《Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°Trust me! I¡¯ll take care of you and make you the happiest and most honored woman in the world!¡± The man¡¯s firm promise echoed in her ears as Elysia Thorne shook her head in panic. ¡°No, no¡­ Ah¡­¡± With a sudden surge of strength, the man pushed forward and Elysia let out a scream and fell unconscious out of pain. When she came to, the room was empty, but the lingering scent of their intimate moment still hung in the air. Tissues strewn about and clothes in disarray told the tale of the madness that had just urred. She bit her lip and clutched the sheets, her vision gradually blurring with tears¡­ She was a married woman, and was here at the airport to pick up her husband. But she just lost her virtue just like that before she could even see him! What did this mean? Was this infidelity within her marriage? How was she supposed to face the world now? How could she face her husband? If she told him she came to the airport to pick him up, that there had been chaos, and in the confusion, a man had dragged her into a dark lounge where this unspeakable act happened¡­ Would he believe her? Would he still ept her? Could their marriage continue? Tears fell uncontrobly from Elysia¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t know what she had done wrong in a past life to deserve such a fate. She had grown up without the love of her parents, her life aplete mess. She had hoped to change her destiny through education and had finally made it into her dream college, but she was only to be forced by her foster parents to marry. It was her sister Daphne Thorne who was meant to enter this arranged marriage, but because had forced Elysia to take her ce. the groom¨Cto¨Cbe was disabled. Her foster parents couldn¡¯t bear to see their biological daughter suffer, yet couldn¡¯t refuse the generous dowry, so they used years of obligation to coerce her into marrying in her sister¡¯s stead. From dropping out of college to getting engaged and married, no one had asked for her opinion. 18:41 Chapter 1 No one had asked if she was willing. They had decided for her and thus destroyed her education and future. She had cried and bemoaned, but ultimately, she had capitted to reality. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. They said women would live a second life when she got married, and escaping that cold family was a good thing. Since she was married, she decided to be a good wife. For two years, her husband Tarquin Bradford had been abroad for treatment of his leg, and she had lived in the house alone, never once straying. This marriage, which she had exchanged for her education and future, was her new life, and she treasured it. But now, on the very day of Tarquin¡¯s return, this had happened. What was she to do? Her cell phone suddenly rang. It was the housekeeper from home. ¡°Mm, the master has asked for you to return.¡± Elysia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, her anxiety welling up. ¡°Is he back home already?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am, the master came looking for you and left when he saw you weren¡¯t there. Before leaving, he asked you toe back to sign some papers. He¡­ he¡¯s asking for a divorce.¡± Elysia¡¯s mind went nk as if a bomb had gone off inside. Tarquin wanted a divorce? She knew Tarquin was unhappy with the marriage; he had been absent on their wedding day and had remained distant ever since. They had been married for two years without ever meeting face to face, without even knowing what the other looked like. But in those two years, he hadn¡¯t treated her poorly. He had taken care of her every need, and when she was sick, he made sure the staff looked after her. Despite being miles apart, she could feel his concern. She thought Tarquin just didn¡¯t like the idea of an arranged marriage, not that he didn¡¯t like her. If she could just be a good wife, they could live like any other loving couple, caring for each other through the rest of their lives. But now¡­ ¡°Ma¡¯am, you needn¡¯t be too upset,¡± the housekeeper said excitedly. ¡°The master has left you this vi, two luxury cars, and a whole lot of money.¡± But how could Elysia not be upset? Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Chapter 2 She was on the brink of despair. Her godforsaken life couldn¡¯t get any worse. But what right did she have to refuse a divorce now? Her virtue was stolen, so she was no longer worthy of him. Elysia sniffled, her voice hoarse, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll go home and sign the papers right away.¡± After hanging up, she fought through her physical difort, dressed, and stumbled out of the airport. No sooner had she left than a fleet of sleek ck limousines suddenly appeared outside the terminal. A troop of suited bodyguards exited the vehicles, encircling the airport. The assistant respectfully opened the car door, and Tarquin stepped out. Handcrafted leather shoes, an exorbitantly priced bespoke suit, and a limited¨Cedition watch are the hallmarks of a sessful man. quin¡¯s superior stature and handsome features, coupled with an air of unattainable nobility, drew the gaze of onlookers, yet no one dared to approach hire, An aura of regal authority radiated from him, giving the impression that he was to be admired from a distance, but never approached. Curious and beholding eyes followed him as he made his way through the terminal. He had been chased by enemies the night before after a dodgy meal, and in a moment of desperation, he hadpromised a young woman¡¯s innocence. He had left in a hurry, fearing his enemies would follow him there and bring harm to the girl. He had returned only after eliminating the danger. It had been her first night. He had promised the night before to take responsibility, to make her the happiest and most honored woman in the world! Tarquin always kept his promises. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Before Tarquin reached the lounge, his assistant Lowell caught up to him, panting slightly, ¡°Tarquin, there¡¯s been a call from home. The ma¡¯am has returned, but¡­ it seems she spent the night with another man. The marks on her body are quite telling. The housekeeper says she¡¯s had many men over these past two years and often stayed out all night. And when she¡¯s drunk, she¡¯s been known to speak her mind. Once in a bar, she said that you¡¯re crippled and unworthy of her, that by marrying her, you were¡­ ? ? ? ??¨C ¡°I was what?¡± Tarquin¡¯s face darkened. ¡­like you are way out of her league.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Tarquin pursed his lips, his expression cold. Chapter 2 His wife had been imposed on him two years ago by his family to curb his influence. He had never met her, not even on their wedding day. Now that the situation was stable and he wielded significant power, he was no longer bound. So, the first thing he did upon returning was to initiate a divorce. It wasn¡¯t callousness; there was simply no love between them. Divorce would be a relief for her. Topensate for her lost years, he had offered ample restitution ¨C luxury homes, cars, and a check for a billion dors. But it turned out she was nothing but a promiscuous, haughty woman! In that case, she did not deserve hispensation. ¡°The previous divorce settlement is void. Rewrite it! She¡¯s been unfaithful and disgraced her role as a wife; she¡¯ll leave with nothing!¡± ¡°, sir!¡± Tarquin arrived at the lounge door, quelled his rage, and straightened his attire before pushing open the door. He would show that young woman his most gentlemanly andposed side. For better or worse, in sickness and in health, he was bound to her now. But- The room was empty. She was gone? After a thorough search of the airport, Tarquin¡¯s brows furrowed in frustration, ¡°Send out the word, she must be found no matter whatever means you use and how much it pays!¡± He would find her and keep his promise ¨C to make her the happiest, most honored woman in the world! Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Six yearster, at Jindale City¡¯s train station. As Elysia stepped off the train with her three sons in tow, they immediately became an eye¨Ccatcher.- Dressed in simple and cozy attire, Elysia¡¯s natural beauty was still breathtaking. Even without makeup, her expression seemed to captivate onlookers. The kids were adorably cute, theirrge eyes peeking on the top of their masks, glistening and round. Their long eyshes fluttered, instantly endearing them to anyone who nced their way. Looks like another case of cajoling people to have a kid of their own. Elysia paid no mind to the stares. Standing at the exit of the train station, she gazed at the surroundings that were both familiar and strangely alien, her mind awash with emotions. eve of a Back then, Tarquin had used her of infidelity and thus thrust her into the eye scandalous storm. A monthter, she discovered she was pregnant, which seemed to confirm Tarquin¡¯s usations. The gossip and rumors nearly drowned her. Her foster parents, embarrassed by her and seeing no further use for her, had cut ties and kicked her out of the house. She knew the children was from that stranger. Abortion crossed her mind, but after much thought, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. That children were also her flesh and blood! The children hade to her, and that was fate. No matter how difficult, she was determined to bring the children into the world andCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. raise them. Afraid her tarnished reputation might affect her children¡¯s future, she left Jindale City to live in the countryside. Life as a pregnant woman alone was tough, and finding work was the first major hurdle. Many employers were hesitant to hire her because of her condition. But she had to work. She needed money. She needed to eat, to pay for hospital bills, to prepare for baby form, and to save for their schooling¡­ Eventually, she managed to find a job at a diner. Terrified of being fired, she worked harder. than anyone else, never taking a day off. This led to malnutrition and exhaustion. In her ninth month of pregnancy, she fainted on her way home from work. Strangely, when she came to, she found herself and her children deep in the mountains. She still didn¡¯t know what had happened back then till this day. Who had performed the cesarean section? 18:42 Who had taken her and her children to the mountains? And why had they been left there? Their rescuers had imed to have found them by chance and, taking pity on them, had taken them in. That was the beginning of five years of an easy, happy, and carefree life. But as the children grew, Elysia had to think about their education and future. The mountains were peaceful, but besides their rescuers, they were isted. Once their rescuers passed away, the children would be alone. She couldn¡¯t let her children wander through life without experiencing the world¡¯s richness and beauty. After much deliberation, she bid farewell to their rescuers and descended the mountain with her children. She hadn¡¯t nned to return to Jindale City; the memories of her past ordeal there still haunted her. But when she tried to get her children registered, she identally discovered she was still ally married. Confused, she remembered clearly signing the divorce papers! Unable toprehend the situation, she faced a new problem. As a married woman, Tarquin¡¯s name would automatically appear as the father on her children¡¯s register of birth. The Bradfords were a prominent family, and Tarquin Bradford, having no fondness for her, would surely not wee the role of father. So, before registering her children, she needed to finalize her divorce. That¡¯s why she hade to Jindale City¨Cto find Tarquin and dissolve their marriage. She bore no grudge against Tarquin. She had wronged him first, and his usations had not been entirely baseless. If she harbored any resentment, it was towards the man who had taken advantage of her that fateful night. Men¡¯s promises can be deceitful, and she had learned that the hard way. She had been told she would be the happiest and most honored woman in the world, but look how that turned out! Oh, the irony! Thinking about her past grievances¡­ she felt a surge of anger! ¡°Mommy, I gotta pee,¡± Emmett suddenly tugged at her clothes, his voice tinged with embarrassment. Elysia snapped back to the present, her gaze falling on her three kids. Her heart was immediately filled with warmth. Chapter 3 The chaos of the past had indeed turned her life upside down, but it had given her these precious children, and for that, she was grateful. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 4 She couldn¡¯t help but beam with pride when she thought of her three boys¨Cthey were her everything. Elliot was the epitome of a little gentleman. He might not have been a chatterbox, but when he did speak, it was with the wisdom and emotional intelligence of someone beyond his years. He carried himself with the air of a natural¨Cborn leader, wise andposed.- On the flip side, Evan was the family firecracker¨Clively, energetic, and always up for mischief. His passions and dreams were simple: to get involved in a fight. And his wildest dream was that he¡¯d be the undefeated champion of the world. Emmett was the tenderheart of the trio. Though a bit shy and not quite as quick as his older brothers, he had a knack for warming hearts. At such a young age, he was already a whiz in the kitchen, whipping up the most scrumptious dishes that would put any diner to shame. And talk about a ir for style¨Cthe cologne Elysia used was his own special concoction. Just hand him a few fruits or a bouquet of flowers, and he¡¯d create a one¨Cof¨Ca¨Ckind fragrance that was all natural, with no artificial scents, just the pure notes of blooms and fruits. And let¡¯s not forget his creative genius. Emmett could sketch out designs for clothes and jewelry as easily as most kids would draw stick figures. Elysia often thought how lucky the person who ended up with her Emmett would be. She looked at Emmett with a smile full of tenderness. ¡°Alright, sweetie, I¡¯ll take you there. Elliot, Evan, do you guys need to use the restroom before we go?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Elliot and Evan shook their heads in unison, their voices ovepping, ¡°Nope, we¡¯re good!¡± ¡°Then you two wait here for Mommy and your brother. Don¡¯t wander off; I¡¯m going to take Emmett to the bathroom.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Elysia took Emmett¡¯s hand and they headed towards the facilities. At the door, she knelt down to remind him, ¡°Emmett, you go to the boys¡® room, and I¡¯ll be in thedies¡®. If you finish first, just wait right here for me.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Emmett nodded obediently and scurried into the men¡¯s room. Elysia watched him go with a smile, then turned to enter the women¡¯s restroom. Soon enough, Emmett came out, standing exactly where he was told and waiting patiently for his mother. Suddenly, a group of burly bodyguards approached, and they were surrounding a group of burly bodyguards approached, and they morously dressed woman. She was hidden behind oversized sunsses, her lips a bright sh of red, and she was clearly in a foul mood. ¡°I¡¯m done with these low¨Cbudget gigs. Trekking out to the middle of nowhere to shoot, then. taking a train back because there¡¯s no airport? Does that suit someone of my caliber? Look at the kind of people you find on trains¨Cno ss, no money, absolutely revolting!¡± N ter¡¯s voice carried and caused onlookers to frown. Her agent was nodding frantically to soothe her, while the bodyguards roughly cleared a path, ¡°Move it! Step aside!¡± Poor Emmett, caught off guard, was shoved heavily aside and fell to the ground with a thud. He was hurt and on the verge of tears but too scared to make a sound. ¡°Whose kid is this? Get out of the way!¡± N barked. Frozen with fear, Emmett sat on the floor and covered his mouth; his eyes, brimming with tears, were looking up at N ter, and he was too terrified to move. N¡¯s gaze hardened when she saw Emmett, a bitter reminder of her own troubles. With a venomous tone, she snapped, ¡°If you know you¡¯re blocking the way, move it! How do your parents teach you? You are so mannerless!¡± She then kicked Emmett with the tip of her high heel and strutted away. Emmett burst into tears, crying out, ¡°Mommy, brothers, it hurts¡­¡± 7 Elysia was still inside, but Elliot and Evan, hearing themotion, rushed over. Seeing their little brother in distress, Evan was instantly enraged. ¡°What happened, Emmett? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Emmett cried harder as he saw his brothers. He was trembling and sobbing while stuttering, ¡°That¡­ thatdy kicked me¡­ it hurts¡­¡± Evan¡¯s temper red. No one messes with his little brother! ¡°Elliot, watch Emmett. I¡¯m gonna make her pay!¡± With that, Evan bolted off into the crowd, determined to find justice for Emmett. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Elliot couldn¡¯t intervene in time and could only rush over with a look of distress to help Emmett up. ¡°Where does it hurt, buddy?¡± he asked, gently propping his little brother. ¡°Here¡­ and here.¡± Emmett sobbed, pointing to his backside and shin. Elliot rolled up Emmett¡¯s jeans for a quick look and was shocked, ¡°Holy smokes!¡± Arge bruise was blossoming on Emmett¡¯s pale leg, a deep purple mark that stood out starkly against his skin. Elliot clenched his fists, fuming. He had wanted to keep his brother Evan from stirring up trouble, but now it seemed he wouldn¡¯t just stand by; he was also ready to let him off the leash. Someone thought they could bully Emmett and get away with it? Emmett had his back! lright, Emmett. I¡¯m here. Let me blow on it, and the pain will go away,¡± Elliot consoled. Emmett nodded in aggravation, ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Meanwhile, Evan had chased N out of the train station. Upon seeing her trying to get into her car, he dashed in front of her and puffed up like a little bulldog. ¡°Hey, witch, who gave you the nerve to pick on my little brother?¡± Witch? N¡¯s finely arched eyebrows knitted in anger as she red at Evan. She wanted to smack him into next week! But with Tarquin in the car, she needed to curry favor and show off her ¡®affection¡® for children. So she shot Evan several death res and hissed, ¡°Who are you calling a witch?!¡± ¡°You! You¡¯re not only ugly but also old and mean! A wicked old hag beyond saving!¡± Evan retorted, then pulled out a pocketknife and started circling the luxury car, leaving a trail of scratches. N¡¯s eyes bulged as she saw the fresh marks on her sleek ck car. ¡°Stop it, you little terror! Do you have any idea whose car this is when you did this? You¡¯re ying with fire!¡± she yelled, rushing to stop him. Evan dodged, leading N on a wild goose chase around the car like a circus act. Tarquin hade to pick up N and was watching the scene unfold from the car seat. Frowning, he said to his assistant Lowell, ¡°Go check it out.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Lowell was about to step out when suddenly- ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Four loud crashes followed by a heavy thud made the car lurch downward! ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± N screamed at the top of her lungs. Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed as he stepped out of the car. The sight before him locked his expression into a grimace. All four tires had blown out, smoking and rolling away from the vehicle. The luxury cary lifeless on the ground like a dead dog. A little boy, no taller than Tarquin¡¯s waist and hiding behind a mask, stood in front of N and puffed from his chest, ¡°I¡¯m new in town today, so I won¡¯t get serious with you this time. But if you dare mess with my brother again, I won¡¯t be so nice! Ugly! Old! Wicked! Hmph!¡± Tarquin was stunned. Who was this kid to talk big like that? And he still called it something unserious? Then what kind of havoc would he wreak if he got serious? Who did this little rascal belong to? Why he was such a wild little terror? Unaware of who he had just crossed, the little guy turned on his heel to leave. Suddenly, someone grabbed the cor of his coat, and his feet left the ground. ¡°Who¡¯s this?! Let go of me, now!¡± Evan wriggled and squirmed, trying to break free. Tarquin¡¯s face was stormy as he held Evan up to him. ¡®Are you ordering me around?¡± he asked, his voice cool but with an undercurrent of chill. ¡°I¡­¡± Evan, behind his mask, froze mid¨Csentence. Oh boy, this man¡­ he looked a lot like him and his big brother¨Clike an adult version of them! Was this their absentee, good¨Cfor¨Cnothing dad? Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. But their mom had told them their dad had passed away young, taken by illness. It must just be a resemnce! Thinking this, Evan fluttered his longshes a few times and said defiantly, ¡°I¡¯ll let you off this time since you look a bit like my dad. Now put me down, or else! I¡¯m warning you, I can be scary when I¡¯m mad!¡± He even yelled and made a spooky face at Tarquin to punctuate his threat. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Tarquin¡¯s expression grew colder when Evan did it. That small kid was so unscrupulous! This little rascal¡¯s eyes peeking over the top of his mask bore an uncanny resemnce to his son Elijah¡¯s, which softened Tarquin¡¯s heart. If not so, he would have called the cops already. ¡°Do you have any idea that what you did today is against thew?¡± he asked. ¡°It was that ugly, old, nasty woman who started it!¡± The kid bit back. N, suddenly the target, was appalled. Ugly, old, and nasty? Who was he talking about? N screamed to herself. Tarquin¡¯s voice was icy, ¡°No matter the reason, what you did was wrong!¡± Evan frowned, ¡°What gives you the right to boss me around? You are not my dad. Who even are you?¡± Tarquin was annoyed, ¡°Where are your parents?¡± He wasn¡¯t one to quarrel with children, but that didn¡¯t mean he would let their guardians off the hook. This car was brand new and worth fifty million dors, but now it was wrecked on the very first day. He deserved an exnation. And then there was¡­ The four smoking tires looked suspiciously like they¡¯d been blown up with expertly¨Cmade bomblets. Could a kid really handle explosives? Or was someone using this child in a plot against him? For safety¡¯s sake, he had to get to the bottom of this. Hearing that his parents were being brought into this, Evan panicked slightly. All mischievous kids are the same ¨C they all fear the dreaded call to their parents! Evan w no exception. He feared nothing in this world, a total dare¨Cdevil. But his mom? She scare him. His mommy neverid a hand on him in punishment, which wasn¡¯t what he feared. What ¡®really got to him was the thought of making her sad or upset. Evan¡¯s earlier bravado all but vanished as he pouted, ¡°If you want to find someone, go fin dad. My mommy¡¯s busy. She doesn¡¯t have time for you.¡± Tarquin withdrew his gaze. He wasn¡¯t too keen on dealing with women either. ¡°Where¡¯s your dad then?¡± he asked. ¡°Oh, my dad? He¡¯s in hell. You better hurry down there to find him.¡± Tarquin was speechless. N seized her chance to interject, ¡°This brat is beyond rude! Tarquin, he¡¯s cursing you to go to hell! Just look at the rags he¡¯s wearing; it¡¯s clear he¡¯s from a poor family. Bad seed from a bad crop, no manners at all!¡± ¡°Ha! And you think you¡¯ve got manners? An old woman like you bullied a five¨Cyear¨Cold kid? How did your mom teach you to behave?!¡± Evan retorted defiantly. Old woman? N was fuming, ¡°I¡¯m only twenty¨Ceight!¡± ¡°Really? Couldn¡¯t tell at all. I thought you were eighty¨Ceight.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Shut it. If you keep on, I might just have to teach you a lesson on behalf of your parents.¡± As Evan finished, his smartwatch rang. It was his lovely mommy calling. She must be panicked as she didn¡¯t see him aftering out of the restroom. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Evan couldn¡¯t stand the thought of his beloved mommy worrying. He looked at Tarquin, ¡°I got things to do, gotta run. Can¡¯t y with you anymore, bye!¡± With that, Evan kicked his little legs and waved his small hand. Thus, he wriggled out of his jacket and pulled off a swift escape. ¡°This jacket¡¯s a gift for you! You¡¯re wee!¡± The little guy took off, quickly disappearing into the crowd. Tarquin stared at the empty jacket in his hands, his face growing even darker, ¡°Find out who that kid is and bring his parents to me! And find out what really happened to those tires!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Lowell immediately signaled the bodyguards to head into the airport. Tarquin turned to N, his displeasure evident, ¡°Why did he say you were bullying his brother?¡± N put on an innocent face and said, ¡°How could I possibly bully a child? His brother thought I looked wealthy and tried to scam me. Ask my agent if you don¡¯t believe me. The kid¡¯s a liar at such a young age, clearly a chip off the old block. Bad seed from a bad crop. The parents can¡¯t be much better if they raise a kid like that. If you ask me, don¡¯t bother meeting with his parents. Just throw the whole lot of them in jail and give them life sentences. That¡¯ll show them!¡± Tarquin gave her a cold look, his eyes filled with disdain, and turned away without a word. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Meanwhile, Evan had made amends with Elysia. Elysia was clueless about the chaos at the airport, nor did she know about the hot water her little Evan hadnded himself in. As she watched him dash back breathlessly, her face etched with concern. ¡°Evan, where on earth have you been? Mommy¡¯s been searching high and low for you.¡± Evan, reading his mom¡¯s attitude, knew the big goof was still in the dark about the whole ordeal. His eyes crinkled with mischief, and he grinned cheekily, ¡°No worries, Mom. It¡¯s my first time. here, and I got curious, so I went out for a peek. It¡¯s so buzzing here!¡± ¡°Of course, it is! This is one of the biggest cities in the country! But with crowdse dangers, my boy. You can¡¯t go running off like that again. What if some creepy kidnapper snatched you up? What would your brothers and I do then?¡± Puffing his chest, Evan reassured her, ¡°Chill, Mom. If a kidnapper ever bumped into me, they¡¯d be the ones in trouble! Haven¡¯t you seen who my mom is? How smart am? No way I¡¯d get taken!¡± ¡°Oh, you and your tall tales,¡± Elysia scolded, but her face was devoid of any sternness. It was filled instead with sheer adoration. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Evan cajoled, ¡°Alright, Mom, no more fr¨¦tting. Look, I¡¯m back safe and sound, right? Let¡¯s go grab some dinner. I¡¯m starving, and I bet Elliot and Emmett are too.¡± Evan was concerned that the nasty woman from before might show up and upset his mom. Elysia chuckled, ¡°Okay, honey. I¡¯ll take you boys out for a treat right now.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± The three little ones nodded in unison. Elliot, seizing the opportunity, took the rolling suitcase from Elysia¡¯s hand, ¡°Let me, Mom.¡± Evan quickly snatched her backpack, ¡°Ady should just look pretty. Let us men handle the heavy lifting.¡± Emmett also reached out his little hand, ¡°Mommy, I will hold your hand as you walk.¡± Elysia, treated like a cherished princess, wore a smile radiant with happiness as she took. Emmett¡¯s tiny hand and led them out of the train station. 2 No one noticed that a pair of eyes were watching them intently from a distance. The figure was smiling, yet the smile was as eerie and chilling as a specter¡¯s. Dragging luggage around was impractical for dining out, so Elysia checked them into a small Chapter 7 motel near the station. She hadn¡¯t started working, so her funds were tight, and a fancy hotel was out of the question. Her n was to finalize her divorce from Tarquin, get the kids settled, and then move away from Jindale City to a quaint town with good weather. There, she¡¯d find work. ¡°Mom, are we staying here tonight?¡± Elliot inquired. Knowing her boy¡¯s penchant for cleanliness, Elysiaforted him, ¡°My funds are tight and we can¡¯t afford a nicer ce right now, so it¡¯s a bit rough for you and your brothers. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll clean up, put on our own linens, and we won¡¯t be here long. Once I sort everything out, we¡¯ll move.¡± Elliot thought about the billions to his name with a hint of helplessness. His mom was wonderful in every way, just a tad naive. Two years ago, when he brought his first big earnings to her, she was stunned by the $100,000. She couldn¡¯t fathom a kid making that much so easily, figured it was a new scam by kidnappers, using the money as bait to lure children. It cost her nights of sleep and worry, dimming her usual smile. Then he earned his second fortune, a cool million! But he hesitated for ages before deciding not to tell Mom, afraid she¡¯d jump to wild conclusions. As his earnings grew, the money just piled up in the bank, unused. When they came down the mountain and saw Mom¡¯s empty pockets, he secretly had Evan give her $5,000, iming it was a lucky supermarket raffle win!. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Elliot gazed at his adorably clueless mom and let out a silent sigh before saying with an Indulgent smile, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry about it. I was just asking, I¡¯m not bothered by this ce. As long as I¡¯m with you, I¡¯m happy no matter where we live.¡± Elysia¡¯s lips curled Into a smile, ¡°Sweetie, rest assured, I¡¯m going to work my socks off to make sure we can live the good life soon!¡± ¡°Yeah! Go mom!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best, mom!¡± Evan and Emmett cheered her on. Elysia¡¯s smile grew wider, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get moving. We¡¯ll drop off our bags and then I¡¯ll take you guys out for a nice dinner.¡± ¡°Sounds great!¡± After a hearty dinner of burgers and fries, the little trio headed to the bathroom to brush their h, while Elysia started changing the sheets outside. Knock, knock, knock. The sudden sound of someone at the door startled her. Expecting a hotel staff member, Elysia opened the door, ¡°Yes, may I hel-¡± ¡°Take her!¡± Before she could finish, the leader of the two men in ck lunged forward and seized her. Panicked, Elysia cried out, ¡°Who are you? What do you want? Let me go! You¨Cmmph!¡± Her mouth was covered and she was forcibly dragged away from the motel. Before long, Elysia found herself in an office building. And Tarquin was there. He was a typical workaholic who only ever seemed interested in his job and his son. After dropping N off at home, he¡¯de straight here to scope out the building he was nning to acquire. In his office reviewing documents, Tarquin was interrupted by Lowell knocking and entering, ¡°Tarquin, we¡¯ve got it all figured out. Those car tires were blown out with a precision explosive, but that kid¡¯s background is pretty ordinary. They lost their father young and was raised by their mother in some backwoods town. They have just arrived in Jindale City today. Nothing unusual about them. We¡¯ve got the kid¡¯s mom here now in the conference room.¡± Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed at the mention of explosives, setting aside his paperwork to head to the conference room. Lowell followed him and knew Tarquin had his suspicions. Today the bomb only took out tires, not the car or its passengers. It was a sophisticated job of measuring the exact TNT quantity. No kid could pull that off. He knew that Tarquin suspected that there was someone behind the kid, someone with a grudge. Too many had tried to take Tarquin down over the years; he couldn¡¯t afford to be careless. Inside the conference room, Elysia was still reeling, clueless about what was happening. Her heart was racing and thumping wildly in her chest. ¡°Who are you people? Why have you brought me here? What do you-¡± she yelled. The doors to the conference room swung open with a creak. the Tarquin marched in ahead of his men with an air of authority surrounding him. He stood out th his towering height of six¨Cfoot¨Cthree, and Elysia¡¯s eyes locked onto this king among men immediately. Then, her beautiful eyes widened in shock. She held her breath, took another unbelievable look at him, and waspletely stunned. This man¡­ he looked almost identical to her sons Elliot and Evan! Was he their father? The same man who had destroyed her all those years ago? The thought twisted her face into a frown, her fists clenching involuntarily. Her blood pressure skyrocketed, her breathing erratic. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The memories were too painful to revisit. That one night had ruined her entire life! The scandal of an unexpected pregnancy had left her disgraced, the target of scorn and vilification. Slut, tramp, whore¨C thesebels had been her shadow. As a mother, she cherished her three angelic babies and the happiness they brought. But the bitterness of the past, the unspeakable hardships she endured, were all because of hat man! Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Chapter 9 As Tarquin¡¯s gaze lingered on Elysia, there was a flicker of unceable light in his eyes. It wasn¡¯t that she was excessively beautiful, but something about this woman stirred a sense of familiarity within him¨Ca nagging feeling that he had seen her somewhere before. Yet, after scrutinizing her features, no recollection surfaced. Maintaining a stoic expression, Tarquin strode over to the conference table and took his seat. He noticed Elysia staring him down with an intensity that bordered on hostility, and he furrowed his brow in response. Her kid had wrecked his car, and here she was, not begging for forgiveness, but daring to look at him with such defiance. The woman had guts just like her son, he¡¯d give her that. ¡°Why did you let your kid trash my car?¡± Tarquin used the moment he spoke, pinning the me squarely on Elysia. sia, fists clenched and shaking with emotion, frowned upon hearing his words. It seemed that he didn¡¯t recognize her. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Was it that he hadn¡¯t seen her clearly that night, or was he feigning ignorance? Uncertain whether this man was the brute from before, Elysia held back from any action. rash Struggling to keep her emotions in check, she probed cautiously, ¡°You¡­ you don¡¯t know who I am?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± 55 2 2 5 ¨± ¡°Not at all?¡± ¡°Should I?¡± Elysia was at a loss for words. What was going on? He bore a striking resemnce to Elliot and Evan¨Cnot identical, but to arge extent. Yet, he imed not to know her, and he didn¡¯t seem to be lying. Even his voice was different from the man that night. Elysia studied Tarquin a moment longer, suppressing the urge tosh out. After all, in a world of people with a nose and a pair of eyes, simr faces were not umon. She steadied her nerves and focused on the immediate issue at hand, ¡°If you don¡¯t know me, why did you drag me here? Kidnapping is a crime!¡± Tarquin¡¯s face darkened as Lowell chimed in, ¡°The boss already told you¨Cbecause your kid destroyed his car.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elysia couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Is there some mistake? We¡¯ve just arrived in Jindale City from out of town today. How could my son have had the time to damage your car?¡± *Just show her the surveince footage,¡± Tarquin snapped impatiently. And with that, the events that had unfolded at the train station began to y on therge screen in the conference room. Although the boy in the video wore a mask, Elysia recognized him instantly. She couldn¡¯t exin how the tires had been destroyed, but the scratches on the car were indeed the work of her son, Evan. ¡°Um¡­I¡­I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t know about this¡­ The child in the mask is indeed my son, but he¡¯s a good kid. He wouldn¡¯t have scratched your car without a reason. There must be an exnation.¡± Tarquin watched her reactions closely, sensing she wasn¡¯t lying. After a moment of silence, he asked, ¡°Do you know that your kid ys with explosives?¡± ¡°Explosives? Impossible! He¡¯s too young to be messing with something so dangerous.¡± out these tires were blown off by expertly¨Cmade explosives he used.¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in shock before she quickly furrowed her brow, rushing to exin, ¡°I understand now! You¡¯ve got it all wrong; it wasn¡¯t explosives, it was just small fireworks. My family makes them; it¡¯s a tradition. Evan loves helping his great¨Cgrandfather make fireworks, and he brought some with us to Jindale City as a gift from him. I apologize¨CI had no idea they could be so powerful. If I had known, I never would have let him bring them along.¡± Elysia spoke with genuine candor, showing no signs of deceit. Tarquin kept his eyes on Elysia for a long moment, and eventually, he believed her. Fireworks operated on the same principle as explosives, and it was true that in some rural areas, the older craftsmen had formidable skills. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Moreover, Lowell had checked them out; they were just an average family of four and were unlikely to pose any real threat to him. It was all in his head. Tarquin¡¯s guard came down, and with it, his interest in Elysia waned. ¡°Handle it, Lowell,¡± he instructed, his attention shifting back to the texts on his phone and left her aside. Lowell produced thepensation agreement they had prepared earlier, ¡°Miss, since you¡¯ve admitted the kid is yours, and with the evidence we have, it¡¯s time to pay up.¡± Raising a kid alone is tough, but it¡¯s no excuse to get off scot¨Cfree. Tarquin wasn¡¯t some kindhearted phnthropist who¡¯d let a multimillion¨Cdor car get trashed without demanding restitution. The parents should be responsible for kids¡® misdeeds, and that was the price she should pay as the mother of her undereducated kid. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Elysia¡¯s face tensed. She believed Evan wouldn¡¯t cause trouble for no reason, but wrecking someone¡¯s car was indeed his fault. Elysia asked sheepishly, ¡°How much does he want?¡± ¡°Fifty million.¡± ¡°What?!!¡± Elysia¡¯s voice shot up several octaves, ¡°Fifty million? Is he out of his mind?!¡± Lowell was taken aback. Tarquin, mid¨Ctext, just looked up, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to settle this privately, we can always call the police.¡± Tarquin was clearly getting irritated. ¡°No police!¡± Elysia blurted out quickly. With the evidence stacked against them, Evan had no leg to stand on. If the police got. involved, they¡¯d surely take her in as the guardian, and if she went to jail, what would be of her kids? ¡°The car¡¯s worth fifty million?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the current market value for that model.¡± Elysia took the bill Lowell offered and nced at it, her lips twitching. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not opposed to settling, and I can pay, but I don¡¯t have that kind of money. Can we settle for less?¡± Lowell didn¡¯t dare decide alone and looked at Tarquin. Tarquin eyed Elysia coldly, ¡°How much can you pay?¡± Elysia stammered, ¡°5¡­ 500, maybe?¡± Tarquin and Lowell were both speechless. From fifty million to five hundred, she had just dropped five zeros. ¡°Call the police! Let them handle it!¡± Tarquin stood up to leave, clearly not interested in wasting more time on Elysia. Elysia panicked, ¡°Wait!¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t stop or turn back. Elysia bit her lip, steeled herself, and blurted out, ¡°You want money? Fine, but take off your clothes first!¡± Tarquin froze, confused, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Take them off! Your jacket, your shirt, all of it, off!¡± Tarquin and everyone else were stunned. ¡­ny had tried to seduce their CEO, but no one had ever been so blunt by demanding he strip on the spot and in front of an audience! This woman wasn¡¯t just beautiful; she was bold! Tarquin¡¯s lips were a tight line, his face darkening with anger as he red at Elysia, every word deliberate, ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯re saying?¡± Intimidated by the murderous look in his eyes, Elysia swallowed hard but held her ground, ¡°I said you can have your money, but take off your clothes first.¡± She couldn¡¯te up with fifty million if her life depended on it, and she wasn¡¯t about to go to jail, so she needed to confirm if he was the same man from that night years ago. If he was, she¡¯d use that one night as leverage to wipe the debt clean. He had promised to make her the happiest and most honored woman in the world. She didn¡¯t need his happiness, just to settle this issue. And about the kids¡­. He didn¡¯t know she had borne his children, so he wouldn¡¯te after them, not yet. Once she had divorced Tarquin, she¡¯d take the kids and leave lind Mit Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Chapter 11 It was obvious to anyone watching that Tarquin hadpletely misinterpreted Elysia¡¯s actions. He thought she was shamelessly flirting with him in front of everyone. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Outrageous! Unreasonable!¡± he eximed. Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she realized the misunderstanding. She quickly tried to exin, ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong. I just wanted to check¡­¡± if there were bite marks on his shoulder. Years ago, during a moment of intense pain, she hadpsed into unconsciousness, then woken with such agony that she had bitten down on his shoulder and refused to let go. Such a fierce bite would surely leave a scar on any normal person. If there were bite marks on his shoulder, it would prove he was the man from that wild encounter! But before she could finish her sentence, Tarquin¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He snatched it up and barked, ¡°Talk to me!¡± Whatever was said on the other end, his expression went through a whirlwind of emotions. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there,¡± he said abruptly. seves me He hu p the phone and rushed out, no longer the picture of calm. filled with a restless anxiety. Lowell, seeing his demeanor, knew something had to be wrong with the young master. The only things that could rattle the stoic Tarquin were issues concerning his young son and the woman from six years ago. His son was, of course, his flesh and blood. That woman was the elusive mother of his child! Lowell¡¯s expression changed as well. He hurried after Tarquin, ¡°What about thatdy?¡± Without looking back, Tarquin dismissed the concern, ¡°Leave her to the police!¡± Elysia panicked, realizing she couldn¡¯t afford to be detained while trying to verify his identity. She rushed after him, ¡°You can¡¯t hand me over to the cops, I have three kids at home, and they¡¯re fatherless. If I get taken away, there¡¯s no one to look after them. I admit it was wrong for my kids to scratch your car, and I¡¯m sorry! But they¡¯re only five years old; they really can¡¯t be without their mom.¡± Tarquin turned to look at Elysia, and for a moment, he understood all too well the plight of children without their mother. His own son Elijah knew that pain. Tarquin felt a pang ofpassion, but he wasn¡¯t ready to let her off the hook just yet. ¡°Lock her up here for now. We¡¯ll decide what to do with herter,¡± he ordered. Chapter 11 Ely panicked, ¡°You can¡¯t lock me up here. My kids are waiting for me at the motel. I¡­¡± But her words were cut off as the door mmed shut and was locked from the outside. With her eyes brimming with tears, Elysia realized she didn¡¯t even have her phone. Her kids. were alone in the motel, vulnerable to any danger. ¡°Let me out! This is uwful imprisonment! Let me out¡­¡± No matter how much she yelled, no one paid her any attention. In Jindale City¡¯s most prestigious estate, Number One Mansion, Tarquin stormed in, not bothering to shed his coat or shoes as he made a beeline for the second¨Cfloor nursery. The butler, Heath, followed close behind in a flurry. ¡°What in the world happened?!¡± Tarquin demanded, his voiceced with urgency. ¡°The young master was fine earlier, but then Ms. N ter showed up out of the blue,¡± Heath reported quickly. ¡°She brought gifts and went upstairs to see him. Whatever she said to him, it set him off. He even hurt Ms. ter.¡± A shadow passed over Tarquin¡¯s eyes, his steps quickening with worry,Did he hurt himself?¡± lear, he won¡¯t let any of us near.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Bang! Thud! Crash! As Tarquin reached his son¡¯s door, the sound of objects being thrown around could be heard. His anxiety increased a notch as he pushed open the door, ¡°Eli¡­¡± A vase flew straight at him, and he dodged just in time. The vase whizzed past his ear and out of the room, tumbling over the banister to shatter on the first¨Cfloor tiles. Heath¡¯s face paled out of fear, and he was frozen in the doorway. But Tarquin, ustomed to such outbursts, stepped into the room, his patience evident as he approached his furious son, ¡°Elijah, what¡¯s got you so upset again?¡± Elijah Bradford clenched his fists, his young brow furrowed tightly, his chest heaving with emotion. His face was stormy with anger, an image of fury so like Tarquin¡¯s that their resemnce was unmistakable. Clearly, the apple didn¡¯t fall far from the tree. Tarquin moved closer, reaching out to embrace his son, but Elijah rejected the offer, standing far away and eyeing him warily. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Chapter 12 ¡°You¡¯re getting married?¡± Tarquin froze. ¡°Who told you that?¡± he asked. Elijah didn¡¯t speak, just stared him down. It hit Tarquin then, ¡°N let it slip?¡± Elijah¡¯s brow furrowed ever so slightly as he stayed silent. Understanding dawned on Tarquin, and his face darkened as he exined, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her tall tales! Daddy¡¯s not looking to bring you a stepmom. You know I¡¯ve never stopped looking for your birth mother.¡± ¡°Not marrying her?¡± ¡°Not in a million years!¡± ¡°Sure?¡± ¡°Positive!¡± Elijah¡¯s expression eased a bit, ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡± ¡°Neither do I,¡± Tarquin said. Elijah s quivered, ¡°Any news about my mom?¡± ¡°Not yet, but rest assured, the second there¡¯s a word, Daddy will tell you.¡± Tarquin was torn about that woman! She had been his saving grace who indirectly saved his life, and for that, he was grateful. And he was old¨Cschool about love ¨C a one¨Cwoman man for life. Since they had been together, then it had to be her and no one else in his heart. He longed to find her, to marry her, to spend a blissful life side by side. But when Elijah showed up out of the blue, Tarquin¡¯s feelings became a tangle of love and resentment. She was the only one he¡¯d ever been with; Elijah was surely hers and their fruit of love. So, how could she just abandon their son? If N hadn¡¯t stumbled upon Elijah, he would¡¯ve died on their doorstep! Not only did she abandon him, but also their kid! How cruel she must be! While Tarquin fumed internally, he saw Elijah calm down. He knelt beside him to caress his cheek. ¡°Elijah, Daddy¡¯s just as eager to find her. I wish she could appear before us right now, but¡­ some things can¡¯t be forced. Our wanting her doesn¡¯t guarantee she¡¯ll be here.¡± He said. softly. It was a bitter pill to swallow that the highest¨Cvalued men in the world were both lonely and pitiful since they were abandoned by the same woman. Elijah¡¯s brow was knotted tight. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Mommy want you, or me? Did you not do enough, or am I not good enough?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Tarquin shook his head, ¡°She left when you were just born so how could you be not good enough? You¡¯re a great kid, Elijah.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s you who¡¯s not good enough. Did you upset her? Is that why she left?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Tarquin began to defend himself but felt a twinge of guilt. He had his reasons then. He didn¡¯t have a chance to make it to the hospital under the circumstances, and without her, he would¡¯ve died. But she had struggled and resisted. Yes, he had wronged her. He didn¡¯t know if she left secretly because of that. He was at fault, and he knew it. So he genuinely wanted to make amends and to spend a sincere and loving life with her. ¡°Elijah, your mom and I¡­ we had our troubles. But believe me, I promised her she¡¯d be the happiest and most honored woman in the world. Still, she vanished¡­ I miss her just like you do. Elijah looked at Tarquin a moment longer, then, in a huff, turned away to sit by the window, gazing out towards the gate. He often sat there alone, hoping that one day he¡¯d be the first to spot her if she ever returned. Tarqui. Vatched his son¡¯s lonely silhouette and felt upset. He couldn¡¯t help but curse inwardly at times like this. Where the hell did that damn woman go? Their son was sick with longing, and still, she didn¡¯te back. Didn¡¯t her heart ache at all by leaving them behind? Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°Please, just go. I need some alone time.¡± Tarquin sighed, knowing he had no choice but to step out for the moment. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. As he closed the door behind him, his expression shifted dramatically. He was about to call out for N when she suddenly appeared at the foot of the stairs, her eyes red with emotion. Seeing him emerge from Elijah¡¯s room, N hurried toward him, her concern etched across her face, ¡°Tarquin, how is Elijah doing now?¡± Despite his icy demeanor, Tarquin refrained fromshing out. After all, N was the one who had saved Elijah¡¯s life. It was N who had stumbled upon Elijah, who was abandoned at their doorstep, that gave him a second chance at life At first, Tarquin had his suspicions. Was it really just a coincidence that N found Elijah? Had she hidden Elijah¡¯s birth mother to get closer to him and orchestrated the whole rescue to win his gratitude? It was amon plot straight out of a TV drama But after a thorough investigation, it was clear that N¡¯s discovery was indeed a stroke of luck, and she had nothing to do with the disappearance of Elijah¡¯s mother So, pite hisck of fondness for N, Tarquin always treated her with courtesy. He even allowed her to visit Elijah regrly to fill the void of maternal affection, causing rumors to swirl that he had feelings for her. Some even whispered that N might be Elijah¡¯s birth mother. But the truth was known only to those closest to him. Tarquin¡¯s heart belonged to Elijah¡¯s birth mother, and he never led N to believe there chance for them together. Just as he had told his son, he didn¡¯t like her. e was a Tarquin descended the stairs with a stoic face, noticing the white bandage wrapped around N¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Elijah hurting you,¡± he said. N quickly reassured him, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. I¡¯m just worried about Elijah. He threw a tantrum when he saw me today. Is it because I¡¯ve been away shooting for too long that he became distant from me?¡± She pretended to care deeply for Elijah and feigned innocence. Tarquin red at her, knowing full well that Elijah¡¯s episode was triggered by her telling him that they would marry. With a cold voice, he said, ¡°No, he¡¯s missing his birth mother.¡± Upon hearing this, N clenched her fists in secret. Both Tarquin and Elijah longed for the same woman, and it gnawed at her with jealousy. After her bewildered rescue of Elijah, she was exhrated, thinking that she finally had a ticket into Tarquin¡¯s life. When Tarquin expressed his desire to repay her, she had suggested that a child should not grow up in a single¨Cparent home and offered to marry him- even if only in name. But Tarquin had bluntly informed her that he was still legally married. To marry again would be bigamy. Compensation, yes, but marriage, no. That rejection had infuriated her! Unable to win his heart or the title, her frustration and angriness knew no bounds. The three people she despised most were Elijah¡¯s birth mother, Tarquin¡¯s wife in name, and Elijah himself! She fantasized daily about getting rid of all three. While resentment churned inside her, N¡¯s face was a mask of self¨Creproach, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I haven¡¯t provided enough motherly love for Elijah. That¡¯s why he pines for his birth ¡®her and has fallen ill.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s natural for a child to miss his own mother. You¡¯re not his birth mother, and all your efforts can¡¯t give him the maternal love he seeks.¡± Tarquin never minced his words, and with that, N¡¯s heart shattered once more. She could never be Elijah¡¯s birth mother- an unchangeable truth that would haunt her for life. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chapter 14 N was about to say something when Tarquin added, ¡°Elijah is in a bad state right now, so you should note to my house without an emergency in the future. And if you must, call me ahead of time.¡± N¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. So Tarquin¡¯s house became off¨Climits to her just because Elijah made a scene? How was she supposed to differentiate herself from the swarm of women buzzing around Tarquin? No, this just wouldn¡¯t do. ¡°Tarquin, I-¡± she continued. ¡°Elijahes first, end of the discussion,¡± Tarquin cut in; his tone was icy and final, effectively showing her the door. It was a clear punishment for her reckless banter in front of Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. his son. He had made it crystal clear that marriage was off the table for them, and yet she dared to rattle Elijah with her wild ims! Besides, he¡¯d never been too keen on having N over in the first ce. With a heart full of frustration, N knew better than to defy Tarquin when he was this riled. up. In that case, she could just leave for now. Tarquin turned to his butler and issued a new directive, ¡°From now on, if she shows up, don¡¯t let her in before you call me.¡± ¡°Understood, sir.¡± Before long, Benjamin Lawson arrived in a flurry of urgency. Benjamin, Tarquin¡¯s friend and a doctor, hade to discuss Elijah¡¯s troubling condition. After hearing Tarquin out, Benjamin also suggested keeping N at a distance from Elijah for the time being, ¡°Considering how Elijah reacted today, his bipr disorder seems to be worsening. It¡¯s not looking good.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s been on his medication consistently.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the meds. Elijah¡¯s biggest issue is psychological. The kid¡¯s fixation on his mother runs too deep. If we could somehow bring her back to stay with him, it might just solve the problem.¡± Tarquin lit a cigarette, his frustration palpable. If it were as simple as finding the woman, he wouldn¡¯t be in this mess. He had even gone so far as to bring a stand¨Cin to y the part of Elijah¡¯s mother, but the boy was too sharp. He saw right through the facade and threw a massive fit. Benjamin, empathetic yet helpless, sighed, ¡°If all else fails, hire a child psychologist, someone who can double as a nanny and stay with Elijah long¨Cterm. As long as Elijah warms up to her and she can communicate with him, she might reach into his world and help heal his trauma. And even if full recovery isn¡¯t possible, she¡¯ll be there to prevent his condition from deteriorating and stop an incident like today from recurring. At the very least, she¡¯ll be there when he needs someone.¡± Tarquin nodded, ¡°Do you have anyone in mind?¡± ¡°Not off the top of my head, but if you¡¯re okay with a stranger in your house every day, I can start looking.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just fine. Focus on Elijah.¡± Tarquin would move mountains for his son, let alone deal with a bit of difort. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get on it when I get back.¡± Just then, Tarquin¡¯s phone buzzed with urgency, ¡°Sir, it¡¯s bad news. Thatdy has bolted!¡± ¡°Bolted?!¡± ¡°Yes, sir. The fire rm system went off in the building, everyone panicked and rushed out in the choos, and thatdy took her chance to escape.¡± Tarquin¡¯s bad emotion aggravated as he heard that, so he just started calling names, ¡°Can¡¯t even keep track of a woman, huh? You useless things!¡± He tugged at his tie and said with a grave tone, ¡°Why did the rm go off? What triggered it?¡± ¡°Someone set off a smoke bomb in the basement and triggered the rm. But we can¡¯t identify who did it. The¡­ the security cameras have been tampered with. A cold glint passed through Tarquin¡¯s eyes. A smoke bomb as a diversion, security footage destroyed¨C that woman clearly had backup. He had let his guard down, thinking she wasn¡¯t a threat today. A mistake, evidently. ¡°Track her down and bring her back! ¡°Right away, sir!¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Chapter 15 At the same time, Elysia had been whisked back to her new home by her three little heroes. Just a short while ago, after the boys had finished their evening routine, they noticed she was missing and that the front door was ajar, which worried them sick. Elliot checked the security cameras and discovered she had been abducted. Without wasting a second, he set out on a rescue mission. Elysia was still unaware that it was her three sons who had rescued her, and her heart was still racing from the ordeal. When the rm sounded, she had dashed to the door. To her surprise, it swung open, and taking the chance, she bolted downstairs, only to be greeted by the sight of her boys. The family of four quickly hailed a cab and headed home. Once settled, Elysia took a deep breath and asked them, ¡°How on earth did you three just happen to show up there?¡± Elliot spoke up, ¡°We realized you weren¡¯t back and thendy downstairs mentioned you¡¯d been taken. We tracked your location and just as we got there, you came downstairs. What exactly happened, Mom?¡± Elys¡­ didn¡¯t dwell on it and turned to Evan with a furrowed brow, ¡°Evan, tell me the truth. Why did you scratch someone¡¯s car?¡± Evan blinked innocently, ¡°Was it that jerk and his girlfriend who kidnapped you?¡± ¡°What jerk and girlfriend?¡± Elysia asked. Evan fumed, ¡°If I knew they¡¯d pull some other stunt after what happened, I wouldn¡¯t have let them off the train station so easy! They¡¯re just asking for a beating! Mom, don¡¯t worry about this, I¡¯ll handle it!¡± With that, Evan clenched his little fists and was ready to storm out. Elysia grabbed him and pushed him down into a chair, her face stern, ¡°What happened at the train station?¡± With & pout, Evan realized he couldn¡¯t keep it a secret any longer and spilled the beans about the entire incident. Elysia was shaken to the core. She hadn¡¯t known about any of this! She pulled Emmett into her arms to check for injuries. Seeing the bruises that hadn¡¯t faded yet, Elysia¡¯s heart ached unbearably. Choking back tears, she asked Emmett, ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± Emmett, ever so sweet, tried to console her, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt, really. It stopped hurting a while ago, Mom. Don¡¯t be sad. Look, I can jump around and everything.¡± To prove his point, Emmett hopped out of her embrace and did a couple of spins to show he was fine. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Watching her sensible little boy, Elysia couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. She pulled Emmett back into a tight hug, her heart broke when she gently stroked the back of his head. Out of her three children, Emmett held a special ce in her heart due to his unique needs; besides the boundless love she had for all her sons, she felt an extra pang of tenderness for him. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Emmett. I should have taken better care of you. I let you down.¡± She said. Emmett shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s not true. Thedy downstairs said I look well¨Cfed; it¡¯s clear you take great care of me.¡± Holding Emmett close, Elysiaforted him for a long time before she rummaged through her suitcase and applied some home¨Cmade ointment to the bruises. She then turned to Evan for a teachable moment, offering praise where it was due and criticism where it was necessary. For example, she told him that a real man surely doesn¡¯t cause trouble, but he shouldn¡¯t be afraid of it either. While it wasmendable to stand up for his brother, taking matters into his ow inds and damaging property without telling her was not eptable. She also put on a stern look while highlighting the dangers of ying with fireworks and telling Evan never to mess with them again. Little did she know, it wasn¡¯t fireworks at all, but a small bomb Evan had concocted himself. To avoid upsetting his mother, Evan nodded repeatedly and showed the picture of obedience. As for the reason behind the change of residence, Elliot concocted a usible story which Elysia believed without question. Later, Elliot inquired, ¡°Did they give you a hard time, Mom?¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Elysia¡¯s brow furrowed as she thought of the fifty million hanging over her head. She didn¡¯t want her three kids to worry, so she fibbed, ¡®No, sweethearts, it¡¯s all water under the bridge now. You kids keep ying, mommy¡¯s just going to pop to the restroom.¡± After she¡¯d excused herself, the trio huddled in the bedroom for a ndestine meeting. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Elliot spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as Mom¡¯s making it out to be. Something¡¯s still up, or they wouldn¡¯t have locked her up.¡± Evan clenched his little fists, his face a picture of determination, ¡°They think it¡¯s over? Well, I beg to differ! Are we just going to let those bullies push our beloved Mommy around? No. way! You and Emmett keep herpany, and I¡¯m going to sort them out. They need to learn there are consequences for messing with our mom!¡± Evan was all set to take action, but Elliot stepped in front of him, ¡°Not this time. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°You? But they¡¯ve got bodyguards, and I¡¯m worried you can¡¯t take them on.¡± Evan said. Elliot squinted his eyes and put on a serious look on his young face as he stared at his little; tablet, ¡°Mom said we live in a society ruled byws. We need to y by the rules and find a legal way to make them pay.¡± While the trio were discussing, Elysia was oblivious to the kids¡® plotting revenge on Tarquin. That night, shey awake, haunted by the fifty million albatross around her neck. She couldn¡¯t cough up that kind of cash even if they took her life! And the man¡¯s face kepting back to her, which made her blood boil- he bore such a striking resemnce to Elliot and Evan. That meant it¡¯s highly possible that he was the mysterious man from that fateful day. The thought filled her with such rage she could strangle him! But without absolute certainty, she was at a loss for what to do. After a sleepless night, Elysia finally came up with a n by dawn. She couldn¡¯t pay the fifty million, not now. And with the risk of that wild man snatching her kids, she decided to expedite the divorce from Tarquin and get out of Dodge. So, Elysia got up, freshened up, left a note instructing the kids to stay indoors, and left the house. She hailed a cab straight to Tarquin¡¯s ce to confront him and demand a divorce. At the same time, Tarquin¡¯s world was in disarray. He received startling news early in the morning. The prime real estate he¡¯d been eyeing had been bought out overnight by an anonymous high bidder, the parcels ofnd he coveted had been snatched up while he wasn¡¯t looking¡­. 18:50 And the lucrative deals he was about to close? They were all intercepted by an unseenpetitor. Preliminary estimates put the Bradford Group¡¯s losses in the billions. But Tarquin wasn¡¯t fazed by the loss of money; what irked him was the clear indication that someone was targeting him! He¡¯d been a titan of industry for years, a name that echoed with authority. No one would dare to raise his voice in front of him, not to mention provocation. Bud now¡­ And to make matters worse, even his top¨Cnotch hackers couldn¡¯t trace the culprit. Enraged and without an outlet, Tarquin¡¯s bad mood cast a dark cloud over the entire Bradford Group. Lowell was run ragged, his phone ringing off the hook. Just as they were grappling with the chaos, the Bradford Group¡¯sputers crashed, leaving employees idle and confused. ¡°Are the tech guys good for nothing?!¡± Tarquin roared in frustration. Lowell, sweating bullets, prodded the tech department relentlessly. The tech team was on the brink of tears; they werepetent, but today they had met their match. ¡°Okay, okay, power¨Con!¡± After much ado, theputers finally booted up, and the techs breathed a h of relief. But as the screens flickered on, everyone¡¯s jaws dropped. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Chapter 17 On theputer screen, bold letters suddenly appeared, screaming for attention, ¡°Consider this a warning. If you dare to mistreat thedy again, I¡¯ll be back for you! Watch your back, Mr. Bradford.¡± The staff at the Bradford Group had their eyes glued to the monitors. Then, as if forgetting that they were in a working ce, the office erupted into a frenzy of spection and gossip. ¡°Holy smokes, this isn¡¯t just some glitch¨Cit¡¯s a deliberate hack! Who on earth could crack the Bradford Group¡¯s firewall?¡± ¡°And they had the nerve to call out Mr. Bradford directly!¡± ¡°He said¡­ he also said Mr. Bradford was bullying some youngdy!¡± Inside the CEO¡¯s office, Tarquin¡¯s icy gaze fixed on his own screen. His lips were a thin line, his complexion dark as a storm cloud. Lowell felt the tension in the room like a ticking time bomb. Gathering his courage, Lowell attempted to defuse the situation, ¡°Sir, please, calm down. This usation about bullying a youngdy got to be groundless! Everyone knows your character. You¡­¡± re is that woman from yesterday?!¡± Tarquin¡¯s voice was a cold de. Lowell, momentarily confused, realized he was referring to Elysia. He replied hastily, ¡°We¡­ we haven¡¯t located her yet.¡± ¡°You rubbish!¡± Tarquin¡¯s roar was ground shaking. Lowell was sweating bullets and trembling like a leaf. The saying ¡®uneasy lies the head that wears the crown¡® had never felt more apt. Tarquin¡¯s eyes never left the screen. He was determined to find Elysia because he was convinced that the youngdy¡® mentioned was her. He knew he was no saint, but he was not one to bully people, especially not women. The only woman he ever truly cared for was Elijah¡¯s birth mother. Beyond that, his interactions with the opposite sex were minimal. But yesterday, he had not only crossed paths with that woman but also detained her. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. His team of elite hackers, some of the best in the business, rarely failed him. Yet they had failed twice in the span of one day. The rival who was stealing his business deals remained in the shadows. And the woman named Elysia was also nowhere to be found. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that these were connected, that someone was targeting him. 19:50 Gritting his teeth, Tarquinmanded with an icy tone, ¡°Find her no matter what it takes!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Lowell couldn¡¯t exit the CEO¡¯s office fast enough. He really didn¡¯t want to be the bearer of bad news, but as soon as he¡¯d ryed Tarquin¡¯s orders, a new crisis emerged. His phone rang with the news that Tarquin¡¯s estranged wife had returned and was currently at the gates of Royal Community, demanding a divorce. Royal Community was the upscale neighborhood where Tarquin¡¯s grandfather had set up a home for his wife before he passed away. It was their marital residence. Lowell was taken aback, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s her?¡± ¡°Yeah, who else would dare show up and tell such a lie to the boss¡¯s face? It¡¯s her, no mistake.¡± Lowell pondered the situation briefly before braving a return to the lion¡¯s den¨CTarquin¡¯s office. ¡°Sir, Mrs. Bradford has returned. She¡¯s waiting at Royal Community right now.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¦° ¡­Your wife, sir. The one you¡¯re married to in name.¡± It t Tarquin a moment to remember he had a wife he¡¯d never met, ¡°What does she want?¡± ¡°She¡¯s asking for a divorce. Tarquin was silent. That wayward woman hadn¡¯t made contact in six years, and now she suddenly wanted a divorce? He had no fond feelings for her, but if he divorced her, what excuse would he have to fend off N? ¡°Tell her I¡¯m on a business trip. I can¡¯t divorce her now. If she wants a divorce, she¡¯ll have to wait until I return. As for when that will be, it¡¯s undecided.¡± If she had been a decent woman, he might have felt a twinge of guilt using her. But she wasn¡¯t. Tarquin felt no remorse at all by utilizing her. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Lowell had been riding shotgun with Tarquin for years and had a pretty good bead on the guy. He knew the score about Tarquin¡¯s reluctance to sign the divorce papers. So, when Tarquin brushed off the suggestion of a video call with his estranged wife, Lowell didn¡¯t bat an eyelid. Instead, he just threw out a casual suggestion, ¡°Maybe a video call would convince her more? I¡¯m not sure that Mrs. Bradford will believe the words sent.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Tarquin barked back with a scoff. Why to waste his breath on someone who¡¯s nothing but a footnote? So that was Tarquin¡¯s outright refusal. After all, he was oblivious to the fact that the woman was the very one he¡¯d been searching for high and low. ¡°And another thing, stop calling her ¡®Mrs. Bradford¡®. There¡¯s only onedy who deserves that title. Anyone else doesn¡¯t evene close.¡± Tarquin added. Lowell bit his tongue. He knew the dy Tarquin was talking about was none other than Elijah¡¯s biological mother. ¡°Got e replied. Meanwhile, Elysia was gobsmacked at Tarquin¡¯s response. Not knowing when he¡¯d return meant not knowing when she could get a divorce.. How was she supposed to move on with her kids in tow? Elysia was far from throwing in the towel, though. She tried reaching out to Tarquin a few more times, but to no avail. Dejected, she left the Royal Community with a heavy heart, her spirit so low. Without being able to cut ties, she couldn¡¯t sort out the kids¡® school registration, and without that, their education was as stuck as a truck in mud. Plus, no divorce meant no stable job for her, and her bank ount was running on fumes. And then there was that Elliot and Evan¡¯s lookalike and the mountain of debt he¡¯d saddled her with¡­ The more Elysia stewed on her problems, the more her head spun. Seeking a moment of sce, she plopped down under a canopy of trees, not wanting to bring her cloud of gloom home to her kids. As she sat there, wrestling with her next move, a tot, no more than four or five, bolted across the street like a bat out of hell and whizzed straight into oing traffic. Hell broke loose as cars screeched, horns red, and the air was filled with a cacophony of 1/2 shouts and screams. The kid¡¯s parents dashed into the fray, trying to scoop up their wild offspring, who was having none of it. The little tyke was throwing a fit and howling at onlookers and passersby. While he was howling, he was also taking swings at a nearby sedan. After giving the car a piece of his mind, he turned on himself, smacking his own face and scratching like he was trying to w away invisible ants. His dad finally managed to wrangle him up, but the kid was all fists and teeth and growling like an animal. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Elysia watched this and didn¡¯t feel right. She darted over. The kid had wrenched away from his father, who was so angry and furious. The father¡¯s face flushed red with rage and he raised his palm to smack the son. ¡°Cool it, guys. Don¡¯t do something you¡¯ll regret.¡± Elysia said as she looked toward the boy. She squatted down to eye level with the boy and opened her arms in a gesture of peace, ¡°Hey there, champ. No need to be scared. Come to me. I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡± The boy eyed her warily. ot gonna hurt you, kiddo. Come on over,¡± Elysia coaxed with a smile. After a tense stare¨Cdown, the boy suddenly stooped, scooped up a rock, and hurled it at her. Elysia failed to dodge. The rock struck her forehead and sent a sharp jolt of pain through her. The boy¡¯s mother was guilty at the scene. Her tears were welling up as she rushed over, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, ma¡¯am. My boy has bipr disorder, and he¡¯s having an episode. We¡¯re at our wit¡¯s end¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. What¡¯s his name?¡± Elysia asked, brushing off the hurt. ¡°Corbin Denton. Just call him Corbin.¡± Elysia nodded, ¡°You¡¯re scaring him more. Give me some space. I¡¯ll calm him down.¡± The Dentons gazed at Elysia as if they were stunned, and eventually, they stepped back, worn out and desperate for a miracle. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Chapter 19 They were not sure what Elysia whispered to the little boy, but minutester, he toddled over to her. He wrapped his arms tight around her neck and buried his tear¨Cstained face into her. shoulder. Elysia scooped up the child and walked over to the nearby park, finding a spot on the green Half an hourter, the kid had literally dozed off in her arms. The Denton family, witnessing the scene, approached in utter astonishment, ¡°When he has his fits, we usually have to quiet him down with sedatives. We never thought it could be done without drugs.¡± Elysia exined, ¡°Bipr disorder is a mixture of maniac and depression, which is a mental issue. Medication can help, but it¡¯s still crucial to talk to him and to enter his world. Yelling at him when he¡¯s distressed is the worst thing you can do it only makes him more agitated.¡± As she spoke, Elysia rummaged through her bag, pulling out a pen and paper, and jotted down a few herbal remedies, ¡°If you trust me, try brewing these herbs for him, sweeten it with some stevia, and coax him to drink it. It might help.¡± ¡°Are you a doctor?¡± the child¡¯s parents asked eagerly. sia shook her head with an embarrassed smile, ¡°No, I don¡¯t have a medical degree but just picked up a few things from family. But you can trust this recipe, it¡¯s safe.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. After handing the child back to his parents, she waved goodbye and left. From a short distance away, Benjamin had been watching everything. He had been driving by when he spotted Corbin¡¯s episode and had quickly parked to rush over, only to be a step behind Elysia. His friend Tarquin¡¯s son Elijah suffered from the same condition as Corbin. If Elysia could, soothe Corbin, surely she could do the same for Elijah. She was a prettydy with a warm and sweet smile¨Cshe had a healer¡¯s aura. Maybe Elijah would ept her! Excited by the thought, Benjamin approached the Dentons to exchange a few words before. taking a nce at the herbal list Elysia had provided. It was full of natural sedatives, much gentler than pharmaceuticals! Realizing she knew a thing or two about alternative medicine, his excitement grew. This knowledge could be more of a godsend for Elijah. He quickly turned to follow Elysia but found she had walked some distance away. Quickening his pace to catch up, he was suddenly stopped in his tracks- A ck sedan pulled up beside Elysia, and several figures jumped out, yanking her into the 1/2 pter car before speeding off. ¡°Damn! Damn it!¡± Benjamin cursed, a departure from his usual decorum. He watched helplessly as the sedan disappeared and quickly dialed Tarquin. ¡°Tarquin, you¡¯ve got to hurry. I just found a woman who might be perfect for taking care of Elijah, but she¡¯s just been kidnapped by a bunch of thugs right off the street. What kind of world do we live in where people can still be snatched in broad daylight? You need to find her, she might be our only hope for Elijah!¡± ¡°What does she look like?¡± Tarquin inquired. ¡°Beautiful, gentle, slender, fair, long hair, with dimples when she smiles, and¡­ the woman radiates warmth.¡± ¡°Get to the point!¡± ¡°The point is, she¡¯s a strikingly beautiful woman!¡± Tarquin pursed his lips, ¡°¡­Give me the location. I¡¯ll check the surveince.¡± ¡°Mid Road!¡± ¡°I¡¯earby.¡± ¡°You are? Great! Where exactly? Send me your location; I¡¯lle to you right away. And when we find that girl, we need to give those thugs a piece of our minds. They were snatching an innocent woman in broad daylight, and that¡¯s just criminal¡­ As Benjamin rambled on, Tarquin¡¯s car window was tapped on. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ¡°Boss, we got her!¡± Tarquin nced at Elysia through the car window. Then he took a second look and frowned. Benjamin had just mentioned a woman being snatched off the streets. Could it be her? No way! Because she didn¡¯t look gentle at all. She looked fumed, and right now, she was hopping mad. He quickly sent Benjamin a location, rolled down the window, and red at Elysia. Elysia, surprised to see him, eximed, ¡°What the-?!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Just the sight of his face made her blood boil. She was already livid about not being able to smoothly divorce Tarquin, and now she was even more enraged. ¡°Why is it always you? What on earth do you want? Let me go! I warn you that I haven¡¯t even reported you for locking me up yesterday. Do you believe I¡¯ll call 911 right now? Let go! Release me¡­. Elysia ranted fiercely, her little face flushing red with anger. Tarquin didn¡¯t understand why she was so bold; other women were either afraid or shy around him. But she was just aggressive! He instructed Lowell to look for the gentle woman Benjamin had described and then, with a furrowed brow, ordered his men to stuff Elysia into the car. As soon as Elysia got a chance, she tried to push open the car door, wanting to get out. Finding it locked, she became irritated and began tugging forcefully at the door handle. As she nearly broke the handle, Tarquin said coldly, ¡°Without my permission, you¡¯re not going anywhere!¡± Elysia¡¯quickly red back and gritted her teeth. He looked too much like Elliot and Evan, making it hard not to associate him with that man from six years ago. They say an adult¡¯s emotional breakdown could just happen in an instant. And in that moment, Elysia¡¯s solid mental defenses copsed. Thinking about the hardships of those years and the frustrations of the past couple of days,¡± her anger overwhelmed her, and she lost all reason. She felt he was the barbarian who had ruined her life. 18:52 Without another word, she lunged at him, ready to fight. All the suffering she¡¯d endured and the injustices she¡¯d swallowed were all linked to this man. Tarquin caught her wrist and red at her in astonishment, ¡°You also want to hit me?¡± ¡°I do! I want to beat you to a pulp!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Was this woman raised by wolves?! Forget his current power and influence; even back in the day, no one dared to openly threaten his life. Still in disbelief, Tarquin suddenly felt a sharp pain in his wrist. Unable to break free, Elysia bit down hard on his wrist, drawing blood. Tarquin pushed her away with a dark face, ¡°What are you, a rabid dog?¡± Elysia didn¡¯t answer and, without giving him a chance to react, lunged again. She was so livid today, and she just wanted to throw down. Tarquin, face darkening again, restrained her, ¡°Have you lost your mind or do you have a death wish?!¡± ¡°I have lost it! If I¡¯m crazy all beca of you¡­¡± because of you. You might as well kill me! It¡¯s all your fault¡­ all Tarquin couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of what she was saying. Seeing his threats had no effect, he switched tactics, ¡°If you don¡¯t stop this madness, you won¡¯t owe me just fifty million anymore, I can make the court fine you five hundred million Owe me just fifty At the mention of money, Elysia froze. Money, besides her three sons, was her greatest love. It was also her Achilles¡® heel. Having experienced life without money, she knew all too well how hard those days were, how tough it was to earn money, and just how important it was. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Tarquin¡¯s threat worked. Elysia¡¯s big, doe eyes were open wide, filled with indignant rage as she red at Tarquin. But she didn¡¯t dare to make another move. And that just made her feel even more wronged. The jerk was right there, and she couldn¡¯ty a finger on him or even give him a piece of her mind! With no outlet for her fury, Elysia burst into tears, ¡°How can you be so cruel? Haven¡¯t you done enough to ruin my life? What do you even want from me? What are you trying to do?¡± Tarquin was taken aback watching her sob. His mind shed back to that night when Elijah¡¯s mother cried beneath him. The room was dark, he hadn¡¯t seen her face clearly, and the drugs had made everything hazy, even her voice. But when he kissed the tears from her eyes, he felt them. He didn¡¯t know why seeing this woman cry made him think of her, but in that instant, his heart softened with pity and a strange desire to reach out and wipe away her tears. The next second, however, his brows furrowed again. She couldn¡¯t be her. Elijah¡¯s birth mother was far gentler than this wild woman before him. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Even in his drugged state, he knew she was like a gentle cat without a temper. Not Elysia, who was fierce as a tigress. Sighing deeply, Tarquin¡¯s gaze turned impatient once more as he looked at Elysia, ¡°Shut up! Stop crying!* ¡°Why can¡¯t I cry? Who do you think you are to tell me what to do? You¡¯ve made my life a living hell and why don¡¯t you feel guilty? Are you heartless?¡± Elysia¡¯s heart ached, and her sobs grew louder. She thought she could forget the pain and the humiliation, but his face made it impossible. He¡¯d screwed her over six years ago, and now he was back to haunt her. Was she indebted to him in a past life?! Now the was trapped in a marriage she couldn¡¯t escape, her kids¡® future uncertain, anchored to Jindale City, and she was also suddenly buried under a mountain of debt of fifty million dors. Her life was so miserable. Had God turned a blind eye by turning her into his sole victim? It was too much to bear and she was so afflicted. Since her children¡¯s birth, this was the first time Elysia had lost all control. The children had been her salvation from grief, but seeing Tarquin had driven her to the brink. Tarquin was clueless that she was the one he¡¯d been desperately searching for, nor could he understand her ramblings. He thought her life must¡¯ve turned upside down because of the sudden debt, hence her resentment. That only made him more irritated with her. Ruining someone¡¯s car without remorse but harboring resentment instead? Her way of thinking was all wrong. If he hadn¡¯t needed to question her, he would¡¯ve thrown her out already. ¡°You¡¯d better keep quiet!¡± Tarquin threatened, his face dark as thunder. ¡°Ah-¡± Elysia let out a feral growl, ready to bite. Tarquin clenched his jaw, ¡°Cry one more time, and you¡¯ll never see your kids again in this lifetime.¡± Elysia hit the brakes hard on her outburst, ¡°What did you say?!¡± ¡°Try me.¡± Elysia was thus silent. Living in this society, money was her Achilles¡® heel, but her kids were her heart and soul. Co r Instir vely, she mped her mouth shut, refusing to let herself She red at Tarqu with a mixture of suffocation and anger. But she couldn¡¯t hold his gaze for long and looked away. His face was a trigger for violence. Elysia forced herself to cool down, then her fear crept in. Never mind if he was that brute from her past; if he was, and she spilled the beans, what if he fought her for custody? Judging by his current state, he seemed well¨Coff with a car worth million. If he decided to fight, she stood no chance. Her impulsiveness had nearly given her away. And what if he just happened to look like that brute? C Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Chapter 22 She was making a spectacle of herself in front of him, and it was downright rude. Elysia took several deep breaths in the shadows, working to calm her frazzled nerves. Seeing her regain herposure, Tarquin¡¯s voice was icy as he demanded, ¡°Alright, spill it. What was yesterday¡¯s fiasco all about?¡± Elysia tilted her chin defiantly and countered, ¡°What fiasco are you talking about?¡± ¡°Who whisked you away? Where did you two fly off to after that? And, what¡¯s your angle with me? Are you after my money or are you gunning for my life?¡± Elysia was bbergasted, ¡°When did I ever try to get close to you? Yesterday, you came knocking at my door and hauled me away, and then the building suddenly caught fire. I took the chance to run for it. I¡¯m not after your cash, and I certainly didn¡¯t¡­¡± She paused, biting her lip. If he was that brute, she might indeed want to throttle him. ¡°And didn¡¯t what?¡± Tarquin pressed. Elysia pouted, muttering, ¡°Didn¡¯t want to take your life!¡± J ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m buying any of this?¡± he bit back. ¡°Well¡­ believe it or not, I¡¯m only telling you like it is!¡± Tarquin asked, ¡°So, where did you crashst night?¡± He had sent people to the motel to look for her, but she was nowhere to be found. The motel owner aid they took off without even checking out. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. With his current resources, if he couldn¡¯t find someone in Jindale City, the biggest possibility was that man was covering their tracks well. And only someone with real skills could hide like that. Of course, Elysia was clueless that it was Elliot who had tampered with the surveince. She frowned and retorted, ¡°What does it matter to you where I stay? How¡¯s that any of your business?¡± Tarquin just gave her a frosty look, and Elysia¡¯s heart skipped a beat in fear. He was quite intimidating wheh angry. Earlier, her temper had red, and she¡¯d been as fierce as a little tiger, but now, cooled down, she felt the bite of fear. Elysia shrank in on herself and grumbled, ¡°That¡¯s my private affair, not something I¡¯d share.¡± ¡°Is it really just a private matter, or are you purposefully hiding something?¡± he asked. ¡°Why would I hide anything? I don¡¯t owe you¡­¡± The thought of the fifty million stopped her mid¨C sentence. 1/2 Suddenly remembering something, she huffed and pulled out her phone, showing him at photo, ¡°Look here, I questioned my son about it. Sure, he scratched up your car, but look at this you started it by bullying. Evan did it to stand up for his brother.¡± As Tarquin nced at the photo, his brow was furrowing. In the picture, a child¡¯s tender leg was covered with arge bruise. It was painful even to look 1. at. Elysia continued, ¡°This bruise? Yourdy friend did that, probably your wife. That¡¯s child abuse! I could take her to court for that!¡± Tarquin was silent. Elysia added, ¡°The train station has cameras. If you don¡¯t believe me, go check the footage.¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t doubt her word; he knew all too well what N was capable of. But what N did had nothing to do with him. ¡°The injury wasn¡¯t caused by me, but your son did wreck my car.¡± He stated. Elysia stared nkly and turned speechless. Debts and grievances had their designated owners, and even in a marital rtionship, she couldn¡¯t pin the me on him. ¡°And the bite on my wrist was all you,¡± Tarquin added. Elysia nced at the bite mark on his wrist and shrank back, her bravado deting. However, Tarquin had shifted the conversation when she was at loss of words, ¡°If you don¡¯t to end up behind bars and leave your kids motherless, you bettere clean.¡± ¡°Clean about what?¡± ¡°Your real reason for getting close to me. Who¡¯s pulling your strings Elysia red, ¡°I told you that I had no intention of getting close to you, and nobody sent me!¡± Tarquin clearly didn¡¯t believe her, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell the truth, the consequences will be severe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± His expression darkened, ¡°Lowell! Hand her over to the cops, and don¡¯t let her out without my say¨Cso!¡± The car door was yanked open in an instant, and Lowell stood by the car, ¡°Ms. Thorne, please step out.¡± 18-54 Tarquin remained silent. Elysia, seizing the moment of his hesitation, added with feigned confidence, ¡°And let me tell you, Tarquin is¡­ head over heels for me! If youy a finger on me, he won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡± Tarquin¡¯s lip curled in obvious distaste. Lowell struggled to keep a straight face. Their boss was right there, and she didn¡¯t recognize him, yet she dared to im his undying love. What a far¨Cfetched tale. But then, a thought struck Lowell¨Ccould she actually be the elusive Mrs. Bradford that even he had never met? No, that couldn¡¯t be. Tarquin¡¯s wife was named Daphne, not Elysia. Clearly, Tarquin also believed she was lying, but he was too disinterested to call her out. Without sparing her another nce, he ordered coldly, ¡°Take her away!¡± Elysia was terrified, ¡°Hey! You can¡¯t¨Cmmmph¡­ mmmph¡­ One of the bodyguards mped a hand over Elysia¡¯s mouth and dragged her from the car, heading straight to the police station. No sooner had they left than Benjamin approached Tarquin with a sense of urgency. ¡°Did you find her?¡± he asked immediately upon seeing Tarquin. ¡°No news yet,¡± Tarquin replied curtly. Benjamin was so regretted, ¡°Well, it¡¯s my fault! If only I¡¯d been quicker, she wouldn¡¯t have been snatched away. Listen, you need to be on your toes. Trust me, that girl is the perfect match. I saw it with my own eyes¨Cshe calmed Corbin down in no time.¡± Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Of course, Elysia was clueless that it was Elliot who had tampered with the surveince. She frowned and retorted, ¡°What does it matter to you where I stay? How¡¯s that any of your business?¡± Tarquin just gave her a frosty look, and Elysia¡¯s heart skipped a beat in fear. He was quite intimidating wheh angry. Earlier, her temper had red, and she¡¯d been as fierce as a little tiger, but now, cooled down, she felt the bite of fear. Elysia shrank in on herself and grumbled, ¡°That¡¯s my private affair, not something I¡¯d share.¡± ¡°Is it really just a private matter, or are you purposefully hiding something?¡± he asked. ¡°Why would I hide anything? I don¡¯t owe you¡­¡± The thought of the fifty million stopped her mid¨C sentence. 1/2 Suddenly remembering something, she huffed and pulled out her phone, showing him at photo, ¡°Look here, I questioned my son about it. Sure, he scratched up your car, but look at this you started it by bullying. Evan did it to stand up for his brother.¡± As Tarquin nced at the photo, his brow was furrowing. In the picture, a child¡¯s tender leg was covered with arge bruise. It was painful even to look 1. at. Elysia continued, ¡°This bruise? Yourdy friend did that, probably your wife. That¡¯s child abuse! I could take her to court for that!¡± Tarquin was silent. Elysia added, ¡°The train station has cameras. If you don¡¯t believe me, go check the footage.¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t doubt her word; he knew all too well what N was capable of. But what N did had nothing to do with him. ¡°The injury wasn¡¯t caused by me, but your son did wreck my car.¡± He stated. Elysia stared nkly and turned speechless. Debts and grievances had their designated owners, and even in a marital rtionship, she couldn¡¯t pin the me on him. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°And the bite on my wrist was all you,¡± Tarquin added. Elysia nced at the bite mark on his wrist and shrank back, her bravado deting. However, Tarquin had shifted the conversation when she was at loss of words, ¡°If you don¡¯t to end up behind bars and leave your kids motherless, you bettere clean.¡± ¡°Clean about what?¡± ¡°Your real reason for getting close to me. Who¡¯s pulling your strings Elysia red, ¡°I told you that I had no intention of getting close to you, and nobody sent me!¡± Tarquin clearly didn¡¯t believe her, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell the truth, the consequences will be severe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± His expression darkened, ¡°Lowell! Hand her over to the cops, and don¡¯t let her out without my say¨C so!¡± The car door was yanked open in an instant, and Lowell stood by the car, ¡°Ms. Thorne, please step out.¡± 18-54 Tarquin remained silent. Elysia, seizing the moment of his hesitation, added with feigned confidence, ¡°And let me tell you, Tarquin is¡­ head over heels for me! If youy a finger on me, he won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡± Tarquin¡¯s lip curled in obvious distaste. Lowell struggled to keep a straight face. Their boss was right there, and she didn¡¯t recognize him, yet she dared to im his undying love. What a far¨Cfetched tale. But then, a thought struck Lowell¨Ccould she actually be the elusive Mrs. Bradford that even he had never met? No, that couldn¡¯t be. Tarquin¡¯s wife was named Daphne, not Elysia. Clearly, Tarquin also believed she was lying, but he was too disinterested to call her out. Without sparing her another nce, he ordered coldly, ¡°Take her away!¡± Elysia was terrified, ¡°Hey! You can¡¯t¨Cmmmph¡­ mmmph¡­ One of the bodyguards mped a hand over Elysia¡¯s mouth and dragged her from the car, heading straight to the police station. No sooner had they left than Benjamin approached Tarquin with a sense of urgency. ¡°Did you find her?¡± he asked immediately upon seeing Tarquin. ¡°No news yet,¡± Tarquin replied curtly. Benjamin was so regretted, ¡°Well, it¡¯s my fault! If only I¡¯d been quicker, she wouldn¡¯t have been snatched away. Listen, you need to be on your toes. Trust me, that girl is the perfect match. I saw it with my own eyes¨Cshe calmed Corbin down in no time.¡± Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Chapter 24 ¡°Corbin?¡± ¡°Yeah, Corbin just had an episode and bolted from the hospital. He was making a scene out on the street, crying and causing a ruckus, totally out of control. It was that girl who calmed him down. And when she left, she even wrote a prescription for the Dentons, with all sorts of calming and restorative remedies. She must know a thing or two about medicine. Think about it: a kind¨Chearted, loving, drop¨Cdead gorgeous woman with medical knowledge to boot. Sounds perfect for our Elijah, don¡¯t you think?¡± Tarquin knew Corbin as his good friend, Keaton Huber¡¯s nephew, After a kidnapping two years ago, Corbin had been left with psychological scars and bipr disorder, with episodes not unlike those of Elijah. The idea of someone with medical knowledge piqued Tarquin¡¯s interest. Elijah often hurt himself during his fits of rage. If Elijah¡¯s caregiver understood medicine, that could only be a good thing. ¡°Tarquin, we got the surveince footage, and it¡¯s¨Cit¡¯s¡­¡± Tarquin snatched the tablet from Lowell¡¯s hands and nced at it, his face darkening, Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Her? No way!¡± Benjamin leaned in closer, ¡°Yep, it¡¯s her! Look at how she managed to soothe Corbin without any sedatives. Don¡¯t think she¡¯s just pacifying a crying kid. Corbin was in the middle of an episode. If I¡¯m not mistaken, she must be versed in child psychology; otherwise, she couldn¡¯t have calmed him down so effortlessly. What an outstanding woman! It¡¯s just a uamn shame not knowing which lowlife snatched her away. It¡¯s just inhuman! If we catch the guy, he¡¯s gonna learn his lesson.¡± Tarquin pursed his lips and turned to Benjamin, speechless. Lowell, standing to the side, interjected quietly, ¡°Dr. Benjamin, the one who snatched her away is Tarquin himself.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Benjamin¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Lowell shifted awkwardly. Realization dawned on Benjamin, ¡°Oh, it was you! You¡¯re the scoundrel? Why on earth would you snatch her off the street? You two don¡¯t have some feud, do you?¡± Lowell murmured, ¡°Tarquin just threw her in the mmer, even nned to starve her for three days.¡± 1/2 18:54 Benjamin was livid, ¡°That¡¯s crazy! Why would you mess with the poor girl? Release her Immediately, and apologize. Who knows, she might be Elijah¡¯s savior.¡± Tarquin brooded with a stormy expression. The incident with Corbin had him overthinking again. Was it all a setup by her to get close to him and Elijah, a y put on for his benefit? After all, since this woman showed up, there had been a string of unusual events. She was definitely not as simple as she seemed. After a moment of silence, Tarquin said to Lowell, ¡°Let her go.¡± ¡°And then what?¡± ¡°Nothing else.¡± Lowell was surprised. ¡°Not even take her back to see Elijah?¡± ¡°Not for now.¡± Tarquin¡¯s face was inscrutable. He needed to observe her further. If she was indeed scheming to get close to him, letting her go would surely make her try another approach. She had a record, and he couldn¡¯t risk bringing her to Elijah unverified. A slight against him was one thing, but what if she harmed Elijah? Before he could bring her to Elijah¡¯s side, he had to be certain of her intentions. ¡± Meanwhile, as Elysia was dropped off at the curb near the police station and watched the car drive away, she was baffled. What was going on? Had Tarquin realized she was his wife and got scared? It seemed that despite being the ck sheep of the prestigious Bradford family, Tarquin¡¯s name still carried weight. The Bradfords were the top dogs in Jindale City; their influence was undeniable. Elysia didn¡¯t dwell on it. She quickly hailed a cab and sped away from the police station. Thest thing she wanted was to be locked up and kept away from her kids. ??? Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Elysia stepped back, immediately greeted by the mouthwatering aroma of home¨Ccooking. Emmett was standing on a stool by the kitchen counter, carefully stirring a pan of scrambled eggs. She watched her son¡¯s small figure bustling about the kitchen and felt a mix of heartache and pride. The kid always had a way of warming her heart. After blowing off some steam earlier, she felt much more at ease. The divorce hadn¡¯t gone through, but the anger had subsided. ¡°Hey, Emmett,¡± Elysia greeted him with a cheery smile. Emmett turned around, his face lighting up at the sight of her. ¡°Hey, Mommy!¡± Elysia washed her hands. ¡°Go y. Let Mommy take over.¡± ¡°No need, it¡¯s all ready,¡± Emmett insisted. ¡°Go sit at the table; let¡¯s have lunch!¡± He spoke as he swiftly turned off the stove and scooped the fluffy eggs onto a te. It looked absolutely delicious. Hearing themotion, Elliot and Evan also emerged, rushing over and chorusing a greeting to their mother. Elysia looked at them with tender affection, the earlier frustrations vanishing like morning mist. All that remained was the warm glow of love. ¡°Is everything sorted with your stuff, Mommy?¡± Elliot asked. Elysia shook her head with a wry smile. ¡®Not yet, sweetie. Looks like we¡¯ll be staying in Jindale City a li ¡°Why not?¡± while longer.¡± ¡°The person I needed to see is out of town on business. Can¡¯t do anything until he gets back.¡± She hadn¡¯t told the kids that she was in town to finalize divorce papers with Tarquin. Shel didn¡¯t want them to be aware of his existence or the past events. Kids should just enjoy a carefree, healthy growth; they didn¡¯t need the burden of adult troubles. ¡°Alright, no need for you guys to worry about my stuff. Let¡¯s eat!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After lunch, the three kids took their afternoon nap, and Elysia sat on the bed counting her money. All in all, she had less than ten grand to her name. They needed to pay for the hotel. and food, and her boys were growing ¨C they couldn¡¯t live on bread and water. Fruits, Chapter 25 vegetables, milk, and meat were essentials. Tallying up the expenses for a family of four was no small feat, and her funds wouldn¡¯t stretch far. Being broke made her anxious. She felt it was best to find a part¨Ctime job, preferably with daily pay. After all, she couldn¡¯t just wait until she was down to herst penny, could she? But in an age where qualifications and certifications were king, herck of both made finding a job she liked impossible. Elysia sighed. Whenever she hit this wall, she¡¯d remember the good university she¡¯d been epted into and how life had taken such a drastic turn. It was a past she preferred not to dwell on. After scouring LinkedIn without finding anything appealing, she decided to settle for a job that paid well. Bartending came out on top ¨C with a daily rate of $380 plus a 2%mission, it was lucrative work. Though she wasn¡¯t fond of the bar scene, the thought of the money made her relent. Promptly at 7 PM, Elysia showed up at Blissful Uncle¡¯s Bar, the city¡¯s most opulent watering hole and a veritable gold mine. The crowd here was either loaded or influential. Despite having to wear a slightly revealing ck dress and high heels she detested, she found the job tolerable. In just over an hour, she had sold three bottles of pricey liquor, each fetching upwards of two grand, which meant hermission was already over a hundred dors. In this society, looks could be as important as qualifications. Elysia was a natural ¨C beautiful, with a great figure and a pleasant voice; even her hands were exceptionally attractive. Listening to her talk and watching her pour drinks was a treat, making her quite popr at Blissful Uncle¡¯s. However, beauty could be a double¨Cedged sword Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Chapter 26 ¡°Down this bottle, and It¡¯s on me,¡± drawled Gage ter, N¡¯s second uncle, the infamous sexual predator of Jindale City, the epitome of a sleazebag. Hideous, disliked, yet a notorious yer. Elysia didn¡¯t know him from Adam, and she blinked in confusion at his proposition. ¡°Me? Drink It?¡± ¡°Yep, you. Not a drop left, you hear?¡± ¡°But¡­ isn¡¯t that a bit appropriate? It¡¯s your tab, and this bottle isn¡¯t cheap.* ¡°When I say it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. This bottle¡¯s a grand, you drink it, it¡¯s on my dime.¡± As Gage spoke, his lecherous gaze roamed over Elysia, unashamedly ogling her. Elysia realized she¡¯d run into a real lowlife. She fought the urge to punch him and forced out an apologetic grin, instead ¡°Sorry, but I had some cold medicine beforeing here. Can¡¯t mix it with alcohol.¡± The man¡¯s mood soured at her excuse. ¡°Then take the bottle with you. We don¡¯t want it.¡± Elysia was stunned. ¡°The bar has rules. Once a bottle¡¯s opened, it can¡¯t be returned.¡± ¡°Heh, did I ask you to open it? You decided to open it on your own. If it can¡¯t be returned, you¡¯re footing the bill.¡± Elysia held back her anger and said, ¡°You asked me to open it; that¡¯s why I dared to. There should be security cameras in this room to check.¡± At that, the rm erupted intoughter, ¡°You can tell she doesn¡¯t get out much. Security cameras at a bar? What if someone wants a little privacy for some fun? Ha!¡± Elysia¡¯s lips quivered, speechless, her fists clenched tightly as she silently seethed. She had never been to a ce like this before! Someone chimed in, ¡°Honey, Mr. ter taking a shine to you is your lucky day. Drink up, and don¡¯t be ungrateful. Do you even know who Mr. ter is? He could scare you stiff! But hey, if you keep him happy, you could be set for life.¡± Elysia realized this greasy old man was someone of status. They were about to cheat her, and if she fought back, she knew she¡¯d be at a disadvantage. The average Joe always loses against big money. The bottle cost a hundred grand, which was a year¡¯s sry for many, yet only a mere evening¡¯s pleasure for the wealthy. What could she possibly do against them? had to cover that cost, she might as well be dead. She didn¡¯t have that kind of money. After a few seconds of silence, Elysia managed another apologetic smile, ¡°My mistake, Mr. ter. It¡¯s really loud here, so how about we go somewhere quieter to chat?¡± Gage¡¯s interest was piqued at her suggestion, a lecherous chuckle escaping him as he rose to his feet. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s find a nice quiet spot for a¡­ deep conversation.¡± The room hooted, ¡°Yeah, go deep, real deep! Ha!¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Elysia felt sick to her stomach but kept herposure as she walked out. Tarquin stepped out of the elevator just in time to see Elysia slip through the service door. He stood there, his expression inscrutable. Momentster, Gage exited the room, hurriedly following behind her, muttering, ¡°Baby, I¡¯ming, hehe.¡± Behind the safety door of the bar was a ce where stories unfolded. Dimly lit and sparsely popted, it was the go¨Cto spot for the desperately thirsty to quench their desires. I like your style, babe. You had me at hello. I¡¯ll treat you right, don¡¯t worry. Make me happy, and you¡¯ll be rewarded. Just look at those lips¡­ get on your knees and put them to use¡­¡± The words were loaded with innuendo. Lowell, ufortable, said, ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Thorne and Gage¡­¡± A scream suddenly pierced the air. owell¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Tarquin, Ms. Thorne might be in trouble.¡± arquin frowned, reluctant to get involved, but thinking of Elijah, he quickened his pace owards the commotion. nd then he witnessed a scene beyond belief¡­ Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Chapter 26 ¡°Down this bottle, and It¡¯s on me,¡± drawled Gage ter, N¡¯s second uncle, the infamous sexual predator of Jindale City, the epitome of a sleazebag. Hideous, disliked, yet a notorious yer. Elysia didn¡¯t know him from Adam, and she blinked in confusion at his proposition. ¡°Me? Drink It?¡± ¡°Yep, you. Not a drop left, you hear?¡± ¡°But¡­ isn¡¯t that a bit appropriate? It¡¯s your tab, and this bottle isn¡¯t cheap.* ¡°When I say it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. This bottle¡¯s a grand, you drink it, it¡¯s on my dime.¡± As Gage spoke, his lecherous gaze roamed over Elysia, unashamedly ogling her. Elysia realized she¡¯d run into a real lowlife. She fought the urge to punch him and forced out an apologetic grin, instead ¡°Sorry, but I had some cold medicine beforeing here. Can¡¯t mix it with alcohol.¡± The man¡¯s mood soured at her excuse. ¡°Then take the bottle with you. We don¡¯t want it.¡± Elysia was stunned. ¡°The bar has rules. Once a bottle¡¯s opened, it can¡¯t be returned.¡± ¡°Heh, did I ask you to open it? You decided to open it on your own. If it can¡¯t be returned, you¡¯re footing the bill.¡± Elysia held back her anger and said, ¡°You asked me to open it; that¡¯s why I dared to. There should be security cameras in this room to check.¡± At that, the rm erupted intoughter, ¡°You can tell she doesn¡¯t get out much. Security cameras at a bar? What if someone wants a little privacy for some fun? Ha!¡± Elysia¡¯s lips quivered, speechless, her fists clenched tightly as she silently seethed. She had never been to a ce like this before! Someone chimed in, ¡°Honey, Mr. ter taking a shine to you is your lucky day. Drink up, and don¡¯t be ungrateful. Do you even know who Mr. ter is? He could scare you stiff! But hey, if you keep him happy, you could be set for life.¡± Elysia realized this greasy old man was someone of status. They were about to cheat her, and if she fought back, she knew she¡¯d be at a disadvantage. The average Joe always loses against big money. The bottle cost a hundred grand, which was a year¡¯s sry for many, yet only a mere evening¡¯s pleasure for the wealthy. What could she possibly do against them? had to cover that cost, she might as well be dead. She didn¡¯t have that kind of money. After a few seconds of silence, Elysia managed another apologetic smile, ¡°My mistake, Mr. ter. It¡¯s really loud here, so how about we go somewhere quieter to chat?¡± Gage¡¯s interest was piqued at her suggestion, a lecherous chuckle escaping him as he rose to his feet. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s find a nice quiet spot for a¡­ deep conversation.¡± The room hooted, ¡°Yeah, go deep, real deep! Ha!¡± Elysia felt sick to her stomach but kept herposure as she walked out. Tarquin stepped out of the elevator just in time to see Elysia slip through the service door. He stood there, his expression inscrutable. Momentster, Gage exited the room, hurriedly following behind her, muttering, ¡°Baby, I¡¯ming, hehe.¡± Behind the safety door of the bar was a ce where stories unfolded. Dimly lit and sparsely popted, it was the go¨Cto spot for the desperately thirsty to quench their desires. I like your style, babe. You had me at hello. I¡¯ll treat you right, don¡¯t worry. Make me happy, and you¡¯ll be rewarded. Just look at those lips¡­ get on your knees and put them to use¡­¡± The words were loaded with innuendo. Lowell, ufortable, said, ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Thorne and Gage¡­¡± A scream suddenly pierced the air. owell¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Tarquin, Ms. Thorne might be in trouble.¡± arquin frowned, reluctant to get involved, but thinking of Elijah, he quickened his pace owards themotion. nd then he witnessed a scene beyond belief¡­Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Chapter 28 She hastily released Tarquin¡¯s arm with a sheepish grin, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Thanks,¡± she muttered, digging into her pocket to shove a wad of bills into his hand before bolting away. The click¨Cck of her high heels echoed, fading into the distance until swallowed by the pulsing beats of the bar¡¯s jukebox. Tarquin watched her disappear, his brow furrowed in confusion and a hint of something else. It had been six years since he¡¯d been this close to a woman. The rush of familiar warmth came flooding back, unbidden, reminding him of that night so long ago. Her lips had been just as soft¡­ That was why he hadn¡¯t pushed her away immediately. Noticing Tarquin¡¯s distress, Gage broke free from Lowell¡¯s grip and circled back. ¡°Tarquin, that was¡­ You know her?¡± he inquired, a note of surprise in his voice. Tarquin nced down at the cash in his hand¨Ctwo crisp hundred¨Cdor bills and a fifty¨Cand scowled. Without a word, he shoved the money at Lowell and stalked off to the private booth, ignoring Gage¡¯s query. Lowell examined the $250 in his hands. Was this Elysia¡¯s way of sealing his boss¡® lips? Or was it for the kiss she nted on his boss? A kiss and silence for $250¨Cwasn¡¯t that too cheap for Tarquin¡¯s worth? Seeing Tarquin¡¯s foul mood, Gage didn¡¯t dare follow. Instead, he grabbed Lowell¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°Tarquin knows that bartender?¡± With a police nod, Lowell pocketed the cash. ¡°Met her a couple of times.¡± ¡°What¡¯s their deal? How could she dare to kiss Tarquin? And how could he let her? Tarquin¡¯s supposed to be N¡¯s man!¡± Lowell, not one to gossip about Tarquin and Elysia¡¯s business but unable to help himself with N¡¯s, retorted, ¡°Gage, you should know the real score between Tarquin and Ms. ter. Some things are better left unsaid. Wouldn¡¯t want to upset Tarquin. Bad for you, Ms. ter, and the whole ter family.¡± With a cordial tip of his hat, Lowell excused himself from Gage¡¯s grasp and strode off. Gage¡¯s face darkened. Ignoring his own difort, he whipped out his phone and dialed N. ¡°N, we¡¯ve got a situation! A big one! Tarquin kissed another woman!¡± ber 28 In the VIP lounge, the atmosphere buzzed with chatter andughter. As Tarquin entered, the crowd rose to greet him. ¡°Hey, Tarquin!¡± He nodded, signaling them to carry on. He made a beeline for the central seat, sat down, crossed his legs, and lit a cigarette. Keaton Huber, noticing his friend¡¯s grim expression, asked, ¡°What¡¯s got you down? You finally decide to come out and you¡¯re still sulking?¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Tarquin¡¯s mind was elsewhere, troubled by the memory of Elysia¡¯s kiss. He dodged the question, instead asking, ¡°How¡¯s Corbin doing?¡± Corbin, Keaton¡¯s nephew, was still in the hospital. Keaton replied, ¡°He was asleep when I visited this afternoon. My sister said he had an episode today and ran into traffic in a fit. Lucky for us, a knowledgeable youngdy was there. Otherwise¡­ Well, how¡¯s Elijah been?¡± Tarquin flicked ash from his cigarette. ¡°Same old.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up,¡± Keaton advised. ¡°Benjamin says miracles happen, especially with psychological issues. They¡¯re young. Who knows? They might outgrow it.¡± But Tarquin knew better. Corbin¡¯s trauma was from a kidnapping, while Elijah¡­ his was a deep yearning for his mother. Healing the mind required the right medicine, and if Corbin could face his fears, he might well recover. Elijah, however, was a different story. Without finding his birth mother, his condition would likely only worsen. Keaton !ined in, whispering teasingly, ¡°You smell like a woman¡¯s perfume. Got ady friend?¡± Keaton¡¯s reputation as adies¡® man made him particrly attuned to such details. Tarquin snapped back to the present and frowned. ¡°No.¡± ¡°So why do you smell like perfume? It¡¯s a pleasant, fruity scent. High¨Cenddies¡® perfume, very unique, like a limited edition¡­ Whoever wears it is no ordinary woman. Spill it¨Cwho¡¯s the heiress? After all these years, no one¡¯s managed to get close, and now someone¡¯s seeded? What makes her different?¡± Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Chapter 27 Wrapped in a ck trash bag like some bizarre Halloween costume, Gagey on the ground, howling in misery, while Elysia kicked and punched him with all the ferocity of a schoolyard. scuffle. Her blows might not have been heavyweight, but given she was sporting stilettos, they certainly left their mark. Looking every inch the drunken mess, Gage didn¡¯t seem to have the strength to fight back. After a short¨Clived thrashing, Elysia, gasping for breath and making a grotesque face at her victim, dramatically copsed on the floor beside him. Gage groaned his way upright and yanked the trash bag off his head, cursing like a sailor, ¡°Fucking hell, who the hell thinks they can mess with me and live to tell the tale? I¡¯ll make them pay!¡± Elysia, feigning a groggy awakening, clutched her head. ¡°Mr. ter, what happened? My head¡¯s throbbing like someone clocked me.¡± ¡°I fucking got jumped. Did you see who it was?¡± ¡°No, I was out cold too.¡± ¡°The nerve, messing with my ns and hitting me. Don¡¯t worry, babe, I¡¯m calling the troops to sniff out this rat.¡± Swearing under his breath, Gage reached for his phone to call for backup. Elysia excused herself to the restroom, her face a picture of innocent rm. But once out of sight, her expression morphed into a colorful tirade of silent curses. Tarquin and Lowell could only stare in disbelief. With a little thought, anyone could piece together what had happened. Gage had tried to force himself on her, and she struck back from the shadows. It was hard to decide whether to admire cunning or her courage. Emerging from the emergency exit with a mix of timidity and inner triumph, Elysia¡¯s heart. stopped when she saw the two men, her eyes wide with shock. Tarquin regarded her with a disapproving frown, his gaze inscrutable. Lowell, however, greeted her with a smile, ¡°Ms. Thorne, fancy seeing you here again. Elysia, realizing they must have witnessed her act, swallowed nervously. Before she could speak, Gage¡¯s voice boomed from behind, ¡°Lowell? Hey, man, you¡¯re here too, perfect! Help me find out who sucker¨Cpunched me!