The moment Ellinor heard the sound, she turned her head. She peered through the slightly ajar door and saw Fred standing there.
When she came back, she purposely left the door a bit open to avoid any misunderstandings.
Byran might be young, but he was still a boy. And the Howard family was a bit of a minefield, especially with Patricia, who could be a pain in the ass at any moment. It was better to be safe than sorry.
Ellinor walked over and opened the door. She politely replied to Fred, âYes, Mr. Howard had a question he couldnât figure out, so I helped explain it to him.â
Byran in the back snorted, mumbling, âI didnât ask for your help.â
Fred replied with a smile, 1 see. Sorry to trouble you. Lunch is ready, and Grandma Alyssa has some cookies she baked just for you. She sent me to fetch you.
Ellinor nodded, âAlright, Iâll be right there.â
Byran also put down his pen, âI want to try my grandmaâs cookies too!â
Ellinor turned to him sternly, âMr. Howard, you canât go anywhere until you finish your homework.â
Byran didnât take this lying down. He stood up to leave, Iâm going! Itâs my house; I can do what I want!â
Ellinor didnât argue with him. She just calmly took out her phone, âHello, Mr. Howardâ¦
Byran immediately came back, grabbing her phone, âI give up! Iâll stay, okay? Iâll finish my homework.â
Ellinor put away her phone with satisfaction, âGood. Keep doing your homework. I wonât hog all your grandmaâs cookies; Iâll bring you some when youâre done.â
Byran glared at her unhappily. He had no choice but to go back to his homework.
Fred was a bit surprised by the whole scene. As they went downstairs, he couldnât help but ask, âMs.
Mendoza, you seem to know Mr. Howard pretty well.â
Ellinor casually replied, âI wouldnât say I know him well, but I do know the person heâs most afraid of is Mr. Howard.â
The Howard familyâs lunch was quite fancy. It was specially prepared by Dean in his coffee room.
The coffee room had a great atmosphere, with one wall being a floor-to-ceiling window. Outside, you could see the meticulously maintained garden. It was a relaxing spot that was perfect for dining and chatting.
The Howard familyâs dining room was too big, and the table was too long and not conducive to conversation. It felt very formal and was more suited for dinner parties Alyssa added some more food to Ellinorâs plate, âEllinor, weâll keep lunch simple. Dinner is when Grandpa Dean will have a feast prepared for you.â
Ellinor politely replied, âThank you, Grandma Alyssa. This lunch is already quite fancy! Please donât go all out for dinner. Just stick to your usual standards; otherwise, I really canât handle it.â
Dean said, âEllinor, youâve done me a huge favor. You can handle it. Now, no more being modest; eat up.â
Ellinor gave a helpless smile.
She knew it was pointless to say anything more, so she dropped the formalities, picked up her bowl, and focused on her meal.