Chapter 43

“PRUDENCE… are you okay?” Julian asked when she didn’t respond. He then cupped her cheeks and looked at her intently. “Did you understand what I said—”
“Y-yes… Y-you said… y-your brother is b-back.” She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. Prudence couldn’t believe that the news of Chase’s return would shock her like that. But why?
Perhaps because you are worried about you and Julian, said the voice at the back of her head. You love him!
She shook her head hard and heaved a sigh. Good thing it didn’t take long before she could pull herself together.
“So, what would happen now?” she asked after a while.
“There is no news yet, I’m afraid.” Julian slowly distanced himself from him. He sauntered toward a bush, and his fingers started playing with its leaves. “I think the news of Chase’s return has reached the elders by now. We will know what will happen next once my father gets home from the cruise. He must have talked about it with his cousins and uncles.”
He turned his gaze on her. Sadness was evident in his eyes. She could tell because she could see through them now. There were changes with Julian that perhaps he only showed her. But it was better anyway. She could somehow read his emotions and predict what was on his mind. However, there are some that he still managed to keep away from her. Prudence was sure that there was something that was holding him back.
Her hands clenched and unclenched to her sides.
“D-do you think you will—”
“I’m certain I have to step down from my current position in the family.” He smiled faintly. “But it’s fine with me. I’ve known since I was a kid that it was meant for Chase. I—”
“The engagement.” She pressed her lips firmly.
“O-oh, right. Of course, you are asking about the engagement.” She saw how his jaw clenched. “You are originally my brother’s fiancée, aren’t you?”
“Didn’t you say I’m yours last time?” Prudence felt disappointed. Was he willing to give her up as well? “Is it—”
“I mean it….” Julian tilted his head up and breathed sharply. “And it annoys me—ah, no… it fucking pissed me that my life depends on their decision—”
“It’s your life, Julian,” she said, cutting him off. Suddenly she wanted him to fight for his right… to fight for her. If Julian chose her, there might be a chance that she would turn her back on everything.
“You want me to throw my life away?” he said in a low tone.
It wasn’t the answer she expected, and it hurt her to hear it. Perhaps what he felt for her wasn’t love but an illusion. It might be shallow and not as strong as she had thought. It was too much of her to assume someone like Julian could love. Perhaps it was all business… a charade. It was easy for him to play with words to woo her. Prudence might look tough on the outside, but deep inside, there lived a foolish and naïve girl, hoping that there would be someone to choose her. She silently wished that once in her life, she wouldn’t get abandoned again. She bit her lower lip when she felt the corners of her eyes sting.
Oh, no, no, no… She shouldn’t cry at that moment. It would definitely make her look weak.
“You call it your life when you are literally an underdog in your family?”
“It’s none of your business.” His tone was cold, and that coldness instantly reached her heart. “I suggest you shouldn’t interfere with someone else’s life.”
Her lip twitched.
“I thought we are…” She swallowed hard. “I thought we were somehow friends now. We shared something, didn’t we? Or am I starting to imagine things?”
Julian’s expression immediately changed. For a moment, saw guilt cross her eyes.
“Prudence…”
He tried to reach her, but she took steps away from him.
“I think you should go.” She managed to hold back her tears for a few more moments. It seemed there was still a little ounce of toughness left in her system. “Just call me if there is anything that I must know.”
She didn’t wait for his response and turned around. Holding her tears, Prudence walked away from Julian without looking back. She even slammed the door closed and locked it from up until down to make sure that he couldn’t bust in if ever he decided to. Then she leaned her back against the door and let herself slowly slide down until she was crouching and crying silently.
Prudence could hear her sobs echo inside the living room, which caught her mother’s attention, making her leave the kitchen.
“Prudence? What’s the matter? Are you crying—”
She beckoned her mother to halt.
“Leave me alone. I’m not in the mood for a heart-to-heart talk… not with you… not with anyone.” She continued sobbing and hugged her legs.
Her mother strode toward the window and hid behind the curtain as she looked outside.
“Was it him?” She abruptly turned in her direction. “That guy standing outside the house?”
Prudence immediately stood up and grasped her mother’s arm.
“Don’t you dare interfere with this matter,” she said firmly. “This is none of your business.”
What was Julian still doing there?
“Is he your boyfriend—”
“I said it’s none of your business.” Now her tone was cold.
“Fine.” Her mother shrugged and headed upstairs.
Prudence slowly let out a sigh of relief when her mother was finally gone downstairs. She peeked outside the house and saw Julian getting inside his car. Soon, he left.
Ah, she must send her mother away from her house as soon as possible. Julian must not see them together nor anyone connected with the Whitewoods. No one must know her identity.
She flinched when the phone rang. Sighing, she sauntered to the corner table and picked up the receiver.
“Hello.’
“Hi, it’s me, Macy.”
“I was about to call you. How is it going?”
“I found the right place for her, Ma’am.”
“Great news.” Prudence let out another sigh of relief. “Anyway, please do me a favor. You must not tell the boss about this—”
“You can trust me, ma’am. I will keep my mouth shut about this matter.”
“Thank you so much, Macy.”
“You have done a lot for me. I’m forever grateful and indebted to you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I will pick her up this afternoon to take her to her new home—”
“Why don’t you send me the address, and I will bring her there?”
“Oh, okay. If that’s what you want.”
“Thanks.”
She put the receiver back into its cradle and heaved a sigh.