“Oh, no, ” Josette chuckled. ” I prefer milder, clearer flavors myself, and Rebecca has been dancing since she was a little girl, so she tends to favor lighter diets as well.”
“Then… ” Vance turned to look at Rebecca. Just then, Rebecca’s phone, which she had only plugged in to charge earlier, powered on automatically on a nearby table. Vance’s gaze landed on it during the boot – up process, and he noticed the incoming messages that popped up immediately after.
He reached over and picked up the phone, waving it briefly in front of Rebecca to unlock it via facial recognition. Before she could attempt to stop him, he had already opened the video that Desmond had sent her. In the video, the two were performing Butterfly Lovers, with Desmond lifting her effortlessly as they moved in perfect harmony, embodying the image of lovers flying together. ” Have you ever seen Rebecca dance? ” Those words echoed persistently in Vance’s mind, and he directed a gloomy, shadowed gaze toward Rebecca.
Without a word, Vance handed the phone back to Rebecca, then lowered his head to focus on eating. Even though the dishes didn’t suit his taste, he ended up eating quite a bit. Josette looked at him with a mix of surprise and concern. ” Vance, how long has it been since you last had a proper meal? ” Rebecca glanced at him sidelong, already knowing the likely reason. He must have been so preoccupied with Catherine being ill that he had been unable to eat or sleep properly since the previous evening, so now anything tasted good.” Your cooking is just that delicious, ” he replied with a smile. ” You two are always so busy, ” Josette said, her smile warm and inviting. ” Come over more often, and I’ll make meals for you both.”
“Josette, ” Vance said, still holding his plate like he wasn’t quite done, ” some owners in our residential complex are looking to sell their units. How about we buy one for you there? ” Josette waved it off. ” There’s no need for that. I’m perfectly content living here, surrounded by all my familiar neighbors.
Plus, in the countryside, it’s so convenient to grow melons, fruits, and vegetables. I can even ship them to you when they’re ready. ” This wasn’t the first time Vance had suggested such an idea. Back when Josette had fallen and injured herself, he had suggested buying her an apartment in the same complex, but she had firmly declined, stating that she was accustomed to life in the rural area. However, in private, Josette had confided in Rebecca that she shouldn’t demand too much just because she was married to Vance.
His wealth was the result of hard work, not something that came effortlessly or by chance. ” Fair enough. ” Vance finished the last of his soup and hiccupped. ” This soup is even fresher and tastier than what Nancy makes at home. Do you have some secret technique?”
“You silly child, ” Josette laughed, amused by his compliment. Rebecca reflected that, in the world, Josette was likely the only person who dared to call Vance silly without any repercussions, and remarkably, he didn’t seem to mind it at all.
If there was anyone who had truly served as a supportive force in her marriage, it was undoubtedly Josette. Josette treated Vance with genuine kindness, not because she held him in particularly high regard, but because she believed in reciprocity. By being good to him, she hoped he would, in turn, be good to Rebecca. After dinner, Josette began clearing the dishes, and Desmond stood up to assist her.
Unexpectedly, Vance also jumped in to help, and in the end, he managed to take over the task completely, carrying the stack of dishes into the kitchen and swiftly claiming the sink. He reiterated his earlier statement. ” I’m not a guest. ” This left Josette feeling somewhat embarrassed and at a loss. Rebecca gently held her back. ” It’s fine ; let him do it. ” At this stage, she had reached a point of indifference, almost resignation. He could wash the dishes or mop the floor as he liked. Extracting the last bit of value from him now seemed reasonable.
She even contemplated agreeing to the idea of buying Josette an apartment in their complex. After all, Josette wasn’t like Rebecca’s greedy, insatiable parents ; she truly deserved it Seeing Josette’s helpless expression, Rebecca couldn’t express her true thoughts aloud, so she simply said, ” Don’t worry about it. He’s not some pampered rich kid who’s never lifted a finger. He’s capable of doing all sorts of things. ” This was the truth. Although he came from a wealthy family, his parents had never spoiled him.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have attended the same public high school together. Back then, everyone boarded at the school, including him, with no luxury cars to pick him up and no nannies to handle his laundry. He managed everything on his own, which explained why he had been so eager to start his own business at a young age. After finishing the dishes, Vance was ready to take Rebecca home. Before that, he went out to his car and returned carrying a pile of expensive gifts, along with a thick stack of cash.
