Chapter 116 Bella’s Visit

Chapter 116 Bella’s Visit
Jasmine’s POV

I thought I’d finally wake up from this nightmare if I gave it some time, but it was never one.

I couldn’t sleep last night, or eat. In fact, I couldn’t function at all.

Xavier tried his best to comfort me, but I think he finally understood it wasn’t something he could fix.

Every day, life somehow finds different ways to remind me that I’ll always be in distress, making the princess title taste sour.

I thought if I finally processed this, I’d find a better way to handle it, but I was lying to myself.

I’ve just been stuck in a loop of crying, thinking, hating on myself, blaming life, and crying again.

Is this what people call exhaustion?

Cause I have finally hit the bottom.

I doubt I can go any lower than this.

This situation doesn’t look like it can be salvaged.

Painting something else just for the purpose of presenting something at the exhibition defeats the purpose.

Another uncomfortable problem is that, just like others, Bella also found out about this, and somehow found a way to be here, but it only makes me feel worse.

Although she might have genuine intentions to comfort, and try to be here for me, she’s also a reminder of how rough my journey through life has been.

I thought forgiving her would be easy, but forgetting how much her words sting is the problem.

Also, unlike me, who has given up on everything concerning my life, Xavier still tried to reach out to the hall’s security, demanding the CCTV footage, only to be told it was damaged.

I’ve been in my head too long that I haven’t taken time to think of who the perpetrator could be.

With how things are going, it’s someone bigger than me.

Cause how did the person gain access to the hall?

And how was the person able to disable the cameras?

“What could the person possibly gain by doing this?”

This voice is different from the one in my head, that’s when I look up and realize that Bella has been talking this whole time.

“Do you have anyone you think you offended, or suspect?”

Through my blurry eyes, I can see the concern written all over her face, but is it our place to do the investigating?

Since the authorities came to know of this, my phone has been blowing up. They seem more interested in the case than my well-being, given how much effort the person went to in order to pull this off.

The school’s security system is being threatened, that’s why they want to see me.

I genuinely understand where they’re coming from, but they might think this painting, to me, is nothing but an assignment and a final goodbye to the school, but it’s far from that.

Back to Bella’s question. The only person I can think of is Chloe, and it’s not like I’m blaming her or anything, but the timing.

I was never meant to see her that day, and right after, my painting was destroyed, plus she’s the only person I can think of who’d want to get back at me.

She also has the means to do that.

But the real question is, how would she know that destroying the painting would deeply affect me?

It could be just another project to her.

Another thought comes to my mind, what if I’m wrong?

Then who else could I suspect?

I don’t think any of my coursemates would deliberately do that, knowing how important it is.

I just don’t know what I’m thinking anymore.

The fact is, I have a clock that’s ticking fast, counting down to the exhibition, which is just in two days.

How am I supposed to come up with something?

Thinking of a suspect wouldn’t help me out, instead it would derail my attention from what’s important.

“You can’t think of anyone at all?” She asks, writing something in what I’ve come to know as her investigation book.

The same book she used to track my mom.

Fuck. I shouldn’t be thinking of anyone or anything that would make me break down.

“Chloe.” I say, my throat dry.

Her forehead creases, before she quirks,

“Chloe?”

I take a deep breath before looking at her, “Yes.”

“Why her?”

“She’s the only person I can think of.” I manage to add.

She pauses, an indescribable expression flashing through her eyes, before she surprises me with her next words,

“I doubt it’s her.”

A long silence passes between us, before I state, my voice shaky,

“I saw her.”

Her eyes immediately widen, maybe in shock or surprise. Or both.

“You saw her destroy your painting?”

There’s something odd in her voice, or maybe I’m overthinking things.

Besides, I’m not in the right frame of mind to discern tones right now.

“I saw her in front of the hall two days before the painting was… des… des…” I quiver, finding it hard to say the word I so much wish was a lie.

Bella shifts in her seat before leaning closer,

“We shouldn’t be randomly blaming innocent people.”

This throws me off.

Nothing actually prepared me for this.

Earlier on, wasn’t she so quick to blame Chloe for starting the rumor? We even had an argument about that, so what changed?

Or is she trying to be the sane, rational one among us, since my own mind is so strained?

But it doesn’t make any sense.

She looks away before adding, “She’d be an easy target, given your past.”

I rub my hand through my hair, still finding it hard to believe what I’m hearing.

There’s some sense in what she’s saying, but I’m just this shocked because it’s her saying it.

“Setting Chloe aside, who else can you think of?”

“I don’t know.”

“Try to think.”

Is she deliberately being insensitive right now?

Come to think of it, she never even asked me what I plan to do concerning the exhibition, and I understand that her being here should be enough, but shouldn’t that have been the first thing?

One of my lecturers, whose call I managed to pick up among the others, advised me to submit one of my completed paintings, since either way it’d still be outstanding, as they can’t move the date of the exhibition.

If she can think of what my next move should be, why not my best friend?

“Jasmine…”

“What!” I snap, rising from my seat.

I am too tired.

My tone must have angered her, cause I can almost see steam coming out of her nostrils.

“Aren’t you just ungrateful?” She starts, and I try to walk away, but she blocks me. “I’m trying to be here for you, and in return, you choose to take your aggression out on me.”

I am definitely not in the mood for this, so I enter my room, shutting the door with a loud bang.

The only question that lingers in my mind is,

Why did mentioning Chloe change her mood?