In Love, Never Say Never

In love, never say never chapter 1026

Death sentence?

I spent the rest of the afternoon chatting with Laurel and Tabitha, then returned to the villa.

I arrived to see Nora in the midst of moving out of the villa next door, much to my astonishment. She’d hired a bunch of professional movers who streamed in and out of the doorway toting boxes of various sizes.

Nora stood just outside the door supervising them, occasionally reminding them to be careful with her things.

I stood rooted to the spot in the yard, watching her. Nora saw me out of the corner of her eye and turned in my direction. Our eyes met, and I could see that hers were swollen and red with crying even at that distance.

What on earth has happened?

I hadn’t much of a clue what had transpired and didn’t suppose it was a suitable time to ask. I smiled at Nora embarrassedly, then stepped into the villa. Ashton was still stuck at Moranta fighting Armond. Cameron had originally extended an invitation to Summer and me to return to K City in the meantime. However, I was busy resenting Armond for having deceived me and in no mood for socializing.

I was vexed but was determined to try and accomplish something.

Back at the villa, I collapsed onto a chair in fatigue. At that moment, the doorbell rang.

I strolled over and peered out of the window. Nora was standing outside, patiently waiting for me beyond the gate of my yard.

I hastily walked out to the yard and beckoned her. “Do you want to come in?”

Nora shook her head. She replied glumly, “It’s all right. I came over to return this to you.” Having thus declared, Nora wriggled the bracelet that she was wearing off her arm, then handed it to me. Channing had originally given me a matching set of bracelets. I’d given one to Nora and kept one for myself. They weren’t worth much, but they were a significant token of my and Nora’s friendship.

I looked down at the bracelet lying in Nora’s outstretched palm, then looked back at Nora. “This bracelet belonged to your grandmother. If you’re here to ask for it back, I’ll return it to you. There’s no need for you to return anything to me. I gave the bracelet to you in the first place because of the relationship between our families and because I believed that our friendship was genuine. I never thought that anything could ever come between us. I see now that perhaps I was wrong. Even if that’s the case, I don’t want your bracelet. I gave it wholeheartedly to you back then, and I don’t intend to ask for it back even though things have turned sour between us. You can do whatever you like with it. Throw it away if you wish.”

I turned to shut the gate without waiting for her reply.

Nora, however, stopped the gate with one swift motion. She paused, then said in a trembling voice, “Thank you, Scarlett.”

I smiled faintly but said nothing. I had a rather accepting attitude towards friendships and whichever winding paths they ultimately took. I had never pursued anyone, accepting the eventual end of any relationship stoically. In the three years that I’d spent waiting for Ashton, I knew that despite how much I loved him, I would never fight for our relationship if he’d decided to give it up.

If I wasn’t even ready to strive for the person I’d loved wholeheartedly, I won’t be willing to chase after a friendship. Nora was presently entangled in her own difficulties, and I thought the best course of action would be to retreat and respect whatever decision she made.

Since Nora had evidently made her choice to part ways with me, there was no point dwelling any further. I thus chose to flash a bright smile at her and replied, “There’s no need to thank me. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.”

It was an absolutely meaningless, patronizing phrase that I’d always loathed. I now uttered it with absolute sincerity, however. I did hope that Nora and I would each come to find our own happiness eventually.

It was truly goodbye. I would no longer continue journeying through life with Nora, but I hoped that my well-wishes would remain with her when I could not.

The metal gate closed with a steely clang. I exhaled, then walked slowly back into my villa. Just as I was about to head into the room to sleep, the doorbell rang a second time. I opened it to see Nora still standing outside.

Staring fixedly at me, she muttered, “Whether you believe me or not, I have to tell you that I was drunk that night at the Imperial Hotel. If I had known that he would have turned out to be so violent, I would never have dreamt of calling you. I never wanted to cause you any harm, not even once.”

I looked at her and smiled as it was a relief. “I know. I never once thought of blaming you. Don’t worry. Go on back.”

I had indeed never blamed Nora for anything that had happened. I was merely wary that Armond had been using Nora as a pawn all along.

I was on the verge of swinging the gate back shut when Nora piped up. “Brandon’s woman was bought over by Tessa. You should be careful. It’s not safe for you to stay here alone.”

