Chapter 225: Chapter 225: How Is That Flirting?
This is the funniest joke Mrs. Kane has ever heard. That crappy company Ivana started? She can barely make a living for herself, right? Besides, Jean Shaw is so shameless, thick-skinned enough to come to her house asking for a bride price. What good can Ivana be?
Mrs. Kane stubbornly believes that Leon is bewitched by Ivana.
Mrs. Kane was so angry at Leon it gave her a stomachache: "I don’t care what the relationship is between Ivana and her stepmother, you must bring Ian back to me now."
Leon had a headache: "Ian has been staying with me lately, it’s nothing to worry about, I’ll hang up now."
He hung up the phone, turned to head back to his seat, and his phone rang again—it was Mrs. Kane calling back. Leon frowned, already picturing his mother’s furious expression at the old house.
Leon hung up again, this time turning off the phone completely.
Leon returned to his seat.
Timmy’s childish voice asked, "Daddy, you were on the phone for a long time, who was it?"
Leon felt Ivana’s gaze on him. His thin lips held a smile, and he said casually, "Uncle Derrick called."
Timmy looked at Leon suspiciously, was that so?
Timmy felt something was off. If Uncle Derrick called, why did Daddy leave his seat? Why did he go so far away to take the call? It felt like there was something he was deliberately hiding from Mommy and him.
Derrick, at the moment, was flirting with a woman, and suddenly sneezed several times.
Derrick rubbed his nose, wondering who was bad-mouthing him?
A pretty woman looked at him with concern: "Mr. Stern, with the weather cooling down, you should wear more during the day. Looks like you’re about to catch a cold!"
Derrick patted his chest: "Catch a cold? What a joke! I’m fit as a fiddle, you can test it out tonight if you don’t believe me."
The woman was stunned and then giggled, "Oh my~ you really know how to flirt, you naughty man..."
Derrick took the opportunity to pull the woman close. Recently, Secretary Sullivan, that old woman who can’t get married, joked that he’d be alone forever. Him, Derrick, handsome as he is, though not as good-looking as President Kane, still charming enough, would he lack a girlfriend? Be alone forever?
What a joke.
Derrick saw the beautiful woman shyly snuggle into his embrace, saying no with her lips but being quite honest with her body, pressing tightly against him.
His hands began to wander, and she didn’t resist. Yet Derrick felt that touching her was no different from touching five-spice pork, so he tried moving his hand to her thigh.
The woman’s breath became rapid.
Derrick: "..."
Am I really going to sleep with this "pork belly" tonight?
Suddenly, Derrick’s mind flashed to Secretary Sullivan’s serious face, and the times when they bickered, her not-so-pretty face puffed up like a hamster with cheeks stuffed with food.
He must be cursed, because he actually found Secretary Sullivan’s hamster face kind of cute.
~
At the Kane family’s old house.
Mrs. Kane angrily smashed her phone to the ground. With a loud crack, it broke into two pieces, the screen shattered, the back cover and battery flying out. Mrs. Kane gasped for breath.
Auntie Chamberlain was stunned, rushed to support her, and gently soothed her chest: "Ma’am, don’t get angry, you must take care of yourself!"
Kiki saw how furious Mrs. Kane was, and jealousy and gloom flashed in her eyes. Is Leon really that concerned about that bitch Ivana? So much so that he’s ignoring Mrs. Kane’s health?
Mrs. Kane gradually calmed her breathing, her eyes reddening, cursing: "What sins did the Kane family commit in a past life? Does that bitch Ivana have to eternally haunt Leon?"
"Leon used to be such an obedient child. Ever since Ivana appeared, it’s like he’s become another person..."
Kiki heard Mrs. Kane’s words and the more she listened, the more restless and uneasy she felt.
Kiki squatted by Mrs. Kane’s knees, holding her old hands trembling with anger. She comforted her a bit and then said, "Auntie, don’t blame Leon, he’s just not himself, bewitched by that little bitch Ivana."
Mrs. Kane felt both heartbroken and miserable. The son she raised had grown wings and disregarded her, even hanging up on her for Ivana.
Mrs. Kane couldn’t accept it. Hearing Kiki’s words made her feel much better.
Yes, Leon is not at fault, he’s just not himself. Like his father, persistent and stubborn in love—that’s not Leon’s flaw, all the fault lies with that bitch Ivana.
Mrs. Kane gradually calmed down, looking at Kiki, thinking of something.
"The day after tomorrow is Lance Quill’s 80th birthday."
"Lance Quill?" Kiki didn’t understand why Mrs. Kane suddenly mentioned him. Everyone knows Old Mr. Quill is a renowned master of calligraphy and painting in Ravenswood and even nationwide.
"Yes, Leon is Old Mr. Quill’s last disciple."
Kiki was dumbfounded and very surprised. Her father loved calligraphy and painting, so Kiki learned it from a young age, even having famous teachers instruct her.
When Kiki was ten, her works were already in the gallery, and everyone said little Kiki would have great achievements in the field. Her father was overjoyed.
But her father’s lifelong regret was that Master Lance Quill no longer accepted apprentices.
Despite using his resources and connections, her father couldn’t persuade Master Quill to accept Kiki as a disciple.
Master Quill wasn’t short of money and saw it as nothing more than dirt. His paintings and calligraphy now fetch tens of millions, but the pieces he sells can be counted on one hand, with the rest in his collection. Even if dignitaries came, he wouldn’t give or sell, no matter the price.
Kiki snapped back, her heart pounding, with endless admiration and awe for Leon like a surging river.
Leon is just too outstanding; he’s actually Master Quill’s last disciple!
"Kiki, are you listening to me?" Mrs. Kane saw Kiki was engrossed and frowned, tapping her hand.
"Huh?" Kiki met Mrs. Kane’s questioning gaze, blushing slightly, "Auntie, what did you say? I was so surprised when you mentioned that Leon is Master Quill’s last disciple that I got too caught up in admiration and zoned out."
Mrs. Kane’s face revealed a proud expression; her son is among the world’s best.
Master Quill even said that if Ian wants to learn calligraphy and painting, he’d make an exception and teach him.
But given his age, if Ian were to learn, he’d have to stay at Master Quill’s home.
Mrs. Kane couldn’t bear it, so she politely declined Master Quill. In essence, she felt that Leon had already learned Master Quill’s skills, and Ian could learn from Leon instead of going there.
As Mrs. Kane grows older, her thoughts change too. In youth, one may chase fame, but with age, she desires grandchildren growing happily around her.
Mrs. Kane repeated, "You’re going with me to Mr. Quill’s house the day after tomorrow to wish him well for his birthday. Prepare yourself well, because Leon will definitely be there, and if something happens at Mr. Quill’s that day, Leon will surely take responsibility and marry you."