Chapter 18
Veronica gave it some serious thought, then nodded with an innocent look. “You’re probably around the same age as my uncle. You’re in your thirties, right? Calling you that doesn’t feel that odd to me.”
Raymond was speechless. He didn’t want to hear another word out of her mouth and wished he could shut her up.
Damian, who had been standing outside the door, walked in. He was about to tease them, but the double glare from Raymond and Veronica made him switch gears mid–sentence. “Ronic, who’s your uncle?” Damian asked.
Veronica had a pretty good impression of this cheerful guy, so she answered, “Colton Weston.”
Damian said, “Holy shit.”
A cold, icy gaze shot toward Damian, sharp enough to freeze him on the spot. Damian caught on immediately. He shifted his eyes, freed up a hand from the gift bags, and mimed zipping his lips shut.
Veronica rolled her eyes. She thought, ‘Are they really throwing looks at each other right in front of me? Do they think I’m blind?
“Mr. Quinn, you know my Uncle Colton?” she asked sweetly.
Veronica thought, Didn’t Raymond keep pestering me about repaying me with himself? I’ll just keep my distance. A guy with his status wouldn’t want people thunking he’s robbing the cradle, right?
Besides, if he happens to know Uncle Colton or they’re even close, then whether it’s me saving Raymond or him bringing me to the hospital after the crash, I can say he only did it out of respect for Uncle Colton.
Veronica thought this was a brilliant move. She looked at Damian with an even sweeter smile.
That smile made Damian go a little fuzzy. If it weren’t for that vicious stare coming from the side, he would’ve spilled what size underwear Raymond wore just to please the lovely girl in front of him.
Under Raymond’s very intentional and not–so–subtle gaze, Damian didn’t dare admit they were close friends with Colton.
For the sake of straight–laced Raymond’s untouched love life at the age of thirty, Damian made something up on the spot, saying. “No, not really”
Raymond glanced sideways at Damian, pressed his lips together, and said nothing as he went back to peeling the apple.
Damian chatted away with Veronica. At first, he held back a little, but soon realized that no matter what topic he brought up, Veronica could always keep the conversation going.
Her knowledge and perspective weren’t something he’d find in just any girl. Gradually, Damian started to develop a real sense of friendship with her, like one between close buddies.
Damian scooted his chair closer to the bed, clearly ready to keep talking with her for a while.
Raymond, who had barely spoken the whole time, cleared his throat. Damian waved his hand and reminded him, “Raymond, if you’re thirsty, go ahead and get some water.”
Raymond’s expression turned cold as he shot a sideways glance at Damian.
Just as Damian had been talking with enthusiasm, a sudden chill ran through him. He forced a dry laugh, reluctantly dropped the subject, and said goodbye to Veronica, promising to come visit again soon.
Veronica smiled as she watched Damian leave the room. Raymond walked him to the door.
Damian turned around. Raymond, no need to walk me out. I’ll come by again tomo-
Raymond cut in, “You plan to come back?”
Damian looked utterly confused. “Um, what?”
Raymond didn’t even respond to his expression. He shut the door right in Damian’s face. Staring at the closed door, Damian was rendered speechless.
Raymond stayed in the room. Veronica looked up, surprised he hadn’t left. “Aren’t you leaving with Mr. Quinn?” she asked.
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5:09 PM
Chapter 18
The way she said “Mr. Quinn irritated Raymond for no reason. It made him feel like she was keeping a distance from both of them.
He stopped by the chair Damian had just been sitting in, crossed his arms, and stared at her. “You didn’t take what I said seriously.”
Veronica bit into her apple and responded with a casual hum. She thought. He’s right. I didn’t take it seriously at all!
Raymond said, “I saved your life.
Veronica nodded as she chewed, knowing he meant the night of the race.
Seeing how unbothered she looked, like it meant nothing to her, Raymond felt like his chest was tightening up. He leaned forward. planting both hands against the wall on either side of her, his face inches from hers.
He said each word slowly and clearly, “You owe me your life. The only repayment Ill accept is you” His gritted teeth and tense expression made it seem as if Veronica were truly some ungrateful heartbreaker.
Veronica let out an irritated laugh and reached up to tug lightly on his collar, leaning in. Her mischievous eyes sparkled as she smiled, “Mr. Harrington, you’re not gonna leave me alone, are you?”
Veronica’s arm injury overseas had gone completely unnoticed by the Weston family back home. But even if they had known, no one in
David’s household would have cared, except for the people at Weston Manor.
While Veronica was missing, Linda and her two daughters had been busy ruining her reputation in every way possible.
At first, they painted Veronica as an ignorant and uncultured bumpkin from the village. Then the gossip escalated, and they started calling her a thug who bullied other people back in the village.
The rumors grew wilder with each telling, until eventually people were saying Veronica had a twisted fetish, got knocked up by someone in the village, and only came back to the Weston family after a miscarriage, begging for help
Basically, every story floating around about the heiress brought back by Cloudhaven’s richest family from the village sounded worse than the last.
Ten days later, Veronica wrapped up her two–week trip to Vellas. She hadn’t even reached the airport exit before Douglas spotted her.
Douglas waved his cap and stood on his toes, calling out to her, “Boss, over here.”
Veronica pulled her coat tighter around her to cover the arm in the cast and walked over to him.
“Boss, thank goodness you’re finally back. If you’d stayed away any longer, your stepmother and those two half sisters of yours would’ve trashed your name beyond saving” Douglas said.
Ever since Veronica had impressed Douglas with her skills at Harrington Fine Jewelers, he had been dead set on following her lead from then on.
While she was away from Cloudhaven, he had helped her handle a few tasks and spent the rest of his time keeping a close watch on Linda and her daughters.
Veronica had told Douglas that she was the heiress whom the Weston family had placed in the village. That was why he got so furious when he heard the rumors spreading around town.
He thought, “My boss isn’t just anybody. She’s got the kind of talent that can identify gems by just a few words. There’s no way she could be anything like what those gossiping women make her out to be.
one from the village!
And they call themselves high society? Please. They’re just snobs who look down on anyone
Furing, Douglas told Veronica everything he had heard. As he got more worked up, he even started gesturing wildly to emphasize his points. Veronica listened, then nodded and said, “Got it.”
Douglas had expected her to storm off and beat the crap out of those people. Now, he felt genuinely confused. He thought, “This isn’t the kind of boss I thought she’d be at all‘
But Veronica simply smiled, “Come here. Let me tell you a story”
Her voice was calm and steady. Douglas leaned in, and the more he listened, the more his eyes lit up. He kept nodding and said, “Got IL Leave it to me. I take care of everything.”
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