7
“That day, when Rachel messed up your room, it was because she didn’t know better,” Luke said.
“Your room has been restored. There’s no need to stay in that apartment out of spite. Come back.”
I was a bit surprised. It seemed he didn’t know I was already “married.”
But I quickly realized that Grandma Foster had kept it from him to avoid complications.
I asked, “As an unmarried girl, living long–term in your house, wouldn’t your wife mind?”
He was taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained composure. “The Foster house is your home. Why… why are you suddenly asking
this?”
I spoke coldly, “Brother, since you’re getting married, you shouldn’t say such things to me.”
I had never called him “brother” before.
I always called him by name, Luke, or occasionally “bro” when I was being coy.
A hint of panic flashed in Luke’s usually calm eyes, though his tone remained steady. “I just want to establish our sibling relationship properly, so you won’t keep sulking.”
I burst out laughing.
Luke frowned.
I looked up, “I’m not sulking. I’m just putting myself in the right position.”
“Brother, Mr. Foster.”
“I openly admitted my feelings for you, and you seriously rejected me.”
“My reputation was ruined, which I suppose was the punishment I deserved for pestering you.”
12:17 PM
<
“Given that, how could we go back to the way things were?”
Luke’s entire body tensed. After a long moment, his thin lips trembled, “I told you, if you don’t want to get married, you don’t have to. No one can force you.”
I lowered my eyes and took a step back, “Thank you for your generosity, brother. But I’m already married now, so it’s appropriate to keep our distance. This is to avoid any misunderstandings with my husband. You should also consider your fiancée’s feelings.”
“I probably won’t come here again in the future. I hope Mr. Foster can take good care of them.”
“Married? Husband? How could you be so rash, Chloe? Are you just saying this to upset me?”
Luke pressed a hand to his chest, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
I caught sight of a figure approaching from the corner of my eye. Without further explanation, I turned to leave.
Rachel’s coquettish voice came from behind.
“Luke, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Where have you been…”
“Wait, I need to clear things up with Chloe.”
Footsteps sounded behind me.
I quickened my pace, using my familiarity with the alleys to evade the pursuing figure.
This encounter with Luke and the children had delayed me.
When I got back, Peter immediately fell to his knees with a thud. “My mother’s surgery was very successful. You’re our family’s benefactor.”
I hurried to help him up, “You’re exaggerating.”
With his mother’s problem solved, Sophia and I started planning our trip to the south.
Sophia daydreamed, “We must buy a house by the sea. You love looking at the ocean. You can recite poetry to the sea, and I’ll pour tea for you.”
I tapped her forehead, chuckling lightly, “Alright, it will definitely be a house by the sea.”
The reason for going south was because in my limited memories, my mother was from the south.
I felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity towards this homeland.
At night, I calculated accounts under the lamplight.
Most of it had gone to Peter for his mother’s treatment.
What was left, after travel expenses and daily costs, wasn’t much.
For the first time, I felt worried about money, but as my gaze fell on a piece of paper nearby, I had an idea.
