Attention Sir, I Have Your Heart Handcuffed!-Chapter 495 - 360. Who stole my original happiness? (3 updates, 1)
Huatai Hall.
After accepting Lu Zhao’s investment share, Rosa leaped from a somewhat marginalized "investment partner" to the largest stakeholder in Huatai Hall. Everyone in Huatai Hall started calling Rosa "boss."
She accepted Lu Zhao’s investment share, which also meant accepting Lu Zhao’s apology. While she accepted the share with peace of mind, being called "boss" by everyone at Huatai Hall made her a bit uneasy.
Although Huatai Hall was established by several partners, everyone knew the true founder was Xiang Yuan.
There was a fleeting sense that she had taken over Xiang Yuan’s law firm. Perhaps it was this feeling haunting her, as she sensed Xiang Yuan’s attitude towards her growing increasingly distant, avoiding her whenever possible.
Originally, between her and him, there was not only Shi Nian but now also the entire Huatai Hall?
With such a dilemma weighing on her mind, she left Huatai Hall after work, still burdened with concerns. She didn’t notice the young man standing outside Huatai Hall, leaning against a sports car.
Until the person spoke: "Rosa~" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖
Rosa frowned, looked up, and shuddered.
It was James.
James stepped forward: "Let’s have dinner together. Will you get into my car yourself, or shall I pull you in?"
"This is Huatai Hall, after all, it’s your law firm, not mine. I don’t mind being seen pulling you in."
Rosa took a deep breath: "What do you want?"
James laughed exaggeratedly: "What am I saying? Just dinner together. What are you afraid of?"
Rosa instinctively reached into her purse, wanting to find her phone. But then she remembered that Shi Nian had finished work and was spending time with Jieyou.
She resignedly let go. She was already an adult; she couldn’t possibly compete with Jieyou for Shi Nian’s attention, could she?
"If you have something to talk about, say it here." She tried to act calm.
This was, after all, downstairs from the law firm, frequented by colleagues; surely he wouldn’t dare to act rashly.
But James wasn’t buying it. He raised his eyebrows: "I said, dinner together. I have no interest in standing by the roadside talking while breathing in car exhaust. Same question: will you get in the car, or shall I pull you in?"
Seeing Rosa still struggling, James sneered: "I won’t hurt you. Both of us were victims of that past event; we’re on the same side."
Rosa could only take a deep breath and reluctantly got into James’s car.
Shi Nian was right; there’s no use being afraid of him anymore. Running away isn’t a solution. Only by resolving this matter completely can this Chapter truly turn over.
.
Rosa’s worries were unfounded; James indeed took her to a restaurant bustling with customers. With bright lights burning high and several floors fully occupied, Rosa finally felt at ease.
The dishes were served, and James squinted at her: "All ordered for you, Chinese cuisine. Should be your favorites."
Upon seeing the heavily sauce-colored stinky mandarin fish, Rosa was indeed a bit surprised. To understand to order her this dish required knowing her well, especially being in M Country.
Rosa took a bite, and the taste was excellent, which, in turn, helped her relax a bit.
"What exactly do you want to say?"
James didn’t pick up his chopsticks. "Huangfu Huazhang has confessed. As victims of that event, shouldn’t we have a good meal and celebrate?"
Rosa couldn’t swallow the fish in her mouth and set down her chopsticks: "He admitted?"
Actually, thinking back to the clown who took her away and treated her gently, now being Huangfu Huazhang, always left her with a sense of displacement.
James raised his glass: "Murder charges, he can’t escape. Especially since he signed the confession himself."
Rosa examined her own heart.
Shouldn’t she be happy? But somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to feel joy.
Upon reflection, the person she hated most wasn’t the clown, nor that old man, but rather—her parents.
If her parents hadn’t been so indifferent back then, hadn’t prioritized their feelings over hers, she wouldn’t have encountered those later events. So even if Huangfu Huazhang confessed, or if he was later convicted of murder in court, or even sentenced to death... what is there for her to be happy about?
Even now, her parents had never truly apologized for what happened.
Perhaps, to them, giving her life was enough; they felt they owed her nothing.
She chuckled bitterly but didn’t raise her glass: "You’re very happy. But I’m not. So there’s nothing worth celebrating."
"Oh?" James raised his eyebrows in surprise.
