My Mute Bride

Chapter 50 Pulled From Hell

“I remember that they were here.” The voice behind her was clear and powerful. “Am I correct, Rachel?”

As she slowly returned to her senses, Rachel spun around to look at Hans.

“Long time no see.” The man before her was a head taller than her. In the eight years that passed since she last saw him, his bright and handsome visage was more mature than in her memory, but his smile was as still as brilliant as ever.

In astonishment, she gaped and signed. How… Why are you here?

As his entire family emigrated eight years ago, she thought she would never see him again.

In her twenty-nine years of living, he was one of those rare folks who brought warmth to her life. Like a sun, he had brightened her entire youth. When she was lonely and helpless, he stood firm and unmoving by her side.

Now that they were in the cafe next to the library, where the rich smell of coffee wafted, Rachel studied the man in front of her for a long time, feeling like she was in a dream.

“I know I’m handsome, Rachel, but I’m going to blush if you keep looking at me like that,” Hans teased by batting his eyelids at her.

She couldn’t resist rolling her eyes at him. I see that your narcissism has never gone away, she retorted.

“Well, I’ll treat that as a compliment,” he chuckled before he looked out the window. “Things have changed a lot here, but you work in a good environment and it puts me at ease.”

When did you return? she asked.

“A while ago, but I was busy with the procedures surrounding my work transfer. If I knew your grandmother was in the hospital, I would have looked for you sooner to help you out.”

Work transfer?

A dumbfounded Rachel stared at Hans. You’re coming back for work?

“Of course. Did you think I was back on vacation?”

How about your parents… Midway through her signing, Rachel stopped as she suddenly realized that something was amiss.

Hans, who was seated opposite her, forced a smile before he admitted with a pained expression, “My mom… passed away two years ago.”

froze. I’m

why he had suddenly emigrated all those years ago was because of his ailing mother and she needed year-long treatment abroad. For the ease of receiving treatment, his father

okay.” Hans purposefully gave a breezy smile. “Two years have passed since then. My mother has suffered

a sudden, Rachel felt

extraordinarily gentle mom and that was how she raised a son with such a bright and warm

Snap!

reached out and snapped his fingers in front of Rachel’s face,

are you doing? she

I’ll have to comfort you instead. I remembered that when we were in high school and I broke my leg, you cried so hard

Rachel snickered.

forget about me. How are you

I—

she could finish signing, her

that it was a call from Frankie. All of a

the library right now, Mrs. Burton?” Frankie asked when

tapped once on the back of her

candy to your office as wedding favors for your coworkers. The candy is on its

wrongly? Was Justin actually arranging for her

Hans piped up opposite

his bright eyes, she felt inexplicably bitter. Nonetheless, she simply tapped on her phone once more and hung up after a

“Why do you look so

herself to be calm, Rachel shook her head. Nothing, she signed. It’s just that I’m needed back at the office

to work then. I don’t need you to keep me company.” With a sigh of relief, Hans slouched in his chair

up only for him to stop

“Haven’t you forgotten something?”

looked at Hans uncomprehendingly.

his cell phone at her. “Aren’t you going to leave me with a way to contact

glaring afternoon sun, his smile was so brilliant that it felt like he was pulling her from the

his phone down in

was still awkward and silly in a cute way just like all those