"Daddy, with me here, what could possibly go wrong? You can rest assured... Yes, when I meet Ace, I will let him know you were thinking of him."
Lilith sat in the backseat, legs elegantly crossed, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers as she spoke into her Bluetooth earpiece.
Her eyes wandered to the driver’s seat. "Did you look for the thing I asked you to?"
Eli passed her an iPad. "These are all the dogs I shortlisted. None come close to the one we lost, but..."
"Inferior," she said, frowning at the photos before tossing the tablet aside. "That auction dog was perfect. It couldn’t have just disappeared."
"Maybe someone took it in." Eli glanced at her through the rear-view mirror.
Lilith glanced at the shortlisted pets and threw the iPad to the backseat, "I cannot gift the Old Madam these inferior things. She is Ace’s grandmother, afterall. Keep looking for it."
’’Alright... Oh, later, I won’t be able to accompany you to the Kings’ Main Mansion..."
Lilith raised an eyebrow.
’’As your advisor and assistant, I have a lot of duties on my shoulders, Lilith. You can’t just be upset about my absence now,’’ The man said without looking at her, ’’If you feel that uncomfortable, you don’t need to go there.’’
Lilith smiled, "Uncomfortable?I am family to them. Ace is busy all the time, it is only right for me to spend more time with his grandparents..."
Even until the car stopped in front of the main mansion, Ella found it surreal.
When she received a text from Ji Yan, she had imagined a trail of cars and a horde of men in black standing outside the campus, ready to drag her back to the Eve Mansion because she was missing in action last night and Adrian went feral again.
But when she stepped inside the car, Adrian was sitting there like a fresh black wildflower. On each side, he had a little creature.
Lala and Riri were wearing black bows that matched Adrian’s all black suit.
Ella felt like she was seeing things.
When Adrian looked at her, she was ready to take God’s name and make vows of loyalty.
But the man did not give her the chance.
He raised his hand, tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and uttered ’Beautiful’.
Mind her, she was wearing the most casual oversized black hoodie. She barely had any makeup on.
From Ji Yan’s gaze, Ella knew the four of them, two humans and two animals, dressed in black looked like a family attending a funeral.
Yet, she couldn’t care less about it when she had different thoughts floating in her head.
How could Adrian King be so calm?
It was true that Ella had completely forgotten that they were visiting the main mansion today.
Then, was he perhaps saving his anger for later?
Ella kept peeking at Adrian till they reached the main mansion and she realized that the man really, did not seem to be angry at all.
She did not respond to his text for an entire night, and he was neither angry nor paranoid?
Was he perhaps thinking of ways to torment her?
Ella got a layer of goosebumps.
"Miss Yu... Miss Yu?"
"Ah?" Ella snapped out of her thoughts when the Old Butler called out to her repeatedly.
The butler smiled, "Good Afternoon to you too."
’’Ah, yes..." Ella scratched her neck lightly.
The old butler smiled amicably. In his heart, he felt like the Second Master had really chosen himself a unique girlfriend. But this Miss Yu just seemed a little silly.
’Ah, whatever makes youngsters like the Second Master happy...’
When Ella entered the mansion, she froze in her tracks, "Secretary Ji, did you perhaps take the wrong turn and bring us to the wrong place?"
Behind Ella, Ji Yan stood with his mouth agape.
The entire mansion that was once decorated in a lavish European golden theme now was completely redecorated with hints of pastels, especially baby pink.
’’I... think I took the right way..." Ji Yan mumbled.
"You are finally here.’’ Old Madam King alighted the stairs, a coldness lingered between her brows and her eyes shifted from Adrian to Ella and then vice-versa.
Ella immediately approached the old lady to support her, "Grandma, how have you been...?"
Ella halted in her tracks by the harshness in the woman’s voice.
In a moment, the memories from her past life floated into her mind.
Back then, Adrian’s grandparents had been kind to her but perhaps they got sick of her after she let them down time and time again.
Yet, even then, they never really raised their voices at her. But now...
Various thoughts ran in mind as Ella wondered what went wrong. The old lady was so amicable the last time they met then why was she so displeased with her now?
Old Madam saw that Ella seemed to be a little disoriented by her scolding. Her brows softened a little but her tone remained still as harsh, "Explain..."
Suddenly, a broad back covered Ella’s view.
Adrian stood in front of her, tall and proud. Ella felt in a momentary daze as she looked up at him.
He was the man she had feared and hated all her life yet in that moment, Ella felt protected.
In their previous life, Adrian would probably have dismissed her to her room if any situation escalated. Probably it was his way to keep her out of trouble but back then Ella would feel as if he was treating her like his puppet, whom he could order about on his will.
This was the first time he did not dismiss her, ask her to leave but rather he stood in front of her.
’’You want to go against me now, Little Ian?" The Old Lady’s voice dropped.
"You question me. She doesn’t owe anyone an answer."
Ella’s breath hitched.
The entire living room sunk in silence. The servants did not even dare to breathe.
Ji Yan felt like things were going in a terribly wrong direction.
"Good... good...’’ Old Madam laughed, ’’Now you show me as a bully here. Who was the one who kept my great grandchildren hidden from me for who knows how long?"
"Great... grand... children?" Ella yelped, in utter bewilderment.