Chapter 721 Side Story: Efforts in Pursuing Her 3


    Regrettably, the man facing Yelena had already steered the conversation to this point, leaving her no


    option but to suppress her pride and reluctantly concede. "Yes, Ms. Balkan. Sweet and sour salmon


    sounds good." I''ll deal with youter, Hank! She reprimanded him silently within her thoughts.


    Simone''s face brightened upon hearing this, and she took a step closer, gently sping Yelena''s hand


    with a cheerful smile. "I knew you would like that blend of sweet and sour. Hank mentioned your


    fondness for sweets. Initially, I assumed someone in the film industry would have strict control over


    sugary indulgences, but then I realized that a young girl like you deserves to treat herself a little more.


    A touch of sweetness won''t do any harm."


    Then, Yelena''s eyes reddened slightly as memories flowed in, reminding her of Simone''s enduring care


    —a motherly figure who always had her best interests at heart. This unwavering concern was precisely


    why Yelena found it arduous to turn down Simone''s wishes, thus yielding to Hank''s persistence. "Ms.


    Balkan, I''m not a child anymore. I''m already 25."


    Simone yfully rolled her eyes and gave her hand a reassuring pat. "What are you talking about?


    You''re still so young. Being just 25 still makes you a child, okay? Anyway, hurry up and wash your


    hands. Let''s eat."


    She then turned around and headed toward the kitchen to attend to her tasks. The moment she saw


    Hank casually take his seat at the table, she clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Go grab a bottle of


    juice for Yelena. It''s on the second shelf in the fridge. I bought peach-vored juice specifically for her.


    Can you please think of others for a change? It''s not all about you."


    Since Hank had always been more inclined to listen to his mother promptly stood up and walked


    toward the refrigerator.


    In the past, Yelena would have joined Simone in scolding him. However, their current rtionship made


    such exchanges feel slightly intimate and awkward. So, Yelena could only sit helplessly in her seat,


    absentmindedly prodding her sd with a fork and avoiding eye contact.


    Through the course of the meal, her mind was clearly elsewhere. She barely touched her food,


    prompting Simone to express concern. "What''s the matter? You''ve hardly eaten anything today. Is the


    food not to your liking, or did something happen?"


    Startled by the question, Yelena looked up and shook her head. "No, Ms. Balkan. Your cooking is


    always delicious, and today''s dishes are to my liking. It''s just..."


    "Just what?" Simone inquired, her concern deepening.


    The words teetered on the edge of Yelena''s tongue, yet in Simone''s hopeful and caring gaze, she


    found herself incapable of uttering them. She understood the potential hurt or unease those words


    could inflict upon Simone.


    "It''s okay, dear. You can always share your thoughts with me. I won''t judge." Simone''s life experience,


    spanning more than two decades beyond Yelena''s, allowed her to decipher much of the situation from


    Yelena''s expressions. "Young couples often argue and misunderstand each other, but remember, you


    mustn''t shatter what you have. Once a rtionship fractures, repairing it bes a daunting task."


    Nevertheless, Yelena''s mood grew even graver, causing Simone to rethink her words and swiftly


    change the subject. "Alright, let''s not dwell on these somber matters. How about we turn our thoughts


    to your marriage? Both of you are at that right age, and your careers are thriving. Yelena, if things are


    steady on your end, have you considered marriage?"


    With an awkward smile, Yelena replied, "Ms. Balkan, I think—"


    "I know what you''re worried about, but don''t worry; once you''re married and living with us, Hank will be


    at your beck and call," Simone interjected as she ced a slice of roast pork onto her te. "As for me,


    you need not worry either. I won''t meddle in your married life. I''ll do my utmost to be a supportive


    mother-inw. Do you think I would mistreat you?"


    After hearing this, Yelena clenched her teeth and blurted, "Ms. Balkan, actually… Hank and I haven''t


    been in a rtionship these past few years."


    Simone was taken aback upon hearing this. "What are you saying? You two haven''t been together?


    Then, why do youe over for meals whenever I ask?"


    "That''s the problem. Your kind intentions, Ms. Balkan, made it hard for me to decline, so I agreed to


    apany him home for a meal," Yelena confessed as her gaze fixed on the ground, apprehensive


    about facing Simone''s potentially dismayed expression.


    Yet, after a prolonged silence, Simone''s response wasn''t one of judgment. Instead, a perplexing


    disy of affection caught Yelena off guard when she finally dared to lift her head.


