Isobel was worried since she heard that Rufus was ill. She did not expect that the healthy Rufus would
get sick.
For so many days she was either working or angry about Brian. Just because of anger, she had not
been in touch with Rufus, so she did not know he was sick.
If they had been in contact with each other, she, as a doctor, would have told him how to take care of
himself and how to get well.
"Rufus almost gets well, but he has something in mind and mopes all day."
Winnie explained. Although her aunt's reaction was unexpected, she regarded it as a doctor's
occupational reaction.
"His family is well off, and there is nothing to worry about. Why does he mope? I think he is too idle."
Isobel said deliberately to cover up her emotion just now. Although she knew some of the reasons for
Rufus’ gloom, she wanted to know more about it.
"It's Rufus' old thing. He's trying to get the woman back. He said he felt indebted to that woman and
wanted to make up for her."
Winnie put things simply. Although it was Rufus' privacy, she felt she could tell her aunt.
"He..."
"Then go and make up for it, why stay moping at home and make himself sick?"
Before Isobel spoke, Vanessa chimed in. She felt it was simple and there was not need to tangle.
"It's a bit complicated. Rufus wants to, but Stella and Brian don't agree. Now Joshua is trying to
persuade Stella, and Stella is likely to agree. The key lies in Brian. He can’t let it go.”
Winnie didn't say anything specific because the story was too long and she didn't know much about it.
"Stella and Brian are really selfish, they are well living, why interfere with Rufus? And even if Rufus is
at fault, it's the elders' business."
Vanessa did not understand, she felt that the elders’ things had nothing to do with younger generation.
Stella and Brian should not have interfered.
"Brian and Stella thought that their mother's death had something to do with that woman, so they never
got on well with each other for many years. But neither Joshua nor I feel it has anything to do with that
woman..."
"Winwin, Vanessa, leave this matter alone, it isn’t related to us. Don't make trouble for yourself."
Isobel interrupted their conversation.
It was as simple as they thought, it involved too much. She couldn't even figure it out and explain it, the
young generation sure had not idea about it.
Isobel felt her heart trembling every time she remembered the past. Her heart felt like being cut out with
a knife when Winnie and Vanessa talked about it.
She couldn't face her past and had been hiding it. But now Winnie and Vanessa know something about
it, they just did not know she was that woman.
"Aunt, I know it's not my business. But Rufus was like a father to Vanessa and me, and I couldn't watch
him suffer from this. Joshua and I agreed that he would talk Stella through and I would talk Brian
through."
Winnie did not hide it from her aunt. She would not be deeply involved in this matter. She would only try
to do what Joshua required, just to make Rufus happy.
"Winwin, we can return his favor in the future. You and Brian have broken up, you’d better not contact
him again. You always contact him, how will he think of you?"
Isobel did not agree that Winnie got involved, but she knew she could not control Winnie. Since the
death of her brother and sister-in-law, Winnie had made all the decisions and she could only give
advice.
So in this matter, if Winnie stood firm, she could do nothing about it.
"Don't worry, Aunt, it has nothing to do with my relationship. No matter how many contacts I have with
Brian, I will never get my feelings involved.
"Aunt, you needn't worry about me. I know what to do."
Winnie had guessed that her aunt would not agree and knew what her aunt was worried about. But she
could control her own emotions and she would not confused by Brian's false feelings.
She offered help was because Rufus and Joshua's request, it had nothing to do with Brian's personal
feelings.
After the call, Isobel was still worried about Rufus and made a call to him.
Rufus was sitting in the sitting room in a daze. When he saw that it was Isobel's call, he cheered up.
He didn't answer the phone right away, but quickly went back to his bedroom. He answered the phone
as soon as he closed the door.
"You finally called me, are you still in medical support? How are you? Are you tired? Can you get
enough sleep?"
Rufus asked several questions, which he had been worried about. He would like to ask long ago, but
he could not find Isobel.
"I am fine."
Isobel said in a soft voice.
"Isobel, you promised to keep in touch with me, but it’s been a long time. If you still do not contact me, I
will go abroad to find you."
Rufus complaint, but hearing Isobel’s voice, he relaxed.
"I am all right and you know I am all right from Winwin, so I think there is no need to contact. The living
conditions here are bad, and there are too many diseases. You'd better stay at home."
Isobel was sad, she could feel Rufus’ worry about her.
