Chapter 458: Sweet and Bitter !!

Pearl Villa.

Morning.

Breakfast had somehow become one of the loudest parts of the day.

Miles sat with his coffee in front of him.

Nick was sitting nearby, still looking slightly offended by something he had discovered only a few minutes ago.

Miles looked toward him.

“How come I don’t know about this?”

Nick sighed.

“I just found out too.”

“Found out what?”

Nick looked around the table.

“Evie is coming here.”

Elena immediately smiled.

“Let your sister come.”

Nick looked toward her.

“What is wrong with that?”

Chloe nodded.

“Exactly.”

She picked up her cup.

“Maybe she’s missing her big brother.”

Nick stared at her.

Then slowly shook his head.

“I highly doubt that.”

Miles looked amused.

“Why do you lack confidence in yourself, buddy?”

Nick sighed again.

“When Miles is here…”

He pointed toward him.

“…I highly doubt she’s coming for me.”

Miles frowned.

“Why am I the villain here?”

Chloe chuckled.

Then she looked toward Nick.

“Nick.”

He looked at her.

“Don’t say things like that in front of your sister.”

Nick blinked.

“What things?”

Chloe continued,

“It’s rude.”

Nick stared.

Chloe took another sip.

“You should understand the heart of a woman.”

Miles slowly turned toward her.

Nick looked even more confused.

Chloe continued calmly,

“Sometimes words sound funny.”

“Easygoing.”

“Harmless.”

“But they can still hit deep.”

Nick stared at her.

Then burst out,

“Woman?”

He pointed vaguely toward the direction Evie wasn’t even in.

“Evie?”

“No way.”

Miles immediately looked between both of them.

“Excuse me.”

Chloe glanced toward him.

Miles continued,

“Can someone explain what you two are talking about?”

Elena smiled.

Then looked toward Daniel.

“Sometimes…”

She laughed softly.

“I’m really glad he doesn’t understand normal things.”

Daniel laughed.

Miles stared at them.

“What?”

Daniel shook his head.

“Nothing, son.”

Miles looked suspicious.

Asher, who had been quietly eating, suddenly looked up.

“What is it?”

Nobody answered.

He looked toward Hope.

“I didn’t understand.”

Hope replied confidently,

“You don’t have to.”

Asher frowned.

“You say that like you understand.”

Hope lifted her chin.

“Of course.”

Then proudly added,

“I’m a woman too.”

The entire table went quiet.

Everyone slowly looked toward her.

Hope blinked.

Then Elena smiled.

“Of course.”

She gestured toward Hope’s plate.

“My lady of the house.”

Hope immediately smiled proudly.

Then Elena continued,

“Now please eat the broccoli you pushed to the side.”

Everyone laughed.

Hope’s smile vanished.

“Mooom.”

Elena pointed toward the plate.

“No escape.”

Asher started laughing even louder.

Hope glared at him.

Miles looked toward Monica.

She had been quiet throughout the conversation.

But she was smiling.

The moment their eyes met…

Monica gave him a teasing look too.

Miles narrowed his eyes.

“Hnmmph.”

Monica looked away innocently.

Nick finally sighed.

“Anyway…”

He looked toward Elena and Daniel.

“I should thank everyone.”

Elena raised an eyebrow.

“For what?”

“For inviting Evie.”

Nick smiled faintly.

“And letting her stay here.”

Miles leaned back.

“Evie is well behaved.”

Nick looked toward him.

Miles continued,

“She can come whenever she wants.”

“No permission needed.”

Nick immediately looked toward Elena.

“Aunt.”

Elena sighed.

“Come on.”

She pointed toward both boys.

“You two don’t start first thing in the morning.”

Nick smiled.

Elena continued,

“You are both always welcome here.”

Nick grinned.

Then looked toward Miles with that annoying expression.

Miles scoffed.

He reached for his coffee.

Took a sip.

Then immediately coughed.

Chloe looked toward him.

“What happened?”

Miles stared at the cup.

Then at Chloe.

His expression changed.

“This is yours.”

Chloe looked at the cup.

“Oh.”

Miles stared at it like it had personally betrayed him.

“Sweet.”

He looked toward her.

“How much sugar did you put in this?”

Chloe laughed.

“It’s not that much.”

Miles gave her a look.

Chloe smiled.

“It’s okay.”

She reached for the other cup.

“I’ll drink yours.”

Miles looked toward her.

“You sure?”

Chloe confidently picked it up.

Took one sip.

Then coughed almost instantly.

Her face twisted.

“Bitter.”

Another cough.

“Bitter, bitter, bitter.”

Miles immediately leaned slightly toward her.

“You good?”

Hope pushed a glass toward Chloe.

“Here.”

“Have some water, Big Sis.”

Chloe immediately took it.

“Thanks.”

She drank.

Daniel looked toward Miles’ coffee.

