Chapter 16: Staying Overnight
Precious had a stomachache.
And she refused to go to the hospital even when her face showed she was aching all over.
"I don't want to go to the hospital! They're going to give me a shot!"
Wendy did not know what to say as she watched Precious.
She felt remorseful, seeing how pale the little girl was.
Fortunately, she had all kinds of medication for kids in her house.After drinking a syrup, Precious felt better, which relieved
Wendy and Ryan.
"Sorry, I didn't know Precious couldn't eat barbecue."
"It's not your fault."
It was her first time to eat barbecue, and Ryan didn't expect this to happen.
It was already past twelve o'clock in the morning when the little girl finally felt better.
Although the storm had calmed down, it was too heartless to let Ryan and Precious drive home at midnight.
So, rubbing her eyes, Wendy suggested, "It's too late.Why don't you stay here tonight?"
"Okay,"answered Ryan, taking a look at her deeply.
Wendy prepared Raymond's room and changed the new bed sheet, quilt, and pillows.
After a while, she walked out of the room and placed a pajama beside Ryan.
"Ray can sleep in my room tonight.You and Precious can sleep in his room.This is Ray's pajamas.Precious is about the same
height as him, so it should fit her just right.But I don't have men's clothes here..."
It would be really strange for her to have men’s clothes in her apartment!
"I'll ask my assistant to bring me something tomorrow.”
"Okay!"
Precious, who was still lying weakly on the sofa, pulled the hem of Wendy's shirt and asked expectantly, "Auntie, can I sleep in
your room as well?"
"Sleep in my room?"
Confused, Wendy glanced at Ryan and asked, "Don't you sleep with your daddy?"
"I don't want daddy! I want auntie!"
The little girl seemed to be too dependent on her, but looking at her pale face and expectant eyes, Wendy couldn't get herself to
refuse.
"Why do you ask your father first?"
Precious immediately turned around and pouted her lips for pity.
"Daddy..."
"Fine, whatever."
"Oh, yeah!"
Precious grinned as if she was afraid that her father would go back on his words.
Not minding her stomachache, she rushed into Wendy's room, holding her pajamas in her hand.
Looking at her receding figure, Wendy did not say anything.
Instead, she searched for a new set of toiletries and handed it to Ryan.
"Mr.Oliver, have a good rest after washing up.Call me if you need anything."
Ryan took the toiletries, and his fingertips inadvertently swept across her palm like a string of sparks, causing her hand to
tremble and instantly heat up.
Feeling a series of electric shock, Wendy withdrew her hand as fast as lightning.
"I...uh...I'm going to my room now!"
As soon as she finished her words, she hurriedly walked away without waiting for his response.
Ryan was left alone.
His eyes darkened while his insides surged with a burning sensation, much like a volcano about to erupt.
The kids had already taken a shower and changed into their pajamas.
At the same time, Wendy also took a shower and changed into her silky nightwear.
Then, she checked herself in the mirror before walking out of the bathroom.
When she opened the door of her bedroom, she saw the kids playing on the bed.
Raymond sat cross-legged in front of Precious and asked, "How are you feeling now?"
Afraid of being driven away, the little girl rolled her eyes cunningly, rubbed her belly, and pouted.
"It still hurts."
"You need to get better quickly.I'll ask mommy to cook something delicious for you tomorrow."
"Yey! Thank you, Ray!" Precious clapped her tiny hands, feeling overjoyed.
Undeniably and shocking for some reason, Raymond was so nice to her.
He spared his room to her daddy and let her sleep in Wendy's room.
Realizing this, tears welled up in Precious's eyes.
"Ray, you are so kind!"
"Of course!"
The wind was still billowing outside, but it was warm inside the room.
Looking at Precious's happy face, Wendy couldn't help but walk over them with a smile.
"What are you two talking about? Why are you so happy?"
"Nothing, nothing!"
The little girl rubbed her belly and pretended to be very uncomfortable, but Wendy knew Precious was only pretending.
