Chapter 4 – Welcome Home, Cherise
Seeing his beloved younger sister acting spoiled, Julian Alster couldn’t help but shake his head helplessly and comply with what she asked. He opened his arms and pulled her into a brotherly hug.
Feeling the warmth of her sibling’s embrace, all of Cherise’s defenses seemed to crumble down, and the tears she didn’t know she was holding back started to flood out from her beautiful eyes like a suddenly broken dam. She had missed her family so much.
Julian didn’t stop her or say anything, letting her pour out all her grievances. He just patted her back in an attempt to comfort her. From his investigation, he had a rough idea of what his pampered younger sister had been through in the Amery family for the past three years.
After long minutes of crying, Cherise finally pulled back. Julian took a tissue and wiped away her tears, berating her playfully, “Look at your swollen eyes and red nose. You don’t look like my beautiful sister at all.”
Cherise pouted and asked, “So I’m not beautiful anymore?”
Helpless against his sister’s adorableness, Julian answered helplessly, “Of course you are still beautiful.”
Then his expression darkened when he saw her bandaged arm and leg. “What happened? Who did this?”
“The mistress did it,” Cherise scowled when she thought of how she got her injuries.
Julian carefully removed the bandages and felt distressed when he saw her sister’s red skin. Cherise had always been pampered and doted on in the Alster family; she had never suffered any injuries, but now she was suffering because of some unknown woman and her cheating husband.
Looking at how distressed her brother was, Cherise quickly took out the bottle of ointment and waved it in front of him. “I’m lucky my brother had given me such a potent ointment for burn!”
Julian chuckled and took the ointment from her, spreading it thinly over her wounds. “You are indeed lucky to have such a resourceful brother.”
Being one of the wealthiest men in the world, Julian had access to things that no ordinary people had, such as this ointment. “You’ll be as good as new in two days.”
“My brother is the best!” Cherise grinned wildly at Julian.
“I guess you are ready to return and take your birthright?” Julian asked as he put the ointment back into Cherise’s bag, turning their conversation serious.
Cherise pursed her plump lips and thought about the deal she made with her grandpa three years ago.
Three years ago, she was visiting her friend who was interning in a hospital in Country B, where the Amery family resided. Then, she saved Agatha, Hudson’s grandma, by chance and became close to her.
Cherise didn’t tell Agatha about her background for a reason, and she didn’t correct her when Agatha thought she was an orphan and took pity on her.
When Cherise saw Hudson for the first time, it was love at first sight for her, so when Agatha suggested they get married, Cherise didn’t hesitate.
Knowing Hudson didn’t love her then, she made a deal with her grandpa: if she couldn’t make Hudson fall for her within three years, she would return to Country A and take over the family business.
Now, three years had passed, and not only did Hudson not love her, but he brought back another woman and impregnated her.
Knowing what was on her younger sister’s mind, Julian didn’t force her to decide at that moment. He reached into his bag and pulled out a folder, giving it to Cherise to read – It was a contract of employment.
“Since you aren’t used to managing the main company, Grandpa gave you a subsidiary jewelry company to manage, and Neil will be your PA,” Julian explained.
“Neil?” Cherise was surprised to hear that name. “Isn’t he your most trusted assistant?”
“He is,” Julian nodded and rubbed Cherise’s head dotingly. “I have to give you the best resources, don’t I?”
Cherise wasn’t really interested, but knowing how their grandpa could be, she had no choice but to sign the contract after the deal they made.
Julian was happy that his younger sister was finally back to their family. He took his wallet and pulled out a limitless black card and another gold one. “This contains 100 million dollars for you to spend if you need to withdraw some cash.”
The corner of Cherise’s lips twitches. Why would she need to withdraw 100 million dollars of cash?
“Think of it as your first payment as the CEO of Angelworld Jewelry.” He winked at her.
Cherise looked at the two cards and felt a sense of irony. Just moments ago, she didn’t have much. Hudson had never bought any presents for her; her clothes were basic, and he didn’t like to take her out to socialize, fearing she would embarrass him. He did give her a card, which she had never used.
But now she could buy out his company and properties. She wondered how his mother and sister would react if they discovered the woman they always thought of as a golddigger and looked down upon was actually the heiress of the Alster Family from country A and the wealthiest woman in the country.
“Thank you, brother,” Cherise took the two cards, and Julian couldn’t resist pulling his cute sister into his arms again.
“Welcome home, Cherise,” he said dotingly. “You will be the envy of every woman in the world, and your ex-husband will realize this soon.”
Cherise smiled and welcomed the sense of belonging in her family..
In the hospital, a similar scene was happening. Hudson had his arms around the sobbing Emely while trying to console her.
“Hudson, it was so scary,” she cried like the world was ending. “It felt so real. It was like I was reliving the moment when Cherise pushed me, and I could feel the pain in my tummy and my baby dying.”
“It’s just a dream, Emely,” Hudson patted her back. “It’s just a dream. You are now in the hospital, and nothing bad will happen to you.”
It took long moments for Hudson to comfort Emely until she stopped crying. “I’m sorry, Hudson, I was just scared.”
Hudson said nothing, just patting her back for one last time before pulling away and rubbing his temples. The divorce talk with Cherise left him feeling frustrated and gloomy.
Emely noticed his worried expression and asked, “Hudson, did you manage to straighten out the misunderstanding with Cherise?”
Hudson, being tired, told her about Cherise wanting to get a divorce.
Suddenly Emely burst into tears again and babbled how she was to blame for everything. “This is all my fault, Hudson. Everything happens because of me. I’ve ruined your marriage with Cherise and caused you guys to divorce. I need to speak and apologize to Cherise.”
She then pretended to want to get off the bed, but her legs gave out, and she fell into Hudson’s arms.
Hudson picked her up and placed her on the bed again. “Even if we get divorced, it is not your fault. She wants it, and I am willing to go along with her wish.”
“But if I didn’t come back…” Emely sobbed again.
Hudson found Emely to be kind and gentle. Unlike Cherise, who seemed to have changed, she kept blaming herself for things beyond her doing. She used to be obedient, but today, she showed him a side he had never seen – cold, indifferent, arrogant. There was no more warm love when she saw him, and it made him feel uncomfortable. She used to gaze at him with longing and love, but it all had disappeared.
He found her mind was filled with Cherise that he didn’t notice Emely kept blaming herself and her fake tears.
“Emely, I need to go home.” Hudson stood up without comforting her. “There are still things I need to talk to Cherise about. If you have another nightmare, I’ve asked Miles to call the doctor for you.”
Emely knew she couldn’t hold Hudson back anymore, so she once again pretended to be understanding. “Alright, Hudson. I hope you can work things out with Cherise.”
Hudson floored the accelerator and reached his mansion in no time to see all the lights were off. He went to the bedroom, thinking his wife had fallen asleep, but when he opened the room, he found no one and saw his wife’s suitcase was gone.
On top of the divorce agreement, there was a card he had given her and a note that said, “See you tomorrow at 9 am in the City Hall.”
Hudson crumpled the piece of paper and growled out her name. “Cherise, let’s see if you dare to appear tomorrow.”
