“Don't tell me you like men,” Payne stared at him, “I really can't figure out why you don't like me. I'm not
ugly, and we're well-matched in social and economic status. Besides that, both of our parents are good
friends. We're a match. I don't understand why you always reject me.”
Joan sighed helplessly. There was no reason for liking and disliking a person.
If Joan loved a person, he would not care about her identity, even though she was a civilian.
“It could be.”
Payne widened her eyes and made a backward step instantly, “W-what could it be?”
Joan looked at her appalled expression and replied, “I could be liking a man.”
Payne was speechless.
Joan's words were like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky to Payne.
“The spreading rumour is true? That's why you haven't been looking for a woman?” Payne swallowed
hard.
Joan did not want her to wait for him and delayed her marriage. He also wanted to have peace and
quietness, so he nodded, “Yes.”
Payne widened her eyes and stared at him for a few seconds without saying anything as if she was
shocked by his answer.
She was reluctant to accept this answer.
When Joan said he liked man, her first reaction was to believe him because he had a clean life that she
had never seen a woman around him. However, Payne liked him.
“It's okay. Even if you're gay, I'll still want to make you straight,” Payne walked over to grab his arm
again, “I like you, no matter what your sexual orientation, I like you.”
Joan was speechless.
“Payne...”
“I don't want to listen, I don't want to listen,” she covered her ears with her hands and continuously
shook her head. She knew Joan would say something to reject her again, so she was not going to
listen, “I like you, and I've liked you for so many years, and I'm not going to like anyone else anymore.”
Joan was speechless.
He pressed his eyebrow with his fingers, and he could do nothing with her.
“Sir, the breakfast is ready,” Sally walked over to them at this time.
“Alright, go get Nina and Ms. Nelson,” after saying that, he sighed and waited for Sally to walk away
before looking at Payne, “Be my guest. All I can promise you is that I don't like you, and I won't like you
in the future as well.”
After saying that, he turned around and walked out of the house.
Payne was stunned and stood on the same spot.
She did not return to her senses for a long time.
She suffered both physical and mental.
Amanda taught Nina to draw wild geese at the riverside.
Nina had drawn a lot of flora yesterday, and she drew animals today.
Nina said she liked animals that would fly.
Amanda then taught her to draw wild geese.
“This bird is not pretty at all,” Nina complained. She had seen the colourful parrots, so she thought the
black, white, and grey wild goose was ugly.
Amanda smiled and pinched her nose, “Nina, do you like the beauty coming from within or the beautiful
appearance?”
Nina blinked her eyes.
Amanda explained to her, “The wild goose seems ugly, but it's the most loyal bird. Wild geese never
live alone. There's rarely an odd number of wild geese in a flock. If a wild goose dies, its partner will
commit suicide or be depressed to death.”
Nina looked at her and then looked at the drawing on the paper and said, “Then I like it.”
Amanda smiled and thought Nina was an adorable kid.
Nina smiled along with her.
Joan stood not far from them and watched them.
“Daddy.”
Nina saw him, put down her paintbrush, and ran over to Joan, “Daddy.”
Joan reached out and touched her head, “Go and wash your hands. It's time to breakfast.”
Nina pouted, “But I don't like Payne.”
Joan crouched down to look at her, “Is she unkind to you? Why don't you like her?”
“She likes to pester you. You don't like her, but she still always come to our house,” Nina said.
“Adults will settle things themselves. All you have to do is do what a kid should do.”
Joan picked her up.
Nina tilted her head and looked at him, “I'm a kid.”
“Children who worry about adult matters are not cute at all,” Joan pinched her cheeks, “Do you get it?”
Nina was a cute and well-behaved child, and she nodded vigorously and said, “I get it.”
Amanda followed behind them and looked at them. She thought that they were somehow like father
and daughter.
“Is Payne going to have breakfast with us again?” Nina winked her eyes.
It was not the first time.
Payne would go to their house so often that Nina knew all about her pattern.
Joan said yes softly, walked into the living room, and he found out Payne was gone.
Sally walked over to them and said, “Ms. Payne has left and asked me to tell you that she will come
here tomorrow.”
Joan felt relaxed after she had gone. He carried Nina to the bathroom to wash her hands.
“I'll take you out to have fun today,” Joan turned off the faucet and wiped Nina's hands.
Nina had run out of enthusiasm. Joan said to take her out, but he might be disturbed by something else
after this.
She did not hold hopes for going out with Joan to have fun anymore.
“Why don't you look enthusiastic?” Joan carried her into the dining room and put her in a chair.
“She's afraid you won't keep your word,” Amanda walked over to them.
Joan felt helpless because he could not help but be busy at work, and he did not mean to stand Nina
up.
In City B, Stanford met with Michael with the help of Blithe.
Stanford was in a wheelchair, and Atwood was standing behind him.
“How did you get her out of here?” Blithe stood in front of Michael. He blocked the light, and the light
cast a dark shadow on him.
Michael was sitting on a chair with his hands handcuffed.
“It was the last time you asked me to go to the place to get the information, and it was just happened to
meet her when she was in the education class. She purposely seduced me, said she was pregnant and
asked me to let her go free. I really did not expect her would escape. I really don't know where she
went. All I said is true. Please believe me.”
He knew he was wrong and was scared as well.
He went to get the information that day, and he had also asked Blithe for a favour. He pulled some
strings to ask for a position for his relative. However, he was angry within himself after being rejected
by Blithe, so he had some revenge in mind at the time. Lindsay was the person Blithe specifically
asked to guard, and she was good-looking and crafty. That was why he made such a big mistake.
“That woman has ruined my future, so I'll not cover up for her. Please believe me,” Michael trembled, “I
also got tricked by her.”
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda