Chapter 836
Chapter 836:
“What a coincidence!” John grinned. “So am I p>
“Okay,” Yelena muttered as she turned to leave.
Though she had met John a handful of times and knew he was one of Austin’s friends, their acquaintance barely scratched the surface of familiarity. John, however, had a peculiar knack for boundless enthusiasm, which often left Yelena at a loss.
“Where are you headed? Taxis are scarce around here. Let me give you a ride,” John offered.
Before Yelena could respond, a finely dressed woman appeared, her hurried steps betraying her intent. The woman shot Yelena a glare so sharp it could have cut through steel, her eyes brimming with unprovoked hostility.
Yelena blinked, bewildered. She hadn’t done a thing—why such venom? In the blink of an eye, the woman’s scowl morphed into a saccharine smile as she turned to John. The earlier glare vanished like smoke in the wind.
“John, I need a ride. It’s impossible to get a taxi here. Would you mind giving me a lift?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with what could only be described as practiced pleading.
John, however, felt nothing but a wave of irritation.
Addie Morgan was the adopted daughter of a distant Bowen family relative. The Morgans, whose only biological child suffered from poor health, had taken Addie in from an orphanage and lavished her with care, raising her as their own. Over the years, she had become the Morgan family’s cherished heiress, respected by all.
Lately, however, the Bowen family had been scheming to pair Addie with John, orchestrating encounter after encounter to nudge them closer. No matter how they tried, though, John couldn’t bring himself to like her. Something about Addie’s overly calculated demeanor rubbed him the wrong way.
Having just managed to drop Addie home earlier, John now found his patience stretched thinner than ice on a sunny day. He glanced at Yelena, his expression almost pleading.
Next part is at
“I can’t today, Addie. I promised to take my friend home,” John said firmly.
Yelena blinked, taken aback. When had she agreed to a ride with John? Before she could protest, John turned to her with a pleading look, pulling out his trump card. “Austin specifically told me to make sure you got home safely p>
Austin? That was unexpected.
Addie’s expression darkened momentarily, but she quickly masked it. Although fury brewed beneath the surface, she didn’t dare lash out. She knew John had a good relationship with Austin, and the Morgan family couldn’t afford to offend him.
Addie bit her lip, a flicker of dissatisfaction clouding her expression. Forcing a smile, she turned to John and said, “That’s okay. I’ll just wait for a taxi. Even though it’s freezing cold and nearly impossible to find one here, I’ll manage p>
Yelena stifled the urge to roll her eyes. Bella’s flair for dramatics had always impressed her, but Addie was clearly in a league of her own. Her time spent with Bella had made Yelena immune to such theatrics. Addie’s exaggerated display didn’t even faze her.
John, on the other hand, found himself increasingly irritated. If Addie had simply been direct, it might have been tolerable. But her insistence on playing the helpless victim, as if refusing her a ride was a cardinal sin, grated on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard.