Chapter 473 Your Secret Is No Longer a Secret
"Including me, and William," Vaughn wasn't someone who liked to beat around the bush with people. Dione had known this many years ago.
Otherwise, she couldn't have walked away from her first marriage unscathed.
The things she did back then, if it had been anyone with impure intentions, she wouldn't have left so freely. That's why over the years, she would often think of this man.
But it was just thinking of him, nothing more.
Vaughn's words blocked all her attempts at small talk.
The heat from the coffee in her hand spread through her fingers. Fortunately, the sun was shining brightly today, so it wasn't that cold.
"You've raised him very well."
"He's also worked very hard himself," Vaughn picked up where she left off.
"If possible, I don't want him going to Regal City to get involved in the Jimenez family's affairs."
When Vaughn heard Dione say this, his eyes showed surprise, looking at her as if she were a complete stranger, nothing like someone who had once shared his bed.
"Given your competitive nature and refusal to admit defeat, you don't just want him to stay out of the Jimenez family's business, do you?"
If William were to back down in this matter, Dione would want William to retreat into the dust.
Stay in Emerald City for life, never return to Regal City.
Someone like her couldn't accept losing.
"You know what I mean."
"I don't know, and I don't want to know. You and I are both in our fifties now, not thirty years ago. Everything in the world changes, except you."
"How can I change when my enemy is still alive?"
"What's more important, Is it your enemy or your son?"
"The problem now is that William has taken the opposing side and gotten mixed up with the Jimenez family."
"If he hadn't gotten mixed up with the Jimenez family, he would always be my son."
Dione's emotions ran high under Vaughn's few sharp words. A university professor and a wealthy lady having an argument in a coffee shop naturally drew the attention of many students. Vaughn was known for his good temper with everyone.
Even when he occasionally got emotional with his graduate students, he never took it to heart.
Today was different, a rare sight.
"Mr. Brown?"
"Do you need help?"
A female student gathered her courage and walked over, looking at Vaughn with a guarded expression.
Vaughn's gaze moved away from Dione as he said it was fine.
Only then did the female student walk away reassured.
After a long while, Vaughn looked at Dione, suppressing his surging emotions.
"You lied to me. You said you were leaving to study, but that wasn't the truth. Dione, since you're already married, have both a son and daughter, and married someone you thought was right for you, don't come back and meddle in our family's affairs. Who William is with and where he stays is his freedom. You'd better not touch him, or else I'll make public everything you did back then."
"Your secrets will no longer be secrets," Vaughn warned in a low voice.
"I always thought Emerald City was your temporary refuge, but now it seems that's not the case. This place is where your heart was broken. Otherwise, why haven't you thought about coming back to see the son you carried for ten months after returning from abroad all these years? In your heart, there's only your enemy and your career ambitions. William and I are just stepping stones on your path forward." Vaughn said, slowly standing up, his gaze coldly fixed on her.
...
"Why are you here?"
"A student called to say you were arguing with someone here. I was worried you'd be at a disadvantage, so I came to check. What happened? Who made you so angry?"
Harper rushed over just as Vaughn was coming out of the coffee shop.
She instinctively reached out to hold Harper's hand and walked toward the school, explaining in a muffled voice, "William's birth mother. He went to Regal City this time to attend someone's wedding, probably ran into some conflict. She came looking for trouble."
Harper's steps faltered. "What did she say?"
"Some unpleasant things. Told William not to get involved in the Jimenez family's affairs, and preferably not to return to Regal City either."
"What gives her the right? I'm going to teach her a lesson," Harper's temper flared as she turned to leave, but Vaughn pulled her back. "Don't cause trouble."
"You're just going to take this? William is such a good kid. His birth mother is really too much."
"We can't control others, just do our best," Vaughn held Harper's hand as they left, walking along Emerald City's winter sycamore avenue. In a trance, Dione felt like she was back thirty years ago.
Thirty years ago, that handsome and charming teacher had held her hand just like this, and now, so many years had passed in a flash.
No one was young anymore.
Seeing Vaughn, she realized that some people really could stay true to themselves forever.
...
"Mr. Brown, Dione went to see your father."
"Right now?"
William stood at the parking lot entrance, watching the servants carry Thalia's shopping haul piece by piece into the Mistwood Hill elevator.
A cigarette between his fingers, he smoked intermittently in the parking lot's dim lighting.
"Yes!"
"Have someone escort her to the Westbridge University dorm building," the man threw his cigarette on the ground, stamped it out with his foot, and hurriedly left just after arriving home.
"Where's William?"
"Mr. Brown had something to attend to and left. He said you should rest tonight and not wait for him."
Hearing this, Thalia frowned in displeasure and asked Fallon to bring her phone.
She called William.
"Did you go to the office?"
"Dione came to Emerald City to see Dad. I'm going to meet her."
"Take me with you. I'll help you deal with her."
William, leaning back in the rear seat, couldn't help but laugh when he heard Thalia say this. "You're a girl, don't think about fighting all day long."
"She's bullying you, and I can't hit her?"
"Aren't you tired? Get a spa and sleep." William patiently persuaded Thalia for a few moments before hanging up.
When the car stopped at the Westbridge University dorm building, he saw Dione from a distance, standing downstairs, staring blankly in the direction of the third floor.
It wasn't until the sound of a car door closing behind her that she turned her head slightly.
"Why did you want to meet here?"
William was still wearing the same coat from earlier in the day. Hearing Dione's question, he answered indirectly, "This building was scheduled to be demolished in June 2017. I bought it and come back to look at it occasionally."
After speaking, he reached out to Finn for the key.
Ignoring Dione, he strode upstairs.
When the worn door was opened, there was no musty smell. On the contrary, it was very clean.
As if someone regularly cleaned it.
Dione stood at the doorway, not daring to enter.
This door carried too much of her shame.