Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
The voice from inside the room was groggy, a clear indication that Clark had just woken up. He hadn’t told Crystal where he was staying, nor had he told anyone else which mansion he was in. Had she found him by systematically checking each one?
With this thought in mind, Clark could only say, “Ask her to wait in the garden.
I’ll be down shortly.
After a quick wash and dress, he tiptoed past Carol’s room.
However, living on the edge for so long had made Carol’s nerves particularly sensitive. The moment Clark wasn’t by her side. She’d wake up easily.
Hearing Clark’s soft footsteps, she felt a wave of confusion. It was still dark outside. What was he doing up so early?At that moment, she overheard a servant reporting to Clark, “Carol didn’t wake up last night. She must have had a good rest.”
“That’s good to hear,’ Clark replied before heading downstairs.
Carol rose from her bed and went to the window, her gaze landing on a graceful figure in the garden.
Even though it had been a long time since they’d last seen each other, she could still recognize her in an instant. That was Crystal, the heiress of the Temple family.
Seeing Clark come down in his pajamas, Crystal immediately brightened up.
“Clark! Why didn’t you sleep in more? I specifically told the servants not to wake you. How did they still end up calling you? What happened to the wound on your body?”
“It’s just a small injury: Clark didn’t elaborate, instead asking, “How did you find this place?”
It was winter, and the morning was chilly, yet Crystal was only wearing a thin, long dress.
“I woke up at 4 a.m. to make you breakfast. Your housekeeper told me that you’ve been busy with work lately. I had initially planned to leave after dropping off the breakfast, but after thinking about what you said last night, I felt that it was necessary to wait for you to wake up and have a proper conversation.”
Clark’s eyes deepened. Conversation? What more did they have to discuss?
“Before we start, I have to ask, Is Carol staying here?” Crystal asked, her eyes shifting towards the mansion.
She must be inside. Otherwise, the servants wouldn’t have asked her to wait in the garden in such cold weather.
They clearly didn’t want her running into Carol.”Yes.” Clark nodded, not hiding anything.
Crystal laughed, “So, your tension last night and your hurry to distance yourself from me, was it because of her?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, I understand.” Crystal’s smile widened, “Then why did she suddenly come back?”
“went looking for her and found her.”
Clark, not wanting to paint Carol in a bad light, explained, “She left me before because of certain circumstances. Now, those issues are about to be resolved.”
Crystal seemed to understand, “So, you two are back together”
And here she was, thinking that she had a chance.
She had even intentionally returned to the country to take over the family business, hoping to increase her own value.
“Crystal, I’ve always seen you as a friend, nothing more. I’m really sorry.”
Even though Clark knew his words were harsh, it was better to rip off the band-aid quickly. Being clear would be better for everyone in the long run.
“If the friendship between us gave you the wrong idea, I’m truly sorry’ he admitted, his voice sincere.
“No worries; Crystal replied, her laughter echoing with grace and dignity. “I know Carol holds your heart, and you could never love anyone else. It was my foolish hope that perhaps I could sway your feelings.”
As she spoke, her laughter grew, radiating warmth and kindness. “I truly do like you, and yes, I did use our friendship as an excuse to get closer to you.
But now you and Carol are back together, and I genuinely wish you both happiness.”
She paused, a hint of sadness in her eyes, but her smile never wavered.
“Even though I can’t be with you, and it’ll take some time to let go, knowing that she’s back and your smiles will be more frequent than before, that’s enough for me.”
At her words, Clark felt a pang of guilt.
“Clark, as long as you’re happy, it doesn’t matter if it’s with me or not,’ Crystal continued, miming a tiny space between her fingers. “Though it does hurt a little bit.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Clark tried to comfort her, but she cut him off with a laugh. “I came today to tell you you’re a wonderful person, truly likable. That’s part of your charm, so don’t ever change. This breakfast, she gestured to the bag of food, “is my goodbye to this unrequited love.”
She opened the bag and took out the food and cutlery. “Will you try some?”
Clark didn’t really want to eat, but seeing her on the verge of tears, he reached for the silverware.”Hold on.”
Her eyes caught sight of a slim silhouette at the window upstairs. Was that Carol?
Realizing Carol was watching, Crystal chuckled, “You don’t have to eat it. Just smell it”
She didn’t want to cause any misunderstandings or trouble.
Clark was a bit confused, but he leaned in and took a whiff of the food.
“Smells good, doesn’t it?” Crystal asked, a hint of laughter in her voice.
“Mmm, smells great,’ Clark noted that the food was all his favorites. Crystal must have gone out of her way to learn how to make them.
“Getting your praise is all these dishes needed; she said, packing up the food to take away. She left only a gift bag behind. “These clothes and dresses were gifts fram your mom. Given my current status, it’s not really appropriate for me to keep them. Please pass them on to her and thank her for me.”
Clark, feeling even guiltier, didn’t take the bag. “If my mom gave them to you, you should keep them.
You’ve bought plenty of things for us in the past.”
“That was out of respect for your parents, not an exchange of goods! It’s only right to bring gifts when visiting. And please tell them not to worry about accepting my presents. I just want to be of help. If my gifts make them uncomfortable, then I’m the one at fault.”
Crystal gave him a small smile and handed him a tiny notebook. “In here are details about your parents’ preferences, their favorite places to spend money, etc. I got them VIP memberships to these places, which are very handy. The passwords and security questions are also written down. Last time, when your dad was complaining about a sore shoulder, ! arranged a massage for him. He really liked the masseuse, so I’ve included their contact details.”Despite its small size, the notebook felt incredibly heavy in Clark’s hands.
“There are a few more little things, all noted down here,’ Crystal said, smiling at Clark, her gaze steady.
“You have a girlfriend now, so unless there’s a group activity, I won’t be around anymore. I don’t want to cause any misunderstandings. Besides, I have a lot of things to handle in the company.
Take care of yourself, and don’t forget to take care of your girlfriend too.
As she said this, she noticed the injury on Clark. No doubt, he had gotten it for Carol, hadn’t he?
She felt her tears welling up. She had planned to give him one last embrace before leaving, but the silhouette at the upstairs window made her suppress her final impulse and whimsy.
“Well, I’m off~” Crystal flashed her most radiant, sunny smile and waved to Clark. “You must be happy.”
Only then would her letting go mean something.
Turning around, her tears finally overflowed. To keep the person behind her from seeing her trembling shoulders, she kept smiling, trying to calm down.
“Crystal.” Clark wanted to say sorry, but deep down, he knew that wasn’t what she needed.
Without halting her steps or looking back, Crystal waved her hand high, bidding farewell to the person behind her and elegantly leaving Mystic Oak House.
Once she got into the car, she maintained her smile. “Drive.”
The chauffeur, seeing her smiling through her tears, was completely baffled.
It wasn’t until they had driven off into the distance that she broke down crying, as if she had lost the most important, most precious light in her life.Meanwhile, Clark stared in the direction she had left in for a while before lowering his head to flip through the small notebook in his hand.
The book was filled with small anecdotes that helped him understand his parents better.
It revealed that his father had worked so hard when he was young that he now suffered from chronic neck and shoulder pain, sometimes keeping him awake at night. Only a certain brand of ointment could alleviate it.
This brand was exclusive to the royal family, but Crystal had managed to secure a decade’s worth of the ointment using her connections.
His mother, it turned out, liked wearing knee-length skirts because they made her look dignified. She wasn’t a fan of extravagant earrings, preferring simple and elegant designs.
His father had acrophobia and would get weak in the knees in any building taller than twenty stories.
Clark remembered how his father had tried to bond with him by taking him skydiving.
His mother disliked a lady but had to maintain cordial relations due to past favors. So, Crystal had noted down three questions that, when asked, would certainly make the lady back off.
From the notebook, Clark could feel Crystal’s meticulous care. She had recorded many details, including what kind of flowers his parents disliked, their dining habits, what things upset them, and so on.
Carol stood by the window on the second floor, watching Clark as he engrossed himself in the notebook, her eyes darkening a bit.
After some time, Clark entered the house to wake Carol up, the notebook nowhere in sight.
Carol didn’t ask and acted as if nothing had happened. After breakfast, they set off for Riverside Villa.Riverside Villa was one of the many properties under Romeo’s name. Located by the river and usually vacant, it had been lent to her foster parents for the time being.
Upon hearing that their daughter was safely back in the country and due to visit them today, Logan and Taylor Earwood began their wait outside the front door at the crack of dawn.
At long last, they spotted a car approaching from afar.
Exiting the car, Clark held Carol’s hand while Dennis trailed behind them, causing Logan and Taylor to choke up with emotion.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.