Hiding Behind Her Superficiality novel Chapter 431
On the other hand, Jasmine was naturally uncomfortable hearing those rumors, especially when people tried to defame her despite her already being his lawful wife. Hence, she was determined to drive Elspeth abroad when Elspeth came out, but in the meantime, she tried to spread the news of how good Callum was to her online. However, the photos were too amateurish, and people weren’t buying them. Some even claimed that he seemed stiff and insincere toward her. As a result, it infuriated her, and she broke a few glasses in her wrath.
Meanwhile, Elspeth was cut off from the outside world at the McGrath Residence, except for a call to Yelena to let her know she was safe.
At the same time, Yelena had been feeling down, but when she heard her phone ring, she perked up. Then, upon noticing the name “Elspeth” on the screen, she scrambled to pick up her phone.
“Yellie, I—”
“You scared me! I thought something had happened to you! I’ve been trying to reach you, but your phone’s been off!” Yelena sobbed, feeling relieved to hear her voice.
Still, Elspeth couldn’t help but smile, “Did you really think I was dead? I only disappeared for a day.”
“I knew Jasmine took you away, but when I confronted her, she denied everything. And Callum… You shouldn’t like him anymore. He’s a complete jerk! He defended her and drove us out—”
Yelena ranted about Callum’s wrongdoings, while Elspeth had no choice but to agree.
Then, Elspeth seriously told her, “There’s something I need to tell you.”
When Yelena heard how serious Elspeth’s tone was, she let out a little sniffle. Later, she looked around to ensure nobody was listening, then whispered, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”
Elspeth could tell by Yelena’s tone how clueless she was, and she concluded that it was probably best not to tell her after all. Elspeth feared that if she spilled the beans, Yelena might do something crazy and ruin everything by trying to break Callum and Jasmine up. Hence, she decided to keep it a secret for now.
“I wasn’t kidnapped by Jasmine. I’m fine, and I have some things to take care of. Don’t worry about me. I’ll tell you when I return, okay?”
Although Yelena was worried, she was relieved to hear how natural Elspeth sounded. “Okay, I’ll wait for you to return, but you must call me every day so that I can make sure you’re okay.” While Yelena blinked and made her demands, she gritted her teeth and thought that if anything happened to Elspeth, she wouldn’t let Jasmine off the hook.
Elspeth reluctantly agreed, “Okay, I promise.”
Suddenly, Yelena burst out laughing and nearly choked. “You know, I grabbed Jasmine by her collar and scared her out of her mind the other day. Hank also helped me scare her, and her face turned white!”
When Elspeth heard that, she felt a bit guilty. After all, Yelena and Hank were trying to help her. Still, she had to think for her own benefit, and although nothing terrible happened, for now, Yelena’s impulsiveness was a bit much. Ignorance was bliss, after all.
After soothing her friend, Elspeth said she had to go have dinner and hung up the phone.
As soon as she hung up, she turned to see Haris smiling at the door under dim lighting. Even though she knew him well by now, she was still startled. Then, she put a hand on her chest and scolded him with a frown, “Old Mr. McGrath, you can’t just show up like that without knocking! You scared me.”
However, he didn’t seem to care and walked in leisurely. “I didn’t expect you to be so tight-lipped. You didn’t even tell your closest friend,” he said.
Hearing that, she shrugged it off. “She’s too naïve. If I told her, she might cause some trouble. You don’t want your granddaughter dragged to the police station, do you?”
Then, he thought about the scene, and it did seem scary. So, he changed the subject and said, “Oh yeah, about the question you asked me yesterday. I looked it up in an old book and think I have an idea. You said your mother had bone problems, right?”
Soon, she fell into deep thought. Even though Arthur was the one helping her mother back then, she still knew a thing or two about her mother’s condition. She vividly remembered the medical report, where Arthur had intentionally marked the interior position of the bone. Even though she couldn’t fully understand, and there were differences between traditional and western medicine, it was clear that the bone was the problem.
“Based on your description, your mother’s disease is not just a normal case of osteonecrosis,” he said.
“No, if it was just that, she would have been cured long ago,” Elspeth replied.
On the other hand, Haris, who liked to stroke his beard when he encountered something he couldn’t solve, started to think deeply. Finally, he asked, “Why don’t you just call your mother and have her come over? You’re my apprentice now, so helping your mother with her illness is something I can do.”
