Ch. 831..840

Chapter 831

After making herself comfortable in the living room, Genevieve carefully took out the moonstone tea set from the wooden box and had the housekeeper bring a pot of water over. How odd. Why do I feel so at home at the Zeigler residence? Is it because I'm a natural socializer?

Yuvan helped Herbert down the stairs just as Genevieve was brewing a pot of tea, and the old man's eyes lit up when he smelled the tea aroma wafting through the air.

"Is that Earl Grey tea from Feston?"

Genevieve turned around and smiled at Herbert. "What a sharp nose you have, General Zeigler. Not only could you tell that it was Earl Grey tea, but you also knew where it was from."

"Of course. Feston's Earl Grey tea is one of the best. I receive at least two cans of their premium earl grey every year," Herbert replied as he gazed at the tea set on the coffee table. "You sure look like you know what you're doing."

"My mother loved drinking and brewing tea, so I learned a thing or two from her," Genevieve replied. "If I weren't confident of my skills, I wouldn't have dared to use such a premium blend of Earl Grey." As soon as the tea was ready, she poured a cup and handed it to Herbert. "Please try it."

Herbert accepted the tea without hesitation before smelling it and taking a sip. Soon, a smile crept across his face. "Ah, such a robust floral flavor. It's excellent!"

Yuvan, too, had helped himself to a cup of tea.

"Premium tea, paired with Ms. Rachford's expert tea brewing skills, sure makes for a delicious and delightful combination!" he exclaimed.

Herbert couldn't help but gaze at the cup in his hand. "This teacup isn't cheap either, is it?"

"It's not too bad. The entire set only cost a little over a hundred thousand," Genevieve said with a smile. "I heard you love drinking tea but didn't have any proper tea set at home, so I got this especially for you before coming over."

All of a sudden, Herbert's face turned rather grim. "So you've come to look for me?"

Even though Genevieve had exposed Sylvie's lie and saved the Zeigler family from a ton of embarrassment, Herbert couldn't stop brooding over the matter.

In all honesty, he'd rather the former not have said anything. That way, he'd still have a granddaughter and a purpose in life.

Genevieve nodded. "That's right. Mr. Yuvan frequently hires me as a model, and he has mentioned before that you have an impressive collection of foreign language books. I love reading and am fluent in a few foreign languages, so I was hoping I could borrow some books from you."

Of course, that was the script Genevieve and Yuvan had agreed on.

Since she needed the latter's help, it was only fair that she returned the favor and helped take care of his grandfather. That said, she couldn't possibly tell Herbert the truth about the matter, could she? If I told him I was only here to cheer him up as part of my deal, I'm sure it'd worsen his mood.

Given how Genevieve had gone to the trouble of buying him a tea set and making him tea, Herbert's expression gradually softened. "My wife was the one who collected those books, and they're now my mementos. I'm afraid I can't lend them out. Sorry to have let you make a wasted trip," he muttered as he placed his cup back on the table. "Please take the tea set back with you."

As it turned out, Genevieve had fully expected Herbert to reject her.

She calmly poured him another cup of tea and smiled. "Since the books are your treasured possession, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to take them away either. I do have some free time on hand, though. Would it be okay if I stayed here to read them instead? Although I specialize in simultaneous interpretation, I'm also very good at translating text. Let me know what books you like. I'd be more than happy to read them to you."

For someone who was an avid reader, Herbert felt very touched by Genevieve's offer.

"Ah, you didn't turn me down, so that means you're willing to give it a try," Genevieve teased. "Don't worry. If you aren't pleased with my performance, you can chase me away anytime."

"Is that a promise?" Herbert asked, his tone a lot gentler than before.

Genevieve chuckled. "Yes, it is! Also, this tea set is my gift to you. There are no strings attached to it. All I want is for you to be able to enjoy a nice cup of tea."

Chapter 832

"Grandpa, why don't you keep the tea set? It isn't that expensive, and besides, she can't stay here for free, can she?" Yuvan chimed in. In the end, Herbert gave in and accepted the gift.

However, just as he was about to have his third cup of tea, Genevieve suddenly stopped him. "You'll have to drink in moderation.

Too much tea isn't good for your current condition."

Before Herbert could reply, one of the housekeepers walked into the living room. "Mr. Yuvan, the meal's ready."

"What did General Zeigler have for lunch?" Genevieve asked.

