The three talked for a while, then Zachariah said, “uncle Owen, I have to take Ophelia to meet other
elders.”
“Go ahead.”
Zachariah took Ophelia to meet two more important elders, and then he took her upstairs with the
worries that she would be tired.
“Zachariah, let’s go and see Savannah and Mom.” Said Ophelia.
“No, it has taken you so long to socialize with me, so you now go back to room and have a rest. Mom
will handle the things about Savannah.”
Ophelia followed him toward the bedroom, but looked at him suspiciously and said, “Zachariah, is there
something you have kept from me? Savannah was not having a tour to Korea with her friends, right?”
Zachariah grabbed her possessively with his arm around her waist and kept nudging her toward the
bedroom.
Inside the bedroom, Zachariah lifted her.
Ophelia gasped slightly and wrapped her arms reflexively around Zachariah’s neck.
Zachariah strode over to the bed and gently laid her on it.
“Zachariah, is there something kept from me?” Ophelia asked as she lay on the bed with her eyes wide
open. “You said we should be honest to each other and I don’t want to hear white lies.”
Zachariah leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, saying, “Leave it behind and Savannah just got
a mood, which made mom angry. So mom let her go out and live independently. Mom wanted to teach
her a lesson, otherwise, she will never realize that she has done something wrong. She should have
got a lesson in the past month living alone, so she takes this opportunity to come back home. You keep
your mind in peace. Mom will deal with her. What you should do now is to take care of yourself and
leave other things behind.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I wouldn’t have to deceive you about something irrelevant, would I?”
Ophelia nodded and did not dwell on the matter.
“I’ll ask Madeleine to stay with you here with Tommy. There are a lot of guests downstairs and I have to
go.” Said Zachariah, kissing her on the lips.
Ophelia blinked.
Zachariah lovingly stroked her hair before getting out of the bed.
As Zachariah left the bedroom, Ophelia’s smile faded and a complex emotion flashed through her eyes.
She stared at the ceiling, frustrated, and said, “Zachariah, even though you said you love me, we still
couldn’t be honest to each other.”
Madeleine came, holding Tommy, and interrupted Ophelia’s reverie.
Ophelia cautiously got up and looked at Tommy in Madeleine’s arms.
Madeleine carefully laid the baby on the bed, and Ophelia reached over to touch Tommy who was in a
sweet sleep, with great tenderness in her eyes.
“When did he fall asleep?” Ophelia asked.
“Just now, a child is sleepy.” Madeleine explained, “I do deem that it’s fine to invite friends and relatives
to celebrate the day when the baby’s one month old. It’s so noisy to have so many people here.”
Ophelia was also not fond of seeing so many people in the party. To some extent, Tommy’s one-month
banquet had changed into a business party. The rich in the circle were all invited here, which was a
great chance for the ordinary people to make friends. Consequently, a lot of people longed for an
invitation letter to attend this party.
“Madeleine, the family held this party and so many ordinary white-collar workers desire to attend this
party. You know those who are invited are all rich. And everyone wants to make friends here. As a
novelist, you don’t take this chance to make friends here, but complain it’s so noisy.” Ophelia made fun
of her, pretending nothing happened.
Madeleine shrugged, “Sweetie, you should know that I am not interested in fame and fortune. I enjoy
making money on myself, not relying on others. It’s really a method to make fast money, but I will lose
the sense of achievement.”
Ophelia shook her head and laughed.
“You’ve wasted a good chance.” Ophelia said.
“Sweetie, you mean that you want me to have a relation with the family?”
Ophelia thought about it, and said, “To be honest, I don’t want you to get involved. It’s way complex if
you do have a relationship with the family. You will be monitored by many eyes and it’s hard to have a
life in peace. When you become more well-known, you will be busy book signing and panels. At that
time, many people with special purposes will approach you by various ways. If you really want a life of
fame and fortune, I would have helped you and made it.”
Madeleine snapped her fingers and gave Ophelia an admiring look.
“You know me best.” Madeleine said, “Having you as my friend, I am really happy.”
Ophelia gave her a push.
Madeleine got to the point, “Ophelia, honestly, are you a little annoyed about what happened just now
about the Fletcher family and Savannah?”
Ophelia gave a wry smile.
“I’d be lying if I say no. Cora really pissed me off. In fact, I really want to rip her off, but I cannot.
Zachariah told me that he loves me, but he didn’t tell what he gets a feeling about Cora. After all, she is
his first love, who he missed for so many years. If he says he has got her out of his heart, I would not
believe it.”
Madeleine propped her hands on the bed, unfazed.
“So what? Ophelia, you’re worrying for nothing. It doesn’t matter who he has in his heart, and what
matters is it’s you beside him now. You, Zachariah, and Tommy make a happy family of three. He
makes a living for the family, while you’re a housewife. What you need to do is to play with the baby.
You’ve got everything you wanted, so you don’t need to be afraid.”
She understood what Madeleine had said, but she was always in a flutter, feeling that the present
peace was too unreal, and that at any moment some great conspiracy would break out.
She also hoped that she was thinking too much. But her uneasiness in heart was telling her perhaps
she was not thinking much.
Madeleine snapped her fingers and gave Ophelia an admiring look.
“You know me best.” Madeleine said, “Having you as my friend, | am really happy.”
Ophelia gave her a push.
Madeleine got to the point, “Ophelia, honestly, are you a little annoyed about what happened just now
about the Fletcher family and Savannah?”
Ophelia gave a wry smile.
“I'd be lying if | say no. Cora really pissed me off. In fact, | really want to rip her off, but | cannot.
Zachariah told me that he loves me, but he didn't tell what he gets a feeling about Cora. After all, she is
his first love, who he missed for so many years. If he says he has got her out of his heart, | would not
believe it.”
Madeleine propped her hands on the bed, unfazed.
“So what? Ophelia, you're worrying for nothing. It doesn’t matter who he has in his heart, and what
matters is it’s you beside him now. You, Zachariah, and Tommy make a happy family of three. He
makes a living for the family, while you're a housewife. What you need to do is to play with the baby.
You've got everything you wanted, so you don't need to be afraid.”
She understood what Madeleine had said, but she was always in a flutter, feeling that the present
peace was too unreal, and that at any moment some great conspiracy would break out.
She also hoped that she was thinking too much. But her uneasiness in heart was telling her perhaps
she was not thinking much.
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