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Novel Catalog
Chapter 60: Telepathy
The grand banquet was hosted by the Gage family, making them the center of attention. The hall was bathed in soft golden light, and tall golden candlesticks flickered faintly, casting shadows across the space. Ainsley stood near the west-side French windows, champagne glass in hand. Beside her was Manuel, as always, offering her his undivided attention.
He reached out to take a glass of wine from a passing waiter and handed it to Ainsley with a knowing smile. “Why don’t you try this? I think you’ll like it.”
Ainsley placed her glass aside and took the one Manuel offered. A delicate violet fragrance lingered in the air as she took a sip. “Is this Nebbiolo red wine?” she asked, her eyes lighting up.
“That’s right,” Manuel replied, his smile widening. “Aisy, can you guess where this is from?”
Ainsley took another sip, savoring the rich, violet tones and a subtle cherry aftertaste. “Barbaresco, am I right?” she said confidently.
Manuel nodded. “Exactly. There are only two regions that produce Nebbiolo—Barolo and Barbaresco. Barolo is bold and full-bodied, but Barbaresco, like this wine, is softer, more seductive.”
Ainsley smiled, impressed with Manuel’s knowledge. She had never paid much attention to wine before, but she always remembered the taste. Where she had drunk it, though, remained a mystery to her.
Manuel’s gaze softened as he watched her. “You let her go so easily?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. He had noticed how calmly Ainsley had handled the drama with Kaitlin earlier.
Ainsley took another sip of her wine, her fingers gently brushing the glass. “Videos taken illegally can’t be used as evidence, nor can secret photos. There’s no need to dwell on it.”
Manuel chuckled, his voice low and warm. “I was careless, I admit.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Speaking of which, you saved me again today. I seem to owe you yet another favor, Mr. Gage.”
Manuel’s smile was soft but sincere. “It’s what I should do, Aisy. You don’t owe me anything.”
Curiosity flickered in Ainsley’s eyes. “But how did you know I was in the garden? You were talking with Koen when I went out there, and I wasn’t gone long.”
Manuel’s lips curved upward as he tapped the edge of his glass thoughtfully. “Before I left, I told Serina and you to wait for me. But when I came back, you were both gone. All the women at the banquet wore either dazzling or demure dresses, but none of them looked as fresh and elegant as you. I didn’t have to look long to know you weren’t in the hall.”
He paused, as if weighing his words, and then added, “Or perhaps, it’s because of telepathy.”
Ainsley’s lips curled into a teasing smile. “Are you this flirtatious with every woman?”
“No,” he replied without hesitation, his gaze fixed solely on her. “Only with you.”
Ainsley felt a slight tremor in her fingers, her heart skipping a beat. She had expected this conversation to stay light, but something about the way he looked at her made her pulse race. Her cheeks flushed as she quickly tried to deflect, “I think I’ll go check on Serina.”
Manuel’s eyes darkened slightly, his gaze lingering on her. Without saying a word, he took a long sip from his glass. When Ainsley turned to leave, he watched her every movement, his smile softening.
After the banquet, Serina was her usual mischievous self, practically dragging Ainsley toward the exit. “Manuel, you have to drive me back,” she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward Ainsley with a wink.
Manuel, still recovering from the wine, was too polite to protest. “I can’t drive,” he said, gesturing to Roman, who would be their designated driver for the evening.
As they reached the car, Ainsley was about to climb into the passenger seat when Serina suddenly stopped her. “Ainsley, I’m feeling a bit tight in the chest. I need to sit in the passenger seat. You can sit in the back with Manuel,” she insisted, already climbing into the front seat.
Ainsley rolled her eyes but complied, getting into the back with Manuel. The cool night air rushed in through the open window, and the scent of alcohol slowly dissipated.
When they reached the apartment building, Serina quickly kicked Roman out of the car. “You stay here,” she said, as she turned to Ainsley with a knowing look.
Ainsley laughed softly, “Serina, you’re impossible.”
Serina winked at her. “I’m just trying to help.”
With a smile, Ainsley reached for her friend’s hand and pulled her toward the building. Meanwhile, Manuel and Roman stood together by the car, silently watching them go inside.
Roman offered Manuel a cigarette. “Smoke?” he asked.
Manuel accepted but didn’t light it. “What do we do about the Baldry family?” he asked quietly, his mind already shifting to the next problem.
“Warn them,” Roman said simply.
The next morning, Ainsley was able to focus on her upcoming Psychology Quiz Show, which she had been working on for weeks. Serina walked into her room with a pile of registration forms in her hands. “Ainsley, look! We’ve already received so many applications for the show. I heard from a senior that the number of registrations is at least double what it was last time.”
Ainsley flipped through the forms, impressed by the turnout. “This many?”
“Yep,” Serina grinned. “I even spoke to the president of the Student Union and borrowed the school’s biggest performance hall for the event.”
Ainsley’s heart warmed as she ruffled Serina’s hair. “You’re such a sweetheart. You’ve done so much for me.”
With the venue secured and everything else falling into place, Ainsley could focus on finalizing the details for the show.
Meanwhile, at the University of Washington, Kaitlin entered her classroom to find her peers whispering and pointing at her. Confused, she walked over to Jenny, who had a sympathetic look on her face.
“Kaitlin, haven’t you seen the forum?” Jenny asked, pulling out her phone and showing her a post with a headline: “Kaitlin Schemed Against Ainsley at the Gage Family Banquet: Jealous or Seeking Revenge?”
The article detailed everything Kaitlin had done at the banquet, painting her as the villain in the story. It had already gained significant attention and sparked heated discussions.
“I always thought Kaitlin was a bad person,” one comment read. “She’s so arrogant at school. But this is something else.”
Kaitlin’s blood boiled as she scrolled through the comments. Her carefully crafted image had been shattered in a matter of hours. Enraged, she slammed her phone down on the desk.
“Kaitlin, are you okay?” Jenny asked nervously, sensing the tension in the air.
Kaitlin didn’t answer. She snatched up her phone and stormed out of the classroom, determined to find out who was behind the post.
In the Psychological Counseling Room, Ainsley was speaking to a student who seemed to be struggling with the pressures of academic life.
“Ms. Easton, I feel so much pressure. My family thinks I’m not working hard enough…”
Ainsley listened with empathy, her voice gentle and reassuring. “It’s normal to feel pressure, especially in your senior year. It’s a time when everything feels like it’s building up—your thesis, finding a job… But remember, you don’t have to carry all of this on your own.”
