Pursing her lips, Gloria said, ¡°Rachel, I¡¯m fine. After that, he helped me with my tuition fees and sent


    me to piano sses. I got to do whatever I wanted, and nobody ever bullied me anymore. I¡¯ve be


    happier, but he still seems to be the same after all these years. Nobody has ever been concerned


    about his happiness, or if he was well. Everyone only wanted to use him, or sabotage him¨Cincluding his


    rtives. He¡¯s actually a good person, but he has to make difficult choices at times because of his


    position.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel fell silent.


    Gloria then held her hand. ¡°Rachel, believe me. He¡¯ll be a good father!¡±


    At this moment, Rachel¡¯s brows furrowed.


    Gloria¡¯s gaze seemed so sincere like she wanted Rachel to agree with her.


    Perhaps, she¡¯s right¨Che will be a good father.


    Meanwhile¡­


    Justin and his assistant had arrived at the restaurant early. They were waiting for a foreign couple to


    discuss business with


    At this moment, Frankie spoke up, ¡°Miss Hochmann has settled down in the suburbs. She said that


    she¡¯s not nning to return to the city for the time being. What do we do¨C¡±


    ¡°Let her be. Moreover, her leg injury hasn¡¯t healedpletely. Let her rest and heal her injury well.


    Have you


    ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged it with the school.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Burton, did you arrange for her to go over on purpose so that there will be someone to keep Mrs.


    Burtonpany? Though Miss Hochmann may be a little capricious at times, she¡¯s joyful and kind.


    You must trust Miss Hochmann a lot.¡±


    Hearing that, Justin furrowed his brows. ¡°Why do you have so much to say today?¡±


    At once, Frankie shed him a smile before shutting his mouth.


    Outside the privately reserved room, Amber was holding her bag as she came over to attend the


    business discussion with Justin. Coincidentally, she heard the conversation that was going on inside.


    As such, the smile on her face fell.


    So, he indeed still cares about Rachel.


    Well, she was pregnant after all. No matter what, he had to take care of her.


    But what if the child is gone?


    At the thought of that, a cold look crept up her eyes.


    It was a Saturday with lovely weather.


    Early in the morning, Julian came over to the suburbs to give Rachel a checkup.


    ¡°As I said before, it¡¯s better to stay in bed. Try to not do out-of-bed activities more than an hour a day.


    Another thing to take note of is to maintain a good mood.¡±


    I¡¯ll keep that in mind!


    At the mention of the word ¡®mood¡¯, Julian silently let out a sigh.


    A person¡¯s mood was not something one could always control.


    Suddenly, a loud noise came from the outside, and the sound of the piano halted abruptly.


    Victor¡¯s voice could be hearding from the living room as his disgruntled tone was hard to miss.


    ¡°How many times have I told you to not y the piano here? Are you trying to show off? Rachel needs


    to rest quietly in a peaceful environment. Do you understand that? You¡¯re so noisy!¡±


    At once, Gloria rebuked, ¡°Who¡¯s being noisy? Quiet means her heart has to be at peace. You¡¯re the


    one who doesn¡¯t understand that!¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is, you¡¯re not allowed to y the piano here anymore!¡±


    ¡°This is called antenatal training! Do you even understand what that is?¡±


    ¡°To be trained into someone like you?¡±


    At this moment, Julian caught hints of a smile at the corners of Rachel¡¯s eyes. He then asked, ¡°It


    seems that having the two of them around is a good thing.¡±


    While Rachel caressed her abdomen, she leaned against the headboard with a gentle gaze.


    ¡°Gloria is a very kind person. I hope that my child will be like her in the future.¡¯


    ¡°Right, do you know that today¡­¡±


    Julian seemed to be hesitant to speak.


    As Rachel¡¯s gaze met his, she asked, ¡®What happened?¡¯

 My Mute Bride Chapter 131

    My Mute Bride Chapter 131


    After hesitating for a moment, Julian said, ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to say that the weather¡¯s good today.


    I¡¯ll bring you and those two out to have a walk. The air here in Southwind is quite clean.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go back to work?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m on leave today.¡±


    Hearing that, she gave him a nod as a smile crept up her eyes.


    The moment Gloria heard that they were going out, she quickly got off the piano and ran to the kitchen


    to discuss with Mary what food to pack. ¡°Sandwiches, juice, milk¡­ Oh, most importantly, the barbecue


    stand and the hammock!¡±


    Victor then sighed with exasperation. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re going on a preschool field trip?¡±


    The two continued to banter.


    As Julian helped Rachel up, they gave each other a helpless smile.


    Before leaving the house, a few bodyguards that Justin had assigned blocked Rachel from going out.


    At once, Gloria said with annoyance, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Miss Hochmann, Mr. Burton ordered that Mrs. Burton must not leave the premises.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back at night. Just let it slide this time.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do that. Miss Hochmann, please don¡¯t make things difficult for us.¡±


    Turning back to take a look at Rachel, Gloria saw her face slowly darken.


    ¡®It¡¯s alright, Gloria. We don¡¯t have to go!


    ¡°No way!¡±


    With a dark face, Gloria said, ¡°Rae, give me a moment.¡±


    After saying that, she immediately walked away to make a phone call.


    ¡°Hello? It¡¯s me.¡±


    The one who picked up the call was Frankie. ¡°Miss Hochmann? What can I help you with?¡±


    After hearing what Gloria said, Frankie quickly headed to the ballroom to find Justin. ¡°Mr. Burton, Miss


    Hochmann has called.¡±


    Today, Justin donned a white suit which he rarely did. Compared to a ck suit, the white suit toned


    down his angsty evil aura of his. He seemed much more peaceful in white.


    At this moment, a lot of people were crowding the ballroom as they were all here to attend the


    engagement party of him and Amber.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Miss Hochmann said that Dr. Peters is with them today. They wanted to bring Mrs. Burton out, but they


    were stopped by Winston and the others.¡±


    As Justin frowned, he noticed someone making their way toward him as they held their dress. He then


    said with a deep tone, ¡°Just have them tag along.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Immediately, Frankie left with the phone.


    The person who came to Justin was none other than Amber. She was wearing a long gown in light


    pink, ¡°Why is Frankie in such a hurry? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just work. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    unenthusiastic. Hence, she decided to follow him with a frown.


    As she walked, she asked the person by her side sotto voce, ¡°How¡¯s the n going?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the people are already prepared.¡±


    Southwind Vi was close to several scenic areas that were less crowded in Riverdale. They were


    surrounded by forests and a bigke.


    Julian led Rachel and the others to the side of theke toy out the pic mat while Victor was in


    charge of the barbecue. Though Gloria still had a cast on one of her legs and had to rely on a crutch to


    support her, she still managed to set up the hammock between two trees.


    Seeing that, Victor couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°You¡¯re still very active despite being disabled.¡±


    At once, she rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Do you have nothing else to say?¡±


    As Rachel was sitting on the foldable chair, Julian brought a woolen nket over to cover her. ¡°Are you


    cold?¡±


    She shook her head in response. At this moment, she was facing theke that had small ripples on its


    surface.


    As it was autumn, there were fallen leaves all over the hill. The scenery was really magnificent.


    ¡°Drink some water.¡±


    Thank you.


    Standing by her side, he asked, ¡°When the child is born, what are your ns?¡±


    Taking a nce at Gloria and Victor, she hummed before she made a hand sign saying, ¡®Probably


    leave Riverdale


    Her reply caught him off guard. Then, his gaze transferred to the few bodyguards who were standing


    nearby. and he understood.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Riverdale was a ce that brought her too much pain. If she could leave, it would be good for her.


    Undeniably, Gloria and Victor¡¯s presence had added joy to the one-day trip. After a rxing day


    outside, they returned home by night time.


    After dinner, Julian left only after seeing Rachel rest.


    ¡°Dr. Peters,¡± Gloria called out as she limped out of the house with a crutch. ¡°Thank you for today.¡±


    ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡±


    ¡°You chose toe today for a reason, right?¡±


    Looking back at the well-lit bedroom, Gloria continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to do today. I was afraid that


    I¡¯d say the wrong things and upset Rachel. Thankfully, you came.¡±


    Hearing that, he replied, ¡°She¡¯s much stronger than we think.¡±


    The news of Justin and Amber¡¯s engagement today was far-spread across Riverdale. There was no


    chance that Rachel was oblivious of it.


    Despite that, she went along with them to have fun outside today. They went out and came back in a


    happy mood, and Rachel didn¡¯t act anything out of normal.


    ¡°Go back. I¡¯ll take my leave first. You can call me anytime if anythinges up.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Drive safe, Dr. Peters.¡±


    After seeing his car leave thepound, she headed back into the house.


    At this moment, Victor was making a gesture facing the tea table. A signnguage book was on the


    table.


    ¡°You got it wrong.¡± Gloria rolled her eyes as she limped her way to the seat opposite Victor. ¡°At the


    speed you¡¯re going, you¡¯ll never learn signnguage in this life.¡±


    ¡°You know this?¡± He got angry because of her insults. ¡°Show me then if you know it.¡±


    ¡°Why would I want to learn this? I just have to understand it.¡±


    At once, he was stunned as realization dawned upon him.


    That¡¯s true. I just have to understand it. I don¡¯t have to learn how to do it myself.


    ¡°Silly. You can have fun learning. I¡¯ll go find Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t keep her up too long. Let her rest early today.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Looking at Gloria¡¯s figure walking away, he felt that he no longer felt as repulsed as he initially did with


    her.


    The night was getting darker.


    Victor was reading a book alone in the living room. From time to time, he¡¯d take a nce at the


    bedroom. It¡¯s been so long since Gloria has gone in. Why do women have so much to talk about?


    After some time, a sharp scream came from the bedroom.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Help!¡±


    Immediately, Victor tossed the book and rushed inside.


    In the bedroom, Gloria was held captive by two men in ck, while Rachel had fallen off the bed. At


    this moment, a ck shadow holding a shiny metal stick was closing in on her.


    Without hesitation, Victor rushed forward.


    Nevertheless, the opponent seemed to be very well-trained. It didn¡¯t take long before Victor was


    defeated.


    ¡°No!¡±


    Holding onto the heels of the opponent¡¯s leg, Victor gave his all so that the opponent wouldn¡¯t be able


    to reach Rachel.


    ¡°Rachel, run!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know when to stop, huh?!¡± With a hard stomp, the man in ck stepped on Victor¡¯s finger,


    and a crisp sound of bone cracking was exceptionally loud and clear to the ears.


    At once, Rachel¡¯s pupils contracted in fear. As much as she wanted to scream, she couldn¡¯t. Backing


    up to the corner of the room, she looked at the ck shadow who stood before her in fear. At this


    moment, her face turnedpletely pale.


    The bodyguard who should be guarding the house was nowhere to be seen. The three men in ck


    must have entered from the window on the first floor. The moment they breached in, they apprehended


    Gloria who started yelling


    At this moment, Gloria¡¯s mouth was covered, and her eyes were red as she was anxious.


    Rachel didn¡¯t have the ability to even yell.


    The metal stick that was swung at her shed a gleam of cold light. Keeping her eyes shut, she felt the


    pain that followed the next moment.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 132

    My Mute Bride Chapter 132


    Julian was driving back to the city from the suburbs. Not long after he exited thepound, he saw a


    malicious-looking man on the passenger¡¯s seat of a van that passed him by.


    At first, he didn¡¯t pay heed to it, but he started feeling uneasy after he went on for some distance.


    All the people in the van wore ck. What could their business in the suburbs be at midnight?


    ¡°Pardon, the number that you have dialed cannot be reached. Please call¡­¡±


    Both Victor and Gloria couldn¡¯t be reached by their phones.


    At once, he made a U-turn and headed back toward the vi.


    By the time he arrived, the vi was in a mess.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    The bodyguards were on the ground, defeated and in pain. Rushing into the bedroom, he was met with


    a sight of Gloria and Victor passed out on the floor, and Rachel sitting in a pool of blood at the corner of


    the room.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    The lights on the operating table were bright and blinding.


    The sound of machines colliding rang in her ears, yet she was still too weak to open her eyes. She


    could only hear the sound of the doctor and nurses speaking by her side.


    The moment her body was cut open, the pain that she initially felt numb to suddenly soared once


    again. The stimtion to her pain-receptor nerves was so unbearable she was about to pass out.


    At this moment, she felt like she was diving into an abyss. Every time she felt like she was about to


    drown and die, she would get a breath of air only to drown again.


    It went on and on.


    By the time Justin rushed to the hospital, it was already the wee hours of the next day.


    ¡°How is she?¡±


    He held onto Julian hastily.


    With an expressionless face, Julian told him, ¡°This child is gone.¡±


    The four words were like a hammer that was mmed down on Justin¡¯s heart.


    The look in his eyes wavered as he staggered a few steps back. Leaning against the wall, he was in


    utter disbelief.


    ¡°Who did this?¡±


    After Julian heard that, his face turned dark. ¡°You should ask yourself!¡±


    After all, it was clear whose position was threatened by the very existence of the child.


    The next day, when Rachel regained consciousness, it was already noon.


    When she opened her eyes, she could see Justin by her bedside. With that, she was surprised. Out of


    instinct, she wanted to move her hand, but she realized that he was holding onto it. He must¡¯ve held it


    for some time because it felt a little numb.


    It didn¡¯t take long before he woke up. As their eyes met the atmosphere felt stoic and stagnate.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake? How do you feel? Do you feel difort anywhere?¡±


    Leaning on the pillow, she couldn¡¯t reply with her hand held.


    It was only then that he let go of her hand.


    A red mark could be seen from where he held onto her.


    Why are you here?


    After asking that, she realized that the surrounding wasn¡¯t the vi in the suburbs. Why am I here?


    The hospital?


    At this moment, the immense pain from her lower body surged through her body, making her pupils


    contract. She looked toward him and signed, What happened to me?


    His cold face seemed tense. Needless to say, he didn¡¯t know how to break it to her.


    After a moment, he looked into her eyes and took a deep breath before saying, ¡°Rae, we can still have


    kids in the future.¡±


    Her face turned pale in a split second.


    Her memory of the previous night gushed into her head at once.


    Those men in ck who appeared suddenly, Victor and Gloria who were on the ground, the stick that


    was


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Pushing him away with the strength she could muster, she hugged her head as she retreated to the


    corner of her bed in fear.


    ¡°Rae!¡± He had never seen her like this.


    Her head was filled with dreadful memories fromst night, and she couldn¡¯t seem to shut them off.


    The child is gone.


    The baby must be mad because she once had the thoughts of letting him go, so the baby left¡­


    Mommy is sorry¡­


    ¡°Rae!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    As Justin attempted to go closer, she kept on yelling in a hoarse voice. Throwing all the pillows off the


    bed, she was yelling with all her might.


    It didn¡¯t take long before Julian came. Looking at the situation in the ward, he quickly pulled Justin


    away. ¡°Head outside for now.¡±


    At this moment, she was sitting in a corner with her knees hugged to her chest. Her shoulders were


    trembling a lot, and her eyes were already swollen from how hard she cried.


    Justin stood afar while watching Julian walk toward her before holding her hand.


    At first, she retracted her hand, but she no longer resisted when she saw that it was Julian. She then let


    him pull herself into his embrace as she cried her heart out in his chest.


    His heart broke for her as he gave her consoling pats on her back. ¡°It¡¯s alright, it will pass. It has


    already passed.¡±


    This scene was exceptionally ufortable for Justin to see.


    After a moment, he clenched his fists before exiting the room with a dark face.


    ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± Frankie was waiting outside the ward.


    ¡°Have you gotten anything from the investigation of what happenedst night? Who did it?¡±


    ¡°No. The bunch of people had their faces covered. Their tactics were cruel. All cameras nearby were


    destroyed, so there was very limited footage of them. Winston and the others had also suffered bad


    injuries.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s Gloria?¡±


    ¡°Miss Hochmann is alright. They seem to have gone easy on her. Other than being frightened, she only


    had a very mild abrasion. However, Victor was hurt pretty badly. His left arm was fractured.¡±


    Gloria wasn¡¯t hurt?


    A bunch of cruel men unexpectedly let someone off¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for very specific instructions, they


    would definitely not leave anyone out.


    He already had an idea of the mastermind behind this.


    With a frown, he said, ¡°Arrange the best doctor for her treatment.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, Mr. Burton, Miss Hudson called multiple times this morning asking where you were.¡±


    After he heard that, the frowns on his forehead deepened as his eyes gleamed with a cold light.


    After getting knocked out from crying a very long time, Julian helped Rachel up to get back to bed and


    rest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. Take your time to let your body heal. Everything will get better.¡±


    Pulling the nket over her, he patted her shoulder to get her to sleep.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes were red and swollen at this point. You said this many times already.


    He kept saying that everything will get better, but her life kept going downhill. Every time she felt that


    she was at her lowest, it only got worse. It felt like an abyss that had no end to it.


    After falling so deep, did she even have the chance to rise back again?


    Julian kept quiet for a moment. After some time, he asked, ¡°If there¡¯s a chance, will you go overseas


    with me and live there?¡±


    Rachel was stunned to hear that.


    After a brief pause, she shook her head.


    She still had to take care of her grandma. After all, her grandma was getting older, and she might not


    get used to living overseas. She couldn¡¯t possibly leave Nancy here alone and escape overseas.


    Knowing that it was difficult for her, he felt bad, but he couldn¡¯t do anything to help. He then pulled the


    corner of the nket as he said, ¡°Rest well.¡±


    The moment she closed her eyes, she could see the scene of the nightmare that happenedst night.


    Although no one told her what exactly happened, she could take a smart guess on the person who


    instructed the killing of her unborn child.


    It¡¯s Amber Hudson. It must be her.


    She was the only one who dreaded Rachel¡¯s unborn child. Only Amber would be d that the child


    was gone.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 133

    My Mute Bride Chapter 133


    Back in the Burton Residence, Sue specially prepared a scrumptious meal and waited with Amber for


    Justin to be back for dinner.


    ¡°Amber, we¡¯re a family from now on. Although you guys are just engaged, the marriage date has


    already been decided. So, you¡¯ll marry into our family very soon.¡±


    ¡°Madam Parham, this matter is not finalized yet.¡± Amber blushed.


    Just then, she heard the sound of the door opening from the outside and quicklyid down her


    cutleries. ¡°Justin.¡±


    Sue walked up too. ¡°Justin, see how virtuous Amber is. It¡¯s only the second day of your engagement


    and she came over to arrange a meal which consists of all your favorite dishes.¡±


    Justin wore a cold and nonchnt expression. ¡°I¡¯ve eaten already. You guys go ahead.¡±


    At once, the smile on Amber¡¯s face froze.


    Sueforted her, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Maybe Justin had dinner with his clients earlier. Don¡¯t bother about him,


    Amber. Let¡¯s eat on our own.¡±


    Sue invited Amber to the dining table, but thetter hadpletely lost her appetite because she was


    well aware of where Justin came back from.


    Julian ced his keys on the table. ¡°No one will be staying here for a while. So, you can stay here first


    and let me know if you need anything.¡±


    Rachel nodded. Thank you.


    Initially, Julian rented this ce for Nancy to live in. At that time, Nancy turned it down lest Justin would


    be unhappy about it. Who knew after the efforts of trying to find the ce a new owner, Julian would be


    staying in it himself.


    ¡°Do you still have no intention of telling Madam Tiller about this matter? If you tell her now, you can


    directly move in to stay with her.¡±


    Rachel shook her head. Grandma is already old. Too many things have happened recently, and I don¡¯t


    want her to be worried about me.


    Julian nodded reflectively.


    ¡°Settle down here and stop worrying too much then. This ce is close to both the hospital and Madam


    Tiller¡¯s residence.¡±


    Sure. Thank you, Julian.


    ¡°The Burton Family has done you wrong. I¡¯m also doing this so that I¡¯ll feel less guilty.¡±


    Suddenly, Julian recalled something. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand why Justin insists on marrying the


    Hudsons¡¯ daughters. Is he not satisfied after marrying you? Why does he want to marry Amber all of a


    sudden? What on earth is he thinking?¡±


    There are grudges between him and Jefferey.


    ¡°Grudges?¡±


    Julian frowned. ¡°Do you know what the grudges are exactly?¡±


    I¡¯m not too sure either. He has not told me before.


    Rachel¡¯s palm reddened as she held the hot mug. Amber is the one whom he wants to marry since the


    beginning, so he¡¯s just returning to his original n now.


    Now that they had lost their child, the final connection between her and Justin had ceased too.


    Regardless of the reason behind Justin¡¯s n to marry Amber, his wish could finally be fulfilled now; it


    was time for Rachel to let go of herself too.


    It was already midnight, but the light in Burton Group¡¯s CEO office was still on.


    ¡°President Burton, these are the documents about Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ overseas transactions in


    the past three years which you¡¯ve requested. Besides that, here is the information about Miss Hudson¡¯s


    immigration record.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Is there any news about Jefferey recently?¡±


    ¡°He has been reducing domestic investments but is rather diplomatic with the overseas party. Do you


    think he¡¯s nning to expand the business abroad?¡±


    ¡°Things might not be so simple.¡± Justin¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°I reckon he¡¯s rushing to transfer the assets


    to a secret ount abroad because he knows the investigation bureau is investigating Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals and he won¡¯t be able to conceal the truth for much longer, so he¡¯s finding a way out


    for himself now.¡±


    ¡°It seems like Jefferey is going abroad for some business engagement at the end of this month.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going there personally?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I got this news from our spy in Hudson Pharmaceuticals, so it should be reliable.¡±


    Justin pondered about it. ¡°The officers in the investigation bureau would be happy to receive this news.¡±


    ¡°Find a chance to inform the deputy chief, but leave no trace.¡±


    ¡°Janice Hawkins?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Justin¡¯s n was to leverage Janice¡¯s power to attack Jefferey. Since Janice was currently investigating


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals, she would definitely want to detain Jefferey in the country, or even Riverdale,


    at all cost and not give him any chance to escape.


    Frankie took a look at the time. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, President Burton. Aren¡¯t you going home to rest yet?¡±


    ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll stay on for a while more.¡±


    Frankie still wanted to say something, but seeing that Justin had already started reading the


    documents, he bit his tongue.


    Recently, Justin had always been working overtime in the office and rarely returned home.


    If this continued, his health would deteriorate.


    After Frankie left, Justin received a call.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    Julian¡¯s voice came forth from the other end. ¡°Rest assured. She has already settled down. My ce is


    rather safe and the security guards won¡¯t easily allow strangers to enter, and it¡¯s close to the police


    station.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Justin.¡± Julian knew Justin was about to hang up the call, so he quickly called out to him. ¡°Since


    you


    care about her so much, why don¡¯t you go and apany her? You know she has not been in a good


    state recently, both mentally and physically.¡±


    Justin furrowed his brows and kept quiet for a moment before hanging up the call.


    A weekter, the news of Hudson Pharmaceuticals producing counterfeit drugs was exposed again. A


    few of the subsidiaries had been seized by the investigation bureau, and even Jefferey was ¡®invited to


    the police station for interrogation.


    Given this situation, Amber actually didn¡¯t seek help from Justin but secretly went abroad.


    ¡°Have you sent someone to tail her?


    ¡°Yes, everything has been arranged ordingly. Our man is on the same flight as her and will track her


    at all times.¡±


    ¡°Keep me updated if there¡¯s any news.¡±


    ¡°Yes, President Burton. Where would you like to go now?¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes were filled with coldness as he sat in the backseat. ¡°To the hospital.¡±


    Autumn was an extraordinarily sentimental season. In Riverdale, the leaves of the phoenix trees along


    the streets had turned yellow and were gradually blown off the tree by the wind as the cars passed by.


    In Tran-Q, after sorting out the garbage, Rachel was spraying disinfectant in the corridor.


    Suddenly, a tall man who was wearing ck, shiny leather shoes, appeared in front of her.


    ¡°Who asked you to do all these?¡±


    A gloomy voice emerged from above Rachel. At this moment, anger spread across Justin¡¯s face.


    Rachel was wearing a mask and dressed in the hospital¡¯s cleaner uniform with a volunteer vest. She


    had taken the initiative to be a volunteer in the hospital and this was her second day at work.


    Seeing Justin, Rachel frowned. This is none of your business. Please step aside.


    Blood-boiled, Justin grabbed Rachel¡¯s wrist and dragged her to the stairway, disregarding her


    struggles. ¡°Why do you have to embarrass yourself while you can live afortable life? Is this the


    kind of life that you want?¡±


    Rachel furrowed her brows as she felt pain being seized by Justin, but she merely endured with it.


    I like this kind of life.


    ¡°What kind of life? Life as a cleaner who is servile and has to grovel to the rogues who came to visit


    doctors?¡±


    Rachel remained silent and avoided Justin¡¯s gaze.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Would you stop this already?!¡±


    Justin¡¯s voice deepened. ¡°Recently, I allowed you to move out and have not interfered with any of your


    matters so that you can adjust your emotions, but that doesn¡¯t mean that you can do as you please.¡±


    Rachel lifted her head slowly. Behind the mask, she felt a lump rise in her throat. Her eyes soon


    became red rimmed as tears welled up in them. Have you forgotten that the child is already gone? I¡¯m


    not rted to you anymore.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 134

    My Mute Bride Chapter 134


    Justin was stunned while Rachel¡¯s eyes were brimmed with agonized tears.


    No one knew exactly how much pain Rachel had to endure after suffering from the loss of a child, but


    Justin still refused to let go of her.


    ¡°We¡¯ll still have kids in the future.¡±


    Justin¡¯s hoarse voice that echoed in the stairway could make one feel surreal.


    Startled, Rachel stared at him and shook her head while stepping backward in disbelief.


    How can he say this?


    She was fuming. You still refuse to let go of me! What on earth have I done wrong?


    Rachel didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with the man in front of her at all.


    Please let go of me! I¡¯m begging you! If you hate the Hudson Family and Jefferey, go after them!


    All of a sudden, Justin¡¯s eyes were filled with intense anger as Rachel¡¯s words had irritated him.


    Rachel felt a sudden, immense pain in her wrist. Wailing in pain, she stood fixedly at the spot as she


    wasn¡¯t able to retreat anymore.


    It seemed as if the fire was going to st out from Justin¡¯s eyes, but his voice was as cold as ice.


    ¡°Since you know I hate the Hudsons, then you should stop your wishful thinking.¡±


    Jefferey was responsible for the fire that happened 20 years ago, and none of the Hudsons could be


    exempted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you always want to know why I hate the Hudson Family? I¡¯ll tell you right now!¡±


    ¡°20 years ago, Jefferey forcefully burned down a huge piece of the forest to drive out the residents in


    order to develop the area. A person died in the fire, and this person has saved my life before!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s pupils dted all of a sudden as she was astounded.


    Someone¡­ died in the fire?


    ¡°A father¡¯s debt should be borne by his children. Do I still need to exin this theory to you?¡±


    A fierce voice buzzed at Rachel¡¯s ear.


    Perhaps it was because of the appearance of the human trafficker, or because Jefferey¡¯s intention of


    leaving Riverdale was getting too obvious recently, the hatred that had been buried deep down in


    Justin exploded all of a sudden in these few days.


    Seizing Rachel¡¯s wrist, he snarled, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever dare think of leaving Riverdale in this lifetime. I will


    make you stay beside me forever and pay for the Hudsons¡¯ sin.¡±


    Rachel was frightened by the brutality in Justin¡¯s eyes. She was engulfed by his coldness as it traveled


    rapidly from her eyes to her entire body.


    From the very beginning, this man¡¯s intention was to take revenge on the Hudson Family. Both Rachel


    and Amber were just a tool for him to get revenge on the family. He wanted to destroy each and


    everyone from the family!


    Rachel was overwhelmed by intense fear. At that moment, her face turned ashen as she started


    struggling in terror.


    Let go of me! Let go of me!


    A voice screamed incessantly in her, which made her start struggling crazily.


    Annoyed, Justin seized her and pushed her against the wall all of a sudden. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± he


    roared.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Rachel could feel her head buzz as the back of it knocked against the wall.


    Just then, the sound of a phone vibrating emerged.


    Justin¡¯s eyes turned clear slightly.


    After ncing at the iing caller ID, he shot a cold re at Rachel. ¡°You better remember carefully


    everything I¡¯ve said to you today. Otherwise, don¡¯t forget that Irwin and your grandma are not as fit as


    you. I¡¯ll take you back to live in Burton Residence once I finish settling my stuff.¡±


    The cold voice echoed in the stairway.


    Click! The light in the stairway went off.


    Rachel inhaled deeply and started coughing intensely.


    When Julian arrived, Justin had already left.


    Rachel stood numbly against the wall.


    ¡°What happened, Rachel?¡±


    Julian swiftly supported Rachel just as she was about to slump to the ground. However, when he


    grabbed her hand, he noticed the red finger marks and obvious bruise on her wrist.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Justin? What did he say to you?¡±


    Rachel shook her head helplessly as there was only one thought in her mind now-Justin would not let


    go of her and anyone who was rted to the Hudson Family. Not a single one!


    All the wishes she was having before this turned into ashes at once.


    Justin hated her as much as he hated Jefferey, yet she actually thought he once loved and pitied her-


    even if it was just the slightest bit. She even thought that he had anticipated their child to be born.


    How absurd!


    When Justin walked out of the hospital, the phone rang in his hand.


    The call was from Amber.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hey Justin, guess where I am now.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Justin took a look at the time on his watch. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re at the airport.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but not entirely.¡±


    Amber continued gleefully. ¡°My dad told me that the matters abroad are not that urgent to be attended


    anymore and just so happened that I have a conference to attend. So, I¡¯ming back from the airport


    now.¡±


    Justin furrowed his brows while his cold eyes deepened.


    ¡°What¡¯s the silence about? What a surprise, right? Let¡¯s have dinner together tonight.¡±


    A momentter, Justin hummed, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After hanging up the call, he got into the car.


    Frankie said, ¡°I¡¯ve just received news that Amber has turned back from the airport.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware of it. It seems like Jefferey the old fox has noticed something.¡±


    ¡°You think we¡¯ve alerted him?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily, but Jefferey has always been prudent, especially when ites to matters that would


    affect his life-like capital transfer, so it¡¯s expected that he would take a make-believe move.¡±


    ¡°President Burton, what should we do next then?¡±


    ¡°Get someone to keep an eye on Jefferey and Amber. Although they didn¡¯t go abroad this time, they


    might go any other time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Frankie took a look at his phone. ¡°By the way, President Burton, I have another issue to report. Mr.


    Jason has privately drawn some funds under his own name.¡±


    ¡°And the amount?¡±


    ¡°5 million.¡±


    Justin frowned. ¡°Did you find out what he used the money for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure yet, but it seems like Madam Lilian has caused quite some trouble this year. If my


    guess is correct, he has taken the money to cover her ats.¡±


    Lilian was addicted to gambling, and Jason would often fork out money to clean up the mess. This was


    already a norm in the Burton Family.


    ¡°Should we notify Old Master Burton?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such a big amount of money-Grandpa would eventually find out even if we didn¡¯t tip him off.¡±


    Frankie nodded.


    What Justin meant was that they would not meddle with Jason¡¯s family affair and would leave them to


    stew in their own juice. If Jason failed to return the money before the annual general meeting this


    year¡¯s end, he would naturally suffer the consequences.


    In a private clubhouse at the outskirts of Riverdale, elegant music could be heard from inside a private


    room, apanied by a strong aroma of tea.


    It was gettingte into the night.


    Sitting at one end of the tea table, Jason slowly pushed a document toward the other party. ¡°This is the


    agreement of patent transfer as requested. We¡¯re quits now, but you must not let Justin know that I did


    this.¡±


    The other party pursed her lips and took a sip of tea calmly. ¡°Fret not. Our families have been friends


    for so many years; I won¡¯t put you in a difficult position. I¡¯m just taking this opportunity to check up on


    Burton Group.¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud. The wind blew through her grey-brown fringe and exposed her


    exquisite facial features while her almond-shaped eyes were filled with subtle coldness.


    At that moment, a chill ran down Jason¡¯s spine.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 135

    My Mute Bride Chapter 135


    By the time Rachel jolted awake from her nightmare, it was already morning. Like a shadow, the


    nightmares clung to her every night since Justin told her about the grudge between him and Jefferey


    that day in the hospital stairwell. The fire, the forest¡­


    She had a strange and inexplicable feeling that they were familiar to her in some way. In the dream,


    there was a loud banging noise that kept on rattling loudly against her temples. Presently, she violently


    opened her eyes, and it was only after being jolted awake for a moment that she realized someone was


    knocking at her door.


    ¡°Rachel? Rachel!¡±


    Victor? Pulling the covers off her, she got out of bed and opened the door to see Victor standing there


    holding bags of all sizes. The wound on his face had yet to heal and one of his arms was still in a sling,


    but his uninjured one was carrying arge number of items. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t home, Rachel. You


    took so long to open the door.¡±


    Quickly, she ushered him in and picked up the kettle to pour him a ss of water. Why are you here?


    ¡°Oh-there¡¯s no need to busy yourself, Rachel. I¡¯ll be leaving now; I¡¯m simply here to deliver the goods


    that Madam Tiller said you could use.¡±


    What goods? Subconsciously, she lifted her eyes to look into the bags. However, her hand trembled


    and she nearly scalded herself. Many of the packages inside the bags were marked with the logos of


    baby and maternity brands. Instantly, the light in her eyes dimmed.


    It was likely that Nancy was looking forward to the birth of this child. Rachel had no idea how she was


    going to tell her grandmother there would no longer be a child, just like she hadn¡¯t known how to tell her


    that she was pregnant. Suddenly, she burst into a fit of coughing.


    ¡°Are you feeling okay, Rachel?¡± Victor asked.


    I¡¯m fine. I just have a bit of a cold.


    Taking in the cold medicine on the table, Victor felt a bit vexed. If he had known Rachel had a cold, he


    would havee to visit her sooner.


    After a moment of silence, he remembered something important and searched through the bags at his


    feet to pull out a white canvas bag. ¡°By the way, Madam Tiller said I had to deliver this to you. The rest


    aren¡¯t as important.¡±


    Coming back to her senses, Rachel took the canvas bag from his hands.


    Before she even looked inside, she already knew what it was.


    It was the ¡®wooden box¡¯-the item that her mother left behind.


    Having no opposition to Victor¡¯s presence, she pulled out the box in front of him and studied it closely.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Something my mother left behind. I have no idea what it is.


    ¡°There¡¯s writing carved on top.¡±


    ¡°That cough is pretty bad, Rachel. Maybe you should take some medicine right now. I¡¯ll go get you a


    spoon!¡± He stood up immediately.


    Very soon, the syrupy smell of medicine wafted throughout the room. After taking it, Rachel sat at the


    table and stared absent-mindedly at the packaging that the medicine came in, happening to face the


    side with the medicine¡¯s ingredients listed on it.


    Perhaps due to her cold, her brain was hazy, and the writing on the packaging and the wooden box


    started to drift together. Almost of their own ord, the numbers on the wooden box scrambled atop


    the form.


    With sudden inspiration, her mind linked them together. The herbs, the dosages¡­ They fit! It was then


    that


    she knew


    As Rachel stared down at the six-sided wooden box in front of her, she realized that each side had a


    differentbination of numbers. All of a sudden, she felt like she was enlightened. Six traditional


    Hudson medicine forms, all corresponding with the numbers on the box.


    ¡°Rachel¡­¡± Victor¡¯s voice brought her out of her thoughts.


    Startled back to her senses, she stared at him.


    ¡°Are you okay, Rachel? Your phone has been ringing for a long time.¡±


    Distractedly, she looked down, only to discover an iing call on her cell phone from her


    grandmother.


    ¡°Has Victor delivered you the items, Rae?¡±


    Pressing the hands-free mode, Rachel gave him a slight smile.


    Understanding her meaning, he immediately said, ¡°I have, Madam Tiller. Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Nancy grumbled, ¡°It would be strange if I did, considering you broke your arm in the


    few days since Ist saw you.¡±


    ¡°That was an ident,¡± he lied wlessly before continuing with a jovial smile,¡±-and I have delivered


    the items.¡±


    ¡°Well, did you inform her what I told you to?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d forget!¡± Nancy crowed before emphasizing, ¡°Pizza. You must eat pizza today, Rae.¡±


    Confused, Victor asked, ¡°What pizza?¡±


    As she realized what her grandmother meant, Rachel felt her nose itch all of a sudden. Today was her


    birthday and Nancy had remembered when Rachel herself had not.


    Meanwhile, Nancy continued, ¡°There¡¯s a pizza in a ziplock bag. If you have a servant, have the servant


    heat it


    up for you. It¡¯s very convenient. You always liked eating pizza on your birthday.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel felt her eyes reddened and tears nearly rolled down her cheeks.


    Scratching his head, Victor mumbled, ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was your birthday today, Rachel.¡± And then, to


    the phone, he added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Tiller. I¡¯ll heat the pizza up for her.¡±


    As she listened to her grandmother instruct him, she swallowed back the thickness in her throat but her


    tears kept falling


    Upon finally hanging up, he was at a loss. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Rachel! It¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t know it was your


    birthday.¡±


    Nheless, she shook her head. She, too, had forgotten.


    As Victor bustled away to the kitchen to heat up the pizza, he insisted on ordering a birthday cake as


    well. However, he was talking to thin air and did not realize that Rachel was looking strange and


    spacing out. For her part, she continued to stare at the ¡®wooden box¡¯ on the table, clenching her fists.


    The box might be herst resort for getting rid of Justin. Even if she didn¡¯t do it for herself, she had to


    find a


    way out of this cycle for her grandmother¡¯s sake.


    Meanwhile, far away, a ck business car was speeding down the highway. Justin was on his way


    back to Riverdale from Brookville.


    ¡°Alright. As long as it¡¯s there before nightfall.¡± From the passenger seat, Frankie hung up the phone


    before saying over his shoulder, ¡°Someone is on their way to deliver the things you arranged for,


    President Burton.¡±


    Justin inclined his head slightly. ¡°How long until we get back to Riverdale?¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Looking at his watch, Frankie gave an estimate. ¡°About five hours.¡±


    Meanwhile, the driver, Ramsey, couldn¡¯t help interjecting, ¡°Riverdale is very far from Brookville,


    President Burton. What is so urgent that you had to hurry back to Riverdale today and then back to


    Brookville for a meeting tonight? That¡¯s such a long journey.¡±


    Chuckling, Frankie interrupted, ¡°Well, here¡¯s what you don¡¯t know, Ramsey. It¡¯s Mrs. Burton¡¯s birthday


    today, so of course President Burton has to hurry back.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Burton?¡± Ramsey repeated before he paused.


    Isn¡¯t President Burton already divorced? he thought. What does Frankie mean by ¡®Mrs. Burton¡¯? Of


    course, he didn¡¯t dare voice such thoughts out loud.


    Feeling Justin¡¯s cold re on him, Frankie shuddered and decided to shut his mouth. He stopped


    smiling, thereafter sinking back into his seat meekly and quietly.


    Just like that, the interior of the car was silent apart from the sound of the wind whistling outside.


    Absent mindedly. Justin looked out of the window.


    These few days, he had been regretting scaring Rachel by speaking to her in an overly harsh manner


    at the hospital. It was just that he couldn¡¯t think of another way to make her stay in Riverdale.


    Her attitude that day had incensed him and if she ran away again, the consequences could be


    unimaginable. After all, the conference in Brookeville required a lot of time-time he wouldn¡¯t necessarily


    have for her if anything happened to her. Moreover, the worst consequence wouldn¡¯t be her escape but


    someone secretly taking advantage of it.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 136

    My Mute Bride Chapter 136


    Not long after Victor left, Rachel heard the doorbell ring.


    Originally thinking he left something behind, she opened the door, only to see a courier.


    ¡°Ms. Rachel Hudson?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel nodded.


    ¡°There are two intracity express parcels for you. Please sign here.¡±


    Startled, she signed for the parcels, thereafter receiving a cake and a paper bag.


    Right now on the table, there was still half an uneaten cake that Victor had rushed out to buy at noon


    upon finding out it was her birthday.


    So, who bought the cake that the courier delivered?


    Setting it aside on the table for now, she pulled a rectangr suede box out of the paper bag.


    With a click, she opened it and discovered a silver-colored ne in the box that glimmered


    underneath the light


    The pendant was in the simple design of a small sun with a hollow center.


    Putting down the box, she found a card on top of the cake box that simply read ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯


    without any signature.


    Dumbfounded, she stared at the items until her phone started vibrating.


    It was a text message from Julian reading, ¡®Did you receive what I sent?¡¯


    Immediately, she understood. ¡®I did. I was wondering who would remember my birthday.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re a patient of mine. It¡¯s not strange that I would remember your birthday.¡¯


    ¡®Thank you.


    ¡®You¡¯re wee. Are you free? I just finished work;e down for a walk with me!


    Looking at the time, she agreed, ¡®Okay.¡¯


    At this hour after dinner, themunity was lively. All of the houses were lit up, and the sound of


    childrenughing could be heard around the neighborhood as they ran around ying.


    Downstairs, Rachel set the cake box down on a stone table and opened it. Before she could even offer


    some to anyone, a group of children was surrounding her and staring eagerly at the cake with wide


    eyes.


    ¡°Your cake is so pretty, miss!¡±


    After making a ¡®wait¡¯ motion with her hand, she lifted a knife and a paper te, preparing to cut into the


    cake for the children.


    ¡°Hold on, Rae.¡± Julian stopped her and pulled some candles out of a box to the side. ¡°Today is Miss


    Rachel¡¯s birthday. Before she treats you all to some cake, what should we do?¡±


    Upon hearing that, the head of the group, which happened to be a little girl in pigtails, immediately said,


    ¡°Wish Miss Rachel a Happy Birthday!¡±


    ¡°We must sing the ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯ song!¡±


    ¡°Miss Rachel must close her eyes and make a wish!¡±


    ¡°Miss Rachel must blow out the candles!¡±


    Shyly, Rachel shook her head to indicate to Julian that there was no need to go to such lengths.


    Nheless, he still lit the candles and had the children sing ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯ in unison. The delicate


    chorus of young voices would have a healing effect on any of its listeners.


    ¡°Make a wish.¡±


    There¡¯s no need.


    ¡°You must make a wish on your birthday, Miss Rachel. My mommy says you have to say it in your heart


    and not out loud, or the wish won¡¯te true,¡± a very young voice piped up beside Rachel.


    When she lowered her head to look, she found a little girl who wasn¡¯t even at table height yet looking


    up at her with pretty, sparkling eyes.


    Immediately, Rachel gentled and, under the gazes of the children, sped her hands and made a wish.


    After that, she blew out the candles and began to give the cake out to the children.


    ¡°Remember to say thank you!¡± their parents instructed, standing nearby.


    Carrying their paper tes, the children raced off, dabbing icing on each other¡¯s faces. Just like that,


    the strangers in themunity suddenly seemed closer and the whole scene was heartwarming


    indeed.


    Underneath the light of the streemp, Rachel finally smiled for the first time in days. Thank you, Julian.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so courteous with me.¡± Walking her back to her apartment building, Julian


    continued, ¡°The most important thing right now is to take care of your body and your mood. You don¡¯t


    need to worry about anything else. As for the child¡±


    I know. Don¡¯t worry about me. I never wanted it, anyway, so I might as well pretend it never existed for


    now. At that point, Rachel¡¯s expression was dull and lifeless.


    Somewhat regretting bringing up the child, he changed the topic and told her, ¡°Go on upstairs, then. It¡¯s


    been getting coldertely, so make sure to keep warm since you have a cold.¡±


    Nodding, she turned and headed toward the elevator.


    Soon, she was inside her apartment and about to close the door.


    With a loud m, the door was propped open by arge hand from outside.


    Jerking her head up, Rachel saw Justin glowering at her, his darkened face made all the more


    grotesque by the centipede-like scar on it. Suddenly, she shivered.


    Wasn¡¯t he out on business? she thought.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Without exining himself, he slid sideways into the house and shut the door before surveying the


    house


    coldly. ¡°I see you¡¯ve been getting along fine without me.¡±


    Paling, she took two steps back. Why are you here?


    ring at her resentfully, he stalked toward her as he pulled off his necktie and threw it onto the couch.


    His


    eyes were like unmelting icebergs as he sneered, ¡°I suppose you wouldn¡¯t want me to ruin your blissful


    days, would you?¡±


    Step by step he approached her, forcing her back inch by inch.


    Meanwhile, Rachel had no idea what she did wrong.


    When he caught hold of her arm and pulled, she staggered after him and was dragged all the way to


    the


    couch, whereupon he threw her down and caused her to let out a muffled groan as he pressed down


    on top of


    her.


    When she realized what was about to happen, she started struggling.


    Yet, hey more heavily atop her and asked coldly in her ear, ¡°You never wanted this child from the


    very beginning, did you?¡±


    She shivered in response.


    Does that mean he followed me and witnessed my conversation during the stroll with Julian?


    At this moment, there was a monstrous fire raging in Justin¡¯s eyes. ¡°I told you to take care of yourself


    while you waited for me, and this is how you did so?¡±


    After all, he had spent seven or eight hours rushing back from Brookville partly to spend her birthday


    with her, and partly to ease their tense rtionship and let her know that they still had a long future


    ahead of them.


    Never did Justin expect that he would see her and Julian surrounded by a group of singing children the


    moment he entered the neighborhood.


    The scene had looked so heartwarming that it practically hurt his eyes.


    Yet, if he thought that scene hurt his eyes, herter conversation with Julian about the child hurt his


    heart even more.


    Looks like she never intended to keep the child!


    At this thought, Justin slowly tightened his grip around her.


    Rachel¡¯s shoulders were crushed and as a shattering ache pulsed through them, the features of her


    face screwed up in pain.


    Let go of me! Let go of me!


    She struggled desperately, but that only brought more force upon her.


    A voice from hell asked above her head, ¡°Were you thrilled when those people broke into the vi and


    caused your miscarriage?¡±


    Horrified, Rachel gaped at him, unable to believe what she just heard.


    Yet, he was glowering at her with rage. ¡°I suppose you think you will no longer need to be associated


    with me now that the child is gone. I¡¯ll have you know, Rachel Hudson, that that will never happen!¡±


    Suddenly, there was a loud tearing sound and Rachel screamed as the cloth on her shoulder fell away.


    Catching hold of her struggling hands and pinning them above her head, Justin said coldly, ¡°I told you


    we would have another child!¡±


    Ashen-faced, she stared up at him.


    No¡­ No!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 137

    My Mute Bride Chapter 137


    Early the next morning, the sound of running water could be hearding from inside the bathroom.


    After doing up his necktie and fastening on golden cufflinks, Justin threw open the wardrobe door and


    pulled out a set of clothing. Tossing them on the bed, he ordered, ¡°Get dressed and pack your things.


    You¡¯reing with me.¡±


    The redness on Rachel¡¯s face was slowly fading away, making her look pale and weakened. Where are


    you taking me?


    ¡°Why so many questions? Are you intending to tell Julian or someone else?¡±


    Hearing that, she clutched the nkets tighter to herself and fell silent again.


    The car sped the entire way.


    Inside the car, Frankie looked in the rearview mirror for a moment at the two people in the backseat.


    The interior of the car was very strange and quiet.


    Once they reached the hotel and the driver went to park, Frankie mumbled, ¡°They were so quiet the


    whole way. I didn¡¯t even dare breathe too loud. Are they fighting?¡±


    Unimpressed, Ramsey side-eyed him. ¡°President Burton was never especially chatty and Mrs. Burton


    can¡¯t


    speak. Why wouldn¡¯t they be quiet? Did you expect President Burton to speak up first?¡±


    With a pause, Frankie conceded that Ramsey had a point and that he was probably reading into things


    too much.


    After all, if the couple were truly quarreling, Rachel wouldn¡¯t havee on this business trip with


    Justin.


    By the time they reached Brookville, it was alreadyte in the morning.


    Since Justin had to rush off to the meeting, he left Frankie behind to handle Rachel¡¯s check-in.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave your luggage here, Mrs. Burton. If there¡¯s anything you would like to eat or drink, the hotel


    menu is over there and you can eat downstairs or call for room service.¡±


    The moment she entered the room, Rachel sunk down on the couch, looking listless.


    Seeing that she wasn¡¯t responding, Frankie added, ¡°You must be tired. The car ride was very long. We


    were all quite surprised that President Burton was willing to do so much traveling just to celebrate your


    birthday.¡±


    Celebrate my birthday?


    Astonished, she jerked her head up and gaped at Frankie.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get some rest? President Burton might be a bit busy these two days and might not


    make it back during the daytime to see you. If there¡¯s anything you need, juste to me.¡±


    With a click, Frankie shut the door and the room descended into silence once more.


    However, his words were still ringing in Rachel¡¯s mind.


    It turned out that Justin rushed back to Riverdale from Brookville just to celebrate her birthday with her.


    That meant he must have been waiting at the bottom of her apartment building when he saw her and


    Julian handing cake out to the children, as well as her telling Julian that she never wanted the child.


    Is that why he was so angry?


    Is he angry because I was with Julian or because I said I never wanted the child?


    The thoughts in her mind were jumbled.


    Right then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the floor-length mirror opposite her.


    The woman in the mirror had her hair tangled around her shoulders. Her face was gaunt and her eyes


    were dull and lifeless. Startled, Rachel felt her own face.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Since when did / start looking like that? She looked neither alive nor dead.


    Why on earth would I assume Justin was starting to fall in love with me?


    How can that be possible?


    With a ¡®ding, Rachel¡¯s phone chimed as a notification popped up.


    ¡®I have a new development on Hans¡¯ case.¡¯


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrows jerked skyward at the message from Janice.


    ¡®You¡¯ve found the killer? Who killed him?¡¯


    ¡®Not yet, but I have a new lead. Let me show you a picture. See if you recognize this person.


    After that message, Rachel received a picture.


    The man in the photograph was young. Unshaven and dressed in a ck jacket, he had the eyes of a


    hawk that were cold and unapproachable.


    Suddenly, her heart clenched.


    She had met this person before.


    It was the person who kidnapped her from the highway and brought her back to Southwind Vi. It was


    also the person who watched over her with his men after that.


    Meanwhile, Janice continued, ¡®His name is Winston. He¡¯s one of Justin¡¯s hired thugs. He met up with a


    few


    other people at Tran-Q that day, carrying an aluminum box. If I had to guess, they were carrying out a


    transaction


    Rachel¡¯s hand started to shake as she could guess what Janice was about to say.


    ¡®If I had to guess, I¡¯d say Hans likely witnessed their transaction and he was killed to prevent him from


    spilling the beans. Be on your guard, Rachel. Hans¡¯ death might be rted to Justin and you mustn¡¯t be


    tricked by Justin¡¯s words. Those businessmen prioritize profit above all else!


    As Rachel stared silently at the words on the screen, she couldn¡¯t keep herself from starting to shake.


    Frantically, her chest rose and fell, and she was unable to catch any breath. She felt like she was


    drowning or crushed beneath arge boulder. No matter how she tried, she couldn¡¯t breathe normally.


    After an interminable length of time, Rachel finally sucked in a deep breath.


    Apanied by a violent bout of coughing, tears rolled down her cheeks and a silent roar echoed in


    her chest.


    It turned out that after going around in a huge circle, Hans¡¯ death was ultimately found to very likely still


    be rted to Justin.


    It took her a long time to force herself to calm down and reply to Janice, ¡®Is there anything I can do?¡¯


    ¡®Eavesdrop. I need to know who Justin¡¯s men are transacting with and what the contents of their


    transactions


    are.


    Tightening her grip around her cell phone, she deleted the evidence of her conversation with Janice


    before rising from the couch and heading into the bathroom for a shower.


    After her shower, she stared at herself in the mirror while wrapped in a towel for a long time. Now no


    longer messy, her hair ran silky and flowed down her shoulder. Though gaunt, her face was still pretty


    and pleasant.


    She was prettier than Amber-that was something other people would say since she was young.


    If Justin was truly Hans¡¯ killer, she would avenge Hans and send Justin into prison herself.


    Meanwhile on the top floor of Brookville¡¯s highest hotel, the meeting was paused for an intermission.


    Holding onto a document, Frankie rushed into the breakroom in a hurry. ¡°There¡¯s been a turnaround to


    the project, President Burton. The other party is willing to share the patent that was stolen from us at


    market price.¡±


    Justin received the document and read it through, the crease in between his eyebrows ttening out.


    ¡°Draw up a contract and have it signed at once, then draft another contract for our next negotiation.


    Improve on the original basis by five points.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± He stopped Frankie suddenly. ¡°Why are they finally allowing the right to share?¡±


    ¡°I heard President Sanders received a call and said your friend got in contact.¡±


    Friend? Justin pondered thoughtfully.


    ¡°By the way, President Burton, when are we reporting the theft of the patent to the board of directors?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Let¡¯s finish talking about this project first.¡±


    ¡°But Jason¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s not alert the enemy yet. The fact that he was able to steal apany patent from under our


    noses means we have a spy in our midst. Don¡¯t bring this up to anyone for now.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Go on, then. Get the contracts handled.¡±


    After Frankie left, the breakroom fell into silence once more.


    Leaning back against the couch, Justin closed his eyes and rested. His usually calm face was


    uncharacteristically weary.


    Truly, a lot had happenedtely. While they weren¡¯t as intense as the struggles he had faced all these


    years, for the first time in his life, he felt powerless no matter what he did.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 138

    My Mute Bride Chapter 138


    It was extremelyte into the night by the time Justin returned to the hotel.


    Inside the bedroom was Rachel and she was already fast asleep.


    As a cold wind entered the sheets, she was jolted awake. However, before she could even turn around,


    he was already wrapping his hands around her shoulders and leisurely pulling her into his embrace


    from behind.


    The faint smell of tobo and his citrus-scented shampoo had mingled together to tickle her nostrils. It


    wasn¡¯t until she was certain he would not make any further move that she gradually rxed.


    When he felt the stiffness and the wariness of the woman in his arms, Justin was unable to fall asleep.


    It took an interminable length of time for her breathing to calm down enough for him to close his eyes.


    The hour waste and it happened to be the season when fall changed to winter.


    A car was speeding down a road in Riverdale and just as it passed a controlled intersection, a truck


    suddenly dashed out from the vehicle¡¯s right.


    The car driver immediately mmed their brakes before the sound of the car screeching to a halt


    echoed around the intersection.


    s, it mmed into the bottom of the truck with a loud crash followed by nothing but thick smoke


    billowing out.


    When Justin woke the next day, his arms were empty. All of a sudden, his heart sank.


    Then, he heard the sound of clinking items outside.


    Upon opening the door, he found Rachel setting the table.


    When she heard movement behind her, she turned around and looked at him in surprise.


    After all, he hadn¡¯t even worn his shoes and he was standing on the carpet barefoot.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked.


    As she returned to her senses, Rachel lifted the jug of fruit juice in her hand. I had the hotel send up


    breakfast.


    An astonished Justin stared at her.


    After his shower, he sat down at the table. She handed him a ss of milk before she minded her own


    business while eating her own breakfast, seemingly having forgotten the unhappy events of the


    previous day.


    Upon taking two sips, he set down his ss. ¡°When I¡¯m done with my work, I¡¯ll send you back to


    Riverdale and bring Nancy over to live with you.¡±


    A startled Rachel looked at Justin before she quickly shook her head. There¡¯s no need, she signaled.


    Grandma¡¯s not doing too well and I intend to send her to a nursing home after this.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Frankie contact Riverdale¡¯s best nursing home then.¡±


    to return to Riverdale right now.


    ¡°Not convenient?¡±


    Aren¡¯t you investigating the Hudson Family¡¯s overseas ount? Amber likely doesn¡¯t want to see me


    right now.


    As Justin frowned slightly, he nced at Rachel.


    For some reason, he had the vague impression that something about her had changed yet he couldn¡¯t


    tell how.


    In the past, she wouldn¡¯t have willingly brought the topic of Amber, let alone apanied the mention


    with such a provocative attitude.


    However, Justin felt a little ted. ¡°You needn¡¯t be wary of her. She wouldn¡¯t dare to harm you. We¡¯re


    only engaged-nothing concrete has been settled. Since you know I¡¯m investigating the overseas


    ount, just wait patiently for me to finish my work. Understood?¡± he carelessly said all of this, as if


    Amber was merely a pawn to him.


    With a quirk of her lips, Rachel nodded, but her heart felt as cold as ice.


    She wondered whether it was how he evaluated her in front of Amber as well-a pawn to investigate the


    Hudson Family¡¯s ancestral form, and nothing else.


    It was midway through breakfast when Frankie suddenly knocked on the door. ¡°Something has


    happened in Riverdale, President Burton.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Madam Lilian was in a car crashst night where she died on the spot. It¡¯s already on the news.¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression immediately changed as he rose from the dinner table to walk into the study.


    After preparing a te of sliced fruit, Rachel stood outside the study to listen to his conversation with


    Frankie.


    ¡°The truck driver was drunk and ran a red light perpendicr to the road that Madam Lilian was


    traveling on. Madam Lilian¡¯s driver couldn¡¯t brake in time and ran into the truck, crashing the car and


    killing everyone.¡±


    ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°About one in the morning.¡±


    ¡°She left the house at one in the morning?¡±


    ¡°She was headed to the airport.¡±


    There was total silence before it was followed with, ¡°Was Jason sending her abroad to lie low as he


    gave up his fight domestically?¡±


    ¡°It seems likely.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s hand that was holding onto the fruit tter clenched slightly.


    The fact was that Justin and Jason had been at loggerheads all along, which was exacerbated by the


    incident involving Tina. While Jason wasn¡¯t much of a businessman, he extremely loved his wife and


    daughter.


    Hence, if Lilian¡¯s car crash and eventual death were caused by someone else, Justin would be the


    prime suspect-even if, based on what she was currently hearing, the incident was unrted.


    As she spaced out, the door suddenly opened.


    Without any warning, Justin appeared in the doorway and stared coldly at her. ¡°What are you doing


    here?¡±


    For a moment, she froze before holding up the fruit tter for him to see.


    As the caution in his eyes ebbed, he told her, ¡°There¡¯s no need. I have some business to take care of


    right now. Stay in the hotel and don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±


    Rachel then obediently nodded her head.


    Justin left together with Frankie.


    Once he left, she put down the fruit tter and sat on the couch while she clutched at her chest as her


    heart raced.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jason.¡±


    Amber was the first to arrive andfort Jason at the hospital morgue.


    ¡°I wish to be alone with her. Please leave.¡±


    His face was unfriendly, especially when he talked to Amber. Then, he chased everyone out of the


    room before he stood alone by histe wife¡¯s side.


    As she clutched her cell phone, she headed to the stairwell to make a call.


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry, but the number you have dialed cannot be reached at this time.¡±


    Justin¡¯s phone had been unreachable ever since she heard the news.


    It was odd because there was no way for him to bepletely unaware of something so serious


    happening to the Burton Family. Even if he was in Brookville on a business trip, there was no way he


    indifferent and not rush home as soon as he could.


    as no


    Amber¡¯s phone suddenly received an image file.


    When she opened the image and erged it, her face sank.


    It was evidence that Justin had brought Rachel to Brookville!


    ¡°This can¡¯t be an ident. There¡¯s no way for it to be a coincidence that right as President Burton was


    about to leave Riverdale, someone blocked his escape route by identally killing his wife in a car


    crash. Who would believe that?¡±


    ¡°Who could have done it? The Hindenburg Family?¡±


    From outside the stairwell, the voices of Jason¡¯s assistant and his bodyguard could be heard. Amber


    regained her senses and leaned in to eavesdrop on the conversation.


    ¡°Hindenburg Family may have had a falling out with President Burton, but they wouldn¡¯t go to such


    lengths just yet.¡±


    ¡°Who else could it be then? You¡¯re always by President Burton¡¯s side. What does President Burton


    think?¡±


    ¡°He suspects¡­ it¡¯s Young Master Justin who did it.¡±


    The people by Jason¡¯s side had always referred to him as ¡®President Burton¡¯ and Justin as ¡®Young


    Master Justin¡¯. It wasn¡¯t just as a way of distinguishing them, but rather a method of making Jason


    happy.


    ¡°President Burton¡¯s decision to sell the patent and siphon the project funds might not have been


    reported to the board of directors just yet, but Young Master Justin must have known about it. There¡¯s


    no way Madam Lilian¡¯s death is unrted to him.¡±


    Upon hearing these words, Amber¡¯s heart thudded.


    Could Justin really have sent someone to kill Lilian?


    As Amber shuddered, she turned to head far away from the hospital and this mess.


    However, she only took two steps before she thought of something.


    If a hired killer had been relied upon, targeting Jason was a lot easier than Tina.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 139

    My Mute Bride Chapter 139


    By the time Jason exited the morgue, his weather-beaten face was covered in wrinkles. His eyes were


    so bloodshot that their vessels looked like they were about to rupture in the next second.


    As they both stood at the door, the assistant and the bodyguard fell silent, not daring to take a peep.


    ¡°Where is Justin?¡± Jason¡¯s voice echoed down the hallway.


    The assistant replied, ¡°Young Master Justin should still be in Brookville discussing the project. The


    news | receive from there indicates that he has a high chance of winning this bid. It¡¯s more or less


    already in the bag.¡±


    ¡°In the bag?¡± Jason clenched his fists so hard that the veins on the back of his hands bulged. ¡°An eye


    for an


    eye, I say. We shouldn¡¯t have kept this scourge alive in the first ce. Any problem that wasn¡¯t


    completely eliminated is bound to arise again.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    Suddenly, there was a tter from the stairwell as if something had fallen.


    Jason¡¯s face tensed up.


    The assistant and the bodyguard were already yanking the stairwell door open before it immediately


    revealed a panicked Amber.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t left?¡± Jason questioned.


    She was ashen-faced as she clutched the banister while taking two steps back. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything,


    Jason. I¡¯m leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t hear anything¡¯? Do you think I¡¯ll believe that?¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±


    ¡°Stand there!¡±


    As the cold words rang out, the bodyguard immediately understood what Jason meant and caught hold


    of her.


    A frightened Amber screamed, but she was knocked out before she could call for help.


    ¡°Take her as a hostage.¡± Jason gave her a careless, disdainful nce.


    If she hadn¡¯t manipted Tina, Tina wouldn¡¯t have been so careless as to do many foolish things that


    resulted in the falling out with the Hindenburg Family. Not to mention, Tina¡¯s psychiatric state wouldn¡¯t


    be in such disarray.


    When Amber regained consciousness some timeter, she was in an old, abandoned warehouse.


    ¡°What are you guys going to do to me?¡±


    ¡°President Burton simply wants you to stay here for a while, Miss Hudson. He has no other intention.¡±


    ¡°Jason?¡± She suddenly recalled the events from the hospital morgue. ¡°Why is he holding me captive? I


    don¡¯t know anything! It has nothing to do with me!¡±


    ¡°Nothing to do with you?¡± Jason sneered coldly in the dark, ¡°How many of the people by Justin¡¯s side


    are clean? I don¡¯t care what you did or didn¡¯t do. As long as you¡¯re in my hands, he¡¯ll be forced to listen


    to me.¡±


    He had to find a way to cause Justin to lose the bid in Brookville or he¡¯d be in hot water once Justin


    reported his theft of the patent to the board of directors.


    Amber asked with a pale face, ¡°What¡¯s the point of taking me if you wish to threaten him?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re his fiancee. The entire Riverdale knows that and he¡¯ll listen to you. Who would we have taken if


    not


    you?¡±


    ¡°All of that is fake! The person he cares about the most is that mute woman, not me!¡±


    Mute woman? Jason frowned.


    ¡°They might be divorced, but did you know that he took her to Brookville? He¡¯s so worried about her


    safety in Riverdale lest I or someone else hurt her. The person he cares most about is Rachel!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of telling me this? Do you think I can send someone to take her from Brookville now?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to take her. She has a soft spot in Riverdale.¡±


    Amber¡¯s cold and sinister voice echoed around the warehouse.


    When Justin concluded his meeting and returned to the hotel at noon, he found Rachel asleep on the


    couch with a magazine propped open on her knee. It was close to sliding off andnding on the floor.


    He reflexively reached down to catch it, but perhaps due to him being rough with his actions, she


    stirred awake.


    She looked up at him in a daze before violentlying to her senses and tensing up.


    ¡°Did I wake you?¡± Justin dropped the magazine on the coffee table.


    Rachel straightened her posture. When did you get back? she asked.


    ¡°I only just finished my work. Did you stay in for the entire day?¡±


    She nodded.


    Despite being a grown woman, she had never left Riverdale before and it was her first time in


    Brookville.


    As Justin raised his wrist to look at the time, he responded, ¡°Get changed and have an outdoor lunch


    with me.¡±


    A startled Rachel dumbly looked at him.


    A short whileter, someone was greeting him the moment they entered a room in the hotel restaurant,


    ¡°President Burton! You¡¯re finally here! Come over and sit.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Never in her wildest dreams would Rachel have imagined Justin bringing her along for a lunch meeting.


    Around the circr table were businessmen, who each had a beautiful young woman by his side. It


    was obvious from first nce that these women weren¡¯t the men¡¯s wives, but rather hired escorts.


    The moment she sat down, the woman next to Rachel pointed at her purse and asked, ¡°Did President


    Burton buy this for you? It¡¯s a limited edition.¡±


    Rachel subconsciously looked down at the purse in her hand while feeling conflicted.


    As her trip to Brookville had been rushed, she didn¡¯t bring much luggage. Thus, Justin had sent


    someone to purchase a fresh set of her entire wardrobe, purses, and essories in Brookville. Despite


    the items being limited edition, she never paid much attention to it.


    However, the woman next to Rachel hooked an arm around her own malepanion and grumbled,


    ¡°Look at that. Thedy has such a nice purse that I look positively inferior next to her.¡±


    Although the man was white-haired, he still cated the young woman. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you one that¡¯s exactly


    the same as soon as we¡¯re done with lunch.¡±


    ¡°Promise me?¡±


    ¡°Of course! However, you must drink a few more sses on my behalf in a bit.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem.¡±


    As the conversation fell on Rachel¡¯s ears, she frowned.


    The men around the table continued to discuss business while the woman minded their own matters.


    They only lifted their sses and made toasts whenever the atmosphere had cooled enough to lighten


    things up.


    Justin had to leave the area for a while in the midst of the lunch, leaving Rachel alone at the table.


    A man opposite her asked, ¡°Why is the beautiful woman whom President Burton brought along


    reticent?¡±


    Upon hearing that, she was startled.


    ¡°I never knew he liked such quiet, reserved women¡± someone else piped up. ¡°He has good taste.¡±


    The woman next to the man immediately became unhappy and lifted her wine ss. Then, she spoke


    in a strange tone, ¡°Since you don¡¯t like to talk, let me make a toast to you. That way, we can also be


    friends.¡±


    Before Rachel could even react to the fact that she was being spoken to, her wine ss was being


    filled.


    She kept shooting nces toward the outside of the room with a frown, but Justin was nowhere to be


    seen.


    The thing was that she couldn¡¯t drink because Julian was trying to cure her mutism. She had to watch


    her diet as many items could irritate her throat that she couldn¡¯t eat or drink.


    However, the woman opposite Rachel was dangerously eyeing her. ¡°Won¡¯t you humor me now?¡±


    ¡°Why are you putting her in such a difficult spot, Rose? If you really want to drink that badly, I¡¯ll drink


    with you.¡± The woman next to Rachel suddenly rose to her feet to raise her ss. Then, she smiled at


    the woman opposite them. ¡°Surely, it wouldn¡¯t be good for President Burton to have left for a while only


    to return and notice that someone had caused his femalepanion to be drunk.¡± With that, she


    gulped all of the wine in her ss. ¡°Are you satisfied now, Rose?¡±


    Rose was the woman who sat opposite them, but as Justin happened to return at that moment, she


    could only suppress her anger and returned to her seat.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Upon noticing the strange atmosphere in the room, he asked the moment he took his


    seat.


    ¡°Nothing. Come, President Burton, let us continue our business discussion.¡±


    An unconvinced Justin nced at Rachel, but since she didn¡¯t seem to be acting in an unusual manner,


    he allowed the topic to leave his mind.


    Meanwhile, she was staring at the woman next to her.


    After all, they didn¡¯t know each other, so why had this woman helped her?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 140

    My Mute Bride Chapter 140


    Everyone left the room when the lunch meeting ended.


    While Justin spoke to some other people, Rachel waited for him by the door.


    At this moment, the woman who drank on her behalf stepped out of the restroom and upon seeing


    Rachel there, she smiled. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re still here. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Coraline


    Harper.¡±


    Rachel gratefully bobbed her head before signing, Thank you for standing up for me earlier.


    ¡°Oh, it was a small matter. It¡¯s no problem, really.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until Coraline was a distance away that Rachel suddenly realized something.


    It seemed that not only was Coraline not surprised about Rachel¡¯s inability to speak, Coraline could


    also read signnguage.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Justin asked behind Rachel, his voice pulling her back to the present.


    As she returned to her senses, she answered, Nothing. Can we leave now?


    ¡°I have some things to do. So, you should return to your room first.¡±


    Remembering what Janice had told her, Rachel asked carefully, Can¡¯t I go with you?


    ¡°It¡¯s business-rted. You¡¯ll be bored, so you might as well head back to rest. I¡¯ll return soon.¡± As Justin


    said those words, he stroked the back of her head. ¡°Be good and do as I say.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression remained unchanged as she nodded. However, as soon as she turned away from


    Justin, her expression morphed into one of disgust.


    Once she returned to her room, her first order of business was to yank her hair until her scalp ached,


    as if that was the only way to remove the loath that came with the intimate actions.


    As she stood at the entryway, she carefully thought about the people at the lunch meeting.


    Although Justin¡¯s current visit to Brookville was ostensibly about Burton Group¡¯s bid, she suspected he


    was actually here for other matters. After all, she hadn¡¯t heard of a single person at the lunch meeting.


    The thing was that she had worked at Burton Group for a while and with the excuse of managing the


    corporation¡¯s finances, she investigated all the clients who had financial dealings with Burton Group.


    Not a single one of those present at the lunch meeting was among them.


    There had to be a problem somewhere.


    Now that she thought about that, Rachel stepped out of the room again.


    Even if she couldn¡¯t overhear the contents of their conversation, it would perhaps be enough to snap a


    few photographs and send them to Janice to have her look into them.


    At the entrance to the second floor conference room, two bodyguards were standing watch.


    Rachel hid at a corner of the corridor and waited until those people in the room exited. Then, she


    rapidly clicked the shutter of her cell phone camera to take several photographs in a row.


    Crash!


    The sound of ss shattering suddenly rang out from the restroom at the other end of the corridor.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    The two bodyguards immediately rushed over as Rachel¡¯s heart clenched. As shecked the courage


    to stay even for a moment longer, she departed in a hurry.


    When she rode the elevator back to her floor, she was careful to stop two floors below where her actual


    room was. After doing so, she headed into the stairwell to ascend the stairs,


    Yet, the moment Rachel entered the stairwell, she heard the sound of coughinging from below.


    A startled Rachel paused and she peered through the gaps between the railing to see blood trail down


    the stairs.


    Her own blood immediately rushed to her head, leaving her hands and her feet freezing cold.


    Cough cough¡­


    Judging by the sound of the unsuppressed coughing, there was a woman at the floor below Rachel.


    As Rachel returned to her senses, she carefully crept down half a flight of stairs before looking over the


    banister to see a silhouette leaning against a door in the stairwell. Coraline?


    She froze.


    It seemed Coraline had noticed Rachel as well, for she looked up warily before sighing with relief when


    she recognized Rachel. Then, she held a finger to her lips to indicate for Rachel to remain silent.


    Rachel cautiously approached Coraline and spotted the blood all over Coraline¡¯s white suit sleeve.


    Blood was still flowing down from her arm and dripping all over the ce, staining the banisters below


    them.


    Are you injured? Rachel asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me. You must leave right now.¡±


    How could I do that?


    ¡°This matter is tooplicated for you to handle. You better leave now!¡± It was right after Coraline said


    these words that her legs gave way, causing her to slide down the surface of the door. She looked


    lifeless and about to lose consciousness from blood loss.


    ¡°There¡¯s blood here!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going upstairs!¡±


    There were men¡¯s voices echoing up the stairway.


    Since Rachel did not have time to care about anything else, she nced at Coraline¡¯s bleeding arm


    before quickly acting to tear off a corner of her skirt to bandage Coraline¡¯s wound. With the bleeding


    temporarily stemmed, she proceeded to help Coraline upstairs.


    ¡°Why does the trail stop here?¡±


    ¡°She must be on this floor.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, quick! Don¡¯t let her escape!¡±


    Upon hearing the door open and close in the stairway below them, Rachel took a deep breath of cold


    air. It was a long while before she calmed down and hastily escorted Coraline back to her own room


    instead.


    After taking Coraline into the bathroom, she attempted to undo Coraline¡¯s coat to check on her injuries,


    only to have Coraline stop her instead.


    She tried to exin as she looked at Coraline¡¯s wary face. However, Coraline replied, ¡°Go¡­ Go and


    look for


    Janice.¡±


    A terrified Rachel froze.


    Then, there was a mor of footsteps running down the hallway.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°This is the only room that the surveince monitors don¡¯t cover, President Shaw. She must be inside.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. This is President Burton¡¯s hotel room.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. If you¡¯re suspicious, you can head inside to have a look.¡±


    When she heard Justin¡¯s words, Rachel¡¯s heart loudly raced as she looked down at the bloodstains on


    herself before she immediately locked the bathroom door.


    ¡°Rae¡­¡± His voice was heard from outside.


    Although the bodyguards had ransacked the cabs as well as the other rooms in the suite, they


    could not locate the person of interest.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that femalepanion of yours, President Burton?¡±


    The sound of rushing water came from the bathroom located in the second bedroom.


    It was the only room in the suite that was left unchecked.


    As Justin slowly approached it step by step, he tried to twist the doorknob to find it locked. ¡°Rae? Are


    you inside?¡±


    Since Rachel couldn¡¯t speak, there was no way for her to give a speedy reply, regardless of whether or


    not she was inside.


    So, he forcefully wrenched the doorknob open and with a loud click, the bathroom door swung open


    while its hinges shook. Rachel was inside the bathroom getting dressed and she yelped loudly as she


    covered her chest.


    It was clear that she had only just finished showering as she was barefoot and only half-d in her


    bathrobe. Arge portion of the snowy fair skin on her shoulder was exposed toward the bathroom


    door.


    A mortified Justin immediately mmed the bathroom door shut and he stopped the people behind


    him. ¡°The spy¡¯s not in here. You can leave now.¡±


    When the bodyguard opened his mouth to say something, President Shaw interrupted and insisted,


    ¡°Alright. Since she¡¯s not inside, we should look elsewhere. Let¡¯s not disturb President Burton anymore.¡±


    With that, the group of people left the suite.


    Now that Rachel was properly dressed in her bathrobe and with her hair still wet, she stepped out of


    the bathroom as she cautiously peeked into the living room. Have they left? she asked.


    ¡°They have.¡± Justin frowned. ¡°Did I scare you?¡±


    She nodded.


    He then exined, ¡°Someone eavesdropped on them while they were discussing business, so they¡¯ve


    been looking for her. You didn¡¯t see anyone strange, did you?¡±


    No, Rachel signed.


    While Justin caught hold of her hands, he added, ¡°That¡¯s good. Stay inside here for the next few days


    and


    ignore everything else. When I¡¯m done with my business, I¡¯ll take you back to Riverdale.¡±


    Her inexplicably sweet fragrance was wafting through the air.


    Since she was only dressed in a bathrobe, the water droplets at the ends of her hair continued to drip


    onto her vicle before it traveled down her fair skin, only to disappear into the grey fabric.


    Justin swallowed hard.


    The moment when Rachel eximed, she was already being carried toward the master bedroom.


    Although she had hooked her arms around his beck, her gaze fell on the doorway of the bathroom in


    the second bedroom. Through the gap of the door, she could vaguely see a bloody arm behind the


    shower curtain.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 141

    My Mute Bride Chapter 141


    It waste at night and beside Rachel was a sleeping Justin. The sound of steady breathing was right


    next to her ear like a slight breeze. As such, she carefully lifted the corner of the quilt and left the bed.


    After confirming that Justin was asleep, she left the bed on her bare feet. Then, she pushed open the


    door of the second bedroom and entered the bathroom. Pulling apart the shower curtain, she found the


    bathtub empty and even the blood stains had disappeared. Where was the said person?


    Rachel blinked hard to make sure she wasn¡¯t hallucinating. Where was the woman covered in blood


    and on the verge of dying? She looked around and tried to locate blood stains in the bathroom, yet she


    found nothing. However, she noticed that the clothes she wore that day were also gone. However, a


    USB sh drive was left on the washroom table. Her mind snapped back to what Coraline said-to go


    and look for Janice.


    The next day, Rachel brought the tea into the study and saw someone known as President Shaw,


    whom Coraline had apanied the day before, sitting in the study as he lit a cigar. There was a silver


    safe on the coffee table. He borated, ¡°Yesterday¡¯s incident was an ident. I was not careful in


    choosing my people and almost ruined the big event.¡±


    Justin asked, ¡°Has the person been caught?¡±


    ¡°No, but she can¡¯t make any waves. She definitely can¡¯t escape from Brookville.¡±


    ¡°You have always been very thorough in your work.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Integrity is paramount in business. Our business is risky, so let¡¯s check the goods first¡­¡±


    President Shaw¡¯s hand rested on the safe as his cigar smoke curled in the air. Next, he suddenly


    nced at Rachel.


    Justin ordered, ¡°Rachel, why don¡¯t you head out first?¡±


    Thus, she nodded obediently and left the study. Back in the bedroom, she quickly wore headphones


    and soon heard the conversation in the studying from the device. In fact, she had recorded the


    wiretap, which Janice had sent to the hotel for her under the tea tray.


    President Shaw was saying, ¡°If Burton Group¡¯s medical line can achieve such quality, regarding this


    opportunity abroad, I can pull the strings and give half of it to Burton Group.¡±


    ¡°Just half, President Shaw? The price we are giving is much cheaper than Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    Aughing President Shaw responded, ¡°Those in our business know that we shouldn¡¯t put all our eggs


    in one basket. They do not change suppliers easily and it¡¯s their first time doing business with Burton


    Group. Therefore, I hope you understand that they¡¯re also taking risks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable, but I wish for Burton Group¡¯s personnel to be the one to escort and deliver this


    batch of goods.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡±


    ¡°President Shaw, you can¡¯t let mypany undertake all the risks, right? Don¡¯t you think Jefferey will


    send


    someone to follow you if you¡¯re making a deal with Hudson Pharmaceuticals?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    As she listened to the conversation in the headphones, Rachel felt anxious. Justin had intervened in


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ business, but what business was it that required such caution? That silver


    safe was also simr to what Janice described about the box in which Hans saw in the hospital before


    he was harmed. Perhaps what he found was also a simr deal.


    Justin came out of the study after President Shaw left. So, Rachel went to the study to remove the tea


    tray. However, Justin responded, ¡°Leave it. Just ce it aside and let the hotel attendant clean it up.


    Come over


    and sit with me for a while.¡±


    Her hands tightened slightly, but still, she put down the tea tray to walk over.


    ¡°Come over and sit.¡± His big hand patted the seat beside him.


    What¡¯s up?


    ¡°We¡¯ll return to Riverdale in the morning. We¡¯ve found a nursing home for Grandma, so we¡¯ll make an


    appointment tomorrow and I¡¯ll apany you back to see her.¡±


    No need. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t want me to see her?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face was tense as she pursed her lips. Grandma still doesn¡¯t know about my miscarriage.


    A sh of unhappiness shed across Justin¡¯s cold eyes. After a long time, he held Rachel¡¯s hand and


    said, ¡°Then, don¡¯t let her know yet. I¡¯ll let Frankie handle the matter of the nursing home, so you don¡¯t


    have to bother about it.¡±


    She nodded. Upon seeing her obedient appearance, he felt the exhaustion of the past few days


    subsiding. He lowered his body and leaned down to get closer to her. Nevertheless, she reflexively


    turned away and blocked him with a hand on his chest. At that instant, he noticed the disgust in her


    eyes, causing his expression to instantly sink. His big hand pinched her cheek as he forced her to look


    at him. ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    Rachel whimpered twice in pain.


    ¡°Your meekness these few days is all pretense, right? In fact, you still hate me in your heart. Why don¡¯t


    you continue to pretend? It¡¯s because you are returning to Riverdale tomorrow, right?¡±


    Her face reddened and she tried hard to struggle. However, the strength in his hand increased as he


    angrily continued, ¡°Even if you are pretending, you should continue it for longer. How do you n to live


    in the future if you can¡¯t even pretend for more than two days?¡±


    Rachel grimaced as she felt like she was at the mercy of others. This man in front of her only treated


    her as a ything; he would make herugh or cry whenever he wanted to. He knew that her


    obedience was all pretense, but he enjoyed it; he did not care what she really thought as long as she


    obeyed him and what she showed was enough to satisfy him.


    As the pain on her cheeks gradually numbed, she tried to soften her gaze. Then, she began begging


    for mercy with the man in front of her with tears rolling down the corners of her eyes. Justin felt moved


    by her actions and impatiently released her.


    With a loud bang, he left and mmed the door behind him. Rachel¡¯s heartbeat slowed and she


    covered her chest as the air rushed into her nasal cavity, making her cough.


    The sound of a vibrating phone soon came from the coffee table and it had been vibrating for a while.


    Upon seeing that the caller ID was Victor, she immediately replied to the message. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯


    ¡®Your grandma is missing!


    After she saw these words, Rachel¡¯s expression changed abruptly. ¡®When did it happen? How could


    she have disappeared?


    ¡°Your grandma¡¯s cart for groceries is not at home; she went out early in the morning and hasn¡¯t


    returned till now! I¡¯m looking for her in the market, but the vendors who are acquainted with her said


    that she didn¡¯te to buy vegetables this morning!


    Rachel was about to ask some more questions when her phone suddenly vibrated to indicate an


    unfamiliar caller ID popping up.


    ¡°Hello? Is this Rachel?¡± The voice on the other end had been specially processed and it sounded eerily


    creepy, causing her heart to stutter with an ominous feeling.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not convenient for you to talk, but it¡¯s okay. Just listen to me. Your grandma is now in my


    hands and if you want her to return safely, do one thing for me. Beg Justin to voluntarily surrender the


    bid in Brookville.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel turned pale. How could Justin possibly listen to her?


    She screamed into the phone for a long time as she tried to exin, but she couldn¡¯t make a normal


    sound tomunicate with the other party, who directly hung up the phone after adding, ¡°Rachel, you


    don¡¯t have much time. The old woman¡¯s body won¡¯t be able to withstand the torment.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 142

    My Mute Bride Chapter 142


    When the call was disconnected, Rachel¡¯s body was trembling and she hurriedly tried to return the call.


    ¡°Sorry, the number you dialed is unavable.¡±


    She screamed at the wall and her hoarse voice echoed in therge living room as her brain buzzed.


    Justin¡­


    Justin is now the only person who can save Grandma.


    Without thinking, she ran out of the lobby of the hotel. There, she saw Justin entering a car at the


    entrance as soon as he exited the elevator. She quickly went after him, trying to call out to him, but no


    sound came out of her throat and she could only watch the ck car drive away from the entrance.


    She chased after the car on foot, as if she could not feel the pain on her soles, while she desperately


    tried to catch up. Soon, the car stopped at a traffic light intersection, but when she was about to catch


    up, her knees weakened before her whole body fell forward toward the ground as her vision went dark.


    As the intense pain from her knees spread throughout her body, she almost did not even have the


    strength to raise her head. All she could do was curl up on the side of the road like a dying shrimp. At


    this moment, passersby pointed at her and gossiped.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that woman?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; should I call the police?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a woman.¡±


    ¡°Is it a car ident? Why is she not even wearing shoes?¡±


    After a long time, a male voice came from among the chaos of voices, ¡°Mrs. Burton?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head buzzed for a moment.


    ¡°President Burton, it¡¯s her!¡± Frankie shouted sharply toward the back.


    When she lifted her head, a tall figure wasing through the crowd and striding toward her. The


    moment they looked at each other, Justin¡¯s cold, frosty face was scrunched up in anger. ¡°Are you


    seeking death? Why are you chasing the car along the road?¡±


    Please, save Grandma.


    Rachel was lying at Justin¡¯s feet, resisting the pain and gesturing toward him for help.


    ¡°Get her back to the hotel and call a doctor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, President Burton.¡±


    There were wounds all over Rachel¡¯s knees, elbows and soles of her feet. After the doctor had treated


    her wounds, he threw all of the bloodied cotton balls and gauze into the trash.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, but just be careful to keep the wounds dry to prevent an infection.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± Frankie sent the doctor out. ¡°President Burton, there is something fishy about this


    matter.¡±


    ¡°Definitely.¡± Justin¡¯s expression sank. ¡°We just confirmed the winning bid. Then, someone kidnapped


    her grandmother in Riverdale to threaten us to withdraw the bid. The biggest suspects are our two


    rivals.¡±


    ¡°However, in the end, which one of them is the culprit?¡±


    ¡°That depends on which one of them knows more about my affairs.¡±


    The culprit did not kidnap a member of the Burton Family nor his rightful fianc¨¦e, but instead captured


    the grandmother of his long-rumored neglected ex-wife in order to threaten him to withdraw the bid. It


    was obvious that there was something fishy about it.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°In your opinion, which one of them is it? Golden Growth Corporation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s neither.¡±


    Frankie was stunned at Justin¡¯s words. ¡°Neither?¡±


    ¡°Go and check on what Jason Burton has been doingtely.¡±


    With that being said, Frankie was instantly enlightened. ¡°On it right away.¡±


    Soon, Rachel was awakened by a nightmare. When she woke up, it was alreadypletely dark. She


    violently sprang from the bed, feeling her cheeks drenched in cold sweat and messy hair over her face.


    On top of that, her entire body was frighteningly pale.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± A man¡¯s voice came from the bedside. She snapped to her senses and gestured at


    him. How is Grandma? Did you save her?


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked Frankie to resolve it and the police should have the results soon.¡±


    The police? Rachel¡¯s face turned pale. You can¡¯t call the police! You absolutely must not call the police.


    If the kidnappers are alerted, Grandma is as good as dead.


    ¡°What can I do if the police can¡¯t help?¡± Justin¡¯s indifferent tone was so cold that she felt like she had


    just heard those words in her nightmare. In the dim light, she gritted her teeth and lifted the quilt.


    Ignoring the pain in her knees and feet, she fell on her knees in front of him with tears immediately


    flowing from her eyes. Please, I beg you. As long as you save her, I¡¯m willing to do anything. She is my


    only family now and I can¡¯t lose her.


    At this moment, Rachel gave up all her dignity. The other party said that as long as you are willing to


    surrender the bid in Brookville, she will be safe!


    She choked as her tears couldn¡¯t stop falling to the point where her eyes were reddened.


    As he pinched her jaw, he coldly stared at her and asked, ¡°When you left the wiretap in my study, did


    you ever think of begging me?¡±


    Wiretap? He found out?


    As he raised his hand, a phone fell on the carpet in front of her before the recording inside the device


    yed. It was the entire conversation about Justin and President Shaw¡¯s deal in the study. Her face


    was instantly ashen at that. After sending it to Janice, she forgot to delete the original recording in her


    phone and he had peeked into her phone.


    Justin fiercely pinched Rachel¡¯s cheek, forcing her to look up at him amidst her cries of pain. ¡°Tell me,


    what are you trying to do? I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t know that you have guts in you. Who have you given


    this recording to?¡±


    Rachel gritted her teeth so hard that blood seeped out from the corners of her lips. No, I didn¡¯t give it to


    anyone. I really didn¡¯t give it to anyone!


    She knew very well that once she admitted that she had done so, he would no longer save her


    grandmother.


    ¡°So, why were you listening to us? Were you just curious?¡± Justin snapped. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?


    I¡¯ve been overly patient and indulgent with you, haven¡¯t 1?¡±


    In order for Frankie to identify the source of the kidnapper¡¯s call that she received as soon as possible,


    he had checked her phone, but he didn¡¯t expect to find such a thing. The moment that this recording


    appeared, it melted all the pity in Justin¡¯s heart.


    Unable to say anything, Rachel stared at him in hopelessness with herrge eyes. Even if he wants me


    to die, I¡¯m fine with it. I just wish he can save Grandma.


    When Justin saw the tears swimming in her eyes, he suddenly felt moved somewhere in the depths of


    his heart. As he was suddenly irritated, he threw her aside and prepared to leave, but he had just taken


    a step when something blocked his foot. When he lowered his eyes, he saw that she was clinging onto


    his leg for life.


    Please save Grandma, I beg you.


    ¡°Why should I save her? Who is she to me? Is she worth me giving up a project worth a hundred


    million?¡± Justin impatiently pushed her away and coldly added, ¡°Stay here and you¡¯re not going


    anywhere without my permission.¡±


    After a loud bang, the room fell into silence. As she rushed up and smashed the door, Rachel hissed


    with a hoarse and unpleasant voice, but all her anger and despair were drowned in her throat.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 143

    My Mute Bride Chapter 143


    After he closed the door, Justin¡¯s face was clouded with gloom. He tossed Rachel¡¯s phone to Frankie


    and said, ¡°Give the phone to the private detective. I¡¯m sure the kidnappers will call again.¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡±


    ¡°Also, inform the project manager in Brookville and prepare to withdraw the bid.¡±


    Frankie looked at Justin in amazement and disbelief. They had been discussing this project for a long


    time, in which the entirepany knew its importance because it was not only reflected in the profit


    value, but also in the opportunities for long-term cooperation in the future.


    However, Justin had ordered them to withdraw the bid.


    Over at Riverdale the following afternoon, an argument was close to ensuing.


    ¡°Miss Hochmann, you can¡¯t enter now. Miss Hochmann!¡±


    ¡°Justin!¡± Gloria pushed open the door and barged into his office in a rage.


    Justin had just finished his morning meeting and he was sitting behind theputer. Upon seeing her


    appearance, he frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still asking me what¡¯s wrong? Where is Rachel?¡±


    ¡°She has something to attend to and won¡¯t be back for a while.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s noting back for a while?¡± Gloria nodded. ¡°Okay. Then, I¡¯ll ask, where¡¯s Rachel¡¯s grandma?¡±


    He frowned but did not reply.


    ¡°She has been kidnapped; do you know about this?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Gloria¡¯s anger immediately rose and she raised her voice. ¡°Then, how can you still sit here to


    leisurely drink coffee? That is Rachel¡¯s only family member. Do you know that if anything happens to


    her grandma, Rachel will never forgive you?¡±


    Justin asked, ¡°Who told you this?¡±


    ¡°Never mind! Just tell me whether you care about this matter or not!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a police officer, so how can I resolve this?¡±


    ¡°The kidnappers are obviously after you. What has Rachel and her grandmother done wrong? If they


    weren¡¯t involved with you, who would disturb them? I know that better than anyone!¡±


    ¡°What you mean by that is that you are ming me for having endangered you all these years?¡±


    Gloria¡¯s face stiffened as her anger froze at the corners of her mouth.


    ¡°Get out. I still have things to do.¡± Justin converged his gaze on her, his pair of cold eyes frosty.


    She clenched her fist indignantly and shouted, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave!¡±


    After she left the Burton Group, Victor stopped her at the entrance. ¡°How did it go? Did the talks fall


    apart?¡±


    ¡°You saw that and you¡¯re still asking?¡± Gloria red at him. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect Justin to be so stone


    hearted. Is Rachel¡¯s grandma¡¯s life less important than money? If the kidnappers want money, just give


    it to them! How is he short of money?¡±


    He only knew that Rachel¡¯s grandmother was kidnapped and Rachel had suddenly lost contact with the


    world, so he could onlye to look for Gloria. It had already been two days, but Justin was drinking


    coffee in the office leisurely like nothing was wrong. When Gloria saw this, she lost her temper..


    ¡°All business is treacherous. I have already said that before. Anyway, do you know where Rachel is?


    Did you find out?¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    She was taken aback as she replied sheepishly, ¡°I forgot.¡±


    Victor stared at her. ¡°So, you just went to quarrel with him?¡±


    ¡°When I am angry, I forget everything!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really something! I might as well not look for you!¡±


    ¡°Wait for me!¡± Gloria caught up with him and said analytically, ¡°I probably know where she is! They went


    to Brookville; it¡¯s a ce where Justin and I have been before. He always stays in the same hotel!¡±


    ¡°You mean we should go directly to Brookville to find Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do so!¡±


    Once Gloria left, Frankie cautiously entered the office. ¡°President Burton, the coffee is cold. Shall I get


    you another cup?¡±


    ¡°No need. How are things going?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s progress. It¡¯s as you expected-it was Jason Burton who had people do the deed. Although the


    surveince cameras in the area did not capture the suspect, it caught the suspect¡¯s vehicle cruising


    around that day and the license te number belonged to one of his men.¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression slowly fell. ¡°He is too hasty and intends to go all out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that in his view, he is intending to fight to the death. If we withdraw the bid, he can take


    advantage of Golden Growth Corporation and seize the opportunity to work with them to establish


    another business.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the issue right now.¡±


    Frankie returned to his senses and replied, ¡°Yes, I understand. The private detective is already


    following up on the address of Jason¡¯s hideout. There should be news soon. By the way, the private


    detective also added that on the day your second aunt died in that car ident, Amber visited the


    hospital morgue, where Jason was also present. However, she did not leave the hospital that day.¡±


    ¡°Amber?¡± Justin suddenly raised his eyebrow. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Hudson Residence then.¡±


    Brookville was a long way from Belleview, so in order to save time, Gloria and Victor had boarded the


    high speed train, saving half the time on their journey if they had driven.


    ¡°This is the hotel.¡± She pointed at the doors. ¡°Justin will only stay at this hotel when hees to


    Brookville. I¡¯m 99% sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Then, how about the remaining 1%?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it!¡±


    Gloria red at Victor and went into the lobby, going straight to the reception to ask about Rachel¡¯s


    stay there


    ¡°Rachel Hudson, right?¡± The receptionist carefully checked the records and suddenly had a strange


    look. ¡°Sorry, but we don¡¯t have this guest in this hotel. You and your friend may havee to the wrong


    ce.¡±


    ¡°Wrong ce? That¡¯s not possible.¡±


    ¡°How is it impossible?¡± Victor rolled his eyes. ¡°Brookville is arge ce with many hotels. Are you


    confident that Justin will definitelye and stay here? You¡¯ve been cocksure. I think I¡¯m out of my


    mind toe here with you. I might as well head home and go to the market to find out who kidnapped


    her grandma!¡±


    However, Gloria was extremely stubborn as she asked the employee, ¡°If Rachel Hudson did not stay


    here, then what about Justin Burton? He is your VIP guest here.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s no such guest too.¡± This time, the receptionist didn¡¯t even check the guest list.


    Upon seeing this, Gloria understood what was going on.


    As Victor argued to return to Riverdale, she pulled him toward the hotel¡¯s employee room before they


    sneaked inside.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± She covered his mouth. ¡°Keep your voice down or they¡¯ll discover that you did not leave.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Wearing a disguise to save someone.¡±


    ¡°Save who? Didn¡¯t they tell you that Rachel is not here?¡±


    ¡°You believe what they said? Where¡¯s your brain?¡± Gloria snorted before continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t even have


    to thil ¡­ to know that the employee was lying. He first looked at Rachel¡¯s information and he must have


    stumbled upon something because his expression changed. When I mentioned Justin, he did not even


    check and simply denied it.¡±


    ¡°So what? Even if Rachel is in this hotel, how can we find her? Do we have to check one room at a


    time?¡±


    ¡°Who said we have to do so?¡±


    She handed a couple of employee¡¯s uniform to Victor. ¡°Justin only lives in suites and there are only two


    of each per floor. It¡¯s not much trouble at all.¡±


    He suddenly felt that the blonde girl in front of him was actually intelligent. ¡°So, what are we going to do


    now?¡±


    Gloria responded with a straight face, ¡°Go to each suite and knock on the door to clean the room!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 144

    My Mute Bride Chapter 144


    ¡°Room service.¡±


    Gloria and Victor were pushing a janitor cart that belonged to the hotel.


    A man in a ck attire opened the door and moved aside. ¡°Come in.¡±


    She was slightly shocked as she quickly ced her hand on Victor.


    The man was one of Justin¡¯s bodyguards and they both had met him before. If it hadn¡¯t been for the


    masks, the bodyguard would have immediately recognized them.


    If there weren¡¯t any idents, Rachel should be right here in this suite.


    The door to the master bedroom was kept shut.


    Rachel sat on the carpet as she helplessly hugged her knees to her chest. Her tears had run dry a long


    time


    ago.


    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when someone knocked on the door.


    Knock knock


    The door opened from the other side and the bodyguard entered with a meal tray in hand. ¡°Mrs. Burton,


    you haven¡¯t eaten anything in two days. The hotel has prepared some soup for you, so please at least


    have some. If something happens to you, President Burton will hold us responsible.¡±


    Rachel flipped the meal tray over as her shoulders trembled.


    When she did so, the hot soup scalded the bodyguard¡¯s hand. He took in a sharp breath, but he dared


    not say anything as he silently cleaned up and left. Once he was out of earshot, he cursed as he


    walked.


    ¡°She¡¯s still not eating?¡± The other bodyguard outside gave a pitiful look. ¡°You were scalded?¡±


    ¡°Obviously. No matter what they say, I won¡¯t send the foodter tonight. You should do the job.¡±


    ¡°She won¡¯t eat even if we send in the food, so let¡¯s just stop taking the food in.¡±


    ¡°If Frankie and President Burton learn about this, they¡¯ll rip us into shreds. We¡¯re simply unlucky to be


    in this position, so let¡¯s just submit to fate.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat first, I suppose.¡±


    The hotel had already sent the bodyguards their lunch and the food was on the dining table.


    The two bodyguards walked over to the table to sit down. As they ate, they nced at the two janitors


    who were still tidying up the room. ¡°Why are you guys so slow today?¡±


    ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t have to clean the master bedroom, so you can leave that alone.¡±


    Gloria and Victor hastily nodded and collected their things as they prepared to leave.


    Behind them, the two bodyguards feasted on the meal. They hadn¡¯t eaten much and suddenly fell over


    before Gloria and Victor could even reach the door. The motionless bodyguards flopped on the table.


    ¡°Timber!¡± Victor pulled at Gloria¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Isn¡¯t your drug a little too effective?¡±


    ¡°I swiped a bottle or two when I visited Justin¡¯s medical research institute. No one dares to sell this sort


    of drug on the market. Good thing I had foresight.¡± Gloria beamed gleefully. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get down to


    business.¡±


    The two then ran toward the master bedroom.


    ¡°Miss Rachel!¡±


    Aplete mess had greeted them when they opened the door to the bedroom. Rachel was seated on


    the carpet next to the bed and she looked so frail that she could topple over at any moment.


    When she saw Gloria and Victor, she was stunned for a long while as she thought she was dreaming.


    The three of them then rented a car and sped to Riverdale the same night.


    Gloria was the one behind the wheel on their way back.


    Rachel had borrowed Victor¡¯s phone and contacted Janice first and foremost.


    Since Justin refused to help, she could only turn to Janice.


    ¡°Victor, tell Rachel to calm down first. I¡¯ll check the texts and calls on her phone to see whether I can


    track where the kidnapping urred.¡±


    ¡°Okay, got it.¡±


    After hanging up the call, Victorforted Rachel, ¡°Miss Rachel, perhaps things aren¡¯t as bad as you


    think they are. Maybe they would leave Madam Tiller alone when the kidnappers realize that Justin


    wouldn¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s possible.¡± Gloria clutched the steering wheel as she intercepted. ¡°Justin isn¡¯t a heartless


    person, so I think he might have the same idea.¡±


    ¡°Come on, are you still sticking up for him? This isn¡¯t the first time something like this has happened.


    This madman even dared to lock Miss Rachel up!¡± At the mention of Justin, Victor¡¯s expression turned


    sour. ¡°He has a few screws loose, you know? What does he think other people are-criminals and


    animals? Is that why he locks people up without thinking twice? He won¡¯te to the rescue and even


    pushed the whole problem onto Miss Rachel!¡±


    Gloria responded, ¡°When we arrive in Riverdale, wait for me while I have a word or two with Justin.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Would he even listen to you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still better than nothing. Miss Rachel, don¡¯t worry much since I¡¯ll think of a way. It¡¯s your grandma,


    so I¡¯m sure Justin won¡¯t just stand by and watch.¡±


    It was only after meeting Rachel that Gloria knew about the kidnapper¡¯s demands.


    ording to her understanding of Justin, Gloria felt that he wouldn¡¯t trade someone¡¯s life for this tiny


    little bit of benefit, much less allow any harm to befall Rachel¡¯s grandma, who was her one and only


    family left in the world.


    At that moment, Rachel couldn¡¯t think of anything but her grandma¡¯s safety.


    Victor¡¯s words were logical, but most kidnappers were cruel people. If they knew that Justin was


    stubborn and wouldn¡¯t give in, there was a high possibility that they would just kill their hostage.


    She had never heard of kidnappers sending their hostage back in one piece after a failed negotiation.


    As for Gloria¡­


    Rachel felt that Gloria was merely used to Justin¡¯s obedience, which was why she believed that he


    would go to the rescue.


    Meanwhile, a ck car was speeding down the streets of Riverdale.


    On the passenger seat, Frankie had received a call and his expression immediately fell. ¡°President


    Burton, I just received a call from Brookville Hotel reporting that Mrs. Burton has escaped.¡±


    Justin¡¯s cold eyes were reflected in the back mirror as he raged, ¡°Escaped? What do you mean by


    ¡®escaped? There are many people there, but none of them can keep an eye over her?¡±


    ¡°Gloria was the one who took her away.¡±


    His expression darkened before he immediately made a call.


    Gloria¡¯s phone was repeatedly ringing.


    Seeing the iing call on the disy, she said hastily, ¡°Oh no, I think Justin found out that I helped


    Miss Rachel escape.¡±


    Victor sneered, ¡°You¡¯re simply doing the right thing. What can hein about?¡±


    ¡°Shut up. If you don¡¯t want toplicate things. don¡¯t you dare say a wordter.¡±


    With that. Gloria gingerly pressed the button to initiate a handsfree call.


    Justin¡¯s voice immediately filled the inside of the car. ¡°Gloria, where are you right now?¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m having a night out with my friends.¡±


    ¡°Spare the nonsense. Gloria, did you go all the way to Brookville Hotel to get Rae out? Is she with


    you?¡±


    Now that the beans had been spilled, Gloria couldn¡¯t maintain the pretense anymore. ¡°So what if I did?


    You never had any right to lock people up and I¡¯m actually on my way to talk to you about this. What


    are you thinking? Is a business deal more important than someone¡¯s life?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing this for her safety, Gloria. Listen, is Rae with you right now? If you¡¯ve already taken her back


    to Riverdale, send her over right now.¡±


    Her anger rose when she heard those words. ¡°You still refuse to help, eh? How long do you think you


    can maintain your rtionship with Miss Rachel if this continues? If you won¡¯t help us, we¡¯re better off


    taking this to the police!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Why not? Miss Rachel¡¯s friend would definitely lend a helping hand.¡±


    ¡°Because I said so!¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s going overboard! I thought you were someone more decent.¡±


    With that, Gloria ended the call as her face reddened with anger.


    Victor was about to drop a sarcastic word or two when his phone rang. ¡°It¡¯s from Officer Hawkins. Does


    she already have some news?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes brightened.


    As soon as the call went through, Janice¡¯s voice rang from the other end of the line. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rachel.


    I couldn¡¯t make it in time.¡±


    She forcefully pinched her palm. Couldn¡¯t make it in time?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 145

    My Mute Bride Chapter 145


    Janice¡¯s voice sounded like the air before the rain-heavy and depressing.


    ¡°When I arrived at the scene immediately after receiving the news, the police team had already been


    dismissed. The ambnce was still there, but they didn¡¯t manage to save Madam Tiller. She¡¯s gone.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head seemed to implode with a bang¡¯. Grandma is¡­ gone?


    Brakes screeched on the street as the high-pitched noise pierced everyone¡¯s ears.


    Gloria turned back in a panic to see the color being drained from Rachel¡¯s face. ¡°Miss Rachel!¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t hear Gloria¡¯s voice as she snatched Victor¡¯s phone from him. Rachel was in disbelief as


    she tried tomunicate through the phone, but the only thing that came out of her open mouth was a


    heart wrenching ¡®Aaaaaah!¡¯


    She couldn¡¯t believe Janice¡¯s words. How could Grandma be dead?


    Nancy¡¯s surgery was a sess, especially after all of the hardship that they had to endure. Julian even


    informed that grandma would live a healthy and peaceful life from then on.


    In the hospital morgue, as soon as the doctor removed the white cloth, Rachel fell to her knees with


    tears streaming down her face.


    ¡°Miss Rachel¡±


    Gloria wanted to say something, but Victor interrupted, ¡°Let¡¯s head out first. She needs some time


    alone with Madam Tiller.¡±


    No one had understood the feeling better than him-to have only one person left in the whole wide world


    to depend on and support. If his own grandmother passed away, he probably would have reacted in the


    same manner.


    Upon seeing Nancy¡¯s lifeless face, Rachel couldn¡¯t breathe for a moment before she leaned against the


    bed and wept.


    Her wails echoed in the corridor.


    After what seemed like an eternity, arguments started toe from the corridor.


    ¡°How dare you be here! Who gave you the right to do so? Leave at once!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Victor. He¡¯s not the one who caused this to happen, so stop barking.¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for his heartlessness, grandma wouldn¡¯t have died! He has no right to see her!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Gloria eximed, ¡°Justin, tell them to let Victor go! What are you doing?¡±


    The sound of shoes walking came from the door.


    Rachel knelt in front of Nancy with reddened eyes. When she heard footsteps behind her, her hands,


    which were on the bed, balled into fists and even her lips trembled.


    ¡°Rae.¡± Justin¡¯s hand hung mid-air before it was retracted after a while. ¡°What is gone is gone.¡±


    What is gone is gone?! Rachel whipped her head and she red at the man in front of her. How can he


    speak of this so nonchntly?


    Justin frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll ask someone to arrange Madam Tiller¡¯s funeral and other rted matters. We¡¯ll


    purchase a cemetery lot with a beautiful view. Don¡¯t worry too much about whates afterward. Just


    take care of yourself for now.¡±


    There were still injuries on Rachel¡¯s body, but they couldn¡¯t even bepared to the wounds in her


    heart.


    Upon seeing Justin¡¯s cold countenance, she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore as she gave him a rough and


    mighty push. Who gave you the right toe?! Who? What right do you have to be here?


    In her fury, Rachelnded blows after blows on Justin. However, he didn¡¯t dodge her attacks as he


    stood still and endured it.


    The weak fists did nothing to him and she couldn¡¯t even see the hurt in his eyes as she went on her


    rampage of fury and hatred.


    Why couldn¡¯t you save Grandma? If you did, maybe I could forgive you for everything you¡¯ve done. I


    would¡¯ve owed you my life, so no matter what you did to me, I would endure it. Yet, you just stood by


    and watched.


    Rachel was greatly indebted to Nancy, who had raised her. Although they were not rted by blood,


    Nancy had still loved Rachel like she was her own granddaughter.


    Rachel bitterly sobbed; her voice was so hoarse that every heart would break at its sound.


    She could feel the intense pain as she thought how she had to continue surviving in this world without


    her grandma. She had lost her only family who loved her wholeheartedly and protected her. There was


    no longer anyone to pull her hand as they nagged and no one to treat her like a child either.


    At that instant, the world warped to a point where she could only see a ck scene.


    ¡°Rae!¡±


    ¡°Frankie, call the doctor!¡±


    The man¡¯s panicked voice faded into the background and that was thest sound Rachel heard before


    losing consciousness.


    When she regained her consciousness, it was already afternoon.


    Victor was keeping watch by the bed and as soon as he saw her rousing, he immediately called, ¡°Miss


    Janice! Miss Rachel is awake!¡±


    Janice then poured some water for Rachel. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    Rachel leaned against the headboard and shook her head to gesture that she didn¡¯t want to drink. Her


    eyes were red and swollen.


    A helpless Janice sighed. ¡°We have to look ahead.¡±


    The words once again sent pain through Rachel¡¯s heart.


    From now onward, there would no longer be any more future with Nancy.


    ¡°The police team was dismissed by the time I arrived. As the culprits have criminal records, they have


    been arrested. The trial is still ongoing and we¡¯ll apprehend the mastermind soon, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Rachel gripped her nket. The murderer was aiming for Justin. He thought that he could threaten


    Justin if he held Grandma hostage, but they didn¡¯t realize that he never cared about me. Grandma died


    in vain.


    As she conveyed her thoughts, her tears ran down her cheeks once again.


    Janice didn¡¯t know how tofort her, so she sighed again.


    At that moment, they heard the door opening before it was followed by sounds of high heels clicking


    against the floor with the squeaky friction. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty decent ward, eh? You must be so pampered to


    be hospitalized so often.¡±


    Amber stood at the door, looking like a busybody more than anything.


    What are you here for?


    Rachel¡¯s expression turned sour.


    Janice frowned as well. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Amber was a little intimidated at the sight of Janice, so Amber edged toward the table without any


    intention of getting closer. ¡°What¡¯s all the fuss for? Even though Rachel¡¯s grandma wasn¡¯t my own


    grandmother, we still kept in contact with each other. She¡¯s dead now, so what¡¯s wrong with me


    popping in for a look?¡±


    Janice¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I don¡¯t remember you being so nice.¡±


    ¡°What beer do I have with the dead, Officer Hawkins?¡±


    Rachel kept her gaze on Amber. You¡¯re not only here to see Grandma off, are you?


    Amber never did anything that wouldn¡¯t benefit her, which meant that her presence wasn¡¯t for simple


    reasons.


    Just as Rachel had expected, Amber wore a wry smile. ¡°You are mistaken. I really am here to see


    Grandma off. After receiving news about the incident, I tried to convince Justin since it¡¯s someone¡¯s life


    at stake after all. Still, he thought that such things should be handed over to the police, so I had no


    choice. Rachel, I¡¯m not the one at fault. Please believe me.¡±


    Amber¡¯s words were like icy knives that stabbed Rachel¡¯s ears as it began to ring.


    Justin was the one who reported it to the police, so he¡¯s the one who caused Grandma¡¯s death? No, he


    won¡¯t. Even if he really did prioritize his benefits and decide to stand by and watch, he won¡¯t do


    something unprofitable that harms people. She had already begged him earlier not to call the police.


    ¡°If Justin hadn¡¯t called the police, why would the kidnappers quickly kill the hostage? Also, since Officer


    Hawkins is here, you should just ask her for confirmation.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Amber¡¯s words had thrust Rachel into the dark depths of the abyss.


    As for Janice, her expression wasplicated as she added with great difficulty, ¡°It is true that the


    police had intervened in the matter earlier on.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 146

    My Mute Bride Chapter 146


    ¡°I have said everything I should. It¡¯s pretty obvious how Justin thinks of you.¡± Amber sneered with a


    scornful look. ¡°Your dearest family is gone just like that and if you still insist on remaining by Justin¡¯s


    side, I¡¯d feel sorry for Grandma.¡±


    Rachel gripped her chest through the fabric of her shirt; her heart was hurting so much that it was on


    the verge of exploding from her chest, which caused her exquisite face to contort in pain.


    ¡°Are you okay, Rachel?¡± Janiceforted her. ¡°I¡¯ll get the doctor.¡±


    Upon seeing Amber still standing there, Janice snapped, ¡°What are you still here for? Get lost!¡±


    Amber was so frightened by Janice¡¯s tone that she stumbled a step backward. ¡°Sheesh, fine. Don¡¯t


    worry, I¡¯m leaving. Do you think I¡¯d want to stay here any longer than I should?¡±


    The click of high heels then disappeared down the corridor.


    Janice was about to call for the doctor when Rachel stopped her from doing so.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Where does it hurt?¡±


    Rachel gritted her teeth because she was so depressed that she couldn¡¯t even sign her words.


    She finally opened her mouth a whileter, but only blood came out.


    ¡°Rachel!¡± Janice paled.


    The moment that the infusion needle found a vein, the doctor reduced the rate of infusion as he


    borated, ¡°She¡¯s experiencing some strong emotions now. So, she should rest and recover in a more


    peaceful environment; she must not be provoked a second time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, understood. Sorry for the trouble, doctor.¡±


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯m just doing my job.¡±


    It was after the doctor left that Rachel gradually regained her consciousness.


    Janice took a seat by Rachel¡¯s bedside. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t affirm or deny the notion since her mind was filled with Amber¡¯s words.


    Justin was the cause behind Nancy¡¯s kidnapping. Even though Rachel had begged him to save Nancy,


    he didn¡¯t do anything about it. Not only that, he even reported it to the cops, which caused the


    kidnapper to kill the hostage.


    As he had indirectly caused Nancy¡¯s death, it made him a murderer.


    ¡°It¡¯s reasonable to call the police under those circumstances.¡±


    Janice draped the nket over Rachel as she assured, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about what Amber said.


    She just wanted to see you suffer, so she just came to add fuel to the fire.¡±


    She is right, though.


    Rachel reached out and passed Janice a pen drive.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    When I was in Brookville, Justin took me to a gathering where I met a girl, who asked me to pass this to


    you.


    Janice¡¯s pupils constricted as she stared at the pen drive in disbelief. ¡°Is her name Coraline Harper?¡±


    Rachel nodded.


    After being stunned for a long while, Janice asked, ¡°Have you looked at its contents?¡±


    With the shake of her head, Rachel responded.


    From the moment that Coraline had passed the pen drive to her, Rachel never had the chance to


    decipher what was inside the pen drive. Still, she guessed that it was somewhat rted to the deal


    between Justin and that group of people. It must be rted to the matter leavesdropped onst time.


    Janice was slightly shocked. ¡°You want to get revenge on Justin?¡±


    An eye for an eye.


    Rachel¡¯s face was pale and due to all the tears that she had shed, her eyes were reddened and


    swollen beyond recognition. However, at that moment, her eyes were like a stagnant puddle without


    any ripples on the surface.


    She was helpless on her own since she had no way of having Justin pay for his crimes. However, she


    knew that the deal itself could help as she was fairly certain that the deal between Justin and President


    Shaw was illegal.


    Janice tightly held onto the pen drive. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll investigate it right away. If it is really rted to


    Justin, I will throw him into jail with my own hands.¡±


    Rachel arduously nodded with a deste heart.


    ¡°Rest well. I¡¯ll visit you when I have time.¡±


    Okay.


    When Justin arrived home at night, he saw the patrol cars parked at the entrance to his house.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, we have received a report that you are suspected of smuggling. Pleasee with us for a


    while.¡±


    The policeman at the front showed his credentials with a serious expression.


    A panicked Sue kept shouting, ¡°How is that possible? You must be mistaken!¡±


    However, Justin was emotionless as if he had already anticipated this turn of events. ¡°Sure, but I hope


    you have concrete evidence. I wouldn¡¯t want to waste my time on false usations.¡±


    The policeman was taken aback for a bit. ¡°Get in the car, Mr. Burton.¡±


    Although the patrol car had driven away, Sue was still adamant about asking Old Master Burton for


    help.


    Mrs. Duncan said, ¡°Madam, the police have already left.¡±


    The look in Sue¡¯s eyes stilled to a sense of calm before she went inside the residence to make a call.


    ¡°Sorry, the person you called is unavable.¡±


    She had called thrice and received the same automated message. In irritation, she threw her phone on


    the couch. ¡°Where on earth did he go? He¡¯s been missing for days!¡±


    Mrs. Duncan brought over the tea. ¡°Madam, please calm down. I don¡¯t think things are that serious yet.¡±


    ¡°Not that serious? How much more serious must it be? I just received news that the board of directors


    at Burton Group are preparing to hold the year-end meeting where they will discuss the distribution of


    stock rights.¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of? Young Master Justin is a major shareholder. No matter what happens, your


    position will not be affected.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy having to depend on someone for a living.¡± Sue leaned against the couch with a dark


    expression. ¡°I thought once the mute girl is gone, things will proceed smoothly. Who knew that Amber


    would be so vicious as well? And that Gloria? She¡¯s a pain in the neck.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, we still haven¡¯t received any news from that party. No news is good news.¡±


    Now that Mrs. Duncan had mentioned that party, Sue nced at her phone on the couch while being


    lost in thought


    At Nancy¡¯s funeral three dayster, the gray sky was apanied by a drizzle.


    Rachel held Nancy¡¯s photograph in her arms while Julian held an umbre for her, which caused his


    shoulder to be drenched.


    Victor and Janice attended as well, and Grandpa Irwin too.


    Julian was the one who helped with the arrangements for the grave. The funeral host had ced


    Nancy¡¯s ashes within before a few workers worked to cover the plot with dirt.


    ¡°Say yourst goodbyes.¡±


    Rachel tried to suppress her tears as she bowed her head.


    She never had the chance to repay Nancy¡¯s kindness in this lifetime and she would never have the


    opportunity again.


    ¡°My condolences, Rae. Grandma wouldn¡¯t want to see you suffer like this.¡±


    His voice rang beside her. ¡°The murderers will receive their due.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Isn¡¯t Justin already arrested? That sort of person should be put in jail forever,¡± Victor cursed


    viciously


    Three days ago, after Justin had been brought away by the police, he was continuously interrogated


    about drug smuggling. Janice was directly in charge of the case and the evidence contained in the pen


    drive was enough to sentence him to jail.


    She didn¡¯t say anything as she patted Rachel on the shoulder before cing a bouquet of flowers at


    Nancy¡¯s grave.


    Suddenly, a car¡¯s motor sounded at the graveyard¡¯s entrance.


    The ck car was parked at the gates and a figure alighted from the car with an umbre in hand


    before it approached them.


    Victor was the first to recognize the man and his eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Justin?!¡±


    As soon as she heard the name, Rachel was immensely shocked as she quickly turned around with


    constricting pupils. He¡¯s already been released?!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 147

    My Mute Bride Chapter 147


    ¡°Who allowed you toe?¡±


    Victor had just taken his first step toward the man when two bodyguards grabbed Victor to drag him


    aside. As for his curses, the rain had drowned it.


    The ck figure walked in from the rain and he advanced toward Rachel at a steady pace.


    She staggered backward.


    An icy cold face was revealed beneath the ck umbre, his eyes colder than winter rain.


    Justin hadn¡¯t even said anything when the police apanying him walked past and spoke, ¡°Officer


    Hawkins, we received a notice from the higher ups with regards to the case you¡¯re currently handling.


    The inspectorate wishes to carry out an investigation with you. Pleasee with us.¡±


    Janice frowned and stole a nce at Justin standing behind them.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Rachel quickly stepped in front of her.


    What do you want?


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rachel,¡± Janiceforted Rachel and turned to the police who came to take her away. ¡°I¡¯ll


    go with you.¡±


    Victor shouted from a distance away, ¡°What are you doing? Is there no regard for thew these days?


    Is everyone in Riverdale under the Burton Family?¡±


    Under the ck umbre, Justin raised his hand to give a slight wave.


    Victor gave a painful yelp and as he fell t on his face into the grass, his cursing stopped.


    Rachel panicked. Victor! What do you want? Let him go!


    Justin held the umbre with one hand to reveal a dark expression. ¡°You seem disappointed to see me


    here.¡±


    Her shoulders trembled. Should I be happy? ted that the man who caused Grandma¡¯s death has


    turned up at her funeral in one piece? What is wrong with this world? He has clearly smuggled drugs


    andmitted many crimes, but it¡¯s like he¡¯s above thew to the point where he can shamelessly


    show up in front of his victims to continue doing all these horrible things.


    He added, ¡°So, this is why you exercised so much effort and even worked with Janice to throw me


    behind bars?¡±


    You deserved it!


    ¡°I did?¡±


    The coldness in Rachel¡¯s eyes was so painful for Justin to see that his anger started to boil within him.


    Julian was quick on his toes as he pushed her behind him. ¡°What are you trying to do, Justin? If you


    have anything to say, find another time to do so. We¡¯re at Nancy¡¯s funeral!¡±


    ¡°This is between me and my wife. Keep your nose out of this.¡±


    ¡°Justin!¡± Julian gritted his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you two are already divorced. You are now engaged to


    Amber, so if you keep doing this, what sort of position would she be in?¡±


    ¡°Move.¡±


    Justin pushed him aside unapologetically before the bodyguards secured him in ce.


    Rachel cried in pain when Justin grabbed her wrist. Let go of me! Let go!


    ¡°The funeral is over and my patience with you is running thin. Come with me right now.¡±


    Where are you bringing me to? Let me go!


    Rachel struggled while her free hand frantically whacked Justin. She had managed to push the


    umbre in his hand away, causing the freezing rain to pelt down on them.


    He tightened his grip on her hand. ¡°Have you had enough?¡±


    Nancy¡¯s grave was disappearing from sight and no matter how much Rachel struggled, Justin had no


    intention of releasing his grip. Amidst Julian¡¯s shouting, she grabbed Justin¡¯s arm and fiercely bit it.


    A man¡¯s muffled groan sounded above her head.


    Justin red at Rachel in disbelief. His eyebrows were trembling as they knitted together and his thin


    lips were tightly pursed. Even so, he didn¡¯t let go of her as he watched blood trickle down his arm.


    The foul taste of iron had spread in her mouth. As she kept her re on him, her eyes turned red


    before the tears flooded her vision.


    In the teary blurriness, her body started to shake uncontrobly.


    He carried her in his arms and walked to the entrance of the graveyard without looking back.


    Soon, the rain washed away all traces of the blood on the ground.


    The bodyguards then released their hold on Julian. He rushed to the entrance of the graveyard and


    could only watch as Justin¡¯s car drove away, which left him in a state of helplessness. Then, Julian


    turned around to see an unconscious Victor on the ground before deciding to treat the man first.


    Justin took Rachel to his vi on the south side of town,


    Once they had entered, he dragged her to the bedroom and threw her on the couch. ¡°It¡¯s quiet here.


    This is your home now.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s hair was in a mess. Her head was lowered as she kept silent, her hands on the cushion


    beneath her in a death grip.


    Her sad demeanor irked Justin, who proceeded to call for a servant.


    Soon, a maid gingerly ran in. ¡°Sir.¡±


    ¡°Take her to the bathroom. Make sure she gets a bath and a change of clothes beforeing to see


    me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Justin gave Rachel a cold nce before he added, ¡°Stop ying the victim. There¡¯s nothing pitiful


    about you since you asked for it.¡±


    Jefferey had married Rachel off to the Burton Family. When she met Justin, she willingly married him in


    Amber¡¯s ce. So, since she was the one who started the ball rolling, she shouldn¡¯t do whatever she


    liked in the end.


    After closing the door to the room, Justin felt a chill down his spine.


    The servant outside noticed the traces of blood on his hand. ¡°Sir, you should get your hand treated. It¡¯s


    still bleeding.¡±


    The teeth marks were clear on the back of his hand-Rachel had bit through his skin and flesh. After he


    was


    soaked in the rain, the wound looked like it was rotting, making it a ghastly sight. ¡°Grab me the first aid


    kit.¡±


    The servant then went to execute Justin¡¯s orders while his phone vibrated in his pocket.


    It was a call from Amber.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Justin, I heard you¡¯re fine now?¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! Where are you now? Let¡¯s have a celebratory meal tonight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I have some matters to attend to.¡±


    Amber¡¯s tone changed. ¡°Are you with Rachel right now? Don¡¯t forget you are now my fianc¨¦. Why do


    you keep spending time with another woman?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Justin couldn¡¯t suppress the anger spilling onto his face. ¡°I have no obligation to


    report to you, you know. Even if we¡¯re already married, you still don¡¯t have any control over me. If you


    have nothing else to say, I¡¯m hanging up.¡±


    With that, he ended the call.


    In his entire life, he hated being nagged at. Although Amber possessed something he desired, it didn¡¯t


    mean that he had to obey her.


    On the other end of the line, Amber said a few more ¡®hello¡¯s before realizing that the call had ended.


    She was so pissed that she wanted to m her phone on the ground.


    Justin was released from the detention center today and it was a piece of news that she had received


    earlier. She thought that he woulde to look for her, but the first person whom he went to meet was


    Rachel. He still can¡¯t get over that woman!


    As she recalled his cold attitude moments before, Amber was suddenly afraid. She had worked so hard


    to attain the position of his fianc¨¦e. If this continued, her effort would all be in vain.


    She had to n a way to get Justin back.


    After thinking for a while, she typed out a message on her phone and sent it.


    Ding!


    A message alert rang out in the spacious living room of the vi in the south.


    Justin nced at his phone before he jumped off his seat.


    About that matter which you¡¯ve asked me about, I¡¯ve thought about it. I have the evidence with me. I


    don¡¯t trust other people, so I want to give it directly to you¡¯


    That text was from Amber.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 148

    My Mute Bride Chapter 148


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, your wounds¡­¡±


    As the maid attended to Rachel¡¯s bath, she was shocked to see the numerous injuries on Rachel¡¯s


    body.


    Rachel had sustained all those wounds while she was in Brookeville and she didn¡¯t take proper care of


    them nowadays; this was why they were infected and inmed.


    However, she didn¡¯t seem like she cared. She simplyy in the bathtub and stared at the lights above


    her.


    The light from the ceiling lights cast flickering shadows, making her dizzy. Everything that happened in


    the past half year reyed itself like a movie in her head.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    At first, she wanted to get Nancy¡¯s sickness treated, which was why she was forced to marry Justin in


    Amber¡¯s ce. However, it was exactly because of her lingering ties with him that caused Nancy¡¯s


    death in the end.


    At the end of the cycle, Rachel felt like everything she did was for naught.


    After Rachel emerged from the bath, the maid helped her to the bed and to rest on her back. ¡°Mrs.


    Burton, rest well. Young Master Justin went out moments ago and we¡¯re not sure whether he will be


    back tonight.¡±


    Upon tearing that, Rachel covered herself with a nket and made herselffortable. She didn¡¯t


    have the slightest curiosity on where Justin went.


    When the maid saw that, she sighed and left, closing the door after her.


    Meanwhile, the night breeze was blowing on the river bank.


    After hearing the sound of a car motor, Amber immediately turned around. ¡°Justin.¡±


    He wore a jet ck suit and seemed to melt into the dark night. ¡°Where¡¯s the item?¡±


    She gritted her teeth. ¡°I brought it, alright, but Justin, don¡¯t you think you owe me an exnation? I


    went around and worked tirelessly these few days for your sake, but the moment you were released,


    you looked for Rachel instead. If you really can¡¯t let go of her, why bother getting engaged with me?¡±


    ¡°Because you are Amber Hudson.¡± The look in Justin¡¯s eyes was unfazed. ¡°Right from the start, the


    one I am supposed to marry is you, not her.¡±


    Amber was stunned.


    ¡°If you do not wish to get married, there¡¯s still time to turn around.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean it like that.¡± Amber was suddenly flustered. ¡°Of course I¡¯m willing to get married, but


    Rachel-¡±


    ¡°No ¡®but¡¯s. Your father is to me, for he shouldn¡¯t have allowed Rachel to marry into the Burton Family


    in your stead. Every woman I have touched would be mine forever, even after divorce.¡±


    The cool breeze carried the cold words unforgivingly into her ears, causing her heart to tremble.


    Amber was no fool. Right from the start, she knew all too well what Justin thought of her and her


    background.


    If she wasn¡¯t Jefferey¡¯s daughter and the sole heir to Hudson Pharmaceuticals, Justin wouldn¡¯t even


    spare her another look.


    Still, she could not understand something. There were many young women from families on par with


    the Burton Family in Riverdale, but Justin paid them no mind. She didn¡¯t know why he had his sights


    set firmly on the Hudsons. Her father¡¯s words then echoed and resonated in her head as she mulled


    over it.


    ¡°I can give you the item, but I want our wedding date to be brought forward so that we can get married


    as


    soon as possible.¡±


    Justin wasn¡¯t quick to agree. Instead, he questioned Amber coldly, ¡°You were the one who sent people


    to Southwind Vi on the night of our engagement party, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Under the moonlight, his cold eyes seemed to threaten her.


    Amber trembled violently before she quickly denied the notion. ¡°Of course not. No matter what the


    circumstances between Rachel and I are, we are still sisters in the end. I wouldn¡¯t dream of doing such


    things to her.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t, but Jason would.¡±


    The people who were sent to Southwind Vi were clearly not the same people whom she had hired.


    Amber was a spoiled girl from a rich family, so she wouldn¡¯t have connections to vicious criminals. The


    most she could find were some street ruffians to do her bidding.


    However, someone took advantage of her involvement and switched up the members to be sent there.


    They were all criminals aiming to take Rachel¡¯s life.


    Amber paled. ¡°Justin, are you suspecting that I was working together with Jason? I didn¡¯t do it-I swear!¡±


    ¡°Really? If you didn¡¯t, how did you manage to escape from Jason in one piece?¡±


    Jason had brought Amber away when she was in the hospital, but she was released that same night. It


    was something that she had said herself.


    She had nothing to say in return.


    ¡°Justin, you can¡¯t use me like that. I have not the slightest intention of harming you.¡± Amber


    frantically rummaged through her bag and managed to produce an envelope. ¡°Here¡¯s the recorded


    evidence of him ordering people to kidnap Rachel¡¯s grandma. Here, take it. Feel free to pass this to the


    police for verification. Then, he¡¯ll have to spend his whole life in jail. If I really were working together


    with him, I wouldn¡¯t hold on to this piece of evidence, would I?¡±


    Justin took the envelope, the joints pronounced in his slender fingers. ¡°There are many things you


    shouldn¡¯t concern yourself with around me. I hope you know where your limits are. The things I hate


    most are betrayals and threats.¡±


    The river breeze breathed past Amber and she felt chills running down her spine.


    Rachel was woken up by the servant for breakfast the next day and when she descended the stairs,


    she found Justin there as well.


    She had no idea when he had returned.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, Mr. Burton had hurried home this morning to apany you for breakfast. He didn¡¯t want


    you to feel too bored being alone.¡±


    The maid had thrown in a good word for Justin as she pulled a chair for Rachel to sit at the table.


    Rachel didn¡¯t respond much after hearing those words. She simply took the cutlery and sliced into the


    sandwich and sausages on her te. She took a few casual bites before she set aside her cutleries


    and moved to get up.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, you¡¯re already done?¡±


    Yes.


    Before Rachel could even manage to leave the table, someone had grabbed her by the wrist.


    Justin¡¯s grip was on her hand when he questioned, ¡°Are you full, or did you lose your appetite at the


    sight of me?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t struggle free of his grasp, nor did she have the energy to. The calm look in her eyes was


    so cold that it brought chills. What do you think? Should I have an appetite when I look at you? You


    murderer!


    Why would a murderer think that someone would be overjoyed to have meals with him?


    His expression darkened in an instant before he flung her away forcefully.


    Rachel fell back onto the chair, the pain distorting her delicate features.


    Justin ced his hands on the back of the chair and the table, locking Rachel into the tight circle


    formed by his body. His action had cast a shadow on her. ¡°Do not try my patience. You are not allowed


    to go anywhere unless you finish the food on your te.¡±


    With that, he threw her a cold re before he returned to his own seat. ¡°Miss Jennifer, pour another


    ss of fruit juice for her.¡±


    The shocked maid was standing at the side before she nodded hastily. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll attend to it right


    away.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s shoulders were furiously trembling as the anger and embarrassment billowed in her chest.


    Justin spoke, ¡°I have all the time in the world to spend on you this morning. If you can¡¯t finish your


    breakfast, I¡¯ll just sit here and wait until you do. If the food gets cold, I¡¯ll get them to warm it up for you.


    If the food is reheated too often, I¡¯ll have them make a fresh batch. If you want to keep me in view so


    badly, I have all the time in the world to humor you.¡±


    The tension between them continued for a long time in silence.


    Under the man¡¯s persistent gaze, Rachel finally gave up. She picked up the cutlery and tightly held


    them. Then, she proceeded to slice away at the bacon on her te.


    It was only then when Justin averted his gaze to drink coffee while he read the newspaper at his side.


    ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll return home every day to apany you as you eat. Be prepared for that.¡±


    Rachel was cutting some bread when she paused in the middle of her actions. Then, she gritted her


    teeth.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 149

    My Mute Bride Chapter 149


    When Victor regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was Gloria beside him. ¡°How did I end up


    here?¡±


    ¡°Come on, you had a concussion. Where else would you be except for the hospital? The


    crematorium?¡±


    A still slightly dazed Victor sat up on the bed. ¡°I remember now. It¡¯s Justin. That b*stard knocked me


    out. Right, where¡¯s Miss Rachel? Where is she right now?¡± If he wasn¡¯t awake before, he certainly was


    by now. ¡°Justin took her away, didn¡¯t he? I have to look for her right now!¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Gloria immediately stopped him as she used every ounce of her strength to keep him on the bed.


    ¡°What are you going to do in this condition? You know it¡¯s useless!¡±


    ¡°That good-for-nothing took Miss Rachel away! I can¡¯t just stand by and watch!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine; she¡¯s now staying at Southwind Vi. I sneaked in to check on her before.¡± Her expression


    was a littleplicated. ¡°I feel she wouldn¡¯t want to see me, so I didn¡¯t enter, though.¡±


    Victor mmed his fist on the bed. ¡°What does he want with Miss Rachel? They¡¯re already divorced,


    but he still won¡¯t let her go! He even caused a scene at her grandma¡¯s funeral!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask him about this matterter. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°What do you think his answer would be? How are you still able to see him as a proper human being


    after all he has done?¡±


    Victor was so furious that he would blow the roof off the ward if he could. ¡°Look at all the pain he has


    made Miss Rachel endure!¡±


    ¡°There must have been a misunderstanding!¡±


    ¡°Gloria, there¡¯s something wrong with you! You were raised by him, so you¡¯re unable to have unbiased


    thinking!¡±


    Gloria¡¯s expression suddenly changed as she rose to her feet. ¡°Fine! I¡¯m biased! Are you happy now?¡±


    Her hands were clenched into tight fists as her eyes reddened. She managed to swallow her


    suppressed emotions as she spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the matters concerning Grandma; I¡¯ve asked


    someone to take care of them.¡±


    With that, she took her bag and left the ward without looking back.


    Victor watched her leave before he scratched his head in frustration. He was starting to regret not


    choosing his words earlier.


    To Gloria, Justin was a benefactor who raised her.


    Even if he really was a wretched criminal, she wouldn¡¯t be able to criticize him like everyone else did.


    After she left the hospital, Gloria hailed a cab.


    ¡°To Burton Group, please.¡±


    The driver had just passed the traffic lights when Gloria suddenly thought of something. ¡°Sir, please


    change the destination to the Burton Medical Research Institute on Central Street.¡±


    Since it was already in the afternoon, the heater was switched on in the caf¨¦ as the winds outside were


    freezing.


    ¡°Ria, what¡¯s the matter? You didn¡¯t inform me of your visit beforehand; what if I¡¯m not there? You¡¯d have


    come here for nothing.¡±


    Amber stirred the coffee in front of her as she studied Gloria.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. We¡¯re not that familiar with each other.¡± Gloria¡¯s expression was cold. ¡°Justin


    wanted you to help with the development of a new drug, so you¡¯d definitely spend time here on a daily


    basis to have your efforts recognized. You wouldn¡¯t be anywhere else.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so wary around me. We had a misunderstanding before, which Justin has


    already exined to me. You are his savior¡¯s daughter, so after I¡¯m married to him, I will also treat you


    well.¡±


    ¡°No need. That was between me and him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to discuss rtionships. I just want to give you a piece of advice: leave Justin.¡±


    The spoon in Amber¡¯s hand halted as she answered warily, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you like him?¡±


    ¡°If I really did, you wouldn¡¯t even have a chance.¡±


    ¡°Then, why should I leave him?¡±


    ¡°Do you know why Justin wanted to marry you and no one else?¡± Gloria frowned as she quietly looked


    at Amber. ¡°The Hudson Family isn¡¯t exactly on par with the Burtons. Why would he insist on marrying


    you? Haven¡¯t you wondered about that?¡±


    The tension in Amber¡¯s eyes was unmistakable. ¡°Why?¡±


    While they were all at the dining table in Southwind Vi at night, the maid brought out the final dish


    and moved aside to await further orders.


    Rachel had her head bowed as she ate and she soon finished half of the food on her te.


    Justin gave her a look and ced a piece of meat on her te. ¡°Take your time. What¡¯s the rush?¡±


    She tightened her grip on the utensils as she red at the meat on her te. She suddenly felt her


    stomach churn, so she covered her mouth as she ran to the bathroom where she started to puke.


    His expression soured at lightning speed.


    With a loud ¡®bang¡¯, he pped the utensils on the table.


    Rachel gave a painful shout as she felt searing pain on her scalp.


    Justin grabbed her hair and forced her to look at him, ¡°Are you that disgusted with me? Is it so


    nauseating to dine with me?¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±


    She tried to struggle free as if her life depended on it and her face was flushed.


    As he held her cor in a death grip, Justin dragged her to the dining table and ced a whole te of


    meat in front of her. ¡°Eat! Finish it all!¡±


    Rachel gritted her teeth, not making a sound.


    ¡°Am I expected to feed you?¡±


    She paled as she picked up the pieces of meat and forced them into her mouth.


    The oily smell suffocated her and she had to suppress her urge to throw up again.


    Justin¡¯s fury never receded. He stubbornly watched Rachel eat the food even though she really could


    no longer endure the smell, which caused the anger inside him to grow even stronger.


    ¡°Stop eating!¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem to hear him as she kept stuffing the meat into her mouth like clockwork.


    ¡°I said, stop eating!¡±


    Justin snatched the te away.


    The white porcin te crashed to the floor. As the te broke into two against the tiles, the meat


    and broth that it contained sshed everywhere.


    Rachel covered her mouth with her hand as she tried to resist the nausea at her throat. However, the


    moment her digestive juices rose up, her nasal cavity was filled with the smell and she was helpless as


    she vomited


    everything.


    As the smell of vomit invaded their nostrils, Rachel was especially affected by it. She uncontrobly


    emptied the rest of the contents in her stomach onto the floor.


    Justin was fuming as he grabbed the tablecloth and flipped everything on the table over.


    Amidst the loud crashing of items, he turned and left the scene.


    The maid hurried over the moment he departed. ¡°Mrs. Burton! Are you all right?¡±


    Rachel could hardly straighten herself as she weakly waved her hand to signify that she was alright.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some water. Please take a rest.¡±


    The maid had only just gone when Rachel slid to the floor while holding the chair for support. It was as


    if all her energy was drained from her and with a sour feeling in her nose, the tears fell from her eyes.


    She didn¡¯t know how much longer she had to y the puppet in a puppeteer¡¯s hands.


    Did she really have to live the rest of her life facing Justin and enduring the pain they inflicted on each


    other?


    The maid prepared a ss of honeyed water for Rachel. ¡°Come, Mrs. Burton. Have a drink.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tidy up and prepare another set of dinner for you.¡±


    It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t want to eat anything now. Rachel ced the ss down and she straightened the


    pajamas she was wearing. Please take me to my room to rest. I¡¯m tired.


    Justin didn¡¯t show up at the vi for a number of days.


    After the morning assembly, Frankie brought Justin two documents that required his signature.


    The moment when Justin signed his name and returned the documents to his assistant, he asked,


    ¡°How is she these days?¡±


    ¡°Miss Jennifer said that Mrs. Burton has been taking her meals as usual for the past two days. She¡¯s


    also recovering well from her injuries and she even took a walk in the yard today.¡±


    The look in Justin¡¯s eyes clouded over. Just as expected. As long as I¡¯m not there, she will live happily!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 150

    My Mute Bride Chapter 150


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, have some herbal soup.¡±


    Thanks, Miss Jennifer.


    Rachel was reading a book on the couch with a sweater draped over her when Jennifer came with a


    bowl of soup.


    The recently disgruntled Rachel had finally managed to recover a little thanks to Jennifer¡¯s help in


    taking care of her by providing nutritious food.


    ¡°Why are you thanking me? All these bowls of herbal soup were sent by Frankie. He had been sending


    these tonics for the past two days and it would be a waste if you don¡¯t eat them.¡±


    While she drank the soup, Rachel nced at one corner of the living room where Frankie ced all the


    tonics


    earlier from the corner of her eye.


    Although Justin hadn¡¯t visited for the past few days, the items at home still continued to arrive as


    Frankie would swing by with bags after bags of things every morning.


    Even though Rachel didn¡¯t talk to Justin, she still acknowledged everything that he did.


    Miss Jennifer, thank you for the past two days.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Jennifer pointed at the kitchen. ¡°There¡¯s still more herbal soup in the kitchen. You


    should drink some since you haven¡¯t eaten lunch yet, Frankie. I¡¯ll go and get some for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± came Frankie¡¯s reply.


    Nevertheless, Jennifer still proceeded to the kitchen despite his refusal.


    At the same time, Rachel ced her bowl of herbal soup back on the table before she lowered her


    head to read her book


    Upon seeing that, Frankie hesitantly responded, ¡°Mrs. Burton, the reason why President Burton hasn¡¯t


    been returning home is because he¡¯s afraid that you¡¯ll lose your appetite at his sight. He actually cares


    about you.¡±


    However, she snorted.


    For the past six months, everything that Justin had done made her feel like throwing the towel. As for


    Hans and Grandma¡¯s deaths, which one of them wasn¡¯t caused by him? What is he trying to do by


    being nice to me again?


    This isn¡¯t him caring for me; this is him being possessive.


    I¡¯m just a toy to him that he bought from Jefferey. Even though Justin doesn¡¯t like me, he would never


    let anyone have me since he has purchased me and I belong to him forever.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Frankie didn¡¯t know how to defend Justin. ¡°Do you still me President


    Burton for Nancy¡¯s death?¡±


    Shouldn¡¯t I? Rachel shot Frankie a cold look. If she was your family member, would you have acted like


    nothing happened?


    ¡°It¡¯s not like President Burton didn¡¯t want to save her, though. He already asked his men to withdraw


    the second it happened,¡±


    She was stunned before she thought, Justin asked his men to withdraw? Still, he made the police


    report! If he hadn¡¯t done so, Grandma wouldn¡¯t have died.


    ¡°Police report?¡± It was his turn to give her an odd look. ¡°Who told you that President Burton made a


    police report? When the kidnappers demanded a case filled with gold bars, President Burton made a


    deal to hand


    them the gold bars in exchange for Nancy. He even went alone without me!¡±


    At this moment, Rachel sat up in disbelief. That¡¯s impossible. How did Grandma die, then?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor tell you? Nancy¡¯s illnesses acted up again, which was why she passed away the


    second day after she was kidnapped. The only reason why the kidnappers continued to mess around


    with us was for more money!¡±


    Her face immediately turned pale. That¡¯s not possible. How could this be?


    Then, her hand, which was holding the book, started to tremble.


    The book page was torn apart as a dazed Rachel stared at the book on herp before tears started to


    drop on the page. Her vision became blurry and she couldn¡¯t tell what was written on the book any


    longer. Justin wanted to save Grandma?


    Frankie sighed. ¡°The police came after that. I don¡¯t know who made the police report, but it¡¯s definitely


    not President Burton since he went for the deal alone. If it weren¡¯t for the police, something might have


    already happened to him. You don¡¯t even know how serious it was!¡±


    His clear voice broke through all the allegations that she had made up in her mind. It was her hatred


    toward


    Justin that caused her to make a fool out of herself.


    The truth was theplete opposite of what Rachel had imagined.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, please don¡¯t be angry at President Burton anymore. He has been staying at thepany


    all this time and even lost a lot of weight.¡±


    After Frankie left, Rachel was left alone as she stared at the book. Did I misunderstand him?


    Although it was alreadyte, she somehow couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    The sound of the car engine rang out from the window¡¯s direction after a long time and she immediately


    got up from bed.


    Upon reflecting on Frankie¡¯s words, Rachel finally decided to thrash it out with Justin.


    Nevertheless, voices rang out from outside after she waited for a long time.


    Rachel was slightly taken aback as she thought she had misheard and went to open the door.


    ¡°Justin, why did you bring me here all of the sudden? It¡¯s too far.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Well, it¡¯s quiet here since the city is overpopted.¡±


    ¡°Still, doesn¡¯t Rachel stay here?¡±


    ¡°What about it? She¡¯s just another decorative object in this house anyway. Does anything I want to do


    or anyone I bring home concerns her? Moreover, you¡¯re my fianc¨¦e!¡±


    Upon hearing those two voices, Rachel¡¯s grip on the staircase¡¯s rail tightened. Her fingernails dug deep


    into the rail as her face paled.


    Just a decorative object?! As expected, I¡¯m nothing more than that in his eyes. I can¡¯t believe that I was


    like a fool to have actually believed what Assistant Beckham imed. I even thought that I


    misunderstood Justin when he cared about me.


    When she heard those two heading upstairs, she quickly hid in her room.


    However, she could still hear those ear-deafening noises from the back of the wall.


    ¡°Justin, stop it!¡±


    ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll go and take a bath.¡±


    There was silence at this point.


    Rachel covered her ears and shook her head helplessly, trying to remove those images in her mind.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t lie to herself as she fell to the carpeted floor while bitterness filled her mouth.


    The sound of water sshing down continued to ring in her ears.


    Not able to withstand it anymore, Rachel staggered to the bathroom where she sat in the bathtub


    without removing her clothes. Then, she turned on the tap. In no time, the bathtub was filled with water


    before she submerged herself in it as she tried to block all the noises that gued her.


    At the same time, a neatly dressed man sat on the couch and lit up his cigar in the room next door.


    He wasn¡¯t affected by the noises of water in the bathroom whatsoever.


    Nevertheless, his face darkened in the midst of the smoke.


    Throughout the past few days, Rachel had never tried to contact him or send any texts. Even after he


    had brought Amber home, he did not see Rachel emerging from her room after he waited in the living


    room for what seemed like eternity.


    Looks like that woman really wishes for me to disappear from her sight since she doesn¡¯t want to be


    rted to anything about me. Well, it¡¯s true that she didn¡¯t get married into the Burton Family anyway.


    Justin¡¯s expression darkened at that thought.


    At this moment, Amber¡¯s voice rang out from the bathroom. ¡°Justin, why aren¡¯t there any towels in the


    bathroom? Can you grab one for me?¡±


    As he snapped out of his daze, he frowned.


    ¡°Justin, are you outside? Justin?!¡±


    Amber poked her head out of the bathroom in confusion.


    However, Justin had already left some time ago, only leaving a midst of cigar smoke around the couch.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 151

    My Mute Bride Chapter 151


    On the corridor of the second floor, Justin walked toward the entrance of the master bedroom. There


    wasn¡¯t any movement in the room whatsoever. He couldn¡¯t believe that Rachel was able to sleep like a


    log since it had been so long after he brought Amber back. Suddenly, he felt anger rising within him.


    A tipsy Justin opened the door with a loud crack. ¡°Rachel!¡±


    There was no one in the room, but he could hear the sound of water sshing. When he noticed the


    water seeping out from the slit of the bathroom door, his expression changed.


    ¡°Rachel!¡± He rushed toward the bathroom before noticing that the door was locked. After he kicked the


    door open, he immediately saw the body in the bathtub while the bloody water continued to drip from


    the tub. There was a blood-stained dagger on the washstand, and the stain had already dried.


    Rachel had already lost consciousness as her head rested on the side of the bathtub with a peaceful


    look. However, her left hand was still submerged in the water while blood continued to flow from her


    wrist.


    Justin¡¯s mind went nk in that moment as his expression hardened. Then, he dragged Rachel out of


    the bathtub with a loud ssh and roared, ¡°Prepare the car!¡±


    When he ran into Amber, who was wrapped around a towel, she shrieked before staring at what


    happened in disbelief. ¡°Justin!¡±


    ¡°Move away!¡± he snapped, causing her to move away in fear. Without exining anything, he carried


    Rachel downstairs before he yelled, ¡°Get the car ready! We are going to the hospital!¡±


    He had never expected her to attempt suicide by slitting her wrist. Rachel really hates me to the core,


    huh? She would rather die than to talk to me, nor is she willing to stay in the same house as I do.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Meanwhile, Amber ran after them before she watched as Justin carried Rachel into the car and sped


    off, leaving her to stand at the doorway wrapped in a towel like a fool.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, the weather is chilly and you¡¯re going to catch a cold if you wear like that.¡± Jennifer¡¯s


    voice rang out behind Amber.


    As she was unable to release her pent-up anger, Amber snapped, ¡°Who are you to tell me what to


    wear?¡±


    ¡°I was just trying to be nice. Are you still staying over tonight? I can tidy up the room for you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary!¡± Why would Amber still want to embarrass herself further when Justin had


    already ditched her here?


    Amber¡¯s face was dark as she returned to the room and mmed the door with a loud bang. A while


    later, she changed her outfit and left the mansion in Southwind. She contacted someone on her way


    back. ¡°How¡¯s the investigation on what happened 20 years ago?¡±


    The person¡¯s reply was unheard.


    ¡°Send the documents to my ce now.¡±


    The other party¡¯s response was muffled.


    Rachel had a dream. In her dream, she was standing on thewn of a farmhouse. It was a sunny day


    and she felt the warmth under the sunlight. As she looked around in confusion, she spotted a familiar


    figure wearing a blue floral dress standing at the vegetable plot on thewn.


    ¡°Rachel, don¡¯t you feel hot standing under the sun? Be careful as you could get a sunburn! I don¡¯t want


    to lose sight of you in the midst of charcoal!¡±


    Grandma? Rachel was stunned as she watched Nancy harvesting vegetables on the ground.


    ¡°Rachel, I¡¯ll make buns with eggs and vegetables for you tonight since that¡¯s your favorite dish. I¡¯ll go


    and grab more eggs. You need to eat more in order to grow taller.¡±


    Grandma! Rachel cried as she ran into Nancy¡¯s embrace while Nancy ruffled her hair in confusion.


    ¡°Why are you crying? Who bullied you again? Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll fight them off for you.¡±


    Grandma, you¡¯re still alive. I thought that I won¡¯t be able to see you anymore.


    ¡°My child, what are you even talking about? I¡¯m just fine.¡±


    She snuggled into Nancy¡¯s embrace as the smell of cooking eased her. Then, Nancy patted Rachel¡¯s


    back. ¡°Rachel, why are you behaving like a child now? I still have to leave someday as I won¡¯t be able


    to be with you forever.¡±


    No! I want to be with you, Grandma.


    ¡°My child, death and parting is a natural course in the human circle. Without me being by your side, you


    have to learn to take care of yourself and stay strong, no matter what happens.¡± Nancy¡¯s voice became


    softer and softer. ¡°Rachel, remember what I said. There¡¯s only hope when you¡¯re alive.¡±


    Grandma! Rachel¡¯s eyes snapped open, but the bright lights shining on her made her vision blurry.


    ¡°She¡¯s awake! She¡¯s awake!¡±


    A woman¡¯s familiar voice rang out. It was Jennifer announcing, ¡°Mr. Burton, Mrs. Burton is awake.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s vision slowly cleared. Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, she saw Justin entering


    before he sat at her bedside. They were the only two souls left in the room after Jennifer left.


    When Rachel tried to sit up, she found out that she couldn¡¯t move her body. However, when she


    moved, a piercing pain shot up from her left hand while her wrist felt like it was about to snap into two.


    ¡°Stop moving.¡± Justin¡¯s voice echoed through the room before he held her back by grabbing her


    shoulders. ¡°Lie down and stop moving if you don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    After he said those words, he suddenly thought of something and chuckled coldly. ¡°How could I have


    forgotten? You wanted to die anyway. I guess the pain doesn¡¯t matter to you.¡±


    A stunned Rachel followed the direction of his gaze to her left wrist, which was wrapped in bandages.


    Her right hand was connected to the IV drip and she couldn¡¯t move either hand at all. This was a


    hospital, the ce that she had frequented the most in the past six months-all thanks to the man in


    front of her.


    ¡°You hate me, don¡¯t you?¡± Justin¡¯s finger dug into her shoulders. ¡°Do you think that you can make me


    feel bad by attempting suicide? Don¡¯t be delusional!¡±


    Rachel tried her best to ignore the stabbing pain that she felt and looked away, refusing to meet his


    gaze. Still, he reached out to grab her by her chin and forced her to turn to look at him. ¡°I¡¯m telling you


    that I won¡¯t let you die. You can try doing this again, but I¡¯ll save you every time you try to attempt


    suicide. The Burton Family has more than enough to feed a useless person, so let¡¯s see who can


    torture the other even more.¡±


    At this moment, Rachel felt chills from the man¡¯s cold gaze, but she met his eyes with an almost numb


    and calm look.


    As he was angered by her unaffected gaze, Justin tightened his grip on her. ¡°Why are you looking at


    me like that? Don¡¯t you want to live anymore? Shouldn¡¯t you hate me? You should stay alive if you do.


    Do everything that you can to get your revenge for your grandma and Hans. Didn¡¯t you think that I killed


    them? Hate me, then!¡±


    However, she didn¡¯t react at all. It was as if she had lost her sense of pain as well. I don¡¯t hate you.


    Since he wasn¡¯t the cause of Nancy¡¯s death, he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong to her. There wasn¡¯t any


    conclusion to Hans¡¯ death at this stage, so Rachel couldn¡¯t hate Justin for that too. Nevertheless, she


    owed him way too much now, which made it useless for him to keep her alive any longer.


    Rachel¡¯s calm gaze was unwavering, making it feel like she was looking at nothing.


    When Justin noticed that, his hands suddenly shook a little. He observed that the energy in his hands


    waspletely drained. Although she was right under him, it also felt like she was miles away at this


    moment.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 152

    My Mute Bride Chapter 152


    ¡°Rest well at the hospital. I¡¯ll ask my men to watch your ward 24/7, so you won¡¯t be able to die,¡± Justin


    coldly mentioned before he left and closed the door with a loud m, causing the room to shake a little.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    It was pretty soon after that when Jennifer entered.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, why are you still being so stubborn with Mr. Burton?¡±


    Nevertheless, Rachel rested her head on the pillow as she remained silent.


    Then, Jennifer rolled up Rachel¡¯s bed and opened the thermal bottle that she brought. ¡°Mr. Burton had


    someone prepare this chicken soup for you because he said that you¡¯ll surely be hungry once you¡¯re


    awake. You don¡¯t even know how long you¡¯ve been out cold and Mr. Burton has been guarding your


    side the entire time. Come on, have some soup.¡±


    Yet, Rachel, who was pale, looked away.


    Jennifer sighed. ¡°Why would you torture yourself like this?¡±


    Torture myself? Rachel wanted tough when she heard that. Am I the one torturing myself? For the


    past six months, is the humiliation that Justin brought upon me still not enough? I¡¯m sick of giving up all


    my pride just to be humiliated. All I¡¯ve wanted is to die but that can only be wishful thinking now.


    It was in the afternoon when Amber entered Jefferey¡¯s office with a document file.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, the president is still in a discussion. You can¡¯t just enter as you wish.¡±


    ¡°Dad!!!¡±


    The secretary looked anxious as Amber barged into the office while he was in the midst of a discussion


    with his client. ¡°President, Miss Hudson insisted on entering and we couldn¡¯t stop her.¡±


    A frowning Jefferey apologized to his client, ¡°That¡¯s about it for the contract. I¡¯ll arrange for someone to


    draft a new version of the contract as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°d to work with you.¡±


    After he sent the client off, Jefferey closed the door to his office and red at Amber. ¡°You¡¯re getting


    even more outrageous now. Don¡¯t you know that I was in a meeting? Do you know how bad the


    consequences are for barging in like this?¡±


    Still, Amber couldn¡¯t be bothered. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m here to ask you something important.¡±


    ¡°What kind of important issues can you have?¡±


    ¡°Did you ask your men to set fire on Somerset Mountain 20 years ago?¡±


    Jefferey was stunned. ¡°Who told you about this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking whether you did it or not!¡±


    ¡°Probably. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Do you know that the fire almost caused Justin to burn to death? He was kidnapped and brought to


    Somerset Mountain back then. And because of you, he almost lost his life!¡±


    ¡°Really? That happened?¡±


    Jefferey frowned before he lowered his head to brew his tea.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Upon noticing Jefferey¡¯s calm look, Amber felt odd before she used, ¡°Dad, you knew about this all


    along, didn¡¯t you? You knew everything all along!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that attitude? So what if I do? Who doesn¡¯t know about Justin¡¯s abduction back then when


    it was so publicised?¡± He mmed his tea cup on the table. ¡°Does he hate the Hudson Family? He


    should be hating his kidnappers instead! We are not even rted to what happened! When I obtained


    the permit to develop Somerset Mountain back then, I had every right to do whatever I wanted on that


    land! How should I know that those human traffickers had hidden him in the mountains?¡±


    ¡°Was that really what happened, Dad?¡± Amber scanned Jefferey¡¯s face. ¡°Was it that simple?¡±


    ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    ¡°That Grandpa Irwin guy from Somerset Mountain. Why did you bring him over to Riverdale?¡±


    Upon hearing her words, his eyebrows twitched a little. ¡°Who told you about all these?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± Amber clenched her fists. ¡°Dad, just tell me what you¡¯ve done! Why do


    you know that human trafficker? Are you rted to the case back then¡­¡±


    She knew that the Hudson Family had illegal deals, which was why she was already imagining the


    worst case scenario.


    Jefferey then mmed his fist onto the table. ¡°What are you even talking about? Are you ming


    everything on me just because you wanted to get married to Justin Burton?¡±


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m already engaged to him. Why are you still keeping it a secret from me?¡±


    ¡°Fine. Since you want to know it so badly, I¡¯ll tell you about it! You¡¯re right; the reason why Justin hates


    the Hudson Family so much is because of the fire at Somerset Mountain. I know he hates me, and


    that¡¯s why I never believed that he genuinely helped us out. Because of that, I have done everything


    that I could to avoid you getting married to him.¡±


    Amber¡¯s face turned pale before she grabbed the couch¡¯s armrest to sit down.


    ¡°Still, I never expected Rachel, that pesky betrayer, to actually gain Justin¡¯s fancy after she became


    married to him. That¡¯s the reason why I asked Irwin toe to Riverdale. I just wanted to remind him


    about what happened twenty years ago so that Rachel won¡¯t have a chance to escape from us and


    crawl to the top of the Burton Family.¡±


    Amber was confused. ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t understand. How are Irwin and Rachel rted? Would Justin and


    Rachel¡¯s rtionship even bepromised once Irwin arrives in Riverdale?¡±


    ¡°My daughter, you don¡¯t know this. Before Rachel was taken back to the Hudson Family twenty years


    ago, Irwin was her neighbor. In fact, they were extremely close, so she would surely protect him over


    Justin!¡±


    Is that so? Amber looked deep in thought. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense, though. That wasn¡¯t what Gloria


    told


    me.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Gloria?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡± She urged anxiously, ¡°Dad, someone told me that the reason why Justin hates


    us is not only because his life was almost taken by the fire, but the fact that the fire killed one of his


    friends.¡±


    ¡°Friend? What friend? Somerset Mountain is a rural area and there¡¯s barely more than ten families in


    the vige, so how could he have a friend there?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, it was a girl around the age of 7 or 8. She helped him to escape from the human traffickers


    and was his lifesaver. However, she died in the fire, so that¡¯s the reason why he wanted revenge on


    us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. No one died in that fire!¡± Jefferey denied, ¡°Moreover, the vige was where all the


    human


    traffickers gathered together. There¡¯s no one else who stays there besides those human traffickers as


    well as the kidnapped boy, so where did that girl appear from?¡±


    ¡°How could that be? It was a vige after all. Wasn¡¯t Rachel taken from that ce?¡±


    Suddenly, Jefferey looked like he recalled something before turning to Amber in shock. ¡°What did you


    just


    say?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I said, wasn¡¯t Rachel¡­¡± Amber¡¯s facial expression changed as she trailed off. ¡°Dad, could it be


    that¡­¡±


    If what Jefferey had said was true, and no one died in the fire 20 years ago, there was only one family


    left in the vige beside the human traffickers. So, who else could that girl have been?


    Despite not knowing much about what happened two decades ago, Amber knew that Rachel¡¯s vocal


    cords were damaged in the fire and she was brought back from Somerset Mountain by him. How could


    that be?!


    Amber met Jefferey¡¯s gaze in disbelief and saw a simr look of shock in his eyes as well.


    The girl whom Justin tried to seek revenge for all these years was none other than Rachel

 My Mute Bride Chapter 153

    My Mute Bride Chapter 153


    ¡°Are you sure that Justin wanted revenge on the Hudson Family for a girl?¡±


    Jefferey¡¯s voice was filled with disbelief as it took Amber a long time to return to her senses. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    There was no reason for Gloria to have made up a story about someone who never existed to lie to


    her.


    After he was quiet for a while, Jefferey¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened. ¡°Since Rachel isn¡¯t dead, Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals¡¯ crisis would be resolved if we tell Justin about this.¡±


    ¡°Dad, what are you even thinking about? How could you tell Justin that? It¡¯s true that Rachel isn¡¯t dead


    and allowing them to reunite with each other might reduce his hatred toward us. However, have you


    ever thought about how we treated Rachel? Do you really think that she will say nice things about us in


    front of him?¡±


    He was immediately taken aback.


    Then, Amber continued, ¡°By then, new grudges will be piled on old ones. Justin might seek revenge


    from us along with you canceling our engagement! We can¡¯t have Rachel around any longer!¡±


    Upon hearing that, Jefferey¡¯s hands started to tremble before he identally hit his cup, causing his


    tea to spill all over the table. ¡°Amber, what are you nning to do?¡±


    ¡°Removing all obstacles to prevent future troubles, obviously! Didn¡¯t she want to die? I¡¯ll help her out


    then!¡± Amber¡¯s eyes were filled with hatred.


    She had never expected that the entanglement between Rachel and Justin had happened all the way


    back in the past. If he discovered this, all of her own ns would turn to ashes and she might never be


    able to see the light of day anymore.


    Amber would rather die than to see Rachel living a better life than her!


    ¡°No way! I still need her around! Moreover, she¡¯s still one of the Hudson Family and your sister. As long


    as she¡¯s still here, Justin would allow us a chance at survival, no matter what happens in the future.


    Jefferey was a businessman, so he was more calctive. At that moment, he instructed, ¡°Amber, listen


    to me. I will never allow you to hurt her!¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough! Leave it at that! No one is allowed to speak of it anymore!¡±


    While giving Jefferey a look filled with hatred, Amber snapped, ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t even care about me!¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Then, she ran. There¡¯s no one whom I can rely on beside myself.


    On the other hand, Rachel hadn¡¯t been eating or drinking for the past two days in the hospital. As a


    result, she looked frailer than before.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, please just eat something. What about some soup?¡±


    I don¡¯t feel like eating


    ¡°How can you do that? You won¡¯t be able to function without eating anything. The doctor has already


    said that it will take a long time for your injuries to heal and you still have to stay in the hospital for a


    while for them to observe your condition!¡±


    Rachel had slit her wrist and as she had injured her artery as a result, she received seven stitches and


    couldn¡¯t move her left hand for the entire time.


    It wasn¡¯t as if she wanted to move anyway.


    ¡°President Burton.¡±


    The bodyguard¡¯s voice rang out from outside.


    Rachel¡¯s pupils immediately constricted as she clenched her hands before the pain that shot up caused


    her to be sober.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Jennifer quickly rose to her feet while she held the bowl of chicken soup


    with a helpless look.


    Upon noticing the bowl of soup that she was holding, Justin frowned a little. ¡°Hand it over to me. You


    may leave now.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After that, he sat by the bed while he carried the bowl of soup. Then, he scooped some of the soup with


    the spoon to blow it a little. ¡°Come on, have some soup.¡±


    However, Rachel stoically looked away, only leaving him with her side view.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    I don¡¯t want to eat.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to live anymore, huh?¡±


    As he stared at her, Justin immediately grabbed Rachel by her chin after realizing that she wouldn¡¯t


    react. Then, he forced the chicken soup down her throat while she grunted in pain. Gulp, gulp, gulp.


    As the warm chicken soup entered her mouth, the umami taste of the soup quickly spread around her


    mouth.


    Although Rachel tried her best to struggle free from his grasp, the chicken soup continued to flow down


    her throat. Let me go!


    argh


    With a sudden burst of energy, she pushed Justin away before her eyes widened. What happened next


    was that she started to puke by the bedside. All of the chicken soup that was forcefully chugged came


    out, which caused the floor to be in a mess.


    Upon seeing that, he tightened his grip on the bowl as his veins popped up.


    Then, the bowl was thrown at the cab with a loud ng.


    ¡°Do you really want to die that bad?¡±


    Justin was really angered to the point where he shouted at his bodyguards outside, ¡°Get the doctors


    here!¡±


    ¡°From today onward, if you refuse to eat, you¡¯ll be on IV drips. As long as you want to be in bed and act


    like you¡¯re in a vegetative state, I¡¯ll dly amodate you!¡±


    At the same time, the doctors rushed over.


    ¡°Get her on IV drips.¡±


    No! Rachel stared at the medical personnels with a helpless look on her face.


    She would rather die than to continue living without any pride.


    ¡°Grab her and ce her on IV drip!¡±


    At Justin¡¯smand, two nurses held Rachel down by her sides while the doctor grabbed her arm and


    inserted the needle into it, which allowed the nutrient solution to slowly enter her veins.


    Let me go! Let go!


    There was a voice in Rachel that kept shrieking and struggling. However, her weakening body couldn¡¯t


    move any longer.


    After the bag of nutrient solution was inserted, she looked as if she waspletely drained while she


    gasped for air at the side of the bed.


    Then, Justin grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. ¡°Did you see that? You won¡¯t be able to


    die without my permission as I have tons of ideas to keep you alive.¡±


    At this moment, Rachel¡¯s eyes were filled with so much anger and hatred that she could murder him if


    she could.


    Nevertheless, he wasn¡¯t mad. That¡¯s great. Just hate me instead. It¡¯s better than being an emotionless


    doll after all.


    After leaving the ward, Justin instructed Jennifer, ¡°Take good care of her and do not leave her alone.


    Call me if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I understand, Mr. Burton.¡±


    Then, she entered the ward and started to tidy all the pillows that were thrown onto the ground.


    Upon noticing that Rachel still refused to move, Jennifer couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    The bright afternoon sunlight pierced into the room from the window and shone on Rachel¡¯s bedsheet.


    Nevertheless, she continued to lie on her side against the door.


    When she heard footsteps behind her, she figured that it was Jennifer cleaning the room and behaved


    like


    Jennifer wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    Upon hearing the man¡¯s familiar voice, Rachel abruptly turned around to see who came.


    It was Julian.


    Dr. Peters, why are you here?


    ¡°Lie down and stop moving around.¡± He helped her to lie down. ¡°Jennifer¡¯s the one who allowed me to


    enter.¡±


    Ever since Rachel was admitted in the hospital, Justin did not allow anyone beside the attending doctor


    to see her. Even Julian was no exception. However, Jennifer had sneaked him in because she could no


    longer withstand the situation.


    As he stared at Rachel¡¯s bandaged hand, Julian frowned. ¡°Why did you do something like this?¡±


    Her eyes dimmed before she forced a weak smile on her face.


    ¡°Janice has been fired.¡±


    Upon hearing what Julian had said all of a sudden, Rachel was stunned. Why?


    ¡°She attempted to arrest my brother without an approved warrant from her superiors. After they had


    investigated the case again, my brother was released due tock of evidence and she was suspended


    by the inspectors. I just found out about it as well.¡±


    She only did that to make me feel at ease.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes immediately turned red and she felt like crying.


    Nevertheless, Julian held her hands. ¡°Please do not cry. Although Janice is not in a suitable position to


    see you right now, she asked me to tell me something. Apparently, you¡¯ll definitely get yourself together


    after hearing this.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 154

    My Mute Bride Chapter 154


    ¡°Janice said that the spy from the foreign investigation bureau has tracked Gunny down. He was the


    one responsible for dealing with drug smuggling for Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    Julian looked conflicted. ¡°She also said that the inspectors had done nothing wrong by punishing her


    since she had gone on the wrong track as she was too agitated. Although they don¡¯t have enough


    evidence that Justin was involved in drug smuggling, it can be confirmed that Jefferey has been doing it


    for years. She had identally alerted those two this time around.¡±


    Rachel was shocked. Did Janice tell you all these?


    ¡°Yes. She also told me that as long as the man named Gunny is caught, you¡¯ll be able to get justice for


    your mother¡¯s death and force Jefferey to receive all the punishments that he deserves.¡±


    Ever since Rachel had been taken away by Justin from Nancy¡¯s funeral, Julian never had any chance


    to meet her before receiving the news that she was admitted to the hospital from an attempted suicide.


    He also heard that Rachel hadn¡¯t been eating or drinking, so he went to look for Janice in anxiety.


    Nevertheless, Julian never expected to learn so much about Rachel from Janice.


    ¡°Rachel, you have to get yourself together for your grandma as well as your mother.¡±


    As she looked at Julian¡¯s determined gaze, Rachel suddenly felt slightly energized.


    Although it wasn¡¯t hard to die, it was definitely harder to stay alive.


    I¡¯ll listen to you and pull myself together so that I can heal faster.


    ¡°That¡¯s about right.¡± Julian sighed in relief.


    Justin was pursuing a contract in his office before Frankie came in with documents.


    ¡°This is the stocking records of the batch of medicines that you reserved. I¡¯ve already asked them to


    stockpile and send it out of Riverdale during the dawn. It will arrive at the port by tonight.¡±


    ¡°Are they trustworthy?¡±


    Frankie nodded. ¡°All of them have been working for you for years and are trustworthy. I just don¡¯t know


    whether those men whom President Shaw has arranged on his side are trustworthy. If anything


    happens during the journey where they aren¡¯t allowed to upload them


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s normal for him to be nervous since this is his first time stockpiling.¡±


    ¡°President Burton, is this decision too rash? The investigation bureau has been keeping an eye on us.


    Although they previously didn¡¯t manage to get their hands on any evidence, if we still ship ording to


    the set timing, I fear,¡±


    ¡°They better be keeping an eye on us,¡± the manmented nonchntly before he changed the topic.


    ¡°How is it at the hospital?¡±


    Frankie came back from his senses. ¡°I just wanted to inform you that Mrs. Burton is finally more


    emotionally stable now and she has requested for food. Although she didn¡¯t eat much, the doctor said


    that it¡¯s normal since she hadn¡¯t been eating for a long time and her appetite will improve soon. There


    won¡¯t be any need for IV drips anymore.¡±


    A surprised look shed past Justin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why did she suddenly pull herself together?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Burton was never a stubborn person from the start. How could she hold a grudge for so long over


    a couple¡¯s fight?¡±


    Frankie¡¯s words lodged themselves into Justin¡¯s heart, making Justin suddenly feel warmth.


    It would be nice if it was just a couple fight.


    Justin¡¯s phone started to ring at that moment.


    Nevertheless, upon seeing the caller ID, he ended the call and blocked the number.


    When Frankie saw the caller ID, his expression fell as well. ¡°Miss Hudson has been contacting me for


    the past two days, asking me about your whereabouts as well.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer her calls,¡± Justin repeated. ¡°Just ignore her calls in the future.¡±


    ¡°In the future? Are you not nning to marry Miss Hudson anymore?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking so many questions? Do I have to report everything to you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. You can do whatever you want.¡± Upon saying that, Frankie quickly gathered


    the documents and left.


    On the other hand, none of Amber¡¯s calls went through.


    ¡°How dare he reject my calls!¡±


    As she gripped her phone, Amber nced at the building outside the car window. Although she looked


    arrogant, there was still a yearning look on her face when she stared at the building. The Burton Group


    must be loaded to be able to afford an office building in the city center at a strategic ce like this. As


    long as I can think of a way to get into the Burton Family and be married to Justin, do I still have to


    worry about anything else in the future? Dad must be insane for wanting to keep a burden like Rachel


    alive. He¡¯s keeping her for his own benefit, but I can¡¯t have her here any longer for my own benefit.


    Rachel woke up the next day and she ate breakfast.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, you ate an extra egg yesterday! That¡¯s an improvement! Do you want more soy milk?¡±


    It¡¯s fine. Please help me up and bring me outside to take a walk. Rachel looked out of the window. I


    heard that the chrysanthemum at the hospitalwn is still blooming.


    Jennifer immediately caught onto what Rachel was hinting at. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you downstairs to have a look.¡±


    Since the bodyguards listened to what Jennifer said, they didn¡¯t dare to stop Julian when she


    previously brought him along with her.


    A field of white chrysanthemums bloomed on thewn of the hospital.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    When she helped Rachel to walk around on thewn, they ran into Julian.


    Although it might have looked coincidental, it wasn¡¯t one in this case.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, I suddenly remembered that I still need to clean up some stuff, so I¡¯ll head back to take a


    look. Dr. Peters, since we are family, please look out for Mrs. Burton.¡±


    Jennifer was a kind person who knew her ce, which was obvious when she tried to contact Julian for


    Rachel¡¯s sake.


    As expected, he followed with her suggestion. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take care of her.¡±


    Then, he helped Rachel with her walk. ¡°Is your hand better now?¡±


    She nodded. It should be almost healed since the stitched injury is starting to itch a little. The doctor


    said that they will remove the stitches within these two days and I¡¯ll be allowed to leave once I have


    rested for a few more days.


    ¡°That¡¯s great. By the way, I have something for you.¡±


    She was confused. What is it?


    Then, he handed her a letter. ¡°There¡¯s something really important inside. If you need it, I can always


    arrange it for you and help you to leave.¡±


    Leave?


    Rachel looked stunned before she felt her heart sinking.


    As Julian looked at her, she carefully opened the letter to see that it was her passport inside the


    envelope. This is¡­


    ¡°I found it when I was tidying Nancy¡¯s ce. I¡¯m guessing that you never brought it along with you.¡±


    Along with the passport was the admission letter of a famous university abroad.


    ¡°I helped you to apply for university abroad with your resume. You¡¯ll still be able to return to your


    studies if you¡¯re willing to and restart your life in another country.¡±


    Are you implying that you¡¯re bringing me abroad?


    ¡°Yes. However, do not feel pressured since I already intended to further my studies abroad for three


    years anyway.¡±


    Even if Julian never intended to bring Rachel along with him, he


    didn¡¯t bring Rachel along with him, he still wasn¡¯t nning on staying in Riverdale any longer.


    Still, Rachel couldn¡¯t just restart her life by going overseas and far away from Riverdale.


    After going through so many things, she had already faced her reality, that is, to seek revenge from


    Jefferey and make him kneel for forgiveness in front of her mother¡¯s grave.


    Suddenly, a woman¡¯s voice interrupted them from their conversation.


    Despite everything, Amber¡¯s voice was as sharp as ever. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you, Rachel! Is Justin not


    enough for you? Are you trying to seduce Dr. Peters as well?!¡±


    What are you babbling about?


    ¡°You¡¯ll know whether I¡¯m babbling or not when I send these pictures to Justin.¡±


    Then, she waved her phone around, showing the image of Rachel and Julian being together on the


    screen.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 155

    My Mute Bride Chapter 155


    ¡°Amber? You¡¯re confusing the truth with lies.¡± Julian tried to grab Amber¡¯s phone, but since he was


    supporting Rachel, Amber managed to easily avoid him.


    Amber answered, ¡°Dr. Peters, why would you be scared if you aren¡¯t guilty?¡±


    ¡°You¡±


    The tension was almost tangible in the air when a figure appeared behind her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Upon hearing Justin¡¯s voice, Amber immediately hopped on the opportunity and started to make her


    usation. ¡°Justin, I was about to tell you that I came here to visit Rachel, but I bumped into them


    smooching. You told me that even after divorce, she¡¯s still part of the Burton Family. It doesn¡¯t look like


    she shares the same sentiment. Look at how happy she is.¡±


    When he saw Julian holding onto Rachel, his expression darkened.


    ¡°Justin.¡±


    ¡°Who allowed you toe here?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Amber was stunned.


    Justin spoke coldly, ¡°You have no business here and there¡¯s no need for you to visit her either.¡±


    He walked past her to yank Rachel away from Julian before returning to the ward section.


    Amber was left behind to stare at the two disappearing figures and she had only taken two steps


    toward them when Julian halted her. ¡°Amber, you¡¯re a daughter of the Hudson Family. Why do you


    have to resort to such underhanded methods to join the Burton Family?¡±


    ¡°Justin is my fianc¨¦ right now!¡±


    ¡°Really?! Comining about your fiance¡¯s ex-wife to him? I thought I was watching a drama where the


    concubine is trying to use the legal wife.¡±


    ¡°A concubine? Julian, you, who¡¯s the concubine here?¡±


    Amber was so furious that she was stomping her feet.


    She had initially left Tran-Q because she couldn¡¯t stand Julian¡¯s coldness toward her. Her father even


    stressed that she would be better off marrying him instead of Justin, but she never saw the point in it.


    She was unable to see the benefits about a man who continued to find faults with her and thought that


    he was blind to side with that woman.


    Justin took Rachel to her ward.


    With a stumble, she fell into a sitting position on the bed.


    Miss Jennifer was tidying up the room and upon seeing the sight, she was shocked. ¡°When did you


    arrive, Mr. Burton? What happened?¡±


    His expression was dark. ¡°Who let her out?¡±


    She was careful to choose her words. ¡°I saw the flowers outside blooming beautifully and since the


    weather was also perfect, I allowed her to take a walk outside. The doctor also said that getting some


    fresh air would help the patients to recover better.¡±


    ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you go with her?¡±


    Justin¡¯s single question had caused Miss Jennifer to break out in a nervous sweat.


    Rachel stood up. I¡¯m the one who wanted to go out for a walk. This has nothing to do with Miss


    Jennifer.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton.¡±


    ¡°The outdoor type, aren¡¯t you?¡± Justin sneered, ¡°I wonder what is so nice to look at out there. Is it the


    flowers? Or a certain someone?¡±


    Julian is a doctor at Tran-Q. As long as I¡¯m outside, it¡¯s not strange to run into him. If you don¡¯t want to


    see us together, I don¡¯t mind changing hospitals.


    After she expressed everything that she wanted, Rachel lowered her hands.


    ¡°Miss Jennifer, please leave us alone for now.¡±


    Upon hearing Justin¡¯s order, Miss Jennifer hurried off.


    After the door was closed, Justin and Rachel were the only ones left in the room.


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d care if you contacted Julian?¡± He gave her a look. ¡°I know his character better


    than you do. It is his principle to help the sick and needy. You are only a patient in his eyes, nothing


    more than a weakling to sympathize.¡±


    Rachel gripped the sheets under her.


    Even though she only saw Julian as a friend, Justin¡¯s way of describing it was simply blunt shaming.


    In this man¡¯s eyes, she was only a disabled person who should stay behind the scenes. He was


    indicating that no normal man would want her.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t even retort Justin¡¯s words.


    Was it not out ofpassion that Julian helped her?


    Upon seeing her darkening expression, Justin started to regret his heavy choice of words.


    Amber¡¯s voice sounded from outside. ¡°Justin.¡±


    The previous emotions disappeared from his face.


    At this moment, she entered and soon felt the tension in the air. She then said softly, ¡°Justin, I brought


    over some fruits, so I was wondering where I should put them.¡±


    ¡°No need. She¡¯s notcking anything here.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I just wanted to express my concern.¡±


    With that, Amber ced the fruits on the table. ¡°Get well soon, Rachel. No matter what, we¡¯re still


    family. Blood is thicker than water, right? Dad wille to visit after two days when he¡¯s done with his


    work.¡±


    Rachel frowned, but she didn¡¯t make a sound.


    When she had learned about her origins, she had severed all ties with the Hudson Family.


    ¡°Justin, we still have to see Grandpa tonight, don¡¯t we?¡±


    Grandpa? Rachel thought.


    She felt a cold hand tightening around her heart.


    Justin is bringing Amber to see Arthur? Right, they are engaged and will be married soon. Isn¡¯t it


    normal to meet each other¡¯s families then?


    At that thought, Rachel¡¯s tight grip on the sheets loosened. No matter how awful she felt, her face was


    calm and void of any expression.


    Justin stole a nce at Rachel. When he saw her indifference, he felt anger rising within him.


    Amber took his arm. ¡°Justin, we¡¯re going to bete. We shouldn¡¯t make our elders wait. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As she heard the door close, Rachel slowly lifted a hand to her chest.


    She felt that the pain in her chest was urring far more often for some unknown reason.


    Amber was still clinging onto Justin¡¯s arm when they left the hospital with glee in her heart. ¡°Justin, is


    my attire too simple for the party tonight?¡±


    He suddenly removed his arm from her grasp and coldly answered, ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait until I¡¯m


    done? Why did youe all the way here?¡±


    Amber was stunned. ¡°I¡­ I came here to visit Rachel. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be here as well.¡±


    ¡°Are you two even that close?¡±


    ¡°We¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re not really close to her, you can quit faking it. You don¡¯t have toe to the hospital


    anymore.¡±


    With that, Justin entered the car.


    Amber stood on the spot; her nails dug into her palms while her lips formed a thin line.


    Even though he never praised Rachel and never even stood up for her, Amber could see how


    important Rachel was in his eyes.


    At the thought of the various scuffles between them, Amber felt threatened. ¡°Justin, are you free this


    Saturday?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°My dad has arranged a charity event for me. Hudson Pharmaceuticals has funded some children¡¯s


    homes in the mountain areas before and now that some of the children have made it far in life, they


    decided to establish a charity foundation with Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    Upon seeing Justin¡¯sck of interest, she let out a sigh on purpose. ¡°When Hudson Pharmaceuticals


    decided to develop that area in Somerset Mountain to create a ce for children to go to, we had to


    exercise notable effort as well. Now, we feel at ease to see the children doing so well.¡±


    Somerset Mountain? He suddenly turned toward Amber. ¡°What did you just say? The ce that


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals funded?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 156

    My Mute Bride Chapter 156


    Amber answered, ¡°Somerset Mountain. Why?¡±


    ¡°Hudson Pharmaceuticals has funded children from Somerset Mountain?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have been doing it for more than 20 years.¡±


    ¡°How could it be? I remember there wasn¡¯t anyone left after the fire.¡±


    ¡°The fire?¡± She was slightly stunned. ¡°Justin, how did you know there was a fire in Somerset


    Mountain?¡±


    A frown came to Justin¡¯s face as he feigned indifference. ¡°It was on the news. I happened to watch it.¡±


    Amber nodded. ¡°Yes, it was exactly because of the fire that the whole mountain was reduced to ashes.


    I heard someone almost died too. My dad said that there was a hidden vige in Somerset Mountain


    and it was home to some human traffickers. They were trying to escape security checks, so when the


    fire happened, they couldn¡¯t be rescued on time.¡±


    Justin clenched his fists tighter. ¡°That¡¯s what your father told you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, those traffickers hid in a ditch and the firemen didn¡¯t even know there were people there. They


    managed to find them in the end, but a little girl almost died in the process.¡±


    ¡°Almost died?¡±


    His expression changed.


    ¡°She was burned badly, but she managed to survive. My dad did everything he could to save her by


    sending her to hospitals all over the country. In the end, she was even sent abroad to receive


    treatment.¡±


    Amber didn¡¯t manage to finish her words before Justin grabbed her hand to interrogate her, ¡°Where is


    she now?¡±


    ¡°She¡­ she¡¯s still out of the country.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡±


    ¡°Justin, what came over you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± he repeated.


    ¡°Katherine Cooper.¡± Amber¡¯s features were distorted in pain. ¡°Justin, let me go! What happened to


    you?¡±


    Justin¡¯s cold face was stiff as he struggled to believe his ears.


    Katherine¡­


    Katie¡­


    He was taken back to the Burton Family after the fire twenty years ago. He didn¡¯t have the ability to


    investigate the matter at first and when he finally rose to position as the president of Burton Group, the


    landscape had already changed beyond recognition.


    All these years, he had sent people to search all over Somerset Mountain, but he never seeded in


    finding even a scrap of information about the girl.


    He thought she was dead.


    He even thought she died in the fire to save him, but she was alive!


    ¡°I want to see her.¡± Justin grabbed Amber¡¯s arm, his cold eyes burning with determination. ¡°Where is


    she?¡±


    Amber looked shocked. ¡°She will be attending the charity event this Saturday. If¡­ if you want to see


    her, you can attend with me this Saturday. However, Justin, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    He never answered her as it took a long while for him to calm himself. ¡°I¡¯ll attend the event this


    Saturday with


    you.¡±


    The wind howled on the other side of the car window, signaling that night had fallen over Riverdale like


    a humongous ck cloth that stretched across the entire sky.


    Amber carefully retracted her hand and she looked down at the bruise on her wrist-a result of Justin¡¯s


    tight grip.


    She felt that she had made the absolute right choice.


    A girl whom Justin hadn¡¯t seen in more than 20 years was enough to shake him to his core.


    If he knew that Rachel was that very girl from all those years ago, the consequences would be


    inconceivable.


    The chill in Amber¡¯s cold eyes was reflected in the car window.


    Meanwhile, at the investigation bureau, a conversation was uring.


    ¡°Officer Hawkins.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. I¡¯ve been stripped of my position, so just call me by my name.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. The position issue is temporary and I¡¯ve already acknowledged you as my only leader.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Janice pulled up a chair and sat on it. Beneath her short haircut, her features were


    bright and firm. ¡°Any updates on the case that I asked you to investigate?¡±


    ¡°I was just about to mention that. This is taken from the case files concerning Somerset Mountain. If I


    were one secondte, they would¡¯ve been destroyed since these files had exceeded the 20-year


    confidentiality period.¡±


    She took the box of files from her subordinate.


    Due to its long history, the box had already yellowed and it reeked of mold.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Officer Hawkins, what are you going to do with these files?¡±


    ¡°To save someone.¡±


    Janice¡¯s expression was stern, but her eyes betrayed a certainpassion.


    If it weren¡¯t for the limitations set on her due to her position and also the confidentiality period, she


    would¡¯ve given those files to Rachel long ago. Perhaps if she had done so, those horrible things


    wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    After Amber had taken Justin away from the hospital, he never appeared again for a few days.


    Rachel was stuck in the ward. Even though she had gone out for walks, Jennifer never left her side.


    She managed to catch sight of Julian a distance away on a few asions, but Jennifer had always


    pulled her back to the ward in case history repeated itself.


    After closing the door and leaving, Jennifer sighed.


    The food on the tray was almost untouched.


    ¡°Miss Jennifer.¡±


    Julian¡¯s voice rang down the corridor.


    She hastily pulled him aside. ¡°Dr. Peters, it¡¯s not that I refuse to help you. It¡¯s just that Mr. Burton has


    warned me before; if I allow you to meet Mrs. Burton one more time, I would be done for.¡±


    ¡°Miss Jennifer, I don¡¯t mean it like that.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°How is she these days?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s alright. She doesn¡¯t eat as much as she used to, but it¡¯s way better than when she refused to put


    anything in her mouth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Julian seemed panicked as he ced a folder in Miss Jennifer¡¯s hands. ¡°Please pass


    this to Rae in my stead.¡±


    Miss Jennifer was a little shocked. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if my brother sees this, he wouldn¡¯t me you for anything. Just give it to Rae.


    Perhaps it would turn the tides.¡±


    She was still doubtful, but she nodded and agreed to his request.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Miss Jennifer.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do. Mrs. Burton is the kindest mistress I¡¯ve ever served, for she has never troubled


    me. I also hope that she will recover as soon as possible. Well then, Dr. Peters, I¡¯ll be taking my leave


    now.¡±


    Miss Jennifer entered the ward with the folder in hand.


    Rachel was sitting by the window with a foreign book.


    She couldn¡¯t leave the ward, so reading became her only pastime.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, Dr. Peters just swung by and asked me to pass this to you.¡±


    Rachel was slightly startled as she saw the ck folder in Miss Jennifer¡¯s hands. What is it?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. Dr. Peters wanted you to look at it yourself.¡±


    Rachel opened it to see various photocopied documents inside. Some of the documents were blurred


    and after flipping through a few pages, she suddenly caught sight of the words ¡®Somerset Mountain


    Police Station¡¯.


    Somerset Mountain? Aren¡¯t these documents proving I have lived in Somerset Mountain before? Why


    is Janice giving me these?


    She then went through a few more pages and found a newspaper clipping from 20 years ago, offering


    a reward to whoever found a lost child.


    ¡®The young master of the Burton Family, Justin Burton, was sessfully rescued. The human


    trafficking nest in Somerset Mountain was discovered, but the mountain went up in mes¡­


    The mountain was burned?


    Somerset Mountain¡­


    Upon seeing the photos in the newspaper detailing the fire, Rachel suddenly saw some unfamiliar


    scenes flit


    across her consciousness.


    ¡°Katie, look. There¡¯s smokeing in that direction. Is something on fire?¡±


    ¡°Quickly run! You can escape after you pass that mountain!¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I have to go and tell the others!¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯lle with you!¡±


    Rachel held her head as a severe headache hade upon her. Where did these scenese from?


    Who is that boy?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 157

    My Mute Bride Chapter 157


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± As soon as Jennifer saw Rachel¡¯s pained appearance, she


    hurriedly went forward.


    Rachel felt as if something was about to burst out of her brain as she frantically gripped her forehead,


    but she failed to suppress the pain. As she let out a cry of pain, she fell to the floor.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton!¡± Jennifer¡¯s face paled with fear.


    The colorful world suddenly turned ck and white as time wildly receded to that scene in the isted


    mountainous area more than twenty years ago, where birds and animals fluttered among the


    mountains and


    forests¡­


    The dream that had been with her for more than twenty years was gradually bing clearer at this


    moment. At this moment, the gentle silhouette that had its back to her for twenty years slowly turned


    around.


    The woman¡¯s long hair hung over her shoulder as she revealed a warm smile and dimples on her


    cheeks. ¡°Katie, didn¡¯t I ask you to stay at home with Grandma? Why are you following me up the


    mountain again?¡±


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s too boring at home, so I wanted to follow you up the mountain to collect herbs.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fall down. Come and hold my hand.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Do you like collecting herbs?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, I will teach you a song about herb-picking, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Poria seeds, peony flowers, forsythia, dahurica, mixed with red sand¡­¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips vibrated. Despite the inability to make a sound, the memory of those children¡¯s songs


    suddenly became iparably clear to her with the name of each herb echoing in her ears.


    ¡°Mom, are we not going to pick herbs today?¡±


    ¡°Katie, we have guests at home. I have something to tell this man, so head out and y for a while.


    Grandma is at the back of the mountain, so go and find her, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The memories of that day also instantly came flooding back as it invaded her whole brain. She


    remembered what her mother looked like, how she became a mute, the man with the scar on his


    forehead, and the fire in Somerset Mountain that had started in the thatched hut she lived in!


    ¡°Doctor, take a look at what¡¯s wrong with Mrs. Burton.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s first help her to bed.¡±


    Rachely on the bed as she stared at the ceiling in a daze. The doctors and nurses stood around the


    bed, shining shlights into her eyes and talking to her, but she could only see their mouths moving as


    she heard nothing. Her ears were filled with buzzing sounds that were interspersed with the childhood


    she had forgotten for more than twenty years.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with her. She¡¯s just overstimted.¡±


    ¡°What is that thing in her hand?¡± Someone spoke up, causing Rachel to snap out of it. She jerked up


    her hand to shield the item in her hands and looked warily at the nurse who came to take it away. The


    nurse was startled and turned her head to look at the doctor.


    The doctor asked, ¡°Mrs. Burton, are you okay?¡±


    Rachel looked at the doctor in a daze and finally responded. I¡¯m fine; you all should leave.


    The doctors and nurses looked at each other.


    Jennifer, you should also go.


    Soon, Rachel was left alone in the ward. The information sheet in her hands was already crumpled by


    her tight grip. She never thought that she would remember the events of twenty years ago in such a


    situation. In her ears were the words of her grandmother, who once said, Memories will never


    disappear; you will get them back one day.


    She finally remembered the children¡¯s song her mother taught her, the origin of the Somerset Mountain


    fire, and the guy who was hidden in the cer. She remembered it all!


    Justin was that guy back then!


    Jennifer!


    Rachel got out of bed and went to call for Jennifer.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jennifer was keeping guard at the door.


    Give me the phone.


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, um¡­¡±


    I need to contact Justin.


    Jennifer has a difficult look. ¡°Mrs. Burton, Mr. Burton said that you are not allowed to contact the


    outside world. How about this? If you have anything to tell him, I will call him and pass on the


    message.¡±


    Rachel frowned and looked anxious. Just tell him that I have something to say to him and it¡¯s extremely


    important


    ¡°Okay.¡± Jennifer dialed the number in front of Rachel.


    ¡°Hello? Mr. Burton, it¡¯s me. Mrs. Burton is asking when you¡¯reing back as she has something to


    say to you.¡±


    The phone was on speaker and Justin¡¯s voice came from the other end. ¡°I¡¯m busy with something right


    now. It can wait until Ie back.¡±


    ¡°So, when will you be back?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± After those three words were spoken, he hung up while a busy tone echoed in the ward.


    Rachel was stunned for a moment and sat down on the couch in disappointment. Jenniferforted,


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, it¡¯s okay. He wille over when he¡¯s done. If you have something really important, I can


    ry it on your behalf.¡±


    No need. I¡¯ll just wait for him toe back.


    Rachel shook her head, a little lost in thought. This time, when she calmed down and looked at the


    information sheet in her hand, she suddenly felt as if she was in a trance. The great tion she had felt


    earlier was washed away by twenty years of time and all of it suddenly felt worthless.


    Indeed, she had saved Justin before, but, so what? He had considered her his foe for so long and had


    tortured her all this while. Besides, the origin of that fire still came from the Hudson Family, so it was


    not clear who saved who and who was in debt to who.


    Justin was at the charity event with many reporters on the scene at this time. Amber was dressed


    elegantly as a representative of the Hudson Foundation and she had also prepared a speech to speak


    in the spotlight. When the interview was over, she immediately went backstage.


    ¡°Justin,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you wait for me for so long.¡±


    Justin, who wore a ck suit, did not look impatient, but he only asked, ¡°Where is Katherine?¡±


    ¡°Katherine just called me and said that something happened at the Summend Orphanage and she


    had to rush over there to deal with it. She has asked the finance department to allocate the donation


    money for the foundation to me.¡±


    ¡°She is now in Summend?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Amber was slightly startled. As she nced at the time, shemented, ¡°We¡¯ll arrive there


    after dark if we go now and we won¡¯t be able to return tonight. Don¡¯t you have matters to attend to


    tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Right now.¡± Justin was determined in his reply. Turning his head, he ordered Frankie, ¡°All of


    tomorrow¡¯s schedule will be canceled. Prepare the car and we¡¯ll head to Summend.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Amber was stunned.


    In the night, the ck car sped along the highway. Summend was a four-hour drive from Riverdale


    and the car didn¡¯t stop on the way at all. When the car was finally off the highway, it went straight to the


    orphanage at the foot of Summend Mountain.


    After Amber exited the car, she walked in with Justin while saying, ¡°Katherine graduated from a


    religious college abroad. She has been working for charity organizations that help women and children


    ever since she graduated.¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t say anything until he entered the courtyard and saw a group of children surrounding a


    woman from afar.


    ¡°Miss Katie, look at what I drew.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Look at what I drew first!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, one by one!¡±


    Amber waved her hand toward the distance and shouted, ¡°Katie!¡±


    Under the dim light, the woman straightened her posture and she looked in their direction. Wearing a


    white sweater, she had a clean and gentle face that initially showed doubt. Then, when she saw them,


    she immediately smiled.


    Upon seeing that, Justin¡¯s eyes stared at her in astonishment. Her pair of eyes was exactly as what he


    remembered from his memory.


    It was her.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 158

    My Mute Bride Chapter 158


    Rachel had waited for a week at the hospital, but Justin never came. ¡°Mrs. Burton, the discharge


    procedures are all done, so let¡¯s go.¡±


    Jennifer came over with Rachel¡¯s bag to help Rachel, who waved her hand.


    I can walk by myself.


    Back at the vi in the southern Suburbs, there were two bodyguards guarding the door like usual; it


    felt like they were guarding a prisoner with three shifts among six of them.


    Jennifer closed the door andforted, ¡°Mrs. Burton, don¡¯t mind them. Mr. Burton is also worried about


    your safety, after all, there was an ident here before, and that,¡±


    Before she finished her sentence, she knew she had spoken too much. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Burton, for


    talking about something so sad.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for those people barging in at that time, Rachel wouldn¡¯t have lost her baby. Herplexion


    was bleak as she barely smiled at Jennifer.


    It¡¯s nothing. Justin hasn¡¯t returned from his business trip yet?


    ¡°Um, I¡¯ll make a phone call and ask. You can rest for a while.¡±


    Jennifer left with the phone while Rachel sat on the couch and took some newspapers from the coffee


    table. The vi in the southern Suburbs had not been inhabited for quite some time, which resulted in


    the newspapers umting on the coffee table during this period. Nevertheless, the one at the top


    was thetest edition.


    Rachel flipped through it and she was attracted by the front-page headline of the financial page.


    President of Burton Group and Fianc¨¦e Set Up Charity Foundation to Help Lost Children.


    The photo on the page showed Justin and Amber arm in arm as they smiled slightly at the reporters.


    They lookedpatible together and the content of the interview was even more suggestive.


    ¡®It is reported that when this charity foundation was established, Justin personally donated 100 million


    for start-up capital as an engagement gift to his fianc¨¦e¡­


    Rachel put down the newspaper and turned over to the older newspapers of the previous days. It was


    only then that she realized that all the news since half a month ago were on these, and that the entire


    Riverdale had known about the charity foundation he founded for Amber. While looking at the picture of


    the man and woman standing side by side in the newspaper, Rachel¡¯s hand holding the newspaper


    trembled slightly. This is what Justin meant when he said that he was busy with a business trip abroad?


    ¡°Mrs. Burton, Mr. Burton said earlier on the phone that things are almost done and he wille back


    tonight.¡± Jennifer came in from outside with great enthusiasm.


    Rachel, however, was no longer in the living room. A slight clicking sound of the door closing came


    from the bedroom and it echoed in the house.


    When Jennifer fell asleepte at night, Rachel went to the backyard. The cold wind made her cheeks


    freeze, and justing out of the house made her wince. She couldn¡¯t help but wrap her jacket tighter


    around her arms. After looking for a corner where the wind could not reach and making sure there was


    no one around, she took the information sheets out of her pockets. Then, she took out a lighter and lit a


    piece of it. Finally, she put the pile of information she brought into the fire one by one.


    The past was meaningless, at least in today¡¯s situation where things already came to this point. If she


    revealed the truth, it would cause both she and Justin to be awkward. She could not ept that the


    boy she saved before murdered Hans and her grandmother. Justin probably would not ept that she,


    whom he had taken extreme revenge on, was the Katie for which he avenged. So, the past could never


    be mentioned.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± A cold voice suddenly came from behind her. The man¡¯s rapid footsteps had


    already


    arrived before Rachel could react. Thus, she hurriedly threw all the remaining sheets into the fire. The


    fire quickly rose high, but Justin quickly grabbed two sheets from the inferno. Although she wanted to


    snatch it from him, it was toote.


    He suspiciously looked at her before he read the scraps of papers in his hands. Then, his expression


    changed abruptly. ¡°You want to leave the country?¡±


    Rachel was stunned; she looked at the scraps in his hand in astonishment.


    Surprisingly, it was the information that Julian had given for her visa to leave the country, but she had


    not paid attention to it and instead burned it together with those that Janice had given her. Therefore,


    she hurriedly shook her head.


    As he grabbed her wrist, Justin questioned amidst her cries, ¡°Are you afraid that I would find out, which


    is why you are burning all these? I thought you have been obedient and quiet these days, but you¡¯ve


    been doing this behind my back!¡±


    No!


    Rachel looked at the wall and realized that the fire had quickly burned all her identification, causing all


    the evidence to turn into soot. As the wind blew and scattered the fragments everywhere, she knew


    that she had no way to prove herself.


    ¡°No? Then, why did you burn it?¡± Justin suddenly raised his voice and the anger in his eyes was


    palpable. ¡°Have you gone through all the process? When do you n to leave?¡±


    She shook her head desperately, but Justin shouted furiously, ¡°Say it, when do you n to leave?¡±


    I swear it¡¯s not that!


    Even though Julian said he wanted to take her abroad, she didn¡¯t even think about really leaving with


    him. Why couldn¡¯t Justin trust her for once?


    Justin ignored Rachel¡¯s struggle as he forcibly dragged her into the bedroom. ¡°Say, who did all this for


    you? Where do you n to run to?¡±


    Rachel was pinned against the wall and her eyes were red. Other than shaking her head and denying


    it, there was nothing else she could say. At this moment, the scar on Justin¡¯s face became


    iparably hideous while her vision also gradually blurred. The man in front of her gradually


    ovepped with the friend she made as a child before the few memories of her childhood became


    unmistakably clear in her mind. How was she going to tell him that they had already met long ago? Did


    she want to say it in such an awkward situation right now? No, she did not want to.


    Tears instantly swam down her cheeks. However, he thought she was upset because he had


    discovered her intention to leave the country, so he was consumed with rage. ¡°Do you really wish to run


    off?¡±


    Then, he identally tore open her cor, revealing arge area of skin on her shoulder. Her face


    turned pale as she struggled to push him away. Let go of me!


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    As he watched her frightened gaze, Justin clearly felt her resistance too. His expression fell once again


    and he asked, ¡°Who are you trying to keep your body for?¡±


    Rachel was taken aback, but before she could react, she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head.


    Then, her whole body was ruthlessly pushed down on the bed. The moment that Justin tore away her


    clothes, she roughly signaled, Ahhh¡­


    The sense of humiliation rushed through her blood. She didn¡¯t want this! No!


    Twenty years ago, the boy had pulled her through the fire and told her not to fall asleep as they would


    definitely get out alive. Yet, how did he be what he was now? That was one of the few warm


    memories of her childhood, even as warm as Hans. Even if the memory was dusty and only


    remembered for a moment,


    she still felt that because Justin was there, that deserted forest area had be illuminated by the


    sun. How could he be like this?


    ¡°Rachel, I¡¯m telling you that now that you have be my woman, you will not be able to run away in


    this life!¡±


    The fabric was ripped open in the air with a loud sound before a cool breeze drifted in through the


    window. Rachel shivered for a moment, and in the next second, she was held down by his weight


    without any ability to resist except for a hoarse cry. Ahhh!


    In that instant, disappointment washed over her. The flow of her tears could not be stopped and she


    desperately wanted to open her mouth to tell him everything -even if it was embarrassing for the both of


    them in order to stop all the humiliation at this moment, but it was all toote.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 159

    My Mute Bride Chapter 159


    The window was left open, allowing the breeze to blow through the curtains. The cool wind brushed


    against Rachel and it jolted her awake from her nightmare. When she looked beside her, there was no


    one to be found.


    Justin was long gone and he left nothing but destruction behind. It didn¡¯t take long for Rachel to wake


    uppletely but that only brought her a new round of suffering. The insults he hurled at her and what


    happened in the brutal night cut away at her soul like invisible knives. At that thought, she gripped the


    nket tightly and cried into her pillow.


    Frankie handed the document to Justin the first thing in the morning. ¡°Here¡¯s the information you


    wanted, President Burton. Dr. Peters is nning to study abroad and he wants to take a family member


    with him as well. He applied for the spot too.¡±


    He ns to do what? When Justin saw who Julian wanted to bring with him, his face fell and he hurled


    the whole file into the trash can.


    Upon hearing the crash, Frankie shivered in fear and he said nothing. Justin then ordered, ¡°Go to


    Julian¡¯s ce and take her passport.¡±


    ¡°Sir, how do you know that he has Mrs. Burton¡¯s passport?¡±


    ¡°Where else can it be?¡± Justin roared as he clenched his fists. How dare he try to take her away without


    my permission? He has stepped out of line! Out loud, he said, ¡°Frankie, I need you to do one more


    thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, President Burton.¡±


    And so, Justin told him what Frankie needed to do.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    It was the Hudson Foundation¡¯s opening ceremony the next day and the event was held at Riverdale¡¯s


    Hotel tinum. After the event ended, Frankie came over in a hurry and reported, ¡°President Burton,


    Dr. Peters has barged into your home.¡±


    Justin, on the other hand, buttoned his coat calmly and murmured, ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look then.¡±


    Meanwhile at the vi in Southwind, Julian was injured and being held by two bodyguards. ¡°Let me go,


    you b*stards!¡± he yelled. ¡°I¡¯m calling the cops!¡±


    Justin came just in time to hear that. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t havee over yourself if you thought the cops


    could help.¡±


    The moment Julian saw Justin, he struggled furiously and roared, ¡°Justin Burton!¡±


    However, the bodyguards held his arms down firmly. Upon seeing that, Justin raised his hand. ¡°Let him


    go.¡±


    The bodyguards let Julian go but thetter couldn¡¯t even lift his arms. ¡°Give me my stuff back!¡± he


    shouted at Justin.


    ¡°Your stuff?¡± Justin looked at him mockingly. ¡°It¡¯s your fault you lost your stuff. Why are you making a


    ruckus here? And call me Justin.¡±


    ¡°You sent someone to break into my ce, took Rachel¡¯s and my passports away, and now you¡¯re


    denying it?¡± Julian was usually a mild-mannered person but Justin managed to rile him up. The former


    was going overseas soon, so he wanted to help Rachel out. Truth was, he had been keeping Rachel¡¯s


    passport with him so she could leave Riverdale anytime she wanted, but now Justin had crushed that


    n too.


    ¡°Your passport, huh?¡± Justin took a red passport out and handed it to Julian. ¡°I was just about to bring


    this up. My employee took yours by ident. Was about to give it back to you. Don¡¯t want to mess up


    your n to


    study overseas or your mother¡¯s going to yell at me.¡±


    Julian snatched it from him. After he took a look to confirm it was his, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Rachel¡¯s?¡±


    However, Justin merely looked at him coldly. ¡°What does her passport have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°Wake up, Justin! Do you really want to lock her up in Riverdale for life? For what? Just so you can


    keep her as a mere mistress? That¡¯s an insult to her! What did she do to deserve this?¡±


    ¡°On her own? Nothing.¡± Justin countered. ¡°It¡¯s just a series of unfortunate events, really. She¡¯s born to


    the Hudsons and her father gave her to me as a present, so you have no right to criticize me.¡±


    ¡°What if she¡¯s the one who saved your life?¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression changed as he questioned, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Meanwhile, Julian was shivering angrily but he held his fury down and gritted his teeth. ¡°A girl saved


    you after


    you were abducted back then, right? That girl is none other than Rachel!¡±


    All of a sudden, Justin gripped Julian¡¯s cor. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Rachel¡¯s the girl who saved you twenty years ago. You thought she was dead but in fact, she isn¡¯t.


    Jefferey took her back so that¡¯s why you couldn¡¯t find her, at least until now. But I guess you¡¯re mad


    enough to torture the one who saved your *ss, huh?¡±


    Justin couldn¡¯t believe what Julian was saying and the former was petrified for a long while. When he


    snapped out of it, he shoved Julian away and roared, ¡°You¡¯re the mad one here!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    Justin, however, only answered coldly, ¡°You just made that up to save her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth. Janice gave Rachel all the info on Somerset Mountain. You can take a look if you still


    aren¡¯t convinced.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me that you have proof?¡±


    ¡°Obviously. Why do you think I know all about that story? Let¡¯s meet up with Rachel. I¡¯ll get her to tell


    you who she really is.¡±


    Suddenly, Justin looked up at the second floor. Someone had been standing behind the curtains ever


    since he came back. He still didn¡¯t believe Julian fully but in the end, he took thetter into the vi with


    him.


    On the other hand, Rachel quickly came downstairs and she paled when she saw the injuries on


    Julian¡¯s face. Are you alright, Dr. Peters? She gave him an apologetic look.


    Julian shook his head. ¡°Where¡¯s the file I gave youst time? I need it.¡±


    Rachel froze before shaking her head.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told him, huh? I knew it. I told him you¡¯re the one who saved him. Now I just need the file


    to prove


    Rachel was still shaking her head. I burned the file.


    ¡°You burned it?¡± All the color drained from Julian¡¯s face and he held Rachel by her shoulders. ¡°Why did


    you burn it? Do you know what you¡¯ve done?¡± That¡¯s the only evidence Janice managed to scrape up.


    If Rachel burned it, there¡¯s no way anyone can prove that she¡¯s Katie.


    Justin looked at them coldly. ¡°Had enough?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying, Justin!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Justin barked. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of your lies! Did you forget I told you everything about Katie,


    woman? I¡¯ve seen through your lies.¡±


    ¡°Because Rachel forgot about it!¡± Julian exined. ¡°Rachel, tell him!¡±


    Rachel teared up but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything.


    Meanwhile, Justin pped mirthlessly. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t found Katie, I would have been fooled by the both of


    you.¡±


    Rachel was stunned to hear that. What do you mean you found Katie?


    ¡°A month ago, I found the one who saved me. You¡¯re toote, it seems.¡± Justin looked at them icily. At


    this point, if looks could freeze, the whole vi would have been turned into ice.


    Rachel tried to force a smile but she couldn¡¯t. That¡¯s absurd! She never wanted to talk about her past,


    but someone just came along and filled the hole she left. To make things worse, Justin believed it like


    the idiot he was.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 160

    My Mute Bride Chapter 160


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d believe such an obvious lie?¡± Justin shouted, his voice echoing throughout the


    hall.


    ¡°You¡¯d rather believe a stranger over your own family?¡±


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re my family doesn¡¯t mean you won¡¯t lie.¡±


    Julian couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°Tell him what Janice gave you, Rachel.¡± The evidence


    would prove what Julian said was the truth whether Justin liked it or not, or so Julian thought.


    Meanwhile, Rachel had been standing there silently for a while. Since she was mute, she never had a


    big presence whenever it came to groups. Even though there were only the three of them, she was little


    more than invisible among them. Contrary to Julian¡¯s anger, Rachel looked calm. Since Justin said he


    found Katie, she didn¡¯t want to exin anything anymore, even though she didn¡¯t know who that ¡®Katie¡¯


    was or how she managed to impersonate her. Simply put, there was no point exining anything to


    someone who never believed her. Thank you, Dr. Peters, but you don¡¯t have toe up with these


    excuses.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Rachel?¡± Julian stared at her in disbelief. ¡°I thought you got Janice¡¯s package.¡±


    Well, he says he¡¯s found Katie and obviously, it¡¯s not me. Rachel then made some simple gestures, but


    it felt heavy when she put her hand down.


    Justin nced at her and a sliver of suspicion rose within him.


    Julian clenched his fists. He had been holding his fury back for almost a year now, but it finally erupted


    at that point and he hurled a punch at Justin. ¡°Why won¡¯t you believe her?¡±


    The punch caught Justin by surprise and it hit him right in the face. The impact sent him staggering


    backward, toppling a chair on his way. Rache gasped but she couldn¡¯t stop them in time.


    Even though Justin was caught by surprise the first time, he managed tounch a kick when Julian


    tried to attack him again as he was much more agile than the other. In the end, they got tangled in a


    brawl.


    Panicked, Rachel waved at the bodyguards outside. The bodyguards realized something was up, so


    they charged inside and pinned Julian down. Rachel tried to pull the bodyguards away but she was


    shoved off instead


    ¡°Rachel!¡± Julian couldn¡¯t move an inch since he was pinned against the floor. ¡°Justin, you¡¯re going to


    regret this one day!¡± he roared.


    Meanwhile, Justin pushed himself up with the sofa and wiped the blood that was trickling down his


    mouth. ¡°I never regret anything. And it¡¯s gettingte. Your mother¡¯s going to be worried if you aren¡¯t


    home yet.¡± Justin


    nced at his bodyguards coldly. They got what he was trying to say, so they dragged Julian out.


    ¡°Let me go! I can walk by myself!¡± The bodyguards wouldn¡¯t go too far since Julian was Jusitn¡¯s cousin,


    after all. Thanks to that, Julian broke free of their grasp easily. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this, Justin Burton!¡± he


    shouted as he straightened himself out.


    A short whileter, Julian revved up his car and drove away into the night, but he stopped by the


    roadside when he was out of sight. After that, he slowly unraveled the slip of paper in his palm. It was


    drenched with sweat but he could make the message out clearly. ¡®Take me away!


    Rachel had slipped that into his hand when she helped him up earlier. A grim determination rose within


    Julian and he gripped the slip tightly.


    Meanwhile, the servants sorted out the toppled furniture and cleared away the ss shards on the


    floor. It was then that Rachel got up weakly, her face pale.


    Upon seeing that, Justin asked, ¡°Do you have anything to say for yourself?¡± Deep down, he thought to


    himself, How dare she lie about Katie? How dare she get Julian involved in this?


    I¡¯ve said everything I should. Dr. Peters was just helping me.


    ¡°He¡¯s helping you? By making that kind of story up? And how did he find out about Katie?¡±


    Rachel froze at that question.


    Justin inched closer to her. ¡°Did you tell him everything I told you? My, you do get along well with him.¡±


    Rachel took an involuntary step back, but he held her wrist before she could retreat.


    ¡°I know the kind of man Julian is. He is weak but stubborn. He¡¯ll never give up until he takes you away


    with him, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    What little color Rachel had drained from her face and she shook her head.


    ¡°Guards,¡± Justin said coldly.


    The bodyguards who sent Julian off quickly came back. ¡°President Burton.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Burton wants a change of bedroom.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing, but the stab of pain that came from her wrist stopped


    her train of thought. ¡°You seem ufortable here. I think a quiet ce suits you better.¡± Justin had a


    terrifyingly dark look on his face.


    It was alreadyte at night but Amber was still on the balcony, talking to someone on the phone. ¡°Don¡¯t


    come back if you can help it. You¡¯ll get busted if you see him too much.¡±


    A woman answered, ¡°I get it. When are you going to send me the rest of the money?¡±


    ¡°Rx. You¡¯ll get it, but not now.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Justin is a paranoid man. I don¡¯t think he trusts youpletely just yet. He¡¯ll use everything he has to


    verify your identity. You¡¯ll get exposed if he finds out I gave you money.¡±


    ¡°What a drag!¡±


    ¡°A drag?¡± Amber sneered. ¡°You¡¯re not the victim here, so stop it. If he believes that you¡¯re the one who


    saved him, you can get anything you want in the world. The money I owe you? That¡¯s gonna be pocket


    change. Even I have to bow to you then.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel me out. I know what I have to do. You did hire me for this, after all.¡±


    Suddenly, Amber nced from the corner of her eye and saw someoneing in. ¡°I see. Catch you


    later then.¡± She ended the call and came in from the balcony. ¡°It¡¯ste, Dad. Why are you still up?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± Jefferey stood with one hand behind his back. ¡°Who was that?¡± He asked as he


    stared at Amber


    ¡°Just a friend.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say anything about the furore between you and Justin?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Dad, you wanted me to handle the foundation. Why are you doubting me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doubting you. Just worried you might drag some unrted people into this.¡± Jefferey¡¯s face fell.


    ¡°I heard Justin adopted a girl you rmended as his sister.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not his sister. Just a partner for the foundation,¡± Amber answered calmly. ¡°Justin and I don¡¯t


    have time to handle the foundation, so we need a professional for that. That¡¯s why I got my friend to do


    it.¡±


    ¡°Is that really all?¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at, Dad?¡± Amber then held Jefferey¡¯s hand and started acting spoiled. ¡°You¡¯re


    getting stricter on me, Dad. I know you don¡¯t want me to marry Justin, but Rachel is a lost cause now.


    I¡¯m just doing this for thepany. How could you doubt me? I¡¯m your daughter, you know. I won¡¯t


    harm you.¡±


    It was only then that Jefferey finally cheered up a little. ¡°I¡¯m not doubting you. I just don¡¯t want you to be


    too rash about this. You must not make a fuss out of Rachel¡¯s incident.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 161

    My Mute Bride Chapter 161


    ¡°Rachel¡¯s incident isplex but I¡¯m not getting rid of her just yet,¡± Jefferey answered in a faraway


    tone, but it sounded more like he was talking to himself. ¡°She¡¯s important to thepany¡¯s survival. I


    wouldn¡¯t have kept her around otherwise.


    Amber¡¯s heart sank. After her father had gone out, she sat on the edge of her bed and gulped a ss


    of water. She was a spoiled girl, so that was the first time she ever heard her father talking about


    Rachel in such


    a high regard. But instead of listening to him, she got jealous. Really? Important to thepany? Why?


    Riverdale¡¯s winter was hauntingly beautiful and it was as if life itself seemed to have gone into a


    slumber. Not a soul was stirring, at least not on the surface. In a tailor shop within the old area, Janice


    pulled the curtains back slightly and rubbed her freezing hands. Ever since she was suspended, she


    had been helping her grandfather with his tailor business.


    ¡°Did you find her?¡± Julian quickly stood up. It had been two months since he got that slip from Rachel.


    However, Janice shook her head. ¡°No. Not even a clue.¡±


    ¡°How did this happen? She can¡¯t have disappeared into thin air!¡± Julian was starting to panic. ¡°It¡¯s been


    two months. This can¡¯t go on any longer. I¡¯m going to ask him where he¡¯s hiding her.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll tell you?¡± Janice countered with a serious look. ¡°No news is good news. Perhaps the


    best news.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re just gonna do nothing but wait?¡± Julian was already getting ready to take Rachel overseas


    with him when he got that slip two months ago but when he went to see her the next day, there was


    nobody left in the


    vi, save for Jennifer. That being said, Jennifer knew nothing about Rachel¡¯s disappearance as well.


    After that, he turned to Janice, thinking that she could at least find some clue.


    ¡°Justin is a cautious man. We won¡¯t find her that easily now that he has hid her away. And he knows


    I¡¯m Rachel¡¯s friend, so he¡¯s going to be doubly on guard.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Julian asked, ¡°What should we do then? He¡¯s going to kill Rachel at this rate.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s your cousin. You should know him better than I do. Since he¡¯s hiding her, that means he¡¯s not


    trying to kill her. My guess is¡­¡±


    ¡°What? What is it?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s worried that you might take her away.¡±


    Julian paled and he plopped back down on the chair. ¡°Great! Now I feel like punching myself. I should


    have been more careful and shouldn¡¯t have let him know I was taking her overseas.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up. We¡¯re not out of options just yet.¡±


    ¡°What else can we do?¡±


    ¡°Since he locked her up, he¡¯ll be seeing her for sure. We can¡¯t get a hold on him, but someone can.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Gloria.¡±


    Julian paused for a moment. Oh-yeah! Justin trusts Gloria the most. He¡¯ll be on his guard, but not when


    ites to her.


    The bell chimed at midnight, announcing the arrival of Springfest. The feeling of festivity rose with each


    chime, eventually reaching a fever pitch. Although Springfest was here, someone wasn¡¯t in a


    celebratory mood. She was locked in a ustrophobic room with nothing but a bed, a simple desk, and


    a TV. It was airing


    a Springfest program, though the show wasing to a close.


    At the same time, the fireworks disy was already starting. Rachel looked outside the window,


    immersing herself in the shy disy for a moment. Then she held the chair and stood up, revealing


    her slightly rounded belly. Indeed, she was already four months pregnant.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    She only found out about it after Justin locked her in here. Since then, he told everyone to move


    everything out so she couldn¡¯t kill the baby easily. Even the window was locked from outside, leaving


    just a small crack. It was through that crack Rachel saw the fireworks going up in the city center.


    She touched the ss window, blinking at the blooming fireworks. Her eyes were shining a little but


    when she heard someone opening the door, the light died out.


    The one who came in was none other than Justin. However, he was surprised to see Rachel standing


    before the window.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be off then, President Burton. I¡¯ll be here tomorrow morning,¡± Frankie told Justin, snapping thetter


    out of


    Justin nodded and took the thermos lunch box from Frankie.


    The door was then locked but it wasn¡¯t the end. Rachel heard the sound of a chain rattling as it passed


    through the handle. Justin wasn¡¯t satisfied with a smart lock, so he had to double up the security by


    adding a chain. It locked him in as well, but he felt more secure that way.


    Rachel looked at the door and sneered at him. Why did you lock yourself in here too? You can¡¯t get out


    in time if something were to happen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Justin said. He then opened the thermos lunch box and murmured in a shockingly gentle


    tone, ¡°You should eat something.¡±


    Rachel put a hand on her lower back as she went over to the desk, but she was shocked to see what


    was inside the lunch box-pierogies.


    ¡°Pierogies are perfect for Springfest Eve. Gloria said you like leek and egg pierogies, so I got the


    restaurant to make this.¡± Justin set up the te and poured some vinegar into it before handing a pair


    of chopsticks to her.


    Pierogies always reminded Rachel of herte grandmother. Her grandmother loved to make her leek


    and egg pierogies back when she was still alive. They tasted different with or without the vinegar. I


    don¡¯t feel like eating.


    A frown creased Justin¡¯s forehead. He picked up a pierogi, dipped it in vinegar and tried to feed her.


    ¡°Here, have a bite.¡±


    However, she turned away.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to eat, the baby has to.¡±


    I never wanted this child.


    Justin¡¯s face fell. A momentter, he gripped her face harshly. ¡°Say that again.¡±


    At this point, there was nothing but pure, unadulterated iciness on Rachel¡¯s face. Not a day had gone


    by without misery after she found out she was pregnant. She struggled toe to terms after her first


    miscarriage, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to love the child she was bearing this time.


    She was like a bird locked in a cage being fed by her owner. Her freedom was snatched away from her


    and she had lost the most basic dignity of what it means to be human, all because Justin wanted his


    child toe to this world.


    Justin then gripped her face even more tightly, warning her, ¡°Do you really think I can¡¯t threaten you


    anymore? You think you can do anything you want now? I¡¯ll have you know that thug who follows you


    around is searching for you everywhere. He even tailed me today.¡±


    Rachel froze up when she thought of Victor. What did you do to him?


    Justin let her go and tried to feed her the pierogi again. ¡°Open your mouth.¡±


    Rachel bit her lip as tightly as she could, ring at Justin. She wanted to refuse but in the end, she


    opened her mouth and let him feed her. However, the pierogi tasted bitter, like despair and sadness.


    It had been two months. Two whole months of suffering.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 162

    My Mute Bride Chapter 162


    Rachel covered her mouth after having some pierogies.


    ¡°What is it? Are you going to puke?¡± Justin put the chopsticks down and looked at her suspiciously.


    After a hard battle, Rachel finally held her nausea down. That was the worst morning sickness she ever


    had. The doctor had evene to check on her twice. There were a lot of machines and the checkup


    was thorough, but they found nothing wrong with the child.


    ¡°Better?¡± Justin asked as she patted her back.


    Rachel nodded, but a dark me rose within her eyes and something shed within them.


    Justin suddenly gasped in pain and flung her away. As he staggered backward, he stared at his


    abdomen in disbelief. A sharp ss shard was embedded in his belly and his shirt was fast being


    drenched in crimson.


    Quickly, Rachel stood up and using the chair as support, she stood behind the table.


    Justin held the ss shard that was embedded in his belly and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Where did


    you get this?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel looked at the restroom. She shattered the mirror in there during theirst


    argument and hid a shard before the janitor could clear it away. Since then, she had sharpened the


    shard, finally putting it to good use today.


    Waves of pain started coursing through Justin and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. His steps


    were


    getting weak as more blood flowed out of his wound. ¡°Do you really want me to die so badly?¡±


    Rachel took a few steps back, keeping a safe distance between them.


    Her indifference stoked Justin¡¯s mes of fury, for a wounded pride was more unbearable to him than a


    wound on his body. ¡°You think you can get away after you kill me? That¡¯s not going to happen so


    easily.¡±


    He tried to approach her but everything around him started spinning, and he slowly slid down along the


    chair¡¯s side. Before he lost consciousness, however, he growled, ¡°Rachel Hudson!¡±


    As for the woman in question, she quickly banged on the door after Justin lost consciousness.


    Eventually, the window on the door slid open. ¡°Mrs. Burton? Do you need anything?¡±


    Rachel quickly made some gestures but the guard didn¡¯t know what she was getting at. In the end, she


    retreated to the side and pointed at the carpet.


    ¡°President Burton!¡± the bodyguard gasped. A momentter, the chains started rattling.


    When Justin woke up, he realized he was in the hospital. In the end, he had to get eight stitches to his


    wound


    and it was now heavily bandaged.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, President Burton,¡± Frankie murmured as he sat beside the bed.


    Justin sat up the moment he regained consciousness. The pain was throbbing, but he ignored it and


    grabbed Frankie. ¡°Where¡¯s Rachel?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t move! It will only reopen your wound.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Rachel? Did she escape?¡± Justin¡¯s fury red. ¡°Search for her! Don¡¯t just stand there! I¡¯m


    perfectly fine!¡±


    Frankie froze up in fear. ¡°Mrs. Burton didn¡¯t run away. She¡¯s still there, so please don¡¯t worry.¡±


    This time, it was Justin¡¯s turn to be surprised. ¡°She didn¡¯t escape?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s the one who told the guard to take you here while she stayed behind. The guard didn¡¯t


    even lock the room in the heat of the moment. He was worried Mrs. Burton might run away, but she


    was still there when he got back.¡± Frankie then helped Justin down on the bed. ¡°What happened,


    President Burton?¡± he asked carefully.


    The question didn¡¯t reach Justin, for he was deep in thought. She went a long way to stab me. That


    was the perfect chance for her to escape, so why didn¡¯t she? Why did she do that?


    Then, someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Miss Hochmann¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°Justin!¡±


    Gloria called out to him, snapping him out of it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going then, President Burton. Have a speedy recovery.¡± Frankie announced, to which Justin


    hummed in response.


    Meanwhile, Gloria put her bag down in a hurry. ¡°I came as soon as I heard the news. What happened?


    Did you


    get robbed or something?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I tripped,¡± Justin answered calmly.


    ¡°And conveniently got eight stitches? I¡¯ve asked the doctor, you know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Justin looked at her. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you for a while. Where were you? Had a lot


    of fun, huh?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Gloria was annoyed and she countered, ¡°That¡¯s my line. You were gone for months.


    What have you been up to? Nothing illegal, I hope. Couldn¡¯t even see you when I want to.¡±


    Justin smiled, but that tore on his wound and he gasped.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± A worried look painted Gloria¡¯s face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine and I didn¡¯t do anything illegal. How¡¯s the new piano?¡±


    ¡°Meh. My old one¡¯s better.¡± Gloria frowned. ¡°Oh-that reminds me. I sent someone to take my piano from


    the Southwind vi a couple of days ago. Didn¡¯t see Miss Rachel there. Miss Jennifer said she¡¯s been


    gone for two months. What happened?¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t been too well, so she¡¯s recuperating somewhere.¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Where, exactly?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask. The fewer people who know, the better. It¡¯s for her own good.


    Gloria was about to ask again but Justin stopped her by saying, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m retiring for the night. Just


    go home. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    And so, Gloria had no choice but to oblige. After she left the hospital, she hailed a cab at the exit. ¡°Take


    me to the old district please.¡±


    Janice was still in the tailor shop, making tea.


    Gloria told them about what happened in the hospital after she came in. ¡°I managed to swipe this.¡±


    She whipped out an X-ray image and Julian looked at it. ¡°This wound isn¡¯t caused by a knife. It¡¯s deep


    and the edges are irregr. It looks like¡­ a ss shard.¡±


    ¡°Bingo.¡± Gloria took a stic bag out of her pocket. ¡°And it¡¯s right here, but I got nothing else. I asked


    him where he¡¯s hiding her but he won¡¯t even tell me. Guess he doesn¡¯t trust me too.¡±


    Janice then poured her a cup of tea. ¡°Calm down. When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Last night.¡±


    ¡°Then Rachel¡¯s probably the one who did this.¡±


    A frown creased Janice¡¯s forehead and she mused, ¡°Why did she stab him though?¡±


    Julian answered, ¡°Maybe she wanted to escape.¡±


    ¡°Not quite right. Justin¡¯s not the only one keeping an eye on her, I¡¯m sure about that. There are other


    guards there, so stabbing him won¡¯t make a difference.¡± Janice looked at the stic bag. ¡°You said this


    is the ss shard, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gloria nodded. ¡°I got it from the discarded items like you asked me to, but how is this helpful?¡±


    Janice took the ss shard out and washed the blood off it. ¡°Come here.¡± She beckoned them.


    Julian and Gloria huddled around her. After the blood was washed away, they could see a scratch on it,


    though it was minuscule. As if worried someone might notice it, the scratches looked like they were


    made nonchntly, though they could vaguely make a word out of it.


    ¡°River?¡± Janice looked at it for a long while beforeing up with a guess. ¡°Guys, take a look. I think


    these scratches look like a word. See if your guess aligns with mine.¡±


    ¡°Looks like ¡®river¡¯ to me.¡±


    Gloria¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Is Miss Rachel trying to tell us she¡¯s locked somewhere beside a river?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 163

    My Mute Bride Chapter 163


    ¡°I¡¯ll get my men to check all the neighborhoods that are near a river.¡± Janice put the ss shard down,


    looking troubled. ¡°But this will be a big project, so we might go a while without any clues.¡± If Rachel is


    locked up somewhere near a river, that means every neighborhood in Riverdale that is near a river is


    going to be on our list.


    Upon hearing that, Gloria offered, ¡°My friend can help. I¡¯ll ask them.¡±


    ¡°No. That¡¯s too conspicuous. You¡¯d besty low or Justin will know something¡¯s up. It¡¯s going to be a


    problem if he takes Rachel somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he will. He¡¯s seriously injured.¡± The mention of Justin¡¯s situation saddened Gloria. Even


    though everyone thought he was a cruel person, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to agree. She was really


    worried for him when she knew he was injured.


    Julian patted her shoulder to show solidarity as he shared her sentiment, after all. Justin was his cousin


    so even though they weren¡¯t on the best of terms, he was still Julian¡¯s family. ¡°Don¡¯t feel too pressured,


    Gloria. We¡¯re not betraying him. Just trying to make sure he won¡¯t do something he¡¯ll regret for the rest


    of his life.¡±


    Gloria nodded.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s it for now. I¡¯ll assemble the squad,¡± Janice said.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The room was as dim as ever as there was only a small opening on the window that allowed sunlight to


    shine on the room. Rachel was watching some TV as usual, and a can of sour plums sat on the table


    before her. Aside from the TV, she had nothing that could connect her to the outside world.


    Someone came to dispose of everything that had ss in it the day after Justin was injured. When


    Justin came himself, he saw a dozen or so plums lying on the table. ¡°You like those plums? I¡¯ll get


    Frankie to buy more tomorrow.¡±


    Rachel looked at him. Can I even say no? She had no choice but to passively ept everything he


    gave her. What will it take for you to let me go?


    Justin frowned. ¡°After you give birth to the child.¡±


    Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t find anyone else who wants to bear your child. You can get any woman you


    want with a wave of your hand, so why won¡¯t you just let me go? Rachel suddenly got agitated and she


    gestured, Because I¡¯m Jefferey¡¯s daughter? I¡¯ve already told you that I¡¯m not!


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Justin held her wildly waving hands. ¡°I said, calm down,¡± he growled.


    Rachel tried to break free but she couldn¡¯t. Her chest was heaving and her face became flushed.


    Meanwhile, her lips were trembling but she couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    ¡°You have to stay calm. The doctor said so.¡±


    Stay calm? She felt a lump in her throat and tears streamed down her cheeks. How can I even do that?


    Pretend my whole childhood never happened? Pretend that this man in front of me isn¡¯t that boy I


    saved? Pretend that he¡¯s not the cause of Hans and Grandma¡¯s deaths? At that thought, Rachel flung


    Justin¡¯s hand away.


    Justin wanted to hold her, but he hesitated and decided against that in the end. He then poured her a


    ss of water and put her medicine on the table. ¡°Take your meds.¡±


    Rachel wiped her tears away and gulped all the meds without even looking at them, but they were


    stuck in her throat a momentter.


    Upon seeing that, Justin handed her a ss of water. ¡°Have some water.¡±


    The water melted the meds, making it easier for her to swallow. The pills were painful to swallow and it


    made her eyes redder, but it stopped her tears. At least pain could make sure she stayed sober.


    The TV was airing a crime movie. The viin was escaping in an abandoned factory but he was shot a


    momentter and blood sttered everywhere. When Justin saw that, he said, ¡°Watch something else.


    This


    is too gory for the baby.¡± He switched to a cartoon channel that was showing some sheeps running in


    the meadow. ¡°This is good.¡±


    So I can¡¯t even choose my shows now?


    Justin frowned and put the remote control down.


    However, Rachel didn¡¯t touch it. I¡¯m tired. I want to sleep.


    She went to her bed but Justin got angry again and he questioned, ¡°How much longer are you going to


    throw a tantrum?¡±


    What are you talking about?


    ¡°You could have killed me back then. Why did you tell them to save me?¡±


    Rachel froze. She knew Justin would bring that matter up eventually, so she answered, I did want to kill


    you, but I don¡¯t want to die. I can¡¯t run away even if you¡¯re dead, right?


    In response, Justin yelled, ¡°You¡¯re still trying to escape? You literally stabbed me! That should have


    been enough, so what more do you want? Fine! I broke Hans¡¯ legs, so do you want to get back at me


    for him?¡± He suddenly put a dagger on the table. ¡°Here¡¯s a dagger. Stab me anywhere you want. You


    can do anything as long as you¡¯ll stay here safely and bear the child.¡± He put the dagger in her hand.


    ¡°Go on, stab me!¡±


    All the color drained from Rachel¡¯s face as Justin tried to guide the dagger into his chest. You¡¯re mad!


    Why are you doing this? She was terrified.


    ¡°I thought you wanted to kill me. If you do it now, they¡¯ll let you go. You can leave Riverdale-heck, even


    the country-and nobody will try to catch you.¡± He let her hand go, but the dagger was still inches away


    from his chest.


    All Rachel had to do was stab him in the chest and he would die. However, everything started spinning


    around her, even Justin. The closer the dagger was to his chest, the more the world spun.


    Eventually, she lost her grip on the dagger and it fell down. All her strength left her and she plopped on


    the ground,ughing and crying at the same time.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even have the guts to kill me.¡± He held her chin, looking at her with dead, dark eyes. ¡°I gave


    you a chance, Rachel. You lost it, so now you can¡¯tin anymore. Stop giving me that attitude,


    you hear me?¡±


    To Justin, anything could be forgiven as long as it was an eye for an eye. However, he had no inkling


    that some wounds were so deep that forgiveness was out of the question, and that those wounds


    would simply not heal.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Rachel thought Justin¡¯s gesture wasughable. A long, long whileter, she gestured with trembling


    hands, I¡¯ll give birth to the baby.


    Justin was surprised, but that reply worked well in calming down his temper. While Rachel went to bed,


    he stood there for a while before going up to her.


    Rachel could feel him getting into her bed and hugging her through the nket. The hug got tighter and


    tighter as time went on.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the baby¡¯s future. Once I finish my business and after you give birth,


    we¡¯ll get remarried. You¡¯ll still be my wife,¡± Justin said, like it was some sort of divine gift.


    Rachel, on the other hand, was suffocating from the hug but she didn¡¯t struggle.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 164

    My Mute Bride Chapter 164


    Rachel slowly closed her eyes. She didn¡¯t care about being his wife or if the baby would be a b*stard.


    Ever since she got her memories back, she knew the both of them could never be together again.


    It had been a month since Janice and her subordinates started the search in all the riverside


    neighborhoods. ¡°Still nothing?¡± Julian asked as he handed her a bottle of water.


    The wind was blowing against Janice¡¯s hair. She took a sip and shook her head. ¡°We searched all the


    riverside neighborhoods. One by one as well. No clue until now.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s locked in a mountain somewhere?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s mostly manors there. The Bureau of Real Estate has records of the manors¡¯ owners.¡±


    Bureau of Real Estate? All of a sudden, Julian had a stroke of inspiration. ¡°I think we¡¯ve been looking at


    this the wrong way. Even if Justin locked Rachel up, he wouldn¡¯t put her in a ce unrted to him.¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s either in a hotel or a personal estate he owns.¡±


    Janice gripped the water bottle and she realized what Julian was getting at. ¡°Hotels are out. There are


    too many people there.¡±


    Which meant there were only estates left.


    With how cautious Justin was, he would never take Rachel out of Riverdale, so she must be in one of


    the estates in the city.


    Julian frowned. ¡°But what¡¯s up with ¡®river¡¯? What¡¯s she trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Probably the neighborhood¡¯s name.¡± Janice then made a call. ¡°Hello? It¡¯s me. I want all the details of


    Justin Burton¡¯s estates in Riverdale ASAP.¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Janice received an email not long after she hung up. ¡°He has a lot of properties in Riverdale.¡±


    Julian nodded. ¡°Good thing it¡¯s still just this one city.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get my men to search the neighborhoods that have ¡®river¡¯ in their names. If we still can¡¯t find her,


    we¡¯ll expand the range. Don¡¯t worry about it too much. No news is the best news.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± It had been more than three months since Rachel¡¯s disappearance, and Julian knew Janice


    was worried as well.


    At the same time, Gloria came to the Burton Group to settle some matters. However, she ran into a


    janitoring out of the other elevator when she arrived at her floor. He was pushing the cart as he


    went toward the president¡¯s office. The janitor wasnky and a tuft of yellow hair sprouted from under


    his cap. Gloria¡¯s heart sank when she realized who the janitor was, so she chased after him.


    Justin¡¯s secretary would usually stand guard outside his office when he wasn¡¯t in. When the secretary


    had to leave, she would lock the door to keep any unauthorized personnel out. So when Gloria came to


    the office, she saw the ¡®janitor¡¯ trying to unlock the door. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The ¡®janitor¡¯ leaped in shock, revealing the face underneath the cap. It was none other than Victor.


    Before he could say anything, they heard someone talking just around the corner. Hence, Gloria quickly


    grabbed him and put her finger on the fingerprint scanner. The door swung open a momentter and


    she dragged him in with her.


    After the door swung shut, they heard the secretary¡¯s voice saying, ¡°Who left this cart here? Assistant


    Beckham¡¯s going to yell at someone if he sees this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the janitor to pick this up.¡±


    Meanwhile, Gloria and Victor were in the office. ¡°Are you mad?¡± She red at him as she questioned,


    ¡°Why did youe here? How did you manage to even get in?¡±


    Victor took his face mask off, his face as handsome as ever. That being said, he looked more gaunt


    and there were a few bruises on his face.


    Gloria was surprised to see that. ¡°What happened to your face?¡±


    ¡°Ask Burton.¡± Victor looked at her in disgust, which in turn angered her.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that, silly kid? I just saved your *ss! You¡¯re so ungrateful.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help, you hypocrite.¡± With that, Victor went to Justin¡¯s desk, leaving Gloria behind.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Don¡¯t go through someone¡¯s stuff without permission.¡±


    Victor rummaged through all the drawers and cabs.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m seeing where he has hidden Rachel!¡±


    ¡°Are you mad? She can¡¯t be here! What do you think she is? A rabbit?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Victor snapped, ¡°Do you have any better idea, then? I¡¯ve tailed him for three months


    but I got nothing!¡±


    He had tailed Justin almost every day for thest three months but every time, he would end up losing


    Justin¡¯s track or getting beaten up by his bodyguards.


    ¡°Be quiet! Someone might hear you!¡±


    ¡°So what? I¡¯m taking this straight to Burton anyway.¡±


    ¡°You-¡± However, someone opened the door before she could say anything. Gloria¡¯s face fell and she


    dragged Victor into a cubicle in the room. She managed to close the door before the people outside


    coulde in. Victor tried to break free, but she held him back. ¡°You¡¯d better stay put if you don¡¯t want


    to get messed up.¡±


    Victor didn¡¯t want to listen, but she had a point. He would only get a beating if he went out right now.


    A momentter, Justin and Frankie came in.


    ¡°We bought the video and everything rted to Hans with five million, just like you asked. But we didn¡¯t


    expect another one to pop up. Seems like Windfall wasn¡¯t the only one who got it on camera.¡±


    Hans? Victor was angered, but Gloria quickly covered his mouth and red at him.


    Justin answered, ¡°Not quite. Perhaps we paid them the five million too readily, so they let their greed


    get the better of them. They¡¯re working with another outlet to get more out of us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying Windfall has a backup?¡±


    ¡°Hans saw Winston at the hospital by ident. It¡¯s only by chance Windfall¡¯s reporter got it on video.


    There¡¯s no way a reporter from another outlet was there.¡±


    Frankie nodded in assent. ¡°That¡¯s true. This is no coincidence, and they could have asked us for the


    money if they had gotten it at the same time as Windfall. This is just extortion with extra steps.¡±


    ¡°Settle this as soon as possible. I want it to end here.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, President Burton.¡±


    Meanwhile, Gloria was still in the cubicle. Since the door was ajar, she could see that the cabs and


    drawers were open. If Justin were to approach his desk, he would know someone was here. At that


    thought, she cursed deep down.


    Just as she feared, Justin stood up after he was done talking. From the looks of it, he was going to go


    to his desk.


    Suddenly, Frankie¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Hello? I see. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± After he hung up, Frankie said,


    ¡°President Burton, the doctor is in the underground car park. When are you going over?¡±


    Justin nodded and put down the file he was holding. ¡°Right away.¡±


    After they left and locked the door, Gloria finally heaved a sigh of relief. However, Victor pulled the door


    open and made a beeline for the desk.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 165

    My Mute Bride Chapter 165


    ¡°What are you doing, Victor?¡± Gloria caught up to him.


    Victor, however, picked up the document on the table. The first thing he saw was the stamp of the most


    famous media outlet in Riverdale, but what caught his attention was the content. It was shocking to say


    the least. ¡°Burton¡¯s the one who killed Hans!¡±


    ¡°Impossible! You¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°See for yourself.¡± Victor handed the document to her.


    The document detailed an illegal transaction that happened near a hospital. There were even pictures


    to prove it. The one who was holding the safe box was the same person who pulled Hans into the van


    -it was none other than one of Justin¡¯s bodyguards.


    ¡°Winston?¡± Gloria asked, recognizing the bodyguard right away.


    ¡°He¡¯s the one who took Hans. What do you have to say for Burton now?¡±


    All the color drained from her face when she heard that. ¡°No. This is a misunderstanding. Even if


    Winston¡¯s behind Hans¡¯ death, that doesn¡¯t mean Justin ordered him to kill Hans. No, there¡¯s no way


    Justin would do that. He wouldn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do it? What a farce.¡± Victor snereed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what his assistant said? They had


    this for a long time and there is even a video too. If he¡¯s not guilty, why did he spend five million on


    this?¡± With that, he took the document and was about to walk out of the room.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To the cops. I¡¯m reporting this.¡± Hans was hospitalized because of me. Truth was, Victor had been


    feeling guilty about it ever since he talked with Rachel. He wanted to apologize but s, Hans was


    murdered before he could. Victor knew he could never make it up to Hans anymore, so the only thing


    he could do was expose the murderer so Hans could rest in peace.


    ¡°Victor, are you mad? Hold it right there!¡± Gloria quickly got in his way. ¡°You can¡¯t report this to the


    cops.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re helping that b*stard?¡±


    ¡°No. This is for your own good! Do you think you can get Justin arrested just because you have this


    information? This is just a trouble ma.¡± Gloria gritted her teeth. ¡°Even if he¡¯s really the murderer,


    he¡¯s just going to get rmed if he finds out about this.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Victor paused.


    Since he was starting to calm down, Gloria extended her hand and reassured, ¡°Listen to me. Give me


    that article and pretend you never saw this.¡±


    Victor, however, doubted her. ¡°You¡¯ll look into this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking into this for a long time now,¡± Gloria insisted. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for Rachel for ages.


    You can help me out if you want to.¡±


    Meanwhile, Victor was still holding the five-million-dor article, suspicious about Gloria. ¡°And how can


    I know you¡¯re not trying to get rid of this evidence for Justin? How do I know you won¡¯t kill me just like


    he killed Hans?¡±


    ¡°Get rid of the evidence? Me?¡± Gloria red at him furiously. A short whileter, she stomped on


    Victor¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Ow!¡± Victor gasped in pain. ¡°What was that for?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have taken you with me earlier if I wanted to kill you. You¡¯d already be dead by now.¡±


    Victor was gasping from the pain, and Gloria took the article from him. ¡°What are you doing? Give that


    back!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll really die if I give this back to you.¡± She red at him and put it back on the table. ¡°Give me your


    phone.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Just give it to me.¡± She whipped out an old phone from Victor¡¯s pocket and snapped some photos of


    the article, then she tossed the phone back to him. ¡°You can¡¯t take the manuscript, but you can have


    these photos. Happy?¡±


    Victor was surprised.


    Gloria closed the drawers and cabs before turning around to stare at him. ¡°You¡¯re ungrateful, you


    know that?¡± She then left thepany but Victor followed her. ¡°Why are you following me?¡± Gloria


    growled. ¡°I¡¯m a hypocrite, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    Victor skidded to a halt and was petrified for a while. ¡°Hey! I just want to say that I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Gloria finally stopped in her tracks. ¡°That¡¯s all? Just an apology?¡±


    ¡°What do you want then?¡±


    ¡°Food. I¡¯m starving!¡± With that, Gloria turned around. She was still looking angry, and her cheeks were


    puffed.


    Victor scratched his head. ¡°Sure. My treat.¡±


    The night breeze brushed against Riverdale¡¯s river. It was early spring, so some people were still


    wearing winter clothes on the street. Gloria was sitting on a bench, chomping down on her chicken


    drumstick and hamburger.


    Victor then asked, ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s all you want?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I like these.¡± Gloria raised her chin and muttered, ¡°Give me the Coke.¡±


    Victor gave her the Coke, but since she was holding something in both of her hands, she nudged over


    to take a big sip. A momentter, she let out a big burp, and an awkward silence fell between them.


