Chapter 174 Katniss Did Better Than You
Aaron's got a stubborn streak and totally outclasses Katniss in strength and height.
If he really wanted to bail, Katniss wouldn't stand a chance stopping him.
His face, young and so genuinely sincere, made Katniss's defenses crumble. In seconds, she was done for. "Alright, I won't tell them. You can crash here tonight."
Aaron trusted her and handed his phone back.
As they stepped out of the elevator, the strong smell of disinfectant made Aaron wrinkle his nose.
Matilda was pretty surprised to see Katniss bring someone back.
"He's my student, had a bit of a spat with his family," Katniss explained briefly.
Matilda had seen Aaron before, back when he first showed up at the educational institution.
Aaron looked so different back then, Matilda didn't recognize him.
"Wearing so little? I've got some clothes here. You can make do with these for now. Have you eaten?" she asked, rummaging through her bag for clothes.
Aaron stared at Sophia lying on the hospital bed for a few seconds, then plopped down on the sofa without a word.
Seeing his demeanor, Katniss knew he hadn't eaten, so she heated up the dinner Matilda had left for her. "Eat something."
Maybe he was starving, Aaron hesitated for a moment before wolfing down the food.
But he didn't put on the jacket Matilda had given him.
Even though she promised not to notify Tristan and the others, Katniss still secretly sent a message to Tristan. [Aaron is with me, don't worry. I'll talk to him, and you can come pick him up later. He's a bit emotional right now.]
Tristan quickly replied, [Okay.]
After sending the message, Katniss swiftly deleted the chat history.
She set up the sofa for Aaron to sleep on, but Aaron insisted on sleeping on the floor.
"You've had it tougher than me. You take the sofa; I'm a guy. I can sleep on the floor." He laid down on two small cushions with a thin blanket.
He didn't say anything, and Katniss didn't ask why he ran away from home or when he planned to go back.
Celestial Villas.
Tristan got out of the car. His tall frame was bathed in the bright moonlight, casting long, sharp shadows on the ground.
He walked briskly to the door and unlocked it, with Eudora following closely behind. "Tristan, tell me where he is. If you've found him, why not bring him back?"
"He doesn't want to come back. Let him cool off," Tristan said, putting down the car keys and changing into slippers as he walked inside.
Eudora, still in a rush, didn't even bother to change her shoes. "Did he get into trouble? Just tell me the truth. I can handle it!"
Tristan frowned, yanked at his tie, and lit a cigarette. "It's not that I think you can't handle it; he really doesn't want to come back. What did you say to him?"
The only light in the house was from the foyer, and his cigarette glowed in the dark, the smoke swirling around.
His voice, calm and steady, filled the room, silencing Eudora completely.
After a few seconds, she said, "It's about the tutor. He refuses to change."
"Have you considered that you might be the problem?" Tristan said bluntly, flipping on the lights.
He walked to the sofa, sat down, and flicked the ash from his cigarette. "Managing him is a skill. In this case, Katniss does better than you."
Eudora stayed quiet, her tightly pressed lips showing her stubbornness.
"This is your call. Just my two cents: let Aaron cool off for a couple of days. If you really can't stand it, I'll bring him back now." Tristan's tone was indifferent; after all, he wasn't related to Aaron.
He knew Katniss cared about Aaron, but Eudora's stubborn streak meant they, as outsiders, could only do so much.
After a long pause, Eudora took a deep breath and sat down next to him, sinking into the sofa. "I don't know how to get along with him. I've never met anyone more difficult."
"He's different from you. You know better than I do how he's lived all these years. People don't become bad overnight, nor do they change for the better instantly." Tristan took the last drag of his cigarette, put it out, and tossed it in the trash before heading upstairs.
"Wait." Eudora quickly got up and caught up with him in a few steps.
She looked at him seriously for a couple of seconds, then suddenly smiled. "Do you have a special relationship with Aaron's tutor?"
Tristan rested one hand on the stair railing and the other in his pocket, his deep eyes casually glancing at her. "What do you mean by special relationship?"
"Still trying to hide it from me? She used to be your assistant. I've heard some rumors. I didn't think much of it before, but you moved the project to Nightfall City not just to avoid your parents, but more to find her, right?" Eudora crossed her arms, her knowing gaze sparkling.
Having grown up together, it wasn't surprising she could read his mind.
Especially since he hadn't been home for the past couple of days, Eudora must have sensed something.
