Chapter 101
Chapter 101 Society and Reality
“Leander, is that really you p>
Yvette Sitwell stood there, her eyes trembling as she fought back tears.
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She didn’t understand why, but the moment she saw Leander Ashcroft again, she just wanted to cry–an uncontrollable urge to cry for no reason at all.
“Of course, it’s me. Is there a problem p>
Leander casually picked up his glass of milk, taking another sip, his face calm and unbothered.
He had just returned to his villa at “Water Paradise,” and since it was the weekend with no classes, he decided to take a walk. The view had caught his eye, so he sat down with his milk to enjoy it, never expecting to run into Yvette.
It never crossed his mind that she had specifically come looking for him.
“Is there a problem?” Yvette’s brows furrowed, her voice carrying a hint of grievance.
“You’ve been gone for over a month with no word. Do you know how many times Madeline has tried to find you? My mom’s called you countless times, and as for me… I was afraid something happened after you fought with Madeline that day p>
“And you?” she continued, her voice rising. “Not a single word, not even a call! We couldn’t even get through to you! Do you know how long we’ve been looking for you? How much we’ve been worrying p>
Leander was a bit taken aback by her outburst. He hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from Yvette over his disappearance.
“I admit, not giving any notice was my mistake,” he replied calmly. “But with or without me, it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference for you or Madeline, does it p>
“Madeline has all of you as friends. She doesn’t need me. Plus, her career in entertainment is about to take off. My presence doesn’t matter. And as for you, well, we’re not exactly close, so why are you making such a big deal out of it p>
Leander understood why Madeline and Monica had been looking for him, but Yvette’s concern baffled him. Check latest chapters at ⓝovelFind.net
“We’re not close p>
Yvette froze, her heart sinking as she took in his words.
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Chapter 101 Society and Reality
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She had spent days and nights worrying about him, only to hear him dismiss their connection with a single sentence.
Tears welled up in her eyes, her body trembling as she weakly asked, “Leander… what am I to you? Are we not even friends p>
“Friends p>
Leander paused, then raised an eyebrow. “Are we p>
From the beginning, when they first met at Monica’s house, Yvette had treated him with disdain, contempt, and even disgust. He had felt it all. In fact, during that time, Yvette had never really looked at him as anything but beneath her.
Sure, he had saved her twice, but only because she was Monica’s daughter. If not for that connection, he wouldn’t have bothered. Cold as it sounded, that was just who he was.
Their initial interaction, when Yvette saw him as someone trying to cozy up to her family, sealed the deal. From that moment on, he never considered her a friend. Even now, nothing had changed.
Friendship was built on mutual understanding and trust, and there was none of that between him and Yvette. Aside from a few moments of Yvette lecturing him, they had no meaningful exchanges. How could they possibly be considered friends?
At his response, Yvette’s body swayed, and she stumbled back a few steps, nearly losing her balance.
She managed to steady herself, lifting her head to meet Leander’s gaze. He had saved her twice, yet his coldness made her feel as though her heart was turning to ice.
“Why?” she asked, using every ounce of strength left in her to get out that single word.
Leander simply smiled and shook his head.
“Do I really need to answer that? When we first met, did you honestly think we could ever be friends? You should know the answer better than I do p>
With that, Leander strolled away, not bothering to look back at Yvette, who was now trembling on the verge of collapse.
It was only after a long while that Yvette finally came to her senses. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized that from the very moment they met, she and Leander had been walking on diverging paths. Although they had crossed once, now they were only growing farther apart, destined to become strangers.
She wiped her eyes, trying to hold back the flood of tears.
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“Yvette, what are you crying for? Are you really that upset because that guy doesn’t see you as a friend? Is it that hard to accept p>
Her nose twitched as she tried to calm herself.
“Yvette, you don’t even like him. He’s just an arrogant, self–absorbed fool. Why do you care so much p>
But no matter how hard she tried, the tears wouldn’t stop. Passersby watched as this girl suddenly began crying, pausing to wonder what had happened.
Back in the Seville Bistro suite, Monica grew worried when Yvette hadn’t returned. She headed to the third–floor balcony and caught sight of her daughter in tears. Alarmed, she rushed downstairs to bring Yvette back inside.
“Yvette, what happened?” Monica asked, guiding her away from the crowd.
Seeing Yvette’s tear–streaked face, Monica didn’t take her back to the private room but instead led her to a nearby coffee shop.
“Mom!” Yvette couldn’t hold it in any longer. She collapsed into her mother’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
“I… I think I’ve fallen for Leander. What should I do? What am I supposed to do p>
Monica’s brows furrowed in surprise. “You ran into Leander just now p>
Yvette nodded, unable to speak through her tears.
Monica’s heart ached as she watched her daughter fall apart over someone who clearly didn’t feel the same way.
She had experienced that kind of pain herself in her youth–loving someone in silence, too proud to admit it. It was a struggle most strong women faced at some point.
After waiting for about ten minutes, once Yvette had calmed down, Monica finally spoke.
“Tell me, sweetie, how does Leander feel about you p>
Yvette wiped her eyes and thought back to Leander’s indifference, the way he almost seemed to ignore her. A bitter smile crept onto her face.
“To him, I’m not even a friend. If it weren’t for knowing you, he probably wouldn’t have paid me any attention at all p>
Monica didn’t seem the least bit surprised, as though she had expected this answer all along.
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After a brief pause, she sighed softly and said, “Yvette, don’t be too upset. No matter what happens, you’ve got me p>
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“I may not be as accomplished as your dad in business, but when it comes to reading people, I’m not too shabby. Leander–he may appear humble on the surface, but I can tell that his ambitions are sky–high. He’s prouder than anyone, and if you look closely, he doesn’t really regard anyone highly p>
“I don’t know if it’s just my impression, but Leander strikes me as someone impossible to control. He may appear to have nothing, no wealth or power, but he’s never cared about those things. He doesn’t need them p>
Yvette’s eyes widened. It was the first time she realized just how insightful her mother truly was. She couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration.
Monica had hit the nail on the head. Leander never showed a strong desire for anything, as if those things held no allure for him. He didn’t bow down to anyone, no matter how influential. The only time Yvette had seen him show even a hint of respect was toward her parents.
Before Yvette could say anything, Monica gently took her hand.
“Yvette, listen to me p>
Monica’s voice was tender but firm. “Loving someone can be a beautiful thing. I’m happy you’ve experienced that. Before Leander came to Ravenridge, no boy had ever had such an impact on you p>
“But I have to remind you–choosing a partner is a serious decision. You must consider every aspect carefully p>
Monica looked up slightly, as if recalling a distant memory, her tone filled with nostalgia. “When I was in college, I had a love that felt like it would last forever. I was ready to give him everything. I thought I could face anything and endure any hardship. Even if it meant working our fingers to the bone, I believed it would be worth it p>
“But later, I realized that it was all wishful thinking. Under the pressures of reality, love without a solid foundation is fragile p>
“No matter how much you care for someone, you still have to face the real world. If you can’t even guarantee a decent meal, and you’re constantly overshadowed by others, is that the kind of love you want p>
Monica gently stroked Yvette’s forehead, her voice full of wisdom and concern.
“Yvette, no matter how you feel, I have to tell you the truth–this is the harsh reality of society, and it’s something you’ll have to face p>