Chapter 55: Chapter 55

Verdict placed a bouquet of flowers on the tombstone of his adoptive brother, closed his eyes while forming a cross in front of his chest. Beside him, Amanda stood there, staring at the tombstone with the name Arnold Walter engraved. There were no special words engraved on the tombstone other than the name and date of death. His hand looked for Amanda's and held it tightly, calming his girlfriend, who was starting to cry.

'Brother. I don't know whether you can hear me or not, but I want to introduce the most special person in my life right now,' he said, glancing at Amanda, who was wiping her tears while sobbing. 'This is Amanda Chloe, your younger sister and my girlfriend. I know what you would say if you were still alive. You definitely won't like it if you know about this. If you are still alive and able to meet Amanda, you will definitely try to keep me away from her because I like Amanda not as my younger sister, but as a woman.'

He looked up, calmed himself so as not to cry in front of the grave of his late adoptive brother like his girlfriend. After a few moments of silence, he resumed his words.

'Because of that, I ask for your blessing. I promise,' he said, staring at Amanda, who was now looking at him after stopping crying as he raised his right hand and pressed his three fingers together. 'I will protect her for life.'

'Then, how about your girlfriends?'

They simultaneously turned towards the sound that was behind them. The figure of Martha Scarlett who was wearing a black dress suit with long sleeves and three-centimetre high heels, more modest makeup, stood behind them. Her hands crossed, raised an eyebrow, collecting Verdict's answer. He immediately pulled Amanda to stand behind him while he threw a sharp gaze at Martha, who was now walking towards Arnold's grave while giving a bouquet of lilies in front of the tombstone.

'What are you doing here?'

'Visiting my best friend's grave. I didn't have time to do it at that time because I still had to hide from the people who were chasing after me.'

'Don't think I'm touched to see you here now.'

'I don't need your sympathy, Verdict. I only came here because I have the same obligations as you,' Martha turned to face him, then waved at Amanda with a warm smile. 'Hello. Long time no see, Amanda.'

'He-hello…,' in a low voice, Amanda replied to Martha's greeting.

'You know her?' he asked. Amanda nodded.

'Ray once took her to my shop,' Martha laughed softly at his gesture. 'Rest assured, I'm not going to take your girlfriend from you.'

'I can't believe your words.'

'It's up to you,' said Martha again. 'But you haven't answered my question earlier. About your girlfriends.'

'I've cut ties with all my girlfriends.'

'But there is no proof. Surely you still have all their contacts on your smartphone, right? What if one day you call them again and then secretly have a relationship with them without your cute girlfriend knowing?' Martha poked her head towards Amanda who was still standing behind Verdict. 'You must agree with what I said, Amanda Chloe?'

Unexpectedly, Amanda now let go of her hand and stood beside Verdict. 'Was that true, Verdict?'

He took a deep breath. Martha's words were correct. He still keeps the contact numbers of his ex-girlfriends. Seeing the look on Amanda's disappointed face when she learned the truth, he immediately took his smartphone which he tucked under his coat.

'I'll prove it to you now,' he said as he opened his smartphone screen, searched for contacts and found a list of contact groups which he named as 'girlfriend'. Without hesitation, his finger pressed the 'delete' button, and all of his exes' contacts quickly disappeared from his contact list. He showed his smartphone screen, which was now clean, leaving a list of names containing people from Walter's family as well as Amanda's names to his girlfriend and Martha. 'Are you satisfied now?'

Amanda smiled, nodded happily.

'That's better,' Martha muttered softly, patting him on the shoulder. 'I have to go. Say hello to Ray.'

'Tell it by yourself. I can't promise you,' said Verdict as he put his smartphone back in his coat pocket.

'I can't. I have to catch a flight to Malta.'

'Malta?' repeated Verdict, frowning in confusion. 'Are you planning to go again?'

Martha nodded. 'Seeing Arnold here made me realize that there are things more important than my job so far. So yes, I quit my job. I want to retire early, spend my time with my son.'

'Your son!?' he spat out, surprised that he did not expect the word to come out of Martha's lips. 'Since when you, who like to play around have a child!?'

'That's rude! I'm always serious about doing my job, you know!'

'When? Brother Arnold always says the opposite whenever he talked about you!'

'Some things I do as entertainment. What is wrong with it?' Martha shrugged. 'It's also the reason I faked my own death. I tracked down my son, who was kidnapped five years ago. And you already saved him.'

'You mean, one of the children in Simon's headquarters is your son?'

'Precisely. His name is Raye. I took it from the name Raymond. Relax, I will visit Morozov sometime. But not for now. I have to pay my five years with my son that lost because of Simon,' Martha opened her black purse that tucked on her left shoulder, took out her smartphone and showed a photo of the woman drinking a chocolate milkshake in a cafe with a boy smiling at the camera. The woman only gave him a few seconds before putting her smartphone back into her purse. 'He's cute, right?'

'Cute ...,' said Amanda. 'Can I meet him?'

'Why not? He will definitely like you,' Martha winked at Amanda. 'I'll notify you later. Your contact is still the same, right?'

It was clear that Amanda was not used to Martha, who always managed to find out everything. 'But I have never given my contact with Sister ...'

'But it's still the same as what you are currently using, right?'

'Y-yes, right ...,' still confused, Amanda confirmed Martha's words. His girlfriend was now busy trying to remember when she ever gave her contact to that woman, which of course, would never be remembered because it never happened. It was clear that Martha used her hacking abilities to find out Amanda's information.

'Yes, yes. I have to admit that your son is cute,' he rolled his eyes. 'Much different from his mother.'

'What a joke. Just tell me you're jealous,' Martha ignored his sarcasm, was busy humming as she walked away from them. 'See you later. Don't forget your promise. Take good care of her.'

'So nosy. I know what to do.'

'I'm just reminding you,' Martha laughed again, waving her hand without looking at them. Then Martha's figure finally disappeared, leaving the two of them still standing there.

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