"General Ziegler didn't have much of an appetite, so he only had some pasta and stew."

"That's hardly enough to last till dinner. It's already five, and I reckon General Zeigler must be feeling hungry," Genevieve remarked as she stood up from the couch. "Join us for a bite, General Ziegler. You can take it as an early dinner."

To everyone's surprise, Herbert agreed without hesitation. He hadn't felt like eating initially, but his mood had since improved, and Genevieve's words made him realize he could do with some food. Seeing his grandfather standing up, Yuvan was about to help when Genevieve slapped his hand away.

"Your grandfather's legs are fine. It's not like he can't walk, so why would he need your assistance? You can head to the dining room yourself."

"Well said!" Herbert exclaimed before bursting into laughter, looking visibly happier than before.

He wanted to be strong and didn't want his grandchildren to be helping him around the house all the time. However, he knew they were only worried about him falling and hurting himself, so he never could bring himself to reject their kindness.

Genevieve, however, had finally said what was on his mind.

When Yuvan saw his grandfather going to the dining room in such a cheery mood, he was both relieved and astounded. I knew it was the right choice to have Genevieve here! Thank goodness she called me this morning.

After taking her seat at the dining table, Genevieve peeled a tiger shrimp and popped it into her mouth.

"Oh, this shrimp is delicious! The meat is so sweet and tender," she commented while peeling another and placing it onto Herbert's plate. "Try it, General Zeigler." Herbert ate the shrimp and broke into a smile. "You're right. It's quite good."

"Then I shall peel a few more for you! This roast beef is delicious too. It's cooked just right, and the meat is well-seasoned and moist. Here, General Zeigler, it's still piping hot, so be careful when you eat it..." Genevieve kept piling Herbert's plate with food throughout the meal, and the latter was happy to eat them, too.

"General Ziegler, do you play chess?" Genevieve asked.

Before Herbert could reply, Yuvan interrupted, "Grandpa has been playing chess since he was a young man, and there aren't many people who can win him in a game. I suggest you don't embarrass yourself." "Is that so? That makes me want to play with him even more! What if I won?" Genevieve insisted. "General Ziegler, let's play a round of chess once we've finished eating. If I lose, I'll go fishing tomorrow and catch you a fish to grill."

"Haha! Deal!" Herbert said as he pointed at her. "I shall look forward to you catching and grilling that fish for me."

Meanwhile, at Xedells University, Harry was walking out of the school building after his class when a young lady stopped him in his tracks.

"Harry, are you free tonight?"

Harry gazed at her and put on his sweetest smile. "Sorry, I'm not."

Needless to say, the young lady was disappointed.

The next second, she hurriedly opened her bag and took out a keychain. "Here, I know you like the race driver, Sheeran, so I got his autographed keychain for you."

Harry's eyes instantly lit up when he accepted the gift. "You're amazing! I can't believe you managed to get his autograph."

"I'm just glad you like it," the young lady replied as her cheeks flushed with a tinge of pink.

"Thank you. I like it a lot," Harry said with a smile and the keychain still in his hand. "I'll buy you a meal next time."

Chapter 833

"T-Then can I add you on WhatsApp?" The girl quickly took out her phone.

"I don't use WhatsApp very often. Besides, you're incredibly beautiful. Iff meet you again, I'll definitely recognize you." Harry shot her a bright smile before waving at her and walking away.

The girl's heart raced wildly as she watched him leave.

At that moment, her friend walked over. "Hey, wake up and smell the coffee. Come on. He's a Hompton. Don't you know who his father is?"

"I do. But he accepted the key chain..." the girl murmured.

Her friend shrugged and snorted. "Don't you know what he's like? He always accepts gifts from girls because he doesn't want to hurt their feelings."

Compared to the other arrogant and domineering wealthy heirs, Harry was a breath of fresh air.

If not for Harry's distinct surname, no one would know who his father was. Not only was he handsome, but he was also gentle and unassuming. He loved making friends but never tried to get up to no good just because of his family background.

Even if he did not come from a prominent family, many girls would still go crazy about him because of his personality and good looks.

After Harry exited the university and got into his car, his smile faded a little.

While his car stopped at a traffic light at an intersection, he wound down the window, tossed the key chain into the trash can on the roadside, then wiped his fingers with a wet wipe.

Twenty minutes later, he pulled up in front of the Hompton residence.

