"Ever since I learnt of Mr. Huo's accident, I've met Curtis only once. He has been busy with the investigation together with Colonel Li. What about your brother? Have you heard any news from him?" Gregory asked, looking hopefully at Jared.
"My brother has been up and down with the investigation too. But Mr. Huo's old man appears determined to keep everyone at arm's length. Generally, the senior Huo has always been discreet with his family business, but after the accident, he's been almost paranoid about it. As such, my brother has not bothered much about the Huos. Instead, he's focused on helping out Emmett's parents. They are more accessible, together with their whole family.
Coping with the loss of their son has been hard on their end. Shortly after she received news of Emmett's death, the old lady was hospitalized and up to now, she still remains in critical condition. It's been a full plate for my brother," explained Jared at length. Then the two man dropped into silence.
After catching up on what happened to Debbie, Kristina choked with sobs. "I'm so sorry Tomboy. You'll be alright!" she consoled. "Mr. Huo would hope to see you better than this. He must want you to live on, especially now that you have a baby. Cheer up, please!"
However, Debbie didn't respond. Apparently, she was so locked up in her own world, withdrawn and cold. The usual spark of life in her beautiful big eyes was not there anymore.
Hoping to offer comfort, Gregory walked up to her and patted her gently on the shoulder. "Debbie, you have to take it easy. That's a part of life, but we are here by your side through this difficult time."
Then they took Debbie to her favorite shopping mall—the Shining International Plaza. Pretending a playful look, Jared pointed at the huge mall and lightheartedly nudged her. "Come on, Tomboy. Didn't you want me to buy you lipsticks before? Today, I'll buy them for you. Just pick up whatever you want, and I'll pay for them. I won't give a damn even if you want the whole mall! Lately, I've been in the chips, thanks to my dad's excitement about my girlfriend. The old man has never been this generous to anyone before, I swear!"
The first time when they ran into Carlos at the plaza, Debbie deliberately kept bugging Jared to buy her the lipsticks. Just on purpose, she wanted Carlos to misunderstand her. But in the end, when Jared agreed to pay, she stopped him, pretending to have changed her mind.
"Lipsticks…" Debbie now teased, blinking fast to feign surprise. Silently, as she reflected back on the encounter at the plaza, she cursed that day. Not sure why Jared had mentioned it, she took a deep breath and pursed her lips, a blank look on her face.
When Kristina noticed Jared's goof, she pulled at his collar and chided, "Good grief, did you have to say that?"
Embarrassed that he had mentioned something that reminded Debbie of Carlos, Jared genuinely apologized. Then he signaled to Gregory with his eyes, to carry on with the conversation.
Getting the hint, Gregory smiled at the dazed woman and politely offered, "Debbie, your clothes don't fit you now. Let's go and see if there are some new stuff that you'd like. After shopping, I will take you to a seafood restaurant. I know you are a foodie. Their dishes are something quite out of this world…" With a smile, he paused and took a glance at Jared who was nodding. "It's Jared's treat," he joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Now smiling like an idiot, Jared kept nodding to echo Gregory's words. But when he took in his last sentence, he came back to his senses and protested, "Hey, hey! Mr. Song, are you ripping me off?"
Gregory ignored him and looked at the unmoved Debbie. "How is that?" he asked.
Understanding their kindness, Debbie simply nodded and then followed them into the designer brand shops one after another.
If they were buying, Debbie had no problem picking one or two nice dresses. When they came to the last shop, she didn't want to go in anymore. But Kristina, looking through the window, noticed a cool dress that she really wished Debbie could accept. "Tomboy, look, that light-yellow dress is beautiful. Let's go and try it on!" she urged excitedly.
Resignedly, Debbie nodded and followed her into the shop.
While the saleswoman went to get the light-yellow dress for them, Debbie and Kristina walked around the spacious shop to see the other clothes. Meanwhile, Gregory and Jared sat on a sofa in the rest area, waiting.
"Tomboy, this creamy-white coat looks great. You want to try?" Kristina asked.
Debbie shook her head. She really wasn't in the mood to try on any clothes.
Kristina understood and put the coat back to the hanger.
Right then, a familiar voice came. "Well, if it isn't…"
A middle-aged woman passed the clothes in her hands to a saleswoman and walked towards Debbie and Kristina. "Is it really you, Debbie? I finally found you."
It was Blanche who was accompanied by another woman, slightly older, in a purple dress that must have cost a fortune, on top of her diamonds.
Debbie gave them a short glance and turned away, ignoring them.
That incensed Blanche.
As she gritted her teeth in anger, her mind ran to the reports of Carlos' car accident. Since Debbie didn't have his support now, Blanche finally found a chance to revenge for her daughter, Portia.
So she walked up to Debbie and rudely yanked her hair, pulling her closer. "Mr. Huo just had a car accident, but you had an affair with another man and rushed into divorcing him. You even got pregnant with another man's baby and procured an abortion. What a bitch you are! Shame on you!"
