Chapter 189: Uneasiness
If Luca had told her he didn’t like her, Arabella would have walked away without hesitation and never spoken to him again.
But his immediate answer, that he did like her, left her completely at a loss.
What was she supposed to do now?
For one of the few times in her life, confusion appeared on Arabella’s usually composed face.
She had always known exactly what she wanted.
When she was young, her mother had insisted she learn music, believing that a girl who could play an instrument would grow into an elegant woman.
But Arabella knew what she truly loved.
Painting.
She could become so absorbed in it that she would forget to eat or sleep, spending entire days with a paintbrush in her hand. She practiced relentlessly, refining her skills whenever she had the chance.
Once, because she wanted to paint pandas properly, she had even traveled thousands of miles just to observe giant pandas in their natural environment.
When she chose that path, she had ignored every objection and followed her heart without hesitation.
Yet now, when it came to something as simple as love, she suddenly felt completely helpless.
After learning that Luca had other women, her first instinct had been to call him a scumbag and walk away.
But then he had looked her in the eyes and told her that he liked her.
And the moment she heard those words, her heart betrayed her.
She wanted to be with him.
That much was undeniable.
The two remained lost in their thoughts as they walked toward the restaurant, neither saying much along the way.
When they arrived, Luca naturally reached for Arabella’s hand.
She didn’t pull away.
Instead, her fingers slipped between his, intertwining with his as she quietly held on.
She liked the warmth of his palm.
For today, at least, she didn’t want to think about all those complicated questions.
Arabella had chosen an affordable Cajun restaurant near the university. They found a table beside the window and sat down to wait for the other two.
A few minutes later, a stylishly dressed girl with her hair tied into a single ponytail entered the restaurant.
Her eyes swept across the room before lighting up when she spotted Arabella.
She immediately walked over with a bright smile.
"Arabella, so that’s why you weren’t at the studio! You had an appointment!"
Fiona’s gaze shifted to Luca, and her smile widened.
"Hello, handsome. I’m Fiona, Arabella’s roommate and best friend."
"Hey. I’m Luca."
Luca stood and gave her a polite nod before pushing the menu toward her.
"Take a look. Order whatever you want."
Fiona nodded enthusiastically before picking up the menu and hiding half her face behind it.
She was afraid she might burst out laughing.
Arabella had mentioned Luca before, and Fiona had seen his pictures.
But seeing him in person was an entirely different experience.
’He’s way more handsome in person.’
If Luca actually attended San Fierro University, the current campus heartthrob would probably lose his title overnight.
And she had clearly seen the two of them holding hands just now.
’My seemingly emotionless best friend actually likes this guy quite a lot.’
Less than three minutes later, Lisa arrived carrying a small white backpack.
The moment she saw Arabella, she smiled sweetly.
"Sister-in-law."
Luca immediately noticed Arabella’s fingers tighten around his hand.
’So even Arabella gets nervous when meeting my family.’
Among everyone at the table, nobody understood Arabella’s personality better than Fiona.
That was precisely why she found the sight so unbelievable.
Uneasiness.
She had actually seen a hint of uneasiness on Arabella’s face.
Fiona had never seen anything like it.
Last year, during the university cultural festival, a boy had confessed to Arabella in front of the entire school.
Arabella had simply rejected him with a cold expression and walked away.
Not even the slightest emotional fluctuation had appeared on her face.
Yet now, she looked almost shy just from meeting Luca’s cousin.
Fiona couldn’t help but wonder.
’What will she be like when she eventually meets the parents?’
That should be interesting.
Once the dishes arrived, all four of them dug in enthusiastically.
None of them seemed particularly bothered by the spice, and the table quickly filled with the sounds of conversation and clinking chopsticks.
"By the way, cuz, I’m about to start my internship. Can you help me out?"
Lisa casually picked up a piece of fish covered in chili peppers and popped it into her mouth.
Luca nodded.
"Sure. I’ll call the hospital later."
Lisa was studying at San Fierro Medical University, and Luca planned to arrange an internship for her at San Fierro Kanda Hospital.
Having her intern somewhere he had connections would make things much easier. Director William Harrington could also ensure that she received proper guidance and treatment.
"What about your friends?" Luca asked. "If they want to go too, I can arrange something for them."
He figured Lisa might feel uncomfortable being alone in an unfamiliar hospital. Having a few friends around would at least give them someone to rely on.
"Really?"
Lisa’s eyes immediately lit up.
"That’s great! I’ll message them right now and ask."
She had initially been worried about going alone.
At the same time, she had been hesitant to ask Luca for help with her friends because she didn’t want to cause him unnecessary trouble.
She hadn’t expected him to think of it himself.
Lisa quickly sent the message.
The replies came almost immediately.
Naturally, none of her friends were willing to pass up such an opportunity.
San Fierro Kanda Hospital was famous throughout the surrounding provinces.
Ordinarily, even graduates from San Fierro Medical University had little chance of securing an internship there. Only a handful of outstanding students were given such opportunities.
The hospital’s honorary president, Director Harrington, was also the reason Lisa and her friends could receive this exception.
For most students, simply securing an internship at a decent hospital in San Fierro would already be considered fortunate.
But thanks to Luca, Lisa and her friends would have direct access to some of the city’s best doctors and most comprehensive medical resources.
Only an idiot would turn that down.
Luca sent William a message.
A reply came back almost immediately.
<<< William: Done. You and your friends can report for duty at the arranged time.>>>
Luca placed his phone back on the table.
Lisa stared at him in disbelief.
’He solved it in less than five minutes.’
Once again, she was reminded of just how terrifying her cousin’s influence had become in San Fierro.
With a cousin like this, couldn’t she basically do whatever she wanted?
’If Luca is flying through the sky, I can just cling to his leg and fly along with him.’
’Hehehe.’
The thought alone made her ridiculously happy.
Luca had just swallowed a bite of meat when he looked up and found Lisa grinning like an idiot.
"What’s wrong with you? You’re laughing so hard you’re drooling."
"Ah!"
Lisa hurriedly wiped her mouth, only to realize that Luca had been teasing her.
She glared at him before grabbing a large piece of shrimp and stuffing it into her mouth.
"Hmph!"
A dissatisfied hum escaped her nose.
Sure enough, whether it was in the past or now, Luca’s favorite hobby was bullying his little ones.
Just as everyone was enjoying their meal, a surprised male voice suddenly came from the entrance.
"Senior Arabella, Senior Fiona? You two like Cajun food too?"
The four people at the table looked toward the voice.
Seven or eight young men stood near the entrance.
The one who had spoken stood out immediately. He was tall, handsome, and carried himself with obvious confidence.
Lisa glanced at him, then leaned toward Luca.
"Cuz, your love rival is here."
She didn’t bother lowering her voice.
Everyone at the table heard her clearly.
Arabella simply gave the young man a polite nod before returning her attention to her food.
Fiona, however, scratched the back of her head awkwardly.
The young man seemed to have heard Lisa’s comment too. A strained smile appeared on his face, though there was also a faint look of relief.
He walked over to their table, then crouched beside Fiona.
His fingers gripped the edge of the table tightly.
Those large, puppy-like eyes seemed to glisten with unshed tears.
"Fiona..."
His voice trembled.
"Didn’t you say you’d consider giving me a chance? Why did you get together with someone else so quickly?"
The moment he finished speaking, the atmosphere around the table became strangely quiet.
The tremor in his voice was so convincing that it sounded as though he might burst into tears at any moment if Fiona didn’t give him an explanation.