The night before, Simon had confirmed her identity, and Edward Cullen had been eager to see her again. But instead, he found her crying for money. As a child, she was the least likely to cry; no matter how wronged she felt, she would only ever let her eyes redden, never allowing the tears to fall. The only time she would cry at the drop of a hat was when she was coaxing him, her tears as performative as an art.
But she had cried, just as she had on the day he took her away from her familys home, her tears pitiful and heart-wrenching.
In these six years, she had changed a great deal, no longer the same little girl from his memories. Her once round, apple-like face had thinned, her chin becoming slightly pointed, her skin still pleasingly fair, the kind of translucent health that was pleasing to the eye.
However, there was an unsightly scar marring her face, a grotesque patch as large as three fingers, distorting her features.
Aside from this blemish, her eyes remained clear and penetrating, as if capable of seeing straight through to ones soul.
His gaze traveled downward, lingering on her slender neck, coming to rest on the collarbone visible at the neckline of her shirt. The mole on the left side was gone, replaced by a scar, now healed with fresh skin.
"Mr. Edward, as you can see, we cannot sell the orphanage. We hope you can be accommodating," Bella Swan said, feeling somewhat uncomfortable under his scrutiny, her forehead beading with a thin layer of sweat, yet she sat straight and showed no signs of retreat.
The fifty million could not only buy the orphanage but also the nearby land. If he intended to use the money as leverage for the acquisition, she was prepared to deny any obligation, especially since there was no written agreement.
Edward rested his hand on the armrest of the wooden sofa, tapping it rhythmically, and casually uttered two words: "Why should I accommodate?"
Bella was taken aback, nearly blurting out: Because youre foolishly wealthy and burning with extravagance.
At that moment, the door to the reception room was pushed open, and a young man dressed in a tailored suit entered.
The man had a pleasant face, but his expression was as cold as the man before her, making it hard to meet his gaze directly.
It was Simon, the same person who had written her the check at the hospital the other night. Bella calmly averted her gaze, hearing his respectful voice. "Mr. Edward."
"Get me a bottle of water from the car," Edward said, lifting his eyelids with a cool tone.
Simon nodded slightly and then retreated.
Bella composed herself, stood up as calmly as she could, and bowed deeply to Edward. "Thank you, Mr. Edward, for your generous help the other night. However, I hope your presence here today is not an attempt to use that fifty million as an excuse to acquire the orphanage."
"Hmm." Edward looked at her flushed face with interest, a glimmer of unknown light flickering in his eyes. She had become more independent during the six years they were apart.
Considering she didnt remember, he didnt mind teaching her again.
"Mr. Edward?" Bella couldnt quite fathom his reaction, and a sense of unease gradually spread within her.
"Darcy Enterprises doesnt lack land," Edwards eyes grew warmer with amusement, lifting his lips as he slowly stood up. "However, it seems youre unaware that the orphanage has already been mortgaged to Darcy Enterprises."
"What..." Bella was taken aback, instinctively following up. "When did the headmistress mortgage the orphanage to Darcy Enterprises?"
"Think about how to retrieve the property deed of the orphanage and then come to Darcy Enterprises headquarters to see me," Edwards voice was cold, turning around and walking out without hesitation.
He suddenly felt that his life moving forward was filled with amusement.
Bella stood there, dazed, unable to gather her thoughts for a long while. The air seemed to still hold the scent of his cologne, and outside the window, the sun shone brightly, but all she felt was a chill throughout her body.
The headmistress had actually mortgaged the orphanage to Darcy Enterprises...
After seeing the guests off, the vice principal asked her how the discussion went, but Bella didnt know what to say, shaking her head, at a complete loss, and returned to the staff building.
Claire had already woken up and was sitting by the window, applying her makeup.
Bella wordlessly flung herself onto the bed, pulling the covers over her head. The vice principal obviously didnt know that the orphanage had already been mortgaged. How much money did the headmistress take, she didnt know for sure, but it must have been a substantial sum.
Otherwise, the CEO of Darcy Enterprises wouldnt have personally visited to discuss the acquisition.
The more Bella thought about it, the more she felt that the headmistress and the others had their secrets, including Claire.
Weary, she closed her eyes, but all she saw was money flying everywhere.
She needed to make money, lots and lots of it! That way, she wouldnt have to beg for help when faced with difficulties. But as a freshman in college, where could she possibly make money? She couldnt very well sell herself, could she?
She bit her lip, feeling more agitated.
"Since its a rare day off, arent you going to go out with Jake?" Claire said, her gaze disdainful as she glanced at Bella, walking over to the wardrobe, picking out a very sexy dress, and changing right in front of her.
Bella opened her eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling, not even looking at her.
Last month, the owner of the grocery store next door had immigrated, selling his land and property for about seven million. The amount the headmistress must have gotten from mortgaging the orphanage to Darcy Enterprises couldnt have been less than that sum.
Why would she take so much money and not keep it for her treatment?
"Youre acting strange. Im talking to you," Claire said, now fully dressed,Very angry staring at her.
Some people are born with an irresistible aura, and Bella could be considered one of them. Even without any expression, her face, marred by the scar, gave her a look of vulnerability, as if she needed to be cared for.
That was what had captivated Jake and likely young Master Keung from the family that regularly donated to the orphanage. But she knew very well that Bella was like a hedgehog.
"Hes very busy. Hell call me when he has time," Bella replied, letting out a long breath. "Are you going for tutoring?"
"Im meeting up with friends for shopping," Claire huffed, grabbing her bag and leaving without looking back.
How could she be so calm, so trusting of Jake!
At four in the afternoon, Bella rushed to the hospital to visit the headmistress. Seeing that she was awake brought her some relief. She wanted to ask why she had mortgaged the orphanage to Darcy Enterprises but decided against it when she saw how tired she seemed and left quietly.
Exiting the hospital lobby, Jake suddenly called to say he had to go on a business trip and might not be back for a week. He told her to be safe and take care of herself.
Bella listened to his nagging with a curved mouth, put away her phone, and walked lightly towards the wedding dress shop.
There was no modeling job tonight, but she needed to go to Fifth Avenue and Times Square to distribute flyers.
When she arrived, the rest of her colleagues had already changed into their outfits. Bella went to the changing room, put on a small evening dress, slung a backpack with the shops logo on it, and walked over with her colleagues.
Catherines Milra bridal shop was very close to Fifth Avenue, just a few minutes away.
Bella received her stack of flyers, parted ways with her colleagues, and stood to the right of the entrance to distribute them.
As the sky darkened, the heat dissipated, and a cool breeze blew in from between the high-rise buildings.
She took a moment to count the remaining flyers in her hand and was relieved to find there werent many left.
Just as she was finishing up, she glanced up and saw Jakes car pulling into a parking spot. Her eyes brightened instantly, but that brightness turned cold in a flash, her smile freezing on her lips.