    Stard by tha quastion, Yna lookad up and shook har haad. "No, Ms. Balkan. Your cooking is


    always dalicious, and today''s dishas ara to my liking. It''s just..."


    "Just what?" Simona inquirad, har concarn daapaning.


    Tha words taatarad on tha adga of Yna''s tongua, yat in Simona''s hopaful and caring gaza, sha


    found harsalf incapa of uttaring tham. Sha undarstood tha potantial hurt or unaasa thosa words


    could inflict upon Simona.


    "It''s okay, daar. You can always shara your thoughts with ma. I won''t judga." Simona''s lifa axparianca,


    spanning mora than two dacadas bayond Yna''s, allowad har to daciphar much of tha situation from


    Yna''s axprassions. "Young cous oftan argua and misundarstand aach othar, but ramambar, you


    mustn''t shattar what you hava. Onca a rtionship fracturas, rapairing it bas a daunting task."


    Navarthss, Yna''s mood graw avan gravar, causing Simona to rathink har words and swiftly


    changa tha subjact. "Alright,t''s not dwall on thasa sombar mattars. How about wa turn our thoughts


    to your marriaga? Both of you ara at that right aga, and your caraars ara thriving. Yna, if things ara


    staady on your and, hava you considarad marriaga?"


    With an awkward sm, Yna rapliad, "Ms. Balkan, I think—"


    "I know what you''ra worriad about, but don''t worry; onca you''ra marriad and living with us, Hank will ba


    at your back and call," Simona intarjactad as sha cad a slica of roast pork onto har ta. "As for ma,


    you naad not worry aithar. I won''t mad in your marriad lifa. I''ll do my utmost to ba a supportiva


    mothar-inw. Do you think I would mistraat you?"


    Aftar haaring this, Yna nchad har taath and blurtad, "Ms. Balkan, actually… Hank and I havan''t


    baan in a rtionship thasa past faw yaars."


    Simona was takan aback upon haaring this. "What ara you saying? You two havan''t baan togathar?


    Than, why do youa ovar for maals whanavar I ask?"


    "That''s tha prom. Your kind intantions, Ms. Balkan, mada it hard for ma to daclina, so I agraad to


    apany him homa for a maal," Yna confassad as har gaza fixad on tha ground, apprahansiva


    about facing Simona''s potantially dismayad axprassion.


    Yat, aftar a prolongad snca, Simona''s rasponsa wasn''t ona of judgmant. Instaad, a parxing


    disy of affaction caught Yna off guard whan sha finally darad to lift har haad.


    "Tell me, Yelena, has someone been bullying you?" Simone inquired softly, her attempt at constion


    evident. As her attention shifted to Hank, a reproachful re was directed his way—a silent usation


    of unsettling her daughter-inw again.


    In response, he shrugged, indicating that he wasn''t the cause this time.


    Meanwhile, Yelena''s heart tugged slightly, yet she persevered in rifying, "Ms. Balkan, it''s not his


    fault. This decision was mutual, and it''s been a long timeing. I''m not sure if we can…"


    "Why? Weren''t you two fine together before? And now, all of a sudden, everything''s changed. I''m sure


    it''s because of this little rascal. I''ll straighten him out today," Simone dered, her hand reaching for a


    feather duster nearby.


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    When Yelena saw that, she couldn''t help but chuckle in helplessness. "It''s not what you think, Ms.


    Balkan. We will solve the issues between us, but I''m not sure how things will turn out."


    "If this Hank has done something that hurt you, you must tell me. I''ll give him a piece of my mind, but


    I''m having a tough timeing to terms with this breakup," Simone said, her hand resting on her chest


    as she looked genuinely distressed. "This situation is truly distressing me, and it feels like my heart


    might give out."


    Yelena hurriedly patted her chest and could only offer verbal reassurance. "Please don''t get so worked


    up, Ms. Balkan. I didn''t say we were breaking up…"


    Instantly, Simone''s expression softened visibly. "Really? You two haven''t actually broken up?"


    "You can''t really say that."


    "Oh my…"


    Simone''s brow furrowed again, a hint of pain in her expression. When Yelena observed her distress,


    she sighed helplessly. "Ms. Balkan, I genuinely appreciate your concern, but the reality is that we can''t


    continue our rtionship. Forcing it might not bring happiness to either of us."


    With the conversation having reached an impasse, Simone abandoned any pretense. Slowly, she


    lowered her hand. "Yelena, I genuinely like you and hope you can be with Hank. Please don''t rush to


    conclusions. Take some time to think about it, okay?"