<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Just as he finished speaking, Yvette and Jase came down from the second floor and overheard this statement.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Jase suddenly spoke up, startling Clifford, who was facing away from them on the sofa. “What are you guys talking about?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Clifford immediately turned around, seeing the two of them looking at him. For the first time in many years, facing the world withposure, he felt a bit embarrassed. His usually stern face showed signs of awkwardness.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Aurora wanted tough at his expression. ‘Honey, you’re clearly very satisfied with Yvette, yet you always put on a serious front. Now that someone overheard this, it’s a bit embarrassing!</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Aurora stepped forward to ease the tension. “It’s nothing, Dad. Clifford just said that next time there’s danger, all the dirty and tough work should be done by Jeremiah. Yvette is the treasure of our whole family; we can’t let anything happen to her.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Jeremiah walked over to Yvette, nced at her, then at Jase, and softly said, “Let’s go back to Sknd.” After that, he turned to Jase, “Grandpa, we’re leaving now.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Jase nodded. “Go ahead. I’ll be waiting for you at your Purplegold Estate tomorrow.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Yvette nodded at the three of them and paused briefly beside Clifford before saying, “Thank you.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Clifford stood there, momentarily stunned. After understanding the meaning behind her gratitude, he smiled. This kid is starting to see me as family now,’ even though he was Jeremiah’s father and her future servant, he could clearly see the coldness in her eyes. ‘But just now, my daughter-inw acknowledged me, which wasn’t easy at all.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Aurora stood beside him, patting him proudly. “Yvette may be quiet usually, but she knows better than anyone who truly cares for her. If you genuinely ept her, she will really see you as family.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Jase watched the two of them walk away, then turned back to the study, his silhouette slightly forlorn. ‘I’m getting old; this world ultimately belongs to the young.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">On the way back, Jeremiah sat in the driver’s seat and asked in a low, hoarse voice, “Did Grandpa ask about Kaiden?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Yvette, nestled in the passenger seat, casually unwrapped a vani toffee and popped it into her mouth, mumbling, “Yeah.” She turned her head to nce at Jeremiah, pausing briefly, “To tell the truth.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Jeremiah knew the girl wouldn’t stoop to lying. If she did it, she did it; if she didn’t, she didn’t. He squeezed her palm and asked, “Did he say anything else?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">After a long moment, Yvette didn’t respond.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Jeremiah had only asked casually, but now he was a bit curious.</font></font>
Yvette let out a deep “mm-hmm,” resting her chin on her hand as she looked Jeremiah up and down, raising an eyebrow, her expression partially concealed, making it hard to read her emotions. She slowly said, “Grandpa mentioned that his grandson seems to becking and asked me to be more understanding.”
Jeremiah’s body suddenly tensed, and he didn’t say anything. The next second, he elerated and pulled the car over to an empty roadside. Leaning slightly, he unbuckled Yvette’s seatbelt and lifted her up. His gaze was dark and intense, staring at Yvette as if he could devour her like a beast. His cold, inky eyes finally settled on Yvette’s rosy lips, then he took her right hand, lifting it up and looking straight into her eyes.
The atmosphere in the car was charged with ambiguity, and neither of them was willing to back down.
Yvette rested her chin on Jeremiah’s shoulder, a slight smile gracing her lips as she whispered in his ear. “Don’t want to wait any longer?
Jeremiah felt his breath-deepen at her words. “This girl is bing more provocative. “Seems like waiting isn’t an option anymore.”
Yvette was taken aback for a moment, then nodded generously, pinching his chin and rubbing against him. “Then let’s not wait.” With that, she leaned in. The car moved….
The next day, Jeremiah looked at Charles, Samantha, and Andrew opposite him, calmly straightening his military uniform. He turned to Yvette and said, “ed to go back to the military district for some matters in the morning. I’lle back to pick you up at noon.”
Yvette nced at his high-neck shirt covering his neck, a smile creeping on her lips. “This man is trying to cover his tracks. “Okay.”
After saying that, Jeremiah left Sknd without even ncing at the other three. –
Samantha, Andrew, and Charles exchanged nces before simultaneously looking at Yvette.
Yvette finished herst sip of oatmeal and leisurely headed upstairs.
Only the three of them remained at the dining table. Samantha tidied her hair and took a sip of orange juice, saying, “Jeremiah got his mouth bitten.”
Andrew nodded, channeling his inner Sherlock Holmes, sounding quite serious. “From what I observed, this happenedst night, and the wound is quite deep, likely from repeated bites.”
Charles put down his coffee cup, saying, “No need for observation; Jeremiah’s came backst night.”
mouth was already injured when he and Yve
Ou think dared to bite Jeremiah? I
Samantha put down her cup and looked at the two of them, asking excitedly, “Who do never expected Yve to be so fierce!”Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
Andrew and Charles nced upstairs. ‘Who else could it be?”
Purplegold Estate, the chosen location for this visit, was usually a ce where the four old men would rx and unwind. They never hosted outsiders here, and this was the first time anyone besides the four of them had been invited.
Jase, Ronald, and Walter had already arrived, with only James yet to show up.
In the living room, the three of them were sipping coffee.
Ronald and Walter looked at the gifts on the table, feeling a bit pained. That old man Owens asked for their cherished Delftware and the ancestral emerald screen right away.
Ronald sighed and said to the two of them, “In a little while, my favorite Delftware will be leaving me forever.”
Walter sighed in response. “Me too. When Owens brings his granddaughter over, I’ll have to say goodbye to my ancestral emerald screen for good.”
Jase calmly took a sip of coffee, still puzzled about why Owens made the two of them prepare gifts while he didn’t have to. ‘He started off asking for the emerald screen and Delftware. I guess my collectibles dodged a bullet.’ Jase said, “You two could have just refused. It’s toote to feel regret now.”
Ronald and Walter nced at Jase, who was standing there talking as if it didn’t matter, and both huffed in annoyance.
Walter replied to Jase, “When Jeremiah brings his girlfriend, I’ll prepare a Delftware for her too. One for Owens’ granddaughter, one for your granddaughter-inw. Fair enough” ‘I lost my favorite treasure, and who do I cry to about that fairness?’
Ronald quickly said, “My emerald screen is ancestral. I can’t find another one like it. But I’m preparing antiques too-an emerald makeup set. It might notpare to the emerald screen, but its value is about the same.”
Jase took another sip of coffee and waved his hand dismissively. “What you send doesn’t matter; it’s the thought that counts.”
Ronald and Walter couldn’t be bothered to expose his nonsense. “That old guy talks like this, but if our gifts for his granddaughter-inw aren’t as good as the ones for Owens’ granddaughter, he’ll definitely be unhappy!