Thinking about Helena, Elspeth felt guilty. Her mother might not have left if it weren’t for her argument with Arthur that night. If that were the case, her mother’s illness could have been treated well, and she could have found a way out later. It was all her fault for not explaining things to her mother clearly, which resulted in that outcome.
Then, he saw the hesitation in her eyes and understood what was happening. At that moment, he felt sorry for the girl before him. “Sigh. You must be an excellent girl for that Winthrop boy to treat you this well. You’re so much better than my useless granddaughter—”
Hearing that, Elspeth suddenly thought of something, and a glimmer appeared in her eyes. She said in a hushed tone, “If possible, I hope you can cure me as soon as possible, Old Mr. McGrath.”
“Why?” Haris asked.
“Because there’s not much time left for my mother, I must find her as soon as possible.”
“Don’t worry, I have promised you that I will never do such a thing again, and I will definitely not do it.” She had a principle of keeping her promises. As long as she promised something, she would follow it through.
Seeing her firm gaze, he couldn’t help but feel a little ashamed of his thoughts. “Since you love and care for your mother, I will fulfill and cure you as soon as possible to let you go earlier.”
Her face suddenly showed a trace of surprise. “That’s great, thank you.”
“However, before that, you must still follow me and learn relevant medical knowledge to treat your mother when you meet her.” Unexpectedly, Haris was still concerned about her mother, and Elspeth suddenly felt warmth in her heart.
…
In the meantime, at the McGrath Residence, Callum stood in front of Bobby McGrath, whose face bore a chilly expression.
“Theoretically speaking, I do not agree with your marriage.”
When Jasmine heard that, her face immediately turned pale. She grabbed her father’s arm and shook it vigorously. “Dad, what are you talking about? Didn’t you promise me earlier that you would let me marry Callum?”
Then, he looked at his daughter’s unacceptable attitude and sighed helplessly. “You know why he’s marrying you. He’s doing so to help another woman, yet you’re still willing to marry him. You’re so foolish.”
She had internal doubts and had given his words serious thought. Callum was marrying her because of another woman, and Jasmine was still shrewd enough to see it. Still, the man was outstanding. She didn’t know how long she would have to wait to meet a man who matched her if she missed out on marrying him. Since there was such an opportunity, she must hold on to it tightly. Feelings could be cultivated slowly. She believed that if she persisted in being good to him, he would be moved one day.
“Dad, don’t overthink it. Callum really likes me. If you don’t believe me, ask him.”
Then, Bobby looked at Callum’s stiff face without a smile, and his dissatisfaction increased. “As a son-in-law, he even shows such a look to me. I don’t know what you see in him.”
Callum gazed at him, who appeared displeased with everything before him, and spoke slowly. “Mr. McGrath, you can be assured that I will take good care of Jasmine.”
“Can you truly care for her if you have feelings for another woman?”
However, Bobby’s words rendered Callum speechless.
When he noticed Callum said nothing, Bobby grew angrier. “I advise you to reconsider marrying Jasmine, Mr. Winthrop.”
The plot, which was supposed to progress smoothly, was abruptly interrupted, causing her to panic. So, she spoke up. “Dad, I’ve already informed my friends about my upcoming wedding, and we’ve already sent out the invitations. Everyone in Damoria knows about it. If you prevent me from being with Callum now, it would be embarrassing, wouldn’t it?”
Her father took a deep breath and tried to calm his racing heart. “Oh, so you know it’s embarrassing? Still, it’s not just your reputation you’re losing; it’s the reputation of our entire McGrath Family!”
Suddenly, Jasmine lost her temper and cried, “Dad!”
Bobby then shifted his gaze to Callum, who was still calm and collected and managed a faint smile. “Mr. Winthrop, there are some things I need to talk to Jasmine about alone, so I’ll have to ask you to leave first.”
There was no doubt that it was a dismissal. Nonetheless, Callum knew there was no reason to speak then and nodded slightly, giving her a deep look before leaving.
On the other hand, she watched him walk away; for some reason, she suddenly felt uncertain. Is he angry with me? Does he think my dad isn’t friendly enough to him?
She was lost in her thoughts when Bobby shouted angrily, “Get in the room!”
