Chapter 9 She Doesn't Remember What Happened a Year Ago

In the suite, a bunch of disinfectants was quickly brought in, along with a doctor in a white coat. Adeline looked at her palm. It was just a small cut. Why was the doctor even needed? The doctor carefully checked her wound and confirmed it was only a minor injury. After disinfecting it, he wrapped it with some gauze. Before leaving, he told her not to get it wet and that it would scab over in a few days. Adeline nodded. If the doctor had come a little later, the wound would have already started to heal. When she left the club, she received a message from Debra saying they had arrived home and asking how she was. Adeline replied, "I'm fine." Just as she was about to go get her car, Joe drove up in a red Ferrari. "Mr. Scott?" Joe got out of the car and opened the door for her. "Mrs. Lambert, Mr. Lambert asked me to drive you home." Adeline didn't feel like driving, so she got into the car. "Since when did Christopher become so thoughtful?" Joe replied, "Mr. Lambert said your hand is injured, and you might have trouble driving." Adeline looked at her hand wrapped in gauze and gave a small smile. Joe noticed she was in a good mood and hesitantly said, "Mrs. Lambert, Mr. Lambert does care about you." Adeline raised an eyebrow. "You mean he cares just because he asked you to send me home?" Joe replied, "It's more than that. Mr. Lambert is genuinely concerned about you." Having been Christopher's assistant since his return, he knew his boss' temperament very well. He continued, "Mr. Lambert doesn't pay attention to people he doesn't care about. They don't even get a chance to speak to him, let alone argue. Yet, you can yell at him all you want. "If it were anyone else, they'd probably end up in the river. Mrs. Lambert, you're the only one who can constantly get under his skin, and he still doesn't know what to do about it." Joe had seen Christopher get frustrated with Adeline many times. Adeline couldn't deny that Joe had a point. Christopher had a strange temper, and she could be just as stubborn. In the three years since they had been together, Christopher had certainly been involved in some scandals, but he had never really crossed any serious lines. Despite all her harsh words and behavior, he had never laid a finger on her. Adeline felt slightly pleased as she thought about this. Then, she remembered Christopher's concerned look when he saw her wound earlier. "Ms. Scott, do you think Mr. Lambert might—" Before she could finish, Joe's phone rang. It was Christopher. After a brief conversation, Joe hung up the phone and looked at Adeline. "Mrs. Lambert, Mr. Lambert said he has something to take care of tonight and won't be coming home." Adeline's unspoken words caught in her throat. The brief sense of satisfaction she had earlier quickly faded. "Where did he go?" Joe hesitated. "He…" His eyes darted nervously over Adeline's expression. Though barely 30 years old, his face crumpled like a worn cloth. "He went to Ms. Clark's place," he said. Then, he quickly added, "Mr. Lambert mentioned there was an issue there that needed his immediate attention." Adeline didn't explode in anger. Instead, she fell into a tense silence. After a beat, she turned to him and asked, "Mr. Scott, how much did Christopher pay you to make up those flattering things about him in front of me?" "Uh?" Joe was caught off guard by her question. "Stop the car!" Adeline shouted. Moments later, the sports car pulled over to the side of the road, and Joe was promptly shoved out. Adeline slid into the driver's seat, slamming the door with a forceful thud. She stepped on the gas and sped off without looking back. Joe stood helplessly on the sidewalk, watching the car disappear into the distance. … In the dark, narrow alley, a man was dragged out of the shadows. A tall, muscular man with a buzz cut stepped forward, standing next to another man in a crisp black shirt. He said, "Mr. Lambert, it's done." Christopher took a slow drag from his cigarette before turning to Dorothy. "You're saying that man was following you?" Dorothy leaned in toward him, nervously placing her hands on his arm. "Yeah," she anxiously said. "He followed me through several alleys, and I was terrified." She glanced up at Christopher's calm, unreadable face. The darkness made it hard to make out his expression. "Christopher, I'm so glad you showed up when you did." Christopher pulled his arm away from hers, then addressed the man in black standing beside him. "Did you find out who he is?" The man in black was Chester Brown, one of Christopher's trusted bodyguards. His brother, Dexter Brown, was also a bodyguard for Christopher. Both were Christopher's undercover guards, and Dorothy had met them before. Chester said, "He's just an ordinary person. We haven't found any other information on him yet." As Christopher pulled his arm away from hers, Adeline gave an awkward smile. "Maybe I was just too nervous. I thought he was following me for a reason." Christopher simply grunted in response. Then, he tossed his half-burnt cigarette to the ground and stamped it out with his shoe. He walked toward the car parked outside the alley. Dorothy instinctively grabbed his arm. "Christopher, about a year ago, Adeline..." "She doesn't remember what happened a year ago," he replied. Christopher pulled his arm away from hers again and coldly warned, "You don't need to remember. And one more thing..." His eyes darkened, as if he could see straight through her. "I won't make a fuss about the photos, but when it comes to racing, know your limits." Dorothy flinched, quickly withdrawing her hand. She smiled and tried to explain, "I didn't mean anything by it. After all these years of racing together, you know my personality by now." Christopher didn't respond. He shot her a glance and then walked away. A sinking feeling spread in Dorothy's chest as she watched him walk away. If it hadn't been for that incident a year ago, someone as ordinary as her would never have had the chance to get close to someone as highborn as Christopher. That event had brought her, Christopher, Sean, and the others together as racing companions, bringing her one step closer to him. Yet, there was one thing she couldn't understand. Everyone knew Christopher didn't love Adeline, so why was he so different when it came to her? … As soon as Christopher sat in the car, a message came through on his phone. It was from Adeline. "Christopher, I don't care where you are or who you're with right now, but I'll remind you—tomorrow is the weekend. Don't forget to come home for dinner." Christopher smiled to himself as he read her message. Though the words were simple, he could already picture the furious expression on her face on the other side of the screen. … At Regalis Villa, Adeline went to bed after sending the message. She didn't care if Christopher came home, but she couldn't cancel on Lloyd about the dinner. She didn't mind going alone, but if Christopher didn't show up, Emma and Alicia would definitely make things unpleasant for her. Just as she was about to turn off the lights and sleep, she heard a faint sound from downstairs. The bedroom door creaked open, and Christopher came forward in a black attire. From a distance, Adeline could already smell the perfume of a woman. She grabbed her pillow and hurled it at him. "If you come home smelling like another woman's perfume again, don't even think about entering this house!" With a swift throw, the strap of her nightgown slipped off her pale, slender shoulder, offering a tempting glimpse. Christopher caught the pillow, his gaze lingering on her exposed shoulder for a moment before he smirked. "How about I make them wear the same perfume as you?" Adeline flushed, taken aback by his shamelessness.