Chapter 616
Chapter 616:
Callum’s flattering words visibly pleased Elianna. She decided not to be hard on Yelena anymore; doing so would be like criticizing herself. Bella, trying to maintain her composure, was inwardly seething.
Yelena always managed to win Callum’s favor, who defended her at every turn.
“Hey, why don’t we all go to Coastal Port to dine and celebrate?” Cayson suggested.
Yelena thought it was a good idea, especially since her family seemed happy, which brightened her mood as well. “Sure p>
“Then let’s go p>
Yelena hesitated, noticing that Austin was still on the phone. Leaving directly without acknowledging him seemed impolite.
She decided to wait for Austin to finish his call, planning to say goodbye properly before leaving.
Cayson noticed Yelena’s gaze towards Austin, and his expression darkened. “A friend came to see me just now. I need to see what he wants before I join you,” Yelena explained.
Katelyn also looked towards Austin, but he was standing too far away, so she didn’t recognize him.
“Is he your boyfriend?” Katelyn asked in a teasing tone.
Katelyn was actually a bit concerned. Having faced hardships in marriage herself, she hoped the younger women in her family wouldn’t endure similar struggles. Dating was acceptable, but marriage required careful consideration. She believed that all people—especially women—should refrain from rushing into a commitment to avoid potential suffering.
Over time, Katelyn had come to realize that pride was less important than leading a genuinely fulfilling life.
Katelyn’s mention of a boyfriend caused nearly everyone in the Harris family to look in Austin’s direction, assessing him with critical eyes. Callum, in particular, scrutinized Austin as a father might assess his daughter’s suitor, growing increasingly dissatisfied as he mentally compared Austin to other potential matches.
𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘁 gⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⧽ⱼ𝗰𝗈𝗺
“If he’s free, he should join us for dinner later,” Donna suggested, curious about the type of man Yelena might be interested in. “He’s busy p>
“He’s busy p>
Both Yelena and Cayson responded at the same time.
“Huh?” Donna looked at her children, puzzled by their simultaneous answers.
Donna found it puzzling. The man they were talking about was Yelena’s friend. Why did Cayson seem to know more about him than Yelena did? She looked at Cayson and asked, “Do you know him p>
Cayson had no intention of revealing his acquaintance with Austin to Donna, knowing it would lead to a barrage of questions. “No, I don’t,” he replied curtly.
Donna eyed her son skeptically, her gaze conveying disbelief.
Yelena interjected, “You all go ahead. I’ll catch up with you later p>
“I meant what I said earlier, Yelena. If your… friend is available, he should really join us for dinner,” Donna suggested.
Yelena quickly nodded and encouraged them to leave without further delay.
Meanwhile, Bella cast a glance in Austin’s direction, her expression darkening. Unlike the rest of the Harris family, Bella recognized Austin. She was surprised to see Yelena and Austin appearing so close.
“Bella, let’s go,” Elianna called out. Bella turned and obediently walked over to her.
Elianna asked Bella, “Do you know that guy p>
Bella didn’t want Elianna to know that the man with Yelena was Austin, fearing it might complicate her own plans. So, she replied, “No, I don’t know him p>
Maggie was quite long-winded, and it took a while before Austin could end the call. But when he returned, he noticed Yelena was no longer there.
He paused, then began scanning the area.