Chapter 272 A Mess
Chapter 272 A Mess
At that time, Lea didn't have any relationship with anyone.
The man she had been with was gentle and kind. Although they were in love, they weren't as intimate with each other as they could've been. In fact, the most contact they had with each other was when they held each other's hand.
That was Lea's first love. The inexperienced girl couldn't help but think to herself on how to take their relationship to the next level.
Before she could, his so-called girlfriend showed up.
Until now, Lea couldn't find it in herself to think of that torturous memory. It would forever sit in the back of her closet, and she would never find it in herself to look into it ever again.
How was she supposed to know that she would see them again many years later?
The young and handsome teacher didn't change.
The one next to him was also no stranger to Lea. She was the one who stomped into the painting class and smashed all her canvases. Not only that, but she also called her a slut.
It really was a small world.
Lea stood beside Henry, hearing him call them "Aunt" and "Uncle."
It felt as if her entire world had frozen over.
The couple also recognized Lea. The man's eyes widened in surprise, but that was it.
The woman was also shocked in seeing her.
In all honestly, Lea wasn't the third party in their relationship. In fact, Alice was just another one of Gregory's pursuers back then.
However, when Alice towered her over and insulted her, Gregory didn't even stand up to defend Lea.
The two definitely left an impact in her life. It was a good thing that they soon disappeared.
Even Lea's father recognized Alice as the shameless woman who had caused trouble for his daughter many years ago. "It's you!"
The man gritted his teeth as he glanced from Alice to Gregory. "Are they members of the Qin family?" he asked Henry.
Not knowing the truth, Henry nodded. "They're my aunt and uncle."
Lea's father snorted. "You can't get married." Without waiting for any of them to respond, her father dragged Lea away.
Everyone was stunned at the sudden scene. Even Lea didn't register what was happening as she was being dragged off by her own father.
Henry froze for a second until the old man's words finally registered in his mind. He immediately stood up and chased after them.
Henry's grandmother pursed her lips and furrowed her eyebrows. "What's going on?"
"Is that the woman Henry's going to marry?" Alice asked, narrowing her eyes. "Yes." Even Henry's father had no idea why the father-and-daughter duo left.
Alice stamped her foot and clenched her fists. "There's no way in hell they're going to get married!" Lea had no idea the chaos that had just ensued in the room after they had left.
Henry tried to come by her house three times,
but he was always blocked by Lea's father.
Given the man's towering glare, he didn't dare force his way inside.
Now, all he could do was wait for the man's consent.
All of these had happened so suddenly. Alice was dead against Henry and Lea's marriage.
Given that her father had taken the initiative to take her away, Henry knew that something was up.
In the past three days, Henry didn't see or heard from Lea. In fact, her father even took her phone away.
He was afraid that his daughter would try contacting Henry.
He still wasn't over what had happened years ago. Back then, he was so sure that somebody must've intervened with his investigation while he was trying to find the people who had offended his daughter.
He was both angry and helpless. He hated the fact that his precious daughter was being bullied by others like this.
What was wrong with Lea falling in love with Gregory? She wasn't the third party. How could Alice even had the confidence to say that the man was hers? It was ridiculous!
Even the Qin family sensed that something was wrong, but even then, Alice refused to tell them the bad blood between her and Lea.
Henry's grandmother found out what had happened from Gregory in the end.
After learning the truth, the old lady didn't know what to do.
Her daughter forbade Henry from marrying Lea.
The old lady was so angry that she grounded Alice.
"Go try and talk to Lea," she said to Henry.
Henry did just that.
He even called Jack up to tell him all the things that had transpired in the past few days.
Jack frowned and tapped the steering wheel incessantly. "Can you fix it?" he asked, concerned. "Do you need my help?"
"I don't think you can help me in this." Henry laughed. "Just take care of yourself. Anyway, the matter doesn't affect our love for each other. I think I can solve it sooner or later."
He couldn't help but sigh once he hung up. He still didn't know how his wife could have something to do with his aunt's boyfriend.
After hanging up, Jack called Rachel. She was searching for some document for Jonathan in the study.
Jack quickly told her about the story about Lea and the Qin family. Rachel placed her phone between her ear and shoulder as she nodded along, maneuvering her way around the bookshelf.
She froze when he was done.
She furrowed her eyebrows, wondering what was going on.
"I want to see her," she stated.
"I'm actually on my way back home. Let's go visit her together."
"Okay." As soon as she hung up the phone, she turned to the bookshelf. She was already in the third row.
Without another word, she dragged a chair over and stepped on it. She browsed through all the different books placed on the third row.
Given that there weren't any codes on the books, Rachel was unsure as to whether she had counted right. She surveyed all the envelopes and books in place.
They were separated with head tapes of different colors.
She picked up several envelopes from the shelf only for a piece of paper to fall out.
Rachel scrunched her eyebrows and stepped off her chair to get it. It wasn't a letter but a photo.
She narrowed her eyes. It displayed her family standing next to Jonathan's father.
In the photo, she was still a baby being held in her father's arms. She looked ecstatic under the camera lenses as she revealed her two front teeth.
After her parents died in a car accident, she was discharged from the hospital and sent to the Fu family.
She had been so traumatized during these times. In fact, back then, she thought that she could never get over the death of her parents.
Although she was in much better condition now, she still knew the feeling of losing people she loved.
When her parents were gone, it was then she understood that she would forever be alone in this world.
She remembered crying and pulling the old man's arm as she insisted that he take her home. He sympathized with her so much that he took her to the Shen family residence. There were seals on the
front door.
It was when she grew up that she realized the bad fortune that had fallen to the Shen family's company.
Back then, the business had failed due to some big financial crisis.
The company had fallen so deeply in debt that all of her father's properties and accounts were frozen after his death.
Even the house was sealed off as well.
It had been confiscated by the government.
Rachel gazed at the picture in her hand, lost in thought. After the house was sealed, all the valuable things in the house had been cleared up. She wasn't able to go inside and take anything that was hers.
This was why she only had a few pictures of her family left. Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
Her nose twitched at the sight of her parents so young.
Jonathan walked in. "Rachel? Have you found it..."
He trailed off when he saw her standing there and staring into the photo rather intently.
He chuckled. "What are you looking at?"
She snapped out of her daze as she looked up. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears, and she handed the photo to him. "I found this."
He took it from her. "Where did you find this?"
"Some envelope." She shrugged.
"It's an old pictures of your parents." He sighed. "It's been so many years."
Rachel wiped the stray tears that trailed down her cheeks and avoided his gaze.
Jonathan winced, regretting that he brought it up.
"I have some more photos of your parents if you want to see them," he offered.
Her face brightened. "Really?"
"Why would I lie to you?" He smiled.
Jack had returned home at dusk. Evening glow settled around the skies as he walked down the pavement.
Rachel was pulling the hose from the left side of the garden to the right. Just as she was half way through, the hose pulled back.
When she tried pulling it again a few more times, it still wouldn't budge. It seemed that something must be blocking it at the other end. When she turned around, she saw the man around the corner. He was smiling mischievously.
She paused and turned around. Seeing that she didn't seem to notice him, he frowned.
Just as he took a few steps forward, Rachel turned around. She had already turned the hose on and directed the flow of water at him. His face was drenched as her laughter echoed across the garden.
The two entered the room in a mess. Tracy stared at them in astonishment. "Where have you been? Why are you wet? Are you both out of your minds?"