---
Only silence spread around...
She had been sitting in the car for almost ten minutes, with the air conditioning on the cold, but the atmosphere was still silent and tense.
She glanced at Kayden occasionally, only to see him staring at his
phone screen, as if he were reading something. This only made her feel more restless.
He called her to wait, but she was really just waiting. He didn't
even exchange a word with her.
She didn't know how to act in this situation. After all, no matter
how long she waited, the friend she mentioned would pick her up would never show up. How could she, if that person never existed in
the first place? But asking to leave on her own didn't seem like a viable option either.
Bella had no idea what Kayden was thinking or expecting by getting involved with someone of lower social class like her. Did he
think it was fun to help her, just to give her false hope? Or, even
worse, did he want to make her believe that there was something special between them?
— You've looked at me several times without saying anything.
Kayden spoke without taking his eyes off her phone. It wasn't
surprising. After all, it was just the two of them there, in such a
small space. How could he not notice that he was the target of her
gaze?
— I'm just curious.
The young woman bit her lips, pondering whether or not she
should express her doubt.
— Curious about what?
— What makes someone of your standing care about me? You
could just ignore me. It wouldn't make a difference to you if I got
wet in the rain or walked home with just anyone.
"..…"
Bella's comment made Kayden's fingers pause for a moment
before he swiped the screen again, as if nothing had happened.
— I'm really curious.
She repeated, making it clear that she meant what she said. Her life was not a game or an act of charity for anyone.
— When you see a wet kitten in the rain, what do you do?
"..…"
— Maybe you just look and think, "What a shame! But there's
nothing I can do. I hope you find shelter soon."
Bonita bit her lip. She tried to imagine the scene and realized that, yes, she could act exactly like that… or maybe not. After all, her own life was uncertain.
— But I… I would approach the cat. Even if I got wet in the rain,
that wouldn't be a problem. I can go home and dry myself off later. I
can take care of myself.
— Are you implying that I don't know how to take care of myself?
— Did I say that?
— Your comparison makes me understand that.
— Are you a kitten, by any chance?
"….."
— You are yourself. Rain or shine, you are not that cat. You can
protect yourself from the rain, but you don't.
How could I not? She always did everything she could to take care
of herself. But sometimes life didn't offer many choices, no matter
how much she wanted to decide her own destiny. Since she grew
up, Bella only knew one straight path. There were never any
shortcuts, detours to the left or right. His path was unique and
limited.
— Does my situation amuse you?
— No. Your situation just awakens my protective older brother instinct.
Bella frowned.
— Did you even ask if I want an older brother? I'm an only child.
Kayden's brow twitched. The Bella at work and the Bella
outside of work were completely different. At work, she was gentle
and smiling. But now, she showed all her stubbornness.
— So what?
— What do you mean, "so what"? You're invading my personal life.
— Shh.
Kayden gestured for her to be quiet, not giving her a chance to
continue her rebellion. His cell phone vibrated loudly, followed by a
call from a number he couldn't ignore.
— Yes, Mom.
(Kayden, where are you? Can you come home for a moment?)
— Now?
(They said you haven't returned to your apartment yet. Come by
for a while. Your father wants to talk about work.)
— I'm not available. Besides, I already told you Mom, not to let anyone
interfere in my personal life.
Kayden's firm voice carried a tone of weariness. He was already
exhausted by his mother's constant impositions. No matter how
much he did, it never seemed to be enough. What more did his mother want from him? When would this control finally end?
(Mr. Wasin is only concerned about your safety. The elections are
coming, and you should be more cautious.)
Wasin was the name of his stepfather, who was also a politician.
Because of this, his family was always in the spotlight, even though He was not related by blood to him.
Kayden sighed, looking at the clock. It was almost dawn, which
only irritated him even more. His stepfather scheduled meetings
whenever he wanted. Was he really his employee, to have to cater
to his every whim?
— I can't go. And tell people to stop waiting for me at the
condo. I won't be going back there tonight.
(Please, son, come. Your father just wants to talk quickly.)
