Chapter 414
Patricia had never seen Balfour and Byrah at odds like this, and she was at a loss on how to mediate the situation
Everyone knew that Byran was always terrified of Balfour
The fact that Byran was standing up to Balfour over Ellinor today was totally unexpected
The crowd was keeping their distance, watching the drama unfold Patricia didn’t want to provide them with any more entertainment, so she tugged at Balfour’s shirt, “Let it gol Byran is night, maybe I just misunderstand Ellinor. Maybe she really did kick me by accident! Balfour, don’t be too hard on Byran, he’s still young and doesn’t know any
better”
With that she got up, playing the victim card, and sighed, I’m going to go upstairs and have a talk with Ellinor and Theo. Better to clear the air now, so there won’t be any more misunderstandings
Patricia headed for the stairs, fully intending to go up and find Ellinor and Theo.
Truth be told, she had been planning to do this for a while.
At first, when she faked an illness. Theo always stayed by her side, but as soon as she seemed to be feeling better, he got up and left, heading upstairs to find Ellinor without another glance.
The thought of Theo alone with Ellinor in their guest room, especially considering Ellinor was soaking wet and might change her clothes, made Patricia anxious. Who knew what they might have gotten up to?
She felt a lump in her chest that she couldn’t swallow or spit out.
No!
Theo was her man and she wouldn’t allow anything to happen between him and Ellinor.
This was the perfect excuse to go and check on them..
But as Patricia ascended the stairs alone, Balfour watched her retreating figure with a furrowed brow, then turned a cold stare on Byran
“Byran, you’re really something. You can’t do anything academically, but you sure learned how to bully Patricia with outsiders!”
Balfour’s sarcastic remark made Byran feel incredibly wronged, “I didn’t! Of course I’m on Patricia’s side, but Ellinor isn’t as bad as you think! You don’t know that I’ve picked on Ellinor many times for Patricia, but she still helped me without holding a grudge. I’m sure she’s a good person! I’m going to go with Patricia to find Ellinor. There’s got to be a misunderstanding!”
With that, Byran followed Patricia upstairs.
Part of it was that he didn’t want to be left alone with Balfour
Another part was that he was still holding the grilled chicken wings and wanted Ellinor to taste his cooking to see if she would admit defeat.
Back in the living room, Balfour sat on the fabric armchair, his expression dignified but unfriendly
Patricia and Byran, one hopelessly in love, the other carefree, neither living up to his expectations.
If Pearl were still here, she wouldn’t let him worry like this.
Pearl was always tougher, more mature, and smarter than other children her age.
The doctors said she was exceptionally gifted when she took the 10 test. She knew almost every word in the dictionary before she even started preschool.
T
Balfour still remembered those days when he was in elementary school. His mother would hold Pearl at the bus stop to wait for his school bus
Every time the bus arrived, Pearl would jump out of their mother’s arms and run towards him, falling and getting up again, dusting off the dirt and running into his arms.
That was a brief but warm and simple time in his life that he cherished.
He wondered where Pearl was now and if she and their mother were doing well.
Their disappearance was a perpetual source of pain for Balfour
He hated his young self for not being able to seek justice for his mother, which led her to lose faith in the Howard family, take Pearl and leave, disappearing without a trace.
As Balfour reflected on the past, the crowd around him was still buzzing with gossip.