It was her first time seeing her father so angry, and she was a little scared. Hence, she obediently followed him to the study and timidly said, “Dad, I know I was wrong—”
“Jasmine, you know that you’ve always been the apple of my eye, so I don’t want to see you suffer. Look at Callum! Does he look like he’s truly in love with you? He only agreed to marry you so that you could help that woman with her illness. He doesn’t care about you at all.”
Hearing that, Jasmine couldn’t help but argue, “If we get married, Callum will be mine, won’t he?”
“Get married? You’re thinking too lightly of what marriage is,” Bobby sneered. “If you believe that getting married is enough to keep a man faithful, then be prepared to discover that he is seeing someone else one day.”
She felt a bit confused. “Why can’t it be like that?”
Some tension could be seen in his eyes, but it had been replaced by complete relief. “Because I don’t want you and your mother to go the same path.”
Jasmine widened her eyes in shock. “Are you saying you were forced to marry my mom too?”
As an elder, Bobby felt ashamed to bring up that matter. “Yes, I didn’t like your mother at first. I had someone else in my heart, but she became seriously ill. I was desperate, so I took your mother up on her offer to marry her in exchange for treating the woman I love. I also had to break up with that other woman. That way, your mother promised to help me cure her.”
She was hearing that from her father for the first time, and amid the shock, she felt empathy. “And then?”
“Unfortunately, something ill-fated happened. The delay was too long, and my beloved couldn’t be cured. She eventually died, and I still married your mom as promised.”
Jasmine’s heart was stirred, and she asked, “Does this mean you never loved my mom?” She couldn’t help but feel sorry for her mother.
Then, Bobby cleared his throat. “No, that’s not true. After many years of being together, I have developed feelings for your mom. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have given birth to you.”
“Then, why are you telling me all of this?”
Suddenly, his expression turned cold. “I’m saying that if you really want to be with Callum for a long time, you have to root out the problem and ensure that the woman never appears in front of you two again.”
Nonetheless, she felt a little scared at the thought. “Dad, I don’t think it’s necessary. After all, she hasn’t done anything too outrageous. If we kill her like that, won’t it be too—”
Before she could finish the word ” unwise,” Bobby glared at her and made her swallow the rest of what she had to say.
“Indeed, you are too soft-hearted! You won’t be able to accomplish anything like this, nor will you be able to keep a man by your side,” he sighed deeply. Even though he and her mother were both tough, their daughter seemed timid and hesitant.
“Do whatever you want, but remember, your actions reflect on the entire McGrath Family. Be prepared for anything and avoid any unnecessary troubles.”
The sentence had a soothing effect on Jasmine as if she had taken a calming pill. Feeling encouraged, she grew bolder and said, “Dad, I understand.”
“That’s good.” Bobby stroked the stubble on his chin with a smug smile. Even if she couldn’t do it, it didn’t matter. If that woman was too cunning, he would take care of her personally.
…
On the other hand, Elspeth had been apprenticing for half a month. The longer she studied, the more she realized that the McGrath Family’s medical knowledge differed from Sonny’s. Sonny focused on theoretical medical knowledge, emphasizing depth, while Haris was more concerned with rare and complex diseases. Moreover, Sonny’s reputation was superior to Haris’ because most people still suffered from common diseases, and those who suffered from rare and complicated diseases were extremely rare.
“Girl, did you understand what I taught today?” Haris looked at the words in the book and grinned, stroking his beard. It had to be said that his teaching method was quite meticulous, and she could easily understand it.
“Yes, I do.”
Then, he sighed, “Ah, I never thought there would be someone so talented in medicine in this world like you. No wonder that old geezer Sonny had been pursuing you relentlessly. If he learns I’ve taken you on as an apprentice, he’ll die before he notices.” He paused momentarily and then asked, “You’ve been here for so many days. Hasn’t he called you or anything?”
Elspeth felt cold sweat on her forehead. “He’s probably still playing cards and hasn’t had time for me.”
Suddenly, Sonny, who was abroad, sneezed without warning.
“Right, I knew him when I was younger, and he loved playing cards. He would often play for three days straight.” Haris fondly remembered his old friend, his face full of joy. When he finished reminiscing, he couldn’t help but add, “You see, you’re only his apprentice, and you’ll end up being abandoned. However, with me as your mentor, I will do everything I can to cure your illness.”