Wincing in pain, Debbie feared her hair would be torn off the scalp by Blanche's gripping pull. Completely overpowered, she had no choice but to tilt her head to one side, and followed Blanche's movement.
Taken aback, Kristina hastily stopped Blanche. "What are you doing? Let go of Debbie!"
The music was loud in the shop so Gregory and Jared hadn't noticed what was happening inside. They were attentively discussing about how to take down all those rumors about Debbie on the Internet.
Blanche snorted and pushed Kristina away. She wasn't scared of Debbie now, not to mention Kristina who was from a poor family. She continued to reprimand Debbie, "My daughter Portia is such an excellent girl, but because of you, she was forced to marry Lewis, that scumbag! Now that you don't have Mr. Huo to back you up, I'll deal with you. And if anyone tries to stop me, it will get worse, I swear!"
"Let go of me!" Debbie yelled and cast Blanche a cold glare. The middle-aged woman looked weary and much older now. Obviously, her daughter's problems were eating at her heart.
It didn't help that Debbie was doing well, save for the slight brush in the accident. Were it not for the threatening glare that met her, Blanche wanted to grab Debbie by the throat and yank her hard against the wall. On second thoughts, she decided against the burning impulse. But to hide the fact that she was afraid, she roared, "How dare you order me! Who do you think you are?" Deep inside, she thought angrily, 'After all that you've put my daughter through, I must get back at you today.' To avoid the unnecessary confrontation, Debbie tried to wriggle her way out. But Blanche raised a hand and gave her two heavy slaps across the face.
Taken by surprise, Debbie moved two steps back, trying to steady herself. The sharp pain almost made her crouch, except, she knew that would be inexpedient, in case Blanche attacked her again. Feeling her face with her right hand, she feared she might nose-bleed. Meanwhile, in panic, Kristina had quickly run to the rest area to find Jared and Gregory.
As Debbie realized she was alone and Blanche was watching her, as if planning another surprise attack, she decided to hit back. In one fell swoop, she grabbed Blanche's right hand, twisting it with such force that the middle-aged woman groaned.
In the middle of their scuffle, Debbie reached for a nearby mobile rack on which hung only one dress. Briefly, she let her hold off Blanche's hand, threw the dress on the table a short distance away and darted forward, hitting Blanche in her face.
Just then, Gregory and Jared hurried inside the shop. They winced what they saw. The rack landed on Blanche with a thwack.
"Aargh!" Blanche screamed.
At once, Gregory wanted to jump in and separate them, but Jared stopped him. "That woman is Hayden's mother, Debbie's former 'mother-in-law.' Don't meddle in their family affairs," he whispered.
"Are you kidding me?" Gregory rolled his eyes. All along he had known that Hayden was only Debbie's ex-boyfriend. Was Jared hinting at something? Why would he make it sound like Debbie had been married to Hayden?
Although Carlos was no longer by Debbie's side, Blanche had forgotten one fact—Debbie was never a pushover. If anything, her time with Carlos, had only made her more arrogant. Poor Blanche was messing with the wrong person.
Besides, from the series of unlucky events, Debbie had lately been in a terrible mood. This was the last straw that broke the camel's back. In a fierce inferno, her anger erupted, hotter than any dragon has ever flamed. By now she was raining blows on poor Blanche with the mobile rack. Defenselessly, Blanche wiggled on the floor, screaming like a banshee for help.
However, all the saleswomen and customers in the shop simply looked on. They had seen Blanche start the fight. While she railed at Debbie with expletives, Debbie had tried her best to not to answer back. Even when she broke free, after the woman took her by the scruff, Debbie had stood a few meters away, without any intention of attacking. Had Blanche left it at that, the onlookers were sure, Debbie would have simply walked away.
What a mean, unreasonable woman for her age! Now as she wailed and pleaded for help, some onlookers just laughed it off. "That madam made her bed, now let her lie in it," remarked one of the saleswomen dismissively. The rich lady who had accompanied Blanche to do shopping wanted to intervene, but she knew better not to get involved. As she watched, flinching with every blow, she turned to Jared and Gregory with pleading eyes, but they ignored her, pretending to converse between themselves.
'How aloof have our young men become?' she wondered. 'What are they talking about when someone is on the floor and in need of help?' she threw her hands in frustration and cursed inwardly. At that moment Debbie relented her blows, panting like a horse from racing. Blanche still lay on the floor in a heap, her bruises swelling and her voice so hoarse from screaming. Flinching, she covered her head with her hands, afraid Debbie might land another blow. It took her a moment or so to realize that her assailant had stepped back. Timidly, she raised her head, feeling lost. She regretted her foolish move. Why had she attacked Debbie? She looked around in confusion; the boring eyes of the onlookers made her wish the earth could open up and swallow her. Debbie threw the rack to one side, pointed at Blanche and told one of the saleswomen, "Get that woman from the floor and let her compensate for all the damages before she leaves this place. It's all her fault."
