Chapter 32 - Past Days

Scarlett's knowledge of the rich, which she learned from her family in the past four years shattered as she heard what Mike said today.

Later, Scarlett stayed by Mike's side for a while, during which there were many businessmen who came to curry favor with Mike.

She was not interested in the topic they were talking about, so she looked at Mike for mercy. Finally, he agreed to let her visit around in person.

"You can visit around but you have to come back before the auction starts," Mike said gently.

"Mr. Abraham and his wife are deeply in love. Are they talking about having the first dance tonight?" someone in the crowd said. After that, some people began to echo and joke.

They were all shrewd businessmen. They could tell that Mike didn't take their jokes to heart.

Soon, a bunch of people began to praise that Mike and Scarlett were a perfect couple.

Some people who knew the crisis of the Lauren Group were surprised when they saw Mike come to the banquet with Scarlett.

Although they were praising them, they were guessing Mike's true purpose in their heart. They knew that the Abraham Group would go listed soon. They doubted whether Mike really loved Scarlett or he just made a show today in an attempt to stabilize the Abraham Group's stock price.

The Lauren Group had run out of funds. Although the news had been blocked from spreading, it was easy for some powerful families to find it. Therefore, it's reasonable that they were suspicious of the reason why Mike took Scarlett to the banquet tonight.

With the Abraham Group's power, it is a casual endeavor if Mike wanted to help the Lauren Group out of its crisis. But Mike did not make a move, instead, he brought his wife to the banquet with a high profile when the Lauren Group was about to go bankrupt. This was a very contradictory and puzzling behavior.

Scarlett walked all the way out of the banquet hall. She felt uncomfortable when she smelt various perfumes in the hall.

There was a beautiful garden on the 40th floor of the hotel. She walked all the way there and sat on the swing in it, gently swaying.

There were no others in the garden. It was very quiet, and she was happy as she could see the lovely view of the whole city.

Scarlett was amazed as she saw a large row of white orchids in this garden that had no soil. She couldn't help but give a thumbs up to the designer of the park in the heart.

"Richard, wait for me. Don't go too fast!" The silence in the garden was broken as a woman's voice sounded all of a sudden.

The woman's voice was a little low and horse but Scarlett didn't feel that woman was not feminine. Instead, she felt that she was a little naughty and sexy.

'Someone is here!' Scarlett muttered under her breath.

The swing was in the innermost part of the garden, and the white orchid tree blocked her. Scarlett could see the people in the garden through the gap, but they could not see Scarlett.

"Elaine, I want some peace and quiet," Richard said.

"Okay. I won't talk anymore," Elaine answered.

The girl had a cheerful personality. Looking at Elaine's pretty facial features, Scarlett was amazed by her beauty. She felt that Elaine was a person of mixed race.

"Don't mess around. I'm not in the mood to accompany you now," Richard continued impatiently.

Scarlett was stunned as she heard Richard's cold voice. She would never forget this voice.

Through the colored lamp in the garden, she saw him through the gap.

Richard was about the same height as mike, almost 73 inches, but his temperament was different from Mike's.

Mike was arbitrary and aggressive, like a king.

Richard was warm and gentle, like a real gentleman.

In Scarlett's memory, Richard would not speak very loudly and would always respect her choice, which was completely different from Mike whom she thought was overbearing.

They hadn't seen each other for four years. Like a ruthless carving knife, time changed them two.

In her memory, Richard would never speak in such an impatient tone.

She felt that he was as cold and distant as Mike now.

Elaine pouted.

"Why are you always cold to me? We are already engaged, aren't we?" Elaine asked with a sad look.

Richard did not answer her. He walked to the edge of the garden and looked into the distance. He had been away from home for many years. Even though he had just come back, he was not happy or sad. Instead, he was calm in heart.

Elaine didn't stop. She began to talk about her impression of City B.

"It was the first time I came here. My dad is worried about me. In fact, he is too cautious. With you here, I will be safe. Am I right? I heard that the potato chips here are tasty. I want to eat. Can you take me to eat it?" Elain asked.

Scarlett and Richard were stunned when they heard Elaine mention the potato chips.

Potato chip stalls could be seen everywhere in City B. The potato chips were a kind of cheap but delicious snack.

Scarlett used to like it very much, and when she was in high school, Richard often queued up to buy it for her.

It was a little secret that belonged to the two. Now, when they heard the potato chip from another girl, they had different moods.

"You told me that the potato chips in the stall near the back door of your middle school were very delicious and there was a girl named Scarlett who liked it very much," Elaine added.

"Enough! Elaine, you'd better go back to the hall. I'm not in the mood to chat now," Richard interrupted her and said impatiently.

Elaine bit her lips to hide the sadness and disappointment in her eyes. She then forced a smile.

"Then I'll go back to the hall first. You have to come down and join the opening dance with me later, okay?" Elain asked.

After that, she turned around and forcefully blinked away the tears in her eyes. 'Come on! Elaine, you could not be defeated by his indifference. You had already followed him back and gotten engaged to him. He will fall in love with you sooner or later. Cheer up and you can do it!' Elaine encouraged herself inwardly.

Elaine's affection for Richard, as well as Richard's indifference, were all seen by Scarlett in the corner.

As a woman, she did not know how to describe her current feelings.

Seeing that Richard had told the little secret that belonged to them to his fiancée Elaine, Scarlett thought that Richard had let the past go. But she couldn't help but feel very sad.

Richard was not as gentle and warm as he used to be, while she was the reason why he changed so much.

She used to think that she could walk to Richard and greet him as if nothing had happened when she saw him again.

She thought she could sit down to reminisce about the past with him like two old friends.

However, she found that she could not take a step even though he was close to her now.

They didn't contact each other in the past four years. How could they sit together as if nothing had happened?

She thought she owned Richard a lot, so she couldn't let the guilt in her heart go easily.

Looking at the lights in different houses at night, Richard wondered if Scarlett was in one of the houses.

The night breeze sent the fragrance of the white orchid into his nose. He didn't know if it was an illusion, but he seemed to smell a unique fragrance that belonged to Scarlett.

Mariela told him that Scarlett was married.

She also told him that Scarlett's husband was one of the most powerful men in City B. Richard thought that Scarlett might attend the banquet tonight.

This was the reason why he did not want to go down to the banquet hall. He even vented his anger on Elaine.

He looked at the scenery, while Scarlett looked at the side of his face silently.

Scarlett felt pity as she saw Richard's change. In the past, Richard would never put on such a sad and upset look on his face.

But now, he frowned. She could tell there was an unresolvable worry in his heart.

In the past years, Scarlett hid Richard's name from the bottom of her heart. She knew that she had to do so, especially after she thought of the day when she stood him up.

Before Mike divorced her, he had asked the lawyer to give her a choice. He asked her whom she wanted to be, his wife or the daughter of the Lauren family. She chose the latter.

And four years ago, when she had to choose one between Richard and the Lauren family, she made the same choice.

She knew that she couldn't get back because she had to bear the consequence of the decisions she made.

Everything had changed in the past four years. While her youth was gone as time passed by, so was her real self.

"Madam, I'm sorry. This swing is broken. We need to install it again." Scarlett came out of her trance as a man's voice sounded.

She then saw two hotel maintenance workers in work clothes in front of her.

"Okay," she answered subconsciously.

Only then did she realize that she made a mistake.

She covered her mouth with one of her hands as she stood up.

However, it was too late.. Richard had heard her from the other side of the tree.