After getting elected as chief executive, Nigel moved into the accommodation prepared by the government while Charice and Harry remained at the double-story house located halfway up a mountain. "Mr. Harry," the housekeeper greeted, taking Harry's bag from him and welcoming him home.

Charice, who was in the kitchen checking on the soup, hurried out upon learning that Harry had returned. "Harry, why have you been going to Jadeborough so often these past few months? And why is your phone always turned off?"

Harry went up to her and gave her a brief hug. "Mom, I'm no longer a child, so don't pry into my private life."

"I'm not prying. I'm just concerned about you. Although Hans is dead, his men are still roaming free." The mere thought of Harry getting kidnapped previously still filled her with fear.

She could not help worrying that Hans' men would hold a grudge and plan something against Harry again.

"There are only a few of them left scattered here and there. Now that Dad is in charge of Xedells, they'll be even less daring to do anything to me," Harry said as he led Charice toward the living room. After taking a sip of tea, Charice asked sternly, "Why were you with Genevieve in Jadeborough?"

"You followed me?" Harry's gaze suddenly turned cold.

She had never seen that horrified look in her son's eyes and was momentarily stunned. However, when she recovered her senses, she discovered that his expression looked just like usual. Perhaps I was mistaken.

Harry mumbled, "Genevieve got kidnapped because of me, and she was injured. I feel quite bad about what happened. When I bumped into her in Jadeborough, I wanted to see how I could make it up to her." "I'll write you a check. Take it to her, and don't have any contact with her in the future," said Charice.

Since Genevieve knows about my identity but didn't expose me, and the Faulkner family is destroyed, my grudge with Cesar is finally over.

"She isn't short of money," he replied. Then, he added in an annoyed tone, "Mom, don't send someone to follow me anymore. I'll get angry if you do. As for the debt of gratitude I owe her, I'll take care of it myself."

Harry glanced at his phone screen that had lit up and got up from the couch. "I won't be eating at home tonight. Evan says he's treating me to dinner."

With that, he turned and left without giving Charice a chance to speak.

As she recalled the look of hostility flashing across Harry's eyes during their conversation, she realized he seemed to have changed.

Chapter 834

When Harry arrived in Baykeep, Evan and several other friends he usually hung out with dragged him to the restaurant they frequented to have a meal. Once they had finished eating, they headed directly to a bar.

After three rounds of drinks, Evan went to sit next to Harry with a glass of wine in his hand so they could talk alone.

Taking a sip of wine, Evan tilted his head to look at Harry. "I heard some things about what happened in Jadeborough. Does that matter have anything to do with you?"

Harry looked at him innocently and asked with a smile, "Which matter? What are you talking about, Evan?"

Evan fixed his eyes on Harry, giving the latter a deep and meaningful look.

Those friends and the public who think Harry is innocent and harmless are oblivious and only care about having a good time. However, I've always hung out with him. Even if I haven't seen his true colors, I know he's not as docile as he appears. If anything, his claws are sharper than anyone else's.

Plastering a smile, Evan uttered, "Oh, nothing. By the way, you don't have a girlfriend yet, right?"

He called for the singing beautiful girl to come over, then moved aside and asked her to sit next to Harry. "This is my cousin, Zoe. She's also a student at Xedells University. She likes everything you like, so hov great would it be if you dated each other!"

Suddenly being pushed toward Harry, Zoe Qualls felt the latter's toned muscles through his shirt and blushed.

"She's your cousin. If we argued, don't you think you'd break my legs?" Harry scooted away in the other direction, keeping his distance from her.

Evan rested his chin on his hand as he gazed at Harry. "You must have someone you like. That's why you're not interested in my cousin."

Harry murmured an acknowledgment, admitting to it.

"Who is it?" Evan pressed. "Is she from your university? I know all the girls you know outside of the university, and I don't feel like you'd fall for them."

A hint of a smile twinkled in Harry's eyes. "All I can say is that she's a girl, and I like her."

Evan stared at him wordlessly.

Just then, Harry's phone rang. He glanced at his phone but did not answer the call. Putting down his wineglass, he stated, "I have something to do, so I'll be leaving first. Have fun.”

Instead of leaving the bar after exiting the private room, he went upstairs to the billiard room tucked right in the back.

Two men were playing billiards inside the room, while a slightly older man wearing a polo T-shirt with a cigarette between his lips leaned against the front of the bar counter, scrolling through his phone. The man with the cigarette heard the door open. Seeing that it was Harry, he raised his hand and waved at the latter.

