“I guess so?” Emmeline nodded. “It just doesn’t seem right somehow.”
“That’s usually the case with plastic surgery. You might not be used to it at first glance, but you just have to keep looking at it,” Janie said.
They heard the sounds of a car engine in the front yard. Benjamin had returned.
Emmeline was still angry at Benjamin for causing Janie to suffer so much.
Benjamin had caused Janie to lose her baby, then the chest injury. No woman would be able to handle that much abuse.
As soon as Benjamin stepped in through the door, Emmeline stood up and prepared to leave.
“Emma, are you going to treat me like this forever?” Benjamin said sadly.
“I said I don’t want to see you! I feel so frustrated whenever I see you,” Emmeline said.
Benjamin gulped. “Yvonne told me you were here, and I specifically came back to meet you. What do you want for dinner? I’ll get Yvonne to cook for you.”
“It’s still too early for dinner,” Emmeline said. “Now that you’re back, you should spend your precious time with Janie. I’ll be leaving.”
Benjamin furrowed his brows but said nothing.
“Emma, you can’t keep on being angry at Benjamin. It’s not his fault I got hurt,” Janie said.
“Whose fault is it then?” Emmeline glared at Benjamin. “He admitted that it’s his fault, and that nearly cost you your life. I can’t help but be mad at him.”
“It’s not like that…”
“Ahem!” Benjamin coughed loudly, which made Janie shut up.
Emmeline glanced at the couple suspiciously. “What’s going on? Are you two hiding something from me?”
“No,” Benjamin said. “I don’t want Janie to keep on explaining that it’s not my fault. I’m not going to shirk responsibility for what happened to her.”
“Hear that, Janie? And you’re still speaking up for him!” Tears welled up in Emmeline’s eyes. “To think I trusted him for so many years!”
Benjamin looked away. He could not shake away the ache in his heart.
Emmeline said to Benjamin, “All I hope is for you to treat Janie well, even if you only treat her as a friend. You shouldn’t let her get hurt anymore.”
“Mm. I will.” Benjamin nodded.
“I’ll be leaving them. Janie needs to rest,” Emmeline said.
“I’ll see you off,” Benjamin said.
“It’s okay. I can walk myself,” Emmeline said while turning her head away.
“If that’s the case… Yvonne, please see Ms. Louise off,” Benjamin said.
“Yes, Mr. York.” Yvonne quickly followed Emmeline out of the living room.
Emmeline went to her car. She could not help but sniffle.
She considered that she might have set impossible standards for Benjamin, and she did not want to see his flawed side.
Am I doing the right thing though?
“Ms. Louise, please don’t be angry at Mr. York. It’s not like what you think,” Yvonne said.
“You’re speaking up for him too!” Emmeline turned around. “Benjamin nearly cost Janie her life, Yvonne. Isn’t that enough?”
“Ms. Eastwood did that because she had no other choice. If she hadn’t done that, Mr. York would be in trouble,” Yvonne said.
Emmeline frowned. “What did you say?”
“You’ve very close to Mr. York. Don’t you know his feelings for you?” Yvonne said.
“Of course I know! He’s the person I trust the most, and that’s why I can’t forgive him for treating Hanie that way,” Emmeline said.
“What if Benjamin caused Janie to be hurt because of you?”
Emmeline was surprised. “What do you mean, Yvonne? How could it be because of me?”
“Ah, Ms. Louise, it’s about that time when you wanted to marry the ugliest man in the world!” Yvonne said.
“What happened then? Isn’t it all over?”
