Chapter 54: A Dower
"Yes, would you like to discuss what happened last night here?" Leander glanced at August once. "It seems like a lot of people know your home address."
Luellen pursed her lips and held her bag straps. "I... I still have other aunts and uncles. They know where I live here in the city. Uncle Reginald must have asked one of them for me. Uhm... don’t worry. I won’t open my door for him again."
Leander stroked Luellen’s head. "Were you scared? That man showed up again. It even sounded like your uncle was trying to do you a favor."
The maiden flinched and glanced at Summer and August’s direction. She then lowered her head. "I was, but... he knew how to retreat upon hearing your name. I just don’t think he’s really scared of you. Maybe he just doesn’t like any confrontation. After all, I also mentioned the police."
"I see." Leander pulled Luellen closer and pecked on her crown. "Are you comfortable moving? I can get you a house in a gated community. The guards will not let anyone, whoever they claim to be, inside unless they get permission from you.
"You can even have a house big enough for you and your friend." Leander glanced at Summer, who gasped at the implication. "You won’t have to pay for anything."
Luellen’s eyes flickered. She looked up at him. "Did you... catch him leaving?"
Leander smiled, but no words confirmed anything for Luellen.
Instead of accepting it, Luellen only shook her head. "I can’t have you buy me a house. I haven’t even paid off that surgery. Let me look for another place myself. Uhm, a condo unit should be good enough. You know, the one where you have to buzz people in. That should be good enough!"
"You can have it as a
"Lue, I think you should take it." Summer scooted beside her friend. She even whispered, "Not because I get to live in it with you, but... imagine if
At this, Luellen’s face paled. She turned to Summer, "I completely forgot about her! Uhm, what should I do? Won’t a big house be too much?"
Summer shook her head. "Not really. Don’t you want her to know how much Mr Wentworth values your safety? It’s a good display! Also... you forgot to tell me about that guy Mr Wentworth mentioned."
Luellen narrowed her gaze. She even rubbed her chin. "You’re right. I need to find out where he lives so Leander won’t mistakenly put me in the same neighborhood..."
Summer didn’t respond. She only glanced up as if meeting someone else’s gaze. Luellen noticed it, soon remembering that Leander was standing right beside her. He might even overhear their discussion.
Stiffly turning, Luellen smiled at him. "Sorry, we end up talking like we’re alone instead. Uhm, won’t it really be too much?"
"Not at all." Leander chuckled, stroking Luellen’s head. "We can speak about the specifics over lunch. I’m sure Henny would also like to help you decide. You also have the right to invite someone else over.
Leander eyed August, who glared at him. "As long as their intentions are clear."
Luellen figured Leander was looking at August. She only smiled and giggled, lightly wrapping her arms around Leander. "Thank you! Can you also move next door? I don’t think it’s convenient if you’re so far away. I don’t even have a car."
A twitch came to Leander’s face. He looked down at her. "...that can be arranged."
[You have gained more of (Leander Wentworth)’s interest! EXP +60!]
[Congratulations on reaching Level 29! You have earned 3,000 Yellow Heart/s, 30 Proficiency point/s, and 9 Red Heart/s!]
...
"He definitely won’t..." Henny smiled apologetically toward Luellen. She chuckled and shook her head, slicing a portion of her roasted beef. "Those two boys have reasons for buying a big lot and gating it so no one else can enter. You can’t expect him to move in a place they escaped from."
"Oh... I didn’t realize that..." Luellen sighed, holding on to her tumbler. She sipped on her lemon water before looking at Summer. That best friend barely ate her clubhouse sandwich because she was looking through printed documents.
Just like what Leander suggested, Luellen asked Madam Henny for her input on the move over lunch. However, it didn’t matter what kind of house Luellen got. Leander would still stay out of reach for reasons.
Upon recalling how nice their Wentworth Estate was, Luellen figured Leander was not leaving that place until he grew old. Someone also needed to watch the troublesome Beckett.
Luellen only scrunched her face. She then tapped the edge of the pages to call Summer’s attention. When Summer looked at her, she echoed her sentiments softly. "Leander won’t move into the gated community with us."
"Oh..." Summer only blankly responded. Instead of waiting for Luellen to deflate more, she just turned the page in her hands. The page faced her best friend. She said, "He might have to give you a car instead. Look, look! Isn’t this house the grandest!"
"Why do I feel like I’ve seen that one before...?" Luellen tilted her head as if it would juggle her memory some more.
"I think it’s because you’ve gone to Aspen Hill before." Summer turned the page toward her again. "It’s a very nice house! Uh... wait... It’s sold by the new owners after three months of living there. They said it’s a big family’s home for generations. Then again, the person who inherited it sold it to someone else. They probably moved out of Aspen Hill. Shucks, the asking price is so high!"
The best friend deflated as she crossed it out with a pink highlighter. "I don’t want to pay for something so pricey. It’s a dower, but... someone might come around and contest their right for inheritance."
Summer hummed and turned the pages to skim through more houses. "If only building a new estate wouldn’t take so long... You can’t ask to live with Mr Wentworth, either."
She gasped again. "This one looks nice! Let me see Mr Houston’s notes about it... My fiancée didn’t like it? The neighbor parties too loudly?
"Mr Houston has a fiancée?" Summer brought the papers down and stared at Madam Henny. "Since when? When are they going to get married?"
"Uhm... she’s... uh... she’s gone." Madam Henny hummed. She looked around the pantry in case Houston returned after his multiple trips around the city. The older woman gossiped with the two young ones. "Those papers are probably what he compiled when he was house-hunting for himself and his fiancée. Then again, she... she went on a trip to work on herself, she said. She never returned.
"We just saw her one day. She was already married to a man we never met." Madam Henny shook her head in disappointment. "They said she entered a fugue state and married another man under a different name.
"Then, we found out the truth. She lied."