¡± Thanks to N¡¯s heroics in saving Elijah, the ter family was riding high, and Gage was familiar with Tarquin and Lowell. He could only see Lowell from his position, so he sought help without hesitation. Elysia¡¯s expression twitched manically as she faced an unexpectedplication ¨C they 1/2 18-57 knew each other! Could her luck be any worse? As Lowell waited for Tarquin¡¯s cue, Elysia desperately whispered into Tarquin¡¯s ear, ¡°He tried to assault me. Don¡¯t rat me out.¡± Tarquin, who disliked personal space invasions, pushed her away with visible disgust. Thinking he wasn¡¯t going to cooperate, Elysia clung to him like an octopus, pleading, ¡°I was just working part¨Ctime, and he targeted me. I had no choice but to¡­ It was self¨Cdefense.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Get off. ¡°But think of your fifty million. If something happens to me, you can kiss that money goodbye!¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Tarquin¡¯s voice was icy. As Elysia recoiled, preparing to exin, Gage approached, ¡°What¡¯s up, Tarquin, you¡¯re¡­¡± Fearing exposure, Elysia pressed her lips to Tarquin¡¯s, silencing him. All the three men were petrified. Time seemed to freeze, and no one spoke. Elysia¡¯sshes shivered, and her heart pounded, not from the kiss but from sheer panic. She knew Gage was a big shot; if he found out she was the assant, her night¨Cand possibly much more¨Cwas over. Lowell, sna,ing out of his shock, seemed surprised that Tarquin hadn¡¯t pushed Elysia away. Could it be that their iron¨Chearted bachelor was finally showing a soft spot? Excited by the prospect, Lowell quickly ushered Gage away, ¡°Mr. ter, let¡¯s talk over here¡­¡± ¡°But Tarquin, he¡­¡± Once Tarquin and Elysia were alone, she breathed a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders finally rxing. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Elysia¡¯s cheeks were still zing hot at the thought of the bold move she had just made. Kissing someone first? That was something she never imagined she¡¯d do in her entire life. Back in college, her friends Blossom Blythe and Winona Newsom had pegged her as the poster girl for the conservative crowd. She snorted, recalling the predatory look on that guy¡¯s face. It was as if she was trying to get a free ride or something. If it hadn¡¯t been to shut him up, why on earth would she have kissed him? And she had lost $250 in the process¨Cenough to buy three sets of cozy fall clothes for the kids! Just as she was stewing in her misfortune, a sleek luxury car suddenly cut in front of them, performing an elegant yet aggressive maneuver that blocked their way. The cab driver mmed on the brakes, his heart racing with fright and anger. He rolled down the window, ready to unleash a tirade. ¡°What kind of driving is that? Do you even know how to drive? You¡­¡± But his anger deted like a punctured balloon when he saw two men in ck suits step out of the car. He mped his mouth shut, not daring to make another peep. Elysia peered out the window, curious. The window was knocked on, and a stern voicemanded, ¡°Get out.¡± Sensing trouble, Elysia scooted to the opposite door, asking, ¡°Are you looking for me? Who are you?¡± The man didn¡¯t bother with pleasantries, yanking the door open and pulling her out of the car. As soon as her feet hit the pavement, the cab sped off, anxious to avoid any involvement. Elysia struggled to free herself from the man¡¯s grip. ¡°Who are you? Let me go! Let me go!¡± She was dragged onto a bridge, where a chic convertible was parked. The car door swung open, and a woman emerged. She strode toward Elysia, her footsteps echoing with the click¨Cck of her stiletto heels. She carried an expensive designer handbag and had her arms folded across her chest. Elysia couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that she recognized this woman, but the mask and sunsses obscured her identity. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°p!¡± The woman struck Elysia across the face without warning. Elysia was stunned. Held back by two bodyguards, she couldn¡¯t fight back and shouted, ¡°Who are you? Why did you hit me?¡± ¡°You slut, thinking you can seduce my man? I ought to teach you a lesson!¡± 19-155 Chapter 30 Elysia was confused. ¡°Are you crazy? Who did I seduce?¡± N, as if deaf to Elysia¡¯s words, pped her again, twice more. ¡°Don¡¯t think because you¡¯re pretty, you can climb the socialdder. Let me tell you, Tarquin is out of your league. He¡¯s mine! If you so much as look at him again, I¡¯ll make you wish you hadn¡¯t!¡± Turning to her bodyguards, N ordered, ¡°Ruin that pretty face of hers. The sight of it disgusts me!¡± N was determined not to allow any woman prettier than her to be near Tarquin. One of the bodyguards produced a gleaming dagger, its de catching the light menacingly. Elysia, panic¨Cstricken, forgot to demand who Tarquin was and instead pleaded, ¡°There must be some mistake! I don¡¯t know you, and I certainly don¡¯t know any Tarquin. Let me go!¡± As N took the dagger, intending to do the deed herself, Elysiashed out with a kick, sending N sprawling backward. The high heels did her no favors; she fell, twisting her ankle, and the de sliced her hand. N¡¯s scream pierced the air, ¡°Ah! It hurts¡­¡± e bodyguards rushed to her side, calling out, ¡°Miss!¡± Noticing that Elysia attempted to bolt, N cried with fury, ¡°Kill that bitch! Ouch, ouch¡­¡± Seeing the bodyguards in pursuit, Elysia took out the pepper spray her son had given to her, and she didn¡¯t hesitate to use it on the bodyguards. Of course, Evan¡¯s work had always been potent, and it left them writhing on the ground. She took off running, making a dash across the road to the opposite side in no time at all. Left behind, N shouted in frustration, ¡°Ipetents! Catch her, or it¡¯ll be your heads!¡± Three more bodyguards appeared, giving chase to Elysia as she ran for her life. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Evan lurked in the shadows, seething with rage. If it weren¡¯t for his big brother¡¯s instruction to covertly protect Mom but not reveal himself unless absolutely necessary, he would have dashed out there already. Seeing those three bodyguards gaining on Elysia, Evan whipped out the darts he always carried and threw them with precision. The darts hit the mark, embedding in the thighs of the three men, who grunted and toppled to the ground in unison. Evan watched Elysia hail a cab and leave before he could rx. Masking his face, he clenched his fists and drew the beaten bodyguards towards a clump of trees by the roadside. Striking from behind, he gave them a good thrashing, crackling and popping like firecrackers. Dare to harm his precious Mom? Were they looking for an early grave? After delivering the beatdown, Evan turned to look for N. N, having twisted her ankle, still hadn¡¯t managed to get up. Evan hopped and skipped towards her yelling from afar, ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am,ing through, you¡¯re blocking the way!¡± N turned to see Evan sprinting towards her like a rocket. If he hit her, wouldn¡¯t she be in a world of pain? ¡°Slow down! You little rascal, slow down¡­ Ah!¡± Evan pounced like a tiger, toppling N over and sending her flying several feet away. Though small, he was trained in martial arts and tough as nails, with strength to spare. N¡¯s tears came from the pain, ¡°You¡­ you¡­ Ahhh, whose kid is this? Where are the parents?¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Evan approached with feigned concern, ¡°Oh dear, my apologies, ma¡¯am, I didn¡¯t mean to. I was practicing my sprint and couldn¡¯t brake in time. Are you alright, ma¡¯am?¡± Ma¡¯am? N was livid, ¡°You little brat, who are you calling ma¡¯am?¡± *Should I not call you ma¡¯am? Would you prefer ¡®auntie¡®?¡± N shrieked, ¡°Call me ¡®miss¡°!¡± 1054 ¡°I can¡¯t call you ¡®miss¡®; it¡¯s disrespectful at your age. Don¡¯t be mad, ma¡¯am; let me help you 1. up. Evan ¡®helped¡® N up, deliberately stepping on her injured hand. N screamed, trying to fling Evan away, but hey sprawled on top of her. Conveniently, his handnded on her sprained ankle. With a ¡®crack¡®, he pressed down, breaking N¡¯s bone. ¡°Ah!¡± N fainted from the pain. Evan then stood up, dusted off his hands, and snorted coldly at N. His mom always said women, the elderly, and children were vulnerable and not to be bullied. But some women didn¡¯t qualify as women at all. Did he hit a woman? No. He dealt with a she¨Cdevil, a monster, a cmity, a venomous scorpion. Seeing a car approaching, Evan stuck his tongue out at the unconscious N and ran off. ¦² Meanwhile, Elysia had just gotten home. Elliot and Emmett had received Evan¡¯s message and were waiting for her at the bottom of their apartment building. Upon seeing her, the two boys ran over. ¡°Mom!¡± Elysia was surprised. ¡°What are you two doing downstairs?¡± The boys looked up, their brows furrowed at the sight of the p mark on Elysia¡¯s face. Emmett¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, spinning in his sockets as he felt for his mom. Elysia quickly scooped him up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sweethearts?¡± Elliot, fists clenched, countered, ¡°Mom, what happened to your face?¡± Elysia, embarrassed, fibbed, ¡°I bumped into something on the way home; I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me. The two little ones remained¡¯silent, watching her. Elysia swiftly changed the subject. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ¡°I told you guys I¡¯d bete and to hit the hay without me, right? Why are you still up? Where¡¯s Evan?¡± Elliot replied, ¡°We just wanted to see Mommy as soon as we could, so we waited up. Evan¡¯s in the bathroom. Let¡¯s head upstairs, Mommy.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± The trio made their way back to their ce, and as soon as they stepped in, Emmett burst into tears. It wasn¡¯t clear downstairs, but now, in the light, the p mark on Elysia¡¯s cheek was unmistakable, and Emmett was heartbroken. Elysia quickly scooped up her little man,forting him, ¡°Mommy¡¯s fine, bud. Just bumped it, no biggie.¡± Emmett clung to Elysia¡¯s neck, sobbing softly, shaking with each cry ¨C it was enough to break your heart. Elliot brought over a cold pack to soothe Elysia¡¯s cheek. Elysia said nothing, and the boys were wise enough not to press. After calming Emmett down, Elysia went to freshen up. No sooner had she entered the bathroom, Evan was back. ¡°Where¡¯s Mommy?¡± ¡°In the bathroom.¡± Elliot dragged Evan to their room and closed the door, speaking in hushed tones, ¡°What the heck happened?¡± Evan was seething. ¡°I¡¯m not sure of all the details. I was too far away from Mommy to hear them. Some chick in sunsses and a face mask, nked by bodyguards, cornered Mommy and hit her. Didn¡¯t you ask Mommy what went down?¡± ¡°She said she just identally bumped it, and she didn¡¯t want to talk about it, so we didn¡¯t push.¡± ¡°I already gave them a piece of my mind. Taught them a lesson.¡± Elliot frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve got this nagging feeling this city¡¯s got it in for Mommy. Ever since we got here, she¡¯s never been truly happy. We need to figure out what brought Mommy here and then get her the heck out.¡± ¡°But what if Mommy won¡¯t spill? What then?¡± 10:24 Ompor 32. ¡°We¡¯ll dig around on our own. Keep an eye on Mommy when she¡¯s out. We can¡¯t let her get hurt again. ¡°Got it. Mommy¡¯s safety is my job! Oh, and Mommy was bartending tonight.¡± Emmett said with teary eyes, ¡°Mommy must be trying to make ends meet for us. I saw her looking for part-time jobs earlier.¡± The mention of money left Elliot feeling both helpless and pained. He was five years old, for crying out loud. If he told Mommy about the gazillions he had stashed in the bank, she¡¯d probably faint ¨C and who knows if she¡¯d wake up again. Sigh¡­ All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ll find another way to slip Mommy some cash.¡± Meanwhile, Elysia stood under the shower, letting the warm water cascade over her, lost in thought. The woman who¡¯d made such a scene today probably didn¡¯t mistake her identity. But she¡¯d only been in Jindale City for two days who could she have possibly enticed? Tarquin, Tarquin¡­ Maybe it was about Tarquin? Elysia¡¯s eyes snapped open. She got it. That woman must be Tarquin¡¯s girlfriend! She had been seeking Tarquin to finalize their divorce, and that woman mistook her for trying to seduce him back! What a misunderstanding. Although once upon a time, she genuinely wanted a life with Tarquin, after the incident, she never entertained the thought again. She felt tainted and unworthy of him and never longed for a reunion. Otherwise, when she found out they were still married, she¡¯d be over the moon instead of shocked to her core, and she wouldn¡¯t havee to Jindale City to initiate the divorce talk. Elysia exhaled deeply, her face still aching with the injustice of it all. The divorce was still up in the air, and now she was mistaken for a home¨Cwrecker. What a headache. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Elysia emerged from the bathroom to find Emmett had whipped up her favoritefort meal ¨C a bowl of chicken soup. He had sprinkled chopped green onions andtro on top, just the way she liked it, along with a pair of sunny¨Cside¨Cup eggs. Emmett had a natural ir for cooking and a genuine interest that made everything he touched turn to deliciousness. A warm feeling bubbled up inside Elysia as she approached Emmett and nted a smacking kiss on his cheek. ¡°Emmett, you¡¯re the sweetest, like a warm hoodie on a chilly day,¡± she cooed. Emmett¡¯s cheeks flushed a rosy hue, his shyness evident. But when he noticed the bruise on Elysia¡¯s face, a shadow of concern crossed his features, and his eyes welled up. ¡°Mommy, can I sleep with you tonight? I wanna be close to you.¡± Elliot and Evan, hearing this, turned their hopeful gazes towards Elysia. ¡°Of course, you can,¡± Elysia chuckled. ¡°Yay! I¡¯ll tell Mommy a joke to make herugh.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give Mommy a massage.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help Mommy fall asleep.¡± Laughter and love filled the small room, a testament to their tight¨Cknit bond. But as she looked at her three little ones, Elysia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, a strange surge of emotion washing over her. It was as if a piece of herplete heart was missing. This sensation was not new; it crept up every time they gathered in joyful union, a subtle ache in her heart. It felt as if something¨Cor someone¨Cwas absent, yet she couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. It was an odd, unsettling feeling. Over at the grand Number One Mansion, the atmosphere was starkly different, cold and lifeless. Tarquin carefully carried a te of spaghetti upstairs, where Elijah was still perched by the window, staring out toward the front door. The small figure looked lost and forlorn. Tarquin¡¯s heart ached for him, and he approached gently. ¡°Elijah,e on, eat something.¡± 10:25 Elijah didn¡¯t move, his eyes fixed on the doorway. Setting the te on a small table in front of Elijah, Tarquin tried to coax him. ¡°If you don¡¯t eat, Mommy will be sad.¡± At the mention of Mommy, a flicker of life sparked in Elijah¡¯s hollow eyes. ¡°Do you think Mommy knows?¡± he asked Tarquin. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a special bond between mother and child. She knows what you¡¯re feeling, and she knows when you¡¯re not eating.¡± ¡°And if I miss her, does she know that too?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ she does.¡± ¡°So if she knows I miss her, why doesn¡¯t shee back to see me?¡± The sorrow in Tarquin¡¯s heart deepened. Yes, why? Where had that heartless woman gone? Why wasn¡¯t she here for Elijah? ¡°Why? Does she not like me?¡± Elijah¡¯s voice wobbled with sadness. Tarquin shook his head emphatically. ¡°No, of course not. She must love you very much.¡± ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t shee back if she knows I miss her?¡± With a heavy heart, Tarquin stroked Elijah¡¯s head. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s caught up in something right now, something that¡¯s keeping her away.¡± ¡°You mean she¡¯s in danger?¡± Before Tarquin could reply, Elijah leaped to his feet and dashed toward the door. Tarquin quickly grabbed hold of him. ¡°Elijah, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to find Mommy! She¡¯s in danger, and I have to save her!¡± ¡°Elijah, don¡¯t be ridiculous; she¡¯s not in danger.¡± I ¡°Let go of me! I have to find Mommy; she must have been taken by bad guys, and I need to save her! Let go of me! No one can hurt my Mommy!¡± ¡°Elijah! It waste, and Tarquin couldn¡¯t dare let him wander out into the night. He clung to Elijah¡¯s arm, refusing to let go. ¡°Calm down, Elijah!¡± But Elijah was far from calm; he became frantic, biting down hard on Tarquin¡¯s wrist. Tarquin flinched, releasing his grip, and Elijah bolted for the door. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Tarquin quickly positioned himself in front of the door, blocking the only exit. Elijah, realizing he was trapped, grew even more irate. He began to hurl objects around the room with reckless abandon. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The decorative knick¨Cknacks, theforter, and pillows from the bed, the rm clock from the nightstand, clothes from the wardrobe¡­ even the bowl of spaghetti Tarquin had just brought in. Anything that could be thrown was thrown; anything that could be smashed was smashed. Unsatisfied with the destruction, he grabbed a fork from the floor and jabbed it towards his own wrist. Tarquin was terrified and lunged to embrace him. ¡°Elijah!¡± Elijah fought back wildly, desperate to break free. When he couldn¡¯t, he began to scream, ¡°Ahh! Ahh! Ahh¡­¡± Each cry was angrier than thest. His whole body trembled, teeth grinding audibly. After a fierce struggle, Elijah suddenly fainted. Tarquin¡¯s pupils dted in panic. ¡°Elijah!¡± He scooped up Elijah and rushed downstairs. Heath was startled. ¡°Sir, what¡¯s happened to the young ¡°Call Benjamin, get the car ready, to the hospital, now!¡± master?¡± After a harrowing half¨Chour at the hospital, Elijah¡¯s condition finally stabilized. Benjamin was sweating bullets, ¡°He¡¯s okay now. Thank goodness you got him here in time.¡± Tarquin sat by the hospital bed, gazing at Elijah¡¯s pale face, his heart aching with worry. Benjamin spoke up, ¡°Elijah¡¯s condition is getting worse. We can¡¯t go on like this, Tarquin. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to let Ms. Thorne have a go? I still think she¡¯s trustworthy. Maybe she can get through to Elijah.¡± Tarquin frowned, lost in thought for a moment before replying, ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer. Arrange for someone else to look after Elijah for now.¡± He hadn¡¯t finished his investigation and couldn¡¯t risk it. Elijah was his life, and he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone potentially dangerous to get close. There were too many red gs about 10:25 Ely; he couldn¡¯t just trust her. Benjamin didn¡¯t know what exactly Tarquin was waiting for and didn¡¯t press further, simply nodding in resignation. ¡°By the way, N¡¯s also in the hospital, injured her hand and leg. pretty badly. Broke her leg, actually.¡± Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Word is she got beaten up.¡± As soon as Benjamin finished his sentence, Tarquin¡¯s phone rang. It was N calling. She was sobbing. ¡°Tarquin, I just heard Elijah¡¯s been brought to the hospital. What¡¯s wrong? Is it serious? Did he have another episode? I¡¯m here, too. I want to see him, but the doctors won¡¯t let me leave my bed. I¡¯m so worried about Elijah; it¡¯s killing me.¡± Listening to her crocodile tears, Tarquin felt annoyed but managed to keep his temper in check, ¡°He¡¯s fine now. You don¡¯t need toe over. Just focus on healing.¡± ¡°So you know I¡¯m hurt, huh? Can youe and see me?¡± A flicker of irritation crossed Tarquin¡¯s eyes, but he agreed, ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a bit.¡± After hanging up, Tarquin gave Benjamin a few instructions and left to see N. The moment N saw him, her eyes welled up with tears, which began to fall in earnest, ¡°Tarquin, how¡¯s Elijah? I¡¯m really worried about him.¡± Ignoring her tears, Tarquin sat down. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about Elijah. Just take care of yourself.¡± N dabbed at her eyes. ¡°Tarquin¡­ have you¡­ have you fallen for that woman?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The one who kissed you at the bar today.¡± Tarquin¡¯s brows knitted together in silence. With her eyes still red, N said, ¡°You never used to let women get close to you, let alone kiss you. Except for me, there were no women who could even stand shoulder¨Cto¨Cshoulder with you. But today, you let her kiss you¡­¡± The image of Elysia kissing him shed through Tarquin¡¯s mind. His expression darkened, his voice cold. ¡°It was an ident.¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Chapter 35 An ident? N¡¯s heart, which had been in her throat, settled back down at the words. It looked like she¡¯d been spot on¨CTarquin wasn¡¯t into that woman; it was she who had been throwing herself at Tarquin.. Typical home¨Cwrecker! N began her performance, ying the victim with gusto. ¡°She must have gotten the wrong idea about us. She came with her goons and roughed me up, and I was this close to being scarred for life,¡± she sobbed dramatically. N twisted the truth, aiming to tarnish Elysia¡¯s image in Tarquin¡¯s eyes. And maybe, just maybe, Tarquin would feel sorry for herself. Best case scenario, he¡¯d be so furious he¡¯d break that tramp¡¯s legs! After everything she¡¯d done for Tarquin, she hadn¡¯t even had the chance to kiss him yet. What right did that bitch have? ¡°Where were your bodyguards? She attacked you, and they did nothing?¡± Tarquin asked. ¡°My bodyguards were taken down by her crew. She brought a horde with her; it was like a scene from a movie¨Cthey attacked me on sight. If it hadn¡¯t been for a kind soul who called the cops, my face might have been history. Tarquin, you have to stand up for me. Tarquin just blinked. ¡°Tarquin, I¡¯m so scared. I¡¯m terrified she¡¯s going to keeping after me. She kissed you, and now she thinks you¡¯re into her, she¡¯s gotten cocky! Tarquin, can I maybe move in with you for a while? She wouldn¡¯t dare to mess with me there, and I can take care of Elijah, too.¡± N was patting herself on the back for her cunning n so loudly that even the readers could hear it. But Tarquin¡¯s response was unexpected. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. If she¡¯s hassling you because she¡¯s misunderstood something, just clear it up. Lowell, get the word out¨CI have a strictly tonic rtionship with Miss N. We¡¯re not an item. Tell everyone to mind their own business and stop spreading rumors!¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Wait, what? N was stunned. She had wanted to use this opportunity to move in with Tarquin, not for him to publicly friend¨Czone her. If people found out she wasn¡¯t Tarquin¡¯s girlfriend, they¡¯d stop treating her with respect. N quickly Interjected, ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to all that trouble, Tarquin¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s already been taken care of. You don¡¯t have to worry about hering after you over a misunderstanding. Just focus on getting better,¡± Tarquin said, then he left. N watched him go, feeling like she was going to explode with frustration. Damn it! She was infuriated! Livid! All because of Elysia, she ended up injured and with a severed tie to Tarquin? ¡°Argh!¡± N screamed at the top of her lungs, ¡°That bitch! I won¡¯t let her get away with this!¡± As soon as Tarquin stepped out of N¡¯s hospital room, he asked Lowell, ¡°Did you get to the bottom of it?¡± He had tasked Lowell with investigating because it involved Elysia. He wanted to look into Elysia¡¯s situation, not because he cared about N¡¯s drama. Lowell reported, ¡°Ms. N ter¡¯s bodyguard said it was Gage who tipped her off about you being kissed by Ms. Thorne at the bar. She then rounded up her posse to confront Ms. Thorne. She pped Ms. Thorne and threatened to disfigure her. Ms. Thorne fought back, kicked Ms. ter, and managed to escape¡­ The bodyguards chased after her, but she pepper sprayed them and then hailed a cab and got away. The weird thing is, some unknown party showed upter and beat the bodyguards to a pulp, then broke Ms. ter¡¯s ankle.¡± ¡°Who could it be?¡± Lowell shook his head. ¡°No leads yet, but Ms. ter¡¯s bodyguard thinks it was one of Ms. ter¡¯s haters. She isn¡¯t exactly Miss Congeniality in the entertainment industry¨Cshe¡¯s rubbed everyone from her co¨Cworkers to her fans the wrong way. She¡¯s made quite a few enemies.¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed, and after a moment of silence, he spoke, ¡°Pull out that fifty million we invested in the ter family. And drop a message to Donovan ter for me¨Ctell him I¡¯m not fond of being yed for a fool.¡± How many times had N lied to his face, taking him for some kind of chump? Lowell could see the storm brewing in Tarquin¡¯s eyes and nodded in understanding. ¡°Got It.¡± Back in Elijah¡¯s hospital room, the fury in Tarquin¡¯s eyes melted away, leaving only tender concern and a sense of helplessness. The little guy was still deep in slumber. Tarquin gently lifted his hand to caress his son¡¯s small cheek. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Elijah murmured in his sleep. 5 F F F Tarquin¡¯s heart clenched even tighter. That heartless woman, when would shee back? Her son missed her dearly. If she were here, surely the boy would recover faster. After all, he was her flesh and blood, too. Didn¡¯t she have any love orpassion for him? Suddenly, the image of Elysia shed through his mind¡­ The memory of her kiss lingered before his eyes. Tarquin¡¯s hand, still on Elijah¡¯s cheek, froze. N was right; no woman hade close to him in years, let alone kissed him. But Elysia had not only held him but kissed him as well. When she cried, his first instinct was to feelpassion. When she kissed him, he didn¡¯t. push her away; instead, he thought of Elijah¡¯s mother. What did that mean? Could it be that she was the woman from back then? A tightness gripped Tarquin¡¯s brow, and his heart skipped a beat. But if she was indeed Elijah¡¯s biological mother, why hadn¡¯t she acknowledged that fact openly? He had promised to treat her well back then. If she had an ulterior motive, wouldn¡¯t it be simpler to come forward and reveal herself? Or was he so yearning for her that he mistook any woman who stirred his feelings for her? Tarquin sat beside the hospital bed, lost in thought, until he finally pulled out his phone 10-060 and called Lowell. Bring Elysia to mel ¡°What? Now?¡± ¡°Yes, now!¡± Whether she was the one or not, Tarquin needed answers. A paternity test would settle it. If she was Elijah¡¯s mother¡­ Tarquin¡¯s throat tightened at the thought. If she wasn¡¯t¡­ Tarquin¡¯s brows knitted together. Daring to kiss him, she¡¯d sealed her fate. Upon receiving the order, Lowell hurried to find Elysia. With no luck in tracking her down, he headed to the bar to gather information. The night manager reported that Elysia wasn¡¯t listed among the part¨Ctime workers for the evening. Lowell showed him Elysia¡¯s photo. Recognition dawned on the manager¡¯s face, ¡°Oh, her! She doesn¡¯t go by Elysia. Look, this is how she signed in¨Cnot as Elysia.¡± Lowell and his team exchanged a look, all thinking the same thing: clearly, she really needed money. ¡°Do you have her address?¡± ¡°It¡¯s here, but who knows if it¡¯s real. Take a look.¡± Lowell nced at the registry and sent his men to check, and unsurprisingly, the address was bogus. Returning to the hospital with a headache, Lowell reported, ¡°Tarquin, Ms. Thorne has vanished again. We¡¯ve looked everywhere but can¡¯t find her. The Denton family is also on the hunt; apparently, Corbin¡¯s been crying his eyes out for his prettydy ever since he woke up. Seems like the Dentons are even more desperate than us.¡± Tarquin¡¯s displeasure was evident. ¡°Didn¡¯t you check the bar?¡± ¡°We did. But Ms. Thorne used a fake name and address there. Look, she signed in herself.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. At first nce, Tarquin admired her handwriting, which was surprisingly elegant. At a second nce, his lips pursed as he turned to Lowell. ¡°Cash Thorne?¡± Lowell couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Ms. Thorne is clearly infatuated with money.¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t continue the topic. ¡°Keep searching.¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Chapter 37 The following morning, Elysia woke up with the first light of dawn, blissfully unaware that she had already caught someone¡¯s attention. Barely opening her eyes, she reached for her phone and called the Royal Community to check if Tarquin had returned. When she got a negative response, a headache started to form. ¡°When will this marriage ever end?¡± she thought, feeling hopeless and frustrated. With a deep sigh, Elysiay back on her bed and began scrolling through her phone, hoping to catch a glimpse of Tarquin¡¯s whereabouts. Instead, her feed was filled with the Denton family¡¯s missing person notice. Unable to find her, the Denton family had reluctantly turned to the inte to issue an appeal. Every major media outlet and TV channel broadcasted their plea as if desperate to ensure she would see it. Fortunately, the notice didn¡¯t include a photo or her name, just a concise recount of the previous day¡¯s events. If she saw it, she would know they were searching for her. Elysia sat up, staring at the notice, lost in thought. She had no real connection to the Denton family and didn¡¯t want to get involved, She hade back to divorce Tarquin and had no desire to entangle herself with others. But then she thought of the troubled child, and a wave of concern washed over her. Mental illness was a frightening thing. If it were just the silence or the outbursts, it would be manageable, but the fear of self¨Charm loomedrge. She knew all too well that many children with severe mental illness ended up taking their own lives. During her five years living in the countryside, with no social distractions, she had ample time to study. Knowing her children would grow up in a single¨Cparent family, she immersed herself in books on child education and psychology. The only thing shecked in the field of special education was a certificate; her capabilities were undeniable. After some thought, Elysia decided to make a trip to the hospital. She had children of her own and couldn¡¯t bear to stand by without helping it could be seen as building good karma for her own children. Before leaving, Elysia prepared breakfast for her little ones, and after a quick shower and leaving a note, she headed out the door. But as soon as she arrived at the hospital entrance, she bumped into Gage. Remembering the previous night¡¯s encounter, Elysia felt a twinge of guilt and tried to act as if she didn¡¯t recognize him. However, Gage blocked her path. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Miss Cash Thome. What a coincidence we meet again,¡± he said with a smug look. At the sight of Elysia, Gage¡¯s hormones seemed to go into overdrive, his gaze lingering on her with undisguised lewdness. Elysia frowned and, trying to avoid trouble, replied politely, ¡°I¡¯m here to see a friend, and I¡¯m in a hurry, so if you¡¯ll excuse me¡­¡± Elysia attempted to leave, but Gage wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Come on, hanging out with me is way more fun than visiting friends. We didn¡¯t get to finish what we startedst night. Today, you owe me. Let¡¯s go have some fun,¡± he said, reaching out to grab her. Elysia¡¯s patience snapped. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? I don¡¯t know you; stay away from me!¡± she eximed, trying to get away. Gage signaled his bodyguards with a nod, and they quickly moved in, grabbing Elysia before she had a chance to call for help and forcefully escorting her to the car. ¡°We could¡¯ve done this the nice way, but now you want to y tough with me, huh?¡± Gage muttered under his breath as he dialed his niece N¡¯s number. N was still in the hospital room when she heard that Elysia had shown up, and she was furious. In her mind, everything that had happened the injuries she sustained, Tarquin disassociating himself from her, and even the withdrawn investment of fifty million ¨C all Elysia¡¯s fault!Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Chapter 38 N was fuming, her voice dripping with venom as sheshed out, ¡°That bitch! She should¡¯ve stayed hidden, but she dares to strut around? Does she not fear I might have someone take her out?¡± Gage chimed in, ¡°N, I¡¯ve heard Tarquin is also in the hospital. You think she came for him?¡± At the mention of Tarquin, N¡¯s eyes bulged with rage, ¡°That shameless bitch, thinking she can seduce Tarquin? He made it clear he¡¯s not into her, yet she sticks to him like glue. Shameless! Uncle, take her away and give her a lesson she won¡¯t forget! Start by ruining that pretty face of hers, then let the boys have their way with her, and once they¡¯re done, sell her off to some backwater town. I never want toy eyes on her again!¡± Gage¡¯s eyes sparkled with opportunity. This was the moment he had been waiting for. If Tarquin ever came after him for bullying Elysia, N would be the perfect shield. After all, as Elijah¡¯s lifesaver, Tarquin wouldn¡¯t dare me her for anything. ¡°Rest easy, N. Leave her to me,¡± Gage reassured her before hanging up. He turned on his heel and strode to his car. As he pulled the car door open, Elysia, struggling, poked her head out and cried for help, ¡°Somebody, please¡­ help me¡­¡± The hospital entrance was crowded, and heads turned at her pleas. Gage, caught off guard, improvised, ¡°Look, we¡¯re husband and wife. She¡¯s pregnant with my child but wants to abort. I just have to take her home and talk some sense into her.¡± Whispers spread among the onlookers, ¡°Poor man, bad luck in love. The scoundrel gets a beauty, and what a beauty to end up with him!¡± ¡°Yeah, must be the allure of his wallet.¡± Gage snorted and climbed into the car, mming the door shut behind him, silencing Elysia¡¯s cries for help. Gage eyed Elysia with a predatory grin. Ruining her face was out of the question ¨C such beauty was too valuable to waste. He¡¯d keep her captive, his own little ything until he was bored, and then he¡¯d sell her off. ¡°Even angry, you¡¯re irresistible. Trust me, darling, I¡¯ll take good care of you,¡± he cooed. Without a word, Elysia pped him hard across the face. Taken aback, Gage retaliated with a p of his own. ¡°Bitch, you dare strike me? I¡¯ll teach you a lesson right now.¡± 10-26 As he spoke, he began unbuckling his belt, clearly intending to force himself on her. Elysia was livid, disgusted by his repulsive behavior. She clenched her teeth, staring him down, ¡°I came back to avoid trouble, but if you push me further, I won¡¯t hold back!¡± Hidden in her sleeve was a silver needle, ready to turn him into a eunuch if necessary. She mightck money, power, and status, but she could defend herself. Those years in the countryside hadn¡¯t been wasted. Gage ignored her warning, continuing to undress, but before he could act, the driver mmed on the brakes. Gage flew forward. With a thud, Gage hit the windshield hard. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Crap! Can¡¯t you drive? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m busy?¡± Gage raged, trying to get up, only to hit his head again on the steering wheel and pass out cold. The driver called out in panic, ¡°Gage, wake up, look in front¡­¡± Ahead, a sleek ck car blocked their way, trapping thempletely. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Lowell had been itching to jump out of the car and rescue Elysia, but seeing Gage knocked out cold, he chilled out. Peering through the windshield at the disheveled Gage, he couldn¡¯t help but say to Tarquin, That Gage is a real piece of work. I¡¯m embarrassed to even know the guy. What a disgrace!¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Tarquin nced outside with a flick of his eyshes and said in a frosty tone, ¡°If he¡¯s so fond of going au naturel, let him do a streak around Jindale City three times without a stitch on.¡± Lowell¡¯s lips twitched at the thought. In this freezing weather, to streak? Exhrating. Serves him right. If you¡¯re a real man, you don¡¯t mistreat women. What kind of skill is it to use force? Lowell got out of the car to meet Elysia. Just as Elysia pushed open the car door and jumped out, frantic to get away, she suddenly saw Lowell and froze. Having just leaped out of Gage¡¯s car, she was now being forced into Tarquin¡¯s ride. Elysia didn¡¯t head for the back seat; she climbed right into the passenger side. She didn¡¯t want to sit with Tarquin. He irked her! And she feared him, not just because she owed him money, but mainly because he would lock her up at the drop of a hat, which terrified her. At this moment, with Lowell still outside, the car was eerily quiet with just the two of them. Elysia sat in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead, her spine rigid, her mind racing. This guy must be after her for the money, but she had none. What would she do when he came to collect? And didn¡¯t he know she was Tarquin¡¯s wife? How dare he still go after her? Wasn¡¯t he afraid of the Bradfords? Or did he know that Tarquin didn¡¯t care for her at all? A twitch flickered at the corner of Elysia¡¯s mouth, her heart pounding. No move from the enemy, no move from me. Without a word from Tarquin, Elysia stayed silent as well. She could feel his gaze fixed on her unshifting since she had entered the car, Elysia felt a tingling on her scalp from his stare, restless and uneasy. At this point, she was almost hoping he would say something. Do your worst, but say something! Elysia didn¡¯t get a word from Tarquin, but Lowell returned instead. After arranging Gage¡¯s streaking punishment, Lowell got in the car and said to Tarquin, ¡°Dr. Benjamin called a while ago. Corbin¡¯s awake, and it¡¯s not looking good. He hopes we can bring Ms. Thorne to the hospital as soon as we find her.¡± Elysia¡¯s attention shifted instantly. She looked urgently at Lowell and said, ¡°The kid¡¯s sick, don¡¯t stress him out.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s at the hospital now, with doctors and nurses around, but the kid¡¯stched onto you, crying and making a fuss for you.¡± ¡°Take me to the hospital, now.¡± Lowell turned to Tarquin, waiting for a nod before starting the car. On the way, Tarquin remained silent, but his gaze never left Elysia for a second. Elysia felt that he was acting oddly today. Not a word was one thing, but even his looks were different. In their previous encounters, his gaze was sharp, cold, and devoid of warmth. But today¡­ She couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it, but something was off. Yes, the feeling was different Was it her nerves, rattled by Gage, or was he truly out of character today? Nervously, she made it to the hospital, pushing out of the car first and hurrying inside. One reason was to see Corbin as soon as possible. The other was the fear of being held back by him, she wanted to break free. Tarquin watched her slender figure dart away, a cryptic light flickering in his deep eyes. He opened the car door and followed. Lowell was confused. Tarquin had been on the hunt for Elysia sincest night, and it clearly wasn¡¯t just for Corbin¡¯s sake. But now that he had found her, he said nothing, did nothing. And the way he looked at Elysia¡­ was inscrutable. However, one thing was clear: his usual fierceness seemed muted around her. Lowell wondered, could it be that the boss wasing around, perhaps ready for a change of heart? A peck on the lips, and she had captured his heart? Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Truth be told, Lowell had been hoping his boss would give up on searching for Elijah¡¯s birth mother. After all, six years had slipped by without a trace, and the chances of finding her were slim to none. And even if by some miracle she was found, what if she had moved on, married, and started a new family? Knowing Tarquin, there was no way he¡¯d force her to upend her life. Lowell had been Tarquin¡¯s right¨Chand man for years. The fact that he called him by his first name, rather than the formal ¡®sir¡® expected between master and servant, spoke volumes about their bond. They were brothers in arms, sharing a camaraderie that was thicker than blood, and Lowell wanted nothing but the best for Tarquin. Meanwhile, Elysia had arrived at Corbin¡¯s hospital room. Just a day apart, and the boy¡¯splexion had turned ghostly pale. He didn¡¯t yell or scream; his eyes shut tight, his whole body quivering as he muttered incoherently to himself. Mr. and Mrs. Denton, along with a flurry ofb¨Ccoated doctors, were all standing vigil in the room. The doctors were frantically poring over medical charts while Mrs. Denton wept as if her heart would break. Elysia didn¡¯t bother with pleasantries; she hurried over to check on Corbin¡¯s condition. Tarquin followed, his gaze unreadable as he watched ¨C every mo Elysia checked Corbin¡¯s pulse, and before she could speak, he suddenly woke with a start, screaming at the top of his lungs. Seeing this, Elysia turned to Mrs. Denton. ¡°I need to be alone with him. Could you all please step outside?¡± Mr. Denton trusted her implicitly and quickly ushered everyone out. As the door closed behind them, those outside could only hear Corbin¡¯s cries piercing the silence. The Denton family was on edge, and the family matriarch voiced her concern: ¡°I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s not a licensed doctor. You hardly know her. How can you trust her with Corbin?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. 10:26 Mrs. Denton, tears streaming down her face, was inconsble. Mr. Denton sighed deeply. ¡°What other choice do we have? We¡¯ve consulted every expert avable, and not one could offer a cure. If this continues, something terrible might happen to Corbin. It¡¯s worth letting her try.¡± Ultimately, it was ast¨Cditch effort, hoping against hope. Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed with worry, his thoughts mirroring Mr. Denton¡¯s.. They had exhausted all medical avenues for Elijah, with no improvement in his condition. Any glimmer of hope was worth pursuing. If not for recent events, he would have allowed Elysia to approach Elijah much sooner. After about half an hour, the door opened. Elysia stood at the threshold, announcing, ¡°He¡¯s calmed down now, says he¡¯s hungry and would like some pasta.¡± The room erupted in disbelief. Mrs. Denton was the first to snap back to reality, rushing into the room to find Corbin sitting on the bed, quietly looking up at her with his soft, childlike voice. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Mrs. Denton nearly shrieked with excitement but managed to cover her mouth, not wanting to startle her son. Corbin repeated, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m hungry. I want pasta.¡± Overwhelmed with emotion, tears welled up in Mrs. Denton¡¯s eyes. ¡°Of course, pasta. Mommy will make it herself. Just tell Mommy what kind you¡¯d like?¡± ¡°Tomato and egg, with two eggs, please?¡± Tears cascaded down Mrs. Denton¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Yes¡­ yes¡­ two eggs. I¡¯ll make it right now. My boy wants tomato and egg pasta. Tomatoes, eggs! Someone go buy the freshest tomatoes and eggs!¡± Mr. Denton was equally astounded. ¡°Corbin, do you know who I am?¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Mr. Denton exhaled a breath he¡¯d been holding, his chest heaving with relief. ¡°Corbin, say it again.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± The Denton family was overjoyed as if it were Christmas morning, all crowding around. Corbin. Chapter 40 Elysia quietly exhaled a breath of relief, sharing in their joy. Suddenly, her wrist was seized in a firm grip. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Elysia was taken aback, her eyes wide with surprise. Tarquin¡¯s face was a thundercloud as he didn¡¯t give her a chance to react. He hauled her into the next empty room. He pinned her against the door, his body an imposing wall. He looked down, his gaze Intense and unyielding. Elysia¡¯s back pressed hard against the door, with nowhere to retreat. She stood tall, her eyes vignt as she faced Tarquin. ¡°What do you want?!¡± she demanded, her voice trembling. Was he finally going to explode? Was the storm about to break? Was he about to demand money from her? Tarquin remained silent, just staring straight at her with aplex expression. He didn¡¯t know if the woman before him was truly the one he had been desperately searching for. Because of this uncertainty, he didn¡¯t know how to approach her or even what to say. Elysia, puzzled by his unusual behavior on the ride over, was now convinced that his look was different. Though still icy, it carried a hint of warmth. Seeing him remain silent, Elysia coughed lightly, ¡°What¡­ what are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you afraid of Tarquin giving you trouble?¡± Tarquin just stood there, silent. Elysia realized that name¨Cdropping Tarquin was useless, so she tried a different tactic, ¡°Are you here to ask me for money? Look, I¡­ I don¡¯t have any. Besides, it was you guys who picked on my son Emmett first!¡± Tarquin remained quiet. Elysia continued, ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t you who threw the first punch, I¡¯m certainly not the one at fault here. If there is anypensation, it shouldn¡¯t all fall on me. And I really don¡¯t have any money. Even if you killed me, I have nothing. If I did, I would have given it to you already. Can you give me some time to scrape something together?¡± Tarquin still said nothing, and Elysia was starting to panic, ¡°You¡¯re not here for money? Are you here to avenge that old man, Gage? I told you harassed me first; I was defending myself.¡± he Tarquin remained silent, and Elysia was getting irritated, ¡°What do you want, anyway? Can you please say something?¡± Tarquin¡¯s lips moved, but no sound came out. 2005 Just as Elysia opened her mouth to speak again, Tarquin suddenly lifted his hand. Elysia thought he was going to hit her and instinctively dodged, feeling a slight pain on her head, like an ant bite. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she said, her hands protectively covering her head. Tarquin gave her aplicated look and then turned and left the room. Elysia was leftpletely puzzled. Tarquin stopped at the door and instructed Lowell, ¡°Keep an eye on her. Don¡¯t let her escape, and don¡¯t let her be mistreated.¡± He took Elysia and Elijah¡¯s hair samples and personally handed them to Benjamin. ¡°Run the tests. I need results as soon as possible.¡± Benjamin, unaware of whose samples he was holding, hesitated and said, ¡°The soonest would be tomorrow.¡± ¡°Just make sure you handle it yourself.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Benjamin had just entered theb with the samples when Elijah suddenly caused a motion. Upon waking and seeing a female nurse by his bed, he went berserk. He ripped out his IV, smashed the bedside monitor, and even cut his own face and arms with the needle. When Benjamin and Tarquin arrived, the room was in shambles.. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Elijah was throwing and smashing things around like a madman while the nurse, terrified, was shivering in a corner, crying. Seeing the blood on Elijah¡¯s body, Tarquin¡¯s heart leaped to his throat. ¡°Elijah!¡± ¡°Stay back!¡± Tarquin choked on his words. ¡°If youe any closer, I¡¯ll jump!¡± Elijah stood by the window, his small brow furrowed as he red at Tarquin, his small fists clenched, his breathing rapid and ragged, It was unclear how badly he was hurt, with blood covering his face and hands, and his eyes were red as if filled with blood. Tarquin was beside himself with anxiety, standing still, not daring to move. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 2005 Chapter 42 ¡°Elijah, just take a deep breath, buddy¡­ calm down, Tarquin¡¯s voice was soothing, almost a whisper. But Elijah wasn¡¯t having it. He stood by the window, glowering with a stormy expression that could scare away any braver soul. The pediatric specialists from the hospital had all scrambled to the scene, huddling by the door, none daring to approach the fuming child. Benjamin leaned in and asked the young nurse in a hushed tone, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Tears streaked down the nurse¡¯s face as she replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I was right here the whole time. When he woke up, I just asked if he needed anything to drink, and he¡­ he just looked at me and suddenly got all worked up¡­¡± Elijah¡¯s voice cut through the tension, icy and sharp, ¡°I said I only want my mommy.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Elijah, listen to me, she¡¯s just a nurse that your Uncle Benjamin and I found for you, I¡­¡± ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t want anyone but Mommy! I don¡¯t need another woman; I just want mommy! I need my mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Ahhh!¡± Elijah¡¯s cries escted into a frenzy, his voice crescendoing as he lunged towards the window. Tarquin leaped forward with athletic grace, grabbing and holding onto Elijah with a grip. strong enough to save him from any fall. Benjamin and the other doctors and nurses rushed forward, quickly administering a sedative to calm the agitated child. Within half a minute, Elijah¡¯s cries had subsided into silence. As the pediatrician bandaged Elijah¡¯s wounds, Benjamin stood by, addressing Tarquin, *Elijah¡¯s condition¡¯s getting worse by the day. You should call Ms. Thorne to have a look at him. You see how he is, and then there¡¯s Corbin¡­¡± Tarquin, still catching his breath from the scare, swallowed hard several times before he could steady himself. He nced at Elijah, then pulled out his phone and dialed, ¡°Bring Elysia to Elijah¡¯s room.¡± Elysia was in the middle of her own chaos when suddenly Tarquin had her confined, perplexed, and anxious. As the door burst open, Lowell, in a flurry of urgency, announced he was taking her to see Elijah. ¡°Elijah? Who¡¯s that?¡± Elysia inquired. 20.05 Our young master. His condition¡¯s not much different from Corbin¡¯s. He¡¯s got some sort of bipr disorder, too: Elysia¡¯s brow furrowed. His child? You bettere quick. Elijah nearly jumped from a window today.¡± Her heart skipped a beat at those words, and she hurried after Lowell. Tarquin remained vignt by the bedside as Elysia nced at him before her gaze fell on Elijah. But the moment she saw Elijah, her heart began to race uncontrobly. Elijah was wrapped in bandages, his eyes tightly shut. She couldn¡¯t make out his face, but there was an uncanny familiarity that gripped her. Seeing his battered form, a sharp pang of empathy clutched at her heart. Approaching the bedside, Elysia began to take his pulse, but as her hand touched Elijah¡¯s small one, a wave of sorrow surged through her, bringing tears to her eyes. She touched the corners of her eyes in surprise, puzzled by her own reaction. She hadn¡¯t felt this way when treating Corbin. ¡°Beep, beep, beep!¡± The monitor on the nightstand suddenly red an rm; Elijah¡¯s heartbeat was elerating wildly. Elysia¡¯s pulse matched the rhythm, thumping loudly in her chest. Quickly wiping her tears, she fought to control her emotions and focused on diagnosing Elijah. After a while, she said, ¡°His condition is critical. He¡¯s entered a sleep state, yet his heart is racing; it¡¯s like he¡¯s fighting to wake up.¡± Benjamin spoke up, ¡°We had to use a sedative earlier because things got too intense. It hasn¡¯t been long, so the full effect probably hasn¡¯t kicked in yet.¡± Elysia frowned and reached for her acupuncture needles. Tarquin¡¯s hand snapped out, gripping her wrist with a wary gaze, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Tarquin¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, rmingly so, and Elysia shivered at the sight, rushing to exin, ¡°I have to apply acupuncture to him to help him sleep deeply. He¡¯s in too much pain right now. His body craves rest, but his mind is fighting it. It¡¯s like he¡¯s at war with himself, and this kind of struggle could seriously harm him, maybe even lead to something catastrophic.¡± Tarquin red at Elysia for a long moment, searching her face for any hint of deceit. Finally, convinced she was telling the truth, he released his grip. Elysia let out a silent sigh of relief and quickly carried out the acupuncture. Before long, Elijah¡¯s heartbeat stabilized. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thank God,¡± Benjamin exhaled with relief. ¡°His heart rate¡¯s normal again.¡± After removing the needles, Elysia said, ¡°Now we just wait for him to wake up and assess his condition. I¡¯ve heard he and Corbin are in a simr boat, both dealing with bipr disorder. Corbin¡¯s was triggered by a kidnapping scare when he was young, but what about him?¡± ¡°This kid,¡± Benjamin sighed, ¡°he¡¯s got an obsession with his mother. It¡¯s excessive longing. that¡¯s done this to him.¡± Elysia was puzzled. ¡°Excessive longing for his mother? Where is she?¡± Benjamin shrugged helplessly and nced at Tarquin before saying, ¡°Not here.¡± Elysia misunderstood and asked, ¡°When did his mother pass?¡± Before Benjamin could reply, Tarquin snapped, ¡°Who told you his mother¡¯s dead? She¡¯s alive and well! Healthier than anyone!¡± Tarquin¡¯s sudden outburst took Elysia by surprise. She red back, annoyed and on the verge of snapping herself, but she held her tongue. Realizing he had lost his temper with her again, Tarquin¡¯s lips moved, but no sound came out. Lost for words, he lowered his gaze to Elijah. Jumping in to smooth things over, Benjamin said, ¡°She¡¯s not dead; she just disappeared after giving birth to Elijah. We don¡¯t know if she¡¯s alive or not.¡± ¡°She¡¯s alive!¡± Tarquin intercepted without even looking up. Benjamin could only echo, ¡°Yes, yes. She¡¯s alive and well.¡± Clearly, there was no way to continue this topic normally with Tarquin around. Thus, Benjamin decided to bring Elysia to the corridor. 20.05 Here¡¯s how it is. After giving birth to Elijah, she disappeared. The father and son have been searching for her ever since. They both miss her terribly, it¡¯s clear to see¨Cboth the young and the old are fixated on her.¡± Elysia was at a loss for words. She couldn¡¯t help but nce back into the hospital room, where Tarquin sat by the bed, clutching Elijah¡¯s small hand with an expression full of anguish. She hadn¡¯t expected this man to be capable of being such a devoted husband and father. Turning back to Benjamin, Elysia asked, ¡°So Elijah¡¯s condition stems from missing his mother too much?¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s the root of it.¡± ¡°Then the best solution would be to find his mother and bring her back.¡± Benjamin sighed heavily. ¡°If only it were that simple. The kid wouldn¡¯t be in this state if we could find her. We¡¯ve been searching for years with no luck.¡± Elysia nced back into the room once more. For some reason, the sight of the small figure on the bed filled her with sadness andpassion. After a moment, she said to Benjamin, ¡°If finding his biological mother is truly impossible, then we need to divert his attention to something¨Cor someone else. A substitute.¡± Benjamin sighed again, ¡°We tried giving him a surrogate mother once. It didn¡¯t take long for him to see through it, and he had a huge meltdown. It was after that incident that his condition really worsened. We¡¯ve been too scared to try anything like that again. As for finding a ¡®thing¡® to focus on, that¡¯s out of the question too. Aside from his quest to find his mother, he¡¯s indifferent to everything else,pletely uninterested. He spends all his time sleeping or yearning for her.¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Ely¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Hasn¡¯t he been to school?¡± ¡°No, he can¡¯t attend normally with his condition.¡± ¡°Have you guys tried to delve into his mental world?¡± Benjamin shook his head. ¡°No chance.¡± ¡°What about hypnosis?¡± ¡°Tried it, never worked.¡± Elysia sighed softly. Benjamin continued, ¡°Elijah is not like other kids; he¡¯s too smart for his own good. You can¡¯t treat him like a typical child; he¡¯s bright, sensitive, and highly vignt.¡± Elysia nced back into the room and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°I get why you¡¯ve called me here, but I¡¯m no doctor. I¡¯ve just picked up a bit of herbal medicine from my folks and read a few books on child psychology in my spare time. So, don¡¯t pin your hopes on me. I managed to calm Corbin down, but that was pure luck. I can only try. When he wakes up, I¡¯ll chat with him, see if I can find a way into his world, look for a breakthrough.¡± ask Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Benjamin hurriedly replied, ¡°Yeah, any help is much appreciated. Don¡¯t worry; Tarquin won¡¯t let your assistance go unrewarded. You can set your terms with him; anything you for, he can make happen in Jindale City.¡± Elysia wondered if she could ask Tarquin to help her get a speedy divorce? Wait, Tarquin? They shared the same name¨Cwhat a coincidence! Just as she was about to ask his full name, her phone rang with an unknown number. Elysia stepped aside to answer, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking to divorce Tarquin, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Um? How do you know that? Who is this?¡± ¡°Who I am doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is Tarquin¡¯s in Jindale City right now. He hasn¡¯t gone on a business trip; he lied to you. If you want to confront him about the divorce, you could catch him at home or at his office.¡± The caller hung up before she could respond. Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Tarquin wasn¡¯t on a business trip? 20.05 She tried to call back immediately but got a message that the number was not avable. Her heart was racing; she didn¡¯t have time to ponder who the caller was and dashed for the elevator. Benjamin caught up to her. ¡°Ms. Thorne, is something wrong?¡± Elysia pressed the elevator button and replied, ¡°I¡¯ve got an urgent matter to attend to.¡± ¡°Do you need our help?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s personal.¡± ¡°What about Elijah?¡± Benjamin was concerned that if Elijah woke up suddenly, they wouldn¡¯t be able to handle. it, and things could escte. He couldn¡¯t guarantee Elysia would be able to soothe Elijah,¡± but she was their only hope. So, he tried to persuade Elysia to stay. Elysia understood his concern and said, ¡°Take down my cell number, call me if there¡¯s any issue. I have to deal with this emergency; it¡¯s urgent.¡± Elysia quickly gave her number. She had a good impression of Benjamin, who had always been polite and respectful. With a sudden thought, she added, ¡°I¡¯ll send you a recipe for a sedativeter. If he wakes. up and you can¡¯t manage, give it to him. It should help.¡± ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Benjamin said gratefully as he saved the number, watching Elysia step into the elevator before letting her go. After Elysia left, Benjamin returned to Elijah¡¯s room. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Chapter 45 All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Tarquin sat rigidly beside Elijah¡¯s hospital bed, his fingers tightly Intecing the small, fragile hand of his son. Benjamin, trying to offer some sce, said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much; he¡¯s stable for now, at least.¡± Tarquin¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, his gaze scanning the room for another presence. ¡°Where¡¯s she? Elysia?¡± ¡°She had to leave. Some urgent matter,¡± Benjamin replied. ¡°Leave? Just like that?¡± Tarquin¡¯s eyes shed with disbelief. ¡°Yeah, said it was something she had to take care of.* Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed, a storm brewing in his thoughts.. ¡°She¡¯s her own person, Tarquin. We can¡¯t exactly keep her here against her will. Besides, we need her help. If we imprison her and upset her now, can you honestly trust her with Elijah?¡± Benjamin reasoned. A few days ago, Tarquin would have shrugged it off without a second thought. But now, with doubts swirling about Elysia¡¯s role in Elijah¡¯s life and her ability to help him ovee. his traumas, he felt a tangle of emotions. ¡°I need a breath of air,¡± he announced abruptly and made his way out of the hospital room. Benjamin watched him go, surprise etched on his face. Tarquin, who would usually stick to Elijah¡¯s side like glue, was walking away¨Ceven if it was just for a cigarette. Something had indeed gotten to him. Meanwhile, Elysia, after leaving the hospital, gged down a taxi and sped towards the upscale neighborhood of Royal Community. Once settled in the backseat, sheposed herself and texted a prescription to Benjamin. She tried calling the person but to no avail. Frustrated, she dialed one of Tarquin¡¯s men. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. I know he¡¯s in Jindale City!¡± The silence on the other end was all the confirmation she needed. Annoyed, sheid it out, ¡°Tell him I¡¯m on my way to Royal Community. If he doesn¡¯t want me on his back forever, he¡¯ll meet me there to sign the divorce papers. If he¡¯s not there, I¡¯ll start my ¡®nuisance campaign¡®. And tell him I just want a clean break, nothing more. I won¡¯t take a dime from him, and once it¡¯s done, I¡¯ll vanish from his life for good.¡± 20:05 She hung up, her brows knitting together. He had lied to her, and that stung more than dared to admit. Back at the hospital, Tarquin received the news while standing in the smoking area, a storm of irritation brewing within him. ¡°Who told her I¡¯m still in Jindale City?¡± he snapped. Lowell hesitated before rying Elysia¡¯s message, ¡°She said if you¡¯re not willing to divorce, she¡¯ll start her ¡®nuisance campaign¡®. She insists on a clean break, no money involved, and promises to disappear from your life once It¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Is that a threat?¡± Tarquin said, his displeasure clear. Lowell didn¡¯t dare respond. After a pause, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the n? If you don¡¯t agree to the divorce, do you think she¡¯ll actually follow through? Or worse, think you still have feelings for her?¡± Tarquin¡¯s annoyance peaked. ¡°Tell her I¡¯ll be there.¡± When Elysia arrived at the Royal Community, the new servant, unaware of her history, dutifully weed her into the estate. The servants from her past, those who had been. bribed by N to spread rumors about Elysia¡¯s supposed infidelities, had long since vanished, fearing exposure. The new servant, unaware of Elysia¡¯s true identity, had only let her in after receiving confirmation. With a polite smile, he offered her coffee, the steam curling into the air between them like a silent truce. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Please, take your time. Sir sald he¡¯ll be back shortly.¡± Alright, thanks.¡± Elysia ced the cup on the coffee table, her eyes scanning the room¡¯s familiar decor. It was just as she had left it years ago, virtually unchanged. But the people had changed. She had lived here for three years, once thedy of the house. Now, she was nothing. She had thought she would spend her entire life here, even daydreamed about growing old, surrounded by children and grandchildren¡­ But life, it seems, is the greatest ywright of all. Feeling a tightness in her chest, Elysia redirected her gaze, took a few sips of her coffee, and waited quietly for Tarquin to return and finalize their divorce. Half an hourter, Tarquin drove back to the Royal Community. He had only been to this ce once before, on the day he returned to the country to ask his wife for a divorce. He hadn¡¯t been back since. Parking the car, Tarquin stepped out and was immediately greeted by his ringing phone. It was Benjamin. ¡°Tarquin, Mr. Donovan ter is at the hospital. He¡¯s asking for you.¡± It was surely about that 50 million investment for the ter family. He wasn¡¯t about to reinvest the money he¡¯d pulled out. N had indeed done him a favor, but he wasn¡¯t going to keep indulging her. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. In a cold tone, Tarquin replied, ¡°Tell him I¡¯m busy. And remind him to spend less time chasing money and more time looking after his daughter.¡± a great After hanging up, Tarquin strode towards the main building. The servant announced, ¡°Sir, thedy is waiting for you inside.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Hearing footsteps, Elysia knew Tarquin had arrived. Her nerves tightened, her fingernails digging into the flesh of her palms, a silent reminder to stay calm. But- Just as Tarquin reached the door, his phone rang again. It was Donovan ter. Frowning he answered the call, but before he could speak, N¡¯s voice came through Targum, cd you pull your investment from the ter family because of me? Daddy says I¡¯ve upset you, and I¡¯m I¡¯m really freaking out. I never meant to anger you. You know I¡¯ve had feelings for you ever since I saved Elijah. I wanted to marry you, but it was your married status that stood in the way of my wishes. I genuinely like you, I truly want to marry you, I don¡¯t want to upset you. If I¡¯ve done something wrong, just tell me, I¡¯ll¡­¡± Annoyed. Tarquin cut her off, ¡°I hate liars. Begging won¡¯t help you; take some time to reflect on your actions.¡± He hung up abruptly. As the servant stepped forward to open the door, Tarquin suddenly said, ¡°Wait.¡± N¡¯s call had inadvertently made a point. If he divorced today and found out tomorrow that Elysia wasn¡¯t Elijah¡¯s biological mother, he¡¯d be single again, wouldn¡¯t he? What if N pressed him to marry her then? He wouldn¡¯t indulge N, but he had indeed once said that if he weren¡¯t married, he might have married her. A promise is a promise, and if he were single again, what would he do if N insisted on marriage? He couldn¡¯t divorce today. He had to wait for the paternity test results between Elijah and Elysia. ¡°Tell her I¡¯ve had an urgent mattere up. The divorce is off for now. I will contact her tomorrow.¡± With that Tarquin turned and left. Hearing the sound of the car engine starting up in the courtyard, Elysia realized what was happening. She hurriedly got up and moved toward the door. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Miss, Sir has asked me to inform you that he¡¯s tied up with some business today, so the divorce is on hold. He said he¡¯ll reach out to you tomorrow,¡± the servant ryed. Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Was that Tarquin just now?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. That was him.¡± Frazzled, Elysia dashed after him, ¡°Hey! Wait! Tarquin, stop the car¡­ Stop!¡± She reached the front door of the vi only to find Tarquin long gone, his taillights no longer in sight. Elysia was fuming, her breathing in short gasps. What was this all about? It was just a signature, no messy financial entanglements, so why all the fuss? He could have signed the papers and then dealt with his big, important business! Elysia was near the end of her tether, so close to being free! And now¡­ She stood at the doorstep, sighing deeply, trying to console herself. One more day, just one more day. As long as he was willing to go through with the divorce, that was something. At least there was some kind ofmitment! Leaving the Royal Community, Elysia dialed Benjamin to check on little Elijah. She was quite worried about the boy. Learning that Elijah was still sound asleep put her mind at ease. She didn¡¯t visit the hospital; instead, she headed straight home. At home, her three little kids were holding a mini¨Cconference. The kids were already in on why Elysia hade back this time. It was Elliot who had made the call earlier. He felt the city wasn¡¯t kind to Mommy, and since she didn¡¯t like it here, he wanted to get things sorted out for her, so he¡¯d done some sleuthing. And, unexpectedly, he unearthed the whole story from years back. The Thorne family had forced Elysia to drop out of school and marry Tarquin in her sister¡¯s stead. Tarquin had publicly ndered her, iming she was unfaithful during the marriage,pletely ruining her reputation and subjecting her to public scorn. The Thorne family, embarrassed by her, had disowned her, turning her out of the house. Left with no choice, Elysia, pregnant, had left Jindale City to live in the countryside on her own. Throughout her pregnancy, shebored hard and never enjoyed a single day of ease. To save money, she lived frugally, often eating nothing but bread and water, sometimes only one meal a day. She also had to endure the cold looks and gossip of those around her Then, as her due date approached, she fainted on her way home from work. Tarquin¡¯s people had investigated, but they hadn¡¯t uncovered all this. It was because after Elysia hade down from the mountain with her children, her rescuers wanted her to live a peaceful life, unaffected by past sorrows, so they had sealed away her past. And since Elliot had been taught by this savior, he had managed to crack the system. The three little ones wept for Elysia, their hearts breaking. Emmett wept the hardest, ¡°Mommy¡­ our mommy is so pitiful, waaah¡­¡± Evan choked up, ¡°No, I can¡¯t let Mommy suffer like this for nothing. I¡¯ll get revenge! The Thorne family and the Bradford family, right? I¡¯m going to blow their houses sky¨Chigh!¡± Elliot, his eyes also red, retained hisposure. He stopped Evan. ¡°You seeking revenge will only remind Mommy of her painful past. She hasn¡¯t mentioned it, meaning she doesn¡¯t on.¡± Evan clenched his fists tightly. ¡°But I can¡¯t stand it! Mommy is such a good person, and they bullied her like that! Before, when she was all alone, she had no one to defend her, but now she has us, and we can¡¯t let her be mistreated!¡± ¡°We have to endure, for Mommy¡¯s sake. We can take our revenge even after leaving Jindale City. Right now, the priority is Tarquin! Mommy came back to divorce him, and we need to help her get that done first!¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Emmett felt that his brother was right. He wiped his tears, his voice soft as he asked, ¡°He won¡¯t give Mommy a divorce because he likes her, right?¡± ¡°No way, if he really liked Mommy, he would never have hurt her in the first ce! He doesn¡¯t care about our mom.¡± Evan bristled with anger at the remark, ¡°And Mommy doesn¡¯t need his affection! Mommy is beautiful and kind; she deserves a much better man! That Tarquin is not good enough. for our mom!¡± Sniffling, Emmett pressed on, ¡°So, is he our dad, then?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he is or not. I don¡¯t want him!¡± Evan dered with a scowl. Emmett nodded vigorously in agreement, ¡°Me neither!¡± Elliot stared at a photograph of Tarquin. The man bore so much resemnce with them and he was also their mother¡¯s husband, after all¨Cny percent chance he was their dad. But¡­ So what? They wouldn¡¯t like someone who didn¡¯t care about their mom! ¡°Evan¡¯s right. Whether he¡¯s our dad or not, we don¡¯t want him. We grew up without a father¡¯s love, so we¡¯re not missing out on anything.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Emmett and Evan chorused in agreement. Any kid would be long for a father. When they first found out Tarquin might be their dad, their eyes lit with hope. But when they had to choose between Mommy and Daddy, they didn¡¯t hesitate to choose Mommy. That¡¯s kids for you¨Cthey ng to whomever they liked and whoever cared for them most. Elliot continued, ¡°Let¡¯s just cool down. If Mommy doesn¡¯t want to talk about what happened back then, we won¡¯t ask. We¡¯ll act like we know nothing. Mommy knows Tarquin is in Jindale City now and she¡¯s bound to seek a divorce. Once that¡¯s done, we¡¯ll take Mommy and leave this ce. After we settle down in a new city, we¡¯ll start nning our revenge for Mom!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°But what if he still refuses to divorce Mom?¡± Emmett asked, worry creasing his brow. Elliot frowned, ¡°Then we¡¯ll make him.¡± Right! When Elysia returned, the boys had calmed down. They pretended to be oblivious and Jung themselves into her embrace. Elysia didn¡¯t notice anything amiss. She just looked down at them with a face full of maternal love. Seeing them, she understood why she¡¯d felt such a strong connection to that boy named Elijah in the hospital. The upper half of Elijah¡¯s face looked so much like her own sons, Elliot and Evan. ¡°Mommy, did you get everything sorted out today?¡± Emmett asked about the divorce. Elysia shrugged helplessly, ¡°Not yet.¡± All three frowned, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°He was busy, said we should meet tomorrow.¡± The boys exchanged nces¡­. Elysia nted a sweet kiss on each of their foreheads, ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on it. If he said tomorrow, then it¡¯s tomorrow. We¡¯re not in a rush. Now, go get ready¨CI¡¯m taking you boys out for some fun.¡± ¡°Huh? Out for fun?¡± ¡°Yes! We might be leaving after tomorrow¡¯s meeting and might nevere back here, but Jindale City has a lot of cool ces to see. Since we¡¯re free today, I want to show you around.¡± She figured since Tarquin asked for a day¡¯s dy, he must have had something urgent. The divorce would surely happen tomorrow. As soon as it was finalized, she¡¯d whisk her kids away from this ce of trouble. But for today, they had free time, and she wanted to make the most of it for the kids, who¡¯d been cooped up at home for days. Despite her painful memories here, there were still ces in the city worth visiting.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Elysia hadn¡¯t nned on taking the kids to the zoo. After all, what kind of creature hadn¡¯t theye across during their five years spent deep in the woods? You could find all kinds of animals in the zoo deep in the woods. The triplets liked animals, sure, but they weren¡¯t exactly over the moon about them. However, the mere mention of an outing had them bouncing off the walls with excitement. They threw on their clothes in record time, eager to follow Elysia out the door. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. The family of four hailed a cab and headed straight for the water park to check out the ¡®Jindale Eye¡®. It was the trio¡¯s first real outing, and the array of attractions had them gawping in amazement. They wanted to try everything. Elysia was on a tight budget, but the kids had never had a chance to experience anything like this. She didn¡¯t want to dampen their spirits, so she splurged on tickets. If they were out to have fun, she was going to make sure they had the time of their lives, no holding back. She took them on the Ferris wheel and also the roller coaster. Evan, the brave one, even dared to take on the giant swing. Emmett, a little more timid, steered clear of the high¨Cadrenaline rides, so Elysia took him to feed the fish. Twenty bucks for a bottle of fish feed, and there was Emmett, grinning like a Cheshire cat as he fed the little swimmers. Kids found joy in the simplest things. All the while, Elysia was snapping photos with her phone and capturing these precious moments with her children. Life had thrown its share of curveballs, but so what? that was more than enough. She had three healthy, adorable kids that was Sure, being a single mom was tough, but it beat settling for some deadbeat just to avoid loneliness. The inte was riddled with horror stories of abusive partners; that was real suffering. Time flies when you¡¯re having fun, and before they knew it, twilight had settled in. 2006 Back at their ce, the kids were so wiped they conked out on the bed without even washing up, off to dreand in seconds. They had yed hard and were now paying the price. Elysia looked at her little ones with eyes full of love. Tomorrow, after the divorce was finalized, she nned to take them down South to settle in a little town with balmy weather all year round. As long as she stayed diligent and worked hard, she knew she could raise them right. After tucking the triplets in, Elysia retreated to her own room. Drifting off, her thoughts were full of hope for a brighter future. The next morning, Elysia was up with the dawn. She checked her phone ¨C no word from Tarquin yet. But she was still settled since it was barely past six. Just to be safe, she called up the Royal Community office to confirm the afternoon appointment for the divorce proceedings. The reply was that Tarquin was upied in the morning, so the divorce was dyed to the afternoon. But an urate update was all she needed ¨C afternoon it would be. Feeling chipper, Elysia lounged in bed scrolling through her phone until a news alert made her sit bolt upright. It was Blossom. Panic surged through Elysia as the article imed she¡¯d been assaulted. She tried calling Blossom, but there was no answer. Jumping out of bed, Elysia didn¡¯t bother with breakfast. She scrawled a quick note for the kids and dashed out the door. Blossom was more than a friend; she was family, just like Winona. They had faced. bacsh for standing by her during a scandal, macabre gifts like wreaths and dead animalsduring cruel taunts and even receiving Elysia had avoided reaching out to them upon her return, fearing that any attention might bring them trouble again. Her n was to reconnect after the divorce when she could breathe easy again. But now she identally got the news that Blossom was beaten up, so she couldn¡¯t stay calm. She took a taxi to Blossom¡¯s ce and was about to try calling again when a shriek behind her made her spin around. 20.06 Chapter There stood Blossom, decked out in a long down coat and sporting an adorable bear¨Cthemed hat, her large eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at Elysia, Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Elysia raced across the room, ¡°Blossom.¡± Blossom rubbed her eyes and squinted at Elysia. Then she let out a squeal and lunged forward to cuddle her. ¡°Is that really you, Elysia? 1-1¨CI¡¯m not seeing ghosts, am I?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s me. I came looking for you after I saw the news online. Are you okay? Did you get hurt?¡± But Blossom, as if she hadn¡¯t heard a word, pinched herself then pinched Elysia. ¡°Does it hurt? It hurts me, oh goodness, I¡¯m in pain, thank heavens I¡¯m not dreaming! Elysia, you¡¯re finally back! Where on earth have you been these years? Winona and I have been sick with worry. I didn¡¯t get a single call or text from you and you nearly gave us a heart attack!¡± Blossom, a sensitive gal through and through from Jindale City, burst into tears as she spoke. Elysia felt a pang of guilt, ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s all my fault. No more tears, okay? Let me make sure you¡¯re not hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, let¡¯s go home and talk.¡± Blossom was now a kindergarten teacher. She whipped out her phone to call the school and take the day off. Phone tucked away, Blossom linked arms with Elysia and they headed home, ¡°You have no idea how much Winona and I missed you these years. We never stopped looking for you, but you were just nowhere to be found. Where have you been all this time?¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°¡­After the incident, I went back to the Thorne family. They were ashamed of me and kicked me out. I had nowhere to go, and I didn¡¯t want my reputation to affect the baby. So I left Jindale City for a rural life.¡± She didn¡¯t dare say she lived deep in the woods for she didn¡¯t want to scare Blossom. Plus, she had promised her benefactor on the mountain not to speak of their affairs. Blossom scolded her, ¡°How could you be so foolish? You dashed away during your pregnancy and you didn¡¯t even tell us! Your husband leaves you, your family disowns you, but Winona and I are here for you. We could have taken care of you.¡± ¡°I was afraid of dragging you into it.¡± ¡°Bullshit! You think too much. If you dare say that to Winona, she¡¯ll throttle you. Why are you so distant from us? Aren¡¯t we friends?!¡± Blossom scolded. Elysia just smiled and followed Blossom home. The moment they stepped inside, they were engulfed in warmth and coziness. Elysia hung her coat on the rack by the door and nced around the house, ¡°Are your folks not home?¡± Yeah, they¡¯re on a business trip and left just yesterday. If they knew you were back, they¡¯d have dropped everything. You know how much they adore you; they¡¯re always talking about you? Blossom poured Elysia some hot coffee to warm her up. She squeezed next to Elysia on the couch, ¡°Come on, spill the beans about what you¡¯ve been up to these years!¡± Elyain pondered for a moment, unsure where to start. It seemed like she¡¯d been through a lot, yet nothing much had happened at all. It was just pregnancy, childbirth, and raising children. ¡°I got a simple job down the mountain when I was pregnant, then gave birth and raised my kids,¡± she said. Blossom was shocked, ¡°You actually had the babies? Are you out of your mind? You didn¡¯t even know who the father was, and you went through with it? Raising kids alone is so hard!¡± Blossom may not have had kids herself, but she knew the struggles of a woman carrying and raising kids all too well. Elysia shrugged, ¡°They¡¯re little lives. I couldn¡¯t bear to give them up.¡± ¡°And where are the kids now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got them with me.¡± ¡°Where? Why didn¡¯t you bring them along?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still at the hotel resting. I rushed over here as soon as I saw the news. What exactly happened?¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Blossom couldn¡¯t care less, ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been working as a teacher, and there¡¯s this kid in my ss whose parents are in the middle of a nasty divorce. The mom¡¯s always the one dropping off and showing up for school events. She even made it crystal clear that no one but her is allowed to pick up her little one. Sc, naturally, we follow the parents¡® wishes. When the kid¡¯s grandma came to pick him up, I had to turn her away and even gave the mom a call to let her know. Grandma did not take it well. She lost her temper andshed out.¡± ¡°I saw the video online. It was chaotic, and she hit you.¡± Elysia said. ¡°Just a p on the face. But my colleague pulled me away in a sh. No harm done, see?¡± Blossom continued, ¡°If she hadn¡¯t been a senior citizen, I would¡¯ve given her a piece of my mind.¡± Elysia sighed, ¡°Well, you haven¡¯t changed a bit. If that were Winona, she wouldn¡¯t care who it was. She¡¯d probably break the woman¡¯s arm just to calm down.¡± Blossomughed off thement, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to lose my job over some olddy. Let¡¯s not talk about this mess. It¡¯s great that you¡¯re back, though. Winona¡¯s going to be thrilled when she hears about it. Just wish I knew when she¡¯sing back.¡± ¡°Where did Winona go?¡± Elysia asked. ¡°Her husband Zane mentioned she¡¯s abroad, shooting a movie. It¡¯s been over a year, and we can¡¯t reach her all the time.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t reach her?¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s on some top¨Csecret project. Signed a non¨Cdisclosure agreement and can¡¯t contact anyone outside the crew during the shoot.¡± ¡°Have you tried reaching out to her agent?¡± ¡°Same story. Agent¡¯s under a non¨Cdisclosure agreement too. The whole crew is.¡± Elysia was intrigued. What kind of y required such secrecy? She mused. ¡°Didn¡¯t Zane go with her?¡± she quipped. Blossom shook her head, ¡°Zane¡¯s been busy managing Winona¡¯s familypany. He can¡¯t just up and leave.¡± Winona Newsom was the only child of the Newsom family, and her father Ridley Newsom was a well¨C known entrepreneur in Jindale City. With a solid family fortune behind her, Winona, a ssic heiress with looks and talent to spare, had made quite a name for herself in showbiz, thanks to her perseverance and the backing of the entire Newsom Group. She was a household name and a top¨Ctier celebrity within three years. 50:04 Cane, however, had a very different upbringing The quintessential self¨Cmade man grew up in a rural area, came from a poor family, and had many siblings to fend for. Meeting Winona in college was like a fairy tale they fell in love at first sight and got married right after graduation. Zane¡¯s fortunes soared as he became the Newsom family¡¯s son¨Cinw, a testament to the power of education to change one¡¯s life, ¡°Has Zane been good to Winona over the years?¡± Elysia asked. ¡°Oh, the best. Zane¡¯s known in Jindale City as the ideal husband and son¨Cinw. No one has a bad word to say about him. Unlike you, Winona really hit the jackpot. You skipped out on college to get married, and look how that turned out. Got yourself yed by a scumbag.¡± The details of Elysia¡¯s forced marriage to Tarquin Bradford were unknown to Blossom and Winona. Due to the marriage being arranged under duress, Elysia was also coerced into ¨C algning a non¨Cdisclosure agreement¡­ At the time, even the Thorne family had no clue that it was the Bradford family who hade knocking with a lot wedding gifts for Daphne Thorne¡¯s hand in marriage. It was only after tying the knot that Elysia found out her husband was from the Bradford n, named Tarquin. She had heard that the Bradfords, trying to improve Tarquin¡¯s ill fortune, had selected Daphne based on his apparatus. The Bradfords didn¡¯t reveal their identity when proposing; they just offered a hefty money and mentioned that the groom was disabled, hoping Daphne would marry him to fulfill his needs. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Daphne, upon hearing her suitor was disabled, refused outright, throwing a fit and threatening to take her own life rather than go through with the marriage. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Chapter 52 The Thorne family was caught between a rock and a hard ce. They couldn¡¯t bear the thought of discarding a hefty money, so they came up with the n for Elysia to marry in her sister¡¯s stead. Afraid that the switch woulde to light, they even forced Elysia to sign a nondisclosure agreement. Feeling cornered, Elysia saw it as repaying the Thorne family for twenty years of upbringing. Blossom and Winona were clueless about all of this. They only knew that Elysia, a brilliant student, suddenly dropped out to get married. Two years into the marriage, her husband dropped a bombshell to use her of infidelity and shamed her. Elysia let out a sigh in the shadows, ¡°I don¡¯t me him for what happened.¡± Looking at it from Tarquin¡¯s perspective, she did cheat. ¡°You¡¯re still defending him? If it¡¯s not his fault, whose is it? He nearly killed you! If it weren¡¯t for your stubborn refusal to name him, Winona and I would¡¯ve stormed his ce and made him pay!¡± Even now, Blossom was fuming with indignation, ¡°If you really were that loose, fine, but even we wouldn¡¯t have the right to judge. But you were innocent back then! You were bullied at the airport while waiting for him, and you were the victim. He, as your husband, should¡¯ve cared, not sentenced you without a chance to exin. That¡¯s not what a real man does! Even if he felt you were tainted and wanted a divorce, he shouldn¡¯t have tarnished your reputation and gave you the stigma for all to mock. Just wait, someone like him will get what¡¯sing. After how he treated you, I don¡¯t believe for a second he¡¯s had a good life these past years!¡± Elysia fell silent. But he really hadn¡¯t had it good at all. Over the years, Tarquin had to y both father and mother, all while engaging in a constant battle of wits with the Bradford n. He was well aware of how lonely and cold life was. Meanwhile, the Bradford n was heading to the hospital in droves. Under the guise of visiting Elijah, they were looking for an opportunity to challenge Tarquin. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. They also wanted to gauge how serious Elijah¡¯s condition was and how long he might 20.07 have left. Gideon Bradford, Tarquin¡¯s grandfather, had four children. Three daughters and one son. The eldest was Allegra Bradford, then it was Verity followed by Saffron and the son, Killian. Killian was Tarquin¡¯s father, who, years ago, met his demise alongside his wife in a foreignnd, leaving Tarquin, then only a child. If not for the Bradford tradition of a single heir, Tarquin might have met an early end too. Just like his marriage, which was imed to bring him joy but in reality, they matched him. with a wife who would bring him bad luck ording to the fortune teller. Later, when the Bradford Group faced a crisis, Tarquin took the reins in a dire moment and yanked the company from the brink to the pinnacle of business circle. In just three short years, the Bradford Group¡¯s market value soared by more than a hundredfold. With industries across the globe, they had a finger in every pie. Thus, Tarquin secured the top seat at the Bradford Group. But that seat was coveted by many. The rest of the Bradford family, resenting that Tarquin was the sole survivor of his branch, wracked their brains to unseat him. Naturally, Tarquin wouldn¡¯t back down, and his rtionship with the Bradfords soured. Furthermore, the Bradfords had always opposed his parents¡® union, to the point where his mother was never formally recognized by the Bradfords. Not to mention that his mother endured much humiliation at their hands. ZEE < And there were also his parents¡® mysterious deaths¡­. All these factorsbined painted a clear picture of the animosity between Tarquin and the Bradford family. If it weren¡¯t for his dying father¡¯sst wish and unresolved issues within the Bradford family that he needed to investigate, Tarquin would have cut ties with them long ago. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Tarquin heard the tter of voices approaching and nted himself firmly outside the hospital room, a living barrier to their advance. Not an inch closer to Elijah would they Allegra, Tarquin¡¯s aunt, was clearly displeased, ¡°Tarquin, the moment we heard Elijah was under the weather and admitted, we braved the snow to see him. A ¡®thank you¡® is the least we¡¯d expect. Now you are not thanking us but barring the door. What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t even grant her a nce, ¡°Elijah isn¡¯t pining for yourpany.¡± ¡°Nonsense! I¡¯m your father¡¯s sister and your aunt, and I¡¯m rted to him too! How dare you speak to me this way? Have you no regard for me or your own father?¡± Allegra scowled. Tarquin raised his head at the mention of his father, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my dad, do you you¡¯d even be allowed to speak in my presence?¡± think ¡°You¡­ Listen to this, Dad. This is your darling grandson. Does he give a hoot about the Bradford family? He¡­¡± ¡°Enough! Zip it! This is a hospital, not some fish market. We¡¯re supposed to keep the peace here. As the madam of Bradfords, you are yelling all the time and stooping low instead of acting high and mighty. That¡¯s so inappropriate.¡± Gideon snapped back, silencing her. ¡°I¡­¡± Allegra was so taken aback by the retort that she started to cry. Verity quickly handed over a tissue to Allegra, ¡°Allegra, please, calm down. Tarquin¡¯s already on edge with Elijah being sick, and you¡¯re fanning the mes bringing up histe dad.¡± ¡°And what of it? My brother would never have dared to speak to me like that!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just¡­ drop it, okay?¡± Verity attempted to soothe the tension before turning to Tarquin. ¡°Look, Tarquin, your aunt here is genuinely worried about Elijah.¡± Tarquin scoffed inwardly and lit a cigarette. Verity continued, ¡°Don¡¯t fret. Elijah¡¯s thest of the Bradfords. He¡¯s got his guardian angels and the old family luck. He¡¯ll pull through.¡± ¡°How¡¯s he doing, really?¡± Gideon inquired. Tarquin flicked ash from his cigarette, ¡°Same as always.¡± ¡°All these specialists and no improvement?¡± Annoyed, Tarquin didn¡¯t respond. Then Verity remarked, ¡°It¡¯s a mdy of the heart, and 1/2 20.07 that requires a therapy that regr doctors can¡¯t apply. If regr doctors can¡¯t do the job, then what about the extraordinary ones? We cant just let this drag on indefinitely. Allegra grumbled. ¡°We can¡¯t keep going like this. Elijah is the sole male heir of our generation. He¡¯s supposed to inherit the full weight of the Bradford legacy. But in this state, how can he take over the Bradford Group? Can we really hand over the reins to someone so frail? And besides, if he can¡¯t even¡­ She was cut off by a sharp look from Gideon. Allegra¡¯s lips moved, but no more words dared escape. Tarquin red at her and extinguished his cigarette with force. Tired of the theatrics, he decided to get straight to the point, ¡°What do you all want? Spit it out. Don¡¯t waste my time or yours. He knew they weren¡¯t here out of concern for Elijah. After a brief silence, Gideon said, ¡°We¡¯ve heard there¡¯s been a few business deals snatched right from under the Bradford name, which cost us a fortune. What¡¯s the deal?¡± ¡°Cuts and thrusts of business,¡± Tarquin replied coolly. Gideon narrowed his eyes, ¡°You¡¯ve been on top of the game for years. How did someone manage to outy you all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I¡¯m human, not infallible. Losses are part of the game.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s behind it? Someone from Jindale City?¡± Gideon was suspicious. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Tarquin saw through his scheme, so he met his gaze with an inscrutable look, ¡°Granddad, you are getting on in years. You needn¡¯t worry about business affairs. I¡¯ve got it under control.¡± Gideon¡¯s brow furrowed in concern, while Allegra¡¯s temper red anew. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Chapter 54 arquin, you may run Bradford Group now, but don¡¯t you forget that it was your andfather who built thispany from the ground up. He has every right to meddle in the business affairs! Allegra snapped. Seems like you¡¯ve forgotten that Bradford Group was practically a goner before I stepped In and brought it back to life.¡± Tarquin bit back. ¡°Well¡­ no matter what you say, your grandfather is the founder of Bradford Group.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s your point?¡± ¡°My point? The founder always has more say, naturally. If your grandfather were no longer with us, sure, you¡¯d inherit the reins of Bradford Group. But he¡¯s still here, so¡­¡± ¡°So you want me to step down? Hand over Bradford Group on a silver tter? Kick me out and carve up thepany among yourselves?¡± Allegra choked on her words. Tarquin furrowed his brow, his face a mask of cold fury, ¡°You¡¯re getting ahead of yourself.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡­¡± Allegra tried to retort, but meeting his icy gaze, she shrank back in silence. Ferociousness passed through Gideon¡¯s eyes before he spoke in a softened tone, ¡°Don¡¯t mind your aunt¡¯s bbering. I¡¯m indeed getting on in years; I can¡¯t be bothered with the stress and I don¡¯t want to. You¡¯re the sole grandson of the Bradford family, it¡¯s only right that you manage thepany. But with thepany suddenly losing so much money, you owe us all an exnation. The exnation is not just for the Bradford family, but also for our shareholders. You need to make it clear.¡± Tarquin replied indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ve already exined.¡± ¡°And what was your exnation?¡± ¡°Businesspetition.¡± He added. Everyone fell silent. After leaving the hospital, Allegra started toin, ¡°Dad, I told you not to hand over Bradford Group to him, but you wouldn¡¯t listen. Look at the state of things now. He¡¯s treating Bradford Group like his personal piggy bank, keeping us out of it entirely, even disregarding you!¡± Yet Verity countered, ¡°Allegra, don¡¯t speak ill of dad. There was a reason why he gave Bradford Group to Tarquin and you know it. If it weren¡¯t for him, we¡¯d have handed it to the other family sure.¡± ¡°What difference does it make? It¡¯s practically the same as if we had handed it out already! 20 07 The biggest mistake was bringing him back from abroad! His mother was no good and her son was the same. He might be the only male descendant of the Bradford family, but my son Lionel is our family member too. Lionel has Bradford blood in him just the samel He has a right to inherit!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Gideon roared, silencing the room. Allegra shuddered and fell silent while Verity quickly interjected, ¡°Dad, please, calm down. Allegra didn¡¯t mean it. We know how much you value the family lineage. Our kids and our brother¡¯s kid are not the same.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Allegra couldn¡¯t help but murmur again, ¡°If we¡¯re talking lineage, Elijah is the only heir in his generation. But with the way he is, can he really take over Bradford Group? Is he even going to live to eighteen if the worst thing happens? If he passes away, what then? The Bradford family has always had a single heir in each generation. Tarquin is unlikely to have any more sons. If you don¡¯t change your mindset, Dad, the Bradford legacy will be ruined! Lineage is important, but we must also consider the reality¡­¡± Gideon cut her off with a dark look, ¡°Instead of whining here, why don¡¯t you figure out how to raise your own son properly!? He hasn¡¯t even graduated college and he¡¯s already knocked up some girl. Think about how to handle that!¡± ¡°But¡­ but that¡¯s not Lionel¡¯s fault. That temptress seduced him. She saw Lionel as a rich kid and wanted to climb the socialdder just like Tarquin¡¯s shameless mother!¡± ¡°She managed to trap Lionel, didn¡¯t she? If that¡¯s not stupidity, what is? And you have the nerve to speak up!¡± Gideon bit back. Allegra was rendered speechless by the rebuke. Gideon, fuming with anger, stormed off to his car and drove away. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Verity consoled her eldest sister, ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up over this. I¡¯m on Lionel¡¯s side here. We know how girls gang up on him. Lionel¡¯s in the prime of his youth, and how could he resist temptation?¡± Allegra nodded, ¡°Exactly. But you heard how Dad made it sound like it was all Lionel¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just dad blowing off steam. Don¡¯t take it to heart. Right now, we need to figure out how to deal with that gold digger.¡± ¡°Yeah. That gold digger thinks she can waltz into the Bradford family¡¯s grand estate? In her dreams! I¡¯ll make sure she regrets it.¡± Allegra stormed off, her indignation fueling her stride as she hopped into her car and drove away. Verity¡¯s eyes narrowed with calction as she watched her sister¡¯s departure. Once inside. her car, she asked her driver, ¡°Did you get the scoop?¡± The driver replied eagerly, ¡°All clear, ma¡¯am. Elijah¡¯s sickness is indeed serious; he almost jumped out of a window.¡± ¡°Jumped out of a window?¡± ¡°Yes, the doctors say that if you leave children with psychological issues untreated, they often end up taking their own lives.¡± A flicker of excitement passed through Verity¡¯s eyes. The driver continued, ¡°Ma¡¯am, it seems Elijah might not have many days left. And with the Bradford family¡¯s tradition of male heirs, even if Tarquin remarries, he may not have another son. Not to mention that he won¡¯t remarry. Once Elijah passes away, the Bradford Group¡¯s heir will have to be chosen from among the left ones. But Lionel, from Allegra¡¯s ce, is nothing but a smug yboy. Saffron¡¯s boy is under ten and has been living abroad. In that case, our little master bes the most promising candidate. Perhaps we should bring him back home?¡± Verity was cunning indeed and had been coveting the Bradford Group¡¯s first chair for a long time. On the surface, Verity appeared to be uninterested inpeting for power with just a daughter living with her, always pleasant to everyone. But in reality, she was the most crafty of all. She had been nurturing her son so carefully away from the public eye, unbeknownst to even Gideon and Tarquin, preparing for a surprise power grab. She had long coveted the CEO position at the Bradford Group, never once abandoning her ambition. ¡°Now is not yet the time,¡± Verity mused. ¡°We wait. We make our move when Elijah¡¯s condition is critical. Did they say how long he has?¡± ¡°It¡¯s uncertain. He¡¯s got psychological issues, so even the doctors can¡¯t say for sure. But 20.07 they believe it will only worsen. This suicide attempt is just the beginning: there could be more to come.¡± Verity eneered, ¡°I refuse to believe Tarquin can always swoop in to save him in time! Once he¡¯s gone, our chance wille!¡± ¡°Indeed, our time of fortune is near.¡± ¡°Keep an eye on my son and make sure he¡¯s hitting the books hard, especially in economics and management. He¡¯s destined for great things!¡± She added. ¡°Understood!¡± Meanwhile, Gideon wasn¡¯t just wandering around either. As soon as he got into his car, he ordered his confidant, ¡°Find the person who¡¯s stealing Tarquin¡¯s business. Anyone who can snatch billions from his grip and breach his security system is no ordinary foe. If we can get to him, we might just be able to tie Tarquin¡¯s hands!¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Like a king of ancient times, Gideon wouldn¡¯t abdicate until his dying breath. Had the Bradford Group not been on the brink of bankruptcy, he would have never handed it over to Tarquin. His pursuit of power was nearly obsessive. But Tarquin had been too formidable and kept him undepressed for all these years. It was only upon hearing that someone had cracked Tarquin¡¯s security system and stolen billions that Gideon saw a glimmer of hope for aeback. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Chapter 56 He knew it deep down that this person was his salvation. He had to find this enigmatic savior and bring them on board to take down Tarquin. His confidant said, ¡°Our guys have been on it, but so far, nothing¡¯se up. It seems even Tarquin hasn¡¯t sniffed out any leads. Whoever it is, they¡¯re a pro.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Gideon¡¯s face was a mask of frustration as he exhaled sharply, ¡°Of course they¡¯re a pro. You think someone would dare to square off with Tarquin if they weren¡¯t?¡± Gideon narrowed his eyes in thought. ¡°Get on the dark web and reach out to ¡®Baby ET¡¯S Support One¡°. Whatever price they name, we meet it¨Cas long as they can dig up who this person is. His confidant looked worried, ¡°But ¡®Baby ET¡¯s Support One¡® isn¡¯t easy to pin down. He¡¯s not always online and is so elusive. Plus, he doesn¡¯t take jobs based on money¨Che goes by what tickles his fancy.¡± ¡°Baby ET¡¯s Support One¡® was the current superstar of the hacking world. Two years ago, he burst onto the scene, breaching a foreign military¡¯s secure database in under a minute and made a name overnight. Back then, a horde of hackers tried to uncover his identity, but not a single clue surfaced. Instead, they ended up having their own secrets exposed by the very person they were after. Since then, no one has dared to challenge ¡®Baby ET¡¯s Support One¡®, and he has been sitting pretty at the top of the hacker hierarchy. The very definition of an instant legend. Many have tried to enlist his services, but with his clusive nature and fickle job selection, striking a deal with him meant you had hit the jackpot. Gideon continued, ¡°His user name is called ¡®Baby ET¡¯s Support One¡®, which means he cares about ¡®Baby ET. Maybe we could use this ¡®Baby ET¡® to get to this man?¡± The confidant replied, ¡°The problem is, we also don¡¯t have a clue who this ¡®Baby ET¡® is either. The whole hackermunity is buzzing with theories. Some say ¡®Baby ET¡® is his girlfriend, but there¡¯s no proof,¡± Gideon furrowed his brow, ¡°There¡¯s got to be a time when hees out for a job. If he is willing to take our offer, let him set the terms! If he gets involved, he¡¯ll definitely be able to unearth the identity we need. So, think of something, and think fast!¡± ¡°Understood! And, we¡¯vee across a woman named Elysia who¡¯s been mingling with the young master quite a bit. She¡¯s also sort of a child psychologist. The young master might consider having her treat Elijah since she managed to stabilize the condition of the Denton family¡¯s little boy.¡± 20.07 At the mention of Elysia, Gideon¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°Did you dig up her details? We did. Here they are. She¡¯s quite an ordinary woman. A mother of three boys, widowed. She¡¯s been raising her sons by herself in a small mountain town and only recently arrived In Jindale City.¡± Gideon scanned the information briefly, ¡°Set up a meeting with her.¡± Will do. Meanwhile, in the hospital, Lowell spoke to Tarquin, ¡°Gideon and the rest have left. They¡¯ve been quietly busy searching for the person who cracked our security system. Looks like they¡¯re looking for a partner.¡± Tarquin scoffed, his eyes brimming with disdain. He had the blood of the Bradford family coursing through his veins, but he and the Bradfords shared a deep¨Cseated enmity. If not for a few things yet to be resolved, he would havepletely turned his back on the Bradfords long ago! ¡°Tarquin.¡± Benjamin Lawson approached with a man envelope in hand. One nce and Tarquin knew what it was, ¡°The results are in?¡± Yeah.¡± ¡°And? How¡¯d it turn out?¡± ¡°See for yourself.¡± Benjamin handed over the envelope, letting Tarquin discover the contents. With the envelope in hand, Tarquin¡¯s expression was tinged with gravity. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he opened it and pulled out the DNA test results¡­ 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Chapter 57 There was no blood rtion shown in this report. Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed as he examined the DNA test results. He felt an odd mix of emotions though he had somewhat anticipated this oue. If Elysia were truly Elijah¡¯s biological mother, there was no reason for her to hide the truth. After all, acknowledging their rtionship would be in her best financial interest, no matter how one looked at it. Still, Tarquin asked further, ¡°Did you do this yourself?¡± ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t even let my assistant touch it.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Tarquin¡¯s frown deepened but he said nothing more. He stuffed the report into a envelope, handed it to Lowell, and turned to head back to Elijah¡¯s hospital room. Benjamin was a tad confused, ¡°Whose DNA results are those?¡± Lowell replied, ¡°I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s between Ms. Thorne and Elijah.¡± Benjamin¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°Tarquin suspects Ms. Thorne is Elijah¡¯s mom? Why on earth would he think that? Elijah doesn¡¯t even resemble her.¡± ¡°It might be because of that night at the bar when Ms. Thorne kissed him. It probably triggered some memories.¡± Benjamin was even more stunned, ¡°Ms. Thorne kissed him?!¡± Lowell nodded significantly, ¡°And he didn¡¯t push her away.¡± ¡°Holy smokes! Is Tarquin gonna leave his life as a bachelor?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯d say there¡¯s a chance. Better start treating Ms. Thorne nicely; she might just be the one to save Tarquin and be thedy of the house.¡± Lowell answered. As soon as Lowell finished speaking, his phone rang. It was a call from one of the bodyguards, ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve spotted Ms. Thorne. She¡¯s with Gideon.¡± Lowell was taken aback, ¡°With who?¡± ¡°Gideon.¡± Lowell was helpless. He had just finished suggesting that she could be part of the family, and now she was spotted cozying up with their enemy. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s her? No mistake?¡± he asked. ¡°Positive. Sent you the photos. Check them out.¡± After hanging up, Lowell hurriedly opened the photos. Sure enough, it was Elysia with Gideon. It looked like they were deep in conversation over coffee. 20.08 Benjamin was astonished, ¡°Ms. Thome knows Gideon?¡± Lowell frowned, ¡°I need to talk to Tarquin about this.¡± He took his phone to the hospital room where Elijah was still resting. Lowell handed the phone to Tarquin and whispered, ¡°Ms. Thorne is having coffee with Gideon.¡± Tarquin¡¯s gaze darkened as he looked at the photo, a menacing aura emanating from him. Meanwhile, Elysia was blissfully unaware that she had been caught in a misunderstanding and was currently the subject of Tarquin¡¯s suspicion. She was looking at the silver¨Chaired man before her, utterly baffled. She had been chatting with Blossom when an unexpected call came through, iming there was important business to discuss with her. Upon arriving, she was greeted by Gideon. But she didn¡¯t recognize him, ¡°May I ask who you are?¡± Gideon surveyed her and countered, ¡°Are you a child psychologist?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve read some books on the subject, but I¡¯m not certified. I¡¯m not a professional.¡± ¡°Tarquin wants you to treat Elijah?¡± The sudden mention of Elijah brought a certain someone to Elysia¡¯s mind. She eyed Gideon with suspicion, ¡°No, today¡¯s hospital visit was just a coincidence. I wasn¡¯t much help, really.¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve already treated Elijah?¡± ¡°Not exactly. Who are you, and why are you looking for me?¡± Instead of answering, Gideon maintained a calm demeanor, ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re quite short on cash. I¡¯m willing to make a deal with you. Whatever Tarquin is paying you, I¡¯ll double it.¡± Elysia was lost, ¡°What kind of deal? What money? He hasn¡¯t paid me anything.¡± In fact, she was the one in debt to him¨Ca whopping fifty million! Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Chapter 58 ¡°He¡¯s not giving you now but he¡¯ll give itter. And you will know the deals when he gets you to talk about the terms and let you see Elijah.¡± Gideon said. Elysia was left utterly baffled. And then her confusion only deepened. For Gideon had suddenly produced a wad of cash and ced it before her. ¡°Consider this a little token for our first meeting.¡± He said. Elysia gaped, ¡°What on earth are you getting at? I have no idea what you¡¯re up to.¡± Gideon continued as though he hadn¡¯t heard her, ¡°Let¡¯s keep our little encounter between us for now. I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± With that, he stood up and left. Elysia hurried after him, only to be stopped by his bodyguard. Frantic, she pleaded, ¡°I don¡¯t know him, and I don¡¯t understand anything he said. I can¡¯t take this money! Please, let me return it to him.¡± But the bodyguard remained unmoved, blocking the doorway. Only when Gideon¡¯s car had pulled away did the bodyguard step aside, then climbed into another car and followed suit. Elysia was flummoxed. For now, all she could do was return to the caf¨¦ to count the cash. A whole hundred grand! Her heart was about to thump out of her chest. This wasn¡¯t right; why was she given so much money for nothing? ¡°Elysia.¡± Blossom ram in. Concerned about the stranger who¡¯de to see Elysia, she¡¯d followed along and had been waiting outside. Upon seeing that the visitor had left, she came in. ¡°What did that old man want with you?¡± she asked. Elysia shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Huh? He didn¡¯t say anything?¡± Elysia pushed the money toward Blossom, ¡°Look, this is what he gave me.¡± Blossom¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°All this cash¡­ Why did he give it to you? You¡¯re not some long¨Clost granddaughter of his, are you?¡± Everyone knew Elysia was a foster daughter in the Thorne family. Elysia immediately shook her head, ¡°I told you, since I¡¯ve been back, I met a man who 20.08 looks so much like Eliot and Ivan. For a moment, I thought he might be Eliot¡¯s real dad, but I wasn¡¯t sure. A lot has happened since. The old man today, he came because of him. Hom? Coult he be that guy¡¯s grandfather who was thinking you¡¯vee back to hold the man ountable and trying to pay you off?¡± Not really: he didn¡¯t reveal his identity. He said that guy would pay me, so he¡¯d give me doubleContent bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. What does that mean?¡± ¡°I have no clue. He talked about a deal but didn¡¯t specify what kind. And think about it, Evan scratched that guy¡¯s car. I owe him fifty million. He¡¯s more likely to demand money from me, not give me any, right? Even if it¡¯s to treat his son, it would be deducted from my debt, not paid out, right?¡± Blossom was just as puzzled, ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s the deal?!¡± Looking at the hundred grand, Elysia spected, ¡°There must be some secret between these two men.¡± ¡°So what will you do now? What about the money?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take ill¨Cgotten gains, so I surely can¡¯t keep it. I have to return it because I don¡¯t want to be backfiredter on. I get the feeling the whole family are all pretty crafty. If they all y their tricks in sleeves, they¡¯ve probably turned the whole ce upside¨Cdown. Best I stay well clear of them.¡± She never intended to get close to that man, worried he might be Elliot and Evan¡¯s real father and come to im his children. And with a family as cunning as that¡­ Elysia hasn¡¯t met all of them. And if she has, she¡¯d know that they¡¯d even turn the whole world upside¨C down. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Chapter 59 But he already left what now?¡± End that man, he¡¯s got to know the old man, Elysia said with determination. But how are you going to exin? That old man clearly meant that man knew nothing about his appointment with you today.¡± 1 can¡¯t just take this money without a good reason. Whatever is going on between them, they can sort it out. I don¡¯t want to be dragged into their mess.¡± Blossom nodded earnestly, ¡°Makes sense. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯lle with you.¡± ¡°No, you stay. I need to stop by the hospital to return the money, and then I have to hit the county clerk¡¯s office for a divorce. I¡¯ll catch up with you once I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Alright, then. Just give me the kids address. I¡¯ll go check on the little rascals.¡± Mentioning the kids brought a smile to Elysia¡¯s face. She passed the address to Blossom. They left the coffee shop together, heading toward the hospital On the way, Blossom, bubbling with excitement, asked her, ¡°Quick, tell me what each of the little rascals likes. I¡¯ve got to make a killer first impression, so they¡¯ll be thrilled to have me as their godmother.¡± The children hadn¡¯t even spoken yet, and here she was, appointing herself godmother. Bysia chuckled and said, ¡°They all love a pretty face, you won¡¯t need to bring anything to win them over.¡± That won¡¯t do! Godmothering is a serious business. I¡¯ve got to show my sincerity, make a heartfelt gesture.¡± Elysiaughed and filled her in, Elliot¡¯s into books, Evan loves his toys, and Emmett likes all things trendy, like colognes or creative clothing.