    Gloria rolled her eyes. ¡°What are you looking at? Never seen a hot girl burp?¡±


    Victor looked at her with tant disgust. ¡°If you call yourself hot, then there¡¯d be no uglies in the world.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not hot, who is?¡±


    ¡°Rachel. She¡¯s kind, gentle, knowledgeable, and nice to everyone around her. I¡¯ve never seen anyone


    as beautiful and kind as she was.¡± The more Victor talked about Rachel, the sadder he was. ¡°I wonder


    how she¡¯s doing.¡±


    Gloria dropped her smile too. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Justin¡¯s not the monster you think he is,¡± she said. ¡°He


    won¡¯t torture her. Janice said that Justin hid Rachel because he¡¯s worried Julian might take her away.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a madman. Locking her up is already a form of torture. She¡¯s not a prisoner!¡±


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Gloria put her food down and wiped her hands off. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. Janice is


    almost done with the neighborhood, but there¡¯s still no sign of Rachel. Where could she be?¡± It¡¯s been


    three months. She¡¯s gotta be somewhere livable. Gloria then mumbled, ¡°She must be somewhere in


    Riverdale. Justin was taken to the hospital right after he was injured. If she¡¯s somewhere in the rural


    area, he would have been dead on arrival.¡±


    Victor frowned. ¡°He was injured? He deserves it. No wonder he was going to see a doctor.¡±


    ¡°A doctor?¡± Gloria was surprised. ¡°He wanted to see a doctor?¡± She didn¡¯t hear what Justin and Frankie


    were talking about in the heat of the moment, since she was trying to keep Victor quiet and praying that


    Justin didn¡¯t notice his drawers were open.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Victor answered. ¡°His assistant said Dr. McCarty or something is in the car park. Asked Burton


    when he¡¯d be seeing the doctor.¡±


    Lots of thoughts were racing in Gloria¡¯s mind. ¡°Why didn¡¯t the doctor go to the office if he¡¯s there for


    Justin then?¡± No. He was not there for Justin, which is why he didn¡¯t go to the office.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 166

    My Mute Bride Chapter 166


    ¡°This is all the surveince footage of the Burton Group this afternoon.¡±


    Inside the surveince room of the Riverdale Investigation Bureau, Janice¡¯s subordinate was operating


    theputer and swiftly disying the surveince footage on therge screen. There were eight split


    screens showing the situation on the third floor of Burton Group¡¯s underground garage.


    Gloria couldn¡¯t help eximing in admiration, ¡°How amazing!¡±


    Janice stared at the video on the screen with her arms folded in front of her chest. ¡°Do you remember


    the approximate time?¡±


    Gloria and Victor exchanged a nce. ¡°It was around 2.00PM. We heard Assistant Beckham saying


    that the doctor had arrived at the garage, so it should be around that time.¡±


    Janice nodded. ¡°Jesse, please adjust the time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Officer Hawkins.¡±


    The image on the screen yed at an elerated speed and soon came to the time Gloria and Victor


    had mentioned. All four of them stared intently at the surveince footage on the screen.


    All of a sudden, Gloria eximed, ¡°Wait! I see it!¡± She pointed at the monitor showing the entrance of


    the garage. ¡°The person driving this car is one of Justin¡¯s bodyguards. I¡¯ve seen him before.¡±


    Janice acknowledged it. ¡°Change cameras and follow this car.¡±


    The screen immediately began to follow the movements of this car in the garage until it finally parked in


    one of the parking spots. Then, a middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes got out of the back seat


    with a box in his hands. One could forgo the whiteb coat, but the medicine box was a must for a


    doctor who was visiting a patient.


    ¡°Pause for a moment and zoom in on this image.¡± Janice walked closer to the screen. ¡°This is probably


    him. Run a check on his identity and background information.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Julian¡¯s voice suddenly came from the side. ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen this person before.¡±


    They all showed stunned expressions on their faces. Meanwhile, he leaned closer to the screen and


    carefully confirmed. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen him at Riverdale¡¯s second quarter medical seminar. He was the


    representative of Rosewood Hospital, Flynn arty. He is the Director of Rosewood Hospital¡¯s


    Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.¡±


    Janice was stunned. ¡°The Obstetrics and Gynecology Department?!¡±


    Likewise, Gloria and Victor had expressions of disbelief on their faces too. The Obstetrics and


    Gynecology Department?


    After the doctor left, Rachel leaned back against the head of the bed and ced both hands on her


    swollen belly. Due to her pregnancy, Justin would have a doctor examine her twice every month to


    check on the development of the fetus. Furthermore, he would visit her every time the doctor came.


    ¡°ording to the doctor, the fetus is developing well. It is very healthy.¡± Justin¡¯s voice sounded from


    behind her.


    Lowering her head, she stared at her belly. She was now more than five months pregnant, so her belly


    was showing an obvious bulge. The side effects had changed from morning sickness at the beginning


    of her pregnancy to the recent constant drowsiness. Thus, she spent most of her time sleeping.


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s a girl. What about you?¡±


    She did not respond to those words. In her opinion, it did not matter whether it was a boy or a girl who


    was born to the Burton Family. After all, things did not end well even for Tina, who was loved by all, soFrom N?velDrama.Org.


    why would it matter whether it was a boy or a girl?


    Your wedding with Amber should be approaching, right? You don¡¯t need toe and visit me so


    frequently if you are busy. It¡¯s better for you to concentrate on the wedding preparations.


    When he heard that, the joy in his eyes immediately disappeared without a trace. A touch of sorrow


    slowly rose up in his eyes instead. ¡°Are you trying to drive me away?¡±


    You¡¯re overthinking things. Besides, this is your territory. It¡¯s not my ce to kick you out. She quietly


    looked out the window. Even though it had been boarded up securely, she gazed out into the distance


    in silence, as though she could see the scenery outside.


    He clenched his fists tightly and stood behind her for a while before mming the door behind him as


    he left. He did not know how many times it had been, but over the past few months, they had always


    parted on bad terms every time he came here. She had changed from her previous timid and gentle


    nature to bing cold and indifferent instead. Her attitude toward him was of almostplete


    disregard; she looked at the window more times than she looked at him. Despite that, he came even


    more diligently than before.


    The sound of the door loudly mming shut behind Justin made the entire room tremble in response.


    Only then did Rachel turn back. She calmly clenched her fist, got up, and walked over to the window.


    The gap the size of a fist was just enough for her to see the river view in the distance.


    The Burton Group was located right in themercial center by the riverside. It was the most


    prosperous area. Traffic was heavy 30 floors below her, and the crowds were bustling about like ants.


    Nobody could have expected Justin to lock her up on the topmost floor of the Burton Group. It was


    where he worked every day, so he could monitor her every move at any time and from anywhere.


    Will Janice and the others be able to find me? she wondered as her eyes gradually closed.


    That night, Rachel slept very restlessly. The frequency of her nightmares was increasing. It felt like


    there was a huge hammer knocking against her temples in her dream, causing her to suffer from a


    splitting headache. Jerking awake, she suddenly realized that the tapping sound was not from her


    dream-it wasing from the window.


    This is the top floor of the Burton Group! What could be outside the window?! She abruptly threw aside


    her nket and ran over to the only gap in the window.


    Knock Knock. The tapping sound was definitelying from the window. She tentatively knocked on


    the window twice in response, then there was a few seconds of silence from the outside. Just as she


    was thinking that it was only her imagination, two more taps on the window sounded. Knock Knock.


    Suppressing the surging feelings in her heart, she nced at the fist-sized opening on the window out


    of the corner of her eyes. It was the only corner in the room that had not been covered by a curtain


    from the outside. Thus, she jogged over to that piece of ss, lifted her hand, and tapped on it three


    times. Knock Knock Knock.


    After waiting for some time, somebody suddenly blocked the ss from the outside, whereupon


    Rachel¡¯s heart sank suddenly. But, in the next moment, she saw a beam of light moving around slightly


    through the window and shining into the room. Immediately after that, arge corner of the curtain


    sealing this room from the outside was ripped away to reveal the top of Riverdale¡¯s clock tower in the


    distance. At the same time, it also revealed the figure of the person leaning against the ss window.


    Rachel covered her mouth with her hands in disbelief, her eyes reddening immediately. Meanwhile, the


    other party was hanging from a safety rope andmunicating with her in signnguage. I finally


    found you!


    It was Coraline Harper! Caroline was a woman Rachel had met once before in Brookville; she helped


    Rachel out of a sticky situation at the dining table andter asked her to help hand over a USB drive


    while the former was on the run from being chased.


    At this moment, Coraline was dressed in pitch-ck tight-fitting clothes. She had practically blended


    into the night. There were two safety ropes hanging from her body as she walked on the ss surface


    of the high-rise building as though it were t ground. Her nimble and agile skills indicated that she was


    no ordinary person.


    Seeing that, Rachel recalled something Janice once mentioned to her-Coraline was an undercover


    agent of the Riverdale Investigation Bureau. Suppressing the shock in her heart, she hurriedly signed


    back at Coraline. Why are you here?!


    Janice asked me to find you. How are you?


    After following the doctor who came to Burton Group every two weeks, Janice and the others had


    quickly inferred where Rachel was being detained. The word ¡®River¡¯ on that piece of ss was referring


    to Green River Street, where Burton Group was located.


    Rachel quickly nodded in response. I¡¯m fine.


    The rest will be easy since we¡¯ve confirmed that you¡¯re here. We will rescue you from here. Don¡¯t be


    afraid.


    Rachel quickly shook her head and pointed at her belly with aplicated expression. I can¡¯t leave


    right now.


    Coraline was slightly taken aback as she stared at Rachel¡¯s swollen belly through the pane of ss.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 167

    My Mute Bride Chapter 167


    ¡°She can¡¯t go now.¡±


    As Coraline passed Rachel¡¯s message, everyone was surprised.


    ¡°Why?¡± Victor stood up suddenly. ¡°Is she scared of being found out by Justin?¡±


    ¡°No. She is pregnant.¡±


    Everyone else was taken aback.


    Although they had guessed that Rachel was pregnant when Julian mentioned that Flynn was the


    director of the gynecology department, it was still unbelievable to hear the truth right from Coraline¡¯s


    mouth.


    No one wanted to believe that Justin actually imprisoned a pregnant woman.


    Victor said coldly to Gloria, ¡°Are you still going to help him out now? He is a lunatic.¡±


    Gloria bit her lip and had nothing to say.


    Janice nced at them. ¡°Then what do we do now? What does Rachel want to do?¡±


    Coraline replied, ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait until after she gives birth.¡±


    ¡°After she gives birth? Wouldn¡¯t it be more troublesome to escape with a child?¡± Victor was puzzled.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Coraline hesitated for a while. ¡°She said that she will leave the child behind.¡±


    The room fell quiet all of a sudden.


    No one could imagine how much Rachel was wronged and tortured to the point that she didn¡¯t even


    want her child and only wanted to run away from that man.


    Two monthster, Justin officially announced the wedding date with Amber.


    This meant the marriage between the Burton Group and Hudson Pharmaceuticals was set in stone.


    The Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ stock market had skyrocketed overnight, and its market value had


    doubled as well, effectively lifting them from the past turmoil.


    On the night of the press conference, there was a g dinner.


    Amber held Justin¡¯s hand and toasted with the guests with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Riley.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions!¡±


    ¡°Justin, the designer I invited from Italy has designed a few wedding dresses for me. Can you help me


    take a look at themter?¡±


    ¡°Just get whichever you want.¡±


    Frankie hurriedly walked in from outside but stopped talking as soon as he saw Amber. ¡°President


    Burton.¡±


    Hearing that, Justin¡¯s eyes narrowed as he let go of Amber. ¡°I have something to deal with. You can go


    ahead first.¡±


    Amber was taken aback by Justin¡¯s action and was trying to hold him back to ask what was going on,


    but he had already walked away.


    Seeing Justin¡¯s hurried departure, Amber frowned and beckoned to her assistant. ¡°Follow them and


    find out what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Right then, Justin and Frankie walked to a quieter ce.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Frankie replied, ¡°Mrs. Burton suddenly showed signs of premature delivery.¡±


    ¡°Howe? Wasn¡¯t everything okay during the check up? There¡¯s supposed to still be two more


    months until her due date!¡±


    ¡°It was said that Mrs. Burton had identally fallen in the bathroom. Don¡¯t worry, President Burton. She


    has already been sent to the hospital immediately.¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression froze. ¡°Prepare a car-we¡¯re going to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°What? Then what about the banquet?¡±


    Justin obviously couldn¡¯t care less about the banquet. Frankie nced back, and while following Justin,


    he called the secretary to make sure someone would oversee the banquet.


    Meanwhile, in the operating room.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Rachel was lying on the delivery bed with her legs spread apart-her jaw was tightly clenched, and her


    voice was hoarse.


    She could feel nothing but numbing pain in her lower body.


    ¡°Breathe in. Breathe out.¡±


    ¡°Push.¡±


    The amniotic sac had long broken, and she even showed symptoms of hemorrhaging.


    ¡°Hold on for a little bit more. Just a little bit more, and the baby will be here-it¡¯s not that big.¡±


    The midwife¡¯s voice rang in her ears.


    Rachel nodded hard and raised her neck high-it was covered in sweat from thebor.


    Outside the operating room, Justin arrived hurriedly.


    ¡°How is she?¡±


    The bodyguard who sent Rachel here hurriedly stood up and said, ¡°President Burton, s-she is still


    inside, and the doctor hasn¡¯te out. I¡¯m not sure what is going on in there either.¡±


    Just as Justin was about to erupt in anger, the door of the operating room opened up, and a nurse


    came out from inside. ¡°Which one of you is her family member?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    Justin stepped forward immediately.


    Looking at him, the nurse asked Justin, ¡°Who are you to the mother?¡±


    ¡°I am her husband.¡±


    ¡°The umbilical cord of the newborn is tied around the neck, so the mother can¡¯t give birth naturally. We


    have to prepare for the cesarean section. Please follow me to sign some documents.¡±


    Justin¡¯s pupils constricted. ¡°Are there any risks? How is she now?¡±


    ¡°Well, any woman is inherently at risk when giving birth. On top of that, she is giving birth prematurely.


    Now that the fetal position is not correct and she can¡¯t give birth naturally, we can only perform surgery


    on her. Please sign it quickly.¡±


    Holding the pen, Justin immediately signed his name on the consent form for the operation.


    The operation light stayed on while Justin stood in the corridor steadfastly.


    Time passed by, and even when everyone else, including Frankie, couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, Justin


    stood straight and did nothing but stare at the operating room¡¯s doors.


    In the early morning, the operation lights finally went out.


    The nurse took a baby out of the ward. ¡°Congrattions! It¡¯s a girl.¡±


    Justin asked anxiously, ¡°How is she?¡±


    ¡°Both the mother and daughter are safe.¡±


    Justin breathed a sigh of relief before he lowered his head to see the child in the nurse¡¯s arms. The


    pinkish baby was curled up into a small ball, her eyes still closed.


    The moment he saw her, Justin suddenly felt that his heart, which had been frozen for many years,


    began to thaw from the inside out. His eyes were fixed on the child¡¯s face, and he couldn¡¯t bring himself


    to look away.


    This was his first child-a daughter.


    After the effect of the anesthetic passed, Rachel, who had been out cold for a long time, finally woke


    up.


    It waste at night when she regained consciousness, and as she moved her hands, she found that her


    hand was being held-only then did she see the man lying on the side of her bed, fast asleep.


    All of a sudden, Justin woke up, his eyes filled with grogginess.


    Seeing how Rachel was looking at himself, he immediately sobered up and asked, ¡°How are you? Let


    me get a doctor.¡±


    Rachel held his hand. Her pale lips moved, but she still couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Rachel raised her hand weakly and made a gesture.


    I want some water.


    Justin was stunned for a moment before he understood what she meant. ¡°Oh. Wait a moment. I¡¯ll pour


    some for you.¡±


    Rachel leaned on the pillow and drank half a ss of water to moisturize her chapped lips.


    Justin then said, ¡°Our baby is in the nursery. Do you want me to get the nurses to bring her here for you


    to see?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.


    It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll see her tomorrow.


    ¡°Alright. You just woke up anyway. Get some rest.¡±


    Justin sat down again, not intending to leave.


    Rachel looked at him quietly. All his harshness and indifference to her during this period had


    dissipated. Overnight, it was as if she had returned to the time when she first married him-his eyes


    were gentle and calm.


    Justin held her hand. ¡°It¡¯s a girl. She looks very much like you.¡±


    Rachel pointed to her lips. If she¡¯s mute like me too, then it¡¯s not good.


    Justin was taken aback for a moment, and then he chuckled. ¡°She won¡¯t be. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Rachel alsoughed.


    Looking at her smile under the dim light, Justin was in a daze. He hadn¡¯t seen her smile so naturally


    and happily for such a long time now.


    Did I tell you before that I was not born mute?


    ¡°Nope. Was that not the case?¡±


    Rachel shook her head. I got terribly sick when I was a child and damaged my voice box.


    Justin was startled slightly. As he was about to inquire further about it, his phone suddenly vibrated.


    Out of the corner of Rachel¡¯s eye, she caught a glimpse of Amber¡¯s name on the caller ID.


    ¡°I have to get this.¡±


    Sure. She nodded.


    With that, Justin went out with his mobile phone.


    After a while, he opened the door and walked in. ¡°Rachel, I have to deal with something for a bit.¡±


    Rachel nodded. Go ahead.


    ¡°Get more rest.¡± Justin leaned down and tucked her hair behind her ears. His voice was exceptionally


    soft and gentle as he uttered, ¡°I¡¯lle see you again tomorrow morning.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 168

    My Mute Bride Chapter 168


    Rachel did not refuse.


    Come early tomorrow.


    Seeing how docile and well-behaved she was, Justin¡¯s eyes oozed gentleness, and he couldn¡¯t help


    but drop a kiss on her forehead. ¡°I¡¯lle back when I¡¯m done.¡±


    Watching Justin¡¯s figure disappear at the door of the ward, Rachel¡¯s eyes slowly dimmed.


    3.00AM in the morning.


    Over the Riverdale International Airport, nes sliced through the clouds, roaring as they flew.


    Under the night, Riverdale became smaller and smaller, eventually bing a small dot that easily


    disappeared under the clouds.


    Rachel¡¯s gaze retracted from the window of the cabin-her face was pale.


    ¡°Hello, madam. Are you feeling ufortable?¡±


    The flight attendant¡¯s inquiry came from beside her. Before she could exin, Julian shook his head


    and answered, ¡°She¡¯s fine. Could you please give me a nket and a ss of warm water?¡±


    ¡°Okay. One moment please.¡±


    Julian covered Rachel¡¯s legs with a nket and looked at her with worry. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you rest for a few


    more days before leaving? I¡¯m afraid that you will have to re-stitch the incision and suffer again when


    we get there since we left in such a hurry.¡±


    Rachel twitched the corner of her mouth weakly.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    I¡¯m reborned once I left Riverdale. How would I be suffering?


    ¡°The baby-did you even get to take a look at her?¡±


    I can¡¯t bear to see her. I know I won¡¯t be able to leave if I did.


    Rachel squeezed her palm. In fact, she was awake when the baby was born, and the nurse did hold


    the baby to her, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at the baby and only closed her eyes.


    Since it was destined that she could not be with this child, she thought she should cut all ties right from


    her birth.


    Julian was afraid to continue, worrying that it would make her feel ufortable, so he sighed silently.


    ¡°Take the medicine first and get some sleep-it¡¯s all in the past now.¡±


    Rachel slowly closed her eyes.


    Indeed, it was all in the past.


    Five yearster.


    In Yatruinia.


    he SG Pharmaceutical Group Conference Center located in the center of the capital city of Yatruinia,


    thepany executives were engaged in a heated discussion.


    ¡°The market for traditional medicine is further deteriorating. The market has extremely poor reviews; it


    is obviously already a sunset industry. No matter how you look at it, the future will be the world of


    Western medicine, but we are doing research on traditional medicine at this time? What are we trying


    to do? Return to the ancestors?¡±


    The blond middle-aged man pointed at the data on the presentation screen and threw out a bold


    statement.


    Everyone in the room nodded.


    Most of the people in the conference room were from Yatruinia, and it caused the two foreign women to


    stand out even more.


    On the seat closest to the presentation screen, a short-haired woman who was dressed in a chic dark


    green suit maintained a calm expression as she quietly listened to the speech.


    When the speech was over, she knocked on the table slightly. ¡°David, I don¡¯t agree with you.¡±


    The meeting room fell into pindrop silence immediately while David¡¯s expression changed.


    ¡°The market has never deteriorated. It¡¯s just that the industry is too chaotic right now, and people have


    started to lose faith in traditional medicine-this just proves that the market has a huge opportunity, and


    there are gaps we could fill. It¡¯s the perfect time for us to venture into it.¡±


    ¡°Chris, you are being unrealistic. Do you want to reshape the entire industry by yourself? This is


    something that not even the government can do. Do you think you will be able to achieve this alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do believe that.¡±


    Hearing that, David sneered and looked at her with his arms crossed on his chest. ¡°Being pretty does


    not mean that you can seed in doing everything.¡±


    ¡°Bullsh*t!¡± Next to Chris, another young woman leaped off her chair. ¡°David, you should focus on the


    matter! That was apletely personal attack.¡±


    In response, Chris held the woman¡¯s hand and spoke calmly. ¡°I have submitted the n to enter the


    Asian market many times before, and the risk assessment indicated that we are good to go, but David,


    you have been difficult about this with me, and you could not provide me with a sensible reason.


    Hence, I would like to ask the executives to make a resolution.¡±


    David propped his hands on the conference table with a defiant expression on his face.


    ¡°Sorry, but I have already rejected it. Your rank is not enough to ask for a resolution, unless you wait for


    Ornand toe back from vacation. Based on your rtionship with him, you can do whatever you


    want with him supporting you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by this? What are you suggesting? David, be mindful that we can sue you for


    nder like this!¡± Jolly protested.


    ¡°Jolly.¡± Chris¡¯ tone was neither light nor heavy.


    Jolly was so angry that she switched to her nativenguage and said to Chris, ¡°He has insulted you so


    much. How can you just tolerate it?¡±


    ¡°Who said I was tolerating it?¡±


    With this, Chris stood up suddenly. At once, she took off the employee¡¯s badge on her chest, put it on


    the table, and said lightly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to wait for Ornand toe back. I quit. I¡¯ve prepared the


    resignation letter. David, remember to sign itter.¡±


    The crowd was in an uproar.


    Without waiting for others to speak, Chris took a look at David and left the conference room.


    Jolly was stunned for a long time before she came back to her senses. Then she, too, removed her


    employee tag and said, ¡°I quit too! All of you can do whatever the hell you want.¡±


    With that, she chased after Chris.


    ¡°Chris, wait for me. Chris!¡±


    Even though Jolly kept calling out for her, Chris walked like a gust of wind without stopping, so Jolly


    grew anxious and shouted in a loud voice, ¡°Rachel Hudson!¡±


    Upon that, Rachel¡¯s twelve-inch high-heeled shoes came to a halt on the floor in the corridor.


    In the past five years, this name of hers had rarely been brought up, and even Julian had gradually


    be ustomed to calling her Chris like the others around her. The name ¡®Rachel Hudson¡¯


    seemed to have disappeared when she left Riverdale five years ago.


    Jolly quickly followed while panting. ¡°I knew it¡¯d work with your old name. Since I was a child, I have


    been terrified when my parents called me by my full name. So do you, I guess!¡±


    Soon, Rachel came back to her senses and looked at Jolly helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s not about that. I told you


    didn¡¯t have parents. I grew up with my grandma.¡±


    Jolly waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Anyway, they are all the elders. I don¡¯t care about your reasons as


    long as it¡¯s useful. What did you walk so fast for? I¡¯m exhausted from chasing you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve resigned anyway. Shouldn¡¯t I pack up and leave immediately? I¡¯m afraid David won¡¯t want to see


    me for even one more second.¡±


    ¡°Are you really quitting?¡±


    Rachel shrugged. ¡°What do you think? You thought I was just ying around with David?¡±


    ¡°Wow. I thought you were just bluffing.¡±


    ¡°Why would I bluff him? I only feel that SG is developing in a different direction than mine, so there are


    no more reasons for me to stay.¡±


    In just three years, Rachel went from being an intern to bing the financial director in the top 500


    pharmaceutical group, SG. This was an achievement that no one could imagine achieving. David, as


    the veteran of SG, had long been upset with her.


    Jolly gave a thumbs up to Rachel. ¡°You¡¯re impressive, alright. How straightforward and decisive. Well,


    I¡¯ve long gotten sick with this stupidpany anyway. I wouldn¡¯t even have stayed here in the first


    ce if it wasn¡¯t for Samuel.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve quit too?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Why would I stay if you¡¯re leaving? Hey, Chris, if it wasn¡¯t for you not wanting to go back to


    Riverdale, I would definitely have asked my dad to give you the position of vice president. It¡¯s totally


    doable.¡±


    Rachel stood still and solemnly told Jolly. ¡°I am going back.¡±


    Jolly¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°For real?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s tone was determined.


    She had fled and stayed hidden for five years. Five years was long enough for her to think things


    through and finally deal with the things that should have been resolved a long time ago.


    When she returned this time, she would finally get her vengeance-once and for all.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 169

    My Mute Bride Chapter 169


    Night fell.


    Jolly came out of the bathroom after taking a shower and walked toward Rachel while drying her hair.


    ¡°It¡¯s sote already. Why are you still not sleeping? You¡¯ve quit your job, but you¡¯re still staring at the


    computer in the middle of the night.¡±


    Rachel clicked on an email on theputer and said lightly, ¡°This is an email sent to me by a friend of


    mine two weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°Is it the friend from the Investigation Bureau?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°Let me see.¡±


    Jolly pulled a chair out and sat down next to Rachel.


    ¡°This is the case that you¡¯ve been investigating?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It says here that there is a video that can prove that it was your ex-husband who caused the death of


    yourwyer friend.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s pupils constricted slightly. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Back then, she was abused physically and mentally by Justin; she could hardly protect herself to the


    point that she had to leave Riverdale in a hurry, so she couldn¡¯t find out who was behind Hans¡¯ death.


    After five years, Janice finally received news from a retired media reporter that Justin had bought a top-


    secret video from the media five years ago-one which was rted to the death of Hans.


    Jolly finished reading the email. ¡°Is this why you decided to resign and return home all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Not only this, but also my grandma¡¯s death. So far, the real murderer has not been found.¡±


    These were the two lives she must get justice for.


    Rachel clenched her fists, her expression solemn.


    Jolly took her hand. ¡°Chris, I will support you no matter what you do.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you? We¡¯re each other¡¯s ride-or-die. When we arrive back in the country, it¡¯ll be my turf, so


    when we get there, whoever dares to bully you would have to go through me.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gaze became much softer, and a faint warmth reflected in her eyes.


    Meeting Jolly was the best thing that had happened to her in the past five years.


    One monthter, at Riverdale International Airport.


    The announcement of the flight¡¯s arrival was broadcasted in the lobby, and the voice of the stewardess


    was sweet and gentle as always.


    A red figure ran through the crowd.


    ¡°Miss!¡±


    ¡°Miss! Please run slowly.¡±


    ¡°Please make way! Look out!¡±


    The small red figure passed through the crowd all the way, and the person pushing the luggage in front


    of her could not manage to dodge, so the figure crashed directly into them and bounced to the ground


    like a ball.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    The adult and child eximed at the same time.


    The red figure that fell on the ground was a five-year-old girl with a red suspender skirt and two little


    pigtails. She looked bright and delicate, like a child that had walked straight out of a painting.


    Then, her eight bodyguards finally caught up to her.


    ¡°Miss, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Am I okay? Would you be okay if you fell like I did?¡± The little girl was young, but her eyes were full of


    deterrence as she red at them. The big bodyguards in front of her didn¡¯t dare to speak after hearing


    what she said.


    After scolding the bodyguards, the little girl turned around and stared at the person she ran into. ¡°Hey!


    Didn¡¯t you watch where you were going? And shouldn¡¯t you apologize for crashing into me?¡±


    The other party who was pushing the luggage was a woman wearing jeans and a white shirt; she


    looked very chic and capable. Her face under the sunsses was very cold, and her maic voice


    was rather unique. ¡°Hey, kiddo, for all I know, I was only standing here; you were the one who ran into


    me.¡±


    ¡°You were obviously blocking my way!¡±


    Rachel frowned when she heard this.


    It had been a while since she was back here. Who would have thought that she would meet a kid like


    this as soon as she came back? If parents don¡¯t educate their kids well, they will definitely suffer sooner


    orter.


    The little girl red at Rachel. ¡°Are you not going to apologize to me?¡±


    ¡°You ran into me. It¡¯s you who should apologize, kiddo.¡±


    ¡°What did you say? How dare you tell me to apologize!¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t your parents taught you that you shouldn¡¯t lie, and that you have to apologize when you did


    something wrong?¡± Rachel pointed to the camera above her head. ¡°There are surveince cameras


    everywhere. If you are not convinced, I don¡¯t mind apanying you to get some surveince


    footage.¡±


    Hearing what Rachel said, the little girl¡¯s pink face turned red from anger.


    All of a sudden, the little girl seemed to have noticed something, then she immediately sat down on the


    ground as she burst into tears.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Witnessing that, Rachel¡¯s brow furrowed deeper.


    What the hell is going on?


    In a sh, the eight bodyguards behind the little girl suddenly stood in a line.


    ¡°President Burton.¡±


    ¡°Daddy..¡±The little girl bawled even louder.


    Behind Rachel, a man¡¯s voice rang. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    The familiar voice of this man had haunted Rachel¡¯s dreams for the past five years. As if time and


    space fell into chaos and rewinded five years, Rachel¡¯s brain exploded with a buzz-she was only


    staring nkly at the iing person.


    Staring at his face that was so cold and handsome, she was stunned for a while.


    The scar on his face was gone. But even so, she could recognize that face anywhere.


    It¡¯s him-Justin Burton.


    Rachel looked at the little girl who was sitting on the ground in disbelief. She called him ¡®Daddy¡¯, which


    meant that she was Justin¡¯s daughter. If that was the case, then she was¡­


    Her heart throbbed right then.


    She even questioned the little girl just now on whether her parents properly educated her.


    The little girl choked and squeezed out more tears. ¡°Daddy! I want a hug!¡±


    Justin went straight to the little girl and bent down, saying warmly and patiently, ¡°Charlotte, what¡¯s the


    matter? Why are you crying like a silly baby?¡±


    The little girl pointed in Rachel¡¯s direction while crying. ¡°Daddy¡­ she¡­ didn¡¯t want to admit that she


    ran into me and kept bullying me! It hurts so much! Sob, sob.¡±


    Following the little girl¡¯s gaze, Justin noticed Rachel, who was just standing at the side.


    Through the sunsses, their eyes met.


    Rachel wanted to avoid his gaze, but it was toote.


    However, Justin only nced at her and then retracted his gaze naturally. Then, he casually said to the


    bodyguard in front of him, ¡°Take care of it.¡±


    Rachel was startled.


    Justin¡¯s gaze was too cold; it could even be said to be estranged. He didn¡¯t even take any extra nce


    at her, not even a second nce-as if he was only looking at a stranger that he had never seen before.


    Five years. It wasn¡¯t that short, but it also wasn¡¯t a lifetime ago. Is he now unable to recognize me


    anymore?


    In the next second, the bodyguard quickly blocked Rachel¡¯s sight.


    ¡°Madam, I¡¯m sorry. Our youngdy has a bad temper. Please forgive me if there was any offense.¡±


    Rachel wanted to take another look at the child, but she could only see Justin walking away with her in


    his arms.


    ¡°This is the business card of ourpany. If you want to make any ims or request forpensation,


    you may go directly to this address.¡±


    Seeing the bronzing body of the ¡®Burton Group¡¯ on the namecard, Rachel¡¯s eyes slowly tightened.


    ¡°Chris!¡±


    As soon as Justin and his entourage left, Jolly rushed over from outside the hall, panting. ¡°Thank God I


    caught up with you. Why do we have so much luggage anyway? The car is parked outside. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    After walking two steps further and realizing that Rachel stood frozen, Jolly showed a puzzled look.


    ¡°Chris, what are you standing around for? Come on!¡±


    Rachel squeezed the business card in her hand and said solemnly, ¡°I just saw Justin Burton.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Jolly immediately became vignt and looked around. ¡°Where? Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He just left.¡± Rachel¡¯s expression wasplicated. ¡°But he didn¡¯t seem to recognize me at all.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 170

    My Mute Bride Chapter 170


    ¡°Justin couldn¡¯t recognize you?¡±


    Jolly was stunned for a moment, then she suddenlyughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal? You arepletely


    different from who you were five years ago. If I hadn¡¯t been with you all the while, I wouldn¡¯t have


    recognized you too.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Besides, you were a mute five years ago. Even if you told him you are Rachel, would he


    even believe it?¡±


    Rachel thought about it for a while.


    With that, Jolly hugged her neck and continued, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop thinking too much. My parents


    have prepared a wee-home banquet for you, and they¡¯ve been urging me the whole day. Hurry


    up!¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t have time to think any more; she was immediately pulled into the car by Jolly.


    On the other side, a ckmercial car was speeding on the expressway leaving the airport.


    ¡°Where did it hurt when you fell? Show me.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± The little girl looked upset. At once, she crossed her arms and stared at Justin. ¡°Daddy, you lied


    to me again.¡±


    ¡°What? Why would you say so?¡±


    ¡°You told me that you would only be away for three days. Tell me-how many days have you been away


    this time?¡±


    Justin was helpless.


    ¡°Five days!¡± The little girl raised her little hand, showing five fingers. ¡°You have been away for five days.


    ¡°Charlotte, something came up, and I couldn¡¯t just walk away. But I brought you your favorite


    chocte.¡±


    ¡°You keep lying to me! Daddy, do you not want me anymore? I know you are going to marry that


    woman. When that happens, you will have children of your own, and you will leave me.¡±


    Hearing this, Justin frowned slightly. ¡°Charlotte, who told you all these?¡±


    ¡°Everyone says so.¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression sank. ¡°Well, we¡¯re going to have to get a new batch of servants in the family.¡±


    However, Charlotte didn¡¯t care one bit about what he said. ¡°Daddy, why do you even need to change


    them out? It is not going to solve anything. Even if you don¡¯t let them say it, they will still think so in their


    hearts.¡±


    ¡°Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, I don¡¯t like her. You can¡¯t marry her.¡±


    Justin replied, ¡°This is a grown-up¡¯s affair.¡±


    ¡°Auntie Tina told me that she is not a good person. If you marry her, I will ignore you forever! Bad


    Daddy!¡±


    The more Charlotte spoke, the angrier she became. Her cheeks were puffed up, as if there were two


    balls stuffed in her mouth.


    Hearing that, Justin immediately felt a headache.


    The car headed to the summer vi.


    As soon as Justin got out of the car, Amber came out to greet him with smiles painted all over her face.


    ¡°Justin, you¡¯re back! Your mother and grandpa are all waiting for you to eat.¡±


    With that, she reached out to take Justin¡¯s hand.


    Seeing that, Charlotte immediately stretched out her arms toward Justin. ¡°Daddy, carry me!¡±


    Justin had always fulfilled his daughter¡¯s wishes, so he immediately picked her up and even helped her


    pull the corners of her skirt; his cold eyes were now filled with doting love.


    Amber lowered her hands disappointedly. ¡°Charlotte, I didn¡¯t know you woulde too.¡±


    Hearing that, Charlotte rolled her eyes at her. Her sweet voice was filled with anger. ¡°Please, this is my


    house. Do you think it¡¯s problematic that I¡¯vee home with my Daddy for dinner? Do you think I am


    the extra person here? Aunt Amber?¡±


    Charlotte ced a lot of emphasis on the word ¡®Aunt when she said it, as if she was deliberately hinting


    at something.


    Even though she was only five years old, she was clever; just a few words from her could be just as


    maddening as an adult¡¯s criticism.


    Amber froze. ¡°Of course I didn¡¯t mean that, Charlotte. You misunderstood.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. Aunt Amber, look at you-you already despise me so much now, so if you marry my daddy in


    the future, wouldn¡¯t you throw me away in a heartbeat?¡±


    Amber was shocked from hearing what Charlotte said. ¡°Charlotte, who told you this? When your father


    was not at home, have I ever treated you badly? I gave you whatever you wanted, and I bought you so


    many dolls and dresses.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to buy anything for me. Besides, those dresses are so ugly-I threw them all away.¡±


    ¡°You threw them all away?¡± Amber was about to vomit blood as she stomped her feet while speaking to


    Justin. ¡°Justin, how could she do this?¡±


    Justin only replied lightly. ¡°Why are you getting so hot and bothered with a child? Didn¡¯t you say that


    everyone was waiting?¡±


    After speaking, he walked into the house while holding Charlotte.


    Charlotte leaned on his shoulders and stuck her tongue out at Amber.


    Amber was about to pass out from the anger, but she couldn¡¯t do anything about it, so she could only


    swallow her anger and follow behind as they walked into the house.


    When Justin and I get married, I¡¯ll send you away, you devil child. Just you wait.


    On the other side, Rachel was sitting in Jolly¡¯s car, looking at the night scene through the car window.


    ¡°Riverdale has changed a lot, huh?¡±


    Jolly¡¯s voice came from the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t even recognize many ces here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating-only a few more buildings have been built here. The development is focused


    more around the area surrounding the airport, and the city center is almost the same. After all, it has


    only been five years.¡±


    Listening to Jolly mumble along, Rachel leaned on her seat as she let her mind drift away.


    In a mere five years, more high-rise buildings had been built, and more generations of people had


    flourished in this city.


    There was no huge turmoil in her heart when she returned to Riverdale. The only thing she


    remembered was her daughter, whom she abandoned at birth.


    ¡°Damn it. I forgot that I shouldn¡¯t take this road. There¡¯s so much traffic on Green River Street. I was


    stuck here several times during the two weeks that I returnedst time. I was so mad that I wanted to


    just abandon my car and walk my way back.¡±


    Green River Street?


    Hearing Jolly¡¯sint, Rachel felt a thud in her heart. She turned her head to look out the window,


    and she saw the tallest building in the distance getting closer and closer to her.


    The Burton Group¡¯s logo gleamed under the night sky.


    Rachel clenched her fists abruptly.


    Jolly was busy driving. Not noticing Rachel¡¯s reaction, she asked, ¡°By the way, do you really want to


    ept the offer from the Burton Group?¡±


    Rachel snapped back to her senses. ¡°Yeah. I will start work in two days.¡±


    Jolly said in a worried tone, ¡°Are you not going to give it further thought? It was an ident that he


    didn¡¯t recognize you at the airport, but if you really work in Burton Group, both of you will meet easily,


    and he will definitely recognize you then. What will you do if that happens?¡±


    ¡°One of the reasons I came back is to look for him anyway. I would have to get close to him no matter if


    he recognizes me or not. Didn¡¯t Janice say that the evidence is most likely in his hands?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s too dangerous. Julian told me that they barely managed to get you away from him back then.


    What if he-¡± Jolly caught herself and suddenly covered her mouth. ¡°Forget it! Knock on wood!¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Rachel said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. What happened in the past stays in the past. You should know how


    important Hans and grandma were to me. I won¡¯t be at ease if I don¡¯t find out who was behind all that.


    And I know for a fact that these two matters were definitely rted to the Burtons.¡±


    Jolly nced at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will help you.¡±


    Rachel nodded and smiledfortingly at Jolly.


    She didn¡¯t expect Justin to not recognize her when she returned to the country. After all, she didn¡¯t


    undergo any stic surgery or change her identity, she was Chris, and she was Rachel as well.


    Jolly asked, ¡°Then what should we do as our first step?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brows eased up, and she said lightly, ¡°First off, we¡¯ll meet some old friends.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 171

    My Mute Bride Chapter 171


    In the summer vi, the Burtons were seated at the dining table for a meal, and Justin came back


    holding Charlotte in his arms. Seeing his return, Sue stood up and greeted, ¡°Justin, you must be


    exhausted after the long trip. Here, let me hold you, Charlotte. Don¡¯t cling on to Daddy.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Charlotte said, jerking her face away as she tightened her arms around Justin¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Take a seat, Aunt Sue. I¡¯ll hold her,¡± Justin said calmly.


    ¡°Forget it, Madam Parham,¡± Amber said. ¡°This girl wants nobody but Justin.¡°


    ¡°What a spoiled little girl. You¡¯re still so clingy to your daddy. Looks like we¡¯ll need to get you a mommy


    soon,¡± Sue said thoughtfully. Then, she held Amber¡¯s hand and added, ¡°It¡¯s about time we fix the date


    for your wedding with Justin.¡±


    Amber blushed, and Arthur nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s true. We should pick a date for the wedding.


    After all, Amber has been by your side for so many years. What do you think, Justin?¡±


    Justin was expressionless. ¡°Whatever you say, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Amber added.


    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll ask Amber¡¯s father out for a meal one day and speak about the details of the wedding.¡±


    Right after the words left Arthur¡¯s lips, a scream of surprise echoed from Justin¡¯s arms. ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Justin asked, concerned.


    ¡°Daddy, my leg hurts! It¡¯s so painful!¡± Charlotte cried, her face crumpling in pain.


    ¡°Why is your leg hurting all of a sudden?¡± Sue asked and wanted to take a look at her leg, but she


    covered it firmly and refused to show it to her.


    Crying loudly, Charlotte forced out two drops of tears from the corners of her eyes. ¡°Oww! It hurts so


    much!¡±


    Heartbroken, Justin asked, ¡°Did you fall in the airport earlier? I¡¯m bringing her to the hospital for a


    checkup.¡±


    ¡°But we haven¡¯t even discussed the wedding yet,¡± Sue pointed out anxiously, but she quickly changed


    the topic. ¡°I mean, Justin, you just came back and haven¡¯t even had a bite yet.¡±


    ¡°I can eat anytime,¡± he answered unhappily as he sprang up from his seat holding Charlotte. ¡°Grandpa,


    I¡¯m going now.¡±


    As Arthur loved his great-granddaughter to bits, he immediately nodded and urged, ¡°Hurry up and go.


    Her health is more important.¡±


    After Amber sent him out the door, she stood there watching with an ashen face as the car drove off


    into the distance and left a trail of smoke behind.


    Behind her, Sue came up and said, ¡°This girl is full of ideas. She has used the same trick so many


    times, and it works every single time.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s his daughter, after all. It¡¯s only natural that he dotes on her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one thing that he dotes on her, but if even the both of us can see through her trick, what do you


    think about Justin and the old master?¡±


    The sarcastic tone she was using made Amber¡¯s face freeze. ¡°Madam Parham, what do you mean by


    that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to spell out everything, but it¡¯s been five years, Amber. You have to put in some effort


    yourself and not just depend on our help. Everything I say is nothingpared to that girl¡¯s cries.¡±


    Patting her shoulder gently, Sue said softly, ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Let¡¯s go in and eat.¡±


    However, Amber continued to stand at the door with a crestfallen look. It had been five years since their


    engagement, but Justin didn¡¯t seem interested in marrying her at all, which had turned her into the


    biggest joke amongst the socialites of Riverdale. And now, even Sue was mocking her!


    The MPV rolled out of thepound of the summer vi, and Justin instructed the driver, ¡°Go back


    home.¡±


    Startled, the driver asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to the hospital?¡±


    Peering at Charlotte in his arms, he asked, ¡°Do you want to go to the hospital?¡±


    Immediately, she shook her head and giggled. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why did you lie?¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t, Great-grandpa and Great-aunt Sue will make you marry Miss Amber.¡±


    ¡°Is it not a good thing if I marry her?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I don¡¯t like her.¡±


    ¡°Is she mean to you?¡±


    Shaking her head, she answered, ¡°That¡¯s not the reason. There are too many women who want to


    marry you, and actually, all of them treat me quite well. But are you going to marry all of them because


    of that?¡±


    The look in Justin¡¯s eyes fell as he hadn¡¯t thought about this before. ¡°But Charlotte, you need a mommy


    as you grow up, and I can¡¯t be by your side all the time because of my busy schedule.¡±


    As though she hadn¡¯t heard a thing he said, Charlotte burrowed into his embrace, curled up into a


    comfortable position, and snuggled in it. ¡°I have a mommy, and I want to wait for her return,¡± she


    mumbled.


    Lowering his head, Justin saw that she had already fallen asleep with her tightly shut eyes. After they


    reached home, the servant carried her back to the room to rest for the night. Her bedroom was massive


    with all sorts of dolls in a corner, and even the ceiling was painted pink. The servant carried Charlotte


    into the canopy bed and put her to sleep.


    Before closing the door, Justin couldn¡¯t help but linger to look at her, a warm glow glimmering in his


    cold eyes. Suddenly, the phone in his pocket vibrated.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°I heard that you¡¯re back from your business trip. Wanna have a drink? My friend¡¯s club is open


    tonight.¡±


    As he descended the staircase, Justin asked, ¡°As my family doctor, do you think it¡¯s appropriate to


    invite your client out for a drink?¡±


    ¡°Dear Mr. Burton, it¡¯s after work now.¡±


    ¡°Send me the address.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing!¡±


    The night was young, and it happened to be the busiest time of the club right now. When Justin arrived,


    a voice echoed from a booth on the second floor, shouting, ¡°Over here!¡±


    With his charming eyes, Rudy winked, and the girls on the dance floor gushed out loudly.


    ¡°Can you please keep it down?¡± Justin shot him a look of disgust as he took a seat across from him.


    After waving at the girls downstairs, Rudy turned back and faced him. ¡°Keep it down? Why? The point


    ofing to a club is to have fun. So, what do you wanna drink?¡±


    ¡°Anything will do.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be in a good mood today. What¡¯s up?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°How could you tell?¡±


    Shrugging, Rudy said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s written all over your face. I¡¯ve known you for five years, and there¡¯s


    only one reason youe out for a drink every time. Your fianc¨¦e is rushing you to tie the knot again,


    isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°You sure talk a lot.¡±


    Rudy sighed. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to be caught between your daughter and fianc¨¦e.¡± Clinking his drink on his


    ss, he added, ¡°My heart goes out to you, my brother.¡±


    With a frown, Justin replied, ¡°That¡¯s not the reason.¡±


    ¡°What else could it be, then?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t put it into words.¡± The more Justin thought about it, the more frustrated he became. Then, he


    picked up his ss and took a gulp to suppress his thoughts.


    ¡°There you go again. Even though I don¡¯t really like that fianc¨¦e of yours, I have to admit that she¡¯s


    rather unlucky to be stuck with you. I wouldn¡¯t marry you if I were in her shoes. Also, research shows


    that ny percent of sexless marriages are miserable.¡± Judging him with a thoughtful look, Rudy


    asked, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have any problems in that area?¡±


    Casting him a warning re, he asked, ¡°Would you like to give it a try?¡±


    Waving his palm in terror, he answered, ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m doing fine in that aspect. But I¡¯m serious, though.


    Just annul the engagement if you really don¡¯t like her and try it with another woman. How about if I


    arrange a little something for you tonight?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 172

    My Mute Bride Chapter 172


    At the mention of this, Rudy got all worked up. ¡°Look, you¡¯ve been amnesiac for so long. Maybe you¡¯ll


    remember everything if a womanes and jolts your senses awake.¡±


    In reply, Justin looked at him coldly and said, ¡°No thanks.¡±


    His gaze was so cold that Rudy decided to shut it. ¡°Fine, I don¡¯t want to be bothered about it, either.¡±


    Meanwhile, in a booth on the first floor, Jolly pushed a bottle of beer into Rachel¡¯s hand and said loudly,


    ¡°Everyone, a round of drinks for my good friend! From now on, Chris will be an official member of our


    drinking group!¡±


    ¡°A round of drinks, everyone!¡±


    ¡°Wee, Chris!¡±


    The beer foam sshed out of the bottle from the clinking of bottles, and Rachel¡¯s face remained


    unchanged from chugging down a bottle of beer.


    ¡°Hey, Jolly, your friend seems to hold her liquor pretty well.¡±


    ¡°Of course! She¡¯s my bestie!¡±


    ¡°Must you beat about the bush, Timmy? You just wanted to say she looks gorgeous, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut it. So, is Chris single?¡±


    Giving that guy a kick, Jolly then said, ¡°She¡¯s not for your taking even if she¡¯s single. Take a good look


    at yourself in the mirror. Do you really think you¡¯re good enough for Chris?¡±


    The groupughed as they joked around, and Rachel was smiling the entire time without turning down


    anyone, whether they were offering a drink or a guessing game. After all, she had known Jolly for five


    years, and she had lost count of the times she had been to a club with her.


    On the other side, the DJ was sting the music, and Jolly bobbed her head to the beat as she sat in


    the booth. A ce like this was her natural habitat. ¡°I¡¯m going to the dance floor. You guys enjoy


    yourselves. And take care of Chris for me.¡±


    With that said, she picked up a bottle of beer and disappeared onto the dance floor. Amidst the lights


    and alcohol, the movement of the crowd made Rachel¡¯s eyes giddy.


    While she took another sip of the beer, she suddenly saw a familiar figureing down from the


    second floor and walking toward the direction of the washroom. Immediately, her eyes narrowed.


    Although Riverdale was not arge city, she wasn¡¯t expecting it to be such a small ce, either. Less


    than a day after her return, she had run into Justin twice. What a small world it was, especially for


    enemies.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Chris?¡± Jolly¡¯s sidekick, Timothy Hertz, asked in concern.


    cing the beer on the table, she answered, ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m going to the washroom.¡±


    Would you like me toe along?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Along the corridor on the first floor, Rachel walked away from the music and people as she followed


    Justin deeper and deeper inside the building until less people passed by her. Just at the corner of the


    corridor, she lost sight of him.


    Where did he go? she wondered and scanned around.


    Behind her, a man walked out of the stairwell and asked coldly, ¡°Who sent you?¡±


    She froze, and the man shouted, ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question!¡±


    A split second before the man¡¯s handnded on her shoulder, Rachel turned around, grabbed his hand,


    and staggered toward him.


    Unable to dodge in time, Justin realized that she was already in his arms the next second with her arms


    around his neck. With a tipsy look, she mumbled, ¡°Where did you go? I¡¯ve been looking for you all


    day¡­¡±


    The scent of alcohol rushed up into his nostrils, and he knitted his brows tightly together. ¡°Hey, let me


    go. You got the wrong person.¡±


    From the corners of her eyes, Rachel saw Timothying over, and before Justin could push her


    away, she acted first and pushed him into the stairwell.


    ¡°You,¡±


    On tiptoes, Rachel lifted her head and kissed him on the lips.


    Shocked, Justin¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, and his first thought was to shove her aside. However, she


    held him tightly around his neck, and he couldn¡¯t exert any force for a short while.


    This was the first time in his life when he felt he was being taken advantage of. This woman must be


    crazy! he thought, giddy from the strong taste of alcohol in her mouth.


    As the kiss deepened, the anger he felt evaporated without a reason, and he actually felt a sense of


    familiarity-the light scent of this woman, despite the smell of alcohol on her, gave him a d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    Could Rudy¡¯s words be true? he wondered as he ced his hands on her waist naturally and kissed


    her deeper.


    ¡°Mmhm!¡± Rachel grunted when she was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace against Justin¡¯s chest.


    Instantly, her body temperature rose, and she wondered if she was really confused and acting so


    passionately because of all the alcohol she consumed.


    ¡°Chris?¡± Suddenly, Timothy¡¯s voice came from outside, and Rachel was jolted back to her senses. With


    all her might, she pushed Justin away and left the spot in a hurry as he groaned in pain.


    In a second, she was out of sight, leaving Justin leaning against the wall after hitting the back of his


    head. His head was ringing with pain, and when he regained himself again, he saw that there was no


    one else at the stairwell except himself. Everything that happened earlier felt like a dream. What on


    earth just happened?


    Rachel didn¡¯t return to the booth after that. Instead, she took a cab home after sending Jolly a text.


    ¡°To Springwill Estate,¡± she instructed the driver.


    It looks like Justin has really forgotten about me. What happened in thest five years? she wondered,


    and her brows furrowed together tightly when she recalled the kiss from earlier.


    Even after five years had passed, she had to admit that she would still be emotionally affected and


    even be thrown into confusion because of this man. She hated him, but how could hate exist without


    love?


    Three dayster, the major pharmaceuticalpanies of Riverdale held a joint exhibition of new drugs,


    gathering the journalists from the biggest media in the city as well.


    As the representative of the R&D team from Burton Group, Amber showed up at the exhibition dressed


    in a Chanel suit. Before the exhibition began, there was a red-carpet ceremony, and she stood in front


    of the signed poster as the journalists asked her questions about the new drug with a microphone.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, it¡¯s said that the new pill developed by Burton Group this time has the effect of dying


    nerve failure and shows great results in the treatment of Alzheimer¡¯s disease. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve done many clinical trials and the new drug has also been tested by the Food and Drug


    Administration,¡± Amber replied.


    ¡°We heard that this drug was proposed by you. Does that have anything to do with Old Mr. Burton¡¯s


    physical condition?¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well, that can be part of the reason,¡± she answered with a smile. ¡°I studied medicine, after all, and one


    of the driving forces for R&Des from my consideration for my family.¡±


    Family?


    Regardless how many new drugs were on the exhibition, it couldn¡¯t be as attention-grabbing as a piece


    of juicy gossip. With a keen nose for news, the journalists immediately picked up the meaning behind


    her words.


    ¡°Does that mean the wedding is drawing close, Miss Hudson?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll announce it once there¡¯s good news.¡±


    ¡°Will President Burton be here at the exhibition today?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯lle a littleter.¡±


    All of a sudden, the journalists were all discussing their wedding news.


    In fact, this was part of Amber¡¯s n. The entire town knew that she had been Justin¡¯s fianc¨¦e for five


    years, and she believed that with so many people urging the wedding, there was no way that Justin


    could just sit on it and not do anything.


    At this moment, a woman¡¯s voice echoed from the outside, saying, ¡°Is this an exhibition for new drugs


    or the press conference for a wedding? Anyone walking in here ignorantly might think that the Burton


    Group is doing this on purpose to divert the attention from the publicity of the new drugs.¡±


    Surprised, the journalists stopped clicking on their cameras and whispered, ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, who¡¯s that?¡± Everyone was asking the same question with a hesitant look in their eyes.


    Only Amber recognized the person when she saw her, and her eyes widened in shock. It¡¯s her? She¡¯s


    back?!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 173

    My Mute Bride Chapter 173


    As everyone stared in wonder at Rachel, cutting through the crowd dressed in a white suit, looking very


    smart and capable, she stopped next to Amber and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s been a while, my dear sister.¡±


    Clutching her fists tightly, Amber thought in disbelief, She actually came back and can even speak


    now? Everything was so shocking to her that she couldn¡¯t find the words to say and was simply


    dumbstruck.


    In front of the journalists, Rachel faced them with ease. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. I¡¯m Chris, the


    new sales director of Burton Pharmaceuticals, as well as the medical representative of thepany for


    the exhibition this time.¡±


    Her introduction almost made Amber¡¯s eyes fall out of their sockets. She¡¯s the new sales director of


    Burton Pharmaceuticals?


    ¡°Since this is an exhibition jointly organized by the pharmas in Riverdale, I hope everyone will focus on


    the new drugs. After all, the new drugs are the results of painstaking efforts by our researchers for the


    benefit of society, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair if the focus of the day is overshadowed by some


    meaningless topic.¡±


    At her words, the journalists in the venue all nodded their heads in agreement, while Amber was livid.


    Just when she had finally found the chance to make herself public and be interviewed as Justin¡¯s


    fianc¨¦e so that the Burtons could push the wedding bells forward, unexpectedly, Rachel came out of


    nowhere and foiled her ns!


    ¡°Hold it right there, Rachel Hudson!¡± Amber called out and chased after Rachel when they were away


    from the journalists.


    Stopping in her steps, Rachel asked, ¡°How may I help you?¡±


    Giving her a once-over, Amber said, ¡°I never thought that a mute would be able to speak one day. I


    thought I was imagining things!¡±


    Rachel snorted, ¡°Didn¡¯t Jefferey tell you that I wasn¡¯t born a mute?¡±


    Amber¡¯s fists tightened warily. ¡°You should have just left for good. Why did you return? And you even


    became the sales director of Burton Pharmaceuticals?¡±


    Five years ago after Rachel disappeared, she had used five years¡¯ time to be by Justin¡¯s side. With


    only one step away from her marriage to Justin, Rachel suddenly returned at this point. Just what is


    she nning? Amber pondered.


    Casting her a nce, Rachel crossed her arms. ¡°Why can¡¯t I return? I have my own legs. I¡¯m free to go


    wherever I want.¡±


    ¡°What are you nning to do?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Gritting her teeth, Amber hissed, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, no matter what you¡¯re nning, Justin is now my


    fianc¨¦, and we¡¯ll be getting married soon. It just goes to show how shameless you are if you try to get


    between us right now!¡±


    ¡°Fianc¨¦?¡± Rachel snorted. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to find it shameless back then when he was my husband


    and were clinging on to him more than myself. Look, you¡¯re still on the same spot even after five years


    have passed. Did you think with me out of the picture, you could im the title of Mrs. Burton?¡±


    ¡°You,¡±


    The elevator doors opened slowly, and Rachel stepped in before saying nonchntly, ¡°I don¡¯t n to


    hook up with my exes. If you do, that¡¯s your choice. I¡¯m not the least bit interested. Now then, you


    better pull yourself together. I¡¯ll see you at the exhibition.¡±


    The colors on Amber¡¯s face shifted from pale to red and back again to colorless. She was gritting her


    teeth so hard that she could have gritted them to pieces. Rachel Hudson. She¡¯s like a changed person


    now, she noted. She definitely has her reasons foring back.


    At the exhibition, the pharmaceuticalpanies gathered at their own booths as they exined and


    presented their new drugs to the journalists.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, could you please introduce the new drug from Burton Pharmaceuticals this time?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Amber said and nced at her assistant. Catching her hint, her assistant yed the video


    behind her.


    However, Amber¡¯s expression shifted the moment it yed, and she gawked at her assistant next to


    her with a look of confusion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    That¡¯s not the introduction video of the new drug! she thought.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, isn¡¯t this a capsule based on eastern herbs? But the information we received prior to this


    stated that Burton Pharmaceuticals is working on a western prescription this time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This isn¡¯t right. She must have yed the wrong video.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the wrong video.¡± Rachel started exining to the journalists right after Amber finished


    speaking. ¡°In the beginning, it¡¯s true that the new drug started as a western prescription, but after some


    market and clinical research, we think that the supplement will be better off with an eastern


    prescription. The result is the new drug from Burton Pharmaceuticals this time, the E-Vital Pill.¡± Then,


    she gestured for the assistant to distribute the samples and introduction brochures to the journalists.


    Next to her, Amber sulked and questioned the assistant, ¡°Who allowed you to let her change my


    prescription?¡±


    Hurriedly, the assistant exined, ¡°Amber, she¡¯s the sales director that thepany poached from SG


    Pharma with a high sry, and the legendary figure in pharma sales for three consecutive years. She¡¯s


    just like an influencer in the world of pharmaceutical and medical equipment. Nobody dares to disobey


    her!¡±


    With that exnation, Amber was mad and tongue-tied. After five years of absence, Rachel actually


    managed to climb to this position. All of a sudden, a mor started some distance away. Amber


    stared in the direction of the mor. With a sparkle in her eyes, she rushed over and cried out, ¡°Justin!¡±


    Surrounded by his assistant and others, Justin strode toward the booth of hispany.


    Amber immediately hugged his arm at the sight of him, saying, ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Justin.¡±


    ¡°How are things going?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe this, Justin. Things would¡¯ve gotten out of hand if you hadn¡¯t shown up in time.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Somebody changed the new drug that thepany is releasing by herself and reced it with a drug


    that hasn¡¯t been tested by the FDA. The journalists have been through the interview, and there will be a


    huge problem if we don¡¯t resolve this before they publish their articles.¡±


    Before Justin could say a thing, a woman¡¯s voice sounded. ¡°Who said that the new drug I introduced


    isn¡¯t registered with the FDA?¡±


    Seeing the woman approaching them, Justin immediately narrowed his eyes. It¡¯s her? All at once,


    everything that happened in the club that day resurfaced in his mind.


    In her five-inch heels, Rachel walked over steadily, her straight bob hair that reached right above her


    shoulders tucked neatly behind her ears. The white on her white suit brought out the boldness and


    precision of her red lipstick as she said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯d have the guts to show this to the journalists if I


    hadn¡¯t registered the new drug with the FDA before this?¡±


    ¡°Still, you shouldn¡¯t have rejected my drug by yourself. My drug has been approved by higher


    management and has passed the clinical trials for a long time. They¡¯re even ready for mass production


    and sale.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be mass produced anymore.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Amber,¡± Justin interjected in a cold tone.


    The muscles on Amber¡¯s face froze, and she became nervous when she saw that Justin never once


    took his eyes off Rachel.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    However, after Justin nced at the name tag on Rachel¡¯s chest, he asked, ¡°You¡¯re Chris?¡±


    The representative from SG Pharma who was well-known in the industry as well as the sales director


    he had spent a lot of effort on trying to poach for the past six months turned out to be her.


    Composedly, Rachel answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m Chris. Are you surprised? I¡¯ve always been contacting


    your HR department through emails, and this is the first time we¡¯re meeting since I took up the


    position.¡±


    They held each other¡¯s eyes. This was the scene that greeted them when they met each other again


    after five years. From his eyes, Rachel could tell that he thought of her as a stranger. He really doesn¡¯t


    remember me anymore.


    Out of the blue, Amber blurted, ¡°She¡¯s not professional at all, Justin. It¡¯s risky to have her in the


    company as the sales director.¡±


    Nonchntly, Rachel said, ¡°Are you worried that I¡¯ll put thepany at risk, or I¡¯ll put you at risk


    instead because of the fact that I¡¯m his ex-wife?¡±


    Ex-wife? With furrowed brows, Justin asked, ¡°What did you say?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 174

    My Mute Bride Chapter 174


    Blinking, Rachel spread her hands and sighed. ¡°We were once married, after all. I¡¯ve only been gone


    for five years, and you¡¯ve wiped me out of your mindpletely. How heartless of you, Justin Burton.¡±


    Looking at his shocked expression, Amber couldn¡¯t help but turn stiff.


    When the exhibition ended, Justin left Amber at the venue and left by himself. ¡°What the hell is going


    on?¡± he shouted at Frankie the moment he got back to his office in Burton Group. ¡°Isn¡¯t she dead


    already? So what¡¯s this now? A zombie?¡±


    With his forehead covered in cold sweat, Frankie exined tentatively, ¡°Back then, the doctor said that


    you couldn¡¯t deal with another blow, so the old master ordered everyone not to mention a word about


    Mrs. Burton and to just say that she¡¯s dead¡­¡±


    ¡°So none of you ever told me about any details of her, and there isn¡¯t even a picture?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that there were no pictures.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Sighing helplessly, Frankie said, ¡°You should ask Old Mr. Burton about Mrs. Burton. Please don¡¯t put


    me in a tight spot.¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    He was just an employee, and Arthur had already made his orders very clear. So, since five years ago,


    nobody dared to mention the name ¡®Rachel in front of Justin. But, who would dare to?


    Seeing how furious he was, Frankie asked cautiously, ¡°Um, President Burton, should I tell the HR


    department to prepare for her dismissal?¡±


    ¡°Her dismissal?¡± Justin shot him an angry re. ¡°We poached her from SG Pharma, and it took us six


    months to find someone as outstanding as her. Who will rece her if she¡¯s dismissed?¡±


    While Frankie was disying a sheepish expression, Justin added, ¡°Keep her for now. And tell the HR


    department to keep looking for a suitable candidate.¡±


    ¡°Yes, President Burton. But, aren¡¯t you the least curious about what happened in the past?¡±


    For the past five years, nobody dared to mention Rachel, and neither did Justin ask anyone about her.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± he answered curtly. ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about the results she can bring to Burton


    Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    Silently, Frankie gushed, He¡¯s indeed fit to be the boss! Even if he has lost his memories, he isn¡¯t a tiny


    bit interested to know anything about his ex-wife even though she showed up right in front of him now.


    Hats off to his level of indifference!


    At the same time, Rachel had just returned to her office in Burton Pharmaceuticals. She was on the


    phone with Jolly while flipping through some documents.


    ¡°So, he really doesn¡¯t remember anything about you at all?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel answered. ¡°It really seems like he remembers nothing at all.¡± She was the one who first


    brought up the term ¡®ex-wife, and the shock he showed didn¡¯t seem staged at all.


    ¡°During the past few days, I¡¯ve been checking up on his situation over the years. Everything seemed


    pretty normal except for one thing.¡± Jolly said.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my dad who told me this. Five years ago, Burton Group was openly and secretly suppressing


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals. It was obvious to everyone that they were in a rush to acquire it. However, at


    that time, the Burton Group suddenly put an end to their acquisition and left it unchecked.¡±


    Rachel frowned. There were too many points that baffled her, and she couldn¡¯t figure anything out for


    the moment. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this for now. Regardless whether he really lost his memories or how much he


    forgot, I¡¯ll still go ahead with the things I want to do without a change of ns.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you n to do now?¡±


    ¡°I think the surveince evidence might be in his house, so I¡¯m nning to make a trip there.¡±


    The next afternoon, Rachel appeared at Justin¡¯s mansion with some documents, and she pressed on


    the doorbell.


    Ding dong, ding dong.


    ¡°Coming!¡± the servant said from the inside. ¡°Hello, may I know who you are?¡±


    ¡°I have something here for President Burton,¡± Rachel began and showed the servant her business


    card. ¡°He told me to wait for him at his home.¡±


    After the servant took a look at the business card, her expression remained unchanged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but


    you should look for Mr. Burton at thepany. He has instructed us not to allow anyone into the house


    if it¡¯s regarding work.¡±


    Then, the servant shut the door with a loud bang in her face.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Rachel gasped after she was snubbed. What¡¯s wrong with Justin? He¡¯s not working at home


    anymore? He was never this way before!


    Just when she was about to leave, a girl¡¯s voice sounded from above. ¡°Hey, why are you at my ce?¡±


    Jerking her head to look up, Rachel saw a little girl hanging over the railing on the second floor balcony,


    blinking her grape-like, shiny dark eyes at her.


    That was her daughter whom she had to leave behind in Riverdale after she gave birth to her. For five


    whole years, she had never seen her once.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m asking you a question! Why are you here to look for my daddy? Do you like him and want to


    marry him as well?¡±


    ¡°No, ¡­ I¡¯m here to discuss something with your father.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what every woman whoes looking for him says.¡±


    Not sure what she should say, Rachel simply answered, ¡°I¡¯m really not here to marry him. Since he¡¯s


    not around, I¡¯m leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Charlotte yelled and stomped her feet on the balcony. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you can leave yet! Hold on!¡±


    Just one look and Rachel could tell that she was a pampered child, but her spoiled ways were not


    annoying at all.


    ¡°Do you know how to bake cookies?¡±


    Nodding, Rachel asked hesitantly, ¡°Why?¡±


    The little girl¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she said, ¡°Don¡¯t go. I¡¯ll open the door for you.¡±


    Without waiting for Rachel¡¯s reply, the little girl ran back into the house. And soon, the servant from


    earlier opened the door again. Running out of the house in her teddy bear indoor slippers, she ran up


    to Rachel in her tiny steps and said, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Thertinue door an sreply


    Her hands were warm as she grabbed Rachel¡¯s hand and pulled her into the house.


    Helplessly, the servant said, ¡°Miss Charlotte, Mr. Burton has said many times that you¡¯re not supposed


    to bring a stranger into the house.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not a stranger because both Daddy and I have met her before.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Just go and do your work, Mary. We¡¯re gonna go bake cookies now.¡±


    After that, she dragged Rachel into the kitchen and released her as she pointed at the ingredients on


    the kitchen counter. ¡°Can you make me a gingerbread man with all these?¡±


    Rachel nced at the ingredients and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Make it, then,¡± Charlotte said and crossed her arms as she stood aside. At such a small age, she


    already had a domineering expression, exhibiting a justified look when she instructed people around.


    However, Rachel was not mad at all, and she rolled up her sleeves to start working without another


    word.


    After filling the pastry bag with batter and brushing ayer of butter on the baking tray, she squeezed


    the batter in the pastry bag onto the tray and made flower shapes.


    ¡°You really know how to do it?¡± Charlotte uttered while looking from the side with her head tilted. ¡°All


    the women who came before this said they knew how to do it, but they were just humoring me and


    wanted me to put in a good word for them in front of Daddy.¡±


    All of a sudden, Rachel felt her heart drop, and it wrenched. It was not surprising that many women


    threw themselves at Justin because of his status. While it didn¡¯t matter to the adults, it was a torture for


    the child because she had to deal with this sort of issues at such a young age.


    ¡°Why do you want to bake cookies?¡±


    ¡°My aunt¡¯s birthday ising soon, and I want to prepare a gift for her.¡±


    Seeing how she was looking at the baking tray in anticipation, Rachel held out the pastry bag to her


    and asked gently, ¡°Would you like to give it a try?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 175

    My Mute Bride Chapter 175


    Charlotte¡¯s expression changed and she frowned when she said, ¡°I¡¯m not doing it.¡±


    ¡°Charlotte, since it¡¯s going to be a gift for your aunt, then you should be making it yourself. That¡¯s how


    you show your sincerity,¡± Rachel said patiently.


    ¡°If I do it myself, then what would I need you for? Aren¡¯t all of you here to work for me?¡±


    All of you? When Rachel heard that, she ced the pastry bag down. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at Rachel. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    While taking off her gloves, Rachel said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t care how amodating the women who


    came before were toward your temper, but when ites to me, you have to prepare your own gift for


    another person. You can learn if you don¡¯t know how to do it, but if you refuse to participate, I won¡¯t


    help you with the cookies.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not doing it? Then I¡¯ll tell Daddy that you¡¯re mean to me!¡±


    Rachel froze, for she never expected that Charlotte would use this as her weapon. Judging from how


    confident she sounded, she was sure that this trick had worked wonders everytime.


    Just how has Justin been educating her all these years?


    After taking off her apron, Rachel said in a huff, ¡°Fine. Tell him just that.¡±


    Charlotte was obviously stunned.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯m leaving now,¡± Rachel said curtly and walked toward the door.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you can leave yet!¡± Charlotte shouted, and Rachel heard her stomping her feet behind her.


    As though she hadn¡¯t heard anything, Rachel continued walking without turning back, and just when


    she was about to reach the door, Charlotte yelled loudly from behind, ¡°I can give it a try!¡±


    Immediately, Rachel stopped in her tracks and turned to look toward the kitchen, only to see Charlotte¡¯s


    tiny face flushing red with reluctance. It was as if this was the first time she had yielded, and she was


    highly unwilling to do it.


    ¡°I mean, I can give it a try, but I won¡¯t make a lot of it!¡±


    Despite that, Rachel was already relieved. Looks like she can still be corrected.


    Then, she passed the pastry bag to Charlotte and stood behind her as she held her hand to teach her.


    ¡°It¡¯s very simple, actually. Just like how you usually draw, the cookies can be any shape you want it to


    be.¡±


    In a mechanical and indifferent manner, Charlotte allowed her to move her hand as she pleased.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try to draw a baby tortoise. Here, we¡¯ll start with the shell, and then the head¡­¡±


    After the shape of a tortoise appeared on the baking tray, Charlotte straightened her back and her eyes


    sparkled. ¡°It¡¯s really a baby tortoise!¡± she eximed in her baby voice that was full of surprise.


    ¡°We can even draw a piglet.¡±


    ¡°Okay! My aunt loves piglets!¡±


    This time, Charlotte was very focused, and she followed the movement of her hands with her eyes


    carefully.


    ¡°Did you learn it? Would you like to try it by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    When Charlotte had sessfully drawn out a piglet by herself, Rachel stroked her head and


    complimented her. ¡°You¡¯re great. It looks amazing!¡±


    Charlotte actually appeared a little shy while she was scratching her head. ¡°But why do I think that it


    looks a little ugly? It¡¯s not as pretty as yours.¡±


    ¡°Just make a few more. You¡¯re so smart. You¡¯ve done so well at the first try, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get better


    after a few more tries.¡±


    That was encouraging to Charlotte, so she suddenly became pumped up. When Justin returned home,


    he immediately smelled the scent of cookies in the house.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Charlotte?¡± he asked.


    A servant replied, ¡°Miss Charlotte is upstairs. She¡¯s probably tired after baking the whole afternoon.¡±


    Baking? Justin wondered. When he thought of Charlotte¡¯s impatient personality, he had no


    expectations of the cookies she made, so he directly went upstairs after handing the servant his jacket.


    Something suddenly came into the servant¡¯s mind, and she said, ¡°Sir, someone by the name of Miss


    Hudson is here, and Miss Charlotte seems to like her a lot. She¡¯s upstairs now after ying with Miss


    Charlotte the whole afternoon.¡±


    In an instant, that woman came into his mind, which made him frown and quicken his steps to the


    second floor.


    The child¡¯s bedroom was quiet on the second floor, and when he was about to push the door open to


    take a look, the person inside happened to open the door. They both almost walked right into each


    other. Rachel gasped in surprise and staggered, but Justin held her by the waist quickly with his


    lightning reflexes.


    The fall she was expecting didn¡¯t happen, and she felt a tight grip on her waist. After lifting her head,


    she saw that Justin¡¯s face was just inches away from hers, and she couldn¡¯t avoid looking at it even if


    she wanted to do so.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that!¡± Justin said as his eyes gradually turned cold. ¡°What did you tell


    Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t tell her anything.¡± Rachel regained her bnce and looked at the door from the


    corner of her eyes. The look in them was one of gentleness. ¡°She thought I¡¯m just a woman who¡¯s here


    to look for you.¡±


    Only then did Justin¡¯s face rx a little, but his tone remained aloof. ¡°You¡¯re not the first woman to


    show up here. Don¡¯t think I have no idea what¡¯s on your mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just here to ask you about something. What could possibly be on my mind?¡± While looking at his


    sullen face, she took a step closer and whispered in such a low voice that her breath tickled his ears as


    she spoke. ¡°Did you think that I¡¯m here to reconcile with you?¡±


    The woman¡¯s face that was so close to his was beautiful and confident, but her eyes were innocent. As


    Justin looked into those eyes, he let his guard down for a few seconds, and some fragmented images


    shed through his mind.


    All of a sudden, he felt a sharp pain in his temples.


    ¡°Justin?¡± Rachel called upon seeing the weird look on his face.


    Jolted back to his senses, he abruptly grabbed her hand and said, ¡°No matter what you¡¯re nning, I¡¯m


    telling you now that it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    From their ¡°chance encounter¡± at the club to her sudden appearance at the exhibition and her showing


    up at his house on this day, these three encounters were enough to show that nothing was a


    coincidence. What is this woman nning to do?


    She gasped in pain and cried, ¡°Let go! You¡¯re hurting me!¡± However, his hand remained on hers tightly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten it wrong. I¡¯m really here to look for you because of work.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you look for me at my office if it¡¯s about work? Instead, you came here and even baked


    cookies with my daughter?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s also my daughter.¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°For five years, you didn¡¯t show up even once and never fulfilled your most


    basic responsibility of a mother. Yet, you still have the cheek to say she¡¯s your daughter?


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    With her brows furrowed together, she asked, ¡°You really don¡¯t remember anything at all?¡±


    If she could have brought her daughter with her back then, she would have definitely done it, but she


    couldn¡¯t because Justin had forced her to a corner. Despite that, his current attitude made it seem like


    she was the one in the wrong.


    How amazing it is to be amnesiac. He deleted his past and epted everything that had happened in


    the past while I¡¯m the only one suffering all the pain for five years, she thought. After this man in front of


    her


    d hurt herpletely, he could actually forget all about it and lead a happy, blissful life with their


    daughter.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be anything good if I can forget those memories so easily,¡± Justin said nonchntly. Every


    word was so sharp that it pierced Rachel¡¯s ears.


    ¡°That may not be true. Maybe the days you forgot were the happy days.¡± Instead of getting mad, she


    ran her fingers through her hair. The way she did that made her appear young and innocent in spite of


    the womanly charm she carried; any other man who saw her like this would have stared at her. ¡°If you


    weren¡¯t waiting for my return, then why didn¡¯t you get married to Amber after five years of


    engagement?¡±


    Her words caught him by surprise.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 176

    My Mute Bride Chapter 176


    ¡°Did you recall something?¡±


    The inquisitiveness in her tone pissed him off. ¡°What does the person I¡¯m getting married to have to do


    with you? Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯ve divorced and we have been living apart for five years.¡±


    ¡°Of course it has something to do with me. I don¡¯t care who you wish to marry, but this woman will be


    Charlotte¡¯s stepmom in the future. I should have the right to question it if she¡¯s evil and mean to her,


    right?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that because Charlotte has nothing to do with you anymore,¡± he said


    icily. ¡°Also, I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t get close to her. Or else, I won¡¯t even care about the fact that we


    were once married. Are you still not leaving?¡±


    Even though there was a crack in their married life back then, or they were separated for whatever


    reason, Rachel shouldn¡¯t have left her newborn daughter alone and never visited her even once in the


    past five years.


    The coldness in his eyes thickened, and he growled, ¡°I¡¯ll call the security if you¡¯re still not leaving.¡±


    Rachel secretly rolled her eyes in her mind. He¡¯s already amnesiac, but he¡¯s still the same arrogant


    prick. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. Do you really think I want to be here?¡±


    ¡°Another reminder for you; you¡¯re not allowed to tell Charlotte that you¡¯re her mother,¡± he added


    emotionlessly.


    Before Rachel could say anything, the door behind them opened suddenly, and Charlotte stood at the


    door in her pajamas while holding a long-eared bunny soft toy. ¡°You¡¯re my mommy?¡± she asked in


    shock


    Rachel¡¯s face froze, and Justin¡¯s expression darkened as well. As the little girl stared at Justin in a


    daze, she asked for confirmation once more. ¡°Daddy, did you just say that she¡¯s my mommy?¡±


    ¡°Go back to your room, Charlotte,¡± Justin said, frowning heavily. ¡°You heard it wrongly.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t!¡± Instantly, Charlotte was wide awake, and she ran toward Rachel before hugging her


    around her thighs. ¡°Mommy! I missed you so much!¡± she cried loudly.


    Rachel was at a loss for what to do at this scene, but when she heard Charlotte¡¯s cries, her eyes


    burned and turned red suddenly. She lowered herself and held Charlotte in her arms before apologizing


    to her. ¡°It was my fault. I should have returned earlier to look for you.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t leave me again!¡± Charlotte sobbed.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not leaving. Be good, Charlotte.¡±


    As Justin watched everything happening before him, he knitted his brows tightly. While coaxing


    Charlotte, Rachel lifted her gaze and met a pair of cold eyes staring at her. She smirked and cast him a


    look that showed that she wasn¡¯t the one who mentioned anything about being Charlotte¡¯s mother, but


    him.


    However, Justin wasn¡¯t about to take this at all. In his opinion, all these wouldn¡¯t have happened if she


    hadn¡¯t shown up at his ce.


    In the living room, Charlotte refused to let go of Rachel¡¯s hand, and her eyes were red and swollen as


    she choked out the words, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re not leaving again this time, are you?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes drifted across the room at the man who was reading the newspaper, but his attention


    wasn¡¯t on the paper. Instead, he was giving her a warning look.


    After clearing her throat, she tried to ignore the enormous pressure and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving


    anymore.¡±


    ¡°Will you always be with me, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll bake cookies together.¡±


    At the mention of the cookies, Charlotte broke into a smile in spite of her face still being tear-streaked.


    She then turned to Justin. ¡°Daddy, Mommy taught me how to bake cookies today. Do you want to try


    it?¡±


    Without hesitation, he answered curtly, ¡°No.¡±


    Nevertheless, Charlotte wriggled away from Rachel¡¯s arms and scurried into the kitchen as though she


    hadn¡¯t heard him. A minuteter, she returned with a te of cookies in her hands and offered it to


    Justin. ¡°Try it, Daddy. Mommy taught me how to make these.¡± Then, she picked a piece from the te


    and stuffed it into his mouth.


    Justin couldn¡¯t say no, so he took a bite and was amazed with the taste. It¡¯s fragrant and neither too


    sweet nor too buttery. Just perfect. Does she even have this talent?


    Charlotte blinked and watched him in anticipation. ¡°It¡¯s delicious, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he answered after returning to his senses.


    ¡°What do you mean by that? Don¡¯t you know how topliment a person, Daddy? No wonder Mommy


    left! It¡¯s because you drove her away!¡±


    ¡°I drove her away? Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°Miss Hochmann said so,¡± she answered while rolling her eyes at him. Then, she climbed back into


    Rachel¡¯s arms using her hands and feet, clinging onto her mother tightly. ¡°She said you were a baddie,


    and that was why Mommy left. When Mommy¡¯s not angry anymore, she will return. Are you still angry,


    Mommy?¡±


    At first, Rachel was surprised, but she looked at the person opposite of her with a thoughtful look. ¡°Not


    anymore.¡±


    ¡°Then you won¡¯t leave anymore, for sure! Daddy, you¡¯re not allowed to make Mommy mad again!¡±


    Anger rushed through Justin, and he tossed the half-eaten cookie back onto the te in irritation. How


    could Gloria tell a kid nonsense like this? Also, this woman didn¡¯t even care to exin things! She¡¯s


    acting as though I¡¯m the one who made a mistake!


    Right before he could say a thing, Mary came forward and told him, ¡°Sir, dinner will be ready soon.


    Should I prepare anything else?¡± While speaking, she cast a nce at Rachel¡¯s direction, making her


    meaning known.


    cing down the newspaper, he then asked Rachel, ¡°What time do you n to leave?¡±


    Charlotte red at him and interjected, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Daddy? Mommy just came back!


    Where do you want her to go?¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She has her own ce. She can¡¯t keep staying at somebody else¡¯s house!¡±


    ¡°This is not somebody else¡¯s house! This is my house, so it¡¯s also her house!¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression was stern when he asked, ¡°Are you going to let her live here?¡±


    ¡°Every kid has their daddy and mommy living together with them. Why not me?¡± she asked, her eyes


    turning red again. Tightening her arms around Rachel¡¯s neck, she shouted at him, ¡°You¡¯re evil, Daddy!


    I¡¯m not staying here if you don¡¯t let Mommy stay here!¡±


    Justin was so mad that he bounced up from his seat, and Rachel quickly tried to pacify the situation by


    saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Aren¡¯t you having dinner soon? Charlotte, have dinner with Daddy. I¡¯ll be here again


    another day, okay?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me as well, Mommy?¡± Charlotte cried, tears flowing down her cheeks. ¡°You don¡¯t want


    me because I¡¯m not a good girl?¡±


    At a loss for what to do, Rachel hurriedly wiped away her tears. ¡°That¡¯s not true. Don¡¯t cry, Charlotte.¡±


    However, the little bawled loudly, and her cries echoed throughout the huge living room. ¡°Mommy


    doesn¡¯t want me anymore! I¡¯m so sad. I¡¯ve never had a mommy since I was young, and now that she¡¯s


    back, she doesn¡¯t even want me! Am I a bad child?¡±


    Justin¡¯s heart wrenched when he heard that. Thus, he instructed, ¡°Mary, set the table for another


    person.¡±


    Surprised by his words, Rachel paused with her hand mid-air as she wiped away Charlotte¡¯s tears, and


    she looked at him in shock.


    However, his eyes were stone cold. Even though Charlotte was his Achilles¡¯ heel and he could agree to


    anything she wanted, it didn¡¯t mean that anyone should use her to threaten him.


    ¡°Come to Daddy, Charlotte,¡± he said.


    Charlotte shook her head in reply, all the while still sniffling.


    Hence, Rachel had to hold her in her arms and stroke her back until she calmed down. ¡°Alright now.


    Hush-hush. I¡¯ll eat with you, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Charlotte answered, her babyish voice ringing in the living room.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 177

    My Mute Bride Chapter 177


    During dinner time, Charlotte wanted to sit next to Rachel. ¡°Mommy, I want to eat that!¡±


    ¡°This?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°All right. Eat more and grow tall, Rachel said. Then, she dropped the food the little girl liked onto her


    te.


    With an unreadable look in his eyes, Justin watched as Charlotte chomped down on the food happily.


    This girl is usually a picky eater and would alwaysin at the dinner table. No matter how we


    coaxed her, she wouldn¡¯t even take an extra bite. With this woman around, she just eats anything she


    gives her and even eats a lot of it. More importantly, everyone knew how Charlotte usually treated other


    women. She would usually be stubborn, rude, and mean toward them. In contrast, she was very


    obedient toward Rachel. Is it because they¡¯re rted by blood?


    Night fell, and after Rachel tucked Charlotte into bed, she sneaked out of the room quietly.


    At the top of the staircase, she saw that the light in the study on the first floor was still turned on. If her


    guess was right, Justin was probably still working there. Therefore, the master bedroom would surely


    be empty now.


    If the surveince record containing the evidence that could prove that Hans was murdered was in this


    house, the most probably ce it would be was either the master bedroom or the study.


    After she slipped into the bedroom, she started searching from the head of the bed, opening and


    checking every drawer. Finally, in the corner of the closet, she found a ck-colored safe.


    Password¡­ What¡¯s the password? she asked silently while looking at the number pad.


    Beep, beep, beep.


    She punched in Justin¡¯s birth date.


    It¡¯s not right. What about Charlotte¡¯s birthday?


    Beep, beep, beep.


    That¡¯s not it, either. I still have one more try left, she thought. At that moment though, the sound of


    footsteps came from outside the room, so she quickly closed the closet doors.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Holding her chest, Rachel turned around and said in surprise, ¡°You gave me a scare! You don¡¯t make a


    sound at all when you walk!¡±


    ¡°Why are you sneaking around in my room?¡± he asked while standing at the door, his expression


    deadpan.


    ¡°Sneaking around? I just put Charlotte to bed and wanted to tell you that I¡¯m going to leave now. In the


    end, you came behind me right after I came in and scared the daylights out of me!¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re looking for me?¡± he asked suspiciously as he inched in closer to her.


    Staring at him, she said, ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? What else could I possibly be doing except to look for


    you?¡±


    ¡°You put in so much effort to make a trip here. You baked cookies with Charlotte and refused to leave.


    At this time now, you even came into my room where we¡¯re alone. So tell me, what do you n to do?¡±


    After hearing his conclusion, Rachel couldn¡¯t stop herself from bursting intoughter.


    ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in you,¡± she answered. ¡°At all.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    She shrugged and told him honestly, ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you believe it or not, but I¡¯m simply here to


    say goodbye. I have to go now.¡±


    ¡°Hold it right there,¡± he said. Then, he grabbed her arm and stopped her from leaving. In an icy tone, he


    asked, ¡°If you¡¯re not interested, why did you show up at the club that night and did that?¡±


    Even though he was holding her wrist, she didn¡¯t struggle and asked in return, ¡°What did I do?¡±


    ¡°You tell me.¡±


    Rachel made a show of thinking about it before suddenly lifting her head and saying, ¡°Are you speaking


    about that kiss? I had too much to drink that night, so I was a little tipsy. But then, I really didn¡¯t expect


    that you¡¯re still thinking about it.¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression darkened. He was furious as he tightened his jaw and said, ¡°You had too much to


    drink?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied before jerking her hand away from his grip. She smirked as she added, ¡°Actually,


    you don¡¯t have to take it so seriously. We¡¯re adults now. You know we¡¯re capable of anything with a little


    liquid courage. Don¡¯t take it for real. It¡¯s gettingte, so I¡¯m leaving now.¡± After that, she left the house


    without looking back.


    When he heard the sound of the car engine starting outside the house, Justin was so furious that his


    face was red. Such a flirtatious woman can¡¯t possibly be a responsible mother. No wonder I divorced


    her back then.


    Meanwhile, it was already past eleven at night when Rachel reached home. After Jolly learned that


    Charlotte had found out that Rachel was her mother, she appeared as though she was expecting it


    when she said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before your return that you should think carefully about acknowledging


    your daughter. It¡¯s impossible for you to avoid your daughter if you want to get close to Justin.¡±


    At the end of the day, it was not a secret that Rachel was Justin¡¯s ex-wife, so how could she hide the


    fact that she was Charlotte¡¯s biological mother?


    Rachel opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of beer, feeling frustrated. ¡°I know it¡¯s unavoidable. I just


    feel¡­ guilty.¡±


    The guilt she had was for her daughter. Back then, she left Riverdale alone to save herself and left her


    daughter behind. Earlier, her heart was broken into pieces when she heard Charlotte¡¯s cries.


    Calmly, Jolly said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be guilty about. You had no other choice as well.¡± She sighed


    and continued, ¡°But look how great things are now. You can use your daughter as an excuse to visit


    Justin¡¯s ce often. That¡¯ll make it easier for you to look for evidence.¡±


    ¡°I found the safe.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rachel answered while nodding. ¡°It¡¯s in Justin¡¯s closet, but I don¡¯t know the password.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s easy. Wait a minute.¡± Jolly returned to her room and ransacked her drawers beforeing out


    again with a thumb-sized ss bottle. ¡°Here¡¯s some fluorescent powder. Just scatter this on the


    number pad and Justin will leave his prints behind when he opens the safe. Then, you¡¯ll find out the


    numbers he¡¯s using for the password.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to arrange andbine a six-digit password.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still easier than making random guesses. Maybe there¡¯s a pattern to it.¡±


    Nodding thoughtfully, Rachel decided that she agreed with that. ¡°Yeah.¡± I¡¯ll have to look for another


    chance to visit his ce again then.


    The next day, Charlotte woke up in the morning and rubbed her eyes while looking for her mother. In


    her sheep bedroom slippers, she stood at the top of the staircase and asked, ¡°Madam Mary, where¡¯s


    my mommy?¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson left after you fell asleepst night,¡± she exined.


    Suddenly, her eyes popped wide open and she asked, ¡°She leftst night?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, did she say when she¡¯sing again? Will shee again today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, but Mr. Justin doesn¡¯t seem to wee her that much.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so mean of Daddy!¡± Charlotte cried out angrily while stomping her foot. ¡°Mommy finally


    returned, and he¡¯ll definitely drive her away again if he acts like this!¡±


    This is bad, if Mommy doesn¡¯t return, Amber will marry Daddy! At that thought, she said anxiously,


    ¡°Quick, help me get dressed. I want to go out.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even have your breakfast yet. Where do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to look for Daddy and Mommy at their office,¡± she answered, her hands clenched tightly to


    show her determination. ¡°I¡¯ll assert Mommy¡¯s dominance for her.¡±


    At the same time, after her morning meeting, the secretary knocked on Rachel¡¯s door and entered her


    office. ¡°Chris, the head office wants you to make a trip to the president¡¯s office after your meeting.¡±


    ¡°Right now?¡± Rachel asked while ncing at her watch.


    ¡°Yes. They called when your meeting just started.¡±


    ¡°Did they mention what it is about?¡±


    ¡°No, they didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°All right. I got it,¡± she answered. She was puzzled about why Justin would look for her at this time all of


    a sudden.


    Burton Pharmaceuticals was located on the twelfth floor of the Burton Group headquarters building. It


    went to show just how important this subsidiarypany was to the Group, and the president¡¯s office


    which belonged to Justin was on the twentieth floor.


    As she pressed the button on the elevator, Rachel analyzed in her mind the possible reasons that


    Justin was looking for her. Is he thinking of dismissing me?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 178

    My Mute Bride Chapter 178


    The elevator doors opened with a ¡®ding¡¯, and the secretary outside of Justin¡¯s office greeted Amber


    politely when she saw her. ¡°Hello, Miss Amber. President Burton is still in a meeting. What brought you


    here today?¡±


    ¡°I made some chicken soup and brought some for him. It has been very busy in thepany recently,


    and all of you have worked hard. So, I ordered some pastries and they will be delivered soon.¡±


    At this, the people at the reception table looked happy and started thanking her.


    ¡°You¡¯re always so sweet, Miss Amber.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Amber.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. I¡¯ll be waiting for Justin in his office then.¡±


    The secretary at the reception quickly stood up and said, ¡°Miss Amber, why don¡¯t you wait in the


    lounge? There¡¯s already somebody waiting in his office.¡±


    ¡°Somebody?¡± she repeated, her eyes narrowed. ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Charlotte,¡± the secretary replied.


    Amber was relieved when she heard that. She had initially thought that it was another C-list celebrity


    who hade to throw herself at Justin. ¡°Why did Charlotte suddenlye over today?¡±


    ¡°No idea, but she arrived in the early morning.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Amber said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m bored anyway, so I can chat with her since Justin will be


    finished with the meeting soon.¡±


    Everyone at the reception exchanged nces as they watched Amber disappear into Justin¡¯s office. It


    was an open secret that Charlotte had a dislike for Amber.


    Most of them reckoned that Justin was still not marrying Amber because of Charlotte¡¯s disapproval.


    Besides this reason, they couldn¡¯t think of another logical exnation.


    Someone sighed and said, ¡°The door¡¯s unlocked. Let¡¯s check it out.¡±


    ¡°I hope nothing happens.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s our boss¡¯ precious daughter. We won¡¯t be able to answer him if anything happens to her.¡±


    ¡°But Miss Amber is his fianc¨¦e, so we can¡¯t afford to offend either side.¡± They discussed among


    themselves as they gathered in front of Justin¡¯s office and stuck their ears to the door.


    In the office, Charlotte was seated on Justin¡¯s chair, dressed in her ck and white-colored skirt with


    suspenders. Her legs were dangling in the air, and the red rubies embedded in her tiny white leather


    shoes sparkled in the sunlight.


    She was in a really good mood, for she was even humming a nursery rhyme as she sucked on a


    lollipop. Upon hearing the sound of the door behind her, she turned around quickly and eximed in


    delight, ¡°Mom-¡±


    But the moment she saw the person who came in, she swallowed her words and her expression


    became indifferent. ¡°Why is it you?¡±


    With a thermos in her hand, Amber shed her a smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to bring lunch for your


    daddy. What did you call me earlier, Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Charlotte looked disgusted. ¡°What do you think I was calling you? You must be imagining


    things because you want to be my mommy so bad!¡±


    Despite her answer, Amber was not the least bit angry. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you call me


    ¡®Mommy¡¯ or not. We¡¯ll be mother and daughter by name after I marry your father. This is a fact that


    can¡¯t be changed with just a form of address.¡±


    All along, she had never regarded Charlotte highly. Once she had a boy with Justin, he would be the


    sole heir to the Burton Family¡¯s fortune, and this girl would be nothing by then.


    Charlotte rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. ¡°My daddy won¡¯t ever marry you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not up to you to say. Even if Justin lets you get your way, he won¡¯t let a child decide his


    marriage. In the end, your influence is limited.¡± As she spoke, she ced the thermos on the desk and


    stared at Charlotte silently, the huge desk between them. With the usual friendly pretense she had in


    her eyes, she added, ¡°You¡¯d better be a good girl, or your life won¡¯t be so easy anymore after I marry


    your father. Do you understand me?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s pupils contracted, and she nodded cautiously.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty smart.¡±


    Tentatively, Charlotte pointed a finger at the thermos and asked, ¡°Miss Amber, what did you bring for


    Daddy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s chicken soup. Why?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had breakfast, so I¡¯m a little hungry now. May I have a little?¡±


    Since she was rarely this obedient, and she didn¡¯t go against her on this day, Amber was rather


    pleased. Thus, she said, ¡°Sure. I brought quite a lot anyway. I¡¯ll pour some out for you. If you¡¯re a good


    girl, I¡¯ll treat you as I would my own daughter. Here, try it.¡±


    Then, she passed her the bowl of soup that she had just poured out in front of Charlotte. Suddenly, the


    look in Charlotte¡¯s eyes changed and she raised her hand.


    With a loud thud, the bowl and thermos flipped over. The soup scattered from the desk to the floor as


    Amber shrieked. Quite a lot of the soup had spilled onto her dress as well.


    ¡°You wretched girl! Are you crazy?¡±


    Charlotte jumped off the chair. There was a sly and proud look on her face as she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aunt


    Amber. I didn¡¯t hold it properly because the soup is too hot.¡±


    ¡°You did it on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± Amber shouted, looking at the spilled soup on the floor furiously.


    She raised her hand and was about to grab the little girl when the anxious voice of a woman came from


    behind her, which made her stop suddenly. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Amber¡¯s expression darkened, but Charlotte had already dashed over while shouting, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    After lowering herself to pick Charlotte up, Rachel asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Charlotte batted her eyelids, and something glinted in her eyes. Then, her eyes misted over with tears


    when she thought of something. ¡°Mommy, why did you onlye now? Somebody almost killed me!¡±


    Shocked, Amber asked, ¡°Charlotte, what did you call her? Say it again!¡±


    For five whole years, she had painstakingly taken care of this brat. From the time she could only babble


    to the point now when she would talk back to her and make fun of her, Amber had tolerated her.


    However, not only did she gain nothing, but she immediately called Rachel ¡®Mommy¡¯ the moment she


    returned after five years of disappearance. Rachel doesn¡¯t deserve this! she thought angrily.From N?velDrama.Org.


    Charlotte¡¯s cries became louder, and she snuggled in Rachel¡¯s arms as though she was terrified. ¡°Look


    at her, Mommy!¡±


    As Rachel wiped away the little girl¡¯s tears, she cooed, ¡°Hush now. Don¡¯t cry anymore.¡± Then, she


    ced Charlotte behind herself and gaze at Amber with stony eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hear the same


    thing twice if you¡¯re not deaf. Of course, I won¡¯t mind telling Charlotte to call me Mommy again just for


    you to hear.¡±


    The color drained from Amber¡¯s face as she shouted, ¡°Rachel Husdon, do you have any idea what


    you¡¯re talking about? What gives you the right to be her mother?¡±


    ¡°Are you qualified if not me?¡± she snapped. After scanning behind Amber, she added, ¡°You almost


    scalded her. If I didn¡¯t arrive in time, would you have hit her as well? Is this how Justin allowed you to


    take care of her?¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you speaking about?¡±


    ¡°Then exin to me what happened!¡±


    Amber was so furious that she was on the verge of pulling her hair. ¡°I can¡¯t exin this to you, but when


    I see how capable both of you are at framing people, I have to admit that you two are really mother and


    daughter!¡±


    Mother and daughter? Outside the door, everyone started whispering among themselves at the


    shocking news.


    Earlier, when Charlotte called out ¡®Mommy¡¯, the employees gathered outside already had their jaws


    hanging, but now, even Amber had confirmed it to be true. So this woman is Charlotte¡¯s real mother


    and our boss¡¯ ex-wife?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 179

    My Mute Bride Chapter 179


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that the boss¡¯ ex-wife passed away?¡± someone muttered.


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s well and alive, isn¡¯t she? I heard she¡¯s the new sales director in thepany,¡± someone


    else said.


    ¡°You mean Chris, the person that our boss hired at a high rate from another country?¡± another person


    asked.


    ¡°Gosh, are they rekindling old mes?¡± A series of voices came from the office. For some reason, the


    words ¡®rekindling old mes¡¯ rang loud in Amber¡¯s ears. She dug her fingernails into her palms as she


    clenched her fists, and her gaze dimmed as she thought about Rachel. So, this is the reason you¡¯re


    back. You keep saying that you aren¡¯t interested in Justin, that you don¡¯t want anything, but the truth is


    that you¡¯ve been carefully scheming this all along. You nted your seeds five years ago, and you got


    that brat to take care of it for you.


    The surroundings seemed to turn silent as everyone stiffened up and greeted the person who arrived.


    ¡°President Burton.¡±


    ¡°Why are you guys huddled at the front entrance? Don¡¯t you guys have work?¡± Frankie barked.


    Everyone scurried away and scattered off after that.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Justin asked. He saw Rachel the moment he stepped in.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Before Rachel could say anything, Justin felt someone clinging onto his leg. Charlotte began


    to wail at him. ¡°Mommy¡¯s here to save me. I would¡¯ve gotten hit if Mommy hadn¡¯te to my rescue!¡±


    ¡°You got hit?¡± Justin immediately knelt down and held onto Charlotte to look for any injuries. ¡°What


    happened?¡±


    Rachel knitted her brows as her gaze turned cold. ¡°It was all thanks to your fianc¨¦e, of course.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare use me!¡± The look on Amber¡¯s face was one that was twisted with indignance.


    ¡°Ignore her nonsense, Justin. I didn¡¯t do anything. I just came here to bring you soup, and Charlotte


    said that she wanted some, but she was the one who intentionally overturned the bowl of soup!!


    would¡¯ve been burnt if I hadn¡¯t dodged the hot liquid.¡±


    Rachel felt her heart sinking as she looked toward the office table from the corner of her eyes-the


    soupy mess was still there. Justin heaved a sigh of relief once he checked and ensured that Charlotte


    wasn¡¯t injured. ¡°What happened, Charlotte?¡± he asked.


    The young girl rubbed her eyes as she snuggled into Justin¡¯s arms. ¡°The soup was really hot, and I


    couldn¡¯t hold onto it when Aunt Amber handed it to me. That¡¯s why I dropped it. I didn¡¯t do it on


    purpose.¡±


    ¡°How dare you say that it wasn¡¯t on purpose? Would you have spilled the whole sk of soup if you


    hadn¡¯t done it intentionally?¡± Amber hissed.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Daddy, Aunt Amber tried to hit me,¡± Charlotte wailed.


    ¡°How dare youin when you were the one who was at fault!¡± Amber cried.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about how the soup was spilled for now. I witnessed


    you attempting to hit her with my own eyes, so how are you going to deny that?¡±


    Justin frowned as he shot Amber a cold re. She felt herself growing anxious. ¡°I didn¡¯ty a finger on


    the girl at all! You can¡¯t just listen to her side of the story, Justin. She¡¯s obviously back to get revenge on


    me!¡±


    ¡°Why does she need to get revenge?¡± Justin held onto Charlotte¡¯s hand, hisnky shadow extending


    across the ground.


    Amber gritted her teeth. ¡°Well, because she¡¯s Charlotte¡¯s birth mother! She¡¯s jealous of me because I


    took the spot that was supposed to belong to her. Can¡¯t you tell, Justin? She¡¯s using her child to gain


    your sympathy!¡±


    ¡°My mommy isn¡¯t using me at all!¡± Charlotte clung onto Justin¡¯s arm. ¡°I came alone today, Daddy.


    Mommy didn¡¯t know anything. Aunt Amber is lying! She told me that she would treat me worse once


    she gets married to you, and she warned me to stay in line!¡±


    ¡°I never said that, Justin. Trust me!¡± Amber cried.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± A look of annoyance shed across Justin¡¯s face. ¡°You don¡¯t need to send food to the


    company in the future. My assistant can handle that.¡±


    Amber¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Justin, I¡­¡±


    ¡°I have other work to do. You should leave now,¡± Justin muttered. Amber couldn¡¯t say much else to his


    heartless words. Just as Amber was about to walk out of the building, Charlotte rolled her eyes at the


    woman.


    ¡°Speak up. What happened?¡± Justin let go of Charlotte¡¯s hand and sat down behind the coffee table as


    he stared at the woman and girl before his eyes. The two females couldn¡¯t help but feel rather


    frightened-it was almost as if they were being questioned in court.


    ¡°What do you want us to say, Daddy?¡± Charlotte was starting to feel rather self-conscious.


    ¡°What else? Tell me about your lie earlier. Was the spige really an ident?¡± he uttered.


    Rachel¡¯s heart sank as she looked at Charlotte confusedly. ¡°Were you actually lying, Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie, Mommy!¡± Charlotte shook her head frantically. Rachel then lowered herself and held the


    young girl¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you no matter what you say, Charlotte. But I also want you to know that it¡¯s


    bad for kids to lie to others.¡±


    ¡°Mommy¡­ Hug me.¡± Charlotte sobbed and waddled forward for a hug, but Rachel gently stopped the


    girl as she spoke in a soft but firm voice. ¡°Let¡¯s clear things up first, Charlotte. Crying and whining isn¡¯t


    going to solve all your problems.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Charlotte finally spoke up meekly. ¡°She was the one who said that she¡¯d get


    married to Daddy. She warned me to be obedient and said that she would be bad to me otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Was that why you spilled the soup on purpose?¡± Rachel narrowed her brows. Charlotte hung her head


    low, and her silence had provided the adults with an answer. Rachel sighed; she didn¡¯t me the


    young girl. ¡°Charlotte¡¯s still a child. It¡¯s normal for her to act in a more immature manner. I think it¡¯s good


    that she¡¯s willing to admit her faults, and this incident wasn¡¯t entirely her fault anyway. Please don¡¯t


    me her for this,¡± she said as she turned to the man behind the coffee table.


    ¡°Since when did I say I was ming her?¡± Justin shot her a stern expression. Rachel froze as she


    looked at him dumbfoundedly. At the same time, Charlotte lifted her head to look at her as well. ¡°Why


    would Daddy me me, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°If I were to criticize her for such matters, I wouldn¡¯t have the time to do anything else in my day,¡± Justin


    muttered. Ever since Charlotte learned how to speak, she had been especially hostile toward all the


    women around Justin. She had practically used all the possible ways of throwing tantrums and kicking


    up fusses with other women, and Justin had witnessed them all. The incident with Amber earlier was a


    common urrence; it was no big deal.


    Right then, Rachel tugged her lips to form an awkward smile as she nced at both father and


    daughter. ¡°¡­ I guess I was overreacting then, huh?¡± So, the two of them were merely putting on a


    show earlier? It looks like Amber¡¯s the one who was fooled by this.


    ¡°However, you¡¯re the first one that got her to admit her faults,¡± Justin added. Charlotte had been a


    mischievous girl since she was younger, and she got into a lot of trouble. On top of that, she often


    refused to admit her mistakes, and she was incredibly stubborn. Yet, she turned into an obedient little


    kitten in front of Rachel, and she spat the truth out after Rachel told her to do so. ¡°That¡¯s because what


    Mommy said made a lot of sense.¡± Charlotte giggled as she wrapped her arms around Rachel¡¯s neck.


    Smooch! She nted a huge kiss on her mother¡¯s cheek.


    Justin seemed rather displeased to see the both of them being so close to each other. ¡°What are you


    doing here, anyway? You haven¡¯t told me anything.¡±


    His words came as a surprise to Rachel. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who told me toe?¡±


    ¡°I told you toe?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡± she asked.


    The both of them shifted their gazes to Charlotte at the same time. Charlotte immediately grabbed


    Rachel¡¯s arm as she changed the topic. ¡°I¡¯m starving, Mommy, Daddy. What are we having for lunch?¡±


    The young girl¡¯s attitude cleared things up for them they all knew who the culprit was.From N?velDrama.Org.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 180

    My Mute Bride Chapter 180


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time. I¡¯ll get Frankie to bring you out for lunch,¡± Justin replied.


    ¡°No, Daddy! You need to eat with Mommy and me!¡± Charlotte wailed. Justin was about to reject the


    young girl when Rachel spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s treat this as my wee meal, boss. We can eat with


    Charlotte; I¡¯ll buy you guys a meal. It¡¯s just one meal with your child, so it¡¯s not going to take up that


    much time.¡±


    Justin was captivated by her calm demeanor, and he found it hard to reject her request. For the first


    time, a sense of confusion flooded him as he considered the one question that popped up in his mind.


    Why did I divorce this woman in the first ce?


    ¡°I want to eat with both Daddy and Mommy! Let¡¯s go!¡± Charlotte gave Justin¡¯s arm a powerful tug. Both


    the girls were asking him to go along, and it¡¯d seem like he had something to hide if he didn¡¯t just agree


    with them.


    Therefore, Justin pulled his car keys out as he led the way to the car. ¡°I¡¯m heading out. Call me if


    there¡¯s anything.¡± He left Frankie some orders.


    ¡°Got it, President Burton,¡± Frankie replied.


    With one hand holding onto Rachel¡¯s arm, Charlotte waved her other hand toward Frankie. ¡°I¡¯ll bring


    some good food back for you, Mr. Beckham!¡±


    Frankie ruffled her hair. ¡°Thanks, Charlotte.¡± The assistant turned to Rachel and gave her a nod after


    that. Rachel lookedpletely different from how she used to look five years ago. Frankie wouldn¡¯t


    even have recognized her if they had bumped into each other on the streets.


    Once they got to the garage, Justin threw his keys to Rachel, who froze. ¡°Why are you handing me


    this?¡±


    ¡°Are you expecting me to drive?¡± he asked her in return.


    ¡°But¡­ It¡¯s your car. Why won¡¯t you drive it?¡± she uttered. Right when Justin was bending down to put


    on Charlotte¡¯s seatbelt for her, the young girl stuck her head out and winked at Rachel. ¡°Daddy doesn¡¯t


    know how to drive, Mommy.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Why are you talking so much?¡± Justin straightened himself as he shot Rachel an annoyed re. ¡°Are


    we going for lunch or not? I don¡¯t have that much free time.¡± He got into the car immediately after that.


    Rachel knitted her brows as she held the handle on the car door. Does Justin not know how to drive?


    Charlotte must have been kidding, right?


    They arrived at a restaurant that Charlotte picked. It was a quiet ce with elegant surroundings. ¡°The


    fish and chips here taste really good, Mommy. Their pasta is really tasty too,¡± Charlotte said.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do you oftene out for meals with Daddy?¡± Rachel asked when she realized how Charlotte


    seemed familiar with the dishes.


    ¡°No. My aunt is the one who brings me out for food,¡± Charlotte muttered.


    Justin was midway pouring them sses of water, but he shot the young girl a stare after hearing what


    she said. ¡°Have you forgotten about all the times I brought you out for meals, you ungrateful


    kid?¡±


    Food was served soon after that. ¡°Is it good?¡± Rachel asked as she peeled a prawn for Charlotte.


    ¡°Amazing!¡± the young girl eximed. They were halfway through their meal when the waiter came over


    with a trolley. ¡°Hello, sir, madam. Today is our restaurant¡¯s family day, so any married couple who


    brings their child out is eligible to get our free fruit tter or a bouquet of flowers.¡± Married couple?


    Justin froze while Rachel frowned a little. ¡°So, would you guys prefer the fruit tter or some flowers?¡±


    ¡°The flowers, of course!¡± Before Justin could say much, Charlotte pointed toward the trolley excitedly.


    ¡°Those red roses, please!¡±


    The young man immediately handed a red rose to Justin. ¡°It seems like the both of you must have a


    really loving rtionship. I hope that you guys grow old together.¡±


    Since the flowers were right in their faces, Justin couldn¡¯t do anything else but take it into his hands. A


    series of emotions flooded his face as he did so. However, the waiter didn¡¯t leave just yet; he continued


    to put on a professional smile as he lifted a camera to snap a picture. ¡°Smile! Look at the camera!¡±


    ¡°You need a picture too?¡± Justin¡¯s face fell even more.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take one! Let¡¯s¡­¡± Charlotte urged Justin. ¡°Give the flower to Mommy, and we¡¯ll take a picture.¡±


    Everyone was watching him, so Justin didn¡¯t have any choice but to hand the rose to Rachel.


    The waiter pressed the shutter the moment Rachel took the flower from Justin¡¯s hand. Click! The


    heartwarming moment shared by the family of three was captured and frozen in time. ¡°Thank you, sir,


    madam. Have a great meal!¡±


    Justin and Rachel exchanged rather awkward gazes after the waiter left. Charlotte, on the other hand,


    held onto the empty proid and shook it in the air. ¡°It¡¯sing out! Look at it, Daddy!¡± Only then did


    the both of them return to their senses.


    Rachel ced the rose aside to look at the picture in Charlotte¡¯s hand. The outline of their figures was


    beginning to surface, and Charlotte was grinning so much that her gums were showing. Her eyes were


    the shape of half-moons as she eximed in joy, ¡°This is my first ever family portrait, Mommy, Daddy!¡±


    Initially, Justin hadn¡¯t wanted to keep the photo, but he felt his insides melting after he heard what


    Charlotte said. The young girl was brought up by a single parent. Although she appeared bold and


    stubborn on the outside, she certainly recognized that she wascking something as a growing child.


    Justin tried his best to be lenient and understanding toward her, but no amount of leniency had ever


    made her as happy as she was in the past two days.


    ¡°Can we take more pictures in the future, Mommy, Daddy?¡± Charlotte looked up at her parents, her


    gaze filled with anticipation.


    Rachel gave Justin a look before she stroked Charlotte¡¯s hair. ¡°Mommy and Daddy can take tons of


    pictures with you if that¡¯s what makes you happy, Charlotte.¡± Justin frowned a little.


    None of them noticed a dark figure seated in the corner of the restaurant. Amber had followed them


    over to the store. At that moment, her face was a sickly pale shade as she watched the family of three


    getting along happily. The more I think about it, the more certain I am that Rachel had left this child


    here in the past just to achieve what she¡¯s doing now. I hadn¡¯t expected her to y this move. It was


    too well calcted.


    er pulled her phone out to make a call. ¡°How¡¯s it going with the things I told you to do earlier?¡± She


    continued after a short pause, ¡°Okay. I want to see results.¡± An icy expression surfaced in her eyes


    after she ended the call.


    Meanwhile, Justin had to rush back to thepany after they finished their meal. Rachel parked the


    car in the garage, and she turned back to find Charlotte fast asleep on the child¡¯s car seat.


    ¡°Can you wait here for a while? I¡¯ll get someone to bring her home,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You go ahead with your work; I¡¯ll send her back,¡± Rachel replied. ¡°I don¡¯t have much to do in


    the afternoon anyway.¡±


    After taking a look at his daughter, who was fast asleep, he agreed with Rachel¡¯s idea. ¡°Sure.¡±


    While Rachel refastened her seatbelt, she looked into the rearview mirror to see Justin¡¯s figure leaving


    the garage. She then drove Justin¡¯s car out of the garage and sent Charlotte home into her room. The


    maid came over to thank Rachel while she was tucking Charlotte into bed. ¡°It¡¯s a little windy today, and


    Charlotte isn¡¯t dressed in really thick clothes. You should prepare some warm soup so that she can


    have it once she¡¯s awake.¡±


    ¡°I got it,¡± the maid replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here with her for a while. You can go on with your work,¡± Rachel told her.


    ¡°Ah, okay.¡± After the maid left, Rachel nced at the bedroom door and listened as the maid¡¯s


    footsteps grew farther and farther away. Once there was no longer any sound from the hallway, Rachel


    got to her feet and left Charlotte¡¯s bedroom.


    She was familiar with the way to Justin¡¯s bedroom, and she opened the wardrobe to reveal the safebox


    inside.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 181

    My Mute Bride Chapter 181


    Rachel wanted to scatter the powder that Nancy had given her onto the buttons of the keypad. With a


    mini-shlight that she brought around everywhere, Rachel ensured that every number on the keypad


    had been covered with some powder before she shut the wardrobe and left the room.


    It began to rain in the evening, and the skies were dark by the time Justin got home. He saw a figure


    sitting in his living hall the moment he entered the house. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Rachel looked up from the magazine she was reading and replied in a matter-of-factly tone, ¡°Did you


    forget that I sent Charlotte back earlier?¡±


    Justin seemed rather displeased. ¡°What I meant was, what are you still doing here?¡± Charlotte got


    home hours ago. What time is it now? Justin thought.


    ¡°Well, I did you a favor, right? Why can¡¯t you offer me dinner or something?¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have food at home? Do you need to eat here?¡± Justin was obviously annoyed. ¡°You¡¯d better


    not think that you¡¯ll be able to gain control over me just because you managed to win Charlotte¡¯s heart.


    What happened in the past is in the past. I¡¯m not someone who likes looking back.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Rachel shot a nce at the room upstairs. ¡°Charlotte has a slight fever, and


    I stayed back because I was rather worried.¡±


    Justin¡¯s pupils shrank a little after he heard what Rachel said. When Rachel tucked Charlotte into bed


    earlier, she had already realized how the young girl seemed rather unwell. After taking Charlotte¡¯s


    temperature, Rachel found that Charlotte had a slight fever. It was probably because Charlotte had


    dressed too thinly for a windy day out.


    g to the room, Justin took the young girl¡¯s temperature once more. His fatherly gaze was filled with


    tenderness as he gently ced hisrge palm against Charlotte¡¯s tiny face. Charlotte was half awake


    as she let out a soft mumble. ¡°Mommy¡­¡±


    Justin¡¯s face fell a little. Rachel was too far to hear what Charlotte had said, but she assumed that


    Justin was worried because of the grim look on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s only normal for kids to have


    mild fevers and headaches. She¡¯ll be a lot better after she gets some rest,¡± Rachel said.


    He simply responded with a slight nod. The rain only got heavier by the time they left Charlotte¡¯s room


    and went downstairs. ¡°I¡¯ll leave now,¡± Rachel said.


    Justin nced out the window before he replied, ¡°You didn¡¯t leave when the weather was good earlier,


    and you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯re leaving now when it¡¯s raining. Are you expecting me to make you


    stay?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, no. I would¡¯ve left if Charlotte didn¡¯t have a fever, and I don¡¯t need to worry now since you¡¯re


    home,¡± Rachel uttered. ¡°I have food waiting for me at home,¡± she added to prove her point.


    Just then, the sound of a car¡¯s engine rumbled by the front entrance. Rachel took an umbre from the


    porch as she walked out. ¡°Can I borrow one of your umbres? I¡¯ll return it to you someday. My ride is


    here, so I¡¯ll make a move now.¡±


    As Justin saw her walking out with the umbre, he couldn¡¯t help but follow her to the living hall, where


    he nced out the full-length window by the side. He could clearly see the woman¡¯s back as she


    walked out and got into a car. Someone¡¯s actually here to pick her up, huh? Justin frowned. Could I be


    overthinking this?


    At the same time, Rachel got into the passenger¡¯s seat of the car. Nancy drove her home at an


    extremely slow speed as the wipers could barely wipe off the heavy droplets of rain on the windshield.


    ¡°The rain is so heavy tonight. This could¡¯ve been your perfect excuse to spend a night there. You


    might¡¯ve even managed to get some evidence by tonight, right? Why did you insist on getting me to


    pick you up?¡± Nancy asked.


    ¡°Even you can tell that this weather is the perfect excuse for me to stay, so don¡¯t you think Justin


    might¡¯ve considered that too?¡± Rachel asked in return.


    ¡°Were you afraid that he¡¯d get suspicious of you?¡± the driver asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Even if Rachel had managed to find a way to stay the night, Justin would¡¯ve been eyeing her


    the whole time. Furthermore, he might not have gone to his safebox on the same night, and she


    wouldn¡¯t have had a chance to do much even if he did. That was how Rachel concluded that there was


    no need for her to stay


    Nancy sighed. ¡°What a shame. This was a perfect chance. What are you going to do now? You can¡¯t


    say that you¡¯re going over to visit your daughter, right? Doesn¡¯t Justin hate it when you get close to


    Charlotte?¡±


    Rachel tightened her grip on the umbre handle. ¡°There¡¯ll be a lot of other chances in the future.¡±


    The next day, Rachel paid a visit to Justin¡¯s office after they got out of a meeting in the afternoon.


    Knock-knock. ¡°Come in,¡± Justin uttered from inside.


    ¡°President Burton.¡± He lifted his head when he heard Rachel¡¯s voice.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked.


    She shook the umbre she was holding in her hand. ¡°I¡¯m here to return your umbre.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would¡¯ve used the umbre as an excuse to visit my ce again. What¡¯s this? What¡¯s


    the rush?¡± he asked as he pushed his signed documents to one side of his desk.


    ¡°Do I seem to you as someone who¡¯s that desperate to achieve something?¡± Rachel asked as she


    ced the umbre into the holder beside the door. ¡°I¡¯ll leave now that I¡¯ve returned the umbre.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°Are you busy after work today?¡± She froze after she heard what he said. ¡°Charlotte mentioned that you


    haven¡¯t finished teaching her how to bake cookies, so she told me to invite you over after work,¡± he


    continued. An exasperated look surfaced on his face when he saw how quiet Rachel seemed. ¡°You can


    forget about it if you¡¯re busy,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m free,¡± she hastily replied.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s set then. I¡¯ll see you in the garage after work.¡± Justin continued to look at his documents after


    he finished his sentence. He only lifted his head again after he heard his door being shut. Confusion


    gathered between his thick eyebrows as he gazed at the door.


    Justin never had a good impression of Rachel. The main reason for this was because she had


    completely abandoned Charlotte five years ago, so he had always thought of Rachel as an


    irresponsible mother. But Charlotte seems to like her a lot, and she does take good care of Charlotte


    whenever they¡¯re together. Was my previous impression of her formed due to my personal biases?


    Both Justin and Rachel headed home in one car after work. A tiny figure dressed in red was waiting by


    the front entrance, and they could see the young girl before they even arrived at the house. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Charlotte flung herself into Rachel¡¯s arms the moment Rachel stepped out of the car.


    Rachel nearly fell backward. ¡°Ah! Charlotte, why are you out in this cold weather when your fever


    hasn¡¯t gone down?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m all better now. You can feel my forehead if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Charlotte held her head up


    toward Rachel, who beamed and went along with the young girl¡¯s orders. She pressed one hand


    against Charlotte¡¯s forehead while pressing the other against her own. ¡°You¡¯re right. It does seem like


    your fever has gone down.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying, was I, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Well, you should still be a little more careful. You should stay home just for these few days.¡±


    ¡°Ahem!¡±The sound of someone coughing came from behind them while they talked. Rachel didn¡¯t need


    to turn around to picture the grumpy look on Justin¡¯s face. Instead of looking back immediately, she


    gave Charlotte a wink before shifting her gaze to Justin.


    Charlotte immediately got what Rachel meant. ¡°Daddy!¡± The young girl held her arms wide as she ran


    toward Justin. ¡°I want you to carry me!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mommy the only person you care about? Isn¡¯t she the only one you want?¡± he asked in a t


    tone.


    ¡°No way! Daddy and Mommy are supposed to be a pair. I like both of you. I like you two equally.¡±


    ¡°Equally?¡± Justin was clearly displeased at her answer. Rachel hadn¡¯t been around in the past five


    years, and he had taken care of Charlotte all by himself. How could Charlotte show equal love toward


    both of them?


    Charlotte was an extremely observant child, so she clung onto Justin¡¯s thigh the moment she realized


    the darkening look on Justin¡¯s face. ¡°Carry me, Daddy! Carry me!¡± she cried as she looked up at the


    man.


    He couldn¡¯t help but give in when he nced at his adorable daughter, who looked almost like a


    porcin doll. Then, he lifted her into his arms, and she moved toward him immediately. Smooch!


    Once Charlotte kissed him on the cheek, all traces of anger melted off his face immediately. ¡°Daddy


    you¡¯re the best! My dad is the best dad in the whole wide world!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 182

    My Mute Bride Chapter 182


    Justin flicked her on the forehead. ¡°Your sweet-talking isn¡¯t going to work. I¡¯ll send you off to some


    summer camp in the mountains if you don¡¯t obey me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d miss me too much to do that,¡± Charlotte muttered as she pouted and held onto her forehead.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if I¡¯d miss you.¡± Justin wore an emotionless expression as he spoke. Charlotte could sense


    that something was up-she knew that Justin was about to tickle her. ¡°Mommy! Save me, Mommy!


    Hurry!¡± Charlotte shouted as she wriggled away from Justin.


    ¡°No one¡¯s going to save you!¡± Justin had already got Charlotte at her ticklish spot before Rachel could


    even get closer to Charlotte. The young girlughed so hard that she could barely breathe.


    ¡°Hahahaha¡­ I was¡­. Hahahaha¡­ I was wrong, Daddy¡­ Hahahaha! Mommy¡­ Hahahaha!¡± The


    young


    girl giggled.


    Even Rachel couldn¡¯t help butugh as she watched the father and daughter fooling around. The night


    breeze made Rachel¡¯s hair messy, so she tucked some hair behind her ear, revealing her defined


    jawline. Justin¡¯s hands stopped mid-air, and he no longer tickled Charlotte when he saw Rachel¡¯s warm


    and gentle smile.


    Rachel had beenughing, but she froze the moment she met gazes with Justin. The sun was setting,


    and the breeze was cooling. Charlotte¡¯s giggles filled the air as Justin and Rachel looked at one


    another. The atmosphere around them seemed too warm and loving to be real-their actions felt natural


    enough to seem like a daily thing, yet it felt rather unfamiliar for them to have such a rtionship.


    The maid¡¯s voice came from inside the kitchen then. ¡°Mr. Burton, Miss Hudson, dinner¡¯s ready! You


    guys can eat now.¡± Only then did the couple snap back to reality. They hastily looked away from one


    another. Justin lowered Charlotte onto the ground, and the young girl stomped her feet as she walked


    toward Rachel while panting. ¡°Daddy¡¯s a big monster!¡± Charlotte cried as she held onto Rachel¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Fine; I¡¯m a big monster. You shouldn¡¯te home with this big monster from now on,¡± Justin muttered


    as he walked into the house. Rachel nced at his back figure before she held onto


    Charlotte¡¯s hand. ¡°Come on, little monster.¡±


    Charlotte blinked puzzledly. ¡°How am I the little monster?¡±


    The woman blinked back at the young girl. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the big monster¡¯s daughter be a little monster?¡±


    Charlotte chuckled for a while. ¡°You should be a big monster too then, Mommy. In that case, we¡¯re a


    family of monsters!¡±


    Justin turned around when he heard what Charlotte said, and he gave Rachel a thoughtful gaze for a


    moment. Rachel couldn¡¯t handle the awkwardness-she looked away and avoided his gaze.


    Dinner wasn¡¯t anything fancy-they had a few homemade dishes. Charlotte couldn¡¯t seem to sit still at


    the dinner table. ¡°Are we making cookies togetherter, Daddy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Justin uttered.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s supposed to prepare a gift for your aunt, not me,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Charlotte pouted before she turned to Rachel. ¡°Please don¡¯t mind him, Mommy. Daddy¡¯s just


    this sort of person. I can¡¯t imagine how he managed to win over the heart of a woman like you in the


    past.¡±


    Rachel stiffened while Justin nearly choked on his water. ¡°What are you talking about, Charlotte?! How


    could I possibly go after her?¡± Why would I go after her? he thought.


    ¡°Well, what happened between you two, then?¡± Charlotte opened her arms as she asked. ¡°Could


    Mommy have been the one who went after you? She¡¯d never have left if she was the one who went


    after you. You must¡¯ve made her angry. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re not admitting to your faults yet!¡±


    Justin found himselfpletely speechless. He had no memory of his past with Rachel, so he couldn¡¯t


    even dispute Charlotte¡¯s ims. He had never wondered about his past, but he was starting to get


    rather curious about it.


    Rachel and Charlotte headed into the kitchen to prepare for their cookie-baking session after dinner.


    Justin was busy working in his study, but he couldn¡¯t seem to process any of the documents he was


    reading. Eventually, he fished out his phone and dialed a number. ¡°How did I meet Rachel in the past?¡±


    he asked in the call.


    The person on the other end paused for a moment. ¡°Why are you wondering about this all of a


    sudden?¡± the person asked in a surprised manner.


    ¡°No reason. I¡¯d just like to hear some details about the things that happened between us,¡± he uttered.


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton specifically warned me not to talk about this, President Burton. Please don¡¯t make


    things hard for me. Why don¡¯t you just ask her if you really want to know?¡± Frankie was one of the few


    people Justin actually trusted, so Justin couldn¡¯t bring himself to fault Frankie for following orders.


    ¡°Well, just tell me this-who was the one who chased after the other party in the past?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Frankie was so puzzled-Justin could hear the confusion in his voice. After a while, Frankie


    finally gave a rather uncertain response. ¡°There wasn¡¯t exactly one party who went after the other¡­ I


    guess it was a mutual liking. But after that¡­¡±


    ¡°What happened after that?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°You went after her,¡± Frankie replied.


    ¡°No way!¡± Justin leaped out of his chair. ¡°Did you remember this wrongly?¡±


    Frankie sounded rather irritated as he spoke. ¡°Of course not. It has only been five years.¡± Apart from


    Rachel and Justin themselves, Frankie was the one who knew the most about their rtionship during


    then. ¡°President Burton, you¡­¡±


    Before Frankie could finish his sentence, Justin ended the call on his end of the line. He then slumped


    into his chair with a grim look on his face.


    Meanwhile, Rachel was busy showing Charlotte how to bake cookies in the kitchen. ¡°Let¡¯s use some


    molds to shape the dough-every cookie will be about the same size that way.¡± Rachel patiently guided


    her daughter in a step-by-step manner as they removed the molds from the dough. ¡°Is this right?¡±


    Charlotte asked.


    ¡°Yeah. You need to press on it firmly before knocking it out. You¡¯re such a smart girl, Charlotte,¡± Rachel


    uttered. In fact, Charlotte¡¯s motor skills weren¡¯t that great. It was evident that the young girl had been


    spoiled from a young age-she hadn¡¯t had to use her hands for much work in the past.


    ¡°Have some tea, Miss Hudson,¡± the maid offered.


    ¡°Okay. Thank you. You can leave it there.¡±


    ¡°You can take a break. I¡¯ll be here with Charlotte.¡± The maid ced the tea in the living hall before


    ushering Rachel to go over. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t strain yourself too much,¡± the maid reminded her.


    Rachel stole a nce at the room upstairs before she nodded half-heartedly. ¡°Sure. You can look after


    Charlotte. Make sure that she doesn¡¯t hurt herself. I¡¯ll use the washroom for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay.¡±


    After washing her hands, Rachel stepped out of the kitchen and took a few sips of her tea in the living


    room. She then headed upstairs to the washroom on the first floor. Once she was in front of the


    washroom, she shut the door from the outside and turned to make sure that the maid wasn¡¯t watching


    her. Once she made sure that the coast was clear, she hurried up the stairs.


    The skies had turned dark by then. There weren¡¯t any lights in the master bedroom-the whole ce


    was pitch ck. Rachel had to find her way to the wardrobe door based on her memory of how the


    room looked. She then pulled her mini-shlight out from her coat before shining it at the keypad of the


    safebox. Once the light rays stuck against the surface of the keypad, there were neon-colored powder


    stains that indicated the buttons with fingerprints on it.


    Rachel hastily noted down all the numbers that had fingerprints on them. ¡°Mary¡­¡± Justin¡¯s voice came


    from outside the room. ¡°Bring some tea up, please.¡±


    ¡°Ah, alright. Please hold on, Mr. Burton. Miss Hudson is in the washroom, and I need to take care of


    Charlotte. I¡¯ll send some tea up once Miss Hudson is back to look after Charlotte,¡± the maid exined.


    ¡°Come down and take a look at the cookies that Mommy and I made, Daddy!¡± A child¡¯s sweet and


    innocent voice came from downstairs.


    Rachel felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her throat. One would attract what one feared the


    most-Rachel could hear faint footsteps walking in her direction. One step, two steps, three steps¡­ The


    sound faded off at the stairway. If Rachel¡¯s estimations were right, Justin had gone downstairs.


    Her expression altered as she hastily shut the wardrobe door.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 183

    My Mute Bride Chapter 183


    Once Justin got downstairs, he saw Mary and Charlotte baking cookies together. When he turned to


    look at the washroom on the first floor, the door was shut, and the lights were turned on inside.


    However, there wasn¡¯t any noiseing from the inside. Suspicion gathered in his eyes as he walked


    toward the washroom. ¡°Are you in there?¡±


    There wasn¡¯t any reply. Justin knocked on the door twice. ¡°Rachel?¡± There was still no reply. Justin¡¯s


    gaze darkened. He seemed to recall something as he hastily reached for the door handle. Right as he


    pushed the door open, the flushing sound came from inside the washroom.


    ¡°Are you a pervert or something?¡± Rachel screamed as she hurriedly pulled her skirt down.


    Justin froze for a moment before he turned to face his back against her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything if


    you were in there?¡±


    ¡°Would you talk to someone outside while you¡¯re in the toilet? I don¡¯t have weird habits like you! Aren¡¯t


    you going to leave yet? Are you done looking?¡± she barked. Justin¡¯s face turned pale as he reached his


    hand to shut the washroom door.


    Rachel finally heaved a sigh of relief once the door was shut. She held onto the wall and slowly


    lowered herself to sit onto the toilet bowl. She looked down to remove her high heels before she gently


    touched her feet. A sharp pain shot through her legs immediately-it hurt so much that cold sweat began


    to form on her skin. She inhaled sharply in response to the pain. Not everyone could manage to climb


    down from the second floor, after all.


    After washing her hands, Rachel nced at the mirror and calmed herself down a little before she


    walked out of the washroom. Justin was nowhere to be seen when she passed by the living room, so


    she assumed that he had gone upstairs.


    ¡°Hurry up ande here, Mommy. I made a little duck cookie!¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice came from the


    kitchen. Rachel came back to her senses. ¡°I¡¯ming!¡± she replied.


    Rachel had only been gone for a while, but Charlotte had already managed to fill the baking tray with


    cookie doughs that had been removed from their molds. There were all sorts of odd shapes that filled


    the tray. Rachel pointed helplessly at an oddly shaped pulp. ¡°Miss Charlotte, can you tell me which


    mold you made this piece from?¡±


    The young kid spread her lips into a wide grin as she held her fingers out to Rachel. ¡°With this mold!!


    wanted to make a duck, but we don¡¯t have any molds for ducks. That¡¯s why I had to use my own


    hands.¡±


    ¡°You little rascal.¡± Rachel pinched Charlotte¡¯s nose yfully. ¡°Please get her to wash her hands, Mary. I


    think these biscuits can be baked soon. The previous batch should be done by now.¡±


    ¡°I need to make tea for Mr. Burton. Can you bring Charlotte to wash her hands instead?¡± Mary asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll make the tea,¡± Rachel offered. Mary hesitated for a moment as she seemed like she was


    about to say something. Charlotte spoke up before Mary did. ¡°You can go ahead and make tea for


    Daddy, Mommy. I¡¯ll go wash my hands.¡±


    The young kid never missed out on an opportunity to bring both of her parents together. Justin had just


    returned to his study a while ago, and he was back to flipping through documents at his desk. Knock


    knock. Rachel came in with tea.


    ¡°Why are you the one sending me tea?¡± Justin looked at her. ¡°Where¡¯s Mary?¡±


    ¡°Charlotte dragged Mary over to wash her hands and change her clothes. You wanted tea, didn¡¯t you?


    sent it over since I had nothing else to do.¡± Rachel lowered the tray onto the side of the desk while she


    spoke. She lifted the pot and poured him a cup of tea.


    The fragrant scent of chamomile tea filled the room immediately. Justin¡¯s eyes widened after he took a


    sip of the drink. ¡°Were you the one who made this?¡±


    ¡°What is it? Is there any issue?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± A series ofplicated emotions filled his face as he lowered the cup. The taste of the


    tea was really familiar, and it seemed to remind him of something. It tasted even better than the tea that


    Mary made him-it felt almost as if this was the tea that he used to drink regrly. Could I have loved


    her before she left me? He was starting to doubt himself.


    Rachel spoke up then. ¡°You might think that I¡¯m crossing your boundaries when I say this, but I¡¯d like to


    say it anyway.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± He returned to his senses.


    ¡°It¡¯s about Charlotte. I heard Mary telling me that Charlotte hasn¡¯t been to school all this while,¡± she


    uttered.


    Justin frowned immediately. ¡°Why are you asking about this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know the reason for that,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°The environment in the school is a little tooplicated, and Charlotte doesn¡¯t like it. I figured that she


    doesn¡¯t have to go if she doesn¡¯t want to,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Did you agree to her just because she doesn¡¯t want to go? Are you going to make her stay at home


    forever? Is she not going to interact with the rest of the outside world? The only people around her now


    are the maids, the security guards, and people from the Burton Family,¡± Rachel protested.


    He frowned. ¡°Are you questioning my way of parenting now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel like it¡¯s an issue?¡± Rachel asked in return.


    ¡°No,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be like this, Justin. Charlotte should have her own-aged peers, but the only people she


    interacts with now are adults. Don¡¯t you feel like the way she talks and acts is a little too mature for her


    age?¡± Rachel had already realized this since the first time she saw Charlotte at the airport.


    It wasn¡¯t wrong to spoil a child, especially one like Charlotte, who grew up without a mother. However,


    Justin was too lenient with his love for his daughter-it wouldn¡¯t be good if his pampering turned the child


    into a rude and arrogant individual. Children were never at fault-the me would always fall upon the


    parents.


    ¡°If you truly cared for Charlotte, you would¡¯vee back to visit in the past five years.¡± Justin¡¯s words


    felt like an arrow shooting through Rachel¡¯s heart. His icy re was like two sharp knives-it was just as


    stern as it had been five years ago. ¡°You might have had a few meals with Charlotte, and she might like


    you, but that doesn¡¯t give you the right to tell me what to do.¡±


    Rachel stiffened a little. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in what you mean. You can leave if you don¡¯t like what you see; you don¡¯t have to


    disrupt Charlotte¡¯s life from now on,¡± he uttered.


    Before Rachel could continue exining herself, a loud cry came from outside the room. ¡°What¡¯s the


    matter, Charlotte?¡± Charlotte was lying in Mary¡¯s arms in the dining hall on the first floor, and her face


    was flushed and pink. The young child was gasping for breath, but she couldn¡¯t seem to breathe at all.


    Her facial features were squeezed together.


    ¡°Charlotte!¡± Justin ran toward her. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Mary was nearly in tears because of how anxious she was. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was with her the whole time,


    and we had just washed our hands. She became like this right after she ate a piece of cookie.¡±


    ¡°A cookie?¡± Justin nced at the dining table. There was nothing else apart from the freshly-baked


    cookies ced on the table.


    Rachel had rushed down the stairs by then. ¡°What happened to Charlotte?¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Charlotte clung to Justin¡¯s neck. Her little hands were trembling, and she could barely


    speak. Justin didn¡¯t have the time to think-he immediately lifted her into his arms. ¡°Get the car!¡±


    Rachel responded to his words immediately-she ran to the front door to start the car. Once they got in,


    they sped all the way to the hospital.


    Both Justin and Rachel stayed with Charlotte after they arrived at the emergency room. The doctor


    lifted Charlotte¡¯s eyelids and checked her pupils with a shlight. ¡°Does the young girl have any


    allergies?¡±


    ¡°Honey. She can¡¯t eat honey,¡± Justin said.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 184

    My Mute Bride Chapter 184


    ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that you brought her here so soon. Based on her current condition, it seems like she¡¯s


    having an asthma attack after a serious case of allergies. You guys are her parents, and you know


    about her allergies, so why didn¡¯t you guys watch out? She must have identally had some,¡± the


    doctor said.


    Justin¡¯s face darkened as he nced at Rachel. ¡°Come out for a while.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t know what was


    going on. Justin tugged her toward the stairway once they walked out of the emergency room. He


    shoved her against the wall angrily. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Ow!¡± Rachel cried out as she felt a sharp pain shooting through her back. ¡°What are you talking


    about?¡± she cried as she tried to hold back her cries.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what the doctor said earlier? You fed Charlotte some honey, didn¡¯t you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why would Charlotte be like this after just taking a bite out of the cookie otherwise? Do you know


    that it¡¯s life-threatening for her even to have a little bit of honey? Honey triggers her asthma instantly!¡±


    he cried.


    The cookies? Rachel was stunned for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I didn¡¯t put any honey in the


    cookies,¡± she muttered. Could there have been something in the ingredients of the baking materials


    that contained honey?


    Justin was even more furious when he saw the doubtful look on her face. ¡°Did you think that criticizing


    the way I teach my daughter would make you a qualified mother? You don¡¯t care about your daughter


    at all; you¡¯re just putting on a fake show of being a loving mother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really didn¡¯t know that those cookies.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Justin raised his voice as he howled at her. ¡°I¡¯m warning you now, Rachel. I don¡¯t want


    you anywhere near Charlotte from now on.¡±


    Bang! The sound of the door closing echoed in the stairway, and Rachel felt her ears ringing. The look


    in Justin¡¯s eyes before he left made him seem like he was ready to kill someone. Rachel had no doubt


    that he might have murdered her if something actually happened to Charlotte,


    Her phone had already been vibrating in her pocket for a while before she reacted to it. ¡°Hello?


    Something came up here; I¡¯m in the hospital. It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll tell you about it when I get back.¡±


    After she got off the call, Rachel returned to the emergency room and peeked at Charlotte through the


    curtains for a while. The young girl was lying on the bed, and she looked much better after she


    received an IV drip. Rachel only left after she heard the doctor telling Justin that Charlotte¡¯s condition


    was stable.


    Jolly appeared with a mask on her face once Rachel got home. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you say that


    you were going to Justin¡¯s house for dinner? I thought you were nning to bake cookies with


    Charlotte before checking the passcode on the safebox. How did you guys end up in the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Charlotte ingested some honey by ident, and it triggered her asthma attack because she¡¯s allergic


    to it,¡± Rachel exined.


    ¡°Ah? How did it happen? How is she now?¡± Jolly asked.


    ¡°Fortunately, we were quick to respond, so her condition is stable now. She should be fine soon,¡±


    Rachel said. She still felt rather uneasy and worried as she exined the situation.


    Jolly heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good. As long as she¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something odd about it, though,¡± Rachel uttered.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Jolly was surprised. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure for now. I might need your help with something, Jolly.¡± Rachel¡¯s pupils shrank as she


    spoke. ¡°I think someone got rather impatient to have plotted such a fishy incident. I¡¯m afraid she might


    make things worse if I don¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    The next day, Rachel went to the office as usual. There was a meeting in the morning at Burton


    Group¡¯s headquarters, and the management team of the headquarters had to take part in the meeting.


    Although Rachel was only the sales director of Burton Pharmaceuticals, there weren¡¯t any formal


    managers in Burton Pharmaceuticals as it was considered a franchise of thepany that was


    managed by Justin himself. In other words, Rachel¡¯s role in thepany was equivalent to that of the


    CEO of apany.


    Her position wasn¡¯t too far below Justin¡¯s. When it was her turn to give an update on her work, she


    briefly exined the recent condition of thepany. ¡°There aren¡¯t many issues with the


    pharmaceutical side of things. We¡¯ll be weing our foreign clients this afternoon. If the partnership


    works out, then our international markets will be a little more stable.¡±


    Justin was the one who questioned her. ¡°Have you chosen who to greet the foreign clients?¡±


    Rachel froze for a moment. Justin had responded with a simple ¡®okay¡¯ when the other people gave their


    reports. ¡°What? Have you not nned it out?¡± Justin¡¯s tone was sharp and cold. ¡°It¡¯s 9.30AM now, and


    you have less than three hours until lunchtime. Why haven¡¯t you chosen the person in charge for this?¡±


    Rachel frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll send Lisa to do it.¡± Lisa was her secretary.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Lisa? It seems like you don¡¯t really care about this international partnership. Do you think your skills


    with the international market are too good for you to handle a tiny project like this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I just thought that Lisa has the ability to close this deal,¡± Rachel exined.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Justin uttered tly. ¡°I think you should handle the wee meeting this afternoon, Chris.¡±


    Rachel froze for a moment. All of the people in the meeting room exchanged nces upon hearing his


    that the foreign clients they were dealing with that day were just minor projects that didn¡¯t matter much


    to them. It wasn¡¯t important enough for Rachel to meet up with them personally, let alone for her to go


    and wee them.


    ¡°Do you not want to do it?¡± Justin asked.


    Rachel knitted her well-trimmed eyebrows in response to Justin¡¯s cold re.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll do it,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Great. The meeting¡¯s over, then.¡± Everyone in the meeting room scattered off after he uttered his


    words-Rachel was the only one who stayed back. She stepped forward to stop Justin before he left. ¡°I


    might have been too sensitive, President Burton. However, why do I feel like your guidance during the


    meeting earlier sounded a little like you were taking revenge against me for personal matters?¡±


    ¡°Do we have any personal matters between us?¡± he asked in return.


    ¡°No, I guess not. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s like you to jump to conclusions before rifying the situation.


    However, this rule doesn¡¯t seem to apply to me-you really haven¡¯t changed at all in the past five years.¡±


    Justin frowned at Rachel¡¯s words as he couldn¡¯t understand what she meant. ¡°What are you talking


    about?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you an exnation for Charlotte¡¯s allergy incident. You should prepare yourself to apologize to


    me.¡± Rachel left the meeting after finishing her words. Her 5-inch heels made a clear, clicking sound


    against the floorboard, and she walked with elegance and confidence as if she weren¡¯t affected by what


    happened at the meeting at all.


    Justin straightened his tie a little. She¡¯s just faking it!


    That evening, Justin went to spend time with Charlotte at the hospital. Amber was there as well. ¡°Look


    what I brought you, Charlotte. I made some of your favorite porridge.¡±


    Charlotte felt moody the moment she saw Amber, but she didn¡¯t have the energy to go against Amber


    as she wasn¡¯t fully recovered yet. The young girl simply rolled her eyeszily. ¡°I don¡¯t like porridge at


    all.¡±


    Amber didn¡¯t lose her temper at Charlotte. ¡°You look so weak. You must have suffered a lot,¡± she said.


    Justin took the bowl of porridge from Amber before he began to blow on a spoonful of porridge. ¡°Come


    on, be a good girl and have some of this.¡± He moved the spoon closer to Charlotte¡¯s lips.


    Charlotte turned away from him. ¡°I don¡¯t want it,¡± she said weakly.


    ¡°Charlotte,¡± Justin uttered.


    ¡°Forget it, Justin. We shouldn¡¯t force her to eat it if she doesn¡¯t want to. The porridge is still hot,


    anyway. I¡¯ll feed herter once it gets cooler,¡± Amber offered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feed me anything,¡± Charlotte hissed at Amber. ¡°Daddy, I want Mommy to be here.


    Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s busy with work, so she won¡¯t be able to visit you for a while,¡± Justin replied in a rather cold tone,


    He felt furious whenever someone spoke of Rachel. Charlotte wouldn¡¯t have been in the hospital if it


    weren¡¯t for her.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 185

    My Mute Bride Chapter 185


    Amber said, ¡°Charlotte, your mother doesn¡¯t even know you¡¯re allergic to honey. You were almost killed.


    Of course your daddy can¡¯t let her take you.¡±


    Charlotte was paling from anger, and she clenched her fists.


    But then, someone said, ¡°Ah, talking behind my back the moment I turn around, huh? Looks like you¡¯ve


    been polishing your skills, my dear Amber.¡±


    Amber froze up. A momentter, Rachel came in proudly.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Charlotte was excited to see her.


    ¡°Hi, Charlotte.¡± Rachel ignored Justin and Amber. ¡°Brought you some soup.¡± She put the thermos on


    the table. ¡°Make sure you finish it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I will!¡±


    ¡°Here, I¡¯ll help you,¡± Rachel said.


    Just then, Justin could smell a faint stench of alcoholing off from her, and he frowned. Before she


    could open the thermos, he dragged her out of the ward. ¡°Are you drunk? Who told you you cane


    here?¡±


    Rachel staggered backward, almost falling down. ¡°Hey, you asked me to meet up with the foreigners.¡±


    She broke free of his grasp. Rachel looked drunk, but she could answer calmly, ¡°And I did. Been two


    hours since I sobered up. I know I¡¯m fine, so I came to see my daughter. Any problem with that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re obviously drunk. You think you can see her in that state?¡± Amber mocked. ¡°Or did you forget


    that Charlotte¡¯s in the hospital because of the honey cookies you gave her?¡±


    That only served to anger Justin further.


    Amber continued, ¡°Rachel, you abandoned your child years ago. But now you just swoop in and try to


    take Charlotte away like nobody¡¯s business. What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my daughter. I can take her with me if I want to, and you can do nothing about it.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m Justin¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± Amber huddled closer to Justin. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing my best to take care


    of Charlotte. At least I know she¡¯s allergic to honey, unlike you.¡±


    Suddenly, someone blurted behind them, ¡°And how are you so sure Rachel doesn¡¯t know about


    Charlotte¡¯s allergy?¡± The voice was soft, but it echoed throughout the corridor.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Amber was petrified, and even Justin froze up.


    It had been five years, but Julian was still as calm as ever. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Justin, Miss Hudson.¡± He


    looked at Justin and Amber coldly.


    Amber looked stiff, but she managed to ask, ¡°Dr. Peters. What a surprise. When did youe back?¡±


    Rachel wanted to know as well.


    Julian answered with a question, ¡°Hm? You don¡¯t seem to wee me, Miss Hudson.¡±


    Amber forced a smile. ¡°Who? Me? That¡¯s a misunderstanding. You¡¯re Justin¡¯s cousin and Madam


    Parham¡¯s only son. She¡¯s been looking forward to your return for a while now.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? And here I thought you¡¯re worried I might say something that¡¯ll ruin your ns.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a joker, Dr. Peters. I don¡¯t have any ns at all.¡± Amber was starting to get nervous. Julian


    knew everything about the events that happened five years ago. Justin might not believe Rachel, but


    Julian was his own cousin. Justin had lost his memories, so Amber was worried Julian mighte


    back and expose her.


    Justin frowned. ¡°Why¡¯d youe back all of a sudden?¡±


    Julian answered, ¡°If I don¡¯t, you¡¯d use Rachel without any proof just like you did five years ago.¡± He


    handed a file to Justin. ¡°See for yourself.¡±


    Justin opened the file, but after he skimmed through a few pages, he looked at Rachel in surprise. ¡°You


    knew Charlotte¡¯s allergy all along?¡±


    ¡°Is that so surprising? She¡¯s my daughter after all,¡± Rachel answered calmly. She was still Charlotte¡¯s


    mother. Even though she couldn¡¯t get a lot of information over thest few years, she at least knew


    everything about her daughter¡¯s health.


    Amber shot, ¡°So what? Doesn¡¯t mean you wouldn¡¯t forget about it.¡±


    Julian looked at Amber coldly. ¡°Rachel¡¯s memorized Charlotte¡¯s medical history. Do you really think


    she¡¯d forget something as important as her honey allergy?¡±


    ¡°Hey, everything¡¯s possible.¡± Amber held Justin¡¯s arm. ¡°You can¡¯t trust them, Justin. They might be


    lying.¡±


    Justin tensed up. ¡°She has a point. How do I know you¡¯re not lying?¡±


    Julian was understandably annoyed by his cousin¡¯s stupid question.


    ¡°Julian,¡± Rachel called out to him calmly. ¡°Thanks for your help, but I think I¡¯ll have to settle this myself.¡±


    Justin was paranoid to a fault. If Rachel didn¡¯t tell him the pieces of the truth and piece it together for


    him-even though it was as easy as a ten-piece puzzle-he wouldn¡¯t believe in this ex-wife of his, who


    just came out of nowhere.


    ¡°You¡¯ll settle this?¡± Justin looked at her. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Allergies only act up at least ten minutes after the food is taken. It wouldn¡¯t have acted up that quickly


    if it was because of the cookies. I personally looked through the cookies¡¯ ingredients, and there¡¯s no


    honey in it. That¡¯s why the cookies didn¡¯t cause it.¡±


    Justin and Julian were surprised to hear that.


    Rachel continued, ¡°Aside from the cookies, all Charlotte had that day was dinner. She had it right


    before we made the cookies, so the time matches.¡± In other words, the honey probably was in the


    dinner Charlotte had that day.


    Amber sneered. ¡°You¡¯re just shifting the me now. Who can prove it?¡±


    To that, Rachel responded by taking out a report. ¡°As it turns out, I asked my friend to take some


    samples of the dinner leftovers for analysis that day.¡±


    She handed the report to Justin. All the ingredients used in the dinner that day were listed there, and


    there was honey in it.


    Amber was starting to panic. ¡°And how can you prove that this report is true? Even if it is, how can you


    convince us that you actually took the dinner leftovers instead of something else?¡±


    ¡°Now, calm down.¡± Rachel looked at Justin. ¡°Keep reading.¡±


    Justin flipped the page as she asked, and his face fell when he saw what was written on there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust her, Justin. She¡¯s just trying to shift the me.¡±


    Amber was still trying to mock Rachel, but Justin was already giving her a death stare. With a thwack,


    he hurled the report at Amber. ¡°See for yourself!¡±


    Amber gasped in surprise, but she was choked when she saw the transaction and purchase history on


    the report

 My Mute Bride Chapter 186

    My Mute Bride Chapter 186


    Rachel crossed her arms. ¡°Mary bought some honey right after you wired her a hundred thousand, and


    Charlotte¡¯s allergy acted up right after that. Yet you¡¯re trying to¡­ shift the me.¡±


    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t do this.¡± Amber tried to exin herself. ¡°Justin, I didn¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to look into this.¡± Justin looked at her icily.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Charlotte called out to Justin. He quickly wiped off his fury and went into the ward.


    ¡°Justin!¡± Amber wanted to go inside too, but Rachel stopped her. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Amber looked irritated.


    ¡°I know what you were trying to do. You did this to Charlotte so you can put the me on me, right?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! What proof do you have?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I have a lot of it. I can show it to you if you want. It¡¯s a one-way ticket to prison, and I don¡¯t mind


    giving it to you early.¡±


    Amber was getting mad. ¡°Why did youe back? What do you want?¡±


    ¡°What rightfully belongs to me. Justin and Charlotte.¡±


    Amber stared at her in disbelief. So she¡¯s here for Justin! Fury overwhelmed her, and she raised her


    hand against Rachel, but Rachel caught it before she could even move.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the old Rachel from five years ago anymore. You can¡¯t do as you please to me now.¡±


    ¡°Let me go, Rachel!¡±


    ¡°Listen up, Amber. Lay a finger on Charlotte again and I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re ruined.¡± Rachel shot her a


    terrifying re. ¡°I wonder if Old Mr. Burton will let you marry Justin if I were to, oh I don¡¯t know, upload


    the video where you¡¯re having sex with Noah?¡±


    Amber stopped moving all of a sudden and stared at Rachel in disbelief. There wasn¡¯t anyone in the


    staircase. Julian was pacing outside, leaving only Rachel and a terrified Amber inside.


    Rachel was ying Amber and Noah¡¯s sex video from five years ago on her phone. There was no


    sound, but judging from the clear resolution, she knew it¡¯d be loud enough for everyone to hear. ¡°E


    Enough¡­¡± Amber¡¯s voice was shaking. She tried to snatch Rachel¡¯s phone, but Rachel dodged her.


    Rachel looked at her icily. ¡°Stand right there. You don¡¯t want Justin to see this, right?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like begging to me.¡±


    Amber bit her lip, almost drawing blood. A long whileter, she finally said, ¡°Please. I beg you.¡±


    ¡°Kneel before me,¡± Rachel answered calmly.


    All the color drained from Amber¡¯s face, but she knelt before Rachel in the end. ¡°I beg you, don¡¯t upload


    the video. We¡¯re sisters, right?¡±


    ¡°Hold on a second.¡± Rachel turned on her phone¡¯s camera and aimed it at Amber. ¡°Alright. Repeat what


    you said earlier.¡±


    Amber froze up, and an awkward silence fell between them. A long, long whileter, Amber finally said,


    ¡°I beg you, delete the video. Don¡¯t upload it, Rachel. We¡¯re sisters, right?¡±


    ¡°And what about Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    With a beep, Rachel stopped recording and kept her phone. But before she left, she said coldly,


    ¡°Amber,


    I don¡¯t want any trouble, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m scared of you. Do anything funny again and I will


    wreck you.¡±


    The door slowly creaked shut after Rachel left. When she was gone, Amber gritted her teeth and red


    at the door darkly. Rachel!


    When Julian saw hering out, he gave Rachel a bottle of water. ¡°You¡¯re letting her off just like that?¡±


    Rachel answered, ¡°She¡¯s not a threat. Obviously the Burtons don¡¯t like her either. She¡¯s been dating


    Justin for five years now, but she¡¯s still not married to him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about that. My mom doesn¡¯t really want her either. Old Mr. Burton only mentioned it in


    passing, though he never did anything for her.¡±


    Rachel was surprised, but then she realized something. ¡°Oh right. You¡¯re also a Burton, technically


    speaking. Almost forgot about it.¡±


    ¡°You should have forgotten about it.¡± Julian smiled. ¡°Only then you¡¯ll see me as your friend.¡±


    ¡°Am I that merciless to you?¡± Rachel winked. ¡°You saved me and cured me of my condition. Not to


    mention you took care of me over the years. I¡¯d be heartless if I didn¡¯t see you as my friend.¡±


    ¡°When did youe back anyway? Jolly didn¡¯t tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°Two days ago. Had a seminar so I couldn¡¯t tell you in time. But I heard you¡¯re in trouble, so here I am.¡±


    Julian worked overseas after he was done studying, but he kept in touch with the doctors back home,


    so he came back a lot.


    Rachel then remembered something. ¡°Oh, I never heard you talking about Justin¡¯s amnesia.¡±


    Julian stopped. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know a lot about that. I didn¡¯t tell you because you were still


    shocked after going overseas. It wasn¡¯t the best time to bring it up.¡±


    ¡°Has this been going on for a long time?¡±


    Julian nodded. ¡°Not long after you went overseas, he got into a car crash. He has a clot in his brain that


    won¡¯t go away. Stayed in the hospital for three months and woke up without memories.¡±


    ¡°All his memories?¡±


    ¡°Aside from you, he forgot about Amber, the grudge between him and the Hudsons, and even the time


    he was abducted as a child.¡±


    Rachel stared ahead in disbelief. ¡°Impossible.¡±


    ¡°Post-traumatic amnesia. PTA for short. The human brain will delete some memories if it recognizes


    the body can¡¯t take the shock thates from it.¡±


    They finally came back to Charlotte¡¯s ward while Julian was exining everything that happened.


    Julian knew Rachel was shocked, so he reminded her, ¡°He¡¯s not the same man you saw five years ago.


    That¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t worried when you wanted toe back alone.¡±


    Rachel clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. ¡°So he forgot everything and lives like


    nothing happened for five years?¡±


    ¡°Technically, yes.¡±


    ¡°How dare he?¡± Her eyes red, Rachel teared up. He ruined my life and nearly killed me! Why¡¯d he have


    a second chance at life? Why?


    ¡°You have to look ahead, Rachel.¡±


    Rachel said, ¡°Yes, but I have to make sure the people who died can rest in peace before I can do that.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 187

    My Mute Bride Chapter 187


    Julian nodded pensively. ¡°I¡¯ll stand with you no matter what.¡±


    At the same time, Charlotte kept asking Justin to feed her the soup Rachel brought. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Mommy


    back yet?¡± Charlotte started throwing a tantrum, apparently running out of patience.


    Justin said, ¡°She¡¯ll be back once you finish this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying, Daddy. She left me because you and Amber made her mad. I don¡¯t wanna see you.¡±


    Justin was still thinking about the report. Mary has taken care of Charlotte for three years, but she


    betrayed my trust anyway. I can¡¯t let any stranger take care of Charlotte from now on.


    The sound of a door opening broke his train of thoughts, and in came Rachel.


    ¡°You¡¯re finallyback, Mommy!¡± Charlotte extended her arms. ¡°Hug.¡±


    ¡°Sure, honey.¡± Rachel went to her daughter and held the girl in her arms. ¡°How¡¯s the soup?¡±


    ¡°Tasty. Did you make it, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I want you to feed me, Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Rachel looked at Justin, but he was still immersed in his thoughts, so she coughed. ¡°Give me


    the bowl.¡±


    Justin snapped out of it and gave her the bowl anddle. ¡°Where¡¯s Julian?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°He left. He¡¯s a busy man.¡±


    A frown creased Justin¡¯s forehead. ¡°You seem close to him.¡±


    ¡°Rtively speaking. Compared to you, I am closer to Julian.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your husband. But you¡¯re saying you¡¯re on better terms with my cousin than you are with me?¡±


    ¡°Ex-husband,¡± Rachel corrected him calmly.


    Charlotte was in Rachel¡¯s arms, drinking her soup. When she saw her father looking lost, she quickly


    tried toe up with something to help him out. ¡°Mommy, Daddy is obviously jealous of Julian.¡±


    Justin stiffened up. ¡°Nonsense, Charlotte.¡±


    Charlotte answered seriously, ¡°I am not talking nonsense. You saw it too, right, Mommy?¡±


    Rachel was surprised, and she looked Justin in the eye, but an awkward silence fell between them.


    Jealous? No. He¡¯s just being possessive.


    After finishing her soup, Charlotte finally went to bed.


    Rachel patted the nket and got up after the girl was sound asleep.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me, Mommy¡­¡± Charlotte mumbled in her sleep, and Rachel sat back down. She couldn¡¯t


    leave Charlotte alone.


    Justin had been working outside all this time. After he was done with his emails, he looked at the time


    and realized it waste at night. Rachel hasn¡¯t left yet? He opened the door silently and saw Rachel


    leaned over on the bed, apparently asleep. She was holding Charlotte¡¯s hand, and a warm light


    illuminated them. It was a heartwarming sight.


    Justin stood at the doorstep, not knowing what to feel. Regarding Charlotte¡¯s honey allergy, he knew


    he¡¯d used Rachel wrongly, but that couldn¡¯t prove that she was a responsible mother. She still


    hadn¡¯t exined why she was gone for five years.


    It waste at night, but business was booming for Riverdale¡¯s bars.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go inside, miss.¡± A pimp stopped Amber, but she went past the disgustingly lit dance floor,


    pushed the pimp away, and barged into the room.


    A couple was making out in the room, but the woman screamed when she heard someoneing in.


    ¡°Who are you? Who let you in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for you.¡± Amber looked dark. ¡°Noah, we need to talk.¡±


    The man making out with the woman was none other than Noah. He was a prodigal son to begin with,


    and he veered off rails after he was humiliated at his engagement banquet six years ago. Ever since


    then, he changed his girlfriends faster than anyone could say ¡®phwoar¡¯


    ¡°Who is she, Noah?¡±


    Noah waved the woman down. After she was gone, only Amber and Noah were left. ¡°So what brings


    you here?¡± He lit up a cigarette and shot a sidelong look at Amber. ¡°First time you made the first move.


    Finally giving in?¡±


    Amber looked at him coldly. ¡°Someone found out about our affair.¡±


    ¡°So? I¡¯m not afraid.¡±


    ¡°I know. But do you know who found out about that?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    Noah kept on puffing his cigarette, but when he realized that Amber brought Rachel up, he looked at


    her. ¡°Rachel? Your sister? I thought she was dead.¡±


    The Burtons didn¡¯t tell anyone about Rachel¡¯s condition, including Justin and the public.


    ¡°No. She¡¯s back, and she¡¯s threatening me with our sex video. The one at the staircase.¡± Amber gritted


    her teeth. ¡°Do you know what that means? I can never say no to her terms now.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget why you turned out this way?¡±


    After the incident at the banquet six years ago, Noah was in the gutters for a while. When he finally


    mustered enough motivation to work again, thepany was already taken over by his sister¡¯s


    husband, and he lost his parents¡¯ trust.


    He used to be a famous president in Riverdale, but since then, he lost everything but his name under


    his belt. After losing everything, he went off the straight and narrow.


    Amber continued, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Rachel telling you about Tina¡¯s affair, you wouldn¡¯t have insulted her


    on a whim. If you hadn¡¯t done that, none of this would have happened.¡±


    Sure enough, Noah¡¯s face fell. Back then, Rachel told him about Tina¡¯s affair and embarrassed him. He


    couldn¡¯t swallow his pride, so he insulted Tina without even thinking. Because of that, his parents


    thought he was an emotional, impulsive man who¡¯d ruin thepany.


    ¡°You want me to kill her, don¡¯t you?¡± Noah looked at her darkly, and the smoke made him look


    dangerous. ¡°It¡¯s a simple task for me, but what can I get from this?¡±


    Amber clenched her fists. ¡°Come here.¡±


    A short whileter, Noah¡¯s moans could be heard from the room, and his belt nged as his pants fell


    on the floor.


    Rachel woke up early the next morning, and her arms felt numb. There was a nket on her, though


    she wondered who draped it over her. She remembered someone doing it vaguelyst night, but she


    thought it was the nurse.


    It was nearly time for work. Since Charlotte was sound asleep, Rachel could leave her. She carefully let


    the girl¡¯s hand go and tucked her in before she left. After she went home, she changed into her work


    attire before heading to herpany for a meeting.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 188

    My Mute Bride Chapter 188


    Over the next three days, she only went to the hospital, work, and home. Rachel made different soups


    and different dishes for Charlotte every day too.


    Frankie ced three files on Justin¡¯s desk. ¡°President Burton, these are the candidates for Charlotte¡¯s


    nanny. Please take a look.¡±


    Justin skimmed through the files. ¡°They¡¯re the best you got?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re professionals in the industry. Experienced and responsible.¡±


    ¡°Denied.¡± Justin pushed the file back.


    ¡°Denied?¡± Frankie took the files from him. ¡°This one has been working in the industry for fifteen years,


    and she has never received a single negative review. She¡¯s experienced, and she¡¯s a good cook. Why


    not?¡±


    ¡°Not educated enough,¡± Justin answered.


    Not educated enough? Frankie couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°President Burton, we¡¯re not


    looking for a tutor. We¡¯re looking for a nanny. What does education have to do with this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the average of the five people you spend time with the most, get it?¡±


    ¡°What about this one, then? She¡¯s a graduate from an overseas home economics university. And one


    of the best ones at that. They specialize in this field, so maybe she can change Charlotte for the better.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have a kid of her own. How can she even take care of someone else¡¯s?¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What about this one? She has her own children, plus she¡¯s experienced and well educated. The best


    of both worlds. And she has the best reviews out of the three.¡± Frankie looked at Justin, expecting him


    to agree.


    A whileter, Justin said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have the looks.¡±


    What in the world? That¡¯s a criterion too? Frankie was about to break down. ¡°Tell me what you want


    then, President Burton. I¡¯ll look for the one you want.¡±


    Justin answered, ¡°I want her to be about five feet five, not older than thirty years old, and a graduate


    from the top five institutions in Riverdale. Aside from being a nanny, I want her to have her own job,


    preferably the best in the industry. Also, she needs to be a Riverdale local.¡±


    Frankie scratched his head and answered carefully, ¡°Uhm, isn¡¯t that the madam you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    Justin frowned in surprise.


    Rachel went back to her office after the morning meeting was done, and she saw Frankie standing up.


    ¡°Frankie? What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°Madam.¡±


    Rachel paused. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that anymore. The divorce happened six years ago.¡± Shemented her


    past whenever she met someone who used to be in it, though it was the first time she met Frankie


    alone after she started working. ¡°Do you need anything?¡±


    ¡°President Burton asked me to see you,¡± Frankie answered politely. ¡°He¡¯s going on a business trip, but


    he hasn¡¯t found any recement for thest nanny. He wants to ask you if you can take care of


    Charlotte for a few days.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Rachel thought she heard it wrongly. ¡°He told you that? He wants me to take care of Charlotte?¡±


    Frankie nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t joke about this. President Burton knows he¡¯s wronged you, so please don¡¯t


    refuse. For the sake of Charlotte, at least.¡±


    Rachel thought about it. Even if Charlotte wasn¡¯t there, she wouldn¡¯t let this perfect opportunity slide.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t everyday he¡¯d go on a business trip. ¡°I¡¯m fine with it.¡±


    Frankie broke into a smile. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll tell him about the good news, then.¡±


    After Frankie was gone, Rachel dropped her smile, though it was reced by a look of hurry. Jolly told


    her the phosphor wouldn¡¯tst long, so Rachel had to crack the code ASAP and take what she needed


    from the safe box.


    Charlotte was discharged that afternoon, so Rachel went to the hospital to take her home. But before


    she entered the room, she heard Charlotte shouting, ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to go with you! Let me go!¡±


    ¡°Charlotte, be a good girl ande with me, alright?¡±


    ¡°No! I don¡¯t wanna.¡±


    ¡°Charlotte, your father¡¯s going on a business trip, and you don¡¯t have a nanny to take care of you.


    Who¡¯s going to look after you if you aren¡¯ting with me?¡±


    ¡°My mommy will!¡±


    ¡°Your mommy? You shouldn¡¯t go with her, Charlotte. If you keep talking about her, your father¡¯s going to


    get annoyed and leave you behind.¡±


    Rachel would never forget that voice no matter where she went. Her heart sank, and she went inside


    without any hesitation. ¡°Threatening a child, huh, Sue? Guess that¡¯s how adults work around here,¡± she


    mocked Sue the very moment she entered, her voice clear and firm.


    Charlotte wobbled over to her mother right after Rachel came in. ¡°Mommy! Great-aunt Sue and the bad


    guys want to take me away.¡± She sobbed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Charlotte. I won¡¯t let anyone take you away.¡±


    Sue¡¯s face fell. ¡°What makes you think you can say that? Just because you ran away for a few years


    and changed your name? That doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re just a lowly peasant.¡±


    ¡°Sue, it¡¯s been five years, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re still as unkind as you were.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just the truth. I know why you¡¯re back, but you can forget about it. Justin and Amber are


    engaged. You¡¯re just going to be a homewrecker if you get between them.¡±


    ¡°Hm, if I recall, I was married to Justin back then, but still you specifically asked Amber to be the


    homewrecker. Didn¡¯t see you defending me back then.¡±


    ¡°Why you little¡­¡± Sue snapped. ¡°You¡¯d better know your ce, Rachel. Just because you can talk now


    doesn¡¯t mean you can disrespect me. Guards!¡± Sue shouted, and two bodyguards quickly came in.


    ¡°Toss her out! Charlotte, you¡¯reing with me.¡±


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Charlotte hugged Rachel¡¯s neck, her pretty little face pale from the shock.


    Rachel hugged the girl tightly. ¡°Touch me and you¡¯re getting it.¡±


    She was holding Justin¡¯s daughter and the only heir to Burton Group, so nobody dared to make a


    move.


    ¡°What are you scared of? She¡¯s just one girl!¡± Sue was furious. ¡°If none of you are doing it, I will!¡± She


    went to take Charlotte away.


    But before she could, Rachel shoved her back, and she fell down. ¡°Ouch! You b*tch!¡± She gasped


    painfully


    ¡°What are you doing, Mom?¡± Julian stood at the doorstep, asking in disbelief.


    Sue was stunned, and she looked up just to see her son ring at her. ¡°Mom. I told you to never


    harass Rachel anymore. What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Julian, ¡­ I didn¡¯t do anything. Didn¡¯t you see? This damn woman pushed me! You can¡¯t date her!


    She¡¯ll kill me one of these days.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 189

    My Mute Bride Chapter 189


    Julian didn¡¯t even look at his mother. Instead, he asked Rachel, ¡°Are you alright? Is Charlotte fine?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.


    ¡°You guys go on ahead. I¡¯ll deal with this.¡± Julian held Rachel¡¯s shoulders and pushed her out of the


    ward.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Sue was Julian¡¯s mother, Rachel would have doubled down on the insults


    and violence. The moment she got out of the ward, she ran into someone familiar. ¡°I thought you¡¯re on


    a business trip.¡± Rachel was surprised.


    ¡°Not until tomorrow morning.¡± Justin answered.


    ¡°So everything Sue said earlier¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard it.¡±


    Since he was acting calm, Rachel thought he was on Sue¡¯s side, and she sneered silently. Guess


    they¡¯re birds of a feather, huh?


    Julian came out a short whileter.


    Before he could say anything, Sue went past him, looking furious. Apparently, Julian told her


    something, so she only red at Rachel and left without a word.


    Julian said, ¡°My mother can be annoying sometimes, Rachel. Just ignore her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t mind.¡± Rachel smiled at Julian. ¡°Thanks for helping me out. I mean it.¡±


    At the side, however, Justin¡¯s face fell.


    Julian lifted his wrist and looked at the time. ¡°Why don¡¯t I treat you to a meal? As an apology for my


    mother¡¯s behavior.¡±


    ¡°No need for that.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Justin was the one who said no, but Rachel took the offer.


    Justin asked, ¡°Why¡¯d you say yes? Charlotte just got out of hospital. She needs to heal up. What if she


    gets herself sick again from this?¡±


    Charlotte tugged on his suit pants and blinked at Justin. ¡°But I wanna go, Daddy.¡±


    ¡°I love democracy. It¡¯s decided, then. Come on, Charlotte, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Julian picked Charlotte up and left. ¡°Chop chop, you two.¡± After he was gone, only Rachel and Justin


    were left.


    Justin looked furious, but Rachel only felt likeughing. ¡°You can¡¯t be jealous, can you, Justin?¡±


    ¡°Are you mad?¡± Justin stared at her like she was insane.


    ¡°So why are you worried? We¡¯re just gonna go have a simple, ordinary meal.¡±


    Veins started popping on Justin¡¯s forehead.


    Suddenly, Rachel stood on tiptoe and inched closer to him, their noses almost touching. ¡°You¡¯re


    nervous, Justin.¡± She put her hand on his shoulder, and his heart skipped a beat. ¡°And your heart¡¯s


    beating pretty loudly.¡± A smile curled her lips, sucking him in. Just as he was immersed in her smile,


    she patted his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be going, then.¡±


    The sound of her heels bellowed into the corridor, and Justin¡¯s face fell. As he saw her off, he started


    clenching his fists. She¡¯s ying me like a fiddle.


    Charlotte and Rachel were sitting together in the restaurant, while Julian and Justin took up the other


    side.


    Rachel was about to get her drink after it was served, but Julian stopped her. ¡°Hold it.¡± He tested the


    temperature and handed it back to the waiter right in front of Rachel. ¡°We don¡¯t want this. Please get us


    a cup of hot ck tea.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want ck tea!¡± Rachel protested.


    However, Julian¡¯s decision was final. ¡°You know you have a bad stomach. Iced coffee is off limits.¡±


    Rachel pouted.


    Justin thought that the overly friendly conversation was hurting his ears.


    Suddenly, Charlotte looked up. ¡°Mommy, do you have a bad stomach?¡±


    Rachel patted her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Julian is just overreacting.¡±


    Julian answered, ¡°I¡¯m not overreacting. You just don¡¯t care about your body. Charlotte, do you want


    your mommy to be healthy, or do you want her to suffer from stomach ache all the time?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I want her to be healthy, of course.¡± She quickly pushed Rachel¡¯s sd


    away. ¡°This one is cold as well, so you shouldn¡¯t eat this, Mommy. Have some soup. Great-grandpa


    told me it¡¯s perfect for people with a bad stomach.¡±


    Julian¡¯s advice apparently worked, since Charlotte spent the whole time keeping an eye on Rachel.


    She kept asking her mother to have more veggies and soup.


    That slightly annoyed Rachel, but she felt touched as well. For so many years, she¡¯d thought Charlotte


    would be angry at her because of her absence, but instead, the girl cared a lot for her.


    Julian said, ¡°Looks like you can listen. Though only to Charlotte, I guess. Not me.¡±


    Rachel shrugged. ¡°Yes, Dr. Peters. This is for all the time I went against the doctor¡¯s orders.¡±


    Justin frowned, and anger red in his pitch-ck eyes.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    After they paid the bill, Julian went to the restroom to wash his hands, then Justin came in. ¡°You came


    back all of a sudden. Should have given us a heads up.¡±


    Julian looked at him. ¡°I have work at the hospital. And my mother¡¯s going to hold a big party if I tell her.


    Everyone¡¯s going to be dragged into it, so I figured I¡¯de back in secret.¡±


    ¡°You said you¡¯re busy, but you seem to care about Rachel a lot. Do you have the time for that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been years. I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    Justin couldn¡¯t believe Julian could say that so easily. ¡°¡­Years?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Rachel tell you? She¡¯s been living with me overseas all these years. I was the one who cured


    her condition as well.¡±


    Justin frowned fiercely.


    Julian continued, ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ll be working in Riverdale until she leaves.¡± He wiped his hands dry. ¡°I¡¯ll be


    going out now.¡±


    Justin clenched his fists. She stayed with Julian when she was overseas? But she never told me about


    that? What is she trying to do?


    Rachel and Charlotte were waiting for the men, but only Julian showed up. ¡°Where¡¯s Justin?¡±


    ¡°He has work to do. Told me to send you two home first.¡±


    Rachel looked at the restroom pensively.


    Charlotteined, ¡°What¡¯s up with Daddy? He¡¯s going on a trip tomorrow, and god knows when


    he¡¯ll be back. Now you¡¯re telling me he¡¯s working overtime? No wonder he¡¯s still not married at this


    age.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s busy, so it¡¯s understandable.¡± Julian patted her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Since Charlotte was still recuperating, she fell asleep in Rachel¡¯s arms on the way home.


    Julian looked at them through the rear-view mirror. ¡°Rachel, are you sure you¡¯re going to stay at


    Justin¡¯s ce?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 190

    My Mute Bride Chapter 190


    Rachel answered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s only temporary.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. He lost his memories, so he doesn¡¯t remember you.¡± Julian looked at Charlotte. ¡°I¡¯m just


    worried you might stick around for Charlotte in the end.¡±


    Rachel stopped patting Charlotte¡¯s back for a moment and hugged her tighter. Back then, she couldn¡¯t


    even bring herself to look at the child after she was born, but now that Charlotte was in her arms again,


    it would be hard for Rachel to leave her behind again. ¡°We¡¯ll see how this goes.¡± Rachel tensed up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish what we started out first for now.¡± People died because of him. They need justice to be


    served.


    Julian said, ¡°Don¡¯t just shoulder everything on your own. I¡¯m always here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡±


    Once she came to Justin¡¯s ce, Rachel sent Charlotte to her room before she went to crack the code


    of the safe box. There were too many possiblebinations, since it was a six-number passcode. She


    stared at it for the longest time and tried two different ones, but they were incorrect. I only have one


    chance left. What will it be?


    All of a sudden, she heard someoneing, and she panicked. She immediately closed the cab,


    but she couldn¡¯t get out in time.


    Justin came in a momentter. He went to thepany just to take some documents, and he came


    back right afterward. As per his orders, Frankie looked into Rachel¡¯s life overseas. He found everything


    he could, though Justin didn¡¯t read it until now.


    Before that night, he thought he was uninterested in his ex-wife, whom he was unfamiliar with. But


    when he heard Julian talking like he was Rachel¡¯s boyfriend, Justin changed his mind, albeit


    inexplicably.


    The next moment, the bathroom door slid open, and Justin was taken aback. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Rachel was drying her hair. When she met his gaze, she exined, ¡°My bedroom¡¯s bathroom is


    busted, so I used yours. You¡¯re back early.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using my clothes as well, I see.¡± Justin looked at her from top to bottom.


    Rachel was wearing his white shirt. It was oversized, so it was enough to cover her thighs. Water


    droplets were still dripping from her hair, and it drenched her shirt.


    Rachel answered calmly, ¡°I¡¯m just borrowing it. You aren¡¯t that stingy, are you? I can just give it back to


    you.¡± She started unbuttoning the shirt.


    Justin shot her a look and held her wrist. ¡°No need for that!¡±


    The pain on her wrist made Rachel frown.


    ¡°Are you always this bold in front of any man?¡± Justin asked coldly, as if something had triggered him.


    Rachel paused and looked at him in surprise. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You left Charlotte five years ago. Who did you go overseas with?¡±


    Justin¡¯s question made her frown.


    ¡°Julian. You went with him.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. Justin was just making a statement, and he looked at


    her coldly. ¡°A casual woman like you can¡¯t be Charlotte¡¯s mother. I can¡¯t believe you seduced my


    cousin.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face fell. ¡°You didn¡¯t lose your memories. You lost your mind.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re denying it?¡±


    ¡°I know you lost your memories, but use your sorry excuse for a brain and think about it. We were


    divorced before I went overseas with Julian. There was a one-year gap between that. Nothing


    happened between us. Even if I did date Julian, who gave you the right to judge us? The queen? The


    Almighty Lord himself?¡±


    Rachel had a point, but Justin-like the child he was-was furious. ¡°So you are dating him.¡±


    ¡°God, I¡¯m so sorry for saying he has a brain. Apparently he has none.¡± Rachel had nothing further to


    say, so she tried to break free of his grasp.


    ¡°Hey, answer me! I didn¡¯t say you can leave!¡± Justin barked at her and tried to pull her back.


    She gasped and slipped, falling down to the bed. ¡°Ah!!¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Justin fell down on her, and a frown creased his forehead.


    His face was inches away from her, and she could smell the faint scent of cologne on him. His


    pheromones were tingling her senses. Since it waste at night, she could also hear his breathing. The


    sound of his heartbeats suddenly made her calm down, and she said, ¡°You got so worked up because


    you thought I was dating Julian? I swear we¡¯re just friends, and we¡¯ll always be-¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Justin pinned her down and made his advances, pressing a kiss


    on her lips, cutting her exnation short. As their tongues entwined with each other, she could feel his


    heartbeat, warmth, and the palpable greeding off him. It felt alien to her, yet oh so familiar.


    Everything was just like it was five years ago.


    As Justin went deeper with the kiss, he slowly lost control over his lust. He seemed to know how


    Rachel¡¯s body worked, but when he tried to remember it, there was nothing there. Shards of memories


    swirled around, and pain stabbed his mind, just like how it did every time he tried to recall something.


    But it was different this time. The more painful it was, the more he didn¡¯t want to stop. He wanted to go


    deeper, so he slid his hand down to the shirt¡¯s hem and moved up her thigh.


    Rachel gripped the sheets tightly, and she felt herself heating up. The mes of lust burned her nerves,


    and she closed her eyes.


    Bzzt¡­ Bzzt¡­


    Suddenly, her phone started vibrating, and she opened her eyes, snapping out of her trance. A surge of


    strength welled within her out of nowhere, and she pushed Justin away. ¡°Hello? What? I¡¯ll be right


    there.¡± She held her phone. ¡°I need to go. Something came up.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s personal.¡± She picked her clothes up and left right away. Justin looked furious, but she didn¡¯t notice


    it.


    That was the first time a woman ever rejected him. How dare you, Rachel!


    Rachel went straight from the vi to Jolly¡¯s ce.


    When Jolly saw Rachel, she started crying. ¡°You¡¯re finally back. What should I do? The cops said I


    can¡¯t


    file a report unless it has been twenty-four hours since his disappearance. And Samuel¡¯s nationality is


    going to be a problem. Should I just get my folks to handle this?¡±


    ¡°Now calm down and talk this over slowly.¡± Rachel calmed her friend down. ¡°Samuel¡¯s teacher called


    you, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. His teacher said the summer camp¡¯s just in the neighboring city, but Samuel¡¯s gone from his room


    when they went to wake him up this morning. Where could a five-year-old boy like him have gone? He


    might have been abducted!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 191

    My Mute Bride Chapter 191


    Jolly almost cried. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t havee back so soon. I should have been looking


    after him overseas.¡±


    Rachel said, ¡°Calm down. Samuel wasst seen in the hotel, right? Did you check the surveince


    camera?¡±


    Jolly froze, and Rachel knew she hadn¡¯t looked through it yet. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯ll call his teacher.¡± She


    then called Samuel¡¯s teacher.


    The whole conversation was done in anguage Jolly barely understood. After Rachel asked the


    hotel¡¯s staff to check the surveince, they told her what they saw a momentter. ¡°The staff said


    Samuel left on his own. They¡¯ll send the video to us in a moment.¡± After she hung up, Rachel calmed


    her friend down. ¡°I¡¯ll go to Astoria tonight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°No.You wait here and call the cops once twenty-four hours have psed.¡± After that, Rachel left with


    nothing but her handbag and keys.


    Just when she was about to get into her car, she heard the sound of someone towing a suitcase, and a


    young child stood behind the car with his luggage behind him. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Rachel froze, and she stopped opening the door. When she turned around, she saw a boy in a blue


    navy T-shirt and suspenders. He wore a cap, and tufts of brown, curly hair sprouted underneath it. His


    eyes were beautifully dark, like olives.


    ¡°Samuel!¡± Rachel ran to him and gave him a hug. ¡°Where have you been? Jolly and I were worried


    sick!¡±


    Samuel was coughing from how hard he was hugged. ¡°I can¡¯t breathe, Mommy.¡±


    Rachel let him go after that, but she quickly asked, ¡°How did you even find this ce? Who gave you


    the address?¡±


    Samuel blinked. ¡°Hernandez!¡±


    Rachel frowned at the mere mention of that name. ¡°Him again! Forget about it. Let¡¯s go back up.


    Jolly¡¯s worried sick.¡±


    Rachel then took Samuel¡¯s luggage and took him upstairs. When Jolly saw the boy, she thought she


    was hallucinating. ¡°How¡¯d you find him so soon?¡±


    ¡°He was downstairs.¡± After Rachel put her car keys down, she exined, ¡°This boy tricked his teacher


    into holding a summer camp in Astoria and ran off on his own. I ran into him right after I went down.¡±


    When Jolly heard that, she gritted her teeth. ¡°Someone¡¯s bold.¡±


    Samuel quickly hid behind his mother. ¡°I¡¯m just missing Mommy. Mommy!¡±


    Rachel could never say no to her son, so she squatted and looked him in the eye. ¡°Say sorry to Jolly.


    And tell her how sorry you are. She¡¯s worried sick for you.¡±


    ¡°Jolly!¡± Samuel went to Jolly just like his mother told him to.


    Jolly crossed her arms, and she looked upset. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. You don¡¯t care about me no matter


    what I do. You only go where your mother goes. You never care about me.¡±


    Rachel gave Samuel a look, and Samuel quickly tugged on Jolly¡¯s skirt. ¡°But Jolly, you¡¯re my favorite


    person.¡±


    Samuel¡¯s adorable voice could melt anyone, but Jolly turned away, refusing to see him.


    ¡°Jolly, it¡¯s not good being angry. It makes you old. You¡¯re a prettydy, so you should smile a lot.


    Smiling makes you pretty.¡±


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. I¡¯m a sad, old witch. Your mother¡¯s the prettydy here.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s my mommy. She¡¯s different. I¡¯m gonna marry you when I grow up, not her. You can¡¯t grow


    old just yet. Wait for me!¡±


    Not even Rachel could hold back any longer, and she chuckled along with Jolly. Then, Jolly flicked


    Samuel¡¯s cap. ¡°You cheeky brat. Who taught you that?¡±


    ¡°Who else?¡± Rachel shrugged.


    ¡°Hernandez, huh? That yboy. He only knows how to flirt. And now he¡¯s starting to lead Samuel down


    his path too?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not mad anymore, are you, Jolly?¡± Samuel grinned toothily. ¡°I brought a gift for you.¡±


    Jolly touched his nose. ¡°You cheeky brat.¡±


    And theyughed away. At the same time, a few people were inside a ck car that was in the


    neighborhood¡¯s corner. The one in the backseat was quiet but absolutely furious.


    ¡°Sir, this is¡­¡± Frankie looked panicked, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. Justin suddenly woke him up


    and told him to drive to Rachel¡¯s ce, but before he could even get out of the car, they saw Samuel


    calling out to Rachel. Who is that boy? He¡¯s about the same age as Charlotte. And he called the


    madam ¡°Mommy¡±? Is he her son?


    Justin¡¯s expression was dark. ¡°Look into this.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Rachel made a few calls to Justin the next day, but nobody picked it up.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Charlotte called out to her from within the bedroom. ¡°I can¡¯t pick my dress. I need your help.¡±


    Rachel snapped out of it. ¡°Give me a second. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Maybe he¡¯s on a ne, or maybe he¡¯s


    busy. Rachel was still worried, since she left him so abruptlyst night. She wanted to exin herself,


    but he couldn¡¯t be contacted.


    ¡°The red one or the white one?¡± Charlotte picked a red dress and a white dress.


    ¡°Where are you going, Charlotte? Why are you dressing up all of a sudden?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°The amusement park, Mommy. Let¡¯s go to the amusement park, all right?¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯re still sick.¡±


    Charlotte froze, but a momentter, she covered her mouth and coughed. ¡°I do feel sick, Mommy.¡± But


    she averted her gaze, obviously feeling guilty.


    She can¡¯t even fake her cough. Rachelughed quietly, but she didn¡¯t expose Charlotte. ¡°This one.¡±


    She pointed at the red dress. ¡°It¡¯ll look good on an amusement park trip. You¡¯ll heal up faster if you go


    out


    more, right?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up, and she nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    At the same time, Justin was in a hotel in Ashcroft, the city next to Riverdale. He was standing in front


    of a French window, looking at the missed calls coldly.


    Frankie said, ¡°I¡¯ve looked into thepany Rachel worked in when she was in Montenegro, and I


    found her details there. She does have a son that¡¯s four and a half years old.¡±


    Justin gripped his phone tightly. And I thought she went overseas for a reason. So this is her reason.


    The staff was setting up the recording hall, while Rachel¡¯s assistant held the interview script. ¡°Chris,


    this is the script for the interview. We¡¯ve filtered them, so take a look to see if there are any problems.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Rachel took the script from her assistant.


    Her assistant looked around and was about to take a chair for Rachel, but someone shoved her. ¡°What


    are you doing? Don¡¯t you know this spot is reserved for Amber?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 192

    My Mute Bride Chapter 192


    ¡°Look out!¡± Rachel stopped her assistant from falling. If it weren¡¯t for her, the assistant would have


    crashed into the lighting prop, and that¡¯d be disastrous. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Her assistant paled from the shock. ¡°Thank you, Chris.¡±


    The one who shoved her assistant was a harsh-looking youngdy. ¡°Serves you right.¡± Then, she


    picked the chair and left.


    Rachel didn¡¯t want to get into any arguments, but she wouldn¡¯t let her assistant get pushed around like


    that. ¡°Hold it right there!¡±


    The harshdy frowned. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Apologize.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± The harshdy couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°Why should I? She tried to


    take Miss Amber¡¯s stuff. If anyone should be apologizing, it¡¯s her!¡±


    ¡°First of all, I don¡¯t see Amber¡¯s name anywhere on the chair. And I don¡¯t think you brought it yourself.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± The harshdy gritted her teeth. ¡°But Miss Amber has been using this chair all this time. Are


    you a newbie? Don¡¯t you know the rules around here, olddy? Do you know who Miss Amber is?


    She¡¯s the most popr doctor on the show.¡±


    Rachel ignored her. ¡°And secondly, even if this is her chair, that doesn¡¯t mean you can push anyone


    however you want. You¡¯re lucky she¡¯s alright, but if she¡¯s not, there¡¯ll be hell to pay,¡± she said coldly.


    ¡°That¡¯s just unreasonable!¡± The harshdy red at Rachel. ¡°I¡¯m not arguing with you. Miss Amber is


    waiting for me.¡±


    ¡°Take one more step and I¡¯m suing you for battery.¡±


    The harshdy was finally looking scared.


    But just then, a woman said, ¡°I can hear you from the next booth over. Rachel, ever since you can talk,


    you¡¯ve been quite aggressive. And now you¡¯re targeting a helpless intern?¡±


    Obviously, the woman was Amber the b*tch. She was a guest the channel invited, so she had toe


    for a shoot every week for her show.


    Coincidentally, Rachel was also invited to talk about the mass production of Burton Pharmaceuticals,


    so they ran into each other.


    Amber stood before Rachel and told the onlookers, ¡°Thisdy here, Chris, used to be a mute. Guess


    that¡¯s a surprise, huh? But then, she miraculously started talking after twenty years of being a mute. If it


    were me, I¡¯d talk about your experience instead of the new meds. After all, that¡¯s loads better than


    some fancy new item, right?¡±


    The crowd was buzzing with excitement.


    However, Rachel answered calmly, ¡°If they¡¯re interested, then I don¡¯t mind sharing my experience, but


    that¡¯s for another day. Your assistant almost hurt someone, but she¡¯s still not apologizing.¡±


    Amber replied nonchntly, ¡°Just that? Sophie, just say sorry.¡±


    Sophie was surprised, but a momentter, she said reluctantly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Happy?¡± She red at


    Rachel and Lisa.


    ¡°She said sorry. Can we go now?¡± Amber asked, then she told Sophie to take the chair away.


    The onlookers were about to go on with their own business, thinking that this was the end of it, but


    Rachel suddenly said, ¡°Amber, you don¡¯t need to work today. Just here to inform you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    ¡°No. Not just today. You don¡¯t have toe ever again,¡± Rachel continued calmly.


    ¡°Huh? What makes you think you can say that?¡± Amber scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re just Burton Pharm¡¯s sales


    director. Justin might have let you handle thepany, but this is the studio. They invited me to host


    this show. You don¡¯t have the right to fire me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that in a minute.¡± Rachel called someone right there and then. ¡°David, I¡¯ve thought


    about it, and I ept your offer.¡±


    David? Amber¡¯s face fell. ¡°David? Which David?¡±


    Rachel hung up and smirked. ¡°You should know. There aren¡¯t many Davids in the studio.¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Before Amber could form her thoughts, a production assistant came over from the next booth. ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry, Dr. Hudson, but a situation popped up. We can¡¯t record the show today.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t record the show?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a new notice. Your show is canceled. This week is thest episode. There will be a new show next


    week.¡±


    Amber looked upset, and Sophie was angered. ¡°How can you do this? We¡¯ve prepared the content,


    and the rehearsals are done.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We¡¯ll pay the final sum as soon as possible. Sorry for the trouble.¡±


    ¡°Why you¡­¡±


    ¡°Sophie.¡± Amber stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t trouble them. It¡¯s just normal for the studio. We aren¡¯t as powerful


    as a certain someone, and that¡¯s on us.¡±


    Rachel replied calmly, ¡°Instead of being all sarcastic with me, you should think about your future after


    your show¡¯s cancetion. Thepany won¡¯t tolerate any ckers.¡±


    Amber finally lost herposure. First, Rachel¡¯s team crushed her team, and now her show-which she


    worked hard for-was canceled. There was nothing else she could contribute.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Lisa.¡± Rachel then added, ¡°And take the chair.¡±


    Amber almost went on a rampage right away.


    Lisa took the chair right in front of Rachel and Sophie, but this time, she was confident. ¡°Sorry for the


    trouble, Chris.¡± She put the chair down and gave Rachel an apologetic look.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not your fault. You can¡¯t reason with an unreasonable person, so you¡¯ll have to take a¡­


    different approach, so to speak.¡±


    Lisa nodded.


    Later, Amber left the recording hall and waited for her assistant in her car, but then she heard the staff


    members who came out engaging in a discussion.


    ¡°Did you see that? One call from Chris and the boss canceled Amber¡¯s show. Awesome.¡±


    ¡°Who is she? She¡¯s just a sales director, right? Amber¡¯s Mr. Burton¡¯s fianc¨¦e. How did she even find the


    courage to stand up to her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know? Chris is Justin¡¯s ex-wife.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what? Really?¡±


    ¡°I have a friend who¡¯s working in Burton Group. It¡¯s true. Chris is Justin¡¯s daughter¡¯s mother. She even


    went to see him in thepany, and they had dinner together. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°I see. So she¡¯s legit. Amber¡¯s just a mistress. No wonder she¡¯s scared of Chris.¡±


    The discussion went on.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 193

    My Mute Bride Chapter 193


    The more she heard, the darker Amber looked. She did this on purpose. She humiliated me in front of


    everyone just to get back at me.


    A white sports car suddenly stopped before her car, and out came a man and a boy with curly hair.


    They talked about something, then the man picked the boy up and went into the lobby. Just before they


    were gone, Amber remembered something. If she was right, she had seen the same car in front of


    Burton Group before.


    On the other hand, the recording took more than two hours, but it eventually came to an end.


    ¡°Good job, guys. We¡¯re done.¡± Rachel told Lisa to give everyone the snacks she bought, then she


    looked at the time. ¡°I have something to settle, Lisa, so I¡¯m going ahead. Keep an eye on things here.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Go ahead, Chris.¡±


    Rachel left in a hurry with her phone in hand, but she didn¡¯t leave the studio right away. Instead, she


    went into the pantry on the ground floor and saw Samuel sitting beside the window, drinking his juice.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Samuel opened his arms the moment he saw Rachel.


    Rachel hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Sorry for asking you to wait with Samuel,¡± she


    told the man beside the boy.


    The man was wearing a suit, but he answered politely, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Miss Chris. This is my job.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jolly? Why¡¯d she suddenly ask you to take Samuel here?¡±


    ¡°She seems to have something to settle, but she told me nothing. Though she said she¡¯d be back by


    seven.¡±


    Rachel frowned. ¡°She couldn¡¯t have gone to a club again, could she?¡±


    The bodyguard said nothing, but Samuel looked at her. ¡°Mommy, clubs aren¡¯t open so early. Jolly won¡¯t


    even get to drink if she is there, so she¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°You cheeky boy.¡± Rachel patted his head. ¡°How¡¯d you know the club¡¯s opening hours? Did Jolly tell


    you?¡±


    Jolly¡¯s bodyguard then sent Rachel and Samuel home, but unbeknownst to them, someone kept


    watching them until the white car was out of sight. Only after that did they leave in the opposite


    direction.


    Rachel noticed the stack of junk food on the coffee table the moment she came back. Jolly was a


    carefree person; she didn¡¯t pay too much attention to the children¡¯s food, so they ate what she ate.


    ¡°Do you want anything, Samuel? I¡¯ll make it for you.¡±


    ¡°Egg sandwich, then.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Rachel took out two eggs and a bottle of mayonnaise from the fridge. ¡°You don¡¯t ask for much,


    huh?¡±


    Samuel stared at her. ¡°Your egg sandwich is the best, Mommy.¡±


    Before she could say anything, her phone rang. When she saw who the caller was, Rachel hesitated


    before taking it. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Mommy!¡± a girl said sweetly, but there was a hurried tone in her voice. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you back yet? I¡¯m


    still waiting for you. It¡¯s dinnertime.¡±


    ¡°I have something to do here, Charlotte,¡± Rachel answered. ¡°I¡¯ll bete, so can you go ahead without


    me?¡±


    ¡°No! I want you here!¡±


    ¡°Be a good girl, Charlotte. I¡¯ll be right there after I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not eating if you¡¯re not here!¡± Charlotte replied angrily and hung up.


    ¡°Hello? Charlotte?¡± Rachel looked at her phone and frowned.


    ¡°Is that Charlotte, Mommy?¡± Samuel asked.


    Rachel stared at Samuel in disbelief. ¡°How do you know about Charlotte?¡± I¡¯ve never talked about it


    with him.


    Samuel answered, ¡°I heard it when you were talking with Jolly, but by ident, of course.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us then?¡±


    Samuel answered as maturely as he could. ¡°You and Jolly would have told me if you wanted to. Since


    none of you did, that means I don¡¯t need to find out about it, so I didn¡¯t bring it up.¡±


    ¡°You cheeky boy.¡± Rachel touched his nose. ¡°What else are you hiding from me then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a secret!¡±


    ¡°You have your own secrets now, huh?¡±


    The boy grinned. ¡°You should make the sandwiches now so you can go to see Charlotte as soon as


    possible. She¡¯s going to starve if you aren¡¯t going back.¡±


    ¡°Sure. You go to your room then.¡±


    Samuel obliged. When he heard the water starting to boil, he closed the door and opened a folder in


    his PC. There was nothing but a man¡¯s photo in it. Samuel stared at the photo for the longest time,


    mumbling, ¡°He¡¯s ugly. And there¡¯s a scar on his face. Julian¡¯s more handsome than he is. Heck, even


    Hernandez looks better.¡± Samuel sighed. Well, he is my dad. What choice do I have?


    Someone opened the door after Rachel made the egg sandwiches.


    Jolly had changed into her slippers. ¡°Something smells nice. What did you make?¡±


    Rachel crossed her arms and stared at Jolly interrogatively. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. Where did you


    go? Why¡¯d you suddenly send Samuel to me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. A friend asked me out, but it¡¯s going to cause a lot of misunderstanding if Samuel was there.


    Makes it hard to talk, you see.¡±


    ¡°A friend? Who is it?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know him.¡±


    ¡°Is it him?¡± Jolly was unreliable, but she would never abandon Samuel, unless that man was involved.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Rachel didn¡¯t even say his name, but they knew who she was talking about. Thus, Jolly looked away in


    guilt. ¡°What are you talking about? There¡¯s no way I¡¯d see him.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even say who it was. Why¡¯d you get nervous?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not nervous. I¡¯m not talking to you. Where¡¯s Samuel? I want to see him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in his room.¡± Rachel took her apron off. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m going to Charlotte¡¯s ce. The sandwiches


    are done, so have dinner with Samuel.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Rachel was still worried, so before she left, she told Jolly, ¡°You should think this rtionship through.¡±


    Jolly waved at Rachel without even turning around. ¡°I know, I know. You¡¯re starting to nag. I told you |


    didn¡¯t see him.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    Night was descending on the city, and Justin was still in the hotel. However, he was talking to someone


    on the phone this time, though a frown creased his forehead.


    ¡°She humiliated me in front of everyone! And she canceled my show just because she¡¯s friends with the


    director! You know how hard I worked for it, Justin!¡±


    Justin was getting a headache from Amber¡¯s crying. ¡°You called me just for this?¡±


    ¡°This is important! She stopped me from developing any medicine, and now she canceled my show!


    That¡¯s too much! Even the staff members were talking about me behind my back!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 194

    My Mute Bride Chapter 194


    Justin looked at the time. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s talk about this after I go back.¡±


    That made Amber stop talking, albeit reluctantly. A moment of silenceter, she said, ¡°Sure. Rest


    early.¡±


    Justin hung up, then Frankie handed him a cup of tea. ¡°Sir.¡±


    ¡°What is this about the studio?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°The head director, David, canceled Miss Hudson¡¯s show without a reason. And he added a new show


    in the same slot.¡±


    ¡°A new show?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about Eastern medicine. Chris is the host.¡±


    Chris frowned. ¡°She¡¯s ambitious. It hasn¡¯t been long since she came back, but she¡¯s trying to get her


    hands on everything. Everyone can see through her by now.¡±


    ¡°Is she trying to do something here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Remarrying me.¡±


    It was a simple response, but Frankie¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Huh?¡±


    Justin never joked, and he looked serious about it. ¡°She hid her identity and worked in a Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals branch nearest to me. Then, she found an excuse to stay at my ce and warmed up


    to Charlotte. Now, she¡¯s attacking Amber. Obviously, she¡¯s trying to get back together with me.¡±


    Frankie smiled awkwardly. ¡°Sir, you lost your memories, so I¡¯m obliged to tell you this. Your divorce


    didn¡¯t go well, to say the least. That¡¯s why Master Arthur wanted everyone to hide it from you.¡±


    ¡°It has been years. It might have been horrible, but she wouldn¡¯te back if she didn¡¯t care.¡± Justin


    sneered. ¡°But she thinks too highly of herself. She thinks she cane and go as she pleases? She


    had a baby with someone else overseas, got dumped, and wants toe back to me? I¡¯m not running


    a charity here.¡±


    At the mention of the child, Frankie said carefully, ¡°Sir, Chris is not that kind of woman. I think there¡¯s


    more to this. I¡¯ve asked the guys in Montenegro to look into this.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to defend her. I only trust what I see.¡± That boy called her ¡°Mommy¡±. There¡¯s nothing


    else to say. She couldn¡¯t have given birth to twins in Riverdale and only took away one.


    Frankie wanted to say something, but he thought Justin was too angry for him to do so.


    Rachel stayed at Justin¡¯s ce while he was away on the business trip. She only had one final chance


    at opening the safe box. There were four numbers in her hand, but she couldn¡¯t evene up with any


    combination.


    Meanwhile, Jolly was on the phone with her. ¡°It can¡¯t be four numbers. It must be a six-number


    Rachel tried to recall the search back then. ¡°Zero and two, I think.¡±


    ¡°Is it a date?¡±


    ¡°Probably. Looks simr.¡±


    ¡°Have you tried your birthday?¡±


    ¡°The numbers don¡¯t match. Not even Charlotte¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Well, try anniversaries. Everyone uses their wedding anniversary or the day they met as a passcode.


    Either that, or it¡¯s their wife¡¯s birthday, their kid¡¯s birthday or something like that. Charlotte¡¯s the most


    important person to him, right? Do you think he won¡¯t set the passcode as something rted to her?¡±


    Jolly kept talking, but Rachel didn¡¯t think much about it at first. However, halfway through, she


    remembered one particr date all of a sudden. ¡°I got it, Jolly.¡± She quickly typed the passcode in, and


    the box was unlocked with a click.


    Rachel looked at it quietly, albeit in disbelief. Not even she herself could believe he used that day as


    the passcode.


    ¡°So, did you open it?¡±


    Jolly¡¯s voice snapped Rachel out of it, but she got slightly nervous. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Nice. So what day was it?¡±


    Rachel looked conflicted, but eventually, she answered, ¡°The day I had my first miscarriage.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Jolly said, but then she kept quiet.


    ¡°Talk to youter. I¡¯ll see if it¡¯s here.¡± Rachel hung up and opened the safe box. There were twoyers


    in there. The topyer contained some cash, while the bottomyer had some estate certificates and a


    sealed leather bag. Rachel unsealed it and took the contents out, but it wasn¡¯t the thing she wanted.


    The proof that he killed Hans isn¡¯t here. ¡°It¡¯s not in this ce?¡±


    After Rachel went back, she told Jolly about it. ¡°So you did all that for nothing?¡± Jolly was shocked.


    ¡°It only proves that it isn¡¯t in the box. Doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t somewhere else in his ce.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to keep staying there then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll move back. He¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡± Rachel leaned back against the sofa, her temples throbbing.


    All she could think of was the truth behind Hans¡¯ death. ¡°I might have to see someone.¡±


    For the first time in ages, Jolly looked at her seriously. ¡°Janice?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She was the one who said Justin had the evidence, so she was the one who knew where it


    specifically was.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Rachel went to work like usual the next day. After the morning meeting, she went to the president¡¯s


    office with the proposal. ¡°I¡¯ve drafted the proposal for the next quarter. See if there¡¯s any problem.¡± She


    then put it on his desk.


    Justin skimmed through it. ¡°Looks good. Let¡¯s do it your way, but I have one condition. I want a fifteen


    percent increase in sales.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°I heard you got the TV station to cancel Amber¡¯s show.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart sank. When she looked up, she was greeted with a calm gaze. ¡°So you¡¯re interrogating


    me now?¡± She pursed her lips.


    ¡°You stopped her ns to mass produce Western medicine, and now you canceled her show.


    Everyone can see you¡¯re attacking her.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to do it if she actually did her job well.¡± Rachel frowned. ¡°But if you think I¡¯m attacking


    her just because of these, then I have nothing to say to that.¡± With that, she stood up. ¡°I have work to


    do, so I¡¯ll be going back to my office now.¡±


    Justin stared at her, but before he could say anything, Frankie came in like a wind. ¡°Bad news, Sir!¡±


    ¡°What is it? What¡¯s the hurry?¡± Justin answered unhappily.


    ¡°You need to see the news.¡± Frankie couldn¡¯t care that Rachel was there. He quickly handed his tablet


    over to Justin


    When Justin saw the content, his face darkened.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Rachel asked out of concern.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me that?¡± He mmed the tablet down on the table and showed it to her. ¡°See for


    yourself!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 195

    My Mute Bride Chapter 195


    Rachel noticed Samuel in the photo right away. Even though he was censored, his curly hair told her


    who he was, not to mention that she was right beside him, holding his hand. An article with a headline


    that read, ¡®President Burton¡¯s ex-wife returns with an illegitimate son. The shocking truth behind this


    aristocrat¡¯s marriage, was making waves on the Inte.


    It wasn¡¯t a long article, but it managed to make Rachel out to be a cheating woman who was dumped


    by


    Justin because she had a lover out there. The article wasn¡¯t fully made up, since the writer knew


    Rachel used to be a mute. As there was truth among the lies, it was hard for her to exin things


    properly. Rachel knew that, so she knew this was trouble.


    ¡°When was this posted?¡±


    ¡°This morning,¡± Frankie answered quickly. ¡°The PR team didn¡¯t think much about it at first, but then it


    went viral. It¡¯s getting worse by the minute. Sir, our share prices have been dropping ever since this


    was posted. The Board of Directors has been calling us to talk about this.¡±


    Even though Rachel and Justin were already divorced, the public questioned the decision of hiring her


    to work in Burton Pharmaceuticals. Now that a scandal had popped up, it was certain that the share


    prices would drop.


    Justin looked at Rachel coldly. ¡°What¡¯s your n now?¡±


    ¡°A press release, of course. We¡¯ll tell them that the illegitimate child doesn¡¯t exist. As long as we tell the


    same story, the public can¡¯t say anything about it.¡±


    ¡°What about the truth?¡±


    Rachel was stunned, but she clenched her fists, for she knew what wasing.


    Justin asked, ¡°The article isn¡¯t important. Are you going to tell me about that boy? Is he your son?¡±


    Justin knocked on the tablet¡¯s screen, producing two loud thuds.


    Veins started popping on her forehead, but she answered calmly, ¡°He is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quick to answer. I thought you¡¯d defend yourself.¡°


    ¡°He¡¯s my son. I don¡¯t have anything to say for myself.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t want to argue about Samuel. Since


    Justin was looking mad, she told Frankie, ¡°Tell the PR team to get ready for a press release, and make


    sure they restrict the questions from the reporters. Dispatch a few more bodyguards, and,¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Justin barked.


    Rachel was shocked. When she turned around, she realized Justin was looking at her coldly. ¡°You¡¯re


    not in charge here. I¡¯m the boss. Not you.¡±


    ¡°But we need to hold a press release. The sooner we silence the public, the better for you and the


    company.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying we won¡¯t, but that¡¯s not what we¡¯re going to say.¡±


    Rachel paused for a moment.


    Justin¡¯s gaze was as cold and dark as the deep sea. ¡°Frankie, tell HR toe up with a notice of


    termination and post it on the official website. We¡¯ll announce it at the press release,¡± he said coldly.


    ¡°Announce what?¡± Frankie was shocked.


    ¡°That we¡¯ve canceled the contract with Chris. Her personal life¡¯s degeneracy is not what we stand for,


    and tell them we will never employ anyone who¡¯s morally bankrupt. Not now, not ever. I¡¯ll tell the


    reporters that we wouldn¡¯t have hired you if you hadn¡¯t lied about your identity.¡±


    Everything Justin said was a shocker for Rachel, and she looked at him in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re really doing


    that?¡±


    The shock onlysted for a moment though, for she then regained herposure. Her fists were


    clenched, and her anger was rising.


    Justin answered coldly, ¡°If I don¡¯t do that, you¡¯re going to ruin the wholepany. We¡¯re not going to


    pay for your indecency.¡±


    ¡°Indecency?¡± Rachel looked at him calmly. ¡°Is that what you think of me?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? You have an illegitimate son. What else do you have to say?¡± Justin glowered. ¡°You¡¯d better


    work with us and apologize to the public before this gets any worse. Then go back to Montenegro and


    never show up in front of me again!¡±


    Apparently, Justin was stupid enough to not even leave an exit for himself; even Frankie felt worried.


    ¡°Sir, we still need to look into this, so-¡± He swallowed the rest of the sentence when Justin shot him an


    icy look.


    Rachel answered, ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then fine by me. I¡¯ll work with you, but I¡¯ll only tell them the


    truth. I won¡¯t admit to something I didn¡¯t do. I have work to do, so I¡¯m leaving now.¡± With that, she left


    the office, and the door swung shut.


    ¡°Sir, this might be a misunderstanding. The madam isn¡¯t ascivious woman.¡±


    ¡°Madam?¡± Justin looked at him coldly.


    Frankie shivered and changed the way he called her right away. ¡°I mean Chris. We¡¯ll get the truth soon


    enough once we look into Chris and her child¡¯s details in Montenegro. Do you want to dy the press


    release, Sir? At least until the recon team is back?¡±


    ¡°No. We¡¯ll hold it tomorrow morning.¡±


    Frankie wanted to say something else, but Justin mmed the table. ¡°One more word and you¡¯re fired


    as well!¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Frankie paled and kept his mouth shut.


    At the same time, Jolly called Rachel the moment she came out of the office. ¡°I saw the news. Are you


    alright?¡± There was panic in Jolly¡¯s voice.


    Rachel put her phone a little distance away from her ear. ¡°Just got out of his office. He wants to fire me


    so he can face the Board of Directors and the public.¡±


    ¡°What? Is that idiot mad? He just believes everything he sees? How can he even run apany like


    that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important. Jolly, this popped up too suddenly. Something¡¯s off. Justin and I aren¡¯t public


    figures, and we¡¯ve been divorced for five years. Almost nobody has seen me, and no reporters would


    keep an eye on us at all times.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying someone¡¯s behind this?¡±


    ¡°They can even track down my medical history in Montenegro. They even found out I gave birth there.


    The enemy is powerful.¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re actually powerful, they would have found the real record, not the one we doctored.¡±


    Rachel answered grimly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter which one she found. This is precisely the one she wanted,


    so she


    sold it to the media without even verifying it. That¡¯s the best way to rile up the public.¡±


    ¡°Wait. You¡¯re saying you know who did this?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 196

    My Mute Bride Chapter 196


    ¡°I don¡¯t have many enemies, and there¡¯s only one person who¡¯s in conflict of interest with me, no?¡±


    Then, it suddenly dawned upon Jolly. ¡°It¡¯s Amber, that b*tch!¡± Angrily, she burst out, ¡°I¡¯m going to call


    Mom and Dad right now to help me remove all those nasty news! I¡¯m going to block those articles!¡±


    On the contrary, Rachel was surprisingly calm. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Let¡¯s wait.¡±


    Then, she continued, ¡°This issue is currently gaining a lot of attention from the media, so it would only


    be counterproductive if you asked for Mr. Carter¡¯s help.¡±


    ¡°What should we do, then? How could we just let Justin defame you and use you as a scapegoat so


    that he could protect the Burtons¡¯ reputation?¡± Jolly cried.


    As Rachel held on to her phone, she reassured Jolly, ¡°I won¡¯t. I will not take the me for something I


    didn¡¯t


    do.¡±


    Five years ago, Rachel had mutism and was unable to speak. As a result, she had been wrongly


    used on many asions, but she could not refute. However, things were different now that she had


    been given the chance to speak again. She would no longer hold back her anger and stay silent.


    As soon as Rachel left, Justin exploded with rage.


    Meeting Justin at the wrong time, the head of the finance department was like a sheep in a lion¡¯s den


    as he was yelled at beforeing out of the office. He was so startled that he almost banged his head


    into the door.


    ¡°Woah, slow down, Manager Davidson,¡± Frankie cautioned as he escorted Asher out.


    Wiping off the sweat on his forehead, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s with Mr. Burton today? He rejected the


    quarterly budget before I even had the chance to speak. What should I do now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You just came at the wrong time. I suggest youe back in two days.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Knowing too much will do you no good.¡±


    After sending Asher away, Frankie stood at the doorway for a moment before making a call.


    ¡°Hi, it¡¯s me. How¡¯s it going with the investigation?¡±


    ¡°You need to speed it up because I¡¯ll need the investigation report by nine in the morning tomorrow.


    You must verify the time and all its details.¡±


    After putting down the phone, he stared at Justin¡¯s office worriedly.


    If Justin had not lost his memories, he definitely would not have said those words to Rachel the other


    day.


    That night, Charlotte threw a huge tantrum when she found out that Rachel had moved back home.


    When Justin reached home, a ss cup flew toward his head.


    Smash! Fortunately, he dodged it quickly, so the cup hit the wall behind him and shattered into pieces


    instantaneously.


    ¡°Sir, are you alright?¡± the new nanny eximed as her face turned pale in fright.


    In response, he only furrowed his brow gently as he was already used to this. ncing behind the


    nanny, he asked, ¡°Who made you mad this time?¡±


    In her puff sleeve nightgown, the little girl pointed at his nose and fumed, ¡°You!¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Were you the one who wouldn¡¯t let Mommy stay with me? Why did Mommy leave?¡±


    ¡°She has something to do these two days.¡±


    At that moment, his face turned dark when he mentioned Rachel.


    Though Charlotte was still very young, she was much more sensitive than most children her age. She


    could see that Justin was trying to brush her off with a nce. ¡°She still needs to eat and sleep even if


    she has things to do. Call Mommy now. I want her to apany me.¡±


    With a frown, he told her, ¡°It¡¯ste. You should go to bed now.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re lying! I want Mommy!¡±


    Again, she cried, ¡°I want Mommy!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± This was the first time that he had lost his temper with her. Coldly, he continued, ¡°She won¡¯t


    being today, nor will she being in the future. Do you really not remember, or are you


    pretending not to? She has never been by your side since you were young, so what do you need such


    a mother for?¡±


    Terrified, she didn¡¯t dare to make a sound. Slowly, her eyes welled up with tears.


    Seeing so, Justin regretted being so harsh on her. Just as he reached out to embrace her, she pushed


    his arms away before turning around and running toward her bedroom.


    ¡°Charlotte!¡± he called her name.


    Bang! She mmed the door.


    Justin was stunned for a while before getting irritated.


    The next day, the Burton Group held a press conference.


    All of Belleville¡¯s major media outlets had arrived at the Burton Group¡¯s press conference.


    There were only ten minutes left before themencement of the press conference, yet Rachel still


    had not arrived.


    ¡°I just called her. She¡¯s stuck in traffic.¡±


    Lisa exined in Rachel¡¯s defense, but Justin continued to frown. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she leave earlier when


    she knew that the press conference was today? She¡¯s obviously doing it on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Sir, she¡¯s not doing it on purpose. She left home very early this morning.¡±


    ¡°Early? It¡¯s already five minutes to nine!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s runningte because she had to make breakfast for Charlotte.¡±


    As soon as he heard this, an expressionless look stered on his face.


    Just then, Rachel arrived. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for beingte!¡±


    As she tried to catch her breath, he could see that her face was flushed from rushing here.


    He frowned.


    Then, the person in charge of the site shouted, ¡°Mr. Burton, we¡¯re getting ready to start the


    conference!¡±


    Immediately, Rachel tidied her clothes and tried to slow down her breathing. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    At the site, camera shutter clicks filled the room as soon as Justin and Rachel made their way in.


    ¡°Quiet down. In a while, you can raise questions about thetest news concerning the Burtons.¡±


    Slowly, the shutter clicks died down.


    After that, Justin and Rachel sat down.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, are the contents of the article online true? Is your ex-wife Miss Hudson, whom Burton


    Pharmaceuticals just hired?¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson, did you give birth to the boy in the photo in Montenegro? Who¡¯s the child¡¯s biological


    father?¡±


    ¡°Did the two of you divorce because of Miss Hudson¡¯s infidelity, or were both of you already on bad


    terms and the marriage was just a political alliance?¡±


    ¡°Was it true that Miss Hudson was not weed by the Burtons when she first married you?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Burton, have you ever confirmed if you and your daughter are rted?¡±


    Like bullets, questions came one after another. It was as if the reporters were trying to blow both of


    them up with questions like gunpowder kegs.


    When Justin heard this, his face turned grim.


    At the same time, Rachel clenched her fists secretly and dug her nails into her palms.


    She thought that she could deal with anything, yet she never thought that the reporters would doubt


    Charlotte¡¯s parentage. She was afraid that she might make thingsplicated for the children if she


    said something wrong.


    ¡°Are the children half-siblings? Is the boy in the photo Mrs. Burton¡¯s illegitimate child?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the boy¡¯s biological father?¡±


    At that point, things were going out of control.


    As Rachel nced at Justin, she told him, ¡°I¡¯ll go with whatever you say, but I hope you won¡¯t bring the


    children into this. They¡¯re innocent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll resign from Burton Group and bear the public criticism alone.¡±


    After all, she was the one who caused such a big mess.


    Coldly, he questioned, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be able to bear it?¡±


    The reporters in the audience were still bombarding them with questions while holding on to their


    cameras impatiently


    ¡°Mr. Burton, Miss Hudson, please answer our questions.¡±


    With her staring at him anxiously, he stood up. ¡°Everyone must have a lot of questions regarding the


    article


    that went viral recently. On behalf of myself and the Burton Group, I would like to announce that¡­¡±


    Right then, Rachel¡¯s heart stopped.


    Then, he paused and nced at her. ¡°The article was fabricated with tantly false ims and


    usations.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 197

    My Mute Bride Chapter 197


    Justin¡¯s statement caused an uproar in the crowd.


    Rachel was in disbelief when she heard what he had just said.


    Holding on to her shoulders, he pulled her up from the chair so that they were facing the reporters side


    by


    side.


    ¡°Rachel and I divorced peacefully and on good terms five years ago. Before that, we lived as an


    affectionate couple and never did anything to betray each others¡¯ trust throughout our marriage. Even


    after our separation, we still respect each other and remain friends who wish each other nothing but


    happiness.¡±


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re friends, how do you exin the child in the photo and Miss Hudson¡¯s maternity records


    overseas?¡± the reporters pressed.


    Upon hearing this, Justin questioned them, ¡°What made you think that the child is someone else¡¯s if he


    was born after the divorce? Both children are mine.¡±


    With that, it sparked an uproar in the audience, and the camera shutter clicks filled the entire


    conference hall.


    Shocked, Rachel was speechless.


    Justin must have gone mad to have said such things.


    ¡°Therefore, the Burton Group and I will file awsuit against the writer and spreaders of the article. All


    media outlets that have forwarded ormented on the article are requested to delete all inappropriate


    remarks immediately. This rumor has caused me, Rachel, and the Burton Group great trouble. We¡¯ll be


    sure to conduct a thorough investigation about this!¡±


    At that point, the crowd was in chaos.


    Besides a daughter, the president of the Burton Group also had a son. In addition to that, the mother of


    the child was his ex-wife. This sudden news was like a bombshell.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we¡¯re done with the press conference today. Kindly make an appointment if you have further


    questions.¡±


    Then, the site manager tried to keep the crowd under control while the bodyguards escorted Justin and


    Rachel out of the hall.


    Running up to Justin, Rachel asked, ¡°Why did you say that?¡±


    ¡°I did it for Charlotte, not you.¡±


    Coldly, he added, ¡°What would Charlotte think if she found out that you abandoned her for five years to


    marry and have children with someone else?¡±


    As soon as she heard that, her face turned pale. ¡°I can exin. It¡¯s not what you think.¡±


    ¡°I have no interest in knowing who the father of the child is, and you better keep your mouth shut as


    well. If anybody finds out the truth, I¡¯ll see to it that you leave Riverdale and nevere back.¡±


    She wanted to say something but eventually gave up when she saw how reluctant he was to listen to


    her.


    Besides, she never expected that he would defend her during the press conference.


    Just as he left, her phone rang in her pocket.


    ¡°How was the press conference? I¡¯ve already prepared a draft for you to retaliate.¡± Jolly¡¯s voice


    sounded on the phone.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine for now.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what happened? The reporters and Justin didn¡¯t eat you alive?¡±


    ¡°It was not what I expected. I¡¯ll tell you when we meet, alright?¡±


    ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll post the article first to give them a taste of their own medicine. I¡¯d like to see how brazen that


    b*tch can be!¡±


    Listening to this, Rachel only kept quiet.


    As for Justin, he had already gone back to his office.


    As he reyed the video of the press conference earlier, he felt irritated all of a sudden. Immediately,


    he closed hisptop as he did not want to hear another word.


    Suddenly, Frankie knocked on the door and came in with a stack of documents.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, there¡¯s news from Montenegro.¡±


    With his palm on his forehead, he asked impatiently, ¡°Who¡¯s that man?¡±


    ¡°What man?¡±


    Justin¡¯s icy stare gave Frankie a good scare. As soon as Frankie returned to his senses, he continued,


    ¡°The hospital only has the mother¡¯s information and no information about the father. Besides, Rachel


    never got married in Montenegro.¡±


    ¡°She gave birth out of wedlock?¡±


    Handing the documents to Justin, Frankie exined, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Things are a bitplicated, so


    you should take a look at it for yourself.¡±


    Two sets of documents withplete information were prepared.


    The first set was the medical report of her hospitalization and childbirth which the reporters had


    received when news got out. The timestamp on the other set of documents was coincidentally the


    same as the first¨Cwith the only difference being the patient¡¯s name.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Jolly? What does she have to do with Rachel?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Miss Hudson¡¯s best friend.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Justin frowned and narrowed his eyes. ¡°So, Rachel¡¯s not the child¡¯s biological


    mother?¡±


    With aplicated look, Frankie nodded.


    At that moment, Justin stared at Frankie in disbelief.


    That afternoon, the contents of the press conference started to spread online. New topics regarding


    this overshadowed the contents of the previous articles.


    ¡®My God! I never knew there could be such an incredible man who would still defend his ex-wife even


    after they¡¯ve divorced!


    ¡®They had the little boy after the divorce, so that must mean they still have feelings for each other!


    ¡®Both of them are still single, so they must still miss each other very much. Otherwise, why have they


    not remarried after five years?¡¯


    ¡®Please get back together! I¡¯m rooting for this couple!


    As Amber read thements, she fell silent.


    Theizens¡¯ments kept refreshing on top of the searched list.


    With a loud bang, she closed herptop with a pale expression on her face.


    She could not believe that Justin would admit that the illegitimate child was his. It was clearly


    impossible as Rachel had left as soon as she gave birth to Charlotte.


    Theizens must have been blind to believe everything. The child had curly hair. Which part of him


    resembled Justin?


    Still in her own thoughts, she logged into her private Twitter ount instantaneously to post a few


    comments.


    ¡®The child¡¯s obviously illegitimate. How could they be father and son?¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s obvious that thepany¡¯s public rtions department said so on purpose. They have no feelings


    for each other and are on bad terms in reality:


    ¡®She¡¯s obviously a slut!¡¯


    After posting a fewments, her phone rang. It was her friend.


    ¡°Hello?¡± she answered.


    ¡°Amber, what are you doing right now? You need to see what¡¯s online at this moment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking at it right now, and I¡¯ve read the news already. Theseizens only speak and act on


    hearsay. They need some good scolding from me. Don¡¯t you have a lot of friends from the media? Get


    me some trolls, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What trolls? You should worry about yourself! Your main Twitter ount¡¯s in trouble, don¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She froze.


    All this while, she had been using her private Twitter ount to tell off theizens, so she did not


    know what was happening on her main ount.


    ¡°Somebody posted an article titled ¡®Wealthy Daughter Seduces Brother-inw and Tries to im the


    Moral High Ground After Forcing Sister to Leave.¡¯ It¡¯s so obvious that it¡¯s talking about you!¡±


    By then, the article had already exploded on the Inte.


    Just after the Burtons had issued a statement and Justin had defended his ex-wife at the press


    conference, people already started digging up dirt on Amber-his fianc¨¦e.


    From her hooking up with the attending doctor when she was studying medicine abroad to forcing her


    sister to leave so that she could rece her, every word hit the nail on the head that it made her gnash


    her teeth in anger after reading the article.


    When Amber logged into her main ount, she was bombarded with tons of private messages and


    comments.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Homewreckers should die.¡¯


    ¡®How dare you seduce your brother-inw? How shameless!


    ¡®Let me see what this homewrecker looks like! She doesn¡¯t even look half as good as her sister, yet an


    ugly person like her is causing so much trouble.


    She was utterly speechless.


    As she typed, her fingers trembled and her face turned white.


    Who did this?


    Who the hell did this?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 198

    My Mute Bride Chapter 198


    At that moment, a woman with a bun tied on her head stretched her back and rotated her neck side to


    side.


    ¡°I did it!¡±


    As Rachel poured Jolly a cup of tea, she cautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate. You might be sued for


    defamation if you try to provoke Amber.¡±


    ¡°What do I have to be afraid of? Do I seem like I¡¯m short of money to pay for the litigation fee and


    compensation? No matter how long it takes¨Ceven if I lose thewsuit, I¡¯ll let that little b*tch have a taste


    of what cyberbullying feels like! I¡¯m going to return violence for violence!¡± Jolly eximed.


    Then, she continued, ¡°She¡¯s the one who always loves to show off on Twitter by presenting herself as a


    kind daughter from a wealthy family, being a special host to many health TV programs, being a top


    student who often gets her paper published, and doesn¡¯t mind that her fianc¨¦ has a daughter while


    promising to be gentle and kind to care for her many years forward.¡±


    The more she said, the more she felt disgusted. Then, she spread out her hands wide open and said,


    ¡°She¡¯s gentle, modest, courteous, restrained, and magnanimous. She¡¯s literally the epitome of


    righteousness and the light of the universe that everyone worships!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rachel shook her head helplessly. ¡°Well, half of it is indeed true. However, things


    started to crumble when people started praising and worshiping her too much.¡±


    Besides, Amber had many skeletons in her closet.


    Jolly would get irritated every time at the mention of Amber.


    ¡°She acts as if she¡¯s pretty and rich. My arse! The Hudsons aren¡¯t even half as rich as I am!¡±


    Quietly, Rachel asked, ¡°So, are all pretty and rich women like you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±


    Casually picking up a piece of underwear from the chair, Rachel dangled it in front of Jolly with her


    finger. ¡°A pretty and rich woman who leaves her socks and underwear everywhere in the house.¡±


    With a sheepish smile, Jolly pushed Rachel¡¯s hand away. ¡°I¡¯m a phony, while you¡¯re truly smart, gentle,


    and virtuous. Well, you¡¯re here at the right time. Wash them for me, will you?¡±


    As soon as Rachel heard that, she rolled her eyes.


    Meanwhile, at the Burtons¡¯ vi, Charlotte had been throwing tantrums at Justin for two days. She even


    locked herself in her own room and refused toe out.


    Mrs. Duncan knocked on her door and patiently tried to persuade her toe out of her room, ¡°Miss


    Charlotte, you only ate very little food during dinner. Come and eat a little something, won¡¯t you? I


    made some hot chocte.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Just as she replied, her stomach rumbled loudly through the door.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±


    At this point, Mrs. Duncan did not know what to do anymore.


    Just then, somebody opened the door downstairs. Immediately, she said, ¡°I think sir is back.¡±


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s back! Daddy¡¯s the worst! I don¡¯t want to stay with him anymore!¡± Charlotte fumed.


    Justin was at a loss for words as soon as he saw Mrs. Duncan holding a tray of food outside of


    Charlotte¡¯s room.


    ¡°She¡¯s still not eating?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already tried everything, sir.¡±


    Taking the tray from her, he told her, ¡°Go ahead and rest. I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    After she left, he knocked on Charlotte¡¯s door. ¡°Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°Go away! I don¡¯t want to see you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to see me, but you have to eat. Otherwise, how would you meet your mommy


    if you don¡¯t have enough strength?¡±


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t let me meet her. You¡¯re a bad person!¡±


    After pausing for a moment, he questioned, ¡°Did Mommye to see you this morning?¡±


    Then, the room fell silent.


    From this, he got his answer.


    It was very likely that Mrs. Duncan had called Rachel. Knowing that Charlotte was refusing to eat,


    Rachel made breakfast for her.


    Then, Justin said to Charlotte, ¡°I don¡¯t me you. I¡¯ll bring you to the office tomorrow if you want to see


    her.¡±


    After a moment of silence, the door finally opened.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    At that moment, his heart ached as he saw her grubby face. Caressing her head, he reassured her,


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°You need to keep your promise.¡±


    ¡°I will. Quick, be a good girl and finish this hot chocte.¡±


    The next day, Charlotte woke up early in the morning and turned her wardrobe upside down to look for


    the perfect outfit before settling with a white dress and leather shoes. Like a princess on a royal


    progress, she followed Justin to the office.


    When they reached the office, he instructed Frankie to give Rachel a call.


    ¡°Miss Rachel had gone into a meeting as soon as she came into the office this morning. The meeting


    just started, and I¡¯m not sure when it¡¯ll end.¡±


    Strictly, he ordered, ¡°Tell her to end it early and ce her on leave today.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Jumping off the chair, she stood firmly on the carpet and shook her head at him. ¡°You¡¯ll distract her


    from work if you do that. Then, Mommy will think that I¡¯m a bad child who doesn¡¯t know any better!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see her?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just wait for her in her office.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what time her meeting will end. Are you sure that you can wait?¡±


    He knew her daughter very well, after all.


    As soon as she could speak, she had not been able to sit still. As such, how long could she wait in


    Rachel¡¯s office?


    Nodding solemnly, she noted, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now, so go ahead and do your stuff. Don¡¯t look for me


    because Mommy definitely doesn¡¯t want to see you!¡±


    After saying this, the little girl walked away arrogantly.


    In the meantime, a little boy with curly chestnut brown hair and a little ducky schoolbag came through


    the revolving door into the Burton Group building.


    ¡°Good morning, miss!¡±


    His sweet voice sounded from below the counter as he was still much shorter than it.


    After being stunned for a moment, the receptionist tiptoed and saw the little boy down below. His face


    was as white as snow and it melted her heart.


    ¡°Hey, little guy. Who are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Mommy!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s your mom?¡±


    Before he could answer, the other receptionist eximed, ¡°Isn¡¯t he¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he what?¡±


    ¡°The one in the news.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°This hair and height. I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s him.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your mom¡¯s name?¡±


    Unsure of what the two receptionists were talking about, he blinked and responded in a serious


    manner, ¡°My mom¡¯s Rachel Hudson. She¡¯s the sales director.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s him!¡±


    The two receptionists sped their hands over their mouths excitedly.


    The news only exploded two days ago. Therefore, they had never expected to bump into the kid so


    quickly.


    ¡°Miss, could you bring me to my mommy¡¯s office?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    However, the other receptionist halted her. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you call the pharmaceutical department to


    confirm?¡±


    ¡°Silly, he¡¯s Mr. Burton¡¯s son, the heir of thepany. Do I need to call to confirm?¡±


    ncing at the innocent look on his face, the twodies figured that he did not know anything.


    ¡°If I were him, I would die of happiness when I grow up.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 199

    My Mute Bride Chapter 199


    With an innocent look on his face, the little boy held the receptionist¡¯s hand as they went into the


    elevator. Sweetly, he said, ¡°Miss, this building is so tall!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is. Thepany¡¯s pharmaceutical branch is on this floor, which is where your mom is,¡± she


    replied patiently while pointing at the floor numberings. ¡°The president¡¯s office is on this floor, while the


    other departments are on the remaining floors.¡±


    Mentally taking note of this, he nodded.


    Ding! The elevator had finally reached the floor where Rachel¡¯s office was.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go in on my own. Thank you!¡±


    ¡°No, worries, kiddo. Look for me if you have any problems, alright?¡±


    Then, she patted his head before turning to enter the elevator again.


    As soon as the elevator went down, he stood on his toes and pressed the button to go upstairs. After


    that, he entered the next elevator and headed to the floor where the receptionist said his dad would be.


    Meanwhile, Charlotte sat down in Rachel¡¯s office and opened herptop to watch some cartoons.


    The door to the office was not shut properly, so she could hear the two workers gossiping from their


    workstations nearby.


    Just as she jumped off the chair to close the door, she froze when she overheard what they were


    discussing.


    ¡°Does Mr. Burton really have a son?¡±


    ¡°I heard him say it himself at the press conference yesterday. Why would he lie?¡±


    ¡°I also saw the news. Are those things online about Amber true? Is she really Rachel¡¯s sister? Did she


    steal Mr. Burton from Rachel?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Charlotte stayed silent.


    In the meantime, Justin was in a morning meeting in the boardroom.


    Suddenly, Gloria rushed in after knocking on the door and whispered into Frankie¡¯s ears. Right after, he


    followed her out of the room.


    As Justin listened to the business proposal, he looked outside the ss window to find a child standing


    in between Frankie and Gloria, who were speaking to each other.


    He frowned.


    After saying a few words, Frankie pulled Samuel to a quiet corner and asked Gloria, ¡°How did he get


    in?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He was already standing right in front of me when I looked up.¡±


    ¡°Why did you bring him here then? Don¡¯t you know where this is?¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop making a fuss, Mr. Beckham. Look at him. He¡¯s clearly Mr. Burton¡¯s son. I¡¯ve seen the news.


    Where should I bring him to, if not to Mr. Burton?¡±


    For a moment, Frankie could not find the right words to exin who Samuel actually was.


    Just then, a voice sounded from behind. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Frankie turned his head and saw Justin.


    ¡°Mr. Burton.¡±


    Then, Justin raised his hand. Understanding what he meant, Frankie and Gloria left.


    Finally, when there was no one around, Samuel batted his eyes at Justin before asking in a sweet but


    clear voice, ¡°Are you Justin Burton?¡±


    ¡°I am. You¡¯re looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here to see you.¡±


    From his pocket, Samuel took his phone and unlocked the screen to show Justin. ¡°I saw yesterday¡¯s


    news.¡±


    Shown on the screen was a photo of Justin at the press conference yesterday.


    ¡°So? You came here to acknowledge me as your dad?¡±


    Samuel shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯m here to thank you for helping Mommy yesterday.¡±


    As he was speaking, he took out an exquisite gift box from his little ducky schoolbag. ¡°This is for you. I


    bought it with the pocket money I saved for a very long time.¡±


    However, Justin did not reach out to receive the gift.


    Even if Justin knew that the child was not Rachel¡¯s, he felt hostile toward Samuel because Rachel


    would rather care for someone else¡¯s child for years than her own and never even came back once to


    see Charlotte.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. I didn¡¯t do it for her.¡±


    ¡°You behave just as Mommy described. Stubborn as a donkey.¡±


    When Justin heard this, his expression changed. ¡°Is that what she said about me?¡±


    ¡°She even said that you¡¯re incorrigibly obstinate, self-righteous, and self-centered regardless of other


    people¡¯s feelings. You rejected my gift when you haven¡¯t even seen it. How rude!¡±


    Though he was adorable, he was a chatterbox that talked too much.


    ¡°I have no idea what Mommy saw in you. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re my dad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your dad.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to take your words back even when you¡¯ve already admitted it to the press?¡± Samuel


    stuffed the gift into Justin¡¯s hand. ¡°This isn¡¯t for you. It¡¯s for my sister. Please give it to her.¡±


    Annoyed, Justin fumed, ¡°I already told you that I¡¯m not your dad. Besides, she¡¯s not your sister!¡±


    As he spoke, he was trying to stuff the gift back into Samuel¡¯s bag.


    At this point, Samuel was getting irritated. ¡°I said it wasn¡¯t for you! I bought it for my sister!¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need it.¡±


    As they bickered, Justin was unaware of his strength and caused the gift to fall to the floor.


    With a crash, the item in the gift box fell out. The lid and box of the music box which was inside fell


    apart.


    Justin froze immediately.


    Crouching in front of the music box, Samuel picked up the shattered pieces with his tiny hands, an


    aggrieved look stered on his face


    ¡°Samuel!¡±


    At the same time, Rachel¡¯s footsteps sounded on the other end of the hallway. She left the meeting as


    soon as she received a call from Jolly. True enough, Samuel hade to the office.


    ¡°Samuel, are you okay?¡±


    As she saw how terrible he looked, her first reaction was to check if he was injured anywhere.


    With a pout, he showed her the shattered pieces of the music box. ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t like Daddy


    anymore. He broke the music box that I wanted to gift to my sister.¡±


    Instantaneously, Rachel pulled him into her arms and seethed, ¡°The child did nothing wrong. Why did


    you do that?¡±


    Only a moment ago, Justin was feeling regretful for what had happened. However, his face darkened


    as soon as she came up to use him. Indeed, the child did nothing wrong. But have you ever


    considered how Charlotte would feel if she saw him?¡±


    Then, he added, ¡°This is the Burton Group¡¯s office and your workce. Not a nursery!¡±


    After hearing his cold remarks, she covered Samuel¡¯s ears at once and carried him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As she turned around, she saw Charlotte standing there.


    Before, Rachel hade running from the meeting room in a hurry, so she did not notice that Charlotte


    had followed her as she ran up the stairs.


    The little girl, who was running out of breath earlier, was still trying to catch her breath.


    As Rachel was hugging Samuel, she said helplessly, ¡°Charlotte¡­¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Charlotte looked at both of them with an rmed expression.


    Walking over quickly, Justin asked, ¡°Charlotte, when did youe here?¡±


    When she came back to her senses, she ignored his question and picked up the music box to turn the


    lever


    twice. However, no sound came out of it, so tears started to well up in her eyes.


    Justin¡¯s heart ached as he watched her, thinking that she was feeling upset because of Samuel.


    ¡°Be a good girl and don¡¯t cry, alright? Let¡¯s go out and y, okay?¡±


    Just as he was about to embrace her, she pushed him away abruptly to the point that he fell backward


    to the floor with a grunt. He then looked at her with a look of disbelief.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 200

    My Mute Bride Chapter 200


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to y with you! How could you treat my little brother this way?¡±


    Little brother? Justin was shocked.


    Rachel was also astonished.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Holding on to the music box, Charlotteined loudly, ¡°This is the first time that my little brother is


    gifting me a music box, yet you broke it! You¡¯re going overboard again and again!¡±


    Stunned, he asked, ¡°Charlotte, you¡¯re angry because of this?¡±


    ¡°Why else would I be angry? Besides, you guys never told me I had a brother!¡± She cried as her voice


    grew louder and her shoulders trembled in anger.


    At that moment, Samuel wiggled out of Rachel¡¯s arms and ran toward Charlotte to hold her hand. Like


    a little adult, he consoled her, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll get you a new one, so don¡¯t cry, okay?¡±


    Seeing this, Rachel was filled with mixed feelings.


    Unlike theplicated thoughts of adults, the hearts of children were so pure.


    In the end, it was Samuel who managed to calm Charlotte down. However, there was still a look of


    disdain in Justin¡¯s eyes as he watched them bitterly.


    Then, Frankie brought the two children from Justin¡¯s office to the lounge to have some snacks, leaving


    Rachel and him to face each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know Samuel woulde.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that an apology can undo what you have done?¡±


    He continued with an icy tone, ¡°Well done to you and your son for targeting Charlotte.¡±


    Hearing this, she furrowed her brows. Though everything could be exined, she chose not to say too


    much.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to pick him up. He won¡¯t be staying long.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    After saying this, he turned to look at hisptop and ignored her.


    Right after she came out of the office, she called Jolly, yet no one picked up. Perhaps she had gone


    somewhere to have fun.


    Just as she was about to enter the elevator, her phone vibrated in her pocket. Initially, when she


    answered the phone, she thought that it was Jolly, but was met with a strange yet familiar voice.


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    Jefferey¡¯s voice had not changed at all even after five years. He always spoke to her harshly and


    arrogantly. ¡°Where are you now? I want to see you.¡±


    She clenched tightly onto her phone before calming down a momentter. ¡°Sure, but I¡¯m not free right


    now. Let¡¯s talk after I¡¯m off from work.¡±


    It seemed that he did not understand what she was saying. With a low voice, he told her, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting


    for you at the caf¨¦ beside the Burton Group in half an hour.¡±


    Half an hour?


    She sneered as she looked at her watch.


    An hour and a halfter, she finally went down to the caf¨¦ slowly after seeing more than ten missed


    calls on her phone.


    When she reached, she recognized him almost immediately.


    Unsure if it was just an illusion, she felt that he had aged quite a lot seeing that the gray hair on the


    side of his temples had turnedpletely white. He also looked very haggard.


    Even so, he had a stern look stered on his face the moment he set his eyes on Rachel. With a grim


    expression, he chided, ¡°You made me wait here for one hour!¡±


    Unaffected by his behavior, she replied calmly, ¡°It¡¯s just one hour. There are people who wait for a day


    even after making an appointment to meet me. I¡¯ve already made an exception for you.¡±


    ¡°What appointment?¡± His face went livid. ¡°How could you associate me with them? I¡¯m your father!¡±


    As he was speaking, he looked at her from head to toe. ¡°Don¡¯t try to act so brazenly now that you¡¯ve


    got your mutism cured. No matter where you go, you still have toe back to Riverdale, to the


    Hudsons.¡±


    ¡°You came all the way here just to tell me this?¡±


    Then, his eyes darkened as he remembered what he hade for. ¡°Were you the one who posted the


    article about Amber?¡±


    Rachel wasn¡¯t surprised at his reply as she had already expected it. ¡°No.¡±


    Indeed, it was not her but Jolly who posted the article.


    ¡°Who would post things like that if not you? Who else would know so much besides you?¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    Just as she spoke, he stood up and roared, ¡°What kind of attitude is this? Delete it if you were the one


    who posted it. Come to me if you have any resentments against me. Why are you taking it out on your


    sister? She¡¯s marrying Justin soon.¡±


    ¡°What does her marriage have to do with me?¡± Her fingers circled her cup. Then, she reminded him


    faintly, ¡°Anyway, she was supposed to marry Justin six years ago, wasn¡¯t she?¡±


    Upon hearing this, he froze.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the perfect younger daughter of the Hudsons supposed to marry him?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re clearly back for revenge.¡± His face darkened immediately. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t do anything


    to hurt Amber. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for disregarding our father-daughter rtionship.¡±


    ¡°What father-daughter rtionship have we got?¡±


    Giving him a cold re, she continued, ¡°For many years, I¡¯ve always wanted to ask you how my mother


    actually died.¡±


    Suddenly, she stood up with a stern expression on her face. As she got up, the chair scuffed against


    the floor and made an ear-piercing sound.


    Everyone in the caf¨¦ turned to nce at them displeasingly.


    At that moment, he looked as though he had seen a ghost. Gazing at him, she spoke calmly while


    stirring her coffee, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if you did kill my mother, the statute of limitations had already run


    out. What are you afraid of?¡±


    Twenty years have passed, so nothing would happen to him even if there was sufficient evidence now.


    This was the main reason why she was so heartbroken.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Who told you this? Was it that damned old hag?¡±


    nk! She dropped her spoon all of a sudden which made a sharp metallic sound when it touched the


    wall of the cup.


    Staring daggers at him, she warned, ¡°Say one more word about Grandma, and I can assure you that


    the criticisms of Amber online will be so great that you won¡¯t be able to do anything!¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re admitting that you did it, aren¡¯t you? Amber¡¯s your sister. How could you do this to her?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t the fact that we are sisters cross her mind when she spread the rumor of me having an


    illegitimate child? And why did you turn a blind eye to it then?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯de back!¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop pretending! I wouldn¡¯t have left Riverdale for five years if you really treated me like your


    daughter. What kind of sister behaves like Amber and treats me this way? So, don¡¯t try to tell me that


    you¡¯re my father.¡±


    ¡°Or perhaps, I should call you Uncle Jefferey?¡± She gave him a cold re.


    He narrowed his eyes in disbelief.


    ¡°You¡­ What are you talking about? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°You know very well what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember everything that had happened when you were a kid?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Her lips lifted into a sarcastic smile as she adjusted her sunsses.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 201

    My Mute Bride Chapter 201


    ¡°I have something to do, so let¡¯s end it here today. I¡¯ll have a good chat with Uncle Jason about my


    parents on another day,¡± Rachel said before leaving.


    Besides investigating the cause of Hans¡¯ death, she came back to run a thorough investigation on the


    murder of her mother. To her, it didn¡¯t matter that the prosecution period had expired.


    She could not hold it in anymore, so she told Jefferey that she knew everything. She bet that he would


    not be able to sit still after hearing so. After all, what right did a murderer have to live in peace?


    At that moment, his face turned white and grim as he stood at the desk.


    Never had he thought that her memories from when she was a child woulde back all of a sudden¨C


    not to mention events that urred more than 20 years ago. What she had said earlier terrified him


    and sent chills down his spine.


    He clenched his fists tightly as he watched her leave. No¡­ If she remembers everything when she was


    a child, then¡­ She should know about the secret prescription.


    Immediately, he made a call. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me. Help me check on Burton Pharmaceuticals¡¯test product.


    Send me the ingredients list andb report of the traditional medicine used as soon as possible.


    There¡¯s no need to


    specify the dosage. Just the ingredients will do. Hurry!¡±


    The man on the other side of the phone sounded puzzled. ¡°Why do you want to check on theirtest


    product all of a sudden? Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I suspect that Rachel has recalled the Hudsons¡¯ prescription and gave it to the Burtons. That


    ungrateful brat!¡± Jefferey¡¯s face darkened.


