Chapter 41
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Td invite Hoard out for a meal too if he didn’t have his SATs around the corner, Ethan remarked, beaming at Kylie with a brotherly pride that came from watching her grow into a remarkable young woman.
Settling into her seat, Kylie advised, “How about we plan a family vacation once his SATs are over? I’ve earned some cash restoring antique paintings recently, so I’m willing to foot the bill
“Skills you picked up from Felicia, 1 bet, Ethan said, not a bit suprised. Back in their hometown, it was common knowledge that Kylie spent hours at Felicia’s place, engrossed in books that were presumably beyond her years.
He’d seen Felicia working with broken porcelain, and on his next visit, those pieces would be transformed into elegant, vintage vases. Felicia’s painting skills were extraordinary. Even though Ethan had left for higher education early, he could tell Felicia was no ordinary country dweller
Yet, for some reason, he’d never inquired about what Kylie had learned from her, and neither had anyone else. Perhaps it was the air of authority Felicia carried; if she chose not to discuss something, no one would dare to pry. “It seems Felicia has passed on her expertise to you,” Ethan mused.
“Yes. Felicia’s taught me a lot. She recently gave me a letter saying it’s time I started working with antiques,” Kylie explained.
Ethan nodded, his expression one of contentment. “Kylie, you’ve really come of age.”
“Ethan, how have things been with you? The last we spoke, I heard about someone plagiarizing your research paper. Is that situation resolved?” Kylie asked, her voice laced with concern.
Ethan’s eyes flickered with a hint of unease as he replied, “It’s been handled. Don’t worry!
Kylie caught the fleeting change in Ethan’s expression but chose to smile and comment instead, “This barbecue is out of this. world; the cooking is spot on.”
Ethan looked at Kylie with a loving smile. The barbecue skewers vanished from the table in the blink of an eye. Kylie rubbed her bloated belly and said, “I think I ate way too much.
Eating with family was always more relaxed. Kylie had dug in without a care for table manners.
“I’m stuffed, too. Let’s have some juice,” Ethan said, handing her a glass.
Kylie downed most of the juice in one go, the sweetness helping to cut through the greasiness in her mouth.
“Ethan, is there something on your mind you want to ask me?” Kylie asked with a smile, once she’d satisfied her hunger.
They’d grown up together and knew each other like the back of their hands. From the start of the meal, Kylie felt Ethan seemed to be on the verge of saying something.
With a chuckle, Ethan admitted, “You’ve always been perceptive. It’s tough to keep secrets from you. There is something I’d
like to ask
“Sure, Ethan, go ahead,” Kylie said.
Ethan took a moment to gather his thoughts before asking, “About the situation between you, Melanie, and Craig. They had the upper hand this morning today, but within an hour, everything changed. Major influencers spoke up. Unless someone paid them a hefty sum, they wouldn’t have commented so readily. Kylie, tell me. Who’s backing you?”
Kylie was taken aback and replied, “I didn’t ask for anyone’s help
This morning, when she learned things were turning around at the police station, it seemed odd, but she was interrupted by Jessie’s call before she could ponder it further.
10:01 Fri, Oct 18
Chapter 41
“No one Ethan didn’t seens,relieved. Instead, his concern deepened, thinking Kylie might be facing more issues than she was letting on
Kylie shook her head and said firmly, “No, I didn’t.”
Ethan took a quiet, deep breath. Perhaps he was overthinking it. He’d known Kylie since she was a child–kind yet strong, not the type to be easily defeated or to compromise herself.
“Maybe it’s a rival of the Lampard family seizing the chance to strike,” Ethan said.
Kyle thought of Trevor but dismissed the idea. Trevor was wary of her and even had a poor impression of her. If she were in trouble, it would be the perfect opportunity for him to tell Noreen that Kylie wasn’t worthy of being his granddaughter–in-
law.
However, the business world was like a battlefield. The Lampard family had been making waves in Jardora, stepping on many toes. It wasn’t surprising they’d made enemies.
“Kylie, you got lucky. Someone’s taking down the Lampard family for you,” Ethan added.
Kylie listened to Ethan’s analysis and found it plausible. Since they couldn’t guess who had intervened, as long as the outcome was favorable, that was all that mattered.
They shared a knowing smile, which was captured by Zach, who was dining across the way. He was meeting with college friends at the old barbecue joint when he spotted Kylie having a meal with a man.
The man had his back to Zach, but from the silhouette, Zach could tell he was handsome. Otherwise, Kylie wouldn’t be smiling at him so radiantly and effortlessly,
After an internal struggle, Zach decided to send the photos to Trevor. After all, Trevor was his boss and the one who paid his salary.
Moreover, Noreen had asked him to keep an eye on Trevor and Kylie and play matchmaker when the opportunity arose. He felt this was his chance.
‘I wonder if Mr. Walters will be jealous seeing Ms. Thompson smile so brightly at another man? Zach pondered.
Upon closer inspection, the man didn’t seem to be admiring Kylie in a romantic way. Zach quickly selected a few photos and sent them off.
Trevor had just arrived at Starlit Villa, still in his shoes, when he heard the WhatsApp notification on his phone. He took out his phone and saw the photos Zach had sent.
In the bustling crowd, with perfect skin and delicate features, Kylie was smiling warmly at the man across from her–a smile Trevor had never seen from her, tinged with a hint of coyness and a touch of reliance. It created an illusion that the man under her gaze was in possession of something truly precious.
Trevor’s suddenly cold gaze shifted to the man. He wondered, ‘Who is this man?”
At that moment, Zach was eagerly waiting for a response from Trevor, hoping to gauge Trevor’s feelings for Kylie from a single word.
Zach watched as Kylie and the man were about to leave. Then, he saw the man’s face. He thought, “Wow! He’s on par with Trevor–handsome and composed”
He noticed the man was protective of Kylie, too. As a drunkard stumbled past her, about to bump into her, the man shielded her, keeping her safely in the crook of his arm.
Zach snapped a few more photos and even recorded a video of the two leaving Judging by their heights, they were a perfect match. Without hesitation, he sent it all to Trevor, thinking, I’ll get to him, won’t it?”
