Chapter 10 Isn’t That Daphne Montgomery?

How did it feel to enter a new life? Despite a slew of worries, or the fact that she didn’t have a place to stay, Daphne was soaring with happiness.

Pedestrians were very rare on the roads along a villa residential area.

Daphne dragged her suitcase along with one hand, its wheels squeaking along the road, as she dialed a number on her cell phone with the other.

“Phoebe, mm, it’s me. Are you home? Can I come over? I need to use your computer…”

Daphne chatted with Phoebe on the phone as she walked. She noticed a car driving toward her on the road and stepped onto the curb. Unexpectedly, the car slowed down and finally stopped a few steps away from her.

Daphne held onto her phone and stared at the car, perplexed.

The car window winded down, and a surprised man stuck out his head and stared at her.

He was very handsome. He had gentlemanly features and wore a pair of frameless glasses with gold rims on the sides. He exuded a bookish charm, which gave a good impression at first glance.

They had been separated for three years. When Daphne finally met Cedric again, she was still rendered speechless, dumbstruck.

Even the sound of the wind seemed to stop. Phoebe was still speaking to her on the phone, but Daphne unconsciously ended the call. She stared at Cedric steadily, unblinkingly.

The sun in California must have been scorching. He had gotten a tan.

“Ah, if it isn’t my big sister. What are you doing here?”

Beatrice’s girlish voice rang aloud, like a huge slap on her face, snapping Daphne out from her daze.

Beatrice usually referred to Daphne as her younger sister. This was her first time calling her older sister.

Daphne smirked mockingly and lowered her and softly called out to him, as she usually did, “Cedric.”

Silence.

Suddenly, a soft noise was heard. Then Daphne heard the sound of a car door opening. A pair of leather shoes appeared in front of her view in less than two seconds.

“Daphne, it’s a really hot day. Where are you going?” Cedric’s voice spoke to her from the top of her head. His voice was just as melodious as ever.

Daphne was taken aback. She felt as if her ears had been filled with the sound of running water, all of a sudden.

“Cedric, get back in. The sun’s really hot today. Tell Daphne to get in the car if you want to talk to her. I don’t mind.”

Beatrice’s sickeningly sweet voice sounded more like a taunt to Daphne’s ears.

“Bea had a class reunion yesterday, so I went with her. I had a little too much to drink by the end of the night, that’s why I didn’t come home. I was on my way back today to see you. You’re not angry at me, are you, Daphne? Bea says that you’ve had to work a few jobs every day. Why are you pushing yourself so hard?” Cedric asked in a deep voice.

‘Class reunion…’

If she hadn’t heard it herself, she would have stupidly believed him.

Daphne had an aching question for Cedric—would a class reunion be held at a pool?

But what was the use in asking these questions now?

Was she supposed to tell him that she had worked a few jobs in order to save up for a plane ticket?

“I’m not angry with you. You should go. I have some matters to attend to, so I’ve got to go too. We’ll talk again when we get the chance.”

Daphne lifted her head and smiled at Cedric.

Beatrice was dressed gorgeously and sitting in the car, enjoying the air conditioning. Daphne was standing on the side of the road, carrying her luggage bag.

She looked like a joke from every angle.

Cedric looked at Daphne in surprise. He moved his lips and was about to say something, but Daphne wouldn’t give him that chance. She walked right past him, dragging her luggage along.

The squeaking sound of its wheels filled the air again. Cedric turned back and stared at Daphne as she left. He frowned irritably.

Beatrice was eyeing Daphne through the rearview mirror in the car, then looked at Cedric. Her eyes flashed with malice.

‘She’s already so far away. Why is he still staring at her?’

Daphne arrived at the bus stop and waited for a bus to arrive under the hot sun. It was 3:00 p.m., when the sun was at its hottest in the sky.

Despite being surrounded by boiling heat, Daphne’s mind was clear.

Places with the cheapest rent in G City were located outside the main city center, but public security around those areas was abysmal. The locations may be closer to her university, but they would be very far from her part-time job.

Besides, she had Joan to consider and would also have to consider the distance between their home and the market…

Nicholas was sitting in the back of a Rolls-Royce, with a beautiful girl in his arms. He listened to Lucas’s brief on his schedule for the next three days while flirting with her.

“Master Nicholas, the location for this summit will be in A City. The organizers are urging you to attend. Even an appearance would be fine too,” Lucas explained.

Nicholas was barely interested. “How many days?” he asked, absent-mindedly.

He had a bet with that girl, and the deadline was in one week. It wouldn’t do for him to be away for too long.

“They may have asked for a simple appearance, but if you really do go, they certainly would let a good opportunity like that slip past. It’ll probably end up with a reception lasting four to five days.”

Lucas efficiently calculated the entire journey.

‘Four to five days…’

Nicholas’s gaze darkened. “Not going!” he replied in an icy voice.

“I’ll let them know then,” Lucas immediately replied. He turned around and was just about to make the call when he inadvertently glanced to the side. He raised his head to look out the window and asked, “Hey, Master Nicholas. Isn’t that Daphne Montgomery?”

Lucas remembered Daphne’s name very clearly, as she was the first-ever woman to reject Nicholas’s offer to become his mistress. Besides, he had a highly retentive memory.

Nicholas was fiddling with the woman’s hand. He clenched his hand around her when he heard this, and the beautiful woman immediately screamed in pain, crying tears of agony.

“M-master Nicholas… It hurts… P-please let go… It hurts…” cried the woman. However, Nicholas didn’t seem to hear her. His almond eyes were fixed outside the window. He lifted his gaze and immediately saw Daphne, who was standing in front of the bus stop.

“Drive over there!” Nicholas ordered icily.

His quick-witted chauffeur had already slowed down the vehicle when Lucas mentioned Daphne’s name. Now, with Master Nicholas’s orders, he hit the accelerator and drove toward her.

…

Daphne stared suspiciously at the black car that had stopped in front of her. She was wondering whose car this was—he simply had no road ethics, stopping in front of a bus stop like that. Besides, no one had gotten out of the car.

In reality, Nicholas was feeling rather downcast in the car. He had given the order to drive over by impulse and was now regretting it.

‘Why the hell did I ask to drive here? The bet isn’t over. There’s still one more week left!’

Nicholas remained silent. The atmosphere in the car was strangely silent.

Knowing Nicholas’s working style, Lucas had a principle of giving his boss solutions out of difficult situations. He paused thoughtfully, then carefully suggested, “Master Nicholas, perhaps… We should invite Miss Montgomery into the car?”