Facade of Love

Chapter 356 To Tully City
A shadow passed over Idris‘ eyes. “You don’t want to see me?”
That was not what I meant!
I was slow on the uptake but then blurted out, “The police haven’t made any headway with Jack’s case, and Young Corporation
is swamped with work waiting for you. You don’t have to spend your energy on me. I meant it when I said I would think about us.
I wasn’t lying! So, don’t worry about me changing my mind.”
Regardless of our future together, I would give him a straight answer.
He paused for a few seconds before responding, “Okay, I’ll wait for your answer.”
I nodded, wincing from the pain in my tailbone as I hobbled home. The house was pitch–black and deserted, probably because
Mom and Maxwell were out.
That is what I got for being reckless. Now, I was in pain and all alone.
With the house empty, I did not bother with the lights and headed straight to my bedroom. I had planned to shower, but the fall
had really hurt, so I just washed my face and climbed into bed.
Trying to sleep proved futile due to the pain.
I called Mom. The phone rang and rang with no answer. When I tried again, she picked up three rings.
“Mom, are you coming home soon? I...”

“Ms. Scott, it’s me,” a gentle voice interrupted.
I cut myself off and hesitated before recognizing her. “Alice?”
after
“Yes, it’s me,” she confirmed. “Do you need Aunt Deb urgently? She just went downstairs to get some medicine for me. Hold on
for a bit, and as soon as she’s back, I’ll have her call you.”
I paused, a bit thrown off. “Oh, no, it’s nothing. I was just wondering where she was. How are you feeling?”
The woman’s voice on the other end of the line was as soft as ever. “I’m feeling a lot better. Sorry about that. Aunt Deb and
Maxwell are here with me. I hope I haven’t messed up any of your plans.”
Her words were reassuring, but something in my chest tightened. I spoke into the phone, “No worries on my end, I’m just
swamped with work stuff. I’m really tied up and can’t swing by to see you. Just focus on getting better, okay? I’ll drop by the
hospital once I catch a break.”
She let out a gentle laugh. “Thanks, but really, don’t trouble yourself. Aunt Deb and Maxwell are taking great care of me. I would
feel terrible if I took up any more of your time.”
I managed a chuckle, made some small talk, and then ended the call.
I chucked my phone to the side and flopped onto the bed, letting out a breath I did not realize I was holding. My rear end was
killing me, and sleep was impossible. I had hoped to get some bruise cream from Mom when she got back, but since she was
busy, that plan was a bust.
Chapter 356 To Tully Cay

After tossing and turning for a bit, sleep finally claimed me.
The next couple of days were a blur. I hardly saw hide nor hair of Mom or Maxwell as they were always on the go. I was at the
office daily, hobbling around, Uncle Marcus caught sight of my limp and asked, “Are you okay? What happened?”
Too sheepish to admit to my klutzy fall, I just laughed it off, “Oh, I just took a little tumble. No biggie.”
Uncle Marcus gave me a look that was part worrisome and part lecturing. He showed up at my office with an armload of
remedies around lunchtime. “Watch your step, will you? And take care of yourself. Slap on some of this stuff, and if it’s not
getting any better, I’m here to help. We don’t want any lasting damage, right?”
I nodded, flashed him a grateful smile, and said, “I hear you, thanks a bunch, Uncle Marcus.”
His sigh let out a mixture of exasperation and concern.
The Avaloria project was in full swing, and I was up to my ears in work. When my phone buzzed with a call from Idris, it took me
a second to switch gears. I picked up without even a glance at the screen and said, “Hello?”
“It’s me.” The voice on the other end was sharp and clear.
I blinked, took a quick look at my phone, and after a brief pause, I asked, “What’s going on?”
His voice was cool, almost detached, “The four o’clock flight. I’ll swing by soon to pick you up, and we’ll join Grandma and the
rest at the airport.”
For a second, I was lost. “Flight?”
There was a brief silence before he reminded me, “The vacation to Tully City’s resort.”
It hit me like a bolt of lightning. I had totally forgotten about it.
He must have caught on to my lapse because he prodded, “You forgot?”
I shook my head, even though he could not see, and quickly said, “Nope, just give me a second to get ready. Pick me up from
the Scotts in thirty minutes, okay?”
“Got it!”

I hung up, sprang from my chair, and dashed to Marcus’s office to fill him in before racing off to the Scotts.
I was going to be in Tully City for a few days and needed to pack, especially some fresh clothes. When I got back to the Scotts, I
almost bumped into my mom. She could tell I was in a hurry and asked, “What’s the rush?”
“Just heading out for a few days,” I told her as I breezed past.
I darted into my room to throw some stuff into my suitcase. My mom, sensing the urgency, stood in the doorway, her brow
creased with concern. “Why all of a sudden? Where to? When will you be back?”