Chapter 206
Chapter 206
By 2.00PM, the rain had eased in Bryxton. Worried that my parents would bring up marriage again, I quickly told them after lunch, "I need to shop for some clothes. You don't have to prepare dinner for me."
Dad asked, "How long are you staying in Bryxton?"
"I'm not sure, but I'll head home at night."
He wanted to say something, but I worried he might suggest bringing Shawn home, so I dragged Joseph off with me.
Joseph held the umbrella for me until I entered the car, where I texted Emma to ask for her whereabouts. She replied, 'I'm in Bryxton.'
'Me too.' Then, I immediately received a pin of geolocation from her. She was at the largest music hall in Bryxton.
May had once opened the Kitties' Teahouse around that area. In the past year, I rarely had any chance to meet up with her. Since I was around now, I decided to phone her. "May, where are you?"
She answered, "I'm in Bryxton."
"I'm back," I said.
"Alright! I'll meet you after class."
Curious, I asked, "What class are you taking?"
"It's an art class. I was dying from boredom, so I got a place in a college through some connections. I'm now learning painting from a professor."
"Okay. Call me later."
After hanging up, we left for the music hall where Emma was at. I asked that the bodyguards wait for me outside the hall.
As I entered the hall, I immediately saw Emma, who was seated in the last row.
I approached her. "Why don't you sit in front?"
She offered me the seat beside her and explained coolly, "I don't want Christopher to know I'm back."
"If so, why did you come all the way to Bryxton?"
That was an intentional question to confirm her feelings for Christopher. To that, she answered candidly, "I love his music. It's melodious and relaxing. That's the only reason why I'm here."
I remembered the first time I met Emma. She was alone, sitting beside the road with her headphones on while playing Christopher's piano piece. At that time, she was still a stranger to him.
Indeed, she separated the art from the artist, and she would never idolize any artist blindly. Even if her beloved artist was willing to be with her, she would turn him down with a rational mind.
Knowing that a brainiac like her would never reveal anything unless she wanted to, I gave up on interrogating her and changed the topic. "When does the performance start? Are you heading back to Eldham today?"
She shook her head. "Tomorrow."
"Oh, okay." She added, "The performance is starting now."
Soon, the curtains on the stage were pulled aside, but Christopher did not show up. A few minutes later, someone took a seat beside me, and I was stunned when I recognized the man. "Why are you here?"
The man before me was dressed in a black tuxedo suit and a white shirt with a black bow. I could not help but admire his good-looking features.
Emma looked over and saw Christopher. "Sir, aren't you supposed to play the piano?" She chuckled.
He calmly looked at her as his expression paled. Then, he asked coldly, "Since when have you been back?"
She replied truthfully, "I arrived here two days ago."
"Are you here for my performance?"
Since he was addressing her, I felt awkward being stuck between the two.
To his question, she nodded. "Yeah." She was never good at lying and always spoke the truth.
He stopped asking questions at that point. With an amused expression, he walked up to the stage from the audience seating area.
Looking stately in front of the piano, he started playing a tune. It was the 'Street Where Wind Resides', which I had not heard of in a long time. Why is he still playing this tune?
Emma suddenly turned to me and remarked, "What a childish man."
Surprised, I asked, "Why?"
She merely smiled in response and seemed to be in a good mood.
I had only figured out the reason behind Christopher playing that tune after a while. He did it on purpose to anger Emma, for he wanted to make her jealous.
For context, the video of Christopher and me had trended on Twitter. Most people understood the reason behind his performance, but Emma saw through his act right away. She knew very well that he had performed the song just for her.
When I finally connected the dots, I thought it must be tough for two highly-intelligent beings to date, for they could always read through each other's minds.
Just like how Emma commented that Christopher was a 'childish man'.
…
When May arrived, Christopher's private performance had not ended. She took a seat beside me and whispered, "Ree, why did you think of attending his performance?"
I whispered back, "That girl seated beside me wanted to attend. You know, she loves his music. She's sort of a loyal fan."
May made a blind guess, "Is she in love with him?'
I worried that Emma would overhear our conversation, so I whispered to May, "No. It should be the other way around."
Her eyes widened in shock. In denial, she gasped, "You must be lying!"
I smiled. "Why would I?"
May became restless as she fought her fondness for gossip. She wanted me to elaborate on the details, but this was not a suitable venue. In the end, she left the music hall with me.
Walking behind her, I commented, "The show hasn't ended yet."
"It's not my first time listening to Christopher anyway," she dismissed me.
I hesitated. "It doesn't feel right to leave Emma alone."
"Christopher's there. If he likes her, he wouldn't leave her alone. We're only going to be third-wheeling."
On second thought, May was right.
Holding her arm, I gave her a simple breakdown of the affairs between Christopher and Emma. I even told her about Diego's affection for Emma.
To that, she replied in shock, "I know Diego! He always finds trouble with Rudy, but Rudy doesn't really mind him."
"Oh, I see."
Subsequently, May led me to exit from the back of the music hall, but I reminded her, "My bodyguards are still waiting for me out there."
"Why do the bodyguards have to follow us to a girls' day out?" she grumbled with a troubled expression. "Mine are waiting for me too. Rudy sent them."
"No wonder you have to use the back exit."
May giggled and planned our itinerary. "Since it's been ages, you have to stay longer in Bryxton. I'm going home with you tonight, and we're going to the haunted house tomorrow!"
I rejected the idea. "I am not as brave as you."
"Hmph—" She was interrupted by a sudden attack right then! Someone knocked her unconscious with a strike of a stick, and a few brawny men appeared in front of us.
The moment May fell to the floor, I quickly acted as if I had fainted for fear to avoid being attacked next.
"She's a faint-hearted one."
"Let's get going. These two women are unusual." This content is © NôvelDrama.Org.
Some newbie asked innocently, "How so?"
"Do you know who's in charge of Europe now?"