Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Isabella's pov;

Monday morning in the school,

"How much did you get?" Sophia asked me curiously after I got my paper from Mr Brett.

"Eighty-seven," I whispered back to her.

"Wow! That's great!" She gave me a thumbs up.

Noah tapped me on my shoulder from behind and asked, "How much?"

"Eighty-seven."

He was stunned and asked, "How did that happen?"

"Because I got a tutor for myself."

"Tutor? Who's that?"

"Big brother."

Oops! Why did I blurt it out like that? What should I answer if they ask for the name of Big brother?

"Bella, you don't have a brother."

"Um, h-he's my cousin. He came to write an entrance exam for college so I asked him to help me prepare for the test."

"Why haven't you talked about this cousin before?"

"I forgot that I had a cousin too. He's from my father's side so you know how it will be."

"Fine. Congrats by the way."

I let out a relieved sigh and took my phone to capture the picture of my score on the test paper. I sent the image in my friend's group chat. And, That was the first message which I'm sending in a group chat too.

Everyone replied more quickly than I expected. They reacted by sending surprised gifs, shocked emojis, and party mode stickers. While I was laughing by looking at the messages from my friends, I saw Liam send a thumbs-up message.

I put my phone back into my bag and looked at Liam, he gave a little smile and returned to look at his paper.

After Mr Brett left, I walked over to Liam's place and asked, "What happened?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"You're not talking to me like before. Are you ignoring me?"

"Why should I ignore you? You're my friend after all."

He left the classroom.

I ran after him and caught him in the hallway.

"Why are you behaving like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like this. It's new to me. Are you mad at me? Is it about that day when I said not to follow me? Is it because of that?"

"No. Not that. And I'm not mad at you. I'm just practising myself for the future."

"What are you speaking about?"

"Do you like me? Answer me, Bella. Do you like me more than a friend?"

"If I said 'no' would you stop being my friend?"

"Yes."

I ran away from him and ended up in a bathroom. I shut the door behind me and dropped on the floor, began sobbing. My tears started rolling down my cheeks. I cried while wiping the tears off my face. I couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks.

Someone knocked on the door. I washed my face with water and opened the door.

"Your face is ugly when you cry."

I looked up and looked at the person. It's Harry. What is he doing here?

I walked away from him and left for class. Everyone left already. I took my bag and came out of the school.

I took the bus home. I then remembered Big brother so I came to Mr Martinez's house rather than going to my place.

I saw Rose outside the house talking to one of the guards while I was on the way to the entrance of the gate.

"Hi, Rose!"

"Good to meet you, mam."

The guards came and stood beside me as soon as they saw me.

I gave a stare at them. They didn't bow but welcomed me so I gave a smile and greeted them back.

"Why aren't you bowing to Ms Garcia?" Rose asked the guards.

I interrupted by saying, "Because I asked them not to." And smiled at her.

While I was talking with Rose and with the guards, I spotted Mr Martinez in front of the house.

"Ladies, may I?" And entered the house.

"Mr Martinez!" I shouted his name to make him look at me.

It looked like he was on the call. I ran over to him and he ended the call.

I took my breath for a while after running here and there.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Big brother."

"Why?"

"I got my test scores today so I wanted to show him my marks. Where is he, Mr Martinez?"

"Inside the house." Said while pointing his finger to the house.

"Okay. Thank you, Mr Martinez."

I ran to the house and entered inside. I searched for Big brother around the house and found him in the kitchen.

"Big brother!"

I ran over to him and hugged him.

"W-What happened?"

I broke from the embrace and took the paper from my bag and waved at him while saying, "I got a high score in my class, Big brother. I couldn't believe that I scored more than Evelyn, my friend who scores high in the class. You should have seen the looks of my friends and my classmates. Everyone was surprised."

He took the paper from my hand and looked into it.

I continued, "Can you teach me whenever I get a test, Big brother? Because Mr Brett said if I don't score high marks, I will lose my scholarship. If I lose my scholarship, how will I finish High school? If I don't finish High school, how will I get a proper job? If I don't have a proper job, my life will be miserable. Do you want my life to be miserable, Big brother? Please accept me as your student, please?"

"Stop overreacting and explain why you didn't attend the short answer properly? If you attended it, you would have scored more than this."

"I didn't have time to cover it, Big brother. I was running out of time while I was writing the long answers."

"Then you should learn how to manage time before starting to learn the subjects."

"Does that mean you're accepting me as your student, Big brother?"

He smiled at me and said, "Even if I didn't, you would make me somehow." And patted my head.

I hugged him again and thanked him for accepting me as his student.

"What's going on here?" Mr Martinez came to the kitchen.

"Can I get the paperback, Big brother?"

After receiving the test paper from Big Brother, I showed it to Mr Martinez saying, "I got high scores in the test, Mr Martinez."

"Good."

"Thank you."

I got the paper from Mr Martinez and showed it to each one of the people in the house. After I finished showing it to the people in the house, I showed it to Rose and the guards. Everyone greeted me in their way.

The cook gave a fresh juice saying, "Have a drink to restore your energy, mam."

"Are you teasing me?"

He smiled at me.

While I was drinking the juice, Big brother asked me, "Why are you showing it to everyone? They are not your friends, they are working here."

"Yeah, I'm not close to them and they're not my friends because I see them as my family. I only have a mom. My mom and I have been living alone since I've known, so I don't have a proper family like others. When I came here, being with them made me feel like they were my family too. Even you, Big brother." And smiled at him.

"What about me? What role am I playing?" Mr Martinez asked me which left me speechless.

While I was thinking about how to answer it, good god Mr Martinez got a call and I escaped.

Big brother asked me, "What role is he playing?"

