The Princess and the Paupers Novel Full Episode
Chapter 741-760

Her grandpa was the one who taught her all her skills.

Arabella finished the painting in just an hour. There was no signature on it, but Romeo had someone send an expensive frame, planning to hang it on the wall of his study.

Just then, Arabella’s phone vibrated again.

[Arabella, there’s another order! Someone wants you to write an uplifting song, and you can name your price.]

Could it be Romeo?

Thinking about this, Arabella glanced at Romeo.

Romeo was still admiring her painting, looking at her with eyes full of affection and gentleness.

It couldn’t be him.

Arabella no longer had any doubts. [When do they want it done?]

[Tomorrow or the day after is fine.]

Without thinking much, Arabella named her price at ten million dollars, hung up the phone, and told Romeo, “I need to go to the piano room.”

Arabella was going to play the piano?

Such a great opportunity, of course, Romeo wouldn’t miss it. He followed Arabella to the piano room, watched her sit down at the piano, open the cover, think for a moment, and then start to play.

It seemed like she was tuning, or maybe composing, stopping now and then. Romeo wondered if she had received some big order. Was she writing a song for someone?

Arabella recalled many things, those beautiful images turned into jumping notes, and she quickly composed a song.

Romeo looked at the time, it was only an hour, and Arabella had composed such a beautiful song.

Her musical skills had improved again.

“How do you think?” Arabella stopped and asked him.

“Good, it’s relaxing.”

That’s exactly the effect Arabella was aiming for, but she always felt that something was not good enough. After playing it a few more times, she found the problem and made improvements.

“I’ll play it one more time for you.”

Romeo didn’t expect that he would have the honor to be her first audience. He nodded, his eyes full of admiration and love.

Arabella played the improved piano piece one more time. Romeo praised, “It’s even better than the one just now. You added a new melody, it makes me remember the good old times.”

That’s exactly the feeling Arabella wanted. She took out her phone and sent a message to Jack, [Done.]

Jack sent a string of question marks: [????]

Just a few hours passed, Arabella’s work efficiency was too high, right?

A painting, a song, just like that, done?

“I’ll contact them.” Half an hour after Jack left, he called Arabella again. “Arabella, the person who ordered the piano piece specifically wants to meet you and hear you play it in person.”

Did he not believe she was the composer just because she composed too quickly, doubting her identity or abilities?

“And the person who ordered the painting said he wants to give it to someone very important, so if the painting can’t satisfy him, he hopes you can modify it in person.”

Arabella asked again, “Are these two orders from the same person?”

“No.” Jack, worried about upsetting the boss, hurriedly flattered, “Boss, we’ve got twenty million dollars. Why don’t we take a trip? It’s better than staying at home and watching Romeo, right?”

Arabella: What’s wrong?

“After all, watching Romeo not only doesn’t make us money but also wastes our time.”

Arabella glanced at the gloomy man next to her and replied, “Romeo heard it.”

“Oh my.” Jack didn’t expect Romeo to always be by the boss’s side.

He explained, “I mean, you’ve got plenty of time to hang out with Romeo, now make a little more money, so that those medical projects can start.”

“It’s too late,” Arabella said. “He’s already pissed.”

“I’m screwed now; he’s definitely going to punish me, Ms. Bennett, you gotta help me!” Jack sent out a bunch of SOS emojis, whether he was crying or laughing was hard to tell. He had once praised Romeo, why didn’t Romeo hear it?

“Don’t scare him off,” Romeo patted Arabella’s head. “Where’s the meetup? I’ll accompany you.”

Arabella asked for the location again, but both were very cautious, saying they’d provide her with the location tomorrow.

If they didn’t know the situation, they’d think they were up to no good.

In the evening, Arabella received a call from Jack.

“Ms. Bennett, is Romeo still mad?”

“You’re calling just to ask that?” Arabella didn’t expect it, he was actually scared shitless and then she started laughing.

“Can you just tell me if he’s still mad? I’m mainly worried he’ll be mean to you.” He remembered Ms. Bennett once saying that Romeo was a hard person to console. Ms. Bennett wouldn’t be accompanying him from afternoon till night, would she? If so, he’d be giving Ms. Bennett trouble.

“He’s not mad anymore,” Arabella told the truth.

“Really?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Jack was relieved and hurriedly got to the point: “Oh, right, someone wants you to compose a piano piece, but he can only afford three million.”

“Really?”

With her popularity, the price of the tasks she accepted was definitely more than three million.

Was this guy deliberately lowering the price, or could he only afford that much?

“That person did ask a lot of people, from a starting price of one million to three million, it seems like he doesn’t understand the market.”

“Is it for tomorrow as well?”

“Ms. Bennett, how did you know?”

“I’m not doing it.” Arabella glanced at the time. Tonight, she still had to check the experimental data sent by Grandpa Beck, and she didn’t have much time to handle tasks.

“Then I’ll reject him. Ms. Bennett, you should get some rest.”

“Mm-hmm.”

After hanging up the phone, Arabella was checking data in the lab when she suddenly found a problem. The fourteen drugs Grandpa Beck had combined, after synthesis, surprisingly released a new toxin.

The concentration of this toxin was low, but it was spread out, making it difficult to extract completely.

Arabella tried several methods, none of which worked. Romeo, who was outside the lab, noticed this and knocked on the door.

“Romeo?” Arabella saw the man walk in with a late-night snack, and her tone was somewhat heavy: “There’s a problem.”

“What’s the problem?”

Arabella told him the results of her replaceings: “I’ve never seen this kind of toxin before. If it wasn’t for the advanced equipment you sent, it wouldn’t be detectable by the previous methods.”

Now, if this toxin wasn’t extracted and it entered the human body, who knew what reaction would occur.

“Let me give it a shot.”

“You can?” Arabella was a bit surprised, even a little incredulous. From the time they met until now, she didn’t know this man had knowledge about making drugs.

“I only have some theoretical knowledge.”

Previously, Romeo had envied Caden and Arabella because they could perform surgeries together and discuss the patients’ conditions.

Although he couldn’t perform surgery or make drugs, he did have some understanding of different types of equations.

As he typed away, Arabella looked at him, her eyes filled with surprise and admiration.

After a while, Romeo asked her to take a look at the screen. Seeing the final equation, Arabella suddenly thought of a new solution.

“I’ve got it,” she said, seemingly inspired and started to work on the separation experiment again.

In the meantime, Grandpa Beck made two video calls to discuss the progress with her.

At around three in the morning, Grandpa Beck said, “Alright. Consider my old bones, that’s enough for today. Don’t forget Romeo. Without his help, we wouldn’t have found a way. Go get some sleep.”

“Just a bit longer.”

“No more waiting! Romeo, take her away. She used to stay in the lab for days, treating it like home. I’m telling you, I’m going to cut the power!”

Romeo laughed. “Okay, grandpa.”

“Don’t spoil her too much, just because she’s young doesn’t mean she can abuse her health. I’m hanging up.”

After hanging up, Arabella continued with her experiment. Romeo didn’t rush her but quietly stayed by her side.

After a while, Arabella wondered why he hadn’t rushed her.

“If you’re inspired, work a little longer.”

Hearing Romeo indulge her like this made Arabella feel a bit guilty. Looking at the time, it was almost dawn.

“Let’s continue this tomorrow.” Arabella took his hand. “Let’s go. Time to sleep.”

Romeo even forgot to take his tablet, letting her lead him away as he tightly held her slender fingers.

The next morning.

Jack had sent the time and location for the meeting.

[Painting, 8 p.m., old warehouse.]

[Music score, 9 p.m., private club box.]

[Ms. Bennett, we can’t replace any background on these two. Want me and Jones to tag along for protection?]

[No need. Not many can pose a threat to me back home.]

[I’m worried that they’re from those organizations, trying to lure you out.] said Jack, sounding regretful. [I saw so much money last night and didn’t think too much. Ms. Bennett, maybe I can try to delay the delivery?]

[Do you think they figured out that Dr. Bell and Melody are the same person?] Arabella countered.

[Well, that’s unlikely.]

After all, no one would associate Dr. Bell and Melody.

Plus, Ms. Bennett was always careful. Not many knew about her identity.

But better safe than sorry, right?

Jack had met the people from those organizations. If they set a trap for Ms. Bennett, even she, as capable as she was, wouldn’t be able to escape.

[Don’t worry, I can handle it.] Arabella didn’t take this seriously and went downstairs after replying to the message.

At seven in the evening, Romeo asked, “Are you sure you don’t need me to accompany you?”

“Yeah, I can handle it myself.”

If the other party had a simpler identity without much background, then Romeo’s presence would be unnecessary. Arabella didn’t need his protection.

But if the other party was a member of a powerful organization or multiple organizations, then Romeo would be in danger if he went.

So, from any angle, it was best for Romeo not to go.

Thinking about this, Arabella comforted him: “It was the same when I took jobs before, and I’ll be back soon after a quick trip.”

“I’ll be waiting at home for you.” Romeo didn’t put up a fight, going along with Arabella’s plans.

“You can’t sneakily follow me or send anyone to guard me.” Arabella seemed to see right through him: “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to.”

Romeo didn’t expect Arabella to be so sharp, seeing through his plans in a heartbeat.

He pulled Arabella into his arms, looking into her eyes and asking, “Are you forbidding anyone from following you because you’re in danger? Are you worried I might get caught up in it? Are you worried about me?”

Before Arabella could even answer, Romeo asked again, “Who’s the other party?”

“I have no idea yet, but they’ve asked for discretion.” Arabella was trying to reason with Romeo: “If they replace out I went back on my word and brought a bunch of bodyguards and you, will I have any business left?”

Romeo kissed her, amazed by how articulate Arabella was.

He turned around and fetched a black hairpin, pinning it to her hair.

“This is the latest tracker. If you stay still for too long or if your location is off, I’m coming for you.”

Arabella didn’t expect him to have such a thing. A seemingly ordinary hairpin turned out to be a tracker.

“I had it specially developed.” Romeo saw her confusion and explained, “All for your safety.”

“Guess I should thank you then.” Arabella stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, looking at his worried face, and chuckled, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. I’ll be fine.”

“I sure hope so.” Romeo pressed his forehead to hers, kissed her lips, and watched her leave. He felt a tinge of sadness, as if something was missing.

As agreed, Arabella arrived at an old warehouse on the outskirts of Summerfield ten minutes early.

There were about a dozen bodyguards stationed outside the warehouse. Seeing a young girl getting out of the car, they were all a bit puzzled.

“I’m here to deliver the painting.” Arabella walked up to the head bodyguard and calmly said,

The head bodyguard looked her up and down and said, “Sorry, you can go tell Mirabelle that our boss wants to see her in person.”

“I am Mirabelle.”

The head bodyguard took another look at this young girl. Impossible.

The master of Oriental ink painting, known as Mirabelle, was actually just an eighteen-year-old girl?

Who in their right mind would believe that?

“Sorry, I’m not joking.” The head bodyguard seriously said.

“Neither am I. It’s the truth.”

Seeing the serious look on Arabella’s face, not like she was joking, the head bodyguard was half convinced and went in to report to his boss.

After a while, he came out and invited her in, saying, “Please come in.”

Just as Arabella was about to enter the warehouse with the painting, the head bodyguard suddenly put out a hand to stop her. “Sorry, please take off the hairpin.”

Arabella: Was she busted so soon?

“It’s safe inside.” Seeing that Arabella wasn’t making a move, the head bodyguard explained, “Our boss won’t do anything to you.”

“If he won’t do anything to me, then whether I wear this hairpin or not shouldn’t make a difference.”

“Our boss doesn’t want his whereabouts known by others. We’re very sorry and hope you can understand.”

Seeing no malice in his words, Arabella took off the hairpin and handed it to him. The head bodyguard accepted it and made a respectful invitation gesture: “Please, this way.”

Arabella entered the warehouse. The place was spacious and bright. There was only a large desk in the middle of the warehouse with brushes, ink, paper, and ink stones. There was no one around, but Arabella still spotted several cameras, some facing the desk, some facing her.

“Sir, Ms. Mirabelle has arrived,” the head of the security team said, speaking into his earpiece.

Arabella stood before the desk with an air of aloofness about her.

Upon receiving instructions from the earpiece, the head of security politely requested, “Ms. Mirabelle, could you please unroll this scroll?”

Arabella spread the artwork across the table. On the camera feed, it was a majestic and vibrant traditional oriental ink painting.

The mountains in the painting were steep, trees lush, streams winding, and clouds wafting. The few cottages nestled within the valleys added a sense of tranquility to the scene, while the birds flying through the hazy clouds hinted at the profound depth of the painting, adding a touch of ethereal quality.

The head of security heard the continuous praise from the earpiece. Without a doubt, this was an authentic piece.

“Ms. Mirabelle, how can you prove that this is your work?”

In the past, Arabella might have simply retorted, “Believe it or not, I don’t care,” but now, eager to finish this task and head home, she picked up a brush and started recreating a part of the painting on a prepared piece of paper.

This portion, taking up a tenth of the entire piece, was completed in less than five minutes.

The security head was stunned, as was the person on the other end of the earpiece. They couldn’t believe a young woman could complete a tenth of the painting in such a short time. And the thing was, this painting was really hers!

She was indeed Mirabelle!

Seeing their silence, Arabella asked indifferently, “Any other questions?”

She had another place to get to and didn’t want to waste her time here.

“Ms. Mirabelle, please wait a moment. Our boss would like to meet you personally.”

Hearing this, Arabella waited quietly. A middle-aged man descended the metal stairs briskly, followed by a group of bodyguards.

He was not decked out in gold or sporting any designer watches. Dressed casually, he looked like a successful man ready for a round of golf at any moment.

From his youthful face and demeanor, Arabella could tell he was an important figure in some industry.

“Ms. Mirabelle, it’s an honor to meet you,” the middle-aged man said as he extended his hand first.

Arabella shook his hand.

His fingers were soft and broad, further evidence of his affluent lifestyle.

“I’ve always thought that Ms. Mirabelle was a man, and yet you’re so young and beautiful,” he said respectfully. “Both my mother and I are big fans of your work.”

“Thank you.”

The middle-aged man picked up the piece on the table and said, “The landscape rendered in light ink, combined with the strong brushwork, gives the canvas a broad sense of space. It seems realistic yet surreal. The creek is gentle. Ms. Mirabelle, you paint so beautifully!”

Suddenly, he felt that ten million dollars might be too little.

Such an artwork was worth at least fifty million!

“Do you need me to make any changes?” Arabella asked abruptly.

This caught the middle-aged man off guard. He looked a bit puzzled, then turned to the head of security.

