After Ashley had driven away, Debbie took out two embossed boxes and handed one each to her friends. "Here. I don't want to take the card either, but I guess we all have to. Besides, it's only a small sum for Mr. Huo anyway. He said if you don't accept the cards, then that means you don't see me as your friend. So, just take it, both of you."
"But Debbie. When we were on the fifth floor of the Alioth Building the other day, we had already accepted a one-million-dollar VIP card. We really feel embarrassed to take this one as well," Kristina said.
"I don't know. It beats me how that capitalist's mind works," Debbie responded, shaking her head. She could imagine how awkward they were feeling to be forced to accept VIP cards with huge sums of money in them, especially from another woman's husband. She would probably feel the same if she were put in the same situation.
"Never mind. Since Mr. Huo insists, let's just take it," she said to her friends.
That evening, Debbie decided to have a talk with Carlos. However, she was informed by Emmett, who had just returned, that Carlos had left on a business trip and wouldn't be back for at least a month.
With Carlos away, she was hoping to have some relief from her busy schedule. But it was not going to happen. Carlos had already organized a list of activities for her to do and bid someone to supervise her in his absence.
During the day, she had yoga and dance lessons. To make sure that she stayed busy, Carlos also arranged other various activities such as flower arrangement, tea parties, art exhibitions, bowling, women's baseball and so on. In the evening, she was expected to have either a milk bath or a rose petal bath.
Debbie was frustrated with this way of life. It was the lifestyle of an upper-class socialite diva and not hers. She wanted her own simple, easy life back. Just as she was about to go crazy, Carlos finally returned from the business trip.
He had been away for more than two months. At the start, they had texted each other on the phone. But when Debbie had complained to him about the lessons and activities that he had arranged for her, he had simply replied, "I did this for your own good." Debbie didn't contact him again after that.
Later, she found out that Carlos had put her name down for a dance program at her school's Solar New Year Gala. Debbie was so angry she gritted her teeth and felt like punching him in the face for it. But she didn't call or text him.
The day that Carlos returned happened to be when the Solar New Year Gala was held. Since the new year was on Sunday, the gala was held three days earlier.
Debbie anxiously waited on the stage dressed in a classical style azure dance costume.
When the curtains parted and the spotlight lit up the stage, the audience was stunned to see Debbie there.
She twirled and jumped, moving her body smoothly and gracefully.
Everyone was in awe and wondered when Debbie had become so elegant and charming.
When the dance finished, the audience gave her a standing ovation that echoed throughout the whole venue.
Even though her performance was a huge success, Debbie didn't feel happy within herself. She smiled and bowed politely to the audience and then left the stage. Changing back into her own clothes she headed home.
'I won't ever speak to that dreadful man again. Even when he is not around, he still manages to torture me. He must be thrilled that the dance was such a success. It was all for him. I didn't want to do it, ' she thought angrily as she reached the villa.
She opened the front door and went in. While she was feeling around in the dark for the light switch, someone held her from behind. She jumped back startled.
But, the hug felt familiar and she knew instantly that it was him. Turning her, he silenced her scream with a kiss.
Even though it was dark, Debbie could sense that something wasn't quite right. She could smell the unusually sweet metallic scent of blood.
Alarmed, she wriggled out of his embrace and quickly turned the lights on. When she looked at Carlos, he was holding his bleeding arm.
"What happened?" she asked nervously. Carlos' face was pale and sweating from the pain.
"I'll be fine. Call this number and tell him to come quickly," he said, trying to control his excitement at seeing her again.
"Let me drive you to the hospital. It will be quicker." Debbie threw her bag onto the floor and was about to help him to the car.
But Carlos stopped her. "We need to keep this quiet, especially from the press. Can you help me upstairs? The number that I gave you to call is a doctor."
After Debbie had called the doctor, she turned to Carlos, visually upset. "I'm surprised that you still remember you had a home after being away for such a long time! Look at you! You've gotten yourself hurt like this. Somebody may think that I did this to you," she complained as she helped him climb the stairs.
Once they reached the top, Carlos stopped and turned to look at her. He touched her cheek gently. "I saw your performance tonight. You were breathtaking," he said sincerely.
On hearing that, Debbie suddenly remembered everything that she had to endure for the past two months, while he was away on his business trip. Tears welled in her eyes. "Carlos Huo, you're such a jerk! You kept controlling my schedule even when you were gone. All the things that you made me do are for divas and socialites, not for me!"
"Okay, then don't do them anymore."
When Carlos saw the sadness in Debbie's eyes, his heart softened. He didn't want to push her anymore.
"Do you really mean it? Or are you just saying that now, because I am helping you? Do you remember what you said to me when I first complained to you about it? You said that it was for my own good. Why are you letting me quit everything now?" Debbie had complained about it to him only once. When she got his response, she was so angry that she didn't contact him anymore after that.
But what infuriated her even more was the fact that he never called or texted her either.
"I've agreed to let you stop because I don't want to see you upset." Perhaps what she said was true. The classes and activities really didn't suit her. She was wild and free-spirited. Forcing those things on her wouldn't work. He was surprised that she didn't come and find him abroad and argue the point with him face to face.
"The past two months have been unbearable for me. I thought I was going mad from all of the tedious activities that you had inflicted upon me. And now, suddenly you are being nice and trying to make everything okay. No! It just won't do."
She was sobbing slightly, but she also dramatized a little to make it all sound much worse than it really was.
Debbie helped Carlos onto the bed. Once he seemed comfortable enough, she turned to leave. But Carlos grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry for everything I made you go through. I won't do it again," he apologized.
This time, she couldn't contain her emotions anymore. Her tears spilled down her cheeks and she wept openly. She raised her fist and was about to punch him in the arm. But when she saw the injury, she aimed for his chest.
Even though Carlos was hurt, Debbie was still no match for him. He caught her hand and pulled her into his arms. "We haven't seen each other for two months. Didn't you miss me?"
"Why would I miss you? No, I didn't miss you at all." She lied. With her cheek against his chest, she felt awkward and began to fidget. Also she took care not to accidentally touch his injured arm.
"But I missed you, a lot," he confessed.
At his words, her heart began to beat faster in her chest and her cheeks flushed red hot. Stuck for a response she decided to change the subject. "How did you get hurt? Were you trying to protect some woman?" she asked casually, having a dig at him.
Carlos fell into a silence.
Debbie's heart sank at his response. She stood up and glared at him. "So I was right!"
She felt a pang in her heart.
"Do you know why Wesley and I decided to foster Megan? Because her parents both died a horrible death to cover us."
She soon realized that the woman he had tried to protect was Megan.
Debbie wasn't sure what she was feeling anymore. It was complicated. Part of her felt that Carlos had done the right thing while the rest of her felt like crying. She was so conflicted.