Chapter 610:


    Elliana had to mp her teeth on her lower lip to keep fromughing aloud. The anticipation of the chaos toe was delicious.


    Sitting beside Elliana, Jeff stared at Adah with his jaw practically unhinged. This woman was unreal. One second, she was a savage force of nature, and the next, she was this clumsy peasant. Who was she trying to fool?


    Elliana caught his gaping expression, leveled him with a look, and gave the top of his bald head a yful tap.


    “Stay in yourne, kid,” she said coolly. “One more word, and you’re out.”


    Jeff jerked his head away, posture straightening as he feigned total disinterest, lips sealed like a model student.


    Meanwhile, Manley, grinning like a devil with a n, hooked an arm around An and started dragging him forward.


    “Well? What are you standing around for? Your fiancée’s right there! Go say hi!”


    An clenched his jaw, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. But there was no avoiding this absurd engagement forever. With a resigned grunt, he let Manley haul…


    him forward like a reluctant prisoner marching to his doom. Cole trailed behind them, not out of interest in An’s impending humiliation, but because of Elliana.


    Without sparing the others a nce, Cole stepped forward and gently pulled Elliana to his side. She didn’t resist. Her concern for his health still lingered. Her fingers moved discreetly to his wrist, her touch feather-light. When she felt his steady, solid pulse, relief washed through her. He was doing better. Much better.


    Jeff hovered nearby, desperate to stay close to Elliana. But with Cole there—radiating silent warning like a storm cloud—Jeff wisely kept his distance, sulking behind her like a scolded puppy. He red at Cole’s back, all bluster and zero bite.


    Adah, meanwhile, threw herself into character with theatrical gusto. She let out a cartoonishly loud sniffle and sent An a dopey grin so full of mock-infatuation that it nearly sparkled. Peeking at him from beneath exaggeratedly flutteringshes, she squirmed and twisted like a lovesick schoolgirl ying coy.


    Manley burst outughing and gave An another nudge toward the stage for this ridiculous performance.


    Rage surged through An. He had half a mind to deck Manley then and there, but he tamped it down. One nce at Adah’s absurd getup was punishment enough. A second nce would be self-inflicted torture.


    Still grinning like a man who thrived on trouble, Manley turned to Adah with yful civility.


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    “Well, hey there, Adah. Nice to finally meet you. I’m Manley, one of An’s friends. I’ve seen your pictures. You’ve got quite the, uh, distinctive charm.”


    It was a diplomatic sidestep—calling her “pretty” would’ve been cruel, but “charm” was a word that could mean absolutely anything.


    Adah lit up, her grin a picture of clueless delight.


    “Oh, I know who you are! Elliana told me all about you. You’re charming too! Like a big ol’ beast in a fancy suit!”


    Manley’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second. Since when was “beast in a fancy suit” apliment? Had she meant to insult him, or was she just spectacrly clueless? Judging by the vacant smile stered on her face, he figured it was thetter. No use arguing with a hick. Still, the bizarreparison left him a little rattled.


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    Message from Noah: Have an excellent weekend, dear ones. God loves you and Noah wishes you all the best. ヾ( ??? )? ? *?


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