After her class ended, Stella was drenched in sweat. Having just changed into a fresh set of clothes, she exited the changing room and saw a group of parents gathered outside, engaged in conversation.
Stella wasn’t one to eavesdrop or interfere in other people’s business. Instead, she walked past them, heading toward the water station to fill up her thermal flask.
As she walked along the corridor, sipping from her water bottle, she saw the group of parents starting to disperse. Just as she was about to continue on her way, she froze upon recognizing a familiar face in the crowd.
Guinevere?
What was she doing here?
Guinevere immediately spotted Stella too, despite the crowd of parents between them. Her smile faded slightly, but she kept her composure. She nodded at Stella and walked over.
The parents and teachers who were lingering around watched the interaction with interest, some whispering amongst themselves as they exchanged curious glances.
“She’s here to look for Ella!” one teacher muttered.
“That can’t be! A famous celebrity like Ms. Cohen heard how well Ella teaches and came all the way here to see her?” another voice said, skepticism in their tone.
“Impossible! She doesn’t have any kids for Ella to teach. What’s going on?” someone else questioned.
“What if it’s the kids of her relatives?” one parent suggested.
All the guesses were met with silence from Guinevere, who ignored the whispers entirely. She approached Stella and asked, “Do you have time? How about a coffee?”
Stella didn’t hesitate to reject her. “I’m sorry, I still have work to do.”
As expected, Guinevere’s smile didn’t waver. “Don’t be nervous. We parted on bad terms the other day at Yvonne’s house. I came here specifically to apologize to her.”
Stella’s response was quick and firm. “Yvonne went overseas for work. You can come back another time to find her.”
With that, Stella turned to leave, but Guinevere stepped forward, gently grabbing her arm. “Come on, don’t make this awkward. There are so many people watching.”
A sincere expression took over Guinevere’s face. “It’s just a cup of coffee. Or, Ms. Ella, are you afraid of something?”
Guinevere’s gaze sharpened as she studied Stella, searching for any hint of a reaction. She had to confirm her suspicions. The resemblance between Stella and the woman she had encountered earlier was too striking to ignore.
Stella understood the intent behind Guinevere’s words. She turned around slowly, meeting her eyes with an indifferent expression. “Since Ms. Cohen has insisted, I suppose I can oblige. What’s more…” She paused for a moment and glanced at the other teachers in the training center with a smile. “Ms. Cohen is, after all, a famous celebrity. Your sudden and desperate arrival to look for me is like free advertisement. If this leads to a few more rich ladies signing up their children, I’ll gladly accept it.”
Guinevere raised her eyebrows, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes. She didn’t respond immediately, but her silence spoke volumes.
At the café, after the waiter served their coffees, Stella wasted no time. She got straight to the point.
“Ms. Cohen, what exactly do you want?”
Guinevere casually took a sip from her cup, her gaze lingering on the foam. “Aren’t you even a little curious about that woman who looks so much like you?”
Skip to content