Chapter 172
Chapter 172 The Unscheduled Swim
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“Mr. Stewart must be so busy every day he hardly has time for proper meals. No wonder he has stomach issues,” Edward said with a sympathetic sigh.
“Edward, that’s not quite it. It’s not about missing meals; it’s his irregular eating schedule. combined with his refusal to give up coffee. That’s what caused the problem,” Arabella corrected him gently.
“You haven’t been drinking any coffee lately, have you?” she asked, turning to look at him.
“No, of course not. I’ve been in the hospital the whole time. Where would I even get coffee?
“But you–you should make sure you cat on time and take better care of yourself. Now that you’ve switched jobs with that high salary, the workload must be pretty intense, right?” Edward asked, his expression concerned.
“It’s manageable. I can handle it, so please don’t worry about me,” Arabella replied in a light, reassuring tone.
“You shouldn’t carry the weight of everything all the time. Whether it’s me or the rest of the Macdonald family, we’re not children anymore. We can all be responsible for our own lives.
“What you need to focus on now is getting better, and quickly. That’s the only way you’ll be in a position to help anyone you want to help. Otherwise, spending all day worrying and letting your mind run in circles just adds to your own burden,” Arabella said, offering him a comforting smile.
“You’re right. I suppose I do tend to worry too much…”
“Your ice creams are ready! You can come get them,” the server called out.
“Just stay seated. I’ll get them,” Arabella said, standing up.
She collected the three ice creams and handed one to Edward. “Here.”
Taking a small bite of her own, she said, “Mmm, this is good.”
“It really is nice sitting here…” she mused, her gaze drifting toward the ocean.
“Yeah, the sea breeze is gentle. It’s very pleasant, Edward agreed with a smile.
At that same moment, Lucas happened to stroll by, also in the mood for ice cream. While waiting for his order, he casually scanned the area. Suddenly, his eyes landed on a familiar figure. “Doesn’t that look like Arabella?”
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He walked over. “It really is you?”
“Lucas?”
“What are you doing here?” Arabella asked, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
“Just out for a walk. How about you?” Lucas inquired.
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“I… actually, there’s something I should mention she said, as if remembering something important. She gently pulled him aside, away from Edward’s earshot.
“What is it?” Lucas asked, looking puzzled.
“Did you see the man sitting with me?” Arabella asked in a hushed tone.
“I saw someone, but not clearly. Why?” Lucas‘ expression grew slightly more serious.
“It’s nothing major. I’m… in the middle of something here. If you don’t have urgent business, would you mind giving us some space, please?” Arabella tried to politely encourage him to leave.
“You’re discussing business?” Lucas raised a skeptical eyebrow.
“Mhm,” Arabella said, meeting his gaze directly.
“Oh, alright. Don’t worry, I won’t intrude. I’ll be over there,” Lucas said, pointing toward a cluster of benches further down the promenade. “If you wrap up, feel free to come find me.”
Arabella gave a slight nod. “Okay. I’ll see you later then.”
“Alright, catch up soon.” Lucas said goodbye and walked back the way he came.
Arabella watched him leave and finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. It seemed they couldn’t stay in that spot much longer. If Lucas circled back, it would be difficult to explain the situation.
Returning to Edward’s side, she pointed in the opposite direction. “Let’s go check out over there.”
“Okay.”
“Was that a friend of yours earlier?” Edward asked.
Ah, just an acquaintance. He happened to be around, saw me, and came over to say hello,” Arabella explained with a casual smile.
“Oh, should we invite him to join us? He seems to be alone,” Edward suggested, glancing
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Chapter 172 The Unscheduled Swim
toward Lucas‘ distant figure.
“No need. He’s a bit of a loner, prefers his own company.
“Let’s not worry about him. Come on,” Arabella said, starting to walk in the opposite direction.
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Lucas, who had been subtly keeping an eye on Arabella from his new spot, saw her and the unfamiliar man head off another way. He got up and began meandering casually, following them at a distance, his gaze never straying far from Arabella.
“Edward, do you want to walk in the water?” Arabella asked him.
“We didn’t bring any sandals. It’s not very convenient,” Edward hesitated.
“That’s an easy fix. Just take your shoes off, like this,” Arabella said with a laugh. She slipped off her own shoes and stepped barefoot onto the warm sand.
“Is that really okay?” Edward asked.
“Of course it is! Hurry up, take yours off too,” Arabella urged.
Edward had no choice but to follow suit, feeling the soft sand beneath his feet.
“Doesn’t it feel freer without shoes holding you back?” Arabella asked, smiling at him.
“It does feel nice. The sand is very soft,” Edward admitted.
Lucas, watching from a distance, muttered to himself in surprise, “I thought she was talking business… Why are they walking barefoot along the shore now?”
“Edward, want to run a bit?” Arabella suddenly felt a surge of energy and suggested.
“I’ll pass on the running. You go ahead if you want to. I’ll watch from here,” Edward said, feeling content. He was happy to support whatever mood struck her.
“Okay! I’ll run up ahead a little and then come back for you,” Arabella said. Then, with a splash through the shallow waves, she dashed forward down the beach.
It had been a long time since she’d felt this unburdened. Bringing Edward to the beach today was meant to let him get some fresh air and clear his mind, but she found herself embracing the moment just as much.
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