¡± Blossom was surprised. ¡®Emmett¡¯s into cologne already?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t underestimate Emmett. You¡¯re in for a surprise when you meet him.¡± Blossom¡¯s eyes twinkled with anticipation. They arrived at the hospital entrance, and Elysia got out of the car. ¡°If anythinges up, give me a ring. I¡¯m on call for you,¡± Blossom said. ¡°Got it. Now off you go, and drive safe.¡± ¡°Will do, bye!¡± 2008 1 Chapter 59 ¡°But he already left; what now?¡± ¡°111 find that man; he¡¯s got to know the old man,¡± Elysia said with determination. ¡°But how are you going to exin? That old man clearly meant that man knew nothing about his appointment with you today.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just take this money without a good reason. Whatever is going on between them, they can sort it out. I don¡¯t want to be dragged into their mess.¡± Blossom nodded earnestly, ¡°Makes sense. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯lle with you.¡± ¡°No, you stay. I need to stop by the hospital to return the money, and then I have to hit the county clerk¡¯s office for a divorce. I¡¯ll catch up with you once I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Alright, then. Just give me the kids¡® address. I¡¯ll go check on the little rascals.¡± Mentioning the kids brought a smile to Elysia¡¯s face. She passed the address to Blossom. They left the coffee shop together, heading toward the hospital. On the way, Blossom, bubbling with excitement, asked her, ¡°Quick, tell me what each of the little rascals likes. I¡¯ve got to make a killer first impression, so they¡¯ll be thrilled to have me as their godmother.¡± The children hadn¡¯t even spoken yet, and here she was, appointing herself godmother. Elysia chuckled and said, ¡°They all love a pretty face; you won¡¯t need to bring anything to win them over.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do! Godmothering is a serious business. I¡¯ve got to show my sincerity, make a heartfelt gesture.¡± Elysiaughed and filled her in, ¡°Elliot¡¯s into books, Evan loves his toys, and Emmett likes all things trendy, like colognes or creative clothing.¡± Blossom was surprised. ¡°Emmett¡¯s into cologne already?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t underestimate Emmett. You¡¯re in for a surprise when you meet him. Blossom¡¯s eyes twinkled with anticipation. They arrived at the hospital entrance, and Elysia got out of the car. ¡°If anythinges up, give me a ring. I¡¯m on call for you,¡± Blossom said. ¡°Got it. Now off you go, and drive safe.¡± ¡°Will do, bye!¡± 20.08 Watching Blossom drive away, Elysia felt a warm glow inside, Even after all these years, their friendship hadn¡¯t changed a bit. Blossom was still the same lovable goofball, both endearing and heartwarming. Having someone to share your troubles with is so important. For years, Elysia had kept things bottled up inside. After all, the kids were too young to be burdened with her worries, and she didn¡¯t want to share her unhappiness with them. Her heart¨Cto¨Cheart with Blossom had left her feeling utterly rxed as if she had shaken off all the weight from her shoulders. The only regret was that her marriage to Tarquin was a secret; Blossom didn¡¯t know her husband was Tarquin. Otherwise, she could have been even more open. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Once Blossom¡¯s car was out of sight, Elysia, with her backpack slung over her shoulder, walked into the hospital. Elijah was still resting, and Tarquin gave her a cold nce. Elysia¡¯s heart skipped a beat; his look was colder than when they¡¯d first met. She was puzzled, wondering what she¡¯d done to upset him now. And why was he so fickle? At first, he disliked her, which she got ¨C Evan had wrecked his luxury car. Then, out of the blue, he turned all sweet on her yesterday. But after just one day of tenderness, he was back to being cold as ice, even more so than before. Why was that? Elysia was clueless about the paternity test and the drama between Tarquin and the Bradfords. She just thought this man was iprehensible, flipping moods faster than flipping pages in a book. Not dwelling on his erratic emotions, she cleared her throat to speak. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Has Lijah not woken up yet?¡± Elysia asked, but Tarquin remained silent, hisck of response serving as affirmation. Ely pressed on, ¡°Did Dr. Benjamin examine him?¡± Tarquin, clearly irritated, snapped back, ¡°What the heck do you want?!¡± Elysin purned her lips and got atraight to the point, ¡°You got a grandpa? Or some old family member? Someone who doesn¡¯t quite look like you but has a resemnce around the eyes. A tall, lean guy, looks to be in histe seventies or eightles?¡± Tarquin knew she was talking about Gideon. His brow furrowed as he stared at her. Elysia continued, ¡°He came to see me today, but I didn¡¯t recognize him, so I thought I¡¯d ask you.¡± A flicker of something passed through Tarquin¡¯s eyes as he asked, ¡°Whye to me about it?¡± ¡°Because he mentioned you and Elijah, and you guys kind of look like you could be rted.¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t expect her to bring up her meeting with Gideon so directly. He gave her a long, meaningful look before asking, ¡°You don¡¯t know him?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never met the guy.¡± Tarquin just stared at her, clearly skeptical Elysia rolled her eyes. ¡°Look, if I knew him, why would I hide it from you?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my grandpa.¡± ¡°Oh? Got any proof?¡± Tarquin looked at her, puzzled. Elysia hurried to exin, ¡°He gave me some cash, and I¡¯d like you to return it to him on my behalf. So, I need some kind of proof that you¡¯re actually rted.¡± Gideon had given her money? Tarquin looked at Elysia for a few seconds, then averted his gaze. ¡°No proof.¡± ¡°Just show me a family photo of you two.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°What? No family photos? Not even one?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± 20.08 Terquin shot Elysis a cold re as if to say, take it or leave it Elysia pouted, dissatisfied. She was worried that if Gideon wasn¡¯t really his grandad Tarquin might take the money and never return it. But she couldn¡¯t keep the cash ether Just then, Benjamin walked in, and Elysia had an idea. ¡°Dr. Benjamin, perfect timing! Can you help me make a vides? She set up her phone and handed it to Benjamin to record. She pulled out the ten grand and handed it to Tarquin. This is whet your granddad gave me today. I¡¯m giving it back to you now, this video is my proof. I¡¯m not taking a dime from your family, so don¡¯te after me After stuffing the cash into Tarquini¡¯s hand, she ran to check the video, saved it securely and pocketed her phone. ¡°Dr. Benjamin, I know you¡¯re a good guy. Please be my witness that I¡¯ve returned this money.¡± Benjamin was still trying to wrap his head around Elysia¡¯s swift maneuver when Tarquin asked coldly, ¡°Why did he give you money?¡± Elysia couldn¡¯t quite exin. ¡°It was weird. He said something about making a deal, that whatever you pay me, he¡¯d double it¡­ I don¡¯t really get it. You should go ask him yourself. Then she nced at Elijah, lying on the hospital bed, and walked over. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Tarquin barked as he saw her reach out Elysia, startled by his fierce tone, stammered, ¡®I¡­ I was just going to check his pulse.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Tarquin glowered at her, his face twisted with suspicion. Elysia cursed under her breath, Why so hostile? If I didn¡¯t care about the kid, I wouldn¡¯t bother trying to help!¡± Thinking to herself, ¡®No good deed goes unpunished, she still went ahead and carefully took Elijah¡¯s pulse. Tarquin shot Elysia a cold re as if to say, take it or leave It! Elysia pouted, dissatisfied. She was worried that if Gideon wasn¡¯t really his granddad, Tarquin might take the money and never return it. But she couldn¡¯t keep the cash either¡­. Just then, Benjamin walked in, and Elysia had an idea. ¡°Dr. Benisinin, perfect timing! Can you help me make a video?¡± She set up her phone and handed it to Benjamin to record. She pulled out the ten grand and handed it to Tarquin. ¡°This is what your granddad gave me today. I¡¯m giving it back to you now; this video is my proof. I¡¯m not taking a dime from your family, so don¡¯te after me.¡± After stuffing the cash into Tarquin¡¯s hand, she ran to check the video, saved it securely, and pocketed her phone. ¡°Dr. Benjamin, I know you¡¯re a good guy. Please be my witness that I¡¯ve returned this money,¡± Benjamin was still trying to wrap his head around Elysia¡¯s swift maneuver when Tarquin asked coldly, ¡°Why did he give you money?¡± Elysia couldn¡¯t quite exin. ¡°It was weird. He said something about making a deal, that whatever you pay me, he¡¯d double it¡­ I don¡¯t really get it. You should go ask him yourself.¡± Then she nced at Elijah, lying on the hospital bed, and walked over. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Tarquin barked as he saw her reach out. Elysia, startled by his fierce tone, stammered, ¡°I¡­ I was just going to check his pulse.¡± Tarquin glowered at her, his face twisted with suspicion. Elysia cursed under her breath, ¡®Why so hostile? If I didn¡¯t care about the kid, I wouldn¡¯t bother trying to help!¡± Thinking to herself, ¡®No good deed goes unpunished, she still went ahead and carefully took Elijah¡¯s pulse. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Chapter 61 The pulse reading suggested no major issues. Things are looking up at the moment. Just make sure not to ruffle his feathers when he wakes, and from now on, he shouldn¡¯t be left alone. This suicide attempt is just the beginning; there will likely be more toe! Tarquin furrowed his brow, troubled. Something clicked for Elysia, and she dug into her bag, pulling out a small bottle of pills. ¡°If he has another episode and the sedatives don¡¯t do the trick, give him one of these. It should stabilize him temporarily,¡± Benjamin gratefully took the bottle, inspecting its contents¨Cpills concocted from traditional herbal medicine. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Elysia hesitated to admit she¡¯d made them herself, so she improvised an exnation. ¡°I got them from an old herbalist. They work wonders, I¡¯ve tried them myself. If you¡¯re skeptical, feel free to consult another herbalist.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Benjamin said quickly. ¡°No worries. I won¡¯t be changing my number after I leave. If the kid runs into trouble, give me a ring. I¡¯ll help if I can.¡± Elijah¡¯s eyes reminded her of Elliot¡¯s¨Cit was a connection she couldn¡¯t ignore. Plus, she owed them a debt of fifty million. She might not admit it with a happy heart, but a debt was a debt. She couldn¡¯t pay it back with money just yet, but helping their son would ease Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. her conscience. Benjamin looked surprised. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Tarquin¡¯s frown deepened, throwing her a nce. ¡°Yeah, I came to Jindale City on business. I should be done by this afternoon, and then I¡¯ll be off.¡± She was pretty sure she¡¯d be able to get that sham of a marriage annulled by then. ¡°Where will you go?¡± asked Benjamin. Elysia nced at Tarquin subconsciously, not wanting to disclose her location in front of him. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet. I¡¯ll take the kids for a bit of a road trip before settling down.¡± Benjamin pressed, ¡°You don¡¯t have a permanent ce to stay?¡± ¡°Nope, we¡¯ve been country living for a while, but I¡¯m nning on city schooling for the kids. Just haven¡¯t picked the right city yet¡­ Before Benjamin could respond, Tarquin suddenly cut in, ¡°You¡¯re really leaving?¡± Yeah, ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that look for?¡± ¡°People should keep their word. If you say you¡¯re leaving, leave. Don¡¯t just pay lip service.¡± Elysia frowned. ¡°Who¡¯s just paying lip service? I¡¯m seriously out of here! What would I gain from lying to you? Why would I even want to lie to you?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t make me lose respect for you. If I see you around here again, I¡¯llugh you out of town.¡± ¡°Are you nuts? Rest assured, if I ever show up again, I¡¯ll eat my hat!¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± ¡°You!¡± Benjamin quickly stepped in to defuse the situation. ¡°Ms. Thorne, don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s just in a bad mood today.¡± ¡°So he gets to snap at people because he¡¯s in a foul mood? Who let him get away with that terrible attitude?¡± Tarquin shot her a chilling look, and Elysia mmed up. She turned to Benjamin. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and I¡¯m on a tight schedule. I should ge F OF I Take care, Dr. Benjamin.¡± Huffing, Elysia stormed out of the hospital room. going. Yet, as she walked away, she couldn¡¯t resist onest nce at Elijah through the window. The thought of leaving stirred an unexpected ache inside her¨Cshe felt oddly reluctant to say goodbye to the boy. But, then Tarquin¡¯s voice cut through from the room, ¡°If you¡¯re going, then go. No one¡¯s stopping you.¡± Elysia thought, ¡°As if I care about your approval. I don¡¯t want you to stop me, you jerk! Let this be the last time we ever cross paths!¡± Benjamin stepped out but couldn¡¯t spot Elysia, so he returned to the hospital room. ¡°What¡¯s the deal, Tarquin? Don¡¯t you want her help with Elijah?¡± Tarquin remained silent, his face dark. ¡°She¡¯s leaving, and you don¡¯t even try to keep her around, just antagonize her. s! honestly think she¡¯s a good match for Elijah. It¡¯s going to be hard to find anotherdy with her qualities.¡± A master of psychology, kind, caring, patient, and even a bit of a healer with her herbal know¨Chow¡­ A rarebination, indeed. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Tarquin¡¯s voice was ice as he said, ¡°She¡¯s not going anywhere.¡± He sounded so sure. ¡°Huh? Why not? She said she was leaving.¡± Tarquin¡¯s eyes were full of mockery. ¡°Leave without getting anything in return? That¡¯d be a bad deal for her.¡± Benjamin was puzzled. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°She wouldn¡¯t keeping after me for no reason. She¡¯s after something.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t think Ms. Thorne is that kind of person.¡± ¡°Appearances can be deceiving, everyone¡¯s an actor.¡± Benjamin hesitated. ¡°Tarquin, why do I get the feeling you¡¯re particrly resentful towards Ms. Thorne today?¡± The results of the paternity test only deepened his dislike for Elysia. He thought back to that moment in the bar when she had kissed him and wished he could erase it from memory His prejudice took root from there. And her meeting with Gideon only added to his suspicions. If she couldn¡¯t be of use to Elijah, he would have already cut her out of the picture. Meanwhile, after leaving the hospital, Elysia immediately called the Royal Community to inquire about her divorce from Tarquin. They asked her to hold on for a moment while they tried to contact Tarquin. Elysia politely said, ¡°Thank you for your efforts,¡± and hung up. She hailed a cab and headed towards the town hall to get in line for the divorce process. On the way, she called her friend Blossom, who had just finished shopping and was buzzing with excitement. ¡°I¡¯m going to see the kids now. Oh, I can hardly wait!¡± Elysia chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve told the kids, and they¡¯re looking forward to your visit too. They¡¯ll be waiting for you at home! ¡°I can¡¯t wait either. Have you sorted everything out? Returned the money?¡± ¡°Yeah, just left the hospital. I¡¯ve given that jerk the money.¡± 3000 ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He just said it was his grandfather¡¯s doing, then put on a cold face and was puffing with anger the whole time, never showing me a good side¡± ¡°That dog of a man. If I were you, I¡¯d find a way to confirm whether he¡¯s really that bastard or not. If he is, we should take him downl Your husband¡¯s no good, and neither is hel if you let him off the hook, you¡¯re letting him off too easy¡± In Blossom¡¯s eyes, Elliot and Evan¡¯s father was nothing but a criminal! Elysia felt a pang of reluctance; after all, he was partly responsible for her tragic life. If it hadn¡¯t been for him, maybe she and Tarquin would have had a happy life together, But she was scared. Scared that in trying to uncover the truth, she¡¯d expose herself and set off a custody battle that could end everything. He was thriving while she was barely scraping by. It was like a battle between themon folk and the one percent¨Chow could the underdog possibly win? Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Better to let it go. Rather than getting even, the real solution was to finalize the divorce with Tarquin and settle down with her little ones. The kids had toe first, she couldn¡¯t let them live a life of constant upheaval. ¡°Let¡¯s deal with himter. I¡¯m off to the town hall to get this divorce.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure about this?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure. But I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take. I¡¯m going to queue up now. You guys. wait for me at home, and I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Okay, looking forward to your victorious return! Tonight, I¡¯m treating you and the little ones to a feast to celebrate inheriting three great boys and to wee you to the single life.¡± Elysia smiled. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll toast to that tonight.¡± ¡°To not stopping until we drop!¡± ¡°Deal!¡± With the divorce settled, she could get the kids registered and then move to a new ce, find a job, find schools¡­ Life would finally get on track. Elysia dreamed of a brighter future, a joy she couldn¡¯t hide lighting up her face. But reality, as cruel as it is, was ready with a harsh blow from Tarquin. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. She never would have guessed that a member of the prestigious Bradford family could be so utterly duplicitous. He had agreed on a divorce, and yet, here he was, not going through with it. After queuing for over two hours at the city hall, Elysia was fuming to learn that Tarquin had once again changed his mind about the divorce. She was so angry she could have strangled him right then and there! To back out, to break one¡¯s word, he was worse than an animal¡­ Despite everything, Elysia had held a certain respect for Tarquin, but today, she couldn¡¯t help but curse him up and down in her mind. It took ages for her to calm down, her breaths heavy with rage as she stormed out of the city hall. If it weren¡¯t for Blossom and the triplets waiting for her at home, she would have marched straight to the Bradford Group¡¯s headquarters or the Bradford family estate to confront them! What kind of game was this, agreeing to a divorce and then refusing to follow through? It was outright bullying! Taking a cab back home, Elysia felt another pang of distress when paying the fare. Thesest few days, she¡¯d spent over a hundred just on taxi rides, and all for nothing¨Cthe divorce was still up in the air. However, her sorrowful mood was quickly dispelled by theughter echoing from inside her house. Blossom was ying with the kids, ¡°Now tell me, isn¡¯t your godmother just gorgeous?¡± The triplets chimed in unison, ¡°Gorgeous!¡± ¡°And am I not the cutest thing you¡¯ve ever seen?¡± ¡°Super cute!¡± ¡°Do I not remind you of a fairy?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fairy!¡± The peals of Blossom¡¯sughter threatened to lift the roof off the house. Even Elysia couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile, pushing the door open to join them. The triplets spotted her and scrambled up from the floor, charging at her like little tiger cubs, shouting in chorus. 20.09 ¡°Mommyl ¡°Mommyl ¡°Mommyl Elysia echoed their calls, doling out kisses, one for each, perfectly fair and loving. Blossom was beside herself with excitement, ¡°The triplets are just too adorable and so handsome, too¨C I can¡¯t get enough!¡± Elysia chuckled, ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you have a few of your own?¡± ¡°No way, childbirth is painful and scary, plus I¡¯m all about good looks. What if they don¡¯t turn out as cute? It¡¯s not like I can just put them back!¡± Elysia teased her, ¡°Your folks have only you for a daughter, and they¡¯re eager for grandkids. You¡¯ll have to have a baby sooner orter.¡± ¡°Not happening. No matter what you say, I¡¯m their godmother now. When my parents get back, I¡¯m taking the triplets to meet them and telling them, ¡®Look at my three handsome sons!¡± Elysia smiled helplessly and asked, ¡°What¡¯s for dinner?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all set¨CJinpeach Restaurant, my treat.¡± ¡°That ce? Isn¡¯t it expensive?¡± ¡°A ce any less wouldn¡¯t do justice to my precious boys¡® good looks. I¡¯ve already reserved a private room, so no dilly¨Cdallying. Get ready to go.¡± Though Elysia was concerned about the cost, she didn¡¯t want to dampen everyone¡¯s spirits. She capitted and told the triplets, ¡°Go get changed; we¡¯re going out for a feast with your godmother.¡± ¡°Yay, feast time!¡± The triplets were ecstatic. Once the kids were out of earshot, Blossom leaned in, ¡°Congrats on ditching the deadbeat. Show me the divorce papers!¡± Elysia¡¯s face fell, ¡°Didn¡¯t go through.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Shh, the kids don¡¯t know about the divorce.¡± Anxious, Blossom lowered her voice, ¡°What happened? I thought you were finalizing it this afternoon. Why didn¡¯t it go through?¡± ¡°He stood me up.¡± Chapter 63 Blossom anorted. ¡°What¡¯s his deal, anyway? He clearly doesn¡¯t like you, yet he won¡¯t let 1. go. Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s doing this to get back at you? If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s downright twisted.¡± Elysia was just as baffied as to why Tarquin refused to grant her a divorce. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Tarquin seemed to have a distaste for her that ran deeper than the Mariana Trench. One would think he¡¯d want to steer clear of her entirely, to draw a thick line in the sand between them. Yet, against all odds, he was sticking around like a burr on wool. It was as baffling as a snowstorm in July. ¡°You know what, he¡¯s just bullying you. Spill the beans. Who is he, exactly? My folks will have a word or two on your behalf.¡± Blossom¡¯s parents were university professors, mentors to a legion of sessful students spread across various industries, boasting an extensivework of connections. Thought them Blythe family wasn¡¯t considered Jindale City¡¯s cream of the crop, their reputation soared high in all circles. Had they not been the embodiment of humility, they¡¯d be a household name in Jindale City. Elysia, however, shook her head. She knew better than to drag the Blythe family into a mess with the Bradfords, a family whose reputation in Jindale City was as murky as a stormy sea. Rumors swirled that the Bradfords had more skeletons in their closet than a cemetery. Climbing to the top of the wealthdder in this city was no cakewalk; they had their fingers in political andmercial pies alike, their reach extending into both thewful and the underbelly of society. And there was still the matter of a nondisclosure agreement in ce; her lips were sealed. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the divorce on my own. If things truly hit rock bottom, then I¡¯ll seek help from your folks.¡± Blossom heaved a sigh. ¡°Alright, but you better promise to tell me if you¡¯re in a bind. I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but my parents sure are.¡± Elysia appreciated the hands¨Coff approach; it made their friendshipfortable, never too clingy nor too distant. The silent promise stood ¨C whenever help was needed, it was just a call away. Gratefully, Elysia nodded. Blossom then changed the subject, ¡°I¡¯ve gotta be honest, those three tykes don¡¯t take after you much. They¡¯re the spitting image of their deadbeat dad. s, if only he were a stand¨Cup guy, you two might have had a shot¡­¡± Elysia cut her off swiftly, ¡°Don¡¯t even go there. I won¡¯t be ying house with him, ever.¡± 20:10 She couldn¡¯t forget how he¡¯d coerced her, shattering her life to pieces. Not to mention his Icy demeanor ¨C no matter how handsome, it was as inviting as a mausoleum. Sharing a roof with him would be akin to dining with the Grim Reaper- no, thank you! Besides, the disdain was mutual. Blossom let out another sigh, her eyes swimming with concern, ¡°Do you think you might¡¯ve blown up Cupid¡¯s temple in a past life or something? Is that why your love life¡¯s a carousel of jerks? That ex¨C husband of yours, and then the kids¡® father¡­ sheesh.¡± Elysia, though, managed a light¨Chearted response, ¡°Not at all. My three little gems are the best boys anyone could ask for.¡± Blossom brightened at the mention of the children. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Our boys are golden- a sensation. You smart and handsome. Mark my words; if they went public, they¡¯d be should try posting a video of them online, just to see.¡± Again, Elysia shook her head. ¡°No way.¡± First off, she didn¡¯t want her sons to worry about making money at such a young age. Second, what if their estranged father caught a glimpse of them if they went viral? Their conversation continued when the ¡®three musketeers¡® emerged from the house. Elliot was the picture of a miniature executive in his tailored suit, shiny shoes, and a bow tie at his neck. Evan sported a cool, athletic look with ck joggers, a ck hoodie emzoned with a fierce dragon, and a matching cap- the epitome of a street¨Cstyle prince. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. And Emmett, he¡¯d gone for the trending look with a stylish kilt, paired with a white, vintage¨Cinspired shirt and a bow tie, looking every inch the dashing young noble. They were the very image of grace and youthful charm. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Blossom was practically drooling, her eyes wide as saucers. ¡°Lord have mercy, I think I¡¯m gonna cry.¡± Elysia chuckled, nudging her. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?!¡± Blossom put on a choked voice, ¡°I just never thought¡­ that these little rascals could scrub up so well. Sniff, sniff. No, no, this won¡¯t do. I need a selfie, I need to blow up Twitter, I¡¯m gonna be the brightest star of the night!¡± Saying so, she cozied up to the three little tykes and went snap¨Chappy, taking dozens of photos in rapid session. She posted four updates back to back, eachid out in a perfect grid. The first was a about Elliot, with the caption, [My eldest.] The second was all about Evan, [My middle child.] The third was all about Emmett, [My youngest.] The fourth was a family shot of all five of them, [Family of five.] Considering the risk of the kids¡® dad finding out, Blossom carefully pixted the faces of the three little ones and Elysia. All you could make out were their vague outlines. Out of the dozens of photos, only in the group shot did she leave the eyes untouched. Blossom just couldn¡¯t bring herself to hide them. Their eyes were like deep oceans sprinkled with stardust ¨C too beautiful to conceal. Soon enough, Blossom¡¯s Twitter was on fire. As expected, she became the night¡¯s sensation. When inquiring DMs flooded in, Blossom replied with swagger: [They¡¯re all my boys!] When asked where she got them, she cheekily answered: [Found ¡®em.] All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. [And where did you find them?j [Not telling.] [At least give me one.] [No way!] [Then I might just have to kidnap one. Quick, tell me, what color sack do they like?] Blossom couldn¡¯t stopughing. Elysia worried she might actually pass out from it. 1/2 As for her boastful disy, Elysia was torn between exasperation and amusement. At seven sharp, they arrived at Jinpeach Restaurant. It was the oldest, most characteristic, and priciest eatery in Jindale City. Many celebrities. and foreign dignitaries would dine there during their visits. Blossom showed their reservation and followed the hostess to the front desk to check in: then, they were led to their private dining room. From the moment they appeared, all eyes were on them. Even behind masks, their allure was undeniable. Blossom had an air of erudition about her, a product of her upbringing in the Blythe family, and her cherubic figure added aforting charm. Elysia was naturally radiant, and years of living in the wild had left her skin fair and glowing; her entire being seemed to emanate a spiritual energy. It¡¯s said that thend nurtures its people, and a girl raised by mountains and springs had a purity and freshness about her as a nymph descended to earth. The word ¡®beautiful¡® was an understatement. The three little ones were outright irresistible, the kind you¡¯d want to whisk away at first nce. The young, attractive server couldn¡¯t help but gush, ¡°The three little angels are so adorable; they look just like child stars.¡± Blossom smiled, ¡°We¡¯re not child stars, but we¡¯re still the most dazzling kids you¡¯ll meet.¡± The server nodded with a smile, ¡°Indeed, you¡¯ve stolen the spotlight the moment you arrived.¡± After escorting them to the elevator and up to the top floor, a concierge led them to their private room. Once the door closed, the little ones finally took off their masks. Elysia had always told them to keep their masks on outside, citing the northern winter smog and poor air quality. But truthfully, she just didn¡¯t want their father to spot them. Despite all precautions, it had never crossed their minds that the server might know. Tarquin. So when the server saw the kids¡® faces, her smile froze instantly. ¡°They¡­ they¡­¡± ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± Elysia inquired curiously. The server, in shock, swallowed hard, at a loss for words. 50-10 The enrver couldn¡¯t muster a word. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Chapter 66 The three little ones were a sight to behold¨Ctwo of them were spitting images of her boss, Tarquin, as if he¡¯d been shrunk down to pint¨Csize proportions! But Tarquin was right next door, tucking into his meal. If these were his sons, why weren¡¯t they dining with him? And the word on the street was that Mr. Bradford had only one son. Could it be that these two were Tarquin¡¯s secret love children? Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The thought made the server¡¯s expression all the more animated, though she dared not pry into Tarquin¡¯s private affairs. To work at the Jindale Grand Hotel meant you knew when to keep your eyes open and your mouth shut. Noticing Blossom and Elysia¡¯s gaze, she snapped back to reality and stammered an apology, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, darlings. Your little ones are just so darn cute; I got a bit carried away there. My apologies.¡± Her exnation seemed to ease Blossom and Elysia¡¯s concerns. It was amon reaction from those laying eyes on the three munchkins for the first time. ¡°Can I interest you in our menu?¡± the server offered. ¡°We¡¯ll have a look ourselves first.¡± ¡°Sure thing. There¡¯s a detailed description behind each dish, and there¡¯s a button right here that connects you to our service team. Just press it and let us know what you need, and we¡¯ll take care of it,¡± she said with a smile before gracefully exiting the room. Elysia Immediately quipped, ¡°We¡¯re already splurging by eating here, and you had to go for the room with a view?¡± Blossom, ever the big spender, retorted, ¡°First time treating my boys to dinner, of course, I¡¯m going all out. If those two most expensive private rooms hadn¡¯t been booked already, I would have snagged them.¡± A ¡°You and your extravagances,¡± Elysia yfully chided. ¡°It pains my wallet just to think about it.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m flush with cash; this won¡¯t break the bank. Look out there. Hasn¡¯t Jindale City changed so much?¡± Ely couldn¡¯t resist rising to her feet and gazing out the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window at the sprawling Jindale City below. The city¡¯s nightscape was a dazzling array of lights, towering buildings, and bustling traffic¨Ca testament to its prosperity. 2011 Once, she¡¯d felt an integral part of this city. Now, she still loved it, but it was no longer her world. Isn¡¯t that building new? I don¡¯t remember it from before.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± That tallest one, with the sphere on top. Looks like a pearl shining in the night.¡± ¡°Oh, that? That¡¯s the Bradford Group¡¯s new headquarters. Just finishedst year, I heard it cost a fortune, supposedly the most luxurious office building in all of the continent.¡± Elysia was taken aback, ¡°The Bradford family¡¯s?¡± ¡°Yeah. The year you had your¡­ incident, the Bradfords had their share of troubles, too. The Bradford Group was on the brink of disaster, nearly bankrupt. Then, Gideon stepped down, and the grandson, Tarquin, was called to take over the reins. He became the CEO.¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°Tarquin¡­ he¡¯s the current CEO of the Bradford Group?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, everyone knows it. Didn¡¯t you?¡± Elysia hadn¡¯t known; cut off from the world in the mountains, she had paid no attention to her nominal husband. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he the least favored? And¡­ he¡¯s disabled.¡± ¡°Word was he wasn¡¯t the golden boy, and yes, he¡¯s disabled. But what does favoritism count for when you¡¯re the only grandson in the Bradford lineage? Gideon¡¯s grandsons from his daughters might bear the Bradford name, but they aren¡¯t of the direct line. The aristocracy cares about that sort of thing, bloodline and legacy. Besides, Tarquin¡¯s remarkable. The man¡¯s the epitome of determination despite adversity! They say God took away his ability to walk but blessed him with a brilliant mind. When he took over the company in crisis, he turned the Bradford Group from a sinking ship into a business titan, multiplying its market value over a hundred times. He¡¯s a legend in the business world! Tarquin quickly became one of the wealthiest men on the, topping the rich lists year. after year.¡± Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Elysia¡¯s heart sank like a stone dropped into the depths of the ocean. One moment, she was a nobody, and the next, she had somehow transformed into the wife of a billionaire. If it were anyone else, they¡¯d probably be over the moon, right? But her? She just wanted to cry. The higher Tarquin¡¯s pedestal, the more power he wielded, the less she felt capable of standing up to him. To everyone else, he was a titan, and if he refused to divorce, what could she possibly do against him? Oh heavens, she thought, why not just take her out of her misery? Elysia¡¯s sudden transformation into a picture of gloom didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Blossom, who mistook her friend¡¯s expression for shock at the bombshell news about Tarquin. ¡°You know, even though Tarquin¡¯s as handicapped as your hubby, stories about him could fill books,¡± Blossom said, not realizing the irony of her words. ¡°He¡¯s never shown his face around town¨Cno one knows what he looks like¨Cbut legends of him are everywhere. But, my dear, he¡¯s like a prince from a fairy tale, and we¡¯re just average Janes. There¡¯s no need to be scared at the mention of his name. We don¡¯t cross paths with his kind, and he doesn¡¯t know us from Adam, so no worries!¡± Elysia felt the urge to cry even more. How could she not know him? She was his wife! And not just any wife, but one used of infidelity, who had so angered him that he demanded she leave with nothing but the clothes on her back! Now, he was refusing to divorce her, clearly as a form of revenge. What was she to do? In a desperate attempt to keep herposure and not ruin the mood for Blossom and the kids, Elysia quickly made an excuse to leave. ¡°I need to use the restroom. You guys go ahead and order; I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°You need the restroom?¡± Blossom pointed to a hidden door in the private dining room. ¡°It¡¯s right there.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather use the one outside. Is there one?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± ¡°Great, you guys order. I¡¯m not picky; I¡¯ll eat anything.¡± 20:12 With that, Elysia hurried out of the room. In the restroom, she stared at her reflection, on the brink of tears. She had been nning on cornering Tarquin at his office to force a divorce, but now it seemed a distant dream. He was perched at the peak of the pyramid while she was stuck in the mud. It was like heaven and earth¨Chow could she possibly fight back? Elysia figured Blossom was right¨Cshe must have vandalized Cupid¡¯s temple in a past life, and now her love life was an obstacle course. She didn¡¯t want to get married, yet she was forced into it. Now she wanted out, and he refused to let her go! She felt like she was cursed, a regr jinx ma. ¡°Cash Thorne?¡± A familiar male voice suddenly echoed from behind her. Elysia snapped out of her thoughts and turned around. And there was Gage ter. Her heart skipped a beat. Gage¡¯s eyes widened the moment he saw her. ¡°Well, well, well, if it isn¡¯t you! Fate does love to y its games, huh?¡± His gaze was far from friendly, and Elysia instinctively tried to step away, but Gage. snatched her arm with a sleazy grin. ¡°Running away? Scared I¡¯ll bite? Please, everyone knows I¡¯m Gage, the gentleman. Especially with a pretty little thing like you, heh.¡± The stench of alcohol hit her, making Elysia¡¯s stomach turn. She wanted to grab the hand soap and hurl it at his head but worried about the cost of such an impulsive act. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Instead, she wrenched her arm free and scolded, ¡°Mr. ter, I¡¯d advise you to keep your hands to yourself!¡± ¡°Keep my hands to myself? Pfft, you¡¯re a bartender, and you¡¯re lecturing me on propriety?¡± ¡°Serving drinks isn¡¯t the same as selling my soul. What¡¯s wrong with being a bartender?¡± ¡°In my eyes, it¡¯s all the same. You¡¯re all just waiting for someone to take you home. You got luckyst time, but your luck¡¯s run out today! Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Gage made a grab for Elysia with his greasy hands, intent on pulling her into a hug. Elysia quickly stepped back, her heart pounding. ¡°Touch me again, and I¡¯ll scream for help!¡± ¡°Scream? Go ahead,¡± Gage sneered, a leering grin spreading across his face. ¡°I¡¯d like to see who¡¯d dare stop me. Tonight, if I don¡¯t have my way with you, I¡¯ll eat my hat!¡± With those words, Gage lunged at Elysia like a predator. But as fate would have it, his foot slipped, and he met the floor with a less¨Cthan¨Cgraceful thud. ¡°Fuck!¡± Gage cursed, wincing in pain. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Seizing the moment, Elysia dashed towards the bathroom door to escape. Gage scrambled to his feet and grabbed a bottle of hand soap, hurling it at the back of Elysia¡¯s head. The soap was in a fancy white porcin bottle, and had Elysia not dodged in time, it would have surely cracked her skull open. Elysia stood frozen, staring at the shattered white porcin on the floor, gasping for breath as she faced Gage. His lustful demeanor was bad enough, but his violent tendencies were even worse. ¡°If you try running again, I swear I¡¯ll finish you,¡± Gage threatened, his voiceced with fury. He had failed to bed Elysia multiple times, and it was driving him mad. The more unattainable she seemed, the more he wanted her. Fuming with rage, Gage approached Elysia, looking at her as if she were his prey, his to im. Elysia ran for her life. She had hoped to find help from the hotel staff, but the hallway was eerily deserted. She couldn¡¯t risk leading Gage back to her room, not wanting to endanger Blossom and the three little ones. Just then, a door to one of the private rooms swung open. Without a second thought, Elysia darted inside and mmed the door shut behind her. She braced herself against it, panting, ¡°Help! There¡¯s an attack!¡± The bustling room fell silent at her sudden appearance. The eyes that turned to her showed surprise, then shock, and a hint of something more profound. Elysia was undeniably beautiful, with an exceptional poise about her. Raised in the countryside, she had the pure and unblemished look of a pristine gemstone, untouched by society¡¯s harshness, invoking an almost instinctual desire to protect her. 2012 D Tarquin was sitting at the head of the table and puffing on a cigarette when Elysia burst in. He furrowed his brows. He hade for a meal, and here she was again, after swearing she¡¯d leave that day. How ironic! Keaton was seated beside him, and the moment he saw Elysia, his eyes narrowed into slits. As a notorious yboy, he was immediately smitten with her. Without even a nce at Tarquin¡¯s expression, Keaton stood up and approached Elysia. What¡¯s wrong, miss? What happened?¡± Booker and Upton also stood up, but Keaton waved them off dismissively. ¡°Sit down, guys. With those faces, you¡¯ll only scare her more.¡± Booker and Upton exchanged a resigned look. It was clear Keaton was enchanted, and the others could only regretfully step back. Though they were all well¨Coff bachelors, none couldpete with Keaton when it came to wooing women. Keaton was the talk of Jindale City, with a love life more varied than a diner¡¯s daily specials. Not only was he wealthy, but he had the looks to match: a towering six¨Cfoot¨Cthree frame, broad shoulders, and legs for days. And despite his pretty¨Cboy face, he was far from effeminate. Like Tarquin, he was into fitness, lean but muscr. Any woman would struggle to resist such a man. Admitting defeat, the others let Keaton take the lead. However, just as Keaton reached Elysia¡¯s side, something stopped him dead in his tracks. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Chapter 69 He stared at Elysia for a few seconds, then twisted his head to look at Tarquin with an enigmatic expression. That unique scent, it was the same aroma that lingered on Tarquinst time. This woman¡­ she was the one tangled up with Tarquin. Interesting¡­ There¡¯s an unwritten rule about not coveting a buddy¡¯s girl, and even though Keaton was a notorious yboy, he had his principles. When he looked back at Elysia, his gaze immediately softened, bing much more serious. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tarquin¡¯s right here. He¡¯ll definitely keep you safe.¡± With those words, Keaton returned to his seat, sidled up to Tarquin, and nudged him teasingly. ¡°Come on, your food¡¯s here.¡± Tarquin frowned and shot him a fierce re. Keaton leaned back in his chair with a sly smile, clearly enjoying themotion. The others had confused looks on their faces. It was only then that Elysia noticed Tarquin. Seeing him, she was surprised, too. She really hadn¡¯t expected Tarquin to be in this private dining room. This damned twist of fate was just too absurd. She had just told him that afternoon that if she ever showed up in front of him again, she¡¯d eat her hat, and yet here she was in the evening¡­. Talk about awkwardness. It was like trying to dance gracefully after stepping on a rake! Elysia¡¯s cheeks flushed a deep red. Her fairplexion, now tinged with pink, made her look as if blossoms were unfolding on her face. To the onlookers, she was a sight to behold. Keaton couldn¡¯t resist prodding Tarquin again, ¡°What¡¯s with you, man? Go on, pay her some attention. Look, she¡¯s blushing.¡± One said, ¡°Tarquin, aren¡¯t you going to introduce her?¡± Another added, ¡°She¡¯s gorgeous. Is she yourdy?¡± One even stood up to offer his seat beckoning Elysia, ¡°Come on, take a seat, ma¡¯am.¡± Esa et bon flustered and embarrassed, not knowing how to react. Herrge eyes Buttered, her breathing uneven, and she looked utterly dazed and adorable. Sweet and charming everyone was just about to envy Tarquin fornding such a beauty when he seny let out a coldugh, ¡°Not leaving, then?¡± Eysia wished the ground would swallow her up. Her face still red, she stammered, ¡°ns changed.¡± Eysia other ip in frustration. What was that heh for? She was telling the truth! If Tarquin didn¡¯t follow through with the divorce, how could she possibly leave? Annovec, she retorted, ¡°Jindale City isn¡¯t your property. I cane and go as I please; it¡¯s none of your business¡± Her expression, tone, and words. To the onlookers, it was like she was yfully pouting. She seemed to be the ssic case of spoiled and proud. The group erupted intoughter. ¡®Oh boy, Tarquin, can you handle it? Whipped much?¡± Keaton stirred the pot further. ¡°Why are you asking Tarquin? You should be asking the little leck here.¡± Bysia was twenty¨Csix but looked much younger, like an early¨Ctwenties college student, clearly younger than the rest One of them turned to Elysia and asked. ¡®Tell us the truth, how does our Tarquin measure up? Another interjected, ¡°Are you crazy? You actually asked her?¡± ¡°Look, you¡¯ve made her ufortable.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, ma¡¯am. The guy¡¯s not right in the head.¡± The term ¡®ma¡¯am¡® nearly made Elysia choke. Their teasing was also getting on her nerves. ¡°Stop talking nonsense; I hardly know the guy!¡± Keaton smirked at Tarquin. ¡°Hear that, Tarquin? She doesn¡¯t want to take responsibility for you. Could it be that you didn¡¯t take good care of her? That sounded like dissatisfactionAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. to me.¡± Elysia pursed her lips and red at Keaton, speechless. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Why on earth does a guy as handsome as him even have a mouth? And his buddy over there, was he born mute? Can¡¯t he speak up? ¡°Quit ying dead, you talk!¡± Tarquin flicked the ash off his cigarette and obediently uttered one word, ¡°Scram!¡± The crowd was absolutely bewildered. Laughter in the private room came to an abrupt halt. Elysia¡¯s face flushed even more with embarrassment. She couldn¡¯t stand the humiliation. Gritting her teeth, she stormed out! Counting on him to save her? No way! She¡¯d rather go down swinging with Gage. Ugh! That old lecher Gage wasn¡¯t worth her risking her neck. She was capable enough to end his lineage today! Gage had been pacing the hallway for ages, calling his bodyguards to check the surveince, trying to find where Elysia had hidden herself. Suddenly, he spotted her and chuckled, ¡°No need to check the cameras. I¡¯ve found her!¡± Elysia gritted her teeth and bolted, leading him toward a corner. She was worried that Blossom and the three little ones would be scared if they saw this mess. She wanted to corner him and give him a couple of jabs. Do the public a favor! But just as she reached the corner, she was blocked by Gage¡¯s bodyguards. Panting, Gage caught up and grabbed Elysia by the hair, cursing, ¡°You wench, trying to run?¡± Elysia, in pain, kicked out. When she couldn¡¯t hit Gage, she stomped on his foot instead. Gage let out a howl of pain and, in a fury, grabbed Elysia by the throat and mmed her against the wall, nearly choking her. The two bodyguards just stood by, watching coldly. ¡°Find an empty room. I¡¯m gonna deal with her right here!¡± The bodyguards nodded and left. ¡°You ungrateful bitch, being fancied by me is a blessing! In Jindale City, there¡¯s nothing I want that I can¡¯t get! Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll run today!¡± Elysia¡¯s face turned beet red as she struggled to breathe. ¡°Scumbag! Your days are numbered!¡± She cursed inwardly. Elysia was determined to rid the world of this vermin. She was about to unleash her secret weapon when she suddenly heard a cold snort. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± Following the sound, Elysia locked eyes with a familiar face. It was Zane. Zane rushed over. Seeing Elysia, he was surprised. ¡°Elysia?¡± Elysia slowly retracted her weapon and looked at him for help. Zane forcefully pried Gage¡¯s fingers off and shielded Elysia behind him. ¡°Mr. Gage, what exactly are you doing?¡± Gage, fuming, snapped back, ¡°And who the hell are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the General Manager of the Newsom Group, Zane.¡± ¡°The Newsom Group? Oh, so you¡¯re the guy who married into the Newsom family, the ¡®kept man.¡± Zane frowned, and a hint of menace shed in his eyes. He held back his anger and said, ¡°You seem to have had too much to drink. Do me a favor and let her go. She¡¯s my junior.¡± Zane was Winona¡¯s husband and their senior, ¡°Do you a favor? Who do you think you are? Even if your father¨Cinw came, I wouldn¡¯t give him the time of day. Beat it.¡± Gage tried to push Zane away but couldn¡¯t budge him and instead got his wrist caught. Zane loomed over him by a good half a head and gripped his wrist tightly, his brow furrowed, his words deliberate. ¡°Mr. Gage, you might not give a damn about the Newsom of family, but what about the Bradford family? This is the Jinpeach Restaurant, property the Bradford family. You¡¯re making a scene on their turf, smearing their reputation. What do you think the Bradford family would do if they found out?¡± At that, Gage sobered up quite a bit. He fell silent for a moment, then darkly said to Zane, ¡°You just wait!¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Then, he red at Elysia. ¡°And you, you wait too!¡± With that, Gage stormed off, cursing under his breath. Elysia clutched her throat, taking deep breaths to recover. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Zane looked at her with concern. ¡°You alright? Should we head to the hospital?¡± Elysia shook her head lightly. ¡°I just need a moment to catch my breath.¡± Zane quickly went to the nearby minibar and grabbed a bottle of spring water, twisting off the cap and handing it to her. ¡°Here, drink some water.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Thanks,¡± Elysia said, taking several sips. ¡°How do you feel now? You sure we don¡¯t need to make a hospital run?¡± ¡°Yeah, no need, I¡¯m fine.¡± Zane let her rest for a bit before asking, ¡°When did you get back to town? And how on earth did you get into a tiff with Gage?¡± Elysia replied, ¡°I¡¯ve been back for a while. Heard from Blossom that Winona was out of the country shooting a film, so I didn¡¯t drop by to visit.¡± Mentioning Winona¡¯s filming abroad, a fleeting shadow crossed Zane¡¯s eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s been gone sometime now. She got a gig that required hush¨Chush production and even signed a nondisclosure agreement. No clue when she¡¯ll be back. Heck, even I Can¡¯t reach her.¡± After saying this, Zane quickly changed the subject. ¡°So what¡¯s the real deal with you and Gage?¡± Elysia frowned. ¡°I was bartending the other night, and he set his sights on me. From the moment we met, he was trying to¡­¡± Zane got the picture and scowled. ¡°That Gage is a notorious womanizer in Jindale City, always loafing around, never serious about anything. If it weren¡¯t for his brother Donovan ter¡¯s reputation, he¡¯d have been taken down a peg long ago.¡± ¡°The ter family, they¡¯re powerful here?¡± ¡°Yep, they¡¯re one of Jindale City¡¯s leading families.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the Bradford family, never the ters.¡± ¡°The ter family¡¯s been on the rise these past few years. The reason being Ms. ter from their family is tight with¡­ well¡­¡± He caught himself, remembering Tarquin had disowned the connection, and quickly pivoted, ¡°Ms. ter¡¯s close friendship with the Bradfords has given the whole ter family a leg up. That¡¯s why people tread lightly around Gage.¡± 09:44 Chapter 71 ¡°No wonder Gage¡¯s so brazen.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t mess with his likes, so it¡¯s best to steer clear.¡± ¡°Got it, and thanks for today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. But how did you end up bartending?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have a job lined up, so I took a part¨Ctime gig. Just my luck to run into him on my first night.¡± Zane frowned. ¡°That¡¯s no ce for someone like you.¡± Elysia gave a wry smile; she, a penniless soul, couldn¡¯t afford to be choosy. As long as it wasn¡¯t illegal, any job that paid was good enough. Zane asked her again, ¡°Where have you been all these years? We looked everywhere for you, nearly drove ourselves mad. We even filed a missing person report when we couldn¡¯t find any trace of you.¡± Elysia¡¯s lips moved, but she was at a loss for words. ¡°Ding, ding, ding¡­¡± Zane¡¯s phone suddenly rang, and he nced at the screen, ¡°Sorry, gotta take this call.¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± Zane stepped aside with his phone. ¡°Hello?¡± The voice on the other end was frantic. ¡°Zane, you here yet? Mr. Bradford¡¯s already arrived, and you¡¯re not here. Do you have any idea how much effort I put in to set up this meeting for you? We finally get a chance to have dinner with Mr. Bradford, and you¡¯re not seizing the opportunity to make a good impression. Get over here, pronto.¡± Zane nced at Elysia and responded, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Seeing the situation, Elysia knew he had obligations. ¡°Go on, get to your meeting. We can catch up some other time.¡± With a hint of regret, Zane said, ¡°Business matters, never¨Cending socialmitments.¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Chapter 72 ¡°I know, go ahead.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ By the way, howe you¡¯re here? Did youe with someone?¡± This was the Jinpeach Restaurant, a ce with a steep bill that ordinary folks wouldn¡¯t just stroll into. Elysia told the truth, ¡°I came with Blossom. She¡¯s treating me to dinner.¡± ¡°Oh, that exins it. Well, enjoy your meal. I¡¯lle find you once I¡¯m done here. Give me your new number, and let¡¯s exchange contacts.¡± Elysia nodded, and they swapped numbers, also adding each other on WhatsApp. With that, Zane parted ways with Elysia. Elysia steadied her mind and made another trip to the restroom. She needed to freshen up, not wanting Blossom or the kids to notice anything off. But fate¨Cdamn it¨Chas its own ns! Right as she reached the restroom door, she spotted Tarquin in the smoking area. He was the only one there, standing at the railing, tall and straight, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a cigarette, taking asional drags. From her angle, she could only see his profile¨Csharp nose, long eyshes, and clear and distinct facial contours. To be fair, the guy was handsome! Elliot and Evan did bear a striking resemnce to him. Elysia didn¡¯t want to see him, though. Just a glimpse stirred annoyance within her. She decided against going to the restroom and turned to leave. She couldn¡¯t afford to offend him, but at least she could avoid him, right? But then, a man¡¯s voice came from behind, ¡°I really dislike it when people y games in front of me.¡± Elysia stopped in her tracks. Was he talking to her? She nced back at Tarquin who was still staring straight ahead, his posture unchanged, not looking at her. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Was she imagining things? Just as she was about to continue walking, she heard him again, ¡°My patience is limited. If you¡¯re trying to y hard to get, save yourself the effort. Why don¡¯t you juste clean about what you¡¯re trying to get from me?¡± Now, Elysia was sure she wasn¡¯t hearing things. 1/2 She looked around; they were alone in the hallway. He was speaking to her. Elysia¡¯s patience was wearing thin. She turned around and marched up to Tarquin, stopping a mere three feet away. She looked up at him and said, ¡°My patience is just as limited. I¡¯ve exined to you many times that I had no intention of getting close to you. I never even thought about knowing you, let alone getting something from you. Don¡¯t tter yourself.¡± Tarquin turned to look at her, his expression so cold it could have frozen the century. ¡°People who y mind games in front of me never end well!¡± Elysia, though startled by his demeanor, stood her ground, tilting her chin up bravely. ¡°I¡¯m not ying any games with you!¡± She knew she couldn¡¯t run; she had to stand up to him and make things clear, or else she¡¯d be guilty of all the usations he was hurling at her. I ¡°You¡¯re always suspicious of me, and I want to ask you¨Cwhat¡¯s your deal? They say a lecher sees lechery everywhere; is it just your paranoia, or do you have some sort of ulterior motive concerning me?¡± Tarquin¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What about you could possibly interest me?¡± ¡°Fine, if I¡¯m worthless in your eyes, then could you please stop with your baseless suspicions and leave me be? Let¡¯s keep our paths separate, and we¡¯ll mind our own business. Can we agree on that?¡± ¡°When have you ever not been the one to look for me first?¡± ¡°When? Can you be more specific?¡± Tarquin was silent¡­ Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Elysia took a deep breath, her resolve steeling as she spoke, ¡°If you¡¯re not gonna say it, then I willl The first time, you had someone snatch me from the motel. Sure, it was to confront me about Evan scratching your car, but the fact remains youe looking for me first. If you. hadn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t even know you existed. The second time, I was just minding my own business on the street, and again, your had me grabbed. Then you just let me go after all that fuss. The third time, I was at the bar, working a shift, and I ran into you by ident. I admit, I approached you first that time, but it was to keep you quiet, to stop you from spilling the beans about me in front of Gage. The fourth time, Gage was taking me away from the hospital, and you just popped up out of nowhere, causing all that drama that followed. The fifth time, I came to you on my own because your granddad showed up out of the blue, spouting all sorts of nonsense, and then handed me ten grand. I came to the hospital to give it back, and yeah, I wanted to check on Elijah. He¡¯s the same age as my boy, and it breaks my heart to see him like that. The sixth time, this time, I admit I barged into your sight, but I swear, I had no idea you¡¯d be in that private room! Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. If I¡¯m lying, may lightning strike me down; may I never have a moment¡¯s peace!¡± Tarquin just stared at Elysia, his face dark as a storm cloud, unable to find the words to counter her. Elysia continued, ¡°You might look like you¡¯re rolling in dough, and sure, you¡¯re easy on the eyes, but you¡¯re not every girl¡¯s dream. Not everyone¡¯s out to get close to you or wants something from you. Whatever others are thinking, I sure as hell am not! When I said I was leaving today, I meant it. But then I got stood up this afternoon, which means I¡¯ve gotta stick around Jindale City for a few more days. It¡¯s not some coy game I¡¯m ying! I¡¯m not gonna settle down here. I¡¯ve grown to dislike this city, and I n to take and start fresh somewhere far from here, far from o you.¡± my son Tarquin remained silent. ¡°I¡¯ve said my piece, believe it or not. Like I said before, I never wanted to know you, and I still don¡¯t!¡± 1/2 09:45 With that, Elysia turned on her heel and walked away, her back straight and her whole being radiating defiance. She didn¡¯t bow or break under the icy gaze that followed her. Only when she rounded the corner, out of Tarquin¡¯s sight, did she lean against a wall, clutching her chest as she tried to catch her breath. Meanwhile, Keaton stepped out of the private room and made his way to the smoking area. Standing next to Tarquin, he lit a cigarette and asked with an easy grin, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with you and that girl, anyway?¡± ¡°No deal,¡± Tarquin muttered. ¡°No deal, huh? Then why didn¡¯t you y the knight in shining armor?¡± It was unlike Tarquin. He might not be a saint, but he normally had a solid moralpass. And here was this girl, calling for help in his territory, indicating trouble right under his nose, and he just sent her packing. If it had been anyone else, he would¡¯ve at least had Lowell check it out. Something was up; Keaton could sense it. Tarquin and that girl had a history. And look at him now, stepping out to smoke with a scowl, clearly agitated. That girl had gotten under his skin. Anyone who could rattle Tarquin like this was no ordinary girl. ¡°Come on, man, are we friends or not? You¡¯re keeping secrets from me? Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m the Don Juan of this town. When ites to women, I¡¯m the expert. Let me be your love guru, free of charge. Spill it, buddy. What¡¯s eating you up? I¡¯ll give you some sage advice.¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Tarquin took a drag of his cigarette, his impatience evident as he said, ¡°Just a woman. ying games, nothing to get worked up about.¡± ¡°What, she¡¯s trying to get into your bed?¡± Tarquin shot him a re and took another drag. Keaton chuckled, ¡°Man, her wanting to hop into your sheets is a good thing. She¡¯s a looker; you wouldn¡¯t be losing out. You should¡¯ve seen the guys in the VIP lounge; their eyes were practically popping out of their heads. Even Upton, Mr. Prim and Proper, was drooling all over himself. If she¡¯s wrapping herself around you, consider it a blessing; don¡¯t be ungrateful.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get mad, I¡¯m serious. If she wasn¡¯t easy on the eyes, I¡¯d tell you to steer clear, but she¡¯s a knockout. She¡¯s got the curves, the face, the whole package. If I hadn¡¯t caught that unique perfume on her, you wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. I¡¯d have made my move.¡± Tarquin scoffed. ¡°Weren¡¯t you just swooning over some new girl yesterday? And now you¡¯re ready to jump ship?¡± Keaton shrugged with a grin. ¡°Well, that was yesterday, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Tarquin pursed his lips in disdain and took another puff. Keaton went on, ¡°Look, you¡¯re not getting any younger, spending every night alone in that big house of yours. Doesn¡¯t it get lonely?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± When he was alone, his thoughts always turned to Elijah¡¯s mother. Day in, day out, how could he feel lonely? Before Keaton could respond, Tarquin added, ¡°She¡¯s got backup. Her cozying up to me might not be all about getting between the sheets.¡± Keaton¡¯s expression turned serious, his eyes narrowing as he asked, ¡°What do you mean? Someone¡¯s trying to pull a fast one with a femme fatale?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Who? The Bradford family?¡± Tarquin furrowed his brows. ¡°Not sure, but she¡¯s had private meetings with Gideon.¡± Keaton took a contemtive puff on his cigarette, curiosity piqued, ¡°If you know she¡¯s got ulterior motives, why not send her packing? Why let her get close?¡± 09:45 Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°She¡¯s good with child psychology and can help Elijah get better. When Corbin had his episode, she sorted him out.¡± ¡°What?¡± Now, Keaton was genuinely concerned. He was shocked. ¡°The ¡®prettydy¡® Corbin mentioned, that¡¯s her?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Keaton muttered, ¡°Oh my god! Lucky I didn¡¯t hit on her because of you today. Otherwise, my sis would¡¯ve gone medieval on me!¡± Mrs. Denton, Keaton¡¯s sister and Corbin¡¯s mother, was a force to be reckoned with. They say if you¡¯re going to beat your brother, do it while he¡¯s young; wait too long, and you¡¯ll lose your chance. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Mrs. Denton never went easy on Keaton when they were kids, which is why, even now, he would get nervous around her. Just the other day, he¡¯d gone to see his nephew, and Mrs. Denton, in tears, told him that after three years, Corbin had finally called her ¡®mommy! She went on about how beautiful, gentle, aplished, and perfect Ms. Thorne was. In passing, he¡¯d joked, ¡°If she¡¯s that perfect, set me up, why don¡¯t you?¡± The response was a swift p that left his ears ringing. Mrs. Denton, pointing and wailing. ¡°If you dare make a move on Ms. Thorne, I¡¯ll thrash you! Keep your hands off the good women!¡± Elysia had be the Denton family¡¯s savior, and everyone from top to bottom was grateful to her. 2/2 Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Keaton wiped the sweat from his brow and swallowed hard before speaking again, ¡°Buddy, you seriously saved my skin today!¡± Tarquin remained silent. Keaton tried to steady his racing heart and asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s your take now? If she¡¯s been sent by the Bradfords, we¡¯ve got to watch our backs. Can¡¯t let her anywhere near Elijah.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°But I heard from my sis that she¡¯s pretty sharp. If she¡¯s got skills, keeping her away from Elijah might be a loss for him.¡± That was the crux of the matter. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Tarquin was torn between giving her the cold shoulder and considering Elijah¡¯s well¨Cbeing. He couldn¡¯t afford to miss out on any chance to heal Elijah, no matter how slim that hope might be. Keaton probed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you have someone dig into her background?¡± ¡°Yeah, but came up empty.¡± ¡°Figures. If she¡¯s a Bradford nt, they¡¯d have covered their tracks well on her ID. But Elijah is thest of the Bradford bloodline, and knowing how much Gideon values lineage, even if he¡¯s not fond of Elijah, he wouldn¡¯t harm the kid. He sent a woman to get to you, not Elijah. So, I reckon even if she gets close to Elijah, she probably won¡¯t hurt him.¡± Tarquin flicked his cigarette ashes thoughtfully. ¡°If she really is a Bradford pawn, then Gideon¡¯s yed a cunning game!¡± An ordinary woman approaching him would stand no chance. But this woman, an expert in child psychology, who could help Elijah recover? That alone made it impossible for him. to just push her away. Moreover, if she could truly cure Elijah¡¯s mood swings, he¡¯d owe her his life. In other words, if she won Elijah over, she wouldn¡¯t need to bother with him. Victory would be hers without a fight. He¡¯d bepletely under her control¡­ Keaton hesitated, ¡°You¡¯ve got a point, but¡­ you can¡¯t just assume she¡¯s Gideon¡¯s spy after one encounter, right? Maybe Gideon just took a fancy to her know¨Chow in psychology and decided to meet her on purpose?¡± Tarquin shot Keaton a nce, his brow furrowed in thought. His prejudice against her had deepened because DNA tests proved she wasn¡¯t Elijah¡¯s biological mother. So when he saw a photo of her with Gideon, it was natural for him to lump them together. Even when she approached him to exin the meeting, he didn¡¯t believe her. But now, giving it more thought, Keaton might not be entirely wrong. Her meeting with Gideon and the money he gave her only suggested a high likelihood of her being a Bradford spy. But it was just a possibility. Thinking deeper, how could Gideon have the resources to hack into Bradford Group¡¯sputers? To pull off stealing so many deals overnight? Did Gideon actually have that kind of money? If he was truly capable, he wouldn¡¯t have been biting his tongue all these years. The biggest doubt was, if Gideon was the mastermind, why would he go through all the trouble to find the one who stole Tarquin¡¯s deals? He was desperate to find that person to use against him, right? So, Gideon couldn¡¯t be the one stealing the deals! Meaning, Elysia might not have lied¡­ After a moment, Tarquin dialed Lowell¡¯s number. ¡°Whatever it takes, make Gideon¡¯s confidant talk. I need to know everything Gideon and Elysia discussed at the caf¨¦ today.¡± Once he hung up, Tarquin lit another cigarette. Apart from this mess, Elysia¡¯s usations were gnawing at him. She had stood there, looking up at him with those determined eyes, spelling out her grievances word by word, even swearing oaths¡­. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 09:45 Chapter 76 She was telling him that she would stake her life on every word she said, iming responsibility with the utmost sincerity. Could it be that he had misunderstood her all along? But how could he exin away the usations of bullying a youngdy? Who else had he bullied, if not her? Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened as he contemted. He hadn¡¯t mistreated her. He had his reasons for detaining her, and he conducted himself with integrity. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind now?¡± Keaton nudged him. Tarquin snapped out of his reverie, took a hard drag on his cigarette, and fell silent. ¡°Keaton, where did you and Tarquin run off to? Come on back, everyone¡¯s here. We¡¯re just waiting on you two,¡± Booker called out to summon them. ¡°Okay,¡± Keaton replied, ¡°we¡¯ll be there in a sec.¡± After hanging up, he turned to Tarquin and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Stop overthinking for now. The birthday boy is calling us in.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Tarquin let out a quiet sigh, stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, and followed Keaton to the private room. Keaton added, ¡°There¡¯s something I need to tell you in advance. My sister has taken quite a shine to that girl. If you n on doing anything to her in the future, you¡¯d better be discreet, or my sister will make a scene. She won¡¯t confront you directly, but she¡¯ll take it out on me, and then I¡¯ll be forced to draw a line between us. That could mess up our brotherhood.¡± Tarquin smirked. ¡°That¡¯s all the guts you have, huh?¡± ¡°Heh, easy for you to say. You don¡¯t have a sister. You have no idea how devastating an older sister can be to her little brother!¡± Tarquin rolled his eyes and continued back to the room. Booker greeted them cheerfully, ¡°The prodigal sons return! Now that we¡¯re all here, as today¡¯s birthday guy, let me just say thanks foring out to celebrate with me. Let¡¯s have a toast.¡± Everyone raised their sses to honor Booker¡¯s birthday. Sitting at the head of the table, Tarquin didn¡¯t stand up. He simply clinked his ss on the table and knocked back his drink in one gulp. The others, taken aback, followed suit. What was supposed to be a sip turned into a downing of sses. The table buzzed with lively conversation. As someone moved to toast with Tarquin, Keaton, knowing his friend was not in the best of spirits, intercepted, ¡°Why aim for Tarquin? Go toast with Booker. It¡¯s his birthday, and you guys should be getting him hammered and throwing him into the arms of a lovelydy to celebrate his manhood. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯re not really men.¡± The others, sensing Keaton¡¯s intent to shield Tarquin from more drinks and noting his sour mood, turned their attention to Booker instead. The crowd got rowdy, insisting that they would see Booker¡¯s bachelorhood ended that night, apanied by raucousughter and risqu¨¦ jokes. Not wanting to dampen the mood, Tarquin yed along for a bit before falling silent. He lit another cigarette, leaned back in his chair, and his gazended on Zane. Earlier, he had seen Elysia chatting with Zane. They seemed quite familiar with each other, and the way Zane looked at her was ambiguous. Feeling Tarquin¡¯s eyes on him, Zane quickly looked back, searching for a way to engage with Tarquin¨C now he had his chance. Zane smartly approached with a ss in hand and said cheerfully, ¡°Mr. Bradford, a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯d like to toast to you. No need for you to drink, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Zane tipped the ss and emptied it in one go, but Tarquin just continued to smoke, unmoved. Someone of Zane¡¯s caliber wasn¡¯t yet worthy of sharing a drink with him. 09 Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Had it not been for Booker¡¯s birthday bash, their paths might never have crossed. The high. society circles weren¡¯t exactly open for just anyone to stroll into. Booker was Tarquin¡¯s go¨Cto guy, his right¨Chand man, and Zane? Well, Zane tagged along with a mutual buddy of Booker¡¯s. Zane knew he was punching above his weight ss, but he was cool as a cucumber event when he realized Tarquin wasn¡¯t drinking. With a grin that never wavered, he said, ¡®Name¡¯s Zane; I¡¯m the current manager over at Newsom Group. Been looking forward to meeting. you, Mr. Bradford. Figured I¡¯d take a shot and introduce myself today¨Chere¡¯s my card.¡± Zane, with a gulp of courage, fished out his business card and extended it towards Tarquin. Tarquin nced at it but didn¡¯t take it immediately. Zane¡¯s cheeks red red with embarrassment, scrambling mentally for a graceful exit. Suddenly, Tarquin reached out, taking the card. Zane blinked, a rush of tion tingling through him as he silently cheered. Tarquin inspected the card briefly before sliding it into his pocket. Then, he lifted his ss and clinked it on the table before taking a sip. Zane, feeling honored, quickly topped off his own ss and downed three drinks in quick session! The rest of the guests, ever observant, had pretended to revolve around Booker, but their attention had never really left Zane¡¯s interaction with Tarquin. Once they saw Tarquin ept Zane¡¯s card and share a drink with him, they swarmed Zane, handing out their own. cards and clinking sses, eager to buddy up. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Total strangers moments ago, now thick as thieves. Such was the pull of Tarquin¡¯s influence. Without uttering a word, he could alter someone¡¯s fate. What the crowd didn¡¯t know was that Tarquin¡¯s favor towards Zane was all for Elysia¡¯s sake. Meanwhile, Elysia had already returned to the private lounge. Despite her best efforts to mask her agitation, Elliot picked up on her difort. ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing, sweetie, why do you ask?¡± Elysia responded, feigning nonchnce. Elliot furrowed his brows, observing her. ¡°Your hair¡¯s a mess, and your hand¡­why is it 09:45 hurt?¡± Only then did Elysia notice the cut on her hand¨Clikely from the ceramic soap dispenser Gage had shattered earlier. She lied smoothly, ¡°Ran into an old friend, got a little too excited, and identally knocked over the soap dispenser in the restroom. It was ceramic, and the shards cut my hand.¡± Emmett pushed forward; concern etched on his face. ¡°Does it hurt, mommy?¡± ¡°Not at all, sweetie. Mommy wouldn¡¯t forget about it if it did.¡± ¡°Let Emmett blow on it; it¡¯ll heal faster,¡± he offered with childlike sincerity. Elysia chuckled, ¡°Thank you, Emmett. That¡¯s very sweet.¡± As she looked down, Elliot noticed the scratches on her neck but chose to stay quiet. Blossom, ever the carefree one, hadn¡¯t spotted the marks on Elysia¡¯s neck but did see the injury on her hand. She called for the waiter to bring some alcohol and a Band¨CAid while asking, ¡°Who got you so worked up that you weren¡¯t careful?¡± Elysia replied, ¡°Zane.¡± Blossom expressed surprise. ¡°You ran into Zane?¡± ¡°Yeah, he was here for some schmoozing, and we just happened to bump into each other.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you were out for so long. Ran into an old friend, huh? Zane¡¯s made quite a name for himself in Jindale City. Mr. Newsom¡¯s getting on in years, and with his daughter Winona, who is not really into the family business, it¡¯s all on Zane¡¯s shoulders. It¡¯s only a matter of time before the old man steps down.¡± ¡°Zane¡¯s got talent, always has since our school days. It¡¯s no wonder he caught Winona¡¯s eye.¡± Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been over a year since Winona vanished, and Zane¡¯s been all wrapped up in his career. Not a single whiff of scandal around him, which is pretty remarkable if you ask 1. me. I heard there was this intern who had a thing for him and tried to make a move. Scared the crap out of Zane¨Cfired her on the spot that very night. Then he went and posted this long memo at work, dering he was a married man. And get this: the memo was like some grand love letter to Winona. There was nothing crude or sleazy about it; it was pure poetry. Knocked the socks off half the female fans in thepany. He even hung their wedding photo all over his office¨Con the back wall, desk, and even the screensaver on hisputer is a picture of them together. Dude¡¯s like a one¨Cman wife appreciation society, haha.¡± Elysia chuckled, ¡°Winona sure picked the right guy, and it wasn¡¯t for nothing she married him under all that pressure back then.¡± ¡°True that. It¡¯s only when I see Winona and Zane together that I believe marriage can actually be beautiful.¡± Blossom gave Elysia a look that said a thousand words. Elysia knew what she was getting at and teased, ¡°You can¡¯t judge the whole forest based on one withered sapling. Love can still be a beautiful thing.¡± ¡°Nope, it¡¯s not love that has to be beautiful¨Cit¡¯s true love that counts. Plenty of fake love out there.¡± Elysia teased back, ¡°And here¡¯s a bachelor giving love advice.¡± ¡°What do you know? The observer sees all; the yer is blind. Us single folks are the real love critics.¡± Elysiaughed. ¡°Sure you are.¡± As they chatted, the waiter came over, apanied by ady doctor and two nurses. Elysia was taken aback. Doctors and nurses in a hotel? It was just a little scratch, and they¡¯re making such a fuss? This ce was the cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me of Jindale City¡¯s hotels, alright. The service was impable. The doctor carefully treated Elysia¡¯s wound and asked gently, ¡°Any other injuries?¡± Elysia shook her head with a smile, ¡°No, that¡¯s it.¡± Elliot watched Elysia, frowning. There was clearly a bruise on her neck! After giving Elysia some advice, the doctor left. Elysia was impressed. ¡°No wonder it¡¯s pricey here; the service is top¨Cnotch.¡± ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s the service industry. If we¡¯re paying, we better get treated like royalty.¡± ¡°Exactly; only with money can you be a princess; otherwise, you¡¯re just Cindere.¡± ¡°Cindere had hereback, too. I¡¯m rooting for you, girl. You¡¯re gonna be a richdy one day.¡± Elysia was grinning ear to ear. ¡°With a little luck from you, if I do strike it rich, you¡¯ll be the first one I¡¯ll repay. I¡¯ll get all your heartthrobs to call you ¡®sweetheart.¡± Elysia was money¨Cminded, Blossom was into young celebs, and Winona was all about her career. Those were their quirks. At the mention of heartthrobs, Blossom¡¯s eyes lit up like Christmas trees, ¡°Hurry up and get rich, will you? I can hardly wait.¡± Seeing that lovesick look in her eyes, Elysia reminded her, ¡°Easy there, tiger. The kids are around; don¡¯t corrupt the young minds.¡± Blossom winked at her, then got serious. She handed the menu to Elysia and said, ¡°We¡¯ve already ordered. Take a look and see if you want to add anything.¡± Elysia didn¡¯t hold back, taking the menu and casually asking, ¡°Haven¡¯t seen Evan around. Is he in the restroom?¡± Without a second thought, Blossom replied, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s off doing his business.¡± n = ; Elysia didn¡¯t think much of it. Meanwhile, Evan had just arrived at Tarquin¡¯s private room door. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Elysia had been out for quite some time, and Evan was getting antsy about finding her. But Blossom, ever the protective one, wasn¡¯t keen on letting him venture out alone. So, Evan fibbed about needing to use the bathroom for a number two. With Blossom none the wiser, he made his sneaky escape. And just his luck, there he spotted Tarquin and Elysia engaged in conversation in the hallway. Hiding at a distance, he couldn¡¯t make out their words, but the stormy look on his mommy¡¯s face said it all. In his little mind, Tarquin was clearly the viin who had upset his precious mom. An eye for an eye, he thought. If Mom¡¯s upset, Tarquin won¡¯t get off easy either. So, the little guy was on a mission to even the score. He eavesdropped by the door, catching the lively buzz inside, punctuated by toasts to the ¡°birthday boy.¡± Evan scoffed silently. A birthday, huh? Big whoop. He spied a waiter wheeling over a cart with a birthday cake, and his eyes twinkled with mischief as he sauntered toward it. As he drew closer, he couldn¡¯t help but express his awe. ¡°Wow, what a gorgeous cake! I¡¯d kill for a slice.¡± The waiter, charmed by the cuteness, paused, saying with a smile, ¡°It sure is pretty, but it¡¯s for someone else. It¡¯s not polite to eat without asking. If you want some sweets, just ask your folks to holler at one of us. We¡¯ve got plenty of other treats in the back.¡± Evan pouted adorably. ¡°The best ones are always out of reach, huh? Oh, what¡¯s that on top? Is that a candle?¡± He pointed his tiny finger at the cake¡¯s top decoration. All three waiters nced up, and in that split second, Evan slipped a little something into the cake from his pocket. ¡°That¡¯s just a fancy topper, not a candle,¡± they exined. ¡°Oh, then better get going. Don¡¯t keep the birthday boy waiting!¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± The waiters chuckled and rolled the cake away. Evan licked his finger, savoring the sweetness of the stolen frosting. ¡°Mmm, so good, what a shame,¡± he muttered, grinning wickedly as the cake disappeared Into the room. Soon after, a loud ¡°BANG!¡± erupted from the party room, followed by screams. Evan knew his ploy had worked. With a smug humph, he strolled towards the bathroom, whistling a tune, hands buried in his pockets. Inside, Booker¡¯s cake had exploded, showering Tarquin in a sloppy mess. Being the closest to Booker, Tarquin was now a cake monster, covered from head to toe. He gasped in shock, nearly losing his cool ¨C never had he been so humiliated, especially not in front of an audience! As confusion reigned, Booker finally burst out, ¡°Fuck! Who¡¯s fucking with me on my day? You win; you got me. Just wait till I find out who you are, and when your birthday rolls around, I¡¯ll show you¡­¡± Booker assumed it was a prank from one of the guests. The tension eased as everyone else thought the same, andughter filled the room. Tarquin didn¡¯t dwell on it. A little birthday prank among guys was nothing out of the ordinary. But with it being Booker¡¯s day, Tarquin swallowed his anger, storming off to the bathroom to clean up. With the party room¡¯s restroom upied, he headed to the one outside. That¡¯s when he encountered Evan. Evan, wearing a face mask, stood in front of the kiddie toilet, fumbling with his trousers. Their eyes met ¨C a grown man a and a boy. Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed. Had it not been for the boy¡¯s lively eyes, he might have mistaken him for Elijah. 09:46 ¡°Mmm, so good, what a shame,¡± he muttered, grinning wickedly as the cake disappeared into the room. Soon after, a loud ¡°BANG!¡± erupted from the party room, followed by screams. Evan knew his ploy had worked. With a smug humph, he strolled towards the bathroom, whistling a tune, hands buried in his pockets. Inside, Booker¡¯s cake had exploded, showering Tarquin in a sloppy mess. Being the closest to Booker, Tarquin was now a cake monster, covered from head to toe. He gasped in shock, nearly losing his cool ¨C never had he been so humiliated, especially not in front of an audience! As confusion reigned, Booker finally burst out, ¡°Fuck! Who¡¯s fucking with me on my day? You win; you got me. Just wait till I find out who you are, and when your birthday rolls around, I¡¯ll show you¡­.¡± Booker assumed it was a prank from one of the guests. The tension eased as everyone else thought the same, andughter filled the room. Tarquin didn¡¯t dwell on it. A little birthday prank among guys was nothing out of the ordinary But with it being Booker¡¯s day, Tarquin swallowed his anger, storming off to the bathroom to clean up. With the party room¡¯s restroom upied, he headed to the one outside. That¡¯s when he encountered Evan. Evan, wearing a face mask, stood in front of the kiddie toilet, fumbling with his trousers. Their eyes met ¨C a grown man and a boy. Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed. Had it not been for the boy¡¯s lively eyes, he might have mistaken him for Elijah.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Chapter 80 When Elijah was wearing a mask, his eyes were almost identical to this boy¡¯s. Only Elijah¡¯s brow was frequently furrowed, a clear sign that not even the most shocking events could easily stir his expression. ¡°Wowza, cake man! It looks super scrumptious!¡± Evan eximed as he dashed towards Tarquin, disregarding the setting entirely and grabbing a fistful of cake to stuff into his mouth. The cake was genuinely delicious, and he was drooling with desire. Tarquin quickly grabbed his wrist, ¡°No can do, buddy. You can¡¯t eat that.¡± Evan tried to power through and eat it anyway, but he was no match for Tarquin¡¯s strength. Staring at the tantalizing cake just out of reach, the little guy was far from pleased, ¡°Meanie!¡± He huffed indignantly and returned to his kiddie stool. Tarquin¡¯s brow creased with annoyance, but he didn¡¯t hold a grudge against Evan, instead opting to clean off the cake smears from his body at the sink. Just as he finished washing his face, Evan turned to him with a pitiful look. ¡°Sir.¡± Tarquin turned around with a silent question. ¡°I¡­ I gotta pee, like, really bad,¡± said Evan. ¡°Well, go ahead.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°But I¡­ I can¡¯t unzip my pants. Can you help me out, please?¡± Before Tarquin could react, Evan started his performance. ¡°Oh no, I can¡¯t hold it anymore. I¡¯m gonna pee my pants, wah wah wah, Sir, please help me!¡± Tarquin¡¯s frown deepened. He wasn¡¯t one for small talk, especially with strangers, and that included kids. But he saw a shadow of Elijah in the little guy, and paternal instincts took over, so he didn¡¯t refuse this time. He walked over, squatted down, and began to help Evan with his zipper. Just as the zipper came undone, suddenly, a warm stream sprayed out¡­ Freshly baked boy pee, sshing onto Tarquin¡¯s face, clothes, hands, and shoes¡­ Tarquin was utterly bbergasted. 09:46 A sly smirk flickered in Evan¡¯s eyes, and he triumphed inside, ¡°That¡¯s for picking on my mom; take that!¡± He was internally gloating, though his face showed sheer panic. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Sir. I¡­ I couldn¡¯t hold it. You¡¯re not gonna hit me, are you?¡± Out of the corner of his eye, Evan noticed someone entering and burst into tears. ¡°It wasn¡¯t on purpose, Sir. I swear I didn¡¯t mean to pee on you. Let me wipe it off; I¡¯ll clean it up¡­¡± He made a move towards the trash can to pick up used tissues. Tarquin¡¯s eyes widened in horror, and he shot up, taking several steps back. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need me to wipe it off?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Well¡­ okay then, you clean up. I¡¯m gonna head out. Oh, and don¡¯t forget to rinse your mouth. I think I saw some pee fly into it.¡± Tarquin was speechless. Lowell walked in with fresh clothes, apanied by Keaton and Upton. Their eyes. widened in shock at the sight before them. Before they could utter a word, Evan pleaded with them in his most pitiful tone. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make him drink my pee, and I didn¡¯t mean to pee on his face. I¡¯m a good kid, raised in a good home.¡± The group was at a loss for words. After his spiel, Evan left the restroom, immediately switching expressions once he was out of sight. Humming a little tune, he bounced back to their private room in the best of spirits. Elysia and Blossom were surprised to see him return. ¡°Evan, when did you go out?¡± ¡°Just now, I wanted to find Mommy, but thedy outside told me she was already back, so I didn¡¯t go far.¡± Elysia wasn¡¯t overly concerned about Evan running off, but the thought of him bumping into that bastard made her heart leap to her throat. If that man found out about the children¡¯s existence, what then? Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Elysia red, her voice tinged with concern, ¡°How could you just take off on your own in a ce you don¡¯t know, you¡­ Before she could finish, Evan sidled up to her and, with a smacking sound, nted a kiss on her cheek. ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t worry. You know I¡¯m super smart. I won¡¯t get lost or cause any trouble. I just missed you so much since you were gone for so long.¡± Elysia was at a loss for words. The scolding she had in mind dissolved in her throat. Evan knew exactly how to y her. Deciding not to reprimand him, Elysia asked anxiously, ¡°Did you run into someone who looks like you while you were out?¡± Evan guessed she was talking about someone specific. He had, indeed, encountered him, and not only had he ruined their birthday cake, but he had also managed to douse him in a little¡­ ident. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Thinking this, Evan earnestly replied, ¡°Nope, the only person who looks like me is my brother, and he¡¯s been in the private room the whole time.¡± Relieved, Elysia breathed a sigh of relief and pinched Evan¡¯s cheek. ¡°From now on, you must talk to an adult before you do anything, okay? Do you hear me?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± But Evan¡¯s agreement was only lip service, as he settled next to Elliot. As the waiter brought in the dishes and Elysia was engaged in conversation with Blossom, Evan whispered to Elliot, ¡°I just got back at that jerk Tarquin for Mommy. I peed right on his face.¡± Elliot furrowed his little brow, nced at Elysia to make sure she wasn¡¯t listening, then whispered back, ¡°Tarquin?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Well, I saw Mommy talking to that jerk Tarquin, and she looked super upset. He must¡¯ve been bothering her again. Someone was delivering a birthday cake to his room, and I nted a little firecracker inside. Kaboom! Cake everywhere. Then, when Tarquin went to clean up, I ¡®identally¡® bumped into him, and, oh boy, did he get a surprise!¡± Elliot frowned, his gaze shifting back to Elysia. Did Tarquin cause that bruise on Mommy¡¯s neck? ¡°Did you see him get physical with Mommy?¡± ¡°Nope, they were just talking, but both looked pretty upset. Mommy was definitely not happy, and he looked mean. He must¡¯ve been scaring Mommy.¡± ¡°Did he recognize you?¡± ¡°Nah, I had my mask on.¡± ¡°Does he know it was on purpose?¡± ¡°No way, they think the cake explosion was just a prank.¡± Elliot was silent for a few seconds before heading to the restroom. Once inside, he locked the door and quickly whipped out his high¨Ctech smartwatch, which looked like any other kid¡¯s toy but was packed with features He hacked into the restaurant¡¯s security system, copied the surveince footage, and then cunningly erased the video evidence. He knew Tarquin was a formidable man, and he couldn¡¯t let him find out about Evan. After dealing with the security footage, Elliot returned to the table. The copied videos would have to wait for a more thorough inspectionter. ¡°What¡¯s up, Elliot?¡± Evan asked softly, sensing something was off. Elliot replied in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s eat now; we¡¯ll talk tonight.¡± After dinner, they strolled through the nearby promenade before heading back to Elysia and the kids¡® ce. Blossom didn¡¯t want to part with Elysia and insisted on sleeping with her, yfully dering that she was going to stick to her for the night. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Elysia had a heart full of thoughts she yearned to share with Blossom, and the idea of separating from her was thest thing she wanted. *Tonight, you¡¯ll have to rough it with us in our little rented ce,¡± she said with a yful pout. ¡°Rough it? This ce is amazing¨Cit must cost a fortune, Blossom replied, ncing around with wide, appreciative eyes. The topic had caught Elliot off guard. He had chosen this spot, a luxurious two¨Cbedroom vacation rental with a hefty price tag that ran into the thousands for just one night. But he had told Elysia it was a mere two hundred a night. Elliot quickly interjected, ¡°Well, it is usually super expensive, but thendlord took a real shine to us and gave us a massive discount, so it¡¯s just a couple hundred for the night.¡± Blossom chimed in immediately, ¡°You guys must have the luck of the Irish! If it were me, I¡¯d let you stay for free¨Cyou all look like little cherubs. Staying here is bound to sprinkle some good fortune on the ce, ha!¡± Elliot¡¯s mouth twitched in a forced smile. ¡°Yeah¡­ Birds of a feather flock together, he mused. Mom¡¯s best friend didn¡¯t seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed. ¡°Mom, you and Blossom should get some rest. We¡¯re beat too, Elliot said, ushering the conversation toward a close. ¡°Sure thing, let¡¯s go to bed,¡± Elysia agreed. ¡°Goodnight, Mom. Goodnight, Godmother,¡± the three kids called out before retreating to their room and closing the door behind them. As soon as they were alone, Elliot booted up hisptop with a serious expression. Evan peeked over, concern etched on his face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Emmett also huddled close, his big eyes brimming with curiosity. ¡°I wiped the restaurant¡¯s surveince footage today to make sure Tarquin couldn¡¯t track you down. And I snagged a copy for us. Mom got hurt today, and I need to see if Tarquin was behind it,¡± Elliot exined as he clicked away. Evan¡¯s eyes widened in rm. ¡°Mom got hurt? Where? How?¡± ¡°I saw Mom talking to that jerk Tarquin when I stepped out, but I didn¡¯t see himy a finger on her. You think he hit her?¡± Evan¡¯s breathing became erratic, his shock palpable. 09 46 Had he known Mom was hurt, he wouldn¡¯t have let Tarquin off so easily, ¡°Did someone hit Mom? Who hurt her? Is she in pain again?¡± Emmett¡¯s voice quivered with urgency. Elliot remained the calmest of the trio. ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions. We¡¯ll check the surveince first.¡± The three of them crowded around theptop, their heads touching as they focused on the screen. It didn¡¯t take long to find the footage of Gage striking Elysia. Evan¡¯s temper red instantly as he yelled, ¡°He dared to hit Mom! I can¡¯t believe he hit her! Bro, who is this bald creep?¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Emmett, watching the video of Elysia being choked, began to cry from anger, ¡°He¡¯s a big bully! A mean, big bully! He¡¯s picking on Mom!¡± The little guy shook with fury. Elliot¡¯s lips were a tight line, his eyes dark with rage. He didn¡¯t speak immediately, instead, his fingers flew over the keyboard, and soon Gage¡¯s details filled the screen. His profile was littered with scandalous headlines. Gage, the notorious second son of the ter family, was a piece of work. Ugly, lecherous, and ipetent, he relied on his connection as the uncle of the famed starlet N ter to tie with the influential Bradford family, to throw his weight around in Jindale City. He was known for pressuring beautiful women into unsavory encounters, and if they resisted, he¡¯d resort to vile tactics to coerce them. He hadn¡¯t done a single good deed in his life, but he was well¨Cversed in all manner of vices. Evan was fuming with indignation. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Chapter 83 That jerk Tarquin¡¯s been covering for this guy. No wonder Mom wants to divorce that scumbag. If he¡¯s protecting this bald¨Cheaded troublemaker, he¡¯s no good either!¡± Tarquin sneezed loudly somewhere in the distance, as if on cue. ¡°And that woman, Isn¡¯t she the one who harassed Emmett at the airport? Birds of a feather flock together. They¡¯re all cut from the same cloth! No way I can let Mom take this lying down! I¡¯m going to take them down! I¡¯ll blow the ter family sky¨Chigh!¡± Evan wasn¡¯t just talking big. He opened his suitcase, pulled out a few marble¨Clike objects, and stuffed them into his pockets. He turned to head out and settle the score with Gage. Elliot grabbed him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be rash.¡± ¡°How can I not be rash? Look what he¡¯s done to Mom! Our dear sweet Mom, the one we¡¯d treat with kid gloves because she¡¯s so precious, and he dares toy a hand on her! He even had the nerve to choke her! Damn it! His whole family deserves to pay!¡± Evan was so angry he was nearly in tears. He adored his mother too much. Elliot said, ¡°He¡¯s connected to Tarquin¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°I know! And I¡¯m not afraid of him. Nobody messes with my mom!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about being afraid. It¡¯s because he¡¯s connected to Mom. If we make a big scene now, the past scandals could resurface. Without the truth about Mom¡¯s supposed ¡®adultery¡®, bringing up old dirt will only lead to more insults. It¡¯s Mom who will get hurt. again! Gossip doesn¡¯t hurt physically, but it can drown you. Otherwise, Mom wouldn¡¯t. have left the city she loved so much.¡± Elliot didn¡¯t want to escte things, not before he had all the facts. Evan was stomping his feet in frustration. ¡°So what do we do? Just stand by and watch that creep bully Mom and do nothing? We can¡¯t avenge the past right now, but we can¡¯t just ignore what¡¯s happening to Mom, can we?¡± Elliot, brow furrowed, said, ¡°Of course we can¡¯t ignore it! I¡¯ll take care of this grudge today. Trust me, I won¡¯t let Mom suffer for nothing. Just give me a bit more time to figure everything out.¡± He couldn¡¯t let Evan get involved; his brother was too impulsive. The full story behind Mom and Tarquin was still unclear, and now Gage was under Tarquin¡¯s protection. If they went after Gage, it could draw Tarquin¡¯s attention. Elliot had been investigating the past events. Tarquin had been abroad since marrying Elysia. He hadn¡¯t evene back for the wedding day. In those two years of marriage, he hadn¡¯t once met with Elysia. Yet during that time, he seemed to have treated her well, never skimping on her living expenses. And on the day he returned to the country, the first draft of the divorce settlement offered her a substantial sum. But then suddenly, he used Mom of adultery and left her with nothing. There had to be some misunderstanding¡­ And how could two people, who supposedly never met, have conceived them? Evan was pacing anxiously. ¡°But we already know what happened, right? That jerk Tarquin and the Thorne family bullied our mom!¡± Elliot, still typing rapidly on the keyboard, suddenly stopped. His eyes went wide as he stared at the computer screen. ¡°I¡¯ve got it, I¡¯ve got it, I¡¯ve got it!¡± he eximed, emphasizing his shock. Evan and Emmett, tears forgotten, looked at him with red eyes. ¡°What do you know?¡± Elliot exined, ¡°When Tarquin returned to the country, Mom went to the airport to pick him up. Not long after, Tarquin publicly used her of infidelity. A monthter, Mom found out she was pregnant.¡± Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Chapter 84 ¡°So, Mom had the ident on the very same day! I have a wild guess. The day Tarquin flew back home, Mom picked him up, and they got it on at the airport, which led to us being conceived. But for some reason, they didn¡¯t get a good look at each other, so they had no idea they had just hooked up with one another. And that¡¯s where all the misunderstandings started.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Evan and Emmett both stared at Elliot. Their eyes said it all: they didn¡¯t get it, not one bit. Elliot furrowed his brow and continued, ¡°So, that¡¯s why Tarquin changed the divorce papers, and Mom just silently admitted to everything because she didn¡¯t know that she had been with Tarquin. She thought she had actually cheated during her marriage.¡± Evan and Emmett blinked, asking, ¡°Then what?¡± Elliot exined, ¡°That could exin why Mom came back wanting a divorce from Tarquin, even though she had seen him several times but didn¡¯t recognize him. Because she had not idea what Tarquin looked like!¡± Evan, still puzzled, asked, ¡°So you mean to say, Mom confused Tarquin and our dad, thinking they were two different guys, but actually, they¡¯re the same person?¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s what I¡¯m saying! Likewise, Tarquin didn¡¯t know that Mom was his wife in name.¡± ¡°Whoa, this is¡­¡± Evan scratched his head, ¡°So, tell me, is Tarquin a good guy or a bad guy?¡± ¡°If you look at it from his point of view, him saying Mom cheated isn¡¯t exactly wrong.¡± ¡°How can you say that? Wasn¡¯t he the one who slept with Mom? He¡¯s the one who wronged her and then uses her of cheating!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t know that he was with Mom, just like she doesn¡¯t know she was with Tarquin.¡± Evan got all muddled again, ¡°So¡­ so¡­ do we still go after Tarquin for revenge?¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Yes, we do. No matter what, he hurt Mom¡¯s feelings, and that¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly!¡± Evan nodded vigorously. He was worried Elliot might suddenly say they shouldn¡¯t seek revenge. Evan didn¡¯t care about the details; anyone who made his mom sad deserved payback! ¡°But¡­¡± Elliot¡¯s tone shifted, ¡°We need to clear up two things first. One, Tarquin didn¡¯t want Mom, and he was the one who initiated the divorce, so why is he reluctant to go through with it now? Two, what exactly happened back then? Why did they get intimate but fail to 09 47 Chapter see each other¡¯s faces clearly?¡± Evan said, ¡°The first point is the most crucial because that¡¯s what¡¯s eating away at Mom. She came back to finalize the divorce.¡± ¡°Right, now things are starting to make sense. Although they didn¡¯t recognize each other, N picked on Emmett at the airport on the day we came back, and you went to settle the score. You ended up trashing Tarquin¡¯s car, which got Mom and Tarquin tangled up again. Because of that, Tarquin had Mom taken, but we smoked ¡®em out and got her to safety. Then, to get back at him for Mom, we snatched some of his business deals and cracked his security system as a warning. Plus, I made sure no one could track Mom! This made Tarquin think that Mom was some big shot who was deliberately making her presence felt and had a target on his back. That¡¯s why he¡¯s been so fixated on Mom, tossing attitude her way! The other day, I identally overheard Mom talking with her friend, and she mentioned that Tarquin has been misunderstanding her intentions the whole time.¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Chapter 85 ¡°But¡­ I still don¡¯t get it. Why does he have that delusion? Is that like, narcissism or something? Mom isn¡¯t even trying to get his attention, and yet he acts like she¡¯s been following him around,¡± Evan mumbled. Elliot replied, ¡°It¡¯s kind of narcissism but not exactly. Rich folks tend to overthink things way more than the average Joe.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The richer you are, the more danger surrounds you, and the more enemies you have, which makes you super sensitive.¡± ¡°How do you know all this?¡± Elliot pursed his lips and said, ¡°Because, I happen to be one of those rich people.¡± Evan¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°So, are you always paranoid, thinking someone¡¯s out to get you?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Because I keep a low profile. Other than you and Emmett, no one knows I¡¯m loaded, not even Mom babe in the So, no one¡¯s out to get me. To the rest of the woods.¡± world, I¡¯m just sBelongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Evan paused. ¡°¡­No wonder Mom always says to keep a low profile. There¡¯s wisdom in that.¡± Wealth under wraps is another way to stay low¨Ckey. Elliot continued, ¡°Mom may not be a genius, but she¡¯s a good and honest person. Her advice is solid, and we should listen to her.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, we should always listen to Mom. So, what¡¯s the game n?¡± Elliot let out a sigh and said, ¡°First, we clear up Tarquin¡¯s misunderstanding so he stops pestering Mom and giving her grief. Then we dig into why he won¡¯t grant her a divorce. Once we figure that out, we can help Mom.¡± Evan grumbled, ¡°Can¡¯t we just strong¨Carm him into divorcing Mom?¡± That was still his go¨Cto solution ¨C brute force! ¡°We could, but it¡¯s not the best move. Don¡¯t forget, Mom hasn¡¯t mentioned the past to us, nor has she told us her real reason foring back. If we push Tarquin, we might rip open Mom¡¯s old wounds and throw her back into the media frenzy. It¡¯s best to avoid that until we have all the facts.¡± 09:47 ¡°Alright, so how do we clear up Tarquin¡¯s misunderstanding?¡± Elliot furrowed his brow, looking all grown¨Cup, ¡°Let me think on that.¡± Meanwhile, next door. Elysia was blissfully unaware that her sons were turning her world upside down, She was handing Blossom her nightgown after her shower. It was a tad snug, showing off Blossom¡¯s curves. Blossomined, ¡°You¡¯ve had three kids, and I¡¯m still chubbier than you. That¡¯s just not fair.¡± Elysia chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re not chubby; that¡¯s just baby fat.¡± Blossom was the cuddly type- petite, cute, and absolutely adorable. She snuggled under the covers and said, ¡°I just can¡¯t control my eating. I don¡¯t want to, either. My motto is: Life is short, so eating is crucial. Never deprive your mouth or legs. If you can eat two pieces of chocte, never settle for one. If you can lie down, don¡¯t sit. Eat well, drink well, rest well- that¡¯s the way to live.¡± Blossom was a ssic foodie who wasn¡¯t into working out. Elysia climbed into bed, smiling. ¡°With your love for food, you better treat Emmett right. That boy can cook like a dream, and sticking with him means feasting like a queen.¡± The mention of the little guy perked Blossom right up, ¡°I know, I know! He showed me pictures on his phone yesterday. Oh my gosh, just looking at them made me hungry! And he even makes perfume. How can such a young kid be so talented?¡± ¡°Fashion sense definitely doesn¡¯t run in my genes,¡± Elysia admitted. Then Blossom asked, ¡°They say giving birth is like a woman¡¯s trial by fire. Was it really painful when you had them?¡± Elysia shrugged, ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t even have a chance to feel it. I don¡¯t even know how it all went down. By the time I woke up, it was all over, so I missed out on the pain of childbirth and didn¡¯t get to snap those first precious moments.¡± Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Blossom was baffled, her brow furrowed in thought. ¡°You passed out after work, and normally, if someone was to rescue you, they¡¯d take you straight to the hospital, not drop you off in the middle of nowhere. But if you ran into some bad news, well, they didn¡¯t hurt you or the babies. They just left you in the wilderness. It¡¯s like they wanted you to fend for yourself, but that doesn¡¯t quite add up either. If someone wanted to harm you, they wouldn¡¯t bother letting you give birth, let alone perform a C¨Csection and stitch you up afterward.¡± It had slipped out during their daily walk that Elysia and the children lived in the woods. But Elysia had skirted around the details of her saviors and life in the wilds, mentioning only a quaint vige at the foot of the mountains. Elysia was just as puzzled, this enigma nagging at her. The person who took her to the wilderness didn¡¯t seem to want to harm her, but didn¡¯t exactly seem to be helping her either. It was just¡­ weird. ¡°Didn¡¯t they leave any clues behind?¡± Blossom asked. Elysia shook her head. ¡°None.¡± ¡°And they never showed up again?¡± ¡°Not once.¡± ¡°That is so weird¡­¡± Blossom pondered for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°Oh well, why rack your brains over it? The truth wille out sooner orter.¡± Elysia nodded in agreement. That was often how things went; you could think until your head hurt and get nowhere. But the moment you stopped trying, the answers would hit like a lightning bolt. you ¡°Enough about me and the kids. I want to hear about you and Winona these past years,¡± Elysia urged. it¡¯s my mom Blossom chuckled, ¡°Same old, same old. But if I have to pick something, driving me up the wall with her matchmaking shenanigans! Can you believe it? A woman of her intellect, turned matchmaker! She¡¯s relentless! Between her and my aunt, it¡¯s like they¡¯re on a mission. I dread their visits. The second I see them together, I feel like it¡¯s doomsday¡­ Elysia couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I can¡¯t picture Hollis getting into the matchmaking business.¡± ¡°Oh, the Hollis you knew is long gone. I swear my aunt has brainwashed her. Not only does she want me hitched, but she¡¯s aiming for blue blood! Like, seriously, why would any tycoon want to marry an average¨Clooking, average¨Cbuilt, average¨Ceducated, average¨Cjob woman like me? They¡¯d have to be blind!¡± Blossom¡¯s self¨Cdeprecation was ruthless, and she didn¡¯t stop there. Back in the day, she¡¯d get so mad at how slow I was, even cried over it. Kept wondering how two brainiacs like her and Dad could have produced such a dunce. She even toyed with the idea that I wasn¡¯t theirs. If it weren¡¯t for my striking resemnce to them, they might have dragged me to a paternity test by now. They used toment about how two positives made a negative. If they weren¡¯t so caught up in their careers and getting on in years, they¡¯d probably try for a do¨Cover with a new kid. Once I got a job, she stopped nagging, only to start her marriage crusade. All that smarts, and now she¡¯s turned Into a full¨Cblown matchmaker.¡± Elysia smiled, ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been out of school for a while. It is about that time to settle down, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Not interested. I¡¯m loving the single life. Why mess it up with a rtionship? Best¨Ccase scenario, Ind a guy like Zane ¨C treats his wife like gold, faithful, a real gentleman. Worst case, I get stuck with a deadbeat. Why would I risk that? I¡¯m happy where I am. I¡¯ve got my job, my friends, my own little world. I can party when I feel like it or enjoy some peace and quiet. I can jet off on a whim or lounge in bed all day without anyone nagging me. I make enough to get by, splurge on treats when I want. But if I got married? Ha!! might end up supporting him, and there goes my snack money. Just the thought gives me the shivers!¡± Blossom had a point.. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Marriage could go either way: it could be your making or your undoing. And the thing about men? You can¡¯t always tell a saint from a sinner right away. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 09:48 Chapter 87 Elysia leaned back in her chair, a contemtive look crossing her face. ¡°You know what they say, ¡°Marry in haste, repent at leisure. But if you don¡¯t get married and have kids while you¡¯re young, you might live to regret it. Blossom just shrugged it off with her usual carefree attitude. ¡°Ah, let life worry about itself. Life¡¯s too short to not enjoy the heck out of it. I just wanna be happy, that¡¯s all that matters. And love? You can¡¯t force that kind of thing. Look, I¡¯m not against marriage. It¡¯s just that my knight in shining armor hasn¡¯t trotted up yet. When he does, trust me, you won¡¯t have to nudge me¨CI¡¯ll be the first one shouting from the rooftops that I¡¯m getting married.¡± 23 E DR Blossom¡¯s tone shifted gears as she turned to Elysia with a curious tilt of her head. ¡°What about you, though? You nning on jumping back into the dating pool again?¡± Elysia shook her head decidedly. ¡°I¡¯ve had my fill of the bitter taste of marriage, no second helpings for me, thank you. Besides, I¡¯ve got my kids. They¡¯ll be mypany when I¡¯m old and gray.* Blossom scooted closer with a mischievous grin. ¡°Well then, what¡¯s yours is mine, right? From today on, I¡¯ve got kids too. If I end up a spinster, you can bet I¡¯ll be clinging to you and your three little munchkins.¡± ¡°Ha, you¡¯re on. By the way, did Winona ever mention when she¡¯sing back?¡± Blossom shook her head, her ponytail swishing ¡°No clue. Winona¡¯s been living the life, a real leading lady¨Cher career and love life are both booming. The only thing missing is a baby. I heard her say once that Zane wants kids, but she¡¯s too caught up with her career to even think about it. Good thing Zane adores her, or else they¡¯d be at each other¡¯s throats over it.¡± ¡°Yeah, deciding to have kids¡­ That¡¯s a conversation that needs both to be on board.¡± ¡°Exactly. But everyone¡¯s pushing back timelines these days. Winona can afford to wait a few more years. As Blossom¡¯s words trailed off, her stomach gave a loud, insistent growl. Sheughed and said, ¡°Time for a midnight snack.¡± ¡°You and your belly. I could whip up something.¡± ¡°No need, it¡¯ste. I¡¯ll just order in. I¡¯ll check on the little ones first. If they¡¯re still awake, I¡¯ll grab extra.¡± Tiptoeing over to the kids¡® room, Blossom gently pushed the door open. It was pitch ck; the trio was sound asleep. She tiptoed back, closing the door behind her. ¡°All tucked in. Let¡¯s get this party started.¡± She ordered some BBQ skewers and a couple of beers, and they settled into an evening of eating, drinking, andughter, much like the old college dorm days. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Tarquin kept a vigil by Elijah¡¯s bedside, restlessly awake. Gideon¡¯s men had crumbled under Lowell¡¯s tactics, spilling everything. Gideon had sought out Elysia only after hearing about her potential to help Elijah with his bipr disorder. Elysia wasn¡¯t lying; she truly didn¡¯t know Gideon. The encounter of Elysia and Tarquin at the bar was a mere coincidence. Tarquin¡¯s men confirmed she had signed up for the bartending gig long before he decided to show up looking for Keaton. In other words, Elysia had no idea he would be there when she applied for the job. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Tarquin had misunderstood her twice over. But what about the smoke bomb in the basement, the elusive hero, the business rivalry, the breached security system, and the warning not to bully the littledy? Could it be that someone else, not Elysia, was the target of the message? He pondered, his mind racing. The ¡®littledy¡® wasn¡¯t just Elysia; there was also his estranged wife, whom he¡¯d never met and whose marriage he¡¯d used to fend off N. Andtely, she¡¯d been pushing for a divorce, which he¡¯d resisted. Could the person behind the business sabotage be standing up for her? Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened. Without a nce at the clock, he whipped out his phone and dialed the Royal Community. ¡°Get her on the line. I want to meet with her tomorrow!¡± Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Chapter 88 He was determined to meet ¡®his wife¡® himself, to see if there indeed was such a powerful figure behind her! The next morning, Elysia was jolted awake by the shrill ring of her cellphone. It was Zane calling. Blearily opening her eyes, Elysia answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Elysia, it¡¯s me, Zane.¡± ¡°I know. I saved your number yesterday. What¡¯s up, you need something?¡± ¡°Nothing major, just a bit worried about you. Sorry aboutst night. I had one too many and just woke up. You alright?¡± Elysia knew he was referring to the altercation with Gage. ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Gage hasn¡¯t been giving you any more trouble, has he?¡± ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t.¡± Zane let out a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Where are you at? You out of bed yet?¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Not yet. Blossom¡¯s with me at this temporary ce I¡¯m staying at. But, yeah, we should probably get up.¡± ¡°Well, send me your location. I¡¯lle over and bring you guys some breakfast.¡± ¡°Wait, you¡¯reing over?¡± ¡°Yeah, is that not okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. I know you¡¯re busy, and if you¡¯re just concerned about me, you don¡¯t have toe. I¡¯m really okay.¡± Zane replied with a chuckle, ¡°No matter how busy, I¡¯ve got to check on you. Plus, I¡¯m not busy today; it¡¯s Sunday, my day off.¡± Elysia was about to protest when Zane added, ¡°Winona¡¯s been looking for you for years. Now that you¡¯ve finally shown up, if I don¡¯te to see you, she¡¯d kill me. I¡¯m visiting on her behalf.¡± With that, Elysia had no ground to refuse. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send you my location.¡± 09:48 After hanging up, Blossom asked, ¡°Zane¡¯sing over?¡± Yeah, he says he¡¯sing on behalf of Winona.¡± ¡°Quite the survival Instinct he¡¯s got. If Winona knew you were back and Zane didn¡¯t visit, she¡¯d definitely have his head.¡± Elysia just smiled, ¡°That¡¯s what he said himself.¡± Neither of them thought much of it. Since a gentleman was visiting, they quickly got out of bed to freshen up. Elysia was unaware that Royal Community had tried to call herst night. Her phone showed no missed calls. After drinking heavily, the mere thought of Royal Community issues was distressing. Under the influence, in a fit of irritation, she had blocked the number. Now that the alcohol had worn off, she¡¯dpletely forgotten about blocking the call. So, the number from Royal Community was still lying dormant in her cklist. Blossom headed to the bathroom first, while Elysia went to check on the three little ones. The trio were still sound asleep, having gone to bedte the night before, they hadn¡¯t awakened yet. Seeing the children, Elysia¡¯s heart warmed. She tucked them in properly and started tidying up. She and Blossom had not had the chance to clean up afterst night¡¯s drinking session. Half an hourter, Zane arrived. Elysia stood at the doorway, greeting him warmly into the house. Unbeknownst to them, someone was taking photos from a distance, and these pictures would soon be in Tarquin¡¯s hands. Lowell reported to Tarquin, ¡°As per your instructions, we¡¯ve been tracking Zane and captured these photos. No wonder we couldn¡¯t find Ms. Thorne¡¯s address; turns out she¡¯s staying at Wheatfield Homestay. The owner¡¯s son is a hacker, not famous, but with connections to some pretty skilled ones. Their cybersecurity is top¨Cnotch.¡± If their cybersecurity was that impressive, it muste with a hefty price tag. Tarquin frowned, ¡°I thought Elysia was broke? Where¡¯s she getting the money for such a fancy ce?¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Thendy¡¯s special treatment only cost her 200 bucks for the night,¡± the man said with a grin, tossing a wink in Tarquin¡¯s direction. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Tarquin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Mrs. Thorne¡¯s three sons, they¡¯re thendy¡¯s darlings. She¡¯d let them stay for free if not out of concern for Mrs. Thorne¡¯s feelings, afraid that not charging her would cause undue worry.¡± Tarquin eyed him skeptically. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°As true as the sky is blue. Don¡¯t believe me? Go ask her yourself,¡± Lowell insisted with a chuckle. Tarquin didn¡¯t know this was all prearranged by Elliot, nor did he give it much thought before he probed further, ¡°Did you figure out the connection between Zane and Elysia?¡± ¡°Got it. She and Zane¡¯s wife, Winona, are besties from their college days, and Zane was the big man on campus, their senior. The trio¡¯s quite tight¨Cknit. Oh, and we dug up some dirt on Ms. Thorne too. Turns out she¡¯s lived in Jindale City before. Ms. Thorne is the adopted daughter of the Thorne family, not exactly the apple of their eye. But she¡¯s a self¨Cstarter, academically brilliant. Blew her exams out of the water and got into Jindale University with flying colors. She was a star there too. Her professors and ssmates all said she was a sweetheart¨Ckind, helpful, and ambitious. If she hadn¡¯t dropped out to get married, she would¡¯ve had a bright future. After she married, though, rumors flew about her private life¨Callegations of an affair. Her husband caught her red¨Chanded and divorced her, leaving her with nothing. Then she vanished, just like that, for six whole years. And then, the day her son wrecked your car, she pops back into the picture.¡± Infidelity and left with nothing! Tarquin¡¯s thoughts suddenly turned to his own estranged wife, whom he¡¯d never met. But Elysia couldn¡¯t be her; Elysia was already divorced, and his marriage was still technically intact. Besides, their names didn¡¯t match. ¡°What¡¯s brought her back into town?¡± he asked. ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°Any y contact with Zane before she returned?¡± Lowell shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s a few years there, a gap we can¡¯t ount for. But since her return, it doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s been in touch with Zane. We checked his phone, no calls to Ms. Thorne, not even a WhatsApp message untilst night. Seems like their dinner at Jinpeach Restaurant was their first meet¨Cup in years.¡± Tarquin furrowed his brows. ¡°So, there¡¯s nothing shady about Zane and Elysia?¡± 09:48 Huh? What do you mean?¡± Tarquin shot him a displeased nce. Lowell quickly added, ¡°Got it, got it. But I doubt it. Zane and his wife seem to have a good. thing going. He¡¯s known to be a devoted husband.¡± Tarquin¡¯s lips twitched, clearly wanting to change the subject. ¡°Any connections between Zane and Gideon?* ¡°Nothing turned up. But Zane¡¯s been trying to get close to you for business reasons. He showed up at Booker¡¯s birthday bashst night, pulling strings to get your attention.¡± A flicker of disdain crossed Tarquin¡¯s eyes as he pondered. Lowell continued, ¡°You suspect Zane and Gideon might be in cahoots? Doesn¡¯t seem likely. Combine their fortunes, and you won¡¯t hit a billion. Thest time our business was under siege, the yer had tens of billions at their disposal. Zane¡¯s just the son¨Cinw in the Newsom family¨Cyeah, they¡¯re loaded, and Winona¡¯s a hotshot celebrity, but Zane¡¯s assets are minimal. Right now, as the general manager of the Newsom Group, he¡¯s more an errand boy than a power yer. The real shot¨Ccaller is still Mr. Newsom.¡± Tarquin remained silent for a moment, then instructed, ¡°See if there¡¯s a project we could coborate with Zane on. If there is, give him a shot.¡± This opportunity was a consideration of Zane¡¯s connection to Elysia. Although his suspicions of Elysia had lessened, he hadn¡¯t entirely ruled her out. 09Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Tarquin couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint whether he wanted her to take care of Elijah or if he was trying to scope out her intentions. So, he paid extra attention to the people and events surrounding her. ¡°By the way,¡± Lowell mentioned casually, ¡°Professor Folly¡¯s daughter, Blossom Blythe, Is pretty chummy with Ms. Thorne. Justst night, Ms. Blythe treated Ms. Thorne to dinner and didn¡¯t return home. She checked into the Wheatfield Homestay instead.¡± Tarquin¡¯s eyelids flicked up at the mention, his gaze shifting to Lowell. ¡°Professor Folly¡¯s only child?¡± ¡°Yeah, I did some digging. Ms. Thorne, Ms. Blossom Blythe, and Ms. Winona Newsom were the inseparable trio back in school. Very tight¨Cknit.¡± There was a silence before Tarquin murmured an acknowledgment. The Blythe couple were two professors he held in high regard. His interest in ancient cultures ran deep, and the Blythes were experts in that field. He had visited them on multiple asions. He knew they had an only daughter, but he had never met her, nor did he know her name. He hadn¡¯t expected Elysia to be best friends with the daughter. ¡°Is Professor Folly still over in Border City?¡± ¡°Yep, they discovered some ancient tomb out there. The whole team¡¯s gone to Border City. Might be a while before they¡¯re back.¡± Noticing Tarquin¡¯s furrowed brow, Lowell continued, ¡°You probably don¡¯t need to worry about Ms. Blythe¡¯s safety. She and Ms. Thorne are genuine friends. When the news of Ms. Thorne¡¯s affair broke out, everyone familiar with her was bad¨Cmouthing her, except Ms. Blythe and Ms. Newsom. They actually hit back at the haters. They both faced a lot. of bacsh online, took a lot of k. Luckily, the Newsoms have deep pockets and managed to suppress the trending searches. That helped put an end to the whole ordeal.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s look into what Elysia was up to in the years she was out in the countryside before this,¡± Tarquin said after a pause. She used to be a model student, but who knows if she¡¯s changed? People do change over time. His thoughts drifted to his wife, and he asked, ¡°No word from her at the Royal Community?¡± ¡°Her phone¡¯s been ringing off the hook, but no answer.¡± Lowell knew what Tarquin was thinking and reassured him, ¡°But all things considered, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s rted to the troubles we¡¯ve had these past few days. If someone was trying to muscle in on our business to get back at her, they would¡¯ve acted again after you refused to divorce. But look, It¡¯s been days, no divorce, and no more stunts.¡± Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened, and he remained silent. Lowell¡¯s point was valid, but if it wasn¡¯t Elysia or his wife, who could the ¡®littledy¡® be? Tarquin.¡± Benjamin had arrived for work. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Tarquin snapped out of his reverie and nced at Elijah, standing up. ¡°Look after him for me. I¡¯ve got to go. Call me the moment he wakes up.¡± Elijah was familiar with Benjamin, so Tarquin was confident that Elijah wouldn¡¯t throw a fit upon seeing him. Benjamin, aware that Tarquin had spent the night at Elijah¡¯s bedside, reminded him, ¡°You better go get some rest.¡± Tarquin grunted nomittally and headed straight to his car, saying, ¡°To the office. Lowell sighed and said, ¡°Tarquin, go home. You need some rest. You¡¯ve barely slept properly in days.¡± Between worrying about Elijah and work, he was running on fumes. Even an iron man has his limits. But Tarquin¡¯s response was a chilly, ¡°To the office first.¡± He closed his eyes for a brief respite as Lowell reluctantly started the car. Outsiders always said Tarquin was cold and ruthless, a heartless creature, but they had him all wrong. He was the epitome of a tough exterior housing a warm heart. He was the best father anyone could ask for. And the best friend and boss too! Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Wheatfield Homestay. Blossom¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment as she looked over the breakfast spread Zane had brought home, eximing, ¡°Goodness, breakfast from the Jinpeach Restaurant? Did you really go out of your way to get this? And so much variety!¡± ¡°Yep, it¡¯s the best breakfast in town, and Elysia hasn¡¯t been home in ages. I wasn¡¯t sure if her tastes have changed over the years, so I got a bit of everything just in case.¡± Blossom tsk¨Ctsked in amazement, ¡°How could it not be delicious? A single muffin costs a fortune.¡± Elysia gasped, ¡°How much?¡± Blossom gestured with her small hands, ¡°One muffin, 800 bucks!¡± ¡°That expensive?¡± ¡°Mmm¨Chmm, hard to believe, right? Tarquin really knows how to rake in the dough¨Ca true capitalist through and through!¡± Jinpeach Restaurant was one of the businesses owned by Tarquin. Elysia¡¯s expression changed slightly, given that Tarquin was her husband. With muffins priced at $800 each, Zane had bought six, in addition to three hearty oatmeal bowls and a dozen side dishes. The breakfast had cost them just shy of ten grand. Elysia, trying to calm her nerves, said to Zane, ¡°You¡¯ve really gone all out.¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends, no need for formalities. Come on, sit and eat before it gets cold.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten either, have you? Join us.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As the three of them ate and chatted, Elysia asked, ¡°Have you heard from Winonately?¡± Zane shook his head, ¡°Not yet. Blossom chimed in, ¡°She¡¯s been gone for over a year. You¡¯d think she¡¯d be back by now. A movie shoot usually only takes a few months.¡± Zane replied, ¡°This time it¡¯s different. She said to brace myself, that it might be a year or two before she could return. If there were anyplications, it could take even longer.¡± ¡°That long? Must be a major production.¡± ¡°Yeah, Winona¡¯s always been ambitious, always challenging herself.¡± ¡°Has she been in touch with her folks?¡± Elysia asked. 1/2 Zana shook his head again. She signed a non¨Cdisclosure agreement and can¡¯t contact anyone.¡± Elysia looked embarrassed, not quite understanding the rules of their industry. ¡°How have you been these past years?¡± Zane steered the conversation towards her. ¡°Alright, I guess.¡± ¡°After the scandal, you disappeared so suddenly¡­ we were all terrified¡­¡± ¡°I had a bad rep back then and didn¡¯t want to drag you guys down with me, so I left. quietly.¡± ¡°You always saw things too ck and white. We¡¯re not just friends, we¡¯re practically family. There¡¯s no such thing as dragging us down. We know you, and there¡¯s no way you¡¯d do anything like ¡®cheating within marriage. Winona and I even reached out to the bestwyers to help you fight your case, but then you went off the grid. And that was six years ago.¡± Elysia felt remorseful as she said, ¡°I was young and scared, not thinking about fighting the case or assigning me; I just wanted to escape. I caused you all so much worry¡­¡± ¡°No need for formalities among friends. We never saw you as an outsider. If you ever decide you want to appeal, just say the word, and we¡¯ll be there to help.¡± Elysia smiled softly. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now. I don¡¯t want to appeal anymore. I¡¯m living well now and don¡¯t want to dwell on past troubles.¡± ¡°Good point. If you don¡¯t want to appeal, then put it all behind you. We have to keep moving forward.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Got any ns for the future?¡± ¡°To live a good life with my kids.¡± Zane looked surprised, ¡°You have kids?¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. The triplets were still snoozing in the bedroom, unseen by Zane, which exined his astonishment. Elysia beamed, ¡°Three boys, they¡¯re five years old now.¡± Zane was taken aback. ¡°Five years old? They¡¯re his, and¡­ you went through with the pregnancy?¡± Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Zane looked perplexed. ¡°Did you ever find the kids¡® father?¡± No, I raped them by myself.¡± To was visibly impressed. ¡°That must be tough, a single mom with three kids. How did you manage? ¡°Just taking it one day at a time, you know? Sure, there have been tough spots, but overall, there¡¯s been more joy than not.¡± And you¡­ you don¡¯t ever want to find their father?¡± Elysia shook her head emphatically. ¡°No need. The kids are all I need.¡± Zane¡¯s gaze lingered on her, filled withpassion. Blossom too looked at her with an expression of deep sympathy. Elysia offered a reassuring smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m doing really well. Once the divorce is finalized and the kids¡® paperwork is sorted, I n to move to a cozy town and settle down.¡± Zane was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re not divorced yet?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I guess he hasn¡¯t signed the divorce papers yet.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Frowning. Zane asked, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he sign? ¡°I wish I knew.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been back for a few days now, right? Howe the divorce isn¡¯t final?¡± Elysia¡¯s face was a picture of frustration. ¡°He¡¯splicating things. I haven¡¯t even been able to see him.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Doesn¡¯t he want the divorce?¡± ¡°He says he does.¡± Blossom chimed in, ¡°I bet he¡¯s dragging his feet because he knows you really want the divorce. He¡¯s probably doing it out of spite, because of what happened back then.¡± Elysia was just as puzzled. ¡°But he¡¯ll want to get married and have his own kids someday, right? Holding onto this marriage isn¡¯t doing him any favors¨Cunless he ns on never getting married.¡± Otherwise, he¡¯d bemitting bigamy. Zane, with a furrowed brow, offered, ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, you can tell me who he is. I¡¯ll 09:49 help you sort things out with him. If there¡¯s no love left, It¡¯s best to just end it. Blossom also looked at Elysia expectantly. Up to this point, she still had no idea who Elysia¡¯s deadbeat husband was. Elysia, however, remained firm. ¡°You two don¡¯t need to worry about this, I¡¯ll handle it.¡± She couldn¡¯t very well tell them¨Cthere was a confidentiality agreement from their secret marriage that she couldn¡¯t breach. More importantly, with Tarquin¡¯s current influence, she wouldn¡¯t dare let Blossom and Zane approach him. If Tarquin got angry and went after them in retaliation, she couldn¡¯t have that on her conscience. Seeing Elysia¡¯s resolve, Blossom and Zane didn¡¯t press further. Zane tried to lighten the mood, ¡°Listen, if you run into any trouble in Jindale City, youe to me. No need to be shy, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After chatting for a while longer, Zane was the first to leave. As soon as he got into his car, he whipped out his phone and transferred fifty thousand dors to a certain ount. Then he made a call.. ¡°I need you to dig up who Elysia¡¯s husband is. If you hit a wall, go ask the Thorne family. Do it fast, and there¡¯s another fifty thousand in it for you. And the job fromst night, all taken care of?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± ¡°Make sure you covered your tracks. If anyone gets wind of this, we¡¯re both done for.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Hanging up, Zane leaned back in his seat, aplex expression on his face as he stared at the Wheatfield Homestay. He hadn¡¯t expected Elysia to reappear in his life. He certainly hadn¡¯t anticipated that she was still married. And he had never imagined that Elysia would have kids, let alone triplets! After a while, he exhaled slowly, started the car, and drove off, dialing a number as he went. ¡°Hey, I want to ce an order for three kids¡® breakfast specials, delivered to Wheatfield Homestay, Building 1. And make it the deluxe versions, please.¡± 09:49 The trio woke up in a bit of a panic. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Emmett nced at the clock on the nightstand and his face turned ghostly pale. ¡°Oh no, It¡¯s past ten! We¡¯re in trouble, Mom and Blossom must be starving.¡± Leaping out of bed, still in his pajamas, Emmett dashed out of the room. Elliot and Evan stirred awake as well. In the living room, Elysia and Blossom were lounging and chatting when they saw Emmett barrel through, anxious as a rabbit in a snare. ¡°What¡¯s the rush, Emmett?¡± Elysia asked. ¡°Mom, Godmother, are you hungry? I¡¯ll whip up some breakfast for you right now.¡± Emmett was all set to storm the kitchen when Elysia called him back. ¡°No need to cook, sweetheart. We¡¯ve already eaten, and your breakfast is ready too. Go freshen up, and then you can eat.¡± ¡°Ah? Did you make it, Mom?¡± ¡°No, it was delivered by a gentleman.¡± ¡°A gentleman?¡± ¡°Mmhmm, I¡¯ll tell you more about itter. Now go wash up and wake your brothers, too.¡± With a quick ¡®okay,¡® Emmett pivoted and headed back to their room. ¡°Mom said a gentleman brought us breakfast.¡± ¡°Which gentleman?¡± Elliot and Evan chimed in unison. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Elliot and Evan didn¡¯t bother with washing up; they were more interested in grilling Elysia. Suddenly, a man appeared in their mom¡¯s life, and they were naturally curious. With a smile, Elysia exined, ¡°It was your other godmom¡¯s husband, also an old college. friend of mine. He heard we were in Jindale City and came to check on us, bringing breakfast along. He even peeked into your room, but you boys were still asleep.¡± Elliot and Evan rxed a bit with the exnation. However, back in the room, Elliot couldn¡¯t resist checking the security cameras briefly, then did a quick search on Zane¡¯s background. Zane had severalbels: self¨Cmade man, tycoon son¨Cinw, ambitious youth, business 09:49 hotshot, supported husband, universe¡¯s best spouse Finding nothing rming about him, Elliot finally shut down theputer and went to freshen up. As long as the guy meant no harm to their mom, they were cool. Meanwhile, in the living room, Blossom suddenly gasped, ¡°Oh my stars, Gage is getting his comeuppance!¡± Hearing Gage¡¯s name, Elysia leaned in curiously. ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°Take a look. The guy¡¯s been neutered. You¡¯ve been away and might not know, but this Gage is an old lecher, a scourge of Jindale City. He loves bullying women, and he¡¯s brutally good at it. But because of his ties to Tarquin, no one dared to touch him. Now, finally, a hero has emerged.¡± Blossom was oblivious to the bad blood between Elysia and Gage; she was merely reacting to the news. Elysia had heard about the connection between Gage and Tarquin from Zane the night before, and she was intrigued. Who had the guts to strike at Gage? Weren¡¯t they afraid of Tarquin seeking revenge? Yet as she nced at Gage¡¯s miserable photos circting online, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of schadenfreude. Serves him right! What goes aroundes around! She didn¡¯t have the heart of a saint; she couldn¡¯t wish well for someone who had wronged her so. Blossom¡¯s exmation was loud enough for Elliot to hear from his room. Midway through brushing his teeth, he hurried back to hisputer to check on Gage¡¯s situation. A look of shock crossed his face as he researched. He hadn¡¯t even made a move yet, and someone had beaten him to the punch. ¡°Bro, did you do this?¡± Evan approached, eyes wide with curiosity. Elliot shook his head, ¡°Not me. I hadn¡¯t lifted a finger yet.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Then who did?¡± ¡°No idea. Gage has wronged so many, any one of them could be the culprit.¡± ¡°Whoever it is, they¡¯re a hero in my eyes¨Cridding us of a menace!¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Chapter 94 After a hearty breakfast of pancakes and bacon, Blossom suggested that they take the three kids out for a stroll downtown and catch a movie. The party of five set out the door, spirits high andughter in the air. Elysia sia didn¡¯t give the incident with Gage a second thought, but the ripples it caused were far from insignificant. Gage was nothing more than a contemptible little twerp, disliked by many, but he was a ter, and that meant he represented the entire ter n. And the ters had the powerful Tarquin backing them. So, by extension, hitting Gage was like pping Tarquin across the face. In current times, it seemed unthinkable that someone would dare to cross Tarquin, and so, the inte exploded with gossip. Everyone was wondering who would be foolish enough to offend Tarquin. But those close to Tarquin knew well his true feelings toward Gage. N ter was a lifesaver to Elijah; Tarquin was grateful to her, which extended to some level of care toward the ter family, but that was strictly business. As for Gage¡­ to speak frankly, Tarquin never really considered him worth his attention. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have let Gage make a fool of himself running naked through the streets that one time. Keaton¡¯s call came through, ¡°Was it you?¡± Tarquin stood before the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows of his executive office, a cigarette pinched between his fingers as he surveyed the skyline of Jindale City. ¡°Why don¡¯t you. ask your sister?¡± Tarquin was aware of the bad blood between Gage and Elysia. Seeing the news about Gage¡¯s mishap, he had a hunch it might be rted to Elysia. Now, with the Denton family indebted to Elysia for something, it was a possibility that they¡¯d take Gage down a peg for her sake. Keaton said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t them. My sister just called me, asking if it was you. She said if it was, to thank you for standing up for Ms. Thorne!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that idle.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s strange. Over the years, plenty have wanted Gage dead but held back out of respect for you. Now him suddenly getting in trouble? Everyone in the circle suspects he¡¯s pissed you off, and you handled it personally.¡± ¡°Me, personally? Is he even worth the effort?¡± 09:49 ¡°You¡¯re right. But whoever did this¡­ using Gage to offend you sounds pretty far¨Cfetched, If they really wanted to cross you, they¡¯de at me directly. Our bond is Irond; you¡¯d definitely blow a fuse if something happened to me.¡± Tarquin flicked off some ash. ¡°If you¡¯re so bored, go take a nap. Stop prying into. everything!¡± Keaton chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing on today. Don¡¯t feel like sleeping or hanging with my girl. How about I keep youpany? Feels like ages since Ist graced you with my presence.¡± ¡°Beat it!¡± Tarquin hung up without another word. Lowell approached and said, ¡°Tarquin, I did some digging. The hit on Gage was by a pro, contracted through the dark web. The client only wanted Gage¡­ emascted, not dead.¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. With the job being on the dark web, tracing the client would be difficult. Tarquin took a drag on his cigarette, indifferent to Gage¡¯s fate. After all, Gage had made enough enemies who would want to harm him. ¡°What¡¯s Elysia up to?¡± Lowell, thankfully aware of his boss¡¯s attitude towards Elysia, held back a smirk. Otherwise, he might suspect his boss had fallen for her. Mentioning her name every chance he got¡­ ¡°Just got word that she¡¯s out shopping with Ms. Blythe, and they¡¯ve got the kids with them.¡± Tarquin remained silent, prompting Lowell to continue, ¡°Also, we got a call from Royal Community. Your wife has reached out again, asking when you¡¯ll be free to finalize the divorce.¡± At the mention of his wife, Tarquin frowned in annoyance. ¡°Tell her, if she doesn¡¯t want trouble, to stop harassing me. I¡¯ll get in touch when I¡¯m ready for the divorce.¡± Now that he no longer suspected her, he naturally had no desire to see her either. Lowell nodded in understanding, the office once again falling silent. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Elysia was shopping on the bustling streets when her phone buzzed with a new message. She was fuming as she clutched her phone and confronted the caller. ¡°What do you mean he¡¯ll divorce when he feels like it? Can¡¯t he give me a straight answer? Can¡¯t I just see him, have a one¨Con¨Cone chat, I-¡± ¡°Beep, beep, beep¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the call was abruptly ended. ¡°Son of a gun!¡± Elysia was seething, hands on hips, forehead creased in frustration. It was only when she reached the mall that she remembered to unblock the number for Royal Community and give them a call about the divorce. Realizing she had cklisted their number previously, she quickly salvaged the contact from digital oblivion and dialed back. The news that Tarquin had actually reached out to herst night, even setting up a meeting for today, had sent her over the moon with excitement. But, as fate would have it, things took a U¨Cturn. She didn¡¯t know if Tarquin was ticked off for not getting through to herst night, but all she knew was that she was fuming! Maybe if she had picked up the phonest night, they would have been at the courthouse signing divorce papers by now! Oh, if only she hadn¡¯t drowned her sorrows in wine! Blossom noticed Elysia¡¯s distress and sidled up. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Elysia was a mix of anger and helplessness. ¡°That jerk still refuses to sign the divorce papers. Today he was even more obstinate, telling me not to bother him, saying he¡¯ll divorce when he feels like it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Blossom¡¯s voice spiked in disbelief. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. The kids were busy at the arcade, and Elysia, not wanting to cause a scene, nudged Blossom to tone it down. In a hushed tone, Blossom prodded, ¡°What does he even want? What¡¯s this nonsense about divorcing when he feels like it? You two were at each other¡¯s throats, not to mention living apart for years! Him dragging his feet is just low¨Cdown dirty! Don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s take him to court! I have a friend who¡¯s awyer. If he won¡¯t y nice, we¡¯ll show him tough.¡± 172 Evsia¡¯s expression soust #tit were any ordinary man that might be an option but this was Tarquent Even if he weren¡¯t at the helm of the Bradford Grous shot stand no chance in court against him And now Forget about it! Whichwyer in their right mind would risk crossing Tarquin for her? It Tarquin was a rock, she wasn¡¯t even fit to be an eag Legal action was off the table And confronting him directly That avenue was shut down too. He made it clear any harassment would be on her own head This was just bullying! ¡°You leave it to me Just give me his details I¡¯ll rally my folks and my quest. With two renowned professors and a societydy on our side, how can we not handle one man? Blossom refused to back down Elysia nced at Blossom awkwardly, internally screaming ¡°Blossom, were no match for him, s¡± Esia sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s just forget about him for now it be wont divorce so be it Let¡¯s see who can oust the other. He¡¯s got some high and nighty giriftene. I bet she¡¯s itchines to take my ce. If she starts making waves, he¡¯lle crawling to the Blossom sighed in solidarity feeling frustrated on Evsia¡¯s behalt as she said, ¡°What kind of a jerk holds on to a rtionship that¡¯s long dead? He¡¯s disgusting! But whatever you¡¯re better off without him. Since you can¡¯t shake him off, just stay here in Jingale Oby Your biggest worry was the kids schooling, right? I¡¯ve got it covered. They can attend the preschool I¡¯m working at ¡°Are you sure? Is that okay? ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ve got this ¡°Isn¡¯t the tuition steep?¡± ¡°Stop fussing. I told you it¡¯s handled. Don¡¯t worry about the fees Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Chapter 96 ¡°I can¡¯t ept this.¡± ¡°Think of it as a loan, sweetheart,¡± Blossom insisted, her voice warm and soothing like a cup of chamomile tea. ¡°When you¡¯re back on your feet, you can pay me back. Also, cancel that Airbnb you¡¯re staying at ande live with me. I¡¯ve got a three¨Cbedroom house with two rooms gathering dust. This way, I get to see my godsons every day, and I won¡¯t be so lonely. It¡¯s a win¨Cwin.¡± Elysia¡¯s heart swelled with emotion. She nodded, her words failing to capture the depth of her gratitude. ¡°Thanks, Blossom,¡± she murmured, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. ¡°Mommy, Godmother,e y with us!¡± Evan called out to them, his voice echoing in the excitement of the arcade. The two women exchanged a knowing smile and followed the sound of hisughter. Elysia¡¯s spirits were buoyed by her best friend¡¯s generosity. Her biggest worry had been the kids¡® schooling, and now, with Blossom¡¯s help, that concern was alleviated. ¡°Ah-¡± A sudden shriek pierced the air. Emmett had been pushed off a kiddie motorcycle by another little boy andnded with a thud on the carpeted floor. The usurper had already mounted the bike Emmett was riding, his hands gripping the handlebars, a triumphant ¡®vroom vroom¡® escaping his lips, oblivious to the injustice he¡¯d justmitted. Evan, with the temperament of a firecracker, didn¡¯t take kindly to the sight. He marched. over and gave the boy a shove, sending him tumbling to the ground, chin meeting carpet. ¡°The nerve! Who do you think you are, picking on my brother?¡± Evan¡¯s voice was fierce, his protective instincts in full disy. The little boy burst into tears as he cried out, ¡°Mommy, mommy, he pushed me!¡± A well¨Cdressed woman hurried over, scooping up her son in her arms. ¡°Oh, my poor baby, where did you get hurt? Tell mommy where it hurts!¡± ¡°My bum, it hurts,¡± he wailed, rubbing his backside. The woman turned her wrath on Evan, her voice sharp as a knife, ¡°You little brat, how dare you touch my son? You¡¯re going to pay for this!¡± Evan, undeterred, stood his ground. ¡°You¡¯re the brat, and so is your whole family!¡± ¡°Insolent child! I¡¯ll-¡± The woman¡¯s hand flew up, ready to strike, but Elysia caught her wrist mid¨Cair. no¨C50 Creding Emmett and shielding Evan behind her, Elysia red at the furious mother. What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°What am I doing? Your kid pushed mine, are you blind? As his guardian, you should teach him some manners. This is a public ce, the rides are for everyone. What gives your son the right to stop mine from ying?¡± Elysia was livid as she asked, ¡°Who started it? My son Emmett was ying peacefully. until your son pushed him off. Who¡¯s the onecking manners now?¡± The woman¡¯s face turned scarlet with anger. ¡°Do you know who I am to talk to me like that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are. We¡¯re all trying to make it through life for the first time. I see no reason to coddle you; I¡¯m not your parent! Your son wronged mine first, and If you so much as touch my child¡­¡± With a swift move, Elysia shoved her away. The woman, unsteady in her high heels, nearly stumbled, saved only by the quick reflexes of her nanny. ¡°You dare to strike me? You¡¯ll regret this, bitch!¡± she seethed, ready tosh out at Elysia. Blossom stepped forward, her own temper ring. ¡°Who are you calling bitch? You think you¡¯re something special because you¡¯ve got money? Try me,dy. I¡¯m not afraid to stand my ground.¡± Rolling up her sleeves, Blossom was ready to fight. Seeing the determination in Elysia and Blossom¡¯s eyes, the woman spat out a threat, ¡°This isn¡¯t over. Just you wait.¡± With a huff, she left with her son and the nanny, leaving Elysia and Blossom to calm Evan and Emmett, their hearts racing but their bonds stronger than ever.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Elysia quickly asked Emmett, ¡°Emmett, are you hurt?¡± Emmett clung to Elysia¡¯s neck, crying softly, ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡± Unlike his brothers Elliot and Evan, Emmett was naturally timid, gentle in spirit, and particrly prone to tears. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby, no need to be scared. Blossom and I have chased the bad guys away. Does your bum still hurt?¡± ¡°It hurts¡­¡± ¡°Let me rub it for you.¡± Blossom tried to distract him, ¡°Emmett, there¡¯s a milkshake stand over there. Want me to take you to get one?¡± The little guy blinked, clearly tempted. ¡°Come on, I will take you.¡± Blossom reached out, wanting to scoop Emmett into her arms, but the little guy clung to Elysia¡¯s neck and wouldn¡¯t let go. Although he knew Blossom was safe, their time together had been short, and he relied on Elysia more. Especially having just been upset, he didn¡¯t want to leave Elysia¡¯s side. Blossom, a bit helpless, asked, ¡°How about you stay here with your mom and I¡¯ll go get you one, okay?¡± Emmett snuggled into Elysia¡¯s embrace and gave a little nod between sobs. Seeing that Elliot and Evan were also sulking, Blossom took one child by each hand and led them off to get milkshakes. Elysia sat with Emmett in the seating area, soothing him tenderly. She had just calmed Emmett down when that high¨Csociety women suddenly came charging back. And she wasn¡¯t alone; several haughty¨Clooking women followed her, each dressed in designerbels, toting fancy handbags, and teetering on stiletto heels. Seeing their aggressive approach, Elysia held Emmett close and red at them. The women drew near, looking down their noses at Elysia and Emmett with disdain, ¡°Is it them?¡± Emmett, frightened, began to tremble but then jumped out from Elysia¡¯s arms, spread his arms wide, and stood in front of her. ¡°Don¡¯t bully my mommy!¡± The women watched Emmett with their arms crossed, unable to hide their amazement. 09:50 Chapter Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Emmett had an extremely good look, even by Hollywood standards. He and his brothers were different in appearance and aura. While all were cute, Elliot and Evan looked more rugged, whereas Emmett was softer. If they were characters from a ssic movie, Emmett would be the heartthrob, a face so handsome that even women would be impressed. The womeit stared at Emmett for a while before one snapped, ¡°Out of the way, you little brat! Mind I don¡¯t p you with my flip¨Cflop.¡± Emmett¡¯s breathing quickened with fear, but he didn¡¯t move. He might be scared, but he wanted to protect Elysia. She was his favorite person, and he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to bully her. Touched, Elysia stood up, shielding Emmett behind her, and fixed her gaze on the aristocratic woman, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°What do I want? I want you to learn what happens when you cross me.¡± Beside her stood a young woman in her early twenties, bearing a resemnce to her, who asked, ¡°Sis, is this the mother and son who bullied you and Quill?¡± The high¨Csocietydy used, ¡°Yes, them! My son Quill was ying on his electric bike when her son just pushed him off. The bruise on Quill¡¯s knee is their doing. And after pushing Quill, they didn¡¯t even apologize¨Ctypical uncouth behavior, no manners!¡± The young woman named Oriana had a venomous gaze despite her angelic looks. She red at Elysia, pulled out her phone, and dialed, her voice sickly sweet, ¡°Keaton,e to Wansh Mall, quick. My sister and I are being bullied, boo hoo.¡± As soon as she hung up, she turned to Elysia with a triumphant look. ¡°You¡¯re done for.¡± Elysia realized she was dealing with a maniptor. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Elysia pursed her lips and said, ¡°Look, we¡¯re all adults here, no need to spin tales. It was your son who shoved mine first! Everyone saw it.¡± The onlookers huddled around, exchanging nces and whispers, none daring to utter a word. As it happened, Tarquin was in the area conducting an inspection. The mall was part of the Bradford Group¡¯s portfolio, and he made a point of personally checking on each establishment monthly. Lowell spotted Elysia and said, ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Ms. Thorne. Talk about fate, eh? I heard she went shopping with Ms. Blythe, never imagined they¡¯d grace us with their presence. Must be divine intervention! The big guy upstairs knows you¡¯ve been all knotted up about Ms. Thoely, and arranged a little serendipity for you.¡± Tarquin shot back with a dry. ¡°Silence is golden, Lowell.¡± Lowell chuckled, ¡°Seems like Ms Thorne¡¯s caught up in some trouble. Should we go have a look?¡± ¡°ying the knight in shining armor, are you?¡± Lowell blinked, ¡°No, of course not. That wasn¡¯t my intention. But he was definitely hoping Tarquin would y that role. Ever since Elysia nted one on Tarquin, Lowell figured she had something special. After all these years, she was the only one who¡¯d managed to get that close! If she could help Tarquin forget about Elijah¡¯s mother and lead a normal life again, then Elysia would be golden in Lowell¡¯s eyes. Regardless of whether she had an agenda with. Tarquin, as long as she wasn¡¯t after his life, that was fine by them. Lowell cared for Tarquin and didn¡¯t want to see him suffer over a woman whose fate was uncertain. ¡°Do you like her?¡± Tarquin asked out of the blue, catching Lowell off guard. ¡°Tarquin, that¡¯s not funny.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve got feelings for her, I¡¯ll y matchmaker for you.¡± The corner of Lowell¡¯s mouth twitched uncontrobly as he said, ¡°You might as well put me out of my misery.¡± Tve noticed you¡¯re quite interested in her, and you think highly of her. Don¡¯t worry about any past issues between us. If you truly like her, I can approach her and extend an olive branch.¡± Despite his magnanimous words, Lowell was close to losing his cool. ¡°I don¡¯t like her, not like that. I¡­ I may have been a bit enthusiastic, but that¡¯s because of Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Lowell¡¯s lips moved but he said nothing more, aware that Tarquin harbored no feelings for Elysia. ¡°She stabilized Corbin¡¯s condition, didn¡¯t she? I think she can help our Elijah.¡± Tarquin nced at him with half¨Cclosed eyes but said nothing further. Meanwhile, Elysia was embroiled in a heated argument. A few women were making quite the scene, haughtily proiming, ¡°So what if she pushed your son? The fact that we didn¡¯t kick your kid out of the park is mercy enough!¡± ¡°Exactly. If it wasn¡¯t for Quill wanting to experience a ¡®normal¡® life, do you think you¡¯d even be allowed in here? You and your son should be on your knees, thanking him for not renting out the entire ce.¡± Another woman chimed in with a warning. ¡°Next time you pick a fight, make sure you know who you¡¯re dealing with. The bruise on Quill¡¯s body alone is worth more than your entire worth.¡± Elysia frowned at them, recognizing that these women, much like a certaindy of high. society, were beyond reason and devoid of manners. One woman, towering over Elysia, demanded, ¡°Get down and knock your head against the floor three times for Fleur, then p yourself ten times. Maybe then she¡¯ll forgive you.¡± Elysia responded with icy defiance, ¡°And what if I refuse?¡± ¡°Refuse? Then you¡¯re choosing the hard way.¡± As Elysia red at them and reached for her phone to call the police, one of the women snatched it away and smashed it on the ground, ¡°Thinking of calling the cops, are you? You must be out of your mind. Do you have any idea who you¡¯ve crossed today? Quill¡¯s uncle by marriage is none other than the renowned Mr. Keaton Huber of Jindale City. The cops will take your side? Fat chance.¡± The woman moved to crush the phone with her foot, but Elysia shoved her away. ¡°Psycho!¡± Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Elysia cursed under her breath and bent down to pick up her phone. No sooner had she grabbed it than she felt a sudden yank on her hair. Someone had grabbed her hair and pulled hard, sending a sharp pain shooting through her scalp. ¡°We haven¡¯t even started on you yet, and you¡¯re already swinging,¡± a woman sneered. ¡°You¡¯re asking for it, you wretch!¡± A gaggle of women surrounded her, hurling insults and readying their hands for a fight. Fuming, Elysia thought, if it weren¡¯t for her desire to avoid trouble, she¡¯d give each of them a dose of her own medicine. She stomped on the foot of the woman who had grabbed her hair, causing her to let go instantly and howl in pain. ¡°Ouch, ouch, ouch¡­ My foot, waaah¡­¡± She didn¡¯t need needles to handle these women; they were no match for her. They say a lioness bes fiercest when she¡¯s a mother, and since having her children, Elysia was no longer the pushover she used to be. Moreover, living in the countryside for so many years, doing dailybor like collecting herbs and chopping firewood, had made her body strong. These pampered flowers, raised in a greenhouse, stood no chance against her. Despite their numbers, they couldn¡¯t get the upper hand. Oriana frowned at the scene and fixed her gaze on Emmett. Striding over, she kicked Emmett to the ground. ¡°Think you canpete with us for Quill¡¯s toys? You¡¯re asking for it!¡± Emmett burst into tears, ¡°Mommy, mommy¡­ waaaah¡­¡± Seeing Emmett in distress, Elysia flew into a rage, pping and kicking the group of women until they were sprawled on the ground. She grabbed Oriana and delivered a few sharp ps across her face., Pushing her away, she scooped up Emmett. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Emmett, Mommy¡¯s here.¡± Emmett clung tightly to Elysia¡¯s neck and cried, ¡°Mommy, waaaah, mommy¡­¡± As Elysiaforted Emmett, the other women rushed to Oriana¡¯s aid. you alright? Did ¡°Oriana, are you get hurt? Did that fall hurt you?¡± Now that Oriana was dating Keaton, she was considered the most prestigious woman in their circle of friends. Everybody knew Keaton was a womanizer, changing girlfriends more often than his shirts, yet why were so many women eager to date him? And why did none of his ex¨Cgirlfriends evere forward to badmouth him? Firstly, Keaton, though flirtatious, never yed the field; he was devoted to one rtionship at a time. Secondly, his ¡®financial prowess¡® yed a role; every woman who dated Keaton not only benefited materially but also saw her social status soar. Keaton was famously indulgent with his girlfriends, treating them like queens during their rtionship. Even if Oriana and Keaton were to break up, with the reputation as Keaton¡¯s ex, her social standing would rise several notches. And right now, she was still very much in a rtionship with him. After today¡¯s incident, a single pout from Oriana couldnd Elysia in jail for a decade, as far as Keaton was concerned. So, when they heard Oriana¡¯s nephew had been bullied, they rushed to confront Elysia, eager to defend Oriana. In their minds, even if they publicly beat Elysia and her son to death, with Oriana¡¯s influence, Keaton would ensure they walked away scot¨Cfree. Oriana, with a twisted ankle, sat on the ground clutching her face, ring at Elysia with hatred. ¡°You dare hit me?¡± Elysia held Emmett close, her face a mask of anger. ¡°We¡¯re all adults here. If you¡¯ve got a problem, take it up with me. What kind of lowlife bullies a child? I thought you were just a typical mean girl, but you¡¯re worse than that! You¡¯re not even human, attacking a kid like that!¡± Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Chapter 100 ¡°You¡­ you¡­ Tm warning you, don¡¯t push a mother too far. Touch my child and I swear, I¡¯ll go to the ends of the earth to make you regret it!¡± Elysia was livid! These women could pick a fight with her all they wanted, but her kid was off¨Climits! The gaggle of women had seen enough of Elysia¡¯s wrath to hesitate before approaching any further. They prodded Oriana instead, ¡°Come on, Oriana, call Mr. Huber and let him sort her out. She¡¯s got a death wish, hitting you like that!¡± ¡°Yeah, get Mr. Huber here.¡± Oriana, lips quivering with fury, shot Elysia a venomous look and redialed Keaton. As soon as he answered, she wailed into the phone, ¡°Keaton, I¡¯ve been attacked! Get over here, now! Wahhh¡­¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Elysia frowned at the unfolding scene, well aware that whoever they were summoning was no ordinary Joe. The next few moments were not looking good for her. Without hesitation, Elysia whipped out her cell phone and dialed 911. Facing the powerful with nothing to her name, her only hopey in the hands of thew. Lowell stood by, torn between admiration for Elysia¡¯s pluck¨Ctaking on the lot single¨Chandedly¨Cand respect for her fierce maternal instinct. ¡°They¡¯re bringing in Keaton Huber. Looks like that¡¯s Keaton¡¯s new me. When he¡¯s smitten, he¡¯s famously at their beck and call. Ms. Thorne might be in for it today.¡± After sharing his thoughts with Tarquin, he added, ¡°Just for the mother bear act alone, we can¡¯t just stand by, can we? She¡¯s fighting for her kid. Plus, who knows, maybe she can actually help us with Elijah?¡± Tarquin, a thoughtful frown on his face, seemed moved by the sight of Elysia shielding Emmett. If only Elijah had such protection from his mother, what a blessed child he would be! ¡°I¡¯ll have the manager look into this.¡± Lowell reached for his phone, preparing to call the mall management. The mall¡¯s higher¨Cups didn¡¯t know about their visit. Before Lowell could make the call, Tarquin interjected, ¡°No need.¡± Who was at fault didn¡¯t matter, his patience with Ona and her clique was wearing thin ¡°No? So¡­ do we clue in Mr. Huber first?¡± Lowell asked. ¡°No! Didn¡¯t you say you saw Jessamine Huber earlier?¡± Jessamine, Keaton¡¯s elder sister and Corbin¡¯s mother, was also Mrs. Denton. Yeah, i did. But we¡¯re wearing masks, so she probably didn¡¯t recognize us.¡± ¡°Let someone tell her that Elysia¡¯s being harassed here.¡± Lowell paused, then with a light bulb moment, his eyes lit up. ¡°Tarquin, when ites to pulling strings, you¡¯re the master.¡± Tarquin, face dark, added, ¡°Keaton¡¯s eyesight must be failing, picking up any kind of woman! His sister needs to give him an eye cleanse.¡± Elysia was a godsend to the Denton family, yet here she was being bullied by Keaton¡¯stest squeeze. What would Keaton¡¯s sister, Jessamine, do? If they intervened, it would simply be a p on the wrist for those women, but with Jessamine stepping in, Keaton wouldn¡¯t be able to sidestep this mess. This was shaping up to be quite the spectacle! 09:51 Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Chapter 101 It wasn¡¯t long before Jessamine hurried over. She had been picking out clothes for Corbin at the boutique when she heard that Elysia was also there, Concerned that no one had stood up for her, Jessamine made her way over as fast as she could. ¡°Ms. Thome.¡± A familiar female voice suddenly called from behind. Elysia turned around to see Mrs. Denton approaching. ¡°Mrs. Denton?¡± Jessamine looked surprised and asked, ¡°Is that really you? I saw your silhouette and thought it was you, but I wasn¡¯t sure. What happened to you?¡± Elysia fett a bit awkward and answered, ¡°Had a bit of a tiff with them.¡± Hearing this, Jessamine frowned and her gaze towards Oriana and her group was none too pleased. Oriana was the only one who knew of the so called Mrs. Denton¡¯s status and shivered with fear. The others didn¡¯t recognize Mrs. Denton and, buoyed by Ona¡¯s backing from Keaton Huber, one blurted out. ¡°What¡¯s this? You¡¯re the cavalry this little tramp has called in? Let me tell you, no one could save her now. She¡¯s done for!¡± Oriana¡¯s pupils shock with fear, and she quickly tried to hush her friend, ¡°Stop¡­ just stop talking.¡± ¡°What are you scared of? So what if she¡¯s some high¨Csocietydy? I refuse to believe there¡¯s anyone in Jindale City that Mr. Huber would be scared of! You¡¯re Mr. Huber¡¯s girlfriend, for heaven¡¯s sake. You don¡¯t have to be afraid of them.¡± When Mrs. Denton heard her brother¡¯s name mentioned, she gave Oriana a cold once¨Cover, her eyes filled with mockery. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°So, you¡¯re Keaton¡¯stest me?¡± One of Oriana¡¯s friends quickly chimed in. ¡°That¡¯s right, scared now, are you? Let me tell you, our darling Oriana is the apple of Mr. Huber¡¯s eye. She¡¯s his darling! You mess with her and see how Mr. Huber deals with you! Just you wait and weep!¡± ¡°Darling? Please! If I recall correctly, his girlfriend didn¡¯t look like this yesterday morning. Did he switch up yesterday afternoon, or was itst night?¡± Her words dripped with sarcasm, and the woman who had spoken earlier red up, ¡°What the hell, who are you mocking?! What does it matter when they made it official? Oriana is Mr. Huber¡¯s girlfriend now!¡± Jessamine¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Say that again. I dare you!¡± ¡°I will I-¡± Oriana quickly stood up, covering the woman¡¯s mouth with the fastest speed, and turned to Jessamine with a sheepish smile, ¡°Jessamine.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to cozy up to me. Let her go, and let her speak her mind, and after she¡¯s had her say, she won¡¯t be needing her tongue anymore!¡± People were stunned. ¡°Wha¨CWhat? She¡¯s saying¡­ she and Mr. Huber¡­¡± Oriana, blushing and biting her lip, clutched at her clothes, looking the very picture of misery as she said, *Jessamine, I¡¯m sorry, my friend didn¡¯t know who you are.¡± 89-38 Eter ¡°Don¡¯t you dare call me ¡®Jessamine, who do you think you¡¯re fooling? Whether you know me or not is beside the point. You¡¯re not so big yet you¡¯re already ying the bully with someone else¡¯s power, trying to leverage the Huber family¡¯s influence. But even if you want to be the Huber family¡¯spdog, you¡¯d first need to ask if th Huber family is willing!¡± Jessamine was not one to be trifled with, and Oriana¡¯s entourage bowed their heads in fear. Tears were wetting up in Oriana¡¯s eyes. ¡°Oriana!¡± Keaton rushed in, panting heavily. It was clear he¡¯d hurried over after receiving a call from his distressed girlfriend. A model boyfriend during the throes of romance. From afar, Keaton saw Oriana looking distressed and frowned deeply. He quickly strode over to her. Oriana looked up, seeing Keaton she felt even more aggrieved. ¡°Keaton.¡± Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Oriana¡¯s eyes welled up, and tears began to cascade down her cheeks, a picture of utter distress. Keaton, with a dark expression clouding his face, made his way towards Oriana, but before he could reach her¡­ ¡°Stop right there!¡± Jessamine¡¯s sharp voice cut through the air. It was then that Keaton realized his older sister was also present. He was taken aback and quickly mustered an apologetic grin. ¡°Jessamine, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°First, you¡¯re going to exin to me what the deal is with this woman.¡± Without hesitation, Keaton owned up, ¡°She¡¯s my girlfriend.¡± ¡°Your girlfriend? Have you lost your mind, or did you donate your eyes to charity? You¡¯re picking up random chicks off the street now! What, are you running a junkyard?¡± ¡°Come on¡­ let¡¯s talk this out. Why the anger? It¡¯s not good for your health; it¡¯ll make you age faster.¡± ¡°Shut it! If Mom and Dad were here, they¡¯d be furious! We Hubers may not care about family background when ites to choosing a spouse, but we insist on integrity and kindness. And look at what you¡¯ve brought home? Her friends have already started pointing fingers and hurling insults at me. What¡¯s next? Fisticuffs once she¡¯s through the door? I might not be important, but the Huber family¡¯sBelongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. reputation is. She¡¯s already throwing her weight around now; imagine the havoc she¡¯ll wreak once she¡¯s part of the family¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. You¡¯re the most important.¡± ¡°Cut the slick talk! You¡¯re not getting any younger. I told you to settle down and find a decent wife, but you¡¯d rather hang around these no¨Cgood women. You¡¯re a disgrace! A real disgrace!¡± Jessamine, unable to contain her fury,nded two ps across Keaton¡¯s face. Keaton, awkwardly wishing he could sink into the ground, could only try to cajole Jessamine. ¡°Come on, give me some credit here. I am your brother, after all.¡± ¡°If you weren¡¯t, I¡¯d have had you thrown into the river by now!¡± Keaton¡¯s mouth twitched in difort. ¡°Let¡¯s talk this through. What¡¯s the problem? Did Oriana upset you?¡± Jessamine ignored him, turning instead to Elysia. ¡°Ms. Thorne, what exactly happened here? Don¡¯t be afraid of them: I¡¯ve got your back. Speak freely.¡± Only then did Keaton notice Elysia, his eyes narrowing slightly as a look of intrigue flitted across his face. ¡°Well, well, Ms. Thome, fancy seeing you here.¡± Elysia was speechless. She hadn¡¯t expected the woman¡¯s backup to be Keaton! She didn¡¯t know Keaton personally, but she was aware of who he was. Justst night at the Jinpeach Restaurant, she had stumbled into a private room while trying to avoid Gage. He was there with Tarquin¡­ Considering they knew each other, Elysia immediately frowned, her distaste for Keaton apparent. Keaton noticed her reaction and with a puppy¨Cdog look, said innocently. ¡°Ms. Thome, don¡¯t be so hostile. Even though Oriana is my girlfriend, I promise I won¡¯t take sides. Just tell your story.¡± Jessamine saw her brother grinning at Elysia and scolded him. ¡°Move aside, and keep your distance from Ms. Thorne. Not every woman falls for your charm, and Ms. Thorne is definitely not interested.¡± Keaton was speechless. 1/2 09:38 Was there any other sister in the world who thought her brother wasn¡¯t good enough for a married woman with children? ¡°Ms. Thome, go ahead,¡± Jessamine encouraged her. Elysia steadied herself and recounted the events that had unfolded earlier. Jessamine was livid. ¡°Just as I thought, a piece of work who thinks too highly of herself.¡± She turned her wrath on Keaton, ¡°She¡¯s using your influence to bully others, and you¡¯re aiding and abetting hert What¡¯s your solution? If you don¡¯t make this right for Ms. Thorne today. I swear I¡¯ll thrash you myself!¡± Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Keaton furrowed his brow, turning his head to nce at Oriana and her entourage. Oriana¡¯s friends were clearly terrified, including her own sister, who stood to the side, trembling with fear. ¡°You gotta level with me,¡± Keaton said. ¡°If you¡¯re innocent, even if my sisteres at me with a baseball bat, I¡¯ve got your back. But don¡¯t you dare lie to me.¡± Oriana was adamant in her denial. ¡°It¡¯s her that¡¯s lying! Her son pushed my sister¡¯s son first, and he didn¡¯t even apologize. That¡¯s why I went to confront her. I just wanted to stand up for my nephew, but she went berserk and started throwing punches. Look at my ankle, Keaton! She injured me,¡± Oriana whimpered. Elysia snorted dismissively. ¡°We can just check the surveince footage, can¡¯t we?¡± At that, Oriana shivered noticeably. Keaton eyed her, then said, ¡°I¡¯m giving you one chance toe clean. If you admit it now, I can let you off with some dignity. But if you lie to me, don¡¯t expect me to go easy just because of our rtionship.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ That¡¯s what my sister told me. Sister, tell him!¡± Oriana desperately shifted the me to the poshdy. The poshdy broke down in tears. ¡°Yes¡­ yes, it was my son who pushed first, but her son pushed mine too!¡± Keaton pursed his lips and called over security. ¡®These women caused trouble; take them to the station and let the officers teach them a lesson.¡± The women panicked at Keaton¡¯s words. If he was personally ensuring they were ¡°taught a lesson,¡± things were serious. Once in the station, it would be hard to get out. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Desperate, they didn¡¯t dare beg Keaton for mercy, turning instead to Oriana. ¡°Oriana, please, talk to Mr. Huber for us. We can¡¯t go to jail! Oriana, help us out. We only stepped in for you,¡± they sobbed. Oriana hadn¡¯t expected Keaton to take such drastic action. Just as she was about to speak up, Keaton cut her off. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to jail. Consider it severance pay for our breakup.¡± Oriana¡¯s eyes bulged in shock. After all her efforts to get close to Keaton, they were breaking up after just one day? ¡°Keaton, listen to me, I don¡¯t want to break up. I love you. It was my fault for listening to just one side of the story. I should¡¯ve stopped them from fighting with Ms. Thome. I¡¯ll apologize, okay? Can¡¯t we just not break up?! love you,¡± Oriana blubbered, trying to wash her hands of any me. Keaton remained cool and detached. ¡°I don¡¯t like clingy women. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself. If you keep this up, I might lose my temper and send you off too.¡± Oriana was speechless. She slumped to the ground, deted like a burst balloon. After the wailing group of women were led away, the mall finally quieted down. Keaton approached Elysia to apologize. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Ms. Thorne. This mess is partly on me. Is your son okay? Do you need to go to the hospital to get him checked out?¡± Before Elysia could respond, Jessamine interjected, ¡°Scram! We don¡¯t need your ¡®concern. Go back to where you came from and stop being an eyesore here.¡± 1/2 09:38: Chapter 103 She didn¡¯t want Keaton lingering around Elysia. She was worried that Keaton might take a liking to Elysia. Jessamine knew her brother¡¯s character all too well, and she was truly grateful to Elysia. She didn¡¯t want to watch Elysia fall into a pit of fire. In Jessamine¡¯s eyes, any girl Keaton set his sights on was bound for misfortune. Of course, that didn¡¯t include those disreputable women. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Keaton paused, the sarcasm dripping from his voice, ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t my loving sister!¡± He was about to throw another quip when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a certain someone standing on the second floor, enjoying themotion, His words halted as he excused himself from Jessamine and headed to find Tarquin. As soon as they met, the banter began. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you give a guy a heads¨Cup to handle this mess? If you¡¯d dealt with it earlier, my sister wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to chew me out, right?¡± Tarquin replied with a smirk. ¡°It was me who brought your sister here, to give you a reality check,¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°You? Hat What¡¯s the deal? You just doing this for kicks, tough at my expense?¡± ¡°I find it quite entertaining, actually. Your misfortune is quite the spectacle.¡± ¡°Dude, you¡¯re no friend of mine!¡± ¡°I¡¯m your boss.¡± ¡°Boss, my foot! What¡¯s the big idea? Just to cover for Ms. Thorne, you¡¯re going to take me down too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s got nothing to do with her.¡± He simply didn¡¯t appreciate Emmett being treated that way. Keaton didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°If you¡¯re into her, just man up and say it. No need to beat around the bush.¡± ¡°At least I¡¯m not afraid of women.¡± ¡°Oh, cut the cool act. You¡¯re not afraid because you don¡¯t have a sister! I¡¯m proud to have a sister who loves and spoils me. It¡¯s not fear, it¡¯s affection.¡± Jessamine might tease her brother constantly, but her love for Keaton was genuine. She had been his guardian angel since childhood, often putting herself at risk for his sake. Therefore, Keaton both feared and adored Jessamine. He swiftly changed the subject, ¡°At least I¡¯ll never be henpecked. Can¡¯t say the same for someone else here. He¡¯s got ¡®whipped¡® written all over him.¡± Tarquin just rolled his eyes and didn¡¯t respond. He nced down at Elysia and Emmett in her arms, deep in thought. ¡°Lowell¡­¡± Tarquin muttered something under his breath, and Lowell frowned. ¡°This¡­ doesn¡¯t seem quite right.¡± ¡°If I say it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine.¡± Lowell just sighed silently. Keaton chuckled, ¡°Lowell, if you¡¯ve got a bone to pick, just jot it down in your little notebook for now. Trust me, Tarquin here is headed straight to being henpecked. Just you wait until hisdy love shows up. Stick with her. and when the timees, you can use her to get back at him!¡± Lowell¡¯s lips twitched slightly as he said. ¡°I¡¯ve got no issues with Tarquin.¡± Downstairs, Elysia felt a hostile gaze upon her, but by the time she looked up. Tarquin had vanished from the second floor. Jessamine had dispersed the onlookers and found a quiet spot to chat with Elysia. ¡°Your boy must¡¯ve been frightened.¡± 1/2 09:38 ¡®It¡¯s okay, Emmell¡¯s a tough cookie. Thanks a lot for today. I would¡¯ve been in a real bind otherwise,¡± Even if the cops had shown up, it wasn¡¯t certain she¡¯d have made it out unscathed. She owed Jessamine bag But Jessamine brushed it off. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. You¡¯re a lifesaver to the Denton family. You have no idea what it was like before we met you¡­ Corbin, he¡­¡± Jessamine¡¯s thoughts drifted to the past, and her eyes began to water, ¡°When he got sick, he wouldn¡¯t recognize anyone, not even me or his dad. He had only two ways of dealing with us. Either he¡¯d shut himself away, Ignoring uspletely, or he¡¯d¡­sh out, screaming, throwing punches¡­¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Jessamine¡¯s eyes grew redder as she spoke, ¡°Seriously, only when you have a kid like that at home. can you understand how tough it is to be a parent. I haven¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep in two years, nor have I had a peaceful meal¡­ During the first couple of years after Corbin was born, I didn¡¯t dare to watch my diet too much because I was breastfeeding. It eventually led to binge eating, and at my heaviest, I nearly tipped the scales at 400 pounds. But ever since the incident with him, I¡¯ve dropped down to 180 pounds in just two months¡­ It¡¯s just so hard¡­ so incredibly hard¡­¡± Elysia listened quietly until Jessamine finished, then she spoke, ¡°I know, these years must have been so hard for you.¡± Empathy is just a word; those who haven¡¯t experienced it themselves can hardly fully understand someone else¡¯s feelings. But as a mother herself, she could understand Jessamine¡¯s pain. Her triplets were five this year, and they¡¯d been sick many times over those five years. Every time any of them caught a fever or a cold, she was terrified, sleepless, never daring to leave her child¡¯s side even for a moment. And Corbin¡¯s situation, with the potential for self¨Charm or worse¡­ The struggles of Mrs. Denton over these years were unimaginable. Jessamine sniffed and managed a smile. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it but the other day after you talked to him, he suddenly called me ¡®Mommy¡­ I was so close to breaking down in tears. Then he said he wanted my homemade spaghetti, and I¡­ I¡­¡± Overwhelmed, Jessamine couldn¡¯t help but cry. Elysia reached for a tissue and handed it to her. ¡°It¡¯ll get better.¡± ¡°Yeah! It will get better. I only started believing that after I met you. Before you came along, both his father and I had lost hope. We¡¯re not short of money in our family, and we¡¯ve sought out renowned doctors everywhere, but none could cure him. It wasn¡¯t until we saw you that we began to hope again¡­ Ms. Thorne, you¡¯re Corbin¡¯s savior, a guardian angel to the Denton family!¡± Elysia quickly interjected. ¡°You¡¯re too kind. It was the least I could do. I haven¡¯t done much, and I haven¡¯t cured himpletely¡­¡± The treatment of mental illness is often a very long process. It requires a long period of recovery. stepping out of the shadowspletely, to regain health. ¡°What might seem like a small gesture to you is more valuable than heaven and earth to us.¡± Jessamine continued, ¡°The first time we met by chance, you had left before we could express our gratitude. The second time we tried to offer you something, you wouldn¡¯t ept anything. We really do want to repay you, it¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t found the right way yet.¡± They tried to give Elysia money, but she didn¡¯t take it. They wanted to gift her a house, a car, jewelry. but Elysia refused straight away. Plus, not knowing much about Elysia made it hard for the Denton family to find a way to show their gratitude. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. 1/2 09:39 Chapter 105 Elysia was also quite helpless about this. The two times she helped Corbin were nothing out of her way, and she never thought about compensation, but then Mr. Denton handed her a check for a million dors one day. A million dors! That number scared her to death. If they¡¯d offered a few thousand as a token of thanks, she might have epted, given her financial situation at the time. ey were u After all, she knew and she was far from it. But a million dors right off the bat? That was too much, and she was too frightened to ept it! What was a great favor for the Denton family was, to her, too simple a task to merit such a sum. ¡°I helped you before, and today you¡¯ve helped me. Let¡¯s call it even. Jessamine immediately protested, ¡°How can this be even? I hardly did anything today,pared to how you helped Corbin¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all the same.¡± Jessamine sighed, looking at Elysia before breaking into a gentle smile, ¡°In the future, don¡¯t call me Mrs. Denton, it¡¯s too formal. Just call me by my first name, I¡¯m Jessamine, or you can call me Jess if you like.¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Chapter 106 ¡°Ah? This¡­ this Isn¡¯t quite right,¡± Elysia hesitated, a frown creasing her forehead. ¡°Nonsense, it¡¯s perfectly fine if I say so. Unless, of course, you¡¯re looking down on me,¡± Jessamine retorted with a yful smirk. ¡°No, no, not at all. It¡¯s just that I feel¡­ I¡¯m out of my league here,¡± Elysia admitted, her cheeks flushed with modesty. ¡°Out of your league? If anything. I¡¯m punching above my weight with you! Look, because of Corbin¡¯s situation, I¡¯ve been a bit of a recluse these past years. Haven¡¯t really hit the social scene, my circle of friends has pretty much dried up. We met because of Corbin, and that¡¯s fate if you ask me. If you don¡¯t mind, let¡¯s be friends from now on. We can be there for each other, lend an ear, share our thoughts and troubles. What do you say?¡± Jessamine¡¯s eyes were earnest, searching Elysia¡¯s for agreement. Elysia found it impossible to refuse such a heartfelt offer. ¡°Okay!¡± Jessamine beamed. ¡°Great!¡± ¡°Ding ding ding¡­¡± The sudden sound of Elysia¡¯s phone interrupted their moment. It was Blossom calling. ¡°You go ahead and take that,¡± Jessamine said, gesturing towards the phone. Elysia nodded and swiped to answer, ¡°Hey, Blossom.¡± ¡°Elysia, Elliot and I are just outside the mall. The ce inside ran out of strawberry¨Cvored milkshakes, so we snagged some from a stand out here. It¡¯s a bit crowded; just let Emmett know there¡¯s no rush, okay?¡± No wonder they were taking so long; they had stepped out. ¡°Sure thing, send me your location, and Emmett and I wille find you guyster.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. After hanging up, Jessamine asked, ¡°A friend of yours?¡± ¡°Yeah, my bestie. We came out together, and she took my other two sons to grab some milkshakes.¡± ¡°Other two? You got three kids?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. ¡°That¡¯s lovely. When you¡¯ve got some free time, bring the kiddos and their dad over. We could have a family get¨Ctogether.¡± Elysia chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Well, the kids¡­ they don¡¯t have a dad. It¡¯s just me raising the three of them.¡± Jessamine paused, her brow furrowing with concern. ¡°Did something happen to him, or did you split?¡± 1/2 Chapter 106 ¡°It was a¡­ mutual parting.¡± Elysia said, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. Jessamine understood the unspoken hardship. ¡°You¡¯ve had it tough.¡± A mother knows another mother¡¯s heart. ¡°It was difficult at first, but we¡¯ve settled into a good rhythm. It¡¯s not bad.¡± ¡°Listen, the Huber family has some clout here in Jindale City. If you ever run into any trouble, just let me know. I¡¯ll have your back!¡± ¡°Thanks, Jess. I appreciate that.¡± ¡°I was hoping to take you out for dinner today, but since you¡¯ve got ns with your friend, I won¡¯t keep you. However, if you could find some time after you¡¯re done, could you swing by the hospital to check on Corbin? He¡¯s been doing okay, just starting to resist the hospital environment. He hates the smell of the disinfectants¡­ But I¡¯m not sure about his current condition, and whether he¡¯s ready to be discharged, so¡­ I could really use your help.¡± Before Elysia could respond, Jessamine hurriedly added, as though afraid of a rejection, ¡°If you¡¯re busy today, that¡¯s fine. Juste by whenever you can.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to make it today, but it might bete,¡± Elysia considered. Jessamine¡¯s face lit up with gratitude as she said, ¡°Oh, thank you, thank you!¡± Once Jessamine had left, Emmett chimed in, ¡°I like Auntie Jessamine. She¡¯s as kind as you, Mommy.¡± Elysia smiled gently. ¡°She¡¯s a wise and kind auntie. We owe her one for having our backs today. Otherwise¡­¡± They would surely have been at a disadvantage. Especially with Oriana around, Elysia knew she would have been at a loss. It seemed it always paid to do good deeds; you never knew when you¡¯d need a helping hand. If she hadn¡¯t helped Corbin that day, she wouldn¡¯t have met Jessamine. And today, she wouldn¡¯t have had Jessamine to stand up for her. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Chapter 107 ¡°Every good deed counts, Emmett. When you grow up, you¡¯ve got to be the kind of guy who helps out, you know? Lending a hand to someone else is like helping yourself.¡± ¡°Uh¨Chuh. I will be a good boy, Mommy.¡± Elysia chuckled, ¡°Let¡¯s put today¡¯s drama behind us, okay? When we see Blossom and your brothers later, let¡¯s not bring this up, alright?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Elysia didn¡¯t want Blossom or Elliot and Evan to get upset over something that had already happened. Emmett scrunched up his little forehead and reluctantly nodded. He was still itching to tattle to his big bros, have them cook up a scheme to get back at those who¡¯d wronged Mommy, but once Mommy said no, he knew he couldn¡¯t squeal. He had to listen to Mommy; he had to be her sweet boy. Elysia smiled and yfully pinched Emmett¡¯s tiny nose. ¡°You¡¯re the best, kiddo. Mommy¡¯s going to hit the restroom. You need to go?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± *How about youe with me, then? I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡± ¡°No way, that¡¯s embarrassing. I¡¯ll wait out here for you.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Don¡¯t wander off, you hear?¡± ¡°Mm¨Chmm.¡± Emmett stood guard outside the restroom while Elysia went in. She needed to ssh some water on her face, maybe fix her hair a bit so Blossom and the boys wouldn¡¯t notice anything off. Thankfully, she could handle herself well; there was no real damage to her face, just a bit of a tender scalp. A quick rinse and a brush¨Cthrough, and she looked as good as new. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Elysia exhaled in front of the mirror, shing her reflection a wry smile. A smile a day keeps the blues at bay. Life¡¯s still pretty sweet. Keep at it! Pep talk over, she stepped out. But Emmett was gone! ¡°Emmett?¡± No sign of the little guy. Elysia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Emmett? Emmett, Emmett! Emmett!¡± She called out, but there was no answer. Panic set in, and she started grabbing passersby, asking frantically, ¡°Excuse me, have you seen a little boy? Yay high, five years old, wearing a cream sweater and ck joggers, real cute kid.¡°. She rifled through her phone gallery for Emmett¡¯s photo to show around the mall. Chapter ¡°This little cutie here, with the chubby cheeks, was just waiting by the restroom for me.¡± ¡°Nope, haven¡¯t seen him.¡± ¡°Sorry, no.¡± After a fruitless search, Elysia broke down crying, ¡°Where are you, Emmett? Emmett, ohh¡­ Tears streaming, she fumbled with her phone to dial 911. Her gut told her those women were out for revenge; they¡¯d snatched Emmett. Then there was the fear of a kidnapper! Before she could call the police, a strange call came through. Without thinking, she swiped to answer, and a chilling, unfamiliar voice reached her. ¡°Your son¡¯s with us. If you want him safe, do exactly as I say.¡± She¡¯d never heard the voice before, rough and menacing. Elysia held her breath, her heart pounding as she asked, ¡°What do you mean? Who is this?¡± Then she heard Emmett¡¯s voice, ¡°Let me go! Let me go, you bad man! I want my mommy, I want my mommy¡­¡± Elysia¡¯s heart lodged in her throat, ¡°Emmett! Mommy¡¯s here! Where are you, baby? Emmett! Emmett!¡± ¡°He¡¯s with us, safe for now.¡± Elysia was gasping for air. ¡°Who are you? What do you want? Don¡¯t you hurt my son!¡± ¡°Just answer a few questions to our satisfaction, and we¡¯ll release your boy. But if you lie, we¡¯ll end this right now!¡± Trembling, Elysia could barely stand. ¡°Ask away! I won¡¯t lie, I promise I won¡¯t.¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Chapter 108 ¡°What¡¯s your reason foring back to Jindale City this time?¡± ¡°Reason? What reason?¡± Panic surged through Elysia, her words jumbled as she struggled to find an answer. The man repeated his question with visible impatience, ¡°You¡¯ve been away from Jindale City for years. Why the sudden return? Think carefully before you speak! Lie to me, and your son pays the price!¡± ¡°I¨CI-¡­ Oh, that¡¯s right, I came back to get my kids registered. They don¡¯t have social security numbers yet, and they need one to enroll in school and get health insurance.¡± ¡°And your frequent appearances around some man, what¡¯s the motive there?¡± ¡°Man? What man?¡± Elysia¡¯s thoughts raced, until it clicked, ¡°Are you talking about Elijah¡¯s father?¡± ¡°Mm¨Chmm.¡± Tears threatened to spill from Elysia¡¯s eyes. Not him again! ¡°I never intended to get close to him. I¡¯ve kept my distance all along. If it wasn¡¯t for my son Evan scratching his car the day we got back, I wouldn¡¯t even know he existed! I don¡¯t know why he suspects me of deliberately approaching him. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re all suspicious of me, but I swear I¡¯m not lying! If I lie, may I never know peace! I have no clue who he is! To this day, all I know is he¡¯s Elijah¡¯s father, I don¡¯t even know his name¡­ oh my god¡­¡± Sobs wracked Elysia¡¯s body. Meanwhile, Lowell couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of pity. He turned to Tarquin and said, ¡°Tarquin, she doesn¡¯t seem to be acting. There might be some misunderstanding here.¡± Tarquin frowned, pressing on. ¡°Are you sure? If you dare to lie, your son is as good as dead!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure! I¡¯m positive! I haven¡¯t lied! Please, don¡¯t hurt him, he¡¯s only five. I swear I don¡¯t know that man. My return wasn¡¯t about him; it was for my children¡¯s registration!¡± She was chasing after Tarquin for a divorce, just to sever ties and settle her children¡¯s status. That was her only goal! Regardless of whether Elijah¡¯s father was the man from her past, she never intended to confront him, seek revenge or demand child support. She had resented him, yes, but once the children were born, she let go of the grudge. The children¡¯s presence had healed her bitterness and resentment. All she wanted was a normal life with her kids¡­ ¡°I¡¯m just a regr single mom, trying to live an ordinary life with my children! I haven¡¯t wronged anyone, haven¡¯t crossed anyone. Why am I always under suspicion? If you refuse to believe anything I say, if in your eyes I¡¯m nothing but a bad woman, then I beg you, don¡¯t harm my son. If you have a problem with me, take it out on me, but let my son go. He¡¯s only five. He¡¯s innocent! Oh god¡­¡± Chapter 108 Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. The love Elysia had for Emmett was beyond the typical motherly affection. She loved Elliot and Evan just as much, but for Emmett, her love was mixed with pity and tenderness. She felt sorry for him¡­ Tarquin watched the nearly broken woman on the surveince screen, his brows knotted. Clutching her phone, she had cried herself into a mess, her slender frame shaking and seeming on the verge of copse. Whether she was lying was clear to him. Her concern for her son was genuine; she wouldn¡¯t dare lie, which meant she hadn¡¯t been trying to get close to him after all. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Chapter 109 ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Tarquin asked, a hint of suspicion lurking in his tone. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to get close to Elijah¡¯s father, but what about Elijah? Did you worm your way into Corbin¡¯s life to get to Elijah?¡± Elysia shook her head fiercely. ¡°It was an ident, helping Corbin! I just stumbled upon him having a fit in the street, and I helped him instinctively. Later, when the Dentons put out a missing person¡¯s call, I was worried about his condition, so I visited him in the hospital. That¡¯s how our paths crossed. I had no idea who Elijah was before that! Elijah¡¯s father was the one who brought me there. If he hadn¡¯t taken the initiative, I wouldn¡¯t even know Elijah existed, let alone have met him. You can check the facts. I¡¯m not lying!¡± Tarquin watched her, his frustration palpable. After a moment, he said impatiently, ¡°Let her go upstairs to get her son.¡± Lowell quickly added, ¡°Your son¡¯s at the third¨Cfloor arcade entrance. Go find him yourself.¡± The call ended. Elysia¡¯s eyes were red¨Crimmed as she stumbled towards the third floor. At the arcade entrance, upon seeing Emmett, she felt a sting in her nostrils and lunged forward to embrace him, bursting into tears. ¡°Mommy¡­ Mommy¡­¡± ¡°Emmett, you scared me to death. I thought I had lost you, whoops, sorry. I¡¯m a terrible mom. I didn¡¯t look after you well. Did you get hurt? Did they harm you?¡± Emmett shook his head quickly. ¡°Some guy just picked me up all of a sudden. I struggled a lot, but he said he got the wrong kid, and didn¡¯t mean to, and then he told me you¡¯de for me and to wait here without wandering off.¡± ¡°What did this guy look like?¡± ¡°Tall, skinny, seemed pretty nice, and he even bought me candy. But I remembered what you said, not to take things from strangers, so I didn¡¯t eat it.¡± ¡°Good boy, Emmett. Were you scared?¡± ¡°Not really, the guy didn¡¯t hurt me or anything. He was nice.¡± Elysia held Emmett tight, her heart still racing. Her phone rang; it was Blossom. They had bought some milkshakes and couldn¡¯t find them on the first floor. Elysia said, ¡°Emmett and I are on the third floor.¡± ¡°Why¡¯d you go up there? We¡¯re heading straight to the seventh floor then. Let¡¯s meet outside the cinema.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± 1/2 Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. 09:39 Chapter 109 Elysia calmed her nerves and gently told Emmett, ¡°If the man didn¡¯t hurt you, he probably did get the wrong person by mistake. Let¡¯s not tell your big brothers about this, okay?¡± She didn¡¯t want Elliot and Evan entangled with that man. ¡°Okay.¡± Emmett nodded obediently. ¡°Good boy.¡± Just as Elysia was about to take Emmett upstairs, she spotted Keaton! Keaton was a picture of casual charm with his floral shirt, crisp white suit, and the top two buttons carelessly undone, revealing a hint of corbone and a teasing glimpse of his chest. His eyes, when squinted, exuded a roguish charm. He was the epitome of a good¨Clooking¡­ rascal! Elysia wasn¡¯t drawn to men like him. It wasn¡¯t exactly repulsion, but a deep¨Cseated reluctance to engage more than necessary, sensing hisck of seriousness. She preferred men like Zane and Benjamin ¨C even Lowell was not bad, with a gaze that was clean and sincere. And Elijah¡¯s dad? Forget it. She liked him even less. It was clear he hadn¡¯t had a happy life before, which was probably why he always wore such a frosty expression. Like a walking freezer, chilling everything in his path! But out of respect for Jessamine, Elysia didn¡¯t show her disdain to Keaton, merely asking politely, ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Keaton squinted, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be so tense. That mess today was my ex¨Cgirlfriend¡¯s doing. I had no idea, honestly. Look, I even turned them all in to the police, that¡¯s got to count for something, right?¡± Chapter Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Elysia¡¯s lips twitched at Keaton¡¯s assertion. ¡°I¡¯m one of the good guys,¡± he had said. Who talks like that? The good guys certainly don¡¯t announce themselves in such a manner. If anything, it made him seem less trustworthy. Elysia wasn¡¯t interested in prolonging the conversation. ¡°Is that bit of drama from earlier all sorted then? Anything else you need?¡± If not, it was time to say goodbye, and not the see¨Cyouter kind. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s one more thing.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Look, that whole charade was just Elijah¡¯s father pulling your leg. No one¡¯s snatching kids. Don¡¯t be scared, and don¡¯t overthink it. Definitely no need to call the cops.¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly as I said. Elijah¡¯s father was the one who took the kid. He was just messing with you.¡± Her breathing grew erratic. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been with him the whole time. Though I did tell him not to freak you out, he didn¡¯t listen.¡± Through gritted teeth, Elysia challenged him. ¡°Why should I believe a word you say?¡± ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m lying? If you don¡¯t believe me, go ask him yourself. See, he¡¯s right there in the caf¨¦¡¯s private booth. Hasn¡¯t left yet.¡± Without uttering another word, Elysia nced at the caf¨¦ and, clutching Emmett tight, spun on her heel and left. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She didn¡¯t seek out Tarquin. Instead, she stepped into the elevator and headed up to the seventh floor to find Blossom. ¡°Mommy, are you upset?¡± Emmett¡¯s voice was cautious. ¡°No, sweetheart. I just got worried when you disappeared all of a sudden.¡± Shaking with anger, Elysia knew it! She knew it had something to do with that rogue! Once on the seventh floor, she handed Emmett over to Blossom and whispered, ¡°Take the kids inside, and make sure they wear their masks, especially Elliot and Evan. We can¡¯t let that wild man spot them. He¡¯s lurking around the mall. I¡¯ve got to confront him, but I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Blossom, sensing her anxiety, quickly asked, ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ve got this. Just watch the kids for me. I¡¯ll exin when I get back.¡± ¡°Okay, call me if you need anything.¡± ¡°I will.¡± After Elysia headed back down, Blossom ushered the kids into the cinema. Elysia made a beeline for the caf¨¦ Keaton had mentioned and barged into the private booth. Tarquin, Lowell, and Keaton were all there. With fists clenched, Elysia red at Tarquin like a cornered wildcat. ¡°Was it you who took Emmett and grilled me over the phone?¡± Tarquin frowned, saying nothing. ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. If you¡¯re a real man, own up to it! Hiding behind your actions, what kind of man does that make you?¡± Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened, but Keaton seemed amused by the whole scene. Lowell caught Keaton¡¯s look and immediately understood. Keaton had been chewed out by Jessamine because of Tarquin, and he was quick to seek revenge. No need to ask: Keaton¡¯s smirk said it all. He had been the one to spill the beans to Elysia. Lowell jumped in to diffuse the situation. ¡°Ms. Thorne, please, just cool off. It¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°A misunderstanding? So he¡¯s too cowardly to admit it? All bark and no bite, a coward, a snake!¡± Tarquin¡¯s temper red. ¡°Yes, I did it! What are you going to do about it?¡± Admitting it so brazenly only infuriated Elysia further. She balled her fists, her breaths short and sharp, eyes locked on Tarquin. ¡°You¡­ alright, alright¡­¡± Shaking with rage, Elysia suddenly lunged at Tarquin like a pouncing tiger. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Tarquin¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and he quickly grabbed Elysia¡¯s wrist! However, since he was holding a cigarette between his other fingers, his instinctive concern about burning her triggered a reflex, and he shifted that hand to the side.. And then, Elysia seized her opportunity. With one wrist in Tarquin¡¯s grasp, she used her free hand to strike, scratching and biting like a wildcat. Lowell and Keaton were dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events, their mouths agape in disbelief. It took Lowell a good few seconds to snap out of his stupor and try to intervene. ¡°Ms. Thorne, please, let¡¯s calm down and talk this out¡­¡± ¡°Stay out of this, it¡¯s none of your business,¡± Keaton said, standing up to pull Lowell away. ¡°What are you doing. Mr. Huber? Tarquin and Ms. Thorne¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re sorting out their own mess. Don¡¯t meddle.¡± Lowell was speechless. After Keaton dragged Lowell out, he enthusiastically closed the door for Tarquin, then offered Lowell a cigarette. ¡°Tarquin¡¯s a man¡¯s man; he¡¯s not afraid of a dame. He can handle this, no need to worry. Here, have a smoke with me.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Lowell was conflicted. ¡°You¡¯re getting back at Tarquin with Ms. Thorne because he called your sis on you. You guys are friends, why keep score?¡± Keaton countered, ¡°Fair¡¯s fair, even among friends. He mocked me for being scared of ady, so let him see how fierce they can be.¡± ¡°Still, I worry Ms. Thorne might be at a disadvantage; Tarquin has a temper.¡± Keaton scoffed. ¡°Does Ms. Thorne look like a pushover to you? And sure, Tarquin¡¯s got a fuse, but he¡¯s fair. He¡¯s the one who¡¯s going to end up shortchanged here.¡± Lowell pressed his lips together, realizing Keaton was just enjoying the spectacle of Tarquin¡¯s troubles. Inside the room, Tarquin had finally subdued Elysia, his temper ring like a three¨Crm fire. ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s lost it?¡± Elysia retorted. ¡°And you, a grown man, resorting to such low tactics! Aren¡¯t you ashamed? Don¡¯t you fear karmic retribution? To stoop so low against a woman, toy hands on a five¨C year¨Cold child! I felt a twinge of sympathy for you when thinking of Elijah before, but now it¡¯s clear¨Cyou deserve no pity!¡± Earlier that day, when Jessamine spoke of the years of hardship, Elysia had spared a thought for 09:40 Chapter 111 Tarquin, Jessamine had her husband for support, while Tarquin had nobody to share his burdens with. For a fleeting moment, Elysia had felt a pang ofpassion for him, but that sliver of sympathy had now evaporated like mist in the sun! To coerce her into spilling what he deemed the ¡®truth,¡® he had stooped to kidnapping a five¨Cyear¨Cold. To use such tactics against a woman, a mother, was nothing short of a sin against heaven! ¡°I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t push me,¡± Elysia threatened with a fire in her eyes. ¡°Even a cornered rabbit will bite. Push me too far, and I¡¯ll take you down with me!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Tarquin growled, ¡°You¡¯re riddled with suspicion! It¡¯s not unjust for me to doubt you!¡± Elysia let out a bitterugh, incredulous at his gall. ¡°Oh, so now you¡¯re the one with the right to use? You oppress others and then me them for it? You¡­ you¡­ you despicable man, I¡¯ll make you pay!¡± Fueled by rage, she attempted tosh out at him again, but this time Tarquin had pinned both her hands, rendering her powerless. Unable to hit him, she resorted to biting! Elysia bit down hard, causing Tarquin to wince in pain. With a grimace, he flipped over, pinning Elysia beneath him on the couch. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Gripping her wrists above her head with one hand and clutching her chin with the other to prevent her from biting. Tarquin red furiously at the defiant woman before him. ¡°What are you, a wildcat?¡± ¡°Only if you¡¯re the prey!¡± she spat back at him. For the first time in years, Tarquin was at a loss. He had been overpowered and publicly humiliated by a woman, no less! He knew he had no ground to stand on today, and it was infuriating him. He was well aware that using threats involving her child was a low blow, but without resorting to such tactics, how could he clear himself of her usations? Elijah¡¯s condition was worsening by the day, and Tarquin was desperate to use her skills but feared she might harm Elijah. There wasn¡¯t enough time to prove her innocence, so he had to y dirty. After ring daggers at her, Tarquin nced at his wrist. ¡°You¡¯ve drawn blood!¡± Elysia hadn¡¯t expected that to be hisint. Her lips twitched. ¡°Serves you right!¡± ¡°Who gave you the guts to bite me?¡± ¡°I did, and count yourself lucky I didn¡¯t bite it off. My teeth are the sharpest!¡± And with that, she bared her teeth at him, revealing two neat little canines, like tiny fangs. ¡°If you keep that up, I might just have to knock those teeth out,¡± Tarquin threatened. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got no reason to be upset about today. Sure, you were scared, but you¡¯ve cleared your name. You should be thankful.¡± ¡°Thankful? Oh, should I thank you then?¡± ¡°No need!¡± ¡°No need, my foot! I¡¯ve seen shameless before, but you take the cake! Are you even a man? Let me go! Let me go!¡± Elysia struggled fiercely, shaking her head and trying to free her hands while kicking wildly. Tarquin, left with no choice, pinned her down, trapping her legs with his own, rendering her immobile. Their bodies, separated only by thinyers of fabric, pressed tightly against one another, and their hearts pounded with force. Their breaths mingled, warm against each other¡¯s skin. Elysia¡¯s eyes widened with rage and embarrassment as she shouted out, ¡°You pervert! Get off me! Scoundrel!¡± Tarquin too realized their proximity and quickly released her, stepping back as her cheeks burned with fury. She lunged at him once more, ready to strike, but he warned in a cold voice, ¡°Stay away from me. I¡¯m warning you.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Chapter 112 Gasping for air, Elysia managed to suppress her towering rage. ¡°You better stay away from me and my children. If you dare to mess with me again, don¡¯t me me for not being polite. Scoundrel! Beast! Scum!¡± She grabbed a pillow and hurled it at Tarquin with all her might before storming out. She wouldn¡¯t let him push her too far; years of practicing medicine had taught her more than just how to heal. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Keaton and Lowell were still by the door. Seeing Elysia emerge, Keaton made an awkward attempt at being amiable, ¡°Ms. Thorne, take care, goodbye.¡± Elysia red at him without a word, her disdain evident. Lowell had already retreated into the suite, murmuring, ¡°Tarquin¡­¡± Tarquin stood frozen, holding the pillow Elysia had thrown, his face as dark as a thundercloud. With a smirk, Keaton teased him, ¡°Ouch, that looks painful. I thought you weren¡¯t afraid of any woman? Why not hit her back? Howe she got the better of you? And look at that blush, did she vite your honor or something?¡± Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Tarquin flung the couch pillow at Keaton, but it wasn¡¯t enough to vent his fury, so he grabbed the coffee mug from the table and hurled it next. Keaton dodged with ease, whipping out his phone and snapping a few photos. ¡°Think twice next time you try to backstab me, buddy. This right here is proof you got whooped by a dame. If I post this in our guys¡® group chat, let¡¯s see how you hold your head up then. The CEO of Bradford Group getting his butt kicked by a littledy, ha!¡± With that snarkyment, Keaton bolted before Tarquin could turn him into mincemeat. Tarquin was fuming, his chest heaving with rage. ¡°Keaton, you better hope I nevery eyes on you again!¡± Lowell just stood there, silent. Sure, the scratch marks on Tarquin¡¯s neck looked pitiful, but who was to me? He knew Elysia¡¯s kids were her life, yet he dared to use them as leverage. That¡¯s practically begging for a beatdown! Sure, Elysia scratched him up, and that was a bit sad, but sympathy was thest thing he deserved. Elysia headed to the seventh floor, not bothering to look for Blossom and the kids immediately. She sat alone in the cinema¡¯s lounge area, seething with anger that coursed through every organ. That dog of a man! How could he stoop so low? Lucky for her, she had the fortitude of a saint. Any other mom finding out her kid was kidnapped might drop dead from shock! He was beyond redemption! She¡¯d told him countless times she had no interest in getting close to him, but he refused to believe it! There wouldn¡¯t be a third time. Elysia wouldn¡¯t allow it. This was thest straw. If he dared to pull another stunt, she wouldn¡¯t hold back. All those years in the mountains, she didn¡¯t just study child psychology; medicine was her true expertise. She could heal, and she could harm. He¡¯d best not push her to that point. Lost in thought, Elysia was startled when Blossom suddenly appeared. ¡°Elysia, what are you doing sitting out here?¡± ¡°And why are you out here? How are the kids?¡± ¡°They¡¯re fine, tucked away in a VIP room I booked. It¡¯s just us in there, with a waiter at the door to keep out strangers. The kids won¡¯t wander off; they¡¯re engrossed in a cartoon. I was worried about 09:40 you going to see that wild man, so I was about to call you. What happened?¡± Elysia exhaled deeply. ¡°I must¡¯ve stepped out on the wrong side of the bed today, ran into a bunch of bimbos, and then he showed up to pick a fight.¡± ¡°A bunch of bimbos? He picked a fight? What do you mean?¡± Elysia recounted the ordeal with Oriana and her cronies, leaving Blossom¡¯s eyes wide as saucers. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°That happened? Why didn¡¯t you call me toe back? What if you couldn¡¯t handle them?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t lose out. I¡¯m not the same person I was back then. Ever since I had kids, I¡¯ve changed.¡± Motherhood brings strength, and she was feeling mighty. ¡°But in today¡¯s world, just being able to throw a punch isn¡¯t enough, you know. Money talks.¡± ¡°Money talks, but that doesn¡¯t mean us folks don¡¯t have a say. The government¡¯s stepping up its game. We still have a voice. And I guess I was lucky today. Ran into Corbin¡¯s mother, Mrs. Denton. She really stood up for me, or I would¡¯ve been in a real mess.¡± ¡®Corbin? The one with the temper?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°My gosh, you got involved with the Denton family? They¡¯re old money, with a legacy of strong business. And Mrs. Denton is from the Huber family, they¡¯re old money too. Corbin¡¯s uncle is Keaton, right?¡± ¡°I only found that out today.¡± Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Blossom said with a sigh, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that poor kid¡¯s got it rough. Two years back he was kidnapped, and it¡¯s left him with some serious trauma. He¡¯s been living in fear ever since. Imagine being so young and scared all the time, day and night. No wonder he gets sick all the time. And the parents? They suffer too. Mrs. Denton used to be the belle of Jindale City, but after having kids, she put on a lot of weight, ballooning up to 400 pounds. No matter what she tried, she couldn¡¯t shed the pounds. But once Corbin had his incident, she dropped over a hundred pounds in just two months. Word is, she¡¯s been crying her eyes out¡­ When a child gets sick, it¡¯s not just the kid who suffers, the parents do too.¡± Elysia just listened quietly, a flicker of another person¡¯s image crossing her mind. Families dealing with a child¡¯s psychological issues, the parents are always to be pitied. Elijah has psychological issues too, and his mother isn¡¯t even around¡­ Mrs. Denton¡¯s heartbroken, but at least Mr. Denton¡¯s there with her, someone to talk to, someone to share the burden. But that other person¡­ he¡¯s got to bear all the hardship alone, ying both mom and dad. And yet, what of it? He deserves it! This time, thinking of him, Elysia felt no pity, only a burning resentment. There¡¯s truth to the saying: Those who are pitiable often have their despicable sides! ¡°So, getting back to it, how did you end up helping Corbin?¡± Blossom asked. Elysia snapped back to reality and recounted her interactions with the Denton family. Blossom was surprised. ¡°The missing person notice the Denton family put out was actually looking for you?¡± ¡°Yeah, over the years I¡¯ve read a lot about child psychology, case studies and stuff. I guess I¡¯m sort of a semi¨Cpro by now.¡± After all, without a degree or certification, that¡¯s all she could im to be. Blossom gave her a thumbs¨Cup, ¡°You go, girl! And what about that wild man, how did he start trouble again?¡± Mentioning him, Elysia was fuming as she recounted the story to Blossom. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Blossom was outraged, ¡°What a scumbag! He actually kidnapped Emmett to scare you?¡± ¡°Even though they didn¡¯t hurt Emmett, I¡¯m still furious.¡± ¡°Of course, you are. Scaring someone like that is just cruel. If it were me, I¡¯d be scared to death! Elysia, you can¡¯t let this keep happening. That wild man and your ex, they¡¯re both trouble. They¡¯vetched onto you. If you ask me, you should just tell us who they are, or tell Zane. We¡¯ll help you deal with them!¡± Chapter 114 Elysia took a deep breath and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see. If there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll ask for help.¡± She didn¡¯t want to expose the wild man¡¯s identity for two reasons: she wasn¡¯t sure if he was the child¡¯s father, and she didn¡¯t want to get too entangled with him to avold revealing her child¡¯s existence. As for not exposing his husband Tarquin, she didn¡¯t want Blossom and Zane to cross the powerful. Bradford family because of him. you. Whenever you need us, we¡¯ll be there, no questions asked.¡± Blossom heaved a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s up to you. We won¡¯t push you, but just remember we¡¯re always here for ¡± Elysia smiled. ¡°Love you guys.¡± Blossom patted her cheek gently and said, ¡°Alright, no more sadness.¡± ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t lose out today. I even got a few scratches in on that wild man. He had no leg to stand on, didn¡¯t dare touch me back.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve scratched him a few more times to vent!¡± Elysia chuckled again, ¡°You go on and keep an eye on the triplets. I¡¯ll just pop to the restroom to freshen up, and I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Elysia headed to the restroom to wash her face and tidy up her hair, reflecting on the day¡¯s events with a sigh. Seems like her streak of bad luck wasn¡¯t over; even a simple outing could stir up so much trouble. Suddenly, she overheard a conversation nearby. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Chapter 115 ¡°You know what they say, ¡°You never know how scary someone is until you meet them.¡± They say Mr. Huber fears nothing under the sun except his sister. I thought it was just a tall tale, but turns out it¡¯s the gospel truth! If only I could be Mr. Huber¡¯s sister.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be his sister; I¡¯d rather be his girlfriend, ha!¡± ¡°Stop dreaming, girls. Mr. Huber is the silver man of Jindale City. We¡¯re not even in his league.¡± Some of the girls didn¡¯t quite catch on. ¡°Why do they call him the silver man of Jindale City? Is there a golden one?¡± ¡°Sure is. It¡¯s Tarquin Bradford. They¡¯re the most attractive men of Jindale City. Word on the street is that Mr. Bradford is even more of a looker than Mr. Huber. Mr. Huber is pretty, but Mr. Bradford? He¡¯s downright dashing.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. The mere mention of Tarquin sent a shiver down Elysia¡¯s spine. She was about to leave when she couldn¡¯t help but linger, pretending to wash her hands just to eavesdrop a little longer. One woman chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s a pity they¡¯re both men. Imagine if one was a woman and they had a child together? That kid would break hearts!¡± ¡°Ha, daydreaming, are we? If Mr. Huber were a woman, Mr. Bradford probably wouldn¡¯t give him the time of day. I heard that although Mr. Bradford is quite the head¨Cturner, he¡¯s not into thedies.¡± ¡°Really? No way!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one to judge if it¡¯s true or not. Have you not seen the buzz online? That¡¯s what they¡¯re all saying. Remember N ter? Always trying to ride Mr. Bradford¡¯s coattails, making their rtionship seem all hazy. Some folks said Mr. Bradford never spoke up because he used her to silence the gossip mongers. Then Mr. Bradford went on record to clear the air about him and N. Some say that¡¯s because there was trouble at home.¡± ¡°Trouble at home?¡± The woman¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper, ¡°Rumor has it Mr. Bradford¡¯s got a boy toy, and he couldn¡¯t stand the rumors about N and Mr. Bradford, so he pushed him to set the record straight.¡± ¡°No way! A boy toy? A man?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± Another woman added, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that too. There¡¯s even paparazzi gossip that Mr. Bradford and Mr. Huber, at opposite ends of the spectrum when ites to women, get along so well because they¡¯ve got a secret thing going on.¡± Elysia¡¯s jaw dropped. What in the world was she overhearing? Was this kind of juicy gossip free for the taking? The rumors about Tarquin liking men¡­ she had seen that online as well. 09:40 Chapter 115 Back when she had just married Tarquin, she didn¡¯t take those rumors seriously. She was sure it was all made up. But now, she was starting to wonder. If Tarquin really liked men, it wasn¡¯t without evidence. He had always refused to divorce her. perhaps to use her as a shield against prying eyes? If the news about his preferences ever went public, he could im he was happily married to avoid scrutiny. Elysia smirked to herself. What era were they living in that people would still care about that? Liking men wasn¡¯t a crime. Tarquin and Keaton¡­ That wild man and Keaton¡­ Oh my, she felt like she had struck gold! That wild man and Tarquin shared a mutual friend! That wasn¡¯t the point, though. The real question was, if Tarquin was truly involved with Keaton, could she use that connection to push Tarquin to finally divorce her? She had no way to reach Tarquin, but Keaton? After all, Keaton was Corbin¡¯s uncle! Elysia felt like she had stumbled upon a path forward, a light at the end of the tunnel, and her mood instantly lifted. She gave herself a pep talk as she looked in the mirror. First, win over Keaton, then use him to get to Tarquin. A wless n! With this newfound strategy, Elysia¡¯s spirits were soaring, and she left the bathroom beaming with hope. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Chapter 116 As soon as Elysia got back, Blossom¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°Something fun happen?¡± Blossom asked with a twinkle in her eye. Elysia just said, ¡°Heard a joke in the restroom that cracked me up.¡± ¡°What kind of joke has you grinning like a Cheshire cat? Share it! Lighten up the mood for us too.¡± The three little ones also looked at her expectantly. Elysia couldn¡¯t exactly discuss Tarquin and Keaton¡¯s gossip in front of the kids, so she made up some random joke to get by. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. After a full day of fun, by five in the afternoon the three little ones were struggling to keep their eyes open. They hadn¡¯t quite caught up onst night¡¯s missed sleep. Seeing them yawn, Elysia suggested that Blossom take them back to rest, while she went to check on Corbin at the hospital. ¡°Blossom, if you¡¯ve got stuff to do, just drop them at our ce and go. They won¡¯t wander off,¡± Blossom instantly offered, ¡°It¡¯s Sunday, I¡¯m off work, and there¡¯s no boyfriend to hang out with. What¡¯s there for me to be busy with? I¡¯ll take care of them at home. You go do what you need to do. The Denton family¡¯s got a solid rep ¨C honest folks, good people. Making nice with them might juste in handy if some jerk ever gives you trouble.¡± Elysia didn¡¯t argue, just smiled. ¡°Uh¨Chuh.¡± Previously, helping Corbin was just that¨Chelping. This time, she had an angle, she was admittedly using his uncle¡¯s connections. Even though she wasn¡¯t quite sure how to leverage that yet, she knew she wanted to. Arriving at the hospital entrance, Elysia gave Blossom a few instructions before they parted ways. Entering the hospital, Elysia caught sight of a familiar silhouette and paused, doing a double¨Ctake. Soon enough, Zane noticed her too, looking equally surprised before he excused himself from the girl beside him and jogged over to greet Elysia. ¡°Elysia, what brings you to the hospital? You okay? Feeling under the weather?¡± he asked. ¡°No, just here to see a friend.¡± While talking, she couldn¡¯t help but nce at the young woman near Zane. The girl, with her long. hair, porcin skin, and the striking features of a college student, was pretty but her gaze towards Elysia was less than friendly. Elysia¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. Zane caught the shift in Elysia¡¯s expression, looked back at the girl who quickly turned away, avoiding Elysia¡¯s gaze. The girl didn¡¯te over, just sat down in an empty spot, waiting quietly for Zane. 1/2 09:41 Chapter 116 Zane turned back to Elysia, a look of helplessness on his face as he exined, ¡°That¡¯s my cousin. She should be in college but ended up getting pregnant by ident. She took a leave without telling my aunt, and recently she broke up with her boyfriend¡­ Now there areplications with the pregnancy, and she has to terminate, but she¡¯s too scared to tell my aunt. So she turned to me for help. We were poor growing up, and my aunt took care of me a lot¨Ceven paid for my high school expenses. So, I¡¯m really close to her family. She¡¯s my cousin, but she¡¯s like a little sister to me. She didn¡¯t want to tell her mom and she¡¯s all alone in Jindale City, so I¡¯m the one looking after her.¡± Elysia nced at the girl once more. ¡°You¡¯re not nning to tell her mom?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, but what good would it do besides upsetting her? What¡¯s done is done, and getting angry won¡¯t change anything. My aunt¡¯s health isn¡¯t great; it might just kill her to find out.¡± Indeed, what had happened couldn¡¯t be changed and her mother would only be distressed upon knowing. ¡°I see her belly¡¯s quite big already, must be over five months. What¡¯s wrong with the baby?¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Chapter 117 ¡°Doctor says it¡¯s a malformation and rmends termination.¡± Elysia was taken aback, ¡°How did they only find out it¡¯s malformed now? It¡¯s quite far along, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah, I only found out today.¡± Elysia couldn¡¯t help but steal another nce at the girl, her expression a mix of emotions. The girl was watching her warily. When their eyes met, the girl furrowed her brow, then lowered her gaze to avert her eyes. Elysia was puzzled; where was her hostilitying from? They had never met before and they didn¡¯t know each other, so why the resentment at first sight? Had she done something to provoke her? ¡°She¡¯s not in a good mood today, just ignore her,¡± Zane seemed to read her mind andmented. Elysia looked away, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a tough break. You should talk her through it. And if possible, do your best to encourage her to go back to school after this. She worked hard to get into college, it¡¯d be a shame to waste that.¡± She knew the struggle of not having a diploma and how hard life could be once you stepped into the real world without it. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. After the surgery and some recovery time, I¡¯ll have her go back to school.¡± ¡°Right, then you better get her to the doctor. We can catch up some other time.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll call you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After saying goodbye to Zane, Elysia continued on her way to the inpatient department, while Zane led his cousin off to the obstetrics and gynecology wing. Stepping into the elevator, Elysia¡¯s thoughts were still swirling. That girl¡¯s strange look was as if she¡¯d seen a romantic rival. But Zane was her cousin, right? And she didn¡¯t know the girl¡¯s boyfriend. So where was the hostilitying from? Was she overthinking it? Or did she misread the situation? Or maybe, the girl was just in such a bad mood that anyone would trigger that hostility? If there was something between her and Zane, he wouldn¡¯t be so nonchnt, would he? Besides, what could possibly be between Zane and that girl? They were cousins. Deciding she was overthinking. Elysia shook off the nonsense in her head and went to find Corbin. Meanwhile, the girl was looking at Zane with teary eyes and said out of the blue, ¡°It¡¯s her, isn¡¯t it?¡± Zane furrowed his brows, ¡°Let¡¯s see the doctor first.¡± 1/2 09:41 Chapter 117 The girl jerked her arm away from him and looked visibly upset, ¡°I¡¯m asking you, it¡¯s her, right?!¡± Her loud voice was drawing the attention of many onlookers. The people around them cast curious nces with varied expressions. Zane eyed the girl, his unreadable face revealed no sign of anger and his tone was neutral too. ¡°If you don¡¯t want mypany, I can call your mom right now.¡± His words seemed to hit a nerve, and she shivered, not daring to speak further. Even her sobs were quieter now. Zane handed her a tissue without any exnation as if she¡¯d never asked anything. ¡°The baby¡¯s not going to make it. Dry your eyes, we¡¯re waiting for the doctor to call us.¡± She took the tissue with her head bowed. She didn¡¯t dare to look at him while tears were streaming down her face. In Corbin¡¯s hospital room. Corbin was thrilled to see Elysia, ¡°Sis¡­ sis, sister¡­¡± Elysia smiled, ¡°I¡¯m quite a bit older than you, Corbin. You should call me ¡®auntie.¡± ¡°Aun¡­ auntie.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. How has your day been, Corbin?¡± ¡°Happy.¡± ¡°Happy, huh? Is there something special that made you happy? Share with me, so I can be happy too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy because¡­ you are here.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Elysiaughed, ¡°Seeing you makes me happy too.¡± The little guy¡¯s eyes sparkled even more at her words and looked exuberant. Jessamine was moved to tears, ¡°Corbin really likes you. He¡¯s only this happy when he sees you.¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Chapter 118 ¡°It proves that the encounter between Corbin and I is fate, right Corbin?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ fate.¡± Elysia softly caressed his cheek. Turning to Jessamine, she said, ¡°I need a moment alone with Corbin, if that¡¯s okay with you?¡± ¡°Of course, of course, you two chat. I¡¯ll just be outside, right by the door. If you need me, just holler.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Once Jessamine had left, Elysia waved her hand in front of Corbin¡¯s eyes and started counting on her fingers, ¡°Corbin, look at my hand. Let¡¯s count together, one, two, three, four, five¡­¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. With a snap of her fingers, Corbin suddenly passed out. Twenty minutester, Elysia emerged from the hospital room. Jessamine immediately asked, ¡°How is he? Is Corbin doing better? Can we take him home?¡± ¡°Yes, I just hypnotized Corbin to take a peek inside his mind. His inner world has changed a lot; there¡¯s sunshine, green fields, and cats. Did he used to like cats?¡± Jessamine felt a pang in her heart, ¡°¡­He did. He used to have one, and it was while looking for that cat that he was kidnapped. We lost both, the cat and our peace.¡± ¡°No wonder¡­ If it¡¯s okay with your family, you might consider getting another one. Cats are therapeutic and could help Corbin heal.¡± I ¡°I will! I¡¯ll arrange it as soon as I get home. So, can he be discharged now?¡± ¡°Yes, he can go home to recuperate. But keep in mind, psychological issues aren¡¯t like themon cold; full recovery will be a long road. You¡¯ll need to be patient.