Chapter 164
Chapter 164
Theodore pinched her chin gently, his gaze unreadable. “Why go easy on him?”
Eliana met his eyes. “Last time ! faked being sick, he brought me an ice pack and fever meds. I think there’s good in him!
Theodore raised an eyebrow. “He lies like breathing and runs wild.”
Eliana sighed, “But I conned him too. I played on his sympathy, remember?”
Theodore went still, then laughed softly. He thought, ‘My wife has a way of leaving me speechless.
He brushed his thumb across her lower lip before tilting her face up for a kiss.
That night, the vast living room held only the night servant and a kneeling figure.
The staff had wagered on when Jayden would crack, but he stayed kneeling till 1 a.m. Even the servants grew tired watching
Alice sidled up, all sugar–sweet concern. “Jayden, you must be starving after all that kneeling. Want me to grab you a snack from the fridge?”
Jayden stared straight ahead. “Mom send you?”
Alice put on an injured look. “No, silly. I came on my own. You’re my favorite little bro.”
“Yeah?” Jayden sounded lost. “Then where were you before? I didn’t see you.”
She’d hidden, of course, terrified he’d rat her out. If he did, Lainey would tear her apart.
The truth was, she’d sneaked down to muzzle him before he spilled the beans to Lainey.
“Jayden, listen,” she hissed, gripping his arm. “What I said before–you have to keep mum. If anyone twists my words, I’ll get tossed out. You don’t want that, do you?”
Jayden had always adored Alice. She was pretty and gentle, and since she’d chosen Anthony over Theodore, he’d considered her family.
But now doubt gnawed at him. ‘Is the “good” I saw in her real?‘ he wondered.
When Jayden just stared off, Alice gave his shoulder a shake. “Jayden, you with me?”
He snapped back, voice lifeless. “I forgot everything you said the other day.”
Alice went still, then beamed. ‘Perfect!‘ she thought.
“Thanks, Jayden,” she said.
He swatted her hand away before she could pat his head, saying distantly, “Go to bed if nothing else.”
Alice pulled back awkwardly.
She thought, ‘Something about him feels different. But that’s nuts. Lainey has coddled him for too long. He’s beyond fixing.‘
After some fake sympathy, she “reluctantly” shuffled off to bed.
Jayden stayed kneeling. He’d decided to erase every word Alice ever said, as they’d almost gotten him killed.
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Chapter 164
Hours later, as sleep tugged at his eyelids and he began to rub his eyes, a water bottle pressed to his cheek jolted him awake.
He turned to find Eliana grinning beside him, holding the bottle.
“Why are you here?!” Jayden gaped, too excited to think straight.
“Got up to pee and thought I’d check on your repentance.” She handed him the water. “Thirsty? It’s for you.”
He licked chapped lips. “I want Coke,”
Eliana arched a brow. “Can’t brush your teeth now. Want cavities?”
Jayden mumbled, “You really love sticking your nose in.”
Eliana’s hearing was damaged, and his mumbling was too soft, so she instinctively asked, “What’d you say?”
“Are you deaf? Can’t hear me from two feet away?” Jayden said.
The words were out before he remembered the gauze wrapped around Eliana’s ear last night. “Sorry,” he blurted. He hadn’t meant to sting her.
Eliana raised an eyebrow. ‘So the little terror could say “sorry” too, not just “I was wrong“. That’s a rarity,’ she thought.
While he looked guilty, Eliana clapped his shoulder like an old pal. “Hey, Jayden, since I had your back tonight, how about returning the favor?”
“What do you need?” he asked, wary.
“Write an apology letter.” She pulled paper and a pen from her bathrobe, peddling them like a street vendor. “See? Came prepared. Do me a solid?”
Jayden was floored. ‘Is this woman Satan?‘ he thought.
“I’ve been kneeling here for three hours, with no food and no water. Instead of telling me to crash, you Eliana’s calm stare.
Facing her was like punching a pillow. “Fine, give it here.”
Eliana plopped the paper down. “And you’ll read it out loud to your class.”
Jayden’s knuckles whitened on the pen. “Don’t push it.”
want an apology essay?” His rant fizzled under
The thought of reading an apology letter in front of nobodies was humiliating. ‘I’m a Russell!‘ he thought.
“But I promised your teacher.” Eliana propped her chin, all fake woe. “You wouldn’t make me break my promise, right?”
‘Ugh, fine, you win,‘ he thought.
Jayden clenched his teeth. “Fine, I’ll read it out.”
Eliana’s frown flipped to a grin. “Attaboy. Now get writing. Holler if you need help with a word.”
Convinced he’d been tricked, Jayden scrawled “Self–Criticism” at the top. His letters wobbled like drunken spiders.
Eliana squinted at the page. “Your handwriting sucks.”
He shot her a death glare. “Zip it!”
Undeterred, she plowed on. “They say handwriting shows who you are. Maybe take a handwriting class?”
‘Handwriting shows who you are?‘ Jayden thought.
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Chapter 164
He studied his scrawl–letters tilting like falling dominoes. ‘No way will my chicken scratch mess with my swag! he thought
As if reading his mind, Eliana sighed dreamily, “You know, cute guys who write nicely? Total heartbreakers”
Jayden’s eyes lit up. He thought, ‘Tomorrow, I’ll tell Mom to sign me up for a handwriting class. Yep, first thing”
