A Moment in Destiny

Chapter 235 It’s Just A Show

“Hmph! Very good!” Vincent’s tone which had embodied profound meaning coupling with chilliness sounded from the other end of the phone, and each single word of his was hammering on her heart, pricking and suffocating her.

“Don’t ever try to push my buttons, or else you know the consequences of doing so!”

“I know what you mean, I will miss you!” Leila curled up the edge of her mouth to force a smile onto her face, but her despairing eyes had given away her distressed state.

“Hahahaha…” His convoluted laughter was accompanied by the sound of him hanging up on her, and anxiety started to gnaw at her heart as she knew that he would not get on well with her.

After Leila had hung up on her phone, she looked up only to stare into Mabel Ross’s worrying and contemplative eyes.

“It has never crossed my mind that the one whom Vincent likes is you, Leila. Oh, dear! I’ve always thought that he likes your sister, but it is a crying shame that she is unfaithful to him! Your father is really adamant in not letting you marry Vincent at first, but he has unexpectedly changed his mind and given his approval after the two of them have a talk in the study.”

“They had a talk about it?” Leila was taken aback by the revelation that Vincent had had a conversation with her father. This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

“Yes, they did. When I ask your father about it, he just stays silent and puffs at his cigarette, so I have no idea what the dialogue is about as well!” Mabel sighed heavily and continued, “If not for Macey’s scandal, this wouldn’t have happened. Oh God, it is a relief that Vincent at least treats you quite well, so that makes my heart eased up a little. You have no idea how worried sick your father and I are for you these past few days.”

Vincent had gone to her father to have a talk?!

Leila was still trying to digest the sudden divulgence of information as her father was the mayor of F City, so how could she not perceive Vincent’s true intention behind his action?

However, why had her father consented to his proposal of marrying her instead?

Brian Hunter clearly was fully aware that Vincent had the tape of her sister having a roll in the hay with someone else in his possession, and it was evident that his intention of holding on to that was to threaten the Hunter family with it. Brian must have tried to get his hands on that tape, but it was likely to no avail.

She could not bear to continue down her train of thought as it had started to overwhelm her. No wonder her father had urged her earlier to try every means to make Vincent fell in love with herself. Did Vincent really have something on him?

“Leila, is Vincent really treating you…”

“Don’t worry too much about me, Mom. He has been nice to me. I’ll head upstairs to take some nap now, alright? I’m exhausted from last night!” Leila cut Mabel off abruptly and continued to console her, “Everything’s alright, Mom. I’m really fine and happy, so stop worrying about nothing, alright? Just try to be happy for yourself, I know happiness has not come easily for you, and all I’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy!”

Leila had not gotten any sleep last night, but her words had other implications to Mabel instead as she thought that the reason for her daughter’s weariness was due to the newlyweds enjoying conjugal bliss on their wedding night. After hearing Leila’s affirmation, she nodded while putting on a relieved but glum expression, “I’m sorry that you have to go through this, Leila!”

“Here you go again, Mom!” Leila hugged her mother and gave her a peck on the cheek as she said, “Alright, I’ll head upstairs now! Good night!”

“Good night!” Even though Leila had repeatedly reassured her, Mabel still felt an inexplicable feeling that her daughter’s demeanor was unusual in some ways as she stared at her disappearing figure on the staircase.

The next morning, Leila could see her sister whom was staying in the room opposite hers at first sight when she raised her head after coming out from her room.

“Morning, Macey!” Leila greeted her at once. Macey was not present at the table yesterday during dinner, so it was to her surprise that she had gotten up early in the morning today.

However, Macey squinted her eyes and shot her a piercing gaze as she uttered in sarcasm, “If I have not been caught cheating on him, the person whom gets to sleep beside Vincent will not be you! How was it? He didn’t disappoint at all, am I right? I do think that our fate is the same as our mothers’ which is such a satire, Leila. How does sharing a guy with your sister feel like?”

