Chapter 278
+15 BONUS
“I regret driving you away. I want to eat the soup you used to make for me, and the lactose–free cakes you baked…” Bean bit down on his lower lip, limping as he made his way toward the stray cats.
He shooed them away, grabbed the disposable plastic bowl from the ground, and scooped up the noodles with his hands before shoving them into his mouth.
The soup had gone cold, but at last, the taste of his mother’s cooking returned to his lips. Tears streamed down Bean’s face as he ate.
The stray cats hissed at him angrily, some even lunging at his legs, trying to reclaim their stolen meal.
“Beau! What the hell are you doing?”
Harvey strode toward him. His voice was sharp with disbelief. Beau turned his head to look at him.
His son’s tear–streaked face was covered in ripped apart soft noodles.
“Are you out of your mind? You’re even stealing food from stray cats?”
Harvey had seen with his own eyes how Beau had snatched the plastic bowl away. At first, he assumed his son was just planning to toss it out. But then, Beau reached in and stuffed the cold, leftover noodle soup into his mouth.
Harvey nearly lost his mind.
Beau sniffled, and he said to him in a hoarse voice, “This is Mommy’s soup. Daddy, you haven’t had her cooking in a long time either, have you?”
Cradling the bowl in his hands, Beau extended it toward him. “Do you want some too? After all, neither of us will ever get to eat her chicken noodle soup again.”
Harvey opened his mouth, but it felt as if someone had stuffed a handful of sand down his throat. All his words every last one–were stuck. They were unable to come out,
It was true. It had been a long time since Elara had made him porridge. Even the meals he ate at home prepared by her.
e rarely
For years, he had thought the dishes she made for him were different from the kids” because she was tailoring them to his tastes, putting in extra effort just for him.
But after watching the security footage, he realized how wrong he had been.
Elara had been stringing him along for years, and now that he knew the truth, all he could feel was the sheer absurdity of it.
Harvey crouched down, prying the plastic bowl from Beau’s hands. “Stop eating. I’ll bring her back to make it for you.”
He lifted his sharp–featured face, his dark eyes gleaming with something unhinged and dangerous.
His voice was gentle, and there was a faint smile curling at his lips as he said, “This time, I won’t give her the chance to leave us again.”
Late at night, Elara dropped Merida off at Finnegan’s for care before driving herself to the underground parking lot of “The Mirage“.
Chapter 278
+25 BONUS
She had long heard of this place. It was a notorious money it, the most exclusive nightclub in the Capitol. And yet, Priscilla had chosen this place for their meeting.
A server escorted Elara inside, leading her into the indoor hot spring pool area.
The moment she stepped in, she was greeted by a scene of steam curling through the air, with half–naked bodie entwined in the water–men and breathtakingly beautiful Women engaged in a shameless display of indulgence. Elara took a seat in a discreet corner, her gaze settling on Priscilla as she quietly observed the woman.
The dim lighting of the pool area cast an eerie glow over the water, but it did nothing to dull Priscilla’s beauty. She stood out, radiant and utterly captivating.
In the water, Priscilla entertained herself with the men. They were indulging in games of passing cherries mouth. to mouth, licking whipped cream off bodies before devouring it with sultry satisfaction.
Once she had had her fill, she stepped out of the pool. Immediately, several men rushed to drape a towel over her shoulders, vying for the chance to attend to her. As she walked, more men trailed behind, carefully drying her damp hair.
Dressed in a light bathrobe and barefoot, Priscilla made her way toward Elara. Elara’s gaze flickered toward the row of slippers neatly placed by the poolside.
“Not a fan of wearing shoes, Ms. Price?” she asked.
“I never have been.”
A thought surfaced in Elara’s mind–Daphne also disliked wearing shoes. But before she could dwell on it, Priscilla took the seat beside her.
The men attending to her were well–trained–one immediately brought over a hairdryer, gently drying her long locks.
Only when her hair was fully dry and another man had begun combing it for her did Priscilla finally speak in a languid tone.
“Ms. Jones, do you know why I called you here?”
“Because of my father?” Elara guessed.
“Wrong” Priscilla leaned in slightly before continuing, “I want Joss Tech. Let’s work together.”
Elara remained composed as she asked, “And why would I work with you?”
Priscilla laughed at this. Her lips curled into a wicked, intoxicating smile, like a rose blooming in the midst of fire. “Because I can help you bring Joss Tech to ruin.”
Her voice dropped lower, her next words dripping with intrigue as she said, “I know your secret. You hate your parents.
“You weren’t switched at birth by accident. Daphne wanted a son–someone to secure her place in the Jones family, to make sure they would accept her marriage.
“But she gave birth to a girl. So, she bought a baby boy instead… and abandoned you.”
“And you’ve endured unspeakable cruelty in your first foster home.”
