Chapter 416
Bella chuckled, âIâve got a flight tonight for a gig, but before I head out, I
wanted to grab dinner with you. For some reason, I just feel a kind of instant kinship with you.â
âIâd be honored,â I replied with a smile.
Truth be told, there was something about Bella that I couldnât quite put my finger on.
Comforting, somehow.
As evening approached, I wrapped up my work and, after giving Christine a heads up, I grabbed my bag and left the office.
For convenienceâs sake, we ended up choosing the same fiveâstar hotel as last
time.
When I arrived, there were bodyguards outside, but Bella and her agent were already waiting in the private dining room.
Bella gestured for me to sit beside her. âOrder whatever you like,â she said.
After settling in, I smiled and replied, âSure thing. Iâm pretty familiar with RiverCityâs specialties. Any dietary restrictions I should know about?â
âNothing in particular. Just, not too spicy. My daughter prefers milder flavors. Sheâs upstairs packing with her assistant but will join us soon.â
âGot it,â I said, knowing just what to choose.
I quickly made our selections and handed the menu back to the waiter.
Suddenly, Bellaâs agent, Ivy, handed me her phone. âBella, check out this property in Vista Town. Summer loves Vista Town. What about getting her a place there as a birthday gift?â
âIt would be just a small token,â Bella joked, her warmth evident. âI like to pick out every gift for Summer myself.â
I caught on that they were discussing Bellaâs daughter and chimed in, âMs. Taylor, youâre so thoughtful towards your daughter.â
âI owe it to her,â Bella confessed, looking guilty. âI was too young back then,
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Chapter 416
acted too impulsively at times.â
Before I could delve any deeper, the roomâs door swung open.
âMom,â a sweetly dressed girl entered, beaming a smile before rushing to Bellaâs side..
Seeing her face, my mind went blank.
She had been known as âLilliana Myersâ from the Myers family two years ago.
And now, she was Bellaâs daughter?
Bella, careful not to let her fall, gently supported her, saying softly, âWhy the rush, darling? You couldâve tripped.â
âMom, have you and Ivy discussed my appearance on that variety show yet?â she asked, not yet having noticed me.
Bella seemed troubled, but Ivy quickly intervened, âDarling, getting into the entertainment industry is harder than you think. Sure, being your momâs daughter will get you some support in the industry, but on the internet? Words can hurt worse than any sword. Many stars have been driven to depression. With your momâs resources, you donât need to wade into these murky waters.â
âLet them talk. As long as I have momâs love, I couldnât care less about outsidersâ¦â she trailed off, her gaze inadvertently landing on me, her expression momentarily flustered, âYou, why are you here?â
âSheâs your momâs fashion designer, quite the prodigy,â Bella explained, her brow furrowed slightly. âWhy? Do you two know each other?â