Chapter 701:
Lost in thought, Elyse concluded her performance. The garden fell quiet, the melancholic yet beautiful music lingering in the still night air. Elyse gazed thoughtfully out the window. Felicia remained silent, seemingly asleep, and heard nothing.
Pearce, hand in pocket, suggested, “Forget it. Grandma must be asleep. If not, she would have scolded you.”
Elyse stroked her chin. “Well, there’s not much I can do now. But I’ve fulfilled the wish. I’ll leave at first light.”
Pearce’s curiosity grew. “Whose wish? Was it your own?”
Elyse smiled secretively. “I won’t tell you just yet.”
Pearce glanced at his watch. “Alright, alright. You can tell me later. Let’s get some food. Aren’t you thirsty?”
Elyse frowned. “Yes, incredibly thirsty. And starving! I could devour a cow.”
Pearce chuckled. “Let’s go then. I know a place for good beef.”
Elyse and Pearce departed, their laughter echoing as they talked. From behind the curtains of a second-story window, Felicia, in pajamas, sat quietly in a chair, gripping her cane. Once the voices disappeared, she stood, lifted the curtain slightly, and peered outside. The garden was empty, making the earlier music seem like a figment of her imagination. Felicia dropped the curtain and returned to bed, but sleep eluded her. She wasn’t well-versed in music, yet the tune resonated with her, stirring vague nostalgia from a distant past.
Later, after dining, Elyse returned home to pack for her early flight. Unaware of Elyse’s earlier constraints imposed by Felicia, Gavin approached. “Why did your grandma insist you stay for dinner before your departure?” This was Elyse’s cover story for Felicia. Felicia’s reputation was so tarnished in the eyes of Gavin and Cody that it could hardly get worse. Otherwise, they might become overly concerned for Elyse.
Elyse smiled. “That’s just how the elderly are sometimes. They say one thing, mean another.”
Gavin nodded. “Just now, Irving texted. He’s about to board his flight and will meet us at our destination.”
Elyse nodded, pressed down on her suitcase, struggled to close it, and exclaimed, “I’m all set!”
At dawn, Elyse, Cody, and Gavin took off for Manfek. Meanwhile, in Cambape, Richie watched his viral performance online. The comments overflowed with praise. He was eager to post photos of himself and Elyse, captioned, “Shoutout to my awesome friend for boosting my performance today! Ready to dive into the action and hopefully set the stage on fire next time!”
Meanwhile, Tobin was in his office, browsing the web. Since Elyse left home, Jayden had thrown himself into work, becoming a workaholic. From the moment he woke, he was working or planning work, pushing his employees to increase their pace.