She cried for more than ten minutes. Her face was covered with tears and snot and her eyes were swollen. She struggled to catch her breath and her mind was blank. After that, she came out of the bathroom stall, walked to the mirror, and washed her face.
She raised her head and looked at herself in the mirror. She took a deep breath and traced her fingers along the pale face reflected on it and whispered, “Don’t be sad. Jasper is gone, but I will accompany you and protect you forever. From now on, no one can hurt you.”
The cleaner came in and looked at Stella strangely.
Stella Grace glanced at the cleaner, straightened her back and walked out of the bathroom.
Before the door was closed, she heard the cleaner saying, “Crazy woman.”
She trembled and her hands, which were hanging by her sides, were also shaking. She pushed the door open and glared at the cleaner with sharp eyes. “What did you say?”
The cleaner saw that Stella was angry. She was, after all, an employee in the service industry, so she immediately said, “I didn’t say anything. Is something wrong?”
“If I hear it again, I’ll sue you for slander,” Stella warned her. Then she turned around and walked back to room no. 203.
The food that Frederick Addington had ordered had already been served, but they were all untouched. He was instead playing with his mobile phone. When he saw Stella approaching, he stared at her and asked, “Were you crying?”
Stella pulled a chair out and sat opposite him. “Don’t worry. I was just venting my emotions. I’ll be fine after a good cry, plus it also helps to refresh the reality in front of me.”
Frederick raised the corners of his mouth slightly. He put his mobile phone aside and asked, “So, what have you refreshed in your reality?”
“If I want to live a good life in the future, you have to become my everything. I will follow you to the ends of the world, through thick and thin.” Stella said expressionlessly.
Frederick was suspicious. “Are you being serious?”
“Of course. How could I fake it? Hurry up and eat your breakfast, so we can go back and have a good rest. We will fight side by side in the future,” she said.
Frederick took her hands and interlocked his fingers with hers tightly.
He liked the phrase “fighting side by side”.
“Stella, have you ever thought that, maybe we’re destined to be together? After all, we’re still together despite having faced so many tribulations in our relationship,” Frederick said softly.
Stella did not deny it. Her lips curled into a slight smile. “Maybe. No one knows what will happen in the future, so we should appreciate everything that we have in the present.”
“I will cherish you. I swear that as long as you don’t leave me, I will never leave you.” he promised.
Stella smiled.
If both of them were in love with each other, their vows would be sweet.
If they did not like each other, their vows would become a burden instead.
Frederick went back to his house after breakfast, while she went to the mall to buy some clothes.
The mall was still closed. Hence, Stella decided to sit at a bench near the roadside and observe the various people and cars that passed by her. The sun bathed her in its warm glow, and she started to feel a little sleepy.
“Miss?” A teenager came over with a skateboard and handed a lipstick to Stella. “Could you please leave a lipstick mark on my clothes?”
Stella did not accept his lipstick. She frowned slightly. “Shouldn’t you be in school now?”
The teenager had a strange look on his face. “Sorry to trouble you, Miss. If you agree, I’ll give you the lipstick.”
Stella noticed that the young man would occasionally turn to his right. His eyes were sparkling.
She turned to look at the direction he was glancing at. There were two teenagers watching them from afar.
“Did you and your friends make a bet?” Stella made a guess.
The young man smiled shyly. “They all said that you are beautiful, so they made a hundred dollar bet with me.”
“Do you think that a good-looking girl will like those who skip school?” Stella asked.
The young man stopped talking.
“Knowledge can change a person’s life. It improves one’s charm and raises a person’s sense and temperament. Do you want to marry a beautiful girl or an ordinary girl when you grow up? Or do you want to be hated by your wife?” Stella said with a smile. She took out a tube of lipstick from her bag and smeared it on her lips.
The young man looked at Stella with anticipation and excitement.
“I can put a lipstick mark on your clothes, but only if you promise to go back to school now. Do we have a deal?” Stella asked.
“Yes, deal,” The young man immediately said.
Stella pressed her lips onto the young man’s clothes.
The young man left excitedly with his skateboard.
Stella watched the three young men leave, an elegant smile creeping across her lips.
Children were really simple and naive. Just imprinting a lipstick mark on their clothes could already make them happy. They didn’t think or hope for much.
The mall was finally opened for business.
Stella went in and bought three sets of clothes, including some underwear. After finalizing her purchases, she went back to the hotel, took a bath again, washed her newly-purchased underwear and ironed her clothes neatly.
The others were sent for dry cleaning.
Her phone suddenly rang.
It was Bettany Hadley. She remembered that Bettany had called her the night before and asked her to meet at noon.
She didn’t think there was any need to meet her, so she didn’t answer the phone and declined the call.
The phone rang again. It was Bettany again, so she decided to answer it. “Can I help you?”
“I’m already in Room 302 of Purple Garden Restaurant. When are you coming?” Bettany asked.
“I’m not coming. I’m sorry.”
“I have something for you. You should come. I will not leave until you’re here. One day, two days, two days, one month, two months, I will definitely wait until you come.” Bettany said firmly.
Stella frowned and thought that it would be cruel of her if she did not go over.
“I’ll come over in an hour,” she conceded.
She changed into a new set of clothes and didn’t bother putting on any makeup. She then set out to meet Bettany at the restaurant.
When Stella reached the restaurant, there was a six-year-old sitting next to Bettany in the room.
He was probably Bettany and Jasper’s child.
“Why did you want to see me?” Stella asked directly.
Bettany took Stella’s hand and said, “You are finally here. That’s great. To tell you the truth, Jasper and I are not married. There is only an agreement between us.”
Stella remained silent and did not answer.
Bettany continued, “Jasper doesn’t want to marry me. I know that you are the only one in his heart, so I agreed to cancel the agreement. However, Jasper gave me his three houses and one million and eighty thousand dollars in cash. I can’t take these things. Please give them back to Jasper.”
“There must be a reason for him to do that. Since he gave them to you, then you should keep it. This is what you and your child deserve,” Stella said in a low voice.
“Hold on a second.” Bettany walked out of the room without another word.
Stella looked at the child.
If her child hadn’t died, he would probably be about the same age as him.
Even though Bettany didn’t have Jasper anymore, but she still had this child with her. At the very least, she would not feel lonely.
“Could you please take me to a place? That place is very important to me,” the child suddenly said.