Chapter 9

By the time Isabella and Theodore finished discussing renovation ideas for their studio, the evening had grown dark. Everything was left shrouded in dimness, as the building still lacked lighting. "Let's grab something to eat first," Theodore suggested. Numerous restaurants lined the street next to the new building, bustling with activity and the aroma of food wafting through the air. "There's an authentic Washen restaurant on the third floor that's pretty similar to what we had abroad," he continued. "Honestly, I'm a bit tired of that," Isabella replied. "Then, how about some stew on the fourth floor?" "Sounds good to me." They paused at the elevator. After a brief wait, it arrived at the first floor. The doors opened to reveal several well-dressed men inside. Isabella froze for a moment upon recognizing them—what a coincidence. Xavier stood in the center of the elevator, tall and striking, flanked by his friends. He noticed her, too, and his smile faded slightly as he caught sight of Theodore beside her. "Hey, Isabella!" one of Xavier's friends exclaimed, surprised to see her. "You're back from abroad?" "Yeah," she replied awkwardly, forcing a smile as she greeted them. "Stanley, Larry, and… Mason." Mason Fischer was quiet and nodded at her but didn't say much else. "Why didn't you say hi to your brother?" Stanley Thatcher chimed in, clearly enjoying the tension between them. He was well aware of the history between Isabella and Xavier. As they stepped out of the elevator, Isabella shot Stanley a glare, and the latter wore an amused expression. Xavier remained silent, simply looking at her. "Hi, Xavier," Isabella said finally, knowing that if she didn't acknowledge him, Stanley and Larry Miller would only stir up more trouble. Xavier didn't respond but glanced at her briefly before walking away, with Mason following closely behind. Stanley and Larry lingered for a moment longer. Larry's eyes lit up as he recognized Theodore. "Wait a minute—isn't this Theodore Farrell!" Theodore had been quite well-known in their school for his impressive academic achievements. However, he and Xavier weren't on good terms. Theodore offered them a slight nod as a greeting. Stanley and Larry exchanged glances between Theodore and Isabella but decided not to press further. They simply chuckled and left. "Let's go." Theodore pressed the elevator button again as the doors opened once more. They stepped inside. Isabella was still processing the unexpected encounter with Xavier when Theodore broke the silence. "Did you come back because of him?" he asked. Isabella hesitated before answering, "No." "I can't think of any other reason," he remarked thoughtfully. After a moment of silence, she added, "Thanksgiving is around the corner." Her family lived in Canneville, and for her, returning home during the festival held significant meaning. The Valdez family was her connection to home, after all. Theodore didn't push further but understood why she rushed back. ... By the time they returned home after dinner, it was already past 11:00 pm. Douglas arrived almost at the same time, and he smelled faintly of alcohol. It was likely that he attended some social gathering that evening. Compared to Xavier's carefree attitude, Douglas had more responsibilities at home. They entered the large house, which was enveloped in silence. The Valdez couple usually went to bed early. Sophia approached them to ask if they wanted some soup. "No, thanks. I'll just take a shower and go to bed," Douglas replied as he removed his jacket and handed it to Sophia. "Isabella, make sure you get some rest," he said kindly before heading upstairs. Isabella knew he worked hard every day. She followed him upstairs, grabbed her sketchpad from her room, then headed out to the backyard. The night air was pleasantly cool. In the depths of the backyard stood an artificial hill with a dark green pond shimmering under yellow lights. Isabella found a clean spot on the ground to sit down. Her mind felt cluttered these past few days, and only in such an environment could she find inspiration. After seeing Theodore earlier, her lethargy seemed to vanish completely—she couldn't keep her hands still now. She worked for a while on her drawing. However, she felt unsatisfied and tore it off in frustration. Images from earlier that evening with Xavier's group flooded her mind—familiar yet distant faces. That first night she and Xavier got together, Stanley had raised a toast for them while jokingly wishing them eternal happiness together. Though it had been just a joke then, Isabella felt warmth spread through her heart at those words. Xavier had chimed in, too. "We should drink to this!" he said. Later, during a racing event, where Isabella skipped class to support Xavier in another city, their car made it to the finish line first. They shared another kiss in the car while waiting for Larry and his friends to arrive—she felt embarrassed just thinking about it now. It was their second kiss—a secret moment shared between them that felt thrillingly illicit. That night they camped on top of a mountain without even setting up tents, and they sat around drinking and barbecuing under the stars. Leaning against Xavier's shoulder while holding a bottle of beer amidst laughter felt like pure freedom—a stark contrast to how Olivia had always sheltered her before meeting him. Her rebellious side only emerged when she hung out with Xavier's crowd. Oddly enough, she found herself enchanted by those wild days filled with excitement and sleepless nights. Stanley once remarked that Isabella was now part of their exciting escapades, too—claiming she would be with Xavier forever. She believed him back then. But now, there was no future left for them. They were now siblings living in entirely different worlds. For a fleeting moment, Isabella contemplated leaving this place entirely—wherever that might be. She absentmindedly sketched flowers and trees on her pad, not wanting to draw portraits of people now. Lost in thoughts, she didn't even notice that someone had sat beside her until Xavier lit a cigarette nearby. Several seconds passed before she finally acknowledged his presence. "Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked casually. For an instant, Isabella felt as if he were conceding something—but for what reason? She couldn't tell. She stood up intending to leave when Xavier quickly grasped her wrist. At that moment, there were no sharp edges between them anymore. "Are you that eager to avoid me?" His tone remained calm as he extinguished his cigarette beneath his foot. "Do I need to talk to you?" Isabella turned back to face him with steady eyes as she pulled away from his warm grasp lingering on her wrist.