After I Left It Was Spring Again

Christina deliberately played the role of a pitiful damsel, her teary eyes brimming with innocence. However, she used the fact that Eric was standing behind her, so she subtly exposed the faint red marks on her neck.

"Alright, Wanda isn’t the petty type," Eric interjected, as he was massaging his temples in frustration. "There’s nothing for her to misunderstand. We’ve done nothing wrong."

Before Christina could say anything more, he cut her off, "Don't you have to appear at the media conference? You should leave now."

"Mr. Gordon … but … but you promised that today you'll …."

When Eric saw Christina was about to say something detrimental and revealing, Eric's voice turned cold, "Christina, you're crossing the line!"

Her lips tightened in defiance, but seeing his expression, she eventually relented. Shooting a covert glare at Wanda she put on her mask and left, her reluctance palpable.

Using his young age, Ben walked toward Wanda and said, "Mommy, Christina is here to help pick out a present for you! I wanted to get you the world’s most amazing birthday gift.”

Wanda said calmly, "I’m not upset. It’s just … such a coincidence running into you all here."

She seemed detached, "Do you need anything else? If not, I’ll be heading back first."

“It’s rare for us to go out together,” Eric said, his softened voice. “There’s a charity auction tonight. Will you join me?”

Wanda said nothing, but her silence was enough for Eric to take it as agreement.

Without hesitation, he placed an arm around her slender waist. “You’ve gained some weight,” he remarked absentmindedly, then quickly added, "Yet, that’s a good thing. You were too thin before. Whether you’re slim or not, I love you either way."

Wanda’s lips curled into a cold smile, but she did not say anything.

Her weight hadn’t changed in years. His comment about her being fat was only because he was accustomed to Christina’s waist.

Perhaps out of guilt, Eric took her to an upscale boutique and personally picked out a red dress for her.

When Wanda emerged in full makeup while wearing a tailored gown, there was a flicker of amazement in his eyes.

Ben, on the other hand, clapped his hands directly and cheered, “Mommy, you look so pretty!”

When Wanda looked at her reflection, she couldn’t help but be reminded of the red gown Christina had worn on television just days ago. For so many years, she had never worn a red dress.

Yet, when it came to choosing a dress for her, Eric had instinctively picked Christina’s favorite color.

In the past, she would have confronted him, demanded him to give answers and even threatened to get a divorce. However, she did not care anymore.

With less than a week left, she decided to let him do as he pleased.

When they arrived at the auction that evening, Wanda wasn’t surprised to see Christina again. This time, she stood on the stage as the host of the show. Her witty remarks earned laughter from the crowd.

When she got off the stage, Christina intentionally sat next to Eric and even pinched Ben's face intimately.

On the contrary, Wanda, who was sitting on the side, was extraordinarily indifferent to the father and son duo. She did not take Christina's provocation in her heart.

Her attention was directed to the stage and her eyes slowly reddened as she recognized the final auction item.

If she wasn't mistaken, the last exhibit was the necklace her mother had worn the day she was killed, the Eternal Heart.

The name symbolized the truest form of love.

Her mother had once joked that when Wanda grew up, she would gift her the necklace as part of her dowry.

Perhaps he noticed the way Wanda looked at this place was a bit strange, Eric was the first to raise his sign to bid. "Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars," he said.

However, a crisp female voice sounded immediately afterward, “Fifteen hundred dollars.”

Eric frowned when he heard that. He was very unhappy with Christina's recklessness.

Yet the woman was spoiled and pretended to be envious, “Mrs. Gordon is now a winner in life, Mr. Gordon loves you so much. Surely you wouldn’t begrudge me to get this necklace, right?”