Bella walked straight to her study table and sat down in the chair. She turned on the computer and opened her emails, quickly selecting the letter from Victoria Entertainment Company. It was the official offer letter. After noting the joining date, she filled in the necessary details, selecting Monday as her start date, given that the next day was Sunday. Confident in her decision, she sent the email.
Once done, Bella shut down the computer and, feeling the weight of the day, collapsed onto her bed. She lay there, exhaustion taking over, and soon drifted off to sleep, letting the quietness of the night embrace her.The next morning, Bella woke up to the loud sound of music that echoed through the house. She groggily rubbed her ears, trying to block out the noise, but it only seemed to get louder. With a tired sigh, she slowly got out of bed, still feeling the heaviness of sleep. The cool morning air brushed against her skin as she stretched and walked toward the door.
Rubbing her eyes, Bella opened her bedroom door and froze in the doorway. To her surprise, there was her mother, Rosamma, dancing around in the hallway with a big smile on her face. Her arms were stretched wide, and she was moving in time to a cheerful song. It wasn't just Rosamma; beside her, a small girl of about five years old, naughty little girl, was copying her every move. The little girl's laughter filled the air as she twirled and danced along with Rosamma, both of them completely lost in the moment.
Bella stood in the doorway for a moment, "So that's the matter, Anna has come," Bella muttered. Anna, Lala's six-year-old daughter, was a mischievous little girl. Bella's mother and Anna shared a special bond, and whenever they met, it was always like this.
"Turn the volume down!" Bella shouted, but who would listen? Both of them were lost in their own world, enjoying every beat of the music. Bella couldn't help but smile, feeling a sense of warmth and happiness wash over her, despite the noise.
Bella couldn't resist and joined them, dancing along with her mother and Anna. The three of them were having a blast, laughing and enjoying the moment. But suddenly, the music stopped. It was Lala, who had turned off the speaker with a grin.
"Turn it on, Mommy!" Anna screamed, her tiny voice full of protest. Bella and Rosamma stood by, trying to support her, both of them amused by the scene.
"Enough singing and chanting for now," Lala said with a chuckle, shaking her head. "First, everyone come and have breakfast. Come on!"
Anna shook her head stubbornly, refusing to leave. Lala gave her a stern look, and Anna's eyes filled with tears. She began to cry, then jumped up onto Bella's shoulder for comfort.
"How happy she was! Didn't you make her cry?" Rosamma complained.
"My little princess, it's all part of her mischief," Bella said, trying to lift Anna off her shoulder as she squirmed.
"See, you don't even know how to handle a little one," Rosamma said as she took Anna into her arms.
"Oh, alright, Mom," Bella laughed, handing Anna over to her.
"Well, even though that's the case, I came here to leave Anna with you for a while," Lala said, stopping and placing her arm around Bella's shoulder. "And I'm taking this little one with me," she added, smiling as she looked at Anna.
"Taking me with you? Don't expect me to attend those stupid events!" Bella replied firmly, refusing.
"Wherever it is, just take her and don't bring her back. It'll be peaceful for us," Anna, the little one, said innocently.
Bella sighed and started teasing the little one, calling her "you little devil," but Lala quickly intervened. She grabbed Bella and pulled her away.
"You're coming with me," Lala said, leading Bella towards her room.
Lala asked Bella to freshen up and began browsing through her room. She opened the drawers one by one, finding nothing but dark oversized t-shirts, jeans, and tracksuits.
After a while, Bella came out and started changing into a dress.
"Is this what you're going to wear to the office tomorrow?" Lala asked, astonished as she looked at Bella.
"Yeah, what's the problem?" Bella responded casually, not giving it much thought.
"Oh my God, Bella," Lala exclaimed. "Look, when you're starting a job at a big company, your sense of style matters. You need to wear something that makes a good impression."
"That's not why I'm going, to impress anyone. I'm going to work, aren't I?" Bella asked, confused.
"In a working environment, how we present ourselves often plays a big role in how our talents are perceived. If we want more opportunities, we need to present ourselves as pleasant and professional. Understand?" Lala said seriously.
