Chapter 2299
Chapter 2299
Grant could have easily maneuvered his wheelchair on his own, but the two adorable boys still insisted on pushing him toward Bella.
"Mr. Grant, I never expected to see you here." Though Bella greeted him with a polite smile, it was clear to any observer that her smile was forced. "I thought an event like this wouldn't be your kind of scene."
Grant's refined face, as gentle and pure as snow, lit up with a smile. "Are you disappointed?" Bella's heart trembled, but she feigned ignorance. "Disappointed about what?*
"Normally, the one attending charity events would be Justin. I'm not the president of the Salvador Corporation, so while my thoughts are with the evening's charity gala, I won't be attending to avoid unnecessary speculation."
Grant's tone was warm, understanding as always. "Although Justin isn't here now, you'll surely see him if you attend tonight's charity gala.*Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.
Bella pursed her lips, her voice growing colder as she scrutinized him more intently.
"I won't be attending the gala tonight, Mr. Grant. You're overthinking things.*
At this moment, the director chimed in. "Ms. Thompson, you may not know this, but Mr. Grant has always been one of the major shareholders behind our orphanage's charity foundation. Over the years, he's been deeply involved in charity work. Our orphanage couldn't have developed as it has without his support behind the scenes!"
Bella's brow furrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly.
"Director, it was just a small contribution, hardly worth mentioning." Grant smiled faintly. "Ms. Thompson, I'll be building a snowman with the children later. Would you like to join me?"
Not wanting to appear overly sensitive in front of others, Bella reluctantly nodded. "Alright."
She glanced back at Steven, who looked worried, before following Grant deeper into the orphanage.
Meanwhile, Yvonne, now in her original appearance, also arrived at the orphanage. As soon as she entered, a teacher stopped her.
"Miss, may I ask who you are?"
Yvonne froze momentarily before breaking into a joyful smile. She had volunteered at this orphanage for three years, and the fact that the teacher, who knew her well, could not recognize her at such a close distance meant she had truly left her dark past behind.
"I'm a new volunteer here. My name is Summer Brown."
Yvonne had a new identity, taking Drew's last name. She hoped that the rest of her life would be filled with sunshine and happiness
To avoid drawing unnecessary attention, Yvonne decided to use a fake identity and presented her newly updated ID card with a fresh photo.
"Here's my identification. Please take a look."
"Ah, Ms. Brown. Please follow me."
Just then, Yvonne heard the sound of footsteps behind her. Turning casually to look, she was suddenly struck still.
In the golden sunlight, Justin's tall, handsome figure entered the orphanage's gate. Walking beside him was Clarice, who was smiling brightly.
Yvonne's pupils constricted, and her heart filled with tension and sympathy for Bella.
Anyone watching the couple from a distance would feel the same heartache. Yvonne felt an intense sorrow. How much more devastating would this be for Bella?
Clenching her fists in frustration, Yvonne watched helplessly as they walked past her without a second glance.
Suddenly, Justin stopped in his tracks. His dark eyes shifted slightly, glancing toward Yvonne.
"Miss, have we met before?"
Clarice turned as well, her gaze cold and curious.
Yvonne realized that this was the first time Justin had seen her since her cosmetic surgery. Deciding it was best not to stir any trouble in front of this mysterious woman, Yvonne calmly responded, "No, Mr. Salvador, you must be mistaken."
Clarice smirked. "If you haven't met, how do you recognize Mr. Justin?"
"Mr. Salvador is the president of the Salvador Corporation, a man of great power and influence." Yvonne lowered her eyes coolly. "Besides, Mr. Salvador and Ms. Thompson saved countless people from despair. Their reputation is known far and wide in Savrow. Recognizing Mr. Salvador is hardly surprising, is it?"
Justin's dark eyes deepened as he silently observed her.
The two women exchanged a glance, sparks of tension flying between them. Both had a vague sense of familiarity with the other.
"Mr. Salvador, it's time for us to head inside," Clarice said, withdrawing her probing gaze from Yvonne's face. Justin's expression darkened once again as he left with Clarice by his side.
After touring the orphanage with Grant, Bella returned to the courtyard to join the children in a snowball fight and snowman-building. The cheerful atmosphere momentarily helped her forget her worries.
Sitting in his wheelchair, Grant watched Bella, who was dressed in a white cashmere coat, interact with the children. Her delicate, rosy cheeks were flushed from the cold as she laughed with the children, skillfully forming the snowman's head.
Her pure and carefree demeanor made him smile. His dark eyes reflected a gentle, shimmering light.
"Wow... Look! That gentleman is so handsome, and he looks perfect with Ms. Thompson!"
"Yeah! Too bad he's not able to walk properly. Such a pity... If only he could stand, I bet he'd be a strong competition for Mr. Salvador!"
"I've heard he's also from the Salvador family. He's the eldest son!"
"Ah... He and Ms. Thompson look like a great pair too. Mr. Justin must be feeling the pressure!"
The whispered conversations around Grant drifted in and out of his hearing. Grant's smile grew as he bent down to scoop up a handful of soft snow, molding it into a ball in his palm.
Bella finally finished building the snowman. Her almond-shaped eyes gleamed as she breathed out puffs of white mist, a thin sheen of sweat glistening on her forehead. Just as she turned around, her body froze.
Standing not far away were Justin and Clarice. The warmth in Bella's body vanished instantly, replaced by an icy chill.