Chapter 138: A Stifling Encounter
I gaped in disbelief. “What? What did she say?!” I shouted in a high voice that echoed through the room.
What kind of drama was she creating again? Why was the news on television earlier different from what was in this magazine?
Oh, damn! Dara was right, it seemed that only in this magazine Claretta was willing to speak out.
Immediately, I threw the magazine aside carelessly while cursing harshly.
“Shameless woman! Liar!” I yelled in anger.
My chest rose and fell as I held back my rage. I truly didn’t expect this. It was clear that at the hospital she herself had admitted Reno was her child, so why was it different in public?
My mind spun, trying to guess what had caused Claretta to change so quickly.
“What is she actually after? Her good name? Her career?” I asked myself in confusion.
My hatred for her grew even stronger because of this news. I truly hated her.
“Frel?”
Grandpa’s voice startled me, making my head turn reflexively.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah, Grandpa. I’m fine, Grandpa.” I greeted him with my usual cheerful face. “Since when have you been standing there?” I asked, trying to divert his attention.
“Really?” Grandpa asked to make sure, while looking at me closely.
I nodded firmly, then cleared my throat. “I’m really fine. By the way, how are my report card results? Grandpa has already picked them up, right?”
This Monday felt so nerve-wracking. This was the day we found out the results of each of our hard work. Even though today was specifically for collecting report cards, I deliberately didn’t go to school. I don’t know, this morning I felt very lazy. Besides, there was no other activity except waiting for the report cards to be brought out of the classroom by the parents.
I saw Grandpa smile. “Congratulations. You got second place in your class.”
“Wow, really, Grandpa?” I exclaimed in near disbelief. “You’re not joking to cheer me up, are you?”
Grandpa raised his thumb with a proud expression. “Why would Grandpa lie? This is purely the result of your hard work over this past semester.”
Grandma suddenly joined in beside Grandpa. “Frel, first place overall was achieved by Kenn.” Grandma’s eyes shone with admiration. “So impressive.”
I nodded in agreement with Grandma’s words. “He really is amazing.”
“He’s such a polite child and incredibly smart,” Grandma added.
“Yes, Grandma. I know that. His standards are always high,” I replied softly.
Even though I was a little annoyed seeing Grandma care more about Kenn’s grades than mine, I still smiled. I was also happy about Kenn’s achievement. It was only natural; he had been intelligent since birth. He could even be called a genius. Unlike me, who had to rack my brain and study harder to get a rank in class.
“Oh dear, Grandma almost forgot. Kevan is in the living room. I already made him some tea earlier. Go keep him company, it’s a pity if he has to wait too long.”
My smile faded instantly. “Kevan is here? Since when?” I asked in a suddenly heavy tone.
“He just arrived. It seems he wants to give you a surprise,” Grandma replied while tidying my hair a little.
“Alright, Grandma,” I replied as I walked out of the room.
When I thought about Kevan, I didn’t know what I should say to him later. After Reno’s death, I had truly kept my distance from him. I had deliberately asked him not to see me for a while.
At first, Kevan kept trying to meet me, especially after seeing me being chased by reporters these past few days. He was worried about me, but in the end I managed to convince him that I was fine. I just needed some space to calm my heart and clear my mind.
The problem was, the more I distanced myself from Kevan, the more often I met Kenn. We often went to the orphanage together to comfort Abel. We also frequently took Abel out to cheer him up and bring back the smile that had disappeared since Reno’s passing. Little by little, it made me realize that my feelings for Kenn were growing stronger every day.
Maybe, now was the time for me to be honest with Kevan.
When I arrived in the living room, I saw Kevan sitting on the sofa with his head lowered. Just as I was about to greet him, he suddenly looked up and immediately hugged me. I gasped at once.
“I miss you,” he said while holding me tightly. “Don’t stay away again, I feel so tortured because I can’t see you,” he whispered softly.
My body stiffened for a few moments. I winced when I heard that whisper in my ear.
Slowly, my hands lifted and returned his hug. “Kevan got first place in class, right?” I felt him nod as he answered my question. “I knew it. Congratulations.”
“Thank you. You too, congratulations on your ranking.” Not long after, Kevan released our embrace and smiled at me. “I’m proud of you, Frel. You can still give your best even though the situation is difficult,” he added while stroking the top of my head.
I nodded softly and smiled back.
We fell silent. I studied Kevan’s face as he looked at me intently. There was deep longing in his gaze. I even saw faint dark circles under his eyes.
Had Kevan not been sleeping well? Did he miss me so much that it disturbed his rest? Could the impact really be that big?
Oh God, why was I starting to feel guilty like this?
No. I must not back down. I had to say everything now. I didn’t want to lie to him any longer.
“I want to talk about something,” I said carefully.
“About what?” Kevan looked at me while holding both my hands. “Just say it, I’ll listen to everything,” he said gently.
I bit my lower lip. “About ... our relationship.”
Kevan fell silent. His gaze suddenly went blank. But it was only for a moment, because afterward he smiled again, even though it looked empty in my eyes.
“How about we talk at my house? My dad and mom asked me to pick you up. They were very worried when they saw the video of you at the hospital being discussed in various mass media,” he said.
I weighed it over while glancing toward the slightly open door. The atmosphere had returned to being quiet, unlike the previous days when reporters crowded in front of the house.
Could it be that today they had also read the news in the magazine I read earlier? About Claretta telling her lies, so they thought there was no need to chase me anymore? But was it really that easy for them to believe Claretta’s words?
Even though I hated using that as a reason, at least I was quite glad to know that in the coming days there would be no one disturbing my life anymore.
I looked back at Kevan and shook my head weakly. “Sorry, it’s better if we talk here. I don’t want to go anywhere today.”
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