    Hearing this, the man on the phone did not know what to say.


    Meanwhile, Samuel and Charlotte were having a good time with each other in the lounge. As she kept


    piling up snacks beside him, she bubbled, ¡°Samuel, eat this. It¡¯s really good!¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡±


    Then, he remembered something halfway through eating the snacks. ¡°Charlotte, how did you know that


    I¡¯m your brother?¡±


    Putting on a serious face like a little adult, she chided, ¡°I¡¯m your older sister! I saw Daddy say it himself


    on TV.¡± Then, she continued, ¡°I¡¯m the youngest at home all this while, so they thought that they could


    fool me and find me a stepmother since I¡¯m just a kid. Now that you¡¯re here, he¡¯s going to think twice


    before getting me a stepmother.¡±


    ¡°Why would his decision change if I¡¯m here?¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°Daddy listens to me, and Mommy listens to you. They¡¯ll definitely


    get back together if we create opportunities for them.¡±


    Scratching his head, he replied, ¡°But I never wanted them to get back together¡­ He treats Mommy


    badly. Besides, Mommy has many admirers.¡±


    ¡°Daddy has many admirers too! But you need to remember that we¡¯re children from their previous


    marriage. People who are pursuing our parents don¡¯t actually like us when they say they do.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ Mr. Peters and Hernandez like me. They even attended the parent-teacher


    conference for me.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Julian?¡± She was stunned. ¡°He¡¯s also pursuing Mommy?¡±


    ¡°I think so. Mr. Peters and Hernandez always quarrel as soon as they see each other. Godmother said


    that they are love rivals fighting for Mommy¡¯s favor.¡±


    Feeling a sense of crisis, she cried, ¡°What? We can¡¯t let that happen! We must be on the same side.


    Do you want to be separated from me and Daddy forever? And what will happen to you if Mommy has


    other children with another man?¡±


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he agreed, ¡°I guess that¡¯s true¡­¡±


    With that, she held his hand and spoke earnestly, ¡°That¡¯s why you have to listen to me. We need to get


    them back together.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As they were discussing, Gloria brought them some drinks. ¡°What would you like to have for lunch,


    Charlotte? Your dad asked me to make a reservation for you two at a restaurant. I¡¯ll bring the both of


    you there.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t Daddy and Mommy be joining us?¡± Charlotte asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re busy. I did ask them, but they said that they have a meeting to attend.¡±


    When Charlotte heard this, her eyes dimmed. ¡°Then we won¡¯t be going out for lunch. Samuel wants to


    go to the cafeteria with me.¡±


    ¡°The cafeteria?¡± Gloria thought that she had misheard her.


    This youngdy is notorious for being difficult to take care of. When she gets into a bad mood, she


    would be dissatisfied with all the dishes ordered for her and would throw them away without even


    tasting them. So, what changed her mind and made her decide to eat at the cafeteria?


    When it was noontime, Rachel took a look at the time after finishing her work. ¡°Lisa, has Samuel


    eaten?¡±


    Lisa answered from outside, ¡°Somebody from the secretary¡¯s office called and said that Samuel had


    gone to the cafeteria to have lunch.¡±


    ¡°The cafeteria?¡± Rachel was slightly startled.


    Located on the fourth floor, the Burton Group¡¯s cafeteria was big and served many types of food. On


    busier days, Rachel would have lunch there or ask her secretary to pack some food back to the office


    for her.


    Samuel always had a mind of his own from a young age. Now that he had met the fearless Charlotte,


    both of them were capable of turning the world upside down. Moreover, the cafeteria was Burton


    Group¡¯s public space. Hence, she hurried to the cafeteria anxiously.


    Just as she was about to call Samuel to ask where he was when she entered the cafeteria, she saw a


    figure jumping up by the window, calling out to her, ¡°Mommy! Here!¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s voice had caused everyone in the cafeteria to turn and stare at her. As Rachel was about to


    walk over, she saw Justin sitting beside Charlotte. Instantaneously, she frowned. Why¡¯s he here?


    ¡°Quickly! Come here, Mommy!¡± Right then, Charlotte was still shouting. It seemed as if she would keep


    shouting until Rachel went over. Thus, Rachel could only bite the bullet and walk over to where they


    were seated.


    Obediently, Charlotte ran over to sit beside Samuel and emptied the seat beside Justin. ¡°Sit beside


    Daddy, Mommy.¡±


    Giving Justin a quick nce, Rachel coughed awkwardly. ¡°Why did you twoe here to eat?¡±


    Charlotte blinked. ¡°The food here is really delicious, especially the fish and chips. Right, Samuel?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Samuel nodded his head. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really good! Come eat with us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Rachel looked around. People seated at other tables were secretly gazing at them as if a


    spotlight was focused on them.


    ¡°Hurry up and finish your food. I¡¯ll fetch you home after that.¡±


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Underneath the table, Charlotte kicked Samuel, causing him to cough.


    ¡°Did you choke? Here, have some water.¡± Justin pushed the cup of water in front of Samuel at once.


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Don¡¯t you know that you can¡¯t rush a child who¡¯s eating?¡± Justin


    furrowed his brows at Rachel.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 202

    My Mute Bride Chapter 202


    Stunned, Rachel exined, ¡°I just wanted to bring Samuel home earlier. People in the cafeteria are


    watching.¡±


    ¡°So what if they¡¯re watching? I have nothing to be afraid of. Do you?¡±


    ¡°Why should I be afraid?¡±


    ¡°Then, eat.¡±


    She became speechless upon hearing Justin¡¯s reply.


    ¡°The first wife¡¯s always the best. They have to get back together, seeing that they already have two


    children.¡±


    ¡°What a match made in heaven! They look so good together!¡±


    ¡°Everyone in Miss Chris¡¯ department loves her because she has such a good temper.¡±


    ¡°Now that Charlotte¡¯s biological mother has returned, her bad temper has no doubt improved. A child is


    always best parented by her real mother because a stepmother would only destroy her.¡±


    One after another, the people in the cafeteria plunged into a discussion and offered theirments.


    Meanwhile, Amber, who hade all the way to bring Justin some food, was trembling as she held


    onto her phone outside of the office.


    ¡°Miss Amber, Mr. Burton is not in his office at the moment. Would you like to wait?¡± Gloria asked


    carefully, obviously afraid to tell Amber the truth.


    Looking up from her phone, Amber pretended to be calm and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll leave since he¡¯s


    not here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. I¡¯ll see you out.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. The elevator¡¯s here already.¡±


    Watching Amber enter the elevator, Gloria sighed in relief and turned to her colleague to say, ¡°What¡¯s


    Mr. Burton doing with Miss Chris and Miss Amber at the same time? It¡¯s causing us a dilemma.¡±


    ¡°What dilemma? Haven¡¯t you realized that Miss Amber hasn¡¯te to the office for some time


    already?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    For the past few years, Amber often brought lunch for Justin when she was free and staked her im


    on him. However, she either did note or did not manage to see Justin these days even if she


    came. What¡¯s happening?


    Quietly, Gloria¡¯s colleague said, ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll be his fianc¨¦e much longer.¡±


    Right then, Amber threw the thermal container into the rubbish bin when she came out of the elevator.


    A loud ¡®boom¡¯ echoed in the parking lot.


    As soon as she got into her car, a grim expression was reflected in the rearview mirror. How could that


    bastard be Justin¡¯s son? Did he lose his memory? How could he side with Rachel? What kind of tricks


    is the b*tch ying?


    ¡°Miss, shall we head home now?¡±


    ¡°No. To the Burton Residence.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss.¡±


    With that, the white car was driven out and gradually disappeared from the monitoring range of the


    parking


    lot.


    In the cafeteria, Samuel had crumbs all over his mouth after devouring an entire te of fish and chips.


    ¡°Burrp!¡± He burped satisfactorily and rubbed his belly. ¡°Charlotte, stop giving me so much food. I really


    can¡¯t eat anymore. I feel like my stomach¡¯s about to burst!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your older sister, so you better listen to what I say!¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t look much older than me.¡±


    Hearing this, she crossed her arms and put on a serious look. ¡°I¡¯m still your older sister regardless of


    that. You need to know your manners, so stop grumbling already, okay?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t grumble anymore. Happy?¡±


    ¡°Now, that¡¯s a good boy. Have a meatball.¡±


    ¡°I really can¡¯t eat anymore¡­¡± Seeing how she kept feeding him out of love, he cried as he patted his


    belly, ¡°I¡¯m turning into a ball!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle. ¡°Alright, stop feeding him already,


    Charlotte. He¡¯s had enough. He¡¯ll get sick if you keep feeding him.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s too skinny.¡± Charlotte shook her head. ¡°Mommy, it must have been hard for you to raise him


    all alone.¡±


    ¡°It was alright. Samuel has always been a good boy.¡±


    ¡°Obedient children don¡¯t live good lives. Daddy said that we don¡¯t need to be obedient children.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel froze. Though it was a childish remark, it sounded pitiful if carefully considered.


    Samuel never had to endure any hardships while staying with me, but he did not have a father while


    growing up. Besides that, Jolly had to juggle between work and study, so she did not have time to take


    care of him. Hence, it was understandable for him to be an obedient child.


    Noticing the strange look on her face, Justin remarked, ¡°Raising a boy is very much different from


    raising a girl. Boys should be more sensible.¡± Without waiting for a reply, he stood up. ¡°I see that we¡¯re


    done here. Let¡¯s


    go.¡±


    Rachel held Samuel¡¯s hand while he held Charlotte¡¯s. At the same time, Charlotte held Justin¡¯s hand.


    Together, the family of four walked out of the cafeteria as the people around them spectated admiringly.


    Before falling asleep at night, Charlotte told Justin, ¡°Daddy, I want to go hiking during the weekend.¡±


    Closing and putting the fairy tale book aside, he responded sternly, ¡°I¡¯m not free this weekend. We¡¯ll go


    next week.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve already made ns with Samuel. I¡¯ll just go with him if you can¡¯te.¡±


    ¡°Samuel?¡±


    That means Rachel will be going too, he considered thoughtfully.


    ¡°Do you want to go, Daddy?¡± She studied his expression. ¡°Daddy?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see. I might not have time.¡±


    After saying this, he tucked her into her nket. ¡°Alright, you should go to sleep now.¡±


    Extending her small arm out of the nket, she held his thumb and spoke softly, ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m really


    happy I got to meet my little brother today.¡±


    ¡°You like having a little brother?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, now I have a little brother to grow up with. I¡¯ll protect him when he¡¯s young, and he¡¯ll protect me


    when he¡¯s older. Besides, we have Daddy and Mommy¡­¡± She was clearly tired as she slowly closed


    her eyes and fell asleep before finishing her sentence.


    Gently patting the nket, he stared at her adorable face for a long while before closing the berth


    curtains and leaving


    The next day, Rachel had taken a half day¡¯s leave. The old city had been demolished and high-rise


    buildings had been rebuilt. Alleyways from five years ago had also disappeared. Following the path in


    her memory, she found herself arriving at an empty public bookstore.


    Just as she was about to leave, a familiar voice sounded from behind. ¡°Rachel?¡±


    Rachel froze. When she turned, she saw Janice holding a stack of old books at the entrance of the


    bookstore. The interior of the bookstore was almost the same as the old tailor shop.


    As Janice poured Rachel a cup of tea, she said, ¡°I thought my eyes were ying games on me. When


    did youe back?¡±


    ¡°For quite some time now. I¡¯ve been meaning to contact you, but I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I came


    here to look for you. I¡¯m actually very surprised you¡¯re still here.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence! It¡¯s my day off today; otherwise, it¡¯s my grandfather who usually takes care of the


    shop.¡±


    ¡°Yes, what a coincidence.¡±


    Catching sight of Rachel¡¯s silence, Janice questioned, ¡°You received all the emails I sent, right¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I saw you on the news a few days ago. To be honest, I knew you were back. I was just waiting for you


    to find me. Hans was right for trusting you. You even came back to investigate his death.¡± Janice


    sounded


    determined without the slightest hint of doubt in her statement.


    Taking a deep breath, Rachel confessed slowly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have looked for you if I wasn¡¯t in trouble.¡±


    It did not end well for those who were involved with Rachel in the past. Hence, she did not want to drag


    Janice into this.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 203

    My Mute Bride Chapter 203


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that. What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°In your email, you stated that Justin has the videos and rejected news articles from that time, but I


    couldn¡¯t find them in his safe at home. It didn¡¯t look like he would keep them anywhere else in his


    house.¡±


    Thoughtfully, Janice admitted, ¡°Five years ago, he went to the investigation hall to look for me not long


    after you left.¡±


    ¡°Why did he look for you?¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. My secretary told me that he brought some documents, but I wasn¡¯t at the office at that


    time. So, we agreed to meet on another day, but he didn¡¯t show up.¡±


    Documents? Rachel narrowed her eyes. ¡°What kind of documents?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get to see them, and I couldn¡¯t contact him. After that, his attitude toward the Hudsons took a


    180 degree turn. From harboring deep-seated hatred and using any means to get rid of them from


    Riverdale¡¯s market, to supporting their every move. Since I wasn¡¯t able to meet him in person and the


    Burtons kept a tight lip on everything, I couldn¡¯t find out anything about the situation at that time.¡±


    Suddenly, Rachel realized something. ¡°This must have something to do with his amnesia.¡±


    ¡°Justin has amnesia?¡± Janice was surprised to hear so. ¡°When did that happen?¡±


    Rachel shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself, but he didn¡¯t recognize me when I first came back. Up till


    now, he still doesn¡¯t remember what happened between us back then and even forgot that he was


    abducted by human traffickers when he was a child.¡±


    ¡°That exins it. I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around his sudden change of attitude toward the Hudsons


    before this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid he probably doesn¡¯t even remember what the video evidence was anymore.¡±


    Hearing this, Janice furrowed her brows. ¡°Seems that way. But it seems a bit weird. Even if Justin has


    lost his memories, why did the Burtons have to hide it from him and even agreed to his marriage with


    Amber?¡±


    ¡°It must be Old Mr. Burton¡¯s doing. At that time, he did say that he didn¡¯t want Justin to dwell on what


    happened when he was a child, so he made me leave.¡±


    ¡°So, the Burtons are keeping him in the dark.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Janice was deep in thought. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then Justin wouldn¡¯t have the evidence anymore since


    Old Mr. Burton wants to keep the past from him.¡± Then, she continued, ¡°The evidence must be at Old


    Mr. Burtons.¡±


    When Rachel heard this, she froze.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing that I didn¡¯t get to tell you in the email because I wasn¡¯t sure,¡± Janice reminded


    Rachel


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I suspect there¡¯s something going on between Jason and Sue. She was well aware of your


    grandmother¡¯s kidnapping and talked to him frequently on the phone.¡±


    Rachel squinted. Jason and Sue?


    Back then, it was Jason who kidnapped Nancy, so Rachel was determined to bring him to justice


    regardless of whether she would leave or not. However, it never urred to her that the Burtons would


    find someone else to take the fall.


    Jason, the murderer, was still atrge. Things are smooth sailing for wicked people like Jason, Jefferey,


    Sue, and Amber. How will Hans rest in peace if I didn¡¯te back? Rachel clenched her fists.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to get closer to Justin and make him bring me to the Burtons¡¯ summer vi. Old Mr. Burton


    should be there during this time of the year.¡±


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Soon, it was the weekend and the skies were bright and clear.


    Early in the morning, Rachel and Jolly got ready to head out with Samuel. Jolly, who was wearing a


    flowy sundress, almost had her wide-brimmed sun hat stuck at the door.


    Speechless, Rachel asked Jolly, ¡°Are you going on a holiday at the beach?¡±


    ¡°The weather¡¯s so hot. I¡¯ll die of heatstroke if I don¡¯t bring this hat.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going on a hike, not a spring outing. How are you supposed to hike in this outfit?¡±


    Jolly put her hands on her hips. ¡°Pretty girls don¡¯t hike. What¡¯s the use of getting all smelly and sweaty


    from hiking? It would ruin my image! I¡¯ll be taking the cable car up, of course.¡±


    ¡°Sure, take the cable car then.¡± Rachel rolled her eyes as she put the pic basket into the trunk.


    In fact, Rachel did not want to tell Jolly the actual condition of the cable car and wanted to let her get a


    taste of her own medicine so that she would not be so smug next time.


    When they arrived, they parked the car at the foot of the mountain.


    As Samuel held onto Rachel¡¯s hand, he shouted, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s my sister!¡±


    From afar, Charlotte, who was wearing a blue denim suspender skirt, dashed toward them. ¡°Mommy!


    Samuel!¡±


    When Charlotte plunged into Rachel¡¯s arms, she lifted her head to look at thedy wearing a floral


    dress


    standing beside them. Immediately, Charlotte¡¯s eyes twinkled before she greeted thedy politely, ¡°You


    must be my godmother!¡±


    Leaning against the car, Jolly pulled down her sunsses. ¡°Wow, what sharp eyes you have! How did


    you know?¡±


    ¡°Samuel told me that you¡¯re young and pretty, so I recognized you almost immediately!¡±


    ¡°Such a sweet girl.¡± The corners of Jolly¡¯s mouth lifted into a smile. ¡°Sweeter than your mom.¡±


    Praising a woman was the best way to get close to her.


    Then, Rachel stood up as she saw Justin walking over slowly. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯ting?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone else to take care of my daughter.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rachel was speechless.


    Instantaneously, Jolly took off her sunsses and crossed her arms. ¡°What do you mean by someone


    else? Rachel is Charlotte¡¯s biological mother. How could you say that you don¡¯t trust Charlotte¡¯s own


    mother when you¡¯re willing to let someone else who¡¯s clearly unqualified be her stepmother?¡±


    Right then, Justin red at her.


    ¡°Who are you ring at? I¡¯m just telling the truth. You can ask Charlotte to see if she likes to be with


    her own mother or that b*tch who seduced her brother-inw.¡±


    At that moment, Rachel wanted to cover Charlotte¡¯s ears but it was toote. ¡°Jolly, the kids are here.¡±


    Looking at him irritably, Jolly told her, ¡°It¡¯s good to let the children know how dangerous the world can


    be so that they wouldn¡¯t suffer when they grow up. They have such a blind dad after all.¡±


    ¡°Miss Carter, I have nothing against you, right?¡± Justin frowned, not understanding why Jolly was acting


    this way.


    Before Jolly could say anything else, she saw someone walking over behind him. At once, her face


    brightened as she waved excitedly. ¡°Julian! Right here!¡±


    Julian? Justin frowned.


    Dressed in a white casual outfit, Julian got out of a car and approached them with a bright smile.


    ¡°Mr. Peters!¡± Samuel rushed over. Immediately, Julian hugged him.


    In truth, Charlotte also liked Julian very much, but considering what Samuel had told her before, she


    stepped back and looked back and forth between her parents hesitantly. This is awkward.


    As expected, Justin questioned, ¡°Why¡¯s Julian here too?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 204

    My Mute Bride Chapter 204


    Before Rachel could say anything, Jolly rolled her eyes at Justin. ¡°I invited him to this trip. What if both


    of us defenseless women bump into someone or get into trouble up on the mountains? We¡¯ll need a


    man to help us.¡±


    Immediately, Justin frowned. ¡°Am I not one?¡±


    ¡°Well, who knew you wereing?¡±


    Trying to mediate the dispute between them, Rachel cut in, ¡°Alright, you guys. It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go


    quickly while the weather¡¯s not hot.¡± As she spoke, she walked toward Julian. ¡°Hurry up ande


    down, Samuel. You¡¯re too heavy.¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He¡¯s not.¡± Julian grinned as he handed her a bottle of water. ¡°Here, drink some water.¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­ Juice made out of love?¡± Jolly jeered, ¡°Only Rachel gets a drink and I don¡¯t.¡±


    ncing at her, Julian replied, ¡°I have more in my car. I¡¯ll get some for you.¡±


    While the three joked around intimately, Justin stood behind and watched. His face turned dark as he


    felt left out.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t deserve it. I¡¯ve already gotten used to it abroad.¡±


    Suddenly, a sigh sounded beside them. ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Arms crossed like a little adult, Charlotte shook her head at Justin. ¡°Daddy, I already told you to bring


    some breakfast, but you refused to listen. Look at that. Somebody else has taken the chance!¡±


    He tensed. ¡°If such trivial matters could win her favor, it need not wait till today.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you.¡± She patted his hand. ¡°Watch me and Samuelter.¡±


    When they reached the entrance to the mountain, Jolly parted ways with the others at the intersection


    to take the cable car while the rest walked up the mountain.


    With that, Jolly went away light-heartedly in her eye-catching wide-brimmed sun hat. Rachel sighed in


    relief as she didn¡¯t want to be caught walking with Jolly who dressed up as if she was going on holiday


    to the Maldives. How embarrassing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Rachel beckoned the others.


    On cue, the three adults and two children followed the trail and walked up the mountain.


    Along the way, Julian chatted with Rachel. ¡°The hospital seminar this time seems to be pretty long.


    You¡¯ve been back for quite some time already.¡±


    ¡°They offered me a permanent position here, but I¡¯m still considering it.¡±


    ¡°Tran-Q is the most prestigious surgical hospital here. Besides, there are very few cases abroad. I think


    staying here would suit you best if you¡¯remitted to doing clinical research.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that.¡±


    ¡°Then, what is it?¡±


    Julian didn¡¯t reply to her question but asked her in response, ¡°Are you nning to stay here, or will you


    be returning to Montenegro?¡±


    Hearing this, she was dumbfounded for a moment. All of a sudden, he grabbed onto her. ¡°Hey, careful!¡±


    As a result, she narrowly avoided a rock that rolled down from the mountain. The rock hit the spot


    where she was earlier and rolled to the side of the trail.


    Right then, they were standing so close together that she was almost in his arms already. Shocked, her


    face turned pale.


    Watching the both of them, Justin frowned even more. Hastily, he stepped forward and pulled Rachel


    over. When he did that, she stumbled.


    Fortunately, Julian noticed it and pulled her other hand at once. Taking her other arm, Julian looked at


    Justin with a cold expression. ¡°Justin, what are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one asking what you¡¯re trying to do?¡±


    Julian, who was usually gentle and calm, exploded. ¡°Do I have to discuss with you before I do


    anything? Don¡¯t forget that there¡¯s nothing between you and Rae anymore!¡±


    ¡°So what? She¡¯s Charlotte¡¯s mother. How could you behave like that in front of Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°There are some things that the kids should know earlier to avoid wishful thinking.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Justin¡¯s eyes darkened as he stared at Julian intensely.


    Both of them held onto her wrist tightly and argued without giving Rachel a chance to speak. Just


    listening to them gave her a headache. Right then, she shook Justin¡¯s hand off and drew her hand back


    from Julian. ¡°Can we go?¡± Then, she kicked the rock to Justin and stared at him sullenly. ¡°Would you be


    happy if I got hit by a rock?¡±


    Just as Justin was about to reply, Charlotte shouted, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Rachel gazed at Charlotte. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°Hungry?¡± Rachel looked around. ¡°There¡¯s a restaurant at the top of the mountain. Hold on a little


    longer, okay? We¡¯ll be reaching soon.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m really hungry now.¡± Charlotte pouted. As she said this, she kept winking at Samuel.


    Immediately, the boy knew what she was trying to do. ¡°Ouch! It hurts!¡± He wrapped his arms around his


    belly and crouched.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± She rushed over to him. ¡°Where does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m having a stomach ache. I want to go poo,¡± Samuel told her.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to the toilet just now? What happened?¡±


    Seeing this, Julian came over. ¡°Samuel, let me see.¡±


    Samuel shook his head intensely, scrunching his face while hugging his stomach. ¡°I want to go poo!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a washroom at the top of the mountain. Can¡¯t you hold it?¡± asked Rachel.


    ¡°How can anyone hold their poop?¡± Pulling Julian¡¯s hand, Charlotte told him, ¡°Uncle Julian, you should


    take the cable car down with Samuel quickly. Otherwise, he would poop in his pants.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Samuel smirked but kept his hand on his stomach as he crouched on the floor,


    pretending to be in pain.


    Then, Julian asked him, ¡°Can you hold on a little longer? I¡¯ll take the cable car down with you.¡±


    Samuel nodded his head furiously.


    Immediately, Charlotte blurted, ¡°I want to go too!¡± At that moment, a sense of triumph filled her. As long


    as we distract Uncle Julian, Mommy and Daddy will get some alone time. With that, the chances of


    them getting back together will be greater.


    It was at that moment that Justin understood what she meant by ¡®watch me when they were at the


    bottom of the mountain. That little minx. She¡¯s young but she sure has many tricks up her sleeve.


    Initially, he had wanted to say something, but he got annoyed thinking of how close Julian and Rachel


    were, so he pretended not to care and said nothing.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll bring the kids down, Rae.¡± Without any hint of doubt, Julian took Samuel¡¯s hand and asked


    Charlotte toe along.


    ¡°Hold on¡± Rachel stopped him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He turned to look at her with a puzzled expression.


    Squatting down to meet Samuel¡¯s gaze, she asked, ¡°Samuel, look me in the eye and tell Mommy. Do


    you really want to go to the washroom because you¡¯re having a stomach ache?¡±


    Julian froze upon hearing this.


    Meanwhile, Rachel held Samuel¡¯s hand and looked at him seriously. Charlotte always had funny ideas,


    and Rachel could see through her easily.


    However, Samuel was not a simple-minded child, so it was difficult to predict what they were trying to


    do. As he bit his lip, he caught Charlotte blinking at him desperately from the corner of his eye. There


    was nothing he could do now, so he bit the bullet and nodded. ¡°Yes, it hurts.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re having a stomach ache, right? Mommy will go with you then.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 205

    My Mute Bride Chapter 205


    After saying that, Rachel got up and extended her hand to Samuel. Then, she turned to Charlotte to


    say, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you were hungry? Come along with me to the cable car.¡±


    However, Julian, who still hasn¡¯t grasped the situation, insisted, ¡°Let me do it. You rarely have the


    chance toe out for a walk.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Taking the cable car together is the same anyway.¡±


    As soon as Rachel said this, the corner of Charlotte¡¯s mouth twitched as she looked toward Justin


    intuitively. Softly, Charlotte asked, ¡°Mommy, if we¡¯re to take the cable car together, what about Daddy?¡±


    Immediately, Rachel turned to look at Justin. ¡°Would you like to take the cable car or continue hiking?¡±


    Upon hearing her question, he could feel his temples pulsing. ¡°What do you think?¡± Surely she did not


    expect me to hike up the mountain myself while all of them took the cable car, right?


    Not long after, they reached the cable car station.


    ¡°One cable car can only fit up to three people. You guys will have to split into at least two groups.¡± The


    staff pointed at the boarding guidelines while looking at them with aplicated expression. What are


    two grown men and a woman doing here with two children?


    Decisively, Justin instructed, ¡°Julian, you¡¯ll bring Samuel with you while Rachel and I will bring Charlotte


    with us.¡±


    Immediately, Samuel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why are you separating Mommy and me?¡± he questioned.


    This time, he was clearly unhappy no matter how many times Charlotte tried to wink at him. ¡°I want to


    sit with Mommy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good thing if a boy gets too attached to his mother,¡± Justin noted expressionlessly.


    In response, Samuel snorted and hugged Rachel¡¯s arm tightly.


    Just as the two stared at each other, Julian hade back with the tickets. ¡°So, how are we splitting?¡±


    Without waiting for Justin and Samuel to speak, Rachel decided, ¡°I¡¯ll bring the kids along with me. You


    two will go onto the next cable car together.¡±


    In the cable car, Rachel asked the two children to sit across her quietly, ¡°Don¡¯t move around. We¡¯ll


    reach soon.¡±


    Gazing out of the window, Charlotte watched as the cable car behind followed closely and sighed. Poor


    Daddy


    Right then, Justin and Julian sat in the cable car behind Rachel¡¯s. An awkward silence filled the air.


    Two grown men sitting in such a confined space was already awkward enough. With them being


    cousins and love rivals only made it worse.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be great if Charlotte used her cleverness elsewhere,¡± Julian broke the silence.


    Casually, Justin nced at Julian. ¡°My daughter doesn¡¯t have to be of great use elsewhere. I¡¯ll be


    content as long as she¡¯s happy. Besides, I can give her whatever she wants.¡±


    ¡°Including her mother?¡± Julian stared at Justin coldly. ¡°You¡¯ll give Charlotte whatever she likes,


    including a mother that she likes, am I right?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to get close to Rachel just because Charlotte likes her.¡±


    After saying that, Rachel got up and extended her hand to Samuel. Then, she turned to Charlotte to


    say, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you were hungry? Come along with me to the cable car.¡±


    However, Julian, who still hasn¡¯t grasped the situation, insisted, ¡°Let me do it. You rarely have the


    chance toe out for a walk.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Taking the cable car together is the same anyway.¡±


    As soon as Rachel said this, the corner of Charlotte¡¯s mouth twitched as she looked toward Justin


    intuitively. Softly, Charlotte asked, ¡°Mommy, if we¡¯re to take the cable car together, what about Daddy?¡±


    Immediately, Rachel turned to look at Justin. ¡°Would you like to take the cable car or continue hiking?¡±


    Upon hearing her question, he could feel his temples pulsing. ¡°What do you think?¡± Surely she did not


    expect me to hike up the mountain myself while all of them took the cable car, right?


    Not long after, they reached the cable car station.


    ¡°One cable car can only fit up to three people. You guys will have to split into at least two groups.¡± The


    staff pointed at the boarding guidelines while looking at them with aplicated expression. What are


    two grown men and a woman doing here with two children?


    Decisively, Justin instructed, ¡°Julian, you¡¯ll bring Samuel with you while Rachel and I will bring Charlotte


    with us.¡±


    Immediately, Samuel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why are you separating Mommy and me?¡± he questioned.


    This time, he was clearly unhappy no matter how many times Charlotte tried to wink at him. ¡°I want to


    sit with Mommy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good thing if a boy gets too attached to his mother,¡± Justin noted expressionlessly.


    In response, Samuel snorted and hugged Rachel¡¯s arm tightly.


    Just as the two stared at each other, Julian hade back with the tickets. ¡°So, how are we splitting?¡±


    Without waiting for Justin and Samuel to speak, Rachel decided, ¡°I¡¯ll bring the kids along with me. You


    two will go onto the next cable car together.¡±


    In the cable car, Rachel asked the two children to sit across her quietly, ¡°Don¡¯t move around. We¡¯ll


    reach soon.¡±


    Gazing out of the window, Charlotte watched as the cable car behind followed closely and sighed. Poor


    Daddy


    Right then, Justin and Julian sat in the cable car behind Rachel¡¯s. An awkward silence filled the air.


    Two grown men sitting in such a confined space was already awkward enough. With them being


    cousins and love rivals only made it worse.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be great if Charlotte used her cleverness elsewhere,¡± Julian broke the silence.


    Casually, Justin nced at Julian. ¡°My daughter doesn¡¯t have to be of great use elsewhere. I¡¯ll be


    content as long as she¡¯s happy. Besides, I can give her whatever she wants.¡±


    ¡°Including her mother?¡± Julian stared at Justin coldly. ¡°You¡¯ll give Charlotte whatever she likes,


    including a mother that she likes, am I right?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to get close to Rachel just because Charlotte likes her.¡±


    Hearing this, Justin frowned. Then, Julian continued, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve forgotten the past, so don¡¯t


    try to get close to Rae. Actions like hurting someone shouldn¡¯t be done over and over¨Conce is enough.¡±


    ¡°Who are you to intervene in our matter?¡±


    ¡°Consider the fact that I saved her lifest time.¡±


    With that, Justin furrowed his brows, causing deep wrinkles between them. Before this, he never had


    the means of finding out what happened five years ago, but now, he was feeling pressured to find out


    what


    actually happened. Even when he pretended to be calm, the feeling of being the only one kept in the


    dark annoyed him and made him feel uneasy. What did I forget? What exactly happened between


    Rachel and me?


    After that, silence filled the air once more. When they finally reached the top, Samuel went to the


    washroom with Julian to keep up the act.


    ¡°Daddy, Mommy, I need to go to the washroom too. Wait for me, okay?¡± After saying that, Charlotte


    followed Julian and Samuel.


    When they were gone, Rachel and Justin were left alone. The cypress trees at the top of the mountain


    towered over them, creating shadows on the stone pavement.


    ¡°Why did youe back?¡± he asked.


    When she heard that, she gave him a surprised look. From what she could recall, this was the first time


    that he had asked this question seriously. Before this, he seemed very sure that she hade back for


    him.


    ¡°What did Julian tell you?¡±


    ¡°Why must it be him who said something?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Tongue-tied, he swore that he had never been so furious before. Before she came back, he had


    never felt that losing a part of his memory had any major impact on his life, but everything changed


    when she returned.


    ¡°Why did you leave Riverdale back then?¡±


    Immediately, the puzzled look in her eyes disappeared. Coldly, she replied, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like answering


    that question. Go ask the Burtons if you¡¯d like to know. I¡¯m sure someone must know.¡± She did not want


    to talk about the things that happened before and after she left because that was the most humiliating


    and undignifying period of her life.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go look for Jolly. Wait for them here.¡± After telling him that, she prepared to leave as she did not


    want to stay a moment longer.


    All of a sudden, he got upset and grabbed her wrist so that she¡¯s facing him. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you can go.


    You need to make things clear right now.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you go once you exin it to me. Every single one of you won¡¯t tell me the whole truth. Do you


    think it¡¯s fun being mysterious? Do you think it was reasonable of you to abandon Charlotte and leave


    Riverdale then?¡±


    She ground her teeth. ¡°Fun being mysterious?¡± She raised her hand to p him.


    However, he had already seen thating, so he stopped her. Grabbing hold of her hand, he pinned it


    behind her back. She let out a painful cry as her back hit the tree trunk.


    Coldly, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve never been patient with women, and you¡¯re no exception. If you hated me so


    much before, why did youe back to see me?¡±


    As every deafening word sounded clearly in her ears, there was not a single hint of expression that


    could be found in his cold voice. Her ears buzzed and her wrists hurt, making her recall those days


    from five years ago that were filled with endless humiliation and torture. How dare he ask me such


    questions unapologetically? Am I the one at fault? No, the only thing I did wrong was easily agreeing to


    marry him in Amber¡¯s ce back then.


    ¡°I didn¡¯te back for you.¡± She endured the pain and lifted her delicate yet unyielding face. ¡°Don¡¯t


    forget that Charlotte¡¯s also my daughter. You can¡¯t deny that no matter what I¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°So? Will you tell her that you¡¯ve been with another man all these years? And that the man¡¯s her


    uncle?¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    At that moment, he was furious. Squeezing her shoulders, he snarled, ¡°Did youe back to do that?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 206

    My Mute Bride Chapter 206


    ¡°So what? I think Julian¡¯s right. I¡¯m not rted to you anymore, so it¡¯s better to let the children


    acknowledge the fact earlier.¡±


    ¡°Rachel Hudson!¡± Justin forcefully punched his fist beside her ear.


    Rachel closed her eyes in shock as wind gushed by her ear as a result of Justin¡¯s force. Momentster,


    she opened her eyes only to be met with Justin¡¯s which were still filled with rage.


    ¡°Are you done?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes were as calm as still water when she spat the three simple words while staring quietly at


    Justin. ¡°Let go of me if you¡¯re done. Charlotte and Samuel areing out soon. You don¡¯t wish for


    them to see you treating me like this, do you?¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡°Threatening you?¡± Rachel snorted and looked downward.


    The next second, Justin gasped all of a sudden. He started jumping on one foot while holding his other


    foot which was stomped and stared at Rachel in disbelief.


    While Justin was still wincing, Rachel quickly kept a safe distance away from him.


    ¡°You¡¯re still as arrogant as always. I have many other ways to make you let go of me. Why would I


    threaten you?¡±


    Rachel crossed her arms. Justin was blood-boiled hearing her sarcastic tone, but the pain in his foot


    was so intense that he couldn¡¯t even say a word. Sure enough, Rachel did not show mercy at all when


    she stepped on him.


    Just then, Julian came out with the two kids. Seeing Justin leaning against the tree with an agonized


    look, Julian darted a perplexed nce toward him and Rachel. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Rachel shrugged. ¡°He said he¡¯s having a stomachache. Maybe he has eaten some unclean food in the


    morning.¡±


    Julian asked kindly, ¡°A stomachache? Let me take a look.¡±


    ¡°No, thanks!¡± Justin shot a fierce re at Julian.


    After that, they went to a restaurant to meet Jolly


    ¡°My elegant queen who¡¯s going on a vacation, where¡¯s your hat?¡± Rachel started teasing Jolly¡¯s flyaway


    hair the moment she saw her.


    Jolly, on the other hand, looked crabby. ¡°Who knew the wind would be so strong at the peak of the hill?


    My hat was blown away!¡± After that, she red at Rachel. ¡°You already knew that, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Even if I did, you wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you so. You would surely insist that the hat wouldn¡¯t fly


    away if you held it tight.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure. You just wanted to see me being embarrassed!¡±


    ¡°There, there. I¡¯ll buy you another hat, alright?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡±


    Seeing the two men from a distance who apanied the kids to take some fruits, Jolly nudged


    Rachel. ¡°Do you feel that the atmosphere is rather tense today?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The silentpetition between the two men.¡±


    Following Jolly¡¯s gaze, Rachel stared at Justin and Julian in the distance.


    Samuel pointed at a piece of cake and said, ¡°Mr. Peters, I¡¯d like to have that.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Just as Julian was about to get that piece of cake, Justin quickly took it away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.


    Charlotte loves this.¡±


    Nevertheless, Julian soon regained hisposure. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll ask the waiter to get us more.¡±


    A waiter who happened to be serving dishes near them overheard their conversation and said


    apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That is thest piece of the cake. There are many customers since today is a


    weekend.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Julian caressed Samuel¡¯s hair and cooed, ¡°Samuel, let¡¯s get other desserts.¡±


    ¡°Samuel can have mine,¡± Charlotte offered generously.


    But before Samuel spoke up, Justin quickly replied, ¡°Charlotte, some things can¡¯t be shared.¡±


    With that, Julian immediately fought back. ¡°Charlotte is willing to share, so why not? It¡¯s just a piece of


    cake.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because she has nevercked cakes, but it would be a different story when ites to other


    things.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not referring to the cake? Then it¡¯s not an issue of whether to share or not. Samuel wanted the


    cake first anyway.¡±


    ¡°A family can¡¯t be shared.¡±


    Julian¡¯s pupils dted at once. ¡°Justin!¡±


    Although Samuel was not Rachel¡¯s biological child, Rachel had been raising him ever since he was a


    baby, so he was just like a biological son to her. On the other hand, Samuel had always thought that


    Rachel was his biological mother since the adults had never mentioned anything in front of him. How


    could Justin say such things in front of the kids?!


    While the atmosphere was getting tense, Samuel blurted, ¡°A cake can be shared.¡±


    Justin was stunned.


    ¡°Yeah, a cake can be shared.¡± Charlotte held Samuel¡¯s hand. The two kids then looked at Justin and


    Julian in puzzlement. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you guys?¡±


    Justin and Julian exchanged nces. At this moment, both their eyes were filled withplexity. The


    atmosphere was rather weird at the dining table; Justin and Julian were in a stalemate to divide the


    cake.


    To clear the tension, Jolly couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Come on guys, it¡¯s just a piece of cake. Why do


    you have to be so particr about whether it is divided fairly?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard that inequality rather than poverty is the cause of troubles?¡± said Justin.


    ¡°What are you talking about? Can¡¯t we just simply cut it?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± Justin rejected it resolutely.


    Jolly grumbled impatiently, ¡°What do you want to do then? Are you going to let the kids have the cake


    or not?¡±


    Justin nced at Rachel and said, ¡°You can divide it for them.¡± He would like to see who was more


    important to Rachel-the adopted son or the biological daughter.


    Frowning, Rachel did not hesitate but directly ced the cake in front of the two kids and gave each of


    them


    a fork. ¡°Samuel, Charlotte, you guys can have them together, alright?¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    The two kids had no issues with that to begin with, so they answered at the same time, ¡°Sure!¡±


    Rachel said, ¡°Not everything has to be divided equally. There¡¯s no need to be so calctive between


    friends and family.¡±


    Justin wore aplicated look as he was being snubbed.


    After the meal, they went to the musical fountain on the hill. There were many pigeons flying all over


    the square. Julian bought two packets of corn and passed them to the two kids. However, Charlotte


    shook her head incessantly and shrunk into Justin¡¯s arms. ¡°I don¡¯t want them.¡±


    Rachel was confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Justin caressed Charlotte¡¯s hair. ¡°She¡¯s afraid of birds.¡±


    Rachel was startled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Charlotte. It¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t know you were afraid of birds and I even


    brought you here.¡±


    Justin looked into the distance and said nonchntly, ¡°How would you know? We came here because


    of Samuel, am I right?¡± With that, he carried Charlotte and walked away immediately, leaving Rachel


    stunned for quite a while.


    On the other hand, Samuel loved feeding pigeons and had already started feeding them with Jolly.


    There were even a few pigeons that stopped on his shoulders and made him giggle joyfully.


    ¡°Rachel,¡± Julian¡¯s voice emerged. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s normal for children to be afraid of something. You


    didn¡¯t mean it anyway.¡±


    Rachel passed the packet of corn to Julian. ¡°I¡¯ll go check out on Charlotte.¡±


    The absence in the past 5 years couldn¡¯t be made up in a short time. As much as Charlotte was fond of


    Rachel, thetter felt that she had not fulfilled the responsibility of a mother.


    Meanwhile, Justin had already walked away from the square with Charlotte. ¡°Charlotte, there are no


    pigeons here. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    It was only then did Charlotte lift up her head from Justin¡¯s arms, but her face was still pale as a result


    of fright when she saw the pigeons which were flying from afar.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Justin patted Charlotte¡¯s back gently.


    ¡°Why is Charlotte so afraid of pigeons?¡±


    When Justin heard the voice, he saw Rachel who caught up with them from the corner of his eye.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 207

    My Mute Bride Chapter 207


    Charlotte seemed to be tired as shey against Justin¡¯s shoulder and remained quiet. Justin patted her


    back intermittently as if he was putting her to bed. Then, he sat down on a bench while carrying her.


    Rachel followed him over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is she tired?¡±


    ¡°She was too frightened when she saw the birds. She gets sleepy once she¡¯s rxed.¡±


    ¡°How did this happen?


    Justin furrowed his brows. ¡°Charlotte was injured by a bird before when she was younger.¡±


    It was only after hearing from Justin did Rachel know that Charlotte had not always been staying with


    Justin since young. More often than not, Justin was too busy and did not have time to take care of her,


    so Arthur would take her to his ce.


    ¡°There are quite a number of kids from the extended families who are around the same age as


    Charlotte. They actually don¡¯t have many connections with the Burton Family anymore, but some of


    them are still racking their brains to im a rtionship with us.¡±


    Justin was talking about the distant rtives which were barely connected to his family. They knew the


    Burton Family had very few heirs, so quite a number of them had wicked intentions. Arthur was old now


    and had started missing his hometown for some reason. He had actually brought Charlotte back to his


    hometown a few times. At that time, he even had the intention to adopt a few of the distant rtives¡¯


    children.


    Just then, Charlotte, who was lying on Justin¡¯s shoulder, spoke up all of a sudden. ¡°There are pigeons


    at Great Uncle¡¯s ce, and they¡¯ll peck my eyes.¡± While saying that, Charlotte rubbed her eyes.


    Startled, Rachel lifted Charlotte¡¯s hand and caressed the scar at the corner of her eye. Even though it


    was not obvious, Rachel had noticed it before this.


    Justin exined, ¡°That injury was by a pigeon.¡±


    Rachel felt her heart squeezed. Initially, she thought Charlotte had identally injured herself. Kids


    were yful, so it wasmon to get some injuries and it didn¡¯t sound like a serious matter. However,


    from what


    Justin said, it seemed like the incident was not as simple.


    ¡°The doctor in the neighborhood¡¯s clinic disinfected Charlotte¡¯s wound after she was injured, but she


    started having a high fever that night. When I rushed over the next day, she was already in aa due


    to the high fever. So, we quickly rushed to the hospital and were told that she had an infection.¡±


    Later, they realized that the pigeon that injured Charlotte had an infectious disease. It was quarantined


    in the pigeon farm and was about to be ughtered. However, for some reason, it injured Charlotte and


    even appeared in the dishes which were prepared ¡®specially¡¯ for Charlotte that night.


    Justin did not borate further on the details, but Rachel was already petrified hearing that. There were


    many schemeful people in an established family like the Burtons¨Cthey would not even spare an


    innocent child!


    ¡°It¡¯s Mommy¡¯s fault, Charlotte. I didn¡¯t even know this happened.¡± Feeling sorry, Rachel rubbed


    Charlotte¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I will never bring you to see birds again.¡±


    Charlotte continued lying obediently on Justin¡¯s shoulder and said softly, ¡°I want a kiss, Mommy.¡±


    Rachel lowered her head and gave Charlotte a kiss on her forehead.


    Because Rachel drew close to Justin, thetter could smell the faint scent of Rachel¡¯s perfume, and it


    actually made him absentminded for a while. A gust of wind carried away the fragrance, but Justin¡¯s


    memory resurfaced.


    Rachel lifted her head to see Justin staring at her. Only then did she realize when she was kissing


    Charlotte just now, she subconsciously held onto Justin¡¯s arm. The moment their eyes met, it was as if


    the temperature


    of their surroundings increased while Rachel started blushing.


    Suddenly, Charlotte wanted toe down from Justin¡¯s arms. ¡°Daddy, Mommy, I want to go to the


    washroom.¡±


    Instantly, Rachel and Justin snapped out of their daze. Before they could say something, Charlotte


    smiled. ¡°You guys carry on.¡± Then, she quickly scurried away.


    Justin and Rachel nced at each other as the atmosphere became awkward. What¡¯s the little girl


    thinking?


    ¡°What happened next? Did you bring Charlotte back to you?¡± Rachel initiated a topic to ease the


    awkward atmosphere.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°No.¡± Justin shook his head. ¡°There were too many things to attend to in thepany, so I couldn¡¯t


    bring Charlotte with me all the time. It was Grandpa who sent the adopted child back to his hometown


    to stop those people¡¯s wishful thinking.¡±


    Sure enough, although Arthur was advanced in age, he was very resolute in handling things. He clearly


    knew how to make a decision between his real great-granddaughter and a son from the extended


    family.


    Rachel nodded slightly. Justin said, ¡°Because of this incident, Grandpa hopes that I¡¯ll get married soon


    and find someone to take care of Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°With Amber?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    This was the first time they mentioned Amber after Rachel had left for 5 years. Rachel frowned and


    said firmly, ¡°Anyone else but her.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°She won¡¯t treat Charlotte well. Do you really think that she¡¯ll willingly be Charlotte¡¯s stepmother


    and take good care of her?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even trust your own sister. Who else do you think is fit to be Charlotte¡¯s stepmother?¡±


    ¡°She should at least be someone whom Charlotte likes.¡±


    ¡°Are you implying yourself? Who else does Charlotte like besides you?¡±


    Tongue-tied, Rachel looked at Justin in shock.


    ¡°If I were to ask you toe back and look after Charlotte, what would you say?¡±


    Rachel clenched her fists. Before she could give an answer, the sound of a phone buzzing emerged¨C


    Justin¡¯s phone was ringing.


    After seeing the iing caller ID, Justin stood up. ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Justin walked toward a tree and picked up the call under it. Amber¡¯s voice came forth from the other


    end of the line. ¡°Hey Justin, where are you now?¡±


    ¡°I took Charlotte out to the hills. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing. The surveince camera in the mansion was spoiled before this. I¡¯m worried that


    something will happen to Charlotte again, so I asked the technician toe and check the cameras.


    However, little did |


    expect that¡­¡± Amber paused.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should say this, Justin. I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll think I¡¯m deliberately sowing discord.¡±


    ¡°What exactly is it? Just spit it out.¡± Justin had gradually lost his patience. Although Amber had been


    staying by his side all these years and was his legal fianc¨¦e, he didn¡¯t have any feelings toward her; he


    couldn¡¯t even recall having any rtionship with her. The woman had always behaved in a coy and


    coquettish manner, which made Justin impatient to deal with her.


    ¡°There¡¯s an issue with the surveince camera¡¯s footage. I¡¯ll send it directly to you.¡±


    As soon as Amber said that, Justin received a notification on his phone-she had sent him footage of the


    camera in the mansion.


    In order to ensure Charlotte¡¯s safety and supervise the nanny who took care of Charlotte at home,


    Justin had installed many surveince cameras in the house. One of them was hidden well in the


    corridor and wouldn¡¯t be noticed easily by the others.


    The footage that Amber sent was captured by the camera in the second floor¡¯s corridor. When Justin


    saw a familiar figure appearing in the scene, his eyes darkened. ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Before and after you went on the business trip. I don¡¯t know why she would want to enter your


    bedroom. Unfortunately, there¡¯s no surveince camera in your bedroom. Given this situation, I can¡¯t


    say for sure if she has done something. It could be a misunderstanding.¡±


    However, Justin hung up the call before Amber could finish her sentence.


    ¡°Hello? Justin?¡± Looking at the dark phone screen, Amber was not annoyed at all but wore a


    triumphant sm instead.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 208

    My Mute Bride Chapter 208


    Based on what Amber understood about Justin, she knew he would surely investigate the authenticity


    of the footage. Justin was a skeptical person, so Amber reckoned he would definitely install


    surveince cameras at important ces like his bedroom. As for the rest of the matter, she wouldn¡¯t


    have to worry about it.


    Meanwhile, Justin called Frankie with a darkened face and ordered, ¡°Turn on theptop in my office


    right now and retrieve the footage of the surveince camera in my bedroom. I¡¯ll send you the time.¡±


    ¡°President Burton, didn¡¯t you go hiking? Why are you suddenly,¡±


    ¡°Just do as you¡¯re told.¡±


    Frankie was startled, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Momentster, Justin received the footage from his assistant. Based on the timestamps he had


    provided, Frankie sent him 4 footages.


    Justin clicked into the first footage and saw the familiar woman standing in front of his wardrobe while


    entering a password. All the 3 other footages were simr¨Cthe woman had gone straight to his safe


    after entering his bedroom.


    In thest footage, the safe was opened. The scene of the familiar woman taking out documents while


    uttering something after opening the safe made Justin¡¯s blood boil. His fists slowly curled into a ball


    while he clenched them tightly to the point his knuckles were cracking. The reason she approached me


    and Charlotte is not because she misses us!


    ¡°Has the call ended?¡± Seeing Justin¡¯s return, Rachel subconsciously nced toward the direction of the


    washroom. ¡°Charlotte is not back yet. I¡¯ll go look for her.¡±


    ¡°Stop there.¡± Suddenly, Justin hailed her in a solemn tone.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rachel was confused.


    Justin clenched his fist as the content of the footage reyed in his mind. With his eyes filled with


    coldness, he questioned, ¡°Rachel, what exactly is your intention ofing back?¡±


    Rachel frowned. ¡°Who called you?¡±


    Justin strode forward and seized Rachel¡¯s arm. ¡°Answer me.¡±


    Rachel winced as her frown deepened.


    ¡°Let go of me.¡±


    ¡°I asked you to answer my question. What exactly is your intention ofing back?!¡±


    ¡°Justin Burton!¡± Struggling, Rachel inhaled deeply and gritted her teeth. ¡°Did you forget that you were


    the one who sent me an invitation and headhunted me from SG Pharma?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I was the one who headhunted you, but you could reject it.¡±


    ¡°Why should I reject it? Just because you¡¯re in Riverdale? Just because you¡¯re the president of Burton


    Group? Should I then never set foot in Riverdale for the rest of my life?¡±


    Justin sneered. ¡°You sound so reasonable that you almost got me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you trust me or not.¡±


    ¡°Was it easy to guess the password of my bedroom¡¯s safe?¡± Justin asked coldly, which stunned Rachel


    at once.


    He knows. No wonder¡­


    Justin tightened his grip on her arm as if he wanted to break it. ¡°I¡¯m asking you onest time. What are


    you looking for? Why did youe back?¡±


    After a short panic, Rachel forced herself to calm down but did not answer Justin¡¯s question. ¡°Let go of


    me.¡±


    ¡°What on earth were you looking for in my room?¡±


    Justin approached Rachel while thetter eximed as her back was pressed against the edge of the


    rail. Her body was nted, so she could fall down the hill at any time if Justin let go of her.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Justin Burton! What are you doing?!¡±


    A furious male voice emerged from behind Justin. Before Justin could react, he felt a gush of wind


    followed by a punch in his face. Julian¡¯s forceful punch made him stumble backward, releasing Rachel


    in the process.


    At the same time, Rachel screamed as she almost fell out from the rail. Fortunately, Julian reacted


    swiftly and grabbed her hand. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Rachel slumped onto the ground, ashen-faced, as she had not recovered from the shock.


    Julian was irritated to see Justin who fell at the side. He grabbed Justin by the cor and gave him


    another punch. ¡°Have you lost your mind? Are you actually thinking of killing Rachel?!¡±


    Then, the two men startednding blows on each other.


    Rachel held the rail and as her legs were so weak from the shock she couldn¡¯t even stand up. Seeing


    the


    scene, she had no energy to stop the two.


    Julian was always gentle and kind, but at this moment, he was like an enraged lion and showed no


    mercy at all as he scowled fiercely. ¡°Haven¡¯t you hurt her enough back then?! 5 years have passed, yet


    you still refuse to let her off. How can you call yourself a human?!¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you saying? Do you know what on earth she has done?!¡± Justin blocked Julian¡¯s fist


    with his arm and bellowed furiously, ¡°Julian, you must be crazy!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m crazy? You are the one who is crazy! Don¡¯t assume that all that has happened doesn¡¯t exist


    anymore just because you¡¯ve lost your memory. You can never make up for the hurt that you¡¯ve caused


    Rachel. The loss of memory is just a result of you running away from your remorse deep down!¡±


    ¡°Remorse?¡±


    While Justin was stunned, Julian gave him another punch in the corner of his mouth. Immediately, a


    stench of blood spread in Justin¡¯s cavity.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± A weak retort came forth. Holding the rail, Rachel stood up slowly. ¡°That¡¯s enough,


    Julian.¡±


    Clenching his fists, Julian gritted his teeth and let go of Justin¡¯s cor after a while. Then, he stood up


    and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rachel.¡±


    Rachel nodded slightly and went down the hill with Julian¡¯s support.


    It was momentster only did Justin get up unsteadily. Seeing Rachel and Julian walk away. Justin


    could feel his temples pulsating, and he gritted his teeth hard. Rachel was the one who had an ax to


    grind. Furthermore,


    Julian was his own cousin. How could he side with her? As such, Justin wouldn¡¯t possibly believe that


    there was nothing between the two.


    After heading home, Charlotte kept questioning Justin about Rachel¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°Did you make


    Mommy angry again? Otherwise, why would she leave without even telling me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. Call Mommy. I¡¯m going to ask her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to call her from now on. Don¡¯t bring her to our ce and don¡¯t meet her too.¡±


    Charlotte was frightened by Justin¡¯s cold order because he had never been this stern toward her. ¡°What


    happened, Daddy?¡±


    Justin did not answer her question but ordered the servant, ¡°Take good care of Miss Charlotte.¡± After


    that, he left home.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Charlotte wanted to go after Justin but was stopped by the servant. ¡°Miss Charlotte, Young


    Master Justin doesn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood. It¡¯s better to just stay here.¡±


    Charlotte frowned as she watched Justin leave in a hurry. After a while, she went upstairs and closed


    the door before making a call.


    ¡°Hey Samuel, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Meanwhile, with a sleepy look, Samuel was yawning on the other end of the line. ¡°What¡¯s up,


    Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°What happened between Daddy and Mommy?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Samuel sounded perplexed.


    ¡°Daddy brought me home all of a sudden and doesn¡¯t allow me to see Mommy anymore. Did Mommy


    tell you anything?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 209

    My Mute Bride Chapter 209


    ¡°Nope.¡± Samuel shook his head as he turned to the bedroom and added, ¡°But Mr. Peters and


    Godmother came home with us, and they¡¯re chatting outside right now. It sounds like they are talking


    about Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Quickly, go listen to what they¡¯re saying.¡±


    Hastily, Charlotte expressed, ¡°Something big must have happened.¡±


    Rolling out of the bed, Samuel tiptoed to the door and cracked it open before putting his ear against the


    thin


    gap. In the living room, Julian was seen to be applying some blood-circting ointment on Rachel¡¯s


    arm.


    While doing that, he instructed, ¡°Just rub it like this. Twice a day and the swelling will subside in two


    days.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    With an expressionless face, Rachel unrolled her sleeve. As she was doing that, Jolly furiously


    questioned, ¡°Is


    Justin some kind of bruiser? Is he sick in the head? How dare hey his hand on you under broad


    daylight! That man would have murdered you if we weren¡¯t here!¡±


    ¡°He asked me about the safe box. He must¡¯ve figured out something.¡±


    Stunned, Jolly seemed to have understood something. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Shaking her head, Rachel assured, ¡°Nothing, and that¡¯s how things ended up this way.¡±


    Based on everything that had happened up until now, Justin would surely bar her from seeing Charlotte


    and himself and be overwhelmingly defensive against her.


    In response, Jolly defended, ¡°So what if you opened the safe box? What about the things he did in the


    past? He could be sent to jail for those!¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten that he lost his memory? He doesn¡¯t remember anything from the past.¡±


    ¡°How convenient. He¡¯s taking advantage of his memory loss, yet you¡¯re still defending him.¡±


    Leering at Jolly, Julian blurted, ¡°Calm down, Jolly.¡±


    At once, she held in her frustrations as she reluctantly gnarled her teeth.


    After remaining silent for a long while, Rachel rified, ¡°I¡¯m not defending him. However, one thing is


    certain. Memory loss or not, that¡¯s his true color-vicious to his bones. I¡¯m simply trying to stand in his


    shoes to figure


    out how to search for those proofs.¡±


    To that, Julian queried, ¡°Have you found out how?¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton¡¯s birthday is near.¡±


    In the meantime, Justin, who had just arrived at thepany, summoned his assistant into his office.


    ¡°I thought you went hiking, President Burton. How are you back so soon?¡±


    ¡°Tell me every detail about what happened five years ago.¡±


    With that, Frankie was in a daze. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ sudden. Why are you asking me this? What happened to


    your face, President?¡±


    At the corner of Justin¡¯s lip was a visible bruise. It wasn¡¯t as obvious when he traveled down the hills,


    but now that the bruise had turned worse, the sight of it was rather spine-chilling.


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    ¡°Just answer me instead of giving me such crap.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, President Burton. Old Mr. Burton had specifically ordered me to not tell this


    to anyone.¡±


    With a troubled face, Frankie pleaded, ¡°Please don¡¯t make things difficult for me, President. To be


    honest, forgetting about the past might actually benefit you. We should always look forward to the


    future, not the past.¡±


    ¡°Rachel entered my bedroom and opened the safe box!¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Despite his slight daze, Frankie didn¡¯t show much shock.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯ve expected this.¡± Justin straightened his back as he gave Frankie a mean gaze.


    Hastily, the assistant shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I know nothing about it. Uh¡­ I¡¯ll take my leave if


    there¡¯s nothing else, President Burton. Just call me if you need my assistance. I¡¯ll have the secretary


    fetch the medkit and tend to your wound.¡±


    ¡°Did I dismiss you?¡± Irked, Justin grabbed a file on his table and tossed it toward Frankie. ¡°What the


    hell is wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Something wrong with the file, President Burton? I¡¯ll check it right away.¡± After sessfully evading


    the attack, Frankie hugged the document to his chest as he ran out with a forced grin.


    Watching Frankie departing hastily, Justin grew even more frustrated. He couldn¡¯t put his head around


    why Frankie was unbothered when he told him such fatal information about how Rachel opened his


    safe box. It was as if Frankie¡¯sposure was telling him that it was natural for Rachel to do such a


    thing.


    What¡¯s in the safe box? What was Rachel looking for? The more he pondered, the tenser his brows


    grew.


    In a sh, a week had passed, and Rachel never got to see Justin nor Charlotte. Based on the rumors,


    Justin temporarily sent Charlotte to the summer vi because Arthur¡¯s birthday wasing. He


    nned to only pick her up when it was over. Although that might be the case, Rachel knew that Justin


    simply didn¡¯t want Charlotte to contact her by any means.


    ¡°How do you like this school, Samuel?¡±


    Holding Samuel¡¯s hand, Rachel walked out of an elementary school. ¡°This school follows an


    international


    school system. So, you¡¯re going to have sses like usual even when other schools are having


    summer breaks. Since this school is near our home, if your godmother and I are too busy to pick you


    up, you can walk home yourself, okay?¡±


    Blinking his eyes, Samuel quizzed, ¡°Are we not going back to Montenegro, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. There are things Mommy needs to settle, so you¡¯ll be going to school here for now.¡±


    Initially, it wasn¡¯t part of Rachel¡¯s n to bring Samuel along to Riverdale. However, the boy hade


    by himself. So, she felt it was best for him to attend school in Riverdale for the time being. Besides,


    leaving the kid alone in Montenegro would be rather worrying. Furthermore, after scouting a number of


    schools, Rachel finally found one that shared simr modules to those in Montenegro¨Cshe even


    brought Samuel to a trial ss in fear of his difort.


    Despite her answer, Samuel pursued, ¡°So are we going back?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It won¡¯t take long.¡±


    Hearing that, the boy seemed to have some thoughts. Before getting into the car, he snapped a photo


    of the school and sent it to someone.


    Soon, Saturday had arrived. Thanks to the Burtons¡¯ fame, many had gathered in the Burtons¡¯ summer


    vi for Arthur¡¯s eightieth birthday. This year¡¯s event was unlike the others where Arthur would merely


    have a simple dinner with the entire family at home instead of hosting such an extravagant banquet,


    shattering the dreams


    of countless individuals that intended to engage connections through banquets.


    However, thanks to this one in a million opportunity, the entire Riverdale was able to make a move on


    Burton with the strategies they came up with. Evidently, the guests¡¯ dazzling vehicles had already filled


    the parking lots in the vi before the opening ceremony at sunset.


    ¡°Long live Arthur Burton!¡±


    Before the arrival of the guests, the Burtons were congratting the old man.


    ¡°Great-grandpa!¡±


    A sweet, delicate voice interrupted the crowd¡¯s wishing.


    Turning to the voice, Arthur immediately beamed. ¡°Who is this little princess?¡±


    Donning a white dress and diamond tiara on her head, Charlotte appeared rather dazzling as her


    ebony leather shoes tapped rapidly on the carpet while she ran toward her great-grandfather for an


    embrace.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Great-grandpa!¡±


    ¡°Aww.¡± As the child stormed into his chest, Arthur carried her onto hisp while smiling. ¡°You¡¯re getting


    taller and prettier each day. Who bought you this dress?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Gloria did.¡±


    Surprised, the old man queried, ¡°Gloria is back?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Sue answered from the side. ¡°She has too many performances going on, so she couldn¡¯t


    make it. She shipped some snacks and clothes over for Charlotte to cheer her up.¡±


    Hearing that, Arthur nodded his head in silence.


    ¡°I have a wish, Great-grandpa!¡±


    Clutching the old man¡¯s arm, Charlotte inquired, ¡°Can you grant my wish, Great-grandpa?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 210

    My Mute Bride Chapter 210


    Hearing that, Sue reminded the little girl, ¡°It¡¯s Great-grandpa¡¯s birthday, Charlotte. He should be the one


    making a wish.¡±


    However, thanks to Arthur¡¯s adoration for the girl, he simply waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. What¡¯s your


    wish, Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°I want to go to school.¡±


    ¡°School?¡±


    At once, every single soul in the room was dazed by the little girl¡¯s request.


    Everyone knew that the Burton Family¡¯s golden little girl was self-willed, so it was normal for her actions


    to be unexpected. However, what shocked everyone was that she had been to school before¨Cin fact,


    she had been to every school around here, but she always managed to cause trouble wherever she


    went. Because of that, she was assigned a private tutor at home to overlook her academics instead.


    Despite everything, the little she-devil actually proposed to go to school?


    ¡°You want to go to school, Charlotte?¡± Even Justin was dumbfounded.


    Ignoring her father, Charlotte didn¡¯t even care to spare him a nce as she continued to beg Arthur,


    ¡°Please, Great-grandpa?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! How could I say no to that?¡± Caressing the child¡¯s head, the old man continued, ¡°I¡¯ll have


    someone find you the best school right away!¡±


    ¡°No need for that. I¡¯ve already found one myself.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°Yup, it¡¯s this one.¡± As she was speaking, she presented a stack of documents she had been carrying


    by her side to her great-grandfather. ¡°I had someone search it for me. All that¡¯s left is a guardian¡¯s


    signature and I¡¯m good to go. You¡¯ll sign it for me, won¡¯t you, Great-grandpa?¡±


    Suspicious, Justin scowled. ¡°When did you start looking for a school, Charlotte? Let me see!¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Immediately, Charlotte dodged Justin¡¯s hand while giving him a disdainful stare and scorned, ¡°I¡¯m


    asking for Great-grandpa¡¯s signature, not yours! Why do you even care?¡±


    Hearing that, everyone was even more baffled.


    Sneakily, Sue went to Amber and tugged on her sleeve, whispering, ¡°What¡¯s the brat¡¯s deal? Why is


    she quarreling with Justin again?¡±


    Nheless, Amber casually countered, ¡°Who knows?¡± The little girl has no idea what she¡¯s up against


    yet


    she¡¯s so bold to take on an adult!


    Since Arthur was always spoiling the little girl, he took a look at the documents to verify them before


    signing his name. ¡°Okay, okay. Since the princess has requested for my signature, I shall grant her


    wish.¡±


    Suddenly, Frankie rushed over to the scene and whispered something to Justin, to which thetter


    wanted to stop the old man from signing. Unfortunately, it was already toote.


    ¡°It¡¯s done. Now you can go to school!¡±


    Wrapping her arms around Arthur¡¯s neck, Charlotte gave his cheek a peck. ¡°Thank you, Great-grandpa.


    You¡¯re the best!¡±


    ¡°If you want to thank me, stay in the vi with me for a few more days.¡±


    ¡°Okie-dokie!¡±


    Hearing that, Arthur beamed sweetly.


    Very soon, the banquet was about tomence. Since the family¡¯s wishing session wasing to an


    end, the old man ordered Justin to greet the guests in the hall. ¡°Go tend to the guests, Justin. I won¡¯t be


    heading in.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandpa.¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    While walking out of the room, Arthur questioned Frankie, ¡°Who gave Charlotte the registration form?¡±


    ¡°It was Miss Hochmann, sir.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she on tour overseas?¡±


    ¡°It seems that she had her friend send the form over.¡±


    Scowling, Arthur questioned, ¡°Why would she suddenly arrange for Charlotte to go to school?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either, sir. Would you like to give Miss Hochmann a call?¡±


    Pulling out his phone, the old man ordered, ¡°Yes, head to the hall without me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    At this very moment, the guests at the Burton Family¡¯s banquet were gradually filling the hall.


    Meanwhile, Amber, who attended as Justin¡¯s fiancee, was weing the guests at the door with Sue.


    Although they weren¡¯t from the Burton Family, they behaved as if they were.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the mute?¡± Staring into the distance, Sue notified Amber, who in response raised her head


    and looked in the same direction.


    A ck Porsche Cayenne was parked at the door and a woman, who appeared rather morous,


    alighted from the car. The woman wore an off-shoulder emerald evening gown whichplemented


    her fair milky skin; the hems of her gown dragged gracefully across the carpet as she walked, catching


    everyone¡¯s attention.


    Rachel? Clenching her fists, Amber stepped forward and stopped Rachel. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡± Letting go of the hem of her dress, Rachel smirked at Amber. ¡°I thought it was


    the bodyguard¡¯s job to stop the guests. You don¡¯t have to stoop this low even if the Burtons don¡¯t like


    you, you know? Dad¡¯s heart would break if he were to see you being this pathetic.¡±


    ¡°What.¡± Frowning, Amber gritted her teeth. ¡°Did Justin invite you? Who invited you here?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Chris?¡±


    As the sisters were interacting, a middle-aged man¡¯s voice was heard from behind. The man seemed to


    be around fifty. Although there were patches of white hair on his head, he appeared no less menacing.


    Sporting a full ck suit, he dashingly walked to Rachel. Arriving at Rachel¡¯s side, the man


    interrogated, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone in?¡±


    Before Rachel could answer, Amber nced at the man and scoffed, ¡°Jeez! How long has it even been


    since you returned, and you already found yourself a sugar daddy, huh? He¡¯s almost as old as Dad.


    Gotta give it to you, sis!¡±


    With a dull face, Rachel responded, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Crossing her arms, Amber continued, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what I mean. Everyone¡¯s watching you attend


    the party


    with a senile man. Is this your way of shaming the Hudsons, or the Burtons?¡±


    ¡°Watch it, Amber.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just stating the obvious. Justin doesn¡¯t know about you seducing an old man, does he?¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you on about?¡±


    Before Rachel and the man beside her could rify anything, a furious woman¡¯s voice was heard,


    interrupting the awkward situation.


    The angry voice belonged to Jolly who was ascending the stairs, hurrying to the trio as she was holding


    up the skirt of her amber dress. As she was pacing toward them, she leered at Amber. Before anyone


    could react, a spanknded.


    Smack! The sound of the p thundered across the entrance. Seeing that, the guests were stunned


    and each of them started gossiping.


    Pressing her face, Amber peered at Jolly in disbelief with her eyes wide open.


    ¡°This one¡¯s for making sh*t up!¡± Shielding Rachel, Jolly aggressively scolded Amber, ¡°B*tch and her


    unmannered mouth. Do the Burtons not fear offending the entire Riverdale with you out here attending


    to the guests?¡±


    ¡°You..¡± Utterly infuriated, Amber covered her cheek as she pointed at Jolly and Rachel. ¡°How did you


    get in here? What do you think this ce is? Where are the guards?¡±


    ¡°Ah, looks like I finally get to witness Hudson¡¯s Second Young Lady¡¯s true colors!¡±


    At those words, the crowd was taken aback.


    Behind Jolly and Rachel, an elegant figure walked up the staircase in a jade dress. Blessed with a


    noble appearance, the woman, who seemed to be in her forties, joined in on the youngdies.


    ¡°Mrs. Carter?¡± Stupefied, Sue, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly blurted as her pupils


    contracted.


    Gazing coldly at Sue, the missus wrapped her arm around the middle-aged man¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Mrs. Carter, this is.¡±


    ¡°Madam Parham, it¡¯s my first time hearing someone describe my husband as a ¡®senile man¡¯ and


    publicly insulting both my daughters.¡±


    Mrs. Carter has two daughters? Baffled by the statement, Amber and Sue were visibly shocked. They


    are actually the President of the Carter Enterprise and his wife? But, how is Rachel their daughter?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 211

    My Mute Bride Chapter 211


    Since the senior president of the Carter Enterprise, Richard, rarely showed up in public, it was Marilyn


    who often socialized with the elites of Riverdale. This was the reason why Sue and Amber only knew


    her and not her husband.


    ¡°What do you mean that she is your goddaughter?¡± Sue was in disbelief. ¡°How did Rachel be your


    goddaughter?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so surprising about it? She and my daughter have been best friends for many years. Why


    would I need the Burton Family¡¯s permission to acknowledge her as my goddaughter?¡±


    Goddaughter? Sue quickly exined, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± Marilyn wasn¡¯t in the mood to exin to Sue. Instead,


    Marilyn turned toward Rachel and held her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what you had to experience. Don¡¯t


    worry. With me here, I don¡¯t believe that these two outsiders are qualified to stop us from joining the


    Burton Family¡¯s banquet.¡±


    Rachel softly replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mrs. Carter.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean that you¡¯re fine? This isn¡¯t the first time that Amber has insulted you with her


    vicious tongue. Aren¡¯t you disgusted that she is spreading nonsense about you and my dad?¡± Jolly


    growled.


    Immediately, Marilyn and Richard¡¯s expressions darkened as they showed their displeasure.


    However, Sue quickly read the situation and smiled apologetically. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Carter, this is all just a


    misunderstanding. Amber is still young, so she always speaks without thinking about it.¡±


    ¡°Does that give her an excuse to nder other people? If this spreads to the public, it will affect our


    families¡¯ business. Can she afford to make such a mistake? Or, will you be responsible for it?¡±


    Amber¡¯s face paled as she didn¡¯t know what else to say.


    ¡°We want an apology!¡± Jolly stared at her. ¡°You must apologize to Rachel.¡±¡±An apology?¡± Amber gritted


    her teeth. She wants me to apologize to Rachel? Never! Then, Justin emerged from the hall when he


    heard themotion outside. As his imposing figure stood tall among the crowd, he furrowed his


    brows and walked straight out. Since they had not seen each other for a week, Rachel¡¯s gaze was calm


    when she saw him. Let¡¯s see what he is going to do about this.


    ¡°Justin.¡± As soon as Amber saw him, she immediately wore a weak facade and hid behind him with an


    aggrieved face. ¡°They are bullying me.¡±


    While he furrowed his brows, he exchanged nces with Rachel for a second, but she looked so calm


    that it felt like nothing had transpired between them. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your Aunt


    Sue?¡± Rachel gently asked as her gazended on Sue. ¡°President Burton, your fiancee was speaking


    without using her brain earlier.


    I believe your Aunt Sue clearly heard it all.¡± It would have been easy for Sue to direct the me at


    Rachel if it was just her alone, but now that Rachel had the entire Carter Family backing her, Sue


    quickly exined with a tense expression, ¡°Justin, this is Amber¡¯s fault. She has crossed the line with


    her words and offended Mr. and Mrs. Carter. Luckily, they¡¯re generous enough to forgive her. Tell her to


    quickly


    apologize.


    Meanwhile, Amber red at Sue in disbelief while she clenched both her fists. After five years, she was


    already used to Sue always prioritizing her own interest above everything else. ¡°What is it, President


    Burton? Are you nning to protect your woman?¡± Jolly sneered.


    Before he could speak, Amber grabbed his arm and she stood up while gritting her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll apologize,


    so please stop troubling Justin since this is my fault. I¡¯m sorry.¡± However, just as Jolly was about to say


    something, she was halted by Rachel, who then responded, ¡°Since she has apologized, we should just


    forget about it.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    I hope that you can be careful with your words in the future. Otherwise, you¡¯ll only embarrass both the


    Burton and Hudson Families again.¡± Rachel¡¯s words were so harsh that they had embarrassed Amber


    in front of the surrounding crowd, but Amber knew that she needed to endure it, so she could only grit


    her teeth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not stand here at the entrance.¡± Sue quickly urged the crowd, ¡°You can all enter. The party is


    about to start.¡±


    After ring at Amber, Jolly was reluctantly dragged inside the hall by Rachel. On the way inside, Jolly


    murmured, ¡°How could you let her off the hook with such ease? This is such a rare chance for us to


    properly teach her a lesson.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t be too harsh on her; otherwise, it¡¯ll affect your parents¡¯ reputation. That¡¯s enough to teach her


    a lesson,¡± Rachel replied.


    ¡°My parents are here to back you up. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t attend a party like this. Am I right,


    Mom?¡±


    The moment Jolly¡¯s words came out, Marilyn rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes, we are here to give Chris some


    backing, but you should be more mature with your actions. Why did you start a fight with her?¡±


    ¡°Mom, you should know that people like Amber don¡¯t deserve any politeness from us.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Carter, please don¡¯t me Jolly. She is only doing this for me.¡±


    Then, Marilyn held Rachel¡¯s hand and said lovingly, ¡°How can I me you? I can see that you have


    suffered a lot during your days in the Burton Family. They really didn¡¯t appreciate you at all. Don¡¯t worry,


    though. From now on, we will always be here for you.¡±


    Upon listening to Marilyn¡¯s words, Rachel was moved. She didn¡¯t have any rtives, but it was after


    moving abroad that she met Jolly and her parents afterward. For the past few years, Jolly¡¯s parents had


    treated Rachel like she was their own daughter. Although they rarely met, they would often video call


    Rachel to ask about her well-being.On the other side, Amber followed Justin from behind. ¡°Justin, I


    promise you that I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.


    I thought that she found herself another man, so I became angry. I didn¡¯t expect that person to be Mr.


    Carter.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin it to me. Since it doesn¡¯t affect our coboration with their family, it¡¯s


    fine. Just be careful from now on.¡± ¡°Justin¡ª¡± ¡°I have something else to attend to.


    You can do whatever you want.¡± A fter that, Justin disappeared among the crowd, leaving Amber with a


    gloomy face. Even though he had mentioned that he didn¡¯t care about the matter earlier, his indifferent


    attitude clearly illustrated that he was dissatisfied with her.


    Seeing the scene where the Carter Family and Rachel were surrounded as if they were celebrities,


    Amber clenched her ists and sank her nails into her palms, bringing about waves of pain. Does she


    actually think someone like her can turn around her life in such a short period of time? In her dreams!


    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Carter, both of your daughters are really beautiful. I wonder who is lucky enough to marry


    them in the future.¡± ¡°Mr. Howard, are you trying to set up a blind date for them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. If you


    know anyone suitable, you should introduce them to my two daughters.¡±


    ¡°I will. I definitely will.¡± Wherever the elders were present, no matter the asion, it would always turn


    into arge-scale blind date. While they were at a loss, Rachel and Jolly were inexplicably stuck with


    two young men, who imed that they only wanted to make riends.


    ¡°In the past, I heard that Mr. Carter only has one daughter, so I didn¡¯t expect him to bring another


    beautiful daughter along


    today. ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± Rachel grinned awkwardly while her mind quickly thought of a way to leave.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 212

    My Mute Bride Chapter 212


    ¡°I¡¯m usually in Riverdale. If you have the time, we can catch up with each other. Do you like to y


    golf?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not good at it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can teach you the game. Why don¡¯t we exchange our Whatsapp?¡±


    As Rachel had already expected him to ask for her digits, she resignedly took out her phone.


    She made an excuse to leave once they had exchanged their Whatsapp. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to use


    the washroom.¡±


    As she carried the train of her dress and walked out of the hall, she finally escaped the ¡®blind date¡¯.


    However, she didn¡¯t notice the pair of eyes watching her all along from the corner of the hall.


    After Rachel breathed a sigh of relief, she looked around the ce and envisioned it based on her


    memory.


    The banquet was held in a four-story vi at the center of Summer Vi where Arthur usually lived.


    Rachel also resided here for a period of time 6 years ago, so she was familiar with the paths in the


    building. Since Janice mentioned that the evidence is situated inside the vi, then it is most likely in


    this building.


    Even though she couldn¡¯t point out exactly where the evidence was, the most secretive ce in the


    building was his study room, so it was logical to start from there.


    After she passed through the corridor and arrived at the side hall, the noises from the banquet


    gradually faded from her ears.


    Across the door, Rachel could hear voicesing from the study room.


    ¡°Great uncle, we still need you at the hall.¡±


    ¡°I thought Justin was already there to help out?¡±


    ¡°This is still your banquet. So, everyone is waiting to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and take a look.¡±


    Rachel leaned against the wall to hide and waited for Arthur to emerge before she headed to the study


    room. However, the room was locked. s she held the doorknob for a while, she furrowed her brows. He


    really is a calctive old man. This study room contains lots of important information about the Burton


    Family, so he definitely won¡¯t allow anyone to enter with such ease. While Rachel thought about it, a


    series of footsteps were heard behind her.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The man¡¯s voice was so cold and powerful that it gave her a shock. When


    she turned around and saw Justin, it was already toote for her to walk away. ¡°I¡­ was just looking


    around.¡± ¡°So, you just happened toe here? You really don¡¯t see yourself as a guest at all.¡±


    He took a step toward her. ¡°However, I¡¯m impressed that you are able to be the goddaughter of the


    Carter Family in such a short period of time. How does it feel to abuse your power now that you have


    their backing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much into it. Jolly is my best friend and her parents treat me well.


    It¡¯s that simple. As for you, don¡¯t you think that you are the one abusing your power by protecting your


    fiancee like that?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t receive any invitation, which means that you are able toe here because of the Carter


    Family.¡± Justin took another step closer toward Rachel. ¡°Rachel, why are you really here?¡± ¡°I came to


    attend the banquet.¡± Her eyes were strangely calm as she stretched a finger to stop Justin¡¯s chest from


    approaching her.


    ¡°Do you really think I came here for you? Didn¡¯t you see how many people were rushing to introduce a


    new boyfriend to me?¡± His eyes immediately darkened. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any shame?¡± ¡°I can see that


    you rather enjoyed it.¡± She tapped his shirt with a seemingly weak and numbing force. When she lifted


    her head, the hair that brushed her chin felt extremely amorous. ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Upon listening to


    her, Justin grabbed her hand. ¡°You are thinking too much. I hate women like you the most! There


    seems to be no boundaries when ites to changing the men beside you.¡±


    ¡°Then, why are you following me?¡± Rachel lifted her head and met his gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see


    what I¡¯m doing?¡± Justin¡¯s face darkened once again as it seemed to be filled with a sense of gloom.


    What he hated the most was how confident this woman looked when she knew every thought that


    surfaced in his mind. How dare she!


    ¡°I was afraid that you were looking for Charlotte. I¡¯m warning you, you are not allowed to see her from


    now on.¡±


    ¡°She is my daughter. Why can¡¯t I see her?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you already have a son that was given to you? Since you would rather take care of someone


    else¡¯s son instead of your biological daughter, it doesn¡¯t matter whether you see her or not.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You can stop pretending. Is this why the Carter Family epted you as their goddaughter? After all,


    you helped their only daughter to avoid the embarrassment of a premarital pregnancy. I¡¯m surprised


    that no one knows that the godmother is actually the biological mother¡ª¡±


    Before Justin could finish his words, Rachel immediately covered his mouth.


    ¡°Mm¡­¡±


    With great strength, she hurriedly pushed him against the wall as her hand around his mouth almost


    suffocated him.


    ¡°How did you know about this?¡±


    Rachel furrowed her brows while she nervously looked around.


    Then, Justin angrily pushed her hand aside. ¡°Are you crazy? What do you think you are doing?¡±She


    pointed at him. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. I don¡¯t care how you are aware of Samuel¡¯s true identity, but you are


    not allowed to speak a word of it to anyone else!¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think, but please don¡¯t involve others in our


    grievances. Samuel and Jolly are innocent bystanders.¡± after Justin tidied his suit, he answered


    resentfully, ¡°Then, does Charlotte deserve this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to make it up to her.¡± ¡°How? How are


    you nning to make up for five lost years in just a few days?¡±


    Rachel remained silent with furrowed brows. The grudge between her and Justin was one thing, but


    her guilt for her daughter was another matter. s he appraised Rachel, he realized how beautiful and


    slender her fair swan-like neck was in contrast to her dark green off-shoulder dress. When he


    remembered the lustful eyes of those men at the banquet earlier, he was suddenly filled with ¡®ealousy.


    While he clenched his fists on both sides, he added, ¡°I can give you a chance. From today onward, I


    want you to move over to apany Charlotte.¡± Rachel immediately looked confused. ¡°I thought you


    wouldn¡¯t allow me to be near her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. Since she likes you and you are also her


    biological mother, there isn¡¯t anyone more qualified than you to be her nanny. Therefore, you are


    responsible and obligated to take care of her.¡±


    The moment the word ¡®nanny¡¯nded on her eyes, she furrowed her brows for the umpteenth time. ¡°I¡¯m


    willing to apany her even if you didn¡¯t make this request. I can visit her every weekend or


    whenever I¡¯m free, but I just can¡¯t move over there.¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, you are not in a position to argue with me.¡± ¡°Justin, don¡¯t forget that you have a fiancee whom you


    are engaged with! Aren¡¯t you afraid of people gossiping because I¡¯m living in the same house as you?¡±


    ¡°Who said that you¡¯ll be living in the same house as me?¡± While Rachel was startled, Justin suddenly


    took a step forward and pressed his upper body toward her. As her entire body was engulfed by his


    massive shadow, she could only hear a cold voiceing from above her. ¡°It seems like you are


    looking forward to living in the same house as me.¡±


    Her mind was at a loss, but he released her the next second as he coldly uttered, ¡°If you don¡¯t want the


    entire Riverdale to know that the daughter of the Carter Family has asked you to look after her son, I


    suggest that you do as you are told!¡±


    ¡°You¡­

 My Mute Bride Chapter 213

    My Mute Bride Chapter 213


    Rachel clenched her fists and her eyes were locked on Justin. He is threatening me.


    Justin then scoffed and roared, ¡°Also, make sure that the brat doesn¡¯t ever appear before me! I don¡¯t


    wish to see him making any contact with Charlotte. He thinks that they are siblings, huh? Who does he


    think he is?¡± Then, he tidied his attire and left in a huff.


    The words that Justin said right before he left echoed in Rachel¡¯s ears, causing her to tighten her fists.


    She was well aware that the main reason he had her stay at the Burton Residence had never been to


    take care of Charlotte¡ªsomething must have raised his suspicion.


    ¡°What? He asked you to stay there?¡± When Jolly returned to the hall and heard the news, she instantly


    stomped her foot in anger. ¡°How could he do this? Isn¡¯t this no different from sending you to a lion¡¯s


    den? You will be staying under the same roof as that man; what if he does something to you?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel shook her head. ¡°That isn¡¯t his motive. The reason he wants me to stay


    there is so that he can keep an eye on me.¡±


    ¡°Keep an eye on you? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He suspects something. He saw me when I entered Old Mr. Burton¡¯s study, not to mention the incident


    about the safe at the Burton Residence. So, he must be trying to find out what I¡¯m looking for and the


    reason I returned to the country.¡±


    In order to conceal his real motive and to prevent alerting Rachel, Justin had asked her to stay at the


    Burton Residence using the excuse of taking care of Charlotte.


    Jolly frowned in response. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, that¡¯s all the more reason for you not to go there. Since


    the evidence is not there, there isn¡¯t a need for you to even go over.¡±


    ¡°No, I must go there.¡± Rachel held her wine ss and gently clinked it against Jolly¡¯s. ¡°There is always


    an advantage of being in a favorable position¡ªI¡¯ll get more chances toe here when I¡¯m close with


    him, no?¡±


    Many might not know this, but Rachel was very well aware that Arthur definitely would not sit back and


    watch her getting close with Justin.


    Meanwhile in the study, the butler of the Burton Residence yed the security footage on the screen.


    ¡°Sir, here it is.¡±


    ying on the screen was the footage caught by the security camera, in which Rachel and Justin


    appeared one after another in the living room.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    rthur¡¯s expression became cold in the blink of an eye. ¡°Is she here to look for something? Perhaps I


    should ask if the whole reason for her sudden return to the country is actually to look for something.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean that thing?¡± ¡°I never expected that she is a rather sentimental person¡ªshe still held on


    to that even after five years have gone by.¡±


    ¡°Should I remind Young Master Justin about this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. Forgetting her is better for Justin.


    The less he knows about the events back then, the better it is for him.¡± At the banquet, Jolly was called


    away by her parents, leaving Rachel on her own. There were quite a number of people who tried to


    strike a conversation with Rachel, but she maintained a polite yet distant attitude, which further piqued


    the interest of the gentlemen at the scene.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to transform from a peasant into a wealthy person over the course of one night. If these


    men knew that you have a kid, would they still be so courteous to you?¡± Amber¡¯s voice was heard


    coming from behind Rachel. Holding a wine ss, Rachel turned to cast her a nce. ¡°You never


    change, do you? Have you forgotten what happened during the press conference? The fact that I¡¯m


    Justin¡¯s ex-wife is well-known all over Riverdale. Do you think that they don¡¯t know that I have a kid?¡±


    mber¡¯s expression sank when she heard this. ¡°That¡¯s because they don¡¯t know that you have an


    illegitimate child. How did you make Justin believe you? That b*stard can¡¯t possibly be his child!¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t your face hurt?¡± Rachel remained impassive as she warned Amber, ¡°I suggest that you watch


    your mouth and never let me hear the word `b*stard¡¯ again.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± In fact, Amber¡¯s face still stung.


    The p on her face not only shattered her status among the socialites of Riverdale but also humiliated


    her before the Burton Family. If Arthur ever found out that she had offended the Carter Family, he


    definitely would not forgive her easily.


    When Rachel was going to say a few more words to warn Amber, she caught sight of a figure, which


    instantly made her skin crawl, and her hand that was holding the wine ss trembled.


    ¡°Rachel, you¡ª¡° Before Amber managed to finish her words, Rachel suddenly turned around, picked up


    her skirts and ran off without the slightest hesitation. It was obvious that she was in a fluster.


    Upon seeing that, Amber was livid with rage. Now she ignores me?


    However, after a brief moment of anger, she spotted a familiar figure as well. In the distance, a man


    was clinking sses and having a good chat with the guests at the banquet. The moment she saw the


    plump figure that could hardly fit in the suit, the reason for Rachel¡¯s sudden strangeness dawned on


    her. Now I understand why Rachel dashed off from the banquet so suddenly!


    ¡°What happened? Did something happen?¡± Jolly chased after Rachel from behind. It was only when


    she saw Rachel¡¯s nched face upon entering the car did she realize how serious the matter was.


    And so, she held Rachel¡¯s hand. ¡°Why are your hands so cold? What happened?¡±


    After a while, Rachel finally returned to her senses and it was as if she had had a nightmare. Even so,


    she shook her head at Jolly. ¡°Nothing happened. I¡¯m just a little tired. I want to go back and rest.¡±


    ¡°Let me keep youpany. Anyway, the banquet is ending and my parents are still there.¡± With that,


    she instructed the driver to drive away.


    ¡°Sleep if you don¡¯t feel well; I¡¯ll wake you up when we reach home.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±Rachel then leaned back against the car seat and watched as the night scene outside the


    window rapidly retreated backward. However, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep and she could feel her temple


    pulsing the moment she shut her eyes. When she thought of the man she saw at the banquet, she felt


    her body shudder involuntarily, and her mind kept on reying the incident that happened in that house


    six years ago.


    Those degrading and devastating moments when her whole world fell apart before her had been


    eternally engraved in her mind. Rachel herself thought that she had moved on from that incident but


    even after so many years had gone by, the past still came back to haunt her the moment sheid eyes


    on that man. Every detail was as vivid as ever and it was as if it had ¡®ust happened yesterday.


    The long night went by but Rachel did not manage to get a good night¡¯s sleep, so she felt rather


    lethargic at work in the morning. fter the morning meeting, Justin asked her to stay. ¡°Other than Chris,


    the rest may leave.¡± Everyone in the meeting room looked at one another with a profound gaze. In the


    end, the crowd dispersed and Frankie shut the door from outside, leaving Justin and Rachel alone in


    the spacious meeting room.


    ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡± Rachel asked, to which Justin replied, ¡°Have you forgotten what


    you promised me yesterday? When are you going to move to the Burton Residence?¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite tied up


    these two days, so I¡¯ll head over in a couple of days.¡± A s if he didn¡¯t hear what she said, Justin then


    ordered, allowing no room for rejection, ¡°You will move to the Burton Residence today.


    I¡¯ll have Frankie help you to move your things.¡± She fell silent for a few seconds before she gave in and


    muttered, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I don¡¯t have much belongings.¡± However, Justin coldly stated


    before leaving the meeting room, ¡°Charlotte is looking forward to your return. Bear in mind not to bring


    anything or anyone that you shouldn¡¯t.¡± Upon hearing that, Rachel frowned.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 214

    My Mute Bride Chapter 214


    In the afternoon, Rachel intentionally packed up and went home an hour earlier than usual.


    ¡°Mommy, why are you back so early today?¡± Samuel asked as he hopped off the couch with a


    surprised look on his face.


    Rachel then picked him up. ¡°Samuel, I would like to discuss something with you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I will be staying with Charlotte for some time. Can you live with Jolly for the time being?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel immediately agreed, which surprised Rachel. She fell silent for a moment before she


    added, ¡°Samuel, I may be gone for quite some time, though.¡±


    ¡°You can stay there as long as you need to. I¡¯m sure Charlotte must have missed you. Since you have


    never stayed by her side for a long time before, I don¡¯t mind lending you to her for the time being.¡±


    His words warmed Rachel¡¯s heart and she praised, ¡°Samuel, you are really my good baby.¡±


    Jolly, who returned rather early that day as well, helped Rachel to carry her luggage into the car. ¡°I


    know that whatever I say won¡¯t be of much help to you since you have always been a more careful and


    thorough person than I am. Anyway, please be careful.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Please take good care of Samuel.¡±


    ¡°You can rest assured. Of course I will take good care of my son.¡±


    Before Rachel got into the car, however, she asked rather hesitatingly, ¡°Jolly, do you think that I will


    stand a chance to get Charlotte¡¯s custody if I were to take this to court?¡±


    ¡°You wish to take Charlotte away from him?¡± A surprised look appeared on Jolly¡¯s face. ¡°Have you


    thought this through? Charlotte not only has Justin behind her, but the entire Burton Family as well.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brows were knitted into a tight frown and she murmured, ¡°I know that this will be tough and in


    fact, it sounds like a fantasy. I¡¯ll drop this for now. It¡¯s time for me to leave.¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Jolly suddenly stopped her, and the former was wearing a stern expression that seldom


    appeared on her face. ¡°If you really wish to take this to court, my parents and I will definitely help you.¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Thank you, Jolly.¡±


    Although Rachel knew that Jolly meant what she said, she did not wish to drag the Carter Family into


    her private matter, so the thought of taking the case to court remained merely a thought. Jolly watched


    as Rachel¡¯s car slowly drove away, and a rare grim expression reced her usually bright smile as she


    dialed an international number.


    The phone rang for some time on the other end before it was picked up.


    A sexy male voice then purred down the line, ¡°Hello. Why did you call me all of a sudden, my


    sweetheart?¡± The man spoke in an American ent. ¡°Stop messing around, Hernandez. I have


    something important to ask you. Aren¡¯t you awyer? I would like to ask you regarding a custody


    lawsuit.¡±


    ¡°Sweetheart, I¡¯m now on leave. If you wish to talk about work, let¡¯s talk in two weeks¡¯ time.¡± ¡°On leave,


    you say? So, are you giving up on dating Chris now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The male voice on the


    other end of the call suddenly sounded serious. Through his voice over the phone, Jolly could even


    imagine how Hernandez straightened up from his lounging position in a beach chair. She then


    continued, ¡°If you manage to pull this off, Chris will certainly be impressed by you.¡±


    Hernandez, however, did not reply. Meanwhile, Rachel drove her car into the garage of the Burton


    Residence. A fter she closed her trunk, she raised her head and noticed Justin at the garage entrance.


    ¡°Are you here to wee me personally?¡± She put down her luggage, shing him a yful smile as


    she murmured, ¡°I guess I¡¯m pretty important to you.¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking? I¡¯m here to make sure that you don¡¯t bring anyone that you are not supposed


    to bring.¡± ¡°Who is this person that I¡¯m not supposed to bring?¡± ¡°Stop asking the obvious.¡±


    A hint of impatience crept across his brows and he muttered, ¡°Since you have agreed to keep Charlotte


    company, don¡¯t think that you can have that brat upy her time.¡± ¡°Charlotte kind of likes Samuel and


    they can be good friends even if they are not biological siblings, so there is no need to make a fuss out


    of this.¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡± He scoffed and muttered, ¡°There¡¯s no need. Charlotte doesn¡¯t need to share any of her


    belongings with anyone and she doesn¡¯t need anyone to share anything with her as well!¡±


    Belongings? A line appeared between Rachel¡¯s brows as she thought to herself, I¡¯m just a thing in his


    eyes.


    ¡°Dictatorial!¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Rachel, however, dragged her luggage and shot back, ¡°I said that you are in my way! Move!¡±


    As soon as she stepped foot into the house, Charlotte pounced on her. ¡°Mommy! You are really back!


    Daddy didn¡¯t lie to me!¡±


    Rachel picked her up. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here to stay with you, Charlotte. Are you happy?¡±


    ¡°I am!¡± Charlotte cast a look behind Rachel and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Samuel? Why didn¡¯t hee with


    you?¡±


    At the mention of Samuel, Rachel turned to look at Justin and under his forceful gaze, she had no


    choice but to lie. ¡°Samuel prefers sleeping in his own bed and he prefers to stay where he is used to.¡±


    Charlotte blinked at her in response. ¡°We could just move his bed over here, no?¡± Then, she turned to


    Justin and said, ¡°Daddy, ask Mr. Beckham to get some men and move Samuel¡¯s bed over to our house.


    Samuel should live with us.¡±


    Justin was speechless when he heard that. Rachel, on the other hand, deliberately avoided his gaze


    and ignored him despite him trying to make eye contact with her.


    ¡°Daddy, hurry up and call Mr. Beckham!¡± An anxious Charlotte got out of Rachel¡¯s embrace and ran


    over to him, tugging and shaking his arm. ¡°I want Samuel toe over to apany me.¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel leisurely watched their interaction with her arms crossed.Justin shot a sharp look at


    her and spoke in a light voice. ¡°Samuel has his godmother to keep himpany, so we have to get her


    permission before we take him here, understand?¡± Rachel clenched her fists and her expression fell


    while she muttered, ¡°Charlotte, let me help you to take a bath. Your face is dirty and it¡¯s almost


    bedtime.¡± ¡°Samuel¡ª¡± ¡°Samuel is busy.


    He wille over after he is done with his things.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Rachel then darted Justin a nce before


    holding Charlotte¡¯s hand and leading the child to the bathroom. fter putting Charlotte to bed, Rachel


    exited her room, only to find Justin gone. Surprisingly, he kept his word¡ªshe was indeed here to keep


    Charlottepany only.


    For the next couple of days, Justin did not evene over to stay. Even if he came back for a meal


    during the day, he did not stay the night. t noon, the sun was hanging high in the clear sky. Sitting on


    the indoor swings of The Bilingual Elementary were Charlotte and Samuel, each upying a swing.


    Charlotte heaved a heavy sigh and mumbled, ¡°Daddy hasn¡¯t beening home to sleep. I wonder


    what happened.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Samuel bit on the straw of the milk box while his short legs dangled mid-air.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like when he spends time with Mommy, anyway.¡± ¡°Are you still holding grudges?


    Have you forgotten what I told you? Only your biological parents make the best family.¡± ¡°I remember,


    which is why I¡¯m being cooperative, but there¡¯s nothing we can do if he doesn¡¯t return home.¡± ¡°How


    about I pretend to be sick so that hees back?¡± Samuel shook her head in a seemingly mature


    manner.


    ¡°If you do that, your daddy would think that Mommy didn¡¯t take good care of you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s our Daddy!¡±


    Charlotte corrected him seriously. At that moment, their homeroom teacher¡¯s voice rang from a


    distance, ¡°Charlotte, Samuel, the outdoor activity session has ended. Why are you guys still out here?¡±


    The man who entered the sports hall was rather young. He had short ck hair that made him look


    refreshing, and the contagious smile on his cute face made him appear especially amicable to children


    who had just entered elementary school.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 215

    My Mute Bride Chapter 215


    ¡°Mr. Wade!¡± Charlotte and Samuel immediately hopped off the swings.


    The teacher held their hands, one on each side. ¡°I knew that the two of you would be here. I¡¯ve told you


    two multiple times that you have to return to the ssroom right away after the outdoor activity session


    ends. Also, why didn¡¯t the two of you finish your homework properly in thest two days?¡±


    Charlotte had never attended elementary school before this, while Samuel had been raised abroad.


    Thus, they were unlike most children who grew up in this country where respect for teachers formed


    part of the culture. On top of that, because of their wayward personality, they didn¡¯t take any criticism to


    heart.


    Upon seeing their unfazed attitude, the good-tempered teacher added resignedly, ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll speak


    to your parents during the parent-child activity next week.¡±


    Meanwhile at the Burton Group, Rachel received a call from the nanny of the Burton Family as soon as


    she finished the task at hand. ¡°Miss Chris, I have something to attend to at my hometown tonight, so I


    would like to take leave today. Can I trouble you to go and pick Charlotte up from school?¡±


    ¡°Of course, no worries.¡±


    After Rachel hung up the call, she realized that she forgot to ask which school Charlotte attended but


    when she called the nanny again, all she heard was the busy tone.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    As it was almost the dismissal time of elementary schools, she decided that she couldn¡¯t afford to wait


    any longer, so she gave Justin a call.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Justin¡¯s cold and indifferent voice was heard from the other end of the line. ¡°What¡¯s the


    matter?¡±


    ¡°Which school does Charlotte go to?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking this question?¡±


    ¡°Martha has gone back to her hometown to tend to some business, so she asked me to go and pick


    Charlotte up from school. If you are free now, would you like to go instead?¡±


    After a brief moment, he simply uttered, ¡°The Bilingual Elementary.¡±


    The Bilingual Elementary? Stunned, Rachel squeezed the phone in her hand. ¡°The Bilingual


    Elementary located on Sunnysouth Road?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Rachel was shocked when he confirmed his reply. This is such a coincidence; Samuel was transferred


    to that school as well.


    ¡­


    It was time for the school to be dismissed when both Rachel and Justin arrived.


    On their way there, Justin asked with a livid expression, ¡°Why did that brat happen to study in that


    elementary school? Aren¡¯t you going to give me a reasonable exnation?¡±¡±That¡¯s exactly what I


    wanted to ask you. Samuel¡¯s transfer procedure waspleted a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that the two kids colluded on this?¡±


    Rachel darted him a look and replied indifferently, ¡°You don¡¯t know Charlotte well, do you? It¡¯s not at all


    surprising if this is really their doing.¡± Charlotte was quite mischievous and Samuel was no better.


    There was nothing the two of them couldn¡¯t pull off when an imaginative kid and a daredevil joined


    forces, let alone when it was merely a small arrangement of studying in the same elementary school.


    ¡°First grade students have been dismissed,¡± Frankie reminded them before Justin and Rachel alighted


    from the car. Headed by a student holding a card that indicated their sses, the students queued up


    in lines ording to their sses and exited the main gate of the school. The homeroom teachers


    were leading the queues and handed the children to their respective parents one after another.


    ¡°Samuel¡¯s mother?¡±


    ¡°Here!¡± Upon hearing the name Samuel, Rachel reflexively raised her hand to show her presence. The


    teacher raised his head and saw Rachel but the very next instant, his expression abruptly changed.


    ¡°Rachel!¡± The male teacher suddenly dashed out from the crowd and stared at her in a daze for a long


    time. Rachel froze for a moment as well.


    Although a name popped up in her head, it seemed to not belong to this man with a refreshing look


    before her¡ªin fact, he lookedpletely different from the person she recalled. Before she could


    respond, she was taken into a firm embrace. ¡°Rachel, I knew that you woulde back!


    I missed you very much these years!¡± Both Samuel and Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened. The very next


    instant, Justin tugged Rachel out of the teacher¡¯s embrace and pulled her behind him, pushing the


    male teacher away in the course. He then reprimanded, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Justin?¡±


    The male teacher¡¯s expression fell as soon as he saw the other man and he immediately grabbed him


    by his cor. ¡°Why are you still pestering Rachel?¡± ¡°Daddy! Mr. Wade!¡± Samuel and Charlotte


    surrounded them anxiously, while the crowd raised their phones to record them. It was aplete


    mess at the scene. However, when Rachel heard the name ¡®Wade¡¯, she recalled who he was. ¡°Victor!¡±


    Victor had actually be a teacher of a private elementary school. His blond hair had been reced


    by refreshing, dark hair that entuated his clean and gentle features, which made him look much


    younger.


    ¡°Rachel, is he still pestering you now?¡±


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± The minute Justin said that, he was greeted by a whooshing punch to the face.


    ¡°You b*stard!¡±


    Before Justin managed to react, he felt a pang of pain on his face that made him cover his eye as he


    fell onto the ground.


    Upon seeing that Victor was about tond another hit, Charlotte rushed up to him. ¡°Stop hitting Daddy!¡±


    Rachel quickly stopped Victor, for fear that he might hurt the child. ¡°Victor, stop!¡±


    At that point, someone from the crowd shouted, ¡°The police are here.¡±


    The crowd gave way to the policeman who hurried over from nearby.


    ¡°Who is making trouble? Come with me to the police station.¡±


    They then arrived at the police station. One of Justin¡¯s eyes was swollen due to the impact, and the


    bruise that circled his eye made him look rather ridiculous.


    ¡°Why did you guys fight?¡± The policeman asked as he took notes.


    As there were security cameras at the entrance of the elementary school, the footage clearly revealed


    that it was Justin who made the first move.


    Justin, however, felt that he was in the right. ¡°I didn¡¯t start the fight. Isn¡¯t it a normal reaction to pull him


    away when a stranger suddenly hugged my daughter¡¯s mother in broad daylight?¡±The policeman


    furrowed his brows and asked Rachel. ¡°What is your rtionship with him?¡± ¡°He is my ex-husband,¡±


    Rachel answered.


    The policeman then pointed at Victor and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with him, then?¡± ¡°He is my


    younger brother.¡± ¡°Your biological brother?¡± ¡°No, a friend whom I treat like my biological brother.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The policeman nodded thoughtfully before asking Justin, ¡°The two of them know each other, so


    why did you im that he is a stranger?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?


    You don¡¯t know me?¡± Victor, who was off to one side, raised his brow and countered, ¡°Are you


    pretending that you have lost your memory just because we did not meet for five years?¡±


    ¡°Quiet! Did I allow you to speak?¡± The policeman shot a re at Victor.


    ¡°Sir, this man is prone tomitting domestic violence. Rachel had a hard time when they were filing


    for divorce back then, but now he is still pestering her. If you were in my shoes, would you be able to


    speak with him calmly?¡±


    ¡°Domestic violence? Is this true?¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Justin was in rage. ¡°Rachel, why do you know this kind


    of a person?¡± Rachel, on the other hand, had aplex look on her face.


    ¡°Sir, this is a long story. Let¡¯s settle today¡¯s issue first. How should we resolve this?¡±


    ¡°At least there¡¯s one reasonable person among you guys.¡± The policeman then handed them two


    forms. ¡°What we usually do is mediate between the two parties.


    If the two of you agree to reconcile, you two can leave after filling in the forms and you will settle the


    dispute on your own. If you two refuse, both of you can have your injuries examined and go through the


    litigation process.¡±


    ¡°We will go through the litigation process.¡±


    ¡°I refuse to reconcile with him.¡± Turned out that Justin and Victor both had the same opinion. Justin


    nced at his watch and announced, ¡°Mywyer will be here anytime soon.¡± Upon hearing that, Victor


    snapped, ¡°Do you think that I¡¯m afraid of you?


    Let¡¯s take this to court then!¡± ¡°Enough! Are the two of you done yet? The kids still haven¡¯t had their


    lunch!¡± Rachel snarled. ¡°They will reconcile.¡± She then shoved the two reconcile forms toward each of


    them and curtly added, ¡°Sign them.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 216

    My Mute Bride Chapter 216


    It was already dark outside when everyone came out after signing the documents. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner


    together, Rachel.¡± Victor was still delighted. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for so many years, and I have lots of


    stuff to tell you about.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Before Rachel could respond, Charlotte suddenly sprang toward them from Justin¡¯s side, clinging


    onto Rachel¡¯s leg while eyeing Victor with hostility. ¡°Mommy is going home with me. She¡¯s not going to


    dinner with some bad teacher.¡±


    Victor was startled for a moment before he recalled that Rachel had given birth to a daughter before


    leaving back then. ¡°Rachel, could Charlotte be¡­¡±


    Rachel gave him a slight nod with tenderness in her eyes.


    ¡°Then what about Samuel?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll tell you about it some other day when there¡¯s an opportunity.¡± Rachel then nced


    behind her. ¡°It¡¯s already gettingte today, and I may have to go to the hospital, so let¡¯s meet up some


    other time, Victor.¡±


    Victor was somewhat disappointed. Still, he replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we exchange our contact numbers?¡± Rachel took out her cell phone first.


    ¡°Sure.¡± After that, Victor hailed a taxi and left. However, he warned Justin before he left by saying, ¡°If


    you dare to harm a hair on Rachel¡¯s head, I will never let you off!¡±


    Justin¡¯s face darkened at Victor¡¯s words, whereas Rachel quickly urged the taxi driver to drive. When


    Rachel, Justin, and the two kids were the only ones left at the police station¡¯s entrance, Rachel shot a


    nce at him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    However, Justin was as cross as a bear. ¡°Are you letting him off just like that? I haven¡¯t gotten round to


    examining my injury yet.¡±


    ¡°Are youing or not?¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°To the hospital¡± Rachel shot back icily. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to have your injury examined? Let¡¯s get it done.


    I¡¯ll take the responsibility if there¡¯s anything wrong with it.¡±


    When Rachel registered Justin at the hospital¡¯s emergency department, she ran into Julian, who


    happened to be on duty today. He asked, ¡°Why are you here in the hospital? Are you unwell?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not me; it¡¯s your cousin.¡± Rachel threw a nce at the waiting area in the distance. ¡°Victor is the


    teacher in charge of Samuel¡¯s ss. He and Justin ran into each other at the school¡¯s entrance, and


    they came to blows.¡±


    ¡°Victor?¡± Julian was very surprised. ¡°What a small world.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Just give it to me. I¡¯ll check on him.¡± Julian took the medical card from Rachel and took Justin right


    away to the debridement room, whereby he examined Justin¡¯s eye injury with the aid of a shlight. ¡°It¡¯s


    not a big deal. You¡¯ll be fine once we apply some medicine on it.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that I¡¯mpletely fine?¡±


    ¡°Who is the doctor here, Justin-me or you?¡±


    Justin answered back coldly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you might shield that brat on purpose. Who knows if you¡¯re


    on his side?¡±


    ¡°I have no leisure for that.¡± Julian shot him a disdainful look. ¡°Youpletely deserve to be punched in


    the face.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Justin knitted his brows. ¡°Could there be bad blood between me and that


    brat as well?¡±


    ¡°This has nothing much to do with him, but he regards Rachel as his own sister, you know.¡±


    ¡°Is this about Rachel again?¡± Justin looked annoyed.


    Julian mmed the tweezers down onto the porcin dish. He then replied coldly, ¡°The fact that you


    don¡¯t remember it doesn¡¯t mean that it never happened. Rachel has never been unfair to you; you¡¯re


    the one who has been unkind to her the whole time.¡±


    Justin¡¯s face darkened, for it wasn¡¯t the first time he had heard this. ¡°What do you mean by saying that


    I¡¯ve been unkind to her? The responsibility of a failed marriage should fall on both sides at the very


    least, yet you speak for her unconditionally and shift all the me onto me. You have such a close


    rtionship with her, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, won¡¯t believe me? Let me tell you what you did back then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary! I¡¯ll find out about the truth myself. I don¡¯t need you to tell me about it,¡± Justin


    replied before he picked his overcoat and stormed out of the room.


    Rachel and the two kids were waiting outside the door when they saw Justining out in a huff.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Charlotte ran toward him.


    However, instead of hugging Charlotte, Justin said coldly to Rachel, ¡°Take Charlotte home. I have


    something else to attend to, so I won¡¯t be giving you all a ride.¡±


    Rachel was baffled as she watched him storm off in a great rage. ¡°What has gotten into him again?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s pissed off because something¡¯s hit a nerve in him, I guess,¡± Julian answered with an apathetic


    expression. He didn¡¯t believe that Justin was totally uninterested in what had happened back then.


    When he finds out the truth and figures everything out he¡¯ll realize how cruel he was to Rachel back


    then.


    The night was dark, and the dim yellow light shone on the French window. At that moment, a woman¡¯s


    figure reflected upon it. The woman¡¯s body was wrapped in a pink silk slip dress as a pair of arms


    hugged her from behind. ¡°What are you thinking about by yourself here? Did you dress in such an


    attractive manner because you knew that I¡¯d being today?¡±


    Amber shuddered. ¡°When did you arrive?¡±


    ¡°Just a moment ago.¡± Noah seemed impatient as he lowered his head and kissed her neck.


    Amber suddenly grabbed his hand and kept it from moving about. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood today.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to keep carrying on with me on the sly like this? Will you marry me if I break off my


    engagement with Justin?¡±


    In an instant, Noah lost all his interest; he let go of Amber and sat down alone on the sofa nearby. ¡°Why


    are you talking about this? You¡¯re only saying so simply because you¡¯ve sensed danger upon your


    sister¡¯s return, am I right? You talk as if you¡¯re willing to give up on Justin for my sake.¡± Just forget


    about scheming against each other. We¡¯re both wily foxes, after all, he thought to himself.


    ¡°What does that girl think she is? How could she pose a threat to me?¡±


    ¡°Is she not posing a threat to you?¡± As he sat with his legs crossed, Noah pulled off his tie, revealing a


    large part of his chest in a raffish demeanor with a half-smile on his face. ¡°Why did I hear that she¡¯s


    moved into the Burton Residence, though?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Amber¡¯s expression changed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that yet? No wonder you look so unperturbed.¡±


    ¡°When did this happen? This is impossible!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you make a phone call and ask about it yourself? Not only has that woman moved back


    with feverish haste after Old Mr. Burton¡¯s birthday banquet, she¡¯s even taking the kid to and from


    school with Justin. The way I see it, you¡¯ll cease to be Justin¡¯s fianc¨¦e very soon, much less marry into


    the Burton Family.¡± Noah snorted coldly while flicking some cigarette ash away. ¡°I¡¯d advise you to stop


    indulging in wishful thinking and serve me well. Even though I won¡¯t let you be a part of my family, I¡¯ll


    give you your due.¡±


    Amber¡¯s shoulders were trembling as Noah¡¯s humiliating words hit her eardrums one after another.


    Rachel has actually established herself as thedy of the house just like that! / worked hard for five


    years, yet I didn¡¯t manage to do that. How did she do it upon her return? she thought to herself. ¡°Young


    Master Noah, I have been


    carrying on with you for so many years. I won¡¯t be asking too much of you if I beg you to do something


    for me, right?¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wayne of Golden Herbs Enterprise seems to be on good terms with you.¡±


    Noah¡¯s pupils contracted slightly. ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    Amber lifted a corner of her mouth and sat astride Noah¡¯sp. ¡°You just need to introduce me to him. It


    won¡¯t do you any harm.¡±


    Noah was rendered speechless by her words.


    The next morning, Frankie was startled to see Justin when he clocked in at thepany as usual.


    ¡°President Burton? What brings you here at such an early hour?¡±


    Justin looked up from behind theputer. He was still wearing the clothes he had been wearing


    yesterday.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with your eye, President Burton?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 217

    My Mute Bride Chapter 217


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Justin pushed the processed documents on his desk to the side. ¡°Hand these out to the


    departments.¡±


    It took a long time before Frankie came to his senses. ¡°Yes, President Burton.¡± Since he was still


    worried, he asked while taking the documents, ¡°Is your eye really all right, sir?¡±


    Justin gave him a frosty look.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Frankie shuddered instantly. ¡°I¡¯ll deliver the documents now.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Justin called out to him. ¡°Find another school for Charlotte.¡± He was worried. Since


    that brat named Victor held a grudge against him, it was not a good thing for Charlotte to be in his


    ss.


    Soon after Frankie left, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± said Justin.


    ¡°Hey, Justin.¡±


    Justin looked up when he heard Amber¡¯s voice.


    As she hurriedly stepped toward him, Amber eximed, ¡°Oh, gosh! What¡¯s the matter with your eye,


    Justin?¡±


    ¡°I knocked into something by ident.¡± Justin frowned as he didn¡¯t want to borate much. ¡°What


    brings you here?¡±


    ¡°I have a lecture on medicine this afternoon, so I came to get something and bring you breakfast while


    I¡¯m at it.¡± Amber waved the breakfast bag she was holding. ¡°It seems pretty bad. Let me look at it.¡± She


    put down the breakfast bag before immediately searching the office for the first-aid kit.


    Justin hadn¡¯t had time to take any ointment when he left Julian¡¯s ce hastilyst night. Since the


    bruise around his eye was left untreated, it had gotten so bad at the moment that he couldn¡¯t even hold


    this morning¡¯s meeting.


    Amber had been a doctor before, so her skills were more than sufficient to treat such a minor bruise. ¡°It


    may hurt a little, so please bear with it, Justin.¡± She dipped the cotton swab in the ointment and applied


    it around Justin¡¯s eyes. Then, she patiently blew on the bruise to relieve the pain.


    Justin was somewhat moved inwardly when he saw how meticulous and attentive Amber was. After all,


    she was at his bedside when he regained consciousness after the car ident back then, and she had


    always been by his side over thest five years. Even though he was indifferent to her, she never made


    a fuss about it. She had a meek disposition, for which she should be given credit.


    After treating the bruise, Amber lowered her head and packed the first-aid kit back up. ¡°It¡¯s done. Try


    not to let the bruisee into contact with water over the next few days. I¡¯ll tell Frankie which medicine


    to buy.¡±


    ¡°Are you here expressly to bring me breakfast?¡±


    Amber was startled for a moment before her eyes reddened slightly. ¡°I can¡¯t hide anything from you,


    can 1? I just want to see you since I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time. I know I shouldn¡¯t disturb you


    while you¡¯re working.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m not busy today.¡±


    ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t bother you?¡± Amber was pleasantly surprised at Justin¡¯s rare disy of patience.


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± Justin had a thoughtful expression on his face. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, I¡¯d like to ask you


    something.¡±


    ¡°Sure, just go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Rachel is your sister, so you should know very well why I married her and divorced her back then,


    right?¡±


    Amber¡¯s smile froze on her lips in an instant. It seems like he¡¯s asking about Rachel, she thought to


    herself. ¡°Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Julian said I had done a disservice to your sister back then, but no one can tell me what happened at


    the time.¡±


    Amber pinched her palm as she tried to calm herself down. ¡°Why would Julian say that? How could you


    possibly have done a disservice to Rachel? Had she not gotten in the way back then, I would have


    been the person who married into the Burton Family as your wife.¡±


    Justin frowned with a puzzled look in his eyes. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Meanwhile, when Rachel left home early in the morning, she received a text message from Victor


    asking her out for dinner. After five years of separation, it surprised her that the delinquent teenager


    back then was now a primary school teacher-and Samuel¡¯s ss teacher at that!


    They met up at a hot pot restaurant for dinner that evening, during which Victor kept filling Rachel¡¯s


    bowl with nched ingredients. ¡°Try this, Rachel. My colleagues and I often visit this hot pot


    restaurant.¡±


    ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. I can¡¯t finish everything here.¡± Rachel felt helpless since she couldn¡¯t stop


    Victor. ¡°By the way, the fight didn¡¯t affect your job, did it?¡±


    ¡°No, it didn¡¯t. Charlotte didn¡¯te to school today, though. Did somethinge up?¡±


    Rachel was startled. ¡°Didn¡¯t Charlotte go to school?¡± The girl had gone downstairs for breakfast when


    Rachel was about to go out early this morning. The servants even had Charlotte¡¯s school bag and


    school uniform ready in preparation before taking her to school.


    ¡°Is she upset because of the fight I had with Justin yesterday?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll find out why once I go back and ask her about it tonight.¡±


    ¡°Rachel, are you staying under the same roof as Justin?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a long story. I have juste back from overseas, after all.¡± Rachel decided not to tell Victor too


    much about the details since she thought he and Justin had little opportunity to meet each other.


    Moreover, Justin¡¯s amnesia was tooplicated to exin in a few words. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about these


    things. Now that you have be a teacher, I can put my mind at ease since you¡¯re doing well.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Rachel? How have you been doing these years? Why are you suddenly able to


    speak? Was it Dr. Peters who cured you? Also, what about Samuel? Are you married?¡±


    Victor fired so many questions at Rachel in rapid session that she didn¡¯t know which question to


    answer for a moment. She threw her hands up helplessly and replied, ¡°You¡¯ve asked me so many


    questions. Which of them should I answer first?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rachel. I was too excited.¡± Victor scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, just take your time and tell


    me about it. We¡¯ve got plenty of time for that, anyway.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve be a sensible man, Victor. Your Grandma must be happy to see you like this right now.¡±


    ¡°My Grandma passed away the year beforest.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rachel looked visibly stunned. After a long time, she reached out and held Victor¡¯s


    arm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Victor replied with an anguished smile while trying hard to put on a look of relief. ¡°Grandma


    had been senile for many years. In the end, she passed away quite peacefully without suffering from


    much pain. Luckily, Miss Janice was there to help me with Grandma¡¯s funeral at the time. Let¡¯s not talk


    about this


    anymore. Have some more of the food, Rachel-you¡¯re skinnier than you were back then.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    The clouds of steam enshrouding the hot pot restaurant seemed to transport them back five years in


    time to the days when Nancy was still alive and Victor often came to her ce to help her make


    pierogies. As Rachel recalled these memories, she suddenly felt a twinge of anguish in her heart.


    Night soon fell, and it was alreadyte when Rachel returned to the Burton Residence. As soon as she


    came home, she heard the sound of something being smashed in the dining room. A priceless piece of


    bone china bowl flew directly out of that area. Luckily, she dodged it quickly enough, and it instantly


    smashed into pieces at her feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m not transferring to another school! Who told you that I¡¯m going to do that?!¡± The girl¡¯s shrill voice


    nearly pierced Rachel¡¯s eardrum. At this moment, Charlotte was like an angry little bird; her face was


    red with anger as she pounded the table with her tiny fists. One had to say that she definitely inherited


    Justin¡¯s hot temper and irritable disposition.


    On the other hand, Justin looked imperturbable. ¡°Your teacher isn¡¯t a good person, and your school


    isn¡¯t that great either. I¡¯ve already gotten someone to find a new school for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to a new school! I want to go to the same school as Samuel!¡±


    ¡°Is this why you insisted on going to school?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 218

    My Mute Bride Chapter 218


    ¡°I¡¯m not transferring to another school! I want to go to school with Samuel.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough? I¡¯m doing this for your own good, Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not!¡± Charlotte suddenly caught sight of Rachel and instantly burst into tears. She stretched out


    her arms toward Rachel while saying, ¡°Mommy, Daddy¡¯s bullying me! He wants to transfer me to


    another school!¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Rachel promptly held her in her arms. ¡°There, there. Stop crying, my dear Charlotte.¡±


    Charlotte cried even louder in an instant. ¡°Daddy won¡¯t let me go to the same school with Samuel.¡±


    Justin, who was thest person on earth who could bear to see Charlotte cry, immediately furrowed his


    brows.


    Rachel promptly asked, ¡°Why would you do that? Charlotte is finally willing to go to school. Besides,


    the school is pretty nice. I have done an on-site survey of the school, and the teachers there are quite


    responsible. How could you transfer her to another school at whim?¡±


    ¡°Are all teachers there responsible? Are you talking about the teacher who hit me?¡±


    ¡°That was an ident.¡±


    ¡°An ident?¡± Justin let out a cold snort. ¡°A school that has such a teacher mustn¡¯t be a nice school.


    That brat is on good terms with you, so you¡¯d definitely feel easy about sending your son there. I don¡¯t


    feel easy about letting Charlotte go to that school, though.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you take Charlotte¡¯s own wishes into ount for once? Say it yourself, Charlotte. Does Mr.


    Wade treat you well?¡±


    Charlotte nodded her head while crying. ¡°He¡¯s very nice to me! He¡¯s nice to Samuel and me¡­ I don¡¯t


    want to go to another school!¡±


    ¡°You heard that, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Justin sounded so resolute that he wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. ¡°I have already made a


    decision on this matter, and I¡¯m not asking for anyone¡¯s opinion. You¡¯ll transfer to another school as I¡¯m


    telling you to.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go to school then. Just stay at home and learn from your private tutors like you used to. No one


    can change my mind on this!¡± Justin said. After finishing his sentence, he mmed down his cutlery,


    shot Rachel a cold nce, and stormed out of the dining room without looking back.


    Rachel instantly clenched her fists as a shudder suddenly swept over her. The look Justin shot at her


    just now was so chilling as if it instantly swept her back six years in time to those days where she was


    left at his disposal and the nightmares that terrified her. She couldn¡¯t help feeling there was something


    different in the way he looked at her.


    The next day, Lisa knocked on the door and came in soon after Rachel arrived at the office. ¡°Miss


    Hudson, the President¡¯s office just called to inform us that we¡¯ll be receiving a herbal supplier at


    10.00AM. They told you to get ready and go upstairs before that for a meeting.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t we always ordered herbs from the same supplier? Is President Burton nning to order from


    someone else instead?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this, but the supplier seems to have quoted a price lower than the market rate.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±


    Rachel was deep in thought after Lisa left. Why the sudden change of the herbal supplier? Not only


    that, Justin


    even bypassed me and ordered the change. As the acting sales director of Burton Pharmaceuticals, I


    haven¡¯t gotten wind of this at all.


    Before 10.00AM, Rachel went to Justin¡¯s office with the medicinal product catalog. ¡°Hi, Miss Hudson.¡±


    Frankie stopped her at the door.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rachel was baffled. ¡°Isn¡¯t President Burton inside?¡±


    ¡°Uh, nothing. President Burton is waiting for you. The supplier has arrived as well.¡±


    Rachel replied with a straight face, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go inside right now.¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson¡­¡± Frankie hesitated for a long time as if he wanted to say something.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    However, he shook his head in the end. ¡°Nothing. Please go inside.¡±


    With that, the office door was pulled open from the outside. Rachel straightened her clothes and came


    in to


    see Justin and the supplier sitting on the sofa, having a nice conversation. However, the instant the


    supplier raised his head, Rachel¡¯s face was instantly drained of color. She finally realized why Frankie


    had hesitated to speak just now-the man chatting happily with Justin in the office was a nightmare to


    her.


    ¡°Allow me to introduce Mr. Wayne, the president of Golden Herbs Enterprise.¡± Justin sat erect on the


    sofa. ¡°Mr. Wayne, this is Chris, the sales director of Burton Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    Mr. Wayne turned to look at Rachel. As he gave her a nod, he greeted, ¡°I have heard long ago that


    Miss Chris is very professional, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so beautiful.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s hands were covered in a cold sweat. Her face was as white as a sheet, and her ears were


    buzzing. Six years ago, when she first tried to ask Justin for divorce and requested that she be allowed


    to leave the Burton Family, Justin took her to a nightclub and left her at the disposal of the man before


    her eyes. The dazzling purple light in the private room, the man¡¯s greasy and glowing face, the various


    ¡®instruments of torture¡¯ hung on the wall, and the sound of the clothes being ripped apart hit her


    suddenly like a surging tide, instantly overwhelming all her senses.


    ¡°Chris?¡±


    Justin¡¯s voice brought Rachel back to her senses somewhat. Like a marite, she stepped toward the


    sofa in a daze, not knowing how she took the steps.


    Mr. Wayne straightened up and extended his hand to her. ¡°Hi, Miss Chris. Nice to meet you.¡±


    Nice to meet you? An overwhelming fishy smell suddenly surged up Rachel¡¯s throat. Before Justin and


    Mr. Wayne could speak, she suddenly covered her mouth and ran into the restroom. She nearly


    vomited up the dinner she had yesterday as her stomach churned over and over again. Is Justin doing


    this on purpose? Is he using Mr. Wayne to disgust me and remind me of that embarrassing past?


    Just then, she heard someone bang at the door. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Rachel?¡±


    After a long time, Rachel regained herposure, forcibly suppressed the feelings of resentment and


    shame within her, and pulled the restroom door open. Justin¡¯s hand was still outstretched. When he


    saw that she opened the door, his hand naturally fell to his side. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I should be the one who asks you this question instead. Is Mr. Wayne the new herbal supplier?¡±


    ¡°Well? What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    Rachel secretly clenched her fists as she studied Justin¡¯s expression. She asked probingly, ¡°It¡¯s not that


    Burton Pharmaceuticals hasn¡¯t worked with him before. Ourpany put him on a cklist and vowed


    to


    never work with him anymore, so why would we suddenly start working with him again?¡±


    Justin nced at her in surprise. ¡°You know quite a lot, but do you know there are no permanent


    enemies in business? Golden Herbs Enterprise has had a nice reputation in the market in recent years.


    Since our coboration would be a win-win situation, no one will care about some past


    misunderstandings.¡±


    ¡°Misunderstandings?¡± Rachel clenched her teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t you even remember that incident?¡±


    ¡°Remember what?¡±


    Rachel was too ashamed to tell Justin what had happened. She replied coldly, ¡°He¡¯s a person of


    disreputable character. One just needs to ask around a little in Riverdale to know that he is a tough nut


    to crack. I¡¯m not taking this project. Let someone take over it instead.¡± After finishing her sentence, she


    walked past Justin as if to leave. She would never get in touch with a disgusting person like Mr. Wayne


    unless she was out of her mind!


    ¡°Stay where you are!¡± Justin grabbed her arm effortlessly with hisrge hand. His chilling voice could


    be heard saying, ¡°What ce do you think Burton Pharmaceuticals is? I¡¯m not paying you to act


    dignified-I¡¯m paying you to work for me! What right do you have to choose your projects?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 219

    My Mute Bride Chapter 219


    ¡°Anyone can take up the project. I can take up any project except this one!¡± As Rachel failed to struggle


    free of Justin¡¯s grasp, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Since this project is such an easy job, let


    someone else take it up instead. Lots of people would want to work on this!¡±


    As soon as she finished her sentence, a gust of wind brushed against her ear. Justin pped his hand


    against the door frame behind her ear, trapping her in a huge shadow by forming an enclosure with his


    arm and the wall in the corner. ¡°I¡¯m not consulting with you. This is a notice-either ept it or resign,¡±


    he asserted in a peremptory tone with a frosty look in his eyes.


    Rachel red at Justin; the feelings of resentment that had umted for many years surged in her


    chest, causing her to tremble involuntarily. She had thousands of reasons to say no to Justin¡¯s threat,


    but she nevertheless replied, ¡°I¡¯ll ept it.¡± She agreed to take up the project only for one reason-she


    had to stay at Burton Pharmaceuticals by Justin¡¯s side to find the evidence linked to Hans¡¯ death. ¡°I¡¯ll


    ept it. Can you let go of me now?¡± She gradually calmed down while looking at the man fearlessly


    with an extremely cold look in her eyes.


    Justin let go of her with a frown.


    When Mr. Wayne saw them returning to the office, he asked with concern, ¡°Chris, are you all right?¡±


    Rachel managed a forced smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine; perhaps I ate something bad. Sorry for being impolite just


    now, Mr. Wayne. I¡¯ll consult with youter about our coboration. If you have any questions regarding


    our medicinal materials, you may ask me directly.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Naturally, someone rmended by President Burton must be reliable.¡± Mr. Wayne


    pushed his sses. The greasy face behind his sses looked as lewd as it had been back then, so


    much so that it disgusted Rachel just to take another look at it.


    Justin watched their interaction the whole time, but he didn¡¯t notice anything wrong with Mr. Wayne,


    who spoke and conducted himself in a very polite manner. However, Justin was puzzled by how


    rmed Rachel looked. Could they have known each other before?


    Rachel was hypervignt at first, but Mr. Wayne didn¡¯t overstep any boundaries at all. All he talked


    about was the coboration between hispany and Burton Pharmaceuticals, and this caused her to


    suspect that Mr. Wayne had forgotten her. After all, six years had passed since then, so it shouldn¡¯t be


    surprising for him to forget a woman whom he had met just once in those six years. As Rachel thought


    of this, she slowly rxed.


    After the introduction, Mr. Wayne got up and said his farewells. Rachel said, ¡°As for the matters


    regarding our coboration, I¡¯ll have my assistant draw up the contract and send it for you to look over.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you see me out, Chris?¡±


    As soon as Mr. Wayne finished his sentence, Rachel unconsciously curled up her fingers.


    Justin frowned at one side before shooting her a warning nce.


    Rachel pinched the palm of her hand and forced a smile. ¡°This way, please, Mr. Wayne.¡± As the


    elevator door slowly closed, she pushed the button to the first floor. ¡°Mr. Wayne, if you are dissatisfied


    with any of the details we have just discussed regarding our coboration, pleasee right out with it.


    We can talk about them.¡±


    ¡°You look more seductivepared to when Ist met you six years ago, Chris. If President Burton


    hadn¡¯t introduced us to each other, I wouldn¡¯t have dared to recognize you.¡±


    When Rachel heard Mr. Wayne¡¯s words, her mind went ck at once, and her temples pulsed.


    Mr. Wayne then continued slowly, ¡°However,pared to you, who can now speak, I prefer the little


    mute who couldn¡¯t even cry out when being whipped back then. She was exciting and interesting


    enough-¡±


    Rachel stepped back; she went so weak at the knees that she could hardly keep her feet. ¡°You


    recognized me from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°How could I forget you, Mrs. Burton?¡± Mr. Wayne grabbed Rachel¡¯s arm. ¡°I still remember your smell


    very well in the past six years!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head was buzzing as if she had gotten an electric shock. The arm that Mr. Wayne grabbed


    was so stiff that she couldn¡¯t move it at all. She tried to make a sound, but she couldn¡¯t make any when


    she opened her mouth.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    The elevator reached the first floor with a ding. Before the elevator door slowly opened, Mr. Wayne had


    let go of Rachel¡¯s hand. ¡°Hi, Miss Hudson,¡± those waiting for the elevator outside greeted her.


    Only then did Rachele to her senses and brace herself to say to the staff, ¡°This is Mr. Wayne from


    Golden Herbs Enterprise.¡±


    ¡°Hi, Mr. Wayne.¡±


    ¡°Hi, everyone.¡± Mr. Wayne shot a nce at Rachel. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Miss Hudson.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face was so strained that she couldn¡¯t manage a smile as she pinched the palm of her hand.


    Meanwhile, theputer screen in Justin¡¯s office showed the surveince footage of the elevator,


    allowing him to hear every word of the conversation between Rachel and Mr. Wayne. As I expected,


    Rachel and Mr. Wayne have known each other before.


    His eyes gradually darkened as those disgusting words still reverberated in his ears. Soon, a look of


    deepening anger crept over his face. Rachel didn¡¯t dare to take up this project not because of Mr.


    Wayne¡¯s character but because she was feeling guilty, he thought to himself. As the words ¡®your smell¡¯


    resounded in his head, he instantly clenched his fists. No wonder¡­ No wonder I divorced this woman


    back then! How many other scandalous things is she hiding from me?


    ¡°Here¡¯s the new proposal, President Burton.¡±


    Frankie¡¯s voice snapped Justin out of his thoughts. Aftering to his senses, he nced at Frankie


    and asked, ¡°What did you want to tell me about Mr. Wayne before this?¡±


    Frankie was stunned for a moment. ¡°I wanted to say that Mr. Wayne is a notorious womanizer, so it


    isn¡¯t appropriate to let Miss Hudson take up this project. If anything bad happens, we¡¯ll lose more than


    we gain.¡±


    ¡°In that case, who do you think should take up the project instead?¡±


    ¡°I think Ronald Weiss of the sales department is a nice candidate. After all, he¡¯s also a man, so he


    won¡¯t be taken advantage of.¡± Frankie studied Justin¡¯s expression. Then, he immediately suggested,


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote to let another person take up the project right now, President Burton. Would you like


    me to inform Miss Hudson right away?¡±


    ¡°Did I say that I want to let another person take up the project?¡± Justin darted a look at Frankie. Then,


    three words came out of his thin lips coldly and resolutely. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± She deserves to solve


    the trouble she¡¯s gotten herself into.


    Mr. Wayne¡¯s appearance made Rachel feel blue all afternoon. When it was finally time to clock out, she


    heard her cell phone vibrating on her desk. Her face tensed the instant she saw Mr. Wayne¡¯s name


    disyed on the phone¡¯s screen. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°You should be getting off work by now, right, Chris? I have asked several friends to meet up for dinner


    this evening. Come and join us for a bit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to work overtime tonight.¡±


    ¡°Meeting clients is considered overtime, right? Or do you mean that I am a petty herbs dealer who¡¯s


    dispensable and of no importance to Burton Pharmaceuticals?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡±


    ¡°See you at 7.00PM at Golden Hill Nightclub then. Be sure to be there.¡±


    Golden Hill Nightclub? Rachel¡¯s face froze at once. The call had disconnected, and the phone¡¯s main


    interface was disyed on the screen after a few beeps.


    Rachel clutched her cell phone for a long time as she slowly calmed herself down. Why should I be


    afraid? Times are different now; I¡¯m no longer under Justin¡¯s coercion, nor can Mr. Wayne do anything


    to me. Why should I be afraid of joining the dinner?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 220

    My Mute Bride Chapter 220


    Rachel drove to the nightclub alone after work. As soon as she entered the private room, she saw the


    men inside with the nightclub¡¯s hostesses in each of their arms. Mr. Wayne beckoned to her


    enthusiastically as he said, ¡°Come over here, Chris. Let me introduce her to you guys. This is Chris,


    Burton Pharmaceuticals¡¯ sales director. She¡¯s a knockout, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Burton Pharmaceuticals¡¯ sales director? Aren¡¯t you President Burton¡¯s ex-wife?¡±


    ¡°You were on the news some time ago.¡±


    The atmosphere in the private room livened up at once. These men were in the same circle, so they


    knew almost everything about the Burton Family.


    Rachel forced a smile at everyone.


    Mr. Wayne waved his hand. ¡°Why are we talking about this? Friendly rtions should exist between


    buyer and


    seller even if they fail to clinch a deal. Despite their marriage ending with divorce, they still have to run


    the business. Just look at how magnanimous Chris is-isn¡¯t she still working at Burton Pharmaceuticals?


    It¡¯s just that she¡¯s put to a little inconvenience by having to work under her ex-husband.¡±


    ¡°Wow, your heart is aching, Mr. Wayne! What are you waiting for, Chris? Have a drink with him!¡±


    Rachel frowned as a ss of wine was shoved into her hand. ¡°I drove here, so I can¡¯t drink alcohol.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem with that? You can just hire a chauffeur to drive your car. There are plenty of them


    everywhere.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t drink.¡±


    The room instantly went silent. Mr. Wayne put down his wine ss and leaned back against the leather


    sofa. He then asked, ¡°It¡¯s not like I have to coborate with Burton Pharmaceuticals. There are so many


    people here; it doesn¡¯t make a difference for me to sign the contract with any of them. Sincerity is best


    expressed by one¡¯s willingness to drink, don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    Rachel was very hesitant as she looked at the wine ss before her. She knew very well that once one


    drank a ss of wine in such a social engagement, they would end up drinking even more. Moreover,


    Mr. Wayne was deliberately trying to make her drunk. Then, as her eyes flickered, she suggested, ¡°Mr.


    Wayne, do you mean that you¡¯ll sign the contract as long as I finish this ss of wine?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem, of course. Am I the kind of person who goes back on his word?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! What kind of person do you think Mr. Wayne is?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wayne feels sorry for you, so he¡¯s taking you out to help you rx. You¡¯d better not do it the hard


    way,¡± said the toadies around them as they made a fuss.


    Rachel raised her ss. ¡°In that case, thank you, Mr. Wayne. Here¡¯s to you.¡± Then, she downed the


    wine in one gulp in front of everyone. The strong smell of alcohol spread in her mouth, but she showed


    everyone the emptied ss without letting her face show any emotion.


    ¡°You can drink a lot!¡±


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s drink another ss.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wayne, about the contract,¡±


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve promised to sign the contract, I¡¯ll definitely sign it. The contract hasn¡¯t been drafted yet,


    right? Have your assistant send it to me tomorrow morning, and I¡¯ll sign it right away.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary to go through so much trouble. I brought the contract with me,¡± Rachel replied. As


    she spoke, she took a document out of her handbag, uncapped the felt-tip pen, and handed the pen


    and the document to Mr. Wayne.


    The room fell silent once again, whereas Mr. Wayne¡¯s greasy face twitched. Obviously, he didn¡¯t expect


    Rachel to have such things prepared. ¡°It really is rather professional of you to bring the contract along


    whileing out for drinks, Chris.¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°Opportunities are for those who are well-prepared, right?¡±


    ¡°Great! You¡¯re simply great. As expected, you¡¯re a clever woman who deserves to work beside Justin


    Burton.¡± Mr. Wayne pulled off his tie. Suddenly, he stood up and looked around him. ¡°Get out,


    everyone.¡±


    Everyone in the private room looked at each other, but none of them dared to say anything as they left,


    knowing what to do in such situations.


    When thest person left the private room, Rachel stood up as well. She asked warily, ¡°What do you


    mean by doing this, Mr. Wayne?¡±


    Mr. Wayne threw his tie at Rachel right away with a sneer. ¡°Stop pretending. Why y this trick on me


    when you don¡¯t even bother to pretend? Let¡¯s get even with one another today for what happened back


    then, shall we?¡± As he spoke, he unbuckled his belt right away and stepped toward Rachel.


    Rachel took two steps back while reaching for her cell phone in her pocket. ¡°What are you doing? This


    is a public ce. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll call the police?¡±


    Mr. Wayne sneered. ¡°Call the police? You can try to. This nightclub is now under my name, and the


    signal jammers have been switched on. I¡¯d like to see how you¡¯re going to call the police.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression changed when she saw the words ¡®No signal¡¯ on her phone¡¯s screen.


    ¡°God knows how long I have been waiting for this day. Do you know how much trouble the incident


    back then caused me? I haven¡¯t been able to sleep at night all these years because I¡¯d been waiting to


    find you!¡± said Mr. Wayne as he stepped closer and closer toward Rachel.


    Meanwhile, thetter kept backing away until she reached the door. She pushed the door handle, only


    to realize that the door couldn¡¯t be opened as it had been locked from the outside. ¡°Let me out of here!¡±


    ¡°Let you out of here?¡± Mr. Wayne responded as if he had heard a joke. Then, he picked up the remote


    control, aimed it at the wall opposite him, and pressed a button.


    The wall automatically split in two and opened up with a loud noise, revealing the hidden bedroom


    inside. The sight of the whip and the ¡®instruments of torture shining on the wall under the purple light


    made one shudder, but Mr. Wayne¡¯s spirits soared. With a look of excitement and perversion on his


    face, he asked, ¡°How is it? Do you remember it now? Is it the same as the room back then?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face turned as white as a sheet as a tingling sensation mixed with feelings of nausea instantly


    spread all over her body. What a pervert Mr. Wayne is-he¡¯s simply a lunatic! He actually had an


    identical replica of the room back then hidden in the nightclub¡¯s private room! she thought to herself.


    The instant she came to her senses, she banged the door desperately. ¡°Open the door! Let me out!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad that the only difference is that you¡¯re no longer mute now.¡± Mr. Wayne eyed Rachel up and


    down. ¡°However, it doesn¡¯t matter as long as you bite into this!¡± Then, he grabbed Rachel¡¯s shoulder


    while holding a spherical object in his hand.


    The night was already dark. After having dinner with Charlotte, Justin coaxed her to sleep since Rachel


    had yet to return home.


    Charlotte could hardly keep her eyes open, but she insisted on waiting for Rachel toe back.


    ¡°Daddy, why isn¡¯t Mommy home yet?¡±


    ¡°Mommy is too busy with work. You should sleep by yourself today, Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°In that case, tell her to give me a kiss when shees back. I¡¯ll know it in my sleep.¡±


    ¡°All right, my dear Charlotte.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until he heard the even breathing next to him that Justin got up and left the room. ¡°Sorry, but


    the number you¡¯ve dialed is currently unavable. Please dial againter.¡± It was already 11.00PM, but


    he still couldn¡¯t reach Rachel on her cell phone. As he recalled what had happened during the day, his


    face slowly tensed up, and he called Frankie. ¡°Where is Rachel right now?¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t Miss Hudson gone back yet? I heard from Lisa that she received a phone call from Mr. Wayne


    before getting off work. He asked her out to discuss the contract.¡±


    ¡°Send me the address,¡± Justin uttered before leaving home at once.


    The air was sultry in the midsummer night as Justin stood in front of the garage door with the car keys


    in his hand. After standing for half a second, he pulled the car door open and got into the driver¡¯s seat.


    As he


    gripped the steering wheel, hisrge hands trembled visibly for a moment, but he clenched the steering


    wheel and forcibly suppressed the feelings of unease soon afterward. With that, the sedan drove out of


    the vi area and disappeared into the night.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 221

    My Mute Bride Chapter 221


    Chapter 221 Did You Set This Up


    Meanwhile, in the nightclub¡¯s private room, Rachel¡¯s eardrum was hurt by the sound of wine bottles


    shattering into pieces. ¡°Don¡¯te over!¡± She walked around the table to evade Mr. Wayne as he


    approached her, but her head was getting increasingly dizzy.


    Something¡¯s wrong with that ss of wine, she thought to herself. Indeed, she never expected that


    there would be something wrong with the ss of wine poured right in front of her.


    ¡°Stop struggling. It¡¯s useless. You¡¯ll lose all your strength very soon, so you¡¯d better behave yourself


    and go along with me.¡± Mr. Wayne took off his suit jacket and reached out hisrge hands to her.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes blurred, and she fell on the carpet as she no longer had the strength to struggle. As her


    consciousness slowly faded away, she saw Mr. Wayne dragging her onto the bed. He began to


    unbutton his shirt in front of her, and his face was as greasy and disgusting as it had been six years


    ago. She broke down and cursed, ¡°You¡¯ll die a dog¡¯s death!¡±


    ¡°It was Justin who led you to my bed back then. If someone has to die a dog¡¯s death for this, he should


    be the one instead.¡± Mr. Wayne grabbed Rachel¡¯s suit jacket and ripped it off her shoulders. Then, his


    oppressive figure instantly fell on top of her.


    ¡°Aaaah!¡± Rachel screamed, but Mr. Wayne immediately covered her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you


    make a sound. That¡¯s not exciting enough,¡± he said. Then, he took the whip off the wall and said,


    ¡°Enjoy it, Mrs. Burton!¡±


    Rachel immediately closed her eyes. Her body seemed to have predicted the pain brought by the whip


    landing on her body, for the tragic scene six years ago yed itself over and over again in her mind.


    Just then, a loud bang was suddenly heard, and Rachel didn¡¯t feel pain as she had expected.


    Before Mr. Wayne could swish his whip, he was suddenly seized by the neck from behind by a pair of


    hands. Right after that, a forceful kick sent him rolling out of bed, and he let out a blood-curdling


    scream as someone trampled on his cheek with their leather shoes. ¡°Justin Burton!¡±


    Mr. Wayne¡¯s eyes were bulging out of their sockets. This scene was so familiar; the only difference was


    that he hadn¡¯t seen who the man before him was back then, whereas he saw the person very clearly


    today. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± He clenched his teeth. ¡°It was also you back then!¡±


    Justin looked as ck as thunder. ¡°How dare you touch one of my people? You really think you¡¯re


    indispensable to the herbal market in Riverdale, huh?¡±


    ¡°Aaaah!¡± Amid his shrill cries, Mr. Wayne covered his groin and curled himself into a ball, writhing about


    on the floor.


    Meanwhile, Rachel clutched the cor of her shirt and huddled in the corner of the bed while forcibly


    suppressing her physical difort.


    Justin locked eyes with her the instant he looked up. ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Rachel suddenly barked frostily as she dodged Justin¡¯s hand. Her eyes were


    extremely cold with no gratitude in them. Instead, the look in her eyes was one of disgust, anger, and


    profound shame.


    An angry look crept over Justin¡¯s face as he saw the look in Rachel¡¯s eyes. ¡°How could you be so


    unappreciative of my help when I just saved you?¡±


    ¡°Did I ask you to save me?¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Before Justin could finish his sentence, a noise was heard outside the door. ¡°Don¡¯t move! This is the


    police¡¯s anti-prostitution operation! Get down with your head in your hands!¡±


    Jolly burst into the room from behind several inclothes policemen. ¡°Chris! We were held up for a


    while just now. Are you okay?¡±


    Rachel shook her head.


    ¡°Justin? Why are you here?¡± When Jolly saw Justin and Mr. Wayne, who was lying in a corner, she


    immediately realized what had happened. She mocked, ¡°Wow, could you be here to y the hero who


    saves the damsel in distress?¡±


    When Justin saw the chaotic scene of policemen rushing into the nightclub and subduing everyone


    inside, he gave Rachel a long stare and asked in a cold voice, ¡°Did you set this up?¡±


    Rachel clutched her cor with a terrifyingly calm look in her eyes. ¡°Who else would it be? I¡¯m just


    doing this to protect myself, President Burton.¡±


    Justin let out a sneer. ¡°Protect yourself? You looked like you were being bullied, and you didn¡¯t dare to


    say anything this morning. Was that a show you put on in front of me?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t turn a hair. ¡°Naturally, you were only too eager to see me walking right into the trap. Am I


    brainless enough toe to such a ce, allow such a person to get me drunk, and then wait for you


    to save me like a hero so that I¡¯ll be deeply grateful to you?¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Jolly spread her arms wide and stood in front of Rachel while ring at


    Justin arrogantly. ¡°The police are outside. Do you want to get physical?¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes were aze with anger as his hands clenched into fists at his sides.


    ¡°Miss Carter, we need you to assist us by having your testimony recorded.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Jolly was called aside by the police to have her testimony recorded, leaving Justin and Rachel the only


    ones standing in the room. ¡°Come out with me.¡± Justin dragged the woman out of the room right away.


    The drug¡¯s effects on Rachel hadn¡¯t worn off, so she staggered as Justin dragged her. ¡°What are you


    doing? Let go of me! Justin!¡± She shook Justin¡¯s hand off with all her strength while panting heavily. ¡°If


    you¡¯re displeased because I caused the Burton Group to lose a business partner by setting up a trap


    for Mr. Wayne to be arrested, I¡¯ll find a way to make up for it. You don¡¯t have to make an issue out of


    this.¡±


    ¡°Am I such a person in your eyes?¡± Justin was boiling with rage. ¡°How could you not scruple to use


    yourself as bait to set up a trap? Did you even think about how you were going to walk out of here if


    your bestie couldn¡¯t arrive in time or if the nightclub had enough backing?¡± It scared him just to think of


    how serious the consequences could¡¯ve been.


    Rachel¡¯s fine eyebrows furrowed as she stared at Justin coldly. ¡°Thanks for caring about me, President


    Burton. However, have you forgotten that it was you who forced me to discuss the business deal with


    Mr. Wayne?¡±


    Justin was stunned.


    Just then, Jolly ran out of the room after them upon realizing that Rachel wasn¡¯t inside. ¡°Did he do


    anything to you, Chris?¡±


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Jolly helped Rachel by the arm. Before leaving, she shot Justin a fierce re and said, ¡°Stop


    pretending to care about her here. If you really cared about Chris, you wouldn¡¯t have let her get in


    touch with such a perverted sc*mbag in the beginning!¡±


    Justin clenched his fists as a trace of regret shed across his eyes. He admitted that he had forced


    Rachel to take up the project and get in touch with Mr. Wayne at first to punish her a little. He wanted


    her to know that not everything was under her control, but he never expected things to turn out this


    way.


    ¡­


    Jolly sent Rachel home after leaving the nightclub. ¡°Are you all right? I¡¯d better take you to the


    hospital.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m all right, and I¡¯ll be fine after having a rest at home. I¡¯ll ask thepany for several days off.¡±


    ¡°How could you still think about work at such a time?¡±


    Rachely down right away when she got home. As Jolly tucked her in, she sat on the edge of


    Rachel¡¯s bed and mumbled to herself, ¡°We¡¯d better finish our business here as soon as possible and


    go back to Montenegro. I really wonder if Riverdale is a bad ce for us; we¡¯ve gotten into so much


    trouble ever since we came back.¡± As she was mumbling, her cell phone finally vibrated. Jolly¡¯s pupils


    contracted slightly when she saw the caller ID, and she went out with her phone in her hand.


    On the other hand, Rachel had a long dream. In reality, she seldom dreamed about her childhood


    during the years she lived abroad. After she recovered the memories of what had happened back then,


    the past events of her childhood became so distinct to her that they no longer appeared in her dream.


    Tonight, however, she dreamed about her childhood and Justin once again.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 222

    My Mute Bride Chapter 222


    Chapter 222 A Dream About the Past


    Somerset Mountain was a poor and remote mountainous area. Few people really lived on the mountain


    except for a gang of human traffickers, so Rachel hadn¡¯t had any friends since she was little.


    Then, she met Justin, who was abducted and trafficked to Somerset Mountain. The days since then


    had been one of the few times in her childhood that she felt truly happy in thepany of someone


    around her age.


    ¡°My home is on fire, Justin! I have to go back!¡± ¡°You mustn¡¯t go back, Katie!¡± ¡°You should leave first,


    Justin.¡±


    ¡°Katie!¡± In the burning courtyard, a man with a scar on the corner of his eye stood at the door of the


    house and threw the emptied can of kerosene aside. After looking around, he came out and stared at


    the burning fire as the mes spread out of the courtyard.


    ¡°My mom is still inside!¡±


    ¡°Keep quiet!¡±


    The teenage boy covered little Rachel¡¯s mouth, and he wouldn¡¯t let go of her no matter how she cried


    and shouted. He kept waiting until the man with a scar on the corner of his eye left, whereas Rachel


    cried so hard that she nearly passed out.


    However, the fire was too big. Before the two kids could run down the mountain slope, the thatched


    cottage copsed in an instant, turning the courtyard into a sea of mes as the fire kept spreading


    toward the peak of the mountain.


    ¡°Run, Katie! Run!¡±


    ¡°Mommy! Mommy!¡±


    When Rachel suddenly heard a child¡¯s voice, she woke up from her nightmare in a daze and noticed


    the tiny figure standing beside her bed. Her eyelids felt so heavy that she could hardly open her eyes,


    and her voice was very weak. ¡°Why are you here, Samuel?¡±


    ¡°Today¡¯s the weekend. What¡¯s wrong with you, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little ill. Can you order some food by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As Samuel¡¯s sensible and obedient voice reverberated in her ears, Rachel soon closed her eyes and


    fell back into a deep sleep.


    After the young boy touched Rachel¡¯s hot forehead with his tiny hand, he immediately went out and got


    some ice packs from the fridge. Then, he wrapped the ice packs in a towel and put them on Rachel¡¯s


    forehead to help her cool down her body temperature. After doing all that, he stood beside the bed for a


    while, and his face scrunched up when he saw how ufortable Rachel looked. It¡¯ll be bad if her


    temperature doesn¡¯te down. As the thought urred to him, he immediately picked up his school


    bag and left home.


    It was already afternoon, and Justin was reading a magazine in the Burton Residence. He had been in


    a bad mood all day because of Rachel. Even though he recognized every word in the magazine, he


    couldn¡¯t concentrate on reading at all. Instead, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from darting a look at the door


    from time to time as he read the magazine.


    Ding dong! Just then, the sound of the doorbell ringing could be heard outside.


    Justin immediately put down the magazine, but he didn¡¯t see the person he was expecting when he


    opened the door. Instead, he saw a cute little boy standing behind the carved iron gate across the


    courtyard with a school bag shaped like a beetle on his back. The boy was pushing the gate with his


    tiny hands as he demanded in a forceful manner and said, ¡°Open the door for me.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Justin stepped out of the house. ¡°Did youe alone?¡±


    Samuel replied, ¡°Open the door for me first.¡±


    Justin reluctantly opened the gate, but he pressed Samuel¡¯s head with his hand and refused him entry.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you in. Tell me first¡ªwhat are you doing here?¡±


    Samuel shook his hand off in displeasure. ¡°I¡¯m here to see you. Hurry up ande with me.¡±


    ¡°Go with you? Why?¡±


    ¡°My mom is ill. Come to my house with me.¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Justin let out a cold sneer. ¡°You¡¯re only a child, yet you¡¯re already lying without thinking. I just saw her


    yesterday. Not only was she as fit as a fiddle, she even plotted against an old fox with her friend. How


    dare you tell me right now that she¡¯s ill?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. I¡¯m not lying.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you¡¯re telling the truth or lying. I¡¯m busy. If she wants to see me, tell her toe


    here in person instead of using her kid to make a fuss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you. Hurry up ande with me!¡± As Samuel got anxious, he grabbed Justin¡¯s arm


    and tried to pull him outside.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Justin was already in a bad mood in the first ce, so he became even more impatient


    right now. Since he wasn¡¯t careful with his strength while swinging his arm, he directly flung Samuel out


    of the way, causing thetter to take a pratfall.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Samuel moaned in pain as he fell to the ground.


    Justin was also stunned for a moment, but he adopted a stern countenance soon afterward. ¡°It¡¯s your


    fault for insisting on pulling me. I¡¯m telling you again¡ªif your mother wants to see me, tell her toe


    in person instead of using such contemptible means.¡±


    Since Samuel was hurt during the fall, his big eyes¡ªwhich looked like ck grapes¡ªinstantly misted


    over with tears. With an aggrieved look, he then yelled at Justin, ¡°You pushed me! My mom said that


    adults who hit kids are bad people. I hate you, and I don¡¯t want you to be my dad anymore! I¡¯ll go to Mr.


    Peters instead!¡±


    Justin was somewhat regretful at first, but his expression changed the instant he heard Samuel¡¯s


    words. ¡°I¡¯m not your dad in the first ce.¡± After finishing his sentence, he immediately closed the gate


    and went back inside without looking back.


    Samuel got up from the ground and stood angrily outside the gate for a few seconds before he left in a


    fury. I don¡¯t want to see Justin ever again, nor do I want this person to be my dad anymore. Mr. Peters


    is 10,000 times better than him; even Mr. Hernandez, that womanizer, is ten thousand times better than


    him!


    Shortly after Samuel walked out of the vi area, a figure stood in his way. He looked up at the man


    before him and said, ¡°You¡¯re blocking my way, mister.¡±


    The man leaned down toward him. ¡°Come with me, little kid.¡±


    In the meantime, Justin had just returned to the living room. He plonked himself down on the sofa and


    picked up the magazine he hadn¡¯t finished reading, but he could hardly concentrate as his mind was


    preupied with what Samuel had just said. How could that brat say he doesn¡¯t want me to be his dad


    when he is by no means rted to me? Does he think he can intimidate me by doing this? That¡¯s


    simply ridiculous. Also, how could Rachel feign illness to seek my pity after doing something wrong?


    That¡¯s thest trick that¡¯ll work on me. She shoulde back by herself if she¡¯s so capable.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Just then, Charlotte¡¯s voice was heard upstairs. Her white puff-sleeve nightdress reached


    down to her ankles as she walked downstairs barefoot while using the handrail to support herself. As


    she had just woken up from her afternoon nap, she still looked somewhat dazed. ¡°Daddy, I think I heard


    Samuel¡¯s voice.¡±


    ¡°Why did youe downstairs barefoot?¡± Justin immediately put down his magazine and went upstairs


    to carry Charlotte down.


    Charlotte wrapped her arms around his neck, but she was still thinking about Samuel. ¡°I really heard


    Samuel¡¯s voice. Is he here? Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He just left.¡±


    ¡°Did Samuel reallye?¡± Charlotte immediately became awake. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡±


    Justin replied perfunctorily, ¡°You were sleeping just now. Haven¡¯t you forbidden anyone to disturb you


    while you¡¯re sleeping?¡±


    ¡°How could Samuel be one of those people? He¡¯s my brother!¡±


    Justin frowned. ¡°He isn¡¯t your brother.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is my brother! How could you speak of him in such a way, Daddy? Didn¡¯t you promise me to


    be nice to Mommy and Samuel from now on? Where¡¯s Mommy?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s busy with something else.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Charlotte pushed Justin away and struggled to get out of his arms. ¡°I won¡¯t believe you


    anymore. I¡¯ll find Mommy by myself!¡± After finishing her sentence, she ran to the dressing room and got


    changed.


    ¡°Charlotte!¡± Justin could only go out with her since he couldn¡¯t make the little girl change her mind.


    They then reached Rachel¡¯s home, but no one answered the door after they rang the doorbell several


    times.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 223

    My Mute Bride Chapter 223


    Chapter 223 She¡¯s Really Sick


    Justin said, ¡°I told you she isn¡¯t home, Charlotte. She must have headed out for some business. Let¡¯s


    go home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible! It¡¯s the weekend!¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s nobody here, and there¡¯s no way for us to enter.¡± ¡°I have the password, though!¡± As the


    little girl spoke, she pulled the door knob and keyed in the password.


    Before Justin came to his senses, the door let out a beep and opened.


    ¡°How do you know the password, Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°Samuel told me about it. It¡¯s the sum of our birthdays.¡±


    Upon entering the door, the girl called out, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    The bedroom door was barely cracked open, and a dim, amber light shone from the other side. After


    pacing toward the room, Justin pushed the door open and saw a woman lying on the bed.


    We¡¯ve been making so much noise, yet there¡¯s not even a single reaction from her. Is she really sick?


    Meanwhile, Charlotte rushed over as well and made her way through under his arm, her feet pattering


    toward the bed. She lifted Rachel¡¯s hand gently, but before she could yell her mother¡¯s name, she


    uttered in surprise, ¡°So hot!¡±


    The stupefied Justin hurried over without pondering much.


    Beside Rachel¡¯s pillow was a fallen ice pack, and no one knew who had prepared it for her.


    Justin quickly reached his hand out and ced it on her forehead. He was shocked upon the scorching


    heat at a gentle touch. Clearly, it was a grave, high fever. She seemed fine yesterday, though. Why has


    it be so serious?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Mommy, Daddy?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the hospital, Charlotte. Tell your uncle we¡¯ll arrive at once.¡±


    Having said that, he picked Rachel up horizontally from the bed and stormed out the door.


    Very soon, he carried the woman into one of the emergency rooms in the hospital, and his hastiness


    attracted quite a bit of attention.


    Meanwhile, Julian, who had gotten the call earlier, was already waiting in the room. When he saw


    Justin carrying Rachel into the room, he immediately rebuked, ¡°What is it this time, Justin? What did


    you do to her again? She has always been sick, yet you continue to torture her. Can¡¯t you just cut her


    some ck?¡±


    ¡°How about you cut me some ck instead and take a look at her?!¡±


    As he gazed coldly at Julian, Justin put the woman down as he reminded, ¡°We checked her


    temperature on the way here. Her high fever is at 39.7 degrees.¡±


    As a professional, Julian¡¯s temper was easily controlled. As soon as he calmed down, he lifted Rachel¡¯s


    eyelids and shone a shlight at her eyeballs, questioning as he inspected, ¡°When did the fever start?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Thest time I saw her was at 11.00PM yesterday, and she seemed fine. We found her


    like this half an hour ago.¡±


    ¡°Did she consume something she shouldn¡¯t have?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡± The moment Justin blurted that, he seemed as though he had suddenly remembered


    something. ¡°She must have taken some propofol and some wine afterward. It was yesterday night.¡±


    Julian lifted his head, dumbfounded. ¡°Propofol?¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin glowered and said, ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? I didn¡¯t give her the drugs.¡±


    ¡°Prepare for a blood phlebotomy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Dr. Peters.¡±


    After hassling for almost half an hour, the test results finally came out. As they expected, the fever was


    caused by the iplete fading of the anestheticponent in the drugs.


    After setting up an infusion for Rachel, Julian pulled the curtains and came out of the ward.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Ask her yourself when she¡¯s awake.¡±


    Obviously, Justin found it troublesome to exin everything to him.


    When he saw how apathetic the other man was, Julian furiously grabbed his cors and lifted him up.


    ¡°D*mn it, Justin! Do you even know that she once nned to leave Riverdale after giving birth and


    ended up with a profuse bleeding at the airport? If I hadn¡¯t been beside her, she would have lost her


    life. All those years, her life depended on a substantial amount of drugs. Do you intend on destroying


    her once again?¡±


    Justin shoved Julian away, visibly irked. ¡°What the f*ck are you talking about? You¡¯re acting like I have


    no idea that she wasn¡¯t the promised spouse I was supposed to marry! Since she decided to deceive


    everyone, am I obliged to show her any respect? Instead of showing her baseless affection, I seriously


    think we¡¯re better off divorced!¡±


    ¡°Bullsh*t!¡± Julian gritted his teeth. ¡°Rae? Deceived everyone to marry you? Who on earth told you that?


    It was Amber, wasn¡¯t it? Rae only married you because Jefferey threatened her with her grandmother¡¯s


    life and forced her to marry you in Amber¡¯s ce!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Justin was baffled by this and questioned, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°If you actually cared about this, you would have looked into it instead of blindly taking Amber¡¯s words


    for it. Look at you getting fooled like d*mn clown. After all these years, you¡¯re still clueless as to what


    kind of woman Amber is, huh?¡±


    When he heard how Julian reprimanded him, Justin tightened his brows.


    Meanwhile, after an awfully long dream, Rachel woke up and found herself in the hospital. When she


    came to her senses, she saw Julian yawning by her bed, and it felt like five years back in Montenegro


    all over again.


    Back then, her health was so atrocious that she was constantly frequenting the hospital, and always


    woke up by Julian¡¯s side.


    ¡°Are you awake yet?¡± After being a doctor for years, he could never fall into deep sleep anymore. ¡°How


    do you feel? Better?¡±


    Rachel expressed apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for troubling you again.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re family, aren¡¯t we? Your fever has gone down. Get some more rest, and you¡¯ll be discharged


    tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Since she felt drained, Rachel shut her eyes once again and was weed by the scenery in her


    dream; it seemed like time had stopped, and her yard was covered in mes while a teenager was


    pulling her away.


    Initially, she had been contemting how to face Justin when she returned to Riverdale, only to find out


    later that he had already forgotten about everything he had to do with her. Well, it works for me.


    The next morning, Julian was about to send Rachel home after finishing up his shift. Much to his


    surprise, the ward was already empty by then.


    When a nurse saw him standing there idly, she said, ¡°Miss Hudson just left, and she told me to inform


    you about it.¡±


    ¡°All right, I got it.¡±


    With that, Julian immediately gave Rachel a call.


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to manage in the office, so I left in a hurry. Sorry, Julian, I didn¡¯t manage to


    say goodbye.¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°By the way, if you have the time, could you check on Samuel for me? Jolly has been missing these


    few days and the kid has been home alone. He¡¯s only going to school tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Right when the call ended, Rachel arrived at Burton Group where Lisa was waiting for her in the lobby.


    ¡°Morning, Chris. Mr. Howard somehow heard about our contact with Mr. Wayne and explicitly


    expressed to discontinue our partnership contract.¡±


    ¡°Did you try talking to him and rifying that we have no intentions to work with Mr. Wayne?


    ¡°They¡¯re refusing to have any contact with us. Perhaps we should get President Burton to handle this.¡±


    Rachel frowned and answered, ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin was studying some project ns in his office.


    Suddenly, Frankie came over and handed him a couple of documents that needed his signature.


    ¡°President Burton, I¡¯ve amended these as you requested. If there aren¡¯t any other issues, you may sign


    them.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave, then.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± said Justin, stopping Frankie.


    ¡°What is it, President Burton?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 224

    My Mute Bride Chapter 224


    Chapter 224 The One Kidnapped Was Samuel


    ¡°When Rachel and I were married, was I a monster to her?¡± At those words, Frankie¡¯s heart skipped a


    beat as he warily quizzed, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ out of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°I was, wasn¡¯t I? Although I can¡¯t remember those times clearly, Julian has no reason to lie to me about


    them.¡± Justin tensed his eyebrows, attempting to figure out what it was that made him so upset with a


    woman. Even if Rachel, a trick sent over by the Hudsons, wasn¡¯t the person he wanted to marry, what


    did she do so wrong to deserve his ill treatment?


    As he held the documents in hand, Frankie paused at the door and muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it,


    President Burton. Things must have happened for a reason.¡±


    ¡°What happened to Rachel¡¯s grandmotherter on?¡±


    After hesitating for a while, the assistant answered, ¡°She was kidnapped, and her health failed her


    afterward.¡±


    ¡°Did they find out who the kidnappers were?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Frankie had a hard time speaking up, but he forcefully answered, ¡°They were some desperate


    lackeys who had bad blood with ourpany. They couldn¡¯t catch anyone, so they targeted her


    grandmother. Actually, you went to negotiate right away, but it was already toote by then.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s the reason for our divorce?¡±


    Upon seeing how Frankie stayed silent, Justin confirmed his assumption and his eyes darkened. ¡°You


    may leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±


    After changing her clothes in her office, Rachel went to look for Justin.


    Since he was the one who decided to switch to a new supplier, it was only natural to let him settle the


    issue. After all, Burton Pharmaceuticals was his blood and sweat, so who would take care of it if not


    him?


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The office door was pushed open after a series of knocks, and the sound of Rachel¡¯s heels tapping on


    the floor echoed in the room. When Justin looked up from hisputer, he was stunned when the


    woman fell into his vision. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing weird here, though. I haven¡¯t resigned, have I?¡±


    cing a file on his table, Rachel stated, ¡°This morning, I received news regarding Mr. Howard¡¯s


    refusal to renew our partnership contract. Mr. Howard, who has been the supplier of Burton


    Pharmaceuticals, must have heard something and assumed that we intend to work with Mr. Wayne.¡±


    ¡°You rushed to work from the hospital just because of this?¡±


    ¡°How did you know I came from the hospital?¡±


    Although she was slightly baffled, she didn¡¯t give it much thought. Before Justin could answer her, she


    steered off from his question and continued, ¡°Anyway, Mr. Howard is definitely not the only one who


    has heard about it. If this were to spread, the rest of our suppliers would want to cut ties with us, and


    our uing line of distribution will surely fail.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll manage it. Take a couple days off and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that? Are you firing me?¡±


    Justin glowered as he said, ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    Is he not going to fire me?


    Rachel¡¯s first instinct was getting fired. After all, other than the issue with Mr. Howard, the other


    suppliers were rather troublesome as well, and all of these happened only after she took over the


    company.


    All of a sudden, a thundering ringtone interrupted their conversation.


    Justin answered his phone right in front of Rachel and said, ¡°Hello?¡±


    From the other side of the phone, a man¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Justin Burton, your son is in my hands. If


    you still wish to see him breathing,e to the abandoned theater in Eastown at once!¡±


    When he nced at the screen, he saw a fabricated number and hung up right away.


    For God¡¯s sake, when will these scammers ever learn?


    They didn¡¯t even try to find out that he only had one daughter, yet they had the audacity to threaten


    him.


    After ending the call, Justin then said to Rachel, ¡°I¡¯m saying that since you¡¯re sick, you should go home


    and rest for a couple days. It¡¯s just sick leave and not a dismissal, okay?¡±


    Rachel asked in a dazed manner, ¡°You¡¯re allowing me to take some days off?¡±


    She was thoroughly confused by Justin¡¯s kind-heartedness.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a maniacal boss who wouldn¡¯t let his sick employees off?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­¡±


    Before she couldplete her sentence, Justin¡¯s phone rang again.


    After epting the call, he impatiently said, ¡°What son? I don¡¯t have a son. You¡¯ve gotten the wrong


    man, dude.¡±


    ¡°D*mn it, Justin, can¡¯t you even recognize your own son?¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Before the caller could finish, he was already listening to the sound of a disconnected call.


    ¡°Piece of sh*t!¡±


    As he stared at his phone¡¯s screen, the man instantly frowned. ¡°How can the man not care about his


    own son? No wonder he¡¯s such a sessful businessman.¡±


    ¡°I told you calling Justin was no use. He doesn¡¯t like me one bit.¡±


    A child¡¯s voice was heard from behind.


    It was Samuel, who had his limbs tied and tossed onto a broken couch. Despite the horrible situation,


    the boy, who was unusually calm, then said, ¡°It¡¯s not like I like him anyway. He¡¯s never treated me as


    his own son, and I don¡¯t care if he isn¡¯t my dad!¡±


    ¡°Bullsh*t. He¡¯s outright acknowledged that you¡¯re his son. With you being the only son of the Burtons,


    there¡¯s no way he¡¯d ignore you.¡±


    ¡°Your belief is up to you. Either way, he won¡¯te regardless of your petty attempts, and I¡¯d rather be


    released. Besides, kidnapping is a crime. If the police know you did this, they¡¯ll surely catch you!¡±


    ¡°Shut it, kid!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a cliche drama, and the bad guys always get caught. Do you think you can run away from this? If


    you let me go now, I¡¯ll let this pass.¡±


    Although Samuel was only a young boy, his sense of reason was pretty sharp.


    The kidnapper was surprised after seeing how the victim was soposed. Moreover, since the kid


    was barely ten, the kidnapper couldn¡¯t bear toy a finger even if he wanted to. Thus, he viciously


    warned, ¡°One more word and I¡¯ll stuff your mouth. How¡¯s that?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Samuel reluctantly shut his mouth.


    The kidnapper gazed at his phone and imed, ¡°Daddy doesn¡¯t care about you, but I¡¯m sure mommy


    does!¡±


    After saying that, he dialed another number.


    Meanwhile, in Burton Group, Rachel had just exited Justin¡¯s office after being escorted out by Frankie.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, do not be worried about our suppliers. President Burton has it all under control, and


    these trivial matters will be dealt with very shortly.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s prepared for it?¡±


    ¡°To be frank, Mr. Wayne isn¡¯t a suitable partner, or he wouldn¡¯t have made it in thepany¡¯s cklist


    back then. We¡¯re only using him for other reasons.¡±


    ¡°Other reasons?¡±


    Before she could ask more, her phone suddenly rang.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Let me get this.¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    Upon tapping on her phone, she heard a man¡¯s malicious tone. ¡°Your son is in my hands. If you wish to


    see him alive, have Justin Burtone to the abandoned theater in Eastown. Do not call the cops, or


    you¡¯ll get to see the lifeless body of this boy!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression changed, and she quickly questioned, ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    Nevertheless, the kidnapper didn¡¯t care to exin to her. Out of the blue, Samuel¡¯s voice could be


    heard from the phone. ¡°Save me, Mommy!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 225

    My Mute Bride Chapter 225


    Chapter 225 Surprised?


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    When Rachel heard the familiar voice, her hands trembled. ¡°Samuel!¡± Meanwhile, Frankie sensed that


    something was off and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Miss Hudson? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Samuel¡¯s¡­¡± As she was about to exin, she remembered the kidnapper¡¯s warning, so she


    immediately stopped. After all, she was reminded of the incident with her grandmother, and all she


    could feel in that instant was panic.


    ¡°What about Samuel?¡± Since she was too panicked to exin anything, Rachel grew impatient while


    waiting for the elevator and turned around before she stormed toward the staircase. On the other hand,


    Frankie couldn¡¯t even stop her.


    ¡°President Burton, Miss Hudson just received a call and rushed off. Something seems to have


    happened to Samuel.¡± Upon returning to the office, Frankie ryed the situation to Justin.


    Thetter asked doubtfully, ¡°What can possibly happen to that brat?¡± The brat¡¯s always acting as if he¡¯s


    a grown-up, running to my home to look for me and all that. Even if he were to bump into a trafficker,


    he¡¯d be the one to traffic the trafficker.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either, but it seemed urgent. Perhaps something has really happened to him. Why don¡¯t


    we send someone to check it out, President Burton?¡±


    As he scowled, Justin suddenly remembered the phone call from earlier. Instantly, he gripped the pen


    in his hand. To the outside world, Samuel was his own son¡ªhe was being kidnapped!


    Meanwhile, Rachel phoned Julian as she rushed to the abandoned theater in Eastown. ¡°Hello? Are you


    at my ce? Is Samuel at home?¡±


    ¡°I was going to ask you if Samuel went out by himself. There¡¯s no one here.¡±


    Upon hearing Julian¡¯s words, Rachel affirmed the kidnapper¡¯s threats.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Chris?¡± Julian queried as he sensed something wrong with her tone.


    ¡°Nothing. There¡¯s something I need to do. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± Upon finishing her sentence, she quickly


    hung up on him.


    Since Rachel feared that the kidnapper might be monitoring her phone calls, she didn¡¯t dare to tell him


    about Samuel¡¯s kidnapper. Otherwise, the kid would be dead.


    After half an hour, the cab started navigating to the abandoned theater in Eastown.


    The sky was rather cloudy, as if a downpour would ur very soon. While bushes of grass filled both


    sides of the path to the old theater, theplementing tall trees were left unmanaged. Nheless,


    they had grown quite healthily as the rich leaves shielded the sunrays. Despite being the afternoon, the


    ce was so dark it felt like the sun had already set.


    Once Rachel got out of the taxi, she stormed right into the theater. In the spacious hall, dust covered


    every surface as cobwebs pervaded the walls.


    ¡°Samuel!¡± Rachel immediately yelled when she entered the building as her concerned voice echoed


    throughout the hallway.


    Unfortunately, the room was empty as there was no one to be seen. After countless shouts, the


    speakers in the corner suddenly sounded with piercing static noises that would force frowns on faces.


    ¡°Have youe alone?¡±


    The dumbfounded Rachel saw someone approaching. On the stage full of fixtures, a figure showed up


    from backstage, and he was followed by two men that seemed to be bodyguards who carried a chair


    with them.


    ¡°Mr. Wayne?¡± Rachel felt a chill. How is he already out of jail?


    The chubby man sat on the chair; the wound on his face was still visible as the bruise under his eye


    made him appear even more intimidating.


    ¡°Are you surprised to see me, Mrs. Burton?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. Justin and I divorced five years ago. I bear no rtionship with him!¡±


    At that moment, Rachel was aware that even if she had offended Mr. Wayne, a nobody like her could


    ever cause such big trouble that the man woulde to her himself. Hence, it was obvious that the


    feud was between him and Justin, and that was why he addressed her that way. When she thought


    back to the earlier phone call, he did explicitly ask for Justin to show up.


    ¡°Am I a moron to you? Can¡¯t I tell whether there¡¯s a connection between the two of you?¡± Mr. Wayne


    leered at Rachel icily and continued, ¡°Six years ago, you guys yed me like a fool; six yearster, you


    guys managed to clown me once more! What a pair you guys are! Masters of deceit, huh?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about, Mr. Wayne, but Samuel is innocent!¡±


    ¡°Bullsh*t! If Justin fails toe and kneel before me, I¡¯ll feed the boy to the sharks. You better believe


    it!¡± As he finished speaking, another bodyguard appeared from backstage with a child all tied up before


    tossing him to the ground.


    At once, Samuel let out a muffled sound. Since his mouth was taped, he couldn¡¯t voice much.


    ¡°Samuel!¡± As the sight of her tormented son devastated her, Rachel charged toward the stage.


    However, she was easily pinned down by the two bodyguards.


    ¡°Let him go!¡± Rachel was about to copse. Samuel¡¯s only a boy! What did he do to deserve being


    tortured like this?


    Mr. Wayne lit up a cigarette, and the subtle smoke wafting in the air of the gloomy theater was barely


    visible. ¡°Let him go? What leverage would I have on you if I were to let him go? That sh*t you two


    pulled off years ago f*cked me up bad! In that case, who should I seek revenge from?¡±


    ¡°I still have no idea what you¡¯re talking about! Justin and I divorced a long time ago!¡±


    ¡°Cut the sh*t! You were still together when you set me up. And now you¡¯re all slithery, pushing sh*t to


    each other! Dream on, f*ckers!¡±


    ¡°What the hell do you want?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Justin? I want to see him.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯te. Samuel¡¯s not his son!¡±


    ¡°Ten minutes.¡± As if he didn¡¯t hear her, he raised his hand and revealed a priceless stopwatch. ¡°I¡¯ll give


    you ten minutes. If he doesn¡¯t show up by then, I¡¯ll cut off one of the brat¡¯s hands; another ten minutes


    will cost him the other hand. If he still doesn¡¯t show up after twenty minutes, the brat is as good as fish


    food!¡±


    At that moment, Rachel was utterly terrified. She opened her eyes wide and shrieked, ¡°Don¡¯t touch my


    boy!¡±


    ¡°Guess you better have Justin over as soon as possible if you want to keep your boy safe!¡± Mr.


    Wayne¡¯s voice reverberated in the theater.


    After shaking off the bodyguards grabbing her, she attempted to give Justin a call with her shaking


    hands.


    ¡°Sorry. The number you¡¯ve dialed is unavable. Please try againter.¡±


    No one answered the call.


    ¡°He¡¯s not picking up!¡±


    ¡°Seven minutes, Mrs. Burton.¡±


    Even though she was losing hope, Rachel was still desperate. Hence, all she could do was phone


    Justin repetitively. After a while, the call finally got through as the man¡¯s emotionless voice was heard.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    At the end of her tether, she panickedly pleaded, ¡°Please save Samuel, Justin!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Where are you now?¡±


    ¡°Give me that sh*t!¡± As Mr. Wayne extended his hand toward Rachel, the bodyguard beside him


    snatched away the phone that was in her hand and handed it over to his boss.


    Mr. Wayne proceeded to turn on the speakers right in front of Rachel. ¡°How have you been, President


    Burton?¡±


    Justin was stupefied for a moment, but he calmly said, ¡°Mr. Wayne? Are you with Rachel?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 226

    My Mute Bride Chapter 226


    Chapter 226 Keep Her for Yourself if You Like


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Are you that surprised?¡± ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m a bit surprised. Could it be that you¡¯d like to continue


    working together with Burton Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Wayne? If that¡¯s the case, we can put off firing


    Rachel for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that crap! Don¡¯t you dare think I have no idea that you and your wife are just pretending


    in front of me again. I¡¯m telling you, Justin¡ªyour son is in my hands right now!¡± Mr. Wayne suddenly


    darted a look at Rachel. ¡°Your woman is now in my hands as well. If you don¡¯te over, I¡¯ll throw your


    son into the river and feed the fishes. Guess what will happen to your woman then.¡±


    Justin let out a sneer on the other end of the line. ¡°Are you kidding me, Mr. Wayne? Everyone in


    Riverdale knows that I only have a daughter. Since when did I get myself a son?¡±


    Mr. Wayne frowned upon hearing Justin¡¯s words.


    ¡°As for the boy you kidnapped, I¡¯m also curious about who his biological father is. Please find that out


    on my behalf before throwing him into the river. As for Rachel, just keep her for yourself if you want to.¡±


    ¡°Justin! You¡ª¡±


    The call was disconnected right away.


    Meanwhile, the bodyguards in the theater looked at each other in amazement; this was the first time


    they had ever seen such a cruel man. Doesn¡¯t he care about his son and woman?


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Mr. Wayne red at Rachel angrily. ¡°You two are pretending in front of me here, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°I¡¯ve told you earlier that he doesn¡¯t care about us. Even if we aren¡¯t divorced, you


    cannot threaten him by abducting us both.¡±


    Mr. Wayne¡¯s face turned livid with anger. Just then, one of the bodyguards suggested, ¡°Mr. Wayne, it


    seems that Justin Burton cares about his daughter the most. How about we find a way to get her


    here?¡±


    ¡°Do I need you to say that?¡± Mr. Wayne shot a re at the bodyguard. ¡°I would have gotten her here a


    long time ago if I could!¡± Charlotte had bodyguards around her all year round, and no ordinary person


    could get close to her. Evidently, this showed how much Justin cared about her.


    Rachel pleaded anxiously, ¡°Please let us go, Mr. Wayne. We mean nothing to Justin, so it won¡¯t work if


    you try to get even with him by using us.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool? If I let you go, you¡¯ll call the police as soon as you get out of there, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t, Mr. Wayne. I swear that I¡¯ll never call the police,¡± Rachel replied. ¡°After all, I have no evidence


    to prove that you¡¯ve abducted Samuel. Even if I call the police, there¡¯s no way to build a case against


    you. As long as you let us off, I¡¯ll pretend that nothing ever happened. I¡¯m just a nobody, Mr. Wayne. It


    isn¡¯t worth it to ruin your business in Riverdale and the standing you¡¯ve enjoyed for so many years


    because of me.¡±


    Mr. Wayne seemed to be persuaded by Rachel¡¯s words. He waved his hand and ordered, ¡°Let them get


    out of here!¡±


    One of the bodyguards dragged Samuel to his feet and pushed him to Rachel¡¯s side. ¡°Did you hear


    that? He¡¯s telling you two to get lost! Hurry up and get out of here!¡±


    Rachel immediately lifted Samuel up. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Wayne.¡±


    It was somewhat dark outside, and the rain poured down after a rumble of thunder. As soon as Rachel


    walked out of the theater with Samuel in her arms, she untied him and carefully tore off the adhesive


    tape on his mouth. ¡°Are you all right, Samuel?¡±


    Samuel shook his head sensibly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mommy. It¡¯s just that my mouth hurts a little. Could you blow


    on it, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Okay, let me blow on it. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t even a soul near the abandoned theater in the heavy rain, and Rachel couldn¡¯t call a taxi


    as Mr. Wayne had taken away her cell phone. Just when she was at a loss for what to do, a ck


    sedan emerged from the rain and pulled up at the theater¡¯s entrance. After the driver¡¯s door opened,


    the man¡¯s tall figure got out of the car and walked toward them while holding a big ck umbre.


    Justin? Rachel was stunned and in disbelief. Didn¡¯t he say that he wouldn¡¯te?


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Justin¡¯s voice brought her attention back to the present. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Get into the car.¡±


    Rachel felt like she was in a dream as she and Samuel sat in the car. ¡°Did you drive here alone? Didn¡¯t


    you say that you wouldn¡¯te?¡±


    Before Justin could respond, Samuel revealed his pretty face from under the soft and fluffy towel. ¡°How


    could you not know this, Mommy? Daddy must¡¯ve been afraid that we might be threatened if the


    kidnappers know we¡¯re important to him, so he deliberately pretended not to care about us so that they


    would let us off! Am I right, Daddy?¡±


    ¡°You know quite a lot.¡± Justin shot a nce at Samuel. He then asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you hated


    me the most before vowing to never speak to me again?¡±


    Upon that, Samuel blinked his eyes and replied, ¡°Since you¡¯re smart enough toe and pick us up in


    time, we¡¯ll forgive you! Isn¡¯t that right, Mommy?¡±


    Rachel frowned, and her feelings were mixed. However, just as she was about to say something, the


    side window of the car broke into pieces with a loud crash.


    The sound of the car¡¯s window shattering into pieces was drowned out by the rumbling thunder as the


    shattered tempered ss smashed into the car like an ice storm during winter. Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t


    hurt at all when the pieces of ss hit them.


    Perhaps because of a mother¡¯s instinct and reflexes, Rachel¡¯s first response was to hug Samuel,


    shielding him in her arms as the shards of ss hit her back. Amid the child¡¯s screams, the car door


    was opened, and she was forcibly dragged out of the car. Then, she was flung to the ground in the rain


    with a loud thud.


    Justin immediately opened the car door and got out of the car after her. ¡°Let go of her!¡± he shouted.


    When two bodyguards stopped him, he kicked one of them out of the way and seized the other by the


    cor before giving him a hard punch. Then, he helped Rachel up in the rain and asked, ¡°Are you all


    right?¡±


    ¡°Justin!¡± A voice thundered in the heavy rain.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Justin and Rachel¡¯s expressions changed when they heard Samuel¡¯s scream.


    A third hatchet man emerged from nowhere and dragged Samuel out of the car. At this moment, he


    held a gleaming dagger to Samuel¡¯s throat and dragged him to the theater¡¯s entrance in the heavy rain.


    The curtain of rain separated Samuel from everyone else as a pair of ck leather shoes appeared


    beside him. It was still the chair, the bodyguards, and the man with a greasy face, but he no longer


    looked as brainless as he had been just moments before.


    On the contrary, Mr. Wayne had a sneer on his fleshy face. ¡°It¡¯s enough that you¡¯ve tricked me once.


    Do you really think that I¡¯ll still believe you? No one will ever let their children get hurt. Besides, if you


    really didn¡¯t care about this b*tch, you wouldn¡¯t have hurried to the nightclub anxiously that day. Do you


    think that I¡¯m an idiot, Justin?¡±


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Samuel shouted while crying.


    Rachel was so anxious that she tried to rush toward Samuel, but Justin stopped her. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    she urged.


    ¡°Calm down!¡± Justin said to her. Then, he said to Mr. Wayne, ¡°Let go of Samuel. The child is innocent.


    Juste at me if you bear any grudges against me.¡±


    ¡°So now you¡¯re willing to be honest, huh? Didn¡¯t you say that you don¡¯t care about him? Mr. Wayne


    mocked. ¡°If you had admitted this earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to wait here for such a long time.


    Seeing you three having a nice time in the car makes me want to throw up.¡±


    ¡°What the hell do you want?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know what I want? Have you forgotten what you did to me six years ago?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 227

    My Mute Bride Chapter 227


    Chapter 227 Keep On Running, and Don¡¯t Look Back


    Mr. Wayne looked as miserable as sin while he spoke of what had happened six years ago. ¡°You


    offered your wife to me six years ago, only to go back on it at thest minute. Not only did you steal my


    business away, you even crippled me! How should I get even with you for that?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression changed in disbelief when she heard this. Did Justin cripple Mr. Wayne back then?


    I never heard him talk about this, though, she thought to herself. ¡°Mr. Wayne!¡± she called out anxiously


    as she came to her senses.


    ¡°So much time has passed since what happened six years ago. No matter what he has done, you look


    healthy and fine right now. We can negotiate over whatpensation you want, so don¡¯t hurt Samuel.¡±


    ¡°Fine?¡± Mr. Wayne suddenly flew into a rage and grabbed Samuel toward him. Amid Samuel¡¯s cries of


    pain and Rachel¡¯s screams, he seized Samuel by the throat and asked, ¡°Look! It¡¯s been six years. You


    two have kids, whereas I¡¯ll die childless. Is this what you mean by saying that I¡¯m healthy?¡±


    Die childless? Rachel was stunned. What has Justin done to Mr. Wayne back then¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s settle the score today for everything you¡¯ve done to me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch him!¡± Rachel¡¯s screams were almost desperate. ¡°Let go of Samuel, please!¡±


    However, Justin grabbed her and stopped her from going to Samuel¡¯s side. He then said to Mr. Wayne,


    ¡°Now that things have turned out like this, you can¡¯t make up for anything by hurting a child. What


    exactly do you want? I can promise you anything as long as you let go of Samuel.¡±


    ¡°I want you to kneel down and kowtow to me now!¡± Mr. Wayne¡¯s bellow reverberated in the rain.


    Rachel¡¯s face turned deathly pale. Before she coulde to her senses, the man beside her knelt


    down toward Mr. Wayne without batting an eyelid, sshing rainwater as his knees hit the wet ground.


    Rachel looked at him in disbelief, for no one knew how proud he was better than her.


    Obviously, Mr. Wayne hadn¡¯t expected that either. After being stunned for a moment, he burst into


    laughter. ¡°Serves you right, doesn¡¯t it, Justin? How could you say you don¡¯t care about this little brat


    now that you¡¯re kneeling before me?¡±


    ¡°Can you let go of him now?¡±


    ¡°In your dreams!¡± Mr. Wayne replied while holding Samuel by the throat. He threatened, ¡°I want you to


    kneel down and kowtow to me until I¡¯m satisfied!¡±


    Justin¡¯s hands clenched into fists at his sides. ¡°Justin!¡± Rachel said as she tried to drag him up, but


    before she could reach out her hand, she saw him bending down and kowtowing in Mr. Wayne¡¯s


    direction.


    ¡°It¡¯s not loud enough. I can¡¯t hear it.¡±


    Without hesitation, Justin kowtowed again in the rain, his forehead knocking against the ground.


    ¡°I want you to apologize to me and beg me for mercy while you kowtow to me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Wayne. Please be the bigger person and let Samuel off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. Just go on.¡±


    Justin bent down and kowtowed in the rain over and over again. Soon, his forehead was grazed, and


    the blood that trickled down his cheeks was washed away by the rain.


    The rain got heavier and heavier, and Rachel could hardly keep her eyes open as her tears were mixed


    with the rainwater. He¡¯s such a proud man, yet he¡¯s allowing Mr. Wayne to humiliate him like this. She


    shouted anxiously, ¡°Isn¡¯t this enough, Mr. Wayne?¡±


    ¡°Enough? How could this be enough?¡± Mr. Wayne threw Samuel aside and took a document from the


    bodyguard beside him. ¡°Here¡¯s a contract. I want you to transfer the piece ofnd that the Burton Group


    has acquired to me unconditionally.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s head buzzed, for the same condition had been put forward six years ago.


    Justin got up from the ground and stood in the rain, drenched. In fact, he could hardly keep his feet if it


    weren¡¯t that Rachel was helping him by the arm. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Come over and sign the paper then.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Rachel supported Justin as they walked step by step toward Mr. Wayne.


    Mr. Wayne¡¯s bodyguard handed the pen to Justin, turned the pages of the contract right away to the


    last page where the signature was supposed to be, and let Justin sign his name.


    Justin was holding the felt-tip pen, but Rachel stopped him as soon as the tip of the pen touched that


    page¡ªshe wanted to persuade him to wait a minute and rethink it. After all, Samuel wasn¡¯t rted to


    him by blood, so he needn¡¯t go to such lengths. However, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say that since


    she wanted to save Samuel as well.


    It seemed as though Justin knew what she was thinking; he held her hand tightly for a moment and


    signed his name on the document right away without saying a word. ¡°I¡¯ve signed it, Mr. Wayne.¡±


    Mr. Wayne took the document from the bodyguard and looked it over with satisfaction. ¡°Justin, I really


    didn¡¯t expect you to be so flexible as to agree to transfer such a huge project without protest.


    Unfortunately, it¡¯s not that easy to forget about what happened back then. I¡¯m still going to throw this


    boy into the river¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, Justin suddenly kicked the bodyguard beside him out of the way


    and knocked over the hatchet man who was holding a dagger to Samuel¡¯s throat. After pushing Samuel


    toward Rachel, he shouted, ¡°Run!¡±


    Rachel turned around and fled with Samuel in her arms. She didn¡¯t dare to look back, for all she could


    think about was what Justin had whispered to her ear just now when she supported him to let him sign


    the document. ¡°I¡¯ll stall them in a while, Rachel. Run away from here with Samuel, and do not look


    back!¡± The words ¡®Keep on running, and don¡¯t look back!¡¯ keep reverberating in her ears.


    Rachel ran into the rain with Samuel in her arms. She didn¡¯t dare to look back, nor could she do so.


    She knew that there was still hope for everything if she ran away, but Mr. Wayne would never go soft


    on them if she was caught. She didn¡¯t know how she had run away from there, nor did she know how


    she found the courage to stop a car by the side of the road. All she knew was that something snapped


    inside her when she saw that the person who got out of the car was none other than Julian. ¡°Save us,


    Julian! Call the police!¡± The sound of police sirens and ambnce sirens mixed together was the only


    sound she remembered before passing out.


    ¡­


    Rachel found herself in the hospital¡¯s ward when she regained consciousness. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Julian


    held down her arms. ¡°Lie down, and don¡¯t move.¡±


    Rachel felt dizzy as soon as she got up.


    Julian said, ¡°You¡¯re very weak because you got caught in the rain when you hadn¡¯t fully recovered from


    your fever. You need to rest for a few more days lest you contract pneumonia.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s throat itched as soon as she opened her mouth, and her head buzzed as she coughed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Samuel is fine. That kid¡¯s in good health, so he¡¯s already alive and kicking. Jolly has taken


    him back.¡±


    Rachel nodded in relief. Suddenly, she recalled something and asked anxiously, ¡°What about Justin?¡±


    Julian¡¯s face instantly wore aplicated look.


    ¡°How is he?¡± Rachel became anxious at once. I ran away from there at the time, leaving him all alone


    with those thugs. Also, Mr. Wayne hates his guts, so he definitely wouldn¡¯t go easy on him. And it took


    so long for the police to arrive¡­ ¡°How exactly is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine!¡± Julian held her down. ¡°Calm down, okay? He just injured one of his legs and will recover


    after some rest.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s really all right.¡±


    However, Rachel didn¡¯t believe Julian until he stressed that repeatedly. Julian had aplicated look


    on his face when he saw how distracted she looked. ¡°Chris, you still care a lot about him, actually.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 228

    My Mute Bride Chapter 228


    Chapter 228 One Should Always Repay the Kindness That People Have Shown Them


    Rachel was stunned upon hearing Julian¡¯s words.


    ¡°Just have a good rest and call me if you need anything,¡± Julian said. Then, he got up and left with no


    intention of hearing her response.


    Rachel¡¯s lips quivered as she watched him leave, but she didn¡¯t exin anything in the end.


    Thanks to the conclusive evidence, Mr. Wayne was detained for the kidnapping and was awaiting trial.


    Furthermore, he had previously been charged with running a prostitution business. Therefore, it was


    almost impossible for him to escape punishment byw this time, and his predicament had been


    reported on the news quite a number of times.


    Frankie told Justin about this in the ward. He said, ¡°Now that things have gotten so serious, no one


    would dare to shield Mr. Wayne anymore. Also, you¡¯d better have another string to your bow. Who


    settled the case of his nightclub¡¯s involvement in prostitutionst time? Collect the evidence and have it


    mailed anonymously to the Discipline Inspection Bureau.¡±


    ¡°I have sent someone to get it done already.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Justin leaned his back against the head of the bed, his leg still in ster. Then, he nced out


    of the door and asked, ¡°How is she?¡±


    Frankie hesitated for a moment. ¡°Miss Hudson has been discharged from the hospital.¡±


    Justin immediately straightened up in disbelief. ¡°She¡¯s already been discharged?¡± How could she leave


    the hospital without a word after I did her such a huge favor?


    Frankie exined in embarrassment, ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for two days, whereas Miss Hudson


    was only in frail health. She was discharged from the hospital after a day¡¯s rest, and that is quite


    normal.¡±


    ¡°Normal? Do you think it¡¯s normal for her to leave right away without even saying thank you to the


    person who saved her life?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, President Burton, but it was because of you that Samuel got kidnapped, so this


    matter is actually¡ª¡± Frankie said, but he got a dirty look before he could finish his sentence. Since he


    didn¡¯t dare to say another word, he quickly buttoned his lip. ¡°Uh, please have lunch first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not eating. Take it away!¡± Justin¡¯s face darkened as he flipped the pages of the contract in his hand


    loudly.


    Frankie scratched his head. Did I put my foot in it again?


    Frankie looked at the lunch box he was carrying as he left the ward. After hesitating for a long time, he


    dialed a number. ¡°Hello, Miss Hudson? It¡¯s me, Frankie.¡±


    Rachel was making lunch at home. After answering the phone, she turned down the heat, walked


    toward the living room, and asked on the other end of the line, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Uh, Miss Hudson, could youe to the hospital if you¡¯re free?¡±


    ¡°Why? Did something happen there?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Actually, something did happen.¡± Frankie sounded very troubled. ¡°President Burton refuses to


    eat anything. The way I see it, he isn¡¯t going to eat anything until you¡¯re here. You don¡¯t have to do


    anything, though¡ªall you have to do ise here and say that you made the food. I¡¯ll get the meal


    ready.¡±


    Rachel fell silent at once.


    After a long time, Frankie sighed on the other end of the line. He said carefully, ¡°I know such a request


    is a bit too unreasonable for you. President Burton has forgotten what happened back then, but I know


    all of it. I¡¯m sorry for making such a presumptuous request, and please pretend that I never called you.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Rachel sat on the sofa in a trance with her cell phone in her hand. Samuel


    poked his head out of the crack of his bedroom door and watched for a long time before calling,


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Rachel came to her senses at once. ¡°Are you hungry, Samuel? The soup will be ready in a minute.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯d like to go to the hospital to visit Daddy. Can I do that?¡±


    Rachel was startled. ¡°We don¡¯t need to go to the hospital. Somebody is looking after him there.¡±


    Samuel grabbed Rachel¡¯s hand. ¡°But Daddy is staying alone in the hospital with no visitors. Besides,


    the food in the hospital must be tasteless. If he can¡¯t eat the food in the hospital, he¡¯ll fall sick. That¡¯s


    pathetic.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t fall sick.¡±


    ¡°He will, and I heard it. Didn¡¯t Mr. Beckham say that he¡¯s refusing to eat anything?¡±


    Rachel frowned. ¡°Do you really want to see him?¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Samuel nodded solemnly. ¡°Daddy saved my life, after all. Mommy, didn¡¯t you say that we


    should always repay the kindness that people have shown us?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s feelings were mixed; she couldn¡¯t tell Samuel that he had been kidnapped only because he


    was unountably acknowledged as Justin¡¯s son. If it weren¡¯t for Justin, his life would have been


    peaceful, and nothing would have happened. The same was true of what had happened to Nancy back


    then. Despite all the efforts Justin had made, it was because of him that Nancy died in the end.


    However, the words ¡®Keep on running, and don¡¯t look back,¡¯ had been reverberating in her ears these


    days ever since she heard them in the rain. These words kept invading her dreams at night as they


    ovepped with the voices she had heard during the fire back when she was little.


    Just as Frankie was at a loss for what to do in the hospital¡¯s inpatient department, he saw a familiar


    figureing out of the elevator. When he saw the figure walking toward the ward with short legs, his


    eyes lit up at once. ¡°Samuel?¡±


    Samuel was carrying his school bag with a lunch box in his hand. ¡°Hi, Mr. Beckham.¡±


    ¡°Samuel, where¡¯s your mom?¡±


    ¡°Mom said she wouldn¡¯te, but she told me to bring this here.¡± Samuel handed the lunch box to


    Frankie. ¡°This is for Daddy. Mommy made this herself.¡±


    Frankie took the lunch box and nced behind Samuel hesitantly. ¡°Is your mom really not here?¡±


    Samuel winked and put his tiny hand on his lips as he whispered, ¡°Shh! It¡¯s a secret.¡±


    How could Rachel possibly allow Samuel to go out alone after thetter had been kidnapped once?


    Frankie smiled as he realized what the boy meant. He knocked on the door, entered the ward, and


    said, ¡°Look who¡¯s here, President Burton.¡±


    Justin¡¯s cold eyes lit up visibly the instant he saw Samuel, but he regained hisposure soon


    afterward. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Samuel entered the ward like an adult and put the lunch box on the table. Then, as he put down his


    school bag, he replied, ¡°I¡¯m here to bring you your lunch. It¡¯s delicious; my mom made it herself.¡±


    ¡°Where is she? Why didn¡¯t shee in person?¡±


    ¡°My mom is very busy.¡±


    ¡°Is she so busy that she doesn¡¯t have time to deliver the meal that she had time to prepare?¡±


    Samuel turned around and looked at Justin with a stern countenance. ¡°Are you going to eat it or not?¡±


    Justin was rendered speechless by his words.


    Meanwhile, Frankie called a nurse over to help adjust the armchair and the small desk beside the


    sickbed to the right angle so that it would be convenient for Justin to rest his stered leg properly and


    eat his lunch.


    ¡°Mommy said that the fish soup is rich in calcium. You should drink more of it.¡±


    ¡°No man keeps talking about their mom like you,¡± Justin needled Samuel as he drank the fish soup.


    Perhaps because people of the same gender often found each other repugnant, he had always given


    Samuel the cold shoulder. Even after his narrow escape from death this time, he was still impatient with


    the boy. Frankie seriously suspected that Samuel would have been thrown out of the ward as soon as


    he entered if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he had brought the food Rachel prepared.


    Samuel disagreed with Justin, though. ¡°My mom is right, so why can¡¯t I say that? Don¡¯t you have a


    mother?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Justin was so speechless with rage that he could only drown his indignation in food.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 229

    My Mute Bride Chapter 229


    Chapter 229 A Meal Made With Love for a Patient


    Meanwhile, Charlotte got out of the car outside the hospital under escort by her bodyguards. She came


    to the hospital to visit Justin. She had been angry with him a few days ago when Rachel didn¡¯t return


    home. However, while she was still in a sulk, she heard that he had been hospitalized. She got anxious


    at once, and she insisted oning to the hospital.


    As soon as Charlotte exited the elevator and walked toward the ward, she saw a familiar figure


    standing against the wall from a distance. ¡°Mommy?¡± she called tentatively at first. The instant Rachel


    looked back, her eyes immediately lit up, and she ran toward her. ¡°Mommy! Why are you standing here


    instead of going in?¡±


    Rachel was startled as well. Evidently, she didn¡¯t expect to run into Charlotte here. ¡°Why are you here,


    Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to visit Daddy. You¡¯re here to visit Daddy too, aren¡¯t you, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not¡ª¡±


    Before Rachel could finish her sentence, Samuel was heard lecturing Justin in the ward. ¡°Don¡¯t waste


    the food. You must finish the meal Mommy prepared, or I won¡¯t bring you meals anymore!¡±


    Charlotte instantly figured out what had happened. ¡°Mommy, did you prepare a meal for Daddy?¡± she


    asked. Then, before Rachel could speak, she immediately dragged her into the ward. ¡°Come in with


    me, Mommy. Come in with me!¡±


    Since Rachel wasn¡¯t prepared, she staggered while Charlotte dragged her into the ward.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± Samuel looked back and winked at Rachel while standing in front of the sickbed. When he


    saw Charlotte, the two clever kids looked at each other knowingly.


    Justin, who was eating the fish soup, started coughing at once when he saw Rachel.


    Rachel frowned as she handed the box of tissue beside her to him.


    Justin stopped coughing and resumed his overbearing manner. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t be


    coming?¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°Frankie called me and said you refused to eat lunch because the food in the hospital


    wasn¡¯t to your taste.¡±


    Justin hemmed twice. ¡°What a busybody.¡±


    Charlotte chimed in, ¡°Daddy, you always say one thing and mean another. You wanted to see Mommy,


    so you should give Mr. Beckham a pay raise. If it weren¡¯t for him, you wouldn¡¯t have had a meal made


    with love for a patient!¡±


    A meal prepared with love for a patient? The atmosphere in the ward suddenly became somewhat


    awkward as Justin and Rachel exchanged nces.


    Justin put down his cutlery without leaving any food in the lunch box. He then said in embarrassment,


    ¡°I¡¯ve finished the meal.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t say much either. She went over, packed up the lunch box, and beckoned to Samuel.


    ¡°Time to go, Samuel.¡±


    Samuel was startled by this, and he subconsciously shot a nce at Charlotte. Thetter immediately


    asked, ¡°Mommy, won¡¯t you stay a little longer? Will youe again tonight?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s fine eyebrows furrowed slightly. Obviously, her troubled expression exined everything.


    Justin¡¯s face darkened at once. ¡°Just leave. I¡¯m going to have a rest.¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Charlotte called out to him in displeasure.


    Rachel was about to leave with Samuel when Frankie suddenly knocked on the door and came in.


    ¡°President Burton, Mr. Jenkins would like to visit you.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t see him! Just tell him that I¡¯m asleep,¡± Justin replied impatiently as he picked up a book and


    read it.


    Frankie looked at Rachel with a troubled expression. As he sensed the awkward atmosphere in the


    room at this moment, he didn¡¯t dare to say another word, so he left obediently.


    Meanwhile, Rachel carried the lunch box in her hand. After some consideration, she said in the


    sickbed¡¯s direction, ¡°I¡¯lle againter in the evening. If you¡¯re hungry, eat something first to


    suppress your hunger.¡±


    Justin¡¯s hands froze for a long time before he responded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving then. Have a good rest and call me if anything happens to Charlotte,¡± Rachel said before


    leaving with Samuel.


    After Rachel left, Charlotte peeped at Justin from under the book with her head tilted to one side.


    ¡°She¡¯s left, Daddy. Just stop pretending. You¡¯re happy!¡± As she spoke, she climbed onto the bed,


    reached out her hand, and snatched the book from him.


    Justin deliberately kept a straight face despite the obviously unconceble trace of a smile on his face,


    which was typically stony all year round. ¡°Why should I be happy about it?¡±


    Charlotte curled her lips. ¡°You¡¯re obviously happy¡ªin fact, you¡¯re bursting with joy. Mommy meant that


    she¡¯ll bring you meals until you get discharged from the hospital. You must seize such a great


    opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Did I ask her to deliver meals to me?¡±


    ¡°Daddy, neither Samuel nor I can help you anymore if you keep going on like this.¡± Charlotte folded her


    arms across her chest like an adult lecturing someone. ¡°One must be sincere when chasing women,


    but you look very insincere. I wouldn¡¯t want to talk to you if I were Mommy!¡±


    Justin pinched her nose. ¡°You¡¯re just a little girl. What do you know about chasing women at such a


    young age?¡±


    ¡°I know that! I just know that.¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s itchy! You¡¯re so naughty, Daddy!¡±


    Justin yed boisterously with Charlotte in such a good mood that he didn¡¯t hear the knock on the


    door. When Dennis Jenkins, the Burton Family¡¯s butler, pushed the door open and came in right away,


    he immediately dragged Charlotte out of the sickbed after witnessing this. ¡°Miss Charlotte, you mustn¡¯t


    get too crazy while ying. Young Master Justin has a ster cast on his leg right now.¡±


    Charlotte was instantly displeased when she was dragged out of bed. ¡°I didn¡¯t touch Daddy¡¯s leg!¡±


    Justin frowned as well. ¡°What brings you here, Mr. Jenkins?¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton has learned of your injury and is worried, so he told me toe and visit you. You


    really are too neglectful of your health, Young Master Justin.¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. ¡°The summer vi is so far away, but the news traveled there pretty


    quickly, eh?¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton is concerned about your safety, after all,¡± Dennis replied with a stern look. ¡°Also, Old


    Mr. Burton has learned about this time¡¯s incident. How could you put yourself in danger to save a kid


    who¡¯s totally unrted to you?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Jenkins! That boy isn¡¯t unrted to me. He¡¯s Charlotte¡¯s brother as well as my son.¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton isn¡¯t in his dotage yet. That boy¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mr. Jenkins!¡± Justin¡¯s face suddenly clouded over as he brought Dennis up short with a cold and


    prating re. ¡°Charlotte, go out and y with Frankie.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Charlotte broke free of Dennis¡¯ grasp and ran out of the ward reluctantly.


    As soon as the door to the ward closed, Justin shot Dennis a cold re. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether


    Grandpa knows Samuel¡¯s parentage or not. I have made a statement at the press conference, so he¡¯s


    my son as long as I acknowledge him as mine.¡±


    ¡°You mustn¡¯t act on impulse, Young Master Justin.¡±


    ¡°You guys don¡¯t want the Burtons to be seen as a family that goes back on its words in the eyes of the


    public, do you? Who could bear the responsibility for the impact on our family¡¯s business if we can¡¯t win


    the public¡¯s trust at all?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Dennis was rendered speechless by Justin¡¯s words. After a long time, he said, ¡°Even so, you¡¯re still


    engaged to Miss Amber, Young Master Justin. In any case, you should keep some distance from


    Rachel.¡±


    Justin frowned slightly upon hearing his words.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 230

    My Mute Bride Chapter 230


    Chapter 230 The Real Reason Behind Her Care


    ¡°The Old Master has reminded you to discuss your marriage with him once you recover. If everything


    goes well, he wants everything to be done by the end of the year. Besides, it¡¯s been too long since the


    Burton Familyst had any weddings.¡±


    ¡°Rest well, Young Master. I shall take my leave.¡± After finishing his sentence, the butler immediately left


    the room.


    Meanwhile, Rachel¡¯s car was leaving the hospital¡¯s parking lot. After making a circle around the


    hospital, she got nervous when she saw the Burtons¡¯ butler exiting the hospital entrance.


    Suddenly, Samuel¡¯s sweet voice broke her concentration from behind. ¡°Will you being to visit


    Daddy every day from now on?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. What about it, Samuel?¡±


    ¡°I used to think that Justin was a bad man after how he smashed the music box I gave Charlotte. Later,


    he pushed me to the ground and hurt me so much. But when he rescued me, he looked very brave, so


    I think he¡¯s able to protect you.¡±


    ¡°He pushed you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He did that when I went to look for him the day you got sick. It was the same day I got kidnapped


    by that bad man.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel revealed a frown.


    ¡°But he saved me, so I¡¯ve already forgiven him.¡±


    Since she was too focused on the fact that Justin had shoved Samuel to the ground, Rachel missed


    everything else the boy had said afterward, but that was enough for her to determine she made the


    right decision today.


    As the most exceptional heir to the Burtons, Justin was highly respected by Arthur. Back when they got


    married, Arthur had expressed that Justin was allowed to date any woman even if they weren¡¯t as


    outstanding as him, and he could even be with a nobody. However, the catch was that he couldn¡¯t let


    the woman affect his business.


    Six years ago, Rachel was nothing but menace to him, and she was someone not even close from


    being a suitable option to be with.


    Now, in Arthur¡¯s eyes, Chris was someone who hade forth with indecent purposes, and that made


    her even less of a choice.


    Thus, the old man would surely notice her if she got closer to Justin¡ªthis was also the very reason she


    had decided to visit Justin in the hospital every day.


    Later that night, the sky was already pitch ck when Rachel reached the hospital.


    After pulling the curtain, the nurse asked Justin if he wanted to eat for the third time.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Thanks.¡±


    As he said that, his eyes were fixated at the door.


    Upon seeing his expectant look, Frankie instinctively felt helpless.


    How the tables have turned!


    ¡°You¡¯re here, Miss Hudson.¡±


    Upon those words, Justin instantlyy back on the bed and exhibited an apathetic look as if he heard


    nothing.


    Rachel put down the lunchbox and naturally scanned the room. ¡°Where¡¯s Charlotte?¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin was dissatisfied with the fact that she was only paying attention to the kids.


    Nheless, Charlotte was their daughter, so there was nothing he could debate with. ¡°There¡¯s bound


    to be lots of germs in the hospital, so we had the maid get her earlier.¡±


    Rachel opened the lunchbox and asked, ¡°Will you be sending her back to Old Mr. Burton since no one


    is going to take care of her for now?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Justin gazed at her. ¡°Are you not going to take care of her?¡±


    ¡°Jolly is on a business trip, and Samuel is alone at home.¡±


    ¡°Charlotte¡¯s home alone too!¡±


    Rachel nced at him and continued, ¡°Eat up. I¡¯ll have to go back early. Samuel¡¯s alone at home, and I


    feel uneasy about that.¡±


    Although she missed Charlotte, there were maids and guards at the Burton Residence, so the girl didn¡¯t


    have to worry about food and security. Plus, after the kidnapping incident, no one could me Rachel


    for worrying about her son being alone at home.


    Upon revealing a gloomy face, Justin then questioned, ¡°Are you still mad at me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Cut the act. You must be ming me for Samuel¡¯s kidnapping, right?¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath before she raised her head. ¡°Fine, since you¡¯re that persistent, I¡¯ll do you


    one better. Do you think Mr. Wayne would have kidnapped Samuel if you hadn¡¯t offended him?¡±


    ¡°You must have been dying to say that during thest few days, eh?¡±


    Rachel remained calm and stared at Justin. ¡°More like the past years.¡±


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t just Samuel. Back then, her grandmother¡¯s abduction could also be traced back to


    Justin.


    Upon hearing the woman¡¯seback, Justin became even more furious.


    The man smashed his cutlery against the table. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like eating anymore. Get this away from


    me!¡±


    After Frankie had told him the details of the kidnapping of Rachel¡¯s grandmother, he was aware that the


    abduction was caused by himself. Nevertheless, he bore no such a memory, so it was rather difficult for


    him to ept it, feeling wronged with how people around him were saying that he mistreated her when


    she came back to Riverdale.


    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t recall those memories no matter how hard he tried.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Frustrating. How frustrating!


    After ncing at the angry man, Rachel started packing the meal without hesitation.


    When he saw that she was about to leave after collecting her belongings, Justin yelled in a vexed


    manner, ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were allowed to leave!¡±


    With that, she countered, ¡°Why should I stay if you¡¯re not eating anyway?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Upon being rendered speechless, he responded, ¡°I¡¯m a patient, okay? Can¡¯t you justpromise


    with me?¡±


    ¡°No can do.¡±


    At that, Justin was so displeased he could tear the hospital down. However, he clenched his teeth after


    a while and reluctantly stated, ¡°Samuel may stay at my ce.¡±


    At once, Rachel was stupefied.


    Justin avoided eye contact with her and rified, ¡°I mean that he can only stay there while I¡¯m here! For


    now, Samuel and Charlotte and stay together. Since there are people taking care of them, they should


    be safe, and you¡¯ll be able toe here without any distractions.¡±


    Before she coulde to her senses, the man impatiently expressed, ¡°I¡¯m starving here! I need some


    food!¡±


    Despite that, Rachel still couldn¡¯t get over the fact that he would propose to let Samuel stay over at his


    ce.


    After handing him a new set of cutlery, she watched as Justin wolfed down his meal. All of a sudden,


    the man in front of her felt like an entirely different entity from the one in her memories as there was not


    even a hint of resemnce between the two.


    To what extent did he lose his memories for him to turn into a new man?


    As she packed up the lunchbox and used cutlery, Rachel said, ¡°Tell me what you feel like eating


    tomorrow, and I¡¯ll prepare it for you.¡±


    ¡°Anything is fine.¡±


    ¡°in porridge it is.¡±


    ¡°in? Are you actually serious?¡± If his leg wasn¡¯t hanging above the bed in a cast, Justin would have


    jumped on her.


    Although she was merely teasing him, when her eyes fell on his leg, her emotions were immediately


    disrupted.


    Upon seeing her expression, Justinforted her by saying, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll fully recover after half a


    month, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried at all.¡±


    ¡°In that case, why were you staring at it?¡± Justin gave her a condescending look. ¡°Well, you must have


    seen how good I eat countless times by now.¡±


    Having no intention to entertain him, she took the container and left. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Samuel¡¯s waiting for


    me.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Justin blurted out. ¡°Grab something for me, will you?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 231

    My Mute Bride Chapter 231


    Chapter 231 Something of Yours


    ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an agreement file in the bedside dresser.¡± Rachel bent down and started going


    through the dresser. ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°The ck one.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all ck.¡± ¡°Keep searching. It was the business n we discussed during the


    meeting.¡± Upon seeing a familiar file, she grabbed it and got back up while saying, ¡°Is it this one¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, her cheek bumped into something. When she turned her head


    while Justin was lying on his stomach, she eliminated the distance between them as the tips of their


    noses brushed against each other, sharing a breath of air. All of a sudden, the air in the room turned


    hot.


    Upon Justin¡¯s close-in, Rachel¡¯s primitive instinct acted up before she forcefully shoved him away.


    After letting out a muffled yell, Justin fell back to his bed. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I should be asking you that instead!¡±


    As her heart palpitated, Rachel leaned against the wall while her body shook. She thought about how


    they had almost kissed, and her mind continued to dwell on it.


    Before Justin could say anything, she tossed him the file and swiftly exited the ward.


    The door mmed shut with a bang before Justin forced himself up and revealed a smile.


    On the other hand, Rachel had yet to calm herself down as she was leaving the hospital.


    Justin must have gone insane! How is he so different already? During that unintentional yet intimate


    moment earlier, she almost went in for the kiss.


    And that was the most fearsome incident that had happened ever since her return to Riverdale.


    Regardless of the memory loss, he¡¯s still Justin Burton¡ªhe¡¯s not someone else.


    After repetitively reminding herself that, Rachel started her car and navigated into the night as it got


    even darker.


    Meanwhile, in the living room of the Hudson Residence, Jefferey had just ended a call with Arthur.


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    Amber asked with an eager tone.


    To that, her father replied, ¡°He wants both the families to meet up for a discussion to decide on the


    wedding day when Justin is discharged from the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Amber was visibly on cloud nine.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get this excited. All this time, did you even care to visit him in the hospital?¡±


    Upon hearing that, the woman was taken aback.


    When she had heard about his hospitalization, she had actually gone to visit him once. However, since


    Justin was unconscious at that time, she stayed for a bit and promptly departed. ¡°He just woke up this


    morning, so I didn¡¯t manage to go¡­¡±


    ¡°If you dy your visit any further, I think that it¡¯ll affect your marriage with him in no time.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°The hospital staff informed me that Rachel was there.¡±


    ¡°Why is she there?¡±


    ¡°To please him, of course¡ªany man would buy that.¡±


    Amber was visibly disturbed as she shouted, ¡°How shameless of her!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something else.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Do you happen to know anyone called Mr. Wayne?¡±


    Amber was suddenly taken aback by this, but she deliberately quizzed, ¡°Mr. Wayne? Who are you


    referring to?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Mr. Wayne from Golden Herbs Enterprise. Why did Gunny inform me that you went to


    see him in private? What business do you have with him?¡±


    ¡°Me? He must have mistaken somebody else for me. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d have any connections with


    that scoundrel.¡±


    Jefferey let out a cold snort and stated, ¡°He¡¯d better have. I warn you, Amber¡ªno matter what you did


    in the past, handle everything from now on cleanly. Although the Burton Family has controlled the


    spread, Justin¡¯s injury and Mr. Wayne¡¯s capture on the news are obviously connected.¡±


    They¡¯re connected? At once, Amber¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It was a wonder to her how Justin had


    managed to break his own leg with bodyguards by his side.


    I¡¯ve only told him about Rachel, though. Was it because of her?


    Late at night, Rachel was rolling on her bed as she failed to fall asleep.


    Suddenly, her phone beeped and showed a message notification.


    After pressing on the message, she saw a photo taken in a restaurant. After zooming on it, she got


    anxious and hastily dialed a number.


    ¡°Hello? What¡¯s the photo about, Victor?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was about to ask you! After hearing about the abduction from Samuel and seeing the


    news surrounding Mr. Wayne, I was immediately reminded of something I saw in a restaurant. I simply


    snapped a pic of her when I saw her, but I didn¡¯t pay any attention to it at the time.¡±


    He continued skeptically, ¡°I¡¯m not mistaken, am I? That¡¯s Amber, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s her.¡± Rachel¡¯s tone was rather dull.


    All this while, she had suspicions toward Mr. Wayne¡¯s sudden urrence after so many years. Now


    that she had seen the photograph, it was evident someone was pulling the strings from behind.


    The next day, Rachel went to visit Justin.


    Upon exiting the elevator, she saw Amber at the entrance of the ward.


    Just as she expected the so-called loyal girlfriend would be making her appearance at such a time.


    ¡°Rachel?¡±


    Before Rachel could say anything, Amber shot her a resentful re. As the piercing sound of heels


    striking the floor filled the room, she then rebuked, ¡°You actually came, huh! You must be addicted to


    being the third wheel, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Took the words right out of my mouth.¡± Upon leering at Amber, Rachel then countered by saying,


    ¡°Weren¡¯t so hooked on bing the third wheel back then that you actually obtained your spot?¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap!¡±


    Amber gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯m telling you this¡ªI¡¯ll let go of the past, but you cannot step foot


    into this hospital again, and you¡¯re to cut off all contact with Justin. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for


    teaching you a lesson!¡±


    As if Amber had thought of something, she suddenly calmed down and boastfully eximed, ¡°By the


    way, Justin and I are getting married. That¡¯s what Old Mr. Burton called Dad for, at the very least. If you


    behave yourself, you might get an invitation.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°If Justin were to know that you met Mr. Wayne in private, do you think there would even be a


    wedding?¡±


    The visibly shocked Amber then questioned, ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    Rachel swiftly pulled out her phone and swiped to the photo that Victor had sent her. She then


    continued calmly, ¡°You cheated on Noah previously, and now there¡¯s this issue with Mr. Wayne.


    However, I¡¯m not going to show all my cards just yet. You can¡¯t even clean up your own mess, yet


    you¡¯re throwing threats on me!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ the photo¡¯s fake! Justin would never believe you!¡±


    Rachel replied casually, ¡°That¡¯s true. Photos and videos can be forged. But you know what, Amber?


    After all these years, I happen to find something of yours very useful.¡±


    While Amber was still processing those words, a burning thermos jar was tossed onto her chest.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    A shriek thundered across the hallway.


    As she was screaming, the container of food sttered across her chest. Her dear, vegetable-stained


    Chanel suit resembled a piece of scrap cloth straight out of the trash bag.


    ¡°Are you nuts?¡±


    ¡°You could simply say that you do not wish me to visit President Burton, but did you really have to do


    this?¡± Before Amber could continue, Rachel¡¯s voice echoed through the corridor.


    At that moment, Frankie stormed out of the ward and saw the scene of an opened lunch box with its


    components sshed on the ground. Meanwhile, Rachel was squatting on the ground as she cleaned


    it up.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 232

    My Mute Bride Chapter 232


    Chapter 232 You Still Haven¡¯t Officially Married Into the Burton Family


    ¡°Miss Hudson, are you okay?¡± ¡°Have you gone blind, Frankie? Asking her whether she¡¯s all right?¡±


    Amber was in disbelief. ¡°She flung that lunchbox at me. Didn¡¯t you see her do that?¡±


    Frankie walked past Amber, looking as though he hadn¡¯t heard the woman. ¡°Don¡¯t clean up anymore.


    You¡¯re not hurt, are you? Mr. Burton asked for you to go inside.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Rachel¡¯s head was lowered. ¡°Since the food¡¯s all on the floor now, he can have the hospital¡¯s


    food for lunch instead.¡±


    ¡°What is this act, Rachel?!¡± Amber was on the verge of an aneurysm from her anger. ¡°Get up and


    exin yourself properly!¡±


    With that, her hand moved toward Rachel. Just as she was about to make contact with her, Rachel


    gave a shout of surprise and crashed onto the floor, butt-first.


    ¡°You!¡± Amber¡¯s expression was unbelievably ugly as she stared at her own hand, still held aloft in the


    air.


    She hadn¡¯t even touched Rachel.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± called a cold voice from behind. Justin had appeared behind her at some point and


    gripped Amber¡¯s hand. Meanwhile, his face was stormy.


    ¡°Justin!¡± Amber¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think it is. I didn¡¯t touch her at all, and she fell by


    herself.¡±


    ¡°I saw it all clear as day¡ªyou pushed Miss Hudson,¡± Frankie said with certainty as he eyed Amber.


    Amber was so furious that she nearly got tongue-tied. ¡°You¡¯re spewing nonsense! You¡¯re in league with


    that mute. You came just at the right moment, Justin. You have to fire Frankie today. He can¡¯t tell


    fantasy from reality anymore. Does he not have eyes? He even sided with that woman and framed it on


    me!¡±


    ¡°Has he framed you? What did Frankie use you of?¡±


    By then, Frankie had helped Rachel up. Although Rachel had gotten some of the food on herself, her


    expression was calm. On the contrary, it made others pity her even more. ¡°Mr. Burton, Frankie didn¡¯t do


    anything wrong here. I really shouldn¡¯t havee over every day to waste everyone¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°So long as you¡¯re self-aware about it!¡± Amber red at her balefully. ¡°Don¡¯t you know your ce?


    Anyone can see what your motives are for getting close to Justin.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Justin coldly cut Amber off. ¡°You still haven¡¯t officially married into the Burton Family. And


    even if you have, what right do you have to point fingers at my subordinates?¡±


    Amber was taken aback. She had been with Justin for so many years now; although he was civil to her


    most of the time, he had never been so harsh with his words before. In an instant, she panicked.


    ¡°Justin.¡±


    Justin coldly dodged Amber¡¯s hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you for the next few days. Go home. Frankie,


    escort her.¡± After delivering that frosty reply, Justin then reached out to Rachel and gripped her arm.


    ¡°Stop cleaning ande with me.¡±


    Rachel froze slightly.


    An indignant Amber tried to follow them, but Frankie stopped her. ¡°This way please, Miss Amber.¡±


    Amber nearly blew her top as she stared at Frankie¡¯s frigid expression. ¡°You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t


    you? Who do you think you are, speaking up for that mute? You think you¡¯ll get a promotion because of


    that?¡±


    However, Frankie took her jabs in stride. He simply beckoned at her without humoring her with a reply.


    For the past few years, he observed all that had happened to Justin as a third party, and he took notice


    of Amber¡¯s actions too. He had promised Arthur that he would stay silent about Justin¡¯s amnesia


    because he knew too much.


    He could not leave the Burtons, and he certainly could not leave Justin, for he would be the first person


    Amber would strike at mercilessly once he left this sanctuary.


    Meanwhile, Rachel followed Justin and entered the room.


    ¡°Did you scald yourself anywhere? Let me take a look.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Rachel drew back her hands. The back of her right hand was slightly red from the soup that


    had sshed on it. However, it was nothingpared to Amber¡¯s scathing remarks. She was just


    going all in with this pretense, for this would just make it seem even more realistic.


    Didn¡¯t Amber love to y this trick back then?


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Justin had an angry look on his face. Without another word, he pressed


    the buzzer and called for a nurse to treat Rachel¡¯s hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, and there aren¡¯t any blisters either. Since the weather has been rather hot


    recently, just be careful not to cover your hands,¡± the nurse said after she rubbed some burn cream on


    Rachel¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Got it, thank you.¡±


    Once the nurse had left, Rachel lifted her head and looked at Justin, who was sitting across from her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to lie on the bed instead?¡±


    His leg was still in its ster cast as he sat on the couch. With nowhere for him to put his leg up


    properly, the couch seemed overly cramped. He had sat across Rachel and watched her closely as the


    nurse treated her burn earlier, which made Rachel feel ufortable.


    He ignored her question. ¡°You were like this in the past too. Why don¡¯t you fight back when people beat


    you down? Why do you hold everything back?¡± Justin asked.


    Rachel furrowed her brows. ¡°What¡¯s the point of that question?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Amber your sister? Why are you scared of her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s no sister of mine.¡± Rachel¡¯s eyes darkened a little. ¡°I¡¯ll help you over to the bed.¡±


    Justin frowned as he took in Rachel¡¯s expression, feeling as though he had said the wrong thing.


    It had been a while since Rachel returned to the country, but he hadn¡¯t heard of her returning home


    once. Not only that, he never heard anyone mentioning that Jefferey had another daughter during the


    whole time he had amnesia.


    To her, the Hudsons were probably not her family.


    Justin couldn¡¯t be bothered to think too much about this for now. He simply arrived at the conclusion


    that Rachel¡¯s hesitance toward the Hudsons was due to Jefferey¡¯s favoritism toward his own biological


    daughter and the unequal treatment that he gave Rachel.


    ¡°Slow down.¡± Rachel helped Justin onto the bed with one hand supporting his arm. The two of them


    were close, and the indelible scent of orchids wafting under his nose once again engraved itself into


    Justin¡¯s mind. All of a sudden, he found himself unable to look away.


    Rachel was very pretty. Her features were defined, yet they were also harmonious and bnced, which


    was a ssic beauty indeed. When she smiled, the dimples that formed made her look all the more


    refreshing. Yet, she rarely did so, and even when she smiled, there was also a veneer of fakeness to it,


    something that he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on.


    Was she like that in the past too?


    That question once again shed across Justin¡¯s mind. When he realized what had happened, his


    heart suddenly thumped rapidly.


    Lately, he would unconsciously try and guess how Rachel used to be back then when she was with


    him.


    Was she always sopromising, always swallowing her true feelings?


    ¡°Justin.¡± Rachel¡¯s voice drifted by, pulling his mind back to reality.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How long are you going to stare at me for?¡±


    When Justin noticed Rachel¡¯s quiet, serene gaze, his mind once again descended into frantess.


    ¡°Was I even staring?¡± he immediately denied.


    Rachel nced at him. ¡°Really? Don¡¯t you feel tired from standing like that?¡±


    It was only then that Justin realized that he had been standing by the bed all this while without moving


    a muscle. He promptly sat down, his expression stiff.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 233

    My Mute Bride Chapter 233


    Chapter 233 There¡¯s No Making up for the Past


    Rachel poured him a ss of water and ced it next to his bed. Then, with well-practiced movements,


    she took out some papers from the cab and set them aside. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving


    then. Frankie will be hereter with some new food for you.¡±


    ¡°Why are you in such a rush? Have you been busy at work recently?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been very busy. I¡¯ve


    been keeping tabs on this one project.¡±


    ¡°In that case, leave it to others.¡± Justin¡¯s tone brooked no argument. ¡°You only have one task, and that


    is to take care of me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t being from tomorrow onward.¡±


    Justin promptly stood up right after that. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I hurt my hand, so I can¡¯t cook.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Justin stared at her. ¡°I can still eat hospital food if you can¡¯t cook, but you muste every


    day to take care of me. I ended up hurt because I saved Samuel, so you have to take responsibility for


    this.¡±


    ¡°I think that Amber was right; I should indeed know when to pull myself back. I shouldn¡¯t have gotten so


    close to you. Coming to the hospital every day with food for you will make people¡¯s tongues wag. You


    have a fiancee, so leave this to her in the future,¡± Rachel said with a straight face.


    ¡°Are you angry with me right now?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m simplyying it to you straight, Mr. Burton. I think you should rify what our rtionship is. I


    am your ex-wife, and the only person connecting us is Charlotte.¡±


    Justin looked at the woman before him. All of a sudden, he felt a kind of disappointment that he


    couldn¡¯t describe. She clearly was the one who started it all, but now, he actually couldn¡¯t quite leave


    everything behind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave then,¡± Rachel said when she saw how Justin remained silent.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Justin called after her. ¡°Even if Charlotte is the only reason we havemon ground, I am still


    your superior. I am nowmanding you as your superior to stay behind and take care of me.¡±


    ¡°The Burton Group has no such rule.¡±


    ¡°I make the rules.¡± Justin¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Unless you want to stop working at the Burton


    Group, you¡¯ll have to follow my orders.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable.¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t seem to have heard her. ¡°Go down to the cafeteria now and get me some food. Also, I


    want pork rib soup for dinner.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s forehead was screwed up in a tight frown. After standing there for a while, she finally made


    her way over to the hospital¡¯s cafeteria.


    The ufortable expression on her face vanished without a trace the moment she left Justin¡¯s ward.


    In the meantime, coldness bubbled up in those quiet eyes of hers.


    For the next week after that, Rachel spent the rest of her time outside of working hours caring for


    Justin.


    ¡°Frankie, is President Burton the same person we remember?¡± The secretary promptly stopped Frankie


    right after dropping off some papers for Justin. ¡°He just smiled when I asked him to sign those papers.¡±


    Frankie¡¯s expression wasposed as usual. ¡°When finance made a mistake in their data, Mr. Enfield


    personally came over, expecting to be scolded. Guess what Mr. Burton said to him?¡±


    ¡°Of course President Burton chewed him out. There¡¯s a chance he might¡¯ve even fired Mr. Enfield on


    the spot.¡±


    ¡°No, President Burton said to be more careful next time.¡±


    The secretary¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°For real?¡±


    ¡°Why would I lie to you about this?¡±


    ¡°Did he get a personality swap? Has the hospital been spiking his food or something?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that nonsense?¡± Frankie tapped the secretary¡¯s head, but then he thought about it. ¡°Still,


    you¡¯re right. There¡¯s a particr medicine that¡¯s being used to treat his condition.¡±


    As he spoke, he saw Rachel walk down the corridor while chatting with Julian.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, Dr. Peters.¡±


    Rachel greeted Frankie back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll continue working then. Let¡¯s leave together once I¡¯m done with work. Wait for me.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    With that, Rachel stepped inside Justin¡¯s room. The moment she did so, she saw Justin sitting on the


    couch.


    ¡°Why are you up? Did you feel ufortable lying down?¡± Rachel asked casually while she ced the


    lunchbox on the table. ¡°The pork ribs down in the hospital cafeteria aren¡¯t half-bad. I got you some, so


    give it a try.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t cook again today?¡± Justin questioned her.


    ¡°I had no time for that. The contract signing for the project is today, so I had to sign it. I asked Julian


    beforehand to go to the cafeteria and set the food aside.¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression instantly darkened at the mention of Julian¡¯s name.


    ¡°Have a taste.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t eat it!¡± As he spoke, Justin flung his arms out. He had moved them a little too far out, for he


    ended up knocking over the cutlery that Rachel held in her hands. They ttered to the floor with a


    loud sound.


    The atmosphere instantly tensed up.


    After a few moments of standing there stiffly, Rachel crouched down to pick up the cutlery.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Upon seeing her crouch down before him, Justin suddenly felt regretful. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pick it up.¡±


    Rachel seemingly didn¡¯t hear him.


    Justin then bent down, intending to pull her up. However, Rachel suddenly darted back like it was part


    of her instincts. When she looked up, an obvious look of fear crossed her eyes. Although it was just a


    brief moment, Justin clearly saw her fear.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time, though¡ªmoments like this cropped up frequently. Sometimes, inadvertently, or


    when she wasn¡¯t paying attention, she would often look like she was scared when he tried to touch her.


    It seemed like muscle memory to her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you a new set.¡± Rachel¡¯s expression had already returned to normal.


    All of a sudden, he asked, ¡°Was I awful to you in the past?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s hands tensed up slightly, cutlery safely in her grip. ¡°Why the sudden question?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, I feel like you¡¯re afraid of me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. Why would I be scared of you?¡± Rachel pretended to shrug casually. ¡°Do you


    think it¡¯s because you raised your hand against me or something?¡±


    ¡°Have I ever been violent toward you?¡±


    He was direct, and Rachel was actually at a loss for words.


    Indeed, he had been.


    There were several instances where he nearly strangled her to death. In fact, that suffocating sensation


    would still asionally show up in her dreams. No matter how she tried, she couldn¡¯t get to the


    surface, making it seem as though she was drowning.


    Needless to say, her silence exined everything.


    Justin¡¯s temples twitched. He couldn¡¯t imagine how he could have been violent toward this frail and


    skinny woman before him. Just how terrible had he been in the past?


    ¡°Is it because you¡¯ve been cooped up too long in the hospital?¡± Rachel¡¯s voice pulled his mind back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it anymore. I¡¯ll just get you some new cutlery.¡±


    Rachel hadn¡¯t even moved when Justin suddenly grabbed her arm.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She turned her head back in shock, and her eyes met Justin¡¯s. ¡°Regardless of how I treated you


    before, it¡¯s all in the past now. Since you¡¯re back, I¡¯ll do all I can to make up for my past mistakes.¡±


    Justin¡¯s sincere gaze did not mesh with his cold, handsome face. It was like a 17-year-old soul was


    living inside his body instead, thinking that he could start afresh by acknowledging his mistakes and


    atoning.


    However, not everything in the world could be resolved with just a simple ¡®sorry¡¯. People should


    apologize when they should, but the recipient of the apology also had the choice not to forgive them.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 234

    My Mute Bride Chapter 234


    Chapter 234 History Is a Cycle


    After Rachel left the ward, Justin looked down at the back of his hand. Her warmth still lingered there


    from when she had smacked his hand away.


    The sunset outside the window couldn¡¯t havee at a better time, and the evening sun dyed the


    entire sky lovely warm hues. At that moment, Justin¡¯s lips curved up into a shallow smile. A gentle


    warmth settled on his face, warming away the coldness.


    People should look ahead, and the past was not important.


    Justin wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed, but Rachel didn¡¯te back. He was about to press the


    buzzer and ask a nurse about this when Frankie suddenly knocked on the door and entered. ¡°Mr.


    Burton.¡±


    ¡°Why are you in such a rush?¡±


    Frankie was supposed to deliver some papers, but he had worked up a sweat running here. ¡°I just


    came from the parking lot. I saw Miss Hudson being taken away by some people from the vi.¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression changed.


    At the same time, Rachel was sitting inside a ck Rolls-Royce with a spacious interior. The world


    outside the car zoomed past her.


    The sound of a ringing tone reverberated inside the car. She gripped her phone and nced at the old


    butler next to her.


    ¡°Can I take this phone call?¡± she asked, neither panicked norfortable with the situation.


    When he saw the name ¡®Julian¡¯ on her phone screen, the butler nodded his head. ¡°You may, Miss


    Hudson.¡±


    Rachel answered the call and said, ¡°Hello, Julian. Something hase up at thest moment, so I


    can¡¯t go back with you. Sorry about this, but please pick up Charlotte and Samuel for me and send


    them home.¡±


    Julian¡¯s voice drifted over the speakers. There was a hint of anxiety in his voice. ¡°Are you okay? Where


    are you now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Rachel never once mentioned that she had been kidnapped throughout the conversation.


    An hourter, the car arrived at the Burtons¡¯ summer vi. Ever since she first stepped into the car,


    Rachel more or less knew the reason behind this trip¡ªit certainly was not a simple trip meant for fun.


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton, Miss Hudson is here.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°This way, Miss Hudson.¡±


    The Burtons¡¯ butler opened the door to the study and beckoned her inside.


    Before she entered the room, Rachel nced at the electronic password lock through the corner of her


    eyes.


    She hadn¡¯t been able to enter this room prior to this visit. Indeed, it seemed that she could only get an


    open invitation by getting close to Justin.


    The moment she stepped inside, she caught sight of an old man with white hair sitting behind the desk


    there. He was reading a book, but when he saw Rachele in, he marked his ce with a bookmark


    and set the book aside. He crossed those withered hands of his and ced them on top of the desk as


    his heavy gaze settled on her.


    ¡°Sit.¡±


    Rachel sat down across the desk.


    ¡°It has been a while. I heard that your muteness has been cured. Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Your mind is still as sharp and healthy as ever. I believe the same goes for your physical health?¡±


    ¡°Not quite, but it doesn¡¯t matter. I simply wish for my descendants to surpass their potential and


    manage the family business well when they inherit it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a fortunate man to have so many excellent children and grandchildren.¡±


    It was a normal conversation, but the politeness they employed was like a series of dancing des.


    Indeed, Arthur was a man who had seen a lot in life. He was solemn and calm as he poured Rachel a


    cup of tea, unfazed. ¡°I heard that you have been caring for Justin recently. I should thank you properly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s my duty, after all.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± His words took a turn. ¡°Where should I begin with the word ¡®duty¡¯? Have you forgotten that you


    and Justin have divorced? You guys are no longer tied together, you know.¡±


    Rachel showed a small smile. ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood me. When I said ¡®duty¡¯, I meant that it is my duty


    to repay kindness that¡¯s been shown to me. He did get hurt because of me. So, I shall repay this debt


    with kindness as well. Taking care of him until he has recovered is something that I should do.¡±


    ¡°Is that really what you think?¡±


    Arthur pressed a button on the remote under his desk, and the projector behind Rachel lit up. Security


    camera footage began to y on the projector screen behind her. It was during the day of the birthday


    banquet at the summer vi. Rachel had avoided the guests and crossed the banquet hall before


    heading into the deserted side hall by herself. She had even attempted to open the door to the study,


    but she failed in the end, and Justin had discovered her.


    ¡°How would you exin this, Miss Hudson?¡±


    However, being discovered so quickly was within Rachel¡¯s expectations. ¡°You saw it too. I was looking


    for something.¡±


    ¡°What were you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know what it is?¡± Rachel looked at Arthur calmly. ¡°If that incident from five years ago had


    been resolved, I wouldn¡¯t havee back to cause this bit of trouble for you. You have the evidence


    for Hans¡¯ death, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It turns out that you actually returned for the evidence. You¡¯re a sentimental one.¡± Approval shed


    across his eyes. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for how special you were, then it wouldn¡¯t have been out of the question for


    Justin to marry you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tter me, for I am an ordinary person. Isn¡¯t this the same as thest time you called


    me here back then? Remember when you wanted to make a deal and get me to leave Justin?¡±


    History was a cycle, and it was shocking how simrly events could y out.


    After her forced marriage to Justin back then, Arthur had also brought her over to the study and forced


    her to sign the divorce papers since he felt that she had been affecting Justin too much.


    Today, he was doing the same thing¡ªeven the tactics he used were the same.


    The old man replied, ¡°I do indeed have the evidence. If I hand it over to you, will you immediately leave


    Justin and never show your face to him again?¡±


    The corner of Rachel¡¯s lips quirked up. ¡°You are still the same as ever with your love for trickery.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to bring up the number of cameras and audio recorders hidden around this house, do I?¡±


    Rachel surveyed the room, and her gaze promptlynded on the mini camera on the bookshelf across


    her. ¡°You nned to bait me here and y the recording to Justin, making him think that I only got


    close to him because of some ulterior motive. You wouldn¡¯t have to give me anything, and you¡¯d get to


    remove yourself from the picture easily¡ªjust like how it was back then.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s expression stiffened. The awkwardness he felt from having his ns exposed was clearly


    written on his face, and he gave a dry cough. ¡°You¡¯re smarter than you used to be.¡±


    ¡°I do learn from my mistakes. Your family was the one who taught me everything, after all.¡± Rachel


    smiled. ¡°It¡¯s better to be a bit more honest when striking a deal.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s expression darkened. After a period of silence, he spoke. ¡°I can give the evidence to you, but I


    need some time in case you renege on your word,¡± he said solemnly.


    ¡°You have time to think it over. You¡¯re not the sole person I¡¯m relying on.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Julian told me that Justin¡¯s amnesia is a kind of retrograde amnesia. His memories are being


    intermittently cut off, but he can still remember some things. You probably don¡¯t want him to remember


    what he has forgotten, do you?¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Arthur¡¯s expression instantly shifted as he smacked the desk hard and stood up. That


    was his Achilles heel, and he had no way of hiding it.


    Rachel had returned to her home country for some time now. While she hadn¡¯t made any progress in


    her other pursuits, she could clearly see how well Arthur had kept Justin¡¯s amnesia under wraps.


    To the old man, there was nothing better than having Justin put his rage and hatred behind him and


    throw himself entirely into inheriting the family business. That was why he absolutely didn¡¯t want Justin


    to recover his memories. To that end, he was willing to let Amber marry into the Burton Family¡ªafter


    all, she didn¡¯t want Justin to remember either.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 235

    My Mute Bride Chapter 235


    Chapter 235 End The Engagement With Amber


    ¡°I loathe it when others threaten me!¡± Arthur was incensed as he pointed at Rachel¡¯s face and rebuked


    her by saying, ¡°Do you think that you can walk out of this ce unscathed today?¡±


    ¡°Since I even bothered toe all the way here, I¡¯ve naturally made ample preparations. If you dare to


    lay a hand on me, I won¡¯t be the only one going down¡ªyou¡¯ll be affecting all the Burton


    Pharmaceuticals resources that I own too,¡± Rachel answered in a nd tone.


    ¡°You think that I¡¯ll cower because of that? So what if the entire Burton Pharmaceuticals crumbles?¡±


    ¡°I have the Carters backing me as well. Are you sure you won¡¯t bat an eye when they breathe down


    your neck?¡±


    Arthur¡¯s expression was stormy. He had nearly forgotten that Rachel was now the president of Carter


    Enterprise¡¯s adopted daughter. Everyone knew just how much both the president and his wife adored


    her; in fact, they loved her no less than if she were their own flesh and blood.


    ¡°I think you should be able to see that I wouldn¡¯t have returned to this country if it wasn¡¯t for that


    incident with Hans. Since you want me to leave, the best way would, of course, be to hand me the


    evidence so I can get this over with. I¡¯ll then dy leave without you needing to remind me about it.¡±


    Rachel stood up. ¡°To me, Riverdale is just a ce filled with pain. I am not attached to this city.¡± As she


    spoke, loud noises could be heard outside the study.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Young Master, your grandfather is currently in discussion with his guest. You cannot go in.¡±


    ¡°What is he discussing that needs Rachel here? Rachel!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brows furrowed, and aplicated look came over her face.


