?Chapter 279:


    The boy was tall, and despite squatting, he didn’t appear small. His thin denim coat made Ellie shiver just looking at him.


    “Mrs. Thorpe, this is the boy,” said one of the guards. “He hasn’t spoken at all. We’re not sure if he’s mute or deaf.”


    “I’m neither mute nor deaf!” the young boy snapped back, then nced at Ellie sheepishly.


    “Omiros?” Ellie recognized the boy, though he looked much leaner than when theyst met.


    Standing up, Omiros nodded. “I’m pleased that you still recall my name.”


    Ellie just smiled. “So, Omiros, who are you here to see?” she asked.


    “I came to see you.”


    “Really?”


    Ten minutester…


    After bringing Omiros inside, Ellie gave him a ss of warm water. She then slipped away to call Kaiden.


    “Hey,” she asked with concern, “Is Omiros your cousin, Kaiden?”


    “Yes, he is,” Kaiden replied. “Why do you ask about him suddenly?”


    “He’s here, at our house.” Ellie sighed, confused. “He was waiting at the gate for over an hour. Why didn’t he just call you? I’m worried he might have caught a cold from being outside for so long.”


    Kaiden calmly replied, “He’ll be fine. No need to worry. I’ll handle him when I return.”


    “Well… alright then.”


    Ellie couldn’t help but wonder about Kaiden’s apparentck of closeness with Omiros. Yet she recalled that Kaiden seemed to have a good rapport with the Chapman family.


    Returning to Omiros, who was seated on the sofa, Ellie offered, “Would you like a warmer coat?”


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    “No way!” Omiros snorted. “Kaiden probably wants me to freeze! I refuse to wear his clothes.”


    Ellie was left speechless. Surely there was some animosity between the cousins.


    Checking her phone, Ellie perused the relevant information about Omiros. The public described him as an E-sports prodigy, the youngest champion, rebellious yet courteous, distant yet passionate.


    This description seemed at odds with the young, defiantly attractive boy before her. The most recent update on Omiros revealed that after winning a nationalpetition, he abruptly decided to take a year off, with no clear reason given.


    “I recall Kaiden’s mother has only one younger brother. You’re his cousin, but yourst name isn’t Chapman,” Ellie observed, then offered, “Are you hungry? Would you like to join me for lunch?”


    It was just after midday, and Ellie suspected he hadn’t eaten yet.


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