Ch. 931..940

Chapter 931 Are You Mocking Me?

Rylantha’s palms hit the railing so hard that it shook, but Ariel’s footsteps did not even falter for a moment. Instead, she quickened her pace and soon disappeared from Rylantha’s sight. Rylantha gritted her teeth angrily and clenched the railing tightly as if she was choking Ariel’s neck.

Meanwhile, her servant saw the opportunity to pander to Rylantha and stepped forward. “Miss Abbott, you’re the one and only successor of the Abbott Family. Don’t lower yourself to the level of that ignorant b*tch.”

Smack. She harshly slapped her servant the moment she heard the servant’s words. “What am I then if she’s a b*tch? We are both my father’s daughters. It’s not your place to point fingers at our family affairs!”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!” The humbled servant repeatedly bowed while covering his sore cheek. “Get lost!”

“Yes. Yes.” After she dismissed the servant, she looked in the direction where Ariel had left once again. Even her squinted eyes could not hide the overflowing anger sparking within them.

She had always known that Ariel was not a simple woman, and their meeting today only convinced her further that her speculation about Ariel’s character was right on the money. She had to do something about this. She had to take charge of this situation and consolidate her power. Otherwise, it would not be long before Ariel replaced her as heiress of the Abbott Family.

No one could steal the Abbott Family and her father from her! No one!

…

Meanwhile, in the Cuber Residence, Jamie finally got the approval to leave the house because Princess would be right there by his side. He was sincere in wanting to cure Princess so that he could leave this sad place as soon as possible. Nevertheless, he could no longer stand the sight of Narissa and Gale being together.

However, as soon as Jamie finished packing, he saw Narissa at the door.

“What are you doing?” she asked suspiciously.

He explained his intention patiently to her, and she thought it over for a while before grabbing the leash from him and walking Princess out. Then, she turned toward him when she noticed that he was not following her. So, she urged, “Don’t you want to treat Princess? Come with me!”

“A-Are you coming along?” Jamie could not believe that Narissa wanted to tag along.

“Can’t I?” she asked domineeringly.

“Of course, you can!” He quickly nodded his head and happily trotted toward her.

He completely forgot that he was still wearing heels. As a result, he sprained his foot and fell forward with a large bag on his back. Luckily, Narissa had keen eyes and quick reflexes, and she hurriedly stepped forward to lend him a helping hand.

Jamie did not fall to the ground. Instead, his upper body fell directly onto her. The moment he felt the softness of her chest, he took a deep breath and quickly released her in his panic. But it was too late—his face had turned as red as a tomato.

His weird reaction made Narissa wary. She sized him up and raised an eyebrow suspiciously. “We’re all women, Julia. Why are you so shy?”

“I’m not! It’s just that you have such a good figure, unlike me.” Jamie’s throat was hoarse when he replied, as he could feel his body acting up against his wishes. However, he still tried to lighten the situation by making a joke. He always had the impression that her chest was flat. But clearly, he was oh-so-wrong.

She glanced down at herself and was a little unhappy. “Are you mocking me?”

“No, no. I didn’t mean it that way.” Jamie wanted to explain himself, but it seemed that it would only get worse from there.

“Forget it. Stop wasting my time. Come along now.” She was impatient and did not want to dwell on this matter.

“Yes, of course.”

She chose a cool sidecar motorcycle from the garage and left with Jamie and Princess in tow.

It was a Blue Bay Shepherds gathering. Princess could not hold its excitement any longer and jumped from the motorcycle and dashed toward other dogs before Narissa even parked the bike.

Narissa was filled with relief when she saw Princess’ lively demeanor. “I haven’t seen her so happy for a long time.”

“Dogs and people are the same. They get grumpy if they don’t get fresh air.” Jamie made a comment out of personal feelings. “Although the Cuber Residence is huge, she is the only Blue Bay Shepherd there. So, naturally, she will feel lonely. So, it is still necessary to bring her out to see the world once in a while.”

Narissa merely smiled and did not comment.

Jamie saw the lingering fatigue in her eyes and summoned up the courage to ask, “Do you want to get married?”

“Well, you should do the right thing when you reach the right age. My parents have supported me all this time, and I can’t keep them waiting.” She was expressionless when she said that, as if she had given up struggling.

Jamie got inexplicably angry with the reply. “There are many ways to show filial respect for your parents and marrying yourself to someone you don’t love is not one of them. Mr. and Mrs. Cuber are just worried that no one will care for you when you grow old. But who would dare to look down on you if you’re capable enough? ”

Narissa did not get heated up by Jamie’s slightly explosive response. Instead, she let out a gentle smile and shook her head. “You’re wise despite being only a nanny.”

He realized that he had overstepped the boundaries. So, he quickly adjusted his tone and said calmly, “I just think that you’re a good person, and I don’t want to see you feel sorry for yourself. The Cubers have such a big family business and counting on the future son-in-law to manage it seems like a risky move. There are too many uncertainties behind that decision. You’re talented and intelligent. It’s better that you take care of your family business personally.”

He had to admit that he could never feel at ease with Gale, even though she felt otherwise.

“Thank you. I’ll give your advice some consideration.” Then, she patted him on the shoulder before dusting off the grass on her pants and running toward the dog. “Princess, mommy is coming!”

Judging from her actions, it was apparent that she did not take his words to heart. Hence, Jamie had no choice but to swallow the bitterness in his heart and silently accompany her.

She was the only one who could decide her fate. He could not intervene, nor was he qualified to do so.

…

Gale arrived at the Cuber Residence as usual and looked for Narissa. But he was told that she went out with a nanny. What nanny was more important than meeting her fiancé? He finally learned that she went out with the dog’s nanny after asking a servant.

“Is it Mrs. Lanny?” Gale knew the Cuber Family inside out.

“No, it’s a new young servant called Julia,” the servant answered truthfully.

“Julia?” Gale, who was suspicious by nature, sensed something was fishy and immediately ordered, “Take me to her room.”

The servant led Gale to Jamie’s room. The layout inside was straightforward. There was nothing off at first glance; he only saw a bed, table, and a small wardrobe.

“Wait outside.”

Gale dismissed the servant and began searching every corner of the room. The table and bed were quite empty, and only a few clothes were in the wardrobe.

But Gale was someone attentive to details. After a while, he found some odd things under the mattress, such as wigs, climbing ropes, nightwear, and electronic equipment. These were the items reported by his men previously. His eyes gleamed with ruthlessness as he held the wig in his grasp.

It seemed he underestimated Jamie, who had been lurking under his nose for so long. Don’t blame me for being cruel, Jamie.

Chapter 932 Jamie Got Chased Out

After half an hour, Narissa and Jamie were told to hurry back. When they arrived at the house, they found Napoleon sitting on the couch with a grim look on his face. An icy aura surrounded his figure—he looked as if he could eat someone alive right then. The maids around him were especially cautious—they didn’t dare to make a noise around the man. Even Narissa found herself acting more cautious than usual.

“Why did you ask me to come back so quickly? Is anything the matter, Daddy?” Narissa asked. Napoleon looked up and glanced past Narissa to glare at Jamie. “You have been fired. Pack your things and leave the house,” he ordered. Jamie had been fixing the dog’s collar, but he halted his movements for a moment after hearing the man’s words. “Are you referring to me, Mr. Cuber? Am I fired? But… Can I know the reason?” Jamie asked as he pointed at himself with an innocent look on his face.

“Yeah, Daddy. Julia’s doing a good job. Why would you want to chase her out?” Narissa was confused as well. “Shut up.” Napoleon shot his daughter a glare before he stood up and repeated himself in a firm tone. “This is Cuber Residence, so I get to decide who stays or leaves. I’m the one in charge here. Leave! Now!”

Narissa couldn’t bear to watch Napoleon speaking to Jamie in such a harsh tone. “Julia’s a girl, Daddy. How could you speak to her so rudely?” Jamie had never been treated in such a disdainful manner, and he was furious on the inside, but he contained all his rage to respond to Narissa in a meek voice. “What about you, Miss Cuber? If you wish to fire me too, then I’ll pack my bags and leave immediately.”