    Arthur nced at the locked door. ¡°I can hand the evidence to you, but I need some time to do so. Until


    then, I hope that you will be able to behave yourself. You must not so much as breathe a word about


    the past,¡± he said in a low voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s a given.¡±


    Now that she had said those words, the both of them came to a tacit agreement. Rachel then opened


    the door.


    Justin was outside, sitting in his wheelchair. An undercurrent of anxiety could be seen marring his


    handsome features. The moment he saw her, he immediately pulled her over and checked her from all


    angles. ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t recovered yet, have you? Who allowed you toe all the way here?¡± Arthur¡¯s voice


    could be heard scolding Justin from inside the study.


    Justin¡¯s eyes darkened as he immediately pulled Rachel behind him to shield her. Even when confined


    to a wheelchair, his personality was as forceful as ever. ¡°Grandpa, why did you bring Rachel here?¡±


    ¡°I called her over so that I could have a word with her. Do I need to report something like this to you?¡±


    ¡°If you just wanted to talk to her, couldn¡¯t you have done it over a phone call? Why the racket? Why get


    the butler to retrieve her?¡± Justin¡¯s tone was harsh and pressuring.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that attitude? What does having a talk with her have to do with you? I should be able to


    ask her a few questions even if she is an employee under the Burton Group, no? I have made my


    decision¡ªI will have her transferred to a subsidiary away from the headquarters!¡± Arthur stated,


    incensed.


    ¡°What?¡± Justin¡¯s expression turned stormy. ¡°She is under my jurisdiction. Apart from myself, no one is


    allowed to transfer her anywhere!¡±


    ¡°You wilful child!¡± Arthur smacked the top of the desk hard. ¡°Do not forget that you are still engaged to


    Amber. The wedding will be held at the end of the year! Don¡¯t you know when to stop avoiding your


    responsibilities? Have you not seen what the media has been saying about this?¡±


    Ever since Justin and Rachel announced that Samuel was their son during that press conference,


    countless spections and theories had popped up online about their rtionship, their hatred for each


    other, as well as their love. At the same time, the Burton Group had taken advantage of all the publicity


    to push sales. But now, Arthur actually med the media for making up stories out of thin air?


    Justin scoffed coldly. ¡°You didn¡¯t voice any objections when the initial marketing n was unveiled, and


    now you¡¯re kicking Rachel aside since you think she¡¯s in the way? How does it feel to be as heartless


    as you are?¡±


    ¡°How dare you¡­ Is this the way to speak to me?¡±


    Justin drew in a deep breath. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my engagement with Amber. I have


    already gotten someone to handle the paperwork. Once I have recovered, I will announce that the


    engagement is canceled.¡±


    Arthur was so furious that he shook. ¡°Are you canceling your engagement because of this woman?¡±


    Justin held Rachel¡¯s hand right in front of Arthur. ¡°You heard that right¡ªI want to end my engagement,¡±


    he said boldly and honestly as Rachel looked on in shock.


    ¡°You insolent thing!¡±


    Justin and Rachel had only just stepped out of the study when an inkstone flew out after them along


    with Arthur¡¯s furious, breathless yells and the family butler¡¯s soothing tones. The two of them didn¡¯t look


    back and left the summer vi.


    Justin kept holding Rachel¡¯s hand throughout the entire trip back. Although the air conditioning inside


    the car was on, sweat kept pouring from his hand.


    Rachel frowned. ¡°There¡¯s no one around to see us now. It¡¯s okay to let go, right?¡±


    However, Justin gripped her hand tighter. ¡°What did my grandpa say to you?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°He wants you to stay away from me, am I right?¡± Justin¡¯s expression darkened a little. ¡°You don¡¯t have


    to care about what he said, and the only one you should listen to is me. If my grandpa¡¯s servants call


    you over in the future, don¡¯t go. Just tell me and I¡¯ll take care of it. No matter what he says, never agree


    to whatever deal the old man offers.¡±


    When he noticed that Rachel remained silent, he frowned deeply. ¡°You promised him something, didn¡¯t


    you?¡±


    A slight pain spread throughout the hand that Justin gripped. Rachel nced at him. ¡°What deal do you


    think your grandfather has offered me? What kind of deal do you think could be even more


    advantageous than us being together? Throwing a hundred million bucks at me?¡±


    ¡°What is a hundred million? As long as you stay with me, the entire Burton Group will be ours in the


    future,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°That may not be set in stone. We might not be able to stay together until the end. I won¡¯t even have


    that one hundred million then, never mind the Burton Group. Wouldn¡¯t that be a massive loss for me


    then?¡±


    ¡°You actually thought about that?¡± Justin stared at her and squeezed her hand hard. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust


    me? Alternatively, do you not trust yourself?¡±


    ¡°Ouch,¡± Rachel gasped under her breath.


    Justin immediately loosened his grip. ¡°Where are you hurt?¡±


    Nevertheless, she remained silent.


    Soon, night had already fallen. The world outside the car zoomed past them through the windows as


    they journeyed from the suburbs to the city proper. Six years of experiences zipped around Rachel¡¯s


    mind; many of the scenes were blurry, blending with each other seamlessly.


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°They said that I was terrible to you back then, but I can¡¯t recall anything.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t remember it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Although Justin¡¯s voice was by her ear, it sounded a little distant. ¡°Ever since


    I first saw you and found out who you were to me, I felt like you were a significant part of my old


    memories. While I can¡¯t bring myself to verbally acknowledge it, and while I truly can¡¯t remember it


    either, my subconsciousness is telling me that you are important to me.¡±


    His life had initially been rigid and unchanging. He had followed the path that had beenid out for him.


    Under the arrangements that his family made, he would soon marry Amber. And yet, Rachel had to


    return right at this moment. Those initially lost memories had seemingly begun to slowly peek out from


    whatever corners they were tucked away in.


    He couldn¡¯t remember anything about his time with Rachel in the past, but he could remember his


    feelings. Evidently, he liked her.


    When he still didn¡¯t hear anything from Rachel after a while, Justin turned his head to take a look, only


    to see her leaning back in the seat with her eyes closed. She had fallen asleep without him noticing,


    and she looked so serene and at peace.


    Justin¡¯s eyes dulled, and he felt a little disappointed. A momentter, he took off his jacket and draped


    it over her shoulders.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 236

    My Mute Bride Chapter 236


    Chapter 236 She Would Never Give In


    After silence had descended inside the car for a short while, Rachel gradually opened her eyes. From


    the corner of her eye, she saw that the man by her side was currently resting with his eyes shut.


    Hence, she turned her face to the side and nced at the night scene outside the window. At that


    moment, there were shes of red illuminated in her eyes.


    Earlier on, when Justin had said all those words, she nearly fell for it and she nearly trusted that there


    wasn¡¯t any hint of ugliness in their past. For a split second, she had thought that they would be able to


    start afresh in everything.


    However, that was essentially impossible. One without their memories could proceed with life without


    any burden, but she was different. There was no way that she could trust the words of someone who


    had lost his memories, so she would not give in. She would finish off the things that had to be done as


    soon as possible and then leave Riverdale; thereafter, she would no longer step foot back here.


    On the other end at the Burton Residence, Arthur remained in a fixed position in front of his desk for


    quite some time even after Justin and Rachel had left.


    ¡°Sir, have a sip of your tea. Why are you so concerned? I can see that Miss Hudson has a kind heart


    and I don¡¯t think there¡¯s going to be a problem if she gets together with Young Master.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it. If it was Rachel from six years ago, then I would definitely choose to turn a blind eye.


    However, so many incidents happened back then and Justin nearly lost his life because of this woman.


    Hence, they must not enter into a rtionship again.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s brows furrowed tightly as he continued, ¡°I¡¯m indeed quite surprised at how Rachel has turned


    out to be after all this while being away. After all, she was a mute and the least favored illegitimate


    daughter of the Hudson Family, but she managed to ascend to her current position in just five years.


    Furthermore, she also became the goddaughter of the Carter Family, so it¡¯s quite obvious that she


    possesses a tenacity that¡¯s unlike any ordinary person.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this indicate that she¡¯s very outstanding?¡±


    ¡±Justin doesn¡¯t need an outstanding partner by his side. He just needs someone who¡¯ll do as she¡¯s told


    and not create any trouble for him. You¡¯ve seen his state when that incident happened back then,


    which is why Rachel must not be allowed toe back. Justin must not recall the past.¡±


    ¡±So what do you n to do?¡±


    ¡±Get me that item.¡±


    The butler was slightly stunned but he did as he was told and went to unlock the safe. Taking out a


    brown paper bag from it, he passed it to Arthur and murmured, ¡°It¡¯s been five years since the incident.


    Are you sure that you still want to bring this up?¡±


    ¡°Since Justin insists on calling off his engagement with Amber and there¡¯s no stopping him, then we


    can make use of this to sever all ties with the Hudson Family. There¡¯s really no point in keeping all of


    these items under lock and key.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯llpile everything and send it to Miss Hudson.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t forget that some items in here shouldn¡¯t be retained. Make sure you sort things out


    properly.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. I understand.¡±


    ¡­


    One weekter, Justin was discharged from the hospital.


    ¡°Rae¡¯s not here yet, is she?¡±


    Just then, Frankie had just packed up Justin¡¯s belongings and handed them to the secretary to bring to


    the car. Then, he exined, ¡°Miss Hudson has an important meeting today and she just called to say


    that she won¡¯t be able to make it. I¡¯ll be sending you home.¡±


    ¡°What meeting is so important?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? It¡¯s the meeting with the medication wholesalers to negotiate the pricing. Miss


    Hudson has shed the price by two percent lower than the original base price. This is a great


    preliminary preparation for the start of our nned price war. Miss Hudson¡¯s amazing!¡±


    ¡°But of course! Who was the one who hired her?¡± Justin crowed, feeling very smug. Over the past few


    days, he increasingly felt that Rachel had a lot of attractive points that captured one¡¯s attention.


    Her work performance was undoubtedly great; furthermore, she was humble and gentle in person, and


    she also managed her subordinates with firmness. That being said, she was not a nasty boss. In the


    future, she was definitely going to be a great help for him, whether at home or at work.


    At that moment, Frankie noted Justin¡¯s ted expression. ¡°Mr. Burton, I¡¯ll send you home right now.¡±


    ¡°No, let¡¯s go to thepany.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Frankie was significantly speechless.


    It was noon and the meeting had just ended. Rachel sent the wholesalers off with a handshake. ¡°Lisa,


    send Mr. Riley downstairs.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson, someone is waiting to see you outside.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Rachel collected her documents and asked, ¡°Did the person make an appointment?¡±


    ¡°He ims to be your father. You should hurry up and go out to take a look for yourself.¡± As soon as


    Rachel heard that, her expression darkened slightly.


    Three days ago, Justin had called off his engagement with Amber. Apparently, he had merely


    instructed his personal assistant to call and inform them. As such, it was no wonder that Jefferey was


    hopping mad by Justin¡¯sckadaisical approach.


    At that moment in the Burton Pharmaceuticals¡¯ office, Jefferey barged into the office as he shoved the


    security guards aside. ¡°Where¡¯s Rachel? I want to see your director Rachel Hudson!¡±


    ¡°Get her toe out right now!¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson is in a meeting. You can¡¯t enter without permission!¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I enter? I¡¯m her father!¡±


    Suddenly, Rachel walked out of the conference room amid the chaotic scene and she snapped at him,


    ¡°What¡¯s with themotion?¡±


    As soon as Jefferey saw Rachel, he red ferociously at her. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯d dare toe


    out and see me! I¡¯m here to teach you a lesson today! You¡¯re such an ungrateful, unfilial w*nch and you


    deserve a beating!¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel stared at him with a cold expression. ¡°I¡¯ve been back in the country for so long and


    this is only the second time we¡¯ve met each other. Are you about toy hands on me now? You should


    at least give me a reason, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°I knew that you came back with bad intentions! First, you took Amber¡¯s job and now, you¡¯ve also gone


    after her fianc¨¦! You¡¯re her elder sister; how can you behave so shamelessly!¡±


    Suddenly, there was an uproar in the office. At that moment, Rachel maintained herposure and


    she nced at the security guards. ¡°Let go of him.¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let go of him. I don¡¯t believe that President Hudson would dare toy hands on his own


    daughter in broad daylight as we stand here at Burton Pharmaceuticals.¡± This time, she addressed him


    as ¡®President Hudson¡¯ to essentially remind him of the entire Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ reputation.


    Just then, Jefferey¡¯s expression stiffened and he clenched his fists tightly. She¡¯s threatening me to be


    conscious of Hudson Pharmaceutical¡¯s reputation.


    ¡°There are so many people waiting for us to put on a show. President Hudson, is this the reason for you


    causing thismotion right now? Did you invite members of the press to join you? Or is there


    someone you trust who¡¯s secretly recording some footage? Do you n to edit the footage and then


    post it on the inte?¡±


    With just a few sentences, Rachel managed to easily point out his despicable ways.


    Meanwhile, Jefferey was raging mad and his expression was thunderous. ¡°If you still consider yourself


    a daughter of the Hudson Family, you shouldn¡¯t conduct yourself so shamelessly!¡±


    ¡°Am I the shameless one? In the past, wasn¡¯t it because your darling daughter, Amber, had taken


    offense at Justin¡¯s ugly looks and difficult personality, which was why I was forced to marry him in her


    ce? You threatened me with my grandma¡¯s life. If I refused, then I would have to stand there and


    watch as she lost her life.¡±


    As soon as she said that, everyone in the office started to whisper amongst themselves.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what actually happened! I feel bad for Miss Hudson!¡±


    ¡°President Burton used to have a scar on his face. I¡¯ve heard this from Sandy before she left the


    company.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°He¡¯s inhumane! He sold off his daughter!¡±


    ¡°Both of them are his daughters, so how can he be so unfair?¡±


    ¡°Look, he¡¯se here to create trouble too. He must have intended to embarrass Miss Hudson! This is


    too much!¡±


    Just then, the crowd¡¯s remarks rang out and Jefferey clearly heard everything. Truth be told, this was


    all beyond his expectations. He had originally expected that since Amber had five years of history


    working for Burton Pharmaceutical, she must have built up rtionships with some of the people here.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect Rachel to win the favor of the crowd in just a few months¡¯ time. No one stood


    up for Amber at the moment.


    And so, Jefferey instantly lost his temper. ¡°This is not true! Rachel, I¡¯ve brought you up for the past


    twenty-odd years and is this how you repay me? I must teach you a lesson today! I¡­¡±


    At that point, he had lost his reasoning. From the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw a pair of scissors


    by the side and he immediately grabbed it before hurtling it toward Rachel.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 237

    My Mute Bride Chapter 237


    Chapter 237 Raised an Enemy


    Suddenly, there was a cold glint that shed out amid the loud cries of the crowd. Rachel instinctively


    took a step backward but she did not move fast enough. Suddenly, the pair of scissors came flying right


    at her.


    She lifted her arm to block it but in the very next moment, she was forcefully pulled into a pair of arms


    and held in a tight, protective stance. Surprisingly, the pain that she had expected did not hit.


    She heard a muffled grunt from the top of her head and the familiar voice that rang out caught her by


    surprise. She lifted her head, only to see Justin.


    She wasn¡¯t sure when he had appeared behind her and right now, he held her tightly in his arms with


    his back facing Jefferey.


    Rachel stared at him incredulously and she couldn¡¯t quitee to her senses for some time.


    ¡®ng!¡¯ Suddenly, there was a loud tter and the scissors fell to the ground behind them.


    Meanwhile, Jefferey¡¯s voice, which was full of anger and dismay, rang out, ¡°Justin, why did you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Justin asked instead, his thoughts only on the woman in his arms.


    It was at that point that Rachel finally came to her senses. ¡°I¡¯m fine. How about you?¡±


    However, Justin grabbed her hand and stopped her from examining his wound.


    ¡°Where are the security guards?¡± He turned around and eximed coldly, ¡°Hurry up and get this lunatic


    out of the ce!¡±


    ¡°Me?! A lunatic?! I¡¯m Rachel¡¯s dad! Justin, even if you don¡¯t marry Amber and choose Rachel instead,


    that doesn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯ll be your father-inw! How dare youy your hands on me?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen any father like you who wouldy hands on their daughter. I¡¯m already being lenient for


    Rae¡¯s sake by not calling the cops on you!¡±


    Meanwhile, the security guard kept a tight hold on Jefferey, but thetter went on a crazy tirade. ¡°How


    dare you touch me? Justin, you¡¯re such a beast! My darling Amber spent five years of her life with you


    and ended up with nothing! That¡¯s five long years and this is how you treat her?¡±


    ¡°Rachel Hudson, I should have just let you die in that fire twenty-five years ago!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve raised an enemy for myself! I have indeed raised an enemy!¡±


    Just then, Jefferey¡¯s loud cries dimmed until they finally disappeared.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine now.¡± Justin held Rachel in his arms and covered her ears as if by doing that, he


    could protect her from hearing all those callous words.


    Sometimes, only those who were the closest to you would know the most painful spot to inflict pain.


    ¡°President Burton, you¡¯re bleeding!¡± As Frankie rushed over in a hurry, the first thing he noticed was the


    wound on Justin¡¯s back.


    There was a huge, gaping wound on Justin¡¯s back from being shed by the scissors and


    instantaneously, the blood stained his shirt bright red as it trickled down his back.


    Just then, Rachel noticed the bloodstains on the ground and she finally came to her senses. ¡°Why is


    there so much blood?¡± It was at this point that she saw the gaping wound on Justin¡¯s back and she


    eximed, ¡°Call for an ambnce! Hurry!¡±


    At the hospital, Justin endured seven stitches to his back.


    ¡°Come back one weekter to remove the stitches. Make sure that the wound does not get wet. Do


    take a seat for a short while and if everything is fine, you can leave after that.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    After Frankie had sent the doctor out, he nced at the two in the room and coughed before saying,


    ¡°Uh¡ªI¡¯ll go and get the medication. Miss Hudson, could you please help me keep an eye on Mr. Burton


    for a short while?¡±


    With that, Frankie hurriedly darted out of the room.


    And so, Rachel and Justin were the only two left in the room. She stared at the wound on Justin¡¯s back


    and saw that the horrendous scar¡ªabout the length of an index finger¡ªthat ran down his back,


    resembled a centipede. Upon seeing that, she furrowed her brows.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt that much.¡± Justin grabbed her hand. ¡°I forgot to ask, though. Were you hurt?


    Jefferey¡¯s a lunatic! How could he haveid hands on you?¡±


    Rachel merely shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Amber is his precious daughter and she¡¯s been pampered


    since young. You made her wait for five years in vain and now you¡¯ve decided to call off the


    engagement too. You¡¯ve caused the entire Hudson family, not just Jefferey, to be the


    laughingstock of Riverdale, so how could he possibly take this lying down?!¡±


    ¡°Well, he has no choice.¡± Justin¡¯s expression turned cold at that. ¡°I mentioned earlier that I wanted to


    call off the engagement, but she and the entire Hudson family insisted on waiting. I think they deserve


    all this!¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel was quite shocked to hear that. ¡°Did you say that you requested to call off the


    engagement?¡±


    ¡°Five years ago as soon as I regained consciousness after the ident, everyone told me that Amber


    and I were engaged, but how could I possibly marry someone I don¡¯t even know?¡±


    ¡°Back then, did you not have any impression of her too?¡±


    Justin hummed and nodded his head in response. ¡°I had a faint impression of her but I forgot the bulk


    of everything. Grandpa told me that I wanted to marry her to take over Hudson Pharmaceuticals. In the


    end, this got overlooked and was dyed for five years.¡±


    The engagement had dragged on until Charlotte had grown older to the age where she was able to


    roam around and express herself. However, she had shown an intense dislike for Amber so obviously,


    this marriage would not be able to proceed.


    Despite Justin¡¯s drastic change in personality after losing his memories, there was one side of him that


    remained the same, He would never pay heed to anyone he didn¡¯t care of, no matter how much the


    other party sacrificed themselves for him.


    At this instance, Rachel suddenly sympathized with Amber. Thetter had wasted five precious years


    of her youth on this man and the ridiculous thing was, this man didn¡¯t even remember her. Moreover, he


    had no ns to marry her at all.


    They arrived home after being discharged from the hospital, only to discover that Charlotte and Samuel


    had just arrived home too after being picked up from school by the servants.


    Both kids were seated on the carpet in the living room and each of them had a video game console in


    their hands.


    As soon as they saw Justin and Rachel walk in, both of them immediately flung the consoles in their


    hands aside and rushed forward one after the other. ¡°Mommy! Daddy!¡±


    Before either of them could run into Justin and Rachel¡¯s arms, they were stopped in their tracks right in


    time by Frankie.


    ¡°Charlotte, President Burton¡¯s hurt, so you can¡¯t touch his wound.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Charlotte had run into Frankie and she clung onto his leg. Tilting her head, she turned to


    nce backward and her expression was full of confusion. ¡°Daddy, you¡¯ve been in the hospital for so


    long. Are you still hurt?¡±


    Samuel trailed after her and calmly exined, ¡°As one grows old, it does take longer for them to


    recover.¡±


    In response to Samuel¡¯s words, Justin couldn¡¯t help grimacing. ¡°Who are you calling old?!¡±


    Meanwhile, Samuel sucked on his lollipop and he said in a muffled voice, ¡°Look at you. You¡¯ve been in


    the hospital for so long but you still can¡¯t walk by yourself without my mommy¡¯s help. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ll


    need her to take care of you for the rest of your life?!¡±


    Just then, Justin¡¯s expression changed and he retorted, ¡°This is just for the time being!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t tell the two kids that he had been wounded again today; otherwise, Charlotte would surely


    bawl her eyes out. There were already too many things to deal with.


    In the end, Rachel couldn¡¯t take it. ¡°Alright, you two can go and y by yourselves, but don¡¯t have too


    many snacks because I¡¯ll be cooking dinner soon.¡±


    As soon as Charlotte heard that, she brightened up and jumped up and down gleefully. ¡°Yay! Tonight,


    we¡¯ll get to taste Mommy¡¯s cooking!¡±


    Subsequently, Rachel helped Justin to the bedroom and led him to take a seat on the bed. Then, she


    stood by the side and studied the medication prescribed by the doctor. ¡°This should be taken on an


    empty stomach. Take two capsules each time. As for this one, it is to be had after meals¡ª¡±


    At that moment, the dim, warm light hit her face and there was aid back and gentle expression on


    her face. It was as if the time had been put to a halt at this exact moment.


    Suddenly, Justin grabbed her.


    Rachel reacted by eximing loudly and by the time she hade to her senses, she was already


    dragged onto hisp. In this current overly intimate position, they could even clearly hear others¡¯ hearts


    thudding against their chests. She got a fright and instinctively struggled to get out of hisp.


    However, Justin suddenly took a deep breath and mentioned, ¡°It¡¯s painful.¡±


    She suddenly realized that there were stitches on his back so she stopped moving. ¡°Did I hurt you? Let


    me have a look.¡±


    Suddenly, Justin turned over and he made use of his abdominal force to press against her.


    ¡°Umph!¡±


    The soft, delicate silk bed sheets brushed against Rachel¡¯s ears and there was a slightly ruffled sound.


    Then, there was a shadow that enveloped her and the sound that she was about to make became


    caught in her throat as her lips were suddenly smothered. Suddenly, her widely-opened eyes lost their


    focus because of the face that loomed in front of her.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 238

    My Mute Bride Chapter 238


    Chapter 238 Who¡¯s Hans?


    The kiss came about quite unexpectedly and Rachel couldn¡¯t react fast enough before she was pushed


    onto the genuine silk bed sheets. The only sound she could hear at the moment was the noise of the


    rustling of clothes by her ears.


    Just as his huge palm traveled down her waist and moved downward, she suddenly came to her


    senses. Suddenly, Justin was pushed aside by Rachel and his back knocked against the bed frame.


    Instantly, he grunted in pain and stared at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I jolt your injury?¡± Even though she expressed concern with her words, that two steps


    backward that she took was in fact her most truthful reaction. It was hard to ignore her body¡¯s


    instinctive rejection and wariness.


    Just then, Justin¡¯s expression darkened slightly. ¡°I was too presumptuous.¡±


    At that moment, the atmosphere surrounding them became quite tense and it seemed as if the air had


    turned quite still. Both of them were at a loss for what to do.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go downstairs to prepare dinner. You should get some rest.¡± With that, Rachel fled the room.


    Meanwhile, Justin frowned upon hearing the door shut behind her. He was slightly frustrated but mostly


    downcast.


    Suddenly, his cell phone by the side vibrated and he nced at the screen. As soon as he saw the


    name on the caller ID, he revealed an impatient look and tapped on the reject call sign.


    However, the person on the other end was relentless and made three consecutive phone calls to him.


    Just as he was about to block that number, a text message notification popped up with a loud ¡®ping¡¯.


    ¡®Justin, you¡¯ve been tricked. Rachel¡¯s back here not because of work or for her child. It¡¯s because of


    you. She¡¯s here to seek revenge for Hans.¡¯


    Justin¡¯s eyes narrowed upon seeing the name ¡®Hans¡¯ and somehow, the name sounded quite familiar


    to him. He seemed to have heard of this name from somewhere.


    A few secondster, he ced a phone call to Amber¡¯s number.


    ¡°Justin! You¡¯re finally taking my call.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Hans?¡±


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Rachel popped into the washroom as soon as she reached the ground floor. Rinsing her


    mouth several times, she tried hard to dispel the provocative feelings surrounding her. She faced the


    mirror and rubbed her lips as if by doing so, she would be able to rub off the kiss from earlier on.


    In the end, she stayed in the washroom for quite some time beforeing out to prepare dinner. The


    Burton Family had a cook tasked to prepare meals so she didn¡¯t have to do much.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, I¡¯ve made three dishes. Is there anything else you would like to have?¡±


    Before Rachel could reply, Samuel ran over from the living room and said, ¡°Mommy, I want spaghetti


    for dinner!¡±


    Meanwhile, Charlotte had never tried that before so she chimed in, ¡°I want that too!¡±


    Just then, Rachel smiled and asked the cook, ¡°Is there any minced meat?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there is.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, you can go and do your own thing. I¡¯ll prepare thisst dish and then we can have dinner


    soon.¡±


    Just then, Charlotte rolled up her sleeves with a flourish. ¡°Mommy, I can help you too!¡±


    ¡°Alright! You¡¯re such a good girl.¡±


    Shortly after that, both kids put down the video game console in their hands and ran into the kitchen.


    Rachel took two little stools for the two of them and ced some water into the basin for them to wash


    the fruits and vegetables.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t possible to expect the two of them to be of actual help. Soon after that, Charlotte


    started to chase after Samuel with the strawberries that she had just washed in her hands, and the


    whole house became quite lively.


    After dinner was ready, Rachel requested for Martha to go upstairs and get Justin.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, Mr. Burton is asleep and he mentioned that he¡¯s not hungry yet.¡±


    Surprised, Rachel replied, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s have dinner first.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure.¡±


    ¡°Charlotte, eat your vegetables.¡±


    Meanwhile, Samuel was enjoying his spaghetti and he mumbled while eating, ¡°Mommy makes the best


    spaghetti ever!¡±


    ¡°Have some more if you like it but make sure to eat your vegetables too.¡±


    Rachel could clearly see through Samuel¡¯s little trick and she ced the carrots he had picked out back


    onto his te. ¡°The two of you must take your vegetables; otherwise, you won¡¯t get enough nutrition.¡±


    ¡°This is what Mr. Wade said too. That¡¯s why he keeps an eye on me every time I¡¯m eating.¡± Just then,


    Samuel silently heaved a sigh and he sounded like a young adult as hemented, ¡°Why do I have to be


    under close supervision whether I¡¯m at home or at school?¡±


    ¡°The vegetables taste okay. Have a strawberry after eating the vegetables.¡± Meanwhile, Charlotte led


    by example and took a big mouthful of carrots. Then, she handed over a red, juicy strawberry to


    Samuel to coax him into eating more of his vegetables.


    It was quite clear that Charlotte had changed a lot over this period of time and she was no longer as


    spoiled and bossy as before. Now, she was even able to be considerate of others.


    After dinner, Rachel apanied the two kids and yed games with them. However, even after she


    had put them to bed, Justin didn¡¯te out of his room at all and the whole house suddenly felt quiet.


    In the end, Rachel gently knocked twice on the door to the master bedroom.


    ¡°Come in,¡± A male voice rang out from the inside.


    ¡°Oh¡ªare you still awake? I heard the servant mention that you were asleep.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡±


    Justin sat on the couch. He couldn¡¯t quite lean on the backrest because of the wound on his back, so


    he sat in a ramrod position with both feet ovepping each other. There was a stack of documents


    ced on his knees and he looked quite strained in this current posture.


    Just then, Rachel hesitated before asking, ¡°How about I make you some supper? What would you like


    to have?¡±


    ¡°Anything goes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you some spaghetti then. Both Samuel and Charlotte enjoyed it very much.¡± After she said


    that, she went downstairs and prepared it before serving it to him.


    ¡°Enjoy it while it¡¯s warm.¡±


    The fragrant smell of spaghetti filled the bedroom but Justin didn¡¯t even make a move to eat. ¡°Just


    leave it there.¡±


    ¡°The spaghetti can¡¯t be left for too long. The texture won¡¯t be as nice.¡±


    She didn¡¯t get a response from him, so she followed his gaze and noticed the documents in his hand. It


    was a takeover proposal and from a nce, it seemed to be quite important. However, he should still


    be able to spare some time to take his meals despite his busy schedule.


    Truth be told, Rachel had sensed that Justin seemed to be in a bad mood when she hade upstairs


    earlier.


    ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll leave you to your work.¡± Rachel took a little pillow and shoved it between his back and


    the couch. She carefully avoided the area with stitches on his back. ¡°You can lean on this. It¡¯ll be much


    morefortable this way.¡±


    Just then, Justin was slightly taken aback.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go out now.¡±


    As soon as she said that, she turned around and made her way toward the door. However, Justin


    stopped her as he muttered, ¡°Hold on.¡±


    ¡°What else do you need?¡±


    ¡°Tell me, Rachel, what is our current rtionship?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel frowned. ¡°Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I want an answer.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Lovers.¡± His definite tone shocked her. After all, if it was Justin from five years ago, he would not have


    said this at all.


    ¡°You clearly know why I called off the engagement with Amber. If this is insufficient to show that we¡¯re


    lovers, then it¡¯s either you¡¯re acting dumb or you¡¯re just toying with my feelings.¡±


    At that instance, Rachel clenched her hand, which was by the side of her thigh, into a tight fist.


    However, she calmed down rtively quickly and countered, ¡°If I¡¯m toying with your feelings, why would


    I promise you that I¡¯d move in here?¡±


    ¡°Your body response clearly shows your rejection.¡± With just a single sentence, he brought up the


    awkward situation from earlier.


    ¡°Is that why you refuse to have dinner? Are you throwing a tantrum?¡± Rachel frowned and nced at


    him. Her clear eyes suddenly clouded over slightly. ¡°Are you behaving so rudely all of a sudden


    because I rejected you earlier and I didn¡¯t want things to progress further?¡±


    ¡°Justin, you need to be aware that I haven¡¯t met you in five years. I can¡¯t pretend that the past five


    years never existed and jump straight into a rtionship with you after our broken past!¡±


    ¡°Is this the actual reason?¡± Justin then looked at her coldly as he questioned, ¡°Who¡¯s Hans?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 239

    My Mute Bride Chapter 239


    Chapter 239 I Want to Hear It From You


    As soon as the name ¡®Hans¡¯ came out of Justin¡¯s mouth, Rachel was significantly caught by surprise.


    She then tightened her grip of her tightly clenched fist until her fingernails pressed into her palms


    painfully. The pain instantly brought her back to her senses.


    ¡°Who did you talk to?¡± ¡°Answer me!¡± Justin raised his voice all of a sudden and grabbed Rachel¡¯s arm


    threateningly. ¡°I¡¯m asking you, who¡¯s Hans? Why did youe back to Riverdale?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me about Hans? Why don¡¯t you ask yourself then?¡± Just then, Rachel had a stoic


    expression on her face. ¡°He was the only person other than grandma who treated me kindly. He moved


    back from abroad because of me and he helped me multiple times. However, he ended up disabled


    because of you. He was crippled¡­¡±


    Rachel flung Justin¡¯s arm aside as her words became much more emotional and her raised voice


    reverberated in the house. ¡°Do you need me to continue reminding you of the past?!¡±


    There was a ripping pain that came from the wound on Justin¡¯s back and the vein on his temples


    pulsed furiously. ¡°That¡¯s why you hate me so much!¡±


    It¡¯s not even because I mistreated her after our marriage! It¡¯s all because of this guy, Hans! She hates


    me so intensely because I crippled him!


    ¡°Is there any point in me harboring hatred against you?! Hans is dead! He can¡¯te back from the


    grave! I don¡¯t see any point in discussing this with you any further because you have no recollection of


    all this. Since you don¡¯t trust me and have your suspicions and choose to confront me because of


    someone dead for nearly six years, what¡¯s the point of entering into a rtionship with me then?¡± With


    that, Rachel turned on her heels to leave. However, Justin suddenly grabbed her and roared, ¡°Stop


    right there!¡±


    ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that you could leave!¡±


    ¡°What do you want from me? Let go of me!¡±


    During their struggle, Justin suddenly hugged Rachel from behind. ¡°I was only asking you who he is! I


    can¡¯t remember anything so I wanted to confirm his identity with you. I don¡¯t care about what others


    say, I just wanted to hear it from you.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got your answer now. Is it the same as what others told you? Are you satisfied now?¡±


    Though she was held in his embrace, her expression remained indifferent. ¡°If you don¡¯t trust my words,


    why don¡¯t you give Frankie a call? I¡¯m quite sure that he¡¯s well aware of everything that happened in


    the past and he would never lie to you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Justin said, his tone soft.


    Rachel had not hidden anything from him and every single thing that she had said was basically the


    same as what Amber had mentioned through the phone. The only difference in their words could not be


    clearly confirmed even if he questioned Rachel.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± Rachel muttered coldly before she shoved him aside mercilessly.


    ¡°Amber was the one who told you all this, I presume?¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°So this is what you mean when you told me that the engagement is off between the two of you and


    you won¡¯t have any sort of contact with her anymore?¡±


    ¡°No, things are different from what you assume!¡±


    ¡°Tell me, then, how is it actually different? I don¡¯t think she merely mentioned who Hans was. She must


    have also mentioned that Hans was my first love and I was infatuated with him since high school, huh?


    That if it weren¡¯t for Mrs. Egerton¡¯s objection, we would have gotten together ages ago, right?¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin had a shocked expression on his face. ¡°Why do you¡­¡±


    ¡°Why do I know all the details?!¡± Rachel revealed a cold smirk. ¡°That¡¯s because she told you the same


    thing when we were married to each other and you confronted me about it back then, just like how you


    did so earlier.¡±


    Just then, Rachel¡¯s annoyance and disappointment troubled Justin.


    ¡°Rae, I really don¡¯t recall a single thing.¡±


    Besides this sentence, he had no idea how to justify his earlier actions. Perhaps this sentence couldn¡¯t


    quite justify anything either, so he added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired. You should get some rest after you¡¯re done with your meal.¡± With that, Rachel turned around


    and left the room.


    Meanwhile, Justin called out to her but he didn¡¯t manage to stop her from leaving. In the end, he was


    significantly frustrated.


    The moment the door to Rachel¡¯s bedroom mmed shut, she leaned against the door and the sullen


    expression on her face dissipated instantly. All that was left on her face was indifference.


    ¡­


    The night had fallen and Amber was on guard by her phone untilte at night. Finally, she couldn¡¯t take


    it anymore and she dialed Justin¡¯s number once again.


    ¡°Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavable¡­¡±


    Unavable? Amber was momentarily shocked so she tried her luck again and sent him a text


    message. This time, however, there was a notification that her message was rejected.


    Suddenly, something dawned upon her and her expression darkened instantly.


    ¡°Bam!¡± She swept everything on her desk, including herputer and cell phone, to the ground and


    there was a loudmotion as everything fell and smashed into pieces. Her ugly expression that was


    full of anger was clearly reflected on the full-length mirror in her room.


    How can it be that even after mentioning Hans, their rtionship isn¡¯t affected at all?! She¡¯s indeed


    quite good at this game and not someone to be taken lightly! I underestimated her from the start! I¡¯m


    sure she must have a weak point, though!


    At that moment, Amber thought of something and she made a phone call right away. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me. Help


    me find out which school Rachel¡¯s son goes to.¡±


    The next morning, Martha dropped off Samuel and Charlotte at the school entrance. ¡°Go on in, you


    two!¡±


    ¡°Bye, Martha!¡±


    Samuel and Charlotte carried a small backpack on their backs. Then, after Martha had left, Charlotte


    turned to wink at Samuel. ¡°Samuel, I want to have the pancakes from yesterday.¡±


    Both of them usually agreed with each other when it came to food. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Unbeknown to Martha, every morning, after she had dropped the two of them at the school entrance,


    the two children would swiftly make their way across the road to buy pancakes from the breakfast stall.


    ¡°Samuel, why can¡¯t we tell Mommy and Daddy that we ate this?¡±


    ¡°Mommy said that the food made by stalls like this are not prepared properly so it¡¯s easy to get sick


    from eating them. That¡¯s why she doesn¡¯t let me have food like this.¡±


    ¡°Daddy doesn¡¯t allow me to eat outside food too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we can¡¯t let them know. If we tell them about this, next time they may confiscate our pocket


    money. By then, both of us won¡¯t get to enjoy such yummy food anymore.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Charlotte nodded her head earnestly. ¡°Samuel, I want some chocte brownies too.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re about to bete for ss.¡± Samuel nced at his watch. ¡°How about you go back to ss first


    and I¡¯ll go buy you some brownies? Don¡¯t forget to let Mr. Wade know that I¡¯m in the toilet.¡±


    ¡°Okie dokey!¡± Charlotte signaled okay with her fingers, and both of them went their separate ways.


    As the chocte brownies¡¯ stall was on another street, Samuel carried his little backpack and took a


    shortcut across a small alley. He seemed to be quite familiar with the ce and it looked like he was


    used to doing this.


    Suddenly, there was a tall, strapping figure that appeared at the entrance of the alley and the person


    blocked his path before he had even taken more than a few steps ahead.


    ¡°It¡¯s this kid here. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Gosh, I can¡¯t believe my luck! Again?!¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°What do you guys want to do again? Are you


    going to kidnap me?¡±


    ¡°Again?!¡± The two strapping males exchanged looks with each other, seemingly confused.


    Meanwhile, Samuel calmly responded, ¡°I told youst time that you¡¯ll end up in a horrible state if you


    kidnap me. After all, my daddy¡¯s Justin Burton. Do you guys know him?¡±


    ¡°You little despicable brat! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d go about iming that he¡¯s your dad! Rachel¡¯s taught


    you quite well, hasn¡¯t she?¡± A high-pitched woman¡¯s voice rang out from behind the two guys and the


    clicking sound of her high heels tapping against the ground of the alley was clearly audible.


    Just then, both men moved to the side respectfully. Meanwhile, Amber had her arms crossed in front of


    her as she scrutinized the kid in front of her with a disdainful look. ¡°Who told you that Justin¡¯s your


    dad?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone to tell me that. He is my daddy!¡± Samuel looked thoughtfully at the woman


    standing not too far from him. After quite some time, he suddenly recalled who she was. ¡°I know who


    you are!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 240

    My Mute Bride Chapter 240


    Chapter 240 I Dare You to Lay Hands on Him Again!


    ¡°Oh¡ªdo you know me?¡± Amber frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met each other before, though?¡± ¡°We


    haven¡¯t, but Charlotte¡¯s shown me your picture and she said that you¡¯re an annoying old witch.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?!¡± Amber¡¯s expression turned all of a sudden. ¡°You little b*stard! Capture him for


    me!¡± Upon hearing that, Samuel turned around and ran off. As he scrambled to get away, he kept a


    protective grip on the pancakes in his arms but unfortunately, he was in a rush and the pancakes,


    which had been cut into smaller pieces, fell to the ground.


    At the back, the tall blokes stepped on the pancakes as they chased after him.


    ¡°Bam!¡± Suddenly, one of them slipped on the pancakes and fell to the ground. At the same time, the


    guy behind him tripped over him and both of them fell on all fours. Thereafter, they struggled hard to


    get up from the ground.


    ¡°You two imbeciles! Hurry up and get him for me!¡±


    Meanwhile, Samuel had already made his way to the entrance of the alley and he was quite pleased


    with himself. However, he suddenly saw a strapping figure right in front of him and he hastily halted in


    his tracks as he nearly crashed into the guy.


    The clicking sound of high heels against the ground rang out once again. ¡°You¡¯re just a silly kid. Do you


    actually think that you can get away?¡±


    Just then, Samuel¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°You guys better noty hands on me! Otherwise, my daddy


    and mommy won¡¯t let you get away with this.¡±


    ¡±Stop with your bullsh*t! You¡¯re just a b*stard! Just because you¡¯ve fooled the others doesn¡¯t mean that


    I¡¯m oblivious. You¡¯re not a Burton kid and Justin doesn¡¯t even give a hoot about you. I can¡¯ty hands


    on that darn girl but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t do anything to you!¡±


    Amber then continued, ¡°Once I capture you and chase Rachel away, I¡¯ll have plenty of time to make my


    way back to the Burton Family.¡±


    And so, Samuel was forced to retreat by the huge bloke in front of him while the two blokes from


    behind had also caught up with him. Despite Samuel being quite agile due to his size, he couldn¡¯t quite


    handle all three of them as he was just a child, after all.


    At that moment, just as the strapping bloke in front of Samuel reached out his huge palm to grab


    Samuel, the bloke suddenly screamed in pain. The man then clutched his head and fell to the ground.


    It was quite lucky that Samuel managed to dodge the man as he almost got crushed underneath the


    guy.


    Samuel was stunned for a moment before his eyes brightened when he saw the person who¡¯d just


    turned up. ¡°Mr. Wade!¡±


    Victor was currently holding onto a golf club and he reached out to pull Samuel to stand behind him.


    Then, he stared coldly at Amber and her two thugs who were standing across from him.


    ¡°Victor?!¡± Amber¡¯s expression changed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you still recognize me. We haven¡¯t seen each other for quite some time now, my dear


    ex-girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?! Who¡¯s your ex-girlfriend?¡± Amber replied indignantly. ¡°Why are you appearing


    everywhere?! Are you stalking me?! Hand me that little b*stard!¡±


    ¡°I dare you to mention ¡®little b*stard¡¯ again!¡± Suddenly, Rachel¡¯s voice rang out from behind Amber.


    Upon hearing that, Amber shuddered in response. She turned around and saw that Rachel had three to


    five hulking blokes behind her. Somehow, they had arrived unnoticed and blocked the entrance to the


    alley. Hence, Amber and her thugs were stuck in between them and Victor, with no path to escape.


    This was unexpected to Amber, and it seemed that the hunter had now be the hunted.


    ¡°You¡­ You guys¡­¡±


    ¡°I expected that you wouldn¡¯t just take this lying down so recently, I¡¯ve been here waiting until Samuel


    and Charlotte enter their school before leaving. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re socking in self-restraint; you


    just failed in your efforts to drive me and Justin apart from that phone call you cedst night and


    today, you¡¯ve gone straight after Samuel.¡±


    Rachel moved forward menacingly as Amber¡¯s face paled bit by bit. Just then, thetter reprimanded


    herckeys, ¡°What are you waiting for?! Get them!¡±


    However, it was quite obvious that they were no match for their opponents. Rachel had brought along


    four to five guys, so the two thugs were obviously on the losing end.


    Just then, Rachel spoke. ¡°If you leave right away, I can ept that nothing happened and that I never


    met you two as well.¡±


    Both guys instantly nodded earnestly. ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much. We¡¯ll leave right away!¡±


    ¡°You two, stay right there!¡±


    However, Amber¡¯s fingers iled in the air without managing to grab hold of anyone. Meanwhile, the


    two guys fled the scene and left her behind.


    ¡°What are you going to do to me anyway, Rachel?!¡± Amber red furiously at her. ¡°I was the one who


    called Justin! So what? Don¡¯t tell me that you didn¡¯te back because of Hans?! You have ill


    intentions anyway!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I came back because of Hans.¡± Rachel admitted to it readily and she countered, ¡°So what? How


    does that change anything? You¡¯ve already told Justin but did it make any difference?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s been deceived! Who knows what sort of shameless methods you¡¯ve used?!¡±


    Amber responded with gritted teeth and she nced at Samuel by the side from the corner of her eye.


    ¡°Justin must also have acknowledged this little b*stard here because of your shameless methods,


    right?¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Victor, take Samuel away.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Victor immediately took Samuel into his arms and walked off. The whole time, he


    covered the child¡¯s ears to prevent him from hearing the subsequent words.


    As soon as Victor disappeared from the alley, Rachel removed her watch and ced it into her pocket.


    Then, she turned to the blokes behind her and mentioned in a low voice, ¡°Keep a hold on her.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Amber became quite frantic. ¡°What are you trying to do?!¡±


    Two men held her in a tight grip on her sides and held her tightly against the concrete wall. Before she


    could even yell out, there was a sharp, ripping pain that originated from her scalp.


    Turned out that Rachel had grabbed Amber by the hair and the former lifted her arm to p the other


    woman on the face.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Amber¡¯s high-pitched scream reverberated throughout the alley and she stared incredulously at


    Rachel before yelling out, ¡°Have you lost your mind?! How dare you hit me? I swear I¡¯ll kill you if you


    don¡¯t let me go right now!¡±


    ¡°Kill me?! I¡¯ve been dead ages ago, Amber.¡± Rachel¡¯s cold sneer was quite terrifying. ¡°I died five years


    ago after guys worked together to force me to the brink. I held onto myst breath and made my way


    out to seek revenge for those who¡¯ve died in vain. Do you know that I haven¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep


    all this while?¡±


    Rachel held tightly onto Amber¡¯s hair. Then, Rachel moved her face closer to the other woman and


    forced her to look at her. ¡°Do you ever have nightmares of the people you¡¯ve forced to their death?


    You¡¯re also responsible for Hans¡¯ death. If you hadn¡¯t repeatedly sowed discord, Justin would not have


    laid his hands on Hans!¡±


    ¡°Hans¡¯s legs were crippled by Justin, so what does that have to do with me?! Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°Be patient. I¡¯lle after each of you, one after the other.¡±


    Just then, Rachel clicked on a video from her cell phone in front of Amber. ¡°Do you remember this?¡±


    ¡°I believe I¡¯ve shown this to you before. How can you forget about this so soon?¡±


    Rachel dragged Amber by her hair, as if she was holding on to a bag of trash. She then practically


    shoved the screen of the cell phone right into thetter¡¯s eyes. ¡°Take a good look at it. This is of you


    and Noah lost in a passionate moment. The media would surely enjoy this very much, I believe?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Amber¡¯s voice broke and she couldn¡¯t even utter anything as soon as she saw the intimate scene


    in the video. Instantly, she turned ashen.


    ¡°Without my reminder, you seem to have forgotten that I¡¯ve got plenty of hold against you. You¡¯ve gone


    into a frenzy because you¡¯ve failed in your attempt to marry Justin, right? Well, I have my ways to bring


    you into disrepute. Let¡¯s see who else in Riverdale would want to marry you after this!¡±


    Amber¡¯s eyes were red-rimmed at that point. Probably due to the pain, or because of the insults she


    was subjected to, or even out of fear, tears started to stream down her face. ¡°No! It¡¯s all my fault! I¡¯m


    sorry! I won¡¯t do this again!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wish forst night¡¯s incident to happen again.¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    With that, Rachel flung Amber¡¯s hair aside disgustedly and eximed coldly, ¡°One more thing¡ªif I find


    out that you¡¯re nning to go after Charlotte or Samuel again, I won¡¯t spare your life. I¡¯m not afraid to


    go to jail, so feel free to try me.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 241

    My Mute Bride Chapter 241


    Chapter 241 Setup


    Rachel let go, causing the back of Amber¡¯s head to m against the wall. Amber wanted to let out an


    ear-piercing shriek but her voice was caught within her throat, and she stared wide-eyed at Rachel,


    feeling so terrified that she couldn¡¯t make any sound.


    ¡°Let go of her.¡± The two men then let go of Amber, and she slid bonelessly down along the wall to the


    ground as she looked up in terror at Rachel.


    Thetter then squatted in front of Amber and raised a hand slightly, but Amber screamed and put her


    hands over her head.


    ¡°So scared?¡± Rachel scoffed coldly, holding a hand over the other woman¡¯s head for a moment before


    dropping it to her shoulder and brushing away a fallen leaf. Slowly, she stood up again. ¡°It¡¯s good that


    you¡¯re scared. I trust you¡¯ll mind your own business from now on.¡±


    Only after an insurmountable amount of time and when the alley had fallen silent did Amber lift her


    shaking head. After staring nkly into space for a while, she stood up and raced out of the alley,


    stumbling multiple times along the short distance.


    Meanwhile in the office at the school, Victor was pouring Rachel a cup of tea. ¡°Samuel¡¯s gone off to


    gym ss with his friends. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll stay here in school. Nothing will happen to him.¡±


    In reply, she inclined her head. ¡°I feel better with you here. Plus, I don¡¯t think Amber will be able to


    cause trouble for much longer.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s the type to let things go easily.¡±


    ¡°Well, if Hudson Pharmaceuticals falls, what more can she do?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°While abroad, Jolly and I drafted an acquisition n for Hudson Pharmaceuticals that has been


    approved by Carter Enterprise¡¯s internal board of directors. When I¡¯m done with my business on hand,


    the n will be put in motion.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Hudson Pharmaceuticals still have the support of the Burton Group?¡±


    ¡°If Justin still supports them, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to Amber.¡±


    In an instant, Victor understood. ¡°Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ market reputation has been pretty shoddy


    these few years. Even Jefferey has handed the care of thepany over to a general manager. The


    FDA has found multiple issues, and rumors on the Inte are that Amber doesn¡¯t care much about the


    company and is focused solely on Burton Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not unusual for father and daughter toe to blows considering how capitalistic they both are.¡±


    In truth, Rachel believed Jefferey truly did love Amber as his daughter, but he valued the future of


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals more. Since Amber wasn¡¯t a fool, how could she possibly allow herself to be


    manipted by him?


    And the moment there was a rift between them, nothing else would matter.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Once trouble descended, they would each go their own way.


    Twirling the teacup in her hand, Rachel asked, ¡°I think grandma would approve of my doings if she


    were still alive. Don¡¯t you think so, Victor?¡±


    The person that Nancy was closest to in life, apart from Rachel, was Victor. Rarely did Rachel bring


    Nancy up to other people but in front of Victor, she couldn¡¯t help wanting to reminisce.


    Solemnly, he answered, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know about anyone else, but I think she would support everything


    you did as long as you were happy.¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t live my life solely based on my happiness. There are still plenty of issues I have to


    resolve. Besides, I¡¯m only taking back what I deserve.¡±


    ¡­


    At the Burton Group, just as Justin was leaving the morning meeting, Frankie rushed up to him to


    report, ¡°Amber called you multiple times, President Burton, but I refrained from disturbing you as you


    were in a meeting.¡±


    ¡°What does she want now?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t specify, but Miss Hudson also called and brought up Miss Charlotte¡¯s bodyguards, so I sent


    someone to investigate.¡±


    ¡°And what did you find?¡±


    Frankie ryed the incident where Amber trapped Samuel in an alley this morning to him.


    Justin¡¯s expression darkened in the blink of an eye. ¡°How dare she do such a thing? And what about


    Charlotte¡¯s bodyguards?¡±


    Looking conflicted, Frankie answered, ¡°Well, your instructions were to guard only Miss Charlotte, so


    they didn¡¯t dare to leave her side.¡±


    ¡°Are they stupid? Did they just watch on as Samuel was mobbed by a group of adults?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, President Burton. It seems Miss Burton expected such a thing to happen and arrived in


    time not only to send Samuel to school, but to teach Amber a lesson as well. She scared Amber quite a


    bit.¡±


    ¡°Amber deserved it,¡± Justin muttered coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t want something like this to happen again. Have two


    more bodyguards assigned to the kids,¡± he ordered.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Also, revoke the section concerning Hudson Pharmaceuticals inst quarter¡¯s investment ns and


    put the acquisition n on hold.¡±


    The best option for Hudson Pharmaceuticals, given its current precarious state, was to be acquired by


    the Burton Group.


    Although Arthur had brought up the topic several times, Justin remained lukewarm to the idea. From


    his perspective, Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ internal management was in chaos, and a thorough


    investigation had to be conducted so that a few unsavory gray market practices could be done away


    with prior to acquisition.


    Hence, Amber¡¯s actions today not only angered him but essentially put an end to the future of Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals.


    However, Frankie brought up ufortably, ¡°About Old Mr. Burton¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. Just do what I tell you to. I¡¯ll handle him.¡±


    Thoughtfully, Frankie continued, ¡°Even if we don¡¯t take into ount what Amber did, I wasn¡¯t optimistic


    about the acquisition of Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    ¡°Naturally.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªby the way, President Burton, here¡¯s the mall event n for Valentine¡¯s Day. Please take a look.¡±


    As Frankie said that, he ced a document onto the desk.


    When Justin nced at the poster titled ¡®Blooming Valentine,¡¯ he froze slightly. ¡°It¡¯ll be Valentine¡¯s Day


    in two days?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s this Friday.¡± Being an observant person, Frankie was careful as he added, ¡°The restaurants


    are bound to be packed to the brim on that day. If you n on having dinner then, it¡¯s best to make


    reservations for a table, a cake, and flowers beforehand.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll help you make reservations for cake and a table. What kind of flowers would you like?¡±


    Finally, Justin came back to his senses and red at Frankie. ¡°Did I mention needing reservations?¡±


    Flinching, Frankie answered, ¡°Do you not need them?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re taking more and more initiative nowadays. Why don¡¯t I let you sit behind the CEO¡¯s desk


    instead?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no. It¡¯s your seat!¡± Frankie shook his head sheepishly and mumbled, ¡°I was out of turn.¡±


    Upon flipping through the document and finding it to be eptable, Justin put his signature on thest


    page. ¡°Tell the marketing department to go ording to the n, but switch out half of the red roses for


    the on-site bouquet arrangements with tulips. Too many red roses would just make the scene tacky.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll let the marketing department know right away.¡± Taking back the document, Frankie


    prepared to leave.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Justin called out before pausing once again.


    Puzzled, Frankie stopped in his tracks. ¡°Is there something else you needed, President Burton?¡±


    ¡°Make them white tulips. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t worry, the marketing department can handle such a minor change perfectly.¡±


    Glumly, Justin watched Frankie leave.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 242

    My Mute Bride Chapter 242


    Chapter 242 Hoping to Come To a Happy Conclusion


    Not long after Frankie stepped out, the originally closed office door suddenly opened a crack as he


    stuck his head back in and smiled meaningfully. ¡°A bouquet of white tulips for your reservation would


    be a little drab, President Burton. Shall I have the florist add in a few sshes of color?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Justin was stunned as he red at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to keep your job?¡± It was


    noon and after putting her signature on a document, Rachel handed it to Lisa. ¡°You can go and have


    lunch now.¡±


    ¡°What would you like, Miss Burton? I can bring you back something from the cafeteria.¡±


    As Rachel opened her mouth to speak, her phone vibrated. Taking note of the caller ID, she told Lisa,


    ¡°It¡¯s fine; I¡¯ll be going down for lunch as well in a bit.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The moment Lisa left, Rachel answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Are you free, Miss Hudson? I am close to your workce.¡±


    ¡°Is Old Mr. Burton done considering? Or does he wish to renegotiate terms with me?¡±


    ¡°He wanted me to give you something.¡±


    In response, Rachel narrowed her eyes.


    Close to Burton Group was a caf¨¦. As it was separated from the building by only a single street, the


    Burton Group logo was clearly visible from the cafe¡¯s window seats.


    By the time Rachel arrived, Leon, the Burton Family butler, had been waiting on a booth seat for a


    while. ¡°Have a seat, Miss Hudson.¡±


    Upon seeing the contract-like document on the table, Rachel knew this conversation would not end


    quickly, so she pulled out a chair and sat down. ¡°What did you want to give me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°This.¡± He ced a translucent stic bag containing a USB stick on the table. ¡°It contains the video


    and written evidence you wanted of Hans¡¯ murder.¡±


    ¡°What is this, then?¡± She nced down at the ck document folder.


    ¡°This is a document that Old Mr. Burton hopes you will sign.¡± As Leon spoke, he slowly pushed the


    document folder over to her. ¡°As long as you put your signature on it, the USB stick will be yours to do


    whatever you wish with. We won¡¯t interfere whether that¡¯s filing a police report or ckmailing the real


    murderer.¡±


    ¡°I take it from your words that Old Mr. Burton knows who the real murderer is.¡± Leon¡¯s expression


    remained impassive and unchanging despite her blunt question. Knowing that she wouldn¡¯t be able to


    get anything from him, Rachel caved in and flipped open the document. As she looked through it, she


    asked, ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton would like you to tender your resignation and leave the Burton Group of your own


    volition.¡±


    ¡°I can do that,¡± she answered without hesitation. ¡°But I still have some work to hand over. Does Old Mr.


    Burton¡¯s resignation deadline include the time I need to pass on my work to somebody else?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a smart woman, Miss Burton. Of course you know it¡¯s not as simple as making you resign.


    Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t be able to pay you the damages for breach of contract.¡±


    After all, she was handling many of Burton Pharmaceuticals¡¯ client resources right now, and she was


    pretty much in charge of the current batch of suppliers. If she didn¡¯t hand those resources over before


    she left, Burton Pharmaceuticals would be left in chaos.


    ¡°I understand. Now, I can sign the document, but I must ascertain whether the video evidence you¡¯re


    giving me is actually real.¡±


    ¡°I knew you would have such a worry.¡± He opened theptop next to him and pushed it up to her. ¡°You


    can see for yourself.¡±


    As she inserted the USB stick into theputer and was about to open the video file, she couldn¡¯t stop


    her hands from trembling.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± She lifted a pen and put her signature on thest page of the document.


    Ultimately, she knew Arthur wouldn¡¯t try to trick her with fake evidence, for once she was angered, she


    would disregard the documentpletely and stick by Justin¡¯s side.


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton also says that he hopes this transaction wille to a happy conclusion.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She picked up the USB stick and stood up. ¡°We each have what we need. I have what I


    want and he can finally rest easy.¡± With that, she walked away.


    After she left, Leon made a phone call. ¡°I¡¯ve done what you asked me to and had her put her signature


    on the document, Old Mr. Burton.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    In the summer vi at the other end of the line, Arthur had only just finished writing something in a


    cursive calligraphy script. Upon answering Leon¡¯s call as he put down his pen, he continued, ¡°Since


    you¡¯re done,e back here. Don¡¯t stay out too long or something bad might happen.¡±


    ¡°Of course, but there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Rachel was not at all hesitant about signing her name and she seemed to find no difficulty in leaving


    Young Master Justin.¡±


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t use him as a bargaining chip if she found it difficult,¡± Arthur answered calmly, seemingly


    having expected such an oue. ¡°She¡¯s no longer the mute woman from five years ago who simply


    took whatever came her way. If someone wants something badly enough, ability and temperament


    come second. Most importantly, they must have one trait.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Ruthlessness.¡± Arthur looked down at the sheet of paper on his desk. Right in the middle of it was the


    word he had just written¡ª¡®ruthlessness¡¯. It was full of curves and flourishes, even looking a bit savage,


    as if it might leap up from the page at any second. ¡°You have to be ruthless to yourself in order to be


    ruthless to others. And if she was still that woman from all those years ago, I wouldn¡¯t need to fear her


    so much.¡±


    There was no way he could permit someone so ruthless to stay by Justin¡¯s side.


    Meanwhile, after receiving the evidence, Rachel went looking for Janice.


    ¡°Have you watched it?¡±


    Rachel shook her head. ¡°No, but it should be real.¡±


    Noting her reluctance, Janiceforted, ¡°It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s no need to force yourself.¡±


    Perhaps it would be too cruel to make Rachel watch the image of Hans from all those years ago. This


    issue had tormented her for five years and that was long enough; there was no need to add another


    layer of hurt to her sorrow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll import it into theputer for a look. Give me a moment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m not in a rush to get back home.¡± Looking out of the window, Rachel continued,


    ¡°Can I go out into the courtyard for some fresh air?¡±


    ¡°Of course. You can wait for me outside.¡±


    Pushing open the screen door, Rachel stepped outside. The courtyard still looked like it did all those


    years ago. ording to Janice, the building remained standing solely because the old tree in the


    courtyard was now recognized and protected as an ancient tree, bringing the entire ce into the


    spotlight along with it.


    As Rachel walked up to the tree, she couldn¡¯t help remembering the scene from all those years ago


    when Hans, Janice, and herself had sat there drinking tea. At the time, Hans and Janice were doing


    their best to help her investigate the truth behind her mother¡¯s murder, looking through Hudson Family¡¯s


    business records and advising her to flee the Burton Family¡­


    In the blink of an eye, five or six years had passed.


    ¡°Rae!¡± Janice called out from inside the room. ¡°Come here and take a look.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°The video¡¯s been edited.¡±


    Startled, Rachel stared at the image on the screen for a long time before asking, ¡°Is it missing


    anything?¡±


    ¡°Part of it has been deleted. Look here¡­ and here¡­¡±Janice clicked on the images using her mouse.


    ¡°These two images are obviously not linked. There¡¯s a part in the middle where a man appeared that


    has been erased.¡±


    ¡°Did Arthur tamper with the video? Why would he want to do that?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 243

    My Mute Bride Chapter 243


    Chapter 243 Hans¡¯ Actual Murderer


    ¡°I can¡¯t think of a reason other than rted interests,¡± Janice said as she reyed the video. ¡°But


    there¡¯s enough evidence here to follow the lead and find the real culprit.¡±


    Following her line of sight, Rachel stared at the erged image of the man in the video. ¡°This is


    Stanley Tillery,¡± Janice said. ¡°He has a pretty long record. He used to work for Gunny.¡±


    ¡°Gunny?¡± Rachel paled. ¡°Are you saying Hans¡¯ death is rted to Jefferey?¡± Upon hearing that, Janice


    nodded seriously. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring it up before, because I couldn¡¯t be certain Hans hadn¡¯t stumbled upon


    something illicit by ident and was killed in order to silence him. From the look of things now, I can be


    certain.¡±


    In the video were two groups of people making an exchange. A silver strongbox was in the frame, and


    the man carrying it was none other than Jefferey¡¯s beater, Stanley.


    Throughout her years of investigation, Rachel never thought the matter was rted to Jefferey.


    ¡°After Gunny left the country, Stanley was the one to work under Jefferey,mitting murders and


    robberies and other unsavory types of business. Several of the cases I investigated six years ago were


    rted to him.¡±


    ¡°The drug agent cases?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Unplugging the USB stick from theputer, Janice continued, ¡°Although the evidence has been


    altered, it meets the basic conditions to serve as criminal evidence. I¡¯ll have Hans¡¯ cases brought out


    for retrial as soon as possible. Wait to hear from me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been working hard, you have.¡± Janice gave her a solemn look. ¡°On behalf of Hans, I thank


    you.¡±


    All of a sudden, Rachel felt her nose itch and she had to turn her face away to keep from crying.


    Currently, Janice was the only person left in the world with whom she could still bring up Hans and the


    only person, to her, who was rted to Hans in some way. While there were many things they couldn¡¯t


    say outright to each other, a single nce between them could convey what words could not.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Patting her shoulder, Janice continued, ¡°This is the Hudson Family business, though. Are you sure you


    want me to go through with it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that Jefferey murdered my mother,¡± Rachel answered her. ¡°The statute of limitations on


    my mother¡¯s case has passed, but not on Hans¡¯ case. He¡¯s not getting away with it again. I¡¯m taking


    him for everything he¡¯s worth.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    After leaving Janice¡¯s ce, Rachel drove aimlessly around by herself for a while before finally going


    back home.


    By then, the sky was dark.


    The lights in the Burton Residence were on and when Rachel arrived home, the two children were


    sitting on the rug ying with building blocks.


    ¡°Home sote?¡± Seated on the couch, Justin lifted his head and immediately tossed the magazine in


    his hands aside. ¡°Where were you?¡±


    ¡°I went to meet an old friend and bought a cake on the way home.¡± Calmly, she lifted the cake box in


    her hand.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Charlotte cheered, jumping up. ¡°There¡¯s cake today, Samuel!¡±


    Next to her, Samuel pped his hands. ¡°It¡¯s strawberry cake, my favorite!¡±


    ¡°Wash your hands and have dinner first,¡± Justin instructed somewhat sternly. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to eat


    dinner if you have too much junk food.¡±


    ¡°No! I want cake. I won¡¯t be able to have cake if I eat too much dinner,¡± Samuel refuted, rolling his eyes


    at Justin before walking up to Rachel. ¡°Let¡¯s go cut the cake, Mommy!¡±


    Justin did not feel that it was within his rights to discipline someone else¡¯s son, so he could only instruct


    his own daughter, ¡°Charlotte, go wash your hands.¡±


    Unfortunately, the moment he finished saying that, Charlotte ran up to Rachel. ¡°I want to have some


    cake like Samuel, Mommy! Can I?¡±


    Faced with the girl¡¯srge, starry eyes, Rachel could only nod her head helplessly.


    With a humph, Justin grumbled, ¡°Well, she¡¯s certainly found someone to back her up. Go ahead and


    spoil her, then. I doubt she¡¯ll listen to me again in the future.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to spoil her every once in a while.¡± With that, Rachel led the children into the dining room to cut


    the cake, leaving him alone in the living room.


    After cutting the cake, she instructed, ¡°Everyone can have only one piece and once you¡¯re done, we¡¯ll


    have dinner.¡±


    ¡°No problem, Mommy!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    She even gave a piece to Martha, but when she turned to look over her shoulder, Justin was sitting


    alone in the living room, rifling through a magazine. And so, she asked, ¡°Do you want a piece? It¡¯s


    fragrant and not particrly sweet.¡±


    ¡°How long do you think my arm is in order to reach you from here?¡±


    His tone was full of resentment, for his back and his thigh were still injured.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Charlotte said suggestively behind her, ¡°I think Daddy wants you to go feed him.¡±


    Samuel made a face. ¡°Even I don¡¯t need Mommy to feed me, so why does he, as a grown-up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called romance, Samuel!¡± Charlotte batted her eyshes in response.


    And so, they bickered happily,pletely ignoring the man in the living room who was quickly


    bing increasingly embarrassed.


    ¡°The cake can¡¯t shut either of you up, can it?¡± Rachel rolled her eyes at the two children. ¡°Your teacher


    has informed me that you¡¯re not allowed to sit together next week because you talk too much and


    disturb the other children in ss.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Charlotte covered her mouth before whining in protest, ¡°But I don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°And what about eating in ss?¡±


    Subconsciously, Charlotte nced at Samuel.


    Guiltily, Samuel dodged Rachel¡¯s gaze and muttered under his breath, ¡°We¡¯re growing children. We


    need food.¡±


    And just like that, the two of them fell silent. Only then did Rachel smugly carry a piece of cake out into


    the living room.


    ¡°Have a piece,¡± she told Justin as she ced the cake on the coffee table. ¡°I know you¡¯re not fond of


    sweet things, but Charlotte and Samuel both like this vor.¡±


    Flipping through the magazine, he answered haughtily, ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re holding it upside down.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Reflexively, Justin flipped to the cover of the magazine for a look before realizing that he was, in


    fact, holding it correctly and that she was teasing him. Instantly, he scowled.


    ¡°Come on, now. Have a taste. Do you really want me to feed you?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead and try. If you dare feed me, I¡¯ll eat it.¡±


    Never did Rachel expect he would say such a thing.


    In fact, neither did Justin.


    Yet, in the next second, she was cutting up a small piece of cake with a fork and holding it up to his


    mouth.


    Instantly, he stiffened, feeling inexplicably nervous all of a sudden. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Put it down; I¡¯ll eat it by


    myself.¡±


    ¡°Are you embarrassed?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    As he parted his lips to say that, she pushed the fork into his mouth. In an instant, ice-cream cake


    melted away on his tongue and suffused his senses with the faint fragrance of strawberry.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± she asked.


    Swallowing hard, he hummed in agreement.


    ¡°Have another bite, then.¡±


    ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯m full.¡± Instantly, he picked up his magazine again, blocking her hand.


    With a nce at him, she put down the fork and said mildly at the same time, ¡°You¡¯re really holding it


    upside down this time.¡±


    All of the tanks on the cover of the military magazine were the wrong side up. Clearly, the more Justin


    tried to cover his emotions up, the more he revealed.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 244

    My Mute Bride Chapter 244


    Chapter 244 Nervous


    ¡°I¡¯m going to help Martha prepare dinner,¡± Rachel said, thereafter going to the kitchen. It wasn¡¯t until


    she left that Justin finally dropped the magazine in his hands with an uncharacteristically vexed


    expression on his face. In fact, he was very dissatisfied with his previous nervousness.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t as if he was a prepubescent boy. He shared a marriage and a child with her, so how


    could he still get so nervous? Martha¡¯s and Rachel¡¯s voices floated out of the kitchen, blending with the


    sound of the two children talking andughing in the dining room. Just like that, therge, deserted vi


    was filled with familial warmth.


    As Justin looked down at the cake on the coffee table, he couldn¡¯t help picking up the fork once again.


    Indeed, the cake was quite delicious.


    After dinner, Rachel headed into the bathroom to help Charlotte bathe.


    As the four yellow rubber ducks floated atop the bubbles in the filled bathtub, Charlotte said, ¡°These


    two are Mommy and Daddy. This is me, and this is Samuel.¡±


    Giving her daughter a conflicted look, Rachel started, ¡°Charlotte, if Mommy and Daddy were to


    separate, who would you want to live with?¡±


    The smile on Charlotte¡¯s face froze and her small, heat-reddened face crumpled up with anxiety. ¡°Are


    you leaving again, Mommy?¡±


    The word ¡®again¡¯ stabbed into Rachel¡¯s heart like the sharp point of a knife, but she steeled herself and


    persisted, ¡°I¡¯m saying ¡®if,¡¯ Charlotte. If your daddy and I separated, who would you want to go with?¡±


    Instantly, the rims of Charlotte¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°Why do you want to separate, Mommy? Is it because


    I was bad?¡±


    Seeing her daughter on the verge of tears, Rachel no longer had the heart to continue asking. Quickly,


    she wiped her daughter¡¯s eyes and reassured, ¡°It¡¯s not because of you. You¡¯ve been very good. You¡¯re


    a very good girl.¡±


    After carrying Charlotte back to her room, Rachel took some time to cate the child and read to her.


    Only after an interminable length of time where she watched her daughter fall asleep did she finally let


    out a deep breath.


    Children were the most vulnerable party in a parental divorce. Often, their first reaction would be to find


    fault with themselves, whether it be ¡®I wasn¡¯t well-behaved enough¡¯ or ¡®my parents no longer wanted


    me.¡¯ The anxiety of abandonment would wire itself into their brains, leaving them with trauma that


    would not heal for the rest of their lives.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that it was herst resort, Rachel would never subject Charlotte to that.


    By now, it waste in the night. The wind on the balcony was strong and it looked like it was about to


    rain.


    Rachel¡¯s vibrating cell phone showed an iing call from Jolly.


    ¡°Hey, are you back?¡±


    ¡°I justnded. How are things there?¡±


    ¡°I got what I needed and passed it on to Janice. Barring any idents, we should see the results


    soon.¡±


    ¡°Is it truly rted to Jefferey?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The person in charge of the transaction that Hans stumbled upon is Stanley Tillery, one of


    Jefferey¡¯s men. He currently works as Chief of Security at Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    ¡°Can he be convicted based on one video alone?¡±


    ¡°Janice is looking into him as well as the other people in the video. He¡¯s only the face of the group. The


    others operate more covertly.¡±


    While ¡®Chief of Security at Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ didn¡¯t sound like a particrly important position, it


    was tantamount to being Jefferey¡¯s right-hand man and monitoring Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ every


    move when it came to underground business deals.


    As for the rest of the men, though they looked unremarkable and unrted to Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals, they were actually Jefferey¡¯s way of protecting himself and avoiding scrutiny from the


    police should any ident arise.


    Presently, Jolly advised, ¡°You¡¯d better stay by Justin¡¯s side these few days to avoid arousing any


    suspicions.¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯ll only be a few more days.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take things too seriously, though. When everything is over, I have a surprise for you.¡±


    Though Jolly¡¯s tone was mysterious, Rachel found it hard to lift her spirits. ¡°Don¡¯t give me another ne


    ticket and send me to another ce for a vacation. I don¡¯t feel like going anywhere right now.¡±


    ¡°Do I seem that clueless? Of course it¡¯s not a ne ticket. Right, I can¡¯t talk anymore. My ride¡¯s here.¡±


    Just as Rachel was about to ask what that had to do with not being able to continue talking, she heard


    a man¡¯s voice calling out from the other end of the line, ¡°Who are you talking to?¡±


    ¡°No one!¡±


    In the end, Jolly hung up rather decisively.


    It made Rachel narrow her eyes. Who on earth had gone to pick Jolly up?


    And so, she texted, ¡®Is it him?¡¯


    Clearly dodging the question and not wishing to borate, Jolly only replied with a few emojis. For her


    part, Rachel didn¡¯t feel like pursuing the topic, anyway. As ofte, the conclusion of Hans¡¯ murder case


    had been weighing on her heart and she felt the issue bing more and more imminent.


    The closer she got to thest, critical moment, the longer and more nightmare-ridden her dreams felt.


    For the next three days, a storm enveloped the city.


    ¡°The weather forecast indicates that there will be a storm again tonight, President Burton, so the


    security team advises that we cancel the celebrity meet-and-greet session lest a safety incident ur.


    You know how crazy the fans can be.¡±


    A sweaty Mr. Smith, who happened to be the person in charge of publicizing the mall event, rushed


    over to report on the event progress.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a n B?¡± From behind the desk, Justin asked coldly, ¡°Did you note up with an


    alternative for bad weather?¡±


    Paling, Mr. Smith answered, ¡°We¡­ We didn¡¯t take the weather into consideration since the event would


    take ce indoors anyway.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me now that it¡¯s not your responsibility?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, President Burton. I¡­¡± Mr. Smith fell silent, wishing the ground would open up


    and swallow him whole.


    Right then, there was a series of taps on the door.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    From outside, the secretary announced, ¡°Miss Hudson is here, President Burton.¡±


    Justin lifted his head. His originally cial expression had melted somewhat as he said, ¡°Get in contact


    with the celebrity¡¯s agent. Have the star himself send out a tweet to calm his fan base. Additionally,


    issue shopping vouchers with no expiry date to anyone whoes to the mall today to make up for the


    cancetion.¡±


    Caught off-guard, Mr. Smith stared at Justin as he mused to himself, Is he handing me a solution just


    like that?


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Justin gave him a sharp nce.


    Startling, Mr. Smith mumbled, ¡°Uh¡ªno¡­¡±


    ¡°Get lost, then!¡± Even Frankie was ring impatiently at him. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that there¡¯s someone else


    waiting by the door?¡±


    Only then did Mr. Smith came to his senses. ¡°I¡¯ll act ording to your instructions then, President


    Burton.¡±


    As Rachel entered, she happened toe face-to-face with him.


    Gratefully, he stared at her, but his gaze made her feel somewhat uneasy and she only nodded


    awkwardly in greeting. ¡°I¡¯m not disturbing you, am I?¡± she asked Justin as she carried a document over


    to him. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that Mr. Smith from the marketing department? Why does he look so ufortable?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. He was simply here to report on the mall event. We¡¯ve finished our discussion.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªthat¡¯s good, then.¡± She handed the document over to Justin. ¡°These are HR¡¯s candidates for


    general manager. All of them were rmended by headhunters. I took a look at them and they all


    have good qualifications and broadworks. No matter who you choose, they¡¯ll be able to drive the


    development of the pharmaceutical industry. Take a look.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± He pushed the document aside. ¡°I already have a candidate in mind.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 245

    My Mute Bride Chapter 245


    Chapter 245 She Missed the Date


    ¡°What? Who is that? Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? The Human Resources department has been busy


    with this issue.¡± ¡°Was it that hard toe up with this solution?¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes were raised. ¡°In my opinion, what the Human Resources department needs to consider is


    to find a new sales director instead of a general manager.¡±


    Rachel froze slightly before she finally understood. Since thest general manager of Burton


    Pharmaceuticals¡ªthe Burton Group¡¯s childpany¡ªleft, the position had always been vacant.


    When Justin hastily hired Rachel from abroad with a high pay, he intended for her to temporarily fill in


    the role of a sales director while he observed her capabilities to see if she was fit to be a general


    manager.


    However, Rachel¡¯s true intention of returning to the country was not for the promotion and pay raise.


    ¡°Do you mean me?¡± she asked in shock.


    Justin slightly nodded. ¡°Apart from you, no one else is suitable for the position, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I think you should reconsider your decision. Managing a team and managing apany is different. I


    have no experience in thetter, so I think it¡¯s better if you hire a professional for this position.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has to start somewhere. I believe that you have the capability to do so.¡±


    With a firm expression on his face, he said, ¡°This settles it. I already informed the Human Resources


    department. After Valentines¡¯ Day, they will issue an official notice to your job scope.¡±


    ¡°Are you in such a rush?¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I even thought that it¡¯s pretty slow. If it weren¡¯t for the formal procedures of thepany


    that we have to adhere to, I would just issue a notice immediately.¡±


    Looking conflicted, Rachel wanted to say something but after a while, she remained silent.


    After all, she knew Justin¡¯s temperament very well. Once he had already made a decision, it would be


    very difficult to change his mind.


    ¡°Since you have already made your decision, I shall go back first.¡± Rachel got up from her seat. ¡°I think


    you should take some time to look over the candidates that the Human Resources department gave to


    you¡ªthere might be someone else who is more suitable than me for the job.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    With that, he threw the documents in the trash right in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s decided, then. You don¡¯t need to


    ask me to reconsider anymore. As opposed to handing the task to an outsider, I trust you better.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel smiled at him and made her move to leave.


    However, Justin suddenly asked, ¡°Wait¡ªI assume you¡¯re free after work? Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡±


    ¡°I still have some matters to settle, so I¡¯ll be runningte.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at the restaurant and I¡¯ll send the address to youter.¡±


    Without even waiting for her reply, he continued, ¡°You can continue with your work now and try to finish


    it earlier.¡±


    Rachel wanted to say something but in the end, she did not utter a word. Her fists that were next to her


    body were clenched tightly as she left Justin¡¯s office.


    It¡¯s Valentines¡¯ Day today. It¡¯s beyond obvious what he is implying by asking me out for dinner on this


    day.


    When she returned to her office, she unlocked her phone and saw a message from Janice.


    ¡®The crime scene has already been cordoned off. The suspects and the evidence have already been


    caught. No one has escaped, so there will be a result tonight.¡¯


    Rachel¡¯s expression immediately tensed up.


    Everything seems like it¡¯s predestined, as if karma is real.


    In the evening, dark clouds slowly covered the entire sky. With a p of thunder, Riverdale was


    shrouded in thick mists as rain pelted down to the ground heavily.


    Justin raised his wrist, revealing an expensive watch.


    He had been sitting in a private room of the restaurant for almost an hour. When he finished work, he


    wanted to bring Rachel along but she had a sudden meeting, so he came here alone.


    ¡°President Burton, is Miss Hudson still not here yet?¡±


    Slightly shocked, Frankie walked into the room with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s pouring


    outside. I hope that it¡¯s not stopping her from reaching here.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so talkative today?¡± Justin shot him a nce. ¡°Is it raining?¡±


    The private room was sound proof, so he had no clue that it was raining outside.


    When he heard Frankie¡¯s words, he immediately opened the curtains to take a look.


    When lightning shed, the bright light was reflected in the ss windows. The rain outside was so


    heavy that he could not even make out the buildings outside.


    ¡°President Burton, aren¡¯t you going to call her up? What if the rain is too heavy for her toe here?


    The roads are slowly getting flooded and many areas are trying to fix it.¡±


    Of course, even without Frankie pointing it out, Justin wanted to call her. However, he did not want


    Rachel to think of him as a slow and indecisive man.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll go to thepany right away.¡±


    ¡°What? What about the flowers?¡± Frankie waved the flowers in his hands. ¡°These are what you wanted


    ¡ªwhite tulips.¡±


    ¡°Take it along.¡±


    ¡°What about dinner?¡±


    ¡°Ask the head chef to make it in thepany.¡±


    With that, Justin walked outside immediately.


    Frankie quickly followed behind him with the flowers in his hands as he hastily took out his phone to


    call the manager of the restaurant. ¡°President Burton is leaving now. Ask the head chef to bring the


    necessary ingredients to thepany to prepare the menu for tonight¡¯s dinner. Yes, that¡¯s right¡ªhe will


    be preparing it there. Also, bring all the decorations as well, like the candles and other stuff.


    As the other end replied to him, the rain became heavier.


    Sitting in the car that was traveling slowly, Justin sent a message to Rachel.


    ¡®The rain is too heavy, so you don¡¯t have toe here. I¡¯m going back to the office now.¡¯


    After a long time, there was no reply from the other end. After some hesitation, he called her.


    ¡®The number you have dialed is out of service. Please try againter.¡¯


    She switched her phone off?


    His eyebrows knitted into a frown.


    ¡°Frankie, please drive faster.¡±


    ¡°We are already going very fast. The rain is very heavy now. If we drive any faster, we will get into an


    ident.¡±


    The wipers on the windscreen were not fast enough to remove the rain. All the cars on the road were


    moving slowly and carefully. On their way to thepany, there were already countless road


    idents.


    In the car, the news reporter on the radio was announcing the flooded areas with a serious tone.


    ¡°Onto the next topic, Riverdale¡¯s police caught a group of smugglers trying to smuggle an enormous


    batch of drugs at the pier. After further investigation, the smugglers were found out to be rted to the


    ex-president of Hudson Pharmaceuticals, Jefferey Hudson. Currently, the drugs are being confiscated


    at customs¡­¡±


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals?


    Justin lifted his head immediately with tension in his eyes. ¡°Frankie, what was the news just now?¡±


    Frankie also heard the same thing. Looking shocked, he replied, ¡°Yeah, I was listening to it too. It


    seems like the police caught the smugglers who are rted to Jefferey. This¡ª¡±


    Justin immediately called Rachel again.


    ¡®The number you have dialed is out of service. Please try againter.¡¯


    It seemed that her phone was still switched off.


    As soon as they arrived at thepany, Justin immediately went to her office to look for her but no one


    was around.


    Meanwhile, Rachel¡¯s assistant, Lisa, was working overtime in the office. When she saw Justin, she


    asked him politely, ¡°President Burton, are you looking for Chris?¡±


    Right behind him, Frankie immediately asked her, ¡°Where is Miss Hudson?¡±


    ¡°She went back after work.¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression was icy as he questioned, ¡°When did she leave?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 246

    My Mute Bride Chapter 246


    Chapter 246 The ¡®Surprise¡¯ on Valentine¡¯s Day


    ¡°It was around half an hour ago. Chris received a phone call right after the meeting ended and she left


    after that.¡± ¡°Do you know who the caller was?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Lisa shook her head. How would I know? Upon seeing Justin¡¯s expression, Frankie quickly


    consoled, ¡°President Burton, don¡¯t be anxious. The news was just reported, so maybe Miss Hudson


    saw the news and quickly went home to resolve the matter.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that she went back to the Hudson Residence?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not impossible, is it? Even


    though Miss Hudson is not close to her father, he is still her father after all. If she knows of such a big


    incident happening to the Hudson Family, I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t turn a blind eye to it.¡±


    The timing had matched as well¡ªthey had just left thepany half an hour ago. Not long after that,


    they heard the news on the radio. It was highly probable that Rachel had received a call from her


    family.


    ¡°Where are you going, President Burton?¡±


    ¡°The Hudson Residence.¡±


    After leaving three short words with Frankie, Justin left the office inrge strides. Frankie had no choice


    but quickly match Justin¡¯s footsteps with a huge bouquet of flowers in his hands.


    ¡®Hudson Pharmaceuticals is suspected to be involved in the smuggling of drugs and having close


    contact with the military abroad. As the police already have concrete evidence of this incident, they


    have detained the man who controlled thepany, Jefferey Hudson, for further investigation.¡¯


    The news of Hudson Pharmaceuticals being involved in a case of drug smuggling quickly spread like


    wildfire and was reported by all of the major news outlets. Because of that, Hudson Pharmaceuticals


    immediately stopped all their operations, which caused their stock prices to plummet.


    While holding a ck umbre, Rachel stood at the gate of the Hudson Residence¡ªa ce where she


    had lived for two decades. At this moment, it was both a familiar and a strange area for her.


    Jefferey was in handcuffs as he had already been detained by the police and at this moment, he was


    being brought out of the mansion by them. He acted as though she was his lifesaver the moment he


    saw her. After quickly shoving the police aside, he rushed to her. While they were under the heavy rain,


    he grabbed her arms and said, ¡°Rae, you have finally returned. Please save me¡ªask the Burton


    Family to save me. At this moment, they are the only ones who are able to save me.¡±


    The umbre in her hand was tilted by him. The rain pelted on her shoulders, leaving her drenched.


    However, she had a terrifyingly indifferent and cold expression. ¡°Uncle Jefferey, no one can save you


    now.¡±


    ¡°What did you just call me?¡±


    As soon as he heard the words ¡®Uncle Jefferey¡¯, Jefferey¡¯s old face seemed to have cracked like a


    dried tree branch. He stared at her fearfully, unable to believe his own ears.


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t you like this salutation of mine?¡± Rachel smiled stonily. ¡°If my parents were aware of this,


    they would have hoped that I would behave this way. No matter what you have done, I should still be


    polite. It¡¯s manners that I have to address you as ¡®Uncle Jefferey¡¯. Those manners which are already


    solidified in my bones.¡±


    Although he staggered backward in trepidation, he was immediately captured by the policemen who


    caught up to him. ¡°Trying to escape? In your dreams!¡±


    Jefferey merely stared at Rachel with fear in his eyes.


    ¡°Dad! Let go of my dad!¡±


    Amber had arrived at the scene a tad bit toote. Jefferey had already been forced into the police car,


    which had departed from the mansion. The lights of the vehicle and the roar of the engine disappeared


    in the rain.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± She did not have a chance to even speak to her father, so she asked Rachel


    anxiously, ¡°Why was Dad taken away by the police?¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Rachel was still holding her umbre when she coldly gazed at Amber. ¡°Aren¡¯t you clear on why he is


    being arrested?¡±


    ¡°Clear on what?¡±


    ¡°What Jefferey Hudson has been secretly doing in Hudson Pharmaceuticals. Do you dare to say that


    you are unaware of anything? Aren¡¯t you in charge of the secret bank ount abroad?¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you spurting now?¡± Amber¡¯s expression immediately changed. ¡°Are you nuts? Or,


    are you nning to harm the entire family?¡±


    ¡°Family?¡± Rachel snorted. ¡°At this moment, you guys still think that I¡¯m your family now? Don¡¯t forget,


    you sold me to the Burton Family. When you didn¡¯t even care whether I was still alive or already dead,


    have you considered me as a part of the family? Now that you are in trouble and have reached a dead


    end, you finally remembered that I¡¯m your family?¡±


    Amber nched. ¡°No matter what, you are still part of the Hudson Family. Even though we have


    different mothers, we still share the same father, which makes us rted by blood. You simply can¡¯t


    take advantage of us at dire times like this!¡±


    ¡°Looking at the current state of the Hudson Family, do I even need to take advantage of you guys?¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡± As Amber appraised Rachel, Amber suddenly realized something. ¡°How did you arrive earlier


    than me?¡± The maids in the Hudson Family called me as soon as Dad was in trouble and I rushed


    home immediately. Where did she get the information from?


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Miss Amber!¡± Her driver¡¯s voice rang as he quickly brought his phone to her. ¡°Look at this, Miss


    Amber!¡±


    Amber then looked at the news on the man¡¯s phone. The media had already received first hand news


    about the entire story. ¡®ording to our insider news, Jefferey Hudson had ordered his men to kill the


    witness five years ago to cover up his drug smuggling business. He killed the person and left his


    corpse in the wild. The said witness was a certain Mr. Egerton.¡¯


    As soon as Amber saw thest name of Egerton, she immediately understood what had been going on.


    As she looked at Rachel incredulously, Amber questioned, ¡°You are behind all this?¡±


    ¡°Is it important to find out who did this? It¡¯s fair and square to get retribution for killing someone.¡±


    ¡°My dad did not kill Hans.¡±


    ¡°Stanley Tillery was the man who killed him and he was working for Jefferey. Don¡¯t you know Stanley?¡±


    Amber¡¯s face turned ghastly pale. Everyone knows that Stanley is Dad¡¯s spy in Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals. ¡°You are nning to ruin the Hudson Family. You returned not to take revenge on the


    Burton Family, but on us!¡±


    Amber suddenly charged forward in fury. However, Rachel had caught the woman¡¯s raised hand.


    ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± Rachel¡¯s cold gaze swept past Amber. ¡°It¡¯s just something that I¡¯m


    supposed to do. Jefferey has killed many over the years. Thew will never miss anyone.¡±


    ¡°You mad woman, let go of me!¡± Amber shrieked and struggled from Rachel, who then shoved her


    away.


    With another loud scream, Amber staggered and fell in the rain.


    Julian quickly sheltered her with his umbre. ¡°Miss Amber.¡±


    ¡°Enjoy your days as Miss Amber. Once the Hudson Family is captured, you will be left with nothing.


    The little princess of the Hudson Family might need to live on the streets by then.¡±


    Rachel coldly looked at Amber. Her arrogance felt like a mountain weighing on Amber, who felt like she


    was unable to breathe.


    Apart from arresting Jefferey, the police had also seized all the valuable properties in the mansion.


    They even ced a banner on the front door¡ªonce the court hade to their decision, all of the


    properties would either be auctioned off or returned to the Hudson Family. No matter what, everything


    rted to the Hudson Family would be frozen during this period. Hence, Amber¡¯s ess to her card


    would definitely be affected as well.


    ¡°Rachel!¡± she yelled angrily. ¡°Does Justin know that you returned for Hans¡¯s death? No wonder you


    stayed by his side like a loyal dog no matter how bad he treated you. You¡¯re like a dog that can¡¯t be


    chased away!¡±


    ¡°Of course he doesn¡¯t know that, but the evidence is in his grandfather¡¯s hands. Do you think I can


    easily leave?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 247

    My Mute Bride Chapter 247


    Chapter 247 Aren¡¯t You Going to Exin?


    When Amber heard those words, her eyes widened in shock. At this exact moment, a cold man¡¯s voice


    rang behind Rachel. ¡°So, the reason why you are sticking to me is just to obtain evidence of Hans¡¯


    death from Grandpa?¡±


    Rachel jolted violently. A ck umbre was held firmly by the man¡¯s slender fingers. His tall figure cast


    a long shadow that covered the ground and his face looked even colder than usual.


    Justin? She did not even notice when he had arrived. ¡°Is this the exchange you made with Grandpa?¡±


    ¡°Justin.¡± Amber quickly scrambled to her feet and she ran to the spot under his umbre. ¡°Justin, I


    already told you that she is up to no good, but you refused to believe me. Look at the crazy things that


    she just did! She even threw her own father into jail. I wonder what else she is capable of doing!¡±


    Justin¡¯s face darkened as he stared at Rachel. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to exin?¡±


    However, Rachel merely tightened her hold on her umbre with a tense expression on her face.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear everything for yourself earlier?¡±


    She calmly looked at the man in front of her, but her grip on her umbre tightened.


    Everyone could tell that she had ulterior motives when she returned and became closer to Justin. Even


    he himself was aware of this and even asked her many times in the beginning about the reason for her


    return.


    It was just that he forgot about itter on.


    In that instant, his cold face was almost ovee with fury. Even though he tried to suppress his


    anger, the throbbing vein on his forehead betrayed his current emotions.


    ¡°From the beginning, you returned to avenge Hans¡¯ death. Not only did you not consider my feelings,


    you didn¡¯t even consider Charlotte either. You even used your own daughter!¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Upon the mention of Charlotte, Rachel¡¯s temples throbbed. The emotions that she had repressed


    quickly shed on her face before it disappeared. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think about me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t care about my thoughts? Aren¡¯t your thoughts exactly like how I have described?¡±


    ¡°I still have other things to attend to.¡±


    Justin grabbed Rachel¡¯s wrist as he bellowed, ¡°I¡¯m not allowing you to leave!¡±


    Although pain shot through her wrists, Rachel did not groan whatsoever as she merely frowned at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s meaningless whether I leave or not since my job here is done. What more do you want?¡±


    Justin tightened his hold on her; it was as if he would only give up until he crushed her wrist.


    At the same time, he could not believe his ears. This cold woman in front of me just prepared dinner in


    the kitchenst night and we were chatting happily. She even took the initiative to bring me a bowl of


    soup and asked me to have more of it for my stomach¡¯s health. After just a night, everything has


    completely changed. Her behavior has changed so fast that it feels like she¡¯s a different person


    compared to yesterday.


    ¡°You have been putting on an act around me, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    The pain she felt was so intense that she could not even speak.


    ¡°Is that the case?!¡± His loud voice reverberated in her ears as it crushed her nerves.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Rachel tried to wring free from his grasp, but to no avail. The umbre that she had been


    holding even fell off from her hand.


    The heavy rain immediately pelted on her head like ice cubes.


    Justin¡¯s eyes reddened as he forced her to retreat. ¡°Since you were already putting on an act, why


    didn¡¯t you continue with it? How long has it been since you returned? Why don¡¯t you continue with the


    act? Is it because I don¡¯t have any value for you now that you have gotten what you want? Or, is it


    because you have always been treating the Burton Group lightly?¡±


    A p of thunder roared in the background.


    A car stopped by the roadside amidst Amber¡¯s shriek. A figure alighted from the car and he


    immediately walked to them. He then pulled Justin¡¯s cor and sent Justin falling to the ground with a


    punch.


    ¡°Justin!¡±


    She quickly approached Justin with an umbre to help him on his feet, but he pushed her away.


    He wiped his lips with his slender hands, leaving a bright red blood trail on his face.


    After the man had punched Justin, he calmly picked up the umbre on the ground and held it above


    Rachel¡¯s head. ¡°My darling Chris, I¡¯mte. I¡¯m sorry you have suffered greatly.¡±


    ¡°Hernandez?¡± A shocked Rachel froze as she looked at the man in front of her. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Amidst the rain, the man with chestnut brown hair looked like he was on a beach vacation with his


    flowery shirt. He showed his pearly whites as he answered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a lovely surprise? Do you miss me


    after not seeing me for such a long time?¡±


    Is this the time to talk about this? Rachel frowned. ¡°Hernandez, the situation here doesn¡¯t bother you.


    Why don¡¯t you return to where you came from?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t work. It¡¯s been difficult to catch this moment to save a damsel in distress.¡±


    ¡°Who is he?¡± Justin rose from the ground with an expression that was as dark as the night.


    ¡°Me?¡± Upon hearing Justin¡¯s voice, Hernandez returned to his senses and began to appraise Justin


    from head to toe.


    ¡°I should be the one asking who you are to treat Chris so roughly!¡± Hernandez stood in front of Rachel


    to protect her. As he looked at Justin with vignce, a look of understanding suddenly shed across


    his face. ¡°Oh, I understand now! You must be her ex-husband! It seems like Chris is still as attractive as


    ever! After many years, you still can¡¯t get over her?!¡±


    ¡°Rachel! I¡¯m asking you who this guy is!¡± Justin looked incredibly stony.


    After all, a random man had suddenly popped up and addressed Rachel as ¡®Chris¡¯ and the way he had


    protected her illustrated that there was intimacy. It was enough to leave Justin imagining things.


    Hernandez spoke way before Rachel could even answer. ¡°I¡¯m Chris¡¯ fiance, but we haven¡¯t had our


    wedding.¡±


    The word ¡®fiance¡¯ was firmly enunciated, which angered Justin even more.


    ¡°Fiance?¡± With a deathly expression, he stared at her with ferociousness. ¡°Is he your fiance?¡± She


    actually has a fiance abroad?


    Rachel pulled Hernandez¡¯s arm. ¡°Enough of the nonsense. Justin, he is not my fiance and you don¡¯t


    need to sentence me for the crimes I have never done. I admit that the reason for my return is to


    avenge Hans. It¡¯s fair and square to seek revenge for his murder. You were the one who indirectly


    caused his death, so I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve done anything wrong here.¡±


    To Justin, the more she spoke, the more her voice began to sound shriller.


    Nevertheless, she continued with her words, ¡°If you didn¡¯t break his leg, he wouldn¡¯t have gone to the


    hospital. As a result, he wouldn¡¯t have stumbled upon Jefferey¡¯s drug smuggling. You have also yed


    a part in his death.¡± The sourcees from him. He is not able to escape from this responsibility


    forever.


    ¡°You have always thought I¡¯m the cause of that man¡¯s death?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s silence exined everything.


    Justin tightly clenched his fists beside his body as blood dripped through his fingertips and onto the


    ground. Then, it was quickly flushed away by the heavy rain.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to continue the nonsense with him any further.¡± Hernandez grabbed her hand. ¡°You


    have finished your job here. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Then, Justin watched as Hernandez left with Rachel.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 248

    My Mute Bride Chapter 248


    Chapter 248 Damsel in Distress


    In the heavy rain, the white sports car sped away with a loud roar of the engine. Amber and Justin were


    the only ones standing outside the Hudson Residence.


    As she was still holding the umbre, she shielded him from the storm as she asked, ¡°Justin, let¡¯s get


    some shelter. You don¡¯t have to ill-treat yourself.¡±


    ¡°She said everything was caused by me. What do you think?¡± Amber¡¯s heart sank as she looked at him


    in surprise. ¡°What does Hans¡¯ death have to do with you? That¡¯s because he¡¯s unlucky. We don¡¯t see


    anyone else encountering something like this, do we?¡±


    ¡°I was the one who broke his leg, though,¡± Justin mumbled. He could not recall the incident, but a


    memory suddenly shed in his mind.


    ¡­


    ¡°Hold him down.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Aaaah¡ª¡± The man yelled in pain. After that, his voice broke off as if he had died.


    Then, someone next to him poured a bucket of cold water to wake him up.


    ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡­


    Justin remembered the white walls in the hospital. The smell of disinfectant was just as strong even in


    his memories.


    And bit by bit, he started to remember the past incidents.


    ¡°Justin, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Amber suddenly shrieked as she supported his wobbly figure. ¡°Justin, hang in


    there! Someone, please call the police! Call the police quickly!¡±


    ¡­


    Janice¡¯s subordinates had always been keeping an eye on the Hudson Family for years. Now that


    Jefferey¡¯s men were caught red handed at the pier and he was thrown behind bars, the tangible


    evidence led to a positive verdict by the court.


    ¡°Jefferey Hudson, the suspect and former president of Hudson Pharmaceuticals, has been involved in


    huge sums of money associated with drug smuggling. Among his illegal activities, he has killed two


    people to cover up his crimes. Since he has been convicted for his many crimes, we hereby announce


    that he would be subjected to a total of 15 years imprisonment and all his properties will be


    confiscated.¡±


    In the solemn atmosphere of the court, the judge¡¯s voice rang loud and clear when he announced the


    guilty verdict.


    As Amber cried so hard that she almost fainted, she was helped out of the courtroom. Meanwhile,


    when Rachel heard the verdict, she slowly stood up and looked at Jefferey, who was seated in the dock


    with his striped clothes. She was surprised to realize that she felt nothing but calmness.


    15 years of prison meant that he would have to spend a part of his life in prison. Even though he would


    be released after 15 years, he would barely be able to do anything after losing touch with society for so


    long.


    After Hernandez and Rachel walked out of the courtroom and to their car, a shrill voice rang behind


    them.


    ¡°Are you satisfied now, Rachel?¡± Amber struggled from her assistant and chased Rachel. ¡°I bet you are


    finally satisfied now that you have broken our family apart, you vicious woman!¡±


    Before Rachel could speak, he blocked her with his back to protect her. ¡°Miss, are you going to attack


    her in front of the court? I don¡¯t mind suing you for insult and assault.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s you!¡± Amber recognized him in an instant. Then, she scoffed and continued sarcastically,


    ¡°Rachel, do you think that you are invincible in Riverdale now that you are friends with awyer? Let


    me tell you this¡ªyou will have your fair share of crying in the future!¡±


    Hernandez had wanted to respond, but he was stopped by Rachel, who coldly looked at Amber.


    ¡°You have been threatening me since we were young,¡± Rachel reminded. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are so used to


    it that you have forgotten what evidence I¡¯m now holding against you, right?¡±


    Amber nched.


    ¡°Bear in mind that if any of the evidence in hand is leaked to the public, you can forget about staying in


    Riverdale altogether. You better take care of yourself. Let¡¯s go, Hernandez.¡±


    Rachel stared at Amber¡¯s figure in the rearview mirror until Amber became a tiny dot as they went


    further into the distance. It was only at that moment that Rachel retracted her gaze.


    Hernandez, who was sitting next to Rachel, yanked her hand toward him and pried her fist open. ¡°Don¡¯t


    be so tense now. It¡¯s time to rx now that the case is over.¡±


    After she returned to her senses, she responded with a conflicted expression, ¡°Thank you for


    apanying me here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my honor to be of your service.¡±


    ¡°Even though Jefferey is behind bars and Amber will not have a good life from now onward, I still have


    the muscle memory from twenty years of living with them. I can¡¯t even rx now. Sarcastic, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°It will be better,¡± Hernandez insisted. ¡°Even if it doesn¡¯t, you will feel much better once you leave


    Riverdale and never see these people again.¡±


    ¡°I still haven¡¯t decided when to leave.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to rush. I still need some time to collect the evidence for your daughter¡¯s case anyway.¡±


    ¡°Are we really going to court for this?¡± Rachel frowned. ¡°She might me me in the future.¡±


    ¡°Instead of thinking that she might me you, it¡¯s better to use the effort to consider whether it¡¯s really


    appropriate for her to grow up in Justin¡¯s care, especially when he¡¯s short-tempered. Isn¡¯t it better for


    her to be with you¡ªher mom¡ª and your friends like us? Think about Samuel too.¡±


    Hernandez¡¯s words had swayed her.


    Rachel had never seriously considered going to court to obtain Charlotte¡¯s custodial rights before he


    came to riverdale. However, everything had now changed¡ªand there was no better option apart from


    bringing Charlotte away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother about it anymore. Leave the rest to me and have a break at home.¡±


    ¡°No, I would like to go to the Burton Residence first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Jolly had already brought Samuel abroad with the excuse of school activities. Although he had not


    been attending school for the past few days, Rachel still had some luggage at the Burton Residence


    that she wanted to collect and move out for the time being.


    It was already noon when Rachel arrived. She had deliberately chosen Charlotte¡¯s schooling hours to


    return so that only the nanny would be at home.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, you must be back from your work trip.¡± The nanny treated Rachel as usual when she


    saw Rachel.


    However, upon hearing those words, Rachel froze. I haven¡¯t returned for such a long time. I guess


    Justin had to give Charlotte an exnation. Otherwise, that kid would continuously pester him. Well, a


    work trip is a good excuse for this.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡± She refused to borate. ¡°Continue with your tasks. I¡¯m merely back to collect


    some items.¡±


    ¡°I see. Alright.¡±


    Rachel walked upstairs alone and she went to the room to keep the items belonging to her and Samuel


    away.


    Just as she was about to leave, she saw the ss photo frame from the corner of her eye and


    immediately froze.


    In the picture was her, Justin, Charlotte and Samuel¡ªit was taken when they were on a trip to the


    mountainst weekend. Rachel had no idea when the picture was printed out. Since it wasn¡¯t framed


    when she left, it could have been printed out some time over thest few days.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    A cold voice rang from the door, which made her jump. The frame in her hands fell to the ground and


    shattered into pieces.


    Justin took a huge step forward reflexively as if he wanted to catch the frame, but he retracted halfway


    through.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 249

    My Mute Bride Chapter 249


    Chapter 249 Under the Same Roof


    Rachel apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to do it.¡± ¡°Do you think an apology will fix the issue? You


    should apologize to Charlotte herself. After all, she¡¯s the one who printed this picture out.¡±


    She froze upon hearing that. ¡°Charlotte printed it out?¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible that I printed it out? I


    can¡¯t wait to throw all of your belongings away, but Charlotte still treats you as her mom and waits for


    you toe home everyday. However, she has no clue that you merely treated her as a tool for you to


    collect evidence!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t treat her as a tool,¡± she exined. ¡°I never had the n to use her since she is our daughter.¡±


    ¡°You really treat her as your own daughter?¡±


    ¡°Forget it, I can¡¯t possibly exin everything to you.¡± Rachel refused to speak to the man anymore and


    immediately walked outside with her luggage.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± Justin grabbed her wrist. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m moving out! Didn¡¯t you just say that you can¡¯t wait to throw all of my belongings away?


    You don¡¯t need to do that¡ªI¡¯ll move out myself.¡±


    ¡°You have wreaked havoc in my household and you want to leave just like that? Where do you think


    this ce is? A ce where you cane and go as you wish?¡± Justin was beyond furious. ¡°I don¡¯t


    care what deal you had with Grandpa! You are forbidden to move out from this ce without my


    approval for you to leave!¡±


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Rachel tried to shake his hands off her but to no avail. With a frown, she added, ¡°I¡¯ve


    alreadypleted my n, yet you still want me here to cause more trouble for you?¡±


    ¡°I have already told you that I don¡¯t agree! Can¡¯t you understand my words?!¡±


    He grabbed hold of her wrist even harder as fury spewed out of his eyes.


    ¡°Let me go!¡±


    Amidst their conversation, Rachel tried to harshly push Justin¡¯s hands off, making him groan and clutch


    his shoulders.


    It was only at this moment that she remembered that his shoulder was still injured. ¡°How are you


    doing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your fake concern.¡± Justin leaned against the door with a dark expression. ¡°Aren¡¯t you


    leaving? Why are you pretending to care about me now?¡±


    When she heard that, her fists tightened. When Jefferey made a scene in thepany some time ago,


    he would have stabbed her with the scissors if Justin wasn¡¯t there. No matter what, it was because of


    her that Justin sustained his injury.


    No matter how much she hated him, there was no way she can absolve herself from this responsibility.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I¡¯ll send you to the hospital. Or, I can also ask Julian toe over.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need any option. If you really feel sorry, don¡¯t move out first.¡±


    When Rachel heard that, she was stunned.


    Justin continued, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. It¡¯s just that I told Charlotte that you will being


    home today when she asked me about you yesterday. If you really want to leave, you have to exin


    to her yourself.¡±


    With that, he shot a nce at the luggage behind her and added coldly, ¡°Compared to never obtaining


    something to getting it and losing it in the end, which do you think is crueler?¡±


    His words sent a jolt to her heart like a p of thunder.


    Charlotte had always been the reason why her emotions had never fully recovered over the years. She


    craved for her mother¡¯spany and Rachel also hoped to stay by her side as well.


    After a moment of hesitation, Rachel replied, ¡°I¡¯ll stay for the time being then. I¡¯ll leave when your


    wounds are fully healed.¡±


    It would take some time for Justin¡¯s wounds to make a full recovery while Hernandez would also need a


    while to prepare for the suit to gain Charlotte¡¯s custody rights. As such, it would be a good n for


    Rachel to stay here to avoid any suspicions.


    No matter what, she had already made a decision to take Charlotte with her.


    It was only at this moment that Justin¡¯s coldness receded slightly.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    During dinner, Charlotte was loquacious as she asked loads of questions. ¡°Mommy, why were you


    away on a work trip for such a long time? I thought you don¡¯t want me anymore!¡±


    Rachel shot a nce at Justin as she replied, ¡°Mommy has been quite busy at work. See, now I¡¯m


    back! How is it possible that I don¡¯t want you anymore?¡±


    ¡°What about Samuel? Why hasn¡¯t he returned? Where did Godmother bring him to?¡±


    ¡°The signal isn¡¯t excellent abroad, but he will return in two days.¡±


    Justin seemed like he was deliberately giving Rachel a cold look as she was being questioned by


    Charlotte. As he listened to her lying to Charlotte, he did not utter a single word.


    Under his oppressive nce, Rachel felt quite anxious, as though he had seen through her. She


    peeled a prawn for Charlotte as she said, ¡°Charlotte, quickly finish the meal and sleep earlier. You still


    have to go to school tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Without Samuel here, I don¡¯t even feel like going to school anymore,¡± Charlotte muttered with a sigh,


    but she obediently finished her meal.


    After dinner, Rachel emerged from her room after she finally put Charlotte to bed.


    Then, after she saw Justin looking for something in the living room, she asked, ¡°What are you looking


    for?¡±


    ¡°The medicine Julian prescribedst time.¡±


    ¡°Are you changing your bandage?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Rachel took a medicine kit from a drawer in the living room. Then, she perused the types of medicines


    in the kit before she passed him a tube of cream. ¡°Here it is.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Are you able to change it on your own?¡±


    As soon as she asked this question, she regretted her words.


    Since Justin¡¯s wound was on his back, it was beyond obvious that he could not change the bandage


    himself. Unfortunately, the nanny was off duty, so Rachel was the only remaining adult in the house.


    ¡°Let me help you,¡± she offered through gritted teeth.


    He nodded slightly as he ced the cream on the table.


    Then, he removed his shirt to reveal his tanned shoulders as well as the bandage in the living room.


    His heaving chest somehow increased the romance in the air.


    He wasn¡¯t a buff man as one could tell that he did not work out regrly. His shoulders were rather thin


    and pleasing to the eye; it was something that he naturally had since he never exercised to build


    muscle in the gym.


    ¡°Have you had enough of looking at me?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Rachel returned to her senses to notice that Justin was coldly staring at her.


    ¡°If you would like to feel the life you had before marriage, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    At once, her face darkened. ¡°You are overthinking. If you want me to change the bandage for you, turn


    around.¡± I¡¯m not in the mood to make flirty jokes with him. Once Hans¡¯ matter hase to an end, I


    don¡¯t need to flirt with him anymore. I see no difference whether Justin is enthusiastic or cold.


    Hence, Justin turned around to face her with his back.


    After Rachel undid his bandage, the ckened, stitched wound gave her a shock as she thought, It has


    been so long, but why does his wound still look like this? It even looks as though it was just torn. ¡°Didn¡¯t


    you say that the stitches will be taken away on Monday? Why are they still here?¡±


    ¡°They have been removed once, but the recovery hasn¡¯t been going well, so the doctor stitched it up


    again.¡±


    Justin¡¯s indifferent exnation exined many things.


    Rachel frowned upon hearing his reply.


    Initially, she wanted to ask why the recovery wasn¡¯t going well. However, as she thought about the


    incidents that happenedtely, she figured that it had impacted his recovery, so she did not voice out


    the question she had in mind.


    When the cream was rubbed into the wound, it caused Justin¡¯s back muscle to tense even though he


    did not utter a single word. His reaction had caused her to be more gentle in her actions.


    After that, she bandaged the wound and kept the medicine away in the kit. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    As Justin wore his shirt, Rachel added, ¡°You still have to take care of your diet. Don¡¯t eat anything that¡¯s


    spicy, raw, and cold.¡±


    ¡°Are you now concerned about me?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 250

    My Mute Bride Chapter 250


    Chapter 250 The Murderer Is Still at Large


    ¡°I guess so, but I¡¯d usually treat this as being polite.¡± After Rachel kept the medicine kit away, she


    walked upstairs. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯m going to rest now.¡± I should try my best to avoid spending time


    with Justin alone, now that both of us are living together. After all, I know how strong he is as a man.


    The incident from five years ago was clearly imprinted in her memories, forcing her to defend herself.


    While she was walking halfway up the stairs, Justin¡¯s voice rang.


    ¡°Rachel!¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± She turned around and saw his slightly raised head as he stared at her under the


    bright lights of the living room.


    ¡°What is your rtionship with Hernandez?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just friends. Rest earlier.¡±


    After giving a short answer, Rachel directly headed into her room without any intention of staying any


    longer for further exnation.


    Hence, Justin was left alone in the living room. He tightly clenched his fists next to his body with a dark


    expression.


    He never believed in any pure friendship between a man and a woman.


    Apart from that, Hernandez was overly close to Rachel¡ªthe man kept addressing her as ¡®babe¡¯. Just


    the mere thought of it was enough to infuriate Justin.


    Meanwhile, as soon as Rachel entered the second bedroom, she received a message from Janice.


    After reading the message, her expression stiffened and she immediately gave Janice a ring.


    ¡°Janice, what do you mean by that? Old Mr. Burton has silently agreed to Jefferey¡¯s drug smuggling? Is


    this rted to the Burton Family as well?¡±


    Janice¡¯s voice rang from the other end. ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s rted to Jason Burton.¡±


    Jason Burton?


    Upon hearing that name, Rachel tightly clenched her fists.


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton¡¯s video evidence indicates that there are three people involved in the case. It¡¯s obvious


    that a few frames have been deleted, but he missed something this time although he¡¯s usually


    meticulous. When we managed to recover the video in its HD quality, we saw a fourth person in the


    reflection on one of the car windows.¡±


    ¡­


    Now that they were seated inside a cafe, Janice shoved a few pictures to Rachel from across the table.


    It was all pictures of Hans witnessing the smuggling deal that Hudson Pharmaceuticals was engaged


    with in the hospital. The car on the left of the picture had been zoomed in, which illustrated another


    man standing near the corner of the wall.


    Rachel only thought that he looked familiar, but she could not recall his identity. ¡°And this man is?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Bucky. Does it ring a bell now?¡±


    As soon as she heard that name, her eyebrows trembled and she tightened her grip on the edge of the


    photograph.


    Five years ago, her grandmother was kidnapped. After that, the police had been tracking one of the


    kidnappers who evaded arrest. In the end, the remaining perpetrator was sentenced to jail for


    orchestrating Nancy¡¯s kidnapping. This man was none other than Bucky.


    ¡°What you¡¯re saying is that Bucky is also involved in Hans¡¯ case?¡±


    Rachel could not believe that the same person who caused her grandmother¡¯s death had also killed


    Hans.


    However, Janice shook her head. ¡°This is not what I meant. At this point, it¡¯s not important whether he


    is involved in Hans¡¯ case or not. What¡¯s more important is that Old Mr. Burton has deleted Bucky from


    the video. Have you thought about what this means?¡±


    Rachel shook her head as well.


    Janice exined, ¡°Bucky is actually not an important person among this group of people since he is


    just a trivial gangster. My guess is that even he is unaware about the context of the transaction. He was


    merely running errands for them. In their kind of circle, the less information they know, the safer it is for


    them.¡±


    Rachel still did not understand what Janice wanted to tell her.


    Her main reason for returning was Hans¡¯ death. Since Bucky was unrted to Hans¡¯ death and the


    mastermind of the incident¡ªthat¡¯d be Jefferey¡ªwas already behind bars and received the punishment


    he deserved, she was unbothered with the rest of the matters. What smuggling case is she referring


    to? I¡¯m just a normal person, so I don¡¯t have the resolution like Janice, who is a public servant. Apart


    from that, I don¡¯t even have the intention to contribute much to society.


    Janice could tell that Rachel was confused, so she patiently exined, ¡°I know that bringing up the


    older incidents would hurt you again. However, after reflecting on it for the past two days, I figured that


    you have the right to know the truth.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°The mastermind behind your grandmother¡¯s kidnapping is still atrge.¡±


    When Rachel heard that, her expression immediately changed. ¡°What did you just say? Hasn¡¯t Bucky


    already been sentenced to prison?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you thought about this? Bucky is just a trivial gangster having a hard time to even buy meals


    for himself. Would he threaten a big shot like Justin Burton and kidnap your grandmother because of


    Brookville¡¯s bid? He hasn¡¯t even graduated primary school¡ªI¡¯m afraid he doesn¡¯t even know what a bid


    means.¡±


    So. he¡¯s just a scapegoat.


    Nancy¡¯s death that year was a huge blow to Rachel as Rachel was at the darkest period of her life. She


    was being imprisoned by Justin and had no means to track down the mastermind who orchestrated her


    grandmother¡¯s kidnapping. When the cops arrested Bucky, she thought that he was the perpetrator.


    However, everything she knew in the past was no longer the truth now.


    Rachel¡¯s hand suddenly jolted.


    While looking at her, Janice hesitantly added, ¡°Rachel, you have the right to decide whether you want


    to know about this or not. If you don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t say another word and the matter will end here.


    After all, we can¡¯t revive the dead no matter what. I guess your grandmother also wants you to move on


    and have a good life.¡±


    As soon as Rachel recalled Nancy¡¯s smile, her heart started to ache. If she knew about this in her


    afterlife, I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t want me to investigate this case. After all, six years have already


    passed. It is meaningless to find out who the mastermind behind the case is now. Be it Grandma orBelongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    myself, we are just coteral damages among business battles. No one will remember us. Just


    because we are just ordinary people, should they sacrifice us?


    ¡°Just tell me. I only want the truth.¡± Rachel¡¯s voice trembled, but she firmly said, ¡°Who was the


    mastermind who kidnapped my grandma?¡±


    Janice took a deep breath before she slowly exhaled and mentioned a name. ¡°Jason Burton.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel remained silent.


    The cafe was only a street away from Burton Group.


    Rachel left on her own after she met up with Janice. The traffic lights had turned from red to green, yet


    she continued to stand by the crosswalk. She looked as if she had lost her soul and forgot to cross the


    road.


    Her mind continued to think of what Janice said earlier.


    ¡°Six years ago, after your grandmother¡¯s kidnapping, the police had actually suspected Jason.


    However, the case was suddenly intercepted by someone else within 24 hours and the biggest suspect


    was now Bucky. The motive was changed to a gangster kidnapping for money. All the logical


    deductions and the business schemes behind the scenespletely disappeared. After Bucky was


    caught, Old Mr. Burton slowly revoked Jason¡¯s responsibilities in the Burton Group and even


    transferred all of Jason¡¯s shares to Justin. Within a year, no one in the Burton Family and the entire


    business circle in Riverdale ever discussed Jason Burton, as if the man never existed in the family. I¡¯m


    confident that Bucky is somewhat associated with Jason.¡±


    As Rachel recalled Janice¡¯s words, she was deep in her thoughts.


    ¡°Chris!¡± A voice rang from the near distance.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 251

    My Mute Bride Chapter 251


    Chapter 251 No One Could Stop Him


    Rachel initially didn¡¯t hear her name being called. It was only until after someone tapped on her


    shoulder that she immediately returned to her senses. She nkly looked at the person who was


    behind her for a moment before she recognized the woman. ¡°Lisa?¡±


    Lisa looked at Rachel in shock. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Miss Hudson? I have been calling you for so long, but


    you didn¡¯t reply to me.¡± When Rachel returned to her senses, she answered, ¡°I¡¯m alright. What brings


    you here?¡±


    Lisa waved the file in her hand. ¡°Mr. Beckham asked me to send this file to the meeting room. It¡¯ll be


    referred to in the meetingter. Congrattions, Miss Hudson.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°Why are you still hiding the truth?¡± Lisa smiled. ¡°Everyone knows that the meeting this afternoon is


    about your promotion. We¡¯re just waiting for the official announcement from the Human Resources


    department. I guess President Burton wants to announce the news for himself.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel froze slightly.


    If Lisa hadn¡¯t brought it up, she would¡¯ve forgotten about the promotion that Justin mentioned.


    The corners of Rachel¡¯s lips slightly twitched upward. ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating. Even if there¡¯s a promotion,


    I won¡¯t be the one to get it.¡± So many incidents have happened recently. Justin already knows that I


    won¡¯t be staying for long at the Burton Group. I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t receive the position of general manager


    in thepany. At the very least, this is what I can predict.


    She shot a nce at her watch as the traffic light opposite them turned green once again. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We


    are having a meeting soon.¡±


    In thepany¡¯s meeting room, Frankie had just finished printing out the documents and distributing


    them.


    Rachel arrived ratherte, but she did not expect to meet Justin at the door.


    Their nces met for a few seconds before she quickly shifted her gaze and she walked directly into


    the room, leaving a frowning Justin behind her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone has some knowledge of the main topic of today¡¯s meeting¡ªthe person who would


    be the general manager of Burton Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    His low and smart voice reverberated in the room. For meetings appointing the person in charge of a


    subsidiary, the management team of the main group would be present. In this case, a few leaders from


    Burton Pharmaceuticals were also in attendance and she was one of them.


    ¡°After many observations and meetings with the management team, we have made a decision.¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes scanned the meeting desk before his thin lips spoke a word. ¡°Rachel.¡±


    Rachel was just lowering her head and perusing the documents. When she heard her name being


    called, she raised her head in shock. She thought she had heard it wrongly, but the apuse rang in


    the meeting room.


    The congrattory words from the people surrounding her merely served to confirm the fact. How is it


    possible that Justin still insists on promoting me to the general manager of Burton Pharmaceutical?


    Everyone left one after another when the meeting ended.


    ¡°Why me?¡±


    Rachel immediately stood up to question Justin.


    Beside them was Frankie, who tactfully walked out and closed the door behind him, leaving only


    Rachel and Justin in the meeting room.


    Justin crossed his arms as he leaned back in the leather chair. His calm and collectedposure was


    exactly the same as five years ago. ¡°The words I say and the decisions I make are rarely changed.


    Why do you think that you won¡¯t be the one?¡±


    ¡°You clearly know that I won¡¯t be in Burton Group for long.¡±


    ¡°Everyone including the intern to a high-level manager and even the shareholders can¡¯t guarantee that


    they will stay in Burton Group forever.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, they are the same. It¡¯s normal for people to enter and leave apany.¡±


    With that, Justin rose to his full height and buttoned his suit as he asked her, ¡°Are you done yet? If yes,


    I have something else to attend to. I¡¯ll excuse myself first.¡±


    Rachel was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Send your proposal after the promotion to my office in three days,¡± he added.


    Then, he walked to the door inrge strides.


    As she looked at his back, she suddenly asked, ¡°If I tell you that I¡¯m going to resign today, what would


    you do?¡±


    Justin clearly stiffened, but he did not turn around to face her. ¡°It takes a month toplete the


    resignation process. You would at least have a month to do that. I guess I don¡¯t have to teach you to


    end things well, so just focus on what you need to do.¡±


    Rachel frowned as he left inrge strides.


    Upon seeing that Justin came out of the room with a darkened expression and he walked directly to his


    office, Frankie guessed that Justin had an argument moments ago.


    Other people might not be clear about the rtionship between Rachel and the trouble that the Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals had gotten into, but Frankie was clear about that.


    ¡°President Burton, do you really n to ask Miss Hudson to stay in the Burton Group for a long time?¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you also against that idea?¡±


    ¡°What I meant is that she has a deal with Old Mr. Burton. Even without me telling you, I¡¯m sure you are


    clear that she can¡¯t stay for long, even if she wanted to.¡±


    Since the beginning, Arthur had never nned for Rachel to stay in the Burton Group. One could


    guess that the deal was for her to leave Justin and the Burton Group without thinking deeply into the


    matter.


    Justin clenched his fists tightly. ¡°As long as she is willing to stay, there are many ways to ask her to do


    so formally.¡±


    With that, he immediately entered the office.


    As the office door closed, Frankie suddenly realized something. ¡°President Burton, you¡¯re saying


    that¡­¡±


    He was shocked as he stared at the tightly shut office door. He insisted on Rachel¡¯s promotion so that


    she doesn¡¯t have to worry about staying? If Rachel is in charge of the future of Burton Pharmaceuticals,


    no matter what deal she had made with Old Mr. Burton, he would not let her easily leave for the sake of


    Burton Group¡¯s future. When that time arrives, even if she wants to leave, he would ask her to stay.


    President Burton has really exercised a lot of effort into this. Would Rachel be appreciative of his


    actions, though?


    Frankie heaved a quiet sigh as he thought of what Rachel had done after she returned.


    On the other hand, when she returned to her office, the colorful confetti flew around with a loud bang,


    which startled her.


    ¡°Congrattions on your promotion, Chris! In the future, we would need to address you as President


    Hudson.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    The members of her department gathered and enthusiastically cheered for her, making her unable to


    stop smiling.


    ¡°You guys¡­¡±


    Lisa was the first one to speak, ¡°What did I say? Everyone already knew about the promotion. Chris,


    from now onward, you are our official boss.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we will have to address you as President Hudson in the future.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s work hard with Chris from now on!¡±


    Amidst the cheers, the crowd pushed a small trolley that had a cake with lit candles and they asked


    Rachel to blow out the candles.


    One would have to admit that just in a few months, she had built an excellent culture in Burton


    Pharmaceuticals. Everyone was loyal to her and they prepared the celebration as soon as they heard


    the news of her promotion.


    ¡°Chris,e and blow the candles now!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? The main highlight of the show is still not here yet!¡±


    Rachel asked in confusion, ¡°What highlight of the show?¡±


    Lisa mysteriously looked at her. Then, the crowd cleared the way to a corner of the office desk as they


    stood in two rows.


    Then, Rachel immediately saw a huge bouquet of roses.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 252

    My Mute Bride Chapter 252


    Chapter 252 A Battle of Two Men


    Lisa stuffed the bouquet of roses into Rachel¡¯s arms and reminded her, ¡°There¡¯s also a card inside.¡±


    When Rachel saw the card, Lisa started to ambiguously read it out loud. ¡®Congrattions to my dear


    Chris for letting go of the past and epting her new life. I love you.¡¯


    Instantly, it caused a huge uproar within the office. ¡°Did President Burton give you this?¡± ¡°Oh my God, I


    didn¡¯t expect him to be such a romantic person since he rarely smiles.¡±


    ¡°What do you know? Men are usually romantic when they meet the person whom they love.¡±


    As she perused the contents on the card, Rachel felt a little resigned. She didn¡¯t even need to think to


    investigate who gave the flowers from this tant style of writing. ¡°It¡¯s not him. You all have


    misunderstood.¡±


    However, the crowd¡¯s roar instantly overwhelmed her exnation.


    ¡°Alright. We had enough of you two love birds. It¡¯s time to slice the cake.¡±


    ¡°She needs to blow the candles first.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Congrattions on your promotion, Chris. I hope that you are treating us to dinner


    tonight.¡±


    Now that the office was filled withughter and chatter, Rachel remained quiet and agreed to treat


    everyone to a meal while she held therge bouquet of roses in her arms.


    Meanwhile, in the president¡¯s office upstairs, Justin was reading through some documents and noticed


    that the cup next to him was already empty. ¡°Miss Evergreen.¡±


    He called his secretary to serve him more tea, but there was no response.


    A whileter, he noticed that his cup was still empty, so he immediately furrowed his brows and went


    out the door. Then, he saw several secretaries gathering around each other as if they were discussing


    something.


    ¡°What are you all looking at?¡± His cold voice was heard.


    When the secretaries heard his voice, they instantly rose in shock. ¡°President Burton!¡±


    The phone fell on the floor, and for some reason, someone had identally yed the video on the


    screen.


    The screen on the phone was showing the celebrations at Burton Pharmaceuticals.


    In the video, Rachel was holding arge bouquet of roses while Lisa read out the contents of the card.


    ¡°Congrattions to my dear Chris for letting go of the past and epting her new life. I love you.¡±


    ¡°Did President Burton give you this?¡±


    Although the scenes on the phone were extremely noisy, Justin¡¯s eyes were locked on the woman


    standing in the middle. As he stared at her joyful face while she held the roses, his cold face


    immediately darkened.


    ¡°Chris, aren¡¯t you having dinner with us?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You guys can go by yourselves. Feel free to eat anything you want. You don¡¯t have to save


    money for me.¡±


    Before it was time to get off work, Rachel handed her credit card to Lisa so that she could treat her


    colleagues to a meal.


    It was due to what Janice had said earlier this afternoon that Rachel wasn¡¯t in the mood for a meal.


    However, at the same time, Rachel didn¡¯t want to stop her colleagues from having fun, so she simply


    gave an excuse and promised to eat with them the next time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t go easy on you. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Have fun.¡±


    She was the only one left in the office because she decided to work overtime tonight. After she finished


    her first draft since her promotion, she noticed that it was about time for her to leave, so she packed up


    her stuff and left with that bouquet of roses.


    The reason why she had left sote was because this bouquet of roses was too eye-catching, so she


    wanted to wait until most people in the building had left first.


    Ding!


    The door slowly opened when the elevator arrived on her floor.


    Rachel was startled by the figure standing inside just as she was about to enter.


    As their gazes met, Justin¡¯s face grew cold when his eyesnded on the roses in her hand.


    When the doors were about to close, he suddenly pressed a button while he asked coldly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you


    leaving?¡±


    Rachel tightened her grip around the flowers and sheposed herself before entering the elevator.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Slowly, the elevator went downstairs.


    ¡°Who gave you these flowers?¡± His voice was heard from behind her.


    ¡°A friend.¡±


    ¡°Why would a friend send you so many roses?¡± Rachel furrowed her brows and remained silent.


    Seeing that she wasn¡¯t responding to his question, Justin was more gloomy as he continued to


    question her. ¡°Who gave it to you? Is it Julian? Or, is it that foreigner whom I saw thest time?¡±


    At this point, she could no longer hold back her emotions. Upon hearing his words, she immediately


    turned around and coldly answered, ¡°In what capacity are you questioning me? It¡¯s none of your


    business as to who sent this to me.¡±


    Immediately, his expression darkened as he grabbed her arm. ¡°Of course it¡¯s my business. I have the


    right to know what man my daughter¡¯s mother is in contact with.¡±


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Rachel could feel the paining from her wrist, so she started to struggle while her


    screams echoed within the elevator. ¡°Justin Burton!¡±


    However, Justin refused to release his grip on her; he even pressed her entire body against the wall of


    the elevator while ignoring her shaky feet. ¡°I don¡¯t care what man you are in contact with, but this is a


    public office. Everyone here knows that you are my ex-wife, so what do you think others will say when


    they see you tantly flirting with another man? Are you trying to embarrass me or your daughter?¡±


    ¡°Justin, don¡¯t you dare insult me!¡±


    ¡°Am I insulting you? Or, are you the one who is insulting yourself?¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Then, the elevator door finally opened.


    Justin¡¯s cold gazended on something in the distance across Rachel¡¯s shoulder.


    He could clearly see a white convertible sports car parked at the entrance through the ss door of the


    hall. At the same time, a man in a floral, vacation shirt was leaning against the car door in a manner


    that did not resemble an attorney. His curly brown hair seemed to be lit up by the setting sun.


    ¡°Chris!¡±


    Upon hearing his call, Rachel was startled. Hernandez?


    Justin had already let her go and he was now walking toward the entrance in strides.


    ¡°Justin!¡± She quickly ran over to him, but the bouquet of roses made her actions very eye-catching.


    Even though most people had already got off work, there were still many who were drawn by what was


    happening. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She stood in front of Hernandez to protect him. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that we


    are still at the Burton Group. Many people are looking at you!¡±


    Justin had already unbuttoned his cuffs and was now clenching his fists. The violent veins on his


    forehead revealed his displeasure. Without looking at her, he asked Hernandez, ¡°Did you give her


    these flowers?¡±


    After scanning Justin from head to toe, Hernandez furrowed his brows and replied, ¡°It¡¯s you again? So


    what if it was me?¡±


    ¡°Go away,¡± Justin coldly uttered to Rachel.


    However, she stood firm. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    As for Hernandez, he seemed to have understood the man¡¯s intention, so his lips curled upward to


    reveal a fearless smile. ¡°Chris, you can step aside. This is a battle between two men.¡±


    She furrowed her brows. ¡°Hernandez¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have a way to settle this in peace.¡± He raised his chin toward Justin with a proud and


    disdainful expression. ¡°Do you dare topete with me in a fair fashion like a man?¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes only grew colder. ¡°You are now in Riverdale. This is my domain, so I ept your


    challenge.¡±


    Hernandez touched his nose and sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t get too ahead of yourself.¡±


    At the moment, Rachel seemed to have be a mass of air as the two menpletely ignored her.


    They even left her alone at the entrance of the Burton Group.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 253

    My Mute Bride Chapter 253


    Chapter 253 Boxing Show


    Rachel incredulously stood on the sidewalk alone with a bouquet of roses in her arms as she stared at


    the sports car that drove off in haste.


    After a short moment, she came to her senses and immediately dialed Jolly¡¯s number. ¡°Hey, Hernandez


    just came and brought Justin with him.¡± ¡°What?!¡±


    On the other end of the phone line was Jolly in a spa room. Despite wearing a facial mask, she


    suddenly jumped to her full height as her intense curiosity was piqued by Rachel¡¯s words. ¡°Is that true?!


    When did that happen? Why? Did theye to blows with each other?¡±


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re quite keen for them toe to blows with each other, right? Well, it happened


    before this.¡± Rachel briefly shared what happened earlier before she asked worriedly, ¡°Do you think


    everything¡¯s alright? Where could they have gone to?¡±


    ¡°Are you worried about Justin?¡±


    ¡°Jolly! Is this even the right time to be asking that question?!¡±


    ¡°Look at you; I was just joking anyway. Why are you anxious? I¡¯ll be there shortly since I know where


    they are.¡± Jolly instantly removed her face mask and raised her eyebrows at Charlotte, who was by her


    side. ¡°Charlotte, wake up. Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ll bring you to watch an exciting show.¡±


    There was a pink towel currently wrapped around Charlotte¡¯s head while shezed on a lounge chair


    with a rxed look. Jolly had ced a face mask on Charlotte¡¯s tiny face as well and her only evident


    features were her eyes, nostrils and mouth.


    As soon as Charlotte heard that, she asked with a confused voice, ¡°What show is it?¡±


    Meanwhile, Jolly replied mysteriously, ¡°A boxing show.¡±


    Charlotte maintained her silence. At that moment, the sun had already set and the night sky was


    brightened by the streetlights.


    In one of the private fitness centers situated somewhere in town, there were currently two tall, strapping


    figures on each side of the boxing ring as they both concurrently entered the ring.


    After Hernandez removed his jacket, he nced at Justin and asked, ¡°Are you injured?¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin had an indifferent look. ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    ¡°I will never take advantage of my opponent during a match, so I¡¯ll use one hand to fight you.¡± As


    Hernandez said that, he removed the boxing glove on one hand and moved it behind his back.


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Justin flexed his neck as his expression gradually turned cold. Then, he warned


    Hernandez, ¡°Put it back on. Otherwise, you might not be able to get out of the boxing ring alive.¡±


    The look of disdain gradually disappeared from Hernandez¡¯s face as soon as he noticed Justin¡¯s


    professionalism and the fierce look in the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°Have you had training before?¡±


    However, Justin merely uttered, ¡°Are you afraid?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± Hernandez coldly scoffed.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Cut to the chase then.¡±


    As soon as the referee blew his whistle, the two of them instantly exchanged blows.


    Since it wasn¡¯t an official match, both Justin and Hernandez were not restricted by any rules. However,


    the tension between the two was quite evident as their punchesnded hard on each other. None of


    them took the initiative to stop the match and the match would continue until the end unless one party


    lost.


    On the other hand, Rachel waited for a long time before she finally saw Jolly¡¯s car showing up in front


    of Burton Group.


    ¡°Mommy! Get in!¡± Charlotte¡¯s head popped out from the backseat of the red sports car before she


    waved at Rachel in excitement.


    ¡°Why did you bring Charlotte along? Are you intentionally trying to blow up this incident?¡±


    Meanwhile, the window to the driver¡¯s seat was suddenly wound down as Jolly¡¯s glee was masked by


    her pair of white-rimmed sunsses. ¡°I was halfway through a spa session with Charlotte, so I couldn¡¯t


    possibly leave a kid there by herself!¡±


    In response, Rachel rolled her eyes and replied exasperatedly, ¡°You could have just sent me the


    address and I would have gone there myself. You wasted my time making me wait for you here.¡±


    ¡°This is sensational, so you can¡¯t be the only one to witness it! Hurry up and get in the car!¡±


    A resigned Rachel entered the car since Jolly was the only one with the address.


    As soon as Rachel fastened her seatbelt, Jolly floored the elerator as her car revved up and joined


    the other cars on the road.


    After half an hour, Jolly stopped the car in front of a boxing gym.


    ¡°A boxing gym?¡± Rachel eximed in surprise, ¡°How did you know that they are here?¡±


    ¡°Hernandez is a huge fan of boxing. We met up for lunch two days ago and he mentioned that he¡¯d just


    joined this club.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that he would bring Justin here, though.¡±


    ¡°I must say that you¡¯re being too naive here. Males usually prefer such methods to exert their


    dominance in a fight.¡± Jolly unfastened her seatbelt and gestured to Rachel by throwing a punch in


    front of Rachel. Then, she yelled toward the backseat, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Charlotte, it¡¯s time to catch the show.¡±


    The loud noise of punches being thrown was clearly audible in the huge gym.


    Inside the boxing ring, Hernandez managed to dodge Justin¡¯s blow from the front, but he couldn¡¯t avoid


    the next punch in time. As a result, his mind was woozy despite being d in protective headgear. He¡¯s


    a professional.


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote for you to surrender now.¡±


    ¡°In your dreams!¡± Hernandez gritted his teeth and readjusted his headgear. ¡°Go on!¡±


    At this moment, Justin threw a punch, but it was sessfully dodged by Hernandez.


    As Hernandez wasn¡¯t a weak opponent, he immediately responded by making a defensive move. While


    he tried to defend himself, he tried to concurrently figure out Justin¡¯s weak point. ¡°I will not give up on


    Chris. She¡¯s the woman I love the most.¡±


    ¡°How many women have heard these words?¡±


    ¡°Not that many.¡±


    ¡°Not that many?¡± Justin¡¯s anger suddenly mounted.


    Meanwhile, Hernandez took his chance and punched Justin in the face.


    The blood sshed from Justin¡¯s nostrils. Despite him dodging the blow as fast as he could, he was


    still badly punched and he stumbled a few steps backward before hended on the side of the ring.


    Hernandez brushed his nose smugly. ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you not to be distracted?¡±


    At that point, he managed to worsen Justin¡¯s raging anger.


    Justin forcefully held onto the side of the ring as he rose to his feet. Then, he went straight for


    Hernandez.


    Hernandez never expected that Justin would be terrifying in his moment of fury. Justin was like a


    crazed beast as he threw his punches with all of his might. As for Hernandez, he could feel his arms


    turning numb as he struggled to block the punches while he fought back and retreated.


    ¡°Hey!! Calm down! We agreed that this would be a friendly match.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote!¡± Justin didn¡¯t even bother to continue the conversation with Hernandez. ¡°In the future, stay


    away from Rachel!¡±


    Just as Hernandez was on the brink of desperation, there was a sudden sh in front of him where he


    seemed to see the light at the end of a tunnel. ¡°Chris!¡±


    ¡°Bulls*it!¡± Justin threw another punch at him.


    ¡°Umm¡ª¡± Hernandez clutched at his nose and fell to the ground.


    ¡°Hernandez!¡± Rachel¡¯s voice immediately rang out from behind.


    Justin turned around and he immediately saw the trio running toward them.


    Meanwhile, she rushed right into the boxing ring. As she assisted Hernandez to his feet, she worriedly


    asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    He pressed his hand against his nose while responding breathlessly, ¡°Chris, I think I¡¯m about to die.¡±


    Rachel took his hand aside and she was shocked to see the blood spilling out of his nostrils. Soon


    enough, she regained her senses. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s just a normal nosebleed. Lift your head upward and


    stop moving.¡±


    As soon as she said that, she took some tissues from her bag to wipe off the blood for him.


    As for Hernandez, hey in her arms and moaned in pain, ¡°Chris, I think my nose bridge must be


    broken. I won¡¯t be able to gain the affections of any other girls anymore. I¡¯m hurt because of you, so


    you must bear the responsibility!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll head to the hospital with you to get it checked out.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a check-up. You just have to treat me to dinner. I want to have your pierogi.¡±


    Meanwhile, upon seeing Hernandez create all sorts of requests to Rachel without a care in the world,


    Justin couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°Hey! Are you done with your act?!¡±


    Before Hernandez could respond, Rachel was already on her feet as she turned to Justin in


    annoyance, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?! You¡¯ve badly punched him yet you didn¡¯t even apologize?!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 254

    My Mute Bride Chapter 254


    Chapter 254 There¡¯s No Winning or Losing When It Comes to Feelings


    ¡°Apologize?!¡± Justin roared sullenly. ¡°This is a boxing gym and he voluntarily asked for a match. I¡¯m not


    responsible for the fact that he became injured and fell to the ground. Ask him whether he understands


    these rules!¡±


    ¡°Well, you were too ruthless! It¡¯s not like you¡¯re in apetition!¡± ¡°How am I not in apetition?¡± he


    retorted self-righteously. ¡°He lost, so he has to leave you alone from today onward!¡±


    Rachel stared at him in shock. Even Hernandez, who was still in her arms, had to pause before he


    immediately changed tactics and moaned, ¡°It hurts, Chris!¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± She came back to her senses and answered, ¡°Let me take you to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Hold up!¡± An annoyed Justin stepped in front of them to block their way before he questioned


    Hernandez, ¡°Have you forgotten what you said?¡±


    Despite being a tall adult man, Hernandez continued to moan as he cowered in Rachel¡¯s shadow.


    As she stood protectively in front of him, she said sternly, ¡°Let me repeat this, Justin. I¡¯m a person, not


    an item. It¡¯s childish and ridiculous that you¡¯re using me as a wager for apetition in the first ce.


    Also, there¡¯s no winning or losing when ites to feelings!¡± With that, she left while still supporting


    Hernandez¡¯s weight.


    Justin stood rooted to the spot and clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles cracked.


    After an interminable amount of time, a young voice spoke up behind him. ¡°I told you it would be hard


    to pursue my mom.¡±


    A frowning Justin turned to re at Samuel before asking impatiently, ¡°Why are you still here?¡±


    ¡°To see how pathetic you look.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?!¡±


    As Samuel folded his arms across his chest, he disdainfully took measure of Justin before continuing,


    ¡°Look at you¡ªyou¡¯re handsome, but you don¡¯t know how to use it to your advantage. You¡¯re so silly.


    Hernandez is smarter than you¡ªhe only had to moan in pain a few times before my mom left with him.¡±


    ¡°He was faking it!¡±


    ¡°So? Aren¡¯t you faking it?¡±


    The wound on Justin¡¯s back had cracked upon a long time ago, which colored his bandages red.


    Hernandez did not deliver a light punch either¡ªthe traces of blood on the corners of Justin¡¯s mouth


    had yet to dry.


    Yet, Justin had wanted to win the fight so badly that he was unwilling to show his weakness in front of


    outsiders.


    ¡°He¡¯s faking an injury whereas you¡¯re faking being fine!¡± Samuel spread his arms as he shook his head.


    ¡°There¡¯s no hope for you, you stupid oaf.¡±


    ¡°Samuel, where are you? Quickly get into the car!¡± Jolly hollered from outside.


    ¡°I¡¯ming!¡± he answered before he gave Justin a few parting sentences. ¡°You have to be focused on


    the woman if you want to pursue her. Think about what you¡¯re doing!¡±


    Now that it was already nightfall, Rachel and Hernandez went straight to the hospital.


    The moment Julian entered the ward upon receiving a call, he saw Hernandez moaning endlessly while


    holding onto Rachel.


    ¡°What are you doing, Hernandez?¡± Julian asked grouchily. ¡°Let her go.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No,¡± Hernandez whined. ¡°My head hurts, Chris.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean that your head hurts?¡± Julian asked skeptically. ¡°Drop the act.¡±


    ¡°Julian.¡± A helpless Rachel nced up at him. ¡°Hernandez has been beaten up. He keeps having a


    nosebleed and he says that he¡¯s dizzy and nauseated. Do you think he needs a CT scan?¡±


    ¡°Beaten up?¡± A startled Julian repeated after her before he recalled Hernandez¡¯s character and


    suddenly understood the situation. ¡°Well, you deserve it. I told you not to act like that here lest you are


    mistaken for a hooligan!¡±


    Upon hearing that, Hernandez protested unhappily, ¡°I wasn¡¯t ¡®beaten up¡¯! We were having a fair boxing


    match. I didn¡¯t lose; I allowed him to win.¡±


    ¡°Hello. What do you mean by allowing him to win¡¯? I was there,¡± Jolly scoffed from her corner of the


    room. ¡°I thought you could give him a good beating, but it turns out he¡¯s made a fool of you. You¡¯ve let


    all of us down!¡±


    As Julian was now confused, he asked, ¡°What happened? What boxing match? And why is everyone


    here?¡±


    Although Rachel didn¡¯t know how to reply, Jolly leaned toward him to gossip, ¡°Justin was the one


    having a boxing match with Hernandez, Julian.¡±


    Upon hearing these words, Julian gaped at Hernandez. ¡°So, Justin was the one who beat you up?¡±


    Hernandez was seemingly ashamed as he dodged Julian¡¯s gaze. Then, he mumbled, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for


    the fact that I was fighting with one hand, I wouldn¡¯t have lost. He was exceptionally brutal!¡±


    Jolly unceremoniously sneered, ¡°Sure, keep on bragging. It¡¯s not like Samuel and I witnessed it. Justin


    is injured as well, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Yet, you have the audacity to brag after he knocked you


    down with one blow!¡±


    After being utterly humiliated and having no repartee to Jolly¡¯s words, Hernandez changed the topic by


    gasping and distorting his facial features. ¡°It hurts!¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Rachel pulled him to face her so that she could give him a onceover. ¡°Is your head injured?¡±


    ¡°Let me see.¡± Julian stepped forward before Hernandez could answer her and pulled her aside.


    ¡°Ow! I don¡¯t need you to¡ª¡±


    Before Hernandez could finish speaking, Julian pressed on the man¡¯s head. ¡°Where does it hurt?


    Here?¡±


    ¡°Tsk¡­ Can you be gentler?¡±


    ¡°So, not here. How about here then?¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh! It hurts!!!¡±


    After a dramatic bout of yelling, Hernandez wrestled out of Julian¡¯s grip and red at him before saying


    through gritted teeth, ¡°Are you treating me or trying to kill me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fine. Look at how hearty you sound. Your head doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, does it? If it still does, we


    have therapists here. I can ask them to massage you and apply acupressure to stimte the blood flow


    in your head.¡±


    A livid Hernandez answered, ¡°No.¡±


    As she was a little worried, Rachel spoke, ¡°Maybe you should get a CT scan or have Julian arrange an


    appointment for acupressure on your behalf.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Hernandez quickly declined. ¡°My head doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. Really, I¡¯m okay now. I¡¯m perfectly


    fine. Look at me!¡± Upon saying that, he waved his limbs around in front of her, looking very much like


    an octopus who was being cooked alive with his silly dance.


    Julian had once given Hernandez an acupressure treatment when they were both abroad.


    At that time, Rachel had only just learned how to perform acupressure and she was looking for people


    to test her skills on. Since he was eager to be her test subject, he stepped up to the te only to be


    interrupted by Julian. In the end, a single push from Julian had left him feeling like he was half-dead.


    Now, she was exhaling in relief. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Chris, but if you truly are worried about me¡­¡± Hernandez sidled up to her as he


    batted his eyshes. ¡°You can have dinner with me tonight to celebrate my wellbeing.¡±


    ¡°Take me along,¡± Julian insisted as he removed his gloves and tossed them into the bin. ¡°I happen to


    be getting off work anyway.¡±


    Hernandez red hatefully at him as he protested, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wanted to bring you along!¡±


    Julian ignored what was said and immediately turned to Rachel. ¡°You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    With a magnanimous smile, she answered, ¡°Of course not. Since Jolly and Samuel are both here, why


    don¡¯t we all go together? We also haven¡¯t had a get-together in a while. What does everyone want? My


    treat.¡±


    Jolly shot Hernandez a sympathetic look and shrugged her shoulders, indicating that it wasn¡¯t her


    intention to be in his way.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 255

    My Mute Bride Chapter 255


    Chapter 255 Are You a Trustworthy Man Yourself?


    As night fell, the streets of Riverdale were illuminated by neon lights. A ck car traveled up the hill


    along the winding paths toward the summer vi of the Burton Family.


    It was moments after Justin left the boxing gym when he received Arthur¡¯s call. Frankie was driving as


    he said, ¡°You refused to answer Old Mr. Burton¡¯s call, so he contacted me. It seems like he¡¯s really mad


    this time.¡±


    Justin had taken the liberty to promote Rachel to the position of general manager of the Burton


    Pharmaceuticals; it was, in fact, an act that went against Arthur¡¯s original intentions.


    ¡°So?¡± Justin curtly replied, his expression impassive. As a matter of fact, before he made the decision,


    he had foreseen that Arthur would never allow this to happen if Arthur had known about it. Therefore,


    he decided to take action without his grandfather¡¯s knowledge.


    Frankie seemed to have something to say, but he ended up swallowing his words. Nobody would be


    able to stop Justin from doing as he pleased since he was the boss.


    Upon seeing the shallow lines between Justin¡¯s brows, Frankie asked, ¡°President Burton, how is your


    injury?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Justin held his arm with his other hand, but soon released his grip. If it weren¡¯t for my injury,


    the match would¡¯ve ended way earlier.


    The vehicle arrived at the summer vi, which seemed especially tranquil and serene under the night


    sky. As soon as he alighted from the car, he saw a ck vehicle driving away from the vi. When it


    drove past him, he noticed a freezing re aimed at him from the car window that had yet to be rolled


    up.


    The Burtons¡¯ butler, who had been standing at the door, immediately stepped forward to wee


    Justin. ¡°Young Master Justin.¡±


    Justin returned to his senses. ¡°Did Jason just leave?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something new. I seldom see him returning in all these years. What brought him here today?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing important. He was back to visit Old Mr. Burton.¡± It was obvious from Dennis¡¯ response that


    he did not wish to borate on the topic. ¡°Young Master Justin, let¡¯s head inside. Old Mr. Burton is


    waiting for you.¡±


    Justin entered the vi with his brows furrowed.


    ¡°Young Master Justin is here,¡± Dennis announced.


    ¡°Let him in.¡± Arthur¡¯s cold voice was heard from the study.


    ¡°Grandpa, I heard that you wanted to see me.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why I want to see you?¡±


    ¡°I reckon it is about the new general manager of Burton Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    Upon seeing how unashamed Justin was with his actions, Arthur was enraged. ¡°Of course! I¡¯m sure


    that you know how important Burton Pharmaceuticals is without having me exin it to you. I¡¯ve


    invested so much blood, sweat and tears in building the brand, yet you are going to watch it go down


    the drain by handing it to a woman?¡±


    ¡°Go down the drain?! I don¡¯t think that Rachel has the capability to do so, not to mention that she won¡¯t


    do so.¡±


    ¡°She won¡¯t?¡± Arthur mmed the desk and thundered, ¡°How do you know that she won¡¯t? She is a


    woman who sent her own father to jail! If only you knew¡­¡± Before he finished his sentence, the words


    choked in his throat, as if he suddenly realized something.


    When Justin heard that, puzzlement appeared on his face. ¡°Knew about what?¡±


    ¡°Nothing!¡± Arthur¡¯s cold expression returned. ¡°You can¡¯t keep her in the Burton Group. no matter what.


    She¡¯s bad news and will only bring harm to the Burton Group if she continues to stay.¡±


    ¡°And this is the reason why you struck a deal with her behind my back?!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this enough of a reason? Perhaps you need me to tell you in the face that she had her motives


    from the very beginning when she tried to get close to you and joined the Burton Group! Don¡¯t you


    understand now?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Justin seemed cold and calm. ¡°She did all this for the sake of a man named Hans Egerton.


    Besides, you were the one who gave her the evidence back then. With that evidence, she managed to


    send Jefferey to prison.¡±


    ¡°If you knew it, why¡ª¡±


    ¡°Since Hans¡¯ matter has been resolved, why are you still worried?¡± His expression was as calm as


    dead water as he interrupted Arthur, rendering Arthur speechless.


    Justin had to admit that he was furious andpletely baffled when he first discovered that Rachel had


    approached him because of Hans¡¯ death. However, when he finally calmed down, he managed to


    understand where she came from and even admired her courageous personality.


    Since he was the one who broke Hans¡¯ legs, it was an undeniable fact that he had to bear a certain


    responsibility for Hans¡¯ death. In contrast, if he was in her shoes, he might not have been able to


    uphold justice when his family¡¯s well being was at stake. Yet, she was able to do what he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°All in all, this woman cannot continue to stay in the Burton Group. Do you hear me?¡± Arthur raised his


    voice.


    ¡°You have no right to interfere.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Rachel holds two-thirds of the list of Burton Pharmaceuticals¡¯ herb suppliers and she has been in


    charge of the coboration with the Carter Enterprise and our exploration into the international market.


    You can¡¯t just deny all her efforts, snatch everything that she is currently in charge of and kick her out of


    thepany with just a word or two. That is if you¡¯re willing to sacrifice the Burton Pharmaceuticals as


    coteral damage.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s expression changed rapidly and it finally fixed on a nonplussed expression. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!


    She has just joined the Burton Pharmaceuticals not long ago, so how could she¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can take a look at this yourself if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± As Justin spoke, he slowly pushed a


    document that was sitting on his desk toward Arthur.


    In the folder were all the tasks that Rachel had been handling together with her entirework and


    contacts¡ªthey were evidence that thepany¡¯s performance would face a major downturn if she


    were to be kicked out from the Burton Pharmaceutical.


    Justin was certain that Arthur wouldn¡¯t dare to endanger his own hard work. As expected, after reading


    the entire document, a somber expression appeared on Arthur¡¯s face as he fell into a long silence.


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ll leave you to continue reading. I shall take my leave now. Justin took a nce at his watch


    before he rose to his feet and asked, ¡°Speaking of which, why did Jason suddenly return today?¡±


    Arthur returned to his senses and nonchntly replied, ¡°He came back to visit.¡±


    Although Justin forwent the question, he clearly noticed Arthur tightening his grip on the document from


    the corner of his eyes. Arthur clenched his fists so strongly that even his own joints had cracked¡ªa


    clear sign of nervousness.


    Justin then posed another question before he left. ¡°Is there anything else that you are hiding about


    Rachel from me?¡±


    Arthur frowned. ¡°Is there any need for me to hide anything from you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s great that you don¡¯t, but even if you do, I will ask her myself.¡±


    However, Arthur stopped him a secondter. ¡°Justin, remember this¡ªthat woman is not trustworthy.


    Don¡¯t waste your time on her.¡±


    ¡°Are you a trustworthy man yourself? You have known the reason why she returned to the country a


    long time ago, yet you didn¡¯t tell me,¡± Justin countered. To him, nobody was trustworthy. He only


    believed in what he saw and what he felt.


    While watching Justin as the man left the study, Arthur abruptly threw the document into the waste


    paper basket.


    Dennis heard themotion and entered the room. ¡°Old Mr. Burton, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    With a gloomy expression, Arthur propped his withered arms on the desk as he ordered, ¡°Have all the


    people keeping an eye on Rachel retreat for now.¡±


    ¡°What happened? Aren¡¯t you worried that she may find out the truth about the video?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that those people whom we sent over may alert her and raise her suspicion instead. After all,


    she has been keeping in touch with that man from the Investigation Bureautely.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How about Mr. Caleb then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already ordered him to lie low now and stop all the unimportant business.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 256

    My Mute Bride Chapter 256


    Chapter 256 It Was an Ending, and a Beginning


    Arthur¡¯s dimly lit eyes were filled with coldness. ¡°Ask him to cut all connections with Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals as soon as possible. Hudson Pharmaceuticals has already been eyed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Meanwhile, a ck sedan was speeding on a mountain pass. The man in the back seat was


    rather advanced in age. His sideburns were turning gray, and his face was as cold as an iceberg. In a


    daze, he looked outside of the window.


    Buzz. Suddenly, a sound emerged in the car as a message appeared on the phone screen. After


    reading the message, the man hummed, ¡°We just got an order. So, back to business.¡±


    Although the driver was dressed in suits, he had a heavy countryside ent. ¡°Mr. Caleb, didn¡¯t Old


    Master Burton ask to keep a low profile for now and stop epting orders?¡±


    ¡°Stop epting orders?¡± The man snorted. ¡°He made it sound like a piece of cake. If I quit, do you


    think my subordinates will settle for it? Do you expect them to be unemployed?¡±


    ¡°We can take it slow. I can exin to them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can finish this deal first and talk about the restter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Caleb. You¡¯re loyal to your brothers, so they will definitely be more careful when doing tasks


    in the future so that the police won¡¯t catch them tripping. Even if they really get caught, they will seal


    their lips just like Bucky.¡±


    Just then, the driver could sense a cold stare from the rear mirror. He quickly mmed up upon


    realizing he had said something wrong as cold sweat trickled down his forehead. ¡°Mr. Caleb, I didn¡¯t


    bring this up on purpose. I¡­¡±


    Caleb red coldly at the driver. ¡°Bucky is going to be released soon, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. Next week.¡±


    ¡°He has done me such a huge favor. I should give him a good treat, shouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been taking good care of Bucky¡¯s family over these years and he¡¯s very grateful toward you. It¡¯s


    unnecessary to give him a treat. Bucky has said that it¡¯s his honor to be able to serve you after being


    released from the jail.¡±


    ¡°Did he say so?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave this matter to you then.¡±


    The driver was startled as he didn¡¯t understand Caleb¡¯s meaning at first. ¡°Mr. Caleb, what do you


    mean? What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Only a dead man can be trusted. Be careful, and make sure to not leave a mess.¡±


    The temperature in the car decreased all of a sudden. The driver¡¯s hands which were ced on the


    steering wheel trembled as his face turned pale.


    Caleb¡¯s extremely bony face was reflected in the rear mirror as his protruding cheekbones gave him a


    hostile look. His royal vehemence was long gone ever since five years ago, and all that was left was a


    gaunt look after going through years of suffering.


    Five years ago, all evidence pointed toward him. Due to that, Arthur did everything he could to turn the


    situation around¨C¨Ceven making Bucky a scapegoat to save his life. But at the same time, Caleb was


    removed from the Burton Family. Because of that, his old self had died long ago, making Caleb now an


    unempathetic person who would climb thedder at all costs for the sake of money and power.


    What happened five years ago might have been an ending, but it was also a beginning.


    Aftering back from the summer vi, Justin went into the room to check on Charlotte. Charlotte


    was already asleep but she didn¡¯t sleep well. While opening her eyes in a daze, she rubbed them with


    her chubby hands. ¡°You¡¯re back, Daddy.¡±


    Justin held her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t rub your eyes.¡±


    Charlotte yawned and said in a soft yet slightly hoarse voice, ¡°Is it morning already?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. Go back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    Justin patted the nket covering Charlotte and sat beside her bed for quite some time after seeing her


    fall asleep again. Although Charlotte was by his side every day, he still missed her dearly.


    Ever since he lost his memory, being a father was his greatestfort for the past five years; it was as


    if he got a daughter overnight. To be honest, he started off as an inexperienced father but he gradually


    got the hang of it¨C¨Che even managed to change her diaper. His identity as a father had filled in a lot of


    nks in his memory.


    When he first woke up, he wasn¡¯t able to remember a lot of things. More often than not, he would feel


    ufortable after seeing some strange yet familiar scenes by the road. Until now, he could still


    remember the throbbing pain in his heart.


    At that time, the doctor advised him to rest more and try not to overthink. He did as he was told and


    devoted most of his time to work while spending the remaining time left to apany Charlotte.


    5 years had passed. It was as if the memories that he had lost were discarded, and they didn¡¯t seem to


    be important anymore. However, when Rachel came back, he couldn¡¯t recall any memories of her


    existence. Because of that, he came to a realization that his memories were important; not only did he


    forget about Rachel, he forgot about a part of his life.


    It was alreadyte at night; the cold wind blew across the balcony of the mansion.


    ¡°Hi, Doctor Zane. I¡¯ve thought about psychological therapy. ¡±


    ¡­


    The next day, Rachel sent Charlotte to school early in the morning.


    ¡°Will Samuel go to school today too?¡± Before getting out of the car, Charlotte had asked this question


    again and again.


    As soon as they got out of the car, they saw from afar Hernandez and Samuel standing at the school


    entrance waving at Rachel. ¡°We¡¯re here, Chris!¡±


    ¡°Samuel!¡± Charlotte darted over and gave Samuel a big hug.


    Being pounced upon by Charlotte, Samuel stumbled backward and nearly spilled the banana milk that


    he was holding. ¡°Ouch¡­¡±


    ¡°Why is it you who sent Samuel here? Where¡¯s Jolly?¡± Rachel looked at Hernandez and asked.


    ¡°Jolly called me. She said she has a headache and asked me to pick Samuel up.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel was rendered speechless. ¡°I¡¯ve told you guys to not let her drink but you all refuse


    to listen. It¡¯s impossible for her to not get drunk.¡±


    Truth was, Hernandez proposed to have a drink during dinnerst night. The initial n was just to


    drink a little, but Jolly ended up drinking non-stop. If Rachel didn¡¯t stop her, she would have offered to


    pay the bills for all the patrons in the bar again.


    Although the Carter Family was wealthy, they couldn¡¯t afford the constant splurges by their prodigal


    daughter.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that. This girl must be Charlotte.¡± Hernandez bent down and pinched Charlotte¡¯s


    cheek. ¡°How cute you are! You¡¯re as cute as your mother!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Charlotte widened her eyes crabbily and shoved Hernandez¡¯s hand away. Then, she rubbed her


    cheek in disgust. ¡°Don¡¯t pinch my cheek!¡±


    ¡°You have a real temper!¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Hernandez squatted down. ¡°You can call me Hernandez, but since you¡¯re still so young, you can


    call me Mr. Hernandez for now. Later when your mother and I get married, you can call me Dad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to call you Dad!¡± Charlotte pulled a long face at once. ¡°I already have a dad!¡±


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why you can call me Mr. Hernandez first. It¡¯s okay, you can take your time.¡±


    ¡°You baddie!¡± Charlotte immediately pushed Hernandez away.


    Surprised, Hernandez lost his bnce and actually slumped on the ground as a result of the push.


    ¡°Hey, Charlotte.¡± Rachel quickly stopped her. ¡°That¡¯s not the right way to behave.¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Hernandez, are you okay?¡±


    Hernandez stood up and said sulkily, ¡°No way she could¡¯ve inherited her temper from you. She¡¯s rather


    hot-tempered.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll let it slide since Charlotte is a cutie.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 257

    My Mute Bride Chapter 257


    Chapter 257 Silence


    ¡°Who are you calling a cutie?! I don¡¯t like you!¡± Standing in front of Rachel, Charlotte red at


    Hernandez angrily with her hands on her hips. ¡°You! Stay away from my Mommy!¡±


    Hernandez was amused. ¡°There, there. We¡¯re runningte, so go on in.¡± Rachel quickly asked Samuel


    to bring Charlotte into the school.


    With that, Samuel dragged Charlotte into the school. Unsatisfied, Charlotte kept turning her head back


    and squinting her eyes at Hernandez as a warning.


    It was only after seeing the two kids enter the school did Hernandez turn around and say to Rachel,


    ¡°Your daughter has a bad temper, unlike you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡®One takes the behavior of his or herpany¡¯, so I think we have to


    speed up the matter about thewsuit.¡±


    Rachel was startled. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for a while more. There are still some matters that I would like to


    investigate.¡±


    If what Janice said about Jason being the mastermind behind the abduction back then was true, then


    Rachel was determined to reverse the verdict for Nancy and send Jason to jail. Before achieving that,


    she shouldn¡¯t be distracted by Charlotte¡¯s matter.


    Meanwhile, Samuel dragged Charlotte all the way into the ssroom.


    ¡°Hey Samuel, why are you dragging me?!¡± Charlotte shoved Samuel¡¯s hand away and grumbled,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that the guy is going to snatch Mommy away?¡±


    ¡°I heard it. Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t be able to win Mommy¡¯s heart.¡± If he was able to, he would have done


    that long ago and didn¡¯t have to wait until today.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that you¡¯ve known him for some time, and so does Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Hernandez is Mommy¡¯s superior in Montenegro.¡±


    ¡°Oh no!¡± Charlotte put her head in her hands while wearing an anxious look. ¡°Mommy is going to be


    snatched away! You guys knew each other while you were still abroad. He has more advantages than


    Daddy!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Drinking his banana milk from a straw, Samuel mumbled with a slur, ¡°If we follow your


    interpretation, Mr. Peters would have more advantage, but even he failed to win Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Julian is too introverted, but that guy is different from him! Also, don¡¯t you feel that Mr. Wade has


    a crush on Mommy too? Mommy just has too many admirers!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because our mommy is very outstanding!¡±


    Inparison to Charlotte¡¯s worry, Samuel was rather calm. After all, Rachel¡¯s admirers would want to


    curry favor with him, so he has been treated kindly by them ever since young.


    Charlotte was frustrated. ¡°No way. If this continues, Mommy will be snatched away sooner orter.


    Samuel, you have to cooperate with me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll never talk to you again.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, but what do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°I want to create opportunities to let Daddy and Mommy meet more often, but how can I do that?¡±


    Seeing Charlotte¡¯s troubled look, Samuel hesitated and thought of an idea in an instant. ¡°There¡¯s


    actually a way. Our school is going to hold a cross-country sports day soon, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah!¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡°We can get Daddy and Mommy to participate in the sports day


    together!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    On the other hand, Rachel did not show up in the morning meeting. After the meeting, Justin pondered


    about it and still couldn¡¯t help but give Rachel a call.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Rachel¡¯s voice came forth from the other end of the line.


    ¡°Are you in the office?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you attend the morning meeting since you¡¯re in the office?¡±


    ¡°I took the day off.¡± Rachel sounded reasonable. ¡°A manager has the right to take a day off, don¡¯t


    they?¡±


    Little did Justin expect that after giving Rachel a promotion, it actually became a reason for her to go on


    leave. As such, he was rendered speechless.


    ¡°Is there anything else? If not, I¡¯m going to hang up first.¡±


    Obviously, Rachel couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin her absence to him as she was still not happy that he


    went boxing with Hernandez when he was still injured. With that, Rachel couldn¡¯t rte to him as she


    thought his actions were extremely childish and ridiculous. What she hated most was to be deemed as


    an item¨C¨Cbelonging to whoever the winner is.


    ¡°Hold on. Send the proposal to my office.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, now.¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath. ¡°Okay.¡±


    After hanging up the call, Justin lifted his eyebrows slightly. After all, he was the boss, so he had the


    authority to order his subordinates. He waited excitedly and heard a knock on the door 10 minutes


    later. He gave a dry cough and said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°President Burton, here is the proposal you¡¯ve asked for.¡±


    The satisfaction in Justin¡¯s eyes froze immediately when he saw Lisa. It was only after a moment did he


    mumble, ¡°Leave it there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll excuse myself first if there¡¯s nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Justin hailed Lisa. ¡°Is Miss Hudson very busy today?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± With her innocent eyes widened, Lisa wore a confused look. ¡°Is there anything? Do you


    need me to pass a message to Miss Hudson?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Justin waved his hand sulkily and gestured for Lisa to leave.


    The moment Lisa left, Justin flipped the proposal and flung it onto the table. All women are petty.


    Yesterday¡¯s incident isn¡¯t just my fault but she puts all the me on me. That¡¯s too much!


    After work, Justin and Rachel reached home one after another. The atmosphere during dinner time was


    rather uncanny. Because of that, Samuel and Charlotte exchanged nces multiple times.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Daddy and Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Shh¡­¡± Samuel nced cautiously at Charlotte and lowered his voice. ¡°Yesterday, your dad went


    boxing with Hernandez, and he ended up injuring Hernandez, so Mommy is annoyed.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Charlotte widened her eyes. But when the thought of Hernandez crossed her mind, she


    immediately blurted, ¡°Serves him right!¡±


    Just as Charlotte was about to put in a good word for Justin, Rachel noticed it and stopped her.


    ¡°Charlotte, let¡¯s remain quiet when having a meal.¡± Rachel ced a peeled prawn on Charlotte¡¯s te


    and said nonchntly, ¡°Eat up.¡±


    Charlotte mmed up immediately and gave Justin a sympathetic nce. At the same time, she


    sighed inwardly, Mommy is quite scary when she gets serious. I can¡¯t help you, Daddy. Good luck.


    ¡°I¡¯m done, Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead and y.¡± After sending the two kids off, Rachel stood up and started keeping the dishes,


    completely ignoring Justin who was still eating. At that moment, he had not even gotten to take a piece


    of meat yet.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Justin frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t be too mean. I didn¡¯t even beat him up that badly. I just bruised him


    slightly. Do you have to be this angry at me?¡±


    ¡°Am I angry at you?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Ignoring Justin, Rachel turned a deaf ear on him and continued cleaning the table. Then, she carried


    the dishes into the kitchen.


    Justin put down his cutleries and went after Rachel. ¡°Rachel!¡±


    He grabbed Rachel¡¯s arm immediately, almost causing her to stumble. ¡°Why are you even angry at


    me? It was him who proposed a boxing match, not me. Even if you¡¯re dissatisfied that I agreed to


    compete with him and think I¡¯m wrong to do so, both he and I are culpable.


    Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much to put all the me on me without weighing out the situation? Why do you


    have to treat me like this? Alright, I admit that I treated you badly in the past. I know it was my fault and


    I¡¯m trying my best to make up for it now, but you have to give me a chance to do so. Say something!¡±


    Every time Rachel remained silent, it made Justin even more frustrated.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 258

    My Mute Bride Chapter 258


    Chapter 258 You Need to Apologize to Me First


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you the reason why I treat you this way.¡± p! Rachel hurled the cloth she was holding


    to the side of the fool before pping it on Justin¡¯s arm. ¡°In your eyes, you always tend to objectify


    anything and anyone.


    I¡¯m just an object to you¡ªan object that can be traded and exchanged. You were like this in the past,


    and you¡¯re still the same now. This pompous act of yours is rooted deep down in you. Everyone below


    you is merely objects.¡±


    As she blurted that, her gaze was as cold as ice¨C¨Cthere wasn¡¯t a trace of warmth in it. She didn¡¯t seem


    angry; she was just so cold that he started to feel rmed.


    ¡°We are just¡­ different. Are you satisfied with this answer?¡±


    At this moment, he seemed to be flustered as he failed to speak.


    Tossing him a cold nce, she continued as she started to walk outside, ¡°Do you know why I returned


    to this country? If it wasn¡¯t because of Charlotte, I wouldn¡¯t be here. I do not expect anything from you.


    All I hope is that we¡¯ll maintain our distance and not get in each other¡¯s way.¡± After saying that, she left


    the kitchen.


    Hearing the sound of her footsteps heading upstairs, he swung his fist toward the wall with great force.


    As painful as the collision might have implied on his knuckles, it was iparable to the pain her


    words brought. It was the first time he felt so defeated; he felt helpless beyond words.


    At this moment, he noticed a shadow lingering by the entrance of the kitchen. With his brows furrowed,


    he asked, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    Upon the cue, Samuel showed his head from behind the door, giving Justin a sympathetic look as he


    asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°When did youe?¡±


    ¡°I was here for some time. I heard everything.¡±


    Hearing that, Justin snickered, ¡°Are you here to mock me?¡±


    Shaking his head, Samuel supported himself against the frame of the door. ¡°Are you trying to court my


    mommy?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?!¡±


    Upon hearing Justinsh out, Samuel grew a little mad. Crossing his arms as he stood, he eximed,


    ¡°If you continue to talk to me with this attitude, I will not help you!¡±


    Justin replied with disdain, ¡°You want to help me? How can you possibly help me?¡±


    In response, Samuel said, ¡°Our school will be holding a sports day soon. It will be held outdoors.¡±


    Unimpressed, Justin asked, ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Are you dumb?! If Hernandez hears about this, he will find a way to join. That way, he¡¯ll have plenty of


    time to spend with my mommy.¡±


    As Justin thought of the possibilities that could ur outdoors, his expression changed in a split


    second. Hernandez seemed like a yboy who was skillful at courtingdies, so one could imagine


    what he¡¯d do with such a great chance!


    Seeing how horrible Justin¡¯s expression was, Samuel sent him a wink before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be too


    worried because I have a way to make him go away and let you join instead.¡±


    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°First of all¡­¡± With his chin tipped upward, he put on a proud expression. If it wasn¡¯t for his young age


    and soft voice, he¡¯d sound much more authoritative. ¡°You need to apologize for your cold attitude


    toward me just now.¡±


    At once, Justin frowned. ¡°You want me to apologize, to you?¡± The furrows on his brows were deep as


    he stared at the annoying little kid standing before him. Now that he heard what the kid said, he was


    certain that all of Rachel¡¯s attention was not on him nor about the idea of leaving Riverdale, but on


    Samuel.


    Hugging his arms tightly, Samuel huffed, ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t want to. I don¡¯t mind having Hernandez


    as my stepfather anyway. I¡¯m leaving. Hmph!¡± After finishing his sentence, he turned on his heels and


    was about to leave.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Immediately, Justin called out to Samuel. It took him a brief moment before finally caving in. ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry.¡±


    It was only then that Samuel turned back to face Justin with a triumphant look as he tilted his head to a


    side. ¡°That¡¯s more like it. You cannot treat me like that anymore in the future.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and tell me what idea you have in mind.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know by then. I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll mess it up if I tell you now.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hey me! I have a name.¡±


    It was Justin¡¯s first time getting ckmailed like this¨C¨Cnot to mention, his opponent was just a kid.


    Though one may think that he¡¯d feel offended, he seemed to be fond of that kid, even when he used to


    think that the kid was annoying before.


    ¡°Alright, Samuel.¡± Justin made a mental note to be more patient as he kneeled down before the kid. ¡°I


    promise that I¡¯ll follow your n. Now, can you tell me what your idea is?¡±


    At once, he revealed, ¡°It¡¯s simple. I¡¯ll keep Hernandez away for a few days by sending him back to


    Montenegro.¡±


    ¡°So, you want me to go camping with both of you?¡±


    ¡°No, no. If you¡¯re going, my mommy will not be willing to go too!¡± With a wink, he waved at Justin.


    ¡°Come closer, I¡¯ll tell you¡­¡±


    At this point, Justin could onlyply and lean closer to the kid. When Justin heard what Samuel had


    in mind, he beamed in a split second.


    The night was getting dark. Behind the glorious, bustling Riverdale, was the darkness that people were


    oblivious to. In a crowded club, smoke was lingering in the air.


    Inside, the deepest private room was so secluded that it was almost separated from everything outside.


    By the door, two bodyguards were holding their position. As the soundproofing was great, the noise


    outside didn¡¯t affect whatever that was going on inside.


    On the couch made of authentic leather sat a middle-aged man who had a cigar in his hand.


    Just then, a person who seemed like an assistant came in after knocking on the door. ¡°Mr. Caleb, we¡¯ve


    managed to gather some people. Would you like to see them or talk to them in person?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. Just tell them that this must be executed cleanly. The embassy cannot be involved in


    this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this has already been instructed. Due to the fact that the woman involved has a special


    identity, we wouldn¡¯t dare to be uncautious.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s actually nothing special about her identity.¡± The man scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s just a mask. Don¡¯t forget.


    She was born out of wedlock; nothing would change even if she¡¯s involved with the Carter Family.¡±


    At that moment, the sound of door knocks rang from outside. ¡°Mr. Caleb, Miss Patterson has arrived.¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    As he heard that, the frown on his face was rxed slightly. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Caleb, I¡¯ll take my leave first then.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    With that, the man¡¯s cold face was slowly clouded by the thick smoke.


    ¡­


    The next morning, Rachel saw Justin about to head out with luggage when she was having breakfast


    with her child.


    ¡°Daddy, where are you going?¡± Instantly, Charlotte threw Justin a question.


    In response, Justin replied, ¡°I¡¯m going on a business trip. I¡¯ll be back in two days. Behave yourself at


    home while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    With Rachel keeping Charlottepany, she no longer threw tantrums whenever Justin went


    outstation.


    Seeing that there was no reaction from Rachel, Justin was a little dismayed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask


    where I¡¯m headed to? Or when will I be back?¡±


    Upon hearing that, she said ndly, ¡°You¡¯re the president of thepany, so your schedule must be


    confidential. I have no right to ask you that.¡±


    ¡°Y-You¡­¡± He was at a loss for words. Needless to say, he felt wrong-footed after getting mocked by her


    early in the morning.


    ¡°Care for some breakfast?¡± She ced a bowl of oatmeal in front of him.


    ¡°Specially prepared for me?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 259

    My Mute Bride Chapter 259


    Chapter 259 Do You Still Remember Those Prescriptions?


    ¡°I cooked extra. It¡¯ll be a waste to throw them away.¡± Despite what Rachel said, Justin still proceeded to


    take a seat happily to have breakfast. To him, the oatmeal was a sign of her showing goodwill.


    Seeing that, Samuel, who had been by the side, silently shook his head with a sympathetic expression.


    Look at how pathetic he is. He¡¯s ecstatic over a bowl of oatmeal.


    After sending the two children to school, Rachel drove to the suburbs alone. The Riverdale Penitentiary


    was located on a vast emptynd. Some said that the surroundings were wide and empty to prevent


    the inmates from escaping. After all, it was hard to hide in in sight.


    When Jefferey was brought out, she thought that she¡¯d be hit by waves of emotions, but it was quite


    the contrary. She was so calm that she even surprised herself.


    It had been a while since she saw him, and he had visibly aged; his gray hair had turnedpletely


    white. He looked like an old folk who didn¡¯t have much time to live. At this moment, she said, ¡°You


    must¡¯ve not expected to see me here, visiting you.¡±


    On the other side, he sneered after hearing that. ¡°What is there to be unexpected about? Aren¡¯t you


    here to see how bad of a shape I¡¯m in now? That¡¯d help ease your hatred toward me for giving your


    hand in marriage to the Burton Family.¡±


    ¡°Burton Family?¡± The light in her eyes dimmed. ¡°Compared to the other things you did, forcing me to


    marry Justin was nothing. You should bear the consequences of your actions. Although you¡¯re being


    punished, it¡¯s not enough to make up for everything you did. Think of all the people you¡¯ve killed and


    the sins you¡¯vemitted. Do you think the truth can be buried when people are dead?¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you trying to catch a slip from me?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to do that? The prosecutor¡¯s investigation period for my parents¡¯ case has already passed.


    You can still pay for your sins when you die and see them in the afterlife.¡±


    Throughout her little speech, he listened with a disdainful look. ¡°Are you done?¡±


    With a 15-year sentence, it meant to him that he had to spend the rest of his life in prison. Hence,


    nothing she said could anger him anymore.


    ¡°After living for so many years, I¡¯ve gotten everything that I want, so dying right now is worth it. In fact, I


    hope that I¡¯ll die sooner. You can ask the old man¨C¨CI mean, your grandfather. He was the one who


    looked down on me, but I was the one who brought up the entire Hudson Family.¡±


    ¡°What if I tell you that you won¡¯t be listed in our family history when you die?¡±


    At once, he was stumped.


    She continued, ¡°I¡¯m aiding Carter Enterprise in the process of buying over Hudson Pharmaceuticals. As


    the eldest daughter of the elder heir, I will be taking over Hudson Pharmaceuticals. The first thing I¡¯ll do


    when the timees is to remove you from our family records.¡±


    ¡°What right do you have?!¡± He stood up in a swift movement and was immediately yelled at by the


    prison guards standing behind him. ¡°What are you doing?! Sit down!¡±


    However, Jefferey was raging. ¡°Who do you think you are? Why would the Hudsons listen to you?¡±


    ¡°Well, because I have 6 of the Hudson Pharmaceutical prescriptions.¡± At that moment, a cold smirk


    appeared on the corner of her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? The same 6 prescriptions that troubled you


    so much for these past few years.¡±


    At this moment, Jefferey was taken aback. How could he not remember? If it weren¡¯t for the


    prescriptions, he wouldn¡¯t have considered smuggling overseas¨C¨Cwhich was what brought him here


    today.


    ¡°I will let my parents get the respect they should¡¯ve gotten. As for you and Amber, I¡¯ll have both of you


    removed from the Hudson Family¡¯s registry forever. The Hudson Pharmaceuticals that you worked so


    hard to support will be brought down and rebuilt by me in the name of my parents.¡± At this moment, she


    brought out the business proposal and waved it in front of him. ¡°Can you see this? Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals will be rebranded. Do you like it?¡±


    The moment he saw the name of the brand, he widened his eyes so much that his eyeballs were


    almost protruding. m! He mmed his palm on the tempered ss as he eximed, ¡°Rachel! You


    b*tch!¡±


    Immediately, Jefferey went mad. It was as if he was going to break through the ss, but the prison


    guards standing by quickly held him down.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°Take him away.¡±


    ¡°Visiting hours are over.¡±


    Under the roars of the jail rm, he was forcefully taken away as they ended visiting hours earlier.


    Following themotion, the prison guard requested Rachel to show the document that she was


    holding. ¡°Please show us what you showed the inmate earlier.¡±


    ¡°This?¡± She cooperatively handed it over. ¡°It¡¯s a business proposal.¡±


    Having flipped through the documents, the prison guards didn¡¯t find anything unusual. Hence, he asked


    with curiosity, ¡°Why did he get so worked up?¡±


    In response, she said, ¡°Who knows?¡±


    Since there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with the documents, the prison guards didn¡¯t question further. With


    that, she left the penitentiary.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    The moment the metal gate closed behind her, Riverdale¡¯s ray of sunshine shone on her face. At this


    moment, she could finally feel true justice being brought upon in Riverdale. Under the sunlight, she


    took out the brand proposal and nced through it. The sunlight hit the name of the brand, making the


    words ¡®Lionel Hudson¡¯ gleam. She had used her father¡¯s name for the registration of the brand with an


    orchid as the brand¡¯s logo.


    Jefferey and Lionel had always beenpeting against each other since young. The highest


    aplishment for Jefferey was that he had won against Lionel and inherited Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals. Obviously, he couldn¡¯t have expected that ¡®Lionel Hudson¡¯ would be a brand that


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals would beunching to the market.


    This also signified that the name ¡®Lionel Hudson¡¯ would always be intertwined with Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals as long as it survived; the name would always be remembered by many more people


    as time passed.


    The moment Jefferey lost it was when Rachel felt that she had finally avenged her parents.


    ¡­


    Three dayster, Justin was having a video conference in a hotel outstation. The meeting was held to


    discuss the n of buying over Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    Closing hisputer, Justin asked Frankie, ¡°During the meeting, you seemed off? What is it?¡±


    Hearing that, Frankie replied, ¡°I just received news amidst the meeting that Carter Enterprise is also


    nning to buy Hudson Pharmaceuticals, and their preparations are almost asplete as ours. I


    think¡­¡± In a doubtful tone, he cautiously continued while observing Justin¡¯s expression, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that


    Miss Hudson may have been involved since the beginning.¡±


    In fact, no one else knew Hudson Pharmaceuticals better than Rachel. Therefore, there was a high


    chance that she was aiding Carter Enterprise as the proposal n was attained so quickly.


    At this moment, Justin furrowed his brow. ¡°You¡¯re saying that Rachel wants to help Carter Enterprise in


    buying Hudson Pharmaceuticals?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After contemting silently, he said, ¡°If that¡¯s what she wants, then give it to her.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Frankie couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard. ¡°Mr. Burton, what did you say?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 260

    My Mute Bride Chapter 260


    Chapter 260 Protector


    ¡°I said, since she wants it, give it to her,¡± Justin repeated his words for Frankie.


    ¡°Burton Group¡¯s n to buy Hudson Pharmaceuticals will end here. Tomorrow morning, inform the


    team in charge and tell them that the team is dismissed.¡± ¡°President Burton, do you want to think it


    through first?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± After Frankie heard that, his jaws dropped. Losing Hudson Pharmaceuticals was


    quite a big matter for the Burton Group as it had been nned for a few years. Besides that, the


    pharmaceutical products that were about to beunched by the Hudsons might y a big role in the


    future market.


    Nheless, Justin actually handed everything over with one simple sentence. Hence, Frankie felt that


    he must be in a dream.


    ¡­


    Three dayster, it was Saturday. The Bilingual Elementary¡¯s students embarked on their outdoor


    camping activity from Riverdale.


    Early in the morning, Rachel brought the two children to meet up with the other parents at the school¡¯s


    entrance. After getting onto the big bus, it took around 3 hours before they reached Astoria¡¯s Cloudy


    Mountain Hignd.


    ¡°Later on, we¡¯ll be forming a tent for each family. There will be a teacher to guide you as you pitch your


    respective tents. If it¡¯s any parent¡¯s first time joining our camping activity, questions are always


    weed. Okay, we¡¯ll dismiss and take a break.¡±


    After the leading teacher announced the dismissal, all families that were standing in front of the bus


    spread out.


    Rachel, who was with Samuel and Charlotte, was staring at the tent feeling flustered. Scratching the


    back of his head, Samuel said, ¡°Mommy, the three of us can¡¯t pitch a tent.¡±


    Rachel said, ¡°It¡¯s alright, let me try.¡± After that, she pulled out the guide that was inside a bag that was


    filled with tent-pitching tools. The moment she saw the instructions, she already felt like giving up


    before she had even started. She then admitted, ¡°It seems that it¡¯s really quite hard.¡±


    However, Charlotte asserted, ¡°Mommy, the guide isn¡¯t hard. The three of us just don¡¯t have the strength


    to support the tent. The frame is very heavy, and both Samuel and I can¡¯t move it.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed when Charlotte said that the guide wasn¡¯t difficult. After all,


    both the children were talented smart kids. In some aspects, Rachel could only admit that she was not


    good enough. After scrutinizing the frame and itsponents, she was a little dispirited. ¡°It¡¯s pretty


    heavy indeed.¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡± A familiar voice could be hearding from behind. ¡°Let me help you!¡±


    Turning back, she could see Victor making his way toward them. She felt that she was seeing a savior


    as she almost teared up. ¡°Victor!¡±


    Meanwhile, Victor¡¯s appearance made Samuel and Charlotte give each other a look. Crap, we forgot


    that Mr. Wade is also tagging along. This is going to affect our initial n.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Giving Charlotte a look, Samuel asked sotto voce, ¡°What do we do now?¡±


    Charlotte quickly started to brainstorm. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± Samuel nced behind Rachel before saying, ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±


    With a low growl, a ck jeep came to a stop by a river that was just a stone¡¯s throw away from their


    campsite.


    At this moment, Rachel had yet to notice anything. Nheless, Victor, who was one of the leading


    teachers, was rmed. At once, he put down the things in his hands before marching over.


    ¡°Victor, this isn¡¯t done yet¡­¡±


    Following the direction he was heading, she saw a familiar figure exiting the jeep before closing the


    door. The string of actions was not done subtly, earning the attention of some parents. At once, she


    quickly tossed the things in her hands and rushed up.


    ¡°You sc*m! Why are you here?¡± Victor clutched on Justin¡¯s cor as he roared.


    At that moment, the word ¡®sc*m¡¯ had earned the attention of all the parents and children at the


    campsite.


    Initially, Justin was going to brush Victor off, but he quickly raised his hand to exin when he saw


    Racheling toward them. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. This time, you better see it clearly. He¡¯s the one who


    started it, and I didn¡¯t even lift a finger.¡±


    Not bothering to talk nonsense with him, she immediately held onto Victor and broke the two up.


    ¡°Victor!¡±


    ¡°Rachel, don¡¯t stop me! This sc*mbag is always everywhere. Look! He¡¯s even here now!¡±


    ¡°Many parents and kids are watching. Do you not want to be a teacher anymore?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± She was so panicked that she was on the verge of pping Victor for his bad temper.


    After finally turning over a new leaf, he managed to be a teacher. If they were to fight, he would


    lose his job. It was just not worth it.


    At this moment, a p was sent straight to the back of Victor¡¯s head, causing him to cover it in pain.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    Turning to look at Justin, she asked, ¡°Care to exin? Didn¡¯t you go on a business trip? Why are you


    here?¡± Was his business trip so coincidentally happened to be in Cloudy Mountain Hignd?


    Justin then exined, ¡°The business trip ended sooner than expected. As Charlotte¡¯s father, I have the


    responsibility to join her school activity with her. Isn¡¯t the goal of this activity to improve the rtionship


    between the child and their parents?¡±


    Hearing that, she couldn¡¯t find any words to refute. Since he was Charlotte¡¯s father, he had the right to


    join the activity. However, if she knew earlier that he would be here, she wouldn¡¯t have even considered


    coming.


    ¡°Mr. Wade, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Justin was even provoking him now.


    With his brows furrowed, Victor was about to attack Justin again, but he was stopped by Rachel¡¯s firm


    grip. ¡°Victor, the tent has not sessfully been pitched yet. Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t fight with him. It¡¯s not worth


    putting your future at stake for this.¡± With that, she tugged on Victor before they left together.


    Sending Justin a dead re, Victor didn¡¯t forget to point at him as a sign to warn him to keep his


    distance. After that, he unwillingly followed Rachel to retreat.


    To be frank, it didn¡¯t bother Justin one bit. After all, he didn¡¯t care about anything said by anyone other


    than Rachel.


    Meanwhile, Rachel and Victor were squatting before the tent as they continued to pitch it.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    At this moment, Charlotte ran into Justin¡¯s arms before he picked her up. ¡°Did you miss me?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± As she said that, she gave his cheek a kiss.


    On the other hand, Rachel and Victor were ignoring his presence while they continued to discuss and


    set up the tent. Not only that, even Charlotte, who was in his arms, was also getting ignored.


    After being in an embrace for a moment, Charlotte contemted for a moment before she whispered


    something in his ear. Following that, Justin nodded in response before putting her back down.


    At this moment, Charlotte gave Samuel a look as a cue before the two of them ran away from the


    campsite. However, Rachel and Victor didn¡¯t seem to have noticed that the kids were running off.


    ¡°This should be here.¡±


    With a frame in her hands, Rachel pointed at the guide in Victor¡¯s hand before she gestured something.


    ¡°It should be connected to here.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s here.¡±


    The duo were both newbies to building a tent. As Victor had just started working at The Bilingual


    Elementary not long ago, it was his first time joining this activity. Hence, he wasn¡¯t much better at


    pitching the tentpared to Rachel.


    ¡°It should be here. Join it together with this.¡± A voice of a man could be hearding from behind.


    At the same time, the frame that she was holding was suddenly taken away as Justin fixed the frame


    without much of a struggle in front of the two. It didn¡¯t take long before a side of the tent was already


    set. ¡°Now, nail this piece to the ground.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 261

    My Mute Bride Chapter 261


    Chapter 261 Getting Hurt Again


    Rachel frowned. Continuing to ignore the man, she picked up another tent pole, asking, ¡°Victor, which


    side should this belong to?¡± Victor replied, ¡°Over there. Just put it through.¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t put it through directly.¡± Justin dug out a connector from the bag next to him. ¡°Connect it


    to this first.¡±


    Reaching the end of her patience, Rachel immediately tossed the tent pole aside. The tent pole


    produced a dull sound as it dropped to the ground and bounced back up. ¡°Since you¡¯re so good at it, do


    it yourself. I¡¯ll go gather some firewood,¡± she said. Then, she turned around and left the campsite


    without looking back.


    At first, Victor wanted to go after Rachel, but Justin grabbed him before he could do so. ¡°What are you


    doing, Mr. Wade? Come and teach me how to pitch the tent.¡±


    Victor shook him off peevishly. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to do it yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll only pitch one tent. If you can bear the sight of me sharing a tent with Rachel tonight, then leave as


    you please.¡±


    ¡°In your dreams!¡± Victor immediately decided to stay. ¡°I¡¯m gonna keep a close eye on you even if I


    won¡¯t get to sleep tonight. Don¡¯t you dare think about taking advantage of Rachel! You can fool her


    about what the hell you¡¯reing for, but you can¡¯t fool me!¡±


    Justin confessed right away, ¡°Indeed, I came for Rachel, and I¡¯m not denying it. Why would I fool you?¡±


    ¡°Bah!¡± Victor gave him a scornful look. ¡°You think Rachel¡¯s gonna fall for you? You and whose army?


    I¡¯m telling you, Justin¡ªRachel will never choose a scumbag like you again even if she¡¯s blind!¡±


    Justin retorted, ¡°Who else is Rachel gonna choose if she won¡¯t choose me? You? She¡¯s got quite a lot


    of men protecting her, eh?¡± Including Victor, there are already three men revolving around Rachel at


    present. All of them are reckless and courageous men who itch to risk their lives fighting me for


    Rachel¡¯s sake, he thought.


    ¡°Rachel can marry anyone, but there¡¯s no way she¡¯ll marry you again,¡± Victor said coldly after


    hammering the tent peg into the ground. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m gonna sit by and watch what has


    happened back then happen again.¡±


    Justin was totally uninterested in what had happened back then. Seeing Victor hammering the tent peg


    busily with his head down, he looked around and left quietly.


    Meanwhile, Rachel went to gather firewood alone in the mountains. In the dry weather, there were


    many dead branches on the ground, so she didn¡¯t have much trouble gathering them. In the blink of an


    eye, the back basket behind her was full.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Just then, Samuel trotted up to her. ¡°Mommy! Charlotte is missing!¡±


    Rachel was startled. For a moment, she thought Samuel was joking with her. ¡°Samuel, I don¡¯t have


    time to y hide-and-seek with you two right now. Just be good and go back to the campsite and go to


    Victor after ying on your own for a while, okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true! Mommy, Charlotte really is missing!¡± Samuel looked very anxious. ¡°Charlotte ran away just


    now, saying she wanted to see if there¡¯s any squirrels in the mountains, but she hasn¡¯t returned yet.


    Also, I can¡¯t reach her by phone anymore!¡±


    Rachel finally stopped gathering the firewood. She asked Samuel what had happened at the time,


    saying, ¡°How much time has passed since then?¡±


    Samuel replied, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. When Charlotte came, she heard there were little squirrels in the


    mountains, so she brought lots of nuts with her. You were quarreling with Justin just now, so she ran


    away on her own since nobody was watching over her.¡±


    ¡°That girl is simply reckless!¡± Rachel put down her back basket right away. After running a few steps,


    she looked back and asked, ¡°Which way did she go?¡±


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    Samuel hesitated for a moment before pointing in a direction up the mountain. ¡°That way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go there right away. Samuel, go back to the campsite at once and ask the other teachers to help


    search for her.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Samuel replied. As soon as he promised Rachel, Justin emerged from behind the ancient tree


    behind him; the man and the boy gave each other a knowing high-five.


    Having given Samuel the instructions, Rachel immediately went searching for Charlotte. The sky was


    darkening at the moment. If Charlotte went deep into the mountains by mistake, even if there weren¡¯t


    any wild animals around, she might get killed by a snakebite.


    Rachel went all the way up the mountain, heading in the direction Samual had pointed to in search of


    Charlotte. ¡°Charlotte! Charlotte!¡± she shouted. Just then, she heard a rustling sound behind her.


    ¡°Charlotte?¡± She looked back, only to frown at once when she saw a tall figure catching up to her from


    a distance. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Samuel told me that Charlotte had run out here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he said she had gone this way in search of squirrels or something.¡± Rachel looked around. ¡°Are


    there any squirrels on this mountain?¡± For a moment, she couldn¡¯t care less about the old scores


    between her and Justin. The more people there were searching for a kid, the better, of course.


    Justin replied, ¡°Squirrels are probably in the woods on the mountain. Let¡¯s look for her in the woods.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡± Rachel immediately turned to go deeper into the woods.


    ¡°Give me your back basket.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    Justin snatched the back basket from her without allowing her to say no. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Rachel had no time to argue with him either. Worried sick at the thought of Charlotte having gone


    missing, she headed into the mountain woods while calling Charlotte¡¯s name along the way. ¡°Where


    could she have gone? Can¡¯t she hear us calling for her?¡±


    ¡°That girl is smart. Perhaps she couldn¡¯t find any squirrels and has gone back on her own.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you worried at all? Charlotte¡¯s so little; what if anything bad happens to her? What if there


    are snakes on the mountain?¡±


    Seeing how worried Rachel looked, Justin suddenly regretted having gone along with Samuel¡¯s n to


    trick her in such a way. However, what was done was done. If he were to confess to it at this very


    moment, the consequences would be unthinkable. As a consequence, he could only try to divert the


    subject by consoling her, saying, ¡°Charlotte isn¡¯t that plucky, and she¡¯s not strong either. She wouldn¡¯t


    dare to go too far, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    However, Rachel knew very well how time was of the essence when a kid got lost in the mountains.


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t do. I¡¯ve got to go back to the campsite and ask the others to help search for her.¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡± Justin grabbed her at once.


    The two were standing on a mountain slope, so their footing wasn¡¯t steady in the first ce. Not only


    that, but Rachel happened to step on some moss. When Justin grabbed her, she slipped and fell


    backward with a cry of rm.


    Justin failed to hold Rachel steady in time, so he ended up bing a cushion for thetter as she fell


    right on top of him. ¡°Mmph¡­¡±


    Rachel instantly came to her senses when she heard a groan beneath her instead of feeling hurt as


    she had expected. She hurriedly picked herself up, asking, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Lying perfectly still on the ground with deep furrows in his brow, Justin looked like he was in agony.


    ¡°Did the wound open up? Let me take a look.¡± Rachel was at a loss for what to do. The wound on


    Justin¡¯s back hadn¡¯t healedpletely yet. Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s got another injury on top of the


    preexisting one at the moment, she thought.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y the tough guy. The school has brought the school doctor here with us. Let me call the


    school doctor over.¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡± Justin stopped her. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. Just help me up.¡±


    Rachel dared not exert too much strength on the man either. She carefully helped him up, asking, ¡°Are


    you really okay?¡±


    ¡°My foot hurts a little.¡±


    ¡°Sprained your ankle?¡± Rachel crouched right in front of Justin while rolling up his trouser leg. ¡°Which


    part of your foot hurts? Is it this part?¡±


    Immediately, Justin yed along by letting out a gasp. ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 262

    My Mute Bride Chapter 262


    Chapter 262 There¡¯s No Future


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s anything wrong, though. Could it be that you fractured a bone or


    something?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that serious, I guess.¡± Justin stretched out his hand toward Rachel. ¡°Let¡¯s go back with you


    helping me. I think Charlotte must¡¯ve gone back by now.¡±


    Rachel wanted to search for Charlotte, but she couldn¡¯t leave Justin here in such a state. Having no


    alternative, she decided to take him back to the campsite first. If Charlotte didn¡¯t return to the campsite,


    she woulde back to search for her.


    ¡°Just rest assured, Rachel. Charlotte fears the dark more than anything else, so there¡¯s no way she¡¯ll


    wander outside on her own for such a long time. She must¡¯ve gone back.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so.¡±


    With that, the two headed back with Justin¡¯s arm resting on Rachel¡¯s shoulder as she supported him.


    As the man was nearly 190 centimeters tall, it didn¡¯t look like Rachel was propping him up. Instead, it


    looked more like he was holding her hostage. In fact, there was no way Rachel could help him up if he


    didn¡¯t hold himself upright.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve always wanted to find an opportunity to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Talk about what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to formally apologize to you for what has happened in the past. I know that I used to be mean


    to you, and I can never make up for that, but I¡¯ll do my best. Just give me a chance for Charlotte¡¯s


    sake.¡±


    Rachel frowned. ¡°How much do you remember about the past?¡±


    ¡°I asked Frankie about it, and he told me part of the story. In short, I was mean to you.¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± Rachel sounded frosty. ¡°It was normal for you to resent me back then. After all, I wasn¡¯t the


    person you wanted to marry at the time.¡±


    ¡°So, can you forgive me?¡±


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re divorced, everything that has happened during our marriage doesn¡¯t count anymore.¡±


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    ¡°In that case, in the future¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no future to speak of.¡± Rachel cut Justin short right away.


    However, Justin still kept at the subject, as though he didn¡¯t notice the impatience in Rachel¡¯s words.


    ¡°How could there be no future to speak of? Charlotte¡¯s our future. Do you want to break her heart? Ever


    since she was little, her greatest wish has been to live with her own mother.¡±


    Rachel suddenly stopped in her tracks. ¡°Do you really want me to stay with Charlotte all the time?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Justin replied with a straight face.


    ¡°Alright then. Give me Charlotte¡¯s custody, and I¡¯ll take care of her in the future.¡±


    Justin was visibly stunned as the fallen leaves rustled in the woods all of a sudden.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do it, can you?¡± Rachel¡¯s voice broke the deadlock between her and the man as she walked


    on while helping him by the arm again. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in getting entangled with you any further. Our


    previous agreement to stay out of each other¡¯s business is my biggest concession already.¡±


    A hint of panic crept into Justin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you really not willing to marry me again?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°In that case, are you gonna marry Hernandez?¡±


    ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°Who else are you gonna marry if it¡¯s not him? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s Julian.¡±


    ¡°Justin.¡± Rachel red at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you done yet?¡±


    Only then did Justin shut up. After walking with Rachel for a while, however, he could no longer restrain


    himself. ¡°No matter what you think, my desire to remarry you is my own business, and you have no


    right to interfere with that.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Rachel stopped short of arguing with Justin upon recalling how he had always been like this.


    The two returned to the campsite with Rachel supporting Justin. Upon seeing them from a distance,


    Victor immediately came up to them. The first thing he said was, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with this guy,


    Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Sprained his ankle.¡± Rachel nced in the campsite¡¯s direction. ¡°Has Charlottee back?¡±


    Victor replied, ¡°You mean Charlotte? She¡¯s been here all the time. Did she go anywhere?¡±


    Startled, Rachel looked puzzledly at the campsite, where sounds of people singing and chatting happily


    could be heard. A little girl¡¯s voice clearly stood out above the others, and Rachel could tell at once that


    it was Charlotte¡¯s.


    ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± Justin suddenly hemmed twice. ¡°I told you she woulde back by herself.¡±


    Vaguely realizing what had happened, Rachel shook off Justin¡¯s arm angrily. ¡°So you were fooling me,


    huh?¡±


    ¡°Hey! Rachel¡ª¡±


    Rachel brushed Justin off and left.


    Justin wanted to go after Rachel to exin himself, but Victor mercilessly stopped him. ¡°What are you


    doing? Pestering Rachel when she refuses to talk to you, huh? What¡¯s the matter with you? Did you


    lose your sense of shame along with your memory?¡± Victor had be even angrier with Justin ever


    since he learned about thetter¡¯s amnesia. He hurt Rachel so much at the time, only to forget about


    all of it thanks to a car ident, he thought. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t keep after Rachel like a fly, or I¡¯m


    gonna beat the sh*t out of you!¡± He put out his fist and waved it before Justin with studied ferocity


    before striding off.


    That night, the school set up several bonfires and threw a bonfire party around them as the ss¡¯


    students performed one after another.


    Rachel and Victor sat side by side with Charlotte nestling in Rachel¡¯s arms.


    On the other hand, Justin was warned off by Victor, who bared his teeth at the former as soon as he


    approached the three because of how he had tricked Rachel just now. ¡°Why are you behaving like a


    dog?¡± Justin muttered. After finding a spot to sit down in the distance, he listened to the children¡¯s


    singing from afar.


    The mountain was quiet andfortable. A short whileter, Samuel slipped away from the crowd and


    sat down next to Justin in a poised manner. ¡°I told you long ago that Charlotte¡¯s n of having you


    save a damsel in distress wouldn¡¯t work. I was right, wasn¡¯t I? Now my mom doesn¡¯t talk to you


    anymore.¡±


    Justin shot a nce at him angrily. ¡°Are you here to make sarcasticments?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m here to help you.¡± Samuel sucked on a lollipop while handing Justin a lighter. ¡°Here. This


    time, it¡¯ll definitely work.¡±


    ¡°What are you giving me this for?¡±


    ¡°Come over here.¡± Samuel beckoned to Justin, who reluctantly leaned his ear toward him.


    Halfway through the bonfire party, Charlotte began struggling in Rachel¡¯s arms. ¡°Mommy, I wanna take


    a pee.¡±


    Rachel immediately took her hand and stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    There was no washroom where the school held outdoor activities, so everyone had no choice but to


    relieve themselves in the open. Charlotte walked a long way while holding Rachel¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Alright, Charlotte. There¡¯s nobody else here.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go a little further. What if there is somebody else whoes here to pee?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Charlotte, you¡¯re right. It¡¯ll be bad if you¡¯re seen.¡± Rachel nodded, and she walked a little further


    with the girl. ¡°Charlotte, if you go any further, I won¡¯t be able to see you. Just relieve yourself here; I¡¯ll


    stay here with you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mommy. Just give me a minute while I go behind the grass over there.¡±


    ¡°Alright, just go. Don¡¯t go too far, though.¡±


    After Charlotte left, Rachel stayed in ce alone and inadvertently looked up at the sky. The weather


    was great, and the stars were shining brightly. Over thest 25 to 26 years since she left Somerset


    Mountain and came to Riverdale as a child, she had rarely had such pleasant leisure time.


    Suddenly, a ray of light soared into the sky with a swoosh and burst into colorful halos in the night sky.


    Rachel was slightly stunned. Right after that, she heard countless swooshes as numerous fireworks


    burst in rapid session, illuminating the night sky in an instant asrge fireworks bloomed one after


    another.


    Is somebody shooting off fireworks at the foot of the mountain? Just as Rachel was stunned, she


    suddenly heard footsteps behind her. ¡°Rachel.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 263

    My Mute Bride Chapter 263


    Chapter 263 A Sincere Confession


    Rachel sharply turned around with a start. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asked, before suddenly realizing


    something. ¡°Were you the one who set off the fireworks?¡±


    ¡°Do you like them? Samuel said you like to watch fireworks very much. The conditions here are limited,


    so please make do with it for now. Once we go down the mountain and get back to Riverdale, I¡¯ll take


    you guys to¡ª¡±


    ¡°What the hell do you want?¡± Rachel interrupted Justin before thetter could finish his sentence.


    Staring at him with a look of displeasure, she said, ¡°You¡¯ve been following me around for so many


    days. What on earth do you want?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know what I want?¡± Justin went a step closer. ¡°If you don¡¯t know about that, I can repeat it.¡±


    Rachel instinctively stepped back. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in ying this kind of love game with you.


    Charlotte, are you done?¡± she shouted toward the grass, but nobody answered her.


    Justin said, ¡°Charlotte has gone back.¡±


    ¡°How could you even use a kid?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not the one who used her. Don¡¯t forget about Samuel. He¡¯s your son, not mine.¡± The initially


    frosty expression on Justin¡¯s handsome face was obscured by the moonlight as he stared at Rachel.


    ¡°Rachel!¡± He grabbed her arm. ¡°Please listen to me before you leave.¡±


    Rachel frowned. ¡°Let go of me.¡±


    ¡°Listen to me.¡±


    While neither of them refused to budge, Rachel caught sight of the two kids hiding in the distance from


    the corner of her eye. They were hiding behind the grass, but they cast two long shadows on the


    ground as the moonlight shone on them. In consideration of the two kids, she reluctantly replied, ¡°I¡¯ll


    listen to you. Let go of me first.¡±


    Justin let go of her. ¡°I know you hate me. At first, I didn¡¯t understand why, but I slowly learned about


    what I¡¯d done to you in the past. I can understand it now. No matter for whose sake or for what you


    came back and approached me, no matter what you¡¯ve promised Grandpa, I can understand it. No


    matter what you want, I¡¯ll give it to you as long as I can. After all, I owed you a lot five years ago. If you


    mind the fact that I¡¯ve forgotten many things, I¡¯ll receive treatment to recall everything that I¡¯ve


    forgotten. I¡¯m not asking you to ept me right away, but I hope that you can get along peacefully with


    me.¡±


    ¡°Are you done talking?¡± Rachel looked at the man quietly.


    Justin was startled. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re done talking, I¡¯m leaving,¡± Rachel said. Then, she walked past him and headed straight


    toward the campsite.


    Stunned, Justin stood frozen in ce. His confession, which he considered sincere, was worth nothing


    in Rachel¡¯s eyes. After all, words could never speak louder than actions. He had done so many things


    to hurt Rachel back then, so how could he possibly gain forgiveness with just a few hollow words?


    Just as he was stunned, he suddenly heard a scream behind him. ¡°Ah! What are you doing?¡±


    Justin came to his senses at once.


    Rachel had just left and was walking along the path when two hefty men popped up from nowhere and


    stopped her. She asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The two men weren¡¯t of a sturdy build, and it was obvious from the peaked caps and the ck face


    masks they were wearing that they didn¡¯t want to be recognized. With one of them standing in front of


    Rachel and the other standing behind her, they stopped her and prevented her from leaving. Then, one


    of them drew out a knife from behind him, and the knife gleamed with chilliness in the moonlight.


    Rachel staggered and fell. As she was in a panic, she couldn¡¯t muster any strength. Instead, she could


    only struggle to back away, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered to react to the pain when the stones on the


    ground rubbed against her hands. ¡°Don¡¯te over! I can give you two however much money you


    want.¡±


    However, the man with the knife closed in on Rachel without saying a word, as though he didn¡¯t hear


    what she had said. After signaling to the other man to grab her and cover her nose and mouth right


    away, he raised the knife in his hand and thrust it toward her.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened, and her pupils shrank.


    Just then, her scream was drowned out by the smack of a punchnding on someone¡¯s flesh. She


    clearly saw the man who had attempted to stab her being kicked away by Justin; he fell onto the muddy


    ground and rolled about four meters away. Not only that, but the man who had grabbed her was also


    seized by Justin and dealt with with a few cuffs and kicks.


    The many prone on the ground while begging for mercy repeatedly. At the sight of the scene, the


    man who had fallen far away took to his heels and ran away very quickly.


    Stepping on the remaining man¡¯s face, Justin asked in a chilly voice, ¡°Who sent you here? Spill it!¡±


    The man gritted his teeth hard while refusing to make a sound.


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of asking him like this?¡± Rachel got up from the ground and let go of her aching arm.


    Then, she picked up the knife that had nearly taken her life from the ground and held it to the man¡¯s


    throat right away without hesitation. ¡°Are you gonna say it or not?¡± she asked, her tone turning more


    ferocious by the minute, while pressing the knife deeper into the man¡¯s throat. ¡°Who sent you here?¡±


    The man¡¯s face nched. ¡°D-Don¡¯t do it! I¡¯ll say it. I-It was Master Jason.¡±


    Master Jason? Justin¡¯s expression darkened as he immediately took off the man¡¯s face mask.


    The man wanted to stop Justin, but it was already toote. With a strained expression, he said, ¡°Y-


    Young Master Justin¡­¡±


    Rachel let out a snort beside them. ¡°Justin, is this the ¡®chance¡¯ that you just asked me to give you?¡±


    ¡°Rachel¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please save me, Young Master Justin!¡± The man clung onto Justin¡¯s thigh for dear life. ¡°All of this was


    Master Jason¡¯s idea, and I had nothing to do with it. If you don¡¯t save me, I¡¯ll be dead when I go back!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    However, before Justin could shake the man off, Rachel had tossed the knife directly onto the ground


    with a nk. After casting a chilly nce at the two men, she left without looking back. He¡¯s one of


    Jason¡¯s men. Janice is right¡ªJason¡¯s got to have something to do with Hans¡¯ death back then. That¡¯s


    why he¡¯s so anxious; he didn¡¯t even hesitate to take risks in order to have me killed.


    As soon as Rachel returned to the campsite, she called Janice and told thetter what had happened


    just now.


    ¡°Are you sure that he¡¯s Jason¡¯sckey?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty certain about it. That guy said it was Master Jason who sent him here, and he called Justin


    ¡®Young Master Justin.¡¯ Moreover, Justin does know him in person.¡±


    ¡°Jason isn¡¯t from the underworld, after all. He¡¯s impatient.¡± Janice sounded very calm as her voice


    came from the other end of the line. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that Justin went there all of a sudden. At the very


    least, Jason wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything in front of him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still worried. I¡¯d like to go back with the kids first.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid that you might be in danger on your way back. What you need to do right now is follow


    Justin closely. As long as Justin¡¯s there, Jason will have misgivings about whatever he wants to do. He


    won¡¯t take anyone else seriously.¡±


    Rachel clenched her fists. ¡°Are ordinary people¡¯s lives nothing in the eyes of these men?¡±


    ¡°To them, ordinary people are just stepping stones that they can get rid of like weeds when necessary.


    They¡¯ll stop at nothing for the sake of their interests.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 264

    My Mute Bride Chapter 264


    Chapter 264 Give You an Exnation


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Rachel. I won¡¯t let him off.¡± Despite hearing the resolute words on the other end of the


    line, Rachel felt a terrible dull ache in her heart. Over so many years, Janice had been devoting herself


    to mping down on underworld gangs, but she was often met with all kinds of obstacles. There were


    not only external factors but also many on the inside that were shielding these gangs.


    Arthur couldn¡¯t possibly be the only person who contributed to Jason being cleared of suspicion in


    Nancy¡¯s kidnapping back then, so it went without saying how many strings had been pulled for this.


    Meanwhile, the night was falling, and Justin was waiting on the mountain path. Soon, his personal


    bodyguards arrived. ¡°Young Master Justin.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Justin, this is¡­¡± The two bodyguards were Justin¡¯s trusted men. In order not to affect


    the school¡¯s activities, Justin had them stay far away from him when they came, saying that he would


    call them over if there was anything.


    Justin kicked the half-dead henchman lying next to him. He said coldly, ¡°Tie him up and put him in your


    car until I get back to Riverdale.¡±


    The two bodyguards exchanged a brief look. ¡°Yes, Young Master Justin.¡±


    ¡°Also, you two take turns to keep watch near the campsite tonight. Keep your guard up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Young Master Justin.¡±


    After giving the instructions, Justin went back to the campsite.


    The bonfire activities had ended, and all the families returned to their respective tents to sleep and


    save their strength for the next day¡¯s outdoor sports meet.


    Rachel had just finished washing Charlotte¡¯s face. After urging the two kids to get into the tent, she


    pulled down the tent¡¯s gauze from the outside and zipped the tent ps shut.


    Just then, Charlotte¡¯s voice sounded from inside the tent. ¡°Mommy, aren¡¯t youing in to sleep with


    us?¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a while after washing my hands.¡± After finishing her sentence, however,


    she sat down beside the bonfire outside. There was no smile on her face; even when illuminated by the


    bonfire, her face looked very grim. As she poked at the bonfire, the branches crackled audibly in the


    night.


    Justin came back to see her sitting alone outside the tent. ¡°Just go to sleep. I have somebody keeping


    watch at a distance, so nothing will happen again.¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Rachel didn¡¯t even look at him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not sleepy at all.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re really worried, I¡¯ll send you guys back to Riverdale first. Outdoor activities aren¡¯t safe in the


    first ce, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Put off by a slight risk, huh? Is that why you didn¡¯t let Charlotte go to school?¡± Rachel finally looked up


    and stared frostily at the man before her. ¡°Samuel is fine; he has joined a lot of such activities since he


    was little. But can¡¯t you tell how happy Charlotte is toe out here this time?¡±


    Charlotte had joined almost all the activities at the campsite. Not only did she take part in every little


    game with great enthusiasm, but she even became one with all her little friends. She had nevere


    out and yed with so many people at once ever since she learned to speak.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Charlotte, I would¡¯ve left at once.¡± Rachel took a nce at Justin. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to


    worry. Obviously, your uncle ising after me. The kids have nothing to do with this.¡±


    Justin frowned. ¡°Once we get back to Riverdale, I¡¯ll investigate the matter thoroughly and give you an


    exnation.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to.¡± Rachel shot a nce at Justin. ¡°If you really feel bad about it, then stop


    following me around. Just spend more time with Charlotte and Samuel during the outdoor sports meet


    tomorrow instead.¡± After all, Justin was Charlotte¡¯s father, and Samuel also regarded him as his father.


    Therefore, the two kids would be happy to have the man keep thempany during the outdoor


    activity this time.


    Knowing that it was useless to say more, Justin could only give her a slight nod in silence.


    As the bonfire crackled, the campsite became increasingly quiet, and the lights of the tents were turned


    off one after another. Rachel curled herself up in the chair with a yawn. Even though she was sleepy,


    she was unwilling to go back to sleep. She said she didn¡¯t worry that Jason mighty a hand on the two


    kids, but she was nheless afraid of the possibility.


    After some time, she couldn¡¯t stay awake anymore, and her eyes closed.


    Charlotte and Samuel were sleeping inside the tent when the tent ps were unzipped from the


    outside. Samuel wasn¡¯t soundly asleep in the first ce, so he looked at the person in a daze after


    being roused from sleep.


    ¡°Shh¡­¡± Justin took a nce at him before carefully putting down thedy in his arms. Then, he put the


    pillow below her head and tucked her in. Having done all these, he sat down beside Rachel. As he


    quietly watched her sleeping, he felt incredibly at ease, and he bent down to kiss her on the forehead.


    Just then, a little hand came in front of Justin¡¯s lips, and he looked up to see Samuel beside him. How


    could I have forgotten about this little brat?


    Samuel stared at Justin with big, round eyes. He asked warily, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Justin grabbed his hand and replied impatiently, ¡°Why are you being so meddlesome? Hurry up and go


    back to sleep!¡±


    ¡°I will, but you have to get out.¡±


    ¡°And what if I refuse?¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll call Mr. Wade over!¡± Samuel replied while waving his cell phone.


    Justin frowned. Both of them refused to budge. After a long time, however, he could only leave the tent


    in dejection. This brat said he wanted to help me, but all he hade up with were lousy ideas. I


    wonder if he really wanted to help me or if he wanted to dupe me to get back at me.


    When the light in the tent was turned off, Samuel turned over and held Rachel¡¯s arm while looking out


    of the tent. The figure of the man outside was visible by the bonfire.


    Instead of returning to his own tent, Justin sat down in front of the bonfire outside. Every once in a


    while, he poked at the bonfire, and it seemed that he had no intention of leaving.


    At this instant, Samuel¡¯s opinion of the man changed somewhat. He¡¯s quite reliable, after all.


    The next morning, the first match of the outdoor sports meet was the three-legged race.


    Rachel and Charlotte had justpleted their round. When Victor came over to record the contestants¡¯


    finishing positions in the race, he noticed that Rachel had been massaging her arm and that something


    was wrong with the look on her face. ¡°Rachel, is your arm okay?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t tell Victor what had happenedst night lest he worry about it. She shook her head and


    replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Which round will Samuel bepeting in?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll bepeting in the next round. Why don¡¯t you rest for a while, Rachel? I¡¯ll let himpete a


    couple of roundster.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go to so much trouble. It¡¯s a three-legged race, after all. We don¡¯t need to use our


    arms.¡±


    ¡°Let me do it.¡± The rope in Rachel¡¯s hand was snatched away all of a sudden as Justin¡¯s voice rang


    beside her.


    ¡°You?¡± Rachel looked at him, dumbfounded. She found it difficult to imagine Justin and Samuel being


    tied together in a three-legged race.


    While she was in a daze, Justin had stridden into the distance toward Samuel without giving her the


    opportunity to say no at all.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Victor yelled with the record book in his hand. Grumpily, he muttered, ¡°There¡¯s no way he¡¯s


    doing this without expecting anything in return.¡±


    Charlotte grabbed the lower hem of Victor¡¯s shirt while blinking her eyes angrily. ¡°Mr. Wade, why do you


    hate my dad so much? He¡¯s very kind.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 265

    My Mute Bride Chapter 265


    Chapter 265 An Embarrassing Match


    Victor could only speak against his will in front of the girl. ¡°I was just joking. Are you angry, Charlotte?¡±


    Charlotte replied, ¡°This joke isn¡¯t funny at all, Mr. Wade. If you speak of my dad like this again, I¡¯m


    really going to get angry!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t say that anymore,¡± Victor replied helplessly. After Charlotte went far away to cheer


    Samuel on, he said to Rachel, ¡°The only good thing Justin has done is to take pretty good care of


    Charlotte.¡±


    Rachel was startled; she seemed to think of something. ¡°She¡¯s his daughter, after all.¡±


    ¡°But I feel that it might be better for Charlotte to be with you.¡±


    ¡°Did Jolly say something to you?¡± Rachel asked. Jolly would sometimes pick the kids up at school, so


    Victor had talked to her quite a number of times as Charlotte and Samuel¡¯s homeroom teacher.


    Because of Rachel, the two soon warmed to each other.


    Victor replied, ¡°Rachel, I think you¡¯re justified in wanting to take Charlotte away. No matter what you do,


    I¡¯ll always side with you.¡±


    Rachel was lost in thought before her eyes were drawn to the race in the distance.


    All the teams set out after the referee blew the whistle.


    Justin nearly tripped Samuel as soon as he took a big stride forward. ¡°Ouch!¡± Samuel hugged the


    man¡¯s thigh right away. ¡°You idiot! I almost fell to my death!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that because you have short legs?¡±


    Samuel¡¯s face turned livid with anger. ¡°I¡¯m a kid!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna lose if you keep arguing with me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve lost already!¡± Samuel rolled his eyes at Justin while standing where he was with his arms folded


    across his chest. ¡°If I had known this earlier, I¡¯d rather give up on the race than join you. This is so


    embarrassing.¡±


    The other teams have reached the halfway mark, whereas he and I are still on the starting line, he


    thought. ¡°Let¡¯s forget it. I don¡¯t want to run the race anymore,¡± he said while bending down in an


    attempt to untie the strap that tied his foot to Justin¡¯s.


    ¡°It¡¯s still too early to give up! Why give up before the end of the race?¡± Justin replied. Grabbing


    Samuel¡¯s belt right away, he lifted the boy up in midair and ran toward the finishing line in big strides


    like a sh, quickly overtaking all the other parents.


    The instant they crossed the finishing line, everyone at the scene was stunned.


    ¡°Hey! They¡¯re breaking the rules! How could anyone run a three-legged race like this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s a three-legged race, so how could you run the race with the kid in your arms?¡±


    The teachers nearby hurriedly maintained the order at the scene.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Samuel covered his eyes, feeling extremely embarrassed as Justin tucked him under his arm. He kept


    struggling, saying, ¡°Put me down!¡±


    Justin put him down triumphantly as he still didn¡¯t know what he had done wrong. ¡°Didn¡¯t we win the


    race?¡±


    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t! This is so embarrassing!¡± Samuel shot him a re. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna take part in races


    with you anymore!¡± he said, before running away. Whenever he ran into a ssmate, he would say that


    he didn¡¯t know Justin.


    Meanwhile, the referee came over and said to Justin, ¡°You¡¯re Samuel¡¯s father, right? It was against the


    rules of fairness for you two to run the race like that. We¡¯ll have to disqualify you two from the race.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Justin frowned.


    ¡°Sorry, but you can¡¯t run a three-legged race with the kid in your arms. Both of you must run the race


    with both your feet on the ground to be fair to the other teams,¡± the referee said before crossing out


    Justin and Samuel¡¯s records in the race in front of Justin, disqualifying Samuel on the spot.


    Justin was at a loss for a reply.


    Watching the spectacle from a distance, Rachel suddenly gave augh.


    Justin seemed to sense something, and he looked back to see this scene.


    The birds in the mountain woods were chirping nonstop in the height of summer, and the stream was


    gurgling on. The summer sunshine seeped through the gaps between trees, producing swaying


    shadows of trees on the ground. At this very moment, however, all this beautiful scenery became the


    background for the smile.


    As far as Justin remembered, if he wasn¡¯t mistaken, this was the first time Rachel hadughed so


    heartily at him.


    Rachel wasughing when she saw Justin looking back at her. When their eyes met, she didn¡¯t


    manage to stopughing in time. For a moment, she was startled, and she felt somewhat embarrassed.


    Just then, Charlotte took her hand and snapped her out of her thoughts. ¡°Mommy, the beach volleyball


    match will begin in a while. Let¡¯s win the match!¡±


    Coming to her senses, Rachel replied perfunctorily, ¡°Let¡¯s do our best!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do our best!¡±


    Rachel was dragged away hurriedly by Charlotte, whereas Victor was still standing in ce while


    calcting the scores with the referee. Seeing that Justin and Samuel had been disqualified, he felt


    sorry for Samuel, but he couldn¡¯t help but want to ridicule Justin at the same time. However, when he


    looked up, he saw Justin cing his hand on the tree beside him for support. Suddenly, the man¡¯s face


    showed a hint of agony, and the instant he turned around with his back to Victor, some blood seeped


    through the back of his gray T-shirt.


    Victor¡¯s eyes shrank slightly. Is Justin injured?


    When Justin looked back and saw Victor, he frowned. Immediately, he made a silencing gesture toward


    Victor, signaling to thetter not to tell Rachel about it.


    Victor threw Justin a disdainful look. This is unnecessary, he thought. He knew how softhearted Rachel


    was better than anyone else did, so there was no way he would tell her about it even if Justin didn¡¯t ask


    him to keep it a secret.


    During the matches in the morning, Rachel and Charlotte got the second highestprehensive score.


    On the other hand, Justin and Samuel finished inst ce, for Samuel steadfastly refused to take part


    in any match with Justin again after they ran the three-legged race.


    When they were eating lunch at noon, Charlotte couldn¡¯t help but mock, ¡°You¡¯re such a loser, Daddy.


    How could you finish inst ce? That¡¯s so embarrassing.¡±


    Samuel nodded in agreement before twisting the knife, saying, ¡°Our cing in the sports meet doesn¡¯t


    matter. What matters is that we¡¯ve lost face.¡±


    Justin shoved a washed strawberry into his mouth right away. ¡°Can¡¯t you just shut up and eat?¡±


    On the other hand, Rachel brought the food out of the serving cart, diverting the two kids¡¯ attention.


    ¡°Mommy, let me help you.¡± Charlotte jumped for joy before running toward Rachel to help thetter take


    the bag containing cutlery. ¡°What are we gonna eat for lunch?¡±


    ¡°Potato sd, scrambled eggs, and grilled fish.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all my favorites!¡±


    The families spread their respective pic mats next to their tents to eat on their own.


    Victor helped Rachel put down the stuff. While distributing the cutlery, he reluctantly handed Justin a


    set of cutlery while saying sarcastically, ¡°You do absolutely nothing; all you know is to be waited on


    hand and foot.¡±


    Justin darted a look at him. ¡°Would you dare to eat the food that I have a hand in preparing?¡±


    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯m afraid that you mightce the food with poison. If I die, no one will collect my dead


    body then.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you know about that.¡±


    Seeing that the two men wouldn¡¯t stop squabbling with each other, Rachel interrupted them, saying,


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough. Justin, stay aside on your own if you don¡¯t feel like eating.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that I don¡¯t feel like eating. Why didn¡¯t you tell him off instead? He was the one who picked


    the quarrel first.¡±


    However, Rachel ignored himpletely and was watching the two kids eat. ¡°Charlotte, eat your


    veggies. Don¡¯t discard them in secret.¡± The first time she had dinner with Charlotte, she had found out


    that the girl didn¡¯t like to eat vegetables.


    When they were at home, she could blend the vegetables with meat puree and mix them with the other


    dishes. However, when they had lunch outside together, there was no way she could prepare the food


    with such meticulous care.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 266

    My Mute Bride Chapter 266


    Chapter 266 My Uncle Wants to Kill You?


    ¡°Mommy, the veggies are bitter.¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re not. Only by eating vegetables will you grow taller with


    bnced nutrition,¡± Rachel coaxed Charlotte. ¡°Whoever finishes eating the veggies first will get to eat


    ice cream when we get home tonight.¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up at Rachel¡¯s words. After whisking the vegetables in her bowl into her mouth in


    several mouthfuls, she slurred, ¡°I finished my lunch!¡±


    ¡°Slow down when you eat.¡± Rachel wiped the food off the corner of Charlotte¡¯s mouth. ¡°Have some


    more of the fish.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    Justin was somewhat lost in thought upon seeing how Rachel looked after the kids. I must have been


    crazy to divorce this woman five years ago. What kind of benefits canpare to having such a


    wonderful woman by my side?


    Victor waved his hand before Justin¡¯s eyes with a peevish expression. ¡°Hey! Have you had enough of


    watching her?¡±


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    Justin knocked his hand off. ¡°I can watch her for as long as I want to. That¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    ¡°I can ce my hand wherever I want to. That¡¯s none of your business too!¡±


    ¡°Picking a quarrel, huh?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You wanna pick a fight?¡±


    Justin raised his eyebrows at once. Just as he was about to put down his lunchbox, he suddenly


    thought of something and shot a dismissive nce at Victor. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna argue with you. Don¡¯t think


    about taunting me into fighting with you.¡± Rachel hates me fighting with other people more than


    anything else. From today onward, I¡¯ll refrain from using violence unless necessary. ¡°Have some


    strawberries.¡± He moved closer to Rachel while putting the washed fruits next to her.


    Rachel refused to go along with him, though. She darted a look at the lunchbox in his hand, saying,


    ¡°You didn¡¯t touch the food at all. Are you dissatisfied with the food here? You¡¯d better go back as early


    as possible lest you be famished.¡±


    ¡°Who said that? I¡¯m very satisfied with the food.¡± Fearing that Rachel might not believe him, Justin ate a


    big mouthful of the food. Then, he praised, ¡°You¡¯re so good at cooking. The food you make smells


    especially appetizing.¡±


    Rachel threw him a disdainful look.


    Samuel tugged at Justin¡¯s sleeve next to him while pouting his lips toward the serving tray. ¡°These are


    made by the cooks of the school canteen.¡± It¡¯s hopeless that he tried to suck up to her and ended up


    rubbing her the wrong way instead.


    Nevertheless, the two kids had a great time during the outdoor activity. After the activity ended in the


    afternoon, Charlotte won first prize in the sports meet, and she was beside herself with joy while


    holding a cartoonish thermos in her arms.


    The girl kept talking on their way back, saying, ¡°Look, Daddy¡ªthis is my prize! Do you know what prize


    this is? This is the prize for the person who won first ce. I want to take part in sports meets again in


    the future¡­¡±


    After a long while, the girl quieted down. When Rachel saw the two kids sleeping with their eyes closed


    through the rearview mirror, she slowed down the car and shot a nce at Justin next to her. ¡°How did


    you get the car here? You can¡¯t drive.¡±


    ¡°The chauffeur drove the car here, but I told them to leave first.¡±


    Rachel was rendered speechless by the man¡¯s confident reply.


    The mountain road was very smooth with few bumps along the way, so the two kids slept very soundly.


    Rachel asked, ¡°Why do we have to go back in your car? Do you also think that your uncle will attempt


    to kill me again?¡±


    Justin replied, ¡°I¡¯ll investigate this matter thoroughly after we get back to Riverdale. For the time being,


    the security at home will be heightened, so you don¡¯t have to worry about the kids¡¯ safety. I¡¯m more


    worried about you.¡± One could tell from his reply, which evaded the major issue, that he didn¡¯t want


    Rachel and Jason toe into conflict with one another. After all, Jason was his second uncle.


    However, Rachel said, ¡°I¡¯d advise you not to look into the matter or get involved in your uncle¡¯s affairs.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°There are some things that Old Mr. Burton probably doesn¡¯t want you to know.¡±


    For apany to be as sessful as the Burton Group, it had to gain a foothold somewhere. This


    depended not only on a business prodigy like Justin, but also the protection by some underworld


    connections. This was because the more sessful a business was, the more liable it was to attacks.


    An expanded business was bound to cause market disputes. The industries of the same trade would


    come up with an endless stream ofpetitive strategies, so a careless mistake would cause the


    company to be uprooted. When that happened, the underworld connections would be of use. Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals engaged in smuggling and other crimes back then because it could no longer make


    money on the surface.


    Rachel didn¡¯t know what the Burton Group had done in secret. At present, however, it was apparent


    that Arthur wanted to train Jason to embark on a dark path. Janice had told her that Arthur had the


    ability to let Jason stay in the Burton Group back then, but instead of doing so, he had Jason change


    his name and gradually distance himself from the family. After five years, even the members of the


    Burton Family had almost forgotten about the existence of such a man.


    Just then, Rachel heard Justin asking next to her, ¡°What do you know, Rachel?¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know anything.¡± All she knew was that Jason wanted to kill her at the moment,


    so there had to be something on her that he was afraid of. What is it, then?


    It was already dark when the car reached the downtown area of Riverdale. As soon as they reached


    the Burton Residence, they saw Dennis and the car parked at the gate from a distance.


    With a slight frown, Rachel switched the car¡¯s headlights to low-beam ones and slowly pulled over to


    the side of the road.


    Justin was annoyed as soon as he got out of the car and saw Dennis. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Justin, did you forget about the family dinner today? Old Mr. Burton expressly had me


    pick you up.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that I wouldn¡¯t be joining the dinner because I couldn¡¯t make it?¡±


    Dennis raised his wrist to look at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s still early, so you¡¯ll still be able to make it if you go right


    now. By the way, Young Master Julian is also there today. Everyone¡¯s waiting for you.¡±


    Justin pretended as though he didn¡¯t hear Dennis¡¯ words, though. Seeing that Rachel was holding


    Charlotte in her arms, he carried Samuel out of the car and headed straight into the residence.


    ¡°Young Master Justin¡­¡±


    After sending the two kids back to their respective rooms, Rachel stood by the window and lifted a


    corner of the curtain to take a look. ¡°Dennis is still there. He¡¯s standing at the gate.¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t want to join the family dinner at first, but a hint of chilliness crept into his eyes when he


    thought of what Jason had sent his men to do. ¡°I¡¯lle back as soon as possible. Go to sleep early


    with the kids.¡±


    Rachel sat by the bed and tucked Samuel in without saying a word.


    The sound of the car engine downstairs slowly faded away.


    Justin sat in the car, his expression darkened. ¡°The family dinner would¡¯ve ended long ago by the time I


    get back. Did Grandpa insist that I go back because he wanted to say something to me?¡±


    Dennis replied, ¡°I can¡¯t specte about what Old Mr. Burton thinks.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already able to read Grandpa¡¯s mind after working for him for so many years. How could you


    not know what he thinks?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Justin, you shouldn¡¯t go against Old Mr. Burton no matter what. Old Mr. Burton loves


    you more than anyone else in the world does. Whatever he does or says, it¡¯s for your own good.¡±


    ¡°For my own good? Is that why he treats me like a fool and tells me nothing about what happened five


    years ago?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Justin¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. As it happens, I have something to ask Grandpa about. There¡¯s no need to make up so


    many excuses just to make me go back.¡±


    Dennis frowned, but he couldn¡¯t say anything else.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 267

    My Mute Bride Chapter 267


    Chapter 267 We Have All the Evidence


    Soon, night enveloped the summer vi. As Justin had expected, the family dinner had already ended


    when he arrived. Just as he was about to enter, he heard Julian and Sue talking inside.


    ¡°Julian, you aren¡¯t young anymore. It¡¯s time to start a family. You¡¯ve met the Harper Family¡¯s second


    daughter once. Her appearance, education, and personality are very good. She excels in all aspects.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m very busy. I don¡¯t have time to date.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? No matter how busy you are, you have to get married, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Your mother is right, Julian. If Coraline doesn¡¯t fit your tastes, I¡¯ll get someone to find someone else for


    you. You should meet her too and settle this important matter so that your mother can finally be at


    peace.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, you don¡¯t need to worry about this. I know what to do.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about?¡± Sue¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. She used, ¡°I know what you¡¯re


    thinking. You¡¯re still thinking about that little mute girl, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯ve been bewitched by her!¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± Julian frowned in displeasure, his expression changing as well. ¡°Please mind yournguage.


    How could you call her a little mute girl?¡±


    ¡°She was mute in the first ce. If I knew that you¡¯ve been treating her abroad all these years, I


    wouldn¡¯t have let you go back then.¡±


    Irritated by Sue¡¯s cold words, Julian stood up and said, ¡°Grandpa, I have other matters to attend to, so


    I¡¯ll be leaving.¡±


    Arthur nodded slightly. Although he cared about Julian, Julian was not a child of the Burton Family, and


    it was not easy to intervene in matters involving Rachel. In fact, he hoped that Julian could get together


    with Rachel to save himself the trouble.


    ¡°Julian!¡± Sue chased after Julian in an attempt to stop him, but the mother and son unexpectedly


    bumped head-on into Justin who had just entered.


    ¡°Justin.¡± Sue¡¯s face paled a little when she saw Justin. ¡°When did you arrive?¡±


    Julian greeted him indifferently. ¡°Hey, Justin.¡±


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    Justin said, ¡°I just reached a while ago. What¡¯s wrong, Aunt Sue? Are you trying to get Julian a


    girlfriend?¡±


    Sue replied with a smile, ¡°Yes, he isn¡¯t young anymore. Look at you two. You¡¯re just a few years apart,


    but Charlotte has already grown so much, and he still hasn¡¯t found someone to date.¡±


    ¡°I happen to know a few friends. Perhaps I could introduce some to him.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Julian tly refused, his tone a little displeased. ¡°Justin, I don¡¯t want to worry you about this.


    If you have this much free time, you should introduce them to yourself.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t need to, do I?¡±


    Julian¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, and his usually warm eyes turned cold as he said, ¡°I need it even less.¡±


    A cough sounded in the room, breaking the stand-off between the two.


    Justin narrowed his gaze as he entered the house. ¡°Grandpa.¡±


    Julian stood at the door for a while. Then, ignoring Sue¡¯s nagging by his side, he turned and walked


    away.


    As soon as Arthur saw Justin, his expression turned serious. ¡°Where have you been these two days?¡±


    ¡°There was an outdoor parent-child activity at Charlotte¡¯s school.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming that woman went with you as well.¡±


    ¡°She is Charlotte and Samuel¡¯s mother. How is it surprising that she went with us?¡±


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t take what I told you to heart at all, did you?¡± Arthur mmed the teacup in his hand


    down loudly, and the tea sshed across the table as he ordered, ¡°That woman can¡¯t continue to stay


    by your side. If you don¡¯t chase her away, I will go to her myself and ask her what she had promised


    me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my decision to keep her around. No matter what she had promised you, it doesn¡¯t count without my


    consent.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d also like to remind you not to worry about my personal affairs in the future.¡±


    ¡°You better watch your words!¡± Arthur roared, his expression turning livid.


    On the contrary, Justin looked unfazed except for his eyes that had turned dark as he continued,


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I want to ask you. Except for business matters, do I have any history with


    Jason?¡±


    ¡°What history?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to hide it from me anymore. Bring him in.¡± As Justin cast a nce outside, the bodyguard


    standing by the door entered with a bound skinny man and threw him on the floor.


    The skinny man let out a cry of pain and was forced to raise his face. As soon as he saw Arthur, he


    begged for mercy profusely. ¡°Old Mr. Burton, save me!¡±


    Arthur rose from behind the table at once. ¡°What¡¯s going on? He¡¯s one of Jason¡¯s people.¡±


    This skinny man was one of Jason¡¯s people. Arthur had seen him a few times and was familiar with


    him.


    Justin said coldly, ¡°I should be asking you that question. Why are Jason¡¯s right hand men sent to


    assassinate people? Is he nning to get rid of me and inherit the Burton Group?¡±


    ¡°What did you say? Jason sent someone to kill you?¡± Arthur¡¯s face fell immediately.


    The skinny man on the ground widened his eyes and hurriedly defended himself, ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.


    Master Jason asked us to kill¡­¡±


    Before he could say anything, Justin raised his foot and stepped on the skinny man¡¯s face fiercely,


    asking in a chilling tone, ¡°Did I allow you to speak?¡±


    The skinny man¡¯s screams were lodged in his throat, like a duck that had its neck stepped on, and his


    face smeared a gruesome trail of blood on the ground.


    Arthur frowned. ¡°How could Jason try to hurt you?¡±


    ¡°We have all the evidence. What do you think?¡±


    Justin extended his hand to the side, and the bodyguard immediately put a knife wrapped in a sealed


    bag in his hand. Even though it was separated by ayer of stic film, the sharpness of the knife was


    very clear.


    ¡°There¡¯s poison on this knife. I don¡¯t know exactly what poison it is, so I¡¯ve asked someone to analyze


    it. In case you didn¡¯t believe me, I specially brought this physical evidence to you. You can also let


    someone you trust investigate it themselves.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have Dennis investigate it.¡±


    Saying this, Justin pped the knife on the table with a loud smack.


    Given his old age, Arthur rarely saw knives and swords, so he had quite a shock. Jason and Justin had


    been at odds for a long time and always had their fair share of rivalries, so it wasn¡¯t unbelievable that


    Jason wanted to kill Justin. However, after that incident five years ago, Arthur had already warned


    Justin, so why would he dare to attempt it again?


    ¡°I will have this matter investigated.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re saying that, does that mean that Jason really has some sort of history with me?¡± Justin lifted


    his foot off the skinny man and pulled out a chair to sit down. ¡°I have enough time today to listen


    carefully to what you have to say.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°I want to know why that arrogant Jason suddenly left the Burton Group five years ago to start some


    hical entertainment businesses by himself. Why did hee back less and less often and even


    change his name to something like Caleb?¡±


    There were many other things that Justin couldn¡¯t recall.


    Arthur replied, ¡°He isn¡¯t cut out for business. Him staying in Burton Group will only cause you trouble.¡±


    ¡°Is it that simple?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Arthur looked at Justin calmly. ¡°Other than this, what other reason would make Jason


    leave Burton Group?¡±


    Justin narrowed his eyes and replied, ¡°I hope that¡¯s only the case as well.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 268

    My Mute Bride Chapter 268


    Chapter 268 His Purpose


    ¡°Grandpa, if you have nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Arthur ced a document on the table. ¡°I need you to reply to the overseas branch


    regarding the market expansion n.¡±


    ¡°Just let Frankie handle the integration.¡±


    ¡°Jean is the legal officer there.¡±


    Justin frowned and took the document after a moment. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll send a message back there when I


    have time.¡±


    As he watched Justin leave with the document, Arthur¡¯s expression became moreplicated.


    At that moment, Dennis hurriedly rushed in from the outside. ¡°Old Mr. Burton, this¡­¡±


    The skinny man on the ground had fainted at some point. His face was a cruel sight to see¡ªit was


    bruised and was even stamped with a footprint. Justin had always been ruthless, and no one in the


    Burton Family couldpare to him in this department.


    Arthur cast him a sweeping nce as he ordered, ¡°Call Jason back.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°Immediately.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Dennis didn¡¯t dare to tarry, so he immediately contacted Jason. He was eavesdropping


    by the door earlier. If Jason really sent someone to hurt Justin, he would definitely not be able to get


    through Arthur.


    ¡°Master Jason, Old Mr. Burton wants you to return here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in Riverdale today. Let¡¯s talk about it another day.¡±


    As the phone was on speakerphone, Arthur could hear everything. His expression darkened as he


    immediately roared at the phone, ¡°You aren¡¯t in Riverdale? Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I went out to handle some things. Don¡¯t ask.¡±


    Suppressing his anger, Arthur asked, ¡°When will youe back?¡±


    ¡°Within two weeks, maybe. A batch of shipment just arrived here, so I¡¯ll hang up first. Take care of


    yourself, Dad.¡± Saying that, Jason immediately hung up.


    Arthur was going red with anger, and he mmed the table. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make things obvious now? If


    he wasn¡¯t feeling guilty about something, why wouldn¡¯t he dare toe back?¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton, you haven¡¯t found out the truth yet. You should wait for Master Jason toe back.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Have someone to go and find out what this b*stard has been up to


    recently.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll get to it immediately.¡±


    On the other end, Rachel answered Julian¡¯s call. As soon as he left the vi, he gave Rachel a call.


    ¡°I saw Justin at the vi. Did you twoe back already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Rachel opened the ss door leading to the balcony and walked out as she said into the phone, ¡°Was


    there a family dinner at the summer vi today?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t consider it a family dinner. It¡¯s merely an excuse to get everyone together and ask about


    recent events, then organize and exchange the resources at hand with each other. I hate going to


    these events the most. If it weren¡¯t for my mother¡­ Forget it, I don¡¯t wanna talk about it.¡± Julian rarely


    mentioned Sue in front of Rachel.


    With such an unreasonable mother, even he himself felt disgusted.


    Rachel understood what he was getting at. ¡°Old Mr. Burton must have called Justin over so urgently


    because of me.¡±


    ¡°I was just about to tell you this. Things have gottenplicated. I saw Justin¡¯s bodyguard tying


    someone up in the parking lot. Was that person sent by Jason?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, probably.¡±


    ¡°It seems that he¡¯s going to question Old Mr. Burton about this. Jason is in trouble.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Jason and Justin don¡¯t get along, and Old Mr. Burton has been doing his best to mediate between


    them. After all, one of them is his son and the other is his grandson. The knife cuts both ways. Now it


    only depends on who will make the first move¡­ I overheard from outside the door.¡± At this, Julian¡¯s


    voice became solemn. ¡°Justin said that the people that were sent by Jason wanted to kill him.¡±


    Jason¡¯s mistake was that when he sent someone to kill Rachel, he did not consider that Justin would


    also be present, putting them in a precarious situation. Now, no one could tell who exactly he was


    trying to kill. As long as Justin insisted on it, and the evidence was all there, Jason wouldn¡¯t be able to


    argue against it.


    Rachel¡¯s hand tightened slightly around her phone. ¡°Justin is quite clever for making that move.¡±


    With this, Justin could get rid of more than half of Jason¡¯s power and stabilize his position as the


    president of the Burton Group.


    On the other end of the phone, Julian asked, ¡°Have you ever thought that he might¡¯ve said that to


    protect you, or divert Old Mr. Burton¡¯s attention?¡±


    ¡°I have, but this can¡¯t be his purpose. Isn¡¯t covering up the truth that Jason is here to kill me a simple


    matter that isn¡¯t worth mentioning for him at all?¡± Rachel instantly dismissed the act of kindness with a


    sentence. ¡°It¡¯s in his best interest to blow things out of proportion and get rid of Jason.¡±


    As a man who could divorce himself and marry the daughter of his enemy for the Hudsons¡¯ Six


    Ancestral Forms back then, the most important thing to him was always profit. For him, feelings


    were just another part of his boring life. The only thing that could truly make him scheme with all his


    heart was profit and only profit.


    Julian asked, ¡°Then, what are you going to do next? I don¡¯t think Jason would stop at this.¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t Justin want to drive a wedge between the father and son? Then let¡¯s give him a


    hand.¡± Let the mes burn a little more vigorously.


    After hanging up, Rachel was unable to fall asleep for a long time. When she was alone, she was not


    afraid of dealing with anything, but with two children by her side, she was worried that if she pushed


    Jason too far, he would do the same thing he did six years ago. She wasn¡¯t too worried about Charlotte


    as she was by Justin¡¯s side, but Samuel¡­


    When Justin got home, the door of the children¡¯s room on the second floor was half-closed, a faint light


    peeking through. He opened the door a little and saw Rachel sitting by the bed, tucking Samuel in.


