Chapter 2014 Coercion.

Elisa indeed couldn’t understand, and she seemed a bit distracted after getting in the car.

The one driving was Gareth, and surprisingly, Bella gave up the passenger seat for Elisa.

And so, Elisa took a seat next to Gareth. If it were in the past, she probably would have made a joke or two.

For instance, how could she possibly have the audacity to ask him to act as a driver?

But this time, she didn’t. Elisa seemed to be weighed down by worries.

While keeping an eye on the road, Gareth was also observing Elisa’s reactions.

Bella also noticed that something was wrong with Elisa, but she didn’t say a word.

As the car entered the manor, Gareth finally asked, “Is there something at the company that hasn’t been dealt with?”

Only then did Elisa snap back to reality. She glanced at Gareth, then shook her head gently, whispering.

“No.”

Leaning against the backrest, Bella asked, “Is it because I haven’t been to the company these past few days?”

Elisa shook her head again.

“Is it because something happened on Mr. Whitford’s end?”

Seeing Bella continuously taking all the responsibility upon herself, Elisa spoke up to explain. “It’s not your fault. The issues with Mr. Whitford have already been resolved. Rachel just returned from court today.”

Upon hearing that, Bella nodded, not asking any more questions.

Elisa didn’t plan to share her thoughts either. After all, it was just a hunch. Neither of them insisted on probing further.

The car came to a smooth stop, and looking up, the gate came perfectly into view, At the main entrance, Julia was nowhere to be seen, but there was Kaylee, laden with bags big and small.

Bella glanced at Elisa, hesitating before she spoke. “What does this mean? Grandma isn’t here, but Kaylee. is...

Bella didn’t finish her sentence. Everyone present understood.

Taking into account the phone call from earlier today, Elisa frowned.

After a moment of contemplation, Elisa exited the car with Bella and Gareth closely following behind her.

Upon reaching the door, Bella couldn’t help but glance over Kaylee’s shoulder. Her grandmother was indeed not there, which left her feeling somewhat disappointed.

Bella’s gesture did not escape Kaylee’s eyes. She felt quite smug, yet she didn’t show a hint of it on her face. Instead, she lowered her head, giving off a somewhat shy demeanor. “I really appreciate you all coming to pick me up...

Bella looked at her pretentious demeanor and couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She blurted out, “We didn’t come here specifically to pick you up. We didn’t even invite you. I don’t know why you just assumed and stood at the door. And you even thought we came to pick you up.”

As soon as those words were spoken, Kaylee’s expression underwent a series of changes.

The sight was truly spectacular.

She cautiously glanced at Gareth, stammering, “I know you all didn’t come specifically for me. I don’t have that kind of influence.”

After saying this, she even let out a self-deprecating laugh.

She then turned to Bella, explaining with a sincere look on her face, “It’s just that Madam Smith insisted I accompany her. I couldn’t really go against her wishes, so... I apologize for any inconvenience caused.”

Bella gave a cold snort. Yeah, right. Everyone knows just how much Grandma despises her. Grandma is merely asking her to stay so that she can monitor Kaylee and prevent her from stirring up any trouble. Otherwise, there’s no reason Grandma will want to live with her.

“So, what you’re saying is, my grandma forced you?” Bella was unconvinced.

Elisa and Gareth exchanged glances. It was clear that they, too, found it hard to believe.