Zosia: Quick Transmigration System
Chapter 132 - 130 – ARC 4 -Meeting {Happy New Month}

Stepping out of the bathroom, Zosia paused in front of the mirror, inspecting herself critically.

She'd kept her makeup light—a little concealer, a touch of blush, and mascara to define her eyes. No need to overdo it. This wasn't a date, after all.

Her conversation with Nicholas had left him conflicted and curious that he had invited her out for a proper discussion.

He'd invited her to meet him, and after some thought, she'd agreed.

Neutral ground seemed the safest option. She didn't want to risk revealing her current location, especially with Oriel still sniffing around.

Not that she was scared of Oriel—far from it. But dealing with her petty antics would feel like an ant biting her in an inconvenient spot: not painful, just irritating as hell.

By now, news of her encounter with Nicholas had likely spread like wildfire among the upper circles.

She could almost hear the whispers and the new rumors weaving themselves into existence.

Zosia sighed, she couldn't wait for all her plans to fall in place, brushing her hands down her blouse to smooth out imaginary wrinkles before heading to the garage.

---

"Huh?"

Zosia frowned, turning the key in the ignition again. The car sputtered once and fell silent. She tried once more, only to be met with the same stubborn silence.

"Seriously?" She leaned back against the seat, exasperated. "I really need to get a new goddamn car."

The old sedan had been on its last legs for a week now, but replacing it wasn't exactly a priority right now. Even fixing it herself, wasn't exactly her priority now.

Ding!

Her phone vibrated in her bag. Fishing it out, she glanced at the notification—a debit alert.

"Great," she muttered under her breath, scrolling to view the details. "Broke again."

Most of her money had been funneled into the orphanage she'd purchased. The place was undergoing massive renovations, and the expenses were piling up faster than she could replenish her funds. But she had no regrets.

The orphanage wasn't just a charity project; it was an investment. Her plan was simple—offer the children education, training, and opportunities they'd never dreamed of, and in return, she'd gain their unwavering loyalty. People with minimal emotional ties were exactly what she needed, and orphans fit that profile perfectly.

Ding!

Another notification popped up, this time a message.

"Ma'am, when will you be coming to inspect the renovations?"

Zosia ignored the message, swiping over to her cab app instead. With the car out of commission, she didn't have the patience to troubleshoot.

Booking a ride, she sighed when the app informed her it would take 30 minutes for the driver to arrive.

"Perfect," she muttered sarcastically, leaning back in her seat. It seemed the universe wasn't done testing her patience today.

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Finally arriving at the meeting place, which surprisingly was close to her orphanage.

Standing at the crossroad that lead to both the orphanage and Nicholas Boxing ring, she wondered, of she should give the orphanage a tour before going to meet Nicholas.

Checking her wrist watch, she still had extra 1 hour plus before meeting with Nicholas.

Just then, Zosia felt an intense force coming from behind.

Turning to see what it was, she noticed a running child, who looked like he was being chased.

The child kept turning back occasionally, that he didn't seem to notice someone standing in front of him, till he was about to collide with Zosia.

Zosia could have overlooked the young boy and shift out of the way, allowing him to run to his destination, but she just had to meddle.

With a firm yet gentle motion, Zosia extended her hand, placing it squarely on the boy's head just as he was about to barrel into her.

The boy stumbled to an abrupt halt, his small frame jolting slightly from the unexpected resistance.

"Whoa there, kiddo," she said, her voice calm but commanding. "Slow down."

The boy blinked, his dark eyes wide with confusion and a flicker of fear. His breath came in ragged pants, and he looked up at her, his expression a mixture of panic and desperation.

For a moment, Zosia studied him. He couldn't have been more than eight or nine, his wiry frame clad in mismatched clothes that hung loosely on him. His cheeks were streaked with dirt, and his hair was a tousled mess, but it was his eyes that caught her attention. They were wet with unshed tears, glistening as they darted nervously from her face to the street behind him.

But none of those things were what caught her eyes. It was the cunning glint that lay deep in his eyes that caught her attention. That dark yet subtle ruthless glint was something she couldn't mistake.

