CHAPTER 253: SHE IS ENSHROUDED IN MYSTERIES

"A-Adrian?"

There was something dreadful about Adrian’s gaze. For a moment, she could not breath.

Nor did Adrian. He did not say a single word as he held her close.

And then, he twirled her around, observing her from head to toe before he met her gaze again.

"Are you fine?"

Ella opened her mouth to speak but no words came out so she ended up nodding like a hen.

Adrian’s gaze turned frostier as he turned around.

Old Master King scoffed, "Are you trying to scare your grandfather now?"

Adrian did not say a single word as he pulled Ella behind his back.

Old Master King fell speechless, ’’You... Do I look like an evil person?"

The corner of his lips twitched when Adrian’s gaze intensified, "I just brought her over for a chat, you know."

Old Madam King, who had been hearing non-stop preaching about ’analyzing and judging Adrian’s girlfriend’ since dawn: "_"

...

Inside the study of the main mansion.

"You don’t blame me, do you?" Old Master King leaned back on the throne chair as he glanced at his grandson.

Adrian calmly met the man’s gaze, "Do not involve her in anything."

Old Master King frowned, "It has been some time since I got to know about this little girlfriend of yours. I wouldn’t say I am involving her in things. It’s you."

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

"The Second Master of the King Family has started dating. Today, it’s just your grandmother and me. Tomorrow, the rest of them will be curious as well. You should have expected this since the beginning."

Adrian walked off to the couch and took a seat, crossing one leg over the other, "They have no business with her."

"What does it change? They have business with you and anything related to you. As the heir, you should know that everything you do, every person you see will be dragged into these affairs in one way or another."

Before he could say anything, Old Master King sighed, "I thought about it for a while. That little girl seems like a good child. It is fine if you young people are seeing each other but remember, you cannot marry her."

Adrian’s fingers twitched.

"What? What’s with that look?" Old Master King felt like his grandson’s expression was rather suspicious but he couldn’t put a finger why.

"Anyways," The old man continued, "Don’t paint me as the villain. If a girl like that marries you, she wouldn’t know how she died."

Adrian pushed himself to his feet, his gaze frosty, "Do not curse her."

"You..." Old Master King glared at him, "Stop right there! It was just a figure of speech. Why are you so offended?"

Adrian halted in his tracks, looking at the old man from above his shoulder, "Anything else?"

Old Master King paused for a beat, his face turning solemn, ’’Did you meet your mother?"

Once he asked the question, silence descended in the room.

The old man pinched the spot between his brows, easily deciphering the answer in the silence.

"You disappeared for days and we couldn’t find you or even get in touch with your secretary. You..."

"Those were my orders."

"Adrian!" Old Master King slammed his hands against the desk as he stood up, "We are family. You don’t need to hide from us."

When Adrian did not respond, a hint of grief struck the old man’s face.

He walked towards the window and glanced up at the birds flying in the sky, "What happened back then... is all in the past. It was not your fault so just stop blaming yourself for it..."

Old Master King waited but there was no response from Adrian for a long time.

After a while, there were sounds of retreating footsteps.

Old Master King turned around, only to find the study completely empty.

’’When will you overcome all those things... that haunt you to this day?" He closed his eyes for a moment before walking off to the book shelf.

Old Master King picked an old book from the corner and flipped it open.

From between the pages, a picture slipped off.

Old Master King held it with trembling hands. In the picture, a young Adrian sat on a couch, smiling so wide that it could blind anyone.

Behind him, there was a slightly older boy standing, looking into the camera with a deadpan look.

...

Inside a VIP hotel suite.

When the door opened, Lilith sat up on the bed, "You have been looking into it for days. Now that you are here, does that mean your investigation is complete?"

Eli crossed the threshold and grabbed a jug before downing mouthfuls of water.

Lilith frowned, "Just looking into Ella Yu has you this exhausted?"

Eli’s gaze traced the woman who was sitting in a thin nightgown, "Dress up properly. Then, we will talk."

"I am properly dressed already," Lilith mumbled but nevertheless, she accepted the coat that Eli offered, "Tell me now."

"Adrian and Ella met somewhere around a few years ago when Ella’s scandal with that photographer was on the peak."

"Is it the same photographer who... died in that party?" Lilith questioned.

"Yes.’’

"What then?" Lilith got up from the bed, "When did they start dating? And how... how did Ace stay with her for so many years without anybody realizing it?"

"That’s a lot of questions you have there."

"That you are supposed to answer," Lilith shot back.

Eli shrugged a shoulder, "There is not a single information available. It seems like somebody had deliberately wiped all traces of their past."

Lilith’s lips curled down, "I thought Ella caught his fleeting interest. But surprisingly, they seem to be together for a while now. No wonder... No wonder the girl was so smug..."

She stiffened when a large palm enveloped hers and opened her clenched fingers that had dug into her palm.

"Do not hurt yourself yet," Eli retracted his hand.

"Oh? That means you have something on your hand?" Lilith’s eyes lit up.

"Their first encounter happened in an empty street. Ella was drunk and Adrian did not seem to be unfamiliar with her."

"Not unfamiliar? But you just said that they met for the first time at that time."

"That’s what the records say. But it might not be necessarily true," Eli folded his arms in front of his chest as he looked at Lilith.

Lilith nodded slowly, "You mean... Ace might have share a history with her?"

Eli sighed and passed a flash drive to Lilith.

"What is this?"

"When they met that night, there was a local store in a discreet position. Coincidentally, it happened to record them. However, the quality is bad and you can barely see them, let alone understand what they are talking about."

Lilith fell silent, "Get in touch with the IT team. Ask them to fix this video quality and hire the best lip-reader..."

"I doubt that’s going to work. Like I said, they are barely visible."

Lilith rose from the bed and walked towards the window, "It has to work,’’ her voice was low, ’’Also, start looking into the Yu Family as well."

"The Yu Family?" Eli arched a brow, "It seems like you enjoyed their party after all."

Lilith tilted her chin, "Don’t you find anything fishy with them?"

"Like?"

"They must have known that their daughter was almost raped..." Lilith sighed, "Esther hatched such a vicious plan against her own biological sister. Yet, what did they do?"

Eli nodded slowly, "They are busy fixing their reputation and being concerned about their younger daughter..."

Lilith chuckled.

"What’s so amusing?"

"Ella," Lilith’s eyes narrowed, "At first, she seemed like a simpleton but now, she is enshrouded in mysteries. The more I look into things, the further complicated they become."

"Isn’t it a sign that you should give up on Mr. King?"

Lilith’s eyes darkened, "I have never given up on anything I desire. What makes you think that this time, it will be different?"

She turned around, "Investigate Ella Yu. If needed, get the tiniest details of her childhood too. Once the pieces are assembled, we can flip the chessboard."

Eli’s lips tugged up slightly but his smile did not reach his eyes.

...

On the other side, Adrian did not utter a single word while they were on their way back to the Eve Mansion.

Ella glanced at the man for some time but he did not spare her a gaze.

Adrian seemed to be enshrouded in an unapproachable aura ever since he returned from his grandfather’s study.

A couple of times, Ella opened her mouth, then shut it again.

Her fingers twitched, but she tucked them beneath her thighs.

After all, she was clueless about a lot of things around Adrian.

And for some reason, she was hesitant to tread over the wrong topic and set him off.

Especially since he was just recovering from his relapse.

So, Ella scooted to the side and looked out of the window.

Yet before she could take a proper look, her hand was grabbed in a firm grip.

"Why did you go there?" Adrian’s cold voice sliced through the silent car like a blade through still water.