Chapter 294
Elara looked at Finnegan and told him, “It’s just a contractual relationship.”
Yet, it sounded as if she was reminding herself as well.
+25 BONUS
That night, Elara slept soundly, deeper than she had in a long time. She didn’t know if it was because Finnegan had massaged her wrist, improving circulation and reducing the bruising, or if it was the sheer satisfaction of whipping Harvey with a bamboo cane that had left her feeling utterly refreshed.
When she opened her eyes again, it was already morning. After getting up, the first thing she did was check the app on her phone.
Harvey had been locked up all night, yet not once had he sent a plea for help. It was rather impressive.
Or had he already soiled himself?
She looked at the once–glamorous CEO, a man who had always carried himself with an air of superiority. The same man who insisted his bath water be exactly 104.5 degrees Fahrenheit and would frown if it was even 0.2 degrees off.
A man who never wore the same outfit twice–if his suit jacket had so much as a crease, he’d demand a fresh one.
A man who refused to eat if the sauce on his plate touched the edges or if its consistency was even slightly off.
A man who slept on silk sheets in summer and cashmere in winter, with his bedding changed every two days, each season requiring a perfectly coordinated color scheme.
And now, that very same man was locked in a room, denied water, denied even the dignity of a bathroom break.
Forced to sit on the cold floor all night, his once–cherished comfort reduced to nothing. At this rate, his precious backside might just start to blister.
The thought alone made Elara look forward to it even more
Was she being too cruel?
No–if anything, she felt she could be even crueler to Harvey.
Elara prepared breakfast for her daughter and brought the pot to the dining table. She scooped a bowl of steaming hot soup for Merida before heading to her room to change.
Meanwhile, Merida had already washed up and eagerly climbed into her chair. She glanced toward Elara’s bedroom door, checking to make sure she wasn’t watching, then quickly pulled out her thermos.
She then carefully took her spoon and began ladling soup into the thermos.
Just as she was finishing, Elara stepped out of her room, freshly changed. Merida swiftly screwed the lid back on and stuffed the thermos into her backpack.
But how could she possibly fool Elara? She merely pretended not to notice.
She knew her daughter too well. Every little movement and every glance–Elara immediately guessed why Merida had packed some soup in her thermos.
Elara drove her to school, watching as Merida disappeared through the gates. Just then, Leonard called.
12
Chapter 291
+25 BONUS
“Xavier told me that he wants to take Merida to the hospital at noon to visit Beau. But Merida doesn’t want you to know about IL”
After a brief pause, Leonard added, “Your daughter doesn’t want to put you in a difficult position”
Elara chuckled. “Mm, I know.”
She and Beau were no longer mother and son, so avoiding him was for the best. But as for the friendships between the children, she had no intention of interfering
She then respectfully told Leonard, “I’ll leave Merida in your care.”
Xavier arrived at the school with bodyguards to pick up Merida
Meanwhile, Elara had already informed the homeroom teacher in advance, so the teacher agreed to let Xavier lake Merida out.
With her backpack slung over her shoulders, Merida followed Xavier into the VIP hospital room.
Beau was still in a cast, and his limbs were almost completely wrapped like a mummy. Since he kept sneaking out of the hospital every few days, Fisher Corp had tightened security around him
To make matters worse, his unauthorized outings had worsened his injuries. Now, even the slightest movement was too much for his body to handle.
He spent his days lying motionless in bed. His dark, clear eyes stared blankly at the white ceiling.
“Beau.”
He finally reacted at the sound of Merida’s voice.
His eyes shifted, landing on Merida and Xavier standing by his bedside. The moment he saw Xavier, his expression darkened.
He turned his head away. “Why did you bring him here? I don’t want to see you two…”
Still sulking, he refused to look at them. Merida simply unzipped her backpack and took out her thermos.
“I brought you Mommy’s chicken noodle soup.”
