Chapter 412 The Phoenix in the Henhouse
Chapter 412 The Phoenix in the Henhouse
"I'm sorry Marlon. I left without saying goodbye and caused you trouble. Rachel said remorsefully, her
head hung down.
Marlon looked at her crouched shoulders and said sympathetically,"No, please don't be so polite." He
ran a hand through his short hair, and laughed shyly. "If not for you saying you wanted to help us, I
wouldn't have helped him find you either."
"Is that so?"
Rachel didn't how else to respond. She was surprised at Marlon's words, and what they suggested. He
helped find her, because of the benefits Hiram promised?
"No cross, no crown," Marlon glanced at Rachel and said. "It seems that luck is on my side. I picked up
a phoenix and put it into the rooster pen. This time, the Tang family no longer dare to tell me what to
do." After some time, he went into his room and let out a deep breath.
He came back too late last night.
Rachel stood at the door and listened. She was a little suspicious.
At first, she thought that she would get used to it, but
as time passed, she felt more and more uncomfortable around him.
After taking a deep breath, she entered his room. "Here you are…The phone... " she said, putting the
phone on the table.
Marlon was lying down on his bed, looking comfortable with a quilt wrapped around him. He glanced at
her,"What are you doing? "I already sold the phone to you. It's yours now. Or, do you still want me to
return money?
You have given me a month's salary in advance, so now we're even." Rachel replied.
Marlon sat up and looked at her. "It doesn't really matter much to me. Hiram promised to help through
our problems. This doesn't even come close to that."
"This and that are two different things." Rachel said, looking straight into his eyes.
"He's him, I'm me. You betray me because it is to your advantage, and I give this back because it's not
mine." Marlon just sat there looking at her in silence, and without a word, Rachel turned back and
walked out of the room.
There must be something in the phone. Otherwise how could Marlon have found her?
"Hey... "
Marlon stared at the door which remained ajar, and followed Rachel with his eyes. A strange feeling
was beginning to form in the pit of his stomach. It left a sharp an sour taste- the same feeling people
get when they eat green lemons.
He struggled to name the sensation, and after a while, it became clear to him. He was feeling guilty.
In the beginning, he approached her with his mind fixed on his own intentions.
When he found out who she was, he knew she would be useful, but he didn't expect her to come in
handy so soon.
However, when the benefits came, he wasn't as happy as he thought.
Rachel walked out of Marlon's room, took a deep breath and went downstairs. She saw Carl waiting for
her outside. He was fidgeting, which was something Rachel found to be strange.
When she approached him, he spoke as if he didn't know how to tell her properly. He scratched his
head and asked,"Rachel…. Uh.. Hiram wanted to ask, are you going back to H City with us, or... " Carl
let the last part of the question as itself. Actually, he was really meant to drive Rachel back, But Hiram
wanted him to ask her in this way.
There were two cars in front of her. Rachel glanced at the first car. It was Hiram's. "I want to return to
XH Village" she said, then walked towards the cars.
Then she went to the car.
Carl was breathing out a sigh of relief. XH Village was not far from H City. It would be good for Rachel
to be there. However, his enjoyment of the thought was cut short when she saw Rachel get in the
second car instead of the first.
"Rachel..." Carl was subconsciously shouting.
What are you doing? Hiram was in the front car!
Rachel opened the car door and settled herself inside. Carl quickly followed her to close the door and,
unable to contain himself, he said,"Hiram is on the front car!"
Rachel looked at him with a blank expression on her face. "I know. And?" She replied casually, while
turning on the car stereo and tuning the channel.
"…" Carl's shoulder sagged as he sighed, resisting the urge to shake his head. Hiram had already
driven off and he quickly started the car to follow.
After more than ten hours, they finally arrived at H City.
"Rachel, you see, it is already dark." Carl made a show of looking out into the sky that was quickly
being colored in dusk. "How about living staying in H City for tonight, and going back to XH Village
tomorrow?" he asked. The car was about to go inside Tulip Palace.
"Alright." Rachel replied flatly. She was already here, and there was no reason not to see her children.
She felt her chest swell with anticipation as she pictured their smiling faces. She felt like it had been so
long since she last saw her kids.
At her words, Carl felt much more comforted. Compared to earlier, Rachel had a much more pleased
disposition.
Outside Tulip Palace, Hiram was sitting in the front car. He was watching his side mirror, waiting for
signs of the car where Rachel was. His dark eyes glinted with happiness when he saw the familiar
vehicle approach the villa. He closed his eyes and breathed out the weight in his chest. She was
coming back home. NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.
Carl parked the car outside the villa.
Hiram was caught by surprise completely when Rachel jumped out of the car and ran to the door. He
didn't expect her to be so eager to be back.
Smiling to himself, he got out of the car and heard Emma and the servants' happy voices coming from
the house. "Rachel! Rachel! You're back? !"
Shouts of excitement from the children followed right after.
"Mom!"
"Mom!"
He trod up the steps, his smile never leaving his lips.
Rachel gathered Jonny and Joyce into a tight embrace, trying her utmost to hold back her tears. She
kissed their heads and breathed in their scent. She felt so warm, as if her heart could burst. She took a
deep breath and said with a smile,"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, my darlings!"
Joyce placed her hands in Rachel's cheeks and said,"Mom, it's okay, but the next time you go out, you
have to take Jonny and me with you, okay?" Joyce eyes were twinkling with joy at Rachel looked into
them. She imagined that her daughter's eyes mirrored her own happiness.
Rachel took in the sight of her children's faces. Taking them in her arms once more, she said,"Ok, I
promise. Next time, we will all be together!" she reassured them.
She momentarily disentangled herself from their embrace and asked,"You know, mom is going to
grandma's house now. Would you like to come see her with me?"
As soon as Hiram entered the door, he heard Rachel's words. His smile left his face.
He continued to listen to Rachel tell Emma,"Emma, can you go and help the children pack up their
things? I will be taking them back to my home for a few days."
"But Madam, you just came back now. Can't you at least rest here for several days?" Emma said with
concern. The madam had just come back, and now she was about to leave again.
Rachel was about to answer Emma when she saw Hiram walk to her direction.
Without words, he took Rachel's hand and led her upstairs.
Once inside their bedroom, he shut the door, and a heavy silence settled in the room. His deep eyes
were as sharp as thorns as he looked up and down at Rachel,"Can you stop this?"
"You're going to take the children with you, and you're leaving me here all alone," he said, his voice
cold.
Rachel scanned the bedroom with her eyes. She felt her chest constrict the longer she looked. It was
still the same as when she left, as if nothing had changed.
"Not very convenient."
Hiram was shocked for a moment, then realized what she meant. His voice was callous as he
asked,"So, you leave with the kids?" His frame sagged as he let out a deep breath, trying to quell the
tightness in his chest. "Rachel, don't you think this isn't fair? These days, have you ever thought of me
even once?"
"Don't you think I deserve better than this?" he asked, his voice breaking.
Rachel avoided his eyes and flinched at the pain in Hiram's voice. She looked down on the big bed, her
eyes following the creases on the sheets. It was the same sheet where she put the divorce agreement,
and the same sheet she changed when she left.
"I wanted to make it up to you, but you didn't even give me a chance." She said in a muffled voice. She
knew that on this matter, just as her children, Hiram carried no blame.
If she hadn't thought of him at all, how could she have dared to see him drunk that day?
Rachel went to her side of the bed. She reached out to touch the pillow. It was empty and the divorce
agreement was gone.
Wait a moment.
Wait a moment.Her wandering fingers stopped abruptly when she felt something touch the edge of her
fingers.
With her back to him, she dug out a small piece of paper.