Debbie fixed her gaze on Gail, with a cold fury in her eyes. "How the hell do you know I have a brother? And how come you know where he is?"
With an increasing amount of her time being spent with Carlos, she was beginning to resemble him in quite a few aspects. Right now, her eyes were as intimidating as Carlos' when he got angry. Gail was scared by her strong aura and took a few steps back. She had once eavesdropped on her parents' conversation, but didn't know much details. She had mentioned it only to get Debbie to talk. "I know everything," Gail bluffed. "I know about your mother. Her family took your brother abroad when he was a baby. You weren't even born yet."
Mother… It was a taboo word to Debbie.
She grabbed Gail by her collars and shouted in a harsh voice, "Tell me more!"
"Let me go! What do you think you're doing, Debbie Nian? I thought you had become a good girl now. But evidently, I heard wrong. You haven't changed a bit. You're the same bully as before!" Gail broke off Debbie's grip and adjusted her messy shirt in annoyance.
The last few days, Gail's classmates had been all telling her that Debbie had changed—she was now a good student and did not bully people anymore. Gail knew better than anyone else whether Debbie had changed or not. After all, she and Debbie had known each other for around twenty years. Gail had to admit that Debbie had indeed changed—she had become a better girl, and this fact angered Gail even more than her relationship with Carlos.
"Tell me!" Debbie repeated through gritted teeth.
Out of fear, Gail had to give in to her. Despite her unwillingness, she started her story. "Fine… Your maternal grandfather was completely against your mother being with your father, and when they wouldn't listen, took your brother away from them. The next year, your mother gave birth to you. When you were two months old, your grandfather also took your mother away. That's all I know. I swear!" Gail had only heard this much before she had been discovered by a servant in her family. She had pretended that she had just come back home. As a result, Lucinda and Sebastian had no idea that their daughter had heard them talking about Debbie's family.
Debbie remained speechless for a long time, pondering on what Gail had told her.
'Why did grandpa forbid mom from being with dad? Why did he take mom and brother away from me and dad?
So mom didn't abandon us…'
When she came back to her senses and wanted to ask Gail some more questions, Gail spoke first. "Tell me the relationship between you and Carlos Huo. Or I am just going to shut up and nothing in the world's gonna make me talk."
"We are…" Debbie's voice trailed off. 'No! I can't tell her about our relationship. If she knew about it, then the whole world would know.' So she lied. "What you saw is real. I like him."
Gail covered her mouth in shock. "You're a married woman. How can you still like Mr. Huo? Debbie Nian, you are cheating on your husband!" she accused.
Debbie cast a burning glance at her and snapped back, "Don't talk nonsense! I like him, but we didn't do anything unethical."
"Bullshit! I don't believe a word of what you're saying!"
"Whatever. I don't care. It's my turn now. Who's my mom?"
"I don't know…"
Debbie bombarded Gail with more questions, but all she received in response was Gail shaking her head with a confused look. Debbie could tell that Gail was being honest in her denial, so she let her go this time.
Matan was waiting for her with the BMW car. Debbie got in the back seat and lost herself in her reflections.
'Should I tell Carlos everything and ask for his help?
But I'm not mentally prepared yet. Carlos, of course, is a powerful man and I believe he'll be able to find out everything—who is my mom, why did she leave me and dad…
I'm so scared to find out the truth. What if I'm unable to accept it?'
When she arrived at the villa, she didn't enter the house. Instead, she stood in the snow outside, her brain stuffed with her mother and brother.
Her father hadn't told her anything about her mother even before his death. Obviously, he didn't want Debbie to look for her.
All he had told her was her brother's name. But that wasn't going to be of much help in finding him, as there could be a million people with that name. What was more, it was highly likely that her grandfather had already changed her brother's name. Maybe her brother didn't even know his family name was Nian.
Not until the headlight of an automobile lit up the place she was standing in did she come to herself. She raised her head and saw Carlos' Emperor car approaching.
The car pulled over and Carlos got out. He was wearing a black knee-length cashmere coat and a pair of black leather shoes. She could hear the snow creak beneath his shoes, but somehow, didn't feel cold.
His handsome face and perfect body shape drew all of Debbie's attention as he approached her. 'Wow, he is a sight to behold!' she praised him in her mind.
Standing before Debbie, he grabbed her hands, pulled her into his arms and chided her, "It's freezing outside. Why didn't you go into the house?"
He frowned as he felt that her hands were as cold as ice. He unbuttoned his coat, laid her hands on his warm waist, and wrapped her with his coat.
The couple stood in the snow. They were so close that Debbie could even hear his strong heartbeat. "Carlos Huo," she murmured.
"Uh-huh?"
"Have I ever told you one thing?"
"What thing?" he whispered back.
"I really really really like you…" 'I've had a thing for you ever since the kiss in that bar. The more time we've spent together, the more I have fallen in love with you. I want to be with you forever…' she said in her mind.
Surprise and excitement hit Carlos as he heard this sudden confession. He lowered his head and rubbed her cheek with his nose. "Mmm…" he murmured in return. 'I love you too, Debbie.'
A love song suddenly came to Debbie's mind, so she started singing in a low voice, "I swear by the moon and the stars in the sky, and I swear like the shadow that's by your side. I see the questions in your eyes; I know what's weighing on your mind. You can be sure I know my part, 'cause I'll stand beside you through the years. You'll only cry those happy tears. And though I make mistakes, I'll never break your heart. And I swear by the moon and the stars in the sky, I'll be there. I swear like a shadow that's by your side, I'll be there, for better or worse till death do us part. I'll love you with every beat of my heart, and I swear…"
The sudden commencement of a song after her confession touched Carlos, as he began singing in the chorus, "I'll give you every thing I can. I'll build your dreams with these two hands. We'll hang some memories on the walls. And when just the two of us are there, you won't have to ask if I still care, 'cause as the time turns the page, my love won't age at all. And I swear by the moon and the stars in the sky, I'll be there. I swear like the shadow that's by your side. I'll be there, for better or worse, till death do us part. I'll love you with every beat of my heart…"
This was the first time Debbie had heard Carlos sing. His voice was so alluring she couldn't help but sink deeper into him.
She withdrew her hand from his coat and pictured his face with it. His face had well-defined angles—his forehead, cheeks and jawline. Although he didn't say it out loud, she knew he was confessing his love with the song. Joy gleamed in her eyes.
"Carlos Huo!"
"What?"
"Promise me, you will never ever leave me." Debbie used to be a tough tomboy. But now, she just wanted to be a soft girl, standing in the arms of her dear husband.
"I promise you."
After saying that, Carlos lowered his head and kissed her right on her lips. Every time they had kissed, it had been more passionate than before, as if they were the only two people left in the world. He scooped Debbie into his arms, and carried her into the house.
As a germophobe, Carlos had a habit of taking a shower first whenever he got back home. But right now, the most important thing to him was to have sex with Debbie.
It was not until after wild sex that Carlos finally went into the bathroom with Debbie in his arms.
Debbie really had no idea why Carlos had been turned on. After she had heard him promise her that he would never leave her, she hadn't had a chance to say a word and had been scooped inside. 'He's such a jerk! Why did he have to ruin the moment and become the old goat again?'
The next morning, when Debbie was still sound asleep, her lips were pressed against by Carlos' and he whispered in her ear, "Honey, it's time to go to the airport."