¡± ¡°I understand. Just seeing him improve is a blessing. We had lost hope before you came along. Elysia, you¡¯ve been an angel to the Denton family. I don¡¯t know how I could ever thank you enough, but if you ever face any difficulties, you must let me know.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formality. You helped me out today at the mall, and I¡¯m grateful for that.¡± Jessamine sniffled a bit, ¡°It¡¯s not the same. I¡­ I won¡¯t fuss over thanking you properly. Just know this, from now on, you¡¯re like a sister to me. And if anyone dares to cross you, they¡¯ll have to answer to me first!¡± Elysia smiled and said nothing. ¡°How about dinner tonight together?¡± Elysia was about to decline when Jessamine interjected, ¡°It¡¯s not just out of gratitude that I want to invite you for dinner. Ever since Corbin¡¯s incident, he hasn¡¯t stepped out. He¡¯s been shuttling between home and the hospital. I was thinking, since you¡¯re here, it might do him good to get some fresh air, to take that brave first step, right? If you weren¡¯t here, he definitely wouldn¡¯t want to go out, and we wouldn¡¯t dare to take 09:41 Chapter 118 him.¡± Unable to refuse, Elysia agreed. While Corbin was still unconscious, she called Blossom to talk about dinner. Blossom said the little ones were still asleep and told her not to worry about them, that she would take care of their meals once they woke up. Hanging up, Elysia felt a warm glow inside. To have such a good friend in life, she thought, was truly¡± a stroke of luck. Blossom and Winona were her guardian angels. When Elysia was suddenly reminded of Winona, she also thought of Zane and his cousin, and the way his cousin had looked at her. That look one gives to a rival made her feel uneasy. After the call, Elysia somehow found herself wandering toward the maternity ward. Zane and his cousin had already left, so she tried asking the doctors for information. But the doctors were tight¨Clipped, not willing to disclose patient information. She understood it was their duty, so she didn¡¯tin. Just as she was about to leave, as luck would have it, she ran into Benjamin, who was on his way out after his shift. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Benjamin was taken aback to see her at the maternity ward. ¡°Ms. Thorne? What brings you here? Feeling unwell?¡± he asked. ¡°No, I just came to check on Corbin. Ran into a friend and didn¡¯t get to catch up properly. Now that I¡¯ve got a moment, I thought I¡¯d see how they are.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°A friend? Where are they?¡± ¡°Not sure. Couldn¡¯t find them.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your friend¡¯s name? I¡¯ll ask around for you.¡± ¡°Zane.¡± Benjamin took it upon himself to get the information. After all, he was a shareholder of the hospital. The attending doctor exined, ¡°Zane¡¯s here with his cousin for her termination surgery. There¡¯s a problem with the pregnancy; it can¡¯t be saved. Continuing could be life¨Cthreatening.¡± Elysia immediately asked, ¡°She looked to be about four or five months along. Why only find out there¡¯s a problem now?¡± ¡°It all seemed fine until yesterday. The woman has a peanut allergy but ate a bunch of peanut butter. That endangered the baby.¡± Elysia frowned, ¡°Didn¡¯t she know about her allergy?¡± ¡°She did. Said she ate something without realizing it contained peanut butter. A real unfortunate ident.¡± Benjamin chided, ¡°That¡¯s incredibly careless!¡± ¡°Indeed. She came alone yesterday and was adamantly against the procedure, insisting on carrying the baby to term. We had to contact her family out of necessit They only brought her in today. She¡¯s been admitted, and the surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning.¡± Elysia inquired further, ¡°Has that male rtive been apanying her to all her appointments since the pregnancy?¡± ¡°No, she used toe alone. Only today did she bring a rtive, and it was us who contacted him.¡± Elysia nodded, ¡°I see, thank you.¡± Once outside, Benjamin questioned her, ¡°You and this Zane guy, you¡¯re close?¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s an old ssmate and married to my best friend.¡± Benjamin immediately got it. ¡°You suspect he¡¯s done something to betray your friend?¡± Elysia twisted her mouth in awkwardness, ¡°No, they have a solid marriage. I was just asking. ¡°Alright then.¡± 1/2 09:41 After Elysia left, Benjamin promptly called Tarquin. ¡°I just saw Ms. Thorne at the maternity ward.¡± Elijah had been discharged, and Tarquin was at home. He was supposed to go to the office, but Elysia had scratched his face, forcing him to work from home. Hearing Elysia¡¯s name made Tarquin grit his teeth, ¡°Whether she¡¯s dead or alive, it¡¯s no concern of mine! Don¡¯t mention her to me!¡± He hung up, tossed his phone on the desk, and yanked at his tie in frustration. Just the mention of her name made his blood boil! He couldn¡¯t focus on work and went to Elijah¡¯s room instead. Elijah hade hometest night. He hated hospitals and insisted on returning home as soon as he woke up. Not wanting to upset him. Tarquin brought him back. Elijah was still sitting by the window. Needless to say, he was waiting for his mommy. Tarquin¡¯s heart ached as he approached, ¡°Elijah.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t turn, didn¡¯t even blink, as if he hadn¡¯t heard him. Tarquin crouched down, his voice soft, ¡°Hungry? Daddy will make you something to eat.¡± Elijah was silent. Tarquin¡¯s heart felt heavy, and he tried again, ¡°Not eating will make your tummy hurt. Mommy would be sad to see you unwell when shees back.¡± At the mention of mommy, Elijah finally reacted, turning to look at Tarquin and suddenly asked, ¡°Is my mommy dead?¡± ¡°What? Who said that?¡± Elijah didn¡¯t reply, just stared straight at him. For a moment, Tarquin didn¡¯t know how to respond. If he said she wasn¡¯t dead, Elijah would undoubtedly ask why she hadn¡¯te to see him and where she was now. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Chapter 120 If he said she was gone¡­ he couldn¡¯t bear to say it and also couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her being dead. right? And if he did say it, surely Elijah would be heartbroken, right? It might even send him into shock. ¡°I get it now,¡± Elijah suddenly said. Tarquin asked in a rush, ¡°You get what?¡± ¡°Mommy¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°What???!¡± Elijah, staring towards the doorway, said dully, ¡°She must be in heaven. I wonder if she¡¯s lonely up there?¡± rm bells went off in Tarquin¡¯s head! Was his son¡­ thinking of joining his mother in heaven? Tarquin, sensing the dangerous turn of thought, said sternly, ¡°Elijah, don¡¯t let your mind wander. Your mom isn¡¯t dead, she¡¯s alive and well!¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°I¡­ I found some information about her.¡± Tarquin was forced to put on a grim face and lied to his own son. Elijah¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Really? Where is she? Why don¡¯t you bring her back? Or take me to see her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the right time yet. Just wait a little longer.¡± Elijah frowned, ¡°Are you lying to me?¡± ¡°No! I really have her information, but we¡¯ve been apart for so long that we can¡¯t just bring her back out of the blue. It might startle her.¡± Tarquin bit the bullet and said it. ¡°So when can I see her?¡± ¡°Soon.¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± ¡°No, that won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°The day after?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work either.¡± Seeing Elijah¡¯s frown deepen, Tarquin said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for spring.¡± Elijah looked at him and after a moment said. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll wait for spring!¡± Relieved that his son believed him. Tarquin let out a sigh of relief inwardly. ¡°Then you be a good boy and take care of yourself. You need to eat well and sleep well.¡± He said. 1/2 09:41 Chapter 120 ¡°Okay!¡± That night, Elijah ate his dinner and went to bed without fuss. Tarquin sat by his bed, his head throbbing with worry. Elijah¡¯s condition was getting worse. His words today obviously hinted at suicidal thoughts. If he ever became convinced that his mother was dead, he would surely want to join her in heaven. Today¡¯s lie had worked, but when spring came and Elijah¡¯s mother was nowhere to be seen¡­ the consequences were unthinkable. Time was running out! He had to find a way to cure Elijah before spring arrived, or at least stabilize his condition. Tarquin watched Elijah for a long while, tucked in the corners of his nket, and then stepped out. The butler Heath was waiting at the door, ¡°Is the young master asleep?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t go in and disturb him.¡± ¡°Right, right. Oh, when will the young master get better? I heard that little Corbin from the Denton family is all better now, even went out for dinner.¡± ¡°Huh? Corbin?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s all over the inte. Today Mrs. Denton and Mr. Denton took Corbin out to The Jinpeach Restaurant, and he looked so happy in the arms of their nanny. Mrs. Denton and Mr. Denton were beaming with visible joy, and even the old Mr. Denton made an appearance. These past years, because of Corbin¡¯s illness, Old Mr. Denton was rarely seen in public, always looking morose. There were plenty of whispers behind the Denton family¡¯s back, but today, they finally had their moment of triumph.¡± In this day and age, envy was amon affliction. The Denton family, being wealthy, attracted their fair share of green¨Ceyed monsters. After Corbin fell ill, those envious of the Denton fortunes began to talk, ¡°What good does all their money do? Their child is still sickly!¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°The Dentons must havemitted some terrible sin in a past life for Corbin to be ill now ¨C karma!¡± ¡°God is fair. They got the money in exchange for their happiness.¡± it¡¯s There were even those who cruelly imed that Corbin would never recover, that he wouldn¡¯t live past ten years old. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Chapter 121 The Dentons had taken Corbin out to Jinpeach Restaurant today. What did this mean? It meant Corbin was getting better. His autism was receding, and he could now step out into the world like any other kid. It was such a p in the face to all those green with envy. Tarquin was taken aback. He whipped out his phone to catch up on thetest news. Sure enough, Corbin¡¯s outing to Jinpeach Restaurant was trending. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Even though Elysia¡¯s face was blurred out in the photos circting online, Tarquin recognized her instantly. No need to wonder¨CElysia was the hero behind Corbin¡¯s brave new step! After staring at his phone for a while, Tarquin retreated to his study and dialed Benjamin¡¯s number. ¡°So, Elysia visited Corbin at the hospital today?¡± ¡°Uh¨Chuh. What¡¯s up? I thought you didn¡¯t want to hear about her anymore. Why the sudden interest?¡± Tarquin¡¯s face darkened, and he changed the subject, ¡°Corbin¡¯s out and about, eating like the rest of us. Is he recovering that fast?¡± ¡°Yeah, all thanks to Ms. Thorne. I told you she was good, but you wouldn¡¯t believe me!¡± Tarquin just grunted. Benjamin went on, ¡°Just you wait, the Dentons are going to offer Ms. Thorne a hefty sry to keep her on.¡± Tarquin frowned and hung up. He mused with a grim expression, then grabbed his car keys and left the house. After dinner, Elysia made her way back to Blossom¡¯s neighborhood. Blossom had messaged her earlier to say she¡¯d canceled the Airbnb and moved all her things over. The little trio was already there in the neighborhood. The Dentons had dropped her off, and after saying goodbye, Elysia walked towards the neighborhood entrance. But she hadn¡¯t gone far when she spotted someone! He was sitting in his car, smoking a cigarette with the window rolled down. She could see his handsome face and his hand resting on the window sill with a cigarette between his fingers. And there, on his chin, were the marks she¡¯d left. 1/2 Chapter 121 Elysia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Why was he here? What was he doing here? Elliot and Evan were in this neighborhood. Could he-? No, that wasn¡¯t right. If he¡¯d found out about Elliot and Evan, he wouldn¡¯t be sitting out here alone. He would¡¯ve taken the kids for a DNA test already. So, he hadn¡¯t discovered Elliot and Evan. Then why was he here? Looking for her? She¡¯d just moved in tonight; how could he know she lived here? Maybe¡­ he didn¡¯t know? Maybe he was just visiting his friends, not her? Elysia thought quickly. She whipped out a mask from her bag, put it on, and lowered her head as she continued walking, pretending not to see him. The closer she got, the more nervous she became. She was almost beside him when she pleaded inwardly that he wouldn¡¯t see her. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Elysia was startled. She shrank into herself, pretending not to hear, and kept walking. But he sounded annoyed, ¡°Do you want me to get out of the car and invite you personally? Elysia!¡± Elysia clenched her teeth! He had called her out by name. There was no escape now. She reluctantly stopped, turned around, and looked at him warily. ¡°What do you want?!¡± she asked. ¡°Get in the car!¡± ¡°Why? If you¡¯ve got something to say, say it. If not, I¡¯m heading home.¡± Tarquin¡¯s brows furrowed, and his gaze was as sharp as a knife. Elysia¡¯s heart skipped again. Knowing she was at a disadvantage in front of him, she reluctantly got into his car. Once inside, she immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ve already warned you today. If you hassle me again, I swear I¡¯ll fight back! And just so you know, there are two security guards at the entrance. The security here is no joke. If you try anything outrageous. I¡¯ll scream.¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Tarquin shot her a disdainful look, then got straight to the point, ¡°Come over to my ce tomorrow.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°To look after Elijah.¡± Elysia blinked and was a bit dazed, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tarquin flicked the ash from his cigarette. The smell mingling with the air made Elysia cough a few times. Tarquin frowned in annoyance, but he extinguished his cigarette nheless. ¡°Benjamin mentioned you¡¯re versed in child psychology and have some medical skills. You¡¯re already briefed on Elijah¡¯s condition; he has bipr disorder. From tomorrow, you¡¯re going to start as a nanny and take care of him.¡± Despite the many questions still swirling in his head, after using Emmett to interrogate her at the mall today, he no longer doubted her. And with Elijah¡¯s condition worsening, he couldn¡¯t afford to hesitate anymore. That¡¯s why he hade. Elysia was stunned upon hearing it. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Was he asking for a favor? Was this how you ask someone for help? She thought he wasing to tie up loose ends! Once Elysia understood his purpose, she regained some boldness, ¡°I get where you¡¯reing from. Any parent would do whatever it takes to help their kid, but I can¡¯t agree to your request. I¡­¡± Before she could finish. Tarquin cut her off impatiently, ¡°I¡¯m not here to ask you for a favor; I¡¯m here to give you an order.¡± Elysia red, ¡°An order? On what grounds do you order me around?!¡± He said coolly, ¡°Because you owe me money.¡± Elysia was deted like a balloon, her bravado suddenly vanishing. The little bit of confidence she had mustered up dissipated. Lips quivering, Elysia muttered, ¡°About the fifty million¡­ I¡­ Didn¡¯t I mention that before? Your girlfriend started it by hitting my son, and he only scratched your car in retaliation. That debt should be settled, right? We¡¯re even.¡± A hint of mockery shed in Tarquin¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t bother to rify his rtionship with N, simply stating, ¡°If someone hit your son, take it up with them. Your son damaged my car, so I¡¯ming to you. If you have a problem with that, I¡¯ll see you in court.¡± 09:42 Chapter 122 Elysia was fuming, her lips pressed tightly as she red at him. She wanted to hit this man. Tarquin, with his handsome face, looked at her and continued, ¡°Either pay me back now, or start as a nanny at my ce tomorrow. Your choice.¡± Elysia huffed, ¡°You know I don¡¯t have the money and yet you¡¯re making me choose. Do I even have a choice?!¡± ¡°Good. Be at my ce tomorrow to start as a nanny.¡± ¡°What if I refuse?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get the police involved.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°You have one minute to decide. If you can¡¯t, I¡¯m calling the cops.¡± ¡°Are you¡­ Do you even realize you¡¯re bullying me?¡± ¡°No clue. All I know is that debts are meant to be repaid. You¡¯re not skipping out on me.¡± Elysia was speechless. Tarquin nced at his watch, starting the countdown. Elysia¡¯s heart hammered in time with the ticking second hand. As the minute drew to a close, she blurted out, ¡°I¡¯ll go! I¡¯ll be at your ce tomorrow!¡± Tarquin, expressionless, wasn¡¯t surprised by the oue. He started the car, issuing an eviction, ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to pick you up in the morning. Get out.¡± Elysia, cheeks puffed in anger, held onto herst shred of dignity. ¡°I¡¯m not a morning person, so don¡¯t come looking for me at the crack of dawn. After eight¨Cthirty!¡± Tarquin rolled his eyes, ignoring her. The moment Elysia¡¯s feet hit the pavement, the car zoomed away, sshing her with slush. Elysia, breathing erratically with anger, watched his taillights disappear and cursed under her breath for a long time before finally heading home. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Blossom caught sight of her and immediately called out, ¡°Aren¡¯t you home early? What took you so long?¡± Elysia heaved a sigh, but chose not to exin just yet. Instead, she asked, ¡°How are the kids?¡± ¡°Sound asleep.¡± ¡°Again?¡± ¡°Yeah, I took them down to the yground before you got home. They yed on the and were crashed aftering back. How was your meeting with the Denton family?¡± ¡°It went well. The Dentons were really appreciative.¡± as for a ¡°Of course they are grateful to you. Corbin is the only heir to the Denton legacy. They were beside themselves with worry when he fell ill, what with all the rumors flying around. Now that he¡¯s getting better, the Dentons must be over the moon. Heard you went out for dinner with them, and it event made the trending news.¡± ¡°What?¡± Blossom chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know you like to keep a low profile. They pixted your face in the photos.¡± Elysia breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± ¡°You look beat. Go freshen up, we¡¯re bunking together tonight.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After checking on the little ones and freshening up. Elysiay down and asked, ¡°Blossom, you¡¯re working tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Why? I can take a day off if you need something. Our boss is pretty easy¨Cgoing.¡± ¡°I do have something tomorrow. Could you possibly take the triplets to daycare for a bit of a trial run?¡± ¡°Sure thing, no problem at all. What¡¯s on your te?¡± Elysia felt the weight of her worries. She recounted the incident that had urred at the entrance of their apartmentplex. Blossom¡¯s eyes went wide as saucers, ¡°He¡¯s threatening you to work for him in secret? What¡¯s his angle? He¡¯s not got the hots for you, has he?¡± ¡°Hardly! Didn¡¯t you see how he treated me? He was downright nasty!¡± ¡°So¡­ he really wants you to nanny his son?¡± ¡°It looks like it. His son has bipr disorder too, and I guess seeing me help Corbin stirred something in him. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t mind helping Elijah, I just don¡¯t want to deal with his father. If he turns out to be Elliot and Evan¡¯s biological dad, the more I interact with him, the more likely I¡¯ll blow their cover.¡± 1/2 09:42 Chapter Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Blossom nodded in understanding. ¡°So what¡¯s the n now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°The best thing would be to pay back that 50 million! Let me talk to Zane about it, I¡¯ll ask my folks for a part of it, and maybe borrow some from Zane. We need to scrape together that 50 million to get him off your back!¡± Elysia immediately shook her head. 50 million was a huge amount! She knew Blossom¡¯s parents and Zane were well off, but that kind of money was astronomical to anyone. She didn¡¯t want her arrival to disrupt their peace. ¡°Let me first go see Elijah tomorrow. By the way, did you know Zane has a cousin?¡± ¡°The one who¡¯s into dance?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I heard about her from Winona, but I haven¡¯t met her. What about her?¡± Elysia felt it was wrong to gossip, but she trusted Blossom, so she shared, ¡°I saw Zane at the hospital today when I went to visit Corbin. He was there supporting his cousin through an abortion.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Blossom was shocked, ¡°Isn¡¯t she still in college? How did she end up pregnant and then having an abortion?¡± ¡°Zane said she got pregnant unexpectedly after dating a guy at school. She took a leave of absence, but then they broke up, and there wereplications with the pregnancy. The doctors said the baby couldn¡¯t be saved and rmended termination.¡± Blossom was taken aback, ¡°Winona mentioned she was quite a gentle soul. I never imagined she¡¯d be caught up in something like this. Getting pregnant, dropping out, cohabitating before marriage, abortion¡­ Those are all pretty heavy for someone her age.¡± Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Elysia pondered for a moment before asking. ¡°Does Winona know that girl?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Winona rarely talks about her; she maybe mentioned her once or twice. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°I saw her at the hospital today, and I just got this vibe that her gaze was kind of¡­ off when she looked at me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Elysia didn¡¯t outright say it was like a jealous lover¡¯s look, but rather, ¡°It felt hostile.¡± ¡°Did you guys know each other before?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m positive I¡¯ve never seen her before.¡± ¡°Then why would she be hostile towards you?¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± ¡°Did you talk to Zane about it?¡± ¡°No, but Zane noticed it too. He said she was just in a bad mood and told me not to mind her.¡± ¡°Well, that could be it. I mean, losing a baby is heartbreaking, but even so, that¡¯s no reason to be hostile toward a stranger. Sounds kinda cuckoo!¡± To be honest, if she was just being rude to her, Elysia could brush it off. The real issue was the way that girl looked at her with the eyes of a rival in love, which made Elysia¡¯s heart flip¨Cflop with anxiety. ¡°Hey, you never told me, what had you so chipper after you came back from the restroom at the mall today?¡± Blossom steered the conversation to a more intriguing topic. Elysia snapped back to reality, her mood instantly lifting as she recalled the incident, ¡°I heard my dear hubby is having a fling with Keaton.¡± She dared not speak her husband Tarquin¡¯s name directly. ¡°What?! No way!¡± ¡°For real!¡± ¡°But how? Keaton¡¯s known for being adies¡® man. The whole country knows he goes through girlfriends faster than he changes his socks.¡± ¡°He swings both ways, and my husband¡­ he¡¯s into guys.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­.¡± Blossom still found it hard to believe. Elysia exined, ¡°I only found out today that the reason he won¡¯t grant me a divorce isn¡¯t to get back at me, but to use our marriage as a shield from gossip. You know, an influential CEO liking another man is quite the talk of the town.¡± Blossom nodded, ¡°I get that. It¡¯s like something straight out of a TV drama, but it¡¯s the first I¡¯ve heard. 1/2 09:42 of it in real life. And shouldn¡¯t you be upset knowing this? If he¡¯s really using you to silence the chatter, he¡¯ll never agree to a divorce, which will it even harder for you to leave.¡± ¡°But I can use Keaton to pressure him, can¡¯t I? If they¡¯re involved, Keaton surely wouldn¡¯t want him tied to me, right? Me and Keaton, we¡¯re love rivals!¡± Blossom mulled it over, ¡°That sorta makes sense.¡± Elysia was excited, ¡°And I happen to have a connection with Keaton¡¯s sister, which means I have a way to get close to him!¡± ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t worked out the details yet, but at least I see a path forward. Today he called and blocked every exit I had, but now, there¡¯s light at the end of the tunnel.¡± ¡°Mmm, just be careful. Keaton¡¯s no easy mark. Whether you¡¯re going against him or using him, it¡¯s risky.¡± ¡°No worries, I¡¯ve got his sister backing me up.¡± ¡°Oh, right. He¡¯s scared of his sister.¡± Elysia chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m on cloud nine today.¡± ¡°Well, so it does sound like good news.¡± ¡°Yeah, I need you to babysit the trio for me tomorrow. I¡¯m going to check on Elijah and then work out my next steps.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. The besties chatted back and forth for ages before finally drifting off to sleep. The next day, before the crack of dawn, Elysia¡¯s phone started ringing. The persistent sound of the rm was like a thunderp that not only jolted Elysia awake and nearly scared her hell out. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Elysia snatched up her phone with a huff, only to see an unfamiliar number shing on the screen. Annoyed, she promptly hung up. But the caller was persistent and dialed again immediately. With a scowl, Elysia answered, ¡°What?! Who is this?¡± ¡°Get downstairs! You¡¯ve got ten minutes!¡± a frigid voicemanded from the other end before the call abruptly ended. Elysia was instantly wide awake. That jerk made the call! ¡°Who was that?¡± Blossom mumbled groggily. She was barely lifting her eyelids and still yawning as she asked. Elysia fought to keep her temper in check, ¡°Nobody. Go back to sleep, it¡¯s only five in the morning.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Blossom yawned and drifted back off. Elysia, clutching her phone, stomped into the living room and onto the balcony to call back, her voice a hushed roar. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Didn¡¯t I tell you not toe around this early? Look at the time! You¡¯re gonna get what¡¯sing to you for waking people up. Things will alle back to you!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got eight minutes. If you¡¯re not down, I¡¯ming up to get you. Gritting her teeth, Elysia spat back, ¡°You win!¡± She angrily ended the call and dashed to freshen up. After checking on the kids and nting a kiss on each forehead, she scrambled out the door. Reaching theplex¡¯s entrance, she saw no sign of a luxury car. As she scanned the area, a car horn beeped. It wasing from a nondescript Volkswagen parked on the street, which she nced at and quickly dismissed. That guy was loaded; he wouldn¡¯t be caught dead in anything less than a high¨Cend ride. ¡°Over here!¡± Tarquin¡¯s voice snapped as he rolled down the window, sounding none too pleased. Elysia did a double¨Ctake. He actually showed up in a Volkswagen? Since when did Mr. Moneybags roll up in such a car? Elysia approached and slid into the back seat, immediatelyunching into a tirade, ¡°What¡¯s your game by torturing me at this ungodly hour? Even the roosters are still snoozing.¡± Tarquin ignored her and pulled away from the curb. Elysia pouted at the back of his head and continued, ¡°We didn¡¯t finish our talkst night. Let¡¯sy it out now. I can look after your son, but I won¡¯t make any promises about my schedule. I¡¯m not nning to stick around Jindale City for long and not sure when I¡¯ll leave. When I¡¯m ready to leave. you can¡¯t stop me. 1/2 09:42 Chapter 125 Also, I¡¯m not some live¨CIn nanny. I have my own kids and life to deal with, so I can¡¯t be at your beck and call 24/7. You need to let me head home by six every evening. And If somethinges up during the day, I need to be able to leave at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± Tarquin just drove in silence. Elysia clenched her jaw, ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll take it as you agree. Plus, I won¡¯t work for free. You¡¯ll have to pay me a fair wage, at least-¡± ¡°Do a good job, and it¡¯s ten grand a day.¡± Tarquin cut in suddenly. Elysia choked, blinking at him in disbelief, ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Ten thousand.¡± ¡°Ten thousand? A day?¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. He didn¡¯t respond. Swallowing hard, Elysia took another look at him and suddenly found him less punchable. If she hadn¡¯t suspected him of being that rogue from her past and getting her pregnant, she might have clung to this high roller and never let go. This guy was her golden goose! Elysia cleared her throat delicately and reiterated, ¡°You said it¨Cten grand a day!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a bonus if you do well,¡± ¡°A bonus?¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yeah. If you canst ten minutes with Elijah today, you get another ten grand, in cash, not as a sry deduction.¡± Ten minutes for another ten grand? It felt like finding money on the street. ¡°You¡¯re sure about this?¡± Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Chapter 126 ¡°Hmm.¡± Tarquin replied. ¡°A man¡¯s word is his bond. If you back out now, you¡¯re nothing but a lowlife.¡± Tarquin pursed his lips and ignored thement. Elysia, not convinced, pressed him again, ¡°By saying ten grand in cash, you mean you¡¯ll hand it to me directly with no strings attached?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Elysiaughed out loud, unable to contain her delight. Tarquin gave her a look of distaste. Her mood was sour as a lemon until money came into the picture. And when she heard that, she perked up like it was Christmas morning. Typical money¨Cgrubber. Realizing she might have shown too much enthusiasm, Elysia cleared her throat with a subtle cough, softening her gaze towards Tarquin. But Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed in response, ¡°I sought you out for Elijah¡¯s sake, not to cozy up to me. I can¡¯t stand women whock self¨Cawareness.¡± Elysia, taken aback, asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± He nced at her through the rear¨Cview mirror, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about seducing me. I¡¯ve already got someone on my mind.¡± Elysia¡¯s good mood vanished in an instant. She retorted sharply, ¡°Are you out of your mind? Who¡¯s trying to seduce you? Do you think you¡¯re the golden boy everyone¡¯s after? Get over yourself! Don¡¯t forget that it was you who came to me, not the other way around. In fact, I should be asking if you¡¯re using your son to lure me in!¡± Tarquin let out a cold snort, his wordsced with mockery, ¡°Me, lure you? That¡¯s rich.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The car pulled into a rundown neighborhood, stopping in front of thest building in the row. Tarquin killed the engine and, seeing that she was still fuming, reminded her. ¡°That was just a heads¨C up.¡± Elysia shot back irately, ¡°I was giving you a heads¨Cup too. If you hadn¡¯t brought it up, I would¡¯ve forgotten. Let¡¯s get one thing straight: if you even think about ying me, I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I wouldn¡¯t dream of it in this lifetime!¡± ¡°Better stick to it!¡± Huffing with anger, Elysia reached for the car door, but Tarquin suddenly locked it and turned to her. ¡°I¡¯m entrusting Elijah to you because I want you to be there for him. If you dare hurt him, I will make you suffer.¡± His tone was even, but each word cut like a de of ice.. 1/2 Chapter 129 His gaze was even more chilling and worse than a ghoul. It was so intense it seemed like something sinister could leap out of his eyes at any moment. Elysia, frightened, quickly looked away. Swallowing hard, she said, ¡°I have no quarrel with him so why would I want to hurt him? Besides, you approached me. If you¡¯re worried, just tell me to leave.¡± Tarquin scrutinized her for a moment, then his gaze softened, ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it now. If you do, well, there will be something in it for you.¡± With that, he opened the car door and got out. Elysia breathed heavily, shaken. That damn Tarquin could be really intimidating when he was upset. For a moment, she wondered if he was even human or some kind of ghoul! It was probably best to keep her distance from such a person. But as much as she wanted to stay away, she couldn¡¯t escape. Taking a deep breath, Elysia steeled herself and got out of the car. The scene before her was baffling. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She had assumed that such a loaded man as Tarquin would surely live in some grand mansion, not in a ce that was falling apart at the seams. The neighborhood was even less inviting than the one in Blossom. It was full of battered tricycles, bicycles, and cars that were worth maybe a few hundreds dors at best. Tarquin¡¯s car, a model popr among the masses, seemed downright luxurious byparison. ¡°This is where you live?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°No, I mean, why would you live in a ce like this?¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Tarquin, with his long strides, entered the building and started climbing the stairs. There wasn¡¯t even an elevator. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Elysia couldn¡¯t quite wrap her head around the situation. ¡°U thought you were loaded? I mean, your car alone is worth.a fortune, so surely you can afford a decent ce. But this¡­ this is pretty rough.¡± Tarquin¡¯s expression remained nk as he replied, ¡°I¡¯m broke and going belly up. ¡°What? You¡¯re broke?¡± Elysia gasped in disbelief. ¡°Got a problem with that?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ how does someone just go broke overnight? When did this happen?¡± ¡°Last night.¡± Elysia was speechless. To avoid exposing his true identity. Tarquin had brought Elysia to this old family home after his son Elijah was discharged from the hospital the previous evening. This was the house his mother had lived in before she moved abroad.- ¡°Howe I can¡¯t see any sign of you being upset about this huge ordeal?¡± Elysia asked cautiously. Most people would be down in the dumps for a while after such a blow. Some might never get over it. But looking at him, there was no trace of the grief you¡¯d expect from someone who had just lost everything. ¡°How do you know I¡¯m not upset?¡± Tarquin countered. ¡°I can¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not my close ones, so should I parade my sad feelings in front of you?¡± Elysia paused, thinking there was some sense in his words. But something inside her twisted, and she found herself offeringfort, ¡°Life¡¯s a roller coaster, you know. Ups and downs are part of the game. You¡¯ve gotta keep your chin up.¡± ¡°Chatterbox.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just trying to show some concern.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need it.¡± Elysia¡¯s internal monologue was less than charitable. He was such an ungrateful jerk and it just served him right for going bankrupt! Tarquin climbed to the sixth floor and stopped at room 601. The old building was a walk¨Cup with six floors, and the sixth was the top. There was no elevator, and eachnding had two apartments. Across from him was 602. Elysia nced at 602; its door was marked with a cheery ¡°Wee¡± sign, and the doormat showed 18 09:43 signs of frequent use. Clearly, someone was living in thi Not like Tarquin¡¯s ce, which had no such warm greetings and a mat that looked brand spanking new. He must be a neer. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your son¡¯s name?¡± Elysia asked. ¡°Elljah Bradford, but we just call him Elijah.¡± ¡°Bradford? So, yourst name is Bradford?¡± Tarquin turned to her, his eyes narrowing with a look that hinted at deeper meanings. Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Others called him Tarquin, and now Bradford. Tarquin Bradford?!! As her eyes grewrger, Tarquin looked at her with a hint of disdain, ¡°If you¡¯ve got something to say, spit it out.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. He wanted to avoid any idle chatter before meeting Elijah. Elysia swallowed hard, ¡°What¡­ what is your name?¡± Tarquin squinted and didn¡¯t reply. Elysia scratched her head, ¡°It¡¯s not too much to ask what your name is if you let me take care of your son, is it? Tarquin replied tersely, ¡°Tarin.¡± He had revised his name a little for he didn¡¯t want Elysia to know his identity. Now that he was sure she wasn¡¯t trying to get close to him on purpose, he continued to conceal who he was. He didn¡¯t want her to harbor any ulterior motives. After all, the name ¡°Tarquin¡± carried an allure that was hard to resist. The public didn¡¯t know what he looked like, but there wasn¡¯t a soul who hadn¡¯t heard the name ¡°Tarquin.¡± Most women couldn¡¯t resist the lure of wealth and power that name suggested. If she knew, she might try every trick in the book to seduce him. Meanwhile, Elysia was still processing. Tarin? Not Tarquin? It couldn¡¯t be. Tarquin was a paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair, while this man¡¯s long legs were the picture of health. She must have been overthinking it. A few letters in names could change everything. ¡°If your folks had chucked ¡®q¡® and ¡®u¡® in your name, you¡¯d share it with one of the richest tycoons around,¡± she quipped. Tarquin just shot her a nce and didn¡¯t bite. 2/3 Chapter 127 Elysia prodded further, ¡°You and Tarquin wouldn¡¯t happen to be rted, would you?¡± Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Chapter 128 ¡°My name¡¯s Tarin, and that fe is Tarquin. We have no more rtionships.¡± Elysia just blinked. Tarquin fished out an old¨Cfashioned key and unlocked the front door, pausing before stepping inside. to issue a reminder, ¡°Look, I brought you here to cheer him up, not to wind him up. If he throws a tantrum, just ride it out, will you? And don¡¯t go poking around about his mother. It¡¯s a sore spot.¡± Why, oh why, should she take k from this guy? Why couldn¡¯t she give as good as she got? But what could she do? She was outmatched, and her kids were only five. She had to cope. somehow. Elysia psyched herself up and pushed down the irritation to ask, ¡°So what¡¯s the deal with his mother? Why did she take off? You two weren¡¯t getting along?¡± Tarquin¡¯s frown was immediate and telling. ¡°Don¡¯t ask what you shouldn¡¯t. That¡¯s off¨Climits!¡± Elysia was taken aback. Wasn¡¯t it standard procedure to get they of thend before attempting to treat a patient? ¡°I just¡­¡± ¡°Get in here!¡± Tarquin cut her off. Elysia entered, speechless with frustration. She was starting to realize that having a normal conversation with this man was like talking to a brick wall. Once inside, she took a quick inventory of the ce. It was a cozy, not¨Ctoo¨Cshabby three¨Cbedroom with a living room, kitchen, and bathroom¨Clooked to be around 120 square meters. The decor was rustic charm all the way: hardwood floors, matching cabs, a dining set, and even a coffee table that all screamed vintage. The only modern touch was therge t¨Cscreen TV on the wall. ce was spotless and homely, with the wooden furnitureplemented by whitece curtains and a couple of tall, leafy housents making the room feel warm and inviting. She never would have pegged Tarin, Mr. Cold¨CShoulder himself, for a guy who¡¯d spruce up his home like this. She¡¯d thought his world was all shades of gray, never the warm hues of wood. Tarquin had already slipped into his house shoes and was heading toward a guest room. He opened the door just a crack and peered inside. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Elysia guessed he was checking on his son and bent down to switch her shoes too. There was a new pair ofdy¡¯s slippers on the rack, obviously set out for her. She slipped into them without a word. But as she was about to follow, Tarquin closed the door to the room. Chapter 128 Elysia¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°Where¡¯s Elijah?¡± she asked. ¡°Still asleep.¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t woken up yet?¡± ¡°Mm¨Chmm.¡± ¡°Then why the heck did you drag me here at the crack of dawn?¡± She had assumed Elijah was awake, and that¡¯s why Tarquin had driven to pick her up. But if the kid was still asleep, what was she doing there? Staring contest with the man? ¡°There¡¯s food in the fridge. Make breakfast,¡± he said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, then closed the door behind him. Elysia didn¡¯t know if it was her imagination, but she thought she heard the click of his lock inside his room. She was stunned. No ¡®please¡® or ¡®thank you¡°? Just amand to whip up breakfast, like she owed him? Well, she did owe him¨Cfifty million. With the money in mind, Elysia bit back her indignation and stormed into the kitchen. When in Rome, right? She opened the fridge and surveyed its contents. It was impably organized, and the ingredients were fresh and plentiful. What to make? Elysia pondered briefly before knocking on Tarquin¡¯s door. She wanted to cater to Elijah¡¯s tastes. She might despise the man, but the kid was innocent. After a single knock, no response came. She knocked again, but still nothing. Elysia rapped on the door a few more times more assertively, ¡°Hey, open up. We need to talk.¡± The next second. Tarquin opened the door, now dressed in pajamas instead of his suit and shirt. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Tarquin furrowed his brow, his face a mask of impatience. ¡°What now?¡± Elysia stood frozen, disbelief etching her features. ¡°You drag me out of bed at the crack of dawn to cook, and now you want to sleep?¡± Without a word, Tarquin¡¯s frown deepened. Last night, after meeting Elysia, he had brought Elijah over, then spent the entire night perched on the living room couch. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts about his mother, Elijah¡¯s illness, and the woman who haunted his heart. Sleep had eluded him all night. That¡¯s why he had sought out Elysia so early. Elysia, unaware of his turmoil, felt a surge of indignation. He had deprived her of sleep, only to now im it for himself. ¡°Is this how you treat people? If you¡¯re tired, sleep in and then call for me. Instead, you drag me here and decide to snooze off. What am I to you, huh? I¡­¡± ¡°A debt peon.¡± Her brewing speech was cut short by his rebuke, silencing her mid¨Cvent. ¡°Fine! You¡¯re the big shot! You¡¯re the boss! Happy now?¡± she shot back, unable to contain her irritation. ¡°If you¡¯re not happy, pay off your debt,¡± Tarquin retorted coolly. Elysia was livid. ¡°Who said I¡¯m not happy? Which eye of yours saw me unhappy? I¡¯m totally content, and I¡¯ll have your know!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re content, watch your attitude.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± She was itching to p him into next week. ¡°What do you want?¡± he finally asked. Elysia swallowed her anger. ¡°What do you want for breakfast? What should I make?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the cook, not me. Figure it out yourself.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know what you like?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need ttery; it¡¯s pointless and annoying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to tter you! I want to know what Elijah likes!¡± Tarquin¡¯s brow creased. Elijah wasn¡¯t particr about anything except his mother. He showed little interest in anything else. ¡°Just make whatever!¡± Chapter 129 With a loud bang. Tarquin closed the bedroom door. Elysia was about to retort when the door swung open again, and he warned, ¡°I¡¯ve got an hour left to sleep. Don¡¯t disturb me.¡± Elysia was left gritting her teeth in rage. How do you deal with the urge to hit someone? Right now, she wanted to throttle him! Who knows a way to get rid of him without facing the consequences? Looking for advice, ASAP! Stuck at the doorway, she couldn¡¯te up with a n. Resigned, she consoled herself internally. Don¡¯t let anger get the best of you¡­ Stay cool, a princess. doesn¡¯t lose her temper. Unsure of Elijah¡¯s preferences, Elysia decided on making pancakes¨Ca safe bet. The batter was taking a beating, as if she was channeling her frustration at someone through the mix. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. An hourter. Just as Elysia finished preparing breakfast, two adjacent bedroom doors opened simultaneously. Tarquin and Elijah appeared in their respective doorways. Elijah resembled an emotionless machine. Except for the odd mishap due to his condition, he woke up at 6:30 every morning like clockwork. Tarquin had adapted to this routine. ¡°Morning, Elijah,¡± Tarquin greeted him, his eyes softening. Elijah remained silent, his expression nk, aloof, and detached. The little guy headed towards the bathroom but paused mid¨Cstep as he noticed the activity in the kitchen. His brow furrowed, and his expression shifted rapidly. ncing at Elysia¡¯s back, then back at Tarquin with a surge of anger¡­ ¡°Elijah, this is the new housekeeper Uncle Benjamin found for us,¡± Tarquin exined. ¡°Daddy¡¯s got a lot of work and can¡¯t be with you all the time. We need someone to help with the cooking and We need someone to help with the cooking and chores.¡± ¡°Let her go!¡± Elijah¡¯s rage red instantly, his body shaking violently. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Tarquin quickly squatted down and took hold of his son¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Elijah, buddy, you need to chill. Listen to daddy¡­¡± ¡°Get out! Get out! Get out- ¡°Elijah¡­¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Ah!¡± Before Tarquin could say another word, a piercing scream cut through the silence of the house. Both father and son whipped their heads around. Elysia stood there, eyes as wide as saucers, a look of utter shock stered across her face. Tarquin, worried she might set Elijah off further, snapped at her with a frostymand, ¡°What are you freaking out about?¡± Elysia¡¯s gaze was fixed on Elijah, petrified with fear. She charged over, shoved Tarquin aside, scooped up Elijah, and made a beeline for the bedroom! The door mmed shut and was locked in one smooth motion! Before Elijah could utter a word, Elysia hissed at him in a low voice, ¡°Evan, what on Earth are you doing here?¡± Elijah was just confused. ¡°Talk to me! Why are you here? Did you follow me here?¡± Elijah remained silent. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell youst night that you¡¯d be going to daycare with Blossom today? Who let youe here, huh?¡± Elijah frowned. Elysia was practically hopping mad, ¡°Do you want to drive me crazy?¡± Her heart was in her throat! Evan¡¯s cover was blown! That jerk of a man would surely fight for custody now! was bre Even if he he still had more than she did¨Ca car, a house¡­ She had nothing. And she was still legally married. If Elliot and Evan stayed with her, that would mean having a stepdad, and the courts would definitely favor him for custody. What to do, what to do? How could shepete with Tarquin? Elysia was beside herself, pacing back and forth, on the verge of panic. 1/3 09:43 Chapter 130 ¡°Elysia, open the door!¡± Tarquin¡¯s voice demanded from outside. In her flurry, Elysia darted to the window, flung it open, and was greeted by a st of cold air that made her shiver and brought her partially back to her senses. She poked her head out the window, shivered again. She had thought about escaping with the child through the window, but it was too high¨Cjumping was out of the question. ¡°What to do? What to do? What to do?¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Elijah suddenly spoke up. Elysia was taken aback, ¡°What? Get out? Evan Thorne, you¡¯ve got some nerve speaking to me like that, young man. Just you wait, when we get home, I¡¯m gonna punish you!¡± ¡°Get out- Elijah, face dark as thunder, repeated himself. He was only a few years old, but those eyes were like chips of ice, chilling to the bone, and identical to Tarquin¡¯s in a fury. ¡°Evan¡­.¡± Wait. That¡¯s not right. Elysia locked eyes with Elijah, and that¡¯s when it hit her. Something was off. Evan might have been a handful, but he¡¯d never looked at her with such coldness. Evan was the master of making her smile, his face always lit withughter, always grinning. And his clothes¡­ And Elijah wasn¡¯t in this room. No, no, no. This wasn¡¯t Evan. This was Elijah! Elijah looked just like Evan? While Elysia was still reeling from the shock, Elijah had already flung open the ¡°bedroom door, shot a deadly re at Tarquin who was standing at the door, and stormed into the dining room. ¡°Make her leave!¡± He grabbed a bowl from the table and hurled it to the floor! Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed with rm, and he dashed forward, ¡°Elijah!¡± It took a moment for Elysia to snap out of her daze and follow suit. Seeing Elijah in the midst of his destructive spree, she caught her breath, her pupils dting. ¡°Elijah.¡± ¡°Get away!¡± Elijah shouted, flinging a te that shattered near her feet. Elysia held her breath, inching closer to Elijah. ¡°Elijah, honey, let¡¯s take a deep breath, okay? Just 2/3 Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Chapter 130 Tarquin quickly squatted down and took hold of his son¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Elijah, buddy, you need to chill. Listen to daddy¡­¡± ¡°Get out! Get out! Get out- ¡°Elijah¡­¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Before Tarquin could say another word, a piercing scream cut through the silence of the house. Both father and son whipped their heads around. Elysia stood there, eyes as wide as saucers, a look of utter shock stered across her face. Tarquin, worried she might set Elijah off further, snapped at her with a frostymand, ¡°What are you freaking out about?¡± Elysia¡¯s gaze was fixed on Elijah, petrified with fear. She charged over, shoved Tarquin aside, scooped up Elijah, and made a beeline for the bedroom! The door mmed shut and was locked in one smooth motion! Before Elijah could utter a word, Elysia hissed at him in a low voice, ¡°Evan, what on Earth are you doing here?¡± Elijah was just confused. ¡°Talk to me! Why are you here? Did you follow me here?¡± Elijah remained silent. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell youst night that you¡¯d be going to daycare with Blossom today? Who let youe here, huh?¡± Elijah frowned. Elysia was practically hopping mad, ¡°Do you want to drive me crazy?¡± Her heart was in her throat! Evan¡¯s cover was blown! That jerk of a man would surely fight for custody now! was bre Even if he he still had more than she did¨Ca car, a house¡­ She had nothing. And she was still legally married. If Elliot and Evan stayed with her, that would mean having a stepdad, and the courts would definitely favor him for custody. What to do, what to do? How could shepete with Tarquin? Elysia was beside herself, pacing back and forth, on the verge of panic. 1/3 09:43 Chapter 130 ¡°Elysia, open the door!¡± Tarquin¡¯s voice demanded from outside. In her flurry, Elysia darted to the window, flung it open, and was greeted by a st of cold air that made her shiver and brought her partially back to her senses. She poked her head out the window, shivered again. She had thought about escaping with the child through the window, but it was too high¨Cjumping was out of the question. ¡°What to do? What to do? What to do?¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Elijah suddenly spoke up. Elysia was taken aback, ¡°What? Get out? Evan Thorne, you¡¯ve got some nerve speaking to me like that, young man. Just you wait, when we get home, I¡¯m gonna punish you!¡± ¡°Get out- Elijah, face dark as thunder, repeated himself. He was only a few years old, but those eyes were like chips of ice, chilling to the bone, and identical to Tarquin¡¯s in a fury. ¡°Evan¡­.¡± Wait. That¡¯s not right. Elysia locked eyes with Elijah, and that¡¯s when it hit her. Something was off. Evan might have been a handful, but he¡¯d never looked at her with such coldness. Evan was the master of making her smile, his face always lit withughter, always grinning. And his clothes¡­ N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. And Elijah wasn¡¯t in this room. No, no, no. This wasn¡¯t Evan. This was Elijah! Elijah looked just like Evan? While Elysia was still reeling from the shock, Elijah had already flung open the ¡°bedroom door, shot a deadly re at Tarquin who was standing at the door, and stormed into the dining room. ¡°Make her leave!¡± He grabbed a bowl from the table and hurled it to the floor! Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed with rm, and he dashed forward, ¡°Elijah!¡± It took a moment for Elysia to snap out of her daze and follow suit. Seeing Elijah in the midst of his destructive spree, she caught her breath, her pupils dting. ¡°Elijah.¡± ¡°Get away!¡± Elijah shouted, flinging a te that shattered near her feet. Elysia held her breath, inching closer to Elijah. ¡°Elijah, honey, let¡¯s take a deep breath, okay? Just 2/3 Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°I¡­ I just can¡¯t exin,¡± Elysia stammered, her voice trailing off. She was flustered because of the uncanny resemnce between Elijah and Evan, which threw her off bnce and made her care more than she should have. When you care too much, it throws you into chaos. She had beenpletely out of sorts just a moment ago. ¡°So, what? You¡¯re taking out your anger on the kid because you¡¯ve got an issue with me? You don¡¯t want to deal with him, you¡¯d rather see him get into trouble?¡± The usation stung. Elysia rolled her eyes, exasperated. ¡°Are you out of your mind? That¡¯s not how you suspect someone. If I didn¡¯t care about him, why would I stay out in the cold after he kicked me out? I would¡¯ve just left!¡± ¡°And why can you calm down Corbin, but not Elijah?¡± ¡°I¡­ When I found Corbin, he was in the midst of a crisis; it was like he was a patient and I was the doctor. But Elijah wasn¡¯t having a crisis today. He was just angry, and anger is an emotion everyone feels. It can trigger health issues, but it¡¯s not an illness, so a doctor can¡¯t treat it. Doctors aren¡¯t miracle workers, and besides¡­ I¡¯m not even a doctor.¡± Tarquin red at her, a deep frown etched on his face, before he eventually turned away. He reached into the glovepartment, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long, sullen drag. The smoke made Elysia cough; she disliked the smell of cigarettes. but she knew she couldn¡¯t control him, so she just tolerated it. ¡°If you really want me to help Elijah, you¡¯d better tell me everything there is to know about him. If you don¡¯t want to share, then sorry, but I¡¯m not equipped to take care of your son!¡± Tarquin nced at Elysia again. She met his gaze unflinchingly. ¡°You¡¯re an adult. You must understand how much a family environment affects a child¡¯s development. Discord between parents, constant quarreling, domestic violence¡­ these things impact a child¡¯s mental and emotional growth.¡± Tarquin remained silent. After a few tense seconds of staring each other down, Tarquin was the first to look away. He took another puff of his cigarette and then said, ¡°Elijah has never met his mother. She disappeared shortly after he was born. So, the family conflicts you mentioned weren¡¯t part of his upbringing. What he¡¯s missing is maternal love, an obsession with finding out about his mother.¡± ¡°But plenty of kids grow up in single¨Cparent homes and turn out fine. Why is his fixation so intense?¡± Elysia was genuinely puzzled. Not every child is fortunate enough to be raised in the warmth of both parents¡® love. Someck a father, others a mother, and some are orphans from birth. Yet, most children manage to grow up healthy and happy. The environment a child grows up in is crucial. Tarquin seemed like a good father in Elijah¡¯s presence. It didn¡¯t add up that Elijah would end up this way. 1/2 00:15 Chapter 132 Just like her own sons, Elliot, Evan, and Emmett, who had never known the affection of a father, yet were still growing up happy and well¨Cadjusted. ¡°Are you sure his psychological issues are just because of his obsession with his mother?¡± Tarquin flicked the ash from his cigarette and said, ¡°He¡¯s not much of a talker. The only conversation he¡¯s willing to have is about his mother. He even dreams of her. We¡¯ve seen numerous psychologists, and they all agree that Elijah¡¯s mental health issues stem from his deep fixation on his mother.¡± Elysia furrowed her brow in thought. Something didn¡¯t quite add up. ¡°Has he ever had a full medical check-up?¡± ¡°Twice a year.¡± ¡°Can I see the reports?¡± Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Tarquin suddenly lifted hisshes to look at Ely. ¡°¡­I heard you were studying design at Jindale University before, nothing to do with medicine. How come you suddenly know about medical stuff?¡± Elysia was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯ve been looking into me?¡± Tarquin held her gaze, tantly admitting it without a hint of gullt. Elysia¡¯s heart leaped to her throat. ¡°What all did you find out?¡± ¡°Got something to hide?¡± Of course, she did! She feared he would discover the truth about the kids! ¡°You¡­ you checked on my kids, too?¡± Tarquin knew she was nervous about her children. This time, he didn¡¯t use them to provoke her. ¡°No.¡± ¡°For real?¡± Tarquin gave her a look. ¡°Do you want me to check?¡± ¡°No! They¡¯re just kids. Why would you look into them? I¡­ I¡¯m just afraid you might hurt them, given your history!¡± She purposefully brought up yesterday¡¯s incident at the mall to divert his attention. Tarquin frowned. ¡°Yesterday was an ident. I was after you, not your son. I didn¡¯t hurt him.¡± The fact that he could be so frank about targeting her! Elysia red at him, taking a silent, deep breath, relieved that he hadn¡¯t looked into the kids. The next second, sheined, ¡°Do you have a problem? Why are you snooping around me? You know that¡¯s an invasion of privacy, right?¡± Tarquin retorted, ¡°If you¡¯ve got nothing to hide, you wouldn¡¯t fear an investigation.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to hide? I¡¯ve never broken thew!¡± ¡°Dropping out of school to get married, for one. And then there¡¯s the infidelity during marriage.¡± Elysia¡¯s breathing halted, her cheeks flushed. And a secondter, her eyes brimmed with tears. She stared at Tarquin, her gaze burning into him, tears rolling in her eyes, her breath bing heavier. Was she crazy? Was getting married by her own choice? Was the infidelity by her own choice? Being forced into marriage wasn¡¯t his fault, but whose fault was the infidelity? 1/2 00-15 Chapter 133 Elysia clenched her fists, biting her lip, ring at Tarquin¡­rage boiling up within her¡­ Tarquin noticed her emotional shift, his face darkening. ¡°I only answered because you asked. Your past messes are none of my business, but while you¡¯re taking care of Elijah, you need to stay clean. Don¡¯t corrupt him.¡± Elysia looked at him, feeling swallowed up by her own misery. Anyone could me her, but he had no right! He had shattered her virtue and ruined her life! And now he had the audacity to warn her to stay clean! ¡°You¡¯re not human!¡± After hurling the usation, Elysia stormed out of the car, mming the door behind her, and marched towards the neighborhood entrance against the biting wind. Tarquin sat in the car watching her, his expression dark as thunder. She dared to insult him? What had he said that was wrong? She herself had a track record of disgrace, and now she couldn¡¯t stand being called out for it? Not wanting to be talked about, then whymit those shameless acts? Getting into Jindale University was like winning half the game of life. Landing a good job post¨C graduation, even if not earning a fortune, could at least make her livefortably. And look at her current predicament, a good hand yed utterly poorly! A seemingly neat and pretty woman, but upon investigation, covered in stains. She should be cursing herself, not others! Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Tarquin thought Elysia¡¯s anger was because he had dug into her past, and after internally grumbling, he smoked a few cigarettes and went back to spend time with Elijah. He didn¡¯t take her to heart. Elysia walked several blocks in the freezing cold, tears streaming down her cheeks, each gust of wind like a knife slicing her face, hurting terribly with every cut. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Memories can be a real thorn in the side. If anyone else had uttered those words today, Elysia might have coped a little better. But of course, it had to be that rogue! Ariger and resentment churned within her as she fumed internally¨Cwhat right did he have to judge her? By what right could he point fingers when he was the architect of her misery? Yet, her rage was tempered by the nagging doubt that he might not be the rogue who fathered her children. If she was wrong about him, then hurling insults his way would only make her the guilty party. She was tormented by this lose¨Close mental struggle, feeling utterly wretched. It seemed as though, no matter what, she was always in the wrong. Her life had been a tragedy from the start, and now, six yearster, the tragic narrative, persisted. Her marriage to Tarquin was a shambles, never finalized. And then there was this man who very well could be the father of her children, with no proof but suspicions galore. To make matters worse, she had somehow ended up owing him a staggering fifty million dors. Years had passed, and upon their reunion, she should have been the one to p some sense into him. But what happened? She ended up being the one firmly in his grasp! Being manipted was bad enough, but he had the nerve to mock her for being unfaithful. Oh, the irony! Others in her shoes would return triumphantly, script in hand, ready to face down their past with secret skills and wealth aplenty. They¡¯d be the rich, powerfuldies, the femme fatales! But look at her, also returning with children in tow, yet still clutching the script of the downtrodden. The powerful narratives seemed to have been imed by the men in her life, turning into tales of male dominance. Her husband had morphed into the mighty CEO of the Bradford Group, a king in his high castle. And that rogue? Despite his alleged bankruptcy, he still overshadowed her. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Her life was a mess, unchanged and unchallenged. Six years wasted in a failed attempt to turn the tables. 1/2 09-565 Elysia¡¯s tears turned toughter as she sat alone in a hidden corner, alternating between sobs and chuckles like a fool. Her phone buzzed. It was a video call from Evan. Elysia quickly wiped her tears andposed herself before answering. ¡°Mommy, mommy!¡± Three cherubic, rosy¨Ccheeked faces squeezed in front of the camera, each moring for her attention. Her heart instantly softened. ¡°What are you munchkins up to?¡± ¡°We just had breakfast, and Blossom said she¡¯s taking us to preschool.¡± ¡°Alright then, you listen to Blossom, okay?¡± ¡°Mommy, where are you? Are you sitting outside by yourself?¡± Elliot was always so perceptive. Elysia quickly improvised, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just waiting for the bus.¡± ¡°Is it cold out? Your face is all red, and your eyes too¡­¡± Elysia mustered a weak smile. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve just got watery eyes, and they tear up with the wind, and then I rubbed them, so they got red. Don¡¯t worry, my darlings. The bus is almost here, so I can¡¯t talk long. You go on to preschool and listen to Blossom. Once I¡¯m done with my errands, I¡¯lle to see you. Be good, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, Mommy. And don¡¯t worry about us, I¡¯ll take care of Evan and Emmett.¡® ¡°Good boy, Elliot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good too!¡± Evan interjected. Emmett, unable to get a word in, puffed up his little red face as he said, ¡°Me me me¡­ and me me me¡­¡± Elysia¡¯s smile bloomed. ¡°You¡¯re all my good boys. Elliot, Evan, Emmett, you¡¯re all mommy¡¯s precious angels.¡± Theirughter was as bright as three little suns, warming Elysia¡¯s heart through and through. After hanging up the phone, her anger had dissipated. What did it matter if fate was cruel? So what if life was a tragedy? Who needed a heroic lead¡¯s script anyway? She had her three wonderful boys, and that was her pride and joy. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Elysia¡¯s day took a turn for the better after a video call with her sons, recharging her spirits. Her mind immediately drifted to Tarquin. The encounter with the rugged stranger was just a hup; Tarquin was the prize she had returned for. Sure, he had told her not to bother him, but a phone call wasn¡¯t exactly bothering, was it? She hadn¡¯t shown up on his doorstep unannounced or anything. With her mood in check, Elysia dialed the number for the Royal Community. She swallowed her pride, asking meekly, ¡°Excuse me, is Mr. Bradford avable for a quickie divorce today?¡± The response was polite enough, ¡°No, if he happens to free up, Mr. Bradford will reach out to you. Just wait for his call, no need to ring us up.¡± With that, the line went dead. Elysia pouted. Wait for his call? Till when, the twelfth of never? She still thought that pressuring Tarquin through Keaton was the best y. But Keaton was no pushover, and he definitely wasn¡¯t a fool. How to leverage him was the real puzzle. ¡°Ring, ring, ring¡­¡± Lost in thought, Elysia was pulled back by the sound of her ringing phone. It was Zane. She answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Elysia, you free today?¡± Zane sounded downcast. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re avable, could you swing by the hospital and talk some sense into Sarah ?¡± ¡°Sarah? Your cousin?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°She¡¯s¡­ given up on life. Tried to slit her wrists. Thank God the nurses found her in time, or she¡¯d be gone.¡± Elysia gasped, ¡°Over the baby?¡± ¡°Maybe. I¡¯m just her cousin and a guy to boot. I¡¯m not cut out for this, and my mind doesn¡¯t always catch the subtleties. Don¡¯t really know how tofort her, and Winona¡¯s out of town. I¡¯m clueless about who else to turn to.¡± 1/2 00-56 ¡°Have you not reached out to her folks?¡± ¡°She forbade it, threatened to jump out the window if I so much as contacted her mother. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Elysia sighed, ¡°I¡¯m free today. I¡¯ll head over in a bit.¡± Zane sounded relieved, ¡°Great, great. Need me to pick you up?¡± ¡°No, stay with her. I¡¯ll grab a cab.¡± After hanging up, Elysia¡¯s brow furrowed in thought. She had always been curious about Zane¡¯s cousin, and today seemed like a fitting chance to meet her. Half an hourter, Elysia arrived at Heart Hospital. Zane was waiting at the entrance. Upon seeing her, he rushed over and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold dressed like that?¡± ¥ß¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ì¥ß ¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ä¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ë¥ß ¥¢¥ß¥¢¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ë ¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ë¥ß¥»¥ß¥ë¥ß¥ë In her haste that morning, Elysia had thrown on a thin down jacket, which seemed insufficient now.* ¥ß¥ë¥ß ¥ß¥Î While talking, Zane had already started to shrug off his trench coat to drape over her. Elysia caught a flicker of something odd in his gesture and quickly declined, ¡°I¡¯m fine, keep it on. How¡¯s your cousin doing?¡± Zane realized he might have been a tad too enthusiastic, even for a good friend. There should be boundaries, after all. He put his coat back on, his face creased with worry. ¡°She¡¯s been refusing food and drink since the surgery, and this is her second suicide attempt. The aides are keeping a close eye on her, can¡¯t leave her alone for a second.¡± ¡°Is she¡­depressed?¡± Elysia spected. Postpartum depression wasmon, and though Sarah hadn¡¯t given birth, her trouble seemed even more severe. Terminating a pregnancy early on usually has less impact, as the emotional bond isn¡¯t as strong. But at five months, the psychological blow could be devastating. Zane shook his head and said, ¡°Not sure yet. We¡¯ll get a doctor to assess herter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They proceeded to Sarah¡¯s room together, entering a spotless, brightly lit private ward. Sarah was in a hospital gown, staring out the window, with an aide sitting quietly by her side. 2/2 Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Chapter 136 When they entered the room, the caregiver quickly stood up to greet them, ¡°Mr. Zane.¡± Zane nodded and said, ¡°Take a break. We¡¯ll stay with her.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± The caregiver left the room. Sarah turned her head, and upon seeing Elysia, her expression changed instantly, as if she had just spotted an adversary. Her lips pressed tightly together, brows furrowed, her breathing became more rapid. ¡°Sarah!¡± Zane, noticing her hostility, chided her with displeasure in his voice. Sarah looked at Zane, biting her lip, her face a picture of hurt feelings. Zane said, ¡°I invited Elysia over, and she¡¯s here to keep youpany.¡± Sarah nced at Elysia again, the animosity not as intense as before, but still far from friendly. This time, she only gave Elysia a quick look before shifting her gaze away. Elysia grew even more suspicious. Women are sensitive, and Sarah¡¯s hostility towards her, unrted to her mood, seemed ingrained in her very bones. N?velDrama.Org owns this. But Elysia had no recollection of meeting Sarah before. Where was this animositying from? Elysia decided to clear the air. ¡°Zane, could you step out for a moment? I¡¯d like to have a word with her alone.¡± Zane immediately nodded. ¡°Alright, you haven¡¯t had breakfast yet, right? I¡¯ll go grab something for you.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Before leaving, Zane gave Sarah another inscrutable look. Elysia pulled up a chair beside the hospital bed and got straight to the point, ¡°Do I know you from before?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Did I ever offend you in any way?¡± Sarah¡¯s lips quivered as she looked at Elysia, her eyes brimming with tears. ¡°Your expression says I did something to upset you, but I¡¯m sorry, I really can¡¯t recall. I don¡¯t know you, and I¡¯ve never seen you before. Is there a mix¨Cup, or is there some kind of 1/2 09:56 misunderstanding?¡± Sarah bit her lip and then blurted out, ¡°I would recognize you even if you turned to ash. Elysia was taken aback. ¡°So, it¡¯s not a case of mistaken identity. But I can¡¯t remember any incident between us. Can you be more specific?¡± Sarah fe!! silent again. Elysia kept her cool, saying, ¡°I¡¯m close friends with your cousin¡¯s wife Winona and went to school with your cousin. They know what kind of person I am. I wouldn¡¯t hurt someone for no reason¡­¡± ¡°Are you implying that I¡¯m using you falsely?¡± Sarah snapped back angrily. Elysia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m saying, let¡¯s talk it out. If I¡¯m really at fault, I¡¯ll apologize.¡± ¡°Apologize? Ha, who cares about your apology? Do you think it¡¯s that valuable? Do you think a simple sorry can fix the hurt you¡¯ve caused me? I despise you! I loathe you! Why don¡¯t you just die? You¡¯re such good friends with Winona, right? You should have died with her! I wish you all were dead!¡± Suddenly, Sarah began to scream and thrash, pounding on the bed sheets. Themotion was so intense that it alerted the doctors and nurses. A flurry of medical staff rushed in, and without letting Elysia utter a word, they injected Sarah with a sedative. ¡°Hello, are you a rtive of the patient?¡± the doctor asked. Elysia sat in shock at the bedside, her mind reeling from Sarah¡¯s outburst. ¡°Hello, you¡­¡± As the doctor tried to speak further, Elysia stood up abruptly, gripping Sarah¡¯s arm tightly, and asked, ¡°Exin yourself, what do you mean I should have died with Winona? What happened to her? Speak up! Talk!¡± Now it was Elysia¡¯s turn to unravel. Sarah¡¯s words had left her pale, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. Chapter 137 Chapter 137 09:56 Chapter 137 ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The doctors and nurses were at their wits¡® end, one patient¡¯s episode after another breaking the early morning calm. Two young nurses clung to Elysia, trying to pacify her. ¡°Lady, please calm down. She¡¯s been sedated and is out cold; you won¡¯t be able to wake her.¡± ¡°Wake her up! She has to wake up! I need to talk to her! I have urgent things to ask her!¡± ¡°She won¡¯t be waking up anytime soon. If you¡¯ve got questions, you¡¯ll have to wait. Cool off, or we¡¯ll have no choice but to sedate you too.¡± Elysia finally settled down, copsing into a chair, staring nkly at Sarah, her face ghostly pale. Zane rushed back as soon as he got the news, a breakfast sandwich and coffee in hand for Elysia. Seeing Elysia¡¯s expression and the medical staff in the room, he was taken aback. ¡°What happened? What¡¯s going on?¡± The attending physician stepped forward. ¡°Mr. Zane, is this youngdy a friend of yours?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s a friend. She came to visit my cousin. What¡¯s wrong¨Cwhat happened?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not entirely sure. We came running when we heard the argument. Your cousin was very agitated, screaming and shouting. We had to sedate her to prevent her from hurting herself. But just as your cousin settled down, this youngdy started¡­¡± Zane frowned deeply, looking at Elysia. ¡°I understand. Thanks for your efforts. I¡¯ll talk to her and see what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Alright, once you¡¯ve handled this, swing by my office. I suspect your cousin might be suffering from depression; we need to conduct a thorough evaluation.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After the staff left, Zane put the breakfast on the nightstand without even ncing at Sarah and hurried over to Elysia. He squatted down beside her, not asking about the situation but instead reassuring her. ¡°Elysia, don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m here for you.¡± Elysia snapped back to reality, her brows knitted tightly, gasping for breath. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Winona?¡± ¡°Winona? What do you mean?¡± He looked genuinely confused. 1/2 00-67 Tears welled up in Elysia¡¯s eyes as she pointed at Sarah. ¡°She said¡­ she said I¡¯m such good friends with Winona that i should have died with her!¡± Zane¡¯s face darkened instantly, a mix of anger and disgust as he nced at Sarah beforeforting Elysia. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her nonsense. You heard the doctor¨Cshe¡¯s likely depressed,¡± ¡°Even if she¡¯s depressed, that¡¯s no excuse for such words! Tell me the truth, Zane. Did Winona really go overseas for a film, or did something happen to her?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Tell me the truth! I want the truth! Don¡¯t you lie to me!¡± Elysia¡¯s voice broke as she trembled, tears streaming down her face. Zane panicked, reaching out to wipe her tears. Elysia swatted his hand away, stamping her foot in frustration. ¡°Talk to me! Say something!¡± NENE Zane took a deep breath. ¡°She really went to shoot a movie. She¡¯s fine! If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask her parents. She¡¯s the only daughter of the Newsom family¨Cif anything had happened to her, her parents would definitely know!¡± Elysia, still gasping for breath, looked at him, searching for reassurance. Zane continued, his voice firm and resolute, ¡°Elysia, I swear to you, if I¡¯m lying, may I be struck down this very day. Winona is fine, she¡¯s just away for a shoot.¡± ¡°But why would Sarah say that then?¡± Zane furrowed his brow and sighed. ¡°Before Winona left for the shoot, they had a falling out. It wasn¡¯t pretty.¡± 1512 Chapter 138 Chapter 138 09:57 Chapter 138 ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Winona just doesn¡¯t trust Sarah¡¯s boyfriend, thinks he¡¯s bad news, so she¡¯s been trying to get Sarah to dump him. But Sarah¡¯s got love on the brain, you know? So now she¡¯s all mad at Winona. Then, to open Sarah¡¯s eyes to the guy¡¯s true colors, Winona staged this whole scene to get him to show his sleazy side. But when the dude showed his true face, Sarah didn¡¯t get mad at him¨Cnope, she went straight to Winona and threw a fit. She used Winona of sticking her nose where it didn¡¯t belong, of being petty and not wanting to see her happy, even called Winona a disgraceful drama queen¡­¡± Elysia frowned. ¡°She¡¯s that clueless? You didn¡¯t step in?¡± ¡°I did. I was so close to losing it, almost pped her right there. If Winona hadn¡¯t stopped me, I would have. I told her she was being ungrateful, and she just cried, saying, ¡®But I love him, what can I do? It¡¯s not that he can¡¯t leave me, it¡¯s that I can¡¯t leave him¡­¡± Elysia was speechless. Zane continued, ¡°She¡¯s a ssic case of being lovestruck. My aunt¡¯s family isn¡¯t exactly living the dream, you know? They¡¯re on welfare, and Sarah¡¯s got a younger brother who dropped out early, old enough to get married but they¡¯re still living in that old pboard house. Winona and I know about their financial struggles, so we¡¯ve been covering Sarah¡¯s college tuition and living expenses¡­ But after this mess, I cut her off. She got mad and didn¡¯t dare confront me, so she took it out on Winona instead. No matter what I said, she wouldn¡¯t listen. She just kept ming Winona¡­ That¡¯s why she cursed Winona, why she was so hostile when she saw you, ¡®cause she knows you¡¯re Winona¡¯s bestie, guilt by association.¡± Elysia was silent. Zane continued, ¡°Winona¡¯s a big star, always in the public eye. If something really happened to her, just think about the media frenzy, huh?¡± Elysia let out a deep breath, believing Zane¡¯s words. It made sense; if anything happened to Winona, there was no way to keep it under wraps. Feeling relieved, Elysia steadied herself and looked at Sarah again, her brow furrowed, ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true, then isn¡¯t she just an ingrate?¡± Putting it nicely, she¡¯s an ingrate. But frankly, she¡¯s a dog that bites the hand that feeds it! Zane didn¡¯t object. Seeing Elysia¡¯splexion returning to normal, he felt a bit more at ease. ¡°I¡¯m pissed at her too. I¡¯m only looking after her for my aunt¡¯s sake, as I¡¯ve told you. My aunt paid for my high school, and I¡¯m grateful to her, so I¡¯m taking care of Sarah.¡± 1/2 09:57 TH Elysia said with a frown, ¡°Your aunt took care of you, and you should be grateful to her, but she never did anything for Winona. Winona doesn¡¯t owe them anything and doesn¡¯t deserve their curses.¡± Elysia was indignant on behalf of her friend. What a mess! Zane nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have a serious talk with Sarah when she wakes up.¡± Elysia added, ¡°And you knew about her beef with Winona and still asked me toe see her? From her perspective, isn¡¯t that just rubbing salt in the wound?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize she¡¯d be so hostile towards anyone close to Winona.¡± ¡°If you really want tofort her, it¡¯d be better to call her friends. She¡¯s studying in Jindale City, so she must have ssmates and friends. Let theme talk to her. They¡¯d be better than me.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°I suggested that, but she wouldn¡¯t have it. She¡¯s scared of being theughingstock. She doesn¡¯t want her ssmates to know about her pregnancy and the miscarriage.¡± Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Elysia said, her voice filled with cancer. ¡°Let her family handle this, Zane. Keeping it a secret ren¡¯t helping anyone. She¡¯s showing suicidal tendencies now. If something happens, how will you exin it to her folks? y auntter. frane nodded in agreement. Tll find a time to discuss it with my After a pause, he turned to Elysia with a look of sincere apology, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Elysia, for dragging you into this mess. I didn¡¯t mean to Cause you any trouble¡± Elysia was indeed upset, primarily because of Sarah¡¯s harsh words about Winona. She was still fuming. If Sarah weren¡¯t in such a fragile state, Elysta would have been tempted to confront her¨Ceither physically or at the very least, yell at her to vent her frustration. I¡¯m okay. I didn¡¯t really help much, and now I can¡¯t do anything more. Take good care of her. I should get going.¡± As Elysia stood up to leave, Zane quickly rose to his feet. ¡°Haven¡¯t you skipped breakfast? The food I bought must be cold by now. Let me take you out for a bite to eat.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Stay with her. I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡®At least let me walk you downstairs. The doctor gave her a sedative, she won¡¯t be waking up anytime soon.¡± Elysia, seeing his insistence, didn¡¯t refuse. They went out together, and along the way, Zane kept repeating his apologies. Elysia was annoyed, but not at him; her anger was directed at Sarah. So she didn¡¯tin to Zane. Not wanting to dwell on Sarah, she changed the subject, ¡°When exactly is Winonaing back?¡± Zane shrugged helplessly and said, ¡°I wish I knew. When she left, she told me to brace myself. It could be as short as a year or as long as two or three.¡± ¡°That long, huh?¡± ¡°Well, you know Winona. She¡¯s a powerhouse¨Cvery career¨Cdriven, always gives her all to her acting.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you try to reach out to her agent? Even if there¡¯s a confidentiality agreement, as her husband, you have the right to be kept in the loop about her personal life, don¡¯t you?¡± Zane pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°I¡¯ve tried contacting her agent before, but I couldn¡¯t get through. I¡¯ll think of something else. As soon as I hear anything about Winona, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zane then looked at Elysia with a gentle concern and asked, ¡°Is your divorce finalized yet?¡± Elysia shook her head in frustration. ¡°Haven¡¯t been able to reach him.¡± Zane frowned. ¡°Is he avoiding you on purpose?¡± Elysia hesitated, unsure of how to exin. She used to think Tarquin was deliberately avoiding her, Blossom that he was using it as a way to spite her. But now she knew the truth¨CTarquin liked mer to silence the gossip. He was using her as a shield. greeing with her friend > clinging to their marriage However, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to share this with Zane, so she simply said, ¡°His job keeps him too busy.¡± Zane shook his head and said, ¡°No job is that demanding. There¡¯s always time for a divorce. Or is it¡­ does he still have feelings for you? Is that why he doesn¡¯t want the divorce?¡± ¡°That¡¯s even less likely. You know how he¡¯s always treated me.¡± Zane knew; Her husband¡¯s usations of infidelity had indeed made Elysia¡¯s life miserable once upon a time. ¡°Maybe you should just tell me who he is, and I¡¯ll talk to him for you.¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Since leaving Elysia¡¯s ce, Zane had tried to investigate Elysia¡¯s husband, to no avail. Elysia shook her head, ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯d rather handle it myself.¡± Zane¡¯s eyes flickered with an unreadable expression but he didn¡¯t press further, switching the topic instead, ¡°What are your ns now?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t figured it out yet. I¡¯ll y it by ear. I won¡¯t leave Jindale City until the divorce is settled.¡± She had returned with the intent to divorce and to secure citizenship for her children. Elysia was determined not to leave things unfinished. 1/1 Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Elysia couldn¡¯t just walk away from her marriage ¨C without a divorce, the kids couldn¡¯t be registered under her name. Without that, everything would be a hassle. School, health insurance, you name it ¨C all required proper documentation. ¡°Look, if you¡¯re hitting any rough patches these days, just holler at me. I might not be king of the hill, but after all my years in Jindale City, I¡¯ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to lend a hand. And don¡¯t you y the stranger with me. We¡¯re not just old school pals; given your bond with Winona, I can¡¯t very well leave you in the lurch. She¡¯d have my hide if she found out,¡± Zane assured her with a friendly nudge. Elysia offered a polite smile in response, ¡°Thanks.¡± That smile, however, didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Tarquin. After settling things with Elijah, he called the butler, Heath, over; he had to dash off to the office. He happened to pass by the hospital entrance just then. The traffic light ahead was red, over 40 seconds left. Tarquin peered through the car window at the two figures chatting amiably at the entrance and snorted. Lowell, behind the wheel, followed Tarquin¡¯s gaze and spotted Zane and Elysia. ¡°Why¡¯s Ms. Thomne at the hospital again?¡± he asked. Tarquin¡¯s voice dripped with , ¡°Blind, are we? Can¡¯t you see she¡¯s here to see someone? Didn¡¯t they say she and Zane were just friends?¡± ¡°The talk around town is just that. Zane¡¯s her senior and son¨Cinw to the Newsom family. His wife¡¯s their only daughter, Winona, and she¡¯s best friend with Ms. Thorne. So naturally, Elysia and Zane are tight,¡± Lowell exined. Elysia, ¡°Best friend, indeed,¡± Tarquin mocked, as though suggesting Elysia was cozying up to Zane behind Winona¡¯s back. Lowell failed to sense any romance in the air, ¡°They¡¯re friends, after all. What¡¯s the harm in meeting up privately? If Winona were in Jindale City, it¡¯d probably be a threesome.¡± Tarquin shot back, ¡°No sense of decency, some folks. Never changes.¡± Lowell was puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s got you so riled up about Ms. Thorne? You seem to have it out for her. Is it because she kissed you?¡± That remark only fanned the mes. Tarquin bristled, feeling¡­ vited, in a sense! As Lowell went on, ¡°I mean, you didn¡¯t lose out when Ms. Thorne kissed you. After all, you¡¯re a man, and she¡¯s a woman.¡± Tarquin grabbed a newspaper and smacked it against Lowell¡¯s head, ¡°Feeling too cocky these days? Fancy a stint out in the border town?¡± Lowell felt a chill down his spine and quickly recanted, ¡°Ignore me. I take it back.¡± Who¡¯d want to go to a border town, facing nothing but rubble all day?N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Just look at Charlie. Six months there and he¡¯s as dark as night, looking like a refugee. He¡¯d be lucky to find a wife when he¡¯s back! Tarquin gave Lowell a cold look, then turned back to look for Elysia. But she was no longer in sight at the hospital entrance. ¡°Keep tabs on her!¡± ¡°Oh, and I heard that Ms. Thorne suggested getting a cat for Corbin. Mrs. Denton obliged, and the kid¡¯s over the moon. Maybe we should get Elijah a cat too, cheer him up?¡± ¡°Elijah doesn¡¯t like cats!¡± ¡°Seems like Elijah isn¡¯t a fan of Ms. Thorne either.¡± Tarquin frowned, considering how much Corbin adored Elysia, he¡¯d assumed Elijah would feel the same. But apparently not¡­ Lowell sheepishly added, ¡°You made Ms. Thorne cry today. Think she¡¯d still be up for looking after Elijah?¡± Tarquin¡¯s displeasure was palpable, ¡°Whether she¡¯s willing is irrelevant. She doesn¡¯t call the shots!¡± ¡°Whether Lowell tried a different angle, ¡°So, do we still want Ms. Thorne toe over tomorrow?¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t immediately respond. He hadn¡¯t quite figured it out yet. 1/1 Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Chapter 141 After leaving the hospital, Elysia went to find her friend Blossom. She had two things on her mind. First, she wanted to check on the kids at the preschool. It was their first day and she couldn¡¯t help but worry. Second, she was still shaken up by the whole ordeal with Sarah. Blossom was both shocked and outraged when Elysia exined what had happened. ¡°That ungrateful snake! Winona was nothing but kind to Zane¡¯s cousin, and to think she¡¯d wish death upon her behind her back. And to top it off, she¡¯s got it out for you, too. Seriously, some people just don¡¯t appreciate a good thing when they have it. There¡¯s a saying that fits perfectly here: ¡®No good deed goes unpunished.¡® I mean, sure, it¡¯s sad she lost her child, but considering how she treated Winona, I hate to say it, but she had iting!¡± Elysia sighed, ¡°What a peculiar person.¡± ¡°Peculiar? That¡¯s putting it mildly. She¡¯s heartless, that¡¯s what she is.¡± ¡°Blossom, did Winona really go off to shoot a movie?¡± Elysia asked, furrowing her brows with concern. Even though Zane had exined everything, she still couldn¡¯t shake her unease. ¡°Yeah, she talked to me about it before she left. And Zane¡¯s right, Winona¡¯s a celebrity. If anything had actually happened to her, we¡¯d have heard about it by now. It¡¯s impossible to keep that kind of thing under wraps.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Blossom¡¯s certainty finally put Elysia¡¯s mind at ease. Still, Blossom couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°And Zane, dragging you intoforting Sarah when he knows you two aren¡¯t close. He¡¯s just adding to your stress.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about them anymore. How are the kids doing?¡± ¡°They¡¯re in their ssroom. Look, they¡¯re having a st.¡± Blossom pulled up the ssroom¡¯s live feed for Elysia to see. Elysia watched the three little ones ying joyfully and felt a smile spread across her face, ¡°Kids really do have the most fun with other kids.¡± Blossom agreed, ¡°At their age, preschool is the right move. They might not learn much in the way of book smarts, but it¡¯s good for their development.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Seeing that they were alone in the office, Elysia asked in a low voice, ¡°The kids still don¡¯t have their paperwork sorted. Can they still attend?¡± ¡°Sure, private preschools are much more flexible with their requirements.¡± Elysia breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°As long as they can attend, that¡¯s what matters.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry about your boys and school. I¡¯ve got your back! If you want, they cane with me ay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s great having a best friend who¡¯s a preschool teacher,¡± Elysia said with augh. Blossom made a face, ¡°Proud of yourself, aren¡¯t you? My parents are beside themselves. Both of them prominent intellectuals, they¡¯d hoped for a postdoc, but got a preschool teacher instead.¡± Elysia chuckled. This was the ongoing joke in Blossom¡¯s family. Two academic heavyweights had produced a daughter who was anything but. Blossom¡¯s admission to Jindale University had been a special case; her grades alone wouldn¡¯t have cut it. The fact that she passed her teaching certification was a surprise to everyone. But Elysia genuinely admired Blossom¡¯s parents for their parenting sess. She believed that a child¡¯s worth wasn¡¯t determined by a diploma. Values, personality, and nature were what truly mattered. Blossom was free¨Cspirited, endearing, and resilient. Never once did she look down on others because of her parents¡® status, nor did she feel inferior because of her academic struggles. She had strong moral principles, a kind heart, and clear-cut likes and dislikes. She didn¡¯t waste time wallowing in self¨C pity. She was simply herself, living a simple and happy life. Elysia thought to herself, only after having children do you understand what it¡¯s like to be a parent. The best thing isn¡¯t how aplished they are, but that they¡¯re healthy and have good natures. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Chapter 142 If the triplets grow up to approach life with the same zest as Blossom, she¡¯d be over the moon. Positive, optimistic, living life to the fullest. ¡°Almost nap time, you heading over to check on them?¡± Blossom asked. Elysia pondered for a moment. ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll let them get used to school. No need for me to disturb their routine.¡± ¡°Alright then, wait for me. We¡¯ll grab lunch together. It¡¯s about that time.¡± ¡°You can go out for lunch?¡± ¡°Sure, today I don¡¯t have to sit with the kids during nap time. We¡¯ve got other teachers on duty. I just need to be back by 1:30,¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°Okay.¡± They left the kindergarten and didn¡¯t have to walk far to find a bustling food street nearby. Skewers, a mutual favorite. Chatting and eating, Blossom asked, ¡°Did you leave early today to see that wild man?¡± ¡°Yeah, and let me tell you, if you saw Elijah, you¡¯d be stunned. He¡¯s the spitting image of Evan! If I hadn¡¯t been away from Jindale City when I gave birth, and that my kids never would¡¯ve ended up with him, I would think Elijah¡¯s mine. To be honest, I can¡¯t stand that wild man, but when I see Elijah, my heart aches, especially when he throws those tantrums and breaks things. It¡¯s pitiful.¡± Blossom suggested, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s ¡®cause he looks like him. You see Elijah and you¡¯re reminded of Evan.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I think too.¡± ¡°Are you going to be hanging around their ce for a while now?¡± Elysia shook her head. ¡°Not sure. We didn¡¯t part on great terms today, no telling if he¡¯ll want to see me ¡°What happened? Did he give you a hard time?¡± Elysia thought it over and said, ¡°Elijah¡¯s condition is more serious than Corbin¡¯s. I told youst night. Both of them have bipr disorder, but the causes are different. Corbin was kidnapped as a child and has psychological trauma, but Elijah¡¯s condition stems from an excessive longing for his mother. Corbin¡¯s easier to deal with. Every year there are simr cases, and the medical field has a pretty solid treatment n for these kids. But Elijah¡¯s different. A psychological disorder caused by an obsession with his mother? That¡¯s new to me.¡± round it. So many kids grow up in a single¨Cparent Blossom remarked, ¡°When you told mest night, I couldn¡¯t wrap my head household, some even orphans, and you don¡¯t hear about them getting sick from missing someone too much. But ¡®Longing turned to sickness¡® isn¡¯t a saying for nothing. There must be simr cases, just not in our radar.¡± ¡°Yeah, rare, but that doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t exist.¡± Blossom asked, ¡°So the kid¡¯s fixated on his mother. Where is she?¡± ¡°No clue. The wild man said she vanished after giving birth to Elijah and hasn¡¯t been seen since.¡± ¡°She took off after having the baby? Why? Don¡¯t tell me she was driven away by that wild man.¡± ¡°Who knows? But with his icy demeanor, it¡¯s a wonder he can keep anyone around at all. Always looks like someone owes him a fortune. Elijah¡¯s mom must¡¯ve been quite the woman¨Cto date that guy and have his kid. Respect!¡± Blossom said, ¡°You tell me he¡¯s handsome and loaded, so why would a woman run off? There¡¯s gotta be something wrong with him!¡± ¡°I feel the same way. It¡¯s just Elijah I feel sorry for. I haven¡¯t had the chance to talk to him yet. I don¡¯t even know if his illness reallyes from being too attached to his mother.¡± 10 Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Chapter 143 ¡°Didn¡¯t you just go see the kid this morning? Howe you haven¡¯t had a chance to talk to him yet?¡± Elysia sighs, ¡°You probably wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Before we went there today, the wild man said that if I could spend enough ten minutes with his son, I¡¯d be rewarded ten thousand dors, in cash.¡± ¡°Holy shit, isn¡¯t that a giveaway?¡± ¡°I thought so at that time, but not to mention ten minutes, I was kicked out by Elijah in just three minutes.¡± Blossom gasped, her wide¨Ceyed shock unmistakable. ¡°Does he have a history of violence or something?¡± *Bipr disorder, so yeah, he can be impulsive. And when he has an episode¡­ let¡¯s just say he doesn¡¯t just smash vases. He¡¯s been known to hurt himself, too.¡± Blossom paused, her voice tinged with concem. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve worked with a lot of kids, but they¡¯ve all been healthy. I¡¯ve never had to deal with anything like this.¡± ¡°Well, of course you haven¡¯t,¡± Elysia replied. ¡°Kids with mental health issues don¡¯t usually go to regr schools. They¡¯re often introverted, unwilling to open up and connect with others.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just heartbreaking, you know? You wish all kids could be happy and healthy.¡± Elysia let out a soft sigh. ¡°With Elijah, it¡¯s a tough situation.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s the wild man saying now? If his son won¡¯t even let you near him, does that mean he¡¯ll stop bothering you?¡± ¡°I think so. He hasn¡¯t reached out since I left. Probably realized I¡¯m not the one who can help Elijah and has given up on me.¡± Blossom shrugged. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s for the best. You didn¡¯t want to get too involved with him anyway.¡± Elysia nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true.¡± But as much as she said she didn¡¯t want to be involved, theck of contact from him was strangely unsettling. She couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious about Elijah. Blossom continued, ¡°The design industry is cutthroat these days. There are more designers than jobs, and thepetition is fierce. Honestly, you might be better off focusing on child education, maybe even specializing in special needs. There¡¯s a real demand for that.¡± Elysia was pulled back from her thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking.into certification for special education. Gotta get that paper first.¡± ow, you¡¯re actually lucky. speaking, leaving Jindale City ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s all about the credentials now. Without them, schools and parents won¡¯t trust you. But yo Bumping into Corbin and helping him has made you somewhat of a name in their circles. Profession might not be the smartest move. Corbin¡¯s family could lead to a lot of resources and referrals.¡± Elysia understood what Blossom meant. There were many kids like Corbin and Elijah, struggling with mental health issues, and their families oftenworked. With Corbin¡¯s improvement, her reputation had been bolstered. Elijah had sought her out based on Corbin¡¯s progress, and more parents could follow. As much as she wished for all children to be healthy, reality was different. Many needed help, and she could support herself by providing that help, much like a doctor treats patients. Staying in Jindale City could mean a flourishing career, but¡­cking certification was a major obstacle. And deep down, she didn¡¯t want to raise her kids in this city, with all its painful memories. Shaking her head, Elysia made up her mind/¡°I still want to leave Jindale City. Find a new ce to call home.¡± Blossom nodded understandingly. ¡°Whatever you decide, you¡¯ve got my support. And hey, with the way things are connected these days, wherever you settle down, I¡¯ll be there in a heartbeat to visit.¡± 10 Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Chapter 144 After sharing lunch together, Blossom headed back to school, and Elysia made her way home. Once there, Elysia fired up Blossom¡¯sptop, coaxed the password out of her, and logged in. She furiously began scouring the inte for information on Elijah¡¯s condition. She just couldn¡¯t shake her concern for him. Was it because he bore such a striking resemnce to Evan, or was it something else? Every time she thought about his current plight, her heart raced. The boy was impulsive, even going as far as holding a fork to his own neck in a threat. It was a clear sign that suicidal thoughts were taking a stronger hold within him. If he didn¡¯t get treatment soon, something terrible might happen. She hoped to stabilize his condition before she left, if not fully cure him. Sadly, despite her efforts from dawn till dusk, she couldn¡¯t find a shred of useful information. With Blossom and the kids due to return, Elysia shut down theptop. She stood up and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner. By the time the boys arrived home, Elysia had dinner ready and waiting. The kids bubbled over with stories from preschool, each more excited than thest. Their happiness was contagious. ¡°Do you guys like preschool?¡± she asked, ¡°Yeah! The only bummer is that we can¡¯t see Mommy all day. It¡¯d be awesome if Mommy was at preschool too.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Elysia yfully pinched Evan¡¯s nose. ¡°You go to preschool to learn. What would Mommy do there? The teachers wouldn¡¯t want to teach Mommy? ¡°Mommy could be a teacher, like Blossom!¡± ¡°Not everyone can be a teacher at preschool like your Blossom.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because you need degrees and certificates to teach, and Mommy doesn¡¯t have those.¡± ¡°Blossom has them?¡± ¡°Of course, she does. Otherwise, how could she work at the preschool!¡± Evan and Emmett looked up to Blossom with admiration, chiming in unison, ¡°Blossom is so brilliant!¡± Blossom beamed as if she¡¯d won the lottery¨Cit was the first time anyone had called her brilliant! ¡°Keep it cool, kids. No biggie. I have plenty more cool things up her sleeve. Want to hear about my heroic deeds and my epic life?¡± ¡°Yeah! Tell us!¡± Evan and Emmett were instantly captivated by Blossom, their eyes wide with anticipation. So, Blossom found her moment and began to regale them with her tall tales. Elliot, being more mature for his age, wasn¡¯t as interested in Blossom¡¯s ¡®epic life. He turned to Elysia and asked, ¡°Mommy, are you worried about something?¡± ¡®Hmm?¡± ¡°You seem distracted, like you¡¯re hiding something.¡± With loving eyes, Elysia replied, ¡°Elliot, you¡¯re so observant. I do have something on my mind. Today, I met a little boy who looks a lot like you and Evan. He¡¯s about your age, but he¡¯s not happy at all.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because he doesn¡¯t have a Mommy. He misses her so much it¡¯s making him sick. He¡¯s angry, irritable, withdrawn, and he even hurts himself.¡± Elliot furrowed his brow, ¡°Where¡¯s his mommy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. When I met him, I wanted to help, to see him happy like you boys. But he didn¡¯t like strangers and pushed me away, so I couldn¡¯t help him.¡± 10-00 ¡°Is Mommy thinking about how to help him?¡± ¡°Yes, but I haven¡¯t found the right way yet.¡± ¡°I have an idea¡± 2/2 Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Elysia gasped in surprise, ¡®What kind of idea?¡± Elliot replied. ¡°Since he¡¯s so temperamental and withdrawn, and really restate etrangers, you shouldn¡¯t just barge into his life first, let him know you¡¯re a good person whe won¡¯t hurtm, samenns he can take a liking to Then you can get closer to ham? Elysia pondered Elliot¡¯s wonda seriously He had a point But stil it i don¡¯t meet with him, how can I let him know I¡¯m a good person?¡± telp him out on the down low, or show some goodwill. Make something he loves to eat or y with, and have his family pass it stong to him¡® ¡®But I don¡¯t know what he likes to eat, or what he likes to y with. From what his family says, he¡¯s not interested in anything but stuff about his mom¡± ¡°No womes, the point of showing goodwill is to let him know you mean no harm, that you won¡¯t hurt him. That¡¯s how you¡¯ll eventually get closer to him¡± ¡°I think your n might work. I think about how to put it into action.¡± ¡°Mhmm, but remember, getting close to someone isn¡¯t just about putting in the effort, it also takes time. Are you nning on settling down here for good? Are we not leaving?¡± Elysia said, ¡°We¡¯ll definitely leave, but we can¡¯t just yet¡± ¡°Why? Have you not finished your business here?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Elliot knew the unfinished business was because the divorce hadn¡¯t gone through. ¡°So¡­ Are you in a hurry to leave?¡± If Elysia was really anxious, he would have to intervene. Elysia neither nodded nor shook her head. ¡°I am quite anxious, but¡­ there are other things I need to take care of now, and with all three of you settled in school, I¡¯m not in a particr rush.¡± Elliot breathed a sigh of relief. If there was no rush, he wouldn¡¯t need to step in for now. ¡°Do you want to leave soon?¡± Elysia suddenly asked. Elliot shook his head. ¡°I can be anywhere, as long as I¡¯m with you, Mommy.¡± Elysia chuckled, her eyes brimming with happiness as she gently tousled Elliot¡¯s hair. ¡°I feel the same. As long as I¡¯m with you guys, I¡¯m happy anywhere.¡± Across the room, Blossom was boasting to Evan and Emmett, eliciting gasps and cheers from the two little guys,pletely turning into adoring fans. Elysia watched the trio with a smile ying on her lips. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Three treasures, indeed. One dares to tell tales, the other two dare to believe, and they¡¯re all quite the audience. Elliot nced at the three of them and then back at Elysia, asking, ¡°Do you envy Blossom¡¯s job?¡± ¡°Hm? No, not really. I don¡¯t have a teaching credential, and I¡¯m not particrly interested in teaching preschool. So no, I¡¯m not envious. But I do envy that Blossom has a job.¡± ¡°Do you really want to work?¡± ¡°Yes, having a job means making money, and money is needed to take care of you.¡± Elliot looked serious. ¡°We can take care of ourselves.¡± Elysiaughed again, ¡°You guys are still little. You can¡¯t go out and make money, so how will you take care of yourselves?¡± ¡°We can make money.¡± ¡°How so?¡± she chuckled. They could try the stock market, invest, or even start a business. All of those were ways to make money. But Elliot didn¡¯t dare say that out loud, afraid it might startle his mother. After thinking for a moment, Elliot said, ¡°We could be child stars. I¡¯ve seen some kids online, not even a year old, making money. People say I look like a little star, so I think I could be one too.¡± 1/2 10:09 Elysia asked ¡°Do you want to be a child star Not at allt Ellot was only interested in business, but he still said, ¡°I could be a child ster, make money and take rate of Womeny a my Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Elysia¡¯s smile broadened, her heart swelling with pride at her son¡¯s thoughtfulness. It was impossible not to grin when faced with such care She affectionately pinched Elliot¡¯s cheek, her voice tender with love. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°You know, you didn¡¯t seek the spotlight, but if you did, you¡¯d outshine every kid in town. You could be the next big thing in Hollywood in no time at all. But looking after you kids is my job. I brought you into this world, and I¡¯ll be damned if I don¡¯t see you all grown up. Don¡¯t worry, sweetheart. Times are tough now, but I will work my socks off, earn more dough, and make sure we live that sweet middle¨Css dream!* Chasing that dream with her three little ones was Elysia¡¯s grand mission in life. Elliot sighed silently, wishing he could magically produce money from his piggy bank to help out Elysia, but she never gave him a chance. ¡°What¡¯s with the face? Don¡¯t believe in me?¡± she teased. Elliot quickly shook his head, ¡°No way, Mommy. You¡¯re like a superhero to us. You¡¯re amazing, and I know you¡¯ll make our lives better.¡± Elysia beamed with confidence, ¡°You bet, kiddo. Mommy won¡¯t let you down!¡± She firmly believed that hard work always paid off. She mightck formal education, but she was far from foolish. Achieving afortable life with her three kids was a hopeful prospect. Elliot, watching her closely, suddenly lit up with an idea. ¡°Mommy, Blossom said you¡¯re awesome at special education and even saved a kid by ident.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say ¡®awesome,¡¯ just experienced. What about it?¡± ¡°At preschool today, a kid said her mom writes articles from home and makes good money. Maybe you could write about special education and earn some cash?¡± Elysia blinked, considering the idea she had never thought of before. If it were possible, it would be more than ideal. Working from home meant flexibility, and she could take care of her kids. It was a perfect job opportunity. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it,¡± she said with newfound hope. ¡°Okay!¡± Elliot had just shown Elysia a promising path. He excused himself to the bathroom, took a seat, and began to search for writing opportunities on his kiddie smartwatch. He was determined to find a well¨C paying gig for his mom. Settling into bed that evening, Blossom sighed contentedly, ¡°Today was a st, felt like a real celebrity.¡± Elysia chuckled, ¡°Congrats on gaining two little fans.¡± ¡°Die¨Chard fans! You should¡¯ve seen Evan and Emmett¡¯s adoring gazes. If it weren¡¯t for Elliot¡¯s cool demeanor, I¡¯d start believing I was some kind of superstar!¡± Elysiaughed, ¡°Elliot¡¯s mature for his age. He admires you too.¡± Blossom was over the moon as she quizzed Elysia, ¡°Any word from that wild man?¡± Elysia shrugged, ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°He¡¯s really giving up on you?¡± ¡°Looks like it.* ¡°I¡¯m shocked he discarded you so quickly. Congrats, though! No more dodging his advances, and you¡¯re finally free.¡± Elysia murmured an agreement, but inwardly/she wasn¡¯t as thrilled, even a bit resentful. What was that about? He¡¯s really just gonna toss her aside after one day? She genuinely wanted nothing to do with the man, yet she couldn¡¯t help but worry about Elijah. That boy, a mirror image of Evan, tugged at her heartstrings. 1/1 Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Chapter 147 At the same time, over In Sunshine Community¡­ Tarquin was perched on the edge of Elijah¡¯s bed, trying to have a heart¨Cto¨Cheart. ¡°So, thedy you met this morning, you¡¯re not a fan?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± ¡°But she was handpicked by your Uncle Benjamin, and you know how much he adores you. For his sake, if not for hers, could you maybe give her a chance for a few more days?¡± ¡°No way!¡± ¡°You realize Uncle Benjamin will be upset if you send her packing so soon.¡± Elijah furrowed his little brow and looked up. ¡°Is it Uncle Benjamin who¡¯ll be upset, or is it you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Did Uncle Benjamin really find her, or was it you?¡± Tarquin was silent. Then suddenly, Elijah asked, ¡°Do you like her or something?¡± Tarquin¡¯s face darkened. ¡°No, I do not!¡± ¡°Then why are you so nice to her?¡± ¡°Me? Nice to her?¡± ¡°This morning, you even walked her out. N¡¯s been my lifesaver, but she always leaves on her own. You never walk her out.¡± Tarquin was at a loss for words. After he¡¯d calmed Elijah down this morning, and the kid had gone to freshen up, he¡¯d taken the opportunity to escort Elysia downstairs to discuss Elijah¡¯s issues. Clearly, there had been a misunderstanding. ¡°I wasn¡¯t seeing her out, I was discussing¡­ your situation with her.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Tarquin frowned, careful not to directly say the word ¡®sick¡®. Elijah never admitted to having any illness, and mentioning it would only anger him. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I just wanted to exin that you didn¡¯t mean any harm when you threw out the breakfast she made. You scared her, and I had to rify things.¡± ¡°And what did you tell her?¡± ¡°That¡­ you didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying. It was totally on purpose.¡± Tarquin was speechless. Elijah¡¯s brows knitted further as he said, ¡°You once said, you only loved my mom.¡± ¡°I did!¡± ¡°Then you need to keep it clean and stay away from other women.¡± ¡°Elijah, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. She¡¯s not here because I like her, but because I worry about you being alone. I need someone to keep youpany and handle the chores. Heath¡¯s got his own things to handle; he can¡¯t be here, so I arranged for her.¡± ¡°Who chose her, you or Uncle Benjamin?¡± ¡°Your Uncle Benjamin.¡± ¡°Call him then. I¡¯ll exin that I don¡¯t like that woman and don¡¯t need her.¡± Tarquin felt a wave of irritation, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± Again, Elijah asked, ¡°How¡¯s my mom doing? Have you worked things out with her? When can I see her?¡± Tarquin¡¯s lips moved, but no sound came out. After a while, he said, ¡°Still working on it.¡± Elijah frowned and turned away, dismissing him. 1/2 10:10 Torquin heaved a mental sigh and left the bedroom. Back in his study, he immediately lit a cigarette, his mood at rock bottom. Elysia¡¯s first encounter with Elijah had been a letdown, but he wasn¡¯t ready to throw in the towel. Elijah¡¯s condition might differ from Corbin¡¯s, but there were simrities. If Elysia could help Corbin, surely she could do the same for Elijah Perhaps with a little more time, things would start looking up. But Elijah was adamant about not seeing her again. Tarquin had even suspected that Elysia might be Elijah¡¯s birth mother. What a harebrained idea. If that were true, their reunion would have looked nothing like this. He nced at Elysia¡¯s number over and over, tempted tomand her toe over the next morning, but the memory of Elijah¡¯s determined gaze made him hesitate. In the end, he didn¡¯t make the call. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Chapter 148 The next day At the crack of dawn, around 6 30 AM, Tarquin¡¯s phone erupted into a cacophony of chimes, dragging him from the depths of sleep. Groggily, Tarquin grabbed his phone from the nightstand, assuming it was some work¨Crted emergency But when he nced at the screen, he was stunned to find it was Elysia calling. Instantly, his grogginess vanished Sitting up, ne leaned against the headboard, eyeing the phone with suspicion. His brain kicked into high gear, wondering if she was sleepwalking or had dialed by mistake. As he pondered, the ringing ceased only to start up again. Back 16 back calls meant it was neither a mistake nor sleepwalking. With a slight frown, Tarquin answered the call. He didn¡¯t speak first, but Elysia did, ¡°Could youe down here?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I said,e down. I¡¯m outside your ce.¡± ¡°What are you doing down there?¡± ¡°Just get down here, and don¡¯t let Elijah catch on.¡± Tarquin threw off his covers, got out of bed, and peered out the window. He had a clear view of the scene below. Elysia, swaddled in a puffy winter coat, stamped her feet in the snow, asionally ncing up at the building, her face red from the cold. Tarquin didn¡¯t know what she was up to, but after a few seconds of hesitation, he still left his apartment. As he stepped outside the building, Elysia hurried over to him, noticing his sleepwear, she couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°You¡¯re out in this freezing weather dressed like that? Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± Her unexpected concern caused Tarquin a moment of difort, and he asked with a dark expression, ¡°What do you want?¡± Elysia took out a thermos from within her coat. ¡°Take this to Elijah.¡± Tarquin looked puzzled, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I made breakfast for Elijah. Give it to him, but don¡¯t tell him I made it. If you do, he probably won¡¯t eat it.¡± Tarquin looked confused. She exined, ¡°After I left yesterday, I thought things over. Elijah¡¯s reaction was intense, probably because my appearance was so abrupt that it scared him. He¡¯s got this mood disorder, makes him extra sensitive. Plus, I¡¯m a woman. The deeper his obsession with his mother, the more he rejects other women. My sudden appearance probably made him overthink. He might even assume you¡¯re trying to find him a stepmom, so I can¡¯t just show up unannounced again. If I appear today, his reaction will likely be even more intense than yesterday. So, it¡¯s better if you give him the food. Just see if he likes it, okay?¡± Tarquin ¡°Why the sudden kindness?¡± ¡°Yeah, just trying to make a good impression.¡± Tarquin¡¯s expression shifted, and Elysia quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea, I mean a good impression, not seduction! And it¡¯s not directed at you, it¡¯s for Elijah. This meal is for him!¡± ¡°Yesterday you were so reluctant, why are you suddenly seeking him out today?¡± Elysia¡¯s lips moved slightly as she admitted the truth, ¡°I feel sorry for him.¡± Tarquin ¡°He has nothing to do with you, so why do you feel sorry for him? Are you some kind of saint who feels sorry for every child?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­ Look, don¡¯t ask anymore. Basically, I just really want to help him, I¡¯ve got no ulterior motives. If you don¡¯t trust me, there¡¯s nothing I can do. If you think I have other intentions, then just throw the food away. Anyway, I need to tell you, your son¡¯s condition is already pretty serious. If you don¡¯t find a way to treat him soon, it¡¯s going to lead to trouble!¡± With a stem look, Elysia faced him for a moment, then turned and walked away. Watching her slender figure disappear into the distance, Tarquin¡¯s expression was a mix of emotions. Only when she was out of sight did he look down at the thermos in his hands. After a moment of silence, he carried it back inside the building Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. 1/1 Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Chapter 149 What¡¯s with her friendly overture? Is there a difference between being kind and outright flirting? What is this woman up to? Tarquin returned home, his mind a tangled web of confusion. He opened the thermos and was greeted by an inviting aroma. Inside, she had prepared two side dishes, a fluffy omelet, six delicate pastries, and a serving of mixed fruitpote. The sides were fresh and vibrant, the omelet a perfect golden brown, the pastries tender and pale, and thepote sweet and sticky¡­. It looked downright appetizing. Tarquin hesitated for a moment, but then decided to sample each dish a personal poison test of sorts. No poison detected, but his appetite certainly was. Before he knew it, he had polished off most of the meal. If he hadn¡¯t pulled the brakes in time, he might have devoured Elijah¡¯s share too. ncing at the clock, it wasn¡¯t even 6 AM yet. Tarquin carefully packed the remaining breakfast back into the thermos and retreated to his bedroom. Sleep was now a distant dream. Hey on his back, hands sped behind his head, staring at the ceiling in a daze.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. All he could think about was Elysia. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what she was up to. At 6:30 AM sharp, Elijah got up, ready to start his day with his usual grooming routine. Tarquin had already set the remaining breakfast on the dining table, waiting for Elijah to finish up so he could invite him to eat. Elijah looked at the spread on the table, then at Tarquin, his gaze inquisitive. His breakfasts were usually made with expensive ingredients, a variety ofvish dishes. By comparison, today¡¯s meal looked modest, which had never graced Elijah¡¯s table before. Tarquin knew what Elijah was wondering and exined, ¡°I made it.¡± Elijah was skeptical, ¡°You¡¯ve never made these before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯ve never made them that I wanted to give it a try, to see if you¡¯d like the taste,¡± Tarquin said, picking up a pastry and cing it on Elijah¡¯s te. ¡°Try it, see if it suits your taste.¡± Without overthinking, Elijah eyed the pastry for a moment, took a bite, and chewed thoughtfully. Tarquin sat across from him, watching intently. After a while, Elijah uttered two words, ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± Tarquin¡¯s eyes flickered with unbidden joy, and a weight lifted from his heart. ¡°Good to hear. Have some more, these are also for you, and try the omelet,¡± he said with a smile. Elijah said nothing more, just quietly ate his breakfast. S Watching him clean his te, Tarquin was deeply touched. His son was finally eating well! But then, unexpectedly, ¡°Is there more?¡± Elijah looked up at him, eyes full of hope. Tarquin was taken aback, ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not full. I¡¯d like some more,¡± said Elijah! If Tarquin had truly been the cook, he would have dashed into the kitchen by now. Nothing pleased him more than to see his son enjoying his food; he¡¯d even cook in the middle of the night if asked. But the truth was, he hadn¡¯t made the breakfast, and he couldn¡¯t replicate it. Even if he tried, the taste would surely not match Elysia¡¯s handiwork. All he could say was, ¡°Not now, kiddo. Daddy¡¯s got some urgent business. I¡¯ll make some more for you later.¡± A shadow of disappointment crossed Elijah¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t speak, just got up to wash his hands and returned to his room. Tarquin¡¯s emotions were aplex mix, both ted and regretful. 1/1 Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Elijah was finally taking an interest in something other than his mother, and the fact that he¡¯d asked for the food proved he liked it. Regrettably, there was a missed opportunity to delve into Elijah¡¯s interests and treat him to a hearty breakfast. The meal wasn¡¯t his own handiwork, and he felt he hadn¡¯t fully satisfied Elijah¡¯s appetite. But overall, it was a good sign that Elijah enjoyed Elysia¡¯s cooking. He quickly called Heath to look after Elijah and then headed out the door. Meanwhile, Elysia was saying goodbye to the three little ones. The kids didn¡¯t need breakfast at home as they¡¯d eat at school, so they¡¯d left early with Blossom. Elysia was tidying up the house, ncing at her phone now and then. She wanted to call Tarquin to see if Elijah liked her cooking and if he had eaten, but worried about interrupting father and son time, she waited anxiously. Her phone chimed. She dashed to the coffee table, hoping it was the man. When she saw it was him, she felt a rush of excitement. Her heart pounding, she answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Make some more pastries when you get a chance. Elijah loves them,¡± Tarquin said, almost like he was giving orders. Despite his cool tone, his excitement was barely contained. He was in a good mood, somewhat happy. Elysia was thrilled. ¡°Really? Did he say anything else?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still hungry.¡± ¡°Huh? Still hungry? Does Elijah eat that much? I thought I made plenty: an omelet, six pastries, arge serving of oatmeal with mixed fruits, plus two side dishes. He ate all that and wasn¡¯t full?¡± Tarquin, embarrassed that he¡¯d eaten more than his share, grunted an acknowledgment. ¡°Make some extra next time.¡± Elysia, not overthinking it, agreed, ¡°Sure, when does he want more?¡± ¡°Tonight, or maybe tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll make it this afternoon, have it ready for his dinner. I¡¯ll contact you once it¡¯s done.¡± As Elysia was about to hang up, Tarquin added, ¡°Come out for a chat.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± *Meet me downstairs in ten minutes, I¡¯lle to you.¡± ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± ¡°About Elijah.¡± Relieved, Elysia agreed, ¡°Alright, see you downstairs in a bit.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After the call, Elysia was ted. She didn¡¯t know why, but the fact that Elijah enjoyed her cooking made her incredibly happy. It felt like the first step of a thousand¨Cmile journey had been taken! Movement meant progress, didn¡¯t it? She didn¡¯t know when she would leave Jindale City, but before she did, she genuinely hoped Elijah would get better. Elysia put down her phone and went to change into her outdoor clothes. Just as she finished changing, the doorbell rang. Expecting Tarquin, she opened the door without hesitation. But instead of him, two unfamiliar men stood there. Elysia was wary, ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± In the next instant, one of the men lunged, covering her mouth and dragging her into the elevator forcefully. Muffled cries escaped her as she struggled, but she was no match for the two men. They took her to the parking garage, shoved her into a car, and quickly drove out of theplex. 1/2 11:02 Chapter 150 The car drove for what felt like ages, finally stopping in an unfinished building or Stepping out of the car Elysia panicked even more. Brought to such a deste ce, the feared the worst were they gor 11? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Elysia was shoved into the skeleton of an unfinished high¨Crise by two burly men. Inside, a handful of others awaited her arrival. Her heart raced, lodged firmly in her throat, as she realized she didn¡¯t recognize any of them. They sized her up, their gazes predatory and amused. One of them whistled and remarked, ¡°Man, we hit the jackpot with this one. She¡¯s a looker. I¡¯d pay good money to get cozy with her, no joke¡± The bald man sitting on a makeshift throne of stacked crates, his eyes gleaming with malice, gestured for his cronies to rip the duct tape from her mouth. As soon as she could speak, Elysia blurted out, ¡°What do you want with me? Who the hell are you guys? Why did you bring me here?¡± ignoring her questions as if she hadn¡¯t spoken, the bald man leaned forward. ¡°Listen, doll, we¡¯re gonna ask you a few questions. y nice, and this won¡¯t get ugly¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Gasping for air, her eyes darting around for an escape, she asked, ¡°What questions?¡± ¡°You got anything to do with what happened to Gage ter?¡± ¡°Gage?¡± Her mind reeled, fear made her forgetful. She couldn¡¯t ce the name. ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me, sweetheart. You¡¯ve crossed paths with him plenty,¡± the bald man said, his voice low and dangerous. After a moment to collect her thoughts, Elysia replied, ¡°I know of him, but we¡¯re not exactly buddies.¡± ¡°Oh, really? ¡®Cause word on the street is you had someone snip his manhood.¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes red with indignation. ¡°That¡¯s a damn lie! I can¡¯t stand the guy, but I never ordered someone to do that.¡± Skepticism creased the bald man¡¯s forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience, or you¡¯ll find we¡¯re not so gentle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth!¡± With a subtle nod, the bald man signaled his goons. Without warning, two thugs grabbed Elysia by the hair and dunked her head into a barrel filled with ice¨C cold water. Every cell in her body screamed in shock, and her mind buzzed on the cusp of unconsciousness. Her world was submerged, her lungs screaming for air. The suffocating pressure mounted until her consciousness began to fray at the edges¡­ Suddenly, she was yanked back to the harsh reality, drenched and sputtering, her senses returning as she took greedy, ragged breaths, shivering from the cold. The man persisted, ¡°Gonna talk straight now? Did you have anything to do with Gage¡¯s ¡®ident¡®?¡± She shook her head with fierce determination. Admitting to such an usation would have dire consequences. The next moment, another bucket of ice water drenched her, soaking what little had remained dry. ¡°Spill it, or we go again. Did you do it?¡± Elysia shouted, her voice hoarse, ¡°I¡¯ve told you a thousand times, it wasn¡¯t me! Even if you torture me to death, I won¡¯t confess to something I didn¡¯t do!¡± The men frowned deeply, about to react, when suddenly a woman burst in from the shadows. ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± It was Oriana Sutton, Keaton Huber¡¯s ex¨Cgirlfriend! The bald man turned to her, his demeanor shifting to one of respect. ¡°Ms. Sutton.¡± It was clear that they knew each other. Recalling the incident at the mall, Elysia¡¯s brows knitted in suspicion. ¡°Did you set me up? Are these your goons?¡± Oriana ignored her, stating coldly, ¡°When Mr. Gage was assaulted, the attacker mentioned you, said it was all ¡®cause of you, and warned him to stay away. You still im you have nothing to do with it?¡± Elysia was dumbstruck. Someone had sought revenge on Gage, mentioning her name? Impossible. She had just returned to Jindale City. Other than Blossom and Zane, she had no connections here. Who would take such a risk for her? 1/1 11:02 Chapter 152 Chapter Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Chapter 152 What did Gage¡¯s mess have to do with Oriana? Elysia tried to keep her cool, locking eyes with Oriana for a moment. Then, something clicked, and her forehead creased. ¡°You want toer me into confessing, then use Gage¡¯s family to do your dirty work?¡± Oriana, her thoughts exposed, furrowed her brow. ¡°Who¡¯s forcing you? It¡¯s obvious, Mr. Gage¡¯s ident is your doing!¡± Elysia pressed her lips together. ¡°In your dreams! If it wasn¡¯t me, it wasn¡¯t me. Don¡¯t try to pin this on me!¡± Seeing Elysia wasn¡¯t ying ball, Oriana turned to the bald guy, ¡°If she won¡¯t confess, show her what¡¯s what until she does. I don¡¯t care how, but she must admit it today!¡± Only with Elysia¡¯s confession could Oriana crush her. This whole setup wasn¡¯t Oriana¡¯s brainchild; someone had approached her. Without that someone¡¯s backing, Oriana wouldn¡¯t dare be so brazen. She loathed Elysia, sure, but without the ¡®ex¨Cgirlfriend of Keaton¡® tag, she was nothing. The Suttons in Jindale City were well¨Coff, tops, nowhere near the elite. But that someone, a real tycoon of Jindale City. That person had said they¡¯d back her, quell any noise she made, no matter how loud. But first, she had to get Elysia to admit to messing with Gage. Oriana didn¡¯t know the point of the recording but saw it as a chance to vent. The more she thought, the bolder she got, glowering at Elysia, ¡°Just don¡¯t off her. Leave her breathing. Anything else, have at it!¡± The henchmen nodded eagerly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Sutton. We¡¯ve been around the block; we know how to make people talk.¡± Elysia¡¯s heart raced as she shouted, ¡°Oriana, did you even think about the consequences? Did you forget what Mrs. Denton and Keaton told you when they left? You mess with me, and the Huber family won¡¯t let you off easy!¡± Oriana¡¯s eyes dripped with disdain. ¡°If I were afraid, I wouldn¡¯t havee for you. You should be the worried one, not me! Think about whether you¡¯ll have the chance to tattle to the Hubers! Right now, you can talk big, stand tall, but who knows if you¡¯ll be able to speak or stand after a bit?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Oriana¡¯s malice distorted even her pretty face. Elysia frowned. ¡°I hear you¡¯re a college student. Educated, yet you can¡¯t tell right from wrong? me me for what happened at the mall? Your niece started it with my son, and your sister admitted as much. If you hadn¡¯t bullied us, none of that would¡¯ve happened, and maybe you and Keaton would still be an item. You made your bed, now lie in it. Instead of reflecting, you¡¯re digging your grave. Are you legally blind? Attacking me, you¡¯re dragging yourself down too! At the mall, it was just a spat. But now, you¡¯re crossing legal lines! Big trouble!¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Oriana scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m no legal eagle, but wanna know why I dare? Because my backer¡¯s a rock! Even if you die, I¡¯d walk free.¡± Elysia shot back coldly. ¡°No backer¡¯s above thew.¡± ¡°Oh, really? What if I say my backer¡¯s Tarquin Bradford, CEO of the Bradford Group?¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Who?¡± 1/1 Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Oriana gazed at the shocked expression on Elysia¡¯s face and, assuming she was scared, repeated with a smug look, ¡°Tarquin Bradford!¡± Elysia frowned. ¡°What¡¯s your deal with Tarquin?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, but rest assured it¡¯s way closer than whatever you¡¯ve got going with him. I bet you couldn¡¯t even get a seat at Mr. Bradford¡¯s Thanksgiving table.¡± Elysia¡¯s his wife, for Pete¡¯s sake! Elysia mentally snapped back, fuming, but didn¡¯t dare voice her thoughts out loud. After all, their marriage was a secret, bound by a confidentiality agreement. ¡°Did Tarquin send you to confront me, and to make me confess to framing Gage?¡± Elysia asked. Oriana¡¯s brow furrowed; she didn¡¯t dare admit it outright. Although Tarquin¡¯s ties with N ter were special, it was N who had sought her out, not Tarquin. ¡°You don¡¯t need the details. All you need to know is that if you don¡¯t confess, you won¡¯t be leaving here without a scratch today¡± Elysia retorted, ¡°So even if I confess, I can¡¯t leave unharmed, right?¡± Of course not! Once Elysia confessed, she would suffer even more! This was just the beginning; Oriana hadn¡¯t even started ying hardball yet. ¡°So you¡¯re saying, even if I confess, you won¡¯t let me go. Why should I confess then?¡± Oriana red at her and said, ¡°At least if you confess, you might get off a bit easier.¡± Elysia red back, unsure whether Oriana was bluffing. If she wasn¡¯t, what was Tarquin¡¯s angle? Was he making trouble for her just because she¡¯d pushed for a divorce? If that was the case, Tarquin was nothing but a scoundrel! Elysia clenched her jaw, deciding not to dwell on Tarquin¡¯s motives for now. She eyed Oriana, her gaze calcting, and said, ¡°You¡¯re so eager for me to confess because you¡¯ve got a mission, right? Well then, we might have somemon ground.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Oriana was suspicious. ¡°If you really want me to confess, it¡¯s not impossible. But I have my conditions.¡± Oriana was wary, ¡°What conditions?¡± ¡°I can cooperate with a recording, a video, whatever you want, as long as you let me go afterward.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Oriana scoffed. ¡°Let you go? No way!¡± Elysia replied calmly, ¡°What if I bring Keaton Huber into this? What¡¯s more important for you, hurting me or getting back together with Keaton?¡± Currently, with her hands tied, Elysia had no chance of fighting back. She would only lose out if she tried to force her way through. She needed to outsmart them. First, she had to free her hands. Oriana took the bait, a flicker of interest crossing her eyes before she mocked, ¡°You think you can get me back with Mr. Huber? Who do you think you are?¡± to reunite you two!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary person. Mr. Huber might not even remember who I am now, but I have a way Elysia sounded confident, and after a moment of hesitation, Oriana seemed tempted. The lure of returning to Keaton¡¯s side was too strong to ignore. ¡°How would you manage that?¡± ¡°Untie me first!¡± Oriana frowned. Elysia pressed on, ¡°I¡¯m asking you to untie me, not to let me go. What, you and your crew can¡¯t handle one woman?¡± After another moment¡¯s hesitation, Orian¨¢ turned to a bald henchman and ordered, ¡°Untie her!¡± Two menplied and released the ropes. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Once freed, Elysia quickly flexed her wrists, feeling immensely relieved. When she was bound, she could only be bullied. But now, it was anyone¡¯s game. If they dared to rough her up, they¡¯d better be prepared for her ruthless retaliation. ¡°Spill it, how are you going to get me back to Mr. Huber?¡± Oriana pressed eagerly. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Elysia steadied herself, her resolve as firm as steel. If it weren¡¯t for Oriana bringing up Tarquin, she wouldn¡¯t waste another breath on their petty squabbles. She wasn¡¯t afraid of crossing Oriana, but she did fear the bacsh from Tarquin. After all, she was itching for a divorce! Elysia said, her voice carrying a nonchnt confidence, ¡°Purely by chance, I saved the son of Jessamine Huber, and now, I¡¯m hailed as the Huber family¡¯s savior. Jessamine¡¯s gratitude knows no bounds. That¡¯s why she was so darn nice to me at the mall and took a stand for me and even publicly chastised Keaton. If you don¡¯t believe me, go ahead and investigate.¡± Oriana furrowed her brow and asked, ¡°And then what?¡± ¡°And then? Well, you know how much Mr. Huber dreads his sister, right? If I go to Jessamine and y up the favor I did for her son, asking her to put in a good word with her brother to give you a chance, do you think she¡¯d refuse?¡± ¡°But¡­ Mr. Huber doesn¡¯t like me anymore, and he¡¯s never gotten back with an ex.¡± In Keaton¡¯s own words, that¡¯s beating a dead horse. Once it¡¯s over, it¡¯s over for good. No second chances! Elysia couldn¡¯t care less about Keaton¡¯s habits. She simply stated, ¡°With Jessamine in your corner, even if he loathes you, he¡¯ll agree to give it a shot. I¡¯m certain Jessamine can twist her brother¡¯s arm. As for how things pan out between you two, that¡¯s on you. Maybe you¡¯ve got the charm to win his heart, and who knows, you might just snag the title of Mrs. Huber.¡± Mrs. Huber? Oriana¡¯s eyes went wide as saucers, her mind reeling with the possibility. For her, it was a dream so out of reach, yet so desperately coveted. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. If she became Mrs. Huber, well then, who in all of Jindale City could outrank her, save for Tarquin¡¯s lady? Tarquin was the city¡¯s golden boy, and Keaton the runner¨Cup. She¡¯d be the second most esteemed woman in town! Seeing Oriana take the bait, Elysia continued to feed her delusions, ¡°Worst case scenario, even if you can¡¯t capture Mr. Huber¡¯s heart and don¡¯t end up as Mrs. Huber, at least you¡¯ll have had a second run. And if things end, they¡¯ll end amicably. Word has it Keaton¡¯s quite the gentleman when breaking things off. Whatever parting gifts he offers won¡¯t be meager, and your reputation will be restored, your stock rising exponentially. Because, let¡¯s face it, you¡¯ll be the only one who got back with him after a breakup, something none of his exes can im.¡± Oriana¡¯s expression had transformed, now filled with breathless anticipation. Elysia had hit her where it hurt. The reason she loathed Elysia so was that, aside from losing Keaton, she¡¯d be theughingstock of their circle! She was the only one who got nothing out of a breakup with Keaton! The only one he truly despised! Others were let go because Keaton grew bored, his interest waning. But her? She was dumped under the worst of circumstances! Now, any mention of her name elicited ridicule. Ever since the split, she¡¯d been holed up at home, too ashamed to even nce at her social media notifications. If she could salvage her good name and snag some benefits on the side, well, that would be the ultimate vindication! Oriana¡¯s thoughts raced with excitement, and after a long pause, she finally said, ¡°How can I trust you? What if I let you go and you don¡¯t approach Jessamine on my behalf?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare! I¡¯m just an ordinary woman. If you can catch me once, you can catch me again. If I don¡¯t plead your case, you¡¯ll never let me off the hook. You¡¯d hound me to the ends of the earth. I¡¯m not that foolish.¡± Oriana was silent, contemting Elysia¡¯s words. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Chapter 155 She eyed Elysia for a moment, a flicker of something sinister in her gaze as she dered, ¡°Deal!* Yet Elysia didn¡¯t feel a surge of joy. Her gaze was fixed on Oriana, sensing something off in her demeanor. It was as if she had taken the balt, yet not quite. Indeed, she had underestimated Oriana¡¯s ruthlessness! Turning to the bald man, Oriana said, ¡°I¡¯ve now reached an agreement with Ms. Thome, so don¡¯t you guys hurt her. And all that stuff you¡¯ve prepared? Don¡¯t bother using it. Instead, take good care of her. After all, a gentleman always shows kindness to ady¡± Elysia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The bald man instantly got the message, chuckling smugly, ¡°Thanks to you for the generosity. The boys have been drooling for a while now, genuinely scared you¡¯d tell us to just let her go, heh.¡± Oriana replied coolly, ¡°We had an agreement, so of course, I won¡¯t let youe here for nothing. Remember to shoot plenty of videos.¡± ¡°Uh¨Chuh, Ms. Sutton, don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be satisfied!* ¡°Oriana! What do you mean by this?* Elysia frowned. Oriana squinted at her and said, ¡°The terms you offered are indeed tempting, and I¡¯m willing to work with you. But before I let you go, I need something to hold over you. What if you break your promise once you¡¯re free? I don¡¯t trust your words, but I do trust leverage. You just cooperate with them, let them shoot some videos, leave some evidence, and I¡¯ll have no reason not to trust you. After all, if you dare renege on our deal, III release your videos for the whole world to see you delighting beneath men.¡± After instructing the bald man once more, ¡°Remember to focus on the details. Capture Ms. Thome¡¯s moments of pleasure clearly, in case we need to share it publiclyter, to give everyone an eyeful.¡± ¡°Sure thing, you can count on us, heh heh.¡± The bald man nodded obsequiously, his eyes leering at Elysia, saliva almost dripping from his mouth. ¡°Oriana, you¡­¡± Elysia¡¯s breathing was heavy, her mind racing. Oriana was nning to let these men abuse her and then use the videos as ckmail! Indeed, looks can be deceiving! Beneath that innocent facade hid a heart of pure malice! But Oriana countered, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes. I know your husband passed away early, leaving you with just your three sons. It¡¯s been years without a man, so don¡¯t you miss it? I¡¯m actually doing you a favor. Just enjoy it.* She then said to the bald man, ¡°Be gentle with Ms. Thome.¡± ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t worry, Ms. Sutton, we¡¯ll make sure Ms. Thome has afortable night. Us seven or eight big guys will definitely take her to cloud nine, heh.* A smirk curled on Oriana¡¯s lips as she headed towards the door. Elysia called out, ¡°Oriana, stop right there!¡± She attempted to follow, but two of the bald man¡¯s cronies blocked her path. ¡°Come on, sweetheart, let¡¯s have some fun, heh heh.* ¡°Oriana!¡± She watched helplessly as Oriana disappeared, anger boiling inside her. Suddenly, a man grabbed her, going in for a kiss. Elysia¡¯s hand flew up, delivering a stinging p as she yelled, ¡°Back off!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± the man cursed. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. The bald man stepped in and shouted to the man, ¡°Get lost. Didn¡¯t I say to treat her gently? What are you doing, getting rough?¡± The man, still holding his face, snickered, ¡°I just got a little excited, man. You see, my little brother here¡¯s been eager for a while now, all stiff and ready. This woman¡¯s just too damn fine.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not your turn, get in line,¡± the bald man said, then turned to Elysia with a sleazy grin, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, sweetheart, I¡¯ll treat you right.¡± Elysia, panting, red at him and backed away, ¡°Stay away from me, get out!¡± ¡°Heh heh, ying hard to get? No need for games, darling. We all know you want it too. We¡¯re all adults here, be honest. Come on.¡± Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Chapter 156 The bald man was closing in, his every step heavy and menacing. Elysia stumbled backward, her footing lost, and she crashed to the ground with a thud. Seizing the opportunity, the bald man pounced on her, pinning her down with his weight. Up close, the proximity seemed to trigger something primal within him. He shuddered with a feral intensity, his predatory gaze fixed on Elysia¡¯s neck as he began to gnaw at her. ¡°Damn, I can¡¯t hold it anymore. I¡¯m about to burst!¡± he growled, inhaling deeply as if intoxicated by her scent. ¡°This gal is something elscl Roughly, he yanked at the hem of Elysia¡¯s blouse, his hand snaking under her clothes with a crude urgency. Elysia¡¯s grip on his wrist was irond, her teeth clenched so tight they seemed to creak with the strain. This moment was achingly familiar. Six years ago, at the airport, she had endured a simr vition. As the memories flooded back, Elysia trembled uncontrobly. Back then, she had been pinned down just like this, her pleas for mercy ignored as he had his way with her. Back then, he had thrust into her so forcefully that pain had knocked her unconscious. She hadin there, tormented into repeated ckouts, feeling as if her very bones were being crushed. Back then, she had lost her innocence and been branded with names like tramp and harlot. Her life had spiraled down into the abyss, forcing her to flee her hometown. She had endured the hardship of washing dishes while carrying a child, all for the sake of a meager living¡­ She had never harmed anyone, nevermitted any atrocity. All she wanted upon her return was to live a decent life with her children. Was that too much to ask? What sins had Elysiamitted to deserve such a wretched existence? ¡°Damn it, she¡¯s strong for her size! You two, hold down her arms. Let¡¯s get her out of these clothes and see just how ¡®beautiful¡® this body really is,¡± the bald man cursed as he struggled with Elysia. At hismand, his cronies moved in to pry at her arms, hands already reaching for her cor. Elysia¡¯s eyes zed red with rage, her appearance morphing into that of a bloodthirsty she¨Cdevil. ¡°You¡¯re forcing me! This is all on you!¡± she roared. The men were taken aback, but before they could react, the bald man¡¯s eyes bulged, his hands clutching at his throat. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± His words were cut off by terror as he stared at Elysia, copsing lifelessly on top The others were in shock. ¡°Boss! What¡¯s happening?¡± of her. Elysia shoved the man off her and was about to fight back when a cold snort came from behind. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± The men turned at the sound, and upon seeing the neer, they instantly got to their feet. ¡°And who the hell are you?¡± one asked. Tarquin ignored them, his gaze locked on Elysia lying disheveled on the ground, a surge of fury rising within him like a stormy sea. His lips pressed into a thin line, his face dark with anger, his fists clenched as he moved toward Elysia. The men furrowed their brows in confusion. ¡°Are you one of Ms. Sutton¡¯s boys?¡± Tarquin remained silent, his expression frosty, an aura of chilling menace emanating from him. Sensing a hostile presence, one of the men called out, ¡°He¡¯s here to mess things un boys. Let¡¯s take him!¡± The two closest men lunged at Tarquin, only to have their wrists caught in an iron grip, and with a sickening snap, their bones broke. The men were stunned for a second before they screamed in unison, ¡°Aaah, aaah, aaah-¡± The others paused, then charged in unison. And then there was a chorus of cracks and thuds, followed by screams echoing through the abandoned building. Chapter 157 Chapter 157 11:02 Chapter 157 By the time Lowell arrived, a scrum of people was already sprawled out on the ground, writhing and groaning. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Tarquin had just made his way to Elysia¡¯s side. With a furrowed brow and aplex look on his face, he draped his coat over her, shielding her from the cold floor. Elysiay there, gazing up at him. He was dressed in a ck shirt with buttons made of polished ck pearls that shimmered in the light. It was identical to the one he wore six years ago on the night that had scarred her life. Now, as she looked up at him, her emotions surged even more powerfully. Tears welled in her eyes as she gasped for air, her body shaking uncontrobly, her gaze fixed on him, tears streaming down her cheeks¡­ Tarquin felt an inexplicable pain in his heart, a deep ache. He was so focused on Elysia that he didn¡¯t acknowledge his own feelings. He thought she was frightened and, with trembling lips, he uttered, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re safe now.¡± With the echo of his words still hanging in the air, a pnded fiercely on his face. Tarquin was stunned. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Elysia raised her hand to strike again, but Tarquin quickly grabbed her wrist and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Let go of me! Let go! I¡¯ll kill you! I swear, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Elysia struggled frantically. When she couldn¡¯t free her hand, she turned to sobbing and cursing, ¡°You¡¯re going to get what¡¯sing to you! There will be retribution! The universe will punish you, you brute, you beast!¡± Tarquin¡¯s breath became erratic with fury. He had saved her, yet instead of gratitude, sheshed out at him, cursed him, struck him in the face ¨C twice! Did his face look that cheap to her? ¡°Elysia! Don¡¯t bite the hand that feeds you. I just saved your life!¡± ¡°Saved me? Ha! You think you saved me? I never asked for your help! Get away from me! I can¡¯t stand the sight of you¨Cjust go away!¡± ¡°Elysia!¡± Tarquin¡¯s voice thundered as he gripped her wrist tighter. His face was dark, his jaw clenched, a storm brewing in his eyes. It looked like he might explode at any second. Elysia felt a chill of fear. She didn¡¯t dare fight back or scream, just looked at him with a mix of hatred, anger, and fear, completely powerless. She wished she could end him, but she was no match for his strength. The frustration and helplessness brought her to the brink of copse. With a piercing scream, she fainted in his arms. In the abandoned building, her angry echoes were the only sound left, stirring a blend of pity and fear. Lowell came running over. ¡°Tar¡­!¡± Tarquin¡¯s face was a storm cloud, his breathing heavy with anger. Lowell immediately tried to smooth things over, ¡°Ms. Thorne is just shaken up. You¡­ you shouldn¡¯t take it to heart.¡± He had heard everything ¨C the p and the curses Elysia had hurled at Tarquin. Before Tarquin could respond, Lowell quickly added, ¡°We¡¯ve figured it out. Oriana was behind Ms. Thorne¡¯s kidnapping, but we¡¯ve got her under control now. I¡¯ve also contacted Mr. Huber, and I believe he¡¯ll be arriving shortly.¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t reply, his gaze fixed on Elysia for a long moment. ¡°Take her to the hospital!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lowell reached out to lift Elysia. But before his hands could touch her, Tarquin bent down, scooping her up. Elysia was still unconscious, her small face nuzzled against his chest. Tarquin frowned, causing Lowell to flinch, ready to take over. Tarquin was known for disliking contact, especially with women, and Lowell half¨Cexpected him to drop her. 1/2 11:02 Instead, Tarquin just darkened his expression and did not cast Elysia lide. Holding her, he strode towards the wait Right as they reached the entrance The ditepted structure, Kenton rushed towards them Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Keaton¡¯s hair was a tousled mess, a clear sign that he¡¯d just rolled out of bed in a hurry. His usually perfect hair was in wild disarray as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and tried to make sense of the commation. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± Oriana was on the floor, her body shaking like a leaf in a storm, tears streaming down her face. When she saw Keaton, it was as if she had seen an angel. She finally allowed herself to cry out, ¡°Mr. Huber, please, save me! Oh God, save me.¡± Keaton nced at her briefly before his eyes found Elysia cradled in Tarquin¡¯s arms. His heart raced with panic. ¡°What in the world happened?¡± Lowell looked at him with pity ¡°Your ex¨Cgirlfriend¡¯s a real piece of work! Keep her in line, will ya? I never want to see her face again!¡± Tarquin¡¯s roar was so fierce it could have blown the roof off the building. Anyone who knew Tarquin knew that he was seriously pissed off. This wasn¡¯t just anger, this was fury. Keaton stood there, dazed, watching Tarquin¡¯s retreating back. Lowell leaned in and whispered, ¡°That ex of yours kidnapped Ms. Thorne and brought a gang to¡­ well, you know. Tarquin was supposed to meet Ms. Thorne for coffee and couldn¡¯t get ahold of her. He went to her ce and found out what happened. Man, you need to sort this mess out. Tarquin¡¯s really furious. Your ex¡­ she¡¯s really something else¡± Lowell cast a nce at Oriana, shook his head in disgust, and walked away. He didn¡¯t even mention that Tarquin had been pped, not wanting to embarrass him further. Once everyone had left, Keaton turned to Oriana, his normally warm brown eyes now icy cold. ¡°So, did they get it wrong? Are you innocent?¡± Oriana was too frightened to lie, her tears unstoppable as she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Huber, I just¡­ I was just so mad, I¡­¡± ¡°Mad? What gives you the right to be mad? You me others for your own failures in the market?¡± ¡°L¡­ I just¡­.. ¡°Oriana, I underestimated you. You had the gall to mess with Tarquin¡¯sdy.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Tarquin? Tarquin Bradford?¡± ¡°Who else?¡± The fear in Oriana¡¯s eyes intensified as realization dawned on her. She had never met Tarquin, so she didn¡¯t recognize him earlier. Now, understanding who she had crossed, she was terrified, bowing her head repeatedly in desperation. ¡°Mr. Huber, please, I didn¡¯t mean to, I swear. I didn¡¯t know she was with Mr. Bradford. Please, have mercy!¡± Keaton looked at her, devoid of any sympathy, ¡°Ever hear the saying ¡®y stupid games, win stupid prizes¡°?¡± Oriana gasped. ¡°And another one, ¡®You reap what you sow.¡± The murderous intent in Keaton¡¯s gaze was unmistakable. ¡°Mr. Huber, I¡¯m begging you, don¡¯t kill me! It was all N¡¯s idea. She said she would help me get even. She told me if I could force Ms. Thorne to confess to Gage¡¯s mess, I could take my anger out on Elysia. N promised that even if the sky fell, Mr. Bradford would have my back. I didn¡¯t know Elysia was his woman, I swear¡­¡± ¡°N?¡± Keaton¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m telling the truth¨Cyou can check! Please believe me¡­¡± Keaton¡¯s eyes flickered with thought, then he turned to his bodyguard, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time for the Suttons to vanish. Tarquin doesn¡¯t want to see her again. Let her and the Sutton family disappear together.¡± Oriana¡¯s eyes widened in horror. ¡°Mr. Huber, please, don¡¯t kill me, I¡¯m begging you¡­¡± ¡°Kill you? Why would I dirty my hands? Murder is for those without ss,¡± Keaton said tly, already turning to leave. As Oriana watched him walk away, the phrase ¡®worse than death¡® echoed in her mind. She screamed after him, ¡°Mr. Huber, please¡­ Mr. Huber!¡± But her pleas were swallowed by the chill of the morning air. 1/1 Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Keaton didn¡¯t even nce back as he climbed into his car, scratching his head while he dialed Benjamin. ¡°Did Tarquin swing by to see you?¡± ¡°Yeah, Lowell just called me, asked me to hustle over to the hospital. Said Ms. Thorne fainted from shock. I¡¯m off duty today, so I¡¯m not at the hospital, but I¡¯m heading there now.¡± Keaton let out a sigh. ¡°Alright, you get there fast. I¡¯m on my way too. And hey, make sure she¡¯s taken care of, alright? Keep Ms. Thorne safe, and I swear I¡¯ll bankroll a new top¨Cnotch hospital for you.¡± ¡°What? What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story, damn it, got screwed over by a woman! Gotta go, just get to the hospital and round up your best docs. Make sure she¡¯s okay!¡± After hanging up, Keaton couldn¡¯t help but scratch his head again. Damn, done in by a dame, capsized in the gutter! This was the first time an ex had caused him such trouble, and boy, did it blow up in his face! Driving towards the hospital, Keaton made another call. N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°Dig up everything on N messing with Oriana to get at Elysia. I want the full scoop in thirty minutes!¡± Once Elysia was taken to the hospital, shey in bed, eyes closed, yet screaming, ¡°Get away from me! Don¡¯t touch me! Go! Go! Go away- Tarquin stood by the bed, his face stormy. ¡°Is she awake or not?¡± Benjamin said, ¡°She¡¯s not awake. This is a reaction to the trauma. She must be terrified.¡± Tarquin just stood there, brooding. ¡°Please step out. I¡¯ll do a full exam to see if she¡¯s hurt anywhere.¡± Tarquin nced at Elysia, and then, as if possessed, he said, ¡°Get a female doctor.¡± Benjamin was puzzled. Tarquin, looking like he knew exactly what he was talking about, said, ¡°She was nearly humiliated today. Seeing a man might upset her more. Have a woman check her.¡± With that, he turned and left. Benjamin was frozen for a few seconds but decided to follow his advice and called in two female doctors to examine Elysia. Stepping out into the hallway, Benjamin saw Tarquin at the end of the corridor, lighting up a cigarette, and asked Lowell, ¡°What the hell happened? Keaton also called me, said to take care of Ms. Thorne no matter what.¡± Lowell shrugged in resignation, ¡°Mr. Huber was yed by a woman.¡± No matter who was behind it, or whether they had broken up or not, the fact that Oriana was his ex couldn¡¯t be changed. It was because of him that Oriana had picked a fight with Elysia. So, one way or another, Keaton was responsible. Benjamin was still curious about what exactly had gone down when Keaton rushed in, anxious. ¡°How is she? How¡¯s Ms. Thorne?¡± ¡°Nothing serious from the initial check, no obvious injuries. We¡¯re still running a full exam.¡± Keaton breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°No serious harm, that¡¯s good. Where¡¯s Tarquin?¡± ¡°Over there, having a smoke.¡± Keaton nced toward the smoking area and once again scratched his head, ¡°Wish me luck.¡± With that, he braced himself and walked toward the smoking area. Upon reaching Tarquin, Keaton immediately pulled out his phone, presenting all the gathered info. ¡°I can¡¯t duck responsibility for what happened today. Rest assured, I¡¯ve got people on it. I promise you by today the Sutton family will be history in Jindale City. They won¡¯t be bothering you again. And look here, I¡¯ve pieced together the whole mess. The mastermind is 11.02 Chapter 1DU N Turns out, when Gage was in trouble, someone really did threaten him to stay away from Elysia! They said if he dared to hassle Elysia again, next time they¡¯d go straight for his life! Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Chapter 160 N was fuming, and she hatched a n to teach Elysia a lesson through Oriana¡¯s unwitting help! She also intended to capture evidence of Elysia conspiring against Gage, and then confront Tarquin with it, demanding he take her side. After Tarquin read the message, he didn¡¯t utter a word, just took a long drag on his cigarette. Keaton, sensing Tarquin¡¯s irritation, kept quiet too, sharing a silent smoke. A littleter, Benjam¨ªn came to call them, ¡°Ms. Thome wasn¡¯t hurt. She¡¯s just shaken up. She¡¯s awake now.¡± ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? A that, Tarquin stubbed out his cigarette and hurried to the hospital room. Elysia was propped up in her bed, staring out the window in a daze. Seeing Tarquin, she burst out, ¡°Get out! Just get out!¡± Tarquin scowled, ¡°I didn¡¯t even do anything to you!¡± But Elysia, trembling with rage, tossed a vase at him, shouting, ¡°Get out, I can¡¯t stand the sight of you! Go away-¡± She couldn¡¯t contain her fury. Just the sight of him infuriated her! It annoyed her! It reminded her of that night¡¯s madness and terror! Benjamin quickly pulled Tarquin out of the room and said, ¡°Ms. Thomne just woke up; she can¡¯t be agitated. What did you do to her to make her react like this?¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Tarquin felt wronged, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything! No, wait, I saved her! That¡¯s right, I saved her, for heaven¡¯s sake!* ¡°Huh? If you saved her, why is she so hostile towards you?¡± ¡°How should I know?!¡± Tarquin roared. Benjamin flinched and tried to calm him down, ¡°Take a breath, man. Ms. Thome probably mistook you for one of those jerks that hurt her.¡± ¡°But she was awake when I saved her!¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s odd. She should be grateful to see you* He didn¡¯t need her to weep with gratitude; if she could just appreciate what he did and take good care of Elijah, that would be enough. But instead¡­ ¡°No good deed goes unpunished!¡± Tarquin bellowed, storming out of the hospital and leaving Elysia behind Lowell, at a loss, contacted Blossom, knowing she was Elysia¡¯s close friend. Blossom rushed to the hospital as soon as she got the news. Seeing Elysia on the bed, she paled. ¡°Elysia! What happened to you? What¡¯s going on?¡± Elysia, seeing her friend, burst into tears and hugged her. ¡°Blossom¡­* ¡°I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯ve got you.¡± Once Elysia calmed down, she recounted the ordeal to Blossom, ¡°I was angry at them, but I hadn¡¯t lost my mind, not until I saw him. His face was just too much for me. I really thought he was that brute from years ago! When those guys were on top of me, I shed back to that night six years ago. And then he showed up¡­ It was like reliving the past. I wanted to hurt him! But I couldn¡¯t fight him off; he had my hands pinned, and I couldn¡¯t even hit back. I was powerless¡­ These past days, she¡¯d slowly gotten used to his face. She¡¯d even started to approach him for Elijah¡¯s sake. But today, the nightmare resurfaced, and her emotions spiraled out of control. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 30.09 Chapter 161 After listening to the whole story, Blossom was both furious and heartbroken, her eyes reddening with emotion. ¡°Damn it, Oriana has the nerve to pull this crap? We¡¯re suing her, let her rot in jail! And that guy, that¡­ that jerk. Okay, so he helped you out this time, but it doesn¡¯t erase what he did to you before! We¡¯ll sue him too! They think they¡¯re above thew? Well, they¡¯re not! I¡¯m calling my folks right now to get us a lawyer. We¡¯re not letting them get away with this!¡± Blossom started fumbling for her phone, tears choking her voice, but Elysia stopped her, N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Wait, let¡¯s not be hasty.¡± ¡°What do you mean? You don¡¯t want to sue them?¡± Elysia sniffled, ¡°I¡¯ve already called the police. Oriana will get what¡¯sing to her. Thew will handle it.¡± ¡°And what about¡­ the jerk?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to do with him anymore. I want a divorce with my husband, and I want out, fast!¡± Just this morning, she was all excited, making breakfast for Elijah, braving the snowstorm to deliver it to Sunshine Community. She wasn¡¯t in a hurry to leave anymore. But now, she couldn¡¯t stand to stay another second. She wanted out! More than getting back at Oriana or dealing with the jerk, she wanted to leave now! ¡°But isn¡¯t your husband refusing to divorce? He won¡¯t even meet with you. How can you divorce him? Will you just leave without it?¡± Elysia shook her head and said, ¡°No, I need to be divorced before I go.¡± ¡°But¡­ do you have any ideas?¡± Elysia thought hard, frowning. ¡°Keaton!¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s the n?¡± Elysia exined, ¡°Oriana is his ex, and even though they¡¯re broken up, this mess started because of him. If Jessamine finds out, she¡¯ll tear him a new one. I can use this to talk to him¡­ Plus, isn¡¯t he close with my husband? I¡¯lly it out for him. If he can get my husband to divorce me, I¡¯ll drop today¡¯s incident.¡± Blossom pondered for a moment and said, ¡°It sounds like it might work, but who knows if it¡¯ll be sessful.¡± ¡°Sess or not, we¡¯ve got to try! I need this divorce, and fast!¡± While Elysia was plotting her divorce, Tarquin had already arrived at the ter family residence. Donovan ter was at the office when he heard Tarquin wasing, so he rushed home. He greeted Tarquin with more warmth than he would his own father, ¡°Tarquin, you should have told me you wereing; I would have waited for you at home instead of making you wait here.¡± Tarquin was cool andposed as he said, ¡°No need. I¡¯m here for N, and to check in on Gage while I¡¯m at it.¡± Donovan, an old fox, could tell something was off with Tarquin and started to panic. He forced a smile, ¡°N¡­ Did she upset you again?¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t bite. Donovan¡¯s eyelids twitched madly as he quickly said. ¡°I¡¯ve spoiled her rotten, to the point where she dares to upset you! She¡¯s just taking advantage of being Elijah¡¯s lifesaver, that¡¯s why she¡¯s acting so entitled around you. Just wait until she gets back; I¡¯ll set her straight!¡± In criticizing N, Donovan was actually reminding Tarquin that N was Elijah¡¯s lifesaver. Tarquin could read between the lines. He didn¡¯t respond and just waited with a stern face for N. Donovan swallowed nervously and reached for his phone to call N. Just then, N arrived, bursting through the door and starting to rant. Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Chapter 162 ¡°Tarquin! What brings you by today? Got some time on your hands?¡± N chirped, her voice bubbling with surprise and delight. She was in the midst of a shopping spree with her friends while waiting for a message from Oriana. The news that Oriana had sessfully kidnapped Elysia had sent waves of glee through N¡¯s heart. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. With a grand gesture, she treated her group of girlfriends to high tea and avish lunch. They were all buzzing with excitement when word got out that Tarquin hade to see her. The girls couldn¡¯t hide their envy as one sighed dramatically, ¡°Ah, N¡¯s got the golden ticket. We can¡¯t even get a glimpse of Mr. Bradford, and there he goes knocking on N¡¯s door!¡± ¡°Exactly! N, you gotta spill the beans. Did you and Mr. Bradford have a tiff after he announced you two weren¡¯t an item?¡± ¡°Is that even a question? It¡¯s all a lovers¡® tiff. They have a spat, pretend to break up, and now here he is, making amends. Bet they¡¯ll be announcing their engagement before we know it.¡± ¡°Oh N, you¡¯re so lucky. Who else but you to fill Mrs. Bradford¡¯s shoes?¡± ¡°Remember us when you¡¯re rolling in it, N. Once you¡¯re Mrs. Bradford, you better not forget your old pals.¡± N basked in their ttery, feeling on top of the world. was ¡± he¡® It was as if Tarquin¡¯s visit was truly a peace offering, as if about to be Mrs. Bradford herself. Without giving Tarquin a chance to speak, N bubbled over, ¡°Tarquin, I¡¯m in such a great mood today. If you¡¯re free, why don¡¯t you join me for some shopping?¡± Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed, and he gave her a cold, piercing look. N, oblivious to Tarquin¡¯s irritation, was still lost in her own joyous bubble. ¡°Tarquin, don¡¯t be shy. Just say what¡¯s on your mind.¡± His voice was ice, ¡°Did you contact Oriana?¡± N¡¯s heart skipped a beat, her expression shifting instantly. ¡°Tarquin, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like games or maniptions,¡± he said, his tone hardening. ¡°I¡¯m only here because of the time you helped Elijah.¡± N panicked. Tarquin pressed on, ¡°Did you reach out to Oriana?¡± ¡°LL¡± Donovan, clueless about the extent of the situation and seeing Tarquin¡¯s serious demeanor, quickly chided his daughter, ¡°Speak up! Tell the truth!¡± N, feeling cornered, confessed, ¡°I¡­I did reach out to Oriana.¡± ¡°What for?¡± Facing Tarquin¡¯s icy gaze, N stammered, ¡°I heard that¡­ that wretch Elysia caused Oriana and Mr. Huber to break up. We¡¯re like sisters, so I went to console her.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°And then¡­ I told her not to be afraid of Elysia, that I¡¯d help her.¡± ¡°So you suggested that she kidnap Elysia, force her to confess to setting up Gage, and then¡­ what? Have people take advantage of her?¡± Tarquin¡¯s voice was rising with usation. Realizing that Tarquin was here to call her out, N quickly tried to defend herself, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell Oriana to go that far. That was all her doing. I just wanted her help to find out if Elysia was behind my uncle¡¯s troubles. My uncle said the assant warned him to stay away from Elysia or else he¡¯d be killed! That¡¯s my uncle we¡¯re talking about. I was furious. Elysia seduced my uncle first and then got him into such a mess!¡± ¡°Are you any better than her?¡± Tarquin suddenly cut her off, his voice sharp and unforgiving. N was taken aback. Even Donovan was startled. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Tarquin, despite his influential position, always acted like a true gentleman around them. He was invariably polite and never let a swear word slip from his lips. So N thought she must have misheard him. ¡°Tarquin, what¡­.. what did you just say?¡± Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed as he articted every word, ¡°Do you think Elysia is cheap? If she¡¯s cheap, what does that make you?¡± N¡¯s eyos instantly brimmed with tears, ¡°Tarquin, you¡­¡± *If she¡¯s cheap, you¡¯re not even worth that!¡°. ¡°Tarquin! What are you saying? Waaah¡­¡± N burst into tears. Donovan listened in stunned silence, not daring to interrupt. Only Tarquin could have the audacity toe into his home and insult someone like this. Anyone else would have been beaten senseless by now! Tarquin continued, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what kind of man your uncle is? As if anyone would be interested in seducing him. Does he even have what it takes to be seduced? With his character, it¡¯s a sign of strength for a woman not to feel disgusted at the sight of him, let alone go out of her way to seduce him. What woman would be so desperate?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And you, do you really think that just because you helped Elijah, you can act however you want around me? I¡¯m grateful, but I¡¯m not a fool, and I certainly won¡¯t indulge you! Oriana is already in custody, and you can watch the news to see how that turns out for her. It¡¯s only because she doesn¡¯t have direct evidence against you that you haven¡¯t been arrested by the police! If you were taken away, don¡¯t expect me to bail you out! I can provide financial support to the ter family, but I won¡¯t be an essory to wrongdoing! You¡¯re an adult, and adults must face the consequences of their actions. This world is harsh, everyone¡¯s struggling to make their way, and nobody¡¯s going to coddle you out of the goodness of their heart! I¡¯mying it out for you today, Elysia is under my protection ¨C dare to mess with her again, and you¡¯ll see!¡± With those cold words, Tarquin got up and left. N copsed to the floor in a sobbing heap¡­ Seeing this, Donovan snapped out of his daze and hurried after Tarquin, ¡°Tarquin, Tarquin, please cool down. N¡¯s just being foolish, she¡­¡± ¡°You know she¡¯s foolish, then keep her at home and teach her some sense until she¡¯s fit to be seen in public! It¡¯d spare everyone else from her nonsense!¡± Donovan¡¯s face turned beet red with embarrassment, ¡°Tarquin¡­¡± Tarquin continued, ¡°A father¡¯s failure is not teaching his children. Mr. ter, you failed as a father and are not qualified to coborate with the Bradford Group. All dealings with the ter Group are suspended, effective immediately! Mr. ter, you¡¯d best spend this time at home teaching your daughter.¡± Donovan gasped, his eyes wide with shock. All their dealings suspended? This could be the death of the ter family! ¨C Donovan rushed out after him, ¡°Tarquin, listen to me, I¡¯ll discipline N, but we can¡¯t stop the coboration if it stops, the ter family will¡­¡± Tarquin had already gotten into his car, not even ncing back. Lowell held Donovan back, his tone polite but his eyes distant, ¡°Mr. ter, don¡¯t bother chasing after him. Tarquin¡¯s not in the mood to talk. You might as well spend your energy having a heart¨Cto¨Cheart with your daughter. What Ms. ter has been up to¡­ well, it¡¯s a sad state of affairs.¡± With a sigh, Lowell got into the car. Donovan watched Tarquin¡¯s car drive away, stamping his foot in frustration. ¡°Damn it all!¡± Donovan stormed off, cursing as he went to find N. Lowell, driving the car, nced in the rear¨Cview mirror to see Tarquin rubbing his temples and offered some advice, ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to you. At least Ms. Thorne is safe.¡± 1/2 10:10 ¡°Am I upset over her? What does her being in trouble or not have to do with me?¡± Tarquin snapped back. Lowell¡¯s lips twitched, ¡°Right, right, my mistake. You¡¯re not upset because of Ms. Thome, you¡¯re upset because of Ms. ter. She¡¯s truly a femme fatale.¡± ¡°Are you blind? Does she look like a femme fatale to you?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Lowell cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°Ahem, no, she¡¯s just trouble.¡± Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Chapter 164 the doesn¡¯t even deserve to be called trouble! She¡¯s so vile and nasty, she¡¯s a venomous viper!¡± ¡°Yeah! A venomous viper!¡± ¡°What do you mean, yeah? Do you just echo everything I say? Don¡¯t you have a mind of your own?¡± Lowell was speechless. Lord have mercy, let me vanish right here and now. Whatever I say is wrong! Might as well be invisible! Tarquin¡¯s fuming because he went out on a limb for Elysia, and instead of gratitude, he got pped, berated, and bickered with, right? And he won¡¯t even admit it! Lowell thought blowing off some steam at the ter family gathering would do the trick, but it¡¯s only getting worse. At this rate, was Lowell gonna work himself into an early grave? The vibe in the car was all kinds of awkward, and Lowell, with a lump in his throat, said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have opinions; I¡¯m just scared to voice them. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll make you madder.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m such a tyrant that you can¡¯t even speak up?¡± Lowell scrambles to rify, ¡°No, no, you¡¯ve got the patience of a saint.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t talk right, then get lost, and don¡¯t give me that sarcastic tone.¡± Lowell was on the verge of tears as he thought, ¡°Saying you¡¯re patient is no good, but suggesting you¡¯re not would probably get me booted out of the car!¡± ¡°Tarquin, cool it, will ya? Let me break it down for you. Take today for instance. It¡¯s definitely Ms. Thorne who¡¯s out of line. You saved her, you¡¯re her hero. Instead, she not only hits you but curses you out. That¡¯s just ungrateful.¡± It¡¯s like biting the hand that feeds you!¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± Tarquin snorted coldly. Lowell went on, ¡°But see, I get where she¡¯sing from, too. She was bullied today, nearly got in a real mess. She must have been scared, desperate, and all worked up. When she saw you, her first thought wasn¡¯t how good you¡¯ve been to her; it was your past behavior towards her¡­¡± ¡°I treated her badly in the past?¡± ¡°Well¡­ not your finest hour.¡± Tarquin¡¯s face darkened as he said, ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t great, it¡¯s her own doing.¡± ¡°Right, right, it¡¯s all her fault. You couldn¡¯t possibly be wrong.¡± Tarquin, mistaking Lowell¡¯s agreement for sarcasm, shot him a re. Lowell quickly switched gears, ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is, regardless of who was at fault before, you definitely don¡¯t have a ster image in Ms. Thorne¡¯s eyes. So after her ordeal today, she took out all her frustration and anger on you.¡± Tarquin frowned. ¡°So she thinks I¡¯m a pushover?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s one thing after another. I think she¡¯s getting a bit spoiled.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s spoiling her, huh?¡± Lowell¡¯s scalp tingled. ¡°No one, 1 misspoke, my apologies.¡± If you¡¯re not spoiling her, would you be holding her? If you¡¯re not spoiling her, would she have you this riled up? If you really weren¡¯t spoiling her, Elysia wouldn¡¯t dare to throw a tantrum in front of you, let alone p you. ¡°I treat her differently, all because of Elijah. If it wasn¡¯t for him, she¡¯d have been gone a hundred times over!¡± Lowell nodded. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Whatever you say is right. But from what I know about you, even for Elijah¡¯s sake, you wouldn¡¯t let a woman get away with that. Last time at the bar, it was Elysia who made the move on you, you were caught off guard. But this time, you held her of your own ord, didn¡¯t 1/2 10:10 N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Chapter 164 you? You¡¯re the one holding her, and you¡¯re the one getting worked up about it! If it were someone else, say N, you¡¯d probably steer clear! The onlooker sees tho of the game, you might think your special treatment of Elysia is all because of Elijah. But actually? Your body know what I mean, Lowell thought clearly doesn¡¯t reject Elysia. A kiss here, a p there, and getting up close and personal ¨C ahem, you silently. Lowell can¡¯t figure it out. Isn¡¯t this what falling in love looks like? Calling it love might be a stretch since someone is still in denial, but saying love is on the way? That sounds about right. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Chapter 165 ¡°Dig deep and find out who did this to Gage!¡± Tarquin blurted out suddenly. Lowell snapped back to the present, his expression growing stern. ¡°Right, I¡¯ll make a call.¡± After visiting the ter family, Tarquin had made a point of seeking out Gage to get the lowdown. Gage had confessed that the attacker made it clear he was targeted because he had been bullying Elysia, The attacker had threatened that if Gage messed with Elysia again, next time he would be signing his own death warrant! Gage had even tried to bribe his way out, offering the attacker ten times the payoff to let him off the hook, but the attacker just sneered and said, ¡°Money isn¡¯t my only motivator. I¡¯m not some gun for hire that jumps at the highest bidder!¡± So, it was all because of Elysia. Someone was avenging her. It could be that the attacker knew Elysia personally, harbored deep feelings for her, and after learning of Gage¡¯s repeated harassment, decided to take matters into his own hands. Or it could be that the person who paid for the hit knew Elysia. And that the attacker and the client had a close bond, leading the former to act in defense of Elysia. But after all this time getting to know her, they were almost sure of one thing: Elysia was just an ordinary woman. She hadn¡¯t been back to Jindale City for ages, with no clout to speak of there. The most influential people she knew were Winona and Blossom. But Blossom came from an esteemed academic family, and with her demeanor, she wasn¡¯t the type to orchestrate something as heinous as castrating Gage. Winona, though a fiercedy, wasn¡¯t even in Jindale City and was probably oblivious to Elysia¡¯s return. So, the mystery remained: who was taking up arms for her? This person must have strong feelings for Elysia, considering Gage¡¯s sensitive status and his ties to Tarquin. Without a deep affection for Elysia, no one would dare make a move. Then there was the time someone breached the Bradford Group¡¯s security system, sent him an invitation, and hijacked his billion¨Cdor deal overnight¡­ Tarquin was now suspecting that Elysia had a guardian angel. And it was very likely someone she was unaware of! Or perhaps she knew of this person, but was clueless about his actions. In any case, Tarquin wanted to get to the bottom of it. After Lowell hung up the phone and delegated the tasks, Tarquin said, ¡°Focus on Zane.¡± ¡°Huh? You still suspect Zane? But he doesn¡¯t have that kind of money. Not Zane, not even the entire Newsom family could cough up billions overnight.¡± 1/2 09:56 Chapter 165 Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Lowell thought Tarquin was still on about Zane stealing their business. Tarquin replied city. The one who breached our security might not be him, but the one who hurt Gage could well be Lowell was taken aback. ¡°You think Zane was the attacker? But he knows full well Gage is connected to us. Would he dare touch Gage¡± re¡¯s nothing he wouldn¡¯t dare if Gage crossed a line. Forget about emascting him; he¡¯d kill him if pushed You mean, Ms. Thome is Zane¡¯s breaking point?¡± Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but he didn¡¯t respond. Lowell ventured, ¡°But Zane and Ms. Thome aren¡¯t that close, and she¡¯s not his wife.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to be his wife. She could be his one that got away.¡± Really? But the rumor mill says Zane¡¯s head over heels for Ms. Newsom. High school sweethearts turned life partners, the picture of love. Ms. Newsom¡¯s his ¡®one that got away.¡± ¡°The one that got away¡® is the one you can¡¯t have. If he¡¯s already married her, how does she fit that bill?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got a point there, but how did you figure Zane has a thing for Ms. Thorne?¡± ¡°Just a hunch¡± ¡°Strange¡­ I¡¯ve seen them together as much as you have, and I didn¡¯t catch a whiff of that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re blind and dense!¡± Lowell was left speechless. Wasn¡¯t this just a friendly chat? How did it turn into a personal attack? The sound of iing messages interrupted their tense exchange. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Tarquin¡¯s phone rang, and it was Heath, the butler, on the other end of the line. Whenever Heath called, it usually meant there was something up with Elijah. Tarquin picked up, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Heath was practically buzzing with joy, his voice quivering with emotion, ¡°Mr. Bradford, Elijah asked for food on his own! He¨Che¨Che just came looking for me to ask when you¡¯d be back. Said he wanted some pastry! It¡¯s the first time in years I¡¯ve heard him ask for food himself! I¡¯m so moved! He mentioned you made him pastry this morning, along with some side dishes, and he said he wanted more of the same. I¡¯ve already got people gathering the ingredients as per Elijah¡¯s request. When will you be back to cook for him? What time can you make it home?¡± Tarquin¡¯s lips twitched uncontrobly. His son suddenly showing interest in food should be a cause for celebration, pure joy! But those pastry and side dishes were made by Elysia! Considering Elysia¡¯s current attitude towards him, Tarquin felt a headacheing on. She can¡¯t stand the sight of me, how¡¯s she supposed to take care of my boy? ¡°Just say I¡¯m still tied up and might bete getting back. Have him eat something else in the meantime.¡± After hanging up, Tarquin dialed Keaton immediately, ¡°Elijah wants the meal Elysia made. If you can¡¯t get Elysia to cook for him, you¡¯re in for it!¡± Keaton¡¯s eyes bulged, ¡°What?¡± Tarquin hung up, passing the buck Keaton¡¯s way. When Keaton tried to redial, Tarquin cut the call. Keaton tried again, but found himself blocked. With a head full of troubles, Keaton had no choice but to call Lowell. ¡°What¡¯s the situation? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Lowell exined sheepishly, ¡°Ms. Thorne made breakfast for Elijah this morning. Elijah took quite a liking to it. Heath just called to say Elijah¡¯s asked for food himself, wanting more of what he had this morning.¡± ¡°What? Elijah¡¯s asking for food? That¡¯s progress, isn¡¯t it? A sign his condition¡¯s improving! Tarquin should be over the moon! Why¡¯s he biting my head off?¡± Lowell, realizing Keaton had missed the crux of the matter, repeated, ¡°But the meal Elijah wants is the one Ms. Thorne made. And right now, Ms. Thorne can¡¯t bear to be around Tarquin, so¡­ it¡¯s on you to make something happen.¡± Keaton finally got it, his eyes wide. ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Lowell groaned, ¡°Because your ex¨Cgirlfriend ticked off Ms. Thorne, Tarquin is catching the fallout. If it weren¡¯t for today¡¯s mess, Tarquin would¡¯ve approached Ms. Thorne himself.¡± Keaton sighed after hanging up, racking his brain to the point of near baldness from all the scratching. Elysia couldn¡¯t even stand Tarquin, let alone him. If he approached Elysia, would she send him packing with a swift punch? 9/2 09:57 Chapter 166 After all, Oriana wasn¡¯t Tarquin¡¯s ex, she was his! ¡°Jeez¡­ Do I look like I¡¯m cursed or what?¡± Keaton muttered to himself. He needed to figure out how to apologize to Elysia. And he had to think of a way to persuade her to cook again for Elijah. If he couldn¡¯t manage that, never mind Tarquin killing him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to face Elijah. His godson finally showed some interest in eating, and because of him, he might go hungry. Wasn¡¯t that just a sin? How could he ever face Elijah and still be called ¡®godfather¡®? If he couldn¡¯t handle this right, his conscience would eat him alive. N?velDrama.Org owns this. But how to handle it? Keaton thought long and hard, his neurons firing on all cylinders, but couldn¡¯te up with a solid n. So, with sheer grit, he decided to take a gift and go see Elysia. Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Chapter 167 The hospital room was now a solitary sanctuary for Elysia, the hum of the fluorescent lights above a steadypanion. Blossom went to pick up the boys, a routine as familiar as the back of her hand. The police hade and gone, their questions and Elysia¡¯s answers now just echo in the sterile space. When Keaton walked in, Elysia couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brow in instinctive disapproval. Keaton, caught in an awkward moment, tried to break the ice with a sheepish grin. ¡°Hey there.¡± Elysia eyed him warily, letting silence speak volumes. Clearing his throat to pierce the silence, Keaton set down an expensive¨Clooking gift beside her bed and took a seat, resembling a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. ¡°Look, about today¡­ I apologize. I had no idea Oriana could be such a drama queen! I messed up, and I¡¯m N?velDrama.Org owns this. sorry.¡± Elysia¡¯s expression softened slightly at his seemingly sincere contrition. After all, it wasn¡¯t his face that needed pping¨Cit was Oriana¡¯s, and she wasn¡¯t even here. Besides, Oriana was nothing more than Keaton¡¯s ex¨Cwater under the bridge. If Keaton thought he was off the hook, Elysia wasn¡¯t one to argue, especially considering the legalities. And there was something she needed from him. Her potential divorce from Tarquin might very well hinge on his assistance. So, with Keaton¡¯s apology hanging in the air, Elysia offered her olive branch, ¡°This mess isn¡¯t your fault, it¡¯s Oriana¡¯s.¡± Keaton seized the truce eagerly, ¡°You¡¯re younger than me, so I¡¯ll just call you Elysia, alright? You are, without a doubt, the most understanding and level¨Cheaded woman I¡¯ve ever met. Not to mention beautiful. I really dig that about you.¡± Elysia shot back instantly, ¡°Don¡¯t go falling for me now.¡± Keaton¡¯s face dropped, baffled by her mix of suspicion and distaste. He knew all too well the number of girls who would kill for his attention, but Elysia was out of his league¨Cfirstly, his sister would never have it, and secondly, Elysia was Tarquin¡¯s territory. ¡°I mean, I admire you, that¡¯s all,¡± Keaton backpedaled, ¡°With my sister breathing down my neck, I wouldn¡¯t dare make a move on you.¡± Elysia¡¯s lips twitched slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve reported today¡¯s incident to the police. They¡¯ve already taken statement. I hope you won¡¯t cover for Oriana.¡± She was afraid Keaton might shield Oriana, allowing her to evade justice. ¡°You have my word, I won¡¯t cover for her,¡± Keaton pledged earnestly. my Silence reimed the room as Elysia pondered how to broach the subject of Tarquin, while Keaton wondered how to tell her about Elijah¡¯s sudden craving for pastry. They both started to speak, then stopped, and Keaton, ever the gentleman, insisted, ¡°You first,dies first.¡± 1/2 09:57 Chapter 167 Not one to decline, Elysia cut to the chase, ¡°I hear you know Tarquin Keaton looked puzzled. Of course, he knew Tarquin; she had seen them together. Why the sudden curiosity? ¡°I need to meet him. Could you possibly arrange that?¡± Elysia requested. Now Keaton was utterly perplexed. Hadn¡¯t she just been with Tarquin? Seeing his confusion, Elysia hastened to rify, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m not into him. It¡¯s strictly business. His status makes him hard to reach, and I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re close. I need your help to arrange a meeting.¡± Keaton¡¯s interest was piqued as he asked, ¡°Do you know who that good¨Clooking guy was who brought you here?¡± ¡°Elijah¡¯s father?¡± Elysia replied, with a hint of intrigue, not fully grasping the depth of the man¡¯s identity. 2/2 Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Elysia frowned 1 didn¡¯t know him before I¡¯ve only met him recently: his name is Tarin. But I¡¯m not looking for him¨CI need to find Tarquin,¡± Keaton was silent for a moment Tann, huh Bold of him to im, and of her to believe Clearly. Tarquin was hiding his true identity, but Keaton didn¡¯t want to burst that bubble just yet. Instead, he asked, ¡°What do you want with Tarquin? lose it ¡°It¡¯s personal, I¡¯d mother not disclose it.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. She had thought abouting clean to Keaton, maybe even enlisting his help to find Tarquin and get a divorce, but after giving it some serious thought, she decided it wasn¡¯t wise A secret mamage and a confidentiality agreement forced her to keep quiet. She couldn¡¯t tell anyone. If Keaton could just help her get a meeting with Tarquin, she was confident she could persuade him to sign those divorce papers Keaton considered for a few seconds before responding. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep it in mind. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.¡± ¡°Thanks in advance.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Actually, I¡¯ve got a favor to ask you too. Elijah¡¯s been hankering for more of those pastry you made. Would it be too much trouble to whip up another batch?¡± Elysia paused. ¡°Elijah?¡± Keaton rubbed his neck awkwardly, ¡°It was supposed to be Tarin who asked you, but since you don¡¯t want to see him, I¡¯m stepping in. Forget about Tarin for a second¨Cthink about Elijah. The kid might have a scumbag for a father, but he¡¯s a good kid. He¡¯s had it rough. with a mother who doesn¡¯t care about anything but herself. It¡¯s rare for him to ask for anything, so when he does, it means a lot. He¡¯s never asked for anything before, so could you possibly help out? I know it¡¯s tacky to talk money, but if you¡¯re still mad, go ahead and milk Tarin for all he¡¯s worth. Open your mouth wide and extort him¨Cit¡¯ll serve as your revenge.¡± Elysia replied, ¡°I¡¯m not so greedy as to kick a man when he¡¯s down and out.¡± ¡®Down and out?¡± ¡°Yeah, I know he¡¯s bankrupt now. I¡¯m not doing this for the money; it¡¯s just for Elijah,¡± After Elysia finished speaking, her phone rang. It was Blossom calling. She nced at Keaton and said, ¡°Til make something for Elijah and get in touch once it¡¯s ready. You can pick it up then. If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go back now.¡± Keaton nodded. ¡°Sure, sure. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep the Tarquin thing in mind¡± ¡°Thanks for your help.¡± Keaton left with a squint and a smile. As soon as Keaton stepped out, he saw Tarquin sitting in a car, smoking. Keaton slid into the passenger seat before Tarquin could argue and quickly said, ¡°Mission aplished. Elysia will make something for Elijahter¡± Tarquin gave him an inscrutable look and took a drag of his cigarette. He then exhaled slowly, trying to hide his relief that Elysia hadn¡¯t abandoned Elijah in her anger. Keaton was in high spirits as he asked, ¡°Heard you changed your name and went bust?¡± Tarquin flicked ash from his cigarette. ¡°Did you tell her who I am?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. So, how about treating me to dinner?¡± Tarquin pursed his lips and rolled his eyes, ignoring him. Keaton chuckled, ¡°I won¡¯t make you buy me dinner, but I kept your secret and asked her to make food for Elijah. We¡¯re even now.¡± Tarquin kept his cool and didn¡¯t reply Keaton pressed on, ¡°What¡¯s your game n here? Hiding your identity is one thing, but telling people you¡¯re bankrupt? Hoping for sympathy or looking to be a kept man? But from what I hear, Elysia isn¡¯t exactly living in thep of luxury. Aside from her stunning looks and figure, she doesn¡¯t have much else going for her. No connections, no influence, and three sons to raise. She doesn¡¯t have the spare cash to take pity on you.¡± Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Chapter 169 partum Splithebeant what your mal agenda blowing t ng you about m it, jus Theard me right the specifically said Taron, not Tann And why does she want to meet me Baked but she was all hush¨Chush about said it was something important took a drag of cigarete, deep in thought what one could possibly want with hunt Did you guys have a past encounter or something Without hesitation, Tarun shook his head we looked into it, nothing ¡± ¡°That¡¯s just werd then the doesnt know you do what¡¯s this at about Tangan just shrugged. in silence If you go to this meeting, pode batrale nuding menat, an innat Tarquin ¡°Huh? You¡¯re actually gong ¡°Yeah¡± Enough with the proping¡± ¡°Hal You¡± Kestors sing was cut to cut to sina ¡°This Thesitate at Chane and Cysga mesa¡± is it. Soon enough, Elysia got the message that Tanquils agreed a meat her kamustive at suit Realy Dynia was ecstatic ¡°Yeah, totally So, where¡¯s gonna be call pets? Tm fine with anything to You had¡± ¡°Okay, 19 chucks fun and sand you The mais as soon ¡°Thanks M H did the Can the coun confident she cod persuade tem to di With the divorce he and pull the samona might if une could just jer su tum, r mai Sence Elijah loved her cooking she make a tightly set scored the meeting with Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Keaton chuckled, shaking her head with a yful smirk. ¡°So, spill the beans, what¡¯s your mal agenda here?¡± Tarquin remained silent Keaton ventured a guess. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re worried about blowing your cover because someone might fall for you? Don¡¯t tter yourself, buddy. Elysia told me today that she¡¯s just not that into you¡± Tarquin¡¯s expression dark ened ¡°What¡¯s she telling you about me for? She asked me to et up a meeting with you ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You heard me right. She specifically said Tarquin, not Tarin!¡± ¡°And why does she want to meet me?¡± ¡°Beats me. I asked, but she was all hush¨Chush about it. Just said it was something important.¡± Tarquin took a drag of his cigarette, deep in thought. What on earth could Elysia possibly want with him? ¡°Did you guys have a past encounter or something?¡± Without hesitation, Tarquin shook his head. Tve looked into it, nothing That¡¯s just weird then She doesn¡¯t know you, so what¡¯s this all about?¡± Tarquin just shrugged in silence ¡°If you go to this meeting, you¡¯re basically outing yourself, you know?¡± Tarquin puffed on his cigarette in silence for a long moment before finally speaking up, ¡°Set it up!¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re actually going?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Are you sure? N Not womed about exposing yourself?¡± ¡°Enough with the yapping!¡± ¡°Ha! You ¡°Keaton¡¯s teasing was cut short by a call from Jessamine. His face went pale. ¡°This is it. This gotta be about Oriana and Elysia¡¯s mess.¡± Tarquin raised an eyebrow, a sarcastic glint in his eyes. ¡°Looks like karma¡¯s knocking.¡± Keaton just stared at his phone in dread. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Soon enough, Elysia got the message that Tarquin agreed to meet her tomorrow at noon. ¡°Really? Elysia was ecstatic ¡°Yeah, totally. So, where¡¯s it gonna be? Your call or his?¡± Im fine with anything, I follow his lead.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll check with him and send you the details as soon as we¡¯ve got it pinned down.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mr. Huber¡® Keaton was almost bashful. ¡°No need to th didn¡¯t see the Oriana thinging¡± ¡°Uh, sure.¡± thank me, but hey¡­ if my sister calls you, could you put in a good word for me? I honestly After hanging up, Elysia was buzzing with excitement. She¡¯d see Tarquin tomorrow at noon. If she could just get to him, she was confident she could persuade him to divorce! With the divorce, she could finally register her kids, and put all this drama behind her. Elysia, in high spirits, processed her hospital discharge. She wasn¡¯t really hurt, it was just a shock to the system. Now that she had steadied her mind, she was ready to turn the page. Standing at the hospital¡¯s entrance, she hailed a cab, nning to hit the grocery store. Since Elijah loved her cooking, she¡¯d make a feast tonight, especially since she had scored the meeting with Tarquin ¨C a cause for celebration She called Blossom and shared the good news about her discharge, asking what she and the kids fancied for dinner so she could pick up the groceries. 1/2 11-21 Chapter ¡°Howe you¡¯re out already?¡± Blossom asked. 1 was fine, honestly. You didn¡¯t tell the kids, did you?¡± ¡°As you wished, not a word. They¡¯re in the living room, and I¡¯m in the bedroom. ¡°Good. Every cloud has a silver lining, right? I¡¯ve nailed the situation with my husband!¡± ¡°That so? Keaton came through?¡± ¡°Yeah, all set for tomorrow noon. ¡°Keaton¡¯s quick on his feet. This calls for a little celebration, doesn¡¯t it? How about I bring the little trio and we meet up?¡± ¡°Sounds good, let¡¯s head to Happy Mart.¡± ¡°Need a lift? ¡°No need. You bring the kids, and I¡¯ll cab it from the hospital.¡± ¡°Alrighty, kids, gear up! We¡¯re off to Happy Mart to meet your mommy.¡± ¡°Mommy¡¯s at Happy Mart? I thought you said Mommy might note home tonight because of some errand?¡± The three little ones babbled excitedly, vying for answers. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Before knowing if Elysia could be discharged, Blossom had already given them a heads up. She prepared them for the possibility that Elysia might not be home tonight. Blossom¡¯s voice was bubbly over the phone. ¡°Your mom has wrapped up her business, and she¡¯s in such a great mood that she¡¯s nning to hit Happy Mart for some treats. She¡¯s gonna whip up a feast tonight.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± The three little ones screamed with excitement. Elysia, phone in hand, couldn¡¯t help but let a smile spread across her face as she listened to her children¡¯sughter. Their voices were the sweetest sound in the world. Keaton and Tanquin caught sight of that smile. After Elysia finished the discharge process, Tarquin followed her out. Maybe it was because Elijah was eager for her home¨Ccooked meals, he stuck close to her side. ¡°That smile of hers is as lovely as a blooming flower,¡± Keaton remarked from the driver¡¯s seat, genuinely moved. At that, Tarquin shot him a re. Keaton¡¯s brow arched in amusement, ¡°What are you ring at me for? You¡¯re not into her! If you¡¯re not, and she¡¯s not taken, so why can¡¯t I admire her? Tarquin rolled his eyes and took a drag of his cigarette. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Keaton prodded, mischievously, ¡°Be a man and admit it, are you interested in her or not?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tarquin replied without a second thought. For real?¡± ¡®T¡¯m bored.¡± Keaton chuckled, ¡°You two would actually make a good match, at least where looks are concemed. Both single, both raising kids on your own. If you could make a family together, it¡¯d be perfect.¡± Keaton was on the same page as Lowell. Better to build something new with Elysia than to wait endlessly for a woman who was nowhere in sight. Elysia was beautiful, had a great figure, and was Tarquin¡¯s match. So what if s if she was a bit less well¨Coff and ordinary? Tarquin didn¡¯t need a woman¡¯s status to bolster him. After all these years, it was only with Elysia that Tarquin¡¯s interactions had a hint of intrigue. And Tarquin was different with her than with other women. That¡¯s why both Keaton and Lowell were ying matchmaker. But Tarquin¡¯s response was a dark scowl, ¡°Buzz offi Keaton pursed his lips, exasperated, ¡°See, you¡¯re no fun. Can¡¯t even take a little talk What, Elysia isn¡¯t good enough for you? I think if Elysia got together with you, it¡¯d be you who¡¯s reaching. Look at you, not getting any younger, a bachelor past his prime. Stop being choosy. And honestly, I think you¡¯re into Ms. Thome. You definitely like her¡­¡± Tarquin interrupted, ¡°Should I get in touch with Jessamine and let her know you¡¯re fanciful about Elysia?¡± ¡°Damn! That¡¯s spreading rumors, man!¡± ¡°If you can gossip, why can¡¯t I?¡± Keaton paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Using my sister to threaten me? That¡¯s low.¡± ¡°I¡¯m your boss.¡± Keaton grumbled and stepped out of the car He needed to keep his distance from Tarquin and from Elysia too, to avoid his sister¡¯s wrath. In their phone conversation today, his sister had nearly chewed his head off. Lucky for him, they weren¡¯t face¨Cto¨Cface, or she would have killed him! After Keaton left, Tarquin lit another cigarette and watched Elysia in silence. Lowell, sitting at the wheel, had heard every word of their exchange. He couldn¡¯t help but add. ¡°Ms. Thome is quite a looker, and she¡¯s 11:20 hapter 170: got a beautiful smile. Plus, she¡¯s got a good heart. Any other woman might have been scared or upset for ages after what happened today. But look at her, just a few hourster, and she¡¯s already bouncing back. Either she¡¯s seen some real storms in her life, and today¡¯s troubles are nothing to her, or she¡¯s just exceptionally positive and optimistic about life.¡± ¡°Or she could just be an alrhead! Clueless and cheerfully oblivious.¡± Lowell was left speechless, thinking, ¡°Can¡¯t we just say something nice about her?¡± Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Over here, Elysia had just hung up the phone with Blossom when Jessamine¡¯s call came through. Jessamine said she had just finished tome shopping and was on her way to the hospital when Keaton told her Elysia had been discharged. Elysia replied with a chuckle. ¡°Yeah, I just got discharged. Don¡¯t bothering over; I¡¯m fine. It was just a bit of a scare, but I¡¯m all good now ¡°Ugh, I only just found out. And let me tell you about that One ¨C she¡¯s got some nerve! Not only is she audacious, but she hasn¡¯t shown a shred of remorse! The whole mall incident was brushed off by Keaton because she was his girlfriend at the time ¨C he treated it like a breakup settlement. But she¡¯s so ungratefull if I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have let her off so easily that day! Thank goodness you¡¯re okay. What if something serious had happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright, so let¡¯s just put it behind us.¡± ¡°I gave Keaton an earful over the phone just now. Every day it¡¯s a new drama with him and his girlfriends. And now look, he¡¯s caused a scene! I haven¡¯t seen him in person yet, but just you wait until I do I¡¯m going to give him a piece of my mind¡± ¡°Well, Mr. Huber didn¡¯t see iting either, after all, Oriana is an ex of his, so I wouldn¡¯t say he¡¯s at fault.¡± ¡°Not at fault? He¡¯s the one who stirred up this mess! If he hadn¡¯t dated Oriana in the first ce, there wouldn¡¯t have been the mall incident, nor what happened today!¡± You could hear the frustration in Jessamine¡¯s voice. Elysia tried to soothe her, ¡°Mr. Huber already came to apologize today, and he actually did me a e a huge favor. I¡¯m quite thankful to him.¡± ¡°He owes you an apology! And if you ever need anything, just ask him. If he dares not help, I¡¯ll take care of him!¡± Elysia giggled, ¡°Sure.¡± After chatting with Jessamine for a bit and making ns to catch up another day, Elysia hung up. She felt a warm glow inside ¨C Jessamine had been really good to her and was like her guardian angel. If it weren¡¯t for Jessamine, Keaton might not have agreed to her request so readily. The fact that Keaton had gone to the hospital to apologize so humbly today. Elysia believed, was also because of Jessamine. Keaton was probably afraid of getting an earful from Jessamine, which was why he hurried to apologize. That was Elysias assumption, but in reality, Keaton¡¯s visit wasrgely motivated by Tarquin The way Tarquin had roared at the construction site had been terrifying! If Keaton didn¡¯t make things right with her, Tarquin would surely have his head. Putting away her phone, Elysia looked around. It had been over twenty minutes, and she still couldn¡¯t hail a cab. It was rush hour, and the area around the hospital was busy not the best time to find a ride Elysia checked her GPS and saw that the supermarket wasn¡¯t too far, a bike ride would only take about twenty minutes. Without hesitation, she walked a few steps forward and got a shared bicycle. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Pedaling off, she hit the road. Lowell was dumbfounded as he asked, ¡°Tarquin, are we still going to follow her?¡± ¡°Keep up,¡± Tarquinmanded. Lowell sighed inwardly, ¡°But how?¡± If she were driving a sports car, he wouldn¡¯t be worried about keeping up. But cycling? How was he supposed to follow her without drawing attention? The gas pedal was a delicate matter ¨C too much pressure, and he¡¯d speed past her; too light, and the car might not even move. And even if he managed it, it would be too easy for her to spot them! After mulling it over, Lowell turned to Tarquin and suggested, ¡°Maybe you should get down and grab a bike too, Tarquin. Its the safest way. If you wear a mask, she won¡¯t repognize you. Just pedal slowly and follow her. Otherwise, if I keep driving this car¡­ it¡¯s a sure bet well get noticed.¡± Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened as he said, ¡°Cut the chatter and get moving.¡± With a silent groan, Lowell had no choice but to reluctantly start the car. Elysia continued her leisurely bike ride in the bikene, while Lowell followed in the luxury vehicle, crawling along the road at snail¡¯s Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Chapter 172 The ring ought Byens attention, and when the light turned red the nced back, her gaze skimming over the vehicles. Lewel g¨¹ckly ducked his head and even Tarquin turned his face away, fearing that Elysis at the crosswalk might catch sight of them away as Luckily after a beef nce, the pedaled the light switched toge Lower spoke up again, Targain, this aint gonna by Ms. Thoma int churters thell definitely catch on if we keep this in Not only will she figure out you¡¯re not bankrupt with that fancy set of wheels, it also tick her off she gets mad just seeing you, and if she finds but you¡¯re talling her shell hit the roof What if she gets so steamed the refines to cook for Elijah? Either you listen to me and chase after her on a bike, or we drop this Tean have someone follow her instead With a dark expression, Tarquin remained silent for a moment before pushing open the car door and stepping out By then, traffic was backed up behind them like a parade Targum, dressed in a pricey designer suit, donned sunsses and a face mask, and amid the curious stares, he made his way to the sidewalk and got a bike Onlookers watched as he with his long straight legs, pedaled away The crowd was abuzz with confusion and excitement ¡°Holy cow is that some celebrity causing a scene? Are they filming a movie?¡± don¡¯t see any cameras Doesn¡¯t look like a movie shoot¡± ¡°Maybe its some nich kid slumming it? I saw him get out of that luxury car!¡± vibe a I nich kid, it¡¯s more big shot CEO Holy moly, did I just step into a novel? My boss CEO is hitting the streets! Those legs. that figure, that nom. I¡¯m head over heels! No, no, I gotta follow my CEO and experience life, I¡¯m hopping on one of those shared bikes What are you riding for? Your house is just up the road¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I wanna nde, I wanna follow the CEO and strut down the street¡± ¡°Me too me too And just like that, a group of girls, giddy as can be, started scrambling for city bikes to chase after Tarquin Lowell watched the procession behind Tarquin and facepalmed. Didn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t a good idea to follow? And even if we did, did he really have to do it personally? Doesn¡¯t he hate being seen in Yet there he was, not only making an appearance but also riding a city bike. Holy cow, what a sight to behold! And what was the big deal today that he had to follow her? Lowell was still clueless about Tarquin¡¯s actual motive for tailing Elysial He quietly pulled out his phone, snapped a photo, and discreetly sent it to the group chat Then the chatterboxes and the silent ones in the group exploded into conversation. Meanwhile, Elysia was blissfully unaware that her solo bike ride had sparked a cycling frenzy. She arrived at the Happy Mart and parked her bike in the designated area While heading towards the supermarket, she dialed Blossom¡¯s number, Blossom, have you guys made it yet?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still stuck in traffic. You there already? ¡°Yeah, I biked over¡± ¡°Told you, two wheels beat four during rush hour. Well need another fifteen minutes or so. It¡¯s chilly out, go on inside, and I¡¯ll call you when we get there¡± ¡°Okay¡± Hanging up, Elysia grabbed a shopping cart and entered the supermarket Tarquin, having shaken off his trail of admirers, followed her inside ???? ?? ? ¡£ ? He couldn¡¯t go unnoticed, wherever he went, eyes followed. Even thedy sweeping up at the supermarket entrance couldn¡¯t help but give him a few extra looks, chuckling as she said. ¡°This young man sure is handsome.¡± 11:20 Chapters Chapter 172 The incessant honking behind them was getting impossible to ignore. This traffic was moving slower than the walking ones! The ring homs caught Elysia¡¯s attention, and when the light turned red, she nced back, her gaze skimming over the vehicles. Lowell quickly ducked his head, and even Torquin turned his face away, fearing that Elysia at the crosswalk might catch sight of them. Luckily, after a brief nce, she pedaled away as the light switched to green. Lowell spoke up again. ¡°Tarquin, this ain¡¯t gonna fly! Ms. Thome isn¡¯t clueless. She¡¯ll definitely catch on if we keep this up. Not only will she figure out you¡¯re not bankrupt with that fancy set of wheels, but it¡¯ll also tick her off. She gets mad just seeing you, and if she finds cut you¡¯re talling her, she¡¯ll hit the roof! What if she gets so steamed she refuses to cook for Elijah? Either you listen to me and chase after her on a bike, or we drop this. I can have someone follow her instead.¡± With a dark expression, Tarquin remained silent for a moment before pushing open the car door and stepping out. By then, traffic was backed up behind them like a parade. Tarquin, dressed in a pricey designer suit, donned sunsses and a face mask, and amid the curious stares, he made his way to the sidewalk and got a bike¡­ Onlookers watched as he, with his long, straight legs, pedaled away. The crowd was abuzz with confusion and excitement. ¡°Holy cow, is that some celebrity causing a scene? Are they filming a movie?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see any cameras. Doesn¡¯t look like a movie shoot.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s some rich kid slumming it? I saw him get out of that luxury car!¡± ¡°That vibe ain¡¯t rich kid; it¡¯s more big shot CEO! Holy moly, did I just step into a novel? My boss CEO is hitting the streets! Those legs, that figure, that ours, I¡¯m head over heels! No, no, I gotta follow my CEO and experience life. I¡¯m hopping on one of those shared bikes too.¡± ¡°What are you riding for? Your house is just up the road.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I wanna ride, I wanna follow the CEO and strut down the street. ¡°Me too, me tool¡± And just like that, a group of girls, giddy as can be, started scrambling for city bikes to chase after Tarquin. Lowell watched the procession behind Tarquin and facepalmed. Didn¡¯t I say it wasn¡¯t a good idea to follow? And even if we did, did he really have to do it personally? Doesn¡¯t he hate being seen in crowds? Yet there he was, not only making an appearance but also riding a city bike¡­ Holy cow, what a sight to behold! And what was the big deal today that he had to follow her? Lowell was still clueless about Tarquin¡¯s actual motive for tailing Elysia! He quietly pulled out his phone, snapped a photo, and discreetly sent it to the group chat. Then the chatterboxes and the silent ones in the group exploded into conversation. Meanwhile, Elysia was blissfully unaware that her solo bike ride had sparked a cycling frenzy. She arrived at the Hoppy Mart and parked her bike in the designated area. While heading towards the supermarket, she dialed Blossom¡¯s number, ¡°Blossom, have you guys vs made it yet?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°We¡¯re still stuck in traffic. You there already? ¡°Yeah, I biked over.¡± ¡°Told you, two wheels beat four during rush hour. Well need another fifteen minutes or so. It¡¯s chilly out, go on inside, and I¡¯ll call you when we get there.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hanging up, Elysia grabbed a shopping cart and entered the supermarket. Tarquin, having shaken off his trail of admirers, followed her inside. He couldn¡¯t go unnoticed: wherever he went, eyes followed. Even thedy sweeping up at the supermarket Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Chapter 173 When others gotpliments, they beamed with pride. But when Tarquin was praised, it was as if he¡¯d been catcalled. A scowl was stered across his face! Even the janitor was too intimidated to clean around him, clutching her mop and scurrying away to tidier pastures. The onlookers who¡¯d been ogling him also quickly averted their gaze and pretended to be engrossed in something else. Tarquin stormed into the supermarket, his expression as dark as a thundercloud. It had been ages since he¡¯d set foot in a supermarket and the bustling chaos inside made him furrow his brow in disdain. He cherished his peace and quiet and loathed the noisy crowds. But for the sake of following Elysia, he endured, Like Elysia, he grabbed a shopping cart, determined to buy whatever she bought. She headed for the fruit section, picking up bananas and¡­ what was that spiky monstrosity? Dunian! He grimaced at the pungent aroma but, not wanting to draw attention, he reluctantly hoisted thergest one into his cart. Next was the vegetable aisle. Elysia went for cabbage, Tarquin did the same. She chose broli; he added it to his cart. Then came the spices and condiments, and he doggedly followed suit¡­ It wasn¡¯t long before Elysia sensed something was off, feeling eyes constantly on her. Yet every time she nced back, there was no suspicious figure to be found. Meanwhile, Tarquin caught the eye of everyone in the supermarket. His striking looks, impressive build, and extraordinary aura were impossible to ignore. Plus, his behavior was nothing short of bizarre. He shadowed the beautiful woman ahead, mimicking her every purchase without fail, a first for many of the store¡¯s patrons. If he knew her, why didn¡¯t he speak to her? And if he didn¡¯t, why on earth was he copying her shopping list item for item? His odd behavior reached its peak when he even followed her to the personal care section, grabbing a pack of sanitary pads¡­ The Saleswoman at the feminine hygiene products couldn¡¯t help but whisper to Elysia, ¡°Miss, that gentleman must be your husband, right? Did you two have a spat?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, darling Couples bicker¨Cit¡¯s perfectly normal. Don¡¯t take it to heart. Especially since your man is such a catch! Have you seen the way those girls have been eyeing him since he walked in? You let him go today, and they¡¯ll pounce right away. And sure, you¡¯re gorgeous too, but a handsome guy like that is rare. Most men out there are as appealing as a bag of lemons. I¡¯ve been around for a good thirty years, and he¡¯s one of a kind, I tell you. You¡¯re one luckydy¡± Elysia was utterly confused. Husband? What spat? She looked around swiftly but saw no one. ¡°There¡¯s nobody following me, ma¡¯am. You must be mistaken¡± ¡°Oh, no mistake. Everyone¡¯s noticed. He¡¯s been tailing you the whole time, copying your every move. He¡¯s just ducked behind that shelf over there, probably trying to muster up the courage to apologize.¡± With a frown, Elysia pushed her cart around to the other side of the shelves. That¡¯s when Tarquin emerged. Not seeing Elysia, he scrunched his brow in frustration He approached the spot where Elysia had been standing and, without a second nce, grabbed a few packets of whatever she had been looking at and tossed them into his cart. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The saleswoman couldn¡¯t resist chipping in, ¡°Handsome, getting those for your wife? Trying to make up after a tiff? I can tell you¡¯re one of the good ones. Let me help you out! Don¡¯t pick that brand. Go for this one¨Cit¡¯s the top seller in our store. A bit pricier, but quality speaks for itself. Your wife is stunning, and only the best will do for her. Trust me on this and go for this brand¡°¡± Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Chapter 174 The woman wanted to sell more products, but Tarquin was only interested in the same brand that Elysia favored. She couldn¡¯t convince him otherwise, so she just loaded his cart with several more packs without further ado. Tarquin didn¡¯t dive into his rtionship with Elysia after grabbing the feminine products, he set off to find her. And as luck would have it, he looked up to see her at the end of the aislel No need to search¨Cshe had made herself known! Her fierce demeanor gave Tarquin the unsettling feeling of a stalker caught in the act. He furrowed his brow and froze, unsure how to react. Elysia was seething! Even with his mask and sunsses, she recognized him instantly! Damn him! How dare he follow her! Charging with her shopping cart, Elysia advanced with a stormy presence. Seeing her, Tarquin wanted to flee for some reason, but his p pride rooted him to the spot. As Elysia approached and saw her own shopping list mirrored in his cart, her anger red. She mammed her cart against his with a thud ¡°What the heck?¡± she demanded. Tarquin scowled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why are you stalking me?¡± ¡°Im not stalking you!¡± ¡°Then howe everything you¡¯ve got is exactly what I¡¯m buying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a free country! I can buy whatever I want. It¡¯s not like I¡¯mining about you copying my shopping list,¡± he retorted. ¡°You¡­ Are you some kind of creep?¡± ¡°Watch yournguage!¡± Tarquin¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Watch mynguage? You want me to watch mynguage when you¡¯ve been tailing me all morning? You gonna tell me you didn¡¯t follow my lead on these items?¡± Tarquin, with a stony expression, yed his hand of denial. ¡°Nope!¡± ¡°Not admitting it, huh? Well, exin this: Why y are you buying the same sanitary pads as me?¡± ¡°The manufacturer didn¡¯t make them exclusively for you, did they?¡± ¡°I mean, I use them for their intended purpose. What¡¯s your reason?¡± ¡°I use them too.¡± Elysia choked up, momentarily at a loss for words. Tarquin thought he had the upper hand and continued, ¡°So, only you can use them, and I can¡¯t? You sure are nosy¡± He then grabbed a few more packs from the shelf and dumped them into his cart, adding. Tve always used this brand.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. After his snidement, he gave Elysia a mocking look. Stunned, Elysia forgot her anger, staring at him incredulously. ¡°You, a grown man, how can you possibly need these?¡± ¡°Who says they¡¯re only for women? They¡¯re for women!¡± Tarquin¡¯s face tumed dark as he took another nce at the products. He had been too focused on following Elysia and hadn¡¯t paid attention to what he was actually grabbing, mistaking them for toilet paper¡­ ¡°You¡¯re a freak, aren¡¯t you?¡± Elysia snapped again. Tarquin clenched his teeth in frustration. He had lost this round and couldn¡¯t muster aeback. Reluctantly, he returned the feminine hygiene products to a distant shelf and coolly said, ¡°My mistake, I¡¯ve always used this brand¡¯s tissues.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying! This brand only makes sanitary pads, no tissues! And you still im you¡¯re not copying my shopping list? If you¡¯re a man, you¡¯d admit it openly! Don¡¯t make me lose respect for you!¡± 11:20 Tarquen felt his face being metaphoneally ground into the dirt Aware of the onlookers, he abandoned his cart and grabbed Elysia, pulling her behind another nigle They found themselves in the bedding section, amongforters and quilts, with no one else around. Elysia struggled, Let go of met Let go Tarquin pulled her in, pinning her against the shelf to prevent her escape. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Their breathing wes rapid, a sure sign of mounting fury Get off mer Elysia¡¯s cheeks flushed mu as she shoved at him, trying to push him away. Tarquin stood firm as a rock, Teeling like a kitten was yfully scratching of his chest. Cut it out! If you don¡¯t back off, I swear I scream! Get lost, you creep!¡± The moment she tried to hit him, Tarquin caught her wrist and held it high above her head. When she attempted to kick, Tarquin leaned in, pinning her in ce. Anonly embarrassed, Elysia nearly walled, ¡°Help¡­ mmmph¡­¡± Tarquin quickly covered her mouth with his other hand, silencing her cries. ¡°Shut it! I admit I followed you here today, but it wasn¡¯t for you¨Cit was for Elijah! He loves the meals you cook, and I just wanted to see what ingredients and seasoning packets you¡¯re using.¡± The reason he had been following Elysia all day was just that. Elysia shook her head violently, trying to escape his grip. Tarquin issued a waming, ¡°I can let you go, but if you dare scream, I¡¯ll just have to silence you again.¡± He released her, and Elysia didn¡¯t scream. She just faced him, fuming, ¡°Are you insane? If you wanted to know what ingredients and seasoning packets I use, you could have just asked! Don¡¯t you have a mouth? Or you could¡¯ve messaged me!¡± Tarquin was even angrier than she was. ¡°Do you think you would¡¯ve told me if I asked? The moment you sow me today, you told me to get lost!¡± ¡°And why do you think I told you to get lost? Don¡¯t you have any clue?¡± ¡°What clue? All I did was save you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re using me of ingratitude? What right do you have to say that? If I hadn¡¯t thought about Elijah being orphaned if you died, I would have ended you right there in that abandoned building today!¡± ¡°You wanted to end me? How is that not ingratitude? Why the hell would I have gone to that derelict site if not to save you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t need your rescue!¡± Tarquin was so angry he was practically gasping for air. I¡¯ve dealt with unreasonable women before, but never someone as ungrateful as you. If I¡¯d known, I would¡¯ve left you to their mercy!¡± ¡°You. It¡¯s you who¡¯s ruined me! I¡¯ve already died once because of you, what more do you want?¡± ¡°You say I¡¯ve ruined you? rify that right now!¡± 1. Elysia¡¯s eyes reddened with anger. If it wasn¡¯t for the kid, she would drag all their past drama into the light of day. To face him head¨Con, to have it out once and for all! ¡°Don¡¯t y dead! You won¡¯t leave until you make yourself clear today!¡± Tarquin red at her like a parent disciplining a wayward child. He believed he hadn¡¯t done anything unforgivable to Elysia. At first, he did suspect her motives for approaching him, but it was nowhere near as severe as she imed. Ruined? If someone else heard that, they¡¯d think he¡¯d done something terrible to her! Elysia bit her lip, ring furiously at him. She wanted to speak but didn¡¯t dare, only puffing up in silent rage. As she struggled with what to do, her phone¡® suddenly rang. She knew it had to be Blossom arriving with the boys. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Thinking of the boys, Elysia¡¯s heart raced, her pulse throbbing in her throat. Seeing her reaction, Tarquin narrowed his eyes as he said, ¡°Answer the phone: Elysia shook her head frantically. The more she resisted, the more Tarquin suspected there was something amiss with the call. He reached straight into her pocket. Elysia exploded, ¡°You jerk, what are you doing? Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Through the thin fabric, Tarquin felt the heat of her skin, a flicker of something crossing his face, but he didn¡¯t linger and quickly Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Terquin stealthily slipped her phone out of her pocket. The screen was alight with a bold notification. Squinting. Tarquin read aloud, ¡°Love No. 1. ¡°Back off, jerk! Who said you could just grab my phone without asking? No manners, no ss! Give it back! Give me my phonel¡± He chuckled dryly, ¡°All this panic, they say your sins will find you out. If you¡¯re bold enough to have a lover, why fear getting caught? Love No. 1 got a sidepiece, do we?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business! Just give me back my phone! ¡°Shameless, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Whether I¡¯m shameless or not is none of your concem, your dog! Dare to answer my phone and see what happens. I¡¯ll go to war with you!¡± A video call was iing! If he swiped to answer. Elliot¡¯s face, identical to his own, would appear on the screen. And then, they¡¯d both be caught¡­ She couldn¡¯t bear to think about it, the mere thought of what might happen next was too horrifying to entertain. Luckily, just as Elysia¡¯s anxiety was reaching a peak, the phone call disconnected automatically. Elysia¡¯s body slumped, her breathing in heavy gasps. But then- The phone rang again! This time, the screen disyed ¡°Love No. 2.¡± The mockery in Tarquin¡¯s eyes was so evident, even a blind man could see it! This time, however, before Elysia could speak up, he released her and tossed the phone back to her. ¡°You¡¯re right. Your morals, orck thereof, are none of my business. My request is simple, just look after Elijah. Keep your vices away from him, and I won¡¯t interfere. Take good care of him, and there will be benefits for you. Fail, and don¡¯t expect me to be nice!¡± His final words were a knot of brows and a gaze filled with threats and wamings. But Elysia was too preupied to notice, clutching the phone to her chest as if it were her lifeline, fearing Tarquin might snatch it away again. Love No. 2 was Evan, and she couldn¡¯t answer this video call just yet. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. With his warning delivered. Tarquin turned to leave. Only then did Elysia¡¯s heart rate begin to normalize But, as luck would have it, her eyes caught a glimpse of Evan at the end of the aisle! Clearly, the kid had seen her too. His eyes lit up, and he started toddling her way. Elysia¡¯s heart nearly stopped. She grabbed Tarquin, who was about to turn away, not caring as the phone slipped from her grasp and ttered to the floor She smacked Tarquin¡¯s face with her hands. This time it was Tarquin¡¯s turn to get mad, ¡°What the-?¡± Elysia nced sidelong at the approaching Evan, tongue¨Ctied, ¡°Go¡­ go that way.¡± ¡°What way? There¡¯s a wall and shelves, it¡¯s a dead end!¡± ¡°You¡­¡­.. just¡­ just¡­¡± Elysia was at a loss, her whole body trembling. Tarquin sensed something was off and felt the presence of someone small racing towards them. He turned his head to look, but Elysia, in a panic, grabbed his face, preventing him from seeing. The more she resisted, the more he wanted to look. He pried her hands away, about to turn his head, when Elysia suddenly lunged at him! On tiptoes, she aimed a kiss at him. She didn¡¯t know any other way to distract him.. 11.201 dejapter Horquin was stunned, ¡°What the lis In the chaos, Tarquin stumbled backward into a shelf, sending it crashing down. Caught by inertia, Elysia tumbled after him¡­. ¡°Mummy Evan cried out, terified, and raced over. Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Chapter 177 She caught sight of Elysia¡¯s frantic gestures and realized something was up. Grabbing Evan by the hand, she made a beeline for the exit. Evan resisted, ¡°Blossom! Mommy fell down!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, honey¡­ we¡¯ll check on her in a bit. Look, she fell into those shelves of quilts and pillows. They¡¯re soft. She¡¯s fine¡± ¡°But, but I saw Mommy with a man, and they were¡­ they were¡­ kissing.¡± Blossom¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really? Tell me more!¡± ¡°Yeah! And Mommy was the one who kissed him first.¡± Blossom Interally groaned. Oh, what juicy gossip! How she yeomed to dig into it! No, no, she must prioritize. Kidse before gossip. If Elysia didn¡¯t want Evan to go over there, there must be a reason. She couldn¡¯t let her friend downl Blossom reined in her gossip¨Chungry heart, and said, ¡°Evan, put on your face mask, and let¡¯s go find Elliot and Emmett¡± ¡°But¡­ ¡°No buts. Your mommy¡¯s going to be okay, trust me!¡± With that, Blossom scooped up Evan and left without looking back, denying the little guy any chance to protest N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Meanwhile, Elysia felt a wave of relief seeing Blossom take Evan away. She slumped into Tarquin¡¯s embrace. Tarquin stiffened. Lying on his back, he was cushioned by the soft quilts, with a warm, heavy person copsed on top of him! He wasn¡¯t hurt, but he was definitely irritated! What was this woman doing? Taking advantage of him again? He thought to himself¨Cshe really was- ¡°How romantic, like a scene straight out of a movie.¡± ¡°The good¨Clooking ones are different. Knocking over shelves looks like a scene from a soap opera, such a treat for the eyes.¡± ¡°Ha, aren¡¯t they they the couple that was arguing earlier? Looks like they¡¯ve made up.¡± ¡°Couples don¡¯t hold grudges overnight, a little kiss and cuddle and everything¡¯s mended.