Chapter 381
Chapter 381:
Behind her sunglasses, Bella shot Yelena a sharp glare, silently thinking that if Yelena ever held her tongue, no one would mistake her for being mute.
“Yelena, that’s enough,” Elianna interjected sharply. Her tone was clipped, her gaze heavy with disapproval. “You’re too young to be this cruel. Why must your words cut so deep p>
Yelena shot a sidelong glance at Elianna and muttered with a wry smile, “Age has no monopoly on sharp tongues. Whether you’re three or ninety-nine, if you’ve got wit, you might as well wield it p>
Cayson, standing nearby, struggled to stifle a laugh, his shoulders shaking with the effort. He couldn’t believe Yelena could string such words together with such flair.
“I’m really sorry for scaring everyone,” Bella said, her voice soft, laced with remorse. “It’s my fault. The itching is unbearable, and I didn’t want anyone to see me like this p>
Her apologetic tone, paired with her downcast gaze, made Elianna’s heart clench.
Elianna always had a soft spot for Bella, and seeing her this distressed only deepened her affection. The unfairness of it all stirred a quiet storm of anger within her.
Turning to Yelena, she warned, “If you keep running that mouth of yours, you’ll find yourself grounded and spending the night in the meditation room again, no questions asked p>
Before Yelena could say anything, Cayson’s expression darkened. He stepped forward, his tone carrying a rare edge as he addressed Elianna. “What do you mean ‘again’? Did you ground Yelena before? What did she do that was so bad it warranted something so harsh?” Cayson asked, his voice edged with disbelief.
He had been away on business when it all happened, blissfully unaware of Yelena’s punishment. By the time he returned, no one—neither Yelena nor their parents—had said a word about it. He’d been left in the dark until now.
Elianna’s brows knitted together, a flash of irritation crossing her face.
Check out more on gⲁ𝗅𝑛𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⧻𝒸o𝗺
She wasn’t used to Cayson speaking to her like this. Usually, he was all respect and deference. Yet here he was, raising his voice and questioning her judgment—all for Yelena, that firecracker of a lady!
“Yelena did something wrong, and she needed to be disciplined. End of story,” Elianna said sharply, her tone brooking no argument.
However, Cayson wasn’t about to let it slide. “What exactly did she do?” he asked, his voice steady but firm, determined to get answers.
Elianna hesitated, her eyes betraying a flicker of uncertainty.
Last time, there had been a bit of a mix-up. John claimed Yelena had returned home late because she had spent the night saving his grandfather’s life.
Elianna wasn’t buying it. She couldn’t see Yelena as someone that skilled.
If Yelena truly had such talents, surely she would’ve spoken up and basked in the limelight. After all, who wouldn’t want to shine as the hero of the hour? Yet, Yelena stayed silent, which, to Elianna, spoke volumes. It was clear she didn’t have it in her.
As time went by, Elianna occasionally replayed that incident in her mind. The more she mulled it over, the more convinced she became that John had simply cooked up a story to cover for Yelena.
John probably figured Elianna wouldn’t dig deeper and let it slide.
Still, the damage was done. Bringing it up now would mean stepping on John’s toes, and Elianna wasn’t one to stir the pot without reason.
Yelena, though, wasn’t as harmless as she seemed. Elianna believed her sweet and quiet demeanor was likely just a front. Yelena might even play the victim and whisper complaints to John when no one was looking.
After all, John and Austin were both from Kheley, a place leagues ahead of the Harris family’s standing in Eighfast. Elianna knew the game well—she hadn’t lived this long without learning a thing or two about playing her cards right.
Cayson, however, wasn’t letting this go. His questions kept coming like a relentless tide, leaving Elianna cornered and flustered.
She was furious, her temper threatening to boil over, while Cayson’s irritation only grew.