Chapter 268 An Unexpected Invitation
+8 Pearls
“Sorry.” Eliza said flatly, pulling the plate toward herself. “This isn’t a five–star hotel. I don’t serve custom meals for entitled men like you.”
Halbert stopped her hand before she could take it away. “I never said I wasn’t eating it.”
“Then what was that comment for?” Eliza stared at him, confused as ever about what went on in Halbert’s head. Still, she left the plate alone, letting him eat in peace.
Halbert took a bite and gave a faint nod–clearly satisfied. “Did you use to cook like this often when you were living with the Rivers?”
“I cooked every single meal. For everyone.”
“They made you do it?”
“At first, yeah. Later… it was my choice.”
She used to think that if she just behaved–kept quiet, stayed–obedient–they’d love her more. She’d long since realized that no matter how much she gave, they’d never truly care. She could’ve cooked for them her whole life, and they still would’ve looked right through her.
“I’ve got an early class today,” Eliza said. “When are we heading out?”
“The driver’s already waiting. If you want to leave now, we can go.”
“Great. No point hanging around here.”
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Eliza opened it to find their driver looking unusually nervous. A middle–aged man in cheap, thug–like clothes stepped into view, giving Eliza a slow once–over. Without saying a thing, he pushed the driver aside.
The driver flinched, clearly rattled. The man wasn’t alone–behind him stood a wall of bodyguards in black suits, all wearing sunglasses, every one of them looking like they’d been professionally trained. It was broad daylight, but the whole scene gave off a dangerous vibe.
“Who are you people? What do you want?” Eliza didn’t flinch.
The man pulled a business card from his pocket and pressed it into her hand. “Mr. Nathaniel would like to invite you to dinner tonight.”
He was direct, almost aggressively so–no patience for pleasantries, and all grit.
Eliza glanced down at the card. Just as she expected–Nathaniel Hartwell.
“I’ve never heard of Mr. Nathaniel. And showing up at my door like this? Clearly, you didn’t think this through,” she said coldly.
Surprisingly, her calm, icy tone actually made the man hesitate
She wasn’t bluffing, and they could tell.
Tristan had made it clear how much he valued his sister. There was no way he’d leave her unprotected, even
here.
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13:54 Tue, 8 Jul
Chapter 268 An Unexpected Invitation
ས ༢ 56%
+8 Pearls
“I don’t care who you are,” the man barked. “You’re in Westbrook now. Around here, when Mr. Nathaniel sends an invitation, you don’t turn it down. Or we’ll be back–every single day.”
Halbert had been listening from the table. Now, he stood and crossed the room.
The thug hesitated when he saw Halbert–clearly recognized him and thought twice. But he quickly regrouped. “Look, this isn’t personal. Mr. Nathaniel just wants to extend a bit of courtesy to your people while you’re in Westbrook. Consider it a gesture of goodwill. Naturally, Mr. Halbert is welcome too.”
His words were polite. But the warning underneath was loud and clear.
Halbert scoffed and reached for the card in Eliza’s hand, ready to rip it in half. Before he could, Eliza caught his wrist.
“Sure,” she said calmly. “We’ll be there. Give the details to my driver–we have other things to do.”
The man seemed pleased by her response and left with his entourage.
As soon as the door shut, Halbert spun on her. “Have you lost your mind?”
Eliza blinked. “What the h*ll, Halbert? Why are you acting like I’ve lost my mind?”
“If you’re not out of your mind, then why would you agree to something like that? Who the hell does this Nathaniel guy think he is? Since when does someone like him get to invite people from our family to dinner?”
“Halbert, I know you’re confident, but think about where we are. This is Westbrook. I get it—you’re protective. But we’re in his territory now. You don’t pick fights when you’re playing on someone else’s field. Did you miss the part where his men got into a secured building like it was nothing? I never gave out this address to anyone, and yet he still found me. That alone tells me he’s got serious pull in Westbrook.” She held his gaze. “It’s just dinner, Halbert. He wants to talk, and I’m curious what he wants. Besides, you’ll be there. You really think I’d walk into something dangerous without backup? As long as we don’t provoke him, he’s not going to mess with us. He might have influence here, but even he knows better than to cross the wrong family.”
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The Heiress’s Second Chance at Vengeance
