Chapter 18 – James's Jealousy
1165 Words
When Tony ended his phone call and turned around, he found that James had already left. Where did he go?
Meanwhile, James was driving quickly to Bella’s dormitory. It was nine o’clock at night. Several students walked on the road, chatting with their friends. Most of them were tired after a day’s study, so few of them noticed him.
Driving to the dormitory, James took out his phone to call Bella to come downstairs. When he was searching her name in his phone contact book, he saw two people walking toward him. One was Bella, and the other was the man he had seen Bella with that day by the restaurant.
Why were they together?
Earlier that day, hearing James would be out for the banquet that night, Bella came back to school early. Then she got a call from Tom.
“I have some questions for you about the program Professor Morgan mentioned last time.” Tom’s gentle voice came to Bella’s ear through the phone.
Thinking of her thesis, Bella was cheered up. She should cooperate with Tom and learn from him. In the past three years in college, Bella had failed several major subjects. And she knew little about the Professor’s program.
Fortunately, Tom was her tutor. He was a true genius in medicine, just back from working abroad. Though she knew little about the program, Tom could surely guide her and teach her.
They worked hard on the project together for two hours. With Tom’s careful explanation, Bella had a good idea of the program. If she could finish it successfully, she would be able to graduate. Thinking of that, Bella was elated.
Walking out of the lab, Tom smiled gently. “Can I walk you to your dormitory?”
Bella nodded happily. She had many more questions about the program that needed explaining.
They chatted happily all the way. As they approached the dormitory building, Tom suddenly stopped and looked at the man sitting in his car beside the dormitory entrance.
Bella caught up with him and found he was standing still. She asked confusedly, “Tom?”
Tom answered her with a big smile. He had a gorgeous face and his gentle smile made him more charming.
“Don’t move.”
What’s wrong? Bella was confused.
Tom reached out his hand and put it on Bella’s head.
Though feeling strange, Bella stood still. She gazed at him and asked, “Tom?”
“There is a leaf in your hair.” Tom removed his right hand from her head with a leaf in his fingers.
Tom was standing very close to Bella. She could feel the heat from his body and was feeling very flushed. Wasn’t this a too intimate and close gesture?
Bella didn’t realise her blank expression toward Tom was interpreted in a different way by the man watching them in his car. James stared at Bella. From his angle, Bella’s blank expression was one of admiration and love.
James clenched the steering wheel. Bella treated him coldly, but was so happy with this other man. And this man was very handsome! A surge of weird feelings overwhelmed him and he nearly couldn't suppress his urge to drag Bella away from that man.
Taking a deep breath, James turned on the engine. With a rumbling, he pulled away from the curb.
Bella and Tom were standing under a tree. The rumbling sound brought Bella’s mind back into focus. She stepped back to a comfortable distance from Tom, and then turned in the direction of the rumbling sound.
The Bentley logo on the car shined under the street lamp. How pretentious to make such a noise at night just to show off his famous car! How rude!
Bella sneered at the driver silently and waved goodbye to Tom. She walked back to her dormitory with light, quick steps.
She had an outline of her thesis!
Thinking of the progress she’d made with her work, Bella was elated and slept deeply.
...
The following afternoon, Tony waited at the school gate as usual. Bella delicately acted slower and stayed a bit longer in the dormitory. Then her phone rang.
Tony’s young voice sounded in Bella’s ear. “Boss is not in a good mood. You’d better show up on time.”
Bella sighed to herself. She answered, “Alright, alright. I’m coming. Just wait a minute.”
Tony kept silent all the way. He seemed to have something to tell Bella, but held his tongue hesitantly.
Bella noticed his hesitation and couldn’t help uttering, “Just say what you want to say.”
“What did you say to my boss?” Last night, after James arrived home from his visit to Bella’s college, he stayed silent and asked Tony to drink with him. It seemed that something had happened but James wouldn’t say. Tony was afraid of asking him so he came to Bella for an answer.
“We didn’t say anything.” Bella felt strange. “You were there when I felt his pulse yesterday.”
“He came for you last night. What did you talk about with him then?”
“He came for me?” Bella frowned and felt quite strange. “I was in the lab with my tutor the whole time. I didn’t see him.”
Bella suddenly realized what had happened and looked at Tony in shock. “You must be delusional,” she said, “nothing happened!”
As they arrived at James’ house, Bella grabbed her medical kit and got out of the car. She tried to adjust her expression, wanting to appear cool and calm. Then she walked into the house.
Actually, she was not that mad at James. But since she and James hadn’t spoken in so long, if she was the one who surrendered, she would feel like the loser.
Entering the room, Bella instantly felt the tension emanating from within. Tony was right; James was not in a good mood. But it was none of her business. She was just a physician. All she had to do was to treat him.
Bella felt James’ pulse and prescribed him some nutritional supplements as usual. During the treatment process, James gazed at her with his sharp, cold eyes, which made Bella feel quite uneasy.
In such a stressful atmosphere, Bella felt very awkward. She cleared her throat and wanted to say something to break the tension. “You have been taking the medicine for days. Do you feel any better?” Bella felt embarrassed and spoke in a low voice. But at least she was the first one to compromise!
“You talk so weakly. What’s wrong with you? Did you not have lunch?” James replied coldly.
Bella was shocked by his reply. She didn’t expect James would reply to her compromise in that way, it was very hurtful.
Bella didn’t know what to say and simply murmured, “I’ll go to boil the medicine.”
- Writer
