Debbie decided to take the bus back to the villa so she could change out of her blood-stained pants. She didn't dare take a taxi out of fear that blood might be left behind on the car seat.
Stepping onto the bus, she decided it would be best to stand in the back so that the other passengers wouldn't notice the blood on her light-colored pants. Luckily, everyone kept to themselves and no one seemed to notice anything was amiss. When the bus pulled up to her stop, Debbie quickly hopped off and walked for about fifteen minutes before finally reaching the gates of the villa zone.
Ignoring the aching of her stomach, she walked briskly towards the villa as to avoid crossing paths with the others who lived there.
Upon arriving at the villa, she opened the gate and heaved a heavy sigh of relief. It felt safer to finally be inside a familiar place. Quickly changing her shoes, Debbie quietly made her way into the living room, crossing her fingers that there was no one around. Luckily, the living room was empty. All she could hear was the sounds of Julie cooking in the adjacent kitchen.
Her luck was soon cut short, however, as Carlos walked down the stairs. The girl froze, hoping that he wouldn't look in her direction. But it was too late; he was staring at her intently.
Ignoring the man, she pushed past him, and tried to run up the stairs.
"Stop!" Carlos demanded. The anger in his voice caused Debbie to pause and look at the man.
Her stomach ached again, however, and it was a reminder that she needed to get upstairs. Turning her back on Carlos, she continued to make her way up the stairs.
Before she could get away, Carlos grabbed her arm. "What is wrong with you?" he asked. There was obvious worry and confusion in his steady voice.
Puzzled by this, Debbie turned to look at him.
He was staring at her blood-stained pants!
Her face suddenly went hot and red with shame. Needing to get out of here, Debbie tried to pull her arm out of his grip. "Let me go! It has nothing to do with you!"
The hand gripping her arm remained tight. "What happened?" Carlos asked again. "Did you get hurt?"
"I didn't..." Debbie hesitated, trying to find the right words to say to reassure him. But before she could finish her sentence, Carlos pulled her towards him. Yelling in protest, Debbie fell into his strong arms. "I'm taking you to the hospital now!" he announced firmly.
'What is wrong with her?' Carlos mused. 'She's bleeding, and instead of going to the hospital, she is running up the stairs to her room. What does she want to do?'
"No! Don't take me to the hospital! Let go of me! Listen—" Debbie was getting angry, as her pleas were continuously ignored.
Disregarding her resistance, Carlos scooped Debbie up in his arms and carried her towards the gates. While he was changing his shoes, she explained in a hurry, "I didn't get hurt, Carlos. My aunt Flo is visiting."
Eyebrows furrowed, he looked at her in confusion. "Aunt Flo? You have an aunt named Flo?" 'And what does her aunt Flo have anything to do with her bleeding?' he thought to himself.
Embarrassed, Debbie rolled her eyes at him. "No, I don't have an aunt called Flo. My period is coming today."
"Your period?"
It was obvious that Carlos still didn't understand.
He shook his head. When he was about to open the gate and take her outside, she couldn't bear it anymore and blurted, "Menstruation! Do you understand now?"
Carlos abruptly stopped walking, noticeably stiffening at her words.
He put her down immediately. More precisely, she was dropped on the floor. Luckily, Debbie was quick enough to steady herself.
With an emotionless face, Carlos looked at both of his hands as if checking for blood. It was the first time he had been in such an awkward situation; he didn't know how to respond.
"Oh, relax. There is no blood on your hands or on your clothes!" Debbie snapped, angered by his childish reaction. She had made an effort not to let her blood dirty his hands or clothes.
Unable to read his expression, Debbie walked up the stairs to her bedroom. Carlos, however, continued to stand there, stunned and motionless.
Having taken a shower and gotten changed, Debbie came back downstairs.
Carlos had already finished his breakfast and was reading a newspaper in the dining hall. Debbie was about to exit the villa when he called out, "Come and have breakfast."
With a bowl in her hands, Julie walked out of the kitchen and towards the girl with a smile. "Mrs. Huo, Mr. Huo said you're on your period and asked me to make a bowl of hot ginger soup for you. Please come and drink it."
'Mmm?' Debbie was surprised. Not believing her ears, she turned to look at the man, who was intently reading the newspaper as if not having heard Julie.
