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Chapter 184: What's Your Next Move?

It didn't take long for Avery to have her way. Just before Mila could protest, she had booked a caterer to bring the food over. There was enough for everyone at both venues. What surprised Eve more than that was how quick the delivery was.

as if the madam already set an appointment from the start.

Left with no choice, Mila had a conference room tidied up for lunch. 

They waited until the staff workers gave their clearance.

Eve wasted no time to join her family and friends. She tackled into a hug, almost toppling both of them over. Jarrett moved out of the way just in case. "Andie, it's so good to see you!"

"Aw, you're too much, Evangeline." Andie chuckled, patting her back. It was so extra, she couldn't help but play along in the same fashion. "It feels like I only saw you a few hours ago."

She felt ten fingernails dig into her blouse. 

"And this is?" Eve released Andie and turned to the left.

"Jarrett, I'm her boyfriend."

"I see..." she muttered, shaking his hand. She used the free one to hide her lips and whisper in Andie's direction. "You can do so much better."

"I heard that." Jarrett gripped her fingers until they threatened to crack. 

It became a challenge not to react. 

"Kidding!" Eve giggled as she wiggled her hand from his clutch. She flexed her fingers, checking if they could still move. They were still in pain but it was tolerable. She shifted her attention to the twins and placed her hands on her knees. "Now, I wonder where I have seen such lovely little girls? They look so pretty. I doubt I could ever forget their faces."

"We met at the bakery," Eri replied, a frown on her face. Had it been that long ago? How could Evangeline not recognize them? They had baked cookies that day!

"Ah, I remember now." Eve straightened her spine and greeted Avery with a hug. "Are they your nieces, Mrs. Hathaway?"

"Oh, how I wish. They are such a delight."

"How do you know them then, Avery?" Mila said, joining the conversation. The two photographers began to discuss details and edits for the photos. They had used many words that she couldn't recognize. "I recall you seated with them after the recital."

"Their performance charmed me. I couldn't resist." Avery placed a hand over her heart and glanced at the twins. From the moment she met them, she felt like she understood Eve's resilience to keep working hard. Who wouldn't want to spoil such girls?! 

"Ms. Clark, the room is ready now."

"Well," Mila began to say. She clapped her hands once and gestured towards the nearest door. "Anyone else feeling hungry? Let's have some lunch."

The seating arrangement went as follows:

Mila sat at the head with Avery to her left. Beside the madam was Eve, followed by her twin sisters, Eri and Ede. At the opposite side, Elias positioned himself at Mila's right. Tae sat next to him with Jarrett and Andie. 

Avery didn't hold back on her catering order.

Tossed salad, bread rolls, four-cheese macaroni, honey garlic shrimp, sriracha chicken wings plus a whole cheesecake occupied the middle row of the rectangular table. Two pitchers of iced tea stood at the end with empty drinking glasses. Water droplets emerged outside of the container, indicating how cold it was.

Eri and Ede both have their brown eyes wide on the display. Their sister could practically see the drool on their faces. It had foods that they loved: cheese, shrimp, chicken and cake.

"What are you waiting for, girls?" Avery teased, leaning her head in order to see them. "Go on, dig in. Help yourselves. You're still growing. Don't worry about your weight just yet."

Eve gave her a look.

The madam didn't seem to notice and started to fill up her own plate.

She did the same. One bite into the shrimp, the dressing coated her tongue. The honey and garlic danced on her taste buds. The same could be said about the chicken wings. If they were too spicy, the macaroni soothed the fire. 

It was a rollercoaster experience to say the least.

No one spoke as they all fed their hunger. 

"Um, Aunt Avery, where is Amber-ann?" Eri asked after a while. She had a shrimp on her fork, pointing upwards. Her gaze struggled to see the madam. She had to whip her head back and forth just to get a good angle.

Eve leaned far back to help her outwhen she recovered from almost choking at the name.

"You mean my son?" Avery wiped the corners of her mouth with a table napkin. "You can call him, Yan, if you're having a hard time with his name."

