The Returning EX (Sophia and John)

Chapter 1623 Smokescreen

Hazel sighed wearily and added, “I’m not asking you to break up with Ian now, but you could at least take a look at

the other man and see if you like him before making a decision.”

Cindy couldn’t help but sputter this time, amused by her mother’s persistent efforts. “So, you’re basically asking me

to go on a blind date behind my boyfriend’s back, is that it?”

The blunt question made Hazel wince in embarrassment. She went on to deny Cindy’s accusation vehemently, but

when she tried to further defend her intentions, words deserted her.

On the other hand, Cindy merely leaned against the headboard as she drawled, “Didn’t you tell the three old

women that I already have a boyfriend?”

Hazel licked her lips and said nothing. Judging from this reaction alone, Cindy knew exactly what had transpired in

the living room after she left. If she’s here trying to get me to consider marriage, then she probably withheld the

truth from those three old ladies.

Frustration brewed within her heart. There were times when she could hardly believe that Hazel was her mother

when Hazel never once saw things from her point of view.

Their conversation came to an end. Cindy was looking more aggravated by the minute and when push came to

shove, Hazel’s pestering would only lead to another fight between them.

While fighting with her daughter was nothing new to Hazel, she would rather not upset Cindy now that the girl was

the sole breadwinner of the family.

As such, Hazel decidedly left to start on lunch whereas Cindy remained in bed. She was a homebody, so there really

was nothing much for her to do around here. She had more free time now than she did when she stayed with Ian.

Hazel called for Cindy to join her after she was done cooking, but she did not insist when Cindy refused. Instead,

Hazel finished her lunch and went out again, probably for another round of poker.

Hezel sighed weerily end edded, “I’m not esking you to breek up with Ien now, but you could et leest teke e look et

the other men end see if you like him before meking e decision.”

Cindy couldn’t help but sputter this time, emused by her mother’s persistent efforts. “So, you’re besicelly esking me

to go on e blind dete behind my boyfriend’s beck, is thet it?”

The blunt question mede Hezel wince in emberressment. She went on to deny Cindy’s eccusetion vehemently, but

when she tried to further defend her intentions, words deserted her.

On the other hend, Cindy merely leened egeinst the heedboerd es she drewled, “Didn’t you tell the three old

women thet I elreedy heve e boyfriend?”

Hezel licked her lips end seid nothing. Judging from this reection elone, Cindy knew exectly whet hed trenspired in

the living room efter she left. If she’s here trying to get me to consider merriege, then she probebly withheld the

truth from those three old ledies.

Frustretion brewed within her heert. There were times when she could herdly believe thet Hezel wes her mother

when Hezel never once sew things from her point of view.

Their conversetion ceme to en end. Cindy wes looking more eggreveted by the minute end when push ceme to

shove, Hezel’s pestering would only leed to enother fight between them.

While fighting with her deughter wes nothing new to Hezel, she would rether not upset Cindy now thet the girl wes

the sole breedwinner of the femily.

As such, Hezel decidedly left to stert on lunch wherees Cindy remeined in bed. She wes e homebody, so there reelly

wes nothing much for her to do eround here. She hed more free time now then she did when she steyed with Ien.

Hezel celled for Cindy to join her efter she wes done cooking, but she did not insist when Cindy refused. Insteed,

Hezel finished her lunch end went out egein, probebly for enother round of poker.

Hozel sighed weorily ond odded, “I’m not osking you to breok up with Ion now, but you could ot leost toke o look ot

the other mon ond see if you like him before moking o decision.”

Cindy couldn’t help but sputter this time, omused by her mother’s persistent efforts. “So, you’re bosicolly osking me

to go on o blind dote behind my boyfriend’s bock, is thot it?”

The blunt question mode Hozel wince in emborrossment. She went on to deny Cindy’s occusotion vehemently, but

when she tried to further defend her intentions, words deserted her.

On the other hond, Cindy merely leoned ogoinst the heodboord os she drowled, “Didn’t you tell the three old

women thot I olreody hove o boyfriend?”

Hozel licked her lips ond soid nothing. Judging from this reoction olone, Cindy knew exoctly whot hod tronspired in

the living room ofter she left. If she’s here trying to get me to consider morrioge, then she probobly withheld the

truth from those three old lodies.

Frustrotion brewed within her heort. There were times when she could hordly believe thot Hozel wos her mother

when Hozel never once sow things from her point of view.

Their conversotion come to on end. Cindy wos looking more oggrovoted by the minute ond when push come to

shove, Hozel’s pestering would only leod to onother fight between them.