After Harry locked the door from the inside, even the slightest hint of obedience disappeared from his face instantly. His dark eyes concealed the coldness in their depths that could make one's hair stand on end with just one glance.

The warmth from his body also faded considerably, and he radiated a chilling aura.

Striding over to the bar counter, he took a cigarette from the pack on the table. Then, the man with the cigarette between his lips leaned closer with a silver lighter in his hand to light it for him.

Resting his arm lazily along the bar counter, he took a puff on his cigarette as he watched the men playing billiards.

"Armand is looking into the number, but he won't find anything." Jesse picked up the bottle of brandy on the table, poured two glasses, and handed one to Harry.

Harry took the glass of brandy but did not drink it. In a voice slightly hoarse from smoking, he asked, "What about the photos?"

Jesse broke into a grin. "It was truly a happy coincidence. One of the Loake family's housekeepers happened to be going to her niece's house in Baykeep this morning. She probably spotted Armand and Genevieve while getting off the plane with the other passengers and took photos of them. The housekeeper will definitely show Sally those photos."

Harry chuckled softly upon hearing that, his eyes glinting with amusement. "In that case, I'll just sit back and see what she'll do."

Chapter 835

Puzzled, Jesse Kenwood asked Harry, "Do you have any grudges against Armand?"

Harry shrugged and answered, "No."

"Then why do you want to provoke him?" Upon recalling the things that Harry had asked him to do in recent times, Jesse could not understand anything.

After that, Jesse advised Harry in a grave tone, "You better not offend someone like Armand. You don't stay in Jadeborough, so you have no idea how smart and scary Armand can be. No matter how meticulous we are, he'll be able to expose us if there's any trace of evidence."

If Harry was not the one asking him to do all those things, Jesse would never dare to offend Armand.

Harry took a puff of his cigarette. The smoke blocked out his bright eyes. "Does he know a lot of politicians?"

"Yes, he does." Jesse was from Jadeborough and used to work in the government intelligence agency. It would be easy for him to find out any information.

Jesse continued, "When Armand was younger, he set up Central Group in Jadeborough. Through that company, he met quite a number of people from both the military and political fields, but he hardly ever keeps in touch with them. I also heard that the last mayor of Jadeborough is a distant relative of Armand's grandma. When that mayor was incumbent, Armand has helped him several times."

Harry chuckled and said, "I see. He's just a businessman. I don't think he's eligible to be with someone like Sally."

"Didn't you mention that Armand has faked his death in order to shed his identity as a businessman so that he can go into politics?" Jesse took a guess and continued, "Otherwise, why will he reappear after his fake death as Robert's godson and even became the Deputy Minister of the Department of Public Information?"

Harry looked down, deep in thought.

After a long while, he took a sip of his brandy and stated, "I heard that Robert's son grew up with Sally, and they are planning to get married."

To that, Jesse responded, "That's right. His son is Ethan Zane, but his country is more important than his love life. He has joined the border defense a long time ago. According to my investigation, Ethan hasn't gone home for six years. He only calls home once a year during the new year. Although Ethan and Sally are childhood sweethearts, it's impossible for them to continue their relationship since he hasn't returned home. Ever since Robert finds out that Sally is interested in Armand, he takes Armand in as his godson so as to maintain his relationship with the Loake family."

Growing tired of standing, Jesse sat down on the stool. "Armand may not have any experience in the political field, but he's an intelligent and diplomatic man. Once he's qualified enough to be a politician, Robert can retire in peace."

Harry snorted and gave Jesse a side glance. "Jesse, did you find this information, or are you just making a guess?"

"I derive from the information that I have collected. I also feel that Armand is aware of the relationship between the two families. In order for him to have a smooth transition into the political domain, he got to know Sally before that. After his fake death, he started seeing Sally. With the help of his father-in-law and godfather, it's only a matter of time before he becomes a politician.”

Harry agreed with Jesse's first prediction but disagreed with the latter deduction.

"If Armand knew Sally earlier on, then why he rushed to the airport to look for Genevieve when he found out that there were dangerous goods on board the plane?"

Jesse was stuck. "Maybe he loves both of them?"

Harry said nothing. Instead, he took another sip of his drink and stared at the floor.

