Chapter 31 - Her Petty Scheme

"Huff… huff…" Ingrid had a hard time catching up from the man's fast and steady legs. Sweat already soaked her back, however, the man in front of her didn't even produced a single bead of it.

Normally, when Clauen go down the stairs from the third floor, she never been this spent. But this time, that guy never spare her mercy, swiftly stepping down while ignoring her difficulty.

Unlike the first world, where with Dana's memories she was able to know a bunch of things about the Main Couple. This time however, the Main Leads of this world was like an almost blank canvas with only a few insignificant lines painted. All she knows is their names and that the male lead is stalking the female lead.

Actually, this is quite enough. And pretty much a good news to her. The Main Lead was stalking the Female Lead. Meaning, their relationship was only one sided. Meaning! She can still insert her way in between!

Right now, Ingrid can't approach Van for no reason. Just earlier, Laure blabbered that he was her girlfriend. Therefore, if she acts friendly with him, it would look like she's some kind of a bitch. But… if she makes him as her escape every time and create a coincidence to whɨnė to him about her fuċkėd up relationship… then, that would be another story.

As for Laure's thoughts about her ditching him like that with some other guy… Well, no one cares about that.

Ingrid made a toothy grin in her mind first before she initiated a conversation with the man who was obviously treating her existence like nothing.

"Did I startle y-you? I-I'm sorry for calling you out of nowhere like that, I just w… wanted to escape from that g-guy." Talking in between heavy breaths was harder than she thought.

"..."

"Ah, is J-john not your name? I'm just guessing, since John is a c-common one. I can't call you 'Hey!' in that t-time right? Haha… huff…"

"..."

Okay. Take a deep brea—asdfghjkl

Holy fuċk! This guy's even harder to deal with than Rembrandt!

No, it's actually given, we're talking about a stalker here, he's practically a psycho. Approaching someone like that is really really hard; close to impossible.

Until they reached the ground floor Ingrid's attempts of conversation failed. She stopped on the last step and rested her hand on the wall.

Ahh, she was just gliding down, not climbing up yet she felt like she ran a freaking marathon there.

Ingrid didn't follow Van outside anymore. She just watched his tall figure getting smaller as she fabricates more schemes in her mind on how to get closer with that guy.

---

The next day, Ingrid's out for some job hunting. She's facing the crisis of negative balance, so Ingrid can't help but push back her mission first.

While she was at it, she should find ways on how to fish out a large amount of money.

As someone who's been playing in the business field for a long time, money making is not that hard for Ingrid. The confidence that she exhibits then was not a false one. It might not be as easy as walking in the park with Laure's interference but Ingrid think that she can still manage to pay him somehow.

Today, Ingrid wanted to apply as a barista in a coffee shop. Landing a job on this one won't be difficult since she had experience way back when she was still on college in her original life. After all, she loves americano so much that working in a coffee shop was akin to heaven for her.

"Hi!" Ingrid greeted an employee working on a coffee shop. She inquired for the job availability. And since she's in for a full time job, and with her professional-like skills in brewing coffee, the process didn't take that long for her to get accepted. With a job that has a salary that not even equal to 0.01% of her debt a month, Laure definitely won't cause her any trouble.

For two days, Ingrid never felt the joy of doing something fulfilling in a long time now. When she was still living the life of Dana, she's always been idle and everything was handed to her on a silver platter. That's why, even though it was tiring, the days since she started working were all well spent.

Currently, Ingrid was clearing tables per the manager's request.

From a table just behind her, a commotion was starting to brew. As curious as she was, Ingrid's prying eyes looked at that location.

Just at that moment, she saw a head full of silky golden hair obstructing her vision from the foul mouthed woman who keep creating noises. Then the said head moved to the side, afterwards, she saw a fuming face and a dark liquid flying towards her face.

"Splat."

Fuck.

Ingrid doesn't mind getting wet but the ice hitting her face was really an unpleasant feeling.

She removed her eyeglasses and was about to reach for some table napkins when a hand offered her a handkerchief, "Sorry for that." A modulated voice of a woman said. It followed by a sweet scent of perfume that lingered on Ingrid's nose for a bit.

While hiding her annoyance, Ingrid accepted the snow white hanky, sparing no glance at the giver, removed the wet patches then putting it back to its place. Now that she can see, she lifted her head and end up facing the cold look of a sophisticated woman.

Practically speaking, it wasn't her fault. It was unintentional to pull her in their mess in her part. So Ingrid played cool and nodded her head.

Ingrid felt sticky all over from the dark substance that covered her head and ċhėst. She wanted to clean herself right away, but before she left, she turned her gaze towards the one who threw the coffee. She didn't do a foolish thing such as giving that costumer a glare since there was probably a reason why the manager of this place was only looking at them warily and never attempted to cease the fire. Ingrid doesn't want to get fired at her third day of work that she loves. She did that hoping that when she saw that face again, she can at least give her a little punishment in return.

Because the Ingrid right now is somehow pissed.

---

After taking a quick shower, Ingrid received an apology for not being able to step up from her manger. However, nothing came from the woman who did the deed. Well, it was within her expectation.

Still within the staff room, Ingrid saw that same woman with golden hair. When their eyes met, the woman stood up and went to her.

"I'm here to formally apologize to you." The woman had a pair of beautiful grey eyes. It was cold but Ingrid can see a shadow of heroism within. "I knew that there was a person behind me and still chose to dodge it. It may sound unfair to you, but in our world, our face held a big value. I can't let such a lowlife woman trample upon me."

Ingrid was rendered speechless from her confession. She wanted to retort, but she can't find the right words to say.

Ingrid admit that she was never considered herself as a saint. She's human, she committed sins and considered herself as selfish. However, meeting a woman who proudly apologize for her selfishness was a novelty to her.

"As an apology, let me treat you for a dinner sometime."

Ingrid wanted to befriend such a woman, so without giving it a second thought, she responded, "Sure."

---

"Ha…" Ingrid breathed out a cold air onto her palm. It's already the later time of autumn and the weather is already cold.

Ingrid lived in tropical country in her original life. Although the body she's occupying is used to the cold, mentally, she never gets used to such weather.

It's already night. Starless sky hung above the sky. Ingrid was walking face down while enjoying the cold breeze that ċȧrėssed her cheek when a big shadow loomed over her.

She lifted her chin and her eyelashes fluttered as she eyes searched for that person's face.

After knowing who it was, Ingrid's heart skipped a beat.

Standing under the luminesce of street light made his pitch black eyes that was sharply gazing at her even darker than it normally is. The thumping sound produced by her heart intensifies as her very soul was slowly being suċkėd by those mysterious pair of eyes. Rembrandt never gave her such emotion even if the two of them stood face to face, because at the end the only resemblance she can find on him is only his eyes. But for the man in front of her, Ingrid finds herself unable to contain her emotions any longer. Every time their eyes met and his warm countenance envelopes her being, her muscles stiffens and hand hands were trembling to do something that she would never dare name.

For the first time since she transmigrated in this world, Ingrid finally heard Van's voice. Inside her system, something exploded. Her knees buckled and she almost slumped into the dirt laden flood if not for a slim hand yet full of explosive muscles holding her arms.

"I had anemia and easily shooked." She lied.

Ingrid received another silence. After he steadied her footing, and he passed through her, another wave of his voice traveled in her ears like a gentle breath of wind, "…friendly advice, never get close to that woman."

Knees still quivering from the impact, she was left in daze in the middle of a walkway, mind unable to comprehend his words, as it was wandering back to the memories hidden deep inside her heart.

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Hello! I'm sorry that I wasn't able to update yesterday *sad