Chapter 16: Renee Was Startled by His Action
Renee had originally thought the man with the mole had been scared off, but she never expected to see his obese figure at the convenience store downstairs.
She frowned in dissatisfaction. ’That bastard still hasn’t left?’
The man with the mole stood at the entrance of the convenience store, a cigarette pinched between his fingers, glaring at them malevolently.
The hand hanging at her side clenched into a fist. "Sis, I think this is too dangerous. Why don’t you take Zane and Jasmine and go stay at Mom and Dad’s?"
Diana was in a daze for a few seconds before she said softly, "Don’t worry. He probably won’t dare to do anything. It would cause Mom and Dad a lot of trouble if we went to stay with them. Let’s just forget it."
She desperately wanted to go home, but she knew she wasn’t welcome there.
Renee opened her mouth, but suddenly, she didn’t know what to say.
Back then, she had been the one to cry and make a scene, demanding that their parents kick her pregnant sister, Diana, out of the house.
Later, whenever Diana missed home and their parents, she didn’t dare go back. She would just stand downstairs from their building, watching them from a distance.
"Sis," Renee said softly. "I’m sorry."
They had already reached the building of Zane and Jasmine’s daycare. Hearing her younger sister’s apology, Diana froze.
"Silly girl, why are you apologizing out of the blue?" She smiled, changing the subject. "By the way, what do you want for dinner?"
Renee’s slender brows furrowed, and her red-rimmed eyes glistened with tears. Her voice choked. "Sis, I’m truly, truly sorry."
Noticing something was wrong with her sister’s voice, Diana turned to look at her and asked nervously, "Why are you crying?"
She quickly rummaged through her purse for a tissue to wipe Renee’s tears.
"Sis." Renee reached out and threw her arms around her, breaking down into pitiful sobs.
Diana’s heart ached for her, but she also found it a little amusing. She raised a hand to gently pat her back, coaxing, "Tell your big sis what’s wrong. I’ll make it right for you."
"I’m not the one who’s been wronged—you are." At that moment, Renee felt utterly crushed by the weight of her guilt.
Diana couldn’t help but laugh. "How have I been wronged?"
"You’ve suffered so, so much," Renee sniffled, her voice a faint tremor. "But you never say a word."
Diana’s gaze wavered, and her body trembled slightly.
Renee noticed passersby casting curious glances their way and quickly wiped her tears, composing herself. "Sis, go on up and get Zane and Jasmine."
Diana wanted to ask her to come up too, but she was worried people would see that Renee had been crying and ask questions. Instead, she adjusted her sister’s hat. "Alright, wait for us here."
"Okay." Renee nodded.
After Diana left, she stared down at the tips of her shoes, lost in thought.
The next second, a taro-flavored ice cream cone suddenly appeared before her eyes.
She froze for a few seconds, then slowly lifted her head.
"Sis..."
Diana beamed at her. "I was worried you’d get bored, so have an ice cream cone while you wait."
𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
Renee felt a warmth spread through her heart, and her eyes grew hot again.
"Thanks, Sis." She reached out and took the cone.
"I’m going up now," Diana said.
Renee watched her get into the elevator, then looked down at the cone in her hand, so touched she was about to cry again.
’What good karma had she accumulated over several lifetimes to deserve such a wonderful sister?’
Renee pressed her lips together, standing by the road and eating her ice cream cone while tears streamed down her face.
What she never expected was for Henry Stark to witness this exact scene.
The man was standing at the entrance to the fruit shop across the street, holding a bag of fruit. He must have just checked out.
Renee watched through tear-blurred eyes as his figure grew larger, his facial features becoming clearer and clearer.
Renee: "..."
’Oh, hell.’
Henry Stark saw the teardrops clinging to her long eyelashes. Her eyes and the tip of her nose were red, and her expression was dazed, a look of bewilderment that seemed tinged with sorrow.
Renee pressed her lips together, unsure how to react for a moment. She even forgot to eat the ice cream in her hand, which had started to melt.
Henry Stark took a pack of tissues from his pocket.
He took one out but then hesitated.
’Should he wipe her tears first, or the melted ice cream on her hand?’
After a brief moment of thought, Henry Stark wrapped the tissue around the cone, then took out another and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Startled by his action, Renee subconsciously took a step back.
Henry Stark froze for a couple of seconds before handing her the tissue.
The last few times he had seen Renee, she had been dressed elegantly and beautifully, and she spoke with a cool detachment, giving off the impression of someone emotionally stable, mature, and composed.
But today, she was wearing a pink down jacket and a fluffy white bunny hat, crying while eating ice cream like a little girl who had yet to grow up.
It was like she was a different person entirely.
"Th-Thanks," Renee belatedly accepted the tissue, wishing a hole would open up in the ground and swallow her whole.
She hastily wiped at her tears, cleared her throat, and explained, "Don’t get the wrong idea. This ice cream is just so delicious, it’s making my eyes water."
"I see," Henry Stark replied, a hint of suppressed amusement in his deep eyes.
Renee: "..."
Henry Stark took two bright red apples from his bag and offered them to her.
Renee looked at the apples, then at him, her eyes still red. "What’s this for?"
"For you," Henry Stark said with a light chuckle. "It’s thanks to your tip about Lillian Griffin’s case."
Renee puffed out her cheeks and said playfully, "It might have been a coincidence, but two apples seems a little cheap, Captain Stark."
"Not enough?" Henry Stark raised an eyebrow. "How about two more? Or would you rather trade them for an ice cream?"
Renee: "..."
"Neither," she said, taking a deep breath and resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
Henry Stark put the two apples back in the bag.
Renee thought he was taking back the apples altogether and complained silently, ’So cheap! Unbelievably cheap!’
Henry Stark placed the entire bag of fruit at Renee’s feet. "Take them all."
Renee raised an eyebrow slightly, silently taking back her previous mental complaint.
’Looks like I jumped to conclusions.’
Seeing Diana approaching with the two children, Henry Stark said his goodbyes, left the fruit, and turned to leave.
"Renee."
Diana’s voice came from behind her.
Renee turned around, her gaze falling on the two little ones her sister was holding by the hand.
Zane and Jasmine met their "evil" aunt’s gaze and obediently greeted her.
"Auntie."
"Hello, Auntie."
"Hi, you two," Renee said, putting on a warm smile. "How about we have hot pot for dinner tonight?"
Diana, of course, had no objection. "What kind do you want? Coconut chicken, lamb, or beef?"
Renee blinked. "What do Zane and Jasmine want?"
Hearing their "evil" aunt’s words, Zane and Jasmine were both shocked and flattered, staring at her in astonishment with their big, round eyes.
Usually, in front of their mother, their aunt would pretend to care about them and act nice, but she had never once asked them what they liked or what they wanted.
’What was up with their aunt today?’
When the two children didn’t answer, Diana gently repeated, "Zane, Jasmine, have you decided what you want to eat?"