"That's a secret for now." With one sentence, he admitted it.
Eudora couldn't help but laugh, patting him on the shoulder. "If I change Aaron's tutor, she won't be upset, will she?"
"She's not as petty as you think. If you really don't need her to tutor Aaron, I have no objections. After all, you two are both hard to please, and I don't want her to suffer under you." Tristan bypassed her and continued upstairs.
Eudora's teasing voice came from behind, "You don't want her to suffer? Look at you talking like that. Do you think I would bully her?"
"Let's hope not." Tristan waved his hand without looking back and went straight to his room.
Eudora's room was on the third floor, with Aaron's on the left and hers on the right.
After returning to her room, the smile on her face vanished instantly.
She stood by the window, looking at the scenery outside for a while, then took out her phone and made a call. "Michael, didn't you say you would come to Nightfall City when you had time?"
"I've been quite busy lately. Samuel already handled the matters in Nightfall City for me a couple of days ago, so I might not be able to come anytime soon." Michael's calm and gentle voice came through. "How are you? When are you and Tristan coming back?"
Eudora thought for a moment and said, "We might not come back for New Year's. It looks like he doesn't plan to return, and if I go back alone, I'll just get blamed. So, we might as well stay here together."
"Not coming back?" Michael's tone sank. "What about the project over there?"
"Tristan has already taken care of it. He found investors from a nearby city. You know he's always been very capable," Eudora praised Tristan without reservation. "A man like him, it's a bit of a pity that a woman like Katniss got lucky with him. But at least he found someone he likes, so I don't have to be forced to marry him."
Michael was surprised, "What did you say? He's really back with Katniss?"
Eudora was puzzled. "Didn't your assistant tell you? Last time he was in Nightfall City, he had dinner with Katniss. I thought he had already told you."
Michael's expression darkened, and his eyes grew colder as he thought of something. "I'll book a flight for tomorrow morning. Eudora, can you pick me up at the airport?"
Eudora didn't hesitate, "Of course, but why are you in such a hurry to come? Do you still want to set up Bella and Tristan? If Tristan doesn't like her, maybe you should just let it go."
"No matter what, I have to make one last effort for Bella." Michael booked his flight on the computer while on a call with Eudora. It took about ten minutes to finalize the flight details.
They hung up the phone.
The room fell silent, and Eudora raised an eyebrow, smiling with satisfaction.
The next morning, when Eudora went downstairs, Tristan was already gone.
Her eyes darkened as she grabbed her car keys and left for the airport.
At the break of dawn, Katniss woke up in the hospital.
The hallway gradually filled with the sound of footsteps, but Aaron slept soundly.
He was just a kid and slept deeply.
She quietly went to the bathroom to freshen up and then prepared to go downstairs to buy Aaron a set of toiletries.
Just as she stepped out of the inpatient building, she saw Tristan's car pulling up by the roadside.
The car window was half down, and Tristan's spirited eyes fell on her.
"What are you doing here?" she instinctively looked back, then walked over to the car.
She placed her hands on the car window, bending slightly.
Tristan took her favorite sandwiches from the passenger seat, enough for three people.
There was also some porridge.
"I brought you breakfast. The food in the hospital is bland," Tristan said.
Katniss took the breakfast and asked, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? What if I had already eaten?"
"You wouldn't be up this early." Tristan's tone was certain. He knew she would wake up around this time.
He didn't tell her in advance to avoid waking her up. He could wait downstairs after arriving but didn't want her to wait.
Tristan's deep eyes reflected Katniss's bare face, the first rays of morning sunlight illuminating her features. Her skin was like porcelain, so flawless that the faintest downy hairs were visible.
He reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, his fingertips gently brushing her cheek. "Just one night, and I already miss you."
Katniss's ears turned red, and she pulled his hand away. "I'll be back tomorrow. By the way, was Miss Savoy very worried about Aaron last night? Did you search for him for a long time?"
"Why do you always care about other people's business?" Tristan was a bit displeased, resting his forearm on the car window and playing with her fingers.
His eyes showed a hint of grievance.
Katniss let him play with her hand. "You're standing here just fine. What's there to worry about?"
Tristan was at a loss for words and let go of her hand. "Carrying this is tiring. You can go back. I'm going to the supermarket to buy toiletries for Aaron."
As soon as she finished speaking, Tristan got out of the car and took the breakfast back inside.
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