Karen hadn't returned for another night.
Samantha lay in bed, the pain from her head injury keeping her awake.
Deciding to distract herself, she took out her phone and found a number that had always been in her contacts but never opened, and sent a message: [Yurika, I miss you so much.]
The response was immediate.
[Sammie?]
Samantha replied with just one word: [Yes!]
As soon as the message was sent, the other person called.
Afraid of waking up the two little ones next to her, Samantha quietly got out of bed and made her way to the living room.
The phone had just connected when Yurika's voice, like a burst of firecrackers, came through, "You little brat, so you still know how to contact me, huh? Where have you been for these four years? I thought you either died outside and wouldn't come back!"
As she spoke, she broke into an uncomposed fit of tears.
"Sobs... Do you even realize how much I've missed you? How long I've been searching for you? You heartless little brat, not contacting me for four whole years..."
Samantha was infected by her emotions and began sobbing along.
"Yurika, I'm sorry, it wasn't intentional..."
Yurika asked, "Where are you now? Are you in London? I'll come over right away."
Samantha glanced at the time and shook her head, "It's already three in the morning. It's not safe for you to go out alone. Don't come."
Yurika, displeased, said, "Cut the nonsense, quickly tell me, are you in London? If you're abroad, I'll book a flight immediately."
Samantha hesitated for a moment and said, "I'm at Karen's place."
Yurika paused, falling into silence.
Thinking she might be upset, Samantha hurriedly explained, "Yurika, it's not that I didn't want to contact you first. This matter is complicated, and I was afraid..."
Yurika interrupted her in a deep voice, "Wait for me there; I'll come over right away!"
With that, she hung up the phone.
Yurika was swift.
In less than half an hour, she rushed over.
Still in her pajamas, covered in tiny beads of sweat on her forehead, she panted slightly.
Haven't seen each other in four years, Samantha originally wanted to give her a big hug, but she was pushed away, "Back off! Not contacting me for four years and still wanting to hug me, no way."
Yurika teased Samantha, dispelling the gloom.
Seating herself on the sofa, Yurika crossed her arms and raised her chin, asking, "Now, can you tell me when you came back? Why didn't you come find me and stayed at Karen Evans's place instead?"
"I've been back for half a month! Back then..."
Samantha didn't notice that Yurika didn't call Karen's nickname.
Smiling, she briefly explained the ins and outs of the situation.
As expected, upon learning the truth, Yurika's temper flared up instantly, and she rolled up her sleeves, ready to confront Sarah and her daughter.
"Darn it, they actually planned that incident back then. They dare to treat my sisters like this, I'll make sure they pay."
Samantha didn't catch the underlying meaning in her words and quickly held her back, "Do you now understand why I didn't contact you? I was afraid you'd act impulsively!"
Yurika's small face turned red with anger, indignant, "They've gone too far. If I don't make them pay, I can't swallow this anger."
Samantha pressed her back onto the sofa.
"Don't worry, I came back this time for revenge! Killing them outright is too easy for them! I want them not only dead but also left with nothing."
Yurika asked, "Do you have a plan?"
Samantha nodded.
As if remembering something, Yurika anxiously asked Samantha, "You didn't tell Karen about your plan, did you?"
Samantha shook her head, "I didn't want her to worry, so I didn't tell her."
Relieved, Yurika repeatedly reminded, "Remember, absolutely don't tell her. If anything happens, come to me."
Samantha, oblivious to the hidden meaning in Yurika's words and thinking that Yurika also preferred to keep Karen out of the situation, nodded in agreement.
"Let's go; tell me about your plan!" Yurika pulled Samantha into Karen's room, and the two lay down together, prepared for a lengthy night of discussion.
That night, they talked extensively. The next day, both of them woke up with panda eyes, signs of the previous night's intense conversation.
Noah and Charlotte, upon seeing the suddenly radiant Yurika, were momentarily stunned. Charlotte, a representative of the beauty association, couldn't take her eyes off Yurika and praised, "Mommy, is this auntie a celebrity? Why is she so pretty?"
Noah, however, maintained a calm expression. In his eyes, Miss Samantha was the most beautiful woman, unmatched by anyone else.
Delighted by Charlotte's compliment, Yurika squatted down, gave her a sweet kiss, and said, "My goddaughter has such a sweet mouth, much better than your mommy!"
Charlotte, looking confused, blinked her watery eyes, "Are you my godmother? How many godmothers do I have?"
Yurika cryptically replied, "Currently, it's two. In the future, it might just be me." Yurika knew the other godmother was Karen; they had all vowed to be godmothers to each other's children back then.
Noah furrowed his small eyebrows slightly, sensing a hidden meaning in Yurika's words. Did she also know that Karen wasn't a good person?
Charlotte, oblivious to the hidden meaning, nodded in apparent understanding. Yurika then shifted her gaze to Noah, fondly looking at his flawless little face. She reached out to ruffle his head, but he dodged.
Noah solemnly said, "A man's head, a woman's waist, only for looking, not touching."
Yurika burst into laughter, "Pfft..." Holding her stomach, she asked Samantha, "Samantha, who does your son take after? He looks so serious; one might think he's seventy or eighty years old!"
Samantha's mouth twitched, and she awkwardly replied, "He's just like that, likes to be reserved in front of strangers."
Yurika suggested, "Do you all have time tonight? Let's go out for dinner. I’ve also prepared gifts for the two little ones."
Samantha readily agreed. After breakfast, Yurika went to the company, while Samantha took Noah and Charlotte to kindergarten. Before entering the school, Noah surprised Samantha by saying, "Yurika is a good person, better than Karen."
Samantha looked at him in surprise, as Karen was generally more liked by others due to her gentle nature. Alexander was the only one who had previously expressed that Yurika was better than Karen.
"Yurika can be your close friend, but keep a distance from Karen!" After reminding Samantha, Noah held Charlotte's hand and walked into the school.
Thinking he might be speaking in jest, Samantha didn't take it seriously. She turned around and called Karen.
"Karen, Yurika invited us for dinner tonight. Do you have time? We haven't gathered together for a long time."
Karen paused for a moment, her voice trembling as she asked, "You, have you contacted Yurika?"
Samantha replied, "Yes! She came to see me last night, and we talked all night!" Karen, not sensing anything unusual from Samantha's tone, agreed after a moment of silence, "Okay, let me know the time and place."
"Great!" After ending the call, Samantha drove to the hospital, and Karen made a call to Justin.
***