Chapter 461 Be Friends
Bella gently shook her head, not directly responding to Anna, "I'll go to dinner, but I'll skip the bar. I need to open the shop tomorrow, so I should rest early and stay in good shape. If you want to go, just go with them. I can stay home and prepare for tomorrow."
Hearing this, a flash of disappointment crossed Anna's face, but she quickly nodded understandingly. After thinking for a moment, she changed her tune, "You're right, we do have to open the shop tomorrow, can't stay out too late. How about this? Let's close up early later, and have dinner together tonight, okay? I can call Isadora and tell her to go straight home after picking up the kids, no need to come to the shop. Since we're closing early anyway, it'll save her the trip back and forth, and she can spend more time with her kids."
With that, Anna pulled out her phone and started calling Isadora. Once the call connected, she briefly explained the situation, completely cutting off Bella's escape route.
Bella was speechless.
Bella wasn't stupid. She knew what Anna was up to. She understood that whether it was suggesting the bar or dinner together, these weren't Anna's real goals. What she was really doing was carefully creating opportunities for her and Sterling to spend time together. This concern and matchmaking from her friend left Bella with mixed feelings.
Bella was gradually beginning to realize that if Anna and Colin really did get married, given her relationship with Anna, she'd inevitably have to see Sterling often. They could never be strangers again.
This realization made Bella start to reconsider her relationship with Sterling. She recognized that avoiding him wasn't a long-term solution. Since they couldn't be strangers, maybe she could try interacting with him in a different way. Be friends with Sterling?
However, as soon as this thought emerged, she immediately dismissed it. She definitely wasn't qualified to be friends with Sterling.
She wasn't a rich person like Colin and Micah. How could she possibly be qualified to be friends with a big shot? She could never stand at the same height as him and become true friends.
The dinner location was still at Sterling's restaurant, in an elegant and private room, isolated from the noise outside.
Sterling showed up right on time, as expected. He maintained his usual restrained style, wearing a well-tailored suit that perfectly outlined his upright figure.
Those platinum-framed glasses seemed to have become an inseparable part of him, adding a scholarly air and steadiness to his appearance. Except for that time at the water park when he switched to sunglasses because of the glaring sun, he always wore these glasses.
Sterling entered the private room, his gaze naturally falling on Bella. Then, without hesitation, he sat in the empty seat next to Bella, as if that spot had been custom-made for him.
Bella didn't move. She accepted this arrangement with a kind of tacit approval, thinking to herself that since they could no longer be strangers, why not try to develop this relationship into something more relaxed and natural, a friendship?
Before he arrived, Bella had figured it out. Even if she wasn't qualified to be Sterling's friend, friendship was as far as it could go.
Bella knew that transforming someone she had once deeply loved into a friend wouldn't be easy, but hatred and resentment were equally hard to maintain.
She couldn't really treat Sterling as an enemy. After all, hating someone you once loved required too great a cost. It wasn't just emotional torture, but also a drain on oneself.
Seeing Bella and Sterling sitting together so naturally, Anna's face lit up with inexplicable joy, as if she was seeing the dawn of a long-held wish coming true. She excitedly clapped her hands, calling out to everyone, "Let's order, let's order! The restaurant has new dishes today, we must try them!"
Bella smiled and handed the menu to Sterling, her tone carrying a barely noticeable tenderness, "You order."
Sterling was slightly stunned, a flash of surprise in his eyes. This was the first time in a long while that Bella had initiated conversation with him, and her tone carried an indescribable sense of closeness.
Sterling took the menu and carefully browsed through it, finally ordering several dishes. All Bella's favorites. Bella watched silently from the side, a strange feeling rising in her heart. When had Sterling become so familiar with her tastes?
In this moment, Bella couldn't help but reassess Sterling. She looked up at him, gratitude in her eyes as she said softly, "Thank you, you ordered all my favorites."
Sterling smiled slightly, his eyes sparkling with gentle light. "As long as you like them."
This sentence was simple and brief, but in that moment, it seemed their relationship had undergone some subtle change.
The meal was calm and pleasant, calm for Bella and Sterling, pleasant for Anna and Colin.
However, after dinner, Anna pulled Colin away in a hurry, leaving only Bella and Sterling outside the restaurant, the atmosphere becoming delicate.
Sterling looked at Bella, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes as he suggested, "How about we take a walk to help digest?"
Hearing this, Bella's heart stirred slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. With an even mind, she politely declined, "No need, I'm a bit tired today and want to go home early to rest."
Seeing this, Sterling didn't push too hard. He knew he wasn't good at this kind of delicate dating stuff, let alone accompanying women shopping, something he'd never ventured into.
At this moment, facing Bella's refusal, he felt somewhat at a loss, not knowing what to do.
Finally, he compromised and nodded gently. "Alright then, since you're tired, let me take you home."
Hearing this, Bella was slightly stunned. When had Sterling become so considerate? Even after she refused his suggestion, he was still willing to listen to her.
This time Bella didn't refuse. She nodded, accepting his kindness. "Thanks for the trouble then."
Today, Sterling had keenly noticed all of Bella's "unusual" behaviors. From the calm conversation at dinner to the gentle refusal after declining the walk, every detail revealed subtle changes in her heart. Sterling couldn't help but wonder. Had she finally figured something out, or was she considering the possibility of reconciling with him?
But he knew Bella's personality. She definitely couldn't be won over by just a few flowers. Those flowers were merely a small catalyst for easing their relationship, not a decisive factor.
So what was going on with her? Was she planning something again? Sterling watched as Bella got into the passenger seat, feeling even more surprised.
Once in the car, he didn't rush to start the engine. Instead, he first adjusted the air conditioning to a comfortable level, trying to create a pleasant environment while also giving himself some time to carefully search for appropriate topics to discuss.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
