Chapter 102
After hanging up the phone, I had zero desire to go back to the living room
I made a sneaky exit and started to wander around the neighborhood. The whole place was dolled up for the New Year and had a real festive vibe. A few kids were running around, having a ball.
Before I knew it. I found myself outside the complex, aimlessly meandering the streets like a vagabond
Out of the blue. I noticed Neil’s car parked at a nearby intersection.
Why was he here? Was he looking for me?
I felt a little jittery
Quickly, I realized I was overthinking. Bonnie was getting out of the passenger seat
Neil also got out of the car. They chatted by the roadside for a bit before hopping back in. The car started moving in my direction.
As soon as Neil saw me, he slammed on the brakes.
He sprang out of the car, circled around the front, and stood in front of me. His brow was furrowed slightly, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of Bonnie
of me
“Happy New Year.” I said, managing a calm smile
“Uh huh.” Neil grunted in response before asking. “When are you heading back to Sterling Estates?”
Behind him, Bonnie rolled down the car window, watching us nervously.
Didn’t Bonnie tell him that I was going abroad after the holidays?
ww
over the place when it came to me. If he knew I was leaving the country, he might do something rash. Bonnie wouldn’t
to make the first move. By the time
glanced at Bonnie and casually said, “We’ll see. Don’t sweat about me, look
on a date on New Year’s Day?
her watching him, he stuttered slightly, “I’m just dropping her home.”
out while my parents were away, and they thought Mr. Whitmore had egged me on to leave home. They wanted to give him a hard time, so he found
again, playing
maintain her image as the innocent, kind–hearted girl in
small smile. “Alright, I got it. You better get
Bonnie waved at me.
to see and turned
I was beat from wandering around, I headed back to Harold’s place. Simmons was just about to leave, and I was secretly pleased
timing
said, “Rena, Stella wants you to come over. You should go with Simmons. Don’t forget to
visiting Kelley too?” I asked,
you to go to Stella’s. We’ll be back tomorrow or the day after. Manage your own schedule for now” My dad said that as if it were the most normal thing in
hell? In the middle of a family holiday, he wanted me to live at someone
if Stella was my best
was grinning, and he waved at me
Kelley in a long time, so I want to go with you.” I refused to leave with Simmons. Anyone could see what my parents
they had already picked my next husband, not caring about
too crowded. Kelley doesn’t want to cook for
with my mom, then they just
Kelley had been a homemaker since she got married. Her biggest hobby was
me? This must
They quickly drove off,
because I’m here that you don’t want to go
it’s not right to go to other people’s houses during the holidays. “I waved it off.
a friend of our family How can
was out of
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