When Armand's defective car fell from that height, he thought Armand would die for sure. That was why he had arranged for the scene to appear as if an accident had taken place. Harry then rode the bike and made himself fall after that.

However, he did not expect that there would be people in the area, and Armand was rescued instead.

I have been too arrogant.

Chapter 836

Just as the two men were chatting, Jesse's phone rang.

After he finished the phone call, Jesse asked Harry in a hushed voice, “We have detained those fellows from Hans' gang. Would you like to question them yourself, or shall I go ahead and deal with them?" When Harry returned home in the afternoon, he told Charice that Hans did not have too many subordinates. He did not expect Jesse to catch hold of them so soon.

"Let's go over and take a look." With that, Harry threw his cigarette into the glass on the bar counter.

The two men left the bar. After driving for ten minutes, they arrived at a poultry shop behind the market.

Jesse parked the car before opening the shutters.

Harry bent down to get into the shop, and the stench of the poultry caused him to frown. Soon, he saw the four men locked in the metal cages.

When those men saw the noble and cold-looking Harry, they were shocked.

They recognized Nigel's son from the photo that was given to them. The boy in the photo appeared cheerful and harmless. Otherwise, they would not have kidnapped him twice.

On the contrary, the boy standing in front of them at that moment exuded an air of intense fury.

Even men like them who lived on the edge felt fear for the first time.

"Harry, I have something for you to try out." Then, Jesse picked up a box next to the cage and opened it up. There were parts of a gun inside the box. "This is the latest invention from Dartan. It's a powerful weapon."

Harry took his time assembling the parts. In a few seconds, he was done. He then cocked the gun and pointed the weapon at one of the men in the cage.

The sound made them shiver with fear.

"D-Don't kill me..." the man facing Harry started begging for his life. "Back when we kidnapped you, we did that only for money. We never wanted to kill you." Harry burst out laughing. "All of you are kidnappers. Why are you begging me for mercy?"

"We may be kidnappers, but we are also s-scared to die..." Everyone knew that being a kidnapper was a profitable trade, but they could lose their lives any second.

When they had a gun pointing at them, they would still be terrified and would beg for their lives.

Harry sat down on a chair behind him. With his legs wide open and a languid expression, he questioned them, "How long did it take all of you to plan for my second kidnapping?"

"We have no idea!" that man answered truthfully. "We just do whatever the boss instructs. That day, we found out the license plate of the driver. Then we arranged to hit the driver's car on purpose so that the rest of them could take you away-"

Before the man could finish what he was saying, the flesh on his right shoulder blew apart. It was so painful that he nearly passed out.

"Brother!" Upon seeing the man pass out, a younger man with a buzz cut quickly explained to Harry, "My brother was telling the truth. We weren't involved in the planning of your kidnapping. But I overheard that someone had given our boss your schedule."

When Harry heard that, there was a malicious look in his eyes.

He did not shoot the younger man. Instead, he raised his brows and asked, "Is this man your biological brother?"

The buzz-cut man nodded. "But we have different fathers."

After Harry clarified their relationship, an idea occurred to him. With his hands on his knees, he eyed the buzz-cut man with interest. "Can you and your brother help me do something?"

Taking the gun from him, Jesse walked to the other side of the cage and killed the other two men at point blank.

The warm blood splattered on the man with a buzz cut, and that metallic odor made him tremble uncontrollably. If he did not agree to Harry's request, he might end up like the two of them, so he nodded.

Chapter 837

After losing a round of chess to Herbert, Genevieve took her fishing gear and brought him for fishing the next morning.

It was a fine day, and the park was filled with people who had come to fish.

Genevieve set up her fishing rod, but she failed to catch anything even after half an hour. On the other hand, Herbert had already caught a few big fish.

Genevieve started whining, "General Zeigler, can we swap our positions? If not, I won't catch anything even if I stand here for the entire day."

Just then, Yuvan returned with some fruits and heard Genevieve's complaint. "Ms. Rachford, you lack the skills but blame it on luck," he commented, smiling.

"Yes, yes, I'm unlucky." Genevieve then asked playfully, "Old Mr. Zeigler, you'll be willing to swap places with me, right?"

With a laugh, Herbert uttered, "Sure! I'm waiting for you to make fish chowder for me tonight!"

Ever since Herbert became unwell and was admitted to the hospital a few times, he had been staying at home since he was discharged. When Genevieve arrived the night before and spent time chatting and playing chess with him, his mood had improved vastly.

Now that Genevieve and his grandson, Yuvan, brought him out for fishing, Herbert truly missed the fresh air. It had been a long time since he felt this happy.

"Ms. Rachford, have some fruit." With that, Yuvan handed her an orange.

However, Genevieve was busy adjusting her fishing rod. "I'm busy," she responded. "Since you aren't doing anything, why don't you peel two oranges for me? Thank you." Yuvan was dumbfounded.

Even so, when he realized Genevieve's presence did make Herbert delighted, Yuvan decided to peel the oranges for her. Once he was done, he went to Herbert. "Grandpa, do you prefer oranges or grapes?"

"Orange is fine." Herbert took the fruit from his grandson. As he was peeling it, he glanced at Genevieve. "Ever since Armand died, has Genevieve remarried?"

"I'm not sure about her private life," replied Yuvan. "But I have never seen her with any man."

He did recall Genevieve telling him she had a pair of twins to look after, though. The children were around the age of four or five.

Herbert's eyes lit up, and he chortled. "Genevieve is pretty and well-educated. She has a good personality, too. I like her very much. You should talk to her more often."

Yuvan was taken aback. Realizing his grandfather's intention, he almost choked on the grape and started coughing.

"Grandpa, she isn't interested in someone like me," Yuvan replied helplessly.

"Then do something that'll make her interested in you." Herbert was displeased with his grandson's behavior. "I have a good vision. Genevieve is a nice girl, and both of you are quite close in age." For some reason, Herbert always felt comfortable when he saw Genevieve each time. I'm really fond of that girl.

Perhaps it's because she knows how to make others happy.

"Grandpa, eat the orange. It's very sweet," uttered Yuvan. He did not wish to discuss the matter further, so he tried to distract Herbert.

Taking a seat next to Herbert, Yuvan glanced at Genevieve, who was eating something at that moment. She had already finished adjusting her fishing rod and was now waiting for a fish to take the bait. Recalling what his sister, Renee, had said, he eyed Genevieve with suspicion.

Even when Herbert's favorite granddaughter came to look after him, Herbert was not as happy. However, the instant Genevieve appeared, it only took her one night to make Herbert such a happy man. Herbert and Genevieve had never met before. Yet, he had taken such a strong liking to her. It reminded Yuvan of the first time he met Genevieve, and he felt something strange as well.

Could we be related?

Bearing that thought in mind, Yuvan discreetly inched toward his grandfather and pulled a strand of his hair.

Chapter 838

Herbert turned and looked at Yuvan with a frown, and the latter swiftly hid the strand of hair in his pocket.

"Did you just pull my hair?"

"No," Yuvan replied cluelessly, raising his hand with a half-peeled orange. "Why would I do that? That's so random."

The general scratched his head in confusion. Was it some insect?

Suddenly, a loud gasp came from Genevieve's side when she saw her fishing line dragged low by a massive weight. It seemed like a giant fish had just bitten the bait.

Thrilled, Genevieve struck the fish confidently in a backward movement but knocked into a passerby who happened to cross from behind.

The rod in her hand slipped, and it would have dropped into the water if the stranger had not caught it in time.

With his big and boney hand, the man held on to the rod and reeled in the fish effortlessly, placing the fish on the ground.

Herbert, who was walking over, was impressed upon seeing the fish twitching on the grass. "Wow! That's a big one!" he exclaimed.

Yuvan quickly unhooked the fish and threw it into a basket.

Meanwhile, Genevieve rubbed her sore wrist and spoke apologetically to the man who helped her. "I'm sorry. I almost fell on you just now."

"It's okay," he answered in his appealingly husky and rich voice as he took a piece of tissue to wipe his hand.

Genevieve took a closer look at that man. He was over six feet tall, and his light gray slacks and a regular cotton t-shirt formed an elegant set, but Genevieve could smell a scent of blood oozing from him. The other person with this scent is Jack.

Genevieve stole another look at him. Although she could not see the pair of eyes behind the sunglasses, she could still deduce that he was of mixed racial descent judging from his chiseled facial features and black hair.

Sensing her gaze, the man looked down, and Genevieve's exquisite face reflected in his sunglasses.

"Do you want to get to know me, miss?" he asked.

Genevieve's lips twitched at the question. He's such a narcissist. She shook her head, saying, "No. I just wanted to thank you. The fish would've swum away if it weren't for you."

The man sighed in disappointment. "I see. I thought you found me charming..."

His reply trailed into a short pause before he continued, "You're welcome. I'm glad to be of help." With that said, he flashed her a smile and left. Behind him, another man in a suit quickly followed after. Genevieve watched them for a bit before retracting her gaze to continue fishing.

She managed to catch a few more fish that day, albeit smaller than the one she caught earlier. By four o'clock, she had already filled the two empty baskets with fish.

Genevieve intended to make fish chowder herself, but she decided to let the cook do it instead since she was a terrible cook.

Herbert had a great appetite that evening. He had two bowls of fish chowder and one and a half plates of pasta during dinner. If Yuvan had not stopped him, the old man would have had another plate of pasta.

After dinner, Genevieve pulled Yuvan over to the pantry and asked, "So, what do you think? This is just the first day I'm with you guys, and your grandpa is already this happy."

"I can tell you're good with elders, Ms. Rachford," Yuvan complimented with a smile as he turned on his phone and passed it to Genevieve. "Don't worry. I'm keeping up on my side, too."

Glancing at his phone, Genevieve reminded him, "Remember to make an audio recording."

Genevieve knew Timothy used to be a womanizer, but she still felt something off about him bringing Mindy, a woman he had just met at the club, to a hotel.

Her sixth sense told her that Timothy had walked right into a trap upon entering the club.

If Mindy were in it for his money, she could have asked Timothy for some hush money with the photos she took.

However, to Genevieve, Mindy was too smart to do something that dumb. There's no way Mindy thinks she can get Timothy just by publicizing their photos of intimacy.

Chapter 839

Yuvan nodded and sighed. "To be honest, I would never agree to seduce someone if it were not for Grandpa. Imagine what people will say if they discover that a successful man like me did something so underhanded I would be a laughingstock. I could be permanently blacklisted, Genevieve," he said coldly.

"I know I'm asking a lot," Genevieve said, pouring him a glass of warm water. "I promise I'll make it up to you. I can always come and accompany your grandpa if he's not in a good mood." The suggestion appeased Yuvan, and he took the glass from her.

Genevieve then turned to leave since they were done talking, but Yuvan commented in surprise from behind her, "Ms. Rachford, a young lady like you do have quite a bit of white hair, don't you?" Then, Genevieve felt a slight pain on her scalp as if someone had just pulled her hair.

"Oh! I'm sorry," Yuvan apologized nervously. "It just peeves me to see someone having white hair. I didn't mean to pull it off.” Genevieve looked over at the hair in his hand and waved dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It's just a strand of white hair."

After she left the pantry, Yuvan observed the hair to ensure it had its hair follicle intact before putting it in a bag.

On the third morning, Genevieve went to Herbert's study after breakfast.

Beams of sunlight were streaming into the room through the window when she entered, which lit up the spacious room. On the two sides of the study were two shelves with glass doors housing all the collections of the old man's ancient books and manuscripts.

Going over to take a look, Genevieve realized that although some of the books were published in the early years of the past century, they were all well-preserved.

"Do you mind if I open the shelf and have a look, Old Mr. Zeigler?" Genevieve inquired.

"No, go ahead," Herbert replied with a smile. "Pick a book and read it to me."

Genevieve agreed and opened the shelf carefully.

Since Harriet used to be a translator, she left behind many notes she had made while learning foreign languages. Soon enough, Genevieve found herself engrossed in Harriet's remarkable and exciting notes. "Your wife must've been amazing," she noted in amazement. "I guess that's why she was a translator at the Department of Foreign Affairs."

Herbert looked up with pride on his face. "You're right. She was a talented woman, and she had many pursuers when she was young. Had we not been childhood sweethearts, and had I wasn't so persistent, I wouldn't have married her."

Genevieve laughed.

She perused the books to pick a suitable one but suddenly found a photo album hidden among the books.

Taking it out, she flipped through it, only to find a few photographs in the inset. There were intimate photos of a young couple and some portraits of a beautiful woman.

"Old Mr. Zeigler," Genevieve uttered, passing him the album, "are these you and your wife?"

The general's face lit up in surprise when he saw the photo album.

He touched the young woman in the picture, and his eyes welled up with tears. "You found it. I was so disheartened because I thought I had lost these photos after searching every nook and cranny of the house, but it turns out it's right in this study. These were taken when we were young during the tumultuous period of war in the country. We didn't manage to take a lot of photos because we were so busy." Herbert's eyes glimmered with nostalgia and love as he gazed at the woman in the photo.

