A sorrowful smile flashed across Doris’s lips while her voice turned distant. “From the moment I’ve become sensible, my father told me that I’d have to work hard to fight for whatever I want. That way, I’d have it for much longer. What someone else gives you isn’t yours. My mother is a classic example.”
As Doris lowered her head to look at the shattered pieces on the ground, her eyes suddenly colored with a distant look. She would never have brought this up in front of anyone else, especially such unhappy things. She might not have even mentioned this to Gu Qiwu before.
“My mother’s pure at heart. She’s a very gentle and kind-hearted woman. My father loved her at first, and Mother was meticulous with her care for Father, but men’s hearts aren’t settled just because you’re an understanding woman. Mother’s too silly. She knew that Father had other women outside, yet she still compromised. She thought that if she compromised enough, she could get Father back.”
At this, Doris took a deep breath and then smiled bitterly. “That scene only appears in fairy tales. Once a man has a change of heart, nothing can pull them back. Your tenderness and virtuousness will turn to weakness and cowardice. But Mother was still so foolish. She didn’t know how to fight. With her status alone, it would’ve been so easy for her to get rid of those women! What makes me even more frustrated was that she told me not to blame Father and that I had to be understanding, and requite the bad with the good!
“How funny! She wanted me to talk about requiting the bad with the good with a bunch of lowly prostitutes? Do they deserve it? Those women who only think of how they can be a homewrecker. They should die a terrible death with no good outcome just like Mu Zi did years ago! It’s a good thing she died earlier, and suffered a terrible death. Otherwise, I definitely wouldn’t mind going against her!”
When Mu Zi was brought up, Doris’s blue eyes could not help but flash with a hint of resentment.
“I can understand how you feel, but perhaps we didn’t have to do those things after that. Mu Lingtian didn’t know these back then. He was just a child of slightly over a year old, and Mu Lingshi was even…”
“Just a child? I could already feel something from the way Gu Qiwu treated him. So what if he was a child? When I was five, I already planned to disfigure one of my father’s mistresses. After that, that mistress died of illness in the refugee hole. The summer when I was six, I planned for the lady that insulted my mother to fall into the lake and almost drowned her. If he had known that he was Gu Qiwu’s son, would Shasha and I even have a place in the entire Gu family?”
While Doris spoke about this dark past without any expression, a distorted expression crossed her pale face. She had gone through so many such deceitful experiences, so right now, these things were actually quite normal. It was just what they called wins and losses.
“Shasha is like her grandmother. They are both weak women, but if any one of them were a little more competent, perhaps I wouldn’t need to suffer so much trouble. Sadly, they won’t listen. Apart from disappointing me, it’s just more disappointment…Now that we are finally at this point, I should be used to it by now. Perhaps, all of this is just so-called fate.”
Doris sighed a long sigh. She lifted a hand to massage the space between her brows, paused, and then looked up at Glenn. Her tone calmed down slightly while she said, “You’ve been by my side for many years. Now that Alex has fallen, and I’m also at this stage, leave. Don’t stick with me anymore. I’ve still got two cheques for $10 million in the safe. You can keep one, and get the other one to Shasha. Just say that even though I’m disappointed, I still think of her as my daughter. I hope that she won’t disappoint me anymore.”
“No, Miss, I don’t want that. I’ve told you I will always protect you!” Glenn’s expression shifted as he quickly took a step forward and said.
“No need. I don’t need any more protection now. In fact, I’ve still got some things to do. Leave while you still can. I’m afraid you won’t able to do that after this. Remember what I told you. Don’t go back straight to England. When the time comes, let my mother help you. She might be able to think of a way. Tell Shasha that Qi Feng can’t be trusted, but he can still be used. I’ll do my best to leave some things for her. Next time, tell her not to be so silly. Just be a little smarter so that she won’t be taken advantage of.”
When Doris explained all of this, she seemed exceptionally calm. In fact, she had never been calmer.
“Miss, I’m not leaving!” Glenn looked at Doris with determination and said.
She shot him a side look, then said coldly, “This is an order. I’m telling you to leave, so leave! Of course, you need to help me do one last thing.”
“Miss…”
“What I want you to do is on the note on the table. Burn it after you’ve read it. Leave now. I don’t want to see you anymore,” Doris said, then she slowly stood up before turning around to walk into the bedroom.
A rumble was heard.A few bright lights flitted past, then came the deafening sounds of thunder as the storm outside became even heavier now. Glenn could not help but feel cold all over. When he saw Doris gradually vanish through the door, he could not help but call out one more time, “Miss, let’s call home. Maybe we’ve still got a chance!”
“Glenn, do you not want to go home? If you contact them right now, we’ll only drag them into this! Then, Shasha and the rest can forget about a peaceful life! In fact, what will those people think of Shasha? What will they think of my father? No matter what, I won’t ask. At least, I can protect one final bit of dignity.”
Doris’s tone was cold and sharp, but it sounded sad to Glenn’s ears. Perhaps their Miss could have become a hero of the times, but…
But the Miss’s consideration would always be more well-rounded than his. She was undoubtedly right.
“The people of my clan have got determination in our bones. I’ve always thought so, Glenn. Help me do these last things, and go far, far away too. It’s been many years now. It’s time for you to find a place to spend the rest of your life in peace.”
“Miss…I understand! I won’t let you down! But, Miss, please take good care of yourself too. You must,” he said, but Doris had already slipped out of the doorway. He did not know if she heard him or not…
He looked in the direction where she left for a long time. As Glenn felt a cold pierce through his heart, he let out a long sigh, then turned around to take the note from the table before leaving the living room.