Narissa was a reasonable woman, and she finally decided to side with Jamie after considering that he had treated Princess. “Julia’s not leaving, Daddy. I want her to stay.” Napoleon was too angry to speak for a while. When Narissa saw how silent the man was, she let out a sigh before speaking in a deep voice. “I’ve always done everything you and Mommy want me to do. Don’t I have the right to choose the helpers I want to keep with me, at least?”

Napoleon had intentionally kept his mouth shut earlier, but he was genuinely speechless upon witnessing his daughter’s emotions. Of course, Napoleon knew that Narissa wasn’t happy to be kept by his side. Yet, he knew that both he and his wife would be unhappy if they allowed her to leave. This conflict had been present in the family for a while, but no one knew how to resolve it.

In the end, Napoleon reverted to his usual dismissive self. He turned to give the housekeeper a look, and the housekeeper immediately understood his orders. The housekeeper took a large pile of items that was wrapped up in a bedsheet before striding over and placing it on the coffee table. Once the stack was lowered, its contents—climbing rope, a black suit, and other questionable items—were revealed to the audience in the hall. Gale had intentionally hidden the wig from the pile.

“What’s all this?” Narissa had seen these items before, but she didn’t understand what they were doing in Cuber Residence. Napoleon let out an icy scoff before he shifted his gaze to look at Jamie. “Why don’t you explain yourself?”

Jamie had no idea where to start. The best he could offer was a vague explanation. “I can’t clarify everything, but I can promise that I don’t have any ill intentions and that I’d never harm Miss Cuber,” he mumbled.

“So, you have an ulterior motive for coming to our house?” Narissa knitted her brows. She felt like she had been betrayed.

“Yes, but I’m doing this because of—”

“Leave. I’m really disappointed in you.” Narissa hated it when others lied to her. Jamie wanted to explain himself further, but it was clear that he had lost his chance to do so. The last word in his sentence, ‘you’, was caught in his throat. Tears welled up in his eyes as he felt a burning pain in his throat from all the words he couldn’t say. “I’m sorry!” Before tears could trickle down his cheeks, he turned to bow at Narissa and Napoleon before he handed the dog’s leash to a housekeeper beside him. “You have to listen to your owners, okay, Princess? Goodbye.” After that brief goodbye, Jamie straightened his figure and took one final glance at Narissa before walking away reluctantly.

Gale stepped out from the side door right after Jamie left. “Don’t be sad.” Gale patted Narissa gently on the shoulder. “This is just what industrial spies are like. They’re people who would do anything just to achieve their goals. You shouldn’t blame your father—I’m the one who told him to get you guys to hurry home. I was worried that Julia would use her time with you to harm you further,” Gale explained softly.

Narissa shook her head. “I don’t think Julia’s that sort of person,” she uttered in a displeased voice. However, she didn’t seem to have much confidence in her own words. If Julia was just here to care for Princess, why would she know so much about business? She had hinted at me a few times in the past.

“You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. It’s a dangerous world out there—you should be more careful in the future.” Gale didn’t say much. He left the rest of it to Narissa’s imagination. “The Cuber Family would’ve suffered greater losses if it weren’t for Gale. You should thank him.” Napoleon seized this chance to put in a good word for his son-in-law.

“The Cuber and Myres Families are tight, so this is my duty, Mr. Cuber. You don’t have to be so nice about it.” Gale continued to play his role as a humble man. “We’re about to be family. Why are you still addressing me in such a formal manner?” Napoleon indirectly hinted at Gale.

Gale then spread his lips into a shy smile before playing along. “Daddy,” he said in a polite tone. Narissa frowned as a wave of uneasiness flooded her.

“Mhmm,” Napoleon said with a pleased nod. “That’s my son. Well, you’re no stranger here. Why don’t you stay for dinner? I can get your mother-in-law to prepare a few of her signature dishes.”

“I’d love to,” Gale agreed without hesitation. After that, Napoleon headed upstairs with a huge grin on his face. Narissa couldn’t help but speak up about the incident after she saw her father disappearing up the stairs. “Gale, I do want to help you, but… The engagement is around the corner. Once you’re done with your matters, I think you should clarify things with my parents,” she uttered.

Now, I regret having agreed to put on an act with Gale. After telling one lie, we had to use more lies to cover up the initial lie. I don’t feel like I have enough energy to keep up with this whole act anymore. Narissa had been tempted to just expose everything when she heard Gale calling Napoleon his father earlier. She wanted to tell Napoleon that it was all an act. Yet, Gale was extremely sweet to her, and he had just helped her family identify a spy in the house. Narissa felt like she owed him too much to cause him any trouble. She felt like she no longer had a choice but to help him, even if she didn’t want to.

Narissa couldn’t comprehend the situation. I’m doing a good thing here, but why do I feel so bad? Gale fixed his glasses before he rested his hands on the couch and leaned forward while letting out a sigh. “I don’t want to put you in a tough spot, either. But you know how it is, Narissa. The Myreses have been struggling for years, and I have a lot on my shoulders. This is my only chance to turn things around, so I have to make good use of this opportunity.” His voice grew softer as he spoke. “I’m begging you, Narissa. Please hang in there for just a while more. I’ll never ruin your future, Narissa. I swear!”

Chapter 933 I’m Not a Pervert

No woman could reject a man’s helpless pleas, especially when the man was someone she saw as a close friend. Narissa was just like any other woman, so she ended up giving in to Gale’s requests. No one could tell, but beneath Narissa’s tough and cold exterior lay a gentle and kind heart.

The Cuber Family’s manor was located in the suburbs. Jamie wasn’t exactly escorted out of the manor—in fact, he was thrown out of the place. The driver randomly halted the car by some park outside the manor before ‘inviting’ Jamie to get out of the car.

Jamie grumbled and complained as he let himself out. He had only walked a short distance before the heel of his right shoe broke. “How much unluckier can I get?” he hissed to himself as he removed his other shoe and broke its heel as well.

Then, with his newly customized stilettos, he stormed down the road toward the city. If everything goes well, I should be able to see some signs of life before the sun sets, Jamie figured.

However, his legs were aching about two hours into his trip. When he took his stilettos off, he realized that the back of his ankles was horribly blistered. He decided to remove his shoes and continue his journey barefoot.

“This feels so much better.” Jamie tried to lighten his own mood by speaking to himself. Right then, he heard the sound of a woman’s screams coming from the woods beside him. “Help me! Ah! Slow down! Please stop!” the woman cried. Jamie turned around to find a petite woman in the woods.

She was being dragged around by a large dog, and she bumped into a few trees as the dog ran around like a wild beast. The dog didn’t care for its owner as it continued charging around uncontrollably.

As Jamie watched, the dog and its owner sprinted out of the woods toward a river on the opposite side of the road. The dog seemed to lose its mind even more after it saw the river—it charged directly toward it before leaping into it.

“Watch out!” Jamie no longer hesitated after he saw the woman falling toward the river. He ran over and grabbed the woman with one arm before holding onto the dog’s leash with the other, successfully preventing what might’ve been an enormous tragedy.

The woman was shocked when she saw the man in a dress and a wig. “Your voice…” In a panic, Jamie had forgotten about his fake voice and ended up using his actual voice. “Don’t get me wrong! I’m not a pervert!” Jamie tried to explain himself.

“I understand. It’s cosplay, right? I tried it back in university!” The woman offered Jamie an explanation that he hadn’t thought of. “Yeah, cosplay,” he replied with a faint smile. Then, he let go of the woman and helped her untangle the dog’s leash in her hand. “A petite woman like you should get a smaller dog. You wouldn’t be able to handle an Alaskan Malamute when it goes crazy,” Jamie uttered.

