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White Bellflowers
NovelShort
new
Hoàn thành
I showed up out of nowhere, right in front of my out-of-town boyfriend. He looked fresh and clean, a bunch of lisianthus cradled in his hands. "Cary." The moment he turned and saw me, the smile froze ...
Chương (4)
第1章
I showed up out of nowhere, right in front of my long-distance boyfriend.
He looked crisp and clean, a bunch of bellflowers cradled in his hands.
"Cary Joyce."
The instant he turned and saw me, the smile froze on his lips.
All that was left in his eyes was guilt and fear. "What are you doing here?"
I lowered my head and smiled.
I hadn't laid eyes on the girl myself.
But I knew there was no point dragging this out any longer.
1
I asked, knowing full well what the answer was. "Aren't you happy to see me?"
Cary just kept repeating the same question. "You, how did you get here?"
He gave me a stiff, awkward smile. "Happy, of course I'm happy, why wouldn't I be. It's just, I've got a dinner with the guys in a bit, and you..."
Cary was still young. He couldn't hide what he felt.
He was working out how to turn me away, how to not bring me along.
I didn't give him the time. I flagged down a cab. "Come on. I'll go with you."
In the car, Cary gritted his teeth and gave the address.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his hands shaking as he typed.
I was six years older than him. All through his four years of college, I'd covered everything, food, clothes, a roof, all of it.
A tab of ten grand or so on a night out, I never blinked at.
He was young, a little stubborn, and I never got angry at him for it.
He thought I was just naturally this easygoing.
I tilted my head and looked at the hair tie around his wrist.
But this time, he'd pushed it a little too far.
Cary's thumbs flew as he answered messages, head down, sweat beading heavier and heavier on his forehead.
I stole a glance.
In his group chat, they'd already made me the topic.
【No way, dude, who is she? That woman six years older, the one throwing herself at you?】
【He's shameless, chasing you all the way out here!】
【Is she next to you right now? Take a good sniff, does she reek of old lady? Hahahaha!】
【Cary, you can actually stomach that? You've got some nerve, respect, man! Hahahaha!】
Cary shut off his phone, irritated.
When he turned to look out the window, he was clearly somewhere else.
"The thing tonight, it's a dinner with my classmates, just guys drinking together, you won't be comfortable, right? Maybe you should..."
The driver turned his head. "Here you are."
I got out and headed toward the entertainment club.
Cary trailed behind me, head down. I kept my eyes on him and needled him on purpose. "What was that you just said?"
He raised his head, then slid his eyes away from mine. "Next time you come, at least give me a heads-up."
I smiled faintly. "I spoiled your fun, is that it?"
"That's not what I meant. Forget it, there's no talking to you. Let's just go in."
Cary rushed ahead, his steps getting quicker and quicker, like he couldn't wait to leave me behind.
Around a corner, he got far ahead.
The manager beside me let out a little sound of surprise.
"Oh? Ms. Matthews? What brings you to Harborview? I honestly had no idea, or I'd have brought people to welcome you in advance."
He glanced at the private room behind him. "We just got in a few good bottles. Let me send some over for you to try!"
"Sure."
I pushed past the man in front of me and walked into the room.
The whole place was thick with smoke.
Colored spotlights cut through the haze.
The moment I stepped in, a sharp reek of alcohol hit me.
One sweep of the room, men and women pressed together, grinding to the music.
This was nothing like the simple get-together Cary had described.
Cary was hemmed in at the center of them.
The one draped all over him, arm slung across his shoulders, was his roommate.
"Has the six-years-older granny shown up yet?"
"She's back there."
Then the laughter burst out.
They were all ribbing him. "Cary, who are those flowers for? Our little schoolmate, or the rich old granny?"
"Cary, why are you so late? You've worked up a sweat."
"Hahaha, somebody's worried about him."
"Diana's hands are nice and cool, why don't you go cool your Cary down a little."
"Hahahaha!"
I pulled out a chair and sat down off to the side.
My gaze landed on this girl they called Diana.
Diana Fletcher. Bellflowers.
That bouquet was for her.
第2章
Cary shoved the flowers into my arms.
"Welcome," he said.
I took them. "Thanks."
But they weren't mine. I didn't want them.
I turned and dropped them straight into the trash, then wiped the wet off my hand across Cary's face.
"You know I'm a clean freak."
Cary gripped my hand hard, teeth clenched, voice low. "There are people watching. Give me some face."
I let out a soft laugh. I hadn't even sat back down.
