Ch. 271..280

Chapter 271 Identity Comes in Handy

"Uncle, what are you doing here?" Ruby asked.

Since their last encounter on the plane, they hadn't seen each other, so Ruby was quite surprised to suddenly come across Adrian here.

Hearing her angelic voice and soft tone, Adrian couldn't help but curl up his lips up in a smile.

From the sound of it, this little one was obviously spoiled and used to getting her own way, just like when she was in the livestream room. She was a clever little girl.

"I came to visit the school, but I didn't expect to run into you guys." Adrian glanced briefly at Dylan.

Dylan wasn't as adorable as Ruby, nor did he show the same level of intimacy. In fact, after Adrian crouched down, the little guy's eyes became somewhat guarded, and he subtly held the young girl's hand. This was his resistance.

Adrian, however, wasn't angry. Instead, he found Dylan's behavior somewhat commendable.

"Huh? Handsome Uncle came to visit the school? Are you married? Do you have a baby too?" Ruby, clearly a curious child, bombarded him with questions.

Adrian raised an eyebrow, still unsure how to answer her questions. After a moment, he glanced at the cautious Dylan and said to the young girl, "Don't call me Handsome Uncle. Change it to something else, like 'Uncle NightA."" "Uncle NightA?!"

"You are Uncle NightA?"

Both of them were shocked by this, finding it hard to believe that he was NightA, who often received their tips during the livestream.

Adrian raised his eyebrow, "Don't believe me?"

Neither of them responded.

"Do you still not believe that I'm Uncle NightA?" With that, Adrian took out his phone and opened his own account to show the two little ones.

As he passed the phone over to her, Adrian saw Ruby leaning her little head in to watch, and when she finished, she cheered and hugged Adrian. "Uncle NightA!" Ruby exclaimed.

Adrian half embraced Ruby, but when he looked up, he found Dylan still standing in place, raising an eyebrow. This little guy was certainly vigilant. "Aren't you going to take a look?" Adrian spoke up.

Hearing that, Dylan glanced at him before slowly walking over.

Adrian's lips curled up as he handed Dylan the phone. "Double-checking? Otherwise, you might think that Uncle NightA is a bad person or an imposter."

His words effortlessly pierced through Dylan's thoughts, and though his expression remained unchanged, his ears turned slightly red.

But he still took the phone and started checking, initially stiff and cautious. However, seeing that Adrian didn't react, he began fiddling with the phone in his hands. After confirming a few things, Dylan handed the phone back to Adrian.

Adrian gazed at him with a smile in his eyes. "Satisfied now? Do you still doubt me?"

The little one remained silent, but tightly pursed his lips and took hold of Adrian's hand.

Since Ruby found out that he is 'Uncle NightA' she tightly held onto his arm, showing an intimacy that resembled encountering a dear family member. "Uncle NightA, why didn't you tell me on the plane that you are Uncle NightA?"

"Hmm?" Adrian pondered and responded, "Perhaps, as it was our first meeting, I didn't think of it."

"Oh, so Uncle NightA came to school today to enroll his baby?" Ruby tilted her head and asked.

Surprised that the question came up again, Adrian thought for a moment and smiled gently, "My baby has already been enrolled and is in this school too." "Really? What's their name?" Ruby asked eagerly.

Adrian chuckled, "I'll introduce you next time we have a chance."

"Great, great!" Ruby clapped happily.

Frank stood at a distance, watching them chat and feeling a bit emotional. His curiosity grew, so he turned to Jacob and asked, "What is their relationship?" Jacob smiled slightly and responded, "Guess."

Frank hesitated. How could he dare to guess?

As Adrian hadn't been fully explained yet, coupled with the children needing to attend class, Adrian only stayed with them for twenty minutes before leaving. Back in the car, Adrian was visibly in a good mood.

Observing this, Jacob took the opportunity to offer a thermos cup, "Mr. Blackwood, the weather is cold. Have a hot drink to warm you up."

As Adrian was in a good mood, he didn't refuse when Jacob handed him the cup. He took a couple sips.

Inside the thermos cup was oatmeal powder that Jacob had prepared, mixed with milk. The temperature was just right, giving a comforting warmth as it slid down his throat.

Observing him, Jacob, perhaps due to Adrian's good mood, waited for him to take several sips before taking the cup back and said, "Mr. Blackwood, how about having a few more sips to nourish your body? After all, you're not alone now." Upon hearing this, Adrian's hand holding the thermos cup paused. His narrow eyes drooped slightly, seemingly digesting Jacob's words.

After a moment, he looked up and smiled gently. "You're right."

Jacob stared at Adrian, somewhat shocked.

It had been a while since he had seen Adrian genuinely smile like this. Ever since Granny passed away, he had been closed off from the world.

Finally, it seemed that his heart was slowly opening up again.?

Jacob watched as Adrian leisurely finished all the oatmeal in the cup. Only then did Jacob put the cup away.

While twisting the cap, Jacob said, "Just now, when I saw you with those two kids, the scene was truly beautiful. I even took a photo."

Hearing this, Adrian's eyes flickered. "A photo? Send it to me."

Jacob sent the photo to his phone, and Adrian opened it, his lips curving up again.

Jacob continued speaking in the front seat, "I saw you all having a great chat, so I secretly took a photo. I can see that the little boy seems wary of you. He's very mature for his age."

Adrian pursed his lips and replied, "It's good that my child has this wariness, it will prevent him from being deceived one day."

My child...

Jacob sighed as he questioned, "Mr. Blackwood, is this really your child? Don't you plan on conducting a paternity test?" Adrian chuckled dismissively, "Is it necessary?"

Jacob thought to himself, well, it seems like it might not be necessary after all. With the children having Eva as their mother, and bearing such a striking resemblance to Adrian - about 90% similarity - there was hardly any doubt that they are his biological children.

"What do we do next then? Should we tell Ms. Hansen about this?" Jacob asked.

"No." Adrian shook his head. "If she finds out, she might take the children and run away. Not only would I lose her, but the children might also develop resentment towards me. What I need to do now is to assert my presence before them as NightA."

Adrian intentionally revealed his NightA identity today because his little boy was too guarded with him. He had no choice but to bring up this persona. It may have been a little despicable, but it was effective and necessary.

 

Chapter 272 I Have Something to Tell You

That afternoon, Eva went to pick up her kids from school as usual. After picking them up, as they exited the school, Eva noticed a black car. The car had moved slightly from its previous position but still quietly remained there. It could be a parent's car, and she might be overthinking it. Lately, she had been busy and hadn't had time to buy a car. Walking took up a lot of time, so Eva knew she needed to get a car. It was inconvenient to walk to pick up the children from school every day.

Once they returned home, Eva started searching for a suitable vehicle. Since the kids would require a lot of money in the future, and the car would be just a means of transport, Eva didn't plan on buying an expensive one. Her budget was around $200,000.

She quickly found a cost-effective option that was within her budget and planned to go to the store tomorrow to test drive it. After some time, Eva reminded the kids to go to bed. The two little ones were well-behaved and went to their rooms to settle down.

As Eva approached the window to close the curtains, she caught a glimpse of a black car by the streetlight downstairs. It looked exactly like the one she had seen at the school earlier that day. Eva paused, raising an eyebrow. Was it the darkness playing tricks on her, or was it the same black car that she saw earlier?

