Chapter 6

The umbrella was tilted, barely shielding Vanessa, whose clothes were soaked through again and again. She didn't mind getting wet, but Julian shouldn't be soiled by the dirty water.

They walked side by side in the downpour. There was only one umbrella, held by Julian. Vanessa didn't dare get too close, huddling under the umbrella's shelter. She caught a glimpse of Julian's shoulder getting drenched.

Her heart sank.

Vanessa took a deep breath, carefully choosing her words, "...You don't need to hold the umbrella for me. I'm already wet."

Julian's tone remained unchanged, his formality laced with a cruel detachment and seriousness. "I just don't want Aunt Evelyn to blame me for not taking care of you. Don't flatter yourself."

Flatter herself? She wouldn't dare.

She remembered the agonizing price she paid for that self-deception, etched deep in her bones.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. When she saw the light in the Voss family's old mansion, Julian spoke again, like a warning, or perhaps a confirmation, "Remember what you said in the car, and abide by it."

Vanessa had said that liking him was wrong, clinging to him was wrong, and she would never make that mistake again.

"I will. I was too immature in the past. I'm really sorry for those things."

She had said "I'm sorry" and "apologies" countless times on this walk. When she clung to him, he had longed to hear her give up. But hearing it now didn't seem to bring him much joy.

Julian remained silent, his heart like still water.

He lowered the umbrella as the Voss family's housekeeper came to greet them. She glanced at Julian and Vanessa, immediately offering the towel to the former. It was clear who was more valued. Vanessa no longer bore the Voss surname; even the housekeeper here could give her the cold shoulder.

Julian refused the towel, his gaze sharp, "Do you think I need it more than her?"

The housekeeper's face stiffened, and she quickly gave the towel to Vanessa. "I... I'll go get another one."

"No need, I'm leaving now."

Evelyn came down when she heard the commotion, immediately noticing the two standing together. Worry and concern were etched on her face as she hurried over. "Why are you so drenched? It was fine when you left. Why didn't you use the umbrella?"

"We did," Vanessa replied, clutching the towel and wiping the back of her hand. "It's alright."

"How can you say it's alright when you're soaked like this?"

Evelyn called to the housekeeper, "Tong-ma, quickly prepare hot water for Vanessa to take a bath. Otherwise, she'll get sick."

No matter the circumstances, Evelyn's affection never faded. Vanessa mumbled her thanks and walked slowly upstairs. The eyes of the two people behind her were fixed on her back.

Evelyn looked away first. She turned to Julian, her guardedness hidden beneath her amiability. "Julian, why did you bring Vanessa back? I asked Adrian to take her to..."

"Bart didn't go," Julian stated blankly, conveying the facts. "Adrian went to find him."

"He didn't go?"

Anger flashed across Evelyn's elegant face. "How could he do this? It's so disrespectful. I'm definitely going to tell his parents!"

She paused before adding calmly, "Anyway, thank you for the trouble. In the future, if something like this happens, just have Adrian call me."

Julian nodded, but then said with an ambiguous tone, "Aunt Evelyn, I heard you're planning to marry her into the Cole family?"

Vanessa locked the bathroom door when she went to take a shower, preventing anyone from entering.

Evelyn knocked on the door. "Vanessa, are you feeling unwell? Should I prepare some medicine for you to take as a precaution?"

"...N-no need."

She wasn't that delicate. In the past three years, even if she had a cold or fever, or even dislocated her shoulder, she would bite down on a towel and set her own arm. When she woke up from the pain, she would ignore the new and old wounds and crawl up to brave the wind and snow to earn money. Winter was always a pair of shoes with the soles falling off.

Snow would pour into the shoes, freezing her toes until they turned purple and hard.

Compared to that, getting caught in the rain was nothing.

She quickly changed clothes and went out. Evelyn was waiting for her, taking her hand and gently stroking her face, then touching her forehead. "Didn't I tell Adrian to take good care of you? How did you end up getting rained on?"

"It's okay."

Since returning, Vanessa had learned to be considerate, to be knowledgeable, reasonable, gentle, and understanding.

Evelyn used to pray every day that her youngest daughter would be more sensible, less willful, and stop making her father angry. But now that she had really become like this, the mother couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

Pulling Vanessa to sit down beside her, Evelyn took a towel and rubbed and pressed the water droplets from the ends of her hair. That once-dark and smooth hair was now limp and lifeless, like withered weeds.

Like Vanessa herself.