Changes?

He wasn’t quite sure what she meant.

The head of security explained, “When we were communicating with Ms. Mirabelle’s team earlier, we were concerned that she may not want to make an appearance, so we suggested that if there were any dissatisfaction with the painting, she would need to make the corrections in person.”

“What a load of hogwash!” The middle-aged man suddenly scolded loudly, “This is a downright disrespect to Ms. Mirabelle, you folks are going off half-cocked. You should apologize to Ms. Mirabelle right away.”

The head of the security immediately dropped his gaze, apologizing to the middle-aged man and Mirabelle, saying that even though the idea wasn’t his brainchild, he needed to shoulder the blame.

“Ms. Mirabelle, I’m sorry for the misconduct of my team.” The middle-aged man again shook hands with Arabella, expressing his deep apology.

“Your interpretation of the artwork is spot-on. I thought you’d use conventional symbols to denote longevity and peace, but you chose such a unique path, it’s really striking and top-notch!”

In this painting, there were two special birds, a species native only to eastern countries.

The long tail feathers of the birds looked like ribbons, and they had the longest lifespan among small birds. Hence, they symbolized longevity.

The two birds were flying through the clouds, their motions intricately depicted.

Every element in the painting, be it the birds, the landscapes, or the flora, came to life under Arabella’s brush, captivating the viewer.

“There are many good painters in the art world, but no one can compare to you when it comes to capturing the hardest elements of form and essence.”

Other artists’ works either lacked depth in the ambiance or didn’t adequately represent the form.

But Arabella was hailed as a master of oriental painting art, not only because she brought a fresh style to the art form, not only because each of her works had a distinct personal touch, but crucially, because she could capture the hard-to-grasp essence and form in her art.

This exquisite skill was beyond the average artist.

“Ms. Mirabelle, could I ask for your autograph?” A middle-aged man, looking like a fanboy, gazed expectantly at Arabella.

“Sure.” Arabella remained calm. “Where should I sign?”

“Here.” The man opened a cherished notebook he carried with him, handing it over with both hands.

Arabella picked up the pen, writing a line on the first page: May you seize favourable opportunities and circumstances, brave difficulties, and stride forward to realize your lofty aspirations.

She signed her name in the bottom right corner: Mirabelle.

The man didn’t expect Ms. Mirabelle to include a blessing for him, he was touched and unexpectedly noticed that Ms. Mirabelle’s handwriting resembled that of a calligrapher he admired. Before he could think more, Ms. Mirabelle spoke.

“I have other matters to attend to, unless there’s anything else, I’ll take my leave.” Arabella was about to leave.

The man hurried, “Ms. Mirabelle, please wait.”

Arabella was puzzled, was there something else?

“I just wanted to ask, Ms. Mirabelle, do you have a boyfriend? My son is about your age.”

Arabella caught his drift and replied lightly, “I have a boyfriend.”

She has a boyfriend?

A hint of regret flashed in the man’s eyes, but he quickly said, “That’s alright, I’ll walk you out, Ms. Mirabelle.”

“No need.” Arabella said lightly, “Please hold.”

She nodded and was about to leave the warehouse when she saw a security guard quickly approach the middle-aged man, whispering something in his ear.

The man looked towards Arabella’s retreating figure, asking with some surprise, “Ms. Mirabelle, do you know Romeo from McMllian Corporation?”

Arabella stopped in her tracks, turning to look at him.

“My man here tells me that you’re driving Romeo’s car.”

Arabella frowned slightly. She had this feeling that someone was sneakily watching her from upstairs. Calmly, she said, “If you need anything in the future, just talk to me directly. Don’t bother him.”

The middle-aged man looked a bit confused. Was she worried about him bothering Romeo?

Just as he was about to explain that she might have got it wrong, he saw the girl glance upstairs, walk out of the warehouse, take a hairpin from the bodyguard’s leader, get into a car, and leave.

She was young, but had such a strong personality and presence.

The woman upstairs only came down after Arabella had left. “Do you think she noticed me?”

“Nah, she just casually looked up. Probably because the light above was too glaring.” The middle-aged man pulled her into his embrace, “After we deliver the painting tomorrow, let’s leave this place.”

“Alright.” The woman looked at Arabella’s retreating figure with a hint of regret in her voice, “It’s a shame. She already has a boyfriend.”

If that wasn’t the case, Arabella’s aura, age, and painting skills would have been a good match for her son.

Arabella drove to her next destination and called Romeo to update him on her situation.

Having anxiously waited for nearly an hour at home, Romeo finally heard her voice and felt a weight lift off his heart.

“Does anyone else know that the hairpin you gave me is a tracker?” Arabella suddenly asked.

Romeo was a bit puzzled, “Did you get caught?”

“Yeah.”

“Did they give you trouble?”

“No.”

Romeo heaved a sigh of relief and began to ponder.

“Only my development team and I have seen the hairpin. It hasn’t been leaked, and it’s not available on the market.” Romeo said, “The development team is loyal to me, and they wouldn’t betray me.”

Their wealth wouldn’t be enough to buy a painting priced at ten million either.

So, how did the fact that the hairpin was a tracker get leaked, and why was it spotted instantly? It almost caused trouble for Arabella.

“Well, you better check. There might be a mole.” Arabella said while driving, “I’m almost there. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

“Alright.” Romeo cautioned, “Be careful.”

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

Arabella parked her car in the private club’s garage and saw two pretty girls getting out of another sports car.

One of them, with her beautiful features, had an air of arrogance about her.

Alma Collins? What was she doing here?

Alma had also noticed Arabella. She didn’t expect Arabella to come here, let alone in Romeo’s car!

“Bella,” Alma smiled, “Are you alone? Want to hang out with us? We have a class reunion tonight.”

Arabella glanced at the friend next to Alma, who was acting as if she was top dog. With her arms crossed over her chest, she looked at Arabella with a condescending gaze.

“No need. I have things to do.”

Arabella shut her car door and headed for the club, with Alma trailing behind her. She asked, “Why are you here alone? Why didn’t Romeo come with you?”

Arabella turned to look at her, and Alma felt an inexplicable pressure from that glance. She didn’t expect her cousin, who just came back home, to have such a strong aura.

There was an elevator in the garage that led directly to the first floor of the club, and there were four attendants standing outside.

Alma asked again, “Bella, do you have a membership c

“I get it.”

If it wasn’t for her uncle and aunt, Arabella really didn’t want to have anything to do with Alma.

Still, Alma stuck to her like glue, even speeding up just to walk side by side with her.

“Bella, do you come here often?”

Alma knew that this club was later taken over by Romeo. She often came here, partly hoping to bump into Romeo, and partly thinking that if she splurged enough to hit five-star status, Romeo would notice her.

Seeing that Arabella didn’t respond, Alma asked again, “Does Romeo bring you here often? Or do you come by yourself?”

“Your bumpkin cousin doesn’t even have basic manners.” Alma’s friend Cherry Evert couldn’t help but scoff. “Alma, just let her make a fool of herself later. Why waste your time?”

Alma didn’t want to deal with Arabella, but she needed to know if Romeo would be at the club tonight. Arabella had arrived in Romeo’s car, was she here to meet him?

If so, she had to wreck it.

Seeing the three women approaching the elevator, a staff member quickly radioed in some words.

Soon, over a dozen staff members came down by elevator to the garage, standing neatly in front of the elevator, blocking their path.

