Chapter 3 Have You Got a Woman?
Cynthia quickly regained her balance, pushed Colin away, and took two steps back. She tucked her messy hair behind her ear, trying her best to appear calm. “I… didn’t mean it like that. I just wanted to clarify what happened last night.”
Colin saw right through her, fully aware of the turmoil beneath her composed exterior. He wasn’t interested in hearing her excuses. In truth, he hadn’t thought there was anything worth explaining in the first place.
Still, her timing for this little speech was almost perfect—almost.
Colin couldn’t be bothered to engage further. In his mind, she had always been somewhat clumsy. It was normal for her to play the role of the fragile and rely on others’ sympathy, considering that she was an adoptive daughter.
As he was about to get into the car, he noticed Brian walking out. Colin paused, his hand resting on the door. He changed his mind right then and said, “Get in.”
Cynthia stood frozen for a moment, confused. Colin had already gotten in and slammed the door shut. The next second, she heard the horn honk sharply, urging her to hurry.
She thought that would be the end of the matter, but she was wrong.
The car left the cemetery.
Cynthia lowered her gaze and stared at her fidgeting hands.
Colin rolled down the window and turned on the car’s radio, subtly trying to drown out the unease emanating from her.
If he wasn’t going to speak, she couldn’t simply remain silent. Taking a deep breath of the cold air, Cynthia prepared herself and spoke again, “Colin.”
In response, Colin honked impatiently. There were no other cars on the road. It was purely for venting his frustration.
“We’re not that close,” Colin said flatly.
Cynthia swallowed.
Colin, growing more annoyed, was interrupted by the ringing of his phone. He answered it and put it on speaker.
“Colin, as you instructed, the company’s shares are finalized. The 56% has been secured.”
Colin only replied with a disinterested “okay”.
There was a brief pause on the other end. “Are you going to send Mr. Jenkins Senior off today?”
“Yes.”
“Will you be drinking tonight?”
Suddenly, someone sneezed.
The person on the other end of the line fell silent.
Colin turned his head to the side.
Cynthia quickly raised her hand to her nose and gave him an apologetic look. She hadn’t been able to hold back a sneeze.
The person on the other end of the line, Kyle Underwood, noticed that something was off and playfully asked, “Colin, something’s going on, huh?”
Colin responded with finality, “I’m hanging up.”
Cynthia wiped her nose with a tissue and apologized, “Sorry.”
Colin was slightly irritated and rolled up the window.
Kyle continued, “Colin, so you’ve got a woman now? Don’t hide her away. It’s no fun. I’ve organized a small get-together and invited those shareholders to come by and sign some papers. Grace us with your presence?”
Colin was pondering the list of shareholders in his mind.
Beside him, Cynthia’s phone rang. It was Brian, asking where she had gone.
Cynthia wasn’t good at lying. Her mind raced, and after a brief moment, she replied, “Oh, Colin said he would give me a ride back to the university since it was on the way.”
Cynthia quickly came up with an excuse. “My classmate said she couldn’t find the test data, so I’m going back to help her. I’ll return as soon as I’m done.”
Brian responded, “I see.”
Cynthia nodded, as if Brian could see her through the phone.
Brian then added, “Call me when you’re done, and I’ll send the driver to pick you up.”
She replied, “Okay.”
After hanging up, Cynthia finally noticed the intense gaze coming from Colin.
Colin squinted, as though deep in thought, and suddenly asked, “You haven’t graduated yet?”
He had moved out a few years ago, and he returned home no more than a handful of times each year. Their interactions were mostly limited to brief, impersonal encounters. He knew of her existence, but that was all.
Most of the time, Colin didn’t pay any attention to her. It was entirely normal for him not to know anything about her.
Cynthia nodded. “I’ll graduate this year with a master’s degree.”
Colin glanced at her. “Skipped a grade?”
Cynthia looked to be in her early 20s and seemed meek. Though it had been Brian who had brought her into the Jenkins family, it was ultimately the Jenkins family that had raised her.
For a moment, Colin almost wanted to tell her that she shouldn’t be grateful to the wrong person, but he decided against it.
There was no need. He didn’t care.
After her father’s death, Loid had given her a substantial sum as compensation to ensure that she and Zoey would be provided for, considering how her father, Harry Sutton, had worked for the Jenkins family for so many years.
It was also a form of severance pay. However, the very next day they received the money, Zoey had used it all to pay off gambling debts.
Later, Zoey continued to stay in the Jenkins residence with Cynthia until the butler chased her away. Cynthia was only five years old at the time.
Zoey had forced Cynthia to sit on the doorstep of the residence in the pouring rain, putting on an act.
Cynthia knew that if they left, the debt collectors would not spare them. Staying with the Jenkins family was the only way to keep them safe.
Later, it was Brian who stepped in. He persuaded Loid to take Cynthia in as a goddaughter, granting her special treatment within the family.
Zoey had pushed Cynthia away and shouted with a voice so loud that it frightened Cynthia, “Cyn! Hurry! Thank Brian. You must repay him someday. Do you hear me?”
Cynthia had nearly collapsed at Brian’s feet, her body shivering from the cold rain. She looked up at his handsome face and obediently said, “Thank you, Brian.”
It was Brian who, over the years, had given her the most care and attention. Naturally, she could not slack off in her studies and became obsessively driven.
Colin didn’t press further. He recalled how she had caused a scene the previous night. Her two-faced behavior—acting one way in front of others and another behind their backs—was somewhat intriguing.
His curiosity was piqued, and he decided he wanted to see more.
He texted Kyle back. “Okay.”
Then, he turned to Cynthia and said, “Come with me. I want to take you somewhere.”
