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Chapter 23

Author: Full of Luck
"Alright, I understand," Harvey said as he prepared to hang up.

But then he casually added, "How did Elara get in touch with you?"

August answered respectfully, "It was Mr. Snapp who introduced me to Ms. Jones."

Harvey's gaze darkened, and a shadow settled over his sharp eyes. "Theodore Snapp?"

August nodded quickly. "Yes, him."

Harvey said nothing more, but a chilling air seemed to emanate from his composed face.

When Elara returned to the Jones residence, the maids had already prepared dinner. Now that she was divorced, she felt it was time to have an honest conversation with her parents.

She first took Bambi upstairs to change into fresh clothes. After washing up, she held Bambi's hand and led her out of the room, only to run into her parents.

"Ah, you're home, Lara?" Her mother, Daphne Larkin, cooed while being carried princess-style in her father, Abel Jones' arms.

Daphne had a doll-like face that made her look no older than 30, though she was actually 46. Since Elara
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    Elara chuckled and said, "I've thrown away plenty of trash. Take your time picking it up."Even if Niamh stripped naked and lay in Harvey's bed, it wouldn't spark a shred of anger in Elara. She would only watch with amusement as Niamh brought about her own downfall.Upon learning that the bracelet was a gift from Harvey, Abel seemed relieved. It confirmed to him that Niamh still held a firm grip on Harvey's heart.Abel shifted his anger toward Elara at the dining table."You must have done something to upset Mr. Fisher that led to the divorce! I'm telling you right now that you ought to go and patch things up with him!"The Jones family are against divorces! Aren't you embarrassed? You're a 30-year-old single mom! Who would want you after this?"Elara ate calmly, occasionally checking on Bambi to ensure she was eating well. She asked, "Dad, aren't you going to ask me why I divorced Harvey?""Why bother? You couldn't even keep a man! Do you know how hard I worked to arrange the m

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    "Ahhh!" Daphne let out a piercing scream, startled by the sudden chaos.As the round table flipped, Abel scooped Daphne into his arms and stumbled several steps back in panic.Elara seized the moment, rushing forward to pick up Bambi and running toward the nearest kitchen."Abel, I'm so scared!" Daphne whimpered while clinging tightly to Abel's neck.Abel gently patted her shoulder. "Don't be afraid, Daffy. I'll give them both a good slap, and they'll behave!"Daphne shuddered at his words.Niamh, on the other hand, wore a gleeful smile. Elara hadn't faced Abel's wrath since returning to the Jones family. Watching Abel discipline his daughter and granddaughter? Now that would be entertaining!"Elara! Come out here!" Abel shouted, striding toward the kitchen as he loosened the buckle on his belt. He pulled it free, wielding it like a seasoned warden.Then Elara appeared at the kitchen doorway with a sharp knife in her hand. She had Bambi stay behind her in the kitchen while she

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    "Mommy, was I wrong for doing that just now? I shouldn't have flipped the table, right?" Bambi's voice was small, yet burdened by guilt. She was still so young and thought that by flipping the table, she had caused them to be kicked out of the Jones residence.Elara asked gently, "If you had the chance to do it over, would you still flip the table?"Bambi nodded without hesitation. "I wanted to protect you, Mommy."Elara's smile softened. "Bambi, you did what you could, and you're my hero.""Mommy is my hero!" Bambi said as she nestled into Elara's embrace.Hearing her mother's praise made her eyes shine with pride. Yet, a hint of shyness crept in as she added, "But… I used so much strength. It wasn't very ladylike.""You were born a girl, but girls can be anything they want to be. No one gets to define what a girl should look like or how she should act," Elara said while pulling Bambi close."You were born strong, with the ability to protect yourself. That makes me happy and pr

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    Harvey sank into the bathtub with a dark expression, enduring the scorching water. He had reminded the maids countless times—104.5 degrees Fahrenheit was his preferred temperature.The scented incense was supposed to be lit ten minutes before he entered the bathroom, but the subtle fragrance was missing. Leaning back against the leather cushion at the edge of the tub, Harvey noticed the lighting wasn't adjusted properly either."Ridiculous." Elara never once got these simple tasks wrong in their seven years of marriage.Taking a deep breath, Harvey told himself to wait a few more days. Elara would be back soon enough.…The next morning, Elara picked up her phone and saw a message from August."Ms. Jones, are you sure you want to invest all 60 million into the stock market?"Elara replied confidently, "I'm sure. Execute the purchase as soon as the market opens.""Understood," August responded, followed by a warning, "Just don't regret it later."Elara turned on her computer an

