My Mute Bride

Rachel wanted to scatter the powder that Nancy had given her onto the buttons of the keypad. With a mini-flashlight that she brought around everywhere, Rachel ensured that every number on the keypad had been covered with some powder before she shut the wardrobe and left the room.

It began to rain in the evening, and the skies were dark by the time Justin got home. He saw a figure sitting in his living hall the moment he entered the house. “What are you doing here?”

Rachel looked up from the magazine she was reading and replied in a matter-of-factly tone, “Did you forget that I sent Charlotte back earlier?”

Justin seemed rather displeased. “What I meant was, what are you still doing here?” Charlotte got home hours ago. What time is it now? Justin thought.

“Well, I did you a favor, right? Why can’t you offer me dinner or something?” Rachel said.

“Don’t you have food at home? Do you need to eat here?” Justin was obviously annoyed. “You’d better not think that you’ll be able to gain control over me just because you managed to win Charlotte’s heart. What happened in the past is in the past. I’m not someone who likes looking back.”

“You’re thinking too much.” Rachel shot a glance at the room upstairs. “Charlotte has a slight fever, and I stayed back because I was rather worried.”

Justin’s pupils shrank a little after he heard what Rachel said. When Rachel tucked Charlotte into bed earlier, she had already realized how the young girl seemed rather unwell. After taking Charlotte’s temperature, Rachel found that Charlotte had a slight fever. It was probably because Charlotte had dressed too thinly for a windy day out.

g to the room, Justin took the young girl’s temperature once more. His fatherly gaze was filled with tenderness as he gently placed his large palm against Charlotte’s tiny face. Charlotte was half awake as she let out a soft mumble. “Mommy…”

Justin’s face fell a little. Rachel was too far to hear what Charlotte had said, but she assumed that Justin was worried because of the grim look on his face. “Don’t worry, it’s only normal for kids to have mild fevers and headaches. She’ll be a lot better after she gets some rest,” Rachel said.

He simply responded with a slight nod. The rain only got heavier by the time they left Charlotte’s room and went downstairs. “I’ll leave now,” Rachel said.

Justin glanced out the window before he replied, “You didn’t leave when the weather was good earlier, and you’re telling me that you’re leaving now when it’s raining. Are you expecting me to make you stay?”

“Honestly, no. I would’ve left if Charlotte didn’t have a fever, and I don’t need to worry now since you’re home,” Rachel uttered. “I have food waiting for me at home,” she added to prove her point.

car’s engine rumbled by the front entrance. Rachel took an umbrella from the porch as she walked out. “Can I borrow one of

help but follow her to the living hall, where he glanced out the full-length window by the side. He could clearly see the woman’s back as she walked out and got into a car. Someone’s actually here

car. Nancy drove her home at an extremely slow speed as the wipers could barely wipe off the heavy droplets of rain on the windshield. “The rain is so heavy tonight. This could’ve been your perfect excuse to spend a night there. You might’ve even managed to get

up?”

excuse for me to stay, so don’t you think Justin might’ve considered that too?” Rachel asked in

afraid that he’d get suspicious of you?”

gone to his safebox on the same night, and she wouldn’t have had a chance

now? You can’t say that you’re going over to visit

the umbrella handle. “There’ll be

paid a visit to Justin’s office after they got out of a meeting in the

Justin uttered from

Burton.” He lifted his head when he heard

you doing here?” he

the umbrella she was holding in her hand. “I’m here to return your

as an excuse to visit my place again. What’s this? What’s the rush?” he asked as he pushed his signed documents to one side

someone who’s that desperate to achieve something?” Rachel asked as she placed the umbrella into the holder beside the door. “I’ll

“Wait,” he muttered.

anything else?”

to invite you over after work,” he continued. An exasperated look surfaced on his face when he saw how quiet Rachel seemed. “You can forget about it if you’re

free,” she

his sentence. He only lifted his head again after he heard his