“Someone got recognized who’s not a member, so they won’t let us in.”

At this, Cherry pulled Alma to stand next to her, then lifted her chin arrogantly, looking at the dozen or so staff members in front of her.

“I haven’t been here for a while, and you guys don’t recognize me anymore?”

The head waiter quickly bowed in greeting, “Ms. Cherry.” Then he turned to Alma and politely greeted, “Ms. Alma.”

“You know who we are. Why don’t you step aside?” Cherry said, then gave Arabella a haughty look and coldly said, “Just so you know, we don’t know this person. Whatever you want to do with her is your business.”

Cherry, arm in arm with Alma, planned to walk past this wall of people.

The head waiter respectfully said, “I’m sorry, Ms. Cherry, Ms. Alma, could you please wait a moment?”

“Wait?” Cherry found this ridiculous, “I’ve lived all these years, and no one can ask me to wait!”

“I’m really sorry, but it’s the club’s rule.”

Just then, the elevator door opened, and the manager came out.

The dozen or so waiters lined up on both sides, and the manager quickly walked past, ignoring Cherry and Alma. He went straight to Arabella, bending over to greet her respectfully.

“Ms. Bella, you didn’t even give us a heads up that you’re coming. Please wait a moment, we’ve already sent someone to get the red carpet.”

“No need for such a fuss.”

Arabella stepped forward. The manager hurried to keep up, and the waiters on both sides maintained their bowing posture.

“Ms. Bella, I’m sorry for our lack of hospitality. All your expenses in the private room tonight are on the house.”

Cherry and Alma were shocked. What the hell was going on?

“I’m not the one spending tonight, no need to be so formal.”

“Ms. Bella, you’re too understanding. It makes me feel even more guilty.”

The manager pressed the lift open button, blocked the door with his hand until Arabella got in, and then he followed, all the while bowing, as if Arabella was the owner of the club.

Finally, Cherry realized that the manager and these dozen or so waiters were here to welcome Arabella. They were the five-star members, but they were left waiting on the side. The lift was only for Arabella’s use. Weren’t they worthy to share a lift with Arabella?

“Alma, what’s the deal with your cousin?” Cherry was a bit pissed.

Even their five-star membership, with annual consumption of over a million, had to give way to her.

“Did her family seriously start throwing pocket change at her the moment she came back?”

Was she spending more here than both of them combined?

No way.

Arabella just got back to the Collins family and she was already dropping millions here?

Even if she was a big spender, the club shouldn’t be making such a big fuss over her.

There were plenty of other big spenders who didn’t get this kind of treatment when they came in.

“I have no clue,” Alma said, feeling a touch green with envy. The only people who got this kind of welcome were the McMillians, as far as she knew. Could it be because of Romeo?

Did Romeo arrange this grand welcome?

The more she thought about it, the more she saw Arabella as a bit of a show-off.

Meanwhile, Arabella had no idea that Romeo owned the club now. She took the VIP elevator as agreed and arrived at the top-level suite 901.

She’d been to the ninth floor plenty of times, but this was her first time in suite 901.

She knocked on the door and a woman’s elegant voice came from inside.

“Come in.”

Arabella pushed open the door, only to replace a quiet café waiting inside.

In a place where booze and nightlife were the norm, a café was certainly a surprise.

The woman sitting at the coffee table was elegantly dressed and had a dignified aura.

Seeing a young girl of about seventeen or eighteen walk in, she was surprised, “Is Maestro Melody not coming?”

“I am Melody.”

The middle-aged woman looked Arabella up and down, seemingly interested.

The girl had a refined face, with an air of cool elegance in her brow and eyes. It was stunning.

Girls her age rarely had such grace and beauty.

Arabella was also sizing up the lady.

The lady’s eyes were captivating. Even though she was in her thirties or forties, her beautiful face still radiated a charming allure.

“Please, have a seat.” The lady pointed toward the piano stool.

Arabella understood. This was her chance to prove herself.

Arabella sat at the piano, her slender fingers dancing across the keys, playing a beautiful melody.

The lady stopped making coffee, quickly drawn into the pleasant atmosphere created by Arabella. She was deeply moved.

The tune echoed in the air, with Melody’s unique style, becoming more enchanting the more she listened.

The lady didn’t even feel like making coffee anymore. She stopped and lost herself in the wonderful piano music, completely entranced.

As soon as Arabella finished playing, she handed the sheet music to the lady, “This is what you asked for.”

The beautiful lady’s skin was incredibly smooth. Her smile was like melting ice and snow, bringing everything back to life. It added to her charm.

“How long have you been playing the piano?” she asked, her voice gentle.

“For several years now.”

Arabella couldn’t recall exactly when, but the piano had always been her companion during those tough times.

“Such depth in just a few years? You’re indeed a genius.”

Who would have thought that the widely acknowledged piano master, Melody, would turn out to be a girl in her late teens? What a surprise!

“Was that the piece you were playing just now?” The lady inquired, flipping open the sheet music, her eyes filled with admiration and love. “I heard you composed this piece in less than a day.”

The melody was so pleasing to the ear. It was delightful and even better than she had anticipated.

The ten million was well worth it.

“I just happened to be inspired,” Arabella modestly replied, not daring to reveal her rapid speed of composition for fear of people thinking she made money too easily.

“You’re incredibly talented. Would you be interested in signing with our agency? We can arrange performances for you every year and promote your music online. You’ll definitely become more famous than you are now.”

“Thanks for your kind offer, but I’m not considering it at the moment,” Arabella responded. She had too much to handle privately, and those power mongers were constantly on her tail. A public appearance at this point would be like revealing her whereabouts.

She could easily dodge them alone, but it could lead to collateral damage if it happened at a concert with tens of thousands of people.

“What a pity,” the lady expressed her regret. “Can we exchange contact information so we can easily reach each other in the future?”

“Sure.” Arabella took out her phone and opened the QR code.

From the moment she walked in, the lady had a warm smile on her face, like a bright moon in the night sky. She seemed like a positive and optimistic person.

After scanning the QR code, the lady saved her contact as ‘Melody’.

She was quite fond of this girl. It was a pity she wouldn’t sign.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way,” Arabella was about to leave.

“Wait a moment,” the lady said. “Stay for a cup of coffee?”

She made coffee gracefully, her eyes clear, her demeanor elegant. Even though she was in her thirties or forties, she was still beautiful and elegant.

Arabella watched her make coffee and found it a pleasant sight.

“Try it.” She placed a cup of coffee in front of Arabella.

As soon as Arabella picked it up, the aroma of the coffee wafted into her nostrils. This was high-quality coffee.

“Can you tell what kind of coffee this is?” The lady smiled, looking at her expectantly.

“It’s Blue Mountain coffee, isn’t it?”

Now it was the lady’s turn to be surprised. Arabella hadn’t even taken a sip. With a sniff, she knew the type and origin of the coffee.

This type of coffee was not something ordinary people would buy, let alone end up in the hands of a girl.

“Blue Mountain coffee is rare because there’s a country that has the first dibs on it, practically monopolizing the market.”

The lady couldn’t believe that this young girl knew this much, her admiration for this girl deepened.

“Even though you’re still young, you’re quite the brainiac and so talented,” the lady seemed to like her even more, “but there’s one tiny little snag.”

“The snag being that I already have a boyfriend.”

The lady’s eyes showed a flicker of surprise. She didn’t expect this girl to read her mind like that.