    Perhaps a breeze had blown when he opened the door, as Rachel raised her head suddenly and saw


    him standing by the entrance. She gestured for him to stay silent before getting up from the side of the


    bed anding out.


    ¡°Did you juste back?¡± Closing the door, Rachel asked.


    Justin hummed in reply. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the issue with Jason. You don¡¯t have to worry too much about


    Samuel¡¯s safety. Worry about yourself instead. Be careful when you¡¯remuting to and from work.¡±


    Rachel nodded. Suddenly, she asked, ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll cook some pasta for you.¡±


    Hearing that, Justin jolted a little. As he watched Rachel¡¯s figure heading downstairs, his cold features


    warmed, and he immediately followed.


    Rachel prepared a bowl of spaghetti, which she was the best at.


    ¡°Does it taste all right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect. It would be even better if I can eat this tomorrow.¡±


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    ¡°I might not be free tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°I have to go to the construction site tomorrow. The project invested by Burton


    Pharmaceuticals has been going on for a while, and there has been a problem with Phase Three Land.


    Can you apany me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Justin agreed in an instant.


    ¡°I¡¯m not getting in the way of other matters, right?¡±


    ¡°No, the investment by Burton Pharmaceuticals is a matter of thepany anyway. You are


    responsible for your work, so I, the boss, must cooperate with you. How could I let you handle it


    alone?¡±


    Justin set down his fork and said with a serious expression, ¡°If you encounter any troubling matters like


    this in the future, just look for me.¡±


    Rachel smiled at his words, but her eyes were a little sad when she lowered her head.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 269

    My Mute Bride Chapter 269


    Chapter 269 It¡¯s Not His Turn to Call the Shots Yet


    Justin set down his fork and said with a serious expression, ¡°If you encounter any troubling matters like


    this in the future, just look for me.¡±


    Rachel smiled at his words, but her eyes were a little sad when she lowered her head. The next day,


    Justin kept his word and apanied Rachel to the construction site.


    Everyone at the construction site looked shocked and happy by Justin¡¯s grand presence, and the


    project leader even personally ran out to greet him, showing more attention to thempared to when


    Rachel hade alone.


    ¡°President Burton, President Hudson, after thepletion of the shopping mall here, the surrounding


    house prices will double as well. The apartments in ourmercial building are also selling very


    well¡­¡±


    However, Justin did not humor him. ¡°You can just tell President Hudson about these things. I¡¯m only


    apanying her to have a look.¡±


    His words could not make his intention any more obvious to the Burton Group¡¯s staff.


    The project leader immediately began bowing and scraping to Rachel. ¡°Please watch your step,


    President Hudson.¡±


    ¡°No matter what, safety is the most important thing,¡± Rachel said as she took the safety helmet. ¡°I¡¯ve


    heard that there are still some problems with the demolition. Have they all been solved?¡±


    The project leader confidently replied, ¡°Of course. However, at Phase Three Land, there were a few


    greedy holdouts who were demanding more money. They¡¯re asking for five million just to demolish a


    small, old house. Aren¡¯t they quite the dreamer?¡±


    ¡°How did you settle that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Generally, ourpany¡¯s demolition team is responsible for tricky


    things like this. We¡¯ll probably be able to demolish it soon.¡±


    Rachel raised her head and shielded her eyes from the bright sunlight with her hand. She looked


    around before instructing, ¡°Safety alwayses first. It¡¯s now a critical time for the Burton Group to


    establish an example of charity. Never conflict with demolition households.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Careful.¡± Justin helped Rachel. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much about this. All construction


    requirements are Burton Group¡¯s unified standards. I¡¯ve repeatedly instructed them not to start the work


    without settling everything.¡±


    ¡°In that case, it¡¯s all right. I was just worried because I had heard some rumors.¡±


    ¡°What rumors?¡±


    As they were talking, a worker suddenly ran over in a hurry from a distance. Because he was running


    too fast, he stumbled in his steps several times and almost fell.


    ¡°Mr. Holmes!¡±


    ¡°Liam, why are you running? What got you in a hurry?¡±


    Saying that, the project leader introduced to Rachel, ¡°This is Mr. Liam, the supervisor of our


    construction site. Liam, this is President Hudson.¡±


    Without greeting Rachel, the worker said hurriedly, ¡°Something happened at Phase Three Land. We


    had already agreed on demolishing the houses today, but the holdouts went back on their word again,


    saying that they want to increase the price by one million. The guy in charge of the demolition got angry


    and immediately threw a punch. Now, all of them are fighting.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Mr. Holmes¡¯ face turned pale.


    Justin said coldly, ¡°Is this what you meant by ensuring safety and resolving everything properly?¡±


    ¡°President Burton, President Hudson¡­¡±


    Justin led Rachel away without looking back. ¡°Frankie, start the car. Head to Phase Three Land


    immediately.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Currently, the ce where the incident happened was in a mess. The surrounding area had already


    been demolished, and most of the dpidated buildings were only left with its foundation¡ªexcept for a


    small bungalow squeezed in the corner. There was even a line of clothes left out to dry outside the


    house, showing that there was someone living there. It looked extremely out of ce.


    When Justin and Rachel rushed to the scene, chaos was still ensuing, and the fight was brutal.


    There was a family of five living in the old house. The oldest of them all was an elderlydy who


    struggled to stand. She stood by the side with the help of her daughter-inw, her hands trembling with


    worry. Those who were fighting did not hold back, and threw something directly toward the elderlydy.


    As soon as she got out of the car, Rachel witnessed this scene, and she quickly grabbed the elderly


    lady without a second thought.


    ¡°Careful!¡± Justin rushed from behind to protect Rachel and was hit square on the back of his head by


    the flying piece of wood.


    Enveloped in Justin¡¯s protective embrace, Rachel heard a grunt from above her.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    Justin touched the back of his head, only to see that hisrge palm was covered in blood.


    ¡°Oh my god, you¡¯re bleeding.¡± Rachel¡¯s face fell. ¡°Let me take a look.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Justin took her hand, bringing her and the women and children to an open space that was


    further away. ¡°Don¡¯t go over there.¡±


    In the midst of the chaos, no one saw Justin and Rachel arriving. Frankie looked around and saw the


    loudspeaker that was left next to him. He picked it up and went to a higher ce, where he shouted,


    ¡°Stop fighting! President Burton is here!¡±


    ¡°President Burton? Which President Burton?¡±


    ¡°Even the King himself can¡¯t stop us today! Destroy everything!¡±


    The man who led the fight was bald and brawny, with a big gold chain hanging around his neck. He sat


    on the excavator with a cigarette with an arrogant expression and said, ¡°No matter what happens, we


    have Master Jason¡¯s support. He said that we must settle this today, so everybody, tten this ce!¡±


    It was only after someone had reminded the man that he saw Justin and nearly jumped out of his skin


    in shock.


    ¡°P¡­ President Burton.¡±


    Justin¡¯s face was livid. ¡°Master Jason? Which Master Jason?¡±


    Justin stood on the periphery of the crowd with a cold expression on his face. His tall figure was


    silhouetted by the evening setting sun, an air of authority exuding off him.


    The man with the big gold chain practically tumbled down from the excavator. ¡°President Burton, why


    did youe here in person?¡±


    Justin said coldly, ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°I went to settle some matters with Master Jason and met you once; don¡¯t you remember? Ah, who did


    this to your head? Who was it? Own up now!¡±


    The man with the big gold chain red behind him, but none of hisckeys dared toe out. With the


    aura of a gangster, he took out a pack of cigarettes and shook it before handing one to Justin.


    Justin did not budge. His cold eyes alone sent shivers down their spines.


    Just then, Frankie had already rescued the male owner of the ¡°holdouts¡± from the group ofckeys. The


    male owner had been beaten ck and blue, his appearance nearly indistinguishable.


    ¡°My son!¡± Seeing that, the elderlydy immediately shed tears and almost fainted.


    Frankie hurriedly got someone to take the male owner to the hospital. Though Frankie repeatedly


    promised that they would never demolish their house before they agreed, they were still not at ease


    and left a pair of children to stand guard in front of the house.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    The two children were still young, and the red scarves on their necks were so dirty that the color had


    worn off. They stood at the door in the pile of ruins like two telephone poles.


    Rachel felt her heart ache at the sight, so she pulled Justin¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Hurry up and have them


    leave. This ce is obviously impossible to live in. We have to arrange a ce for these two children to


    stay.¡±


    Frankie said, ¡°President Burton, I¡¯ll take care of things here. What about Master Jason¡¯s side?¡±


    ¡°Call my grandpa.¡± Saying that, Justin nced at the group of people coldly and said, ¡°It¡¯s not Jason¡¯s


    turn to call the shots in Burton Group yet.¡±


    The man with the big gold chain trembled, dropping his cigarette.


    While Frankie stayed to deal with the rest, Rachel drove Justin to the hospital.


    ¡°Drive slowly. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°How are you fine? You¡¯re bleeding so much on the back of your head, and we don¡¯t even know if you


    have a concussion or not. It¡¯ll also be a problem if your wound gets infected.¡±


    Justin looked at her and asked, ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 270

    My Mute Bride Chapter 270


    Chapter 270 Abducted and Sold by Human Traffickers


    Rachel frowned slightly and avoided the topic. ¡°Give Julian a call. He should be on duty in the hospital


    today.¡± ¡°There are so many doctors there. Why does it have to be him?¡±


    ¡°If you want to get another doctor and queue up with everyone else, I don¡¯t mind waiting with you.¡±


    Justin pondered for a moment before he said, ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s look for Julian.¡±


    Rachel thought he merely didn¡¯t want to queue up, but she didn¡¯t realize that he just wanted Julian to


    see her caring for him. In the emergency department of the hospital, Julian had already been waiting


    after he received the call. ¡°What on earth happened?¡±


    ¡°Someone caused trouble on the construction site and injured him by mistake,¡± Rachel exined as


    she helped Justin to sit down. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you moreter. Can you check his wound first?¡±


    Justin kept holding onto Rachel without letting go.


    Seeing that, Julian frowned and asked, ¡°What? You injured your head, right? Did you injure your hands


    as well? Can¡¯t you let go?¡±


    Justin was obviously doing it on purpose. ¡°If you aren¡¯t willing to treat me, you can get another doctor.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. It¡¯s my duty as a doctor.¡± As he spoke, Julian pulled Rachel away and held Justin


    down. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Let me have a look.¡±


    Though he was indeed wounded, it was only a flesh wound.


    ¡°Are you experiencing any nausea?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then it shouldn¡¯t be a big issue. You don¡¯t need to take a CT scan. I¡¯ll just disinfect and bandage your


    wound. You¡¯ll be fine then.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel finally let out a breath of relief.


    Looking at her, Justin said, ¡°I told you I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°It¡¯s still better to see a doctor.¡±


    While the two of them were talking, Julian had already gotten a razor and held Justin¡¯s head down.


    With incredible speed, he shaved his hair around the area of the wound off.


    Justin immediately leaped up from the bed and yelled, ¡°What are you doing?¡± His loud roar echoed in


    the emergency department, but it was already toote.


    With the razor in his hand, Julian replied righteously with a calm expression, ¡°How can I disinfect you


    and clean up the wound if I don¡¯t shave your hair?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to get back at me!¡± Justin touched the back of his head, and he could clearly feel that


    it was bald. His face was livid.


    ¡°Justin, you better watch what you¡¯re saying. I¡¯m a doctor. How could I get back at you? There¡¯s still a


    part that I haven¡¯t shaved off yet. Come here.¡±


    ¡°Stay back!¡± Justin retreated backward, resolutely not allowing Julian to approach him as he


    threatened, ¡°Take that thing in your hand away.¡±


    ¡°Rae, look at him¡­¡± Julian spread his hands at Rachel, looking helpless.


    Rachel immediately chided, ¡°You haven¡¯t bandaged your wound yet. Hurry and listen to Julian.¡±


    ¡°Why should I listen to him? He¡¯s not a barber.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a doctor,¡± Rachel said firmly. ¡°Enough with you. Is your hair more important than your life? What if


    your wound gets infected?¡±


    Seeing that Rachel was getting angry, Justin suppressed his anger and sat down reluctantly. As he


    listened to the sound of the shaving razor buzzing behind his head, his cold face turned stiffer by the


    minute, and he gritted his teeth, yearning to bite Julian¡¯s face off.


    Once Julian was done shaving Justin¡¯s hair, he began to disinfect the wound unceremoniously.


    Rachel, who was watching by the side, inhaled a sharp breath. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that hurt? Be gentler.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s always like this. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Justin.¡± Julian pressed Justin¡¯s neck and


    poured some hydrogen peroxide on the back of his head, asking, ¡°Right, Justin?¡±


    Justin practically gritted the words out. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    What a joke. How could he admit that it hurt in front of his woman?


    After the medicine was finally applied, a piece of gauze was applied to the bald spot on the back of his


    head. While Rachel was out shopping, Justin took the opportunity to rest in Julian¡¯s office.


    ¡°This is just too hideous.¡± Justin frowned as he looked at his reflection in the mirror.


    ¡°You¡¯re still bothered about that?¡± Julian mocked while cleaning up the medical equipment. ¡°You used


    to have such a big scar on your face, but you never cared about it.¡±


    At the mention of the scar, Justin¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. ¡°By the way, Julian, how in the world did I


    even get that scar?¡±


    After he woke up from the car ident, he had almost no memory of the scar on his face, and he felt


    ufortable looking at it, so he went to get it surgically repaired.


    Julian replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but I think you got the scar when you were abducted and sold


    by human traffickers when you were a child.¡±


    ¡°Human traffickers?¡±


    Justin suddenly felt a pang of pain in his temples as some ufortable scenes shed in his mind,


    making his head buzz. Julian paused slightly as he packed his things, suddenly realizing that he had


    said too much.


    Justin pressed on, questioning, ¡°What human traffickers?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Julian!¡± Justin resisted the pain and grabbed Julian. ¡°Why are you hiding this from me? Exin, what


    did you mean by human traffickers?¡±


    ¡°If you want to know, you should just ask Old Mr. Burton.¡± Julian packed up his things, obviously


    unwilling to tell Justin more about the traffickers.


    ¡°If Grandpa was willing to tell me, do you think I¡¯d ask you?¡± Justin blocked his way out.


    Julian frowned. ¡°Do you really want to know?¡±


    ¡°Obviously.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Julian crossed his arms and leaned on the office desk, exining indifferently,


    ¡°When you were thirteen years old, you went to the park to y, but you were abducted and sold into


    the mountains by human traffickers. You were only found half a yearter. When you got back, you had


    an injury on your face. You refused to tell anyone how you got it, and you didn¡¯t want to have surgery to


    repair it either.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°How would I know? Didn¡¯t I just tell you? You refused to tell anyone, and nobody knew what happened


    to you in the mountains. Your entire personality changed after you got back.¡±


    Justin¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°I don¡¯t remember any of this.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not important anyway.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t important, why did Grandpa ask all of you to hide this from me?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he just didn¡¯t want you to recall those bad memories. He¡¯s your grandfather after all. He


    probably hoped that you could have a better life. This isn¡¯t something worth remembering anyway.¡±


    Though Julian was very young when Justin was abducted and sold by human traffickers, he clearly


    remembered that Justin¡¯s personality had changed drastically after he came back. He was originally


    sunny and gentle, but he became speechless and extremely unwilling to get close to others and was


    full of hostility at a young age. If it hadn¡¯t been for the abduction back then, Julian suddenly realized


    that perhaps Justin would¡¯ve been like the person he was now.


    Though the exnation made sense, Justin still felt doubtful.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± Rachel entered with two bottles of water, which she handed to Justin and Julian each.


    Julian nodded and said, ¡°We¡¯re done. I¡¯m still on duty at night, so I can¡¯t see you two off.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. Take care.¡± Before leaving, Rachel nced at Julian meaningfully as she closed the door.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 271

    My Mute Bride Chapter 271


    Chapter 271 Causing a Rift


    After leaving the hospital, the two of them didn¡¯t bother to return home. Instead, they called their


    housekeeper and instructed her to take care of the two children before heading straight to the


    company. If such a big issue had happened on the construction site, there was definitely going to be a


    problem.


    Sure enough, within just an hour, the news had spread and the inte was embroiled in discourse.


    ¡°President Burton, news of the demolition crew beating people up is already trending.¡±


    As soon as Justin entered thepany, the head of the Public Rtions department came up to him.


    ¡°We called the media to try to remove the trending topics, but we couldn¡¯t stop the major tforms from


    going live one after another. It was already way toote.¡±


    Justin asked, ¡°How are things at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Frankie still hasn¡¯t received any news yet.¡±


    ¡°First, make a statement and say that the Burton Group will take full responsibility for this incident.


    Compensate them and issue an apology. If the head of the household does not agree to the demolition


    in the end, then we will never touch his house.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± The head of the Public Rtions department looked stiff. ¡°President Burton, isn¡¯t that too


    conclusive?¡±


    In all previous crises, the Public Rtions department issued a statement as soon as they happened,


    but they always left a loophole, and they didn¡¯t make things too certain in case the situation came back


    to bite them in the future. The Phase Three Land project was finalized a long time ago. If the holdouts


    truly refused to relocate, the subsequent projects would not be able to proceed at all, and they would


    suffer a great loss.


    Rachel, who had been following Justin, advised, ¡°Mr. rk, you should do as President Burton said


    first. If you¡¯re still worried, you can bring the draft statement over and show it to me once you¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    The head of the Public Rtions department cast a grateful look at Rachel. With Rachel controlling


    these measures, even if something happened in the future, there would be someone else who could


    share the responsibility. Everyone in thepany knew the rtionship between Rachel and Justin,


    and that this guarantee was basically equivalent to an exemption from the death penalty¡ªor in other


    words, getting fired.


    As they followed him into the office, Justin was calling Frankie. With his tall figure, the man stood in


    front of the floor-to-ceiling window with a white gauze on the back of his head that was still faintly


    seeping with blood.


    ¡°How are they? Alright. Let¡¯s talk after you get back.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Justin turned around and saw Rachel looking at him. He exined,


    ¡°Frankie said that the man at the hospital has a mild concussion and sustained many external injuries.


    After the medical examination, things will blow up even more.¡±


    Rachel said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you appeal to the head of the household? We can¡¯t let this matter get out of hand.¡±


    ¡°I did, but they are being stubborn and refusing tomunicate.¡± Justin frowned. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry


    about this anymore.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°This involves an investment made by Burton Pharmaceuticals. Who will care about it if I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°That holdout is being stubborn and refusing to move no matter how much money we offer to them.


    There must be someone behind this. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s Burton Group¡¯spetitor, so you shouldn¡¯t get


    yourself involved.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Rachel poured a ss of water and offered it to him. ¡°Drink some water. I¡¯m not that


    weak. I wouldn¡¯t just let my superiors take care of matters once I encountered a problem. If I shy away


    from every problem, Burton Pharmaceuticals wouldn¡¯t need my help anymore, and you could just run


    thepany alone. I will take care of this matter with you.¡±


    Justin froze for a moment and looked at Rachel. This feeling of working together suddenly felt very


    familiar, as if it had happened before.


    Justin¡¯s gaze made Rachel feel a little ufortable, so she quickly averted her gaze and changed the


    topic. ¡°By the way, if we have to deal with this matter today, those people in the demolition team will


    have toe out and apologize. Those people¡­ Are they Jason¡¯s people?¡±


    Justin came back to his senses at her words, his eyes darkening. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    At that moment, more than two hours had passed since the incident on the construction site. Just as


    the news on the inte was trending, the story was heating up. In the summer vi¡¯s study room,


    Arthur was furious when he saw the news.


    ¡°Did you do this?¡± Arthur roared into the phone. ¡°Where are you now? Get back here this instant!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I have matters to take care of out of town, and I¡¯ll only be back after I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°You idiot! Your people attacked Justin, and you¡¯re still acting as if nothing happened? Do you even


    think of him as your nephew?¡±


    ¡°That was an ident.¡±


    ¡°ident? Did you think I have no idea what you¡¯re doing? I¡¯m warning you, the president of the Burton


    Group will never be you. Even if it isn¡¯t Justin, it will never be you, so don¡¯t go around getting ideas in


    your head!¡±


    As Arthur said that, Dennis, who was next to him, broke out in a cold sweat. Did he really have to


    corner him like that?


    Sure enough, Jason, on the other end of the phone, coldly replied, ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of him as my


    nephew, but have you ever thought of me as your son?¡± Saying that, he immediately hung up the


    phone.


    ¡°Hello? Hello?¡± Arthur was beside himself with anger. ¡°B*stard!¡± He mmed the phone down with a


    loud smack.


    Arthur¡¯s cold voice sounded in the huge study. ¡°Cut off all the resources that b*stard owns, and recover


    the funds he asked for immediately.¡±


    In Cred Valley, which was 300 kilometers away from Riverdale, a pier was shrouded in darkness. There


    was a ship full of shipping workers. A ck car was parked far away on the pier, and the middle-aged


    man inside the car frowned sullenly by the window.


    ¡°Master Jason, don¡¯t be angry with Old Mr. Burton. There might be a misunderstanding. After all, Young


    Master Justin was injured. Those people in the demolition crew are a bunch of idiots. How could they


    injure Young Master Justin? They¡¯re just causing you trouble.¡±


    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t about the demolition crew, there will be other issues. This kid has been picking fights


    with me ever since he was a child and relies on my old man¡¯s favoritism. He doesn¡¯t take me seriously


    at all.¡±


    ¡°Even so, you¡¯re Old Mr. Burton¡¯s only son.¡±


    When Jason heard this, his face eased a little, but not long after he felt better, there was an urgent


    knocking on the car window.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The car window rolled down, revealing the face of the assistant outside, and his tone was dire as he


    said, ¡°Master Jason, there was a call from the drug factory in Riverdale earlier, saying that they didn¡¯t


    receive the money.¡±


    ¡°What time is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost ten o¡¯clock.¡±


    Jason nced at his watch as well. Then, his face sank, and he made a call, but he was directed to the


    voicemail. Arthur did not answer his call. After dialing Dennis¡¯ number, the call went through.


    ¡°Master Jason.¡±


    ¡°My father didn¡¯t allow the finance department to wire the funds to the drug factory?¡± As soon as the


    call went through, Jason immediately questioned.


    Dennis replied, ¡°Old Mr. Burton said that everything will be decided after you return to Riverdale.¡±


    ¡°I need that money now! It has to be wired to me by today.¡±


    ¡°Master Jason, this is Old Mr. Burton¡¯s decision. If you really need it, you shoulde back soon.¡±


    Jason was about to say something when he heard Arthur¡¯s unsympathetic voiceing from the other


    end of the phone. ¡°Why are you still talking nonsense with him? Tell him that if he doesn¡¯te back,


    he won¡¯t be my son anymore, and he can¡¯t rely on the Burton Family for anything in the future! Tell him


    he¡¯s on his own!¡±


    At that, Jason¡¯s expression hardened, and he immediately hung up.


    ¡°Master Jason, what shall we do?¡±


    Jason¡¯s face was glum as he ordered coldly, ¡°Return to Riverdale!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 272

    My Mute Bride Chapter 272


    Chapter 272 Root of the Problem


    At this moment, it was veryte at night. Due to the spreading news, Justin had been having meetings


    with the staff of the entire Public Rtions department for consecutive nights toe up with solutions


    to tackle the issue publicly.


    Rachel walked out of the office and coincidentally bumped into Frankie, who had just returned from the


    hospital. ¡°President Hudson.¡±


    She nodded in response. ¡°President Burton and the rest are inside. I¡¯m going out to get some food for


    everyone.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go. Please rest, President Hudson.¡±


    ¡°No. Go join them. He¡¯s waiting for you.¡±


    Unable to counter Rachel, Frankie hastily went into the meeting room.


    With that, Rachel turned around and took a glimpse, only to find out the window blinds behind the


    meeting room¡¯s ss walls weren¡¯t closed, allowing her to vividly witness the meeting from outside, as


    well as Justin¡¯s tensed brows that loosened at Frankie¡¯s arrival. In thest few years, Burton Group had


    undergone major staff reshuffles. Everyone who was once close to Justin had left except Frankie, and


    that was why Justin had utmost trust in this assistant of his. Rachel figured the reason Frankie was


    able to remain wasn¡¯t because of his work capabilities, but because of his obedience¡ªhis obedience to


    Arthur.


    As Rachel was heading to the twenty-four seven convenience store on the other side of the road, she


    dialed a number. ¡°I¡¯m getting some food right now. It¡¯s about time we put an end to the news.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± In the phone was Jolly¡¯s voice, along with the rhythmic clicks of a keyboard. ¡°I was just


    getting started on thesements, though¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve achieved our goal. There¡¯s no need to overdo it.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is the old man having a huge quarrel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°The Burtons¡¯ butler gave Justin a call during the meeting, and I overheard some things when I was


    sitting next to him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty fast. Old Mr. Burton isn¡¯t even in Riverdale right now. How did the news get to him so


    quickly? He must have ears everywhere!¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°A sly old fox like him wouldn¡¯t fully surrender Burton Group to anyone else. Justin or


    Jason, the old man surely has men watching them in the dark and feeding him reports at all times.


    That¡¯s all I have to say. I can¡¯t be out here for too long. It¡¯s up to you how you handle the news as long


    as you get the mass under control by tomorrow afternoon. And stop stirring up more troubles, or we¡¯re


    gonna get caught red-handed.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. Don¡¯t worry. I know my limits.¡± Jolly stopped tapping on the keyboard and asked, ¡°Right,


    what do you n to do with Jason next?¡±


    Rachel pondered. ¡°He¡¯lle to me.¡±


    The call ended in silence. Rachel grabbed a few pieces of bread and drinks to the counter and paid for


    them before leaving. Earlier, the incident at Phase Three Land between the demolition team and the


    holdout property owner was all rooted from the instructions she gave Jolly, which was to stir up some


    drama along with some hired recruits. From the holdout property owner¡¯s refusal to relocate and his


    conceited demand to sell the property at an exorbitant price, to the angering of the demolition team that


    resulted in a physical brawl¡ªthey were all set up by Rachel and Jolly.


    Although Rachel hadn¡¯t been in Burton Group for long, she had read through all of the agreements, and


    that was how she retrieved information about the holdout situation in Phase Three Land. Burton Group


    had offered to acquire every property in Phase Three Land with a tremendous sum¡ªone that


    exceeded their capital¡ªno ordinary person could resist, but among all the houses in Phase Three


    Land, one remained unobtainable, thanks to Jolly¡¯s anonymous bribery. No matter how much Burton


    Group offered the owner, Jolly promised to pay double. Given how unwavering the holdout property


    owner was, Burton Group decided to take things up a notch and sent a team of demolitionborers to


    intimidate the owner.


    Nheless, Rachel knew that Jason was in charge of Burton Group¡¯s demolition team. After the


    incident that took ce five years ago, Jason was assigned by Arthur to take on such ignoble


    responsibilities. He didn¡¯t care when the citizens fought each other. Even if Justin managed to hurry


    over, there was no telling if he could get the situation under control. And even if he could, Jolly still had


    men hiding among the quarelers. Hence, that flying ¡°piece of wood¡± that was identally thrown


    toward Rachel wasn¡¯t the only card up their sleeves.


    Therefore, Justin getting hurt was within her expectations. In other words, it was merely a milestone in


    her grand scheme. Only with Justin truly hurt could the damage be pinned on Jason or his men. As


    such, Arthur would intercept their feud. Sadly, the more the old man wanted to resolve the issue, the


    more trouble he would find himself in.


    When Rachel got back to thepany, Justin was the only person left in the office. ¡°Where are the


    others?¡± She ced down the bag of snacks.


    Justin replied, ¡°The meeting¡¯s over. They¡¯ve all returned to their own offices. Where did you go?¡±


    Rachel pointed her chin at the bag of snacks. ¡°There, I went and bought some snacks for everyone.


    Should have gotten off the elevator at the twelfth floor. Man, I gotta go down again now?¡±


    ¡°Thanks a lot.¡±


    ¡°No need. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send these over, I guess.¡± As she was seemingly reaching for the bag, Justin suddenly grasped her


    hand.


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    Stunned, Rachel turned to the man. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Please reconsider the remarriage. I¡¯m serious about it.¡±


    Dazed by his words, she subconsciously withdrew her hand, leaving his hand hanging in the air as she


    attempted to avoid eye contact with the man. It was extremely awkward.


    After a while, Justin added, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have all the time in the world. So take your time, and don¡¯t rush


    it. As long as you don¡¯t fall for others, I can wait.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t feel any intimacy or even emotions in his words, knowing he was still the same as before,


    and the reason he wanted her to stay was to fulfill his obsessions. If it weren¡¯t for the other men that


    were pursuing her, bringingpetition to the table, he wouldn¡¯t even care to look at her. He was so


    possessive that he would never surrender things that were, although no longer, once possessed by


    him. That was just his true color.


    The news about the holdout incident was growing more intense, and even by the next morning, the


    issue didn¡¯t seem like it would be resolved any time soon.


    ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about such a trivial matter? Are you tired of your job?¡±


    As Rachel was carrying breakfast into the office, she could hear Justin reprimanding the head of the


    Public Rtions Department.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so upset, President Burton. The demolition team was the one that caused the drama, but


    they¡­¡±


    ¡°What about them?¡±


    After hesitating for some time, Luther White, the head of the Public Rtions Department, answered,


    ¡°They¡¯re all Master Jason¡¯s men.¡± Precisely, heid out the root of the problem.


    Yet, only the causer could be the solver. Since the demolition team was the source of the problem, they


    had to take out the parasites that whipped up the feud, but each of these parasites were closely backed


    up by Jason himself. Although Jason was officially out of Burton Group, his influence still remained.


    Having been offended by how Jason recently tried to assassinate Rachel, Justin felt even more


    disgruntled finding his own man terrified of his uncle.


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®his¡¯ men? This is Burton Group, and everyone who got to work here by procedure


    are all Burton Group¡¯s employees! Since when have they be ¡®his¡¯ men?¡±


    Intimidated by his coldness, Luther started breaking out in cold sweat. Nevertheless, the poor man was


    put on a spot and dared not go against either of them. But who could me him?


    ¡°President Burton.¡± Suddenly, Rachel knocked on the door and put an end to the freezing atmosphere


    in the office.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 273

    My Mute Bride Chapter 273


    Chapter 273 Indecency


    ¡°President Hudson.¡± Luther acted as if Rachel hade to save him, heaving a sigh of relief. As


    expected, her arrival alleviated the tension on Justin¡¯s face. Justin then waved his hand to dismiss


    Luther. ¡°Have the others prepare for the meeting in ten minutes. I want a solution.¡±


    ¡°At once, President Burton. By the way, President Gunson is back, and he should be attending the


    meetingter.¡± Hearing the name ¡°Gunson,¡± Justin immediately scowled. ¡°Got it.¡±


    After Luther exited the room, Justin asked Rachel, ¡°Why did youe? You went home prettyte


    yesterday. Didn¡¯t I tell you to take a good rest at home?¡±


    ¡°I brought you breakfast.¡± Rachel gently shook the bag in her hand. ¡°I made some soup for you.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to, you know? I could¡¯ve asked Frankie to buy something for me.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t want them? Guess that¡¯s my cue to leave, then.¡± Saying that, she pretended as if she


    was about to leave, but was swiftly stopped by Justin. She tripped herself, but Justin managed to save


    her from the fall. They looked each other in the eyes.


    The man then answered, ¡°Of course, I do. I just didn¡¯t want you to overwork yourself.¡±


    Rachel revealed a subtle smile. ¡°A simple breakfast can¡¯t tire me. Come, eat up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave yet. You have some too. I¡¯m going for a meeting very soon.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± And so, Rachel apanied Justin in the office. Watching as he ate, she started inquiring


    about Luther¡¯s words earlier. ¡°Is ¡®President Gunson¡¯ the guy whom your uncle recognized to be his


    godson?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Heard about him six years ago, but I¡¯ve never once seen him. He must be working at thepany¡¯s


    overseas branch and didn¡¯t have time to return.¡±


    Justin replied, ¡°Jason transferred him back five years ago.¡±


    In fact, the ¡°President Gunson¡± whom Luther referred to as was named Robin Gunson, and he was


    Jason¡¯s godson. Jason had a daughter named Tina, who was sent abroad for her mental disorder to be


    treated six years ago. With his wife dying in a car ident, all he had left was his godson. Based on


    what Rachel knew, Robin was highly obedient and loyal to his godfather.


    Justin added, ¡°It¡¯s pretty apparent why Jason had him transferred back here. As he¡¯s no longer in


    Burton Group, he would do whatever it takes to have someone he trusts to stay in thepany, and


    Robin is the perfect candidate.¡±


    Rachel pondered for a while and stated, ¡°Regardless of Jason¡¯s trust, at the end of the day, Robin isn¡¯t


    his own son.¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°I shall join the meetingter as well.¡±


    Initially, Justin excluded Rachel from this matter. After all, with Jason involved, things had be


    rather touchy. However, he approved of Rachel¡¯s participation in the meeting after seeing how


    determined she was.


    At the meeting room, Justin and Rachel arrivedte, and they were greeted by a man¡¯s voice from the


    meeting table. ¡°There¡¯s been a major problem, yet you still took your time to indulge in your breakfast


    beforeing to the meeting. Aren¡¯t you awfully calm?¡±


    Tracking the source of the voice, Rachel saw Robin for the first time. He had a wide jaw and facial


    features that made him appear strict. His utterance, stiff and mechanical, belonged to no one his age.


    And to be honest, rather than a godson, he looked like he was Jason¡¯s biological son.


    ¡°Is this my ex sister-inw before me?¡± Robin nced at Rachel with his condescending, scornful eyes.


    With that, Rachel scowled, but before she could say a word, Justin shot Robin a leer. ¡°Get out if you¡¯re


    not here for the meeting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding, Justin. Why so serious? I¡¯ll apologize to her, but I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t mind, right?¡±


    Rachel calmly looked at him and briefly introduced herself. ¡°President Gunson, you may call me Chris.¡±


    Robin¡¯s mockery was nothing but hollow words to Rachel. Regardless, he brought up another matter.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Chris was responsible for the project in Phase Three Land. Why did you withdraw from


    the project just because of a minor setback?¡±


    The other staff members were so nervous that they dared not utter a single word. Every one of them


    knew the reason Justin had Rachel pulled out of the project was to shield her from any possible conflict


    with the force behind the demolition team. Despite knowing the answer, Robin bluntly challenged them.


    Maintaining a straight face, Rachel replied, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here in this meeting if I¡¯d withdrawn from the


    project.¡±


    ¡°Oh? So you¡¯vee up with a solution?¡±


    ¡°My solution doesn¡¯t matter. Rather, given how you ignored everything else and rushed back to Burton


    Group, I¡¯d assume you¡¯ve returned with the perfect answer to help us out.¡±


    Robin felt utterly ttered. Whether Rachel¡¯s words were sincere or not, they seeded in gratifying


    him, to which he snapped his fingers. ¡°Perceptive, not bad. Indeed, I¡¯ve heard about the problem in


    Burton Group, so I hurried back from abroad. Perhaps you should let me tend to this matter.¡±


    Justin icily interrogated, ¡°And how do you wish to ¡®tend¡¯ to it?¡±


    Robin crossed his arms andy against the back of the chair. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about that, Justin. After


    all, I¡¯ve always handled the PR side of thepany. I assure you that I¡¯ll have the entire situation


    resolved by tomorrow morning. How difficult can a mere holdout be?¡±


    ¡°A mere holdout?¡± Justin sneered, ¡°I¡¯m warning you, it¡¯s best you keep your crooked ways away from


    this. If you end up aggravating the problem, I won¡¯t clean up your mess.¡±


    ¡°Crooked ways? That¡¯s not fair, is it? Are you implying that I¡¯m worth nothing to thepany?¡±


    Rachel had never seen anyone bold enough to defy Justin right in his face. Back when Jason was still


    in Burton Group, even he had to hold back against his nephew. Nheless, Robin was either too


    courageous or too dense to underestimate him. Feeling the atmosphere getting colder and seeing that


    nobody dared to speak up, she suddenly interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m sure President Gunson wishes only


    kindness. Since it has alreadye to this anyway, why don¡¯t we give him a chance, President


    Burton?¡±


    Justin gazed at Rachel in confusion.


    Feeling even more satisfied, Robin deeply quizzed, ¡°How are you blinder than a woman, Justin?¡±


    However, Justin, having no intention to entertain the idiotic Robin, knew Rachel had her own ns.


    ¡°Sure, but you only have half a day. Present your solution by tonight.¡±


    ¡°So be it.¡±


    After the meeting ended, Justin stopped Rachel. ¡°Why did you want him to handle it?¡±


    ¡°Well, since you were talking about his crooked ways, I got curious on how low he¡¯ll stoop to get to the


    roots of our problem.¡±


    Thanks to his wit, Justin was able to understand her implication.


    Seeing that the man was staring at her, Rachel touched her own face. ¡°Is there something on my


    face?¡±


    All of a sudden, Justin¡¯s eyes darkened, and he held her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to overthink things,


    Rachel. Just leave them to me.¡±


    Rachel frowned, not knowing what he meant by that.


    Before she couldprehend his words, Justin continued, ¡°While Robin handles the issue, I¡¯ll have


    Frankie keep an eye on him just in case.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    In a double-story vi in the suburb of Riverdale, Jason was indulging in some tea. ¡°She really said


    that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, everyone in the meeting room heard that. You¡¯re being paranoid about her, Godfather. That


    Rachel woman is as thick as two short nks. She¡¯s just a pretentious wh*re that¡¯s trying to get


    remarried to Justin.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 274

    My Mute Bride Chapter 274


    Chapter 274 True Intention


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    On the phone was Robin recounting the meeting earlier.


    Jason grew skeptical. ¡°Things must be more than meets the eye. It¡¯s strange how Justin was so


    obedient to the mute girl.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Godfather, just leave it to me. Don¡¯t you worry about anything.¡±


    ¡°Right, good luck, then. The sooner you get it over with, the sooner my burden ends.¡± Ending the call,


    Jason put down his tea cup.


    Beside him was his assistant, who refilled his cup. ¡°What did I say, Master Jason? With Young Master


    Robin back, the situation is as good as resolved.¡±


    Justin countered, ¡°Robin can be hasty with his actions. His life in Burton Group has been too smooth,


    so he wouldn¡¯t be able to detect it if someone were to plot against him.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too soon for that? Young Master Justin wouldn¡¯t dare to touch him.¡±


    ¡°Touch¨¦.¡± Jason nodded. ¡°Once the problem in Phase Three Land is settled, I¡¯ll have something to offer


    to my old man in exchange for the funds.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to give Old Mr. Burton an exnation?¡±


    ¡°What for? It¡¯s in the past now. Justin got injured, and he¡¯s determined that I was the one behind it.


    Thus, an exnation can¡¯t save me, but a solution just might, and charging at them head-on is just out


    of the question.¡± Jason was already a middle-aged man, yet he was constantly rebuked by Arthur. Not


    wanting to face the humiliation, he was always reluctant to tarry in Riverdale. ¡°Remind Robin to stay


    clean and be wary of that mute. Justin isn¡¯t the only backing she has, but Carter Enterprise as well.¡±


    ¡°Right away.¡±


    It was already afternoon when Rachel carried a fruit basket and a fresh bouquet to the hospital. As


    soon as she entered the hospital, she bumped into Julian.


    ¡°Why are you here, Rae?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯vee to visit.¡± Rachel showed him the fruits and flowers in her hands.


    Julian nodded. ¡°Is it about the news? You¡¯re here for Mr. Onfroy and his family?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine anything else apart from that.¡±


    ¡°Let me bring you to them.¡±


    With that, the two walked next to each other toward the ward as they chatted.


    Julian then quizzed, ¡°What are you going to do next? Are you responsible for the mess?¡±


    ¡°Nope, it¡¯s been handed to Robin.¡±


    ¡°As in Robin Gunson, Jason¡¯s godson?¡± The man remained dazed for a while before letting out a


    snicker. ¡°This is only going to get worse.¡±


    ¡°You know about him?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve known each other since we were kids. I never liked him that much, but Justin straight up abhors


    him. Robin is highly ambitious but has always been reckless, and Old Mr. Burton is clear about that.


    Hence, a few years before Justin¡¯s car ident, the old man would always persuade Robin to stay


    overseas.¡±


    ¡°Justin told me that Robin came back five years ago.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Robin returned right after Jason was kicked out of Burton Group five years ago. It was the


    perfect cover as things happened too seamlessly.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that against the rule?¡±


    Julian scoffed. ¡°The Burton Family has so much power and influence that rules mean nothing to them.


    Anyway, Rae, better finish up your work and get your kids and yourself out of here as soon as


    possible.¡±


    Rachel subtly beamed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Already on it before you said it.¡±


    As they were chatting, they arrived at a ward door, only to see a nurse cleaning up the room and


    changing the bed sheet. Julian, with his hands tucked in his pockets, entered the ward. ¡°Where are the


    patients?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Peters.¡± The nurse put down the items in her hands. ¡°They were discharged. Some men came to


    take them away.¡±


    ¡°When did that happen? Weren¡¯t they dying to stay?¡±


    ¡°About half an hour ago. There were three men. They took Mr. Onfroy, who had the gravest injuries, as


    well as his two friends, saying Mr. Onfroy was no longer staying in the hospital.¡±


    In the incident in Phase Three Land, the holdout property owner, who was inflicted with the most


    injuries, was a man whose family name was Onfroy. The two other victims appeared to be his friends,


    but were harmed on different levels. They were then arranged to be hospitalized in the same ward.


    ¡°How can that be?¡± Rachel glowered. ¡°Jolly didn¡¯t make the request, so they wouldn¡¯t leave willingly.¡±


    Julian, too, frowned. ¡°Then, they were coerced to. Come, I¡¯ll take you to the surveince room.¡±


    Rachel immediately followed after as she gave Jolly a call. ¡°Jolly, something came up in the hospital.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Onfroy and his friends disappeared. Can you check if anything happened to his family and if


    they¡¯re still at the hotel? And try to contact them.¡± Since Rachel had arranged for Mr. Onfroy¡¯s wife and


    his kids as well as his mother to live in a hotel nearby, the man wouldn¡¯t choose to leave as long as


    they were fine. As such, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Robin was behind their disappearance.


    She never expected a tool like him to be so efficient given how he was already executing his ns, and


    it hadn¡¯t even been that long since the end of their meeting.


    Sensing something was off, Jolly answered, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call them now.¡±


    ording to the security footage, Robin had indeed visited the hospital in person, followed by two men


    ¡ªdonning suits¡ªwho seemed to be his assistants. It was them who took Mr. Onfroy and his friends out


    of the hospital. In the footage, there didn¡¯t seem to be any conflict, but that didn¡¯t mean Mr. Onfroy


    agreed to leave on his own ord.


    As expected, Jolly sent a text over. ¡®Mr. Onfroy¡¯s daughter didn¡¯t go to cram school today. She was led


    away by some men when she was at the entrance of the cram school this morning.¡¯


    ¡®This morning?¡¯ Rachel glowered and swiftly tapped on her phone. ¡®You sure about that?¡¯


    ¡®Of course. It was half past eight in the morning. I was the one who set the camera at the cram school


    entrance.¡¯


    In other words, way before the meeting, Robin had already decided that he would take things into his


    own hands regardless of Justin¡¯s acknowledgment to pass the matter over to him. He was going to


    barge in anyway, just to teach the Onfroys a lesson. Although Rachel was the one who plotted this


    entire incident, she never considered that Robin would get Mr. Onfroy¡¯s child involved.


    ¡®Where did they bring her?¡¯


    ¡®Westomania.¡¯


    Reading the name of the location, Rachel was perturbed.


    Julian, standing beside her, had also read the message. ¡°He¡¯s good at selecting ces.¡±


    Westomania was a theme park constructed under Burton Group¡¯s name. Although all of its


    infrastructures wereplete, they were still running safety tests. Therefore, Burton Group had yet to


    commence Westomania¡¯s operation. With the child abducted to the theme park, Robin could easily get


    the child under control, and at the same time, no one would notice his shady activities as there would


    be no visitors.


    ¡°No way. I have to head there right away. The child¡¯s innocent, and if it wasn¡¯t for me¡­¡±


    ¡°Things are escting, but it¡¯s still too soon to me yourself. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Julian took off hisb


    coat and followed Rachel to Westomania.


    If they managed to locate the child before Mr. Onfroy gave in to Robin¡¯s terms and agreed to issue a


    public statement, Robin would have no tricks left to use.


    Having just entered the vehicle, Rachel suddenly grew silent upon starting the engine.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Julian put on his seatbelt.


    Rachel uttered, ¡°Think about it. If Robin ns to use the child as ckmail against Mr. Onfroy, why


    would he take Mr. Onfroy with him?¡±


    Julian was visibly puzzled. ¡°Right. Why is that?¡±


    ¡°His intention wasn¡¯t to ckmail Mr. Onfroy, but to gain absolute control.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 275

    My Mute Bride Chapter 275


    Chapter 275 One-Man Game


    Right in that instant, Jolly called, to which Rachel answered the call. ¡°Chris, I¡¯ve sent some men to


    Westomania to rescue the child, and I¡¯m heading there now as well. If you see Mr. Onfroy before me,


    be sure to tell him that his wife and child will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯te, Jolly. Have your men retreat too.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Robin¡¯s target isn¡¯t Mr. Onfroy, but


    us.¡±


    The reason Robin set up a one-man game of abduction and ckmail was solely to draw Rachel and


    Jolly out. With the evidence falling right into his hands, he could deliver it to Justin and Arthur. Jason,


    on the other hand, sure had made full use of his hard-earned experience given how he managed to


    figure out the existence of the string pullers behind Phase Three Land¡¯s drama and even figured out


    that Rachel and Jolly were involved.


    Soon, Robin brought Mr. Onfroy and his friends to Westomania. The night had set in, and one could


    hardly see a thing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve followed you here. Where¡¯s my daughter?¡± Mr. Onfroy was sitting in the car, frustrated.


    After putting out the cigarette in his hand, Robin threw it onto the ground before stomping on the dying


    ember with his leather sole. ¡°Patience, my guy. Our guest isn¡¯t even here yet.¡±


    ¡°What do you really want?¡±


    ¡°To put the conspiracy between you, Rachel, and the b*tch from Carter Enterprise into record, of


    course. Well, make sure you know what and not to say once she arrives.¡±


    Mr. Onfroy¡¯s face nched. ¡°What are you talking about? What conspiracy? Where¡¯s my daughter?¡±


    ¡°Will you only regret when you see her body? Or are you sick of her? Seems to me you need some


    ¡®incentives.''¡± Having said that, he revealed his phone screen to Mr. Onfroy, where his daughter¡¯s


    laughter could be heard. It was a video of her daughter riding the carousel alone that afternoon.


    Seeing her daughter¡¯s figure, Mr. Onfroy was visibly triggered. ¡°Klee!¡±


    Robin swiftly withdrew his phone. ¡°So what will it be? Are you going to talk?¡±


    Gritting his teeth, Mr. Onfroy changed his decision. ¡°I¡¯ll talk.¡±


    ¡°Rachel goaded you into doing this, right? And what did she have you do?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was Rachel¡¯s instructions. She told me not to move even if it costs my life. She even fabricated


    a conflict to anger the demolition team, causing them to start a brawl. She told me not to resolve the


    matter privately no matter how bad the feud became¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, Robin recorded all of Mr. Onfroy¡¯s words with a recording pen in his hand.


    ¡°Great. Now all we have to do is await their arrival. Just repeat whatever you just said, and change not


    a word. Capisce? Oh, you were asking for your daughter¡¯s whereabouts, yes?¡± Robin turned to a


    dazzling Ferris wheel far away from them. ¡°See that? The brightest spot is where your daughter is.


    She¡¯s gonna have to stay there for a while.¡±


    Upon those words, Mr. Onfroy¡¯s face paled.


    Robin then snickered. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. She has friends with her.¡±


    After a long time, vehicles could be heard outside the theme park.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s approaching, President Gunson.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they a little toote? The sky¡¯s so dark already!¡± Robin smugly gazed at the theme park¡¯s gates,


    while Mr. Onfroy remained shocked, not daring to raise his head.


    Disorganized footsteps were nearing in toward them. ¡°There, right there!¡± Before Robin realized it, he


    was ambushed by shlights that illuminated their murky surroundings, followed by the close-in of a


    swarm of reporters. ¡°It¡¯s Burton Group¡¯s President Gunson! Mr. Onfroy is here too!¡±


    Robin was stupefied. ¡°Why are the reporters here?¡±


    His assistant beside him, too, panicked. ¡°I¡¯ve got no idea. We disclosed not a thing about this!¡± As he


    was speaking, the reporters were already raising their ¡°weapons¡± at them.


    ¡°Is Burton Group ckmailing you, Mr. Onfroy?¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to resolve the matter by fighting it out?¡±


    ¡°Please say something, Mr. Onfroy. How did President Gunson bring you all the way here from the


    hospital?¡±


    As the number of vehicles outside the theme park increased, so did the number of reporters.


    ordingly, Robin shot Mr. Onfroy a re. ¡°Say it! What are you waiting for?¡±


    Thest time Mr. Onfroy was surrounded by so many reporters was the previous night. It was the same


    day when the incident took ce and the news broke out. The reporters jammed into the hospital ward,


    leaving no space to even breathe, and it didn¡¯t take more than a couple of hours for the news to turn


    into a headline. Thus, Mr. Onfroy was fully aware of the potential of publicity.


    All of a sudden, he staggered out of the vehicle and tugged on the reporter closest to him. Thud! He fell


    on his knees. ¡°Please! Please save my daughter!¡±


    The reporter was dumbfounded. And the next second, all of the cameras were pointing at Mr. Onfroy.


    His face was nched, and his eyes were awfully red. He then pointed at the Ferris wheel in the


    distance. ¡°My daughter is kidnapped, and she¡¯s on that Ferris wheel as we speak. Please save her! He


    used my daughter against me so I¡¯d follow him here!¡±


    The crowd gasped.


    Robin, too, was shocked. He couldn¡¯t believe what he just witnessed.


    Upon Mr. Onfroy¡¯s words, the reporters had a huge reaction. Each of them pointed their cameras at the


    Ferris wheel. To them, first-hand information was all that mattered to them in that instant. As the high


    definition cameras zoomed in on the Ferris wheel, the situation in the pod could be seen clearly.


    ¡°Yes, I see it! There¡¯s a child up there!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send this to the editor right away!¡±


    ¡°Call the cops first!¡±


    The situation was getting worse.


    Hearing someone mentioning the cops, Robin immediately glowered and screamed at the reporters as


    he shoved away their cameras. ¡°Stop filming!¡±


    However, no one stopped to listen to him.


    To the reporters, first-hand information was astronomically dearer than their own lives. They were


    always venturing into the most dangerous locations, yet the snaps of their cameras never stopped.


    After a while, the police force and the ambnce arrived simultaneously, and Mr. Onfroy, along with his


    daughter, was rescued and sent to the hospital.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Mr. Onfroy took the ambnce out of the theme park. Although he was initially anxious, he quickly


    loosened up when he noticed Jolly was among the reporters, pretending to be one.


    As expected, Burton Group was, once again, brought onto the justiciary channel. In the TV interview,


    Mr. Onfroy was seen holding his daughter tightly in his arms. With his reddened eyes, he angrily


    vented, ¡°That Gunson guy abducted my daughter and came to the hospital, ckmailing me to follow


    him. And when we arrived at the theme park, he forced me to lie, and to tell everyone I was being


    manipted.¡±


    ¡°The cops received an audio recording containing your statements. Robin Gunson gave it to us.¡±


    ¡°They were all the result of his coercion. My daughter was in his hands. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d dare to


    disobey him!¡±


    Meanwhile, in the meeting room of the Burton Group¡¯s Public Rtions Department, everyone was


    silently watching the news. It was so quiet the ps of a mosquito¡¯s wings were audible. Undoubtedly,


    the problem they had yet to handle was once again brought up into the spotlight by the public.


    Justin was utterly enraged. ¡°Where¡¯s Robin?¡±


    Frankie answered, ¡°It was said that Master Jason bailed him out, so he should be with Master Jason as


    we speak.¡±


    ¡°He left this pile of sh*t on my table, and he¡¯s running away now?¡±


    The staff members peered at each other.


    Indeed, it was ridiculous.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 276

    My Mute Bride Chapter 276


    Chapter 276 Face-Off


    Justin instructed, ¡°Get Robin out of the PR department once this matter is over.¡± No one seemed to


    object. Even Robin¡¯s supporters couldn¡¯t find any excuse to defend him.


    At the same time, the news had traveled to the summer vi right into Arthur¡¯s ears. ¡°Preposterous! Is


    this what you had your men do?¡± On the phone, Arthur was rebuking Jason with all the indignation in


    his heart. ¡°Look at the news! Listen to what they say!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the news. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll handle it? I¡¯d rather you do nothing and just stay still.¡±


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°If you continue to cause trouble, you can stop calling me that! You¡¯ll no longer be my son!¡± Arthur hung


    up, leaving Jason to his gloom.


    Sitting on the couch in front of him was Robin, who warily apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Godfather. This is all


    on me. I will take full responsibility for this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve really underestimated that woman.¡±


    ¡°You mean the mute Rachel?¡±


    With a frown, Jason answered, ¡°Who else?¡±


    ¡°But what would she get from this? Exposing us to the reporters would only harm Burton Group. Justin


    will surely get pissed off if he knows about this.¡±


    ¡°But what proof of her exposure to the reporters do you have?¡±


    Robin had noeback.


    Jason then continued, ¡°She knew we were going to use the matter to draw her out into the open, and


    used that to her advantage and sent a bunch of reporters to you. She¡¯s a lot smarter than I anticipated.¡±


    Hearing that, Robin clenched his fist in exasperation. ¡°That damned mute! I¡¯ll make sure she pays!¡±


    ¡°For the time being, don¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re just gonna watch as she feeds Justin anything she wishes?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Since ying in the dark leads to nothing, we shall bring it into the light.¡± Jason deeply suggested,


    ¡°Once this matter is over, we will go see her in person.¡±


    Although Robin didn¡¯t know the history behind the feud, he was aware that the recent happenings were


    all organized in a manner that made him seem like the troublemaker, and it was by some force¡¯s


    maniption behind the curtains. However, Rachel¡¯s counter was only reasonable since Robin was the


    initiator.


    The next morning, Mr. Onfroy dropped hiswsuit as he came to an agreement with Burton Group,


    putting a peaceful end to the drama. While thepany¡¯s Public Rtions Department members were


    still racking their brains on how to get through to Mr. Onfroy, the news of the agreement was already


    making it to the headlines on the inte. Thanks to that, Burton Group was able to stabilize their stock


    prices.


    While Justin was in the office, Frankie hurried over. ¡°It¡¯s confirmed, President Burton. President Hudson


    brought Lisa along as she visited Mr. Onfroy in the hospital and managed to talk it out with him.¡±


    ¡°Rachel did it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Lisa has just returned and has submitted her report. The other party demanded 200,000 as


    compensation for psychological damage and medical expenses, as well as a resettlement house. The


    contract is already verified and is awaiting your signature.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Rachel now?¡±


    ¡°President Hudson went straight to Westhill Golf Club after leaving the hospital. Do you want to see


    Lisa? I¡¯ll call her over.¡±


    Westhill? ¡°No need.¡± Justin stood up and grabbed his coat. ¡°I¡¯m going to Westhill.¡±


    Meanwhile, in Westhill Golf Club, Rachel swung her club. Watching as the white golf ball flew in a


    wless arc, she revealed a subtle smile. ¡°I¡¯m so bad at this. You¡¯re clearly the better golfer here,


    Mister.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t ¡®Mister¡¯ too much for me? Why, are the rumors true? Have you returned to remarry my nephew?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? No one can predict the end of a rtionship. Though, why are you so curious?¡±


    ¡°It pertains to the legacy of the Burton Family. Well, I bear no hope on my side. Thepany will


    eventually belong to Justin¡¯s bloodline.¡± His words were passive-aggressive. Although they sounded


    humble, they were, in fact, tremendously malicious.


    ¡°I¡¯ve fallen once. Do you think I¡¯ll fall into the same spot again?¡± Rachel remained a straight face.


    ¡°Compared to relying on others, independence is much more practical, and realistic too.¡±


    Jason frowned, unable toprehend her message.


    She rested her arm on the golf club with its head in the grass. ¡°What do you think, Mr. Jason? Would


    you prefer inheriting the Burtons¡¯ legacy by putting your life on the line, or establishing a new legacy


    yourself?¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be frank with you. I won¡¯t stay in Burton Group for long, but I will reim Hudson Pharmaceuticals


    as my own.¡±


    Hearing that, Jason visibly grew nervous. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°That sounded doubtful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just an illegitimate daughter of the Hudsons. How are you going to reim Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals? As far as I know, every tycoon in Riverdale has their eyes set on thepany! Do


    you have what it takes to go up against them?¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve heard about the Hudsons¡¯ Six Ancestral Forms, Mr. Jason?¡±


    Jason¡¯s brows tensed up as he gazed at Rachel. Anyone who was familiar with the Hudsons knew the


    family rose to prominence through their pharmaceutical business, and all they depended on were six


    supplementary medicines. And thanks to those six medicines, the Hudsons were able to establish a


    solid business foundation thatsted for more than a century, developing the business into Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals as it was today. When Jefferey took charge of thepany, rumors about the


    Hudsons¡¯ Six Ancestral Forms having gone missing arose. Thus, during those years, Jefferey only


    focused on other businesses that had nothing to do with pharmaceuticals.


    ¡°Do you have the forms?¡±


    Rachel confidently nodded. ¡°Yes. I have them. You probably didn¡¯t know about this: when my


    grandfather was still alive, he left behind his will¡ªanyone who holds the forms shall have Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals. Although it has been many years since he passed away, and the position of family


    head has changed hands many times, everyone in the family is still obligated toply with the terms


    of his will. As for your concern regarding my capability to reim Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡­¡± She


    satirically grinned. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve forgotten my connection with Carter Enterprise.¡±


    As of now, the mostpetitive, significant acquirers of Hudson Pharmaceuticals in Riverdale were


    none other than Burton Group and Carter Enterprise. And the fate of these twopanies remained


    undetermined.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of all this talk? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll ry this to Justin?¡±


    ¡°Except you won¡¯t. Even your two-million fund is restricted by Old Mr. Burton. Who are you really


    working so hard for?¡±


    Jason was instantly dumbfounded.


    The woman went on, ¡°To reform Hudson Pharmaceuticals, I¡¯m gonna need a lot of assistance.


    Although, Carter Enterprise is definitely pushing it from behind, depending on them solely isn¡¯t going to


    work in the long run. Hence, for some things, I¡¯m gonna need your help, Mr. Jason.¡±


    As she was speaking, two familiar figures in a line were slowly heading toward them. She conclusively


    stated, ¡°Do think about it, Mr. Jason. If you agree to this, I¡¯ll forgo the fact that you tried to send killers


    after me. After all, in the face of opportunities, there shall be no eternal foes.¡±


    When she voiced her final words, Justin and Frankie finally reached them. Justin hastily grabbed her


    the moment his eyes met hers. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Before Rachel could say anything, Justin quickly dragged her behind him and shot Jason a wary re.


    ¡°What do you want from her?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 277

    My Mute Bride Chapter 277


    Chapter 277 There Shall Be No Foes of Eternity


    Jason glowered. ¡°What do you mean by that? Is that how you speak to your elders?¡± ¡°It clearly


    depends on how you handle things!¡± There was nothing but resentment on Justin¡¯s face. ¡°Give her


    another trouble and I¡¯ll end you!¡± With that, he dragged the woman away. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rachel.¡±


    Rachel turned back and gave Jason a nce, having no intention to defend him. Before their


    partnership was established, he was nothing more than an enemy, so she had no obligation to defend


    him and relieve the tension between him and his nephew. By standing on Justin¡¯s side, she could easily


    show him the reason to give her proposal a thought.


    After leaving the golf club, Justin took a careful look at Rachel. ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything to you, did he?


    Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine, really. I barely said a word when you arrived.¡±


    ¡°Did he ask to meet you?¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Rachel nodded. ¡°I came here from the hospital right after I got his call.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little too ballsy? You tantly agreed on meeting him without knowing what he might have


    done to you. He¡¯s not even afraid to kill someone to shut them up, yet you still came to see him? Do


    you have a death wish?¡± There were definitely traces of anger in his scowl. To be fair, he had to hit the


    guess all the way here from Burton Group just to make sure she was fine.


    Rachel replied, ¡°Look, I¡¯m really fine! Plus, I knew you¡¯de.¡±


    When Justin heard her reply, his face twitched and it quickly soothed. After managing to calm down


    after a while, he grabbed Rachel¡¯s hand. ¡°Even so, you still shouldn¡¯t pull such a risky stunt. Don¡¯t ever


    interact with him again. He¡¯s clearly unrighteous.¡±


    Unrighteous? Rachel scanned her eyes all over him, and when he looked over, she swiftly withdrew her


    gaze. After having lost his memory, Justin had be an entirely different human being. The Justin


    she knew would do anything¡ªkind or evil¡ªin order to attain his goals nor would he miss out on the


    opportunities and resources to fulfill his desire. He was truly a man of selfish brutality.


    Contrastingly, the current Justin was like an infant lovingly nurtured into a philosopher that was most


    enthusiastic about discussions of righteousness. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why Arthur had


    Jason walk down the ¡°indecent¡± path.


    Rachel then assured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Frankie told me that you were the one who sessfully closed the deal with Mr. Onfroy.¡±


    ¡°Yup, it¡¯s all over the news, so I didn¡¯t manage to report it to you beforehand. You¡¯re not ming me,


    are you?¡±


    ¡°How could I? You¡¯re a hundred times more helpful than the guys in PR. How did you persuade him


    anyway?¡±


    Remaining a straight face, Rachel started giving her rehearsed speech. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult, really. He


    simply wanted an exnation. Apology, reimbursement¡ªthose are but the basics. Of course, we¡¯ll still


    have to take his pride into consideration. And most importantly, helping him resolve his biggest issue.¡±


    ¡°And what issue is that?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Onfroy was reluctant against the demolition of his house mainly because he couldn¡¯t find a suitable


    study area for his children once he settled in the resettlement house. Therefore, I promised to arrange


    an education n for his children.


    Justin ponderingly nodded as he clutched her hand. ¡°You¡¯re exceptionally insightful, yet you¡¯re only a


    manager. I¡¯m wasting your talents away, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already content with what I have.¡±


    ¡°You know, Rachel, knowing you has been the greatest blessing to me.¡±


    Sensing the earnesty in his eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. If it weren¡¯t for the giant scar he left


    on her five years ago that developed into a lifelong trauma, she wouldn¡¯t have to constantly remind


    herself of the man¡¯s true colors. If a woman didn¡¯t know better, she would have given in to his


    tenderness.


    However, she would never fall for him. The more patient and adoring Justin was, the clearer her mind


    would get. Every detail of her memory would always sh before her eyes, cursing her to be unable to


    move on for the rest of her life.


    It was already afternoon when they returned to Burton Group.


    ¡°You¡¯re back, President Burton and President Hudson!¡± Upon their return, the secretary dashed to them


    with a panicked expression. ¡°President Burton, Officer Hawkins from the Investigation Bureau came


    over and said she has something to ask you and President Hudson about.¡±


    At once, Justin turned to nce at the meeting room with a scowl. At the other side of the ss wall


    was Janice sipping on her tea in her uniform with her short, neat hair. When she saw Justin and


    Rachel, she stood up and nodded at them, signaling her greetings.


    With that, Rachel subconsciously clenched her fists. She revealed not the slightest bit of her n to


    Janice not because she was scared the officer may get in her way, but because of Janice¡¯s unique


    position as letting Janice in too much wouldn¡¯t bring Rachel any benefits. Regardless, she still came to


    them.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see her right away.¡± Justin¡¯s voice drew Rachel back from her zone-out. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon,


    Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Mmhm.¡± Rachel forcibly pouted her lips, feeling somewhat agitated. Janice¡¯s sudden visit must be


    rted to Robin¡¯s kidnapping of Mr. Onfroy¡¯s daughter.


    ¡°Long time no see, Officer Hawkins,¡± Justin greeted Janice upon entering the meeting room.


    With a calm face, Janice briefly stated, ¡°I¡¯m sure you have no desire to see me. The feeling¡¯s mutual.¡±


    For the past few years, Janice had dropped by Burton Group countless times.


    And out of ten times, she only got to see Justin once. Nheless, her frequent visit as an


    investigation officer meant nothing good to thepany, so most of the workers were rather scared of


    her presence.


    As usual, Justin feigned no interest in Janice¡¯s visit. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure, Officer Hawkins?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut to the chase. After Jefferey got imprisoned for smuggling, we looked into many of his properties


    and discovered some records. Some of these records explicitly suggested Burton Group¡¯s involvement


    in his smuggling.


    Hearing that, Justin grew nervous. ¡°So you¡¯re suspecting that Burton Group had a hand in his


    smuggling activities?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what baffled me, so I decided toe over to ask about it.¡± Right in front of him, Janice ced


    a recording pen on the table. ¡°You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    Although Justin was disconcerted, he could onlyply.


    Their conversation persisted for half an hour, and it was nearly evening by the time they were finished.


    Then, Janice exited the meeting room, only to bump into Rachel. The only interaction they had was a


    brief nod to each other before Janice speedily departed.


    Since they were in Burton Group, Janice decided to conceal their familiarity with each other to prevent


    instigating unnecessary problems. After all, no one other than the two of them needed to know about


    their closeness.


    Watching Justin walk out, Rachel went up to him and asked, ¡°You okay?¡±


    With a perturbed look, he replied, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good. Something came up and I gotta tend to it tonight.


    You can head home without me.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± To Rachel, his cold utterance that came out of nowhere was somewhat off-putting. What did


    Janice say to him exactly?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 278

    My Mute Bride Chapter 278


    Chapter 278 The Most Brutal Thing


    A silent night descended upon Westhill Vi. After Robin was bailed out, Jason kept him at his ce to


    avoid any exchange with the swarming reporters.


    ¡°Father, are you really going to agree to work with that mute? Nothing good cane from her.¡± ¡°You


    didn¡¯t need to tell me that. This woman is highly ambitious. If her cause was that beneficial, why would


    she want to work with me?¡±


    ¡°Then why are you considering it?¡± ¡°Jefferey is in prison, probably for the rest of his life, but the


    business recognizes only this one Hudson Family¡¯s signature. Do you think that fool Amber would be


    able to take on the job?¡±


    Robin was stunned. If it weren¡¯t for his godfather¡¯s mention, he would have forgotten about the


    existence of such an individual. Ever since Jefferey was imprisoned, Amber had been ¡°relegated¡± to a


    nobody as the upper-ss society wouldn¡¯t have her, including Arthur who had no longer the slightest


    interest in her. It was said that she attempted to look for him in the summer vi, only to be blocked off


    by the guards outside the gates.


    ¡°She¡¯s probably easier to manipte.¡±


    ¡°But what¡¯s that moron gonna do other than being maniptable? She doesn¡¯t have the forms.¡±


    Jason took a puff of his cigar and slowly blew out smoke circles before profoundly saying, ¡°Robin, you


    should know the rules of seeking wealth by now. If Old Mr. Burton won¡¯t entertain us, we should pave a


    future for ourselves.¡±


    Robin had no objection to his words, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel unjust when he remembered how


    Rachel set him up. ¡°So you¡¯re gonna partner up with her?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. After all, she roughed us up badly. It¡¯s only right we return the favor, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡­


    For consecutive days, Justin had been working overtime in Burton Group and hadn¡¯t even returned


    home during the weekend. Growing concerned, Rachel gave Janice a call and agreed to meet at West


    Magnolia Cemetery.


    It was a drizzling morning. Since Hans¡¯s tombstone was close to her grandmother¡¯s, Rachel arrived


    earlier than agreed with two bouquets of flowers. She then ced one bouquet before her


    grandmother¡¯s tombstone, and after staying there for a while, she headed to Hans¡¯s tombstone¨C¨Cthat


    was when she bumped into Janice.


    Although it was merely drizzling, Janice brought a ck umbre with her. She, too, had two bouquets


    of flowers in her hands as she quizzed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring an umbre?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t raining when I came out.¡±


    ¡°Hold this.¡± Janice handed the umbre in her hand to Rachel before cing one of her bouquets


    before the old woman¡¯s tomb.


    Watching as she did so, Rachel recounted, ¡°It was raining too¡­ Six years ago during Grandma¡¯s


    funeral, when you were taken away by the people from the Investigation Bureau.¡± Back then, Janice


    was suspended by the bureau for the investigation regarding Justin because there was sufficient


    evidence.


    Janice took a bow before Nancy¡¯s tomb and took the umbre from Rachel. Then, they walked side by


    side toward Hans¡¯s tomb. ¡°Why did you call me out so suddenly?¡±


    ¡°You went to see Justin at Burton Group two days ago. What were you looking into? Is it Mr. Onfroy?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Janice denied. ¡°It was smuggling.¡±


    ¡°Smuggling?¡±


    ¡°As I told you before, Jason has connections within Hudson Pharmaceuticals. After scrutinizing the


    Hudsons, we discovered a lot of things, and among those was a book of financial records filled with


    nothing but ciphers. While we¡¯re still trying to decrypt it, many of the transactions in the book stated the


    exact same amount of imported garments as Jason had reported to the customs.¡±


    ¡°And those transactions belong to Jason?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s highly possible, but we don¡¯t have clear proof yet. Besides, judging by Justin¡¯s look, I can¡¯t tell


    whether he knows about it.¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    As they were conversing, they arrived at Hans¡¯s tombstone and ced down their respective bouquets.


    While doing so, Rachel¡¯s eyes instantly reddened.


    Janice uttered, ¡°In the end, Hans¡¯s death was caused by the aftereffect of a smuggling trade. The


    longer we leave these smugglers be, the greater the number of victims there will be.


    Hearing that, Rachel remained silent. Although she wasn¡¯t exactly a patriot or a phnthropist, she


    definitely agreed with what Janice had just said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I already have a n to expose Jason.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡±


    Rachel took a deep breath while suppressing her emotion. ¡°I thought the reason behind your visit to


    Burton Group was to look into the news of thepany¡¯s demolition case, so I was going to look for


    you to exin it.¡±


    Janice frowned in confusion.


    Rachel then continued, ¡°Jason is no longer the simpleton we knew. You know his power and influence


    better than I. He could run around telling everyone he¡¯s a smuggler but the force could do nothing


    about it as none of us have any evidence against him.¡±


    Janice nodded. Although she wasn¡¯t willing to admit it, that was indeed the truth.


    Back when Robin¡¯s kidnapping of Mr. Onfroy¡¯s daughter made the news, Jason effortlessly bailed him


    out on the same night, and all the policemen simply imed the situation as ¡®a simple


    misunderstanding¡¯. In the end, no one dared to investigate the problem.


    ¡°What are you trying to do, Rachel?¡± All of a sudden, Janice realized the seriousness of the matter.¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what I do. Only by infiltrating into their circles will I get to know what


    they are plotting. I¡¯ll try to provide you with the evidence you need. A man like Jason oughta be given


    the punishment he deserves.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too risky! You have no idea how brutal a smuggler¡¯s actions on international borders can be.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Determination surged on Rachel¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the most brutal thing in the world, and to me,


    that¡¯s Grandma¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°As you know, Rachel, I¡¯ve been looking into smuggling activities on international borders for many


    years. Be it Hudson Pharmaceuticals, Burton Group, or perhaps some even more powerful


    organization, I¡¯ll still scrutinize them. I devote my life to this field.


    But you¡¯re only an ordinary woman. You bear no responsibilities or obligations to do this! Even for


    Hans¡¯s sake, I¡¯d never wish to drag you into such a chaotic part of the world.¡± Janice¡¯s voice, despite


    being disrupted by the sound of the rain, remained clear.


    However, Rachel countered, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to drag me. I¡¯m already in this chaos.¡± Since the day she


    married Justin, she had made herself the bridge between Burton Group and Hudson Pharmaceuticals,


    and that was also the day she found herself in the crossfire ofwlessness.


    In fact, she thought her involvement in this mayhemmenced much earlier. Perhaps twenty-five


    years ago, her destiny was already bound to chaos when she first met Justin, who was abducted as a


    teenager.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± Her eyes were calm yet resolute. ¡°I¡¯ll be your insider and investigate the


    smuggling activities between Burton Group and the criminals at international borders.¡± Although she


    didn¡¯t seem like it, she was truly a daunting woman.


    At once, Janice was reminded of the first time Hans told her about Rachel. He would describe her with


    terms like ¡®tenacious¡¯ or ¡®soft on the outside but tough on the inside¡¯. ording to him, no matter what


    circumstance she found herself in, she would always thrive toward the light.


    ¡°And I¡¯ll protect you at all cost.¡±


    At those words, warmth surged in Rachel¡¯s eyes. ¡°But you¡¯ve always done that, regardless of me being


    your insider, haven¡¯t you?¡± Ever since Hans introduced Janice to her, Janice had always tried her best


    to ensure her safety. Despite their entirely unrted backgrounds and personalities, Rachel perceived


    Janice as nothing less than her own elder sister.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 279

    My Mute Bride Chapter 279


    Chapter 279 Exposed


    The rain gradually grew heavier. Meanwhile, in his office at the Burton Group, Justin flipped through a


    ledger.


    Since Janice came by a few days ago, he requested someone to retrieve those ledgers so he could


    personallypare them. After analyzing them by himself, the numbers matched up with what Janice


    had said. ¡°Frankie.¡±


    ¡°You called for me, Mr. Burton?¡± ¡°Please retrieve the contracts for these items for me.¡±


    Frankie took over the ledger and replied, ¡°These are contracts for purchase orders, and they are all


    from the end ofst year. Is there something wrong with them?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to find any problems just by scouring the ledger. If the purchased materials are in


    the warehouse, then things should be fine. And if they aren¡¯t¡ªwell, that¡¯s going to be a huge problem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find those contracts as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    As he spoke, a ding came from Justin¡¯sputer, notifying him that he had a new email. It was an


    anonymous one, containing only a picture. Justin initially thought that it was spam. However, just as he


    was about to delete it, the picture suddenly erged itself. The picture showed a grave, highlighting the


    two women standing together under an umbre. One of the women had hair that was past mid-length


    which was tied back and was dressed in a muted gray zer and office skirt; the other was dressed in


    a crisp shirt and ck pants. At first nce, she looked like a man.


    Justin¡¯s grip on his mouse tightened a little.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving to look for the contracts, Mr. Burton.¡±


    Frankie¡¯s voice brought Justin¡¯s mind back to reality. Then, he abruptly stopped Frankie. ¡°Hold on.


    Have Rachel and Janice known each other for a long time?¡±


    Hearing that, Frankie went rigid.


    The rain stoppedter that evening. Rachel deliberately went out to pick up the two kids and also got


    the babysitter to go out and buy a nice,rge fish for soup.


    By the time Justin returned home, dinner was already on the table.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re back, Mr. Burton,¡± the babysitter greeted, having emerged from the kitchen. ¡°You may dig in


    after you have washed your hands.¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Charlotte hopped off the couch and leaped at Justin to engulf him in a hug. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you


    come home thest few days?¡±


    Justin picked Charlotte up. ¡°Did you y to your heart¡¯s content?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Mommy picked me and Samuel up every day, and she also cooked for us. There were so many


    activities at school. We¡¯re preparing for a choirpetition too! Daddy, let me and Samuel sing for


    you.¡±


    ¡°In a bit.¡± Justin suddenly noticed Rachel step out of the kitchen. His eyes immediately darkened at the


    sight.


    Charlotte didn¡¯t notice his change in expression as she struggled out of his hold to run to Samuel. ¡°Hey,


    Samuel! Let¡¯s sing for Daddy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Rachel stated when she saw Justin.


    ¡°I have something to ask you. Come upstairs with me,¡± Justin said.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you ask me that here?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart abruptly stuttered at the cold reply. She could sense the pressureing from Justin¡¯s


    gaze. And so, Justin and Rachel went upstairs.


    Meanwhile, Charlotte was pulling Samuel over when she heard their footsteps upstairs. ¡°Where are you


    going¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, the sound of a door closing could be heard. After it closed, the


    massive manor became so quiet that it was frightening.


    Samuel flopped back onto the couch and picked up his phone controller. ¡°Okay, no singing. It¡¯s gaming


    time again.¡±


    Charlotte frowned. Her tiny, delicate face looked overly serious. ¡°How are you even in the mood to y


    games? Didn¡¯t you notice? The vibe earlier was just off!¡±


    ¡°Chances are, they¡¯re about to fight. The kind where neither of them can be cheered up after,¡± Samuel


    stated calmly.


    ¡°Then why are you still sitting there?¡± Charlotte snatched away the controller from Samuel¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried at all that they¡¯re fighting? Don¡¯t you want them to get back together?¡±


    Samuel waved his hand with a look of exasperation that he shouldn¡¯t have at that age on his face.


    ¡°What else can I do? She¡¯s a hard person to please in the first ce, but he keeps finding trouble for


    himself. Not even the heavens can save someone when they¡¯re the ones digging their own grave!¡±


    What regr woman would be able to put up with her partner being sour-faced for no reason after


    coming back for the first time in days?


    Samuel wasn¡¯t hopeful about Justin getting back together with Rachel. The man was excellent on


    paper, but it wouldn¡¯t matter if they got back together if he didn¡¯t improve that terrible temper of his.


    Charlotte did not believe Samuel. ¡°I¡¯m not going to keep talking with you. I¡¯m going up to take a look.¡±


    With that, she went upstairs with light steps and sneaked over to the door of the study. She could hear


    voices past the door.


    ¡°Why did you suddenly want us to talk upstairs?¡± Rachel looked at Justin¡¯s back while her heart


    hammered away in her chest.


    Justin turned around. ¡°Where were you this morning?¡± he pressed her coldly.


    At those words, Rachel¡¯s heart beat extra hard. It felt like she just dropped into an abyss. She had


    agreed earlier to be Janice¡¯s mole, and now, she was exposed? This was just ridiculous!


    ¡°Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Answer my question!¡± Justin was unusually adamant as fury showed through his cold eyes. ¡°Who did


    you meet?¡±


    Rachel clenched her fists. She knew what was up when she heard that question.


    Just as Justin expected, Rachel¡¯s answer confirmed his suspicions. ¡°Janice Hawkins.¡±


    ¡°So, you went to see the head of the investigation bureau¨C¨CJanice.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you already know that? What¡¯s the point of questioning?¡±


    Justin¡¯s rage grew, and he raised his voice abruptly. ¡°Why the question? If I hadn¡¯t thought of that, were


    you going to keep hiding the fact that you¡¯ve known Janice for a while now? You know her, and that


    Hans¡ªyou know him as well, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Rachel stiffened while she stared at Justin, startled.


    She had thought that Justin had found out about her conversation with Janice; she hadn¡¯t expected that


    he had only seen a photo of her and Janice paying their respects to Hans. So, his current anger was


    simply because Rachel hadn¡¯t told Justin of her own volition about how she and Janice were old


    acquaintances, and how Hans was the one who introduced them.


    Once she had figured this out, Rachel immediately calmed down and asked him instead, ¡°You sent


    someone to tail me?¡±


    ¡°Do I need to keep tabs on you? I don¡¯t have that much free time on my hands.¡±


    ¡°Then how did you know that Janice and I were at the graveyard?¡±


    ¡°Is that the point?¡± The mes of rage in Justin¡¯s eyes almost seemed like they might shoot out of his


    eyes.


    ¡°If that¡¯s not the point, then what is?¡±


    ¡°Of course that¡¯s not the point,¡± Justin said, having raised his voice again. Then, he grabbed Rachel¡¯s


    shoulders and roared at her. ¡°The point is, how long will it take for you to forget about that man, Hans?


    He¡¯s already dead!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyebrow twitched hard.


    Justin on the other hand, gripped her shoulders hard while his temples kept twitching. He could ept


    beingpared to Julian or even Hernandez, but he had no way ofpeting with a dead man.


    Hans¡¯ importance to Rachel could not be described. She had been willing to destroy the entire Hudson


    family because of his death and personally send Jefferey into prison.


    The pain radiating from her shoulders made Rachel frown, but she didn¡¯tin about it.


    ¡°Why would I forget Hans?¡±


    ¡°You admit it then? You just can¡¯t forget him!¡± Disappointment and unwillingness to resign himself to his


    fate were apparent in Justin¡¯s eyes.


    However, Rachel¡¯s gaze grew colder. ¡°Janice and I go way back. When my grandmother passed away,


    Janice was the one who helped me to arrange her funeral. She and I were the few friends that Hans


    had in Riverdale, so we would regrly pay our respects at his grave. None of this would change, even


    until the day I die!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 280

    My Mute Bride Chapter 280


    Chapter 280 Amnesia by Trauma


    ¡°It¡¯s best if you can ept this. And if you can¡¯t, it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± With that, Rachel mentally


    gathered herself. s, after several seconds of standing off, she pushed Justin away.


    The moment she left the study, sounds of items shattering could be heard inside. ¡°Mommy!¡± Charlotte


    had been startled from where she had pressed herself against the door as she hadn¡¯t been able to


    leave in time.


    Rachel was also stunned by Charlotte¡¯s presence, but hearing the noises behind her, she quickly took


    Charlotte¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time for dinner,¡± she said nonchntly.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Charlotte shyly nodded and followed Rachel downstairs, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself from looking


    back. She didn¡¯t particrly understand thews of the world due to her young age, but Charlotte was


    good at figuring out people¡¯s emotions. It was just as Samuel said¡ªJustin was the one who came


    looking for trouble first. So, making Rachel angry was his own fault.


    But for some reason, Charlotte found Justin pitiful. They clearly had a huge fight, but Rachel wasn¡¯t


    angry at all¨C¨Ceven Charlotte was at a loss for words when faced with Rachel¡¯s icy demeanor.


    Adult rtionships were just too hard to understand.


    Justin hadpletely trashed the inside of the study¨C¨Ceven the shelves had been pushed over. At that


    moment, the ce was aplete mess.


    Beyond the door of the study, it was quiet.


    In the end, he sat in the middle of the carnage, suffering from his pain as he pressed a hand to his


    aching forehead. He remembered when he saw the picture in that email at his office earlier. When he


    saw Rachel and Janice standing together, fragments of an image flew through his mind.


    It was an image of Janice, Hans, and Rachel standing together in an old alley. Rachel grinned between


    the two, her smile warm and gentle as Hans pulled her away from a cyclist cycling down the alley.


    That scene had wounded his heart and his mind buzzed that instant. It felt like all those fragments had


    wound themselves together to assault his mind, making his temples hurt. He was in so much pain that


    he couldn¡¯t even grip his mouse properly.


    Right now, that scene once again assaulted his mind in the remains of the study, as though someone


    was hitting his temples repeatedly with a hammer, trying to make his insides burst out. The pain was


    agonizing.


    ¡°Hello?¡± In his pain, Justin called a doctor. ¡°Dr. Aurich, where are you?¡±


    Rachel brought the children to the dining room for dinner as the ruckus upstairs had been noticeable.


    The babysitter didn¡¯t dare to speak much, opting to stand by the side and watch instead.


    Not long after, Justin could be hearding downstairs.


    ¡°Where are you going, Mr. Burton?¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Charlotte looked at Justin too. As long as he apologized, Rachel would forgive him, right?


    However, it was like he hadn¡¯t heard anything as he rushed out of the house.


    ¡°Charlotte, eat your dinner.¡± Rachel¡¯s voice brought Charlotte¡¯s eyes back to her food. She then


    dropped a shrimp on Charlotte¡¯s te. ¡°Have another shrimp.¡±


    Charlotte was a little worried. ¡°Mommy, Daddy hasn¡¯t eaten yet.¡±


    Rachel was busy peeling the shrimp for Charlotte, so her answer was half-hearted. ¡°He¡¯s a grown-up.


    He¡¯ll eat when he¡¯s hungry.¡±


    ¡°Did you fight with Daddy again, Mommy?¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice was small. ¡°If you guys don¡¯t make up, are


    you going to take Samuel and leave me and Daddy?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she stopped peeling the shrimp when she heard Charlotte¡¯s


    question. Immediately, her heart ached terribly. Regardless of what Justin did, it was his own mistake¨C¨C


    the same went for her. What did the children do wrong? Yet every time she and Justin argued, it only


    worsened Charlotte¡¯s anxiety.


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Rachel wiped her hands before touching Charlotte¡¯s face. ¡°I won¡¯t leave you, and I haven¡¯t


    been fighting with your father.¡±


    Charlotte didn¡¯t quite believe her. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Miss Charlotte, why would Miss Hudson lie to you?¡± The babysitter pointed at the fish soup on the


    table. ¡°Miss Hudson specially ordered me to buy this fish today. It¡¯s supposedly a good recipe for


    people who are still healing. Tell me now, who do you think this soup is for?¡±


    Charlotte sat there nkly for a moment before she responded by yelling in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s for Daddy!¡±


    Justin¡¯s injuries hadn¡¯t been able to heal properly. Debts should be repaid. Rachel did not want to owe


    him, so she paid special attention to Justin¡¯s meals, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to lose his temper like


    this today.


    Charlotte rxed after hearing the babysitter¡¯s words.


    Seeing that her daughter was willing to eat again, Rachel let out a sigh of relief.


    Meanwhile, Justin had gone to see Dr. Aurich. The pain finally began to subside after he sat in the


    treatment chair for a long while.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Justin closed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of staying here for a bit longer. I seem to sleep better here.


    You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    ¡°No, but from the looks of it, your headaches seem to be more frequent, right?¡±


    ¡°It is a little more frequent than before.¡±


    Dr. Aurich flipped through Justin¡¯s medical records. ¡°I told you before to not exert yourself in the near


    future. Your amnesia was caused by trauma, and the memories you forgot were ones that had a heavy


    negative impact on you. It¡¯s your body¡¯s self-defense mechanisms protecting you. If you force yourself


    to remember, you¡¯ll be fighting with your body,¡± he said gravely. ¡°You¡¯ll have to do this slowly.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t dy the return of my memories anymore.¡± Justin¡¯s eyes were shut tightly. His forehead was


    screwed up tightly as well. ¡°I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Dr. Aurich looked at Justin in confusion. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Justin did not answer his question. In truth, he also couldn¡¯t exin it either. He just felt that he would


    miss some major event that would never be able to be fixed if he couldn¡¯t recover his memories faster.


    Dr. Aurich knew how Justin was, so he didn¡¯t continue to question him further. ¡°Rest well. I¡¯ll leave you


    be. By the way, do you need me to wake youter?¡±


    Just when Dr. Aurich had only just pulled open the door and asked Justin this question, Justin¡¯s phone


    rang.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Burton, where are you now?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Jefferey Hudson is dead,¡± came Frankie¡¯s voice over the phone.


    Justin¡¯s eyes promptly flew open and he sat up from the chair. ¡°When did that happen?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel received the same news as well.


    Riverdale Penitentiary was near the mouth of the east coast ocean. The area was chilly, and the winds


    in the wee hours of the morning were especially strong¨C¨Cstrong enough to pull a person in and rip them


    to shreds.


    By the time Rachel rushed over, Jefferey¡¯s corpse was already cold.


    ¡°It was an acute heart attack. There were no signs.¡±


    ¡°Did no one notice this in time?¡±


    ¡°It was already lights-out at night, and the prisoners were supposed to go to sleep. With that, everyone


    in the cell was already asleep, so no one noticed when the heart attack happened.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brows knitted together.


    ¡°Sorry. By the time we discovered him, there were already no signs of life. The paramedics carried out


    basic first aid, but it was futile.¡± The head of the prison bowed to Rachel in apology. Although Jefferey


    was sentenced to life imprisonment, he was still entitled to basic human rights. He shouldn¡¯t have died


    without cause, even inside a prison.


    Before Rachel could ask further questions, a sharp voice rang out behind her.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 281

    My Mute Bride Chapter 281


    Chapter 281 Final Request


    ¡°Dad!¡± Rachel didn¡¯t even need to spare an iota of brainpower to figure out who it was. The hurried


    cking of high heels sounded through the mortuary. Then, Amber stood by the door of the mortuary,


    still unable to ept reality even after she had caught her breath. ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t recall a time when Amber was this panicked. Regardless of how cruel Amber was, she


    was still Jefferey¡¯s daughter who he had raised since she was a young girl. Jefferey was her greatest


    pir. Now that he was gone, the blow to her was significant.


    Amber stumbled inside. Her fingers touched the white cloth draped over the corpse before they were


    shakily retracted. All of a sudden, she yelled at the head jailer. ¡°This isn¡¯t my father! You¡¯ve got it all


    wrong!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re grieving, miss.¡±


    ¡°Grieving? I told you, this isn¡¯t my father! Where are you hiding my dad? Where is he?¡± At that, Amber¡¯s


    hand moved toward the head jailer. Her fingers were a stark palepared to the brightness of her red


    nails. In the darkness of the room, they were an eerie sight.


    The head jailer didn¡¯t manage to back away in time and was caught by the cor.


    ¡°Calm yourself, miss.¡±


    ¡°Where on earth are you hiding my father? He¡¯s a healthy man. How can he just be dead?¡±


    ¡°Amber!¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t stop herself from rebuking Amber. ¡°This isn¡¯t a ce for you to show your


    temper. He passed away due to a sudden heart attack. You¡¯re a doctor; if you don¡¯t believe them, you


    can examine him.¡±


    ¡°Rachel?¡± Amber whipped her head around at the sound of Rachel¡¯s voice, seemingly only having just


    noticed her presence. At that moment, her red eyes made her look very much like a devil from hell.


    ¡°How dare youe here? What right do you have to be here? You¡¯re the one behind his


    imprisonment!¡±


    Amber lunged at Rachel. Rachel backed away as she already anticipated this and grabbed her arm.


    ¡°Have you gone mad? Death is already a kindness for him. The greatest punishment would have been


    rotting away in jail until old age. Even if I had the nerve to do it, I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    With that, Rachel shoved Amber away roughly.


    As a result, Amber stumbled backward and fell over. Fortunately for her, arge figure had entered the


    room, and he reflexively caught her.


    Rachel stiffened at the sight of the neer.


    Amber teared up when she saw the person who helped her up. ¡°Justin!¡±


    It was Justin, indeed.


    A few hours ago, Rachel ended up getting into a huge fight with him because she and Janice went to


    visit Hans¡¯ grave. He had then stormed out of the house. To suddenly see him here felt like a p in the


    face.


    Justin released Amber. His gaze lingered on Rachel for a moment before itnded on the corpse


    behind her. No one had lifted up the white cloth covering the body until now.


    Jefferey sacrificed his life for Hudson Pharmaceuticals, yet he died like this.


    After they left Riverdale Penitentiary, Amber glued herself beside Justin, sobbing ceaselessly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to arrange his funeral. You¡­ You two don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± he said.


    Those words were meant for Rachel, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself from being petty when he recalled the


    incident with Hans, opting to say ¡®you two¡¯ instead of ¡®you¡¯.


    Rachel forced herself to smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± Having said that, she nced at Amber, who trailed behind


    Justin like a wad of chewing gum that just wouldn¡¯te off. A look of disgust turned up on her face as


    she continued, ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    With that, Rachel headed straight for the parking lot.


    Justin wanted to follow her, but Amber tried to grab his arm. ¡°Justin.¡±


    He instinctively drew his arm back. At the same time, his handsome features schooled in their usual


    chilly expression as he pulled some distance between Amber and himself.


    With that, Amber¡¯s hand hung awkwardly in mid-air. A few momentster, she retracted it. ¡°Can you


    stay with me for a little?¡±


    Justin looked at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go back. There will be plenty of things that you¡¯ll


    be handling.¡±


    Amber couldn¡¯t stop herself from clenching her fists when shepared how different Justin¡¯s


    treatment was to her and Rachel. Her nails dug into her palms and pain surged through her nerves.


    ¡°Justin, do you think that you¡¯ll be able to get back together with that mute if you distance yourself from


    me? Look at her¡ªshe isn¡¯t at all interested in you! She¡¯s constantly using you! Can¡¯t you tell?¡±


    ¡°Enough. I didn¡¯te here to listen to you ramble. You should calm down and go home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being very calm here!¡± Amber took a step closer. ¡°I¡¯ve been with you for so many years.


    Regardless of how I treated others, I¡¯ve always been sincere with you. Don¡¯t tell me that you can¡¯t see


    that?¡±


    Judging from the frown on Justin¡¯s eyebrows, he was already impatient with her.


    Amber knew that it would be futile to keep talking, so she gritted her teeth. ¡°I know that it¡¯s no use


    telling you all this. I just have one final request¡ªif you agree, I¡¯ll consider it repayment for thest six


    years of my youth.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Help me manage Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel drove back alone after leaving Riverdale Penitentiary.


    ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed it¡ªhe did have a heart attack.¡± Jolly¡¯s voice sounded through Rachel¡¯s bluetooth


    earphones. ¡°So, this isn¡¯t something premeditated? He ended up getting his owneuppance?¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have suddenly passed away even if the heart attack was an actual thing. They didn¡¯t even


    perform proper first aid on him.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s brows remained furrowed as her hands gripped the steering wheel. ¡°There were six people of


    various ages inside the cell. The prisoners sharing a cell with Jefferey havemitted major crimes.


    They are very alert even when asleep.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to get at?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t someone in the middle of a heart attack make some noise at least? His death was about


    three hours ago. It was lights-out time at the prison, yes, but who would be so deeply asleep at such an


    early hour? There¡¯s got to be something fishy about the situation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that Jefferey was murdered?¡±


    ¡°I just think that it¡¯s something to be considered.¡±


    ¡°He was already locked up. Who would want to kill him?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes darkened a little, but her tone was stillnguid. ¡°Plenty of people, actually.¡±


    Jefferey had been a key figure in Hudson Pharmaceutical¡¯s smuggling business. He had plenty of


    resources at his fingertips. Hudson Pharmaceuticals wouldn¡¯t be the onlypany involved in this


    shady business in Riverdale; Janice had mentioned beforehand that the ledger recovered from the


    Hudson residence had implicated Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    The one who killed Jefferey to shut him up had to be tied to that ledger.


    The next afternoon, Rachel took Samuel and Charlotte to themunity pool for a weekend treat.


    Charlotte couldn¡¯t swim, so she paddled around in the shallow section, looking like a little duckling with


    her inner tube.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Chris!¡± a man¡¯s voice rang out across the pool, drawing plenty of attention.


    Rachel and the children looked in the direction of the voice to see Hernandez stride out from the


    changing room in swimming shorts. His muscled frame and the eight-pack he sported made the eyes of


    every woman by the pool light up.


    ¡°Charlotte, Samuel, have fun by yourselves,¡± Rachel told them. Then, she swam over to the edge of the


    pool.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 282

    My Mute Bride Chapter 282


    Chapter 282 He¡¯s Mentally Unwell


    Charlotte was the only one out of the trio who didn¡¯t know how to swim. After a few paddles, she


    stopped trying to move around. ¡°Why is the Curly Weirdo here too?¡± she said angrily as she sshed


    around.


    Samuel ducked his head underwater without answering her. Charlotte wised up to the situation when


    she saw him do that, and she promptly got angry enough to whack him. ¡°Traitor!¡±


    Naturally, Hernandez handed Rachel a towel when she got out of the pool. ¡°How did you know I¡¯m


    here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a secret.¡± Hernandez nced at the children in the distance and grinned. ¡°Jolly told me that


    your father passed away.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± With a dull gaze, Rachel lowered her head. ¡°It happenedst night. The funeral is supposed to


    be held next Wednesday. You don¡¯t need to console me; I feel nothing for the Hudsons.¡± Rachel


    immediately stopped Hernandez before he could try andfort her.


    Hernandez waved his hands helplessly. ¡°I haven¡¯t even said anything.¡±


    ¡°Jolly asked you toe, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Hernandez¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°I came to tell you that I just picked up a new piece of


    evidence while alsoing up with a new n. Once you¡¯ve settled your own business, you can leave


    for overseas with your daughter in tow.¡±


    ¡°What kind of n?¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Justin¡¯s seeing a psychologist. He¡¯s mentally unwell.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s went rigid. At once, a startled look came over her.


    ¡°He thought he was being sneaky about it, but unfortunately for him, my dream prior to bing a


    lawyer and the chief legal officer at SG was to be a detective,¡± Hernandez announced smugly. ¡°A


    parent with mental illness is unfit to take care of their child. When the timees, all we need to do is


    whip out this piece of evidence, and his custody rights will be pulled out right under his nose. And as


    Charlotte¡¯s biological mother, you will have full custody rights over her.¡±


    As she watched the two children ying in the distance, Rachel felt a myriad ofplicated emotions.


    ¡°Hernandez, I¡¯ll follow your n for Charlotte, but now is not the time. Please help me with something


    else first.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ next heir.¡±


    Jefferey had been arrested because he was personally involved in smuggling. All assets under his


    name had also been seized and frozen, but arge portion of thepany¡¯s stocks was still in Amber¡¯s


    and the other investors¡¯ hands. Although Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ reputation was in the gutter and the


    company was on the brink of bankruptcy, it was still a listedpany. A listedpany was still better


    off than one that hadpletely copsed and vanished.


    Logically speaking, Amber was supposed to inherit Hudson Pharmaceuticals after Jefferey¡¯s death. All


    of Jefferey¡¯s old guards supported her. But now, Jefferey¡¯s personal assets as well as his stocks had


    been confiscated. Whatever Amber had now barely made a blip in the grand scheme of things.


    ¡°I want the rights to Hudson Pharmaceuticals,¡± Rachel stated.


    Meanwhile, Charlotte was y-fighting with Samuel in the pool.


    ¡°You traitor! You said that you would help Daddy, but you¡¯re helping the Curly Weirdo!¡±


    Samuel darted around in the water since he knew how to swim. On the other hand, Charlotte ended up


    getting a face full of water from all the waves and sshes he made while he escaped from her wrath.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore.¡±


    Seeing how Charlotte was actually angry, Samuel finally popped up from the water and grabbed her


    inner tube. ¡°I¡¯m not a traitor. I just think that Justin will be more motivated with Hernandez around. Men


    likepetition.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Look, Hernandez was out of the country for a long time because of what I did. And what did Justin do?


    All he did was make Mommy angry. So, I think it¡¯s better that Hernandez is back,¡± Samuel said with a


    straight face. ¡°Do you know what the catfish effect is?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hernandez is the catfish.¡±


    ¡°Yep!¡±


    Charlotte cheered up immensely after getting Samuel¡¯s validation. She turned to look for Rachel, only


    to find no one by the edge of the pool. ¡°Where¡¯s Mommy?¡±


    Samuel turned around as well. Upon seeing the familiar figure, he immediately yelled, ¡°Godmother!¡±


    Jolly had shown up at the pool without them noticing earlier, soaking her feet by the edge of the pool in


    her patterned swimsuit.


    Samuel swam over to her side, popping his head out of the water to talk to her. ¡°Why are you here,


    Godmother?¡±


    ¡°I came with Hernandez, of course. I¡¯ve been sitting here for a while now. It¡¯s been a long time since I


    last saw you. Don¡¯t you miss me?¡±


    Samuel was all smiles as he pressed himself close to Jolly. ¡°Of course, I miss you.¡±


    Charlotte paddled her way over as well. ¡°Godmother, where¡¯s Mommy?¡±


    ¡°She has something to discuss with Hernandez, so she left first. Now, you¡¯ll be under my care tonight.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes immediately bugged out. ¡°Why did they leave?¡±


    In just a blink of an eye, they had left. What other reason could there be for a man and woman to leave


    together?


    Jolly reached out and flicked Charlotte¡¯s head. Charlotte doubled over in pain and grabbed her head.


    ¡°What were you thinking? Grown-ups naturally have grown-up things to talk about. You two better start


    thinking about what you want for dinner tonight; I¡¯m bringing you both out for dinner,¡± Jolly said. ¡°How


    about fried chicken? Oh, and beer. But kids can¡¯t have beer. You¡¯ll have to settle for a Coke.¡±


    Jolly rambled to herself about tonight¡¯s dinner, but Charlotte seemed distracted.


    Nothing good coulde out of Rachel following the Curly Weirdo.


    Not long after, the night crept up on everyone. Meanwhile, Rachel was sitting next to Hernandez inside


    a restaurant.


    ¡°You were pretty fond of Asian cuisine when you were abroad. Jolly¡¯s the one who rmended this


    ce. It¡¯s not half-bad.¡±


    ¡°I prefer your cooking. The dumplings, especially.¡±


    Hernandez¡¯s words amused Rachel enough to let out a giggle. ¡°Fine, we can head back and make


    some dumplings once we¡¯re done.¡±


    Rachel went to the bathroom alone before their food arrived. After she washed her hands by the sink,


    her phone buzzed in her pocket. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Mommy, are you having dinner with Mr. Curly Weirdo?¡± Charlotte¡¯s angry question came sting over


    the speakers the moment Rachel answered the call. ¡°How could you just leave me behind and go on a


    date with him?¡±


    Rachel was exasperated. ¡°It¡¯s not a date. I¡¯m just discussing some serious things with Hernandez. Isn¡¯t


    Jolly looking after you and Samuel?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t date Mr. Curly Weirdo, Mommy. Anyone can tell that he¡¯s a bad guy. Samuel said that he¡¯s a


    womanizer!¡± Charlotte reminded Rachel solemnly. Rachelughed as she walked out of the bathroom.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Have fun with Jolly. I¡¯ll be backter to pick you up.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Keep in touch, Mommy. Don¡¯t ignore my calls.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rachel said helplessly.


    Just after she hung up, two familiar figures cut past the hall and approached her. Immediately, Rachel¡¯s


    eyes zed over a little.


    When did Justin get here together with Amber?


    Justin was stunned as well. Evidently, he hadn¡¯t thought that he would run into Rachel here.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 283

    My Mute Bride Chapter 283


    Chapter 283 I¡¯m a Dysfunctional Person


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Amber¡¯s expression changed as soon as she saw Rachel, and the former


    stared at thetter guardedly. Just then, Rachel came to her senses. ¡°I should be the one asking you


    this question, right?¡± ¡°Rachel, what do you mean by that?!¡±


    ¡°The engagement is already called off, yet the two of you seem to be joined at the hip. Are you guys


    trying to create further topics for the press and contribute some tabloid news on behalf of both the


    Burton Group and Hudson Pharmaceuticals?¡± Rachel spoke in a cold voice and she sounded angry.


    Her reaction caused Justin to feel slightly joyful as he exined himself, ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood the


    situation. Amber and I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Chris!¡± Hernandez¡¯s voice rang out from behind Rachel and he cut off Justin¡¯s words. ¡°Oh¡ªthis is such


    a coincidence. You¡¯ve bumped into someone we know,¡± Hernandez greeted Justin quite naturally and


    calmly upon seeing him. ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while since west met, Mr. Burton.¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin frowned. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here for lunch with Chris. Aren¡¯t the two of you here for lunch as well?¡±


    Just then, Hernandez shot a suggestive look at Justin and Amber, and then he spoke up meaningfully.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, it looks like you¡¯ve got a different target, huh? Should I express my gratitude then?¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression darkened significantly when he heard that.


    Meanwhile, Amber was her usual pretentious self and she put on a world-ss act as she pretended to


    exin the situation, ¡°You guys have misunderstood us. Justin and I have something to discuss, so we


    met up here.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to exin things.¡± As soon as Justin said that, he walked past Rachel and he clearly


    exuded a cold, domineering demeanor.


    Just then, Amber shot a smug look at Rachel before quickly joining him. ¡°Justin, wait up.¡±


    As for Rachel, she was quiteposed and she merely mentioned, ¡°Let¡¯s go to another restaurant.¡±


    At that moment, Justin paused in his tracks and he turned around to find that Rachel and Hernandez


    had gone back to their seats to gather their belongings. Subsequently, they left immediately without any


    intention of staying on any longer than necessary.


    Just then, Amber tried to fuel the mes as she spitefully mentioned, ¡°Justin, what are they discussing


    anyway? Why are they intentionally avoiding you?¡±


    Instantly, Justin furrowed his brows, and all of a sudden, there was a frosty look on his face.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Truth was, Amber was partially correct. Rachel and Hernandez did want to have their discussion


    privately, but they were trying to avoid Amber instead of Justin.


    After they had ended the discussion, night had also descended.


    Just then, Rachel received a phone call from Jolly, and thetter mentioned that the two kids were


    exhausted after a fun-filled day so they had fallen asleep at her house.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and pick them up tomorrow, then.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Anyway, you can leave them with me. There¡¯s no need to worry about them.¡±


    After Rachel had hung up the phone, she directly made her way back to the Burton Residence.


    She got back home, but the servants weren¡¯t there and the house was eerily silent without any lights


    on.


    Just then, she flicked on the light switch and noticed that there was a figure on the couch. Startled, she


    yelled out, ¡°You¡¯re home? Why didn¡¯t you switch on the lights?¡±


    There was only a singlemp in the room, so it was quite dim inside. The lights illuminated Justin, but


    his figure looked quite scary sitting there.


    ¡°You¡¯re back quitete. Where¡¯s Charlotte?¡±


    Rachel finally recollected herself and she changed into the bedroom slippers as she exined, ¡°She¡¯s


    at Jolly¡¯s ce. The two kids were too exhausted after their fun-filled day, so she fell asleep there. I¡¯ll


    pick her up tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°So is this a proper behavior of a mother?¡±


    His sudden interrogative words caused her to halt in her steps. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You cast your own child aside and hand her over to someone else to take care of. Then, you go on a


    date with another man ande backte at night without even picking your child up. Is this what


    responsibility means to you?¡±


    ¡°Jolly isn¡¯t a stranger and you know very well that she¡¯s rted to Samuel.¡±


    ¡°How is she rted to Charlotte, then?¡±


    ¡°She¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides, she¡¯s someone who abandoned her child right after giving birth, and even refused to


    acknowledge him. How can you trust someone like that with your child?¡±


    Just then, Rachel found Justin¡¯s random outburst of anger quite illogical.


    She took a deep breath before exhaling slowly as she tried her best to remain calm andmunicate


    in a nice manner, ¡°Can you calm down first?¡±


    ¡°I need to calm down?!¡± At that point, Justin clenched his fists tightly and strode in her direction.


    However, he didn¡¯t even bother to cast his eyes on her; he only changed his shoes and left the ce.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to pick Charlotte up.¡±


    ¡°Justin Burton!¡± Rachel stopped him immediately. ¡°It¡¯s veryte now and they¡¯re fast asleep. Do you


    really have to go over and wake them up? Why are you losing your temper all of a sudden?¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin was insistent on leaving and his actions rendered Rachelpletely speechless.


    ¡°Are you really insisting on going over there right now? Tell me¡ªhow do you n on getting there? You


    can¡¯t catch a cab at this time of the night. Do you dare to drive?¡±


    At that moment, Justin tightened his grip on the doorknob that he had his hand wrapped around.


    His fear of driving was ultimately an obstacle that bothered him very much. He had thought that he had


    ovee this fear when Samuel had been kidnapped but unfortunately, after that incident, he still


    experienced a severe headache as soon as he touched the steering wheel.


    ¡°Are you mocking me?¡±


    Justin turned around gradually and his expression was thunderous. ¡°In your eyes, I¡¯m just a


    dysfunctional person who doesn¡¯t even dare to drive and has iplete memories, right?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°But your actions clearly indicated that.¡±


    ¡°What did I do?¡±


    Suddenly, there was a sh of anger in Justin¡¯s eyes and he could no longer contain his anger as he


    grabbed Rachel forcefully by her arms. ¡°How many times have you met up in secret with Hernandez


    under the pretext of bringing the kids out?!¡±


    His forceful move caused Rachel¡¯s back to bang against the shoe rack in the foyer, and the intense


    pain rendered her speechless.


    ¡°Today, I coincidentally bumped into you, but what about those other times when I never did?¡±


    ¡°Justin Burton, are you out of your mind?¡± Rachel struggled to get out of his arms. ¡°In your mind, can a


    man and a woman only be involved in a sexual rtionship? Other than that, there¡¯s nothing else that


    they could do?! Then, did I mention anything about you and Amber?¡±


    ¡°Well, I would rather you interrogated me about that!¡± Suddenly, a loud male voice reverberated in the


    room.


    Upon hearing that, Rachel was significantly stunned and she looked at him with a shocked expression.


    Meanwhile, Justin kept both hands tightly pressed against her shoulders to stop her from even moving


    a single inch. His reddened eyes were full of displeased resentment as he growled, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you


    question me for the reason I met up for lunch with Amber? Actually, you don¡¯t even care that I met up


    with another woman, right? I¡¯m asking you a question, so answer me!¡±


    At that point, Rachel tried to push him aside. ¡°I have nothing to say to you.¡±


    Instantly, Justin¡¯s anger red up and there was practically fireing out of his ears.


    Suddenly, he tightened his grip on her struggling body and leaned forward.


    ¡°Mmph¡ª¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened in shock and unexpectedly, her words were cut off as her lips were sealed all of


    a sudden.


    Justin¡¯s kiss, filled with the scent of tobo, was dominating and raging. It felt as if he was in a race to


    conquer better ground as he went on without any hint of tenderness. He forced open her lips and


    invaded forcefully.


    Meanwhile, Rachel was fully conscious, so she somehow mustered up her inner strength and shoved


    him aside abruptly.


    Thwack! Suddenly, the sound of a loud p rang out and it reverberated for quite a while in the living


    room.


    Instantly, Justin¡¯s face turned red and swollen, and there was an evident handprint on the right side of


    his face. Meanwhile, he stared back at her in shock.


    At that moment, Rachel panted as she countered, ¡°Did I force you to go and have lunch with Amber?


    What do you mean by all this? Is this a preemptive move?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 284

    My Mute Bride Chapter 284


    Chapter 284 The Funeral


    ¡°I¡¯ll say this once¡ªHernandez and I are innocent. As for you, have you forgotten about Amber¡¯s


    rtionship with you? Or me for that matter? Have you forgotten that the smuggling case rted to


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals is still under investigation?


    I wouldn¡¯t be able to imagine why else would you have to see her other than because you¡¯re still in love


    with her.¡± As soon as Justin heard that, he was at a loss for words. ¡°Rachel, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Rachel pushed his hand aside once again and left by mming the door after her.


    Just then, there was a sound of ignition that echoed over.


    Instantly, Justin took a few steps forward to chase after her, but he suddenly stopped by the doorway


    and watched as her car disappeared at the junction of their estate. He tightened his grip on the door


    frame and there was a sh of frustration that crossed his eyes.


    Why has things gotten to this state? But then I really can¡¯t tolerate her being with another man, no


    matter who it is! Meanwhile, Rachel directly drove off and headed to Jolly¡¯s house.


    Jolly was, in fact, fast asleep when Rachel arrived. However, the former came out of the bedroom upon


    hearing the sound of the door opening, and she saw Rachel walk in with a furious look on her face.


    Just then, Jolly rubbed her eyes and she even thought that she was seeing things. ¡°I thought you said


    that you wouldn¡¯t be picking them up today?¡±


    ¡°I want to stay with you for a couple of days.¡±


    Rachel ced down her car keys. ¡°I¡¯ll go and take a shower first.¡±


    After she had said that, she immediately headed off into the bathroom without even bothering to say


    another word.


    The water gushed out from the showerhead and Rachel lifted her head to immerse her whole face


    under the spray. She then scrubbed furiously at her face. Not only that, she grabbed her toothbrush


    and brushed her teeth with all of her might. It was as if by doing so, she could then rid herself of that


    kiss from earlier.


    She truly loathed Justin using such a rough manner to force himself on her just like he did earlier. Each


    time he did that, she would be reminded of the frightening marriage they had five to six years ago. His


    domineering and barbaric behavior was embedded deep in her mind.


    After her shower, Rachel got out of the bathroom, only to find Jolly waiting for her.


    With a thunk, Jolly opened a can of beer and lifted it in Rachel¡¯s direction. ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink?¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel wrapped the towel she was using to dry her hair on her shoulders and she


    subsequently took the can of beer from Jolly. After downing half the can of the beer, she then sat down


    next to Jolly. At the same time, the television was on and there was a variety show ying, which was


    annoyingly noisy.


    Just then, Jolly asked, ¡°Do you feel better now?¡±


    In response, Rachel nodded her head.


    ¡°Did Justin do something to you again?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Stop lying to me. Each time you end up looking like this, it is always because of that guy. He¡¯s such a


    troublemaker! He¡¯spletely forgotten about the past and he gets to restart his life afresh, but how


    dare he be so wishful as to turn up innocently and ask to restart a life with you?¡±


    Jolly was straight to the point but Rachel remained nonchnt. ¡°There¡¯s no way we can restart our life


    together. Everything has ended between us.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Are you doubting me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doubting you.¡± Just then, Jolly took a sip of beer and leaned back on the couch as she wriggled


    her feet on the coffee table. ¡°After all, he has forgotten about the past, so I was worried that he has


    indeed fallen in love with you right now and is deeply infatuated with you. Are you sure that you can


    withstand his romantic pursuits?¡±


    ¡°The moment I see him, I always recall the moment back in the hospital when he instructed his men to


    break Hans¡¯ leg. Not to mention the time when I begged him to save Grandma, but he refused to.¡±


    Just then, Rachel lowered her head and finished off the entire can of beer. Subsequently, she easily


    crushed the can and her action resulted in a loud ¡®cking¡¯ noise. Soon after that, she lifted her arm


    and threw the can into the bin.


    ¡°Your worries are unfounded.¡±


    Meanwhile, Jolly lifted her brows, ¡°Okay. You can ignore my words then. How long do you n on


    staying here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here for the time being. I find the sight of him quite disgusting.¡±


    At that point, Jolly was quite shocked by Rachel¡¯s words.


    Although Jolly realized that she shouldn¡¯t, inexplicably though, she sympathized with Justin the b*stard.


    In the end, Rachel stayed with Jolly for a few days until Wednesday, which was the day of Jefferey¡¯s


    funeral.


    Because of the smuggling case, those who had close ties with Jefferey avoided him like the gue so


    naturally, his funeral was quite deserted. It was only attended by the Hudson Family members and


    some of the old shareholders from Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals was on the brink of bankruptcy, and the only solution right now was to sell it


    and find someone to take over the business.


    The burial ce was located in the countryside and it was the Hudsons¡¯ private family cemetery.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Getting out of the car, Rachel was dressed in ck and she had a white flower pinned to her chest.


    Amber stopped Rachel in her tracks with a darkened expression upon seeing thetter walk in. ¡°What


    are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m part of the Hudson Family, after all, so why aren¡¯t I allowed here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re part of the Hudson Family? If you had actually considered yourself to be a Hudson, would you


    have caused my dad¡¯s death? The entire Riverdale knows that it was Rachel Hudson who sacrificed


    her own family for the sake of justice and reported her own father to the authorities!¡±


    ¡°You do realize too that I did that to uphold justice. He did make a mistake and should be punished for


    it.¡±


    ¡°Do not talk to me about all these! He¡¯s my dad! Despite what he¡¯s done, he is still my father after all.¡±


    ¡°Amber,¡± Suddenly, a cold male voice rang out from behind Amber. ¡°Stop making a scene at the


    funeral. There¡¯s a lot of people around.¡±


    It was Justin who spoke.


    After their fight thest time, Rachel hadn¡¯t seen him at all in thest three days, so it was quite clear


    why he suddenly appeared at the scene right now.


    On the surface, Hudson Pharmaceuticals was a mess right now but in fact, thepany had a good


    foundation so there were plenty of people who were keen to take over the business. Justin was one of


    them.


    ¡°Justin, my dad won¡¯t be able to rest in peace with her around.¡±


    Just then, Rachel came to her senses and she coldly shot a look at Amber. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just taking


    the opportunity to speak to the elders present today, then I¡¯ll leave immediately. I won¡¯t hold you up any


    further.¡±


    Suddenly, Amber panicked. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel remained indifferent. ¡°I would like to purchase the shares each one of you possess.


    I¡¯m willing to pay ten percent higher than the market rate.¡±


    Just then, there was an uproar.


    As soon as Rachel finished her sentence, every single shareholder of Hudson Pharmaceuticals, who


    was here for the funeral, exchanged shocked looks with each other.


    Amber¡¯s expression changed in the blink of an eye. ¡°Are you trying to take over Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals? How dare you?!¡±


    ¡°How dare I attempt this?¡± Rachel maintained a neutral expression. ¡°Do you still think that Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals is well sought after? It¡¯s either thepany files for bankruptcy or some other


    company takes over the business, and Hudson Pharmaceuticals will cease to exist in the


    pharmaceutical industry. However, if they sell their shares to me, then I¡¯ll definitely be able to restore


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals back to its former glory.¡±


    Just then, all of the shareholders had joyful expressions on their faces.


    ¡°Rachel, are you being serious? Do you have a solution?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Are you seriously interested in buying all of our shares?¡±


    Everyone was quite worried that their shares would end up worthless if Hudson Pharmaceuticals filed


    for bankruptcy. No one would be interested in buying the shares. However, they didn¡¯t quite know what


    to do about it because they were mindful of their close ties with the Hudson Family. Now that Rachel


    was willing to take over their shares, then it was great news for them because their interest was


    maintained and at the same time, they didn¡¯t have to forsake their rtionship with the Hudsons too.


    However, Amber¡¯s voice rang out and took dominance over the other voices even before Rachel could


    respond.


    ¡°This is such a joke! We have such a long history in the pharmaceutical industry, so do you actually


    think that the business would just go bust suddenly?! You¡¯re just saying that you¡¯ll restore the business


    back to its former glory once you gain control of it. Everyone, please don¡¯t be fooled by her words.


    She¡¯s just being the representative for Carter Enterprise. She¡¯ll purchase the shares under her name


    for now but after that, she will definitely merge Hudson Pharmaceuticals with Carter Enterprise.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 285

    My Mute Bride Chapter 285


    Chapter 285 Based on the Six Forms I Have


    The Carter Enterprise? Everyone looked askance at each other. They had heard that Rachel was


    goddaughter of the president of Carter Enterprise and his wife. Rachel also had a very good


    rtionship with the daughter of the Carter Family. Besides, it was public knowledge that the Carter


    Enterprise was keen to take over Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    Just then, Amber spoke. ¡°Everyone, today¡¯s my dad¡¯s funeral so by right, we shouldn¡¯t be talking about


    work. However, my dad has put his life into Hudson Pharmaceuticals, and that¡¯s also why I have no


    choice but to step up and defend hispany. I have to stop someone else from selling off our family


    business.


    I realize that it was my dad who caused the current crisis in Hudson Pharmaceuticals, but he has also


    stepped up and bore the entire responsibility to uphold the reputation of our business. Everyone


    present here has watched me grow up, so please have faith in me. I¡¯ll definitely be able to redevelop


    the business.¡±


    Each of them present was quite smart, so they were aware that Amber¡¯s exaggerated words had no


    substance at all.


    ¡°Amber, it¡¯s not that we refuse to support you, but the expenses of thepany have exceeded the


    ie and we¡¯ve got a serious cash flow issue. The existing contracts have all been terminated and


    we are currently facing a huge penalty for all of the contractual breaches, so how can you possibly


    continue operating thepany by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. We¡¯ve got a very serious cash flow issue. How can you maintain operations?¡±


    Meanwhile, Amber grabbed Justin¡¯s elbow as she faced everyone¡¯s remarks. ¡°I won¡¯t be operating the


    company by myself. Justin has promised me that he will provide the cash to resolve the penalty for the


    contractual breaches and help us get through this difficult stage. This will only be possible if each of


    you agrees to allow me to inherit Hudson Pharmaceuticals, and appoint me as the executive manager.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°President Burton, I thought you¡¯ve already called off the engagement with Amber?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Why is he willing to help?¡±


    Just then, Justin frowned and discreetly withdrew his hand from Amber¡¯s. Subsequently, he was about


    to say something when Rachel¡¯s voice rang out and interjected him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure President Burton must treasure their previous rtionship, so he¡¯s willing to offer his help.


    However, I¡¯m not too sure whether he¡¯s using the pretext of helping thepany just to pave the way


    for his takeover of Hudson Pharmaceuticals in the future.¡±


    At that point, Amber¡¯s expression turned. ¡°What sort of nonsense are you on about?! Justin would


    never do that!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re so sure that he¡¯s not going to do that, then what¡¯s this?¡±


    At that, Rachel took out a document in front of everyone and handed it over to the main representative


    of the shareholders. ¡°Mr. Raymond, take a look at this.¡±


    The first page of the document was printed with the logo of Burton Group and the words in bold were


    quite eye-catching¡ª¡¯Proposal on Hudson Pharmaceuticals Takeover¡¯.


    Justin¡¯s expression changed instantly. The proposal had been in his office all this while and it was a


    confidential document. How did she get hold of this?


    Amongst the uproar, Rachel continued to mock him with an indifferent look. ¡°Amber, if you had no idea,


    then this clearly shows that you¡¯re not smart enough. You¡¯re not aplished enough to be a


    professional manager. However, if you knew about this, then you¡¯ve betrayed your ownpany and


    aided your enemy to infiltrate thepany.¡±


    Just then, no matter which option took precedence, Amber clearly wasn¡¯t suited to inherit Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals.


    Meanwhile, she couldn¡¯te up with the words to exin herself as the crowd shot her doubtful


    looks.


    ¡°Even so, I was just thinking of the future of Hudson Pharmaceuticals!¡±


    In the end, Amber made a reckless decision. ¡°Well, you¡¯re also helping Carter Enterprise to take over


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals, so why can¡¯t I allow Justin to help me? Besides, it¡¯s quite logical for me to


    inherit the business. Meanwhile, you¡¯re just an illegitimate daughter without any legal identity. What


    right do you have to inherit Hudson Pharmaceuticals?¡±


    ¡°Well, based on the six forms I have in my hands, I will be eligible to inherit the business.¡±


    Forms? As soon as Rachel said that, everyone at the scene looked at her with incredulous


    expressions.


    ¡°Rachel, what are you on about? Did you discover some forms? What sort of forms are they?¡±


    The person who asked this was one of the representatives of the shareholders¡ªEvan Holt. He was the


    son of Old Mr. Hudson¡¯s butler, and he had gone overseas for his studies and then returned to work for


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals. He had been highly valued by Jefferey and he was also one of the


    shareholder representatives now.


    From Rachel¡¯s investigation, she found out that he was one of the few shareholders who dared to


    challenge Jefferey¡¯s decisions. He was a man of integrity and he frowned upon Amber¡¯s behavior.


    Just then, Rachel responded, ¡°Mr. Holt, what other form could it be? Other than those six forms


    inherited from the Hudson ancestors, do you think there¡¯s anything else that could restore Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals to its former glory?¡±


    ¡°Are the forms in your hands?¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Of course. My mother got me to recite it since I was young and I know it off the top of my head.¡±


    ¡°Your mother?¡±


    Evan¡¯s expression was stricken as he mumbled, ¡°Your mother is¡­¡±


    They were at the Hudson Family cemetery, and the look he shot through the corner of his eyes was in


    the direction of Selena¡¯s grave.


    Instantly, Rachel noticed that and she knew that he was aware of her identity.


    ¡°Mr. Holt, with the six forms I have in my hands, am I still ineligible to inherit thepany?


    Furthermore, I¡¯m nning to inherit thepany by buying over everyone¡¯s shares, unlike someone


    else who wants everyone to bear the risk along with her.¡±


    ¡°Rachel, you are obviously taking advantage of the situation! No one knows whether the forms are


    legit or not. Besides, look at what era we are in now! The forms for Eastern medicine are pretty


    much useless. Everyone currently uses Western medicine!¡±


    Amber was angered beyond herself and sheshed out at Rachel furiously. ¡°Stop your wishful thinking!


    You won¡¯t be able toy your hands on Hudson Pharmaceuticals!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Suddenly, Evan cut in and interrupted Amber¡¯s tirade. ¡°Eastern medicine is useless? Who


    was the one that told you that?!¡±


    Suddenly, the crowd¡¯s titters slowly dissipated in the vast cemetery and silence descended.


    Evan was a man of strong integrity and he was well-respected by all of the shareholders, so even


    Amber didn¡¯t dare to cross him.


    Just then, she realized that she had said the wrong thing, and she guiltily eximed, ¡°Mr. Holt.¡±


    Meanwhile, Evan shot a look at Amber. ¡°Hudson Pharmaceuticals is a family business, but the people


    present today aren¡¯t all members of the Hudson n. Many years back, Hudson Pharmacy


    encountered some slight instabilities so the decision was made to introduce a shareholding system,


    and everyone who worked for thepany, even all the workers, were eligible to purchase the shares.


    My father became a shareholder back then and now I¡¯ve inherited that¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone present today owns some or even plenty of shares in thepany. You guys might not be


    aware of how the Hudsons made their fortune, as it was all in the past during the reform period. They


    made their fortune from the six forms mentioned. Without the forms, Hudson Pharmacy would not


    exist and subsequently, there would be no Hudson Pharmaceuticals today.¡±


    ¡°When Old Mr. Hudson was alive, he mentioned that the person in possession of the six forms


    would be the rightful heir of Hudson Pharmaceuticals. Also, the business would not be in such a bad


    state if it wasn¡¯t for the disappearance of those six forms.¡±


    Just then, Evan¡¯s words caused the shareholders to stare at each other with aghast looks on their


    faces.


    Although none of them were involved in the actual smuggling details organized by Jefferey, after


    considering the actual situation afterward, they could more or less figure things out. The loss of the


    forms critical for generating an ie for Hudson Pharmaceuticals meant that Jefferey had to


    come up with another risky way to sustain the business.


    ¡°Mr. Holt, what do you mean by that?¡± Amber was frantic. ¡°Are you out of your mind? She¡¯s just an


    illegitimate child, so how can she inherit Hudson Pharmaceuticals?! She could just im to own the


    forms without actually having it!¡±


    ¡°Her birth mother is Selena Hudson, so that makes her eligible. I wouldn¡¯t be so sure if it was anyone


    else, but Selena was guided personally by Old Mr. Hudson since she was a child and she was also


    personally guided by him in the concoction andpounding of medications.¡±


    Evan¡¯s words caught Rachel by surprise. He seems to be quite close with my mother.


    ¡°Rae, leave all of this to me. I¡¯ll personally liaise with each of the shareholders and respond to you


    soon.¡± Evan ignored Amber¡¯s thunderous expression and stood up for Rachel in front of everyone else.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 286

    My Mute Bride Chapter 286


    Chapter 286 Betrothal Gift


    In response, Rachel nodded respectfully. ¡°Thank you.¡± Logically speaking, as well as in consideration


    of their interests, it madeplete sense for the group to ept her offer.


    ¡°Okay, then. I won¡¯t intrude any further. I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± With that, Rachel nced toward a


    tombstone that was some distance away, and said, ¡°Mr. Holt, if you would help me pay my respects.¡±


    After she had said that, she turned around and left. Just then, Justin frowned and raced after her.


    ¡°Rachel!¡± ¡°Justin!¡± Amber instantly grabbed his sleeve. ¡°Justin, you should be able to clearly see this


    woman¡¯s true self now. She has been making use of you since the start.¡±


    ¡°Let go!¡± Justin¡¯s expression was currently cold and thunderous. Upon hearing that, Amber trembled


    and instinctively released her grip on his sleeve.


    Meanwhile, Justin flicked off the nonexistent lint on his shirt and coldly responded, ¡°I promised to attend


    the funeral to stand up for you for the sake of our coboration. Now that there won¡¯t be a coboration,


    there¡¯s nothing else left between us.¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    He had originally intended to tackle Amber and then subsequently take control of the old fogeys from


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals so that by the time Rachel needed help, it would be much easier for him to


    transfer the shares to her. Right now, however, it seemed that Rachel didn¡¯t need his help. On the


    contrary, his unnecessary interference had resulted in a misunderstanding.


    ¡°Justin!¡±


    Just then, Amber angrily stomped her feet as soon as she saw him rush off. I¡¯m sure things aren¡¯t


    irrevocable just yet!


    At that moment, Rachel had just entered her car, but the door to the front passenger seat was suddenly


    yanked open and someone rushed in.


    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression changed the moment she saw Justin. ¡°Get out of my car!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Justin responded. ¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°If this is regarding Hudson Pharmaceuticals, then I have nothing to say. You should have already


    known from the start about my intentions toward Hudson Pharmaceuticals, as I have never kept that a


    secret from you.¡±


    ¡°You stole the document that I was prepared to shred and get rid of, and yet you¡¯re so indignant about


    the situation?! So, I¡¯m not even allowed to mention anything about that?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it! I merely¡­¡± Hold on! Did he just mention he was going to shred it?


    Just then, Justin nced at her intently. ¡°You took a document that was invalid, so you should thank me


    for not revealing the truth in front of everyone else. I called off the n to take over Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals ages ago. If you don¡¯t believe me, then you can go and ask Frankie or the project


    manager. You want it, so I won¡¯t fight you for it.¡±


    At that moment, Rachel stared at Justin with a shell-shocked expression.


    Meanwhile, as she was lost in her thoughts, Justin seemed to have seen something, so he suddenly


    inched closer by leaning forward. Instinctively, Rachel lifted her hand and pressed on his chest to stop


    him from getting closer. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    Suddenly, there was an evident sound of a seat belt being fastened.


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m trying to do?¡±


    A deep male voice rang out from above her head and there was a teasing note in his voice. ¡°How does


    that feel?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s hand was on Justin¡¯s chest, and the warm feeling through his ck shirt was quite evident.


    Through her right hand, she could even feel his heart thudding in his chest.


    As soon as Rachel heard his words, she suddenly came to her senses and shoved at him angrily. ¡°You


    must be nuts!¡± He¡¯s so childish for his age! He¡¯s still imitating those romantic soap operas and making


    such tacky moves!


    Just then, Justin was shoved aside abruptly and his head bumped against the roof of the car. He stifled


    his yelp of pain and immediately fell back against the passenger seat as he gasped for air.


    ¡°You deserve that!¡± Rachel was quite annoyed, but she couldn¡¯t helpughing upon seeing theical


    turn of events.


    At that point, herugh seemed to clear the air between them and their cold war was resolved.


    She released a cough and tried to remain calm. ¡°Since you¡¯re not after Hudson Pharmaceuticals, then


    why did you turn up today?¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin regained hisposure and exined, ¡°Amber promised that she would be able to


    convince those old fogeys to sell me their shares if I helped her. I nned to buy it under my name and


    then transfer it to you as a betrothal gift.¡±


    Betrothal gift? Suddenly, Rachel frowned but she couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with him about the


    matter of the betrothal gift. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that you¡¯ll force Amber to the brink of desperation by doing


    so? After all, she¡¯s your fianc¨¦e.¡±


    Just then, Justin corrected her, ¡°She¡¯s my ex-fianc¨¦e. Besides, the so-called engagement was just her


    one-sided im when I lost my memories, so I never acknowledged that.¡±


    ¡°Then have you regained your memories?¡±


    ¡°No, but I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ll definitely be able to recall my past.¡±


    Suddenly, Rachel recalled Hernandez¡¯s words upon seeing Justin¡¯s confident look. Hernandez had


    mentioned that Justin had gone to see a psychiatrist in private. Is he so intent on regaining his


    memories?


    Meanwhile, Justin kept his eyes on Rachel, and the admiring look in his eyes grew.


    It was rare for him to find a woman like her, who was gentle yet full of inner strength. Earlier, at the


    cemetery, her heroic stance and the way she had easily stirred up trouble within the Hudson Family


    with a few words had everyone ended up being on her side ultimately. He enjoyed the feeling of finally


    meeting his match.


    Meanwhile, she was quite ufortable with his intent stare. ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡±


    And so, he murmured, ¡°I apologize for my behavior from the past few days, but I reckon that it¡¯s quite


    normal for lovers to get into a tiff. We should try and consider things from each other¡¯s perspectives


    and reflect on our behavior, and then continue to get along with each other.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the oue of your self-reflection?¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have interrogated you for something that I can¡¯t remember and doubt your character. You


    have the right to befriend any other person and that¡¯s not something that I should interfere with. As for


    you paying your respects to Hans, I shouldn¡¯t have said anything about that either.¡±


    Justin¡¯s words sounded like a confession of his sins in a church.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say. How about you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin emphasized his words, ¡°Each of us should reflect on our behavior. I¡¯ve reflected on


    mine, so what about you?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already reflect on your behavior? Since it¡¯s your fault, then I did nothing wrong, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is my fault, but I meant¡ª¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡± Rachel directly interrupted his sentence. ¡°Since when are we lovers?¡±


    Rachel had never promised Justin anything, so although they had a slightly ambiguous rtionship,


    she wanted him to know that being previously married to each other didn¡¯t mean that they could just


    take a step back and be lovers.


    Meanwhile, Justin was slightly snubbed as he didn¡¯t manage to get his way. However, he suddenly


    realized that Rachel was quite lovable. Ultimately, he was the one who had mistreated her in the past,


    so he was quite willing to bear the brunt of her anger.


    ¡°Fasten your seat belt properly; otherwise, get out of the car.¡±


    Rachel voiced out impatiently before putting her foot on the elerator. Subsequently, she drove out of


    the cemetery.


    ¡­


    After the funeral, Rachel officially took over Hudson Pharmaceuticals and with a total of sixty percent of


    shares owned, she became the Chief Executive Officer of thepany.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hand over my work at the Burton Group to Lisa to deal with, and I won¡¯t bring with me any of the


    confidential customer details so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Just then, Rachel ced her resignation


    letter on Justin¡¯s work desk.


    ¡°Is it necessary for you to leave? I can reduce your workload and it won¡¯t affect you from your work at


    Hudson¡ª¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t work.¡± Rachel¡¯s simple words reverberated inside the huge office.


    Since she had already made up her mind to take over Hudson Pharmaceuticals, there was no way she


    would continue maintaining her position as the general manager of Burton Pharmaceuticals.


    ¡°Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ focus is on pharmaceutics, and it¡¯s the same for Burton Pharmaceuticals.


    There are plenty of ovepping points, including our raw material suppliers and all of our different


    marketing avenues. Furthermore, our target customers overseas ovep each other too. Evidently, we


    are in a directlypetitive line of work, so I can only pick one.¡±


    ¡°So does that mean you¡¯ve chosen Hudson Pharmaceuticals?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 287

    My Mute Bride Chapter 287


    Chapter 287 The Past


    Justin purposely asked, though he already knew the answer. Nheless, Rachel¡¯s expression


    remained neutral. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    From the start, she had never masked her intentions for returning to the country. After all, Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals originally belonged to her parents, so she was just iming it back on their behalf.


    As for Burton Pharmaceuticals, it was just a temporary stepping-stone for her. Though she regarded


    thepany as merely a stepping-stone, she had in fact put in a lot of effort in her work for the past


    few months. She hadn¡¯t cked off at all, so she had a clear conscience.


    Just then, Rachel ced the resignation letter on Justin¡¯s desk and calmly voiced out, ¡°You should just


    treat my departure from Burton Pharmaceuticals as a regr staff turnover.¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin didn¡¯t respond to her words, and neither did he ept the resignation letter.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get going, then.¡±


    As she reached the doorway, Justin suddenly yelled out, ¡°Rachel!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll retain the position of general manager of Burton Pharmaceuticals for you. You cane back


    anytime you feel like it.¡±


    However, Rachel opened the door and left without saying another word. I won¡¯te back here.


    ¡­


    Three dayster, afterpleting the handover process, Rachel officially relinquished her position at


    Burton Pharmaceuticals.


    ¡°Rae, the office is here.¡±


    Mr. Holt personally showed Rachel to her office at Hudson Pharmaceuticals. ¡°I¡¯ve instructed the staff to


    rece the work desk and office chair with a brand-new one, but if you find it not to your liking, then


    you can change it ording to your preferencester on.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Holt. This is good enough for me.¡± Rachel scanned her surroundings. ¡°I¡¯m not too


    fussed about the office environment.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too easy going. If anyone refuses to heed your instructions,e and let me know and I¡¯ll take


    care of them.¡±


    Just then, the secretary had just finished brewing the tea and the scent from it gradually reced the


    smell of brand-new furniture in the room.


    ¡°Mr. Holt, have a seat.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure. You should take a seat too.¡±


    Just then, Rachel showed Evan to a chair. At the same time, he scrutinized her and couldn¡¯t help


    nodding his head. ¡°You¡¯re so alike. You¡¯re indeed alike.¡±


    ¡°Alike?¡±


    ¡°You resemble your mother.¡±


    ¡°Did you know my mother?¡±


    At that point, Evan nodded. ¡°I grew up together with your mother before I left for overseas to study with


    your uncle. Oh¡ªyou might not know it, but your dad had an elder brother. He passed away from an


    ident many years ago, though.¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel suddenly looked dazed as she nodded her head calmly.


    Her true identity was tooplicated and it was difficult to verify any verbal ims. Besides, it was of


    no help in her taking control of Hudson Pharmaceuticals, so she had merely brought up the forms


    and her mother during the funeral.


    ¡°I was the closest friend of your uncle but unfortunately, I was still overseas when he met his demise.


    Upon my arrival back home, Old Mr. Hudson had passed away too. In the end, your father was the only


    one left to inherit Hudson Pharmacy and subsequently, he managed to build it up into the business of


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals today.¡±


    Inherit? Rachel sneered in her mind. Perhaps usurpation would be a more appropriate word to describe


    that.


    Despite her thoughts, she managed to maintain a neutral expression.


    Just then, she spoke up. ¡°I have never heard my mother mention a word about the past.¡±


    At that moment, Evan heaved a sigh. ¡°Selena was the smartest among all of us and she was very


    knowledgeable in pharmacology. If only misfortune hadn¡¯t befallen the Hudsons, then she would have


    been the next in line to inherit Hudson Pharmacy.¡±


    Suddenly, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but interrupt him. ¡°Mr. Holt, although I¡¯m not too sure about the things


    that urred in the past, I know that my mother was merely the adopted daughter of the Hudson


    Family. Even if she had outstanding abilities, would she be eligible to inherit the pharmacy back then?¡±


    ¡°She was indeed an adopted child, but she was treated like flesh and blood. Furthermore, Lionel and


    your mother were deeply in love with each other, and Old Mr. Hudson had already made ns for the


    two of them. The man of the house would be in charge of the business, while the woman would be in


    charge of the pharmaceutical aspect.¡±


    ¡°Lionel?¡± Just then, Rachel urately pinpointed the crucial point in Evan¡¯s words.


    Suddenly, Evan was quite stunned.


    After quite some time, he awkwardly corrected himself, ¡°Ah¡ªI must be old and senile. I¡¯ve gotten your


    father mixed up with your uncle. I meant Jefferey. It was Jefferey.¡±


    However, Rachel didn¡¯t believe his words. Grandma was right! Mom and Dad were the ones who were


    in love with each other, and Grandpa knew about it from the start. If only misfortune hadn¡¯t befallen the


    Hudson Family and resulted in Mom being forced to marry someone else, then she would not have


    been kicked out of the family by Grandpa! He kicked her out to protect her and the child she was


    carrying!


    Although Rachel had not experienced the tumultuous time back then, she could still feel the joy her


    grandfather must have felt back then. Under such circumstances and with his eldest son dead from an


    ident, the sudden knowledge that he had left behind an heir to continue the bloodline was definitely


    great news. However, no one would have expected that there would be another catch after that. Her


    mother had managed to dodge the forced marriage, but she didn¡¯t manage to avoid falling into the


    hands of her most trusted second brother. Jefferey was a b*stard and he would resort to anything at all


    to get his way.


    ¡°That will be all, then. If you encounter any issues, feel free to contact me. By the way, I¡¯ll assign you a


    secretary and I¡¯ll make sure that the person is trustworthy.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright, Mr. Holt. I would like to get familiarized with thepany first. I¡¯ll find someone suitable


    at ater stage.¡±


    Rachel clearly made her point clear as she rejected his suggestion. After all, she had no ns to


    pretend to agree and then do the opposite behind his back. Right now, she had no idea whether she


    could actually trust the person introduced by him, so it was wiser to avoid having too many people


    around her for the time being.


    Meanwhile, Evan seemed to have picked up her concerns, so he didn¡¯t pursue it any further. On the


    contrary, he revealed an approving look.


    ¡°If only Selena was still alive, she would be so happy to see you right now.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Holt, the elevator¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll head off, then.¡±


    Right before the elevator doors slid shut, Rachel seemed to have caught the slightest hint of tears in


    Evan¡¯s eyes. However, he purposely turned in the other direction to avoid her gaze.


    At that point, she had no time to ponder over the situation. Hudson Pharmaceuticals was in a mess


    right now and there was a continuous stream of resignation letters handed in every day. It was a tough


    job trying to provide assurance to the staff left behind.


    Rachel continued to deal with the paperwork for the whole afternoon and before she left work, she


    received a phone call on her office line.


    ¡°Hello? Who¡¯s on the line?¡±


    ¡°Rachel, you must be in the office right now, right?¡±


    ¡°Amber?¡± Rachel frowned. ¡°What are you after?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m downstairs right now. Come down and see me. I¡¯ve got something to say.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s regarding Charlotte.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard that.


    Meanwhile, Amber¡¯s sullen voice rang out on the other end of the line, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what


    I¡¯ve done to her while you were gone for the past five years?¡±


    Instantly, Rachel¡¯s expression changed and she also couldn¡¯t help herself from tightening her grip on


    the phone in her hands.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in the cafe across the road from thepany. It¡¯s just directly opposite and you can see it from


    your office window. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± With that, Amber hung up the phone immediately.


    Without any hesitation, Rachel sped downstairs.


    She had been away from Riverdale for the past few years, and Amber had stayed by Justin¡¯s side as


    his fianc¨¦e the whole time. Hence, Amber had plenty of opportunities to get close to Charlotte. Besides,


    there were so many others from the Burton Family who disliked Rachel. Arthur and Sue were among


    those too, so Amber definitely had a lot of opportunities toy her hands on Charlotte.


    As soon as Rachel reached the ground floor, she was in a rush to cross the road and get to the other


    side.


    It was still within working hours so there were not many passersby on the street. There was only


    Rachel, who took the zebra crossing on the wide road. As soon as she saw the lights turn green, she


    immediately hastened her footsteps and headed to the other end.


    At that moment, a red sports car suddenly diverted from its original route while waiting at the traffic


    light. It was now headed right in Rachel¡¯s direction.


    Amidst the loud noise from the engine, there were also hysterical screams from the surrounding


    people.


    All of a sudden, Rachel turned her head and saw the sports car headed right toward her. Her eyes met


    the eyes of the woman in the driver¡¯s seat through the windscreen, and Rachel could clearly see the


    evil, malicious look in the driver¡¯s eyes.


    It was none other than Amber.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 288

    My Mute Bride Chapter 288


    Chapter 288 This Was Her Last Chance


    As the elerator roared, those who had yet to make it across the road dodged to either side, leaving


    a woman with a stroller standing in the middle of the road. Without thinking about it, Rachel sprinted


    forward and reached out to shove the woman and the stroller aside before turning to nce in fear at


    the oing car.


    With a screech, the brakes echoed sharply through the air in between the buildings. Due to the friction


    with the road, the tires of the car were smoking and it left clear track marks on the ground. In the end,


    the car stopped in front of Rachel just in time.


    By now, the surrounding people were frozen in fear and after a short moment of silence, whispers


    swept through the crowd like a wave.


    Meanwhile, the woman who was shoved aside by Rachel had fallen on the ground, but thankfully, the


    stroller had been caught by someone who appeared to be the husband, and hadn¡¯t tipped over.


    After the husband helped his wife up and made sure that his wife and his child were both fine, he


    immediately ran up to Rachel. ¡°Are you okay, miss?¡±


    Though physically alright, Rachel was still in a state of shock over hertest near-death experience.


    After ensuring that she was all right, the father pointed in the direction of the car and shouted, ¡°What


    kind of a driver are you? Are you mad? Are you trying to kill someone?¡±


    Meanwhile, Amber was still stopped in the middle of the road, and her perfectly still figure that was


    holding onto the steering wheel resembled a statue.


    ¡°Did the car malfunction?¡±


    ¡°Malfunction? No, the car left the flow of traffic on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Is the driver seeking revenge on society?¡±


    In the middle of the whispers, Amber left the car.


    ¡°It¡¯s a woman.¡±


    At the sight of Amber, Rachel immediately calmed down. She clenched her fists and strode up to


    Amber under everyone¡¯s watchful gaze.


    p! She decked Amber across the face.


    Even the man who was yelling was shocked into silence.


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Rachel snarled. ¡°If you wanted to kill me, you should havee for me alone. There


    are so many pedestrians on the road. Did you want everyone to die along with you? What the f*ck is


    wrong with you? Tell me¡ªwhat the f*ck is wrong with you?¡±


    With her face turned to the side from being pped, Amber suddenly fell to her knees with a thump in


    front of Rachel, bemoaning, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sister.¡±


    Sister?


    The crowd paused. What on earth was going on?


    Was this a family fight?


    At the same time, Rachel was also confused by the reference.


    After all, Amber had looked down on her their entire lives. Rachel could count on one hand the number


    of times Amber had acknowledged their familial bond, not to mention that it was bad news whenever


    that happened.


    Sure enough, in the next second, Amber burst into tears. ¡°I know what happened in the past was my


    fault, but you¡¯re my only family left in Riverdale now that Dad is dead. How am I going to go through life


    alone if you don¡¯t care about me anymore?¡±


    The change in attitude was so abrupt that Rachel was caught off-guard.


    Never before had she seen Amber show weakness in front of her, let alone weep so tragically. If


    Rachel remembered correctly, Amber didn¡¯t cry like that even on the day of Jefferey¡¯s funeral.


    ¡°If you have anything to say, get up and say it properly.¡±


    ¡°No. If you won¡¯t forgive me, I¡¯ll stay here forever,¡± Amber choked out. ¡°I know that everything that


    happened was my fault, but even if we¡¯re tenuously rted, I¡¯m still your younger sister. Are you truly


    intending to leave me with no one to defend me from being humiliated and trampled upon all over


    Riverdale?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s humiliating you?¡±


    ¡°The Hudson Family has fallen. I have nothing now. Who from the past wouldn¡¯t want to trample all


    over me?¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Rachel asked impatiently. ¡°What are you up to, acting like this?¡±


    ¡°I need a job. I want to join Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ Research and Development Department.¡±


    ¡°Impossible,¡± Rachel refused concisely.


    The Research and Development Department was a core department. Even the ordinary person would


    have to go through levels of interviews and selection to be hired, let alone someone as nefarious as


    Amber.


    ¡°Please!¡± Letting go of decorum, Amber threw her arms around Rachel¡¯s leg and begged, ¡°Please, you


    have such argepany. Can¡¯t you give me a job? No matter what, Dad raised you for twenty years


    and we were siblings for so long. Do you want to see me die?¡±


    Since there were many passersby on the road, several people had already raised their cell phones to


    begin recording the fiasco.


    As the whispers fell on Rachel¡¯s ears, she realized that the scene had already be sensationalized.


    ¡°Which rich family is making aughingstock out of usmon folk by ying out their grudges in front


    of us like that?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s saying she¡¯s poor! That luxury car must cost several million at least.¡±


    ¡°What do you know? To spoiled young princesses like these, several million is no different from several


    hundred.¡±


    And it went on and on.


    The thing was, Rachel didn¡¯t want to cause a scene. After all, she had just taken over Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals and if the videos surfaced on the Inte, she would have to clear things up with the


    public once again. That would be too troublesome.


    ¡°Get up, Amber. Don¡¯t you find this disgraceful?¡±


    ¡°What do I have to fear now that I have nothing? I¡¯ll stand up once you promise me a job.¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m begging you, sister!¡± Amber shouted shrilly as she tightened her grip around Rachel¡¯s thigh. There


    was something dark in the former¡¯s eyes that were hidden beneath her fringe, but only Rachel could


    sense that.


    All of a sudden, she scoffed internally.


    To think she had underestimated Amber in the past and assumed her little sister was na?ve for being


    pampered. Now, it was turning out that Amber was much more flexible than Rachel anticipated and


    knew how to y up the drama to get what she wanted.


    ¡°Fine, I promise.¡± Rachel suddenly leaned down and, in front of everyone,id a hand on Amber¡¯s


    shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t simply promise you a job, but I¡¯ll take you on as the director of the Research and


    Development Department so that you can lead the development team.¡±


    Startled, Amber paused. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Of course. Weren¡¯t you the one who said it? We¡¯re sisters. We might not be wholly rted, but we¡¯re


    still rted in some way. Family and all that.¡±


    There was something deep in Rachel¡¯s eyes that gave Amber a sense of unease. Suddenly, thetter


    shivered.


    Nevertheless, this was herst chance. She had to seed or die trying.


    Very soon, the news of Amber joining Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ Research and Development


    Department spread around the organization.


    Even Evan called to ask about it. ¡°I know you and Amber have had your arguments, Rachel. I can


    understand your hiring her out of consideration for your sisterly rtionship, but the R&D Department is


    a core department. If you feel embarrassed to reject her, I can speak to her on your behalf.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. The Hudson Family has fallen. She has nowhere to go but here.¡±


    ¡°Have you thought about why she wants to enter R&D, though?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Holt.¡± Rachel dodged Evan¡¯s question casually.


    There was virtually no possibility that Amber caused such arge scene to enter the Research and


    Development Department simply because she loved the job. Rachel didn¡¯t need to be a rocket scientist


    to figure out that Amber was up to no good.


    However, she intended to beat Amber at her own game and see what the other woman was up to.


    At the Burton Residence, Justin nced at the old-fashioned wall clock above the firece. Although it


    was already 9 PM, Rachel had yet to return.


    At this moment, Samuel was curled up on the couch, gaming happily. There was so much junk food


    next to him that he had practically been swallowed up by the junk food.


    Since school was on break for these two days, he and Charlotte were home all day.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about the fact that your mother is back sote these few days?¡± Justin asked.


    Unimpressed, Samuel shot him a nce. ¡°If you miss her, you can call her or go to find her. What¡¯s the


    point in asking me this?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 289

    My Mute Bride Chapter 289


    Chapter 289 In All Probability It¡¯s the Truth


    ¡°Yes, Daddy. You can go and find Mommy,¡± Charlotte agreed. The responses from the children irritated


    Justin so much that he was almost rendered speechless. ¡°She¡¯s workingte because she¡¯s very busy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what it is!¡± Charlotte dug through the pile of junk food to find something she liked. As she


    looked, she added, ¡°She still has time no matter how busy she is. She just doesn¡¯t want to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°You think she doesn¡¯t want to talk to me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± ¡°Charlotte.¡± Justin then caught hold of


    the girl¡¯s arm. ¡°Stop eating. Come with me to pick up your mother from work.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She pulled away mercilessly, scampering up to Samuel with some crisps as she shot Justin a


    disdainful look. ¡°You¡¯re too stupid, Daddy. I don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡±


    Deep down, she thought, If I keep talking to Daddy, even Mommy will find me annoying. I don¡¯t want


    that to happen!


    Of course, Justin was incensed.


    Clearly, the little girl was spending too much time with Samuel if she was bing as indifferent as


    him to the development of her parents¡¯ rtionship.


    Helplessly, Justin stared down at his cell phone for a long time before finally calling Rachel.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Rachel asked at the other end of the line. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you finished work yet at this hour?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Well, I just took over thepany, so I¡¯ve had a lot to dotely. Are Charlotte and Samuel okay?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªthat¡¯s good. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No problem. You¡ª¡±


    ¡°I have an overseas conference call in a bit, so I¡¯ll have to hang up now. Get some rest.¡±


    Just like that, Justin swallowed the words he had been about to say.


    The call ended and his cell phone returned to its home screen.


    Nearby, Charlotte nudged Samuel¡¯s arm, and Samuel looked up from his game to take in Justin¡¯s lost


    expression before shrugging helplessly to show that he didn¡¯t know what to do either.


    After all, they had tried everything, but Justin was a fool who always dropped the ball at a crucial


    moment. It was no wonder Rachel was indifferent to him.


    Feeling somewhat bad for him, Charlotte said, ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, Aunt Gloria¡¯s tour is about to return to


    the country, Daddy.¡±


    At that, Justin hummed absent-mindedly.


    Exasperatedly, she reminded him, ¡°Mommy and Aunt Gloria have a very good rtionship.¡±


    Pausing, he looked up at his daughter. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Because Aunt Gloria always talks to me about Mommy,¡± Charlotte pointed out matter-of-factly. ¡°You


    rarely see Aunt Gloria, so you don¡¯t know.¡±


    Since Justin woke up from his car crash five years ago, Gloria had gone overseas to study music and


    only came back during the holidays. Although she rarely saw him, she would spoil Charlotte with


    presents and take Charlotte out for trips.


    Did she actually have a good rtionship with Rachel?


    Justin didn¡¯t have the slightest idea.


    Right as he was thinking about it, his cell phone rang. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°President Burton.¡± It was a call from his assistant, who only had to say a few words before Justin was


    heading toward the balcony with a grim look on his face.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t verified the news yet, but in all probability, it¡¯s the truth.¡±


    Through the ss door, Charlotte sprawled out on the couch and watched her father speak on the


    phone.


    After staring at him for a moment, she sighed helplessly.


    ¡°What are you sighing about?¡± Samuel asked next to her.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right, Samuel. My Daddy is stupid.¡±


    ¡°I told you so. You didn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want him to be so stupid. I want him to be with Mommy.¡±


    ¡°What else can we do now?¡±


    ¡°When Aunt Gloriaes back, she¡¯ll know what to do.¡±


    At the thought of Aunt Gloria, Charlotte suddenly developed a bit of confidence.


    ¡­


    Half a monthter, Hudson Pharmaceuticals was holding an opening ceremony in honor of the


    establishment of a foundation to help children who were unable to speak.


    All over the scene, there were news reporters and media outlets taking photographs and conducting


    interviews.


    ¡°Chris.¡± Jolly arrived fashionablyte.


    On behalf of Carter Enterprise, she had donated ten million to the foundation and was thus a special


    guest of the opening ceremony. In addition, she was using the establishment of the foundation as an


    excuse to promote the friendly cooperation between Carter Enterprise and Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    Pulling her over so that they could be photographed together, Rachel said in a low voice, ¡°I thought you


    weren¡¯ting. Why are you sote?¡±


    ¡°I ran into something on the road.¡±


    ¡°What was it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±


    Since Jolly was always a straightforward person, her evasiveness gave Rachel the sense that


    something was wrong. ¡°You¡¯re not keeping something from me, are you?¡±


    ¡°Look at the camera,¡± Jolly changed the subject, taking Rachel¡¯s hand and reminding her that they


    were being photographed.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Meanwhile, the ceremony hostesses went on the stage with the tray carrying the scissors for the


    ribbon-cutting ceremony.


    Upon spotting a familiar figure among the five ceremony hostesses, Jolly asked in astonishment, ¡°My


    eyes aren¡¯t deceiving me, are they?¡±


    The person she was looking at was Amber, who was dressed in a red gown and wearing a wee


    sash. Rachel frowned.


    On the other hand, Amber nodded at the duo in greeting.


    It wasn¡¯t until the ribbon-cutting ceremony ended that Rachel sent her employees to entertain the


    guests and news reporters while she and Jolly copsed in the hotel lounge.


    Eagerly, Jolly asked her, ¡°I heard you epted Amber into Hudson Pharmaceuticals, but I thought that


    was because you felt bad for her. What¡¯s going on now? Isn¡¯t she in R&D? Since when did she be


    a ceremony hostess?¡±


    ¡°Without anyone to lean on, she would be picked on so easily,¡± Rachel answered mildly. ¡°Ever since


    that hubaloo all the while back, everyone knows we don¡¯t get along. It¡¯s already kind enough for them


    to keep their distance from her and not bully her out in the open, but there are plenty of people who


    would step on her to climb the workdder.¡±


    As for who came up with the idea of sucking up to her by arranging for Amber to be a ceremony


    hostess, Rachel had no idea.


    ¡°By the way, are you free this Saturday?¡± She pulled two concert tickets out of her purse.


    ncing at them, Jolly said, ¡°A piano performance? Since when are you into this stuff? You know I


    have no interest in cultured stuff like this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Gloria¡¯s tour.¡±


    ¡°Gloria?¡± Jolly immediately sat up and snatched a ticket over. Sure enough, Gloria¡¯s name as the solo


    pianist was printed in an extremely eye-catching way on the flier. ¡°Why has she suddenly returned?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s touring the country and happened to be reaching Riverdale.¡± Rachel¡¯s expression gentled as


    she stared at the elegant side profile of the woman in the evening gown on the ticket. ¡°It didn¡¯t matter to


    her that I haven¡¯t seen her in years.¡±


    Feeling jealous, Jollymented, ¡°I heard from Julian that she has a fantastic rtionship with Justin,


    and is the daughter of the person who saved Justin¡¯s life. Justin basically raised her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and she¡¯s helped me a lot as well.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t realize what the jealousy meant and only said,


    ¡°But I won¡¯t waste your time if you aren¡¯t interested in the performance. I¡¯ll find someone else to go with


    me.¡±


    However, before she could take the ticket back, Jolly suddenly raised it above their heads to keep it out


    of her grip. ¡°Who says I¡¯m not going?¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡± Rachel questioned in surprise.


    ¡°Of course I am! I want to see how truly prodigious this Piano Prodigy is.¡± Jolly¡¯s eyes suddenly


    gleamed with fighting spirit.


    She wanted to see how great this woman whom Rachel wouldn¡¯t stop praising actually was!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 290

    My Mute Bride Chapter 290


    Chapter 290 I¡¯m Not Crying; My Eyes Itch


    Because of how excited she was that she would soon see Gloria again, Rachel didn¡¯t realize what Jolly


    was thinking. After all, Gloria ranked among the rare few who were nice to her all those years ago.


    Very soon, Saturday arrived. The performance was being held at the Jubilee Theater. ¡°What¡¯s she up


    to? Surely she must have returned beforehand if she was going to hold a performance here. Why


    hasn¡¯t she gotten in contact with you before?¡± Jollyined on the way there.


    ¡°Maybe she feels pressured,¡± Rachel answered. ¡°There are many things to get ready before a


    performance. Keeping calm is more important.¡±


    ¡°And you even got her flowers,¡± Jolly grumbled as she nced at Rachel¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯ve never received


    any flowers from you.¡±


    ¡°Have you lost your memory?¡± Rachel rolled her eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t I give you flowers when you graduated?¡±


    ¡°They weren¡¯t as pretty as this!¡± Jolly muttered with dissatisfaction. Upon finding her path down the row


    of seats blocked by two legs, she snapped, ¡°Excuse me, can¡¯t you see that someone wants to pass?


    Do you think you bought the whole row?¡±


    ¡°Godmother!¡±


    Taken aback to hear the familiar voice, Jolly looked up to see two small figures sitting two seats over.


    Charlotte and Samuel?


    Does that mean the person blocking my path is¡­


    As she nced out of the corner of her eye, she was met with a cold face.


    At this juncture, Justin pulled his legs back. Indeed, he hadn¡¯t meant to block her path. His legs were


    simply too long. However, because the space between the rows of seats was too narrow, he gave up


    and stood. Instantly, he towered over Jolly by a head.


    Unwilling to admit defeat, Jolly looked up at him. ¡°Are you haunting Rachel? Why are you here?¡±


    Using her own words on her, he replied, ¡°Do you think you bought the whole ce?¡±


    The moment Justin said that, Samuel put his hand to his forehead, feeling speechless.


    No matter who Justin offended, he wasn¡¯t to offend the best friend of the woman he was interested in.


    Best friends were only a smidgen below future mothers-inw. Didn¡¯t Justin know that? There was truly


    no helping him.


    Meanwhile, Jolly was about to get mad when Rachel urged from behind, ¡°There are people behind us,


    Jolly. Move forward.¡±


    Only then did Jolly reluctantly squeeze past Justin to find her own seat three ces away from him.


    When she found her seat, she sat down, only to turn and re fiercely at Justin.


    Meanwhile, Rachel sat in between Charlotte and Jolly. She was separated from Justin by the two


    children.


    Next to her, Jolly grumbled, ¡°I knew Gloria was up to no good. What would this be if I wasn¡¯t here? A


    family outing? Even if she wanted to matchmake, she didn¡¯t have to be so obvious about it, did she?¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel stayed silent.


    After all, Gloria didn¡¯t necessarily have such an intention. She had put in quite a bit of effort to help


    Rachel escape Riverdale all those years ago, which meant she didn¡¯t necessarily want to see Justin


    and Rachel together.


    Soon after that, the performance started and Jolly fell silent.


    There was one unique thing about Gloria¡¯s solo performance, which was that she had no host. Right


    before the curtains rose, she began ying, and the crowd gradually quietened as the piano music


    filled the theater. Once the curtains had risen, the performance was considered officially begun.


    At this moment, Gloria was dressed in a one-shoulder, floor-length evening gown of dark green fabric.


    From the side, her long, delicate neck happened to be exposed, and seated in front of the grand piano,


    she no longer looked like the boisterous young woman from all those years ago who could stillugh


    even when her leg was broken.


    After five years, she had grown up.


    At this moment, Justin turned his head to look at Rachel. When he saw her fixated on the stage, he


    could not help it when his gaze turnedplicated.


    To the best of his ability, he tried to recall the past interaction between Gloria and Rachel. From his own


    spection, he would have guessed that they had the rtionship of sisters-inw, because Rachel


    married him and Gloria could be considered his sister, but such spection had been confirmed false


    by Frankie.


    ¡°Miss Hochmann and President Hudson have a good rtionship, but it is not because of you,¡± Frankie


    said. ¡°In private, they¡¯ve always had a good rtionship. When President Burton¡¯s grandmother was


    still around, Miss Hochmann would even visit her.¡±


    ¡°Did she go with me?¡±


    ¡°You only met President Hudson¡¯s grandmother once.¡±


    Seemingly finding it awkward, Frankie didn¡¯t borate much until he was pressed. Only then did he


    reluctantly admit that Gloria had a good rtionship not just with people like Janice, but even people


    like the schoolteacher, Victor.


    Yet, Gloria never once brought Rachel up to him during the past five years.


    By now, Justin was confused. Perhaps Julian never brought Rachel up to him because they were both


    interested in Rachel, but what reason could Gloria have?


    At this moment, the piece ended and apuse thundered.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Picking up the microphone in front of her, Gloria said, ¡°Thest piece is dedicated to someone in the


    audience who came to see me perform today. I hope she likes it, and I hope everyone else does, too.¡±


    During the performance, Gloria rarely spoke, and this was one of the rare times when she did.


    Offstage, the reporters went crazy with their photography.


    Once the piano piece began, Rachel teared up.


    Although she wasn¡¯t very well-learned at music, some things were universal. There were some


    melodies that, when paired with the right instrument, could touch the soul and leave the listener unable


    to resist.


    Just like that, Gloria¡¯s piece transported Rachel back to the summer five years ago. Despite the


    difficulties thetter had endured, the rare moments of sunlight that had made their way through were


    even more worth cherishing now.


    ¡°Mommy, are you crying?¡± Charlotte asked timidly as she clutched her seat.


    ¡°No. My eyes itch, that¡¯s all.¡± Rachel evaded Charlotte¡¯s calcting stare and turned toward Jolly


    instead.


    Handing her a tissue paper, Jolly sneered internally, How capable this Gloria is!


    Once the performance ended, Rachel went backstage with the flowers.


    At this moment, Gloria was epting an interview.


    ¡°We heard you lived in Riverdale for a period of time, Miss Hochmann. Did you suggest to the


    organizers toe back here for the tour?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I wanted to see what it looked like now.¡±


    ¡°Everyone was moved by the new piece you yed during the performance. Does it have any


    meaning?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a gift for someone very close to me. I hope she has a new life now.¡±


    And it went on and on.


    Just then, Gloria nced at a spot over the reporter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°My apologies.¡±


    Immediately, her agent interposed between her and the reporter. ¡°Alright, today¡¯s interview has ended.


    If you have any other questions, we can set up ater date.¡±


    Lifting the hem of her dress, Gloria strode toward the exit. Through the length of the corridor, she could


    see Rachel walking toward her with a particrly bright and eye-catching bouquet.


    ¡°Miss Rachel.¡±


    Handing her the flowers, Rachel said, ¡°This is for you. Your performance was outstanding.¡±


    Taking measure of Rachel, Gloria continued, ¡°How are you now?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? I¡¯m great.¡±


    ¡°Miss Rachel¡­¡± Suddenly, Gloria couldn¡¯t resist throwing her arms around Rachel and telling her in a


    choked voice, ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to contact you all these years, but I¡¯ve never quite dared to.¡±


    Apart from Justin, Rachel was the best friend she had in this world.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Rachel patted her back. ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, Miss Rachel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you as well.¡±


    Instantly, Gloria¡¯s eyes filled with tears.


    Nearby, a woman said mockingly from behind them both, ¡°I say, aren¡¯t you a pianist? Maybe they


    should just give you the Oscar for Best Actress.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 291

    My Mute Bride Chapter 291


    Chapter 291 The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend


    Startled, Gloria froze. Supporting her weight, Rachel turned back to ask Jolly in exasperation, ¡°Can¡¯t


    you say something good for once in your life?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s my first time meeting a piano prodigy! I never knew prodigies were like that¡ªso full of


    emotion that they would weep the moment they met someone.¡± Obviously irritated, Jolly had her arms


    crossed and was rolling her eyes at Gloria as she spoke.


    Frowning, Gloria asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Jolly Carter, the heir of Carter Enterprise,¡± Rachel exined.


    ¡°And Rachel¡¯s best friend!¡± Jolly immediately added, emphasizing ¡®best¡¯ as she stood with hostility


    behind Rachel.


    At that, Gloria¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Best?¡±


    Jolly took measure of her, and her expression seemed to say, ¡°What? Do you have a problem with


    that?¡±


    To her surprise, Gloria didn¡¯t reply to her but instead caught hold of Rachel¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner in


    the evening, Miss Rachel. I haven¡¯t had the local cuisine in a while.¡±


    ¡°Local food? I want some as well!¡± A young voice said behind the trio as Charlotte rushed up to them.


    ¡°Mommy, Aunt Gloria, I want to go with you!¡±


    Before Jolly could interject, Rachel was already agreeing amiably as she ruffled Charlotte¡¯s hair.


    Infuriated, Jolly caught hold of Samuel, whom she saw strolling in. ¡°Samuel and I want to go as well,


    Chris. He loves the local cuisine.¡±


    Mystified, Samuel said, ¡°Huh? But I want to have pizza today.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Jolly red at him.


    Grimacing, Samuel corrected, ¡°I mean¡­ I want to have dumplings.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then,¡± Justin¡¯s voice echoed over from behind Samuel.


    Annoyed to see him, Jolly snapped, ¡°What does it have to do with you? Did we say we were bringing


    you along?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m merely weing Gloria,¡± he pointed out self-righteously.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Of course, Jolly was enraged to have everyone gang up on her like that.


    Suddenly, Gloria shot Justin a look and spoke mildly. ¡°There¡¯s no need. Miss Rachel can take me out


    today; the both of us can meet up some other time.¡±


    And just like that, Justin froze, as did Jolly.


    What on earth was going on?


    ¡°Ria?¡± Justin asked with a frown.


    ¡°Go home, Justin.¡± Gloria left no room for refusal. ¡°There are only women and children here. Why are


    youing along?¡±


    Instantly, Justin was disgraced.


    Although Jolly greatly disliked Gloria, she was still entertained and gratified to hear thetter speak like


    that.


    After all, Jolly hadn¡¯t seen anyone close to Justin speak to him like that in all her time back in Riverdale.


    Clearly, Gloria was another matter.


    As if on purpose, Rachel kept silent and after a long stalemate, Justin finally left with a thunderous


    expression.


    Once they had chased him away, they went to the Eastern Eating House.


    Before she took the two children to the restroom, Rachel said, ¡°You can start ordering first.¡±


    After a long, awkward silence, Jolly announced haughtily, ¡°Allow me to reintroduce myself. I¡¯m Jolly


    Carter. Since none of us like Justin and the enemy of my enemy is my friend, we shall be friends from


    now on. With this drink as a substitute for alcohol, I offer you a toast.¡±


    However, Gloria simply raised a hand. ¡°Two bottles of beer, waiter.¡±


    Startled, Jolly paused. ¡°I never knew pianists liked to drink.¡±


    Right in front of Jolly, Gloria uncapped the beer bottle using her teeth. ¡°Pianists even drink directly from


    the bottle when making friends.¡±


    All of a sudden, Jolly was thrilled.


    This was fated!


    By the time Rachel returned with the children a short whileter, the other two women had already


    finished a round of beer and were the best of friends.


    ¡°Goodness, who ordered the beer?¡± Rachel asked in disbelief. ¡°I was only gone a short while. Have you


    both been drugged? Why have you drunk so much?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as drinking too much when you¡¯re with a good friend,¡± Jolly told her.


    Nodding in agreement, Gloria agreed, ¡°New acquaintances are no different from old friends.¡±


    And just like that, Rachel was rendered speechless.


    How could she have forgotten that Gloria was a madwoman? Who could believe that the elegantly


    dressed pianist was the same person as the tomboy drinking directly from the bottle?


    Meanwhile, with a straw in between his teeth, Samuel exchanged looks with Charlotte. ¡°Are you sure


    about your reinforcements?¡±


    By now, Gloria was practically sworn sisters with his godmother. How could Gloria possibly help Justin?


    Nevertheless, Charlotte nodded surely.


    Her Aunt Gloria was always reliable.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t drink so much.¡± Rachel poured the two adults a ss of fruit juice each. ¡°Don¡¯t go mad.


    Gloria still has a performance tomorrow.¡±


    Waving a hand, Gloria disagreed, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I rarely get to drink, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I heard Charlotte say you rarely return to Riverdale,¡± Rachel started.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. Why would youe back for this scum?¡± Jolly pouted disdainfully. ¡°You have the


    right idea on life, girl! I apud you!¡±


    Exasperatedly, Rachel interjected, ¡°Ignore her. She has a bad alcohol tolerance¡ªit only takes two


    sses for her to be like that.¡±


    Gloria chuckled. ¡°She has a good personality.¡±


    Although Gloria¡¯s tolerance was clearly much better than Jolly¡¯s, Rachel felt a sense of unease


    whenever Gloria spoke calmly. Who knew what she had experienced all these years?


    ¡°What happened between you and Justin?¡± Rachel questioned. ¡°You no longer seem as close as you


    were before.¡±


    Denying the assumption, Gloria said, ¡°I merely don¡¯t like him making decisions on others¡¯ behalf. After


    you left five years ago, I argued with him, but that was before his car ident and he¡¯s forgotten all of it


    now.¡±


    The p Justin gave Gloria after she sneaked Rachel away all those years ago because she hadn¡¯t


    wanted to see them torture each other had ruined the mutual affection she held for him.


    Even though heter lost his memory due to the car ident, Gloria was no longer willing to bring


    Rachel up around him and simply left the country to study, onlying back to see Charlotte.


    ¡°Why did he argue with you?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t simply argue¡ªhe hit me.¡± Gloria felt her right cheek as if she could still remember the pain


    at this moment.


    Shocked and in disbelief, Rachel stared at her.


    If Justin had any soft spot five years ago, it would have been Gloria. After all, he protected Gloria like a


    little sister or even a daughter.


    ¡°Was it because you let me go?¡±


    ¡°That was part of it, yes. The other part was that he was under the impression that I knew where you


    went and refused to tell him. He was like a hedgehog at the time, hurting whomever he got his hands


    on. No one could talk him down, and that was how he got into a car ident on the way to the airport.¡±


    Resting her alcohol-flushed face against her hand, Gloria recounted the events from all those years


    ago. ¡°At the time, you had just left, so he went through every single person and matter rted to you. I


    think it was on the third day that he got confirmation you left with Julian, so he drove to the airport


    alone. After that, he got into the car crash and was in the hospital for more than half a year.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s gaze grew troubled when she heard that.


    All she had known was that Justin lost his memory from a car ident five years ago. She never knew


    what actually happened.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 292

    My Mute Bride Chapter 292


    Chapter 292 Smart Aunt Gloria


    As she spoke, Gloria studied Rachel¡¯s expression. ¡°At that time, doctors said it was highly likely that he


    would fall into a vegetative state where he would never wake up.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you took care of Charlotte before he regained consciousness?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°Huh?¡±


    Gloria paused for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°In that case, thank you so much.¡± Rachel took her hand. ¡°It¡¯s arduous to take care of a newborn and if


    it weren¡¯t for you, Charlotte might not have been able to survive.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be this courteous with me, Rachel. Charlotte is my niece, so how could I have


    neglected her?¡±


    ¡°I still wish to thank you, so this ss is for you.¡± Without saying anything else, Rachel snagged Jolly¡¯s


    ss and gulped it at one go.


    Now that Jolly was startled awake, she mumbled blearily, ¡°Drink! Drink!¡±


    However, as she was unable to stop Rachel in time, Gloria could only watch on and frowned as Rachel


    finished drinking from the ss. Weren¡¯t we talking about Charlotte? How did the topic change?


    ¡°You were doing fine abroad, Rachel. Why did you suddenlye back?¡±


    ¡°You must have heard about what happened to the Hudson Family.¡±


    ¡°A little bit.¡±


    ¡°One of the reasons is that we¡¯ve finally sought revenge for Hans. Another cause is that I¡¯m worried


    about leaving Charlotte here alone.¡±


    Rachel had never once brought up Justin throughout her speech.


    ¡°Well, Justin has taken care of her quite well all these years,¡± Gloria pointed out. ¡°Although I don¡¯t talk


    to him a lot, his personality has changed a bit since he lost his memory. You must have noticed it as


    well.¡±


    As she declined to answer, Rachel instead poured Jolly a ss of water, exhorting her to have a drink


    of it before sleeping.


    After a moment of hesitation, Gloria decided that Rachel still had a cold attitude toward Justin and


    swallowed the words that she wanted to say.


    It was fine since they still had time.


    Meanwhile, in the restaurant¡¯s children¡¯s y area, Charlotte went down the slide and into the ball pit.


    She was clearly thrilled to see Gloria return.


    At this point, Samuel looked up from his tablet game to nce at her. ¡°Are you sure Aunt Gloria¡¯s return


    will do any good? She doesn¡¯t seem very close to Justin either.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know it, but she has her own reasons for doing so.¡±


    ¡°What are those reasons?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± a confident Charlotte announced.


    ¡°How are you so sure, then?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s Aunt Gloria. My smartest Aunt Gloria. She was the one who told me how to deal with


    Amber so that Amber wouldn¡¯t marry Daddy.¡±


    Any mention of Gloria was apanied by a starry-eyed look of worship from Charlotte.


    Samuel thoughtfully paused. Did that mean Gloria was intentionally pretending to act cold toward


    Justin?


    Gloria and Rachel dined together that evening until it was veryte.


    By the time Rachel returned home with the two children, the streemps in the neighborhood were


    already lit.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she soberly thanked the cab driver before leading one child in each hand to head home.


    The moment she opened the door, a figure blocked the entrance. ¡°Why are you back sote?¡± it asked


    in a low voice.


    A confused Rachel looked up through the haze of alcohol at the cold, imposing figure shrouded in


    shadow. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The strong smell of alcohol made Justin frown. ¡°How much have you had?¡±


    It was obvious that she drank quite a bit. What she had used to send the cab driver away was merely


    thest bit of her sanity and sobriety, and now that she was home, the alcohol was rushing to her head


    and making her somewhat uncontroble.


    After tilting her face to stare at Justin for a while, Rachel suddenly reached out to pinch his cheeks. ¡°I


    asked a question. Who. Are. You?¡±


    Despite him wanting to push her hand away, she helplessly clung to him like sticky candy.


    Perhaps because it was all tooical, but the sound of children muffling theirughter with their


    hands echoed next to him.


    Justin immediately caught hold of Rachel¡¯s wrists and instructed with a stern face, ¡°Charlotte, Samuel,


    wash up and head to bed first.¡±


    ¡°Take good care of Mommy then!¡± Charlotte chirped.


    Although Samuel looked like he wanted to say something, she had dragged him along with her.


    An annoyed Justin chastised, ¡°You were out with the kids. How could you drink so much?¡±


    ¡°Are you lecturing me?¡± Rachel braced her hands against his shoulders and repeated impatiently,


    ¡°You¡¯re lecturing me!¡±


    So, he could only change tactics. ¡°Call me next time. I¡¯ll go and pick you up.¡±


    As she waved him away, she stumbled toward her room. ¡°There¡¯s no need. We took a cab!¡±


    ¡°Slow down!¡± Afraid that Rachel would fall, Justin attempted to catch her.


    However, he had only just caught her when she shoved him aside and rushed into the bathroom with a


    hand over her mouth.


    ¡°argh¡ª¡± Unable to stop her stomach from churning, she hugged the toilet bowl and began to puke


    like there was no tomorrow.


    Upon sprinting after her and being greeted by the ghastly sight, Justin immediately turned and went to


    grab a ss of warm water for her instead. Kneeling next to her, he told her, ¡°Come, take a sip. Rinse


    your mouth and spit it out.¡±


    Surprisingly, Rachel did as she was told to. She was so obedient and well-behaved that he practically


    felt bad for her.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re drunk, but do you remember whether the other two arrived home safely?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she muttered with her eyes shut. ¡°Gloria said she would stay at a hotel instead ofing back.


    Why did you hit her?¡±


    ¡°Who did I hit?¡±


    ¡°Are you still not admitting it?¡± Rachel suddenly threw an arm around his neck with so much force that


    she haplessly dragged him down to the floor with her. ¡°What did my departure have to do with her? You


    shouldn¡¯t have hit her!¡±


    Thinking that she was speaking in her drunken state, Justin responded, ¡°No, I shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°You must apologize to Gloria now.¡±


    ¡°Now?! Can I do that tomorrow instead?¡±


    ¡°Now.¡±


    Since Rachel refused to budge and Justin couldn¡¯t convince her, he agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll apologize to


    her now, but let me send you back to your room first.¡± With that, he carried her to her bedroom.


    As he stared at her flushed face after tucking her under the covers, he suddenly felt drawn to her.


    Yet, right as he was about to lean in, Rachel suddenly turned over and rolled on the bed for a second


    before wrapping herself up like a cocoon with her back facing him. Then, she fell asleep.


    When he saw that, Justin gave up.


    However, before he exited, he adjusted the temperature of the air conditioner and made sure that all of


    the curtains were drawn, thereafter leaving the room and closing the door after him.


    As he did so, he heard the sound of a vibrating cell phone in the bathroom.


    Following the sound, Justin discovered that Rachel had left her phone next to the toilet bowl at some


    point. It was still vibrating with an unmarked number shing on the screen.


    As he bent down to pick up the phone, he frowned once he could properly read the number.


    He always had a good memory and knew the number belonged to his uncle, Jason.


    Why was Jason calling Rachel at this hour?


    As Justin thought about it, the ringing automatically ended before a notification popped up not long


    after that. It was a short message: ¡®I¡¯ve contacted them. Everything is ready. Waiting for your goods.¡¯


    And just like that, his hand tightened. Is Rachel working with my uncle?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 293

    My Mute Bride Chapter 293


    Chapter 293 A Coboration With Someone Using Unconventional Methods


    Rachel had a terrible headache when she woke up the next morning. After her morning routine, she


    went downstairs and saw Justin having breakfast in the dining room.


    ¡°Are Charlotte and Samuel awake yet?¡± Justin hummed in response as he pushed the phone on the


    table toward her. ¡°You left your phone in the living roomst night.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I was looking for it.¡± As she was checking her notifications, she pulled the chair back to take a


    seat. She seemed to have seen something that caused her brows to frown. After sipping her coffee,


    she rose to her feet and added, ¡°I have something to attend to. I shall head off first.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± he questioned, his cold voice echoing in the spacious room.


    ¡°To the office.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to see Jason, are you?¡±


    Rachel turned to face him. ¡°Did you check my phone?¡±


    ¡°I saw it by ident. Why are you in touch with Jason? What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°This only involves me and Hudson Pharmaceuticals. I don¡¯t think that I need to report to you about


    this?¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡± Justin rose to his full height with a stern look. ¡°I believe that you know what Jason is up to


    without me having to remind you. Are you going to lead Hudson Pharmaceuticals into taking the


    crooked path once again?¡±


    ¡°The crooked path?¡± She furrowed her brows. ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, Jason¡¯s men have been the


    one to ensure that many matters of the Burton Group smoothly proceed. Since the Burton Group can


    use them, why can¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡±


    ¡°How so? You walk in integrity if you use it, but I¡¯m taking the crooked path if I do the same?¡± Rachel¡¯s


    rebuttal had rendered him speechless.


    Not wanting to make things tense between them, she half-heartedly exined, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals is currently in a difficult position, so we need to use some unconventional method to


    ease the situation. I won¡¯t go beyond the principles.¡±


    ¡°Rae, let me help you.¡±


    ¡°No need. I prefer to depend on myself.¡± With that, Rachel turned on her heels and left.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Judging from Justin¡¯s attitude, he seemed to have known what Jason did in secret. Otherwise, he


    wouldn¡¯t have given such a huge reaction.


    Without wasting any more time for further consideration, she gave Jason a call once she had left the


    house. ¡°Mr. Burton, I¡¯m sorry for not answering your callst night, but I saw your message. The goods


    are ready. From your message, you seemed to agree to coborate with me?¡±


    ¡°Of course. To show my sincerity, let¡¯s have a meal together where I¡¯ll introduce you to a few friends.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you the exact time and locationter.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Remember to bring the drug form along with you. ¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Rachel hung up the call and tightly clenched on the steering wheel.


    ording to the address given in the evening, she drove all the way to a small private restaurant in


    Riverdale.


    The building that featured an architectural style from the 20th century seemed rather historical while the


    surrounding shady trees formed shadows that danced under the street lights.


    Rachel remembered that Janice had once said that this sort of ce, where there were many


    obstructions, would make catching criminals extremely difficult. If they weren¡¯t careful enough, the


    suspect could easily climb the trees or over the walls to escape.


    While Rachel followed the waiter who led her to the table, she intentionally and casually posed a


    question. ¡°Does Mr. Burtone here often?¡±


    The waiter, who seemed to know the unspoken rules well, shed a smile at her. ¡°I¡¯m new, so I¡¯m not


    very sure.¡±


    Judging from the way he was able to handle the question with such ease, he didn¡¯t seem like a new


    staff member, but his reaction had given Rachel a rough idea of the situation.


    ¡°Mr. Burton, Miss Hudson is here.¡± The waiter knocked on the door and mentioned, to which Jason¡¯s


    voice came from the private room. ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door of the ancient building swung open and the door hinge creaked from the friction. Rachel


    stepped over the threshold on her high-heels onto the carpeted floor. Jason and his assistant were


    seen in the private room, as well as two bodyguards, one standing at the window the other at the door.


    Jason nodded at her and made pleasantries. ¡°I reckon it wasn¡¯t easy for you to locate the ce. Thank


    you for your patience.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, although it was a bit difficult. Mr. Burton, how did you know about this ce?¡±


    ¡°A friend had rmended this ce to me.¡±


    She thoughtfully surveyed the surroundings. ¡°Is this person the friend who ising? Has he arrived?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? We¡¯ve just finalized our coboration and haven¡¯t even establishedplete trust


    between us. Ms. Hudson, perhaps you should show your sincerity?¡±


    Jason¡¯s gazended on Rachel¡¯s side where her purse was since that was the only thing which she


    carried with her.


    Before Rachel had managed to react, a swift bodyguard snatched her purse and emptied its contents


    onto the table in front of Jason.


    Thud! All her belongings¡ªcosmetics, car keys and a phone¡ªfell on the table, andstly, her empty


    bag.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the drug form?¡±


    Rachel seemed unfazed by the situation, as though she had expected this. Calmly, she replied, ¡°Mr.


    Burton, what¡¯s all this? Are you nning to scam me?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Hudson, you are surely a bright person. You didn¡¯t bring anything with you.¡±


    ¡°Of course I brought it. I¡¯ve said that I¡¯ll show you my sincerity and I will never eat my words.¡± She


    touched her temple and added, ¡°The drug form is in my head. If you use this sort of rough method,


    I¡¯m afraid that things may not go ording to your wish.¡±


    Jason¡¯s expression fell.


    Without beating around the bush, she straightened her posture and continued, ¡°Mr. Burton, I know that


    you have been dissatisfied with me because of the incident that involved President Gunson. However,


    if you continue to push my bottomline like this, I¡¯m afraid that our coboration may be dyed until


    God knows when and nobody will benefit from it.¡±


    After saying that, she took out a list. ¡°This is thetest batch of medicines made by the factories of


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals and you only need to give me 10 percent of the price stated here. You are


    free to decide who you want to sell them to and at what price.¡±


    Jason¡¯s eyes brightened, especially when he saw the quantity of the medicine on the list. ¡°So much?¡±


    Rachel sipped her tea and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it difficult for you?¡±


    ¡°Let me think for a moment.¡± Arthur had long been dissatisfied with Jason and as a middleman, Jason


    had no proper business in his hands as his ie came from his connections. Although he seemed


    sessful on the surface, in fact, he didn¡¯t earn much. Hence, it was apparent that this batch of goods


    was rather tempting to him.


    It was the reason why Rachel was certain that he would ept her condition.


    Sure enough, after some consideration, he took the list. ¡°ording to the rules, I¡¯ll transfer 30% of the


    amount as deposit to your ount while the rest will be transferred once the transaction ispleted


    and the goods have been safely received.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    She nced at her watch. ¡°Alright, may I take my leave now? From the looks of it, there won¡¯t be any


    friendsing over today, right?¡±


    Jason stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t me me for being distrustful. It doesn¡¯t hurt to be extra careful when I¡¯m in this


    line.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, Ms. Hudson, I heard that you are quite close with Officer Hawkins from the


    Riverdale Investigation Bureau.¡±


    Rachel remained impassive. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you need her to pull some strings? She¡¯s an


    impartial person, so I¡¯m afraid that it won¡¯t work.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 294

    My Mute Bride Chapter 294


    Chapter 294 Dishonest


    Jason¡¯s expression greatly eased. ¡°Is that so? Forget about it, then.¡± Rachel nodded before she took


    her bag and left the scene. After she left, he walked to the window and drew the curtain. He watched as


    she exited the old building and headed toward the car park before he closed the curtain.


    ¡°Master Jason, can this woman be trusted?¡± ¡°Nobody is really trustworthy. We can work together as


    long as there are benefits.¡±


    Jason nced at the list. ¡°The Hudson Pharmaceuticals is facing a dire situation, so they must be


    having arge backlog of their inventory. If she intends to revive the Hudson Pharmaceuticals, she


    needs a huge working capital to fill that bottomless pit. As for her rtionship with Janice, we will have


    someone keep an eye on that.¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel drove her car onto the main road that headed toward the city before pressing on


    her right ear stud, which was an exquisitely designedmunication device.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Janice¡¯s voice was heard from the other end. ¡°It seems like Jason is still wary of you.¡±


    ¡°He will take the risk when there¡¯s benefit involved.¡±


    ¡°He is rather concerned about our rtionship, so this is something I¡¯m afraid that we have to mull


    over.¡±


    ¡°I already have an idea.¡± Rachel held the steering wheel with a calm gaze. ¡°Bucky is going to be


    released from prison soon, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    On the other end of the call, Janice¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. ¡°What are you going to


    do?¡±


    ¡°I have to question him about my grandma¡¯s matter.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash.¡±


    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    Looking at the traffic light in front, she touched her ear. ¡°I¡¯m almost home. I¡¯m hanging up.¡±


    She ended the call, after which the car returned to silence.


    As soon as she arrived home, Charlotte pounced onto her. ¡°Mommy, Aunt Gloria said that she will bring


    us to the water theme park tomorrow!¡±


    Rachel caressed her head. ¡°Aunt Gloria told you that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is not working tomorrow, so she said that she will bring Samuel and me there! Mommy, you


    shoulde with us too!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Rachel carried her up and took her into the room. ¡°Aunt Gloria won¡¯t be able to look after the


    two of you by herself.¡± As Justin was nowhere to be seen, she asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your daddy?¡±


    Charlotte shook her head. ¡°He hasn¡¯t returned.¡±


    Rachel nodded.


    She thought that it was for the best if they didn¡¯t meet each other. As ofte, she and Justin were


    arguing with each other, which led to a rather awkward and ufortable interaction.


    The next day at noon, she brought the two children to the Water World.


    As it was currently near the end of summer, the sun was not as scorchy as before; the weather felt


    cozy, in fact.


    They encountered a problem when they were about to enter the changing room.


    ¡°Boys below six can only enter with thepany of a male adult.¡± The strict employee at the door


    stopped Samuel from entering the changing room.


    Rachel exined, ¡°My kid can change his clothes by himself, so you only need to give him an entry


    pass.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t bear the responsibility if there¡¯s any kidnapping involved.¡±


    His exnation rendered her speechless.


    When they were in a stalemate, a male voice came from behind. ¡°I¡¯ll take him in.¡±


    Rachel was stunned at first. Then, she looked back and saw a familiar figure. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Justin was dressed in white casual top and shorts. Under the sunlight, his intimidating presence


    seemed to have be much gentler. ¡°Is this the wrong time for me to show up?¡± He raised an


    eyebrow as he carried Samuel up and entered the changing room.


    Rachel cast a nce at Charlotte beside her, who scratched her head and giggled in response. ¡°I also


    thought that it would be tough for you to look after the two of us. Having a man with us will ease your


    burden!¡±


    Rachel flicked her nose and helplessly uttered, ¡°You little mischief!¡±


    After they changed their attire, they found Gloria by the beach.


    Before they managed to say anything, a strong wave pounded on the shore and sshed water in all


    directions. At that moment, a white figure emerged from the water and caused those around them to


    scream.


    ¡°Hernandez?¡± Rachel, who had water sshed all over her, broke into a smile when she recognized


    the person who emerged from the water. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Surprise!¡± With a broad grin that revealed his teeth, Hernandez sprang out of the water and gave


    Rachel a bear hug.


    ¡°Let go of my mommy!¡± Charlotte pounced out from behind and aimed her water gun at Hernandez.


    ¡°Curly Weirdo! Let¡¯s defeat the Curly Weirdo!¡±


    Hernandez had no choice but to release Rachel and ran in rounds with Charlotte chasing after him


    from behind.


    ¡°What are you two doing? Stop messing around. You are giving me a headache.¡± Rachel was caught


    up in the center of the ¡®fight¡¯. The water from the water gun thatnded on her by mistake as well as the


    two figures, onerge and the other small, running in circles around her made her dizzy, although it had


    amused her at the same time.


    Justin, who was standing at one side, wore a dark expression. He stopped Hernandez and questioned,


    ¡°How did you know that we are here?¡±


    Hernandez avoided Charlotte¡¯s water shots with a smug look on his face. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I know?¡±


    Justin attempted to seek for Samuel, but the kid had long jumped into the water and disappeared from


    their sights. Without giving it any thought, he knew that it was Samuel who betrayed him again.


    ¡°I didn¡¯te alone, though,¡± Hernandez borated before he whistled.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Justin looked behind the man. Jolly, who looked as though she was on a vacation to Hawaii with a wide


    brimmed hat and red polkadot swimwear, elegantly walked in their direction. Julian and Victor were


    beside her with beaming faces.


    Great, everyone¡¯s here.


    Victor was the happiest one as he jogged toward them while waving at Rachel. ¡°Rachel!¡±


    Rachel was surprised. ¡°Why are you guys here?¡±


    Jolly adjusted her hat and replied with a smirk, ¡°We are free. What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t want to see us?¡±


    As she spoke, she darted a look at Gloria. ¡°Someone here wasn¡¯t being honest. That¡¯s an underhanded


    action that you have pulled off. I thought that I met a true friend, but it turns out that I had nearly invited


    a wolf into the house.¡±


    A guilty Gloria simpered awkwardly.


    She had to admit that today¡¯s outing was actually a n to set Rachel and Justin up, but never


    expected that there was a traitor among them who had invited everyone here.


    Victor coldly snorted, ¡°It¡¯s never easy to change one¡¯s true nature. Our so-called Piano Prodigy has


    always been like this.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Gloria, who had been suppressing her temper, was pissed. ¡°Who are you exactly?¡±


    He rolled his eyes at her and mocked, ¡°Oh, my, our Piano Prodigy doesn¡¯t recognize an insignificant


    peasant like me now.¡±


    With her brows tightly knitted, she appraised him from head to toe but still couldn¡¯t recognize him.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t bear to watch on and chimed in, ¡°Ria, he¡¯s Victor.¡±


    ¡°Victor?¡± Gloria was so stunned by the answer that she stared at Victor for a while. ¡°Silly kid, did you


    have stic surgery?¡±


    ¡°What stic surgery?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s your blond hair?¡± she asked, reaching out with her hand to tug his hair. ¡°Is this a wig?¡±


    ¡°Hey, we can talk, but don¡¯t touch me!¡± Victor shrank backward to avoid her hand.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 295

    My Mute Bride Chapter 295


    Chapter 295 You Are Not Only Charlotte¡¯s Mother


    ¡°You really are Victor!¡± Gloria suddenly became so excited that she went after him to touch his hair.


    ¡°Hey, why are you behaving differently now from when you were on stage?¡±


    ¡°Victor, stand right there! Let me see your hair!¡± ¡°What? This is my real hair. Don¡¯t pull it!¡± Then, he


    continued to roar, Gloria! Gloria Hochmann! I¡¯ll be mad if you continue to pull my hair!¡±


    The two of them had run far off. Jolly removed her sunsses and asked Rachel a question while the


    corner of her lips twitched. ¡°Are we going to just let them be? Are we going to turn a blind eye when our


    Piano Prodigy pulls on a teacher¡¯s hair like a crazy woman?¡±


    Rachel smiled and nodded. ¡°They have always acted like this.¡±


    Hernandez snatched Charlotte¡¯s water gun from behind and spritzed water at them with Charlotte hot


    on his tail. ¡°Are you guys just going to stand around? Let¡¯s y!¡±


    Jolly, who was wet because of him, screamed at him, ¡°Hernandez, are you out of your mind? Can¡¯t you


    aim properly and shoot in that direction?¡±


    ¡°Not a problem. Everyone will have a fair share of it!¡±


    The next second, he squirted water at Justin¡¯s face. Justin¡¯s expression had already been gloomy


    earlier, but it now seemed thunderous when he had water dripping from his hair.


    ¡°Come on!¡± Hernandez hopped around like a grasshopper, provoking Justin with his words. ¡°Why are


    you still standing there? Come after me!¡±


    An irritated Justin wiped the water off his face and furiously charged at Hernandez, who immediately


    ran off without forgetting to spritz water at Justin again. Hernandez fled because he knew that he was


    no match for Justin after being in an unfavorable situation once.


    As he ran, he squirted water at everyone on the way.


    Jolly, Rachel and Victor were not spared; their faces were all dripping wet because of that.


    ¡°Hernandez!!!!¡± Jolly, who could no longer hold back her anger, adjusted her hat and went after


    Hernandez tond her blow on him.


    ¡°Curly Weirdo! Return the water gun to me!¡± Charlotte chased after him as well.


    ¡°Charlotte!¡± Rachel, who was afraid that Charlotte would be injured, went after the group.


    On the other hand, Victor had somehow joined in as well and just like that, the group of people were in


    a game of tag.


    Gathering could always allow people to temporarily forget their usual positions and disputes and focus


    on what was currently happening. All of them were rxed as they indulged in the current excitement.


    At the high-altitude semi-enclosed slide of the Water World, rows of people were being pushed down


    from the tform. The screams of the people echoed in the air along with the sound of water sshing.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t do this¡­¡± Gloria kept on stepping backward. ¡°I can¡¯t. I really can¡¯t.¡±


    As it was a rare sight to see Gloria actually afraid of something, Victor grabbed her hand without giving


    her any chance to reject. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t! I really can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    With that, he pushed her onto the intable tube while she screamed at the top of her lungs, ¡°Ah! I can¡¯t


    do this! Let me get off!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Here we go!¡±


    He pressed on her shoulder and waved at the employee. The next second, the intable tube was


    pushed down the slide.


    ¡°Ah!!!! Victor Wade, I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±


    Gloria¡¯s tragic cries made Rachel take a few steps back. ¡°I¡¯ll skip this since it¡¯s a little too high. You


    guys can go ahead.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? I¡¯ll go down with you.¡± Hernandez held her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    Before Rachel even managed to reject his offer, Justin pressed his hand on Hernandez and warned


    with his cold gaze. ¡°She has already said that she doesn¡¯t want to y, so let go of her.¡±


    ¡°Release your grip first!¡± Hernandez hissed and inhaled sharply. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    Justin was unfazed by him.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡±


    ¡°Are they acting out a scene from a Korean drama?¡±


    As there was a long line behind them, their quarrel made Rachel feel so embarrassed that she wished


    that the earth would swallow her up. She struggled and broke free of the two men and dered, ¡°You


    two can enjoy yourselves!¡±


    Then, she covered her face and walked to the side. This is so embarrassing.


    Only then did Justin release Hernandez and red at him before turning to chase after Rachel.


    She exhaled in relief after she got off the tower and stepped her foot on the beach.


    ¡°Look out!¡± A sudden force on her arm pulled her back, which allowed her to barely avoid a volleyball


    that flew past her ear. The ball had been thrown from the beach.


    As he had his hand ced on her waist, Justin mumbled in a cold and firm voice, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


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    His voice had stunned Rachel. At that moment, they were so close to each other that when she raised


    her head, her nose nearly whacked his chin. It felt as though the man¡¯s breathnded on her forehead.


    Amidst the gentle sea breeze, his presence made her heart skip a beat.


    The person, who ran over to grab the ball, apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t notice that you guys were


    here.¡±


    It was only at that moment when Rachel returned to her senses and pushed Justin away in a fluster.


    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Justin nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go then. Samuel and the others should be over there.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The two of them walked along the beach shoulder to shoulder to a less crowded ce to search for


    Samuel and the others.


    As it was currently near the end of summer break, there were many children in the theme park, making


    the entire beach packed like sardines. They couldn¡¯t even stand next to each other without their skin


    touching the other person if they didn¡¯t leave the crowded area.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t at my best yesterday. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No worries. I know that you meant well.¡±


    ¡°Jason has always been extreme in the way he does things. Five years ago, when he left the Burton


    Group, he started to be involved in gray area businesses. He even went all out in forming gangs.¡±


    Rachel slightly frowned as she pretended to be unaware of this. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±


    He replied, ¡°I wanted to tell you that Jason won¡¯t be a good business partner. He does things


    unscrupulously and uses underhanded means. You will get involved in his schemes if you are not


    careful enough. It won¡¯t benefit you whatsoever.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you never used all these underhanded means when you were doing business.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another story. The Burton Group is argepany and I¡¯m his nephew. No matter how


    ruthless his methods are, he won¡¯t betray the Burton Group for the sake of the family. However, it¡¯ll be a


    different case for you; he even thought of killing you before this.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no enemy thatsts forever. Everyone can be friends when there¡¯s a benefit.¡±


    ¡°You have made up your mind to work with him, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Rachel¡¯s reply was simple, yet it reflected her adamant attitude.


    With a deep frown between his brows, Justin remained quiet for a moment before he acknowledged, ¡°If


    you have made up your mind to work with Jason, I hope that you can inform me whenever you are


    going to coborate with him. This is to ensure your safety.¡±


    She was stunned by his words. ¡°Inform you?¡±


    ¡°I can at least help you to gauge the chances of Jason doing something fishy in the business so that


    you can reduce the risk.¡±


    ¡°Why are you helping me to this extent? He¡¯s still your uncle.¡±


    Justin suddenly paused in his tracks; aplex expression apparent on his cold face under the bright


    sun.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rachel turned to him.


    ¡°You are the person whom I love.¡±


    She was shocked.


    ¡°You are not only Charlotte¡¯s mother but also my lover. I will take responsibility for your safety.¡±


    Amidst the sound of the waves and people, Rachel was certain that she didn¡¯t hear him wrong. The


    man before her had looked into her eyes when he said those words¡ªit was a sincere confession of


    love.


    Seeing that she was as still as a statue, Justin held her hand. ¡°Rae.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 296

    My Mute Bride Chapter 296


    Chapter 296 Their Only Photo Together


    Rachel suddenly took a step back while furrowing her brows. Even though the obvious resistance in


    her eyes had quickly flickered away, Justin was able to capture it. ¡°I¡¯ll pretend that I didn¡¯t hear what


    you said earlier.¡± After that, she turned around and walked off.


    He was left dumbfounded for a few seconds before he suddenly caught up to her with annoyance and


    blocked her path. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to ask you what you think of our rtionship. You are Charlotte¡¯s


    mother, and you live in the same house as me. Doesn¡¯t that make us lovers?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rachel answered firmly. ¡°I¡¯m d that you know I¡¯m Charlotte¡¯s mother. After Jefferey was


    imprisoned, I said that I wanted to move out, but I decided to stay in the end. Have you forgotten why?¡±


    Justin was slightly infuriated. ¡°I thought it was because you were angry at me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have the time to y these childish games with you.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry at me now?¡±


    Looking at the raging man in front of her, she felt that she needed to draw a line between them.


    ¡°To me, you¡¯re just my ex-husband in a legal sense and Charlotte¡¯s father. If you really want to know


    what our rtionship is, I want us to be business partners. We are just friends.¡±


    Friends? Justin gritted his teeth. ¡°Same as Hernandez and the others?¡±


    A frowning Rachel reluctantly nodded her head.


    She hated to admit that to her, Hernandez and Julian were friends that felt like family whereas Justin


    wasn¡¯t even close.


    However, she didn¡¯t wish to be too harsh on him since it wouldn¡¯t benefit her future ns if they had a


    fallout.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to be your friend?¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just move out of the house?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Charlotte and I have talked about it before. We can take turns taking care of her every week. No one


    will be at a loss. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Who says that I¡¯m not at a loss?¡±


    ¡°Then, what do you suggest?¡± Rachel calmly crossed her arms.


    After holding back his anger, Justin gritted his teeth and responded, ¡°Who said that you can move out?


    If you want to be friends, then we¡¯ll just be friends.¡±


    I need to look at the bigger picture and endure this for the moment. I don¡¯t believe that I can¡¯t break


    through her icy heart.


    Then, a familiar sound of cheering was heard in the distance.


    Gloria and Jolly were nowpeting to see who could hold their breath the longest with Victor as the


    judge. There were also a bunch of onlookers around them.


    ¡°2 minutes¡­ 2 minutes and 15 seconds¡­¡±


    Finally, Jolly could no longer hold her breath, so she emerged from under the water. ¡°This doesn¡¯t


    count. We choose the best out of three rounds.¡±


    Gloria raised her brow and rified, ¡°Even if we y 30 rounds, you still won¡¯t beat me. It¡¯s best if you


    just give up now.¡±


    ¡°She learns music, so her lung capacity must berger than any normal person. You¡¯ve miscalcted,¡±


    Victor murmured to Jolly after suddenly realizing this loophole.


    However, she was still dissatisfied with the result as she pushed the sunsses to the top of her head.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s y one more round.¡±


    ¡°You still won¡¯t give up? Fine, let¡¯s have one more round then!¡± Gloria didn¡¯t panic at all since she was


    full of confidence. ¡°However, if I win this time, you have to promise me that you won¡¯t bring anyone to


    mess with me whenever I start a game.¡±


    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s a deal.¡±


    When Jolly winked at Victor, he nodded his head in agreement.


    After he let out a scream, Gloria and Jolly quickly pinched their noses and sank into the water. Then,


    Victor took down the rubber crab toy hanging around his neck and sneakily reached into the water to


    approach Gloria¡¯s calf.


    Pfft!


    Gloria immediately lifted her head in panic.


    Meanwhile, Jolly calmly wiped her face and announced, ¡°It¡¯s a draw!¡±


    Gloria wasn¡¯t stupid enough not to have noticed the rubber crab toy in the water, so she pointed at


    Victor and shouted, ¡°You cheated. Both of you cheated!¡±


    He hid behind Jolly and made a funny face at Gloria. ¡°Hehe, you didn¡¯t say that we are not allowed to


    cheat! It¡¯s a draw anyway!¡±


    An angry Gloria then jumped. ¡°There¡¯s still one more round!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not ying anymore. Let¡¯s go and y something else.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t run away!¡±


    In the meantime, Rachel and Justin saw Julian piling sand with the two children on shore.


    She asked, ¡°What are those three doing again?¡±


    Julian smiled. ¡°They are just ying around.¡±


    ¡°Mommy,e and help me build a castle!¡±


    When Charlotte saw Rachel, she quickly pulled Rachel aside.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    When Julian saw Justin behind her, his eyes darkened a little. ¡°Justin, why do you look like you are


    clinging onto something?¡±


    Justin had just suffered defeat from Rachel and was now enraged, so after listening to his sarcastic


    words, it was enough to make Justin infuriated. ¡°What about you? I didn¡¯t see you achieving any


    sess when you were alone with her abroad for so many years. Not only that, you even let the Curly


    Weirdo approach her.¡±


    ¡°A curly weirdo?¡± Julian chuckled. ¡°Did you learn that word from Charlotte? How old are you?¡±


    When did he be this childish?


    ¡°Just mind your own business!¡± Justin red at him.


    Listening to their squabbling, Samuel breathed a thoughtful sigh. Even though he was ying with the


    sand, his face radiated a sense of calmness that exceeded his peers. ¡°You two are the same, so quit


    the squabbling!¡±


    Julian was happy to hear his words, so he moved closer and asked seriously, ¡°Samuel, out of the men


    present here today, who do you think has a better chance of winning your mommy¡¯s heart?¡±


    Samuel looked around with his huge eyes before unfolding his hands. ¡°None of you.¡±


    ¡°If you have to choose one, though?¡±


    ¡°If I have to choose one, that¡¯ll be him.¡± Samuel pointed his chubby finger at Justin.


    At first, Julian thought he had a good chance of winning, but when he saw the direction that Samuel


    was pointing at, the smile on his face instantly froze. ¡°Why him?¡±


    ¡°I saw his photo in mommy¡¯s notebook before.¡± Both Julian and Justin were startled. ¡°It was a wedding


    photo. After staring at it, Mommy cried and threw it in the trash can, but she picked it up afterward.¡±


    Therefore, Justin subconsciously looked into the distance and quickly found Rachel¡¯s extremely skinny


    back. Her swimsuit had revealed her butterfly-like silhouette as she built a sandcastle with Charlotte.


    Some time ago, he searched every corner of the house, but he still couldn¡¯t locate the photo he had


    taken with her. After asking Frankie, he retrieved a photo from their previous wedding certificate.


    They were both wearing white shirts in front of a red background in the photo, but it was unsurprising


    that it was the only photo that they shared together. If Rachel had never loved me before, why would


    she take that photo with her when she left?


    Suddenly, a slimmer of hope was suddenly ignited inside his heart and it gradually grew into a huge


    me.


    ¡°Thank you, kid!¡±


    Justin suddenly pinched Samuel¡¯s cheek before walking toward Rachel and Charlotte in the distance.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 297

    My Mute Bride Chapter 297


    Chapter 297 Quarrelsome Lovers


    ¡°Mommy, I want to build a huge castle so that you, Daddy, and Samuel can all fit inside.¡± Charlotte was


    a talkative kid, so she kept on mumbling while piling the sand. Meanwhile, Rachel was helping her. ¡°Do


    you need my help?¡± Justin¡¯s voice was heard from behind.


    She was startled for a moment before turning to see him smiling brightly at her. This man really


    changes his mood frequently. A while ago, he looked as though he was about to explode in anger, but


    now, he is looking cheerful again. I don¡¯t know whether his heart or brain has a problem.


    However, she wasn¡¯t in the mood to think about it, so she allowed Charlotte to pull him over to sit down.


    ¡°Daddy, you can help me to build a garden in front of the castle. I want a fountain with a mermaid on


    top.¡±


    While holding a shovel, Justin didn¡¯t know where to start. ¡°This is a huge project. Should I ask someone


    from the engineering department?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just bring your entirepany here to build a sand castle?¡± Rachel rolled her eyes at


    him.


    He was at a loss upon listening to her. Who can make fountains and mermaid sculptures with their bare


    hands?


    ¡°There are molds in the bucket next to you,¡± a speechless Rachel simply said. How high of an IQ or


    skill do you need to y with a kid on the beach? That is whypanies develop these tools to help.


    ¡°By the looks of it, I can see that you rarely hang out with Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°I always apany her.¡±


    ¡°I said that you rarely hang out with her. The main point is hanging out.¡± She made every word clear to


    him. ¡°Keeping someonepany and hanging out are two different things. In your eyes, does bringing


    Charlotte to your office so that she could y by herself counts as ¡®hanging out¡¯?¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Justin was rendered speechless because she was telling the truth.


    However, she didn¡¯t bother to pay attention to him any longer.


    A whileter, Justin took a mold from the bucket and asked shyly, ¡°I should be using this, right? Is this


    how you use it?¡±


    Seeing how clumsy he looked, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but move over to give him a demonstration. ¡°This


    is how you use it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    In the meantime, not far away on the beach, Samuel was sucking on his lollipop as hemented, ¡°It


    seems like dumb people have their advantages. He has actually mastered the art of ying dumb!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless. Your mommy definitely won¡¯t be with him,¡± Julian uttered with a calm face.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t being himself at the moment.¡±


    Samuel looked bewildered because Julian was the only person who knew Justin well since those two


    adults had grown up together. Julian knew that the personality Justin had before and after losing his


    memory waspletely different.


    Meanwhile, Gloria and Victor formed two groups with Jolly and Hernandez as they yed all kinds of


    exciting games while screaming.


    ¡°Damn you, Victor. If you dare to push me down, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    ¡°Get down now! We are losing!¡± Victor pulled Gloria down the slide immediately afterward.


    At the same time on the other slide, the two extreme sports lovers had already reached the end.


    On the way down, she continued to scream before drinking a mouthful of water when she fell into the


    water. The moment she rose from the water, she grabbed his head and pressed him into the water. ¡°I¡¯ll


    kill you!¡±


    He struggled at first when she pressed his head down, but he suddenly stopped moving after a while.


    Gloria furrowed her brows. ¡°Stop pretending to be dead. I won¡¯t believe it!¡± Even so, she released him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you canst.¡±


    She crossed her arms and waited for him to catch his breath.


    However, 5 minutes had passed and Victor was still motionless. His arms and body were floating in the


    water, as if he was a floating corpse with his face down.


    Her expression slowly changed as she shouted, ¡°Hey, Victor!¡±


    Then, Gloria grabbed his arm. ¡°Please don¡¯t scare me!¡±


    Ssh!


    Suddenly, the water sshed on her face, which scared her and she instinctively covered her face.


    Victorughed aloud. ¡°Do you really think you are the only one good at swimming? You grew up next to


    the sea, but I grew up next to a river! I can still hold my breath for another 5 minutes with ease! Haha, I


    got you!¡±


    ¡°Victor!¡± Gloria wiped her face to reveal a gloomy expression. ¡°You want to die, right? Then, I¡¯ll fulfill


    your wish!¡±


    ¡°Ouch, let go of me!¡±


    Not long after, he was begging for mercy while he was being beaten up.


    In the meantime, Jolly and Hernandez were looking at them from afar. While leaning on the intable


    boat, an emotional Jolly sighed. ¡°Hernandez, why do I feel that we are the clowns here? It feels like we


    have lost even though we¡¯ve won.¡±


    A confused Hernandez asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see those two quarrelsome lovers?!¡± Jolly lifted her chin at Gloria and Victor. ¡°I don¡¯t want to


    y anymore. It¡¯s so sunny, so I need to wear some sunscreen.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll look for Chris!¡±


    He whistled and jumped into the water before swimming toward Rachel and the others.


    Soon, it was nighttime, but the beach was still as lively as ever.


    Hernandez had rented a private barbeque spot and watched the atmosphere ignite while the crowd


    jumped around in the water.


    ¡°Chris, the chicken wings are ready. This will taste especially good because I added the honey that you


    like.¡±


    Rachel received the te. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    However, before she could grab it, Charlotte, who was next to her, picked up the chicken wing and


    responded, ¡°I also like to eat my chicken wings with honey. Thank you, Curly Weirdo.¡±


    ¡°Charlotte, you should call him Mr. Hernandez.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± She shook her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with calling him a Curly Weirdo?¡±


    After that, she ran off with the chicken wings.


    Rachel could only apologize to Hernandez. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I still need to work on her temperament.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Do you really think I would argue with a child? She is so adorable.¡± He looked at her with a


    wide smile to reveal his white teeth. ¡°Just like you.¡±


    She nodded and intentionally teased, ¡°I admit that I¡¯m adorable, but this wasn¡¯t what you said when we


    first met.¡±


    When she brought up the past, Hernandez scratched his head awkwardly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and grill


    another chicken wing for you.¡±


    Seeing him running away in an embarrassed manner, Rachel smiled.


    At the same time, Justin came over with his grilled food and asked, ¡°What¡¯s so funny about your first


    meeting with him?¡±


    After a day of rxation, she was in a good mood, so she had lowered her guard. She received the


    grilled fish from him and exined with a smile, ¡°I first met him at a bar. At that time, he bought Jolly a


    drink, but she thought that he was a hooligan, so she sshed the drink on his face.¡±


    ¡°He looks quite like one.¡± Rachel gave him a look, so Justin shrugged his shoulders and added,


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t criticize him. Please continue.¡±


    ¡°The next day, I went to SG Conglomerate to apply for a job as an assistant. Surprisingly, he was my


    interviewer and a strict one indeed, but he passed me so that he could get back at me. After that, I


    suffered a lot from him for almost a year.¡±


    Thinking about that year, she felt as though the workce was a hellish torture.


    However, she also thanked him for that year. Because of how harsh Hernandez had been, she was


    able to massively improve her speaking skills and learn French all by herself. She quickly became


    independent a yearter from being a rookie who didn¡¯t know anything at the beginning.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 298

    My Mute Bride Chapter 298


    Chapter 298 How She Gained a Sense of Security


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Justin suddenly apologized to Rachel, which startled her. ¡°Why are you apologizing to me?¡±


    ¡°If I was by your side at that time¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± She shrugged her shoulders, looking rxed. ¡°There are some things in life that you just


    have to experience yourself. It¡¯s no use to rely on others.¡±


    Ever since she was a kid, this was how Nancy had taught her to gain a sense of security by herself.


    When she was being alienated at school, she did her best in her studies and graduated with flying


    colors.


    When she was being oppressed in the workce, she did her best to gain a promotion as fast as


    possible. ¡°If I had done nothing at that time and waited for someone to save me, I would have been


    doomed long ago.¡± Rachel revealed a soothing smile, but in Justin¡¯s eyes, it was a little hard to bear for


    him.


    ¡°Chris!¡± Jolly¡¯s voice was heard from afar. ¡°Come over here!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming.¡± Rachel jumped from the rock and walked two steps toward them before looking back to


    wave the grilled fish at Justin. ¡°It tastes a bit nd. Remember to sprinkle more cumin on it next time.¡±


    Suddenly, his stern face softened as he couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Meanwhile, Gloria asked Victor, ¡°When Miss Rachel left 5 years ago, why did you disappear?¡±


    ¡°Miss Janice told me to leave Riverdale so that I wouldn¡¯t be targeted by some people.¡± He flipped the


    lamb skewer and stared at Justin in the distance. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be nice if I was killed and silenced.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? No matter how insane he became, he wouldn¡¯t actually kill someone.¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do it to you,¡± Victor noted angrily. ¡°As for us, he wouldn¡¯t have that much patience.¡±


    Gloria didn¡¯t know what else to say. ¡°You¡¯re going to overcook themb, you know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not ready yet. Do you really want to eat raw meat? Go and get some cumin. Rachel loves to eat


    those.¡±


    ¡°You only know what she wants.¡± Gloria rolled her eyes at him. Even though she had said no, she still


    quickly headed off to get the condiments.


    Victor was the only one left in front of the barbecue grill.


    As he looked at Justin in the distance, the two of them stared at each other. Suddenly, Justin nodded


    his head politely as an acknowledgment, which startled Victor, so he turned around and pretended not


    to see Justin.


    It¡¯s even worse now that you have lost your memories. Now, everyone is treating you as the innocent


    one while the rest of us are the bad guy.


    It was finally deep into the night when thest light at the Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ researchb was


    switched off.


    The highly-paid pharmacist whom Rachel hired removed his white coat and exited the automated


    sliding door. It was only after he checked whether the entrance was locked that he left.


    This was the core research department of Hudson Pharmaceuticals where all the data of the new drugs


    were stored.


    A rustling sound was suddenly heard in theb a short while after the main entrance was closed. The


    sound was particrly clear in the peacefulb.


    Then, the light from a phone screen came through the locker.


    Creek!


    The locker was opened from the inside before a slim figure crept out. After looking around to make sure


    that no one else was there, the person quickly went to the front of ab machine to locate the


    experimental data on the table.


    In fact, those were the new drugs, but they were all halfway done since they were still undergoing


    medical trials.


    Amber furrowed her brows and looked around one more time.


    Rachel wouldn¡¯t tell others about the dosage of the drugs because that was the core secret of the


    pharmaceutical. However, the pharmaceuticals needed these data to mass produce those drugs, so


    the data of those dosages was only stored in theputer that couldn¡¯t be essed without


    deciphering the codes.


    Amber endured everything and came to this hellhole just to retrieve the dosages.


    It was hard for me to get in, so I can¡¯t go back empty-handed. Looking at theputers in theb, she


    tightly gripped the sh drive in her hand. This is the only way.


    The next day, when Rachel came to her office, the secretary rushed toward her. ¡°President Hudson,


    why didn¡¯t you answer the call this morning?¡±


    ¡°What is it? What happened?¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Chairman Holt called you this morning, but he said that he couldn¡¯t reach you. He asked me to tell you


    to call him back as soon as possible.¡±


    Rachel nced at her and asked, ¡°Did he tell you why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± The secretary shook her head sheepishly.


    Rachel already had something in mind as she ced her bag down and pulled out the chair to have a


    seat. ¡°Then, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. I¡¯ll call him once I¡¯m done with everything in hand.¡±


    Seeing that Rachel wasn¡¯t panicking, the secretary became worried. ¡°There¡¯s no time to deal with


    anything else. Amber sneaked into thebst night and copied theputer data to steal the


    prescription.¡±


    ¡°I can see that you are well-informed.¡± Rachel nced at her with eyes so calm that it would make


    anyone panic.


    The secretary¡¯s expression froze. ¡°President Hudson¡ª¡±


    ¡°I was wondering why Mr. Holt would know about thepany¡¯s situation quicker than me. Is it


    because he is well-informed, or is it because you were quick enough to tell him?¡±


    ¡°President Hudson, I¡¯m doing this for thepany¡¯s good. Chairman Holt is also afraid that you are


    being set up by Amber.¡±


    ¡°Then, I should thank Mr. Holt for his concerns.¡±


    ¡°Chairman Holt was right. Amber actually stole the prescription. Shouldn¡¯t we deal with this first?¡±


    In front of the secretary, Rachel made a call to Evan. ¡°Hello, Mr. Holt. It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Rachel, I was about to head over to thepany if you didn¡¯t call me sooner. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯lle to


    thepany right now to meet you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. Is it because of the theft in thebst night?¡±


    ¡°So, you do know about it. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯lle over to help you deal with it.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Holt, you don¡¯t need toe over. The prescription is fine. Nothing is lost other than some useless


    medical trial data of the new drugs.¡±


    ¡°Really? How are you so sure?¡±


    ¡°Why would I simply leave such an important prescription in theputer for anyone to decipher?


    Even if Amber had copied all of the data, she wouldn¡¯t locate the prescription.¡±


    ¡°I see. T-Then, that¡¯s great. I¡¯m relieved.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Holt, for your concerns. I¡¯ll deal with thepany myself so that you and the people


    around you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Rachel said while looking at the secretary next to her.


    The secretary was obviously feeling guilty, so she didn¡¯t even dare to look Rachel in the eye.


    After hanging up the phone, Rachel uttered faintly, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about. Isn¡¯t theb


    so heavily guarded that even a fly can¡¯t enter? How did Amber break into the ce?¡±


    The secretary was startled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡±


    ¡°Where have I heard that before?¡±


    Listening to her, the secretary¡¯s face turned pale.


    Then, Rachel handed a document over. ¡°Send this to theb and tell Mr. Jonas that someone broke


    into theb and stole something. Tell him to re-encrypt the security codes.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do it now.¡±


    As the secretary left, Rachel¡¯s eyes grew darker as she stared at the secretary.


    It seems like Hudson Pharmaceuticals is a den of wolves. Everyone might look friendly on the surface,


    but they would actually do anything to get their hands on the prescription. Amber is just a


    smokescreen. If she did retrieve the real prescription, Evan wouldn¡¯t even inform me about it and take it


    for himself. Otherwise, why would he wait until this morning to call me?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 299

    My Mute Bride Chapter 299


    Chapter 299 ying Both Ends


    After the morning meeting, Rachel returned to her office and noticed that her phone on the desk


    suddenly lit up as a message appeared. Her eyes darkened slightly when she nced at it.


    ¡°President Hudson, where are you going?¡± ¡°I have something to do.¡± ¡°When will you being back?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Call me if anything happens.¡±


    After that, she went into the elevator. Looking at how hurried she was, the secretary quickly went back


    to her office to make a call. ¡°Chairman Holt, President Hudson just went out.¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel drove out from the parking garage and drove straight to the suburbs. This wasn¡¯t


    the first time that she arrived at Riverdale Penitentiary.


    Thest time she came was because Jefferey had suddenly died, so as her legal daughter, she was


    summoned by the prison guards to collect his body.


    She came this time because Bucky was being released.


    2 hourster, Rachel drove to the entrance of Riverdale Penitentiary and took a look at her wristwatch.


    It¡¯s almost time.


    Then, a small door that only a person could walk through was opened on the side of the bulletproof


    door. The prison guard was the first toe out before he was followed by a dark-skinned man with a


    shaved head. The man¡¯s dark expression seemed to exude a cold aura under the sun.


    ¡°You better behave now.¡± The prison guard¡¯s voice echoed in the air.


    As if by reflex, the man nodded his head and agreed.


    Bang!


    When the prison door behind him was closed, he lifted his head once more to look at the sunlight


    outside.


    Five years. He had stayed in this ce for five whole years.


    Other than a big empty road and some weeds scattered around, there was nothing in front of the


    prison¡¯s entrance. He didn¡¯t hope for anyone toe and pick him up as he carried a bag and took out


    half a pack of cigarettes and a lighter that he had before his imprisonment.


    It didn¡¯t matter whether the cigarettes were expired or not, but after sticking a cigarette in his mouth for


    a while, he realized that the lighter was useless.


    As he felt a bit frustrated, he finally noticed the woman walking toward him.


    ¡°Are you Bucky? I came to pick you up.¡±


    In fairness, she wasn¡¯t asking him because the certainty in her eyes told him that she came here


    looking for him.


    After finally being released from prison five yearster, he could only dream of having a beautiful


    woman pick him up on the first day, so he went into her car without any hesitation. My life is cheap


    anyway. What else can I do?


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    As for Rachel, she wasn¡¯t surprised that this man agreed to follow her without saying a word. Once a


    violent ouw like him has his eyes on a beautiful woman and luxurious cars, there is nothing to be


    afraid of.


    ¡°Do you have a lighter?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t smoke, but you can have something to eat.¡±


    Rachel pressed the button on the right hand side, and the lid in between the driver¡¯s seat and the


    passenger side slowly opened, revealing some water and snacks.


    Not holding back, Bucky unwrapped a bag of bread and a bottle of water.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know who I am?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Why do I need to know who you are? I have never known that many rich people in my life, but the only


    one who values me is him.¡±


    Him? I knew it. Rachel secretly smiled. Does he think that Jason sent me here?


    On the surface, she remained unmoved. ¡°I came to ask you something. To prevent any


    misunderstandings, let me introduce myself first. I¡¯m Rachel Hudson.¡± Suddenly, he paused while


    eating and looked at her in shock. ¡°The person that you kidnapped 5 years ago was my grandma,¡± she


    uttered calmly.


    The atmosphere in the car became tense all of a sudden.


    As Bucky¡¯s hands trembled, he didn¡¯t know how to react to the situation, so he instinctively grabbed the


    door handle.


    Rachel nced at him from the corner of her eye. ¡°The car is now traveling at 55 miles per hour. If you


    jump out of the car, chances are you won¡¯t live.¡±


    ¡°What do you want? You¡¯re right. I kidnapped your grandma, but I¡¯ve already served 5 years of my


    sentence.¡±


    ¡°I know. I didn¡¯te to you for revenge.¡±


    Seeing how calm Rachel looked, Bucky slowly regained hisposure and leaned back in his seat.


    ¡°Then, why are you looking for me? Do you want to scold me? Beating me up won¡¯t bring her back.


    Also, I didn¡¯t know that she was in such bad health at that time.¡±


    She tightened her fingers around the steering wheel. ¡°I want to ask who ordered you to kidnap my


    grandma back then.¡±


    ¡°No one ordered me. I was desperate for money at that time.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I can understand that an ordinary person like you would want to ckmail the rich, but


    why did you tell Justin to surrender the development rights of that piece ofnd? What good does it do


    to you?¡± As he listened to her, Bucky furrowed his brow. ¡°Who ordered you to do it?¡±


    ¡°I want to get out of the car.¡±


    He is obviously refusing to spill anything.


    However, Rachel wasn¡¯t in a hurry as she slowly uttered, ¡°When you took that bread earlier, you might


    not have noticed that there is a photo next to it. Why don¡¯t you take a look at it?¡±


    A startled Bucky turned his head and saw a photo wedged between two bottles of water.


    His face suddenly froze and turned pale when he took out the photo. ¡°What did you do to Lily?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I only funded her school so that the poor students could head abroad for a month for an


    exchange programme. During this period, all her traveling expenses, food and amodation would


    be covered. However, what do you think about her being abroad in a ce where she is unfamiliar with


    ¡ª¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do to her?¡± He suddenly raised his voice and roared, ¡°If you have any problems,


    you can take it out on me, but if you dare toy a finger on my little sister, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    Then, the screeches of the brakes were heard as Bucky almost mmed his head on the windshield.


    Rachel stopped the car and gave him a warning gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t like to threaten people, so I¡¯ll give you a


    day to consider it. You cane and meet me at this address tomorrow morning.¡±


    As he looked at the business card, his tanned face only grew darker. He immediately exited the car


    upon receipt of the card.


    Seeing the car in front speeding away, he smashed everything in his hands before making a call right


    after. A whileter, someone answered the call and an impatient voice was heard on the other end.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Walsh, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you Bucky? Are you already released?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Walsh, I¡¯m looking for Master Jason. Where is he?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for Master Jason? I thought you just came out.¡± The other party¡¯s voice immediately


    turned cold. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Are you not getting enough money, which is why you want to ask for


    more? Let me tell you something. There¡¯s nothing to be gained by being greedy.¡±


    ¡°My little sister has been kidnapped! I really don¡¯t have any other choice. If Master Jason chooses not


    to help me, I have no other choice but to tell the truth.¡±


    The other end went silent for a moment. ¡°Are you sure? Do you know who did it?¡±


    ¡°She says her name is Rachel Hudson.¡±


    The phone on the other end was on speaker-mode. The game room was filled with smoke and seated


    on the leather couch in the corner was Jason, who stuck a cigar in his mouth while his face darkened a


    little.


    ¡°Master Jason, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°Kidnapped?¡± He chuckled coldly. ¡°This is Riverdale. Unless she wants to be imprisoned, would she


    dare to do it?¡±


    ¡°Bucky¡¯s sister is indeed abroad right now, though.¡±


    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll just report this to the investigation bureau. Isn¡¯t that officer in the investigation bureau on


    good terms with her? Let¡¯s see if she decides to be righteous or help a criminal.¡±


    No matter what the oue was, if he yed both ends correctly, eliminating any one of them would


    be beneficial to his business.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 300

    My Mute Bride Chapter 300


    Chapter 300 Julian¡¯s Ne


    In the evening, the afterglow of the sunset spread throughout the sky. The sound of an engine in the


    garage reached the living room. ¡°Why are you back so early? Have you finished all your work?¡±


    Seeing Racheling in, Justin was a little surprised. ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired, so I came back to rest. Where


    are Charlotte and Samuel?¡± ¡°Gloria took them out.¡±


    She thoughtfully nodded her head before walking toward the stairs. Looking around therge house, he


    thought about the harmonious scenest night when they hung out on the beach. All of a sudden, he


    became restless and sent a message to Gloria immediately.


    ¡®Charlotte and Samuel can stay with you tonight. Don¡¯t need to send them back.¡± After sending the


    message, he quickly made a call. ¡°President Burton.¡± It was Frankie on the other end.


    ¡°I want you to order two dinner sets and deliver them to my house.¡±


    ¡°Two dinner sets?¡± Frankie was slightly stunned as he carefully asked, ¡°Is President Hudson alone with


    you at home?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s all this talking from? Just order the dinner sets.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll also prepare a bouquet of flowers for you, but are you sure there won¡¯t be any idents this


    time?¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    As Justin thought about how she had stood him up thest time because of the sudden change of


    ns in the Hudson Family, his face darkened a little. Will there be something worse thanst time?


    Impossible.


    At the moment, Rachel had already returned to her room to rest.


    Even though she maintained herposure when she met Bucky, deep in her heart, she couldn¡¯t wait


    to kill the man in front of her. However, she knew that he was just a smokescreen and not the true


    mastermind behind all this.


    As for who the mastermind was, Rachel and Janice both knew it in their hearts, but they couldn¡¯t locate


    any evidence.


    As long as Bucky was willing to be the witness, they could appeal the case back then and directly


    convict Jason.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    Suddenly, a few knocks were heard outside the door.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Other than her and Justin, there wasn¡¯t anyone else in the house.


    ¡°I¡¯ve ordered a meal. You cane downter to eat your dinner and rest afterward.¡±


    ¡°No need for that. I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to keep on talking to me with the door closed? This is my house.¡±


    A moment of hesitationter, Rachel opened the door. ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    Justin was so tall that his head had almost touched the door frame. The moment his shadow


    descended on her, it almost engulfed her whole body. The unspeakable sense of oppression made her


    subconsciously take a step backward and stumble on her feet.


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Justin was quick enough to support her waist.


    With a rustling sound, the coat rack behind Rachel fell down at the same time. However, he was able to


    hold her as they fell to the side. If he was a littlete, the rack would have mmed into her body.


    When she lifted her head in shock, her forehead bumped into his chin.


    After letting out a muffled grunt, he endured the pain and released his hands that were supporting her


    above the floor to lower her.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes were wide open, but she couldn¡¯t stop the kissnding on her forehead.


    Justin¡¯s thin lips were a little cold when they were pressed on her forehead for a long time without


    leaving. As their body temperature rose, the atmosphere around them seemed to be ignited as it


    became inexplicably hot.


    He also froze while trying to lift himself up with his hands, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from


    kissing her eyes and nose.


    Meanwhile, her fingers instinctively tightened.


    Rachel was still wide awake at that moment, but she didn¡¯t wish to be. Maybe I need to do something


    crazy to forget about my meeting with Bucky today. Maybe this is the only way to relieve the pain in my


    heart no matter if it was Justin or anyone else.


    Therefore, she slowly rxed her body, but there wasn¡¯t a hint of love in her eyes except for her


    desperate need to relieve her emotions.


    Ding dong!


    Suddenly, a doorbell was heard from outside.


    Justin immediately came around and uttered ¡®damn it¡¯ inside his heart, but as soon as he lifted his head


    and saw her eyes, he was shocked to see how sober she was.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    He thought that his actions had angered her again, so he quickly rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rae. I


    didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I-It was because¡­¡±


    Should I say that it was because I couldn¡¯t control myself? That¡¯ll only make things worse.


    However, Rachel calmly tidied herself up and responded, ¡°The dinner you ordered is here, right? Let¡¯s


    head down to eat.¡±


    Justin returned to his senses. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll head down first then.¡±


    Seeing him leaving in a hurry, she couldn¡¯t help but find him somewhat cute.


    The second the idea came up in her mind, she immediately regained herposure as her face turned


    gloomy. Cute? If it was Justin 5 years ago, this would not be possible.


    The best chef in Riverdale had personally arrived at the house with fresh ingredients so that he could


    cook on the spot.


    Rachel and Justin sat at opposite ends of the table with a bouquet of roses and a candle between


    them.


    ¡°This is the meal you ordered?¡± She nced at the chef next to her. ¡°Why did you have to bring a chef


    and an entire kitchen to the house just to order a meal?¡±


    Although Jolly was a huge spender, she didn¡¯t pay much attention to eating, so this was the first time


    Rachel saw someone hiring a top chef to cook in his house.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Rachel smiled and exined, ¡°This experience is quite¡­ bizarre.¡±


    Justin breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°As long as you like it. By the way, I¡¯ve prepared a gift for you.¡±


    ¡°A gift?¡± Looking at the box that he handed over, she furrowed her brows slightly.


    ¡°Open it.¡± After opening the box, she saw a ne inside. It was a perfectly designed diamond


    ne with an emerald embedded in the pendant. ¡°You don¡¯t need to care about the price too much.


    I only asked Frankie to randomly select one in the shop for you to try on.¡±


    After that, he finally noticed that on Rachel¡¯s neck, there was a ne with a pendant shaped like the


    side of a ck cat.


    Looking at it, Justin was stunned. Where have I seen that ne before? ¡°This ne¡­¡±


    Rachel instinctively touched her neck. ¡°This one? Julian gave it to me before as a birthday gift. I


    especially like it.¡±


    He clenched his fists. ¡°Julian gave it to you?¡±


    She looked at his eyes and nodded nkly. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Julian gave her this birthday gift and apanied her during the darkest period of her life. Also, it was


    one of the few gifts that she had ever received in her life, so she always wore it all these years.


    ¡°Before I left Riverdale, he apanied me on my birthday. I remember that we couldn¡¯t finish the


    cake ourselves, so we gave it to the other children in themunity,¡± she talked about the past as if


    Justin wasn¡¯t there.


    However, he wasn¡¯t focused on her words. When he stared at the cat-shaped pendant, it felt as though


    he was pierced through the heart. Suddenly, he held the table to support himself while his face turned


    pale.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    At that moment, Justin¡¯s mind had be a mess.


    A birthday gift? Giving out cakes in themunity? No. This pendant feels very familiar to me. How


    could it be given to her by Julian? All of a sudden, the image of the woman speaking in signnguage


    appeared in his mind. I don¡¯t want that child anyway.


    Then, he felt his heart contracting before it was followed by an immense pain.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 301

    My Mute Bride Chapter 301


    Chapter 301 He¡¯s Seeing a Psychiatrist


    ¡°Are you fine?¡± Justin, who was still in a daze, heard Rachel questioning him. He had a blurry vision in


    front of him; it felt like she had multiplied herself and wiggled in front of him.


    He uncontrobly grabbed her hand hard and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and Julian?¡± A


    stunned Rachel¡¯s expression immediately changed.


    At that moment, his gaze was exactly like it had been five years ago, causing her to shake his hand off


    reflexively. Stumbling backward, she even bumped into a chair.


    With a loud bang, the chair fell down.


    Standing up, Justin wanted to hold onto Rachel. However, the instant that he rose to his feet, he was


    so dizzy as he held his head, feeling as if something was going to burst from his brain as a result of the


    splitting headache.


    As she leaned against a wall, Rachel looked at him from a safe distance. She merely looked at him


    motionlessly on the floor for a period of time after he had copsed.


    ¡°Justin?¡±


    Rachel called out in a trembling voice.


    She had only proceeded to walk over with caution after he didn¡¯t respond to her. Then, she called out


    again and patted his shoulder. ¡°Justin?¡±


    Seeing Justin¡¯s pale face made her realize that something was off, so she immediately called the


    ambnce.


    It waste at night when Gloria rushed to the hospital not long after Rachel, who was in the ambnce,


    arrived.


    ¡°How¡¯s Justin?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still inside. The doctor is still checking on him.¡± Peering through the curtains, Rachel continued,


    ¡°For some reason, he copsed just like that.¡±


    ¡°Copsed? Suddenly?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    Gloria¡¯s reaction made Rachel think that she knew something about all this. Just as Rachel was going


    to question her about it, the curtains behind her were drawn open to reveal the doctoring out.


    ¡°Who here is a family member of Justin Burton?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± Gloria immediately stepped up.


    The doctor then asked, ¡°The patient has suffered from brain trauma before and we suspect that it¡¯s the


    effect from an old wound. We¡¯ll need to conduct a CT scan of his brain to determine the cause. Has he


    also fainted or exhibit such symptoms like this before? Or, did he have other illnesses? ¡±


    ¡°I just came back from abroad a few days ago, so I¡¯m not entirely sure of his body condition, actually.¡±


    Gloria was saying this as she nced at Rachel.


    Shaking her head, Rachel replied, ¡°I¡¯m not too sure either. This is my first time witnessing such a thing.¡±


    The doctor pondered deeply before he said, ¡°I¡¯ll run a check on him first. In the meantime, you two


    don¡¯t have to be so worried.¡±


    The CT scan showed no abnormalities in his brain, but since Justin was still in aa, he could only


    continue to stay in the hospital as they waited for the attending physician to conduct a full body scan on


    him.


    After registering the documents for his hospitalization, Rachel saw Gloria at the entrance to the ward


    on her way back.


    ¡°Are you not entering?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Rachel.¡± Raising her head, Gloria felt a bit more relieved upon the sight of Rachel.


    It was the same five years ago as Justin was on the hospital bed, just like now. Besides Justin, she had


    no other friends in Riverdale and didn¡¯t know which path to take in her future or who to trust.


    As both of them entered the room, Rachelforted Gloria, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Didn¡¯t they say that


    there were no problems after checking on him? Maybe it was just fatigue that caught up to him and he


    would be alright after a good long sleep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only scared, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°What are you scared of?¡±


    ¡°Five years ago, when the doctor said that he would not regain consciousness again, I was terrified


    every day since he is the only rtive I have after all.¡±


    Nobody understood the feeling of one losing their rtives more than Rachel.


    Not being able to hold it in any long, Rachel hugged Gloria and lightly patted her on the back. ¡°This


    won¡¯t happen again. If he could wake up from that horrific ident five years ago, why wouldn¡¯t he do


    the same this time, especially when he didn¡¯t even sustain any injuries? Even if something did happen,


    I¡¯m still one of your rtives too.¡±


    Gloria¡¯s eyes immediately welled up with tears.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back, Rachel.¡± After sobbing on Rachel¡¯s shoulder for a while, Gloria continued,


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave this time. He¡¯s a changed man.¡±


    After being dazed for a moment, Rachel pushed Gloria aside when she remembered how Justin was


    right before he copsed.


    Coming back to her senses, Gloria knew that she had misspoken when she saw the slightly awful


    expression on Rachel¡¯s face. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by that. Judging from his current situation, I was


    just wondering whether fate might be giving you two another chance. Please stay, Rachel. Charlotte


    needs you too.¡±


    Rachel admitted to herself that she dealt with Justin with intentions of exploiting him, but Gloria was like


    a sister to her.


    ¡°Ria, not everything can be fixed. He will always be Justin Burton.¡±


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    Just as Gloria wanted to say something, a knock came from the door. ¡°President Hudson, Miss


    Hochmann.¡±


    The person who had arrived was Frankie with another man in tow.


    ¡°This is the psychiatrist of President Burton, Dr. Aurich.¡±


    A shocked Rachel asked, ¡°He¡¯s been seeing a psychiatrist?¡±


    Frankie nodded.


    Allowing the doctor to examine Justin¡¯s body in the ward, Rachel and Gloria left the room and followed


    Frankie to the living room outside.


    Gloria questioned, ¡°Why was Justin seeing a psychiatrist? Was there something wrong with him?¡±


    Frankie replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that, so don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just that President Burton has had an


    increasing amount of migraines these few years. Suspecting it might be from mental stress, he


    arranged to see a psychiatrist for counseling. On top of that, the car crash from five years ago had also


    created a mental block of sorts, as I¡¯m sure you know.¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Rachel said hesitatingly, ¡°You mean the fact that he doesn¡¯t dare to drive anymore?¡±


    Nodding, Frankie replied, ¡°Yes. However, him not daring to drive was just something he said outwardly.


    The most important fact was that the trauma caused by the things the president had forgotten five


    years ago was severe.¡±


    ¡°Trauma?¡± Rachel asked confoundingly, ¡°What trauma does he have?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about this. As Dr. Aurich is President Burton¡¯s private doctor, they had signed a non-


    disclosure agreement, so even I don¡¯t know the specifics.¡±


    Gloria spoke up, ¡°What trauma could he have? It must have been the fact that Miss Rachel¡¯s absence


    had dealt a huge blow to him. After knowing his own faults, he regretted it. That¡¯s the root of the


    trauma. See, Miss Rachel, I told you that he¡¯s changed. He has actually regretted his actions that time.


    So, please seriously reconsider all this.¡±


    A frowning Rachel did not answer Gloria as she subconsciously looked toward the direction of the


    ward.


    Gloria is speaking up for Justin out of sheer habit. The so-called trauma can¡¯t be just because of me.


    She did not believe that Justin became hurt because of her.


    Maybe it was because he had been kidnapped as a kid? Or, was it the incident with the fire?


    Since Rachel didn¡¯t understand the cause, she also did not want to further delve into all this.


    As all their attention was focused on Justin¡¯s condition, nobody noticed that the door of the ward was


    not tightly closed. Outside, a figure had been standing there for a long time as they listened to every


    single word that was being said.


    Since it was alrightte at night, there were only a few people walking around in the hospital. As the


    person leaned against the wall, they slightly clenched their fist as they listened in on the conversation.


    Who knew that they would identally gain valuable information as they came to the hospital?


    Justin was actually seeing a psychiatrist?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 302

    My Mute Bride Chapter 302


    Chapter 302 Breaking the Law


    The next day, Gloria stayed with Justin at the hospital while Rachel went to attend apany meeting.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Holt, why are you here?¡± After having arrived at thepany, Rachel ran into Evan at the


    entrance.


    Evan gave a wide smile as he regarded her in the same way that a senior would for their junior while


    greeting, ¡°I was worried that you could face opposition since you¡¯ve just taken over thepany, so I¡¯m


    here as backup to see who would dare to bully you. Rachel, you don¡¯t look too good. You must have


    been exhausted by all the eventstely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ok. It¡¯s not that tiring.¡±


    ¡°How could you not be tired? I¡¯ve already said that we should arrange to have an assistant help you so


    that the workload can be delegated, so don¡¯t be this courteous with me. Also, Vivian has been under


    you for quite a while now. How do you find her?¡±


    Vivian, who was the secretary of Hudson Pharmaceuticals, was the reason why Evan had always been


    ahead of everyone in terms of information.


    ¡°She¡¯s a good worker. You¡¯ve taught her well, Mr. Holt.¡±


    ¡°It reassures me to hear you saying this. How about you allow Vivian to fill in as the role of an assistant


    for you?¡±


    The difference between an assistant and a secretary was that an assistant had to be on call twenty-four


    seven with every confidential document that Rachel was looking at passing through their hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mr. Holt. I already have a person in mind for that position.¡±


    ¡°You have?¡±


    As they were talking, a roar of an engine bellowed behind the crowd as a blue supercar parked at the


    entrance.


    Stepping out of the car, Jolly passed the car key to the valet as he walked toward Rachel in a pair of


    high heels with a height of 4 inches. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte. There was some congestion on the way here.¡±


    As Rachel reached out to take Jolly¡¯s hand, she calmly introduced, ¡°Mr. Holt, let me introduce you to


    my assistant, Jolly Carter.¡±


    Evan, who came to his senses after a while, answered, ¡°If memory serves me right, aren¡¯t you the


    precious daughter of the CEO of Carter Enterprises?¡±


    ¡°Do you know my dad, Mr. Holt?¡±


    Removing her sunsses, Jolly revealed a pair of eyes that had eyeshadow applied on it.


    ¡°Acquaintances would be more appropriate. We¡¯ve only met once.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± She wore her sunsses again.


    A smiling Rachel didn¡¯t n to exin too much at once. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll be heading first.


    Mr. Holt, will you be attending the meetingter?¡±


    This question had stunned Evan.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Then, she continued, ¡°It¡¯s totally okay if you don¡¯t attend it since Vivian will be reporting the minutes to


    you, anyway. No time would be wasted, right?¡±


    After that, Rachel and Jolly walked into the building together.


    Evan and the others were left standing at the entrance, dumbfounded and speechless.


    While holding onto Rachel¡¯s elbow, Jolly asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you being spunky today? Are you not nning


    to maintain your facade in front of that old man anymore?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to. Seeing how obvious he has been nting his people on my side, I would be treated a


    fool if I didn¡¯t give him a warning.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of the retaliation afterward?¡±


    ¡°With the precious princess of the Carter Enterprise luring the fire away from me, what do I have to be


    afraid of?¡±


    Jolly replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll be showing what I can do, then.¡±


    As a family-owned enterprise, there were a lot of high-ranking personnel in Hudson Pharmaceuticals


    who were selected through nepotism, which resulted in a lot of parasites in the hierarchy on a long-


    term basis. What Rachel needed now was a person who would y the bad guy with her.


    Jolly had already assumed her position within thepany in the afternoon.


    While Rachel was looking at documents in her office, Vivian suddenly knocked on the door and rushed


    in. ¡°President Hudson, there are people from the Riverdale Investigation Bureau looking for you.


    They¡¯re waiting outside.¡±


    Rachel was slightly stunned by this.


    At the entrance to the office stood two men who sported the gray uniform of the Investigation Bureau.


    One of them then showed his identification to her. ¡°Are you Miss Rachel Hudson? You are suspected of


    being involved in a kidnapping, so pleasee with us to assist in our investigations.¡±


    ¡°Kidnapping? What makes you say that?¡±


    ¡°You are now only a suspect, so I¡¯ll have to trouble you toply with our investigation.¡±


    ¡°Let me call Janice first.¡±


    ¡°Officer Hawkins was the one who issued the order.¡±


    Their words made Rachel stop dead in her tracks as she raised her head with eyes of disbelief.


    Then, she was led away by the two officers in front of thepany employees.


    At that moment, in the hospital ward, Justin had been awake since morning and was now discussing


    his headache with Dr. Aurich.