As her thoughts reached this point, Rosa also let go of her initial fear of James, feeling her heart surprisingly relaxed. She stared into his blue eyes: "You say you’re a victim too, but it wasn’t him who harmed you back then. It wasn’t him who sent you into the old man’s room, nor was it him who made you suffer such a fate. Actually, let me tell you, you should go find your mom."
James’ gaze turned cold, his features twisting slightly.
This was his unmentionable pain, a fact he didn’t want to admit!
Although his mother might not have known what he went through, perhaps she didn’t even know the old man was such a person, but... it was indeed his mother who ordered him to the old man’s side. And when he returned home from the old man’s side, it was his mother who got angry with him and locked him up.
James closed his eyes, tightly gripping the wine glass.
No, he didn’t want to hate his mother, nor George. He didn’t want to remember that it was his two closest people who, at the time, were solely focused on vying for inheritance rights, completely disregarding his feelings, and treated him as a tool... He didn’t want to think this way, he didn’t want to be unable to forget for many years!
So over the years, he had commanded himself, with all his might, to only hate Huangfu Huazhang!
To hate that illegitimate child, to hate that his arrival robbed his family, to hate that his mother took his father!
Only by finding a substitute enemy can one forget the resentment buried deep in the heart, isn’t it? Choosing to hate that illegitimate child is ultimately simpler than hating your own mother, your own brother, isn’t it?
"Shut up." James clenched his fists, "If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll kill you!"
Rosa, herself in a state of despair, was no longer afraid. She smiled chillingly: "Forget it. James, you know what I said is true."
James slammed the table fiercely: "I told you to shut up!"
The noise was a little loud, startling the nearby guests, who all looked over at them.
James took a deep breath, stiffly nodded to the surrounding crowd, "Sorry, everyone please continue."
Sitting two tables behind him was a girl, who also turned her head at the sound and saw Rosa.
The girl got up and walked over to Rosa, gently patting her shoulder: "You’re Rosa, right? Are you okay, do you want me to notify Brother Xiang Yuan?"
Rosa looked up in surprise: "You’re from the Tang Family, called...?"
The girl nodded: "I’m Yan Jian."
Due to Xiang Yuan’s connection, Rosa had also visited the Tang Family several times, and Yan Jian had the impression, remembering that she was introduced as Xiang Yuan’s partner and girlfriend. So seeing Rosa seemingly in trouble, she stepped forward wanting to help.
James raised his eyebrows and stared at Yan Jian, suddenly laughing with a strange tone.
"Ha ha, this world is really small, isn’t it?"
Yan Jian then looked at James, also startled: "So it’s you!"
Rosa was the one surprised this time: "You, know each other?"
"Hardly know each other." Yan Jian snorted coldly: "This gentleman is indeed consistently rude and impolite, no wonder he’s pounding tables in public places at you, Sister Luo. I don’t know how Sister Luo knows this gentleman, but I must remind Sister Luo, it’s best to keep your distance from such people."
Rosa found it amusing and nodded as well: "Indeed, I think so too. But he won’t let me leave."
Yan Jian then took Rosa’s hand: "Sister Luo, don’t be afraid, come with me. If he acts foolishly, I’ll call the police."
James squinted his eyes, staring at Yan Jian: "So it’s the girl from the Tang Family. The lady from the legal family, her tone is indeed different."
Yan Jian ignored James, directly taking Rosa back to her own table, handing her over to her friends, instructing them to take Rosa to the parking lot to get the car, and she would catch up after settling the bill.
Yan Jian finished settling the bill, and when she turned back, James’ table was already empty.
She frowned, but seeing the crowded hall and the brightly lit street full of traffic outside the store, she felt relieved and walked out the door on her own.
There was a corridor leading from the restaurant to the underground parking lot, and she walked quickly, but had only taken a few steps when the overhead light suddenly went "bang" and went out, then her arm was grabbed, her body violently pulled to one side.
She wanted to scream, but a hand covered her mouth tightly!
Though her eyes couldn’t see, the faint scent of cologne enveloping her was familiar. It was precisely that arrogant blue-eyed man from just now!
.
Yan Jian woke up already in James’ car.
And his car was driving up the mountain, the surroundings completely dark, with only the lights of the city shining brightly below.
Yan Jian was startled, turned to stare at him sitting in the driver’s seat, and shouted loudly: "What do you want?!"
