Nicole gave it some thought before she said, “I miss you too, Sheila. Let me ask Levant about it first. I’ll call you back.”
What the hell? She has to ask Levant for something as trivial as this? Oh well, the fake Levant will definitely agree to Davin and me going in, anyway.
As expected, Nicole returned Sheila’s call in a matter of minutes. The former informed the latter that everyone could enter the Wicked Palace and that Nicole would be waiting by the entrance.
Nicole’s sharp eyes examined Sheila and Davin when they rushed over. The way Davin looks at Sheila now differs from the way he looked at her in the past.
Back then, there was annoyance and impatience, and it was like he couldn’t wait to rid himself of the pest he called Sheila.
But now, his eyes no longer glowed with annoyance or impatience. They were replaced by admiration and a hint of love. Those thoughts made Nicole glad. Experiences and changes in circumstances really can change how two people see each other.
“The two of you went through something crazy together, didn’t you?”
Nicole’s eyes carried a hint of curiosity as she looked at the couple. She was genuinely interested in learning what the two of them went through before they found their way to each other.
Sheila sighed and said, “It’s a pretty wild story. There was sweat and blood and a ton of hardship, and you’re going to love this story. I’m hungry, though. Do you have something to eat?”
Nicole brought them to the dining room and initiated the “eat and chat” protocol.
Just then, “Levant” suddenly showed up, and Nicole was worried that Sheila and Davin would be uncomfortable with Levant around.
To her surprise, however, the couple were completely at ease.
After exchanging some pleasantries, “Levant” took a seat. Davin and Sheila stared for a while before they reverted to their old, carefree selves. They weren’t bothered by “Levant” being there at all.
Nicole suddenly felt that there may be something wrong with her. Why do I keep overthinking and worry too much? First, I was worried about the kids not getting along with Levant. Now, I’m worried about Levant hanging out with Sheila and Davin. But nothing ever happens. Everyone interacted warmly with one another. Am I the one overthinking everything?
“Where was I?” asked Sheila. Davin grinned and reminded, “You were talking about how we were robbed, and the money I just made was taken away. We were famished then.”
“Oh, right!” said Sheila. “Davin was in a terrible state at the time. He was like an angel with clipped wings and was bullied mercilessly. You guys don’t know this, but he made that money by doing hard labor. He was genuinely worried after the robber took the money away. He disregarded his life and chased after the robber. Davin fought like his life depended on it, and went all out before he finally got the money back. He was all black and blue after that ordeal.”
“Levant” suddenly asked, “Why did you get a job like that? Given your skills, you could’ve gotten any job at a small company to work as a middle manager or at least a regular nine-to-five job. Those are way better than doing hard labor.”
Sheila sighed exasperatedly before replying, “Do you really think a spoiled rich brat like him would do a job like that unless he was desperate? He got to the point where he needed the money just to make ends meet. He went to a smaller company to work, but his luck was down. In fact, getting hired was a tough enough task, and when he finally got hired by a company, he found himself stuck with a horrible manager. Naturally, the spoiled Mr. Davin couldn’t put up with that. He got into a fight with the guy in a fit of anger and was chased out of the company. He didn’t even get paid for the work he had done previously. That was when he stumbled upon a notice looking to hire someone to do hard labor. Only then did he go over.”
Davin sighed deeply when he thought about all the hardship he went through. Bitterness filled his heart.
“I will never waste money like I used to again. I didn’t know how wasteful I used to be until I starved,” shared Davin.
“I’m glad you learned your lesson. Still, I think this bet is pretty amazing. The experience you gain is invaluable and is a form of treasure as well,” said Sheila.
Davin felt those words deeply and nodded.
He turned to Sheila, and his eyes burned with love when he shared, “I never thought that you’d rush out when I was being beaten up. You had no regard for your own safety and were only focused on keeping me safe. I still remember how tough you looked when you were arguing with the others for my sake. That scene warms my heart and I will always remember that look you had.”
