Chapter 9 Nothing but Mockery for Me
When I arrived, Maverick was already standing outside the antique–style Antalia restaurant.
He wore a sharply tailored black suit, and under the sunlight, his figure gave off a cold, distant air.
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The moment Maverick saw me, his narrow peach blossom eyes narrowed with clear disapproval. “You didn’t) even bother putting on makeup before seeing me? You look pale. Are you trying to make Grandpa think I’ve been mistreating you?”
It wasn’t until after he finished that he noticed Yrian standing beside me. His gaze turned even colder.
“Yrian, I’ve heard rumors that you were back, but didn’t think it was true.” His eyes swept over the both of us before he added, with a smirk, “You’re still the same as when we were kids, always tagging along behind me and Stephanie.”
Every word dripped with sarcasm, but Yrian didn’t seem fazed. He leaned down slightly and whispered near my ear, “I’ll wait for you in the car. If anything happens, call me, I’ll be there right away.”
Yrian’s voice was soft and steady. It had been so long since I’d heard that kind of warmth, it stirred something in me. I nodded and pulled the coat he had draped over me tighter around my shoulders.
“What are you wearing?”
Maverick’s gaze finally landed on the coat I was wearing. Before I could answer, he had already stepped forward, yanked the coat off my shoulders, and tossed it back to Yrian. “Take your stuff and leave,” he snapped.
“Stephie’s health isn’t great. She shouldn’t be exposed to the wind.” Yrian scowled. He moved to put the coat back on me, but that only made Maverick’s face darken even more.
“Stephie? You call her that, too?” He immediately shrugged off his suit and threw it over me instead. His movements were rough, and it hurt a little when the fabric pulled against my arm.
www.
I opened my mouth to protest, but before I could say anything, he grabbed my arm tightly. “Don’t move unless you want to see me lose
my temper.”
Not wanting to start another argument, I kept quiet and let him lead me into the Antalia restaurant.
Inside the private room, the atmosphere was calm and quiet. Robert sat upright at the table, his white hair catching the light and making him look even more dignified.
When he saw me, a warm smile lit up his face.
“Stephie, you’ve arrived. Come, sit next to me.” He even stood up and gently helped me into the chair beside him.
The moment he got a good look at my pale face, his expression shifted to worry. “Why do you look so pale, huh? And you’ve lost so much weight. Has that rascal Maverick been bullying you? If he has, you better tell me. I’ll give him a good beating! Also, why did you leave last night without saying goodbye to me?”
Last night, Yrian had taken me out the back door of the Stone Residence. Hardly anyone had seen us.
Robert was unaware of what had happened. Probably no one in the Stones had figured out yet that the blood in the bathroom had been mine.
“Robert, you came early. Let’s eat first.”
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Chapter 9 Nothing but Mockery for Me
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Maverick, standing nearby, looked impatient. He wasn’t interested in listening to me chat with Robert. He kept glancing at his watch.
Of course, he was in a hurry. His sweetheart was still waiting in the hospital. If not for the sake of Robert, he wouldn’t have bothered showing up at all.
“Here, Stephie, your favorite egg yolk ravioli. I ordered it just for you.” Robert smiled and placed a ravioli on my plate. When I stared at it, my eyes began to sting. Tears welled up before I could stop them.
Robert was the one member of the Stones who I was most reluctant to leave behind. However, I did not come today solely to share a meal.
I didn’t pick up my fork. Instead, I looked straight at Maverick. “Maverick, I need to talk to you.”
He looked up, his gaze icy and harsh. “About what?”
His gaze carried a clear warning. I knew he didn’t want anything unpleasant brought up in front of Robert. Yet, if I didn’t say it today, who knew how much longer this divorce would drag on?
I pressed my lips together, then said casually, “Let’s talk about what happened when Reagan went abroad.”
“Shut your mouth!”
Maverick snapped just as I expected.
“This isn’t the time or place for that!”
“What kind of attitude is that, you brat?” Robert barked, raising his hand. His palm landed squarely on Maverick’s head.
