Love Began with the First Meeting
Chapter 627 Undying Love (Part Three)

When she came back to the villa, Brian was nowhere to be found. 'He must be staying late at work tonight, she thought. When Lisa saw her coming in, the woman went to the kitchen and started serving her dinner. Molly placed her purse on the dining table and looked at the warm meal before her. Eating alone, it was the same as it had been many years ago.

She only took a few bites. With her father on her mind, she didn't have much of an appetite. She drank some water and then retreated to her bedroom. Welcomed by her bed, she lay down on it and stared at the ceiling. Brian and she had been living in the same villa, yet they barely saw each other. And even if they did, they hardly exchanged words nowadays. It had only been days, but the silent treatment felt like it had been much longer than that. She sighed dejectedly. This kind of life was toxic. It was killing her. Five years ago, she came to this villa to pay his father's debt. That was all. But today, five years later, she was still in the villa. The only difference was that now she was living this miserable life as Mr. Brian Long's wife. Even with everything that had happened, they were no better than strangers.

Molly smiled bitterly at the thought. She took her phone out of the purse and stared at it, waiting expectantly for Steven's call. But the phone never rang the entire evening. At last, she couldn't take it anymore and called Brian.

The phone rang. Once. Twice. Thrice. It was the fifth ring when someone picked up on the other end of the line. Neither of them spoke first.

Molly leaned against the headboard, biting her lip hesitantly before saying in a low voice, "I went to the old house to see my dad this afternoon. But he wasn't home. I haven't heard back from him at all and I don't have any way to reach him either. Can... can you please help me replace him?"

He didn't answer at once. "He's a grown man. He won't get lost." Brian replied icily.

Molly gritted her teeth but said nothing.

There was a long silence then. Neither of them spoke yet nobody had hung up either. Molly fiddled with a strand of her hair before she rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"Well..." Molly finally began. "Never mind then. I'm sorry to have bothered you."

She ended the call before Brian could respond. Her father had lived at that place for tens of years. He was familiar with the city like the back of his hand. Now that he was no longer hiding from any debts, what could possibly happen to him? Maybe she was being worried for no reason. Or... Did she call Brian just to hear his cold voice? Was it because she missed it? 'Come on, Molly,' she berated herself. 'Haven't you suffered enough? Don't you think you've had enough drama to last a lifetime?"

She groaned at her own thoughts. Molly closed her eyes, slid down, and curled up on the bed. She felt cold. Freezing cold. Then again, she realized what she felt probably had little to do with the weather, and more to do with her husband's treatment.

Brian held the phone to his ear even long after she had ended the call. Finally, he put it down and looked at the empty hallway distractedly. He'd forgotten what he was supposed to be doing next.

"Mr. Brian Long," Walking out of the office, Tony saw Brian standing in the hallway with a bewildered look. "Harrow and Vincent are waiting for you," he reminded him quietly.

Brian recollected himself with Tony's helpful reminder and assumed his cold expression again. He glanced at the phone that didn't have Molly's number on the screen anymore and then turned to Tony again. "Locate Steven," he ordered, heading back to his office. His words puzzled Tony. "Mr. Brian Long," he started cautiously, "you had Steven taken to the rehabilitation center this afternoon."

Hearing Tony's words, Brian briefly stopped in his tracks. Then, as if nothing happened, he walked into the office without a word. He sat in his chair behind the table. On the monitor, Harrow and Vincent were waiting patiently for him.

Tony entered the office quietly, masking his own confusion. He stood beside Brian, stealing glances every now and then. Brian remained to be the same hero in his heart who was decisive, cold, and arrogant. Yet as composed as he usually was, it was the first time Tony had seen him troubled. He had even forgotten about giving his men orders earlier to take Steven to the rehabilitation center. Tony wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his very own eyes.

Tony turned his head and looked at the monitor, sighing inwardly. His hero wasn't himself tonight.

Even as time flew by quickly, days at the villa were pretty much the same. Molly and Brian kept themselves busy with work, barely seeing each other. The big villa wasn't home. For Molly, it was merely a place to retire for some sleep. On the other hand, Brian didn't even sleep there anymore. Every time he had the chance to come back, he just took a shower, changed clothes, and then left again. What Molly didn't know, however, was that every time he left, he'd check on her while she was deeply asleep.

After the last incident which worried Molly to no end, Steven got a new phone. She felt more at ease now that she could contact him easily. Steven never went to see Daniel again since the last time he visited him at the rehabilitation center. When Molly had expressed her interest to see Daniel too, Steven was adamant and objected to it.

At night, if it wasn't nightmares that ruined her sleep, it was her excruciating relationship with Brian. Conversely, Molly spent most of her day burying herself in her work at the Sasha Music Troupe. Apart from the occasional heartaches, she was otherwise content with the way things were these days.

So it was a pleasant surprise when her routine was disrupted by Myra. "Molly," said the cellist as she put the music score away, "the bakery across the street just reopened. It used to have these delicious cakes, and I've been having sweet cravings since yesterday. I wonder who the new owner is, though." She smiled, looking pensive. "Want to check it out together later?"

She glanced at the clock on the wall. It wasn't like she had better plans. "Okay," Molly smiled. After cleaning her table, she grabbed her purse and met up with Myra by the front doors. Together, they left the building and made their way to the bakery. "Welcome," a waitress said to them.

Myra looked around, impressed by the bakery's interiors. "Wow, it's so beautiful in here," she remarked. 0000☐☐☐☐