There were many female employees in the Marketing Department, and when they got together, gossip traveled.
By noon, news of the things that happened in the Marketing Department had spread throughout the company like a viral infection. Summer went to the washroom with her swollen face and overheard some of her colleagues chattering about.
“What happened? From what I know, the one who’s on leave is a lady, not a man.”
“Isn’t it plain to see? Vicky and Stone laid a trap for Summer!”
“How could it be? Summer only joined a few days ago. Has she stepped on his toes already?”
“Everyone knows what kind of person Stone is. I heard that it was Summer who ‘sent’ him to the hospital previously!”
“Is Summer that mean?”
“I think Vicky’s meaner than her. I could hear that slap she gave Summer from afar just now. I wonder how bitter their enmity is…”
Summer leaned against the wall in the washroom stall, waiting for the small talk to subside before she got out. She went up to the mirror and looked at her face. It was so swollen that it had turned green and hideous. Vicky clearly did not hold back when she slapped her. She must have had a ton of grievances against her.
Just wait and see who gets the last laugh.
…
At lunch break, Summer got to her feet and was about to head out for lunch when her phone rang in her pocket. It was “Douglas” calling. She frowned as she picked up the phone.
“Anything?”
As if Leonardo did not notice the impatience in her voice, he said, “Lunch with me. I’ll wait in front of your office.”
He sounded like he was giving a command. Then, the line went dead. Summer looked at her mobile as the screen switched off by itself. She ruffled her hair irritably and headed out.
Once she exited through the entrance, she saw “Douglas’s” eye-catching ride, which he had parked in front of the lobby. She had secretly checked online, and his car was worth at least ten million, and the final cost depended on the owner’s specs for it. As far as Summer was concerned, it was an astronomical figure. Even in the Jarrett family, Lynn would likely find splurging over ten million on a car too much, even if Vicky wanted it.
Passers-by had gathered, staring and discussing “Douglas’s” expensive car among themselves. Summer had to brave those gazes as she walked toward him.
At that moment, another vehicle pulled up. Summer waited for it to pass, but it stopped in front of her. A man who looked like a chauffeur alighted and opened the rear passenger door. A woman emerged from the vehicle, and it was none other than Karen.
They had not seen each other since the time Summer lured her to the restaurant and never showed up. As Karen instructed the chauffeur to take out two thermal lunch boxes, she looked up and saw Summer standing right in front of her vehicle. She frowned, visibly shocked after she spotted Summer.
“Are you Summer?”
Summer smirked, wearing a half-smile that reeked of scorn. “Do you think I am?”
Having lived under the same roof for over twenty years, her biological mother could not even recognize her. Not only that, but Karen was also ignoring her swollen face and focusing on her different looks. Summer was beginning to wonder if she should feel sad for herself or Karen.
Karen approached Summer, taking a hard look at her. “You… Did you get plastic surgery? That’s why you didn’t come to our lunch date that day?”
Summer tried to smile, but it evaporated quickly. She looked saddened. “Mom, it’s me, Summer. I’ve looked like this the whole time, but since you told me that I shouldn’t become prettier than Elder Sis, I made myself ugly.”
“How could this be? All these years, you’ve been…”
Karen was in disbelief. How could her daughter fake her appearance for so many years? Summer looked Karen in the eye, her voice filled with sorrow. “Because I wanted to be your good girl and please you, I was willing to do whatever you wanted me to do.”
Karen wanted to say something, but the words were stuck in her throat. In her memories, Summer was pretty and good in her studies when she was little. Then, some time after that, she started to become sub-par in her studies and look uglier by the day. Karen remembered saying something like “You shouldn’t outperform your elder sister” to her. However, she quickly brought her guard up.
“You were doing it out of your own free will. You shouldn’t blame it on me now!”
Her response surprised Summer, and her eyes welled up. “Mom, please allow me to ask you, am I your real daughter?”
“You-”
“Let’s go, it’s time for lunch.”
A male voice interrupted Karen out of nowhere. Summer looked up and saw “Douglas” beside her. Since he was a lot taller than Summer, when Leonardo looked at her, he always had to look down.
Summer’s eyes were red. Tears had filled her beautiful cat-like eyes, and she looked pitiful. When his eyes landed on her swollen cheek, a stern expression flashed across his face. He held her hand and brought her away.
Karen recognized the man. He was “Douglas”, the one who had been to the Jarretts’ residence last time. What is he doing here? Could they be… As the scene of them kissing in the car came to mind, Karen stopped them.
“Wait a minute!”
They looked back, and Karen said, “Summer, I’ve brought food for your dad and elder sister. There are extras. Would you like to join us?”
Just when Summer was about to decline, Leonardo chimed in, “I’d love to. I haven’t had lunch yet.”
Karen was now in a predicament. The food she brought was just enough for three. Knowing that “Douglas” was Leonardo’s cousin, she figured that she could not offend him. She was scrambling for words to respond.
Summer looked up at him, secretly nudging him with her elbow. His grip on her arm tightened as he looked down at her, giving her a don’t-worry-everything-is-taken-care-of look. Strangely, Summer found comfort in his eyes. She stood silently and allowed him to take charge.
Karen had spent half of her life as the wife of a wealthy man. Other than spending money on her looks to please Lynn, she had learned a thing or two about people reading. Realizing that it was not wise to slight the man before her, she eyed her chauffeur to inform Lynn about the arrangement.
Before long, Lynn came out with Vicky following him. It looked like Vicky had an inch of makeup on her face. It was so thick that it looked almost overdone. The minute she saw “Douglas”, she could not take her eyes off him like a predator fixing its eyes on its prey.
Summer noticed that and stepped in front of “Douglas”, trying to block off Vicky’s leering eyes.