Chapter 114
Chapter 114
Chapter 114 Burden
Yuliana had always been a very decisive person like her mother, Callie.
Once Yuliana made a decision, she would never change her mind.
Just like when she chose to marry Harry back then. No matter how the people around her had persuaded her, she still married that man without deliberation.
Similarly, no matter what Xandria had to say, it would be impossible to change Yuliana’s decision.
Nevertheless, Xandria was Yuliana’s best friend. Throughout Yuliana’s entire life, she did not have that many people who were important to her Especially after Damian had been imprisoned, Yuliana began to really cherish the people who she cared about.
Because of that, Yuliana hoped to receive Xandria’s acknowledgment and blessings for her marriage. Never would she wish for her relationship with Xandria to be affected because of Christopher.
“Xani, I hope I can have your blessings,” uttered Yuliana.
When Xandria heard those words, she thought that Yuliana sounded even more hilarious and absurd. “Does it make any difference whether I give my blessings or not? If I don’t offer you any of my blessings, would you stop being together with Christopher?”
Xandria figured she herself must be too childish to have dropped that remark. She could feel that Yuliana actually cared more about Christopher than her.
“Even with the 20 years of friendship with Yuliana, how am I still not comparable to Christopher?” she questioned inwardly.
Xandria stood up with her reddened eyes and went on with her somewhat choked-up voice, “You can be with whomever you want. You’ve only yourself to blame if you ever get dumped. I’ll never get involved in your affairs again.”
Xandria walked off instantly upon finishing her sentence. As she turned around, she wiped her tears away.
That time around, Yuliana did not stop Xandria. She pursed her lips tightly and watched Xandria’s back as the latter left.
It seemed that Yuliana and Xandria had always been getting into arguments when it came to matters about
men
Meanwhile, Christopher stepped out of Yuliana’s place, went to Prestige Club, and then headed to Annabelle’s studio. However, when Christopher reached the studio, the studio workers were already tidying up the place and packing up all the paintings.
A wrinkle formed between Christopher’s eyebrows. He grabbed one of the staff members and asked, “Why are you guys putting all these paintings away?”
That staff had known Christopher from the latter’s frequent visits and responded, “I also have no idea, Mr. Solace. Ms. Johnson instructed us to do so.”
Christopher furrowed his brows even more tightly as he listened to that answer. “Where’s Annabelle?” he asked again.
“I don’t know. Ms. Johnson hasn’t been here for a very long time already,” revealed the staff member.
Christopher fell silent for a brief moment before he said, “All right. You should get back to work.”
The staff nodded and moved the painting downstairs.
Christopher stood there momentarily and looked at the others who got themselves busy. After that, he went downstairs, departed from the studio in his car, and made his way to Grand Island Mansion.
Truth be told, Christopher did go to Grand Island Mansion the night before. He had waited there for quite a long time, but Annabelle did not return.
Christopher dialed Annabelle’s number, but the woman did not answer the phone.
Christopher became worried, so he spared some time to visit and take a look.
When Christopher reached Grand Island Mansion, he rang the doorbell several times, but no one answered
the door.
He then entered the password and got inside. The mansion was quiet, but there was a pair of broken high heels and a bag casually thrown next to them by the shoe cabinet at the door.
Christopher stopped and swept a glance at the surroundings before he set foot inside. After he looked around downstairs, he went up to the second floor and headed straight to the room at the end of the corridor. He pushed open the door and stepped in, only to see nothing but pitch black in the room.
Christopher quickly found the switch and turned on the light in the room. NôvelDrama.Org content.
The sudden brightness made the woman who was lying in bed frown instinctively. After a while, she slowly opened her eyes.
“You’re awake?”
When Annabelle heard Christopher’s frosty, deep voice, she was still in a daze for a couple of seconds before finally landing her gaze on Christopher who stood beside the bed.
She frowned deeper at that sight. “Why are you here?”