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    "Harvey?" Niamh called out.She noticed Harvey's ears turning red. His expression was something she'd never seen before."What did Elara yell at you about over the phone?"His expression was hard to decipher. "She's still picking a fight with me."Harvey found himself doubting whether the person who had just yelled at him was truly Elara."Elara might be going through menopause," Niamh said with a laugh. "They say women do age faster after having kids."…Elara hung up after her outburst and handed the phone back to Frank. He simply stood frozen in place, utterly petrified.With a small wave of her hand, Elara signaled him to take the phone. Frank then bolted as though lingering another second might earn him the same wrath.Elara was eager to leave Azure Shores, and she turned to Bambi with a suggestion. "Want to go with Mommy to visit her mentor?""Yes!" Bambi replied enthusiastically.Elara called Theodore before heading to the Snapp residence. She stopped by a florist to

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    It felt as though an invisible rope had tightened around Elara's neck, stealing her breath. Tobias stood before her, wearing a deep navy cotton-linen robe.His frame was thin and frail, his hair was now entirely white, and his back was slightly hunched.Elara opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to call out to him, but the word caught in her throat. She no longer deserved to call his name. She wasn't worthy.Her vision immediately blurred with tears."Hello, sir!" Bambi's childish voice broke through the tension like a gentle spring rain."Are you the wise and brilliant Dr. Tobias Snapp my mom always talks about? She says you're a great educator and an outstanding mathematician!"Tobias' stern expression softened as he gazed at the adorable, round-faced Bambi."Your daughter?" he asked.Elara nodded quickly. "Yes, my daughter, Bambi."One of the young men nearby chimed in excitedly, "Dr. Snapp, she solved the problem you wrote!"Tobias paused for a moment before heading to

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    Tobias frowned deeply, the phrase "shameless spectacle" nearly escaping his lips."What did you do to yourself?" he asked.Theodore was dressed, technically, but his appearance seemed even more suggestive than if he hadn't been. Tobias' thick eyebrows twitched furiously."I got caught in the rain," Theodore replied nonchalantly as he casually brushed his soaked hair back.From Elara's perspective, Theodore's profile was breathtakingly symmetrical, embodying the golden ratio. His high-bridged nose curved gracefully like a slide, mesmerizing in its perfection.On the side of his face that faced Elara, his dimples deepened, making him all the more captivating.Tobias, who was now leaning on Theodore for support, raised a hand to shield his eyes. He needed sunglasses—his son's radiant aura was too blinding!"Let me help you to bed, Dad. Don't push yourself too hard," Theodore said."What do you mean, push myself?" Tobias snapped.He continued thinking to himself, "You're the one p

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    "Dad, go easy on me!" Theodore didn't dodge and took the hit from Tobias' cane head-on.Tobias poked at Theodore's damp shirt that was clinging to his waist. "Can't you have a little dignity? You're a disgrace! Are you possessed by something?"You… You… Why… Why are you even trying to seduce her?""Shh! Keep your voice down!" Theodore quickly hushed him."Oh, right, I should be quieter. Because this is such an honorable thing to be overheard?" Tobias scoffed, feeling like his old face was about to lose all credibility.Theodore, however, smirked as he said, "If someone hears, how am I supposed to keep seducing her?"Tobias rolled his eyes so hard he nearly passed out from sheer exasperation.…Elara found a few comic books for Bambi and borrowed some paper and colored pencils from a housekeeper.Bambi was incredibly focused and could sit quietly for hours reading and drawing.Once she was settled, Elara approached Tobias' students. "Hello, Dr. Snapp asked me to complete one o

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    Theodore was truly a frightening man! Yet Elara didn't find this off-putting.Wasn't this exactly the sort of thing he would do? She had sensed this man's calculated advances from the moment he began appearing frequently in her life.Soon, Cassie left, and Elara sat in her office chair, moving back slightly."You can come out now," she commanded.Her voice had regained its composure. "You should have recovered by now, right, Mr. Snapp?"Theodore emerged from under the desk, which had been relatively cramped for someone of his size. He blinked at her, his eyes brimming with amusement as he asked, "Was that fun?""I almost fell for you," Elara blurted out, her voice carrying a more teasing tone.The man looked slightly disappointed. "So, you didn't fall for me after all?"Persistent, he leaned forward and lowered his voice to ask, "Did it feel good when you touched me earlier?"Elara's bright eyes sparkled with light as she had to admit, "I didn't expect you'd feel so nice to to

