Lola’s expression became very complicated, as she judged that something unusual must have happened when her mother called.
“What’s wrong?”
Her voice, asking directly as soon as she answered the phone, also trembled with anxiety.
But,
-Did anything happen between you and Prosecutor Dylan?
At the completely unexpected question, Lola tilted her head and asked back.
“Why are you asking that?”
-I’ve been having bad dreams lately.
Even though it was clearly concern for her, Lola was neither used to nor comfortable with her mother’s attention.
“No. I’m doing well without anything happening.”
-If nothing happened, that’s good. I’ve been having such unsettling dreams lately that I thought something bad might have happened to you.
In fact, something bad had happened, and what reaction would her mother have if she found out that she had been injured?
Lola was quite curious, but she didn’t say a word about it.
Paulina’s voice came over again.
-If you have time, ask Prosecutor Dylan when he was born in detail.
Out of the blue.
Lola felt uneasy for no reason.
“Why do you ask that?”
-I want to see how compatible you are, and then we can pick a good day for the wedding.
Lola unconsciously touched her forehead with her hand.
Her mother had always been quite superstitious.
If there was a famous fortune teller, she would always go to see what her destiny was like, and when the store wasn’t doing well, she would go to a shaman and get a talisman, saying that her financial luck wasn’t good.
“Mom, that’s all superstition. Don’t believe it.”
-This girl doesn’t know anything. These days, there are many couples who get divorced even if their compatibility isn’t good. That’s how important compatibility is.
“So, if Dylan and I have bad compatibility, should we break up?”
-No, who said that? If it’s bad, you should get a talisman. Why wouldn’t you do something good?
“Mom!”
When Lola raised her voice in frustration, Paulina scolded her from the other end of the line.
-Oh, my goodness. Why are you suddenly yelling?
Lola calmly took a breath and then said firmly.
“Mom, I don’t believe in compatibility or anything like that. So, don’t do anything unnecessary.”
-This is all for your own good.
“Mom, I’m happy now. I’m living well enough, and it will get even better in the future.”
At Lola’s strong words, a sigh came over the phone.
Whether she had given up or felt that Lola’s mood was unusual, Paulina gently changed the subject.
-Have you met Rosaline?
What was this all about?
Wasn’t Rosaline in the USA right now?
Lola’s heart began to pound with a bad feeling.
“What are you talking about?”
Paulina sighed deeply from the other end of the line.
-I guess Rosaline hasn’t contacted you yet.
“So, what are you talking about?”
-Didn’t you know that Rosaline came back to London?
“Ha…!”
A sigh mixed with lament escaped from Lola’s lips.
-Hoo! What should I do with Rosaline?
Lola couldn’t react quickly to the completely unexpected fact. Then, Paulina, sighing deeply once again, carefully brought up the topic.
-Rosaline doesn’t have a proper place to go in Lampard, does she? So, Lola, how about Rosaline living with you for a while?
“I don’t think that will work.”
Lola frowned and refused firmly.
In the past, no matter how uncomfortable or displeased she was, Lola didn’t know how to refuse.
But now it was different.
She had already learned from long experience that if she didn’t know how to refuse, she would only have a hard time, and that simply complying wasn’t the best option.
“As Mom knows, I haven’t even had a wedding yet. If Rosaline lives with me, Dylan will be very uncomfortable too.”
Dylan was sure to be horrified to see Rosaline, who was completely different from her in terms of personality, speech, and behavior.
She knew very well that the two were as incompatible as water and oil, even without living under the same roof.
No, to be honest, Lola didn’t want to live with Rosaline, and she found her mother, who casually brought up such a thing, to be resentful and selfish.
And she felt unfamiliar and distant, like a stranger rather than family.
-I know that too. But why else would I say such a thing if I wasn’t frustrated? The world is dangerous, and it doesn’t make sense for a woman to live outside alone. And she’s still young, isn’t she?
“Mom, Rosaline isn’t a child anymore. It’s because Mom keeps coddling her that she’s still acting immature.”
-I’m worried. She’s very different from you, so I’m worried that she might make bad friends.
“I’ll talk to Rosaline and send her back home.”
Lola wanted to hang up the phone quickly. The longer the call lasted, the more her head ached.
-I don’t know if Rosaline will listen to you. And who among the young ladies these days would come to live in the countryside? Ugh…….
Paulina had sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time while speaking.
-Don’t be too hard on Rosaline. I’m worried that she might have bad thoughts.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I have to hang up now. Something urgent came up.”
-Okay. I understand.
As soon as she finished the call, Lola felt as if her already troubled mood had become even more of a mess, so she stood blankly in the hallway for a long time.
*****
At the same time.
Dylan was meeting Nia at a coffee shop near the prosecutor’s office.
Steam was rising from the coffee cups on the table, but no one seemed to care.
Breaking the uncomfortable silence between them, Dylan spoke first.
“I don’t have much time, so say what you have to say quickly.”
If his memory served him correctly, this seemed to be the first time he had sat face-to-face with Dylan.
If it weren’t for something like this, we wouldn’t even have a chance to sit face-to-face, would we?
Thinking that, Nia felt very bitter inside, but she calmly opened her mouth.
“Dylan, I have a favor to ask of you. I hope you’ll grant it.”
“A favor?”
Dylan frowned as if he had heard something he shouldn’t have and repeated the word.
Nia, feeling somewhat desperate, erased her usual haughty expression and spoke imploringly with a very earnest look in her eyes.
“I want you to drop the charges against Amaya.”