Then, she switched off the light, leaving only a dim lamp on the bedside table.
Taking off her shoes before climbing to the bed, Wendy reminded, "Stop playing.It's late now.Let's go to sleep."
"Mommy, you sleep in the middle!"
"Auntie, please sleep in the middle!" the two kids said in unison.
After saying that, the two looked at each other and laughed at the same time."Okay, I'll sleep in the middle!"
Wendy laid down in the middle of the bed and stretched out her arms to hold the two kids closer.
"Auntie, can you tell me a bedtime story?"
Oh, right! Children always liked to listen to stories before they went to sleep.
Wendy had never read Raymond a story to bed.
When she was in the US, she was busy with her career and often left the house early and returned late.
Often when she woke up to get ready, Raymond was still sleeping.
And when she came back at night, he was already fast asleep. Thinking of this, Wendy suddenly felt a little guilty.
Raymond's nanny probably had spent more time with him than she had.
"Okay, I'll tell you a story.Let me tell a story about John smashing a vat."
"Okay."
"Upon a time, there was a child named John.One day, he played with other kids in a garden filled with flowers, trees, and
rockeries.Everyone happily ran and chased each other.Suddenly, a little boy fell into the big water tank under the rockery.The
poor boy shouted for help while his companions were all in a panic.Only John was fearless in the face of danger.When he saw
the stones on the rockery, he picked a big one and smashed the vat, saving the little boy..."
The two kids listened with keen pleasure and had no intention of sleeping at all.
Seeing this, Wendy chuckled and rubbed their tiny heads.
"Tell me, what did you learn from this story?"
"We learned that it's important to learn how to swim!"the two kids yelled in unison.
Hearing this, Wendy laughed aloud.She finally knew why they could get along well with each other.
Raymond and Precious thought alike! More than that, they resembled each other so much! And knowing how rigorous and silly
the little girl was in contrast to her father .Wendy couldn't help but think what kind of woman her mother was.
Why was she not together with Ryan? Was she dead? Or was she forced to separate with Ryan because his parents didn't
approve of her as their daughter-in-law?
"Auntie, I still want to listen to more stories."
"Okay!"
Wendy patted the two kids and told them several other stories in a soft voice until their breathing evened out in her arms.
Looking at their angelic faces, Wendy was surprised to find their resemblance to be really uncanny! Precious had a round and
chubby face at first glance, while Ray was a little thin and not at all fat.
But as Wendy stared more, she found that the two had almost same mouth and nose.
‘If Ray's sister is still alive..."
This thought lingered on Wendy's head as a tinge of pain crept on her heart.
Instantly, her hatred floated out like a ghost.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and forced herself not to think about it anymore, but she just couldn't.
Three days ago, she met with Eris on the set.
It had been years since she last saw her, but Wendy swore it was just a beginning.
Those people owed her, her mother, and her sister! She would let them pay back little by little.
She would give them a taste of their own medicine! An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth! Thinking of her sister, Reese
Finch, Wendy bit her lips.
After returning home, the first person she wanted to contact was Reese Finch, her biological sister, who was six years older than
her.
Her sister was undeniably a beauty, taking after their mother.
When Reese was eighteen, their father, Ruben Finch, lost all their money and family asset in gambling.
He then forced his daughter to drop out of school and tried to marry her off to a middle-aged man.
Of course, Reese was totally against it.
But their father, Ruben, threatened her that he would beat her, break her legs, and kicked her out of the house if she would not
marry the man.
In the end, Reese gave in and succumbed to their father's crazy idea.
When Wendy lived in the USA, she didn't dare to contact her Reese.
She was afraid that Cacia, Eris's mother, would find out her whereabouts and come to kill her to keep her mouth shut.
Even after returning back, she was still so anxious that she never called.
But tonight, while the kids slept in her arms, Wendy thought it was finally time to give Reese a call.
Wendy finally fell asleep with that idea in her head.
However, in the middle of the night, she was awakened by a sound from the living room!