Chapter 395
Chapter 395:
John, unfazed by Bella’s glaring eyes, turned to Yelena and said with a casual smile, “Yelena, see you next time.” He then nudged Austin with his elbow, a silent prompt for him to say something as well.
The reason for his words was simple. John wanted to give Austin a chance he shouldn’t waste.
Austin gave Yelena a warm smile and said, “Let’s have a meal together sometime p>
Yelena didn’t mind the idea of having dinner with him again but wasn’t the type to take the initiative and ask. If fate brought them together, a meal wouldn’t be a problem.
“Sure,” she replied.
With that, John and Austin turned and left.
Once they were out of sight, Bella turned to Yelena with a sharp look. “Why are you hanging out with them p>
She couldn’t help but feel like Yelena must have pulled some kind of trick. Why else would those two bother with her? It was maddening.
Yelena gave Bella an indifferent glance and coolly answered, “What’s it to you p>
Bella snorted, but a wicked smile spread across her face as she thought of a way to get under Yelena’s skin. “So you blew off Cayson’s calls just to have a meal with them, huh? If he knew, he’d be heartbroken. I’m just telling you this because no matter how important people outside are, they can’t compare to family. Don’t you agree p>
Yelena frowned, surprised. Had Cayson called her? She didn’t know.
She quickly pulled out her phone, realizing it had been on silent mode during their meeting to avoid distractions. And apparently, she had forgotten to switch it back. As she checked, she saw several missed calls from Cayson.
Yelena had been so absorbed in her meal that she hadn’t checked her phone at all.
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“You should really call Cayson back soon,” Bella advised. Yelena bristled at being told what to do, as though she needed anyone else to steer her decisions.
She shot Bella a sharp glance. “I know that without you reminding me p>
“You’re still as bitter as ever, huh?” Madonna chimed in, her eyes narrowing at Yelena in obvious distaste.
Yelena smirked. “Sounds like jealousy to me. Is that because I managed to do something you couldn’t? Like having a meal with Austin and John p>
Though Bella had been the louder one, Yelena noticed Madonna’s seething anger just beside her.
Madonna let out a dismissive snort, clearly uninterested in getting drawn into Yelena’s drama. It wasn’t that she couldn’t handle Yelena—she simply couldn’t be bothered to deal with her.
At that moment, Tessa came back with the coffee, handing it to Bella. “Miss Harris, here’s your coffee. It came to p>
Before Tessa could finish her sentence, Bella’s eyes sparkled with a sudden, clever idea.
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Under Tessa’s wary gaze, Bella snatched the coffee cup from her and raised it high, as if staging a grand finale. “An iced Americano, Tessa. That’s what I want. And you bring me this? A hot mocha?” Her voice dripped with disdain.
Tessa’s eyes widened, her words stumbling out like a toppled stack of books. “You didn’t s-say p>
“What?” Bella cut her off with a sharp sneer, her lips curling in mockery. “What? That everyone shares your bargain-bin taste p>
Madonna stood by, her expression cold and calculating as she observed the scene unfold. To her, the ordinary people around her were nothing more than insignificant ants beneath her heel, their struggles and misfortunes mere fleeting distractions.
Tessa’s body quivered, as if the weight of the moment was too much. Her throat felt tight, trapping the words she longed to say.
She had thought of calling Yelena for support, but Yelena was just another cog in the same wheel. Worse, Bella had already taken a dislike to her. Dragging Yelena into this mess would only paint a bigger target on her back. Resigning, Tessa lowered her head, eyes squeezing shut in quiet surrender.