Chapter 164
Chapter 164:
When the long, demanding workday finally wound down, she steered toward Lionel’s house. That morning he had dropped her a location pin — a quiet villa community, not the most expensive but widely admired for its hushed streets and almost secluded calm. Navigating the lanes, she couldn’t help musing over how prosperous Lionel’s ventures had become to afford a place like that.
Above the windshield, the sky stretched crystal clear, a handful of birds gliding across it in loose formation.
A green signal blinked at the intersection. Shaking herself from the daydream, Kailey pressed the accelerator and eased forward with the slow procession climbing onto the overpass.
Gridlocked traffic swallowed precious minutes, and by the time she finally reached the neighborhood, the dashboard clock hovered close to eight. After sliding into a parking spot, she stepped out and noticed Lionel waiting by the entrance. “Sorry, Uncle Lionel. Traffic was a nightmare p>
He waved it off with a warm chuckle, swinging the gate open. “No apologies needed, dear. I only just got back myself. My wife guessed the roads would be bad, so she started dinner a little later. She’s still in the kitchen p>
Crossing the doorway, Kailey noticed the courtyard lay bare of plants, yet every corner was swept spotless and meticulously kept. As Lionel offered a brief introduction, she responded with a few courteous praises, her smile polite but measured.
“Alright, enough of that.” Sensing her interest fading, Lionel cut himself off with an easy laugh. “Let’s go inside. My wife has been looking forward to meeting you p>
Before Kailey could gather a proper reply, an energetic woman burst from the kitchen in a flurry of motion, her voice bright with excitement. “Kailey, is that really you? Come here and let me see you. Goodness, I’ve missed you all these years p>
Crushed in a fierce embrace, Kailey struggled for air before a shaky laugh slipped out. “I missed you too, Aunt Bianca,” she murmured, easing herself gently free.
Standing before her was a woman dressed in comforting domestic layers — a pale cream apron knotted at the waist over plain clothes, hair twisted into a relaxed bun low at her neck. Strong brows and vivid eyes lent her an unmistakably commanding presence, the sort of blunt, warm practicality that felt worlds apart from the refined, polished professional Kailey had once pictured when she’d first heard the name Bianca Ward.
Completely oblivious to the silent comparison forming in Kailey’s mind, Bianca was already animated, her warm voice tumbling from topic to topic — city life, work, everything in between — within the span of only a few cheerful breaths.
ѕa𝘃𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝘂𝗋 𝗳av𝗈𝗋𝗶𝘁𝘦 𝘯𝗼𝘷𝖾ls on
Watching the conversation pick up speed, Lionel finally stepped in with a warm smile. “Alright, you two can catch up after dinner. Kailey must be starving p>
“Right, right,” Bianca agreed without even looking his way. “I’ll get back to the food. Kailey, why don’t you head upstairs and keep Dagmar company for a bit? You two should get to know each other better p>
The sound of Dagmar’s name stirred an uneasy memory from a few days earlier, tugging at Kailey’s thoughts like a loose thread. “Alright,” she agreed with a small nod. “I’ll go up now p>