<b>Chapter </b><b>396 </b>
Hugo didn’t bother hiding the call from Bowen. “Birgitte is calling me.”
He added, “I heard your girlfriend is pretty close with Birgitte. Maybe you could put in a good word for me sometime.”
Hugo picked up.
Birgitte, never one tosh out for no reason, asked, “Hugo, are you busy?”
“Not at all. <b>What’s </b>up?”
“I’m in Rithol City right now, and 1 just ran into Grace. She seems to have some misunderstandings about our rtionship. Do you think you could talk to her and clear things up?”
Birgitte had put the call on speakerphone.
‘Grace?‘ Hugo wondered.
Hugo’s brow furrowed in recognition, but before he could <b>say </b>anything, Elizabeth’s voice came through the speaker.
She said. “Hugo, it’s Elizabeth. I’m here with Grace <b>at </b>an art exhibition. We happened to run into Ms. Cherniavsky and Ms. Miller. Grace can be a bit impulsive<b>, </b>and there was a bit of a conflict.”
Hugo swallowed the words that had been on the tip of <b>his </b>tongue<b>. </b><b>He </b>thought<b>, </b><b>‘</b>Elizabeth is there too? I could ignore Grace’s feelings, but with her cousin present, I can’t <b>just </b>say <b>whatever </b><b>I </b><b>want</b>!’
Bowen’s attention snapped to the phone at the mention of Aubree<b>. </b><b>He </b><b>asked</b>, “<b>Bree</b><b>, </b>you’re there too?”
On the other end, Aubree was caught off guard by his <b>voice</b>. ‘<b>Seriously</b>? What <b>are </b><b>the </b>odds<b>?</b><b>‘ </b><b>she </b>thought.
“Yeah, Birgitte and I came to buy some paintings<b>, </b>and we ran into a moron,” <b>Aubree </b>said before pausing, clear amusement in her voice.
From the way she said it, it <b>was </b>obvious <b>she </b>hadn’t been the one to <b>lose </b>out.
Bowen’s eyes softened in relief. “Is it any trouble? Want us <b>to </be over<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Hugo felt that Grace’s constat pestering <b>was </b>quite troublesome. He knew <b>exactly </b>how he felt about Birgitte<b>. </b>There was no way he’d let her get hurt. Besides, with Birgitte’s personality, if he <b>ever </b>started waffling, she’d drop him in a heartbeat.
“Where are you? We’lle over and check things out,” <b>Hugo </b>said.
Hearing they wereing, Grace quickly <b>rattled </b>off the address<b>. </b><b>After </b>hanging up<b>, </b>she shot Birgitte a smug look. “See? The moment Hugo heard I was in trouble, he’s rushing right <b>over</b><b>.</b>”
Birgitte didn’t say a word, but Aubree just looked <b>at </b><b>Grace </b>like she was watching <b>a </b>circus <b>act</b>.
‘Elizabeth seems perfectly normal. How did her cousin turn out like this? Did all the brains <b>skip </b><b>a </b>generation or something?” she thought.
Elizabeth’s lips curled into a faint smile <b>as </b>she nced at Grace’s half–swollen <b>face</b>. ‘Didn’t expect to get this kind of bonus bringing her out today. When Bowen shows <b>up</b><b>, </b>I’ll make sure to put on my best performance,‘ she thought.
Each of them was lost in their own thoughts.
Bowen and Hugo showed up in no time. Before the four in the lounge had even finished a ss of water, the guys were already there.
“Why didn’t you tell me you wereing out to buy art?” Bowen asked.
“Weren’t you supposed to be with Enrique today? Besides, I’m here with Birgitte. Why are you barging in on our girl time?” Ever since she started dating Bowen, Aubree had started addressing his dad in a different way.
Bowen chuckled.
Blued t
Ever since Bowen walked in, all his attention Aubree. Elizabeth, whose face had been lit up with anticipation,
instantly darkened.
<b>Jealousy </b><b>raged </b>inside her like <b>a </b><b>rabid </b><b>cat </b>wing at her insides, <b>desperate </b>to break free and wreak havoc,
“I <b>was </b>just worried some clueless idiot might upset you,” Bowen said.
That <b>was </b>definitely a pointed remark.
Elizabeth’s <b>face </b>paled slightly, but she quickly regained herposure. “Mr. Turner and Ms. Miller really seem to have a great rtionship.
“But Mr. Turner, you’re <b>a </b>reasonable guy. <b>My </b>cousin got hit. Shouldn’t <b>we </b>at least get an exnation?
“Grace’s been spoiled by our family, sure. She and Ms. Cherniavsky both wanted the same painting. It’s one thing not to give it up, but actually throwing hands? <b>That’s </b>just too much, isn’t it?
“And Hugo, if I’m not mistaken<b>, </b><b>there’s </b>an engagement between the Lawson and Moore families. You can’t really me Grace for getting emotional, <b>can </b>you?”
She really managed to <b>say </b>everything all by herself.
Aubree let out a coldugh. “Looks like Ms. Lawson has <b>a </b>case of selective amnesia.”