'Since the soup is ready, I'd better drink it first. I don't want to be rude.' Debbie walked toward the dining table and sat down. Seeing the hot soup in front of her, she gave Julie a sweet smile. "Thank you."
"No problem, Debbie. Drink it while it's still warm. What do you want to eat for lunch? I'll cook it for you."
"Oh don't worry about it, Julie. I'll have lunch in the school canteen. You can go home when you finish your work." Debbie didn't plan to go back to the villa to have lunch, and she hadn't made up her mind as to whether she would sleep in the villa or in the dorm this evening.
"All right. Then have your breakfast," Julie said. After placing a bowl of porridge on the table, Julie went into the kitchen to continue her work.
The hot, yummy breakfast made Debbie feel much better.
Leaving her empty dishes on the table, she picked up her backpack and walked towards the entrance of the villa.
The gates opened and a gust of wind blew swirls of snow across the sidewalk. Not wanting to walk in this weather, she was about to take out her phone to call Matan, her driver assigned by Carlos, when suddenly she heard Carlos' low voice. "Get in the car."
Before Debbie could say anything, his black Emperor car pulled up by the curb. Emmett got out and greeted the couple. "Mr. Huo, Mrs. Huo, good morning."
Debbie nodded and gave him a smile. Turning to Carlos, who was already holding the car door open for her, she said, "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Huo, but I'm good. I'm calling Matan."
She then stepped back from the car, ignoring the man.
Emmett was left speechless. He looked back and forth between her and Carlos awkwardly. 'Were they fighting again?' he wondered. 'Mrs. Huo is so brave to turn Mr. Huo down like that. In all my years working for Mr. Huo, Mrs. Huo is the only one who dares to reject him.'
With an exasperated expression, Carlos strode towards Debbie, grabbed her wrist, pulled her towards the car, and pushed her into the back seat, ignoring her objections.
He then slid into the back seat of the car too.
Emmett secretly gave Carlos a thumbs-up. 'Well done, Mr. Huo!'
Fuming with rage, Debbie cast a fierce glance at the man sitting next to her. If expressions could kill, Carlos would have been killed a thousand times over. Her mind was coming up with the meanest words to curse him with.
But on second thought, she decided it was best not to say anything, as Carlos had various ways of getting back at her. The only thing she could do to vent her anger was throw murderous looks at him every now and then.
"I've already sent Megan back. You must move back to the villa now," he said coldly, breaking the silence.
In no mood to talk to him, Debbie snorted and turned to look out the window.
Carlos rubbed his arching brow and wondered, 'What should I do to cool her down?' "If you refuse to move back, I'll have to bring you to my office and then take you back to the villa when I get off work."
Without truning his head, she mocked, "This is all you can do? Threaten me?"
All of a sudden, Carlos grabbed her hand, pulling her into his arms. "The process does not matter to me at all. As long as I can bring you back, I don't care what means I'm using."
"Let me go!" Debbie yelled. "Why are you always taking advantage of me? I hate you!"
"It's freezing outside. Let me warm you up," Carlos replied softly.
Upon hearing this, Emmett rolled his eyes from the driver's seat. 'Mr. Huo, we have heater in the car, ' he retorted in his mind.
Debbie struggled, but failed to free herself from Carlos' embrace. "Thank you, Mr. Huo, but I don't need to be warmed up. I'm not feeling cold at all."
"But I'm freezing," Carlos responded mischievously. "Please warm me up."
Both Debbie and Emmett were stunned by Carlos' shameless behaviour. 'What is wrong with him? Is he the same aloof Mr. President?' they both mused.
Unable to move in his arms, Debbie gritted her teeth and told the driver, "Emmett, turn the temperature up. Your boss is freezing."
Emmett was a smart man, so despite the girl's boldness, he knew who the real boss was. He replied in a serious voice. "Mrs. Huo, I've turned the heat up to maximum temperature. Maybe it doesn't work because of the freezing temperature outside. Why not warm Mr. Huo up?"
Debbie stared at the back of the driver's head in stunned disbelief and anger. She wished she could beat him up right this moment.
'What an ungrateful man! I made so many sacrifices in order to help him leave the construction site, ' she cursed inwardly, 'but now he is taking Carlos Huo's side!'
Carlos gently turned her head, forcing her to look at him. "I won't allow you to be angry like this," he said in a soft voice.
It made Carlos' heart ache to see Debbie angry and upset like this.