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The wind outside the window was getting stronger and stronger. Tree branches swayed and rustled, forming countless dark, wavering shadows outside the window.
The clock on the wall was ticking.
After a long while, Doloresâ legs were a little numb, and she felt her body was slightly warm. Matthew carried her upstairs and laid her on the bed. She felt a little drowsy. In the morning, she felt a little cold when she stepped into the rain, but she didnât mind.
But now, after lying down in the blankets, she still felt a little cold.
He could vaguely hear someone say to him, âGo to sleep.â
She opened her eyes slightly and looked at him blurrily, asking worriedly, âAnd you?â.
Dolores got no answer. She felt very sleepy, these few days she had not had much rest, and today was particularly tiring for her.
Her consciousness gradually drained away and soon, she fell into a deep sleep.
She was awakened by a loud clap of thunder in the middle of the night.
The room was dark and there was only a dim, warm yellow light burning on the bedside table. The windows were shut tight, and from the curtains she could vaguely see the drops of water on the glass, spilled by the heavy rain.
There was no one beside her. The sheets were neat, and only his side was rumpled. Matthew did not lie down on the bed. Remembering how he behaved in the study, Dolores got out of bed, went downstairs and pushed open the study door. There was no one inside, and the only sound she could hear was the dripping of rain outside.
He searched throughout the villa, but could not find it.
He desperately knocked on Boyceâs door. It just so happened that Boyce had also been awakened by the thunder, so he immediately opened his door at the sound of the knocking. Dolores stood in the doorway and anxiously asked, âHeâs missing.â
Boyce furrowed his eyebrows, âWhat?â Matthew had disappeared?
âWait for me, Iâm going to change.â Boyce closed the door and went into his room.
Dolores stayed in the living room and looked outside. Because of the rain, the sky was very dark, and she couldnât see a hint of light. She opened the door and instantly the cold wind blew in. Dolores shivered in the cold breeze, put on her slippers and headed for the garage. There was one car down, so Matthew must have gotten out.
Boyce came out and saw Dolores standing outside in fine clothes. He frowned and said to her, âEven though the weather is getting better, itâs still cold if it rains. Go and put on something thicker, Iâll find it next to you.â
Dolores turned around and looked at him, âI may know where he went.
If he had an idea, it would be easier. Boyce urged her to put on thicker clothes. Dolores thought she might have a fever as she still felt a little dizzy, but the important thing now was to look for Matthew first.
She put on a jacket and changed her shoes. Then Boyce held the umbrella for her and walked her to the car.
âWeâre going to the Q cemetery.â
Boyce cocked his head and looked at her, but said nothing and drove in the direction of the Q cemetery. All of City B was engulfed in the heavy rain that was lashing down hard.
A black figure was standing on the green stone steps of the Q cemetery. The chrysanthemums on the ground and the smell of the rain mingled, making it look even more pitiful.
A man stood silently in front of the lone gravestone, staring at the black and white photo on the headstone.
The first time he had seen it was when Jayden had brought it home. At the time, he thought that woman was the reason he had lost his mother. When the maid handed him a cup of tea, he blatantly threw it on the floor and broke the china cup, splashing hot tea everywhere. She immediately ran to him. However, instead of reprimanding him for being unreasonable, she set about checking whether he was hurt or not.
At that moment, he thought that woman was very good at pretending.
She pretended to be worried about him, pretended to be nervous and worried as if she were his own mother.
When he realized that she was actually his own biological mother, he couldnât take the step and address her, even though she was right in front of him.
He was angry with her, resentful that she had kept this secret from him for so many years.
However, after hearing what Kevin said, he knew that all his resentment, anger and unacceptable attitude were so tiny in the face of her sacrifice.
She was in seclusion for six years. The best time and years of her life were mercilessly taken from her. She left the ancestral business of the Forbis Family just so she could stay with him.
He could have selfishly gone off on his own, found someone else and lived quietly for the rest of his life.
âIf you wanted to stay with me so badly, even to the point of giving up the entire Forbis family, why are you willing to leave me behind and go away now?â
âVictoria, you are just as cruel to me as before.â
Her body slumped and her knees fell heavily on the rain-soaked ground.
He knelt in front of the tombstones, feeling like he had countless words stuck in his throat. He bent his body and bowed, touching his head to the wet, cold ground, with the rain pounding relentlessly against his body.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier, as if God was shedding tears for this scene.
The rain was running down her face, unable to differentiate whether it was rainwater, or it was her tears of pain. Aside from the pain, there was a tinge of hatred shining in her cold eyes.
At that moment, Dolores came over with an umbrella and stood next to him, blocking all the falling raindrops for him. He stood silently and looked at Victoriaâs posthumous photo.
It would always be by her side.
He would find out who did this to Victoria and punish them according to the law. âMom, I promise you. I will take good care of him and protect both children.â âMatthew, letâs go back.â Dolores squatted down and said in a soft voice.
Her determined face was wet from the rain. Her fingers brushed his cold face, âWe still have a lot of things to do next. We have to find out who did this.â
She knew that the only thing that could help him out of this pain is hatred was to find out the person who had hurt Victoria. Only then would she be able to pull herself together.
He walked over to her, pulled her into his arms and responded with a soft âhum.â
Heavy rain plagued the entire night and ceased in the morning. Matthew had left home early. Dolores knew she should have gone to investigate the car accident.
She took care of the childrenâs meals. The two were grown and very obedient, so she didnât need to do much.
They ate their own food, washed their hands and wiped their mouths themselves.
She hugged her daughter and then her son. Then she rubbed their heads and said, âYou are so well behaved. Itâs as if youâve suddenly grown up.â
Samuel went to hug Dolores. Seeing her brother hugging her mother, Simona wanted to hug Dolores too. The two children instantly became entangled around her waist.
After Coral cleared the table, she came over and said, âItâs time for you two to learn to read and write. You have to get ready for elementary school.â
âVayana study.â Dolores let go of the two children.
Dolores looked at their tiny but upright figure on their backs. She remembered how tiny they were when they had just been born, and in the blink of an eye, they had all grown. She stroked her belly. The life inside her belly was still tiny, and she couldnât even feel it if she didnât squeeze her belly. She lowered her head and spoke to the baby inside her belly, âYou have to be good too. Your grandmother has traded her life for yours.â
Yesterday she felt a little feverish. However, she didnât want Matthew to worry, so she had been holding on. Now that he wasnât home, she told the driver to get the car ready, brought a bodyguard with her, and left for the hospital.
Because of her identity, she went to the hospital first for a checkup. The same doctor who attended her gave her a complete check-up. Her fetus was in good condition. However, Dolores had a slight fever, so the fetal heart was beating slightly fast.
With her current condition, it would not be advisable for her to take medication. The doctor told Dolores to cool down again with some physical cooling methods. Since it was only a mild fever, a physical cooling method would suffice.
âKeep it up. I didnât expect you to recover so quickly.â Said the doctor to Dolores before leaving.
Dolores thanked the doctor.
As she left the hospital and was about to get into the car, she saw a familiar figure standing in the hospital park.
She stood still, waited two seconds, and when the familiar figure turned around, she saw a face.
Her eyes narrowed. Matthew said there was no problem with Jessicaâs test result and she was still serving her sentence, so why was she here?
And why was he wearing patient clothes?
What was going on here?
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