Leila’s face was flushed in an instant as she was startled by Macey’s unexpected and blatant remarks, but all she could do was biting her lips and getting reduced to silence. That’s right, Macey was Leila’s half-sister, but her mother was also Leila’s aunt and Mabel’s sister. Her aunt had passed on after shielding Leila in a car accident, and it could be said that her life was saved by Macey’s mother. From that day onwards, Leila and Mabel had felt that they owed Macey for her mother’s death, hence no matter what Macey had done and what she wished to do, Leila had pledged to try all her means to help her achieve her goal. It was her wholehearted attempt to try to pay her aunt back for saving her life, and so that the departed could rest in peace.

“I’m sorry, Macey!” Leila lowered her head as she spoke with a soft tone, “I’ll try to think of a way!”

“Hmph! Don’t you think that Vincent has really fallen in love with you! To tell you the truth, he only values Dad’s power and dominance, not you!” Macey’s cruel words were like an edged sword that had pierced her heart although she knew that was the truth.

Even so, there was no use in crying over spilt milk anymore, and it was futile to even talk about it. All she had to focus on for the time being was to get the tape back and not dwell on anything else, but deep down in her heart, she knew that Vincent would not let her have what she wished. But then again, how would everything in life go as smoothly as one wished?

“He won’t fancy me; I know my place very well.” Leila mocked at herself in a self-deprecating manner while tugging at the corner of her lips, “He obviously will only be interested in beautiful girls like you!”

“Hmph, good that you know!” Macey gave out a snort of contempt, “You are indeed not as attractive as I am!”

Macey was, strictly speaking, the hot type as her body was voluptuous and sexy while her face was enchanting as well.

Leila was indeed beautiful as well, but her aura was a different type compared to Macey. She had the tenderness of a gentle woman whom exuded elegance and quiet charm, and if the sisters were to be described as flowers metaphorically, Macey would be like peony while Leila was more like jasmine.

“Let’s head downstairs now and get some breakfast, Macey!” Leila uttered softly and proceeded to make her way down.

Macey pursed her lips and followed her downstairs right after, but when she had discerned Leila’s strange walking posture from the back, she immediately scoffed bitterly at her, “Why, is Vincent too vigorous in bed to the extent that you are not able to walk properly after two days? Look at the way that you’re walking right now. Are you doing this on purpose in front of my face?”

Leila remained silent upon hearing her insulting remarks, and she had only stopped in her tracks for a few seconds as her body went rigid before she kept going again while trying her best to walk in a natural manner.

Macey shut her mouth in the end after realizing that she had asked for a snub and gotten the cold shoulder from Leila’s silence, but her pretty face was convoluted with bitter jealousy instead.

After breakfast, Leila went back to her room again and lied down quietly on her bed as she cast her sidelong glance out of the window.

“It seems that Vincent has really worn you out seeing that you are heading to sleep again after a full meal, and it’s only early in the morning, Leila!” Mabel pushed open the door and walked inside while teasing her with a smile on her face.

Leila was thrown into a panicky state upon hearing her remark while her face blushed instantly due to mortification as she was surprised that even her mother had thought that her weariness was due to Vincent.

“Why do you feel so embarrassed about it? I’ve been through it as well, so don’t be!” Mabel smiled at her, “Get some sleep if you’re still tired, and you can come down after you’ve rested enough!”

Monday had approached in the blink of an eye, and it was today that Leila had to report to duty at the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Municipal Government.

The Municipal Government office was housed in an old-fashioned building which had prevailed an atmosphere of solemnity and reverence. The towering trees had provided welcome shade in the courtyard, and it was a mystery as to how long did it take and how much wind and rain had washed on these platanus orientalis for them to grow into such a majestic state.

Leila made her way to the edifice where the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office was located, and when she could finally spot the name tag of the Director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office outside a room, she took a good look at it and breathed in deeply to calm her nerves. It’s right here, she thought to herself, and she proceeded to knock on the door after a few seconds.

“Come in!” A familiar husky voice sounded from the inside of the room, and when she had walked into the room, her eyes were laid on an extremely young face and a pair of optical glasses that was hanging on the countenance of the man. It turned out to be him —— Julian Gordon.

“Uhm!” Leila turned back to look at the name tag outside the room of the Director of the Political Research Office again as she was astonished by her sight, “Are, are you Director Gordon?”

In fact, the real questions that she had wanted to ask him were whether he was a taxi driver and the reason that he was present here.

