Chapter 559 Soaking in the Hot Spring
"Abella, you said you messed up their plans, and now they want revenge. Since they can't find you, they grabbed us to lure you out," Bella said, worried. "Are you in danger? Should we call the police?"
Abella knew it was more complicated, with too many powerful players involved. But she kept it simple. While treating Bella's knee, she said, "Don't worry, this will blow over soon."
"Mr. Bourbon's got this. No need to stress!" Josie added, looking at Abella. "By the way, Mr. Bourbon really cares about you. He dried your hair, wrapped you in a blanket, and flew us to a resort for a hot bath. Why not take a bath and change?"
"Yeah, my knee's not that bad," Bella said, feeling awkward about Abella fussing over her.
Abella apologized, "This is all my fault."
"No, don't think that. They grabbed us because they see us as important to you. It shows how close we are! I'm proud to be your friend," Bella smiled, no blame in her eyes.
"Good friends stick together. Even though getting thrown in the water was scary, seeing you swim to me was touching."
Josie added, "The bad guys are to blame, not you! Don't worry about it."
Abella smiled, grateful for their support.
After treating their wounds, Abella went to take a bath. As the hot water hit her, she noticed small cuts on her arms and legs. They didn't bother her. She closed her eyes, letting the water wash over her.
The Umbra League seemed mostly gone, but who knew what threats still lurked? How many more attacks like today would there be? She could save them once or twice, but not always. It was time to speed things up. But some people hid too well; she couldn't tell friend from foe until they showed their true colors.
When Bella went to take a bath, she found a large outdoor hot spring in the presidential suite. The misty steam and mountain view stunned her. This was too beautiful! If not for her knee injury, she'd love to take a dip.
"This is the life," Bella said.
"If you want to soak, just keep your leg out of the water."
"Yeah, why didn't I think of that? Josie, come with me!"
In the end, Josie couldn't resist Bella's pleading and joined her in the hot spring.
"This feels amazing," Bella said, eyes closed, soaking it all in. "When I make a lot of money, I'm bringing my mom here."
Josie laughed. "You're so thoughtful."
"My mom had it tough raising me. She was a designer, then started her own small business. Things were looking up. But then a close friend tricked her into guaranteeing a $500,000 loan and disappeared. My mom lost her factory and had to pay back over $300,000."
"Do you know how much $300,000 was when I was ten? My mom couldn't find her friend and worked multiple jobs to pay off the debt, ruining her health. So I wanted to become a doctor to help her."
Josie felt for her and asked, "Did you manage to pay off the $300,000?"
"We paid off a bit over $100,000. Her friend got caught for scamming others, and the shady company she borrowed from got shut down. The debt was never fully resolved. Later, my mom started an online store selling her designs. I helped with packing and modeled her clothes on social media. We finally made some money. Last month, I gave my mom extra spending money. This month, I bought myself an LV purse, but..."
Because of the kidnapping, her beloved LV purse was left in a bathroom at Innovation University. She wondered if she could get it back.
"Don't worry, Joanna will definitely bring it back. I left a keychain on it."
"By the way, Josie, what does your family do?" Bella's question made Josie's expression darken.
"My dad runs a food company that makes cookies and candy. My mom passed away when I was very young."
"I'm sorry for bringing up sad memories," Bella apologized, "but your family seems well-off."
Josie usually dressed simply, so everyone thought her family was average.
"Since I turned eighteen, I haven't taken a penny from my family. I paid for college with my own part-time jobs."
"Why?" Bella asked, puzzled.
"My dad remarried the year my mom died, bringing in a new wife with boy-girl twins my age. I found out they were together before my mom passed. Those twins go to our school."
"What? That means your dad cheated before you were born. That's awful!" Bella was shocked and sympathetic. "So you must really resent your dad and refuse to take his money."
"Not exactly. My dad's money is controlled by that woman. In high school, I had to listen to her nasty comments every time I needed tuition."
Bella felt even more sorry for her.
"So now I don't go home or ask them for money. I don't even consider him my dad anymore." Josie felt a weight lift after sharing this. Besides Joanna, she hadn't told anyone else.
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