Is he really Sonny’s old friend? Why does it not seem like it? She silently mourned for Sonny in her heart.
Suddenly, her phone rang, and Haris thought it was Sonny calling. He grinned and asked, “Speak of the devil! Is it that guy calling you?”
Elspeth also thought it was Sonny since he was the only one in her circle of friends who would call her. Then, when she picked up the phone and saw the name on the screen, her face changed instantly. Haris noticed her change of expression and stood up to leave. “I won’t eavesdrop on your call,” he said.
She nodded and locked the door before answering the phone. “What’s up, Gilbert?”
A heavy, nasally voice came through the phone. “Where are you now?”
“I cannot disclose my location, but I am safe, so don’t worry.”
She was surprised to receive his call because she knew that a few months ago, to find Ginna and take responsibility for her unborn child. So, the two of them had not been in contact for a long time.
“I’m back in the country now. Can we meet up if you’re free?” Gilbert’s voice sounded hoarse and rash as if he was drunk.
“Are you drunk?” Elspeth frowned. He was always a refined drinker and would never get this drunk. It seemed that his long-term rational thinking was barely keeping him sober.
Still, his breathing was heavy. “That’s not important. I’ve taken care of things on my end. Do you want to see me?”
What he was referring to must have been related to Ginna. Had he already dealt with it so quickly?
“What was the outcome?” Elspeth felt a sense of unease. It was not about whether the two were together but because she thought the matter was not as simple as it seemed.
There was a long silence on the other end before Gilbert said, “She’s dead.”
Dead… Hearing that, her pupils shrank. “How did she die?”
He couldn’t explain it, but he experienced intense discomfort when she posed that question as if she suspected he was responsible for Ginna’s death.
“Her health wasn’t good, to begin with, and it was already dangerous for her to carry that child. She had an accident that caused a miscarriage and couldn’t accept that her child was gone. Unfortunately, she passed away a few days later.” That explanation was reasonable enough.
Then, Elspeth silently mourned for Ginna. “And what about Emma?”
Hearing that, Gilbert was now more at ease, speaking in a cold tone without pity. “She’s dead too.”
His words rendered her speechless. After reporting on that matter, he probed, “So, can we meet now?”
Nonetheless, she frowned and replied, “Not yet. I still have some things to take care of. Let’s wait a bit longer.”
Although she spoke in a tone similar to how she used to, Gilbert still sensed a hint of aloofness in her words. “Are you unhappy that Ginna was carrying my child?”
Elspeth had not even considered that possibility. She had liked him before, but that was her youth’s naive and inexperienced infatuation. As time passed, her feelings for him gradually evolved into a bond of friendship and brotherhood. “No, you’re overthinking things,” she replied.
“Oh, right.” He laughed bitterly. “Now that you don’t like me anymore, of course, you wouldn’t care about these things.”
“You’re drunk,” she said softly.
“In fact, I replied to the love letter you sent me. My response was on the back of the letter,” he suddenly said, surprising her.
She only knew that her love letter had been returned, which she took to mean that she had been rejected. How could she bother to look at the back of the letter?
“You don’t understand. If you did, you wouldn’t be acting like this toward me now. You wouldn’t have fallen for—” Gilbert abruptly stopped speaking, realizing he was crossing a line.
Still, she understood what he was trying to say. “It’s been a long time. Let’s leave the past in the past. Keeping it in our hearts is also a beautiful memory.” That was what she truly believed. Even though she now knew about his feelings for her, it was too late. In addition, she no longer had romantic feelings for him.
“Is that really what you think?” His voice was filled with disappointment.
“Of course. As I said, we’re good friends now, and friendship lasts even longer than romance.” Elspeth laughed it off, trying to brush the matter aside.
Nevertheless, Gilbert insisted on saying what was on his mind, which was likely due to the influence of alcohol. “I’ve liked you for a long time, even longer than you’ve liked me. I kept it to myself so that you could concentrate on your training. Then, when I found out that you had written me a love letter, I was over the moon. That night, I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep and wrote a response on the back. Despite this, I never imagined that you would ignore me once you got the letter. I thought your feelings had faded, so I didn’t bring it up… I had no idea you never even saw my reply.” Gilbert’s voice trailed off, and she could imagine the look of disappointment on his face.