Her lips curled up into a subtle smirk that one could mistake for a gentle smile.

"I'm not gonna hurt you," she assured, softening her tone. She crouched to his level, her hand still steady on his head. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

The boy sniffled, his small fists clenching at his sides. But instead of answering, he suddenly darted behind her, clutching the back of her blouse.

Zosia froze, her brows furrowing as she felt the tug. She couldn't mistake the tug for anything else.

"Little thief." Zosia muttered.

Just as she was about to turn and face the young boy, she noticed that another person was coming.

Zosia narrowed her eyes, noticing a figure approaching from the corner of her eye.

The woman slowed her steps, stopping just a few inches from where Zosia stood shielding the boy.

Zosia straightened, brushing the dirt off her blouse as she sized up the newcomer.

Layla.

The recognition was immediate, and Zosia's eyebrow arched slightly in surprise.

"What was she doing here?" Zosia thought inwardly, sizing up Layla that stood before her.

Layla, dressed in a flowing cream blouse and fitted jeans, seemed just as taken aback as well. Her chestnut eyes widened for a fraction of a second before narrowing with a hint of wariness.

She couldn't help but wonder, Why was Auriel here? Could she be here for Killan?

Thinking about it, she suddenly felt uncomfortable.

"Auriel," Layla greeted, her tone cordial but tinged with an emotion Zosia recognized all too well: discomfort.

"Layla." Zosia's voice was calm, almost pleasant, but her posture didn't shift.

She could feel the boy behind her trembling slightly, still clutching the back of her blouse as if his life depended on it.

For a moment, neither woman spoke, the tension between them palpable. Zosia wasn't sure about what the Tension was all about, since, she was actually waiting for Layla to speak. Maybe tell her that the boy stole something from her? Or why she was chasing the boy.

Layla's gaze flickered briefly to the boy hiding behind Zosia and then back to Zosia herself. Her lips pursed, as though she were deciding on her next words carefully.

"Didn't expect to see you here," Layla said finally, her voice measured. "Are you… visiting the area?"

"Something like that," Zosia replied vaguely, folding her arms across her chest. She tilted her head, studying Layla with quiet curiosity. "What about you? I noticed that you were chasing the young boy?"

"Hmmm. He stole my purse. Do you perhaps know him?" Layla asked, her voice tinged with a hint of curiosity, burying the emotions she currently felt.

"Nope." Zosia said, turning to the young boy who had his head lowered.

"Let me see the purse you stole?" Zosia said, titling her head a little as her gaze rested on the boy, watching his every action.

The boy thought for a moment. He felt that he could outrun both ladies, so he didn't see the need to stand there and answer their questions, not like after pitying him they would give him anything.

They'd probably just throw crumbs at his feet, while he could actually gain something more from the purse alone.

Just before he made his move to run, he glanced at Zosia, seeing how she held her purse, he knew he couldn't snatch it, so he made a run for it.

The boy bolted, his small frame darting to the side in an attempt to escape. But Zosia was faster. She moved with godly speed that startled both the boy and Layla, stepping into his path and blocking him effortlessly.

"Not so fast, kiddo," she said, her voice firm but not harsh. Her hand shot out, catching his shoulder gently but securely.

The boy glared up at her, his teeth gritted in frustration. His defiant gaze met hers, and for a moment, they were locked in a silent standoff. His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath, but his eyes remained fierce, challenging.

"You've got guts," Zosia remarked with a wry smile. "But guts won't get you out of this one."

"Let me go!" the boy spat, his voice sharp with a mixture of fear and anger. He squirmed under her grip, but Zosia held firm, her expression unwavering.

"Not until you hand over what you took," she replied calmly, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

The boy hesitated, his small hands balling into fists. He looked past Zosia to Layla, who stood watching with crossed arms and a guarded expression.

"Kid," Zosia said softly, crouching slightly to meet his eye level. Her voice was low, almost soothing, but her eyes held a sharp, commanding glint.

"You're quick, I'll give you that. But you've got to be smarter. Running won't solve anything."

