By admin Midnight Call Ch 7
I thought River and I were completely done.
But before I left for abroad, River actually came to my house looking for me for the first time ever, reeking of alcohol.
Mom and Dad told me to have a good talk with him.
So I led him to the back garden.
“So what’s up?”
River got straight to the point. “Can we not call off the engagement?”
“You’d actually say something like that?” I laughed coldly. “Mrs. Kingsley sent you, didn’t she?”
“Willa, enough with the drama!” River rubbed his temples.
“I’ll admit I’ve caused drama before, but this time I’m serious.”
“Willa, grow up.” He sighed. “You’re really exhausting me.”
I found it kind of funny.
But just as I was about to speak, his phone rang.
Then I heard a panicked female voice: “River, my kitty is missing again. I didn’t want to bother you, but I’ve looked everywhere. River, he’s really important to me. Could you please help me?”
I looked at River’s moved expression and said with a last shred of hope, “River, stay tonight. Stay and I’ll agree not to call off the engagement.”
If he’d just stay, I could convince myself to forgive everything that had happened.
River’s grip tightened on his phone. “Willa, try to understand. I promised my brother I’d take good care of her.”
For some reason, I suddenly felt relieved and said calmly, “Go ahead.”
At the door, he turned back and said, “Your position at the hospital is all set up. If you’re feeling better, you can come get familiar with the -environment tomorrow.”
He meant that if I suspected his relationship with Serena, I could go monitor him.
This was his way of backing down.
But I didn’t need it anymore.
Before going abroad, I asked Mrs. Kingsley to keep it secret.
So the trip went smoothly.
Once I got abroad, I got a new phone number and decided to start fresh.
Until one day, my advisor invited a specialist from America for an exchange.
When I saw River’s information, I panicked.
Had he come specifically to find me?
I felt a strange mix of excitement and anticipation.
I was the only American on the team, so my advisor asked me to handle the exchange conference.
I was incredibly nervous inside.
But before the conference even happened, River found me.
“You gave up the job I arranged for you for this school?”
I said irritably. “No, it’s just that this place is far from you.”
River suddenly sighed. “Alright, enough games. Come back with me.”
I pushed him away. “I’m doing just fine in school here. Why should I go back with you?”
Γι
“What can you possibly learn here? Come back and I’ll mentor you.” He was so presumptuous.
“River, we already broke up.” I emphasized again.
“Willa, using the same trick too many times gets boring.”
When I didn’t respond, he sighed again. “Fine, I was wrong. I’m sorry. Come back with me.”
River apologizing was truly rare.
I asked, “Did Mrs. Kingsley send you?”
“I came myself.”
“Why?”
“I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
H 2
He said it so calmly, so calmly I couldn’t hear any emotion in it.
But it made my heart race like crazy.
I was always like this with River–couldn’t control my emotions.
But just as my hardened heart was about to melt, a familiar voice threw cold water on me.
“River.” Serena appeared in front of me.
She looked shocked to see me. “Willa, you’re here too? No wonder I haven’t seen you lately. Are you working or studying here?”
She suddenly pouted. “River, why didn’t you tell me? If I’d known, I wouldn’t have come–I didn’t want Willa to get the wrong idea again.”
I smiled back. “Don’t worry, I won’t get the wrong idea. He and I broke up ages ago. Who he’s with and what he does is his business–nothing to do with
me.”
River sighed. “Alright, Willa. Cut it out! We just got here, and you know this place. Take us to dinner.”
I was so pissed I had to laugh. I rolled my eyes and walked away.