Then shook his head.

“Don’t drink that.”

Miles looked at him.

Daniel continued,

“That’s medicine.”

Chloe laughed.

Daniel added,

“I can’t drink that.”

Chloe placed the water down.

“I can.”

Miles raised an eyebrow.

Daniel tried hiding his laugh.

Chloe reached for Miles’ coffee again.

“I can drink it.”

She took another small sip.

Her face immediately tightened again.

Miles sighed.

Then simply pulled the cup away from her.

“Give me that.”

Chloe frowned.

“I can really drink it.”

“No.”

Miles looked around.

There was a third empty cup nearby.

He picked it up.

Then poured half of Chloe’s sweet coffee into it.

After that…

He poured half of his bitter coffee into the same cup.

Then mixed the remaining halves into the other cup.

Two equal drinks.

Miles pushed one toward Chloe.

“Try this.”

Chloe stared suspiciously.

“What did you do?”

“Balanced it.”

She gave him a look.

Then took the cup.

One sip.

Her eyebrows rose slightly.

Another.

“It’s good.”

Miles nodded.

“See?”

Elena watched both of them.

Then smiled.

“Sweet or bitter…”

Everyone looked toward her.

“You two complement each other pretty well.”

Miles paused.

Then slowly looked at his mother.

“You’re talking about coffee, right?”

Elena smiled innocently.

“Of course.”

Chloe lowered her face behind the cup.

But Miles could clearly see her smiling.

He sighed.

Morning at Pearl Villa.

Somehow…

It always started like this now.

…

Cinder Square.

Later that morning.

Miles stood near the large window inside the office.

His phone was against his ear.

June sat nearby, reviewing reports on her tablet.

Miles’ expression was serious.

“Are you sure you can do it?”

Ren’s voice came through immediately.

“Of course, Leader.”

“Leave it to me.”

Miles remained unconvinced.

“It’s not your combat ability I’m worried about.”

Ren listened.

Miles continued,

“I don’t doubt you.”

“Or Aerin.”

“If this turns into a fight…”

“I’m not worried.”

He looked out over Star Harbor.

“But this isn’t a fight.”

Ren became quieter.

Miles continued,

“This is disguise.”

“Timing.”

“Observation.”

“One mistake…”

“And the entire plan falls apart.”

June looked up briefly.

Miles continued,

“If you slip once…”

“They know Grandpa isn’t Grandpa.”

“They know Thea isn’t Thea.”

“They run.”

“And we lose them again.”

Ren replied calmly,

“I understand.”

Miles sighed.

“The reason we’re attacking this from multiple fronts is because I want closure.”

“Once.”

“And completely.”

His eyes hardened.

“The more time we give people like this…”

“They don’t just hide in a bunker.”

“They build an entire town around themselves again.”

Ren laughed faintly.

“Leader.”

“I promise.”

Miles waited.

“I’ll play your grandfather properly.”

Miles closed his eyes for a moment.

That sentence still sounded strange.

Ren continued,

“And I’ll keep Aerin’s disguise protected too.”

“We go in.”

“We confirm the place with our own eyes.”

“We identify what they are preparing.”

“And then…”

“We disappear.”

Miles listened carefully.

Ren continued,

“By the time they realize they have been deceived…”

“Our people will already be acting from another direction.”

Miles nodded slowly.

“Good.”

His voice softened slightly.

“Good luck to both of you.”

Then more seriously,

“Come back safely.”

Ren answered,

“Understood.”

A voice suddenly came from Ren’s side.

“Give me that.”

Miles smiled.

Then Aerin’s voice came through.

“Leader.”

Miles chuckled.

“What?”

“Don’t worry about this guy.”

Ren could be heard complaining faintly in the background.

Aerin continued,

“I’ll bring him back in one piece.”

Miles laughed.

“That sounds reassuring.”

Aerin replied,

“It should.”

Miles continued,

“Good luck.”

Then smiled.

“And come back soon.”

“We still have a training session pending.”

Aerin laughed.

Miles continued,

“I want to learn that move.”

Aerin sounded immediately pleased.

“I’m looking forward to it too, Boss.”

Miles smiled.

“Take care.”

The call ended.

For a few seconds…

Miles stared at the phone.

Then sighed.

“Sometimes…”

June looked up.

Miles continued,

“I think these people are actually crazy.”

June smiled.

Miles looked toward her.

“I mean…”

“This is what they came up with?”

“Ren pretending to be Grandpa?”

June laughed.

Miles shook his head.

“I really want to see how he looks.”

June thought.

“I wonder too.”

Then smiled.

“Maybe we can ask him to show us when he comes back.”

Miles nodded.

“Right.”

June’s tablet suddenly vibrated.

She looked down.

An alert from reception appeared.

She read it.

Then looked toward Miles.

“Boss.”

“Hmm?”

