In the end, Kayden could never become an ordinary person. Georgia did not understand his world, and he did not understand hers. The gap between them was simply too grand.
This was Kayden’s conclusion and the reason for his emotional exhaustion.
He made a promise about offering her a villa last time. And it might have seemed like a joke to the Adams family, but to Kayden, nothing was ever a joke.
His words were not to be taken as a joke.
There was no room for idle talk in the military-a principle that had defined Kayden’s life.
Though divorce seemed a bit unfair to Georgia, who had taken care of him for three years, he had given her his words. Kayden was anything but ungrateful. A promise from him was worth far more than winning the lottery.
Thus, he assumed that by the time he returned, Georgia would have made up her mind about the divorce.
This time in Inassea, besides visiting the Henderson family to find out what happened to Wood Faulkner, Kayden also needed to consult Professor Flores about the pattern on the handkerchief and its meaning. As well as looking into Lacey Bennett’s pendant and how her father came into possession of Liam John’s personal toke. These were all crucial matters to him.
Ever since Kayden got on the bus, he had fallen into deep silence.
No amount of wind could shake his focused thoughts.
What he didn’t know was that a pair of cautious eyes were watching him secretly. It was a strikingly beautiful girl with an exquisite face. She was simply captivating at first glance, and even more so upon closer inspection.
She was the kind of girl who grew on you the more you look at her. But besides her beauty, she also had an enigmatic quality that was hard to describe with words.
She had a ponytail and was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans. She looked quite young, probably only in her early twenties.
There was a backpack on her shoulders, so she was most likely a university student. She indeed possessed a youthful beauty and charm typical of that age.
Ever since she got on the bus, she had captured the attention of every man there. As the most beautiful girl at Inassea University, she was always the center of attention wherever she went, especially among men.
However, there was an exception today. That man hadn’t looked at her even once since she got on the bus.
Every man on the bus kept glancing back at her, all trying to attract her attention. Yet this guy hadn’t turned around even once to look at her.
His expression was full of indifference, seemingly devoid of emotion, but in reality, it was just arrogance.
That was why Sophie Walsh had paid extra attention to this strange man and his unusual behavior.
He looked like an ordinary person, dressed in a plain shirt, jeans, and a pair of canvas shoes. He did not seem like a wealthy man at all. Usually, a man who could catch her eye should be handsome and aloof. Yet this ‘loser’ was oddly intriguing to her.
After a few seconds of scrutiny, Sophie came to a conclusion. It was his demeanor. There was something about him that didn’t match his appearance. It was a gut feeling. In her own words, a woman’s first impression of a man is usually spot on. So, she was sure that this guy was more than he seemed.
Plus, there might have been some psychological reason why she was intrigued by him. Few men could ignore her in such a confined space like he did. There had been some guys who had tried to get her attention in unique ways, but they always ended up looking at her, unable to resist.
No matter how well they pretend not to be interested, they could never resist the temptation of her charm.
Though Sophie was dressed in a simple student uniform, her looks were captivating enough. She was certain of that.
She had been observing Kayden for about ten minutes, but he had not acknowledged her presence even once. He wasn’t asleep, as his eyes were open, but he showed no interest at all in his surroundings.
“Could it be that he’s not interested in women?” Sophie wondered aloud, asking herself.
“Impossible, he must be trying to get my attention with this method!”
“Pfft! Who is he? Why should he get my attention?”
Sophie muttered to herself, feeling confused.
Yet, despite her better judgment, she found herself drawn to him. Otherwise, why would she keep looking at him?
Sophie was unsure why she felt this way. Perhaps it was because she was used to being admired by others and couldn’t accept being ignored by someone like him.
“He’s just pretending to be aloof!” Sophie mumbled, then reluctantly looked away with her arms crossed.
But only a few seconds later, she found herself glancing at him again. It was already starting to become a habit of hers.
Suddenly, the bus driver slammed on the brakes.
The sudden stop made many passengers jostle, some even fell to the ground.
Complaints soon filled the bus, “Driver, what’s going on?”
“Be careful! Sudden stops like this can really hurt people. We’re not young anymore, and our bones can’t handle a fall like this. Do you know how to drive?”
“Yes, you have our lives at stake. How could you drive like this?”
“Who would dare to take the bus again if you drive like this?”
The driver apologized at once, “Sorry, everyone. A dog suddenly ran out. I almost hit it. I’m truly sorry.”
Since the driver had apologized sincerely and no one was seriously injured, the passengers let it go after complaining for a while.
However, just as everyone was settling down, a burly man suddenly shouted loudly, “Damn! What the hell is this thing on my shoes? It’s sticky!”
Everyone turned to the source of the noise and saw a burly man’s shoes covered in something sticky that looked like soup.
Just then, an old man sitting behind him said apologetically, “Young man, it’s my fault. I opened the soup and was just about to eat it when the bus suddenly stopped. That’s why I spilled it on your shoes. I’m really sorry.”
The old man was thin and bald, wearing a clean but tattered robe that has been patched up several times. There was a basket filled with fruits and eggs beside him. He kept one hand on the basket all the time as if afraid somebody might steal it. He was clearly a country folk visiting relatives in the city.
“I’m so sorry, young man. Really sorry.” The old man kept apologizing, his tone sincere and humble.