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    Harvey froze in shock. He pulled back the covers, finding nothing on the bed. He spun around and darted out of his room, leaving a sharp, cold breeze in his wake.Outside his room stood a bodyguard assigned by Leonard. Harvey then grabbed the bodyguard by the collar."Where's my stethoscope? Who told you to touch my stethoscope?" he demanded.The bodyguard was bewildered. He gripped Harvey's hand in displeasure. "Mr. Fisher, please calm down. I don't know what you're talking about."Hostility flashed in Harvey's eyes as he breathed heavily and questioned, "My stethoscope that I put under my pillow—who took it?"The bodyguard thought for a moment. "I did see Mr. Beau playing with a stethoscope this morning. I'm not sure where he got it from."Harvey's pupils constricted sharply. Beau had entered his room and taken his stethoscope?That little brat!Beau, dressed in a gray monk's robe, was surrounded by visitors who had come to the chapel to pray. These past few days, he had been

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    This time, Harvey very clearly saw Elara's face deepen from a light pink to a rich, blooming rose—visibly, and in real time.Her beauty blossomed like a peony in full bloom. Her long lashes trembled several times, and her dark eyes shimmered as if brimming with tears.She looked as if… She was lovestruck. The moment that phrase crossed Harvey's mind, he was so stunned that his eyes widened in disbelief.Was Elara suddenly getting shy because of him?A strange flutter rippled through his chest. He sat at his desk, staring at the high-definition monitor in front of him, where every detail of Elara's face—even each individual eyelash—was crystal clear.He shifted his gaze to the upper-left corner of the screen to glance at the small preview of himself.After Leonard had driven him up to the mountains, the priest at Atkina Church had given him a haircut. Since he was neither a monk nor formally ordained, it was just a close-cropped cut, not a full shaving of the head.He looked at h

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    Theodore's eyes gleamed like sunlight shimmering over a lake. He looked like a large dog trapped in a cage, gazing at Elara with unwavering intensity. If he had a tail, it would have been wagging wildly like a windmill spinning at full speed.Elara screamed internally. This had gone a little too far! Her eyes then dropped to the tip of her own shoe. The place she had kicked… had grown!"Oh!" She quickly jerked her foot back, only to feel her body tip backward uncontrollably.Just as she was about to fall, Theodore reached out and grabbed her ankle.The moment his fingers touched her skin, her heart skipped a beat. Theodore pulled her back toward the desk.Elara froze in place like a statue. Her entire body was tense, her eyes were wide, and her pupils were unfocused."Elara, what's wrong?"Harvey had seen her suddenly lose her balance and fall backward. It startled him so badly, he looked as if he wanted to jump through the screen.A wave of helplessness washed over him. Luckil

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    Elara looked under the desk. What on earth was going on?Meanwhile, Harvey observed Elara in her formal women's suit on the computer screen—an attire he'd never seen her wear before.Her hair was pulled back into a bun secured by a simple ebony hairpin. A few strands, gilded by sunlight, curled against her porcelain cheeks.Though she appeared to be looking down at something, Harvey's gaze and thoughts remained completely captivated by her face. Only months had passed since their divorce, yet seeing her now felt like encountering someone from another lifetime.Had time stretched endlessly during his days at Atkina Church?"El—" Harvey's throat tightened as if stuffed with paper.But he quickly regained his usual composed tone. "Elara—no, I should address you as Ms. Jones now. Had Sam not called me, I wouldn't have known you'd assumed Quantum Tech's CEO position."His voice carried that innate condescension of the privileged, laced with unmistakable mockery."Why are you hiding

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    Elara stood still as she gazed at the tall, distinguished man before her. Meanwhile, Theodore looked up and smiled at her against the light."Why are you so far away?"Elara stepped toward him, teasing lightly, "I wanted a good look at you.""Then you'll need to come closer." Theodore leaned forward, closing the distance between them.Though she stopped a step away, their faces nearly touched. Elara instinctively held her breath as her eyes locked on him."Can you see clearly now?" Theodore asked."Mm," Elara replied."And?""So handsome." Elara praised him sincerely. "You're one of the most attractive men I've ever seen!"She truly meant it. Theodore chuckled through his nose. She'd seen plenty of handsome men in her life—Finnegan, Harvey, and Leonard. Especially Leonard, whose looks even made Theodore feel somewhat threatened."My face is the least remarkable part of me." He declared confidently.Images of those shirtless photos Theodore had sent flashed through Elara's mi

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