“But I love this breed of dog.” The woman’s eyes were shaped like half-moons when she beamed. “Don’t you think it’s really nice to hug a dog as large as this? I always end up getting dragged around by it, but it still soothes me to have my dog. Do you have a dog, too?” The twinkle in the woman’s eyes told Jamie that she had to be from a wealthy family. He figured that she was probably someone who was sheltered and pampered while growing up.

At the mention of dogs, Jamie was reminded of both Princess and Narissa. His eyes glinted with sorrow for a moment, but he quickly concealed it before responding in a hearty tone, “I guess! But my dog’s a little smaller than yours.”

“That’s perfect! We can connect on social media, and we can hang out in the future!” The girl pulled her phone out as she spoke. “It’s fine.” Jamie wasn’t in the mood to make friends. “I’m leaving Wegas soon, so there’s no point in adding me as a friend,” he replied.

“Well, okay, then. Thank you for today! My name is Alicia Heidelberg. You can come to Lisbon Street if you ever come back to Wegas; I’m always around that area,” the woman uttered generously. “Alright. Goodbye,” Jamie replied before turning to walk away.

However, Alicia then realized that he was barefooted. “Wait!” She ran over and pointed at his feet. “You’re not going to head home like that, are you?” She noticed the obvious wounds on the back of his legs, and she could tell that the soles of his feet were red from all the walking. It told her that he didn’t have the habit of walking barefoot.

Jamie threw his hands up with a helpless look on his face. “I’ll reach my destination in two hours. Why does it matter?” Alicia sighed as she gave him a worried gaze. It was almost as if she was staring at a disobedient child who was causing her problems. In the end, Alicia drove Jamie back to the city as a means of repaying his kindness. “See you later.” Alicia waved him goodbye.

“See you.” Jamie nodded. “By the way, you should tie the dog around a tree the next time it runs wild. That way, you would be able to make it stay,” he added after some hesitation. Alicia smiled as she turned to look at the dog who was sitting in the backseat. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.” They parted ways after that.

…

After Jamie got back to his rented place, he found Gale sitting on the couch with a stern look on his face. Gale looked as if he was about to interrogate the other man. Jamie simply ignored Gale as he walked over to the bar and poured himself a glass of whiskey. “Where did you go?” Gale was the first to break the silence. “Did you know that I wanted to bring you to meet Narissa today? Why are you so impatient?”

“Sorry.” Jamie turned his head away from the other man.

“I don’t want an apology!” Gale put on a disappointed look as he went along with the conversation. “You should be apologizing to Narissa. I have always supported you. I used to think that you were a decent man because of all the effort that you showed, but it seems like I should reevaluate my judgment of you now. Perhaps Mr. Cuber was right. People like you don’t care for others. Maybe you don’t have it in you to give Narissa happiness!”

Jamie was exhausted—both physically and mentally. He didn’t feel like speaking, and he didn’t want to have a conversation with Gale then. Narissa was the only one who had the right to decide if Jamie could give her happiness, but she had chased him out of the house, so her answer was clear. Her answer seemed also to prove Gale right.

Jamie was angry with the outcome, yet he couldn’t pour his feelings out to anyone. The only person he wanted to speak to was also the person who no longer wanted to give him a chance to speak. He rested an arm on the bar before he let out a soft scoff. “You’re right. I’m all over the place, I’m not determined, I’m not honest, and I have all these problems that make me a completely useless person. Are you happy now?”

Bam! Gale punched Jamie in the face. “You coward! You have no right to be Narissa’s partner. I’m going to protect her. I want you to disappear right now. Otherwise, I’ll beat you up each time I see you!” After that, Gale left the house, slamming the door behind him.

Jamie let out a laugh to fill the silence in the house. However, his laugh sounded almost like sobs. He wiped the blood from the corner of his lips before he looked up at the ceiling with tears in his eyes. How peculiar. That punch didn’t hurt me at all, but why do I feel like there’s a knife in my chest? My chest hurts with every beat of my heart.

Chapter 934 Resentment

It was inconvenient for them to stay in a hotel all the time, so Alexander decided to splurge on a house in the city. He brought Elise over to take a look at the place after the cleaners had tidied the place a little.

The house was rather old, and its design seemed unique to its previous owner. Furthermore, it was located right in the middle of the city, which made Elise worry about the price of the place. “It probably costs a lot to buy an antique house located in a place like this, right?”

“As long as you enjoy your stay, my love.” Alexander’s words were sweeter than honey. Elise didn’t respond to his words and simply walked around to check out the rest of the house.

“Other than the utilities, most of the other furnishings are kept the way they were before,” Alexander explained as he trailed along behind Elise. He recalled how Elise appreciated old and vintage items—he knew that she liked things that had a story behind them.

Cittadel wasn’t a place with much history, so Alexander figured that he could fulfill Elise’s wishes now that they were in Wegas. Elise finally cracked a smile after she found a functioning phonograph that had been preserved throughout the years.

She turned around and hooked her arms around Alexander’s neck before she got on her tiptoes to give him a peck on the lips. “I love it. Thanks, darling.” It was rare for Elise to take initiative. Alexander felt his heart fluttering and his body burning up in response to her actions.

“It’s been a long day. Why don’t we take a shower?” Alexander suggested out of nowhere. “That’s a good idea.” Elise loosened her arms around him before she skipped around in circles.

“We should have a celebration tonight since it’s our first night in the new house,” she uttered. Alexander strode over and swept her off her feet before heading up the stairs. “What I meant was for us to shower together,” he uttered with an expressionless look on his face.

Elise blushed the moment she realized what he was saying. “Did you please me with all these things just because you wanted to do this?” Her face was burning.

“I’m not that shallow of a person, Elise.” The look on Alexander’s face was as calm as ever. “You’re happy, and the mood is right. You should think about my happiness too, right? Stop being so selfish.”

“Me, selfish?” Elise bit onto his neck as revenge. Alexander hissed in pain, and he halted his footsteps as he was afraid that he would accidentally bump into something and hurt Elise by accident. Since Elise had released her frustration, she stopped biting him and stared at him with a smug look on her face. It was almost as if she was a child who had just successfully pranked him. “Are you afraid now? Hmph!” she uttered in a haughty tone.

Alexander couldn’t help but laugh. Soon enough, Elise found herself in a completely vulnerable position. She had given up—she knew that there was no escape for her right then.

The man’s promises meant nothing when it came to their activities in bed. Elise was so exhausted that she slept through the evening after they were done. She was awakened by a knock on the door.

She was drowsy and dazed, and she thought that the knock was just her imagination until a louder sound followed the initial knock. Bang, Bang!

She was so shocked that she leaped out of bed immediately. “Darling?” She called for Alexander without opening her eyes, but no one responded to her calls. Only then did she realize that he might have headed out to pick up the kids.

Bang! Bang! “Open the door!” The person downstairs shouted while banging on the door. Elise frowned when she realized how this seemed like what a drunken person would do.

She tidied the bed a little before she headed downstairs, mentally prepared for whatever was waiting at the door. When she finally opened the door, she found Jamie in a long, pastel yellow dress and a bottle of liquor in one hand. He looked as if he had just cried for hours.

What a mess, Elise thought. Jamie was an utter mess—everything from the tattered dress to the smudged makeup on his face made it seem as if he was dressed for a Halloween event. “Who are you?” Elise crossed her hands in front of her chest without intending to invite him into the house. She wasn’t pleased since the man had disrupted her beauty sleep.

Jamie let out a hiccup before he started sobbing. “It’s me, Boss. I’m heartbroken…” Upon finishing his sentence, Jamie collapsed onto the ground beside Elise’s feet before he hugged her leg and continued to wail. “I’m so sad. I never knew how much love could hurt.”

Alexander happened to catch this very scene just as he was about to bring the kids into the house. “What’s going on?” Alexander raised an eyebrow. He clearly wasn’t too happy with the situation. Elise spread her hands open with a helpless look on her face. “Would you believe me if I said this guy is just a scammer?”

