Chapter12
1342 Words
Substitute?
How could Emily accept it?
"But..."
"Enough!" The vice principal interrupted, "This is a big matter related to the overall honor of our school. No one is allowed to let me down, otherwise, I won't spare them!"
Emily was so angry that she almost bit her teeth. However, she still didn't dare to speak out.
The leaders and teachers left together, and the students in the orchestra began to pack up their instruments.
Emily put the newly bought branded violin into the case, and a few accompanying female students immediately came over to comfort her, sarcastically taunting Isabella.
"Stealing someone else's stuff, shameless!"
"Exactly, in my opinion, she did it on purpose. She came neither early nor late, just at this moment, how cunning!"
"So despicable!"
...
No one back up for Isabella.
Including the male students in the orchestra who had once shown interest in her.
Good background, good personality, outstanding appearance...
In school, Isabella used to be the most popular girl.
Now, with Hartwell's family owing tens of millions, all the male students who admired her in the school kept their distance.
After all, no one was willing to foot the bill for a love affair with such a huge debt.
Despicable?
Facing the mockery of everyone, Isabella didn't even bother to explain.
"The lead part was originally mine. If you have the ability, snatch it back; if not... just shut up!"
Emily walked over with her violin case, deliberately knocking down Isabella's music stand and stomping on the sheet music.
"Let's see how long you can stay proud." Picking up the sheet music, brushing off the stains, Isabella put the music back on the stand.
Now, she is the only one left in her family. No matter how they tried to bring her down, she couldn't fall.
With the violin on her shoulder, she practiced seriously.
All the sorrow, grievances, bitterness, and unwillingness...
Hidden in the music.
After a simple dinner in the school cafeteria that night, Isabella continued back to the rehearsal room.
At this moment, music is her only solace, and it's also the skill she'll rely on for her future. Besides putting in effort, she has no other path to follow.
Repeating the practice over and over, until every note becomes familiar to her, Isabella finally returns from the rehearsal room.
Her dormmates are already asleep; she quietly takes a shower, climbs into her bed, lifts the blanket, and lies down, feeling as if she's in an ice cellar.
Shivering from the cold, Isabella sits up, "What's going on?"
"What happened?" Her dormmates, awakened by her, use a phone flashlight to inspect her bed.
The light reveals obvious water stains on the blanket and sheets. The dormmates wear expressions of anger. "It must be Emily. When I came back with dinner, I think I saw her leaving our dorm."
"Why are these people so despicable?"
"Next time, we must lock the door."
...
"Isabella, how about staying with me for the night?" A short-haired dormmate kindly suggests.
In her four years of university, Isabella has rarely stayed in the dorms and isn't familiar with everyone.
The dorms have single beds, and she feels awkward sharing one.
"It's okay, I'll just flip the blanket to the other side. Sorry to disturb you."
Flipping the bedding, Isabella goes in with her clothes on.
Her classmates quickly fall into a deep sleep, but Isabella curls up in her blanket, unable to sleep. The autumn night is chilly, and despite the blanket not being completely soaked, it doesn't provide enough warmth.
Growing colder as she tries to sleep, she decides to get out of bed, puts on some clothes, grabs a cup, and heads to the water room to get some hot water to warm herself up.
She quietly leaves the dorm, holding her phone.
Lighting up the phone screen for illumination, she noticed a IG notification: "Dominic has requested to add you as a friend." The request came a few hours ago, and she was too busy practicing the violin to notice.
She couldn't refuse his request. Isabella hurriedly pressed the accept button. In less than ten seconds, Dominic called her back.
Afraid of disturbing other students, Isabella answered the call and quickly walked into the water room.
"What...," the man's voice was lazy, slightly husky, coming through the earphones in the lonely midnight, particularly alluring. "Can't sleep without me holding you?"
This narcissist!
"I just overslept last night."
The chilly autumn night, and the water room had an open window. Hit by the cold wind, Isabella sneezed loudly. Dominic could tell her nose was a bit congested.
"Got a cold?"
She sniffed and tightened her coat.
"No."
"Then go to bed early. Women staying up late age quickly. I don't want to marry an old hag."
This man is unbearable if he goes a day without teasing her, isn't he? In a bad mood, Isabella's mouth also turned sharp.
"You, staying up late, not only age quickly, but also..."
The words were at the tip of her tongue, but Isabella swallowed them back. She learned from Grace, and this inappropriate joke was not suitable for Dominic.
"...also what?" Dominic asked.
Isabella's face flushed, "Also... gain ten pounds, lose hair!"
"Don't worry, hunny. I will make you... happy every night!"
The man's voice contained laughter, his tone relaxed. Isabella could even imagine his mischievous and wicked expression.
Empty vessels make the most noise!
"I'm going to sleep, see you." Isabella hung up the phone directly.
The phone vibrated again. On the screen, a message from Dominic appeared.
"Tomorrow at noon, come to see me. Remember to bring the equity documents."
Isabella responded seriously with a simple 'okay.'
Buzz!
The phone vibrated, and Dominic's second message arrived."
" Next time, you should say 'Goodnight, hunny.'"
Isabella bit her lip, rolled her eyes at the screen, and walked out of the water room with the hot water she received.
Maybe it was because of the hot water, or maybe it was because of the verbal banter with Dominic that relieved her pent-up emotions.
When she climbed back into bed, Isabella's mood unexpectedly lightened a lot. She pushed the damp blanket halfway, wrapped herself in her coat, and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
On the other end of the phone, Dominic, sitting at the desk, put down his phone and stretched his back. Imagining the blushing and indignant look of the girl on the other end of the signal, he lightly tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Mr. Kingsley, this is the financial statement of Unity Holdings Group and the information of the equity owners."
Michael walked into the office and handed him the printed materials.
Dominic flipped through the information, seeing the appraisal of the Hartwell family's old house, he raised his eyebrows.
"When is the formal auction of the Hartwell family's old house scheduled?"
After Dylan Hartwell was imprisoned, all of the Hartwell family's assets were frozen. The Hartwell family's old house would also be auctioned by the court to repay their debts.
Michael flipped through the materials and found the relevant documents, handing them to Dominic.
"According to the requirements of the court judgment, today is the final deadline for the court to receive the house. If the court decides to auction it, it will take some time to go through the process. It's estimated to take about a month."
Today? Dominic frowned, stood up, and grabbed the gray coat from the hanger.
"Have all the information sorted and send it to me by email."
Instructing Michael, he walked out of the office in large strides.
Half an hour later.
The navy blue Rolls-Royce stopped in front of the Hartwell family's old house after turning off the Third Ring Road.
Dominic rolled down the car window and saw the court seal with a red stamp on the gate of the Hartwell family's villa. He took out a cigarette and lit it, glancing at the bedroom where Isabella was dimly lit upstairs, exhaling a faint bluish smoke.
- Writer