“We’ve met in the warehouse earlier,” Arabella said with a light smile.

Now, the lady was even more surprised. She was hiding on the second floor of the warehouse. How on earth did she know?

“You have a unique scent. The top notes are aldehydic and jasmine, the middle notes are rose, ylang-ylang, and iris, the base notes are cedar and lily of the valley. If I’m not mistaken, your perfume is composed of no less than a hundred ingredients, and it’s not available on the market. That tells me you’re someone special.”

The lady didn’t expect this girl to be able to analyze so much just from a whiff of her perfume. And the kicker was that she was right.

“You’re certainly full of surprises.” The lady’s eyes filled with admiration and fondness, “What else have you discovered?”

“The gentleman in the warehouse who was buying the painting was wearing a masculine perfume. The top notes are lavender and geranium, the middle notes are mint and gorse, and the base notes are cedar and sandalwood. But he had your scent on him. So, he must be your husband, and if I’m not mistaken, he should be in that room right now.”

There was a door in this booth leading inside, and the lady was surprised that Arabella was clever enough to figure out this relationship, and even guessed that someone was hiding inside.

“When did you realize there was someone inside?” The lady asked with interest.

“The moment I walked in.”

From the moment Arabella walked into the coffee shop, she could smell the faint floral scent and the masculine perfume mingled in the air.

“Darling, you can come out now.”

With the lady’s gentle call, the door inside was opened. The middle-aged man who was buying the painting in the warehouse came out.

“I didn’t expect you to have another identity as Maestro Melody.” The man’s eyes were filled with admiration and surprise, “And even more surprising is your intelligence at such a young age.”

“I guess she knows a lot about perfume, and her coffee-tasting and critique skills surpass most people.” After the lady told her husband, she turned to Arabella and praised without reservation, “You are truly extraordinary.”

Far superior to girls her age.

“You flatter me.” Arabella nodded lightly, but she wasn’t proud. She had heard too many compliments over the years and was already used to it.

“Your boyfriend is very lucky to have such an accomplished girlfriend.” The lady looked at this beautiful and talented girl in front of her, and couldn’t help but feel a bit regretful. It was a pity that Arabella couldn’t be her daughter-in-law.

“My boyfriend is also very accomplished.” As Arabella said this, her phone vibrated. Perhaps she realized who the sender was, so her eyes softened, and her aura retracted. She seemed like a gentle girl.

“I’m sorry, I should be going.”

She was still carrying the tracker Romeo gave her. Since she didn’t move at all in the coffee shop, Romeo would definitely worry about her safety.

The lady noticed her change and figured someone from her family might be rushing her. She didn’t expect she was such a family-oriented girl, very considerate, and very likable.

The lady felt even more regretful. Why were all the good girls dating others?

At this moment, Romeo thought there was a problem with the tracker because Arabella’s location was still at The Aurora Haven.

This club had just recently come under his name. When he found out Arabella didn’t reply to his messages and her location didn’t move, he tracked down Carl, got the manager’s phone number, and called him personally.

The manager was dumbstruck when he received a call from Romeo. It took him a couple of seconds to recover, “A very beautiful girl? Many girls came tonight, but if you’re talking about the most eye-catching, Ms. Bella might be the only one in the entire club.”Before Romeo could say anything, the manager begged, “Ms. Bella not only saved the former boss of the club, but also me. I owe her big time, so Mr. McMillian, I beg you to pick another girl!”

Romeo thought, “Huh? Am I some kind of beast?”

The moment Romeo asked who was the prettiest girl at the club on the phone, the manager guessed his intention, so he begged again, “Ms. Bella is not yet 18, please spare her, Mr. McMillian. I’ll replace the most satisfactory girl for you.”

Romeo didn’t expect that Arabella had tamed so many people outside, let alone that this guy was so loyal to Arabella. He chuckled and teased, “Who can you replace? Anyone as good as her?”

“Mr. McMillian.” The manager was really scared, but still mustered the courage to beg, “You can’t take Ms. Bella away.”

“What’s wrong with her?”

“She’s well-connected!” The manager thought this would scare Romeo off.

But Romeo casually said, “Oh, that’s okay.”

No background could compare to his.

The manager racked his brains, “She knows a lot of vicious people.”

“It’s fine.”

“She’s got good fighting skills. I’m afraid she might hurt you.”

“I have bodyguards.”

The manager was out of excuses and was worrying when suddenly an idea popped into his head, “She’s on her period! Yes, that’s right, she just started! What a coincidence, Mr. McMillian, I’ll replace someone else for you.”

“How do you know she’s on her period?” Romeo asked with interest, “Did she tell you?”

“No, no, an employee said she stained her clothes.”

Romeo didn’t expect his man to lie to his face. No one knew Arabella’s menstrual cycle better than him, but he wasn’t angry at all.

“Is she safe now?” Romeo suddenly got to the point and asked directly.

The manager was confused, “Yeah, she’s very safe.”

“Take good care of her. Don’t let anything dangerous happen.”

“Huh? Yes.”

Until the call ended, the manager didn’t understand what Romeo was really up to.

In the coffee shop, Arabella was about to leave when the lady suddenly clutched her stomach, seeming uncomfortable.

“Honey, are you okay?” The middle-aged man quickly bent over and asked, “What’s wrong? Is your stomach hurting?”

“Um,” the lady didn’t know what was going on. Why would her stomach suddenly hurt? Was it because of the coffee?

Arabella looked back. The lady was already in pain, curled up in the man’s arms.

The middle-aged man was really scared, “Honey, honey.”

He was about to call for help.

“Let me check.” Arabella returned to the lady’s side and squatted down. With her slender fingers on the lady’s pulse, in less than three seconds, she had the answer in her mind.

“She’s been poisoned. It’s a slow-acting poison. Let her lie down flat.” Arabella opened her backpack, picked a long silver needle from her acupuncture bag,”What did she drink three days ago at this time?”

“Three days ago, right about this time?” The middle-aged man seemed a bit puzzled and took a while to respond, “We were at a wedding in Oakridge City for the son of one of her good friends. At about 8 pm when we were about to leave, her friend said she was having a blast and wanted her to stick around for a few more glasses of fruit wine, which wasn’t that strong.”

“That’s about it.” Arabella explained as she treated her, “This type of drug can only be mixed with alcohol. If you put it in mineral water or any other drink, it’ll taste funny, and you would sniff it out. But when it’s mixed with alcohol, it doesn’t change the taste, and that’s when it really kicks in.”

“You’re saying her friend spiked her fruit wine?” The man was even more confused, “But that’s impossible. They’ve been friends for 20 years, keeping in touch all this time.”

Arabella didn’t bother speculating about other people’s business. She just did what she had to do.

“Will my wife be alright?” The man looked at the woman lying on the ground, writhing in pain, curled up. If he could, he’d take on all her pain.

“I’ll detox her first.” Arabella continued her treatment, “Her stomach’s taken a bit of a hit. We’ll need to follow up with medication. You can get the meds according to my prescription. I’ll write it down before you leave.”

The man looked surprised, “Ms. Mirabelle, you’re a doctor too?”

Who would have thought this young lady could not only paint and compose music, but she could also save lives.

What a jack of all trades!

“For the next three days, ask her to avoid spicy food. Keep her diet light.” Arabella saw that the woman was doing better and stopped the treatment.

“Honey, are you feeling any better?” The man quickly helped the woman up and held her in his arms.

