A Lifetime With You

Chapter 71

The truck showed no sign of slowing and continued on its path. “F*ck! What the hell was that!” The driver cursed.

Fortunately, they did not get into an accident that evening. Seeing Ava as pale as a ghost, Damien comforted her, “It’s alright, the truck driver was probably not paying attention.” “That wasn’t a coincidence. I caught a glimpse of the truck driver, and it looked very much like Beth.” Although it for a split second and everything was blurry, Ava was almost sure that the driver was Beth! “Are you sure you it was Beth?” Ava shook her head and muttered, “I…I’m not certain, maybe…it was just my imagination.” After that day, Damien hired someone to investigate the truck. The investigation revealed that the truck belonged to a construction company nearby. It was driven out for approximately an hour on the day of the incident and was returned to the site afterward. As there were no surveillance cameras at the construction site, it was impossible to identify the driver.

It was probably nothing but because of Ava’s suspicions, the issue was now under scrutiny. Damien contacted the private investigators hired by him to find Beth abroad previously. According to them, ever since Beth returned to the mainland, they had no clue about her whereabouts.

Beth disappeared as if she never existed.

“Damien, you can stop searching now. I was probably seeing things,” Ava told him. “I don’t care if she was the one driving the truck the other day, but if it was indeed her, we have to capture her.”

Damien had a point, but where could Beth be hiding after all this while? The private investigator added that while no traces of Beth were found, he did notice that Enrico had purchased a flight ticket back to China and was on his way home. “Okay, I got it.” It was no surprise to Damien that Enrico was returning home.

After all, their father’s birthday was in two days and he had to come back anyway.

Speaking of that, Damien was troubled.

Ever since the dinner with the Newton family, he never returned to the Radbury residence again. But this time, Damien had no choice but to attend the party. It was their family’s tradition to hold their birthday celebrations on the ninth year instead of the usual tenth of every decade. Damien’s father was fifty-nine this year and the party was unusually lavish. Moreover, there would be business partners and close associates attending as well.

As the party hosts, Daryl and Karen were obliged to entertain their guests attentively. Enrico did not arrive until the banquet had started.

“Mom and dad, I’m home!”

Enrico gave embraced his parents tightly in front of the guests. In addition, he gave his father emerald jewelry and claimed that it was an exotic treasure from abroad.

Daryl was grinning from ear to ear, “Rascal! You should have arrived two days ago. What took you so long?” “Well, I spent some time on the gift and there was an unexpected delay by the airline.” Enrico never left their side the whole night, and both of his parents were happy to spend time with him. The guests were envious of the Radbury family for having such a smart, attractive, and charming son.

Damien on the other hand was left out in the crowd.

Things got a little awkward when his mother spotted him with Ava earlier this evening for the party. It wasn’t until Enrico’s presence that the tension went subsided. Ava refused to follow Damien initially, knowing that her in-laws despised her. She did not intend to ruin the celebration by showing up uninvited. She noticed that Damien’s expression went gloomy since Enrico’s entrance. On the other

hand, Enrico was approaching them with champagne in his hand. “Long time no see, Damien. Let me give you a toast.”

Damien ignored him.

Enrico did not mind and continued by greeting Ava, “Wish you have good health, my dear sister-in law.”

Just when Ava was about to clink her glass with Enrico, Damien snatched her drink and gulped it down.

“Aww, that’s so sweet of you. Trying to finish it for your wife,” Enrico teased.

It was at this moment that a business partner approached Damien and he took the opportunity to slip away with Ava leaving Enrico behind.

The relationship between the two brothers was steadily deteriorating. Sensing that she was unwelcomed at the banquet, Ava retreated to the garden alone as Damien engaged in a business discussion. Tonight, Ava felt lonelier than ever surrounded by these strangers in a place where she did not belong.

“Why are you drinking alone here?” Enrico appeared behind her with a chuckle. While the rest of the family treated her as a stranger and Damien who seemed weirdly passionate towards her recently, Enrico was the only Radbury member that treated her nicely. Therefore, Ava was grateful to Enrico although she was aware of their sibling rivalry. “Please don’t mind Damien just now, he’s just being rude as usual,” she told Enrico. “Wow! Since when did you learn to take his side, sister-in-law?”

“Just like you said, I’m your sister-in-law.” Enrico grinned and whispered back, “Don’t tell me that both of you reconciled again?” “…I don’t know. Then again, no one knows what your brother is thinking.” “Well, I do know.” “What? Tell me then.”

Enrico baited her slyly and said, “I noticed how prickly Damien gets when he sees me getting too close to you. There, you see…”

He pointed at a corner and Ava’s gaze followed the direction. She saw Damien’s furious expression. Enrico’s grinned and said, “You know I love to tease him. Say, Ava, I’ve always admired you.”

He raised his volume intentionally as he finished the sentence. Ava was unsure if Damien heard the first part of the conversation but judging from his swift footsteps towards her direction, he must have misunderstood everything.