It was true that Ashton and I should not meddle in the affairs of the Crest family, but whenever I thought about the workers at the chemical plant, I could not just turn a blind eye. Most of the people working there did not come from rich families. A lot of them had labored and toiled their whole life just to make ends meet. If they fell sick, they would drag their families down.
And it was not just one family that we were talking about. A lot of families were at stake here.
It only took the breadwinner to fall sick for the entire family to lose everything.
Sasha was a good example. Her old parents had worked hard their whole life just to bring her up. Alas! Sasha didn’t live long and the seniors had to fend for themselves for the rest of their lives.
“I’ll send someone to look into the chemical plant. As for Kristina, I’m sure her uncle will be able to be of help. He’s a bone cancer specialist, so you don’t have to worry about her.”
“But she refuses to go back. She already rented out the house Jared gave her in K City. She’s now staying in a small room in the urban village instead. I bumped into her at the bar yesterday, soliciting. I didn’t know how to dissuade her from working there, so I just left my bank card with her.”
“You shouldn’t bother yourself with any of these. Everyone has their own way of living. You can’t change everybody,” Ashton replied.
“Alright,” I replied curtly. “Remember to come back earlier. By the way, Nick is getting married. My mom is preparing for his engagement, so you’d better come home earlier. I want us all to attend as a family.”
Ashton chuckled at the good news. “Okay, I’ll try to go back as soon as possible. You’d better stay home tonight. It’s not safe to hang out so late.”
“I know, please stop nagging me.”
Beside me, Emery shot me an impatient look and whispered, “Scarlett, can we go yet? We’re not here to see you and Ashton being lovey-dovey.”
“I know right? Stop rubbing it in my face,” Camelia agreed.
I smiled and said goodbye to Ashton before ending the call. “Let’s go to the hairdresser first,” I said to Emery.
Spending money could also be a way of venting negative emotions.
This was especially true for Camelia and Emery. Both of them picked the most handsome hairdressers at the best salon and started talking to them as they got their hair done. Each of them spent thousands buying products and getting a makeover.
Emery spotted the despise in my eyes. “I feel happy when I spend money. Besides, the two young men were really handsome and I had a great time talking to them. I think it’s money well spent.”
“Yeap, I agree,” Camelia interjected, “I haven’t been this happy for a long time. This feels better than going for a drink at the bar. I came out looking prettier and in a better mood, so it’s worth the money.”
Now that they put it that way, I could only say that they had put their money to good use.
Our next stop was the beauty salon. By the time we finished a spa, it was already afternoon.
I just got out of the spa when Kristina called. “I don’t need your card. I’ll take the cash as your accommodation fee and for taking up my time yesterday. As for the card, you can take it back.”
“Sure, you can give it back to me, but I’ll need to make this clear—you need to go back to J City if you refuse to take the card. Your uncle is a bone cancer specialist, he will figure out a way to cure you. If you keep up the stubborn act, you’ll only end up putting your life on the line. If you refuse to go back, then I’m not taking back the card. You can take it as a token of appreciation for what you did for Summer.”
A long silence ensued. “Why are you helping me?”
I found myself asking the same question. Why am I helping her?
It took me some time to think of a reason. “I don’t know why I’m helping you, but I don’t have peace in my heart if I leave you just like that. Actually, I’m just returning the favor. After all, you’re the one who reminded me about Summer. So let’s call it even between us.”
“So you ended up being my savior. How ironic,” she said, her voice soft and mellow. “But still, thank you. I know it’s no use saying this, but I still want to let you know I’m grateful.”
I did not say another word but hung up after that.
I felt a burden lifted off my chest after the call. Actually, I was not even sure if Kristina would accept my offer. She might continue working at the bar, and this would make me feel bad for her. However, it also meant she would have to accept the bank card. Although there was not a lot of money in it, it was still enough to last her some time. I hope she would be able to think things through and return to J City and the Larson family. It would be better to be around people who could help her.