“It’s Godfather!” Alexia recognized Jamie’s face, and she let out a heartless giggle at the sight of him. In Alexia’s eyes, Jamie was throwing a Halloween celebration for her—she had no idea how hurt and heartbroken he was. Even though Elise wasn’t eager to have Jamie in their house, she eventually got Alexander to help Jamie in.

Alexander dragged the drunk man into the house before dropping him down on the couch and walking off to the washroom. The clean freak in Alexander was especially evident when there were outsiders around—he was practically disgusted by everyone aside from his wife and children.

Jamie continued to cry on the couch. “Narissa… Narissa Cuber…” he mumbled in his drunken state. Elise couldn’t bring herself to be mad at the man. “Irvin, why don’t you go to the kitchen and pour your godfather a glass of warm water?” she uttered.

Irvin obediently brought the glass of water over to his mother. Elise realized that Irvin was holding his phone up and pointing its camera toward Jamie after she took the glass from Irvin. “What are you doing, Irvin?”

Elise was dumbfounded. Irvin shamelessly stuck the phone into Jamie’s face. “I want to preserve precious moments like this,” he replied calmly. Getting drunk itself wasn’t the scariest thing—what was truly terrifying were the photos one saw after sobering up.

Elise was speechless—she hadn’t expected her son to be so mean. “Are you sure this is okay?” she asked.

“He’s not stopping me,” Irvin replied firmly. “I’d be amazed if he could stop you with the state that he’s in,” Elise chuckled. “It’s none of my business, then.” Irvin swiftly kept his phone away. “All done!” Elise shook her head and turned to Alexander when she saw him walking over. “What should we do with him for the night?”

“Leave him be.” Alexander didn’t have the energy to deal with a drunk, and he didn’t want Elise or the kids to have anything to do with Jamie either. “Are we just going to leave him here like this?” Elise wasn’t as heartless as the man.

“He’ll only feel worse if you don’t allow him to remain in this pitiful state. He’s getting what he deserves—it’s none of our concern.” Alexander was a man, so he completely understood what was on Jamie’s mind. If he’s physically hurting, he won’t have the capacity or the time to realize how much he’s hurting mentally.

That’s how he’s trying to get through the toughest period of his heartbreak, Alexander thought. So, Alexander figured that they were already being kind by taking him in from the streets. On the other hand, he knew that they wouldn’t do much good if they cared too much for him.

Even though that was what they agreed on, Alexia still ended up sneaking over to the living room in the middle of the night. She brought her pink duvet along and threw it over Jamie before heading back to bed.

The next morning, Jamie was still fast asleep by noon. Ding Dong! Ding Dong! The doorbell rang a few times, but Jamie simply pretended as if he couldn’t hear anything.

After a few more rings, he threw the duvet over his head to act as if he didn’t exist. Elise hurried down the stairs just in time to catch Jamie shifting around on the couch. She gave him a resentful glare before she opened the door.

“Narissa?””Narissa’s here!”

Chapter 935 Impressive Godson

When Jamie heard that Narissa was the one who was at the door, he immediately jumped off the couch. Narissa happened to walk in at the same time, and Jamie froze when he saw her.

Then, he held the pink duvet over his face before he charged upstairs. Narissa heard the noise, and she turned around just in time to catch a tall, skinny figure in a yellow dress and a pink shawl-looking thing running up the stairs.

“Who’s that?” Narissa asked. “Oh, that’s a new foreign helper we just hired,” Elise uttered instantly. The Cuber Family had a few foreign helpers themselves, so Narissa didn’t think much about it. “Your helper is pretty tall.”

“Yeah.” Elise let out an awkward laugh. “Shouldn’t you be out dating today? What are you doing here at this hour?”

Narissa shook her head before she dragged Elise over to the couch. “I’ve never been a clingy person, and I’m not used to seeing Gale every day,” she replied. “That’s true,” Elise replied with a nod. “Even the most loving couples should have some space of their own. I agree that absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

Narissa wore a rather gloomy look on her face when she next looked at Elise. “Do you think it’s better to get married or to stay single?” She changed the topic all of a sudden.

“Have you decided to get married?” Elise was more concerned about this matter. “I guess. Everyone’s being kept busy with the arrangements for my engagement. It’s happening soon,” Narissa uttered with a bitter smile. “Someone once told me that I should always plan ahead for the family and the family businesses. Otherwise, I’d be clueless about the business if anything happened to my father, which would put me in a vulnerable position. I trust Gale, but I just think that if we’re going to get married, I should do all the other things that people my age would do as well,” she uttered.

For some reason, Narissa was reminded of Julia as she told Elise about this. That’s odd. I seem to be taking Julia’s advice after chasing her out. “It takes time to get to know a person. You should trust your gut and find the truth for yourself. We’ll always be a part of your extended family, and we won’t allow anyone to bully you,” Elise replied in an attempt to comfort Narissa.

Elise hadn’t told Narissa about her true identity as she didn’t want to cause any commotion. Elise knew that Narissa probably wouldn’t have so many worries if Narissa knew that she was still alive. Their relationship was one beyond friendship—Elise had always felt like a belief that Narissa had. As long as Narissa had faith in Elise, she would have the courage to continue being herself.

The two women seemed to have a special connection with one another—Narissa felt a lot more at ease after speaking to Elise. “Well, in that case, you’ll have to be by my side even after I get married. You’re not allowed to ditch me, okay?” Narissa even had the mood to joke after that. Elise chuckled. “I’m afraid your partner might be the one who finds me a nuisance at that point.”

Considering how Jamie had acted the night before, Elise was certain that he would be deeply attached to Narissa if they got together. Jamie would probably be annoyed if I started third wheeling them, Elise thought. Narissa wasn’t aware of all that was going on in Elise’s head—she simply found it comforting and liberating to sit around and chat with Elise. Narissa would choose this instead of spending time with Gale any day.

Meanwhile, Jamie bumped into Irvin right after he ran up the stairs. Jamie was worried that Irvin would say the wrong thing if he went downstairs, so he brought Irvin to the study before locking the door. “I’m giving you a warning, Irvin. I want you to stay silent.” Jamie didn’t seem the least bit threatening when he made his announcement due to the smudged makeup on his face.

“Who’s downstairs? Is it Godmother? Let me take a look.” Irvin stuck a hand into his pocket as he raised an eyebrow. He seemed as if he had just gathered a lot of important information and was prepared to expose Jamie after stepping out of the door. “Come back here!” Jamie dragged the child back and spoke in a firmer tone. “I’m not kidding with you now. I’m no longer going to take you as my godson if you go down and expose me right now!”

“Calm down. I’m not that insensitive.” Irvin raised his hand to his mouth and pretended to zip an invisible zip across his lips. “Here. My lips are sealed shut. I’m not going to say anything.”

“You finally seem reliable, for once.” Jamie heaved a sigh of relief before he sat on the ground and patted his chest. Narissa nearly caught me in this state. I’m glad I ran off just in time.

Right then, Irvin curled his lips into a menacing smirk before he held his hand up and edged closer to show Jamie the videos that he had taken the night before. After Irvin played the video, Jamie’s blood-curdling wails filled the room. “Where are you, Narissa? I miss you…”

“Oh gosh!” Jamie jumped to his feet and snatched the phone from Irvin before turning it off. Then, he hugged it close to his chest in fear that it would make any more noises. “When did you record this?”

“You don’t need to know.” Irvin put on an innocent smile. “I’ve made more than ten copies of this. It’s an interesting video—don’t you think I should send a copy to Godmother?”

“Don’t you dare!” Jamie nearly shouted at the boy, but he managed to contain his emotions as he was worried that Narissa would hear him. “What do you want, you sly fox?” Jamie asked.

Ever since Jamie found out that Irvin was Alexander’s son, he had been certain that Irvin would manipulate him someday. I can’t believe this is happening already! Irvin is only seven, yet he’s already trying to blackmail me! Will this be my life from now on? Jamie’s heart ached at the thought of this.