However, at that point, no matter how moving and sincere he spoke, her heart could no longer be stirred. “Thank you for liking me.” She didn’t know what else to say. His unexpected confession caught her off guard.
Suddenly, he laughed and said, “Just take it as my sincere words to you. You don’t have to respond.”
Nevertheless, he didn’t need a response from her. He only needed her to know how he felt, so he wouldn’t regret anything.
She immediately felt relieved after hearing that. “Are you drinking outside now?”
He nodded but suddenly realized he was making a phone call, and she couldn’t see his actions. So, he said softly, “Yeah, I’m at Luna Bar.”
“Well, get some rest after you’re done drinking. I’ve never seen you drunk before.”
Gilbert nodded, chuckling mischievously. “Are you worried about me?”
“Nah. I’m afraid you’ll get into trouble on my turf, and I’ll have to bail you out.” Elspeth rolled her eyes and continued, “Okay, it’s getting late. If there’s nothing else, get some rest.”
He suddenly realized more than an hour had passed. “I’m going to bed now. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight. Remember to get some rest.” Following that, she hung up the phone.
On the other hand, his smile slowly disappeared when the call ended, and he slumped back in his seat. Empty wine, whiskey, and even a few sake bottles were scattered over the table. He then grabbed another bottle and started drinking, his face flushed. When he was almost unconscious, a woman stumbled and fell into his arms.
So, he held the warm woman in his arms with a sly smile. “Do you like me?” he asked.
He was very handsome, and this smile made the woman’s heart skip a beat. “Y-Yes, I do,” she stammered.
Then, he lifted her chin and gazed at her rosy lips. “Tell me, what do you like about me?”
Nonetheless, she had never heard such a direct question before, and her face turned red. “Because you’re handsome,” she blurted out.
“So, you like me because I am good-looking. Does that mean you like anyone who is good-looking?” Gilbert asked.
Hearing that, she shook her head vigorously. “No, it’s not like that. I like you because you’re extremely handsome,” she explained.
“So, you like someone who’s extremely handsome?”
Soon, the woman felt something was off about that question, but she nodded anyway.
He clicked his tongue and used his free hand to lightly stroke her cheek. “Too bad you’re not pretty enough,” he said. Soon, his fingers trailed down her neck, adding, “Your chest isn’t big enough. Your waist isn’t small enough.”
Hearing that, her expression contorted. She had never been humiliated like that before, so she covered her face and started to cry.
Suddenly, Gilbert raised an eyebrow and spoke in a cold, harsh tone, “Why are you still here? Get lost.”
When the woman heard that, she quickly fled, feeling embarrassed and hurt.
It’s not her. His mind was a mess. He had almost gone through with his plan to sleep with that woman.
In any case, he was a son of the Payne Family. Sleeping with a woman was nothing to him; he needed to pay her off and send her away later. At that moment, the image of Elspeth’s happy smile flashed before his eyes. He felt terrible for even considering it, so he buried his thoughts. Even though he had been rejected, he felt awful for harboring such impure thoughts.
Then, he tried to stand up but had too much to drink. So, he stumbled and fell back onto the ground.
“I can’t believe that the once-famous Gilbert Payne would end up in such a sorry state. And I’m here to witness it. How pitiful,” a familiar voice said.
After attentively listening, Gilbert noticed that there was actually a trace of sympathy mixed in with the mocking tone, and he thought it was absurd. “Are you here to mock me too?” Afterward, he got up and looked at the woman before him, dressed in a hot, tight-fitting dress. It was Holly Jenga, his fellow martial arts student with whom he had frequently clashed while abroad.
“No, I’m here to take you home,” she said.
“I don’t remember when we became so close?” Obviously, he didn’t want to have any dealings with her. He would try to leave the place even if he couldn’t stand firmly.
“I don’t believe you haven’t noticed that I like you. It’s been three years, and you’ve only had eyes for Elspeth. Even when I deliberately argued with you to get your attention, followed you back here, and made every effort to cross your path, you still have her in your heart.” Holly spoke from behind him in a low voice.
“What’s so great about her that makes you so obsessed with her?” she added.
Holly laughed suddenly. “Then, I’ll tell you that Elspeth’s heart belongs to Callum now. She hasn’t liked you in a long time.”