— Has your husband realized that this is a time for rest? No one
discusses work now.
(If you come, I promise I won't bother you for a while. I'll also
stop him from sending someone after you. Don't make him lose
consideration for you, dear.)
At these words, Kayden looked to the side, where Bella was
sitting quietly, almost curled up. She sighed. It seemed she couldn't continue pretending to wait for her friend.
— Okay, see you at home.
As soon as the call ended, Kayden leaned over to buckle Bonita's
seatbelt. The movement was so quick and unexpected that the girl
nearly sank back into the seat, startled by his sudden proximity.
— W-what are you doing?
— Have you never worn a seat belt?
— You could just ask. I'd put it in myself.
— If I asked, you'd just ask a bunch of questions about why.
— Of course! I have the right to ask!
— So why did you put the belt on for me?
— For your safety.
— Because I'm going to drive.
— But I'm waiting for a friend…
— Don't lie. If you lie once, you will have to keep lying to cover up
the first lie. It will become a habit that is hard to break.
Bonita bit her lips. If she had known all along, why hadn't she said
anything? Would she have waited with her all night if no one had
called for her?
— Stop using that friend's excuse. Just tell me where to take you.
— Right here.
— You can leave me here and go on your way.
Kiraphat frowned. Bonita didn't seem to understand the situation.
— If I had intended to leave her alone, why would I have made her get in the car?
— But I want to go on my own.
— At this time of night?
— I've come home alone much later than that.
— I'll take you.
— I appreciate your kindness, but I don't want to be a bother. I don't want your pity, your compassion, or anything like that. I can
take care of myself.
Kayden watched her silently. Bella had a determined, stubborn
face. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the steering wheel, as if he was pondering something.
— If you won't tell me where your house is, then come with me.
— What?
Bonita looked at her, perplexed. She had said so much, and in the end, it seemed like her words had gone in one ear and out the other.
She didn't want to get used to this kind of momentary care.
— Would taking me home make you feel better?
"....."
— I'm not a toy to satisfy your big brother instincts, Kayden.
— Why are you so mad at me, Babe? Why do you insist so much
on putting yourself below others?
— I'm not mad. I just don't understand why you care so much
about me. I'm just a waitress. We don't even really know each
other.
— And why shouldn't I care? Who are you to stop me?
"....."
— If you don't want to care about yourself, that's your problem.
— But this is my life.
— And when did I ask you to give me your life? I'm not here to
help you all the time. Only in the moments when we meet.
"....."
— If you're so unhappy about it, I won't insist.
Kayden began to feel irritated. He didn't understand why his genuine concern seemed to be being misinterpreted. So he quickly
drove to a bus stop not far from Bonita's workplace.
The sound of the doors unlocking echoed in the car. Kayden
didn't say anything else, nor did he even look to see Bella unbuckle her seatbelt and get out. He only realized that when the car door
closed again and the seat next to him was empty, he sped up and
drove off without hesitation.
The young man glanced at the petite girl's reflection in the
rearview mirror, then took out his cell phone to call his trusted assistant.
[Yes, boss?]
— Are you still following me?
[Yes, I'm near the bus stop.]
Kayden let out a dry laugh at his ability to always predict his actions.
— Take her home safely.
[Understood, I'll let you know when she arrives.]
While Kayden was irritated by the rejection, Bella just pursed
her lips in silence. If you asked her if she was angry or frustrated,
the answer would be simple: she didn't understand Kayden, she
didn't know what he wanted, and most of all, she didn't see any reason for all the concern. They were just strangers who had met a
few times. Why did Kayden care so much?
Bella was furious because Kayden was offering her exactly what
she had always wanted from her own family.
She was angry with herself for fearing that it was all just a fun
game for this man. And in the end, she felt like a fool who was
revolted even by her own existence.
Bella arrived home at almost two in the morning. The
environment was silent. Any noise was enough to make her jump.
Not to mention the looks from the drunks who were sitting drinking
outside the gate.
— Beautiful, why are you so late?
Noah's voice came from behind, making the girl flinch and clutch
her bag to her chest. The strong smell of alcohol coming from him made her even more alert.
