Kevin gave her a sharp look, waiting for her serious answer.
Bella chanted for a moment and said frankly, “It shouldn’t be a big deal if I know Conrad, right?”
“Yes, it really isn’t a big deal, but I’m just curious as to how you know each other.”
“The last time I was in France, he chased the thief for me that night by the Seine.”
Kevin was surprise, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was trying to say that you were angry and didn’t want to listen, and I didn’t know at the time that the man was Conrad. It was only later when I saw a picture of him with you and Freya in the drawer of your study that I found out who he really was.”
“Have you met him?”
“Yes.”
Bella answered all the questions. She had written a review for Kevin, so she wouldn’t hide anything from him anymore.
After a brief silence, Kevin said in a deep voice, “No more dealings with him in the future.”
“Why?”
“Don’t you know the reason?” He raised his eyebrows.
“And because he took your fiancée, I’m going to cut him off, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m sorry. I may not be able to do it. He’s your enemy, but he’s my friend.”
“Is he your friend? He has betrayed your husband but you consider him a friend.”
“Conrad is not a bad person.”
“I don’t allow your dealings with him.”
“Is that what you say? You said that if I’m not allowed to associate with Louis and I must keep my distance from him. If you said I can’t associate with Conrad, I must draw a clear line with him. Are your words an edict? Is it sacrosanct? Don’t play your macho in front of me, because I’ve never been so harsh on you either.”
“Have I ever done anything to make you unhappy?”
“Yes. I was unhappy when you met with Freya, but you did, didn’t you? Then from now on, I won’t meet with Louis or Conrad, you just don’t have to meet with Freya, okay?”
Kevin was startled but didn’t answer her question clearly. The silence was the best answer, and Bella knew very well that he couldn’t do it.
What a sad reality! She gloomily left the room, went to the courtyard of the hotel, sat on the snowy and icy lounge chair, thinking about what the future should be.
After thinking for a long time and not coming up with a clear direction, the street lamp above the hotel spilled a dim light on her curled up holding her knees.
She was staring at the ground, and suddenly, she saw a pair of polished leather shoes. Even without looking up, she knew who was standing in front of her. Kevin draped a thick jacket over her and said in his fascinating voice, “It’s cold, go back to the house.”
She stood up, shoved the jacket back into his hands, and returned to her room without looking back.
This night, they were back to back. Neither of them spoke to each other, and it was clear to Bella that the person next to her had rolled over several times to say something to her, but in the end, nothing was said.
This made her think that sometimes, people were like fish in a fish tank, wanted to say a lot. Once they opened their mouths, a series of ellipses were spoken. Finally, what they wanted to say was silently left in the heart.
Back to B City, it was already the next day at noon. As soon as Bella entered the house, she asked Blanche, “Mom, where is Lena?”
Blanche gloomily pointed upstairs, “She locked herself in the house, and hasn’t come out for a day and a night already.”
As if Blanche had become much more emaciated overnight, Bella heartily consoled, “Mom, don’t be sad. I’ll go see her.”
“Alright.”
Bella hurriedly went upstairs to Lena’s room and knocked on the door, “Lena, can you open the door? It’s me. I’m back.”
There was no response from inside and she continued to knock on the door, “Don’t you want to talk to your sister-in-law? Is Lena planning to be a cowardly girl and lock herself in the house forever?”
The door creaked open and Lena barefoot hugged her, “Bella …”
Before a complete sentence could be uttered, Lena cried in sadness.
Bella was the one who knew her feelings for Alvin the best.
Therefore, she didn’t need to show how sad she was. Bella could know that.
“Have a good cry today, and after that, don’t even cry anymore. Lena’s tears shouldn’t be so worthless.”
When Lena heard her words, she cried hysterically. Just like what Bella said, after today, she won’t cry.
Her mournful cry made everyone heartbroken. Kevin stood in the corner, watching from afar as his sister crying so sadly in his wife’s bosom,. How could he not feel bad? But he didn’t walk over, knowing full well that at this time, his wife could soothe his sister’s fragile nerves more than he could.
