Chapter 168:
The Trace of His Beloved
"Scarlett, I heard Daniel got hurt and is in the hospital. We came to see him."
Reid smiled kindly at Scarlett.
Thora's expression was a bit awkward−after all, she hadn't been very nice to Scarlett before.
But now the Brown family was in dire straits and had no choice but to come begging to Scarlett.
Scarlett smiled politely, "He's already been discharged."
"Scarlett, are you still mad at me? Alice is carrying Daniel's child. As a mother, it's only natural for me to think about my daughter.
I know I was selfish. I apologize. Can you please, for the sake of our mother-daughter bond from when you were little, help put in a good word for the Brown family?"
Thora's eyes reddened, looking quite embarrassed.
She was a somewhat famous dancer, and artists tend to be proud.
But she was used to living well, and thinking about the poverty after bankruptcy, she couldn't care about embarrassment anymore.
Scarlett hadn't expected that Alice still hadn't told Thora the truth. Alice was still lying to Reid and Thora, saying the child was Daniel's.
Scarlett frowned slightly, "Put in a good word?"
"Daniel stopped investing in the Brown family. Everything was fine before, and now he just cut it off. The Brown Group's cash flow has already broken down."
Scarlett didn't know about this−Daniel hadn't mentioned it to her.
"Scarlett, for your grandmother's sake at least, you can't just watch the Brown family fall. The Brown family business was built by your grandmother and grandfather with their own hands."
The grandmother Reid mentioned was Delete content
Kennedy.
Kennedy had passed away when Scarlett was five, and many memories were blurry.
But Kennedy had adored Scarlett, and that warmth and affection had always been deeply buried in Scarlett's heart.
There was no denying that Scarlett being adopted by the Wilson family had something to do with the Brown family connection.
Reid clearly knew where Scarlett's boundaries were, and Scarlett wasn't hard-hearted enough.
"I'll mention it to Daniel, but I can't promise he'll change his mind."
Reid gave Thora a look, and Thora stepped forward to hug Scarlett. "Good child, you've always been soft-hearted and kind."
Scarlett patted Thora's back, but took the opportunity to take a few strands of Thora's hair.
She pushed Thora away. "Mr. Brown and Mrs. Brown, after this, I won't owe the Brown family anything anymore."
Scarlett turned and left first.
The happy expressions on Thora and Reid's faces froze.
Reid sighed, "Back then, the family could have supported two daughters."
Thora's eyes reddened. "But Alice was so sensitive and fragile back then. She was our biological child. As parents, how could we not give our child enough sense of security? Honey, we didn't do anything wrong, did we?"
Reid sighed again. "It's already like this. Forget it, let's go."
The two left. Not far away, the emergency exit door was pushed open.
Alice walked out, watching their backs. Her fists were clenched tight, her whole body trembling, her eyes full of resentment and unwillingness.
Why, after all these years of trying so hard, being so nice for so many years.
Why was she still not as good as Scarlett!
These past few days, even while hospitalized, she'd been making calls everywhere, trying to get investments for the Brown family.
What had Scarlett done? She just agreed to a small request, and Reid and Thora were already regretting their decision from years ago?
Scarlett! Scarlett!
Why did they all choose Scarlett!
Scarlett sent Alice and Thora's hair to a paternity testing agency.
In the car on the way back to The Wilson Mansion, Scarlett's phone rang.
Scarlett took out her phone−it was actually a message from Daniel on Facebook.
Scarlett opened it to find a money transfer.
Fifty thousand dollars.
Then three more transfers came in quick succession, each for fifty thousand dollars.
The notes on the four transfers, when put together, read. [You worked hard.]
A total of two hundred thousand dollars. Daniel didn't use Facebook often−this must be his Facebook's daily transfer limit.
Scarlett was a bit confused when another Facebook message came through.
[I heard this is how people thank their wives nowadays. Left in a rush this morning, didn't eat the breakfast you made.]
Scarlett was stunned. This didn't seem like something Daniel would do. He even sent an emoji?
Her gloomy mood improved a bit, and she replied.
[Who told you that?]
Daniel held his phone, glanced up at Tom sitting in the passenger seat, and typed.
[Who said it doesn't matter. What matters−is Mrs. Wilson still angry?]
Scarlett's lips were already curving up.
[Depends on how you do at lunch.]
After a moment, Daniel replied.
[Arrived at the venue. See you at home for lunch.]
Scarlett also sent a cute cat emoji.
Those few Facebook messages−she looked at them the whole way.
Especially Daniel's last message, it gave her the feeling that Daniel was reporting his schedule to his wife.
Scarlett stared at it again and again. She wanted to ask him clearly at lunch−maybe there were some misunderstandings about certain things.
Scarlett returned to The Wilson Mansion. Magnolia was watching TV on the sofa.
"My big treasure and little treasure are back! Come here, let me hug you."
Scarlett smiled and sat down next to Magnolia. "Grandma, who's the big treasure and who's the little treasure?"
"You're the big treasure, Bunny is the little treasure."
"Then Grandma is the old treasure."
"What do you mean old treasure?"
