Chapter 94 - Temporary Return

Tonight, Angeline sent Bella a message. (Hi Bella, how are you, Bella?) (Forgive me, Ellie. I really want to return your painting, but there always seems to be an obstacle.) (It's okay; maybe the missing painting would rather be with Bella than with me. It doesn't bother me now.) "Did she really let it go because of Alex's proposal? Should I ask her? Oh no, she'll probably be surprised if I do." (How long will Ellie be in New York?) (I will be here for the next 6 months. Is there anything I should do before I go back to Paris?) "How can I continue to hide as Bella?" Bryan sighed. Bryan began to lean back on the bed. This time he wasn't wearing the same pajamas he had three years ago. He and Angeline resumed their seemingly real communication, although they only talked through chat. He felt as if he could see Angeline next to him, and Angeline felt as if she could see Bella next to her. (Bella, something has been bothering me all day.) (Oh, really? If there is, Ellie shouldn't keep it to herself. If you keep it bottled up, it'll just make Ellie age faster. So go ahead and tell me.) (I thought it was a happy event, but after facing it, it turns out I was just trying to convince myself it was happy when it wasn't.) (Oh... is it a painful memory?) (That's right, even though it's painful, it's a beautiful memory. I suffered, but I was happy. And I'm happy, but I'm suffering). (I have some advice for Ellie; I don't know if it's useful, but if this memory is really painful, then never forget it. Instead, keep it safe in the part of your heart that's still empty.) (I accept this advice. Now I can feel comfortable, especially since there's a man waiting for me. Maybe I can choose this man without having to forget the painful memories.) (Cheer up, Ellie, you can do it. Good night.) Bryan finished sending messages to Angeline. His heart still hurt when Angeline said she would accept Alex as her partner. But what could Bryan do? He couldn't complain or object. Because he and Angeline no longer had a relationship. Alex has already seen the house where he will live during his time in New York. As he was leaving, he ran into Sera. They both stopped because they felt like they knew each other. "Hey Alex, are you here?" "Yeah, I live here. Do you live here too?" "Yes, we're neighbors now." "If I may ask, are you and Bryan still together?" "Alex, such questions are not appropriate for neighbors, especially since we just became neighbors today." "Ah, I'm sorry if I offended you." "Yes, I'm going in now." Alex nodded and smiled awkwardly. In his office, Bryan had an uninvited guest. It was Sera's mother, who burst into Bryan's room despite John's attempts to stop her. "You can't enter without permission," John protested as he tried to block her. Bryan was surprised and recognized who had arrived. "Leave it, John, you can go," Bryan said, allowing Sera's mother to sit down. "Please, have a seat," Bryan offered as he sat across from Sera's mother. "Do young people nowadays still become friends after breaking up?" "Yes, that's true. Sera and I are good friends now. And we-" "Only Bryan can do that, while Sera can't. Mr. President Bryan, do you know how much Sera cries every day after meeting you?" "Ma'am, Sera and I agreed to separate, so we can be good friends now." "No, only Bryan can stay calm and be friends with Sera, while Sera can't. First you managed to play with her and now you're manipulating her. You're really something," Sera's mother said harshly. "Do you realize your words were too much?" "What? I've been grooming Sera to be a prima donna since she was a child. But in an instant, Bryan can ruin everything. Bryan made Sera quit ballet. In this case, who went too far? Me or Bryan? Please don't meet Sera if it's just for your convenience. I won't forgive you if you make Sera's life more miserable! Sera's mother threatened and left without listening to Bryan's explanation. Meanwhile, Angeline was in a newly rented studio, looking very happy because she could build her own studio. "For now, you can work on a project I received a while ago. I hope you're ready for it, Ellie," said a man who served as Angeline's manager. "So soon, Kevin?" "Yes, please check it out first. The sooner the better, right?" Angeline accepted and was surprised to find out that the project was a collaboration between Ellie and Bryan's company. "Is Ellie very surprised to get her first project with such a big company?" Kevin asked as he noticed Angeline's expression change. "Did she really ask for it?" "Yes, I've reviewed the project contract, so all Ellie has to do is sign it as approval." "May I read this project contract again?" "Of course," Kevin said and excused himself. Angeline consulted with Attorney Yasser about the project. Lawyer Yasser read the contract and advised Angeline to accept the offer from Bryan's company. "But this is my first project in New York and for some reason working with Bryan bothers me." "Angeline, isn't it a good thing to work for the first time with someone you already know? If Angeline refuses just because it's Bryan, won't it look like Angeline is running away from something?" "Should I accept?" Angeline asked, still unsure. Meanwhile, Bryan was thinking about everything Sera's mother had said to him earlier. Suddenly, John came in with a basket of food for him. One basket was filled with chocolates and candies, while the other contained marshmallows and macaroons. It was all sweet food, and Bryan looked at John in front of him, seemingly ready to get angry. But Bryan ended up crying dramatically. Sobbing, and John thought Bryan was deeply moved by what he had done. "Mr. President, are you moved by what I did?" "No, I want all this sweet food taken away from me. It gives me a headache," Bryan ordered, pretending to cry. "Then is there something you want to eat?" "I want something not so sweet, but something that makes me feel warm. Something that warms my heart," Bryan said with a wistful look. "Ah... hot noodles?" John guessed without understanding what Bryan meant. "No, you eat it all or throw it away. I don't want to eat!"