Chapter 73 - I Like Her

Devon's mouth fell open and her eyes fixed on Lewis sitting across from her. The silence between them extended into a period.

"What, what did you say?" Devon stammered with her lower lip trembling, processing the words he said just now. 

Lewis took a shallow breath and repeated, "Do you want to go back to school? Derek proposed this idea this morning, and I thought I should ask your opinion about it." He explained, not rushing her as she needed time to absorb it. 

If her opinion didn't matter, Lewis would've decided the second Derek proposed this idea. He could just hire tutors to teach her since it wasn't that hard for him. However, that would just be his own selfishness and greed. He didn't want to cage her as there's always this strange feeling that she was caged for a long time.

"Study…" Devon whispered under her breath as she gazed down at her food. Did he say she could go to school? She thought. 

Devon had always wanted to go to an academy in her previous life. She had heard a lot about it from her one and only friend — aside from the nasty rumors she heard as well. Although it was normal for the children in the high society to study at home and have teachers/instructors come to their homes, Devon liked the idea of school. It sounded fun from the stories she heard from her friend.

Even so, she was nervous to accept it. Her mind was still adjusting to her new environment, so accepting it without proper consideration was like tossing herself in the middle of a war.

"Derek is really a perceptive man." Ghost Lin, who was sitting on the head seat at the end of the table, nodded her head approvingly with her arms crossed. "It didn't even cross me since I'm here to teach her, but going back to school might be good as well."

Devon then turned to Ghost Lin's side, and the latter said, "Why are you looking at me? Do it if you like it, duh?" she raised her shoulders, indifferent about it. 

The corner of Devon's lips curled into a subtle smile as she shifted her gaze back to Lewis. The latter had his brows furrowed as he wondered where she was looking, as if she was asking someone's approval, but said nothing about it.

"You still have time to think about it. No rush." Lewis reassured, smiling as she raised her head and locked her gaze with him. 

"Thank you. I will… work hard." 

Lewis studied her expression, noticing the suppressed joy in her eyes. Pleased, he nodded as they ate in peace.

**

After they ate, Lewis and Devon split the task of cleaning up the table and washing the dishes. Since Devon wanted to stay in the kitchen for a bit more to talk to Ghost Lin, she volunteered to wash the dishes. When Lewis went back to the living area, Devon turned to Ghost Lin, who was sitting on the kitchen counter.

"Ghost Lin," Devon whispered, rushing in front of Ghost Lin with bubbles still in her hand. "Is it a really good idea to go to an academy? Am I really… allowed to?"

Ghost Lin arched a brow as she cocked her head to the side, arms crossed. "Of course. I don't see any problem with it." 

"Is it not a scary place? It's not like the school had a dark secret of selling the children's organs to…"

"Shhh!!!!" Ghost Lin flailed her arms to stop her from thinking about whatever ridiculous idea she had about school. Devon pursed her lips as she took a step back, frowning.

"Stop thinking like that, alright?! School is a school! Although I barely studied, that's because I'm a genius! But this is not a terrible idea since I can't be with you all the time." Ghost Lin nodded approvingly, as what she said was just the truth. 

Although Ghost Lin promised to guide her to a better life, she couldn't stay in the world of the living as a ghost for far too long. Devon, learning on her own and trying to figure out life with Lewis supporting her, wasn't also a bad idea. 

Devon's expression grew sullen, staring at Ghost Lin. "Can you stay with me all the time?"

"Huh?" Ghost Lin snapped as she shifted her gaze to Devon.

"You said, you can't be with me all the time… but it sounds like you will leave, permanently." Devon bit her lower lip, feeling something that pricked her heart. She was starting to get used to Ghost Lin, but Devon always felt like she couldn't get close to Ghost Lin, not because she was a spirit, but just… Ghost Lin was out of her reach.

Ghost Lin opened her mouth, but no words came out. The answer to her question was obvious, and with her personality, it was natural for Ghost Lin to tell her the truth. But right now, her words were stuck in her throat.