"But I'm going to work to gain life experience, right? You've forgotten that? To improve my skills," Bella replied, her tone casual. After hearing her words, Lala realized something. She understood that there was no way to convince Bella with words alone. Action was the key.
"Let's go," Lala said, pulling Bella along as she headed out. The car she started was parked in front of Oberon Mall.
"Why did you drag me out here so early in the morning to bury someone's body?" Bella grumbled, finally catching her breath, frustrated with Lala.
"You need to snap out of this slump, Bella. Get up and keep going!" Lala said firmly, pulling her along.
Bella had no chance to argue as Lala whisked her away. Their first stop was a beauty parlor, where Lala experimented with different styles on her. After trying a few looks, they finally found one Lala was satisfied with. Then, they moved on to dress shopping, where Bella tried on dress after dress, growing more tired and drained with each one.
Lala picked out all the dresses she liked and packed them up. But she wasn't done yet—next came shoes, makeup, perfumes, and more. After hours of shopping, Bella felt completely exhausted, her body sore from the constant motion. The pain was unbearable, but Lala was relentless.
By the time they got back to the car, Bella couldn't help but admire Lala's determination. As they drove through the parking lot, Lala suddenly slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to an abrupt stop.
"There's something I forgot," Lala said, catching Bella off guard. She stared at her in disbelief, wondering what else could possibly go wrong.
"I need to make a quick stop at the ATM. Stay here for just a minute, and I'll be back in no time," Lala explained, her tone casual. Bella's gaze darted around nervously.
"But this doesn't feel like a safe spot, does it? What if another car comes?" Bella asked, her voice tinged with concern. Before she could protest any further, Lala had already stepped out of the car.
"Don't worry, the key's in the ignition. You have a driver's license, right? Just move the car to the side for a moment. I'll be back before you know it," Lala called over her shoulder, not giving Bella a chance to respond. She was already walking away quickly.
Bella silently prayed to every god she could think of, hoping no car would come by. But, as luck would have it, her prayers went unanswered. Suddenly, a loud honk sounded from behind, making her turn. A sleek black Benz was waiting there, its driver clearly growing impatient.
"This must be the end for me, Lord," Bella muttered in resignation, casting a helpless glance in the direction Lala had disappeared. The Benz honked again, even louder, and the driver gestured for her to move the car out of the way.
"Can't they find another route if they're in such a hurry?" Bella grumbled, lowering the window. She reluctantly waved her hand, signaling "just a minute," with a hint of frustration as she braced herself for the next move.
With no other choice, Bella climbed into the driver's seat, steeling herself. She took a deep breath, muttered a quick prayer to every god she could think of, and turned the key. Pressing down on the clutch, she shifted into first gear. But the moment she eased up on the pedal, the car jerked forward and stalled.
In the car behind, someone watched her with mild amusement, as if already convinced she wouldn't manage to pull this off.
Bella gathered her courage and tried again, starting the car and carefully controlling the clutch this time. She spotted an open spot up ahead and aimed for it, but her speed was a bit too high. The car rolled forward, clipping a nearby sign, which toppled under the tires with a loud crunch.
She quickly got out, inspecting the damage to find the sign flattened beneath the wheel, nearly unrecognizable. Bella tugged at it, trying to dislodge it from under the car. Just then, she noticed the black Benz passing her by. She caught a brief glimpse of the man in the back seat as he glanced her way, their eyes meeting for a second before he raised his window and the car drove off.
"Hanley," Bella whispered unconsciously.
She froze for a moment, feeling her heart skip a beat. Could it really have been Han Lee? She couldn't be sure. But, without even thinking, her legs started moving, following the car instinctively. She hurried forward, hoping to get a closer look, but by the time she reached the road, the black Benz had already disappeared into the distance.
Bella sank back into the car seat, exhausted. Memories of Han Lee flooded her mind—his warm, smiling eyes, that gentle smile, the way loose strands of his hair would fall over his forehead, and the soft, captivating tone of his voice. But, as quickly as his image appeared, it faded, slipping beyond her reach. Slowly, she drifted into sleep, her heart still wrapped in those lingering memories.