Chapter 85 I Don’t Want to Go to That House
“I don’t want to go there. I don’t want to go to that house…” Incoherent words that sounded like she was sleep talking came from his embrace, causing his stern expression to reveal a shred of tenderness amongst the storm.
Alexander’s father passed away when he was 13 years old. Even though his mother wasn’t around, he still had his grandfather to take care of him and raise him. His grandfather was currently still alive and kicking, and he loved to act against him.
But this was not the case for Courtney—she had lost her mother ever since she was born, and though her father was still around, he had formed a new family with someone else. She had lived with her grandfather for a few years before the latter passed away. After that, she was taken back to the Hunter Mansion by her father, which had obviously put her in an awkward situation—she should have been the original family member but was treated as a guest in the family instead.
Alexander’s only friend since childhood had once remarked him as an obstinate person, and he himself also thought that a person’s surrounding environment was the cause of one’s obstinance. Therefore, the type of environment that Courtney grew up in should have caused her to become a more obstinate person than he was, but in contrast, she was actually able to live a carefree and comfortable life. She even gave up on her identity as the second young lady of the Hunter Family and became a manager in a hotel.
He initially thought that he knew her very well—an ordinary woman who was shrewd in work but silly in life. However, after getting along with her for so long, he realized that there was much more to learn about her.
The rain got heavier. Looking at the hazy sea with a frown, he asked, “How much longer before we can dock?”
“Very soon. Don’t worry. It usually stops raining within five to ten minutes here,” the boat driver explained while controlling the steering wheel, intending to return to the mainland as fast as possible.
However, after half an hour, when Alexander had taken the two of them back to the hotel, there was still a downpour outside. The weather station announced at the last minute that there might be a rainstorm coming and ordered all the fishing boats to urgently evacuate from the sea. There were plenty of small boats that had been capsized by the strong waves, and rescue teams had been dispatched.
“President Duncan, who’s this…” A few persons-in-charge of the show from Starlight Media were waiting for Shay’s news at the hotel lobby. They were stunned when they saw Alexander back with Courtney.
“Get a doctor here.” He went straight to the point and threw them a brief and concise order. Under their dumbfounded gaze, he carried her in his arms and went upstairs.
“It was just seasickness. Since she is not on the boat now, there is no need for her to take any medicine for it. She probably got wet in the rain and caught a fever, so she will be fine after taking some antipyretic drugs.” After the doctor diagnosed that it was nothing serious, the person-in-charge of the show showed the doctor out, and Alexander followed them out of the room as well.
After that, the person-in-charge turned and saw Alexander. Stunned, he greeted, “President Duncan.”
Alexander nodded in response. “Get a caretaker to look after her for the night.”
Upon hearing this, the person-in-charge revealed an expression that he seemed to have been put in a spot. “President Duncan, you might not know this, but this sort of heavy rain had never occurred even once in many years, so many incidents happened following this downpour. The medical facilities here are lacking in the first place, and I heard that a cruise ship that was heading toward the resort island capsized, so the hospitals here have all been occupied. There is a shortage of medical staff, so it will be difficult to look for a caretaker.”
Upon hearing this, he became anxious. “A cruise ship has capsized? Which one?” He suddenly thought of the fact that Tina had not returned yet.
The person-in-charge, who thought that he was worried about Shay, quickly explained, “Don’t worry, it was not the ship that Shay boarded. Shay and Miss Hunter’s daughter have safely arrived at the island, but they can’t come back at the moment. They have reported to us that they are now safe.”
Alexander’s expression slightly eased.
“About the caretaker…” The person-in-charge seemed nervous.
“It’s fine, then.” Alexander waved his hand, gesturing to him to leave before he returned to the room.
The ash-blue bed sheets made her face look even colder, which looked different from when she was awake earlier. He sat beside her and stared at her face, recalling the incident when he met her in the lift, when she daringly claimed that he was her boyfriend. Traces of gentleness involuntarily appeared in his eyes.
This woman was astonishing when she was daring, but she could melt his heart when she was weak and helpless.
He leaned over at her, attempting to take a closer look at her face, but when he got closer to her, he found that he seemed to have lost control of himself as he leaned even closer to her and finally planted a kiss on her lips.
The sound of the rain was loud outside the window as the curtains swayed in the wind; raindrops fell on the ground and splashed in all directions. A large shadow was cast on the wall—it was kissing an unconscious person.
Courtney felt that her head was heavy, as if she had fallen into the water. When she was drowning in her muddle-headed condition, she seemed to feel that someone had covered a blanket on her and placed a cold, wet cloth on her forehead to reduce her fever.
Although she knew that there was someone next to her, she could not stop herself from spiraling into a dream about her past from years ago.
At that time, her grandfather was soon dying from heart failure. The young Courtney stayed with him by the bed while he held her hands with his old withered hand, which resembled a wilted branch. His eyes were filled with worry as he repetitively adjured, “Court, you have to be a good girl when you go back, but you don’t have to pay too much attention to what they think. You still have a place in your father’s heart. If you are bullied, just tell him straight, and he will help you.”
“Grandpa, I don’t want to go there. I will be a good girl, and I won’t eat too many candies.”
She was like a bystander, listening to the girl with pigtails as the latter cried miserably, as if she did not understand that her grandfather was dying. The girl thought that he was going to abandon her and send her away.
The hospital suddenly became noisy as a few mean-looking men and women barged into the ward. A fat woman with permed hair, dressed in an expensive-looking purple coat, cursed at the young Courtney the moment she saw her. “You jinx, your mother died because of you the moment you were born. You are still so young and immature, yet once again, you’ve caused your grandfather to die. Why are you still here? Do you have a death wish? Send her away. Her presence alone irritates me.”
“I’m not leaving. Grandpa, Grandpa—”
The young Courtney was dragged out from the ward by two adults. Before she was thrown out of the ward, she looked behind and saw the old man on the bed looking at her with his eyes widened, as if he still had some last words that he had yet to tell her. Amidst his children’s sorrowful sobs, his withered arm finally fell from a height and drooped on the edge of the bed.
“Hey, isn’t that the jinx?”
“She is the bearer of bad luck.”
“That’s right. It’s her.”
As she grew older, she gradually understood the comments made by the people around her. There was once when she was driven to a corner, a roar suddenly burst out from her heart, rushed through her throat, and escaped her lips. “I’m not a jinx!”
Then, she forcefully pushed the chubby kid that spat on her face to the ground.
“You even have the guts to push me? You damn jinx! The jinx is trying to kill someone!”
“I’m not a jinx!” Courtney suddenly screamed as she awakened from her nightmare, but she was slowly calmed down by the warm sensation on the back of her hand. She was stunned when she saw Alexander, who had just opened his drowsy eyes, lying on the bed beside her.
“Ah!” A loud shriek cut through the rainy night.
