Love Began with the First Meeting
Chapter 636 Danger Lurked In Every Corner (Part Two)

"You wish," Lucy said in a low whisper. She obviously didn't want anybody else hearing her talk.

Jeff smiled, "Fine. You don't miss me, but I do. Isn't that why you are calling me - to soothe my soul?"

"You can surely talk sweet," Lucy laughed. "I'm calling about something serious."

"What's wrong?" Jeff threw the cigarette butt away and asked. "Has something happened?"

"Yes," Lucy answered. She told him what had happened in the villa in the evening. "I am not sure what happened, but when Brian and Molly came back, they both looked like hell. The doctor was called upon and he was in the room for a while. I went over on purpose, pretending to ask the doctor about my dad's arthritis. Of course, I also pretended to care about Molly and asked what had happened to her. I think that regardless of whether Brian loves her or not, if she is in danger, he wouldn't be as calm as he pretended to be." "Oh?" Jeff responded. He had already assumed that much from the incident that evening. Lucy's words just served to harden that assumption. An evil smile appeared on his lips. "Lucy, the National Congress is in three days. These two days before its commencement are very important to us."

"I understand," Lucy said. After a pause, she continued, "Jeff, if we succeed this time, will you really take me to Dragon Island?"

"Of course, silly," Jeff answered. "Why would I lie to you?"

Lucy smiled. She knew that Jeff wouldn't lie to her. But still, she wanted to hear the words from him. Maybe women are born insecure.

"Jeff, you will succeed this time. You will become the top man in the Congress," she said firmly. "Good night."

"Good night,"

Jeff said as he hung up and put the phone in his pocket. He placed his hands on the hood, supporting himself. He fixed his eyes on the sea, with a faint smile on his face. Yet, that smile was too subtle to reach his eyes.

*

Dawn broke. Brian had been up all night. When the first light hit him, he took a quick shower, got changed, and went to the study. All urgent and important matters had been taken care of already. He was just waiting for the National Congress to commence. He wasn't as busy as he used to be. Molly was still sleeping and he was worried about her. "Lucy, take this to Mr. Brian Long," Lisa handed the breakfast to Lucy.

Lucy complied. After placing the breakfast in Brian's study without disturbing his work, she returned downstairs and saw that Lisa was still busy preparing breakfast. She asked, "Mom, where's Mrs. Molly Long's breakfast? Should it be taken upstairs too?"

"She usually eats downstairs," said Lisa. She didn't sense anything odd about Lucy's behavior. Suddenly she stopped what she was doing, and said, "Since Mr. Brian Long is home, I am not sure if she will come down for breakfast. If she doesn't, she's going to starve. I'd better take her food upstairs."

"I'll go," Lucy volunteered.

"You?" Lisa looked at her doubtfully. Because of Brian, Lucy had never liked Molly. What was all this about now?

Lucy rolled her eyes and said, "I saw that you were busy and I have nothing better to do right now. If you don't want my help, then fine. Just do it yourself."

She pretended to walk away as she said that.

"Can't you see that I am busy picking the river snail meat out of its shells?" Lisa scolded, "Go and give it to her." As Lucy turned around with the plate of food, Lisa added, "Mrs. Molly Long is in Mr. Brian Long's bedroom."

Lucy just shrugged her shoulders and went upstairs. As she ascended the stairs, she kept staring at Brian's bedroom door till she stood before it. She paused for a few seconds and turned the doorknob slowly.

With the thick curtains drawn in, the room remained dim even as the sun shone brightly outside. Under the deep blue comforter, Molly slept, breathing in and out evenly, without even noticing that someone had come into the room.

Lucy put the plate down on the bedside table. The floor carpet made no noise as she walked over it, but she still stepped as lightly and quietly as she could. She stood by the bed and looked down at Molly's sleeping face. Even in the dim light, Molly looked ghastly pale. Her left cheek was still red and swollen.

Lucy's eyes filled with mockery. She whispered, "You don't belong here, but you still tried to come into Brian's world. And this is the price you have to pay for it."

