Chapter 20
The screen unlocked on Cynthia's first attempt; the plowed field was still her birthday wallpaper. It was proof Christopher hadn't stopped loving her over the past two years, and she couldn't help but feel a rush of delight.
But opening his messaging application, the timestamp of the top chat erased her smile. A cold, stern look replaced her expression. The timestamp showed 5:57 PM—while he was en route to the restaurant.
Cynthia tapped into the chat. The earlier messages had been wiped clean, leaving only two, one sent by Christopher: "Why are you calling me for?" The other simply read, "Forget it."
She checked the call log. The first entry was Melody's name; Christopher had initiated the call, and it lasted two minutes.
Before Cynthia could ponder their conversation, footsteps approached. She snapped back to reality, quickly exited the app, turned off the screen, and replaced the phone.
The door opened, and Christopher entered. "I forgot my phone," he said.
With a smile, she retrieved it and handed it to him.
As soon as he left the room, her smile vanished, replaced by resentment and malice. She muttered, "Did you really need to come back for your phone so quickly? Were you afraid I would look through it?"
A woman's intuition was rarely wrong. Christopher did have feelings for Melody. And just days ago, when he refused a divorce, claiming he wanted to torment her, it was a lie. He hadn't wanted the divorce because he couldn't let go.
The realization made Cynthia clench her fists, her nails digging into her palms.
Christopher headed toward the restroom, glancing at his phone. His eyes lingered on the chat with Melody; her two-word reply still angered him. He hesitated, typing and deleting messages before exiting the chat and texting Sheldon instead.
Sheldon replied quickly. After reading the message, Christopher pressed his lips together. So, she hadn't asked for money—she had simply forgotten her medical insurance card.
But wasn't that still a financial issue? Otherwise, why would she need reimbursement?
With that in mind, he opened the transfer app. After several moments of hesitation, he increased the amount from $5,000 to $10,000, then to $30,000, before exiting the app entirely.
"Why should I rush to send her money? If she's short on money, why doesn't she just ask me?" he muttered, his tone laced with frustration and irritation. "Should she be the one to make the first move?"
Having convinced himself, he strode back to the private room, determined not to yield first.
After dinner, Christopher drove Cynthia to her fashion show venue.
"Christopher, the runway show starts in half an hour. I need to get changed. You can wait here for a bit," she said with a smile, leading him to an empty conference room.
In the backstage dressing room, other models turned to stare as Cynthia entered. Whispering amongst themselves, one asked, "Cynthia, is it true you arrived with a super handsome guy in a Rolls-Royce? What's your relationship with him?"
"It's exactly what you think," Cynthia said smugly, enjoying their envious stares.
"Wow! Which rich family is he from? Are you marrying into wealth and becoming a socialite?" another model asked.
"I'll reveal everything when the time comes. Don't worry. You'll get invitations," Cynthia said, basking in their admiration.
The room buzzed with excitement and praise. Many who had previously looked down on the recently returned Cynthia were now vying for her favor, hoping she would connect them with the elite.
Back in the conference room, Christopher sat staring at his phone. Five minutes had passed since he sent the transfer, but Melody hadn't accepted it.
After waiting another three minutes, he lost patience and dialed her number.