Justin was a straightforward man, so he didn’t quite understand the police officer’s words. He was stunned for a while before he nodded blankly, appearing a tad silly.
After the police officer had said a few more words, we then left the police station. Only then did Justin recognize me, and he murmured in embarrassment, “Thank you so much for making this trip. I owe you one.”
I merely smiled and told them to go home first since it was rather late.
Placing her hand on my shoulder, Emery then commented, “That guy seems rather simple and honest, but the girl appears to be quite ambitious. Is she working at Ashton’s company?”
I nodded in affirmation. “Yup. I’ve run into her a few times, and it’s indeed true. But then, it’s normal for a girl, I guess. She’s quite beautiful, so it’s not surprising that she’s ambitious.”
At that, Emery snorted without commenting further. “Dang, it’s almost ten o’clock now! I’ve got to go home, or Hunter will probably chew me out. We’ll hang out again and talk another time, okay?”
As she said that, she drove off.
Thus, it was only Camelia and I left. Looking at me, she hesitantly uttered, “Scarlett, I haven’t seen my child in a long time, so I miss him. I’d like to go home and see him.”
Hearing that, I chuckled softly. “I’ll drive you back now. Why are you so forlorn? I didn’t say that you’re not allowed to go home. I just wanted to bring you out for some fresh air and a change of pace. Your emotions are affected by every single action of his because you focus all your time and energy on the child and Marcus.
“Now that the baby has been weaned, you should really find a job or something else to occupy your time instead of making Marcus the center of your life. I know it may be difficult for you to change in a short time, but go slowly and make gradual progress. You’re still young, so you’ve got a long way ahead of you.”
She probably understood me, for she dazedly nodded while gazing at me. With her eyes fixed on me, she then declared solemnly, “Okay. I’ll do as you say.”
In the car, she leaned back against the passenger seat with her eyes closed after such an exhausting day. After driving for a while, White residence came into view. It was still the same, and only the surrounding landscape had been improved throughout the past few years.
The pond in the yard had been filled and replaced with fruit trees instead. It was winter then, so the leaves had all fallen, leaving the trees barren.
I parked the car beside the yard and watched as Camelia walked in. But just after she had taken a few steps, she suddenly turned and stared at me. With a serious expression, she asked, “Scarlet, if… This is just a suppositional question, okay? If Mr. Fuller is no longer here, would you settle for the next best thing and choose Marcus?”
I was startled for a moment before I stared right at her and locked gazes with her under the dim streetlights that were shining brightly. “No,” I answered resolutely. “As you said, it’s a suppositional question. There are no ifs in my world, and I’m an obstinate person. Since I’ve decided on Ashton, it would only be him for the rest of my life. Other than him, all others are merely ships passing in the night.”
As she looked at me, she heaved a sigh. A long while later, she nodded and murmured, “Okay, I got it.”
Well, well… that was quite a sudden question.
Sending her off with my eyes, I spaced out for a bit while staring at the filled pond. It seems impossible to return to the past. It was here at White residence back when I first met Marcus. At that time, he was taciturn, and indifference was written plainly on his face.
Then, I recalled the day when he brought me back here. When we alighted from the car, he chased after me from behind, and I accidentally pushed him into the pond. The winter that year was extremely chilly, so he fell ill the very next day. Later, my phone malfunctioned. As I pondered back in time, a long time had passed, so much so that I’ve almost forgotten all that.
After an eternity, I spun around to head back.
Unexpectedly, I caught sight of a black Bentley beside my car and froze for a moment. Someone was standing beside the car, and it was none other than Marcus, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time.
He stared at me intently with jet-black eyes without even blinking. In his black suit, he appeared lonely and apathetic. The oppressive aura emanating from him grew increasingly distinct.
“When did you arrive?” I queried as I walked toward the car. I had no idea whether I was so lost in my thoughts that I actually failed to hear the engine of his car.
Pursing his lips, he continued staring at me. His gaze was overly grim that a slither of fear inexplicably crept into me.
“You won’t choose me even if he hadn’t appeared?” he asked out of the blue, stunning me into utter stillness.
So… he heard my conversation with Camelia?
“Uh… As I said, there are no ifs.” As I looked at him, a brief trace of guilt assailed me, but it was merely there for a moment and gone the next. “Actually, we both know full well that there are no ifs. Ashton Fuller’s existence to me, well… Putting it simply, he’s my husband and lover. We’re like two pieces of driftwood, and it’s destiny as well as a blessing that we could meet amidst the vast sea of people to end up walking together hand in hand.
Putting it into perspective, he’s actually my happiness. He’s tantamount to the beacon in my life. His light enables me to persevere and continue forging on bravely. “Marcus, I don’t know your understanding of love, but to me, it’s definitely not something in which one can settle for the next best thing.
This has nothing to do with anyone because love is independent in itself. We can love a lot of people in our lifetime. Like you, you once loved me, and you’ll also fall in love with someone else in the future. But this thing between Ashton and I is no longer mere love. We’re more like a single entity, and we share the same body, so we need to face life together in the future.”
