Chapter 269

Justin paused for a moment, then quickly realized she had misunderstood something. He seemed flustered and hurriedly explained, “Grace, don’t misunderstand. Vivian and I are just friends.” Grace was taken aback for a moment, glancing at Vivian. She lowered her gaze slightly, a hint of desolation fleeting across her eyes. She could tell that Vivian had feelings for Justin.
A moment later, Vivian lifted her head and smiled at Grace. She joked, “Yeah, if we were going to get involved, we would have been together since high school. I still don’t have a boyfriend now, Grace. Do you have any quality single guys around you that you could introduce to me?” Vivian deftly defused the awkwardness.
After dinner, Justin escorted Grace home first. Grace waved goodbye to both of them. Vivian asked, “I haven’t been out much since I returned. How about we go singing together next time?”
Grace looked a bit hesitant. “Vivian, I’m sorry, but I still have to care for my child.”
Grace’s words leave Vivian open-mouthed. “Child? What child?”
“Didn’t Justin tell you?” Grace explained, “I have a child who is just over a month old. So going to places like KTV might not be convenient for me.”
Vivian fell silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Okay, then… how about we go shopping together when you’re free next time?”
“Okay.”
“Let’s exchange WhatsApp contacts then. Goodbye,” Vivian waved her phone at her.
Justin then drove Vivian home. Vivian glanced at Justin, her words on the tip of her tongue. In her mind, she replayed the scene from the dinner, where Justin had attentively served her food and Grace’s words. Despite Justin’s gentle demeanor towards everyone, Vivian couldn’t shake the feeling that his attitude towards Grace differed.
Justin noticed her gaze and turned to her, smiling. “What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”
Vivian leaned her head on her hand, resting her elbow on the window ledge as she looked at him. “Do you… like Grace?”
Justin glanced at her, a smile in his eyes. He nodded. “Yes.”
Vivian was slightly taken aback. “But… she has a child.”
Justin said calmly, “I don’t mind those things, you know it.”
Vivian felt her breath catch inexplicably. It seemed that loving someone meant accepting everything about them.
Justin suddenly sighed. “It’s just a pity that she doesn’t feel the same way about me. She only sees me as a friend.”
Vivian couldn’t articulate the mix of emotions in her heart. She empathized with his feelings because, in a way, she was experiencing something similar herself.
*****
After sending the photo to Grace, Louise drove to Brian’s house. While Grace wasn’t currently clinging to Brian, she still worried that one day, Grace might suddenly appear and disrupt her relationship with him. So, Louise wanted to strengthen the bond between herself and Brian. She planned to come to Brian’s house every day to cook for him. With time, he would naturally invite her to stay with the Francis family.
It was the weekend, and Brian was at home. When he received a call from Louise, he went down and waited for her in the living room.
Louise entered the kitchen, carrying bags of groceries, ready to cook. Seeing her sweating from the effort, Brian said, “Let me help you.”
“No need.” Louise chuckled, gently pushing him out. “I want you to enjoy the meal I cook myself.”
Brian chuckled indulgently. “Alright, I’ll wait for you outside then.”