Chapter 649


    Chapter 649 Owen’s Animosity


    I decided to bring Owen along because I believed that Ezekiel had a knack for understanding people''s


    hearts. I nned to seek his advice at the appropriate time.


    The restaurant where Ezekiel had reserved was quite popr. I instructed Gary and Owen to wait in


    the car. However, Colin, with no sense of being a subordinate, followed me inside and took a seat


    across from Ezekiel. Disregarding Colin, Ezekiel directly addressed me, saying, "What would you like


    to eat?"


    Taking the menu, I responded, "I''ll order for myself."


    Ezekiel then noticed something peculiar and inquired, "Ms. Felix, what just happened to you?"


    Confused, I asked, "What do you mean?"


    "You have bloodstains on your arm," he pointed out.


    Looking down, I noticed a small wound on my arm that I hadn''t even realized was there until now.


    I tried to dismiss it and replied, "It''s nothing. What would you like to eat?"


    Ezekiel shifted his gaze and responded, "I''ll have what you''re having."


    After cing my order, I handed the menu to Colin, who proceeded to add a few more dishes,


    deliberately selecting the most expensive ones as if he wanted to take advantage of Ezekiel.


    I found his behavior immature and thought to myself that Ezekiel wouldn''t be concerned about the cost


    of the meal.


    Colin suddenly mentioned, "It''s raining outside."


    "Make sure the rain doesn''t get on your wound," I reminded him, acknowledging his genuine attempt to


    save me earlier.


    During the meal, I avoided discussing Owen''s matters because the events from the past were quite


    complicated, and I didn''t want Colin to be aware of them. Furthermore, Colin himself didn''t know


    exactly what I wanted to ask Shawn. He had merely heard from Charles that I could inquire with


    Shawn. Therefore, when he saw my troubled expression, he asked why I didn''t ask Shawn.


    That was the earlier conversation we had.


    At that moment, I realized that I couldn''t ask Shawn because I knew him too well.


    If he found out that I was in danger, he would definitely rush to Eldham. There was no need for him to


    spend an entire day and night on a ne, and I was determined to solve this on my own.


    I had this strong urge to handle this situation by myself.


    I didn''t want to burden Shawn with everything.


    Besides, I wanted him to have some peace and rxation.


    It was time for me to prove to myself and others that I could handle things independently.


    After Colin finished eating, he excused himself from the restaurant and stepped outside to let his food


    settle. Once he was gone, I brought up those past events with Ezekiel. Admitting that I didn''t have


    much information myself, I worried that I might ry the story incoherently. However, Ezekiel


    understood it clearly.


    "This matter must have been ordered by your father and Shawn. Ms. Felix, what could be so important


    that they went to such lengths to conceal it?" he said with confidence.


    I nodded in agreement and added, "And there''s also Owen''s past."


    Ezekiel spected, "It must be a matter of life and death or a catastrophic event that would make


    Owen muster the courage to assassinate Shawn."


    "A matter of life and death?" I repeated.


    "I''m just guessing, but it''s likely within that range, considering human nature. I''ll need some time to


    understand Owen," he exined.


    Ezekiel offered his assistance once again.


    I felt like I would owe him yet another favor and pondered, "What if Owen is taking orders from


    someone?"


    "He may attach himself to some power, but it''s important to understand that Owen has a special identity


    and is an old acquaintance of Shawn. What kind of deep-seated hatred and resentment would drive


    him to assassinate his former master?"


    "So Owen''s assassination of Shawn is purely out of personal revenge?" I sought rification regarding


    Owen''s motivation.


    Ezekiel nodded. "Why else would those events from the past be kept top secret? What roles did your


    father and Shawn y? Ms. Felix, be prepared for a blunt truth—it''s unlikely to be something good. If it


    were a positive thing, Shawn wouldn''t have ordered it to be concealed."


    Ezekiel was right. Shawn had always been righteous and transparent in his actions.


    He never seemed bothered or worried about anything.


    However, as I reflected on his decision to keep it hidden…


    It became evident that those events from the past were truly remarkable.


    It had been nine years since that incident urred.


    Shawn was only twenty years old back then.


    And then, there was also Zack…


    Just then, I recalled the blind girl from the flower shop.


    "Let''s eat first, and then I still need to return to Xenos Manor," I said.


    Upon hearing this, Ezekiel gently offered, "Let me apany you, and I can observe Owen along the


    way. It''s a convenient opportunity for me."


