Chapter 12

"Why are you asking?" Sean's voice turned serious. "Because Wendy…" Xyla lowered her head. "After you and Simon went out last night, I noticed Wendy kept staring out the window at Simon. I even heard her say that she thinks he's great. "He's a university student and pretty handsome, and his mom is the grade-level dean. I don't know if she heard he lives in the military base, but she left early this morning." Just then, Sean slammed the brakes on the car. His brow furrowed, and his dark eyes narrowed dangerously. He knew she wouldn't stay idle. She'd just arrived at the Horton residence and already had her sights set on Simon. If they weren't almost at the military hospital, he would have turned back right then. "Sean, Wendy knows you guys won't approve, so she asked me not to say anything. If Simon does have a girlfriend, I'll try to talk Wendy out of it," Xyla said, putting on a naive front. If Wendy went back to the village, there would be no more comparisons, and people would stop mistaking Wendy for Sean's date. What did Wendy have besides her pretty face? Xyla was the youngest in the family. She did well in school and always helped out at home. But why did everyone praise Wendy and spoil her? Whenever she was around, all attention shifted to her, and Xyla felt invisible. She needed to make sure Wendy was put in her place. Sean remained silent. He gripped the steering wheel as he continued to drive, but his gaze was cold and deep as a dark well. When they arrived at the military hospital's orthopedic department, the doctor examined Xyla's right leg, which was almost healed. Though there were still some scars, a bit of ointment would take care of it. By the time they returned to the Horton residence, it was already 10:00 am. Martha was in the kitchen preparing vegetables, but there was still no sign of Wendy. Sean swung by the Murphy residence, but only Alexandra was home. He learned that Simon had taken his high school friends out fishing early that morning. He frowned, glancing at his watch. He only had three hours of free time. Hopefully, Simon had taken his warning seriously and wasn't hanging out with Wendy. As his car approached the military unit, Sean spotted Wendy walking alone under the blazing sun on a sycamore-lined avenue. She had two long braids and wore a light green embroidered shirt with patches. It seemed she had been walking for quite a while. Her fair complexion was flushed red from the heat, and her neck glistened with sweat. A few strands of hair were clung to her forehead from the moisture. Occasionally, she would pull out a handkerchief to wipe away the droplets that were falling from her forehead. In the shade, a woman was pushing a cooler labeled "Ice Cream", and Wendy stopped to stare at it for a long time. Her hands fidgeted in her pockets, and she swallowed hard, clearly craving a treat. But in the end, she didn't buy anything and continued on her way. Sean slowed the car, observing her closely. It seemed Wendy hadn't gone to see Simon and was just aimlessly wandering about. He kept his eyes fixed ahead, not planning to intervene. Maybe this would teach her a lesson. Wendy, who had a poor sense of direction, had gone with Elena to the employer's house, and now she couldn't remember how to get back. The sun was at its peak, scorching the earth. She felt like she was in an oven. Sweat was soaking through her clothes. She felt hot and thirsty. Her throat was dry, as if it were on fire. Unfortunately, she hadn't brought any money with her, so she had to endure her thirst on the way back to the Horton residence. Once home, she guzzled down two big mugs of water before finally feeling alive again. Martha handed her a cool, damp towel to wipe her face and asked with concern, "How did it go? Did you get the job?" "I did." Wendy nodded with a smile. She hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. Her employers were both educated and seemed kind. At first, they thought Wendy was too young and didn't intend to hire her. However, after seeing her recommendation from the military and hearing that she was working during the summer to earn tuition for high school, they immediately agreed to hire her. She could pack her bags and move in tomorrow morning. There was even a separate room available for her. Later that evening, when Moira and Xyla retired to their rooms after dinner, Wendy headed to the study to share her new job as a housekeeper with Jacob. He was both surprised and impressed. Now, he was more convinced that his initial judgment about her was correct. If Wendy were truly lazy and selfish, she wouldn't be looking for a job to earn her tuition right after moving to Bellmire City. "Wendy, you don't need to worry about tuition. It's fine if you want to work during the summer, but don't forget your studies," Jacob advised earnestly. "Once you graduate from high school, finding a job in Bellmire City won't be difficult." "Don't worry, Mr. Horton. I'll study hard and do my revisions," Wendy replied. She knew that given the original Wendy's academic performance, saying she would aim for a university wouldn't convince anyone. After leaving the study, Wendy headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Being the last one to wash up, she sorted the dirty clothes everyone had changed out of into a basin and added some laundry detergent. She turned off the light and relied on the moonlight streaming through the window to wash the clothes. Electricity was scarce in the 1980s, and nighttime rates were steep. In some areas, especially rural areas, power would shut off completely at night, making it impossible to watch the evening shows. People had to wait for replays the next day. So, washing with the lights on would be a luxury. She did this to thank Martha for helping her land the job. In a time when work was assigned and referrals mattered, Martha had done her a huge favor. As she scrubbed, the bathroom door suddenly swung open, startling Wendy. She turned around and vaguely saw a tall figure standing in the doorway through the moonlight. His posture was rigid and straight—definitely someone from the military. "Mr. Horton, do you need to use the bathroom? Just a second." Wendy assumed it was Jacob. She quickly shook the laundry powder off her hands and moved the basin aside. The bright moonlight bathed her in a soft glow. With her freshly washed hair cascaded down her shoulders, she looked gentle and enchanting. She wore a cotton tank top and shorts that showed off her fair, dewy skin. Her long legs were beautifully proportioned, while her flexible waist bent like a willow tree. The sight made the man at the door freeze. He quickly stepped back and turned to head toward the study.