As Winnie had just finished, Isobel stopped her immediately.
“Don't check, let it be. If he wants the money, he'll come to us.”
In the past, she always urged Winnie to find that man as soon as possible, because she would be
contented once the money was paid. But now she did not want Winnie to find it out, or Winnie would
not be in peace.
Winnie was surprised by her aunt's change, but she didn't ask much. She would ask when there was
opportunity, if there was not, she would wait him to come to door.
Rufus had been in a bad mood since he got home and shut himself up in his room for a whole day.
“Dad didn't eat dinner tonight. I wonder what's wrong.”
As Brian just came back, Stella went to him and told him about Rufus, looking worried.
“Not feeling well?”
Brian asked in a stern voice, frowning.
“No, I asked him about it. He is just in bad mood, I don’t know the reason.”
Stella was worried all the time and could not understand why her father was in low spirits.
“Is Grandpa getting tough again?”
Brian guessed.
“Not likely. If something goes wrong with Grandpa, Dad will tell us.”
“Why don't you ask?”
Stella had thought about all kinds possibilities, and she wanted Brian to ask about it.
“You go, I have work to do.”
Brian refused directly. He could not communicate with his father alone or take the initiative to care for
him.
With that, Brian returned to his room. The expectation on Stella’s face subsequently dispersed. It
seemed that Brian's heart knot was still not open, the impact of his mother's death had been deeply
rooted in his mind, which was unlikely to be removed.
Rufus's depression came from Vanessa, but Stella did not discover that he was pleased too.
He was pleased that Vanessa was his child, until now he could not calm down and believe that was
true.
At the beginning, he really felt that she was very similar to Stella, and he liked her from the bottom of
his heart. But he did not expect that she was his own child.
But it undoubtedly increased obstacles between Winnie and Brian, and it would be more difficult to
solve the problem.
How should he do? How should he persuade Isobel?
If he did not recognize this daughter, he would have regret for a lifetime till he was dead. But what
Isobel said was very reasonable. If it made public it would cause irreparable harm to Winnie and
Vanessa.
Rufus felt it difficult to deal with it. The Paul knocked on the door and walked in.
“You haven't been out all day and haven't had dinner. The kids are worried about you. If you keep doing
this, they will guess the clue.”
Paul slowly walked to Rufus. He had heard the conversation between Brian and Stella in the living
room. The Bennets were clever, and they were always pondering, sooner or later they would figure out
the truth.
Rufus sighed. He also wanted to manage his emotions, but it was very difficult. There were a few
people who can keep a straight face when they knew something like that.
“I want to reveal Vanessa's identity. Sooner or later, everyone will know it.”
Rufus finally gave such a sentence, but it could not solve any questions.
“You have to be methodical. Try not to hurt too many people.”
Paul knew Rufus was disorderly in heart, so he came over to chat with him and made him relaxed.
Paul continued.
“You must be happy that Vanessa is your daughter. This means that you and Isobel are in love, at least
your broken love gets comforts from Vanessa.”
“Rufus, I know how you feel, but you should ask for Isobel's permission. And remember, once it
becomes public, it's not just Vanessa who's affected.”
“Stella, Vanessa, Isobel, Winwin, Brian and even two children. You can't let so many people get hurt for
your own sake.”
Paul told Rufus that he had better weigh the pros and cons, if Vanessa’s identity went public, Brian and
Winnie could not be together, two children were completely without hope and they could not feel the
warmth of the home for a lifetime.
“I've thought about that, and I know that no matter what I do, someone's going to get hurt. It's
inevitable.”
“But Paul, can these things be hidden for a lifetime? Who can guarantee that Brian and Isobel will
never see each other in his whole life? Who can guarantee that Brian will never know that Isobel is
Winwin's aunt?”
“Sooner or later they will know about it. And it is dangerous even it has brought to grave.”
Rufus asked the question and gave the answer himself. His idea had never changed, no matter what
the outcome was, the truth is the truth, no matter how to escape, no one could escape.
“Yes, you're right. No one escapes fate. But you have to think about how you're going to do it.”
Paul approbated Rufus's words that the harm could not be avoided. If the matter was concealed until
the death of Rufus and Isobel, it would still be resolved. Though Rufus and Isobel escaped punishment,
the other people would be in unbearable painful. It seemed that it was an irresponsible behavior.
