Chapter 50 Chapter 50
Grace's arrival instantly silenced the crowd. Nathan stood in the center of the group and turned to look at her. His expression was complex, revealing an unmistakable pain and disappointment, mixed with anger and resentment. In that moment, Grace sensed the unusual feelings this boy harbored for her.
He glanced at her, then turned back to stare at the two girls before saying anything else. He picked up his backpack and started walking toward the exit.
"Nathan," Grace called calmly. "Your show is about to start. Go backstage and get ready.”
Nathan paused out of courtesy, then turned and strode toward the backstage area.
Only then did Grace turn to the two girls. The one who’d been hit covered her face, lowered her head, and avoided Grace’s gaze. Her companion looked back defiantly. "Ms. Hill," she challenged. "Nathan hits someone, and that’s it? Are you going to cover for him?"
Grace replied earnestly, "Of course not. But we're in the middle of rehearsal, and it's not good to waste everyone's time over this. Eva—your name is Eva, right? Hang in there for a moment. After Nathan finishes this song, I'll have him take you to the hospital for a checkup. Don't worry; you can come back late. I'll handle getting permission from your counselor.”
The worst damage from a slap is psychological, not physical. Going to the hospital is unnecessary. Hearing Grace say this, the two girls were at a loss. They exchanged glances, and the one who had spoken up earlier continued, "Going to the hospital isn't necessary. Just make him apologize to us publicly."
"An apology is essential, but it's not enough. No matter what, boys shouldn't hit girls.” Grace smiled faintly, paused deliberately, then added, "But as girls, constantly using the word 'bitch' isn't right either. Don't you agree?"
A few people around them couldn’t help but laugh. The two girls' faces looked extremely uncomfortable. However, Grace had been careful not to leave herself open to criticism. She spoke in the tone of a teacher guiding her students, leaving no room for anyone to find fault. Besides throwing a tantrum, they really had no other way to respond.
But they only had the courage to gossip about her behind her back. They wouldn't dare insult her to her face—after all, Grace was their teacher.
Grace paid them no further mind. She merely clapped her hands and called out, "Everyone, stop crowding around! Get back to what you were doing!"
The two girls turned and walked away first, and the crowd quickly dispersed. Attention refocused on the stage. Though most had missed the end of the performance, the audience still gave the performers a generous round of applause as they exited.
The lights flickered on and off before music began to play. Within seconds, Grace recognized it as Blue's "U Make Me Wanna." Normally a high-energy track perfect for hyping up the crowd, the tempo unexpectedly slowed after the intro.
Surprised, Grace looked up. Onstage, Nathan sat alone on a barstool, cradling his guitar. With his head bowed, he sang softly. The clear, pure tones of the acoustic guitar blended with his gentle, smooth vocals, creating a sound that was undeniably pleasant yet faintly sad.
Grace couldn't help but frown slightly. For a moment, she found this young man, who was nearing the end of his youth, rather troublesome. It seemed as if he hadn't caused her enough trouble and was determined to cause her more.
Sure enough, the department chair summoned her again the next morning. Grace was prepared and responded calmly, "I believe I handled this correctly. Could you point out what I said was wrong?"
She hadn't said anything wrong, leaving the chair with no grounds to criticize her. Unable to find fault, the chair finally offered a mild admonition: “Students these days are a sensitive bunch. You should really be more careful, especially when interacting with them. Mind your boundaries and keep things appropriate.”
In the past, Grace would never have tolerated such remarks. But after her experience with Benjamin, these words and incidents were trivial for her now. She had no desire to get entangled in this with the department head. Hearing this, she merely nodded, responding, "All right, I'll be more careful in the future."
Her attitude was so good that the department chair felt somewhat guilty toward her. He added, "Ms. Hill, rest assured that the school still has great confidence in you. Keep up the good work. Everyone sees your efforts.”
Grace maintained her faint smile and said, "I will."
Returning to her office, she retrieved the secret phone. Her old classmate hadn't replied, likely still searching for useful leads. She switched the phone off and stowed it away. Then she scribbled notes on paper about Benjamin and Alex's respective events and speculated where their paths might have crossed.
Benjamin had left the country three years ago while Alex remained incarcerated. If the current Benjamin is Alex, who was Alex back then? Where had the real Benjamin gone—the twenty-year-old who had taken the helm of the company and transformed Norman Science into the economic powerhouse it is now in just a few short years?
Was it reincarnation? Had Alex died only to be reborn as Benjamin, their souls merging? But how could a fugitive like Alex have possibly mastered Norman Science? Oh—Benjamin was still in Spain. He even spoke Spanish!
Was there any better explanation than a ghost possessing him?
No, she refused to believe it. Death meant the end of the soul. Rebirth was a ridiculous fantasy concocted by people—something that did not exist in reality.
If rebirth wasn't related to souls, then it must mean that three years ago, the real Alex had been secretly swapped out of prison. The imposter went to jail in his place while the real Alex left the country under the name Benjamin. But how could two living men swap places in plain sight? Wouldn't that leave traces to be discovered? Who could endure prison while guarding such a secret and awaiting execution? Who was the man ultimately put to death?
If only Officer Meyer were still alive.
Grace pressed her lips together, hesitated for a moment, and then stood up. She shredded the paper with her doodles before putting on her coat and heading out. There was a card-operated public phone in the lobby downstairs, but she ignored it and walked straight out the main entrance of the administration building. She stopped at a random phone booth by the roadside and dialed Wendy.
After several rings, Wendy answered, sounding surprised. "Ms. Hill, what a coincidence! I just entered the H University campus and was heading to the German department to find you!"
Grace also found it coincidental. She asked Wendy which gate she was at and instructed her to walk in slowly while Grace hurried over to meet her. Wendy's pace was clearly much slower than Grace's. Grace walked straight to the swimming pool before finally seeing Wendy approach.
She wasn't alone.
Grace paused slightly, then strode forward and bowed politely as she looked at the elderly woman in the wheelchair. "Hello, Mrs. Meyer."