"Grandma, you're the real treasure of our family."
As Scarlett said this, she acted cute, shaking Magnolia's arm.
They had a childishly competitive conversation, both laughing happily.
Just then, the TV started playing financial news.
It was the joint press conference by the Star Group and Vanguard Innovations Group.
The camera moved from the reporter-filled venue to the entrance, where a line of men in sharp suits walked in.
Camera flashes went crazy, the scene solemn.
Walking at the front, Daniel wore a dark suit with a crisp tie, tall and slender, his expression cool and his presence powerful.
Young and handsome Daniel simply stood out among the group of middle-aged men, yet he was the center of attention, his presence so strong it came through the screen.
Scarlett stopped laughing and stared intently at the TV.
Watching Daniel take his seat with dignity, watching him shake hands with people.
Watching him face the media calmly and speak eloquently, watching him respond to reporters' questions concisely and sharply, easily controlling the whole scene.
Scarlett's eyes seemed filled with countless stars, all showing her admiration.
She thought she didn't just like good-looking men−she was probably also attracted to strength.
She was still angry, but seeing him, her heartbeat sped up again without any dignity.
She thought, Scarlett, you really have no dignity at all.
She gently touched her belly again, talking to Bunny.
Baby, look, that's your daddy. Isn't your daddy amazing?
At this press conference, the Star Group and Vanguard Innovations Group announced their three-year deep cooperation plan and two research achievements at the international leading level.
Even though Scarlett didn't know much about finance, she could imagine that after the press conference, with the Star Group backing White Corporation, White Corporation's stock price would just keep rising.
Daniel really was loyal and righteous to Tobias and the White family.
"Scarlett, I only just found out that the child in Alice's belly is actually from the White family.
Daniel has always been very reserved, and he has issues with the White family. He even kept it from me. Don't hold it against him."
Magnolia held Scarlett's hand and patted it.
Thinking about the White family matter, Magnolia's expression also became heavier and sadder.
Scarlett frowned slightly. "Grandma, did something else happen between Daniel and the White family?"
What did it mean that Daniel had issues with the White family?
Scarlett felt like there were many things she didn't know about.
But Magnolia was startled and said, "Some things−when Daniel wants to talk about them later, let him tell you."
Whether Magnolia didn't want to say or was deliberately hiding something wasn't clear.
After speaking, Magnolia said she was tired and had Tyne help her back to her room.
Scarlett felt inexplicably uneasy, probably because Magnolia was rarely this secretive.
Scarlett stood there in a daze for a moment, then went upstairs to change into dance clothes and went to the dance room to practice.
Since getting pregnant, she still danced every day.
But she had reduced her practice time, paid attention to taking breaks, and stopped doing intense dance moves.
Bunny was very good and didn't make Scarlett uncomfortable.
Bunny seemed to silently understand and support Scarlett. So far, Scarlett hadn't felt like her body couldn't handle it.
An hour and a half later, Scarlett came out of the dance room, took a shower, rested for a while, then went to the yard.
She said she was taking a walk, but actually she wanted to see Daniel sooner. Those questions weighing on her heart made her uncomfortable.
Scarlett walked around the yard. Not far from the gate was a pavilion.
Scarlett went to sit in the pavilion, from where she could see the entrance at a glance.
But her gaze was drawn to the red wooden pillar in the middle of the pavilion. She stood up and walked over.
Her fingers touched the various height marks carved on the red pillar, and a smile spread from her eyes.
"When Mrs. Scarlett Wilson first came to the Wilson family, she was just this tiny. Mr. Daniel Wilson was always worried Mrs. Scarlett Wilson wouldn't grow tall."
Tyne's voice came from behind. Scarlett turned around to see Tyne coming in with a fruit plate.
Tyne was also looking at the marks on the pillar.
Those marks were nothing else but Scarlett's height over the years.
Each one was personally carved by Daniel, from age eight to seventeen−nine marks in total.
The one for age eighteen was still missing.
Scarlett smiled and said, "Tyne, could you get me a kitchen knife?"
She wanted Daniel to add that last mark.
Tyne nodded and was about to turn and leave when Scarlett walked around the pillar a couple more steps and pointed to two other rows of marks that were clearly also recording height.
"These two rows - one is Daniel's height growing up, but whose height is the shorter one next to it?"
"The shorter one next to it..." Tyne suddenly slapped her forehead. "Look at my memory! The soup in the kitchen needs to be turned down. Mrs. Wilson, wait a moment, I'll bring the knife you asked for in a bit."
Tyne turned and walked away quickly.
Scarlett watched Tyne's back, feeling like Tyne left very hastily, as if avoiding something.
Scarlett's gaze returned to those two rows of marks on the pillar.
Who was recording their height together with Daniel?
Could it be Juno?
Scarlett was lost in thought when her phone rang.
Scarlett expectantly swiped the screen.
It was a text from an unknown number.
[Are you waiting for Daniel to come home and keep you company? Too bad, he won't be coming back, because he has someone more important to be with.]
[I know you don't believe it, but do you dare come to Phoenix Hill Villa right now and see for yourself?]