novelraw Chapter 425: The aura around the man was too intense, with a subtle hint of possessiveness.
Chapter 425: The aura around the man was too intense, with a subtle hint of possessiveness.
Leah brought the two men, one big and one small, to the garden cottage. Richard Shaw wordlessly stepped into the kitchen to cook.
When the food was nearly ready, Richard walked out of the kitchen, his slightly tea-colored eyes sweeping over the living room. He saw only Casimir squatting in the small garden, butt sticking out as he played, with no sign of the woman. His expression immediately darkened as he called out, "Casimir."
"Here!" Casimir jumped up in surprise, shuffled into the living room in his tiny slippers, and looked at Richard with his big, dark eyes. Obediently, he said, "Mommy just took a phone call and left. She said the house password is 299399. Uncle Richard, is Mommy going out on a date?"
Richard frowned deeply and said with a gruff tone, "Who taught you about dating?"
"Auntie, and Fifth Uncle, Sixth Uncle, Great-Grandma," Casimir counted them off on his fingers one by one, then tilted his little head and said, "Uncle Richard, are you upset?"
Richard pressed his lips together and went to open the door.
Outside, Sloane had been waiting. He carried in the Major General’s and the little young master’s luggage from the hotel. Upon entering the detached townhome, his eyes widened in astonishment and he asked, "Major General, which room should I hang the clothes in?"
"Hang them anywhere. Mommy doesn’t live here, anyway," Casimir whispered. He had already thoroughly examined the cottage, which was brand new and uninhabited.
"Madam doesn’t live here?" Sloane noticed the Major General’s displeased expression, scratched his head in confusion, and awkwardly hung the clothes in the guest room upstairs.
When he came downstairs, Casimir was being punished to stand in the corner. He stood all by himself, his watery eyes brimming with innocence and pity.
Sloane shuddered and chose to pretend he didn’t see anything. Years ago, the Major General was notorious in the military for being harsh enough to make even the toughest men cry when punished.
"Major General, it seems Madam doesn’t recall many things. Should I investigate her current identity background?" Sloane asked in a low voice.
Richard paused in silence, his thoughts tracing back from Griffith’s search of Brocade City’s ancestral land, to Ignatius Leclair urging him to visit the South, and then subtly hinting for him to go to the Southern Cemetery. If his guess was correct, Crystal Landon was Leah Squire, Griffith’s beloved younger sister whom he guarded like precious jewels. Richard maintained a stoic expression. Ignatius hadn’t met Crystal many times in the past, likely discovering her connection to the Squire siblings through background investigations.
It seemed he would need to have a serious conversation with Ignatius Leclair.
Richard spoke steadily, "Go procure a property close to Squire Manor. Don’t inform Shaw Mansion about Crystal’s matters for now. During this time, you all shouldn’t come looking for me either."
Sloane was dumbfounded again. Was this a plan for a long-term stay in the South? Not returning to Imperial City? Why was the situation unfolding so differently from what he anticipated?
*
Delphine was roused from sleep by the man’s low, hoarse voice. This sleep had been extraordinarily deep. She opened her eyes and saw sunlight filtering in through the gap in the curtains, realizing with a start that it was daylight.
She sat up in a panic, noticing her clothes had been changed into a nightgown at some point. Ignatius Leclair was seated on the balcony outside, making a phone call with his voice low and dark, carrying the raspy quality of someone who had just woken.
As soon as she woke, Ignatius came inside. The morning dew was heavy, and it was unclear how long he had been on the call, but the hair at the front of his head, unkempt, curled slightly and was damp with mist. He stood by the bed, his sharp features leaning down as he spoke in a husky voice, "Awake, hmm?"
The man’s atmosphere was overwhelmingly intense, carrying an undercurrent of possessiveness. Delphine hadn’t even spoken before his lowered face suppressed her, pulling her into a deep, consuming kiss.