Page 78 of Billion Dollar Lesson

„Oh, did something happen?” My heart sinks when I hear the disappointment in her voice.

„Um, no, not really, it’s just…I was just thinking, and I’m taking this cryptology class, and I was thinking…I don’t know, maybe that could be interesting to do.” I try to explain, „Something with a more practical approach, I mean.”

„Oh, I see,” she responds, and I feel a cold shower of shame running down my spine. I’m letting her down, I know I am. She always wanted this for me, and she was always so proud to tell people about her brilliant niece, who was going to be an esteemed professor, just like her.

„I’m sorry,” I say with a crestfallen voice. „I know you must be disappointed to hear this…”

„Disappointed?” she asks. „Why would you say that, Claire? I want you to be happy and do what you love. Don’t be silly. And besides, it’s not like you just told me you want to become a famous singer or a clown. Applying your Math skills on the free market sounds like a great idea. Why would you worry about me being disappointed?”

„I-I don’t know,” I reply. „It’s not what we worked for.”

„Wedidn’t work for anything, you did. It’s your career, Claire. Your life,” she says. „I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like there was only one way for you to go. I thought this is what you wanted to do.”

„I thought so, too,” I say. „It’s just that—”

„Claire!” Paula calls through the open door of the main building, obviously not expecting me to be standing right next to the door, judging by the volume of her voice.

We both jump in surprise, and she starts laughing.

„Oh my God, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were standing right there,” she says. „There’s a phone call for you.”

I stare at her, confused. „A phone call? For me?”

I’ve never had anyone call for me at the shelter. No one even knows that I come here regularly.

Paula nods. „It’s the young man who was here with you a while ago. He says it’s urgent. One of his cats has gone missing, and he needs your help.”

„What?” I exclaim.

„Go,” my aunt says on the other end of the line. „We can talk later—and you can tell me all about that young man she just mentioned.”

I can practically see her face before my eyes, smirking and winking, because she knows I’ve kept a secret from her.

But I can’t worry about that right now. Aston wouldn’t go as far as calling the shelter to find me if this wasn’t a serious emergency.

I end the call with my aunt and join Paula in the main building.

Chapter 38

Aston

She looks visibly distraught when I open the door for her. Her cheeks are flushed with heat and her hair is falling down over her shoulders in messy locks and sticking to her sweaty forehead as if she ran over here.

„Come in, quick,” I hiss, while ushering her inside the house, before I hastily close the door.

„I left the door open!” I exclaim, before my voice almost breaks. „I left the fucking door open, like an idiot, and now Pi is gone.”

She wraps her arms around me, and I pull her in for a tight embrace. I can feel her heart beating wildly against my chest, sharing the same stress I’m going through.

„She’s not gone,” she insists. „We’ll find her.”

„It’s dangerous out there,” I say. „We’re in the middle of the city, what if she gets hit by a car or—”

„She won’t,” she says, breaking our hug to look me in the eyes. „We will find her, I promise.”

Tears are pearling in her pretty eyes, and seeing how much this distresses her, only adds to my agony. I hate seeing her like this, and it’s all my fault.

But at least she’s here, willing to help, despite everything that’s been going on between us.

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