(*) 10 min leff
Chapter 14 We Won’t Be Fooled
Things had spiraled to this point, yet Eleanor and Victoria still hadn’t fully grasped what was happening. So much so that when the taxi pulled up to their destination, they stood in front of the door for a long time, dazed, before finally pushing it open.
“Welcome back, Ms. Blackwood.”
Tracy White, the maid, was busy preparing dinner. Hearing the
noise, she turned her head to look at the two girls.
Everything seemed normal, but there was a sudden chill in the air that made Eleanor nervously run her fingers through her hair.
“Tracy, where’s Kenneth? Has he been coming back to stay these
days?”
At the mention of Kenneth’s name, the smile on Tracy’s face froze.
She let out a long sigh, clearly looking heartbroken.
When Kenneth stayed here, he was always polite, well–behaved,
and a really nice kid.
It was just that fate could be so cruel.
“Don’t you know, Ms. Blackwood? Mr. Caldwell has moved out.
He took all his stuff with him.”
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Chapter 14 We Won’t Be Fooled
It was like the final jigsaw piece crashing into place, sending shockwaves far and wide.
9 min lett
The realization hit Eleanor like a sledgehammer, as if a chasm had opened up in her heart.
A wave of dizziness suddenly overtook her, and her legs gave way
beneath her. She hastily sank onto the sofa, her body slumping
against the cushions.
For once, Victoria was rendered speechless. She stood there, the weight of the situation pressing down on her, and a stunned silence filled the air. Both of them hung their heads. It took them a long while to find their voices again.
“No way! He took all his stuff? He really left?” Victoria exclaimed, eyes wide with shock.
Eleanor, meanwhile, stole glances at the items on the shelf.
She hadn’t paid much attention before, but now, looking closely, she realized that all of Kenneth’s little personal things were gone.
The sense of loss was overwhelming. Suppressing the urge to break down, she quickly picked up the phone and called Harriet.
“Mom, Kenneth has moved out. Is it true? Why didn’t you tell me?
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Chapter 14 We Won’t Be Fooled
“How could you keep such a big thing from me!”
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Harriet was in a meeting at the company when she got her daughter’s call. She got up and left the meeting room.
The moment the meeting–room door closed, the accusing voice on the phone made Harriet’s face darken. She was furious at her daughter’s ignorance.
“I thought it’d take you six months or a year to find out about this.
“So you finally remembered to ask about Kenneth? You’re good friends. He’s been gone for so long, and you never even bothered to ask. Have you ever thought about why I knew about this while you’re still asking me to confirm it!
“Eleanor, I always thought you were a smart and grown–up girl, but I never expected you to be so unreasonable. You really break my heart…”
Harriet’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was so clear on the phone that
even Victoria could hear every word.
The two girls sat there in dead silence, ears perked up as Harriet let loose a barrage of scolding. She went on and on about
Kenneth’s recent ordeals and how his feelings had done a
complete 180. Their eyes began to turn pink, on the verge of
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Chapter 14 We Won’t Be Fooled
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welling up.
“Kenneth’s heart? You two just shattered it into a million pieces. I’ve witnessed how he’s treated you girls all these years. But what have you done in return?
“I get it. At your age, spats and tiffs are par for the course. But last time? I just can’t understand it! That poor kid was inches from death’s door. And what did you do? You brushed him off like he
was nothing. No apology, not even a shred of remorse. Instead, you laughed him off and called him a liar.
“Do you think I’m in on his so–called lies? Or do you really think I’m
that dumb to fall for his stories?
“Anyway, it’s all water under the bridge now. Kenneth is overseas.
He’d been gearing up to go study abroad ages ago. Just let him
be…”
After the call ended, Eleanor and Victoria were in a daze for what
felt like an eternity.
They just sat there, locked in a silent stare, their lips twitching as
if they were about to say something, but no words managed to
escape.
Just then, a sharp knock on the door jolted them back to reality.
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Tracy quickly scurried over to open it, and there stood Lucas, his face etched with worry.
“Lucas, what are you doing here?”
The moment Eleanor and Victoria laid eyes on Lucas, a big chunk of the guilt gnawing at their hearts seemed to melt away.
The two girls sprang to their feet in an instant. Lucas lifted his hand and pretended to wipe away sweat that wasn’t there.
“I was worried sick that the thing about the special medicine might stir up even more trouble between you guys and Kenneth. So I figured I’d come over and have a chat with him myself.
“But I called you, and no one picked up. I went to school looking
for you, but you’d already left. Then I thought you might’ve come
home…”
As Lucas spoke, he fidgeted with the fabric of his pants. He
glanced warily and nervously around the living room.
When he didn’t see Kenneth, he let out an almost inaudible sigh of
relief, yet there was also a tinge of disappointment.
He’d deliberately timed his arrival to be a bit later than Eleanor
and Victoria, thinking he’d show up after they’d gotten the
prescription.
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9 min laff
That way, everything would seem reasonable, and he wouldn’t
have to face Kenneth directly.
But now, it seemed they hadn’t gotten the prescription yet.
“How are you guys? Is everything okay? You both look kinda off. What’s going on?” Lucas asked with feigned concern, but inside, he was thinking things had taken an unexpected turn.
Could it be that Kenneth hasn’t given them the special medicine?
“He’s gone abroad. Probably took the prescription with him,”
Victoria said.
She grabbed Lucas by the wrist and pulled him towards the sofa.
“Wait, what? What do you mean…” Lucas was taken aback by
this unforeseen news.
As Victoria and Eleanor explained the whole situation to him, he
had to bite his lip hard to stop himself from bursting into laughter.
After all, with Kenneth gone, he didn’t have to fight for anything.
These two girls would now listen to him obediently.
He wouldn’t have to scheme to get those luxury items and pocket
money anymore.
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(**) 9 min loff
But then, as Lucas pondered the gulf in social standing between
him and Kenneth, he let out a soft, disdainful snort inwardly.
His eyes began to glisten, and he looked on the verge of tears.
“It’s all my fault. Kenneth must’ve thought I wasn’t good enough to be your friend, so he took off. He’s really steamed at me, thinking I stole you two away. It’s all on me…”
When people deceived themselves, they often seized on external
excuses.
Eleanor and Victoria were already at a loss about how to handle Kenneth’s departure.
But once they heard what Lucas had to say, their perspective
did a complete 180. They now reckoned that Kenneth was just
throwing a hissy fit, rather than being deeply wounded by them.
Eleanor visibly relaxed, while Victoria slapped her thigh and shot
up from her chair.
“Lucas! If you hadn’t clued us in, Eleanor and I would’ve been
taken in. Kenneth is so devious! He’s been pulling the wool
over the teachers‘, the classmates‘, and even Harriet’s eyes. He
just wants all the limelight and to play the poor–me card to get
people’s pity!”
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