“Much better. It doesn’t hurt anymore.” The lady was amazed at Arabella’s medical skills. She had been in excruciating pain but now felt like she’d sprung back to life, only a little weak.

Arabella put away her tools, took out a pen and paper, and wrote down the prescription, dosage, and precautions.

Looking at Arabella’s precise and forceful handwriting, the man was amazed. It suddenly hit him that her handwriting seemed familiar. He’d seen it somewhere.

Earlier tonight at the warehouse, when the girl had signed for him, he’d found her handwriting familiar.

Suddenly, it dawned on him. He had a collection of works by a famous calligrapher, and her writing was identical to that person’s.

Whether it was the style or size, it was a carbon copy.

Could it be that she was also a calligrapher?

This thought blew his mind.

“She should be fully recovered after taking the medication for three days.” Arabella handed the prescription to the middle-aged man.

The man was jolted back to reality, “Thank you so much. I really can’t thank you enough.”

“Melody, thank God you were here.” The elegant lady squeezed Arabella’s hand, her beautiful eyes filled with gratitude and admiration.

Before the man could ask about Arabella’s identity, he heard his wife say, “Honey, shouldn’t you be thanking her?”

“Oh, right.” The man quickly took a check out of his pocket, signed it, and was about to hand it to her.

“There’s no need. Never mind.” Arabella gently looked at the beautiful lady, holding her hand tight, and said, “Take good rest when you get home, and try to lay off coffee for a few days.”

“Why’s that?” The man was puzzled, “Is there a problem?”

Arabella smiled slightly, “Drinking coffee at night might overstimulate the nervous system and mess with your sleep.”

This lady was growing fonder of Arabella by the minute. How could there be such an angel in this world? Whose kid was she?

She was so adorable!

“Alright, time for me to hit the road.” Arabella stood up, knowing it was getting late and Romeo would be fretting.

“Melody, let’s hang out some other time,” the lady called out to her. “Dinner’s on me.”

Arabella turned around, smiled and said, “Sounds good.”

Once Arabella left, the lady stared at her retreating figure, her eyes filled with longing. “What a gem. Which lucky devil snatched her up? Such a pity. I’d love to take her home.”

“It’s fate. Even if we can’t be family, we can still keep in touch, like family. She mentioned something about the fruit wine being off. I need to look into that. If it was one of your friends who spiked it, I won’t let them off the hook.”

“Melody is so stunning. There’s no way she’d lie.” The lady’s mind was filled with Arabella’s image. How perfect it would be if this girl was her daughter-in-law.

Spotting the prescription Arabella left behind, the lady picked it up for a closer look. “Such a neat, strong handwriting. It’s full of character, just like her.”

The lady liked Arabella even more after seeing her handwriting.

“Do you reckon it looks familiar?”

The lady took a glance. It did seem familiar, like she’d seen it somewhere before.

“Labella?” They said in unison, looking at each other.

After a moment of surprise, the lady found some familiar characters in the prescription.

“Look, these characters also appear in her works. The style and font are identical.”

“Could she really be Labella?” The lady was not only surprised but also fell for the girl even more.

Meanwhile.

Alma handed a wad of cash to the waiter, wanting to know which floor Arabella went to and who she met.

But the waiter didn’t accept it. He whispered, “Ms. Alma, we can’t disclose client information. Please don’t make me do this.”

“Who would know that? I won’t tell others.” Alma, seeing that he really wouldn’t accept it, pulled out another wad of cheques. She ripped one off and handed it to him. “Since you can’t say it, write it down. Ten grand a word, right here.”

“Ms. Alma, I’m really sorry.” The waiter still didn’t agree. Arabella was his benefactor. Without her, he might have lost his job. He would never betray her.

“Alma, he’s just holding out for more money.” Cherry, sitting on the couch, looked down on him. “So, ten grand a word is not enough? How much do you want?”

“Ms. Cherry, you might have misunderstood. I’m not asking for money.” The waiter kept his respectful posture, sincerely saying, “Protecting the privacy of our clients is part of our job.”

“I bet you, a low-life, struggle every day, and even basic food and clothing is an issue. Your living conditions might even be worse than a dog’s, and you’re here talking to me about job responsibilities?” Cherry suddenly swept all the game chips on the table to the floor in front of her classmates. “Pick them up.”

“Ms. Cherry.”

“What, isn’t this your job?”

All her classmates laughed, enjoying the waiter’s embarrassment.

The waiter squatted down, picking up the game chips one by one, looking awkward but not daring to resist.

Cherry stood up and walked over to him, her high heels grinding his hand. “Do you think you’re worthy to play the high and mighty in front of us? Alma is being nice to you to ask you for information. Do you see yourself as some big shot?”

Alma coldly watched from the side, quite unhappy about the waiter’s behavior. Lucky for her, Cherry vented her anger for her.

The waiter was in so much pain he wanted to pull his hand back, but Cherry intentionally applied more pressure.

“Alright Cherry, why ruin your mood over a low-life? If you’re upset, we can help you vent, you don’t have to do it yourself.” A male classmate, Alvis, came over and patted Cherry on the shoulder.

Cherry scornfully glanced at the waiter, and then took her foot off and returned to her seat.

Alvis picked up the waiter and socked him hard in the gut.

“Dare to upset Cherry, are you asking for a fight?”

Alvis gave him another kick, sending the waiter flying out of the private room. The waiter, wincing in pain, struggled to get on his feet and staggered towards the hall.

“Oh, do you think you can escape?”

Alvis grinned, and the whole room filled with laughter.

He picked up a wine bottle, “Cherry, watch this. Revenge is coming.”

His classmates started egging him on.

“Alvis is so sweet to you, Cherry.”

“Should we go and watch?”

“Come on, Cherry, let’s go.”

“Alma, you come too!”

The waiter, exhausted, stumbled to the hall and collapsed again.

With the classmates’ cheer, Alvis, clutching the wine bottle, headed towards the waiter in anger.

The other waiters and security guards stared in confusion, unsure of what happened.

At the same time, the elevator door opened, and Arabella’s gaze fell on the scene.

“What kind of trash is this, ruining my mood?”

The bottle came down hard, and the waiter, too weak to resist, was hit on the head, blood running down his forehead. It was a horrifying sight.

Alvis, seeing the bottle still intact, complained, “Why is this bottle so sturdy?”

The rich kids and nobles laughed, ignoring the bleeding waiter.

Someone had gone to get the manager. The security guards wanted to help, but were afraid of offending these wealthy people.

Alvis raised the bottle again, ready to strike the waiter’s head.

Then, a figure appeared in front of the waiter, knocking the bottle out of Alvis’s hand.

Alvis was about to get angry, but then he saw it was a pretty girl, and he was dumbfounded.

The waiter raised his hand to shield himself, only to replace Arabella had arrived when the bottle hit.

“Are you okay?” Arabella helped the waiter. Seeing his bloody forehead, she was instantly angry.

“Ms. Bella.” Evan’s nose tingled.

He didn’t cry when he bent over to pick up chips.

He didn’t cry when Cherry ruthlessly trampled on his hand.

He didn’t cry when Alvis hit him.

But why, seeing Arabella, did he suddenly feel like crying?

A few months ago, before the club came under Romeo’s ownership, a nouveau riche caused trouble. It was Arabella who saved him then too.

He owed Arabella twice now.

