Cristelle wasn’t thinking that much. She only smiled, “Candace loves dessert. But she can’t eat too much sugar. So I didn’t add too many ingredients. I hope you don’t mind and have a taste.”
Drew didn’t resist the kindness and took a bite, “Hmm! It tastes good. Cody is right. Your Mom is a great baker.”
Cody squared his little shoulders, “Right? It’s good.”
The four people thus had a happy dessert time. Candace was enjoying her dessert silently, deciding this doctor was probably a good person.
Hours ran out quickly. Drew got more familiar with the kids. Before they left, Candace agreed to hear more stories the next time.
“See you next week, Doc!” Cody waved at Drew politely.
“See you, man,” Drew smiled back.
After leaving the hospital, Cristelle took the babies directly to the subway. However, Linford was getting out of his car right at this moment. Cody saw him from a distance, yanking at Cristelle’s hand and pulling her toward the subway, “Mom! Hurry! We’re going to miss the train!”
Cristelle was dragged forward, confused, “It’s okay, Cody. We can always take the next one.”
But Cody didn’t appear to listen. She could only follow the boy. Cody looked over his shoulder to ensure that man wasn’t following them.
Cody couldn’t explain why, but that man made him uncomfortable. They looked so much like each other. Cody had noticed this a long time ago. He just didn’t like people who looked like him.
****
Cristelle took a day off. She went to the company the next day. The design of the clothes had been decided. And they gave the sample to the factory. The massive production would get started soon.
Because of that, they didn’t have much work left to do in the department. Fritzi left the company ahead of time. Other people also decided to take their leaves.
Cristelle walked out of the elevator. But she suddenly heard people calling her name behind her back.
“Cristelle! Hey!” The voice was familiar. Cristelle went frozen when she turned around to look. When she noticed those people, she thought she was in a dream.
It was her cousin, Rose, and her aunt-in-law, Ingrid.
“Sheesh! It took us a while to finally find you!” Ingrid was a huge woman. Her hands were a bit clammy as they clasped around Cristelle’s, “It’s been a while since the last time you came back to visit us. Why didn’t you even call? We were so worried. We thought you were struggling in the big city. Anyway, how’s everything going?”
Before Cristelle could answer anything, Rose cut her off, “Your dress looks decent. You must have made some money here, huh.”
Rose looked quite plain. But she always puts too much makeup on.
Cristelle had never liked them.
Five years ago, she had lived with these people in her uncle’s house. She had treated them like family, but they had treated her as some freeloader. Not only did she need to hand in the money she earned every month, but she also had to give the jewelry her Mom left to them.
After living in that crappy place for a while, Candace had gone sick. But they hadn’t seemed to care. Cristelle had thus seen through these people.
In the end, she learned that these people had abused her babies verbally and physically when she was away.
She could only blame herself.
She should have known these people were bloodsuckers. They had only let her live in that house because they wanted her money.
After realizing she didn’t have any money left, they had thus shown their true faces.
Cristelle had had enough of their shit and took her babies away, cutting them off entirely from her life.
She just didn’t expect to see them again in the city.
Cristelle pulled her hand away, her face cold and stern, “You just asked how my life is? Why? Why should you care?”
“Cristelle, how could you say that to me? Your Mom has passed away, and your father was in jail. We’re the only family you left. No matter what happened before, we’re still related. We should support each other,” Ingrid’s eyes shone wickedly.
Family? Cristelle wouldn’t believe her words anymore.
She didn’t want to waste any time with these people, “Why are you guys here? Just stop wasting my time and tell me what you want.”
Rose used to be jealous of Cristelle. But since Cristelle’s parents went through, she had looked down on her cousin. “They said you just won a competition. You got a lot of money from it, didn’t you?”
Cristelle frowned, “Who told you that?”
“Well…”
“It’s all over the news. No one had literally told us. We saw it on our phone,”
Ingrid cut Rose off, smiling, “It’s 1 million, right? Did you get the money?”
Cristelle understood what they wanted instantly. She turned away, walking in the direction of the subway, “Nope.”
“No? How?” Ingrid caught up, grabbing her arm, “I saw it from the news that you have claimed the money. How could you not have it? Cristelle, you lived in our house for so many years. You can’t be so ungrateful.”
“I’m ungrateful? What have you guys done to deserve my gratitude?!” Cristelle was so pissed off that she almost laughed out loud. These people had the gall!
Rose stopped her, “Without us, you and your little bastards would have lived on the street! The money belongs to us! Give us the money, or I’ll slap you!”
“Just fuck off!”
Cristelle tried to pull away, but Ingrid suddenly pushed her. Cristelle thought she would fall over, but she just fell into a pair of strong arms the next minute.
What a scene… Cristelle thought as she turned around, smiling at the kind stranger, “Thank you so much, Sir-Mr. Bradley?”
What was he doing here?
Cristelle felt so embarrassed.
“What happened?” Linford stood in his full stance. His appearance alone was intimidating enough.
Cristelle was a bit hesitant. This was her family affair. She wasn’t sure if she could tell him.
“You’re Cristelle’s boss, right? Did you give her that 1 million?” Ingrid asked instantly as she heard Cristelle calling this man “Mr. Bradley.”
Linford’s eyebrow furrowed. “Did I ask you anything?”
Ingrid flinched.