Yulia watched the girl walking in the distance, momentarily mistaking her for a young Lilian. They were strikingly similar, especially their eyes, as if sculpted from the same mold. Yet, this girl surpassed Lilian in beauty.
“Yves, you’re back! Top Dog’s class is next. I thought you wouldn’t make it!” Bonnie exclaimed.
Yvette nodded slightly, her gaze relaxed. She looked at Yulia, who stared in a daze. Yulia, clad in the latest LV fashions, looked lively for a woman in her fifties, despite a few visible wrinkles.
When Yvette's eyes met hers, Yulia became speechless.
Bonnie, puzzled, whispered, “Yve, this lady’s looking for you. Don’t you know her?”
Yvette glanced down at her wrist. “Who are you?” she asked, her tone cool and languid.
Noticing onlookers, Yulia quickly introduced herself. “Hello, Yvette. I’m Yulia, Victor’s mother, and… and a close friend of your mother’s.”
Yulia recalled a past basketball court incident where she'd spoken poorly of Yvette to appease Victor. She hadn't known the full story then, only that Yvette had been involved, which angered her. She'd felt Yvette shouldn't have sided against Victor. Later, she’d realized Rebecca was right; Victor’s spoiled nature was her fault, and he deserved setbacks.
Time had softened her feelings. Seeing Yvette now stirred old memories. Lilian had been kind, treating her as a friend, although their relationship had always been constrained by entangled interests. Yulia could never truly be sincere with Lilian.
Yvette’s gaze sharpened, a chilling aura making Yulia uneasy. “Let’s go to the café across campus,” Yvette said, then tilted her head toward Bonnie. “Tell Jeremiah I have an errand and won’t be in class.”
Bonnie, still dazed, nodded. “Got it, Yve.”
After they left, Bonnie slapped her forehead. “How stupid of me!” she thought. She hadn't realized the woman was Victor's mother. They didn't resemble each other at all; Bonnie didn’t know Victor inherited his features from his father's side. But why would Victor’s mother seek out Yvette? It had to be a scheme, a conspiracy!
Jeremiah approached, textbook in hand. “Where’s Yvette?” he asked, startling Bonnie.
She clutched her chest. ‘Why did Top Dog sneak up like a ghost?’ she wondered. She was less nervous around Jeremiah now. Hesitantly, she told him about Victor’s mother seeking Yvette. ‘You never know someone’s intentions,’ she thought, ‘What if that woman threatened Yve? Like in those TV dramas with the money and threats. I'll protect Yve!’
Jeremiah frowned at Bonnie’s determined expression.
“Top Dog, Victor’s mother just saw Yve. They went to the Heartbeat Gale next to campus,” Bonnie said, reassuring herself she wasn't tattling.
Jeremiah’s eyes darkened, an unfathomable abyss. Someone from the Carter family? he mused.
In the café, Yvette and Yulia sat by the window. Yvette could see the school plaque, inscribed "Teach and Educate by Simon," at the entrance. Yvette ordered a milkshake, preferring its sweetness to coffee; Yulia chose an Americano.
For five minutes, neither spoke. Yvette sat cross-legged, lost in thought. Yulia considered correcting her posture, but hesitated. Fidgeting with her handbag, she reminded herself of her purpose and felt a pang of guilt.
Another five minutes passed. Yulia’s coffee was nearly gone. Finally, she began carefully, “Yvette, I’m here about the marriage agreement Lilian and I made between you and Victor. You know Lilian disappeared five months pregnant, and you were missing for over twenty years. Because of that, with your father’s consent, the agreement was transferred to Winona. It’s settled. Victor and Winona have deep feelings; we can’t break them up over an agreement. I’m here to… to call off the engagement.”
Yulia finished in one breath, avoiding Yvette’s gaze. She knew it was wrong, bracing herself for Yvette's reaction. The Carter family's compensation was fifteen million dollars, but Yulia added an extra one and a half million, a nod to her old friendship with Lilian.
Yvette sipped her milkshake, stretched, and yawned. Yulia expected fury, accusations, tears, a tantrum, maybe exorbitant demands. Yvette’s calm shattered her expectations.
“Oh, I wish Victor and Winona a long and happy marriage and lots of kids,” Yvette said, setting down her empty cup and rising. Her interrupted nap had soured her mood.
Yulia quickly called her back, nervously continuing, “Yvette, your mother left a marriage agreement. Did she give it to you?”
Yvette paused. A marriage agreement? She vaguely remembered possibly using one as kindling in the village. It was likely discarded long ago.
“I threw it away. Don’t worry,” Yvette said.
Yulia doubted her. How could such an important document be carelessly discarded? Was Yvette scheming, planning to demand more money? Her guilt lessened.
“Yvette, maybe you just forgot where it is. Think again? Oh, and I brought this check,” Yulia said, producing a check for sixteen and a half million dollars and pushing it toward Yvette.
Yvette’s eyes twinkled. Why did people keep throwing money at her? Did she look poor?
Yulia had indeed noticed Yvette’s worn canvas shoes and assumed rough living conditions, forgetting Rebecca’s descriptions of Yvette.
Yvette picked up the check. Yulia’s face brightened. Of course, how could Yvette refuse sixteen and a half million dollars?
Yvette held the check between two fingers, waving it playfully. “Mrs. Carter, do you think this is…”