Chapter 136
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“No,” Zachary said as he gave her the file. “This is the violinist from Laina Orchestra. She played really well at the last concert. If you can get her as your private teacher, your violin skills will get better fast.”
Bella froze for a second before feeling super happy. ‘So Zachary is setting things up for mel‘ she thought, already imagining great things–joining the Luna Orchestra, making a name for herself, and then becoming Zachary’s wife,
Excited, Bella threw herself into Zachary’s arms. She tilted her head up, kissed his cheek, and said sweetly, “Oh, Zach, I knew you’d-
“You crossed a line,” Zachary said coldly, pushing her away. He roughly wiped the spot on his cheek where she had just kissed him.
Seeing the disappointment on Bella’s face, Zachary stopped himself from wiping his check. He softened his voice a little and said, “I know you’re happy, but don’t do things that can be misunderstood.”
Then, Zachary went back to his room without looking back. Bella sank onto the sofa and clenched her fists in frustration.
‘Zachary has done so much for me–what’s wrong with giving him a kiss to say thanks?‘ Bella thought bitterly. Her anger only grew more.
In the quiet of the night, Gwyneth finally drove home to her apartment. She thought, ‘I knew Carol could get really into her work, but I didn’t think she’d be so obsessed with Mom’s porcelain collection.
When Gwyneth left, Carol, with dark circles under her eyes, was still bent over her research. Gwyneth, already feeling sleepy, decided to drive home. When she parked, she saw the property management at Teloria Apartment checking the elevator.
The manager said, “From now on, all the elevators will have this new security system: one access card per apartment, each card only works on its own floor. This is to stop unauthorized people from coming in and causing trouble.”
Gwyneth stepped into the elevator, noticing how the staff–still working late to renew the system–bowed to her with extra respect. She thought, ‘Harrison must have set all this up. Probably to stop Bella and Zachary from showing up again.’
Just then, Harrison called, sounding surprised she was still awake at this time. “I thought you’d be asleep and reply me later.”
“I just visited a friend. I’ll go to bed soon, Gwyneth said with a sleepy yawn, hugging the kitten tighter. “Right after you left, the property managernent started fixing the elevators–one card per apartment, only for your floor. Did you set that up?”
Harrison was surprised Gwyneth noticed that. He said, “Yeah. Last time, some people came up and caused trouble–and you ended up in the hospital. Now that I’m away from Joracity and you’re alone at home, I want you to be safe.”
“If you’re not home yet, don’t hang up. Wait until you’re home safely,” Harrison added. As Gwyneth watched the elevator numbers go higher and higher, she felt a quiet but strong sense of safety settle in her heart.
Gwyneth asked Harrison a few questions about his work trip. He answered patiently, never asking about who she saw or what she did. When the elevator reached the top, she unlocked her door and said, “I’m home.”
“Sleep well. Good night,” Harrison’s voice softened, as if he was worried about disturbing her sleep.
The call ended, leaving only the dial tone. She pushed open the door–he was not with her, but Gwyneth didn’t feel lonely or scared.
He always seemed to have her back. ‘What a reliable friend,‘ she thought happily.
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3:09 PM
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Chapter 137