Curious, she wanted to take a closer look. Just then, her phone pinged with a new message notification. She absentmindedly checked the message and froze in place. The sender was NightA, someone she had not spoken to in a long time. Since their last encounter, they hadn't contacted each other. Although Eva had many questions, she couldn't bring herself to initiate contact with him.

Eva had had the intention to repay him, but since he didn't respond and she didn't want to pester him for his bank account details, she refrained from doing so. However, he suddenly reached out to her now. Eva clicked on his profile and saw his message, a simple greeting.

"Hello."

Since they hadn't spoken for a long time, Eva was a bit surprised to receive this message.

Looking up, she saw her previous message asking for his bank account details, which he hadn't replied to.

Did he contact her now because he was willing to accept her repayment?

With this thought in mind, she quickly replied, "Good evening."

Adrian, sitting in the car, saw this message and his eyes narrowed dangerously. After a moment, he looked up and glanced at the slender figure standing by the window.

She responded to other men's messages quickly and with a gentle tone, but when it came to him...

Since Eva didn't receive a reply from him for a while, she thought for a moment and decided to take the initiative and open the conversation, "Are you busy, sir? You haven't replied to my inquiry about your account number." After she said this, he replied slowly.

"Yes."

"Then, can you check if you have time now to provide your account number? I can transfer the money back to you."

"Okay."

Upon seeing this response, Eva slowly furrowed her brows.

He was being a bit abrupt, but she thought it was normal for him. Someone as generous as him must have a complex background, not caring about money or trying to please others.

She just had to repay the money, and didn't need to worry about anything else.

However, she waited for a long time and he didn't send his account number, which made Eva feel somewhat puzzled. So, she decided to ask again. "Sir?"

"Hmm, when are you available? Let's meet up."

The new message had quite a few words, but the request made Eva furrow her brows.

Meet up? Didn't he contact her just about her repaying the money? Why would they need to meet?

"Sir, can't I transfer the money directly to your account?"

"I only accept cash. If you don't want to repay, it's fine."

Upon reading this, Eva understood. He actually didn't need her to repay the money at all, he was just using this method to make her give in. But... she didn't want to hold onto his money.

After thinking for a while, Eva finally replied, "Where should we meet?"

Upon seeing that she had agreed, Adrian's expression darkened completely. His thin lips formed a displeased straight line.

He put away his phone and didn't respond to her anymore.

In the front, Jacob could feel the sudden chill emanating from him. He looked at him somewhat uneasily and asked, "Mr. Blackwood, what's wrong?"

"Let's go." Adrian ignored the question and his response was cold and detached.

Jacob didn't know what was going on, but he followed Adrian's instruction and drove away.

Meanwhile, Eva waited for a long time but didn't receive any further response from him. Although she found it strange, she didn't pursue it. After all, once he had decided on the meeting place, he would surely inform her? If he wasn't in a hurry, then she wasn't either.

With these thoughts in mind, Eva put her phone away.

She remembered what she was busy with before his message had distracted her and walked back to the window.

She looked at the spot where the black car had been parked, but it was now empty. It was as if the black car she had seen earlier was just an illusion. The streetlight cast long shadows of the trees.

She furrowed her eyebrows slightly and closed the curtains.

The next day, when Eva woke up and got ready to go out, she found someone in the living room.

As she stepped out of her room, the person stood up from the sofa and smiled at her.

"Eva, up already?" It was Michael, whom she hadn't seen for several days. His lips curved into a gentle smile, and his gaze softened as he looked at her.

Seeing him, Eva's face changed slightly, and she nodded. "Morning, how did you get here?"

"We agreed that you could take some time to think. It's been several days, so I guess you've made up your mind?" Michael said. Worried that Eva might refuse, he quickly changed the topic, "Shall I take you guys today?" Eva looked at him quietly for a moment. "Have you sorted out the matters at your company? Do you have time?"

If he had time, Eva thought she needed to find an opportunity to talk to him about their relationship.

Seemingly understanding her intention, Michael paused for a moment before saying, "I only have enough time to take the children to school and you to the office."

He seemed to be everywhere. In an instant, Eva didn't know how to respond.

After thinking for a moment, she turned down his offer, "If you're so busy, then there's no need for you to take us. I plan to buy a car myself."

Hearing this, Michael's eyes dimmed slightly, but after a moment, they regained their light. "Buying a car? Have you chosen one?"

"Yes, I have. I'm going to see it today," Eva nodded.

Michael said, "Then I'll accompany you."

"No need. Didn't you just say that you don't have time?" Eva countered.

"I have time to accompany you to choose a car." Michael said with a smile.

Eva intended to refuse, but then she thought of something and nodded. "Alright, thank you for accompanying me this afternoon to choose a car. I also have something to talk to you about."

 

 

Chapter 273 Jealousy

Perhaps he didn't expect her to be so direct. Michael stood still for a moment before helplessly replying to her, "In that case, can I also take you, Ruby, and Dylan to school and the office today?" Eva was planning to have a clear conversation with him today, so it shouldn't matter. "Okay."

On the way to the school, Eva remained unusually quiet while Ruby chatted incessantly.

Michael patiently responded to her all the way.

When they arrived at the school, Eva suddenly felt a sharp, cold, and piercing stare on her back.

Instinctively, she looked around and found the source.

When she saw the black car from yesterday, Eva was instantly stunned.

If the stare she felt yesterday was an illusion, then was it also an illusion today?

Her intuition told her something was not right.

She instinctively quickened her pace, wanting to walk towards the black car.

"Eva!" Michael suddenly called out, bringing her back to reality. "What's wrong?"

Seeing that she had been staring at a certain spot, Michael walked over to her and stopped beside her, following her gaze.

When he saw the black car, Michael also paused, narrowing his eyes slowly.

"It's nothing." Eva snapped back to her senses and shook her head lightly.

Of course, she wouldn't rush to tell Michael about this matter. After all, it was just her intuition. What if she was wrong?

Besides, the car was parked at the school gate, and no one from the school stopped to look or found anything unusual. It must be a parent of some child in the school.

Eva pursed her lips, her eyebrows lightly furrowed. "Aren't you still going to the office? Go ahead, it's not far from here, I can walk there quickly."

"Eva." Michael frowned, calling her name in disagreement.

Eva insisted, looking at him firmly, "You've already taken the trouble to bring the children to school. You should go quickly. As for our matter... let's discuss it this afternoon, alright? I'll explain everything to you then." Michael could only nod.

After he left, Eva stood alone, without moving, for a while before slowly walking towards the black car.

Originally, she had planned to ride in Michael's car to the office, but now she had something else she wanted to deal with, so she told Michael to go.

Eva stopped beside the black car.

Adrian, sitting in the car, frowned when he saw her actions.

Before he could speak, he heard Jacob next to him say, "Could Ms. Hansen have discovered us?"

Hearing this, Adrian's lips tightened as he coldly replied, "Impossible, as long as you don't do anything stupid."

What stupid thing could Jacob do? He had been sitting here doing nothing all along.

Lost in thought, Eva suddenly bent down and lightly tapped the car window.

Jacob was startled, his nerves instantly on edge.

After knocking on the car window, there was still no response from inside. Eva thought that someone might lower the window and she could take a look at who was in the car.

But she didn't give up, because she really felt a pair of eyes looking at her from inside the car.

Her intuition couldn't be wrong, especially not twice in a row.

With this in mind, Eva slowly leaned down, trying to peer inside through the window.

"Get down!" As she did this, Adrian suddenly lowered his voice and quickly lay down, with Jacob quickly following suit.

Eva leaned against the car window, carefully looking inside.

It was very sunny outside at the moment, and she had been standing under the sun for quite some time, so her vision wasn't particularly great right now. Even as she was leaning against the car window, she couldn't see what or who was inside. It was pitch black.

But she didn't give up, and continued to persistently look.

Inside the car, both individuals remained still. Adrian lay on the seat, silently observing her leaning against the window.

Watching, Jacob even held his breath in fear. He never expected Ms. Hansen to be so vigilant. They hadn't done anything to attract any attention, but she had already noticed them on the second day of their arrival here. How long had it been? Eva probably didn't see anything and had to give up in the end. After she left, Jacob finally caught his breath and said, "Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Hansen is terrifying. How did she know there was someone in our car?"

Both of them were still lying there, probably still startled by Eva's sudden attack. So, for the time being, neither of them dared to get up, afraid that Eva might come back. After a while, when they were sure that Eva had really left, they sat up. Adrian's face didn't look good.

Jacob looked frightened, patting his chest. "That scared the life out of me, Mr. Blackwood. What should we do next?"

Hearing this, Adrian gave him a cold glance and pursed his lips, not saying a word. After a moment, he opened the car door and got out.

Ruby had brought some snacks for during break today. But not long after arriving at school, she started craving for them, so she turned her head to her brother, who was sitting next to her, and said, "Dylan, I want to eat."

As siblings who were born on the same day and month, and have been together for so long, how could Dylan not know what she was thinking? Hearing her say she wanted to eat, he immediately said, "No, we just had breakfast not long ago." Upon hearing this, Ruby stared at him with a pair of big, innocent eyes. "But Dylan, I'm hungry."

Just finished eating and now hungry already? How could he possibly believe that? "Ruby, you can't eat any more right now. Mommy said these are snacks for break time, and we have to wait until after class to eat them." Dylan said. Although it was only a few seconds age difference, Dylan seemed like a little adult, giving instructions to his much younger sister.

"But Dylan, if I eat them now or at break time, there won't be anything left. It's the same thing." Ruby said as she reached for the zipper on her backpack.

Just as Dylan was about to stop her, a familiar voice came from behind.

"Dylan, Ruby." It was a slightly chilly male voice, but very familiar, as Dylan had heard it just yesterday.

Ruby's hand, about to open the backpack, stopped. When she turned her head, she saw Adrian standing outside.

"Uncle NightA!!" She immediately let go of her backpack and ran towards him.

Today, Ruby was wearing a pleated dress, and when she ran, she looked like a fluttering butterfly. Adrian, who was originally in a gloomy mood, quickly felt better when he saw the little one running towards him. The hostility in his eyes quickly dissipated, and he even crouched down, reaching out to catch her so that she wouldn't accidentally fall.

"Uncle NightA! Why did you come again?" Ruby happily asked him.

 

Chapter 274 Does He Want to See You?

Dylan saw this interaction and continued to watch closely, with a guarded expression.

Adrian took his time before slowly getting up and walking over. After getting closer to Dylan, the child awkwardly greeted, "Uncle NightA."

"Hmm." Adrian nodded, looking at Dylan with a somewhat helpless expression. This little guy was a lot more cautious than Ruby. Even after Adrian revealed his identity, Dylan remained guarded. It seemed Adrian had to find a way to earn his trust. However, coming to the school every day made his intentions too obvious.

Adrian narrowed his eyes and pondered a strategy in his mind.

"Uncle NightA, who is your baby? Can we meet them today?" Ruby was still curious about the baby Adrian mentioned yesterday.

Adrian placed his hand on the back of his head and replied softly, "It's not convenient today. Maybe another day?"

"Mm, alright." Ruby pouted.

Then, Adrian glanced at Dylan, who was now standing beside them silently but tightly holding onto his sister. Adrian thought that he probably shouldn't stay any longer. It was the second day that he had come to see them, yet Dylan seemed even more reserved today than yesterday. If it continued like this, the little guy might build a strong defensive wall, making it very difficult to overcome.

Considering this, Adrian quickly stood up, "I came here today because I had a few other things to take care of. Since it's all sorted and there's nothing else that's urgent, I'll go back to work now."

Ruby blinked her lively eyes. "Uncle NightA didn't come specifically to see us? Then you won't come back to talk to us later?"

"Sorry." Adrian managed his emotions about staying and replied, "I really have something important to attend to today."

Ruby instantly showed a disappointed expression, looking very pitiful. On the other hand, Dylan's guarded and reserved expression lessened slightly when he heard that Adrian was only here on a side trip. Adrian didn't linger any longer and said goodbye to the two children before swiftly leaving.

In the Principal's office, Adrian sat by the windowsill, holding onto his phone, with his eyes fixed on the message Eva sent yesterday evening.

Now was definitely not a good time for them to meet.

But... thinking about the difference in her behavior towards other men and towards himself, he couldn't help feeling jealous.

And this morning, she even allowed Michael to bring her and the children to the school.

Michael knew she had children!

Looking at Michael's mannerisms, it seemed like he doted on the two kids and was trying to please her through them.

What was even more terrifying was that both the children had no defenses against him.

Thinking of this, Adrian suddenly became alert.

If he made his move first...

With that in mind, he typed a new message into the chat that had been lingering since last night.

"Are you available for the transaction today?"

Eva must have been free because her reply came quickly, "When?"

"This afternoon." Adrian replied.

"Sorry, this afternoon might not be convenient. Is it possible to reschedule?" Eva thought for a moment and replied, "Tomorrow?"

Adrian pursed his lips and typed in annoyance. "Do you have something in the afternoon?"

"Yes, I'm sorry, I have some other things to take care of in the afternoon." Eva's message came back quickly.

What could she possibly have in the afternoon? Adrian thought about Michael's expression when he looked at Eva before leaving. He couldn't hear their conversation at the time, but they must have been discussing something serious because Eva's expression seemed solemn.

Having known her for so many years, and even growing up together, Adrian couldn't possibly misunderstand her expression. It was clear that she had something important to say to Michael.

Adrian immediately replied, "No, I have something tomorrow. I need the money urgently. Please make time for it today."

Upon seeing this message, Eva furrowed her brows slightly because his message didn't reveal a trace of compromise.

It was exactly the same as last night. If she wanted to repay him, she would have to go along with his demands.

Eva felt a sense of being "held hostage" on a moral level.

Although, she could simply call Michael and tell him she didn't want to choose a car anymore, and that he didn't need to accompany her. She could say what she wanted to say later anyway. But NightA's firmness made her feel incredibly uncomfortable, and her intuition told her it couldn't be like this.

But then he had said that he needed the money urgently.

Eva replied, "If you need the money urgently, I can transfer it to you directly. It's not safe to carry too much cash."

After sending the message, Eva felt that NightA's request was really unreasonable.

Coincidentally, Emily had some free time to chat with her, so Eva briefly mentioned the situation.

As soon as Emily heard the story, she immediately called, "Is this a fling? Is he trying to meet you but can't find an excuse? Otherwise, why would he insist on cash when it could easily be solved by a bank transfer? And from what you told me before, doesn't he only give loans and not talk? Don't give him the money back."

"Yes, that's correct." Eva nodded.

"Well, in that case, and considering how much he has loaned you and left it for such a long time, he definitely isn't short of money. I haven't heard any news of embezzlement to reward streamers either." Emily murmured. Upon hearing the news of embezzlement to reward streamers, Eva couldn't help but laugh, "Well, it's not impossible. What if he's the kind of person who embezzles funds but hasn't been discovered yet?"

"It's a possibility, but unlikely. The amount he has loaned to you is not something that can be embezzled easily. Such a large sum, do you think embezzlement is a small matter?" Emily furrowed her brows. "That's true," Eva agreed.

"So, I guess he wants to meet you. But it's strange, why does he want to see you? It's not like you're the one streaming; he might not even know what you look like." Emily was a bit puzzled.

That's also what Eva found strange. This person was a complete stranger, and apart from last night and today, they had only exchanged a few sentences after adding each other's contact information.

"Alright, here's what we can do..." Emily offered her suggestion, "If you really want to go, you can decide on the location yourself and reserve two tables. Give him one of the tables and wait at the other one to see what kind of person he is. If he truly wants money from you, he won't be able to hold back and will contact you. At that time, you can just transfer the money directly."

Eva took a while before explaining, "I'm busy this afternoon, I have plans with Michael."

Upon hearing that, Emily immediately perked up, "Hmm? Michael? You made plans with him?"

"Yes." Eva confirmed.

"Hehe! What's this I'm hearing? Have you finally figured things out and decided to be with him?" Emily chuckled.

Eva furrowed her brows at the comment, "No, don't make assumptions."

Emily seemed somewhat disappointed, "Still not ready, huh?"

Eva remained silent.

"Well, if it's not meant to be, then forget about it. In that case, you should meet this person instead. He likes your children so much, who knows, maybe he'll like you too. And you might even develop feelings for him." Emily suggested.

 

 

Chapter 275 It never ends

Eva found these words amusing, "You're constantly meddling in my affairs. Why don't you focus on yourself, Emily? It's been so many years, and you still haven't had a boyfriend." "Don't change the topic, I'm talking to you seriously." Emily huffed.

Eva listened quietly, then sighed softly, "Instead of worrying about me, you should look after yourself, Emily."

"This person could bring you future happiness. I should be the one looking out for you." Emily said assertively.

Eva wanted to say something to her, but NightA sent her another message, so she briefly informed Emily.

Emily, though not directly involved, became excited, "Just accept it! Follow my advice. Hurry up, Eva. It's such a good opportunity, what is there to think about? NightA is wealthy and successful."

"I have plans with Michael this afternoon," Eva reminded her.

Emily immediately intervened, "Cancel them."

"But..." Eva hesitated.

"No 'but.' You don't even like him. Even if you disappoint him, there's nothing you can do about it. You can't have it all. Yes, he has been good to you, and you have known each other for a long time, but you can't force feelings. Let him be disappointed, disappoint him a few more times, and he will probably give up." Emily persisted.

Eva didn't say anything, but she considered everything Emily had said.

Will he give up after being disappointed a few more times?

"Michael might have been disappointed many times in the past. After all, he would have been disappointed a lot in these last five years. Yet, he still hasn't given up. Be a little heartless. If it really doesn't work, just cut ties with him and don't waste his time." Emily continued.

"Okay, I understand." Eva nodded.

After hanging up the phone, Eva looked at her phone in silence.

Cut ties with Michael?

Honestly, she wasn't reluctant to do so. It's just that he hasn't done anything wrong, yet she has to cut ties with him.

Cut off the relationship.

Well... just like Emily said, over the past five years, he has been disappointed in their situation many times, but he has never given up.

Such true emotions.

If she doesn't become a bit heartless soon, she might really delay things.

With this in mind, Eva closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, she replied to NightA's message.

"How much cash do you need?"

Adrian saw this massage, and put away his phone, he said to Jacob beside him, "Think of a way."

Jacob immediately asked, "What way?"

"Get a familiar kid to transfer schools." Adrian said.

Where could Jacob find a familiar kid to transfer schools?

"Check my distant relatives." Adrian suggested.

Hearing this, Jacob instantly understood, "Alright, but your distant relatives are quite remote."

"It doesn't matter, as long as there's some kinship." Adrian didn't mind.

Jacob actually understood what he wanted to do. If he invited two kids, it wouldn't seem abrupt.

He immediately had someone check through the family tree, and in the end, they found a five-year-old child in a household that was almost unrelated to Adrian.

"Mr. Blackwood, we've found a household that has a slight connection to your ancestors, although the relationship is really distant. I can't explain it clearly. They currently live in Chicago, the couple works at an ordinary company, and the child goes to an ordinary nearby preschool." Jacob briefed Adrian while presenting the plan. "I'll contact them later to see if they're willing to bring the child over to study here, but the school here might be quite far from where they live, so they may not agree."

Just as he finished speaking, Adrian looked at him and said firmly, "Do everything you can."

"Understood." Jacob nodded.

After George and his wife Mary finished work, they prepared to go home.

The couple worked at the same company, so they could travel home together after work. They had a two-hour break at noon, and since their home was close to the company, they only needed to walk back. After cooking and eating, they still had about half an hour to relax before going back to work.

With no surprises, this was their daily routine, and life was quite peaceful.

George was quite satisfied with such days. He didn't mind living an ordinary life until his death, of course, as long as his wife didn't complain.

Unfortunately, his wife sometimes did complain that he was useless, that other men were so wealthy and had opportunities for promotion, while he had been stuck in the same position for many years.

As the number of complaints increased, George always remembered them, and over time, they became a small bump in his heart.

However, this small bump didn't affect their marriage at the moment. He just kept it hidden in his heart. Recently, he had been thinking about finding a promotion opportunity and had looked at changing jobs, but he hadn't found a suitable company or position yet.

"George, let's have chicken breast salad for lunch. I'm a bit tired today, and I don't want to cook." Mary suggested.

Hearing this, George frowned, "Didn't we just eat that yesterday? Are we going to eat that again today?"

"What's wrong with eating it again today? Chicken breast salad is simple, if you don't want to eat it, then you can cook for yourself." Mary said emotionlessly.

"I work so hard, how can I be expected to still stand and cook?" George rebutted.

"Just because you work, does that mean I'm not working and earning money? I cook every day, if you don't want to eat what I make, order takeout for yourself or hire a maid to cook for you." Mary grew angrier as she spoke.

"Takeout? Hiring a maid is free? We'll end up in debt if we spend all the money, how will we pay for everything?" George reflexively objected.

"I know we have debts to pay, so don't complain. I'll cook whatever I want and you eat it, if you're not satisfied, cook for yourself. I promise I won't complain about whatever you make." Mary snorted.

George was quickly silenced by Mary's retorts and planned to keep quiet, but to his surprise, Mary spoke again the next second, "Or, if you're capable like other men and give me a monthly allowance or salary, I can cook you a feast. But if you can't do that, then shut your mouth."

"Alright, can you stop already? What did I say just now? I just said I didn't want to eat chicken breast salad again, is that a good reason to keep on berating me?" George's anger surged.

"What's wrong with that? So, I can't say anything even if you're so useless? Our child is already five years old and can't even go to a decent school. Do you deserve to be someone's father or husband?" Mary didn't back down and retorted. The two continued arguing as they continued walking and soon arrived at their home. However, their quarrel was not over yet. They continued nitpicking each other's flaws, resembling enemies instead of a couple. They argued until someone carrying a briefcase approached and their bickering stopped.

"Hello there."

George and Mary immediately halted their steps and looked at the person in front of them. Dressed in a suit, exuding an extraordinary temperament, he clearly wasn't an ordinary person.

"Who are you?" George hesitated a bit.

Jacob extended his business card with a faint smile and said, "Hello, I am Jacob, Adrian's assistant and secretary at the Blackwood Group."

 

 

Chapter 276 Meeting the Appointment of Another Man

George didn't know who Jacob was, but how could he not know Adrian's name or about the Blackwood Group? They were both very well-known. Mary also knew, so the couple's expressions instantly changed.

"Are you looking for us?" Mary asked in surprise.

Seeing the couple's shocked expressions, Jacob took out some documents from his briefcase and repeated their names.

"George, Mary, it's you, right? The photos on here match." Jacob said.

Both George and Mary leaned closer and indeed saw their personal information displayed on the documents.

As well as their photo.

"This is us, but what do you want us for?" George asked, a bit confused.

"It's not convenient to talk here. How about we go inside and discuss it?" Jacob suggested.

"Okay, let's go." George nodded quickly.

The couple quickly invited Jacob into the house.

Once inside, Jacob quickly scanned the surroundings, confirming that their living conditions were as described in the information: ordinary. Although they had a house, they were struggling to make ends meet with monthly debts and their child's tuition. There was no extra money to buy various household items.

Mary poured a cup of tea for Jacob.

Rather than drinking it, Jacob immediately took out the documents. "You two also work in the afternoon, right? I won't waste your time; I will get straight to the point."

Jacob then explained the purpose for his visit to them.

After listening to him, the couple stared blankly at each other for a moment before finally reacting.

"We, we didn't misunderstand, did we? What you said is true?" Mary confirmed once again.

Jacob nodded. "You heard it correctly. Mr. Blackwood does intend to support your child's education."

"But, but why?" Mary asked, puzzled. "Isn't support usually given to orphans or impoverished students? Our family's situation doesn't seem too bad either."

"Indeed, if it were for sponsorship, it's usually for orphans. But Mr. Blackwood is supporting you for a reason. It's not because your family is in poverty, but rather because your ancestors have some connection with the Blackwood family in New York." Jacob explained.

He could not mention that Mr. Blackwood was doing it to be closer to his own children.

Mary was confused. "A connection with the Blackwood family?"

Hearing this, George slapped his thigh. "No wonder my great-grandmother used to always say that our ancestors had a connection with the Blackwood family in New York. I thought she was just talking nonsense because of her old age, but it turns out it's true."

"Yes, that's why if you agree, you need to sign this document. I will go to the school in the afternoon to take your child there." Jacob nodded.

"Which school?" George quickly asked.

Jacob mentioned the name of the school that the two children were attending.

Upon hearing the name of the school, the couple suddenly took a sharp breath. "This, this is an elite school, isn't it?"

"Of course, if you're sponsoring, naturally you should attend the best school, and this will continue in the future. As long as your children perform well, they can attend any university and Mr. Blackwood will support them. As for the inconvenience of your children coming home after school, we've also figured that out. Starting tomorrow, you can report to the Blackwood Group, and we have already found a house for you in the vicinity of the company." Jacob said. Now, the couple was completely dumbfounded.

Supporting their child through school would be one thing, but why would he help them find jobs? Is there really such a good thing in this world?

George couldn't believe it. "You're not trying to scam us, are you? Are you trying to trick us into giving you our money?"

In the next second, Jacob placed a property certificate onto the table in front of them. "You two just need to move in."

Twenty minutes later, the couple bid Jacob farewell, promising to resign and withdraw their child from school that afternoon, ensuring they would report to the new school the next day.

Jacob was satisfied. "Don't delay, I want to see you first thing tomorrow morning."

"Okay, no problem. We'll pack tonight, even if we don't sleep," George assured him.

After completing everything, Jacob finally left, content.

Eva went to the bank and withdrew $50,000 in cash. Because she had to carry various items for her children, her small bag from her teenage years had been replaced by a large bag. The $50,000 cash fit comfortably inside. She never expected the amount of cash NightA mentioned would be $50,000.

He had already rewarded her so much, what could he do with $50,000? Now Eva understood that demanding repayment was just a pretense. His real goal was that he wanted to see her. As for why he wanted to see her, she had no idea. Eva decided to follow Emily's advice and see what NightA wanted to do. She booked two tables and sent the details of the one by the window to him.

At this moment, Adrian sat upstairs in the restaurant with a gloomy face, his gaze fixed on the entrance downstairs. The atmosphere around him was so depressing that Jacob, who was sitting next to him, felt a chill and instinctively adjusted his clothes.

He then looked at Adrian and said, "Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Hansen agreed to meet with you. Why are you still angry?"

Adrian responded with a sarcastic chuckle, "Is she meeting me, or is she meeting another man?"

Hearing this, Jacob couldn't help but show a speechless expression. "Whether it's meeting another man or meeting you, isn't it up to you?"

Adrian pursed his thin lips tightly, refusing to answer.

Though he remained silent, Jacob could sense that Adrian was still brooding. So he asked, "Mr. Blackwood, are you jealous of yourself?" Adrian remained silent.

Jacob could, in fact, understand why Adrian was angry. Ms. Hansen agreed to meet a man whose identity she didn't know, but she rejected Adrian himself. Such a disparity could make one feel uncomfortable.

Jacob could only remind him, "Mr. Blackwood, I'm not intentionally criticizing you. In Ms. Hansen's eyes, you two haven't seen each other for five years. She has struggled to raise two children on her own during these five years, and when she left, you were already divorced. So, her feelings for you can only be less, not more. It's not strange for her to reject you."

When he reached this point in his speech, Adrian's sharp gaze suddenly swept over to him, like a knife, scaring Jacob into silence, instantly afraid to speak.

But after a while, Adrian furrowed his brows and stared at him, saying, "What else do you want to say? Continue."

Jacob chuckled inwardly and continued, "You must adjust your mindset now. You should be grateful that she has been raising the children alone for the past five years without getting married. That's why you have a chance now, instead of being angry with her. After all, it has been five years."

 

 

Chapter 277 What's the Rush?

When one is angry, rationality is often overwhelmed and replaced by emotions. Adrian was no exception, even when he encountered the woman he loved. But when Jacob spoke, it was like an awakening for him. The anger extinguished in an instant.

He lowered his eyes and concealed the dark color beneath them. Indeed, what right did he have to be angry?

As his assistant had said, it had been five years. He should be grateful that she hadn't married yet, giving him the opportunity to ask her out, regardless of his status, as long as he wasn't someone else. With these thoughts in mind, Adrian glanced at Jacob and said, "Fine, I didn't expect you to be quite so useful in giving advice."

"Really?" Jacob immediately sought a reward upon receiving his praise. "Then, Mr. Blackwood, can you give me a raise this year?"

Hearing this, Adrian snorted and said, "We'll see. Have you taken care of the things I asked you to do?"

"It's done. They said they will move tonight, and we can pick up the child tomorrow. However, are you planning to pretend that that child is your own in front of your two kids? It might not be the best approach?" "Of course not!" Adrian coldly replied. "How could I let another child call me their father? Absolutely not."

That's right, letting someone else's child call Adrian 'dad,' even if it was just acting, Mr. Blackwood would never agree to it.

"Have you decided on the identity then?" Jacob asked.

"Just call me a relative, any relative name will do," Adrian didn't mind.

Jacob immediately came up with a convenient and practical option, "Then, why not let the child address you as Uncle?" Uncle?

Thinking of those two little children who already called him Uncle NightA, Adrian nodded in agreement.

So, Jacob took out his phone to record, and whenever he thought of something, he suggested it, "Actually, Mr. Blackwood, I have another suggestion, but I'm hesitant to tell you." "Speak." Adrian said in a flat tone.

"It's just... I think before you can get your children to completely trust you, you can let the Cao family's child temporarily stay at your place." Jacob said.

Upon hearing this, Adrian couldn't help but furrow his brows disapprovingly, "What are you talking about?"

"I know you don't like having outsiders around your home, but we can have the nanny prepare a room for him, and he won't bother you at all in general." Jacob explained. Adrian's brows remained furrowed. He didn't agree with this suggestion.

"Mr. Blackwood, don't you want to invite your children to come over to your house through this child? Private interactions can enhance feelings, right?" Jacob continued to explain. After understanding the cause and effect clearly, Adrian's furrowed brow gradually relaxed.

"So, is that settled? Should I talk to his parents tomorrow?" Jacob asked.

"Mm." Adrian nodded coldly.

Adrian pursed his thin lips, about to say something, but then he saw a familiar figure at the door.

Jacob also noticed and exclaimed with joy, "Ms. Hansen is here."

"Keep your voice down, don't let her notice you." Adrian said as he frowned slightly.

Jacob quickly covered his mouth and instinctively lowered his body, afraid that Eva would see them when she looked up. "But it's still half an hour before the agreed time. Why did she come so early?" Adrian glanced at the time on his wristwatch, and his relaxed brows furrowed again.

Indeed, why did she come so early?

Could it be... she couldn't wait to see a stranger?

At the thought of this, Adrian's fist tightened.

But then he remembered what Jacob had said, and his clenched fist loosened slightly.

Forget it, he needs to stay calm. After all, the man Eva is meeting now is "him".

Eva walked into the restaurant with her bag.

The restaurant staff immediately greeted her, "Miss, hello."

"Hello, I made a reservation for..." Eva told the staff her reserved spot, and they led her inside.

Adrian, sitting upstairs, watched with indifference.

Her reservation was by the window.

Originally, his face was icy, but when he saw that the staff didn't lead Eva to the window and even took her in the opposite direction, he was puzzled.

What's going on? Did the staff make a mistake, or did she get confused?

While he was thinking, the staff had already led Eva towards the stairs.

Adrian's expression changed, and he heard Jacob exclaim next to him, "Oh my, could it be that the staff wants to bring her up here? Mr. Blackwood, what should we do?"

There were only a few steps between the upstairs and downstairs, and there was only one way down.

Jacob was anxious beyond measure. "What should we do? Ms. Hansen will discover us, won't she?"

After all, they didn't come here today to really just meet about money, but it was actually a plan to interfere with her meeting with another man.

If they were to meet now, wouldn't Mr. Blackwood expose his intentions, would he?

"Why so anxious?" Just as Jacob was getting extremely anxious, Adrian glanced at him sternly. "Calm down."

"Mr. Blackwood..." Although he told Jacob to calm down, how could he calm down at this moment?

"She's just going upstairs, what's so strange if she bumps into us at this time? Do you think she would associate me with that man?" Adrian said calmly.

Hearing his calm voice, Jacob also gradually calmed down, "That's right, we weren't sitting downstairs, how could she associate us with the person she is meeting?"

After speaking, Jacob picked up his coffee on the table and took a sip.

Before he could swallow, he saw the staff bringing Eva up and walking towards their table.

As they got closer, Jacob struggled to swallow the coffee, and finally watched the restaurant staff stop at the table next to them.

"Miss, this is the table you reserved."

When Eva approached, she saw Adrian and Jacob sitting here, leaving her speechless.

When she saw Adrian, the first thing that came to her mind was a question.

Why is he here?

Then she remembered what Adrian had said to her on the phone at the airport.

"Eva, did you think that once you arrived in Chicago, I wouldn't know or leave you alone?"

The meaning of his words was clear, he wouldn't let her off easily.

But she didn't expect him to be here.

What does he want? To follow her like this, constantly pestering her?

Disgust surged in Eva's heart, and she immediately turned to the staff and said, "I'm sorry, I suddenly don't like it here. Can I change to a different table? Is there any available downstairs?" The staff nodded slowly, "There are some."

"Okay, please find me another one..." Eva's words were cut off as a tall figure appeared by her side.

 

 

Chapter 278 Is Vivian not enough?

Adrian was tall and standing close to her, almost enveloping her with his cold breath.

Though cold, it was assertive.

Instinctively, Eva stepped back, trying to put some distance between them.

Unfortunately, luck was not on her side, and she stumbled as she shuffled backward, almost falling back.

Adrian raised his hand, catching her waist and pulling her towards him.

Eva landed against his body.

With a faint fragrance emanating from her, Adrian involuntarily breathed in her scent.

Feeling her soft body pressing against him, even her waist against his hand felt particularly soft, Adrian's thin lips slightly curled, teasingly raising an eyebrow.

"So nervous to see me?" Adrian asked softly.

After regaining her balance, Eva instinctively pushed away from Adrian, "Let go of me."

Despite her efforts, Adrian's grip tightened, and he remained unmoved, like a solid mountain.

The restaurant staff widened their eyes and took two steps back at the sight.

"Since we know each other, let's sit at the same table. There's no need to go through the trouble of going downstairs." Adrian said to the waiter, but his gaze remained fixed on Eva's face.

As he finished his words, Adrian wrapped his arm around her slender waist and led her to his table.

"Who said I want to sit with you? Let me go!" Eva's voice questioned.

Struggling and glaring at Adrian angrily, Eva demanded, "And why are you here? What do you want? Were you following me?"

"Following you?" Adrian smirked, his lips curling up. "Eva, why don't you ask the server here when we arrived?"

Hearing that, Eva paused. Seeing Adrian immediately made her instinctively feel like he was following her and trying to bother her. But she had completely forgotten that she was the one who had arrived later.

Jacob quickly stood up and greeted Eva. "What a coincidence, are you here to eat as well? It's already afternoon, how come you're coming so late for a meal? Since we've bumped into each other, it must be fate. Shall we sit together?" "No need." Eva firmly rejected without hesitation, "I won't dine with you."

"Even if I'm an investor in your company?" Adrian questioned.

Eva looked at Adrian, his arm still around her waist, and bit her lip. "Are you trying to threaten me?"

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "If that's what you think."

"Alright." Eva smiled. "Then withdraw your investment and see if I'm scared."

Hearing that, the smile on Adrian's lips gradually faded. "Do you think I'm afraid to withdraw my investment?"

"Well, considering you're not the one who made all the effort." Eva sneered.

Adrian pursed his lips, his gaze slowly growing cold.

Jacob, noticing this encounter was quickly going wrong, immediately said to the staff, "Please bring us a few dishes. The three of us will be sitting at the same table, hurry up."

The staff also picked up on the awkward situation from their conversation just now. The three of them seemed to know each other, but things seemed a bit uneasy.

However, as long as they knew each other, there shouldn't be any trouble. The staff nodded and went downstairs to prepare.

After the staff left, Eva coldly stared at Adrian. "Let go."

Adrian didn't move.

Jacob quickly approached and said, "Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Hansen, please calm down. Since we've encountered each other, let's have a meal together."

While saying that, Jacob tried to pry Adrian's hand away. Adrian frowned deeply, but when he heard Jacob quietly reminding him to let go, he eventually released his grip.

After being released, Eva immediately regained her freedom and took two steps back, keeping her distance from Adrian.

Adrian's gaze remained fixed on her.

"Ms. Hansen, how about sitting with us? Let's all be amicable." Jacob suggested.

Looking at the polite Jacob, Eva couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh to him, so she explained, "Unfortunately I can't. I have plans."

"And with whom?" Adrian asked.

"What's it to you?" Eva retorted.

"A man?" Adrian questioned.

"Is it any of your business?" Eva countered.

Although Adrian knew who she had plans with, he couldn't control his crazy jealousy at that moment. Jacob listened to their conversation beside them and couldn't help but be curious about what would happen between the two. Hopeless! What is Mr. Blackwood doing?

He was just talking peacefully earlier, but why does it turn like this when they meet?

Then again, considering Eva's resistance, and her wanting to leave without even saying a word, it would be difficult for him to maintain a peaceful mood if he were Mr. Blackwood.

Adrian sneered coldly, "Did you arrange to meet Michael?"

He was quite curious. If he, as NightA, hadn't forced her to come out, would she have gone out with Michael by now?

Eva had cancelled her plans to meet with Michael, but seeing Adrian's current expression, she coldly laughed and said, "Yes, I made plans to have dinner and go look at cars. If there's nothing else, I'll go now."

After saying this, Eva took out her phone, and began walking out while pretending to call Michael.

As she passed by Adrian, her wrist was quickly grabbed by him.

"Let go of me!" Eva struggled a few times.

"Aren't you going to look at cars? I'll accompany you." Adrian held her hand without permission and walked downstairs with her. Jacob stood there dumbfounded, and only asked when they were about to reach the bottom of the stairs, "Mr. Blackwood, aren't we having dinner?"

They didn't respond, already disappearing from his sight.

Jacob thought that he would have to eat the signature dishes on his own later.

But he couldn't finish them alone, so Jacob quickly called one of his friends in Chicago to come over and join him.

Adrian took Eva with him downstairs, even forcefully pushing her into his car, and then firmly holding her hands, he instructed the driver to drive.

Although the driver didn't know what had happened, he didn't dare to ask and immediately started driving.

As the car drove off, Eva was still struggling, "Let go of me! I really do have urgent matters to attend to here today."

She didn't expect to encounter Adrian here, how could it be such a coincidence? The address she chose ended up being where she ran into Adrian. Now she was being taken away, what would happen if NightA came looking for the money?

"Oh." Adrian asked expressionlessly, "What urgent matters?"

"It's none of your business." Of course, Eva couldn't tell him what she had to do, as it involved two children.

"None of my business?" Adrian laughed softly, "You won't tell me, right? Then let's just treat it as a trivial matter and go look at the car instead."

"Adrian!" Eva couldn't bear it any longer and angrily shouted his name, "We had no relationship five years ago, and the only reason I went to New York with you a few days ago was because of the deal between my grandmother and you. The deal is over, we have nothing between us. What gives you the right to bother me now, and even get involved in my affairs? Isn't Vivian enough for you?"

 

Chapter 279 Bad Driving

When the name Vivian was mentioned, a strange silence fell over the car.

It seemed like an unbridgeable gap between the two of them. After hearing Vivian's name, Adrian narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Her and I..."

Eva turned her head and coldly interrupted, "I don't care about you and her. I just hope you won't bother me any more."

Adrian's face turned cold upon hearing this. "Who was it that said we should part on good terms? Eva, is this your idea of parting on good terms? Or is there something you're hiding from me, something that makes you not want to part with me on good terms?"

As Adrian finished speaking, his gaze firmly locked onto Eva.

Sure enough, although Eva maintained her calm demeanor, a flicker of panic quickly crossed her eyes. It was so fleeting that if he wasn't staring at her intently, he might have missed it.

With regained composure, Eva turned her head to face him.

"Did I say that? I don't remember." she calmly said as she steadily looked at him. "Do you have any evidence to prove that I said it?"

For a moment, Adrian and Eva's cold gazes met before he suddenly chuckled, "Are you trying to play innocent?"

"If I didn't say it, how can it be considered playing innocent?" Eva retorted.

"Fine." Adrian nonchalantly shrugged and smirked, "Let's pretend you never said it, as it doesn't really matter to me now. It doesn't affect my decision."

Indeed, no matter how Eva tried to play innocent, it wouldn't work if this man wanted to continue to bother her. He certainly wouldn't give up just because of a few words.

Eva suddenly felt that coming back to America to develop her career was a wrong decision. Perhaps, when she decided to return, she should have left her children abroad and come back to start her own business first. But she couldn't bear to separate herself from them.

They had already missed out on so much care and affection growing up, and if their mother were to leave them too...

Eva fell silent and turned quietly towards the car window. Then, she took out her phone, intending to send a message that she couldn't make it to NightA.

Or perhaps she could reschedule for later. She had to let him know that she wasn't available now.

She carefully composed the message.

Meanwhile, Adrian, who noticed her sudden silence and saw her facing the window with her phone in her hand, vaguely caught a glimpse of the WhatsApp interface she opened.

At first, Adrian remained calm.

But soon, he realized what she was about to do, and his expression turned fierce.

Under normal circumstances, his phone wouldn't be on silent mode. If she sent a message to NightA now...

Just as she was about to press send, Adrian coldly shouted her name, "Eva!"

His tone was urgent, which startled Eva. Her hand trembled, and she nearly dropped her phone.

Frowning, she looked at him displeased.

Adrian's face grew serious. "Who are you messaging?"

Hearing this, Eva's expression changed slightly. She casually closed the screen and put her phone away, acting as if nothing had happened. "Why does it matter to you?"

She originally thought that Adrian, being unreasonable, would snatch her phone away. But she didn't expect him to just glare at her darkly without attempting to take her phone. Coincidentally, at that moment, the driver spoke up, breaking the awkward atmosphere.

"Mr. Blackwood, where are we going to?"

Upon hearing this, Adrian slowly turned his gaze and said in a deep voice, "To the car dealership."

After a short while of driving, Adrian subtly took out his phone and put it on silent mode.

This way, he wouldn't have to worry about her sending him any messages.

Actually, Eva had no idea what Adrian wanted to do, and she didn't have time to pay attention to him because she had other things on her mind.

Although she arrived early for the arranged transaction, if NightA couldn't find her after he arrived, he would probably call her.

With Adrian being so persistent, there was no way she could hand over the cash to NightA today.

But there was no choice. Her children were more important than him.

So, Eva silently set her phone to silent mode as well.

Eva had already chosen a practical car. The car she had her eyes on was not expensive, just an ordinary mode of transportation. Although its performance wasn't great, it was definitely one of the best within the price range she was considering. However, when Adrian saw it, he immediately disapproved, saying, "This one you've picked is not good enough, its performance is too poor."

He then informed the staff of a specific car brand he preferred for her.

Hearing the brand name, Eva frowned. "I can't afford that."

"I'll give it to you." Adrian said with a cheerful tone, which only deepened Eva's frown.

"I don't need it." Eva replied.

"Why not? Having a good mode of transportation for the company's business partners ensures better work, doesn't it?" Adrian argued.

Upon hearing this, Eva looked at him expressionlessly and asked, "Really? So does that mean you'll be giving a car to every business partner of your company?"

Adrian silently looked at her and replied, "If they were like you, it wouldn't be a problem."

Eva twitched her lips, uninterested in further argument, and instead turned to the salesperson, saying, "Sorry, I'd like to try the car I mentioned earlier."

The salesperson, who had overheard their conversation and understood that the one who paid had the final say, immediately said to Eva, "Miss, please follow me."

The salesperson decided to consider the buyer's preference. Although, they also wanted to sell a luxury car, the commission for selling one was much higher. But they had to consider the buyer's preference as well.

As expected, seeing the salesperson's quick reaction, Eva was quite satisfied and quickly followed behind them. "As long as I find it suitable during the test drive, I'll pay and take the car right away."

The car salesperson nodded with a smile, "Alright."

Meanwhile, Adrian was left behind with a sullen face.

After a moment, he caught up with his long strides.

"Miss, this is the one you mentioned. First, take a look at its exterior. If it's to your liking, then we can proceed." The salesperson advised.

"Well, the appearance is good. Can I test drive it now? And then, if there's no problem, can I make the payment right away?" Eva nodded.

There were few car buyers like Eva, and it was evident that she was genuinely eager to make the transaction. The salesperson was also momentarily taken aback and nodded after a while, "Of course." Afterward, Eva took the car key and just as she was about to get in, someone sat in the passenger seat.

Eva saw Adrian and asked, "Why are you following me?"

Adrian leisurely fastened his seatbelt and asked, "How good are your driving skills?"

Upon hearing this, Eva smirked, "Not good"

"Oh?" Adrian raised an eyebrow, "I've never been in a car driven by a road killer. I'll give it a try today."

 

 

Chapter 280 I don't need you to accompany me

Watching him for a while, Eva finally sat in the driver's seat, shut the car door, and fastened her seatbelt - her actions almost seamless.

Then she inserted her car key into the ignition and looked coldly at Adrian, "Are you sure you want to ride in my car?"

Adrian smirked, "What, do you think I'm afraid of death?"

Eva didn't respond to his words as she started the engine while simultaneously stepping on the brake and turning the steering wheel. She rolled down the car window, and the salesperson standing outside was anxiously watching them, "Miss, sir."

Eva smiled faintly at him, then raising her lips in a mocking manner told him, "Don't worry, I have experience."

Seeing his disbelief, Eva even handed him her driver's license. After the salesperson checked it, his worries were finally eased, "That's good."

"I'll test the feel of how it drives and be back soon." Eva said.

Adrian sat beside her, expressionless, as he watched Eva steer the car.

Eva had learned how to drive five years ago and would often drive to and from work.

However, her skills were not particularly impressive. She had no problem on traffic-free roads, but once there was heavy traffic, she would often become nervous. She didn't know if she had improved in these five years. Before Adrian could ponder much over this situation, the car had already zoomed out.

The speed wasn't fast, but whether it was turning or driving straight ahead, everything seemed incredibly smooth. Her maneuvers were like those of an experienced driver.

Adrian was suddenly struck with a realization.

The fluency with which she drove was completely different from before. It was evident that she had become very familiar with driving.

This should have been a matter to be happy about for her, but Adrian kept his thin lips tightly pursed, his gaze pitch-black and deep.

When he saw her, he felt that five years had been too long, as if a lifetime had passed without seeing her. But sometimes, when he saw her familiar gestures, it felt like it was just yesterday.

It wasn't until now, seeing her silky driving skills, that Adrian suddenly realized that many things had changed over the past five years.

Only, he was still stuck in the same place, unable to move forward.

After a smooth lap outside, the car returned to the dealership. After Eva got out of the car, she handed the keys back to the salesperson, "I'd like to have this one please, I'll make the payment now." "Alright, but we still need to go through some procedures. You won't be able to take the car right away." The salesperson said.

"Yes, I know. Please give me a call when I can pick it up." Eva nodded and smiled widely.

When the salesperson left, Adrian finally got out of the car and silently watched her retreating figure.

After Eva finished all the necessary procedures, she turned around and realized that Adrian did not follow her. She quickly asked one of the staff members, "Excuse me, may I know where the restroom is?" Once she found out the location of the restroom, Eva swiftly entered and took out her phone.

An hour had already passed since the scheduled meeting time between herself and NightA.

Eva expected to see a message from him, scolding and questioning her why she didn't go to the meeting. However, as she took out her phone, she was surprised to find that their conversation thread was still on the screen, with her message waiting to be sent.

Her message hadn't been delivered, and there was no contact from him. It felt as if he had vanished into thin air.

What was going on?

Seeing this, Eva deleted the message she intended to send and began typing a new one.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but something unexpected came up in the afternoon, so I couldn't make it to the restuarant. However, I noticed that you didn't send any messages to me either. Is something keeping you busy on your end?" After sending the message, Eva waited in the restroom for a few minutes, but there was no reply from him. She waited a bit longer, but there was still no response. She couldn't wait any longer for a response. When she finally walked out, she noticed that Adrian had been waiting outside. However, he seemed different from before, with an aura that suddenly turned cold, like a natural air conditioner.

Although he had a striking appearance and was very attractive, his chilling demeanor was enough to make anyone retreat.

Only when Eva approached, did his coldness dissipate slightly.

His icy gaze landed on her face, his thin lips pursed, showing no intention to speak to her.

Eva had finished all the procedures and didn't greet him. She simply took her bag and walked past him. When she reached the door, Adrian caught up with her again, saying, "Let me escort you back." "No need, I can go by myself." Eva responded, still refusing him.

Adrian frowned, "Do you need me to wait for you at the company?"

Hearing his words, Eva stopped for a moment, then looked at him in silence.

Adrian, avoiding her gaze, opened the car door and asked, "Are you getting in or not?"

Eva stood still, silently watching him for a moment longer, then turned her head and walked away.

She didn't believe that if she didn't get in the car, he would really go to the company and wait for her every day.

If he could do that, then he might as well quit his job, abandon the company, and stop making money. If he could truly do that, she wouldn't mind.

Adrian watched her slender figure walking away with a gloomy expression but didn't chase after her.

Perhaps due to the sudden change, his heart felt blocked. So, he quietly watched her leave until she disappeared out of sight.

After a long while, he finally got into his car.

The driver glanced at his expression and cautiously asked, "Mr. Blackwood, shouldn't we follow her?"

Upon hearing this, Adrian raised his hand and rubbed his slightly painful forehead, wearily saying, "No need, go back."

As the car drove away, Eva turned her head and looked back, but she didn't see Adrian's figure among the few unfamiliar pedestrians behind her.

She let out a sigh of relief, but at the same time, there seemed to be a hint of disappointment in her heart.

However, this feeling was fleeting, disappearing before she could fully grasp it.

She went to the nearby subway station to buy a ticket.

At that moment, Michael's call came in.

Seeing his call and thinking about Emily's words, Eva contemplated for a moment before answering the phone.

"Eva, I'm already downstairs at your company, but... I was told by your colleagues that you left this afternoon? Where are you now? Shall I come and pick you up?" Michael's tone remained gentle and there was no blame in his voice for not being able to find her.

Facing this kind of Michael, Eva quickly felt guilty.

He was always like this, never getting angry with her no matter what she did.

It was because of that, that she could never refuse him, even when she wanted to.

Eva closed her eyes and coldly said, "No need, I don't want to go see it today."

Her cold tone surprised Michael on the other end of the phone, and after a moment of silence, he softly inquired, "Is something holding you up? Shall we reschedule then?"

"No need to reschedule either." With the words spoken, Eva bit her lip and spoke again, "Even if I were to go, there's no need for you to accompany me."