¡± The bystanders chuckled andmented as they looked on. Tarquin, already disliking attention, now found himself the center of a spectacle. Not only was he the subject of public scrutiny, but hope ere was a scandal brewing. And, Elysia had kissed him again! Even though it was through a mask, Tarquin was fuming. Hey on the quilts, staring nkly at Elysia, his face a shade of thunder His anger was palpable, veins throbbing at his neck! He was so aggrieved that he couldn¡¯t even speak, just clenching his sculpted lips tightly, ring at Elysia with a chest that heaved with every breath. Elysia, realizing the situation only when she heard the crowd¡¯s remarks, hastily got up frim atop bim, her cheeks zing as she said, Tm¡­ Im so sorry. Tarquin didn¡¯t utter a word. After ring at her, he stood up and stormed off. Elysia sighed in relief seeing him go, though her ears still burned at the thought of her bold move. Even through a mask, it was quite the¡­ well, quite something. But she had no other way to divert his attention. If there had been another option, she certainly wouldn¡¯t have resorted to such measures. A young saleswoman approached, not immediately concerned with tidying the shelves but rather asking. ¡°Miss, is that your boyfriend or husband? He must be a movie star right?¡± Elysia¡¯s mouth twitched uncontrobly and said, ¡°No, he¡¯s not.¡± 09:58 ¡°Awe don¡¯t be shy. You two are such a good match. It¡¯s a pity he had sunsses and a mask on. I couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, but with his demeanor, he must be Incredibly handsome!¡± Elysia didn¡¯t know what to say. After apologizing to the saleswoman and helping to straighten the shelves, she quickly went to find Blossom and the boys. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Chapter 178 The moment they met, Emmett blurted out. ¡°Mommy, why¡¯s your face all red? Your ears, too?¡± Elysia flushed with embarrassment and said, ¡°Oh, I was just helping the clerk restock some items, and it got a bit warm Emmett bought the story. ¡°So you were just hot Elysia chuckled, gearing up to change the subject when Evan, the little straight¨Cshooter, suddenly asked, ¡°Mommy, who was that man you just kissed?¡± ¡°What?¡± Elysia was dumbstruck. ¡°I saw everything. Mommy You jumped right into his arms and even stood on your tiptoes to kiss him. When the guy fell back, he wrapped his arms around your waist, just like couples do on TV. You were all huggy and kissy¡± Elysia was speechless. She wished the ground would swallow her up, hearing that from her little boy! Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Now, not only were her face and ears red, but her neck was flushed too! ¡°Are you in love, Mommy?¡± Evan probed further Elysia¡¯s eyshes fluttered madly, at a loss for words If not so why kiss the guy? If yes? She didn¡¯t want to weave that web of lies. Just when she didn¡¯t know what to do. Elliot came to her rescue, ¡°Evan, Mommy¡¯s ady, and asking her directly like that will make her shy ¡°Huh? How should I ask, then?¡± Evan¡¯s face was the picture of innocence. Elliot nced at Mommy as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask at all. It¡¯s Mommy¡¯s little secret.¡± With that, he took Evan and Emmett by the hand and headed for the toy department, distracting them with the promise of choosing new 10ys ¡°Elliot is such a sweetheart Blossom remarked, giving Elliot a nod of approval before elbowing Elysia with a mischievous grin, ¡°So, spill the beans, what¡¯s the deal?¡± Elysia exhaled. ¡°It¡¯splicated,¡± ¡°Complicated? Who did you kiss? Any guy you¡¯d take the initiative with has to be someone special Come on, dish the dirt, I want the scoop.¡± ¡°Special, my foot Elysia was fuming. ¡°It was Elijah¡¯s dad! He¡¯s been tailing me, copying everything I buy. I confronted him and we had a row. I didn¡¯t expect Evan to show up. If he¡¯d seen Evan, we would¡¯ve been in a world of trouble. So, thinking on my feet, I just¡­um, grabbed his face to distract him. And besides, he was wearing a mask. Blossom gasped. ¡°It was him?¡± *Who else?¡± ¡°Holy smokes, lucky I grabbed Evan and got out of the ¡°Yep! Nicely done, you¡¯ve earned an extra drumstick tonight Blossom was still shaken, ¡°But why is he stalking you and buying the same things?¡± ¡°He says it¡¯s because Elijah likes the meals I make and wanted to check out my ingredients and seasonings.¡± ¡°Why not just ask you? Oh wait, you stated clearly that you want nothing to do with her now, so that excuse kinda holds water.¡± Elysia pressed her lips together. Regardless of the reason, having Evan see her kiss a man was not a good thing. She felt like she hadn¡¯t set a good example for her kids! ¡°We better be more careful from now on, especially since we¡¯re in the same city. Running into each other is just too likely,¡± Blossom advised. Elysia nodded firmly. ¡°Yeah!¡±¡°¡± They had to be careful, Jindale City wasn¡¯t that big, and the chances of bumping into each other were high. She should really get moving on the divorce with Tarquin! And take the kids and get out of here! Tomorrow, she¡¯d confront Tarquin and force him to finalize the divorce! Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Chapter 179 In the evening Elysia had whipped up an array of scrumptious dishes. She even packed a separate portion just for Elijah and texted Keaton to swing by the entrance of the complex to pick it up Keaton was genuinely touched. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough, Elysin. You¡¯re a saint.¡± Elysia wasn¡¯t too keen on Keaton calling her by her first name as if they were old churns. But she didn¡¯t correct him, keen to keep the chit¨Cchat to a minimum. Keaton extended a sleek, designer tote bag adorned with the iconic Herm¨¨s logo¨Cunmistakably high¨C end. ¡°This is just a little something from me to you, a token of appreciation for all the great food you¡¯ve been making for Elijah.¡± Elysia didn¡¯t take it. Instead, she said, ¡°No need for that Just make sure Tarquin shows up for our meeting tomorrow, and we¡¯re even, ¡°You can count on that. Hell be there on time. We¡¯ve got it all arranged,¡± Keaton assured her. Elysia felt a wave of relief and said, ¡°Just take your gift back. I don¡¯t need it. Oh, and do me another favor, would you? Tell Elijah¡¯s dad to give me a call if it¡¯s about the boy from now on. No more following me!¡± Keaton raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°He¡¯s been following you?¡± Elysia didn¡¯t borate. ¡°Just get that food to Elijah before it gets cold, will ya? Bye! With that, Elysia wrapped her coat tighter and disappeared into theplex. Keaton, carrying the food, climbed into his limited edition Maybach parked curbside. Tarquin was already inside, smoking As soon as Keaton got in, he teased, ¡°So, been ying the secret admirer, have we?¡± Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°She reckons you¡¯re trying to hit on her!¡± Tarquin¡¯s expression turned icy cold The next second, he abruptly pushed the car door open as if he was about to storm out and set things straight with Elysia. Keaton quickly held him back, ¡°Come on, man, can¡¯t you take a joke? Sit down. She didn¡¯t say that. But she did say you can call her about anything to do with Elijah. No more following her around, okay?¡± Seeing Tarquin retract his long legs and close the car door, Keaton couldn¡¯t help but rib him, ¡°Starting to tail her now, huh? Sounds like someone¡¯s got it bad.¡± ¡°Shut Back at Sunshine Community, Keaton and Tarquin made their way upstairs. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Elijah was still perched by the window, with Heath keeping himpany. Noticing Tarquin¡¯s return, Heath stood up promptly to greet, ¡°Yeah, you can head out,¡± Tarquin replied. Bradford, Mr. Huber Once Heath left, Keaton approached Elijah cheerily, ¡°Hey there, little Elijah, I¡¯m here to see you!¡± Elijah didn¡¯t so much as nce his way, treating him like he was invisible. Keaton attempted to ruffle Elijah¡¯s hair, but the boy sharply dodged and shot him a re Keaton was taken aback but also heartbroken. Tarquin called out, ¡°Got your favorite pastries here. Why don¡¯t youe and have some? Only then did Elijah get up, went to wash his hands in the bathroom, and sat down at the dining table. Tarquinid out the meal: besides the moming¡¯s pastries and egg crepes, there were four side dishes, and a bowl of soup. It was a modest spread, each dish small but varied. Keaton couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°Looks good, but where¡¯s yours?¡± Clearly, Elysia had only prepared Elijah¡¯s portion and left Tarquin out of the equation, Tarquin shot Keaton a look that said ¡®zip it¡± Under the watchful eyes of the two men, Elijah picked up a pastry and bit into it. After finishing it, he moved on to the side dishes. 09:58 Chapter Both men were silently pleased. Elijah seemed to particrly enjoy the dish, continually reaching for it. Keaton asked, ¡°Do you like that, Elijah?¡± Elijah didn¡¯t respond at first, but after a while, he finally nodded. Keaton¡¯s eyes widened in surprise! It was a casual question, and he hadn¡¯t expected any answer, but Elijah had actually responded. It was probably the first time in two years that Elijah nad acknowledged him. 2/2 Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Back in the day, no matter how much Keaton jumped around in front of Elijah, Elijah just turned a blind eye and a deaf ear, treating him like he was thin airl Before Keaton left, he and Tarquin stood downstairs, taking a smoke break. ¡°You know, you cant knock it¨CElysia¡¯s got some chops. I¡¯ve hired a string of fancy chefs to cook, but none could win over Elijahis stomach the way she did ¡°Why don¡¯t you just have here over to take care of Elijah?¡± Tarquin frowned, flicking ash from his cigarette. ¡°She came over once, but Elijah didn¡¯t take to her, sent her packing.¡± ¡°Huh? Likes her cooking but not herpany?¡± ¡°Vep.¡± ¡°The kid¡¯s probably feeling threatened because Elysia¡¯s such a looker. Thinks you and she might be an item.¡± Tarquin took a drag on his cigarette, mulling it it over. That was probably it. Elijah never liked it when he was around other women. He was ying his Mommy¡¯s little sentinel! Keaton said, ¡°Try to get them to spend more time together. Elysia¡¯s an opportunity. If Elijah likes her cooking, maybe hell warm up to her too. Once he does, things can only get better from there.¡± Yeah.¡± ¡°By the way, she asked again about meeting up tomorrow. You nning on seeing her? Decided to come clean about who you are? N?velDrama.Org owns this. Tarquin flicked more ash, lost in thought Keaton said, ¡°Don¡¯t leave things up in the Where does that leave my reputation?¡± the air, man. I¡¯ve already vouched for you. If you bail tomorrow, how am I supposed to exin it? Tarquin scrunched his eyebrows and said, ¡°Ill see her tomorrow¡± ¡°Good!¡± After Keaton left, Tarquin went upstairs. Elijah had polished off everything on the dinner table.. Tarquin was stunned. ¡°You finished?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Feeling stuffed?¡± Elijah shook his head and retreated to his room tem Tarquin stared at the tes that looked licked clean by a dog for a long while. Then he made a call to the nutritionist, asking how much a kid Elijah¡¯s sile should be eating. Elijah used to pick at his food like a kitten, now he was devouring it like a little tiger! He could polish off so much! When he learned that it was fine for Elijah to eat that much, Tarquin sank into a deep self¨Creproach. It wasn¡¯t that Elijah had eaten a lot today, it was that he had been eating too little before. Elijah¡¯s previous appetite was like that of a three¨Cyear¨Cold, but he was already five Tarquin condemned himself for not being a better father, not even knowing how much his child should be eating, and at the same time, he felt a pang of heartache. But looking at the empty tes on the table, he felt a bit of relief. No matter what, it was good that Elijah was eating well now, Tarquin rolled up his sleeves, gathered the tes and cutlery to wash in the kitchen, and decided to whip up someone for himself. He thought Elysia might have left a portion for him as well, but. He was expecting too much. 09:58 Chapter 180 Just after he finished his meal, his phone rang. It was Benjamin. *Tarquin, that bald guy¡¯s turned into a vegetable ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The bald dude who copsed in the abandoned building on Ms. Thome today. Cops took him to the general hospital. My little bro works there, just told me about it.¡± ¡°Any idea what caused it?¡± ¡°No clue, they haven¡¯t figured it out yet. Weird thing is, he was in good shape before, no idea what happened today. Suddenly copsed and never woke up. But here¡¯s the kicker, his goons are saying he got taken down by Ms. Thome.¡± Tarquin was taken aback. ¡°Elysia?¡± Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Chapter 181 ¡°Ugh! Word on the street is that when that bold brute was getting all up in Ms. Thorne¡¯s face, she just snapped¨Cwent totally bonkers. shouting it was all their doing that pushed her! Then nobody really saw her do anything, and the next thing you know, the bald guy just keeled over. Some of the guys reckon he¡¯d never seen a gal that stunning before, got all hot and bothered, and down he went.¡± That exnation didn¡¯t hold water Tarquin asked, ¡°No toxins in his system? ¡°None.¡± op your friend on him, and let me know if there¡¯s any new intel ¡°Keep ¡°Got it¡± Hanging up the call. Tarquin lit up a cigarette. When he¡¯d arrived on the scene today, the guy was sprawled over Elysia, a perfectly healthy man, suddenly turned into a vegetable. What the hell had Elysia done to him? No, the real question was how could Elysia¨Cunder the watchful eyes of the public¨Crender a fully¨Cgrown manatose in mere minutes? 2 3 3 2 E 6 PE & She must be something special! Tarquin was clearly skeptical. In his eyes, Elysia wasn¡¯tpletely useless, but she was definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed. She was the kind of foolish woman with more tears than cunning Meanwhile, the ¡®foolish woman¡® Elysia had just finished dinner and was cleaning up the kitchen. Blossom had dashed to the loo and came running back, phone in hand, all flustered, ¡°Elysia, check this out¨Csomething happened to the Sutton family!¡± The Suttons had hit rock bottom, debts up to their eyeballs, and were hawking their Jindale City vi and other properties like there was no tomorrow. n Mrs. Sutton Their fleet of cars and even Mrs. Sutton¡¯s jewelry and designer bags were up for grabs Oriana Sutton had skipped town, iming she¡¯d lost her marbles and jetted off abroad for treatment Elysia was stunned. ¡°This is so sudden!¡± ¡°It is, but when you think about it, not really. Oriana messed up big time today, royally pissed off Mr. Huber. When Mr. Huber gets mad, anything can happen.¡± Elysia didn¡¯t argue; she too suspected Keaton had a hand in the Sutton family¡¯s downfall. She didn¡¯t have an ounce of sympathy for Oriana. She mosaint, after all. It wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d wish well on those who wronged her. She was just shocked at the power of the capitalists! The Suttons were loaded, yet they crumbled so easily after crossing big money¨Cimagine regr Joes like them, they¡¯d probably lose. more than just money! Best to steer clear of those folks. No contact, no conflict. No matter what, she had to get that divorce tomorrow, and once it was final, she¡¯d be out of this city and far away from certain people. The next day. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Elysia hadn¡¯t nned on making breakfast, but the image of Elijah¡¯s tiny frame just wouldn¡¯t leave her mind. So, she whipped up breakfast and took it to Sunshine Community. She didn¡¯t reach out to Tarquin Instead, she just camed the breakfast towards the apartment block. She nned to leave the food at the door and shoot him a text so he could pick it up himself. That way, she could avoid seeing him. She didn¡¯t want to see him at all. 09:59 Chapter 181 But fate had other ns. Just as she reached the apartment entrance, there he was! Elysia froze at the sight of Tarquin It was barely six in the moming, theplex was quiet, and there he stood, alone. Dressed in a ck turtleneck and a long coat, he loomed beside the flowerbeds, a cigarette pinched between his fingers, taking the asional drag. Against the backdrop of the snow¨Cnketed ground, he was like a ck rose. Though using use¡® didn¡¯t quite fit the man with his chiseled features and an air of icy detachment when his brow furrowed. He was anything but delicate, all cold indifference But as frosty as he was, no one could deny his looks. He was a knockout. At six¨Cthree, broad¨Cshouldered, with a lean waist and long legs, he exuded amanding presence whether standing or sitting, always ramrod straight. His physique was impressive, and his features? No wonder he caused a stir like a celeb hitting the streets whenever he went out Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Chapter 182 It was obvious that Tarquin had noticed Ely too He had another sleepless night, tossing and turning in his bed, haunted by the memory of their unexpected kiss in the grocery store. The thought of seeing her this morning to make breakfast for Elijah set his blood boiling with initation. He didn¡¯t want to deal with her, and because of that, he¡¯d tormented himself all night long, caught in a tug¨Cof¨Cwar between reaching out and staying silent. Finally, without contacting her, he sumbed to a restless night of Insomnia. When dawn broke, he didn¡¯t quite know what drove him, but he found himself dressing and heading downstairs. Not really knowing what he was doing, he lit a cigarette to pass the time. Before he could even finish smoking. Elysia appeared. It seemed, perhaps, he hade down just to wait for her. They stood there, locking gazes, neither speaking nor stepping forward. A standoffish dance separated by a mere twenty feet After what felt like an eternity, a cool breeze swept by, provoking a sneeze from Elysia She had been too frugal to take a cab that day, riding over on Blossom¡¯s electric scooter, now parked just outside theplex. Only those who¡¯ve braved the crisp, bitter momings on a scooter could truly understand the mix of pain and pleasure it brought Even bundled up in a mask and hat, the chill cut through her, ¡°Achool¡± Another sneeze wracked her body, a telltale sign of a cold nipping at her heels. Tarquin frowned at her condition, his resolve wavering. Eventually, he snuffed out his cigarette and took the first step towards her. As he approached, Elysia¡¯s heartbeat quickened, a reflexive urge to retreat bubbling up inside her. His icy aura felt like a confrontation waiting to happen. Clutching the thermos tighter, she stood her ground, straightening her spine, refusing to show weakness. She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, so why should she cower? ¡°Stand strong, and d your enemies weaken,¡± she reminded herself, clearing her throat and scowling as if to say, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡± Tarquin rolled his eyes and stopped in front of her. Noticing the thermos in her hand, his tone softened¨C rtively speaking, of course; he was still colder than most ¡°Bringing Elijah breakfast?¡± he asked, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity. Yeah. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me know ahead of time?¡± ¡°I have other things to do. I was just going to drop the breakfast off and leave¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want to see me?¡± Elysia blinked up at him, wordlessly questioning his blunt approach. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster, Elysia. As long as you don¡¯t overstep, we won¡¯t have a problem, Tarquin stated matter¨Cof¨Cfactly ¡°I haven¡¯t overstepped!¡± ¡°The incident at the bar, and yesterday at the supermarket¨Cexpect them not to happen again. Your personal life is your own business, but don¡¯t set your sights on me. I¡¯m not interested.¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened at his words. Was he insinuating she was some kind of siren, luring men into her net? ¡°L¡­¡± Elysia was ready to fire back when he continued, ¡°Look, you¡¯ve been bringing Elijah food, and he enjoys it. That¡¯s your doing. We¡¯ll stick to our agreement: a day¡¯s meal counts as a day off your debt. Once Elijah warhis up to you, we can discuss your remuneration separately¡± At the mention of money, Elysia¡¯s retort swallowed itself back down her throat. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Exactly what I said. You¡¯re contributing to his wellbeing. That¡¯s worth something. We¡¯ll deduct ten thousand a day from what you owe for now. Well settle the restter.¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes sparkled. Suddenly, the man before her seemed a bit more noble, even more handsome! Chapter 11 Christer the apvalt vil potentar prosperity Pyret galing sale ???? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ? thele benile retained to win on bike ??? ? ??? ??? What the asked pued Without responding Targum stride up the stars with long steps. Eve for moment before following with the thermos in her arm As they arcended the stars, the elderly couple from the neighboring apartment descended, greeting them warmly, ¡°With your wife? What a beauty¡± Tarounmp Elyta could embarrassed and chuckled as they continued down the couple? look perfect together, a mate, made in heaven¡± Bysac anng under breath. Im not your houseke b be the housekeeper? Want to be my Terguns He stepped passive. ¡°Good, because you¡¯re not my type Elysia pursed trips, tempted to dump the contents of the thermos over his head But then she thought of the money and restrained ¨C inside, she slipped off her shoes and ced the thermos on the dining table, her coat still on a clear sign she wasnt nning to stay long She hade to pick something up, but once inside, she couldn¡¯t resist peeking to Elijah room, 1/2 hadn¡¯t seen him in a while and found herself missing tem 09 Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Elysia wasn¡¯t bringing Elijah meals for the cash, but who in their right mind would pass up easy money? Ton grand a day, even just to break even, made the future seem a bit bughter. ¡°Did he eat all ofst night¡¯s dinner?¡± Elysia asked, taking the initiative. ¡°Yep, licked the te clean. He really dug the dishes.¡± ¡°Alright, I whip up another batch for lunch.¡± Under the spell of potential prosperity, Elysia found herself growing softer Another gust of cold wind swept by, and she couldn¡¯t help but sniffle, her nose turning a rosy red from the chill. Tarquin watched her for a few seconds, his brow furrowed. ¡°Come in with me¡± He tumed and headed towards the apartment building entrance. Elysia humed to rify, ¡°I¡¯d rather not go in, just in case Elijah wakes up and throws a fit seeing me ¡°He won¡¯t be up till six thirty It was just past six Still, Elysia hesitated to enter. With Elijah asleep, it would be just the two of them alone in that room ¨C it just didn¡¯t seem proper. Tarquin, already at the entrance, nced back to see her standing still, his expression growing more stem.. ¡°Come in and grab some stuff.¡± ¡°What stuff?¡± she asked, puzzled. Without responding, Tarquin strode up the stairs with long steps. Elysia hesitated for a moment before following with the thermos in her arms As they ascended the stairs, the elderly couple from the neighboring apartment descended, greeting them warmly. ¡°My, my, is this your wife? What a beauty!¡± Elysia felt awkward. Tarquin replied politely to the seniors, ¡°She¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Oh? Not your wife, then who might she be? ¡°The housekeeper.¡± The old couple seemed a bit embarrassed and chuckled as they continued down the stairs. Elysia could still hear their banter. ¡°Why aren¡¯t they a couple? They look perfect together, a match made in heaven.¡± ¡°Matches made in heaven are a dime a dozen, doat they¡¯re all meant to be.¡± ¡°What do you know? They¡¯re destined to be together, inseN?velDrama.Org exclusive content. by fate itself.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Tarquin was already at the doorstep, unlocking the door Elysia climbed the stairs, muttering under her breath, ¡°I¡¯m not your housekeeper: ¡°Don¡¯t want to be the housekeeper? Want to be my wife instead?¡± Elysia blushed. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Tarquin¡¯s face remained impassive. ¡°Good, because you¡¯re not my type.¡± He stepped into the apartment after that deration. Elysia pursed her lips, tempted to dump the contents of the thermos over his head. But then she thought of the money and restrained herself. Inside, she slipped off her shoes and ced the thermos on the dining table, her coat still on a clear sign she wasn¡¯t nning to stay long. She hade to pick something up, but once inside, she couldn¡¯t resist peeking into Elijah¡¯s room ¡°Can L¡­ take a look at Elijah?¡± She hadn¡¯t seen him in a while and found herself missing him. 09:58 ¡°Sure¡± With permission granted, Elysia rushed to Elijali¡¯s room, her hand on the doorknob. She paused to ask over her shoulder, ¡°Elijah¡¯s still asleep, right?¡± Her main concem was not to agitate him. If she did and he refused to eat her cooking, she¡¯d lose any chance to get close to him again. Tarquin nced at the clock on the wall and said, ¡°He has another fifteen minutes.¡± Hearing that, Elysia quickly pushed open the door and stepped inside. The room was dark, and she tiptoed towards the bed. Just one look at Elijah¡¯s face made her heart skip a beat. He looked so much like Elliot and Evan!: 2/2 Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Chapter 184 fast as The little guy was sprawled out, the nket pulled up to his chest, fast asleep. Elysia eased herself down beside him, unable to resist touching his soft cheek. Elijah was such a beautiful and adorable chilld. How could his mother bear to abandon him? What was she thinking? If it were Elysia, she¡¯d never be able to leave him behind. Even if she couldn¡¯t stand the kid¡¯s aloof father and had to leave, she¡¯d find a way to take her baby with her! She withdrew her hand from his cheek, intending to check his pulse. Suddenly, her wrist was caught by a small hand. ¡°Mommy!¡± Elysia froze. Tarquin, who had been standing at the doorway, furrowed his brows. Elijah¡¯s eyes snapped open, fixing on Elysia. She held her breath, petrified, fearing that any second now, Elijah might erupt in distress. But instead, Elijah sat up, his eyes brimming with joy as he asked, ¡°Mommy? Is it really you, Mommy? When did youe back? Did you miss me and that¡¯s why you¡¯re here? You won¡¯t leave again, will you? You¡¯re going to stay with me forever, right?¡± Elysia was dumbstruck. She blinked in bewilderment, looking from Elijah to Tarquin for some kind of guidance, some clue as to what she should do. Tarquin, clearly taken aback by this unexpected turn, approached the bedside. ¡°Elijah¡± The boy was ecstatic. ¡°Daddy, Mommy¡¯s back! Look, it¡¯s Mommy! The Mommy I¡¯ve been dreaming off She¡¯s back! She¡¯s really back!¡± Watching his son¡¯s excited little face, Tarquin was lost in thought When was thest time Elijah hadughed like this? When was thest time his boy had been this happy? ¡°Daddy, why aren¡¯t you excited? My mommy, your wife! She¡¯s back! She won¡¯t leave us again! We don¡¯t have to be lonely anymore. Mommy¡¯s back!¡± Seeing his son in this state, Tarquin started to panic Thest time he had seen Elysia, he had been furious. Why was it that this time, Elijah suddenly mistook her for his mother? Had his fixation on his mother deepened? Was his illness getting worse? Tarquin¡¯s frown deepened with concem. ¡°Are you dreaming ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not dreaming, Daddy Can¡¯t you see Mommy? Look, Mommy¡¯s right here.¡± Tarquin turned to Elysia. Elysia¡¯s expression was serious, she had regained herposure. She locked eyes with Elijah and said gently. ¡°Elijah, look at me and let¡¯s count together, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, whatever you say, Mommy!¡± ¡°One, two, three, four, five Elysia snapped, her fingers, and Elijah copsed back onto the bed. ¡°Elijah!¡± Tarquin moved to step forward but stopped when he saw Elysia¡¯s demeanor. He held back He knew Elysia had hypnotized Elijah. Like other pediatric psychologists, she had always wanted the chance to delve into Elijah¡¯s psyche. This was her opportunity Tarquin didn¡¯t want to interrupt and didn¡¯t leave either, staying in ce to keep thempany. Time passed, and Elysia¡¯s breathing suddenly became rapid, her chest heaving Tarquin watched her with a furrowed brow, anxiety etched on his face. ¡°Elysia_¡± 1/2 09:58 Elysia turned to Tarquin, her eyes brimming with tears, ¡°He¡¯s in bad shape! Really bad! Something serious is happening! He he he.¡± 2/2R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only 09:58 Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed in concern. Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Chapter 185 ¡°Elysial¡± Her eyes reddened with unshed tears as she said, ¡°He¡¯s in a bad ce right now! A very bad ce!¡± Tarquin held his breath, trying to quell the storm rising within him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± ¡°He has no light inside him. No water, no life, and nothing positive or uplifting. Just an endless fog and swirling dust. He¡¯s lying in a deste wastnd, battered and barely hanging on¡­ He¡¯s not going to make it.¡± Tarquin¡¯s head buzzed as though struck by a gong. ¡°What do you mean, hot going to make it? Be clear¡± in his mind, he¡¯s not going to make it. When he can¡¯t hold on any longer, in reality¡­ he will¡­ ¡°He will what?¡± ¡°He will die!¡± Tarquin gasped, the words hitting him like a ton of bricks. Elysia continued, ¡°When he loses the will to live and the belief in his spirit, he will lose the desire to continue in reality. He¡¯ll find any way to end it all, and that¡¯s often the oue for children with severe psychological issues.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be! I told him I had found his birth mother. Shouldn¡¯t he be excited and looking forward to it? Why would he still be so injured?¡± ¡°You told him you found his mother?¡± ¡°Yes. ¡°He might not believe you, knowing you lied. Or maybe deep down, he feels that as long as his mother isn¡¯t back, she¡¯s not really found, and the search must go on to solve his current predicament. Only bringing his mother back might change that ¡± Terquin was silent. The room stayed quiet until an rm broke the silence from outside. It was 6:30 am, Elijah¡¯s time to wake up, but he remained asleep Elysia exined, ¡°I had to hypnotize him earlier, so he needs to sleep a bit longer.¡± Tarquin said nothing. Elysia wasn¡¯t sure what else to say. Elijah had been keeping her at arm¡¯s length, preventing her from offering him any psychological counseling, Mental illness wasn¡¯t something that could be cured with medication alone. After a whi upsetting him when he wakes.¡± a while, sensing that Elijah would soon awaken, Elysia stood to leave. ¡°I should go, to avoid upset Tarquin nced at Elijah and followed Elysia out of the room. ¡°You don¡¯t need to escort me,¡± she said as he approached the door. Tarquin didn¡¯t reply, only grabbing a child¡¯s scarf from a hook near the door and tossing it to her. It was soft and adorned with cartoon monsters- R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Cijah¡¯s Elysia was taken aback. ¡°You called me here just to giveme T Tarquin didn¡¯t speak, closing the door behind him, heading downstairs. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Elysia followed. Tarquin was still at the same spot, lighting a cigarette, taking puffs in silence Elysia looked at him, feeling a twinge of pity. Perhaps as a parent herself, she understood what it was like when a child was in trouble. But there was little she could do to help. She offered her final advice, ¡°If Elijah shows any strange behavior when he wakes up, call me. If he bes extremely agitated, give him the medication I provided earlier. Try to avoid gedatives. It¡¯s harmful for kids¡± Tarquin continued to smoke, his face a mask of stoicism Elysia left with the scarf, but as she reached themer, she couldn¡¯t resist looking back. In the cold, snowyndscape, the man stood alone against the whiteness, cigarette smoke curling around his furrowed brow, a picture of destion. If his demeanor had been less stem, the image would have been one of utter heartbreak. Elysia pursed her lips, her feelings a tangled knot. She didn¡¯t wish him well, so sympathy wasn¡¯t quite night, but she couldn¡¯t muster any joy at his plight either. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Chapter 186 She had stumbled upon a heart wrenching story online once a case where a father, unwilling to spend time and energy on his son who suffered from bipr disorder, had cold¨Cheartedly chained the boy like a dog and locked him away in a cage. When the story broke, the poor kid was found curled up in a corner of the cage, filthy and cold to the touch, breathless. And just recently, a man from Fest City, eager to start over with his new me, had mercilessly pushed his young son and daughter down the stairs, resulting in their tragic deaths. Some people are supposed to be parents. Others, it seems, are devils iate. She didn¡¯t really know Tarin. Given that he might be the man who bullied her years ago, she felt animosity towards him. He might not be a good guy, but there was no doubt in her mind that he was a good father. The way he looked out for Elijah made that clear, Elysia approached her snow¨Ccovered scooter, hesitated for a second, then wrapped the scarf he¡¯d given her around her neck and left the neighborhood. The scarf was soft, a cozy bamier against the winter chill. No sooner had Elysia disappeared than the photo of her sneaking a peek at Tarquin was sent to N¡¯s phone. ¡°That little tramp! She dares to make a y for Tarquin! Dad said I was just stiming up trouble, and used me of being dramatic. Mom, can¡¯t you see? Am I wronging her?¡± Alleen squinted at the photo, her gaze fierce. Alleen, N¡¯s mother, was closing in on fifty but took such good care of herself she could pass for forty. She was the epitome of a trophy wife, bom and bred in wealth. She was Donovan¡¯s second wife, the other woman who had sessfully climbed her way to the top. In Alleen¡¯s second year as Donovan¡¯s mistress, his first wife passed away. The year she mamed Donovan and gave birth to N, Donovan¡¯s son met his untimely death. The drama that unfolded wasn¡¯t something you could sum up in a few words To describe Aileen in one sentence: she was ruthless and cunning. She had been away in King City attending a high¨Csocietydies¡® gathering when N got into trouble, and she rushed back only after a furious call from Donovan, demanding she take better care of their daughter. ¡°Speak up, Mom! Does she look innocent to you, the way she looks at Tarquin? No! I must find a way to get rid of her!¡± N was about to make a call when Alleen snatched her phone away. ¡°How many times must I tell you, N? Stay cool¨Cheaded in the face of trouble. Don¡¯t act on impulse. Do you even know this woman? Have you looked into her rtionship with Tarquin?¡± N was livid. ¡°Do I need to investigate? It¡¯s obvious she¡¯s seducing Tarquin! R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Alleen pursed her lips. ¡°Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated. You go picking a fight without understanding her, and you¡¯ll be the one to suffer! And you dare to go after her directly? Have you forgotten what happened to the Sutton family? Did Tarquin¡¯s warning fall on deaf ears? If you keep this up, the ter family will be the next Suttons!¡± N red ¡°That¡¯s impossible! I saved Elijah¡¯s life. I¡¯m bis savior, Tarquin would never turn on me! Besides, it was Keaton who bankrupted the Suttons, not Tarquin!¡± ¡°Foolish girl! Without Tarquin¡¯s pressure from behind the scenes, Keaton wouldn¡¯t have had the heart to act so ruthlessly. And another thing, stop unting your deed of saving Elijah. Some debts of gratitude should remain unspoken. If you keep using it as leverage, it¡¯s no longer a favor, it bes ckmail. Do you think Tarquin would tolerate that?¡± ¡°Then¡­ what do you suggest? That woman Elysia is clearly here with a n. She¡¯s barely been here a few days, and Tarquin is already shielding her. If we don¡¯t deal with her soon, who knows? They might end up together!¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Tarquin is yours, and I won¡¯t let him end up with another woman.¡± As Aileen¡¯s words faded, her phone rang. She nced at the screen, her eyes narrowing. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Alleen¡¯s eyes flickered with disdain as she Patened to the voice on the other and of the line. ¡°I¡¯ve got it¡± she said curtly as she hung up the phone and turned to N ¡°Got the scoop Tarquin isn¡¯t into her He¡¯s just mingling because of Elijah. She¡¯s got nome tricks up her sleeve with child psychology and Tarquin¡¯s hoping she can work some magic on Elijah¡¯s condition.¡± ¡°What are you saying? She can cur Elijah? Oh no, this is bad. If she really cures Elijah, Tarquin would give her the moon!¡± Alleen remained unfared. ¡°She won¡¯t cure Elijah. She doesn¡¯t even have a license, she¡¯s nothing but a chatan Got lucky a couple of times with Corbin Denton, and now Tarquin¡¯s clinging to hope.¡± ¡°A chatan? You mean she¡¯s using Elijah to get close to Tarquin?¡± ¡°Exactly¡± ¡°We need to expose her, now!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rush. If she can use Elijah, so can we.¡± ¡°Mom, what¡¯s your n Alleen¡¯s eyes gleamed with strategy as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯re not the only ones who want that little brat out of the picture. Some folks in the Bradford family are itching for it too. If we let slip that Elysia can save Elijah, what do you think they¡¯d do?¡± N blinked rapidly and said, ¡°They¡¯d get rid of Elysia for sure! They¡¯d never let Elijah survive! Mom, are you nning to use them as a pawn?¡± ¡°Smart girl. That¡¯s how you learn. A woman needs to be cunning if she wants to secure her ce in high society.¡± Elysia was oblivious to the schemes brewing against her. The moment she returned to the apartment, she dived into the study. She sat at herptop, eamestly searching for anything rted to Elijah¡¯s case Perhaps it was Elijahs stnking resemnce to Elliot and Evan an that stirred her resolve, or maybe it was the way he¡¯d called her ¡®Mommy¡® in a moment of haze. She desperately wanted to help him. She hoped for his recovery, for him to live like any other child, full of joy andughter. Elysia sat in front of the screen for hours until the lunch hour called her away. Her search had yielded little, leaving her disappointed. The best way to ease Elijah¡¯s condition was to integrate into his life, to observe, understand, and eventually guide him out of his psychological shadows. But with Elijah¡¯s aversion to her, finding a way to break through was a puzzle she had yet to solve. The ringtone of her phone broke her concentration. It was Kylton. She had almost forgotten about the noon meeting with Tarquin in her pr preupation with Elijah¡¯s troubles. She quickly picked up. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Elysia, we¡¯re meeting at Azure Caf¨¦ at twelve, all good on your end?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there on time.¡± ¡°Great, just confirming. Tarquin¡¯s all set. Have a good chat¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± After hanging up, Elysia nced at the clock, freshened up in the bathroom, and rushed to the kitchen. She prepared lunch but didn¡¯t have a bite. Packing it up, she sped off on her electric scouter Arriving at Sunshine Community, she messaged Tarquin. N?velDrama.Org owns this. I¡¯m at the gate of your ce. Come down, please.] Tarquin didn¡¯t reply, and as she was about to call, she spotted him. She parked her scooter and hurried over, clutching the lunchbox. But in her haste, she slipped, sprawling on the ground as the lunchbox skidded away. The fall stung, and as Elysia tried to stand, she slipped again,nding back on the icy pavement. Sitting on the ground, hurt and frustrated, her cheeks flushed with anger. She was bundled in a light¨C colored down coat with a teddy bear hat from Blossom and Elijah¡¯s little monster scarf around her neck. 09:59 Clumsy yet endearing, she looked to Tarquin like a light¨Cfurred bear cub In the snow Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Tarquin approached, bending down to pick up the lunchbox from the ground without a word, his gaze lingering on Elysia. Elysia sat on the pavement, tilling her face up at him in surprise when he made no move to help her up. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to give me a hand here?¡± she eximed After all, she had taken a tumble while trying to deliver lunch to his son! ? ¨² ?? ? ? ? ?? Tarquin frowned, hesitating for a moment before extending his hand His palm faced downwards, clearly not inviting her to grasp it, but rather offering his arm as a support. What¡¯s with all the caution? She wondered indignantly. Did he think she was some sort of femme fatale? Elysia¡¯s pride was stung. She ignored the offered anm, instead reaching up to grab his trousers to pull herself up. Tarquin¡¯s eyes widened in m, but before he could scold her, Elysia¡¯s footing slipped, sending her crashing towards him. Her eyes wide with panic, and she instinctively reached for his tie. Just as she grasped it, her heels slid back, and she toppled over Camed by momentum, Tarquin also fell backwards. As they both seemed destined to hit the ground, Tarquin¡¯s quick reflexes kicked in. He caught her by the waist and pulled her into his embrace. Elysia gasped, ¡°That was closel Tarquin¡¯s breathing was slightly erratic too. Suddenly,ughter echoed nearby. ¡°Tar¡± It was the elderly couple from across the hall. Both Tarquin and Elysia were mortified and quickly separated. Tarquin swallowed hard before managing to greet them, ¡°Leander, Odette, good to see you.¡± The old couple beamed and asked Elysia. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Elysia¡¯s cheeks were flushed as she replied, ¡°You can call me Elysia¡± ¡°Oh, Elysia, what are you two doing out here in this bitter cold? Go inside before you freeze!¡± ¡°Why would they go inside when they¡¯re having such a romantic moment out here in the snow? Young love always seeks a little adventure.¡± ? ? ??? ??? ? ??? ???? ? ?? ??????? ???? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? ?? Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in a mix of shock and indignation as she tried to exin, ¡°No, you¡¯ve got it all wrong, I was just- ¡°Ha! Have your fun, we¡¯re off,¡± they chuckled, not waiting for her to finish As the couple walked toward the building¡¯s entrance, they continued their banter. ¡°I told you Elysia wasn¡¯t Tarquin¡¯s housekeeper, right? No housekeeper gets that cozy with the man of the house. Look at them, they¡¯re so sweet together.¡± ¡°Why are they so shy about it, though?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious! They¡¯re smitten. Probably in the early stages of dating. Hot married yet, just sweethearts! Ah, isn¡¯t it lovely? They¡¯re a match made in heaven.¡± Elysia and Tarquin exchanged a nce, both at a loss for words. ¡°People grow old and their eyesight fades. Don¡¯t overthink it Tarquin finally said- Elysia shot back, ¡°I¡¯m not overthinking anything. You¡¯re the one who should stop jumping to conclusions!¡± Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed. Let¡¯s not have a repeat of this.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tve told you before, I¡¯m not interested in you. Stop ying these little games around me.¡± Elysia blinked, absorbing his words and her frustration peaked ¡°ying games? Ive seen narcissists, but never one as self¨Cabsorbed as you!¡± ¡°You..R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°You are shameless! Unreasonable!¡± Elysia cut him off before he could continue, leaving him speechless. As usual, Tarquin was at a loss for words, only managing to grumble after a long pause, ¡°You¡¯re a woman; you should have some self¨Crespect.¡± 00:50 ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Just because you¡¯re a man, you don¡¯t need self¨Crespect? Jerk!¡± Tarquin fell silent. Not for the first time, Elysia was misunderstood by him. She decided not to argue and got straight to the point. ¡°How¡¯s Elijah? Did he react at all when he woke up this moming?¡± Switching the subject to Elijah, Tarquin calmed down a bit and replied coldly. He didn¡¯t have much of a reaction when he woke up. Seemed in good spirits, said he had a dream about his mom. And he ate all the food you brought this morning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news, I guess. At least he¡¯s not showing any signs of distress. Give him this, it¡¯s got his favorite dish. With that, Elysia hopped on her scooter and sped off. She still had to hurry to the Azure Caf¨¦ to meet his husband Tarquin¡¯s appointment Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Chapter 189 The ground was slick with ice, and Elysin creened awkwardly on her electric scooter, barely managing to keep it upright as she made her way Tarquin watched her clumsy attempts with a look of disdain curling his lips, and without another word, he turned on his heel and headed home. As fate would have it he bumped into the old man from across the street, who was out throwing the trash. The old man had lived in the neighborhood fo. years and was quite familiar with Tarquin¡¯s mother, which meant he wasn¡¯t a stranger to Tarquin either. He was the chatty type, and upon seeing Tarquin, he struck up a conversation. ¡°Tar back on your lonesome, eh? Where¡¯s Elysia?¡± ¡°She had to take off; something came up.¡± ¡°Gone? Aint you two shacked up yet?¡± Theer of Tarquin¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°You got it all wrong. She and I aren¡¯t on item? ¡°Come on,e on, you¡¯re both adults. No need to be shy about a little romance. Il tell you what, I¡¯ve got a knack for reading people, and Elysia, she¡¯s got a good head on her shoulders, a real lucky charm. Plus, I hear she¡¯s the kind to bring prosperity to a household. If you snag her, you¡¯ve struck gold, my boy. Don¡¯t let someone else sweep her off her feet. You¡¯d better catch that good fortune while you can. Tarquin just stared at him, speechless. No sooner had he walked through his front door than Keaton¡¯s call came through. Tarquin, it¡¯s nearly 12, you ready? Don¡¯t forget your date with Elysia!¡± *¡­Il be there shortly.¡± After hanging up, he spoke to Elijah, ¡°Daddy¡¯s got to head out. I¡¯ll let Heath keep youpany. I brought back some dinner, your favorite dish is in there. Dig in.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t say a word, just trotted off obediently to the dining room and climbed into his high chair to wait Tarquin cast a thoughtful nce at Elijah, then reminded Heath, ¡°Call me if you need anything.¡± With the roads clear, Tarquin¡¯s car easily outpaced Elysia¡¯s scooter, and he alrived at the cafe well before her. He settled into a private booth on the second floor, Keaton at his side. Through the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, they saw Elysia pushing her scooter, struggling against the cold. Keaton remarked, ¡°Is Elysia nuts or what? It¡¯s freezing out, and she¡¯s not taking a cab? Riding that scooter must be like an icebox.¡± *She¡¯s broke, but yeah, she¡¯s also nuts.¡± ¡°You could at least spring for a car for her. Wouldn¡¯t you be quitted if she caught frostbite?¡± Tarquin rolled his eyes at Keaton, took a drag of his cigarette, and kept his gaze locked on Elysia. She was shaking off snow, then carefully removed Elij folded it neatly, and stashed it in her pocket Keaton added, ¡°What¡¯s her rush to see you? She didn¡¯t even bother with makeup, clearly not trying to seduce you¡± Tarquin was curious too, he barely knew her. What was her motive for asking Keaton to set up this meeting? Unaware of their scrutiny, Elysia¡¯s nerves spiked at the thought of meeting Tarquin, She took several deep breaths at the entrance before mustering the courage to walk in Inside, a man sat at the arranged booth. From her vantage point, she could only see the back of his head. Though she couldn¡¯t see his face, his demeanor screamed sess. That had to be Tarquin! Elysia steeled herself against her jitters, clutching her hands as she approached, ¡°Hello, I- ¡°Hmm? Elysia? Callum turned around, surprised to see her Elysia was taken aback, not expecting to run into an old acquaintance here. Without greeting him, she quickly checked her phone for Keaton¡¯s table number, thenpared it to the one on the booth. It matched She was baffled, ¡°Why¡­ why are you here?¡± Callumn smiled and said. Tve got a meeting. Are you waiting for someone too?¡± Elysia nodded, still dazed. no ¡°Hasn¡¯t your date arrived?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°No, not yet.¡± ¡°Well, since we¡¯re both waiting, have a sent and let¡¯s catch up. Waiter!¡± Callum, ever the warm host, ordered a coffee for Elysia as she settled into the unexpected reunion. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Elysia plopped down onto the chair with a sense of forced bravado, her mind a whirlwind of confusion Callum asked, ¡°It¡¯s been years since west met. How have you been doing?¡± ¡°Fine, just fine¡± Elysia replied, taking a sip of her coffee to calm her nerves. Callum continued. ¡°You know, after that incident years ago, Winona was half out of her mind with worry. I heard she¡¯s been looking for you all this time. Now that you¡¯re back, she must be thrilled, right?¡± Callum was also Elysia¡¯s senior of college. He was Zane¡¯s ssmate. He had a crush on Winona and used to woo her by bringing treats to her dorm, like fresh baked cookies and apple pastries. To get closer to Winona, he had often gone out of his way to be nice to her and Blossom, so they were all familiar with each other Elysia steadied her thoughts and asked, ¡°Have you been in touch with her recently?¡± ¡°No, we lost touch after she started dating Zane. You know I pursued her once. I¡¯ve kept my distance to avoid any misunderstandings or unnecessary drama ¡°Right. I remember you studied film direction. Are you a director now?¡± ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡± ¡°You must know Winona¡¯s agent, night?¡± ¡°I know of the person, but we¡¯re not close, and I haven¡¯t contacted Winona¡¯s agent I¡¯ve always been careful to maintain professional boundaries¡± Elysia continued, ¡°I heard from Zane and Blossom that Winona has gone off to shoot a movie and signed some sort of non¨Cdisclosure agreement. She¡¯s not allowed to have contact with anyone outside the production crew and has been off the radar for over a year now. Do you have any news of her?¡± Callum looked shocked. ¡°No contact for over a year? That doesn¡¯t sound right. In our industry, NDAs are emon, but I¡¯ve never heard of an actor being cut off from their family. They just need to keep the script confidential.¡± y increased Elysia¡¯s concem. ¡°Could you find out what¡¯s going on? I¡¯m worried since there¡¯s been no word from her.¡± This only i ¡°Sure, Ill ask around as soon as I get back and let you know if I hear anything Let¡¯s exchange numbers.¡± They swapped contact information, and then Elysia couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Did you book this table in advance for your meeting?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange. I also lso had a reservation for this table¡± Callum paused, then it clicked. ¡°You¡¯re meeting Tarquin?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Callum¡¯s face twitched as he nced upstairs, cursing under his breath. Busted. He was Tarquin¡¯s buddy who had just flown in from abroad and gotipped into this setup by Tarquin himself. Tarquin had asked him to meet a woman on his behalf, just to listen to what she had to say. Who would have thought it would be Elysia? Realizing the situation, Elysia red at Callum before gritting her teeth in anger quin asked you to meet me?¡± Callum awkwardly admitted, ¡°Well, yeah¡­¡± Elysia was livid. She grabbed her phone to call Keaton. Keaton¡¯s phone exploded with rings, making him jump in rm. ¡°Oh no, the gig is up! You¡¯ve really screwed me over. If you were going to get someone to stand in, at least pick someone she doesn¡¯t know! What am I supposed to do now, huh?¡± Tarquin was stone¨Cfaced, silent. He hadn¡¯t expected Elysia to know Callum. Callum was a film director with a background in screenwriting, a true professional in the craft. Tarquin had thought that hiring an actor would be the perfect cover, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated this twist. Keaton¡¯s phone was relentless. He answered reluctantly ¡°Hello?¡± 09:59 Chapter 190 ¡°What the hell is Torquin ying at?¡± asked Elysia Keaton, sticking to the code of every man for himself, foigned ignorance. ¡°What do you mean? Didn¡¯t Tarquin show up for the meeting?¡± Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Chapter 191 ¡°He stood me up! Can you believe it? He sent someone else in his ce! Elyalo ranted, her voiceced with disbelief and anger ¡°Whoa, talk about being a jerk? Keaton raised his eyebrows, clearly taken aback by the audacity ¡°Could you just confront him? Ask him if he even has the guts to call himself a man? It¡¯s downright despicable! We had ns to meet and he sends a stand in What¡¯s he ying at? A man¡¯s word is his bond, and this¡­ this is just shameless! He doesn¡¯t even have the courage to face a woman? That¡¯s cowardly, not what you¡¯d expect from a real man. I¡¯ve lost all respect for him.¡± Elysia¡¯s trade was relentless, leaving Kentonpletely dumbfounded. She was spitting fire with words that even Keaton wouldn¡¯t dare say. Not only did Keaton let the speakerphone capture every word, but he also thrust the phone in Tarquin¡¯s face, making sure none of Elysia¡¯s verbalshing was wasted. Tarquin¡¯s lips were pressed into a thin line, hisplexion darkening. Snatching Keaton¡¯s phone, he ended the call, tossed it onto the table, and got up to leave ¡°Hey, hey, hey, that¡¯s thetest model! Don¡¯t you dare break in Keaton¡¯s concern for his phone was palpable. Without looking back, Tarquin left the private room and headed straight for Elysia. Elysia, having been hung up on, didn¡¯t bother to call back. She was fuming. She had high hopes for today ¨C hopes of finalizing her divorce from Tarquin. And now this¡­. It felt like a cruel joke! She had felt guilt over him, never once bad¨Cmouthing or resenting him, and he couldn¡¯t even bother to show up! If he didn¡¯t want to see her, he could have simply said so. But agreeing to meet and then pulling a no¨C show? Her frustration was akin to that of ser fans who¡¯d bought tickets to see a ser star y, only to find out he wasn¡¯t taking the field. Feeling yed and utterly annoyed. While fans could at least chant for a refund, what could she do? Apart from yelling at Keaton, she couldn¡¯t even get a glimpse of Tarquin. At this point, Callum was thoroughly shocked. He even wondered if Elysia truly knew who Tarquin was. How could she dare to curse him out like this? ¡°Elysia, just calm down, will you? What¡¯s going on between you and Tarquin? if there¡¯s something you want to say, I can pass it on. I mean, you guys.. Before Callum could finish, Tarquin appeared, his anger evident. Callum opened his mouth to speak, but Tarquin cut him off with a terse, ¡°Move¡± Keaton quickly pulled Callum away, not allowing him a singer word. Surprised to see him, Elysia asked with discontent. you want, Tarin? Got something to say to me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you wanted?¡± Tarquin would rather reveal hue tharlet Elysia continue to brand him as dishonest and cowardly. But Elysia, seemingly without a clue, frowned and asked, ¡°Who asked for you? Wait¡­is something wrong with Elijah?¡± It was Heath. Just as Tarquin was about to respond, his phone rang. ¡°Mr. Bradford, you need toe back. Allegra Bradford has shown up!¡± Allegra was Tarquin¡¯s aunt who always seemed to be waiting for Elijah¡¯s downfal Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened, and without a word, he dashed out of the caf¨¦. Elysia was left bewildered. ¡°Hey, you¡­¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only By the time she ran outside, Tarquin was powhere to be seen. over being stood up and hopped on her Uncertain whether something had happened to Elijah, she momentarily pushed aside her anger o scooter, racing towards Sunshine Community. The winter was harsh, with snow falling thick and fast Elysia stumbled several times on the way, finally arriving at Sunshine Community out of breath. As she approached the entrance, a woman¡¯s scream pierced the air ¨C ¡°Ah! Ah! Ah¡­¡± Before Elysia could react, a woman dressed to the nines came tumbling down the stairs, crashing at her feet. 1/2 09:59 Elysia was stunned. ¡°Madam!¡± A man nished over, showing Elysia aside to help the fallen woman. The man¡¯s push was forceful, sending Elysia sprawling several feet away 09 Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Chapter 192 As Elysia teetered on the brink of falling, a strong hand abruptly sped her arm and yanked her upright with a forceful tug She nced up at the man who had saved her from a nasty spill, her heart pounding with the close call. Today had been a frightening dance with gravity! On the ground, a woman was clutching her twisted ankle, barely managing to stand with the help of a passerby, her voice drenched in tears as she hurled usations of Torquin. s? You¡¯re trying to kill me! I¡¯m your father¡¯s own sister, and you treat me like this? Have ¡°This is a curse! You dare push me down the stairs? you no humanity? You disgraceful wretch¡­¡± Tarquen¡¯s grip on Elysia¡¯s arm didn¡¯t loosen. In fact, when he heard the woman¡¯s rant, his grip tightened, as though he intended to crush her bones. Wincing in pain, Elysia bit her lip and dared not make a sound. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Tarquin red at Allegra with a chilling aura and wamed her, ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience. If you dare mess with Elijah again, I won¡¯t be so nice!¡± His words seemed to be squeezed out through clenched teeth. They sounded as if they were uttered from the depths of Hades itself. Elysia risked a cautious look at him. He was staring at the woman with a gaze so murderous that Elysia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She had thought his looks were cold enough when directed at her, but now she realized that in her presence, he was practically tender The old woman was livid. ¡°You¡­ you want to murder me, your aunt! You¡¯ll get yours in the end! No, you¡¯re already getting it! Why do you think Elijah is in such a state? He¡¯s your retribution! The severity of Elijah¡¯s illness is proof of God¡¯s punishment upon you! Just you wait, God will take Elijah away from you as the ultimate punishment, and let him descend to hell¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Elysia couldn¡¯t help but blurt out in protest. For some reason, hearing this woman curse Elijah like that imitated her to no end. Allegra tumed her attention to Elysia, ¡°And who are you to talk to me like that? ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am. What matters is children shouldn¡¯t be dragged into the feuds of adults. They¡¯re innocent! Cursing a hell is simply vile!¡± ¡°How dare you! Who is this nobody speaking to me this way?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not important who I am, but you can¡¯t curse Elijah!¡± ¡°You wretch!¡± child to Allegra raised her hand to strike Elysia, but Tarquin pulled her behind him, shielding her and facing Allegra with a menacing re. ¡°Touch her and see what happens!¡± Allegra¡¯s raised hand hesitated, then retracted as she skeptically at Elysia. ¡°Is she the one who can save Elijah?¡± She hade in haste after receiving a tip¨Coff from N, intending on seeing Elijah¡¯s condition for herself. She had no wish for Elijah to survive! ¡°With no education and no certificate, you expect her to help? She Elijah! How foolish you must be to trust her,¡± Allegra¡¯s eyes were full of as she looked at Elysia. She¡¯s clearly just ashy woman using her looks to snare you by preying on Before Elysia could retaliate, Tarquin already spat out a waming, ¡°If you insult her again, il cut out your tongue right now!¡± Murderous intent was evident in his eyes. ¡°You¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made myself clear. This is yourst warning. Get out!¡± Allegra, both frightened and furious, spat out, ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯m leaving! You¡¯re here threatening me when you should be checking on Elijah. Just a moment ago I saw him quite agitated; he might not have long left!¡± With those words, she stormed off, limping from her fall. Once she was gone, Tarquin and Elysia rushed upstairs. 745 09:50 Chapter 192 They had barely reached the fifth floor when they heard Heath¡¯s cries, Elijah, don¡¯t scare mel Please wake up. Don¡¯t frighten me, you can¡¯t leave us like this. If you go, how can your father bear 117 Elijah, open your eyes. Tarquin¡¯s expression shifted rapidly, meing three steps of a time into the room. ¡°Elijah!¡± Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Elysia¡¯s heart was pounding like a drumline on parade day, her entire body shaking like a leaf in a storm. If it weren¡¯t for the wall the was clutching for dear life, she would have copsed right there on the spot. Her legs were like they¡¯d been swapped with someone else¡¯s; they wouldn¡¯t obey her, and wouldn¡¯t even lift off the ground. It wasn¡¯t until Tarquin¡¯s hysterical screams cut through the air again that she snapped back to reality and bolted up the stairs toward the sixth floor. When she burst into the room, Tarquin was desperately performing CPR on Elijah. Elijahy there as still as a statue, his eyes shut tight, his face as pale as a ghost, and his lips colorless and lifeless N?velDrama.Org owns this. Elysia felt a knot in her throat and tears cascaded down her cheeks. She copsed beside the bed, kneeling on the floor, her hands trembling as she reached for Elijah¡¯s wrist, searching for a pulse, But there was nothing. Elijah¡¯s heartbeat had vanished. Elysia¡¯s mind went nk, her heart felt as if it had been carved out, leaving a searing pain that made it hard to breathe. ¡°Needle, I need a needle¡­¡± she mumbled, desperate to give Elijah a needle treatment. But her hands were shaking so violently from panic and distress that she couldn¡¯t even hold the needle steady Elysia was frantic, her frustration boiling over into tears. ¡°Come on!¡± She wanted to calm down, to steady her hands and give Elijah the treatment, but the more she tried, the more she berated herself. ¡°Snap out of it!¡± she yelled, pping herself across the face with a force that left a bright red mark on her pale skin. The p wasn¡¯t just a wake¨Cup call for her; it also snapped Tarquin and Heath out of their daze. After a few stunned seconds, Tarquin leaped off the bed, bent down to scoop Elijah into his arms, ready to dash to the hospital. Elysia blocked him. ¡°There¡¯s no time! Put him down and let me try!¡± Tarquin hesitated. ¡°If we wait for you to drive him to the hospital, he¡¯ll be gone before we get there!¡± Elysia roared, shoving him aside. ¡°Strip him down. Get his clothes off, all of them!¡± While she directed Heath, she started to prepare the treatment ¡°There¡¯s medicine in my pocket. Crush a pill, mix it with water, and make him drink it!¡± Heath was peeling off Elijah¡¯s shirt when Tarquin, frowning in confusion, reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bottle. ¡°What is this?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s a lifesaver!¡± she snapped without looking up from her ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to give up on Elijah, then do as I say!¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t waste another second. He rushed to the kitchen and came back with a small bowl prepared with the crushed pill. h with a Elysia snatched the bowl and gently forced the medicine down Elijahs throat, then tenderly wiped his mouth As Benjamin arrived with the doctors and nurses, Elysiamanded, ¡°Perfect timing. Get him to the hospital, now!¡± In a whirlwind of urgency, they loaded Elijah onto the ambnce and sped toward the Hospital. a tissue. Before they even reached the emergency room, Elijah suddenly coughed violently. Everyone on board was stunned. His coughing brought color back to his cheeks. Elysia¡¯s eyes lit up with hope. She checked his breath, felt for his pulse, and then blurted out incoherently with joy, ¡°He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s awake. He¡¯se back to us!¡± Overwhelmed with relief, Elysia dived into Tarquin¡¯s arms, tears streaming down her face. ¡°He¡¯s okay! He¡¯s awake! He¡¯s the strongest little fighter in the world,¡± she sobbed. Tarquin, his own eyes red¨Crimmed, didn¡¯t push her away for the first time. Instead, he held her close, letting her cry her heart out in his embrace 09 Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Elysia was shaken, but Tarquin was even more so! If today were to im Elijah¡¯s life, it would be as though Tarquin himself had perished. Without Elijah in this world, there would be no Tarquin left to speak of! Heath and Benjamin were right there with him, tears streaming down their faces. Today had indeed scared them half to death! After the bustle at the hospital, and once it was clear that Elijah was out of danger, Elysia slipped away without a word, leaving the hospital behind. The snow was heavy today, and the air was bitterly cold, but the intense anxiety she had felt made her break into a heavy sweat. All she wanted was to head home, and take a long, hot shower to unwind. She didn¡¯t bother asking about Allegra¡¯s situation. She didn¡¯t want to pry into Tarin¡¯s family matters; her concern was for Elijah. Now that he was safe, she felt at peace. No sooner had Elysia left than Gideon Bradford arrived at the hospital with an imposing entourage in tow. Members from the main branch, along with some from the extended Bradford family had all converged. Dozens of them, crowding the corridors to the point of impassability. ¡°Tarquin, how is Elijah now?¡± Gideon asked, his face riddled with worry. Tarquin stood leaning against the rail, a cigarette in hand, staring nkly ahead, not sparing a nce nor a word for them. His face was ashen, the atmosphere around him heavy with tension. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Gideon, frowning deeply, shot an ominous re at Allegra! His men dumped Allegra in front of Tarquin. A p mark was visible on her cheek, and her clothes were stained with blood. It was clear, without needing to ask, that Gideon had enforced family discipline. Gideon then spoke to Tarquin, ¡°I know you¡¯re angry, and I¡¯m furious too! If I had known she was this malicious, I never would have let her be born! To think she¡¯d even attempt to harm the sole heir of the Bradford family, she deserves to die! Today, I bring her before you, with the authority to decide her fate in front of the entire Bradford family. Whatever punishment you deem fit, even death, is at your disposal!¡± Allegra was terrified as she pleaded, ¡°Dad, please! No! I know I¡¯ve made a mistake, and I never meant to harm Elijah. Who knew the kid would be so sensitive. Just seeing me set him off. I, I, I didn¡¯t want him dead, please¡­¡± Her sobs were loud and fearful, clearly shaken by Gideon¡¯s demeanor. Upon receiving the news, Gideon had stormed Allegra¡¯s home and beat her senseless. Seeing Gideon¡¯s indifference, she turned to the other family members, ¡°Please help me, beg for mercy on my behalf, please¡­¡± The rest of the Bradford family, knowing Gideon and Tarquin were truly enraged, each felt their own skin at 1/2 09:51 Chapter 194 risk. They hunched their shoulders, too afraid to utter a sound. No one darede forward to plead for Allegra. Gideon had summoned them as a warning, a demonstration that anyone who dared cross the sole heir of the Bradford family would meet this fate! Now, everyone wished they could vanish, so who would dare step forward and take the bullet? Gideon bellowed, ¡°Silence! What face do you have left to cry? As a Bradford, you dared to harm the family¡¯s only heir. It seems you¡¯re asking for death! Today you can poison Elijah, and tomorrow it could be me, and the day after, the entire Bradford family! You, you¡­¡± He swung his cane, striking Allegra repeatedly, blood streaming from her head on impact. Allegra, petrified, ignored the pain and turned to Tarquin for salvation, ¡°Tarquin, I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive my foolishness. I won¡¯t ever dare to cross Elijah again. Spare me this once, will you? Your grandfather wants to kill me, please¡­¡± Tarquin remained expressionless. Ever since the Bradford family had appeared, not a single flicker of emotion had crossed his face. The heavier his silence, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. Just as everyone felt as if they were about to suffocate from the tension, Tarquin suddenly spoke up. 212 Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Chapter 195 ¡°Beat it. Scram!¡± Tarquin barked without specifying at whom, snuffing out the cigarette in his hand and striding toward Elijah¡¯s hospital room with his long legs. aly ¡°Tarquin¡­¡± Gideon tried to call out, but Lowell cut him off with a timely gesture, his tone neither warm nor cold, ¡°Mr. Bradford, please head on home and get some rest. Tarquin¡¯s got a lot on his mind right now and isn¡¯t in the mood for chitchat.¡± Gideon frowned. ¡°How¡¯s Elijah doing, anyway?¡± ¡°He¡¯s out of the woods now.¡± Hearing this, Gideon let out a relieved sigh. So did Allegra. The rest of the Bradfords, however, had mixed expressions. In the Bradford family, only Gideon didn¡¯t want Elijah to kick the bucket¨Che still had ns to use the boy to keep the others in line. The rest of them, though, wouldn¡¯t mind if the sole heir bit the dust sooner rather thanter. There could only be one heir in the Bradford legacy, and Tarquin had only this one son¨Cthe sole heir to it all. If Elijah were to die, the spot for the heir would be up for grabs, and all their offspring would have a fair shot at the throne. The Bradfords were a cunning lot, each with more tricks up their sleeve than you could count. A bunch of schemers! Gideon shot Allegra a venomous look. ¡°Get back to your house and stay in there till I say otherwise. You¡¯re not to step out without my say¨Cso! Your branch of the family won¡¯t be meddling inpany affairs for a while. All the projects under your name will be transferred to me. I¡¯ll handle them personally!¡± Allegra¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of her skull! Being grounded was one thing, but being taken their branch¡¯s projects was tantamount to taking their lives! ¡°Dad, no way! I¡¯ll stay at home for as long as you want, but you can¡¯t take our projects away. We¡¯ve still got Lionel and his father¨Cthey can handle the business. Those projects are our livelihood; if you take them away, how are we supposed to live?¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve thought about that before you acted! You reap what you sow!¡± With that, Gideon huffed angrily and left, leaning on his cane. No one else dared to utter a word; they hung their heads and quickly left the hospital. Allegra was left sobbing her heart out. Once everyone had cleared out, Lowell¡¯s eyebrows knotted in anger as he cast a cold re in their direction. He was shocked to hear today¡¯s news. Allegra had really crossed the line¡­ 1/2 09:51 Chapter 195 As Heath reported, Allegra had burst in unannounced, barging into the room while Elijah was eating. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. The shock had triggered Elijah¡¯s condition, causing him to reflexively hurl things around. Allegra didn¡¯t soothe him or leave promptly, but instead berated Elijah for hisck of respect and manners. She even told Elijah his mother was long dead, and had died a horrible death! Believing her, Elijah copsed on the spot. Thankfully, Elysia was there; otherwise, who knows what might have happened to Elijah¡­ Now Elijah was out of danger, but if anything had happened to him, it wouldn¡¯t just be Tarquin after Allegra¨Cnone of them would let her off the hook! They had watched Elijah grow up. Although there was no blood rtion, he might as well have been their own flesh and blood! Lowell entered the hospital room, his eyes full of pity for the still unconscious young Elijah, and whispered to Tarquin, ¡°The Bradford lot has cleared out. I¡¯ve made arrangements; those snakes won¡¯t be slithering into Sunshine Community anymore.¡± Tarquin, gripping Elijah¡¯s hand, asked indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s Lionel Bradford up to these days?¡± Lionel was Allegra¡¯s son, taking after Allegra¡¯sst name. So he was technically a Bradford, too. ¡°Word is he¡¯s been running with some rich kids, and hasn¡¯t been home in ages. Rumor has it he¡¯s gotten into drugs.¡± ¡°Find out for sure. If he¡¯s using, notify Axel.¡± Axel never did anything by halves. Lowell got the message and nodded furiously. ¡°Got it!¡± As evening fell, Elijah woke up, and Benjamin immediately called Elysia. Elysia was thrilled. She had just finished cooking dinner for Elijah, packed it up, and was out the door at once. She didn¡¯t ride her bike this time; she took a taxi instead. After her fall earlier that day, she was too spooked to ride, and with the thick snow on the roads, it wasn¡¯t feasible anyway. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Chapter 196 At the hospital, Elysia didn¡¯t dare to barge into Elijah¡¯s room. Instead, she stood outside the door, peering in secretively. Watching the little guy in his hospital gown, sitting quietly by the window, gazing outside, she felt a mixture of relief and heartache. She remembered Benjamin telling her once how Elijah loved to sit by the window, waiting for his mom. He wanted to be the first to see her when she returned so he could dash out and leap into her arms. Elysia could almost picture the scene in her mind¡­ A beautiful, gentle woman suddenly appears outside the window, looks up at Elijah, and smiles, waving at him. ¡°Elijah, Mommy¡¯s back!¡± Overwhelmed with excitement, Elijah would rush out of the room, tumbling into his mommy¡¯s embrace¡­ What a wonderful picture that would be. At that moment, Elijah would surely feel like the happiest child in the world! s, why would a mother leave behind such an adorable son? Did she even know her child was sick from missing her so much? If she didn¡¯t know, that was one thing, but if she did, that was quite heartless! Noticing some movement, Tarquin turned his head and saw a little head quickly retract. Then it peeked out again, sneaky as ever. Realizing it was her, a flicker of emotion crossed Tarquin¡¯s eyes. He rose and walked towards the door of the room. Seeing him, Elysia said, ¡°I heard from Dr. Benjamin that Elijah woke up calm, as if he¡¯d forgotten everything that happened.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best. If he remembered, he might get agitated. I made him some chicken soup at home. Take it to him. He can¡¯t eat much else right now.¡± Hesitantly, Tarquin took the thermos, and after a moment, he managed to utter a ¡®thank you¡®. Elysia was startled. He could say thank you? Before she could react, Tarquin added, ¡°Wait for me afterward. I need to talk to you.¡± ¡°Uh? Oh, sure.¡± With the thermos in hand, Tarquin entered the room as Elysia continued her covert surveince. Opening the thermos, the aroma wafted out, and Tarquin¡¯s stomach embarrassingly growled. He hadn¡¯t eaten all day, and the worry for Elijah had drained him. He was famished. But clearly, Elysia hadn¡¯t prepared anything for him. The small portion was just enough for Elijah alone. He served a bowl of soup, stirring it until it cooled enough to eat, and set it before Elijah on the small 1/2 09:52 Chapter 196 round table. ¡°Elijah, time for soup.¡± Elijah nced at it, sensing something, and turned his head towards where Elysia was hiding. Elysia quickly ducked away, but in her haste, she bumped her head, wincing in pain and silently rubbing the sore spot. Tarquin caught a glimpse of her little ident, his expression subtly changing, but he remained silent. Elijah looked back at the soup and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t Daddy¡¯s cooking.¡± Tarquin was like, ¡°This time, he couldn¡¯t lie.¡± Elijah had been awake, and he¡¯d been by his side the whole time, with no chance to cook. ¡°Yeah, Daddy didn¡¯t make it, but it tastes good. Try it.¡± Elijah eyed the bowl of soup, hesitating. Both Tarquin and Elysia held their breath. Fortunately, Elijah¡¯s hesitation was brief. He didn¡¯t reject it outright and eventually picked up the spoon to take a taste. After a moment, he said nothing, simply nodding and continuing to sip the soup. Tarquin¡¯s heart settled back into ce. Outside, Elysia also took several deep breaths. If Elijah had refused to eat her cooking, she would have lost another chance to get close to him. After a while, Tarquin came out of the room, leaving Benjamin inside with Elijah. ¡°Let¡¯s talk on the terrace,¡± he suggested. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Huh? Can¡¯t we talk here?¡± Without responding, Tarquin turned and strode towards the terrace with long, purposeful steps. Elysia eyed his tall, retreating figure with suspicion and followed him out. Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Tarquin had sparked up a cigarette, his only sce against the chilly breeze that swept through the yard. But no sooner had he taken a drag than the wind changed course, sending the smoke billowing straight into Elysia¡¯s face. She coughed violently, her delicate features reddening with each sharp intake. Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed in concern, but Elysia just waved him off. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. If it helps you rx, go ahead.¡± Still, Tarquin hesitated for a brief moment before crushing the cigarette under his heel. Elysia couldn¡¯t help but sneak another nce at him, noticing a softness in his demeanor that was uncharacteristic of the man she knew. Her pulse quickened as she recalled the words Keaton had said over the phone just before her arrival at the hospital, making her all the more anxious. Breaking the silence, Tarquin spoke, ¡°I owe you one for today, for helping Elijah.¡± ¡°It was nothing!¡± ¡°What do you want in return?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want anything.¡± ¡°Come on, you¡¯ve earned a favor. I¡¯ll see it done whatever you ask.¡± Elysia blurted out, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± She looked straight into his eyes, her expression serious. ¡°You may not think much of me, and the feeling is mutual. So let¡¯s forget about any grand gestures of indebtedness. I can¡¯t ept that!¡± Beforeing to the hospital, Keaton had called her out of the blue. He had thanked her for saving Elijah and then hinted that someone was interested in a more¡­ personal form of gratitude. But Elysia wouldn¡¯t entertain the thought of being with that someone, not even for a second. She wanted to clear the air before things got awkward. But Tarquin hadn¡¯t considered that angle at all. His eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, ¡°Are you suggesting that I should offer myself to you?¡± Elysia¡¯s face flushed, her eyes widening in disbelief as she denied, ¡°No, not at all! Don¡¯t twist my words. Or was it you who was dropping hints?¡± ¡°Me? Never.¡± ¡°But you just said I could ask for anything. Doesn¡¯t that mean you were expecting me to bring it up?¡± Tarquin was at a loss for words. Was she being naive or was there a hidden meaning behind her words? Regardless, he wouldn¡¯t offer himself to anyone. ¡°My heart belongs to Elijah¡¯s mother. There¡¯s no chance of me being with another woman, so let¡¯s put that idea to rest. I was referring to other kinds of favors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief!¡± Tarquin gave her a probing look before adding, ¡°But since you saved Elijah, I am willing to grant you any 1/2 09:52 Chacher 197 favor but that¡® 1ddit save him for a reward.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only All she wanted now was to get a divorce from Tarquin, but Tarin didn¡¯t know Tarquin. And though she was in dire need of money, Tarin was broke and burdened with Elijah¡¯s medical bills. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask After all, saving Elijah had been her own choice, without any expectation ofpensation Tarquin watched her for a moment, then said, ¡°Fine, consider it a debt I owe you. If you ever need anythinge to me 1 don¡¯t need your favors either.¡± It was surprising to him. Many would bend over backward for the chance of such a debt, yet she was indifferent What he didn¡¯t realize was that in Elysia¡¯s eyes, he was nothing more than a pauper now. ¡°However Tarquin continued, ¡°if there¡¯s ever a conflict between us, I hope you¡¯llpromise once! Elysia¡¯s brow furrowed as she spoke with a seriousness that belied her usual demeanor She was thinking of the kids. If it ever came down to a custody battle, she hoped he¡¯d be on her side and grant her the right to keep them. ¡°What kind of conflict?¡± Tarquin asked, puzzled. Elysia pursed her lips and lied, ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. Just if.¡± ¡°Fine¡± he agreed. ¡°If that dayes, I¡¯ll let you have your way.¡± ¡°A gentleman¡¯s promise is his bond,¡± she reminded him. He nodded in acknowledgment, ¡°You have my word.¡± 2/2 Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Elysia¡¯s heart settled a notch, feeling like she was securing a safety for the future, Of course, she hoped that day would nevere, that the triplets¡® secret would stay just that¨Ca secret, Her phone chimed¨Ca new message. Elysia checked the screen and gasped, ¡°No way!¡± There was a deposit of ten thousand dors! She looked up at Tarquin, who was also on his phone, having just made the transfer, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°You saved Elijah. I couldn¡¯t just do nothing¨Cthat would weigh on my conscience.¡± Tarquin had wanted to send more, but thinking back to how Elysia reacted to getting money from the Denton family, he coolly removed a couple of zeros. She loved money but was timid; too much would surely scare her off. And sure enough, the ten thousand had already blown her away! After all, she was just an ordinary gal, and ten thousand was more than she might make in a year. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Take it,¡± Tarquin said, as if afraid she¡¯d refuse. ¡°Elijah loves your cooking. Consider it a fee for your culinary services.¡± Elysia hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll hold onto it! If Elijah craves anything, just let me know. As long as I¡¯m in Jindale City, I¡¯ve got his meals covered!¡± She¡¯d been skimping before, serving Elijah simple fare, heavy on the veggies. For a growing boy, that wasn¡¯t cutting it nutritionally. With the ten thousand, she could whip up something way more appetizing. ¡°And mine,¡± Tarquin added suddenly. ¡°Huh?¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t miss a beat, seizing the opportunity. ¡°Make extra. Elijah likes it when I join him for meals.¡± The logic was sound¨CI¡¯m not after your cooking; I just want to dine with my son. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Elysia hadn¡¯t expected this request and paused before agreeing cheerily, ¡°Deal!¡± ¡°And about that fifty million you owe me¨Cit¡¯s now just five million.¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she asked, ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You heard me,¡± Tarquin repeated. ¡°From today, you owe me five million dors.¡± Elysia couldn¡¯t believe it; he was shing the debt by forty¨Cfive million? 1/2 09:52 Chapter 198 ¡°So¡­ so you¡¯re saying I only have to pay you back five million now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Like, I¡¯m only in debt for five million?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not kidding me, right? This isn¡¯t some kind of joke, is it? Because I¡¯m taking this seriously Tarquin looked at her with a mix of disdain and amusement. ¡°If you don¡¯t ept, forget I mentioned it.¡± ¡°I ept it! I never said I didn¡¯t!¡± Would she be crazy to refuse? Though five million dors was still a daunting figure, it paled inparison to fifty million. Before, with a fifty million debt, she didn¡¯t see an end to it. An insurmountable debt, impossible to repay, it was a lifelong burden! But now it was down to five million¨Ca light at the end of the tunnel. Now, taking care of Elijah for ten thousand a day, she could be debt¨Cfree in less than two years! Elysia rubbed her hands together excitedly, her cheeks flushed, her eyes rolling around with anticipation as her thickshes fluttered wildly. Then, she let out a goofyugh. Tarquin just stared at her¡­ Elysia was buzzing with excitement, feeling both thrilled and relieved. ¡°You know,¡± she said, ¡°you¡¯re not that bad. You might not seem like the good guy, but you¡¯re not the worst, either. You have a conscience, though not a huge one, it¡¯s there¡­¡± He doesn¡¯t seem like a good guy? A conscience, though not a huge one? Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened. If this was her way of giving apliment, he wasn¡¯t sure whether to say thanks or something else entirely. 0 Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Chapter 199 ¡°Don¡¯t you n on settling down here in Jindale City?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only After today¡¯s events, Tarquin had gained a profound respect for Elysia. He wanted her to stay in Jindale City long¨Cterm, to look after Elijah. Instead of wiping out the entire fifty million debt, he had left a five million bnce, a little insurance on his part. He was concemed that someday she might decide to stop caring for Elijah, and he¡¯d have no leverage over her. The sudden shift in conversation made Elysia eye him suspiciously. ¡°No,¡± she stated tly. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t like this city.¡± Is it because of that scandal six years ago?¡± Tarquin ventured, which immediately caused Elysia¡¯s brows to furrow, her mood turning sour as she red at him. Thinking he¡¯d hit a nerve by bringing up the past, Tarquin hurried to smooth things over. ¡°Let bygones be bygones. If you want to make a life here in Jindale City, I can help you. You won¡¯t have to worry about being exposed online again, or about¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay in Jindale City! Mind your own business!¡± Elysia snapped, turning on her heel and storming off. Tarquin stood there, perplexed. ¡°What did I say to tick her off this time? She flips faster than a pancake!* Had he made a mistake by offering his help? Was she being ungrateful? Tarquin was seriously bummed out. That evening, Elysia was lost in thought. Blossom, ever the nosy friend, prodded until Elysia revealed, ¡°After I saved his son, he just handed me a hundred grand and knocked off forty¨Cfive million from my debt!¡± Blossom¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really? Well, that shows he¡¯s got some decency in him.¡± ¡°Yeah, I used to think he was good for nothing, but today¡¯s actions proved otherwise. But him suddenly being so concerned about whether I¡¯ll settle down here in Jindale City has me worried.¡± Blossom analyzed the situation. ¡°You saved his son today. He obviously doesn¡¯t want you to leave Jindale City¨Che wants you by Elijah¡¯s side.¡± ¡°I know, and that¡¯s what¡¯s freaking me out. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll try to stop me from leaving Jindale City. I don¡¯t want him paying too much attention to me. The more he does, the higher the chance he¡¯ll find out about the triplets.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ true that. So, what¡¯s your n? Gonna ditch Elijah and steer clear of this wild card?¡± Elysia frowned. ¡°I want to avoid him, but Elijah¡­ I feel a bond with that kid. I can¡¯t just abandon him.¡± ¡°So what now?¡± Elysia sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Maybe just take it one step at a time. Don¡¯t overthink it. If he¡¯s shown he has a conscience, that¡¯s a good thing. If he ever does find out about the triplets, we¡¯ll reason with him. The kids have a say too. If it ever came down to a custody battle, the court would listen to them, and they¡¯d surely want to stay with you.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± *So don¡¯t worry. Finding out he¡¯s not aplete viin is good news.¡± ? :?? ?? ? ? ? ?? ? ? Elysia nodded, somewhat reassured. It was better than dealing with a total monster. But any relief she felt, along with the smidgen of improved regard she held for him, vanished the next day. Because Lionel Bradford had died. Lionel, the only son of Allegra, was found dead early that moming in Military Courtyard, an overdose the cause. The incident, taking ce in the high¨Csecurity Military Courtyard, was immediately hushed up. Such a scandal, hinting atwlessness within the military¡¯s own ranks, would cause an uproar if it got out¨C questioning the very integrity of the military establishment. 1/1 Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Chapter 200 So, the higher¨Cups went straight to Gideon, insisting that the Bradford family handle the situation privately and swiftly. Gideon, of course, didn¡¯t want the family¡¯s reputation tarnished. He promptly announced that Lionel¡¯s death was due to a sudden, fatal reaction to alcohol. Not a whisper about drugs, and he wouldn¡¯t dare mention the notorious Military Courtyard One. Allegra was beside herself with grief, confronting Gideon, demanding justice, and using Tarquin of murdering her boy in an act of revenge against her! But Gideon¡¯s face turned stormy. Not only did he wash his hands of the matter, but he also pressured the Bradfords to bury Lionel post¨Chaste, forbidding any inquiry into the affair! Enraged, Allegra stormed the hospital to settle scores with Tarquin. Elysia was clueless about Lionel¡¯s fate, but as she brought Elijah his breakfast, she stumbled upon the scene. Allegra was shrieking like a banshee. ¡°You killed my son, you bastard Tarquin! I only had one boy, how could you be so cruel¡­ I admit I wronged Elijah, but he¡¯s still alive, isn¡¯t he? I¡¯ve apologized, so why harbor murderous thoughts against my Lionel? If you¡¯re angry, take it out on me, kill me! What kind of man goes after a child?¡± Child? Lionel was 33 for heaven¡¯s sake. Tarquin, with a cigarette dangling from his fingers, looked on with icy detachment. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Bring evidence and let the copse for me; otherwise, get lost.¡± Allegra roared,cking evidence to use him, but daring him to swear on Elijah¡¯s life that he wasn¡¯t involved. ¡°I swear, if I¡¯ve wronged you, may I be struck down by a car the moment I step outside! Do you dare say if you did it, let Elijah drop dead right now?¡± Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened ominously. ¡°If you¡¯re itching for a car ident, I can oblige.¡± His calm voice belied the storm raging within. He wasn¡¯t just arguing; he was issuing a serious warning, a threat. Elysia¡¯s heart pounded. She couldn¡¯t believe what she had overheard. Seeing his chilling demeanor, she felt an icy dread, even from a distance. ¡°Go on, kill me too!¡± Allegra yelled at Tarquin. Suddenly spotting Elysia, Allegra charged at her like she was a punching bag, yelling, ¡°You meddler! I¡¯ll kill you myself!¡± Yesterday, Elysia had saved Elijah from death¡¯s door, and the Bradfords all knew it. Elysia stepped back, startled by Allegra¡¯s frenzy. Just as Allegra lunged, a towering figure stepped in front of her, shielding herpletely. Before Allegra could get close, Tarquin sent her flying with a kick. He didn¡¯t nce at Allegra but turned to her husband, his voice heavy with an impending tempest, ¡°If you want to keep your ce in Jindale City, take her and get out. Now!¡± Allegra¡¯s husband, pale as a ghost, hauled her away without a word. Down the corridor, Allegra¡¯s voice echoed threats of doo ¡°You bitch, you wait! You¡¯re gonna die! If you can cure Elijah, you¡¯re lucky, and if you can¡¯t, you¡¯re gonna die! You¡¯re dealing with a demon now. I think you¡¯ve got a few days to live! You will die worse than my Lionel¡­¡± Elysia¡¯s face was ghostly pale, drained of color. Tarquin turned to her, frowning. ¡°Scared?¡± She was terrified, not by Allegra, but by the implications of her words. Had Elijah¡¯s near¨Cdeath yesterday driven Tarquin to¡­ to kill Allegra¡¯s son? Was he a murderer? Elysia gazed up at Tarquin, her eyes wide with terror. Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Chapter 201 It was the kind of terror that runs deep in the bones when facing a murderer! Tarquin frowned at her murderer¨Cstaring¡® look, clearly displeased. Quickly averting her gaze, Elysia shoved a lunchbox into his hands, ¡°This¡­ This is Elijah¡¯s breakfast. I¡¯ve got stuff to deal with back home, so¡­. I gotta run.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only With that, she turned and sprinted away, as if a murderer was hot on her heels. Tarquin watched her retreat, his expression darkening. Benjamin humed over and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up with Ms. Thome? She seemed all flustered when she left. She didn¡¯t even respond to my hello¡± Tarquin pushed the thermos into Benjamin¡¯s arms. ¡°I need a smoke!¡± With that he stormed off. Benjamin was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? You two had a row? She¡¯s all panic¨Cstricken, and you look like you¡¯ve been wronged big time. It¡¯s been just a moment, and you¡¯re at odds again?¡± Everyone knew that Elysia had saved Elijah, and Tarquin¡¯s attitude towards her hadpletely changed. They even embraced each other emotionally in the ambnce¡­ It was a silver lining that everyone around Tarquin was relieved to see. Lowell and Keaton were even more enthusiastic, wishing the two could just get married on the spot. If they got together Tarquin wouldn¡¯t have to suffer the pangs of unrequited love anymore. They believed that Elysia could bring Tarquin happiness, much more than that woman whose whereabouts were uncertain. And yet, just a few hours in, they were at odds again? Tarquin stood on the balcony, smoking, his mood sour. Allegra misunderstanding him didn¡¯t bother him much, but Elysia¡¯s misunderstanding really got under his skin. He summoned Lowell and asked, ¡°What exactly happenedst night?¡± Lowell was Tarquin¡¯s right¨Chand man, with a status simr to his own. However, his temperament was entirely different from Tarquin¡¯s. Lowell was about the same height as Tarquin, simr in personality ¨C both were men of few words and rather cold demeanor. Lowell responded emotionlessly, ¡°By the time I got there, Lionel was already dead, killed by an enemy.¡± ¡°Which enemy?¡± ¡°Last month, Lionel and a buddy had their eyes on a college girl, dragged her into a hotel, and assaulted her. The girl reported to the police, but without evidence, nothing could be done. Instead, Lionel and his friends ndered her, iming she was promiscuous and that she had seduced them for their money, andter tried to ckmail them. The girl was dishonored, her reputation ruined, and she was expelled from school. A few days ago, she found out she was pregnant, so she confronted Lionel and got beaten up and assaulted again. In her rage, shemitted suicide. The girl was an orphan, living only with her brother. They were very close, and her brother happened to be serving in Military Courtyard. Last night, taking advantage of their drug use, he sneaked into the room and injected Lionel with a lethal dose.¡± Tarquin frowned and asked, ¡°if those guys harassed his sister, why did he only kill Lionel?¡± Lowell replied tersely. ¡°The exact reason is unclear, but Gideon had approached him before the incident.¡± Tarquin was silent. That exined why only Lionel was killed while the others were spared. Gideon wanted only Lionel dead! Gideon was using Allegra¡¯s situation to warn the Bradford family to stay in line and not mess with Elijah. At the same time, he was drawing fire towards Tarquin! With Lionel¡¯s death at this critical time, no one would suspect Gideon. They¡¯d all think Tarquin killed Lionel to avenge Elijah! Only those close to him would know that murder wasn¡¯t his style. If he disliked someone, he¡¯d just make their life a living hell. Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Chapter 202 ¡°Nobody knows for sure, but ever since the incident, Gideon¡¯s people have been on the hunt for that girl¡¯s brother. I reckon they¡¯re aiming to silence him for good.¡± Tarquin furrowed his brows. ¡°Find him and send him to Charlie¡¯s,¡± Lowell asked, ¡°To Charlie¡¯s to chip rocks?¡± ¡°Better than ending up dead at Gideon¡¯s hands.¡± In today¡¯s world, life¡¯s already stacked against the poor. If you¡¯ve got money and power, you¡¯re set. Without it, you¡¯re nothing. Too many have suffered and died in silence, just like that girl! Lionel¡¯s death was a heavy sin, but why should her brother pay the price? The darkness in society runs deeper than most folks realize, with only glimpses shown in movies. Rich brats like Lionel, with their endless dirty deeds, are a dime a dozen! His death should be a cause for celebration! That girl¡¯s brother is not a criminal here; he¡¯s a hero! But Gideon¡¯s clever, using others to do his dirty work. Looks like Tarquin had been too lenient with him lately. Time to crack him down again! ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Meanwhile, Elysia returned home and immediately burrowed into her nkets, shivering. She was terrified. Though she wasn¡¯t sure if he had actually killed anyone, the fear was real. Normally, if someone was falsely used, they¡¯d defend themselves. But when Allegra used him, he stayed silent. Why didn¡¯t he refute it? Deep down, she believed he was the murderer. The thought of dealing daily with a murderer was enough to terrify her, especially given her timid nature. And what about Allegra¡¯s threats? If she couldn¡¯t cure Elijah, would he turn on her? After all, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. Now, he was filled with hope for her. Elysia¡¯s mind was a mess, torn between feeling wrong for presuming guilt without evidence and the fear of getting too close to that man, which felt increasingly dangerous. The next day, Elysia still went to the hospital to deliver breakfast for Elijah. But she didn¡¯t go to Elijah¡¯s room directly. She asked Benjamin to deliver it instead, and she kept up with Elijah¡¯s condition through Benjamin. It was clear she was avoiding Elijah¡¯s father. Benjamin, puzzled, took the food to Elijah¡¯s room and asked Tarquin, ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and Ms. Thorne? Why is she avoiding you?¡± Tarquin looked up and asked, ¡°She was here?¡± ¡°Yeah, came and left. Here, she asked me to bring breakfast for Elijah.¡± Tarquin¡¯s mood soured immediately. Benjamin said, ¡°With Elijah¡¯s situation, I thought this might bring you two closer, maybe even patch things up. Why did it onlyst a day? We¡¯re all in this together; why not just clear the air?¡± Tarquin scowled, ¡°You might consider her one of us, but that doesn¡¯t mean she feels the same. Stop wasting your time warming up to someone who¡¯s cold.¡± Benjamin was taken aback. ¡°What do you mean?¡± If she saw Tarquin as one of her own, she wouldn¡¯t lump him in with the Bradfords and misjudge him. ¡°Not everyone can be considered ¡®one of us¡®. Don¡¯t cheapen yourself.¡± Despite his sharp words, Benjamin suggested, ¡°Whatever the issue, bring it out into the open, instead of this silent treatment.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s giving silent treatment?¡± ¡°She¡¯s avoiding you, and you are making snide remarks behind her back. If that¡¯s not silent treatment, what is?¡± 1/2 09:47 Chapter 02 Tarquin frowned, ¡°If she wants a silent treatment standoff, she¡¯s got to be in my league first.¡± Implying that Elysia wasn¡¯t even qualified to have a silent treatment with him. Benjamin was speechless again, but before he could say anything else, Tarquin had already left the room. Feeling down, Tarquin decided to crash Allegra¡¯s memorial service for Lionel. Normally, funerals took a few days of preparation, but given Lionel¡¯s unique circumstances, both the higher¨Cups and Gideon were eager to have him buried as soon as possible. So, the funeral was set for that moming. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Tarquin was in a foul mood, and as his right hand man, Lowell saw right through it. Driving down the highway, he tried to lighten the atmosphere. ¡°Tarquin, if something¡¯s eating at you, why don¡¯t you just hash it out with Ms. Thorne? No point in bottling it up. You keep this up, and it¡¯s clear Ms. Thorne¡¯s feeling it too.¡± Tarquin¡¯s reply was icy. ¡°And what¡¯s her difort to you?¡± Lowell¡¯s smile was strained. ¡°Nothing, but it¡¯s obvious she¡¯s getting under your skin, and it¡¯s tough watching you like this.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ve seen this how? What, are you psychic now?¡± Lowell barely managed a chuckle. ¡°Come on, even an idiot could see it! Ms. Thorne¡¯s been a godsend to Elijah, and besides, she¡¯s ady. Even if she¡¯s at fault, we could afford to be a bit more gracious and give her some ck.¡± ¡°N¡¯s been good to Elijah too. Am I supposed to bend over backwards for her as well?¡± ¡°That¡¯s different. N ter and Ms. Thorne aren¡¯t in the same league. N¡¯s efforts are, well, laughable, but Ms. Thorne¡¯s a stand¨Cup woman.¡± ¡°If she¡¯s so great, from now on, you can stick with her and leave me be!¡± Lowell sighed. Every time Tarquin had a spat with Elysia, he¡¯d turn into an unreasonable kid. ¡°Tarquin¡­¡± ¡°Zip it!¡± The funeral was a spectacle. The Bradfords were abuzz with whispers at the sight of Tarquin. ¡°Why¡¯s he here?¡± ¡°No idea. Didn¡¯t hear about him being invited. Maybe Gideon requested his presence?¡± ¡°Hardly. He wouldn¡¯t be that senile. Inviting him¡¯s like asking for trouble.¡± Tarquin hadn¡¯t been invited; he came unasked. His arrival sent a chill through the Bradfords, who watched him, uneasy and silent. Allegra, weeping in front of the chapel, saw Tarquin and screamed, ¡°Why are you here? Who let you in? Get out! Lionel wouldn¡¯t want you here, get out!¡± Tarquin ignored her. He wasn¡¯t there to mourn Lionel. Gideon, seated prominently among the guests, caught Tarquin¡¯s approach. Tarquin, hands in pockets, walked over, ignoring the murmurs of the crowd. But no one dared say a word, only Allegra¡¯s hysterical cries filled the air. Lowell moved to the chapel, lighting a candle for Lionel on Tarquin¡¯s behalf. Gideon frowned at Tarquin. ¡°Why did youe?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here for you,¡± Tarquin replied, lighting a cigarette and taking a seat.N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°You could¡¯ve just called. You know Allegra¡¯s got a bone to pick with you! Lionel just died, and here you are, adding to her grief. She¡¯s still your aunt, your dad¡¯s sister.¡± Tarquin scoffed. ¡°Her son¡¯s death isn¡¯t on me.¡± Gideon was puzzled. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re suggesting Lionel¡¯s death was my doing.¡± This piqued everyone¡¯s interest, no one wanting to miss out on the drama. Tarquin didn¡¯t hesitate to give them something to talk about. He summoned Lionel¡¯s father Larry, the folks from Verity¡¯s side of the family, and even the elders to join in. Gideon, clueless about Tarquin¡¯s intent and visibly annoyed, pressed, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Some things don¡¯t add up. Thought I¡¯d get some rity from you here, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Why air this in front of everyone? Couldn¡¯t you have said it over the phone?¡± 1/1 09:47 Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Chapter 204 ¡°Talking face to face is the only way to make things clear¡± Gideon was visibly upset. ¡°Then out with it. What¡¯s the deal?¡± Tarquin¡¯s expression was nonchalent as he said, ¡°I just wanted to ask you what you were discussing with Mike before Lionel¡¯s incident?¡± Mentioning Mike caused Gideon¡¯s expression to shift dramatically! He red, eyes fixed intently on Tarquin. The crowd, keen observers all, sensed something was amiss, stirring whispers among themselves, ¡°Who¡¯s Mike?¡± I think I know. A while back, Lionel and his crew bullied a girl. She ended up taking her own life, and Mike was her brother.¡± ¡°Does this mean Lionel was killed by Mike?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a nobody. Without someone backing him, he¡¯d never get close to Lionel. I bet he¡¯s just a pawn, there¡¯s gotta be a mastermind behind the scene.¡± Everyone tumed towards Gideon, their eyes filled with varying degrees of suspicion. Gideon¡¯s face turned beet red as he yelled, ¡°Nonsense! Tarquin, are you suggesting I had Mike kill Lionel?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just curious why you were meeting Mike before the incident and why you sent people after Mike afterward. What could Mike possibly have done to offend you so much, Grandpa?¡± Tarquin might as well have had silencing a witness written all over his face. Gideon, struggling for breath, hisposure lost, retorted, ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t even know this Mike.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Calm as ever, Tarquin produced a photograph. It showed Gideon and Mike in mid¨Cconversation. The evidence was as loud as a p to the face. Gideon stood up so fast from his chair it might as well have been a jump. The crowd was in shock. Tarquin didn¡¯t outright use Mike of being the murderer. But with the conversation taking this turn, the Bradfords, sharp as they were, got the gist Tarquin then reverted to his usual cold demeanor ¡°Elijah is my life. Whoever dares to target my Elijah won¡¯t face death from my hands, but a fate worse than death!¡± He rose, looking down on Gideon. ¡°And another thing, don¡¯t treat me, Tarquin, like a fool. If you¡¯re nning to use me or frame me, you better check if you¡¯ve got the brains or the means for it!¡± With that parting shot, he left. Silence enveloped the room. After what felt like an eternity, Allegra suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Gideon¡¯s wrist, kneeling before him with eyes brimming with tears. ¡°Dad! Tell me, what¡¯s going on?¡± Gideon, gasping for air, pushed Allegra away, roaring, ¡°You believe Tarquin¡¯s divisive words? Foolish With that, Gideon left the scene, escorted by his bodyguards. Allegra was heartbroken as she screamed, ¡°Dad! You¡¯ve destroyed your own daughter! You might as well have taken my life directly¡­¡± The rest of the Bradfords exchanged looks between Allegra¡¯s despair and Gideon¡¯s retreating figure, shocked! They all thought Tarquin was behind Lionel¡¯s demise, but now¡­ Back in his car, Gideon passed out from sheer rage, revived only by a quick¨Cacting nitroglycerin pill administered by his confidant. The confidant tried to soothe him, ¡°Sir, please calm down. Although Tarquin publicly used you, he has no proof! Without evidence, its just his word against yours. No one will believe him!¡± ¡°Quick, get in touch with Baby ET¡¯s Support One. I want to talk to them today! As long as they¡¯re willing to support me, I¡¯ll hand over that iter today!¡± Mentioning the item, the confidant¡¯s eyes widened as he asked, ¡°Sir, are you sure?¡± ¡°Do it- Gideon¡¯s voice was a hysterical roar. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Elliot was in the midst of a typical day of kindergarten when the smartwatch in his pocket buzzed, with a squint, he excused himself and headed to the bathroom. His attention had always been on Tarquin and people around Tarquin, making it easy for him to spot when Gideon reached out. Gideon¡¯s confidant messaged him. Hey, my boss urgently needs your skills. We¡¯ve attached a token of our sincerity. Please check it t] Elliot squinted at the image that popped up, taken aback by what he saw. Gideon wanted to use that it Item for a deal? Did Gideon even grasp its value? Did he know how rate it was? Even Elliot and Tarquin didn¡¯t have it! Rumer had it Tarquin had been on a wild goose chase for this item, with no luck so far. But with this item, what couldn¡¯t they achieve? What was Gideon nning that he needed Elliot, when he had such a trump card? After a moment, Elliot typed back, [With that in your hands, you could do anything. Whye to me?] The reply came swiftly, My boss said it¡¯s great, but it¡¯s a one¨Cshot deal. Using it on the wrong thing would be a waste.] Meaning, trading it with him could aplish more. Elliot got it Gideon was indeed a sly fox! [ll make a deal, but I only agree to help you with three tasks, within my moral and legal boundaries, and within my capabilities.] There was a brief pause before the response came, [Deal! How shall we deliver the item? [§±l send you a locationter Just leave it there, and someone will pick it up). [Great! My boss hopes you can swiftly uncover who breached the Bradford Group¡¯s security and swiped billions from the Bradford family¡¯s dealings overnight] Elliot squinted again, tasked with investigating himself¡­ Revealing his identity to Gideon was off the table! But he couldn¡¯t just pin it on someone else; he had to maintain integrity. How to reply needed careful thought. [That¡¯s the first task. I¡¯ll get you the information as soon as I have it. Elliot replied. [Thank you, looking forward to a fruitful coboration] Elliot didn¡¯t respond, lost in thought as he stared at the photo of the item. is going ing all out against Tarquin! And this item was exactly what Tarquin had been searching for Gideon was What if he leaked hints of its existence? Tarquin would surely make a move, offering terms for it! Could he use it to make Tarquin divorce his mom? After all, as precious as the item was, it paled inparison to Elysia¡¯s happiness. Pondering, Elliot toyed with his smartwatch for a bit. Soon, the news that Gideon was trading the item for the services of a top hacker, was buzzing in Tarquin¡¯s ears. Tarquin, in the middle of an executive meeting, stormed out upon hearing it. Back in his office, he demanded. ¡°Is this reliable?¡± Lowell showed him the tablet. ¡°Absolutely. It all over the dark web, posted by Baby ET¡¯s Support One himself.¡± Using ¡®Baby ET¡¯s Support One¡® as his alias, known simply as Mr. E. Elliot had stirred the dark web with a post, using the image Gideon sent him N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. [With the right offer, ill make your wishese true!] Thements section exploded with shock and envy. (OMG! It¡¯s surfaced again! Shocked!] [Who¡¯s asking Mr. E for a favor with such a bounty? Must be a matter of great importance) [Only someone influential could possess this, could it be the government?) heard our government has one, and it¡¯s been coveted by foreign powers and traitors! Could this be It? Chapter 205 is the government fecing a dilemma, hoping Mr. E can solve (17) Others eximed I thought it was a myth, but it¡¯s reall To possess it means¡­ OMG! I¡¯ve been living under a rock!] Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Tarquin was scrolling through his tablet with a determined look. ¡°Make contact now!¡± hemanded. Lowell knew Tarquin had been on the hunt for this for a while, and he understood the reason behind it, but ¡°Given Mr. Ex fondness for the item, he might not be willing to part with it even if we want it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make him an offer he can¡¯t refuse. Let him name his price!¡± Hmm, and what about Gideon? If he¡¯s asked Mr. E to find the person who breached our system, and that person is both talented and wealthy, it could spell trouble for us if Gideon gets to him first¡± Tarquin frowned. Forget him for now Let¡¯s secure this item first!¡± . ¡°Alright then.¡± Lowell began to reach out to Baby ET¡¯s Support One¡°. But despite sending numerous messages, there was no response. Tarquin was visibly annoyed by this! Little did he know, Mr. E was actually his eldest son. At the moment, his son was surrounded by a group of little girls, too busy to respond to his messages, his favor. It was recess, and the girls were showering Elliot with gifts in an attempt to win One girl offered him choctes, another gave him a pack of marshmallows, and there were those who presented stickers, colored papers, and even y Doh ¡°Elliot, if you ept my gift, you¡¯ll have to marry me, okay? A man of his word can¡¯t go back on his promise!¡± Elliot was baffled. Did I ept? Did I even say anything? Before he could speak up, another girl chimed in, ¡°Elliot can¡¯t marry you because he just got my has to be my husband. He can only have one wife, so if he mamies me, he can¡¯t marry you!¡± ¡°But I want to marry him too!¡± ¡°Then go find Evan or Emmett.¡± ¡°No way, Evan and Emmett already have their crushes¡± marshmallows. If he eats my treat, he Evan and Emmett¡¯s crushes were none other than their beloved mommy. They dered their undying love for her and her alone! Elliot had said the same, but these girls weren¡¯t having any of it ¡°What do we do then? We all want to marry Elliot!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea. Let¡¯s ask Elliots mom to have more kids just like him, then we won¡¯t have to fight over him.¡± ¡°Right, that¡¯s a great n.¡± So, the girls surrounded Elliot, saying, ¡°Elliot, when you go home today, could you talk to your daddy and mommy? Tell them to try harder and have more kids like you. That way, we won¡¯t have to fight over you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine! Nine more, and that should be enough for all of us!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not asking for much. Even if the new kids don¡¯t look like you or Evan, resembling Emmett would be fine too.¡± ¡°Elliot, our happiness is in your hands. Please talk to your parents tonight and get them to work on Elliot was exasperated. He wasn¡¯t a fan of the constant chatter from the girls. But his mommy had taught him that a boy must always be a gentleman, especially towards girls, and treat them with respect. With a sigh, Elliot replied. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have to disappoint you. My daddy and mommy won¡¯t be having any more kids.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± the girls pressed. Elliot couldn¡¯t tell them his parents were considering divorce. Instead, he said, ¡°Because my daddy¡­ he¡¯s not capable anymore.¡± ¡°Ah? Not capable? Is your daddy sick? Is he dying?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s not dying anytime soon. But he¡¯s got a condition that means he can¡¯t have more kids with my mommy¡± And so, the news that ¡°Elliot¡¯s daddy can¡¯t have kids anymore¡± spread like wildfire throughout the kindergarten. Even the kids in the younger sses heard about it! Some of the girls were particrly emotional. The thought of Elliot¡¯s parents not being able to have more kids, and thus their chances of marrying him dwindling, brought them to tears. 09:29 Chapter 206 R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°I don¡¯t want Elliot¡¯s daddy to be sick. I want him to have more kids, waaah¡­¡± ¡°I want Elliot¡¯s daddy to have kids tool Wasah¡­¡± Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Chapter 207 The rumor mill was running wild, and by the time it reached the teacher, Mr. Miller, it had morphed into something utterly bizare. ¡°Mr. Miller, you¡¯ve got to call the principal. Let him have a word with Elliot¡¯s dad. The poor guy¡¯s in a bad way, and he can¡¯t have kids wnymore¡­ Mr. Miller was taken aback by the news While heforted the little girl, wiping away her tears, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Shoy Elliot¡¯s dad in a man, and you know, men don¡¯t give birth to babies.