Reborn Young Miss: Phoenix Burning Red-Chapter 325: Valerie’s Fate (1)

Valerie knew something was going on with her fiance, Derek, and her younger sister, Airi. Something about how they interacted with each other made her suspicious. Initially, she thought that Derek was just being considerate to Airi; however, when Valerie accidentally overheard her sister inviting Derek for a private dinner, she couldn’t help but be suspicious.

Derek’s attitude towards her was cold and distant, starkly contrasting his warmth and affection towards Airi. Valerie couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was more than just a platonic relationship between them. The way they exchanged glances and shared inside jokes made Valerie question the loyalty of her own sister and the trust she had placed in Derek.

Valerie had told Myrtle of it, wondering if she was overly suspicious of her sister. She was relieved when Myrtle informed her that she and Adrienne would pay her a visit. Valerie hoped that Myrtle and Adrienne’s visit would shed some light on the situation and provide her with reassurance. She awaited their arrival, hoping they could help alleviate her growing doubts about Derek and Airi’s relationship.

When the day of their visit finally arrived, Valerie was filled with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. She greeted Myrtle and Adrienne at the door with a smile, hoping their presence would clarify the situation. As they settled down for a cup of tea, Valerie couldn’t help but feel grateful for their support and understanding during this uncertain time.

"How long has it been going on?" Adrienne asked. She could see the worry in Valerie’s eyes and wanted to offer her a listening ear.

Valerie took a deep breath before responding, "It’s been going on for about six months. Derek and Airi have been spending a lot of time together, and it’s starting to raise some concerns for me."

Myrtle nodded empathetically, understanding the weight of Valerie’s words. They knew that Valerie’s engagement was decided by her family, and she could only agree with it as she was aware of the importance of this union.

"Have you asked Derek about it?" Myrtle asked, "If this is just a misunderstanding, he should be able to provide some clarity."

Valerie sighed and shook her head. "I haven’t had the courage to bring it up yet. I’m afraid of his response and how it could potentially affect our families’ relationship."

She turned to Adrienne, who looked thoughtful, and said, "What do you think, Addie?"

Adrienne brought down the cup she was holding and sighed.

"I warned you about Airi long ago, didn’t I? If your Xia family had dealt with her long ago, you wouldn’t find yourself in such a predicament. Don’t get me wrong, Val, but you are more than aware of what kind of person your sister is and what she’s capable of. You are marrying Derek to help your brother stabilize his position in the company, right? But don’t you think you can do that instead of relying on Derek’s family?"

Valerie looked down at the cup she was holding and sighed. She knew her friend had warned her about Airi, but she had hoped things would be different. Adrienne warned her that Airi might try to snatch everything from her, including her man, but Valerie thought her friend was exaggerating things between her and Airi.

Despite her sister’s previous misdeeds, Val believed in giving second chances. However, as the wedding approached, doubts started to creep in about whether Derek solved her family’s problems or if she could handle it herself.

"Can’t you just dissolve the engagement between you and Derek?" Myrtle asked. She was worried about what Airi might do to Valerie if the young woman became desperate.

"I doubt my father would agree to it," Valerie answered. "He sees this marriage as a way to mend our family’s reputation and financial stability," she continued, her voice tinged with frustration.

Valerie knew that convincing her father to dissolve the engagement would be an uphill battle, but she also couldn’t ignore her heart’s growing doubts. It would have been better if she could back out of their engagement than to have a rift with Airi.

"If Airi wants to get everything, she only needs to scheme to get you out of the picture." Adrienne suddenly said, effectively rendering Valerie and Myrtle speechless.

Valerie’s complexion paled as she processed Adrienne’s words. Greed was a powerful motivator, and Valerie couldn’t deny that Airi had always been ambitious.

"Addie, Airi is only nineteen now. Do you think she’s capable of doing such a thing?" Myrtle asked. Thankfully, Airi wasn’t home, and there was no one in earshot to hear their conversation.

Adrienne shrugged. "Her mother managed to trick the Xia family for a long time and lure them to adopt her daughter on her deathbed. What makes you think Airi isn’t like her mother?

Valerie’s mind raced with thoughts of what Airi could be capable of. She had always known that her sister was ambitious, but she never thought that Airi would go as far as to plot against her own family. Valerie realized that she had underestimated her sister’s manipulative tendencies, and her mistake led to the current situation.

"I need to talk to Derek," Valerie said, breaking the silence. "I can’t continue to ignore my suspicions. I need to know the truth about his relationship with Airi."

Adrienne shook her head.

"I disagree. I’m sure he’ll deny your allegation to protect himself and Airi."

"Then what should I do?" Valerie asked, feeling lost and unsure of what steps to take next.

Her mind raced as she considered Adrienne’s words. She knew she needed to find out the truth about Derek and Airi’s relationship, but she didn’t know where to start.

"You need to prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario," Myrtle said, placing a comforting hand on Valerie’s arm. "If Derek is not loyal to you, then it’s best to end things now before it’s too late." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Your brother is your best chance to annul your engagement with Derek," Adrienne said with a straight face. "He knows you are marrying Derek for his sake, but if he sees with his own eyes what kind of person you’re marrying with his own eyes, he might intervene in your stead."