    ¡°Normally, your case would be a result of your memory being triggered by something impactful in your


    life. What did you see before the headache happened?¡±


    ¡°I saw a ne.¡±


    ¡°A ne?¡± After a brief moment of silence, the doctor asked, ¡°Could you describe its design?¡±


    ¡°I think it had the shape of a cat.¡± As soon as he thought of that ne, Justin had to press his


    temples as his head began to hurt again. ¡°Why is it like this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s normal. The return of a memory could often be described as a burst dam since the impact at first


    instance would always be strongest. You need a strong stimulus to be able to recall your past.¡±


    ¡°A strong stimulus?¡±


    ¡°Justin!¡± Interrupting their conversation, Gloria suddenly rushed in with a worried expression. ¡°Miss


    Rachel has been brought in by the people from the Riverdale Investigation Bureau.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Justin straightened his posture. ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°It just happened. Jolly called me and said the officers dispatched to Hudson Pharmaceuticals had


    brought Miss Rachel in under the suspicion of being involved in a kidnapping.¡±


    Kidnapping?


    With a serious expression, he immediately took off the nket and jumped off the bed.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Dr. Aurich tried to stop him. ¡°You can¡¯t be discharged yet.¡±


    Justin ignored the doctor¡¯s words and immediately left.


    At the same time, in the hall of the Investigation Bureau, Rachel had just been brought in.


    Janice was already waiting for her in the hall for the longest time.


    When she saw Janice, Rachel¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Officer Hawkins, do you know the damage


    you¡¯ve done by suddenly sending your people to mypany to bring me in?¡±


    Bearing a simr expression, Janice retorted, ¡°Then, do you know the extent of the effect of what


    you¡¯ve done?¡±


    ¡°What did I do?¡±


    ¡°Are you really asking me that? Bucky! Didn¡¯t you look for him?¡±


    ¡°Is that illegal?¡±


    ¡°Why did you go and look for him?¡±


    ¡°To have a chat.¡±


    ¡°Rachel! What kind of attitude are you disying now?¡± Raising her voice, the echo of Janice¡¯s


    bellowing tone reverberated across the whole hall, which caused everyone to take notice. However, no


    one dared to make a sound.


    ¡°How many times have I told you that the case involving your grandma had been closed five years


    ago? Even if there was something suspicious, it would be up to the Investigation Bureau and the


    Criminal Investigation Department to decide. You can¡¯t just take matters into your own hands like this!


    Not to mention the extreme methods that you employed! Resorting to kidnapping and ckmail? Do


    you think that our country¡¯sws are inapplicable against you after you¡¯ve changed your nationality?


    You¡¯remitting an international crime here! We can ask that you be deported to your home country!¡±


    ¡°Officer Hawkins, you should be showing some form of evidence to back up your words.¡±


    ¡°You want evidence?¡± A livid Janice continued, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll show you some evidence!¡±


    ¡°Bring her over.¡±


    After Janice left with such an order, she turned around and walked off, leaving the two officers at


    Rachel¡¯s side. They exchanged a nce with each other before one of them led the way. ¡°This way,


    Miss Hudson.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 303

    My Mute Bride Chapter 303


    Chapter 303 A Busybody


    Rachel followed Janice to the interrogation room. ¡°Officer Hawkins, how about I conduct the


    questioning to avoid any suspicion from arising?¡±


    While they entered the room, a huge silhouette stepped in Janice and Rachel¡¯s way. The silhouette in


    question was a cold and stern looking man, looking simr in age to Janice.


    ¡°No need. All of you, get out.¡±


    One word from Janice was all it took to clear the room before the depressing mood from the hollow


    room substituted the personnel.


    A calm Rachel said, ¡°So, this is what the interrogation room looks like, huh? Hey, Janice, do you guys


    keep the criminals here? Is there any surveince in here?¡±


    ¡°You should sit down.¡± After pulling a chair, Janice nced coldly at Rachel. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to


    joke around with you.¡±


    Upon saying that, Janice opened her notebook and began the questioning. ¡°Where were you yesterday


    afternoon?¡±


    Seeing Janice being so serious caused Rachel¡¯s face to disappear as she sat down.


    ¡°I was at the Riverdale Penitentiary.¡±


    ¡°Why were you there?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know all this? Why are you still asking them?¡±


    As she mmed the table, Janice roared, ¡°Whatever I ask of you, you must answer them! Let me make


    this clear that you¡¯re in the Investigation Bureau and I¡¯m the officer of this ce. I¡¯m also the person in


    charge of this kidnapping case today, and I¡¯m not some rtive of yours!¡±


    Clenching her fists, Rachel slowly spoke, ¡°I went to pick Bucky up.¡±


    ¡°After that?¡±


    ¡°I asked him about the details of my grandmother¡¯s kidnapping five years ago.¡±


    ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°He said that he wanted to ckmail Justin, which was why he kidnapped my grandmother after


    knowing the rtionship between me and Justin. Originally, he wanted to release her after asking for


    two million in ransom, but an intervention made him ask for five million instead. He threatened Justin to


    surrender a bid fornd back then, to which Justin promised. However, when I asked who gave the


    instructions to kidnap, Bucky refused to tell me.¡±


    ¡°Was that why you kidnapped his sister, Lily?¡±


    ¡°Who said that? Was it Bucky?¡± Rachel asked in return.


    With a m, Janice ced a picture on the table. ¡°This was given to me personally by Bucky.


    Arranging for Lily to have a month-long exchange program abroad and using it to threaten Bucky, was


    that your doing?¡±


    ¡°It was not.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still lying! Rachel, I told you that the case had its odd points, but it was not up to you to


    interfere!¡±


    When she saw Janice acting like she was in search of justice, Rachel was pissed off. ¡°Not up to me to


    interfere? Does that mean I shouldn¡¯t do anything until the day I die while waiting for you people to


    investigate the case? Will you guys even do that? After all, my grandmother¡¯s death won¡¯t mean


    anything to you all because she¡¯s a nobody!¡±


    After that, an angry Rachel stood up whilst being supported by the table.


    ¡°Janice Hawkins, I always thought you were a righteous person with a sense of conscience. During the


    last few years, you¡¯ve changed into the same as those cold-blooded people who only want to be


    promoted to the top without caring about people¡¯s life or death. Bucky isn¡¯t the person who murdered


    my grandmother!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve no proof on the matter!¡±


    ¡°I am the proof! He admitted it himself after I asked him!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you be more rational here?¡±


    ¡°I am being very rational here!¡±


    The sound of them arguing was rife inside the room as the atmosphere inside became tense. In the


    midst of all this, a knock came from the door.


    After somewhat managing to calm herself down, Janice said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Officer Hawkins.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s someone outside who wants to look for Miss Hudson.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m in the middle of interrogating her? Bying here to look for her, what do they


    treat the Bureau as?¡±


    The subordinate answered cautiously, ¡°The top brass called earlier and wanted me to release Miss


    Hudson due to ack of evidence.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Janice was full of disbelief as she looked outside and saw a familiar huge silhouette. Justin?


    Clenching her fists, she directed a question to Rachel, ¡°Does he know that you¡¯re using him?¡±


    After being momentarily stunned by her question, Rachel quicklyposed herself. ¡°I don¡¯t think that


    Officer Hawkins should worry about that. Since it was an order from above, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have any


    more questions for me if you don¡¯t want your promotion to be blocked, I suppose?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now if there¡¯s nothing else.¡±


    After stating her piece, she left without sparing an extra nce.


    In the hall, Justin ran to her as soon as he saw Racheling out. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I told him as soon as I heard that you were brought in.¡± Standing beside them was Gloria, who was


    also worried sick. ¡°When Justin heard that you were being charged for kidnapping, he knew that this


    incident wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed. If you went to jail after being sentenced, we would have had a


    real problem on our hands.¡±


    ncing at him, Rachel then rified, ¡°That¡¯s why you used your connections?¡±


    Justin replied, ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t like it, but I had no choice at that time. Janice and I have some bad


    blood between us, so it would onlyplicate things if I came here to demand your release.¡±


    As they were talking, the sound of footsteps indicated that it was Janice walking toward them.


    Immediately, Justin pulled Rachel behind her as he ced himself between the two people. ¡°Hello,


    Officer Hawkins, long time no see.¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long yet. Didn¡¯t we meet at yourpanyst time?¡± While observing Justin, Janice


    then continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you two had be so close. It was only moments after my


    subordinates brought her in that my superior called to demand that I release her. I wouldn¡¯t have


    offended you back then if I knew how well-connected you were, Mr. Burton.¡±


    He rebuked, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t in a pickle, I wouldn¡¯t have used those kinds of methods either. Why should I be


    afraid of thew when I¡¯ve notmitted a crime?¡±


    ¡°So, are you implying that the incident this time is so special that you can simply ignore thew?¡±


    After hearing Janice¡¯s sarcasm, Justin¡¯s expression darkened since neither one of them was going to


    back down. ¡°Officer Hawkins, you can decide whether I have ignored thew or not after obtaining


    some evidence. Let¡¯s go, Rae.¡±


    After that, Justin held Rachel¡¯s hand and left.


    As Gloria looked like she had something to say to Janice as she looked at Janice, she instead chose to


    leave after hesitating for a while.


    On the way back, Gloria then asked Rachel, ¡°Aren¡¯t you quite close with Janice? What happened


    there? You guys were practically at each other¡¯s throat.¡±


    Not wanting to answer her, Rachel replied, ¡°Just let me off at the intersection there.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gloria was stunned by her request.


    Hearing this, Justinmented, ¡°Ignore her and continue driving.¡±


    It was after emerging from the Bureau that he had a dark expression.


    A frowning Rachel questioned, ¡°What do you mean by this? I still have matters to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Matters to attend to? Do you mean looking for Bucky?¡±


    Justin, who was straightforward, looked at Rachel coldly. ¡°Did you really kidnap someone?¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°I bailed you out from the Bureau. How does that make me not have the right to question you about it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for it.¡±


    ¡°So, are you suggesting that I¡¯m a busybody?¡±


    ¡°Ria, stop the car here.¡± Not wanting to waste any more words on Justin, Rachel wanted to locate


    Bucky as soon as possible and ask him what in the world he was thinking.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± Shouting coldly, Justin grabbed her arm. ¡°Are you crazy? Where is Bucky¡¯s sister right


    now? Call your people and make them release her this instant!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 304

    My Mute Bride Chapter 304


    Chapter 304 How One Should Fish


    The impact of the screeching brakes caused Justin and Rachel to fly forward and nearly m into the


    back of the front seats due to the momentum.


    ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s a red light. I didn¡¯t notice it in time.¡± Gloria¡¯s voice came from the driver¡¯s seat. As a


    result of that, their argument had been interrupted.


    Rachel then shook Justin off as she tried to open the car door. ¡°Rie, I want you to open the door now!¡±


    A frowning Gloria responded, ¡°I think you both need to calm down first.¡±


    ¡°I am calm.¡±


    Justin and Rachel said at the same time.


    Sweeping her gaze across both of them, Gloria added, ¡°Either you follow my advice wherein we have a


    nice talk after we¡¯ve found some ce to sit or we can all be locked in this car with nobody leaving


    anytime soon.¡±


    While it was a stalemate on one hand, it was a spectacle for the audience to watch on the other hand.


    ¡°Master Jason, there is news from the Investigation Bureau.¡±


    The holiday resort was situated in the mountain located at the western side of Riverdale. Jason was


    seated in the courtyard while he fished in a rxing manner, looking nothing like the man who


    frequented clubs.


    ¡°What did they say?¡±


    ¡°The news that Rachel Hudson and Officer Hawkins fiercely arguing is spreading all over the Bureau.


    Officer Hawkins, who personally interrogated her, mmed the table and stared at her with a bad


    attitude.¡±


    ¡°How did they deal with her in the end? Did they throw her behind bars?¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t. Young Master Justin interfered.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Justin had given Chief Maxim a ring and exined that Bucky¡¯s so-called proof was


    hearsay and not physical evidence. So, Chief Maxim could only order Officer Hawkins. to release her,


    but it can be said that this has caused a huge rifit between Rachel and Officer Hawkins.¡±


    Now that he was immersed in his thoughts, Jason rified, ¡°Justin had actually sought help from the


    chief because of this woman?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the info was validated.¡±


    Hmph. With a sneer, Jason continued, ¡°He¡¯s still the same as before: soft-hearted. I thought that him


    forgetting all those things would make him let this woman go. It seems that this weakness of his would


    be hard to get rid of. No wonder my father wanted this woman gone at all costs.¡±


    ¡°How about we make Bucky¡ª¡±


    Jason raised his hand to interrupt his subordinate. ¡°No need. From this, you can see that the friendship


    these two women have isn¡¯t that deep. After all, how close could a businessman and an incorruptible


    commissioner be? Changing our perspective, this woman might just be the key to controlling my


    nephew, so in the future¡­¡±


    Although he did not finish his sentence, his long-time followers all understood what he meant.


    ¡°Then, about Bucky¡­¡±


    The fishing pole in Jason¡¯s hand suddenly moved. Raising a hand, he gestured to his subordinates to


    remain silent whereupon the fish took the bait.


    The fish sprung out from the water with a ssh.


    His subordinates immediately ttered, ¡°What a big fish!¡±


    ¡°When the fish takes the bait, we have to loosen the handle a bit and reel it in when it has no more


    strength. We can¡¯t forcefully pull it out of the water from the get go¡­¡±


    While retrieving the hook from the fish¡¯s mouth, Jason sighed. ¡°Look at it, it¡¯spletely exhausted.


    Under this kind of circumstance, it won¡¯t make for a delicious dish.¡±


    ¡°Then, are you releasing it?¡±


    ¡°Releasing it? I¡¯ve spent so much time catching it and you now want me to release it? On top of that,


    this fish will emit a warning signal once it returns to the water. When that happens, we¡¯ll only be


    catching air.¡±


    ¡°I understand Master Jason¡¯s words.¡±


    ¡°Get going now.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    In the afternoon, Gloria had parked the car in the courtyard of a restaurant.


    ¡°This restaurant was opened by my friend. It¡¯s secluded with not many people here, so you guys can


    talk without worrying about anyone overhearing you. Since it¡¯s coincidentally afternoon, we¡¯re in time


    for lunch. Have a look at the menu and order.¡±


    Taking the menu, Rachel flipped through the menu distractingly before saying, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. You


    guys can eat first.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Standing up, Justin asked, ¡°Are you going to find Bucky?¡±


    ¡°Sit down, Justin?¡±


    Frustratingly, Gloria pulled on him. ¡°We agreed to talk this out calmly. Did you not understand what I


    said? Can¡¯t you just talk peacefully?¡±


    Panicking inside, Justin was worried that Rachel, who was blinded by revenge, might do something


    foolish. But, knowing that going at each throat¡¯s now would only amount to nothing, he sat down


    defeatedly. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t leave, then I can talk in peace.¡±


    ¡°Why does it concern you whether I¡¯m leaving or not?¡±


    Letting her anger flow, Rachel retorted, ¡°I still have a mountain load of things to do. Are you going to


    stick to me while I¡¯m sorting through them one by one?¡±


    ¡°That actually works. How about this, I¡¯ll let Frankie move my office to yourpany. This way, I can go


    to work and clock off together with you. Where you¡¯d be, I¡¯d be there too.¡±


    ¡°Are you insane?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re the one that is insane.¡± With a stone cold face, Justin stated, ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve been


    doing recently. Who gave the idea to kidnap someone? Was it Jason?¡±


    This stunned Gloria. ¡°You mean your second uncle? What does this have to do with him?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t important.¡± Waving her hand, Gloria quickly changed the subject back. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that


    Miss Hudson would kidnap someone innocent, so stop talking now, Justin.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me, Miss Hudson, what actually happened?¡±


    Shooting a nce at Justin, Rachel was going to exin her side of the story when a message from


    her phone caught her attention. With an emotionless gaze, she sat down once again.


    ¡°No matter what I say, a certain someone already thinks that I¡¯m in on it with his second uncle, doing


    illegal things and using unspeakable methods on normal citizens, don¡¯t they?¡±


    Justin was slightly shocked by her words.


    Rachel exined while taking out a photo from her bag, ¡°This was a photo taken at Montenegro, where


    Lily has been studying for the past month and a half. I only used this photo for a while to scare Bucky


    into speaking. Since he couldn¡¯t contact her, he really believed that I was the one who kidnapped Lily.


    He is the one who¡¯s acting like he has something to hide.¡±


    After all, a bad person always thought others would deal with them in the same way.


    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that you didn¡¯t kidnap her at all?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have that capability yet.¡±


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Gloria stared at Justin. ¡°What did I say? How about apologizing to Miss


    Hudson now?


    Before Justin could speak, Rachel had interrupted him. ¡°No need for that. Since he did bail me out from


    the Bureau, we¡¯ll make it even.¡±


    With an awkward expression, he asked, ¡°Why are you in such a hurry to look for Bucky, though?¡±


    To this, she replied, ¡°Just because Janice has left me off the hook this time doesn¡¯t mean the entire


    thing is over. Once the Investigation Bureau dispatches someone from the embassy there to check on


    Lily, they¡¯ll quickly learn that she¡¯s merely been studying in istion with no threat to her personal


    safety. When Bucky finds out about that fact, do you still think that I can get anything out of him?¡±


    Reacting to this, Gloria eximed, ¡°Ahhh! Then, why did I drag you all the way to this ce?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you there right now, Miss Rachel!¡±


    Upon saying that, she immediately stood up to grab her car keys with the intention of leaving.


    Yet, Rachel was wiping her hand with the towel before she spread the tablecloth on her legs. She


    calmly stated, ¡°There¡¯s no need. It¡¯s already toote.¡±


    A perplexed Gloria asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    Looking at her phone, Rachel continued, ¡°Jolly has just informed me that the quarantine hotel over


    there has already ryed her current situation to the embassy.¡±


    Based on Bucky¡¯s rtion to Lily, he would have already received the information by now as well.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 305

    My Mute Bride Chapter 305


    Chapter 305 The Carrot and the Stick


    Still holding the keys in her hands, Gloria med herself. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I insisted on dragging you


    guys here to eat.¡±


    Rachelmented with a calm expression, ¡°I don¡¯t me you. Even if you didn¡¯t bring me here, what


    could I do when a certain individual doesn¡¯t want to let me go?¡±


    A speechless Justin had a tense expression.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just eat.¡± Looking through the menu, Rachel ordered, ¡°The codfish is the signature dish here,


    right? We¡¯ll have one of those.¡±


    Upon seeing Rachel act like nothing had happened resulted in Gloria taking her seat as she


    rmended, ¡°Their prawns here are tasty as well.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? One of those too, I guess.¡±


    When all the dishes had been served, Rachel ate and drank like a normal person. It was Justin and


    Gloria who felt ufortable instead. He particrly felt like he was sitting on a bed of needles.


    At that moment, although he did not want to admit it, reality had revealed the truth to Samuel¡¯s words:


    he was a fool.


    He just had to push Rachel¡¯s buttons for no reason again.


    Looking at therge bowl of peanut soup on the table, Gloria signaled with her eyes at Justin and even


    kicked him from under the table.


    When he finally understood what she hinted at, he immediately filled a small bowl with soup and


    intentionally gave it to her first before passing a second bowl to Rachel in an attempt to make the


    scene more natural. ¡°Have some soup.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    What came out of Rachel¡¯s mouth was t and carried no emotion in it.


    ¡°Oh, right, Charlotte and Samuel are still at your ce, aren¡¯t they? How are they doing now?¡±


    ¡°They are quite obedient. I have left them with my assistant, so you guys don¡¯t have to worry about


    anything.¡±


    ¡°I can pick them upter today.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Let them y around in the theater group for a few days. Since I¡¯ve discovered that


    Samuel seems to be musically talented, I was thinking that for the final concert in two days¡¯ time, I


    might bring him onstage to perform as a final act of thanks to the audience.¡±


    ¡°Samuel?¡± Rachel thought that she had misheard Gloria¡¯s words. ¡°Can he do it? He hasn¡¯t taken a


    music lesson before, has he?¡±


    Since Samuel was still youngbined with the fact that he had grown up abroad, Rachel had always


    thought that he needed a rtively free and happy childhood. That was the reason why she never


    forced him to attend any extracurricr activities.


    Then, Gloria added, ¡°Samuel does have a great sense for music. I coincidentally wanted to ask for your


    opinion on the matter. If you agree to it, I¡¯ll arrange for him to perform onstage.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any opinion on this. I¡¯m just afraid that he might affect the level of the group¡¯s


    performance.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Justin, who couldn¡¯t barge into the two women¡¯s conversation, could only helplessly look on.


    Although Rachel didn¡¯t express her anger, it was actually more tortuous for him to be ignored like this.


    He would rather have her scold him thoroughly and be done with it.


    Sadly, she treated him as if he was invisible throughout the entire meal.


    ¡°Where are you going, Miss Rachel? I can send you there.¡±


    While holding onto her car keys, Gloria and the other two walked out of the restaurant.


    As Rachel held her purse, she replied, ¡°No need. I¡¯ll just take a cab and yes, I¡¯m going to look for


    Bucky.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he already know the truth, though? Why are you still going to look for him?¡±


    ¡°I have to know the truth about what happened to my grandmother. If ckmail and threats don¡¯t work,


    maybe I can try to bait him with something irresistible.¡±


    Justin suddenlymented, ¡°You cannot go.¡±


    As soon as he said that, Rachel¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What? Even though I¡¯ve clearly exined


    everything, are you still going to stick your finger in my pie?¡±


    ¡°What I meant was that you cannot go there alone.¡±


    While opening the car door, he said in determination as his deep gazended on her face, ¡°Gloria and I


    will apany you there.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Miss Rachel. We can apany you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just me investigating some private matters, so there¡¯s no need to be this cautious.¡± A frustrated


    Rachel then continued, ¡°What do you intend to do with so many people?¡±


    ¡°You can allow Justin to apany you then. It just so happens that I have something else to do, so I¡¯ll


    be leaving first.¡±


    After that, Gloria thrusted the keys into Justin¡¯s hands before turning around and leaving. ¡°I¡¯ll just take a


    cab. Bye!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Rachel attempted to call out to Gloria, but couldn¡¯t stop her as the woman had quickly left.


    The only ones remaining were Justin and Rachel as they stood at the car door and stared at each


    other.


    Then, he broke the silence with a question. ¡°You drive? Or, shall I do it?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Rolling her eyes, Rachel snatched the keys and mumbled angrily, ¡°Can you even drive?¡±


    Even if Justin really dared to drive, she did not have the guts to sit in it. After all, although he might not


    have any ns to continue living, she still wanted to live her life.


    Bucky¡¯s home was situated at the west side of the old district. The houses there were all dpidated


    and most of them had a demolition sign glued on it. Even though the demolition had already urred,


    it did not seem like the residents there had moved after all these years.


    Getting out of the car, Justin frowned as he looked at the ruins in front of him. ¡°Are you sure that people


    are still living here?¡±


    Rachel looked at a faraway point and noted that the houses here had all been demolished with its


    debris spread all over.


    ¡°Young Master Justin, of course you won¡¯t know about the sufferings of mere mortals. When a person


    is truly broke, they would already be thanking God if there was a ce that could shield them from the


    elements.¡±


    Passing around the ruin, she walked to an alley, after which Justin immediately followed.


    Since it was already afternoon, the sun was scorching the ground with its heat. However, the old


    houses that were half-demolished had a pathway so narrow that the two of them found it hard to


    traverse without any sunlight. As a result, it resulted in a depressing atmosphere.


    Justin asked, ¡°Have you visited this ce before?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t, but I have been to simr ces like this.¡±


    ¡°When was it?¡±


    ¡°It was a long time ago. I still haven¡¯t left Riverdale at that time. Victor and his grandmother lived in this


    kind of ce too.¡±


    As she reminisced the first time that she went to Victor¡¯s house, she had also walked in a simr alley


    and it was even at night back then. The air was filled with the smell of dust with rubble and rocks


    underneath her everywhere. Although there was no streetlight, the dim light from within the alley had


    more warmth than the moonlight itself.


    Victor was in the same situation as her¡ªtheir only rtive had already passed on.


    When Justin saw Rachel spacing out, he reminded, ¡°Be careful when you¡¯re walking. You¡¯re wearing


    heels, after all.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Moments after she replied, she screamed in shock and it was his quick reaction that prevented her


    from falling as he held onto her waist.


    Lowering her head, Rachel saw that the heel of her right shoe was stuck inside the mesh of the drain. It


    refused to budge, no matter how hard she tried.


    ¡°Let me try.¡± After making sure she was standing properly, Justin kneeled down and twisted her shoe a


    few times.


    With a crack, she also felt her heart breaking.


    As expected, he was holding a shoe that had separated itself from the heel.


    The man¡¯s usually stern face had a rare awkward expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that it would be that weak.¡±


    Feeling the corners of her mouth twitching, Rachel responded, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just give it to me.¡±


    ¡°How are you going to wear that?¡±


    Not wanting to waste words on him, she took the shoe from his hand and wore it before limping further


    into the alley.


    As the surface of the road was full of potholes caused by the stones, coupled with the fact that one of


    her shoes was missing a heel, she wobbled around as she walked with one leg higher than the other. It


    looked like she would lose her bnce at any moment.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be done!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you caring about me.¡±


    Rachel hadn¡¯t even taken two steps when she heard Justin readily approaching her from behind. By


    the time she eximed out of shock, her waist had suddenly tightened as her legs were swept up from


    the floor.


    When she finally realized what had happened, she was already in Justin¡¯s embrace.


    The strong scent of pheromones attacked her as she lifted her chin to look at the man in disbelief.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 306

    My Mute Bride Chapter 306


    Chapter 306 Used Goods


    ¡°Put me down at this instance!¡±


    ¡°Until we arrive at the entrance of Bucky¡¯s house, I will not do that.¡±


    To Justin, who stood at a frame of six feet three inches, carrying Rachel was as easy as handling a cat.


    As he crushed the stones with his leather shoes along the way, they quickly traversed the alley.


    Meanwhile, Rachel¡¯s heart was racing.


    ¡°Is it over there?¡±


    She heard a man¡¯s voice from above her, which brought her back to reality..


    As Rachel looked at the spot faraway, it was the only house that had windows sealed with old


    newspaper. On the door were a few ropes with two tattered towels attached to it.


    ¡°Looks like it.¡±


    When she investigated Bucky¡¯s background earlier, she found out that he had an old home here, but it


    was a ce most of the residents had moved out from. His unit was the only exception. He only had


    one sister, who stayed in the school dorm and asionally returned during the winter and summer


    breaks.


    Since Bucky was recently released, it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t freely move out. However, since his sister


    was already staying here, the possibility of him returning to the vige was exceptionally great.


    ¡°Put me down.¡±


    When they arrived at the entrance, Rachel started to struggle as she wanted to be on her feet. After


    setting her down, Justin proceeded to knock on the door.


    ¡°Is anyone home?¡±


    His voice echoed in the alley.


    No response came from the other side.


    ¡°No one¡¯s home.¡±


    Rachel frowned because she saw the dripping wet towel at the entrance and said in confusion, ¡°That


    can¡¯t be possible.¡±


    She stumbled ahead.


    He was ready to hold her with a gesture. ¡°Be careful!¡±


    While ignoring him, Rachel reached out and mmed the door.


    Just a tap was enough to make the old door creak before it copsed.


    The moment that it fell down, she screamed as she turned around and subconsciously hugged Justin.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    A confused Justin focused his gaze over Rachel¡¯s shoulder and into the house. Upon seeing the scene


    inside, his pupils contracted.


    There was a man on the old sofa at a corner in the dimly lit house. With a wide stare and fierce gaze,


    he stared at them with a terrifying expression. What was even more frightening was that a knife had


    been stabbed into his chest whereas the area below his stab wound was drenched in blood.


    Hugging the woman in his embrace tightly, Justin could feel her trembling and her heart racing for dear


    life.


    At that moment, he felt that it was out of sheer luck that he apanied her. If Rachel had witnessed


    this on her own, or even worse, met the killer face to face¡­


    He did not dare to imagine the consequences.


    After half an hour, the perimeter of Bucky¡¯s house was surrounded by yellow tape.


    Janice arrived at the scene as she personally led people from the Riverdale Investigation Bureau. After


    photographing the crime scene, the forensic personnel bagged the body and brought it back to perform


    an autopsy on it.


    Sitting in the car, Rachel could not calm down even after a long time.


    ¡°Drink some water.¡± Justin¡¯s voice came from the side.


    As she returned to her senses, she was still pale as she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    Whenever she closed her eyes, all she recalled was the vivid scene of Bucky¡¯s death.


    ¡°Rachel.¡± A familiar woman¡¯s voice came from outside the car.


    It was Janice.


    Justin gently pressed Rachel¡¯s shoulders with a frown before he exited the car.


    ¡°Is there anything we can help you with, Officer Hawkins?¡±


    ¡°You two were the first witnesses of the crime scene. As such, I have some questions to ask you guys.¡±


    ¡°You can just ask me. I came with Rae.¡±


    A stern Janice answered, ¡°Mr. Burton, you do need to cooperate with our investigation, but I¡¯ll need to


    question Rachel too. Not only was she the first witness of the crime scene, she had also been involved


    with Bucky before. So, I can¡¯t eliminate her as a suspect just yet.¡±


    ¡°Officer Hawkins, you should be choosing your words more carefully. After all, you might find yourself


    regretting whates out of your mouth.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°Whether I¡¯ll regret it or not, I¡¯ll know it after the investigation.¡±


    After saying that, Janice was going to bypass Justin to look for Rachel.


    ¡°Officer Hawkins!¡±


    As Justin raised his voice, he blocked Janice¡¯s path.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t make way, I will charge you with obstruction of an ongoing investigation.¡±


    ¡°You can try.¡±


    Right after Justin said those words, the faint sound of a car door opening came from behind him.


    Rachel poked her head out and asked, ¡°What do you want to ask? Just ask away.¡±


    After wounding up the car window, the buzz from outside was somewhat isted.


    Taking the initiative to leave the two women alone, he chose to stand at a nearby spot since he was still


    wary toward Janice.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look too good. Are you traumatized by this?¡± Observing Rachel¡¯s face, Janice then added,


    ¡°Luckily he apanied you here.¡±


    Her concern and gentle tone toward Rachel was a stark difference to the person going after Rachel¡¯s


    throat at the Bureau earlier that morning.


    Rachel struggled to open her mouth. ¡°Who do you think did it?¡±


    With a frown, Janice replied, ¡°There¡¯s no surveince here and since this area has been designated for


    demolition, even the highway cameras don¡¯t cover this spot. However, there should be clues at a


    murder scene. There¡¯s no such thing as a perfect crime.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Jason. Jason Burton,¡± a confident Rachel suggested. ¡°After seeing our fallout, he lowered his


    guard against me and decided to work with me. Bucky was like a time bomb for him, though, so he had


    to get rid of Bucky first. I should¡¯ve predicted this all sooner.¡±


    Janice held Rachel¡¯s hands with an even deeper frown. ¡°You don¡¯t have to me yourself so much. He


    deserves this after all hisplicity. I¡¯ll definitely get to the bottom of this¡ªone day in the future¡­¡±


    She could not continue with her sentence.


    There were many cases in the Bureau where the range of effect was so wide that the cases had turned


    cold without any new leads. On top of that, numerous people had been sacrificed as a result.


    Clenching her fists, Rachel said, ¡°Janice, Bucky was nothing but a pawn for Jason. He was someone


    fated to be silenced or killed off after serving his purposes. What do you think his next step would be if


    he wanted to erase all traces?¡±


    Janice¡¯s expression froze.


    She suddenly released Rachel¡¯s hand as she refused to permit that luxury of thinking and reminded


    with a low tone, ¡°Rae.¡±


    As Rachel came around, she looked outside the window to see Justin walking toward them. He must


    have been restless after seeing us talk for so long.


    ¡°We¡¯ll end our conversation here. I¡¯ll contact you if I have any questions.¡±


    While walking over, he could only catch the second half of Janice¡¯s sentence as she stepped out of the


    vehicle.


    As she crossed paths with Justin, Janice nodded as a sign of greeting. ¡°She does seem to be in shock,


    so head home earlier. I¡¯ll be keeping in touch.¡±


    He replied, ¡°I¡¯ll prefer it if you contact me directly, Officer Hawkins.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    After leaving such a statement, she walked toward the police line.


    It was at this moment when Frankie arrived at the scene. He was a bit confused when he saw the


    police line and all the vehicles from the Bureau. ¡°President Burton, what is all this? Did something


    happen?¡±


    Throwing the keys at Frankie, Justin only gave a single order instead of exining the situation.


    ¡°Drive.¡±


    Frankie took them home thereafter.


    On the way, an absent-minded Rachel continuously stared out the car window.


    She did not know whether she had done the right thing. If she hadn¡¯t squeezed the words out of


    Bucky¡¯s mouth, would he have been silenced? Or was it precisely the fact that he knew too much that


    caused his death?


    At least it provided one thing¡ªBucky was merely a scapegoat.


    Now that he was dead, the clue to the kidnapping back then would be severed unless they found the


    person who murdered Bucky.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 307

    My Mute Bride Chapter 307


    Chapter 307 A Woman¡¯s Motherly Nature


    ¡°President Burton, we have arrived.¡± Frankie¡¯s voice was heard from the front. Before Rachel could


    even return to her senses, Justin alighted from the car and walked around the vehicle toward her side.


    The moment Frankie opened the door, Justin carried her out of the back seat.


    As she no longer had the strength to even struggle, she allowed him to carry her. ¡°Put me down.¡± She


    patted him on his arm when they arrived at the foyer so that she could change to a pair of flip-flops.


    She was contemting about Bucky¡¯s matter. Although she was afraid, she had to consider other


    possibilities, after which she sat on the couch with a distracted mind.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Justin poured her a ss of water.


    Rachel nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look well, though. Do you want to get some sleep?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sit here and apany you then.¡±


    As Justin spoke, he took a seat opposite her and retrieved a few packets of snacks from under the


    coffee table and shoving them to her in the process. He seemed to find nothing wrong with his actions.


    When Rachel moved in with Samuel, he seemed not to know where the snacks were kept in the house,


    butst night, he had taken a magazine from the book shelf to read.


    Since he didn¡¯t bear any intention to exin about his actions, she merely allowed him to have his way.


    After mingling with him for such a long time, she had noticed that Justin had one fine quality. Whenever


    she was with him, they rarely needed to talk; the two of them could each read a book and spend the


    entire afternoon just like that without any of them finding it strange.


    As she used to be mute, reading was her greatest hobby since she was little. Even after Julian had


    cured her illness, she still retained her old habits and seldom talked whenever there was no such need


    to do so.


    The afternoon soon flew past.


    During that period, the Riverdale Investigation Bureau had called them twice to ask questions regarding


    the crime scene in the afternoon, to which both Rachel and Justin answered in the best possible way.


    In the evening, Rachel fell asleep without realizing it.


    By the time she woke up with a groggy head, only the kitchen was bright and she heard some nking


    sounds of the kitchen utensils. It was those sounds that woke her up.


    When she arrived at the kitchen entrance, what she saw made her close to doubting her eyes.


    ¡°Are you cooking?¡±


    Justin looked behind him. ¡°You are awake. Did I wake you up?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Then, Rachel directly entered the kitchen. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Before him was a pot of noodles on the heated stove. ¡°I thought about it and still find this an easier


    choice.¡±


    She hesitantly asked, ¡°How long have you been cooking the noodles?¡±


    ¡°Twenty minutes.¡±


    ¡°Twenty minutes?!¡± There was an incredulous look on her face.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is that not enough?¡± Justin was confused. ¡°How long does it usually take?¡±


    The corner of Rachel¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Just turn off the stove. It¡¯s more than enough.¡±


    Talking about cooking with this man, who had barely entered the kitchen all his life, would be akin to


    casting pearls before swine and she had no intention to waste her time teaching him how to cook


    either.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    It was only when Justin attempted to take the noodles out from the pot that he realized his attempt at


    cooking seemed to have failed. The noodles had practically be so mushy that it broke when he


    tried to dish it out with a pair of tongs; he couldn¡¯t take them out at all.


    ¡°We¡¯ll serve it with the pot.¡± Rachel found a coaster from the cab and ced it on the dining table.


    ¡°Just ce it here.¡±


    This was the first time she ate noodles from a pot and it surprisingly felt refreshing.


    As Rachel was starving, she took a fork and spoon to scoop the noodles and blew on it before cing


    it into her mouth.


    ¡°How does it taste?¡±


    ¡°Not bad, but it will taste better with a sunny-side up.¡±


    ¡°A sunny-side up?¡± A hesitant Justin nced at the kitchen.


    ¡°I was teasing you. A simple meal will suit me fine. Do you want some?¡±


    He unexpectedly replied, ¡°Frying an egg is not hard.¡±


    With that, he took two eggs and returned to the kitchen.


    Rachel raised her brow in response and continued to bury her head in the food without even giving him


    a nce.


    Truth be told, she didn¡¯t really crave for a sunny-side up egg; she had merely found an excuse to make


    Justin leave since the meal tasted better without him in front of her.


    Soon, she heard a sizzling sound from the kitchen that was followed by a loud ng. As the sound had


    startled her, it caused her to drop her utensils into the bowl.


    ¡°What happened?¡± She asked as she turned to the kitchen in shock.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± However, it was obvious from Justin¡¯s voice that something wasn¡¯t right.


    Rachel immediately ced her spoon down and headed into the kitchen. As soon as she stepped


    through the door, she saw the pan sizzling as well as an egg and spat on the floor. One look at it


    was enough to tell her that the ce was in a mess.


    A pale Justin was standing far away from the stove as his left hand held his right hand.


    She immediately covered the pan and turned off the stove. ¡°You can¡¯t add oil when there¡¯s water in the


    pan. Are you alright? Did you burn yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean that you are fine? Let me see.¡± She took his hand and carefully looked at it,


    whereupon there were a few blisters on the back of his hand which soon swelled up. ¡°Come with me.


    I¡¯ll get you some medicine.¡±


    Justin was pulled along for several steps before he finally returned to his senses and his gazended


    on her hand that was pulling him.


    Thest time she had treated him with such patience was when he had been injured.


    Since a woman was known to have a maternal nature, it would be her natural instinct to sympathize


    with the weak. Is it this part of sympathizing with the weak?


    ¡°Don¡¯t pop the blister. Be careful when you change your clothes for the next two days. Remember to


    apply medicine twice a day¡ªonce in the morning and once in the evening.¡± Then, Rachel ced the


    medicine on the table. ¡°Apply it yourself.¡±


    After she said that, she picked up the fork and spoon and continued eating noodles.


    Justin still hadn¡¯t regained his senses as he pointed out, ¡°I¡¯m already in such a state. Aren¡¯t you going


    to apply the medicine for me?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? It¡¯s only two blisters; it¡¯s not like you broke your hand.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m done. I¡¯m going out to pick up Samuel and Charlotte. You can stay at home on your own.¡±


    With that, she took the car keys and left the house, leaving a frustrated Justin standing in the dining


    room alone with an injured hand.


    When Rachel arrived at the music room, Gloria was practicing piano while Samuel was singing next to


    the piano.


    It was a French nursery rhyme, which he fluently sang.


    Once he finished singing, a warm apuse came from one side. ¡°That¡¯s awesome! Samuel, you¡¯re


    amazing! I¡¯ll get the whole ss to attend your performance!¡± Gloria spoke, ¡°However, I won¡¯t buy the


    tickets; you have to buy them for your ssmates.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Gloria, you are being petty!¡±


    ¡°What did you say? I dare you to say it another time!¡±


    When Samuel raised his head and saw Rachel, his eyes brightened. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    She pushed the door open and entered the room, whereupon Charlotte and Samuel pounced on her


    one after another to hug her waist while refusing to let go of her.


    A helpless Rachel uttered, ¡°Ria, I¡¯m here to pick them up. Did they give you any trouble?¡±


    Gloria immediately waved her hand. ¡°No, no, Samuel is a good boy; as for Charlotte, she has always


    been a little mischievous, so I¡¯m used to that!¡±


    ¡°Are you really nning to allow Samuel to perform together with you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Miss Rachel. Did you think that I was messing with you?¡± She rose up from the piano


    bench. ¡°You must have heard how well Samuel sang, right?¡±


    Rachel caressed Samuel¡¯s head. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you have such talent in singing. Maybe I should


    send you to a vocal ss so that you are able to learn it systematically.¡±


    However, Samuel immediately shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to attend sses; I want to learn from Aunt


    Gloria!¡±


    ¡°You really know how to pick the best, don¡¯t you? Do you know how many people are in the line waiting


    for your Aunt Gloria to teach them?¡±


    Gloria broke into a smile. ¡°The long line won¡¯t stop me when I¡¯m willing to teach Samuel.¡±


    As they chatted, Rachel suddenly felt a presence at the door but failed to see anyone when she looked


    in that direction. She frowned, thinking that she might have sensed it wrong.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 308

    My Mute Bride Chapter 308


    Chapter 308 Samuel¡¯s Background


    ¡°Miss Rachel, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Gloria was puzzled after noticing that Rachel seemed to have spaced


    out. Rachel retracted her gaze from the window and replied, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Miss Rachel, have you eaten? I was about to take them out to eat.¡± Her question reminded Rachel of


    the mushy noodles that Justin had made, which made herugh in her heart. ¡°I have sort of eaten, but I


    can tag along. It may be hard for you to care for two children.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s invite Jolly too.¡± ¡°Since when are the two of you so close with each other?¡±


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t mix things up. Although our standings are different, it doesn¡¯t stop us from being friends,¡±


    Gloria answered with a raised brow.


    Rachel understood what Gloria meant by ¡®standings¡¯ without having to ask. In Rachel¡¯s opinion, the


    ¡®standings¡¯ was merely a childish game because who she chose to be with hadpletely depended


    on her own willingness. It wasn¡¯t something that those two could change with a word or two.


    ¡°Charlotte, Samuel, let¡¯s go.¡± Rachel waved at the two kids before she walked out of the room.


    However, after barely taking a few steps out, Gloria suddenly stopped her. ¡°Miss Rachel.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Shhh¡ª¡± Gloria raised her right hand to ce her index finger at her lips to gesture at Rachel to be


    quiet.


    When Rachel followed Gloria¡¯s gaze, she saw a shadow around the corner of the staircase.


    Her pupils contracted because it meant that she was right. It wasn¡¯t an illusion; someone was indeed


    spying on them in secret.


    Gloria reached into her bag as she carefully inched toward the corner of the staircase.


    Perhaps due to the sudden silence in the air, the stalker seemed to have realized something and the


    shadow on the floor then started to move.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±


    She shrieked and aimed her pepper spray at the person¡¯s face.


    The man cried in agony as he covered his face and bent over.


    Without any hesitation, Gloria pounded the man with her purse. ¡°Serve you right, you stalker and


    pervert! Pervert! Pervert!¡±


    Rachel initially intended to help out, but before she managed toe closer to them, the man had


    already been subdued by Gloria.


    At that moment, the man¡¯s face was covered in bruises and it looked staggering. Rachel carried her


    two kids and pressed the back of their heads against her body. The scene had escted to a level of


    violence that was inappropriate for young children to watch.


    Soon, the man copsed on the ground and tragically cried. Gloria stepped on his back with her high


    heels and directly called the police. ¡°I¡¯vee across perverts like you. I¡¯m calling the police now!¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t call the police! This is all but a misunderstanding!¡±


    ¡°Misunderstanding, you say? My foot!¡±


    She stepped harder, to which he let out a miserable cry again. ¡°I know that you are trying to stall for


    time. Just forget about it!¡±


    As she spoke, the call went through.


    ¡°Hello, I want to make a police report. I have caught a perverted stalker here! The address is Music


    Room No. 2 at Lily Avenue.¡±


    As they were at the city center, the police officers in charge of Lily Avenue soon arrived at the scene.


    The group of people then escorted the terribly beaten ¡®perverted stalker¡¯ to the police station to have


    their statements recorded.


    ¡°Officer, I¡¯m innocent. I didn¡¯t stalk them; I was just passing by.¡±


    ¡°Passing by? I saw you lurking around outside the music room two days ago.¡±


    ¡°I really happened to pass by.¡±


    Rachel, who was seated at one side, watched as Gloria argued with the ¡®stalker¡¯; she vaguely felt that


    the man seemed familiar, but she couldn¡¯t recall where she had seen him before.


    The said man was rather handsome and dressed in a formal suit; he looked nothing like a pervert.


    ¡°We¡¯ve checked the security footage. The man had indeed shown up around the music room three


    days ago, so he was indeed stalking someone.¡± The police officer soon retrieved the security footage.


    Once the evidence was uncovered, the man instantly seemed dispirited.


    Gloria demanded fiercely, ¡°What else you have to say? You are indeed a pervert! Officer, you have to


    throw this man behind bars for a few years. Otherwise, he will do this again after he is released. This


    sort of person tends to have the mentality of harming the society.¡±


    The man helplessly mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s really a misunderstanding.¡±


    The police officer coldly responded, ¡°Cut the crap. Follow me and call your family to bail you out after


    15 days.¡±


    Color drained from the man¡¯s face when he heard that.


    At this moment, a flustered female voice rang at the lobby of the police station. ¡°Where¡¯s the stalker?


    How dare that pervert stalk my best friend!¡±


    ¡°Jolly.¡± Rachel rose up from the couch.


    Upon seeing Rachel, Jolly quickly marched over. ¡°How are you? Are you guys fine? How are Samuel


    and Charlotte?¡±


    Rachel pouted in the direction of the two kids at a distance away.


    Samuel and Charlotte were able to make themselves at home no matter where they were. They didn¡¯t


    make a fuss when they were brought to a police station. As it stood, they were hungry and a few


    female police officers gave them some snacks; they even took photos together with the police officers.


    Jolly heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Where¡¯s the pervert?¡±


    ¡°Over there.¡± She followed Rachel¡¯s gaze and saw Gloria before noticing the ¡®perverted stalker¡¯, who


    had bruises all over his face.


    Jolly blurted out, ¡°Mr. Rivers?¡±


    The man¡¯s expression instantly changed the moment he saw her as he tried to cover his face.


    She then strode up to them. ¡°What happened?¡±


    A puzzled Gloria rified, ¡°You two know each other?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t!¡± He immediately shook his head in denial.


    Jolly frowned. ¡°Mr. Rivers, you don¡¯t owe me any money. So, why are you avoiding me?¡±


    Gloria muttered in disbelief, ¡°Jolly, this can¡¯t be happening! You actually know this perverted stalker?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the stalker whom you guys talked about?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the police officer has checked the security footage and found that he had been stalking me for the


    past three days. He lingered around outside the music room and even climbed in through the window.


    He is going to be imprisoned for 15 days.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Jolly¡¯s expression immediately fell. ¡°You were stalking Gloria? Who asked you to do


    so? Was it him?¡±


    Him? Rachel was initially doubtful, but her pupils contracted when she heard that. ¡°Jolly, who is he


    working for?¡±


    Jolly slowly balled her fist by her sides and muttered a name. ¡°Ryan Sutton.¡±


    Both Rachel and Gloria froze at the mention of the name.


    Ryan Sutton was the president of Majestic Corp, which was one of the four majorpanies in


    Riverdale. He was a renowned tycoon of the real estate industry and the dream man of most women in


    Riverdale.


    This man works with Ryan?


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Before the crowd had even returned to their senses, Jolly broke the silence. ¡°Did Ryan ask you to


    follow Gloria?¡±


    Edison immediately shook his head as fast as he could. ¡°No, President Sutton has asked me to watch


    over that kid.¡±


    As he answered, he nced into the distance before his gazended on Samuel.


    Rachel was fully aware of Samuel¡¯s background.


    No matter how hard they had tried to hide the truth, Samuel was now being targeted.


    Jolly¡¯s expression immediately changed when she heard that. Judging by her usual behavior, she


    would have been engulfed by rage at that point, but she suppressed her temper and growled through


    gritted teeth instead, ¡°Why did he ask you to stalk Samuel?¡±


    Edison whispered, ¡°President Sutton suspects that Samuel is his son¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bullsh*it!¡± Before he even managed to finish his sentence, she interrupted, ¡°Is he dreaming?


    Samuel has nothing to do with him!¡±


    While scratching his head, Edison borated, ¡°Miss Carter, that¡¯s not a very convincing argument.


    Samuel looks exactly the same as the photos taken when President Sutton was a kid.¡±


    As soon as he said that, Gloria gaped at him with an incredulous look on her face. This surely is one of


    the shocking and juiciest news for wealthy families!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 309

    My Mute Bride Chapter 309


    Chapter 309 Underhanded Tactics


    Meanwhile, Edison seemed blissfully oblivious to one¡¯s mood. The anger on Jolly¡¯s face was rather


    evident, yet he continued to fuel the mes.


    Then, Rachel had managed to stop Jolly in time before sternly reprimanding him, ¡°You must be Mr.


    Rivers. Based on the words that you just said, I can sue you for libel, you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Rachel and Samuel¡¯s mom.¡± Rachel continued to stare at him with aposed look. ¡°This is my


    business card. I¡¯ve never met President Sutton before, so why did he send someone to follow my son


    out of nowhere? What are you guys trying to do?¡±


    It was evident that Edison had already conducted the necessary investigation. ¡°Miss Hudson, this is a


    matter between President Sutton and Miss Carter, so you better stay out of it. You haven¡¯t even sorted


    out your affairs, right?¡±


    ¡°What has that got to do with you? Ryan Sutton thinks he can do whatever he wants, huh?¡±


    An extremely mad Jolly roared, ¡°Call him now! If he doesn¡¯t show up today, you won¡¯t be stepping foot


    out of this ce!¡±


    At that point, Edison shrank backward and pretended not to hear her as he maintained his silence.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not going to make the call, huh? I¡¯ll do it, then!¡± After she had said that, she instantly dialed


    Ryan¡¯s number.


    ¡°Hello? Ryan Sutton, you have twenty minutes to get to the Lily Avenue Police Station to pick up your


    personal assistant. If you¡¯re even one minutete, I¡¯ll make sure he remains in that holding cell for


    another month!¡±


    Rachel frowned. Is Ryan Sutton evening?


    Meanwhile, Gloria was someone who was fond of excitement and tugged on Rachel¡¯s hand before


    continuously asking, ¡°What¡¯s going on? I heard that Ryan Sutton is extremely handsome. He founded


    Majestic Corp and single-handedly developed it. He was once married, but has already divorced from


    his wife. That makes him the most popr bachelor in Riverdale right now. Is he romantically involved


    with Jolly? Don¡¯t tell me that he had a divorce because of Jolly?¡±


    ¡°Stop saying all that nonsense.¡± Rachel frowned again. ¡°Ryan Sutton filed for divorce three years ago.


    At that point, Jolly and I were still abroad and not even in town, so that had nothing to do with her.¡±


    ¡°Then, is he actually Samuel¡¯s biological father?¡±


    ¡°Gloria.¡± The frown on Rachel¡¯s face deepened even further. ¡°Just ignore whatever that man said from


    before and don¡¯t let Samuel know about it.¡±


    Rachel and Jolly had made a lot of effort all these years to keep Samuel¡¯s identity a secret, so Rachel


    didn¡¯t want their efforts to go down the drain.


    Gloria had in fact always found it strange that Rachel had skipped town immediately after giving birth to


    Charlotte back then. Meanwhile, Samuel was only a couple of months older than Charlotte, so there


    was no way he could be Rachel¡¯s son.


    It was something that Gloria had wanted to ask Rachel about for the longest time.


    Right now, it looked like Edison had been telling the truth in which Samuel was indeed the son of the


    infamous real estate mogul¡ªRyan Sutton.


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely keep my lips sealed.¡± Gloria nodded solemnly. ¡°Despite my personal feud with Jolly, I


    promise I¡¯ll definitely keep such a major thing to myself.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, then.¡± Rachel heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°If you have something else on, how about you


    head off first?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else on. I¡¯m not busy at all.¡±


    Gloria remained fixed in position and refused to budge. There¡¯s something exciting going on, so I would


    definitely spare my time for this.


    Besides, she was keen to know how Ryan Sutton, someone reputable for being dashingly handsome,


    looked like.


    ¡°Judging from Jolly¡¯s fiery temper, she¡¯s quite likely toe to blows with the other party. So, it¡¯ll make


    things worse if someone gets hurt. This is a police station after all. I¡¯ll be able to help stop herter on.¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel was aware of Gloria¡¯s thoughts, so she calmly mentioned, ¡°I reckon that you


    wouldn¡¯t need to stop her.¡±


    In less than twenty minutes, a ck-colored Maybach pulled up and stopped in front of the entrance of


    the police station.


    A man wearing a shiny pair of ck shoes stepped out of the car and his attire from head to toe was


    also in ck. His hair was cut short and chestnut brown. With impable brows, his glittering eyes


    were apliment to his perfectly sculpted features. Indeed, he had lived up to his reputation of being


    an enchanting man.


    Gloria was in shock. ¡°He¡¯s really handsome!¡±


    Jolly, who generally had a fiery temper, clenched her hand that was loosely hanging by the side of her


    body tightly into a fist. Then, she quickly strode toward him.


    Under the dark night skies, the duo stood at opposite ends of each other, which was a distance of


    about half a meter apart. Neither was it too near nor was it too far.


    ¡°Ryan Sutton, did you send someone to track Samuel?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°Who gave you the right to do such a thing!!¡±


    ¡°I did that based on the fact that he could be my son.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Jolly¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You should know Justin Burton from Burton


    Group, right? He¡¯s the son of Justin and his ex-wife, Rachel Hudson.¡±


    ¡°Take a look at his hair, his pair of eyes, and his face! You could perhaps im that he¡¯s not my son.


    However, if you im that he¡¯s Justin¡¯s son¡­¡±


    At this moment, Ryan¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile as he moved closer toward Jolly.


    Meanwhile, she was forced to retreat.


    ¡°Surely, no one would believe that at all.¡±


    His casual words rang out from above her head.


    At that point, she clenched her teeth and there was a sound of her knuckles cracking as she tightened


    her fists. ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you believe me or not, but please just stay away from Samuel from now


    on!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible. Since he¡¯s my son, then I¡¯ll definitely apply to have custody of him. After all, we


    were originally engaged to be married, weren¡¯t we?¡±


    As soon as Jolly heard that, she whipped up her head all of a sudden and stared at him incredulously.


    ¡°Ryan Sutton, how could you even mention that so nonchntly?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fact that we were originally engaged to be married.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already married someone else!¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ve also obtained a divorce.¡±


    Ryan voiced out the simple statement and said that without any hint of emotion. To him, it was as if


    getting married and subsequently a divorce was as natural as it could be and it was something quite


    normal.


    Then, Jolly took a few steps backward but found her shoulders being firmly supported by someone.


    She turned and saw that Rachel was standing behind her.


    Rachel lightly patted Jolly on the shoulders with a hand to provide some reassurance. At the same


    time, she nced toward the man opposite her. ¡°You must be President Sutton from Majestic Corp.¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson.¡±


    Ryan nodded his head slightly as a manner of greeting Rachel.


    However, she wasn¡¯t as polite as he was. ¡°It¡¯s quite embarrassing that our first meeting has to be under


    such unpleasant circumstances. However, after all of the things that you did to Jolly in the past, I can


    fully understand why this has urred.¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson, what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s human nature for one to choose a better path by using underhanded tactics to achieve that.


    However, it¡¯s no wonder that the people whom you have offended in the past don¡¯t want to approach


    you at all.¡±


    Meanwhile, Ryan¡¯s expression darkened slightly upon hearing that.


    Nheless, Rachel maintained a neutral expression. ¡°Samuel¡¯s my son. I can let today¡¯s incident


    slide, but I¡¯ll be in contact with mywyers and reserve the right to pursue this matter as well. If


    anything like this happens again, I¡¯ll definitely file awsuit against you.¡±


    As soon as she said that, she turned back and shot a look at Gloria.


    Gloria quickly escorted the two kids outside from the police station.


    Meanwhile, as soon as Ryan saw Samuel, he attempted to say something when he saw Rachel¡¯s


    warning look. ¡°Mr. Sutton.¡±


    Everyone within the social circles of Riverdale was well aware that the youngdy of Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals, Rachel Hudson, was ruthless with her tactics. She had personally imprisoned her


    father and kicked her biological sister out of the family in order to inherit Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    As such, Ryan was reluctant to cross the path of a crazed woman like her.


    He could only helplessly watch on as they drove off. Then, he stood at the entrance of the police


    station as a frustrated look shed across his eyes.


    ¡°President Sutton.¡± His personal assistant¡¯s meek voice rang out from behind, ¡°Should we still continue


    to trail after the child? I think Miss Hudson actually means her word and she isn¡¯t just saying that to


    scare us off. I reckon that she would actually take action against us. If she discovers me again, I¡¯ll


    definitely be taken into custody.¡±


    ¡°Stop doing it.¡± Ryan calmly mentioned, ¡°She¡¯s still exactly as how she was back then. She can¡¯t even


    lie to save her life and it doesn¡¯t take much to make her spill the beans.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to continue investigating Samuel¡¯s identity. Just contact the bestwyer in Riverdale.¡±


    ¡°Do you actually n to fight Miss Carter in court?¡±


    He then nced into the distance and realized that the other party¡¯s car was gone, thereafter replying


    nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯m just making the necessary preparations to be on the safe side.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 310

    My Mute Bride Chapter 310


    Chapter 310 Shield You Guys From Harm


    Gloria drove Jolly¡¯s car and sent them directly back home.


    ¡°Mommy, who was that man from before?¡±


    Now that they were inside the car, Charlotte asked Rachel.


    Then, Rachel responded, ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡±


    However, Samuel spoke up, ¡°Before we went on our school break, I ran into that man by the school


    entrance where he gave me a box of choctes too!¡±


    ¡°What choctes did he give you?¡± Jolly suddenly turned around to look at him from the front


    passenger seat with an ugly expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s the liqueur-filled choctes that we both enjoy, but you won¡¯t allow me to have too much of it


    because it¡¯ll make me drunk.¡±


    ¡°Did you eat them? When was that?¡± She immediately panicked. ¡°Gloria, head to the hospital right


    now.¡±


    Gloria was significantly shocked.


    Meanwhile, Rachel hurriedly borated, ¡°Gloria, just keep driving. Jolly, calm down. Samuel¡¯s school


    holidays had started quite a while ago. If the choctes were indeed dubious, surely we would have


    noticed the issue way before this!¡±


    Jolly¡¯s expression remained ugly. ¡°Ryan Sutton isn¡¯t a nice guy. In the past¡ª¡±


    At that point, she swallowed the words that she wanted to say due to the kids¡¯ presence.


    However, Samuel was quite confused. ¡°Is that man a bad guy? He doesn¡¯t look like one, though.¡±


    In response, Rachel ruffled his hair. ¡°It¡¯s usually impossible to identify bad guys by their looks. Next


    time, if you meet this man again, stay away from him to keep me and Godmother at ease, alright?¡±


    Although he couldn¡¯t quite understand the reason, he nheless nodded.


    Meanwhile, Jolly was preupied with her thoughts for the entire journey.


    Her face was reflected as she kept her eyes on Samuel with a zed expression from the rearview


    mirror.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    It was at that moment wheir car arrived at Jolly¡¯s penthouse apartment located in the town center.


    Then, Gloria prompted, ¡°Do you want us to apany you upstairs?¡±


    Suddenly, Jolly responded, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home anymore.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    A stunned Gloria rified, ¡°Then, where are you going to stay?¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel spoke up, ¡°Are you concerned¡­¡±


    Concerned about Samuel? Jolly nodded.


    ¡°How about this? Why don¡¯t you bring Samuel along with you and stay over at your parents¡¯ ce for


    the time being?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried that he wille over to seek us out directly.¡±


    At that point, Rachel became lost in her thoughts. After all, Ryan and Jolly were originally engaged to


    be married, so it was usible that he might head over to seek them out.


    After deliberating about the situation for quite some time, she finally spoke up, ¡°Chris, how about this:


    I¡¯ll move over to your ce temporarily to stay for the next few days.¡±


    ¡°My ce? Whereabouts are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Justin¡¯s house.¡± Jolly had suddenly found a solution wherein her eyes immediately brightened. ¡°That


    b*stard, Ryan Sutton, can disregard me, but I¡¯m sure he would be mindful of Justin, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all sorted, then. Gloria, start the ignition.¡±


    Upon saying that, Jolly fastened her seat belt once again as she finished speaking while the gloomy


    look she had earlier swiftly dissipated.


    Gloria was stunned. ¡°Are you being serious? How can you possibly stay over at Justin¡¯s ce?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are there no spare rooms avable for me?¡±


    ¡°This has nothing to do with the number of rooms!¡± Gloria stared at her for some time before blurting


    out, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re interested in Justin?!¡±


    At that point, Jolly grimaced. ¡°Are you out of your mind or am I the one going crazy here?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I want to move in too.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be confused about? There are plenty of rooms for us.¡± After saying that, Gloria


    fastened her seat belt and started the ignition.


    Neither one of them had asked Rachel for her opinion throughout their exchange and didn¡¯t call or text


    Justin to seek his permission either. They happily decided to move into his house on the spot.


    Half an hourter, in the living room of Burton Residence, a dumbfounded Justin stared at the two


    women walking in with their luggage for what seemed like eternity. ¡°Are you two moving in?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯ll stay in the room downstairs by the back garden,¡± Gloria spoke as she dragged her


    luggage to head inside.


    Meanwhile, Jolly scanned her surroundings. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll stay in the room next to her. You don¡¯t have to


    serve me.¡±


    Serve her? Who¡¯s here to serve her? Justim was angered beyond words.


    ¡°So, this is what you went out to do?¡±


    Meanwhile, Rachel expressed her resignation by throwing both of her hands into the air. ¡°It¡¯s just


    temporary.¡±


    Jolly was definitely not going to stay for long.


    Meanwhile, he took a few minutes to process this fact. ¡°Can I ask for the reason?¡±


    At that point, Rachel hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°Yes, I would have to start by exining


    Samuel¡¯s identity. Five years ago, I had just left Riverdale after giving birth to Charlotte and copsed


    right after disembarking from the ne. Coincidentally, Jolly, who had just gotten off the same flight,


    also lost consciousness. The only difference was that I fainted from postpartum weakness whereas she


    fainted from exhaustion sustained during pregnancy.¡±


    Back then, Jolly, who was five months into her pregnancy, was emaciated to the point where her baby


    bump wasn¡¯t even significant. She had gone to Montenegro for two reasons: one was to give birth while


    the other was for her studies.


    ¡°Jolly waspletely different from how she is right now. If you had met her back then, you would¡¯ve


    realized how miserable she was when she left Riverdale then.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t born with her happy-go-lucky attitude, but rather, if she didn¡¯t maintain this attitude, it would


    have been arduous for her to get through life.


    ¡°We stayed in the same hospital so over time, we became familiar with each other. After that, I helped


    her to conceal her birth and she assisted me by organizing the process with my migration to


    Montenegro.¡±


    Initially, Rachel had thought that Jolly was some rich man¡¯s mistress and went abroad to give birth


    without the person¡¯s wife knowing. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that Jolly was


    the daughter of the president of Carter Enterprise.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°I only realized afterward that her fiance had married someone else. Since she couldn¡¯t bear to abort


    the child, she went abroad to give birth. However, her depression worsened as her due date


    approached.¡±


    Depression? Justin frowned but didn¡¯t question Rachel. He remained silent and allowed her to continue


    speaking as he listened.


    Rachel then added, ¡°Coincidentally, I saw it when she slit her wrists and after her life was saved, the


    doctors told me that it was her seventh episode that month. Based on her mental status back then, they


    preferred her to abort the child, but she was too far along in her pregnancy. There was no choice but to


    continue with the pregnancy.¡±


    Justin couldn¡¯t quite imagine someone as haughty and cocky as Jolly to have such a dark past. ¡°What


    happened after that?¡±


    ¡°After that, she told me that she had been abandoned by Samuel¡¯s biological father and he had married


    another woman¡­¡±


    ¡°The princess of Carter Enterprise was jilted?¡±


    ¡°That sounds unbelievable, right?¡± She paused as she tried toe up with the words to exin the


    rest. ¡°This is quite a long story and it¡¯splicated to exin too. Anyway, it¡¯s just a story of how


    humanity cannot withstand trials. If only Jolly hadn¡¯t concealed her identity from the beginning, then she


    might already be married to Ryan Sutton now and be living a great life.¡±


    ¡°Ryan Sutton?¡± His eyes faintly narrowed.


    After that, Rachel nodded her head. ¡°I was just about to tell you about it. I think I might have offended


    him today. I heard that he¡¯s someone who holds a grudge, so I might get into trouble in the future and


    would need your help.¡±


    Justin took some time toprehend her words and finally understood what she meant. ¡°So, the


    reason for you patiently speaking to me for so long is because you wanted me to protect you guys from


    harm?¡±


    At that, she remained nonchnt. ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve already acknowledged Samuel¡¯s identity in public.


    You can¡¯t possibly watch on as someone snatches him from us and him subsequently addressing


    someone else as Daddy, right?¡±


    That would make him aughing stock by then. He suddenly felt that he had gone overboard beyond


    the point of no return.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 311

    My Mute Bride Chapter 311


    Chapter 311 Staying Loyal to Only One Man


    ¡°Are you going to watch Ryan keep sending his men to stalk Samuel and do nothing? Samuel¡¯s the one


    being stalked now, and he might do the same thing to us next time.¡± Rachel stared at Justin in silence.


    Her clear gaze and innocent expression made anyone unable to turn her down.


    Justin furrowed his brows. Although Burton Group and Majestic Corp were not in any partnerships, he


    had met Ryan in several social gatherings before. The fact that Ryan had managed to make his


    company thrive in just a few years suggested that he was someone intelligent. If he was reallying


    at Jolly, Rachel would also be affected as she was Samuel¡¯s mother on paper. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle


    this.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression immediately softened. ¡°I¡¯ll say thanks on Samuel¡¯s behalf.¡±


    ¡°Rachel, you know that your gratitude is not what I want.¡± Justin stared at her with a serious


    expression. ¡°I hope that you¡¯ll immediately seek my help whenever youe across any danger in the


    future, be it a work-rted or private matter. As for my uncle¡ª¡±


    Pretending not to understand him, Rachel uttered, ¡°I¡¯ll check on Jolly and Gloria before getting the


    bedsheets in the guest room changed.¡±


    She left the ce right after she finished speaking, leaving no chance for Justin to continue his words.


    Those from Hudson Pharmaceuticals had been in frequent contact with Jason. As Jason¡¯s nephew,


    Justin was certainly aware of this. It was understandable that he wanted to stop Rachel from getting


    into contact with Jason, but she couldn¡¯t obey him whatsoever.


    Meanwhile, Gloria and Jolly had already put down their luggage in the guest room. At the moment, they


    were having a discussion on what to order for dinner.


    ¡°Jolly, why are you ordering Surstr?mming for dinner? Do you want to make the room stink?¡±


    ¡°Look at what you¡¯re ordering. Does Parmesan cheese smell any better?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll also add some Brussels sprouts.¡±


    Rachel overheard their conversation as soon as she arrived at the room. The corners of her mouth


    twitched as she uttered, ¡°What are you two trying to do at this hour?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have our dinner,¡± they said in unison. Not only were they in sync, they also spoke in an


    unabashed manner.


    Gloria uttered, ¡°We haven¡¯t had our dinner either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We were unable to eat anything because of that incident.¡± Jolly waved her hand. ¡°No


    more arguments. Dinner is on me.¡±


    A helpless Rachel said, ¡°Please stop messing around. If you¡¯re really going to order the food you just


    mentioned, the entire house will stink since we always close the doors and windows at night.¡±


    Then, she rolled up her sleeves. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare dinner for you.¡±


    Jolly pretended to be bashful. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. It¡¯s veryte.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be just for the two of you; Samuel and Charlotte haven¡¯t had anything as well. I¡¯ll prepare some


    noodles for everyone.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Jolly became energized instantly. ¡°I want two poached eggs on my noodles. One of them


    should be fully cooked and the other has to be half-cooked.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Gloria?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have some tomatoes and eggs on my noodles. I don¡¯t like heavy food, so please cut down on the


    salt.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get them prepared for you guys right now.¡±


    Rachel took a nce at Gloria, who got her hint and took Jolly¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go down as well. It¡¯s so


    boring up here.¡±


    ¡°Just head down on your own. Why are you making me go with you?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t take care of two kids by myself, you know.¡±


    ¡°Justin will also be downstairs.¡±


    ¡°A man like him doesn¡¯t know how to take care of kids. Come with me right now! Aren¡¯t you their


    godmother?¡±


    Gloria directly pulled Jolly away from the bed.


    Upon seeing that Jolly still went downstairs despite her reluctance, Rachel heaved a sigh of relief. She


    was worried that given her temperament, Jolly would be too agitated after seeing what Ryan had


    done to Samuel. Hence, it was a great idea that she also moved into this ce. With so many people


    watching over Samuel, it was a relief for both sides.


    The usually quiet vi became bustling with noise once the twodies moved in. Shortlyter, all of


    them were seated at the table to have dinner together. Upon seeing that Justin was getting a bowl,


    Jolly shot him a nce. ¡°Haven¡¯t you already had dinner?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t he have more food after having dinner?¡± Gloria responded with an annoyed expression.


    ¡°Rachel is adept at cooking, so it¡¯s expected that men love the food she prepares. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too


    much to ask for. Also, don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re living under his roof, Jolly.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Jolly became exasperated. ¡°Living under his roof? I¡¯m just giving him a chance to


    prove his worth in front of Rachel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank you on his behalf then.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t he speak? Why does he need you to thank me on his behalf?¡±


    Unable to take it anymore, Rachel snapped, ¡°It seems that even food can¡¯t shut your mouths. If you


    dare utter one more word, stay away from my dinner table.¡±


    It was then the two of them kept their mouths shut. Unlike Gloria and Jolly, who basically wolfed down


    the food, Justin was much slower and more elegant when having noodles. In fact. The two women


    were already on their second bowls while the man was only halfway through his first. After the meal,


    Samuel and Charlotte went to the living room and started watching some cartoons.


    Justin said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Ryan. I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±


    The sudden mention of Ryan caught Jolly off guard.


    ¡°Yes, we do need your help with this.¡± Gloria nodded. ¡°After all, this matter has implicated Rachel as


    well. How dare the man named Ryan send his men to stalk Samuel?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Frankie to handle this.¡± As he spoke, Justin took a look at Jolly. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I¡¯m not


    supposed to say, but you¡¯re very beautiful, Miss Carter. You can easily find a brilliant man to be your


    partner, and there¡¯s no point staying loyal to only one man.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jolly was puzzled.


    Justin exined, ¡°I heard that you tried to kill yourself for the man who dumped you. It¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    What does he mean that I tried to kill myself? Jolly was dumbfounded. ¡°What on earth are you talking


    about?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you cut your wrists for Ryan?¡±


    What? Jolly choked on the spices and started coughing violently. Her eyes were covered in tears.


    When did I ever cut my wrists?


    Rachel immediately passed her a cup of water and patted her shoulder. At the same time, she shot a


    signal with her gaze. Upon seeing that, Jolly immediately understood what was going on.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Justin asked with concern.


    Jolly straightened up and coughed a bit more. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I say anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, but I hope that you¡¯ll never bring up this kind of embarrassing incident again. Thanks for your


    concern.¡± While nodding, Jolly forcefully pinched Rachel under the table. This is embarrassing! How


    could she lie to Justin that I cut my wrists for Ryan? I¡¯m a straightforward woman who has the courage


    to love and hate. There¡¯s no man that I can¡¯t leave behind. Why would I try to kill myself for a man who


    uses others to gain benefits for himself?


    A bbergasted Gloria said, ¡°You tried to kill yourself for that b*stard? I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯ve been


    acting tough all along, Jolly!¡±


    Jolly put on a hollowugh and replied, ¡°I wasn¡¯t myself at that time.¡±


    As she endured the paining from her thigh, Rachel sported a nonchnt expression and uttered,


    ¡°Let¡¯s drink some juice that I¡¯ve just squeezed. I¡¯ll get it from the fridge.¡±


    With a hideous smile, Jolly demanded, ¡°Please get me more of the juice. My throat is burning.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 312

    My Mute Bride Chapter 312


    Chapter 312 Leroy Bet


    Rachel had lied to Justin back then. Jolly never suffered from depression, nor did she try to cut her


    wrists for any man. She never told anyone how she got pregnant with Samuel, but when Rachel met


    her in a foreign country, she had several meals every single day, and she seemed to be in a truly jolly


    mood.


    Then, she aggressively persuaded Rachel to be Samuel¡¯s mother on paper by offering to help her


    obtain permanent residency in Montenegro.


    At that time, Jolly wasn¡¯t ready to be a mother while Rachel had just left Charlotte. Rather than


    Charlotte needing Rachel, it was the other way round.


    The reason Rachel lied to Justin was because she wanted to arouse his sympathy to help her fend off


    the scoundrel named Ryan.


    The next morning, a meeting took ce in Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    ¡°The sports drink developed by our R&D Department has been tested and confirmed to be safe. Now,


    we have to talk about endorsement. Our colleagues from the Advertising Department have selected


    three potential spokespeople. Please have a look, President Hudson.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Rachel waved her hand. ¡°I know nothing about celebrities. Tell the


    Advertising Department and Marketing Department to have a joint discussion and show me the final


    proposal.¡±


    Upon hearing that, the director from the Advertising Department immediately picked out one of the


    proposals. ¡°President Hudson, we¡¯ve had some discussions before, and we all agree that this person is


    the most suitable candidate.¡±


    ¡°Do all of you share the same sentiment?¡± Rachel took the proposal and went straight to the


    endorsement part. Within seconds, the introduction to the potential spokesperson came into her sight.


    However, what attracted her were the photos attached.


    There were photos of the spokesperson swimming half-naked, riding a bicycle in a white shirt, and


    skateboarding in a t-shirt. Just by looking at his photos, one could feel how young and energetic he


    was.


    ¡°Leroy Bet?¡± Rachel uttered his name.


    The director from the Advertising Department said, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s the hottest celebrity in recent years. Ever


    since he debuted in a reality show three years ago, he has remained popr until this day.¡±


    However, Rachel frowned. ¡°Such a young celebrity has a very specific target audience, though. Once


    his fans lose interest in him, they¡¯ll stop buying the things that he endorses. That¡¯s a risk we¡¯ll have to


    bear.¡±


    ¡°We have taken that into consideration as well, but the most important thing for us to do now is to


    poprize this sports drink. Since there¡¯s no problem with the quality, it¡¯ll be reputable in no time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. In that case, just go ahead with him.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Before Rachel closed the document, she couldn¡¯t help but take one more nce at the photos.


    In fact, he wasn¡¯t a typical handsome male celebrity. His facial features were pretty angr, and his


    eyes were piercing. However, his face was still slightly chubby due to his young age, so he looked


    rather harmless.


    Furthermore, his athletic appearance perfectly matched the sports drink they were going to promote.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this endorsement project.¡±


    Jolly¡¯s voice was suddenly heard in the meeting room as all of them shifted their attention to her.


    Jolly was always by Rachel¡¯s side since she was thetter¡¯s assistant. Supposedly, she didn¡¯t have a


    right to say anything during office meetings. Nevertheless, all of them knew that she was a youngdy


    from Carter Enterprise, so no one dared to refute her.


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do it. Our colleagues from the Advertising Department are swamped with work, and I have


    some free time anyway. It just so happens that I have some connections in showbiz, and I have some


    experience negotiating with celebrity agents as well. I¡¯ll help you handle this.¡±


    While Rachel was doubtful, the director from the Advertising Department uttered, ¡°President Hudson,


    I¡¯ll work with Miss Carter and deal with this endorsement task.¡±


    Left with no choice, Rachel could only agree to it first. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s end the meeting here. All of you


    have done a great job.¡±


    After the meeting in the morning, Jolly and Rachel returned to the office together. As soon as the door


    was closed, Rachel questioned, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pretending not to understand her, Jolly started watering the nts.


    ¡°You¡¯re killing the nts.¡± Rachel rolled her eyes at her. ¡°Are you going to harass the male celebrity by


    using the endorsement deal as an excuse?¡±


    Evidently, she was fully aware of Jolly¡¯s temperament. The woman was someone who would go crazy


    over handsome men.


    ¡°I swear that it¡¯s not the case. Even though I love handsome men, I¡¯ll never harass them. I have a friend


    who loves Leroy, so I¡¯m going to get her a signed autograph.¡±


    ¡°A friend? Who is it?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have any friends that I¡¯m not aware of. Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s an acquaintance¡ªshe¡¯s


    probably not important enough to make you get a signed autograph from a celebrity.¡±


    A guilty Jolly hesitated for a long time. Upon realizing that the secret couldn¡¯t be kept hidden, she said


    honestly, ¡°It¡¯s Estelle Dolton.¡±


    ¡°Estelle Dolton?¡± Rachel appeared to be in disbelief. ¡°Didn¡¯t you stop contacting her five years ago?¡±


    ¡°Calm down. I can exin.¡±


    ¡°Go on then.¡± Rachel suppressed her anger and took a seat. ¡°I¡¯d like to know how you¡¯re going to


    exin the rationale behind getting a signed autograph for a woman who snatched your fianc¨¦ five


    years ago.¡±


    ¡°Leroy is Estelle¡¯s ex-boyfriend.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel was startled. I guess I have to get this matter sorted out. ¡°Is Estelle, the one


    you¡¯re talking about, the person who got married to Ryan?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Jolly dipped her head. ¡°She was also my roommate in university and my best friend. You¡¯ve


    heard me right; it¡¯s her.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Rachel could hear a hint of resentment in her voice.


    ¡°I just want to find out why Estelle dumped Leroy and got married to Ryan.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe she¡¯s after money?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Rachel stopped asking further. ¡°Go ahead, but make sure that your emotions won¡¯t affect your


    work.¡±


    She decided to stop asking because they had been as close as real sisters over the years, so she


    understood Jolly as much as she understood herself. Jolly would never get over the incident if the knot


    in her heart wasn¡¯t untied.


    Meanwhile, a moved Jolly wrapped her arms around Rachel¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Thanks. You¡¯re the most


    amazing friend in the world.¡±


    ¡°Get off me! I¡¯m going to puke.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never let you go.¡±


    While they were messing with each other, Rachel¡¯s phone that was ced on the table started ringing.


    As soon as she saw the name on the phone¡¯s screen, Rachel narrowed her eyes and motioned for


    Jolly to keep quiet. A momentter, she picked up the call.


    ¡°Mr. Burton.¡±


    A mature voice was heard speaking on the other end of the line. ¡°How are you, Miss Hudson? I heard


    that you¡¯ve been in trouble recently.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m amazed at your ability to gather information, Mr. Burton. However, I¡¯ve never been short of trouble,


    so I¡¯m not sure which case you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m talking about your argument with Officer Hawkins from the Investigation Bureau. I also


    heard that the person who kidnapped your grandmother had been killed.¡±


    ¡°Did you call me to have a goodugh, Mr. Burton?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. If you need my assistance, I have some friends from the Investigation Bureau who can


    help ease the tension between you and Officer Hawkins. You still have a business to run, so you¡¯re not


    supposed to offend those from the Investigation Bureau.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for your concern, Mr. Burton. However, I¡¯m not interested in having anything to do with the


    Investigation Bureau.¡± Rachel turned him down steadfastly and frowned. The reflection of her


    expression on the window appeared haughty.


    After a moment of silence, Jason uttered calmly, ¡°What if I say I¡¯m going to introduce some friends to


    you, Miss Hudson? Are you interested?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 313

    My Mute Bride Chapter 313


    Chapter 313 The Party on the Golden Cruise


    Rachel scowled at Jason¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the Deluxe Hall of the Golden Cruise at 7.30PM. I¡¯m


    sure you¡¯ll meet the people you¡¯re interested in at the cocktail party.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± After hanging up the call, Rachel traded nces with Jolly.


    ¡°Jason told me to join a cocktail party with him on the Golden Cruise.¡±


    ¡°The Golden Cruise?¡± Jolly became startled. ¡°Is it an event organized by the Jockey Club?¡±


    ¡°Do you know anything about it?¡±


    ¡°My dad was one of the founders of that club. When I was a young kid, he used to bring me to the


    events organized by the club. For some reason, he stopped attending them one day and quit watching


    horse racing altogether.¡±


    ¡°Did anything happen?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I was already in the university when that happened, so I wasn¡¯t home most of the time.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel fell into her thoughts. Just then, someone knocked on the door from outside.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Rachel uttered.


    The person who came in was the secretary to the director of the Advertising Department, Linda Cook.


    ¡°The director told me to send you this, President Hudson. It is Leroy Bet¡¯stest schedule.¡±


    A puzzled Rachel asked, ¡°What do I need his schedule for? Why can¡¯t we contact his agent directly?¡±


    Linda exined, ¡°The director has alreadye to an agreement with Leroy¡¯s agent regarding the


    contract. However, Leroy is different from other celebrities¡ªhe likes to take things into his hands.


    Therefore, the contract has to be sent to him and signed by him.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just meet up with his agent?¡±


    A helpless Linda uttered, ¡°Leroy is the hottest celebrity now, so he has a tight schedule. If we want to


    book a time slot with his agent to have a meet-up, that will be two monthster.¡±


    Upon hearing her exnation, Rachel said, ¡°In other words, you¡¯re saying that we have to fit into his


    schedule and look for him to get the contract signed wherever he is.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Linda appeared embarrassed. Since she was worried that Rachel would be displeased,


    she quickly exined, ¡°That¡¯s how things work in showbiz, President Hudson. Brands have to


    cooperate with the hottest celebrities to get them to endorse their products.¡±


    While Rachel was silent, Jolly uttered, ¡°Let me handle this. You can do your own work first.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After taking the schedule, Jolly flipped through it andmented, ¡°It¡¯s all easy money in showbiz, huh? It


    just proves that these brands are right to look for these celebrities to endorse their products. These


    celebrities are basically giving themselves airs, but their fans are still willing to support them.¡±


    Rachel knitted her brows. ¡°You should meet up with Leroy. If there¡¯s a problem with his personality, I


    don¡¯t want him to be our spokesperson. We¡¯re in the market for the long term, not just to sell something


    quick.¡±


    ¡°I get it. Don¡¯t worry.¡± As she spoke, Jolly suddenly saw something and frowned. ¡°The Golden Cruise?


    Leroy is going to the Golden Cruise as well, Chris.¡±


    ¡°What? Is he also a member of the Jockey Club?¡±


    As Jolly went through the contents of his schedule, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s mentioned here that


    he¡¯s attending an event, so I think he¡¯s been invited to the cruise.¡±


    ¡°Can you get all the information regarding the Jockey Club?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look into it.¡±


    Jolly ran a quick search about the Golden Cruise and the Jockey Club, but she realized that there


    wasn¡¯t anything useful. ¡°Why don¡¯t I call my dad and ask him about it?¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Rachel raised her hand to stop her. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that right now.¡±


    Something was probably off since the event on the cruise ship had something to do with Jason. Rachel


    reckoned that she¡¯d better not inform the older generation about it so that they wouldn¡¯t be worried.


    Regardless of the purpose of this event, Rachel had to attend it.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with you,¡± Jolly said with the schedule in her hand. ¡°I have to look for Leroy anyway.¡±


    ¡°I only have one invitation card. How are you going to get in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just go home and get it.¡± Jolly smiled smugly. ¡°Even though my dad no longer attends these events,


    those from the club still insist on sending him the invitation cards to all the functions, and I know where


    he ces them.¡±


    Some people would scramble to get their hands on the invitation cards so that they could attend the


    event on the cruise ship, but to Jolly¡¯s parents, the event was like a gue that had to be avoided at all


    costs.


    Soon, darkness descended upon them in the evening.


    d in evening dresses, Rachel and Jolly arrived at the harbor in Riverdale.


    When the attendant took the invitation card from Jolly, he became startled. ¡°You are¡­¡±


    ¡°This is my dad¡¯s invitation card. He told me toe here on his behalf.¡±


    Upon hearing her exnation, the attendant said, ¡°You¡¯re Miss Carter. Wee, and this is your room


    card.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Rachel and Jolly boarded the cruise ship in an arrogant manner, and it wasn¡¯t until they stepped into


    the elevator that they breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°If my dad finds out that I came here with his invitation card, he¡¯ll kill me.¡±


    ¡°Why? The attendant was pretty respectful when he saw your dad¡¯s name.¡± Rachel examined Jolly¡¯s


    room card for a bit. ¡°It seems that your room is a suite.¡±


    Jolly wasn¡¯t surprised at all as she had already expected it. ¡°My dad is one of the founders, so they


    have to show him enough respect. The other founders are also my dad¡¯s friends, but they quit


    contacting each other a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°They were my dad¡¯s ssmates at university. One of them is named Baxter¡ªI always called him Mr.


    Baxter. The other person is a woman named Bowman, and I¡¯d call her Mrs. Bowman.¡±


    After a pause, she went on to say, ¡°I don¡¯t think you know them as their entities are not in Riverdale,


    and I have no idea the nature of their businesses. My dad fell out with them eventually. I remember


    mentioning Mrs. Bowman at home one day, and my dad immediately blew his top.¡±


    ¡°Your dad is a mild-tempered person. I can¡¯t believe he blew his top because of this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I also find it inconceivable. As far as I¡¯m concerned, he rarely throws a tantrum.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something off about it.¡±


    Just as Jolly wanted to say something, Rachel suddenly took her arm and uttered in a grim voice, ¡°Let¡¯s


    get into our room first.¡±


    The Golden Cruise was arge cruise ship where many events could be held at the same time. This


    time round, the Jockey Club had booked the entire cruise ship. Since the event had yet to begin, the


    vessel was still parked beside the harbor as they awaited the guests¡¯ arrival.


    Upon entering the room, Rachel examined everything thoroughly.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    Rachel shut the curtains and scanned the room with her phone¡¯s torchlight. Upon making sure that


    there were no hidden cameras, she turned on the light as the room became illuminated.


    ¡°Someone was stalking us in the corridor just now.¡±


    Jolly¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Jolly immediately dashed toward the door and looked out through the peephole. Presently, only other


    guests were walking along the corridor, so she wasn¡¯t sure whether they were being stalked.


    Rachel uttered, ¡°Stop looking. The stalker wouldn¡¯t stay right outside our room.¡±


    ¡°Who could be stalking us?¡± Jolly frowned as a name sprang into her mind. ¡°Could it be Ryan? He must


    be insane! I¡¯m calling him right now.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Rachel pulled the other woman¡¯s arm. ¡°We¡¯re on the Golden Cruise now. Are you sure


    Ryan¡¯s men can get in here?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Jolly was startled.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 314

    My Mute Bride Chapter 314


    Chapter 314 This ce Is His Territory


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed yet? All the guests here are not apanied by their assistants. If Ryan wanted


    to stalk you, he¡¯d have to personallye over.¡±


    Upon hearing Rachel¡¯s analysis, Jolly asked, ¡°If it isn¡¯t him, who else can it be?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it has something to do with your invitation card.¡±


    Their gazes fell upon the table where Jolly¡¯s invitation card and a spare room card were ced.


    The entire cruise ship was shrouded in mystery¡ªor to put it in another way¡ªstrangeness.


    ¡°Is that the case?¡± Jolly was never afraid of anything. However, when she caught a glimpse of the


    cellr connectivity on her phone, she became startled. ¡°Is there no connectivity on the cruise ship?¡±


    Rachel took a look at her phone and realized that it was the same. It¡¯s no wonder he asked me to meet


    him here. There must be something wrong with this cruise ship.


    Jolly directly pressed the call bell.


    A respectful woman¡¯s voice was hearding from the other end of the line. ¡°Hello, Miss Carter. How


    may I help you?¡±


    Jolly asked, ¡°Why is there no cellr connectivity in the room? Do you guys have Wi-Fi?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Carter. Privacy is very important on this cruise ship, so all personalmunications


    devices are not usable here. If you need to contact your friends on the cruise ship, you can use the


    interconnected phone in your room.¡±


    Jolly frowned andined, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this ce? We can¡¯t even use our own phones!¡±


    Unfortunately, it was toote for her to get off the ship.


    There were two old-fashioned ck phones on the table that couldn¡¯t even be used to take photos. In


    addition, one could only contact other people through the phone.


    After hanging up the call, Jolly continued her rant as she said, ¡°Is this a ce where criminals gather


    together? Are they worried that I¡¯ll contact the police to arrest them?¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re already onboard, just be at ease.¡± Rachel examined the phones for a moment before


    passing one of them to Jolly. ¡°If we part wayster, use this to contact me at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Just by looking at this phone, I feel a headacheing on.¡±


    The cruise ship left the harbor at exactly 7.00PM.


    Rachel and Jolly shuffled toward the banquet hall together.


    ¡°There are so many people here. How am I supposed to look for him?¡± After looking around, Jolly


    randomly stopped a waiter and asked, ¡°Excuse me, do you know where Leroy Bet is?¡±


    The waiter shook his head to show that he had no idea.


    On the other hand, Rachel could already see Jason in the distance.


    ¡°Keep looking for him, Jolly. I see Jason over there.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead then.¡±


    ¡°Keep in touch and be careful.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After they parted ways, Rachel walked past the crowd in the banquet hall. When Jason saw her, he put


    on an amiable smile as though he was truly pleased to see the young woman.


    ¡°How are you, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Hi, Jason.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Rachel remained polite to him. Outsiders would usually call him Mr. Jason, but she could call him by his


    name like how Justin usually did.


    ¡°Is everything alright? Did anyone make things difficult for you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all good. However, I didn¡¯t expect privacy to be so important on this cruise ship.¡±


    There was a faint smile on Jason¡¯s face. ¡°If the privacy here wasn¡¯t strong, I would¡¯ve not invited you to


    come here.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me clearly over the phone, Jason. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve invited me to this ce just to


    introduce some friends to me.¡±


    ¡°I sent some samples over some time ago, and the other party was pleased with it. They have offered a


    very attractive price, and the person wants to meet you. The way I see it, I think they¡¯re going to


    purchase your goods in bulk.¡±


    ¡°You invited me over to have a discussion with them?¡±


    Rachel finally understood his intention.


    Jason had obtained some benefits through selling the goods back then, so he wanted an even bigger


    business deal. Apparently, the other party didn¡¯t believe that he could easily get his hands on arge


    amount of medicine, so they wanted to meet the supplier herself¡ªRachel.


    Every detail in this kind of underhanded business deal was important. If any news was leaked by


    ident, they¡¯d be in trouble.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t we already coborated for a long time?¡±


    When Jason looked over the woman¡¯s shoulder and saw the figure in the distance, his gaze


    brightened. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±


    Rachel became startled for a moment before she turned her head and followed his gaze. There was a


    young man being surrounded by a group of people, and he was apanied by ady.


    ¡°Mr. Porter!¡± Jason scurried over and called out in a respectful manner. Rachel had never seen this


    side of Jason before.


    He was Arthur¡¯s son, after all. Even though he yed second fiddle to Justin in the Burton Family, he


    was still an important figure who was born wealthy. He was arrogant wherever he went, so it was


    surprising to see him being so subservient to someone else.


    The man named Mr. Porter was a clean-looking man in his thirties, and his brown eyes gave off a


    gloomy feeling for some reason.


    ¡°Are you Miss Hudson?¡±


    Mr. Porter¡¯s gaze fell upon Rachel. The moment he saw the woman, a light suddenly lit up in his


    gloomy-looking eyes, to which she found pretty unsettling.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always heard that you¡¯re a resolute businesswoman, but I never expected you to be such a


    stunning beauty.¡±


    Rachel replied with a smile, ¡°Why can¡¯t a beautifuldy be a resolute businesswoman? Are only ugly


    people allowed to do business? You¡¯re basically belittling yourself, Mr. Porter.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, all of them fell silent.


    A horrified Jason snapped, ¡°What on earth are you talking about, Rachel?¡±


    Right then, Mr. Porter suddenly burst intoughter. ¡°Interesting. I love people who are humorous.¡±


    All of them exchanged nces and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Rachel thought, Why are they so afraid of him? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s a beast that will eat them alive. Do they


    have to be so anxious?


    Worried that she would say anything inappropriate again, Jason quickly uttered, ¡°Let me introduce you


    guys to each other. This is the president of Hudson Pharmaceuticals, Rachel Hudson. Rachel, this is


    Dillon Porter. Most people call him Young Master Porter.¡±


    The man extended his hand toward Rachel. ¡°My name is Dillon Porter. Just call me Dillon.¡±


    Rachel shook hands with him and realized that his palm was rather warm. When she tried to withdraw


    her hand, she discovered that the other person had no intention of releasing her.


    A shocked Rachel looked up, and as their eyes met, Dillon uttered, ¡°You haven¡¯t introduced yourself,


    Miss Hudson.¡±


    An unfazed Rachel exerted more force with her hand and struggled out of his grip. ¡°I don¡¯t think an


    introduction is needed anyway. If you hadn¡¯t looked into my background, you wouldn¡¯t have let me


    board the cruise ship.¡±


    Dillon slightly narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re indeed intelligent, Miss Hudson. You should be aware that not


    anyone can board this ship.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re showing enough sincerity. I have some personal questions for you, so why don¡¯t we


    go to a private room?¡±


    Certainly, Rachel was clever enough to realize that he had some ill intentions.


    However, she was surprised that this man didn¡¯t seem to have the intention of concealing hisscivious


    motives right in front of so many people. Needless to say, this ce was his territory.


    Who is this guy named Dillon Porter? I know many big shots in Riverdale, but I¡¯ve never heard of this


    name before.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Miss Hudson.¡± Dillon gestured for her to make a move, whereas Jason didn¡¯t seem like he


    was going to stop him anytime soon.


    Rachel balled up her fists with a grim expression.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 315

    My Mute Bride Chapter 315


    Chapter 315 The Upper ss and the Underground Circle


    After Dillon finished speaking, he wanted Rachel to follow him to a private room. Just as Rachel was


    about to reject him, a woman¡¯s voice was hearding from behind Dillon. ¡°Young Master Porter, the


    banquet is about to start.¡±


    Finding the voice familiar, Rachel looked at the source of it and saw a young woman standing among


    the crowd. Her appearance wasn¡¯t outstanding, but no one could neglect her when she spoke.


    Rachel felt her heart skipping a beat as she stared fixedly at the woman.


    She sported a short, clean-looking hairstyle while her body was d in a ck one-piece dress. Her


    tanned-skin appeared rather out of ce in a hall where most women had fair skin. Furthermore, she


    looked like someone who was supposed to be practicing pistol-shooting in a shooting range instead of


    a woman d in an evening dress in a banquet hall.


    An impatient Dillon refuted, ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m busy?¡±


    ¡°All of them are waiting for you to open the champagne bottle.¡±


    Her attitude was neither arrogant nor subservient. After a moment of deadlock, Dillon eventually gave


    in. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do that first.¡±


    Then, he turned to look at Rachel. ¡°Come with us, Miss Hudson.¡±


    Rachel came to her senses and nodded with a polite smile.


    After that, Dillon shuffled forward while the woman merely walked alongside him. Looking at her


    straight back, Rachel felt that she must have met her before.


    ¡°Who is she, Jason?¡±


    ¡°L Hart. She¡¯s Mr. Porter¡¯s bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Rachel was startled. ¡°A female bodyguard?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Do you think she looks like a man? However, I heard that she¡¯s better at fighting than most


    men, so don¡¯t offend her. Even Mr. Porter has to listen to her.¡±


    His words puzzled Rachel.


    ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t she just a bodyguard?¡±


    ¡°Rather than a bodyguard, she¡¯s actually a mole.¡±


    ¡°A mole?¡±


    All of a sudden, Jason started coughing.


    Rachel looked up and saw L staring at her. She shuddered as the woman seemed to be warning her


    with her cold-looking eyes.


    While Rachel was in a dazed state, the woman slowly retracted her gaze.


    On the side, Jason uttered in a small voice, ¡°Stop asking and stay away from her. She¡¯s someone that


    even Mr. Porter has to be wary of.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel dipped her head. It was apparent that Jason knew little about L as well.


    Presently, the center of the banquet hall was filled with people. Rachel and Jason were slow to arrive,


    so they could only stand in a ce that was far away from the center.


    Just then, someone was heard speaking over a microphone. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Randall Baxter. Thanks for


    coming to this event organized by the Jockey Club. I¡¯m truly honored. I especially have to thank Mr.


    Porter for making the effort toe here despite his busy schedule¡­¡±


    Randall Baxter? Rachel recalled what Jolly had said to her.


    ¡°That¡¯s Randall Baxter¡ªhe¡¯s one of the founders of the Jockey Club.¡±


    Rachel snapped back to reality upon hearing Jason¡¯s voice. ¡°Does Mr. Porter have anything to do with


    him?¡±


    There was a faint smile on Jason¡¯s face. ¡°Well, the reason the Jockey Club has so much influence is all


    thanks to Mr. Porter. You see, all of the guests here are the wealthiest people in Riverdale. It¡¯s easy to


    be a part of the upper ss in Riverdale, but it¡¯s extremely hard to join the circle you¡¯re seeing


    now.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The underground circle.¡± Jason gave her a meaningful look. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s just a normal event on


    this cruise ship?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Are you saying that these people are here for trade deals?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Jason lowered his voice. ¡°We do have some outsiders here to conceal the nature of


    this event.¡±


    As Rachel gazed at these people, a realization suddenly dawned upon her.


    It was an annual event that wasn¡¯t what the organizer purported it to be, and the risk they had to bear


    increased year by year. If this cruise ship was inspected by the authorities, the outsiders who


    scrambled to attend this event would be used as a cover-up. If those who engaged in illegal trades


    couldn¡¯t flee, they would hold these people captive.


    Once they had the captives in their hands, those from the Investigation Bureau wouldn¡¯t dare to make a


    move.


    Rachel felt her heart sinking as the bustling banquet turned into something else in her eyes. These


    people with bright smiles on their faces were like moving captives to her now.


    After Dillon was done with opening the champagne bottle, the crowd dispersed as the banquet hall


    became lively again.


    Rachel and Jason were standing in a spot that was far away from the stage. When Jason saw Dillon


    beckoning to them, he immediately understood his hint.


    He then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Mr. Porter wants us to head to the private room.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel came to her senses. When they reached the private room, two male


    bodyguards stopped them and uttered, ¡°We¡¯ll have to inspect you.¡±


    Rachel subconsciously took a step back. It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to refuse their inspection, but the


    bodyguards were men.


    Just then, someone opened the door from inside and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    L took a nce at the bodyguard nearest to Rachel, whereupon he meekly stepped aside. It seemed


    like he was afraid of her.


    While staring at Rachel, L said, ¡°This is our rule, Miss Hudson. Please raise your hands.¡±


    Rachel became startled for a moment before raising her hands as she was told.


    L went on to carefully inspect her, including all the essories Rachel was wearing.


    Since they were in such close proximity, L¡¯s face magnified before Rachel¡¯s eyes. At that moment,


    she had a feeling that she had met this female bodyguard before.


    ¡°Have we met before?¡± she subconsciously spurted out.


    However, L denied with a frown and said, ¡°It¡¯s our first encounter, Miss Hudson.¡±


    Meanwhile, Jason was being inspected as well. In the midst of Rachel¡¯s doubts, he said, ¡°Miss Hart


    rarelyes to Riverdale, so it isn¡¯t likely that you¡¯ve met her before.¡±


    An astounded Rachel replied, ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ve mistaken her for someone else.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you cane in now,¡± L uttered.


    After thanking her, Rachel shuffled into the private room with Jason.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    As soon as they entered the ce, Dillon asked, ¡°What were you talking about outside the room? I


    heard you saying that you¡¯ve mistaken someone for somebody else, am I right?¡±


    Before Rachel could speak, Jason enthusiastically went over and exined, ¡°It was Rachel. She said


    that she might have met Miss Hart before, but I told her that it wasn¡¯t likely. There¡¯s no way they¡¯de


    across each other before.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Dillon¡¯s gaze fell upon Rachel. ¡°Have you met L before, Miss Hudson?¡±


    A startled Rachel subconsciously took a nce at L, who directly headed toward Dillon after entering


    the ce. Presently, she was also looking at Rachel. As Rachel examined her, she increasingly found


    her facial features familiar.


    I must have met her before. Where did we meet, though? All of a sudden, all the dots connected as she


    recalled something.


    ¡°Miss Hudson?¡±


    Dillon¡¯s voice pulled her back to reality as she quickly denied by saying, ¡°No, I¡¯m just mistaken.¡±


    ¡°Really? What¡¯s wrong? Do you know a person who resembles L? Tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°She was a ssmate, but we haven¡¯t met for ages.¡±


    Rachel took one more look at L as she believed that her spection was right.


    Even though L¡¯s face was different from that person five years ago, her voice sounded familiar to


    Rachel. Also, her gaze never changed one bit.


    Rachel could still remember climbing on the window of the hotel where she had been confined to. A


    woman gestured with her hand while telling Rachel not to be afraid, and she looked truly valiant back


    then.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 316

    My Mute Bride Chapter 316


    Chapter 316 L Hart Is Coraline Harper


    L Hart is Coraline Harper. Rachel¡¯s mind instantly shed to that hair-raising night five years ago.


    She didn¡¯t even have time to thank Coraline at the time. Unfortunately, they never met each other again


    afterward. Why is she here? Why did she be Dillon¡¯s bodyguard?


    Thinking of Coraline¡¯s identity in the Riverdale Investigation Bureau, she suddenly understood the


    situation, and her hand trembled uncontrobly. Afraid that somebody might notice, she quietly shifted


    her hand behind her back.


    ¡°What? Are you old ssmates? What a coincidence!¡± Dillon looked like he wanted to get to the bottom


    of this matter.


    Rachel was trying to think of a way to gloss over this incident when ¡®L¡¯ said, ¡°Young Master Porter,


    let¡¯s get back to business.¡±


    Clearly unhappy, he nced sideways at L. ¡°I was kindly asking on your behalf. Who knows? Maybe


    you have a long-lost twin sister or something out there. You should get to know your family as soon as


    possible so that you won¡¯t be alone for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Porter. Compared to being alone for the rest of my life, I¡¯m


    more worried that you won¡¯t be able to provide the higher-ups with a satisfactory exnation if this


    matter does not go well.¡±


    He was reminded of the situation with a single sentence. Having been embarrassed in front of Rachel,


    his expression turned even more sour.


    Jason said, ¡°Young Master Porter, you came all the way to Riverdale. I¡¯m sure things will go beautifully.


    Look, I¡¯ve already brought this person here. It only takes one sentence from her to prepare however


    much goods you need.¡±


    The conversation was finally brought back on track and Rachel sat down.


    On the opposite side, Dillon looked her up and down. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re already aware of the reason I


    came here, Miss Hudson.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Mr. Jason only gave me a rough exnation regarding the matter. Having only been


    notified of the banquet this afternoon, I did not have time to learn more.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is normal in our line of work. You will gradually get used to it.¡± Now that the


    conversation was much closer to the main topic, his expression became serious. He put away his


    yboy attitude and continued, ¡°The quality of the drugs we receivedst time was good. Compared to


    the other supply channels where the quality is non-standard, what you supplied was way more


    excellent than the rest. Truly what you¡¯d expect from a family of pharmaceuticals.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Young Master Porter.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be humble. I would not have set up a meeting with you if your goods were


    substandard. I will only say that we are very satisfied with your goods, so we hope to build a long-term


    rtionship with you. In the future, we will need arger quantity of goods.¡±


    ¡°Arger quantity? Can you be a little more specific?¡±


    ¡°Ten times more than thest.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°The amountst time had already been very noticeable. With such arge


    barge of goods, it will be very difficult to ship them out in secret. What if something goes wrong?


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± He cut her off with a single sentence. ¡°You only need to tell me


    this: are you going to ept this order?¡±


    She looked hesitant.


    Next to her, Jason urged, ¡°What are you hesitating for? Why are you hesitating when there¡¯s such a


    great opportunity to make money? Do you know how much the remaining tariffs and misceneous


    fees cost?¡±


    ¡°The risks are very high after all. They¡¯ve been very stringent with their investigation recently.¡±


    ¡°Doing business alwayses with risks. Don¡¯t worry, Miss Hudson. You will not be involved in


    anything else aside from providing the goods for our first official cooperation. Our people will be in


    charge of everything starting from the shipment of goods.¡± While speaking, Dillon pushed a document


    on the table over to Rachel. ¡°This is the price we are offering for the drugs. You can have a look


    yourself.¡±


    Rachel flipped through the document and clenched her fingers around the edges of the document


    when she saw the price they offered. Without the costs of the various customs duties and


    misceneous fees, the price he offered was the actual ie. The profit was still several times higher


    than the market price even after deducting the original cost. This is just from a single order, but the


    ie is already so high. It¡¯s no wonder Dad took such a risk back then.


    ¡°You still have time to turn back if you are hesitating, Miss Hudson.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She raised her head. ¡°When will you make payment? I am in urgent need of money.¡±


    He roared withughter. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be a straightforward person, Miss Hudson. 30 percent of the


    deposit will be credited to your ount within the next two days. The rest will be transferred to you


    once the goods have been safely received.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± She closed the document. ¡°I need a month to prepare the amount you want.¡±


    ¡°A month?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I can only give you half a month.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡±


    ¡°Undue dy may bring unwanted trouble.¡± Those concise words highlighted the risk tolerance value in


    this transaction.


    She nodded slightly. ¡°I will do my best to make the factory work overtime.¡±


    Now that the business talks were over, all that was left was to enjoy the banquet.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, if you¡¯re not in a hurry, you should stay on the boat tonight. The banquet is only just


    starting.¡±


    She took a sip of tea. ¡°With pleasure.¡±


    Let¡¯s agree for now. It will only ruin the mood if I say that I want to leave immediately.


    After walking out of the private room, Rachel took out her phone from her bag to give Jolly a call. All of


    a sudden, she caught a glimpse of L avoiding the crowd in the banquet hall and walking toward the


    bathroom. Thus, she hurriedly followed.


    She cautiously walked into the bathroom but did not see anybody inside. Is she inside the cubicle?


    ¡°Miss Hart?¡± She tentatively called out to L.


    There was no response from the cubicles.


    She frowned. She had only taken several steps forward to take a look when somebody suddenly


    dragged her backward from behind and pressed her against the wall. ¡°Miss Hudson, can you exin


    why you¡¯re following me?¡± L red at her coldly.


    Rachel could barely breathe from the pressure of being pressed against the wall. Struggling, she


    gasped out. ¡°Caroline, it¡¯s me¡­¡±


    ¡°Who is Caroline?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you Caroline Harper? It¡¯s impossible for me to mistake you for somebody else. You saved me


    five years ago.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. You¡¯ve gotten the wrong person.¡± The look in L¡¯s eyes was


    extremely cruel. It was not something Caroline from five years ago would have had.


    Rachel suddenly recalled what Janice once said when she questioned Janice about Caroline¡¯s


    whereabouts in the past. Janice imed that Caroline had vanished after failing in an undercover


    mission. The Riverdale Investigation Bureau had been unable to contact Caroline until now.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The conversation had taken ce in front of Hans¡¯ grave. She had voluntarily offered to work


    undercover beside Jason and be an informant for Janice.


    Janice had said, ¡°Those who work as undercover informants either die in duty ore back alive. Most


    people believe that these are the only two oues, but it¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°Then, what else is there?¡±


    ¡°Identity disorientation. They forget who they are.¡±


    When you stare into the abyss for too long, the abyss stares back at you. In the end, you will be


    swallowed by the abyss. You will forget who you are or why you¡¯re here, unable to return to a normal


    life ever again. It is amon urrence.


    At that thought, Rachel felt her heart thump in fear.


    Caroline had been missing for nearly five years. If she had been safe and sound during these five


    years, then she would have had the chance to contact Janice during that period. However, she


    obviously had not.


    Is this the third oue Janice meant? Rachel did not have time to wonder. Nevertheless, the strength


    pressing down harder and harder on her shoulders confirmed her conjecture. There was nobody here,


    but L had no intention of releasing her whatsoever.


    ¡°Speak. What is your true purpose for following me? Who sent you here? If you refuse to speak, then I


    don¡¯t mind adding an extra person dying on this ship today. You only have five minutes to talk.¡± L¡¯s


    voice echoed in Rachel¡¯s ear like a basin of cold water pouring down on her head and chilling her


    heart. ¡°Five¡­ Four¡­¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 317

    My Mute Bride Chapter 317


    Chapter 317 Mysterious Woman


    The countdown of the warning echoed in Rachel¡¯s ears. She lowered her voice and said, ¡°Are you


    afraid of being discovered? I checked before I came. There¡¯s nobody following me.¡±


    As soon as the statement came out of her mouth, a gun pressed against her forehead. The cold touch


    of metal spread out across her forehead, causing her to shudder. She finally understood that L was


    not joking around with her.


    L questioned, ¡°I¡¯m curious now. Just who is the friend that you speak of?¡±


    The blood drained out of her face, little by little. ¡°I followed you here because you look like a friend of


    mine. I don¡¯t have any other intentions. If I¡¯ve offended you by mistaking you for somebody else, then I


    apologize.¡±


    L studied her expressionlessly. Her gaze was extremely sharp, almost as though she could pierce a


    person¡¯s heart.


    Rachel did not know how long passed before the pressure on her shoulder eased and the cold feeling


    of metal against her forehead disappeared.


    Putting away the gun, L stepped away from Rachel and coldly said, ¡°Before you act, you had better


    consider first whether or not you can bear the consequences for every word you speak and every


    action you take on this ship. The ship will eventuallye to shore, but a person may not be able to


    walk off the boat on their own two feet.¡±


    Rachel jerked in surprise and subconsciously clenched her fingers. It was not until L left the


    bathroom that she leaned against the wall and clutched at her chest abruptly. Her heart was beating


    wildly through theyer of her dress. When L held the gun to her head just now, the cold gaze in


    those eyes had indicated no hesitation to kill her.


    She isn¡¯t Coraline? I don¡¯t believe it. Although there are some differences in their appearances, it¡¯s


    impossible for me to mistake those eyes and that voice which belong to Coraline. Nevertheless, she did


    not have the time to ponder over this matter. She felt like she was sitting on a bed of pins and needles


    on this ship. Since the business talks are over, I should leave this ce as soon as possible.


    When Rachel walked out of the bathroom, a waiter suddenly stopped her. ¡°Are you Miss Hudson?¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± She nced at the waiter in front of her warily. ¡°How can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be so nervous. It¡¯s like this. The Madam wishes to talk to you.¡±


    Madam? ¡°Who is this ¡®Madam¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You will know once you¡¯ve met her, Miss Hudson.¡±


    She frowned slightly. ¡°Does this Madam go by the surname ¡®Bowman¡¯?¡±


    The waiter nodded and said nothing else.


    Be that as it may, that response gave her a rough grasp of the situation. ¡°Fine. I¡¯lle with you.¡±


    While following the waiter, she sent a message to Jolly to say that she was going to meet an old friend


    of Jolly¡¯s father.


    They arrived at a private room and the waiter opened the door. ¡°The Madam is waiting for you inside.¡±


    Rachel nodded and walked straight into the room. The room was very luxuriously furnished. If she had


    not known that she was currently on board a ship, she would have thought that they were the


    furnishings of a vi. A golden chandelier illuminated the entire room with a golden brilliance.


    ¡°Miss Hudson.¡± A woman¡¯s voice came from behind. She spun around and saw a middle-aged woman.


    The middle-aged woman was dressed in a sky-blue traditional dress. She looked elegant and graceful.


    Although her skincare was so good that she appeared to be in her forties, the weather-beaten and calm


    gaze in her eyes betrayed her actual age.


    ¡°Hello.¡± Rachel observed the woman. ¡°Are you Mrs. Bowman?¡±


    ¡°Do you know me? Did Richard mention me to you?¡±


    Richard Carter was the name of Jolly¡¯s father.


    Rachel was in no rush to refute that statement. Instead, she countered with a question of her own.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring me here to confirm whether or not Mr. Carter has told me about you?


    A bitter expression appeared in the middle-aged woman¡¯s face. ¡°I knew he had not mentioned me to


    you before. If he did, you would not have agreed to meet me in the first ce.¡±


    Rachel looked at her in confusion.


    ¡°Sit.¡± The middle-aged woman raised a hand and indicated for Rachel to take a seat.


    A Herm¨¨s nket was draped over the genuine leather sofa. All the furniture in the room were very


    delicate and elegant. It didn¡¯t look like a temporary residence. Rachel looked around and asked, ¡°Do


    you usually live here?¡±


    ¡°How can you tell?¡±


    ¡°Few would have the leisure to arrange flowers in a hotel, especially if they¡¯re only going to stay for a


    short while. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Following Rachel¡¯s gaze, the middle-ageddy turned to look behind her. There were fresh cut flowers


    and nts scattered across the table behind her. Moreover, they were next to a half-finished vase.


    Then, she looked at Rachel with a measuring gaze. ¡°No wonder Richard took you in as his


    goddaughter. You are smart and meticulous. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be of great help to Jolly in the future. I


    brought you here because I wanted your help to pass something to Jolly.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°This.¡± In front of Rachel, the middle-aged woman opened the pink gift box at her feet to reveal the


    white gown inside.


    ¡°What is this? A wedding dress?¡± Rachel was confused.


    The middle-aged woman noticed her doubts and exined, ¡°This is what I promised Richard in the


    past. At the time, Jolly was still very young and there were no disputes over business matters between


    Richard and I. After I won the award in the Maynie Designer Competition, Richard told me that he


    wanted me to design his daughter¡¯s wedding dress in the future. ording to my calctions, Jolly


    should be nearly at the marriageable age by now.¡±


    The Maynie Designer Competition was an international-level fashion designpetition. Only the most


    popr fashion designers could win any awards in thispetition.


    ¡°Are you a fashion designer?¡±


    ¡°I was. This wedding gown is thest piece that I worked on. This way, it can be considered that I¡¯ve


    fulfilled the promise between Richard and I.¡± The middle-aged woman sounded sincere. ¡°I hope you


    can help me with this.¡±


    Rachel furrowed her eyebrows and did not answer immediately. ¡°Jolly is also onboard this boat. You


    can hand it to her yourself.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have needed to trouble you if I could hand it to her myself, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t help you with this.¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson, I don¡¯t know who else I can ask for help aside from you. You don¡¯t need to tell them that


    this wedding dress was designed by me. You can just im that you¡¯re giving it to Jolly. Only you and I


    need to know about this. This is my thank-you gift for you.¡± The middle-aged woman took out a ck


    suede jewelry box and opened the box in front of Rachel without further ado. Then, she pushed the box


    over to Rachel.


    There was a jade bangle inside the jewelry box. Judging by the quality of the bangle, it was worth quite


    a lot.


    Rachel immediately got to her feet and the scowl on her face deepened considerably. ¡°What do you


    mean by this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me. This is just a small thank-you gift.¡±


    ¡°I have not promised to help you, but I can no longer help you because of this thank-you gift.¡± Rachel


    nced at the box containing the wedding dress. The feeling that this situation was very odd became


    stronger.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Just as Rachel hurried to the door, somebody threw open the door from the


    outside. ¡°Chris!¡±


    It was Jolly.


    Jolly had rushed over as soon as she saw the message. At this moment, she looked very anxious. ¡°Are


    you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Rachel shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    For some reason, she wanted Jolly to leave this ce as soon as possible.


    Jolly¡¯s gaze slid past Rachel¡¯s shoulder tond on the middle-aged woman behind them. However, she


    withdrew her gaze after a brief nce. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Jolly.¡± The middle-aged woman suddenly called out to Jolly.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 318

    My Mute Bride Chapter 318


    Chapter 318 They¡¯re Here for a Rendezvous


    ¡°You must be Jolly.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Jolly furrowed her eyebrows and stared at the middle-aged woman


    behind Rachel with a wary expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mrs. Bowman! I used to take care of you when you were younger.¡± The woman seemed


    inexplicably emotional to see Jolly. Her eyes reddened as she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since Ist saw


    you.¡±


    Jolly frowned, reacting in a surprisingly rational and clear-headed manner. ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t move. I know


    about Mrs. Bowman who established the club together with my father, but why did you summon Chris


    here alone?¡±


    The other party was clearly taken aback for a moment. ¡°I¡­¡±


    Rachel said, ¡°She imed that it would be bad to meet you. She was also scared that you might be


    unwilling to meet her. That¡¯s why she called me here.¡±


    ¡°Why would it be bad to meet me?¡±


    Jolly was a straightforward person who had always been blunt with her words. Meanwhile, Mrs.


    Bowman looked like a person who would beat around the bush. She was far from her gentle and


    demure appearance.


    ¡°Jolly, your father and I have some misunderstandings between us. That¡¯s why we have not been in


    touch with each other for many years. Didn¡¯t your father tell you anything?¡±


    ¡°My father has never mentioned you to me.¡±


    Rachel wanted to stop Jolly, but Jolly blurted out those words and gave up the game.


    Sure enough, the middle-aged woman¡¯s expression rxed considerably.


    Rachel tugged at Jolly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    However, Jolly was no longer in a hurry. She asked the middle-aged woman bluntly, ¡°Spit it out. Why


    are you looking for me?¡±


    The middle-aged woman was stunned for a moment before she recovered from her shock. ¡°It¡¯s like


    this. I have something I wanted to give you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°A wedding dress that I designed myself. I promised your father that I would make this wedding dress


    for you, so I¡­¡±


    ¡°You want to give it to me?¡±


    Interrupted mid-sentence only for her sentence to be finished by Jolly, she was taken aback again.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°This is the dress, right?¡± Jolly nced at the gift box by the middle-aged woman¡¯s words.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Do you want to have a look?¡±


    ¡°No need. Since you¡¯re giving it to me, then hand it to me.¡±


    When Jolly¡¯s words rang out, both Rachel and the middle-aged woman were startled and caught off


    guard.


    It took the middle-aged woman a long while toe back to her senses. Seemingly afraid that Jolly


    might regret her decision, the middle-aged woman ced the gift box back in the bag and handed the


    bag to Jolly herself. ¡°Jolly, I¡¯m so d that you¡¯re willing to ept this.¡±


    ¡°No worries. Pleasee to me directly for these kinds of things in the future. Don¡¯t look for Chris


    again.¡±


    ¡°Your outspoken temper is exactly like your father¡¯s.¡± The middle-aged woman walked the two of them


    to the door. As she watched Rachel and Jolly¡¯s departing backs, her gentle expression gradually


    returned to calmness. Then, she turned around and returned to the room.


    At this time, Rachel and Jolly were walking back along the corridor.


    Rachel scolded Jolly. ¡°Why did you ept stuff from other people so nonchntly? Didn¡¯t you say that


    the rtionship between Mr. Carter and his two friends is very tense?¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid? Won¡¯t it be fine as long as we don¡¯t say anything when we go back?¡± Jolly sounded


    very righteous. ¡°If you and I both stay silent, then how will my father know?¡±


    ¡°A secret can only be kept for so long!¡±


    ¡°As long as your mouth is shut tight enough, the secret won¡¯t be revealed.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Jolly. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Jolly


    carried the bag joyfully. ¡°What do you n to do with this wedding dress? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re getting


    married soon. Do you really n to keep it until you¡¯re married?¡±


    ¡°Wear it? Do you think a wedding dress is something that can be worn so casually?¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you ept it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such a waste not to ept it. I¡¯ll sell it once we get off the boat. Didn¡¯t you mention that she is a


    famous designer? This wedding dress should be quite valuable. Let¡¯s find out how famous she ister.¡±


    Speaking of this, Rachel suddenly realized something. From the start to the end, neither of them had


    bothered to ask the woman for her name.


    After returning to the room and putting the bag away, Jolly dragged Rachel out to search for Leroy. ¡°I


    heard that Leroy is staying on the same floor as us. He seems to have been invited by a rich woman.¡±


    ¡°A rich woman?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you¡¯re thinking of.¡± Jolly clicked her tongue and said in disgust, ¡°He used to be the


    male idol who swept the entire school off their feet, but he has fallen to be a ything in the


    entertainment industry.¡±


    ¡°Why do you make it sound so creepy? Will we identally see something we shouldn¡¯t see if we go


    over now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better if we see something. That way, I will have a weakness that can be used to negotiate his


    endorsement fee a little more.¡±


    ¡°Why are you still thinking about work at this time? Should I give you a raise?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°Forget it. The pitiful sry you pay me won¡¯t even buy me a handbag.¡±


    At the exact moment the elevator doors closed, Rachel looked up and saw the doors of the elevator on


    the opposite side closing at the same time. A familiar figure entered her vision, causing her to freeze in


    surprise. ¡°Noah.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I just saw Noah and Amber.¡±


    Jolly was taken aback for a moment. Then, she calmed down and said, ¡°Noah is a yboy. He must be


    one of the members of the Jockey Club. It¡¯s quite normal for him to participate in this event. As for


    Amber¡­ isn¡¯t she having an affair with him? But, why did he openly bring her here?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t do it openly.¡±


    Dressed in casual clothes and a hat, Amber had been wrapped up very inconspicuously. If Rachel had


    not noticed Noah first, she would not have recognized Amber. It was obvious that Amber¡¯s getup was


    meant to hide her identity¡ªshe did not wish to be seen.


    During their conversation, the elevator arrived at one of the floors.


    Rachel saw that the elevator on the opposite side had arrived on the fifth floor. Thus, she headed


    straight toward the stairwell. ¡°Jolly, go and look for Leroy on your own. I have something to do.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing!?¡±


    ¡°I want to see what Noah and Amber came here to do.¡±


    Jason mentioned that there were two types of people in this boat, so she wanted to know which type


    Noah and Amber belonged to. Do they know or not know? Or, are they aware but have not


    participated? Did they simplye here in search of an opportunity?


    Unable to stop Rachel, Jolly could only follow Rachel up the stairs.


    ¡°Why are you following me?¡±


    ¡°To join in the stalking. How can I not participate in something so exciting?¡± The mes of gossip


    zed on her face. ¡°Who knows? Maybe they came here for a secret rendezvous.¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± Rachel covered Jolly¡¯s mouth to signal the other party not to talk nonsense.


    Ding. The sound of the elevator arriving on this floor rang out from outside the stairwell. Rachel pulled


    the stairwell door open by a fraction in time to see somebodying out of the elevator.


    Noah and Amber were mostly likely trying to be stealthy. They did not walk out of the elevator together.


    On the contrary, they took turns toe out of the elevator and headed down the depths of the


    corridor. The entrance to the terrace was located in that direction on every floor of the ship.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Rachel reminded Jolly. Then, she took the lead and followed after them.


    Unbeknownst to them, there were two people on the boat who were on the verge of going crazy from


    searching for the two women. The presence of these two men drew a lot of attention in the banquet hall


    on the second floor. In just a few minutes, several women had already tried to flirt with them. However,


    they both had sullen expressions and didn¡¯t even bother to nce at those women.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say those two were here!? Well!? Where are they!?¡±


    ¡°Are you interrogating me!? That¡¯s what I want to ask you! Your uncle is the one who brought them


    here!¡±


    Ryan¡¯s expression was very ugly, and he red at Justin coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t care what kind of shady


    business the Burton Family is involved in. But, you had better watch that woman called Rachel


    carefully! Don¡¯t let her drag Jolly down with her!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 319

    My Mute Bride Chapter 319


    Chapter 319 A ce Beyond the Law


    Justin responded in a cold voice. ¡°It takes two to tango.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to debate this with you. Hurry up and search for them!¡± Ryan looked around.


    Unfortunately, he only met Jason a handful of times before and did not recall how the other party


    looked. There was no way he could easily spot Jason from among the crowd, so he could only nce


    back at Justin.


    Justin nced at a spot in the distance. ¡°There.¡±


    Following Justin¡¯s gaze, Ryan saw Jason standing by the bar in the distance. Jason was holding a


    ss of wine in his hand while gaily chatting with the people around him.


    Ryan was about to head there when he was stopped by Justin. ¡°You don¡¯t need to go there.¡±


    Upon hearing those words, he became pensive for a moment and immediately understood what Justin


    meant. The two of them were not very familiar with the situation on this ship. If they acted together,


    then it would be over for both of them if they were to encounter any danger. Not only would they lose


    everything, but they wouldn¡¯t even have a corpse to bury.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wander around.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± After watching Ryan leave the banquet hall, Justin finally turned around and walked toward


    Jason.


    Jason was discussing ¡®business¡¯ with his friends. During this time every year, he would make a lot of


    money through this banquet. It was also his highest and most triumphant time of the year.


    He was savoring his triumph when he suddenly noticed a familiar figureing toward him out of the


    corner of his eyes. The sight startled him.


    ¡°Jason.¡± Justin¡¯s expression was frosty and his manner of speech was rather aloof. ¡°Long time no see.¡±


    Jason was very puzzled. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know, Jason? Don¡¯t you know why I came here?¡±


    He quickly snapped back to his senses and studied Justin pensively. ¡°You came to find Rachel. Don¡¯t


    worry. She is safe and sound. She is only apanying me for some events at the banquet after all.


    We are business partners now. Don¡¯t you think you are making a huge fuss out of a molehill?¡±


    ¡°Then, where is she right now?¡±


    ¡°After our business talks, she returned to the room to rest. This ship is sorge that it¡¯s possible that


    she is taking a stroll on her own. What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t you contact her?¡±


    He was asking this question despite knowing the answer. It was impossible for a personal phone to


    send out any messages on this ship. Likewise, the phones specially provided on the ship were as


    useless as scrap metal if one did not have the other party¡¯s contact information.


    At present, he was the only person who knew Rachel¡¯s whereabouts and whether she was safe.


    Justin had no choice but to mediate with Jason. ¡°Jason, I have no interest in knowing what kind of


    business you¡¯ve been doing over the years in the name of the Burton Group. However, I will not sit idly


    by if you drag Rachel into this mess.¡±


    ¡°Those words displease me. Did you think I dragged her into these affairs? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve


    underestimated her abilities.¡±


    ¡°It has not been long since Rachel returned to the country. No matter how capable she is, she won¡¯t be


    able to board the Golden Cruise. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    The invitation came from Jason. If Rachel had not heard about the news from the secretary, Justin


    would not be going crazy right now because he could not get in contact with her.


    ¡°Jason, you had better tell me now. Where is Rachel?¡±


    ¡°What kind of attitude is that?¡± Jason¡¯s expression was astonished. He observed Justin¡¯s anxious and


    impatient appearance, then he immediately said coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you grow out your own wings? Find her


    yourself!¡± After saying that, he nced at his watch. ¡°I still have friends to meet.¡±


    He had long since been dissatisfied with Justin when Arthur indiscriminately withdrew all funding


    previously. There was no need to think to know that Justin was the one who mentioned something to


    Arthur. How dare he take this attitude with me! What can he do even if he knows Rachel¡¯s


    whereabouts?


    Justin watched as Jason left without another word and clenched his fists tightly. Unfortunately, there


    was nothing he could do. If it were anybody else, he would have his ways to pressure them into


    answering his questions. But, Jason was his uncle.


    His thoughts turned in a different direction. If Jason is currently cooperating with Rachel, then he won¡¯t


    harm her for the time being. She should be safe at the moment. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know where she is.


    Nevertheless, the Golden Cruise is a ce beyond thew. We can¡¯t stay here for long. I have to find


    her and get her off the ship as soon as possible.


    It was alreadyte at night by this time. The luxury cruise ship stopped on the river, facing the most


    prosperous business district in Riverdale.


    At this moment, almost all the people on the cruise ship were gathered in the banquet hall on the


    second floor. There was barely anybody else on the other floors and the terrace on the fifth floor was


    even more quiet.


    Rachel and Jolly secretly followed Noah and Amber onto the terrace.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± Jolly looked around. ¡°Didn¡¯t theye this way just now?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± Rachel indicated for Jolly to be quiet.


    Jolly spread her arms wide. ¡°Look! Do you see anybody here?¡±


    Rachel furrowed her eyebrows slightly. I clearly saw Amber and Noah entering this ce, one after


    another. How can they just vanish into thin air? Could it be¡­ This thought had barely formed when she


    felt something cold pressing against the back of her neck. A woman¡¯s voice entered her ears. It was a


    fierce warning. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±


    It was Amber. Sure enough, she had been hiding behind the door.


    At this moment, there was a knife pressed against Rachel¡¯s neck. The sharp edge of the knife slid


    against her skin. It was followed by a stinging pain. She jerked in surprise and did not dare to move a


    single muscle. ¡°Did you notice me a long time ago?¡±


    ¡°Chris, who are you talking to? I don¡¯t think those two are here¡­¡± Jolly turned around only to see this


    scene. Her expression immediately changed and the rest of her sentence trailed off. She couldn¡¯t even


    utter a single word.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°Stand there and don¡¯t move!¡± The words had only just left Amber¡¯s mouth when Rachel felt something


    cold against her neck. Bright red blood trickled down her neck and her corbone. It was a particrly


    shocking sight against her fair skin.


    How could Jolly dare to move after that? She was so scared that her face turned pale with fright. ¡°I


    won¡¯t move. Let go of Chris.¡±


    ¡°Let go? It wasn¡¯t easy for me to finally get this opportunity. Do you think I¡¯ll let her go?¡± Amber¡¯s


    expression was gloomy and her voice was extremely chilling.


    Rachel forced herself to calm down. ¡°You knew we were following you. You did this on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Of course. You are dressed so conspicuously. All the men in the banquet hall were crazy about you.


    How could I fail to notice you? This worked out fine though. It saves me the effort of searching for you


    instead.¡±


    ¡°You want to kill me?¡±


    ¡°Everything started because of you! You are a jinx! You ruined my entire family! My mother passed


    away the moment you arrived. And now, my father is gone. My fianc¨¦ and mypany¡­ All of them


    are gone!¡±


    As Amber became emotional, her hand trembled uncontrobly. As a result, the edge of the knife sliced


    through the flesh on Rachel¡¯s neck. It hurt so much that Rachel was drenched in cold sweat.


    Nevertheless, she gritted her teeth and did not dare to make a sound, lest she made Amber even


    crazier.


    Unfortunately, Amber was already deranged.


    ¡°If I kill you now, everything will be over.¡±


    ¡°Amber Hudson, do you really believe that killing me will solve all your troubles? Will the people in


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals obey you? Will Justin listen to you?¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re not around, they will! I am the only daughter of the Hudson Family! You¡¯re just a wild


    sprout!¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t! Did you think that Evan Holt supported me and allowed me to manage thepany just


    because I¡¯m a daughter of the Hudson Family? That¡¯s not true at all. It¡¯s because of the form! Have


    you gotten the form?¡±


    At the mention of the form, Amber¡¯s expression immediately darkened. It was precisely because of


    that damned form that she had fallen so far from grace.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 320

    My Mute Bride Chapter 320


    Chapter 320 She¡¯s Really Gone Crazy


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the form yet, right?¡± Rachel¡¯s words undoubtedly agitated Amber, and thetter¡¯s


    expression was as dark as could be. Her eyes were so gloomy that she looked like she could slice


    Rachel to bits in the next moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re mocking me!¡± The knife around Rachel¡¯s neck tightened slightly, forcing Rachel to stand on her


    tiptoes. Her entire back was tense, but she continued to grit her teeth and bravely say, ¡°No. I¡¯m trying to


    tell you that nobody else will ever tell you the form if you kill me. What makes you think that Evan


    and the others will let you be the President of Hudson Pharmaceuticals then?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Let me go. I¡¯ll give you the form. That way, you and I will have the same


    bargaining chip.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid? How do I know whether the form you give me is real?¡±


    Although Amber imed that she didn¡¯t believe Rachel, Rachel could clearly feel the stinging pain on


    her neck easing slightly. The edge of the knife had moved away from her neck.


    ¡°I can give you the password to connect to the pharmaceutical factory¡¯sputer.¡±


    ¡°The password?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have your own people in the pharmaceutical factory. You can ask your men to operate


    backstage. The factory is working overtime right now to produce those very medicines. I can¡¯t waste so


    many medicinal materials just to deceive you.¡±


    Amber looked pensive. ¡°Alright. Give me the password now.¡±


    She continued to hold the knife but shouted behind her, ¡°Why are you still hiding? Come out and call


    the people at the pharmaceutical factory. Ask them to verify her statement.¡±


    There was no need for Rachel to turn around to know who Amber was talking to. It was Noah.


    Nobody knew better than Rachel as to when these two got together. Five years ago, Noah had vented


    all his rage and resentment on Amber when an ident urred at Tina¡¯s wedding. However, she


    turned out to be very adaptable. It was hard to say how she managed to mediate with him, but they


    were now using each other.


    Sure enough, a male figure stepped out of the shadows. ¡°Miss Hudson, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°Did you n this together?¡±


    Jolly was impatient. ¡°Noah, are you not afraid that my parents will never forgive you once we get off this


    boat if you do this? I¡¯m telling you. If you dare to let that crazy woman touch a single hair on Chris¡¯


    head, my parents will not go easy on Hindenburg Conglomerate.¡±


    Noah snorted coldly and nced sideways at Jolly. ¡°Miss Carter, you can¡¯t even save yourself right


    now. Do you still have the time to worry about your friend?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡± Rachel¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Let Jolly go first. Otherwise, I won¡¯t say a single word.


    You won¡¯t get the form even if you kill me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving!¡± Jolly was furious. She had bever been threatened in this manner before.


    Rachel ignored Jolly and red at Noah coldly. ¡°You should know just how valuable the Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals¡¯ form is. But, the two elders of the Carter Enterprise will never forgive you if you


    harm Jolly in this ce. Did you think you can keep your actions here a secret? Paper cannot contain


    fire.¡±


    Noah scowled. ¡°You¡¯re threatening me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not threatening you. It¡¯s a warning. A sincere warning.¡±


    After pondering for a moment, he nced at Jolly. ¡°Miss Carter, please leave.¡±


    Rachel was nothing more than Richard¡¯s goddaughter. On the other hand, Jolly was the only precious


    daughter of the Carter Family. If anything were to happen to her, the husband-and-wife of the Carter


    Family would surely use all their resources in the Carter Enterprise to locate the murderer. It would be


    very troublesome by then.


    Jolly was reluctant to leave Rachel alone, but she would only cause more at this time if she refused to


    leave. Thus, she gritted her teeth and left.


    When Rachel saw Jolly leaving, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Noah said, ¡°You can give us the password now, right? Miss Hudson.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Noah, it¡¯s not hard to tell you the password. But, are you sure you want me to tell this


    woman the password as well?¡±


    He was taken aback by her words.


    The words had just left her mouth when then the knife sliced deeper into her neck. A wave of pain


    immediately washed over her.


    Amber pressed the knife against Rachel¡¯s neck and snarled fiercely. ¡°Even at a time like this, you¡¯re still


    trying to instigate us!? The form belongs to the Hudson Family in the first ce! You should have


    told me a long time ago! Speak! What is the password!?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Noah!¡± Rachel cried out in pain. ¡°Think this over carefully! If you don¡¯t mind, then I¡¯ll tell


    you right now. The password is 6¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Noah interrupted just in time. ¡°Amber, why don¡¯t you go out first?¡±


    Amber couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯ll be safer if less people know about this form. You don¡¯t have a single person by your side


    to help you. I¡¯m afraid you will attract a lot of unscrupulous people if you obtain the form. I¡¯m doing


    this for your sake.¡±


    ¡°For my sake?¡± She gnashed her teeth. ¡°Young Master Noah, you might actually be able to fool other


    people with your lies. However, I¡¯ve been with you for nearly six years now. Do you think you can still


    fool me?¡±


    His expression immediately turned grim. ¡°Amber, follow my orders or face the consequences! Don¡¯t


    forget who has been helping you all this time! If it weren¡¯t for me, do you think you¡¯d have a ce to


    stay in Riverdale?¡±


    The stalemate between them continued and she panicked. When she saw him approaching, she


    immediately dragged Rachel backward. ¡°Don¡¯te over! What do you want to do!?¡±


    Rachel had bled a lot from her neck by this time. The moment she was dragged backward, she


    immediately felt the world spinning around her. She suppressed her difort and worked with Amber


    to move backward, lest she got hurt by ident.


    There was no way she could give out the form, for it was extremely rare and valuable. Moreover, the


    Hudson Family¡¯s form was only valuable because it only belonged to the Hudson Family. If the


    form were publicized, then anybody could produce the medicines and the form would be


    worthless.


    At this moment, there was no other way except to provoke a dispute between these two people.


    ¡°Amber Hudson, hand her over to me! I will guarantee you afortable life in Riverdale.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. Do you think I don¡¯t know how you are? Noah Hindenburg, you¡¯re a deranged lunatic!


    Haven¡¯t you tortured me enough all these years!? I¡¯ve had enough of you a long time ago!¡±


    Rachel staggered backward and caught a glimpse of the deck railing behind her out of the corner of her


    eye. ¡°Amber!¡±


    Amber was already leaning against the railing. She subconsciously looked back when she heard


    Rachel¡¯s cry. It was also at this moment that Noah suddenly grabbed Rachel¡¯s arm. Rachel screamed


    in surprise. Her entire body fell forward, pulled by his strength. The edge of the knife narrowly missed


    her ear. It could be seen with the naked eye as a strand of hair was cut off in the process.


    The corners of his eyes lifted in a smug grin. Unfortunately, his smile didn¡¯t evenst for a moment


    before it froze with a cold sh of light.


    Amber seemed to have been prepared in advance. The moment Rachel was pulled away, she didn¡¯t


    retreat but lunged forward instead. A dagger glinting with a cold light stabbed hard into Noah¡¯s chest,


    then she immediately pulled the knife out again. Blood sttered everywhere, sshing onto Rachel¡¯s


    face.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    The grip around Rachel¡¯s arm loosened. She watched helplessly as Noah backed away and stumbled


    over to the railing. He was clutching at his chest and trying to stop the bleeding. However, Amber was a


    medical student. She knew about the vital spots of a human¡¯s body better than anybody else. That


    attack had cost him his life.


    Meanwhile, Rachel¡¯s eyes were filled with a blood mist. She could barely see what was happening in


    front of her. This is insane! Amber has gone crazy!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 321

    My Mute Bride Chapter 321


    Chapter 321 Escaping From Death¡¯s Door


    Amber pushed Noah over the railing right in front of Rachel. The man fell from the five-story high deck


    and plunged into the river with a ssh. While the lights on the deck were luminous, the view around


    them was pitch ck. At the same time, the ship was shrouded in fog.


    Not even a single soul discovered that a life was lost on that fateful night. ¡°You killed him.¡± Rachel


    covered her bleeding neck and took a step back.


    At this moment, Amber¡¯s face was livid, but her eyes were horrendously red. She crouched down to


    pick up the knife. Even though it was covered in blood, she didn¡¯t mind it one bit.


    As she stared at Rachel, she sneered, ¡°He deserved it. He tortured me for six years. He should have


    gone to hell a long time ago! I¡¯m about to get the form, so he wasn¡¯t supposed to stay alive


    anymore!¡±


    The de reflected the moonlight as she pointed the knife at Rachel. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the password?¡±


    With a pale face, Rachel held the railing behind her with one hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t expect anyone to save you. Do you think Noah was foolish? Do you believe he¡¯d release Jolly


    just because you told him to do that?¡±


    Rachel felt her heart skipping a beat. ¡°What did the two of you do to Jolly?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He wouldn¡¯t dare to harm Jolly; she is just being detained somewhere. We were nning


    to release her after we got the password from you and left this ce.¡± All of a sudden, Amber started


    laughing. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have been so greedy. Now, he¡¯ll never leave this ce again; he¡¯ll have to stay


    in this river forever! Alright, stop wasting time. Tell me the password, and I¡¯ll give you a decent death.¡±


    Apart from telling her the password, Rachel had no other way to stall for time. Left with no choice, she


    told her a set of numbers.


    An eerie light lit up behind Amber¡¯s eyes as she fished out her phone to contact someone from the


    pharmaceutical factory. Right then, she realized that there was no connectivity in this ce. ¡°What¡¯s


    going on?¡±


    Pretending to be clueless, Rachel asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She was certain that Amber had no right to board this ship. That was the reason why Amber had


    dressed up to disguise herself. Amber must have told Noah to help her sneak into the ship, so she


    wasn¡¯t aware that there was no connectivity in this ce.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Amber pointed the knife at her and warned her before lifting her phone in an attempt to


    look for some cellr connectivity. ¡°The connection here is terrible. If you dare to move, I¡¯ll kill you right


    now!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not moving.¡± Rachel raised her hands as she racked her brain toe up with a way to escape.


    ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be any connectivity here, Amber. Why don¡¯t I leave with you and head to the


    factory after the ship reaches the harbor?¡±


    Amber frowned and examined her. ¡°Are you trying to flee when leaving the ship?¡±


    ¡°If you kill me now, how are you going to verify the password I¡¯ve told you?¡±


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    The password? Suddenly thinking of something, Amber sneered. As she kept her phone, she inched


    closer to the other woman. ¡°What do I need the password for? After I kill you, I¡¯ll take over Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals and get someone to decode it. It¡¯s not like your password is unbreakable.¡±


    Damn it! Rachel felt her chest tightening. Why has she be so clever all of a sudden?


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee back, Rachel. All this wouldn¡¯t have happened without you. So, you can¡¯t


    me me for doing this to you. me yourself for being sick of living!¡± As she spoke, Amber grasped


    the other woman¡¯s arm.


    A cold glint shed through the de. When Rachel was about to be harmed by the knife, she


    eximed as her pupils expanded. At this moment, she could clearly see a figure charging toward


    Amber from behind.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± It was Amber who groaned in pain instead of Rachel as the towering figure kicked Amber


    aside.


    When Amber saw the person, her gaze turned as dark as ink. ¡°Justin! I¡¯ll kill you all!¡±


    Like a mad woman, she brandished the knife and dashed toward them.


    While supporting Rachel¡¯s weight, Justin hurriedlynded a kick on Amber, who eximed and fell


    backward. Rachel¡¯s pupils contracted as she extended her hand, but it was toote.


    They watched as Amber flipped over the railing and disappeared into the river.


    Rachel rushed toward the railing and looked down at the river. She could see a billow on the river as it


    diminished and disappeared in just a while, as though nothing had happened.


    ¡°Rachel, are you alright?¡±


    She snapped back to reality upon hearing Justin¡¯s voice. Staring at the man, she asked, ¡°Why are you


    here?¡±


    ¡°I should be the one asking you this question.¡± When Justin saw the blood on her neck, he bit his


    tongue. ¡°Forget it. We¡¯ll go home first. Come with me.¡±


    Presently, Rachel¡¯s mind waspletely nk as she let the man lug her toward the cabin.


    Before she left, she caught a glimpse of a trace of blood on the railing that was left behind by Noah. It


    so happened that it was about to rain, and after that, all the traces would be washed away, and no one


    would discover anything.


    Upon entering the cabin, Rachel suddenly thought of something important. ¡°Jolly! Jolly is still held


    captive by Noah¡¯s people.¡±


    ¡°Noah?¡± Justin furrowed his brows.


    With no time to exin anything to him, Rachel uttered, ¡°I have to look for Jolly.¡±


    Right then, an argument was hearding from the stairwell. ¡°Release me, Ryan! I said let me go!¡±


    Justin uttered, ¡°It seems that we¡¯ve found her.¡±


    The door of the stairwell was pushed open as Ryan rudely lugged the woman out.


    As she was pulled forward, Jolly kicked him and snapped, ¡°I¡¯ll scream if you don¡¯t release me. Help!


    Someone is molesting me! Help!¡±


    ¡°Jolly!¡± Ryan bellowed. ¡°Do you know I have many ways to keep your mouth shut?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be intimidated? Let me go! Who do you think you are?¡±


    ¡°I just saved you!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! You saved me? I was all good without you. I don¡¯t have time to argue with you now. I have


    to get some people to save Chris!¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help but call out, ¡°Jolly.¡±


    When Jolly turned her head and saw Rachel standing alongside Justin, she became startled for a


    moment. Then, she pounced on Rachel and started crying. ¡°Are you alright? I thought you were dead! I


    couldn¡¯t find anyone to help me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Rachel hugged her and patted her back to appease her. ¡°I¡¯m still alive and kicking. How are


    you?¡±


    Jolly sniffled and said angrily, ¡°I knew that Noah was ill-intentioned, so as soon as I left the ce, I


    started to flee and randomly snuck into a room. Guess what? I came across a perverted naked man. I


    didn¡¯t deliberately try to watch him. I begged him to save me, but he said I was mad and pushed me out


    of the room. Damn it!¡±


    A puzzled Rachel asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    A perverted naked man?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 322

    My Mute Bride Chapter 322


    Chapter 322 The Engagement


    Jolly parted her lips in an attempt to exin herself, but she was unable to gather her thoughts and put


    it into words. Eventually, she waved her hand and uttered, ¡°Forget it. We¡¯ll talk about itter. Where are


    Noah and Amber?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel sported a conflicted expression and exchanged nces with Justin. There


    was an infirmary on the ship.


    Rachel¡¯s neck was severely wounded. If her wounds were any deeper, they would have to be stitched


    up.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t let your woundse into contact with water. Go to a hospital to have your wounds


    checked after you leave the ship. It¡¯d be troublesome if your wounds are infected.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, doctor.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. But what happened? Why are you seriously injured?¡±


    Just when Rachel was about to reply to him, Justin interrupted her by saying, ¡°She tripped over and hit


    something sharp. It was an ident.¡±


    Rachel took a nce at the man with a frown. When she was ready to say something, she saw the


    man sporting a solemn expression. Therefore, she decided to bite her tongue.


    Meanwhile, Jolly and Ryan were waiting for them in the room.


    As soon as the door was closed, Rachel asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me tell the truth just now? Two


    people are dead. I have to call the police now.¡±


    Justin uttered, ¡°If the murders that take ce here can be solved by calling the police, this vessel will


    be no different from other ships.¡±


    ¡°Two lives are gone for good. No one will care whether Amber is missing. However, Noah is the eldest


    son of the Hindenburg Conglomerate¡¯s boss. Do you think the Hindenburgs won¡¯t look into it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the Hindenburgs are aware of Noah¡¯s whereabouts tonight.¡±


    Rachel became startled for a moment before turning to look at Ryan.


    With an emotionless expression, Ryan stared at her intently. There wasn¡¯t a hint of fluster behind his


    cold-looking eyes. ¡°Even if they¡¯re aware of it, they can only call the police. What can the police find


    out? There are no surveince cameras on this cruise ship at all.¡±


    In fact, Rachel had already discovered it.


    Since there were no surveince cameras, it meant that no one would find out what had happened.


    Even if there were witnesses, they couldn¡¯t provide any solid evidence.


    ¡°Do we just pretend that nothing has happened?¡± Rachel uttered in disbelief, for she reckoned that she


    should call the police since such an incident had happened.


    Ryan uttered rudely, ¡°You¡¯d better pretend nothing has happened. Even if you want to invite trouble to


    yourself, don¡¯t drag others into it. When the cruise ship reaches the harbor, I¡¯ll leave with Jolly. I don¡¯t


    care whether you¡¯ll leave this ce, but don¡¯t mention Jolly when others ask you about the incident


    today.¡±


    Rachel furrowed her brows. This guy named Ryan keeps talking about Jolly in a caring manner. He


    doesn¡¯t seem as cold-blooded as what Jolly had described.


    However, Jolly retorted, ¡°Stop scaring us. Am I even close to you? Why should I leave the ship with you


    just because you tell me to? Ryan, I¡¯m telling you¡ªstop telling my best friend what to do. Who do you


    think you are?¡±


    ¡°Jolly! Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m helping you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe anything you say.¡±


    Ryan¡¯s face fell instantly. ¡°What do you mean by that? I¡¯vee all the way here to save you because


    I¡¯m worried about your safety, but in the end, it¡¯s all my fault. You¡¯re just as reckless and unreasonable


    as back then.¡±


    ¡°Back then? How do you even have the nerve to talk about the past with me?¡±


    It seemed that an argument between them was inevitable.


    Just as Rachel wanted to say something, she was pulled into the bedroom by Justin.


    ¡°Why are you pulling me away?¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s a matter between them. Let them sort it out themselves.¡±


    ¡°Ryan is a hypocrite,¡± Rachel said furiously. ¡°If he were a responsible man, he wouldn¡¯t have dumped


    the pregnant Jolly and married another woman.¡±


    Justin¡¯s face stiffened when he heard that. He had no right to give anyment because he was also


    a scoundrel, just like Ryan. He had done the same thing to Rachel before. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rachel.¡±


    It took Rachel quite some time to understand why he apologized to her. Then, she gazed at him with a


    frown. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about you.¡±


    She had gotten even with Justin, and she had no intention of bringing up the incident from the past.


    Upon seeing that she had calmed down, Justin turned around and poured a cup of water. ¡°It¡¯ll take


    some time before the ship reaches the harbor. Take a rest.¡±


    As Rachel listened to the argument outside, she knew that there was nothing she could do. Instead,


    she might even worsen the situation if she decided to interfere. After a nod, she took a seat and


    touched her neck.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± An agile Justin quickly grabbed her wrist. ¡°You can¡¯t touch it.¡±


    His rather warm palm sent Rachel into a dazed state. It wasn¡¯t until a momentter that she came to


    her senses and gently struggled out of his grip. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for caring about my safety. If you hadn¡¯t saved me in time, I would¡¯ve been hurled into the


    river.¡±


    Justin uttered gently, ¡°If you really want to thank me, don¡¯t do anything dangerous again. As you can


    see, no one will find out, even if murders take ce on this ship.¡±


    Rachel fell silent.


    Upon seeing her expression, Justin knew that she had taken his advice lightly. At that instant, he was


    torn between getting furious and continuing to persuade her. His chest heaved with frustration.


    The air seemed to have frozen instantly.


    Rachel took a sip of her tea, as she had no intention of having a discussion with him. At the same time,


    she kept looking at the door and listened to the argument between Jolly and Ryan.


    ¡°You dumped me in the past because you wanted to pursue a brighter future. How do you have the gall


    to pester me now? You got married once, Ryan. Do you think you¡¯re still as attractive as before?¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t lied to me, I would¡¯ve married you!¡±


    ¡°No! It was the youngdy of Carter Enterprise who was getting married to you, not me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±


    The argument went on. They used to be lovers, but everything changed when they met again. As


    expected, their argument revolved around trivial matters.


    ¡°Do men always have so many excuses? Parents, career, future¡­ But they still have the nerve to say


    that they¡¯re doing it for the other party and go on to hurt their women.¡±


    Justin frowned. ¡°I heard that Ryan and Jolly were engaged.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Rachel nodded. ¡°In fact, Ryan was right. If Jolly hadn¡¯t made a scene back then, they would¡¯ve


    gotten married. They might even be living a happy life together now. However, he doesn¡¯t have a right


    to say that Jolly was wrong.¡±


    Ryan and Jolly were engaged at that time, but they had never met each other before. Naturally, she


    wouldn¡¯t want to marry a man she had nevere into contact with before. Therefore, she approached


    the man with a fake name and identity.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t expect that she¡¯d really get together with Ryan eventually. However, Ryan suddenly told her


    that he had a fianc¨¦e and that he wouldn¡¯t call off the wedding.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Justin furrowed his brows. ¡°Did he break up with Jolly?¡±


    Rachel sneered, ¡°He would¡¯ve been considered a gentleman if he broke up with Jolly. The fact is, he


    wanted to make Jolly wait for him for three years.¡±


    Jolly had always been a haughty person. Even though the so-called fianc¨¦e was herself, she couldn¡¯t


    put up with the humiliation that the man had inflicted upon her. Infuriated, she decided to go missing.


    ¡°Do her parents know that Samuel¡¯s father is Ryan?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t. That¡¯s why they¡¯ve always felt sorry about the wedding that had been called off. Over the


    years, they¡¯ve offered a lot of help to Ryan in his business. Why do you think he could be so sessful


    now?¡±


    Staring at the door, she uttered coldly, ¡°How can he say that he still loves Jolly? He¡¯s doing all this


    because he knows that Jolly is the youngdy from the Carter Family. It¡¯s revolting!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 323

    My Mute Bride Chapter 323


    Chapter 323 Using Jolly for Money Laundering


    For some reason, as Justin listened to Rachelmbasting Ryan, he couldn¡¯t help but specte that she


    might be seeing him in the same light.


    ¡°Why are they so silent?¡± Rachel stared at the door and frowned. She had to check on Jolly and Ryan,


    as the notion that they were staying in the same ce alone unsettled her.


    All of a sudden, Justin took her hand. A startled Rachel turned her head and saw the man sporting a


    solemn expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether Ryan is really the kind of person you¡¯ve described, but you


    need to know that I¡¯m not the same.¡±


    At that moment, Rachel was astounded.


    Justin went on to say, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll never hurt you using any excuse. If I do, I¡¯ll die a horrible


    death.¡±


    The way he made an oath stunned Rachel.


    Amnesia was the most inconceivable thing to her ever. The man who used to be ruthless and


    indifferent was now making an oath to make her happy.


    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t take the oath seriously, as she believed that the man was just trying to please


    her. Justin and Ryan are birds of a feather.


    ¡°Chris!¡± Jolly suddenly eximed. ¡°Come here now!¡±


    Rachel came to her senses and replied, ¡°I¡¯ming.¡±


    She took a nce at Justin, who then let her go.


    They shuffled toward the living room before seeing that Jolly and Ryan were standing at the table, on


    which the gift box given to Jolly by Julia was ced.


    The box was opened, and the hem of the wedding dress was hung over the edge of the box.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rachel walked over. ¡°Why did you take it out?¡±


    Jolly uttered, ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with this wedding dress.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes fell upon the wedding dress. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Look.¡±


    The wedding dress was intricately made, as there wereyers ofces. Jolly lifted the hem and took


    Rachel¡¯s hand before leading her to feel it. There seemed to be some very hard objects in one of the


    layers. They had no idea what those were, but these objects felt as hard as stones.


    After lifting theces, they saw the interfacing in the middle of the dress where the objects were


    concealed.


    If they hadn¡¯t deliberately looked into it, they wouldn¡¯t have discovered it, as the wedding dress was


    multiyered.


    ¡°What are these?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jolly shook her head. ¡°He discovered it.¡±


    While they were having an argument earlier, they identally knocked the gift box over.


    As soon as Ryan saw the wedding dress, he questioned Jolly about what was going on. Upon learning


    that it was a wedding dress given to her by someone from the club, he immediately realized that


    something must be wrong with it. He was eventually proven right.


    ¡°Is this some kind of new design?¡± Jolly ran her hand over the hem as she let her imagination run wild.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for a massage effect or to keep the hem in ce.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a design before.¡± Rachel touched the dress and felt that something was off.


    ¡°Why are these objects fixed inside? I can¡¯t even move them.¡±


    ¡°We just have to cut it and see what¡¯s inside.¡± Ryan¡¯s voice reverberated in the room.


    Jolly nned on selling the wedding dress, so she didn¡¯t agree to it. However, she was unable to stop


    him as the man already had a pair of scissors in his hand.


    The next moment, the interfacing in the middle was cut open. As soon as the objects inside it were


    revealed, all of them were dazzled by the icy glint. With narrowed eyes, they stared at the objects in


    disbelief.


    Presently, they could see that a lot of diamonds asrge as nails had been woven on the interfacing as


    these precious items twinkled under the light.


    ¡°My goodness.¡± Even though Jolly was born wealthy, she had never seen so many diamonds all at


    once.


    Ryan put down the wedding dress and said with a solemn expression, ¡°There¡¯s no free lunch in this


    world. Have you ever thought about why Julia Bowman would give you a wedding dress woven with


    diamonds when you¡¯re not even close to her?¡±


    ¡°She said that it¡¯s a promise between my dad and her.¡±


    ¡°She promised to give you a wedding dress embedded with diamonds?¡± Ryan shot her a nce. ¡°If I¡¯m


    not mistaken, she¡¯s trying to do some moneyundering by using this wedding dress as a disguise.¡±


    ¡°Moneyundering?¡± Jolly¡¯s expression changed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If nothing unexpected happens, you¡¯ll leave the ship with this wedding dress, and you won¡¯t use it in a


    short period of time. The way I see it, you¡¯ll probably sell the wedding dress, which will be resold


    several times and end up in a foreign country. In the end, it¡¯ll go back into Julia¡¯s hands, but she¡¯ll


    already be overseas by then.¡±


    The customs officers would never discover the diamonds inside the wedding dress. That way, arge


    amount of money in the form of diamonds would arrive in a foreign country safely, and those from the


    Investigation Bureau would never find out.


    Even if they discovered anything, this wedding dress belonged to Jolly, and there was no evidence to


    suggest that it had anything to do with Julia.


    A horrified Rachel uttered, ¡°You mean Julia is using Jolly for moneyundering by sending these


    diamonds abroad?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A nonchnt Jolly said, ¡°It¡¯s not like I care. Since I¡¯ve discovered these diamonds, I won¡¯t sell them.


    Instead, I¡¯ll go to a jewelry shop and turn them into diamond essories.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Julia will let you keep these diamonds?¡±


    As Ryan¡¯s voice reverberated around the room, Rachel knitted her brows.


    At this moment, she couldn¡¯t help but admire the fact that Ryan was truly astute. If he hadn¡¯t found


    these diamonds, Jolly and she would leave the ship with these precious items without knowing it.


    If they came across any danger in the future, they would never realize that it had anything to do with


    the wedding dress.


    ¡°The ship is reaching the harbor soon.¡±


    All of them came to their senses upon hearing Justin¡¯s words.


    These precious items were undoubtedly hot potatoes for them now. If they left the ship with these


    diamonds, they¡¯d invite trouble to themselves. However, if they left these diamonds behind, they¡¯d still


    fall into danger.


    Without needing Ryan to break it to them, Rachel and Jolly were aware that some people were paying


    close attention to the wedding dress outside the room.


    Rachel asked, ¡°Please stop putting us on tenterhooks, Mr. Sutton. We¡¯re about to reach the harbor.


    What should we do now?¡±


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    ¡°Keep it inside the box and leave the ship with it.¡±


    ¡°Before Julia retrieves these diamonds, we¡¯ll be continuously monitored, right?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re keeping a close eye on the wedding dress, not you all. What if the dress is in someone else¡¯s


    hands?¡±


    Rachel and Jolly were startled upon hearing that.


    As she listened to the sound of the ship¡¯s horn, Jolly uttered impatiently, ¡°Cut to the chase. Stop


    beating around the bush with us! I don¡¯t understand it, and I have no time for this.¡±


    Ryan suggested by saying, ¡°When we leave the ship, I¡¯ll bring the wedding dress with me.¡±


    Jolly was shocked. ¡°You want to take this dress with you?¡±


    Upon understanding his intention, Rachel and Justin exchanged nces.


    Ryan was doing this to protect Jolly. Once the wedding dress was in his hands, Julia¡¯s subordinates


    would only have their eyes on him. After what happened on the cruise ship, Rachel became aware of


    what Julia was really like.


    She might appear to be a gentle and elegantdy, but she was actually a ruthless person who had no


    qualms about killing people. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have organized such a banquet on the Golden


    Cruise.


    However, Jolly snorted. ¡°Ryan, you¡¯re trying to take these diamonds away, right?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 324

    My Mute Bride Chapter 324


    Chapter 324 Men Cannot Be Trusted


    As soon as Jolly finished speaking, all of them in the room fell so silent that one could hear a pin drop.


    The veins on Ryan¡¯s hand pulsated as he grasped the wedding dress. Even though he remained silent,


    his expression suggested that he was incensed. Rachel was starting to sweat upon seeing that.


    In fact, Rachel wasn¡¯t fond of Ryan either. However, in this kind of situation, they had figured out that


    the diamonds in the wedding dress were nothing more than hot potatoes, so there was no way he


    could swallow them up.


    Jolly had gone overboard by saying that.


    ¡°Jolly.¡± Rachel took her arm. ¡°I believe Mr. Sutton is sincerely trying to help you. You¡¯ve got him wrong.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Jolly stared coldly at the man. ¡°If he really doesn¡¯t have any ill intentions, why doesn¡¯t he


    leave an IOU?¡±


    Rachel pursed her lips and uttered in a small voice, ¡°You¡¯re crossing the line¡­¡±


    Ryan had offered to help them handle this wedding dress and divert Julia¡¯s attention. Instead of


    thanking him, Jolly doubted his sincerity and even demanded an IOU, which was ridiculous.


    What was even more inconceivable was that Ryan nodded in agreement without hesitation. ¡°Alright.


    How do you want me to write it?¡±


    Initially, Rachel thought that Jolly was just trying to enrage Ryan, but she never expected her best


    friend to pick up a piece of paper and a pen before passing them to Ryan. ¡°Jot down what I¡¯m about to


    say.¡±


    Right in front of everyone¡¯s eyes, Ryan directly took the pen and paper before sitting down.


    ¡°I, Ryan Sutton, have borrowed D Color five-carat diamonds from Jolly Carter on the Golden Cruise¡­¡±


    Just then, Jolly turned to look at Rachel. ¡°Count how many diamonds there are.¡±


    Rachel came to her senses and straightened the intecing before doing a quick multiplication by using


    the grid method. ¡°Three hundred.¡±


    Given the grade of these diamonds, one five-carat diamond would cost somewhere between 600,000


    to 2 million. Hence, the diamonds hidden within the wedding dress were worth over 100 million.


    That revtion made Rachel gasp.


    Even if Julia and Richard were close to each other, there was no way she¡¯d give Jolly diamonds that


    were worth over 100 million. Moreover, if these diamonds were really meant to be given to Jolly, why


    were they hidden in a wedding dress? Wasn¡¯t she worried that Jolly might lose them by ident?


    Hence, Ryan¡¯s analysis was right. There must be something off about it. The diamonds were most


    probably used for moneyundering.


    Jolly went on to say, ¡°There are three hundred five-carat diamonds in total. You have to return them to


    me in one month. If they¡¯re damaged or lost, you have to give mepensation that is equivalent to


    the market value of these diamonds.¡±


    ¡°One month?¡± Ryan shot her a nce. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that Julia will believe the wedding dress will


    never go back to you in one month. It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    ¡°How long do you need, then?¡±


    ¡°One year.¡±


    ¡°One year?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ryan could clearly see the displeasure at her gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll return the diamonds to you in one


    year. If I fail to do that by then, I¡¯llpensate you double the market value of these diamonds.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Justin was surprised as well.


    Despite knowing that Jolly was just trying to con him, Ryan didn¡¯t mind it one bit. Not only was he


    willing to give her hundreds of millions, but he was also bearing the risk in her stead. There was no


    doubt that he was a generous and valiant man.


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    Jolly traded nces with Rachel, who nodded at her. It was apparent that Jolly should stop pushing her


    luck.


    ¡°Alright, one year that is. Write it down.¡±


    Certainly, Rachel had figured out what was on Jolly¡¯s mind.


    Jolly didn¡¯t have the courage to keep the wedding dress by her side, but she was also reluctant to


    throw it away. Obviously, she would want to con Ryan into giving her arge amount of money. Now,


    she secretly hoped that the man would lose the diamonds and give her the money.


    This way, not only did she not have to bear the risk, but she would also earn hundreds of millions. She


    believed that she would have a sweet dreamter that night.


    On the other hand, Rachel was rmed. What is Ryan trying to achieve by agreeing to a deal that will


    certainly make him lose money?


    ¡°What is he trying to achieve?¡± When leaving the ship, Jolly directly helped Rachel clear her doubt.


    ¡°This kind of man ces himself first, and the people rted to him by bloode second. I¡¯m not


    important, but he believes that Samuel is his son. Isn¡¯t Justin the same?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel balled up her fists. She¡¯s right. The reason Justin always follows me around


    is that Charlotte is my daughter. The child only wants me and no one else.


    Jolly remarked, ¡°Men cannot be trusted.¡±


    Rachel took a look at the bag in the other woman¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Only diamonds can be trusted. Am


    I right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Jolly arched her brow.


    The cruise ship had been parked at the harbor. At the lower end of thedder, two ushers were


    retrieving all of their electronic bracelets and registering their departure. Presently, Ryan and Justin


    walked in front of thedies.


    There were many people around, so Rachel was unable to identify the person sent by Julia to keep an


    eye on the wedding dress. Maybe the person was a dapper young man who disguised himself as one


    of the guests. Maybe the person was the usher at the door.


    She realized that she was too anxious.


    On the other hand, Jolly was calm and collected. Right in front of everyone, she yelled at Ryan, who


    was facing away from her. ¡°Ryan! Can you wait for me?¡±


    The man yed along and turned around to wait for her in the same spot. There was a helpless but


    loving expression on his face. It wasn¡¯t certain whether he was putting on a show or being sincere.


    Jolly walked over in a haughty manner. When the electronic bracelet was taken away from her, she


    passed the bag to Ryan. ¡°Take it.¡±


    The two ushers traded nces.


    Upon seeing that, Rachel felt her palms sweating.


    If Ryan and Justin hadn¡¯te, or if Jolly and Ryan hadn¡¯t gotten into an argument, no one would¡¯ve


    discovered the diamonds inside the wedding dress. In that case, they would be targeted the moment


    they left the ship, and no one knew what would happen next.


    It was already the small hours, but the banquet on the cruise ship was still ongoing.


    When Julia, who was seated in a luxuriously decorated room, heard a subordinate¡¯s report, her


    expression changed. ¡°Did you see it clearly? Did she pass the dress to Ryan?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they together?¡±


    ¡°No. They parted ways after leaving the ship. Ryan left the ce alone. Miss Carter seems to be living


    in the Burton Residence for now, so she has left with Miss Hudson and President Burton from the


    Burton Group.¡±


    ¡°I told you that it wasn¡¯t going to work! Ryan is a scheming man. Through the contact between us, I


    know that it¡¯s not easy to manipte him, so I¡¯ve always restricted his right to attend the club¡¯s events


    so that he won¡¯t be able to leak our secrets. However, you sent the diamonds straight to him!¡±


    A man¡¯s voice was suddenly heard in the room. He was one of the founders of the Jockey Club,


    Randall Baxter. Presently, he was criticizing Julia with a dark expression.


    Julia refuted, ¡°How would I know that Ryan would interfere in this matter? After Jefferey got into


    trouble, the situation in the country was terrible for us as we were targeted by the Investigation Bureau.


    If we don¡¯t get rid of the diamonds quickly, are we going to wait for inspection?¡±


    ¡°What do you think we can do, then?¡±


    ¡°Keep an eye on Ryan.¡± Julia¡¯s face fell as she ordered, ¡°All of you, keep a close eye on him and


    retrieve the diamonds as soon as possible. If there¡¯s something wrong with him, just kill him and


    remember not to leave any traces behind.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 325

    My Mute Bride Chapter 325


    Chapter 325 The Reason She Stays by His Side


    It had been a night of a roller-coaster ride, which felt surreal to all of them. At the break of dawn, they


    finally arrived at the Burton Residence.


    Justin took a look at the time and uttered, ¡°You two can wash up first. The chauffeur will fetch meter.


    I¡¯ll tell him to buy you breakfast. You can have some food before sleeping.¡±


    A surprised Rachel asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to have a rest?¡±


    ¡°No. My flight will take off at about 9.00AM. I have to go on a business trip for a few days.¡±


    ¡°What a busy man.¡± Jolly yawned. ¡°I¡¯m not going to have breakfast. I¡¯m dead-tired. You guys can have


    all the food.¡±


    Rachel was exhausted, but she wasn¡¯t sleepy at all. Both Noah and Amber fell into the river right in


    front of her. As soon as she closed her eyes, she would recall those horrifying moments.


    Knowing what was on her mind, Justinforted her by saying, ¡°Stop thinking about it. They only have


    themselves to me.¡±


    Rachel pursed her lips as constion was thest thing she needed now. ¡°I¡¯m not going to have


    breakfast. I need a rest now.¡±


    When she left, she staggered and almost fell to the ground. An agile Justin wanted to support her


    weight, but before he even touched her, the woman moved away from him. Upon seeing the aversion


    behind her eyes, he became startled.


    Without saying anything, Rachel frowned and headed upstairs.


    As Justin¡¯s bony fingers curled inwards, all he could grasp was air, and he felt hollow in his heart.


    ¡°Daddy.¡±


    Justin came to his senses when he heard a child¡¯s voice from upstairs. Charlotte was d in pajamas


    with strawberry patterns, and as she rubbed her eyes, she looked like she was still very sleepy.


    In a sweet voice, she said, ¡°Did you juste home, Daddy? Where¡¯s Mommy?¡±


    Justin replied, ¡°She has returned to her room.¡±


    Charlotte yawned as her chubby face turned to Rachel¡¯s room. Still in a groggy state, she shuffled


    toward her mother¡¯s room.


    Upon seeing that, Justin scurried upstairs and quickly picked up the young kid before uttering in a


    gentle voice, ¡°Your mommy is exhausted, Charlotte. Let her have a rest.¡±


    ¡°But I want to sleep with Mommy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep youpany.¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes were only half-open, as she was still sleepy. Upon hearing that, she subconsciously


    nodded and rested her head on her father¡¯s shoulder, almost dozing off in his embrace.


    With the young kid in his arms, Justin ambled toward her room and put her down on the bed. When he


    saw that she had slumbered off with stable breathing, he couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Was she sleepwalking or something?


    When he thought of the fact that he wasn¡¯t going to see his daughter for a few days, he decided to take


    a seat by the bed and examine the young kid. Her gaze looked just like Rachel¡¯s, and there seemed to


    be a permanent smile on her lips.


    While he was doing that, he caught a glimpse of a palm-sized paper crane on the bedside table. It was


    supposed to be her holiday homework.


    The paper crane was beautifully folded. The only problem was that it was folded from a piece of in


    white paper. Moreover, there seemed to be some words written on it.


    When Justin took a closer look at it, he narrowed his eyes.


    At this moment, Rachel was taking a shower in the guest room¡¯s bathroom as she let the watering


    from the showerhead rain on her. As soon as she closed her eyes, she recalled the moment Amber


    jabbed her knife into Noah¡¯s body as the blood sshed on her.


    Amber wasn¡¯t supposed to stay alive. If it weren¡¯t because of Jeffery and her, all this wouldn¡¯t have


    happened.


    Rachel lowered her head and rubbed her fingers under the running water, but she still felt as though


    she could take a whiff of blood. When she opened her eyes, she became frustrated.


    It wasn¡¯t until her fingers turned pale that she stopped and turned off the running water. After putting on


    her pajamas, she stepped out of the bathroom and saw Justin sitting on the couch. ¡°Why are you


    here?¡±


    Justin uttered, ¡°I¡¯m going on a business trip for a few days, so I won¡¯t be able to contact you during this


    period of time.¡±


    Rachel frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything else to say to me?¡±


    ¡°Have a safe trip.¡± She didn¡¯t even bother to conceal her perfunctory behavior when she said that.


    Instantly, Justin¡¯s face fell. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll only be at ease when I¡¯m not around, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. Isn¡¯t your flight going to take off at 9.00AM? Where¡¯s the chauffeur?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get married.¡±


    His sudden announcement caught Rachel off guard as she stopped toweling her hair and gazed at the


    man. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°I said let¡¯s get married.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve had this conversation before. I won¡¯t consider getting married now.¡±


    ¡°Tell me when you¡¯ll ever consider it and whether you¡¯re even taking me into your consideration.


    Perhaps I¡¯ve never been in your future ns, am I right?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Rachel furrowed her brows. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to talk about it now, Justin.


    Aren¡¯t you going to board a ne? We¡¯ll talk about it when you return.¡±


    ¡°When I return?¡± Justin suddenly snorted as his gaze was filled with coldness. ¡°Will you wait for my


    return? When I¡¯m back, you¡¯ll probably have left this house with Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Just then, Justin mmed a piece of wrinkled paper on the table and roared, ¡°This is the real reason


    you¡¯re staying by my side, Rachel!¡±


    The contents of the paper could be seen clearly¡ªit was awsuit for the child¡¯s custody.


    Rachel narrowed her eyes and gripped the towel tighter.


    ¡°Why are you silent? Exin yourself!¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± Rachel¡¯s gaze was so calm that she almost seemed indifferent. ¡°Are


    there any reasons for me to stay in this house if not for Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never told me about it!¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to tell you? I¡¯m leaving with Charlotte? Or I¡¯m ready to fight for the child¡¯s


    custody? What would you say if you were me?¡±


    Justin stared at the woman in disbelief. ¡°Is this what¡¯s on your mind all along? I thought you¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish his words as he found what he was about to sayughable. He thought that since they


    had stayed in the same house for quite some time now, she would see him in a different light. With that


    said, he was aware that it might be difficult for her to forget the grudges between them. However, it


    never crossed his mind that all she wanted all along was the child¡¯s custody.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve always had an ulterior motive and never been frank with me since your return.¡±


    ¡°Frank with you?¡± Rachel uttered with a disdainful sneer.


    At this moment, she stared at the man with an indifferent gaze, but at the same time, she found him


    laughable and pitiful. He was the one who taught her not to be frank with anyone five years ago, but


    here he was using her of concealing her intentions from him now. In a slow manner, she uttered,


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re suffering a loss, Justin? You¡¯re still so conceited. You¡¯ve never changed one bit.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 326

    My Mute Bride Chapter 326


    Chapter 326 You Don¡¯t Deserve to Be a Father


    ¡°Rachel Hudson! What have I ever done to you for you to treat me in this manner!? I¡¯ve resolved all the


    misunderstandings and apologized for everything. Isn¡¯t that enough!?¡± Justin¡¯s roar reverberated


    throughout the house.


    On the other hand, Rachel was calmer by the minute. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m trying to get revenge on you? I


    don¡¯t think so. I just feel that you don¡¯t deserve to be a father.¡±


    Justin had many opportunities throughout these five years to raise Charlotte well, but he had failed to


    do so. Willful, arrogant, overbearing, and conceited¡­ These were all the bad traits that could be found


    in the five-year-old girl. This was the most important reason as to why Rachel wanted to take Charlotte


    away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not worthy?¡± He was so furious that heughed. ¡°You vanished for five years, but you think I¡¯m not


    worthy?¡±


    ¡°I refuse to argue with you about this. Since I¡¯ve said everything that needs to be said, I¡¯m going to take


    Samuel away with me today.¡±


    Rachel went to take her luggage as she spoke. She never intended to stay here for long in the first


    ce, so the items that she brought with her were minimal. Spreading her luggage open on the bed, it


    only took her a short while to finish packing most of her things.


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to leave!¡± Justin pressed down on her luggage. In his rage, he pushed the luggage to


    the ground.


    Crash. Everything inside was overturned.


    She only frowned and looked at him as he held her hand. ¡°Let go.¡±


    He gnashed his teeth together. ¡°What do you take this ce for? Did you think you can juste and


    go as you please?¡±


    ¡°You can refuse to let go.¡± She turned on the voice recording function of her phone right in front of him


    and coldly added, ¡°However, I will keep the evidence. I don¡¯t mind asking Hernandez to help me to file


    another personal injurywsuit.¡±


    ¡°Hernandez! It¡¯s always Hernandez!¡± Hearing this name again at this time undoubtedly served to add


    fuel to the fire. It felt as though all the rage in Justin¡¯s heart rushed to his head. He was unable to


    control the strength in his arms. It was almost as though he could keep a firm hold on her by doing this.


    Thus, he refused to release Rachel¡¯s hand no matter what.


    Looking at the woman in front of him who was holding back but being indifferent at the same time, he


    felt as though he was a clown who had been taken for a fool all this time. She had him wrapped around


    her finger. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you and I have amonw rtionship right now. There are some


    things that cannot be defined by thew!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing!?¡±


    Rachel stumbled and fell on the bed as the pupils of her eyes abruptly contracted. In the moment that


    her shoulder was forcefully pressed down, her voice was stuck in her throat. The magnified face of a


    man suddenly appeared right in front of her.


    Justin pinned her arms down with absolute overwhelming force, holding them high above her head. It


    was not a kiss. It was possession. This was the most primal and basic instinct a man had toward a


    woman since it was the most brutal possession and the most arrogant control over her.


    ¡°Umm¡ª¡±


    In desperation, she bit down on him.


    His eyebrows trembled fiercely, but he refused to stop. The taste of blood spread in his mouth, causing


    the mouth cavity to be filled with blood. Blood trickled out from the corner of her mouth and dripped


    onto the gray bedspread. One drop¡­ Two drops¡­


    He freed one of his hands before the crisp metal sound of his belt being unbuckled echoed in the space


    between them.


    When Rachel realized what he wanted to do, a feeling of nausea immediately flooded her. She did not


    know where the strength came from. Her eyes glinted and she viciously raised her knee.


    ¡°Argh!¡± Justin let out a pained cry and released her, clutching at his abdomen. It hurt so much that he


    felt like he was going to die.


    Even so, she seemed to feel that it was not enough. She used all her strength to kick him straight off


    the bed as a result. Without the slightest hesitation, she then grabbed her phone and ran outside.


    It took a long while before Justin could recover from the extreme pain.


    His eyes turned crimson when he saw Rachel¡¯s departing back. The hand that was supporting himself


    against the bedpost suddenly lost all strength and he slid onto the carpet. There was no space for him


    to ce his feet, so his legs were curled up together. It was truly a miserable sight.


    The words ¡®You don¡¯t deserve to be a father¡¯ echoed in his ears and it lingered for ages.


    I don¡¯t exist in her heart, not in the slightest. She only stayed here for her daughter. She nned all of


    this from the beginning. Approaching me was only to use the Burton Family name to gain a firm


    foothold in Riverdale, bring down the Hudson Pharmaceuticals, and take revenge on Jefferey and


    Amber to avenge Hans. Agreeing to stay here was only because it was more convenient for her to take


    care of Charlotte and learn more about me in preparation for future custody battles. Howughable.


    And, here I thought that she still had some feelings for me.


    At this moment, his phone rang. It was a call from Frankie.


    ¡°President Burton, I¡¯m going to buy breakfast now. Are there any special requests?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t need it anymore.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Frankie was stunned for a moment. ¡°Then, should I pick you up right now and head for the


    airport?¡±


    ¡°Book another ticket. I¡¯m bringing Charlotte with me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re bringing Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to go anymore. Stay in Riverdale and get the best divorce attorney avable.¡±


    He waspletely confused at this point. ¡°A divorce attorney? Who is getting a divorce?¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression was extremely grim. The veins in his hand that was holding the phone throbbed as


    he responded coldly, ¡°Not a divorce. It¡¯s about the custodial rights for Charlotte.¡±


    His daughter was his bottom line. He would never allow anybody to take his daughter away from him,


    not even Rachel.


    On the other side, Rachel was still in a bathrobe when she ran out of the Burton Residence. Moreover,


    she only had her phone on her.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    She entered the garage and locked the car seconds after she hopped inside. At the same time, she


    dialed Hernandez¡¯s number.


    Hernandez had the habit of waking up early to exercise. Therefore, he was already awake and running


    in the gym. While running, he answered Rachel¡¯s phone call in high spirits. ¡°Hey, Chris. Did you miss


    me so early in the morning, Babe?¡±


    Rachel was in no mood to joke around with him. She clenched her fists to suppress the trembling of her


    fingers and forced herself to remain calm. ¡°You can begin the litigation process now.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He could tell that something was wrong from her voice. ¡°Why so suddenly? Did


    something happen?¡±


    ¡°Justin saw one of the draftwsuits that I left behind earlier.¡±


    ¡°Just only?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it happened just now.¡±


    ¡°Where are you right now? I¡¯ll pick you up.¡± Hernandez¡¯s first reaction was to worry about Rachel¡¯s


    safety. Thus, he immediately leaped off the treadmill.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ve already left the house. I¡¯m inside my car. I will drive myself. Pleasee here to pick


    Jolly and Samuel upter.¡±


    Jolly and Samuel were still staying there. Rachel was not worried that Justin would do something to


    them because Jolly was the precious daughter of the Carter Enterprise after all. In addition, he was


    also aware of Samuel¡¯s origins. He would not offend the Carter Enterprise just to take revenge on


    Rachel.


    Hernandez agreed immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Leave it to me.¡±


    Even after ending the phone call, Rachel¡¯s hand that was holding the steering wheel continued to


    tremble lightly. She was not afraid but disgusted. Whenever she thought of what Justin was going to do


    to her earlier, she was ovee with a physical sense of disgust.


    The darkest days of her life were the days after she was locked up five years ago. She would never


    forget those days and yet, the initial perpetrator dared to question her why she felt nothing for him.


    Howughable. Rachel did not think deeply about this matter. Driving the car out of the garage, she left


    quickly. I had no intention of fighting thiswsuit so early, but it would seem that things are out of my


    control now.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 327

    My Mute Bride Chapter 327


    Chapter 327 Fighting for Custodial Rights


    Hernandez went to pick Jolly and Samuel up in the afternoon. As soon as they arrived, she sent


    Samuel to wait in his room. ¡°Chris, Justin took Charlotte with him.


    Rachel was sitting on the sofa and ying with her tea set. ¡°He is going on a business trip.


    Furthermore, he suddenly learned that I n to fight him for Charlotte¡¯s custodial rights. He must be


    worried that I will take Charlotte away when he isn¡¯t around, so he took countermeasures in advance.¡±


    ¡°Does he think that everybody is as despicable as him? We had plenty of opportunities to secretly take


    Charlotte away if we wanted to. Why would we wait until today?¡± Jolly plopped herself down on the


    sofa. ¡°Just because he himself is shameless, he thinks that everybody else is shameless too.¡±


    ¡°Hernandez, how high are our chances of winning thiswsuit?¡± Rachel handed a cup of tea to


    Hernandez.


    Hernandez replied, ¡°50-50.¡±


    ¡°Only 50-50?¡± Jolly raised an eyebrow at those words. ¡°Hernandez, that¡¯s not what you told me


    previously.¡±


    ¡°First of all, as the incident from five years ago had urred too long ago, there¡¯s not enough


    evidence. That¡¯s why we nned to target the fact that Justin has a tendency for violence, but it might


    be a little difficult. Not to mention that there¡¯s no way to build concrete evidence around the fact that he


    visits a psychologist. If the other party provides a medical report, then it won¡¯t work if we use him of


    having psychological issues¡­ There¡¯s one more point and the most important one at that.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± She was a little anxious. ¡°Don¡¯t keep us hanging. Just tell us.¡±


    Hernandez continued, ¡°The issue regarding Samuel. This is not an absolute stiption. Nevertheless,


    the local divorcews generally state that each parent would obtain custody of one child in situations


    where there are two children and no issues with the parents¡¯ respective economic power.¡±


    ¡°Samuel is not Chris¡¯ child, though.¡±


    ¡°As long as he is her child in the legal sense, then that¡¯s enough.¡±


    Jolly furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°In the worst case scenario¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Rachel suddenly interrupted Jolly. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. There won¡¯t


    be any problems with Samuel to be registered under my name as I¡¯ve already thought of a way.¡±


    ¡°What way?¡±


    ¡°We might not have concrete evidence for the incident five years ago, but what about now?¡±


    She unlocked her phone and ced it on the table. Justin¡¯s thunderous roar sounded from the


    recording. It was what she had recorded when he came to her room to question her after he discovered


    thewsuit papers earlier this morning.


    Hernandez stood up abruptly and shouted furiously. ¡°This beast! How dare he treat you like that! I¡¯m


    going to sue him for rape!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Hernandez. We need to focus on the big picture here.¡±


    He clenched his fists tightly and revealed a rare menacing expression. ¡°Chris, I will definitely win this


    lawsuit for you. This man is neither deserving of you nor a daughter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Rachel nodded lightly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know anything. I was asleep at the time.¡± Jolly held Rachel¡¯s hand. ¡°Did you get hurt?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Ever since returning to the country, Rachel had already mentally prepared herself to face everything. A


    leopard could not change its spots. Even if Justin had lost his memories, the selfish and cruel nature


    that was etched into his very bones would never change. As he could not tolerate betrayal and


    schemes, she was not surprised by how today¡¯s incident had yed out.


    Hernandez affirmed her words. ¡°It¡¯s true that this recording can serve as part of the evidence.¡±


    ¡°However, this is not enough. The Burton Family has deep roots in Riverdale. Unless we have an


    overwhelming advantage, even Ick the confidence to win thewsuit.¡±


    He was slightly taken aback by those words. As he looked into her eyes, he asked, ¡°Chris, what do you


    n to do?¡±


    ¡°If there is no evidence, then we can always create it.¡±


    The look in Rachel¡¯s eyes was unexpectedly cold and fierce. It was a huge difference from her usual


    gentle and quiet appearance. She slowly tightened her hand around her teacup until even her knuckles


    had turned white.


    Ever since I was young, my grandmother taught me to be considerate and righteous. She taught me to


    be kind to others. However, society is a ce governed by natural selection and the survival of the


    fittest. If I don¡¯t deal with other people decisively, then those people will turn on me instead.


    Late at night in Cred Valley.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here! I want to go back to Riverdale! I want my mommy!¡±


    ¡°Miss Charlotte, please don¡¯t make things difficult for me. President Burton is in a meeting right now


    and has informed us to take care of you. We can get you anything you want.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything! I want to go home!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Miss Charlotte, please behave. Eat something first. After you finish eating, President Burton will bring


    you home once he is done with his work.¡± While speaking, the servant walked over with a te of food.


    Crash. Charlotte unceremoniously knocked the te over, which caused the food to scatter all over the


    ground.


    The five-year-old girl did not hold back at all when she screamed. Her eyes zed with rage as she


    yelled with great authority, ¡°Who are you trying to fool?! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that Daddy didn¡¯t ask


    you to take care of me! He asked you to lock me up instead!¡±


    When she woke up this morning, she found herself in a hotel. In her drowsy state, she originally


    thought that it was just a dream. It was not until she saw the two servants in front of her that she


    understood¡ªshe had been brought along on one of her father¡¯s business trips.


    The two servants knew that this spoiled child was not easy to serve. One of them knelt on the floor to


    clean up the mess while the other blocked the door to prevent Charlotte from leaving. ¡°Miss Charlotte,


    you cannot leave. Please don¡¯t make things difficult for us.¡±


    ¡°Move aside!¡± A childish voice echoed throughout the room. ¡°I told you to move aside!¡±


    The sound of a door opening came from the living room, to which the two servants reacted like


    salvation hade for them. ¡°President Burton, you¡¯re back!¡±


    Justin immediately knew that Charlotte was being difficult when he saw the mess in the room.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He entered the room patiently and waved his hand to dismiss the two servants. ¡°Is the


    food not to your liking?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat! I want Mommy!¡± Charlotte crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking extremely


    angry. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡±


    He responded without batting an eye. ¡°Didn¡¯t you always say that I spend so much time on business


    trips that I don¡¯t have time to take care of you? That¡¯s why I brought you along with me this time. I¡¯ll


    bring you back once I¡¯m done with my work.¡±


    ¡°When will you be done with your work?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Daddy! You¡¯re lying to me!¡±


    ¡°What did I lie to you about?¡±


    ¡°Did you fight with Mommy again?¡± Charlotte hit the nail on the head. ¡°I want to call Mommy. Give me


    your phone.¡±


    Justin frowned. Looking at his daughter who was nearly six years old, he suddenly felt as though time


    had passed very quickly. Back then, she was just a baby with big and innocent eyes swaddled tightly in


    cloth. The child who used to know nothing and only knew how to cry was now able to eloquently argue


    and rebel against him. In fact, she often caused so much trouble that he didn¡¯t know what to do.


    There were some questions that he needed to ask clearly. ¡°Charlotte,e here.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± She was still angry at him, so she walked over to him unwillingly. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about trying


    to coax me. I want to see Mommy. Why don¡¯t you bring Mommy here? Don¡¯t forget Samuel,


    Godmother, and Aunt Gloria. Bring them all here.¡±


    He crouched down and asked in all seriousness, ¡°Charlotte, what if your mommy and I will never be


    together again? Who will you follow?¡±


    She was stunned by those words. Her furious expression immediately copsed and she burst into


    tears with a loud wail.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 328

    My Mute Bride Chapter 328


    Chapter 328 Secret Rivalry


    Raised by Justin himself, Charlotte was used to being spoiled and willful. It was true that she often


    burst into tears and kicked up a fuss, but most of the time, she only did so to frighten others into doing


    what she wanted and rarely cried for real. However, her eyes reddened at this moment asrge drops


    of tears rolled down her cheeks. She couldn¡¯t stop her tears.


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    Justin immediately panicked. ¡°Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°Sob, sob, sob¡­¡± She wept uncontrobly. ¡°I finally waited until Mommy came back. Why are you guys


    separating again? You don¡¯t love me at all. Sob, sob, sob¡­¡±


    ¡°I love you, Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°Then, what about Mommy? Doesn¡¯t Mommy love me too?¡±


    He was very reluctant to answer this question, but he could not deny that Rachel loved Charlotte a lot.


    If not for the child, why else would she choose to remain in the Burton Residence even though she


    clearly hated him so much?


    ¡°She loves you too.¡±


    ¡°Sob, sob¡­ You are liars! If you love me¡­ Sob, sob¡­ Then, why can¡¯t you stay together for my sake?¡±


    Charlotte was still young and did not understand the rtionships between adults or the principle that


    something done by force would not turn out well. In her mind, having a family was a happy and blissful


    thing. It was something that could be done, so why couldn¡¯t they just do it?


    Unable to exin his reasons to her, Justin could only hold her andfort her. Besides, she no longer


    heard what he said to her at this point since she was crying her heart out with all her might.


    It was hard to say how much time had passed before she became exhausted from crying. There were


    no more movements from her except for the asional shudder of her shoulders as she choked back


    a sob. She was clearly in extreme distress.


    He sighed and walked around the room while carrying her in his arms. Just like how it was when she


    was younger, he patted her back and coaxed her to sleep.


    Three dayster, in the Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ pharmaceutical factory.


    ¡°Chris, it¡¯s not a problem for the workers to work overtime or to produce the medicines that Dillon


    ordered on time. However, the warehouse is unable to keep up with the supply. The previous batch of


    new medicine that the factory mass-produced has basically filled up the warehouses.¡±


    Jolly and Rachel were inspecting the pharmaceutical factory together. At the same time, she reported


    the situation to Rachel while they walked.


    Rachel asked, ¡°Are there any other warehouses in the vicinity for rent?¡±


    ¡°Originally, there were. The people below have been discussing this matter. It¡¯s just that these


    warehouses all belong to the same logisticspany. The boss of the logisticspany, Mr. Ollie


    Foster, seems to have had some disputes with Hudson Pharmaceuticals in the past. He has refused to


    work with us for years.¡±


    ¡°They should know that Hudson Pharmaceuticals has changed hands.¡±


    ¡°While that¡¯s true¡­ ording to the report of the person who went there to negotiate, the other party


    believes that the change was in name only. They im that we are all the same and refuse to


    cooperate with us¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit them myself. Give me the number; I¡¯ll make a call to Mr. Foster and ask him when he¡¯s free.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Jolly dialed the other party¡¯s number without another word. ¡°Hello? Mr. Foster, it¡¯s me. I have


    contacted you previously. My name is Jolly, the special assistant of Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯


    president.¡±


    She was greeted with silence from the other end of the line.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this; President Hudson understands that you had some misunderstandings with Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals before, so she wants to find a time to discuss matters with you. When would be a


    convenient time for you?¡±


    She waited for Ollie¡¯s response.


    ¡°What!?¡± Jolly¡¯s tone suddenly changed. Rachel nced at Jolly, not understanding what was going on.


    She did not know what the other party was saying on the other side of the phone while Jolly¡¯s


    expression darkened considerably. ¡°I got it. I understand. Thank you.¡±


    After ending the phone call, Jolly exploded in a fit of rage. ¡°Justin, that despicable and shameless


    man!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°ording to Mr. Foster, Justin rented out all the vacant warehouses near the factory! There¡¯s not a


    single one left!¡±


    ¡°Justin did that?¡±


    ¡°Who else could it have been but him?!¡± Jolly nodded strongly. ¡°He obviously knows that our factory is


    currently attending to arge number of pharmaceutical sales in order to obtain funds as soon as


    possible. That¡¯s why he is doing this on purpose! It¡¯s going to rain in two days. The batch of medicines


    stored outside must be stored into warehouses. Otherwise, the losses will be huge.¡±


    Rachel nced at the sky. Her hands that were hanging by her sides clenched into fists as she quietly


    said, ¡°He is giving me a warning not to fight him.¡±


    ¡°How despicable!¡± Jolly spat in disgust. ¡°Does he think that such trivial means will make you bow to him


    in defeat? Who is he looking down on? I¡¯ll go and ask my father for help.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Rachel shook her head. ¡°Not only are the Carter Enterprise¡¯s warehouses a distance away,


    the costs of transporting the goods back and forth are also over our budget. There¡¯s no need for that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still better than letting the medicines go to waste under the rain, right?¡±


    ¡°I have my ways. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Rachel took the inventory list and retracted her gaze to study the list.


    That evening, a ne swept across the sky above the Riverdale Airport and it was already night time


    when the aircraftnded.


    Justin carried Charlotte in his arms. He was greeted by Frankie and Martha, who came to pick him up.


    Handing the child over to the nanny, he asked Frankie, ¡°How is it going with the warehouses?¡±


    ¡°I did as you instructed. We have rented all the vacant warehouses avable for rent in the vicinity of


    the Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ pharmaceutical factory and signed a two-year lease contract.¡±


    ¡°Good job.¡± Justin nodded lightly.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t take a lot of effort. The boss of the logisticspany has had some disputes with Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals in the past. He actually lost a lot of money over the years because he upied those


    ces and refused to leave. Hudson Pharmaceuticals is the only pharmaceutical factory in that area


    after all, so it was basically impossible to find any other tenants if he refused to rent to them. However,


    President Burton, are you really nning to be so ruthless? Hudson Pharmaceuticals is only just


    beginning to make aeback and improve their circumstances. Their inventory turnover is definitely


    not enough at the moment. Moreover, it¡¯s going to rain in two days.¡±


    ¡°If Rachel does not want those medicines to go to waste in the factory, then she wille to me.¡±


    ¡°Why do you need to go this far? You¡¯re just making a scene. I¡¯m sure President Hudson will not be


    happy about this.¡±


    Justin red at Frankie fiercely. Frankie immediately shut his mouth in obedience. Watching his boss


    enter the car, he retorted in his heart, He is clearly trying to force President Hudson into meeting him


    but refuses to be straightforward about it. Isn¡¯t he just asking for trouble by doing this?


    When they all entered the car, Martha sat in the backseat while carrying Charlotte in her arms. She


    commented in a quiet whisper, ¡°Sir, Charlotte doesn¡¯t look too good.¡±


    Justin replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. She should fix that temper of hers.¡±


    Charlotte had barely eaten anything over the past three days, screaming and crying to return to


    Riverdale. He had to deal with work matters during the day and coax her into eating something when


    he returned to the hotel at night. It had been very exhausting for him.


    Despite saying those words on the surface, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to actually do that. ¡°Frankie.¡±


    Frankie turned around from the front passenger¡¯s seat. ¡°What is it, President Burton?¡±


    ¡°Draft a warehouse rights-sharing agreement and hand it to me tomorrow morning.¡±


    He stiffened slightly. ¡°A rights-sharing agreement?¡±


    ¡°Draw up an agreement for capital injection in the form of intangible assets, including all the


    warehouses we have leased recently.¡±


    Frankie suddenly returned to his senses and immediately broke into a smile. ¡°Are you nning to inject


    capital into Hudson Pharmaceuticals? Are you nning to cooperate with President Hudson? I knew


    you wouldn¡¯t actually confront her. Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡±


    ¡°Have I ever mentioned that this rights-sharing agreement is meant for her?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t say that. You didn¡¯t say that at all. I misspoke.¡± He pretended to p his mouth, but his face


    was all smiles. How should I say it? Everything has its vanquisher. Even a decisive man like President


    Hudson is helpless after meeting a woman like Rachel. Even though she has angered him to the point


    of driving him mad, he still turned into putty in her hands once he has calmed down.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 329

    My Mute Bride Chapter 329


    Chapter 329 The Highest Bidder Wins


    By the time Justin returned home, it was alreadyte at night. The servant took Charlotte to the


    bedroom to rest. When she came out of the bedroom, she saw that the lights of the study were on and


    the door was open.


    Knock. Knock. Knock. Justin looked up to see the servant. ¡°Sir, have you eaten dinner? Should I make


    something for you?¡±


    ¡°Is Gloria not back yet?¡±


    ¡°She said that she¡¯ll be back soon as she has dinner with the troupe tonight. Sir, do you have anything


    you want to eat?¡±


    He pondered for a moment. ¡°Please make me some noodles.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Please wait for a moment. It¡¯ll be ready soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After the servant left, he sat in front of hisputer for a long time but could hardlyprehend any of


    the words on the screen.


    The house had been lively before he left on his business trip. It used to be filled with the sounds of Jolly


    and Gloria bickering whenever they met, Samuel and Charlotte running up and down the stairs, and


    Rachel chasing after the two children while shouting for them to slow down. However, the house


    suddenly seemed empty and dreary when he came back from this business trip.


    Justin looked at his phone on the table. There were several times when he reached out to pick the


    phone up, but he held himself back. A long whileter, he decided to get up and leave his phone


    behind to head downstairs.


    ¡°Sir, why did youe down? I was just about to call you.¡± The servant had finished making the


    noodles. It was just a simple bowl of egg noodles with tomatoes and an additional sunny-side up egg


    that was served with a side dish.


    He had only just taken his seat when the electronic lock made a beep to indicate the door opening.


    ¡°When did youe back?¡± Gloria looked at Justin while changing to her indoor shoes.


    ¡°I just arrived.¡±


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    ¡°Are you having dinner?¡± She walked into the dining room, opened the fridge to grab a bottle of coke,


    and gulped half a bottle in one go. ¡°Then, take your time eating. I¡¯m going upstairs to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything that you want to ask me?¡±


    Justin¡¯s words made her pause mid-step.


    ¡°Ask you about what?¡± Gloria turned around to look at him. ¡°Ask you why you have chased Miss Rachel


    out again? Or, why did you take Charlotte away?¡±


    ¡°She left on her own.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, there is no difference between the two.¡± Her gaze was gloomy. ¡°She also chose to leave


    five years ago, but did she really leave because she wanted to?¡±


    He scowled. ¡°Do you all take me for a heinous viin? Does it not matter what I do now? Is it


    impossible for me to make up for all the damage I caused back then? If that¡¯s the case, then why does


    every one of you act like you¡¯re so magnanimous? Why do you act like the past is behind you? Even


    prison sentences have a time limit and life sentences can be reced with shorter sentences. Did I


    murder somebody or caused an arson? Can¡¯t I get a chance to be forgiven?¡±


    The more he talked, the more agitated Justin became. The veins in his hand that gripped the corner of


    the table throbbed.


    The past three days had been incredibly depressing for him. He had to maintain a good mood every


    day to take care of Charlotte, so only he knew just how torturous it had been. The woman he loved the


    most had been scheming against him all this time, but he didn¡¯t even have the right to me her!


    Gloria looked at Justin quietly. ¡°An apology does not mean saying the words ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯. Those who


    made a mistake have to suffer the consequences of their evil actions. This includes the other party¡¯s


    refusal to forgive you. It is the victim¡¯s right to do so. Why should you be forgiven just because you


    have apologized and repented for your actions?¡±


    ¡°Then, tell me! What should I do?! She can retaliate against me a hundred times or a thousand times


    over for what I did to her. Will that be enough!?¡±


    She suddenly sighed heavily. ¡°Forget it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying you should return Charlotte to Miss Rachel and stop disturbing her.¡±


    Upon hearing those words, the pupils in his eyes contracted abruptly in disbelief.


    Meanwhile, Gloria went upstairs without another word. The dining room fell into a dead silence again


    following the sound of a door closing upstairs.


    Justin gripped his fork and stared nkly at the noodles that had gone mushy in front of him. When he


    thought back to the past few months, those days felt like a dream.


    The woman cooking noodles for him just a few days ago had betrayed him without any warning.


    Moreover, the reason for her betrayal was something that did not exist in his memories. Everything that


    he knew, he heard from the people around him. He supposedly deserved to be spurned and


    abandoned. However, the most outrageous part was that he could not recall anything.


    The more he stewed in his thoughts, the more aggrieved he felt. He angrily took a few bites of his


    noodles, but it felt like he was chewing on wax.


    tter. He threw his utensils onto the table in a rage.


    The next day, Justin instructed Frankie to give Rachel a call as soon as he arrived at thepany.


    ¡°Ask her to visit the Burton Group. As long as she signs the agreement and allows the Burton Group to


    be one of thepany shareholders, the warehouses located in the vicinity of Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals can be used at will.¡±


    Frankie was holding some documents in his hands. ¡°I was just about to report this matter to you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Foster called to cancel the leasing agreement. He is willing to pay us three times the fee to


    terminate the contract. He has already signed a contract with Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    Justin paused mid-step as his expression darkened. ¡°When was that?¡±


    ¡°Justst night.¡± Frankie looked at Justin¡¯s expression fearfully. ¡°President Burton, I¡¯ve already handed


    this matter over to the Legal Department.¡±


    However, Justin didn¡¯t seem to have heard Frankie as he gnashed his teeth and spat out a name.


    ¡°Rachel Hudson!¡±


    Afterward, he strode toward his office.


    At this moment, Rachel was in a meeting. The sound of her vibrating phone came from her pocket


    before she had a look at the caller ID and said, ¡°Continue with the discussion. I¡¯m going to take this


    call. Hello?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a capable woman? You managed to terminate a contract that the Burton Group has already


    finalized.¡± As soon as the call connected, Justin¡¯s voice rang out from the other side. He was blunt and


    straight to the point.


    She answered lightly. ¡°It has not been finalized. The contract for the transfer of rights for use has not


    been signed. All you did was pay a deposit. I can still afford to pay the contract-breaking fee.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Foster has a grudge against Hudson Pharmaceuticals. What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand the principle of ¡®the highest bidder wins¡¯? I offered an extravagant price to buy


    thosends. It doesn¡¯t matter how stubborn one is; there¡¯s no way a businessman will turn his nose up


    at money. Besides, I¡¯m not Jefferey Hudson. I exined some of the past grievances and we decided


    to leave well enough alone.¡±


    There was nothing in the vicinity of Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ pharmaceutical factory. It was given that


    some pollution would ur due to factory production. In addition, it was located in a remote area,


    which was why Mr. Foster¡¯s logistics and warehousing business had been very bleak and it was more


    so since he broke off rtions with Hudson Pharmaceuticals. It was practically a money-losing


    business. Not to mention, he had to pay highnd taxes for those properties every year.


    Rachel¡¯s actions of holding out an olive branch represented a solution to one of his major concerns.


    These warehouses were very important to her, but they were a thorn in his sides. It was better to get rid


    of them as soon as possible.


    Justin¡¯s voice was mixed with a hint of rage. ¡°Rachel, Riverdale is not like abroad. An acquisition does


    not rescind the lease. So what if you bought thend? My two-year lease still stands, but your


    transaction is illegal. You can¡¯t use the warehouse as long as I don¡¯t agree to it.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. Why don¡¯t you send more men to block the warehouses?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I won¡¯t dare to do so?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Three cold words sounded through the phone, sounding extremely contemptuous.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the other party ended the call.


    A ball of rage brewed in his chest while he gripped his phone tightly for a moment. Crash. Everything


    on his desk was swept to the ground with a resounding crash before he gripped the corners of the


    table, looking extremely furious.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 330

    My Mute Bride Chapter 330


    Chapter 330 The Dusty Truth


    Justin supported himself against the table as blood rushed to his head, making him feel very dizzy.


    Frankie was worried. ¡°President Burton, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Those words had only just left Justin¡¯s mouth when he abruptly stumbled. He could barely


    stand as all the strength left his knees.


    Frankie moved quickly to support Justin. ¡°President Burton, are you feeling dizzy again? I¡¯ll send you to


    the hospital.¡±


    ¡°No need!¡± Justin clenched his fists tightly and it took a long while for him to recover his strength.


    The difference in Rachel¡¯s attitude almost made her seem like she was a different person altogether.


    Her voice over the phone was so cold that she sounded like a stranger when he would rather have her


    show some emotions for him. However, there was nothing¡ªnot the slightest hint whatsoever.


    ¡°President Burton, please don¡¯t be angry. The Legal Department is urgently working on this matter. Mr.


    Foster has no contractual integrity either. You originally nned to hand these warehouses to


    President Hudson out of kindness, but now¡­ What a terrible mess. I¡¯ll go and exin to President


    Hudson.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Justin leaned against the chair and slowly lowered himself into the seat. ¡°You can leave for


    now.¡±


    Frankie was slightly taken aback by those words and nced at Justin a few times with worry. Before


    he left, he quietly heaved a sigh in his heart. Who could have imagined that things would turn into such


    a huge mess? I¡¯m sure President Hudson thinks that Mr. Burton is deliberately finding faults with her. At


    this point, it¡¯s impossible to clear up this misunderstanding.


    After Frankie left, Justin quietly sat at his desk alone. A pounding headache threatened to split his head


    apart as he tremblingly pulled open the drawer on his left to search for his medicine. It took some


    searching before he found the bottle of medicine, only to discover that the bottle was empty.


    A moment of dizziness washed over him, causing him to copse to the floor. The pain was so intense


    that he could barely breathe. His entire body curled up into a ball; hisplexion was pale and his


    body was drenched in cold sweat.


    He did not know how long passed. All of a sudden, an image of the ident that urred five years


    before shed through his mind.


    Crash. There was a loud crash that was apanied by the sharp squeal of brakes. The car he was


    driving had mmed into the protective barrier along the highway to the airport, after which the entire


    car teetered on the edge of the road and his vision gradually turned hazy.


    Before he lost consciousness, he was staring up at the sky. A ne swept across the shattered sky


    beyond the shattered windscreen in an arc, passing through the clouds and heading for the other side


    of the ocean.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Justin suddenly let out a cry of pain and clutched his head.


    Resembling the floodwaters that rushed out of a broken dam, various unfamiliar memories flooded his


    mind. These memories gradually washed away the original and inurate memories, recing them


    with abusive and violent behavior¡­


    He remembered everything.


    He did not know how much time passed, but the hand that was clutching tightly at his head slowly


    rxed. Using the chair and desk nearby to support himself, he staggered to his feet with difficulty


    since he was breathing heavily and his entire body trembled.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    At this moment, the dusty memories that had been sealed away for five whole years were swirling


    madly in his head.


    Five years ago, he was the one who wronged Rachel. Everything was a mistake. Be it gratitude or


    revenge, all of them were wrong.


    Ayer of mist suddenly covered the man¡¯s eyes. Forbearance, regret, pain¡­ He was flooded with a


    myriad of emotions that tangled together, which left him feeling guilty and remorseful for the distant


    past.


    Five years ago.


    It was the third day since Rachel left. Justin searched the entire Riverdale but failed to locate even the


    slightest hint of her shadow.


    He sat on the couch in the living room of the Burton Residence. A scar stretched from his forehead


    across his stern face and it was this scar that made him look terrifying as though his entire face had


    been divided into two. At this moment, his expression was extremely gloomy.


    Frankie couldn¡¯t help shuddering when he entered and saw this sight, after which he cautiously said,


    ¡°President Burton, the person you wanted has been brought here.¡±


    Upon hearing those words, Justin immediately rose from the sofa. ¡°Bring him in.¡±


    The words had only just left his mouth when two of his subordinates entered from outside with an old


    man who was being restrained.


    The old man was none other than Irwin Chase, the human trafficker, whom Rachel called ¡®Grandpa


    Irwin ¡®.


    Irwin immediately fell to his knees with a thud and shivered in fear like a leaf in the wind when he saw


    Justin. ¡°I beg you, please let me go. I have no grievances against you. Why do you keep capturing me?


    Why?!¡±


    ¡°No grievances?¡± Justin snorted coldly. ¡°Old man, take a good look at me. Have you forgotten who I


    am?¡±


    Irwin had met Justin before. He looked up only to see Justin¡¯s ferocious expression, which frightened


    him so much that he shuddered and immediately lowered his head again. ¡°I¡­ I really don¡¯t remember.


    How can I forget an influential person like you if I¡¯ve met you before?¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s not what you said when you kidnapped me and locked me up in the underground


    dungeon twenty years ago.¡±


    What? Twenty years ago? Irwin stiffened at those words. The man in front of him seemed to be


    approximately thirty years old. Twenty years ago, he would have been around ten years old.


    Those who worked in human trafficking rarely targeted children of at that age. The first reason was that


    these children were older, so they remembered more things and were more opinionated. Hence, they


    were not easy to manage. The second reason was that older children were not easy to sell. Their


    buyers preferred younger children.


    Among all the children he kidnapped and sold in the past, there was only one child who was around ten


    years old or so. Hisplexion turned deathly pale when that thought urred to him. ¡°You¡­ You


    are¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you remembered me now?¡± Justin stared at the old man coldly. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Please let me go! I beg you! I had no choice back then!¡± Irwin desperately prostrated himself in front of


    Justin and groveled. ¡°Please have mercy on me. I¡¯m nothing more than a sack of old bones now. How


    much longer can I live? Just¡­ Just let me go, for Rachel¡¯s sake. Please let me go.¡±


    At the mention of Rachel¡¯s name, Justin abruptly clenched his fists. ¡°For her sake? Even that would


    require her to intervene personally. Where is she?¡±


    Irwin was taken aback. ¡°Rachel? Hasn¡¯t Rae been by your side all this time?¡±


    ¡°So, you won¡¯t say?¡± Justin turned his back to Irwin and coldly instructed, ¡°Drag him back and chop one


    of his fingers off. If he refuses to speak, then chop another finger off.¡±


    Before Irwin could say a word, he was marched out by the two bodyguards standing beside him. ¡°Save


    me! Save me! I really don¡¯t know anything! I really don¡¯t know anything! Ahhh!¡±


    A terrible scream came from the courtyard outside. Even Frankie couldn¡¯t help closing his eyes as he


    lacked the courage to look.


    ¡°Young Master Justin, the man has fainted!¡± The voice of one of the bodyguards came from outside.


    Justin didn¡¯t even nce over. ¡°Wake him up.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Not long afterward, Irwin was awoken by a bucket of cold water. The intense pain made him lie on the


    ground as he trembled uncontrobly. ¡°I really don¡¯t know where Rachel went. I have not seen her


    since her grandmother passed away. She¡ª¡±


    ¡°Chop off another finger.¡± The cold voice of a man came from within the house.


    The bodyguard immediately grabbed Irwin¡¯s hand and ced it on a rock. Then, he raised the knife in


    his hand again.


    When the cold glint of light shed, Irwin¡¯s eyes widened in fright. In his desperation, he yelled, ¡°I saved


    your life before!¡±


    Inside the house, Justin raised a hand. The bodyguard¡¯s knife stopped right above Irwin¡¯s finger, nearly


    chopping it off.


    Irwin gasped for breath. Cold sweat dripped down his neck as he shivered uncontrobly. ¡°I was not the


    one who kidnapped and sold you. Back then, you would have died in that fire if I had not turned the


    other way and let you escape! I saved your life!¡±


    Justin sneered. ¡°You sure dare to say just about anything in order to survive, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying!¡± Irwin knelt on the ground, gasping due to the pain. ¡°Rae¡­ Rae can be my witness. Back


    then¡­ Back then, she was the one who came to beg me. She begged me to save you!¡±


    Justin jerked his head in surprise. ¡°What did you say?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 331

    My Mute Bride Chapter 331


    Chapter 331 It¡¯s Too Late for Regrets


    Irwin trembled as he continued, ¡°I treated Rae like my own granddaughter. She wept so hard and


    insisted that I release you. I thought¡­ I was thinking that it wouldn¡¯t be easy to deal with a ten-year-old


    child, anyway. If you were released, then so be it. Besides, it¡¯s impossible for you to escape far in the


    forest located so deep in the mountains. You could never go home¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, Justin suddenly lifted him up by his neck. ¡°What the hell are you


    talking about!? The person who rescued me was a little girl named Katie! How could it have been


    Rae?!¡±


    The man was shaken so badly that he could barely breathe. ¡°Rae¡­ is Katie¡­¡±


    Those words were undoubtedly a huge shock that exploded violently in Justin¡¯s mind. Rae is Katie?!


    That¡¯s impossible! ¡°Exin clearly!¡±


    ¡°President Burton, he has already passed out!¡± Frankie saw what had happened from the side and


    quickly stepped forward to stop Justin. He was afraid that if things were to continue, it would only lead


    to the man¡¯s death. ¡°Hurry up and send him to the hospital.¡±


    Irwin was an old man. Moreover, he was bleeding non-stop from where his finger had been chopped. If


    they did not send him to the hospital soon, there was a high possibility that he could die from extreme


    loss of blood.


    Justin snapped back to his senses. ¡°Send him to the hospital! Contact the hospital!¡±


    This old man is the only person who knows the truth of what happened back then. I can¡¯t let him die.


    His hands were covered in blood and his thoughts were a chaotic mess while they were on the way to


    the hospital. How could Rachel be Katie?


    All the clues from the past suddenly surfaced in his mind. Rachel had been kidnapped and sold when


    she was a little girl. Her grandmother had a good rtionship with Irwin as the two of them were


    neighbors. Jefferey brought back an illegitimate daughter twenty years ago and imed that she was a


    congenital mute¡­


    Along the corridor in the hospital, Frankie hurried over with a document in his hand. ¡°President Burton,


    this is the hospital¡¯s medical records.¡±


    Justin took the documents. Hisplexion immediately turned pale at the sight of Rachel¡¯s name on


    the document. After pursuing the medical records written inside, he stumbled without any warning and


    had to lean against the wall just to barely maintain his bnce.


    Rachel¡¯s muteness was not congenital. The cause for her condition was clearly written on the medical


    record¡ªshe had sustained damage to her vocal cords in a fire twenty years ago. The record also


    contained the signature of her attending doctor, Julian Peters.


    Rachel is Katie from back then. She is the Katie who saved my life in the past. I thought she was dead.


    Justin went through a lot just to seed the Burton Group on his own for the sake of avenging Katie.


    Heter discovered the financial loophole in Hudson Pharmaceuticals, suppressed them, got hold of


    Jefferey¡¯s weakness, and tried to bring Jefferey down.


    However, as it turned out, the person he took revenge on was the same person who rescued him in the


    first ce.


    ¡°If she is Katie, then why did Jefferey set the fire? He set his own daughter on fire!¡± Justin leaned


    against the wall and muttered to himself. All of a sudden, he recalled the scene that he witnessed


    during the fire.


    The burning thatched cottage had revealed a woman¡¯s figure on the ground while the man who


    emerged from the house wore a vicious expression. Even across the hill, the two children had clearly


    witnessed the scene. Justin could still remember the coldness in that man¡¯s eyes even though so many


    years had passed. So, that was the person whom Jefferey sent to kill Rachel¡¯s mother, Selena Hudson.


    He then set fire to erase the evidence and disguised the murder as an ident instead.


    The secret room hidden inside Jefferey¡¯s study in Hudson Vineyard shed through his mind. The


    innocent woman who died in vain¡­


    An influx of images filled his mind, which all pointed to Rachel¡¯s real identity. There was no doubt that


    she was Katie from back then.


    ¡°argh.¡± Justin abruptly coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    ¡°President Burton!¡± Frankie eximed in shock and hurried forward. ¡°Are you alright, President


    Burton!? Doctor! Doctor,e and take a look!¡±


    However, Justin pushed Frankie aside and staggered away before he suddenly burst into hysterical


    laughter. ¡°I was wrong! I was wrong! Rachel, I was wrong!¡±


    I found the wrong person. I took revenge on the wrong person. All the evil consequences should have


    fallen on me, but, why!? Katie has never done anything wrong! Why does she have to be unfairly


    victimized just because she met me? I was wrong! I was very wrong!


    The scenes from five years ago shed through his mind once more. When he recalled everything, he


    felt as though he was suffocating. He leaned against the tables and chairs while trying to head toward


    the exit with great difficulty.


    Thud. He copsed on the ground again. Before he lost consciousness, he saw Frankie entering the


    room and running toward him.


    ¡­


    It was afternoon by the time Rachel had finished her phone call with the person in charge of the


    pharmaceutical factory.


    A delighted Jolly said, ¡°This is great! Thend around here now belongs to us. We can build a


    warehouse or even expand the factory if we want to!¡±


    ¡°You must be dreaming.¡± Rachelughed. ¡°We don¡¯t need to build a warehouse since we already have


    one. As for the factory, I don¡¯t need to tell you howplicated the approval process is for industrial


    land, right? How can it be that simple?¡±


    It was something that Jolly didn¡¯t take seriously. ¡°At least we don¡¯t need to lower our heads to that


    despicable viin, Justin Burton. That¡¯s enough to make me delirious with joy. He thought he had our


    weakness. Hmph! In his dreams!¡±


    ¡°The Burton Family has deep roots in Riverdale after all. We will have a lot of business dealings with


    them, so he will have many opportunities to make things difficult for us in the future.¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of!? You have me!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Rachel raised her eyebrow at Jolly.


    Jolly immediately changed her stance. ¡°Even if I¡¯m powerless, I still have my parents. Hehe.¡±


    While they were conversing with each other, Rachel¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°President Hudson, pleasee to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°President Burton suddenly passed out and is receiving emergency treatment in the hospital right now.¡±


    Rachel frowned slightly at those words.


    Jolly was standing next to Rachel at the time. When she noticed that Rachel¡¯s expression seemed


    strange, she rified, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Immediately after that, Rachel activated the loudspeaker function on her phone and ced it on the


    table.


    Frankie¡¯s anxious voice came from the other side of the phone. ¡°President Burton has been frequently


    suffering from headaches and dizziness for the past two days. He fainted not long after the call with


    you earlier today. The doctor said that he has a blood clot in his brain that has impacted his cranial


    nerves and requires brain surgery. He has been on the operating table for about half an hour now.


    Without waiting for Rachel to speak, Jolly grabbed the phone and said angrily, ¡°So, he has a blood clot


    in his brain. What does that have to do with us!? How dare you even mention that phone call! That


    phone call was something Justin himself made. What¡¯s this? Are you trying to deceive us?¡±


    ¡°Miss Carter, I really didn¡¯t mean it that way. President Burton is in critical condition right now, but he


    doesn¡¯t even have a single family member around him¡ª¡±


    ¡°So what? How is Chris a part of his family?¡±


    Frankie was on the verge of crying. Even so, he had no way of winning against Jolly in an argument.


    ¡°President Hudson, pleasee. If something were to go wrong, I am sure President Burton will wish


    to see you.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Rachel nced at the phone. A momentter, she responded indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t have the


    time. Once I¡¯m done dealing with the matters on hand and have the time, I will visit him at the hospital.¡±


    He was desperate. ¡°President Hudson! What if the surgery goes wrong!?¡±


    She replied, ¡°In that case, I will take the time to attend his funeral.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 332

    My Mute Bride Chapter 332


    Chapter 332 He Wants to Notarize a Will?


    Rachel¡¯s voice was not loud. On the other end of the phone, Frankie waspletely stunned after she


    finished her sentence. He knew that she had changed greatly following her return. However, he never


    imagined that she hated Justin to this extent¡ªshe didn¡¯t even show any concern for Justin¡¯s life or


    death.


    Before Frankie could react, she ended the call. Jolly suppressed her usatory expression and looked


    at Rachel in worry. ¡°Chris, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Look at me. Do I look like I¡¯m not okay?¡±


    ¡°Are you really not going to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Many people will be fighting to visit him now that he has been admitted to the hospital. I am neither his


    family nor friend. Why should I visit him?¡± Rachel¡¯s expression was cold. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not the first time


    that he used this method of harming himself to trick me.¡±


    Jolly hesitated for a long time. In the end, she swallowed the words that she wanted to say: What if he


    isn¡¯t pretending this time?


    Then, she found herself thinking, Even if he isn¡¯t pretending, it serves him right. It¡¯s his fault for making


    Rachel¡¯s life so difficult in the first ce. ¡°Do we continue with thewsuit?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Rachel¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s a good thing for us if he is not in good health. Hernandez


    can use Justin¡¯s poor health to justify that he is not fit to take care of Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve thought that far?¡±


    To that, Rachel said nothing, but her slightly clenched fist exined everything. Over the past few


    years, she had learned to seize all the opportunities in her best interests at any given time. After all,


    time did not repeat itself while opportunities did not wait for others. We¡¯ve already severed all ties with


    each other; why bother pretending otherwise?


    ¡­


    At the hospital the next day, it was already noon by the time Justin woke up.


    ¡°President Burton.¡± Frankie had stayed by Justin¡¯s side all night long. He didn¡¯t get a wink of sleep


    during that time and his eyes were red as a result. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake. Please don¡¯t move about. I¡¯ll


    go and get the doctor.¡±


    Justin stared at the ceiling boards without moving and the back of his head felt slightly swollen.


    He felt as though he had been dreaming all this time. It was a delusional dream where he had spent


    five years trying to escape his mistakes and live for the sake of living. Unfortunately, he should never


    have forgotten that what was bound toe would eventuallye.


    ¡°The critical period has passed. You will need to remain in the hospital for half a month for


    observations. If your recovery is going well after half a month, you can go through the discharge


    procedures and return home for further recuperation.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    After seeing the doctor off, Frankie breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°How do you feel right now, President


    Burton? Are you feeling ufortable anywhere?¡±


    Justin looked incredibly lost and depressed.


    ¡°President Burton?¡±


    It took a long while for him to regain his senses, after which he spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°Frankie,


    please do something for me.¡±


    ¡°Please say.¡±


    ¡°Organize all the assets under my name and contact awyer. I want to make a notarization.¡±


    As he was slightly startled by those words, Frankie nced at Justin in surprise. Is he nning to write


    a will after his close brush with death?


    After issuing the instructions regarding thewyer, Justin continued to stare at the ceiling boards with a


    hazy vision.


    ¡­


    A letter from the attorney arrived at the hospitalter that afternoon.


    ¡°President Burton¡­¡± Frankie had originally nned to suppress thewsuit, but he did not expect


    Justin to yank the attorney¡¯s correspondence from the stack of documents. By the time he entered the


    room, Justin was already reading the letter.


    ¡°President Hudson¡¯s attitude had gone overboard. You¡¯re still in the hospital. It¡¯s hard to say whether


    you can even attend the court hearing on the day of the trial¡­¡±


    Justin lifted a hand and stopped Frankie from continuing before he asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t there the option of an


    out-of-court settlement before the court hearing?¡±


    Frankie was surprised. ¡°Are you thinking of resolving this issue out of court? Judging by President


    Hudson¡¯s current attitude, she will not be willing to agree to an out-of-court settlement. Not unless you


    refuse to continue thewsuit and hand over Charlotte¡¯s custodial rights.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Justin¡¯s voice might be weak, but it remained as firm as ever. Charlotte was his


    one and only connection left with Rachel, as well as his only hope.


    ¡°Then, what do you n to discuss with President Hudson?¡±


    ¡°Just to get in touch with her. Hand me the phone.¡±


    He did not exin much and only weakly uttered that sentence. One look at his paleplexion was


    enough to stop Frankie from saying anything else, for fear of agitating him. Therefore, Frankie could


    only hand the phone over to him.


    ncing at Rachel¡¯s name on the phone screen, Justin dialed the number.


    The call connected after ringing for a long time.


    ¡°Hello?¡± On the other end of the phone, Rachel was sitting in her office and reading the documents that


    Hernandez had organized for her. When she received the phone call from Justin, she didn¡¯t even need


    to think that he had received the attorney¡¯s letter. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Are you free? I want to discuss Charlotte¡¯s custodial rights with you in private.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re nning to persuade me into giving up, then I don¡¯t think that there¡¯s anything to discuss. We


    might as well discuss it directly in court.¡±


    ¡°Rachel, do it for Charlotte. I wish to have a peaceful discussion with you. Do you think Charlotte will be


    happy when she learns that we are on such bad terms with each other?¡±


    She frowned at those words. If not for the fact that she was worried about Charlotte¡¯s feelings, she


    would not have taken so long to deal with him. She lifted her wrist and nced at the time. ¡°I have an


    appointment for dinner tonight, so I only have half an hour¡¯s time to talk to you. If you don¡¯t mind, I can


    give you the location. You cane over to talk.¡±


    ¡°Okay, no problem.¡± Justin agreed immediately.


    Listening to his tone, Rachel frowned in suspicion. Why does it sound different from his usual manner


    of speech?


    ¡­


    It was evening and the lights had just been turned on. He had already been there for some time by the


    time she arrived at the restaurant. As he was wearing a baseball cap with the brim pulled low over his


    eyes, she failed to recognize him at first nce.


    Considering that he was a semi-public figure, she realized that he probably did not want to be


    recognized and did not ask any questions. ¡°Have you been waiting long?¡±


    ¡°No, I just arrived.¡± When he saw her, he immediately rose to his feet and seemed a little embarrassed.


    ¡°What do you want to drink? Istte alright?¡±


    ¡°Anything is fine. I can¡¯t stay for long.¡± Rachel casually hung her jacket over the back of the chair and


    exined, ¡°I have an appointment with somebody else at this ce tonight, so I only have half an hour.


    What did you want to discuss?¡±


    Justin stared at the woman in front of him for some time, seeming a little entranced by her voice.


    Under the warm lights of the restaurant, the little girl who secretly threw some bread into the dungeon


    more than twenty years ago gradually ovepped with the person in front of him before it merged into


    one.


    A thinyer of mist surfaced in his eyes. Emotions such as self-me, regret, and pain flooded him like


    a rising tide to crush every nerve in his body. For a long time, he could not make a sound.


    ¡°Justin?¡± Rachel repeatedly called his name with a slight frown. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Only then did Justin return to his senses and avoid her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I apologize. I¡¯ve been a little


    distracted recently. What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I asked you what you wanted to discuss with me. I have to leave soon.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to apologize.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The frown on her face deepened at those words. What¡¯s the reason for this apology that came


    out of nowhere? ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry for everything I did in the past.¡±


    Rachel became a little impatient. ¡°You called me here just for this? Did you think that an apology would


    end thiswsuit?¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°Justin, I will only ept your apology if you hand over Charlotte¡¯s custodial rights.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 333

    My Mute Bride Chapter 333


    Chapter 333 Secret Meeting


    Rachel¡¯s words stunned Justin. A long time had passed before he said, ¡°Rachel, as long as you are


    willing, you cane and visit Charlotte any time you want. You can even bring her home with you


    when you¡¯re free. I only have one request. Please don¡¯t take her away from me. No matter what you


    say, Charlotte is also my daughter. Can we please end thiswsuit?¡±


    She looked astonished. That¡¯s not something Justin will ever say.


    Despite her perplexity, she was not so easily swayed. ¡°Justin, it¡¯s true that Charlotte is your only


    daughter at the moment. Can you guarantee that you will never get married and have other children in


    the future, though? You know better than I do what kind of environment surrounds the Burton Family.


    Do you want Charlotte to grow up in the middle of all those conflicts?¡±


    Just based on this point alone, I can never allow Charlotte to remain by his side.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you believe me or not, but I will never remarry or have other children.¡±


    ¡°Nobody can say for sure what will happen in the future. You don¡¯t need to say such words.¡±


    The indifference in her eyes made Justin smile bitterly.


    ¡°This is an asset transfer agreement.¡± He pushed a document over to her. ¡°I understand your worries.


    These are all the assets under my name. I¡¯ve already notarized these assets through an attorney. If I


    die one day, Charlotte will inherit all of my assets.¡±


    Rachel was taken aback by those words for a moment. Then, she flipped through the document. The


    number of assets under his name was absolutely staggering; from residential properties tomercial


    properties to cash to antiques, the list of assets made up an entire book. Is he really willing to notarize


    all of his assets as an inheritance for Charlotte?


    She was so shocked that she became a little hesitant.


    ¡°I¡¯m not rushing you to make a decision. There¡¯s still some time before the court hearing and the out-of-


    court settlement has yet to begin. You can take your time to think things through.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Rachel ced the document on the table.


    At this moment, she could not figure out the reason behind his behavior. Is he taking a step back for the


    sake of advancement and stabilizing his position for the time being? Or, does he have something else


    hidden up his sleeve? In any case, I can¡¯t trust him so easily.


    She nced at the time. ¡°I have to go now. My client is waiting for me.¡±


    ¡°Rachel.¡± Justin suddenly called out to her. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for what I did in the past. It truly was not


    intentional.¡±


    Not intentional? Rachel sneered in her heart, but her expression remained unchanged on the surface.


    ¡°The past is in the past. We should go our separate ways in the future.¡±


    After saying that, she walked straight toward the elevator in the lobby.


    It so happened that Jason and Dillon arrived at the same time. When they came face-to-face with her,


    Dillon immediately stepped forward with a smile on his effeminate face. ¡°Are wete? I can¡¯t believe


    Chris arrived first.¡±


    ¡°I happened to be meeting a friend.¡±


    ¡°Meeting a friend?¡± Following her gaze, he nced into the cafe next to the lobby and immediately


    spotted Justin. Justin was dressed in all ck and had a matching cap pulled low over his face to avoid


    being recognized.


    Dillon then teased, ¡°Is that your boyfriend?¡±


    She smiled faintly. ¡°Young Master Porter, you sure are good at cracking jokes. I¡¯m afraid I have more


    interest in my career.¡±


    He was only joking around and didn¡¯t take the matter seriously.


    On the other hand, Jason recognized Justin at a nce. In the instant where their gazes met, Justin¡¯s


    posture abruptly straightened and the look in his eyes immediately became icy cold.


    Jason quicklymented, ¡°Young Master Porter, let¡¯s talk inside a private room. There are too many


    eyes here.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go, Chris.¡±


    Rachel nodded at Dillon in acknowledgment and entered the elevator first. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t


    help ncing at the person behind him. And just like how they had metst time, L had remained


    silent all this time and stayed close beside Dillon with a cold expression.


    The doors of the elevator slowly closed, but Justin¡¯s gaze had been fixed on the man standing next to


    Rachel all along. I remember seeing that man briefly on the Golden Cruise before. Why is Rachel in


    contact with a person like that?


    Inside the private room, Dillon had his men open the briefcase to reveal the dazzling gold in it before


    borating, ¡°This is the deposit. Once we receive the goods, we will pay the bnce. Please check the


    quantity.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°No need.¡± Rachel nodded lightly. ¡°The price you offered me is basically unattainable in Riverdale¡¯s


    market, Young Master Porter. I believe a person as generous as you will not underpay me, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But, what?¡±


    ¡°You asked to meet but did not allow me to bring my subordinates with me. Young Master Porter, I can¡¯t


    carry this briefcase of gold alone.¡±


    When Dillon heard those words, heughed. ¡°That¡¯s not an issue. I¡¯ll have L bring this to your car


    later.¡±


    Those words were exactly what she wanted to hear. Even so, she pretended to look at L in surprise.


    ¡°Can she carry that? Why don¡¯t we get one of the hotel employees to help?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re underestimating L.¡± He nced at the woman standing beside him as he drank, a look of


    admiration appearing in his gloomy eyes. ¡°Forget carrying this briefcase. It¡¯s not a problem even if you


    add a few more briefcases to the equation.¡±


    ¡°You found yourself a great assistant, Young Master Porter. Where did you look for her? I want one too.


    It¡¯ll be more convenient to travel if my bodyguards are women like myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be disappointed. I daresay you will not find many like L in this world. Hahaha!¡±


    Jason added, ¡°Miss Hart is one in a million indeed. Rachel, you¡¯re troubling Young Master Porter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. If you really need one, I¡¯ll ask my men to look around. After all, we¡¯ll be working


    together for a long time. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Rachel smiled and nodded in response.


    After a few rounds of drinks, she went to the restroom. Just as she was about to leave the room, she


    ran into L about to enter the room. She was about to greet L when she felt something warm


    touching her fingers that were hanging by the side of her body.


    In the next moment, Rachel felt something being stuffed into the palm of her hand. Her pupils


    contracted abruptly, but L brushed past her without the slightest change in expression.


    ¡°Chris, we¡¯ve only had a few rounds of drinks. Where are you going?¡± Dillon¡¯s voice came from behind


    her.


    She returned to her senses and replied, ¡°Please continue drinking, Young Master Porter. I¡¯m just going


    to the restroom for a bit.¡±


    Dillon was an alcoholic maniac who could barely even remember his own name after several bottles of


    alcohol. At this moment, he was fooling around with Jason like they were brothers.


    Meanwhile, Rachel nonchntly went to the restroom. After confirming that there was nobody else


    inside the restroom, she sat on the toilet and unfolded the slip of paper in her palm. The ink had gotten


    a little blurry and only an address was written on the paper.


    ¡¯11 o¡¯clock. No.11, Millstone Street. Public phone booth.¡¯


    She gripped the slip of paper with slightly trembling hands. There¡¯s something strange about L after


    all. She is definitely Coraline Harper.


    At the same time, Dillon had gotten so drunk that he passed out inside the private room.


    ¡°Miss Hart, Young Master Porter is so drunk. Will he be okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just let him rest in a room for a while. We will leaveter tonight.¡±


    ¡°Sigh. Alright. That¡¯s what I thought too. He¡¯s so drunk; it¡¯s best to sober up slightly before you leave.¡±


    Jason immediately summoned a waiter from outside and informed, ¡°Get a vacant suite and help Young


    Master Porter there.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Several waiters immediately entered from the outside. Supporting Dillon on both sides, they walked in


    the direction of the hotel¡¯s suite with L following closely behind.


    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk! I can continue drinking!¡± Dillon continued to shout about drinking even after he was


    ced on the bed. ¡°Where¡¯s Chris?! Ask her to drink with me!¡±


    ¡°Young Master Porter, everybody has left.¡± L called out.


    The drunken Dillon slowly opened his eyes to reveal not even the slightest hint of drunkenness in his


    eyes. He sat up on the bed, his gloomy eyes looking rather frosty. Only one word broke the silence in


    the room. ¡°Go.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 334

    My Mute Bride Chapter 334


    Chapter 334 Life on the Line


    By the time Rachel returned to the private room, only Jason was left alone inside the room and he also


    had quite a lot to drink earlier. ¡°Where is Young Master Porter?¡±


    ¡°He drank too much. Miss Hart has brought him back to a room to rest. I think we¡¯ll end things here


    today.¡± She nodded. ¡°Thank you for pulling the strings on my behalf, Jason.¡±


    He waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Young Master Porter likes you very much, so you better not have any


    other strange ideas. Also, it¡¯s best if you draw a clear line with my nephew so that your future will


    remain bright and promising.¡±


    Rachel did notment much on Jason¡¯s words and merely drove out of the hotel alone after he


    departed. Following the instructions on the note that L handed to her, she drove around and circled


    back to the hotel since Millstone Street was just one street away from the hotel. It was an old alleyway


    that did not permit entry to cars.


    She parked her car by the curb and walked into the alleyway. At this time, the sky waspletely dark


    with no trace of anyone else. The only sounds that she heard were that of her own footsteps.


    It didn¡¯t take long before she found a public phone booth behind an abandoned bungalow. The phone


    booth looked like it had been abandoned for a long time and did not look like it could be used, which


    left her with a slight frown. Turning on the shlight on her phone, she shone the light at the phone


    booth and walked around but did not find anything.


    It was going to be 11:00PM soon.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Ring¡­ A crisp ringing sound pierced through the night air. The sound that suddenly came from the


    abandoned phone booth seemed extremely strange in the quiet night and caused Rachel to slightly


    shiver. Thinking about the rtionship between L and Coraline, she quickly stepped forward and


    hesitated for several seconds before she picked up the receiver.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me?¡±


    ¡°Miss Hart?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, you should call me by another name.¡±


    Rachel seemed stunned for a moment before a joyous light appeared in her eyes.


    ¡­


    Dillon, who should have passed out from being drunk, was currently sitting in the living room of Hotel


    tinum¡¯s suite and had a pair of extremely bright, clear eyes. There was a pot of tea on the coffee


    table in front of him with L sitting opposite him. In front of her was a mobile phone with the


    speakerphone turned on. Rachel¡¯s voice came from the other side of the phone.


    There was a cold smile on his face as he looked at the phone with extremely contemptuous eyes.


    Nobody has ever managed to fool me with petty tricks before.


    He had sent somebody to investigate Rachel a long time ago. She apparently had a close rtionship


    with the Investigation Bureau Deputy Chief, Janice Hawkins. How could Jason dare to ce somebody


    with that kind of rtionship beside him? Has his greed for money left him insane?


    ¡°Where are you right now?¡± Rachel¡¯s questioning voice came from the phone.


    L nced at Dillon, asking for an answer with her eyes.


    Dillon raised his chin in the direction of the bedroom.


    She answered, ¡°I¡¯m still at the hotel, but I have to return to the ship in a short while. I have something to


    pass to you. Please deliver it to Officer Hawkins as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The route map for the next shipment.¡±


    ¡°The route map? Where is it?¡±


    ¡°Return to the hotel. It¡¯s just behind the toilet of the private room where we were in earlier.¡±


    After thatst sentence, Dillon reached out a finger and ended the call with a tap.


    L¡¯splexion paled slightly. ¡°Young Master Porter.¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, he waved to the side and coldly said, ¡°Tie her up.¡±


    The two bodyguards by the side immediately stepped forward. When they met her threatening gaze,


    they subconsciously took a step back.


    It was enough to immediately make Dillion unhappy. ¡°Are you my subordinates or her subordinates?¡±


    When the two bodyguards heard that question, they stepped forward again. ¡°Sorry, L.¡±


    L raised a hand to stop them as her cold aura left them losing the courage to act rashly. She


    expressionlessly said, ¡°Young Master Porter, you only need to inform Master Porter if you don¡¯t want


    me by your side anymore. There¡¯s no need to use such methods to falsely use me. Even if there¡¯s


    something wrong with me, don¡¯t forget that I work for Master Porter. You will have to answer for your


    actions to Master Porter.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t use my father to threaten me.¡± Dillon snorted coldly. ¡°You have private dealings with people in


    the Riverdale Investigation Bureau. If my father learns about this matter, I¡¯ll be able to kill you right now


    without bringing you back.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Porter, I¡¯m saying this again: I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t do anything, then why did Rachel listen to you? Why did she run off to answer your phone


    call in the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°I can only say that curiosity exists in everybody. How did you know that she went there to answer my


    phone call because she has private dealings with me? Isn¡¯t this matter still undecided?¡±


    He sneered. ¡°Fine. It doesn¡¯t matter whether there¡¯s anything wrong with you. In any case, there¡¯s


    definitely something wrong with Rachel.¡± After that, he ced a gun on the coffee table. ¡°Kill her, and I


    will believe you.¡±


    The pistol was small andpact. Moreover, it was equipped with a silencer¡ªperfect for killing people


    silently in a ce like this.


    L frowned slightly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you unwilling? Didn¡¯t you use to kill others without batting an eyelid? Why are you


    feeling reluctant now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not willing. It¡¯s just that killing somebody here will alert the authorities. I¡¯m afraid we


    won¡¯t be able to remain in Riverdale for long. If Rachel dies, a lot of people will surely be involved in the


    investigation. Jason¡¯s nephew is quite concerned about her.¡± Those words clearly could not convince


    him. Therefore, she simply took the gun and loaded the chamber in front of him. ¡°If you really want to


    see me kill somebody, Young Master Porter, then I don¡¯t mind taking action. When Master Porter and


    Miss Porter scolds us for messing up this business deal, I will just have to suffer the me together


    with you.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news.¡± Dillon was unmoved by those words as he picked up his tea


    cup and took a sip.


    When she heard his response, L left the room.


    As soon as L departed, one of the subordinates standing nearby walked forward to refill Dillon¡¯s cup


    with tea. That subordinate asked in worry, ¡°Young Master Porter, are we really going to watch L make


    her move here? This is the heart of Riverdale. We might not be able toe here for some time if


    something happens. Likewise, the business deal with Miss Rachel will fall through.¡±


    ¡°This business deal is bound to fail. There¡¯s something fishy about Rachel. It would have been nothing


    if she did note today. Our business deal would have ended there and then and I would have


    spared her life. If she came then¡­ Well then, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean there¡¯s something wrong with L too?¡±


    ¡°L?¡± The look in Dillon¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. ¡°Rachel imed that she looked familiar the moment


    they met. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s strange? I knew something was fishy when our goods were intercepted


    by the customs department for smuggling the other day.¡±


    ¡°L works for Master Porter, though.¡±


    ¡°The old man is blind from age. Who is to say he did not make a mistake? He would rather kill a


    thousand than let one go free. The information from the higher-ups ims that there¡¯s a traitor among


    us. It could very well be somebody beside me.¡±


    While he was speaking, another one of his subordinates turned on the projector in the living room to


    show the real-time surveince footage of the hotel¡¯s private room.


    ¡°Young Master Porter, she¡¯s here.¡±


    The projection screen illustrated Rachel talking to one of the serving staff where she seemed to have


    made up an excuse that she had left something behind to enter the private room once more. The


    serving staff had already unlocked the doors for her to enter.


    Dillon¡¯s grip tightened around his cup. When he saw the woman in the surveince footage, his eyes


    darkened immensely as he coldly questioned, ¡°She came rather quickly. Where is L?¡±


    ¡°She has just gotten out of the elevator and will probably arrive at the private room soon.¡±


    ¡°Tell her to kill that woman in the private room.¡±


    ¡°What if¡­ L refuses to take action?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 335

    My Mute Bride Chapter 335


    Chapter 335 Love Over Gold


    ¡°Refuse to take action?¡± Dillon¡¯s gloomy gaze darkened even more. ¡°In that case, there¡¯s no reason for


    her to return with us today.¡±


    At this moment, L¡¯s figure was hidden behind the door of the stairwell in the hotel. She was used to


    taking the stairs whenever she was ¡®working¡¯. After all, many things could go wrong when taking the


    elevator.


    The sound of light footsteps did not escape her ears and she nced upstairs from the corner of her


    eyes. Ayer of dust settled on the shoulder of her ck jacket before she tightened her fingers around


    the gun and her palms began to perspire.


    She had killed many people over the years and it was not easy for her to finally attain her current


    position. Nevertheless, she never imagined that the first person whom Dillon wanted her to kill when


    she returned to Riverdale again was her old friend.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, have you found what you were looking for?¡±


    The stairwell was not far from the private room. It was only separated by a door, so L could clearly


    hear the conversation between the serving staff and Rachel.


    Rachel¡¯s voice came from within the private room. ¡°Not yet. You can go back to your work. I will search


    for it myself.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Just let us know if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The serving staff¡¯s footsteps disappeared along the corridor. At this moment, Rachel was the only


    person left inside the private room.


    L stood behind the door of the stairwell, but she attentively listened to themotion behind her.


    She knew that if she did not take action now, the people whom Dillon sent would kill her without


    hesitation and Rachel would not survive either.


    On the other hand, Rachel stood at the door to the restroom. She was just about to enter the restroom


    after confirming that the serving staff outside had left when she suddenly heard the sound of the door


    opening behind her.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± She spun around and saw Justin. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    She quickly closed the door to the restroom.


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    Justin red at her with a look of dense rage on his cold, handsome face. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    ¡°Go where? What are you doing!? Let go of me!¡± As she was unable to win against him, he forcefully


    dragged her out of the private room. ¡°Justin Burton, I¡¯m going to report you to the police if you don¡¯t let


    me go now!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to file a police report? Sure! Go ahead and do it!¡± Justin released his grip on her with a


    furious expression. ¡°Who did you meet today? What did you talk about? Do you dare to tell the police


    about it?¡±


    ¡°Why would I need to tell the police about that? I only need to say that you¡¯re stalking me! I thought you


    had changed! I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re just the same as usual!¡±


    He did not wish to argue with her. ¡°Come with me right now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    He refused to be reasoned with and dragged her directly to the underground parking garage.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you want to do. It doesn¡¯t even matter whether it is for Hudson Pharmaceuticals or for


    yourself. In any case, you¡¯re not allowed to interfere in matters involving Jason anymore!¡±


    After dragging her all the way over, Justin yanked her toward the spot where he had parked his car.


    She was unable to break free of his grip and continued to struggle, but identally knocked off his hat


    before her expression immediately changed. ¡°Justin, you¡­¡±


    All of his hair had been shaved off while his head was wrapped in bandages and gauze. He looked


    exactly like a patient who was undergoing chemotherapy in the hospital. Despite the dim lights in the


    garage, Rachel could still see how vulnerable he was. She suddenly recalled the phone call she


    received from Frankie earlier, telling her that Justin was on the operating table.


    Before she had time for further thoughts, the sound of someone pping slowly came from behind her.


    ¡°What is this little show? Miss Hudson, will you exin this to me?¡±


    It was Dillon with two bodyguards behind him and they suddenly appeared behind them at some point


    in time.


    Her expression froze for a moment. ¡°Young Master Porter, weren¡¯t you drunk?¡±


    ¡°If I had not gotten drunk, how would I have the chance to witness this strange and twisted y? Miss


    Hudson, I¡¯m bing more curious about you.¡±


    Justin tugged at Rachel¡¯s hand. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not going anywhere anymore.¡± Dillon nced at Justin coldly. ¡°You can barely protect yourself.


    Do you think you can take her away?¡±


    ¡°This is Riverdale, not the Golden Cruise.¡± Justin stood protectively in front of Rachel with a grim


    expression. ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, but I can guarantee that you will not walk out of Riverdale alive if


    you touch a single hair on my head or Rachel¡¯s head.¡±


    ¡°How arrogant. You are Jason¡¯s nephew, right? I¡¯ve heard of you.¡± Dillon snorted withughter. ¡°Do you


    know how your uncle grovels before my feet?¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°I am not him.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Dillon nced at him. ¡°In my opinion, there¡¯s no difference.¡±


    L arrived at this time. As soon as Rachel saw L, her eyes narrowed considerably and she


    subconsciously stepped forward.


    ¡°Rael!¡± Justin stopped her. ¡°Get in the car.¡±


    However, Dillon gave a wave of his hand. ¡°L, what are you waiting for?¡±


    L walked straight toward Justin and Rachel with a dark expression.


    Justin pulled Rachel behind him, lifted his hand, and blocked L¡¯s flying kick. In the blink of an eye, the


    two of them exchanged a series of blows in the garage. Fists mmed against flesh as the cold wind


    rustled.


    Although his martial arts skills were not bad, L was a person who survived numerous grave


    situations. Not to mention, he had just undergone surgery. It didn¡¯t take them to fight for long before she


    kicked him to the ground and a gun was pressed against his forehead in the time that he took to stand


    up.


    ¡°Run, Rae!¡± His first reaction was to ask Rachel to escape.


    On the contrary, Rachel did not listen to Justin and instead stood motionlessly in ce. It was not the


    first time that she saw L holding a gun because that item had been pointed at her headst time.


