Mrs Hale, I Surrender
Chapter 102 Are there other women around William Hale? (2 more updates)

Chapter 102: 102 Are there other women around William Hale? (2 more updates)

Lucas Bell couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason.

However, from his childhood memories, Director Hall would visit their home periodically, claiming it was a follow-up visit, and each time she would bring small gifts for his sister, naturally including something for him as well.

Lucas Bell wasn’t an orphan; some emotions, he couldn’t fully empathize with.

For his sister, Director Hall was special.

Thus, even though he didn’t like it, he never voiced his feelings.

Director Hall, nearing 60, with short hair and a slightly plump figure, always had a friendly smile. Combined with her gentle and affectionate voice, all the children particularly liked her.

"Mommy Hall," Zoe Bell greeted her politely, "I’m sorry for always cancelling. I should have come earlier."

"I know you’re busy, it’s alright."

Zoe Bell played with the kids for a while before following Director Hall into her office.

When the door closed, the whole world turned momentarily quiet. Through the window, she could still see Lucas Bell swinging with a few kids.

"Zoe, how have you been doing lately?" Director Hall poured her a glass of water.

"Not bad."

"How is your leg? I am really worried about you, but there’s just too much to do at the center and I haven’t had the time to see you. I heard you entered another competition. Can your leg handle it? Please don’t push yourself."

"I know. How have you been?"

Director Hall should have retired two or three years ago but said she couldn’t bear to leave the children and kept working.

"With age, it’s inevitable to feel overwhelmed at times, but I try to persevere."

Director Hall smiled, "Seeing the children doing well is enough for me."

After a round of polite small talk, Director Hall finally began softly probing.

"Why did you and Brandon Stone break up? Was it because of Mina Bell, or his unclear entanglements with other women? Why are you suddenly with a Mr. Hale?"

"The donation you made to us in your name, was it from him?"

Zoe Bell smiled slightly, "My relationship with him, I can’t explain in a sentence or two, so let’s not talk about it."

"Is he good to you?"

"Pretty good."

Director Hall scrutinized her, "Zoe, I’ve watched you grow up, don’t lie to me."

"Why would I lie to you?"

"Though I haven’t met Mr. Hale, I did meet Mr. Cruz who came last time to make a donation; they seem like no simple characters. Being with such people, you need to be careful."

Zoe Bell was somewhat astonished by these words.

"Did Mr. Cruz say anything?"

She thought Zac Cruz was a decent person.

"Nothing in particular, just felt he wasn’t someone to be messed with lightly."

Being William Hale’s assistant, Zac Cruz was amicable and amiable towards Zoe Bell since her status was special.

In dealing with others, strictly business, naturally he’d be more serious.

Director Hall’s tone clearly hinted at more beneath the surface.

"Zoe, although I don’t know why you are with him, I’ve heard some disconcerting rumors. Let me advise you, some powerful individuals, people like us without power or backing, should stay away."

"I heard that the Hale family is like a den of dragons and tigers, following him like this..."

"You’re definitely going to face hardships in the future."

Zoe Bell’s lips tightened.

Previously, when she was with Brandon Stone, Director Hall never mentioned these things.

The Stone family had considerable influence in Greenland. Before pursuing her, Brandon Stone had dated a few girls, and there were numerous rumors surrounding him.

Suddenly, such discourse was coming out.

"Zoe, you in the future..." Director Hall asked seemingly offhandedly, "you’re not planning to move to Capital City with him, are you?"

"Maybe."

"Can you two keep going like this?"

Zoe Bell didn’t answer, only looked at her.

Noticing her unusual gaze, Director Hall smiled again.

"Look at me, getting older and meddling too much. You young people have your own ideas on how to handle things."

"Just consider it nonsense, don’t take it to heart,"

Director Hall soon changed the subject, "The Bell Family has been going through a lot lately. I didn’t expect them to be so unkind to you. Every time I visited your home, why didn’t you say anything?"

Zoe Bell tended to share only the good news, not the worries.

For these children, being adopted was already a great fortune.

The kids were taught to be content and grateful.

"However, the Bell Family has been facing quite a few issues lately..."

The two chatted for a while, but Zoe felt that today’s Director Hall was somehow odd.

Even after leaving the orphanage, that feeling lingered on.

Zac Cruz was supposed to have met her only once, and that was when he was donating money. How did he conclude that Zac was trouble? Was there some misunderstanding?

Lucas Bell noticed her abnormal behavior and asked, "Sister, what did Director Hall talk to you about?"

"Just small talk,"

Lucas didn’t believe it was merely small talk.

His family used to donate to the orphanage annually and would then take a video or pictures for charity promotion. This Director Hall was good at being pleasant and articulate.

There were always photographs with his father in the orphanage’s display window.

This time, he noticed that all the photos were taken down.

Even though their family had fallen on hard times, the donations over the years were genuine; surely, there was no need to be so opportunistic.

**

Zoe Bell went to practice dancing, and Lucas Bell drove her right to the dance studio.

Once she started practicing, she lost track of time.

When Kyle Lowe came to pick her up, it was already completely dark. She didn’t head straight back to Larkhill but instead, stopped by a nearby traditional Chinese medicine shop.

The clerk saw her and smiled, "Miss Bell, what are you looking to buy today? We’ve got some nice new agarwood and osmanthus."

"Sure, weigh me some cumin, Chinese ground orchid, cinnamon..."

The clerk noted each item, "Do you want it ground into powder?"

Zoe Bell nodded.

Ground into powder, it was convenient for making incense.

Gathering herbs and grinding them into powder took quite some time, so she ate something nearby and asked Kyle Lowe to join her, but he preferred to wait not far away.

Eating alone was always a bit dull; she browsed her phone for a while and fiddled with a few leaves on her plate with her chopsticks. After hesitating for a moment, she still ended up calling William Hale’s phone.

By this time, if he was resting, he should have awakened, right?

The call connected, but it continuously rang unanswered.

Maybe he was still resting, or perhaps he was busy?

Zoe Bell was about to hang up when the call was suddenly answered, her heart lifted slightly without noticing, ready to speak, but a woman’s soft, coquettish voice came from the other end.

"Hello."

Zoe Bell’s hand, holding the chopsticks, suddenly froze until one of the chopsticks slid off and hit the plate with a clink, shaking her back to reality.

"Hello?" Since she had remained quiet, the other person asked again.

Zoe Bell then glanced at the outgoing call on her phone; it was indeed William Hale’s cell number, "Isn’t this Mr. Hale’s phone?"

"Looking for William? He’s resting. Is it urgent? Do you need me to wake him up?"

In that moment, her mind went blank.

She simply said, "No need."

Then, she hung up.

Yet the woman’s voice lingered in her ears, inescapable.

Resting? Sleeping?

Was there another woman with him?

She lowered her head, gripping the chopsticks tightly, struggling to control her emotions, yet a profound, indescribable heartache engulfed her like a tide.

She felt an intense tightness in her chest, as if something were constricting her heart.

The air seemed to stiffen all of a sudden, her smile grew rigid, and even holding the chopsticks became a strain.

This feeling was something she had never experienced before.