Christopher shot Annabelle a glance and voiced nonchalantly, “Why didn’t you answer any of my calls? I even waited outside for a few hours last night but didn’t see you come back. I was also at the studio just now, and those workers were all busy packing up your paintings. What are you up to, Annabelle?”
Annabelle could not help but smile cynically at Christopher’s words. “What am I up to? How does that have anything to do with you?”
Christopher looked Annabelle in the eye with his deep eyes and said nothing.
Annabelle slowly sat up from the bed, only to reveal obvious hickeys all over her shoulders and neck.
Christopher froze for a bit and asked, “Did you go to Harry again?”
Annabelle hummed lightly in response.
Then came Christopher’s reminder. “I heard that he’s now spending more time with the young lady of the Lynch family. Looking at how things go, I think the two of them are planning to get married.”
Harry had quite an awkward identity and position in the Ziegler family. No matter how capable he was, as long as the Ziegler family patriarch led the Ziegler family, Harry could never rise to the top and become the head of it. Still, things would be different if he had the support of the Lynch family.
“I know that. I met Ms. Lynch last night. That’s all.” Annabelle curled her lips into a faint grin. “Don’t worry. though. I’m not going to do anything or have any relationship with him in the future. Last night was the last time”
“Well, as long as you know what to do,” Christopher replied.
The Lynch family only had one daughter, and she was the family’s treasure. If Annabelle were to remain
entangled with Harry, the Lynch family would never let the matter slide that easily once they found out about
it
Annabelle smiled again as she looked at Christopher and asked, “Back when we just came back from abroad, why didn’t you say any of these to me when I hooked up with Harry?”
Once again, Christopher kept mum.
“I guess you must’ve wished for me to drive a divorce between Harry and Yuliana at that time, right? That way, you can then swoop in and reap the benefits.” Annabelle’s eyes turned chilly.
Christopher paused for a while before he gave a response. “I can’t deny my feelings for Yuliana, but I didn’t think you would do that at that time, let alone expect Harry and Yuliana to get a divorce.”
A brief silence ensued in the room. Suddenly, Annabelle stated, “He didn’t get a divorce because of me.” Harry was no longer the same man as he had been in university. Back then, not only was he aloof and cold, but he also valued his dignity and pride more than anything. Yet, a man like him was willing to kneel in front of her and plead with her.
Things had changed, though. Not a trace of his younger self could be found in Harry’s current appearance. Harry had become money-minded. A utilitarian man through and through. In Harry’s eyes, benefits were more important than anything.
That was why Harry abandoned Yuliana without hesitation when she was no longer useful to him. On the contrary, considering that Ms. Lynch could be of some value to him, he naturally would not give up such a
good opportunity.
Christopher observed Annabelle’s indifferent expression. “Do you regret it?”
That made Annabelle curl her lips into a grin. “What’s there to regret? If I hadn’t dumped him then, he wouldn’t have gotten to where he was today. I couldn’t have really suffered in poverty with that poor man, could I? Besides, I’ve always been coveted by many. It’s not that hard to get myself someone better than Harry-”
Annabelle paused abruptly and eyed Christopher before she continued, “Or maybe someone even better than you, Christopher. So, don’t worry about me anymore. I’m no longer that young and naive girl I used to be. I won’t let anyone bully me that easily. I can protect myself”
With her legs retracted, Annabelle leaned against the headboard, and stared blankly ahead of her. “You don’t owe me anything anymore, Chris. The Solace family has given me everything I needed to be where I am today. Whatever debt there might be, the Solace family has already paid it all back to me. In the past, I was really afraid that you would leave me, so I really hated Yuliana. I feared that she might one day take you away from me. Actually, I’m just as scared now, but I know you can’t stay with me forever. I thought that as long as we got married, we’d stick together forever and keep each other’s company. But then I realized that you didn’t need my company.”
It was then that Annabelle stopped to ponder for a bit and went on, “I’m nothing but a burden that you can’t get rid of.”