Hearing that, Gilbert placed his hand over his heart and replied in a calm voice, “I know.”
“If you know that, why do you still like her?” she asked. “Gilbert, have you ever considered being with me?” She was never someone who kept her feelings hidden. If she wanted something, she would do everything she could to get it, and men were no exception.
“I don’t have any feelings for you, so we can’t be together,” he said, ending the conversation abruptly. Then, he turned around and walked away.
“Even if you don’t have feelings for me now, I’ll make you feel something for me eventually,” Holly said, clenching her fists behind him.
Gilbert stopped as he realized she would be hard to deal with. So, he grabbed a nearby girl without looking too closely and kissed her lips. “See? I’m that kind of guy.”
Nevertheless, she didn’t expect him to make such a move, and her eyes turned red instantly. “Since you’re already so blasé, why can’t you like me?”
Her words made his face darken. “I can like anyone else but not you.”
After hearing that, she felt a great sense of humiliation. She never thought that he would use a bar girl to humiliate her. “She’s only a bar girl! You’re humiliating me with her, and you will regret it!” With that, she stomped her foot fiercely and left in a fit of anger.
Soon, he watched her walk away without any emotion on his face. He suddenly realized that he had earlier kissed a girl, so he turned to apologize to her. When he saw her face, a familiar face flashed through his mind. “You’re—” he said, trying to place her.
The girl appeared familiar, so he must have seen her somewhere before.
“I—” Gilbert had a sudden realization. “I remember now! You’re that girl from the Joneson Family—”
The person in front of him was indeed Isabel. She stood timidly in a super short dress, which was not her usual style. Moreover, she looked inexperienced but quite alluring.
“Didn’t you go abroad with Miss Joneson to get treatment? Are you still with her? Do you know where she is?” Gilbert bombarded her with questions.
At that moment, she was caught off guard by the sudden questions. When he mentioned Helena, tears immediately sprang to her eyes. “I-I can’t say,” she said.
Soon, his alcohol-induced haze had slightly cleared up since he met Isabel. He saw her hesitant demeanor and grew anxious. “Miss Joneson still hasn’t recovered from her illness. If you’re doing this for her sake, please tell me where she is.”
“She’s in a sanatorium,” she replied.
Hearing that, his eyes lit up. “Are you talking about the sanatorium in Damoria?”
She nodded, and then as if she had made up her mind, she suddenly kneeled down.
Looking at her sudden reaction, Gilbert was slightly surprised and asked, “What’s the matter?”
Isabel begged, “Please, both of you! Please save Miss Joneson. She’s not doing well at all.”
Seeing that, he quickly helped her stand up and made her sit on the nearby couch. He handed her a tissue and said, “Don’t cry. Take your time and tell me what happened.”
She wiped away her tears and sobbed, “We agreed to keep our return a secret from Elspeth. We wanted to sneak back and find a place where we wouldn’t be noticed, so Elspeth wouldn’t be threatened. On the other hand, Miss Joneson is already very ill. After returning here, to avoid being discovered by anyone, we had to go to a place none of you could possibly guess. Since the funds are almost depleted, we can barely afford her medical expenses. So, I had to come here to work as a hostess, where the pay is a little higher, which is enough to support her medical expenses.”
After listening to Isabel’s story, Gilbert couldn’t help but feel a little regretful for his impulsive behavior earlier. “I’m sorry. My behavior was indeed impulsive.”
Then, she thought of the wet kiss, and her face suddenly turned red. “It’s okay. You kissed me so quickly that I didn’t even react… Ah, no, I didn’t mean that. What I meant was that it’s okay. I don’t mind.”
Nonetheless, she was still a young girl who had never been in love before and had not experienced the situation before.
Meanwhile, he looked at her as she worked tirelessly for Elspeth’s mother and was willing to come to a place like that. He couldn’t resist patting her head. “Don’t worry. If you tell me where Miss Joneson is, I will see her and help pay for her medical expenses. I will also find the best doctors to cure her illness. From today on, I hope you won’t work in a place like this anymore.”
Hearing that, Isabel’s eyes lit up. “Really? Nevertheless, Miss Joneson will scold me when she finds out about this.”
Gilbert inexplicably felt sorry for the sensible little girl, and his tone softened unconsciously. “If she finds out that you are earning money in a place like this for her medical expenses, she will be even less willing to accept treatment.”
