"But you never pushed her away, despite looking like you were forced to tutor her," Shawn remarked.
Dylan pursed his lips.
Indeed, he could have rejected her the way he did at the beginning.
The Frostmoor Family and Ashcroft may not interact much since they deal with different businesses but there is something more about the Frostmoor Family that causes him to keep a distance from them.
It was already a shock when Seraphina appeared before him and asked him to tutor her five years ago.
He was just starting his residency and she is in her second year in medical school.
He rejected her at the beginning but she was adamant in making him her tutor.
In the end, after watching her perseverance as she reached her fifth year in medical school, he decided to help her out.
Seraphina took 6 years to finish her medical school and is currently preparing for her Licensure Exam before her residency.
The reason why he became more busy in tutoring her sometimes even escaping from her.
"I actually don't understand you about that. You really don't want to do it but you don't dislike it either. You are rescheduling the tutor sessions whenever you are absent in one. Sometimes those absences are even intentional."
Shawn curiously looked at him.
Dylan chuckled, "I wonder myself. I would intentionally not meet her but then I'd find myself telling her to reschedule."
"Hmmm, are you sure you are wondering?" Shawn squinted his eyes.
Dylan ended up laughing a little.
"I don't know, Shawn. That is the truth. I don't find myself being attracted to her but I don't dislike the way she works so hard for her dream."
Shawn slowly nodded his head, "I see."
It is not his position to pry further, he was just close to Dylan and he was able to ask such personal questions but it does not mean he wishes to keep on prying.
Dylan chuckled again with a slight shake of his head.
The two continued chatting until the end of the night.
…
"Do you know how embarrassed I was?"
Wynter stayed quiet as her mother started berating her the moment they stepped inside the house.
"You were not smiling enough, Wynter!! It is not enough!!! What are you feeling sad right now?"
"No, mother," she replied.
Minerva scoffed, "You are not sad. Then why are you not happy? Are you angry?"
"No, mother."
"Then tell me!!! What was with that smile!!??!!"
Wynter did not answer.
Because there was no answer at all.
*THUD*
Minerva threw her purse at Wynter, hitting her in the shoulder.
But Wynter remained unmoving, accepting all her anger without complaint.
Minerva kept throwing at her whatever she could take ahold of but without hitting any part of her body that could be seen by anyone.
After that she was set back to her room.
In time for a message to arrive in her phone.
'How are you?'
She smiled a little.
'Do you have a vision in this place?' she replied.
'Was she mad again?'
'Wasn't that the norm already, Hymn?'
The person she was interacting with was named Hymn on her phone.
'You were hit again,' was the reply, not asking but instead stating a fact.
'Yup, as always.'
'It seems her anger came up more because you were acting differently over the past days.'
Wynter pursed her lips.
'I suppose I was doing things I shouldn't be doing.'
'What happened? Are you starting to feel like you don't want to continue with the plans?' came a question.
She shook her head, 'You know very well that no matter what the plans will push through.'
'Then don't hurt yourself more or your plans will surely be affected. Remember I am also in cahoots with you on this plan.'
'Just tell me not to get hurt, you don't have to go in a roundabout manner,' she replied with a shake of her head.
Soon the messages were deleted one by one.
"I guess you must have seen her anger causing you to message me," she shrugged, knowing full well that it was Hymn who was deleting it.
A call was not an option for them for people from the house will surely hear it and her family will know that she was up to something.
And messages are always deleted right after their conversation.
Just as she said, it was already a normal occurrence.
Minerva venting her anger at her was already something she experienced on a daily basis.
After what happened years ago, this was already a normal thing.
Meanwhile, on another place, the person she was chatting with looked at the conversation that was deleted.
They sighed while looking at Wynter's contact name, Ice.
"Be strong. I promise I will be there with you no matter what."