— I was working.
The boy frowned.
— I already told you that you don't need to work. I can support
you. How much do you want? I'll talk to my mother.
— Noah, we are friends.
— But I want you to be my wife.
"....."
— You don't need to waste time studying or working. You can
drop everything. My mother has already talked to yours.
Bonita frowned. What did you talk about?
The night before, she and her mother had a huge fight because
her mother had taken all her money without permission. She
thought she had hidden it well, but in the end, she had failed to fool
her mother. Now, she had to deal with this conversation that had happened without her knowledge.
— Noah, you're not making sense. Go to sleep. We'll talk about this tomorrow.
The boy grabbed her wrist and pulled her hard. Given the difference in height and physique between the two, if he wanted to
use force, Bella would have no chance of escaping.
— Tomorrow, I'll take you to resign and move here. You'll be my wife. You don't have to do anything. I can take care of you. I just want a wife, nothing more.
Bella bit her lips so hard that it bled. She didn't say anything, she just let him say whatever he wanted until he was satisfied.
— Did you understand?
— Uhm.
— Then go rest. Wake me up early tomorrow.
Fortunately, Noah was satisfied after pouring out all his demands.
Bella, on the other hand, entered the house in a daze.
Every word she heard made her realize that she had no right over her own life.
Her mother, the one who gave birth to her, had agreed to sell her to Noah's family for just one hundred thousand pounds.
Noah, the childhood friend she grew up with, wanted her to be just a wife locked up inside the house.
No one bothered to ask if she wanted it.
Bella opened the door to the silent house. Everything was still in
disarray, just as it had been after her mother had thrown objects during the fight.
Without hesitation, she walked to her room, sat on the edge of
her bed, and hugged her knees. She allowed the tears to flow silently, without sobbing.
At that moment, she decided that house was no longer her home.
She took a large backpack and put all her important things inside it. What she couldn't take, she would leave behind.
And she had no intention of going back to get them.
Bonita decided to call her best friend, her last hope, the only
person she could trust at that moment. Haria answered with a sleepy
voice, but when she heard Bella's sobs asking for help, she woke up completely.
— It's okay, Bee, Stay calm. Come stay with me first, then we'll
figure out what to do.
— But aren't you with your girlfriend?
[My girlfriend is a woman. You wouldn't feel uncomfortable about
that, right?]
— Uncomfortable about what? I'm the one who's afraid of being a nuisance.
[Come on now. She said she doesn't mind, in fact, she's already getting ready before me.]
Hearing this, Bella felt even more like crying.
— Yes… I'll wait at the entrance of the alley. Can you come quickly, Haira?
(No maximum 15 minutes.)
Bella waited until the noises from next door had died down.
Then she hurried out, walking and running to the meeting point. She didn't even have to wait. As soon as she arrived, Haria was already
out of the car and pulled her into a tight hug.
— It's okay. You have me. You have that scholarship competition
tomorrow, don't you? Will you be able to perform in this state?
— Of course. I need to get it. This scholarship is my hope.
The scholarship would not only help pay for her studies, but it
would also guarantee her a job after graduation. It was a company-linked scholarship that required the recipient to work for the
company afterward, but Bella thought it was worth it. Such opportunities didn't come around often, and the position offered wasn't bad either.
The messages he had received from hid assistant the night before had put Kayden in a bad mood to start the day. He didn't
know all the details yet, but the fact that someone had run away from home in the middle of the night meant that the person couldn't
bear it any longer.
— I'll stick around and get more information.
Kayden trusted his ability to disguise himself and gather
information, but he was irritated with himself. After all, even after being rejected like that, he still cared about Bella.
— She said she doesn't want an older brother? Whatever, that stuck-up girl can do whatever she wants.
.
At the University
With her eyes swollen, Bella tried to hide them with makeup and focused on revising her speech for the competition presentation. She
didn't sleep all night, and her mind was a mix of feelings.
"Are you okay?" Haria was by her side the whole time, afraid that Noah would show up to cause trouble if he found out she had run
away.
