Hiding Behind Her Superficiality by Kyla Olson

Chapter 541 Why Do You Have to Compare?
On the other hand, Elspeth tugged at Callum’s hand, signaling him not to be so harsh. Then, he let it slide for her sake.
On the other hand, Elspeth tugged at Callum’s hand, signaling him not to be so harsh. Then, he let it slide for her sake.
“I heard you’re pregnant?” Gilbert suddenly asked.
She was caught off guard that he knew about it and figured Isabel must have seen the pregnancy test when she visited and told
him about it.
“I had an abortion.” She could tell Callum’s mood had changed when she said that.
“You should rest up.” For some reason, Gilbert didn’t feel anything. There were no mixed emotions as he expected. “Would it
bother your rest if I bring Isabel over today?”
“Since you’ve mentioned it, go ahead and bring her here. I’ll be fine.”
Relieved, he took a deep breath. “Alright, I’ll go now.”
Returning home, Gilbert called out in the hallway but got no response. He felt guilty, thinking Isabel might be upset since he took
her away. He went upstairs, knocked on her door gently, and said, “Isabel, come out. I need to talk to you.”
Since there had been no response, he finally decided to force his way inside due to his unsettling intuition. He noticed the room
was spotless as if no one had ever lived there. His heart tightened as he looked around and spotted a white note on the desk. He
read it and was speechless. ‘Gilbert, I know you don’t like me, and I’m not running away out of spite. Don’t worry; I won’t bother
you or Elspeth. I’ll find a job somewhere. I’ve grown up and have some savings, so I’ll be fine. Goodbye.” The words were curt
but firm.
Suddenly, Gilbert felt dizzy, not expecting Isabel to run away. He had no choice but to tell Elspeth and send people to search for
her. Hearing about Isabel through the phone, Elspeth sprang up from the couch. “What did you say?”
“Isabel ran away.”
She found the remark that Isabel would run away a little preposterous, given that she had never seen Isabel do anything so
outlandish. She had always been so well-mannered that finding flaws in her was difficult.
“Why did she run away?”

“Maybe because I said some harsh words to her this morning.” He still wanted to take responsibility, even though he knew Isabel
crossed the line first.
“She’s only a kid. If you don’t like her, simply talk to her, and she’ll listen—” Elspeth spoke anxiously.
Nonetheless, Gilbert didn’t try to defend himself. He sighed and rubbed his forehead before saying, “Don’t worry, I will definitely
find her.”
The busy tone interrupted him, and he realized she had hung up on him a while ago. He couldn’t waste any more time and
started looking for Isabel at places where she might work. Where would a girl who has never attended school and has no work
experience go? Suddenly, he had an idea of where she could be.
...
The Luna Bar during the day only had a few customers, but it still reeked of smoke and alcohol. When Gilbert arrived, he saw a
girl in a maid outfit carrying a tray resembling Isabel from behind. He rushed forward and tapped her shoulder but was
disappointed to see a panicked face he didn’t recognize. He returned to the bar and asked the staff on duty, “Have you seen a
girl about the same height as that one, but a bit slimmer, with straight black hair and big eyes?” He described Isabel’s
appearance to the person as best as he could, but they shook their heads and said they hadn’t seen her.
Then, he clenched his fists, feeling even more uneasy. He suddenly realized that he might have been too aggressive and should
have considered her feelings when he spoke to her. Still, finding her was the most urgent matter now. If she isn’t here, then
where could she be? He thought carefully and remembered another place.
Ten minutes later, he arrived at the second most famous bar in town, Celestial Tavern. As Gilbert walked in, he caught sight of a
thin figure standing near the stage. It was Isabel. Even though she had put on heavy makeup and looked quite different, he could
still recognize her innocent face.
What is this girl doing? He was furious. So, he approached her and grabbed her arm when she was about to go on stage. “What
are you doing?”
However, she was surprised but not shocked to be caught red-handed. I’m aware of his skills, and the fact that he could track me
down so quickly suggests that he must have feelings for me, right? Soon, that thought was quickly extinguished. It’s not possible.
It’s merely his responsibility to watch out for me. Ultimately, she remained silent, looking at him quietly.
“Do you know what you’re doing? Why did you leave without saying anything? Why did you come here and start this kind of job?”

Isabel was already 18, and there was no way she could have been ignorant of the potential consequences. Still, she decided to
take the chance and work at the bar, something Gilbert found incomprehensible.
“I-I’m already an adult, so why can’t I work here?” She bit her lip and added, “Besides, Elspeth also worked at this kind of place
before—”
The instant he heard Elspeth’s name, he realized what Isabel was referring to and snorted angrily. “How can your experience
compare to hers?”
Little did he know that those words cut her deeply. Her face turned pale in an instant. “I know my experience can’t compare to
hers,” she said, her lips trembling with sadness. “Moreover, experience is gained through life, isn’t it? As long as I work here—”
“Enough! Stop fooling around and come with me.” Gilbert grabbed her wrist and prepared to take her away, but she shook him
off fiercely.
“I’m not fooling around, and I want to work here. You have no right to tell me what to do.” Isabel finally found the courage to
rebel.
Her reaction shocked him, and he couldn’t say anything for a while. After a long time, he took a deep breath and tried to calm
himself down. “Isabel, why do you have to compare yourself to her?”