Chapter 198 - 197: Dropping the Act?

The next day, the sun was already high in the sky, but the room was still shrouded in darkness.

A slender hand reached out from under the covers, fumbling for the phone on the nightstand.

Seeing the time, Yvonne Lowell’s eyes, still hazy with sleep, instantly snapped into focus.

’Hm? It’s already nine-thirty?!’

Her internal clock had rarely ever failed her, except when she was injured.

She couldn’t even remember how many years she’d been sleeping alone. Even when Nina Jennings had begged to sleep with her, she had always been refused.

Because her vigilance would be at its peak at night, she would wake instantly at the slightest movement, afraid she might mistake the other person turning over for an enemy and strangle them to death.

But last night, she hadn’t woken up once. She’d even forgotten there was someone lying next to her.

’Does this guy double as a sleeping pill or something?’

Yvonne Lowell rolled over, snuggling back into the man’s embrace.

The man was still lying on his side facing her, his eyes shut tight, his breathing even and rhythmic.

His hair was slightly messy, and a bit of stubble had grown on his chin overnight, but it couldn’t hide his handsome face.

Yvonne Lowell’s fingers curled slightly before she unconsciously placed them on his face.

Her fingertips traced a path down from his forehead, outlining the contours of his face.

Finally, they landed on his prominent Adam’s apple, and she couldn’t resist giving it a light poke.

’They say if you touch this thing lightly, you create a new life, but if you touch it heavily, you end one. I wonder if that’s true.’

But the next second, her mischievous little hand was caught, held tight in a large palm.

Yvonne Lowell raised an eyebrow. "What, done pretending?"

Her voice lacked some of its usual coldness, replaced by a husky, languid tone from having just woken up. It wasn’t unpleasant; in fact, it had a unique charm.

"When did you realize?" Leo Grant’s eyes snapped open as he looked at the mischievous girl in his arms.

"Probably when I reached for my phone to check the time? I saw your hand twitch."

As she spoke, Yvonne Lowell pulled his arm out from under her neck and poked it. "It’s numb, isn’t it? You didn’t move all night."

"It’s fine." ’Like hell it was! He almost thought his arm had been amputated in his sleep.’

Leo Grant casually set his arm aside and, with a mischievous grin, rubbed his stubbly chin against her cheek. "My girlfriend is so perceptive. You even noticed that."

Yvonne Lowell pushed his big face away in annoyance and sat up. "Stop messing around so early in the morning. Time to get up."

Only after she walked into the bathroom did Leo Grant slowly start to try and move the arm she had been using as a pillow all night.

"HISS!"

Leo Grant’s handsome face twisted in a grimace. The pins and needles were an exquisite agony.

’Holding a beauty in your arms comes at a price.’

...

Yvonne Lowell wore a collared shirt today, buttoned all the way to the top.

Still, it took a ton of effort to cover up the cluster of ’mosquito bites’ on her neck, which made her so angry she couldn’t stop herself from kicking a certain damn man again.

When the two of them went downstairs, they found Nolan Crawford and Leogryph, one man and one lion, having an awkward chat in the living room.

To be precise, Nolan Crawford was rambling on and on, and whenever Leogryph got annoyed by the noise, it would roar at him. Yet, Nolan would just laugh like a fool.

You had to admit, the two of them were perfect for starring in their own nature documentary: *The African Lion King and His Personal Sycophant*.

Seeing the two of them, Nolan Crawford shot them a provocative smile.

"Yo, you’re awake? You guys have no idea, Leogryph is getting more and more attached to me. It was clawing at my door first thing this morning and even let me walk it. It won’t be long before I replace you in its heart."

Last night, Leo Grant had sent Leogryph to sleep in the living room on Nolan Crawford’s floor. Leaving it on the first floor felt unsafe, but keeping it on the top floor would have been... inconvenient.

Leogryph: ’You’re so high and mighty, so amazing, you shameless, thick-skinned bastard!’

◡ヽ(`Д´)ﾉ┻━┻

Yvonne Lowell’s mouth twitched. ’Is it possible... Leogryph just had to answer nature’s call and needed someone to take it out to do its business?’

On second thought, she decided not to crush the young man’s enthusiasm. ’What if he refuses to walk Leogryph for me in the future?’

Watching the couple’s retreating backs, Nolan Crawford started rambling to Leogryph again.

"Leogryph, my friend, look at them. They don’t care about you at all. I’m the one who’s good to you, right? I’m always here with you. We’re the best of friends in the whole world!"

"ROAR!" ’Get lost, you’re so noisy! You big idiot!’

"Exactly! You’re right! We’re the best of friends!" Nolan Crawford said, grinning at it.

...

That afternoon, a solid black helicopter appeared on The Shadow Pavilion’s helipad.

A middle-aged woman with a chin-length bob was the first to jump out, followed closely by a well-built middle-aged man.

Seeing Yvonne Lowell in the distance, the two quickened their pace and each gave her a hug.

"Yvonne."

"Yvonne."

"Auntie Dahlia, Uncle Stark, it’s been a while." Yvonne Lowell acted like a suck-up, rubbing her head against Auntie Dahlia’s shoulder. "Why did you two fly here by yourselves? You didn’t even bring anyone to help."

"It’s not that far, no need. Besides, don’t you know how good our planes’ autopilot technology is?"

Auntie Dahlia irritably pushed her fluffy head away with a forefinger. "You brat, you have the nerve to say ’it’s been a while’? How long has it been since any of you have come back?"

"Hehe, I’ve just been busy, and you two are often away yourselves..." Yvonne Lowell touched her nose, feeling a pang of guilt, then abruptly pulled Leo Grant over to change the subject.

"Come, come, let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend, Leo Grant."

’Sorry, handsome. Better you than me. When disaster strikes, I’m the first to fly.’

Leo Grant shot her a helpless glance. ’As if he didn’t know what this little devil was thinking.’

’She’s using me as a shield. What else can I do? Just have to take it.’

Forced to endure their two sharp gazes, Leo Grant calmly and humbly greeted them.

"Auntie Dahlia, Uncle Stark, it’s a pleasure. I’m Leo Grant."

Auntie Dahlia snorted. "So you’re the pig that’s been rooting up our prized cabbage? I’ve heard of you. You’ve got some skills, I’ll give you that."

It may be true that this kid was their benefactor, but they also watched Yvonne grow up. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they raised her like their own daughter.

Even if this cabbage-rooting pig was quite capable, they still weren’t going to give him a warm welcome just yet.

"You praise me too much, Auntie Dahlia. I still need to work hard to catch up to Yvonne’s footsteps."

A faint smile played on Leo Grant’s lips. He automatically ignored the first half of her sentence; he was used to hearing it by now and didn’t feel angry at all.

Uncle Stark sized him up, nodding to himself. "You’d have to be pretty skilled to become the Pavilion Master of The Shadow Pavilion, right? How about you spar with this old man later?"