Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 56

After dinner, Darren mentioned needing to pick up some materials from the academic building. and that’s when we split from Hogan and Cecilia.

Strolling through N University’s campus, | suddenly felt like those once intimidating places weren't so scary after all.

What caught me off guard, though, was that Darren didn’t actually take me to the academic building; instead, he walked me all the way to the back gate of the school.

| genuinely thanked him, “Darren, thank you so much.”

“It’s no sweat,” Darren replied briskly before asking. “So, that stir-fried pork, you really dig it?”

| nodded, saying, “Even though it’s a bit spicy, it's pretty addictive.”

I never used to touch that stuff.

Darren's lips curled into a smile, his eyes twinkling, “See, Xaviera, trying a new flavor can bring a whole new experience.” Thanks to him, | discovered the deliciousness of stir-fried pork.

The next day at work, | immediately suggested to Wallis that she should give this dish a go.

Wallis frowned upon hearing it and said with a pinched voice, “Pigs are so cute, how could your eat their meat?” Right after she finished speaking, Cecilia came over with her laptop.

“Xaviera, | wrote a bit of code last night, but it’s not passing the tests. Could you help me take a look?”

| nodded and took the laptop from her.

It was a simple piece of backend code for a game, the kind you'd find in textbooks. After a quick glance, | pointed out the problem.

Cecilia laughed in relief, ran the tests in front of me, but then didn’t immediately grab the laptop back.

| casually glanced at the screen saver and saw a cozy photo of Hogan and Cecilia.

Cecilia was leaning in front of Hogan, flashing a peace sign at the camera, while Hogan stood behind her with a gentle smile. “Xaviera,” Cecilia caught my eye and said with a grin, “You think this pic is quite atmospheric too, right?”

Cecilia’s bragging was plain as day, even a bit provocative.

She was still so young, unable to hide her feelings.

Looking closely at the photo, | saw that it was obviously taken at N University’s campus, meaning yesterday, after splitting up with us. Hogan took Cecilia for a spin around their almal

mater. All out in the open.

Not like back when | had to coax Hogan for ages to change his phone’s wallpaper to our hand-holding pic, only to be coldly rejected.

| didn’t even dare dream of a couple’s photo.

Cecilia had the goods to show off.

“They go well together,” | said nonchalantly. “A filter could give it more texture.”

“Really?” Cecilia stumbled over her words, barely managing a smile, “I'll give it a try later.”

After that, she left with her laptop.

Out of the blue, Hilary called me in the afternoon. “Xaviera, I’ve got a gathering this weekend, could you help me pick out a couple of nice dresses?”

| knew Hilary's tastes well; her biggest hobby was shopping, and thanks to her, I’d been dragged to the mall more times than | could count, so saying | was always on call wasn’t an exaggeration.

But times had changed.

| gently excused myself. “I've still got work on my hands, maybe you could take Ms. Irwin with you.”

A mother-in-law and taughter—in—-law shopping together would surely be more fitting than me.

“| don’t want to,” Hilary was always straightforward, “Just getting a headache thinking about her timid ways.”

| was a bit at a loss for words and then heard Hilary’s dramatic complaints from the other end, “Xaviera, be honest with me, do you find me too naggy?”

As if she was the most aggrieved party.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

| pinched the bridge of my nose and compromised, “How about after work then?”