¡± ¡°But i want Elliot¡¯s dad to have babies! And he needs to have nine of them¡± The teacher was puzzled. ¡°Why nine?¡°. Because we¡¯re short by nine husbands¡± The innocence of children, Mr. Miller thought. When Blossom heard this, she had just taken a sip of her coffee. And she spat it out! All over the colleague she was gossiping with. She didn¡¯t even pause to apologize before blurting out, ¡°The schoolgirls want Elliot¡¯s dad to have babies?¡± ¡°Yep! That¡¯s the talk of the day. Our little girls have been in tears over it! Didn¡¯t you hear the wails downstairs just now? ¡°I thought I heard something, but I had no idea it was over this¡­ Are they all calmed down now? What did you say to them?¡± ¡°I had Elliot tell them that he¡¯d talk to his dad when he got home, to take good care of himself, and maybe, just maybe, try harder to bring these nine sons into the world. Blossom was in stitches! First she nearly choked on her drink, and now, she was dying ofughter! Elysia couldn¡¯t believe her ears when she heard the story. It was ridiculous, exasperating, and yet, somehow, hrious. The world of children is simple and yet so fantastical, their thoughts so wild and free But thinking of Elijah, her smile froze, and she couldn¡¯t help but sigh While most children¡¯s worlds were full of vibrant colors and life, Elijah¡¯s was a desert storm of confusion and fog. Elysia¡± Hearing her name, Elysia snapped back to reality Callum had taken a seat across from her. He had reached out to her for a meet¨Cup today, mentioning something important to discuss. They decided on a coffee shop near the hospital, conveniently where she had just finished delivering lunch to Elijah, making her arrival at the cafe slightly ahead of Callum. ¡°Sorry, the parking was a nightmare, took me forever to find a spot,¡± Callum said. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ve only been here a minute myself.¡± Callum signaled for the waiter, ordering two cups of coffee before he began apologetically. ¡°About ut that mess with Tarquin, I¡¯m really somy. I¡¯d just gotten back from abroad when Tarquin hit me up asking for a favor. Didn¡¯t think much of it until it was toote.¡± ¡°I never saw iting, either.¡± To think Tarquin, of all people, capable of such deceit! She had him pegged as a man of integrity, never imagining¡­ ¡°You and Tarquin go way back?¡± Elysia asked. Callum nodded. ¡°I met him overseas, and I have known him for years.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you educated here?¡± ¡°Yeah, but my family moved abroad early on. I met Tarquin before I came back for university. He¡¯s been overseas for a while too.¡± ¡°Ah, that exins it And Tarin?¡± That meeting, Tarquin was a no¨Cshow but Tarin unexpectedly appeared. Before she could probe further, Elijah had his emergency. Callum hesitated, not wanting to deceive Elysia, especially since she was close to Winona. After that day, Keaton had filled him in on Turquin and Elysia¡¯s situation. Though Keaton hadn¡¯t shared much, he got the gist: Tarquin had concealed his true identity from Elysia, going by Tarin! 09:29 Chapter 207 ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Callum fumbled for words, ¡°Met him overseas too.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been abroad?¡± ¡°Yeah, his family was well¨Coff.¡± ¡°Well, they were. But now they¡¯re bankrupt Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Callum remained silent for a moment, sipping his coffee awkwardly to ease the tension before turning ¡°I heard you were looking for Tarquin. If you trust me, you can tell me, and I¡¯ll pass the message along¡± Elysia¡¯s lips quivered slightly, but she shook her head in refusal, Bound by a secret marriage and a non¨Cdisclosure agreement, she couldn¡¯t even confide in Blossom, let alone anyone else. ¡°I need to speak to him in person.¡± ¡°Well, you might be disappointed then. He doesn¡¯t seem to want to see youtely.¡± Elysia frowned, her frustration bubbling over. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Even if he¡¯s swamped, he could make time to see me! It feels like he¡¯s avoiding me! I¡¯m not some kind of monster, what¡¯s so hard about meeting me?¡± Callum was just as clueless about Tarquin¡¯s reasons and could only offer a helpless shrug Seeing that Elysia wouldn¡¯t divulge her reasons for wanting to see Tarquin, Callum didn¡¯t press further, steering the conversation elsewhere. ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset. Tarquin is a hard man to read. When he¡¯s ready to see you, he¡¯ll reach out. Just be patient. I came here not just to apologize but also to ask about Winona¡¯s overseas movie shoot. What did Zane and Blossom tell you?¡± The mention of Winona cooled Elysia¡¯s temper slightly. ¡°Is there news about Winona?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Callum frowned lightly and said, ¡°The news I¡¯ve got might be a bit different from what you¡¯ve heard, so I wanted to check in with you.¡± Elysia tensed up, recounting to Callum what Zane and Blossom had shared with her. Callum shared, ¡°Winona¡¯s agent did indeed hype up a secretive big project, telling everyone to stay tuned for a blockbuster surprise! But word on the street is, she¡¯s been gallivanting abroad for over a year, with no news of her working on any new film.¡± ¡°How could that be? Could it be that only the actors had to sign NDAs and not the agent? But Zane clearly said he couldn¡¯t even reach Winona¡¯s agent ¡°It¡¯s either Zane lied, or there¡¯s something up with Winona¡¯s side. I had my people check, and there¡¯s no record of Winona leaving the country.¡± Dysia¡¯s heart skipped a beat! She widened her eyes, ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± ¡°Positive! Winona hasn¡¯t been spotted, and if I¡¯m not mistaken, she didn¡¯t even leave Jindale City.¡± ¡°Crash-¡± Elysia identally shattered her coffee cup, spilling dark coffee all over herself and the floor. Stunned, she stood up, frozen in ce. Callum quickly asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± The waiter rushed over, assuming her pale face was from the shock of breaking the cup, and reassured, ¡°No worries, miss. I¡¯ll get you another cup right away¡± After the waiter cleaned up, Elysia sat back down, her brows furrowed. ¡°If Winona didn¡¯t leave the country, or even Jindale City, why hasn¡¯t she contacted anyone? She didn¡¯t reach out to Blossom and Zane, not even her parents. Wait, have you tried contacting her agent?¡± Callum¡¯s expression grewplicated, ¡°Her agent¡¯s gone off the radar.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Right after I found out Winona hadn¡¯t left the country, I tried reaching her agent. But the calls go unanswered, and there¡¯s no reply to messages. Even her close rtives and friends can¡¯t reach her,¡± The waiter brought over a fresh cup of coffee, and Elysia, trembling slightly, took a sip. The coffee was bitter, but she couldn¡¯t taste it, feeling numb. She had been harboring doubts about Winona¡¯s disappearance for over a year. Now, those doubts intensified Something might have truly happened to Winonal Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Chapter 209 After parting ways with Callum, Elysia wandered the streets, lost in thought and deeply troubled. The situation with Winona weighed heavily on her mind. Winona hadn¡¯t left the country, she might not even have left Jindale City, and now even her agent was unreachable. These odd circumstances all pointed to one homifying conclusion: Winona was in trouble! Images shed through Elysia¡¯s mind, unbidden and terrifying¡­.. Dark, filthy basements hidden away from the light of day. Disfigured performers on the stage of a bustling cereus. Cold merciless iron cages. Bleached bones scattered across deste wildemess. Even girls being trafficked to the Myan District¡­ Each image sent shivers down Elysia¡¯s spine. She was already faint hearted, getting scared for months on end by a single horror movie. Now, with these gruesome images flooding her mind, she was petrified. She tried to reassure herself, ¡°Winona¡¯s fine, Winona¡¯s fine, stay calml But no matter how much she tried to convince herself, the terrifying images kept surging forward¡­ ¡°Screech- ¡°Honk! Honk! Honk!¡°: A ck sedan suddenly swerved towards the guardrail, cousing other vehicles to m on their brakes in a panic! People honked their homs in frustration, cursing, ¡°Leam how to drive, psychol ¡°If you wanna die, go do it somewhere elsel Domn, scared the hell outto me!¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Ignoring everything, the driver of the sedan, after failing to break through the guardrail on his first try, reversed and, with increased speed, crashed through it again! Realizing the danger, bystanders yelled, ¡°Lady, run! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± The roaring engine of the sedan and the shouts of the crowd snapped Elysia out of her daze. Seeing the ck sedan charging towards her, her eyes widened in terrori In her panic, she froze, unable to move. Holding her breath, she watched the sedan approach, screaming in fright, ¡°Aaah- ¡°Crash! Boom-¡± A van suddenly appeared, mming into the ck sedan and leaving a huge dent in its side. Realizing things weren¡¯t going his way, the sedan¡¯s driver tried to flee, turning the steering wheel frantically. But the van didn¡¯t give him a chance! Backing up a few meters, it elerated again, ramining into the sedan and sending it flying. After tumbling through the air, the sedan crashed to the ground with a heavy thud The van didn¡¯t stop there; it powered forward, pushing the sedan towards a tree until it waspletely wrecked. Passersby and drivers, forgetting to scream, stared in shock at the scene unfolding before them, as if they were watching a live¨Caction Fast & Furious movie! The driver of the sedan, his legs useless and covered in blood,y unconscious in the wreck. Tarquin red at him before unbuckling his seat belt and calling Lowell, ¡°Here, near the hospital on Minster Road Wake him up and get some answers before the cops show up!¡± It was clear the driver was targeting Elysia, intending to kill her If Tarquin hadn¡¯t received a call from Benjamin about Elijah waking up and decided to visit the hospital, Elysia might have ended up a casualty of the sedan¡¯s rampage. After giving his instructions, Tarquin hurried out of the van and ran towards Elysia. Elysia stood frozen, pale as a ghost. Chapter 209 Tarquin approached. ¡°Elysia!¡± Elysia looked up, her face a picture of shock. She was already pale, but now she was even more so, Her lips trembled, unable to utter a sound. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Chapter 210 ¡°Hey¡­¡± Tarquin said, hoping to offer Elysian fewforting words, but before he could finish, she cop into his arms like a house of cards caught in a gust of wind The ordeal with Winona had already scared her half to death, and thistest fright had shattered her last bit of defiance. Her heart couldn¡¯t withstand the immense terror and she lost consciousness entirely Caught off guard, Tarquin instinctively reached out to catch her Elysia felt as light as a feather and as fragile as a leaf in the wind in his arms. If he let on, she would surely fall. Tarquin, unaware of the situation with Winona, thought she was merely scared by the recent ident. Without overthinking, he scooped her up in his arms and dashed toward the hospital The streets were choked with traffic, paralyzed in the rush hour. Not even bikes or scooters could squeeze through the congestion The hospital wasn¡¯t terribly far, but on foot, it felt like miles. Tarquin, desperate ran with Elysia in his arms. Her as dangled lifelessly, swaying with his movements like a limp doll Sweat beaded on Tarquin¡¯s forehead as he called out to her ¡°Elysia, wake up! Elysia! Elysia¡± Elysia teetering on the edge of consciousness, saw nothing but a vast fog before her eyes. It felt like floating in the clouds, weightless and adeft ¡°Elysia stay with me¡± a firm voice called from behind, sounding like a parent summoning a child who hadn¡¯te home for dinner Confused Elysia looked back but saw no one, only a hand reaching out through the mist. The hand was strong and well¨Cshaped, the kind of hand you¡¯d expect from a handsome man. The voice came again, more urgent this time. ¡°Elysia¡± It sounded almost angry, as if ready to scold her for not responding sooner. Yet, Elysia wasn¡¯t afraid, the voice reminded her of a strict but caring guardian. She drifted toward the hand and ced hers in it. The grip tightened immediately, pulling her out of the fog. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Elysia coughed violently, her face tuming red, but her eyes remained closed. Tarquin kept running, ncing at her asionally, relieved to see signs of her regaining consciousness but too worried to slow down He burst into the hospital shouting for help, ¡°Quick, help!¡± Benjamin, startled by themotion, rushed over and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°She got scared¡± After a thorough examination, Elysia was taken to a room for recovery and ced on an IV to replenish her nutrients. Lowell, amiving in a hurry, checked on Elysia first, ¡°Ms. Thome alright?¡± Tarquin, standing by the bed, grimaced, ¡°She¡¯s fine! What did you find out? ¡°It was Allegra¡¯s doing, probably still upset about Lionel. They needed someone tosh out at, and they chose Ms. Thome¡± The Bradfords now knew that Tarquin wasn¡¯t responsible for Lionel¡¯s death, it was likely Gideon acting out of a grudge rted to Elijah. Allegra, not daring to confront Gideon or Tarquin directly, targeted Elysia because she had inadvertently saved Elijah. The logic was simple yet twisted: Elysia had to pay Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened with anger, but before he could respond, Elysia suddenly asked, ¡°Who¡¯s taking out on me? Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Lowell and Tarquin froze, their gazes instinctively shifting towards Elysia Elysia had just woken up, her mind still foggy, and she hadn¡¯t quite caught the name Lionel had mentioned. She asked again, ¡°Is it that woman who wants to kill me? Because of Elijah?¡± The truth was indeed so. But if they admitted it, would Elysia never dare to involve herself with Elijah again? Lowell hesitated to speak, waiting for Tarquin to respond. After a moment of tense silence, Tarquin finally spoke, his brows knitted tightly. ¡°Yes! But only this once. She won¡¯t dare to try anything ever again!¡± Elysia stared at him in horror N?velDrama.Org owns this. Was it because of Elijah that he had taken out that woman¡¯s son, and now she was seeking revenge? But since the woman feared him, she didn¡¯t dare to touch him directly, so she targeted Elysia instead? So, she almost got run over because of him! Elysia was already terrified knowing he was a murderer, but now, her fear of him had reached its peak! Looking at him falt like staring at a pathogen, capable of dragging her into the abyss at any moment! Lowell hadn¡¯t expected Tarquin to just outright admit it, but that was indeed Tarquin¡¯s style. All he could do was to try and reassure Elysia, ¡°Ms. Thorne, his family situation is quiteplicated. A lot of people don¡¯t want to see Elijah doing well, so, don¡¯t be afraid. This sort of thing definitely won¡¯t happen again, you¡­¡± Before Lowell could finish, Elysia suddenly threw back the covers and sat up. She wanted to get out of bed, to leave. As she reached to remove the IV from her hand, Tarquin quickly grabbed her wrist. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elysia, like a bird spooked in its cage, began breathing rapidly, her eyes wide with terror as she looked at him. That look in her eyes only infuriated Tarquin further, his expression turning even colder. Elysia became more frightened her eyes brimming with tears. ¡°I want to go home.¡± Tarquin replied coldly. ¡°You¡¯re not well enough to leave, so you can¡¯t go home!¡± But Elysia shook her head and shouted, ¡°I want to go home!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°I want to go! Let me go! I want to go home!¡± she cried out like a child throwing a tantrum. Tarquin¡¯s face darkened with anger, thinking she was simply distressed from the near¨Cdeath experience and missing her kids. He said, trying to keep his cool, ¡°You need to stay in the hospital right now! If you¡¯re missing your kids that much, I have Lowell bring them Dver. Bring her kids over? Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in rm as she shouted, ¡°You can¡¯t bring my kids! Stay away from my kids! Leave, just leave! I don¡¯t want to see you! 1 never want to see you again! Just go!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Tarquin was fuming now! He was involved in the situation, true, but it wasn¡¯t him who had so had someone And if it weren¡¯t for him, she would have been dead! o try to run her over! In that moment, Tarquin felt a level of frustration he hadn¡¯t experienced in years! But he was powerless to change her mind, eventually releasing her wrist and storming out in anger. ¡°Tar¡­¡± Lowell called out to him, but he didn¡¯t stop or look back Lowell sighed, not understanding why Elysia was so opposed to them getting her kids but he could empathize with her current state Anyone would be traumatized after nearly being killed in a hit¨Cand¨Crun. Allegra had targeted her because of Elijah, but Elysia wouldn¡¯t direct her fear and anger towards a child, only towards Tarquin. After all, the ordeal had started because of him. ¡°Ms. Thome, please calm down, we won¡¯t go after your kids. He didn¡¯t want you to leave because he¡¯s worried about your health. You fainted from shock today, and it was him who brought you to the hospital. Dr. Benjamin says you need to rest and receive fluids. 09:29 Elysia didn¡¯t respond, her gaze fixed on the doct as if fearing the man might return. Seeing no other option, Lowell called for the doctor before going out to find Tarquin, who was outsid Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Today y wasn¡¯t about drawing loneliness from the smoke, it was pure, unadulterated rage Lowell let out a sigh and made his way over trying to mediate the situation. to cool off, she¡¯lle ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart with Ms. Thome. It¡¯s normal for her to be against you today. Just give her some time to cool of around¡± ¡°Cool off? When has she ever not been against me? When someone fundamentally dislikes you, even breathing can seem like a mistake!¡± Lowell was at a loss for words, sensing the heavy bitterness in the air. ¡°I know it¡¯s tough on you, and honestly, neither you nor Ms. Thome are at fault hem. It¡¯s Allegrol She¡¯s really crossed the line this time!¡± At the mention of Allega. Tarquin took a fierce drag of his cigarette, his face clouded with a menacing aura ¡°Take Larry to the racetrack!¡± Larry, Allegra¡¯s husband, and Lionel¡¯s father, was the unfortunate target this time. Soon, Tarquin¡¯s racetrack was filled with the sounds of eene screams. Larry ran like a man possessed on the track, constantly looking back in terror. ¡°Help! Somebody, please help!¡± A car chased him like a bolt of lightning,ing dangerously close every second. Larry fell to the ground, screaming in sheer panic, ¡°Ah, ah, ah- Allegra, seated in the stands, watched everything unfold with horror. ¡°Tarquin, you monster! He¡¯s your uncle! If you dare to hurt him, there will be hell to pay! I¡¯ll kill you myself!¡± She tried to rush forward but was firmly held back by two bodyguards. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Tarquin, with a cold and ruthless expression, was in the driver¡¯s seat. The car narrowly missed Larry, who scrambled to get up and continue running. With a skillful drift. Tarquin tumed the car around and charged at Larry again.. The car grazed Larry, knocking him down and scraping off ayer of skin from his face. Wincing in pain, Larry struggled to his feet, only to see Tarquin bearing down on him once more The sleek, dark sports car was like a beast, relentlessly pursuing Larry with its jaws wide open. Larry was petrified, desperately looking to Allegra for help. ¡°Allegra, help me! Please, help me! Tarquin¡¯s lost it. He¡¯spletely lost it!¡± ¡°Tarquin!¡± Allegra¡¯s cries were hysterical, but beyond crying, she was powerless. Tarquin made another approach, she was trembling so much she couldn¡¯t even swear, joining Larry in his screams of terror. Tarquin chased Larry around the track for over half an hour Allegra screamed herself hoarse in the stands, eventually losing her voice. At one point, both she and Larry fainted from fear, only to be revived with buckets of ice water. Tarquin forced the couple into a cruel game: one to run, the other to watch He was like an executioner, toying with their lives on the track, every moment filled with thrilling danger It wasn¡¯t until he felt his anger sufficiently vented that he finally stopped. Larry was so scared he wet himself multiple times, aplete mess Allegra ran over, a shadow of her former self, no longer the dignifieddy but a terrified mess. Tarquin stepped out of the car, removed his helmet, and looked down at them with disdain, Tm only going to warn you once. Touch Elysia again, and you¡¯ll relive today¡¯s ordeal every single day. Don¡¯t test me.¡± He then took Lowell¡¯s phone, uploaded the video to the Bradford family¡¯s group chat, and walked away without another word. The Bradford family¡¯s chat was silent as a grave. The entire family was petrified. They had all seen the video, yet no one dared to speak. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Tarquin¡¯s actions were a direct p in the face to Gideon! Allegra, regardless of her standing in his favor, was still Gideon¡¯s daughter. Tarquin¡¯s treatment of her was a tant disregard for Gideon. st Gideon he disregarded, it was the entire Bradford family he had scored! It wasn¡¯t just But since Gideon was the eldest and held the most sway within the Bradford family, his fury was unparalleled! Seething he pounded his walking stick on the floor with a resounding thud and shouted, ¡°The nerve! The utter gall! This is a direct affront to me! He¡¯s taking me less seriously by the day! The absolute nerve!¡± His confidant rushed to soothe him, ¡°Sir, please, calm yourself. Today¡¯s incident was also a result of Allegra¡¯s impulsiveness. Had Tarquin not arrived in the nick of time, Elysia would have been a goner right there and then! Allegra didn¡¯t realize whoever could assist Elijah is golden in Tarquin¡¯s eyes! Her wanting to off Elysia is akin to quashing Elijah¡¯s only hope, effectively killing Elijah indirectly! Can you me Tarquin for his rage?¡± Gideon¡¯s anger was through the roof. ¡°The headstrong fool! Has she leamed nothing from Lionel¡¯s death? Does she wish to be a widow?¡± ¡°Ah you know how headstrong Allegra can be.¡± ¡°Please, sir, take a deep breath. Although Tarquin¡¯s actions were extreme, this ensures no one dares target Elysia and Elijah again, which is beneficial for us.¡± Gideon, face darkened with anger, took a deep breath and sipped some tea from a cup on the desk to quell his fury. ¡°Even so, we can¡¯t let him continue this brazen behavior! Any word from Mr. E yet?¡± ¡°Nothing yet, sir. The package was left as requested. Given his reputation on the dark web for efficiency, I expect we¡¯ll hear from him soon.¡± ¡°Mm¡­ Go through our assets these next few days. If we¡¯re to coborate, we need to show what we bring to the table.¡± ¡°I just worry, what if Mr. E locates this person, but they refuse to cooperate with us?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Once we find this person, I have ways to ensure they¡¯ll willingly work with me.¡± Gideon was confident, clearly holding some aces up his sleeve. His confidant didn¡¯t dare pry further changing the subject, ¡°What about Allegra¡¯s situation?¡± Gideon¡¯s expression darkened as he said, ¡°Leave her to her own devices! Let her face the consequences of her actions!¡± This news quickly reached N and her daughter. N was beside herself with worry. ¡°I knew it, I just knew it! Look, Mom, in his bid to avenge that woman, Tarquin didn¡¯t just go after Allegra from the Bradford family harshly, but he also made it public by sharing the video in the family group as a warning! We can¡¯t rely on Allegra anymore! Tarquin must really be smitten with Elysial Oh, what do we do now?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this. Alleen rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Enough! How did I end up with such a fool for a daughter! Do you think Tarquin is avenging Elysia? It¡¯s all for Elijah! Elysia is currently Elijah¡¯s lifeline, and that¡¯s the only reason Tarquin gives her the time of day! Without Elijah, she¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Right, Tarquin cares for her because of Elijah. If Elijah were out of the picture, Tarquin would surely lose interest! Mom, we¡¯ve got to find way to get rid of Elijah!¡± Aileen pped N and shouted, ¡°Have you lost your mind? What makes you think you can seed where others in the Bradford family have failed? They¡¯ve been trying to take down Elijah and haven¡¯t managed it. And you think you can do better? Look at the fate of those who¡¯ve tried!¡± ¡°So¡­ should we go after Elysia?¡± Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Chapter 214 ¡°You¡­ Can¡¯t you use your head for once?¡± N was hopping mad. ¡°How can I even think straight right now? Tarquin¡¯s ghosting me. He won¡¯t take my calls or reply to my texts, and he won¡¯t see me! Now he¡¯s all fired up over some woman, and I¡¯m freaking out here!¡± ¡°Calm down! This whole mess is nothing but good news for us!¡± ¡®Really?¡± Think about it. If it were you, would you stick your neck out for some kid you barely know, almost get yourself killed in the process, and then keep meddling? No way!¡± N blinked a few times, confused. Aileen continued, ¡°After this scare, Elysia won¡¯t dare to mess with Elijah¡¯s business anymore. Who would joke with their own life?¡± N¡¯s eyes widened, finally getting the point! ¡°Exactly! If Elysia backs off, Tarquin won¡¯t have anything to do with her. And he might even get mad at her for not helping Elijah anymore!¡± ¡°Right, so chill. We do nothing and just wait for the good news. Once Elysia is out of the picture, I¡¯ll find a way to make Tarquin forgive you and treat you like before.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Aileen wasn¡¯t the only one banking on this. The whole Bradford family, even Blossom, had this figured out. At the moment, Blossom was driving Elysia home. Lowell had called her, asking her to keep Elysia company. By the time she arrived, Elysia had already been discharged from the hospital. Driving, Blossom said with tears in her eyes, ¡°If it¡¯s too much, let¡¯s just stop poking our noses into other people¡¯s business. You couldn¡¯t even be sure to save Elijah, and you almost lost your life! What if you actually find a way to save him and end up dying even quicker? What would happen to your three little ones?¡± Elysia, sitting in the passenger seat, feeling woozy, said in a weak voice, ¡®I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry¡± ¡°You say you¡¯re fine, but you almost got hit by a cart¡± Blossom was both angry and anxious, tears streaming down her face Elysia, feeling sorry for her, tried to raise her hand to wipe Blossom¡¯s tears but found she didn¡¯t even have the strength to Wt her arm. Her breathing became more rapid. Noticing something was wrong. Blossom quickly wiped her tears away and asked, ¡®Elysia, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡­ feel dizzy.¡± Blossom, panicking, pulled over to the side of the road. Touching Elysia¡¯s forehead, Blossom felt it was burning up! ¡°Oh no, you have a fever!¡± Luckily, there was a clinic nearby Blossom quickly helped Elysia out of the car. The thermometer showed over 104¡ãF! The doctor rushed to give Elysia an injection and fever¨Creducing medicine. ¡°Why did you wait so long toe in? A littleter, and it could have been toote! Fevers can kill, you know!¡± Blossom exined, ¡°She almost had a car ident today, got a huge scare, and had already been to the hospital for IV fluids. We just left the hospital.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s focus on bringing the fever down.¡± Blossom wanted to transfer Elysia to arger hospital, but seeing how weak Elysia was, she decided it was best to wait until the fever subsided. Elysia weakly asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t the little ones about to get out of school?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that now. You need someone by your side. I¡¯ve already texted a colleague, and after school, she¡¯ll bring them here.* Elysia shook her head and said, ¡°Just send them home. They¡¯ll cry if they see me like this.¡± Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re good kids, and they can take care of themselves. Don¡¯t tell them I¡¯m sick.¡± Blossom hesitated but then nodded and texted her colleague again. She also told the little ones that She and Elysia were at a friend¡¯s party and would be homete N?velDrama.Org owns this. Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Chapter 215 The boys didn¡¯t give it much thought and, amid a chorus of reminders, they left school for the day. The girls, persistent as ever, kept nudging them. Every day after school, they¡¯d remind them over and over, telling them not to forget to nudge their parents about having a baby brother, nine of them if possible! Following Blossom¡¯s instructions, the teacher made sure the kids were safely home before she left. Once the teacher was gone, Elliot announced, ¡°Mom¡¯s not home today, perfect. After dark, Evan, you¡¯reing with me to pick something up.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Evan asked, intrigued. Elliot squinted and said, ¡°Something that¡¯ll make Tarquin obediently divorce Mom!* ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah!* Emmett, ever curious, asked, ¡°What is it, Elliot?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see when we get it, Emmett. Just wait at home for us while I go out with Evan. Don¡¯t run outside, don¡¯t open the door for strangers, and call me immediately if anything happens. We won¡¯t be far, just around the neighborhood.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll wait at home for you guys. ¡°Good boy, Emmett.¡± After nightfall, Elliot and Evan headed out. They left Emmett behind, worried about potential dangers since they were retrieving something so valuable. They couldn¡¯t be sure if Gideon would y tricks on them. The brothers, masked and wearing baseball caps, made their way towards the nearby park. This was the spot Elliot had agreed on with Gideon. Since it was winter and getting dark, the park wasn¡¯t crowded, though there were a few people in the small za near the entrance. The deeper they went, the fewer people they encountered. Walking along, Evan whispered to Elliot, ¡®Elliot, we¡¯re being followed.¡± ¡°How many?¡± Elliot frowned. ¡°Just one.¡± Elliot was on edge. He had monitored the area after instructing Gideon to leave the item there. He was sure no one had noticed it and that Gideon¡¯s men had left before he and Evan arrived to retrieve it Now, who could be following them? ¡°But don¡¯t worry, with me here, no one can hurt us.¡± Evan said confidently ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions; it could just be someone out for a walk,¡± Elliot replied softly. They decided not to head straight for the item but instead meandered through the park. The figure continued to trail them, making it unclear whether they were being followed or if it was merely a coincidence. Growing impatient, Evan whispered again, ¡°Elliot, let me handle this.¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± They couldn¡¯t keep this up indefinitely, Evan decided to confront the follower. However, as Evan turned and greeted the figure, it suddenly darted into the bushes, clearly indicating something was amiss. Who avoids greeting children unless they¡¯re up to no good? With agile steps, Evan gave chase, with Elliot quickly on his heels. Though not as physically adept as Evan, Elliot had learned some self¨Cdefense during his time in the mountains. They quickly caught up to the figure without much effort since it had stopped running, seemingly waiting for them. Stopping a few meters away, Evan demanded, ¡°What are you following us for? And why the run? What¡¯s the deal?¡± The figure slowly turned around, chuckling eerily. ¡°Heh, heh.¡± 09:40 Both Elliot and Evan¡¯s hearts skipped a beat at the sight! The person was wearing a terrifying mask. Luckily, they weren¡¯t as easily frightened as other kids their age; otherwise, they might have burst into tears. The figureughed in a distorted voice, clearly using a voice changer. Evan frowned. ¡°Cut the act! Speak up!¡± Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Chapter 216 The man, cloaked in a long coat, slowly lifted his arm and pointed towards the brothers¡® side. ¡°Kill! Kill!K!¡± The brothers quickly looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a person lying not too far away. This person seemed to be unconscious, not reacting at all. And, coincidentally, the spot where this persony was exactly where Elliot was about to retrieve something! The item he needed was right underneath that person! Elliot, furrowing his brow and mustering his courage, walked over. Pretending to check on the person, he slickly grabbed the item into his palm. The masked figure said nothing, just watched him move the body lying on the ground and chuckled sinisterly. ¡°She¡¯s just passed out,¡± Elliot returned to Evan¡¯s side. There were no streetlights around, and it was quite dark, Elliot couldn¡¯t see her face clearly but could tell it was a woman. ¡°Kill! Kill! Kill!¡± the masked figure murmured, suddenly pulling out a tablet to show them a video. It was a video of Elysia narrowly escaping being hit by a car! Elliot and Evan¡¯s breaths synced, their expressions changing instantly. ¡°She¡¯s the murderer! Kill! Kill! Kill!¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is it Mommy? But didn¡¯t Blossom say Mommy went to a party with her?¡± Evan was panicking. ¡°Calm down!¡± Elliot tried to stabilize his emotions and quickly checked his smartwatch. He swiftly found out the whole story about Allegra trying to run Elysia over with a car. IF ¡°That¡¯s Allegra?¡± The masked figure nodded. ¡°Kill her! For revenge! Revenge!¡± Evan gritted his teeth. ¡°She tried to kill Mom?¡± Elliot tapped a few more times on his smartwatch and then said, ¡°Mom¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry.¡± Evan, fists clenched, rushed towards Allegra, but Elliot pulled him back. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°She dared to try and kill Mom! I¡¯ll beat her to death!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be rash!¡± Elliot scolded, looking up at the masked figure. With the mask on, Elliot couldn¡¯t see his expression. After pondering for a few seconds, in front of the masked figure, Elliot picked up his smartwatch and dialed the police with a burner number. The masked figure tilted his head, seemingly puzzled by his action. Only when the sound of police sirens was heard did the masked figure turn and run, quickly disappearing from their sight. Elliot, frowning at the direction he left, dragged Evan and hid behind some bushes. Seeing the police arrive, he then quietly left with Evan. As soon as they left the park, Evan asked anxiously, ¡°Elliot! What the heck is going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure myself, but I know Mom is safe now. Let¡¯s head home! We won¡¯t tell Emmett and Mom about tonight. It would scare them.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to Mom now?¡± ¡°Blossom is with Mom. Let¡¯s get home and figure out tonight¡¯s events first! I need to find out who that masked man is!¡± cing Allegra on top of that item didn¡¯t seem like a mere coincidence; it felt more like he knew about the deal between him and Gideon! Yet, he didn¡¯t take the item, which was odd. which w That item was extremely precious; anyone who saw it would want it! Could it be that the masked man didn¡¯t know about the deal, and cing Allegra there was just a coincidence? 1/2 09:41 Chapter 216 But then- The masked man must¡¯ve known that he and Evan were no ordinary kids, especially since he was coaxing them intomitting murder tonight! Who would lead two kids to murder? So, the masked man must have been aware of their abilities! But, he and Evan had always kept them well hidden. Except for their benefactor in the mountains, no one knew of their capabilities. Who was he then? Elliot felt this person was dangerous! He was unsettled and needed to find this masked man quickly! Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Chapter 217 The two brothers rushed home, barely noticing the sinister gaze that followed them from the shadows. Cloaked in ck, the masked figure whispered eerily, ¡°Naughty boys, never listening, heh, naughty boys, never listening.¡± Suddenly, a stray cat emerged from the bushes. With a swift motion, the figure caught it. His hands were pale and elegant, nails clean and fingers slender ¨C clearly not the hands of aborer. He caressed the stray cat¡¯s head gently, murmuring, ¡°Naughty ones get punished¡­¡± With a chilling snap, he twisted the cat¡¯s neck, killing it instantly before it could even cry out. After performing such a brutal act, he tenderly stroked the cat, dug a small grave, and carefully buried it, whispering, ¡°Sleep now, sleep now¡­¡± That night, Jindale City was hit by a torrential downpour, as if foreshadowing some looming disaster. Elijah had been discharged and was back at Sunshine Community. Tarquin stood before his study window, sleepless through the stormy night. As dawn broke, the rain persisted, and so did he, hoping to catch a glimpse of a familiar figure below. But Elijah had woken, and Elysia was nowhere to be seen. The breakfast table wasden with an assortment of dishes, some brought over by Heath from the mansion, some cooked by Tarquin himself. Elijah scanned the table, frowning at Tarquin. ¡°Your usual breakfast courier was unavable today. Please, help yourself to what¡¯s here,¡± Tarquin exined. Elijah remained silent, then turned and retreated to his room, locking the door behind him. It wasn¡¯t to his taste. He chose not to eat. Heath looked worried, ¡°Elijah seems to have grown ustomed to Ms. Thorne¡¯s cooking. If it¡¯s not by her hand, he refuses to eat. What do we do?¡± Tarquin gazed toward Elijah¡¯s room, his brows furrowed. He was worried about his son but also angry with Elysia for possibly abandoning Elijah, just as the rumors suggested. Yet, he knew he had no right to be angry. Elysia¡¯s help had always been voluntary, and considering recent events, her hesitation was understandable. ¡°Pack it all up,¡± he sighed, losing his appetite as well. Just as he lit a cigarette in his study, Lowell called with urgent news. ¡°Tarquin, there¡¯s trouble with Ms. Thorne.¡± Tarquin¡¯s forehead creased as he asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Allegra was attackedst night. Fingerprints of Ms. Thorne¡¯s eldest son were found on her, and she¡¯s using Ms. Thorne of attempted murder, iming it was a plot to kill her.¡± Attempted murder was a serious usation. Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°And now?¡± ¡°The police are involved. Given the Bradford family¡¯s influence, the authorities might be biased. If we don¡¯t step in, Ms. Thorne could be at a disadvantage.¡± Without hesitation, Tarquin put out his cigarette, grabbed his car keys, and dashed out, forgetting his umbre in his rush. He only realized it when faced with the pouring rain at the doorstep. Frowning, he braved the downpour. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Continuing the conversation in his car, he asked, ¡°Why would Elysia¡¯s eldest son¡¯s fingerprints be on Allegra?¡± ¡°That¡¯s still unclear.¡± ¡°Have they found who attacked Allegra?¡± ¡°Not yet. She was found in the park by policest night, but someone tampered with the park¡¯s surveince. There¡¯s no way to trace who brought her there or how.¡± ¡°Elysia¡¯s son is only five, right? How could he be involved?¡± Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Chapter 218 ¡°So, she didn¡¯t use Ms. Thome¡¯s son. She used Ms. Thorne herself. Even though we didn¡¯t find Ms. Thorne¡¯s fingerprints, we did find her son¡¯s. That makes Ms. Thome very suspicious. We¡¯re still digging into the details.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry over. Don¡¯t let the cops take anyone away!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± At that moment, Elliot was simmering with frustration but remained politely firm as he exined to the police, ¡°I was the one who made the 911 callst night. My brother and I sneaked out to the park while our mom was away, and we stumbled upon her unconscious, so I called for help.¡± The officer was taken aback. ¡°You made the call?¡± ¡°Yeah, you can check if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t we see you when we arrived?¡± ¡°Well, my brother and I had sneaked out, and we were afraid of getting scolded by mom, so we hid behind some bushes. We only after the officers arrived.¡± left One of the officers came over and whispered, ¡°We just checked, the emergency call was indeed made from this kid¡¯s smartwatch, and Ms. Thorne was sickst night, with alibis to prove she couldn¡¯t have committed the crime.¡± The officers exchanged looks and reluctantly decided to leave for now. Despite what Allegra had told them, the evidence spoke louder, and without it, their hands were tied.- If they dared to take someone into custody today without solid proof, and it got out, they¡¯d be finished! Elysia was also at home by now, having rushed back in a panic after receiving a call from the police this morning. After hearing Elliot¡¯s exnation, she finally felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Out of courtesy, she escorted the officers to the door. And as she opened it, Tarquin¡¯s handsome face suddenly appeared, catching her off guard! Tarquin had just arrived. Elysia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, her anxiety peaking once again! ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. With a ¡°bang,¡± she quickly shut the door, standing guard as if facing an intruder, eyeing Tarquin warily. Elliot and Evan were inside, Tarquin was outside, separated only by a door! This was the closest Elysia knew the father and sons had ever been to each other! Tarquin was unaware he had sons out there, especially not right behind this very door! Seeing Elysia so frightened of him, Tarquin frowned in displeasure. PS D F F & Fe Re The officers didn¡¯t recognize Tarquin, but having just seen Elliot and Evan, they could tell Tarquin was their father by the striking resemnce. Tarquin was visibly upset, and the officers, feeling a bit intimidated, quickly exined, ¡°Sorry for the intrusion. We were just doing our routine inquiries. It¡¯s clear now that neither your wife nor your sons are involved in this matter.¡± Elysia, her heart racing, turned to the officer and exined, ¡°I¡¯m not his wife! And my sons aren¡¯t his!¡± ¡°Oh? They¡¯re not?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°But they look so much like¡­¡± The officer was cut off by a call from his superior. ncing at the caller ID, he quickly apologized for the interruption and left. As soon as the police left, Elysia grabbed Tarquin¡¯s arm, determinedly dragging him into the elevator. Not stopping at just getting downstairs, she pulled him out into the pouring rain, heading out of the complex. Tarquin tried to shake her off a couple of times but couldn¡¯t get free. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elysia remained silent, her grip firm, her entire demeanor screaming defiance! Tarquin stopped resisting and let her pull him out of theplex. Once they were outside, Elysia finally exploded, ¡°Who asked you toe? What do you want? Haven¡¯t I made it clear I don¡¯t want to see you again?¡± 09:41 She had waited until they were well away from Elliot and Evan before unleashing her fury. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Elysia¡¯s scream,ced with the howl of the wind, was particrly plercing, grating on the nerves. Tarquin stood in the pouring rain, his lips pressed tightly together as he red at her, infuriated by her reaction! Lowell quickly stepped in to mediate, ¡°Ms. Thorne, he came rushing over when he heard you were in trouble. He was worried you¡¯d be at a disadvantage.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need his help! First, it was me in trouble, and now my son is dragged into this. Who is to me for all these incidents? He¡¯d be helping us by staying far, far away!¡± Elysia was yelling! Tarquin, chest heaving with suppressed rage, was at a loss for words to counter her. ¡°Stay away from me! Stay away from my sons!¡± Elysia, pushing the rain from her face with force, finished speaking with fiery eyes and turned to leave. As she reached the door, she even told the security guard, ¡°Officer, that man doesn¡¯t belong in our neighborhood. Please don¡¯t let him in again. He could harm me and my family!¡± Lowell was speechless. Watching the guard¡¯s wary gaze, Tarquin stormed back to his car in a huff! Lowell, feeling helpless, took a call before getting into the car. In just a couple of minutes, the car was filled with smoke, the scent of cigarette overwhelming. Tarquin had smoked most of a cigarette in one go, as if channeling his anger through the smoke. Lowell, taking the driver¡¯s seat, turned to him and sheepishly said, ¡°Just found out, the situation with Allegra wasn¡¯t Ms. Thorne¡¯s fault. She had a feverst night and was at the clinic for IV fluids. Her sons were ying in the park and stumbled upon Allegra. It was her eldest son who called the police, and that¡¯s how they found Allegra. Ms. Thorne has an alibi; Allegra can¡¯t pin anything on her. However, we still haven¡¯t found out who attacked Allegra.¡± Tarquin, with a dark scowl, remained silent. The car fell into a brief silence before he suddenly spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear about her anymore!¡± ¡°Tarquin¡­¡± ¡°Alive or dead, it¡¯s none of my business!¡± ¡°But Elijah only eats the meals Ms. Thorne prepares. He refuses anyone else¡¯s cooking.¡± ¡°Then he can go hungry!¡± Tarquin suddenly raised his voice, startling Lowell into silence. The rtionship between Tarquin and Elysia, already tumultuous, had now solidified into a frosty impasse after these events. *** Upstairs, Blossom saw Elysia return and quickly handed her a clean towel, asking, Is he gone?¡± She wasn¡¯t asking about the police, but Tarquin. She had been standing by the door, and the moment it opened, she saw Tarquin. So, after Elysia closed the door, she immediately stopped Elliot and Evan from chasing after, iming their mom had important matters to discuss with the police, and they shouldn¡¯t interfere. Luckily, from their vantage point, Elliot and Eyan couldn¡¯t see the situation outside, and given their preupied minds, they obediently stayed back. Elysia nodded, taking the towel to wipe herself off briefly. ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± Blossom sighed in relief. ¡°That scared me! It was so close¡­¡± ¡°Where are the kids?¡± ¡°In their room.¡± Elysia walked over, knocked, and pushed open the door. Elliot was sitting in front of hisputer. Seeing Elysia enter, he quickly switched the screen and stood up. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Mommy,¡± Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Hearing rumors that he might be a murderer, Elysia was petrified. Hearing that Winona might have never left the country and was out of touch, she was scared out of her wits. Nearly getting hit by a car while crossing the street had her heart racing. Receiving a call from the police in the midst of a fever, iming they found Elliot¡¯s fingerprints at a crime scene and using her of attempted murder she was terrified. But all these fearsbined paled inparison to the moment she saw that man standing at the doorstep. She almost choked on her breath! Only a door separated him from Elliot and Evan, not even six feet apart! It was a close call, way too close¡­ Had Elliot and Evan been discovered by him, what could she possibly do topete? The mere thought of possibly losing Elliot and Evan to him, never seeing them again, brought tears streaming down her face. Her heart ached with worry. Worrying about her children being taken away, she felt miserable. Worrying about Winona¡¯s safety, she was distressed. Worrying about meddling further with Elijah, fearing for her and her children¡¯s safety, she was distressed. And worrying about what might happen to Elijah if she didn¡¯t intervene¡­ It pained her! Elijah might not have been her responsibility, but he was just a kid, and she couldn¡¯t stand the thought of himing to harm. Elysia cried, and her three little ones panicked. Elliot reassured her, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be afraid, no one can hurt us!¡± Evan pleaded, ¡°Mommy, please don¡¯t cry. I¨CI¨CI¡­ I won¡¯t wander off anymore. I¡¯ll listen to everything you say. If you tell me to stay home, I¡¯l stay. If you tell me to go to bed, I¡¯ll sleep. Whatever you say, goes, okay?¡± Emmett sobbed, ¡°Mommy, please don¡¯t cry¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. 3 3 2 5 2 & F = @ 5 D Standing at the bedroom door, Blossom couldn¡¯t hold back her tears either. She understood Elysia¡¯s turmoil and helplessness, her fears, her hesitations, and her sorrow. She felt for Elysia. The sound of knocking suddenly broke the silence. Blossom quickly wiped away her tears and nced towards the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Zane.¡± Blossom hesitated, not rushing to open the door, but instead turned to Elysia, ¡°Elysia, Zane is here.¡± Upon hearing that, Elysia frowned immediately. She remembered Callum¡¯s words and thought of Winona. Though it was still uncertain if Zane was lying, as a husband, he bore responsibility if anything had happened to Winona! Elysia calmed herself, momentarily putting aside all other concerns to dry her tears and reassure her little ones, ¡°I¡¯m not ming you guys. I was just a bit scared because the police showed up unexpectedly. But everything has been cleared up now, and I feel better.¡± Elysia tenderly kissed each of their faces and yfully pinched their cheeks. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on the past. I¡¯m going to greet a friend now. You three y here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Elysia left the bedroom, making sure to close the door behind her. ¡°You can open the door. I¡¯ll go freshen up.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Blossom then went to open the door, weing Zane inside. ¡°What brings you here all of a sudden?¡± Zane, holding a breakfast bag, said, ¡°just happened to be passing by and thought you guys might still be home since it¡¯s early. I tried calling, but no one answered, so I came up. Hope I¡¯m not intruding.¡± Blossom, unaware of Winona¡¯s situation, shook her head. ¡°Not at all,e on in.¡± She took the breakfast from him, inviting Zane to sit down. As soon as Zane entered, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Elysia? Has she already left, or is she still asleep?¡± Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Elysia sshed her face with cold water and trudged back into the living room. Zane caught one look at her and knew something was off, ¡°What¡¯s going on? You look bit under the weather!¡± Elysia shot him aplex look, trying to maintainposure. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a bit of a cold, I¡¯m not feeling my best.¡± Zane¡¯s concem was evident in his voice. ¡°Have you seen a doctor? With the flu and all that going around, you should get checked out. Blood tests, meds, the whole package.¡± *I saw sonicone yesterday, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Elysia waved Zane over to sit down and smoothly changed the subject to Winona, ¡°Heard anything about Winonately?¡± ¡°Nothing yet¡± ¡°Have you reached out to her agent?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been trying, but it¡¯s like they¡¯ve vanished into thin air. Even got a friend to check with her agent¡¯s family, and they¡¯re clueless about her whereabouts too.¡± Zane spoke with an openness, his expression not giving away anything out of the ordinary. Elysia frowned. ¡°If ites down to it, we might have to notify the authorities.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zane blinked in surprise. Blossom was equally taken aback. ¡°Notify the authorities? Why?¡± ¡°Winona¡¯s been missing for a while now, and I¡¯m getting worried,¡± Elysia exined. ¡°But she¡¯s a high¨Cprofile celebrity. Wouldn¡¯t involving the police tarnish her reputation?¡± Blossom looked worried, but Zane, with a furrowed brow, agreed, ¡°Elysia might be onto something. If we can¡¯t get a hold of Winona soon, we might have no other choice.¡± Elysia eyed Zane. His agreement to involve the police made her wonder if he truly was unaware of Winona¡¯s situation. In the bedroom, Elliot and Evan huddled over theirputer with a secret to discuss, sending Emmett out to keep Elysiapany. ¡°Any luck yet?¡± Evan was anxious. Elliot had been digging into the mysterious figure behind the mask sincest night, but to no avail. Given his reputation in the hacking world, the inability to find any leads on this person only proved their cunning and secrecy. The more elusive and formidable their adversary, the greater the threat they posed. With the police¡¯s visit earlier that day, Elliot pieced together some troubling thoughts. The masked man must have known about their n to retrieve the item! By cing Allegra in direct contact with it, they aimed to capture Elliot or Evan¡¯s fingerprints ¨C framing them for a crime. But why? What could be their motive? Had they actuallymitted a murder that night, would this person leverage the evidence to ckmail them? Or was there another agenda at y? Considering their secluded upbringing and their mother¡¯s unassuming nature, it was unlikely they had crossed paths with such a formidable enemy. Their connection to Tarquin seemed the most usible exnation. Being Tarquin¡¯s sons, they were perfect pawns against him. However, one question lingered ¨C how did the masked man know they were Tarquin¡¯s sons? Without concrete information, it was difficult to determine if this masked figure was their enemy or Tarquin¡¯s. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Eager for answers, Elliot¡¯s thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a message from Gideon¡¯s confidant. [Mr. E, did you manage to retrieve the item?] Elliot frowned. Given Allegra¡¯s incident, Gideon¡¯s inquiry hinted at suspicion, Elliot responded affirmatively, despite the circumstances. [As long as you had the item, that was all that mattered, especially after the previous night¡¯s chaos.] Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Elliot had pulled a fast one on him, dering he¡¯d already retrieved the items during the day. Without waiting for Gideon¡¯s response, he sent another message. [The person you¡¯re looking into? I¡¯ve got a lead. I¡¯ll hand over what I¡¯ve found about him in a couple of days.] [Much appreciated.] Gideon¡¯s confidant responded politely before turning to Gideon, ¡°Sir, it seems we were mistaken. This Mr. E isn¡¯t the assant fromst night. He had already taken what was needed during daylight.¡± Gideon frowned, puzzled. ¡°But the spot where Allegra was found is exactly where we stored the items. It¡¯s too coincidental.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s understandable. Mr. E chose that spot for its seclusion, and naturally, the attacker would seek a simr setting to target Allegra.¡± After a moment of contemtion, Gideon nodded. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s set this matter aside for now. We¡¯ve got a lead on Mr. E. Make sure our assets are in order, ready to coborate with him at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± ¡°Understood! Oh, and Sir, the annual Bradford family ancestral tribute ising up next month. Traditionally, the entire Bradford family ventures into the woods for the ceremony. Given Elijah¡¯s conditionst year¡­ it nearly ended in disaster. Should we still inform him about it this year?¡± Gideon¡¯s voice was stern, ¡°He is the sole heir to the Bradford legacy. He¡¯s our future. Skipping such a crucial family tradition is out of the question. Let him face ridicule or disdain; I don¡¯t care. As long as he¡¯s breathing, that¡¯s all that matters. It¡¯s also a perfect chance to knock Tarquin down a peg. What does hispetence matter if his son is naught but a frail shadow of a man?¡± In the following days, Jindale City was besieged by relentless rain, as if the heavens themselves mourned for someone. Elysia had fallen ill again, copsing soon after Zane¡¯s departure. Thebination of fear, stress, and being caught in the rain had left her feverish for days. Meanwhile, Tarquin¡¯s life had reverted to its previous routine. It was a simple existence, osciting between caring for Elijah at home and burying himself in work at the office. After his argument with Elysia, Tarquin had been in a foul mood. Elijah¡¯s refusal to eat properly, even shunning the meals he prepared, only worsened his temper. His mood affected everyone around him. Tarquin was a workaholic by nature, channeling his anger into his work rather than away from it. Normally, the office would empty at half¨Cpast five, following Tarquin¡¯s departure. Lately, his extended hours kept everyone on edge, afraid to leave before him. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Under hismand, paperwork flew and projects progressed at breakneck speed. His team struggled to keep up, barely managing bathroom breaks without theirptops in tow. Typically, Tarquin¡¯s bad moods neversted more than three days, meaning the staff could see an end to their suffering. But this time, a week had passed with no end in sight. Desperate, they turned to Lowell for relief, ¡°Lowell, what¡¯s gotten into the boss? Who¡¯s upset him this time? If this keeps up, we¡¯re all going to copse.¡± Lowell was equally concerned, empathizing with both the staff and Tarquin. He prepared Tarquin¡¯s favorite coffee himself and braced himself to knock on the boss¡¯s office door. Upon entering, Lowell ventured, ¡°Tarquin, are we workingte again tonight?¡± Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Tarquin was buried in paperwork, not even bothering to lift his head. ¡°Mhm.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Lowell¡¯s lips twitched slightly. ¡°You know, you haven¡¯t spent the evening with Elijah in ages.¡± ¡°Is there anything wrong with Elijah?¡± Tarquin finally looked up, his expression serious. Lowell hurriedly said, ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong with Elijah. I just meant¡­ don¡¯t you think he might be getting a bit upset, you not being home and all?¡± Tarquin went back to his documents. ¡°He won¡¯t be Lowell rubbed his temple. ¡°Tarquin, let¡¯s just take a break, yeah? You keep pushing like this, I¡¯m worried you¡¯ll run yourself into the ground¡± Tarquin looked up at Lowell, clearly annoyed. ¡°Whoever can¡¯t hack it can take a hike! No one¡¯s forcing them to work overtime! Everyone, out! But I want these reports on my desk before work tomorrow. I need to review them.¡± Lowell left the CEO¡¯s office looking defeated and was immediately swarmed by his colleagues. ¡°Is he still at it tonight?¡± Lowell just shrugged. ¡°Yep.¡± There were groans all around. Someone asked mournfully, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into the boss? Did someone tick him off? Can¡¯t we just¡­ I don¡¯t know, try to cheer him up somehow?¡± Another chimed in, ¡°If anyone can get the boss to crack a smile, I swear I¡¯d give him my paycheck!¡± Lowell sighed. ¡°Sometimes, it takes more than just good intentions.¡± Tarquin was upset because of Elysia. But Elysia¡¯s hostility towards Tarquin was so palpable, she saw him as nothing short of a gue. So, there was no way Elysia would reach out to him. Not to mention trying to cheer him up! As for Tarquin making the first move? With the way he was, prideful and aloof, that was out of the question. After reaching out only to get rebuffed harshly by Elysia multiple times, there was no way he¡¯d do it again. Both of them too stubborn for their own good meant the problem remained Meanwhile, the kids were too worried about Elysia to even think about school. Emmett was on a mission to cook Elysia¡¯s favoritefort foods around the Evan tried every trick in the book to bring a smile to her face. Elliot, the quiet one, simply stayed by her side, offering silent support. Elysia could always count on waking up to see him there. Elysia felt a mix of heartache and reassurance. ¡°Elliot, what time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s four in the afternoon. Thirsty, Mom?¡± She nodded, and Elliot helped her sit up, propping a pillow behind her. ¡°Where are Evan and Emmett?¡± Elliot handed her a ss of water. ¡°We ran out of groceries. Blossom took them to the supermarket.¡± After taking a few sips and setting the ss aside, Elysia looked at Elliot. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetheart. I¡¯m feeling much better today.¡± Elliot was wise beyond his years. ¡°It¡¯s the heartache that needs healing for you to truly recover.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I can tell, you have got a lot on your mind. You always say a person¡¯s heart can only hold so much. If it¡¯s too full, it hurts, and can even make you sick. So, why do you keep everything bottled up inside?¡± Elysia was speechless. Elliot might not have been the most talkative kid, but when he spoke, it was always with insight. Despite being only five, he carried himself like the man of the house, the pir of their little family. Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Elysia paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve been carrying a lot of worriestely, but I didn¡¯t want to trouble you kids with them.* ¡°Well rather be involved than worried sick. Besides, haven¡¯t you always said two heads are better than one? You should share what¡¯s on your mind. Together, we might just figure it out¡± said Elliot Elysia sighed deeply, hesitant to bring up Winona¡¯s situation. After all Winona¡¯s troubles might be linked to a criminal investigation, and she didn¡¯t want her children getting involved. She then mentioned Elijah, ¡°Lately, I¡¯ve been trying to help this kid, the one I told you about before, who¡¯s struggling with mental health issues.¡± ¡°Eljah?¡± Elliot was aware of Elijah¡¯s existence but didn¡¯t know he was his own brother. He had always thought Elijah was the child of Tarquin and another woman. ¡°Yes, exactly! But now, there¡¯s aplicated issue. Some people seem to not want Elijah to get better, so they¡¯re against me treating him.¡± Elliot knew Elysia was talking about Allegra. He pretended to be clueless. ¡°Did they threaten you?¡± Yes. ¡°And what about Elijah¡¯s dad? Didn¡¯t he step in to say something, to warn those people off?¡± Tm not entirely sure. He did say that no one would treat me like that again.¡± Elliot frowned slightly, realizing that Tarquin¡¯s handling of Allegra had been kept from Elysia. Why isn¡¯t he speaking up? Elysia, not fully understanding their family dynamics, would naturally still be afraid. ¡°So, you want to keep helping Elijah but are afraid of getting hurt, right?¡± Elysia quickly nodded. It was one thing if it was just her, but now Elliot and Evan were involved too. She couldn¡¯t just think about Elijah without considering her sons. Elliot thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Actually, this problem isn¡¯t too hard to solve.¡± ¡°Really? Do you have an idea?¡± ¡°Yes. Think about it, Mom. Those people¡¯s goal is to stop you from treating Elijah. If you stop treating him, they wouldn¡¯t care about you seeing him anymore.¡± Elysia was puzzled, ¡°But I¡¯m seeing Elijah to treat him.¡± ¡°You can still treat him, just without letting anyone know.¡± *Secretly?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s too risky. If those people find out, it would be even more dangerous.¡± Then make sure they don¡¯t find out.¡± ¡°How can I possibly do that?¡± Elliot said, ¡°Make them lose interest, and they¡¯ll give up on snooping.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Elysia was getting more confused. ¡°Elliot, can you please rify? Don¡¯t beat around the bush; I¡¯m not followin Elliot smiled indulgently, ¡°Just publicly announce that Elijah is already better.¡± Elysia was taken aback when Elliot continued to exin, ¡°If everyone believes Elijah is already cured, who would bother keeping an eye on him? Even if you¡¯re with Elijah every day, no one would care anymore. Why are they threatening you now? Because they think you can cure Elijah. But if Elijah is already ¡®cured¡®, you be irrelevant to them.¡± This time, Elysia understoodpletely. ¡°Right! That could work! Pretend Elijah is already better, then I can get close to him and treat him in secret. But wait, those people won¡¯t easily believe Elijah is cured. We need a way to convince them, but with Elijah¡¯s mental health issues, I can¡¯t just make him act cured.¡± Elliot sighed inwardly, thinking, Oh, dear Mom. ¡°That part is even simpler.¡± Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Elliot leaned in close to Elysia and whispered something into her ear. Elysia¡¯s eyes initially sparkled with excitement, but then her brows furrowed in concern. The idea was brilliant! But for her, it was just too risky! Seeing her troubled expression, Elliot asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a good idea, Mom?¡± Elysia neither nodded nor shook her head. ¡°I¡­ need to think about it.¡± She really had to mull over whether to go through with it or not! Understanding his mom¡¯s hesitation, Elliot didn¡¯t press further but offered some reassurance, ¡°Take your time, Mom. Whenever you¡¯re ready, just let me know, and I¡¯ll handle it personally. I won¡¯t involve Evan. You can trust me to take care of it.¡± Elysia nodded seriously. She did trust Elliot¡¯s judgment. Every n Elliot had executed had gone off without a hitch. Changing the subject, Elliot asked, ¡°Did you get everything sorted out in Jindale City that you needed to?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Elysia was momentarily taken aback before she realized Elliot was referring to her divorce from Tarquin. Lately, her mind had been preupied with Elijah and Winona, almost forgetting about the divorce matter. When she first returned, her thoughts were dominated by the divorce, but now, with Elijah and Winona on her mind, she felt less urgent about it. Elysia shook her head. ¡°Not yet, but there¡¯s no rush.¡± Elliot slightly narrowed his eyes. He had been ready to use a certain leverage to negotiate with Tarquin if Elysia was in a hurry. Tarquin had already reached out, eager to get his hands on that leverage, willing to meet any of Elliot¡¯s demands. But seeing Elysia¡¯sck of urgency, Elliot decided to wait. They would cross that bridge when they came to it. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about my issues. You and your brothers have been home for a few days now. Tomorrow, why don¡¯t you all go to school? It¡¯s a great opportunity you shouldn¡¯t miss. Understand?¡± Elysia suddenly chimed in. The mention of going to kindergarten made Elliot grimace, his mind flooded with images of little girls chattering incessantly around him. Seeing his frown, Elysia asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go?¡± ¡°Mm, I¡¯m worried about you, Mom. I just want to be with you.¡± Elysia smiled gently, ¡°I¡¯m fine now, no need to worry. And while we¡¯re a family, we¡¯re also individuals. We can¡¯t be glued together 24/7. You boys are at the age to go to school, and you can¡¯t skip that.¡± ¡°¡­Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you, Mom. We¡¯ll go tomorrow.¡± The next day, Elysia felt a bit more spirited. After sending off her little ones to school, she used the excuse of needing a check¨Cup to see Benjamin. ? ? ? Benjamin was surprised to see her. ¡°Ms. Thorne, what a nice surprise!¡± Walking into the clinic somewhat awkwardly, Elysia said, ¡°Dr. Benjamin, I came to get some medicine.¡± ¡°Oh? Are you sick?¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Yeah, I had a fever a few days ago. It¡¯s gone now, but I¡¯ve run out of medicine.¡± Benjamin promptly asked her to sit and take her temperature, followed by a basic examination. ¡°You¡¯re not feverish anymore. Your throat¡¯s a bit swollen, though. I¡¯ll prescribe some anti¨Cinmmatory medication. Make sure to drink plenty of water and rest.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She knew her condition well. Having studied medicine for years, her skills were not to be underestimated. Her visit to Benjamin was actually a pretext. She wanted to inquire about Elijah¡¯s condition. For some reason, she couldn¡¯t let go of Elijah even though she was almost hit by a car because of him. Even though Elijah didn¡¯t seem to reciprocate her feelings, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep, inexplicable connection to him. While Benjam¨ªn was busy preparing the medicine, Elysia took the opportunity to ask, ¡°Has Elijah been discharged?¡± ¡°Yes, he left the hospital a few days ago. He dislikes staying in hospitals, and with his psychological condition, there wasn¡¯t much point 09:39 in him staying? How has he beentely? Any improvement?¡± Benjamin sighed softly, shaking his head. He¡¯s not even eating now* Why not? After a moment¡¯s hesitation. Benjamin exined, ¡°He¡¯s just like his father, stubborn. Once he sets his mind on something, that¡¯s it. Lately. Figah only wants to eat food you¡¯ve made. If anyone else makes it, he won¡¯t touch it. Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Just like Tarquin had eyes only for Elijah¡¯s moin, swearing he¡¯d spend his life with her and no other woman would do, Elysia frowned, her concern wasn¡¯t his devotion, her heart was set on Elijah! N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°It¡¯s been days, can he really go without eating?¡± ¡°He¡¯s notpletely fasting, just nibbling here and there, barely enough to keep going. I heard he¡¯s lost a few pounds in just a matter of days.* Elysia was shocked. ¡°Lost a few pounds?¡± ¡°Yeah, Elijah¡¯s always had a lot on his mind, andtely, he¡¯s been alck on and off. When he was eating well, he could at least maintain his weight, but now, he¡¯s shedding it fast.¡± Elysia¡¯s frown deepened, her heart ached with worry and quilt! The thought of Elijah, pale and thin, plunged her into a sea of self¨Creproach. It was all her fault! If only she had made the effort to cook delicious meals for him every day, he wouldn¡¯t be wasting away. After leaving the hospital, Elysia made a beeline for the supermarket. She filled her shopping cart without a second thought! Once home, she shed her coat, kicked off her shoes, rolled up her sleeves, and dove into the kitchen. For over two hours, she was a whirlwind of culinary activity, preparing a dozen dishes, all for Elijah. But then she hit a snag. How was she going to get the food to Elijah? After all that had happened, she couldn¡¯t just waltz up to him. Even if she wasn¡¯t considering her own safety, she had the kids to think about. She couldn¡¯t risk everything for one child and ignore the rest. After much brainstorming, inspiration struck! ? ? ? ???? ? ?? ? ? ? She grabbed her phone and ordered a delivery. She noted down the address carefully and told the delivery guy to keep mum if asked who sent it. She was worried that if Allegra found out about the food, she¡¯de knocking again. As long as Tarin saw those dishes, he¡¯d know it was from her and would let Elijah eat in peace. However- The delivery guy barely got to the neighborhood gate and started asking for the apartment number when he was stopped by some bodyguards lurking in the shadows. After Allegra¡¯sst visit, Tarquin had beefed up security around the house. This sudden delivery raised suspicions, especially since the guy wouldn¡¯t say where it came from. Tarquin¡¯s bodyguards, all imposing and stern, terrified the delivery guy. He immediately called Elysia, ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve been stopped. They¡¯re demanding to know who sent this food. What should I do?¡± Elysia panicked and asked in a hurry, ¡°Who stopped you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know them. Just two guys in suits, pretty intimidating.¡± 2 2 2 2 3 Not sure if they were Tarin¡¯s men, Elysia replied, ¡°Bring the food back then. I¡¯ll still pay you.¡± The delivery guy sounded almost in tears, ¡°But they won¡¯t let me leave without an exnation.¡± Feeling cornered, he blurted out Elysia¡¯s name to the bodyguards. Upon hearing Elysia¡¯s name, the bodyguards lit up and immediately contacted Lowell, ¡°Lowell, you won¡¯t believe it! Ms. Thorne arranged for food to be delivered to Elijah!¡± Lowell was astounded, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! The delivery guy¡¯s right here. Ms. Thorne didn¡¯te herself, sent it through a courier. There are three thermal boxes full of delicious food.¡± ¡°Keep him there; I¡¯ll confirm and get back.¡± Trying to contain his excitement, Lowell quickly reached out to Elysia. Once confirmed, he dashed out of his office towards the CEO¡¯s suite. Seeing his excitement, a colleague stopped him, ¡°Lowell, something good?¡± 09:39 Lowell, unable to contain his joy, announced, ¡°Get ready to celebrate; no work today! And definitely no overtime!¡± Everyone was over the moon. ¡°For real?¡°. ¡°Just wait for the news!¡± Bursting with confidence. Lowell barged into the CEO¡¯s office, too thrilled to even knock, ¡°Tarquin, it¡¯s a day for celebration!¡± Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Tarquin was buried in paperwork, the air in the office thick and warm. He had shrugged off his zer, now just in a dark shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing muscled forearms and an expensive wristwatch. Hunched over his desk, his brow was furrowed, back ramrod straight. His attractive hands clenched a pen, signing his name with a flourish at the bottom of the document before looking up, annoyance evident in his tone. ¡°What¡¯s got your feathers all ruffled now?¡± ¡°Ms. Thome¡­ Before Lowell could finish, Tarquin snapped, ¡°Didn¡¯t I make myself clear? Don¡¯t bring her up in my presence!¡± ¡°But, Ms. Thome, she¡­¡± Out! ¡®Tarquin¡­¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Tarquin¡¯s fury seemed to shake the very foundations of the room, sending Lowell scampering out in a hurry. The others crowded around him. ¡°Lowell, any luck? Can we get the day off?¡± Lowell shook his head in defeat. ¡°Back to the grind, folks.¡± Groans filled the room, ¡°For the love of God, is there no one who can save us?¡± Lowell just sighed. Ms. Thome could have been their savior¡­ if only. Lowell knew Elysia meant well for Elijah, but without Tarquin¡¯s word, he dared not let the meals be delivered to Elijah. So, he had to make a call, ¡°Cancel the delivery, no hard feelings. Just return the meal as it was, and yeah, the delivery fee¡¯s covered.¡± Soon, the delivery guy was back with the untouched meal. Elysia was beyond surprised when she found out, immediately calling Lowell, ¡°Why was the meal returned? Why can¡¯t Elijah have it?¡± Lowell was at a loss for words, stammering, ¡°Elijah¡¯s meals¡­ need his father¡¯s approval. And he¡¯s¡­ busy right now.¡± Elysia got the message loud and clear. It was him blocking the meals! Fuming, Elysia tried calling him, only to be hung up on. And again. And then blocked. Seething, she called Lowell back, ¡°Please, just get him to answer. It¡¯s urgent, about Elijah.¡± Lowell, knowing better than to linger, ced the phone on Tarquin¡¯s desk with the speaker on, ¡°Ms. Thorne for you.¡± Then dashed off without looking back. ¡°Hey! Tarin, you listening?¡± Elysia¡¯s voice filled the room. Tarquin¡¯s frown deepened. Elysia was livid as she shouted, ¡°Say something! Don¡¯t y dead! If you¡¯re a man, you¡¯d talk!¡± Tarquin¡¯s expression darkened as he said, ¡°Stay out of my business! Don¡¯t harass me!¡± Before he could hang up, Elysia was already unleashing her fury, ¡°Harassing you? Dream on! If it wasn¡¯t for Elijah, do you think I¡¯d bother contacting you? And you dare hang up on me, block me? You spineless, selfish jerk!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°What about me? I risked my life to bring Elijah food, and you, his father, can¡¯t even care for him because of your petty feelings! Are you even a man? A father? You won¡¯t let Elijah have the food I sent over. Have you ever thought about it from his perspective? He¡¯s been starving these past few days! Even if you despise me, think about Elijah for once! Your actions are just¡­¡± ¡°What did you say? You sent food for Elijah?¡± Elysia stopped in her tracks, her anger unabated. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you didn¡¯t know! You had it sent back to me!¡± Tarquin frowned as he yelled, ¡°Lowell!¡± Lowell, who had been eavesdropping, quickly entered. ¡°Yes?¡± Tarquin red at him and asked, ¡°She sent food for Elijah?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ? ???? Chapter 227 And why didn¡¯t you tell me? I was trying to, but you wouldnt listen and and just kicked me out ¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Tarquin sighed, exasperated. Couldn¡¯t you have just gotten to the point?¨C Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Lowell felt utterly wronged ¡°You didn¡¯t even give me a chance.¡± ¡°And you¡­ you think you¡¯re in the right now?¡± Lowell remained silent. Justice lies in the heart of the beholder. Right now, he might be feeling wronged, but he won¡¯t say it out loud. On the other end of the phone, Elysia was all ears. She knew he didn¡¯t know about the food. So, her little rant earlier¡­ wasn¡¯t unjustified after all! And it was him who didn¡¯t give a proper ear to the matter. Not letting Lowell finish his piece, that¡¯s on him! ¡°You¡­¡± They both started at the same time. Elysia pouted, ¡°You go first.¡± Tarquin exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you made Elijah food.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The response was cold. Tarquin was silent, the tension thick in the air. Lowell, ever the peacemaker, chimed in, ¡°Ms. Thorne, is the food still up for grabs? If so, Tarin and I can swing by and pick it up. We¡¯re free.¡± Elysia retorted, ¡°Youe alone. I don¡¯t want to see him.¡± Lowell was taken aback. ¡°Ah?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Elysia added, ¡°Seeing him annoys me!¡± Tarquin clenched his teeth in silence, seething. Lowell, with a brave face, said, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll head over now. I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯m there.¡± *Okay. Elysia hung up. Lowell quickly grabbed his phone, safeguarding it from Tarquin¡¯s wrath. Given Tarquin¡¯s current mood, dark and stormy, it was best to y it safe. ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s good news that Ms. Thorne decided to whip up something for Elijah. He hasn¡¯t been eating well these days, and today he can finally have a proper meal.¡± go.¡± Thinking of Elijah, Tarquin¡¯s expression softened noticeably, He shut down hisputer, stood up, and donned his jacket. ¡°Let¡¯s Seizing the moment, Lowell suggested, ¡°Today¡¯s been a good day. How about we take a break? The team¡¯s been through the wringertely.¡± be day Tarquin, while adjusting his tie, agreed, ¡°Give them two days off. Pay triple sry for this month.¡± ¡°Right on.¡± The news spread like wildfire among the staff, sparking excitement. ¡°Lowell, was it that phone call that sweet¨Ctalked Mr. Bradford into a good mood?¡± ¡°I heard a woman¡¯s voice! Was it, Lowell?¡± Lowell squinted. ¡°Eavesdropping on the boss¡¯s calls now, are we? Looking for trouble?¡± ¡°No way, I just happened to overhear by chance. So¡­ it was thatdy on the phone who cheered him up?¡± With Lowell¡¯s tacit acknowledgment, excitement burgeoned. ¡°Wow, Mr. Bradford is finally smitten, huh?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the luckydy that caught his eye? She must be a real gem!¡± ¡°No wonder Mr. Bradford has been so moodytely. Turns out he¡¯s in love. They say men in love can be so childish, flying off the handle at the slightest thing¡­¡± The office door suddenly opened, and Tarquin stepped out. The chattering crowd instantly fell silent, quickly returning to their desks as if nothing had happened. Tarquin, stone¨Cfaced, strode to the elevator without a word. 1/2 09:40 Chapter 228 Lowell hurried after him. As the elevator doors closed, Tarquin asked, ¡°Who¡¯s in love?¡± Lowell¡¯s heart skipped a beat, managing a nervous chuckle, ¡°You heard that, huh? Just a misunderstanding.¡± Tarquin coldly said, ¡°Fizone is always looking for volunteers.¡± Lowell pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Tarquin. I won¡¯t gossip about you again. Rather than sending me to Fizone to mine rocks, you might as well just end me.¡± Tarquin replied icily, ¡°If you don¡¯t fancy mining, then quit daydreaming. Elysia and I are never happening!¡± ¡°Well, you never know about the future, right?¡± ¡°If I ever end up with her, you can have my CEO spot, and I¡¯ll call you ¡®boss¡®.¡± After those chilling words, Tarquin stormed out of the elevator. Lowell was left pondering¡­ Should Lowell hold out some hope? Could this be his chance to rise? Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Chapter 229 The rain in Jindale City had finally let up, leaving a vibrant rainbow painting the sky. People on the streets couldn¡¯t resist the urge to capture the moment, with their smartphones out, eximing, ¡°Look, look, a rainbow! So pretty.¡± Lowell couldn¡¯t help but remark, ¡°Ever since Ms. Thorne took Elijah under her wing, it¡¯s like even the heavens stopped crying and threw a rainbow into the mix to celebrate. Seems like there¡¯s some real chemistry between Ms. Thorne and Elijah. Even the universe is taking notes.¡± Tarquin nced up at the rainbow but didn¡¯t join in the conversation. He wasn¡¯t sure about Elysia and Elijah¡¯s chemistry; he was just happy that the gloomy days were behind them, reced by clear skies. He also snapped a photo with his phone, nning to show it to Elijahter. When they reached Blossom¡¯s apartmentplex, Lowell parked the car and called Elysia. Soon enough, she appeared. She was wearing a cream¨Ccolored down jacket and snow boots, her face bare of makeup, her hair unstyled and blowing in the wind, covering her eyes. She brushed her hair behind her ear, revealing ears reddened by the cold. Not just her ears, her nose was red too. Maybe it was Tarquin¡¯s imagination, or perhaps it was the contrast, but he thought she looked paler than before. Lowell got out of the car, and Elysia waved at him, indicating where she was. Tarquin stayed inside, lighting a cigarette. He couldn¡¯t hear their conversation, but they seemed to be having a good time. She smiled at Lowell, her white teeth and dimples showing. It was, a sweet sight, like that of a gentle woman. She could smile at Lowell, Benjamin, Zane, and Callum. But never at him! Hmph! Tarquin didn¡¯t know where this irritation came from, but he took a deep drag of his cigarette. Soon, Lowell returned to the car, cheerfully announcing, ¡°Ms. Thorne has prepared a feast today. Elijah¡¯s in for a treat.¡± Tarquin kept a straight face, not responding. As Lowell got in and closed the door, he turned and said, ¡°Guess what Ms. Thorne told me?¡± ¡°Not interested.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit curious?¡± ¡°What could she possibly say? It¡¯s not like something good wille out of her mouth about me. It¡¯s all just trash talk.¡± Lowell paused and then said, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. She didn¡¯t mention you at all.¡± 1/2 10:55 Chapter 229 Embarrassment opened the door, and humiliation walked right in. That was even worse than trash talk! ¡°Why didn¡¯t she mention me?¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°No idea. Not a word about you.¡± Asking more just made things more awkward. Sensing Tarquin¡¯s mood, Lowell quickly changed the subject, ¡°Ms. Thorne said she hadn¡¯t been cooking for Elijah because she was sick. She asked us to tell Elijah that she¡¯s more than happy to cook for him as long as he wants.¡± Tarquin looked away, peering out the window, noticing Elysia was no longer in sight. As Lowell started the car and buckled up, he added, ¡°Ms. Thorne is genuinely nice. I thought she stopped cooking for Elijah because she was scared after the Allegra incident. Turns out, she was ill. She looks much more worn outtely, very pale.¡± Tarquin thought, ¡°No wonder she looked paler than before. It must be the paleness of illness, drained of vitality.¡± ¡°Send her some health supplements from home, and have Heath prepare some soup to send over as well.¡± Lowell was pleased to hear that. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Why can¡¯t you always be nice to her? If you¡¯re nicer, maybe she¡¯ll warm up to you, right?¡± ¡°Who said I was being nice to her?¡± ¡°Then why send health supplements and soup? What¡¯s that about?¡± Tarquin frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t want to owe her anything!¡± Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Tarquin wanted to give Elysia the health supplements to repay her kindness with his own thoughtful gesture, ensuring they were even¨Csteven. As he walked in, Heath made a quick exit, mentioning something about heading over to the vi to whip up aforting soup for Elysia. Elijah, who had been gazing out the window, seemed to sense Tarquin¡¯s arrival, turning his head at the sound. The sight of the food container in Tarquin¡¯s hands subtly shifted his expression, a flicker of eagerness passing through his eyes. Without a word, Tarquin set the container on the dining table and proceeded to open it. Elijah, catching the cue, washed his hands and took his seat at the table, clearly looking forward to the meal. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. However, Tarquin didn¡¯t immediately serve the food. Instead, he sat down across from Elijah, his gaze serious and intent. ¡°A few days ago, she was under the weather, which is why she couldn¡¯t cook for you,¡± Tarquin began, referring to Elysia. ¡°She wanted me to tell you that if you enjoy her cooking, she¡¯s more than happy to make you meals.¡± Elijah remained silent, prompting Tarquin to continue. ¡°But here¡¯s the thing, Elijah. The person cooking for you is a woman, a young and attractive one at that. You¡¯ve met her before, remember? The one who showed up out of the blue.¡± Elijah¡¯s brow furrowed slightly at the mention of Elysia, clearly recalling their encounter. ¡°First off, I want to make it crystal clear: there¡¯s nothing between her and me. We¡¯re just friends, and if it weren¡¯t for you, our paths would rarely cross. She¡¯s cooking for you because she cares, and as a man, if you can¡¯t ept her kindness or even stand to be around her, then you shouldn¡¯t ept her generosity. It¡¯s only fair. No one should be expected to offer their kindness without some level of eptance in return.¡± Elijah looked displeased, but Tarquin held his gaze, unflinching. ¡°I want you to understand that love and care should be mutual. And more than that, I¡¯m hoping Elysia can do more than just cook for you. Maybe, just maybe, she can help heal some of the pain you¡¯re carrying, much like Corbin found his way back to happiness.¡± Elijah remained quiet, prompting Tarquin to add, ¡°If you can¡¯t ept her, then I won¡¯t let you enjoy her meals, no matter how much you might want to. It wouldn¡¯t be right, not if you can¡¯t offer her the same sincerity in return. And if she decides to leave because of that, adapting to someone else¡¯s cooking will be tough, as you¡¯ve experienced these past few days.¡± With that, Tarquin slid the food container closer to himself, distancing it from Elijah as a symbolic gesture. He was trying to teach a hard lesson, one steeped in love and long¨Cterm thinking, knowing all too well that Elysia, an independent spirit, might not always be around. Elijah¡¯s frown deepened, clearly upset by the turn of events. Tarquin hated to see him distressed but felt these truths needed to be aired. Elijah wasn¡¯t oblivious; he understood the message, even with his struggles. 10:55 Chapter 230 After a tense moment, Elijah stood and retreated to his room, leaving Tarquin staring at the closed door, wondering if his son would rather go hungry than ept Elysia¡¯s kindness. Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Chapter 231 The phone suddenly rang, a call from Lowell. Tarquin picked up and walked back to his room. Stepping out onto the balcony, he lit a cigarette. Lowell sounded like he was trying to keep a lid on his anger, ¡°Tarquin, got news from the old family estate. Next month, on the fifth, there¡¯s a memorial service for our ancestors. They¡¯ve even roped Elijah into it, saying now that he¡¯s turned five, it¡¯s time he followed the Bradford family tradition. The poor kid¡¯s supposed to light candle, bow his head in respect to our forefathers, all on his own. And they want Elijah to prepare a speech, officially marking him as the next heir to the Bradford family, addressing the entire family.¡± Tarquin¡¯s brows furrowed deeply as he took a harsh drag from his cigarette. Lowell was seething, ¡°Gideon¡¯s doing this on purpose! He knows damn well that Elijah¡¯s struggling with his mental health, and yet he¡¯s pushing for this whole ceremony, not to mention having Elijah speak in front of the whole Bradford family. It¡¯s like he wants to make a mockery out of Elijah!¡± Elijah, with his autism, finds it hard enough interfacing with strangers, let alone climbing up to some memorial service or delivering a speech! Last year¡¯s service was a nightmare. They dragged Elijah up there, and everyone was giving him these sideways nces, whispering behind his back. Elijah couldn¡¯t stand it. He got so upset he tried to leave, but ended up tumbling down the hillside. It was a close call! Aside from Tarquin and Lowell, no one else seemed to care. If anything, there was mockery. And when they learned Elijah had only passed out, not perished, you could sense their disappointment. Lowell could still picture their sneering faces! It made him grind his teeth in fury! ¡°Tarquin! We can¡¯t gamble with Elijah¡¯s life. As for the Bradford ancestors, we can skip paying respect this year. Let¡¯s just refuse to attend. Let them deal with it!¡± After another drag, Tarquin¡¯s expression was dark and stormy. ¡°Tell them Elijah will attend the memorial service but won¡¯t perform the rites. No speech!¡± Gideon caught wind of this soon after and scoffed. His confidant remarked, ¡°I thought Mr. Tarquin would refuse to let Elijah participate this year, given his worsening condition. Surprising they¡¯ve agreed.¡± Gideon responded icily, ¡°Elijah is the sole heir to the Bradford family. He must attend the service! If he skips this, he might as well be disowned. Besides, Tarquin has always respected his father. It¡¯s not just about honoring our ancestors; it¡¯s about his father too. He wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world!¡± ¡°So, shall I pass this along?¡± ¡°No, tell Tarquin that rules are rules. I was five when I recognized my ancestors, so was his father, his grandfather, and all our forebears. It can¡¯t stop with Elijah. If he struggles, he can be given guidance, but even if it¡¯s just a few words, he must speak. It¡¯s part of our tradition!¡± stop 10.55 Chapter 231 Tarquin and Gideon were like gods at war, with a host of spectators eager for drama. However, this time, the spectacle wasn¡¯t Gideon¡¯s to enjoy but Tarquin¡¯s. The entire Bradford family, distant rtives included, anyone with even a drop of Bradford blood, was itching to see Tarquin and Elijah falter. Elijah¡¯s condition was well known. But to openly revel in Tarquin and Elijah¡¯s misfortune? That opportunity only came once a year! After all, it was the only time they got to see Elijah. As Gideon said, no matter how formidable Tarquin might be, his son remained his Achilles¡® heel. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Incapable of even delivering a few words of speech was utterly humiliating! The Bradfords were all eagerly awaiting the fifth of next month, ready for the show. Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Tarquin¡¯s mood plummeted as he read Gideon¡¯s reply. It was clear as day that Gideon was using the ceremony as leverage against him and Elijah. ¡°Let¡¯s not respond for now,¡± he decided, ending the call and lighting up a cigarette to calm his nerves. The current state of affairs made it impossible for Elijah to participate in the speech and acknowledgment ceremony. It would only serve to turn him into the butt of their jokes. And if the stress triggered another episode¡­ Suddenly, a crash from the living room cut his thoughts short. Tarquin quickly snuffed out his cigarette and rushed to investigate. Elijah stood at the kitchen doorway, surrounded by the remnants of a shattered ceramic spoon. ¡°Are you okay, Elijah? Did you hurt yourself?¡± Tarquin asked, rushing over. Elijah shook his head. ¡°Why were you trying to get a spoon by yourself? What did you need it for?¡± Tarquin inquired, ¡°I wanted to eat,¡± Elijah replied calmly. ¡°Do you remember what I told you just now?¡± Tarquin prodded after a pause. Elijah frowned slightly, taking a moment before responding, ¡°I want to meet her, but only if there¡¯s nothing between you two.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Tarquin¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was Elijah considering epting Elysia? He couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle, the tension from before dissipating entirely, leaving only joy. Elijah¡¯s willingness to meet Elysia was a significant step forward, something Tarquin hadn¡¯t dared to hope for. Elysia¡¯s cooking must have really won him over, he thought with a sense of pride. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie about something like this. You can see for yourself if there¡¯s anything to worry about. Eat now, and I¡¯ll contact her to arrange a meeting,¡± Tarquin assured Elijah, who then nodded in agreement. After setting Elijah up with a fresh te at the dining table andying out the array of dishes Elysia had prepared, Tarquin couldn¡¯t help but watch Elijah eat with a sense of fatherly contentment. It was a simple joy to see his child eat heartily, Once Elijah finished, Tarquin asked, ¡°When do you want to see her?¡± ¡°Whenever suits her,¡± Elijah responded indifferently. With that, Tarquin set about cleaning up, his mood significantly brighter. However, when he tried to reach out to Elysia, he realized he had blocked her number in a moment of pique. Embarrassed but determined, he unblocked her and attempted to make contact, only to be met with rejection and eventually blocked in return. In a fit of frustration, Tarquin reached out via WhatsApp, trying to salvage some dignity by iming it was Lowell¡¯s idea. But his attempts at contact were ignored, and Lowell¡¯s subsequent call only added insult to injury, 1/2 10:56 Chapter 232 revealing Tarquin¡¯s plea had been in vain. Frustrated and with nowhere left to turn, Tarquin demanded, ¡°Lowell, pick me up, we¡¯re going to see Elysia!¡± His pride was the least of his concerns now; his son¡¯s well¨Cbeing took precedence. Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Chapter 233 When Tarquin came looking for Elysia, she had just hung up the phone with Callum. After worrying about Elijah, her concerns had shifted to Winona. Communicating with Callum about Winona was her only option. First, Callum¡¯s family was well¨Coff and had the means to dig up more information. Second, Winona was his high school sweetheart, and her well¨Cbeing was of utmost importance to him. She hadn¡¯t yet shared the news about Winona¡¯s situation with Blossom. Knowing Blossom would only fret alongside Elysia, unable to offer any real help. Zane was also in the dark. Elysia had a nagging suspicion about him and feared that mentioning anything might tip him off. The doorbell rang, and Elysia, d in casual loungewear, emerged from her bedroom. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Silence greeted her question. Outside, Tarquin stood with a scowl, ring at Lowell, ¡°Speak up!¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Lowell was puzzled. Why was he expected to talk when it was Tarquin who wanted to see Elysia? Outmatched, Lowell cleared his throat and replied cheerfully, ¡°Ms. Thorne, it¡¯s me, Lowell.¡± Elysia had a good impression of Lowell and dropped her guard, opening the door, ¡°Lowell, what brings you here?¡± Her expression soured instantly upon spotting Tarin behind Lowell. Her brows knitted together, and her demeanor turned frosty. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The stark contrast between her warm greeting for Lowell and her icy reception for Tarquin didn¡¯t sit well with Tarquin. His lips thinned, barely containing his irritation. It had been a while since anyone dared to give him such attitude! Quick to smooth things over, Lowell intervened, ¡°We just wanted to thank you for the meal you prepared for Elijah today and talk a bit about him.¡± Knowing they wereing, Lowell had made a detour to the mansion to pick up a few gifts. He brought a prized skan king crab and a rare Brittany lobster, both freshly airlifted in luxurious gift packages. With gifts in hand, implying a wish to be weed inside, and considering Elijah was involved, Elysia reluctantly let them in. No sooner had they entered, Lowell¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Ms. Thorne, I¡¯ll leave you with Tarin for a moment. Need to take this call downstairs.¡± Left alone with Tarquin, Elysia poured him a ss of water with such vigor it seemed more like she intended to ssh it in his face than offer a drink. ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty!¡± Tarquin dered, on guard.. Elysia mmed the half¨Cpoured ss on the table and said, ¡°Whatever.¡± Tarquin remained silent. 1/2 10:56 Chapter 233 Sitting opposite him, Elysia¡¯s simple yet conservative loungewear, adorned with dainty chrysanthemums and whitece,plemented her demure charm. She appeared gentle and docile, a picture¨Cperfect belle. Yet, the moment she spoke, she transformed from a belle into a fiery dame, her gentle demeanor reced by a fierce resolve. ¡°Spit it out! What do you want?¡± Tarquin, struggling to keep his cool, managed, ¡°Thanks for looking out for Elijah.¡± ¡°No thanks needed. My concern for Elijah has nothing to do with you!¡± Her care was purely out of empathy for Elijah¡¯s resemnce to Elliot and Evan, and nothing more. Tarquin insisted, ¡°I¡¯m his father!¡± Elysia shot back, ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant to me! In my eyes, Elijah is his own person. My concern is for Elijah alone. If that¡¯s all you came for, you can leave. You¡¯re not welc Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Tarquin felt like he was about to erupt, the frustration boiling inside him was nearly uncontroble. ¡°Can¡¯t we just have a normal conversation? I didn¡¯te here to fight.¡± Elysia, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t even trying to keep her cool. ¡°Who¡¯s fighting with you? Do I know you that well that I need to argue? Get over yourself!¡± ¡°You¡­ Ie here to say thanks, ant! this is how you treat me?¡± ¡°Who thanks someone with that attitude? You look like you¡¯re here to pick a fight! If you didn¡¯t want to come, you shouldn¡¯t have bothered!¡± *Elysia!¡± *Jerk!* His voice was loud, but Elysia¡¯s was even louder! He called her by her name, but she called him a jerk! Bring it on! Tarquin¡¯s breathing became erratic with anger, ¡°What did you call me? You are just¡­ He tried to speak but was cut off by Elysia again, ¡°Completely unreasonable, right? That¡¯s me, unreasonable. What are you gonna do about it?¡± ¡°Elysia!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shout my name! If you can¡¯t handle it, then leave! Now! Stop annoying me!¡± Tarquin was so furious that he was lost for words. Oh my god! Sharp¨Ctongued Elysia, victorious! The usuallymanding, assertive, and dignified Mr. Bradford, lost an argument! Tarquin had never felt this humiliated in his life. Even those in the Bradford family, who spent their days plotting against him, had never dared to be this brazen in his presence! His pride couldn¡¯t take it, and he thought about just walking away and never dealing with this infuriating woman again! But the thought of his son made him bite his lip hard, clench his jaw, and re at her! ring fiercely! For the sake of his son, he endured! Through gritted teeth, Tarquin said, ¡°You think, if it wasn¡¯t for Elijah asking me toe, I would have bothered?¡± Never in a million years! N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Elysiapletely redefined his understanding of women. He had seen all types of women, but never one 1/2 10:02 Chapter 234 like her! Belligerent, illogical, unreasonable! Hearing this, Elysia¡¯s demeanor softened a bit. ¡°Elijah asked you toe?¡± Tarquin scowled. ¡°Elijah wants to see you! ¡°What? Say that again?¡± ¡°I said Elijah wants to see you.¡± Elysia¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, blinking rapidly as she asked, ¡°Elijah wants to see me?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Why would he suddenly want to see me? I thought he was annoyed by me.¡± Before Tarquin could respond, the sounds of little footsteps approached from outside,¡°Mommy will be so happy to see us back early, wonder what she¡¯s up to?¡± ¡°Shh, keep it down, let¡¯s surprise her.¡± The door unlocked and swung open. Elysia leaped from the sofa, panic¨Cstricken! Without thinking, she grabbed his arm and dragged him into the nearest bedroom. Before they could even shut the bedroom door, the little ones burst in, ¡°Mommy! We are back early! Surprise or what?¡± Surprise? More like a total shoc She was on the verge of a heart attack! In a frenzy, Elysia pulled open a closet door and shoved him inside! It wasn¡¯t until the closet door was closed that she realized she was in there with him. By the time she thought about leaving, it was toote; Evan had already run into the room. ¡°Mommy!¡± Chapter 235 Chapter 235 resisted. Unable to control his physical reaction yet disliking it, he forcibly pried her hands off, ¡°Elysia¡­¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± His voice ovepped with that of Evan.¡± 10:03 Chapter 235 Evan, sharp as ever, questioned, ¡°Hm? Did I just hear a man¡¯s voice?¡± Elysia¡¯s heart thundered against her chest, like a drumroll in overdrive. Though Tarquin¡¯s vision was obscured by her hands, he could hear the rapid beat of her heart. He couldn¡¯t fathom her panic. Yet, she pressed even closer to him. Suddenly, Elysia pressed against his evident arousal! Tarquin felt as if struck by lightning, his body tingling, a suppressed groan escaping him. Elysia, panicked, tiptoed to seal his lips with hers. Tarquin¡¯s body shuddered again, desire peaking uncontrobly. Without a second thought, as soon as her lips touched his, he grabbed the back of her head to prevent her escape. One hand secured her head, the other pressed against her lower back, pulling her fiercely into his embrace. The force as if he wished to meld her into him. Elysia was stunned, never anticipating such a reaction from him. Caught off¨Cguard, she was overtaken, his breath filling her mouth¡­ He was like a predator, iming his territory. Or a parchednd greeting a long¨Cawaited rain, desperately absorbing. Elysia was terrified by his intensity or body heating up, her chest heaving. Her lips sealed by his, she was deprived of even the space to breathe. Tension, thrill, madness, chaos, shame¡­ R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She was on the verge of suffocating. Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Elysia tried to push Tarquin away, but couldn¡¯t. She wanted to struggle, but knowing Evan was just outside, she dared not make a sound. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Outside the closet, her three little munchkins were wondering where their mommy had vanished to, while inside, Elysia was wrapped tightly in Tarquin¡¯s arms, his lips demanding the sweet taste of hers. ¡°Huh? Where did everyone go? Elliot, Evan, Emmett,e see what I brought you!¡± Blossom had just returned from picking up a delivery. At her words, the kids scampered off. Elysia snapped back to reality, managing to push Tarquin away with a stumble that nearly brought her to her knees. Tarquin pulled her back into his embrace to prevent her from falling. Elysia raised her hand to p him, but Tarquin caught her wrist, his brows furrowed, looking down at her intensely. Her face was flushed red, lips bitten, holding his gaze defiantly. She wanted to yell at him, but the fear of rming Blossom and the kids kept her silent. Time seemed to stand still as they stared at each other, one with aplex expression, the other angry and embarrassed with tears rimming her eyes. Until the kids¡® voices echoed again outside, ¡°Mommy¡¯s jacket and shoes are here, but she¡¯s nowhere to be seen. Where could she be?¡± Elysia quickly nced outside, forcefully shrugged off Tarquin, and rushed to the door, mming it shut and locking it from the inside. The noise caught the kids¡® attention, who ran to the door, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re in there! Where were you hiding just now?¡± Elysia, panting, replied, ¡°I¡­ I was changing my clothes. You kids go y; I¡¯ll join you in a bit.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The kids ran off, and Elysia leaned against the door, catching her breath. Tarquin emerged from the closet, his forehead sweaty, his suit wrinkled. He looked at Elysia, leaning against the door, with aplex expression. Her cheeks had a hint of crimson, like a budding red rose, tempting and alluring.. Now, she seemed less innocent, and more seductive, as if she had transformed from a girl to a woman¡­ all because of his kiss. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk!¡± He barely started, and Elysia cut him off. She bit her lip, walked over to the bed, and texted Blossom. 7./2 10:03 Chapter 236 Soon, Blossom¡¯s voice was heard outside, shepherding the kids back to their rooms along with the sound of doors closing. Elysia peeked outside first to ensure the kids had returned to their room, then she red at Tarquin, teeth clenched. ¡°Get out!¡± Tarquin didn¡¯t move, so she took action. She dragged him out the door and into the elevator, her face flushed as she coldly warned, ¡°Don¡¯t you daree to my ce again! If you have something to say, call!¡± Tarquin was left speechless. Downstairs, Lowell, having just ended a call, saw Tarquin descending and greeted him. Tarquin, with a dark expression, ignored him. Noticing his mood, Lowell paused and asked, ¡°What happened? Something wrong?¡± ¡°Back to the office!¡± Tarquin spat out cold got in the car, and started smoking. He didn¡¯t utter another word the whole ride, just smoked. Lowell, concerned, ventured, ¡°You didn¡¯t have another fight with Ms. Thorne, did you?¡± Tarquin¡¯s face was stormy as he said, ¡°From now on, you handlemunications with her. Unless absolutely necessary, I don¡¯t want to see her!¡± With that, he locked himself in his office. Lowell was left dumbfounded, then received a text from Elysia. [Lowell, please tell Elijah I¡¯m avable to meet anytime. Just set up a time and let me know. Also, from now on, please direct all matters concerning Elijah to me directly, and keep his father out of sight. I don¡¯t want to see him ever again!] Lowell was more confused than ever as he thought, ¡°What did I miss? What in the world had happened?¡± Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Chapter 237 ¡°What on earth is going on?¡± Blossom was equally baffled. Elysia, putting her phone down, was too embarrassed to mention the kiss with that man, so she simply said, ¡°He came to talk to me about Elijah, and then you guys almost walked in on us.¡± Blossom¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No wonder you were so flustered! The daycare had a sudden closure today, and I forgot to tell you before I came back! And these gifts, they¡¯re from him?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± M ¡°King crab from ska, a giant lobster from Maine, and such a huge sea cucumber¡­ My God, didn¡¯t you say he was bankrupt? Where did he get the money to buy these expensive gifts? They must¡¯ve cost a fortune!¡± Elysia was taken aback as she asked, ¡°Are they that expensive?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°He must be really worried I¡¯d stop looking after Elijah, so he went all out!¡± ¡°Are you still nning to take care of Elijah? Aren¡¯t you afraid of retaliation?¡± ¡°I am, but I can¡¯t just abandon him. We¡¯ll take it one step at a time, starting with getting him the medical care he needs.¡± Elysia, looking at the seafood, took ¡®eep breath and rolled up her sleeves. ¡°Seafood feast tonight!¡± Normally, she would¡¯ve hesitated to ept suchvish gifts, but today was different. She was upset! After all he did, why not enjoy some seafood on him? It¡¯s only right! Not to enjoy it would be a loss! Both the king crab and the giant lobster were fresh, a sight neither Elysia nor Blossom had ever seen before. The kids were thrilled, ying and searching for recipes online. One wanted it cooked this way, another that often required the simplest cooking metho Steam it! way, but they all agreed that the most expensive ingredients The seafood was delicious, and the cooking process was filled with joy. After the meal, Elysia suggested a trip to the mall. First, to make the most of the kids¡® day off and take them out for some fun. Second, she wanted to buy some gifts for Elijah. It was their first official meeting, and she didn¡¯t want to show up empty¨Chanded. T 10:03 Chapter 237 Plus, she hoped the gifts would help her learn more about Elijah¡¯s preferences. At the mall, Elysia let the kids pick out their favorite toys. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. With each child having different tastes and personalities, she decided to buy an extra set of whatever they chose. The extra set was for Elijah, allowing him to choose and thus revealing his preferences and character. If he chose the toy Elliot liked, it might mean he shared simr traits with Elliot. Should he prefer Evan or Emmett¡¯s toys, it would suggest he had more inmon with them. While the kids were busy picking toys, Blossom suddenly eximed, ¡°Sarah?¡± Elysia followed her gaze and indeed spotted a familiar face! Zane¡¯s cousin. Blossom whispered, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say Sarah had a miscarriage? Then who is she buying all those baby clothes and socks for?¡± Watching her pick out baby clothes with such care and kindness, Elysia frowned slightly. ¡°She seems a bit off.¡± Right after Elysia spoke, Sarah looked up and saw her Their eyes met, and Sarah¡¯s instantly changed from gentle to fierce. It was as if she was looking at her worst enemy! Overwhelmed with emotion, she started gasping for air, struggling to breathe, which rmed¡­e store clerk who quickly offered to call a doctor. ¡°Mommy, can I get this?¡± Evan, having chosen his toy, ran over to ask Elysia. it w Sarah¡¯s gaze immediately shifted from Elysia to Evan. That fierce look, it was like something out of a thriller! Elysia instinctively pulled Evan close and watched Sarah warily. After a few tense seconds, Sarah, still frowning, shot Elysia a venomous look and left. Elysia¡¯s heart was racing. She entrusted the kids to Blossom and hurried after Sarah. Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Elysia was convinced that Sarah had gotten the wrong end of the stick about her! And it seemed like Sarah was also privy to some dirt on Winona. As Sarah was about to step out of the mall, Elysia called out, ¡°Sarah!¡± Sarah turned around, her face a mask of fury as she spat out, ¡°Murderer!¡± The people at the mall entrance stared, a mix of shock and curiosity in their eyes as they turned towards Elysia. Frowning, Elysia realized she couldn¡¯t let Sarah leave just like that. She quickly approached Sarah and grabbed her wrist. ¡°Hold on, exin yourself. Who did I kill?¡± Sarah¡¯s face twisted in anger, her facial muscles twitching uncontrobly. ¡°You killed my son, and mark my words, I¡¯ll get back at you by taking your son! Just you wait!¡± Her unwavering gaze and expression sent a chill down Elysia¡¯s spine. ¡°How could I possibly have killed your son, I¡­¡± ¡°Looking for Winona, are you? You¡¯ll never find her! Search all you want, but it¡¯ll be in vain,¡± she cackled menacingly, like something out of a horror movie. Elysia shivered, releasing her grip. Seizing the moment, Sarah pushed Elysia away with a shove, sending her stumbling backward. ¡°Elysia!¡± Fortunately, Zane was ther catch her in time. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Zane asked, concern written all over his face. Elysia didn¡¯t look at him, her gaze fixed on Sarah. When Zane turned to face Sarah, his expression immediately darkened, his brows furrowed in anger as be shouted, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Sarah seemed intimidated by him, shrinking back without a word. ¡°Take her away!¡± At Zane¡¯smand, two middle¨Caged women hurried over to escort Sarah away. Turning back to Elysia, Zane asked, ¡°Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?¡± Catching her breath, Elysia looked at Zane and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Winona? Who killed Sarah¡¯s child?¡± ? Zane paused, then exined, ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. She¡¯s been dealing with severe depression, spouting nonsense. To her, everyone¡¯s responsible for her child¡¯s death, even the doctors and nurses are not spared. As for Winona, we should hear from her soon. I¡¯ve gotten in touch with her agent, who¡¯s figuring out a way for Winona to reach out.¡± Elysia stared at Zane. He met her gaze, calm and concerned. Elysia looked away. His words suggested Winona was alright. 10:03 Chapter 238 But hadn¡¯t Callum said Winona¡¯s agent had vanished? How had Zane managed to get in touch? Coincidentally, Tarquin drove past the mall just in time to see Zane and Elysia together, appearing quite intimate. From his perspective, Elysia looked like a damsel in distress, nestled in Zane¡¯s arms, while Zane was all concern, showering her with attention. Something inside Tarquin snapped. Angrily adjusting his tie, hemanded, ¡°Tell them they¡¯re working overtime tonight!¡± Lowell, focused on driving, was taken aback. ¡°Tarquin, we just gave them the day off. Who knows what they¡¯re up to now? I thought we were meeting Keaton Huber.¡± ¡°Back to the office! Notify the board and senior management, we¡¯re having a meeting!¡± Lowell was at a loss. Was this about making those below suffer, and now those above? What exactly had set him off today? After a while, Tarquin added, ¡°Did you find anything linking Zane to Gage ter¡¯s case?¡± Lowell replied uncertainly, ¡°Nothing so far that connects him to the case.¡± Tarquin¡¯s brow furrowed deeper, remaining silent. ¡°Also, Elijah has invited Ms. Thorne to dinner. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to show up?¡± Lowell didn¡¯t dare mention the message from Elysia, expressing her reluctance to meet again. Tarquin¡¯s frown deepened, yet he stayed silent, lost in thought.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!