Part 43

Bella glanced at her watch before stealing another look at Claire. It wasn't time for them to check out of the hotel yet, but her friend was hastily packing her belongings after finishing her shower. Claire's sulky expression prompted Bella to refrain from asking too many questions, opting instead to follow her lead. She didn't want to be left alone in a city she didn't know.

Claire was truly leaving; she didn't even say goodbye or check on her niece. Bella merely trailed behind her, afraid to inquire further for fear of inciting her friend's anger.

The sun was beginning to set when Claire pulled over at a rest area. A few couples were capturing moments nearby, and Bella wondered if Claire had stopped for the same reason as the young lovers taking pictures.

But Bella was mistaken. Claire didn't stop for a photo op; she needed a moment to rest.

They sat down at one of the stalls and ordered food. Claire appeared to be in a slightly better mood, which finally encouraged Bella to ask her a question. "What's going on with you? You've been upset since yesterday. Is something bothering you?"

"What do you think is bothering me?" Claire retorted, crossing her arms.

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking," Bella replied curtly. "Is your frustration related to that trio from Italy?" she ventured, though she wasn't entirely certain.

"My problem is only with one of them," Claire replied bluntly.

"Which one?"

"Take a guess."

"Antony?" Bella deduced, recognizing that her friend always seemed different when near him. "What's going on with him?"

"From your perspective, how would you describe his relationship with Anastasia?" Claire asked in return, not bothering to look at Bella, acting as though the question was trivial. But Bella clearly thought otherwise.

"Why? Are you jealous of their relationship?" The question made Claire turn and look at Bella with a cynical expression. Bella merely grinned and shrugged. "I just want to know why you're asking because you're usually not the type to meddle in other people's relationships. It's surprising that you suddenly care about Big Boss's relationship with that woman, especially when we discussed it at the office a while back, and you seemed indifferent. If you're not jealous, then what's the reason?"

"Just answer my question. What do you think their relationship is like?"

"Intimate. Just like any typical couple," was Bella's simple response, and Claire chuckled at it.

"If suddenly, after witnessing that intimacy, he tells you he likes you, would you believe it?" Claire asked again.

Bella's eyes widened in disbelief as she turned to Claire. "What do you mean? Big Boss said he likes you?" she asked, her voice rising. Claire nodded. "How rude of him. What does he mean by saying that? This is basically sexual harassment," Bella grumbled, her expression clearly annoyed.

"Why are you upset?" Claire asked her friend.

"How can I not be? Just recently, he was openly hugging another woman in public, and now he says he likes you? Does he think we're the kind of women who would just accept that?

"I admit he's handsome, a billionaire too. His body is muscular and looks nice to touch. But that doesn't mean he can behave so recklessly. No matter how much of a jerk a man is, no matter how much of a playboy he is, he should at least give some space and respect his ex before moving on to another woman. If he immediately grabs another woman's hand after breaking up, it's the same as cheating before the breakup," she continued.

Claire just listened, nodding her head. A wry smile appeared on her face as she heard Bella's words, but it seemed Bella didn't notice.

"Then, if I reject him, it's okay, right?" Claire asked in a flat tone.

Bella now gave her full attention. "Do you like him?" Bella countered.

"I'm asking you, don't turn the question back on me," Claire snapped.

"Well, in my opinion, rejecting him is the right choice," Bella commented again. Claire looked at her and smiled.

"Why's that?"

"Because saying no makes more sense," she replied lightly. They resumed sitting, leaning back with their arms propped behind them. "We can't go against fate. If he's really meant for you, he won't run away. Even if we flee to the ends of the earth to escape, God will always find a way. But..." Bella paused, "we can choose to avoid it if we have the chance."

Claire glanced at Bella; the girl seemed to be staring off into the distance.

"If there's even a tiny bit of feeling in your heart for him, I wouldn't advise you to suppress it. If his feelings for you are genuine, give him time to fight for you. Let him show you how serious he is.

"I'm not ignoring this, but honestly, ever since he showed up at our branch, it felt strange. He usually doesn't get involved with us. If our office had issues, it was either Sir Altezza or Duncan who stepped in to handle things. But for the CEO to directly deal with a small branch like ours? That's surprising. So, clearly, there must be a specific reason for him to suddenly take an interest in our town after not showing his face for so long."

"Maybe he has the same reason as I did when I moved to Kansas: chasing love," Bella replied with a wry smile.

Yes, Bella also came from Manhattan, just like Antony. A few years ago, she had boldly moved to Kansas to pursue her love, but unfortunately, her love story ended badly when she was accused of cheating on her boyfriend. Although the reality was quite different.

"He moved to Kansas to be closer to his daughter," Claire said uncertainly.

"Must it be in this way? There are many other ways if he really wants to be closer to his daughter. One is moving her to Manhattan or coming here once a week. Hello, Manhattan and Kansas are close. If he couldn't make that sacrifice before, then there must be another reason for his move," Bella replied again. "And if he's this serious, then his desire to have you also must be serious. That makes much more sense," she continued, her gaze turning serious as she looked at Claire.

Suddenly, Bella sat up straight, crossing her legs. Her body was now fully facing Claire. "Just imagine, he's in our office—when he used to never show up. And the fact that he brought Abigail and his daughter here—again, that's not something he ever did. It seems strange. If he really wanted to spend time with his daughter, why here? Why not somewhere else she likes? What's the point of going through the trouble of attending his subordinate's wedding when if he were in Manhattan, he wouldn't even notice it?

"Have you ever seen him attend another employee's wedding? Or seen him go to console a colleague who faced a tragedy?"