At Mansion No. 9
Waking up from her dream, Janet fumbled on her bed to look for her ringing phone. She clicked on the screen without looking at it, and answered, "h.e.l.lo?"
"Jane, we"re taking your daughter with us to go to the old house. Are you coming with?" It was Ella"s voice.
Hearing her mother"s voice, Janet remembered what had happened the night before. She wondered why so many people had said that her mother was a murderer.
"Mom, I"m not going to the old house today. I"ll go some other day, " said Janet.
She was wide awake now. She sat up on the bed and scanned the s.p.a.cious bedroom.
"Okay, but don"t let your great-grandmother wait too long, " said Ella.
"Okay, Mom."
After hanging up, Janet looked at the time on her phone, and then called up her father.
"Dad, are you going to the old house?" Janet carefully probed her father.
In the study room, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed gla.s.ses and holding a bunch of papers, Samuel answered the phone, "No, I"m busy with a case."
"Oh, how about my mother?" asked Janet.
Samuel felt that his daughter might have something to ask, so he took off his gla.s.ses, stood up from his chair, and while looking outside the window, he answered, "Your mother and your sister-in-law have gone to the old house, together with your daughter and John. They have just left. My dear daughter, what"s the matter?"
"Dad..." Stuttering, Janet asked, "I was just curious about something... Please don"t overthink it."
"Okay, tell me, " said Samuel.
"Why do other people say that Mom is... a murderer?" Janet had never heard about it before she had come across Clarissa.
After hearing her question, Samuel"s face instantly darkened.
He wondered who brought up this issue again, after so many years had pa.s.sed.
"Your mother had defended herself justifiably in court. Jane, don"t think about it too much. Never, for a second, doubt your mother. She isn"t a bad person."
When she had heard that her mother hadn"t done anything wrong, Janet finally felt relieved and said, "Dad! Of course, I know that Mom isn"t a bad person. I just wanted to know more about the situation. Please don"t mention this to Mom."
"Okay, but Jane, why are you bringing this up? Did anyone try to attack you with this?" asked Samuel. Like the smart lawyer that he was, Samuel nailed it.
"It"s all right now, Dad. I
When her boyfriend betrayed her, all light and joy was gone from Cherry’s life. Deserted, bereft of hope, she married a man that she had barely met, but she had never expected him to be her ex-boyfriend’s uncle.
Cherry thought that she had finally found her happiness, but she had no idea about the dark secrets that were bound to unfold and haunt her forever...
t."
Samuel initially thought that it was Daniel who was the pa.s.sive one in their relationship, but he realized that it was Janet. Because Melody said that Daniel had already...
"Okay, okay, Dad! I know, " said Janet. Her words interrupted Samuel"s thoughts.
"Good, " said Samuel. But after a second thought, Samuel still reminded his daughter, "Don"t get any other ideas. Daniel will only see you as his woman for as long as he lives. Remember this, okay?"
... Janet was speechless, then she discontentedly protested, "Dad, are you Daniel"s father or my father? Do you think that I can"t live without Daniel?"
Janet now felt that n.o.body was on her side except her mother.
"That"s not my point! I meant that you belong with Daniel forever, so don"t focus on anything else. Understood?" said Samuel.
Samuel was actually uncertain if he should completely back Daniel on this. Sometimes, he didn"t agree with him, but sometimes, he did support him.
What Daniel had done was only for the purpose of keeping Janet by his side, so he would never lose her anymore. Samuel did understand why Daniel had done it.
But he wondered why he didn"t tell Janet about it earlier. "Why must he keep it from Janet?
Is it because Janet didn"t love Daniel? But that"s impossible!" thought Samuel.
"Dad, what did you mean by saying that I"ll be his woman my whole life? We haven"t gotten married yet. It"s too early to say anything like that, " said Janet. "Although we"ve already had our twin daughters, no one knows if we"re both going to end up together, " thought Janet.