Chapter 180


    Back in the day, no matter how much Keaton jumped around in front of Elijah, Elijah just turned a blind


    eye and a deaf ear, treating him


    like he was thin airl


    Before Keaton left, he and Tarquin stood downstairs, taking a smoke break.


    “You know, you cant knock it–Elysia’s got some chops. I’ve hired a string of fancy chefs to cook, but


    none could win over Elijahis stomach the way she did


    “Why don’t you just have here over to take care of Elijah?”


    Tarquin frowned, flicking ash from his cigarette.


    “She came over once, but Elijah didn’t take to her, sent her packing.”


    “Huh? Likes her cooking but not herpany?”


    “Vep.”


    “The kid’s probably feeling threatened because Elysia’s such a looker. Thinks you and she might


    be an item.”


    Tarquin took a drag on his cigarette, mulling it


    it over. That was probably it.


    Elijah never liked it when he was around other women.


    He was ying his Mommy’s little sentinel!


    Keaton said, “Try to get them to spend more time together. Elysia’s an opportunity. If Elijah likes her


    cooking, maybe hell warm up to her too. Once he does, things can only get better from there.”


    Yeah.”


    “By the way, she asked again about meeting up tomorrow. You nning on seeing her? Decided to


    come clean about who you are?


    Tarquin flicked more ash, lost in thought


    Keaton said, “Don’t leave things up in the


    Where does that leave my reputation?”


    the air, man. I’ve already vouched for you. If you bail tomorrow, how am I supposed to exin it?


    Tarquin scrunched his eyebrows and said, “Ill see her tomorrow”


    “Good!”


    After Keaton left, Tarquin went upstairs.


    Elijah had polished off everything on the dinner table..


    Tarquin was stunned. “You finished?”


    “Yep.”


    “Feeling stuffed?”


    Elijah shook his head and retreated to his room tem


    Tarquin stared at the tes that looked licked clean by a dog for a long while.


    Then he made a call to the nutritionist, asking how much a kid Elijah’s sile should be eating.


    Elijah used to pick at his food like a kitten, now he was devouring it like a little tiger!


    He could polish off so much!


    When he learned that it was fine for Elijah to eat that much, Tarquin sank into a deep self–reproach.


    It wasn’t that Elijah had eaten a lot today, it was that he had been eating too little before.


    Elijah’s previous appetite was like that of a three–year–old, but he was already five


    Tarquin condemned himself for not being a better father, not even knowing how much his child should


    be eating, and at the same time, he felt a pang of heartache.


    But looking at the empty tes on the table, he felt a bit of relief.


    No matter what, it was good that Elijah was eating well now,


    Tarquin rolled up his sleeves, gathered the tes and cutlery to wash in the kitchen, and decided to


    whip up someone for himself.


    He thought Elysia might have left a portion for him as well, but.


    He was expecting too much.


    09:58


    Just after he finished his meal, his phone rang. It was Benjamin.


    *Tarquin, that bald guy’s turned into a vegetable


    “Who?”


    “The bald dude who copsed in the abandoned building on Ms. Thome today. Cops took him to the


    general hospital. My little bro works there, just told me about it.”


    “Any idea what caused it?”


    “No clue, they haven’t figured it out yet. Weird thing is, he was in good shape before, no idea what


    happened today. Suddenly copsed and never woke up. But here’s the kicker, his goons are saying


    he got taken down by Ms. Thome.”


    Tarquin was taken aback. “Elysia?”