“There are two people at reception asking for you.”

Miles turned.

“Who?”

June read the names.

“Gareth Fenwick.”

Then looked again.

“And Hope Fenwick.”

Miles’ expression changed slightly.

“Call them up.”

June nodded.

“Okay.”

She quickly sent the instruction.

Then looked toward Miles again.

“Do you know them?”

Miles returned toward the desk.

“Fellow citizens of Star Harbor.”

June stared.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Miles sat down.

“You’ll see.”

June gave him a suspicious look.

A few minutes later…

The office door opened.

Gareth entered first.

Hope followed beside him.

Hope looked much better than the previous night.

Still tired.

But calmer.

Miles immediately stood.

“Mr. Fenwick.”

Gareth stepped forward.

“Mr. Sterling.”

His expression became uncomfortable.

“I…”

He looked down for a moment.

“I’m really sorry about yesterday.”

Miles raised an eyebrow.

Gareth continued,

“I was rude.”

“I threatened your people.”

“I threatened you.”

He looked embarrassed.

“I even asked you to break my own door.”

Miles smiled faintly.

Gareth continued,

“I didn’t know who you were.”

“I…”

Miles lifted one hand.

“Calm down, Mr. Fenwick.”

Gareth stopped.

Miles smiled.

“It’s really alright.”

Then added,

“Actually…”

“I was rude too.”

Gareth looked surprised.

Miles continued,

“So I apologize as well.”

Gareth immediately shook his head.

“No.”

“I deserved it.”

Miles gestured toward the chairs.

“Please.”

“Have a seat.”

Gareth and Hope sat.

June remained at the side.

Still curious.

Miles looked toward Hope.

Then smiled.

“I hope you don’t break your bicycle again.”

Hope’s face immediately became embarrassed.

Gareth turned slowly toward his daughter.

Hope looked away.

Miles chuckled.

Hope finally looked back at him.

“Thank you so much, Brother.”

Her voice was sincere.

“I’m really grateful.”

Miles’ expression softened.

“You don’t have to thank me.”

Hope shook her head.

“I do.”

Miles watched her for a moment.

Then said,

“You’re strong.”

Hope looked surprised.

Miles continued,

“And if something troubles you again…”

“Anything.”

He pointed gently toward Gareth.

“And your father isn’t around…”

Hope looked toward Miles.

“Tell me.”

Miles smiled.

“I’ll be there.”

Gareth lowered his eyes.

Then took a slow breath.

“When I married again…”

Miles looked toward him.

Gareth continued,

“I thought…”

“Hope would have a mother.”

Hope looked down.

“Someone who would take care of her.”

“Someone who would be there when I was away.”

His hands tightened together.

“She promised me.”

Gareth’s voice became bitter.

“Yvonne promised.”

He looked toward the floor.

“And she kept lying directly to my face.”

“I kept believing her.”

Miles remained silent.

Gareth continued,

“Every time I asked about Hope…”

“She said everything was fine.”

“School was fine.”

“Home was fine.”

“Hope was sleeping.”

“Hope had eaten.”

“Hope was busy.”

He shook his head.

“And I just…”

“I believed it.”

His voice dropped.

“I was so wrong.”

Hope leaned slightly toward him.

“It’s okay, Dad.”

Gareth looked toward her.

Hope smiled.

“I’m glad everything is good at the end.”

Gareth’s eyes softened.

Miles watched them.

Then looked toward Hope.

“There’s one thing you should remember.”

Hope listened.

“If something wrong is happening to you…”

“Fight back.”

Hope blinked.

Miles continued,

“That doesn’t always mean physically.”

“It means…”

“Don’t quietly accept something just because you’re afraid of making things worse.”

Hope nodded slightly.

Miles continued,

“When we keep too much inside…”

“It becomes suffocating.”

His tone softened.

“You start thinking you’re alone.”

“You start convincing yourself that telling someone will only make things worse.”

“You start protecting everyone except yourself.”

Hope’s eyes lowered.

Miles continued,

“Don’t do that.”

She slowly looked back at him.

“Stand for yourself.”

“Tell the truth.”

“If something is stopping you from telling one person…”

“Tell someone else.”

“Bring someone in.”

“Your father.”

“A teacher.”

“Someone you trust.”

He smiled.

“Even me.”

Hope nodded.

“Don’t keep suffocating alone.”

For a few seconds…

She didn’t say anything.

Then she smiled.

“I’ll remember.”

Miles nodded.

“Good.”

Hope suddenly seemed to remember something.

She reached into her bag.

Miles watched.

She pulled out a small music player.

Then held it toward him.

“This…”

Miles immediately recognized it.

Hope continued,

“This is yours, right?”

Miles smiled.

Before he could answer…

A voice came from the doorway.

“That would be mine.”

Everyone turned.

Nicholas Abbott stood there.