"I don't feel reliably as I hear it myself. Isobel, I know that you are still angry about Brian, but this should
not be confused with our affairs. Please don't torture me by losing contact with me. I hope you can call
me on time like before, even if it is just a message to let me know you are safe."
Rufus knew everything, including the reason why Isobel did not contact him. But if this mistake was
linked to Brian, there was really no hope for them.
"I'll call you on time."
"Rufus, Winwin said you are moping all day and getting sick? Is it the fact that things can't be solved
that makes you depressed?"
Isobel believed Rufus knew what referred to, so she did not say it directly.
"It had not progressed at all till now, and the relations between Winwin and Brian have always been icy.
If they don't get back together, I don't know what to do."
"I talked to Stella that I wanted to find you, but Stella didn't agree. If Stella did not agree, Brian..."
Rufus told Isobel things happened recently, but Isobel cut him short.
"Rufus, don't be so hard on the kids and on yourself. Winwin and Brian will not work out, and you
should not expect it."
"You’s better persuade Brian to forget Winwin, or find another girlfriend, it will be easier."
Isobel still didn’t want Winnie and Brian to be together. She always felt she got enough hurt and she did
not want Winnie to get hurt from the Bennet family.
"Isobel, don't think things simple. Do you think that if Brian and Winwin are completely separated, these
things need not be faced or solved? Do you think these things could be kept secret for life?"
Rufus had different thought as Isobel. Only Brian and Winnie loved each other, it could be resolved with
love.
Once they were completely separated, once there was no affection between them, the hatred was free.
It was gonna be a lot worse than they expect when it got exposed.
"Hide it when you can, and face it when you can't hide it anymore. Vanessa still has one year to go
before she graduate, and we will go abroad in a year, so that we don't need to see each other and the
matter won't come up."
Isobel did not want to face it, for fear that it hurt everyone once the secret was exposed, Stella and
Brian, in particular.
"Isobel, things still have to be faced. Can you hide from me forever? It will still exist even if we're both
gone, and do you want them to settle it after we're dead?"
"None of that matters. What matters is that I want to be with you while we're still alive, while we still
have energy."
Rufus was helpless about the fact that Isobel dare not face the reality. He had said these words many
times, but Isobel was still clinging to her own idea.
"We... we are old... Let's forget it. It did not matter no matter for what reason you cheated me, the past
is the past, I do not blame you, or hate you."
Isobel still had heartache and her feeling to Rufus did not disappear as time. However, she still said
forgiveness, so that Rufus had no longer fantasy.
"No, I've been waiting for you my whole life. I can't give up. I was wrong to lie to you, but the only
reason I lied to you was because I love you. I was afraid you would leave me if you knew I had kids."
"I can't figure out what you're thinking, but I don't want to spend the rest of my life alone. Isobel, do you
have any idea how lonely I am every day? I sit on the sofa like a fool, do you have any idea how terrible
loneliness is for people at my age?"
"I don't care whether you can face it or not, whether you run away or not, I'm going to deal with this.
After a year, if this matter still cannot solve, I will go abroad with you."
Rufus insisted.
Isobel did not want to face it, for fear that it hurt everyone once the secret was exposed, Stella and
Brian, in particular.
"Isobel, things still have to be faced. Can you hide from me forever? It will still exist even if we're both
gone, and do you want them to settle it after we're dead?"
"None of that matters. What matters is that | want to be with you while we're still alive, while we still
have energy."
Rufus was helpless about the fact that Isobel dare not face the reality. He had said these words many
times, but Isobel was still clinging to her own idea.
"We... we are old... Let's forget it. It did not matter no matter for what reason you cheated me, the past
is the past, | do not blame you, or hate you."
Isobel still had heartache and her feeling to Rufus did not disappear as time. However, she still said
forgiveness, so that Rufus had no longer fantasy.
"No, I've been waiting for you my whole life. | can't give up. | was wrong to lie to you, but the only
reason | lied to you was because | love you. | was afraid you would leave me if you knew | had kids."
"| can't figure out what you're thinking, but | don't want to spend the rest of my life alone. Isobel, do you
have any idea how lonely | am every day? | sit on the sofa like a fool, do you have any idea how terrible
loneliness is for people at my age?"
"| don't care whether you can face it or not, whether you run away or not, I'm going to deal with this.
After a year, if this matter still cannot solve, | will go abroad with you."
Rufus insisted.
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