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Novel Catalog
Chapter 96: Reconcile
Manuel sat staring at his phone, his mind in turmoil. The anonymous message had caught him off guard, disturbing him in a way he hadn’t expected. The photo, the cryptic message—it all seemed to have been calculated to unsettle him. He didn’t know who had sent it or what their intentions were, but it had completely thrown him off balance.
Despite his efforts to appear composed, his mind was a storm of confusion. He tried to shake off the unease, but it lingered. Unable to keep his thoughts to himself any longer, Manuel dialed the number he had been given.
After two rings, the call was picked up. The voice on the other end was cheerful, almost mocking.
“Hello? It’s not convenient for Ainsley to answer the phone right now. She’s hugging Cason. I’m sorry. You can call later.”
Before Manuel could respond, the line went dead. He stared at the phone, the deep smile on Kaitlin’s face imprinted in his mind. After deleting the call record, she put the phone back in its place, as if nothing had happened. The world continued, uninterrupted, as she glanced at Ainsley and Cason, who were busy opening a durian together.
The smell of the durian filled the air, pungent and overwhelming, even seeping into his skin. Ainsley carefully removed the husk, revealing the flesh. She tossed the husk aside, leaving only the rich, distinctive fragrance of the fruit behind. Strangely, as she handled the durian, Manuel couldn’t help but think of something else—the faint, calming scent of cedar. It reminded him of that moment at the Pearl Hotel, or those quiet times when Cason had embraced her. His heart quickened at the thought.
But Ainsley had no idea of the tension that had built up around her.
Over the next few days, Ainsley noticed Manuel’s absence. He had suddenly become very busy, and she couldn’t help but feel the void left by his absence. It was strange. She hadn’t realized just how much his presence had become a constant part of her life until it was no longer there.
Serina, meanwhile, had been staying with Ainsley at her apartment. While Serina’s condition had improved, Ainsley couldn’t shake the feeling that it was still too early to let her live alone. It was a delicate situation, one that Ainsley was doing her best to navigate.
One afternoon after school, Serina came back carrying a lot of food. Ainsley raised an eyebrow. “Did you buy this?”
“No, it was Manuel who sent it over,” Serina replied, smiling sweetly.
Ainsley lowered her gaze. “Why didn’t he send it over himself?”
“He didn’t say, but he told me not to tell you,” Serina replied innocently, opening the bags. Inside were delicacies from the Pearl Hotel, along with egg tarts and desserts from Flavor Dessert Shop.
Ainsley absentmindedly picked up an egg tart. The sweet, milky aroma filled her senses, but somehow, it tasted flat, lacking the warmth it should have had. She found herself lost in thought. Why was Manuel acting like this?
She had always told herself to acknowledge the distance between them, to accept the reality. But now, looking back, she realized that maybe she had been too self-righteous before, believing that Manuel might have felt something for her. In truth, their relationship had always been cordial, but nothing more. He came and went as he pleased, without her ever truly knowing what was in his heart.
She set the half-eaten tart aside and retreated to her room. She looked at herself in the mirror, a bitter smile on her face. The Cartier bracelet on her wrist caught her eye. The rose gold had faded, leaving only the brilliance of the diamonds. She took it off and placed it back in the drawer. It was a reminder of something that wasn’t meant for her, something she should have let go of a long time ago.
That evening, as they walked home from school, Serina tugged at Ainsley’s arm, her face a picture of pleading. “Ainsley, Manuel will pick me up today. Please come with me. Let’s go back together.”
Ainsley hesitated but ultimately relented, not wanting to disappoint Serina. “Okay, but go back first. I can go home on my own. I don’t want to always trouble Manuel.”
“No, Ainsley, you’ve been so kind to me these days. I don’t want you to feel like I’m causing trouble.” Serina’s voice was sweet and coaxing, and Ainsley couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
When they met Manuel, Ainsley gave him a brief nod. It had only been a few days since they last saw each other, but the silence between them felt stretched, as though years had passed.
Manuel didn’t speak immediately. Instead, he asked, “Aisy, I’m going to take Serina to the old house. Do you want me to drop you off first?”
Before Ainsley could answer, Serina piped up, “No, Manuel, please take me to the old house first, then Ainsley.”
Manuel didn’t argue, just gave a short nod and drove them to the old house. The car ride was quiet, the tension palpable. Ainsley could feel it in the air, the unspoken words hanging between her and Manuel. It was strange. They used to be so comfortable together, but now, everything felt different. There was an awkwardness that neither of them knew how to address.
Once they arrived at Ainsley’s apartment, she got out of the car and turned to Manuel. “Thank you,” she said quietly.
Manuel watched her walk away, a wave of sadness washing over him. He wanted to say something, anything, but the words seemed to stick in his throat.
As soon as Ainsley was out of sight, he pulled out his phone and called Roman. The phone rang a few times before Roman picked up, his voice jovial as always.
“Hey! What’s up, man? You’re calling me—what do you want to eat this time?”
Manuel’s voice was tight with a frustration he hadn’t expected. “I have a question for you.”
Roman immediately sensed the shift in Manuel’s tone. “Sure, man, what’s going on?”
“I have a friend,” Manuel began, his voice serious. “She contacted her ex-husband after their divorce and got along with him really well. Do you think… do you think that means something?”
Roman paused for a moment, then his tone turned understanding. “Wait. You’re not talking about Ms. Easton, are you?”
Manuel fell silent, unsure of how to answer. He couldn’t bring himself to admit that he was talking about Ainsley, but the doubt gnawed at him.
“I think you should ask her directly,” Roman said after a moment. “It could just be a misunderstanding. Better to clear things up face-to-face.”
Manuel sighed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
Hanging up, Manuel stared at the rearview mirror, his expression one of self-mockery. What was I thinking? Ainsley could never want Cason. I know that. So why does this photo keep bothering me?
He sighed again and unbuckled his seatbelt, stepping out of the car. To his surprise, he saw Ainsley standing there, having come back down to the car.
“You didn’t leave?” he asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Ainsley smiled back, her eyes flickering. She wore a simple dress and had her hair tied up in a bun, looking every bit the picture of grace as she stood under the streetlights.
Manuel walked over to her and draped his coat over her shoulders. “Why did you come back down?” he asked gently.
Ainsley pursed her lips, clearly hesitant. “I… I just wanted to take a walk.”
Manuel didn’t press her. Instead, he smiled faintly. “Do you want to talk?”
“Sure,” Ainsley replied softly.
They began walking side by side, the silence between them comfortable but heavy. After a few moments, Manuel spoke up.
“Do you often go to the Baldry’s house lately?” he asked casually.
Ainsley glanced at him, surprised by the question. “No, I only went there twice.”
Manuel hesitated before asking, “Have you been getting close to Cason lately?”
Ainsley froze for a second, then burst out laughing. “Manuel, are you joking? How could I be close to him?”
Manuel’s face tightened, and he pulled out the photo he had received. “Someone sent me this anonymously. It was taken a few days ago.”
Ainsley took the phone from him, looking at the photo in confusion. She remembered the moment when Cason had helped her with the durian at the Baldry’s old house. It was innocent enough, but the angle of the photo made it look far too intimate.
“This is fake,” she said immediately. “I wouldn’t be that close to him, but…”
She looked again, her eyes narrowing. “This was definitely Kaitlin. She must have taken this photo and sent it to you on purpose.”
Manuel’s heart sank. Had she really stayed away because of this photo? He didn’t know what to think anymore, but at least now, he had something to ask her about—something to clear up.
Ainsley handed him back the phone and met his eyes. “Don’t jump to conclusions, Manuel. This wasn’t what it seemed
