When the waiter asked how they wanted their steaks, Isabella chimed in first, “Cooked, both portions are the same.”
Andrew: “…”
“Eating undercooked meat can upset your stomach,” Isabella stated seriously.
Then, the waiter brought two very well-done steaks. Andrew felt like they lacked the proper texture, so he barely touched his.
Isabella also left most of her steak. She didn’t have many expectations regarding texture but found the meat a bit tough to chew.
Despite the disappointing steaks, the durian pizza suited her taste. She almost finished a 12-inch pizza by herself, feeling quite full.
After eating the pizza, she had a bowl of pudding and drank a glass of orange juice. Feeling completely stuffed, she sat in the car, still burping from the fullness.
Andrew drove her back, but suddenly, the car stalled in the middle of the road and couldn’t restart.
It was probably the first time he faced such an embarrassing situation. He called the driver with a serious face, “The car stalled on Maple Leaf Road. Come handle it.”
After instructing the driver, he hung up the phone directly.
The driver’s arrival would take some time, and even then, the issue might not be resolved. Andrew couldn’t waste time waiting. He and Isabella got out of the car and hailed a cab by the roadside.
At that time, in that area, it was challenging to flag down a taxi. Andrew didn’t have a ride-hailing app on his phone, so he asked Isabella to use hers.
Unfortunately, her phone had recently been reset, and the ride-hailing app was uninstalled.
“Will it take long to download?” he asked with a frown.
“I can’t download it; I don’t have any data left on my phone,” she replied.
Andrew: “…Let’s walk back; it’s about a two-kilometer walk, not too far.”
He finished speaking and started walking forward with long strides, but Isabella held onto his arm.
“I can’t walk,” she pouted.
He looked at her somewhat puzzled. “Didn’t eat enough?”
She shook her head. “Too full, can’t walk.”
Andrew: “…”
Helplessly, he squatted down and said softly, “Get on.”
Isabella cheerfully clung to his back, wrapping her arms around his neck.
His back was warm and broad, and he walked steadily.
She laid on his back, leaning against his shoulder, laughing like a lazy cat. “Andrew, are you feeling honored to be the first man to carry me on your back?”
“Uh, absolutely honored,” Andrew replied with some helplessness.
Typically, the first person to carry a girl should be her father, but David was obviously not a good father.
He carried her, steadily making his way forward. She, lying on his back, hummed happily.
After finishing a song, she said, “Andrew, why aren’t you saying anything?”
“What should I say?” he asked.
“Anything random is fine,” Isabella said.
After a moment’s thought, Andrew said, “You should consider losing weight.”
Isabella: “…” She wanted to bite him.
As they reached the steps in front of the building, he put her down.
As soon as Isabella’s feet touched the ground, her phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, it was David.
Reluctantly, she answered the call. After hanging up, her face fell.
“Ah, I have to go back to the Harris family,” she sighed.
Grandma and cousin came back, and David ordered her on the phone to return home tonight.
“Alright,” Andrew replied lightly, without much questioning, as he rarely interfered with her affairs.
“I’m leaving, bye,” Isabella waved to him, carrying her handbag. Just a few steps away, she seemed to remember something and turned back.
She tiptoed and quickly kissed his left cheek.
“Payment for carrying me back today,” she said and hurried to the elevator.
Isabella’s cheeks burned uncontrollably. She instinctively covered her face but was fortunate as the elevator doors closed soon after.
Andrew watched the slowly closing doors, touched the side of his face where she had just kissed him, and smiled knowingly.
…
Isabella returned to the villa after ten in the evening, and everyone else had already gone to bed.
Yawning, Lily opened the door for her. Passing through the living room, Isabella noticed many unpacked suitcases piled up in the corner.
“Over twenty suitcases, barely fitted in two trucks. Did they move an entire British store here?” Lily commented, gazing at the numerous suitcases of different sizes.
Isabella sneered silently. All these items were bought with Harris family’s money, essentially stemming from the wealth accumulated by her grandfather. Mrs. Ada and Aria wouldn’t be concerned about spending it.
“Is Grandma and cousin already asleep?” Isabella inquired.
“Yes, Mrs. Ada and Aria mentioned they had a tiring flight of more than ten hours, so they went to rest early,” Lily answered.
Isabella nodded without much comment.
“Is my room arranged?” she asked again.
“Auntie knew you were coming back to stay tonight and specifically tidied up the room again. Even the bedding is newly changed,” Lily said.
“Thank you,” Isabella smiled and nodded. “You can also go back to sleep if you’re tired.”
Half-dozing, Lily returned to her room.
Isabella spent the night at home and slept peacefully. After all, she had lived here for more than a decade; there was no issue with unfamiliar beds.
Only when she initially lay down did she think a lot before finally falling asleep after a long while.
With Mrs. Ada and Aria back, the Harris family was about to get lively.
Mrs. Ada was Isabella’s grandmother, a strong and resolute woman. A young widow, she single-handedly raised her two children. Her son, David, graduated from a prestigious university and became a respectable civil servant. He married into wealth and sailed smoothly through life.
It seemed David had taken all the good fortune of the Harris family for himself. Mrs. Ada’s daughter wasn’t as lucky.
After careful consideration, she chose the most worthless man, involved in vices like drinking, gambling, and more, and squandered the family’s wealth. She was tormented to death and died extremely emaciated.
After her daughter’s death, Mrs. Ada took Aria, her only granddaughter, under her wing, loving and pampering her dearly.
Before David and Eleanor divorced, Mrs. Ada lived with her granddaughter and them. Anything Isabella had, whether it was food, clothes, or necessities, could not be missing for Aria, or Mrs. Ada would make a fuss.