When Lena was tired of crying, Bella pulled her to the side of the bed, let her lie down, held her hand and said, “Lena, I can understand very well the feelings in your heart now, but you remember love is not a person’s whole life. One can’t be ruined without love. We women must live our lives proudly! If that man really can’t love us, then we’ll feel free and easy to give up him. If we don’t know how to love ourselves, who else will love us wholeheartedly?”
Lena’s eyelashes quivered lightly. She was apparently enlightened by her words, and Bella continued to say-
“Actually, you’re much happier than me. Do you know how many ups and downs I have gone through in the past twenty-five years? When I was born, my father abandoned me. At the age of six, I went to a night market with my dependent mother to wash dishes. At the age of eight, I was sent to my father’s house by my mother, and he has never wanted to acknowledge me. I was abused by my stepmother, bullied by her daughter, and ignored by my father. At the age of twelve, mother died of unknown causes. In the same year, for my mother’s medical expenses, I sold myself to a fool as a child bride for 100000 dollars. At the age of 13, I began to carry my life with my tender shoulders. In the following years, in that home like a hell, I bit my teeth to get through. At the age of twenty-four, I met the only true love in my life, but the goddess of fortune still refused to favor me. Just when I thought I had become the happiest woman in the world, Freya, your brother’s first love, came back. In the future, I still have to survive step by step as hard as the past. Therefore, compared with such an unfortunate sister-in-law, should you cheer up?”
Bella recounted her experiences of the past twenty-four years in short words, and shed tears. No matter how long it had been, these experiences were like needles stabbing her heart, making her heartache. There was no such thing as forgetting the pain after healing, not to mention that her scars had never been better.
Lena also cried. She sat up with support and hugged her beloved sister-in-law with her skinny arms, “Don’t cry. None of us will cry. I promise you I will definitely cheer up, and live proud of myself.”
“Alright, we’ll cheer together.”
Bella sniffed and wiped away Lena’s tears, “Sleep well. When the sun rises tomorrow, all the unhappy things will be gone with the wind.”
Lena was perhaps really tired, and soon fell asleep. Bella did not leave immediately, but quietly watched her soundly sleeping face. Thinking about what Kevin said, she touched Lena’s forehead. Where the hell was that time bomb? Why did God always have to play unkind jokes on some good people?
What a simple and kind girl! The only wish in her life was to hope that her brother and sister-in-law could belong together, and that she could be with Alvin. But now, her only wish surprisingly shattered like a splendid bubble.
Gloomy get up, out of the room, she found Kevin had been standing outside the door. He looked at her lovingly and wanted to talk to her, but finally just asked, “Is she asleep?”
“Yes.”
Bella bowed her head and headed for the bedroom, and Kevin followed.
“Thanks.”
He said meaningfully and she asked softly, “Why do you thank me?”
“I thank you for what you said to my sister. You are a thoughtful wife, a competent daughter-in-law, and a loving sister-in-law. It’s my honor to have you in this life.”
“I’m as good as you think, but I’m not good enough because I cannot replace the person in your heart.”
Bella wanted to go into her own little secret room, but Kevin dragged her down, “You don’t need to replace anyone, because the place you have in my heart has no one to replace.”
She stared at him in stunned silence, and they both fell silent until a cell phone rang to break the stalemate.
“I’m back. I will be there soon …”
He hung up the phone and kissed on Bella’s forehead, “I’m going to the office. Don’t think nonsense.”
Kevin told her not to think nonsense. But how could she not think nonsense? In fact, she didn’t think nonsense, but something would happen that made her frustrated. At four o’clock in the evening, she suddenly received a phone call from Alvin –
“Madam, come to the office quickly. Kevin’s cousin is here.”
“Conrad?” Bella was shocked.
“Yes, it’s in the headmaster’s office right now. They’ve had a heated argument and there’s a good chance they’ll get into a fight. I can’t go in there, so you come and stop it.”