Then I watched the girl push her way in front of me, throw an arm around Cary's shoulder, rise up on her toes, and lick every drop off his face.
The room burst into screams.
Cary shoved her off in an instant, staring at me in terror.
Like the rest of them, I smiled and clapped for their nerve.
"Sara, Diana's had too much to drink. You don't mind, right?"
One of Cary's buddies came to the rescue with a bottle in hand.
"Come on, Sara's not that type. She's seen storms bigger than this. She's not going to lose it over some kid."
"Besides, those two are thick as thieves. If something was going to happen, it'd have happened already."
Cary was explaining too. "I only think of her as a little sister. Picking a fight with a young girl would make you look small."
Very high-minded words, except he was quietly dragging her behind him, shielding her completely.
Two of Cary's buddies pulled her back with them. "Cary, come here. You don't have to explain all that to her."
Cary frowned. "She's not like other people. She's got a temper."
The few of them murmured advice.
"Oh, you don't get it. However different she is, isn't she still a woman? With this many of us here, she's got to give us some face. Just sweet-talk her later when you're home and it'll blow over."
"Right, with this many people around, no matter how big her temper is she'll have to swallow it."
I took a sip of the wine, lifted my eyes, and met a cool, quiet gaze.
I'd been here a while and hadn't noticed there was a good-looking boy tucked away in the corner.
When he caught me looking, he dropped his head, flustered.
I swirled the glass. This new wine really wasn't bad.
"Sara, if you're angry at Cary because of me, then I'll apologize to you."
Diana came shakily over to bow to me.
Cary rushed to hold her up. Diana was stubborn and wouldn't straighten.
The look of it: if I didn't accept, she'd just keep bowing there.
She stood in front of me, crying and whimpering.
"Sara, isn't this you being unreasonable now? We're all friends here. Friends joke around, that's normal, isn't it? A woman your age—don't tell me you can't take a joke."
Cary was so anxious he lost the thread, stammering. "That's enough already. What more do you want from her? Are you trying to drive a young girl to her death? I really don't understand—what exactly did she do wrong?"
I'd lost my taste for the wine too.
I tapped the table with one hand and spoke flatly.
"I'm getting on in years. I don't want to make life hard for a young girl either. It'd be embarrassing if it got out."
At that, Cary's expression eased quite a bit.
Diana finally deigned to stand up straight.
The buddies traded looks around the table, thoroughly pleased with themselves.
I had no idea what they were so pleased about.
And I couldn't be bothered to get mixed up in young people's affairs any further.
But my own business always has to be dealt with.
I looked at Cary and smiled.
Cary grinned back, playing it up.
I picked up the half-finished bottle on the table and brought it straight down on Cary's head.
第3章
The bottle burst with a crack, wine spraying everywhere.
It ran down Cary's face, staining his shirt red.
No one dared say a word.
They all just stood there, blank.
"What did you do!"
Diana rushed forward first, wiping at Cary's face.
Her voice trembled with the ache of it. "Are you insane! Who gave you the right to hit him! You think a little dirty money makes you somebody!"
The girl's voice climbed higher and higher.
Shrill enough that I found myself frowning.
Too loud.
The bodyguards outside came at the noise. "What's going on in here!"
Diana perked right up. "She started a fight on your turf. By your house rules, she should lose her fingers, to make an example of her!"
The bodyguards scanned the room.
"Ma'am…"
One started to speak, and I cut him off. "Ask him yourselves. Did I lay a hand on anyone?"
Cary had taken the hit hard. He leaned on Diana, shaking all over.
"No."
He forced the words out through ragged breaths. "I did it to myself. It has nothing to do with her."
The bodyguards traded looks.
Cary's buddy jumped in.
"Cary, that bottle knocked the sense out of you! Wait, don't go! My guy's talking nonsense. We all saw it, plain as day, this old woman is the one who hit him!"
Cary tried to stop him, lifting a hand, but he had nothing left in him.
Diana let loose all her fury too, jabbing a finger at me as she shouted.
"You dead thing, what are you even playing at? Fine, so you'll do it but you won't own it? A woman your age, aren't you ashamed?"
"There's security cameras in here, right? Whether she smashed it or not, one look at the footage and you'll know!"
The bodyguards went quiet, then turned back toward me.
Their attitude was clearly a lot worse than a moment ago.
"Ma'am, we're obliged to remind you, no trouble is allowed at our venue. You'd better come along with us."
He was smiling. "Don't make us get physical."
I almost laughed. "You want to take me away, is that it."