It seemed like only Arabella saw him as a person.”I’m fine, Ms. Bella. You better bounce.” Evan knew there was still one in the bunch looking for Ms. Bella’s whereabouts, probably up to no good.

Alvis whistled and raised an eyebrow, flirtatiously looking at Arabella, “Hey, are you all by your lonesome?”

“Buzz off.” Arabella kicked him away without a second thought.

Everyone around was stunned. They didn’t expect this girl to be so gutsy, let alone that she could send a guy flying with a kick.

Alvis hit the ground hard, clutching his stomach. For heaven’s sake, this girl was something else.

Alma was also taken aback. She didn’t expect her cousin would stand up for a waiter.

Were they having an affair?

“What’s the beef?” Arabella turned her face, asking Evan, the waiter behind her.

Evan, wincing in pain, said, “One of them wanted to know your whereabouts. I didn’t tell them, and they started insulting me and even got physical.”

Arabella looked at Alvis on the ground indifferently, “I don’t know you.”

Why was he looking for her out of the blue?

Alma was a bit on edge on the side, fearing Alvis would spill the beans. If Arabella knew it wasn’t Alvis looking for her.

Unable to utter a word from the pain, Alvis was helped by a few classmates.

“Who do you think you are? You dare to kick Alvis. Do you want to lose your foot?”

“Do you know who Alvis is? You’d be scared shitless if I told you!”

“Alvis, are you okay? Hang in there. I’ll get your back.”

They didn’t know Arabella’s identity, thinking she was just a nobody, and wanted to stand up for Alvis.

The manager rushed over when he heard the ruckus. Then he saw a few young masters walking towards Arabella, and injured Evan standing behind her.

He had a hunch about what was going on, but out of professional duty, he politely asked, “Gentlemen, what seems to be the problem?”

“Get lost!” One of the rich kids pushed the manager aside.

If it weren’t for Arabella stepping forward to catch him in time, the manager would have fallen to the ground.

“You seem to have a knack for sticking your nose in other people’s business, first the young waiter, now the old manager. Are you two in cahoots? You sure like to meddle.”

The next second, he got a beatdown from Arabella. It was too brutal to watch. Other classmates couldn’t help but close their eyes.

Alvis, sitting on the ground, was scared to back away, “Don’t come closer.”

Arabella’s gaze fell on Alvis again, “Insulting the club’s staff constitutes defamation.”

Everyone else was stunned. What? Defamation? Was this for real?

“I’m telling you, don’t try to scare me.” Alvis clearly didn’t believe it.

Seeing the girl making sense, some of his classmates couldn’t help but pull out their phones to look it up, and found out she was telling the truth!

“Alvis, she’s right,” someone murmured to Alvis, “it’s true.”

He didn’t expect to run into someone who knew the law.

Today was just not his day.

Alvis didn’t care about losing money, but he was afraid of detention. If word got out, it wouldn’t be good for his reputation, and if it caused a stir, it could affect his parents’ official careers.

What if someone looked into his parents?

By rights, his family didn’t have the clout to let him hang out in such places.

“I’ll pay, okay?” Alvis took out his phone from his pocket, apparently trying to make peace, “I’ll transfer the money. Is 10 grand okay?””Does money make you almighty?”

Evan was seriously fed up with these spoiled rich kids who thought they could boss everyone around just because they were loaded.

“Twenty thousand. Is that enough?” Alvis, seeing that Evan wasn’t agreeing, added, “Thirty thousand? I can’t offer any more.”

But Evan stayed silent.

The surrounding classmates started to blame him.

“You’re just a worker, trying to extort so much money for a minor injury. Are you only after the money?”

“How much do you make in a month from your job? Alvis is already being generous by offering you thirty thousand dollars!”

“We didn’t even ask you for medical expenses when you hit Alvis. We’re already being kind.”

“A hundred thousand dollars.” Surprisingly, Arabella asked for a huge sum.

“Don’t push it.”

Before Alvis could finish, Arabella started marching towards him.

“Fine, fine, a hundred thousand dollars!” Alvis didn’t expect such bad luck, facing such a formidable opponent. He backed away in fear, “Just give me your account number.”

Arabella signaled Evan to step forward. Evan took out his phone, and shockingly, Alvis actually transferred a hundred thousand dollars to him.

A few classmates helped Alvis up, ready to leave.

“Hold on.” A cold light flashed in Arabella’s eyes. It didn’t look like she was going to let them off the hook, “Apologize.”

Alvis’s classmates were a bit angry, “Listen here, don’t push your luck.”

Arabella’s dangerous gaze made Alvis’s classmates quite scared, “Alvis, just apologize to them.”

Alvis shot them a glare.

Seeing another person being beaten so badly, Alvis had no choice but to swallow his pride, “Sorry.”

He didn’t want to end up like the other guy, covered in bruises.

“Who are you talking to?” Arabella was obviously not satisfied with his attitude, “Are you apologizing seriously?”

Alvis had to suppress his pain. He walked up to Evan, and bowed his head, “Sorry, I lost my cool earlier.”

“Was he the only one who hit you?” Arabella turned to ask Evan, “What about the others?”

Evan looked at Cherry, who immediately got angry as if blaming Evan.

Arabella noticed the dirty shoe print on Evan’s hand. She turned to Cherry and asked coldly, “Did you step on him?”

Cherry answered arrogantly, “What’s it to you?”

“Sis, let it go.” Alma stepped forward to defend her friend.

But Arabella didn’t seem to plan on letting her off, “So, do you want to apologize for her?”

Alma was speechless for a moment.

“Apologize and pay medical expenses, or I’ll report this to your school and call the police.”

Cherry didn’t expect Arabella to be so unreasonable. She had just extorted a hundred thousand dollars from Alvis and wasn’t satisfied. She still wanted her to apologize and compensate.

“What if I refuse?”

Arabella took out her phone and dialed the police right in front of them.

Two or three classmates started to panic. As children of government officials, their families wouldn’t ordinarily have enough money to throw around like this.

Besides, their parents were currently running for government positions. A scandal right now would be bad for the campaign!

“Cherry, give it a rest. No need to make a fuss over it.”

“Making a big deal out of this won’t do your family any favors.”

“Listen, I’ll cover the cost. You just apologize to him.”

“Please, Cherry.”

A few classmates quietly pleaded with Cherry. Annoyed, Cherry glared at Arabella, “Typical small-town girl. You can’t shake off your money-grubbing ways. I’ve got cash to burn! A hundred grand, keep the change!”

She wrote a check for a hundred grand and tossed it in Evan’s face.

The check fluttered to the ground.

Cherry stood there, haughty as royalty.

“Pick. It. Up.” Arabella coolly watched her, “I’ve got no patience for this. Either I call the cops or you apologize sincerely. Your call.”

“Cherry, I’m begging you, just apologize!”

“Please, Cherry.”

“Apologize to a waiter? What are you guys thinking?” Cherry crossed her arms, clearly refusing to apologize.

She could afford to pay, but apologizing to someone beneath her? That was a no-go.

“A job is just a means to survive. If I threw you out into the real world, you wouldn’t even know how to make a living, and you still have the nerve to look down on others.”

“You!”

“At least they earn their money with their own two hands, unlike you, spending your parents’ cash like there’s no tomorrow, all the while feeling superior.”

Furious, Cherry glared at Arabella, “No matter what you say, it doesn’t change the fact that they’re beneath me.”

“So being a waiter automatically makes you inferior?”

