Filed To Story: The Scarlet Vengeance: Justice of a Framed Beauty Novel (Grace & Jason)
Brian’s eyes twinkled. The restaurant was the small noodle shop where Grace used to work at, and it carried many memories of Grace.
“Why do you suddenly want to eat there?” he asked calmly.
“Maybe because that’s where we became a couple, so I find it… familiar,” she said. She did not say that she often went alone when working at the studio.
Every time she sat there eating, she would think of their fate.
If she had not walked into the small restaurant that day, maybe she and he would have never met again.
Fortunately, she met him.
He pondered for a moment before saying, “Okay, let’s eat there.”
The small restaurant was not far from her studio, so the two walked there.
They ordered after entering the small restaurant. Though their relationship had gone viral online, Brian was not a celebrity even though he was the crown prince of the entertainment industry. No one recognized him in the small restaurant.
However, people still look sideways from time to time due to his outfit and temperament.
The restaurant served the food after a while. Valda Theller lowered her head to eat. After a moment’s hesitation, she asked, “Are you free next Wednesday?”
Brian asked, “What’s up?”
The company had an important movie contract to sign next Wednesday.
She bit her lip. “Next Wednesday is my parents’ death anniversary. If… Can you accompany me to pay them my respects if you’re free? I… I want to introduce my boyfriend to my parents.”
She wanted her parents to know she was no longer alone and finally had someone. Even if… she had no idea how long he would be there for her, at least she was now happy!
He was silent.
She hurriedly said, “Of course, it’s okay if you’re not free. I… I’ll go by myself. I always go by myself anyway.”
He said, “I’m free. I can go with you. I was only thinking about what I’d need to take with me if I’m going to pay my respects.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “You don’t have to bring anything. I’ll prepare the incense sticks, candles, and food. You only have to show up.”
With that said, she lowered her head and continued eating.
Watching her lower her head, he felt pity rising in his heart. Speaking of which, he was an indifferent man. He seldom pitied others.
However, he wanted to protect the woman, or at least ensure she did not get hurt.
Martin Weiss soon arranged the accommodation and asked Kyla to move there. As Martin Weiss put it, they should go out since they were pretending to be a loving couple in front of the reporters.
Kyla had also talked with her mother, but Mrs. Corbyn said, “Take Nelson and Trista with you. I’ll stay in the store instead.”
“That won’t do.” Kyla disagreed.
“Why not? We still have to run the store. Besides, I won’t get used to it if I move in with you and Martin Weiss. You two are only faking it anyway. It’ll bother me if there are reporters secretly taking photos. I’d better stay in the store,” said Mrs. Corbyn.
Kyla bit her lip and said nothing else in the end.
She understood her mother’s concerns and awkwardness. She and Martin Weiss were moving in not because of love but to put on a show.
It was a marriage that would end sooner or later. It would only feel more awkward if her mother moved in and had to face Martin Weiss all the time.
“Then call me every night before you go to bed, or I’ll worry,” said Kyla.
“Okay, got it,” said Mrs. Corbyn as she looked at her daughter pitifully. “What about you moving in with Martin Weiss…” Kyla consoled her mother, saying, “It’s not my first time anyway. Didn’t I move in with him for a while before? It’ll be over in a year or so anyway. I’ll send Nelson to school during the day and bring Trista to look after the shop with you. I’ll take the two children home with me after Nelson comes back from school.”
“Okay, do whatever is convenient for you,” said Mrs. Corbyn.
Kyla began moving the next day.
Though she was moving, she only brought some clothes and shoes she usually wore and the kids’
items. Martin Weiss had already prepared the daily necessities.
After Nelson Corbyn finished school in the afternoon, Kyla took the two children and went to the place Martin Weiss had prepared.
Martin Weiss’s men came to pick them up.
With her daughter in her arms and her son beside her, Kyla walked into the mansion Martin Weiss had bought in Emerald City.
Martin Weiss looked at the mother and children standing before him in the huge mansion. “Are you sure you don’t need a nanny to look after Trista?” “No thanks. I can manage on my own,” said Kyla.
“Okay, it’s your choice,” Martin Weiss answered indifferently.
Nelson Corbyn had been silent. He knew about his parents’ deal. He knew his parents were only pretending to be a loving couple and that they would divorce in the future.
He did not hate his father anymore, but he would choose his mother if he had to choose between his parents. He had to protect his mother!
“Alright, Nelson. Accompany your sister for a while first. I want to talk to your dad alone,” Kyla said to her son. As she spoke, she put her already six-month-old daughter on the soft couch.
Nelson Corbyn then took his sister’s toy and played with her.
Kyla looked at Martin Weiss and said, “Let’s go somewhere to talk.”
He glanced at her before lifting his hand to take Kyla’s. He then headed toward his study on the second floor.
Kyla tried to pull her hand away, but Martin Weiss muttered, “We have servants in the mansion. If you don’t want them to think we’re too indifferent to each other, you’d better stay still.”
Kyla stiffened and clenched her teeth. She did not withdraw her hand again but followed Martin Weiss to the study.
After entering the study and closing the door, Martin Weiss quickly released his hands and said to Kyla, “Alright, what do you want to talk to me about?”
“I just want to tell you that I’ll spend the day at the store and return with Nelson after he finishes school in the afternoon every day. I’ll try my best to cooperate with you in any events, but I hope you can inform me in advance,” said Kyla.
“Sure. No problem,” answered Martin Weiss.
“Also, can you replace the servants in the mansion with hourly workers? For example, they can clean up and stuff when the kids and I are away during the day.”
“Others will find it strange,” said Martin Weiss.
“But we have to act in love at all times if the servants are in the mansion. I think we’ll need to be focused at all times. Someone might realize that something’s wrong if we’re not careful.”
Martin Weiss stared at Kyla. “Didn’t you say you love me? Why do you need to concentrate on trying to love me, then? All you have to do is show how much you love me. It’s up to me whether I can concentrate on playing my part.”
Kyla smiled bitterly. “But I don’t have the confidence to look like I love you all the time. It’ll be too tiring… to me.”
His expression sank slightly as he approached her. “What’s the matter? Are you trying to tell me that you don’t love me anymore?”
‘It’s not that I don’t love you… It’s just that I’ve put away my affection and hid it at the bottom of my heart. I don’t want to let it out anymore. I’ll only break my heart more if I let it out.’
Taking a deep breath, Kyla said, “When I signed the divorce papers back then, it meant that I had gotten over our relationship. Martin Weiss, I’ve moved on. So I’m afraid I can’t pretend to love you at all times. I’ll give myself away.”
When she said… she had moved on, he felt as if something had stung his heart.
She… had moved on. Ironically, he had not moved on.
“Have you really moved on?” He continued to advance on her.
She felt pressured as she moved her feet and stepped back.
However, when she took a step back, he took a step closer until he pinned her against the wall.
“Yes, I have.” Kyla tried to keep herself speaking calmly.
However, what Martin Weiss did next broke her calmness.
His lips suddenly fell as he kissed hers heavily. She froze for a moment before beginning to struggle.