When Neera was finalizing the design draft, a call came in from Avery.
âSorry, did I disturb you?â he asked.
Neera hadnât been in touch with him for a while and was quite curious about his situation over there.
Upon hearing that, she set aside the work in her hands. âNo, how are things on your end? Is Lordsworth Estate treating the Cox family well? Are you able to fit in?â
âMmm, everythingâs pretty good.â It had been a long time since he had heard her voice. Averyâs longing overflowed, and his anxious heart calmed down.
He smiled as he softly explained the situation to her. âIn any case, rest assured, everything is normal with the Cox family. Lordsworth Estate has been taking good care of them, and no other forces in District Ten have interfered with the Cox family. At least for now, everything seems harmonious. How about your side? I saw some comments online today. They were released by Matthew, werenât they?
Heâs trying to pressure you into submission, right?â
That was as clear as day. Anyone who knew the inside story could see it.
Neera gave a nonchalant âMhm,â not particularly concerned. âLet him fuss all he wants. Iâm just buying time anyway. Once he reveals his true colors, it will be easier for the Gordon family to play the part of the victim forced to leave.â
Avery understood, then asked with confusion, âBy the way, what did you mean when you told me to be careful of Albert? Iâve been a bit busy lately and couldnât reply to your message in time.â
Speaking of that, Neera recounted her previous encounter with Albert at Bartitsu Guild.
After hearing it, Avery was not surprised. âQuincy and the Cox family have always been on good terms.
Albertâs constant disapproval of my coming to Lordsworth Estate is probably because he wants to put in a good word for Quincy. Thereâs no need to worry about it.â
In his eyes, Albert was nothing more than an incompetent fool who was unable to do anything right and always causing trouble. He never considered that man to be of any importance, nor did he care if the latter would resort to any petty tricks. No matter how much Albert stirred things up, he could never change anything.
Hearing that, Neera set aside her doubts for the moment and turned to ask, âBy the way, how is your investigation going regarding the matter of your parents from years ago?â
Averyâs eyes darkened, and he said in a deep voice, âThe incident happened too long ago. Many details are already impossible to verify. Moreover, we donât have any leads to open up the case, so we canât start investigating for now. Iâve also been busy settling in District Ten, so I havenât had the time to look into it.â
âI seeâ¦â Neera tried to comfort him, âDonât worry. If Bartitsu Guild really did something, there will definitely be traces. Be patient in your search. You should find something. For now, focus on your own matters. When you have some free time, then deal with this. As the saying goes, âRevenge is a dish best served coldâ. Thereâs no need to rush this right now.â
Averyâs gloomy mood, which had initially settled in, was slightly alleviated by her comforting words.
His eyes were half-lowered, his gaze gentle beyond words. His eyes spoke of a longing that others couldnât see, a thousand words and feelings all condensed into a single âMhm.â
10:58 Fri, 1 Dec R The two hadnât spoken on the phone for a long time, and even though they had finished discussing important matters, he still couldnât bear to hang up the phone.
Just as he was about to find a topic to chat with her, he heard another voice coming from across the room.
âMr. Cox, do you have anything else to say? If not, Iâm going to take my Neera downstairs for dinner.â
The voice carried an undertone of arrogance and deep dissatisfaction, along with a glaring, undisguised possessiveness that caused Averyâs expression to falter.
Avery pressed his lips together, and the warmth in his eyes completely disappeared. âMr. Beauvort, casually interrupting othersâ calls, I believe, isnât a courteous act. As a CEO, and moreover, from a prestigious family, you shouldnât be engaging in such impolite actions. This could tarnish your reputation.â
His words were filled with sarcasm, a strange mix of veiled threats and mockery. However, Jean didnât take it to heart at all. He let out a casual laugh, responding with complete indifference. âThereâs some truth in what you say. However, I donât play by the usual rules when it comes to my family, especially my Neera. Also, I donât believe my words are disrespectful or upsetting. So, Mr. Cox, your reaction seems a bit excessive. Since youâve finished discussing the important matters, I wonât waste any more of your precious time. Goodbye.â
After speaking, he hung up the phone immediately, not waiting for Averyâs response.
Listening to the disconnected tone from the other end of the line, Avery furrowed his brows, his expression far from pleasant.
Every time Jean said âmy Neera,â it sounded extremely grating to Avery.
Jeanâs self-assured possessiveness also filled Avery with intense jealousy.
Averyâs gaze dropped, landing on the darkened phone screen. His fingers unconsciously caressed the name displayed on the screen, his eyes filled with nothing but profound sorrowâ¦
Meanwhile, Neera couldnât help but find Jean amusing. âWhy are you doing this? Why suddenly take away my phone? I havenât even said goodbye to Mr. Cox yet.â
Jean tossed the phone onto the table without uttering a word. Suddenly, he pinched her chin and pecked her lips, his jealousy clearly evident. âWhyâs it necessary when you two have been chatting for so long?â
Neera couldnât help but laugh. âWhatâs the matter with you? Why are you so jealous? I was just having a normal conversation with him. Why are you being so aggressive with your words?â
âI know,â Jean said nonchalantly. âIâm just simply annoyed.â
The mere thought of those people online criticizing Neeraâs poor taste filled him with jealousy and irritation as if he had fallen into a vat of vinegar. Bad taste? I doubt I canât compare to a mere Avery.
What a joke!
Neera paused for a moment, then suddenly understood, laughing even more heartily. âIâve noticed youâve become increasingly petty lately.â
Facing that accusation, Jean was not very pleased. âAm I?â
Facing that accusation, Jean was not very pleased. âAm I?â
Neera blinked, quickly correcting herself in a doting manner, âNo, no, I misspoke. Youâre not petty at all.
My Jean is the best!â
With just a single sentence, she had the man beaming with joy.
After a tender moment of holding her close and kissing her passionately, Jean finally stopped.
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