"I think it’s time we got to know each other."
Rebecca Quentin said nothing, merely gripping the suitcase in her hand tightly.
The next second, Christine Quinn reached out her hand. "Christine Quinn."
Rebecca Quentin looked at the hand Christine Quinn extended but didn’t shake it.
Christine Quinn didn’t awkwardly withdraw her hand. She gazed deeply at Rebecca Quentin’s delicate face and sighed, "No wonder Howard could stay with you for two years. You really do resemble me..."
Feeling the unfriendliness in Christine Quinn’s tone, Rebecca Quentin looked up again. Gazing at Christine Quinn coolly, she said calmly, "Miss Quinn, I don’t think there’s anything for us to talk about. I’m sorry."
With that, Rebecca Quentin took her suitcase and walked away.
Christine Quinn didn’t try to stop her but called out to Rebecca Quentin’s departing figure, "Do you know why we look so much alike?"
Rebecca Quentin’s footsteps faltered.
Christine Quinn slowly said, "Because you and I are half-sisters. We both resemble our father."
Rebecca Quentin spun around, her eyes full of surprise and disbelief.
Seeing the sudden pallor on Rebecca Quentin’s face, Christine Quinn continued, "I know you might not believe me, but it’s the truth..."
Rebecca Quentin immediately shook her head, denying it. "Impossible. My dad only has one daughter—me. He never told me he had other children."
"He obviously wouldn’t tell you, just as he never told you about his affair with Monica Landon."
"That’s right. I am the daughter of Alexander Quentin and Monica Landon. Because my mother had me fostered by a close friend of hers from a young age, I’ve always gone by her friend’s surname, Quinn."
Remembering the photo of her father and Monica Landon she had found in his study years ago, Rebecca Quentin could not deny their past relationship. But if Christine Quinn was Monica Landon’s daughter, then... At that moment, Rebecca Quentin suddenly looked up at Christine Quinn, because she abruptly remembered that the victim who had filed a lawsuit against her father four years ago was indeed Monica Landon’s daughter.
"That’s right. The person who sued Alexander Quentin four years ago was me. I was also the one determined to bankrupt the Quentin family at any cost."
Seeing the profound, almost painful hatred in Christine Quinn’s eyes, Rebecca Quentin softened her tone and said candidly, "Although I’ve always been reluctant to believe that my father is a treacherous and ungrateful person, I’m willing to listen to your whole story."
"Twenty-some years ago, Alexander Quentin came to Malaysia. When he was still a poor young man, he met the daughter of Malaysia’s richest man. Despite her family’s disapproval, this naive woman married this poor young man. After their marriage, the young man was very good to this naive woman, and her relatives gradually came to accept him. However, just when her father gave the young man a huge sum of money as capital for his future business, he suddenly vanished from this naive woman’s side. At that time, this naive woman was already pregnant. When her family learned he had disappeared with the money, they all blamed this naive woman and demanded she abort the child. But this naive woman refused. She longed for the young man to return and insisted on giving birth to their child, because he had promised to take care of her for a lifetime. Perhaps her stubbornness finally enraged her relatives, and they severed all ties with her. Not long after, consumed by longing, this naive woman became mentally unstable and could no longer care for her child. But perhaps, driven by maternal instinct, before she completely lost her normal senses, she entrusted her child to a close friend of hers."
Rebecca Quentin remained silent, just listening quietly. In the depths of her heart, she gradually began to feel the pain Christine Quinn must have endured all these years.
Christine Quinn’s voice suddenly choked. "Do you know? Five years ago, my mother committed suicide. When she died, she was still tightly gripping a photo of herself and Alexander Quentin."
Watching Christine Quinn’s grieving expression, Rebecca Quentin didn’t know how to console her.
Christine Quinn sniffled, then suddenly laughed. "Though my life has always been dark, I’m very lucky. When I was at my most helpless, I met Howard..."
Mentioning Howard, Rebecca Quentin’s heart tightened.
"He was the ray of sunshine that lit up my dark life, giving me the courage to live on."
From Christine Quinn’s words and demeanor, Rebecca Quentin could sense her dependence on Howard. She lowered her long eyelashes and said softly, "I know... he cares a lot for you... I just can’t understand one thing. If you two have always been in love, why was there a time when you actually left him?"