Free Web NovelChapter 352: Chapter 350: The Princess’s Evil Dragon
"Stop beating around the bush!"
Yates Donovan could still put on an act and hold it together in front of Mia Grant. But the moment she left, his patience evaporated completely.
"If you don’t talk, I’m not leaving."
"You know what I’m capable of. By the time I’ve torn this place apart, it’ll be too late for you to have a change of heart."
Dr. Quinlan chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "What are you, some kind of gangster?"
Yates Donovan’s brow furrowed. He fumbled in his pocket, fighting the urge to smoke again.
"I hear you’re living in Adjacen these days. Haven’t bought a place in Jynsia yet, have you?"
"So?" Dr. Quinlan arched a brow.
Yates Donovan tossed a key onto the table. "A penthouse flat in the city’s inner ring. If you don’t like it, I also have a five-story villa near here. I’ve only thrown one party there, so it’s barely been used. It’d be convenient for your commute."
"Quite the generous offer." Dr. Quinlan watched him, his expression unreadable. "But you’re not a family member of the patient. What’s the point of ’bribing’ me like this?"
He pushed the key back. "I’ve told you everything I can. As for the rest, professional ethics forbid me from commenting."
They stared at each other for a long moment, each seeing the unwavering resolve in the other’s eyes.
In the end, Yates Donovan was the first to back down. "Uncle."
Dr. Quinlan’s brow twitched. "Hah. When was the last time you called me that? What year was it?"
"Don’t change the subject."
Dr. Quinlan sighed in resignation. "She really didn’t tell me who it was. I’m only speculating; I have no proof."
"I’ve already told you far more than I told the others, and that’s only because you called me ’Uncle’."
"Anymore..."
Dr. Quinlan thought for a moment before leaving him with one last parting shot. "I can only tell you this: as far as she’s concerned, you’re one of the good guys."
---
On the drive back, Yates Donovan kept turning it over in his mind: who was the attacker?
Mia Grant cared about them a great deal.
That meant it had to be one of the people currently in her life.
His own status was confirmed: ’one of the good guys’.
’As for the others...’
’Truthfully, none of them seemed to have a clear motive to kill her.’
’He’d have to analyze it from a different angle.’
’Kian Keller’s record isn’t clean, so the odds of him being the one were high. Besides, that madman had always been intensely possessive of Mia Grant.’
’Silas Grant wasn’t a simple character, either. Growing up in the dysfunctional environment of the Hughes Family, it would be perfectly normal for his psyche to be twisted. The through-and-through wound on his hand was the best proof of that.’
’Then there was Hayes Hughes... While he shared the family name, he wasn’t as disturbed as Silas Grant.’
’Felix Sinclair had apparently tried to kill himself over Mia Grant in the past, so it didn’t seem likely to be him. He was more likely to hurt himself than to hurt Mia.’
’Finally, there was Ian Sinclair, the one he’d just met.’
’The kid hadn’t been surprised to see him and Silas Grant; he’d even greeted them warmly before waiting obediently to the side. He was like a big dog waiting for its master to come home.’
’So, in the end, it came down to a choice between Kian Keller and Silas Grant.’
’The dagger was plunged in all the way to the hilt. It was clear how much the person hated her.’
Yates Donovan couldn’t be sure which of the two it was.
’There was still too little information.’
---
On the way back, Mia Grant fell asleep.
She hadn’t slept well the night before and had gotten up very early that morning. The chauffeur drove so smoothly that it wasn’t long before she was leaning against Silas Grant’s shoulder, fast asleep.
Silas Grant turned up the heat in the car, letting her sleep in peace.
Throughout the drive, his gaze never left her face.
He was observing her.
She had been prone to nightmares lately.
Noticing her brow furrow, Silas Grant gathered her into his arms. He gently massaged the space between her eyebrows with one hand, trying to smooth away her distress.
Soon, her breathing evened out.
When Mia Grant woke up, the car was already parked.
The chauffeur was gone, and she...
Looking down, she realized she was sitting on Silas Grant’s lap.
They were nestled together like a couple in the throes of a passionate romance.
"You’re awake?"
The voice came from above her. Mia Grant slowly sat up, sneaking a glance at his wristwatch.
Three hours had passed since she’d gotten in the car!
The drive from Dr. Quinlan’s office to the city center took an hour at most, without traffic.
Mia Grant couldn’t help but look up. "Why didn’t you wake me?"
’Did he just hold me like this the whole time?’
’Did I really sleep for three hours?’
When Silas Grant looked down at her, his dark eyes held a hint of a smile.
He was like an evil dragon guarding a princess. His embrace was like an immovable mountain. While the princess slept, he stood a silent, watchful guard, providing her with a complete sense of security.
"I was up too early this morning. I dozed off with you for a bit."
Mia Grant knew he was lying.
He hadn’t even taken off his glasses.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
Silas Grant helped her out of his lap, then sat for a moment to relieve his numb, aching legs before following her out of the car.
Hearing his voice, Mia Grant paused. She thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"No."
It was the truth. She had slept soundly for once.
As she said it, she found herself a little surprised.
She tried to recall the sleep in more detail, but Silas Grant cut her off, taking her hand and leading her inside. "Let’s get something to eat. I’ll take you back to school later."
During the meal, Silas Grant asked how her chat with Dr. Quinlan had gone.
Mia Grant poured a little vinegar into her food. She couldn’t handle things that were too sour, so she only added a few token drops.
Stirring her noodles, she said, "He’s an incredible person."
"Turns out psychologists really are like fortune-tellers."
Silas Grant knew she was joking. His lips curved into a slight smile. "Feeling any better?"
Mia Grant nodded. "He suggested I go to the hospital for a check-up."
"But I don’t think that’s necessary, for now."
Silas Grant caught the two words "for now."
Before he could dwell on it, he heard her ask, "I heard Serena Grant is sick, too. How is she doing?"
"She’s currently in a sanatorium in the Jynsia suburbs."
"Oh." Mia Grant puffed out her cheeks, blowing on her steaming noodles.
"Aren’t you going to visit her?"
"I doubt she’d be happy to see me," Silas Grant said.
Mia Grant chewed thoughtfully, looking over at him.
After a moment, she asked, "But she’s your biological sister."
Silas Grant placed a piece of beef in her bowl. "And that," he said softly, "is why she’s still alive."
"..."
Clearly, something like familial affection held little importance for Silas Grant.
He wasn’t the type to be shackled by emotion.
"If you don’t like her, I can send her abroad."
"Don’t." The spice from a chili pepper caught in Mia Grant’s throat, and she coughed a few times.
Silas Grant poured her a glass of water, rubbing her back with his other hand to help her catch her breath.
"COUGH, COUGH... She’s already miserable enough. Just leave things as they are."
Mia Grant changed the subject. "Simon Adler talked to you, right? You’re not angry that I poached him, are you?"
"I’m not."
"He can help you."
As Silas Grant spoke, he copied her, adding a few drops of vinegar to his own noodles.
Mia Grant stared at him for a long moment. She had a persistent feeling that he knew something.
He just didn’t have the heart to call her out on it.
After some thought, she said, "The spring holiday is coming up. If you’re free, let’s go to Portia together."
The man’s hand froze.
