Chapter 1055 Guessing the Heart of the Matter

• The first and only time Anya met Raymond Washington’s parents ended with her saying nothing and Raymond kicking Washington Feng and Xiang Lan out. It was not a pleasant parting. After they left, Raymond worried his mom’s words had cut her, so he hovered, tense and coaxing, telling her not to take Xiang Lan’s barbs to heart and swearing he truly loved her. She told him honestly she felt calm. For some reason, that set him off. He got mad—apparently because she didn’t get mad? But wasn’t he afraid she would? Later she understood. Raymond heard in her calm that she didn’t believe in forever with him, and that’s why he blew up. Anya thought he was being dramatic. Even if she had wanted forever, would they really have had it? In the end, the car crash involving her mom came to light anyway, and here they were, walking two separate paths. Right now, she had no idea why he’d said she picked a great place to study abroad. Once Raymond steadied his mood, he didn’t want to drag his mess with his parents into her space, so he sat up. “Sorry. I’ll go make lunch.” He stood from the couch. He hadn’t forgotten his “real” job today—cooking for Anya. He’d barely taken two steps when his phone rang. His assistant reported on work and on the meeting he’d just led. From the call, Anya guessed Raymond needed to head to the office. When he hung up, she said, “Go handle it. I can make myself something.” She never thought his worth should be tied to little chores anyway, so a work clash didn’t rattle her. Raymond pocketed his phone. “No. I’ll have him bring the files I need to review.” Then he groused about his assistant: “I brought him here to train him to get things done. If he can’t handle anything and keeps running to me, what’s the point?” He was stubborn like that. Anya couldn’t talk him down, so she let him be. With his net worth, money wasn’t a problem. While Raymond was still cooking, the assistant rang the doorbell. Anya went to open it, though she didn’t love more people knowing she was tangled up with Raymond again. She’d seen his assistant many times—both of them were often at Raymond’s side, so they crossed paths a lot. At the door, the assistant stood respectfully. “Miss Anya, hello. I’m here to deliver files for Mr. Washington.” “Please come in.” She stepped aside and led him to the couch in the living room. Then she went to the kitchen and told the man busy at the stove, “Assistant Tang is here.” Raymond’s assistant was Tang Minglang. Raymond valued him. Back in the states, he used to give Tang plenty of important tasks. “Have him wait,” Raymond snapped from the kitchen. Anya felt secondhand embarrassment for the junior assistant. Tang stayed unruffled, though, smiling. “It’s fine. I’ll wait. Please, go do your thing.” Anya nodded and went back to the bedroom. Knowing Raymond’s jealous streak, if she chatted with Tang too much, he’d pop the lid off the vinegar jar again. It wasn’t the first time they’d caught heat for this. Early in Anya and Raymond’s marriage, when Raymond was busy, he often had Tang drive her. One time, she and Tang were chatting and laughing, and she didn’t notice Raymond’s face turn stormy when he got in the car. He nearly fired Tang over it and put Anya through hell at home afterward. After that, she and Tang barely spoke beyond what was necessary. They both kept to their lanes. Raymond was like that—focused on his own feelings, stamping out her nature with force. Neither she nor Tang had any thoughts they shouldn’t have. They were just close in age, and she was a talker who liked to laugh, so the conversation flowed. Because his jealousy was constant, Anya eventually stopped talking much to anyone, so she wouldn’t drag others down. A job’s hard to come by. She read alone in the bedroom. She didn’t know how long it was before Raymond came out of the kitchen and started discussing work with Tang Minglang. Raymond tore into him without mercy. It was rough enough that Anya wanted to plug her ears. But from Raymond’s words, she caught that he’d brought Tang here mainly to toughen him up, so he could shoulder big things later—like managing a branch office. Tang hadn’t measured up today, and that lit Raymond’s fuse. Tang didn’t dare talk back. In the end, Raymond ground out one more order: “And listen—if those two show up at the company again, kick them out. Don’t worry about embarrassment.” “Yes, sir,” Tang said quietly. Then came the sound of the door opening and Tang leaving with the files. Anya frowned. Those two? She didn’t know what had happened to Raymond today, but her gut told her who he meant. The two he despised had to be his parents. In four years with him, she’d never seen him hate anyone like that—except them. So they had gone to his company? No wonder he was acting off, coming to her place and sleeping in broad daylight. A thought hit her, sharp. His parents… could they be in the UK too? She connected it with that line he’d sighed when she got home—that she’d picked a great place to study abroad—and she could tell he was hinting his parents were here as well. She didn’t even know how to feel. When she decided to study in the UK, she hadn’t known they were here. Even if she had, it wouldn’t have changed her plan. She never imagined Raymond would follow. After the divorce, she was sure they were done. Then she got pregnant, and he came anyway. By the time they went out to eat, Raymond had already cooled off, like he wasn’t the boss who’d just flayed his assistant alive. Anya couldn’t quite settle. As soon as she sat down, she asked, “Your parents are in the UK?” His hand paused mid-ladle as he served her soup. He lifted a brow, surprised she’d pieced it together so fast. “Yeah.” He answered lightly and kept serving.