Chapter 222 - 221: He Doesn’t Know, and Neither Should Caleb Lowell

"Yeah, I ran into a little trouble back then, and he helped me out. After some back and forth, we just naturally got to know each other."

Yvonne Lowell pointed to the person on stage but didn’t elaborate on the details.

’You have to understand, when you’re in a tough spot, it’s a blessing if people don’t kick you while you’re down, let alone someone who defies pressure to lend you a hand.’

That’s why they’ve always cherished that act of kindness. As for Cole calling her "sis"... that was purely because he loved acting like a fool after they got close and ended up getting beaten into submission by Yvonne Lowell.

’Ever since, it’s been: call her sis before acting like an idiot, call her sis when he can’t make a decision, call her sis whether anything is happening or not.’

"So after he ran away from home, he went to Country M?"

’After all, thinking back, six years ago Yvonne Lowell was at Loster University and hadn’t founded Pluto yet, so it couldn’t have been a business-related problem.’

"Old Man Jennings and I met him while we were traveling. He was always on the move back then, so I never bothered to ask where he was permanently based."

’Traveling = going to Continent N. Cole being "on the move" = carrying out missions and wandering all over Continent N. Not asking where he was based = he could be at North Headquarters or any of his various properties on Continent N, which he would grace with his presence at random. In conclusion: she, Yvonne Lowell, had not told a lie.’

Caleb Lowell nodded, understanding. He didn’t press the issue, since Nola had said it was just a minor problem.

’He probably figured she’d run into some lowlifes on her trip, Cole had scared them off, and they’d gotten to know each other after that?’

’That had to be pretty close to the truth. After all, they were just two kids, still students. It couldn’t have been any life-or-death situation.’

’He just never would have guessed that his sister’s friendship with the "unfilial eldest grandson" who ran away from the Jones family started like this.’

Caleb Lowell attributed the admiration in Cole’s voice when he called Yvonne Lowell his best friend to being impressed by his sister’s academic prowess back in school.

Yvonne Lowell: ... ’There’s nothing I can do if that’s what you want to think. But is the ability to take people out during my school days not a skill in itself?’

Leo Grant watched his good friend get lost in his own assumptions and secretly shook his head. ’Still too naive.’

’But it was for the best that Caleb Lowell could reassure himself. After all, even he wasn’t clear on the specifics of how Cole had helped, only guessing from the bits and pieces he’d heard that it was related to Moonshadow.’

’So if *he* didn’t know, Caleb Lowell could forget about finding out.’

"Where’s Leon? Didn’t he say he was going to make a grand entrance as the star of the show tonight?" Leo Grant leaned in and whispered in her ear.

Caleb Lowell glanced at the two of them whispering to each other and looked away.

’It was too much to watch. Was there something they were saying that he, her own brother, wasn’t allowed to hear?!’

’Should he just leave, then?’

’No way. He came in fair and square with an invitation. That wolf cub was either here with his own invitation or was just his sister’s date. Who was he to act all high and mighty?’

Yvonne Lowell scanned the banquet hall but didn’t see that punchable face anywhere.

’Did that moron run into trouble on his way here?’

’That shouldn’t be possible. Isn’t Country A his home turf? Who would dare to touch him here?’

"I’ll ask him."

Yvonne Lowell frowned slightly, pulling her phone from Leo Grant’s suit pocket to find out.

But when she saw the message that had arrived half an hour ago, she speechlessly shoved the screen in Leo Grant’s face.

"He says he doesn’t know how to deal with annoying people, so the gift is here, but he isn’t."

’He’s the leader of the Mercenary Corps. Who would dare approach him for a chat?’

’Just admit you’re lazy. It was the first time she’d heard someone come up with such a poetic excuse for flaking.’

Leo Grant glanced at the text in the chat box and the accompanying photo of Leon sitting in an office, swirling a glass of red wine, and felt a wave of secondhand embarrassment.

"Forget him. He can do what he wants." Then Yvonne Lowell turned to her brother. "By the way, Caleb, when are you heading back to Kingsland?"

Caleb Lowell raised an eyebrow. "I just came from Kingsland today. I’m flying straight to Continent O after the party. How about it? Want to come on a business trip with your big brother?"

Yvonne Lowell shook her head so hard it was a blur. "Gonna have to politely decline! You go for it, Caleb! Work hard! I was just asking. I’m heading back to Kingsland tomorrow to spend time with Mom."

Caleb Lowell ruffled her hair, half-annoyed. ’Right. I should have expected that answer.’

Eventually, Cole managed to escape the guests who kept bringing their socialite daughters over to meet him and joined them for a chat.

As the banquet was winding down, the group said their goodbyes to Cole and were the first to leave Jones Manor.

...

Upon returning to Kingsland, Yvonne Lowell and Leo Grant went straight to the Lowell residence.

In Leo Grant’s words, it was already afternoon, so there was no point in going to the office to steal work from his father.

If he did that—snatch work right out of his father’s hands—he would be so unfilial. His dad would be devastated.

Mr. Grant: Heh... heh heh... heh heh heh...

Yvonne Lowell had just finished changing her shoes in the foyer when she burst into the living room, shouting, "Surprise! My dearest mo—"

Suddenly, she saw something and stopped short, as if her throat had seized up. She gave a slightly awkward cough. "Auntie Ford, you’re here too."

Mrs. Grant, Rosalind Lynch, pretending not to notice her awkwardness, gave her a bright smile.

"Yvonne, you’re back! I had plans for afternoon tea with your mother, so I brought Trixie over to play with Goldie."

"Yeah, I... I just got back too, hehe." Yvonne Lowell straightened up and walked toward them.

’She wondered what expression Auntie Ford would have when she saw her own precious son, who hadn’t been home in ages, walk in.’

"Come over and have a taste. Your Auntie Ford and I made these pastries today," Wendy Sutton said, beckoning her over.

’Wendy secretly chuckled to herself. ’It’s not often the girl gets to be mischievous, and she got caught in the act. She’ll probably be so mortified tonight she’ll want to bang her head against a wall.’’

Leo Grant, who had been trailing behind Yvonne Lowell, then walked in with Ian Lynch, both of them carrying bags of gifts.

Wendy Sutton’s eyes lit up. "Oh, Leo, you’re here too! Come in, have a seat."

Leo Grant was also a little surprised to see his mother when he entered, but he didn’t let it show. He calmly walked over and sat down next to Yvonne Lowell.

"Mom. Aunt Sutton."

"When did you get back?" Rosalind Lynch’s tone was relatively mild.

"We came straight here from the airport," Leo Grant answered smoothly.

Rosalind Lynch shot a sidelong glance at her unfilial son, who hadn’t been home in ages but made a beeline for his future mother-in-law’s house the moment he was back.

’Still, she decided not to make her unfilial son lose face in front of his future in-laws. After all, even if he’d forgotten all about his poor old mother, at least he wasn’t a total idiot. He knew to show his face at his girlfriend’s house and score some points.’

’Besides, as long as he could bring this daughter-in-law into the family soon, she couldn’t care less where he went.’

It was Wendy Sutton who seized on the key detail, giving the pair a look ripe with gossip.

"How did you two end up coming back together? Weren’t you on separate business trips?"