For a moment, the boy looked as if he might argue, but then his shoulders sagged. With a reluctant sigh, he reached into the oversized pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small leather purse. He held it out, his fingers clutching it tightly as if reluctant to part with it.

Zosia took it and passed it back to Layla without looking away from the boy. Layla accepted it with a nod but stayed silent, her gaze shifting between the two of them.

"Now," Zosia continued, her voice softer but still firm. "Why were you running in the first place? What's your story?"

The boy hesitated, his eyes darting around as if searching for an escape route. But Zosia's steady presence seemed to leave him with no choice. Finally, he muttered, "I needed money."

"For what?" Zosia pressed, her tone still gentle but insistent. She could feel Layla's eyes on her, likely wondering why she was even bothering with this.

The boy hesitated again before mumbling, "To eat."

Zosia studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she stood, straightening her blouse. "All right," she said finally. "Come with me."

The boy blinked up at her in confusion. "What?"

"You said you needed food, right? Let's get you something to eat," Zosia said simply, already turning toward the small café across the street.

She glanced at Layla, her expression neutral. "You can join us if you want. Or not."

Layla seemed taken aback by the offer, but she quickly masked it with a polite smile. "I'll pass. But… thank you for this," she said, gesturing to her purse.

Zosia waved a hand dismissively. "Don't mention it."

Just as they were about to go their separate ways, Killan and Nicholas appeared, but from different directions.

Killan was coming from the orphanage while Nicholas was coming from his boxing building.

Killan noticed Layla and Auriel from afar and his expression darknened. "Could Auriel be threatning her?" The moment he thought about it, he immediately increased his pace, quickly approaching the two ladies.

Just then, he noticed Nicholas coming from another direction towards them.

"Auriel, you are here and who is this?" Nicholas said, gesturing towards the young boy that stood beside Zosia.

"A brother. No need to worry about him." Zosia said with a smile.

"Oh! Brother what are you doing here? Did you bring your new girlfriend to look around?" Nicholas asked.

Killan replied expressionlessly, "You could say that."

"What are you doing here? Are you perhaps stalking me?" Killan said, referring to Zosia.

Zosia glanced at him with a smile, "Nah, besides you still owe me."

Killan frowned at the word owe and was about to ask more questions, when Zosia interrupted him.

"I still have something to do. So please excuse me.. or perhaps us." Zosia said and walked away, leading the young boy with her.

"Um... Brother, mom is asking when will you come back to see her, her health hasn't been the best." Nicholas said to Killan before turning to Layla who felt ignored.

"Greetings sister-in-law." Nicholas said with a smile, "Please excuse me." He said and chased after Zosia, leaving the two of them standing there.

"What was she telling you?" Killan turned to look at Layla.

"Huh? Uh! Nothing."

Killan raised an eyebrow at her response but decided to go with it, since she refused to say anything.

"Don't let her intimidate you." Killan said and turned to walk back to the car, since they couldn't find what they had come for.

They had actually come to look for any trace that could lead to Layla's family.

Layla followed behind Killan, her thoughts going back to Auriel.

Thinking about the fact that Auriel and Killan had once dated, she couldn't help but imagine it and compare it to if she was the one dating Killan and the difference was vast.

Just comparing herself to Auriel alone, she found out that she couldn't match Auriel's aura.

Just standing there alone, she is like a beacon of light, that seemed to draw people to her.

"Let's go."

Killan's words snapped her out of her thoughts. Smiling wryly, she entered the car.

Her mood was no longer as happy as it first was when she came here. Now, she just wished to go home and bury her head into her pillow.

She knew Killan had just made up the fact that both of them were dating to piss of his ex, but she was still happy when he said it.

Now, she just felt.... She couldn't even describe the emotions.

"Could I ever date him?" Layla thought Inwardly, her eyes resting on Killian's face as she took in how handsome Killan was.

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Thank you all for your constant support. I can't listen everyone's name but I really do appreciate all y'all have done for me.

Happy New Month My Lovelies. I wish you a new month filled with prosperity and everything you wish for this month.

Have a nice day y'all and enjoy this chapter. Don't forget to add to your collections, give gift, Golden ticket, power stones etc.

Thank y'all once again.