After a long moment, Herbert flipped the page and looked at another photo of a small girl. "This is my daughter, Juliana. I wouldn't have lost her if I were a more attentive father. Harriet wouldn't have died so early if we still had Juliana."

Genevieve was aware that the loss of their second daughter had grieved the family, so she stayed silent and patted Herbert's back to comfort him.

Looking down, she stared at the photo in Herbert's hand.

The girl was sitting on a swing, smiling sweetly at the camera. She had chubby cheeks, and her hair was in pigtails. Although her forehead was clear and smooth, there was still a faint scar on it.

Chapter 840

A sense of familiarity budded in her heart as Genevieve stared at the girl in the photo.

I feel like I've seen her before, but I might be wrong. They lost the girl when she was five or six. There's no way I know her.

Not wanting the sickly old man to dwell on the sadness, Genevieve took the photo away. "Old Mr. Zeigler, what about I read you the novel-Her Tearoom-by Francis of Frosa?"

"I know this book," Herbert replied. A smile broke out on his face as he reminisced about the past.

"Harriet asked me to buy that book when I went to Frosa for work, but because there weren't many published copies, I went all over the country just to look for it. It was not until night that I found it at a bookstore, and the customs officials almost stopped me from going through. Harriet was so happy she kissed me repeatedly when I passed her the book."

Genevieve's heart warmed as she listened to Herbert recounting the story.

For the whole morning, Genevieve sat beside him under the sun and read to him the book until the housekeeper knocked on the door.

"It's time for lunch, Old Mr. Zeigler," Genevieve reminded, closing the book.

"I want to hear more. Lunch can wait," he insisted. Herbert felt reluctant to leave because listening to Genevieve while resting under the sun made him feel as if Harriet was still beside him.

"This can wait, though. You might get a stomachache if you don't eat on time," Genevieve persuaded, shaking her head.

She got up from the chair and went over. "Let's go. I promise I'll read you five more pages after your siesta," she suggested with a smile.

"All right. Don't go back on your words." The old man finally relented and got up.

The dishes were served when they arrived downstairs, but no one else was seated at the table. "Where's Yuvan?" Herbert asked.

"Mr. Yuvan called at eleven, saying he won't be back for lunch," the housekeeper replied.

Herbert nodded and sat down for a meal with Genevieve.

Ten minutes after lunch, the housekeeper went to the living room with some liquid medicine. "It's time to take your medicine, General Zeigler."

Herbert was annoyed at the sight of the medicine, for he had taken it for almost a month. "Take it away. I don't need it. I'm still strong, and I can even go fishing."

The housekeeper looked at him, troubled. "But Mr. Yuvan said you must have it. The doctor prescribed it—"

"Oh! So, what he says carries weight, but not what I say?" Herbert snapped in agitation. The woman was so scared she froze where she was, not knowing what to do.

Seeing this, Genevieve quickly got up and took medicine from her before sitting down beside Herbert.

"You're still recovering, Old Mr. Zeigler. That's why you need to have this," she explained, swirling the liquid to cool it.

Her words fell into silence. It was apparent that Herbert was did not want to take the medicine at all.

"What about I read you eight pages later in the afternoon?" Genevieve cajoled. "We can even go hiking together once you get better. Don't you like seeing sunrise?" Herbert looked at her and asked in suspicion, "Do you mean it?"

"Of course!" Genevieve assured. "We can go anywhere, anytime, once you recover!"

As she spoke, she scooped the medicine with a spoon and brought it close to Herbert, who eventually drank it after a moment of hesitation.

His amenable behavior reminded Genevieve of her own granddad and granny.

Her granddad passed on because of ill health when Genevieve was still young. Not even two years later, her granny also passed away. Then, the Rachford family hit a rough patch, and Genevieve's grandma left, leaving the girl with no one to take care of her.

After Herbert finished his medicine, Genevieve sent him back to his room for a nap and went to call Lucian.

"Mom, I feel like I just got a new godfather," Lucian informed coldly over the phone. "He has been coming to see Aunt Jojo over the past two days. Sometimes, he comes in the afternoon, and the two will stay in the greenhouse for the whole afternoon. I can tell he likes Aunt Jojo a lot."