Being Pursued By Ex-husband

Celine regained her senses with a blink of her eyes before throwing Harper a glance. “I’m heading home.”

Mrs. Lewis would be worried if I were to be out any longer.

“Okay, okay. It’s getting late. We should really go. Are you getting a taxi or taking the bus?” Harper asked while sucking on her lollipop, behaving as if she hadn’t scolded Celine earlier.

“The bus, I suppose.”

She was given an allowance by Katherine, but she didn’t want to splurge.

Somehow cheered up by the lollipop, Harper was happy to go along with the decision. She seemed to have forgotten why she had come to see Celine in the first place.

Both of them subsequently walked to the bus stop. As classes had ended for more than ten minutes, there were only a handful of students left waiting there.

In order to return to Moonlight Bay, they had to take Bus No. 1. Their school was, after all, located quite far away from the neighborhood they lived in.

There would be one bus every five minutes during rush hour. The bus arrived after a three-minute wait.

As the bus was packed, Harper pulled Celine along with her toward the back. Only when they arrived at the very back did she release her grip. “A lot of office workers will board at the next stop. You’ll end up being squashed if you stand in front.”

The grateful look Celine gave Harper caused her to feel self-conscious. “Why are you looking at me that way? Don’t misunderstand. Since we’re going home together, I’m just worried that the teacher would question me if anything happened to you!”

“Thank you.”

Harper was stumped by Celine’s gentle expression of gratitude.

Feeling awkward, she looked away. “I didn’t thank you when you treated me the lollipop.” While speaking, she sucked on it further and remarked, “It’s really good.”

Celine, too, gave her lollipop a lick. “Mm-hmm.”

Just as Harper predicted, the next stop was indeed crowded with office workers.

When more than ten of them boarded the already packed bus, Celine and Harper were squeezed tightly together in the back.

Fortunately, more than half of the passengers alighted four stops later. Although there were still no seats available, the standing space had become a lot more comfortable than before.

Finally, both of them got off at Moonlight Bay, which was the second last stop before the final station.

By the time the bus arrived, there were hardly any passengers left.

Before she knew it, Harper had finished her lollipop. When she turned to look at Celine, the latter had finished slightly more than half.

Celine had stopped eating it and put the lollipop’s wrapper back on after boarding the bus.

Sensing Harper’s gaze, Celine returned it and noticed the empty stick in the former’s hand. As she looked back down on her lollipop, Celine pondered a moment before handing it over. “Do you want this?”

Harper wasn’t really into it but couldn’t resist the moment she laid eyes on the lollipop.

Nevertheless, she blushed as she replied, “I don’t like it. It’s too sweet. You should finish it instead.”

Her words conflicted with her feelings, made worse by the fact that she was holding onto an empty lollipop stick.

Celine grunted in acknowledgment just as the bus announced its arrival at Moonlight Bay.

They walked to the door together, and Harper was the first to jump off the bus the moment it stopped. She threw the lollipop stick in the garbage bin before returning to walk by Celine’s side. “Which unit do you stay in?”

Celine deliberated briefly before answering, “C1-22.”

“I’m staying in C1-16, diagonally opposite your house. Why haven’t I seen you before?” Harper had a sudden epiphany while speaking. “Ah! C1-22. It’s Ms. Quinn’s house! You’re staying there? What’s your relationship with her?”

“Mrs. Lewis adopted me.”

“Adopted... you...” Harper stopped halfway, a sudden realization caused her to cover her mouth. “I don’t mean that. Don’t misunderstand! No wonder Rowen shielded you from the ball. I’m sure you’re aware that Ms. Quinn and his mother are good friends and Ms. Quinn is also Rowen’s godmother, so why did you say that you didn’t know him?”

Celine was surprised, for she truly was ignorant about Rowen and Katherine’s relationship.

Staring at Harper, she was at a loss as to how she should explain. “I’m not lying to you.”

Other than that, she didn’t know what else to say.

Harper responded with a snort. “I can’t believe how dishonest you are, Celine! I was wrong about you. And here I was, thinking that you’re a good person.”

No sooner had Harper finished than she took off.

Looking at Harper’s leaving silhouette in a daze, Celine was suddenly filled with a sense of dejection.

Does this mean that Harper still hates me?

For some strange reason, Celine preferred to be friends with Harper than Isobel.

However, she wasn’t a fool and didn’t want others to treat her as such.

It was clear to her that Harper wasn’t keen on being her friend.

After running for a certain distance, Harper turned around, expecting Celine to be pursuing her. Unexpectedly, she was greeted by the latter standing where she was with her head hung low. The evening sun that shone upon her threw a long slender shadow on the ground, accentuating the loneliness that she was exuding.

Harper gave her bag straps a tug before running back to Celine. “Hey, are you really being honest with me?”

The sight of Harper turning back made Celine’s eyes glisten brightly, and she nodded firmly. “I am.”

“Since you don’t look like you’re lying, I guess I have no choice but to take your word for it.” The moment she finished, Harper walked up to Celine’s side and held her hand. “Let’s go. It’s getting dark.”