Reborn Young Miss: Phoenix Burning Red-Chapter 397: Unfilial Child (2)
"Did my father try to reach me again?" Adrienne asked while she and Myrtle were driving back home in Jinxiu Garden.
They were seated in the backseat of the car while Irina was behind the steering wheel, and Leigh was seated next to her.
Another car followed them closely, its headlights casting long shadows on the road. Since the incident with Airi and Valerie Xia, Lennox has insisted that she bring more bodyguards.
Myrtle was busy on her laptop, working on Adrienne’s schedule for the upcoming week. She glanced up from her screen and shook her head.
"No, Adrienne, there haven’t been any missed calls or messages from your father since last week."
Adrienne crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat.
"Is that so? I thought he would try to ask for money when the news came out about me owning Purple Cloud. He’d been pestering me for a while now, but Mom insisted I shouldn’t bother with him anymore."
Her best friend scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"After everything he’d done to you and Aunt Rose, he’s shameless to even think about asking for money. Good riddance to him, I say." Myrtle muttered. "Anyway, he hadn’t given you anything or supported you when you started Purple Cloud, so it’s only fair that you don’t bother with him anymore. You’ve worked hard to build your business and deserve to surround yourself with people who truly care about you and your success."
Adrienne nodded in agreement, grateful for her friend’s support. She took a deep breath and smiled, feeling a newfound sense of freedom, knowing she no longer had to deal with her father’s constant demands.
"I do hope he really stops pestering me. I fear Lennox would deal with him if my father continues to bother me," Adrienne admitted, thinking of her fiercely protective husband. "But for now, I’ll focus on the positive and enjoy the peace that comes with cutting toxic people out of my life."
Myrtle closed her laptop and hooked her arm to Adrienne’s.
"That’s the spirit, Addie. Don’t let them ruin your happiness. The Jiang family got what they deserved. You didn’t need to do anything to destroy them. They self-destruct on their own. I heard Elise has been seeking employment these days but was getting a lot of rejection when the hiring managers saw she was related to Camilla Yan and Cayden. I should feel pity for her, but I cannot help but feel a sense of satisfaction whenever I consider how she treated you for years. It’s like karma finally caught up to her. "
"Keep those opinions to yourself, Myrtle, and don’t say them publicly. It’s not our place to revel in someone else’s misfortune, no matter how they may have wronged us in the past," Adrienne reminded Myrtle, trying to temper her vindictive tone.
"Besides, spreading negativity will only bring us down as well." Myrtle huffed in response, clearly not pleased with Adrienne’s words of caution.
"You’ve changed, Addie. If it were in the past, you would have celebrated their misfortune and shared a flute of wine with me. I guess you are completely over them and have moved on."
Adrienne only smiled. What Myrtle said was true. When she died and was reborn in this lifetime, her heart was filled with bitterness and resentment. But now, being reunited with her mother and elder brother and meeting and loving Lennox, Adrienne didn’t want to dwell too much on the past anymore.
Though Alistair still threatened her and Lennox, she didn’t want to waste her time worrying and hating people when she had so much happiness and love in her life. Adrienne realized that holding on to anger and resentment would only hinder her own growth and happiness. She focused on the present moment and embraced the joy that surrounded her, leaving the past where it belonged.
"I suppose you are right. I have no energy left to spare for the likes of them. However, if they try to touch my bottom line again, I won’t hesitate to take the necessary action to protect what’s important to me," Adrienne declared with a determined look in her eyes.
"Just be careful, Addie. You might not care about them anymore, but that doesn’t mean they feel the same way. I know Alistair is up to something these days, but I can point out what it was."
Adrienne raised a slender brow at her friend.
"Did you hear it from your mother?" She asked.
Alistair had gone silent for months, and there wasn’t any news of his whereabouts or activities. Having authorities after his tail seemed to have forced him to lie low and stay under the radar.
"Yes," Myrtle answered, "Mom has no choice but to take care of Ayla. From what I heard from her, Ayla’s pregnancy is progressing well, but is sensitive. She had to be put on bed rest due to some complications. My mom has been by her side throughout, caring for her and ensuring she gets everything she needs."
"And Alistair?"
Myrtle shook her head. She wasn’t sure whether she should be happy or not that Alistair wasn’t making things difficult for her mother by not being around.
"That bastard doesn’t seem to care about his pregnant wife at all. He only showed up whenever the matriarch asked for his presence. It’s clear that Alistair’s priorities lie elsewhere, and he seems to neglect his responsibilities as a husband and soon-to-be father."
Myrtle expressed frustration and disappointment with his behavior, highlighting the stark contrast between his actions and her mother’s unwavering support for Ayla.
Adrienne fell silent. Hearing the news from Myrtle reminded her of her previous life. There was a time when Alistair never went home for months, leaving her feeling neglected and unimportant. He was probably spending time with Ayla, his mistress, back then.
But now that the mistress had become the wife, Adrienne wasn’t surprised that Alistair was neglecting his responsibilities again. It seemed that history was repeating itself, and Adrienne couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu.