    Dillon pped his hands and said in amazement, ¡°This is rare! It is said that the President of the Burton


    Group is cold, ruthless, and disinterested in women, but I have learned something new today. Love is


    stronger than gold! He doesn¡¯t even care for his own life! Miss Hudson, I feel so touched on your


    behalf.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression was grim. ¡°Young Master Porter, I don¡¯t understand. Why are you doing this? We


    have yet toplete our business deal, so isn¡¯t it too early to burn your bridges?¡±


    ¡°Burn my bridges? Based on your rtionship with the Chief of the Riverdale Investigation Bureau, I


    don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to cross the bridge anyway. Right?¡±


    After saying that, his expression immediately became frosty. ¡°Miss Hudson, I warned you when we first


    started working together. I hate traitors. I also hate the Riverdale Investigation Bureau. You¡¯ve stepped


    on the two things I despise the most.¡±


    ¡°Traitor?¡± She was puzzled. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°If not for Mr. Burton appearing out of nowhere, wouldn¡¯t you have gotten hold of the route map for our


    latest shipment of goods? What are you pretending for?¡±


    As Dillon looked around, he pointed at Justin, then at Rachel, and finally at L. ¡°You, you, and you.


    None of you will live past today.¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes narrowed upon hearing those words. He struggled to stand, but the gun pointing at his


    head had pressed him firmly to the ground.


    Rachel stared at Dillon intently. ¡°It turns out that you didn¡¯te here for the banquet tonight, Young


    Master Porter. It looks like it was a trap set up for me. You wanted me to jump right into your trap.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote to realize that now.¡±


    ¡°Asking you to believe me or release me seems to be impossible now, Young Master Porter.


    Nevertheless, I want to die with the understanding of why. There¡¯s something I need to warn you


    about.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Her eyes darkened as she quietly spilled the beans. ¡°That woman by your side, L Hart¡­ She¡¯s not a


    simple person.¡±


    He was slightly taken aback by those words.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 336

    My Mute Bride Chapter 336


    Chapter 336 Well Prepared


    ¡°Oh?¡± A slight interest appeared in Dillon¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m curious to know what you mean by that. What is


    not simple about L?¡±


    ¡°If my guess is correct, the route map in the restroom is fake. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Rachel nced at L


    standing by the side and holding a gun to Justin¡¯s head. ¡°However, I didn¡¯t just receive one message


    tonight telling me about the route map in the restroom. I had also received another text.¡±


    The pupils in his eyes contracted abruptly.


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    She took out a mobile device. ¡°This phone is something that I found in the public phone booth at


    Millstone Street. If I guessed correctly, this text message was sent by Miss Hart, right?¡±


    He nced at his bodyguard, who understood the gesture and stepped forward to take the phone for


    him. ¡°Young Master Porter, this¡­¡±


    Dillon had also seen the contents of the text message. It was the current route for the shipment of


    goods clearly described in words, making it a genuine map.


    Rachel then said, ¡°I am very curious as to why Miss Hart would hand this route map to me.¡±


    His expression immediately changed.


    L hurriedly exined, ¡°Young Master Dillon.¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Dillon took out his gun and pointed the muzzle at her head


    without another word in fury. ¡°You are really a spy after all!¡±


    At that moment, the sound of a phone vibrating sounded out of nowhere.


    One of Dillon¡¯s subordinates quickly answered the phone. ¡°Hello? Master Porter.¡±


    Nobody knew what was being said on the other end of the phone, but the subordinate¡¯s expression


    immediately changed. ¡°Yes. I understand. Young Master Porter, Master Porter asks that you answer the


    phone.¡±


    A furious Dillon red at L and issued amand to the people around him. ¡°Hold her down. Bring


    all of them back to my room.¡±


    Justin hurriedly tried to stand up, but he was stopped by the gun pointing at him by the bodyguard


    nearby.


    Inside the hotel suite, Dillon talked to Sean Porter on the phone for a long time inside the bedroom.


    When he came out, his expression was incredibly furious and it looked worse than the time he learned


    that L was a spy.


    L was standing by the side. When she saw himing out of the bedroom, she respectfully lowered


    her head. ¡°Young Master Porter.¡±


    However, he sneered and raised a hand to p her soundly across the face.


    Her head tilted to the side from the force of impact before a trickle of blood flowed out from the corner


    of her mouth. Yet, she did not make a single sound and remained as cold and indifferent as ever.


    ¡°Young Master Porter, have you vented some of your anger?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Dillon raised his arm again. Unexpectedly, she raised her head and waited for him to hit her. His


    hand hung in mid-air for ages before his clenched fist finally dropped to his sides and he gnashed his


    teeth furiously. ¡°You sure are amazing. You¡¯re no longer by my father¡¯s side, but you can still cooperate


    with him and even keep me in the dark. Aren¡¯t you scared that I might shoot you?¡±


    ¡°If it were Miss Porter, I would have lost my life a long time ago. However, you are merciful and soft-


    hearted, Young Master Porter.¡± L¡¯s indifferent words were not apliment, but a direct statement


    that pointed out his character ws. In this line of work, thest thing they wanted was to be merciful.


    Needless to say, he was not apassionate person. It was just that he could never be cruel toward


    the people around him. Even if he discovered that somebody had betrayed him, he still could not bring


    himself to kill them immediately. That was also the reason why L and Sean dared to set this trap


    tonight.


    Dillon red at her fiercely. ¡°You can handle the rest. I¡¯m not in the mood. I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    After saying that, he turned and strode out whereby his two bodyguards hurriedly chased after him.


    Only L and the others remained inside the suite.


    L¡¯s cold and sharp gazended on the sofa where Rachel and Justin had been restrained for some


    time now. ¡°Release them.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As soon as the ropes around Justin were released, he immediately chased the person standing beside


    Rachel away and personally freed her from the ropes. ¡°Rachel, are you okay?¡±


    Rachel pushed his hands away. Standing up while rubbing her wrists, she created some distance


    between them. ¡°Miss Hart, what is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°Do you still not understand? All of this was a trap that Master Porter set to test you. If you had not


    brought up the route map in that phone, I would have killed you even if Young Master Porter had not.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What do you mean?¡±


    L replied, ¡°You don¡¯t need to understand too much. In short, the business deals would continue to


    come your way in the future. If the incident tonight has scared you, Miss Hudson, then I will apologize


    on Master Porter¡¯s behalf. Do you need me to send you home, Miss Hudson?¡±


    ¡°No need!¡± Justin suddenly spoke up, staring at L with cold eyes. ¡°I will send her home.¡±


    L nced at him. ¡°Mr. Burton, I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t wish to see misfortune to befall on the Burton


    Group. That¡¯s why it¡¯s for the best if you keep your mouth shut about what you saw and heard in this


    ce today. Otherwise, nobody can guarantee whether the Burton Family will still have a sessor in


    the future.¡±


    Not only did he hold an important position in Riverdale, but he was also rted to Jason. That was why


    Dillon would not do anything to him without any reason, no matter what happened. Nevertheless, her


    warning was not a joke.


    ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t see you off. We¡¯re leaving. Miss Hudson, I hope we can patch things up the next


    time we meet.¡±


    Rachel forced a corner of her mouth into a smile. As she watched L and the others depart, she


    couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of fear lingering in her heart.


    Inside the underground garage.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you back.¡±


    Rachel had just pulled open the car door when she was stopped by Justin.


    ¡°No need.¡± She rejected his offer without any hesitation. ¡°I can drive myself.¡±


    ¡°Rae!¡± He held the car door and prevented her from getting into the car. ¡°Stop causing trouble. Listen to


    me. I¡¯ll send you back.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not that close to you.¡±


    He looked like he wanted to say something. All of a sudden, he felt dizzy and abruptly held the car door


    for support while hisplexion paled.


    Rachel subconsciously wanted to reach out to support him, but she suddenly remembered something,


    which caused her eyebrows to furrow deeply. Withdrawing her hand, she coldly asked, ¡°Can you even


    send me back in that condition?¡±


    Justin was taken aback by those words.


    ¡°Do you think that what I¡¯ve encountered tonight is not dangerous enough or stimting enough?¡±


    ¡°Rae.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Burton, let me remind you about something.¡± She took a deep breath and forced herself to seem


    both calm and polite before she slowly spat out the words. ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that. It feels¡­


    disgusting.¡±


    His expression froze for a moment; his fingers that were holding the car door curled slightly and his


    knuckles turned white.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡± Rachel pushed him aside.


    Bang. She mmed the door shut behind her.


    Justin recovered from his shock and knocked on the car window. ¡°Open the door. I have something to


    say to you.¡±


    She refused to bother to look at him and buckled the safety belt before she started the car. In the next


    moment, the headlights turned on while the engine roared to life inside the garage. He nearly lost his


    bnce when the car pulled out of the parking spot.


    The red car disappeared into the distance.


    He took a few steps after the car, but he was much too dizzy to continue. His temples were throbbing


    painfully and his stomach was turning nauseously. Staggering on his feet, he had to support himself


    against a nearby pir just to remain standing.


    No. I must figure out what kind of business Rachel is involved in and who she is dealing with. He had


    heard a lot about the kind of underground business that Jason was involved in. It was just that Arthur


    had asked him to turn a blind eye to Jason¡¯s activities, so he had not bothered to care. I can¡¯t allow


    Jason to drag Rachel down with him, though.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 337

    My Mute Bride Chapter 337


    Chapter 337 I Won¡¯t Die, but She Will


    Rachel drove home in the night without taking any detours. The moment she closed the door behind


    her, her hands holding the car keys trembled slightly.


    ¡°Why are you only back at this hour?¡± Jolly had been waiting for Rachel inside the house. ¡°I was so


    worried. I was about to contact Janice if you still have not returned. What¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡± She


    immediately noticed that Rachel¡¯splexion was terrible. ¡°What happened?¡±


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    Rachel tossed the car keys aside and sat down. Afterward, she briefly recounted everything that


    happened tonight to Jolly.


    Jolly was petrified. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that they set up a trap within a trap! Wouldn¡¯t you have died if you


    had believed that L is Coraline and epted the phone together with the route map!?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Rachel shook her head. ¡°If I had kept the phone and the route map, I would not have


    died, but Coraline would have died instead.¡±


    ¡°Coraline? Didn¡¯t you say that L is not Coraline?¡±


    ¡°No. She is Coraline.¡±


    Everything that happened tonight from the time she received the note Coraline stuffed in her hand at


    the entrance of the private room to the blurry address written on the note to the instructions to head to


    the public phone booth to receive the call¡ªall of these were part of Dillon¡¯s trap.


    On the other hand, the route map in the phone hidden at the public phone booth was the trap set up by


    that ¡®Master Porter¡¯.


    The trap that Dillon set was insignificant as it was just a foolish one that his father had used as a


    diversion.


    ¡°In the underground garage, L made a gesture with her hand before she pointed her gun at Justin.¡±


    ¡°What gesture?¡±


    Rachel imitated the hand gesture for Jolly to see. ¡°The meaning of this hand gesture is ¡®hit me¡¯.¡±


    ¡°She asked you to hit her?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. She didn¡¯t actually mean for me toy a blow on her. Rather, she wanted me to reveal


    the phone and the route map she gave me to Dillon. She wanted me to turn around and betray her.¡±


    Jolly was confused. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand. What does that mean? She¡¯ll be fine if you expose the fact


    that she gave you the route map?¡±


    Rachel exined, ¡°I believe that she is being suspected by the higher-ups. Combined with the fact that


    this ¡®Master Porter¡¯ wanted to confirm my position, they decided to set up the events of tonight. If I had


    handed the route map to the Riverdale Investigation Bureau, it proves that I knew ¡®L¡¯ from the


    beginning, which would have exposed her as a result.¡±


    ¡°I get it. Assessing your sincerity and intent to cooperate is secondary because the main point was to


    confirm whether ¡®L¡¯ is a spy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m just a new cooperation partner. If I¡¯m not suitable, they can just cut off all contact with


    me. There¡¯s no need for them to do anything to me. That¡¯s because I don¡¯t understand anything about


    their organization. However, that¡¯s not the case with ¡®L¡¯ as it¡¯s obvious that she knows too much.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God.¡± Jolly suddenly felt a bted sense of fear washing over her. ¡°If you had not seen that


    hand gesture¡­¡±


    Rachel was also filled with the same lingering fear.


    If anything went wrong tonight, Coraline would have disappeared from the face of the Earth forever and


    the Riverdale Investigation Bureau would never be able to locate her again.


    Luckily Rachel was able to confirm one thing when Coraline made that hand gesture. L Hart was


    indeed Coraline Harper. Not only was she still alive, but she was also continuing with her duties as a


    spy. I have to tell Janice about this.


    It took Jolly a while to recover from her shock. As she walked barefooted to the fridge, she took out a


    beer and muttered, ¡°No, no. This is too stimting. I need a drink to calm my nerves.¡±


    Rachel craned her neck. ¡°Get me a bottle too.¡±


    They each held a bottle in one hand, sat on the carpet, and toasted each other.


    ¡°What are we celebrating?¡± Jolly was at a loss for words.


    Rachel replied, ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate surviving today instead!¡± After some consideration, she added, ¡°And


    celebrate the fact that Coraline is still alive.¡±


    Her eyes reddened slightly when she said those words. It was precisely because she learned that


    Coraline was still alive that she didn¡¯t have the patience to say anything to Justin even though he was


    blocking her car. She was impatient to return home and share this good news with Jolly.


    As the two of them drank, they gradually rxed.


    All of a sudden, Jolly burst outughing.


    ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I just suddenly thought about that Burton scum. He suffered a beating for no reason today.


    That¡¯s karma!¡±


    At the mention of Justin, Rachel frowned slightly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t tell me you are feeling sorry for him.¡± Jolly furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯re not


    allowed to be soft-hearted.¡±


    ¡°No. I was just thinking about what he said to me today.¡± Rachel turned to the side and took out a


    document from her bag. ¡°This is the list of assets that he gave me.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°He hopes I will withdraw thewsuit and surrender the custodial rights over Charlotte to him. I can


    meet her anytime. Moreover, he will transfer all the assets under his name to Charlotte in the form of a


    will.¡±


    Jolly was stunned. ¡°All of his assets?¡± How many billions is that worth?! There¡¯s no denying that Justin


    really is the perfect father when ites to his daughter. ¡°Did you agree?¡±


    ¡°I said I will consider it.¡± Rachel nced at Jolly, her gaze suddenly bing firm. ¡°Do you think I can


    give up on Charlotte¡¯s custodial rights, though?¡±


    Jolly immediately felt relieved. Picking up the beer bottle from the table, she tapped her bottle against


    the bottle in Rachel¡¯s hand. The bottles knocked against each other and made a muffled sound, which


    caused the beer head to ssh slightly and scatter bubbles. It was as though they were celebrating


    their victory in advance or to kick off this grand carnival.


    ¡­


    Three dayster, the Riverdale Courthouse sent out mediators to formally oversee the out-of-court


    settlement only to be rejected by Rachel.


    Justin had called Rachel multiple times on her phone, but nobody answered. It was not until two days


    before the court hearing that the phone call was finally connected.


    He sounded extremely anxious over the phone call. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?¡±


    She sat in her office with a calm expression and watched the steam rising from her cup. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I


    was very busy recently, so I had no time to answer your calls.¡±


    ¡°Are you avoiding me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re over thinking things. I am not.¡±


    Her cold and indifferent attitude had be the norm. He had no choice but to ept the reality and


    dropped the topic. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you will consider my offer? Why did you reject the out-of-court


    settlement?¡±


    ¡°I have yet to make up my mind, so I can only allow the necessary court procedures to flow naturally. I


    don¡¯t believe there¡¯s anything wrong with that.¡±


    ¡°I really do not wish to meet you in court. As you know, the attorneys will do anything to expose the


    other party¡¯s shorings. Do you really wish for us to be like this? How will Charlotte me herself


    when she grows up and learns about this?¡±


    Rachel picked up her cup, blew on the foam at the top, and took a sip. ¡°Regarding your document, I


    believe there are certain areas that can be revised. If you agree to it, then I can withdraw thewsuit.¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t even stop to think and immediately agreed. ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even heard my request.¡±


    ¡°I will agree to any of your requests, as long as you withdraw thewsuit.¡±


    Those words left her feeling stunned. Nevertheless, she quickly recovered and nced at the calendar


    on her desk. The court hearing was on the day after tomorrow. ¡°Alright, then. I have some time tonight.


    Why don¡¯t we meet up for dinner together and have a good talk?¡±


    The voice on the other end of the phone could almost be described as ¡®overwhelmed by feelings of


    love¡¯. ¡°No problem.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 338

    My Mute Bride Chapter 338


    Chapter 338 A Rare Moment of Peace


    Night fell. By the time Justin arrived, Rachel had already been waiting inside one of the private rooms


    of Hotel tinum for a while.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say eight o¡¯clock?¡± Justin nced at the time. It was only 7:30 PM, so he thought he had


    remembered their appointment time wrongly.


    She exined, ¡°Yes, I did say eight o¡¯clock. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t have many things to handle at the


    company today, so I came here directly after I finished my work.¡±


    Those words stunned him as he couldn¡¯t help feeling rather astonished. I even mentally prepared


    myself that she might renege on the meeting today. I can¡¯t believe she came early.


    ¡°Have some tea.¡± She took the initiative to pour him a cup of tea. ¡°I recall that you liked drinking the


    Earl Grey tea I brewed when I first entered the Hudson Family. Only by relying on this would you be


    nicer to me.¡±


    Her words stunned him once more. Looking at his tea cup, he finally realized the reason for that


    inexplicable feeling of familiarity he experienced upon entering this room.


    It has been a long time since I had this tea. He took a sip with a ratherplicated expression. ¡°It still


    tastes the same as before.¡±


    He did not know whether it was because tea had a calming scent or whether it had been ages since


    theyst met each other. Be that as it might be, both of them had calmed down considerably and it was


    a rare moment of peace.


    ¡°Rachel, I¡¯m very happy that you are willing to call me out to discuss matters, but, why did you choose


    to meet here?¡± Justin looked around at the furnishings of the private room. The look in his eyes was


    slightly tense.


    Hotel tinum was where Rachel had met up with Dillon and his men the other day and where an


    ident had nearly urred as a result.


    ¡°The incident urred here the other day,¡± she borated. ¡°I nearly dragged you down with me.


    Regardless of the circumstances, I owe you a favor. I decided to meet up here so that I can formally


    thank you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. I just hope that you don¡¯t act too aggressively. It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t


    interact much with people like Jason or Dillon.¡±


    ¡°I will consider your suggestion now that Hudson Pharmaceuticals has stabilized.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really.¡±


    Compared to her usual tough outward appearance but timid demeanor, Rachel looked much more at


    ease today.


    Justin was overjoyed. ¡°It¡¯s great that you think that way. If anything happens to Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals, I will do my best to help you as Jason and the others are not walking on the right


    track.¡±


    ¡°I understand what you mean.¡± She acknowledged his words with a smile.


    The serving staff knocked on the door. While serving the dishes, he brought out a bottle of red wine.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, this is the wine you wanted. It has been prepped. Would you like to drink it now?¡±


    Rachel raised her hand. ¡°Serve it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The serving staff left after he finished serving the wine.


    ¡°Why did you suddenly want to drink wine?¡± Justin looked at the ss of red wine in front of him, his


    eyebrows furrowing slightly into a fine line.


    She answered, ¡°This wine was given to me by my client. I¡¯ve been safekeeping it all this while. Today, I


    had the rare urge to drink with you. The first reason is to thank you for your help previously and the


    second is to thank you for all the care you¡¯ve shown Charlotte over the years.¡±


    ¡°What happened the other day was an ident. You don¡¯t need to be so hung up about it. There¡¯s


    even less need for you to thank me for taking care of Charlotte. She is my daughter. It¡¯s a given that I


    take good care of her.¡±


    ¡°So, are you going to drink this ss of wine?¡± The smile on her face greatly reduced and her voice


    became colder. ¡°In the end, you still have your guard up against me. There¡¯s actually no need for that.¡±


    After saying that, she lifted her ss and downed its content in one go.


    Justin could not stop her in time.


    She turned the wine ss upside down, ced it on the table, and stood up abruptly. ¡°I¡¯ve finished


    drinking. If there¡¯s nothing else, then I¡¯ll be leaving.¡±


    ¡°Rae!¡± He stood up. ¡°I have no intention of being on guard against you. Please let me finish talking.¡±


    Her expression was sullen, cold, and indifferent.


    Thus, Justin gulped the red wine down without another word. After he finished drinking, he started


    saying, ¡°I simply wanted to discuss our daughter with you. I will apany you as much as you want


    once we¡¯ve finished discussing serious matters.¡±


    Only then did Rachel sit back down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I forgot that you just had surgery and can¡¯t take


    alcohol.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± He was more concerned about thewsuit. ¡°The court hearing is the day after tomorrow.


    No matter what the oue of thewsuit, the victim will always be the children. I know you will never


    forgive me, but Charlotte is innocent. Can you bear to deal with the effect on her?¡±


    ¡°She is my daughter. You should be able to understand. I wish for her to grow up by my side.¡±


    ¡°I understand. That¡¯s why I can send her to you any time you want to meet her.¡±


    His words were exceptionally sincere, which resulted in the slight rxation of her gaze.


    Looking at the red wine on the table, he poured himself another ss. ¡°You are angry with me. I know


    that. It¡¯s my fault. I can use my entire life to repay you and our daughter. Please believe me just this


    once.¡±


    Justin was not good with alcohol. After two sses of wine, a red flush appeared on his face.


    ¡°We can skip thewsuit, but I have a request. I hope you can help me with it.¡±


    ¡°What is your request? Please say.¡±


    ¡°This is a piece ofnd in Nortne that Hudson Pharmaceuticals bid for half a year ago. Unfortunately,


    the Burton Group obtained it before we could. If you are willing to transfer this piece ofnd to me, then


    I will drop thewsuit.¡±


    Justin was a little surprised. In his judgment, Rachel was not somebody who would give up Charlotte¡¯s


    custodial rights for financial gain. Something was fishy. Even so, whether it was due to the effects of


    the alcohol or his guilty conscience, he couldn¡¯t help agreeing to her request. ¡°No problem. I can


    transfer thatnd to you. As long as you want it, I can even do it now.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then, sign here.¡± While speaking, Rachel took out a contract that she had prepared in advance


    and handed him a pen.


    He held the pen in his hand. However, the words on the contract made no sense to him. ¡°Where?¡±


    She flipped the pages of the document all the way to thest page. ¡°Here.¡±


    Swish. Swish. With two strokes of his pen, he signed his name on the document.


    As soon as he finished signing thest stroke, thest shred of patience in her eyes vanished. She put


    the contract away and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you will surely be satisfied with the final oue.¡±


    ¡°Rae, I think I had too much to drink.¡±


    ¡°You only had two sses. Are you drunk?¡±


    ¡°A little. What was that wine?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not wine. It¡¯s tea.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Before Justin lost consciousness, he vaguely heard the words ¡®It¡¯s tea¡¯. In his dazed state, he realized


    that the originally demure and gentle woman now looked extremely distant and cold. Moreover, the


    expression of the woman separated by a long table between them was filled with indifference mixed


    with disgust.


    The scene changed to reveal his surroundings turning into a forest.


    ¡°Run, Justin!¡±


    ¡°Katie,e back!¡±


    Large licks of mes swept through the entire thatched cottage and gradually spread to the


    surroundings. The fire first spread to the bamboo forest, but it didn¡¯t take long before the mountain


    forest caught fire after not seeing a drop of rain in a very long time. The dry and dead leaves zed


    into mes. The fire soon became so hot that it scorched the very air itself.


    Crackle. Pop. Crackle. The sounds of the bamboo exploding in his ears sounded like the screams of


    death, which made him panic.


    ¡°Katie!¡± Justin shouted and opened his eyes abruptly whereby his blurry vision gradually became


    clearer. What he was looking at turned out to be ceiling boards. The patterns wereplicated,


    symbolizing the meaning of blooming flowers.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?¡± A soft female voice suddenly came from next to him. A fair


    arm in the shade of snow was pressed against his chest.


    The pupils in his eyes contracted abruptly before he shoved aside the unfamiliar woman in front of him


    and shouted coldly, ¡°Who are you!?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 339

    My Mute Bride Chapter 339


    Chapter 339 He Was the Only One Who Got Drunk


    The woman was shoved so hard that she fell off the bed and cried out in pain, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember


    anything fromst night?¡±


    Justin clutched at his pounding head while his head buzzed loudly. I was clearly discussing our


    daughter with Rachelst night, but I don¡¯t remember what happened next.


    When she saw his reaction, the woman angrily rose to her feet. ¡°What do you mean by that?! Are you


    refusing to take responsibility after you¡¯ve slept with me?!¡±


    ¡°Last night, you had too much to drink in the lobby of this hotel. I kindly tried to send you home, but you


    refused to tell me where you lived. As ast resort, I could only get you a room in the hotel. Who could


    have known that you would hold on to me all night and refuse to let me leave¡­¡±


    ¡°I held on to you?¡± He could not recall anything. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    ¡°Impossible? Who are you trying to insult?!¡± The woman was furious beyond belief. ¡°Are you refusing to


    take responsibility?! I will report you to the police immediately! I will sue you for rape!¡±


    The moment he heard the word ¡®police¡¯, Justin immediately came back to his senses. ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you scared now?¡±


    He coldly red at the woman. ¡°Words like ¡®a man indulging in lust after getting drunk¡¯ are only to


    deceive others. Even if most of your words are true, you know best as to whether anything had


    happened between usst night.¡±


    The woman panicked slightly while holding her phone.


    ¡°Do you n to name your price and forever keep what happenedst night a secret? Or, would you


    prefer to report this to the police and have them investigate whether or not something had happened


    last night? It¡¯s your choice.¡±


    She clearly seemed guilty. A short whileter, she reached out her hand toward him. ¡°500 thousand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡±


    The woman was slightly speechless.


    ¡­


    When Frankie received a sudden phone call from Justin, he hurriedly delivered a change of clothes to


    the hotel.


    As soon as he walked into the room, he saw Justin in a bathrobe after finishing a bath. Thus, he


    became a little anxious. ¡°President Burton, why didn¡¯t you answer the phonest night?! Why did you


    come to the hotel?! The doctor has specified that you need to be hospitalized!¡±


    ¡°Did you bring the clothes?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    Justin took the clothes and went straight to change whilepletely ignoring Frankie¡¯s nagging.


    For some reason, Frankie vaguely felt that his superior was no longer the same after undergoing


    surgery. It was still a familiar feeling, but it was strangely distant.


    They left the hotel with Frankie at the steering wheel.


    ¡°President Burton, weren¡¯t you having dinner with President Hudsonst night? Why did you end up


    staying in the hotel? You¡ª¡±


    Justin nced at Frankie. The chill in those eyes had frightened Frankie so much that he shuddered.


    What happened?


    Justin held his phone and hesitated for a long while, but dialed Rachel¡¯s number in the end.


    ¡°Hello?¡± However, the person who answered the phone was not Rachel.


    He was stunned. ¡°Miss Carter?¡±


    ¡°Why is it you?¡± Jolly¡¯s voice sounded furious. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m meeting a ghost so early in the


    morning. Justin, why are you always everywhere?! Why are you calling Chris?¡±


    As he knew that she was prejudiced against him, he didn¡¯t argue with her. ¡°Where is Rae?¡±


    ¡°How dare you mention that! Didn¡¯t she go for dinner with youst night? Why did shee back


    completely drunk!? If I had not found her in the middle of the night, she would have fallen asleep in the


    doorway!¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Is she alright?¡±


    ¡°She is still asleep. You, on the other hand, sure are spirited. You were drinking together, so couldn¡¯t


    you have sent her safely back home before you left? What kind of man are you? Can you take


    responsibility if something happened to her?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that she¡¯s fine.¡± When he recalled what had happened this morning, Justin couldn¡¯t help


    feeling annoyed and hung up.


    On the other side of the phone, Jolly ced the phone down and raised an eyebrow. ¡°How was it? Is


    my performance worthy of an Academy Award?¡±


    ¡°I can build you a golden pce with the gold from those Academy Awards.¡± Rachel looked up and


    raised her ss of fruit juice from where she sat on the opposite side of the dining table. ¡°Come and


    have breakfast.¡±


    The only person who had gotten drunkst night was Justin and she had arrived home earlierst


    night.


    Jolly pulled out a chair and sat down. Looking at the photos spread out across the table, she randomly


    picked up several of them. ¡°Are these photos enough?¡±


    ¡°This one is enough. Let¡¯s pack up the rest.¡±


    ¡°This one?¡± She scrutinized the photo for a while. ¡°This one doesn¡¯t seem like much. You can even


    im that it was just a simple helping hand. It¡¯s not shocking enough.¡±


    ¡°You have to see who you are showing this photo to know whether it¡¯s shocking enough or not.¡± Rachel


    tapped on the photo. ¡°This one is enough. Hand the rest to Hernandez; he will take care of them.¡±


    ¡°Fine. It¡¯s enough if you think it¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°Jolly, do you think I¡¯m being too cruel?¡±


    ¡°You? Cruel?¡± Jolly¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Can you be more cruel than that Burton scum? Don¡¯t forget how


    he treated you back then. It¡¯s not too much even if you turned him into ashes! You¡¯re only doing this for


    the sake of Charlotte¡¯s custodial rights. He¡¯s asking for it!¡±


    Rachel nodded and stopped thinking about it. She did not care for what other people might think


    because in her opinion, it was not suitable for a child to grow up in an environment like the Burton


    Family. The child would only turn into somebody like Justin in the future.


    ¡­


    It was night time the next day.


    ¡°President Burton, the courthouse ims that the intiff did not withdraw thewsuit.¡± Frankie made


    several calls to confirm this fact.


    Justin immediately tried to call Rachel upon hearing that news. ¡°The number you have called is


    unreachable at the moment.¡±


    Looking at Justin¡¯s furious expression, Frankie added, ¡°President Burton, it looks like we have no


    choice but to proceed with thewsuit. Everything that President Hudson did previously was just a


    means to an end.¡±


    ¡°Impossible. She is not that kind of person.¡±


    ¡°President Burton, with all due respect, a mother is capable of bing a person like that for the sake


    of her child.¡±


    Frankie¡¯s words shattered Justin¡¯s delusions.


    Then, Justin questioned, ¡°Do you also think I don¡¯t deserve to be a father?¡±


    ¡°That was not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°Then, what did you mean?¡±


    His expression was cold, but he was practically spitting mes of rage from his eyes.


    Frankie shuddered at the sight and didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°President Burton, please calm down. The


    most important thing right now is not what President Hudson thinks, but how we should fight thewsuit


    tomorrow. Thewyers are waiting for your answer.¡±


    It took a long while for Justin to return to his senses as his arms that were hanging by his sides


    trembled slightly. He was against the idea of going to court against Rachel. Unfortunately, what he


    feared the most had happened anyway.


    ¡°President Burton, where are you going?¡±


    Justin did not exin. Grabbing his phone and his car keys, he left the house and drove to the hotel


    alone even though it was veryte at night.


    In order to avoid suspicion, Gloria had moved back to the hotel after Rachel and the others left the


    Burton Residence.


    ¡°Gloria.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s sote. Why are you here?¡± She was surprised to see Justin when she opened the door.


    His breath was ragged because he had been walking too fast. ¡°Can you call Rachel? Please help me. I


    have something to say to her.¡±


    She was taken aback by his words and subconsciously clenched her fingers, feeling a little lost on what


    to do. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lie to you. Yesterday, Jolly told me about the court hearing for thewsuit. She


    also told me to keep out of this mess, especially if you ask me to contact Miss Rachel for you. This is


    between the two of you. I was asked to stay out of this matter.¡±


    ¡°Gloria, this is probably the first time I¡¯ve ever asked for your help.¡±


    She was extremely troubled. ¡°I really can¡¯t. I promised them.¡±


    ¡°Gloria, Rachel is Katie.¡±


    When she heard those words, Gloria was shocked and looked incredulous. ¡°What did you say?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 340

    My Mute Bride Chapter 340


    Chapter 340 Respecting My Daughter¡¯s Wishes


    ¡°I remembered everything from the past.¡± Justin confessed to Gloria. ¡°Rachel is Katie. It¡¯s just that she


    has lost her childhood memories.¡±


    His words left Gloria absolutely shocked. How can that be!? Rachel is Katie!? ¡°But, five years ago,


    you¡­¡±


    His gaze dimmed at those words and a regretful expression lingered on his face. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I


    couldn¡¯t recognize her and even hurt her so badly. If I had known that she was Katie¡­ How could I¡­


    How could I have¡­¡±


    Suddenly, his eyes reddened.


    On the other hand, it took a long time for her swirling emotions to settle down.


    Gloria had remained by his side for more than twenty years. For that reason, nobody knew what Katie


    meant to Justin better than her. Katie was practically his one and only belief throughout his earlier


    years.


    He maintained the scar on his face, inherited the Burton Group earlier on, and spent several years


    plotting to force Hudson Pharmaceuticals into a critical situation. Everything he did was to avenge the


    ¡®dead¡¯ child. Who could have expected that Katie was still alive, much less that she became one of the


    sacrifices in his quest for revenge?


    Fate sure ys cruel tricks. ¡°Do you n to tell Miss Rachel?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She gradually calmed down and shook her head. ¡°Do you think that Miss Rachel will understand the


    reason for your past actions just because she learns that she is Katie?¡±


    ¡°I only want her to know that I never meant to harm her!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already hurt her.¡±


    Her words were like a basin of cold water that poured on Justin¡¯s heart.


    Gloria added, ¡°Five years ago, she was so badly injured that she practically left Riverdale on the verge


    of death. What does it change even if she learns that she is Katie or that you ruthlessly caused that


    tragedy for Katie¡¯s sake?¡±


    Those injuries were undeniably real.


    Justin was at a loss for what to say and looked depressed. ¡°I know. I know¡­¡±


    How could he not have considered everything she mentioned earlier?


    ¡°Look; I can help you to pass the message, but it will bepletely up to Miss Rachel to decide


    whether those actions are useful.¡±


    On the contrary, he suddenly shook his head and bitterly said, ¡°Forget it. You don¡¯t need to tell her.¡±


    Everything Justin did since obtaining his memories had been a waste of his efforts. If he could turn


    back time, he wished that he would be burned to death in the forest back then. That way, Rachel would


    never have met a man like him.


    ¡°Gloria, just pretend you didn¡¯t hear anything from me. Please keep this a secret; don¡¯t let Rae find out.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If she learns that the person she rescued all those years ago is me, she will most likely hate herself.¡±


    He looked around before his gazended in the direction of the bedroom. ¡°Is Charlotte asleep?¡±


    He had been recently too busy to take care of Charlotte, so he left everything to Gloria.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s asleep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see her.¡±


    Looking at Justin¡¯s back, Gloria suddenly felt sad.


    Five years ago, she had watched helplessly as everything progressed in an irreversible direction. The


    only time she had rejoiced over something was when she helped Rachel to leave Riverdale. At the


    time, she thought that everything would end there. However, Rachel had returned. I should have


    expected this oue. A mother will never leave her children behind.


    ¡­


    The court hearing for the custody rightswsuit officially began at the Riverdale Courthouse the next


    day. Both Rachel and Justin were present for the hearing.


    Rachel¡¯s representativewyer was Hernandez, who was a battle-hardened man. He presented his


    evidence one after another and stated why Justin was not suitable to be a father.


    ¡°Just from this recording alone, you can tell that he is a domineering man prone to extreme violence.


    How can a man like him raise a young girl to grow up in a healthy environment? Also, take a look at


    this medical report. As far as I know, Mr. Burton, the defendant, has been actively cooperating with a


    psychiatrist for treatment. Does he have psychological problems? How can he raise his daughter with


    such problems?¡±


    Justin¡¯swyers had tried to intercept on numerous asions, but they were always stopped by


    Hernandez. They couldn¡¯t hold back any longer this time around. ¡°Your Honor, I have a question for the


    opposing counsel. Where did your medical recordse from? If they are fake, then you are


    fabricating evidence. If they are genuine, then this is an invasion of privacy. Besides, all the so-called


    crimes that you mentioned are nonsense. Mr. Burton raised his daughter alone for five years. He even


    gave up the idea of remarrying for his daughter¡¯s sake. Is that not a sacrifice? Besides, where was the


    mother during these five years?!¡±


    Hernandez was filled with righteous indignation. ¡°I told you; Miss Hudson fled Riverdale back then. If


    she had not left, was she supposed to wait until she was tortured to death instead?!¡±


    ¡°Where is the evidence?! You are spouting nonsense!¡±


    ¡°If we had the evidence, this would have been a criminal case instead! He would be sentenced to jail


    for his crimes!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re confounding the public! This is an insult to Mr. Button¡¯s character.¡±


    Thewyers¡¯ debate did not take any form of the so-called affection into ount. Theirnguage might


    be perfectly clean, but every single word they uttered had gouged at the other party¡¯s deepest wounds


    and exposed the most cruel truth.


    On the other hand, Rachel was the calmest person around as she had long mentally prepared herself


    for the past to be brought up once more, so she was not afraid of these proceedings.


    Meanwhile, Justin was unable to look her straight in the eye as he could not bear listening to his


    lawyers as they ndered her. Thus, he stopped his attorneys and asked, ¡°I would like to say


    something. May I?¡±


    The judge nodded in acquiescence.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Justin¡¯s tall figure stood up from the defendant¡¯s seat. His face was haggard and unshaven. It had only


    been two days since theyst met each other, but he looked like he had aged ten years during that


    time. He seemed to have lost his spirit.


    His voice was also rather hoarse. ¡°I¡¯m not saying this as the defendant. I just want to speak as a father.


    I was a terrible husband. I cannot deny that. However, as Charlotte¡¯s father, I wish that she can grow up


    happy and carefree. Charlotte¡¯s greatest wish is for her parents to remarry each other so that she can


    have a normal and loving family. I am unable to fulfill this wish of hers, so I feel very guilty.¡±


    His eyes were bloodshot while the pupils were extremely red.


    ¡°However, ever since I became Charlotte¡¯s father¡­ From the day I saw that tiny child¡­ She was so


    small that she could fit in the palm of my hand. So weak, yet so strong. I remember every moment of


    the past five years clearly. If I win thiswsuit, I will not stop Charlotte from meeting her mother. I will do


    my best to tell her that both her parents love her very much, but that is all I can do¡­¡±


    Justin¡¯s voice was choked with sobs at this point.


    A man¡¯s tears indicated extreme pain. Not to mention, his words were so sincere that all the jury on the


    scene were a little moved.


    On the contrary, Rachel waspletely unmoved.


    The judge turned to look at the intiff¡¯s seat. ¡°intiff, you may speak.¡±


    She nodded slightly. ¡°Your Honor, I can also portray a sad performance. However, I do not wish for


    anybody, especially my daughter, to view me as a weak mother. There is no doubt that I love my


    daughter, so there¡¯s no need for more words. I will respect my daughter¡¯s wishes.¡±


    Her daughter¡¯s wishes? As soon as that statement rang out, the entire courtroom buzzed with


    discussion.


    A figure had entered through the side door at some point in time. It was Jolly and Charlotte.


    Justin was shocked. I can¡¯t believe Rachel is so cruel that she doesn¡¯t hesitate to let our daughter


    witness thiswsuit!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 341

    My Mute Bride Chapter 341


    Chapter 341 She Has Lost a Baby Before


    Charlotte¡¯s arrival marked a turning point in the court hearing. After all, civil cases like child custody


    battles were the hardest to adjudicate on. There were no ck-and-white rules on this, but it was


    almostmon practice that the child¡¯s wishes would have a huge impact on the court¡¯s verdict.


    Justin frowned at once. ¡°Miss Carter, who let you bring my daughter here? Frankie, take Charlotte out


    of here now!¡±


    Hernandez stood up at once. ¡°Your Honor.¡±


    The judge banged the gavel in his hand. ¡°Silence!¡±


    The scene went silent at once.


    Hernandez used sharply, ¡°How could a kid grow up under the control of such a domineering


    father?¡±


    Justin looked as ck as thunder as he struggled to suppress his displeasure. ¡°Rachel, why do you


    have to have Charlotte brought here?¡±


    Instead of answering him, Rachel continued to make her case. ¡°Your Honor, there¡¯s one other thing that


    I need to make clear. I gave birth to Charlotte while I was divorced and technically single. The time of


    her birth and the time of my divorce could be verified, so her custody should¡¯ve been mine in the first


    ce.¡±


    All at once, a discussion broke out among the jury.


    Justin wanted to say something, but his attorney stopped him, saying, ¡°Your Honor, I¡¯d like to ask for a


    recess.¡± After all, Charlotte¡¯s sudden presence had made the situation somewhatplicated.


    The judge nodded slightly. ¡°The court will recess for 15 minutes.¡±


    Justin stopped Rachel as soon as they left the courtroom. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯d like to have a word with


    you!¡±


    ¡°Justin.¡± Hernandez tried to stop him.


    Rachel was imperturbable, though. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡±


    Only then did Hernandez relent.


    After following Justin into the lounge, Rachel asked straightforwardly, ¡°What do you want to say?


    Shoot.¡±


    Justin took a deep breath and let it out slowly. After barely calming himself, he said, ¡°Rachel, whatever


    means you use for thiswsuit, I can understand it, but why do you have to be so cruel? Why let


    Charlotte see us at each other¡¯s throats? She¡¯s just a kid!¡±


    Rachel argued, ¡°She¡¯s already six years old. Do you think she doesn¡¯t know anything? Rather than


    coaxing her into living a fairytale, it¡¯s better to let her choose her own future life. At least she won¡¯t


    me me in the future for not giving her the opportunity!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too cruel! You¡¯re her mother!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because I¡¯m her mother that I want her to know I¡¯ve never given up on her! I¡¯ll do my best


    to win thiswsuit.¡±


    Justin was on the verge of breaking down. ¡°Do you have to do this? I told you that you can visit her


    anytime you want. You¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want that!¡± Rachel interrupted him snappily. ¡°It made me feel very ufortable the first time I


    heard this from you. You sounded like you¡¯d made a huge concession or something. Do you honestly


    think I should be eternally grateful for that?¡±


    Justin was at a loss for a reply. Rachel¡¯s words punctured the man¡¯s eardrum and pierced through his


    nerves one after another like needles.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I gotta go. The hearing will continue in a minute.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Justin grabbed Rachel¡¯s arm. His deep voice dripped with humbleness as he said, ¡°I¡¯m


    not making concessions; I¡¯m begging you. I can¡¯t lose Charlotte.¡±


    In a small movement, Rachel broke free of Justin¡¯s grasp and flicked the nonexistent dust off the cuff of


    her shirt.


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    When Justin saw this, his heart clenched all of a sudden. To think that she loathes me to such a


    degree!


    Just then, Rachel said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. Since you could marry me and then divorce me for the


    sake of your own interests in the past, you could also abandon Charlotte for the sake of your own


    interests in the future.¡± Her heart was deste as their past was brought up again. As she stared at


    Justin, everything that had happened five years ago shed vividly before her eyes. ¡°You probably


    have forgotten about it, but I lost a baby back then.¡± The baby she had lost before conceiving Charlotte


    was always a pain in her heart, and she had never gotten over it over the past five years.


    Upon hearing her words, Justin turned pale and staggered. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t forget it. I still remember that,


    Rachel. I still remember that.¡±


    Rachel turned her face away, not wanting to look at him.


    As they both silently refused to budge, Justin¡¯s voice sounded more and more muffled up. ¡°I know it¡¯s


    useless for me to say anything, but I¡¯ll spend my whole life making it up to you and Charlotte. I¡¯ll have


    the Burton Group¡¯s shares that I have added to the will.¡± At the mention of his will, he felt like he had


    clutched his lifeline, and his eyes lit up somewhat. ¡°Rachel, didn¡¯t we agree that I¡¯ll make a will to


    protect Charlotte¡¯s rights in the Burton Family so that you don¡¯t have to worry about her suffering


    wrongs in the Burton Family? Please let Charlotte stay with me. Take it as my plea to you.¡±


    However, Rachel replied coldly, ¡°Your will will only be valid when you¡¯re dead.¡± With that, she pulled the


    door open and left the lounge right away without looking back, leaving the man standing at the door


    with his face as white as a sheet.


    ¡°Mr. Burton!¡± His attorney hurried over with an anxious expression. ¡°Why are you here? We need to


    rediscuss our strategy.¡±


    ¡°What else can I do?¡±


    ¡°Your child¡¯s wishes are crucial to the case. If you can convince your child to live with you, then there¡¯ll


    basically be no problem.¡±


    Justin barely pulled himself together. ¡°Where¡¯s Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°The public rest area.¡±


    At this moment, Charlotte was holding a bottle of fruit juice given by Jolly in the public rest area outside


    the courtroom, but she didn¡¯t drink it.


    ¡°Why not drink it, Charlotte? You don¡¯t like it?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s little face was clouded with unhappiness. She asked with a frown, ¡°Godmother, why are


    Daddy and Mommy fighting for my custody? Can¡¯t they be together?¡±


    ¡°You probably still don¡¯t understand the matters between adults. In that case, let me ask you this: if you


    have to make a choice, who do you wish to live with?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes reddened somewhat. ¡°Daddy and Mommy have asked me this question before.¡± In the


    past, she would cry at the question, and Rachel and Justin would feel sorry for her and stop


    questioning her. But now, it seemed that it¡¯d be useless no matter how she cried.


    ¡°You see, don¡¯t you always want to be with your mom? Now your mom hase back for you. If you


    live with her in the future, you¡¯ll get to y with Samuel, who will go to school with you every day and


    go to the yground with you on weekends. We¡¯ll travel together during the winter and summer


    breaks¡­ How happy we¡¯ll be!¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m also very happy to be with Daddy. He¡¯s very nice to me, too.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s good about him? He¡ª¡±


    Before Jolly could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Justin¡¯s voice from behind. ¡°Charlotte.¡±


    At the sight of Justin, Charlotte immediately jumped down from her chair, ran to the man, and flung


    herself into his arms. She sobbed in an extremely aggrieved voice, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Justin was very saddened to see how aggrieved Charlotte looked.


    Just then, Charlotte said, ¡°Daddy, Godmother said I have to choose between you and Mommy, and I


    can¡¯t choose both of you.¡±


    ¡°Who would you like to choose, then?¡±


    Charlottey in Justin¡¯s arms without speaking.


    They had lived together for such a long time as father and daughter, so if anything happened, Justin


    would be Charlotte¡¯s biggest support. Regardless of what Jolly might have said, Justin was still


    confident of this. Rachel has made a mistake in trying to use our child to win the case.


    At the sight of the scene, Jolly secretly clenched her fists and made up her mind. I still can¡¯t let Rachel


    go easy on him this time. If she still doesn¡¯t harden her heart, it¡¯ll be toote.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 342

    My Mute Bride Chapter 342


    Chapter 342 Profligate Lifestyle


    The hearing continued after the court¡¯s recess ended. The judge directly asked Charlotte who she¡¯d like


    to live with.


    However, before Charlotte could give her answer, Hernandez suddenly stood up. ¡°Your Honor, before


    we ask the child who she¡¯d like to live with, I¡¯d like to present a new reference material for the case. I


    think you, the jury present, and the child herself have the right to see it.¡±


    The judge nodded slightly.


    Hernandez whispered something to the projectionist at the scene. Soon after that, a few photos


    appeared on the LED screen.


    At the sight of the photos, Justin turned pale at once.


    The photos were selfies taken on arge hotel bed by a woman resting her head on Justin¡¯s arm¡ªthe


    woman who had turned up next to him the morning before yesterday.


    Frankie hurriedly covered Charlotte¡¯s eyes, but it was toote.


    Charlotte was stunned for a while with her eyes covered. Then, she mumbled quietly, ¡°Does Daddy


    have another new girlfriend?¡±


    Rachel was startled for a moment before she clenched her fists.


    Hernandez exchanged a brief look with Jolly in the public gallery. Then, he stood up and exined,


    ¡°The woman in the photos is a sex worker, or, inyman¡¯s terms, a hooker!¡±


    In an instant, Justin¡¯s pupils shrank, and his temples throbbed. He had never been humiliated like this


    before.


    The jury¡¯s peculiar gazes were all focused on the man as they discussed the photos.


    Just then, Hernandez continued, ¡°The hiring of prostitutes is prohibited byw and by moral standards.


    My client didn¡¯t want to bring this up at first, but as an attorney, I believe this is a key piece of


    information that can prove that the defendant has a profligate lifestyle. He¡¯s simply a shameless man


    whocked the morality necessary to raise a child!¡±


    Justin¡¯s attorney panicked. ¡°Please watch yournguage, Mr. Hernandez! By using my client of


    having a profligate lifestyle based on a few photos alone, you and your client are essentiallymitting


    libel!¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡± The gavel struck. The judge said in a serious tone, ¡°Mr. Hernandez, please don¡¯t bring out


    materials irrelevant to the case for an argument.¡±


    Hernandez nodded, epting the judge¡¯s words with an open mind. Naturally, as an attorney, he knew


    very well that these photos wouldn¡¯t have any direct impact on the ruling; they would only make the jury


    take them into consideration at most. However, the usefulness of these photosy in Charlotte.


    As he had expected, when the judge asked Charlotte again who she¡¯d like to live with, she answered, ¡°I


    want to live with Mommy.¡±


    The blood visibly drained from Justin¡¯s face. He eximed in disbelief, ¡°Charlotte!¡±


    Charlotte turned around and hugged Jolly, her eyes reddened. She was still too little to know what the


    words ¡°the hiring of prostitutes¡± meant, but in her view, Justin had found another new girlfriend, which


    was a huge blow to her. Kids were the most insecure, and yet Justin always had all kinds of women


    around him. Now that someone else had turned up after Amber was finally gone, how could she ept


    it?


    With the trump card yed, everything was decided. As Hernandez and the others had expected, the


    court ruled that Rachel would have Charlotte¡¯s custody.


    When Hernandez walked out of the court building with the written judgment in his hands, Rachel smiled


    the most rxed smile she had had in recent days.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Chris.¡± Jolly¡¯s voice sounded from the entrance; she was holding Charlotte¡¯s hand next to her.


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    Rachel immediately went over to Charlotte and scooped her up in her arms before giving her a kiss.


    ¡°Charlotte, from now on, you¡¯ll be staying with me, and we¡¯ll never be separated from each other. Let


    me take you home.¡±


    Charlotte seemed somewhat tired, though; she buried her head on Rachel¡¯s shoulder without making a


    sound.


    Suddenly, some quick footsteps came from behind. ¡°Charlotte!¡±


    It was Justin. With a stubbly chin, he looked a sorry sight and was no longer as high-spirited as he had


    been in the past; even his footsteps were weak.


    Lifting her head from Rachel¡¯s shoulder, Charlotte stared at Justin with glistening ck eyes. Her eyes


    reddened slightly, and her lips quivered, but she didn¡¯t make a sound. Instead, she merely mouthed the


    word ¡°Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Charlotte, do you not want Daddy anymore?¡± Justin hurriedly walked over to Charlotte in an attempt to


    exin about the photos.


    Hernandez stopped him, though. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Burton. The court has stated in the written judgment


    that you may visit the child once a week, but today is not the day.¡±


    ¡°Step aside!¡± Justin¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. He exuded chilliness from every pore of his body, as


    though he hated Hernandez¡¯s guts.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to say anything else, Hernandez. Let¡¯s go.¡± Rachel left with Charlotte in her arms


    without looking back.


    Hernandez gave Justin a warning look before quickly catching up to her.


    Justin stood frozen in ce for quite a while before it urred to him to go after them. He rushed after


    them, but he didn¡¯t even manage to touch the trunk lid of their car. In the end, he could only watch


    helplessly as their car drove away from the court building¡¯s entrance.


    As the summer was transitioning to autumn, the autumn wind swept up fallen leaves in the ring


    sunlight.


    ¡°President Burton!¡± Frankie hurried over to Justin. ¡°That woman was a hooker, and she posted the


    photos on social media. Now the photos have been retweeted more than 10,000 times, and news


    reports of you hiring a prostitute are everywhere! The Burton Group¡¯s share prices have started to


    drop!¡±


    Justin looked expressionlessly in the direction the car had left as if he hadn¡¯t heard Frankie¡¯s words.


    Just then, a ringtone yed like the final nail in the coffin. Seeing the caller ID, Frankie nched at


    once. ¡°President Burton! It¡¯s Old Mr. Burton calling!¡± Needless to say, Arthur was calling to ask about


    the rumors of Justin having ¡°hired a prostitute.¡±


    The phone kept ringing. After a long time, Justin answered the phone.


    In an instant, questions came pelting down on the man from the other end of the line. ¡°What have you


    done? What the hell¡¯s going on with those news stories online? Come back now!¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, I can¡¯t go back now.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lost thewsuit. I¡¯m gonna apply for a retrial.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Arthur became even more furious. ¡°You wrongheaded b*stard! Do you know you¡¯ve


    been tricked by Rachel, that woman?¡±


    ¡°This is a matter between her and me, and I don¡¯t need you to step in.¡±


    Arthur could be heard banging his stick on the ground on the other end of the line. ¡°Do you think that I


    want to step in? She¡¯s set you up in such a despicable and shameless way, and you¡¯re still unable to


    realize how sinister this woman is even now? She¡¯s not only snatching the child from you; she¡¯s also


    trying to bring down the Burton Group! She was up to no good from the very start!¡±


    Justin frowned. ¡°What do you mean, Grandpa?¡±


    ¡°You still don¡¯t get it, huh? That woman was hired by her!¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t expect to hear such words from Arthur. The instant he heard these, his mind instantly went


    nk, as though it had exploded with a loud boom. Impossible!


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, huh?¡± Arthur let out a snort. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, then look into it yourself!


    This woman has done lots of things behind your back, and this is only one of them!¡±


    The speech on the other end continued, but Justin was no longer listening. ¡°Cough, cough¡­!¡±


    ¡°President Burton!¡± Frankie cried out in rm. With quick reflexes, he held onto Justin, preventing the


    latter from falling. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    A pool of blood spewed out of Justin¡¯s mouth and spread on the ground like the red blossoms of thorn


    apple flowers. He clutched his chest, which ached with acute, suffocating pain, as though it would


    explode at any minute.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 343

    My Mute Bride Chapter 343


    Chapter 343 The Root of All Evil


    At the Burton Group, the phone outside thepany president¡¯s office had rung all afternoon. The


    sound of someone coughing came from behind the desk.


    Just then, Frankie hurriedly entered the office with the document in his hands. ¡°President Burton, we¡¯ve


    found out that Miss Carter was also at Hotel tinum that day. Unless proven otherwise, that woman


    could have indeed been hired by President Hudson and herpany.¡±


    Justin sounded very calm. ¡°Got it.¡±


    Frankie suggested gingerly, ¡°President Burton, I asked ourpany¡¯s legal department about this, and


    they said we¡¯d better sue Hudson Pharmaceuticals for libel.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary,¡± came the man¡¯s terse and unequivocal reply.


    ¡°So, you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Put this matter aside first. Just suppress the news.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we gonna do anything, then? President Hudson has smeared your reputation by doing this. If


    we don¡¯t do anything to clear your name, thepany¡¯s board of directors will call you to ount¡ª¡±


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    Justin lifted his head from hisptop, his stony face gaunt and craggy. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡±


    Although Frankie dared not disobey Justin, he was indignant deep down. He muttered, ¡°I just feel sorry


    for you. It was unnecessary to resort to such underhanded means for thewsuit. And besides,


    President Hudson wasn¡¯t such a person in the past.¡±


    Justin¡¯s grip on his fountain pen tightened slightly. ¡°She¡¯s not to me.¡± Rachel used to be an


    unsophisticated and kind-hearted person who was sincere to others, but she never got to meet a nice


    person, and the few rtives and friends who were nice to her ended up leaving her one after another.


    It was me who drove her into bing the person she is today. I¡¯m the root of all evil, he thought.


    Darkness slowly shrouded Riverdale, while the Golden Cruisey at anchor on the river with its bright


    lights and the neon lights in Riverdale echoing each other. Aboard the cruise ship, the party was still in


    full swing, but one private room deep in the restaurant formed a sharp contrast with the raging noise


    outside.


    L and several bodyguard-like men were standing guard outside the private room, forbidding even the


    waiter to enter to serve dishes. ¡°Just give it to me.¡± She took the food tray from the waiter and entered.


    At this moment, only two people were in the private room¡ªDillon and Randall.


    ¡°Young Master Porter, I heard that you found a new partner?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not really new. It¡¯s Hudson Pharmaceuticals, whom I¡¯ve worked with before.¡±


    Randall was taken aback by Dillon¡¯s words. ¡°After his arrest for what happened to Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals, Jefferey gave up a name list that implicated a lot of people. Young Master Porter,


    how could you take chances by working with them?¡±


    ¡°The most dangerous ce is the safest. Don¡¯t you know that?¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    Dillon replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even my dad has approved of this, so there¡¯s no way the coboration


    could go wrong.¡± Still, when he recalled how L and his father had worked together to keep him in the


    dark, a hint of gloom crept into his eyes, and he sulkily took a sip of his wine.


    Just then, L came in to serve food, only to be greeted with a re from a sullen-faced Dillon.


    Randall seemed lost in thought. ¡°Young Master Porter, I¡¯ve never heard of Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯


    new president before. All I heard was that she was an illegitimate daughter and that she personally


    sent Jefferey to prison. How could you guys trust her?¡±


    ¡°Would anyone who isn¡¯t cruel dare to do business with us?¡±


    ¡°Still, you can¡¯t be too careful, Young Master Porter.¡±


    Dillon leaned back in his chair with a nonchnt sneer. ¡°What trouble can she make? She¡¯s just a


    woman. And besides, she¡¯s supplied plenty of goods this time. As long as we make sure that nothing


    goes wrong, the goods will be enough for us to sustain ourselves in hiding for a year or so.¡±


    ¡°Master Porter¡¯s asking you to go back?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. After all, a higher profile draws greater scrutiny. Perhaps he thinks that I¡¯ve stayed


    too long in Riverdale. Things have been quite tensetely.¡±


    Upon speaking of this, Randall became worried as well. ¡°The Riverdale Investigation Bureau has


    always been watching us. It¡¯s just that they¡¯re not able to get hold of any evidence, so they can¡¯t say


    anything. But the amount of goods isrge this time. Young Master Porter, I think you¡¯d better not


    escort the goods yourself lest you get caught.¡±


    ¡°No, I have to. I can¡¯t trust the minions to do it. We had a batch of goods confiscatedst time, and my


    dad was very unhappy about that.¡±


    Randall had a thoughtful expression on his face. ¡°Young Master Porter, how about this? Let Rachel,


    that woman, escort the goods.¡±


    ¡°You mean to let her take part in this? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Porter, I think you¡¯ve not fully trusted her yet, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s of course. We only coborated once, and the goods didn¡¯te from her, but from Jason. I


    reckon that fellow must have earned a fortune by pocketing the price difference.¡±


    Randall advised, ¡°The only thing that makes me worried about this woman is her rtionship with the


    Carters.¡±


    ¡°You mean Richard Carter?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. As you know, Richard and I used to be on good terms. Since he¡¯s acknowledged Rachel


    as his goddaughter, he has to have a good opinion of her. If she¡¯s a person of upright character, do you


    really believe she¡¯ll be in cahoots with us?¡±


    Dillon¡¯s hand froze slightly as he yed with his walnuts.


    Just as Randall was about to say something again, he saw L making tea nearby, which made him


    grow wary. ¡°Miss L, please leave the room for a while.¡±


    L nodded and left without a change in her countenance, but her brows furrowed as she closed the


    door. Contrary to Dillon, a good-for-nothing, Randall was a deep one. Every word he had just said hit


    the nail on the head with his suspicions toward Rachel. Things are gonna get tricky, I¡¯m afraid, she


    thought.


    It rained during the night, causing a sudden drop in temperature. As a result, Jolly sneezed as soon as


    she got out of bed the next day.


    ¡°The weather¡¯s cooler today. You should put more clothes on,¡± came Rachel¡¯s voice of reminder from


    the kitchen.


    Jolly sniffled while pulling out the dining chair. After seating herself, she listlessly leaned back in her


    chair and said with a sigh, ¡°Now that we¡¯ve won thewsuit, I can finally rx.¡±


    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s give you a day off so that you can rest up.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Jolly straightened up at once, her eyes sparkling.


    ¡°Really.¡± Rachel took out three tickets. ¡°I happen to have these. Just take Charlotte and Samuel to the


    Marine Aquarium to have fun.¡±


    Jolly propped her head on her hand while looking at the tickets on the table. ¡°Are you worried about


    Charlotte being upset?¡±


    ¡°This kid always has a lot going on in her mind. The photos¡­¡± Rachel merely frowned without finishing


    her sentence.


    Jolly¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Sorry that I did it without your permission.¡± Taking those photos had


    been part of their n at the start, but before the hearing, Rachel decided against using the photos,


    fearing that the photos might impact Charlotte too much given the girl¡¯s young age. However, Jolly had


    gone over Rachel¡¯s head this time.


    ¡°I know you did that for my own good.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s of course. Now that you have your daughter¡¯s custody, you can finally put your mind at rest,¡±


    Jolly said smugly. ¡°The Burton Group¡¯s PR is too slow this time. Justin has turned from a wealthy


    bachelor to a universally-spurned whoremonger overnight. It¡¯ll probably be hard to wind this matter up


    without holding a press conference to exin this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not even a press conference will be helpful this time.¡± Rachel took a document out of her


    handbag and handed it to Jolly. ¡°Help me get this done when you return to work.¡±


    Jolly¡¯s eyes lit up as she took the document. ¡°He really signed it?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t turn a hair. ¡°Signed his name in ck and white. If anything happens, the


    Burton Group¡¯s gonna take full responsibility.¡±


    Just as she was speaking, her phone suddenly rang on the table.


    Jolly saw the caller ID first, and she was startled for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s Dillon.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes darkened as well. Seems like we¡¯re gonna meet up again.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 344

    My Mute Bride Chapter 344


    Chapter 344 Making a Comeback Overnight


    When Rachel arrived at Westhill Golf Club in the morning, Dillon and Jason were already there ying


    golf on thewn. ¡°Have I kept you waiting? Sorry, I was stuck in traffic for a while,¡± she said, greeting


    the pair as she walked up to them.


    Dillon waved his hand nonchntly before pushing up the brim of his baseball cap. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Miss


    Hudson. You¡¯re different from us loafers. We came here early for rxation.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Young Master Porter. It¡¯s modest of you to say that.¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson, do you know how to y golf?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to learn a little.¡± Dillon waved his hand into the distance. ¡°Bring me my golf club.¡±


    The caddie immediately ran to get the golf club.


    ¡°Take it. I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Dillon handed the golf club to Rachel.


    Rachel was startled.


    ¡°What are you waiting for, Rachel? Hurry up and take it!¡± urged Jason beside them. ¡°Young Master


    Porter ys golf even better than professional yers do! You should consider it an honor that he¡¯s


    willing to teach you.¡±


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    Jason was hell-bent on sucking up to Dillon, but his obsequious demeanor was somewhat revolting.


    Rachel wasn¡¯t interested in golf, but she knew from her previous dealings with Dillon that he was a very


    proud man. If she were to make him look bad, it¡¯d be difficult for her to do what she wanted to do in the


    future. ¡°Thank you, Young Master Porter.¡±


    ¡°Why stand on ceremony? We¡¯re now in the same boat, anyway.¡± Dillon pointed to the golf ball on the


    ground. ¡°Now y a stroke and let me take a look.¡±


    Rachel went over with the golf club in her hand, looking exceptionally charming in her white sportswear.


    Then, she effortlessly made a stroke, sending the white golf ball swooshing across the air in a beautiful


    arc.


    ¡°Wonderful!¡± Dillon pped his hands unreservedly. He praised, ¡°You¡¯re being modest, Miss Hudson.


    You y golf much better than ordinary people do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no match for you.¡± Rachel put away her golf club, her facecking much expression as she looked


    emotionless the whole time.


    Dillon had seen all kinds of women¡ªthe mboyant ones, the innocent ones, and so on. After all, he


    always had different types of women revolving around him. However, he felt that Rachel was very


    special. Besides being taciturn, she had a gentle and demure quality about her that made people feel


    she was calm and serene even when she was discussing such a dangerous business deal. Such a


    quality had never been present in the women around Dillon before.


    Seeing that Dillon¡¯s eyes were almost glued to Rachel, Jason immediately said, ¡°Young Master Porter,


    it suddenly urred to me that I¡¯ve got something to deal with, so I gotta make a phone call. You two


    have a nice chat first.¡±


    Dillon nodded slightly.


    As soon as Jason left, Dillon offered to teach Rachel the right posture for ying golf. ¡°I noticed that


    you didn¡¯t have enough strength in your waist and abdomen. That¡¯s the key to ying golf.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not much of an athlete,¡± Rachel said while handing the golf club to the caddie.


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? I¡¯ll teach you.¡±


    ¡°No, please don¡¯t bother, Young Master Porter. Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ve got something serious to talk to


    me about?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no hurry for that. It¡¯s still early. Come on, y another stroke for me,¡± said Dillon peremptorily.


    Rachel had no choice but to y another stroke. Unexpectedly, as soon as she took her stance and


    was just about to swing her golf club, Dillon crept up from behind. Before she realized it, he had put his


    arms on hers and held her hands as she was holding the golf club. The man¡¯s voice came from behind,


    saying, ¡°Don¡¯t stop. Go on.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Dillon, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not exerting your strength in the right ce. Let me correct your posture a little.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary.¡± Rachel¡¯s face darkened as she jerked free of the man¡¯s grasp and walked a few


    steps away from him. ¡°I said it¡¯s not necessary!¡±


    Seeing Dillon staggered by the shove, the bodyguard behind him immediately walked over to him.


    ¡°Young Master Porter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Dillon raised his hand, signaling to the bodyguard to step back. His eyes darkened somewhat


    as he looked at Rachel and said coldly, ¡°There¡¯s never been a woman who dares to treat me like this.¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t turn a hair. ¡°Are those women you¡¯re talking about doing business with you as well? Even


    if they are, I¡¯m afraid the business they do with you and the business you do with me aren¡¯t of the same


    kind.¡±


    Dillon was startled for a moment before he suddenly pped his hands and burst intoughter.


    ¡°Interesting!¡± He walked a few steps toward Rachel.


    Rachel instinctively stepped back.


    Dillon said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t touch you. Let¡¯s talk business.¡±


    Only then did Rachel feel relieved. Still, she kept a safe distance from Dillon the whole time while


    clutching the golf club in her hand.


    Just then, Dillon said, ¡°Miss Hudson, I¡¯m asking you out this time for two reasons. Firstly, I¡¯d like to


    inspect the goods, and secondly, I want to pick a suitable date to have the goods shipped out. Miss


    Hudson, you need to get the warehouse ready for the shipment.¡±


    ¡°The goods are ready. They¡¯re all in the warehouse, and you may inspect them anytime.¡±


    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s be spontaneous and do it tonight.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one other thing. I¡¯d like you to escort the goods out of the country with us this time.¡±


    Rachel was startled. ¡°You¡¯re telling me to go with you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You¡¯re scared?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t part of what we previously agreed on.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone else, and I believe you¡¯re the only person other than me who cares about this


    batch of goods more than anyone else does.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t,¡± Rachel refused right away. ¡°Young Master Porter, I have no choice but to be frank with


    you. Doing this is too risky. If we¡¯re found out, losing this batch of goods won¡¯t be a big deal, but what if


    I¡¯m implicated in this?¡±


    ¡°The more risky it is to do something, the more profitable it is. If you¡¯ll escort the goods in person,


    there¡¯s another business deal that I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°Another business deal? What is it?¡±


    ¡°I heard that Hudson Pharmaceuticals will be exporting a batch of medicine to Jublen in the middle of


    next month?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really well-informed, huh? That batch of medicine was supposed to be shipped out this month,


    but you asked for your goods to be shipped out urgently, so the factory had to put off manufacturing


    those medicines.¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson, if you¡¯re willing to put this deal through, not only can you make up for the breach-of-


    contract damages caused by the factory¡¯s dy in manufacturing, but you can even make a fortune,


    closing the breaks in Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ funding chain overnight.¡±


    ¡°What deal?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something that I¡¯d like to get exported to Jublen along with those medicines.¡±


    Stunned, Rachel looked at Dillon in surprise. She had predicted long ago that medicine smuggling


    couldn¡¯t have been the only trade Dillon engaged in. ¡°What is it that you want to get shipped, Young


    Master Porter?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better not know what it is. This is the price I¡¯m offering you.¡±


    Seeing the fingers Dillon extended, Rachel became even more certain that her guess was right. It¡¯s


    either firearms or drugs. Only these two kinds of stuff deserve such a price.


    Dillon continued, ¡°Miss Hudson, as long as you agree to escort the goods this time, once our


    coboration next month turns out well, Hudson Pharmaceuticals will be able to make aeback at


    full speed. I can guarantee you that with my help, Hudson Pharmaceuticals will be even more


    sessful under your direction than under your father¡¯s!¡±


    Rachel was stunned for a while. ¡°I need time to think about it.¡±


    ¡°No problem, but I hope you can reach a decision sooner. After all, the goods are gonna be shipped in


    a few days.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go over there to take a look.¡±


    The pair walked into the distance on thewn. Without any of them noticing, however, a telescope


    ced on the second-floor balcony of a three-story vi located in the golf course¡¯s holiday resort had


    been following them all this while.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 345

    My Mute Bride Chapter 345


    Chapter 345 All in This Together


    ¡°President Burton.¡± Frankie came to the balcony with the documents in his hands. ¡°This is Westhill Golf


    Club¡¯s business performance report for this quarter. The assessment has been made that it¡¯s indeed


    better to resell this property than to redevelop it. What do you¡­¡± He talked on his own for a long time,


    only to realize that Justin wasn¡¯t listening at all. ¡°President Burton? What are you looking at?¡±


    Following the direction in which the telescope in Justin¡¯s hands was pointed, Frankie vaguely saw


    several figures walking in the distance on thewn. The figures seemed to be those of a man and a


    woman followed by a few escorts. Who else could draw so much attention from President Burton other


    than Rachel? Surprised, Frankie said, ¡°Why would we even run into her here?¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression was gloomy. ¡°Did you find any information about Dillon Porter as I asked you to?¡±


    Frankie was startled for a moment. Then, he replied with a troubled expression, ¡°I did find some


    information, but they¡¯re not very detailed.¡±


    ¡°Shoot.¡±


    ¡°Dillon Porter is an Astronian with Montenegro citizenship. The information shows that he runs a foreign


    tradingpany in Riverdale that specializes in import and export trade, but he rarelyes to


    Riverdale. Even if he does, he stays on board Golden Cruise. Oh, by the way, he¡¯s on good terms with


    the two owners of the Jockey Club.¡±


    Justin clenched his fists. ¡°Get a few people to follow him.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Frankie was startled. ¡°President Burton, Dillon has aplicated background; even your uncle


    fawns on him respectfully. It¡¯s better for you to have nothing to do with such a person.¡±


    ¡°Just do as I say,¡± came the man¡¯s terse reply in a peremptory tone of voice.


    Frankie could only button his lip.


    At the thought of Dillon being rted to the Jockey Club, Justin recalled someone whom he thought he


    could probably ask about Dillon¡¯s origins. He dialed a number.


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know about the Jockey Club. Are you free?¡±


    Ryan¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re that close. And besides, I think it¡¯s


    better for me to keep my distance from you at this time.¡± Ryan was courting Jolly, and he was only too


    eager to let everyone in Riverdale know about it. However, Jolly was never shy of expressing her likes


    and dislikes, and she hated Justin so much that she almost had the words ¡°I hate Justin Burton¡± written


    on her face. Ryan couldn¡¯t suit her fancy, but he could easily distance himself from Justin.


    Clutching his cell phone, Justin replied impassively, ¡°I have some background information about Leroy,


    which I think you might be very interested in.¡±


    Ryan was apparently stunned on the other end of the line. After a while, he said, ¡°I¡¯m free tomorrow


    afternoon.¡±


    ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Justin looked into the distance again, clenching his fists so hard by his


    sides that his knuckles turned white. If it weren¡¯t for Rachel not wanting to see him, he would¡¯ve rushed


    to them just now, pulling Dillon¡ªthat *sshole¡ªaway and chopping his hands off for touching Rachel!


    That night, Jason booked a private room at a nightclub to entertain Dillon.


    Outside the private room¡­


    ¡°I gotta go, Jason. I¡¯ve got something else to do.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Jason stopped Rachel. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell for whose sake Young Master Porter is doing us


    the honor of staying here? Won¡¯t you disappoint him if you leave?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face darkened slightly. ¡°Jason, I¡¯m not prostituting myself. Do you think it¡¯ll do you any good to


    pimp me to Dillon? Don¡¯t you worry that I¡¯ll cast you aside when you¡¯re no longer needed?¡±


    Jason was startled for a moment. By the time he came to his senses, Rachel had left. ¡°Please take


    good care of Young Master Porter for me. Put it on my tab.¡±


    Even though Jason intended to ¡°pimp¡± Rachel to Dillon, he couldn¡¯t force her into it, so he could only


    watch helplessly as she strode off.


    His subordinate was a little anxious, though. ¡°Master Jason, how could you let Miss Hudson go? What


    if Young Master Porter asks about her?¡±


    ¡°What else can I do if I don¡¯t let her go?¡±


    ¡°But what about Young Master Porter¡­¡±


    ¡°Just get a few pretty girls and get them into the room.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Who the f*ck does she think she is?¡± Jason looked at Rachel¡¯s receding figure with a gloomy


    expression. ¡°She¡¯s but a mute illegitimate daughter who has no one to depend on in Riverdale. Does


    she honestly think she can cast me aside and make a fortune by herself now? We¡¯re all in this


    together.¡±


    It waste at night at this moment, and there were faint signs that it was going to rain outside. As soon


    as Rachel¡¯s car drove away from the nightclub¡¯s entrance, the doorman immediately made a phone


    call, saying, ¡°Mr. Beckham, President Hudson left all of a sudden just now.¡±


    There was no answer on the other end of the line.


    ¡°She left alone.¡±


    There was still no answer.


    On the other end of the line was a private room in the nightclub. Unlike the other private rooms, this


    room was strangely quiet. It didn¡¯t have any hostess entertaining the clients, nor was its stereo turned


    on. The only person in the room was Justin, who sat on the couch with a ss of iced whiskey before


    him.


    Having answered the phone, Frankie immediately turned to look at him. ¡°President Burton, President


    Hudson probably has gone home.¡±


    Justin nodded slightly. Then, he said in a grim voice, ¡°In that case, serve more liquor to the room. Just


    stay that the nightclub would like to thank its customers for their support.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Yes, President Burton.¡±


    Half an hourter, the inebriated Dillon was helped out of his room.


    ¡°Young Master Porter.¡±


    Dillon knocked off the bodyguard holding him up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hold me up. I¡¯m going to the


    restroom and will be back in a minute to continue to have fun.¡±


    L asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a restroom in the private room?¡±


    The bodyguard exined, ¡°Says that the toilet¡¯s not working.¡±


    L frowned. ¡°In that case, you guys follow Young Master Porter and don¡¯t let anything happen.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary!¡± Dillon shoved them away in exasperation. ¡°If any of you dare to touch me, I¡¯m


    gonna shoot you dead! You guys are treating me like a good-for-nothing, huh? I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s not


    your turn to judge me!¡± he said while staggering toward the restroom.


    ¡°Miss L, should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Never mind. Let him go on his own.¡± L frowned. She knew Dillon¡¯s temper better than anyone else


    did, so she knew that whenever he got drunk, he would act unreasonably.


    Having drunk a lot of liquor, Dillon staggered all the way into the restroom; his hands were weak as he


    spent a long time unbuckling his belt. However, he didn¡¯t notice that a tall figure hade in after him


    and locked the restroom door from the inside with a click.


    After fumbling for a long time, he finally found his belt buckle. ¡°Gotcha, you little thing!¡±


    Just then, a shadow enveloped him from behind. Before he realized what had happened, he had been


    strangled from behind, causing him to be overwhelmed with a sense of suffocation. His cheeks


    flushing, he uttered, ¡°Who¡ª¡±


    The next instant, he was kicked brutally into the urinal, causing him to hit his head against the urinal


    with a loud thud. ¡°Aaaah!¡± He let out cries of pain that were louder than one another, but no one noticed


    them as they were all drowned out by the ring music in the nightclub.


    At this moment, the men¡¯s room had a ¡°Closed for Maintenance¡± sign ced outside its entrance,


    signaling those who wanted to relieve themselves to go to another floor instead.


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Young Master Portere back yet?¡±


    L nced at her watch. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look,¡± she said before heading toward the restroom alone.


    She saw the yellow sign ced outside the men¡¯s room¡¯s entrance, but just as she was about to leave


    as the others did, she faintly heard a blood-curdling scream from the restroom. The scream was clearly


    Dillon¡¯s. In an instant, her pupils shrank, and she reflexively stepped forward while clenching her fists.


    After years of training, her hearing had always been exceptionally good.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 346

    My Mute Bride Chapter 346


    Chapter 346 A Familial Organization


    L stood outside the men¡¯s room. One man probably didn¡¯t notice the sign and was just about to go


    inside, but she stopped him all at once, saying, ¡°Mister.¡±


    Surprised, the man turned to look at her. L pointed to the sign at their feet. ¡°The men¡¯s room is


    temporarily unavable for use. You should go to another floor instead.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±


    L watched the man leave before staring at the door to the men¡¯s room for a while. After that, she


    turned around and left as well.


    The next day, Dillon woke up in the hospital ward and looked at his badly battered and bruised face in


    the mirror. He smashed the mirror right away with a loud crash, growling, ¡°Who did it?!¡±


    L stood beside him. ¡°We don¡¯t know. The nightclub¡¯s CCTV went wrongst night, so we didn¡¯t find


    anything.¡±


    ¡°You bunch of morons! What¡¯s the use of having you guys?¡± Dillon yelled furiously. ¡°Find that person no


    matter what. I¡¯m gonna chop him to bits to feed the dog!¡±


    L frowned and stepped out of the ward without saying a word.


    A little whileter, from inside the ward came the sound of things being smashed; Dillon had smashed


    almost every smashable object in the room. After all, he had nevere to grief so badly before in his


    whole life.


    Hearing the noise inside, the bodyguards trembled with fright. ¡°Miss L, what should we do about


    this?¡±


    L didn¡¯t turn a hair. ¡°Since it happened in Jason¡¯s nightclub, he has to take full responsibility. Let him


    do the investigation.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss L.¡±


    It was afternoon, and one could enjoy the view of the river from the booth next to the French window at


    the tenth-floor cafe in Green River Tower. The river water looked murky during the day, but it didn¡¯t hide


    the grandeur of the river scenery.


    The waiter served two cups of Americanos.


    Ryan asked straightforwardly, ¡°What do you want to ask me?¡±


    ¡°About the Jockey Club and Dillon¡¯s background.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    Justin darted a look at him. ¡°Are you so fond of asking questions to which you already know the


    answers?¡±


    Ryan cocked an eyebrow. They were both intelligent people, so there was no need to beat around the


    bush. ¡°You probably know what the Jockey Club does without me having to tell you. It¡¯s a ce for


    debauchery that¡¯s far from the ce it purports to be. To put it nicely, it¡¯s a social hub. Everybody who


    goes there does so with their own purposes; they go there to make friends with all kinds of people


    that¡¯ll be of help to them.¡± Being a self-made man, Ryan had made himself a member of the club and


    made a lot of friends there back when he needed awork of contacts in his early years, which was


    why he was able to take Justin on board the Golden Cruise to search for peoplest time.


    Justin¡¯s eyes were tense. ¡°You know that these aren¡¯t what I¡¯m asking about. These are superficial.¡±


    Ryan knitted his brows slightly. ¡°Here¡¯s my advice: don¡¯t ask too much about it. Knowing too much


    won¡¯t do you any good.¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the background information about Leroy.¡± Justin pushed the man envelope at hand across


    the table. ¡°I believe you¡¯ll no longer think of him as an ordinary little artist after you read this. He¡¯s by no


    means ordinary.¡±


    Ryan¡¯s gaze fell on the man envelope.


    Justin¡¯s hand kept pressing down on the man envelope, and both him and Ryan knew the reason for


    that. They were both businessmen, so this wasn¡¯t an afternoon tea between friends, but a business


    deal for information exchange.


    Recalling the recent rumors about Jolly¡¯s rtionship with Leroy, Ryan felt somewhat irritable. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll


    tell you everything. Still, I¡¯d like to advise you to not get involved even if you know about it. I¡¯m afraid


    you might get yourself in trouble before you¡¯re able to get her out of this.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the reminder.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know much about Dillon¡¯s identity. He only came to Riverdale in recent years, but he


    became a guest of honor on board the Golden Cruise all of a sudden. I looked into him, but I couldn¡¯t


    find anything about him.¡± Ryan was very thorough. ¡°So, I can only tell you my conjecture based on my


    experiences in dealing with those people in the Jockey Club all these years.¡±


    ¡°Shoot.¡±


    Ryan exined, ¡°You probably know that the Jockey Club runs a casino in secret. The Riverdale


    Investigation Bureau has been keeping an eye on Randall Baxter, the club¡¯s boss, over the past few


    years, but they couldn¡¯t find anything. This is because the Jockey Club is merely a cover for S in


    Riverdale.¡±


    ¡°S?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an organization, or rather a family, an evil smuggling ring, that specializes in smuggling goods¡ª


    mostly medicines¡ªto war-ridden countries to make huge profits.¡±


    War-ridden countries had little to no productivity, and supplies¡ªespecially medicines¡ªwere scarce


    there. As a result, even a box of cold medicine could be sold at an exorbitant price at such ces.


    ¡°The Jockey Club gathers all the upper-ss people in Riverdale under the guise of recreation and


    socializing. People are greedy, and they always want to make more money. If my guess is correct,


    Randall chooses from those people and observes them for a long time on his own initiative. Then, he


    waits for a chance to strike, ultimately drawing them into his circle.¡± Ryan shot a nce at Justin.


    ¡°Jefferey, that ex-father-inw of yours, was probably among the earliest bunch of people he recruited.¡±


    ¡°What about Dillon, then? What role does he y in the organization?¡±


    ¡°I only met him a few times. He¡¯s an idiot, but Randall is very respectful to him, so I guess he¡¯s a


    member of the family at the top of the organization. He might even be the heir to the organization.¡±


    ¡°Would the organization¡¯s heir be sent out to take risks?¡±


    ¡°Well, here is something you don¡¯t understand. The people there don¡¯t raise their children in thep of


    luxury. Only the strongest among them will be respected, so the children have to see the world and


    toughen themselves. Otherwise, of so many smuggling and drug-trafficking rings in the world, why do


    you think S would be such arge organization that even Interpol has a headache dealing with


    them?¡±


    Justin seemed lost in thought.


    Ryan continued, ¡°These are just my conjectures, but I¡¯ve been dealing with them for quite a number of


    years. And besides, the Riverdale Investigation Bureau has been investigating them recently.


    Moreover, there were those diamondsst time. I think Randall and his men are probably gonna run


    away, and they¡¯re now trying to transfer their assets.¡±


    ¡°Run away? What about those in Riverdale?¡±


    ¡°Would they care about the fate of their partners once they run away? Even if the Riverdale


    Investigation Bureau turns the Golden Cruise upside down by then, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll only be able to


    arrest useless small fry like Jefferey and your uncle.¡±


    ¡°When are they gonna run away?¡±


    ¡°How could I possibly know that?¡±


    Justin pondered for a moment. ¡°Are those diamonds still in your hands?¡±


    Ryan was startled before he suddenly realized what Justin meant. Those people would definitely have


    to transfer their assets before leaving. In other words, the time theyid their hands on these


    exorbitantly-priced diamonds would be the time they were going to run away.


    ¡°Ryan, you¡¯d better keep watch over those diamonds in your hands.¡±


    ¡°I know that, and I don¡¯t need you to tell me about it. Hey, where are you going?¡±


    Justin left the cafe right away. Rachel was in a dangerous situation right now. After all, no one could tell


    what those men would do to those rted to them before leaving Riverdale. I¡¯ve got to stop Rachel


    from continuing to deal with them by hook or by crook, he thought. ¡°Hello? Frankie, find out where


    Rachel is right now.¡±


    ¡°You mean President Hudson?¡± Frankie was startled for a moment on the other end of the line. After


    coming to his senses, he said in aplicated tone of voice, ¡°President Burton, you¡¯d better put the


    matter about her aside first. I¡¯m afraid you have toe back to the office now.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°The Burton Group is holding an impromptu board meeting. Someone proposed that you be removed


    from your position aspany president.¡±


    Justin frowned. ¡°Did Robin propose it?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, it was Old Mr. Burton who proposed it.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 347

    My Mute Bride Chapter 347


    Chapter 347 Stay as an Assistant


    The air in the Burton Group¡¯srge conference room was heavy and solemn as all the board members


    of thepany were present. ¡°President Burton has arrived.¡±


    Justin arrivedte for the meeting. ¡°Apologies, Grandpa and everyone. Sorry for beingte.¡± Arthur


    looked as ck as thunder. Before he could speak, Robin¡¯s mocking voice rang across from Justin.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite puffed up, aren¡¯t you, Young Master Justin? To think that you could even bete for the


    board meeting! Do you need someone to personally pick you up for the next meeting?¡±


    Frankie could no longer stand his words. ¡°President Gunson, how could you¡ª¡±


    Just then, an elderly voice rang. ¡°Shut up! What gives you, an assistant, the right to speak here?¡±


    Frankie shuddered before turning to look at Arthur.


    Obviously, Arthur wasn¡¯t just expressing his displeasure at Justin¡¯ste arrival for the meeting today.


    Having stepped down from his position for years, he rarely attended the board of directors¡¯ annual


    meeting despite being the chairman of thepany¡¯s board of directors. Therefore, the fact that he


    had gone out of his way to call a board meeting this time showed that his dissatisfaction had


    umted to a certain degree. ¡°Since everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s take our seats.¡±


    The conference room was silent once again.


    Then, Arthur said, ¡°As everyone knows, the purpose of today¡¯s board meeting is to have everyone vote


    on the motion to remove Justin from his position as the Burton Group¡¯s president on the spot.¡±


    Someone argued, ¡°Old Mr. Burton, we¡¯d better be more circumspect about removing the president of


    thepany.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Ever since Young Master Justin took over the Burton Group, thepany¡¯s performance


    has gone up quite a few notches.¡±


    The other board members quickly chimed in.


    Justin had been running the Burton Group for years, so many of thepany¡¯s board members


    supported him. Unfortunately, Arthur was unshakeable in his determination this time. ¡°His merits can¡¯t


    make up for his faults. The Burton Group¡¯s performance has visibly dropped this year. This is not


    because of the market, but because of the person heading thepany.¡± Arthur darted a look at


    Justin. ¡°Since there¡¯s a problem, we have to solve it in time. The Burton Group belongs not only to us


    Burtons but also to all the board members present here. I can¡¯t let the Burton Group be ruined in the


    hands of a single person.¡±


    The instant he said that, the board members instantly broke into a discussion. Just then, someone


    asked, ¡°But, Old Mr. Burton, if we remove Young Master Justin, who¡¯s gonna be the president of the


    company?¡±


    All of a sudden, a strange silence descended on the room. Everyone knew that Arthur only had two


    grandchildren. One of them was Justin, who was about to be removed right now, and the other was


    Tina, who had been sent abroad six years ago to be treated for mental illness. If Justin were to be


    removed from his position right now, who else could rece him?


    Arthur¡¯s face clouded over. ¡°We, the Burtons, have few descendants, but it¡¯s not that difficult to find a


    capable descendant from our family. However, the Burton Group¡¯s century-old foundation is not to be


    squandered by someone as they please! Carrying the surname Burton doesn¡¯t mean he can rest easy!¡±


    Everyone was puzzled by Arthur¡¯s words.


    Arthur then continued, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to let Robin take over Justin¡¯s position as the Burton Group¡¯s


    president.¡±


    Justin¡¯s pupils instantly shrank at Arthur¡¯s words. Having learned his ways from Jason, Robin was


    prone to resort to crooked ways. How could Grandpa hand the Burton Group to such a person?! ¡°I


    oppose it!¡± he replied on the spot.


    Robin scowled at once. ¡°For what reason do you oppose it? This is Grandpa¡¯s decision. What gives


    you the right to oppose it?¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t even bother to say a word more than necessary to Robin, though. He tried his best to


    dissuade Arthur, saying, ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s true that I have to take responsibility for the Burton Group¡¯s


    performance issues these days. I have no objection if you want to remove me as president, but Robin


    can¡¯t be thepany¡¯s next president.¡±


    Robin was one of Jason¡¯s men. By handing the Burton Group over to Robin, thepany would


    essentially be handed over to Jason. Now that Jason was on such close terms with those from the


    Jockey Club, he would bring the Burton Group down one day. By then, the Burton Group would be the


    next Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    Robin pped the conference table in anger. ¡°Whether I can be thepany¡¯s next president is up to


    the board of directors. What does it have to do with you? Young Master Justin, I admit that you¡¯ve done


    well in managing the Burton Group previously, but now you¡¯re being led by the nose by a woman!¡±


    ¡°Watch yournguage, President Gunson!¡± blurted Frankie.


    Justin raised his hand to stop Frankie. Let him say it, he thought.


    Robin stood up. ¡°Perhaps you guys aren¡¯t aware of this yet. Young Master Justin has transferred the


    ownership of the development site at Nortne for free in order to please a woman. That¡¯s a 3 billion-


    worth project!¡±


    ¡°What? He transferred the ownership of the development site?¡±


    ¡°How could he do that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Isn¡¯t that nonsense?¡±


    One of the board members immediately asked, ¡°Young Master Justin, what the hell¡¯s the matter with


    this? Who did you transfer the ownership of the development site to? Is this part of your n or¡­


    Please tell us about this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not part of his n or anything! He did that just to please that ex-wife of his. Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals has already set about starting construction on that site!¡±


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals? In an instant, the conference room was in an uproar.


    However, Justin didn¡¯t give a word of exnation.


    Arthur¡¯s eyes showed nothing but disappointment as he looked at Justin. Having spent most of his life


    enduring all kinds of hardships, how could he possibly not know that Robin wasn¡¯t a decent person?


    But now, everyone in thepany was critical of Justin, and he was torn to shreds in the press. If he


    wasn¡¯t reced sooner, the Burton Group would be in great peril.


    It wasn¡¯t until Arthur hemmed twice that everyone finally fell silent. Then, Arthur said, ¡°I hereby


    announce that we¡¯ll now be officially voting on the motion to remove Justin Burton from his position as


    president. Those who agree to the motion may raise your hands.¡±


    Everyone in the conference room looked at each other. After whispering to each other for a while, they


    gradually fell silent and raised their hands one after another.


    Seeing the overwhelming number of votes, Robin was incredibly smug. He had dreamed about the


    scene at this very moment countless times. After so many years, he was finally able to get something


    on Justin, so how could he possibly not take advantage of this opportunity to make an issue out of it?


    Arthur ran his eyes over the crowd while concealing the hint of disappointment in his eyes. ¡°I see that


    everyone has made themselves clear. The motion has been passed. From now on, Justin is no longer


    the Burton Group¡¯s president. Justin, do you have any objections to this?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes fell on Justin as they waited for him to express his stance. After a long time, Justin


    said, ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. In that case, let¡¯s vote on the next motion. Those who agree to let Robin Gunson take


    over as the Burton Group¡¯s president may raise your hands.¡±


    This time, the number of hands raised was almost the same as the previous time. As a result, it was


    decided that Robin would be taking over as the Burton Group¡¯s president.


    ¡°Robin will be running the Burton Group from now on.¡± Arthur¡¯s bony fingers curled slightly as he darted


    a quick look at Justin from the corner of his eye. Seeing how Justin remained unmoved, he felt even


    more disappointed. He said in a grim voice, ¡°Justin, hand your work over to Robin and leave the Burton


    Group as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary,¡± Robin cut in all of a sudden. ¡°Old Mr. Burton, it¡¯s not necessary to make Young


    Master Justin sever all ties to thepany. We all have witnessed his capabilities, after all, so I think


    he doesn¡¯t have to leave the Burton Group. Why not let him stay in the Burton Group as vice president


    to assist me in my work?¡±


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    The instant Robin said that, Justin¡¯s stony eyes turned chilly, whereas Frankie¡¯s face turned livid.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 348

    My Mute Bride Chapter 348


    Chapter 348 Fallen From Grace


    In an instant, the conference room was so silent that one could hear a pin drop. Someone let out a


    gasp. After all, Justin was Arthur¡¯s only grandson. Even if he had now been removed as the Burton


    Group¡¯s president, no one would dare to speak to him like this. Essentially, Robin was testing the man¡¯s


    limits.


    Despite his suggestion that Justin stay in thepany as vice president, everyone knew how


    completely ipatible he and Justin were. If Justin were to stay in thepany¡¯s headquarters, he


    would definitely have a hard time.


    Just when everyone thought Justin would definitely lose his temper, Arthur suddenly spoke. ¡°Sounds


    like a good suggestion to me. Staying at the top for too long would make one forget that one should


    have their feet on the ground at all times. What do you think, Justin?¡±


    Isn¡¯t Old Mr. Burton gonna stick up for him?


    ¡°Old Mr.¡ª¡±


    Justin raised his hand, cutting Frankie short. He stood up and fixed his eyes on Robin across from him,


    uttering, ¡°I ept it.¡±


    As soon as the meeting ended, Frankie followed Justin out of the conference room. ¡°President Burton,


    how could you agree to stay in the headquarters as vice president? Now that thepany has been


    handed over to Robin, he¡¯ll definitely give you a hard time at every turn if you stay here. This is¡ª¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m scared of him?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. President Burton, I¡¯m just worried that you¡¯ll be humiliated.¡± In Frankie¡¯s eyes,


    Justin was a proud and aloof man who had stayed in a high position for many years without ever letting


    Robin have his way regardless of what thetter did. Now that Robin had triumphed over Justin, what


    Frankie feared most was that the former would y dirty tricks on Justin. ¡°President Burton, why don¡¯t


    you talk to Old Mr. Burton? It¡¯s okay even if you have to go to the branch office. In any case, it¡¯s better


    than staying here and running into Robin often.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary.¡± Justin¡¯s brows furrowed, but his tone of voice was peremptory. It was precisely


    because Robin had be thepany¡¯s president that he had to stay. If the Burton Group were


    really to be handed over to Robin, no one knew if he would lead thepany down a path of self-


    destruction.


    Seeing that Justin had made up his mind, Frankie had no choice but to hold his tongue.


    The pair had reached Justin¡¯s office when they saw Miss Evergreen standing at the door with an


    uneasy expression. ¡°President Burton, Frankie. President Gunson, he¡­¡±


    Frankie¡¯s face tautened at her words. He pushed the door open, only to see Robin sitting behind the


    desk with his feet on it. Not only that, but he rested the heels of his leather shoes on a book on the


    desk that Justin hadn¡¯t finished reading, tearing its pages.


    Frankie turned red with anger at the sight of the scene. ¡°What do you mean by doing this, President


    Gunson? This is President Burton¡¯s office!¡±


    ¡°President Burton?¡± Robin smirked. ¡°Watch yournguage, Assistant Beckham. I am President


    Gunson, the president of thispany. You should be calling him Vice President Burton from now on.


    Adding or skipping one particr word makes a huge difference in its meaning.¡±


    ¡°How dare you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Frankie.¡± Justin came in while looking indifferently at Robin with a stony face and cold, piercing eyes.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Robin looked around the office with his hands sped on his stomach. ¡°I¡¯m here to ask you if we


    should swap offices. After all, I¡¯m thepany¡¯s president now.¡±


    Frankie got agitated at once. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far, President Gunson!¡± This office had always belonged to


    Justin ever since he officially took over as the Burton Group¡¯s president 12 years ago. Without his


    permission, no one could ever step into his office as they pleased.


    ¡°Am I talking to you?¡± Robin looked incredibly smug. ¡°Justin, tell yourpdog to stop barking!¡±


    ¡°Robin!¡± Justin¡¯s voice turned chilly all of a sudden.


    Seeing the chilling gleam in the man¡¯s stony eyes, Robin shuddered at once. There were certain times


    when he was still somewhat afraid of Justin. In an instant, he straightened up and stared warily at the


    man across from him.


    Justin regained hisposure soon afterward, though. He said nonchntly, ¡°You like this office? I¡¯ll


    give it to you.¡±


    ¡°President Burton!¡± Frankie was in disbelief.


    Justin unhurriedly walked up to the desk.


    Robin was a little nervous, and he subconsciously pulled his feet off the desk while gulping some


    saliva. Then, he straightened up, asking, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Justin picked up the book on the desk and dusted it off with his hand before pointing at the room¡¯s


    furnishings. ¡°If you like these things, you can use them as you please. If you don¡¯t like them, you can


    take them apart and have them reinstalled. As for these books, I¡¯ll be taking them with me.¡± He waved


    the French book in his hand. ¡°You can¡¯t read these books anyway, so let¡¯s not keep them here to take


    up space.¡±


    Robin¡¯s face instantly turned livid one moment and pale the next. Although he had a master¡¯s degree in


    finance from abroad, he had only earned it from a diploma mill, so he couldn¡¯t speak any foreign


    language other than very poor Latin. He was able to fool the nonexperts by having his underlings work


    hard for him all these years, but his academic qualifications werepletely worthless in front of


    Justin.


    ¡°Frankie, get someone to pack up my stuff and move them downstairs.¡±


    ¡°Yes, President Burton.¡±


    Despite having fallen from grace, Justin maintained his dignity with an innately noble air unmatched by


    a vile character like Robin.


    As soon as the man left, Robin swept everything off the desk in anger.


    Startled, Miss Evergreen, who was tidying the office, shuddered with fright before turning to look at him


    in a panic.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Robin¡¯s face was sullen. ¡°Starting from today, I¡¯ll be calling the shots in the


    Burton Group. Justin, on the other hand, is nothing!¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin left the Burton Group right away.


    ¡°President Burton, I¡¯ll have your office cleaned up as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no hurry for that. Give me the car keys.¡±


    ¡°Are you gonna drive by yourself?¡± Frankie¡¯s face showed a look of surprise. Since losing his memory


    in the car ident five years ago, Justin had been unable to drive by himself. ording to the doctor¡¯s


    diagnosis, this was a result of post-traumatic amnesia.


    Justin didn¡¯t exin much about it, though. After taking the car keys, he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow


    me.¡± With that, he got into the car alone.


    Frankie was startled again as he watched the car whizz off. Could President Burton have regained his


    memories?


    Meanwhile, Justin drove to Hudson Pharmaceuticals right away. ¡°I¡¯d like to see Rachel.¡±


    Thedy at the front desk was startled for a moment. ¡°President Hudson isn¡¯t in the office today.¡±


    Thinking that the front deskdy was stalling him off, Justin stressed again, ¡°I have something


    important to talk to her about.¡±


    ¡°President Hudson really isn¡¯t in the office, President Burton. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can call Miss


    Carter to ask her about it.¡±


    Had I been able to get through to Jolly on the phone, I wouldn¡¯t have made a special trip here, thought


    Justin.


    Just as they were conversing, the front deskdy suddenly pointed behind Justin. ¡°Miss Carter¡¯s here.


    You may ask her directly.¡±


    Justin looked back. When he saw Jolly, who had just entered the building with documents in her hands


    while dressed in a white suit, he immediately strode up to her.


    Jolly had juste back with a stack of documents in her arms, only to scowl the instant she saw


    Justin face to face. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Miss Carter, I¡¯m here to talk to Rachel. Where is she?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jolly rolled her eyes crossly before turning around to leave.


    Justin strode up to Jolly and blocked her path. ¡°I have something urgent to talk to her about.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless no matter what you want to talk to her about. To tell you the truth, Chris isn¡¯t in Riverdale.¡±


    Justin¡¯s pupils shrank at her words. ¡°Where did she go?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 349

    My Mute Bride Chapter 349


    Chapter 349 A Thrilling Night


    Jolly darted a look at Justin. ¡°Why would I tell you?¡± Justin suddenly had a bad feeling.


    Three dayster, darkness fell as heavy fog shrouded a dock in Jublen, cutting visibility to near zero.


    Only with the aid of a shlight could one barely see a line of trucks parked on the dock. At this


    moment, workers were moving goods off the freighter in the dark, and they had been doing this for two


    hours.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± said Rachel as she directed her people to move the goods off the freighter.


    Just then, a ck sedan came to a stop in front of her. L got out of the car first, and she went to the


    trunk to take out a wheelchair before helping Dillon to it.


    Despite the imprable darkness, Rachel noticed Dillon¡¯s badly bruised face at a nce and was


    instantly surprised. ¡°What happened to you, Young Master Porter?¡±


    ¡°I fell and bruised myself while drinking in Riverdale.¡± Dillon let out a snort. ¡°I¡¯m afraid Riverdale doesn¡¯t


    agree with me.¡±


    ¡°How did you fall so badly?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Dillon shot a nce at the goods on the dock. ¡°How¡¯s the move going?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost done. We¡¯ll finish moving the goods before dawn.¡±


    Dillon nodded. ¡°You¡¯re indeed a lucky star, Miss Hudson. The trip went well, and I heard that we¡¯d


    gotten through all the checkpoints without a hitch. Both our men and our goods have arrived safely.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is a smooth trip, but I won¡¯t be doing something like this anymore.¡±


    ¡°Why? You¡¯re scared?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only part of human nature, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s understandable. But now that we¡¯re already here, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. This is


    my turf, so why don¡¯t you stay a few days longer and let me show you around, Miss Hudson?¡±


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    ¡°Thanks for your kindness, Young Master Porter, but I have to hurry back to Riverdale tomorrow. Now


    that I¡¯ve vanished for such a long time, my friend is probably worried.¡±


    Just as Dillon was about to continue persuading Rachel, the driver of the car behind him suddenly


    poked his head out of the car window. ¡°We¡¯re in trouble, Young Master Porter! Hurry up and get in the


    car!¡±


    As soon as he finished his sentence, the sound of a gunshot was heard in the distance.


    Frightened, Rachel shuddered and crouched down while covering her ears.


    Dillon turned pale at once. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Interpol!¡±


    ¡°Sh*t, how did Interpol find their way here? Get the loaded trucks to leave at once and abandon the


    rest!¡±


    As the sound of gunshots were approaching, L said, ¡°It¡¯s toote. We have to leave now.¡±


    Dillon pounded his wheelchair in anger. This batch of goods was supposed to be a great chance for


    him to shine in front of his father, but now, these goods had slipped through his fingers right under his


    very nose!


    L immediately yanked Dillon to his feet and shoved him into the car, leaving the wheelchair behind


    right away. Then, she ordered, ¡°Drive, Benny!¡±


    After the car drove off, Rachel hid behind the containers. Hearing the gunshots in the distance, she


    gritted her teeth and ran away from the dock alone with the aid of the fog.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone over there! Chase after them!¡±


    This was Rachel¡¯s first timeing across such a situation. Although she had prepared herself for this,


    she could hardly remain calm, so she merely ran outside based on her survival instincts.


    Just then, she heard a screech of brakes as a car stopped in front of her. Then, arge hand reached


    out from the car and pulled her inside amid her screams. A man¡¯s chilly voice reverberated in the car,


    saying, ¡°Drive!¡±


    The streetlights on the expressway illuminated the inside of the car as it drove out of the dock.


    Looking at the man before her in horror, Rachel uttered a name in disbelief. ¡°Alex?¡±


    The man¡¯s face was thin, with pronounced mixed-race features and a pair of inky dark eyes. One could


    even describe his looks as pretty. Staring at Rachel with a smile, he said, ¡°It¡¯s been a while! You never


    thought our reunion would be so thrilling, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯te to her senses for a long time.


    ¡­


    The next day, the confiscation of smuggled medicines on the port in Jublen was reported on the news.


    News spread all over the surrounding countries that Interpol had intercepted all the medicines on the


    whole ship, arresting countless people involved in the case.


    Jolly was reading documents in her office in Riverdale when the door swung open with a loud bang that


    shook the entire room.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go inside, Mr. Burton!¡±


    Jolly¡¯s face fell when she heard the secretary call the intruder ¡°Mr. Burton.¡± She stood up from behind


    her desk grumpily, saying, ¡°What brings you here again? Aren¡¯t you done yet?¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t seem to hear her, though. As soon as he entered, he asked, ¡°Where is Rachel now?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that she went to Jublen on business and wouldn¡¯t be back in a while?¡±


    ¡°Who is she doing business with? Dillon?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Jolly didn¡¯t know why Rachel had to have dealings with Dillon,


    but because of Rachel¡¯s instructions, she had been keeping a tight lip these days without telling Justin


    what was actually going on.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that, huh?¡± Justin looked around before picking up the remote control on the coffee


    table to turn on the TV.


    At this moment, the TV was airing a news broadcast. ¡°We interrupt this program to bring you an


    international newssh. Last night,rge amounts of smuggled medicines were confiscated at a port in


    Jublen. ording to the report, a total of 100,000 tons of smuggled medicines have been confiscated


    this time, and they were all shipped out from the docks in Riverdale. A total of 74 people involved in the


    case have been arrested, including 24 Riverdale citizens¡­¡±


    Jolly¡¯s face turned pale at once.


    On the other hand, Justin was in a great rage. ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it, and the pharmaceutical factory¡¯s


    warehouse on the outskirts of Riverdale is empty! What the hell are you guys doing? Are you trying to


    get yourselves killed?¡±


    ¡°What are you yelling at me for? You¡¯re ndering us! You¡¯re talking about a smuggling case here! Do


    you have the evidence to im that it¡¯s our doing? And what does it have to do with us? And besides,


    how are we supposed to get 100,000 tons of medicines?¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t have time to waste his breath arguing with Jolly, though. ¡°Give me the phone!¡± He


    snatched her cell phone to call Rachel, only to hear a voice saying, ¡°Sorry, but the number you¡¯ve


    dialed is currently unreachable¡­¡±


    Jolly angrily snatched her phone back from him. ¡°Give it back to me! What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Did you get through to her on the phone? When was thest time you called her?¡±


    ¡°Thest time I called her?¡±


    Seeing the look on Jolly¡¯s face, Justin immediately realized that she hadn¡¯t gotten in touch with Rachel


    at all. ¡°Tell me! Did she leave with Dillon?¡±


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Jolly broke free of Justin¡¯s grasp with all her might. Then, she swore, ¡°Justin, are you


    crazy? What nonsense are you talking about here? How could Chris be involved in smuggling? Dillon?


    I¡¯ve never heard of such a name at all!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am crazy!¡± Justin shook Jolly off with bloodshot eyes as the muscles of his stony face trembled.


    ¡°It¡¯s been three days, and yet nothing has been heard from her! Tell me¡ªare you able to get in touch


    with her? Do you know where she¡¯s gone? If you do, how could you help her keep her whereabouts a


    secret? Is it really worthwhile for her to sail close to the wind and get herself in danger for the sake of


    Hudson Pharmaceuticals?¡±


    Jolly¡¯s head was buzzing after she had been yelled at without rhyme or reason. On the other hand,


    Justin was already frantic with anxiety, and he turned around and left.


    ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Jublen!¡±


    Jolly¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Hey! Do you know where she is? It¡¯s useless even if you go there!¡±


    Unfortunately, Justin was determined to go, and he turned a deaf ear to Jolly¡¯s words.


    As soon as Justin left, Jolly started to get worried while clutching her phone. Indeed, Rachel had gone


    missing for too long.


    Recalling what Rachel had told her before leaving, Jolly unlocked her phone and dialed a number.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 350

    My Mute Bride Chapter 350


    Chapter 350 She Saved His Sister¡¯s Life Three Years Ago


    The phone call never got through. Clutching her cell phone, Jolly started to worry for Rachel¡¯s safety.


    This is bad. I gotta go to Jublen as well.


    Just as she was about to leave, her cell phone suddenly beeped, and a text message from a virtual


    number popped up on the screen. The short message only had two words. It read, ¡®She¡¯s fine.¡¯


    Seeing the text message, Jolly was startled for a moment.


    A white arc streaked across the sky above the airport in Jublen as the ne touched down amid the


    roar of its engine.


    It was alreadyte at night, but the small two-story building on a hillside estate was being heavily


    guarded. Those patrolling the entrance were dressed in in clothes, but they were all armed with


    guns and walkie-talkies.


    ¡°You moron!¡±


    A loud pnded on L¡¯s cheek, causing her head to tilt sideways with blood trickling out of the


    corner of her mouth. Even so, she didn¡¯t make a sound.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Dillon, who was sitting in his wheelchair by her side, frowned. ¡°L isn¡¯t to me for this, sis.¡±


    It was a woman who had pped L. Dressed in ck leather, the tall woman looked cold and


    beautiful and yet gloomy with her short hair and red lips. ¡°She¡¯s not to me, of course. She¡¯s only in


    charge of your safety, while getting the business done is part of your duty.¡± Sabrina Porter darted a cold


    look at Dillon, making him shudder with the oppressive look in her eyes. ¡°But could I hit you instead of


    hitting her?¡±


    Dillon braced himself and exined, ¡°The stuff had been shipped to the dock, and everything went well


    along the way. No one thought that Interpol would turn up! Clearly, we didn¡¯t get the news in time.¡±


    ¡°Still making excuses, huh?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Porter.¡± L put her hand on Dillon¡¯s shoulder in time to stop him from continuing to


    argue with Sabrina. ¡°Miss Sabrina, it was indeed my fault for being unable to stop Young Master Porter,


    causing the 100,000 tons of goods to be confiscated and the hard work you¡¯d put in over the past year


    toe to naught. I¡¯m sorry for myck of forethought.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Sabrina let out a sneer. ¡°Lack of forethought, huh? I¡¯m curious about how you egged Dillon on


    to have your goods put on my ship.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s got nothing to do with her,¡± Dillon couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°It was my decision. After we escorted our


    goods out to the high seas, something went wrong with the previous ship, so I decided to have the


    10,000 tons of goods moved to your ship and have the two shipments transported together.¡±


    ¡°And look what happened?¡±


    Upon hearing Sabrina¡¯s icy words, Dillon was at a loss for a reply.


    ¡°What happened was that you got my whole ship confiscated for that little amount of goods you brought


    with you!¡± Sabrina¡¯s face was livid with anger. ¡°This matter isn¡¯t over yet. Who tipped the police off?


    Dillon, you should take a good look at the people around you!¡±


    Dillon frowned. ¡°How could you be certain that something was wrong with my people? Weren¡¯t your


    goods on that ship as well? Why don¡¯t you suspect your people instead?¡±


    Sabrina¡¯s chilly and vicious gaze swept over everyone at the scene before finally resting on L. She


    said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m gonna check my people, of course. No matter whether it¡¯s your people or mine, we


    have to check everyone out.¡± After all, they had suffered such huge losses this time that they had to


    find out the traitor urgently.


    Just as they were speaking, Dillon¡¯s phone suddenly rang, and he answered it grumpily. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Porter.¡±


    Hearing the voice on the other end of the line, Dillon immediately sat up. ¡°Miss Hudson?¡±


    The instant Sabrina heard this across from Dillon, her face slowly tautened.


    ¡°d to hear that you¡¯re alright. We can talk about our coborationter.¡±


    The caller said something on the other end of the line.


    ¡°You go back to Riverdale first. Things are very tensetely, so let¡¯s n our next stepster.¡±


    Dillon hung up the phone with a thoughtful expression.


    Sabrina asked, ¡°Was it the woman who did business with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. To think that she didn¡¯t get caught! She was quite lucky.¡±


    ¡°Lucky?¡± Sabrina¡¯s eyes gleamed with chilliness. ¡°Not necessarily. So many unwitting stevedores were


    arrested at the scene, and she, a person in the know, was unscathed?¡±


    Dillon frowned. ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying that it was her who tipped the police off? What


    good would it do her to do that?¡±


    Sabrina darted a look at him. ¡°You idiot! This matter is no longer of your concern. I¡¯ve gotten Dad¡¯s


    permission to let me manage the business in Riverdale for the time being.¡±


    ¡°What? I disagree!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not up to you,¡± Sabrina said. Then, she shot a frosty look at L. ¡°When things have calmed down,


    you¡¯ll go to Riverdale with me, and Dillon will stay here. If it really was that woman who leaked the


    information, I¡¯d chop her to bits and throw her remains into the river with my own hands.¡±


    L¡¯s cheek was badly swollen with a visible p mark on it, but she nodded without turning a hair.


    ¡°Yes, Miss Sabrina.¡±


    The night was dark. At a street payphone in Jublen, Rachel had just made a phone call. Dressed in a


    ck hoodie with the hood up, she looked around after ending the phone call. Making sure that nobody


    had noticed her, she tightened her clothes around herself and walked into the depths of an alley,


    crossing two streets before finally returning to the hotel.


    A man who looked like an assistant stood in front of the door to her room. ¡°Miss Hudson.¡±


    Rachel stepped back warily. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡±


    The man waved the bag in his hand. ¡°Mr. Alex had mee over to bring you something.¡±


    Only then did Rachel heave a sigh of relief. ¡°Come in.¡±


    The suite wasrge, with a living room and a small inner room. Alex had always been a big spender,


    after all.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the new cell phone that Mr. Alex asked me to bring you, along with some cash and a credit


    card.¡±


    Seeing the limitless ck card, Rachel was startled for a moment, though she wasn¡¯t very surprised.


    ¡°Where is he?¡± Alex had left in a hurry after sending her to the hotel that day, so she didn¡¯t get to speak


    much with him.


    ¡°Mr. Alex has something to deal with, so he¡¯s left Jublen.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s left? Why such a hurry?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something that he needs to deal with. Mr. Alex said he¡¯d find time to visit you after he finished


    his work these days, and he wishes you to stay healthy and smile more.¡±


    Rachel had a thoughtful look on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he came all the way here specially for me.¡±


    The assistant replied, ¡°As he once said, whenever you¡¯re in danger, he¡¯ll show up by your side


    immediately.¡±


    Rachel subconsciously reached for her right arm with aplicated look on her face. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have


    to do this, actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Hudson, you saved the life of ourdy back then, which was equivalent to saving Mr. Alex¡¯s life.


    This is just our duty, so you don¡¯t have to take it to heart.¡±


    Three years ago, Rachel had saved Laura Kennedy, Alex¡¯s younger sister, by chance in an ident. At


    the time, she didn¡¯t know who the siblings were. If it weren¡¯t for Laura showing up when Alex pointed


    his gun at her head, she would¡¯ve died right then and there. As for how they had cleared up the


    misunderstanding afterward and how Alex became very grateful to her, that was another story.


    Still, Rachel was lost for words upon hearing the assistant¡¯s words.


    After Alex¡¯s assistant left, Rachel was lost in thought for a while while staring at the stuff on the table.


    After a while, she came in front of the bathroom mirror and rolled up the right sleeve of her hoodie to


    the shoulder to reveal her fair-skinned arm. There had been a small cut on the inside of her arm before,


    which was hardly visible unless one looked closely, but a tiny chip had been inserted there.


    It was thanks to this chip that Alex was able to find her wherever she was.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 351

    My Mute Bride Chapter 351


    Chapter 351 The Calm Before the Storm


    Justin would be flying directly to Jublen in the afternoon the next day. Before leaving Riverdale, he


    decided to see Charlotte. Due to their previous misunderstanding, Charlotte had been refusing to see


    him or answer his phone calls. Having no other choice, he could only call Samuel on thetter¡¯s cell


    phone.


    The phone call got through, and Samuel¡¯s voice rang on the other end of the line. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Samuel, is


    Charlotte with you?¡± ¡°Yeah, she is.¡±


    Justin was somewhat reluctant to part with Charlotte, but he couldn¡¯t care much about anything else


    when he recalled the situation Rachel was in. ¡°I¡¯ll be going out for a few days, and I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll


    come back for the time being. Are you two at home?¡±


    ¡°Nope, we¡¯re in Godmother¡¯s car on our way to the airport.¡±


    ¡°The airport?¡± Justin¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Why are you going to the airport?¡±


    ¡°To pick Mommy up, of course.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Justin immediately straightened up in disbelief. ¡°Your mom is back?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    At this moment, the roar of an airne¡¯s engine reverberated through the skies above Riverdale


    Airport. After gliding for a long time, the ne finally made a smoothnding.


    Having done her job in Jublen, Rachel hurried back to Riverdale on the morning flight. The instant her


    flight touched down, her nerves, which had been tense with fear over the past few days, rxed atst.


    At least things are gonna stay peaceful for a while, she thought.


    As soon as she got off the ne, she made a phone call. ¡°Hello? I¡¯m at the airport now.¡±


    Janice¡¯s voice rang on the other end of the line. ¡°d to hear that you arrived safely. Our joint


    operation with Interpol this time was a sess. Although Dillon ran away, we managed to arrest a few


    of S¡¯s leaders and confiscated arge batch of smuggled goods, inflicting heavy losses on them. Well


    done, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°So they won¡¯t being to Riverdale again for the time being, huh?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Also, we managed to get some evidence on Jason, and the Investigation Bureau has


    been investigating himtely. It won¡¯t be long before he gets punished by thew.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I can have a peaceful sleep atst.¡±


    Ever since the moment she decided to assist Janice in investigating Jason, everything around her had


    suddenly begun to get out of hand, and her mind had been upied with all kinds of hair-raising stuff


    every single day. Now that Jason was going to be convicted of his crimes, she could finally unload her


    burden.


    After hanging up the phone, she looked at the clear blue sky outside the airport. Grandma, I¡¯m finally


    gonna avenge your death.


    She waited for a while before Jolly¡¯s car arrived. ¡°You¡¯re back atst! I nearly worried myself to death


    over the past few days. Are you alright?¡± asked Jolly.


    Rachel nodded. ¡°Yeah, everything went quite smoothly.¡±


    ¡°I saw the news.¡± Jolly hesitated to speak much since there were kids in the car. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna ask


    anything. It¡¯s fine as long as youe back safe and sound. Do you still have to get in touch with those


    people after this?¡±


    ¡°No, not anymore.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯d be great!¡± Jolly heaved a deep sigh of relief. ¡°That Dillon guy didn¡¯t seem like a nice guy


    at first nce, and I was afraid whenever you came into contact with him. My dad said that none of


    those rted to the Jockey Club are nice, after all. By the way, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re back. You know


    what? Justin had been pestering me over thest few days, which was damn annoying¡­¡±


    ¡°What business does he have with you?¡±


    ¡°He was asking me questions about you, of course. I wonder where he heard it from, but he kept


    saying that your present situation is dangerous.¡±


    As the two women were conversing, Samuel chimed in, ¡°He called just now, saying that he¡¯s going


    abroad for a few days and wants to see Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see him!¡± Charlotte was nestling in Rachel¡¯s arm at first, but her face tautened the


    instant she heard this. ¡°He¡¯s a bad daddy!¡±


    ¡°Charlotte.¡± Rachel frowned. ¡°You can¡¯t say that. He¡¯s your dad.¡±


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    ¡°He¡¯s not my daddy! He¡¯s gonna marry another woman and have new kids with her.¡±


    The furrows in Rachel¡¯s brow deepened, and she looked at the driver¡¯s seat in front of her.


    Jolly¡¯s innocent expression was reflected in the rearview mirror. She hastily denied, ¡°I didn¡¯t say


    anything! I never mentioned the photos again after thewsuit ended, nor did I say bad things about


    him.¡± Previously, Jolly had said a lot of bad things about Justin in secret in order for Charlotte to be


    willing to live with Rachel. It was for the same purpose that she and Hernandez had released the


    photos at the hearing without Rachel¡¯s knowledge.


    Upon recalling the photos, Rachel felt guilty toward Charlotte. ¡°Charlotte, the photos were staged. Your


    dad has never abandoned you.¡±


    However, Charlotte replied, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. Daddy promised me to get back together with you, only to


    date another woman in secret. He was lying to me. I don¡¯t want to see him anymore.¡±


    ¡°Be a good girl, Charlotte.¡± Rachel did some mental calctions. ¡°Your dad wille pick you up in a


    few days, so you can¡¯t behave like this anymore.¡± Even though Rachel had obtained Charlotte¡¯s


    custody, the court didn¡¯t deprive Justin of his visitation rights, so he coulde visit Charlotte every


    month.


    Jolly drove Rachel and the kids home.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back?¡±


    ¡°Leroy¡¯s gonna shoot themercial for our health beverage this afternoon, so I¡¯ve got to keep an eye


    on it.¡±


    ¡°How are things going on between you and Leroy now?¡± Rachel sized Jolly up. ¡°Could you two be


    dating for real?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®for real¡¯?¡± Jolly¡¯s face blushed all of a sudden. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°Why are you blushing, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not blushing! I-I¡¯m not gonna talk to you about it anymore!¡± Jolly was just being stubborn; despite


    the blush spreading from her face to the nape of her neck, she still refused to acknowledge her


    feelings. Instead, she stamped her foot down on the elerator and left the neighborhood as if she


    was fleeing from it.


    Samuel took Rachel¡¯s hand beside her and looked up, asking curiously, ¡°Mommy, is Godmother in a


    rtionship?¡±


    Rachelughed. ¡°Almost.¡± How could Jolly still be pretending when even the kids can tell there¡¯s


    something going on between her and Leroy? she thought. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go home.¡± With Samuel in


    one hand and Charlotte in the other, she entered the elevator while joking and chatting with them.


    ¡°Mommy, I want to eat egg noodles with tomatoes.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make it for you when we get back.¡±


    ¡°I want to eat chicken wings in Coke sauce!¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    The elevator door opened after the elevator reached the floor with a ¡®ding¡¯!


    As soon as the three stepped out of the elevator, Rachel saw the tall figure standing at the door to her


    apartment. Joking and chatting with the two kids at first, she was startled for a moment all of a sudden.


    ¡°Daddy?¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up in an instant, and she let go of Rachel¡¯s hand. However, just as she


    was about to step forward, she recalled something and mmed up, taking half a step back with her


    little leather shoes on.


    Rachel was surprised as well. ¡°Why are you h¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, she was greeted by a gust of wind. The next instant, she was


    embraced. Her back stiffened up, and she subconsciously began to struggle, only for the man to


    tighten his arms around her. His breathing sounded heavy in her ear, and the stubble on his unshaven


    chin prickled her neck, making her feel ufortable.


    ¡°Let go of me, Justin! What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Just a minute. Let me hold you tight for just a minute¡­¡± a deep, hoarse voice whispered weakly in her


    ear, like a person who had just recovered from a serious illness.


    Through the twoyers of clothes between them, Rachel could clearly hear the heartbeat in the man¡¯s


    chest. Thump! Thump! Thump! His heart was beating so irregrly as though it was going to jump out


    of his chest onto her.


    For some reason, Rachel¡¯s iling arms slowly fell to her sides.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 352

    My Mute Bride Chapter 352


    Chapter 352 It Was Me Who Wronged You First


    Rachel took a bottle of drinking water from the fridge. From across the breakfast bar in the kitchen, she


    saw Justin waiting in the living room.


    Charlotte seemed unwilling to talk to the man as she yed with her Lego pieces on her own. ¡°This


    piece is supposed to be here.¡±


    Charlotte knocked Justin¡¯s hand off before it could touch the Lego pieces. ¡°I like to put it here!¡± She


    looked high and mighty. ¡°I¡¯ll put it wherever I like! What does that have to do with you?¡±


    Rachel immediately came out with the bottle of water. ¡°Charlotte! You¡¯re not supposed to speak like


    that!¡±


    ¡°These are my Lego pieces!¡±


    ¡°These are the Lego pieces that your dad bought for you.¡±


    Charlotte was instantly stumped by Rachel¡¯s words.


    The atmosphere turned awkward all at once. Most of the toys in the apartment had been sent by Justin.


    Even though thewsuit had gotten very ugly, Justin didn¡¯t seem to take it to heart, and he had the toys


    delivered every now and then.


    Seeing Rachel knitting her brows as though she was going to give Charlotte a lecture, Justin


    immediately tried to ease the situation, saying, ¡°It¡¯s alright. They¡¯re Charlotte¡¯s.¡±


    Suddenly, Charlotte pushed over the half-finished Lego model with a crash and got up from the carpet.


    She said angrily, ¡°I¡¯m giving them back to you! This is my home! Who let you in?¡±


    Justin was stunned.


    ¡°Charlotte!¡± Rachel scowled at once. ¡°Who taught you to speak like that? Apologize to your dad!¡±


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    ¡°Why should I apologize? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Rachel was speechless with anger. That¡¯s why I¡¯d say this girl inherited Justin¡¯s temperament.


    She¡¯s damn stubborn and doesn¡¯t easily change her beliefs. To think that she had never mentioned a


    word about Justin since thewsuit ended!


    Charlotte then mmed her room door shut with a loud bang that shook the entire house.


    Samuel was ying games on the couch at first. At this moment, he hurriedly tossed his games


    console aside and ran over to Charlotte¡¯s room. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy. I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±


    Rachel felt deeply embarrassed as she and Justin were the only ones left in the living room. ¡°Sorry.


    Charlotte¡¯s been emotionally unstabletely.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable. I didn¡¯t do what I promised her.¡± Justin took a deep breath before slowly letting it


    out, looking somewhat dejected as he massaged his temples.


    Seeing how dejected the man looked, Rachel felt somewhat ufortable all of a sudden. It would be


    a lie if she said she didn¡¯t feel guilty at all about setting him up previously. However, she was bent on


    getting Charlotte¡¯s custody under the circumstances at the time. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to exin the photos to


    Charlotte. I¡¯m sorry about what happened earlier, but I don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    Justin replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. If I were you, I would¡¯ve gone even further.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you hate me?¡± blurted Rachel, only to regret it the instant the question escaped her lips. To ask


    him something like that makes it sound like I care about what he thinks of me.


    As she had expected, Justin seemed dumbfounded by her question. ¡°Why would I hate you?¡±


    Startled, Rachel was stumped by the man¡¯s words at once.


    Justin continued, ¡°It was me who wronged you first. You¡¯ve never wronged me; you only fought me for


    Charlotte¡¯s custody out of a mother¡¯s instincts. Even if you¡¯ve resorted to some means, it¡¯s just a part of


    being human. You¡¯ve never done anything wrong.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s feelings became increasingly mixed.


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s not talk about this. I have something to give you.¡± Justin took out a document and


    handed it to Rachel.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°The list of Burton Pharmaceuticals¡¯ technical personnel and clients.¡±


    Rachel paused for a moment as she flipped through the document. ¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard for Hudson Pharmaceuticals to start all over again, but I hope that you won¡¯t resort to


    desperate measures no matter what the difficulty is. Half of the clients here were around while you


    were still at Burton Pharmaceuticals. As for the technical personnel, you also know a lot of them


    personally.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± Rachel closed the document while pretending to give it back to Justin. He


    stopped her, though, saying, ¡°I only have a request. Stop dealing with those from the Jockey Club,


    including my uncle. It¡¯s only a matter of time before he gets investigated by the Riverdale Investigation


    Bureau.¡±


    Rachel was stunned. He¡¯d always thought that I had dealings with Jason and the others for Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve said everything I have to say.¡± Justin got up from the couch. ¡°I¡¯ll get going. I won¡¯t keep you


    any longer.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna say goodbye to Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯lle pick her up in a few days.¡± Justin threw a nce in the direction of Charlotte¡¯s bedroom.


    Despite his reluctance, he left.


    Rachel saw the man out of the apartment. As she saw him to the door, she suddenly said, ¡°Justin,


    since Charlotte hase back to me, just forget whatever happened in the past. Don¡¯t dwell too much


    on it.¡±


    Justin was startled. Just then, the elevator door slowly opened before him.


    Rachel reminded him. ¡°The elevator¡¯s here.¡±


    When Rachel closed the door and heard her cell phone ringing in the living room, she immediately


    hurried over and answered the phone. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°I just learned a piece of shocking news.¡± Jolly¡¯s voice sounded through the phone; she sounded so


    delighted as if she wished she could jump out of the phone¡¯s screen.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Check out the trending topics on the inte right now, and you¡¯ll see it.¡±


    ¡°Stop keeping me in suspense. Just spill it. I have to cook for the kids after this.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Jolly was someone who could hardly contain her emotions. She said immediately,


    ¡°Justin¡¯s been removed from his position as president of the Burton Group.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. The Burton Group announced that the board of directors had passed a motion to restructure


    thepany¡¯s shares. At the same time, Justin, the former president of thepany, has been


    removed and reced by a new president.¡±


    ¡°When did it happen?¡± Rachel asked while opening herptop to search for information about it. And


    sure enough, the instant she googled the term ¡°the Burton Group,¡± news of Justin being removed as


    president immediately popped up with all kinds of descriptions.


    Jolly replied, ¡°It was just announced this morning, but their board of directors must have held their


    meeting and passed the resolution a few days ago. I heard that not only was he removed from his


    position, but he also had most of his shares diluted, so now he doesn¡¯t have much say in thepany.


    Oh, right, I also heard that he¡¯s now been demoted to vice president and is having a hard time at the


    company.¡±


    Jolly also said something else, but Rachel was no longer listening to her words.


    Compared to what Jolly had said, thements on the inte were much harsher. Because of the


    previous scandal, Justin¡¯s reputation suffered a drastic decline. The furor over that matter hadn¡¯t died


    down yet, and now, his removal as the Burton Group¡¯s president was undoubtedly making a huge


    ssh.


    Rachel felt suffocated when she saw the different kinds of vicious remarks about the man on the


    inte. How did this happen? Isn¡¯t Justin Old Mr. Burton¡¯s favorite grandson? However displeased the


    board of directors was with him, Old Mr. Burton wouldn¡¯t have allowed such a situation to happen. This


    was far from what she had expected.


    ¡°Chris?¡± Jolly¡¯s voice sounded through the phone and snapped Rachel out of her thoughts. ¡°Why aren¡¯t


    you speaking? Are you dumbstruck or something?¡±


    ¡°Why was he removed as president? Was it because of the previous public outcry?¡±


    ¡°That was probably part of it. And besides, what happened to the Nortne development project


    caused him to lose the board of directors¡¯ support. But I heard that it was Old Mr. Burton himself who


    proposed removing Justin.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel was startled.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 353

    My Mute Bride Chapter 353


    Chapter 353 He Wasn¡¯t Drunk at the Time


    Old Mr. Burton proposed that himself? How is that possible? Rachel tightened her grip on her cell


    phone at once. ¡°Jolly,e back as soon as possible. I need to go out.¡±


    Rachel hung up before Jolly could finish her sentence. Then, she picked up her car keys and left home


    without having the time to tell Samuel and Charlotte about it. Because of what had happened to Hans


    and Nancy, she had been unable to get along calmly with Justin, for she couldn¡¯t help feeling that doing


    so would be a betrayal to them.


    But at the end of the day, she was the actual root of what had happened five years ago. If only the fire


    didn¡¯t break out over 20 years ago; if only I didn¡¯t save the abducted Justin back then; if only Justin


    didn¡¯t get abducted; if only¡­ Unfortunately, there¡¯s no way to turn back time.


    Hearing the sound of the door being closed outside, Samuel turned to look at Charlotte in the bedroom,


    saying, ¡°Mommy¡¯s gone as well. What happened to Justin is so terrible. He¡¯s been removed from his


    position in thepany. From now on, he¡¯s no longer the Burton Group¡¯s president. He¡¯s penniless,


    and he lost both his daughter and his wife.¡± He threw up his hands and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s too


    bad.¡±


    Charlotte was startled at first before her eyes lit up the next instant. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so great about it?¡± Samuel was in disbelief. ¡°Do you hate him that much? He¡¯s your dad, after


    all! Don¡¯t you feel sorry for him now that he¡¯s in such misery?¡±


    ¡°I believe that Daddy¡¯s gonna be fine. I¡¯m happy because Mommy must have gone to him. There¡¯s still


    hope!¡±


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    ¡°There¡¯s still hope?¡± Samuel stared at Charlotte with a look of confusion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You dummy! Mommy will care about Daddy, of course, so they¡¯ll have a chance to make up, which


    means we still have a chance to not be the kids of a single parent.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you hate your dad? You weren¡¯t friendly to him just now.¡±


    ¡°That was just a ploy!¡± Charlotte folded her arms across her chest. ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice that Mommy¡¯s


    attitude toward Daddy improved visibly after I did so?¡±


    Samuel was startled before he realized what had actually happened. ¡°So you¡¯ve been yacting these


    days?¡±


    ¡°Not entirely. I was quite angry at first.¡± When Charlotte saw the photos, she had nearly believed that


    Justin was dating another woman, but on second thoughts, she realized that Justin couldn¡¯t possibly


    have done that. ¡°Amber stayed around my dad for so long, but he rarely paid attention to her. The


    woman in the photos looked vulgar at first nce, so there¡¯s no way my dad would take a fancy to her!¡±


    ¡°In that case, why have you been downcast over thest few days?¡±


    ¡°I was worried! The two of them are simply too worrying!¡± Charlotte shook her head helplessly like an


    adult in the body of a child.


    Samuel was stunned. He had thought it strange that Charlotte had turned against Justin so quickly.


    After all, Justin had brought Charlotte up ever since she was little. For a time, though, he had thought


    this was just what Charlotte¡¯s temper was like. ¡°Even I was fooled by your acting.¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t mean it. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Having inherited Rachel¡¯s virtues perfectly, Charlotte blinked her pretty


    and innocent eyes at Samuel, making him reluctant to criticize her.


    Samuel hemmed. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll forgive you. What are you gonna do now, then?¡±


    ¡°One step at a time. We mustn¡¯t be hasty now,¡± Charlotte said with a thoughtful expression. This time,


    I¡¯ve got toe up with a good idea. I can¡¯t keeping up with lousy ideas again like I used to.


    Meanwhile, Rachel drove to the Burton Residence alone.


    Justin had just arrived home when the doorbell rang outside. When he opened the door and saw


    Rachel, he was very surprised; he even thought he was hallucinating. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    Rachel looked at the man, but all of a sudden, she found herself unable to ask the question she had


    originally wanted to ask. After being silent for a long time, she replied, ¡°I left something in your guest


    room previously, so I came here to look for it.¡±


    Justin was startled before his eyes flickered with suspicion. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. I¡¯ll go look for it,¡± Rachel said while going upstairs.


    Rachel had basically taken all her stuff away with her from the guest room, leaving only a few toys on


    the table.


    ¡°Did you find it?¡± Justin came upstairs after her. ¡°What is it that you¡¯re looking for? Do you need help?¡±


    Rachel picked up something without thinking. ¡°No, it¡¯s not necessary. I found it. This is it.¡±


    ¡°You mean this?¡± Justin looked at the pink ribbon hair clip in her hand with surprise in his eyes. ¡°You


    came here just to look for this?¡± Charlotte must have a drawer full of such hair clips, he thought.


    Rachel put on a bold front and replied, ¡°Charlotte suddenly asked for this one specifically, but I couldn¡¯t


    find it at home. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here to take it.¡±


    Justin folded his arms across his chest while studying Rachel¡¯s expression. ¡°Actually, you¡¯re not very


    good at lying.¡±


    Rachel was startled.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why not have a cup of tea?¡± Justin turned around and went downstairs, leaving


    Rachel alone in the room in embarrassment.


    Rachel went out after him with the hair clip in her hand. ¡°I¡¯m really here for this. I gotta go.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that you didn¡¯te here to look for this. Just have a cup of tea before leaving.¡±


    Five minutester, the water boiled. Justin poured hot water into the ss teapot and brewed tea with


    adept movements. ¡°You used to make tea for me, but you¡¯ve never drunk the tea I made, right? Come


    on, try it.¡±


    Rachel wasn¡¯t in the mood for tea, though, so she didn¡¯t taste anything despite drinking the cup of tea.


    ¡°How does it taste?¡±


    ¡°Pretty good.¡± Rachel hesitated for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you that Hudson Pharmaceuticals has a


    development site near Westhill Golf Club. We don¡¯t have enough funds to develop that piece ofnd,


    so I¡¯d like to ask you if you¡¯re interested in buying it.¡±


    Justin paused for a moment while pouring tea. ¡°How much money do you need? I have a friend who¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to ask for investment. I¡¯d like to transfer thend¡¯s ownership to the Burton Group. Well,


    that piece ofnd isn¡¯tparable to the development site at Nortne, but it¡¯s got good potential. It¡¯s


    suitable for building a holiday resort. In particr, it can be integrated with Westhill Golf Club to create


    an all-in-one facility for recreation and entertainment¡­¡± Rachel borated on the development project


    on her own.


    Justin put down his tea cup. ¡°Rachel, since you could talk about the project in such detail, you must


    have made a development n, right? And perhaps the development n has passed the risk


    assessment?¡±


    Rachel was startled.


    Justin hit the nail on the head, saying, ¡°Hudson Pharmaceuticals isn¡¯t short of capital now; itcks


    resources. If you give this to me, you¡¯re gonna have a hard time answering to thepany¡¯s board of


    directors.¡±


    No matter what Rachel said, he didn¡¯t give in to her persuasion.


    Rachel decided to stop beating around the bush with him. She said with a frown, ¡°I saw the news.


    You¡¯ve been removed as president.¡±


    Justin looked impassive without the slightest change in countenance.


    Rachel continued, ¡°I don¡¯t like to owe anyone favors. I got thend in Nortne by setting you up, so


    I¡¯m giving another piece ofnd to you in return.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pointless even if you give thend back to me. The motion to remove me as president has been


    passed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because your grandpa is displeased with me; he is being mad at you because he thinks you¡¯ve


    been deceived by me. If you go back to him now with a piece ofnd, once his anger cools, you¡¯ll still


    be able¡ª¡±


    ¡°Rachel.¡± Justin suddenly looked at her. ¡°It¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    His words brought Rachel up short all at once.


    Justin said in an impassive voice, ¡°I signed the document willingly. I wasn¡¯t drunk at the time.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Rachel¡¯s pupils shrank slightly. How was that possible? I evenced his drink with a


    psychedelic drug in addition to the alcohol that day!


    Justin replied, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can recite the contents of that document right now.¡± He had


    always had a photographic memory for documents since he was little, so he remembered every word


    written on the contract. He had read and understood every use before signing his name with a clear


    mind.


    All of a sudden, Rachel¡¯s mind went nk.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 354

    My Mute Bride Chapter 354


    Chapter 354 He Wasn¡¯t Drugged at All


    ¡°If you knew everything, then why did you sign it?¡± Rachel¡¯s voice reverberated around therge


    mansion as she didn¡¯t understand why. Justin replied, ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ll give you whatever I can if you


    want.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to!¡± Rachel stood up all of a sudden. ¡°Justin, do you know that there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll forget


    what happened back then even if you do this?¡±


    ¡°I know, but what was wrong was wrong. You¡¯re under no obligation to forgive me, and whatever I¡¯ve


    done for you, it¡¯s not for the purpose of begging for forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you doing, then?¡±


    ¡°Just trying to ease my conscience as much as I could.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rachel felt her temples throbbing, and she got emotional all at once. The fact that


    Justin wasn¡¯t drunk when he signed the document had thrown her off bnce. A momentter, she


    clenched her fists and got into a temper all of a sudden.


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    Justin stood up as Rachel stormed out of the house and mmed the door behind her. After the sound


    of the car engine faded into the distance, he withdrew his gaze and sat down again. I told her I¡¯m doing


    all this to ease my conscience, but how can I do so when she¡¯s never gonna be able to forgive me?


    When Rachel got home, it was totally dark outside. The living room smelled of pizza, which Charlotte


    and Samuel were eating voraciously.


    Rachel walked past them and went straight back into her bedroom as though she hadn¡¯t seen them.


    Then, she mmed the door shut with a loud bang that shook the entire house.


    Samuel shuddered before whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t you think Mommy¡¯s in a bad mood right now?¡±


    Charlotte nodded. ¡°Obviously.¡±


    Just then, Jolly heard the loud bang and came out of the bathroom. ¡°Why close the door so loudly,


    Chris? You startled me.¡± However, it wasn¡¯t until she came out that she realized Rachel wasn¡¯t in the


    living room. ¡°Where¡¯s your mom?¡±


    Charlotte and Samuel pouted their lips toward Rachel¡¯s bedroom in unison.


    Samuel said, ¡°She seems very angry.¡±


    Charlotte nodded in agreement.


    Jolly was startled. ¡°What for? She was fine when I left. I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±


    At this moment, Rachel was lying face down motionlessly on the bed in her bedroom.


    Jolly knocked on the door. ¡°Chris, I¡¯ming in.¡±


    Only then did Rachel get up sluggishly and weakly as if she was lethargic.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You look so pale.¡± When Jolly entered the room and saw how Rachel looked,


    she thought thetter was sick. Immediately, she touched her forehead, saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have a


    fever. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Can we return thend in Nortne back to the Burton Group?¡±


    ¡°Return thend to the Burton Group? What are you thinking?¡± Jolly¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°It took


    us a lot of effort to get our hands on that piece ofnd. Construction has started on that site, and even


    the groundbreaking ceremony has ended. And now you want to return thend back to the Burton


    Group and bring all our efforts to naught?¡±


    Rachel also knew that it was impossible. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have offered to give Justin another


    piece ofnd at his ce just now.


    ¡°Fess up to me. Who did you go to meet?¡±


    ¡°Justin. I wanted to transfer another piece of Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯nd to him as a little


    compensation.¡±


    ¡°I just knew it!¡± Jolly said sullenly. ¡°What did that *sshole say to you? Did he y the victim to gain your


    sympathy or something? I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m not gonna believe every single word he says! This guy¡¯s


    mind is too hard to read.¡±


    Rachel had aplicated look on her face. ¡°He refused.¡±


    Jolly was startled. ¡°He refused?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    ¡°Well, it seems like he still has some conscience in him. Chris, how could you be so softhearted? Have


    you forgotten how he hurt you five years ago? You were almost dead when I met you. Someone like


    him doesn¡¯t deserve sympathy.¡±


    ¡°I know that, but he was actually sober when we tricked him into signing the document at the hotel that


    day.¡± At the thought of this, Rachel felt so suffocated as though there was arge boulder on her chest.


    It was fine if Justin really was as shrewd and scheming as Jolly said, but he had willingly walked into


    the trap knowing that she was setting him up.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡± Jolly raised her voice upon hearing this. ¡°Did he tell you that?¡±


    ¡°He remembers all the uses of the contract.¡±


    ¡°Chris, are you dumb? The construction on the Nortne development site has started, and the


    transfer agreement has been approved by all the departments, so it¡¯s no longer a secret. Would it be


    difficult for him to get his hands on it?¡±


    Rachel was startled.


    ¡°And besides, the drug I gave you acted fast, and it¡¯d definitely take effect within ten minutes. He


    couldn¡¯t possibly be sober at the time.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course! Why would I lie to you? I have plenty of such drugs.¡±


    ¡°Then why would he say that?¡±


    ¡°Why else? To get your sympathy, that¡¯s why! Didn¡¯t you just nearly give him a piece ofnd? I reckon


    he¡¯d turn up his nose at other pieces ofnd, though. Pester you for a few more days, and you¡¯ll give


    the Nortne development site back to him, along with the construction team! We¡¯ll be making idiots of


    ourselves by then!¡±


    The furrows in Rachel¡¯s brow deepened as she listened to Jolly¡¯s analysis. Indeed, this is more like


    Justin¡¯s style of doing things. What¡¯s the use of giving him something else aspensation? Only by


    getting the Nortne development site back would he stand his best chance of turning the tables now!


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She clenched her fists. To think that he¡¯s still scheming even now!


    Jolly patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it anymore. Come on, let¡¯s go out and eat. I ordered


    some pizza.¡±


    Rachel came to her senses. ¡°Don¡¯t eat this. I¡¯ll make dinner for you guys.¡±


    ¡°You just have to make dinner for them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re back, I¡¯ll be going out. I¡¯ve got something to do.¡±


    Rachel looked Jolly up and down. ¡°Something to do? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t ask about it! I gotta go.¡±


    Jolly went straight out and got back into her room to change her clothes with apparent joy. After


    changing her clothes, she looked at herself in the mirror. Feeling that the handbag she was carrying


    didn¡¯t really match her dress, she got herself another handbag and was satisfied, so she emptied out


    the contents of the handbag she usually carried, scattering herpact foundation, lipsticks, keys, and


    card holder all over the bed. After picking a few items and shoving them into the new handbag, she


    suddenly spotted a transparent pillbox among the misceneous items out of the corner of her eye.


    Seeing the pillbox, Jolly was startled for a moment. Why is this pillbox here? I personally handed this to


    Chris and had herce Justin¡¯s drink with it when they met up for the Nortne development project


    earlier!


    Suddenly, she realized something and rummaged through the pile of misceneous items. And sure


    enough, the white box that she used to keep her vitamin pills in was gone.


    Oh, my God! cing her hand on the bed for support, Jolly sat down with incredibly mixed feelings. So


    Justin was really sober that day¡ªwell, at least he was sober while signing the document. He wasn¡¯t


    drugged at all, and I only managed to get him into the hotel room for that ¡°encounter¡± because he


    passed out after Rachel made him drunk!


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    She clutched the pillbox in her hand. After hesitating for a while, she got up and threw the pillbox into


    the trash can. No, I can¡¯t let Rachel know this. She¡¯s easily moved to pity. If she knows that Justin was


    telling the truth, she¡¯ll definitely feel sorry for him. It¡¯s better to just live with the slipup and make the


    best of it.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 355

    My Mute Bride Chapter 355


    Chapter 355 Prickly Hedgehog


    Half a month went by. One morning, Rachel brought the two children downstairs, preparing to send


    them to school. ¡°Charlotte, hurry up. You¡¯re going to bete.¡±


    ¡°Wait for me, Mommy, I want to braid my hair.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not enough time.¡± Rachel was exasperated.


    ¡°You¡¯re definitely going to bete if you braid it.¡±


    Charlotte immediately became unhappy upon hearing that.


    ¡°Pouting won¡¯t work. I asked you to wake up earlier this morning, but you had to insist on sleeping in.


    Whose fault is that? Anyway, it¡¯s time to go. Now.¡± Rachel nced at her watch. ¡°I still have a meeting


    to attendter. We¡¯re really out of time.¡±


    Samuel also looked like he still wasn¡¯t awake yet as he held Rachel¡¯s hand and followed her to the


    elevator. They were immediately greeted by a ck car the moment they exited their apartment


    complex¡ªit was Justin¡¯s car.


    Justin was looking at his watch as he leaned against his car. When he saw Rachel, he stepped toward


    her. ¡°I thought that I waste and already missed you three.¡±


    Rachel was a little stunned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you were going to pick Charlotte upter tonight after


    school?¡±


    ording to the court¡¯s verdict, Justin could take Charlotte every Friday night to spend the weekend


    with him. However, Charlotte didn¡¯t ept the olive branch Justin offered her. Even now, she was still


    upset with him. Although more than a month had passed, the only thing she would agree to was dinner


    with Justin every Friday night.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have anything on my schedule today, and I just so happened to be in the area. Let me send


    you to your destination.¡±


    Before Rachel could answer, Samuel was already squinting in concentration while scrambling into the


    back of Justin¡¯s car. He even put his safety belt on before his head tilted to the side as he fell asleep


    again. All his actions seemed like he was sleepwalking.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t possibly get Samuel to get out of the car at this point. With no other choice, she


    agreed. ¡°Charlotte, get in the car.¡±


    Charlotte looked unwilling and decided to kick up a fuss. ¡°I don¡¯t like ck cars. I like red ones better.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s car was red.


    Charlotte was typically a reasonable girl, but the moment she saw Justin, she was like a prickly little


    cactus, repeatedly pricking him. The saying that daughters were daddy¡¯s girls waspletely untrue


    here. This ¡°daddy¡¯s girl¡± was more like a hedgehog.


    Justin frowned. ¡°Charlotte.¡±


    Charlotte folded her arms, disgust on her face.


    In the end, Rachel couldn¡¯t take the sight anymore and unkindly put a stop to Charlotte¡¯s antic. ¡°Red


    cars? Stop being so unreasonable. You¡¯ve been taking the taxi to school this entire week. Were any of


    them red?¡±


    Charlotte had noeback for this. Her little face was tense, her cheeks puffed out.


    Rachel¡¯s voice then softened. ¡°Alright now, get in. I¡¯ll braid your hair for you in the car.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really. I¡¯ll count to three. If you still haven¡¯t gotten into the car and put on your safety belt by then, then


    I won¡¯t braid your hair.¡± With that, Rachel began to stick her fingers up and count. ¡°One, two¡­¡±


    Before she could finish saying ¡®three,¡¯ Charlotte had already smoothly climbed into the back seat and


    put on her safety belt. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m done!¡±


    Rachel nodded, satisfied, before looking at Justin apologetically. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The car left the residential district and trundled onto the main street. Since Rachel and the children


    were in the back, they were visible in the rearview mirror. Rachel was in the middle of braiding


    Charlotte¡¯s hair.


    Justin¡¯s hands loosely gripped the steering wheel, his fingers long and slender, and his knuckles


    prominent. He nced at the mirror before asking, ¡°Why have you been taking taxis recently? Where¡¯s


    your car?¡±


    ¡°Sent to the workshop for maintenance,¡± Rachel answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly easy for you to pick up the kids then.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely inconvenient during the morning and evening traffic jams, especially when both kids have


    finished school for the day. Fortunately, Victor would sometimes pick them up and bring them back by


    subway.¡±


    ¡°The subway?¡± Justin was taken aback. ¡°Did Charlotte agree to take the subway?¡±


    This pampered girl had been raised like a princess since she was little. She had never once taken


    public transport. Whenever she went out of the house, she would be escorted by a horde of attendants.


    She would wish for nothing more than for the cars to make way for her.


    ¡°Quit looking down on me.¡± Charlotte¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°I like taking the subway. It¡¯s amazing! It just


    goes ¡®whoosh whoosh whoosh,¡¯ and then I¡¯m home. It¡¯s way faster than a car.¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Rachel exined patiently. ¡°But this is how normal people live. You¡¯ve


    never experienced it before, so maybe you find it unthinkable, but this isn¡¯t a big deal.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s really inconvenient when you have the children with you.¡±


    Justin might not take public transport himself, but he did know about the crowds at least. Just watching


    the news was enough to make him aware of how crowded the subway could be during the morning and


    evening rush hours. Coincidentally, Justin drove by a subway station. There were scores of bicycles


    and motorcycles parked by the entrance to the station. The volume of people there was truly


    frightening.


    Rachel didn¡¯t think much of it. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Everything will be okay once the workshop tells me that my car


    is ready.¡±


    The car came to a stop by the school¡¯s entrance. Justin and Rachel then walked with the children past


    the school gates.


    Upon seeing Samuel¡¯s sleepy face, Rachel rubbed his cheeks. ¡°Wake up, it¡¯s time for school!¡±


    It was then that Samuel reluctantly opened his eyes. Out of habit, he took Charlotte¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    After watching the children walk further inside the school, Rachel eyed her watch and frowned. ¡°I need


    to go. I still have a meeting to attend.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you there,¡± Justin offered.


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll just get a taxi.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too far from here. I¡¯m already here now anyway. It¡¯s not worth avoiding me just to bete for


    your meeting now, is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding you.¡± Rachel nced at him. After hesitating a moment, she caved. ¡°Sorry to bother


    you for that car ride then.¡±


    ¡°Hop in.¡±


    The school was only a few kilometers away from Hudson Pharmaceuticals, so the trip was only a mere


    ten minutes. Just as Rachel was about to alight from the car after they arrived, she heard loud noises


    from outside. She could see through the window that a group of people were holding banners above


    their heads outside of thepany building while yelling about something. Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯


    security guards had shown up.


    ¡°Thanks for the ride.¡± Rachel hastily got out of the car and dashed over in her high heels.


    Justin thought that something was off, so he quickly followed her out of the car as well.


    The crowd outside of thepany entrance wasposed of young girls and women, all of them


    bearing banners and LED signs. The words ¡®Get Out of Riverdale, Jolly Carter¡¯ on those signs were


    especially noticeable.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jolly Carter? Get her here. We want to see her for ourselves!¡±


    ¡°That woman has the guts to do what she did but not the guts to own up to her actions. Does she think


    that we Leroy fans are toothless things?¡±


    The few security guards by the entrance did their best to hold off the crowd of women while yelling into


    their megaphones. ¡°If you keep this up, we¡¯re going to call the police!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Call them, then. You think we¡¯re scared?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m telling you guys now¡ªwe¡¯ve hired the bestwyer we could get. If you don¡¯t


    hand that shameless woman over, we¡¯re going to sue Hudson Pharmaceuticals too!¡±


    Rachel saw all of this when she ran over. She immediately grabbed the closest girl to her and asked,


    ¡°What happened here?¡±


    ¡°You must be one of the employees here. You should resign and stop working at this ce. Their


    CEO¡¯s assistant is absolutely outrageous. She attempted to trap celebrities in a casting couch deal


    through the guise of work!¡± the girl eximed.


    ¡°CEO¡¯s assistant? Casting couch? Wait, who did you say was conducting casting couch deals again?¡±


    Rachel waspletely lost.


    ¡°This woman.¡± The girl pointed at her LED board. ¡°Jolly Carter. Her own personal life¡¯s a mess, and she


    still wanted to drag our Leroy into a casting couch deal!¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡±


    ¡°How is it not? Someone in our fanmunity saw it with their own eyes. The photos were even


    posted!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible either. Jolly¡¯s not that kind of person.¡±


    ¡°How do you know what kind of person she is?¡±


    Rachel frowned. ¡°Because she¡¯s my assistant!¡±


    The moment those words were said, the girl froze. All of a sudden, she grabbed hold of Rachel.


    ¡°Everyone, look! It¡¯s the CEO of Hudson Pharmaceuticals! Jolly Carter is her assistant!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 356

    My Mute Bride Chapter 356


    Chapter 356 Mistake Born of Drunkenness


    The moment the girl yelled, the rabble immediately all turned around, their gazesnding squarely upon


    Rachel. That¡¯s Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ CEO.¡±


    ¡°She even defended her subordinate and twisted the facts just now.¡± ¡°Grab her and take her to the


    police.¡±


    The baffling words kept pouring in. Rachel¡¯s expression shifted. By the time she realized her gaffe, it


    was already toote. This mob of insane fans would not listen to any exnation as they surged


    toward Rachel in fury. She immediately took a few steps back, but the heel of her shoe got stuck in a


    crack in the ground. She gave a surprised yell as she toppled backward.


    Justin¡¯s arrival was timely, as he managed to catch her just in time.


    Rachel was stunned. She could see Justin¡¯s gaze the moment she looked up from his arms. Before


    she could respond, Justin pulled her behind himself, shielding her. He blocked the rest of the mob by


    himself as he rebuked them. ¡°Who here dares to take another step forward?¡±


    His full height of over six feet was especially noticeable among the crowd of girls. The chilliness


    emanating from his gaze was enough to make some of the girls shudder. However, they had the


    advantage of numbers, after all. A girl with an LED board in the center of the mob immediately


    answered angrily, ¡°She was willing to defend her own assistant when that assistant was ensnaring


    male celebrities into casting couch deals. She¡¯s ruining the name of the entertainment industry.


    Shouldn¡¯t people like her be shunned and shamed? Who are you anyway? Why are you still protecting


    her? Are you in league with her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you must be working with her!¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression did not change when he was faced with the mob¡¯s fury. ¡°The details of the situation


    still aren¡¯t clear yet. Even if it¡¯s exactly as you said, does that give you any right to attack and hit


    others? Then what are the police and court for?¡± he asked coldly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that we don¡¯t know they have been colluding with Hudson Pharmaceuticals. You¡¯ve already


    bribed them!¡±


    ¡°Girls, don¡¯t be tricked by their words. None of these capitalist pigs are good people!¡±


    ¡°We want Hudson Pharmaceuticals to put out a statement!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare think of leaving without putting out that statement!¡±


    ¡°Hand Jolly Carter over!¡±


    The mob¡¯s rage grew intense by the second. The security could not stop these insane fans who were


    seeing red. The only thing Justin could do to ensure Rachel¡¯s safety was to take her and run.


    ¡°They¡¯re escaping!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Stop running!¡±


    ¡°Get Jolly Carter out here!¡±


    As the mob yelled, Justin bundled himself and Rachel into his car and quickly left the scene by driving


    back out onto the street.


    Rachel pped a hand over the safety belt crossing her chest. Her breaths were quick, shallow. ¡°No, I


    have to go back.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll just get in more trouble if you go back now. I just got the security to call the police. We¡¯ll figure


    out our next move once the situation is under control for now.¡±


    ¡°Can we even get it under control? What if someone gets hurt?¡±


    ¡°The police will be here soon. Don¡¯t overthink it. In fact, you should get in touch with Jolly and ask her


    what¡¯s going on.¡±


    It was only then that Rachel¡¯s wits returned to her. She had been so frustrated and angry earlier by the


    crowd. She hastily pulled out her phone and dialed Jolly¡¯s number.


    The call took a long time to go through. Azy,nguid voice could be heard over the speakers atst;


    Jolly clearly still wasn¡¯t fully awake yet. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Were you still asleep? Where are you now?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Jolly pressed a hand to her head, which was throbbing painfully. The hotel room¡¯s crystal


    chandelier greeted her when she opened her eyes. ¡°A hotel.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re alone?¡±


    ¡°What kind of weird question is that? Of course I¡¯m alone.¡± Jolly yawned. ¡°I had too much to drinkst


    night, and I was worried that I would wake you guys if I went back, so I ended up staying at a hotel. I


    asked for the morning off, so I won¡¯t be going to work. My head hurts¡­ I¡¯m about 80% f*cking sure that


    I drank some fake swill¡ªmy head¡¯s about to burst.¡± She rambled on and on, but she was still drowsy.


    Rachel was well andpletely at a loss for words. ¡°You asked for time off? Go take a look at the


    news online, then tell me if you still want that morning off.¡±


    ¡°What news?¡±


    ¡°Take a look yourself. I just sent you the link.¡±


    Jolly was reluctant to do so, but she forced herself to open one eye fully and look at her phone. She


    shot right out of bed the next moment.


    ¡°I forced Leroy Bet to sleep with me using my position as brand manager?¡± Jolly instantly woke up


    fully when she read the content of the article. She began cursing as she stood on her bed. ¡°Which


    media outlet wrote this? Dig up their name¡ªI¡¯m going to make them shut down right now!¡±


    ¡°Calm down a little.¡±


    ¡°How can I calm down? This is an insult to me as a person!¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you then: where is Leroy now?¡±


    ¡°How would I know?¡±


    The moment Jolly said that, the door to the bathroom slid open. Someone emerged from the bathroom.


    He had just finished showering, so a towel hung from his hips, and his hair was still damp. The man


    was in the middle of towel-drying his hair when he suddenly froze on the spot and looked up in shock.


    Right now, Jolly was in her birthday suit as she stood on the bed.


    Their gazes met for a moment.


    ¡°Aaaahh¡ª!¡± Jolly suddenly let out a piercing shriek. As she chucked a pillow at the man, she grabbed


    the nket on the bed to cover herself.


    Since he hadn¡¯t been prepared for that, the pillow hit Leroy. However, the beautiful, tititing scene from


    earlier remained in his mind. His mind buzzed as red instantly colored his handsome face.


    ¡°Why are you in my room!¡± Jolly pointed at his nose. ¡°How did you get in here?¡±


    ¡°You had too much to drinkst night, so I brought you back here. Don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    ¡°You brought me here?¡± Jolly pressed a hand to her forehead, but she couldn¡¯t remember any of this


    happening. ¡°So why didn¡¯t you leave after you brought me back to my room?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t let me leave?¡±


    ¡°How? You just said that I drank too much!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Leroy shrugged. His eyes were clear and bright under his damp hair as he looked at her, an


    innocent look on his face. ¡°You kept clinging to me the entire night. I couldn¡¯t pull you off no matter what


    I did.¡±


    ¡°No way? You took advantage of me, and now you¡¯re trying to paint me as the one at fault, aren¡¯t you? I


    was so blind. I¡¯vepletely misjudged you! And here I thought you were a good person!¡±


    Leroy immediately took out his phone to exin. ¡°I was worried that you wouldn¡¯t believe me, so I took


    a video.¡±


    ¡°You even took a video?¡± Jolly snatched Leroy¡¯s phone over at lightning speed. ¡°Password!¡± she barked


    irritatedly.


    ¡°Your birthday.¡±


    Jolly¡¯s expression changed when she heard that, but she still entered her birthday, albeit doubtfully. The


    next second, the phone unlocked, just as Leroy had said.


    Typically, hardly anyone would willingly allow someone else to check something as private as their


    phone. Leroy, however, looked like he didn¡¯t mind as he let Jolly go through everything.


    Jolly navigated her way tost night¡¯s video roll. The moment she opened the aforementioned video,


    she saw her face.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have too much to drink. I¡¯m telling you, we can still go for another round. Come on, I told you


    before that you got to live life to the fullest. Don¡¯t just film movies all the time. That¡¯s so boring. Live a


    little! Urk¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hold it in for a bit. I¡¯ll get a bin for you.¡±


    Unfortunately, a drunk would not listen to others.


    For some reason, the video after that inexplicably became ¡°tense.¡± Jolly felt like she couldn¡¯t stand it


    anymore.


    ¡°Are you a pervert? Are you trying to ckmail me by recording this?¡±


    ¡°No, I swear I wasn¡¯t trying to ckmail you.¡± Leroy put his arms in the air. ¡°I was just worried that you


    would think that I did something to you, so I recorded that video to prove my innocence. Nothing


    happened between us at allst night.¡±


    Jolly reflexively looked down. Then, how did my clothes get removed?

 My Mute Bride Chapter 357

    My Mute Bride Chapter 357


    Chapter 357 Proof That Can¡¯t Get More Iron-d Than This


    ¡°One of the hotel staff helped you to change your clothes,¡± Leroy immediately exined, having


    instantly figured out Jolly¡¯s thoughts. ¡°You threw up over yourself. Your clothes weren¡¯t in a wearable


    condition.¡±


    Jolly gradually calmed down then. In truth, she had known Leroy for some time now. Although she had


    initially gotten in touch with him out of ulterior motives, as she spent more time with him, she realized


    that he was actually a pretty straightforward person, to the point where he was a little nd. He was


    largely different from other celebrities in showbiz.


    Just as he was speaking, Leroy¡¯s phone buzzed.


    ¡°Hello? What?¡± Leroy suddenly nced at Jolly, aplicated look in his eyes. ¡°My phone was on


    silent, so I didn¡¯t hear it earlier.¡±


    Jolly had no idea what the caller said, but Leroy walked straight to the window, pulling aside part of the


    curtain to look down before he quickly pulled the curtain back in ce.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Still with the nket wrapped around her, Jolly could sense that something was not right.


    ¡°Someone snapped photos of usst night. Right now, reporters and fans are swarming the hotel¡¯s


    lower floors. We can¡¯t leave for now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jolly promptly got out of bed with the nket still wrapped around her and dashed over to the


    window to take a look. The hotel itself was rather tall, so the crowd gathered below looked like a dark


    swarm of ants. But even with the sheer height, Jolly could still see that it was a sizable crowd. ¡°What


    should we do?¡±


    ¡°My manager¡¯s rushing over this instant. Let¡¯s wait first.¡±


    ¡°Wait? For how long? When are we going to get out?¡± Jolly clenched the nket. ¡°I¡¯ve got a reputation


    to uphold. I don¡¯t want to go down in mes with all this nder hurled at me. Where¡¯s my phone?¡± She


    only thought of her phone at that moment.


    ¡°On the bed,¡± Leroy answered. When Jolly saw Leroy emerge from the bathroom earlier, she had


    tossed her phone aside as she shrieked.


    That phone¡­ Jolly rushed over and picked her phone up. Sure enough, the call was still ongoing.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Jolly coughed awkwardly. ¡°Chris, are you still there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°So then, everything earlier¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard it all.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t hide anything. ¡°Jolly, if I were one of Leroy¡¯s fans, I¡¯d charge over to the


    hotel and rip the door right off its hinges before pulling out all your hair. Nothing happened at all


    between a single man and a single woman? Who¡¯s going to buy that?¡±


    Even though Jolly¡¯s phone had been on the whole time and she heard their conversation, Rachel still


    had her doubts. She didn¡¯t doubt Leroy¡¯s character; she doubted Jolly¡¯s ability to hold her alcohol.


    Jolly knew her shorings. ¡°That¡ªChris, rx, I¡¯ll be sure to handle this properly. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll


    take care of it myself.¡±


    ¡°How are you going to take care of it? Are you going to go out butt naked to do so?¡±


    At that, Jolly awkwardly lowered her head to look at herself before pulling the nket higher up her


    chest.


    ¡°Stay at the hotel. Don¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯ll bring you a change of clothes,¡± Rachel said.


    Jolly let out a breath of relief. ¡°You¡¯re a good friend. I shalle to your aid one day; I guarantee that!¡±


    ¡°How are you still in the mood to crack jokes?¡± Rachel was practically speechless. After she hung up,


    she spoke to Justin. ¡°Please send me home.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s in apletely different direction from the hotel,¡± Justin pointed out.


    ¡°I know, but I need to go back home and grab some clothes for Jolly.¡±


    ¡°Such a pain. Do you have a nanny waiting at home?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The Burton Group is fairly close to your home. I¡¯ll get Frankie to get the clothes and meet us at the


    hotel.¡±


    Rachel paused before nodding. Right now, that was the most efficient way to deliver the clothes.


    Half an hourter, Rachel and Justin arrived at the hotel. The crowd of reporters and fans by the


    entrance was a huge, dark mass. There weren¡¯t any less of them here than at Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals.


    Justin drove the car straight to the underground parking lot. The hotel¡¯s security was tight, for there


    were guards posted by the parking lot¡¯s elevators. Without a key card from the hotel, no one was


    allowed to go up. Despite that, there were still plenty of people gathered in the parking lot. Even when


    she got out of the car and walked to the elevator, Rachel could see there were reporters in cars with


    cameras of various sizes. All of them were camping for a potential shot.


    If they were to snap a photo of Leroy and Jolly right now, the traffic to the media outlets they worked for


    would skyrocket.


    Rachel had exined her reasons to be here, so the hotel manager personally came over and brought


    her and Justin upstairs. Inside the elevator, Justin¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Even if they¡¯re here just to drive


    clicks, they didn¡¯t have to cause such a huge mess.¡±


    ¡°You noticed it too?¡± Rachel frowned slightly. ¡°I could tell at a nce that they were all organized. I think


    things aren¡¯t as simple as they seem.¡±


    Fans had gathered at Hudson Pharmaceuticals, and at the same time, reporters were also camping out


    at Jolly¡¯s hotel. Why did these two incidents coincidentally happen at the same time? Obviously, there


    was someone deliberately stirring the pot in the dark, attempting to fan the mes.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know who the target behind this campaign is,¡± Rachel said.


    Was it Leroy? Or Jolly?


    Or could it be Hudson Pharmaceuticals?


    Before she could ponder more on it, the elevator doors drew back with a ¡®ding.¡¯ The moment the door


    to Jolly¡¯s room opened, Rachel was dragged in by the hand that emerged from within. The door then


    mmed shut. Justin ended up getting some dust on his nose from the resulting m without being


    able to get in.


    Jolly clutched Rachel. ¡°Why is he here with you? Here to see me make a fool of myself?¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s bored enough toeugh at you? He sent Charlotte and Samuel to school


    earlier, so he came along.¡± Rachel looked up to regard Leroy and nodded in greeting. ¡°The parking lot


    is teeming with reporters. You can¡¯t leave through the basementter.¡±


    ¡°Why should I be scared? I didn¡¯t do anything. So what if I leave?¡±


    ¡°Right now, Leroy¡¯s fans are also camping outside of Hudson Pharmaceuticals. They¡¯re holding these


    banners while threatening to sue you because of a casting couch deal.¡±


    ¡°Where the hell did those usationse from? I¡¯m going to f*cking¡­¡± Jolly straight up cursed from


    anger.


    Rachel shoved the bag of clothes into her hands. ¡°Put some clothes on first.¡±


    After Jolly huffily went off to change her clothes, Rachel finally opened the door. ¡°Come in.¡±


    Justin looked straight ahead. ¡°Is it a good time? I can always get out.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. She just went to change her clothes.¡±


    After the door closed, the atmosphere in the hotel room turned awkward. Although Leroy was currently


    a spokesperson for Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯test product, he and Rachel had only hastily met once.


    Allmunication between them had been handled by Jolly.


    Leroy brought over a ss of water each for Rachel and Justin. ¡°Miss Hudson, who might this be?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Burton Group¡¯s¡­¡± Just as Rachel was about to introduce Justin, she suddenly trailed off.


    Justin was no longer the president of the Burton Group.


    Justin didn¡¯t seem to mind as he offered his hand. ¡°Justin Burton.¡±


    Leroy nodded. ¡°Leroy Bet.¡±


    Rachel let out a breath. She then asked, ¡°What happenedst night? The inte¡¯s been up in arms.¡±


    ¡°Last night, Jolly brought me out to have some fun. She drank a lot, so I brought her to the hotel. I don¡¯t


    know who leaked the footage from the hotel corridor¡¯s security cameras and triggered the media over


    the out-of-context clip.¡±


    ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Rachel hadn¡¯t had the time to check the aforementioned video, so she had no


    idea how severe the current situation was.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Here.¡± Leroy handed his own phone over.


    The moment Rachel tapped y, she saw the doors of the elevator open to show Jolly with her arms


    wrapped around Leroy¡¯s shoulders. They had just emerged from the elevator when she pressed him


    against the wall.


    How is this ¡®taken out of context by the media¡¯?! This is practically iron-d proof! It can¡¯t get more iron-


    d than this! The corners of Rachel¡¯s mouth twitched hard.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 358

    My Mute Bride Chapter 358


    Chapter 358 Two Body Doubles


    Rachel didn¡¯t have it in her to watch the rest of the video on Leroy¡¯s phone. Justin had already


    knowingly turned his head to the side, pretending that he didn¡¯t know anything.


    Meanwhile, Jolly finished changing into her fresh set of clothes and emerged from the bedroom. When


    she saw Leroy was showing Rachel and Justin the contents of the video being circted on media


    websites, she charged over and snatched the phone over.


    ¡°What are you looking at? What¡¯s so fun about it?¡± She even blew a gasket.


    ¡°It¡¯s not something fun to watch, but that video¡¯s already been shared over a million times online.


    There¡¯s at least a million people who saw that video. Snatching the phone from me won¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°Since they¡¯ve already watched it, fine, but you¡¯re not allowed to!¡±


    ¡°What kind of reasoning is that? I¡¯m helping you to find a way out of this.¡± Rachel was exasperated.


    She hadn¡¯t watched the video out of curiosity. The only way she would be able to know why the fans


    were angry and find a way to resolve this uproar was to watch it.


    ¡°So, have you figured out something?¡±


    Rachel threw her hands up in helplessness. ¡°Nope.¡±


    Right then, Leroy¡¯s phone rang. Jolly reflexively took a look at the screen and handed the phone back


    to him. ¡°Your manager.¡±


    Leroy answered the phone in front of everyone. ¡°Hello, Emmett? ¡­Yeah, I¡¯m still at the hotel. ¡­No,


    Jolly and I aren¡¯t the only ones here. Two of her friends are here too. One of them is Miss Hudson, the


    president of Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    No one had any idea what Leroy¡¯s manager said, but Leroy looked panicked as he nced at Rachel


    and Justin. ¡°That¡¯s not exactly a good idea, right?¡± he asked, aplicated emotion in his tone.


    Leroy¡¯s manager talked to him for a bit longer. After he hung up, Jolly asked Leroy, ¡°Is your manager


    here already? Where is he?¡±


    Leroy nodded. ¡°In the parking lot. Right now, he can¡¯te up; his car¡¯s been surrounded by the


    reporters.¡±


    ¡°He should stay there. If hees up now, it¡¯ll just prove even further that you and Jolly are currently in


    this hotel. I¡¯m worried that your fans will demolish the hotel today,¡± Rachel said.


    She wasn¡¯t saying this just to frighten him; with just a single, blurry video clip, Leroy¡¯s fans were already


    holding banners and kicking up a fuss outside of Hudson Pharmaceuticals. If they were to see Leroy


    and Jolly sharing a room with their own eyes, they might just murder Jolly and burn the evidence.


    Leroy looked apologetic. ¡°Sorry for causing trouble for you all.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Rachel finally had the time to scrutinize him. His features were clear-cut, and he hadrge eyes. His


    skin was clear, and thoserge eyes of his were especially beautiful. He was also gentle and polite


    when he spoke, but it wasn¡¯t the same bookish softness that Julian had. His soft-spoken nature gave


    Rachel a different feeling.


    Although society had by-andrge decided that someone with no ulterior motives would not exist, that


    was the feeling that Leroy gave off¡ªsomeone who was carefree and simple.


    Jolly huffily rolled her eyes at Leroy when he apologized. ¡°Is now the time for apologies? Are apologies


    useful now?¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°Enough already, alright? Isn¡¯t this caused by your drinkingst


    night? If anyone should be apologizing, it should be you. Once this matter is over and done with, you


    will have to swear off alcohol.¡±


    Jolly really couldn¡¯t hold her alcohol.


    ¡°Now¡¯s also not the time to talk about that.¡± Jolly shrugged and plopped onto the couch. ¡°I was thinking


    ¡ªwhy not stay here for two weeks or so and wait for the outrage to die down?¡±


    ¡°You can stay here, but what about Leroy?¡± Rachel shot a look at Jolly. What kind of terrible idea was


    this?


    ¡°Did Leroy¡¯s manager mention a n when he called earlier?¡± Justin suddenly asked from the side.


    Rachel and Jolly both froze. They first looked at Justin before shifting their gazes over to Leroy.


    Rachel¡¯s wits then returned to her. ¡°Oh, right, what did your manager say?¡±


    To ordinary civilians like them, a situation like this was something they would pretty much never


    encounter. To a seasoned manager who had been in the entertainment industry for years though, this


    would be something they would be used to. Celebrities being discovered after booking a room for


    ¡°personal¡± business happened frequently enough that there would be trending articles about them


    every two days or so, so managers had to move quickly for damage control.


    Leroy hesitated for a moment. ¡°He did say he has a n, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s all that appropriate.¡±


    ¡°It might just work. Go on, tell us,¡± Rachel said.


    ¡°Yeah, how would we know whether it¡¯s appropriate if you don¡¯t tell us?¡± Jolly asked.


    A few seconds of silenceter, Leroy nced at Justin. ¡°Emmett said to get two people to wear our


    clothes and draw the fans¡¯ attention away so that we can leave.¡±


    ¡°Body doubles? Where are we supposed to find body doubles at this time?¡± Jolly frowned. ¡°That¡¯s an


    idealistic solution. What kind of crappy n is that?¡± The moment she said that, though, she changed


    her mind when her gaze rested on Rachel and Justin. Didn¡¯t they have two people who could act as


    doubles here? Justin¡¯s build was close to Leroy¡¯s. As for Rachel, although she was a little skinnier than


    Jolly, Leroy¡¯s fans weren¡¯t familiar with her. It was likely that no one would realize she wasn¡¯t Jolly if she


    had a pair of sunsses on.


    The look in Jolly¡¯s eyes instantly changed. Justin and Rachel exchanged nces. They knew very well


    what wasing next.


    Ten minutester, the door to the underground parking lot¡¯s elevator opened with a ¡®ding.¡¯ Justin and


    Rachel emerged from the elevator, both of them sporting sunsses and masks. Justin even had a cap


    on his head, the very same one that Leroy wore in the video fromst night.


    The parking lot was quiet. This was aplete surprise from what they had been expecting, but the


    silence wasn¡¯t a serene one; it was the eerie kind of silence that sent shivers through one¡¯s heart.


    Rachel stumbled, but arge hand caught her arm in time.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Justin said in a low voice.


    Right then, they heard the sound of a camera shutter. A bright light shed suddenly. Both of them


    froze. The next moment, the parking lot burst into activity. Reporters holding cameras with giant lenses


    swarmed out from the corners.


    ¡°It¡¯s Leroy,¡± someone yelled.


    ¡°There¡¯s no mistaking him. It¡¯s Leroy, alright.¡±


    Rachel was startled by the crowd. For a moment, she forgot how to move. Justin took her hand and


    swiftly moved to his car.


    The reporters had been camping out there since earlier. From the moment Rachel and Justin took the


    elevator, the reporters had already been filming them. The secret filming had been like a ho¡¯s nest,


    and the sudden sh of light had been the rock to disturb it.


    What was the importance of those photographs? If they could be the first one to break the news with


    photos of Jolly and Leroy with their faces clearly shown, then that would be solid proof ofst night¡¯s


    incident. It would be a huge scoop.


    Rachel¡¯s breaths came out in quick, shallow pants as Justin dragged her on a mad dash through the


    parking lot. Her eyes remained on his back and his hand on hers as they ran. Soon, they had put plenty


    of distance between themselves and the reporters, but they were still a good distance away from their


    car.


    Soft footsteps sounded in front of them. Justin immediately pulled Rachel over to hide behind a car.


    ¡°Shh¡ª¡±


    Rachel tensed. With Justin¡¯s gaze guiding her, she noticed the person in the car¡¯s side mirror¡ªa


    reporter was currently searching for them where they had been.


    Instantly, Rachel didn¡¯t even dare to pant anymore. Her heart nervously hammered away in her chest.


    The space by the car was narrow. Both of them had their chests practically pressed together. Even


    their breaths intermingled.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 359

    My Mute Bride Chapter 359


    Chapter 359 Ruining Hook-up ns


    As the footsteps got closer and closer, Rachel held her breath. She wished that her heart would stop


    beating. Fortunately, the car was close to a wall. It didn¡¯t look like a spot one could hide in if one


    looked, so the reporter just nced at the car before leaving quickly.


    After the sound of the reporter¡¯s footsteps disappeared, Rachel sucked in a deep breath. She nearly


    suffocated there. Her chest heaved, now that air instantly filled her lungs, especially after she had been


    gasping for air from all that running earlier.


    As she panted, Rachel looked around her. ¡°I think he¡¯s gone,¡± Rachel said, her voice as soft as a


    mosquito. She then made to move. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Justin suddenly pressed her shoulders down with his back pressed against the wall. He


    wanted to put some space between them. His usually cold face was now an abnormal shade of red.


    Rachel initially didn¡¯t understand, but when she felt something poke her in the thigh, she realized what


    was going on. Instantly, her eyes widened in disbelief. She shook Justin¡¯s hands off herself the next


    moment. ¡°What the heck are you thinking?¡± she chided.


    Justin felt awkward and exasperated. He didn¡¯t want this to happen right now either, but a man¡¯s


    physiology was vastly different from a woman¡¯s. It was easy for his mind to wander off when he was


    trapped in such a cramped space and when he could clearly smell the perfume lingering by Rachel¡¯s


    neck.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡­¡±


    Before Justin could finish his apology, Rachel extracted herself and put a safe distance between


    themselves.


    What is up with him? How is he still like this even in such a time?


    Just as she was thinking this, a yell came from somewhere. ¡°They¡¯re over there!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s expression changed. Crap! I forgot we¡¯re still dodging the reporters!


    The reporters came surging over. This time, they really had no ce to hide.


    Beep¡ªbeep¡ª The sound of a horn red throughout the parking lot. Two blinding lights lit up in front


    of them. Rachel and Justin were still frozen by the time the MPV stopped in front of them. The door to


    the back of the MPV opened.


    ¡°Get in,¡± came a man¡¯s voice from inside. It was Leroy¡¯s manager, the one called Emmett.


    Rachel and Justin immediately got into the MPV.


    The MPV zoomed out of the parking lot and merged with the rest of the traffic on the road. Since the


    MPV was such a huge target, the reporters soon chased after them in their own cars.


    ¡°Will they catch up?¡± Rachel nced back, but she could tell that two of those cars were quick in


    following them.


    ¡°You best believe that this horde of reporters are like hounds. We still need to make a few circles and


    wait a little longer. Once all of them are on our tails, Leroy and Jolly would be able to leave.¡±


    ¡°Will that work though?¡± Rachel was worried. ¡°Can they weather this?¡±


    She and Justin were only treating the symptoms by diverting the reporters away. If Leroy couldn¡¯te


    up with a reasonable exnation to sooth his fans and let the situation continue to fester, things would


    only get worse.


    Emmett frowned. ¡°That¡¯s a problem.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We need to immediately hold an emergency press conference and rify things.¡± Justin¡¯s voice rang


    throughout the MPV.


    ¡°No!¡± Emmett shot him down immediately. ¡°Leroy¡¯s career is currently on the rise. Rather than holding a


    press con that won¡¯t convince the reporters, it¡¯s better to just leave the situation alone and let it die


    down by itself. The press con won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Whether the press conference works or not, both Leroy and Jolly will have to put out a rification.


    The mob currently at Hudson Pharmaceuticals is the most important problem here.¡±


    ¡°So, Hudson Pharmaceuticals is important, but not Leroy?¡± Emmett grumbled. ¡°Speak for yourself.


    Leroy shed a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get to where he is now. His career is about to be


    destroyed because of all the spection around this incident.¡±


    Casting couch deals were indeed something that happened frequently in the entertainment industry.


    Once one was rumored to be involved in one, they would never be able to shake the rumors off. It


    would be a stain on their career in showbiz forever.


    Justin wanted to say something, but Rachel cut him off. ¡°Let¡¯s not argue about this for now. The press


    conference must be held. Both Leroy and Jolly shouldn¡¯t have to be scapegoats. This incident must be


    investigated from its source.¡±


    There was absolutely no doubt that someone else was behind everything in the dark. But just who


    nned this?


    Emmett dropped Rachel and Justin off at Hudson Pharmaceuticals. Shortly after, Leroy and Jolly


    arrived as well.


    The crowd around thepany building¡¯s entrance had already dissipated. There were a few


    policemen patrolling the perimeter in order to prevent any unexpected encounters.


    ¡°What should we do about this?¡± Jolly immediately poured herself arge ss of iced water once she


    was inside Rachel¡¯s office. Clearly, she had been rattled. She shot a look at a certain person at the side


    of the room. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Burton just helped us,¡± Leroy reminded. ¡°Jolly¡­¡±


    ¡°So? I didn¡¯t ask him to help me.¡±


    Justin wasn¡¯t angry at this at all as he handed Rachel a ss of water good-naturedly. However,


    Rachel felt awkward, and she was also worried that Justin felt ufortable. ¡°Why don¡¯t you call my


    secretary over and ask her to have some snacks delivered here.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Justin nodded and headed for the door.


    Jolly continued to be all high and mighty as she rolled her eyes,pletely ungrateful.


    Rachel didn¡¯t say anything about Jolly¡¯s attitude. Instead, she simply looked at Jolly carefully with a


    solemn gaze. ¡°Jolly, have you offended anyone recently?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t very likely that the orchestrator had a grudge against Hudson Pharmaceuticals, for the entire


    campaign had targeted Jolly. The fans had been yelling for her head.


    ¡°How would I know?¡± Jolly threw her hands up. ¡°I¡¯ve stepped on far too many toes.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Leroy?¡±


    Leroy shook his head as well and nced at Jolly. ¡°I don¡¯t interact with others much during my personal


    time. It¡¯s mostly brand managers. But if you¡¯re asking about my rivals in the industry, then there are far


    too many to count¡­ Still, I find it very strange, since I¡¯m not the one being targeted.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so strange about it?¡± A familiar man¡¯s voice came from the door.


    Everyone froze. Rachel looked up, a dumbstruck look on her face.


    Justin had opened the door. The person who had just strolled in probably did so because Justin had


    opened the door, and the secretary hadn¡¯t stopped the man either. He was dressed in a ck suit,


    weary-looking as he stood there. He hadn¡¯t brought an assistant with him.


    ¡°Mr. Sutton?¡±


    It was Ryan Sutton.


    Jolly¡¯s forehead creased into a frown when she saw him. ¡°Weren¡¯t you on a business trip?¡±


    ¡°Did you think I would be able to concentrate on my business trip when I saw the news?¡± Ryan strode


    right in, his gaze sweeping coldly over Leroy when he saw him.


    Instantly, Leroy clenched his fists. He looked awful.


    Rachel¡¯s heart stopped for a moment as realization hit her. Ryan¡¯s ex-wife, Estelle, had been Leroy¡¯s


    girlfriend back in the day when he was still a university student. Back then, just as they were about to


    discuss marriage, Estelle suddenly got married to Ryan¡­


    And now, Ryan had divorced Estelle and began to pursue Jolly. Yet Jolly and Leroy ended up getting


    into a messy rumor with each other¡­


    Did these four people ruin each other¡¯s ns for hooking up? What was going on?


    Rachel suddenly felt her temples twitch. What a headache, a huge one!


    Jolly had always been slow on the uptake when it came to her own feelings. Right now, she wasn¡¯t


    aware of anything as she asked directly, ¡°You¡¯re saying that you know who the mastermind is?¡±


    Rachel looked at Ryan as well. Right! That¡¯s the important part.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 360

    My Mute Bride Chapter 360


    Chapter 360 Best Friend Is a Derogatory Term


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to deal with this matter any longer. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Ryan threw a nce at Jolly


    before his gaze fell on Rachel. ¡°Miss Hudson, Jolly is only being criticized by the public because of her


    endorsement deal with Hudson Pharmaceuticals. I hope you won¡¯t begrudge her a few days of rest.¡±


    Rachel agreed. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. I n on letting her go on a break for half a month while public


    interest dies down.¡± ¡°Half a month is too short. Give her a month.¡±


    Ryan demanded staunchly, which startled everyone else.


    Jolly frowned and retorted, ¡°Who are you to decide on my behalf? What could I possibly do with a


    month¡¯s break?¡±


    ¡°Go on a holiday. You can follow me to Switzend for a month.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±


    As soon as Ryan said that, Leroy, who had been quiet the entire time, immediately disagreed. He


    red at Ryan as he firmly denounced the suggestion.


    Rachel and Jolly were taken aback by his sudden interruption. But soon enough, Jolly remembered the


    feud between Leroy and Ryan. In the end, it was all because of a woman!


    Ryanmented icily, ¡°You have no say in what we do. Who do you think you are?¡±


    Leroy snapped back. ¡°Who do I think I am? Maybe I¡¯m nothing to the great Mr. Sutton, but how can you


    treat Jolly this way? Is she just an object to you? Is she just a thing that you can bring around with you


    wherever you go?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my fianc¨¦e!¡± Ryan¡¯s answer echoed around them as he dered it resolutely.


    Jolly would usually stir up a storm if she heard Ryan saying that, but this time, she shrunk behind


    Rachel as she muttered, ¡°Oh no¡­ Chris, the endorsement deal might go sour!¡±


    When Jolly reached out to Leroy about the endorsement deal, she never even mentioned that she was


    acquainted with Ryan, let alone the fact that she used to be his fianc¨¦e. Leroy only agreed to the


    endorsement deal after Jolly had spent all her time and effort into developing a ¡°friendship¡± with him.


    At a time like this, how can you still be thinking about the endorsement deal with Leroy? Rachel was


    speechless.


    Ryan was still talking. ¡°Both of our families agreed to the marriage, and even the Carter Family elders


    also approved of the marriage. She, Jolly Carter, is my fianc¨¦e. Apart from her parents, there is no one


    else in this world who is more qualified to deal with this on her behalf than me.¡±


    After an awkward silence, Leroy snorted.


    Jolly anxiously murmured by Rachel¡¯s ear. ¡°What is heughing about? Has he been driven mad by


    anger?¡±


    Rachel rolled her eyes before hushing Jolly. ¡°Can¡¯t you keep quiet for a bit?¡±


    Leroy gave Jolly a look, but she quickly avoided his gaze. She looked up toward the ceiling with


    feigned innocence, saying, ¡°Oh wow, the weather today really is quite nice.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s lips twitched. There must be something wrong with this woman¡¯s brain!


    Leroy continued, ¡°I think Jolly doesn¡¯t agree with what you just said. Unfortunately for you, Mr. Sutton, it


    seems like your feelings are unrequited.¡±


    Ryan¡¯s expression immediately changed.


    As for Rachel, she was rather astonished by Leroy.


    Leroy was only a minor celebrity, but he dared to defy a powerful and influential man like Ryan. With


    such principles, Leroy was undeniably a respectable man!


    ¡°Jolly, leave with me at once.¡± Ryan did not respond to Leroy. Instead, he turned to Jolly and came to


    grab her by the arm.


    However, Jolly instinctively avoided his hand, and she huffed, ¡°Why should I leave with you? Tell me


    who¡¯s scheming behind my back.¡±


    ¡°I already told you that I¡¯ll deal with it!¡± Ryan refused.


    ¡°This is my business, and I don¡¯t need you to butt in!¡± Jolly insisted.


    ¡°Jolly Carter!¡± Ryan barked out.


    ¡°Why are you raising your voice at me? Do you think I¡¯ll be scared of you?¡± Jolly was beside herself


    with anger by now, but suddenly, a thought flitted across her mind and she red at Ryan. ¡°Don¡¯t tell


    me that it¡¯s you who did it!¡±


    Rachel was bbergasted by Jolly¡¯s reaction. How did she even jump to that conclusion?


    Jolly wagged her finger at Ryan as she continued her usation. ¡°Ryan Sutton, is there something


    wrong with you?! Are you trying to ensure that I¡¯ll never be able to make it in Riverdale? Is that why you


    did such a deplorable thing?!¡±


    ¡°I did it?¡± Ryan¡¯s face was red with fury. ¡°In your eyes, I am someone who¡¯d do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Are you not? What won¡¯t you do for the sake of getting what you want?¡± Jolly snapped back.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to argue over this nonsense with you. Leave with me right now. I¡¯m taking you


    back to the Carter home. Let¡¯s see how you¡¯re going to exin this to your parents.¡± Ryan suppressed


    his anger and grabbed Jolly once again. ¡°Come with me!¡±


    ¡°You even tricked my parents?¡± Jolly felt even more furious now.


    ¡°She¡¯s not leaving with you!¡±


    Leroy jumped out and quickly held onto Jolly¡¯s other hand. It was like a tug-of-war, with each man


    pulling Jolly from either side. No one could keep a straight face at such a sight.


    Rachel felt like her presence was very unnecessary, but the three of them were blocking the door and


    she had no means of leaving.


    Was this going to turn into a battlefield?


    ¡°Let go!¡±


    Ryan stared at Leroy with an icy expression. ¡°If you don¡¯t let go, then I promise you that your name will


    not appear on screen anymore. You will never work in the entertainment industry ever again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re threatening me? Sorry to disappoint you, but I detest being threatened by someone else the


    most!¡±


    Jolly looked back and forth between her left and her right. Her mind was a puddled mess.


    Right at this moment, Justin opened the door and walked in. When he saw the tussle between Jolly,


    Ryan, and Leroy, he frowned and stood there at the doorway looking at the three of them. ¡°Ryan, I¡¯m


    afraid I can¡¯t let you take Miss Carter with you.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to do, Justin?¡±


    Justin replied, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell Miss Carter who the mastermind behind all this is?¡±


    Everyone was taken aback by Justin¡¯s words.


    Rachel was the first to react. ¡°You¡¯re right. Mr. Sutton, you should know who it is, right?¡±


    Ryan¡¯s brows were tightly knitted, and his handsome face now wore a frigid expression.


    Jolly despised it the most whenever he acted this way. ¡°Say something! Who is the one who¡¯s


    scheming against me? I¡¯ll make them pay!¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°I will deal with it.¡±


    Again, this was all Ryan would say.


    Jolly had always been hotheaded, and she no longer had any patience for this. She swung off both


    their hands and hissed at Ryan, ¡°So you don¡¯t want to say who it is? Do you think no one else would


    know if you don¡¯t say it?¡±


    After saying that, she turned to Justin and asked, ¡°You¡¯ve figured out who it is, right?¡±


    Judging by what Justin said when he entered, it was obvious that he knew all the details by now.


    Rachel also looked toward Justin as she waited for his answer.


    Justin nodded lightly before ncing at Ryan. ¡°I think it¡¯s better that you tell Miss Carter yourself. If you


    still n on hiding the truth from her, then it¡¯ll just backfire on you, and you won¡¯t get your way with


    either one of them.¡±


    However, Ryan still did not speak.


    But it seemed to have dawned on Jolly, as she calmly asked, ¡°Is Estelle Dolton the one who did this?¡±


    Ryan¡¯s eyes shook a little.


    When Rachel heard that name, the lightbulb in her mind instantly lit up! Estelle Dolton? That¡¯s Jolly¡¯s


    ex-best friend, Ryan¡¯s ex-wife, and Leroy¡¯s ex-girlfriend. That woman has an awkward rtionship with


    all three people here. There¡¯s no one else in Riverdale who hated Jolly as much as Estelle did, even


    though she had no right to hate Jolly at all!


    It has to be her. There is no other possible answer.


    Ryan now felt a little rmed. ¡°Jolly, I¡¯ll make sure everything is resolved properly. You¡­¡±


    But with a resounding p, a stinging p fell on Ryan¡¯s right cheek. As for Jolly, her eyes were still


    and emotionless, which was all the more frightening for everyone.


    ¡°This p is meant for Estelle, but since you¡¯re so willing to help her clean up her messes, then you


    can take it for her. This way, I don¡¯t have to bother looking for her, since you¡¯re willing to suffer on her


    behalf.¡±


    Rachel was also shocked.


    To Jolly, ¡°best friend¡± was a derogatory term.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 361

    My Mute Bride Chapter 361


    Chapter 361 You Are My Fianc¨¦e


    Jolly did not hold back at all. Ryan¡¯s face had a trail of blood dripping down, as Jolly¡¯s nails had cut into


    his face as she pped him. bbergasted, Rachel stood up.


    Everyone in the office had a stunned expression. Only Ryan remained calm in this situation, as if he


    knew that this would happen. He raised his hand to wipe his cheek that was smarting with pain, and he


    saw the streaks of blood on his fingers.


    Ryan stared at Jolly, who was still in front of him, and said evenly, ¡°Do you feel less angry now?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to speak to me in that tone and act as if you¡¯re such a magnanimous person. What I


    despise the most about you is this indifference of yours. Do you really think that everything and


    everyone will always be under your control? I don¡¯t know about other people, but Ryan Sutton¡­¡± Jolly


    stared straight into Ryan¡¯s eyes and said with conviction, ¡°I am the exception.¡±


    Her words were a little heartless, but also straight to the point.


    ¡°Jolly!¡±


    Ryan still attempted to grab her, but Leroy stopped him.


    ¡°Jolly already said that she¡¯s the exception. Mr. Sutton, please leave now.¡±


    ¡°Get away from me. This has nothing to do with you. Jolly, you need to rein in your temper. Your


    parents are still back home worrying about you. Do you think you can resolve this matter properly by


    yourself?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just Estelle¡¯s doing?¡± Jolly¡¯s expression did not change. ¡°Please give her a message for me. If


    she wants to y this game, then I¡¯ll y it with her till the end.¡±


    Rachel knew that Jolly was a headstrong person who would not back down on her own words.


    But it seemed like Ryan was also someone who was used to getting his way.


    Therefore, Rachel could not refrain from speaking up. ¡°Since we¡¯re clear about what¡¯s happened now,


    then no matter what, there¡¯s bound to be a way to resolve it. Mr. Sutton, I think it¡¯s best if you leave


    first. After all, this matter involves your ex-wife, so it is better that we handle it by ourselves.¡±


    Ryan wanted to say something, but Justin interrupted him before he could speak. ¡°I¡¯ll see you out.¡±


    Ryan furrowed his brows, but he regained his cool and exited the office.


    As Justin escorted Ryan to the elevator, he did not say anything.


    On the other hand, it was Ryan who spoke up angrily. ¡°Justin, I don¡¯t recall having any beef with you.


    Why must youe and mess things up for me at a time like this?¡±


    Justin replied, ¡°You think that I¡¯m messing things up?¡±


    ¡°Are you not? Do you think that doing this will help Jolly, and Rachel would feel grateful toward you?¡±


    ¡°I think you better go home and cool off for a couple of days.¡±


    Justin responded evenly, as he could not be bothered to debate this further with Ryan.


    But Ryan did not want to drop the topic. ¡°Just tell me what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Tell you what I¡¯m talking about? You¡¯re a smart man, so can¡¯t you see things clearly for such a tiny


    matter? Do you think that everything would be fine if you just resolved the issue without letting Jolly


    know who did it? Don¡¯t you know that the truth wille to light sooner orter?¡±


    It was understandable if Ryan wanted to shield the mastermind, since it was his ex-wife. But he could


    not be as gullible as to believe that if he did not say who it was, then Jolly would never know.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I know that? But how would Jolly react once she finds out that it¡¯s Estelle who is behind


    it? She¡¯ll blow up like she did just now, and everything goes back to square one.¡±


    Justin took a look at the wound on Ryan¡¯s face and felt rather conflicted inside.


    Just then, a ¡®ding¡¯ sounded and the elevator doors slowly slid open.


    ¡°If anything happens, let me know at once. I¡¯ll go now,¡± Ryan said.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After seeing Ryan off, Justin was caught up in his own thoughts.


    It was unlikely that this matter could be easily resolved.


    Back in the office, Rachel quickly gave an excuse and left Jolly and Leroy to themselves.


    Jolly was still fuming, and she downed another ss of cold water.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t keep drinking cold water.¡± Leroy had a frown on his face. ¡°It won¡¯t be good for your


    stomach.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already exploding from anger inside, so who cares about my stomach!¡±


    ¡°What are you angry about? Estelle?¡±


    The name still felt a little awkwarding out of Leroy¡¯s mouth.


    Jolly went still.


    She never met Leroy throughout her entire university life. She only knew that he was Estelle¡¯s


    boyfriend, and would frequently fetch Estelle to and from university.


    At the time, she was still sharing a dorm with Estelle, and they were on good terms. Jolly had not met


    Ryan yet, and Estelle had not married Ryan.


    After hesitating from a moment, Jolly turned to Leroy. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything that you want to ask


    me?¡±


    ¡°What are you referring to?¡± Leroy calmly replied.


    ¡°I know that you know Ryan.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°I also know that Estelle is your ex-girlfriend. She was my roommate when we were at university.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Leroy asked inly.


    Jolly did not feel the need to borate further. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I did approach you in the


    beginning in order to understand what happened back then, but I swear, everything else was really just


    for the sake of the endorsement deal.¡±


    ¡°So that means you did approach me with ulterior motives?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Jolly quickly refuted.


    Leroy seemed unbothered by the situation, and he even had a pleasant smile on his face. This made


    Jolly even more unsettled.


    ¡°Shall I just make my apologies to you?¡± Jolly felt very disturbed by Leroy¡¯sck of reaction toward this.


    It felt like he was scheming to get back at her in some way.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before,¡± Leroy stated.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Leroy¡¯s abrupt statement took Jolly by surprise. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ve seen me before?¡±


    ¡°At the university back then. I¡¯ve seen you before.¡±


    ¡°When? Are you joking?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking? Back then, you and Ryan were probably still hiding your rtionship. You


    weren¡¯t with your other friends, and he was the one who sent you back to the dormitory.¡±


    What the hell!


    So he really did see me!


    Jolly felt speechless. ¡°This is what you meant by seeing me? This is spying!¡±


    ¡°If you want to put it that way, then sure. I was just curious to know what my girlfriend¡¯s roommate was


    like!¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. So what you¡¯re saying is that you¡¯ve spied on every girl in our dorm?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Leroy hurried to defend himself. ¡°I¡¯ve only spied on you that one time. Once I


    found out about your secret, I didn¡¯t dare spy on anyone else again. I was afraid that it would backfire


    on me someday.¡±


    Backfire was truly the best description.


    Leroy was not someone who cared for other people¡¯s gossip, and it was best for him to not know about


    anyone else¡¯s secret. However, he personally witnessed the secret rtionship between Jolly and


    Ryan, so how could it not scare him off the idea of spying on people?


    Jolly was still a little shocked, and she mumbled, ¡°So when did you recognize me?¡±


    ¡°The first time we met.¡±


    ¡°At the Grand Maple Restaurant?¡±


    ¡°No, on the Golden Cruise.¡±


    Jolly was taken aback by Leroy¡¯s answer. ¡°You already knew who I was back then?¡±


    If she recalled correctly, that was the first time that they had properly met in person.


    At the time, Leroy had been taking a shower when Jolly suddenly barged her way in. He had jumped in


    fright, but once he saw her face, he was secretly rather pleased.


    She was not the only one who wanted to get to know him, and his goal was never just to be her friend.


    Leroy dered, ¡°You know what, I have the perfect solution for this situation now.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the solution?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll announce our rtionship to the public.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jolly¡¯s eyes turned round with surprise, as she could not believe what she just heard. ¡°You


    want me to pretend to be your girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°No, I will organize a press conference and announce that you are my fianc¨¦e.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 362

    My Mute Bride Chapter 362


    Chapter 362 How Bad Could Her Intentions Be


    When Leroy said that, Rachel just got back. She halted in her footsteps upon hearing the word


    ¡®fianc¨¦e.¡¯


    At the same time, Justin returned. Noticing Rachel was stunned and standing at the door, he stopped


    the secretary, who was sending some light refreshments, saying, ¡°Leave it with me.¡±


    Nodding, the secretary passed the tray to Justin.


    When Rachel returned to her senses, she turned around to look at Justin, asking, ¡°Did you hear that


    too?¡±


    Justin nodded in response.


    Rachel inquired after some hesitation, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s feasible?¡±


    ¡°Do you mean the approach Leroy just suggested?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°If the person involved isn¡¯t against the idea, I actually think it¡¯s a feasible n. At least, it¡¯s beneficial to


    Jolly.¡±


    There was a reason why Justin intentionally emphasized that the n was beneficial to Jolly.


    Since fame meant everything in this era, Leroy, being an idol, was sure to experience a loss of fans


    and suffer irreparable damage once he announced his rtionship.


    At noon the next day, Leroy¡¯s agency held a press conference.


    The press conference was held in the conference room of a hotel under Hudson Pharmaceuticals.


    The moment Leroy announced that he and Jolly were in a rtionship, the topic immediately trended


    on several online tforms. Since the press conference was done on a Saturday, the response was


    even more overwhelming due toizens having more free time, so it quickly gained interest over the


    inte.


    In thements, there were quite a number of people who started criticizing Jolly, but most of them


    were discussions on whether to leave the fandom, nothing too serious. The matter regarding the


    ¡°casting couch deal¡± was then being brushed off just like that.


    In the evening.


    ¡°Where are you going? It¡¯s the weekend! Don¡¯t you wanna stay at home with me?¡±


    Jolly was lying on the sofazily in the house as she asked Rachel.


    Rachel got up early in the morning to tidy the house and was now ready to leave.


    ¡°You want me to stay at home with you? But you already have a fianc¨¦, though!¡± teased Rachel.


    ¡°Can we not talk about this? It gives me a headache.¡±


    While they were talking, Jolly¡¯s phone rang again.


    After the press conference that Leroy¡¯s agency held in the morning, news of their rtionship spread


    like wildfire on the inte. That was the reason why Jolly had been receiving phone calls nonstop ever


    since then.


    Adding to the fact that she had many indecent friends in Riverdale, plus Leroy was also a popr artist,


    anyone would be curious as to whether they were really dating, and how they started dating.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    After spitting a curse word, Jolly shut off her phone. ¡°Ugh. This is so annoying.¡±


    Seeing Jolly in that state, Rachel poured a ss of water and handed it to her. ¡°Here, calm yourself


    down. By the way, didn¡¯t Leroy give you a call?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s having it worse. Way worse than me.¡±


    ¡°What about¡­ Ryan?¡±


    Furrowing her brows, Jolly retorted, ¡°What does this have to do with him? Why are you even


    mentioning him? What a buzz kill.¡±


    Alright, then. Ryan didn¡¯t deserve to be mentioned anymore.


    Turning around to take a look at the bedroom, Rachel lowered her voice, saying, ¡°Jolly, I have to


    remind you. You should be mentally prepared for what¡¯s going to happen to Samuel.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If Estelle could use Leroy to nder you, I¡¯m afraid she has more ns up her sleeves.¡±


    There were people who were aware of Samuel¡¯s background. Even if Jolly didn¡¯t admit it, Samuel


    looked exactly like Ryan. It might not seem so if they weren¡¯t put side by side, but if they did stand


    beside each other, the resemnce would be uncanny.


    ¡°If she dares to try anything on Samuel, I¡¯m never going to let her go.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough tough talk. You should control your emotions a little. Now, I¡¯m going to quote your


    words. In life, we will always have to move on.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Watching Rachel, Jolly could feel her furrowed brows loosen a little. With a serious expression, she


    nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Enough of this topic. Look, it¡¯s dark outside already. Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to bring Charlotte out for dinner to meet Justin.¡±


    Jolly scanned her before questioning, ¡°Are you two¡­¡±


    Rachel immediately shook her head, defending herself, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. I¡¯m just going to send


    Charlotte over since I have something to settle in the office. I¡¯ll fetch her home after they¡¯re done with


    dinner.¡±


    Though Rachel managed to obtain her daughter¡¯s custody, Justin still had the right to meet Charlotte.


    Hearing that, Jolly raised her eyebrow and tsk-tsked.


    ¡°Stop being weird. I¡¯m leaving.¡± After saying that, Rachel went to the bedroom to look for Charlotte and


    Samuel.


    As Jolly watched Rachel¡¯s back, she shook her head meaningfully. It¡¯s not me who¡¯s overthinking it. It¡¯s


    you who don¡¯t think about things in detail. Then again, what indecent thoughts cane from an


    artlessdy like her?


    Initially, they thought that the custodywsuit would be the final step to cutting all ties with Justin.


    However, it seemed that Rachel and Justin had been contacting each other even more often after that.


    On the other hand, Rachel drove the two children out.


    Once they arrived at the restaurant¡¯s parking lot, Rachel tidied Charlotte¡¯s shirt before uttering,


    ¡°Charlotte, I¡¯ll send you to the restaurantter. Have a nice meal with Daddy and I¡¯lle with Samuel


    to pick you up after that.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Charlotte was taken aback. ¡°Mommy, aren¡¯t you and Samueling with me?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been spending time with Daddytely, and he misses you. I¡¯lle backter to fetch


    you.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Suddenly, Charlotte started throwing tantrums. Turning around, she crawled into the car. ¡°Mommy, I


    don¡¯t want to go anymore. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°Why are you like this, Charlotte? Didn¡¯t you promise me?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s face was cold now, and she fell silent.


    Just as Rachel tried to persuade her, her phone rang.


    ¡°Hello? Are you here?¡±


    Justin¡¯s voice sounded over the other end.


    Furrowing her brows, Rachel replied, ¡°I¡¯m at the parking lot. Give us some time. We¡¯reing.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± From Rachel¡¯s tone of voice, Justin could immediately tell that there was something


    off.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Is Charlotte throwing a tantrum again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. Just give me a while.¡±


    Justin was not in his best condition recently, so Rachel didn¡¯t want to increase his burden.


    After hanging up the phone, Rachel persuaded Charlotte once again. ¡°Daddy loves you very much, and


    didn¡¯t I already exin the matter of the photos to you before? It¡¯s all a misunderstanding. Daddy


    doesn¡¯t even know who that woman is. You shouldn¡¯t hurt Daddy like this.¡±


    ¡°But Daddy hurt you.¡±


    Rachel was taken aback by her statement.


    Pulling Rachel¡¯s arms, Charlotte begged, ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t want to eat with Daddy alone. Can you and


    Samuele with me?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s pretty eyes were tainted with the color of red now, and she looked so pitiful.


    The look on her face instantly made Rachel give in.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯lle with you.¡±


    ¡°Can you carry me?¡± Charlotte spread her arms wide as she asked.


    Five minutester, Rachel carried Charlotte in her arms while Samuel walked beside her. The trio


    arrived together at the restaurant.


    On the other hand, Justin was already seated at the table beside the window, clearly having been


    waiting for a long time.


    ¡°Did you wait for long? Sorry, we were caught up in a traffic jam on the road.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not that busy.¡±


    Rachel felt ufortable hearing him mention that he wasn¡¯t busy.


    Not wanting to venture into that topic since it hurt, Rachel put Charlotte down and said, ¡°Go and sit


    beside Daddy.¡±


    After ncing at her sideways, Charlotte climbed onto the seat opposite Justin and sat beside Samuel.


    Seeing that, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°What did you promise me, Charlotte?¡±


    Only then did Charlotte mutter reluctantly, ¡°Hi, Daddy.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 363

    My Mute Bride Chapter 363


    Chapter 363 A Thirty-Year-Old Old Man


    ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s fine for Mommy to join us for dinner, right?¡± Charlotte stared at Justin with a cold face as


    she folded her arms in front of her chest, trying to look intimidating.


    Throughout the 30 or so years of his life, no one had ever dared to talk to him like his daughter just did.


    Finding her amusing, he looked at Rachel, uttering, ¡°I already ordered the food. It won¡¯t take you long.


    You can just treat it as spending time with our children.¡±


    Since Rachel had already promised Charlotte, she didn¡¯t refuse his offer.


    ¡°Are you sure you two want to sit together? Can you eat by yourself, Charlotte?¡± Rachel questioned the


    two kids in front of her.


    Samuel didn¡¯t have a problem eating by himself, but Charlotte was a spoiled child, who was used to


    being spoon fed. Rachel did try to get her to change that habit, but eventually, she would give in to


    Charlotte once the girl threw a temper.


    She didn¡¯t know why her little brat became so independent all of a sudden. Tilting her head up in an


    arrogant way, Charlotte uttered, ¡°I can eat by myself!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    With that, she shoved the spoon into her mouth.


    Samuel, on the other hand, was happily chewing on his chicken wings.


    The waiter then ced a ss of juice in front of Rachel.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Rachel thanked the waiter.


    Seeing that, Justin urged, ¡°Don¡¯t just feed them. You should eat.¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t stop moving her hands. All the prawns she peeled were put onto the kids¡¯ tes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat after peeling thisst one.¡±


    After cing thest piece on Charlotte¡¯s te, Rachel looked around but didn¡¯t find any tissue.


    Just then, Justin handed her a wet towel.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Rachel after being stunned for a while.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the news going? Is everything alright?¡± inquired Justin.


    ¡°Now that the attention has been shifted to the two of them, no one has been dering a war anymore


    at Hudson Pharmaceuticals. It¡¯s all in the past now to them. The one thing that got affected would


    probably be the endorsements for the health beverages not doing so well.¡±


    Justin nodded at that. ¡°It¡¯s the consequence of the artist¡¯s influence. Is Hudson Pharmaceuticals


    considering changing the ambassador?¡±


    Leroy was a popr idol, so the announcement of his rtionship was bound to have an effect on his


    career. All his endorsements were the first to be affected. Sales dropped greatly, and Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals happened to be one of them.


    In response, Rachel shook her head. ¡°No. I n to sign a long-term contract with him.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of popr idols in the entertainment industry, and every year, more and more artists


    will debut. It¡¯s extremely rare to find an artist with good manners and personality. I have a hunch that


    even though someone like Leroy announced his rtionship and screened out some fans, his real


    market value will stand out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re taking a risk right there. Have you thought it through?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already instructed my assistant to draft the contract.¡±


    Seeing that she had her own opinions, Justin didn¡¯t utter another word.


    While they were eating, Rachel¡¯s phone suddenly rang.


    She knitted her brows together upon seeing the caller ID. After setting it into silent mode, she left the


    phone aside.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you pick up the call?¡± inquired Justin.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ryan,¡± answered Rachel.


    Before she could exin further, a childish voice sounded from the opposite. ¡°Mr. Ryan calls us so


    many times a day! He even calls ourndline sometimes! Godmother is so annoyed. She calls him a


    pervert!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t call him that, Charlotte,¡± reminded Rachel.


    ¡°But it¡¯s the truth!¡± Charlotte pouted with a look of dismay. ¡°Leroy is way more handsome than he is!


    Now that Godmother is dating Leroy, she wouldn¡¯t bother about that old man.¡±


    Charlotte was Leroy¡¯s top fan, and when she knew about Leroy being in a rtionship with Jolly, she


    was all for it.


    Meanwhile, she called Ryan an old man¡­


    Clearing his throat, Justin uttered, ¡°I don¡¯t think Mr. Ryan is that old right, Charlotte?¡±


    ¡°He is! He¡¯s already over 30 years old.¡±


    Justin was rendered speechless in an instant, the corners of his lips twitching.


    Though Ryan was a few years younger than him, Charlotte thought of him as an old man. If it weren¡¯t


    for the fact that he was her father, she would have probably called him an old man too.


    That was because Charlotte was attracted to Leroy, who had the charisma of an idol.


    However, Rachel was more concerned about Samuel¡¯s preference.


    ¡°Samuel, who do you think is more suitable for Godmother? Mr. Ryan or Leroy?¡±


    Samuel was too busy chewing on his drumstick that when he raised his head, Rachel could see the oil


    smearing all over his lips. With a muffled voice, he asked, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Rachel was speechless at that.


    ¡°Do you really not care about Godmother at all?¡±


    Wiping his mouth clean, Samuel retorted, ¡°She has too many boyfriends! I can¡¯t care that much!¡±


    ¡°What if she got scammed?¡±


    ¡°By whom? Mr. Leroy?¡± Samuel sighed. ¡°I¡¯m more worried that he would be scammed by Godmother.¡±


    Just as Rachel wanted to say something to defend Jolly, Justinughed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t children always know their mothers best?¡±


    Reaching out his arm over the table, he wiped off the sauce on Samuel¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Godmother is going to be so furious if she heard what you just said. She adored you for nothing,¡± said


    Rachel.


    Blinking his eyes innocently, Samuel stated, ¡°She won¡¯t. I actually prefer Godmother to be with Leroy.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because Leroy looks like a fool. He doesn¡¯t seem to be all that smart. Godmother definitely won¡¯t


    suffer if she dates him.¡±


    Rachel winced at that, not knowing what to respond.


    That meant Ryan must seem clever to him!


    While they were talking about Jolly¡¯s love life, the atmosphere around the table seemingly lightened.


    Charlotte was even willing to talk to Justin now. When Rachel saw that Charlotte ate whatever Justin


    put on her te, she heaved a sigh of relief.


    After an hour, they were still not done with the meal yet.


    Samuel caressed his belly and leaned back against the chair.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rachel asked. ¡°Are you full already?¡±


    Just as Samuel wanted to nod, someone pinched him under the table. He then quickly forced a grin


    and replied, ¡°No, I want some more.¡±


    ¡°You want more?¡±


    Rachel widened her eyes at the table of food.


    He was surely going to get a stomachache if he ate some more! ¡°That¡¯s enough for you today. You ate


    half of the chicken and a whole ss of juice. It¡¯s also gettingte. We should get going soon,¡± urged


    Rachel.


    Hearing that, Charlotte became anxious. ¡°I¡¯m not full yet! I want a cake!¡±


    While saying that, she raised her hand to signal a waiter.


    ¡°Excuse me!¡±


    Just as she had called out to the waiter, she burped.


    ¡°Burp¡ª¡±


    Rachel was puzzled. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not full yet?¡±


    Charlotte forced herself to nod in response.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re up to.¡± Rachel finally realized what was going on. ¡°Do you not want to go home so


    soon?¡±


    Charlotte felt guilty, but she insisted, ¡°I just want to eat another cake.¡±


    ncing down at her watch, Rachel suggested, ¡°What about this? I¡¯ll give you two options. First, you


    eat another piece of cake, and then we go home. Second, I¡¯ll bring you and Samuel out for a walk to


    digest the food, and then we go home. Which one do you want?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. ¡°The second one!¡±


    To be frank, she couldn¡¯t stuff any more food into her mouth!


    ¡°What about you, Samuel? Do you want to eat some more?¡±


    Samuel grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m going to explode if I eat some more!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 364

    My Mute Bride Chapter 364


    Chapter 364 You Haven¡¯t Changed at All


    After Justin paid for the food, he walked out of the restaurant with Rachel and the two children. ¡°Alright.


    I guess I will leave now,¡± he said.


    ¡°Wait a second,¡± Rachel called out to him as he was walking away. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± Justin halted


    and turned his head to her, looking confused.


    Rachel let out a brief sigh and exined, ¡°Didn¡¯t you get the hint earlier? Charlotte wants to spend a bit


    more time with you.¡±


    Just then, Charlotte took a few steps forward and held her mother¡¯s hand. ¡°Daddy, you are such an


    idiot,¡± she mocked. Then, she rolled her eyes at Justin as she pouted her lips.


    When the family walked out of the shopping mall, they saw amercial za that was aze with


    colorful lights in front of them. At this time of day, the za was flooded with people, with many young


    couples in particr.


    ¡°Mommy, I want to ride that one!¡± Charlotte pointed to the distant carousel, and her face was full of


    excitement. ¡°I want to ride the pumpkin wagon!¡± she added.


    ¡°Okay, but please run slowly. You just finished eating.¡± Rachel stumbled as she was pulled toward the


    carousel by Charlotte with force.


    As they reached in front of the carousel, Samuel and Charlotte were having a dispute. Samuel crossed


    his arms around himself and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to ride on this childish thing.¡±


    Charlotte pouted and argued, ¡°No, you have to ride it with me!¡±


    ¡°Nope. I am not doing it.¡± Samuel snorted.


    The two of them had reached a deadlock. Neither of them was backing off. At this point, Rachel


    stepped in and tried to reconcile the conflict between the two. ¡°Sweetie, Mommy will join you on the


    ride. Samuel might get dizzy from riding on the carousel. Let¡¯s not force it on him,¡± Rachel coaxed


    Charlotte with a soft tone.


    After hearing what her mother said, Charlotte finally eased down her angry face and reluctantly agreed.


    ¡°Okay then. You and Daddy will wait for us here,¡± she said to Samuel.


    Then, she tilted her head to Justin and asked with a cheerful look, ¡°Daddy, can you take some pictures


    of the two of us riding the carousel?¡±


    Justin nodded as he smiled at her. ¡°Sure.¡±


    When Rachel and Charlotte sat tight on the carousel, the joyful music started to y in the background.


    Following the music rhythm, their carousel and the pumpkin wagon swayed up and down at a low


    speed.


    At the same time, Justin stood outside of the railing and started to take pictures of the two with his cell


    phone. In the frame, Charlotte was nestled in Rachel¡¯s arms. She was bursting with joy, and her little


    bunny teeth showed up in her wide smile.


    ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s change our pose. Shall we make a heart shape together with our fingers?¡± Charlotte


    chirped.


    ¡°Sure, sweetheart.¡± Looking at her happy face, Rachel felt a glimmer of happiness.


    ¡°How about this pose? Maybe we should raise our hands like this?¡± Charlotte continued changing their


    poses, and Rachel cooperated with all her requests. Likewise, Justin was enthusiastically taking


    pictures of them from different angles.


    After they rode on the carousel for two rounds, a swarm of people walked past and suddenly crowded


    at the fore of the carousel. Justin¡¯s view was blocked and he could not include Rachel and Charlotte in


    the frame.


    ¡°Ehh?¡± Charlotte was a little startled by the unexpected crowd. ¡°Oh no, the view is blocked!¡± she


    comined.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll be over soon,¡± Rachel soothed her.


    They rode for another round on the carousel, and when they finally saw Justin again, he was facing


    away from them, turning his head around anxiously, as if he was searching for something. When


    Rachel saw that, she was a little stunned.


    ¡°What is Daddy doing?¡± Charlotte asked. She looked confused, and so did Rachel. As soon as the


    carousel stopped, she immediately got Charlotte down from it and searched for Justin. He was


    standing beside a flower bed that was not far away from them. Strangely, he wasn¡¯t waiting for them.


    He was pulling a stranger next to him and asking something with a panicky look on his face.


    He is alone. Just him. Rachel thought. Her heart skipped a beat.


    What about Samuel? Where is he?


    ¡°Where¡¯s Samuel?¡± she asked as she walked up to Justin briskly.


    Justin spun around and looked at them. He was in aplete state of panic. ¡°Just now, there was a


    group of people passing by. By the time they were gone, I turned around and Samuel was missing,¡± he


    exined with a quavering voice. ¡°I¡¯m searching for him. Don¡¯t worry.¡± He tried to assure Rachel.


    At that moment, Rachel¡¯s face went nk. She forcibly suppressed the emotions that were surging


    within her. Then, she turned around and left without a word.


    ¡°Rachel!¡± Justin chased behind her and shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯te with me! Just wait here with Charlotte,¡± she instructed and left in a rush.


    Samuel is more mature than any child of his age. It is not like him to run away. When she thought about


    the crowd that had suddenly appeared previously, she felt a chill running down her spine.


    Meanwhile, at the za¡¯s broadcasting office, Rachel was asking the security guard to review the


    CCTV footage of the incident.


    ¡°Here, where the carousel is at. Can you y it back to about fifteen minutes ago?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Here?¡± The guard confirmed it with her while moving the cursor on the screen.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied curtly.


    Rachel fixed her gaze on the screen, searching for Samuel. All of a sudden, she pointed at a spot on


    the screen, and said, ¡°Did you see this child right here? He¡¯s my son. Can you please rey it at a


    slower speed?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The security guard slowed down the yback speed, and then pressed the y button. On the


    screen, it showed that when the crowd was passing by, Samuel was first pulled over to the side by a


    man. Then, this man used therge balloon bunch as a cover, carried Samuel in his arms, and quickly


    ran away.


    ¡°He was taken away by this strange man,¡± the guard stated.


    ¡°Can you see his face?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll rewind the video to an earlier time frame and see if we can find him,¡± he replied.


    The surveince screen shifted, and this time, they had a closer shot. They were able to tell that it was


    the same man earlier from his clothes and his body figure. However, the face mask and the hat that he


    wore made it impossible for them to identify his face. It seemed like he hade prepared.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±


    A familiar voice came from outside the monitoring room. It was Justin. He rushed into the room with


    Charlotte. ¡°Did you find him?¡± he asked nervously.


    Rachel¡¯s pale face turned red as the anger grew within her body. ¡°I told you to wait there, didn¡¯t I?¡± she


    snapped. ¡°If you aren¡¯t there waiting for him, how can Samuel find us? He is still a child, and he will be


    terrified!¡± She raised her voice and her anger exploded. Her voice was ear-piercing as it echoed in the


    monitoring room.


    At once, Justin¡¯s feet were cemented to the floor, and his face stiffened.


    ¡°Rachel, I¡¯m just trying to¡­¡± After he caught his breath, he tried to exin to her, but she wouldn¡¯t let


    him finish.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± she shouted back at him.


    ¡°If you were able to hold Samuel¡¯s hand earlier like how you¡¯re holding Charlotte now, he wouldn¡¯t have


    gone missing!¡±


    At this point, Rachel hadpletely lost her mind and rage flowed through her likeva. ¡°You do not


    care about his safety because he is not your son! I thought you had changed, but I was wrong. You


    haven¡¯t changed at all, and you are still the same selfish person that you¡¯ve always been!¡± she


    chastised.


    Justin couldn¡¯t defend a word. His hands hanging at his sides tightened slightly as he frowned.


    Charlotte was frightened by her mother¡¯s reckless behavior. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± she murmured cautiously, with


    a touch of fear in her voice.


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    Charlotte¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it had caught Rachel¡¯s attention. She let out a long sigh and forced


    herself to calm down. ¡°Sweetheart, can you stay with your daddy tonight? Mommy has to look for


    Samuel,¡± she said.


    After saying that, she left the monitoring room without turning back. While she was rushing to her car,


    she took her phone out and dialed 911. The call operator picked up the call swiftly and she started to


    exin the incident to them.


    ¡°Hello? I want to make a report. My son is missing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, about twenty minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°In Joy za where the carousel is at, and the surveince caught a man taking him away.¡±


    It waste at night when Rachel finished making a statement at the police station and received a call


    from Jolly.


    ¡°Stop searching. Just go home, Rachel. I know who took Samuel away,¡± she said.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Rachel asked.


    ¡°The Suttons.¡±


    ¡°Ryan Sutton?¡± Rachel¡¯s face darkened when she heard what Jolly just said. ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    she asked with concern.


    ¡°On the way to the Sutton Residence,¡± Jolly replied. Her voice was icy cold.


    Rachel was worried about Jolly going there by herself. ¡°Send me the address. I¡¯lle along.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯te over. This matter has nothing to do with you. I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡± Jolly had made up her


    mind.


    After hanging up the phone, Rachel immediately drove away from the police station.


    On the way, she made a phone call to Ryan, and before he could say anything, she hollered, ¡°Ryan


    Sutton, there is a limit to being despicable and shameless!¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡± He soundedpletely dumbfounded.


    She went on and used, ¡°I once thought you were a man, but what kind of a man would take an


    innocent child away from their parents?¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± He was starting to get agitated by her usation.


    ¡°Stop pretending. Didn¡¯t you have Samuel taken away?¡± she questioned him furiously.


    In disbelief and shock, he said, ¡°Take him away? Wait, are you saying that Samuel is missing?¡±


    ¡°Jolly is now on her way to your house. What else do you need to hide?¡± Rachel tried to get the truth


    out of him.


    At first, Ryan paused for a moment on the other end of the phone. Then, as if he had understood the


    whole situation, he exined calmly, ¡°Look, Samuel really wasn¡¯t taken away by me, but I think I know


    what happened.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who did it. Ryan Sutton, I¡¯m warning you now. Samuel is not only Jolly¡¯s lifeblood, but also


    mine. If you touch one hair on his head, I wille at you at full force with the entire Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals. You mark my words!¡± Without waiting for his response, she hung up the phone on


    him. Then, she stepped on the elerator and drove away from the city.


    Jolly wouldn¡¯t have reacted that strangely on the phone if Samuel was taken away by Ryan. If the


    person who did it is not Ryan but rted to the Sutton Family, then there is only one possibility: Samuel


    was taken away by Ryan¡¯s mother, Old Madam Sutton.


    And Estelle Dolton, her daughter-inw, is very much adored by this olddy!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 365

    My Mute Bride Chapter 365


    Chapter 365 Ill-Mannered Brat


    It was already midnight when Rachel arrived at Sutton Manor in West Magnolia. The gate was locked,


    and Jolly seemed to have arrived before her for a while, but she was blocked at the gate by the security


    guard.


    ¡°Sorry, Old Madam Sutton is already resting and she will not be seeing any guests,¡± the guard said


    without emotion on his face.


    Jolly replied to him, ¡°I¡¯m not a guest, and I¡¯m not here to see the olddy. I¡¯m here to see my son.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we don¡¯t have the person you are looking for here.¡± The guard was firm and


    unapproachable.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Jolly was so angry that she was about to burst off. ¡°My friends saw the car drive into


    your manor with their own eyes. You are lying to me! Unfortunately, you leave me with no choice but to


    call the police!¡± If it weren¡¯t for the reputation of the Carter Family and to not aggravate the situation,


    Jolly would have called the police a long time ago.


    At that moment, a pair of headlights lit up from behind them, and a ck car stopped at the gate. Ryan


    got out of his car swiftly and ran straight to Jolly.


    ¡°Jolly¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Jolly took a stride forward and¡­ p!


    She pped him hard on the cheek. The pping sound echoed in the quiet night. He didn¡¯t even


    dodge a bit, allowing the p tond firmly on his cheek. This strike is even harder than thest time,


    he thought.


    To avoid agitating Jolly further, he turned his head to the guard andmanded, ¡°Open the gate!¡±


    The guard dared not refuse and obeyed the order promptly. After all, this woman dared to p their


    young master! As soon as the gate opened, Jolly sprinted through with Rachel following behind her


    closely.


    ¡°This estate is enormous. Do you know where Samuel is?¡± Rachel asked as she walked. ¡°Why don¡¯t we


    ask Ryan?¡± she added.


    ¡°There is no need to ask. I know this ce inside out, and I will not forget it even if I die.¡± Jolly seemed


    very tense right now.


    Obviously, she had been here before, and the memories of this ce were engraved in her mind. Not a


    pleasant one, I guess, Rachel assumed.


    Throughout Jolly¡¯s life, humiliation was not something that she experienced regrly. In fact, she had


    only been humiliated twice. Ryan once mistook her for a poor girl and asked her tomit herself as


    his lover, and the second one took ce here.


    Rachel followed Jolly through the pavilions, and at the first nce, she could tell that this ancient


    manor was worth a lot of money. When they reached a two-story courtyard, Jolly stopped in her tracks.


    Staring at the building in front of her, she gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. The rage was pulsing


    through her veins.


    ¡°No! Get it off me!¡± All of a sudden, they heard the wailing of a childing through from the courtyard.


    Rachel¡¯s facial expression shifted from worried to angry. Before she could react, Jolly was already


    ahead of her, running into the building and kicking the door open.


    ¡°Samuel!¡± Jolly yelled.


    Jolly and Rachel werepletely taken aback by the scene as soon as they rushed into the hall. A


    maid restricted Samuel¡¯s movement, and a doctor in a white coat held his arm. With a syringe in his


    hand, the doctor sought to draw blood from Samuel¡¯s arm.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Jolly chided. Under the shocked gaze of the crowd, she dashed forward


    and grabbed Samuel away from them. His little face was pale and full of terror. He leaned into her arms


    and shivered uncontrobly.


    ¡°Samuel, are you okay?¡± she asked with a panicked tone.


    Samuel winced in pain as he murmured, ¡°They¡­ They want to draw my blood.¡±


    Jolly was always strong and optimistic, but her tears streamed down her cheeks when she heard him.


    Her hands trembled as she held his.


    Samuel felt guilty when he saw her tears, and he stretched out his little hand to wipe them.


    ¡°Godmother, it¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t feel the pain.¡±


    My little boy is trembling with terror. How can it not hurt? Jolly could feel that her heart was broken into


    many pieces.


    Having seen the plight that Samuel had been through, Rachel felt anguished. She shifted her focus and


    observed the surroundings, and she said, ¡°It is a criminal offense to abduct a child and intentionally


    harm the child. With the witness and physical evidence avable, I am going to sue you!¡±


    Suddenly, a coughing sound sounded from the side. ¡°Sue us? I suggest you think before you leap, Miss


    Hudson.¡± The voice had a condescending tone by its nature.


    Just then, an old woman in her fifties, supported by a maid, slowly walked out of the inner room and sat


    down on the couch. The old woman had downturned eyes and a cunning look on her. Those sarcastic


    and demeaning statements wereing from her.


    Here she is, Old Madam Sutton!


    ¡°We just want to verify whether this child is the seed of our Sutton Family, lest some shameless people


    use a little wild seed to deceive our property!¡± she said haughtily.


    Just when Rachel stepped forward and wanted to say something back, she was stopped by Jolly as


    she ced her palm on Rachel¡¯s chest.


    Then, she handed Samuel over to Rachel and said, ¡°Wait for me.¡± She seemed a lot calmer and no


    longer panicked after ensuring that Samuel was safe. As a response, Rachel nodded briefly to Jolly.


    Jolly suppressed her anger and gave the olddy a frosty stare. After that, she took a step toward the


    olddy and remarked, ¡°Samuel has nothing to do with the Sutton Family!¡±


    ¡°Even if the Carter Family is in financial ruin in the future, I will not touch a cent of your family¡¯s money.


    You still act like the snob you were back then, old witch!¡± she added angrily.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Old Madam Sutton was irritated by Jolly¡¯s rudements. She pointed at Jolly


    and cursed, ¡°You ill-mannered brat! Is this what your father taught you?¡±


    ¡°Ill-mannered? Do you even regard this as ill-mannered? You haven¡¯t seen the worst of me yet!¡± Jolly


    retaliated.


    After saying that, Jolly spun around and snatched the tube that contained Samuel¡¯s blood from the


    doctor.


    Just then, Ryan entered the hall. ¡°What are you doing? Stop!¡± he shouted at her. Ignoring Ryan¡¯s


    warning, Jolly raised her hand and hurled the tube of blood at the olddy.


    ¡°Mom!¡± He dashed forward and shielded his mother with his back.


    Crash! The tube of blood smashed into the wall behind them and broke into fragments. The blood


    sshed onto the wall, forming a huge circle, flowing down the wall. The scene was disgusting and


    creepy.


    Looking at the blood on the wall, Ryan became extremely pale. ¡°Mom, are you okay?¡± He calmed


    himself down and tried to make sure his mother was safe. Old Madam Sutton was so frightened that


    she couldn¡¯t say anything but shiver. In disbelief, she stared at Jolly¡¯s face with anger and a hint of fear.


    After smashing the tube, Jolly gave the mother and son a callous stare. ¡°Old witch, I am telling you for


    the onest time, and you better mark my words. I¡¯m not interested in your money, or anything to do


    with your family. However, if any of you touches my son one more time, I want him dead!¡± she warned.


    Then, Jolly turned to Rachel and said, ¡°Chris, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Jolly!¡± When Ryan tried to chase after her, he was stopped by his mother as she grabbed his arm. ¡°Do


    you see that? This is the true color of this woman and you want to marry her? She¡¯s going to ruin the


    Sutton Family!¡±


    ¡°Mom! You have crossed the line!¡± he yelled at her with anger and disappointment. Then, he stood up


    and attempted to leave.


    ¡°Stop right there! If you dare to take one step out of this door, I will not have you as a son!¡±


    A resentful look appeared on his face as he heard what the olddy said. ¡°Take good care of my


    mother,¡± he instructed the maid and left without turning back.


    Ryan ran at full speed and finally caught up with the three of them as they were crossing a bridge that


    headed toward the main gate of the manor.


    ¡°Jolly, just give me a minute,¡± he begged as he pulled her by the hand. ¡°I can exin. I really didn¡¯t


    know my mother would do this. If I had known, I would have stopped her.¡±


    ¡°Get your hand off me!¡± Jolly shook away his hand. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been pestering me, would the old


    witch have done this?¡±


    ¡°Can you not call her old witch? That¡¯s my mother!¡± heined.


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    ¡°To me, calling her an old witch is iparable to what she has done to me,¡± she sneered.


    ¡°Jolly, I know my mother is a bit old-fashioned, but can you talk to me calmly without raising your voice?


    Even though she is at fault for doing what she did, she had no bad intentions; she just wanted to verify


    Samuel¡¯s DNA.¡±


    Ryan¡¯s shameless attitude irritated Rachel. She couldn¡¯t stop rolling her eyes at him because he was


    still defending his mother¡¯s action. If she was not busy covering Samuel¡¯s ears on the side, she would


    have kicked him into the pond under the bridge.


    Jolly felt breathless as the anger brewed within her. ¡°Oh yeah? Back then, she also tried to verify what


    kind of person I was, and how did that turn out? In her eyes, I am a shameless woman who seduced


    you. Do you need me to repeat the things that she had said to humiliate me?¡± she rebuked.


    ¡°Jolly, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he apologized sheepishly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. After all, I am the one who doesn¡¯t deserve you. So, please stay away


    from me in the future.¡±


    Ryan realized that whatever he said was only going to worsen the situation. So, he stopped arguing


    and reached his arm out to her, attempting to calm her down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± As soon as he touched her, she snapped and pushed him away forcefully.


    Ssh!


    In shock, Ryan¡¯s pupils contracted as he fell backward from the bridge and into the pond.


    Rachel was thunderstruck. She never thought that her wishes woulde true.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 366

    My Mute Bride Chapter 366


    Chapter 366 No Responsibilities and Obligations


    Rachel was startled. ¡°Jolly.¡± After struggling in the water for some time, Ryan finally stood up. He was


    standing waist-deep in the water. At this moment, he looked highly ridiculous.


    ¡°Ryan, I¡¯ve warned you to stay away from me long ago, but you ignored it. It was obvious that you


    caused the incident today. If you truly wish me well, you should stay away from me!¡±


    ¡°Jolly! This is impossible!¡± Although Ryan was standing in the water pathetically, his attitude was still


    upromising. ¡°As long as our engagement is not broken, you are still my fianc¨¦e! You want to be


    with Leroy, right? I¡¯ll tell you, it will never happen!¡±


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll see!¡± After Jolly retorted, she walked away with Rachel.


    This time, the olddy of the Sutton Family had definitely crossed her line.


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    On the way back, Rachel was driving the car.


    The rearview mirror showed the back seat, so Rachel could see that Samuel had already fallen asleep.


    ¡°What are you going to do about this? Is this the end of it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for this to end just yet. The old fool lives in this godforsaken ce after all. Unless


    someone told that old fool about Samuel, she would never pull this stunt.¡±


    ¡°Who told the olddy?¡±


    ¡°Estelle Dolton,¡± Jolly said the name with certainty. ¡°She never stopped causing trouble ever since she


    knew that I had returned to Riverdale.¡±


    ¡°Her again.¡±


    ¡°Besides her, I can¡¯t think of anyone else who has such a huge grudge against me.¡±


    After she spoke, Jolly turned her head around and nced at the back seat. When she saw Samuel,


    she softened her frown. ¡°Chris, you¡¯re right. It is useless to hide. Even if you¡¯re innocent, there¡¯ll always


    be someone who will give you trouble.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rachel gave Jolly aforting look. ¡°No matter what happens, I will always be on


    your side.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    It was already midnight. In the dark night, the lights in the high-rise buildings in Riverdale gradually


    went off. The only lights that shone on the streets were from the 24-hour convenience stores. At this


    time, only a few people were visiting the stores.


    An hourter, Rachel drove into themunity area.


    Distant headlights were illuminating the road ahead. It was from a car that was parked under their


    building. A man could be seen leaning against that car while smoking.


    As soon as the man saw Rachel¡¯s car, he immediately put out the cigarette butt and threw it into the


    trash can.


    Soon, the car came to a stop by the road, and Rachel tightened her hands holding the steering wheel.


    On any other day, Jolly would¡¯ve immediately called Justin a scumbag when she saw him. But today,


    she only nced at him and said, ¡°Chris, I¡¯ll take Samuel up first.¡±


    Soon, Jolly carried the sleeping Samuel from the car and passed by Justin.


    ¡°Is Samuel alright?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡±


    After that, Jolly went straight into the building.


    Rachel closed the car door, and the electronic sound of locking the car echoed in the night along with


    the sound of her heels clicking along the gstone road. ¡°Why are you here? Where¡¯s Charlotte?¡±


    It was past one in the morning.


    In response, Justin said, ¡°I¡¯ve sent Charlotte off to Gloria¡¯s. Did the Sutton Family kidnap Samuel?¡±


    ¡°You know everything?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    When Justin found out that Samuel was missing, he asked Frankie to immediately check all the traffic


    networks monitoring the square and the surrounding area. After an extensive data analysis, he finally


    found out the identity of the man who took Samuel away and that the man was rted to the Sutton


    Family.


    After that, Justin immediately contacted Ryan, who told him that Rachel had gone to Sutton Residence.


    After sending Charlotte to Gloria¡¯s side, he had been waiting here since.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve neglected Samuel.¡±


    The night only made Rachel¡¯s face all the more gloomy. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. I¡¯m the one to be


    med.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Justin was startled.


    Rachel said, ¡°You have no blood rtion with Samuel, so you have no responsibility or obligation to


    him. It was my mistake to hand him over to you, and I will make sure that this will never happen again.¡±


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte; you should rest.¡±


    After dropping those words, Rachel entered the building without looking back.


    Subconsciously, Justin followed Rachel for a few steps, wanting to say something. But in the end, he


    didn¡¯t say anything.


    It waste at night.


    Jolly took a can of beer, opened the curtain, and nced downward. ¡°It¡¯s almost two o¡¯clock, and Justin


    is still standing there. What did you tell him?¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t left yet?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    As Jolly answered, Rachel had juste out of the shower, and her hair was still damp. Upon hearing


    that, she was annoyed. ¡°Any more beer?¡±


    ¡°Yes, in the refrigerator.¡±


    With a pop, the beer opening sound echoed in the room.


    After that, Rachel threw her head back and gulped down half of the can.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t me him. I even apologized to him. Samuel is not rted to him, so it¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s wrong to


    use him. Yet, he still insists on staying around. What exactly is he trying to do?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re definitely lying when you say you didn¡¯t me him.¡± Jolly hit the nail on the head. ¡°Indeed, he


    has no obligation or responsibility to Samuel. But you¡¯re embarrassing him by sarcastically apologizing


    to him. After all, no matter who they are, if they had failed to take care of the child, surely they would


    feel that they¡¯re in the wrong. Chris, you¡¯re unquestionably angry with him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Rachel denied.


    Upon hearing that, Jolly shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t admit it.¡±


    ¡°I really am not.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re right. I think it will rain today; I wonder how long Justin will stand there.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how long he stays; it has nothing to do with me.¡±


    No matter how much Justin suffered, Rachel would never give him her sympathy.


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯m sleepy. I¡¯ll call it a day.¡±


    Saying that, Jolly threw the beer can into the trash bin and returned to her room yawning.


    Now, Rachel was left alone in the living room.


    After some time, Rachel walked to the window, opened the curtain, and looked downward. Justin had


    already left. She frowned, and she was relieved yet disappointed at the same time.


    Then, she returned to the sofa with the beer can and then raised her head to drink the rest. She was


    sitting alone cross-legged on the sofa while in a daze.


    There was no doubt that Justin remembered what happened five years ago. Perhaps because Rachel


    was Charlotte¡¯s mother, he was willing topromise and apologize for the incident.


    But if he knew that the person in the incident 20 years ago was her as well, how would they face each


    other?


    In the end, they would never be together.


    At this time, a ck car drove away from Rachel¡¯smunity.


    Justin was driving alone in the dark, with no one else on the road.


    Everything that happened today showered him in guilt, and it was his fault that he didn¡¯t take good care


    of Samuel. Still, he knew that all the harm caused could not be washed away with a frivolous apology.


    Old Madam Sutton would not give up if she knew that Samuel was Ryan¡¯s son. She would do anything


    to get the child back.


    Although Samuel¡¯s biological mother was Jolly, the Carters did not know that. After all, his nominal


    mother all these years was Rachel, and Rachel also regarded him as her own son.


    Justin¡¯s hands on the steering wheel tightened when he thought of that, and his eyes darkened.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 367

    My Mute Bride Chapter 367


    Chapter 367 Viin Holding Sway


    The next day at Hudson Pharmaceuticals. ¡°What happened to the approval for the Nortne


    Development Project?¡± After the morning meeting, Rachel read the document in her hand and tapped it


    with the sign pen. ¡°Why has the progress halted at this stage?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Miss Evergreen said, ¡°The project team said that the construction will proceed


    normally, but we couldn¡¯t get the approval.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°The Environment Bureau didn¡¯t give us the permit, so the construction is temporarily suspended.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we acquire the permit before the construction?¡±


    ¡°There was a reinspection, and it was said that our environmental protection procedures were not up to


    standard, so it was revoked.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the specific reason?¡±


    Miss Evergreen was stunned, and she hesitated for a long time without saying why.


    Miss Evergreen was one of Evan Holt¡¯s people, and was apparently rted to the Holt Family. Her


    business skill was average at best to begin with, and she didn¡¯t do well as the president¡¯s assistant.


    Therefore, her daily work was to organize documents.


    All in all, Rachel would not have given her the job if it wasn¡¯t for Jolly and Leroy¡¯s troubles in the past


    two days.


    Now, Miss Evergreen was painfully ignorant. Whenever she was asked some questions, she would


    always answer with, ¡°Someone told me this,¡± or ¡°I heard someone say that.¡± It was clear that she never


    did any research or analysis on her own, which only gave Rachel a headache.


    ¡°Understood. You may leave now.¡±


    After all, with Evan supporting her, Rachel couldn¡¯t criticize her.


    Before Miss Evergreen left, there was a knock on the door.


    Knock, knock.


    ¡°Miss Carter.¡± Miss Evergreen¡¯s voice made Rachel look upward.


    Jolly was seen standing at the door in beige-colored office wear.


    Upon seeing her, Rachel said in surprise, ¡°Why did youe to thepany?¡±


    When she went out in the morning, Jolly was still sleeping in her bedroom, and it was clear that she


    didn¡¯t want anyone to disturb her. Since the incident between the Sutton Family and Samuel yesterday,


    Rachel thought that she would at least rest for a few days.


    However, Jolly was walking in 5-inch high heels with high spirits.


    ¡°Without me, the Nortne Development Project¡¯s progress will be halted until, at the very least, the


    end of the year. When that happens, the expenses incurred by schedule dys will result in problems


    for the Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ capital chain. We will fall short if this keeps up.¡±


    ¡°You knew everything?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Al sent me a message early this morning. The Environment Bureau made it clear that they


    are deliberately stopping us. There is no doubt that someone is behind this incident.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    Jolly ced a document on the table. ¡°Our old enemy, Robin Gunson.¡±


    ¡°Him?¡±


    Just when Rachel was about to say something, Jolly cautiously scanned around the room from the


    corner of her eye. Then, she said, ¡°Miss Evergreen, please leave this room and close the door. I have


    something to discuss with President Hudson.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Miss Evergreen replied immediately, ¡°Understood.¡±


    After she closed the door, Rachel nced thoughtfully at Jolly. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, is it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but you can guess what happened.¡±


    ¡°Someone cooperated with Robin to prevent the construction of the development site in Nortne.¡±


    ¡°Bingo.¡±


    ¡°It must be Evan Holt who did this. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t send Miss Evergreen away.¡±


    ¡°I suggest you stop using Miss Evergreen. Find an opportunity to fire her. It is annoying enough to see


    her hanging around us.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just a messenger to Evan. It¡¯s easy to fire her, but can you guarantee that Evan won¡¯t send other


    people to spy on us? False friends are worse than bitter enemies, after all. It¡¯s better to keep her and


    maintain the status quo.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s n was reasonable.


    Since everyone knew that Miss Evergreen was Evan¡¯s spy, it was easier to take precautions against


    her.


    ¡°So be it if Robin has any grudge against us. But what does this old man Evan want from us? Does he


    think that Hudson Pharmaceuticals will fall into his hands if he overthrows you? He is not a Hudson.¡±


    ¡°Jefferey and Amber Hudson are both dead, but I¡¯m not the only one left in the Hudson Family. We


    have many rtives too, and he can simply grab one of them as a puppet and act as a maniptor


    behind the scenes. This is the same as taking over Hudson Pharmaceuticals.¡±


    ¡°You think he¡¯s nning this?¡±


    ¡°Not just nning, but he¡¯s putting it into practice.¡± Rachel¡¯s eyes sank slightly. ¡°Recently, Evan is


    getting closer to the Hudson Family¡¯s distant rtives.¡±


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    Hearing this, Jollyined angrily, ¡°Old stuff, you think you can win? Keep dreaming!¡±


    ¡°If the Nortne Development Project fails in my hands, he will have a reason to call for a vote of no


    confidence among the board of directors. By then, those people will inevitably be persuaded by him.¡±


    Of course, Rachel was aware of her position among the board of directors.


