Chapter 225 - The Affair

After calming Alec down, both Mimi and Tobias explained to him the recent events that took place. When they finished, Alec's complexion was visibly pale. He rubbed his face, too stunned to react to the news he just heard.

He never thought someone's life could be so chaotic!

Despite seeing her brother's weakened appearance, Mimi didn't hesitate to ask him questions.

"Alec, was Emily having an affair? Was there someone else besides Shen Jue?"

Her brother's expression stiffened. He opened his mouth with a frown. Then, he closed it and groaned. He ran a hand over his face.

"Mimi…" He looked hesitant.

Mimi looked at her brother with a solemn expression. "I know you don't want to tell me anything to protect me. But the more you hide from me, the more I'll hurt. Even if the truth is not what I want, I need to hear it."

Alec was a little surprised. This would be the second time he saw his sister look so serious, almost calm. Her words, her mannerisms, all of it was genuine. His eyes unconsciously swept to the man sitting at his desk and sighed.

After a short pause, he said, "You're right. And I'm sorry. I just…I don't want you to get involved. I want you to live a normal life."

Mimi snorted contemptuously. "A little too late for that, don't you think?"

Unable to refute, Alec helplessly smiled. Neither said a word and just stared at the other silently. The tension between them filled the office and made it stifling.

Time seemed to stop. Every second passed at an agonizingly slow speed.

Occurring at the same time, Tobias had returned to his desk to work. The mere sound of his typing against the keys of his laptop was all that was heard in the office. Occasionally, he would glance up to look at the two sitting on the sofa.

After a moment of silence, Mimi shifted her gaze away as she said with a cool tone, "The day of her funeral after father sent me out of the room…I heard your discussion. You all mentioned how Emily betrayed the family over an incident. What was it?"

Alec's features were cast in a stiff expression. He opened his mouth then closed it. Wonder swirled in his eyes as he looked at her. "How much did you hear?"

Mimi shrugged and said honestly, "Not a lot, but enough."

She only knew bits and pieces from what she heard as a child and what she found out later. To be frank, it wasn't a lot of information. She knew there was more to the story.

Alec gazed back at her with a troubled gaze, as if he hoped that Mimi would be able to read his thoughts from the look in his eyes alone.

Mimi met his gaze with her own clear, innocent eyes. She could see a mix of frustration and reluctance in his gaze. She understood where he was coming from, however, she wouldn't allow an opportunity like this to slide.

It was the first time both of them were being honest with one another.

When he was only met with her stern, determined gaze. He sighed in defeat and shifted a little in his seat.

"When Emily was sixteen, she fell in love with someone else. From what I heard, they knew one another for a few years."

Mimi's brows shot up. Her hands clenched into fists by her side and her rosy lips pressed together.

So she was right.

She swallowed the saliva that had gathered in her mouth and asked, "Did father know?"

Alec didn't say anything for a while. His lips tightened into a thin line for a moment. He appeared indecisive to say the rest.

He took in a deep breath. "Emily returned home late in the middle of the night one day. Her and the boy she loved…they tried to elope. When father heard about this, he forced her to break it off and prohibited her from leaving the house."

Mimi blinked. While her features remained unchanged, the emotions in her eyes were completely contradictory.

Her sister…tried to elope?!

She seemed to recall a moment when she was little and woke up to the sound of yelling from downstairs. Before she could further investigate, Emily entered her room and slept with her that night. She was holding her very tightly.

The furrow of her brow deepened. "How old was she then?"

Alec closed one eye as if he was thinking before he replied, "Sixteen."

Mimi suddenly felt a chill down her spine. That was two years before Emily's death. And, from what she read about the young man Emily was possibly having an affair with, he too died at eighteen. A few months before Emily's death.

A layer of frost glazed over her eyes. Her heart clenched as she unconsciously held her breath. Mimi did not say anything else. After sitting for a little while, she looked back at her brother with a deep gaze.

"Thank you, Alec." She spoke sincerely. She truly was thankful he was opening up to her like this.

Alec got quiet for a moment.

"You're welcome," Was all he said before falling silent.

Mimi smiled and lowered her gaze. Processing everything Alec shared with her, her mind suddenly felt unsteady.

Emily was in love with another man while engaged to Shen Jue. Not to mention she even tried to elope with him. If all of this was true, did Shen Jue know?

From the reaction he gave her after she had mentioned it before, he seemed angry. It was the first time she saw such a vivid expression on his face besides that stupid smile.

Did Shen Jue kill her? He said no, but she still couldn't help but doubt it.

As she thought so, her mind fell into another daze.

Alec watched as her face shifted through various emotions. Finally, he spoke up again, "Ah, well…I have to get going. I still have to do a checkup at the hospital."

The dullness that had just been visible on her face vanished instantly. She bobbed her head with a smile.

"Okay, big brother."

Alec smiled and stood up. He glanced over to Tobias sitting at his desk and nodded his head. Tobias looked up and nodded back.

When Alec left, Mimi slumped deeper into the sofa and sighed. Her head leaned back, eyes closed.

"Are you okay?"

The moment she opened her eyes, Tobias's handsome looking face showed within her eyes. His deep voice was so full of concern it banished the grief and replaced it with a sigh of relief. She lifted herself from the sofa a little before wrapping her arms around his waist.

She nestled her face into his firm stomach and sighed. "I'm fine now."

Tobias was silent. Instead, he placed an arm on her back and gave it a light pat. She raised her eyes from his stomach and blinked up at him. Tobias stared down at her and smiled softly. There were still strands of hair stuck to her face, so he lovingly helped her to tuck them back behind her ear.

Mimi's heart clenched.

"Toby…Are you really not going to touch me until I'm an a.d.u.l.t?"

Tobias's hand that was on her face visibly stiffened. He had looked down at her with wide eyes before he sighed.

"Yes."

"But we've already kissed three times now."

Tobias groaned. "That won't happen anymore."

"So no more kisses?"

"No."

"Not even on the cheek?"

"..."

"How about hand-holding? Can we do that?"

"Mimi…" Tobias sighed heavily. He looked down at her and gently stroked her head. "We can hold hands. You can kiss me on the cheek, but that's it. We will wait patiently until you are an a.d.u.l.t."

All of his emotions were laid bare on his cool and handsome face as he reached out to stroke her cheek.

"I want to build a secure relationship with you."

Mimi blinked her eyes rapidly. She puffed out her cheeks a little and buried her face into his stomach.

"You're no fair Toby." She grumbled before adding in a near whisper, "But…I still love you."

Tobias's face froze. His eyes softened as he looked at her. A tender kiss was placed on her head.

"I love you too."