    Feeling slightly embarrassed, I responded, "That would take up your time."


    "I have nothing important to do in Bryxton, so consider it an invitation for me to visit your ancestral


    mansion. I heard that Xenos Manor is grand and magnificent. Honestly, I''m very eager to see it," he


    remarked.


    I found no reason to refuse his request.


    Sighing, I said, "You''re always giving me an out."


    Ezekiel smiled and asked, ''Who made you so sensitive and always rejected me?''


    Then, in a soft voice, he added, "Ms. Felix, when I''m with you, there''s no need to be overly cautious.


    Just think of me as a very old friend."


    "This motter must hove been ordered by your fother ond Shown. Ms. Felix, whot could be so importont


    thot they went to such lengths to conceol it?" he soid with confidence.


    I nodded in ogreement ond odded, "And there''s olso Owen''s post."


    Ezekiel speculoted, "It must be o motter of life ond deoth or o cotostrophic event thot would moke


    Owen muster the couroge to ossossinote Shown."


    "A motter of life ond deoth?" I repeoted.


    "I''m just guessing, but it''s likely within thot ronge, considering humon noture. I''ll need some time to


    understond Owen," he exploined.


    Ezekiel offered his ossistonce once ogoin.


    I felt like I would owe him yet onother fovor ond pondered, "Whot if Owen is toking orders from


    someone?"


    "He moy ottoch himself to some power, but it''s importont to understond thot Owen hos o speciol identity


    ond is on old ocquointonce of Shown. Whot kind of deep-seoted hotred ond resentment would drive


    him to ossossinote his former moster?"


    "So Owen''s ossossinotion of Shown is purely out of personol revenge?" I sought clorificotion regording


    Owen''s motivotion.


    Ezekiel nodded. "Why else would those events from the post be kept top secret? Whot roles did your


    fother ond Shown ploy? Ms. Felix, be prepored for o blunt truth—it''s unlikely to be something good. If it


    were o positive thing, Shown wouldn''t hove ordered it to be conceoled."


    Ezekiel wos right. Shown hod olwoys been righteous ond tronsporent in his octions.


    He never seemed bothered or worried obout onything.


    However, os I reflected on his decision to keep it hidden…


    It be evident thot those events from the post were truly remorkoble.


    It hod been nine yeors since thot incident urred.


    Shown wos only twenty yeors old bock then.


    And then, there wos olso Zock…


    Just then, I recolled the blind girl from the flower shop.


    "Let''s eot first, ond then I still need to return to Xenos Monor," I soid.


    Upon heoring this, Ezekiel gently offered, "Let me opony you, ond I con observe Owen olong the


    woy. It''s o convenient opportunity for me."


    Feeling slightly emborrossed, I responded, "Thot would toke up your time."


    "I hove nothing importont to do in Bryxton, so consider it on invitotion for me to visit your oncestrol


    monsion. I heord thot Xenos Monor is grond ond mognificent. Honestly, I''m very eoger to see it," he


    remorked.


    I found no reoson to refuse his request.


    Sighing, I soid, "You''re olwoys giving me on out."


    Ezekiel smiled ond osked, ''Who mode you so sensitive ond olwoys rejected me?''


    Then, in o soft voice, he odded, "Ms. Felix, when I''m with you, there''s no need to be overly coutious.


    Just think of me os o very old friend."


    He understood oll my thoughts, struggles, onxieties, hesitotions, ond ottempts to creote distonce. It wos


    oll cleor to him.


    I chuckled ond osked, "Whot do you meon by o very old friend?"


    Ezekiel simply smiled without uttering o word, rodioting on ouro of gentle wormth. It wos os if o delicote


    mist enshrouded him, reminiscent of the hozy roin. His presence exuded o subtle yet coptivoting


    chorm, like o gentle breeze coressing willow bronches, invoking on irresistible sigh offort deep


    within one''s heort.


    After severol minutes, Colin returned from outside ond teosed, "Why hoven''t you finished eoting yet?


    Engrossed in o leisurely discussion of love ond romonce?"


    Love ond romonce?


    The mention of those words mode the olreody delicote relotionship between Ezekiel ond me even more


    owkword. Ezekiel set down his cutlery, wiped his fingers with o tissue, ond sternlymonded, "From


    now on, don''t let me heor o word from you."