"Tsk!" Ghost Lin clicked her tongue, clapping in front of Devon to snap her back to reality. "You really have a good way to change the mood in a snap! Stop sulking! Did I die?! You look as if you're holding a funeral or something."

Devon pursed her lips. Didn't Ghost Lin died that's why she was a ghost now? 

"Just forget it!" Ghost Lin hopped out of the kitchen counter and started stretching. "Just focus on things and people around you. People come and go, get used to it," she said after stretching, facing Devon squarely, and added, "As long as you don't lose yourself, that's all that matters." 

"Are you going to Alaska again?" Devon frowned, seeing Ghost Lin preparing to leave.

"Nope." Ghost Lin shook her head as she strutted towards the wall across the table. "I will play spy tonight. The romance in this story is too much and too less, it's frustrating!" 

"Too much and too less?" 

"You'll hurt your head if you keep thinking about my words." Ghost Lin waved without looking back at her. "I just need information, that's all. Ghosts are perfect spies. We can even start a private investigation company at this rate."

Devon cocked her head to the side as she watched Ghost Lin paused briefly and looked back at her. Ghost Lin added, "Also, I can't stomach third-wheeling all the time. Enjoy your time with home-buddy Qin." And she jumped through the wall, then gone.

"She's gone…" Devon whispered, staring at the wall where Ghost Lin left off. She jumped, startled when she heard Lewis' voice asking, "Who's gone?"

"Hmm, the ghost," she answered after casting him a look before she trudged back to the sink and continued to wash the dishes. Devon planned to be honest with him, even if it would sound ridiculous.

To her surprise, Lewis asked, "You see ghosts?" 

Devon turned her head. Her eyes searched for his figure, who was on the bar counter, pouring himself a glass of wine. Her brows furrowed, as it seemed he didn't mind.

"Will you believe me if I do?" 

"I will even believe you if you say it's broad daylight now." He shrugged as he placed the wine bottle to the side and set his eyes on her. He furrowed his brows when he saw Devon was just staring at him.

"What?" he asked, tilting his head to the side, sporting a misplaced puzzlement. 

Devon shook her head a little as she retrieved her eyes and set them on the dishes. "Nothing. You just sound like… you will believe everything I say." And it was something that weighs her down or gave her these strange intense feelings. Either way, she couldn't figure it out just yet.

"Is there something wrong if I believe whatever you say?" Lewis arched a brow, leaning against the bar counter before he sipped a wine. 

"What if I lie to you?" Devon frowned as she glanced back, only to see him shrug nonchalantly while staring at his phone.

"Then, that's my fault," He said as if he had already thought that far. "It's my decision to believe and trust you. Whether you lie or betray me in the end, I'm responsible for my decisions and feelings. Just do whatever you like."

She could not help but smile subtly, staring at his indifferent visage. His tone was nonchalant, but Devon felt his sincerity in his voice. The unconditional trust he had in her was something Devon didn't understand, but it moved her heart.

"You won't find it strange if I say I made a friend with a ghost?" she asked, and his reply was a quick,  "Is she kind?" and glanced at her briefly. 

"She's a peculiar character, but overall, very kind." A smile resurfaced on her lips as her eyes softened. For her, whether he truly believed her or just going with the flow, it felt nice that she could talk about Ghost Lin with someone.

"I see." He nodded in understanding, shifting his eyes back on his phone, reading Derek's email about Quentin. "You sound like you really like her. Is she here now?"

Devon remained silent as she finished the last plate, dried her hands, before turning around. She propped her back against the sink, her hand on either side of her.

"She's not." She smiled brightly. "She said she needs to do something since the romance between us is too much and too less." 

That caught his attention as he slowly peeled his eyes off his phone and set them to her. "Romance?"

Devon shrugged, chuckling as she recalled Ghost Lin's perverse comments. "She roots for us for reasons unknown."

"I like her." Lewis nodded approvingly, for whoever this ghost was should remain on her side!