“Just because you’re not born into a wealthy family and have to work for a living, does that make you less than?”

“If it weren’t for these diligent workers keeping your family’s enterprise afloat, would you even be here to diss them? If you’re so capable, fire them! I recorded what you just said.” Arabella held up her phone, “If your family’s employees heard you calling them ‘inferior’, I wonder how many would quit? How much would your stocks plummet? How much damage would your family take?”

Cherry was gritting her teeth in rage.

“Pick it up. Apologize. I won’t say it a third time.” Arabella coolly watched her, “You may look down on others for their jobs, but they’ll look down on you for your attitude. If word gets out that the Evert family’s princess is so full of herself and arrogant, imagine the backlash the Evert family would face.”

Cherry was fuming, but in the end, she begrudgingly picked up the check and muttered an apology.

Just when everyone thought it was over, Arabella asked, “Who pushed the manager?”

That guy quickly owned up. He didn’t want another beating from Arabella.

“Arabella, you’ll pay for this!” Cherry threatened as she left.

Once the seven or so students left, the club’s staff started clapping. Arabella turned to check on Evan’s injuries, “Manager, can he take a break, maybe get checked out at the hospital?”

“Sure, I’ll arrange for someone to take him. Ms. Bella, thank you for helping us again.”

Arabella had helped them out before.

Arabella nodded slightly, “I’ve got some things to take care of, so I’ll be going now.”

The club’s manager immediately followed her, pressing the elevator button for her, “Ms. Bella, allow me to see you out. We really wouldn’t know what to do without you today.”

As the crowd dispersed, no one noticed the couple in the corner admiring Arabella.

“Honey, we are right. She’s truly exceptional.” The middle-aged man was in awe of Arabella’s integrity, bravery, kindness, and decisive problem-solving. He couldn’t help but admire her.

y god, I like her even more.” The lady was once again touched by Arabella. She didn’t expect such a brave woman in this era.

The way Arabella just smacked that person was way too cool!

The lady really wished she had two sons, so she could have one of them pursue Arabella.

Such a pity! A real pity!

The manager escorted Arabella to her car, reminding her, “If anyone tries to ambush you on the road or if you run into any trouble, come replace me. I’ve got a secret room here where people can hide. No one would replace out. Plus, I know some folks in high places.”

Arabella thought the manager’s behavior tonight was a bit off. Not only did he escort her to the garage, but he also said some strange things.

“Did something happen?”

“Nothing.” The manager didn’t dare to tell her that his creepy boss Mr. McMillian had taken notice of her, fearing that Mr. McMillian might have someone intercept her on the road.

“Anyway, Ms. Bella, you must be careful.”

“Okay.”

Arabella only called Romeo to check in after she got in the car.

“Have you handed over the music sheet?” Romeo asked with concern, “Did everything go smoothly?”

“Yes, it went very smoothly. They were very satisfied with the music sheet.” Arabella didn’t mention that she had hit someone. “I’m on my way home now.”

“Okay, drive carefully. Watch the road.”

“Mm-hmm.”

After hanging up the phone, Arabella focused on driving.

After Arabella left, the manager urgently gathered all the waiters, “Don’t tell Mr. McMillian about what happened tonight! Or you’ll be fired!”

All the waiters were confused. They didn’t understand why.

Wasn’t this Mr. McMillian’s club?

Someone caused trouble tonight. Shouldn’t they report it to Mr. McMillian?

“Just follow my instructions.”

The manager was afraid that if Romeo found out about Ms. Bella hitting someone here, he would trouble Ms. Bella and force her to do something she didn’t want to do.

After all, given Mr. McMillian’s influence and temper, it was better to be careful.

Romeo had some late-night snacks prepared, having nothing to do at home, so he called the manager again.

“Did anything happen tonight?”

Hearing Romeo’s question, the manager was startled. He suddenly felt a bit guilty. Did Mr. McMillian already know something?

Did a waiter sneakily report it to him?

“Why aren’t you speaking?”

The manager felt uneasy, “No, nothing.”

His nervousness didn’t escape Romeo, “You should know the consequences of hiding things.”

Realizing he couldn’t hide it any longer, the manager confessed, “Mr. McMillian, if you have any anger, vent it on me. It was me who allowed Ms. Bella to hit someone. It has nothing to do with her.”

“It was you who allowed her?” Romeo raised an eyebrow, “She hit someone?”

“It’s mainly because those people went too far.” The manager told about Alvis injuring the waiter and Ms. Bella helping them.

“Is that waiter very handsome?”

The manager was taken aback by Mr. McMillian’s question, quickly saying, “No, compared to you, his looks are nowhere close. Oh no, I should say there’s no comparison at all.”

Romeo fell silent before the manager spoke again, “Ms. Bella has always been a kind soul. Anytime she sees an injustice, she’s always quick to step up.”

“She’s indeed got a big heart,” the only thing Romeo was concerned about was, “Did she get hurt?”

“No, she didn’t. The other guy got the worst of it.”

Especially that guy who got a good whooping from Ms. Bella.

“What’s the name of that jerk who insulted her?” Romeo’s tone carried a hint of danger.

“Harley.”

“And that flirty one who tried to hit on her?”

“Alvis.”

“You know what to do, right?”

“Rest assured, Mr. McMillian. Those people have all been blacklisted from the club tonight and won’t be stepping foot in here again.”

“Hmm.”

After Romeo hung up the phone, he sent Carl to deal with those two. Soon, he heard the sound of a car returning.

Arabella drove into the garage, stepped out of the car, and was immediately pulled into Romeo’s arms.

They’d only been apart for a few hours. Was all this fuss really necessary?

Romeo took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the girl in his arms, then he looked her over. Her feet, hands, and face were all fine. The manager hadn’t lied to him. She was unscathed.

Arabella was carried into the living room by Romeo. Her phone vibrated, and she took it out and saw a message from the manager.

[Ms. Bella, are you home?]

[Yes, I am,] Arabella replied while in Romeo’s arms.

[Did anything happen on the way home?] The manager was clearly worried.

[Safe and sound.]

[That’s good, I won’t disturb your rest then. Oh right, Evan is okay. He’s been bandaged up and is resting at home.]

[Okay.]

Seeing her reply to messages, Romeo couldn’t help but ask, “Who are you chatting with?”

“The manager.”

“What does he want?”

“He’s been acting a bit strange today, always worrying that something would happen to me on the road.”

Romeo thought back to earlier. Hmm, the manager better not think he was some sleazy guy trying to stalk the prettiest girl at the club.

When did his reputation among the staff become so bad?

Just then, Romeo received a call. After a few short words, he looked down at Arabella in his arms and said, “My parents are back in the country. They want me to come over tomorrow. I want to take this opportunity to introduce you to them.”

His parents only came back once in a while, who knew when they would return next.

He wanted his parents to know that he’d found the love of his life. As soon as she graduated, he planned to marry her.

But whether they met his parents or not was up to Arabella.

“If you’re not ready, we can always do it later,” Romeo didn’t want to put any unnecessary pressure on her.

“What do they like?” Arabella suddenly asked.

Romeo was slightly taken aback, but quickly replied, “You are the best gift, as long as you’re there.”

“I can’t show up empty-handed the first time,” Arabella continued, “Do they have any special hobbies? Like, do they collect anything?”

“Dad is a big fan of the calligrapher Labella,” Romeo’s fingers gently ran through her hair as he softly said, “I’ll have someone buy it.”