Chapter 279
Chapter 279:
With a forced smile, Elianna cleared her throat. “Of course, Mr. Bowen, you’re too kind. Helping each other is simply what we do p>
Yelena’s voice was calm. “Mr. Bowen, there’s no need for such formality. It’s really nothing p>
At that moment, Bella, having heard the noise from upstairs, emerged from her room. Her eyes immediately lit up upon seeing Austin and John. Distinguished guests, right in her own home—this was an opportunity she wouldn’t let slip by. But what were they doing here today?
The reason was unclear, but Bella wasn’t about to miss the chance to make an impression.
With an exaggerated sweetness in her voice, almost too sugary for comfort, she approached them. “Hello, Mr. Barton, Mr. Bowen p>
Austin and John exchanged a brief glance, their faces tightening slightly. Both men had encountered their fair share of women who used such overt charm to get their attention. To them, Bella’s behavior was nothing short of off-putting.
They had encountered countless women like her before, and the overly eager, exaggerated sweetness was nothing more than a tiresome act. But given Bella’s connection to the Harris family, they remained polite, holding their reservations in check. Bella, however, was visibly irritated by their lukewarm response. She wasn’t about to let it slide.
Then, her gaze shifted toward Yelena standing off to the side, and her lips curled into a sly smile. “Yelena, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be grounded in the meditation room p>
At her words, both Austin and John turned in surprise, staring at Yelena in unison. “You were grounded in the meditation room p>
Bella’s lips curled into a sly smile. Recognizing that Austin knew Yelena, she wasn’t about to let such a perfect opportunity slip through her fingers. With a feigned air of innocence, Bella continued, “Oh, yes, she was gone all day and came back so late last night. No one knew where she had been, so Grandma got upset and had her stay in the meditation room as punishment. You know, it’s not really appropriate for respectful young women to be out so frequently p>
Elianna’s face froze in a tense expression, and she quickly snapped, “Bella, enough! Stop with this nonsense.” The situation, which had been going smoothly, was now on the verge of being ruined—thanks to Bella’s unwelcome interference.
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Bella had a knack for striking at the most sensitive spots, and this time, she’d hit a nerve.
“Yes, if you guys had arrived a bit earlier, I wouldn’t have had to spend the night in the meditation room for returning late,” Yelena replied with a hint of indifference as she glanced at John and Austin, her voice calm and composed.
No one could have predicted that Bella’s attempt to undermine Yelena would backfire, pulling Elianna into the mess as well. What was on the brink of being forgotten had now been dragged back into the conversation, and Bella seemed entirely unaware of the damage she was causing. Elianna must have been beyond frustrated with her at that point.
After all, the two men were here to show their gratitude, and Yelena had only been late because she had been helping John. Elianna must have felt some degree of embarrassment for having wronged Yelena, though she would never admit it aloud.
What could have been a simple exchange had turned awkward, all because of Bella’s insistence on bringing up the matter again. Elianna’s expression shifted, her face darkening as the tension in the room rose.
As for Bella, her shock was palpable. She couldn’t understand why Elianna was scolding her like this. She felt utterly wronged. Wasn’t she just stating the facts? She couldn’t understand why everyone was reacting so harshly when all she had done was speak the truth.
Yelena had indeed been punished for coming home late. In truth, all Bella did was calmly explain the situation. Bella’s intention was clear—she just wanted to embarrass Yelena in front of Austin and John.