Chapter 4
Tobias pouted and said, “My condition is much better now. The doctor said it’s fine to have a little once in a while. But Mom keeps wanting to control me, always telling me what to do.”
Hearing a five-year-old boy say the word “control” felt extremely odd.
Just as Julian was about to speak, his phone rang. He answered, and Susan’s voice came through.
“Julian, are you home yet?” Susan asked.
“I am,” Julian replied.
“Ms. Summer hasn’t come home yet, has she?” Susan said.
Julian was silent for a moment before asking, “What is it?”
“Julian, I think I just saw Ms. Summer…” Susan hesitated before speaking. “She’s having dinner with a young man, and they seem rather close.”
She paused, then cautiously asked, “Do you think what happened earlier in the day upset her again? Julian, maybe you should explain things to her?”
Julian’s gaze grew cold. Instead of coming home to cook, Estelle was out on a date with another man. His tone turned a few degrees colder without him realizing it. “Where is she now?”
Susan gave him the address.
“Got it,” Julian said before quickly hanging up.
…
In the restaurant, Zane Jackman looked intently at Estelle. He asked, “Have you really made up your mind?”
Estelle nodded. “Summer Starlight was custom-made for me by my mother, but for five whole years, I gave it up for my family…”
At that point, Estelle sighed softly, and her expression carried a hint of melancholy.
“And now?” Zane’s voice was deep. “Returning to the stage means constant performances, and you’ll be incredibly busy. I’m afraid you won’t have much time for your husband and son.”
“Tobias is healthy now.” A faint, mocking glint flashed in Estelle’s eyes. “Besides, he doesn’t need my care anymore.”
“What about Julian?” Zane asked. “Will he agree?”
Estelle’s expression turned icy at the mention of Julian’s name. “I don’t need his approval for my own matters.”
Zane studied her intently for a moment before saying, “But he would never agree to let you near me.”
“I don’t need his permission.” At that moment, she recalled how she had distanced herself from Zane because of something Julian had said. A flicker of guilt crossed her face. “I’m sorry, Zane.”
But Zane shook his head and said, “Essie, you don’t owe me an apology. I’m the one who failed you. I promised your mother I’d protect you. But I couldn’t, and you ended up suffering so much because of it.”
Zane was Estelle’s senior. The two had studied violin together under Gloria when they were young.
He later became a renowned violinist. His good looks and brooding presence shot him to fame, making him the dream man of many young women. He was just as famous as the top celebrities in the entertainment industry.
Despite his wealth and status, he was still no match for a powerful businessman like Julian.
Estelle said, “It’s not your fault. I was the one—”
Before she could finish speaking, a soft voice suddenly sounded from behind her.
“What are you doing here, Ms. Summer?”
Estelle turned around and saw Susan, dressed in a pure white dress. It was truly unfortunate to run into the woman she despised twice in one day.
She replied icily, “What does that have to do with you?”
Susan smiled warmly and said, “No need to get upset, Ms. Summer. I’m just curious. Since Julian is rarely home, why aren’t you there making dinner for him?”
Susan spoke lightly, her gentle expression making her look entirely demure and innocent. In comparison, Estelle seemed cold and distant—even harsh and indifferent.
However, Estelle could hear the provocation and mockery hidden in Susan’s words. She looked up and caught the fleeting trace of smugness in Susan’s eyes.
Estelle retorted, “And why is it that Julian rarely comes home? Because all his free time is taken up by you, Ms. Lynch. Are you playing dumb or just pretending not to know?”
Susan’s expression turned panicked as she grabbed Estelle’s hand. She hurriedly explained, “Ms. Summer, please listen to me. That wasn’t what I meant—”
Before Susan could finish, Estelle cut her off. “If you’re not pretending, then that just means you don’t know your place.”
Estelle pulled her hand away. “Ms. Lynch, people who lack self-awareness are downright insufferable.”
“Oh!” Suddenly, Susan let out a startled cry and fell backward.
Before Estelle could react, a tall figure quickly caught Susan before she could hit the ground.
“Susan, are you okay?”
Susan turned toward the newcomer, her face pale. Tears filled her eyes as if she had been greatly wronged, making her look helpless and pitiful. She said, “Julian, I’m fine. Ms. Summer didn’t mean it, so don’t blame her, okay?”
Julian’s gaze flickered slightly before he finally noticed that Estelle was nearby. Frowning, he said in an icy voice, “Estelle, apologize to Susan.”
This wasn’t the first time something like this happened.
In the past, Estelle would have anxiously defended herself and said things like “It wasn’t me!”, “Let me explain”, “I didn’t do it”, or “Please, just believe me”.
But Julian had never taken her side. Every time, he would make her apologize to Susan. If she refused, he would simply give her the cold shoulder. He wouldn’t take her calls or reply to her messages. He would treat her like she didn’t exist by ignoring her and not even sparing her a glance.
Eventually, even Tobias joined in and treated her the same way. In the end, she would have no choice but to give in and apologize.
At that thought, Estelle scoffed. “Why should I listen to you? Who do you think you are?”
Julian froze, almost thinking he had misheard her. “What did you just say?”
Estelle looked at him and said coldly, “When I cared about you, whatever you said went. But now that I don’t, what does that make you?”
Julian finally understood what she meant.
In his memory, Estelle had never spoken to him this way before. She had always been gentle and considerate. She would leave the lights on when he came home late. On nights when he worked late in his study, she would prepare supper for him.
And whenever he had too much to drink, she would bring him tea to help with his hangovers.
Ever since Susan’s return, Estelle was no longer as pleasing to him as she once was. But she had never outright defied him like this or confronted him so directly. For some reason, a sliver of frustration stirred within Julian.
Just then, a child’s voice suddenly rang out.
“Mom, you taught me that when we make a mistake, we should apologize. So, now that you’ve done something wrong, shouldn’t you apologize to Ms. Susie?”