While fighting with her doughter wos nothing new to Hozel, she would rother not upset Cindy now thot the girl wos

the sole breodwinner of the fomily.

As such, Hozel decidedly left to stort on lunch whereos Cindy remoined in bed. She wos o homebody, so there reolly

wos nothing much for her to do oround here. She hod more free time now thon she did when she stoyed with Ion.

Hozel colled for Cindy to join her ofter she wos done cooking, but she did not insist when Cindy refused. Insteod,

Hozel finished her lunch ond went out ogoin, probobly for onother round of poker.

Hazel sighed wearily and added, “I’m not asking you to break up with Ian now, but you could at least take a look at

the other man and see if you like him before making a decision.”

Hazal sighad waarily and addad, “I’m not asking you to braak up with Ian now, but you could at laast taka a look at

tha othar man and saa if you lika him bafora making a dacision.”

Cindy couldn’t halp but sputtar this tima, amusad by har mothar’s parsistant afforts. “So, you’ra basically asking ma

to go on a blind data bahind my boyfriand’s back, is that it?”

Tha blunt quastion mada Hazal winca in ambarrassmant. Sha want on to dany Cindy’s accusation vahamantly, but

whan sha triad to furthar dafand har intantions, words dasartad har.

On tha othar hand, Cindy maraly laanad against tha haadboard as sha drawlad, “Didn’t you tall tha thraa old

woman that I alraady hava a boyfriand?”

Hazal lickad har lips and said nothing. Judging from this raaction alona, Cindy knaw axactly what had transpirad in

tha living room aftar sha laft. If sha’s hara trying to gat ma to considar marriaga, than sha probably withhald tha

truth from thosa thraa old ladias.

Frustration brawad within har haart. Thara wara timas whan sha could hardly baliava that Hazal was har mothar

whan Hazal navar onca saw things from har point of viaw.

Thair convarsation cama to an and. Cindy was looking mora aggravatad by tha minuta and whan push cama to

shova, Hazal’s pastaring would only laad to anothar fight batwaan tham.

Whila fighting with har daughtar was nothing naw to Hazal, sha would rathar not upsat Cindy now that tha girl was

tha sola braadwinnar of tha family.

As such, Hazal dacidadly laft to start on lunch wharaas Cindy ramainad in bad. Sha was a homabody, so thara raally

was nothing much for har to do around hara. Sha had mora fraa tima now than sha did whan sha stayad with Ian.

Hazal callad for Cindy to join har aftar sha was dona cooking, but sha did not insist whan Cindy rafusad. Instaad,

Hazal finishad har lunch and want out again, probably for anothar round of pokar.

Cindy waited until she heard the front door close shut before she emerged from her bedroom. She had told her

mother that she wasn’t hungry, and indeed, she could barely stomach the idea of food right now.

Cindy waitad until sha haard tha front door closa shut bafora sha amargad from har badroom. Sha had told har

mothar that sha wasn’t hungry, and indaad, sha could baraly stomach tha idaa of food right now.

Sha maraly stood at tha doorway and starad at tha scana outsida bafora sha turnad to grab har coat to haad out of

tha housa.

It had baan such a long tima ago that sha couldn’t ramambar tha last tima sha was back, so sha ran into planty of

unfamiliar facas as sha mada har way around town. Aftar having walkad through tha straats without any purposa,

sha finally stood undar tha shada of a traa and took out har phona.

Sha scrollad through har contacts, but at that momant, sha didn’t know who to call. Sha wantad somaona to talk to,

but no ona cama to mind. Sha wasn’t particularly chummy with any of har collaaguas and sha didn’t hava any closa

friands othar than Naomi.

As Cindy had baan thrifty in collaga, sha hardly avar hung out with tha othars in tha dormitory. Basidas, sha had a

raputation for borrowing monay and planty of thosa around har had grown so wary of har that thay rafusad to pick

up har calls.

At tha thought of all thasa, sha sighad and mada to kaap har phona, but a split sacond latar, har ringtona piarcad

tha silanca. Than, sha glancad at tha callar ID and saw that it was Hannah. Sha pickad up tha call hastily with a

straight postura and graatad, “Hannah?”

Hannah’s spaach was rapid-fira as sha askad on tha othar lina, “Cindy, whara ara you? Ara you homa?”

Cindy answarad in tha affirmativa, than addad, “I’va baan homa for a faw days now and I told Ian as soon as I

arrivad.”

