Chapter 347 The Wounds in the Heart
Bella watched Anna's reaction, feeling more certain about her suspicions. She knew Anna was hiding something, but she didn't want to push her to reveal the truth.
Bella sighed softly and spoke gently, "Anna, I'm just worried about you. I feel like there's something weighing on you. If you ever want to talk, I'm here. If not, that's okay too. Just remember, no matter what, I've got your back."
Anna's eyes reddened slightly at Bella's words. She lowered her head, her voice choked, "Bella, I'm really fine. There are just some things I don't want to remember. I don't want them to affect my life anymore. I just want to live well now and enjoy every day."
Bella gently patted Anna's shoulder in comfort. "Alright, I won't ask anymore. But remember, whenever and wherever, if you need me, I'll be by your side. We're lifelong friends, and I'll always be with you."
Anna's heart raced. She knew Bella was smart, and the little lies she had woven were as fragile as thin paper in front of Bella, easily seen through.
So when Bella looked at her, she always wanted to avoid her gaze, afraid that Bella's eyes would see through all her secrets.
The events had already happened, and she didn't want Bella to worry anymore or feel guilty.
"Alright, stop overthinking. It's late. You should go to bed. I'll finish eating and go to sleep too." Anna's voice had a slight tremor, and she tried to make her tone sound relaxed and natural.
She knew that avoiding the issue wasn't a long-term solution, but facing Bella's intelligence, she was really afraid that her defenses would collapse in an instant.
"Okay, but remember, don't force yourself if something happens. I'm going to bed now." Bella knew Anna wasn't telling the truth, but she could wait for the day Anna decided to open up.
Anna buried her head in her bowl, mechanically pushing the food around with her utensils. Each bite felt like she was chewing on her own bitterness. Her voice was muffled as she responded to Bella, as if completing a necessary task, while her thoughts drifted far away.
Tears quietly fell in the unnoticed corners, silently blending into the food in her bowl, along with the unspeakable pain she swallowed down.
Just because she appeared indifferent didn't mean she truly was. She repeated this to herself, as if for comfort, or perhaps as a justification for her past.
To outsiders, Anna always seemed like the cheerful, carefree girl, but only she knew how many hidden scars lay behind those smiles since the kidnapping.
Even now, in the dead of night or an unguarded moment, those nightmarish memories would surge like a tide, enveloping her. She didn't dare to recall or face them because it meant reopening wounds and feeling that excruciating pain again.
But she knew that avoiding it wasn't a solution. She told herself that one day, she would bravely face that past, no matter how difficult the process, and find a way to heal.
The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the mist, they headed to the store as usual.
When they reached the store's entrance, the sight before them left them stunned.
The door was covered in glaring red paint, spreading like a curse, with obscene insults scrawled all over it. Though the paint had dried, the malice seemed to linger in the air, sending chills down their spines.
Anna's heart sank. She stared in disbelief, as if seeing something unimaginable. Bella was also stunned, her brows furrowed, a mix of anger and confusion in her eyes. They both knew this wasn't a random act but a targeted malicious attack.
Bella silently walked to the door, carefully examining the writing. The red paint clung to the glass door, like a provocation or a warning. She understood that removing these marks wouldn't be easy and would require scraping them off bit by bit.
Anna's anger and confusion ignited like a fuse, exploding instantly. "What the hell? Who's such a jerk?"
She was almost shouting, trying to vent all her dissatisfaction and anger. She couldn't understand why someone would attack them so maliciously.
"We haven't wronged anyone!" Bella couldn't help but speak, her voice calm but filled with the same anger and confusion.
Anna's anger reached its peak. She clenched her fists, as if trying to channel all her frustration into strength. "If I find out who did this, I'll spray their face with red paint!"
Bella quickly and calmly assessed the situation. She knew the priority wasn't to find the culprit immediately but to remove the malicious messages quickly to avoid unnecessary negative impact on their store. Especially with the morning crowd increasing, they couldn't let these words become the focus of passersby.
"Quick, get some tools!" Bella's words were concise and powerful. As she spoke, she was already searching the store for cleaning tools.
Anna agreed, "Yes, we need to get rid of this before more people see it. We can figure out who did it later!"
Anna understood that the most important thing now was to protect their store and not let these malicious messages affect their business and reputation.
They quickly found scrapers, cleaning agents, and some cloths, and began diligently cleaning the red paint off the door.
However, they soon realized that these tools weren't as effective as they had hoped.
The cleaning agent could soften some of the paint, but removing it completely required a lot of time and effort. Fortunately, they had arrived early.
The cloths could only wipe away surface dust, and were almost useless against the deeply embedded paint. In the end, they had to rely on the scrapers, painstakingly removing the stubborn marks bit by bit.
Each bit of paint they scraped off required immense patience and effort. The area covered by the writing was large, and removing it all was no easy task.
After carefully inspecting the cleaned glass door, Bella shook her head in frustration. She realized that despite their efforts, the door still bore mottled scars, like wounds that couldn't be erased.
"Forget it, let's stop." Bella sighed, her tone carrying a mix of resignation and determination. "We'll call someone to replace the door later."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