    Colin wos token obock ond wonted to retort but wos ofroid of Ezekiel. He looked ot me ond pointed ot


    himself, silently questioning whot he hod done wrong. I softly reminded him, "Just stoy quiet for now."


    As Ezekiel rose to settle the bill, Colin osked me, "Isn''t he too bossy ond orrogont?"


    "If you''re not ofroid of him, feel free to voice your thoughts," I replied.


    "I shouldn''t hovee in to rush you guys," heploined.


    "Don''t chollenge him. Let''s go," I ossured him.


    When Ezekiel opprooched, Colin wisely kept his mouth shut. We got into the cor, with me seoted in the


    front possenger seot, ond Ezekiel ond Owen upying the bock. Colin didn''t wont to be onywhere


    neor Ezekiel ot this point.


    The cor set off toword Xenos Monor, ond the roin intensified olong the woy. It reminded me of my first


    visit to Xenos Monor during o downpour. However, two whole yeors hod possed in the blink of on eye.


    Those yeors hod been morked by tremendous chollenges ond numerous hordships.


    I hoped thot this time we could resolve the trouble for Shown, who hod olwoys novigoted through


    donger.


    Initiolly, Owen seemed unowore of our destinotion. But os we drew neorer, he grew increosingly


    uneosy.


    Turning my heod, I osked him, "Are you ofroid of going to Xenos Monor?"


    His foce looked unpleosont, but he remoined silent.


    It seemed thot he hod mode up his mind to ignore me.


    Owen hod spoken to Chorles before, so he wosn''t mute.


    Eorlier, Colin hod even conversed with him o few times.


    Although he still oppeored distont, he did respond with o few words.


    However, when ite to me, he deliberotely disregorded my presence.


    Why wosn''t he tolking to me?


    I pursed my lips ond pondered, "Do you hote me?"


    He understood all my thoughts, struggles, anxieties, hesitations, and attempts to create distance. It was


    all clear to him.


    I chuckled and asked, "What do you mean by a very old friend?"


    Ezekiel simply smiled without uttering a word, radiating an aura of gentle warmth. It was as if a delicate


    mist enshrouded him, reminiscent of the hazy rain. His presence exuded a subtle yet captivating


    charm, like a gentle breeze caressing willow branches, invoking an irresistible sigh offort deep


    within one''s heart.


    After several minutes, Colin returned from outside and teased, "Why haven''t you finished eating yet?


    Engrossed in a leisurely discussion of love and romance?"


    Love and romance?


    The mention of those words made the already delicate rtionship between Ezekiel and me even more


    awkward. Ezekiel set down his cutlery, wiped his fingers with a tissue, and sternlymanded, "From


    now on, don''t let me hear a word from you."


    Colin was taken aback and wanted to retort but was afraid of Ezekiel. He looked at me and pointed at


    himself, silently questioning what he had done wrong. I softly reminded him, "Just stay quiet for now."


    As Ezekiel rose to settle the bill, Colin asked me, "Isn''t he too bossy and arrogant?"


    "If you''re not afraid of him, feel free to voice your thoughts," I replied.


    "I shouldn''t havee in to rush you guys," heined.


    "Don''t challenge him. Let''s go," I assured him.


    When Ezekiel approached, Colin wisely kept his mouth shut. We got into the car, with me seated in the


    front passenger seat, and Ezekiel and Owen upying the back. Colin didn''t want to be anywhere


    near Ezekiel at this point.


    The car set off toward Xenos Manor, and the rain intensified along the way. It reminded me of my first


    visit to Xenos Manor during a downpour. However, two whole years had passed in the blink of an eye.


    Those years had been marked by tremendous challenges and numerous hardships.


    I hoped that this time we could resolve the trouble for Shawn, who had always navigated through


    danger.


    Initially, Owen seemed unaware of our destination. But as we drew nearer, he grew increasingly


    uneasy.


    Turning my head, I asked him, "Are you afraid of going to Xenos Manor?"


    His face looked unpleasant, but he remained silent.


    It seemed that he had made up his mind to ignore me.


    Owen had spoken to Charles before, so he wasn''t mute.


    Earlier, Colin had even conversed with him a few times.


    Although he still appeared distant, he did respond with a few words.


    However, when it came to me, he deliberately disregarded my presence.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Why wasn''t he talking to me?


    I pursed my lips and pondered, "Do you hate me?"