His words made her anxious, and she almost dropped the glass. “Then, please help me keep it a secret, okay? Don’t tell Miss Joneson about this.”
“Then, you accept my help as a condition of our deal.”
She gritted her teeth and said, “Deal.”
Soon, Gilbert smiled and narrowed his eyes, looking at her exposed, thin legs. He took off his coat and draped it over her legs. “Wear something thicker.”
However, Isabel was rendered speechless by his gesture. She stared at the suit jacket and tightly held onto one corner of it.
“Do you want me to send you back?”
After hearing that, she almost nodded involuntarily but suddenly thought it might be too presumptuous and shook her head.
“Then, be careful on the way home. I’ve been drinking, so I may be unable to send you back.” Following that, he stood up, and his whole demeanor instantly became distant again.
She thought their closeness was unreal, like something out of a dream. Nonetheless, she couldn’t describe how she felt in her heart as he slowly walked away, which was complicated and dreamlike. After over a decade, she felt the stirring of adolescent emotions she had buried, and the experience surprised and terrified her. Then, she snapped out of her mental reverie as if she had awoken from a deep sleep and was taken aback by her earlier emotions.
Oh my god, what am I thinking about? Isabel shook her head, cleared her mind of her wild thoughts, grabbed the coat, and hurriedly left.
When Haris came to check on her, he noticed that she seemed excited and knew what that meant. “Looks like you’re feeling better,” he said.
At that moment, she happily shared the good news with Yelena, but when she heard a familiar voice behind her, she turned around and smiled. “Yes, Mentor. I’m almost completely healed now, and thanks to your care.”
“You’re calling me ‘Mentor.’ Taking care of you is my duty, isn’t it?” He smiled while secretly feeling pleased. It feels great to be called a Mentor.
“Oh, Mentor, you promised to let me out early after I recovered.” The moment Elspeth made the request, Haris’ face changed slightly. He had promised to do so, but it would be difficult to explain to Jasmine if he really let her out.
“Elspeth, do you really need to leave so early?” He had thought there might be room for negotiation, but her face instantly fell upon hearing that.
“A promise is a promise. You cannot go back on your word.” She switched from appealing to reasoning.
Hearing that, he had no choice but to lower his voice. “You know that Jasmine is not easy to fool. She has her people come to check on you every day. If I let you out, it will be difficult to explain to her.”
“I don’t care. Mentor, you made a promise, and you can’t break it.” Elspeth huffed and started to act unreasonably.
On the other hand, Haris was at a loss, so he had to say, “Elspeth, why don’t you help me devise a plan that will allow you to leave without arousing suspicion?”
After hearing that, her eyes lit up, and she immediately devised a plan. “How about this? You say my treatment has progressed to a stage where my facial skin is decaying, and then you wrap a girl’s face with gauze to make it look like me.”
This is actually a good idea. Seeing the smile on her face, he knew that the plan had to be executed.
Three days later, Elspeth had Harper sneak in a girl who was similar in height and weight to herself with similar-looking eyes. “Mentor, I’m handing her over to you. Take care of her for a few days. If I find my mother in a few days, I’ll return if I can.”
Although she said that, in her heart, she knew it would be harder to return once she left.
However, the girl they sneaked in was clearly a trained agent, with a calm and emotionless face as if carrying out a mission was something she did daily.
Then, Haris looked at the girl’s icy face and knew that it would be a tough job. “Okay, okay, I got it. You can go now.”
Afterward, Elspeth said goodbye to him and instructed the girl before preparing to sneak out among the crowd. However, her demeanor was quickly noticed by the guard at the gate, who had clashed with her before. “Hey! Who are you? Why haven’t I seen you before?”
He looked at her tightly wrapped head, masked face, and shifty gaze with suspicion.
“I’m here to deliver food,” she deliberately made her voice raspy to sound gender-neutral.
“Take off your mask and let me see your face.” He didn’t believe her and insisted on seeing her face.
Nevertheless, Elspeth didn’t want him to see her face, so she said, “There’s something on my face, and I don’t want to scare you.”
Soon, the guard got impatient and pulled off her face mask. “I want to see how it’s gonna scare— Ah!” When the guard saw her face, he was so shocked that he threw away the mask in his hand.
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