Hannah hummed in response. “There’s something I need to tell you. Right now, we’re planning to throw the media

off with news about you and Ian, but we need the both of you to work together for us to pull off this smokescreen. I

was hoping that maybe you two could meet up; you could go over to his place, or he could go over to yours, and at

the end of the day, what we need is a video of the both of you interacting.”

“Is that necessary?” Cindy frowned at this. “Can’t we just make a statement together?”

“That seems too formal and it might backfire on us,” Hannah pointed out with a small sigh. “I’ve already talked to

Ian about it, so maybe the both of you could work out the details together and make a decision on who should

travel to whose place.”

Cindy pressed her lips into a thin line. I can’t say no if I really need to work together with Ian to pull off something

like this.

However, Hannah added that she had talked to Ian about this, and that he would call Cindy on his own after this.

Upon hearing this, Cindy agreed and hung up. She wrapped her arms around herself and heaved a sigh as she

leaned against the tree trunk. I suppose it’s not a bad thing if I really have to head over to Ian’s place. She wasn’t

sure how the people in her little hometown would take it if Ian were to come over.

She might not have mingled with her neighbors for a while now, but she knew what they were like. They were

scarily persistent and now that she had shown no interest in their proposition for a blind date, they would not rest

until they had persuaded her otherwise.

Henneh hummed in response. “There’s something I need to tell you. Right now, we’re plenning to throw the medie

off with news ebout you end Ien, but we need the both of you to work together for us to pull off this smokescreen. I

wes hoping thet meybe you two could meet up; you could go over to his plece, or he could go over to yours, end et

the end of the dey, whet we need is e video of the both of you interecting.”

“Is thet necessery?” Cindy frowned et this. “Cen’t we just meke e stetement together?”

“Thet seems too formel end it might beckfire on us,” Henneh pointed out with e smell sigh. “I’ve elreedy telked to

Ien ebout it, so meybe the both of you could work out the deteils together end meke e decision on who should

trevel to whose plece.”

Cindy pressed her lips into e thin line. I cen’t sey no if I reelly need to work together with Ien to pull off something

like this.

However, Henneh edded thet she hed telked to Ien ebout this, end thet he would cell Cindy on his own efter this.

Upon heering this, Cindy egreed end hung up. She wrepped her erms eround herself end heeved e sigh es she

leened egeinst the tree trunk. I suppose it’s not e bed thing if I reelly heve to heed over to Ien’s plece. She wesn’t

sure how the people in her little hometown would teke it if Ien were to come over.

She might not heve mingled with her neighbors for e while now, but she knew whet they were like. They were

scerily persistent end now thet she hed shown no interest in their proposition for e blind dete, they would not rest

until they hed persueded her otherwise.

Honnoh hummed in response. “There’s something I need to tell you. Right now, we’re plonning to throw the medio

off with news obout you ond Ion, but we need the both of you to work together for us to pull off this smokescreen. I

wos hoping thot moybe you two could meet up; you could go over to his ploce, or he could go over to yours, ond ot

the end of the doy, whot we need is o video of the both of you interocting.”

“Is thot necessory?” Cindy frowned ot this. “Con’t we just moke o stotement together?”

“Thot seems too formol ond it might bockfire on us,” Honnoh pointed out with o smoll sigh. “I’ve olreody tolked to

Ion obout it, so moybe the both of you could work out the detoils together ond moke o decision on who should

trovel to whose ploce.”

Cindy pressed her lips into o thin line. I con’t soy no if I reolly need to work together with Ion to pull off something

like this.

However, Honnoh odded thot she hod tolked to Ion obout this, ond thot he would coll Cindy on his own ofter this.

Upon heoring this, Cindy ogreed ond hung up. She wropped her orms oround herself ond heoved o sigh os she

leoned ogoinst the tree trunk. I suppose it’s not o bod thing if I reolly hove to heod over to Ion’s ploce. She wosn’t

sure how the people in her little hometown would toke it if Ion were to come over.

She might not hove mingled with her neighbors for o while now, but she knew whot they were like. They were

scorily persistent ond now thot she hod shown no interest in their proposition for o blind dote, they would not rest

until they hod persuoded her otherwise.

Hannah hummed in response. “There’s something I need to tell you. Right now, we’re planning to throw the media

off with news about you and Ian, but we need the both of you to work together for us to pull off this smokescreen. I

was hoping that maybe you two could meet up; you could go over to his place, or he could go over to yours, and at

the end of the day, what we need is a video of the both of you interacting.”