    Back then when Rachel rectified Jefferey, her methods were too drastic; she was infamous for


    exterminating her family for righteousness. The board members were notpletely free of guilt. So,


    afraid of bing the next Jefferey, they became extra wary of Rachel.


    If there was a chance to switch Rachel out, many would jump at the opportunity.


    Then, Jolly said, ¡°I will visit the Environment Bureau in the afternoon to find a way.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Just call Robin directly. If he dares to do this tantly, surely he has the confidence. In


    fact, he is probably waiting for me to contact him! I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t get anything out of it even if you


    stir amotion at the Environment Bureau.¡±


    Soon, Rachel took out her cell phone and dialed Robin¡¯s number.


    At the same time, in the president¡¯s office of the Burton Group.


    As soon as Robin received Rachel¡¯s call, he proudly put down the document in his hand and crossed


    his legs on the desk. Then, he pressed the answer buttonfortably. ¡°Wow, and here I thought my


    eyes were ying tricks on me, but it really is you, President Hudson. Why did you call me?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Rachel said casually, ¡°It¡¯s been so long since you were promoted to the


    president of the Burton Group, but I haven¡¯t sent my congrattions yet. Congrattions to you,


    President Gunson.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger. After all, we used to be colleagues of the samepany, so don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    ¡°You seem to be in a good mood.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Things have been going my way, after all.¡±


    ¡°Since you are in a good mood, why are you putting me in a bad spot? Don¡¯t you understand the


    importance of the Nortne Development Project to me, President Gunson?¡±


    Rachel had enough with the pleasantries, so she decided to cut to the chase.


    Upon hearing that, Robin chuckled. ¡°President Hudson, back then, when you made my life difficult, you


    should¡¯ve expected that this day woulde sooner orter.¡±


    In the past, Rachel hadid a trap and caused Robin to be detained. Although he waster released on


    bail by Jason, he had to stay in his vi for one whole month before he was free, and it was no different


    from being in prison.


    Since then, Robin was determined to seek revenge.


    ¡°What the hell do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°What do I want to do? You should already know. If you are asking for help, then you should show your


    sincerity. I¡¯ll be waiting for you in Golden Hill at eight o¡¯clock tonight. See you soon.¡±


    When Rachel heard this, she opened her eyes wide in shock. Before she could agree, Robin had


    already hung up the call.


    After the conversation, Jolly asked eagerly, ¡°What did that loser say to you?¡±


    Rachel answered, ¡°He asked me to meet him in Golden Hill Nightclub at eight o¡¯clock tonight.¡±


    ¡°You mustn¡¯t go! It must be a trap, and we wouldn¡¯t know what tricks he has up his sleeve!¡± Jolly was


    filled with anger. ¡°This loser is now a viin holding sway. I will p him good the moment I see him!¡±


    Upon pondering for a moment, Rachel said, ¡°When the viin is holding sway, we must not confront


    him. After all, the viin will not let you go easily.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 368

    My Mute Bride Chapter 368


    Chapter 368 Have Fun Together


    Meanwhile, Gloria was putting Charlotte to sleep in the apartment. She gently patted Charlotte¡¯s chest


    and read aloud, ¡°In the end, the little rabbit found its mother and the family lived happily together¡­¡±


    Generally, during the storytelling, Charlotte would have fallen asleep before the end of the story. But


    today, her eyes were still wide open even after Gloria had finished telling the story.


    ¡°Aunt Gloria, why isn¡¯t Mommying to pick me up yet?¡± Charlotte wondered.


    ¡°Oh sweetie, it is the weekend, so your mom might be still at work. However, tomorrow is a school day,


    so she will definitely pick you up after school,¡± Gloria assured her.


    Charlotte thought about her parents, and said, ¡°Mommy and Daddy had a fight because Samuel was


    lost. Daddy is an idiot.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t say that. It wasn¡¯t easy for your dad either,¡± Gloria exined to her patiently.


    Just then, Gloria heard the sound of the front door opening. Consequently, she tucked Charlotte in bed


    and whispered in a soft tone, ¡°Alright sweetheart, why don¡¯t you put yourself to sleep now? Auntie still


    has work to do.¡±


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    ¡°Mmm.¡± Charlotte nodded obediently and closed her eyes.


    After shutting the door behind her, Gloria found Justin settling himself on the couch. ¡°Are you here to


    pick Charlotte up?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No. Let her stay here with you for another night.¡± Justin held his forehead with a tired look, and said


    wearily, ¡°I still have some family matters to be settled. If Rachel ising to pick her up, I will be here.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you make things clear to Rachel? You did not lose Samuel on purpose, and no one had


    anticipated Old Mr. Burton to be hospitalized overnight,¡± Gloria suggested.


    Last night, Arthur was hospitalized with a sudden cerebral infarction, and it happened at that time when


    Samuel went missing. As a result, Justin had to attend to both matters simultaneously, and he hadn¡¯t


    been able to catch some sleep since then.


    With the absence of the backbone of the Burton Family, a storm was brewing within the Burton Group


    and some people were ready to stir up some trouble. Now that Justin was no longer the president of


    Burton Group, people like Robin were abusing their power by firing senior workers as they pleased. In


    the meantime, staff from the technical department was reaching the highest turnover rate. If this turmoil


    went on, Burton Group might have to change its name to Gunson Group.


    ¡°Thank God we found Samuel in the end. If something had happened to him, none of my excuses


    would suffice,¡± Justin sidetracked the conversation. Then, he cautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t mention Grandpa¡¯s


    matter to Rachel; she has got a lot on her te already.¡±


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t you start on me. How are you holding up?¡± Gloria asked with a worried look on her


    face.


    ¡°Everything is fine,¡± he replied ndly.


    ¡°Yeah, right. I have heard rumors about Robin putting you in charge of the logistics, am I right? How


    much longer can you put up with this kind of treatment?¡± She sounded irritated.


    ¡°The Burton Group is the painstaking effort of the Burtons for generations, and it can¡¯t be destroyed in


    Robin¡¯s hands,¡± he said. So, even if he was humiliated by Robin, he just had to bite the bullet and


    continue to stay in thepany.


    Gloria looked aggrieved. ¡°Can¡¯t you think of something? What about Jason? He is your uncle. Why


    don¡¯t you let him handle Robin? After all, what good would it do for him if the Burton Group was


    ruined?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t heard from Jason recently. The investigation bureau is still tracking him down. For this,


    they had already stopped by ourpany three times.¡± At the mention of Jason, Justin scowled. Ever


    since the drug trafficking case was busted and a huge amount of smuggled drugs were seized on the


    spot, the Riverdale Investigation Bureau had been looking into several pharmaceuticalpanies.


    Coincidently, Jason was nowhere to be found. After all, guilty conscience turned men into cowards.


    ¡°Oh well, I guess you really can¡¯t count on anyone now!¡± Gloria sighed.


    ¡°What¡¯s the sighing for? Don¡¯t worry about me. The Burton Group will return to my hands sooner or


    later. Let¡¯s talk about you now. Are you still in touch with that fellow recently? Given my responsibility as


    an older friend of yours, let¡¯s meet together for dinner so I can check him out.¡± With a sly grin, Justin


    remarked. Of course, it went without saying who the fellow he was referring to.


    Gloria immediately shook her head and denied, ¡°What are you talking about? We are just friends.¡±


    Justin leaned on the couch as his lips curled up, and he tittered. ¡°How did you even know who I was


    talking about?¡±


    At that moment, Gloria was stunned, and her cheeks were burning red.


    As they were talking, Justin¡¯s cell phone rang suddenly and interrupted the conversation. ¡°Hello?¡± he


    answered, and his voice had a touch of amusement from the prior chat.


    Jolly¡¯s voice came over the phone in a panicky tone, and she asked, ¡°Where are you? Did you know


    that Rachel was asked to meet Robin at Golden Hill? I can¡¯t seem to get through to her phone right


    now. We had a feud with him before and he will definitely target her!¡±


    Justin¡¯s face froze and he stood up swiftly. ¡°Since when have you not been able to reach her phone?¡±


    he asked with amanding tone.


    ¡°About five minutes ago,¡± she replied.


    Meanwhile, at Riverdale¡¯srgest nightspot¡ªGolden Hill Nightclub. In a private lounge, tables were full


    of lowball sses in various colors, reflecting alluring rays under the strobe light.


    Surrounded by the constant barracking sound, Rachel downed a ss of whiskey one after another,


    yet her face remained unperturbed. ¡°President Gunson, now that I have finished the drinks you offered


    me, shall we discuss the development project¡¯s approval?¡± she persuaded.


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? We shouldn¡¯t talk about business before we have our fun,¡± Robin teased. ¡°This is


    just the beginning. Have another drink, Miss Hudson.¡±


    To make a point, she blocked the drink that was handed by the waiter and responded solemnly,


    ¡°President Gunson, you have to give me a clear direction. If you are not going to approve the project,


    give me a heads up earlier so I can consider other options.¡±


    Rachel had mentally prepared herself for this. If Robin wanted to humiliate her by insulting her or


    forcing her to drink some alcohol, she would have agreed to his silly request and called it even between


    them. However, if his purpose was only to mock her and prolong the Nortne development project,


    she would not bother entertaining him.


    After Robin heard what she just said, his face darkened as he forcefully put down his whiskey ss.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, do you think we can call it off with just a few drinks after all you have done to me in the


    past? You must be dreaming! At least show some sincerity if you are trying to obtain something from


    me,¡± he sneered.


    Annoyed, Rachel picked up her purse and attempted to leave without saying a word.


    ¡°Wait a second!¡± Just then, Robinid a document on the leather couch and drummed his fingers on it


    slowly.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes narrowed as she stared pointedly at the document. It was the approval by the


    Environment Bureau in ck and white, with the red seal of the Environment Bureau on the back. Just


    when she was reaching for it, the corner of the document was pressed down by a whiskey ss.


    ¡°Miss Hudson, the deal is on the table. However, if you want to take this document home with you, you


    have got to show me what you got,¡± Robin said, with a mischievous smile on his face.


    Well, if Robin was willing to hand her the approval, it had certainly made things easier for her. After all,


    it is just a drink, right? She wasn¡¯t a light drinker, and she had drunk tons of them while negotiating


    deals for Hudson Pharmaceuticals back in those times. What¡¯s the harm in having a few more drinks?


    Having made her mind up, she said, ¡°Let me make some toasts for you, President Gunson!¡±


    ¡°The first toast, is to apologize for the recklessments that I made earlier, and to express my


    gratitude for his forgivingness by letting go of our old grievances.¡± Rachel reached for a ss of


    whiskey and chugged it down her throat.


    ¡°The second toast, is to thank you for greasing the wheels and getting the development project


    approved, President Gunson. You will surely be invited to attend the opening ceremony once it is


    completed.¡±


    ¡°This third toast¡­¡± At this point, she started to sound tipsy. ¡°¡­is to friends, as there are nosting


    enemies in business. I hope that we will have a pleasant working rtionship with you in the future,


    President Gunson.¡± Rachel could feel her head getting a little dizzy.


    Robin leaned on the chest of the female escort behind him and nced at Rachel in silence. With a


    contemptuous and smug smile on his face, he said, ¡°Easy, Miss Hudson. You can take it slow. There is


    no rush in drinking.¡±


    After the three shots of whiskey, Rachel could feel the alcohol rushing up to her head, making her light-


    headed. ¡°Alright. I will have to excuse myself now. President Gunson, enjoy the party with your friends


    and have a good time,¡± she said.


    After saying that, she reached out her hand to pick up the document, but it was suddenly snatched


    away,nding back into Robin¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Excuse me, President Gunson?¡± she frowned and questioned him.


    ¡°Since you are already here, we should have some fun together. When I said ¡®show me what you got,¡¯ I


    didn¡¯t mean for you to drink, Miss Hudson.¡± Right then, Robin pped his hands twice. Following his


    pping sound, a swarm of male escorts flooded the lounge.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 369

    My Mute Bride Chapter 369


    Chapter 369 A Fight in the Club


    Rachel narrowed her eyes at Robin for a long while before asking, ¡°President Gunson, what are you


    doing?¡±


    Robin¡¯s mouth curved up as his lewd eyes nced at Rachel¡¯s body from top to bottom. ¡°I am sure you


    always had good men fall for you, Miss Hudson, but I bet you had never been surrounded by a group of


    charming men to please you, have you? Rx, you should loosen up a little.¡± He smirked.


    Then, he made a gesture to those male escorts who stood in a line behind Rachel. At once, the escorts


    immediately surrounded her and said, ¡°Miss Hudson.¡±


    ¡°Get away from me!¡± she squeaked. With force, Rachel pushed one of them away from her, and her


    gaze was full of disgust. Then, she took a deep breath to suppress her emotions, and her voice was icy


    cold. ¡°President Gunson, don¡¯t cross the line.¡±


    ¡°Crossing the line?¡± Robin sneered, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who agreed to stay along? Did I force you to


    come? And yet, here you are.¡±


    ¡°As far as I am concerned, the matter between us was quite a bumpy ride, but it has long ended and


    we should leave it behind us now. You are now the president of the Burton Group, and the seat is


    barely warmed, President Gunson. I don¡¯t think it is a wise choice to start picking on me just yet,¡± she


    asserted.


    ¡°Are you threatening me? You can¡¯t possibly think that Justin will make aeback now, do you?¡± he


    curiously asked.


    ¡°Who knows? At the very least, he¡¯s a Burton.¡± Rachel snickered.


    It seemed like Rachel¡¯s words had hit the nail on the head. Robin despised it when people said he


    wasn¡¯t a Burton. Although he had been Jason¡¯s godson for so many years, he had never gotten the


    chance to change his surname to Burton. After all, the more one couldn¡¯t get something, the more they


    got bothered by it.


    Smash! People in the lounge started screaming as they saw Robin smash a whiskey ss against the


    table.


    He stared at her with a re in his eyes, and he growled, ¡°Don¡¯t you step over me, Rachel! I am


    showing courtesy to you by inviting you toe here, but who the hell do you think you are? Do you


    still consider yourself the honorable youngdy of the Hudsons? Have you forgotten what it was like to


    be ¡®sold¡¯ by your father to the Burton Family?¡± Then, he continued in exasperation, ¡°Back then, you


    were ¡®sold,¡¯ but now I¡¯m willing to ¡®buy¡¯ you in again! You should be happy that you still had some


    ¡®market value¡¯!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face turned pale, and she clenched her teeth so hard that her whole body was shaking.


    It is better to offend a gentleman a thousand times than a viin once, she thought. Once people like


    Robin held power in their hands, all their previous grudges would surface and they would start to act


    retaliatory.


    ¡°President Gunson, take it easy. Anger hurts your body, and it¡¯s not worth it,¡± the female escort who sat


    beside him soothed as she gently stroked him on the back.


    With that, Robin¡¯s face eased up a bit, then he pointed to the table which was full of booze. ¡°Oh well. If


    you don¡¯t want to entertain us, that¡¯s fine. I will put this behind us, provided that you finish all the drinks


    on the table,¡± he said with a malicious smile on his face.


    After Rachel heard Robin¡¯s offer, her hands were squeezed into fists by her sides. He was absolutely


    up to no good, because she would be intoxicated and at the mercy of others if she drank this much


    alcohol. By then, everything that followed would only be med on the drinks.


    ¡°It is not necessary. President Gunson, it is clear that you have no intention of forgiving me. If so, I will


    have to change my ns. Thank you for your time, President Gunson,¡± she stated as she walked


    toward the door.


    ¡°Hold it right there!¡± he eximed. At once, her path was blocked by two bodyguards.


    ¡°You think you can juste and go as you please? What do you take me for?¡± he said in anger.


    ¡°Robin Gunson, what exactly do you want from me?¡± she asked with frustration.


    ¡°Whether you like it or not, you will still have to finish all the drinks on the table.¡± Robin gestured to his


    bodyguards and instructed, ¡°Get her to drink!¡±


    Immediately, those bodyguards walked toward Rachel and attempted to grab her.


    ¡°Get your hands off me!¡± she squeaked. In shock, she had never expected that Robin would be so


    determined in seeking revenge.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I will call the police?¡± she hollered.


    ¡°Call the police? If you have the guts to do so, be my guest. Do you think I will fall for your tricks a


    second time?¡± he replied with a teasing look.


    Just then, the woman next to her snatched her purse. ¡°I will take that for you,¡± she sneered at Rachel.


    ¡°And this is what you get for going against Young Master Gunson!¡± Soon after that, she dumped


    Rachel¡¯s purse into the beer bucket, which was full of icy water.


    Seeing that, Robin chuckled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to call the police? Come on, finish this bucket of beer


    first.¡± At Robin¡¯s instructions, the two bodyguards tried to drown Rachel in the bucket.


    At that moment, the door of the private lounge was suddenly kicked open from the outside, along with a


    loud bang.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Under the astonished eyes of the crowd, the man who stormed in turned the two bodyguards around


    from their shoulders, pulled them away from drowning Rachel, and kicked both of them out of the way.


    As a result, one of them crashed onto the lounge table, and all the drinks fell to the ground, spilling


    everywhere. At that moment, Robin¡¯s expression shifted from amusement to rage, and he growled,


    ¡°Justin Burton!¡±


    Seeing that, the crowd looked at each other in awkward silence, but no one dared to look at Justin¡¯s


    face.


    Meanwhile, Justin gave Robin a cold nce as he helped Rachel get to her feet. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he


    asked with a worried tone.


    Rachel shook her head weakly. She was bing inebriated and unable to gather any strength in her


    body. Then, she stared at Justin with her ssy eyes and thought, I must be dreaming.


    After a brief pause, she opened her lips and blurted, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Justin did not answer her question. His hands trembled in anger when he saw her shivering, and how


    she looked too weak to stand on the ground.


    With mes burning in his eyes, Justin turned his head around and red at Robin. He could feel the


    rage building up in his body, and the blue veins around his temples were about to pop out. He looked


    like he was going to tear Robin apart.


    All these years, Robin worked hard to climb up thedder. And now, he was the president of the Burton


    Group. At this particr moment, he wanted to look imposing in front of his circle of friends.


    ¡°What are you doing here in my territory, Justin?¡± he said with a condemning tone.


    ¡°Your territory?¡± Justin stared at him coldly, and he retaliated, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that Golden Hill is owned


    by the Burton Family?¡±


    ¡°What Burton Family? The Burton Group is now entirely mine. Even as a Burton, you have to address


    me as President Gunson. In the past, this woman used to brush you off when you were the president.


    However, I am the one in charge now and she has to oblige with whatever I demand, and that includes


    drinking whenever I tell her to!¡± Under the influence of alcohol, Robin was getting even more arrogant.


    Apanying the sound of broken ss, the crowd was startled and their screams reverberated


    within the lounge. Within a blink of an eye, Justin waved his hand and hurled a broken beer bottle in


    Robin¡¯s direction. The bottle slid past Robin¡¯s cheek before mming into the wall behind him.


    Trembling in fear, Robin turned his head to look behind him. There was a dented spot on the wall, and


    there were shattered ss shards on the floor. Recalling how the ss almost cut his cheek, it scared


    the living daylights out of him. Instinctively, he swallowed back all the words that he was going to spit


    out.


    ¡°Robin, this isn¡¯t over,¡± Justin said in a low-pitched but dangerous tone. After he said that, he swept


    Rachel up into his arms and left the lounge.


    Right after Justin left, Robin¡¯s legs felt like jelly and he slumped onto the couch.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Young Master Gunson.¡± The woman next to him tried to console him.


    ¡°Get lost!¡± Robin yelled at the woman. Then, he flipped the table around, and everything on it fell to the


    ground. ¡°All of you, get out!¡± he exploded, and his roaring voice echoed throughout the lounge.


    He was the president of the Burton Group, and Justin had just humiliated him in front of so many


    people by doing what he did. We are not done yet! No, not yet!


    In the meantime, Justin carried Rachel and walked out of the nightclub. Rachel was still conscious, but


    her body didn¡¯t feel like hers anymore. Powerlessly, she mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Put me down.¡± Ignoring


    her request, Justin continued carrying her until they reached the car, and gently settled her into the


    passenger seat.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Home,¡± he replied as he held the steering wheel and stepped on the elerator, leaving the ¡®Golden


    Hill¡¯ signboard far behind.


    During the trip, Justin was not driving fast, and Rachel leaned against the back of the seat, her eyes


    closed. All of a sudden, she bent forward and covered her mouth with a look of pain, and Justin


    immediately pulled over to the side of the road.


    Rachel pushed open the car door, stepped out, and stumbled toward a tree on the roadside. Her hands


    leaned against the tree and she vomited.


    While she was throwing up, Justin looked around, went to the convenience store, and bought a bottle


    of water for her. ¡°Here, drink some water,¡± he said.


    However, Rachel suddenly shook his hand off. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 370

    My Mute Bride Chapter 370


    Chapter 370 Future ns


    Alcohol made a person quicker to anger. Rachel pushed Justin away, knocking over the bottle of water


    in his hands and sending it rolling across the floor.


    This frightened a couple walking past them. Hurriedly, Justin apologized to them, ¡°Sorry for that.¡±


    Thankfully, the guy was easily pacified and soon walked away with his girlfriend.


    Once Rachel was done puking, she then walked away from Justin.


    ¡°Rae!¡± Justin ran after her and tried to stop her.


    When Justin was near her, she abruptly turned to stare at him with an extremely sober gaze. ¡°Just how


    long do you n on following me? Do you think I¡¯m grateful you made it in time? Who do you think you


    are?¡±


    ¡°I was just worried about you,¡± Justin replied. ¡°Robin isn¡¯t a good guy.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that? But I had to go today because Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ matter must


    be resolved. It doesn¡¯t matter whether today is a sess or not. Once he has a target for his anger,


    this feud could be over!¡±


    The more Rachel spoke, the angrier she got. ¡°But then you had toe. Now, everything has been for


    nothing! His hate for me will only grow!¡±


    Hearing this made Justin furious. ¡°Wake up! Someone like him won¡¯t have mercy on you just because


    he has vented out his anger. You didn¡¯t even need to lower yourself by going to that kind of ce. What


    do you take yourself for?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s none of your business, Justin Burton, great President Burton, Young Master Justin!¡±


    The more names Rachel threw at him, the louder she spoke. ¡°Do you think everyone was born with a


    silver spoon in their mouth, like you? Do you think everyone has a protector helping them in


    everything? I can only rely on myself in whatever I do! I don¡¯t need a hero to save me, and you can¡¯t


    save me! So, stop following me!¡±


    After leaving those ruthless words, Rachel turned and left.


    Justin was left standing alone in the frosty night air. The people walking around him threw him


    sympathetic nces as he kept standing there.


    Meanwhile, Rachel kept stumbling and walking. When she grew tired, she took off her heels and


    continued walking on bare feet.


    The rocks beneath her pierced into the soles of her feet, and the pain eventually woke her up from her


    anger.


    There were still about five miles left to go before she reached home. If she kept walking, the soles of


    her feet would bleed.


    After a while, she sat down on the side of the road.


    As the evening breeze blew across her face, she slowly sobered up.


    Just then, a car pulled to a stop near her, and the driver stepped out of the car. ¡°Julian?¡± Rachel asked,


    surprised.


    Twenty minutester, in an office in the hospital.


    ¡°That was so thoughtless of you. What were you thinking? Why did you walk on the road with bare


    feet? What if there was a nail or something on the road? Do you not care about your feet?¡±


    Although Julian kept grumbling and nagging, his hands kept cleaning and dressing her wounds.


    ¡°All done. Don¡¯t let your feet get wet for the next two days and remember to reapply the cream when it¡¯s


    time to do so.¡±


    Julian then took a pair of brand new slippers from the drawers and said, ¡°Wear these.¡±


    After grabbing the slippers, Rachel leaned back against the couch with her arms around a cushion.


    ¡°When did you get back?¡±


    After all, Julian had been studying overseas for quite a while now, and no one had ever said anything


    about when he¡¯d be back.


    ¡°Yesterday afternoon. I had to hand in a report as soon as I arrived, so I didn¡¯t have time to tell anyone


    yet,¡± he answered.


    ¡°How did you know I was there, then?¡± Rachel asked.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Julian frowned slightly in response and turned to clean up the room in order to hide the conflicted


    emotions in his eyes. ¡°My meeting just so happened to endte, and I was driving by the area.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence,¡± Rachel mused.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he grunted in response.


    ¡°Rest here for now. I¡¯ll throw these out first,¡± he said.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Julian then left the room with the trash and walked over to the trash bin in the hallway. After throwing


    out the trash, he dialed a number on his phone.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Julian asked when the call went through.


    ¡°In the parking lot outside,¡± replied the cold voice of a man over the phone.


    At that, Julian hung up and walked out of the hospital.


    Due to howte it was, almost nobody was hanging around the parking lot. Justin leaned against the


    side of his car as he held a cigarette between his slender fingers.


    When Justin noticed Julian walking over, he swiftly pulled out a big bag from the back of the car. ¡°You


    haven¡¯t eaten yet, right? I¡¯ve bought you some food from a convenience store.¡±


    ¡°Are these just for me?¡± Julian asked as he shot Justin a nce. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give her these


    yourself?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to see me. I wouldn¡¯t have called you otherwise.¡±


    When Julian heard that, he frowned. Still, he epted the bag from Justin.


    His meeting had just ended when Justin called him. What he heard shocked him.


    After all, Justin used to object a lot every time Julian and Rachel met each other. Hence, when Justin


    asked Julian to pick up Rachel, Julian had thought Justin had either called the wrong number, or this


    was an impersonator of Justin.


    ¡°How is she?¡± Justin asked.


    ¡°Merely blisters on the soles of her feet. She¡¯s sober and resting in my office. She¡¯s fine,¡± Julian


    answered.


    ¡°d to hear that,¡± Justin said.


    Justin then continued with a wave of his hand, ¡°Head back in. I¡¯m going now.¡±


    Julian opened his mouth to say something, but hesitated.


    However, after taking a few steps toward the hospital doors, Julian turned back to say to Justin, ¡°Don¡¯t


    smoke so much.¡±


    Justin¡¯s fingers around his cigarette trembled, sending smoke spiraling into the air.


    Meanwhile, in the office, Rachel was about to fall asleep when she was jolted awake by the sound of


    the door opening.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± She rubbed her eyes and blearily looked at Julian.


    ¡°I went to buy a few things,¡± Julian replied, cing the bag from the convenience store on the table. ¡°I


    haven¡¯t had my dinner yet. Let¡¯s eat together.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said.


    ¡°No need to be so polite. Here.¡±


    She epted the sandwich held out to her, took a bite of it, and had a sip of warm milk. It was only


    then that her stomach felt slightly better.


    ¡°Howe your business trip took so long? You didn¡¯t even tell us about it.¡±


    ¡°A secret experiment,¡± he answered with a glint in his eyes. ¡°You know how it is. We can¡¯t risk a leak.¡±


    Rachel nodded to show her understanding.


    There were a few moments of silence, then Julian suddenly asked, ¡°Rachel, do you ever n on going


    back to Montenegro?¡±


    Rachel froze. She even stopped eating. ¡°Why are you asking that all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Before you returned to Riverdale, you told me you would leave Riverdale, never to return, as soon as


    you¡¯ve settled your business here and found out what happened to Hans,¡± he stated.


    ¡°Yes, I did say that. However, Hudson Pharmaceuticals has caused a change in ns. I¡¯m in charge of


    it now. Thispany was built through the blood, sweat, and tears of several generations of Hudsons.


    My parents died for thispany, so I want to help thepany get through this crisis first,¡± she


    exined.


    ¡°You don¡¯t n on ever leaving then?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I just need some time.¡±


    Without saying a word, Julian ced down the food he had been working his way through, took off his


    sses, and began wiping them.


    ¡°Are you mad?¡± Rachel cautiously asked, observing his reaction.


    He ced his sses to the side, looked up at her, and said, ¡°My thesis has beenpletely


    processed. I¡¯ve also received an invitation to go back to Montenegro. They would like me to keep


    working in theb, focus on clinical trial research, and work as a university lecturer¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good news! It¡¯s a fantastic opportunity that many would love!¡±


    Her eyes shimmered as she continued, ¡°You must say yes. Being back there is better for your career,


    whether it¡¯s due to the standard of their medical industry or the research environment.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± he asked, his eyes looking steadily into hers. ¡°What are your future ns?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 371

    My Mute Bride Chapter 371


    Chapter 371 Change in Julian


    ¡°My ns?¡± Rachel asked. Julian¡¯s confident eyes were quite intimidating as he said, ¡°I would like you


    to head back to Montenegro with me.¡±


    Rachel was stunned. In all the years she had known Julian, he had always been agreeable and gentle.


    It was rare for him to act so stubbornly, as if rejection was uneptable to him.


    ¡°Julian, I can¡¯t go just yet. I love the five years I spent in Montenegro, and I had so much fun. I want to


    go back too, but I can¡¯t.¡±


    To her, there were some duties and obligations she had been destined to bear since the moment she


    was born; they were her responsibilities. After running from them for over twenty years, she decided it


    was finally time to shoulder them.


    Her parents¡¯ deaths were caused by the six forms of Hudson Pharmaceuticals. Ensuring Jefferey


    and Amber Hudson get their deserved punishments was just the start of Rachel¡¯s n. She believed


    her parents, and even her grandma, would wish for her to restore Hudson Pharmaceuticals back to its


    former glory. Why else would her mother give her those forms back then?


    ¡°Julian, I know you¡¯re doing this for my sake, but I really can¡¯t go yet.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    With a nod, he then put his spectacles back on and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was just asking. I¡¯ve been under


    a lot of pressure from worktely. Don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    Rachel let out a sigh of relief at that. ¡°Good that you¡¯re not angry.¡±


    ¡°Why would I be angry with you?¡±


    ¡°Say, when do you n on going back to Montenegro?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± he replied. There was a conflicted expression on his face. ¡°It¡¯s not my only choice


    after all.¡±


    Then, just as Rachel was about to speak again, Julian¡¯s phone started ringing. ¡°I have to take this,¡± he


    said. ¡°You can keep eating. I¡¯ll drive you hometer.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    However, after Julian left the room, Rachel suddenly lost her appetite.


    When Julian¡¯s phone rang just now, she had nced at it, and the number disyed on the screen


    looked rather familiar. If her memory wasn¡¯t wrong, it should be Jason¡¯s number.


    Why was Julian in contact with Jason?


    Perhaps she was wrong, but something felt different about Julian this time.


    Later that night, Rachel went home in Julian¡¯s car.


    ¡°How are your feet? Do you need me to help you up?¡± Julian asked when they arrived at Rachel¡¯s


    home.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Rachel replied with a wave of her hand. ¡°Drive carefully. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± hummed Julian. ¡°You stay safe too.¡±


    In response, Rachel nodded. She then turned and walked into her building.


    While she was still wearing the pair of slippers Julian gave her, her feet were still covered in minor


    injuries. And so, it was rather difficult for her to walk.


    Rachel forced herself to push through the pain and walked into the elevator. As soon as the door slid


    shut, she immediately copsed against one of its walls. After a sharp inhale of pain, she pressed the


    inte button that connected the elevator to the apartments, and said, ¡°Come and help me.¡±


    Jolly, who had been worriedly waiting in the apartment, hadn¡¯t gone to bed yet.


    She made her way to the elevator. When the doors opened to reveal Rachel slumped against one of


    the elevator walls, Jolly hurriedly helped Rachel up to her feet. ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    ¡°Your feet are raw,¡± said Jolly.


    ¡°Is Robin that big of a pervert?¡± she continued to ask.


    ¡°Just what goes on in your mind? My feet are raw because I was walking!¡± Rachel sighed.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Justin go pick you up? Also, why are you back sote?¡± Jolly questioned.


    When Justin¡¯s name was mentioned, Rachel¡¯s face clouded over. ¡°You were the one who called him


    and told him I was meeting with Robin?¡±


    One of Jolly¡¯s greatest fears was Rachel turning hostile against her. Upon hearing that, Jolly felt a little


    guilty.


    She helped Rachel to the couch and obediently handed Rachel a ss of water. ¡°I was worried about


    you. No one could reach you, so who wouldn¡¯t worry?¡±


    Jolly continued to exin, ¡°Ever since the incident at Golden Hill, I have been extremely cautious. I


    couldn¡¯t get in, so I had to ask Justin for help. After all, the ce belongs to his uncle, Jason. The


    guards can¡¯t stop him, right?¡±


    ¡°You think you¡¯re so sensible, but what can he help with?¡± Rachel scoffed. ¡°Your parents can also help


    me, but I didn¡¯t let them step in.¡±


    Rachel knew better than anyone else that Hudson Pharmaceuticals had to restore its reputation if it


    wanted to dominate the market once more. It was useless relying on connections. One had to build a


    structure brick by brick. Otherwise, when all connections were broken, a structure would copse


    overnight no matter how tall it had been.


    And Jefferey was the best example for this.


    ¡°From now on, do not ever ask Justin for help when ites to me. We are through. I don¡¯t want to


    owe him anything.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Jolly shrugged. ¡°So, was he the one who drove you back tonight?¡±


    ¡°No. It was Julian.¡±


    ¡°Julian¡¯s back from his trip?¡±


    Jolly was shocked, and she asked, ¡°When did that happen?¡±


    ¡°He said he came back yesterday.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And he didn¡¯t even contact us? Damn him! I¡¯m going to call him right now and make sure he pays for it


    by treating me to a meal.¡±


    ¡°Jolly,¡± Rachel called out. ¡°Julian¡¯s exhausted. Call him tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Feeling bad for him?¡±


    Jolly kept teasing, ¡°No wonder you didn¡¯t want me to ask Justin for help. Dr. Peters is about to take


    Justin¡¯s ce.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡±


    After a pause for thought, Rachel continued, ¡°I have a question for you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Jolly.


    ¡°Do you know where Julian went for his business trip?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he go to Montenegro? Initially, he was going to fly with Hernandez, but then something strange


    happened to him. Hernandez waited for Julian at the airport for what seemed like forever, and when he


    finally called the guy, he said he had left on an earlier flight! Hernandez was so pissed off.¡±


    Rachel frowned hard. For some mysterious reason, the call Julian received from Jason suddenly


    bothered her a lot.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Jolly¡¯s question snapped Rachel back to her senses. ¡°Nothing much. Anyway, it¡¯s gettingte. Go to


    sleep. We still have to think about what to do about the approval for the project in Nortne tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°My head hurts just thinking about it. If we really have no choice, I¡¯ll ask my father for help.¡±


    ¡°If we can¡¯te up with an idea, that¡¯ll be ourst resort.¡±


    Once Rachel said that, Jolly let out a yawn, pointed at Rachel¡¯s feet, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll help you into your


    room.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Rachel said. ¡°I¡¯m going to sit here for a while. You head to bed first.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± agreed Jolly.


    After Jolly¡¯s bedroom door closed, the only light turned on in the living room was a floormp stationed


    next to the couch.


    Rachel sat on the couch with a cushion in her arms as she ruminated. The more she pondered, the


    deeper her thoughts were.


    After the Jublen smuggling case was solved, Interpol worked with the Riverdale Investigation Bureau to


    investigate all members involved in the smuggling case. In the end, many people in Riverdale were


    found to be involved in the case. Some were arrested while others were put on house arrest. However,


    Jason disappeared without a trace.


    Janice had said the investigation was still kept a secret to avoid scaring anyone off. Searches of the


    cities Jason frequently visited were intensified, but nothing had been found yet.


    Logically speaking, Jason should be more cautious if he wanted to avoid being hunted by the


    investigation bureau. Why would he call Julian using his personal phone number?


    Rachel just couldn¡¯t get it. Then, after looking around, she bent down and opened a secret


    compartment underneath the couch. Inside thepartment was an old phone taped to the bottom of


    the couch.


    After grabbing it, she stumbled her way over to the balcony before making a call with the old phone.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Why the sudden phone call? Didn¡¯t I tell you to hide for now? This is dangerous,¡± said the person over


    the phone.


    ¡°I have a lead on Jason Burton. He called Julian Peters about an hour ago. I¡¯m worried he¡¯ll threaten


    Julian to save himself.¡±


    By now, Rachel¡¯s brows were locked in a frown.


    She could think of no other reason for Jason to contact Julian.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 372

    My Mute Bride Chapter 372


    Chapter 372 Heartless


    A weekter, Rachel¡¯s foot injury had finally healed.


    Early in the morning, Rachel went to Gloria¡¯s residence to pick up Charlotte and Samuel.


    Due to her foot injury, she didn¡¯t have time to take care of the two children for the whole week. Jolly


    was also too busy with the approval of the Nortne project, so both children were entrusted to Gloria.


    ¡°Charlotte, your mommy is here to pick you up for school. Go wash up ande have breakfast.¡±


    Gloria shouted outside the bedroom, but there was no response.


    ¡°This brat.¡±


    Rachel smiled before uttering, ¡°That little piglet must still be asleep. Samuel, go and wake Charlotte


    up.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    As expected, after Samuel went into the bedroom, he dragged Charlotte, who was still in her pajamas


    and seemingly still in slumber, out to wash up.


    When Rachel and Gloria saw them, they exchanged an amused smile.


    ¡°Take a seat. Do you want a drink?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything.¡±


    ¡°Is coffee okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeap.¡±


    With that, Gloria brewed a cup of coffee for Rachel.


    ¡°You could¡¯ve saved the trouble ofing over. I can send Charlotte to school, and you can pick her up


    afterward.¡±


    ¡°I came here not just for Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°What else are you here for?¡±


    Rachel blinked her eyes. ¡°I heard Victor made you upset?¡±


    Taken aback by her question, Gloria turned her head to avoid Rachel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Nah. That¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing going on, why would he call me, asking how you¡¯re doingtely? And you didn¡¯t


    answer his calls either. Even the security guards at the music room aren¡¯t letting him in.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s dumb!¡±


    Gloria identally made a slip of the tongue due to anger.


    Rachel looked at her and waited for her reply, so Gloria had no choice but to cough awkwardly and


    exined, ¡°Well. Hear me out. The other day when it was pouring heavily outside, I invited him to


    dinner and offered to pick him up, but he¡­¡±


    Last week, there was a heavy rainstorm in Riverdale.


    Victor was on duty at school that day, and he happened to get off work a littlete. Gloria had just


    finished practice in the music room, so she drove to the school to pick him up. Since she wasn¡¯t driving


    a school-owned car, she had no choice but to park her car in the temporary parking space across the


    road. Fortunately, she brought two umbres, so she brought them down the car and looked for Victor.


    ¡°Guess what he did, Rachel?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He gave his colleague the umbre I brought for him.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there were two umbres? Isn¡¯t it enough for both of you to share one?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°If that was what happened, I wouldn¡¯t have said that he was dumb. He¡­¡± Gloriained through


    gritted teeth. ¡°After giving the umbre to his colleague, he said he didn¡¯t want to have dinner together


    anymore because it was raining. He said he had to stay back and prepare for his lessons, so he


    decided to stay overnight in school and told me to have dinner by myself.¡±


    The more she storied, the angrier Gloria became, and she put down her mug heavily on the table.


    ¡°Seriously, Rachel, why does someone like him exist? We promised to have dinner together, and I even


    went all the way to pick him up. Why didn¡¯t he tell me sooner if he had to work overtime? How dare he


    stand me up? Who does he think he is?¡±


    When Rachel heard that, she furrowed her brows. ¡°Did he really say that?¡±


    ¡°I told you what he told me word for word. I finally understand now. That b*stard had never seen me as


    a friend, not to mention a woman.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true. Victor is quite a straightforward person. If he didn¡¯t want to be friends with you,


    he wouldn¡¯t even have talked to you.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. You don¡¯t have to defend him. I swear I¡¯m just going to ignore him from now on!¡±


    Gloria was so irritated that she downed the coffee in one go. The bitterness of the coffee made her face


    scrunch.


    At the same time, Rachel felt helpless. ¡°Why are you behaving like a child in an adult¡¯s body?¡±


    While they were talking, Samuel came out of the washroom and climbed onto Gloria¡¯s dining chair by


    the table with the help of all his limbs, eximing, ¡°I want this!¡±


    Gloria adored Samuel, so she immediately pushed the sandwich in front of him and uttered, ¡°Here you


    go. Eat up.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Charlotte?¡± inquired Rachel.


    ¡°She¡¯s changing.¡±


    Gloria nced down at her watch. ¡°I think she won¡¯t be able to make it to school after breakfast. Let me


    just pack her some food so she can have it in the car.¡±


    Before this, she just seemed like a child being sulky with Victor, but now, she looked like a responsible


    adult running up and down for Charlotte.


    All of a sudden, Rachel thought of something. One would usually show their most childish side in front


    of their crushes.


    After changing, Charlotte still looked groggy as if she wasn¡¯t fully awake yet. Hugging Rachel¡¯s thighs,


    she yawned continuously, mumbling, ¡°Mommy.¡±


    ¡°We need to go now, little piglet. Say bye to Aunt Gloria.¡±


    ¡°Bye, Aunt Gloria.¡±


    ¡°Bye, Charlotte.¡±


    Gloria then sent them off downstairs, but before they left, she suddenly recalled something. ¡°Rachel,


    have you heard about what happened in the Burton Family?¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton has been hospitalized.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Rachel was stunned to hear that. ¡°When was he hospitalized?¡±


    ¡°Last Saturday.¡±


    Rachel thought about it. Wasn¡¯tst Saturday the day Old Madam Sutton almost took Samuel away?


    On that day, Justin was having dinner with them but eventually lost Samuel.


    Gloria replied, ¡°Old Mr. Burton has a cerebral infarction, and it seems to be quite serious. He has been


    in the ICU since the surgeryst week. Oh, and Julian is the doctor who treated him. Didn¡¯t he tell


    you?¡±


    In response, Rachel shook her head. ¡°I just met Julianst Sunday but didn¡¯t see him anymore


    recently.¡±


    Since Julian only came backst Saturday, didn¡¯t it mean that he immediately treated Arthur¡¯s cerebral


    infarction right after he returned?


    Was that why Jason contacted him? Was it because of Arthur¡¯s surgery?


    But Julian didn¡¯t even mention Arthur¡¯s condition to her when he treated her woundsst Sunday.


    All of a sudden, Rachel was in confusion.


    ¡°Are you okay, Rachel?¡±


    Gloria¡¯s voice brought Rachel back to reality.


    Tilting her head up, Rachel inquired, ¡°Has Justin been in the hospital for the whole week?¡±


    Gloria shook her head in return. ¡°Nope. Once Old Mr. Burton¡¯s condition became stable, he was


    dispatched overseas by Robin, but Julian is in the hospital, so he isn¡¯t all that worried.¡±


    ¡°Robin is such a heartless man.¡±


    Rachel grabbed the steering wheel as her eyes darkened.


    The reason behind Robin¡¯s sess today was the Burton Family. If it weren¡¯t for Arthur who


    rmended him as the new president of Burton Group, how would he have achieved what he had


    today?


    How could he send away the closest family to Arthur overseas during this time?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Justin will be back within these two days. I just wanna remind you, Rachel. If Old Mr.


    Burton kicks the bucket and Burton Group falls into Robin¡¯s handspletely, he will be a difficult


    person to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I got it.¡± Rachel nodded lightly.


    After sending the two kids to school, Rachel drove to the hospital.


    She had to know about Arthur¡¯s current condition.


    ¡°Hello, may I know which room is Old Mr. Burton in?¡±


    ¡°And you are?¡±


    The nurse in the reception scanned Rachel from top to toe.


    ¡°My daughter is the great-granddaughter to Old Mr. Burton. I¡¯m just here to see him and will bring the


    kid overter,¡± replied Rachel.


    Only then did the nurse inform the ward.


    Just when Rachel was about to head over, the nurse called out to her. ¡°Um, wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 373

    My Mute Bride Chapter 373


    Chapter 373 No One Can Visit


    ¡°You¡¯ll need Dr. Peters¡¯ signature to enter the intensive care unit. If you¡¯re visiting, you still need to look


    for Dr. Peters first.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Rachel was taken aback. ¡°Yes. Mr. Gunson came to the ward earlier to visit, but he was


    stopped by the security guard. He¡¯s still making a fuss at this moment.¡±


    Mr. Gunson? Robin?


    Rachel immediately walked toward the elevator. As soon as she got out, she heard a noisy sound


    coming from the ward in the distance.


    ¡°I am the president of Burton Group, personally selected by Old Mr. Burton. Why do I still need the


    attending doctor¡¯s signature just to visit my grandfather? Are you out of your mind?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Sir, this is the instruction left by Old Mr. Burton¡¯s family, so we can¡¯t change it without his permission.¡±


    ¡°Who left the instructions? Now that my godfather is not in Riverdale and Old Mr. Burton is sick, the


    entire Burton Family listens to me.¡±


    ¡°Listen to you? What is your rtionship with the Burton Family?¡±


    Just as Rachel was still standing in a daze, she heard Julian¡¯s voiceing from behind her. He had


    rushed over without her noticing. Julian nodded toward her as a greeting before he walked toward


    Robin.


    ¡°Robin, just because Jason is your godfather doesn¡¯t mean that you are from the Burton Family. It


    doesn¡¯t matter if Old Mr. Burton recognizes you or not. Our hospital only looks at the opinions of the


    patient¡¯s family and the patient himself.¡±


    When Robin saw that it was Julian, his face sank. ¡°How are you worthy of telling me what to do? You


    and your mother leeched off the Burton Family for so many years and n to do so for the rest of your


    life, and now you¡¯re acting as Justin¡¯s dog?¡±


    ¡°Watch your words, Robin Gunson.¡±


    ¡°Watch what? Am I not telling the truth? That woman, Sue, took you to live in the Burton Residence for


    more than 20 years. Who can¡¯t tell that she wants to rise in status? Now that Justin is also useless, you


    should stay away from him if you know what¡¯s good for you! Then, I¡¯ll consider feeding you!¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t expect that Robin would be so arrogant to the point where he would just run his mouth. At


    this point, even if Jason was present now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to control him anymore.


    Julian had always had a good temper, but he was not a pushover either. He took out his phone and


    made a call. ¡°Hello? I¡¯d like to call the police. Someone is causing trouble in the hospital here.¡±


    In an instant, Robin¡¯s expression changed. He stretched out his hand to snatch Julian¡¯s phone away,


    but Julian stopped him with one hand. As Julian often conducted surgery, he had much more strength


    in his hands than a pampered young man like Robin. He grabbed Robin¡¯s wrist effortlessly, causing the


    latter to wail in pain.


    ¡°Julian, let go, let go of me! If you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t hold back anymore! Argh!¡±


    Julian threw him away in disgust and said coldly, ¡°The police will be here soon. If you continue to cause


    trouble here, I¡¯ll send you to the police station.¡±


    Robin was still about to rebuke when the assistant next to him helped him up. ¡°President Gunson, let¡¯s


    just leave first. We cane back another day.¡±


    Robin held his arm with one hand and gritted his teeth. ¡°Julian, just you wait!¡± Saying that, he leaned on


    his assistant and walked away quickly.


    Julian looked around. ¡°Everyone, go and continue your work. Don¡¯t gather around here.¡±


    After the crowd scattered, Rachel walked over and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Julian replied in a soft voice, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Justin expected Robin toe over a long time ago, and he was


    afraid that something would happen, so he asked me to keep a close eye on the ICU. If I don¡¯t give my


    signature, no one can enter.¡±


    Rachel nodded. ¡°How is Old Mr. Burton?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still in aa. Currently, his body is fine and he still has a chance of waking, but if he doesn¡¯t


    wake up after this month, he would most likely¡­¡±


    Even if Julian didn¡¯t finish his sentence, Rachel already knew what he meant.


    ¡°Does he still need surgery?¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t a need for that at the moment. Old Mr. Burton¡¯s age is too old to bear the physical burden


    of undergoing so many operations.¡±


    Rachel nodded slightly.


    Julian asked, ¡°By the way, why did youe to the hospital all of a sudden? The news of Old Mr.


    Burton¡¯s hospitalization was blocked from the Burtons to prevent any chaos from happening.¡±


    ¡°Gloria told me.¡±


    Understanding her words, Julian nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it in my office.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    They had just taken a seat in the office when a nurse knocked on the door. ¡°Dr. Peters, the Burton


    Family¡¯s housekeeper is outside, saying he wants to see Old Mr. Burton.¡±


    ¡°Just tell him that Old Mr. Burton¡¯s condition is unstable and he can¡¯t see anyone at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After the nurse left, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Julian, Dennis has stayed with Old Mr. Burton for a


    long time. Can¡¯t he visit either?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just doing my duties as a doctor. This request was made by Justin as a family member of the


    patient. No one can see Old Mr. Burton unless hees back.¡±


    ¡°Does he have to be that harsh? If Old Mr. Burton¡¯s condition worsens, how will he say hisst words?¡±


    ¡°Awyer will be there, and I will also be present as a witness. If it involves the distribution of assets, I


    will notarize and disclose the contents of the will recording.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve really prepared everything.¡±


    At this point, Rachel stopped questioning him.


    All things considered, Arthur was regarded as a hero in Riverdale, but in his final days, he couldn¡¯t


    even have any grandchildren around to send him off. His eldest son died early, his second son was


    missing, his granddaughter had mental problems and was abroad, and his grandson was away and


    couldn¡¯t rush back. It was a sad sight to see.


    Rachel said, ¡°I wanted to take Charlotte to see Old Mr. Burton at first, since she is his great-


    granddaughter. But looking at the situation now, I won¡¯t trouble you anymore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to bring Charlotte along. I don¡¯t think Justin will stop you.¡±


    Julian handed Rachel a cup of tea. ¡°Well, Old Mr. Burton has been in the ICU for the past two days, so


    it really isn¡¯t convenient, but his condition should stabilize by this Friday. You can bring Charlotte and


    look for me when youe, and I¡¯ll let both of you in.¡±


    ¡°Will that be all right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Only then could Rachel rx. Although Arthur wasn¡¯t friendly to her and had even threatened her many


    times, he was kind to Charlotte. As it seemed like Arthur¡¯s illness couldn¡¯t be cured, she had to let


    Charlotte see him off before he died.


    ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t know if Jason knows about Old Mr. Burton¡¯s condition or not.¡±


    At her words, Julian paused slightly while in the midst of drinking tea. ¡°Why did you suddenly bring him


    up?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Old Mr. Burton¡¯s only remaining son, after all. If Old Mr. Burton is still conscious, he¡¯d probably


    want to see him again.¡±


    Rachel looked at Julian and hesitated for a while, before she asked bluntly, ¡°Julian, has Jason


    contacted you before?¡±


    Julian raised his head. ¡°No. Why would he contact me?¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes dimmed, but she still held a glimmer of hope. ¡°You¡¯re right, but I just thought if he hears


    that Old Mr. Burton is critically ill, he might contact you.¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯m not close to him in the first ce.¡±


    Hearing that, Rachel felt as though Julian was hiding something on purpose.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 374

    My Mute Bride Chapter 374


    Chapter 374 The Truth About the Abduction


    That day, she had clearly seen Jason¡¯s number appear on Julian¡¯s cell phone. After leaving Julian¡¯s


    office, Rachel went to the cemetery in the suburbs. It was located in a remote area, and no one visited


    this ce except for their family¡¯s death anniversary, so this was the best ce to meet Janice.


    ¡°Is there any news on Jason?¡± As soon as she saw Janice, Rachel asked. Janice nodded. ¡°The team


    has located his location. A week ago, he was in Belleville.¡±


    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you dispatched a search team yet?¡±


    ¡°Belleville is not our territory. To search for him, we need to submit an application to the higher ups. I¡¯m


    afraid that someone might leak the news in the process.¡±


    ¡°Then do we have to just wait like this? What if he runs away?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t. Isn¡¯t Old Mr. Burton seriously ill and hospitalized? Even though Jason has cut ties with the


    Burton Family on the surface, he has hoped to gain the old man¡¯s recognition all his life. He¡¯s a filial


    son.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rachel didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What does this have to do with whether he¡¯s a filial


    son or not?¡±


    Janice borated, ¡°He wille back to Riverdale within the next two days.¡±


    Rachel jolted a little. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°If he didn¡¯t care about Old Mr. Burton, he wouldn¡¯t have taken such a big risk to call Julian.¡±


    ¡°You have a point.¡± Rachel fell into her thoughts, but she still had something she couldn¡¯t figure out.


    ¡°But why did Julian hide it from me?¡±


    Although Julian had lived in the Burton Residence with Sue since he was a child, they were not a part


    of the Burton Family. Except for Justin, he had only evere into contact with Arthur. Julian only


    followed Justin¡¯s example and called Jason his uncle out of politeness, and they never really talked to


    each other.


    Besides, even if they had contact, because Justin and Jason had a bad rtionship with one other,


    there would not be any good interaction between Julian and Jason.


    Janice could not understand it either. ¡°That is indeed strange. Did you ask Julian about it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t dare to ask too much, so I broached the topic vaguely, but he denied it.¡± Rachel frowned. ¡°I


    keep getting this feeling that Julian has changed a lot after returning from this business trip. It seems


    that he has a lot on his mind.¡±


    Janice had no time to take into ount Julian¡¯s changes as she still had a lot of things to attend to.


    ¡°It¡¯s been two days since Jason returned to Riverdale. The first thing he has to do is to confirm the


    safety of the hospital, and then go to see the old man. If you are in the hospital at that time, we can


    support you from the outside while you give us inside intel.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but I¡¯m worried that Jason won¡¯t show up until thest moment.¡±


    After a brief pause, Janice suggested, ¡°I have a n, but I need your cooperation.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Janice leaned closer and whispered her n in Rachel¡¯s ear.


    Rachel was taken aback for a moment before she fell into thought. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this be too much? If


    Justin knew about this, he would definitelye back as soon as possible, and everything would be in


    his presence¡ª¡±


    Rachel didn¡¯t finish her sentence; she stopped herself halfway through. After hesitating for a while, she


    said, ¡°I¡¯ll cooperate with you. I¡¯ll take Charlotte to see the old man in the next two days.¡±


    Janice didn¡¯t say much and patted Rachel on the shoulder. ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll leave it at this.¡±


    Saying that, Janice left, while Rachel lingered in the cemetery for a while. There were some weeds


    growing in front of her grandmother¡¯s grave. She pulled out some by herself and wiped the tombstone


    to make the picture on it clearer. In the ck and white photo, her grandmother was smiling tenderly


    and lovingly. Although they were not rted by blood, her grandmother had brought up her mother,


    saved their lives, and took care of her until she grew up. If she had any regrets, it was that she failed to


    make her grandmother happy.


    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d agree with what I¡¯m doing. When Jason kidnapped you back then, he caused


    you to have a heart attack and not be treated in time. Besides, he did so many hurtful things, so


    everything is his retribution. People like him should be sent to jail before they cause even more harm.¡±


    As night fell, it was already veryte when Julian finished his shift and returned home from the hospital.


    Sue hadn¡¯t slept yet. As soon as she saw Julianing back, she immediately asked, ¡°How is the old


    man today? I heard that imbecile Robin caused trouble at the hospital. Are you hurt?¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Julian replied coldly, obviously unwilling to talk to Sue.


    Sue grabbed him suddenly. ¡°Julian, until when will you be angry with me? Don¡¯t you know that


    everything I do is for you?¡±


    ¡°Is it? You¡¯re doing it for yourself, and for glory and wealth!¡±


    With a loud p, Sue¡¯s handnded on Julian¡¯s face. Her hands trembled slightly in the air. She


    couldn¡¯t believe she had hit her son. However, she had already done so, and she still had to say what


    she had to say. She gritted her teeth. ¡°Julian, I¡¯m telling you, anyone can say that to me, but you can¡¯t.


    I¡¯m doing it for myself, but I¡¯m also doing it for you! For twenty years, I¡¯ve been hated by the Burton


    Family. Those people tter me in person but look down on me in private. Do you think I don¡¯t know


    what they say about me behind my back? They say that I¡¯ve found a good nephew to ensure an easy


    life, and I¡¯m clinging to the Burton Family like a parasite!¡±


    Sue calmed down and said, ¡°But what about it? They¡¯re just jealous. If such an opportunity is presented


    before them, would they not seize it? They¡¯d pounce on it faster than me!¡±


    Julian couldn¡¯t bear to listen anymore. ¡°Since you¡¯ve benefited from him, then you should treat him well.


    But why did you sell him to a trafficker? He was only thirteen years old at that time! He wasn¡¯t much


    older than me. How could you bear to do that to your own nephew?¡±


    Sue¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to bring this up again?¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t bring it up, do you think that no one would know?¡±


    Julian¡¯s shoulders were trembling. If it hadn¡¯t been for Sue¡¯s phone call that day, he might never have


    known that the ¡°abduction¡± that affected Justin¡¯s life was actually his mother¡¯s doing.


    More than twenty years ago, Sue was not satisfied with just being a nanny in the Burton Family. For her


    own selfish desires, she bribed human traffickers to abduct Justin, who was only thirteen years old


    then, and sell him to a remote area. Until now, Justin had no idea that the aunt he trusted so much was


    the demon who pushed him into hell.


    Julian red at Sue intensely, his eyes zing like torches. ¡°Did you also sell my cousin to a human


    trafficker for my sake?¡±


    Sue panicked. ¡°Do you think I wanted to? At that time, Old Mr. Burton couldn¡¯t stand listening to the


    rumors about me. He didn¡¯t want me to stay in the Burton Residence and continue to take care of


    Justin. I worked hard to raise him. How could he ask me to leave just like that?¡±


    ¡°So you took revenge on him? A thirteen-year-old child?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 375

    My Mute Bride Chapter 375


    Chapter 375 You Are My Son


    ¡°You¡¯re still not willing to repent until now?¡± Julian pushed Sue away. ¡°You should turn yourself in.¡±


    Sue¡¯s face paled in an instant. She couldn¡¯t believe what she just heard.


    Julian continued, ¡°This happened more than twenty years ago, and though the prosecution period has


    passed, you still owe Justin an apology. Thew will not hold you ountable, but you must repent.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? I am your mother!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because you¡¯re my mother that I don¡¯t want you to live your life with your sins. Doesn¡¯t it


    hurt your conscience? You keep saying you did everything for me, but you¡¯re just doing it for yourself!¡±


    Just as he finished speaking, a middle-aged man¡¯s voice suddenly sounded from behind Julian,


    interrupting him. ¡°It¡¯s true that your mother did it for you.¡±


    Julian¡¯s hands that were hanging by his sides suddenly stiffened, his expression turning awkward. He


    didn¡¯t even look back and was about to leave home as if he hadn¡¯t seen or heard anything.


    ¡°Hold it!¡±


    Julian clenched his fists and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Jason, I didn¡¯t call the police to catch you for


    my mother¡¯s sake, so don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. This is a matter between my family and it has nothing


    to do with you!¡±


    The man who was standing by the door of the study was Jason.


    Two weeks ago, Julian was supposed to leave Riverdale on a business trip, but he had forgotten to


    bring something and went home, where he ran into his mother in a middle-aged man¡¯s arms. Because


    Sue had been widowed for more than 20 years, as a son, he had always hoped that she would


    remarry, but she remained alone for many years to raise him and his cousin, Justin. Although she was


    a little grumpy, she was still dedicated to her children.


    However, just as Julian was about to leave, he found that the man was Jason, Justin¡¯s uncle. At that


    moment, Julian¡¯s mind went nk. It was then that he finally found out Sue and Jason had been


    together for many years. All this time, taking care of Justin was just a cover for why Sue continued to


    stay at the Burton Residence, unwilling to leave. Her real purpose was to cover up her identity as


    Jason¡¯s lover.


    As Julian had received good moral upbringing since he was a child, he simply could not ept this.


    Moreover, Jason was involved in a smuggling case and was being looked into by the investigation


    bureau, so his first instinct was to call the police as soon as possible. However, it was his mother who


    begged him not to call the police that made himpromise.


    For the past two weeks, Jason had been living here. He was going to turn a blind eye to this until he


    found out the truth about Justin¡¯s abduction that year. It was as if he had been struck by lightning over


    and over.


    Jason red at Julian. ¡°Where do you think your food and clothes came from for the past twenty


    years? Your mother stayed at the Burton Residence for herself? Bold of you to say that!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not have all of that!¡±


    ¡°But you already did. Yourfortable life for the past thirty years, your studies, respected upation,


    and even your current so-called morals were all given to you by your mother.¡±


    Jason¡¯s every word was like a stab to his heart, and Julian had never been so aggrieved as he was


    now. He called the two people in front of him demons, but he was raised by these two demons.


    ¡°Also, I have to tell you that you had a part in Justin¡¯s abduction back then.¡±


    ¡°Jason.¡± Sue hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t say it.¡±


    However, Jason ignored her interruption and said coldly, ¡°Julian, have you forgotten why Justin went


    out alone that year?¡±


    Julian¡¯s expression gradually dropped. How could he not remember? Justin was Arthur¡¯s favorite


    grandson, the boy who always had several bodyguards escorting him whenever he went out; it was


    impossible for him to be abducted and sold by human traffickers. The reason why he went out alone


    that day was entirely because of a phone call he had made.


    ¡°Justin, did you forget that my birthday is the day after tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°How could I forget? I¡¯ve prepared your gift already.¡±


    ¡°Really? My mom has been in a bad mood recently and won¡¯t talk to me. You¡¯re the best, Justin.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Aunt Sue is probably in a bad mood because she has to move away. I¡¯ll find a way to tell Grandpa.


    Don¡¯t worry, Julian. How about this, the day after tomorrow, I¡¯ll secretly take you to the waterpark.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course. When have I ever lied to you?¡±


    Julian was delighted.


    ¡°You brat, why are you looking for your swimming trunk in the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°Justin is taking me to y at the waterpark the day after tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°How is he taking you? Does Old Mr. Burton let him out?¡±


    ¡°Justin said that he¡¯ll sneak out. Shh, don¡¯t tell anyone, Mom.¡±


    On the day he went to the water park, he waited alone at the entrance of the park for a long time, but


    Justin never showed up, and he even grumbled inwardly about being stood up by his cousin. However,


    in the evening, when the Burton Family showed up at his house, he found out that Justin had gone


    missing.


    When Justin was found, half a year had already passed. He came back with a long scar on his face,


    and after his injury was healed, it was like he had turned into someone else. He became withdrawn and


    didn¡¯t like to be close to others. He didn¡¯t even speak much to Julian, his own cousin. The events of


    that year were still vivid in his mind, and he would never forget it in his life.


    ¡°So what if I remember?¡±


    Jason said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you telling your mother that Justin woulde out alone to take you to


    y, how could we have had this opportunity to arrange for someone to take him away?¡±


    Julian was unfazed. ¡°That¡¯s just an excuse! Even if I didn¡¯t tell anyone back then, and even if I didn¡¯t go


    out with Justin that day, as long as you wanted to do it, you would¡¯ve done whatever it took to wait for


    an opportunity or create one yourselves.¡±


    He firmly believed that he had done nothing wrong twenty years ago, which was why he was not


    swayed by Jason.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Jason sneered. ¡°But have you ever thought about why your mother would work with me to


    harm her own nephew?¡±


    Julian jolted violently.


    ¡°My old man favors men over women, and only a man can be the heir of the Burton Family. If it


    wasn¡¯t to pave the way for our son to inherit the Burton Family in the future, why would we try to harm


    Justin, a thirteen-year-old brat?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Jason only had one daughter, Tina. Where did a sone from?


    ¡°Stop it.¡± Sue suddenly turned pale and grabbed Jason¡¯s arm in a panic. ¡°Please stop talking. Enough


    is enough!¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t a child anymore. He should¡¯ve known these things earlier.¡±


    ¡°Jason, Julian doesn¡¯t need to know!¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Julian revealed a rare annoyance and panic.


    ¡°Are you still trying to lie to yourself after everything? I know that you¡¯ve thought about it before.¡±


    Jason¡¯s cold eyes bore straight into Julian¡¯s as he said, ¡°You¡¯re my son. My biological son.¡±


    His words were like a knife, stabbing directly into Julian¡¯s heart.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 376

    My Mute Bride Chapter 376


    Chapter 376 Omen


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Julian¡¯s first reaction was denial. How could he be Jason¡¯s son? He looked at Sue and


    immediately rushed up to grab her shoulder, asking, ¡°Mom, tell me this isn¡¯t true. It¡¯s all a lie!¡±


    Sue turned her face away, unable to answer. ¡°Is it that hard to admit this? Son, this is a chance for


    you.¡± Jason¡¯s voice sounded from behind him. ¡°What¡¯s so good about being a doctor? You can only get


    unlimited power and sess as the heir of the Burton Group.


    I¡¯ll transfer the shares under my name that Robin is holding over to your name. As long as you can get


    the old man¡¯s will, the entire Burton Family will be ours in the future.¡± Julian¡¯s mind was abuzz.


    ¡­


    Early in the morning, a white porcin te fell on the floor with a crash and broke into several pieces


    in an instant. A loud noise echoed in the room, and Rachel hurriedly crouched down to clean it up.


    Jolly leaned out from the bathroom with a toothbrush still in her mouth, and asked in a muffled voice,


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just identally broke a te.¡±


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Rachel quickly picked up the broken porcin pieces on the ground, but when she got up, her vision


    spun. With a thud, she violently pped her hand onto the dining table and clung onto it, barely


    maintaining her bnce.


    ¡°Are you really okay?¡± Jolly peeked out again.


    When she saw Rachel¡¯s dazed appearance, she strode out with a mouthful of toothpaste and helped


    her up, asking, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Here, sit down.¡±


    Jolly poured a cup of water for Rachel, who felt better after drinking some.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you sick?¡±


    Rachel shook her head. ¡°I suddenly felt dizzy.¡±


    ¡°Then you have to go to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯m probably just tired.¡±


    For some reason, ever since she got up in the morning, her eyelids never stopped twitching, and she


    kept feeling as if something big was about to happen. However, it was a strange thing to say, and even


    she felt that it was ridiculous.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always had a weak build, so don¡¯t just brush it off. This won¡¯t do; I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was going to take Charlotte to visit Old Mr. Burton in the hospital anyway. I¡¯ll go and ask


    Julian to have a look.¡±


    ¡°That works.¡± Jolly finally rxed. ¡°Then you just have to bring Charlotte along with you. I¡¯ll have to take


    Samuel away tonight.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I still think that I have to tell my parents about Samuel¡¯s real identity in case someone tries to make a


    move on him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. With your parent¡¯s protection, Old Madam Sutton wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to


    Samuel.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too. I should send Samuel to stay with my parents for a while, but I¡¯ll decide


    about thister.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all right.¡± Rachel gave her a look. ¡°What about Leroy? You gonna tell him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m nning to tell him today.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no wonder you woke up so early.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s so busy. He has to film amercialter, so he¡¯s only free during breakfast


    time.¡± Jolly suddenly nced at her watch. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m going to bete. I¡¯m gonna go change.¡±


    Rachel grabbed her and pointed to her mouth. ¡°Give it a wipe!¡±


    Jolly had rushed out of the bathroom without washing the toothpaste from her mouth. It was a wonder


    that a quiet and gentle person like Leroy would take a fancy to someone fiery like her. Was it because


    opposites attract?


    After that, Jolly drove to the studio alone and bought breakfast on the way.


    ¡°Jolly.¡±


    ¡°Morning.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Jolly. Leroy¡¯s inside.¡±


    Ever since Leroy announced Jolly as his fianc¨¦e, his staff had known her and called her by her name


    whenever they met. With breakfast in her hand, she had just opened the door of the dressing room


    when she was hugged by someone.


    ¡°Eek!¡± Jolly yelped in surprise and hurriedly pushed him away. ¡°Hey, there are people watching.¡±


    ¡°Let them watch. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me hugging my fianc¨¦e,¡± Leroy said, showing no intention


    of letting go of her at all.


    Jolly had always been thick-skinned, but as she watched the staff in the dressing room hide their


    smiles and walk out considerately, she couldn¡¯t help but blush. She buried her head in Leroy¡¯s arms


    and breathed the faint scent of his cologne, feeling inexplicably relieved. The biggest difference


    between Leroy and Ryan was that his love was always tant. He would let everyone know and give


    her a sense of security in the easiest way.


    Leroy dangled around with her in his arms, and the two of them wandered around the room like roly-


    polies.


    Jolly couldn¡¯t hold back herughter. ¡°Hey, stop fooling around. The coffee is going to spill.¡±


    ¡°Let it spill, then. It¡¯s rare for you to spend time with me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s rare? It¡¯s because you¡¯re too busy.¡±


    ¡°So are you, Miss Carter.¡±


    ¡°Are youining about me? I guess I¡¯ll go and feed the sandwiches I brought to the dogs.¡±


    In an instant, Leroy let go of her and snatched the bag from her hands, giving her a cheeky smile.


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    Jolly jolted in surprise before she burst intoughter. ¡°You¡¯re so childish!¡±


    Leroy¡¯s childish innocence was what attracted her the most.


    She was watching Leroy eat when her phone rang.


    ¡°It¡¯s my mom.¡± She told him, then made a shushing gesture. ¡°Shh.¡±


    After that, she answered the call in front of him. ¡°Hello? Mom?¡±


    ¡°Jolly, where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m outside. Why?¡±


    ¡°Come home now. There¡¯s something important we need to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when youe back.¡±


    Marilyn was rarely ever this serious, and she hung up right after she finished speaking.


    Jolly was dazed for a while before she suddenly realized the seriousness of the matter. She said, ¡°I


    have to go.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Something might¡¯ve happened at home. I need to go back.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Jolly turned around and hurriedly left without saying anything else. With a sandwich still in his hand,


    Leroy chased after her, but he was blocked by his agent at the door. ¡°The filming is starting soon. Why


    aren¡¯t your hair and makeup ready yet? Hurry, hurry!¡±


    Arge group of people swarmed in, flooding Jolly¡¯s retreating back at once.


    On the other hand, Jolly immediately drove home. Thest time her mother talked to her like this, it was


    when her father had surgery. She didn¡¯t take it seriously at first, and was forced to take a charter flight


    home overnight. When she saw her father lying in the ICU, she cried on the spot.


    ¡°Mom, what happened? Did Dad get sick again?¡±


    As soon as she entered the house, Jolly asked anxiously. When she saw Richard sitting on the sofa


    unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief and immediately hugged her father¡¯s arm. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re okay?


    You scared me to death!¡±


    Richard frowned and patted her gently on the shoulder, while Marilyn remained silent. The atmosphere


    in the living room was a little odd. It was only then that Jolly realized there was another person sitting


    opposite them¡ªRyan.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 377

    My Mute Bride Chapter 377


    Chapter 377 I Am Here to Fulfill the Engagement


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Jolly¡¯s face sank as soon as she saw Ryan. Ryan sat upright and said


    indifferently, ¡°I am here to fulfill the engagement.¡±


    ¡°Is there something wrong with my ears? Since when did I get engaged to you?¡± ¡°Six years ago, when


    my father was still alive, he made an agreement with Mr. Carter. At that time, Mrs. Carter also agreed,


    and they gave us a token as a testimony.¡±


    There was a mahogany box on the coffee table with a bright yellow satin bottom and a glistening jade


    bracelet inside that was clearly extremely valuable at one nce. Jolly also owned a jade bracelet that


    was exactly like this one.


    ¡°We did get engaged before, but I¡¯ve never heard of two parties that are engaged to each other where


    one of them married someone else and divorced, then tried to resume the previous engagement. What


    do you take me for, a backup n?¡± Jolly was furious. ¡°Mom, did you call me back just for him?¡±


    Ever since she entered the house, her parents hadn¡¯t said a word. At that moment, she felt that


    something was not right.


    Marilyn looked at her seriously. ¡°Jolly, I¡¯m going to ask you a question. You have to answer me


    honestly.¡±


    ¡°What question?¡±


    ¡°Is Samuel really Chris¡¯ child?¡±


    Jolly¡¯s expression stiffened.


    As a mother, Marilyn immediately confirmed her doubts when she saw Jolly¡¯s reaction. ¡°How dare you


    hide something so important from me and your father for so many years? Jolly, do we even mean


    anything to you?¡±


    Jolly panicked. ¡°Mom, I¡­ I wanted to tell you about this at first.¡±


    However, she knew very well that if she came clean to her mother back then, there would only be two


    oues. Either Marilyn would go to the Sutton Family and make Jolly fulfill her engagement to Ryan,


    or if she refused to marry, with her mother¡¯s personality, she would definitely not allow her to keep the


    child and would force her to get rid of it.


    ¡°Do you know how difficult it is to be a single mother? Are you a fool? Jolly, do you even want to marry


    in the future?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I know that the person I want to marry wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t mind? That small-time celebrity?¡±


    The news about Jolly and Leroy was blowing up, so it was impossible for her parents not to know.


    ¡°Mom, he¡¯s a good person.¡±


    ¡°He probably has other motives!¡± Marilyn had been dabbling in business for many years and had had a


    lot of contact with the entertainment industry. Hence, she knew very well about the industry and had


    always looked down on these new stars. Without waiting for Jolly to defend herself, she immediately


    dismissed, ¡°Today, I¡¯m making this clear. You have to break up with Leroy immediately.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Jolly was used to being stubborn and immediately refused. She red at Ryan


    opposite her angrily. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re this despicable. Snitching on me to my parents? You can¡¯t


    bear seeing that I¡¯m better off than you, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. This time, he¡¯s here to propose a marriage.¡±


    Marilyn¡¯s words made Jolly¡¯s expression fall. ¡°Mom, have you gone senile too? Have you forgotten how


    much shame he brought to our family when he married Estelle back then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you didn¡¯t marry him first!¡±


    ¡°I did that because¡­¡±


    ¡°Because what? You already have a child with Ryan, and you¡¯re still being so childish. Now that things


    have alreadye to this and Ryan has already apologized, you should also rein in your temper.


    There¡¯s a limit to how much of a grudge you can hold.¡±


    Jolly couldn¡¯t argue with her. She couldn¡¯t believe that her mother would favor Ryan to this extent.


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s settled.¡±


    Saying that, Marilyn turned around and left, clearly not wanting to say another word to her daughter.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Richard got up from the sofa and spread his hands helplessly, indicating that he was not the one in


    charge in the family, before he got up and followed his wife.


    ¡°Ryan, what did you feed my mother?¡±


    As soon as her parents left, Jolly vented her anger on Ryan.


    Ryan said carelessly, ¡°I didn¡¯t feed her anything. It¡¯s just that your parents will never allow you to marry


    Leroy. Plus, you have a child with me, so I am your best choice.¡±


    ¡°Just because Leroy is a celebrity?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the only reason. Do you even know where Leroy came from?¡±


    ¡°How wouldn¡¯t I know? We were ssmates in the same college!¡±


    ¡°ssmates?¡±


    Ryan¡¯s questioning suddenly made Jollye back to her senses. She and Leroy were not ssmates


    in college¡ªshe and Estelle were. It was only because he was Estelle¡¯s boyfriend at the time that she


    subconsciously thought he went to her own school.


    ¡°Jolly, if you really were doing well, your parents wouldn¡¯t be objecting so much. This Leroy is definitely


    not as simple as you think.¡± Saying that, he moved the jade on the table toward her. ¡°Marrying me is


    the best choice not just for you, but also for Samuel.¡±


    Jolly was silent for a while as she looked at the table in front of her thoughtfully.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    As he hadn¡¯t expected her to agree so easily, Ryan jolted slightly.


    At the same time, Jolly¡¯s parents stood in the corner of the hallway on the second floor, watching


    everything that was happening downstairs.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Marilyn said, ¡°Look, what did I say? Jolly isn¡¯t heartless. She must still have feelings for Ryan.


    Otherwise, why did she give birth to Samuel back then? It¡¯s the best choice for the two of them to be


    together, whether it is for Samuel or for her.¡±


    Richard frowned slightly, showing a look of disapproval. ¡°If you ask me, I don¡¯t think Ryan is suitable for


    Jolly.¡±


    ¡°Why not? He¡¯s skilled, young, and promising. Besides, wasn¡¯t it you who got them engaged to each


    other back then?¡±


    ¡°That was because I was drunk. Didn¡¯t you scold me when I came back? I had thought about canceling


    the engagement then, but the Sutton Family was declining that year. If we¡¯d canceled it, others


    would¡¯ve scolded us for kicking them when they were down.¡±


    Thinking of what had happened back then, Richard felt remorseful. Although everything had already


    passed, their daughter¡¯s suffering in the past few years was not something they could dismiss easily.


    As her parents, they should be ashamed for only finding out now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s watch and see. I still want to respect our daughter¡¯s decision.¡±


    ¡°By respecting her decision, do you mean that you¡¯ll let her marry Leroy?¡± Marilyn¡¯s brows furrowed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know what our daughter is like? If he were an ordinary man, I wouldn¡¯t have any objections.


    I would¡¯ve asked him to take our surname at most. But he just had to have such a special identity. If


    Jolly married him, she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle that and would get into trouble one day.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not as bad as we think.¡±


    However, he did not receive a reply.


    At this time, Jolly had already sent Ryan away. As soon as he left, she fished out her cell phone and


    made a call.


    ¡°Hello?¡± The female voice on the other end of the phone was very surprised.


    ¡°Estelle, we¡¯ve been friends for so many years. Is it so surprising that I would call you?¡±


    ¡°Do you have business with me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Jolly bent over and picked up the jade bracelet, holding it up to the sun and looking at it as


    she said lightly, ¡°You know that Ryan¡¯s family has a jade bracelet heirloom, right? It¡¯s here with me.¡±


    Hearing that, the person on the other end of the phone immediately burst into anger. ¡°Jolly, what are


    you trying to imply? Are you showing off to me that you guys are getting back together?¡±


    The corners of Jolly¡¯s lips curled up as her gaze turned sly. ¡°No, I want to do you a favor and give this


    bracelet to you.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 378

    My Mute Bride Chapter 378


    Chapter 378 Lying in Wait


    ¡°Are you really going to give Estelle the bracelet?¡± In the evening, Rachel picked up Charlotte and


    Samuel before heading to the hospital. Jolly was originally going to send Samuel home, but her n


    was temporarily stalled due to unforeseen circumstances.


    At that moment, she only wanted to avoid her parents. When she drove to the entrance of the school,


    she immediately ditched her car on the side of the road and got into Rachel¡¯s car, nestling in the


    passenger seat.


    Jolly said, ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking? It¡¯s just a useless bracelet. Did Ryan think I¡¯d care?¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s a


    family heirloom. Are you sure it¡¯s appropriate for you to give it to someone else so casually?¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s his fault for dumping it at my house!¡±


    Dumping? Rachel asked helplessly, ¡°How did Estelle react?¡±


    Jolly replied carelessly, ¡°Of course she got angry, but this bracelet is so important, and it¡¯s a free reason


    to get between me and Ryan, so she has to ept it even if she¡¯s angry. I bet a buck that after she


    epts it, she¡¯ll immediately tattle to Ryan.¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°I¡¯ll bet you a hundred that you¡¯ll win.¡±


    Rachel and Jolly both knew very well what kind of person Estelle was. Ever since they returned to the


    country, it was clear from that woman¡¯s actions that she was a lowlife.


    If Ryan found out about this, he would definitely explode with anger.


    ¡°But why is Godmother so against you being with Leroy?¡±


    ¡°She probably has a bias against him because he¡¯s a celebrity. Howme. I never thought that my


    parents would be like this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I feel like they¡¯re not those kinds of people.¡±


    To Rachel, Jolly¡¯s parents were quite open-minded and intelligent, which was rare among the wealthy.


    They were understanding toward their daughter and rarely interfered with her choices, and were also


    tolerant of others.


    ¡°Did Ryan say something to them?¡±


    ¡°Him?¡± Jolly hummed in thought until she remembered what Ryan said to her before he left. ¡°He did


    ask me something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He asked me how much I knew about Leroy.¡±


    ¡°Leroy?¡± Rachel hesitated for a while before she suddenly realized that all she knew about him came


    from their background checks during thepany¡¯s endorsement activities. Besides, most of the


    information in those investigations was shared online, and she had never verified its authenticity.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he Estelle¡¯s ex? You knew him since you were in college.¡±


    ¡°I think that Ryan is just being overdramatic too. Even if Leroy didn¡¯t go to the same school as me, he


    debuted so early and lived in Riverdale for so many years. He can¡¯t be a criminal, can he?¡±


    Rachelughed out loud. ¡°If Ryan knew that, don¡¯t you think he¡¯d send him to jail immediately?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡± Jolly looked confident. ¡°It¡¯s something he would do.¡±


    Thinking that, she eased up a lot. ¡°As long as he didn¡¯t do anything illegal, what kind of dark past could


    he have, right?¡±


    Rachel nodded.


    As they talked, Charlotte interrupted from the back seat, ¡°Leroy is so handsome. How could he be a


    bad guy?¡±


    Rachel nced at her from the rearview mirror. ¡°It¡¯s not right to judge people by their appearance.


    Leroy is handsome, but isn¡¯t Mr. Ryan also very good-looking? You even said that he was a bad guy


    before for stealing Leroy¡¯s girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°He is a bad guy.¡± Charlotte hugged her arm with a stubborn expression. ¡°Mr. Ryan looks fierce, so he


    is not as handsome as Leroy. I am going to see Leroy¡¯s concert next week.¡±


    Samuel, who was ying a game beside her, couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Women are so scary when they


    start fangirling.¡±


    Rachel and Jolly exchanged a nce andughed.


    They quickly reached the hospital, and after parking the car, they went to look for Julian together.


    ¡°Please wait for a moment. Dr. Peters is still making his rounds.¡±


    The nurse recognized Rachel and arranged for them to wait in Julian¡¯s office. Soon, Charlotte became


    restless, so she began pleading with Jolly to take her to buy some food.


    Rachel said, ¡°You can take them and I¡¯ll wait here. When Julianes back, I¡¯ll give you a call.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    After Jolly took the children out, Rachel became bored. She happened to see a book lying upside down


    on the table, and she picked it up, looking at it casually. However, as soon as she took the book, she


    suddenly saw a medical record pressed underneath it. There was arge scribble on it and the paper


    had been pierced through. Next to it, there was a string of cuss words written on the paper. Seeing that,


    Rachel was taken aback. She had known Julian for so many years, but she had never seen him curse


    before.


    Suddenly, she heard the sound of a door opening from behind her. She immediately put the book in her


    hand back in ce and covered the damaged medical record before turning around to see Julian


    walking through the door.


    ¡°Rae? When did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Just now. Jolly took Charlotte and Samuel to buy some stuff.¡±


    ¡°Are you here to see Old Mr. Burton?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. If you¡¯re free, let¡¯s have a meal together.¡±


    Julian nced at his watch. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I won¡¯t make it. I have an operation in 30 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s leave it for next time.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll send Jolly a text and ask her to bring Charlotte and Samuel back. We won¡¯t bother you and


    we¡¯ll leave right after seeing Old Mr. Burton.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Julian turned around to pour a cup of tea for Rachel.


    After Rachel sent a text message to Jolly, Julian handed her a cup of tea, which made her think of her


    previous discussion with Janice. ¡°Julian, there¡¯s something I need your help with.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Rachel nced at the office door and confirmed that it was closed, but she still lowered her voice as


    she said, ¡°It has something to do with Jason.¡±


    Julian¡¯s face suddenly stiffened. ¡°How can I help with something rted to him?¡±


    ¡°You know he¡¯s being suspected for smuggling and the investigation bureau is currently investigating


    him. Janice hasn¡¯t had any leads on him for a long time, so she wants to lure him out of hiding and use


    Old Mr. Burton¡¯s illness to make a fuss. After all, Jason is a filial son, and the only thing that can make


    him show up now is Old Mr. Burton¡¯s illness.¡±


    Unbeknownst to Rachel, Julian breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. What exactly does Janice


    need me to do?¡±


    ¡°Make a notice of critical illness. The more urgent, the better.¡±


    If Arthur was in a critical condition, Jason would definitely show up. By then, the investigation bureau


    only needed to lie in wait and capture him in one fell swoop as soon as he showed up.


    Julian didn¡¯t speak for a long time, seemingly contemting something, as if his soul had wandered


    elsewhere.


    ¡°Julian.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Julian came back to his senses and raised his head, meeting Rachel¡¯s eyes.


    Rachel said, ¡°I know that this is against your professional ethics, and you have a close rtionship with


    the Burton Family, so I can understand if you refuse. Janice said that it isn¡¯t necessary, and if it really


    isn¡¯t possible, they will negotiate with your hospital¡¯s heads. You wouldn¡¯t need to do anything.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Julian suddenly said, ¡°If you work with the heads of the hospital, wouldn¡¯t it


    be easy to alert him?¡±


    Rachel jolted in surprise.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 379

    My Mute Bride Chapter 379


    Chapter 379 Notice of Critical Illness


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Julian said, his eyes firm. Rachel was taken aback. For some reason, she thought about the


    piece of torn medical record on the table. Soon, Jolly came back.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be tagging along. I¡¯m not rted to Old Mr. Burton anyway. I¡¯ll just wait for you here with


    Samuel.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    However, Charlotte was puzzled. She looked at Samuel who was ying games next to Jolly and


    asked, ¡°Mommy, why isn¡¯t Samuel going to see Great-grandpa?¡±


    Rachel exined, ¡°Samuel is different from you. He¡¯s never seen Great-grandpa.¡±


    As Charlotte was still young, she didn¡¯t think much about it and obediently followed after Rachel.


    Arthur had now been transferred to a general ward, but he wasn¡¯t awake yet. A nurse took care of him


    at all times, and the rules were still the same¡ªno one could visit him except the hospital staff.


    Julian said, ¡°Although he is unconscious, in theory, he can hear people¡¯s voices.¡±


    Rachel nodded slightly and patted Charlotte on the shoulder, motioning her to step forward. ¡°Charlotte,


    go and talk to Great-grandpa.¡±


    Charlotte stepped forward obediently and took Arthur¡¯s bony hand, speaking in a cute voice. ¡°Great-


    grandpa, are you sick? If you¡¯re sick, you have to listen to the doctor to take your medicine and eat


    your food. Mommy said you¡¯ll only get better if you behave. I¡¯m still waiting for you to celebrate my


    birthday with me¡­¡±


    Charlotte was still young and didn¡¯t understand the truth of life, old age, illness, and death. Hence, she


    didn¡¯t feel sad when she saw Arthur lying in the hospital bed and only thought that his illness was just


    like amon cold or a fever, not realizing the seriousness of the problem.


    As Rachel looked at Arthur, her heart swelled with emotion. He was regarded as a legendary hero, but


    now he was lying here and could pass at any time without a single rtive by his side.


    After they were done visiting Arthur, Rachel bid Julian goodbye.


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact Janiceter, within these two days.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take care of the hospital¡¯s matters.¡±


    Seeing Julian¡¯sck of hesitation, Rachel felt a huge burden lifted off her shoulders.


    As soon as Rachel left, Julian returned to his office and sat down. He opened the book that was upside


    down on the table and put it aside. The scratch on the medical records was particrly clear. With a


    tearing sound, his slender fingers ripped the two pieces of paper on it open and threw it into the trash


    can without hesitation. Everyone should always leave a way out for themselves, right?


    At the same time, more than 300 kilometers away from Riverdale, in a hotel room in Belleville, Justin


    rubbed his sore shoulders and handed the documents in front of him to Frankie. ¡°We¡¯ll negotiate with


    them tomorrow ording to this, and you can lower the price a little more. They haven¡¯t made a solid


    decision yet.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°By the way, what did Robin¡¯swyer say about the stock transfer?¡±


    ¡°What else can he say? He couldn¡¯t be any happier, of course.¡± Frankie said angrily, ¡°He was originally


    only a shareholder proxy for Jason, but now that you¡¯re willing to sell a part of the shares to him, he¡¯ll


    be a true shareholder. Aren¡¯t you afraid that this will backfire on you? President Burton, please


    reconsider this. Getting Robin¡¯s help isn¡¯t the only way to help President Hudson solve the


    development site approval issue.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me more. Of course I know that there are other ways, but I¡¯m not just transferring


    the stocks just for that.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to add a use to the agreement. Starting from the transfer of shares, he can no longer use


    any means to threaten or endanger any benefits rted to Rachel, or the shares transfer agreement


    will be voided.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to help President Hudsonpletely get rid of Robin?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s had a difficult life. She lost her parents at a young age, and now she has to take care of Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals alone.¡±


    ¡°However, does President Hudson know that you¡¯re doing this?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to know. If she finds out, she won¡¯t want to ept this favor.¡±


    Saying that, Justin got up from behind his desk. His shoulders ached faintly and he couldn¡¯t help but


    move them around, causing his bones to make a cracking sound as if they had loosened.


    ¡°President Burton, you have to take care of your body as well. You don¡¯t need to rush the negotiation


    so much.¡±


    ¡°I want to finish this early. Grandpa is still waiting for me to go back.¡± Justin looked out the window, a


    blurry outline of his cold face reflected on the ss as he said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go back


    and rest.¡±


    ¡°Understood. You should sleep early too.¡±


    Three dayster, Hudson Pharmaceuticals sessfully obtained the approval for the continued


    construction of the Nortne development site, and both Rachel and Jolly could finally breathe a sigh


    of relief.


    ¡°Thank god it was resolved before that old coot held a meeting with the board of directors, or he


    would¡¯ve definitely never let go of this matter.¡± Jolly was ecstatic, and began to openlyin in


    Rachel¡¯s office, not caring if anyone was listening or not.


    Rachel shot a nce at her. ¡°Keep your voice down. We can¡¯t just dismiss his pride so tantly.¡±


    ¡°What are you scared of? We¡¯ve already given that old coot enough respect. He secretly colluded with


    that brat Robin, and we¡¯re already being benevolent by not reporting him to the board of directors.


    Chris, if there¡¯s a next time, don¡¯t hold back anymore.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Still, something¡¯s weird. Why isn¡¯t Robin chasing after us anymore?¡±


    Rachel was calm in the face of Jolly¡¯s doubts. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s lost interest in messing with us. After all,


    he¡¯s got tons of work lined up for him as the Burton Group¡¯s president. Besides, Old Mr. Burton is now


    in the hospital, so he would want to seize this opportunity.¡±


    ¡°To be brutally frank, if Old Mr. Burton really passed without leaving a will behind, wouldn¡¯t Robin


    be the chairman of Burton Group?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If there isn¡¯t a will, the first heir to Old Mr. Burton¡¯s shares would be Jason, and Robin is his only


    proxy shareholder.¡±


    ¡°No wonder he¡¯s been making a fuss at the hospital recently. I think he just wanted to know if Old Mr.


    Burton had made a will.¡±


    As they were talking, a secretary suddenly knocked on the door and entered. ¡°President Hudson, Miss


    Carter, do you need me to order a meal for you?¡±


    Jolly nced at the time. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s gettingte. It¡¯s time for us to get off work.¡±


    Rachel instructed, ¡°You don¡¯t need to order anything for us. We¡¯re not working overtime today. We¡¯ll be


    leaving soon, so you can get off work too.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    After the secretary left, Jolly rose from the sofa. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°I still have some things to do. You can leave first.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you not working overtime?¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave in a moment. You can go.¡±


    ¡°All right, all right. I¡¯m not a match for workaholics like you.¡± Jolly picked up her handbag. ¡°I¡¯ll be going


    first, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Once Jolly had left, Rachel looked at the text message she had just received.


    It was from Julian. The text message read, ¡®I¡¯ve already made the notice of critical illness and sent the


    news out. If Robin can get in touch with Jason, he¡¯ll definitely contact him immediately.¡¯


    She replied, ¡®Got it.¡¯


    The investigation bureau would make their move that night with Julian¡¯s cooperation from the inside.


    Should everything go smoothly, they would be able to sessfully catch Jason.


    On the other hand, Julian received a text as soon as he finished sending the news. He looked at the


    sender¡ªit was Sue. He tapped open the message unhurriedly.


    ¡®Julian, what happened to Old Mr. Burton? I don¡¯t really believe what Robin says.¡¯

 My Mute Bride Chapter 380

    My Mute Bride Chapter 380


    Chapter 380 Deration of Death


    ¡®Julian, you have to tell me the truth. Jason wants to go to the hospital to see Old Mr. Burton, but I


    stopped him. He can¡¯t show his face unless he really has to.¡¯


    Looking at the texts from Sue, Julian was about to reply when a hand held him on the shoulder.


    Janice¡¯s voice sounded from beside him. ¡°Don¡¯t reply.¡±


    A momentter, the office phone suddenly rang.


    Janice nced at it and motioned to her subordinates to pick it up. A female staff member next to her


    immediately pressed the answer button. ¡°Hello, this is Tran-Q, Director Peters¡¯ office.¡±


    The phone was on speaker, and Sue¡¯s anxious voice came from the other end. ¡°I need to talk to Dr.


    Peters, please. I¡¯m his mother and I have some urgent business with him.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, Dr. Peters is currently in an operation, so he can¡¯te to the phone at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Operation? May I know what kind of operation it is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an emergency operation for a patient with cerebral infarction. After Dr. Peters is done, I will


    immediately tell him that you have called.¡±


    The other end was silent for a long time before she hung up.


    As soon as the call ended, the female staff looked at Janice. ¡°Officer Hawkins.¡±


    Janice nodded slightly, and dropped her hand from Julian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You are in an operation now, so


    you can¡¯t return your mother¡¯s call.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Julian breathed in deeply before he slowly said, ¡°Janice, can I ask you for a favor?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Once everything is over, please don¡¯t tell Rachel about him and my mother. I don¡¯t want too many


    people to know.¡±


    ¡°I understand. We¡¯ll keep it strictly confidential.¡± Janice agreed, ¡°Thank you for telling us about this. It


    will be really helpful for our search operation.¡±


    Before that, Robin was the only person that the investigation bureau could confirm was able to contact


    Jason, but even he could not pinpoint Jason¡¯s location urately. Julian cooperated with her actively


    and let her know the rtionship between Sue and Jason, which made things much easier.


    Janice said into the inte, ¡°Everyone, be on high alert. Focus on monitoring the hospital and all


    surroundingworks. We will capture Jason tonight.¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    In the middle of the night, darknesspletely enveloped Riverdale, but Rachel was still in the office


    and hadn¡¯t left. She stood in front of the window and looked out quietly. Once she felt that the time was


    almost up, she took her car keys and went downstairs. With a roar of the engine, she drove onto the


    streets and toward the direction of the hospital.


    As it was autumn, the night wind was strong, blowing the fallen leaves wildly. Right after she had


    parked her car, a familiar voice suddenly sounded.


    ¡°President Hudson?¡±


    Rachel jolted in surprise and looked back, only to see Frankie. Immediately afterward, she saw Justin


    who had just got out of the car. Why did hee back?


    When he saw Rachel, Justin was taken aback as well, his expression turning astonished.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you away on a business trip? Is everything settled?¡± Rachel blurted.


    Frankie replied, ¡°Of course not. We still have to continue negotiations early tomorrow morning, but we


    suddenly got a notice of critical illness from the hospital, so President Burton rushed back. President


    Hudson, you¡¯re also here because of this, right? See, President Burton? I told you that she¡¯s also


    concerned about Old Mr. Burton¡¯s illness.¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression was tense right now, and he wasted no time talking. ¡°We can talk about thister. I


    have to go to the hospital first.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t stop him, and she watched as his figure rushed past her hurriedly.


    Frankie hurriedly said, ¡°President Hudson, please forgive President Burton. He was raised by Old Mr.


    Burton, so he feels the same as you do to your grandmother. He had been in pain for a long time when


    Old Mr. Burton fell ill, and he hasn¡¯t been well recently. He just had to see Old Mr. Burton onest


    time¡­ Anyway, I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡±


    Saying that, Frankie hurriedly caught up with Justin¡¯s figure, leaving Rachel standing alone. Her hands


    that were dangling by her sides tightened slightly as her mind was inundated with mixed feelings.


    She wanted to hold Justin back and tell him the truth, but it was toote to say anything now. After the


    night ended and all the dust settled, what would happen when Justin found out the truth? Rachel


    pinched her palm fiercely.


    As soon as Justin arrived at the hospital, he ran in the direction of the operating room. His tall figure


    was particrly eye-catching in the hospital¡¯s hallway. Time did not wait for anyone, and four hours had


    already passed since the notice of critical illness had been sent out. Just as he was about to reach the


    operating room, he was suddenly stopped by several men.


    ¡°What are you all doing?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t go over there.¡±


    The two men were wearing headsets on their ears.


    Before Justin could react, he suddenly heard a shout from a distance. ¡°At the stairway! Stop him!¡±


    Suddenly, the two men who were blocking Justin let go of him, and turned around to block the stairwell


    next to him. They tackled a figure running out, pressing the person to the ground. The man struggled in


    their grasp, but when he saw Justin, his pupils suddenly shrank and his movements stopped.


    Half of his face was pressed against the ground, but the moment his face mask was torn off, half of his


    wrinkled face was exposed. He red at Justin with bloodshot eyes and gritted his teeth, blood


    sttering out as he spoke. ¡°Was it you who set me up?¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Jason?¡±


    One of the men holding Jason nced at Justin in surprise, then took out his walkie-talkie and said,


    ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve caught him.¡±


    As Jason was handcuffed and dragged up, he was furious and wanted to rush up to Justin when he


    looked at him. ¡°What the hell happened to the old man? You b*stard!¡±


    ¡°Stop moving!¡±


    ¡°Officer Hawkins.¡±


    At that moment, Janice rushed over, followed by Julian.


    Janice nced at Jason and showed her ID. ¡°Jason Burton, you are suspected of smuggling drugs, so


    we need you toe with us and cooperate with the investigation.¡±


    Jason gave Julian a death stare, and his clenched fists made a cracking sound. ¡°Even you had a part


    in this?¡±


    Julian stared at him coldly, not saying a word.


    ¡°Great, how great.¡± Jason scoffed coldly, his gaze stormy. ¡°You better keep this in mind: some things


    just can¡¯t be changed.¡±


    Julian¡¯s expression stiffened, and his hands that were dangling by his sides slowly clenched into fists.


    ¡°Take him away.¡± As Justin was present, Janice knew what Julian was worried about and immediately


    asked the men to take Jason away.


    However, Jason didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of talking much and only asked before leaving,


    ¡°Where is my dad?¡±


    Hearing that, Justin came back to his senses all at once and echoed, ¡°Where is my grandfather?¡±


    Since it was a setup by the investigation bureau for Jason, Arthur should be fine.


    However, Janice¡¯s brows furrowed and she nced at Julian.


    Dressed in a white coat, Julian had the calmness of a doctor as he announced, ¡°Two days ago in the


    afternoon, Arthur Burton died of cerebral infarction at the age of 82. The time of death was 18:00 sharp


    on the 21st.¡±


    Justin¡¯s face immediately paled in disbelief.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Jason was about to rush up again, but he was held down by the investigation bureau¡¯s officers who


    were dressed in civilian clothes and directly marched into the police car.


    After the people in the hallway gradually dispersed, a flurry of footsteps came from the stairwell. Rachel


    had arrived just in time to hear Julian announce the time of Arthur¡¯s death.


    With Julian in between them, she and Justin met eyes. Although he didn¡¯t say anything, she saw a


    wretched pain in Justin¡¯s eyes that was like a whirlpool, fiercely pulling people into it. Yes, she had


    already known two days ago in the afternoon that Arthur had a cerebral infarction and needed to see


    Justin onest time, but she chose to be silent.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 381

    My Mute Bride Chapter 381


    Chapter 381 Need Not Empathize With Him


    Arthur had passed away two days ago; however, the news of his death was kept secret in order to


    arrest Jason. His body was currently kept hidden in Tran-Q¡¯s mortuary without informing his friends and


    family.


    The moment Justin lifted the white cloth, his knees turned weak. ng! He grabbed the armrest of the


    mortuary bed beside him, and only then did he avoid falling.


    Frankie wanted to help him up when he saw Justin¡¯s condition. However, he declined any help with a


    hand gesture, and his hand that hung in the air was trembling slightly. It was as if the energy in his


    body was depleted instantly at the sight of his grandfather. And it took a lot of effort for him toy his


    eyes on the old man who had passed away.


    Grandpa¡­


    No one knew better than Justin how much effort Arthur had spent over the years to protect him and


    how much effort he had expanded to nurture him into the adult he was now.


    Most of the members of the Burton Family only prioritized benefits. That was an undeniable fact! It was


    also a fact that Arthur was very strict with him. Yet, none of these could change the truth that Arthur


    genuinely loved him.


    Grandpa¡¯s the only rtive I have in this world¡­


    ¡°How long have you known?¡± Justin¡¯s voice echoed in the empty mortuary.


    Rachel stood by the door a little stunned, but she said nothing. Her silence exined everything.


    He didn¡¯t turn around as he asked her with his back toward her, ¡°You pretended to cooperate with


    Jason and got in touch with the Jockey Club. You made a deal with Dillon and went to Jublen. You did


    everything just for today¡¯s sake, am I right?¡±


    Still, she did not answer, and her silence was her answer.


    Suddenly, he let out augh and raised his head.


    At this moment, he felt like a fool. A manipted fool who was being yed around by her.


    For so long, I was worried about Rachel¡¯s safety. I tried so many ways to persuade her not to contact


    Dillon and the others. I went to the Investigation Bureau to bail her out. I even mobilized material


    resources, financial resources, and manpower to help her re-establish Hudson Pharmaceuticals,


    thinking that desperation drove her. But, in reality? In reality, her rtionship with Janice was still very


    close, and she set up such an immacte trap to arrest Jason just to avenge her rtives¡¯ kidnapping


    years ago.


    ¡°Justin.¡± She wanted to say something, anything at all. But after silently opening and closing her mouth


    for a while, she only managed to say, ¡°The dead cannot be resurrected. I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°I bet you¡¯re feeling fantastic right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡± Rachel was hesitant to speak.


    The person I wanted to arrest was Jason. I have never thought about killing Old Mr. Burton. It was


    really just a trap. No one would have thought that Old Mr. Burton would die of a cerebral infarction two


    days ago, least of all me.


    ¡°What are you sorry for?¡±


    Then, she watched as he turned around slowly. His stern face was expressionless, but his eyes were


    bloodshot. As he stared at her, it seemed as if the blood vessels in his eyes might burst at any moment.


    He looked at her with sorrow. ¡°Jason got what he deserved. No matter how we look at it, he deserved


    to go to prison. Back then, he kidnapped your grandmother, so it¡¯s natural for you to arrange such a


    ploy just to arrest him. Likewise, I also got what I deserved. I had tortured you for so long and caused


    you so much unrest in your life. So, it¡¯s natural for you to despise me for the passing of your family and


    friends. I¡¯m not surprised that you didn¡¯t consider my feelings when you executed this n. I¡¯m not


    qualified. I¡¯m not worthy¡­¡±


    As he spoke, his voice held a tremor. However, he continued speaking as if he was possessed. It was


    as if the words he said were not for her. Instead, it was a mantra he was using to convince himself.


    To persuade me to understand her actions. But, how can I understand this? What wrongs has my


    grandpamitted? At the end of his life, he couldn¡¯t even see me, his unfilial grandson!


    She slowly clenched her fists hanging by her side as she watched his dejected state. Finally, as she felt


    suffocated with every passing second, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡±


    As soon as she came out, she bumped into Justin¡¯s assistant, Frankie.


    ¡°President Hudson.¡±


    Frankie asked worriedly as he nced at the mortuary, ¡°Is President Burton alright?¡±


    She frowned as she heard his inquiry, and she did not know what to say. After all, she had personally


    suffered the pain of the death of her rtives. To this day, it still remains as one of the most significant


    losses she has ever encountered.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    However, Frankie misunderstood her silence and thought that Justinshed out at her. Therefore, he


    quickly exined by saying, ¡°President Hudson, President Burton¡¯s temper has never been the best.


    Not to mention that Old Mr. Burton is his only rtive in this world after all. The strictness and


    harshness of Old Mr. Burton on President Burton also directly corrtes to his love for him. He can¡¯t


    even see his Grandpa for thest time, so he must be feeling distraught. Please be more


    understanding of him, President Hudson.¡±


    ¡°Rachel doesn¡¯t have to understand him!¡± Julian¡¯s voice came from behind the two of them. He had just


    dealt with the inquiries from the leaders of the other hospitals and rushed over immediately.


    ¡°Rachel also didn¡¯t get to see her grandma for thest time when she passed away. Justin should have


    thought about this when he did the same to her back then. What goes aroundes around!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Peters, how can you speak such words? President Burton is your cousin. He¡ª¡±


    ¡°I have always been a supporter of the truth. No one should attempt to impose their morality on Rae!¡±


    Meanwhile, she was as silent as the grave.


    It¡¯s precisely because I had personally experienced the death of my loved ones that I empathize with


    Justin¡¯s feelings at the moment. But Julian has a point too. I need not empathize with him. He reaped


    what he sowed.


    There were too many grievances and entanglements between them, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered to


    think about who was right or wrong.


    Let¡¯s just end things here. Everything is over between us.


    ¡°Rae, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    When Rachel left, she looked back at the mortuary. She could see the tall figure inside standing


    motionlessly like a sculpture through the translucent curtain.


    The temperature in the morgue was very low, and it showed in the condition of Arthur¡¯s corpse, which


    had been resting here for two days. There was a thinyer of frost on his gray hair and eyebrows. His


    face was blue and gray, showing no sign of life.


    In the meantime, Justin stared at Arthur¡¯s corpse nkly. He was still in disbelief.


    Even so, he could not me anyone. He only had himself to me for actually listening to Robin¡¯s


    words and went to Belleville on a business trip by himself, leaving behind Arthur who had juste out


    of surgery.


    I can only me myself for trusting Julian and leaving Grandpa under his care without letting anyone


    visit him. I only me myself formitting a lot of sins. I had wronged Rachel first and then my


    rtives.


    ¡°President Burton.¡± Frankie¡¯s voice sounded behind Justin. ¡°Do you want to notify the board of directors


    regarding the news of Old Mr. Burton¡¯s death? People have been calling to ask about the situation in


    the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Notify them.¡±


    ¡°Also, Old Mr. Burton¡¯swyer. You should pay thewyer a visit too and inquire about the inheritance


    distribution¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this right now.¡±


    Frankie¡¯s words were interrupted abruptly. After hesitating for a long time, he finally said, ¡°My


    condolences, President Burton.¡±


    The next day, the news of Arthur¡¯s death was published in the newspaper, and an obituary was issued.


    The funeral date was set and would be held after a week.


    Behind a simple obituary, there was a hidden undercurrent of unrest with Burton Group¡¯s board of


    directors due to the power vacuum. People in the same circle could glimpse a hint of what was


    happening due to the incidents centered around the Burton Group.


    ¡°Initially, Robin was the indisputable winner. But now, because Jason was arrested, due to this, it froze


    all the equity and assets under his name. As a result, his main backer has fallen. I¡¯m sure this idiot is


    now unable to make a move.¡±


    In the Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ office, Jolly held a cup of coffee and analyzed the current situation of


    Burton Group.


    ¡°ording to the current equity distribution of the Burton Group, Justin will be thergest shareholder


    after inheriting one part of the equity if Old Mr. Burton doesn¡¯t have a will. So Burton Group will


    eventually be transferred to him. However, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s still a little difficult for us to acquire Burton


    Group with someone like Justin around. Don¡¯t you think so, Chris?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 382

    My Mute Bride Chapter 382


    Chapter 382 n in Acquisitioning Burton Group


    ¡°Chris?¡± Jolly called out several times before Rachel came back to her senses. ¡°Huh? What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve


    been talking to you for a long time. What were you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night. What were you saying again?¡± ¡°I was talking about the


    acquisition of Burton Group.¡± Jolly took a sip of her coffee. Then, she pondered and spoke, ¡°We¡¯re


    almost ready with our preparations. As long as Robin remains as the president after Burton Group¡¯s


    board of directors meeting, then there will be great hope for us in seeding.¡±


    Honestly, Carter Enterprise¡¯s goal earlier was to acquire Hudson Pharmaceuticals. However, before


    she returned to the country, Rachel proposed a juicer target for the Carter Enterprise¡ªto acquire


    Burton Group. Thus, both Rachel and Jolly had been advancing toward this goal.


    Be it Rachel returning to the country and working for Burton Group, sorting through the rtionship


    between Burton Group¡¯s internal shareholders and senior management, orter leaving Burton Group


    and taking away numerous valuable connections and directing Burton Group¡¯s focus on Hudson


    Pharmaceuticals. In reality, it was all a diversion nned by the two.


    Currently, the entire Burton Group administration was engaged in an internal struggle. Robin and Justin


    were fighting against each other. Even the board of directors was on the brink of falling apart.


    As the heiress of Carter Enterprise, how would Jolly simplye over to Hudson Pharmaceuticals and


    be Rachel¡¯s assistant? It was merely a ploy to muzzle the public.


    Jolly said, ¡°After Robin took over Burton Group, he made several idiotic decisions. These decisions


    aroused dissatisfaction among the board of directors for a long time. Some small shareholders had


    even nned to withdraw their investments in Burton Group and sell the decentralized stocks


    privately.¡±


    Rachel frowned slightly as she heard the analysis. ¡°But with Old Mr. Burton¡¯s death, part of the equity


    will eventually fall into Justin¡¯s hands once the inheritance is distributed. So even if he¡¯s no longer the


    president of Burton Group, he still has a vote as a major shareholder of Burton Group.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. As long as Robin makes the situation in Burton Group even worse than it is now,


    Justin would not be able to save it, and he would have no choice but to sell the Burton Group.¡±


    ¡°But will the Burton Group¡¯s board of directors still trust Robin?¡±


    ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t hard. ording to my Mom, we should give Robin a little benefit.¡±


    Marilyn had been in the business industry for so many years. So, with decades of experience on her


    back, she could immediately grasp a particrpany¡¯s weaknesses once she understood the


    problem.


    For someone as vile as Robin, he would do anything for profit. He did not have the kind of feelings that


    Justin had for Burton Group. As long as Carter Enterprise offered an olive branch, he would go all out


    and grab it to save himself.


    Rachel nodded as she heard the suggestion. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll do as Mrs. Carter instructed. We should


    request Robin to a meet-up tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    The corners of Jolly¡¯s lips curled up in a smirk. ¡°Looks like Burton Group will undergo drastic changes


    yet again.¡±


    ¡­


    In Burton Residence, Frankie brought the food and drinks he had bought from the supermarket and


    delivered them. As soon as he entered, he saw wine bottles next to the sofa.


    ng! Frankie had identally kicked a wine bottle beside his feet and made the bottle roll all the way


    to the sofa.


    Suddenly, a hand dangled from the sofa. The hand searched around the ground for a long time until it


    found a bottle of wine which was half full.


    ¡°President Burton.¡± Frankie hurried over and snatched the bottle of wine from Justin. ¡°Stop drinking!¡±


    ¡°Give it to me!¡±


    The man on the sofa was unshaven and had a hoarse voice. No one knew how long he had not slept.


    His eyes were bloodshot, and the blood vessels were spread out like spider webs in his eyes.


    Frankie looked around, putting the wine bottle on the coffee table next to Justin, and said, ¡°President


    Burton, you can¡¯t go on like this. Tomorrow¡¯s the funeral, and many members of the Burton Family are


    still waiting for you to preside over said funeral.¡±


    Justin let out a mockingugh. ¡°Members of the Burton Family? Who else is there in the Burton


    Family?¡±


    Five years ago, Tina went insane and was sent abroad. My second uncle, Jason, is currently in prison.


    ording to the amount of his smuggling, he¡¯ll definitely be executed. And now, my only Grandpa, who


    truly loved me, had also left. So who else is there in the Burton Family? Those distant rtives eagerly


    eyeing the distribution of the inheritance and wanting a share of the pie? Can they be considered as


    members of the Burton Family?


    Frankie sighed and said, ¡°Even so, you can¡¯t make things difficult for yourself. President Burton, life


    must go on. Burton Group is currently a mess. What can Robin do? You know that he¡¯s incapable. The


    company is still waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Whoever wants to care for thepany, they can go ahead! I don¡¯t care!¡± Justin said, then got up and


    went to the liquor cab to get another bottle of wine.


    ¡°President Burton!¡± Frankie tried to stop him.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°F*CK OFF!¡± Justin coldly pushed Frankie away rudely. He took a bottle of imported wine from the


    liquor cab and staggered to the dining room in search of a ss.


    Suddenly, the sound of the car engine came from outside the yard. Frankie turned to look, and his eyes


    lit up at what he saw.


    ¡°Miss Hochmann, you¡¯re finally here.¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡± Gloria looked around. Then, she followed Frankie¡¯s gaze and saw Justin pouring the


    wine in the dining room.


    ¡°This is no time for you to be drinking!¡± Gloria quicked her pace and hurried over to snatch the wine


    ss from Justin¡¯s hand.


    At once, there was a change in Justin¡¯s facial expression. ¡°GIVE IT TO ME!¡±


    ¡°Give it to you?!¡± Gloria was furious. ¡°FINE! Here it is! I¡¯ll give it to you!¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, she threw a ss of wine at his face under Frankie¡¯s shocked gaze.


    Ssh! The imported wine sshed onto his face. The liquid flowed down his cheeks onto his neck,


    and the wrinkled shirt on his body had also gotten wet as a result.


    Angered, Gloria put down the ss hard. ¡°So is it delicious? Did you drink enough? WAKE UP,


    JUSTIN!¡±


    Justin was indeed a little more sober after that. When he saw Gloria in front of him, he lowered his


    head in silence. He looked pathetic and pitiful, like a man who had lost his fighting spirit.


    After a while, he said, ¡°I just want to drink. Leave if you don¡¯t wish to see me like this.¡±


    ¡°How you look is none of my concern! I¡¯m here to tell you that it¡¯s not time for you to die yet. Yes, you


    are distraught because your Grandpa passed away. But who hasn¡¯t experienced the death of a


    rtive? Go to the street, grab anyone, and ask them if they have experienced it before! Or you can


    directly call Miss Rachel and ask her!¡±


    Gloria mmed her hand directly on the table and shouted, ¡°When Miss Rachel¡¯s grandma passed


    away back then, she was no less devastated than you are now. But, she could cheer up and try her


    best to live on. So why can¡¯t you? YOU ARE A MAN!¡±


    Frankie could no longer stand back in silence. ¡°Miss Hochmann, President Burton isn¡¯t upset because


    of this¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, what¡¯s the reason?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s b-because¡­¡± Frankie hesitated for a long time, not knowing how to exin. Later, he gritted his


    teeth and uttered, ¡°Old Mr. Burton didn¡¯t die of natural causes.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gloria was startled, and she was in disbelief.


    Meanwhile, Justin said nothing. Instead, there was sorrow and misery in his bloodshot eyes.


    Arthur¡¯s body was sent to be cremated from the hospital yesterday. It was Justin who personally


    apanied him. But, the more he thought about it, the more suspicious he got on the way to the


    cremation center. And thus, he had Frankie seek a forensic medical expert to do an autopsy.


    Frankie said, ¡°The examination detected toxins in Old Mr. Burton¡¯s body, and it was injected into his


    body recently.¡±


    Gloria was in a state of disbelief and said, ¡°How is that possible? Wasn¡¯t Julian the one who kept watch


    at the hospital? No one could enter the ICU without his signature.¡±


    Frankly took a deep breath and slowly spat out, ¡°President Hudson had gone in.¡±


    In an instant, Gloria¡¯s facial expression changed instantly. That is impossible! The Rachel I know


    wouldn¡¯t have done something like this!

 My Mute Bride Chapter 383

    My Mute Bride Chapter 383


    Chapter 383 Abnormal Death


    Gloria fell into a huge shock. She could not believe a word spoken by Frankie. ¡°You mean to tell me


    that Miss Rachel has something to do with Old Mr. Burton¡¯s death? How is this possible? She has no


    grievances with him, so why would she want him dead? No, Miss Rachel is not such a person!¡±


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t believe it.¡± Frankie took out a photo. ¡°Miss Hochmann, take a look at this if you don¡¯t


    believe me.¡± ¡°Frankie, that¡¯s enough!¡± Justin suddenly reprimanded, not letting Frankie continue.


    However, Frankie did not listen to him, so Gloria saw the photo on his phone in the end.


    Gloria slightly tightened her hands into fists on her side as she saw the photo in Frankie¡¯s hands.


    Finally, Frankie said, ¡°This was taken yesterday. Why would two people who are enemies meet in


    private?¡±


    In the photo, Rachel and Robin were eating in a restaurant.


    ¡°President Burton sold half of his shares to Robin in order to help President Hudson before, and I found


    out about the transaction information that Robin had sold all his shares to President Hudson. Moreover,


    President Hudson is still buying Burton Group¡¯s decentralized shares privately and frequently keeping


    in touch with Burton Group¡¯s shareholders. To put it simply, if we guessed correctly, President Hudson


    is assisting Carter Enterprise in acquiring Burton Group. If Old Mr. Burton is still alive, this scheme will


    definitely not work. But once Old Mr. Burton is dead, and the equity is decentralized, anything is


    possible.¡±


    Although Gloria did not understand business affairs, she still understood everything when she heard


    this.


    ¡°How could this be?¡±


    Gloria shook her head and added, ¡°Miss Rachel wouldn¡¯t kill anyone. Even if Carter Enterprise wishes


    to acquire Burton Group, she wouldn¡¯t utilize such a ruthless tactic¡­¡±


    Frankie said, ¡°No one has this motive and the opportunity to drug Old Mr. Burton except for President


    Hudson! But, even if it wasn¡¯t done by President Hudson, judging from the list of suspects in the current


    situation and who stands to benefit the most with Old Mr. Burton¡¯s death, I¡¯m afraid she was still


    somewhat involved in this.¡±


    However, Gloria still refused to believe such a thing.


    At that moment, the sound of someone dragging the wine ss came from the dining table. It was


    Justin who had poured arge ss of imported wine. He raised his head and chugged down half of it.


    All the while, his hands trembled uncontrobly.


    ¡°The matter ends here, and no one should mention it again. The funeral will be held as scheduled.


    Grandpa died of cerebral infarction and no other reason.¡±


    Gloria stared nkly at Justin. It was a no-brainer why he cooped himself up in the house for the past


    two days and got wasted like this.


    Then, Frankie left to continue working on preparations for the funeral, and Gloria was the only one left.


    She put aside the wine bottles on the ground, pulled out a chair, and sat down. ¡°Have you ever thought


    of investigating this matter clearly? Since there¡¯s a problem, you should investigate it. What if it has


    nothing to do with Miss Rachel?¡±


    ¡°But what if it has?¡± Justin dropped those words casually and rendered her speechless.


    This was the true source of Justin¡¯s pain. He was willing to believe that Rachel would not do such a


    thing. However, he also believed that he was a sinner that deserved all this pain. It¡¯s natural for Rachel


    to take extreme actions against me since she hates me. I deserve this. What if? What if she really


    hates me so much and did this to make me feel the loss of a loved one? How should I deal with this


    fact after I find out?


    Gloria felt extremely upset as she saw him continue drinking.


    Just how did the two of them be like this?


    Later, in the evening. The branch detection center of the Riverdale Investigation Bureau was located


    near thekeside of West Magnolia. It was only 5 kilometers away from the Riverdale Penitentiary.


    Generally, the prisoners sent here were serious criminals waiting to go on trial. Furthermore, there was


    a high probability that these criminals would either be sent to the Riverdale Penitentiary or executed.


    Sue came out of the detention center, and her eyes were still teary.


    Someone parked a white car on the side of the road, and the person who got off was Julian.


    As soon as Sue saw the personing, her facial expression sank. She wiped her tears and walked


    toward the other side.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Julian walked over and stopped her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Mom. I don¡¯t have a son like you!¡±


    ¡°Mom! Can you calm down?¡±


    ¡°How can I calm down? My son, my own son, sent his biological father to prison!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a result of his own actions!¡±


    Sue gritted her teeth and uttered, ¡°Since you think he deserves this, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I bought you a flight ticket for tomorrow, and you will live in Montenegro starting from tomorrow. So,


    don¡¯t stay in Riverdale anymore.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Sue was in disbelief. ¡°Are you chasing me away?¡±


    Julian said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t think you would want Justin to know that it was you and Jason who had


    nned the abduction case? So leaving Riverdale is the best option you can take right now.¡±


    Sue¡¯s face was trembling. ¡°Julian, what exactly are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do anything. I just don¡¯t want to be looked down upon and live my life with a guilty


    conscience.¡±


    After saying this, he stuffed her into the car. He ignored her struggle as he locked the car door. Then,


    he stepped on the elerator and drove the car away from the West Magnolia Detention Center.


    Three dayster, at Arthur¡¯s funeral. Since Arthur established most of the fame and fortune of the


    Burton Family in Riverdale, many wealthy families attended the funeral personally as a sign of respect.


    At the memorial service scene, there was a long queue in the parking lot. There were cars lined up on


    the streets all the way outside the venue.


    Justin, dressed in ck with a white flower on his chest, bowed and shook hands with those who came


    to the memorial service.


    ¡°I am sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Frankie took the initiative to help greet people as he knew that Justin was in a terrible mood. ¡°Thank


    you. There is a special lounge over there, and refreshments are avable. So, everyone, please take a


    break in the lounge. We will start when everyone has arrived.¡±


    There were many people in attendance, and they filled the entire lounge.


    Finally, Frankie said, ¡°President Burton, the shareholders are here too. Let¡¯s go over and greet them.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Justin nodded slightly and walked toward the ce where the shareholders were seated.


    At the memorial service, an emcee was responsible for recounting Arthur¡¯s life and his contributions to


    charity.


    ¡°Fellow uncles.¡±


    Most of the shareholders were older and could be considered as Justin¡¯s elders.


    ¡°Old Mr. Burton left suddenly. I heard that he didn¡¯t have a will written?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°How could it be so sudden? We wanted to visit him at the hospital before, but the hospital said that he


    was in the ICU and his situation was unstable. So, it was inconvenient to visit. Where were you at the


    time?¡±


    Someone interrupted when they heard that. ¡°President Gunson sent him on a business trip.¡±


    Then, someone replied huffily, ¡°Robin! What was his motive to send President Burton on a business trip


    at that hour?¡±


    After that, everyone started discussing and threw out theory after theory during the discussion.


    After a quick look around the venue, Justin realized that Robin was not in attendance yet.


    At this moment, the emcee had finished introducing Arthur¡¯s life. ¡°Old Mr. Burton left suddenly without


    leaving any will, so everyone should make a notary. ording to the right of inheritance, Old Mr.


    Burton currently has only one grandson, Mr. Justim Burton, and a granddaughter, Tina Burton, who is


    far away in Montenegro. However, Tina has no ability to take care of herself, so the part of the equity


    currently allocated is temporarily represented by Justin¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± A male voice suddenly came from the door, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°President Gunson?¡±


    The person who came was indeed Robin. He was dressed in a ck suit and still as arrogant as usual.


    He did not look like he was attending a funeral. Instead, he looked like he was attending a cocktail


    party.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Today is the memorial service for Old Mr. Burton. President Gunson, please don¡¯t make a scene.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Please postpone any talks about thepany¡¯s affairs.¡±


    As he disregarded everyone¡¯sments, he thundered, ¡°Who said that Old Mr. Burton did not leave a


    will? Here in my hand is the will left by Old Mr. Burton!¡±


    In an instant, there was an uproar in the venue.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 384

    My Mute Bride Chapter 384


    Chapter 384 The Appointment of an Heir


    Amid the uproar, Robin walked up the steps arrogantly and snatched the microphone from the emcee.


    ¡°This will, in my hand, appoint the heir to the 40 percent equity under Old Mr. Burton¡¯s name and all the


    inheritance distribution issues of the Burton Family.¡±


    Everyone at the venue made morousments after they heard Robin¡¯s words. Suddenly, Frankie


    stood up. ¡°President Gunson, with all due respect, how do we know whether the will in your hand is the


    real deal? In other words, you¡¯re all talk without any substance to back up your im. So it couldn¡¯t be


    that you want us to believe you just like that when you say Old Mr. Burton has left the entire Burton


    Group in your hands in this will?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! How could we believe this will?¡±


    ¡°Who knows if it¡¯s the real thing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fake. I heard that Old Mr. Burton didn¡¯t see anyone before his death.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! That will. How could it end up in his hands?¡±


    Sure enough, Justin¡¯s status in Burton Group was not something Robin, who just became the president


    for two days, could rock.


    Furthermore, the key to Burton Groupy in the word ¡®Burton¡¯. The biggest shareholder was Arthur.


    Therefore, he had the final say on who would be the president.


    ¡°My words are not credible, but thewyer¡¯s words are credible. Am I right?¡± As soon as this sentence


    escaped Robin¡¯s lips, those words gradually silenced the people at the venue.


    It was only then that everyone noticed the person following behind Robin was not his usual assistant.


    Instead, the man in the suit was about 40 years old, and he looked rather old.


    At once, someone recognized the man.


    ¡°That¡¯s Old Mr. Burton¡¯swyer!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Walker.¡±


    After that, thewyer took the microphone that Robin handed him with a severe expression. ¡°Everyone,


    please let me speak. I¡¯m Michael Walker, and the will in Mr. Gunson¡¯s hand is indeed the will left by Old


    Mr. Burton on his deathbed. It was mainly a recording and my notes. The notary office has notarized


    the will, and it had legal effect.¡±


    Meanwhile, Justin kept staying silent. However, the moment he heard these words, his pupils


    contracted. ¡°Mr. Walker, are you saying my Grandpa left a recording before he died?¡±


    Michael looked at Justin and slightly nodded as he heard the question. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What did Grandpa say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all here in this will.¡±


    Robin gave up his spot for thewyer. ¡°Mr. Walker, I think everyone is anxious. Why don¡¯t you just read


    the will directly?¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    In the huge memorial hall, the portrait of Arthur was facing everyone. It was decorated with bright


    yellow and white chrysanthemums. However, the memorial service of a wealthy family was never just


    as simple as mourning. This will that suddenly appeared affected the emotions of everyone present.


    ¡°ording to the doctor¡¯s appraisal, Old Mr. Burton was conscious before his death, and he had the


    mind and the right to make decisions. Therefore, he had entrusted me, Michael Walker, as a notary


    lawyer to be present before his deathbed and record the will. The following is the content of the will.


    The real estate under Old Mr. Burton¡¯s name, including shops, facade houses, etc., is divided into two


    parts. One will be handed over to the trust foundation to take care of his granddaughter, Tina. If Tina


    recovers, she can use it freely. Old Mr. Burton holds 43 percent of Burton Group¡¯s shares. ording to


    his request, a sole heir has been appointed for the shares.¡±


    When everyone listened to this part, they became anxious.


    Justin is naturally the first heir, regardless of Old Mr. Burton¡¯s sole focus or thews on inheritance


    rights. However, since there¡¯s a will, it means that there is an unforeseen circumstance.


    As expected, Michael announced, ¡°The sole heir is Julian Burton, the grandson of Arthur Burton.¡±


    Who? Everyone looked surprised when they heard the name.


    ¡°Who is Julian Burton?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s that? Have you heard of him?¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡±


    As the discussion got louder, Frankie was also stunned by the turn of events. ¡°Who? Julian Burton?¡±


    Justin, who was beside him, frowned slightly. It was also his first time hearing the name.


    Then, someone piped up, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Old Mr. Burton only have one grandson? Who is this Julian Burton?


    Where did hee from?¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Were you perhaps mistaken?¡±


    Michael nodded politely toward the person as he heard that line of inquiry. ¡°I¡¯m sure of it. In addition to


    the will, I have a DNA test here. The test confirms that Mr. Julian Burton is a member of the Burton


    Family that was lost and just found recently. He is Old Mr. Burton¡¯s grandson.¡±


    ¡°Where is he then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Who exactly is he?¡±


    At this moment, a figure walked up the steps unhurriedly. Each step taken was slowly, as if they were


    waiting for everyone¡¯s attention.


    The discussion voices gradually faded, and all eyes were on the man who came to the stage.


    Like a shot, someone had realized something. Unbelievable!


    Robin said, ¡°Let me introduce: this is another grandson of Old Mr. Burton, Julian Burton.¡±


    Soon, Julian stood on the stage with his hands behind his back. It was his habit after performing


    surgery.


    ¡°Sorry for beingte, I was in the hospital performing a surgery, and it¡¯s also myst operation. I think


    most of you here today are not unfamiliar with me, so I won¡¯t bother with introductions. You have heard


    the contents of the will. When the equity redistribution announcementes out, I will be taking over


    Burton Group. My name is Julian Peters, and I¡¯m also Julian Burton.¡±


    The hall was as silent as the grave. Then, after a few seconds, everyone eximed in shock.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Justin¡¯s cousin?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. How did he be Old Mr. Burton¡¯s grandson?¡±


    The moment Justin saw Julian, he stood up abruptly. He stood out amongst the crowd in ck with a


    height of nearly 6¡¯3 feet, and he looked at Julian, who was on the stage, in disbelief.


    Likewise, Julian was also looking directly at him.


    When their eyes met, the familiarity of living under the same roof for more than 30 years seemed to


    disappear in a puff of smoke. What was left was only the unknown and boundless loneliness.


    The memorial service ended in a hurry.


    In the afternoon, Hudson Pharmaceuticals. ¡°Chris! Breaking News!¡± Jolly didn¡¯t even knock on the door


    when she barged in while Rachel read a financial report.


    In the meantime, Rachel was not surprised by Jolly¡¯s exaggerated actions anymore. She did not even


    raise her head. ¡°The director of the Marketing Department had an affair with the secretary and was


    caught by his wife and got pped in the face? Or the new intern from the Finance Department got


    rejected yet again when they tried to bribe their supervising officers?¡±


    Jolly was akin to a humanoid gossip maker. Due to the nature of her work, she needed to connect with


    various departments. Hence, she knew all the gossip of each department like the back of her hand.


    ¡°No! This time, it¡¯s really big news! If you knew about this, you wouldn¡¯t be able to continue reading


    your report. Trust me!¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine. Tell me.¡±


    ¡°At the Burton Family¡¯s memorial service in the morning, awyer read out Old Mr. Burton¡¯s will and


    appointed the heir to the equity of Burton Group. Guess who¡¯s that heir?¡±


    Rachel perfunctorily said as she flipped to the next page of the report, ¡°Who else could it be? Currently,


    the Burton Family only has one heir.¡±


    Jason is imprisoned, and he is deprived of his basic political rights. He will never be released from


    prison in this life. Thus, he has no right to inherit anything at all. As for Robin? He¡¯s merely a blind


    follower of Jason.


    Jolly retorted, ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll consider that as breaking news if it was Justin?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not him, then who else can it be?¡± Rachel finally raised her head.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never be able to guess who it is no matter how hard you try.¡± Then, Jolly took a deep breath and


    said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s Julian.¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 385

    My Mute Bride Chapter 385


    Chapter 385 The Right Decision


    Rachel was utterly flummoxed, and she could not believe what she had just heard. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Julian! I


    said, Julian Peters! You weren¡¯t mistaken.¡± Jolly emphasized Julian¡¯s name over and over again


    excitedly. ¡°Can you believe it? Julian is the grandson of Old Mr. Burton, an illegitimate child of the


    Burton Family.¡±


    Suddenly, Rachel¡¯s hand shook, and the pen she was holding created a tragic scratch on the report.


    Not noticing Rachel¡¯s reaction, Jolly continued saying, ¡°Everyone is now guessing who Julian¡¯s father


    is. Old Mr. Burton only has two sons in total. So his eldest son, Justin¡¯s father, is likely to be Julian¡¯s


    father. After all, Sue was his sister-inw. So the story of the affairs between a brother-inw and


    sister-inw is now spreading.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Jolly was taken aback. ¡°Why is it impossible?¡±


    ¡°When Justin¡¯s father died, Julian wasn¡¯t even born yet.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Just like those outsiders, Jolly did not know when Justin¡¯s father died.


    After that, Rachel exined, ¡°The rtionship between Justin¡¯s father and Old Mr. Burton was not very


    good. He ran away from home and got married secretly in the past. When he died unexpectedly, Justin


    was only about three or four years old. Later, Old Mr. Burton took Justin home, but because he was


    young and afraid of strangers, Sue followed him to the Burton Residence to take care of him.¡±


    These are the things Justin told me back then. I still remember them very well.


    Jolly said, ¡°Was Sue already married, right? So then, who was her husband?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But Julian was indeed born in the Burton Residence.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that Old Mr. Burton has a third son?¡± Jolly made a presumption with her overactive mind.


    Rachel side-eyed Jolly and said, ¡°Have you ever thought of another possibility?¡±


    ¡°What possibility? If it¡¯s not Justin¡¯s father, doesn¡¯t that indicate that Old Mr. Burton has a third son?


    There¡¯s no way it was Jason.¡± Jolly was in a world all by herself when she finished her sentence.


    However, she realized something when she finished her rant.


    She looked at Rachel in surprise. ¡°No way!¡±


    After putting down the pen, Rachel took out her car keys. ¡°I¡¯m heading out for a while.¡±


    ¡°Hey, take me with you!¡±


    ¡°No, you have to go home. Your parents will probably be looking for you once they hear the news.¡±


    With Julian suddenly bing the sessor of Burton Group, they must postpone Carter Enterprise¡¯s


    acquisition ns for Burton Group. At the very least, they have to figure out the current situation.


    Rachel drove out of Hudson Pharmaceuticals alone.


    ¡°Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavable. Please try againter.¡± Unfortunately,


    Julian wasn¡¯t picking up her calls.


    No doubt, there must be many people who want to call Julian at this hour.


    Therefore, Rachel called the hospital again.


    The call went through, and Julian¡¯s intern answered the phone. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Dr. Peters had


    resigned from the hospital.¡±


    ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Peters submitted his resignation report half a month ago. Today, the resignation process was finally


    over, and he had packed up all his things. The hospital also switched several of us to another mentor.¡±


    ¡°Then, do you know where he¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Sorry for the inconvenience.¡±


    ¡°No worries.¡±


    Rachel hung up the phone and drove aimlessly on the streets of Riverdale. She didn¡¯t even know


    where to begin to look for Julian for a moment. He most probably won¡¯t be at home.


    It was already evening. The electronic screen disyed the city nning map of Riverdale in the city


    center. The real estate development advertisements of ¡®The Banks of the Green River¡¯ filled the streets


    and alleys. Even the billboards on the bus station tform are full of them.


    She suddenly recalled something. Then, she drove directly to Green River Street.


    After parking the car on the side of the road, she walked along the riverside path in Green River Park


    for a while. Then, finally, she saw a familiar figure in the distance, and he was sitting on thewn and


    watching the children ying in the distance.


    ¡°I knew it! You¡¯re really here.¡±


    Julian was a little stunned by her appearance, and he turned his head to look at Rachel. His eyes


    brightened momentarily, but they immediately turned bleak. Then, he asked faintly, ¡°What brings you


    here?¡±


    ¡°I heard about the incident at the memorial service.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°So you¡¯re here to ask me about my background?¡±


    Rachel was slightly startled. ¡°Can¡¯t I ask?


    Julian said nothing in response. Instead, he took a white coat from his bag and spread it out beside


    him. ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡­¡±


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t need it anyway. I just brought it out as a souvenir.¡±


    Despite what Julian said, she still sat directly on the ground. She picked up his white coat and put it on


    her knees. As she looked at the Tran-Q¡¯s logo above, she said, ¡°I used to constantly think that you just


    want to be a doctor and a good one, at that.¡±


    ¡°How about now?¡±


    ¡°I still feel that way now.¡±


    He was slightly taken aback, and he looked at her in surprise.


    Based on today¡¯s situation, everyone who knew him would think that he had gained astonishing


    triumphs, so he could not wait to resign. After all, how could being a doctor be any better than inheriting


    Burton Group?


    However, Rachel said, ¡°If you were that kind of person, you wouldn¡¯t bring this coat out. No matter why


    you decided to ept Old Mr. Burton¡¯s will and inherit Burton Group, I believe you¡¯ll always be a good


    doctor. You have your own reasons for everything you do.¡±


    ¡°Everyone is guessing who my biological father is. They all think that I have stayed in the Burton


    Residence for so many years, all for the sake of today.¡±


    ¡°You are you. He is him. You two are different people.¡±


    Her words made him frown slightly. ¡°You knew?¡±


    ¡°Well, I saw you talking to him on the phone once.¡±


    As he heard this, his facial expression changed.


    However, she didn¡¯t care as she continued, ¡°At first, I thought he might be trying to threaten you to get


    Old Mr. Burton¡¯s information. But now, it seems that it is simply human nature. After all, he is your


    father, yet you stand on the side of justice in the end. It must have been quite hard on you. Julian, if I


    had known about this at the time, I wouldn¡¯t have made things difficult for you. For that, please ept


    my sincerest apologies.¡±


    A trace ofplex emotion shed in his eyes. Shortly after, he attempted a small smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s


    okay. You don¡¯t need to apologize. I just did what I was supposed to do.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, a piece of advice? You don¡¯t have to care what others say. Since you¡¯ve made a decision,


    just keep moving forward.¡±


    She stood up and reached out her hands to him. ¡°Get up. I¡¯ll walk with you.¡±


    The sunset dyed half of the sky red and Rachel¡¯s smile was gentle as if it could heal all wounds.


    At that moment, the gloom in Julian¡¯s heart disappeared temporarily. He held Rachel¡¯s hand and


    smiled. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    It now appears that I have made the right decision. No matter what was sacrificed, I can only protect


    the one I love by standing at the pinnacle of power. No matter how much I love being a doctor, I don¡¯t


    want to look back anymore. I don¡¯t wish to watch my beloved woman being tortured like before while I


    can only stand there and do anything.


    Unknown to the two walking side by side, a ck car was parked by the river. The man¡¯s gaze


    seemingly prated the windshield as he sat on the back seat and watched their retreating


    silhouettes. His temples throbbed fiercely, his cold pupils contracted, and a wave of misery appeared in


    his usually calm and deep gaze.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 386

    My Mute Bride Chapter 386


    Chapter 386 Passive-Aggressive


    The air in the car was almost frozen. In the rearview mirror, Frankie could not bear to look at the man¡¯s


    facial expression in the back seat. ¡°President Burton, why don¡¯t I go and ask?¡± ¡°What are you going to


    ask?¡± Instantly, Frankie was at a loss for words. What am I going to ask?


    Frankie knew Justin¡¯s current mood better than anyone else. No one could understand the pain of


    being betrayed by their own family. Julian was the cousin he grew up with, and Rachel was the woman


    he loved all his life. Yet, both of them walked away from him at the same time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    After saying those two words with much difficulty, he finally retracted his gaze and leaned back against


    the back of the chair feebly.


    Even though he was odd to think this, he did not hate anyone or feel any anger.


    At the moment when Julian appeared at the memorial service and was announced as the heir of Burton


    Group, Justin had no other emotions except for a moment of astonishment.


    Simrly, Justin was neither angry nor even jealous when he saw Rachel rush over to the park a while


    ago and walk side by side with Julian on the path along the river, looking like a match made in heaven.


    At this moment, Justin finally understood what it meant to lose. The real meaning of loss was that one


    did not even have the qualifications to retain something or someone.


    It¡¯s better this way. The current Julian is capable enough to protect Rachel. He is her best refuge.


    ¡°Frankie.¡±


    ¡°Yes, President Burton.¡±


    ¡°Book me a flight to Montenegro.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to Montenegro?¡± Frankie was stunned for a moment, but he nodded in agreement shortly


    after. ¡°That¡¯s right. You need to rest for a while. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help you make proper arrangements


    regarding the matter on Burton Group. Well then, when will you be back?¡±


    However, Justin did not say a word. He didn¡¯t know how long he would be away. He seemed to have no


    reason to stay in Riverdale any longer.


    ¡­


    Everyone thought that the president of Burton Group was about to be reced by Julian. But after the


    reallocation of shares, Julian actually tried his best to resign at the first general meeting of


    shareholders. Instead, Julian proposed that Robin remained as Burton Group¡¯s president, while he


    would be the vice president.


    ¡°But the vice president is President Burton. So if you¡¯re the vice president, then President Burton¡­¡±


    Out of the blue, this sentence came out, and everyone looked at each other in dismay.


    A few gazesnded on the position that initially belonged to Justin. However, the seat was empty at the


    moment.


    After the memorial service, Justin said he was not feeling well and did note to Burton Group ever


    again.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mr. Zimmer, are you senile? Julian is now thergest shareholder of Burton Group. He has the right to


    appoint and remove any positions in Burton Group. The entire Burton Group belongs to him. Do you


    think a mere position of a vice president will do anything?¡± Robin rudely scolded the person who spoke.


    The person was obviously angry from being jabbed by Robin.


    After all, Julian was a suddenly assigned leader. Despite him being thergest shareholder, he still has


    not gained the favors of the other shareholders. Julian did not have his own men orwork in Burton


    Group. Furthermore, these shareholders were stubborn. Although they showed respect outwardly, they


    had different sinister ideas inwardly.


    Even so, Julian was not angry. Then, he said in a low voice, ¡°Everyone had misunderstood, Justin is


    my cousin, and he has been in Burton Group for so many years. His contributions are obvious to all.


    Who stiptes that there can¡¯t be two vice presidents in apany?¡±


    Once again, the crowd was taken aback by this deration.


    Later, Julian added, ¡°My initial intention was to let him return to be the president. But it¡¯s best to


    postpone this decision, considering the frequent changes of thepany¡¯s presidents in the short term


    will have too much impact on stock market fluctuations. I think everyone has no opinion about this,


    right?¡±


    Julian¡¯s humble and gentle attitude surprised everyone.


    At once, Robin raised his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll express my stand first. I have no opinion anyway. I have nothing to


    say if you guys want me to retire from this position one day.¡±


    As the crowd noticed Robin listening to Julian¡¯s words, everyone felt even more shocked. Then, the


    crowd started whispering.


    ¡°I heard that Julian is a humble person before, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be so generous in matters


    rted to interests.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he has already received so much equity. We can¡¯t stop him from doing what he wants. But no


    words can describe this humble attitude of his.¡±


    ¡°If only President Burton were here¡ªit¡¯s rare to have a discussion without conflict. Even President


    Gunson isn¡¯t causing a scene today.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ He¡¯s arrogant and entitled. You know how President Burton was¡­¡±


    ¡°To put it bluntly, he¡¯s petty.¡±


    The final result was that everyone unanimously agreed with Julian¡¯s suggestion. Robin still remained as


    thepany¡¯s president. Meanwhile, as thepany¡¯s first and second shareholders, Julian and


    Justin would both be the vice presidents.


    As soon as the meeting was over, the crowd was dismissed. Robin greeted Julian courteously and


    complimented him. ¡°President Peters, your tactic of retreating to win some ground is working well. In


    comparison with Justin¡¯s pettiness for not attending the meeting, you have instantly gained the favors


    of these shareholders with your humble attitude.


    However, Julian said faintly, ¡°Justin is not petty. I grew up with him. He is more subtle than you think.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that he would make aeback?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    ¡°Then I will be in the first line of defense and help you in that battle if that is truly the case. I¡¯ll ept


    any assignment from you, even if I have to undergo the most severe trials, President Peters. I¡¯ll deal


    with him for you!¡±


    Justin did not speak. Instead, he turned his head and looked out the window. The trial will be held in


    two days.


    One monthter¡­


    ¡°Wait a minute. Your face is a little oily. Makeup artist, please touch up the makeup.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    ¡°Okay, we can start now.¡±


    Leroy was shooting the cover of Hudson Pharmaceuticals¡¯ new packaging endorsement in the studio,


    and Jolly wasmanding the staff like she was Leroy¡¯s assistant.


    Rachel was speechless. ¡°Are you my assistant or Leroy¡¯s assistant? You are receiving payment from


    me yet working under him. I¡¯m suffering a great loss.¡±


    Jolly raised her eyebrows as she heard Rachel¡¯sint. ¡°I¡¯m doing it for your sake! I¡¯m doing this so


    that the endorsement advertisement for ourpany in this issue will look better.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t do much even if it looks good, does it? No matter how beautiful the idols are, do you think


    fans will support them once they are in a rtionship? From what I see, the greatest contribution you


    can give to thepany is by breaking up with Leroy.¡±


    ¡°Instigating a discord, are we? I¡¯ll tell Julianter that you weren¡¯t meeting a client two days ago. You


    just stayed at home for the whole day and didn¡¯t go on a date with him on purpose!¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Rachel immediately covered Jolly¡¯s mouth. ¡°Will it kill you to keep quiet?¡±


    Jolly pped Rachel¡¯s hand away and said, ¡°Why are you acting like a thief? No, I just want to know


    what¡¯s happening with you and Julian right now. Rumors are circting in thepany that you two


    are getting married.¡±


    ¡°Nothing is going on. We¡¯re just friends.¡±


    ¡°Who are you kidding?! Friends, seriously?¡± Jolly said with a look of disdain, ¡°Will friends send roses


    and cakes to your office every few days? Besides this, let¡¯s talk about the cooperative tie between


    Burton Group and Carter Enterprise. Do you think he¡¯ll go against all opinions with his ability and agree


    with my mom¡¯s condition if it wasn¡¯t out of his respect for you? He suffers a great loss by agreeing with


    my mom¡¯s condition! Right now, the more my mom sees Julian, the more eye-pleasing she feels. Just


    two days ago, she even asked me to persuade you to marry Julian sooner. In the future, the two


    companies will join forces and merge into one.¡±


    Rachel was reading a magazine on the sofa. However, she did not turn a page for a long time, and her


    look was one of utter absent-mindedness.


    When Jolly noticed Rachel¡¯s discouraging state, she was frustrated. Then, she nudged Rachel a little.


    ¡°Did you hear a word of what I said? Why do you look like your soul has left your body these days.¡±


    Rachel raised her head and spoke out of the blue, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the 18th.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡±


    Rachel frowned slightly as she heard the confirmation. But, then, she said in a casual tone,


    ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the day for Jason¡¯s execution.¡±


    Jolly was stunned by the news.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 387

    My Mute Bride Chapter 387


    Chapter 387 We Are the Same


    In Riverdale Penitentiary. ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised at all.¡± Across a vacuum ss, Julian held the


    phone and looked at the man over the ss.


    The man was in his fifties, and his sideburns werepletely white. He looked like a man in his


    seventies, and he no longer had the same high-spirited energy as before.


    Jason stared at Julian for a long time before he spoke, ¡°Murderers like to go back to the crime scene


    and watch the follow-up development after killing the person. You, too, are simr to them.¡±


    ¡°Are youparing me to a murderer?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you? You killed me!¡±


    Julian snorted when he heard that, ¡°It was your own evil thoughts and greed that killed you.¡±


    Surprisingly, Jason was calm. He continued to look at Julian as if he wanted to engrave his look in his


    dim eyes.


    ¡°Actually, we are the same like father, like son. You and I, we both wanted power, wealth, admiration,


    and respect. We wanted to step on others. The only difference is that you pretend like you don¡¯t want it,


    while I never hide the fact that I want it.¡±


    Julian furrowed his brows slightly when he heard this outrageous im.


    ¡°Why exactly did you ask to see me?¡±


    Jason was sentenced to be executed, and the day for his execution was tomorrow. However, prisoners


    had the right to see their rtives and friends before the execution. This was a favor granted by the


    Of course, Julian could have chosen not toe. However, he still came.


    Eventually, Jason restrained his scrutinizing gaze on Julian a little. ¡°Tina is still abroad, and I hope you


    can take care of her.¡±


    Julian remained silent. He did not say yes, nor did he say no.


    ¡°How¡¯s your mother? Seeing as she did not visit me for so long, she must me me.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s abroad.¡±


    Jason was slightly startled. Then, he looked at Julian again and actuallyplimented him. ¡°You¡¯ve


    done a good job! To achieve great sess is to put aside all feelings and rtionships, even if it is


    family. You are better than me in this aspect!¡±


    ¡°Are you done?¡± Julian felt a little impatient. Then, he raised his wrist and nced at his watch. ¡°I¡¯m


    busy.¡±


    As Julian said that, he made a move to get up.


    Jason hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Julian, c-can¡¯t you call me Dad, just once, please?¡±


    Julian nced at Jason, and ayer of indifference slowly covered his usually warm eyes. ¡°If I want to


    achieve great sess, I need to put aside all feelings and rtionships, even if it is family. Isn¡¯t this


    what you just taught me?¡±


    After saying this, Julian hung up the phone and left without looking back.


    Only Jason was left standing there, holding the receiver in his hand. He tried his best to hear


    something from the other end of the phone. But unfortunately, he could not hear anything.


    When someone was about to die, the power and wealth he had pursued throughout his life seemed to


    be no longer important, akin to a cloud vanishing into thin air. Jason never thought that his only wish


    before his death was to hear Julian call him Dad.


    Aftering out of the penitentiary, Julian realized that the sky was not dark yet. Instead, the fiery


    clouds on the horizon lit the hills in the distance red,plementing the sycamore trees in fall.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Julian drove to the penitentiary alone without bringing anyone.


    The car drove away from Riverdale Penitentiary. Heavy metal rock music yed along the way, and


    the music almost shook off the car¡¯s roof. Usually, Julian would never listen to this particr genre,


    thinking it was too noisy. However, he currently felt that the louder it was, the better it was for him. My


    heart won¡¯t feel empty when my ears are filled with noise.


    Nightfall came, and Rachel was putting the clothes on the balcony back into the house when she saw it


    would rain outside.


    Meanwhile, Jolly was carrying a child in each of her arms. They were watching cartoons on the sofa.


    The two children each held arge bag of snacks. After having a bite by themselves, they would give


    Jolly a taste of the snacks.


    Anyone who saw this scene would be envious.


    Rachel nced at the time and said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Charlotte, Samuel, brush your teeth and go to


    bed.¡±


    The two children were very obedient and went back to the room hand in hand.


    Jolly picked up a bag of potato chips and stuffed the chips into her mouth. Then, she garbled with a


    mouth full of food, ¡°You¡¯re just jealous of me and want to ruin my happy parent-children hour.¡±


    ¡°I want to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Have you contacted Julian today?¡±


    Jolly shook her head at the question. ¡°No, but I did send him a message in the morning. My dad has a


    friend who suffers from a heart problem. I want to ask him if there is an expert he knows that can take a


    look. But he hasn¡¯t gotten back to me yet.¡±


    Rachel frowned. The message I sent him hasn¡¯t received any reply yet either.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Just as Rachel was about to say something, her phone suddenly rang. Speak of the devil, and he shall


    appear. It was a call from Julian.


    ¡°Hello?¡± After pressing the answer button, she headed straight back to the balcony.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy for the whole day today, and I only saw the message just now. So what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    His weary voice came from the other end of the phone.


    Then, at once, she said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just want to ask you if you have time on the weekend. Jolly and


    the others n to go to the suburbs to have fun together on the weekend. We¡¯ll be bringing along the


    children. Leroy, Ria, and Victor will all be there too.¡±


    ¡°This weekend?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I have time. I will pick you up when the timees.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°By the way, I have seen what Jolly asked me about. So, I will organize the way of contact and


    information and send it to her so that she can check that carefully.¡±


    Rachel felt relieved when she heard nothing unusual in his tone.


    ¡°Then, rest early, and don¡¯t stay upte.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    After the call ended, Rachel stood on the balcony holding her smartphone. As the night wind blew, she


    suddenly felt inexplicably absent-minded.


    ¡°Yo! Don¡¯t stay up toote.¡±


    Suddenly, Jolly¡¯s teasing voice rang from behind.


    Rachel was so startled that her phone nearly flew out of the balcony. Then, she red at Jolly. ¡°Don¡¯t


    you know it¡¯s not good to scare someone? What if I have a heart attack because of that scare? What


    then? Also, why are you eavesdropping on my call?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious. You know, concerned about your love life.¡±


    ¡°Love life?¡±


    Rachel headed straight into the room after shouldering Jolly aside. ¡°Julian said he¡¯ll help you sort out


    the contact method and information regarding the cardiac expert you asked for. So remember to check


    in when he sends it to you. Don¡¯t forget.¡±


    ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t he tell me directly?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, you¡¯re always by my side. Telling me is the same as telling you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. But I still want to ask, why didn¡¯t he tell me directly?¡±


    Rachel was rendered speechless. ¡°Jolly, are you a recorder?¡±


    Jolly said triumphantly, ¡°In my opinion, this recorder will have the opportunity to be a bridesmaid soon.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t spew nonsense!¡±


    With that, Rachel threw a T-shirt she had just taken off the hanger into Jolly¡¯s face. ¡°Fold your clothes


    properly!¡±


    ¡°Rude!¡±


    As Jolly folded her clothes, she muttered herints, ¡°I really should let Julian see you like this. By


    the way, do you have any ns for tomorrow? If you don¡¯t,e shopping with me. I have no clothes


    to wear.¡±


    ¡°I have things to do.¡±


    ¡°What is it that you possibly need to do?¡±


    ¡°I have to go to the Riverdale Penitentiary in West Magnolia.¡±


    Jolly was taken aback. ¡°What are you going to do there?¡±


    Rachel frowned as she heard Jolly¡¯s question. Then, feeling a mixed bag of emotions in her heart, she


    gradually stopped folding the clothes in her hand.


    As the saying once said, ¡®Everyone hits a man who is down.¡¯ After Jason was convicted and sentenced


    to execution for his smuggling case, his underlings avoided him like he was the gue. Even Robin,


    his Godson, is also trying his best to distance himself from him. So, I¡¯m afraid there won¡¯t be anyone


    present to collect his corpse.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 388

    My Mute Bride Chapter 388


    Chapter 388 Never Truly Even


    The following afternoon, Rachel went to the Riverdale Penitentiary. However, the execution was over


    by the time she arrived. ¡°A total of two prisoners were executed today. May I ask which one are you


    here to pick up?¡± ¡°Jason Burton.¡±


    After that, the person in charge nced at the list in his hand and said, ¡°Jason Burton has already been


    taken.¡± Rachel was slightly taken aback. ¡°Who picked him up?


    ¡°His nephew. Look, here¡¯s the signature.¡±


    Rachel was startled again when she saw the signature on the list. Then, after a while, she regained her


    senses and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    When did Justine back?


    A month ago, Arthur¡¯s funeral and memorial service were held on the same day. After both events


    ended, thew redistributed the internal equity of Burton Group ording to Arthur¡¯s will. As a result,


    Julian became thergest shareholder of the Burton Group in a genuine sense, serving as the vice


    president. In contrast, Justin left Riverdale to go abroad before the shareholders¡¯ meeting. Before he


    left, he only went to see Gloria. At that time, Charlotte was still at Gloria¡¯s ce. He went to say


    goodbye to Charlotte, but he did not say when he would be back. He only told Charlotte to be good. In


    a blink of an eye, a month has passed.


    Rachel closed the car door, put her hand on the steering wheel, and she hesitated for a long time.


    Then, finally, she turned on her phone and swiped to contacts. Her slender fingertips lingered on the


    name ¡®Justin Burton¡¯ for a while. Eventually, she swiped down and called Frankie instead.


    ¡°Hello? Assistant Beckham? It¡¯s me, Rachel.¡±


    ¡°President Hudson? Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just that there was a contract with Burton Group before, and President Burton


    signed it. But, unfortunately, there¡¯s a problem with the contract.¡±


    ¡°Which contract? Why don¡¯t you send me the contract?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t exin it briefly over the phone. I would rathermunicate with him face to face when he


    comes back. Is he back?¡±


    ¡°President Burton? Yeah, he¡¯s back. Didn¡¯t he contact you?¡±


    ¡°Where is he now?¡±


    Since Rachel asked hastily, Frankie, who was on the other end of the call, was stunned for a moment.


    What¡¯s this situation right now?


    Autumn was approaching, and the continuous rain in Riverdale for several days brought chills. The


    cemetery looked more and more deste.


    After Justin put the urn in the cemetery, the staff shut the graveyard.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    ¡°It is what we should do. This is our job. Not to mention that you also gave such a bigmission.¡±


    Justin said nothing as he held an umbre; he looked at the tombstone in front of him. The name


    ¡®Jason Burton¡¯ was engraved precisely and clearly. Jason, you have lived this life shamelessly seeking


    personal gain. If there is truth to reincarnation, I hope you will live your next life more righteously.


    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll get going first. It¡¯s a bit cold today. Sir, please don¡¯t stand for too long.¡±


    Justin hummed in agreement.


    The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the staff was wearing raincoats to facilitate their work.


    They left in a hurry, but they saw a womane in with an umbre when they left the cemetery.


    Several people were surprised. Not many people woulde to the cemetery at this time and under


    such terrible weather conditions.


    Justin stood in front of the tombstone for a long time.


    Not far from Jason¡¯s tomb was Arthur¡¯s cemetery, and there was only a small path between the father


    and son. A little further away was the joint tomb of Justin¡¯s parents.


    I was only three years old when my parents died in a car ident, and I have no impression of my


    biological parents. So for me, Grandpa and Sue are my real rtives.


    Justin sprinkled the wine on the tombstone as he thought of this, ¡°Jason, a farewell toast for you.¡±


    When he spilled half of the wine, he raised his head and drank the rest. After that, he stared at the


    tombstone as though in a trance for a long time.


    ¡°If you drink too much here, it will not be good for the security guarding the tomb.¡±


    A familiar female voice rang out behind him, and it startled him out of his stupor.


    This moment was like a dream to Justin. In astonishment, he turned around and saw Rachel standing


    behind him, holding an umbre. She looked at him with her pair of quiet eyes, showing no emotion.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°I thought no one would be there to take care of Jason¡¯s funeral affairs since you¡¯re not in Riverdale.


    So, I went there.¡±


    Justin was slightly startled but not too surprised. He knew Rachel¡¯s temperament. She has always


    been kind and attentive.


    ¡°Thank you. Jason treated your grandma terribly. How can you still treat him like this?¡±


    ¡°Everything between any two persons settles once the other party dies.¡±


    Since Rachel did not want to talk too much about this matter, she changed the subject. ¡°When did you


    come back? Why didn¡¯t you inform me?¡±


    After saying this, she suddenly realized that there was no need for Justin to share his itinerary with her.


    So, she exined again by saying, ¡°Charlotte has been asking when you wille back.¡±


    ¡°I just came back. I wanted to organize some things at hand before contacting you.¡±


    The rain was getting heavier. The crackling sound of the rain hitting the umbre felt like it would


    eventually hurt the hand.


    The biggest advantage of rainy days was that one only needed an umbre to separate people from


    the world around them. It was as if there was only each other left in the world.


    No one spoke for a moment. Hence, the atmosphere was a bit awkward.


    People you have truly loved, even if it was a one-sided affair where only one party had poured in their


    love in the rtionship, it was impossible for the so-called ¡®even¡¯ to exist. It was because the love and


    hatred had long been embedded deep in the bone and embedded in every single nerve. Both parties


    would still be affected whenever they met again, and there would never be a peaceful day for the rest


    of their lives.


    ¡°Hey!¡± A shout broke through the rain curtain and cut through the awkward atmosphere.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    When both Rachel and Justin turned around, they saw the guard at the cemetery. He was wearing a


    raincoat as he shouted at them from a distance, ¡°This ce is about to close. When are you guys


    leaving?¡±


    Rachel hurriedly responded, saying, ¡°Sir, we are leaving now.¡±


    It was the cemetery rule to be closed before dark.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Rachel nced at Justin, and the two left in tandem.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to pick Charlotte up this Friday.¡±


    ¡°Friday? It might be impossible on Friday. Jolly had asked Leroy and the others to go out and have fun.


    We¡¯ll bring the two children, and they all agreed.¡±


    ¡°In that case, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll pick her up next week.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Justin quickly rejected the offer without hesitation. ¡°You guys can¡¯t truly enjoy yourselves if I


    go.¡±


    ¡°How is that so?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t Julian be there too?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t mind,¡± Rachel vowed. ¡°Julian said that he would want to have dinner together when you


    came back. No matter what the others say, he still regards you as his cousin.¡±


    Justin¡¯s eyes were disinterested, but he did not exin himself further.


    Suddenly, she thought of something and abruptly felt that she had spoken too much.


    Even if Julian doesn¡¯t mind, maybe Justin himself does. After all, neither Julian nor I told him about Old


    Mr. Burton¡¯s death in time.


    There was a moment of silence before Justin asked, ¡°Did you drive here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my car is right over there.¡±


    As the awkwardness eased, she silently let out a sigh of relief.


    In the parking lot at the cemetery entrance, there were two cars. One red and one ck parked very


    close to one another.


    Finally, he said, ¡°Then, be careful on the road, and pay attention since it¡¯s rainy. Tell me when you get


    home.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Get in.¡± He opened the car door for her.


    Just as she was about to get in the car, she suddenly turned her head and blurted out, ¡°Are you free? If


    you¡¯re free, why don¡¯t we have dinner togetherter?¡±


    He was stunned for a moment. Then, a trace of astonishment appeared in his cold eyes.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 389

    My Mute Bride Chapter 389


    Chapter 389 Karma Transmigration


    It rained heavily outside the window, and the raindrops beat the leaves of the sycamore trees on the


    streets of Riverdale to pieces. There was a constant stream of people in the English restaurant. The


    restaurant¡¯s atmosphere was undoubtedly much more lively and boisterous than a French restaurant.


    ¡°The fish and chips here are good; Charlotte and Samuel like them very much,¡± Justin said. As he


    spoke, he poured a cup of tea for Rachel. ¡°After dinner, I¡¯ll order a takeaway for two fish and chips, and


    you can take them back for the children.¡±


    ¡°You still think about the little gluttonous duo?¡±


    ¡°In the past, I was too busy and spent too little time with Charlotte. If you are busy in the future, you can


    leave both children to me. Then, you can pick them up when you are not busy.¡±


    These words sounded inexplicably unpleasant.


    Rachel¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. ¡°Regarding things in Burton Group, is Robin still giving you a hard time


    after Julian took over? Why don¡¯t I talk to Julian?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Robin didn¡¯t make things difficult for me. In fact, after Julian took over, it was


    a lot easier on me. I even took a month¡¯s leave, and no one has urged me to return.¡±


    Justin pretended that everything was fine. Rachel took his words at face value and actually let out a


    breath of relief.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I told you things would still be the same even after Julian took over. He¡¯s your own family,


    after all. At the very least, he won¡¯t let a man like Robin show off his authority.¡±


    Justin didn¡¯t answer; instead, he gave her the fish and chips and urged, ¡°Eat more.¡±


    After Julian joined Burton Group, Robin really stopped putting pressure on me. In other words, I have


    no pressure in Burton Group now because I have nothing to do. The moment someone overruns my


    work, it also means my authority has been overridden. Even so, I can understand everything Julian has


    done. If it were me, I would have done the same myself. Why? Because I¡¯m the biggest threat.


    ¡°Did Charlotte cause any trouble during the days I¡¯ve been gone?¡±


    ¡°Most of the time, she¡¯s very well-behaved. But if you really want to know, you should attend the parent-


    teacher conference for her when the timees. There was no huge trouble, but there were many


    small issues. For example, she was having many disputes with her ssmates.¡±


    ¡°Let Victor be strict with her. She has never been in contact with her peers since she was a child, so


    she is used to being self-centered.¡±


    Rachel was a little surprised.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    As he saw her looking at him in astonishment, he asked, ¡°Is there something on my face?¡±


    After that, she immediately came back to her senses. ¡°No, I¡¯m just a little surprised. Didn¡¯t you always


    think that it¡¯s not a bad thing for Charlotte to be self-centered?¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s too self-centered, she¡¯ll be vulnerable toward setbacks in the future. I can¡¯t apany her for


    the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s alright.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°There are so many people backing her up, so there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡±


    Just as she was talking, her phone suddenly rang. It was Julian.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m going to answer this call.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Rachel left the seat and pressed the answer button while walking toward the bathroom, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Rach, where are you?¡±


    ¡°Out having dinner.¡±


    ¡°With Jolly?¡±


    ¡°No, with Justin.¡±


    The other end of the phone went suspiciously silent for a long time. Rachel nced at the screen of her


    mobile phone curiously. However, she did not hang up. ¡°Hello? Julian?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I thought you hung up the phone. It¡¯s raining today, and the signal must not be good.¡±


    ¡°When did hee back?¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We just coincidentally met today, so we had dinner together, and we were just talking


    about work.¡±


    ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ll pick you up.¡±


    Rachel was slightly stunned.


    His tone suddenly made her feel ufortable.


    She kept frowning after she came back from the washroom.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting for a long time.¡±


    As he saw her furrowed brows, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Rachel squeezed out a smile.


    Julian¡¯s attitude on the phone earlier made her feel inexplicably ufortable.


    He stopped asking further when he sensed that she didn¡¯t wish to say more. So, instead, he only kept


    giving her food, asking her to taste them. Meanwhile, he, himself, did not eat much.


    After dinner, he ordered an English dessert for her.


    ¡°They have this here?¡±


    Rachel felt surprised as she looked at the mouth-watering sea salt caramel pudding in front of her. ¡°The


    last time I ate this was five years ago.¡±


    In the past, only the cook of the Burton Family could make this, as they were not sold outside.


    ¡°Have a taste.¡±


    After taking a bite, she was even more surprised. ¡°It tastes exactly the same as I imagined it to be.¡±


    Even after so many years, she still remembered the warm feeling in her heart the first time she had this


    sea salt caramel pudding.


    I remember that day very clearly. Justin was not at home that day, and it was raining heavily too. When


    I returned from outside, I was locked out by Sue until the middle of the night when Ms. Grace secretly


    let me in and made me sea salt caramel pudding.


    Although it was an unpleasant past, such a touch of warmth was also a memorable thing for Rachel. ¡°I


    remember that only Ms. Grace can make this, and I didn¡¯t ask her how she did it back then. I also don¡¯t


    know where she is now.¡±


    Justin replied, ¡°This ce is established and run by Ms. Grace.¡±


    Rachel¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Really?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Justin smiled, and it softened the austere look on his face. ¡°Why don¡¯t we call her out, and


    you can ask her personally?¡±


    ¡°Is she here?¡±


    ¡°She should be,¡± Justin said while raising his hand to call for the server.


    However, when he turned his head, he saw a figureing in from the restaurant¡¯s door. The smile in


    Justin¡¯s eyes suddenly disappeared.


    The visitor looked around and happened to meet Justin¡¯s eyes.


    Likewise, she also spotted the figure, and her eyes contracted a little in response.


    Julian was dressed in a brown trench coat. Under silver-rimmed sses, his eyes were warm yet


    spirited, and he walked straight to their table.


    ¡°Julian.¡± Rachel stood up.


    He looked at her and said, ¡°It¡¯s raining cats and dogs today, so I wanted to pick you up.¡±


    Once the concise sentence fell, the air suddenly condensed.


    She furrowed her brows and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I drove here? So I can go home by myself!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried,¡± said Julian. As he spoke, he even gripped her arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    All of a sudden, Justin grabbed Julian on the shoulder. ¡°Julian.¡±


    In an instant, the facial expression on Julian¡¯s face sank. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I should be asking you that. What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up my fianc¨¦e. What do you think I¡¯m doing?¡±


    Like a shot, Justin¡¯s arm suddenly froze. Fianc¨¦e?


    Simrly, Rachel was also stunned. Since when did I be Julian¡¯s fianc¨¦e? Why am I not aware of


    this?!


    At this moment, many people in the restaurant had started looking at them. Since she did not want to


    embarrass everyone, she apologized to Justin, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to go first.¡±


    Justin¡¯s hand on Julian¡¯s shoulder trembled. It froze for a second and fell.


    ¡°Rachel, let¡¯s go.¡± Julian took her bag and nced at Justin before leaving. His eyes were icy, as if he


    had turned into another person.


    She was dragged away by Julian, and when she was about to reach the entrance, the server stopped


    her with a bag. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the fish and chips that gentleman packed for you.¡±


    Just as she was about to take them, Julian said, ¡°There¡¯s no need. Let him keep it for himself.¡±


    With that, Julian directly took her and left the restaurant.


    There was only Justin left on the seat, and she did not have the time to finish the sea salt caramel


    pudding across from him.


    When he looked at the back silhouettes of the two people leaving, they looked like a perfect match. The


    only trace of warmth on his face disappeared with the disappearance of Rachel¡¯s figure. Almost


    instantly, a great sense of loss swept in.


    He abruptly frowned and grasped the corner of the table to pant. Then, as he felt his chest seemingly


    crushed by a boulder, he gasped for air.


    Is this considered karma? Justin thought mockingly. I let Rachel suffer in the past, and now it¡¯s my turn.


    I deserve to suffer as she did. I deserve all this.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 390

    My Mute Bride Chapter 390


    Chapter 390 Stop Having Illusions


    Rachel and Julian took the elevator to the underground garage together. Suddenly, he said, ¡°It¡¯s raining


    heavily outside, so don¡¯t drive your car for the time being. I¡¯ll send you home.¡±


    As he said that, he walked ahead on his own. She looked at his back and halted her tracks. ¡°Julian,


    let¡¯s talk.¡± His figure froze slightly.


    He parked the white car in the garage corner with the windows closed. Although it waste fall and not


    hot, the air in the vehicle was stuffy.


    Rachel frowned as she sat in the passenger seat. ¡°Julian, I want to know what you are doing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about your safety when it rains. So what¡¯s wrong with me picking you up?¡±


    Rachel looked at Justin incredulously as she heard his response. ¡°I said I can go back by myself. I¡¯m


    an adult, not a child. It¡¯s just raining.¡±


    ¡°Are you ming me for being meddlesome?¡±


    ¡°Julian, do you have to talk like this?¡±


    ¡°How do I talk?¡±


    ¡°Sarcastic and bitter!¡±


    The words echoed firmly in the car.


    She had always been blunt with her words, especially with her friends. She silently looked at the man in


    the driver¡¯s seat, who she considered her best friend of the opposite gender besides Hans. If anything,


    Julian could be regarded as her benefactor.


    Meanwhile, he also looked back at her. His usual warm eyes were filled with suppressed emotions at


    this moment. Finally, after a long time, he took a deep breath and said, ¡°Rach, I¡¯m sorry. I apologize.


    Today was my fault. I did something wrong. I¡¯ve been in a bad mood recently. Let¡¯s not talk about this,


    okay?¡±


    All of a sudden, she felt a sense of unspeakable suffocation. I would rather he quarrel with me now


    than reluctantly apologize.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you home.¡±


    His voice pulled her back from her thoughts. But then, she held the steering wheel. ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯m


    not asking you to apologize to me. We are good friends.¡±


    Although she tried her best to exin patiently, her frown betrayed her inner anxiety. ¡°Why did you say


    that I¡¯m your fianc¨¦e in front of Justin?¡±


    Julian¡¯s hand on the steering wheel slowly slipped, and he did not speak for a long time.


    After a long while, he leaned on the back of the chair and looked at Rachel. ¡°Rachel, if I remember


    correctly, you said that you never want to have anything to do with Justin in your life. You said you


    dislike his pestering. Isn¡¯t this the easiest way to stop him?¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but I don¡¯t like to lie. Besides, it¡¯s not fair to you either.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s true?¡±


    She was startled by his words.


    ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I wish for you to be my girlfriend, fianc¨¦e, or even my wife. Is that clear enough?¡±


    At that instant, Rachel felt panicked.


    It was six years ago when I met Julian. At that time, he was so nice. Just like Hans, he was a light


    shining into my dark world. I never thought that such a person would like me romantically.


    After he said his piece, he took her hand like holding up some precious treasure; his movement was


    very light. ¡°Rachel, I know it¡¯s not easy for you to let go of many things, but I¡¯m willing to apany


    you on your journey if you would have me. I hope you can give me a chance to take care of you and


    your children.¡±


    Perhaps the word ¡®children¡¯ triggered a particr ce in her mind, and Rachel suddenly came back to


    her senses. She abruptly withdrew her hand and was scared to look into his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Julian.¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Just like that, his hand was left hanging in the air, slightly stiff.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just drive back by myself.¡±


    She hurriedly pushed open the car door and got out of the car immediately.


    ¡°Rach!¡± Julian called her from behind.


    Although she paused her footsteps, she did not look back. ¡°The rain isn¡¯t so heavy, so I¡¯ll just drive by


    myself. You, too, pay attention when you drive home.¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡± Julian raised his voice suddenly. ¡°Are you ufortable because I lied that you are my


    fianc¨¦e? Or because I said that in front of him?¡±


    There was a big difference between the two.


    Her back stiffened slightly, and she left in a hurry without answering the question.


    At this moment, Rachel just wanted to escape from this scene that made her feel uneasy quickly. She


    knew that running away was shameful, but everything happened so suddenly that she didn¡¯t know what


    to do.


    The rain did pour heavily. ording to the weather forecast, there would be constant rain for a week


    due to the typhoon.


    She drove out of the garage alone.


    At this time, Justin had juste out of the elevator with a to-go container in his hand when he saw


    Julian was making his way toward him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving yet?¡± Justin looked at Julian in surprise. Then, he looked behind him reflexively.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Rae?¡±


    Julian¡¯s facial expression was gloomy, as if he had changed into a different person. Then, Julian


    punched Justin before he could react, and his fist made direct contact with Justin¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Justin grunted in pain. His entire body staggered to the side and knocked over the stainless


    steel trash can. The to-go container in his hand fell to the ground, and that caused all the fish and chips


    to scatter against the pavement.


    ¡°What right do you have to call her that?¡± The sound of Julian¡¯s roar came from overhead.


    Justin raised his head in disbelief, but all he received was another punch.


    However, Justin had been trained since he was a child. After receiving two punches, Justin quickly


    returned with a punch of his own.


    With that, Julian also fell to the ground, and his sses fell out to quite a distance.


    Then, Justin got up and kept a safe distance. ¡°Julian, have you gone mad?¡±


    Julian panted and stood up against the wall. He red at Justin angrily, his warm eyes now bloodshot.


    ¡°Am I crazy, or are you crazy? How can she still have a meal with you in peace despite being tortured


    so much by you back then and witnessing your devilish state?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Rae?¡±


    ¡°I said, don¡¯t call her that! You¡¯re not worthy!¡±


    Once again, Julian¡¯s growl echoed in the huge garage.


    Justin was startled again, and his cold eyes contracted. ¡°Do you know what you are talking about?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know! You¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing!¡±


    ¡°I just had a meal with her. We have a daughter together, Charlotte. So even if you and Rachel are


    engaged and will get married in the future, I will still go back to see Charlotte.¡±


    ¡°Do you think such words will convince yourself or me?¡± Julian sneered, ¡°Justin, I know you too well.


    You are a person who will do anything to achieve your goals. In fact, your memory has already


    recovered, right? However, you are still pestering Rachel. Don¡¯t you dare think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re


    up to.¡¯


    In an instant, Justin¡¯s facial expression froze.


    ¡°I warn you. Stay away from her! Stop having illusions! She can¡¯t be with you anymore!¡±


    Julian gave him a cold stare, then bent down to pick up his sses and drove away.


    Justin¡¯s temple throbbed abruptly amid the loud roar of the engine.


    After an unknown amount of time, Justin picked up the to-go container that had fallen on the ground


    and threw it into the trash can. He happened to see himself in the reflection of the elevator. There were


    several apparent marks of a fight under his eyes. When he saw the nearly visible bruises, Justin


    thought, It sure didn¡¯t take long for the bruises to show up.


    He raised his hand and touched the bruises, making him gasp in pain. Then, his pale fingers brushed


    the corners of his lips, and he saw blood on the tip of his fingers. What a shock! Julian definitely did not


    go easy on me with his punches.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 391

    My Mute Bride Chapter 391


    Chapter 391 Can¡¯t Just Be Friends


    Rachel went straight home. No one was home, so the house was empty. Lately, the two children stayed


    with Gloria, while Jolly had moved in with Leroy after a fight against her parents.


    The originally crowded apartment now seemed deserted. Julian¡¯s words echoed in her ears, causing


    her brain to buzz as she sat slumped on the sofa.


    To say that she didn¡¯t know his intentions was simply self-deception, but to say that she had always


    known Julian¡¯s intentions wasn¡¯t true either.


    Anyone who had seen what she was like six years ago wouldn¡¯t think that Julian would fall in love with


    her.


    She was disabled, a mute who couldn¡¯t even speak when she wanted to.


    She was an illegitimate child whom her family had cast out in cold blood, someone who had no dignity


    to speak of.


    Whether it be her qualifications or family background, any ordinary man wouldn¡¯t choose her, not to


    mention someone who was a young, promising doctor like Julian.


    She leaned against the sofa, took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.


    Even now, she believed that Julian wasn¡¯t in love with her but probably sympathized with her.


    Moreover, they had perhaps grown dependent on each other after spending time together for so many


    years.


    The next day, as soon as Jolly arrived at Hudson Pharmaceuticals, she rushed into Rachel¡¯s office and


    eximed, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Chris, what¡¯s the situation with Julian? Why did he call me so many


    timesst night?¡±


    Rachel was startled from her work and looked up from behind theputer.


    Now it was Jolly who was caught off guard. ¡°And what¡¯s up with you? Didn¡¯t you get any sleepst


    night? Look at those dark circles!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me started.¡± Rachel yawned, not in good spirits.


    Jolly pulled out the chair in front of her desk and sat down. ¡°Tell me. What¡¯s going on with you two? I


    was in an argument with my familyst night, so I didn¡¯t check my phone at all. I called Julian early in


    the morning, but he had already gone to a meeting. I¡¯m guessing it was rted to you. Tell me the truth.


    What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Rachel recounted everything that had happened the day before.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    The corners of Jolly¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Are men so brainless when they fall in love?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rachel was confused.


    ¡°There are so many opportunities and ways to confess. He just chose the worst time possible. Doesn¡¯t


    he know that women hate emotionally unstable men? He really made a bad move!¡±


    Jolly sighed and yed the part of a rtionship expert. ¡°I¡¯ll lecture him another day. How can he do


    this? He even announced in front of your ex-husband that you¡¯re his fianc¨¦e. As your best friend, I


    didn¡¯t even know that you¡¯re his fianc¨¦e!¡±


    Knock, knock, knock.


    Rachel knocked on the table. ¡°Jolly! Can you be serious for a moment? We¡¯re talking business here! I


    don¡¯t even know how to face him now!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so hard about this? Nine of my ten buddies have a crush on me, and eight of them have


    confessed to me, but we still drink and party together. What century are we in? We¡¯re long past all


    that!¡±


    Rachel rolled her eyes so hard that only the whites of her eyes could be seen. Then, she held her


    forehead after being rendered speechless. ¡°Asking you for help is a waste of my saliva.¡±


    After Jolly was called unreliable, she became serious again.


    ¡°Why are you overthinking this? This kind of thing isn¡¯t something that women need to consider. If


    Julian is really meant for you, he¡¯ll find a way to solve it.¡±


    ¡°What if he insists?¡±


    ¡°What? Are you really not going to give him a chance? Chris, it¡¯s not that I want to criticize you, but


    men and women can¡¯t have apletely tonic friendship, especially after leaving school.¡±


    ¡°Even you think Julian and I can¡¯t be just friends?¡±


    ¡°You may be able to, but obviously, Julian can¡¯t.¡±


    Rachel frowned slightly, and when she thought about something, she hesitantly spoke about her


    concerns, ¡°I always had the feeling that Julian is different from before.¡±


    Jolly was rather careless about details that she wasn¡¯t focused on. ¡°What¡¯s the difference? Didn¡¯t he


    just be the president of Burton Group? He¡¯s no longer the world-saving doctor. The fluctuations of


    the business world would inevitably bring out sharpness in him. He¡¯s managing apany, not doing


    charity work. All right. I repeat, don¡¯t overthink this.¡±


    Jolly leaned back in her chair. ¡°Anyway, aren¡¯t you going out together this Saturday? You can talk


    things out then.¡±


    ¡°Can I not go?¡± Rachel¡¯s face scrunched up when she was reminded about the outing on Saturday.


    She wasn¡¯t good at rejecting people, so she would try to show her stance before things deteriorated


    beyond her control, but she didn¡¯t know what Julian thought.


    ¡°Why? We¡¯re all friends!¡±


    ¡°You just said that we can¡¯t be friends!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t twist my words.¡± Jolly suddenly had a mischievous look on her face as she leaned closer.


    ¡°Actually, I have another way. Do you want to hear it?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I can call Ornand over too. Then, when the two of them fight, he might not bother you anymore, just


    like when we were in Montenegro.¡±


    ¡°Jolly! Don¡¯t you dare! Don¡¯t you think the situation is messy enough?¡±


    After finally persuading Ornand to return home, she didn¡¯t want to bring him over again.


    With Ornand¡¯s rowdy and feisty character, he would definitely get into a fight against Julian. This wasn¡¯t


    Montenegro, where no one would think twice, no matter how dramatic one was. It was different here.


    ¡°I was just throwing ideas out! Haha. Look at how scared you are.¡± Jolly stood up. ¡°My dear President


    Hudson, get ready for the meeting. Everyone¡¯s waiting.¡±


    Rachel exhaled forcefully and calmed down. ¡°Let¡¯s go attend the meeting.¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    She cast her immersion in the matters of love aside for the time being, as she couldn¡¯t dy work


    matters.


    Meanwhile, executives were gathered in therge conference room at Burton Group.


    ¡°I have doubts about our cooperation with Carter Enterprise. Obviously, the price of materials from the


    same supplier can be even lower. Why do we use the building materials provided by Carter Enterprise?


    Their price is even 2 percent higher than market price.¡±


    After Julian became thergest shareholder of Burton Group, Carter Enterprise suspended its


    acquisition n for Burton Group because Julian took the initiative to show goodwill and cooperate with


    Cater Enterprise so that they couldplement each other. It was a win-win situation for both sides,


    which earned them more stable benefits than Burton Group¡¯s acquisition and Carter Enterprise¡¯s


    expansion.


    This way, it solved Burton Group¡¯s worries and also won the hearts of the board of directors.


    However, the problem gradually became prominent, and soon it was discovered that Carter


    Enterprise¡¯s interests were too high. As a result, the recent few coborations almost squeezed all of


    Burton Group¡¯s profits dry.


    A marketing executive asked Julian, ¡°ording to these calctions, we aren¡¯t getting any profit at all.


    It¡¯s not conforming to thews of the market at all. Are we doing this for nothing?¡±


    Julian remained silent.


    Robin immediately refuted the executive. ¡°Manager Hoult, didn¡¯t you attend the first few meetings? It


    has been said that this is to achieve a good cooperative rtionship with Carter Enterprise, so losing


    out a few percent of profit is nothing. This is done with consideration for the long-term benefits.¡±


    ¡°A contract to give up on our profits is enough to express the sincerity of our cooperation. If we let them


    win every time, we might as well be acquired! If President Burton were here, he definitely wouldn¡¯t


    agree to this.¡±


    After he mentioned ¡®President Burton¡¯, Julian raised his head, and his gloomy eyes slowly fell on the


    manager¡ªCharles Hoult.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 392

    My Mute Bride Chapter 392


    Chapter 392 Start a New Empire


    There was an oppressive chill in Julian¡¯s eyes, which made Charles shudder fiercely. ¡°I mean¡­ I


    mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know what you mean,¡± Julian said in a dispassionate voice. ¡°Starting tomorrow, you


    don¡¯t have toe to work.¡± Everyone was stunned.


    Charles had been working in Burton Group for ten years, and he had never made any significant


    mistakes. On the contrary, he was strict and responsible when working.


    But Julian actually fired him!


    Charles was stunned as well. ¡°But, President Peters, why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thergest shareholder of the group. By bringing up ¡®President Burton¡¯, are you saying that I¡¯m not


    qualified to manage thepany? Am I not worthy of being your boss?¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I meant. I was just saying that¡­¡±


    ¡°Say no more. Since I¡¯m not qualified to be your boss, I won¡¯t dy you from finding another job,


    Charles.¡±


    Charles¡¯ face paled. After a while, he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and said, ¡°Julian, this isn¡¯t a


    dictatorship! What right do you have to fire me? I¡¯m going to file aint to the board of directors!¡±


    ¡°Even if youin to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, it¡¯s useless. However, you can give it


    a try.¡±


    As soon as he said that, everyone was in disbelief.


    ¡°President Peters, you¡¯re crossing the line. Charles has been working in Burton Group for ten years.


    Doing this will only deeply disappoint us, long-term employees.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Whispers wereing from the audience.


    ¡°Disappoint long-term employees?¡± Julian was unconcerned, and he sneered coldly, ¡°If you¡¯re already


    disappointed, what¡¯s the use of me forcibly keeping you here? Keep you so that you can stab me in the


    back in the future?¡±


    ¡°President Peters, what are you talking about? We all work for Burton Group.¡±


    ¡°Really? Don¡¯t you work for Justin?¡±


    Several people speaking up for Charles wanted to say something, but Charles interrupted them.


    ¡°Forget it. All of you don¡¯t have to speak up for me. Since President Peters has already given the order,


    I can¡¯t convince him no matter how I exin myself. So, I¡¯ll just leave.¡±


    With that, Charles mmed the door and left.


    The remaining few people exchanged looks, and some even threw down their cards and yelled, ¡°I quit


    too!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving too!


    In the blink of an eye, one-third of the people in the conference room were gone.


    Robin¡¯s forehead was beaded with cold sweat. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it!¡±


    Julian still appeared indifferent as he swept his gaze over the remaining people. ¡°Who else wants to go


    with Manager Hoult? I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    He leaned against his chair, looking much more indifferent and resolute than Justin did in the past.


    Although Justin was strict with employees, he at least cherished talents and would never fire


    employees based on his own preferences, not to mention long-term employees who had been working


    in thepany for at least a decade.


    The whole room was silent for fear that they would be the next ones to be fired if they said the wrong


    thing.


    Not everyone was as bold as Charles and the others. Although they too had moral integrity, most of


    those who came out to work had families to support. Even if they were dissatisfied, they still had to bite


    the bullet most of the time.


    As soon as the meeting ended, Robin anxiously reminded Julian, ¡°President Peters, isn¡¯t it too hurtful to


    do this? What if we can¡¯t keep them? These are all executives in important positions, and as soon as


    they leave, they¡¯ll be taking away a lot of customer resources too.¡±


    ¡°There would be consequences to keeping those who don¡¯t intend to stay here. So, it¡¯s time to change


    thepany¡¯s structure.¡±


    Julian nced at all the Burton Group employee cards that were left in the middle of the conference


    table. ¡°Inform the Human Resources Department that they need to step up with the recruitment starting


    today. Regardless of age and qualifications, they can work for Burton Group as long as they¡¯re capable.


    We¡¯ll judge them based on ability.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not looking at their level of education anymore?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Robin hesitated. ¡°But, the main focus of Burton Group is high-precision talents. If they don¡¯t even pass


    the threshold of academic qualifications, the quality of thepany¡¯s talents will be seriously reduced.


    By then¡­¡±


    Before Robin could finish speaking, he was so frightened by the look Julian was giving him that he shut


    his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make the arrangements now.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    After watching Robin leave, Julian sat in the empty conference room for a long time.


    After a certain period of time, he picked up all the discarded employee cards on the table and tossed


    them into the trash.


    Whoosh! All of them were thrown away.


    From today onward, Burton Group would truly belong to him.


    It was alreadyte autumn, and all the leaves had fallen off the sycamore trees on both sides of the


    entrance to a summer resort in the western suburbs.


    A ck sedan passed by the fountain in front of the vi and stopped at the entrance. A figure in a suit


    and leather shoes got out of the car and hurried in.


    ¡°President Burton!¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Justin was practicing calligraphy in the study, and as soon as he wrote thest stroke, he was


    interrupted by the sound of a door opening. The pen in his hand trembled, and it ruined one of the


    letters.


    He stared at the ruined letter, finding it a shame that there was an ink dot on thest stroke.


    ¡°President Burton, something bad has happened!¡±


    Frankie ran in, sweating profusely.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Justin changed a new piece of paper without raising his head.


    ¡°Julianid off one-third of Burton Group executives. Unfortunately, these executives aren¡¯t forgiving


    folk either. Besides losing arge number of employees, the clientele has also been taken away!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Justin took a pen and wrote down ¡®mediocrity¡¯ with total concentration.


    ¡°How can you still have the heart to practice calligraphy? Thepany is in chaos!¡±


    Frankie was extremely speechless to see Justin writing calligraphy in such a calm and rxed manner.


    It was a fact that the person in question was not as anxious as the spectators.


    It wasn¡¯t until he finished writing thest word that Justin set down his pen and wiped his hands with


    the towel next to him. ¡°What do you think of this word?¡±


    ¡°Stop it. How could I possibly be in the mood to look at that?¡±


    ¡°We have to be calm when facing problems. What did I teach youst time?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be calm right now. President Burton, you¡¯re not just going to watch Julian bring about the


    copse of Burton Group, right?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Justin said tonelessly. ¡°You underestimate Julian. If he dares to do this, he will have the ability to


    see the end of it.¡±


    ¡°Different industries have different specializations. Dr. Peter¡¯s medical skills are good, but we¡¯re talking


    about managing a listedpany. What does it mean to fire one-third of the executives? Isn¡¯t he just


    messing around? Even the stock market is unstable!¡±


    ¡°One must be ruthless to have a change of appearance. But then, he can do what I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Since young, he had never been cultivated by Old Mr. Burton to be the heir of the Burton Family, so he


    has no rtions with the board of directors. He has no supporters and no backers.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a disadvantage?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a disadvantage, but also a new way out. If he dares to build an empire when there isn¡¯t one, then


    the whole empire will belong to him.¡±


    Justin picked up his calligraphy work.


    The wind blew in from the outside, rustling the paper.


    The words ¡®mediocrityplicates¡¯ were written in one go, and they were smoothly written.


    Frankie still didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Well, all I know is that Burton Group is in a mess now. So many people


    are hoping that you can go back. So why don¡¯t you think it over again? At the very least, you¡¯re the vice


    president.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. He can take Burton Group if that is what he wants.¡±


    As he spoke, the autumn breeze was blowing outside the window, while Frankie had a look of


    incredulity on his face.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 393

    My Mute Bride Chapter 393


    Chapter 393 They¡¯re Even Now


    ¡°President Burton.¡±


    Frankie stared at Justin in disbelief. ¡°Burton Group is the work of generations of Burtons. Are you just


    going to hand it over? And to Julian?¡±


    Justin merely replied, ¡°Julian is also a member of the Burton Family.¡±


    Frankie took a deep breath. ¡°President Burton, there¡¯s something I didn¡¯t want to bring up because you


    wouldn¡¯t let me check, but now it seems like I have to. If Julian is a Burton, who is his biological father?


    Others don¡¯t know, but I figure you should.¡±


    Justin frowned slightly.


    After Jason¡¯s incident, Julian sent Sue abroad at once. Even he couldn¡¯t contact her. It wasn¡¯t hard to


    figure out the rtionship between Julian and Jason.


    ¡°Have you ever thought that President Hudson had nothing to do with Old Mr. Burton¡¯s death? Perhaps


    ¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Justin interrupted Frankie and said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t bring this topic up again.¡±


    ¡°But Old Mr. Burton was clearly poisoned. Are you going to continue deceiving yourself? Whether it


    was President Hudson or Dr. Peters who did it, this is murder. They can go to jail!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no evidence, so who are you nning to send to jail?¡±


    Justin shot Frankie a nce, startling him.


    Justin continued, ¡°There¡¯s no need to talk about this, and there¡¯s no need to tell me about the affairs of


    Burton Group anymore. I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    Frankie was taken aback. ¡°Are you saying that I have a big mouth? Fine. I won¡¯t say anything more in


    the future. Just treat it as meing here to gossip because I was too bored!¡±


    Once he finished his rant, Frankie left in a huff.


    He was obviously rather frustrated at the very least.


    When leaving, he bumped into Gloria, who had just arrived. She saw Frankieing her way and


    politely greeted him, ¡°Assistant Beckham.¡±


    Unfortunately, Frankie was utterly livid, so he nodded indifferently, greeted her, and stalked off.


    Gloria was confused.


    What¡¯s up with him?


    In the study, Justin was still looking at his calligraphy work.


    As soon as Gloria entered, she asked, ¡°What happened to Assistant Beckham? He ignored me when I


    talked to him. Did you scold him?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    His answer was concise, with no intention of exining whatsoever.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Gloria lifted the pastries in her hand. ¡°I bought some pastries from Levain Bakery. There are


    croissants and other stuff in here. I¡¯ll put it here for you.¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t like sweet stuff.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for you.¡±


    Gloria rolled her eyes at him. ¡°This Saturday, bring this to Triburg Valley when youe to find us, then


    give this to Charlotte and Samuel.¡±


    ¡°This Saturday?¡±


    Justin was slightly startled. ¡°Don¡¯t you have something nned for Saturday?¡±


    ¡°What? You know about it?¡± Gloria stared at him in surprise. ¡°We do have something nned. Who told


    you that?¡±


    ¡°Rachel mentioned it, so I won¡¯t pick Charlotte up this week.¡±


    ¡°Miss Rachel met with you? What did you all talk about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. We just had a meal together.¡±


    ¡°You even had a meal together? Didn¡¯t I say that Miss Rachel¡¯s attitude toward you has improved? It¡¯s


    different from before. You have to take advantage of this opportunity. This Saturday, why don¡¯t you take


    the initiative to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±


    He interrupted Gloria with three decisive words.


    Initially, Gloria was excited to arrange some activities, so when she heard this, she felt as if her


    enthusiasm had been sshed with cold water, causing her expression to change. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you


    going? Are you backing out again?¡±


    ¡°Rachel¡¯s work and life are very tiring, and she hardly gets any rest. You guys have fun. I don¡¯t want my


    presence to bring any unhappiness.¡±


    ¡°This is all your assumptions. How do you know that she¡¯ll be unhappy to see you?¡±


    ¡°If anyone else had experienced those things five years ago, they wouldn¡¯t be happy.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did she have a meal with you? You haven¡¯t been back for long, and even I haven¡¯t eaten


    with you yet, but Miss Rachel has already had a meal with you? That means that it¡¯s all in the past.¡±


    Justin had aplicated expression on his face as he repeated what Gloria said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s all


    in the past.¡±


    He still remembered when Rachel said that they were ¡®even¡¯ now, referring not only to hatred but also


    to gratitude or resentment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. You have toe this Saturday. You¡¯ll definitely regret noting. Julian is closely


    pursuing Miss Rachel now. If you don¡¯t work harder, it¡¯ll be toote.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they already engaged?¡±


    ¡°Engaged? Who told you that?¡± Gloria frowned. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not engaged?¡± Justin was surprised momentarily.


    ¡°If Miss Rachel¡¯s engaged, I¡¯ll definitely tell you right away. Who said they¡¯re engaged?¡±


    When Justin heard this, he suddenly remembered Rachel¡¯s surprised look when Julian said ¡®fianc¨¦e¡¯ in


    the restaurant.


    They¡¯re not engaged.


    ¡°What are you thinking about? If Miss Rachel could ept Julian, she would have epted him long


    ago. Why wait until now? Your imagination is running wild from staying home all day. No way. You will


    be in attendance this Saturday. I will send you the address.¡±


    Gloria immediately took out her phone and sent Justin the gathering address on Saturday.


    Ding! Justin¡¯s phone rang, and a message from Gloria popped out.


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then. Remember to bring the pastries when the timees. Both Charlotte and Samuel


    love them.¡±


    After that, Gloria left in a hurry.


    Soon, it was Friday night.


    As the gathering was located in an old town at Triburg Valley, which was 100 miles away from the city,


    they all went over at night and stayed in the old town for two nights.


    Initially, Rachel nned to drive there on her own, but as soon as she packed her things and went


    downstairs, she saw a car parked at the door.


    When their eyes met, the atmosphere was a little awkward.


    She asked with difficulty, ¡°Why are you here? Didn¡¯t we decide that everyone will drive there on our


    own in the group chat?¡±


    Julian simply said, ¡°Give me your things.¡±


    Rachel was still stunned when the sound of doors opening sounded behind her.


    Jolly dragged several bags out. ¡°Julian, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and help me.


    They¡¯re cumbersome. Put all of these in the car.¡±


    Rachel was even more stunned. ¡°We¡¯re just going there for two days. Why are you bringing so many


    things?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all essentials!¡±


    As she saw Julian silently stepping forward to help, she didn¡¯t need to think to know that Jolly had


    called Julian over to be their workman.


    It took the three of them half an hour to move the things into the car. The trunk was stuffed full, bags


    fully upied the passenger seat, and even the legroom at the backseat was so full that Rachel and


    Jolly pretty much had no ce to rest their feet.


    ¡°Jolly, are you moving houses? Even if you¡¯re moving, why did you ask Julian to help and not your


    boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you distressed?¡±


    Jolly didn¡¯t even consider the fact that Rachel and Julian were still at an awkward stage. When she said


    that, the atmosphere in the car turned stilted.


    The atmosphere, which had finally eased, went back to how it was at the start just because of her


    remark.


    Rachel reached out and gave Jolly¡¯s thigh a fierce pinch.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 394

    My Mute Bride Chapter 394


    Chapter 394 A Quarrel Between Best Friends


    ¡°Ow!¡± Jolly yelped, then narrowed her eyes at Rachel. ¡°You pinched¡­¡± Before Jolly uttered ¡®me¡¯,


    Rachel¡¯s stern eyes frightened her, so she obediently kept her mouth shut.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, right? There¡¯s a bag in the back with sandwiches and drinks.¡± Julian¡¯s voice


    sounded from the front. Rachel immediately responded, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Jolly¡¯s expression suddenly changed as she red at Rachel in dissatisfaction. Then, she flipped


    through the paper bag of food, and she held a sandwich and milk tea in one hand each. ¡°Julian, you¡¯re


    so meticulous in everything you do. Won¡¯t any woman who marries you be eternally happy? Don¡¯t you


    think so, Chris?¡±


    Jolly was a grudge holder, and she held a grudge for being pinched in the thigh.


    Rachel was helpless. ¡°Of course. Julian has always been an excellent person.¡±


    ¡°Not only is he professionally excellent, but he¡¯s also very good at rtionships. After five to six years,


    even stones can be worn by water droplets. Don¡¯t you think human hearts will be tempted too? Julian, I


    remember there were tons of people pursuing you when you were abroad. Why didn¡¯t you fall for any of


    them? Perhaps it was my fault, too, for always leaving Samuel in your care.¡±


    Jolly talked a lot today, and Rachel frowned whenever she spoke.


    There were certain things she couldn¡¯t say in front of Julian, so she could only take out her phone and


    send a message to Jolly. ¡®Have you lost your mind? What nonsense are you talking about?¡¯


    Jolly deliberately ignored the message when she received it as she carried on eating the sandwich,


    biting as if she was biting a person.


    Julian said, ¡°We¡¯re still far from Triburg Valley. If you girls are tired, you can sleep for a while. I¡¯ll call


    you when we arrive.¡±


    Rachel nodded. ¡°Okay. If you¡¯re tired, I can take the next shift for driving.¡±


    Jolly rolled her eyes at Rachel and leaned against the chair before falling asleep.


    Rachel was baffled by her actions.


    It was already dark by the time they drove from Riverdale to Triburg Valley.


    When they arrived at the parking lot of the old town, a few people came down to help them carry their


    luggage.


    ¡°Miss Rachel!¡±


    From a distance, Gloria and Victor brought the two children over to greet them.


    Rachel waved at them.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Charlotte rushed up at once and threw herself into Rachel¡¯s arms. ¡°Mommy. What took you


    so long? Samuel, Aunt Gloria, and I have been here for a long time!¡±


    Charlotte and Samuel had been living with Gloriately, so they came with Gloria and Victor.


    Rachel exined, ¡°There was a bit of a traffic jam on the road. I guess many people came to Triburg


    Valley because it¡¯s the weekend.¡±


    Gloria said, ¡°I understand. But, Miss Rachel, I need to tell you something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I invited Justin over too.¡±


    Rachel was slightly startled, but before she could speak, Jolly¡¯s voice suddenly rang out from behind as


    she fumed, ¡°Who chose this ce? It¡¯s almost winter, and there are mosquitoes. It doesn¡¯t make any


    sense at all!¡±


    Rachel frowned.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Miss Carter, why don¡¯t you return now? So you can still make it back to the vi.¡± Victor was a little


    slow to react, and he evenined, ¡°You brought quite a lot of things.¡±


    He cast a sympathetic nce toward Julian when he saw the trunk full of stuff. ¡°Dr. Peters, who did you


    help with moving?¡±


    Before Julian could speak, Jolly threw Victor a bag, mming it right into his chest. ¡°Why do you have


    so much to say? Carry this.¡±


    Victor was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s with you?¡±


    Gloria frowned and was about to say something, but Rachel stopped her. ¡°Ignore her.¡±


    The others didn¡¯t know, but Rachel did.


    Jolly was close to Julian, and she had always felt that Rachel should be with Julian, so whether she


    was joking or being serious, she would always lean toward Julian.


    However, she had never seen Jolly have such a huge reaction before.


    Rachel thought for a while. Perhaps it¡¯s because she heard about Justining here?


    Rachel didn¡¯t have time to think about it as the group of people helped move their luggage to the


    homestay.


    As they walked, Gloria said, ¡°We rented a small courtyard. Everyone can choose a room. We can have


    a barbecue in the courtyard at night. By the way, we¡¯ll be having hot pot tonight.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it toote to be eating hot pot?¡± Jolly nced at her. ¡°If we were going to have hot pot, why did we


    come here? There are so many ces back in Riverdale. Shouldn¡¯t we eat some natural and pollution-


    free food when we¡¯re here?¡±


    Gloria said, ¡°Someone helped prepare it a long time ago. The chickens, ducks, beef, andmb are all


    raised by nearby farmers. The vegetables are also picked from nearby. Someone even hand-picked


    them and even washed them in person. Is it up to your standards, Miss Carter?¡±


    As they chatted, they arrived at the entrance of the courtyard.


    Across the stone-paved courtyard, they could already smell the fragrance of the hot pot, and in the


    living room facing the door, a figure in an apron was bustling around the dining table.


    Jolly¡¯s face immediately copsed, and she unceremoniously eximed, ¡°It¡¯s haunted!¡±


    Gloria immediately ignored her and weed everyone in. ¡°Come. Come in. Set everything aside first.


    Wash your hands, then let¡¯s eat. The children are hungry.¡±


    Whoosh! Jolly immediately threw the suitcase in her hand aside and entered the side room.


    Bang! The door mmed shut, and she couldn¡¯t didn¡¯te out anymore.


    Everyone was taken aback by her dramatic actions.


    Rachel was going to advise her, but Julian stopped her. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    She thought about Jolly¡¯s temper and the fact that she was angry with her, so if she went in, she would


    be pointing the gun at herself. So, she nodded and let Julian go.


    Nevertheless, Jolly¡¯s tantrum didn¡¯t affect everyone.


    As soon as he entered the house, Victor sat down at the dining table. ¡°It smells so good.¡±


    Gloria smacked his hands lightly. ¡°Go wash your hands! Can¡¯t you see that not everyone is here yet?¡±


    ¡°A little dirt never killed anybody.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a teacher. What kind of example are you showing?¡±


    After saying that, Gloria shoved Victor, forcing him to wash his hands.


    Rachel smiled helplessly, just in time to see Justin bringing washed fruits out. When he saw Rachel,


    their eyes met, and the two nodded to each other, naturally greeting one another.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Charlotte tugged on Justin, then looked up and asked him, ¡°Where¡¯s my cake? Where¡¯s my cake?¡±


    ¡°Not everyone¡¯s here yet. All you¡¯re thinking about is eating the cake. Aren¡¯t you going to wait for Mr.


    Leroy?¡±


    Justin pinched Charlotte¡¯s nose. ¡°Go and wash your hands. Samuel, go wash your hands too.¡±


    The two children reluctantly went to the bathroom, leaving Justin and Rachel in the huge living room.


    When Justin saw Jolly¡¯s luggage piled up in the corner, he walked over and picked it up.


    When Rachel saw this, she hurriedly said, ¡°That¡¯s Jolly¡¯s stuff. Don¡¯t worry about it. Wait for her to settle


    it herself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Is it okay if I put them in this room?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    She was embarrassed to let him do it alone, so she pushed a suitcase into the room as well while


    inwardlyining about why Jolly had to bring so many things.


    Justin didn¡¯t know that Rachel was also following behind, so he turned and mmed into her after


    setting down the luggage.


    ¡°Oh¡ª¡±


    Rachel let out a muffled grunt, then slipped backward.


    ¡°Watch out!¡±

 My Mute Bride Chapter 395

    My Mute Bride Chapter 395


    Chapter 395 Secretly Got in His Way


    Rachel slipped and fell while letting out a cry of surprise. A big hand firmly supported her waist, and the


    two of them fell together, but the pain she expected didn¡¯te. When Rachel recovered, she realized


    that Justin had used himself as a human cushion and positioned himself under her.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± The sound of air being inhaled came from above her head. Rachel recovered and


    hurriedly got up. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Are you okay?¡±


    Justin shook his head, clutching his right shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°Let me take a look.¡±


    Rachel had just touched his arm, but she noticed that his face was pale and sweaty.


    This is considered okay?


    ¡°You dislocated your arm!¡±


    Rachel hurriedly made him sit down. ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll call Julian.¡±


    ¡°Rachel!¡±


    Justin suddenly grabbed her, causing her to grunt for being held so suddenly.


    She was shocked, then hurriedly turned back and pressed his arm. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You can¡¯t move


    this arm.¡±


    Justin said, ¡°You know how to pop it back in ce, don¡¯t you? Do it for me.¡±


    Rachel hurriedly shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I learned it from Julian. I¡¯m not the same as those regr doctors.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Come here.¡±


    Justin had already taken off his coat, revealing a simple white shirt inside.


    At this moment, Julian was still in the side room persuading Jolly. If she went to call him, she might


    annoy the angry princess again.


    Rachel hesitated for a while, then decided to bite the bullet and do it herself.


    ¡°Then, bear with me. My skills aren¡¯t as good as Julian and the others.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can do it.¡±


    Justin turned sideways, showing her his dislocated arm.


    Rachel held his wrist with one hand, then pressed his shoulder with the other before gently turning it


    while saying some standardforting remarks, trying to distract Justin.


    ¡°I heard that Burton Group had a high turnover rate recently. So the headhuntingpany introduced


    all the executives to me. Do you know about this?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Is it appropriate for Burton Group to have so many employees leave at once? Although Julian has high


    medical skills, isn¡¯t hecking a little on the management side? Have you ever thought about helping


    him?¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression stilled, and he forced a smile. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t need my help.¡±


    ¡°I know that no one can ept this matter so easily. Of course, it¡¯s normal for you to be upset with


    Julian, but no matter what, you¡¯re brothers.¡±


    Justin suddenly looked back at Rachel, his eyebrows furrowing. ¡°Do you think I secretly persuaded


    those executives to leave?¡±


    Crack! His joints moved when she exerted force, and his arm popped back in ce.


    Justin¡¯s face turned pale instantly, and the words got stuck in his throat before he finished speaking.


    She let go of his hand and instructed, ¡°Try moving it.¡±


    Justin tried to move a little, lightly at first, then gradually increasing his swings. Although there was still


    a faint aching sensation, there weren¡¯t any major issues.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°It seems okay.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Gloria¡¯s voice sounded from outside. ¡°Where¡¯s everyone? It¡¯s time for dinner. Where did everyone go?¡±


    Rachel immediately nced at Justin. ¡°Let¡¯s go have dinner.¡±


    ¡°Rachel.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    As Justin looked at Rachel¡¯s figure, aplicated look was on his face. He was still thinking about


    what she said when she fixed his arm earlier.


    Does Rachel think that I deliberately got in Julian¡¯s way because I¡¯m upset that he took over Burton


    Group?


    ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    He didn¡¯t ask her, reckoning that some things didn¡¯t need too much justification, as it might take a dark


    turn.


    When they came out, Jolly and Julian had alreadye in.


    Julian frowned slightly and stared at Justin for a while when he saw Rachel and Justining out of


    the bedroom together.


    Jolly narrowed her eyes. ¡°You run off when it¡¯s time to eat, yet you criticize others!¡±


    Rachel felt helpless. ¡°We were helping you bring your luggage into the room.¡±


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m going to sleep in that room?¡±


    ¡°Then, which room do you want to sleep in?¡±


    Jolly looked around, then pointed to a bedroom by the north window. ¡°That one.¡±


    After that, she red at Justin. ¡°President Burton, please move my things out of this room and bring


    them into that room.¡±


    ¡°Jolly!¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.


    However, Justin answered, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll move them after dinner.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Jolly suddenly stopped Justin from sitting down. Then, she squeezed between him and Rachel in full


    view of the crowd before sitting down.


    ¡°Sorry. I prefer the pot with the spicy soup. Please sit over there.¡±


    Beside her, Rachel was a little embarrassed.


    In fact, she didn¡¯t think much about where she was sitting, but Jolly behaved as if something was going


    on between her and Justin.


    Fortunately, they could finally eat.


    Rachel scooped some food for the two children while Julian helped as well.


    With the two children sitting between them, they looked like a family of four.


    Charlotte sneakily ced her vegetables into Samuel¡¯s bowl, feeling proud and thinking she wouldn¡¯t


    be discovered, but Justin caught her red-handed.


    ¡°Charlotte, what did I tell you?¡±


    Charlotte froze, then pouted and reluctantly said, ¡°I can¡¯t not eat vegetables. I can¡¯t be a picky eater.¡±


    ¡°Then, what are you doing?¡±


    Charlotte pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t like vegetables. They¡¯re bitter.¡±


    Justin was about to say something but was interrupted by Julian. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t like it, don¡¯t force her.


    You can consume these nutrients in other ways.¡±


    Julian ced a fishball in Charlotte¡¯s bowl. ¡°Charlotte, have a fishball. Be careful. It¡¯s hot.¡±


    Charlotte immediately grinned. ¡°Uncle Julian, you¡¯re the best!¡±


    For some reason, when she heard this, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but nce at Justin. She noticed a trace


    of disappointment shing across his slightly narrowed eyes.


    No one wanted their daughter to be closer to someone else. If this had happened in the past, Justin


    might have taken Charlotte away instantly.


    Buttely, his personality seems to have changed a lot.


    Gloria suggested, ¡°There¡¯s a Lights Festival in town today. We can go shopping after dinner.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Charlotte immediately pped her hands and agreed. ¡°I want to go see the lights!¡±


    Beside her, Samuel nodded excitedly as well.


    He grew up abroad and had never seen such traditional celebrations, so he found them particrly


    novel.


    After the meal, everyone packed up and prepared to go out.


    Julian asked as she remained seated, ¡°Rachel, aren¡¯t you going?¡±


    Rachel replied, ¡°You guys go ahead. I still have some work to do.¡±


    Jolly nced at Justin, who was cleaning up the dining table. ¡°You¡¯re not going either?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll clean up first. Then, I¡¯ll goter. You guys go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t usually see you being this eager to help out,¡± Jolly noted, and her words were barbed. She


    looked back and forth between Rachel and Justin, then finallynded her gaze on Rachel. ¡°Are you


    going or not?¡±


    Her tone wasn¡¯t the slightest bit questioning but quite pressuring instead.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 396

    My Mute Bride Chapter 396


    Chapter 396 Misunderstanding


    Rachel had to back down when she saw Jolly¡¯s temper ring yet again. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go, alright, Your


    Highness?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not being forced to.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Rachel immediately got up. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± Jolly took advantage of the situation but


    yed naive about it. Before leaving, she even said to Justin, ¡°President Burton, you¡¯re free anyway, so


    remember to wash the bowls cleanly.¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression was nk as he cleaned up the bowls and cutleries on the table before bringing


    them into the kitchen.


    Rachel held Jolly back for a moment. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I was just reminding him. What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Are you ordering a servant around?¡±


    ¡°Why? Do you feel bad for him?¡±


    ¡°Are you done? If you continue being like this, I won¡¯t leave with you. I¡¯ll go back and wash the dishes


    instead.¡±


    Only then did Jolly behave.


    It was already dark as the group of people walked through the alleys of the old town, colorful lights


    hanging above their heads, which made the two children ecstatic.


    Victor boughtmps for the two children to carry.


    ¡°Mommy, mymp is a rabbit!¡±


    ¡°Mine is a tiger!¡±


    ¡°The rabbit is super cute!¡±


    ¡°Tigers are powerful!¡±


    ¡°The rabbit is better. It looks nicer.¡±


    ¡°The tiger is better. Tigers are fierce.¡±


    Charlotte and Samuel argued about which animalmp was better while the adults watched in


    amusement.


    ¡°Children¡¯s happiness seems to be that simple.¡± Gloria and Rachel walked side by side, watching the


    two children jumping in front of them with a smile. ¡°Miss Rachel, do you think you were happier as a


    child?¡±


    ¡°It was okay. They¡¯re all different experiences.¡±


    ¡°Then, when do you think was your happiest time after all these years?¡±


    ¡°My happiest time?¡± Rachel thought for a while, then answered, ¡°It should be when I haven¡¯t gone to


    Riverdale yet.¡±


    That was when she was still living with her mother and grandmother in Somerset Mountain.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve told you before. Before I came to Riverdale, I lived in the mountains with my


    grandmother. There were very few people in that vige, only a dozen families in total, and we were all


    far apart. When I was a kid, I didn¡¯t even have a friend. I remember that I was happiest when I met a


    boy.¡±


    When Gloria heard this, her heart skipped a beat. ¡°A boy?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s older than me. He stayed with us for a while because of some problems. I think he¡¯s my first


    friend.¡±


    ¡°What happened after that?¡±


    ¡°After what?¡± Before Rachel could finish reminiscing, Jolly squeezed up from behind and interrupted


    the two of them. ¡°It¡¯s been so long ago. We have to move forward.¡±


    Gloria shot her a dissatisfied look. ¡°Can you walk carefully? You almost stepped on me!¡±


    ¡°Then, you have to be careful. It hurts when I step on someone!¡±


    ¡°How ill-mannered.¡±


    ¡°Manners have to be used with people who have manners too.¡±


    Rachel quickly separated the two of them when she sensed that they were about to get into a fight. ¡°All


    right. Let¡¯s look at the lights. Let¡¯s properly admire them, right?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Gloria and Jolly yelled in unison.


    Rachel silently stepped aside helplessly, ¡°Okay, You guys carry on.¡±


    Both of them were grown adults, yet they were still like children, fighting whenever they met.


    Rachel stepped aside, not noticing that several youngsters ran past behind her. Her arm was suddenly


    knocked into, causing her to stumble.


    ¡°Careful.¡± Julian reacted fast and quickly grabbed her arm, bringing her into the corner to protect her.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    When Rachel saw that it was Julian, she breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    After the two of them regained their bnce, they found that the few people in front of them had


    disappeared.


    ¡°Where¡¯s everyone?¡±


    Rachel looked around curiously. The few of them were probably submerged in the crowd because


    there were too many people, and the alley was winding and twisting.


    Julian reassured her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry. Victor will take good care of Charlotte and Samuel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that. I¡¯m afraid that Jolly¡¯s temper would re, and she would get into a fight with


    Gloria.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Although Jolly has a bad temper, she¡¯s all bark but no bite. Besides, Leroy should


    be here soon. So she won¡¯t be able to walk around for long.¡±


    Rachel nodded and said helplessly, ¡°I guess there¡¯s always one thing to subdue another.¡±


    Jolly, who wasn¡¯t afraid of anything, and whose parents couldn¡¯t control her, was extremely obedient in


    front of Leroy. If it weren¡¯t for Rachel seeing it with her own eyes, no one would believe it.


    Julian suggested, ¡°Then, let¡¯s go for a walk?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Many people hade to the Lights Festival, so Julian asked Rachel to walk inside so as not to be hit


    by others again.


    Rachel asked, ¡°How¡¯s Burton Group doing? Did you bump into any problems?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±


    ¡°I heard that many executives have left their jobs. With such a high turnover rate, is there no impact,


    especially since they¡¯re all executives?¡±


    ¡°Even if there was an impact, we can¡¯t help it. The people who left don¡¯t think I can manage Burton


    Group well, so they have opinions about my decisions. It won¡¯t do if we don¡¯t get along all the time.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that they don¡¯t listen to you?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯ll always be aparison since a golden pearl led before me.¡±


    ¡°Did Justin do anything?¡± Rachel frowned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± An indescribably cold gleam shed across Julian¡¯s eyes. ¡°But, I heard that the


    executives who left thepany have all gone to him, seemingly intending to start their own business.¡±


    ¡°Start their own business?¡±


    ¡°With Justin¡¯s contacts and resources, it won¡¯t be hard for him to do so. But I don¡¯t understand why he


    took Burton Group¡¯s employees away. After all, Burton Group is also his.¡±


    ¡°Did he really do that?¡±


    Her brows were knitted when she asked, ¡°Why did he do that?¡±


    ¡°Justin has always been an arrogant person, unwilling to be inferior to anyone else.¡±


    There was a hidden meaning behind Julian¡¯s words.


    She suddenly lost interest in looking at the lights.


    At this moment, her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from the office.


    ¡°Hello? Okay, I¡¯ll take a lookter.¡±


    After she hung up the phone, Julian asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a problem with a contract. I have to go back and deal with it. Help me inform them. I¡¯ll head


    back first.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you go deal with that. I¡¯ll let them know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave now, then.¡±


    ¡°Be careful on the road.¡±


    As Julian watched Rachel depart in a hurry, the warm expression on his face gradually subsided. As


    the colorful lights shone amidst the night, a trace of frostiness could be seen in his eyes.


    Rachel did actually have to deal with thepany¡¯s affairs.


    However, she also wanted to rush back and ask Justin what was going on with the executives of Burton


    Group and whether it had anything to do with him.


    If he had actually plotted against Julian, that would be too scummy.


    As soon as she entered the yard, she heard Justin talking, seemingly on the phone.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an easy task topete head-on with Burton Group for biddings, but with Burton Group¡¯s


    current internal strife, the bidders who are waiting and watching will be skeptical of Burton Group.


    However, you guys left Burton Group, and you brought a team with you, so there will indeed be a


    certain opportunity.¡±


    When Rachel heard this, her fingers clenched, and her heart sank.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 397

    My Mute Bride Chapter 397


    Chapter 397 Treat a Good Friend as Back-up


    Before Justin finished his call, he turned and saw Rachel standing at the door, which startled him.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talkter. I have something else to attend to.¡±


    He hung up the phone and joyfully took a few steps toward Rachel. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to see the lights?


    Why are you back so soon?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯te back so soon, I wouldn¡¯t hear your phone call. Who was


    that? Manager Hoult or Manager Thompson?¡±


    Justin was slightly taken aback. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°I just randomly said it before, but I never thought that it would be true. So now, it seems like the


    departure of Burton Group¡¯s executives is really rted to you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood. You¡¯re right. Manager Hoult called me, but that¡¯s because¡­¡±


    ¡°Because of what? Because the newpany wants to retaliate against Julian and bid against Burton


    Group, so he consulted with you, the person who¡¯s most familiar with Burton Group. Are you helping


    those people deal with Julian?¡±


    Rachel couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t acknowledge him as a younger brother, Julian can still


    be regarded as your cousin no matter what! He never caused you harm, so why are you doing this


    behind his back?¡±


    ¡°Rachel, I really didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Justin raised his hands. ¡°I swear. I didn¡¯t know anything about their departure in advance.¡±


    ¡°You swear? What do you swear by?¡±


    ¡°How about this? I swear by Charlotte. If I arranged all of this in advance, then I will never see Charlotte


    again.¡±


    Justin appeared truthful.


    If this were in the past, he wouldn¡¯t be willing to exin himself to clear such a senseless


    misunderstanding, but now, it was different. He didn¡¯t want to cut off Rachel¡¯s only remaining tolerance


    for him because of any misunderstanding.


    She was surprised by his deration.


    She knew what Charlotte meant to Justin. Besides the Burton Family, Charlotte was all he had.


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t arrange the mass resignation of Burton Group executives?¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t.¡±


    Rachel gradually calmed down, ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. What I did before makes it hard for you to believe me. I understand.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why those executives suddenly left Burton Group so unanimously. No matter


    what, Burton Group is an excellentpany and won¡¯t harm their development.¡±


    Justin turned and poured a cup of tea before handing it to her. ¡°Then, have you ever wondered why


    they would leave if it really won¡¯t bring them harm?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Whether they were an executive or an ordinary employee, they took the initiative to leave for nothing


    more than two reasons. One is that someone outside has given them a better opportunity, just like you


    suspected of me, and the other is that the existing environment is bad and they have to leave.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that the current situation in Burton Group is bad?¡±


    Justin¡¯s expression was in. ¡°I don¡¯t care about Burton Group¡¯s affairs anymore. If you¡¯re concerned,


    you might as well ask Frankie. Julian isn¡¯t as weak as you think. He doesn¡¯t need my help in managing


    Burton Group.¡±


    She was taken aback by his observation of Julian.


    She vaguely understood what Justin meant.


    Thinking back to what Julian had just said to her, she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.


    Meanwhile, Julian didn¡¯t go and find Jolly and the others after she left.


    The old town¡¯s narrow alleys were full of people, all of whom hade to see the lights.


    After making his way through the crowd, Julian walked into a deserted alley while dialing a number.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived in Triburg Valley¡¯s old town.¡±


    There was a male voice on the other end of the line. ¡°Where¡¯s Jolly?¡±


    ¡°She and Rachel had a bit of an argument. We¡¯re at the Lights Festival. Let me remind you that she¡¯s


    not in a good mood.¡±


    ¡°Then, I should thank you. The timing is perfect.¡±


    ¡°No need to be so courteous. It¡¯s just a mutual benefit. This is a fair deal as long as you tell me what


    the base bid is.¡±


    ¡°Fair? Aren¡¯t you afraid that Rachel will find out one day?¡±


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t say anything, and I don¡¯t say anything, how would anyone know?¡±


    There was a moment of silence at the other end, then he said quietly, ¡°President Peters, you¡¯ve


    changed. You have given me a lot to think about regarding you as an individual.¡±


    The look on Julian¡¯s face was one of rare indifference.


    He nced at the time after hanging up the phone, and his eyes darkened.


    Meanwhile, Jolly and Gloria quarreled for a while before discovering that Rachel was gone.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Chris?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gloria looked around as well but didn¡¯t see Rachel.


    Victor was holding a child in each hand, and all three of them shook their heads, indicating that they


    had not seen her either.


    ¡°Why is Dr. Peters gone too?¡±


    Jolly¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°It seems that the two of them are avoiding us.¡±


    Gloria rolled her eyes. ¡°How do you know that Miss Rachel didn¡¯t go back?¡±


    ¡°Go back? Why would she go back?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to¡­¡± Gloria deliberately extended thest syble. ¡°Go back to work. Didn¡¯t Miss Rachel


    say that there¡¯s still work to be done?¡±


    Jolly¡¯s expression suddenly changed. ¡°Impossible!¡±


    Although she said it was impossible, she panicked a little. Then, she turned back in the direction of the


    homestay.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, where are you going? Aren¡¯t you going to look at the lights anymore?¡±


    ¡°You guys carry on. I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    Jolly rushed back home in a huff.


    As soon as she entered the door, she saw Rachel helping Justin wash the dishes. One of them washed


    the dishes while the other wiped them dry. They cooperated well, and they were even talking and


    laughing.


    ¡°Jolly?¡± Rachel was surprised to see Jolly enter the door. ¡°Why are you back?¡±


    ¡°You cane back, but I can¡¯t? Am I interrupting you?¡±


    Jolly was filled with rage. ¡°Chris, do you treat people as fools? If you want to get back together with


    Justin, just say it. Don¡¯t you know how much Julian has done for you over the years? Do you think it¡¯s


    appropriate to let a good friend be a back-up?¡±


    Rachel was fiercely stunned by her animosity. ¡°Jolly, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You keep saying that it¡¯s impossible to have a future with Justin, so what are you doing now? Don¡¯t tell


    me that you¡¯re still friends. I don¡¯t believe a word of this nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Can you calm down?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very calm. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s not. I¡¯m telling you objectively that what you¡¯re doing right now is


    simply hical!¡±


    ¡°What are you being objective about? Don¡¯t you just want Miss Rachel to be with Julian?¡±


    Gloria¡¯s voice came from outside the door, and she looked annoyed too. ¡°You¡¯re using your status as


    Miss Rachel¡¯s friend to dictate her feelings. You only consider Julian¡¯s situation, but have you ever


    considered Miss Rachel¡¯s wishes? You¡¯re just forcing her to do what you think is best!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m forcing her?¡± Jolly gritted her teeth, so angry that her face was flushed. ¡°Chris, is that what you


    think too?¡±


    The veins on Rachel¡¯s temples jumped as she was forced to endure a scene like this.


    What¡¯s going on?


    At this moment, Jolly¡¯s cell phone suddenly rang, so she pressed the answer button. ¡°Leroy, are you


    here? I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore. Quicklye and pick me up. I want to go home!¡±


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    The other party said something, and Jolly¡¯s face suddenly paled. ¡°Where are you? Hello? Hello?¡±


    Either he hung up, or something else happened because Jolly suddenly turned around and ran out,


    knocking into Gloria and causing her to stagger. ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡±


    Finally, Rachel realized something was wrong, then figured something terrible must have happened.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have a look.¡± She set down the bowl and hurriedly ran out, and she even neglected to


    wash her hands to catch up with Jolly while Justin chased after her.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 398

    My Mute Bride Chapter 398


    Chapter 398 Life on the Line


    ¡°Jolly, where are you going?¡± Rachel chased Jolly all the way through an alley and ran into the parking


    lot at the entrance of the town.


    Jolly looked anxiously at the distant hills, turning her head and saying, ¡°Leroy called me and said that


    he got into a car ident on the mountain. My calls can¡¯t get through now.¡±


    Rachel was shocked, but she quickly soothed Jolly¡¯s ruffled feathers. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Call the police and


    the fire department first.¡±


    ¡°I want to find him.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go with you. Wait for me. I¡¯ll go back and get the car keys.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you.¡±


    Justin¡¯s voice came from behind. He hadn¡¯t even taken off his apron before hurrying after them.


    He drove here on his own, and the car was parked right next to them.


    Jolly froze when she opened the car door.


    Rachel gave a nudge and reminded her. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Leroy is waiting for you.¡±


    Only then did Jolly recover. At this moment, she couldn¡¯t care less about anything else as she hurriedly


    climbed into Justin¡¯s car.


    They drove out of the town and onto the winding road.


    Along the way, Rachel called the fire department.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The police have already been dispatched.¡±


    It waspletely dark. There was no one on the mountain road, and there was even fog.


    They were driving fast, and the lights in the car were dim. Only the street lights on the mountain road


    outside flickered as they passed, shining on Jolly¡¯s pale face.


    ¡°It¡¯s foggy.¡± Jolly stared out the window, her face turning for the worse.


    idents were prone to happen when it was foggy, and it also meant that it would be harder for the fire


    department to rescue him.


    Where the hell is Leroy?


    Rachel reminded Justin, ¡°Drive slower. Safety first.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    He said those two words in a concise manner to reassure them.


    Rachel held Jolly¡¯s hand tightly. It was useless to say anythingforting at this moment.


    After driving for half an hour, Jolly suddenly eximed, ¡°Stop!¡±


    Rachel hadn¡¯t figured out what was going on yet, but Jolly pointed to a ce outside the window. ¡°I see


    him! Right there!¡±


    Justin parked the car on the side of the road immediately, and the three of them got out of the vehicle.


    Due to the heavy fog, they didn¡¯t see the ident on the roadside when they got out of the car. So it


    wasn¡¯t until they followed Jolly and ran closer that Rachel¡¯s expression changed, and her knees


    softened.


    Justin reacted quickly and held her up by the shoulders.


    At this moment, a silver sedan was shaking as it hung off the cliff¡¯s edge. The driver¡¯s seat was hanging


    in the air. Below that was an abyss, and a figure could be faintly seen in the driver¡¯s seat.


    Jolly was so terrified that her soul nearly left her body.


    ¡°Leroy!¡± She dared not shout loudly or even touch the car for fear that it would lose its bnce and fall


    off the cliff if she evenid a single finger on it.


    A faint male voice sounded from the car, prating the mist. ¡°Jolly, is that you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me! Leroy, you can hear me!¡±


    Jolly¡¯s voice was trembling, and her eyes were red-rimmed. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m sorry, baby. My phone fell, so I couldn¡¯t contact you. I made you worried.¡±


    ¡°Why are you still thinking about your phone?!¡± Jolly was about to burst into tears.


    ¡°You said that I have to be on call 24 hours a day and that I can¡¯t not answer your calls¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop talking! Stop talking!¡±


    Jolly was almost about to break down as she turned back and shouted, ¡°Why isn¡¯t the fire department


    here yet?!¡±


    At this moment, Justin ran over with a rope. ¡°Stop yelling. Tie this to his car.¡±


    The other end of the rope was already fastened to Justin¡¯s car.


    Justin stopped talking to her and did it himself, after sensing that Jolly would be of no help in her


    petrified state, and tied the rope to the car¡¯s rear.


    ¡°What should we do now?¡± Rachel asked him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can drag the car up.¡±


    ¡°What if it flips over?¡± Jolly hurriedly stopped Justin. ¡°What if you can¡¯t pull it, or the rope isn¡¯t strong


    enough?¡±


    That was indeed a possibility.


    Justin looked around. ¡°It may take a while for the fire department to arrive. How about this? I¡¯ll call them


    and ask when they¡¯ll arrive. Wait here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡±


    Rachel suddenly saw that the road on the cliff¡¯s edge was beginning to split, and Leroy¡¯s rear tires had


    started to slide toward the cliff¡¯s edge.


    Jolly was instantly frightened. ¡°Leroy!¡±


    Rachel grew anxious. ¡°What should we do now?¡±


    Justin immediately got into the car without responding to them, started the engine, and drove in the


    opposite direction of the cliff.


    There was a loud screeching noise, apanied by Jolly¡¯s screams. Leroy¡¯s car tilted slightly, and the


    front wheel that had been floating sideways hit the cliff, creating a loud noise. Earth and rocks fell,


    making the scene all the more terrifying to watch.


    The rope pulling the car was taut.


    However, Justin¡¯s car was obviously not as heavy as Leroy¡¯s Jeep, so he was dragged a little and slid


    toward the cliff.


    ¡°No! This won¡¯t work!¡±


    Rachel¡¯s face paled. ¡°It¡¯s not heavy enough. Both cars will go down!¡±


    Jolly suddenly recovered to her senses and opened Justin¡¯s car door before getting in without


    hesitation.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Justin nced at her. ¡°Go down.¡±


    ¡°The car isn¡¯t heavy enough, right?¡±


    ¡°Do you think your weight is enough? Hurry up and go down. Don¡¯t create trouble!¡±


    Jolly gritted her teeth and fastened her seat belt, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°I think the both of you are crazy!¡±


    Rachel became an outsider in the end. She felt extremely anxious as she watched Justin¡¯s car


    dragging toward the cliff little by little. ¡°You guys! Come down quickly! It won¡¯t hold anymore! It¡¯s too


    dangerous!¡±


    Jolly watched through the rearview mirror as the distance between them and the cliff gradually


    shortened, so she gritted her teeth. ¡°Justin, this has nothing to do with you. Get down. I¡¯ll drive!¡±


    Justin frowned and nced at her. ¡°Okay. You get out of the car, and we¡¯ll change seats.¡±


    Jolly immediately got out of the car.


    However, she found that she couldn¡¯t open the door when she got to the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Justin! Open


    the door!¡±


    Justin nced at her through the car window, his eyes set with determination.


    How could he let a woman die?


    Jolly was Rachel¡¯s best sister. In the past, he had indirectly killed Hans and Nancy. Today, he couldn¡¯t


    just stand by and watch Rachel¡¯s best friend die, right?


    Jolly suddenly understood Justin¡¯s intentions, so she frantically mmed the car door. ¡°Are you crazy?


    What does this have to do with you? B*stard! Come out right now! I don¡¯t want to owe you this!¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Justin was unperturbed as he stepped on the elerator all the way to the end, and it barely controlled


    the speed of the car¡¯s descent.


    At this moment, the rope connecting the two cars was extremely taut, and it was possible that it would


    break apart at any moment. The rear tires of Leroy¡¯s car were nearly leaving the cliff, so this rope was


    completely supporting the whole vehicle.


    Rachel¡¯s heart almost jumped out of her throat as she called the fire department in a frenzy.


    ¡°Sorry, the number you¡¯ve dialed is temporarily unavable. Please call againter!¡±


    ¡°Justin, don¡¯t let go of the gas! The fire department is almost here!¡±


    She shouted in anxiety, fearing that both cars would fall off the cliff in the next second.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 399

    My Mute Bride Chapter 399


    Chapter 399 Am I Not Worthy of You?


    Even if the car was pulling at its maximum power, it still couldn¡¯t stop the tires from slipping at an


    rming rate. Finally, the whole vehicle moved towards the jeep and was drawn toward the cliff.


    Boom! The rear tire of the jeep slipped down again. Jolly¡¯s face was ashen as she mmed the car


    doors. ¡°Justin,e down right this instant!¡±


    No matter how much she hated Justin, she certainly didn¡¯t want him to die.


    However, he simply turned a blind eye to all this, still stepping on the elerator and adjusting the


    car¡¯s direction.


    She could only run to the cliff¡¯s edge, crying and shouting after realizing she couldn¡¯t persuade him,


    ¡°Leroy!¡±


    Amidst the engine¡¯s roar, no one could no longer hear Leroy¡¯s response, and the engine¡¯s noise


    drowned out even Jolly¡¯s cries.


    The mountain fog became thicker and thicker while Rachel dialed the number repeatedly before finally


    seeing a glimmer of light approaching them.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fire truck!¡±


    The signal in the mountains wasn¡¯t good. Although Rachel¡¯s calls never got through, the fire truck had


    been following the mountain road to find them. At that moment, the red fire truck was like a magic


    soldier descending from the sky. The firefighters rushed over with a doubleyer steel cable and


    buckled it to the jeep as soon as it stopped.


    A firefighter gestured in the direction of the fire truck, which drove backward, pulling the jeep up from


    the edge of the cliff in two to three jerks.


    Justin turned off his engine and stopped his car.


    When Leroy was rescued, Jolly rushed into his arms, crying, ¡°I thought you would die!¡±


    Leroy patted her on the back. ¡°How could I die so easily? You¡¯re my lucky star. As long as you¡¯re


    around, my bad fortune will turn into good fortune.¡±


    As Rachel watched this, her heart finally stopped pounding out of her chest.


    At this moment, the sound of a car door opening and closing sounded from behind as Justin got out of


    the car. Rachel looked back and saw him, then snorted.


    When he followed her gaze, he nced down andughed as well.


    Until now, he still hadn¡¯t even taken off his apron yet.


    Leroy¡¯s car was severely damaged and could no longer be driven, so it was towed away by a tow truck.


    ¡°Thank you, all of you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± The firefighter then asked Leroy and the others to sign a document. ¡°Do you need us


    to take you down the mountain?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Rachel pointed to Justin¡¯s car. ¡°Our car is fine. We can drive it back.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    They watched as the fire truck left and disappeared into the mountain fog. Everything that happened in


    the past hour felt like a dream, and they were still in a state of disbelief.


    Jolly hesitated for a while before saying to Justin, ¡°Thank you for today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only right.¡±


    ¡°This has nothing to do with doing what¡¯s right. From today onward, I owe you a favor.¡±


    Jolly took the initiative to extend her hand to Justin. ¡°We¡¯ll be friends from now on.¡±


    Justin reflexively nced at Rachel, who smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t feel pressured. Miss Carter has plenty of


    friends.¡±


    ¡°Oh? This is different. Justin saved my boyfriend, which is equivalent to saving me. This is a life debt.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you going to pledge yourselves to each other?¡±


    Rachel suddenly blurted out a question that stunned everyone present.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that!¡± Justin immediately refused.


    Jolly raised her eyebrows. ¡°Could it be that I¡¯m not worthy of you? I¡¯m the daughter of the Carter Family


    ¡ªthe owner of Enterprise. Even if you¡¯re still the president of Burton Group, we¡¯re well-matched in


    economic status. Besides, you¡¯re in dire straits now!¡±


    This was like a forced marriage.


    Jolly forcing marriage unto Justin?


    And she was even using her identity as the daughter of the Carter Family to pressure him?


    If the media got footage of this and posted it on the Inte, it would set off another wave of gossip.


    The main point was that Jolly¡¯s attitude of wanting to kill Justin as soon as she saw him made it hard for


    people to imagine that they could be together. This was simply a pairing that would never happen.


    Rachel couldn¡¯t help butugh when she saw how lost Justin was.


    Immediately afterward, Leroyughed too.


    Justin burst intoughter as well when he saw the othersughing.


    Only Jolly looked confused. ¡°What are youughing at? Is this funny? Or am I funny?¡±


    Rachel waved her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Justin got into the car right away.


    Only Leroy was left beside Jolly. ¡°What are you guysughing about?¡±


    Leroy ced his arms around her shoulder and forced the bubblingughter back down. ¡°Baby, I¡¯m


    hungry. Let¡¯s hurry back and eat.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you guys better tell me right now! Is it that funny? Am I not worthy of Justin? What are you doing?


    Stopughing! Leroy, stopughing! I¡¯ll be angry if you continueughing!¡±


    It was alreadyte at night when the group returned to the old town.


    Gloria and Victor were waiting and pacing like cats on hot bricks in the living room.


    Gloria was the first to bounce up and rush into the yard when she heard themotion outside. ¡°You


    guys are back! What happened? Is everything alright?¡±


    Rachel said, ¡°We¡¯re fine. But, unfortunately, the signal on the road wasn¡¯t good. I was going to call you


    to report safety, but it never got through.¡±


    ¡°What the hell happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±


    Jolly looked around. ¡°Where are the kids?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re asleep. By the way, have you seen Julian?¡± Gloria nced behind them, looking puzzled.


    Jolly shook her head. ¡°No. Where did Julian go?¡±


    Gloria answered, ¡°As soon as Julian heard that you guys went out, he drove out to find you. I thought


    he found you!¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen him. Maybe we missed him.¡±


    Jolly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll send him a message saying that we¡¯re back.¡±


    Just as she was about to send the message, a door being pushed open sounded behind them.


    Julian was back, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    Jolly told him, ¡°We were looking for you.¡±


    Julian politely showed concern when he saw Leroy. ¡°You¡¯re okay, right? That¡¯s good.¡±


    Then, his gazended on Rachel and Justin.


    The two of them stood very close, their arms almost attached to one another.


    Julian¡¯s eyes darkened all of a sudden.


    ¡°Well, since there¡¯s nothing wrong, let¡¯s all go inside. We bought some snacks. Those who haven¡¯t


    eaten should have some food. Those who are hungry can also have some¡­¡±


    Jolly was about to pull Leroy in, but suddenly noticed Justin¡¯s apron and joked, ¡°Are you nning to live


    the rest of your days with this apron? I don¡¯t think you need to take it off. You can keep it on for


    tomorrow and continue to wash the dishes after our meal.¡±


    Gloria looked back and saw Justin¡¯s apron, thenughed. ¡°Why are you still wearing it?¡±


    Jolly continued, ¡°He wasn¡¯t just wearing it now. He was wearing it when he stepped on the elerator


    to save Leroy in the mountains just now. I didn¡¯t feel that anything was odd at that time, but now that I


    think about it, it¡¯s hrious!¡±


    Rachel helped Justin untie the apron. ¡°Ignore them. They¡¯re childish!¡±


    Justin¡¯s cold face turned a bit warm, and he said casually, ¡°I¡¯ll make some tea for everyone just to


    prevent any of us from catching a cold.¡±


    Rachel followed behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    The two of them went into the kitchen together, and the room was full ofughter as they all got


    together to listen to Jolly recounting the thrilling rescue process on the cliff.


    Only Julian was left standing in the yard, his eyes bing increasingly gloomy.

 My Mute Bride Chapter 400

    My Mute Bride Chapter 400


    Chapter 400 The Car ident Was Intentional


    ¡°Leroy, you drove too recklessly. How did you crash into the railing?¡± Gloria brought the conversation


    back on track with a simple sentence in the living room.


    Leroy answered, ¡°I didn¡¯t crash into it on my own. A car mmed into me from behind.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Jolly


    eximed. ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you just say so?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to make it such a big deal.¡±


    ¡°How could this happen? In other words, someone hit you, thenmitted a hit and run? They didn¡¯t


    even care about your situation?¡±


    Jolly was rather furious. ¡°We must report this person to the police and get them to make an arrest!¡±


    With that, she took out her phone to call the police.


    Leroy stopped her. ¡°Jolly, forget it.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? Why can¡¯t I call the police?¡±


    Leroy was at a loss.


    The two of them were at a stalemate, so Julian helped to mediate the situation. ¡°Jolly, Leroy is a public


    figure. Once you call the police, this will probably be trending news. Although the other party hit and


    ran, they may have been scared and didn¡¯t really intend to harm him. If this bes trending news


    and his fans stalk the driver, it would ruin their life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they deserve!¡±


    Although the words that escaped Jolly¡¯s mouth were harsh, she silently put the phone away, then sat


    down in a huff. ¡°Lucky for them. How does a person like that sleep well at night?¡±


    Leroy hurriedly coaxed her, ¡°They must not be able to sleep. Their conscience would haunt them.¡±


    When he spoke, he gave Julian a nod as a show of gratitude.


    It waste at night, so everyone had supper, chatted for a while, and then retired to their rooms.


    After taking a shower, Jolly came out and saw Leroy sitting by the window, seemingly in a daze.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Leroy recovered. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just think it¡¯s weird.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s weird?¡±


    ¡°The car that hit me today did it from behind. So, it stands to reason that this wouldn¡¯t happen if I didn¡¯t


    hit the brakes.¡±


    The speed limit on the mountain road wasn¡¯t high, and Leroy wasn¡¯t driving fast either. He pretty much


    drove at a uniform speed. Even if he turned a corner, he would slow down, and it wasn¡¯t to the extent


    that the car behind him would have no time to react.


    ¡°I feel that the car didn¡¯t rear-end me because they didn¡¯t realize, but it seemed they elerated


    instead.¡±


    ¡°elerated?¡± Jolly frowned. ¡°Do you think someone did this on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Leroy nodded slightly, staring at the mountain view outside the window with aplicated expression.


    Early the next morning, Rachel hadn¡¯t woken up yet, but she was awakened by a little hand pinching


    her nose.


    She opened her eyes and saw Charlotte and Samuel lying on her bed, where Charlotte was pinching


    her nose. ¡°Mommy, if you don¡¯t get up, the sun will toast your butt!¡±


    Rachel rolled over in a daze. ¡°What time is it?¡±


    She looked at the rm clock and found that it was only after 6.00AM, so the sun had just risen on the


    mountainside.


    These two cheeky ones.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you two sleepy?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Daddy is making breakfast.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Rachel sat up in surprise. ¡°He¡¯s making breakfast?¡±


    Samuel nodded affirmatively. ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t you know he can cook breakfast?¡±


    Rachel was indeed surprised.


    After all, Justin used to be a person who could ruin noodles and burn the kitchen just by frying eggs.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a look.¡±


    She was afraid that Justin would blow up the kitchen of the homestay and cause them a lot of trouble.


    At this moment, the range hood in the kitchen was humming noisily.


    Justin was frying ham, an apron tied around his waist. Several tes were on the ind behind him,


    along with toasted bread, and a milky aroma filled the entire ce.


    Rachel opened the blue curtain and walked in. As soon as she entered, she could smell the fragrance.


    ¡°You really are making breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Why are you up?¡± Justin nced at her in surprise. ¡°Did Charlotte wake you?¡±


    ¡°I was just curious. Charlotte and Samuel said you were making breakfast.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you worried that I won¡¯t do well and burn down the kitchen?¡±


    ¡°I was indeed worried that something like that would happen.¡±


    Rachel leaned against the ind with her arms wrapped around her body. ¡°When did you start learning


    how to cook?¡±


    ¡°When I was abroad. I was bored and had too much free time on my hands.¡±


    As he spoke, he skillfully flipped the hams. Then, after it was almost fried, he ced it on the white


    tes piece by piece, leaving the oil at the bottom of the pan as he cracked three eggs.


    Rachel rolled up her sleeves. ¡°Do you need help? What can I do?¡±


    Justin looked around. ¡°You can wash some fruits. There are raspberries over there.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Rachel took the fruit basket and washed the raspberries by the pond.


    Through the window, Charlotte and Samuel¡¯sughter sounded from outside.


    There were a few chickens in captivity in the homestay yard, and there was a rooster who enjoyed


    staying on the orange tree. Charlotte had never seen a live chicken before, so after arriving here, she


    would crane her neck to look at the tree as soon as she was free. She was in utter awe, wholly


    distracted from having a proper meal.


    ¡°Samuel, do chickens live in trees?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Don¡¯t you see that the other two are in the nest?¡±


    ¡°Then, why is this one on the tree?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it thinks it¡¯s safer in the tree.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Then, why do you think it is?¡±


    ¡°It must be because by standing on top of the tree, it¡¯ll be louder when it crows in the morning, so it can


    wake everyone up!¡±


    Rachel and Justin heard their conversation clearly from the kitchen, so they looked at each other and


    smiled.


    He felt a little helpless. ¡°Charlotte has never been exposed to these things, so she has never seen


    them.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Samuel has much experience with this either. No one abroad raises chickens at home.


    They¡¯re all bred at farms.¡±


    When she was done with the raspberries, she asked, ¡°Is there anything else I can help with?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else.¡± One by one, he ced the fried eggs on the tes. ¡°What spread would you


    like on your bread?¡±


    ¡°What options are there?¡±


    ¡°Tomato sauce, sd sauce, peanut butter¡­¡±


    She took a look and pointed to one of the jars. ¡°Peanut butter.¡±


    After they were done preparing breakfast for the four of them, Justin and Rachel came out of the


    kitchen with two tes.


    She shouted in the direction of the chicken coop, ¡°Go wash your hands ande over for breakfast.¡±


    The two children cheered.


    Rachel immediately shushed them and pursed her lips in the direction of the rooms. ¡°Everyone¡¯s still


    asleep, so don¡¯t be too noisy.¡±


    Charlotte immediately withdrew her head like a turtle, then put up a finger to shush Samuel. ¡°Keep your


    voice down.¡±


    Rachel shook her head helplessly in amusement.


    It had been a long time since the four of them sat down to eat like this.


    The surroundings outside were quiet, as most people in the town didn¡¯t get up early, so there were no


    people in the alley at this moment.


    Justin was peeling the eggshells when Charlotte licked a mouthful of honey off the bread before saying


    in a muffled voice, ¡°Mommy, are Mr. Wade and Aunt Gloria getting married?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why would you ask that all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°I saw Mr. Wade secretly preparing a ring.¡±


    Rachel was surprised. ¡°Really?¡±


    She didn¡¯t really believe Charlotte¡¯s statement, so she turned and asked Samuel, ¡°Is that true?¡±


    Samuel nodded solemnly. ¡°I saw it. Mr. Wade was holding a ring box.¡±


    Rachel raised her head and nced at Justin.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


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