Christine buried her face in her hands. Slowly, she looked over to the side of the bed.
Crumpled clothes lay on the floor and there were a couple drops of blood staining the sheets.
"Miss Christine, Mr. Nicholas insists you come now! He says that he has something very important to
discuss with you!" Lucy Li knocked on the door again.
Christine scratched her head. "I know!"
She groaned as she got up, feeling sore all over.
Then she walked over to the bathroom to freshen up and when she finished, she went to the closet to
pick out one of her mother's old dresses. She was fixing her hair when she heard Lucy Li knock on her
door yet again.
"Miss Christine, Mr. Nicholas is waiting for you in the study!" Lucy Li shouted, exasperated with how
long Christine was taking to get ready. When Christine finally came out, her face softened.
"It took you long enough, Miss Christine," she chastised lovingly. "Oh, Aunt Lucy. I'm sorry. I'm here
now, aren't I?" Christine placed an arm around the woman and gave her an affectionate squeeze.
"Oh, you! When you meet Mr. Nicholas later, just hear him out, okay?" Lucy said.
Christine gave her a small smile.
"Don't worry! I know what I should do!"
In just a few days, Christine would be a full-fledged adult. She would never need to take orders from
anyone ever again. She could finally stand on her own two feet.
Everything her mother owned would finally be passed on to her.
When her mother passed away, she had made Christine her sole inheritor. However, since Christine
was still a child, her father was entrusted with guarding Christine's mother's fortune. Her father... It
seemed that he had forgotten about her mother so quickly. He had been spending her money like there
was no tomorrow.
Just a few weeks after the funeral, he already brought another woman home with him.
He did not seem to care about Christine. No matter how much Amanda or Stella tormented her, he
turned a blind eye. At times, he would even pretend that she did not exist.
Christine had long stopped yearning for her father's affection. She resigned herself to the fact that he
might never pay attention to her and as time passed, her mother's absence felt more like a dull throb
rather than a sharp pain.
Alas! Christine sighed helplessly. Why was life such a mess?
"Come on in. Why are you dallying outside? How long must you make me wait?"
Nicholas Luo's voice cut through her thoughts and brought Christine back to the present.
"Go on! Go inside!" Lucy opened the door and beckoned for her to enter.
The woman let out a deep sigh. She cared so much for Christine and she only wished she could do
more for her.
Christine straightened her spine and breathed deeply. She pushed the wooden door of Nicholas Luo's
study and walked inside.
Then she approached her father tentatively.
Nicholas Luo stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. He blinked once. Twice. Finally, he spoke.
"Why are you wearing your mother's clothes?"
Christine said nothing.
Nicholas shook his head.
"Well, you are just as stubborn as she was. I'll give you that. Oh, that woman!"
His eyes seemed to glisten.
Christine was surprised. What happened to him?
Did he miss her mother?
A bitter feeling surged up in her heart.
It would make sense that Nicholas Luo missed his late wife. Once upon a time, she was the love of his
life.
Nicholas Luo seemed to shake himself out of his funk. He gestured for Christine to take a seat in front
of him.
Christine gulped and walked forwards. She hadn't sat in her father's study since her mother's passing.
"Did you get into a fight with Stella and Amanda yesterday?" Nicholas Luo asked, leaning into his chair.
He did not seem angry, just genuinely curious.
Christine raised an eyebrow. Something about him seemed different today.
Christine stayed silent.
Even though she wanted to speak, she could not seem to find the words. No matter what Nicholas said
to her, she didn't know how to talk to him.
Nicholas cleared his throat.
After a moment of silence, Nicholas spoke again. "I'm sorry, Christine. Are you upset with me?"
Christine's heart skipped a beat. This was their first genuine conversation since her mother's passing.
What happened to him? Was there something wrong with her father?
"I'm not angry," Christine said quietly.
"Well, that's good... That's... Good." Nicholas's face lit up.
Christine just stared at him.
Her father continued to speak,
"As you know, Christine, you'll be an adult in a few days. Girls at your age are already being married
off. You should already start! If it's too late, all the good men will be taken away by others!"
Ah. There it was. This was why her father had called her over.
Lowering her head, Christine smiled bitterly. 'Why did I get my hopes up?'
He didn't really care about her.
"I will be eighteen years old in a few days, but Amanda is almost twenty-one years old! Why aren't you
pressuring her to get married? I'm not in a hurry!"
After saying that, Christine stood up. She was about to walk out of the door when her father's angry
voice boomed behind her.
"Sit down!"
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