By estimation, it was at least 100 thousand dollars. Yet he called it pocket money, which startled Josette considerably. Rebecca, on the other hand, quickly figured out what was going on. He was flaunting his wealth right in front of Desmond. Josette refused to accept it, but Vance insisted, placing it directly into her drawer. ” This is a token of filial piety from Rebecca and me. ” His gaze, though, was aimed at Desmond. Afterward, he wrapped his arm around Rebecca’s waist, picked up her bag, and said, ” Rebecca and I are heading back now.
We’ll come to visit you again another day. ” Desmond, who was staying in the village that night for his duties, waved goodbye with a cheerful smile. ” Bye, Rebecca. I’ll hit you up when I’m back in the city. ” Vance’s hand tightened around Rebecca’s waist. Once they stepped out the door, his pace quickened significantly. Rebecca, with her injured leg, couldn’t keep up at all. It felt as though she was being dragged along forcefully. When they reached the spot where he had parked, he opened the car door, shoved her inside, and dashed to the driver’s seat.
The doors locked with a click, and his expression rapidly darkened. His voice carried a tone of threat mixed with suppressed anger. ” You’re really something. ” Rebecca’s mind flashed back to the lipstick marks on his neck and shirt, and she let out a cold laugh. ” Thanks, but you’re even better.”
“Who exactly is he? I don’t want to waste my time investigating it personally, ” he said, his hands resting on the steering wheel. A glaring ring adorned his left ring finger. His wedding ring had been removed right after the ceremony, so what was he wearing now?She smiled faintly and held out her hand. On her ring finger was a jade ring with a modest design, suitable for everyday wear. This was the wedding ring she had chosen for them. She had opted against a large diamond or an extravagant jade piece because she wanted to wear it constantly, and something smaller was more practical for daily life. His matching ring was also jade. It took considerable effort to remove the ring, as she had worn it continuously for five years without ever taking it off. It was snug. Vance watched her actions and subconsciously withdrew his left hand.
She placed the ring on the dashboard, still wearing that faint smile. ” Care to explain when your ring changed? “
The ring Vance was now wearing was a simple silver band. ” It’s just something I put on for fun. There’s no need to make a big deal out of it, ” he said nonchalantly, making no move to remove it. Rebecca snorted, choosing not to dwell on it. She remembered vividly the moment he had taken off his wedding ring, claiming that the company had business to discuss and that wearing a ring didn’t convey sufficient seriousness. Was there really any business deal in the world that couldn’t be closed because of wedding rings? Or was it the other way around? She knew the answer now.
But back then, before she endured the harsh blows of marriage, she had still harbored illusions and hopes. Perhaps the mention of the ring stirred guilt in him, as he shifted from his earlier accusatory tone to a much softer one. ” I’m doing this for you. I can confidently say that no other man in this world would treat you as well as I do, ” he said. ” Sure, I have my flaws and shortcomings, but I am sincere with you. No games. No walls. All my assets could have your name on them. With other people, it’s hard to say what their true intentions might be.” His words inevitably brought that classic, infamous line back to the forefront of her mind. ” She lives in your house, and I live in your heart. ” To avoid being wounded by its implications once again, she put her earbuds in and cut off the conversation. Vance appeared as though he had more to say, but ultimately, he held back and started driving. Rebecca didn’t play any music through the earbuds. When emotions were running high, music could drag her even deeper into the abyss. Any song could easily bring her to tears.
So, she refrained from listening and instead scrolled through her phone. She had already set her preferences to avoid seeing notes related to Catherine, but somehow, one still slipped into her feed. It showed two intertwined hands, with rings on both ring fingers. The man’s hand bore a simple band, while Catherine’s hand featured a massive diamond solitaire. The caption read: [ I give you silver, and you give me a diamond. Isn’t the ROI insane? ]
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