Chapter 109


    “What’s on your mind?” Tarquin asked, a hint of suspicion lurking in his tone.


    “You didn’t want to get close to Elijah’s father, but what about Elijah? Did you worm your way into


    Corbin’s life to get to Elijah?”


    Elysia shook her head fiercely. “It was an ident, helping Corbin! I just stumbled upon him having a fit


    in the street, and I helped him instinctively. Later, when the Dentons put out a missing person’s call, I


    was worried about his condition, so I visited him in the hospital. That’s how our paths crossed. I had no


    idea who Elijah was before that! Elijah’s father was the one who brought me there. If he hadn’t taken


    the initiative, I wouldn’t even know Elijah existed, let alone have met him. You can check the facts. I’m


    not lying!”


    Tarquin watched her, his frustration palpable. After a moment, he said impatiently, “Let her go upstairs


    to get her son.”


    Lowell quickly added, “Your son’s at the third–floor arcade entrance. Go find him yourself.”


    The call ended.


    Elysia’s eyes were red–rimmed as she stumbled towards the third floor.


    At the arcade entrance, upon seeing Emmett, she felt a sting in her nostrils and lunged forward to


    embrace him, bursting into tears.


    “Mommy… Mommy…”


    “Emmett, you scared me to death. I thought I had lost you, whoops, sorry. I’m a terrible mom. I didn’t


    look after you well. Did you get hurt? Did they harm you?”


    Emmett shook his head quickly. “Some guy just picked me up all of a sudden. I struggled a lot, but he


    said he got the wrong kid, and didn’t mean to, and then he told me you’de for me and to wait here


    without wandering off.”


    “What did this guy look like?”


    “Tall, skinny, seemed pretty nice, and he even bought me candy. But I remembered what you said, not


    to take things from strangers, so I didn’t eat it.”


    “Good boy, Emmett. Were you scared?”


    “Not really, the guy didn’t hurt me or anything. He was nice.”


    Elysia held Emmett tight, her heart still racing.


    Her phone rang; it was Blossom. They had bought some milkshakes and couldn’t find them on the first


    floor.


    Elysia said, “Emmett and I are on the third floor.”


    “Why’d you go up there? We’re heading straight to the seventh floor then. Let’s meet outside the


    cinema.”


    “Okay.”


    09:39


    Elysia calmed her nerves and gently told Emmett, “If the man didn’t hurt you, he probably did get the


    wrong person by mistake. Let’s not tell your big brothers about this, okay?”


    She didn’t want Elliot and Evan entangled with that man.


    “Okay.” Emmett nodded obediently.


    “Good boy.” Just as Elysia was about to take Emmett upstairs, she spotted Keaton!


    Keaton was a picture of casual charm with his floral shirt, crisp white suit, and the top two buttons


    carelessly undone, revealing a hint of corbone and a teasing glimpse of his chest. His eyes, when


    squinted, exuded a roguish charm.


    He was the epitome of a good–looking… rascal!


    Elysia wasn’t drawn to men like him. It wasn’t exactly repulsion, but a deep–seated reluctance to


    engage more than necessary, sensing hisck of seriousness.


    She preferred men like Zane and Benjamin – even Lowell was not bad, with a gaze that was clean and


    sincere.


    And Elijah’s dad? Forget it. She liked him even less.


    It was clear he hadn’t had a happy life before, which was probably why he always wore such a frosty


    expression. Like a walking freezer, chilling everything in his path!


    But out of respect for Jessamine, Elysia didn’t show her disdain to Keaton, merely asking politely, “Is


    there something you need?”


    Keaton squinted, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he said, “Don’t be so tense. That


    mess today was my ex–girlfriend’s doing. I had no idea, honestly. Look, I even turned them all in to the


    police, that’s got to count for something, right?”