novelxo Chapter 1556
Julien returned to Vanessa's ward. She was packing her luggage when he suddenly walked over and held her tightly in his arms. "What's wrong?"
He held her so tightly that she felt out of breath. She struggled, but she could not break free from his arms.
"Vanessa..."
He called her name in a deep voice. But then, he didn't say anything else.
Vanessa struggled again, but she still couldn't break free. Exasperated, she gave up and said, "What's wrong? Let's talk about it. Let go, please. You're suffocating me!"
"Nothing's wrong. I just want to hug you." Julien bowed his head and kissed her forehead. "Vanessa, promise me. From now onwards, you will stay by my side every day. Without my permission, you can't leave my sight for more than half an hour."
"Julien, that's so overbearing. Look at my injuries, aren't they all healed? Don't worry." Given the kidnapping incident, it was normal for him to be anxious. However, Vanessa felt that he had gone a little overboard. Not only did he stay by her side every day, but he also checked the food before she was allowed to eat. Vanessa was not some important public figure anyway. Clearly, the accident was a one-off event, and she wouldn't be in danger every day!
"What do you mean 'it's all healed'? Look at your face, is that considered 'all healed'?" She still had bruises on her face. Every time he saw him, his heart went out for her, but there was nothing he could do to help her aside from being in distress.
Vanessa responded cheekily, "I was born attractive. The bruises on my face don't affect me at all. Relax, don't worry about me anymore."
"Alright, you're extremely beautiful still!" He beamed. "You're the most stunning woman in the world. Let's go home!"
"By the way, where is Lawrie?" For the past few days, Lawrie spent very little time at the hospital. Vanessa was used to his absence that she nearly forgot about him. Julien laughed and replied, "Silvia brought him and Larry out to play."
"Lawrie never wanted to get close to anyone except for me. However, now, Silvia managed to warm up to him, and he's off playing without me!" Vanessa replied. Indeed, it was a good sign that Lawrie was becoming independent, but in some ways, Vanessa felt envious. "He's just a baby, yet he's now happily playing with others, abandoning me? What if he gets a girlfriend when he's older? He wouldn't want me anymore!" she thought childishly.
"Silvia loves to play with children. It's a pity that she cannot get pregnant. Hence, she adores Larry and Lawrie and treats them as her own." Upon mentioning the children, Julien recalled what happened back then. If it were not forthat accident, Jayden and Silvia's child would be of schoolgoing age by now...
Vanessa could see that Silvia really wanted to have her own child. It was a shame that fate decided otherwise. "I will make sure that Lawrie treats her well!"
"Of course." As they prattled on, they began talking about other people's matters. Julien sighed and said, "Everything's packed. Let's go home."
Vanessa thought of something. "How's the situation over at Fiona's side?"
Julien assured her, "We have handed over the evidence of her crime to the police. Next, we'll wait for the verdict of the court."
Vanessa said, "I hope the jury can render a fair verdict and bring her to justice."
Julien comforted her, "As long as I'm here, you don't have to worry about the matter."
"All right, I won't worry anymore." Anything could be done once he put his mind to it. There was no need for her to dwell on the matter. "Let's go home. I'll prepare a delicious meal for you tonight." Vanessa walked out of the hospital with Julien. As soon as they arrived at the entrance, a middle-aged man dashed over and seized Vanessa's hand. "Vaness, I beg you. Can you spare your mother and let the matter slip?"
Julien instinctively took a step forward, dragged the man away, and stood in front of Vanessa to protect her.
However, Vanessa refused to be protected. "Julien, since he came, I will have a good talk with him. You can wait for me in the car. I will be there soon."
Julien did not budge as he was worried about her safety.
Vanessa nudged him. "Go on. It's broad daylight, I don't believe that he can do anything to harm me."
Julien leveled a stern glare at the man. If he dared to hurt Vanessa, Julien would definitely not let him off at all!
The middle-aged man was Vanessa's father, Marvin Love. After Julien left, he seized Vanessa's hands and cried, "Vaness, no matter what she did, Fiona has raised you for more than ten years. Indeed, Fiona is not your biological mother, but she has done you a favor by raising you. You can't just watch her go to prison without helping her!"
"Mother? She'd raised me for more than ten years? I owe her a favor for raising me?" Vanessa said indignantly. She had always known that Marvin would protect Fiona despite the circumstances, but she still found it ridiculous when she heard those words coming out of his mouth.
Vanessa really could not fathom whether Marvin was blind or foolish. "Marvin, are you truly unaware of Fiona's wrongdoings? Do you seriously think that I owe her a favor for raising me?"
"Vaness, your real mother has passed away for so many years. She's already gone, and she can't be revived." Marvin tried earnestly to persuade her. "Why are you making things difficult for the living just to avenge a dead person? We're a family. We should love and care for each other."
"Fiona's life matters, but not my mother's?" His statement pissed her off. She was fuming with rage, so much that she felt a rush of blood to her head. "A family? What nonsense. For all these years, have you guys really treated me as a family? Have you?!"
If they did treat Vanessa as family, Vanessa would not have almost frozen to death alone on New Year's Eve. Fiona would not have drugged Vanessa at her graduation party, nor would she have kidnapped Vanessa at all! Fiona even planned to harm Vanessa the same way she had hurt Emily all those years ago...
Fiona was a ruthless tyrant. All of her actions displayed her cruelty!
Vanessa was so livid that she could not utter a single word. Her chest heaved as she struggled to control her breathing.
"Vaness..."
"Marvin, that's enough. I don't want to hear anything from you anymore!" she retorted curtly.
"Vaness, how can you be so heartless? Even if you don't love your stepmother, you should also think about your younger brother." Marvin shoved Leslie in front of Vanessa. "He's only thirteen years old, and he's still just a child. How can you let him lose his mother at such a young age?"
"I'm heartless?" Vanessa was enraged by Marvin's words. "Marvin, do you still remember how old I was when my mother passed away?"
"Vaness..."
"I was ten. I was only ten years old back then. But did you ever feel sorry that I lost my mother? When Fiona hurt me, did you stand up for me? I was pregnant, yet you guys drove me out of the house without a second thought." Vanessa grabbed Marvin's collar. "Tell me! Who's the ruthless one here?"
How dare he say that she was heartless?
And moreover, he was her biological father!