I looked at Nora, bewildered at her sudden revelation. “Got it, thank you,” I hesitated then added, “I’ll be sure to take care of myself.”

Nora hung her head, then turned and walked back to her villa.

I looked at her departing figure with a twinge of regret. Nora was never malicious. She’d simply made the mistake of falling in love with the wrong man.

…

It had never occurred to me to spy on Tessa. I’d initially planned on meeting her in person but was worried about alarming her. If I confronted Tessa directly, there was a possibility that she would reveal everything to Armond. He would then make a move against Brandon who was vulnerable and at his mercy now. The truth was Armond had no weaknesses so far. At the same time, he was cold-blooded and poisons filled his veins. Thus, he would want to ensure complete secrecy by sending Brandon to his maker to seal his mouth forever.

In love, never say never chapter 1027

Hence, I was resolved not to tell Tessa anything for fear that the information would simply be passed on to Armond. I was afraid that before I could even get around to persuading Brandon, he would already have died under suspicious circumstances in prison.

It wasn’t difficult to uncover news about Tessa. We moved about in the same circles, after all. One could easily obtain any desired information with some effort. Nuthana Gardens was a newly-developed piece of property. Not long after it was completed, its prices skyrocketed, and it was now sold for at least ten thousand per square foot. An apartment of a thousand and five hundred square feet was worth around fifteen million. Tessa had neither a stable job nor a steady source of income and had no projects on hand. Her sudden wealth had naturally raised queries in both Tabitha and Laurel’s minds. How could a village girl have acquired enough to buy both a posh apartment and a luxury car in just a few months?

Armond was clearly rewarding Tessa handsomely. What is Tessa doing for him that warrants such a hefty sum? I wondered. Armond wasn’t a spendthrift character. I thought of what had happened in Moranta. A niggling thought arose within my mind. Has Tessa been part of Armond’s numerous evil schemes?

I had no access to the residential area at Nuthana Gardens. It boasted tight security, and external visitors had no way of entering without permission from a resident. I could thus only observe discreetly from one of its exits.

It was the only method available but also the most labor-intensive. I waited an entire afternoon before Tessa’s car pulled up at the entrance around four in the late afternoon. She drove a black Mercedes-Benz that was the latest model.

watched as the car entered the basement carpark, then fished out my phone to call Laurel. I had intended on inviting her out along with Tessa. Before I

you sitting out there for the entire day? Did anything

baffled for a moment. Then, I suddenly recalled that Ashton had arranged for a bodyguard to watch over me from afar. I giggled sheepishly. “It’s nothing! I wanted to snoop on Tessa a little, so I waited outside her residence to see when she came back. The security here at Nuthana Gardens is way too tight, and I have no way of entering. So sitting

of the line for a while. When he next spoke, there was a note of resignation in his tone. “Scarlett, when will

it had been completed. I’m sending the key over to

win Brandon over,” I replied. I’d already

anymore in this matter. I’ve already made plans to handle this. Go back to K City and take care of yourself. If you’re bored of

tell me just what he’d planned. Exasperated, I fumed, “I’m going to stay in A City. Armond took all of us for a ride from the start. If I don’t get to witness his conviction and imprisonment,

In a patient voice, he soothed, “It’s not time yet. Don’t rush into things. Just leave everything to

bit my lip in frustration. Ashton was once again treating me with the same patronizing manner as he would a child. It

Someone arrived shortly thereafter with the keys. I was still harboring resentment towards Ashton for his condescension earlier. I was in no mood to continue with the investigation any further that

I turned and headed

the events that had occurred. I felt as if everything I’d done had been rendered worthless and grew even more

that I had to go to K City to attend her wedding. Amidst my busyness, I’d totally forgotten about it. I hurriedly replied to Hannah

had been scheduled for two days

City first. After Hannah’s wedding, I’d immediately return to

…

suburbs. It wasn’t much of a drive away at all. Hannah had familiarized herself with the customs there.

sat in a cafe in the city center, Hannah’s radiant smile nearly filled the room. When she caught sight of me entering, Hannah looked overwhelmed with elation. She greeted me enthusiastically, then fired, “Why did you stay in A City for so long?

want him to stay

grandly got to her feet and did a small pirouette. Noticing that all eyes in the cafe had immediately fastened themselves upon her, Hannah immediately sat down bashfully once again. “Did

at the sight of Hannah’s sober face. “Don’t you think you look beautiful now? Even

say never

days! What if I can’t fit into my dress? I can’t possibly ask his mother to alter it on the spot, can I? The dress was custom-made and embroidered by hand! It cost an absolute fortune! I’m on the verge of moving out.

the traces of a smile hovering over her lips. I grinned at that. If a little weight gain was all that Hannah had to worry about for the rest of her marriage, she’d have many blissful

rambling was finally put to a stop by an incoming call from Chandler. She answered the phone only to redirect

outsider in this romantic display of affection. I surveyed around the cafe casually. Abruptly, a familiar

I couldn’t be certain that the figure was indeed who I’d taken it to be. I squinted as hard as I could in

She was similarly taken aback. Hannah quickly mumbled into the phone, “Chandler, I

ended the call, Hannah hauled me out of the cafe. When we’d gotten outside, she

wavered, unable to say for

her, however, but merely continued observing from a

see people dashing from place to place. Nobody paid any heed to the sight of a woman pulling

looked at me with a horrified expression. “It’s only seven in the evening! It’s not even midnight yet. Is she doing what I think she’s

wore a revealing dress that exposed various areas of her body with utter disregard for the winter cold. She looked as indecent as

sufficient for attracting stares anywhere she went. If the scene unfolding before our eyes had played out anywhere else, I would never

notorious red-light district. Vice oozed out of every pore of her. Rebecca’s scantily-clad self, placed against

Rebecca’s cries now, clear as a bell. “Mr. Tuffin, you promised that as long as I agreed, you’d give me the money! Now that I’ve done it, how can you go back

fished out a couple of bills from his wallet and flung

Did we just witness Rebecca selling herself? How

Rebecca, Joe clearly worshipped her. He would never have sanctioned this degradation

cold. Clutching herself to preserve what little bit of

as if to confirm what we’d just beheld. Haltingly, Hannah asked, “That was Ms.

Rebecca had slipped off to, then nodded

Wasn’t she so glamorous previously? How did she suddenly end up like this? What in the world happened?” Hannah asked urgently. She was evidently still in

have the answers to Hannah’s questions and said so frankly. “I don’t know what just happened either. I think Ashton gave her an apartment and a car that we never asked her to return. Joe has also given her lots of money. There’s really no

lip. Soberly, she said, “Come on, let’s

Imperial Hotel had left me with a lingering uneasiness. I hesitated, then shook my head. “I don’t really want to. It’s too chaotic over there and

you. Don’t

slips of clothing. The DJ’s hollers were deafening over the speakers, and the drunk partygoers gyrated to the pulsing

with all of these people? Have

on my arm as we move through the crowd, searching for Rebecca. But, she seemed to have vanished off the face of

pondered this, then realized, “She’s in terrible need of money, isn’t she? She should be hard

exaggeratedly. “That’s right! Why didn’t

love, never say never

the front counter of the nightclub but were promptly ignored by the staff. While we were there, we heard a patron making enquiries if there were girls available to spend the night

I whispered to Hannah,

at the front counter should have been a new patron. He may have come from overseas, been here on business, or was simply here to try something new. There was a phone number on the card. I’m guessing

didn’t understand. “What do you mean? What will

all apartments occupied by women. The staff at the nightclub connect these women with their

“Surely Rebecca can’t be in such

K City socialite named Jordyn Bloom. I heard that she’s a sophisticated woman who just returned from studying in Granatano. She’s only in her early twenties and is a young and pretty lady. It’s a pity that her parents pushed her to marry so quickly. Who

asked doubtfully. “Is he really engaged to

care of Summer, so I didn’t want to bother you with this frivolous gossip. Apparently, after Jordyn found out about Joe’s playboy ways, she made a fuss and wanted to terminate the engagement. Jordyn only went

about which one of us Ashton would choose, Rebecca or me. Even though I had defeated her, I could not find it in me to rejoice after seeing Rebecca’s predicament. Perhaps I had also never really believed that Ashton would leave me for Rebecca. Besides,