?Chapter 265:


    As soon as she reached the Johnsons’ house, Kiera came running to greet her. Her round cheeks carried a faint, sugary scent. She had put on some weight and looked significantly healthier than before. The Johnson family had clearly been taking good care of her.


    With a bright smile, Kiera used signnguage to greet her. “Good morning, Elena.”


    It had been some time since Elenast visited. “Good morning. Louis mentioned you’ve started making sounds—that’s wonderful.” Over the past few weeks, while she was busy preparing for the race and Louis was enjoying his break at home after wrapping up his movie, Elena had asked him to monitor Kiera’s progress.


    At the mention of Louis, Kiera visibly tensed. Amused, Elena pinched her soft cheeks. “What’s wrong? Did Louis pick on you?”


    Kiera hesitated, biting her lip, as if unsure whether toin. Elena knew Louis well—he likely teased Kiera whenever he had the chance. Kiera was simply too gentle-natured.


    Louis enjoyed messing with her, often startling her or tugging at her cheeks. But if she tattled, would Elena be upset with him? Though he made a habit of pestering her, he wasn’t a bad person.


    After a moment of internal conflict, Kiera shook her head. Such a considerate girl.


    After assessing Kiera’s condition, Elena turned to Marlon and Malcolm. “She’s recovering nicely.”


    Marlon, still anxious, asked, “Then why hasn’t she started talking yet?”


    Elena exined, “Even if the nerve damage is healed, speaking won’t happen overnight. Her vocal cords have never been used before—she has to learn speech from the ground up, just like an infant. Keep encouraging her to make sounds. With practice, she’ll be speaking naturally within a year.”


    Marlon nodded in understanding. That made perfect sense. Kiera had never spoken in her life, so even though she could now hear, forming words would take time. As long as Kiera could eventually speak like a normal person, he would be satisfied.


    With gratitude, Marlon said, “Miss Harper, thank you. I’ve prepared five million as your consultation fee. Please ept it.”


    Elena waved it off. “You’ve already paid before—this is part of the follow-up service.”


    g?lnσν???s．c????, a world of tales


    The cinnabar the Johnson family provided had earned her fifty million from Wesley. That was more than enough.


    As Malcolm apanied her to the entrance, they encountered Wesley, who was just about to leave.


    As Malcolm locked eyes with Wesley’s piercing stare, an unexpected shiver coursed through him. The amusement he had been sharing with Elena disappeared in an instant. He recognized the situation as unfavorable—Wesley was clearly envious.


    Without hesitation, Malcolm chose to slip away, letting out an awkward chuckle. “Feels a bit chilly. I should head home and grab something warmer.”


    Elena nced skyward. It was summer now, and the sun was shining brightly. Chilly? Really? Was Malcolm already this fragile? Perhaps next time she needed funds, she could offer to treat him. Catching the faint sympathy in Elena’s expression, Malcolm let out a bitterugh.


    He parted his lips to rify, but the sharp glint in Wesley’s gaze stopped him mid-thought. Forget it. It was better to hold his tongue.


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