Julian shook his head and smiled, “Director Gordon is my father, and I’m here to talk to him about something. What about you? Why are you here?”

“Oh!” Leila let out a sigh of relief after hearing his answer. The Director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office would not be a person whom was this young just as she thought. He looked twenty-three or twenty-four years old at most, and he was lacking the bearing that a leader of a cadre would have. “I’m here to report to duty!”

“May I have your name now, Miss?” Julian blinked his deep eyes behind the glasses as he put on a relaxed smile while staring intently at her.

Leila felt slightly resigned as it had never occurred to her that she would meet him again although F City was neither too big nor small of a city. She smiled and replied while ignoring his question, “If Director Gordon is not here now, I’ll just come back later!”

“I see that you are still reluctant to let me know your name. Never mind then, I shall not ask again. You don’t have to leave the room as he is almost here soon!” Julian said while smiling at her, not paying any attention to or being affected by Leila’s watchful manner towards him.

Leila sat down on the sofa while Julian had seated himself in the office chair behind the table. He got curious and popped his question to her while turning in his seat, “Why do you want to work for the government when you’re so young? It’s terribly boring here!”

“I can just try to love whatever job that I’ve taken up, and it might turn out that I am suitable for this role!” Leila smiled as she replied.

“Oh! You’re copying my phrase!”

“Who’s copying you?” Leila raised her eyebrow and pouted her red lips in return.

Julian blinked in amusement and could not help but to chuckle at her response. When Leila had turned her head to gaze out of the window, she suddenly felt that a figure had blocked the residual light out of the corner of her eyes . By the time she had turned her head back to get a look, Julian had already materialized in front of her. His striking face that was wearing a smile moved in closer to her, and his distance from her was close enough for her to be able to feel his warm breath spraying on her skin, and to smell the vague sweet scent of soap emanating from his body.

“What’re you trying to do?” Leila immediately pulled herself away from him and widened their distance from each other, her body leaning tightly against the back seat of the sofa as she scanned the faint smile on Julian’s face, “You don’t have to lean so close to me, just spill it if you have something to say, Julian!”

“Why won’t you tell me your name, Leila?” Julian did not mind her alienating action as he put on a relaxed smile while fixating his seductive and bewitching eyes on her. After pausing for a second, he continued, “What a pity! I still have my way of finding out your name!”

“Why do you still insist on asking me when you have known all along!” Leila remained her composure although she was roasting him in her heart for being such a cunning man.

“I want to hear it from you instead!” Julian’s striking face dimmed in an exaggerating manner as he grabbed her hand and moved his face closer to her again, “Will it kill you to just tell me your name?”

“We’re in the Director’s office!” Leila threw a scornful glance at Julian whom was putting on a show and instantly tried to withdraw her hand from his clasp while sneering at him, “Please have some self- respect, Mr. Gordan.”

Even though he was Director Gordan’s son, he should not take liberties with woman in such an unscrupulous manner. She had always hated those second generations with some political background as they had always thought that they could flirt with and molest all women in this world with their father’s authority. Did he think of himself as an emperor in the ancient times?

Her first impression of him had disappeared completely at this moment just as with Vincent’s case. All men were indeed the same in this aspect!

“Hahaha…” Julian’s thumb was still strobing her delicate hand in his palm affectionately and feeling her soft hand that had felt as if it was boneless, and it was an extremely pleasant sensation to him.

“Mr. Gordan, Mr. Gordan, please let go of my hand right now!” Leila tried to withdraw her hand again while annoyance had gradually shown on her fair face as his actions had peeved her, and her voice had come out from her gnashed teeth in which frustration was clearly manifested.

“Haha! You look cute when you’re angry, Leila!” Julian uttered with a malicious smile as he had never felt such fun while teasing her after perceiving the contorted look on her face and her attempt to stand up and leave the room.

“Do you think I should feel happy instead?” Leila countered at him sarcastically while trying to pull her hand free with all her might. She rose to her feet at once and tried to exert her full strength to pull her hand out, but little did she know that Julian had released his grip on her right at that moment.

She was caught off guard by the sudden release and was about to fall backwards after not able to find her balance, but a figure flashed in front of her immediately and surprisingly, she did not feel the expected pain from the fall.