The only difference was that in her previous life, she was just as eager to meet Max and kept clashing with Adrian. Now, she could not care two cents about Max...
Ella lowered her head. Except, Adrian... He was still as possessive and paranoid as he was before.
But the course of this life... had long started being changed by her.
The ordeal drained her, but for the first time, her mind felt lighter. Since she could think even clearer, she did not mind it.
At least, it is over now. She exhaled softly, forcing her mind to clear.
Her stomach grumbled and she straightened up, rubbing her rounded fluffy belly. She should get something to eat.
When Ella reached the stairs, she froze.
A small blur of white dashed across the living room.
Ella was momentarily stunned by the sight of the small brown puppy dashing around the living room.
Since she had found it in the estate premises, she brought it along with her but she knew that it would probably take a lot of convincing Adrian if she wanted to keep it with her.
Adrian did not seem like the kind of species to melt at the sight of soft fluffy creatures, after all.
But then, one thing led to another and she had left the puppy outside the mansion, not knowing that she would be gone for almost an entire day.
The tiny brown puppy was covered in white bandages.
The puppy locked eyes with her—then launched itself forward. A hand snatched it mid-air.
It was the head maid who grabbed it and prevented it from pouncing on her.
The puppy looked at her with sparkly eyes.
Ella bit her bottom lips. After a few seconds, she swiftly snatched it from the head servant’s hand, ’’Let me.’’
The middle aged woman watched in bewilderment as Ella ran her fingers through the puppy’s fur almost like she could not contain her hands.
’’You got him inside...?" Amidst her intense patting the soft creature, Ella took a moment to do a gender check.
After a swift gender reveal, she continued petting the puppy who closed his eyes in her arms contentedly.
’’It was Second Master...’’ After a moment of hesitation, Bertha revealed, expecting a violent reaction from Ella right away.
But after a while, there was no sound of anything smashing or banging.
Bertha slowly looked up, only to find that the girl’s smile had not faded in the slightest. A look of leisure had taken over her beautiful eyes as she continued stroking the puppy in her arms.
Even though for a girl her age, Ella was overweight with a huge belly, bigger arms and a face that seemed to have been stuffed with buns in cheeks, but the girl’s eyes seemed to shine brighter than it had ever before.
Bertha couldn’t figure out why the girl seemed to be in a completely different light. Before, her appearance and personality was dull and gloomy. And inherently, she seemed to be a troublemaker and a scheming person.
Nobody could understand why their second master fancied someone like her but now, something seemed to have changed.
Ella descended the stairs and walked up to the couch.
"Bertha, you have a daughter right?"
Bertha smiled, ’’Miss Yu knows about my daughter?" In a kind voice, she continued, ’’She is in her late teens and she also works here.’’
Ella removed her slippers and lifted her feet up to the couch.
She then placed the puppy on her uninjured thigh. Since each of her thighs was like an independent couch in itself, the puppy curled up in it, still leaving enough space on both sides so that he would not tumble off if she moved.
Her lips twitched but her fingers continued stroking his soft hair.
’’I don’t remember her face. Why don’t you call her over for me?’’ Ella looked up.
It was only at this moment that Bertha felt like something was amiss.
’’Yes...’’ She excused herself.
After a while, Bertha walked back to the couch with a young girl following her. The girl held Bertha’s sleeve and followed her with her head lowered.
Ella looked at the other servants who were doing their work in their respective places.
Bertha immediately took the cue and dismissed them all before gently pulling her daughter forward, ’’This is my daughter, Rin,’’ she turned to the young girl, ’’Quickly greet Miss Yu!" she spoke in a hushed voice.
’’M-Miss Yu..’’ The girl clutched the front of her dress as she lowered her head even further.
’’There is no need for the formalities,’’ Ella propped the side of her face on her palm, her elbow positioned on the arm of the couch, ’’Instead, just tell me for how long you have been in touch with my little sister.’’
The girl’s eyes widened.
Bertha immediately stepped forward, ’’M-Miss Yu, is there a misunderstanding? My daughter wouldn’t... she is meek by nature, she wouldn’t dare...’’
Ella glanced at Bertha with the same gentle smile as she had before.
But, this smile now gave Bertha goosebumps for some reason.
’’Why don’t you ask your daughter if she dares?"
Hearing the conviction in her voice, Bertha paled.
When she turned to look at her daughter, she realized that the girl was shaking and her expressions turned worse.
’’You... Why would you...’’ Bertha grabbed the young girl by her arm, ’’How could you betray the second master?"
The young girl named Rin shook even violently at the mention of Adrian whom she revered just as much as feared him, "I did not... I did not betray the second master! Mother, save me... I was forced,’’ Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Ella sat on the couch and stroked the puppy as if comforting the little creature amidst the chaos.
Seeing her sitting there, observing everything indifferently, Bertha suddenly realized that she was not seeing things earlier. This girl had completely changed and it could be seen by her aura.
If it was other times, she would have taken a breath to admire her but given her own daughter’s involvement in this grave matter, Bertha felt her throat running dry. She could only think of the severe consequences and shiver.
’’How did she force you?" Ella’s soft voice and calm words rang in the mother-daughter’s ears like a death knell.