"No, I don't need a shortcut. I can get his name right."

She chuckled, slicing her bread roll and using the piece to wipe off her plate. "Okay, then. He's pre-occupied at the moment. He does send me his apologies, Evangeline. He really wanted to be here."

Eve blinked. She had wondered about that. He wouldn't have wasted this chance. What could be keeping him? Shaking her head, Eve responded with a soft smile. "There's no need for that, Mrs. Hathaway. I understand he's a busy man."

"The two of you still get to spend some quality time together?" Tae spoke. He had a chicken wing in his gloved hand. "It can't be easy. Both of your schedules must be hectic."

"Are you the paparazzi perhaps?" Eve teased, a sly smirk on her lips.

Tae scoffed playfully and looked up at the ceiling. He seemed deep in thought for a moment. Then, he shifted his gaze back on Eve. "I don't have hidden intentions"

"I'm only joking," Eve clarified. She grabbed a glass of iced tea and cleansed her throat. "Yes, I think I'd consider the time we'd spent together as quality material. There hasn't been a dull moment with him."

"Just looking out for you, Ms. Reed." Tae shrugged. He took a big bite of his chicken and gave her a thumbs up. "You deserve only the best for that gold heart of yours."

"Well, I don't mean to be the mother of the boyfriend but he's not someone to underestimate," Avery cut in. She heard that these photographers were acquaintances. That sudden topic couldn't be coincidence. 

This time, she faced the main reason why she was here. A drink in her hand, she swirled its content. "You have been awfully quiet Elias. Do you have a girlfriend perhaps?"

Elias looked up with his eyebrows raised. He dropped his knife and fork. Then, wiped his lips with a table napkin. "I'm not affiliated with anyone at the moment, Mrs. Hathaway."

"Oh?" Avery feigned innocence. She had known that, of course. It wasn't just him who could do some digging. Her head tilted sideways as she sighed. "I remember you having many admirers. You'd even divide your time so you could take them all out."

Eve choked on her shrimp while Andie was quick to jump on the bandwagon. Her elbow propped on the table as she rested her cheek on the base of her palm. "Wow! You must have been a ladies' man then, huh? I rarely meet someone like you. I'd love to hear more about this story."

Elias pressed his lips together and politely flickered his eyes between the two. "That's in the past, Mrs. Hathaway. Once you meet someone special, that kind of thing becomes dull and boring."

Then, they landed next to the madam. "It can't compare to such radiance."

It lasted a split second before he turned back to his plate. When he became silent, Eve analyzed the past few hours. 'What was his game?' She had anticipated what he'd do since he showed up. Was he really here to only do photography?

That last look said otherwise.

Mila perked up at Elias' words. "You have someone you admire, Elias? Mind influencing Tae?"

"Oh, shut up, Mila." Tae responded, pieces of chicken still in his mouth.

Eri and Ede gasped and pointed their forks at him. "Don't talk with your mouth full!"

Laughter roared over the table while Tae apologized to the twins. He chewed quickly and swallowed it down with his glass of iced tea. He stuck out his tongue to show them that he was clean. 

They scrunched their noises in this disgust.

"As for your question, I do," Elias replied, a chuckle stuck in his throat. He bit into a shrimp. His chocolate eyes turned glossy as he stared at the table. "It's someone I would never forget."

Mila hid her face as she drank. Her gaze flickered in Eve's direction. She had seen how Elias looked at her. It was the same expression he wore when talking about her just now. Once in a while, a person would manage to find such love. The kind that was deep and has imprinted in one's soul.

Other times, someone gets lucky to have two.

Eve stared off into space, missing the exchange. It didn't matter anyway since they were lies. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Panic rose in her chest. It had to be Ambryan. She hadn't told him about Elias and now he had sent her a lengthy message scolding her for it.

Hiding it under the table, she unlocked the device.

.

``Unknown: I don't know why you'd have to pretend in order to be with a man. Seems like he's not worth it.``

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