My Mute Bride

Early the next morning, the sound of running water could be heard coming from inside the bathroom.

After doing up his necktie and fastening on golden cufflinks, Justin threw open the wardrobe door and pulled out a set of clothing. Tossing them on the bed, he ordered, “Get dressed and pack your things. You’re coming with me.”

The redness on Rachel’s face was slowly fading away, making her look pale and weakened. Where are you taking me?

“Why so many questions? Are you intending to tell Julian or someone else?”

Hearing that, she clutched the blankets tighter to herself and fell silent again.

The car sped the entire way.

Inside the car, Frankie looked in the rearview mirror for a moment at the two people in the backseat. The interior of the car was very strange and quiet.

Once they reached the hotel and the driver went to park, Frankie mumbled, “They were so quiet the whole way. I didn’t even dare breathe too loud. Are they fighting?”

Unimpressed, Ramsey side-eyed him. “President Burton was never especially chatty and Mrs. Burton can’t

speak. Why wouldn’t they be quiet? Did you expect President Burton to speak up first?”

With a pause, Frankie conceded that Ramsey had a point and that he was probably reading into things too much.

After all, if the couple were truly quarreling, Rachel wouldn’t have come on this business trip with Justin.

By the time they reached Brookville, it was already late in the morning.

Since Justin had to rush off to the meeting, he left Frankie behind to handle Rachel’s check-in.

“I’ll leave your luggage here, Mrs. Burton. If there’s anything you would like to eat or drink, the hotel menu is over there and you can eat downstairs or call for room service.”

The moment she entered the room, Rachel sunk down on the couch, looking listless.

Seeing that she wasn’t responding, Frankie added, “You must be tired. The car ride was very long. We were all quite surprised that President Burton was willing to do so much traveling just to celebrate your birthday.”

Celebrate my birthday?

Astonished, she jerked her head up and gaped at Frankie.

two days and might not

door and the room

words were still ringing in Rachel’s

to Riverdale from Brookville just to celebrate

bottom of her apartment building when he saw her and Julian handing cake out to the children, as well as her telling Julian

he was

Julian or because

her mind were

out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of

the mirror had her hair tangled around her shoulders. Her face was gaunt and her eyes were dull

did / start looking like that? She

would I assume Justin was starting to fall in love with

can that

chimed as a

have a new development on

eyebrows jerked skyward at the

killer? Who

have a new lead. Let me show you a picture. See if

message, Rachel received

in a black jacket, he

Suddenly, her heart clenched.

had met this person

highway and brought her back to Southwind Villa. It was also the person who watched over her with his men after

is Winston. He’s one of Justin’s

Tran-Q that day, carrying an aluminum box. If I had

started to shake as she could guess what Janice was

killed to prevent him from spilling the beans. Be on your guard, Rachel. Hans’ death might be related to Justin and you mustn’t be tricked

the screen, she couldn’t keep herself from starting to

any breath. She felt like she was drowning or crushed beneath a large boulder. No matter

an interminable length of time, Rachel finally sucked in a deep

down her cheeks and a silent roar echoed in

a huge circle, Hans’ death was

herself to calm down and reply to Janice, ‘Is there anything I can