Chapter 2344


    Chapter 2344


    “Alyssa, you can’t just go around thinking I’m some sort of floozy just because I care about my friend.


    I’ve been close with Balfour for years, and I had no idea he’d be snoozing here when I came down to


    grab a book. You’ve got me all wrong! And for heaven’s sake, I simply draped a nket over Balfour


    because was worried about him. Was I supposed to let my dear friend freeze on the couch all night?


    You said you were off to bed, and if I’d known you weren’t asleep, I would’vee to get you first.”


    Mara’s exnation was reasonable, even impable, and Alyssa knew she couldn’t fault her on this


    one, so they both had to back down a bit.


    “Is that so? Then I owe you an apology, Ms. Lewis. It’s gettingte; you should head to bed. I’ll take


    care of Balfour here; after all, I am his grandmother.”


    Having snagged the photo she wanted, Mara didn’t linger. She feigned a wounded look, biting her lip as


    she clutched her phone and the book before leaving the study.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Before heading downstairs, she cast a sly, mysterious smile back at the study.


    No matter how shrewd Alyssa was, she couldn’t outwit Mara!


    After Mara descended the stairs, Alyssa gently touched Balfour’s forehead. No fever, and he didn’t


    seem to have been given any hooch or something shady that would knock him out. How on earth did


    he end up asleep in the study like this?


    Ever since Ivy moved out, Balfour had beening back to their roomter andter. Alyssa knew her


    grandson was hurting inside, each return to that room a reminder of the time spent with Ivy.


    Now alone, he naturally didn’t want to stay there. Yet he insisted on sleeping in that room, clinging to


    thest traces of Ivy’s presence.


    So it puzzled Alyssa why Balfour would fall asleep in the study.


    And with no word from Quinton about thepany being especially busy these days, how did he end


    up dozing off here?


    “Balfour, Balfour?”


    She nudged him a few times, but he didn’t wake up; he seemed to be sleeping deeply. Puzzling as it


    was, she couldn’t put her finger on it and decided to leave him be after making sure he was resting


    soundly.


    As she passed the stairwell, she noticed a faint lighting from Mara’s room. She could only hope


    that woman wouldn’t stir up more trouble.


    Still, Alyssa thought it wise to keep an eye on Mara’s movements.


    Once back in her room, Mara tossed the book on the table carelessly and flopped onto her bed,


    gleefully reviewing the photos she’d snapped on her phone.


    “Hmm, this one’s good, that one’s not bad either. Which one should I send to Ivy?”


    After taking so many shots, she had to make sure they were put to good use – it’d be a shame to keep


    them to herself.


    After much deliberation, Mara picked out a selfie where Balfour was cozily leaning on her shoulder.


    The best part was that you couldn’t tell he was knocked out. It looked like a photo that only a couple in


    a close rtionship would take.


    Mara befriended Ivy on social media when she first arrived at the Howard Mansion. But Ivy had never


    sent a single message to Mara.


    [Balfour’s so tuckered out tonight. He fell asleep!] Mara typed with a smirk, attaching the chosen picture


    before hitting send.