Irvin only widened his smile at the sight of the other man’s disbelief. “I have been researching some medical products, and I’m running out of funds…”

“How much do you need?” Jamie asked.

“15 million.”

“Money ruins relationships, you know? Why don’t you give me a discount?” Jamie uttered.

“30 million,” Irvin replied.

“Why did you increase the amount? Let’s have a talk,” Jamie suggested.

“I’ll bring the video over and talk to Godmother about it,” Irvin replied.

“Hey, hey! Alright, I’ll pay you, okay?” Jamie gave up on his attempt to fight for his rights—he simply pulled his phone out and transferred the money to the kid. When Irvin saw the increase in his funds, he beamed and patted Jamie on the shoulder when he saw the increase in his funds. “Thanks, Godfather.”

“That’s a lot to pay just to be your godfather,” Jamie protested.

“My rates depend on your requests. Anyway, I think it’s pretty rare for you to be able to find such an impressive godson on the market,” Irvin uttered in a narcissistic tone.

“Are you saying I should thank you for taking all those horrible photos of me?” Jamie asked.

“You’re welcome.” Irvin took the man’s words as a compliment. “You—” Jamie started coughing as he choked on his words. He had to pound his chest just to stop the coughing. Irvin shot the man a side glance before he reached for the doorknob. Jamie held his hand out to stop Irvin once more. “What are you doing? Are you going against your word after I transferred the money to you?”

Irvin pulled his hand away. “I’ve already taken your money, so you can trust that I’ll keep your secret,” Irvin replied. Then, he opened the door and let himself out. Just seconds later, Irvin turned back around and stuck his head through the door. “Just a friendly reminder, you should wash your face before Alexia sees you. You don’t want to scare her. Also, your cover will be blown and your payment will be pointless if Godmother happens to come upstairs.”

Jamie pouted. “I got it, you brat!”

Chapter 936 Too Much of a Coincidence

An hour later, Jamie finally tiptoed down the stairs when he heard the front door closing shut. Elise returned from the foyer and immediately saw him creeping down furtively. “Are you a thief?” “Is she gone?” he whispered cautiously.

“Yes.” Finally, he stood up straight and swayed his arms like he had been exercising. “Do you plan to hide from her forever?” She found it funny.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He acted ignorant while she stared at him amusingly. Let’s see how long you can put up that act. Feeling guilty, Jamie caved in. “Gosh, okay. I won’t keep hiding from her, but it’s not the time now.”

Elise shook her head and wanted to go upstairs to rest, but she was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Without wasting time, he fled upstairs and went into hiding. Both guessed that Narissa had returned for the umbrella she left there.

“You’d better not call yourself my junior when you’re out and about,” Elise yelled in his direction before opening the door. “What did you leave behind?”

To her surprise, she saw a few men dressed in suits instead of Narissa. The front person was older than the others. He had a head of gray hair that was slicked back nicely, and there was a watch in the pocket of his coat. His outfit was a simple but tailored luxury item, which was representative of his class.

“Who is this?” Elise greeted him with a nod.

“Is Mr. Keller at home?” The old man smiled at her.

“Who is that?” Jamie sped downstairs to the entrance once he heard the man’s voice.

“Good day, Mr. Keller. I’m from BJ Biotech—the butler of the Heidelberg Family. I specifically visited you today to thank you for saving Miss Heidelberg yesterday,” the old gentleman introduced himself.

“Thank me specifically?” Jamie could not recall any heroic action. “Who’s Miss Heidelberg?”

“Alicia Heidelberg. She was the dog owner you met yesterday.”

“Oh! Yes, I recall her. By the way, as her staff, aren’t you a little too negligent? How could you let her walk the dog alone? Had I not saved her, you would’ve lost your missus,” Jamie chattered away.

“Indeed, sir, you are right.” The old gentleman was humble and nodded along. After that, the other men handed Jamie an exquisite gift box. “This is a thank-you gift from her father, Mr. Heidelberg. Please accept it.”

“That was just a small favor! You don’t have to do this. Plus, she drove me home later, so I guess we’re even! Please take the gift with you.” Jamie waved his hand generously.

The old gentleman placed the gift box by the door and said lazily, “It is the Heidelberg Family’s rule to never take back what has been given to the others. If you are unsatisfied with the gift, you can request more. Mr. Heidelberg said that he would fulfill any of your wishes. One thing to keep in mind—Miss Heidelberg is still young, and her father does not wish to expose her to strangers too early. If you need anything, just contact me.”

On the surface, his humble and mild-mannered behavior might reflect his high standard in managing the Heidelberg Family and his character. However, upon closer inspection, one would realize that he was using politeness as a vehicle to convey their wish for Jamie to stay away from Alicia.

Jamie was smart and instantly got the hint. His expression fell before he snickered, “Alicia is a nice girl. Too bad she has a snobbish family.”

“Mr. Keller, you seem to be in a bad mood. I shall excuse myself now. My name card is in the bag. Please contact me if you need anything. Take care!”

The old gentleman was indeed the butler of a wealthy family who had been through many situations. Even after he was being scoffed at, he remained composed and delivered his words with a smile. Then, he left with the other men.

“I don’t f*cking care about this!” Jamie kicked the gift box out of the door in a fit of anger.

“You will.” Elise poured cold water on him.

“Boss, who are you siding with?” He felt victimized. He did a good deed yesterday, only to be perceived as an opportunist with a motive.

Shouldn’t she at least speak up for me?

She went into the house and continued, “Didn’t you hear? You saved the second daughter of BJ Biotech’s owner.”

“Whatever! I didn’t know that when I saved her.” He shrugged, determined to prove his innocence.

She stopped and put on a serious face. “We have two missions in Wegas so far. The first one is the Cubers. The second would be BJ Biotech.”

“Wait, isn’t that too much of a coincidence?” Jamie was in disbelief.

“It is a coincidence,” Elise said firmly.

“No wonder the Heidelbergs thought I had an ulterior motive.” Now, he felt that he could never clear his name. “No way! I need to explain everything to them!”

Being bull-headed again, he turned around and wanted to go after the men who visited them.

Alexander entered the house at that moment and immediately stopped him. “No need for that. You will only confuse and attract suspicion. Their distrust of you from the start has nothing to do with your guiltiness or lack thereof.”

That was a cruel and direct explanation, but it was the reality. Had it been another person apart from Jamie today, the Heidelbergs would have still treated them similarly.

He was at a loss for words and sat with his angry thoughts.

“Rather than wasting your time on overthinking, why don’t you go for it and get acquainted with Miss Heidelberg? That way, we will have an extra contact if we’re in talks about partnerships in the future,” Alexander added calmly.

“Let’s not do that. She doesn’t look like she’s involved in our circle. We’d better not touch her.” Although Jamie was annoyed at the Heidelbergs, he was unwilling to manipulate someone as kind as Alicia.

The world was already full of those who manipulated and traded their way up the ladder. Therefore, he wanted to protect the kind ones on the rare occasion that he came across them.

“Did you think she had a choice when she was born into this?” Alexander quietly strategized. “I bet the second daughter of the Heidelbergs was a popular target. Now that their family has successfully gotten approval for a new drug, many would love to take their share of the profits. If we get the chance to talk to the Heidelbergs, we would be strictly discussing business, but if someone else is ahead of us—for example, those from Wendy Jennings’ side—do you think it’s going to end well for that poor girl?”

One had to give it to Alexander, the negotiation expert. With a few lines, he crumbled Jamie’s resolve.

“I still think that it is not gentlemanly to do so, but if you say it’s the best outcome for Alicia, I would like to give it a try.”

…

Two days later, a professionally dressed Alicia stood at a bowling alley in a two-handed position and took a few deep breaths. With a strong force, she lifted the ball in one hand and supported it with another.

Standing in front of the lane and aiming at the pins, she used up all her energy to roll the ball.

At the sight of her serious visage, one would be forgiven to think that she was a pro player who was confident about her imminent success.

In reality, the ball only traveled half of the lane before dropping into the gutter.

Despite that, she remained positive and made some simple adjustments before picking up a second ball.

Just when she wanted to throw the ball again, someone wrapped an arm around her waist.

Chapter 937 Gale’s Trap

When she looked around, she could see Jamie standing behind her. The distance between them was close but not too uncomfortable. She could hear his attractive voice distinctly.

“Straighten your body. You’ll be wasting your energy otherwise. When you’re about to throw, your hand should not skew. Keep your arms relaxed and close to the body. Take firm steps forward and be quick when you strike. Use your left hand to control your center of gravity. Try it out.”

Under his guidance, Alicia made the adjustments. Soon, she took four quick steps and made her throw without hesitation. The ball rolled forward at high speed and struck down half of the pins.

“Yes!” She jumped in excitement. “Are you satisfied with taking down just a few pins?” he joked. “Those who want less will be happy.” She was positive about it. “By the way, why are you here?”

“Would you believe me if I say it’s a coincidence?” He shrugged, looking rather uneasy. “Of course.” She beamed at him in a childlike manner, looking passionate and adorable. “That shows we are tied by fate. Am I right?”

He lost his composure in the face of her innocent smile. “Alright. To be honest, I faked this encounter. I did it because you’re the second daughter from the Heidelberg Family, and I wanted to get to know your father through you.”

“I know that.” She did not look surprised. Not only that, her smile widened.

“You knew?” He had no idea what gave him away.

“The bowling alley has a strict membership requirement. I know almost every member who plays here. That’s why I knew that us running into each other here was not a coincidence.” She kept a smile on her face. “Anyway, I appreciate the honesty. I’ll be frank with you as well. I am not involved in my dad’s business, so I can’t help you. Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine. I should be the one who feels sorry.” Jamie looked embarrassed because he was the one who approached her with an ulterior motive, only to make her feel guilty. After all, she could not help him.

“Can we still be friends even if we can’t talk business?” She shot her shot directly and boldly.

“Sure.” This time, he did not beat around the bush and exchanged social media contacts with her.

Following that, he taught her a few bowling tips. During their conversation, he was once again impressed by her liveliness and carefree manner.

In other words, he saw Narissa in Alicia.

Half an hour later, she was worn out from the activity. Jamie got her a bottle of water and waited while she rested. He casually looked toward the entrance, only to spot Gale Myres walking in.

Gale and Alicia undoubtedly knew each other because he was the nephew from Mrs. Heidelberg’s side of the family. Jamie knew that it would not be good if Gale noticed him mingling with Alicia.

“Oh. I almost forgot that I have something to attend to. Let’s keep in touch. I’ll go now. Bye!” He made up an excuse to escape since he was running out of time.

Alas, he was spotted by Gale, who walked up to Alicia. “Was that your friend?” He immediately prodded.

“Yes.” She admitted right away. “We met a few days ago. He’s a nice guy. Are you here to bowl?”

“Nope. Here to meet a friend,” he answered absentmindedly before starting his interrogation again. “It’s rare to see you hanging out happily with guys. Are you interested in him, by any chance?”

He always presented himself as an empathetic older brother in front of his younger cousins.

She smiled but did not deny it. Chuckling, he took the chance to encourage her to go after Jamie. “Young love is fleeting. If you’re interested in someone, you need to go for it. Lately, I’ve been going on dates with your future cousin-in-law. You should ask that guy out if there’s a chance. We could do double dates. Who knows? Going out with another couple might help with your relationship.”

“But I don’t know if he has the time or not.” She recalled Jamie saying he would fly home soon.

“You need to create the opportunity.” He hinted at her.

She was swayed and gave in. “I’ll try.”

Since Jamie had free time and was in the dark about Gale’s attendance, he agreed to Alicia’s double date without hesitation.

The next day, Gale brought Narissa to the meeting point early in the morning.

To his surprise, Alicia arrived earlier and was waiting for them at the entrance. He took the initiative to introduce everyone to each other, “This is Alicia, my cousin. Alicia, this is Narissa, your cousin-in-law.”

“Hey.” Narissa nodded as a greeting. She was a cold beauty who came off as confident.

“My cousin-in-law is such a cool lady,” Alicia complimented her with sincerity.

“Thanks.” Narissa forced a smile. She was fine with the compliment, but she felt uneasy about the ‘cousin-in-law’ title.

“You guys should go in first.” Alicia was thoughtful.

“What about you?” Narissa looked confused.

“I bet she’s looking for her boyfriend. Let’s not third-wheel.” Gale intentionally misrepresented the relationship between Jamie and Alicia.

“He’s not my boyfriend yet.” She bit her lower lip shyly.

“He will be soon. I know it because I have been through it.” He turned to Narissa with a smile. “Young girls like Alicia are shy.”

Narissa nodded with understanding.

“We’ll head in now. When he’s here, the two of you should join us,” he reminded Alicia and led Narissa into the venue.

Very soon, they heard the sound of a car parking. Narissa stopped and turned around to find Jamie and Alicia chatting away happily at the entrance.

Her heart sank at the sight, and she froze on the ground, thinking, Is Jamie her boyfriend?

Before this, she had thought of Alicia as a youthful and adorable girl. However, Alicia’s smile was oddly jarring at that moment.

So, she is Jamie’s type.

“They’re a good match, don’t you think so?” Gale fanned the flames. Narissa’s eyes welled up in tears, and she had a strong urge to leave the scene. “I think my makeup is smudged. I need to go to the washroom.” She made up an excuse and fled the scene.

When Jamie walked over with Alicia and saw Gale, he was attacked by a strong sense of uneasiness. From his experience working as a babysitter for the Cubers, he knew very well that Gale was always glued to Narissa. Therefore, he doubted that Gale would be here without her.

As expected, he heard Gale mentioning Narissa the next instant. “Narissa is touching up her makeup. Let’s wait for her at the court,” he suggested.

Jamie examined his phony expression and felt anxious. I have not mentally prepared myself to meet Narissa. Why did he set up a trap for me?

“Oh? I’ll touch up my makeup too. Jamie, go get the rackets with Gale. Thank you!”

Alicia’s absence created a private moment for the two guys.

“What’s this supposed to mean?” Jamie was sure that Gale had prior knowledge of his attendance.

“I should be the one asking you.” Gale fired back. “Alicia told us she wanted to introduce a friend. We never thought that friend would be you. I underestimated you. When you failed to get Narissa, you turned your attention to Alicia. What’s your motive?”

Chapter 938 An Injured Alicia

“You’re saying you didn’t plan this?” Jamie was livid. “I think I stated last time how I don’t wish to see you anymore, so what reason do I have to send my love rival to my fiancé’s side?” Not only did Gale not admit it, but he also started to turn the tables. “It really isn’t you?” Jamie’s thoughts began to waver.

“If you don’t believe me, then suit yourself.” Gale was upset on the surface. “I’m reminding you now—since you have abandoned Narissa once, I hope you don’t harass her anymore in the future. Let’s live in peace without seeing each other and bid our last farewells after this gathering. I do not wish for any more complications to arise.” Then, he turned around and walked out.

After giving it some thought, Jamie decided to stay back and see what was up. Inside the bathroom, Narissa washed her face repeatedly with cold water until she thoroughly calmed down. Subsequently, she leaned on the counter and zoned out while looking in the mirror.

She did not even have any makeup on, to begin with. She merely could not control her emotions in front of Jamie and had to hide temporarily.

Even though she, in her mind, enacted their encounter a lot of times, she did not predict how easily he affected her just by standing there.

Hearing footsteps from outside, she quickly calmed herself and turn the tap off before straightening her back.

It turned out to be Alicia, who saw a cold beauty standing by the sink.

“Hello, cousin-in-law.” She greeted Narissa before standing beside her and applying sunscreen.

Since she was still young, her skin was fair and healthy, so she did not need to apply too much makeup.

“Why don’t you just call me by my name?” Narissa replied curtly, thanks to her awful mood.

Noticing this, Alicia kept her sunscreen away and observed her face. “Gale made you angry, didn’t he? Just ignore him. Is he still not satisfied with such a perfect girlfriend like you? I’m going to talk to him later!”

“No, it’s not…” Narissa did not know how to answer her. “Anyway, it has nothing to do with him.”

“Is it your period?” Alicia took out some tampons from her bag. “I brought some with me, but I’m not sure if you’re used to this brand.”

Narissa parted her lips and wanted to refuse her, yet she knew that Alicia would overthink if she did, so she could not reject her gesture. “Thank you.”

“Don’t sweat it. It’s just period. We’re all human after all. We do forget sometimes, so I think we should look out for each other,” Alicia said with a smile.

Sighing, Narissa looked at the tampon in her hand and blurted, “Alicia, how long have you been together with your boyfriend?”

“Not long, actually. It was me who had a crush on him at first. I felt like he didn’t want to be tied down, so I’m not sure if I should confirm his feelings,” she stated truthfully.

Narissa felt conflicted inside and stayed silent for a while.

After chatting for some time, they went out to the court only to see Jamie and Gale sitting separately with nasty expressions.

Upon seeing Narissa, Jamie immediately stood up, yet he hesitated for a long time and did not go up to greet her in the end. Meanwhile, she misunderstood his intentions as not wanting to let Gale know about their relationship, hence his act of seeming distant.

“Since everybody is here, let’s start.” Gale, being the oldest, hosted the game.

They gathered to play tennis that day, so naturally, they could not ignore the main act.

“I don’t think we should do that.” Alicia suddenly recalled Narissa’s condition. “I say, Gale, aren’t you being a bit careless? You forgot about her period, didn’t you? You think you can marry her with that attitude?”

“Oh? Are you on your period, Narissa?” Gale asked cluelessly.

“It’s fine.” She picked her racquet up and walked to the court. “I’m not that fragile.”

Since she was so determined, the others did not say anything.

Before they began, Alicia even reminded Jamie to take it easy on Narissa, yet after a few minutes, it was her that was losing to Narissa instead.

Alicia, whose stamina was insufficient, could only rest while using her racquet as a prop.

“How about we finish up?” Since Narissa played everything with a serious attitude, she felt that Alicia’s skills would mean that she could not play at full tilt, which bored her.

A hardy person by nature, she was not one to empathize much with others, so she was worried that Alicia might get hurt if they were to continue.

“No! I can continue!” Alicia stood up again and tried to channel her inner athlete. “Come on. I’m going to get serious now!”

“If you can’t, best not to force yourself,” stated Jamie gently.

Excluding Alicia, the other three had stamina that no ordinary people could come close to, so it was normal that she could not keep up.

“It’s fine.” She panted while smiling. “It’s only fun when playing against pros like you guys. Come on. I’ve caught my breath.”

Not able to dissuade her, they could only continue.

After playing for over ten rounds, she started to run out of breath. She slipped and twisted her ankle while trying to receive a perfect counter from Narissa and crashed onto the ground.

Standing near her, Jamie immediately threw his racquet aside before running up to her. “Is everything okay?”

Although the pain was enough to form sweat on her forehead, Alicia still tried to act tough. “I’m fine.”

“Your ankle is swollen, yet you’re still saying that?” He had a slightly upset tone.

Regardless if it was her with the dog, playing bowling, or retrieving the ball, she just would not listen despite his numerous persuasions, thanks to her stubbornness.

Yet, he could feel that she was different from those phony women who would say they ‘loved’ sports. Instead, she genuinely liked the activities; she was merely too weak to partake in them properly.

It was because of this that Jamie treated her preferentially just like he did with Charissa. He considered her a true friend, so he naturally would not look the other way when she got hurt.

Alicia, who was embarrassed by his words, lowered her head in silence. Meanwhile, Jamie’s actions were perceived as love and affection toward her in Narissa’s eyes.

“With such an injury, you should quickly go rest up in the break room. I’ll call for a doctor,” said Gale.

Jamie helped Alicia up and acted in place of a crutch as she hobbled along. Yet, her step only served to agitate her wound as she drew in sharp breaths due to the pain, which was all heard by him.

Plus, the distance from the court to the break room was far, so her actions might even aggravate her injury. In the end, he decided to carry her and ran to the break room.

Seeing his fleeting back, Narissa gulped and tossed her racquet before walking away.

“Are you leaving? I can send you back if you want.” Gale was not about to pass up the chance to further appeal to her.

“No need.” She outright rejected him. “I’m sorry, Gale, but I want to be alone for now.”

“Alright. Call me if you need anything.” Since pushing on was not an option, he could only give up.

Yet, not long after she left, he tailed her in secret.

Chapter 939 The Princess, the Prince, and the Knight

With the swelling worsening, Jamie was worried that there might be side effects in the future. So, he let her down and went to the first-aid room in an attempt to locate any suitable medication.

Meanwhile, Narissa was riding a motorcycle by herself in the jungle. Although she was already accelerating, the speedometer kept rising without her noticing.

At that moment, what she saw was not the road, the trees, or the river. What occupied her mind was the scene between Jamie and Alicia.

It was then that a deer suddenly ran out to the road. Not being able to avoid it in time, she could only steer out of the way.

Although the deer managed to cross the road, her motorcycle skidded for quite a distance, stopping when it crashed into a tree in the end.

Fortunately, the expensive helmet and protective suit soaked up most of the impact, but a big part of her right leg’s skin was grated. The instant the motorcycle fell, it crushed her calves as well.

Even if Narissa was used to the sensation of pain, her face still went pale, and her lips turned violet from all the resisting. Enduring the pain, she fished out her phone and dialed Elise’s number.

“Narissa? What’s up?”

The moment her voice rang, Narissa, who had never shed a tear from being injured, bawled out uncontrollably. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t know who else to call. I crashed on the road, and I don’t want my family to know. The only friend I can trust is you…”

Never seeing this side of her before, Elise immediately ran downstairs with her phone in hand. “Rissa, don’t panic. Send your location to me. I’ll be there as fast as I can. Don’t panic!”

In actuality, she was in such a hurry that she forgot ‘Anastasia’ would never address Narissa as ‘Rissa’. Yet, in the heat of the moment, both of them paid no heed to such details.

After receiving her location, she immediately found Alexander to accompany her. “Darling, Rissa is hurt. Come with me now!”

“Keep your cool.” He held her hand while inquiring about the situation, “Is it serious?”

“I heard her sobbing quite hard, so she must’ve sustained some injury!” She started to breathe heavier.

Patting the back of her hand, he comforted her by saying, “Don’t worry. Narissa isn’t that fragile.”

“Okay.” She nodded. “Let’s go.”

“Wait.” Suddenly, he took his phone and called someone.

At first, Elise thought he was calling an ambulance before changing her thoughts upon hearing his words. “I’m helping you out this time. Don’t say we never did. Narissa got into an accident at Isun Ring Road. This is your last chance. Use it wisely.” He then hung up.

“Did you call Jamie?” She realized whom he called.

“If I don’t give him a push, these two would never be together,” stated Alexander calmly.

“You’re right.” She nodded in agreement. “I was so caught up that I forgot about this.”

“It’s fine. I’m here, aren’t I?” He caressed her hair dotingly. “Sit tight. Even though I called him, we still have to go over and take a look.”

“Of course.” With Alexander by her side, she did not need to put up such a strong facade.

Back at the sports center, Jamie averted his gaze between the ointment in his hand and the break room that was far away. After a split second of hesitation, he pocketed the ointment and ran out.

He drove like a madman with all the animals scampering out of the way. In a few short minutes, he had arrived at the start of the ring road, so he slowed down to search for where the crash might have taken place.

Yet, how could he be faster than the sly Gale?

When he found the smoke rising from not far away, he drove at max speed to clear the final corner only to find that Gale was faster than him, for he had located Narissa first.

Seeing Gale carry her into his car, Jamie did not dare to approach them as he let go of both feet, letting the car stall. How perfect they look. Just like the princess and her prince. They do seem like the perfect couple. It looks like the knight that I am is useless.

A tear rolled down his cheek at that point as he wiped it away, accompanied by a bitter smile. It was as if he was accepting reality. Yet, no human could ever control their emotions perfectly.

If only I could have met Narissa a little earlier… I am always so unreliable. When she needed love, I realized it way too late. When she needed someone to protect her, I came too late. Once late, always too late. It’s as if everything is preordained.

Bzzz… Bzzz…

The phone in his pocket vibrated as Jamie watched Gale’s car drive away while he placed the phone to his ear absent-mindedly.

“It’s me. Did you manage to find any medicine?” It was Alicia.

“I did, but it seems like I was too slow.”

Even he did not know whether he was referring to the ointment or Narissa.

“You’re not slow. I’ll wait for you.” She was as understanding as always.

Breathing out, Jamie snapped back to reality in the end. “I’ll return now.”

On the way back, he phoned Alexander to tell them that they did not need to drop by anymore.

Elise, who hung up, was confused by his words. “He said that we didn’t have to go and that someone is taking care of Narissa.”

“I think it’s Gale,” Alexander replied instantly. “Hasn’t he been trying to court her profusely?”

Although the thought of Narissa being out of danger relieved her, Elise still considered the whole situation a bit of a loss. “What a shame. It was such a perfect opportunity.”

On one side, Narissa was her best friend. On the other hand, Jamie was one of her most trusted friends. If they could be together, then she would not have to worry about any of them being hurt.

“You don’t have to be so pessimistic. Good things don’t happen overnight. Perhaps things might turn around. What if they still have a chance?” Alexander had a bright outlook on the situation.

“I sure hope so. These two sure know how to make me worry!”

In the meantime, Jamie returned to the break room lifelessly. He acted like a living zombie as he propped up Alicia’s leg mechanically and applied the ointment attentively. After everything was done, he patiently put on her shoe for her.

Throughout the whole process, she had her gaze fixed on him. When the treatment was done, he helped her up before she tiptoed and gave him a quick peck on the lips, blushing intensely. “Thank you.”

This stunned Jamie, yet he thought afterward that people abroad tend to act more freely in regard to expressing their gratitude through skinship, so he did not treat it as anything else. Yet, he had forgotten that Alicia practically lived on Lisbon Street.

In her mind, the kiss sealed their relationship.

…

In the parking lot of Hotel Wegas, Rylantha Abbott and Clara Hissinger sat in the backseats of a van. One had a mature and domineering aura while the other was seductive and promiscuous; both had their charms.

“Everything is in accordance. You’d better not screw it up again!”

Chapter 940 Why Is It You?

At the thought that Clara could not even figure a man out, Rylantha wanted to crack her skull open to see if she had a brain or not. “Don’t worry. It was just an accident last time. Have you seen any man refuse a freebie? Besides, with the two of us this time, nothing will go wrong.” Clara was highly confident in herself.

“That’s true. Those ugly men like your type,” Rylantha spoke without any filter. “Deal with Ariel’s man first. Then, I’ll enter when he has his guard down. It’ll be like taking candy from a baby. In the end, one can only trust their people.”

“Since you’re worried about Ariel fighting the inheritance with you, why not just end her?” Clara’s slender finger swiped across her neck, solidifying her words into literal meaning.

“Do you think that has never crossed my mind? With that old fool protecting her, it’s not that easy to kill her. Since I have to accept this fact sooner or later, I should put my people around her earlier. If so, then I won’t have to worry about controlling the Abbott Family in the future.” Rylantha’s eyes narrowed as her ambition was expressed.

“That is a brilliant plan.” Clara gave her a thumbs up. Yet, she could not hold back and asked, “Say, how can you make sure that they won’t betray you and side with her after dealing with Ariel?”

This made the smile on Rylantha’s face vanish. “That is none of your business. If you still want to leech off the family, just fulfill your orders as stated.”

“Okay, okay. Pretend I never asked this, then. I’ll go ahead with the preparation now.”

Clara alighted from the car gleefully before turning stoic the moment she turned around, mumbling to herself, Hmph. Who does she think she is?! If I wasn’t interested in Danny, who would want to get themselves entangled with you? You’re just some woman struggling through menopause! You deserve your daddy issues!

…

The moment Ariel and Danny appeared in the fancy private room, Rylantha welcomed them proactively. “Oh my, Ariel and Danny, it’s so good that you guys came. I was afraid you two were still angry at me. I can finally rest easy after seeing you guys!” she greeted them enthusiastically upon switching her arrogant attitude.

This made Ariel exchange a confused gaze with her husband. Just before, we were at each other’s throats. Now, she’s acting so friendly. What is she playing at?

“Well, don’t just stand there. Have a seat!” Rylantha said happily.

Since they dared to come, they were not afraid of anything bad happening to them, so Ariel and Danny sat down.

Before their seats were even warmed up, Rylantha had returned with wine. “I’ll dedicate this toast to you, Ariel. I didn’t think things through in the past and said a lot of hurtful things. I hope that you don’t mind what I said and be magnanimous enough to forgive me. In the end, we are still sisters by blood. In this world, besides Dad, we are the closest in terms of blood. We still need each other in the future, so I’ll be downing this glass. You can choose to drink or not to drink. Just treat this as my apology!”

After what seemed like sincere words, she tilted her head back and drank the glass of red wine all at once.

Since Ariel grew up with her mother, she had no other siblings to speak of. Also, her mother’s cold and distant attitude led her to long for familial love since young, so she fell hook, line, and sinker.

Standing up as well, she used her glass to toast with Rylantha’s. “Let bygones be bygones. We’ll only seize the future from now on.” She also drank the wine all at once.

“You sure can drink, sis!” Rylantha proceeded to flatter her even more. “You’re right. We need to seize the future. With you here, I’ll have someone to depend on.” Then, tears fell from her face before she wiped them away while putting on a strong facade. “This is a happy day. Let’s have a toast again!”

Ariel was all but too willing to do so.

Meanwhile, Danny did not drink since he had to drive.

After some time, Rylantha seemed to recall something as she slapped her forehead. “Oh my, I forgot to give you the gift I prepared. Danny, if you don’t mind, could you get it for me from the parking lot?”

“Sure.” Not on his guard, he took the car key and went outside.

He entered the elevator and headed to the basement before locating a black van as per Rylantha’s instructions.

Unlocking the van with the electronic car key, he walked over and opened the side door before entering the back. Yet, the moment he stepped in, an extremely odious scent attacked his nose.

He frowned and went outside to take a few deep breaths before pinching his nose and stepping back into the van. “The heck. What kind of smell is this? Surely, Rylantha can’t be this disgusting?”

Yet, he had no choice, for he had promised her, so he could only search around in the backseat. Although she did state the gift was in the back, she did not specify where exactly, so he had to fumble through the car while pinching his nose.

Not even thirty seconds had passed before he felt dizzy and stumbled onto the leather seat. Oh, no! It’s a trap!

It was then Danny noticed that something was wrong, but it was all too late.

He started to see double before losing control of his limbs and his body temperature shooting up.

After an unknown time had passed, the van door opened again, and he saw ‘Ariel’.

“It’s great that you’re here, honey.” He sat up with difficulty. “I seemed to have been poisoned. I don’t feel so good…” While he said that, he started to undo his tie.

Clara, who was looking at him, became all giddy at the sight of this. I did not make the wrong choice by putting all this effort into dressing like Ariel. I even used the same brand of perfume.

After a few hours, he opened his eyes only to see that the woman in his arms was not Ariel. He was so shocked that he instantly fell to the floor.

“Why is it you?!”