Next One Is a Babe

In the living room, Aurora had probably grown so tired of defeat that she couldn’t help letting loose a torrent of curses.

Upon hearing her voice, Cindy slipped out from under Ian’s arm and turned to walk out of the bedroom, only to see Aurora throwing her phone aggressively onto the couch. Perhaps all that frustration finally got the better of her, for she decided to kick the couch several times in a fit of rage.

While it might seem inappropriate, Cindy sputtered and nearly broke out in laughter. I have never seen a grown woman act more childish than this. She leaned against the doorway and asked aloud, “Why? Did you get sick of losing?”

Turning to look at Cindy, Aurora was obviously spurned as she cried, “You don’t even know how terrible all these newbies are! I mean, I’m already a noob as it is, but they’re worse!”

This time, Cindy couldn’t help it. She let out a short laugh as she pointed out, “Come on, now, there’s no need to get upset over a game. Aren’t these things supposed to be fun?”

Aurora stormed toward the bathroom as she grumbled under her breath, “Heaven forbid that something good should happen to me these days.”

Cindy pursed her lips and stared after the incensed woman, shaking her head like a parent who couldn’t quite make sense of their own child.

Meanwhile, Ian did not say much over the phone back in the bedroom, and he hung up the call within seconds. When he returned the phone to Cindy, he couldn’t help but ask, “He called you?”

Cindy bristled at the accusing tone of his voice. Glowering at him, she countered, “What are you getting all suspicious about?”

Ian grew defensive. “I just want to know if you were the one who called him or if it was the other way around.”

She looked up at him and challenged, “And what if it’s the first one?”

Without missing a beat, he warned, “Don’t let there be a next time.”

She pressed with renewed fervor, “And what if he was the one who called me?”

“Then the next time he calls, you can just pass me the phone,” Ian answered easily, sounding unaffected.

She scoffed and spun on her heels, heading into the bathroom. “How petty of you.”

She didn’t know he could be this petty and possessive, but she thought it was a rather adorable quirk on his part.

Presently, Cindy walked into the bathroom just as Aurora was leaving after washing her face. However, judging by the expression on the latter’s face, it was clear to see that she was still boiling with rage.

Cindy sauntered over to the sink, and as she splashed water on her face, she addressed the woman standing at the doorway, uttering, “If you can’t let this go, maybe you could drop by the parlor tomorrow and take one last look at him. It’d be the last look you ever give him in this lifetime, and I’m sure no one will have any objections to that.”

Aurora had been gathering her hair at the back of her nape when she heard this and paused, seemingly startled by Cindy’s suggestion.

Ian was still standing at the bedroom doorway, and upon hearing what Cindy said, he nodded in agreement. “I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with you saying a few prayers for him tomorrow.”

That’s right. I can just pop in like an old friend paying her last respects. Leah and the others certainly wouldn’t be so anal about formalities, and it’s nothing more than a goodbye on my part. I’ll take one look at him and leave in under ten minutes. Surely nothing will go wrong.

At the thought of this, Aurora seemed convinced, and she softened as she turned to make her way into her bedroom. “We’ll see how it goes. It’s not as if I really want to see him before he gets cremated anyway.”