Chapter 111 Yvonne’s
Darkest Moments
“Thank you, Brian. Despite everything else, I’m grateful you told me.”
Almost as soon as Yvonne hung up, Norton’s call came through.
“Where are you?” he demanded, just as cold and distant as ever.
“The hospital.”
On the other end, Norton’s brows knitted. “Are you unwell?”
“It’s not me, it’s Rachel. I’m just here to visit.”
“Send me the address.”
“Why? Are you coming to pick me up?”
As a matter of fact, Norton was already in his car. He cleared his throat before saying, “I’m in the vicinity
Don’t read too much into it.”
Leif cast a sideways glance at him, and thought Norton was pretty bad at lying. The hospital was miles away.
“Don’t worry, I’m not reading into anything.”
“Good. Stay there and wait for me.”
After ending the call, Yvonne wandered out to the entrance. If she waited there, she would be easily spotted from any approaching vehicle.
Dusk was just falling when she first arrived, and she even had the chance to watch a glorious sunset. Now, the sky was overcast, and a strong wind was blowing. It looked like a storm was coming.
Sure enough, after standing there for over ten minutes, it began to rain.
It wasn’t a downpour, exactly, and Norton should be arriving soon, so Yvonne didn’t bother to take shelter at.
a nearby bus stop.
She stayed put, just as Norton had instructed.
As luck would have it, however, the rain and wind picked up in just a matter of minutes. Before long. Yvonne
was soaked to the bone.
She barely noticed when a car pulled up in front of her, and only snapped back to her senses when Norton
walked over with an umbrella.
“Oh, you’re here.” Yvonne looked up at the man looming before her. He was maybe a head taller than her.
Chapter 111 Yvonne’s Darkest Moments
From this angle, she was treated to the sight of his chiseled jawline and prominent Adam’s apple.
“Has no one taught you to take shelter from the rain? What are you doing, just standing here like a fool? I swear, Yvonne, you always get into my nerves!”
Norton’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he spoke, and there was a palpable tension to him.
Yvonne found it incredibly hot.
When he noticed that she was just staring at him in silence, however, Norton got more annoyed. “Well? Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you going to admit you’re in the wrong?”
“I made sure to stand somewhere noticeable. I thought you might not see me if I stayed inside.”
“Seriously. Do you think it’s more important for me to spot you from a distance than to stay dry in a storm?”
With that, Norton all but yanked her into the backseat of the car.
His words were still echoing in Yvonne’s mind.
The her of the past would have confidently replied, “Of course, it’s important for you to see me!”
She used to focus all of her energy on him, trying every possible way to catch his attention and keep it.
She remembered a similar instance where she had also been drenched in the rain.
That day, she had worn a vibrant red dress and bold makeup, and even had her hair freshly styled.
Yvonne thought she made quite a striking sight, so she eagerly went to see Norton. But he had simply passed
by her without even glancing her way.
As a young girl experiencing love for the first time, she had been utterly heartbroken. She remembered crying
into her pillow the entire night.
In the present, the car cruised through the streets. The rain stopped just as suddenly as it had started.
Yvonne belatedly noticed that Leif wasn’t taking the route back home.
“Where are we going?” she asked the brooding man beside her.
“The supermarket.”
“What for? It’s late.”
Norton turned to her with an irritated look. “I haven’t had dinner yet, so we need to get groceries.”
Yvonne blinked at him. Wasn’t she only supposed to cook lunch? Why was he expecting her to prepare dinner
as well?
After some consideration, she decided to play coy. “I’m not hungry. Why don’t you have Leif take me home first? Anyway, is Leif cooking for you tonight or are you doing it yourself? Don’t worry, you don’t have to make anything for me.
Leif glanced briefly at the rearview mirror, while Norton’s scowl deepened.
A pregnant silence followed.
“What do you think I picked you up for?” Norton finally said through gritted teeth. “To get the backseat of my
Chapter 111 Yvonne’s Darkest Moments
car wet while you drive me to insanity with your aggravating attitude?”
It was Yvonne’s turn to be speechless. Did he really have to be so glib?
“But we agreed that I would only cook lunch.”
“Dinner counts, too. A total of thirty meals. I’ll add it all up to a month’s worth.”
Thirty meals? Yvonne agreed readily.
If she cooked both lunch and dinner for the next couple of weeks, then she could be done with it half a month
earlier.
“Deal!”
Norton felt a twinge of unease at her quick and sudden change of mind. “Are you that eager to go back to work?”
“Of course. It’s my dream.” Yvonne was honest; she saw no point in hiding her feelings on the matter.
“I just don’t understand,” Norton said wearily, shifting in his seat to lock his dark eyes on hers. “I’m giving you the best of everything you could possibly want or need. Why do you still insist on working? Are you even sure you can handle all the stress? Those rich ladies spend their days shopping or attending events, and the older ones tend to their gardens. Can’t you be content with that kind of life?”
No, Yvonne could not.
Everyone had their individual aspirations. Why should she conform to a template?
“Everybody has different opinions. Just because they chose to live their lives that way doesn’t mean I should, too. You talk like you’re pampering me, but in reality, all you do is ensure my basic needs. I don’t want to rely on you for the rest of my life. I have my own ambitions. As for the stress…”
Yvonne had faced her fair share of hardships since her family’s bankruptcy.
If she didn’t become stronger, she would be forced to endure the same humiliation over and over until the end
of days.
“What about the stress?” Norton prompted when her pause stretched for a beat longer.
“My family went bankrupt, something you’ve never experienced. I doubt you would understand what I’m saying, no matter how hard I explain.”
Back then, Yvonne had yet to marry Norton. She faced endless insults and ridicule from the public. It was a terrifying time in her life. Debt collectors kept hounding her, and she had spent many sleepless nights–too
many to count.
No one had been there for her, except for Rachel. Rachel had used all her savings to help her, even though it was merely a drop in the bucket compared to what she needed to pay her family’s debts.
Even so, that small amount had proven to be crucial to her survival.
Rachel had stayed with her for an entire month, afraid that Yvonne might resort to something drastic.
Later, when she began suffering from insomnia, Rachel had taken her to see a doctor, covered her medication, and even held her to sleep at nights.
Chapter 111 Yvonne’s Darkest Moments
Yvonne used be so timid. Every time the debt collectors came around, she would have a mental breakdown
And each time, Rachel had stood in front of her, shielding her from the storms life threw her way.
She still remembered one time when a creditor had threatened to harm her if she failed to pay on time Those people were ruthless. They told her they would torture her before selling her to a whorehouse.
Yvonne had nightmares every single day after that.
When the day finally came, the creditors broke down her door. Once again, Rachel had stepped up, pretending
to be Yvonne and confronted those men.
If she could, Yvonne would rather forget that part of her life.
“If you’re willing to talk about it, I don’t mind listening,” Norton suddenly said, catching her off–guard. His tone had softened slightly, though there was still a distinct aloofness in the way he spoke.
Requiem of A Broken Heart
