A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 307
Seeing Arielle’s innocent smile, Henrick shook his head in exasperation. “I don’t think you understood a word of what I just said! Anyway, after this, just think of a way to hire someone who will stay around him at all times, like a bodyguard or an assistant. You need to watch him closely, Arielle, and bear his child as soon as possible to consolidate your position.”
Arielle’s sweet smile remained on her lips. “Okay,
Dad.”
Mumbling something inaudible in response, Henrick shut his eyes and pretended to sleep.
He had not realized that although Arielle was smiling, it never reached her eyes, which had been cold as ice throughout their entire exchange.
Even so, as she gazed through the car window at the scenery they were passing by, she could not help but think about what her father had just said.
Would Vinson really be surrounded by lots of women out there? Would those women be fighting to climb their way into his bed? Why wouldn’t they, though? After all, besides his unpredictable temper, he really doesn’t seem to have any other flaws.
However, she quickly shook off the thought. Why would he sign the contract with me if he was that sort of man?
Thus, she simply massaged her forehead and tried not to overthink the matter.
The sky soon darkened.
After an entire day journeying through highways and then mountainous roads, they finally arrived at Henrick’s hometown, the village of Bellridge.
The village was rich with coal mines. As proprietors of the coal mining business, it was exactly this reason that the Southalls had managed to make their fortune.
However, as Arielle gazed at her surroundings, she observed something strange about the village.
By right, given the nature of this area, every family should be loaded with wealth. Yet, every house they passed by was badly damaged.
Not only that, but there was not a single decent-looking house in sight. Instead, the houses throughout the village were all old and dilapidated.
How could this be?
Just as Arielle was puzzling over the question…
Boom! A loud rumbling reverberated through the air, and she could feel the earth shaking even though she was in the car.
Is that… an earthquake?
Instinctively glancing out of the car window, she
watched as tiles fell off the roof of a house, shattering into pieces as they hit the ground.
“Was that an earthquake, Dad?” Arielle turned to Henrick anxiously.
Looking as if he was still groggy with sleep, Henrick rubbed his bleary eyes as he assured, “No, it isn’t. Don’t worry, that’s just the sound of them using explosives in the coal mines.”
Arielle instantly felt relieved.
He’s right. It can’t be an earthquake since there aren’t any cracks on the ground. It must indeed just be the effects of the explosives going off.
However, the next thought that popped into her mind was how drastically these occurrences must be affecting the villagers.
In certain countries, once the authorities were alerted of such happenings, they would inevitably shut down the relevant coal mines or otherwise prohibit them from carrying on with their operations.
Before she could ponder more about it, however, the car stopped before a house of which the main structures were built with steel.
“We’re here. Let’s get off!” stated Henrick.
Hearing that, Arielle opened the door and exited the car at once.
As she observed the house, she noticed it was still rather poorly constructed despite being built with much stronger materials. In fact, it looked completely ordinary and did not bear the image of Henrick’s ancestral home at all.
What’s wrong with this man? Is he so stingy he could not be bothered to build a nicer home for his mother?
However, she dispelled the thought almost at once. After all, she could not deny the fact that the pocket money he had given her was seven figures and above when she first returned home.
Her confusion was soon cleared up when she stepped into the compound and the cynical voice of an old woman rang out from within the house.
“I’ve said this numerous times before – I don’t have money to pay any of you to fix your homes! Aren’t your houses still standing? What’s there to fix? Besides, look at the state of my house. I can’t afford to fix it either! Why then would I have any money for any of you! Look, the coal mine isn’t making any profits at the moment. You should be grateful that you’re even given a paycheck at all!”
