Exposing the Charade of Deep Affection - Season 1 Episode 5

I stopped, breathing hard. My fingertips went deep into my palm, and the pain made my scalp tingle.

Ashley walked up to me, looked at me mockingly with folded hands, and continued, “For so many years, Dad couldn’t accept you because of your filthy past. If Walter knew what happened to you five years ago, would he still let you stay at the Hinton’s place?”

Would he?

I didn’t know.

After a long time, I collected myself and calmed down. I looked at her coldly and said, “Ashley, if I don’t do something to you now, I will be very unhappy.”

She paused, stared at me warily, and said, “What … do you want?”

I smiled, and then my face turned cold. I went to the laboratory window and picked up a measuring cup that a man had just put down. Without waiting for Ashley to react, I poured the pale yellow liquid from the measuring cup over her. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to disgust her.

Ashley screamed, being caught off guard. The liquid was all over her face. When she realized what the yellowish liquid was, she stopped acting arrogant in front of me and ran straight to the bathroom, retching.

I felt better watching her leave. I put the measuring cup in the man’s hand and said, “Sorry. You might have to hold it in again.”

The man had yet to react. He gawked at the empty measuring cup, muttering, “My piss…”

I felt good finally.

I took a deep breath and was about to leave. Yet the second I turned around, I saw a man standing at the lobby door.

He wore an expensive bespoke suit and polished black shoes, and his face was aloof and cold. Though he was standing far away, I couldn’t help but think of the word “dignified”.

When did he get here?

I wanted to pretend that I didn’t see him, but that wouldn’t work, as he was already coming towards me. He stood in front of me, looking at me from a commanding position, without moving at all.

I was a bit flustered because of his stare. “If you feel bad for her, feel free to do the same to me.”

He seemed to chuckle. He picked up my sleeve, looked at my hand, and said, “Aren’t you disgusted?”

I looked at my fair hand, and then raised my head and said, “I didn’t touch it.”

Walter frowned, and there was clear disgust on his handsome face. “Go wash your hands!”

I didn’t bother to respond to him. I grabbed a tissue at the information desk, wiped my hands, looked at him, and said, “Ashley is in the bathroom. She’s probably retching now. I have something to do, so I’m leaving.”

Yet before I could take a few steps, someone pulled me.

Seeing that he didn’t want me to leave, I frowned and turned irritated gradually. “Mr. Hinton, if you want to make things right for her, hurry up. I’m busy.”

He frowned slightly, and there was faint helplessness within his handsome brows. “Your father is in hospital, and we should go visit him.”

I froze for a moment. So, he was planning on visiting Rudolf together with me?

We were outside the ward.

I knew that Rudolf and I would quarrel, so I asked Walter to get inside without me. I came back and sat outside the ward in a daze, and Eileen saw me.

Eileen sat next to me. “Tabatha, your father doesn’t have much time left. Stop being sulky, OK?”

I felt a little sad. I lowered my head and pursed my lips, remaining silent.

Noticing my silence, Eileen sighed, “All these years, though it seems that he has been mad at you, he’s really mad at himself for failing to protect you. You’re the apple of his eyes, and he raised you since you were a little girl. He dotes on you so much. Back then, after all the pain you suffered, the police sent you back, and when he saw you so skinny and bruised, he cried like a kid outside the ward, though he was such a tough man.”

I bowed my head and picked at my nails, feeling bitter. I said nothing.

Eileen took a deep breath. “Tabatha, your father has been hard on you all these years, because he was afraid that the same thing would happen to you again. He worked so hard to grow the Conner Group, because he figured that when one day he and I were gone, you … and Ashley could still live off the wealth that he had accumulated at the Conner Group for the rest of your lives. Stop being mad at him, OK?”

She held my hand, her eyes filled with helplessness and pleading.

Looking at her, I was silent for a moment, and then I said, “Mom, would you believe me if I said it wasn’t my willfulness that caused what happened?”

She nodded and smiled softly, “You are my daughter, so of course, I believe anything you say. But it’s over. We all have to move on. Stop dwelling on the past anymore, OK?”

I pressed my lips, knowing that even if I told her, it would still be the same. No one would believe me.

Forget it. Looking at Eileen, I said, “Mom, don’t worry. I won’t stay angry with him anymore.” Life passed away quickly. For the rest of Rudolf’s life, I would do what a daughter should do.

Hearing this, she smiled and said with relief, “That’s good. I’m glad.”

The door opened, and Walter came out. He was a cold man, and when he saw Eileen and I sitting together smiling, he paused and then stood beside us, aloof.

Seeing that, Eileen let go of me and smiled, “Alright then. I will take care of Rudolf, and you can go ahead to do your business. I’ll call you if there is anything.”

I got up, said bye to Eileen, and left with Walter.

I didn’t see Ashley till I went out of the hospital, and I figured that she had already been back because of the urine. I didn’t know Walter was coming to the hospital today, but came to think of it, the Hinton family’s upbringing was excellent. It was not surprising to learn that he would be at the hospital when he knew that Rudolf was sick.

“Thanks for coming to see my dad,” I stopped, looked back at him, and thanked him very formally.

He looked at me with no emotion in his dark eyes. He looked at me calmly for a moment and then said in a cold voice, “Tabatha, we are married.”