"I'm so hungry, Big brother."

"Why are you avoiding the question?"

"I'm not avoiding it."

"Then what is he?"

"Why do you want to know about that? The one who raised the question left so why are you questioning me? I want to eat right now. I'm so hungry after running for a while."

"Didn't you come by car?"

"The car only picks me on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Those were the days mentioned in the contract. Did you forget?"

"Yes, but if you want to come here. Give me a call, I'll send you a car."

"Oh-Oh... Big brother, it's fine. I like travelling by bus more than by car."

The cook prepared a meal so I started eating the food on my plate.

Mr Martinez pov;

While I was entering the house, I heard loud voices from the kitchen. It's her. Isabella talks loudly whenever she's excited and speaks quickly too so it's hard for me to grasp the words she's uttering.

While I'm stepping into the kitchen, I saw Isabella hugging Mr Johnson.

When did they become close to the point of hugging each other for a long time?

"What's going on here?" I asked them.

Isabella walked towards me and showed me saying, "I got high scores in the test, Mr Martinez."

She got what she deserved. Her hard work pays.

"Good."

"Thank you."

Isabella got the paper from me and showed it to each one of the people in the house. After finishing showing it to the people in the house, she showed it to the head of the maids and the guards. What is she doing?

The cook gave a fresh juice to her saying, "Have a drink to restore your energy, mam."

"Are you teasing me?"

While she was drinking the juice, Mr Johnson asked her, "Why are you showing it to everyone? They are not your friends, they are working here."

"Yeah, I'm not close to them and they're not my friends because I see them as my family. I only have a mom. My mom and I have been living alone since I've known, so I don't have a proper family like others. When I came here, after being with them made me feel like they were my family. Even you, Big brother." And smiled at him.

I asked Isabella, "What about me? What role am I playing?"

While I was waiting for her answer, I got a call so I walked away from the place and answered the call. It's from the secretary of Olivia, my father's mistress.

"What is it?"

"Ms Olivia Rodriguez will be arriving there in thirty minutes so she asked me to inform that no servants should be there except Mr Johnson and head of the maid, head of the butler and the cook."

"Inform her that I received the message."

"Yes, Sir." And ended the call.

Why is she coming now? What does she want this time?

When I walked to the kitchen, I saw Isabella eating food and laughing with others in the house which made me smile a bit. The atmosphere around her gives a happy vibe to the people around her too. It's like she's spreading happiness without her knowledge.

Olivia shouldn't learn about Isabella. Otherwise, Isabella will get into trouble. I should make her go. But how should I make her leave?

I walked to Isabella and said, "If you're finished eating, you may leave."

Mr Johnson came to me and asked, "Why do you want her to leave, Sir?"

"Ms Olivia will be here in thirty minutes. Do you want Isabella to be in trouble?"

"No, Sir."

"Then make her leave the house."

I left the kitchen and took off to my room. After a while, through my window, I saw Isabella leaving the house. I then remembered that I still have Isabella's test paper in my hand. When did I bring this with me?

I jogged downstairs and got out of the house to find her but she had already left.

I looked at the paper and asked, "What should I do with you, now?"

When I turned to enter the house, I heard the familiar honking sound. It's Olivia's car. The test paper!

I stuck it into my pockets and acted like I was waiting for her.

The car door opened and she got out. On the other side, Ethan got down.

(Ethan Rodriguez, son of Olivia and my father)

After seeing me standing at the entrance she asked, "Are you waiting here to greet me? How obedient you became." And stepped into the house.

"How are you doing brother? It's been years since we met."

"When did you return to California?"

"Two days back."

"When are you leaving?"

"Don't worry. I won't leave this time. I'm planning to do my business here."

"Business? What business?"

When he was about to say something, Olivia called us inside the house.

"Why are you talking in front of the house? Are you two servants?"

"Sorry, mom." Ethan entered the house.

"Mr Johnson, get me a mint tea. Ethan, what do you want to drink?"

"A wine would do, mom."

"Mr Johnson, bring wine for my son first."

Mr Johnson left.

"What is the occasion we've gathered here for, Ms Olivia?"

"My son is going to take over Rodriguez corporation since he finished his studies in the UK. So give every document related to that company and introduce him to all the CEOs of other companies and make him understand the ways of business."

"Mom, I'm not a kid anymore. I can learn it by myself. I've finished business school in the UK. Did you forget that? I can handle the company, mom."

"My boy's all grown up."

Why am I witnessing this atmosphere?

"Did you understand what I said?"

I gave a nod and said, "Yes, mam."

"Good. Well, come on son. Let's go. Let's get out of this filthy house."

Olivia and Ethan left the house.

After seeing them leaving in a car, I took the paper out of my pocket and saw that it was crushed very badly since it had been in my pocket all this time.

What am I going to answer if Isabella asks me? Will she think that I crushed the paper?

I saw someone running from the gate. It's a figure of a girl. Isabella?

She stopped in front of me and took her breath. She was breathing heavily as her chest rose up and down. What am I looking at? I shook my thoughts and looked at her in the face.

"T-The P-Paper... I left it. So I came back to get it."

I gave her the paper and said, "It was crushed accidentally."

"It's fine. I'll iron it and make it come to life again. Actually, I didn't show it to my mother yet that's why I came to get it. And, Thank you for not throwing it out, Mr Martinez."

"How will I throw this? You worked hard for this."

"I didn't expect a compliment from you. Anyways, I'm in a rush so thank you again, Mr Martinez." She gave a smile but it looked different from others when she gave it to others.

Isabella left after getting the paper from me and started running again to the gate. Soon, she disappeared from my eyesight. Is she a runner? She runs quicker.