Her hand quietly slid into her pocket and found the mini syringe. The thin and short needle sparkled creepily in the dim room.

*

Brian had just finished a video conversation with Eric. He sipped on a glass of milk, which had become cold and it tasted dreadful. He grimaced and put the glass down.

It was past eight o'clock. He looked at the glass of milk again, a little distracted. Then he got up and walked out of the study. He steadily proceeded towards his bedroom.

*

With a deadly sneer on her lips, Lucy stared at Molly and brought down the small needle to Molly's arm.

*

Brian's eyes were filled with sorrow and resignation as he stood in front of his bedroom door, hesitant. He lifted his hand to turn the knob, but retreated it. He was afraid to go in. He wanted to know whether Molly had woken up, but he didn't know how to face the coldness in her eyes.

A bitter smile crept over his face. He lowered his eyes and concealed his fear which he loathed.

*

The malicious smile on Lucy's face widened. The needle now touched Molly's skin. Molly frowned a little, but did not wake up. As she watched Molly's peaceful face, Lucy smiled in disgust. The needle had been dabbed with potent anesthetic. Molly would only feel like she had been bitten by a mosquito.

Her thumb slowly pressed the top of the plunger. She was about to inject the medicine when she heard the doorknob turning. Startled, she withdrew the syringe in a fluster and put it in her pocket. In the process, the needle pricked her hand. She winced and then pretended to tuck the comforter.

Brian walked in and the dissatisfaction in seeing Lucy in the room was clear on his face. "What are you doing here?" he asked grumpily.

Lucy said, "My mom asked me to bring Mrs. Molly Long's breakfast here. Since she is still asleep, I put it over there." She glanced at the plate of food and added, "Then I saw that this corner of the comforter was off the bed, so I was tucking it in." She pressed her lips, scared and discontent.

Brian looked at her disdainfully. He sat down on the edge of the bed and said coldly, "Get out."

Lucy bit her lips and left. As she slowly closed the door, she resentfully looked at Molly, whose face was now blocked by Brian's back.

The door shut close with a thud. Brian turned his head a little and glared at the door sideways. Then he turned and looked at Molly affectionately, stroking her hair gently.

*

Molly didn't wake up until noon. She looked around, her mind in a blur. She slowly took in her surroundings. The room was filled with the sound of a keyboard clanking. She turned around with half open eyes. Brian was sitting on the sofa, his legs crossed. He frowned at the laptop screen, as his fingers flowed across the keyboard, typing quickly.

Molly looked at him. She thought she knew this man well, but at the moment, she felt like she didn't know him at all. Seeing Brian made her feel suffocated. She didn't even know how to breathe anymore while he was near her.

Even though it was weak, he felt her gaze on him. He stopped typing, but kept his eyes on the screen. He looked at the commands on the laptop, but he forgot what he was supposed to do until the party at the other end sent him the codes. Collecting himself, he typed out all the orders.

Once he was done, he tossed the laptop aside and looked at Molly intensely.

Molly turned her head away quickly and closed her eyes. There was nothing but coldness on her pale face.

Brian didn't move from his position on the sofa. Neither of them spoke. The air in the room seemed to have become denser. It was hard to breathe, for both of them.

Molly swallowed; she was bitter inside. She didn't understand why he was there.

Brian finally said, "I have asked for a few days off for you at the troupe. Stay at home and get some rest."

Molly opened her eyes slowly. Clearly, Brian had known that she was working at the troupe. But she wasn't in the mood to think about how he had found out. Her life was always so transparent in front of him.

Silence fell once again. An invisible wall was erected between them. They could see each other, but neither of them could reach the other side.

A melodious violin solo broke the silence. Brian's eyes drifted to Molly's phone on the nightstand.

Molly didn't want to answer it. She didn't care who was calling. But whoever was calling her was pretty persistent. The phone rang again and again.

Brian frowned. He neither moved nor spoke. Finally, Molly extended her hand and took the phone. She had intended to turn it off, but when she saw the caller ID, her eyes brimmed with tears.