Reborn Young Miss: Phoenix Burning Red-Chapter 304: You Are Special, Myrtle (1)
Adrienne woke to Dylan’s voice and laughter still echoing in her mind. She rarely dreamt of him anymore, and she was missing him terribly. Such a dream was welcome to her as she only had Dylan beside her when everything was falling apart. If it wasn’t for Dylan, Adrienne had no idea how she would have survived the tough times.
She was usually jarred from her slumber by nightmares that had her drenched in sweat as she woke up from them. It was why Adrienne rarely had a good sleep and dreamless sleep since her rebirth.
She sat draped over a chair in the early afternoon sun, filtering into the balcony of her penthouse in Jinling. Lennox had yet to return home and only had Myrtle and Irina to accompany her in his absence.
The tea she’d been drinking before her nap had grown cold beside her. The book she had been reading was still on her lap, open, and remained on the last page she read. It was the book her husband had finished reading, and she picked it up to read out of curiosity.
Lennox was a voracious reader, constantly immersing himself in different genres and authors. She found solace in exploring his literary tastes, as it allowed her to understand him on a deeper level. As she turned the pages, she couldn’t help but wonder what insights and emotions had captivated him while reading this particular book.
"Are you going to sit here and read all day? You have missed lunch, Addie." Myrtle’s voice drawled from the doorway, her hip propped against the door frame. Her dark hair was braided and swept to the side.
Adrienne smiled at her best friend. Though she and Myrtle had different upbringings and personalities, Adrienne knew Myrtle would never turn her back on her. They had been through thick and thin, and Myrtle had always been there for Adrienne. She was grateful for Myrtle’s constant support and friendship in both lifetimes.
"Let me reheat the food for you," Myrtle told her. She was worried that Adrienne wasn’t taking care of herself because she was busy tending to her business and in-laws.
Adrienne placed the book she was reading on the side table before shaking her head.
"I can do that by myself, Myrtle. Don’t bother. I didn’t hire you as my personal assistant to do such things." She told her best friend, then rose from her seat, sauntering towards the open kitchen of her penthouse.
Myrtle followed her and prepared the dining table by placing the cutlery and plates Adrienne would use while the latter put her meal in the microwave and checked the fridge for something she and Myrtle could drink on such a fine day.
The rain had ceased after drenching the entire city for over a week, and the sun finally emerged from behind the clouds, casting a warm glow on the penthouse. Adrienne smiled as she opened the fridge and found a refreshing pitcher of homemade lemonade. She poured two glasses and carried them to the dining table, eager to enjoy the sunshine with Myrtle.
"Are you pregnant, Addie?" Myrtle asked as they sat at the dining table. Adrienne and Lennox have been married for over three months now. It wouldn’t be surprising if Adrienne fell pregnant, especially considering how happy and content she was with her husband.
"You are unusually exhausted these days. I’m just wondering if I should reschedule some of your commitments." She added.
Adrienne laughed. "That’s not possible, Myrtle. I’m just feeling a bit overwhelmed with work lately. The long hours of meetings with the suppliers and stress have been taking a toll on me, but I’m managing. Lennox and I agreed to delay having children."
Myrtle nodded understandingly, taking a sip of her lemonade. "Well, just remember to take care of yourself, Addie. Maybe it’s time for a well-deserved break or some self-care activities to recharge."
Adrienne smiled gratefully at her friend’s concern. She nodded and started eating while Myrtle informed her about Valerie being engaged to a young government official and her unwillingness to marry the man.
"Is Airi involved with him?" Adrienne asked, catching Myrtle off guard. Around this time, Valerie’s engagement was made known to the public, but the fall of the Xia family was also around the corner.
"How did you know?" Myrtle gasped, "Valerie suspected Airi was seeing him behind her back, but she couldn’t confirm it. She only mentioned that she found them dining together in several places in a passing. Why couldn’t the Xia family disown Airi after what she’d done to them? The more they allow Airi to stay, the more dangerous she could be to their family."
"It’s not that easy, Myrtle. Airi had been with them for a long time. She was practically part of the family. Disowning her would have caused a lot of complications and backlash." Adrienne wasn’t surprised, but she was certain Valerie could avoid the tragedy she suffered in her past life.
"Valerie needs to take charge of her own life, Myrtle. She can’t keep letting Airi manipulate her. Maybe we should have a girls’ night and talk to her about it," Adrienne suggested, finishing her meal.
"I suppose you are right. Valerie recently joined the Xia Corporation and is focusing on her career. But with Airi still around, she might do something to Val." Myrtle sighed.
She and Adrienne had been busy with Purple Cloud and hadn’t seen Valerie for a month. Myrtle couldn’t help but worry about their friend. She knew Valerie was honest, but Airi had a way of influencing others, and Myrtle didn’t want Valerie to fall victim to her manipulations.
As Adrienne looked at Myrtle, she couldn’t help but remember Dylan. Dylan had been curious about his birth mother, and though Adrienne had showered him with love and treated him like her own child in her past life, Adrienne knew he still missed Myrtle.
Myrtle chose to give birth to her son despite knowing she’d lose her life. Adrienne wondered if Myrtle had any regrets about her decision, but she knew that Myrtle had made the choice out of love for her son. Adrienne wished she could have provided Myrtle’s support and comfort during such a difficult time.
