Chapter 124
Chapter 124
Theodore paused for a second as he accepted the gift. “A wallet?”
Eliana looked a little nervous. “Yeah… I hope you don’t mind.”
“I don’t,” he said simply.
It was, aside from her, the best gift he’d received all year.
Back in Covenhill, at Russell Manor, Anthony noticed Alice standing at the window, peering outside. He scoffed. “Don’t bother. Theodore’s not coming back tonight.”
Alice turned around hastily, flustered. “I wasn’t looking for him!”
“Oh really?” Anthony smirked. “Then what were you staring at? Your lily garden?”
Her face went pale. “Anthony, you know my lily garden was destroyed. Why would you say something so cruel?”
Anthony sighed. “Because you’re useless. You’ve been living here for nearly a month, and still couldn’t get Theodore to even look at you.”
“I’m your fiancée! What are you trying to say?” Alice’s voice trembled as she stared at him, confused and hurt.
The warmth vanished from Anthony’s eyes. “Don’t tell me you actually thought I liked you.”
Alice’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“No way,” Anthony said with a laugh, his voice dripping with mockery. “You really thought that? That I’d ignore all the decent women out there and fall for someone as fickle and materialistic as you? I’d have to be insane.”
Alice stumbled back a step, tears spilling freely and disappearing into the carpet below.
After a long silence, she asked in a daze, “So I was nothing but a tool for
…to.
get back at Theodore?”
“Glad to see you’re not completely clueless.”
Anthony stepped closer, his cold lips barely moving as he said, “But if you keep being this useless, I’ll have no reason to keep you around.”
‘What good is a tool that can’t do its job?‘ he whispered to himself.
“No! Please don’t!” Alice begged, panic overtaking her voice. “That would ruin me. Everyone saw our engagement. You can’t! Please, I’m begging you!” She lowered her head, face wet with tears, her pride in tatters.
But to Anthony, her tears meant nothing. If anything, they annoyed him. Eliana had been publicly rejected by Theodore at their engagement party, and she didn’t cry. So why was Alice crying now, after enjoying so much attention?
“Alright, dry your eyes. We’re going to spend Christmas at Willowmere Hall tomorrow.”
Late that night, Eliana had just finished her shower when she heard a series of soft whooshing sounds outside her window.
Curious, she walked over and pulled open the curtains, just in time to see fireworks blooming across the sky.
Beneath the burst of color, the Ferris wheel in the nearby amusement park glowed in the distance.
“It’s like a dream,” she whispered.
Chapter 124
Meanwhile, Theodore received a text from tillet.
Elliot: [How’s that for a welcome, Mt. Russell}]
He looked over at Eliana’s glowing face and couldn’t help but smile.
The next morning. Eliana was up early. She walked to the window and saw that the snow had stopped.
A second later, someone hugged her from behind. Theodore rubbed his nose playfully against her neck. “Why are you up so early?!*
Eliana was a little surprised. He seemed more relaxed here than he usually was.
“It’s our first morning here. What if Grandpa and Grandma are waiting for us to have breakfast together?”
Theodore let out a muffled laugh against her shoulder.
“What are you laughing at?” she asked, turning her head toward him.
He used the moment to plant a kiss on her cheek. “You say ‘Grandpa‘ and ‘Grandma‘ so naturally now.”
Eliana blushed. “Don’t kiss me out of nowhere! What if they see us?”
“They’ll probably just tell us to hurry up and give them a great–grandchild,” he replied smoothly.
Eliana stared at him, speechless.
With a Christmas special playing softly on the TV in the background, Theodore and Eliana sat around the dining table with Daniel and Margaret, sharing breakfast.
Suddenly, Eliana, who was sitting with her back to the screen, perked up at the sound of a familiar voice. “Wait. Is that Raphael?” She turned around in
surprise.
Theodore’s gaze darkened instantly. He reached over and gently turned her head back. “Focus on your food.”
“Oh.” Eliana blinked and then mumbled, “I didn’t know he was doing that show. I work at the same company and I had no idea.”
“You work there? Could’ve fooled me,” Theodore said dryly.
Eliana stared at him, speechless.
Daniel and Margaret exchanged a look across the table, both struggling to hide their amused smiles.
After breakfast, Margaret asked warmly, “Eliana, would you like to see my glasshouse?”
Before Eliana could respond, Daniel chuckled. “What’s so exciting about your glasshouse? Come with me, let’s go hiking. It’s good for the body.”
Margaret frowned. “It’s freezing. Stop dragging the kids up a mountain.”
Daniel stood his ground. “They’re young. They need energy and exercise. Besides, the mountain has snow. It’s perfect for sledding.”
“Uh…” Eliana, not wanting to disappoint either of them, said, “Grandma, how about I go hiking with Grandpa first, and then come back and visit your glasshouse after?”
That did the trick. Both elders settled down without further argument.
Theodore looked over at her, thinking, ‘She’s the only one who can mediate between those two without getting roasted.‘
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20:09 Mon, 16 Jun
Chapter 124
Back in their room, Eliana bundled up in full gear hat, scarf, gloves, boots the works
When she showed up again, Daniel barely recognized her. ‘Is she even in there?‘ he wondered.
Eliana looked down shyly. ‘Well… I get cold easily.”
Before heading out, Daniel couldn’t help but joke with Theodore. “Watch her closely, I don’t want her to roll down the mountain.”
Theodore nodded. “Relax, I’ve got eyes on her. If she so much as slips, I’ll catch her before she even notices.”
Hearing their banter, Eliana turned bright red.
By the time they reached halfway up the mountain, Eliana was visibly winded. Daniel and Theodore slowed their pace to stay beside her.
Quietly, Daniel leaned toward his grandson. “She’s really delicate, isn’t she?”
Theodore nodded. “A little, yeah.”
Daniel sighed. “How’s she gonna handle pregnancy later? Should I hire a nutritionist to help her build up her strength?”
Theodore gave a small smile. “We’re still young, Grandpa. One step at a time.”
Daniel snorted. “Young, huh? Anthony’s already engaged. Alice might be pregnant any day now. I don’t want their kid to be my first great–grandchild.”
Just then, two older men appeared from behind and stopped in their tracks.” Well, if it isn’t Daniel,” one of them said with surprise.
Daniel turned. “Walter, Franklin, what a coincidence. My grandson and granddaughter–in–law came to spend Christmas with us, so I brought them out for some fresh air.”
He hesitated and then added, “What do you think? Isn’t my grandson’s wife beautiful?”
Both men turned to look at Eliana, only to see someone completely buried in layers of winter clothing, with only her eyes visible. ‘You can’t even tell what she looks like…‘
They immediately understood. Daniel wasn’t asking for opinions. He was showing off.