The bodyguard kept smiling, and the collapsible baton behind him snapped out.
I flipped the table over.
The private room dissolved into chaos.
Diana seized the moment to raise her voice. "See, everyone, see, her true colors are out now! Have you lost your mind? Where do you think you are? Flipping tables in front of everyone! Where do you get the nerve!"
"We picked this place because we knew you'd cause a scene, and you actually went and did it. We can't protect you now. Hurry up and drag her off to learn the rules!"
Diana pointed at me, chin high, the smirk on her lips positively gloating.
Two bodyguards were seething.
"This venue has always stood for keeping the peace. Even a dragon has to coil up here. Ma'am, kicking up a fuss like this, you're not showing our venue any respect. Today, even if the good Lord himself came down, he couldn't save you."
"Come with us."
第4章
I kicked the broken bowl at my feet aside and let out a cold snort.
Diana stood in the crowd, the smile she couldn't hold back tugging at her mouth.
She smoothed her clothes at her leisure and sauntered over to me.
Looking down at me, Diana said, "Sister-in-law, having a few regrets now?"
She put on a deliberately worried face. "You made such a huge scene just now, even flipped the table, and now you've got the people here involved too. So tell me, how do you think this ends for you? I'm so worried about you!"
I didn't answer. I just looked at her, quietly.
When I stayed silent, Diana assumed she'd hit a nerve, and her smile turned even smugger.
"Nothing to say now? Weren't you so fierce a minute ago?"
She turned toward the bodyguards. "She was just saying she'd make sure you all paid for it."
At that, several of the bodyguards laughed along with her.
One of them crossed his arms and looked at me coldly. "This place has its rules. Anyone who makes trouble, whoever they are, faces the consequences."
"As for how it ends, that depends on whether you cooperate, wouldn't you say, ma'am?"
He shot me a glance as he said it.
Diana didn't hold back either, cutting straight in.
"She doesn't actually think knowing a few rich people means nobody dares touch her, does she?"
Diana bent down until her eyes were level with mine. "What do you think, sister... in-law?"
She drew those last syllables higher and higher, more like a taunt than anything.
When she finished, she deliberately glanced over at Cary.
Cary stood at the back of the crowd, his face grim.
The instant our eyes met, Cary lowered his head.
I looked at him and said, evenly, "What do you think?"
Cary hadn't expected me to suddenly ask him. He froze for a second.
His lips moved, but not a single word came out.
I had all the time in the world to wait, so I just kept my eyes on him.
He looked back at me, calm, and in the end all he said was, "Forget it, let's just go home. Blowing this up won't look good on anyone."
Hearing that, I suddenly laughed.
Go home?
He said it so lightly, like some bystander.
Seeing Cary hesitate, one of his friends spoke up right away.
"Cary, that bottle really did knock you stupid. You agree, but don't you think you should ask whether these guys agree? This isn't the time to be sentimental."
The one beside him chimed in. "Right. You break the rules, you own it. You mean well for her, but she made the mess herself, so she takes the hit herself. Sure, she's your girlfriend, but she's also the one who broke the rules here."
The lead bodyguard's voice went hard. "What do you people think this place is? Rules are rules. Doesn't matter who walks in."
These hangers-on of Cary's talked like it was all so unfortunate, but the excitement in their eyes couldn't be hidden.
What they wanted to see was me groveling, pathetic.
I glanced at Cary.
He hid behind his friends and didn't make a sound.
In that moment, I suddenly found the whole thing absurd.
The bodyguard behind me shoved me. "In a minute you won't be laughing."
I picked up my phone from the table and glanced back at him.
"Whether I'll still be laughing, I don't know. But that finger of yours, you definitely won't be keeping."
"Hilarious. Don't push your luck. I gave you a chance just now and you threw it away, so don't blame me for what comes next!"
I looked at him, calm. "If any of you dares to lay a hand on me, I promise, you'll regret it."
The words landed, and the room burst into laughter.
The bodyguard looked me up and down like he was hearing a joke.
"Make us regret it? I'd love to see what you've actually got."
Diana stood off to the side, smiling wider, more pleased with herself.
"Sister-in-law, playing tough with us is one thing. Playing tough with them, are you tired of living?"
I paid her no attention.
I just took out my phone and dialed a number.
It rang a few times, then connected quickly.
"Ms. Matthews! How's the taste of my new whiskey?"
The familiar voice came through. I didn't answer.
I looked at the people in front of me, my tone still calm.
"Your people want to cut off my hands and feet. Is that true?"