“I don't know what to do right now. I'm so anxious and worried. I am trying to get everything sorted out
as soon as possible and live in peace.”
Rufus himself was a contradictory whole. No matter how he tried, he could not come up with the best
solution, but he had to solve it.
“Why don't you tell Stella first? In this matter of Isobel, Stella would be calmer than Brian. You talk
Stella first, let her help you.”
Paul suggested and did not want to see Rufus in dilemma.
“I've thought the same thing, but I don't know how Stella will react. Because she is older than Brian,
she could understand me better. But that doesn't mean she can accept another sister.”
Rufus want to have Stella’s help, but the first to be hurt would be Stella.
“Say it tentatively little by little, I believe Stella can help you.”
Paul felt that it was the best method, there was no second solution.
Rufus did not speak again. If he decided to solve all things, the first to persuade should be Isobel. If
Isobel cannot be persuaded, he would encounter more obstacles on the way to solving the problem.
Vanessa finally started school and got into a busy university life.
On the first day of school, in the school gate she met Brian and Winnie.
Vanessa was surprised. It was so obvious that they were there waiting for her.
She came to Brian and Winnie and greeted them.
“Brian, Sister, why did you choose to date here?”
Vanessa made a mischievous joke.
“We came to see you.”
Brian gave a rare smile.
“Thank you.”
Looking at such a harmonious atmosphere between them, Vanessa sighed in heart.
They should be together, her sister should get happiness, but why did she have to go through so many
hardships? Why her sister had to bear things that she should not bear?
Did Brian really love her sister, as much as he loved his life?
“Don't be so polite with me. We are here today to cheer you on. You're the pride of your sister.”
Brian encouraged Vanessa with a light smile.
It was his idea to come over today. He wanted Vanessa to feel that she was concerned though she had
no parents.
“Yes, I will study hard.”
“But you have to word heard too, be good to my sister and don’t let other do better than you.”
Although Vanessa's words listened like a joke, but everyone could hear that it was a kind of
dissatisfaction to Brian.
Without giving others a chance to speak, Vanessa continued.
“Brian, I have only one family member, and my sister has suffered a lot. It has been a difficult life for
her. I sincerely hope that you can give her happiness. If you can't, don't hurt her. Just give her back to
me.”
Vanessa became suddenly serious. She said in a euphemistic way. If she wasn't at school, and if she
wasn't with her sister today, she might have spoken more sharply.
“You have grown up and have the awareness to protect you sister. You may rest assured that I will take
good care of your sister, and that there will never be a day I will give her back to you.”
For a moment, Brian was stunned by Vanessa's words, and he was somewhat embarrassed.
But he quickly resolved the problem and gave Vanessa a satisfied answer.
But he did not understand why Vanessa said that, because she had been very supportive of him.
Brian and Winnie were on the way to the company. Brian thought Vanessa said that was because
Winnie had some problems.
“Why are you silent?”
Winnie spoke to break the silence in the car.
“Nothing.”
Brian came to his senses and gave Winnie a faint smile.
“Do Vanessa’s words made you think much? She's a nerd. She doesn't know anything. Don't mind her.”
Winnie considered Brian silence might be related to Vanessa’s sudden words, because at that time she
noticed the embarrassing look of Brian.
“She wasn't a nerd. I was thinking what was she getting at me? Do you have any troubles?”
Brian asked.
“No, You know everything for I am with you all day. Do you think I have troubles?”
Winnie asked. She didn't think she was having troubles, but at the end of the conversation, she
remembered that she didn't have enough money to buy the house. Vanessa might mind that it was not
Brian but Leo to help.
This girl seemed not a nerd.
“I asked you because I don't know.”
Brian could not guess. He only knew that since he came back from a business trip and snubbed
Winnie, Winnie did not seem to come out from the low spirit completely, once again put her heart on
the fence.
“It's all right. I'll tell you if I have troubles.”
Winnie appeased Brian. She did not want him to think about it and did not want him to know that she
needed money. The most taboo topic between her and Brian was money.
This girl seemed not a nerd.
“| asked you because | don't know.”
Brian could not guess. He only knew that since he came back from a business trip and snubbed
Winnie, Winnie did not seem to come out from the low spirit completely, once again put her heart on
the fence.
“It's all right. I'll tell you if | have troubles.”
Winnie appeased Brian. She did not want him to think about it and did not want him to know that she
needed money. The most taboo topic between her and Brian was money.
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda