Celine stepped into the hall. She was behind Rachel and had no idea what was going on. So surprised was she that Celine almost lost her balance and fell when she saw the huge photo. To avoid injuring herself, she hurriedly placed a hand on the wall beside her for support.
"Oh, my God!
Is that you? My dear Rachel!" Celine said excitedly.
Rachel gazed at the photo speechlessly. A second later, she glared at the man descending the stairs elegantly. Her eyes were transfixed on the smile illuminating his face.
"Do you like it, honey?" Hiram asked as he approached her slowly.
Chad and Carl who were walking behind Hiram were trying hard not to burst into laughter.
Rachel raised her hands and gestured to Hiram to stop. She took a deep breath to control the emotions that were overwhelming her. She said,"Stop where you are, please. Don't talk. I need time to calm down!"
Then she placed her hand on her forehead. She just couldn't believe it. Rachel couldn't believe that this fabulous castle was a gift for her. It was magnificent and beyond imagination.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Rong. This is my fault.
We didn't expect that you would take part in the bidding at the beginning. Once we saw that your company was on the list, we couldn't remove it to avert suspicion. And later, since you were ambitious to win the bid, we were curious to see your plan. We're very sorry that this happened. However, the outcome is a happy one, right?
Please forgive me. And before you get angry, please let me share that Mr. Rong had nothing to do with any of this. It's all my fault!" Chason explained.
Then he bowed to Rachel as a sign of respect.
"No, it's not your fault. You don't need to apologize to me. You have no idea what I'm thinking!" Rachel said briskly although her thoughts were still a mess. She turned to Celine and said,"Let's leave now!"
"What? Leave here?" Celine asked bewildered. She had been distracted for a moment and felt as though she had misheard Rachel. Wondering whether she was supposed to go with Rachel, she looked at Hiram instead.
Hiram wasn't surprised at Rachel's reaction. Just as he thought a moment ago, he had another battle to fight.
"Can we have a minute?" he asked in a low voice.
Chason said to Celine with a smile,"Would you like to accompany me for a cup of tea?"
"Great! I'd love to!" Celine replied before leaving with Chason.
Once Chad and Carl left, only Hiram and Rachel were left in the huge hall.
"Honey? I……" Hiram began.
"Don't talk to me now!"
she interrupted him. Upset, Rachel stalked toward the new ivory leather sofa on the other side of the hall.
She sat down, removed her shoes, put her arms around her knees, and buried her head in her arms. Rachel felt as though she were in a dream, and all she wanted to do was figure out whether she was.
How could this dream castle be hers? She couldn't fathom it.
Just the idea of owning a castle was so unreal that Rachel was certain that she must be dreaming.
She had asked Hiram several times before, but he had been vague when replying to her. Now, when her fairytale-like castle was right in front of her, she was too shocked to believe it.
Hiram sat adjacent to Rachel. He wanted to scoop her in his arms. However, since Rachel was upset at that moment, he just smiled at her. He understood that it was hard for her to accept the news right away.
I've bought two sports cars. One is red, and the other is white. It feels fantastic when driving them on the mountain roads. You can drive whichever one you like. I don't think that counts either.
I've built a garden at the back of the castle and planted all kinds of roses there. I don't think that counts.
I've……"
"Hold on!" Rachel interrupted him and took a deep breath. Her head felt heavy after listening to all the things Hiram had spent money on. She said,"Hiram, why don't you think all these count?
And don't interrupt me! Let me think about what I should say to you!"
Hiram laughed and said,"Stop trying to think of things to say since I've left you speechless! The garden at Tulip Palace is too small to plant all the roses you like. The garden in the castle is the perfect size! You can pluck as many as you like later, and you can decorate the castle with whatever color roses you want and in whatever way you like!"
Rachel stared at her husband in embarrassment and mumbled,"You're throwing money away like dirt!"
"Ha ha!" Hiram burst into laughter and said,"I'm your husband and I should make more money for you. It'll be less fun to keep all our money in the bank. We can enjoy our life here. Besides, the value of the castle will only appreciate as time goes by. Don't you think it's a great investment?"
"Hiram, you need to be more careful. I can't have you spending money on a whim. If you keep spending money on things like this, I'll take control of our money," she said. Rachel thought that it was ridiculous for Hiram to spend several hundred million at one time.
Hiram laughed and playfully pinched her cheek before saying,"That's a good idea, but I'm afraid you'll get tired of trying to figure out how much I earn now."
Since Hiram ran a very successful business, it was true that he earned a lot of money. And since Rachel was not very familiar with all aspects of his business, it was also true that she wouldn't be able to figure everything out. Rachel felt that what Hiram had said made sense and quickly dropped the idea. She thought it would be better to let Hiram manage things pertaining to his business.
Rachel looked so radiant and alluring when she was lost in thought that Hiram became distracted. He shook his head to focus on their discussion. A minute later, he spoke earnestly,"Honey, the only thing I want from you is for you to stay with me forever. No matter what happens, don't lose heart and don't walk away!"
After a deep breath, Hiram continued,"Trust me! No matter what happens, I can hold up a piece of the sky for you. For the rest of our lives together, I will try to keep you safe from all the miseries that might come our way."
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