— I am. I just need to go on stage, present everything I know to
the judges, hear the results and then go to sleep.
— Wrong! After the result, we will celebrate.
"....."
— Today, you have to win.
Bella's heart skipped a beat when she sat down in the seat reserved for the contestants and saw that, at the judges' table, the one sitting at the head of the table was Kayden.
— From what I've seen, the most promising contenders are Bella
and Mira. What do you think, Mr.Kayden?
The voice of one of the jurors, who had worked with Kayden for
a long time, made him look away from Bella and look at the documents in front of him.
— I believe Mira has more interesting information.
— If that's what you think, I'll give her my score as the winner.
The sudden change in Bella's expression made Kayden stop tapping his fingers on the table. He hated this side of herself. But who else could he blame but himself?
— But Bella's presentation is also very good.
— What?
— Judge fairly. You don't have to please me.
The contest was over, and Kayden left immediately. He didn't exchange words with anyone, nor did he even look at Bella to see
her expression. If he had looked, he would have seen that the girl was caught in a dilemma, hesitant, not having the courage to
approach or greet. Only then did she realize that what she had done the night before had not been kind at all.
It wasn't a matter of flattering someone powerful or rich, but simply wanting to apologize. That's all. After all, the concern
Kayden showed last night should not be ignored.
— What's wrong with you, Bee? You've been looking so sad since
morning.
Haria asked, noticing her friend's dejected expression. It didn't
seem to be because she had run away from home, since Bella had been thinking about it for a long time.
You don't decide to leave the home you've lived in all your life on a whim. Many things happened before she made that decision.
Besides, the results of the contest didn't seem to be the reason for
her mood.
— If you treated someone unpleasantly...
— Who?
— I'm not done talking yet — Bella sighed at the interruption.
— That depends. If it's someone important, I'd apologize. But if it's not, then there's no reason to worry. There are more important things in life than wasting time on people who aren't worth it, Bee.
Hearing this, Bella let out a deep sigh and nodded. I agreed with you Haria. You couldn't please everyone, but you also shouldn't be rude
to those who were good to you.
Even if I didn't know if that person had ulterior motives or not.
— I won't ask who it is, but if it's someone important, go and
apologize right away. Don't let this become a bigger problem.
Bella nodded again. After packing her things, she left the auditorium. As she made her way to her college building, Haria said goodbye to meet her girlfriend. But before reaching her destination,
Bella froze when she saw a familiar figure walking around the place.
Noah walked impatiently, constantly glancing at the elevator and stairs. His behavior was unsettling, almost threatening. Bella felt a
chill as she realized that he had probably already gone to her house and not found her. Maybe her mother had told him that she had run
away with her belongings.
She quickly hid behind a tree, biting her lip and clenching her fists.
It was obvious that neither her mother nor Noah would let her simply disappear. They knew where she studied, what her major
was, but fortunately, they didn't have detailed information about her schedule.
As she tried to think of what to do, her gaze fell on the figure of Kayden, talking to someone next to a familiar car. She remembered
the vehicle well, as she had been in it twice before.
— Thank you very much for participating in the competition, Mr.kayden.
— You're welcome. Anyway, it's part of the job. Besides, this way I can see if the money invested is going to those who really deserve it.
— You can trust me. The company will never allow its reputation to be tarnished, especially with these projects that have always helped build our image.
Kqyden nodded. It wasn't his first time as a judge. The company he ran with his mother and brother had been doing this kind of thing for a long time. Part of it was to attract media attention
without major investment, and part of it was to strengthen the company's image.
The small amount of money earmarked to provide opportunities for students did not compare to the benefits that this act brought.
— Have a good trip, sir.
The driver opened the back door for the boss and then hurried to take his post. But before the car could drive off, the other back door was abruptly opened, revealing Bella, who quickly climbed in.
"Hey!" " the driver exclaimed in surprise, getting out of the car to
try to remove the intruder. Kayden's security guards also moved
immediately. Someone having managed to get so close to their boss was unacceptable.
— Please let me go with you, Bella said directly to Kayden.