Chapter 28: Fear

At home, Angeline, who had changed her clothes, looked at the clock, which showed it was past eleven at night. She checked her phone, but found no messages or missed calls. Angeline waited restlessly, even hesitating to call Bryan, who had left without saying a word. Angeline tried to sleep, covering herself with a blanket and turning off the light. But not even a minute passed before she uncovered herself and turned the light back on. She couldn't seem to fall asleep at all. Her anxious feelings prevented Angeline from closing her eyes. Her mind kept replaying the events at the restaurant earlier. She thought about the things Bryan always seemed suspicious about. Even the presence of the security guards who constantly monitored their surroundings to ensure Bryan's safety. Angeline had never imagined that being a successful entrepreneur meant living with constant anxiety and lack of freedom. The threat to Bryan's safety was very real, and Angeline felt guilty for previously thinking that Bryan was all about work and didn't care about her. In reality, Bryan carried a heavy burden. He had to be careful around everyone, even his own stepmother. Angeline didn't know how to react to all this new knowledge. It was possible that there was much more about Bryan that she didn't know. Unable to sleep, Angeline left her bedroom and sat down in the living room. She turned on the television, but her mind was still preoccupied with the events of the day. Bryan's erratic behavior made it impossible for her to understand him at all. How could Bryan make her so curious that she wanted to know more about him? She wanted to know about his life, the challenges he had faced, and everything he had experienced. She wanted to know everything. But it was clear that she wouldn't be able to find out everything about Bryan. Bored, Angeline stretched out on the sofa and watched whatever was on TV. She couldn't concentrate on the show and had no idea what was happening. Eventually, Angeline fell asleep with the remote still in her hand. The ringing of the doorbell woke Angeline from her slumber. "Oh, who could ring the doorbell at this hour?" Angeline wondered as she looked at the wall clock, which now showed that it was nine in the morning. "Oh no! I overslept," Angeline exclaimed, hurrying to her bedroom. Just then, Bryan entered and saw Angeline, disheveled and stumbling. "Where are you going?" Bryan asked, confused. "Did you just get home?" Angeline inquired, noticing that Bryan was still wearing the same clothes as the night before. "Yes, I had to work late and came home to change," Bryan replied before heading to his room. "You don't sleep in the bedroom?" Bryan asked before entering. Bryan checked on Angeline again before entering the bedroom. "You didn't even sleep in the bedroom last night?" Bryan teased with a slight smile. Angeline was silent, embarrassed that she had slept on the living room couch with the lights on. She tried to explain, "I was feeling anxious and couldn't sleep. I was afraid something would happen to you." Bryan felt warmth in his heart as he heard Angeline's words. He wanted to keep her safe and worry-free. Despite his often dangerous job, he didn't want Angeline to be involved in any of it. "Well, I'm here now, so you don't have to worry anymore," Bryan reassured her, gently holding Angeline's hand. Angeline smiled, relieved that Bryan had returned safely. However, her curiosity and desire to understand Bryan and his life only grew stronger. But for now she had to suppress these feelings and simply said, "I'm glad you're back, Bryan. Bryan replied with a gentle smile, "I'm glad to be back too. They both entered the bedroom, planning to spend the day together, even though the outside world was filled with mystery and unexpected danger. "No, I fell asleep here." "You should sleep in the bedroom, it can't be comfortable to sleep on the couch," Bryan said before heading into the bedroom. Angeline smiled, appreciating Bryan's caring gesture. Angeline had already showered and changed into fresh clothes. She was sitting at the dining table eating her toast when Bryan emerged from the bedroom, dressed differently and getting ready to leave. "Aren't you going to eat breakfast?" Angeline asked Bryan, who walked past her without saying a word. "I already had breakfast. You go ahead and finish yours," Bryan replied as he left the house. Angeline could only sigh sadly as Bryan once again seemed distant and unwilling to join her for breakfast. She watched Bryan's car leave the driveway with a dejected expression, resigned to his departure. "What am I doing?" Angeline muttered to herself, suddenly remembering her flowers. "Oh my goodness... how could I forget all of you?" Angeline exclaimed as she entered the backyard and saw her fresh and beautiful flowers. "They've grown so well," Angeline commented as she began to water her beloved plants. Her mood lifted and her sadness over Bryan's aloofness began to dissipate, replaced by the joy of tending to her flowers. Angeline was filled with enthusiasm and impatience as she expected her flowers to grow beautifully and healthily. "They must be feeling very refreshed. Grow fast and give me some beautiful flowers." "Are you taking good care of them?" a man's voice suddenly asked from behind, startling Angeline. Unintentionally, Angeline sprayed the water she was holding onto Nicolas, who had apparently been standing there for who knew how long. "Oh, I'm sorry! Why did you sneak up on me like that?" Angeline asked startled, dropping the hose to the floor. Nicolas wiped his face, looking a bit annoyed. "Am I a flower too? Why are you watering me like that?" Nicolas asked. Angeline handed him a small towel that was lying nearby. "I didn't know you were here. You should have told me!" Angeline protested irritated. "Didn't you notice that I've been here for half an hour?" Nicolas asked, confused. "What? How could I not notice that you were here?" Angeline replied in surprise. "I don't know... I thought you were in a bad mood. But suddenly you were smiling and dancing with the flowers here." "I didn't dance! I was just happy to see them growing well." "You're right. How did you manage to take care of them when it rained so hard two days ago?" Angeline glared at Nicolas, making him feel surprised and guilty. He wasn't sure what he had done wrong, but Angeline's look was a powerful accusation. "Why were you so hard to reach yesterday? I almost went crazy trying to save them from dying from the night rain!" Angeline scolded, frustrated. "Oh... you called me?" "Yes! Several times, but you didn't answer." "I'm sorry, I... had some urgent matters and couldn't take your calls," Nicolas replied, realizing that he had to go to the hospital immediately because his sibling was in a critical condition and couldn't be left alone. However, Nicolas didn't mention this to Angeline, which led to a misunderstanding. "You are so irresponsible! You said I could call you anytime! But you disappeared when all these flowers were about to die!" "I know, I am very sorry. That's why I came today even though you didn't call me. But I was surprised to see that all these flowers have survived and are thriving again." "Of course, my hands are magical and can bring everything back to life." "I'm not sure it was you who did it." "Ah... you're so annoying. Can't you just pretend and assume that I saved those flowers?" "Fine, I'll take it that way. But who was kind enough to help you save everything? They must be a great gardener." "I also wonder how they could be such a good gardener. They didn't seem like the kind of people who liked to get their hands dirty in the dirt," Angeline said, remembering the previous day.