Chapter 275: Do you need my help?
Had he been staring at her all this time?
Adelyn paused.
But ... why?
She looked back at him, trying to understand what he wanted when his gaze remained fixed on her even after several long seconds.
Wait ...
Did he want to ask her something?
Or was it ...
Her eyes drifted back toward the phone resting on the table.
... did he want to know who had messaged her?
Adelyn thought about it for a moment.
Although she wasn’t obligated to report everything to him, she had lied to him earlier. And since he was currently her temporary boyfriend, it was only natural for him to be curious from time to time.
If she kept hiding things unnecessarily, it might eventually make her lies crumble.
Until she found the right opportunity to end this farce between them, it was only sensible not to let that happen.
So ...
"Uh ... that message was actually important," she said. "It was from my lawyer. He—"
Before she could continue, a voice suddenly interrupted her from a distance.
"Lawyer?"
Karl’s voice rang out with obvious concern. "Sister-in-law, did you get into some trouble?"
Adelyn turned toward the entrance.
Standing there were Karl, Jasper, and Felix.
The moment she saw Karl ...
She somehow already knew he was about to create another unnecessary commotion.
"I—"
Yet again, before she could explain anything, Karl interrupted her.
"Don’t worry, Sister-in-law! We’re here for you."
He hurried into the dining room, leaving his two brothers walking behind him at a much calmer pace.
Stopping beside the table, he glanced at Dylan before turning back to Adelyn.
"With us around, no one can bully you."
He proudly puffed out his chest.
"We have the best team of lawyers in the entire country. With them backing you up, nobody would dare mess with you. Just let me—"
He would have finished speaking if he had not suddenly felt a pair of cold eyes land on him.
Karl stiffened.
Slowly turning his head, he met Dylan’s calm but piercing gaze. He swallowed almost instantly.
"I—I mean ..." He laughed awkwardly, immediately correcting himself. "... let my Big Brother handle everything for you."
He pointed toward Dylan with a sheepish smile.
"With him backing you up, nobody would dare do anything against you."
Then he looked at Dylan expectantly.
"Right, Big Brother?"
By then, Jasper and Felix had also walked over.
Jasper casually draped an arm around Karl’s shoulders —giving him a silent warning to stop talking so much.
Meanwhile, Felix remained unusually quiet.
His eyes rested on Adelyn as though he were trying to see through every thought hidden behind her calm expression.
Adelyn merely pressed her lips together.
Just then ...
Dylan finally spoke.
"Do you need my help?"
His voice was calm.
Gentle.
Yet those simple words almost froze everyone at the table.
Everyone ...
Except Little Eira.
Jasper, Felix, and Karl all turned to look at Dylan in disbelief.
So did Adelyn.
His voice was already naturally magnetic. But when he deliberately softened it like this ...
It somehow made her breathing hitch ever so slightly.
She stared at him for a brief moment, almost forgetting she had yet to answer. Only after realizing everyone’s eyes were on her did she compose herself.
Shaking her head lightly, she replied, "No. You don’t have to trouble yourself."
"Sister-in-law, it’s no trouble at all. Especially for my brother," Karl immediately chimed in again, speaking full in confidence. "You don’t know him well yet ..."
"But he’s the kind of emperor who doesn’t even need a crown." He proudly folded his arms. "Just one word from him is enough."
"As long as my Big Brother speaks, everything bends according to his will. He can solve anything for you with just a single sentence."
"So don’t be so formal with him. Whatever it is, just tell him. He’ll definitely take care of it for you."
Adelyn looked at Karl for a moment.
She could have responded. But she had a feeling it would only lead to an even longer conversation.
In the end, she simply turned back toward Dylan.
"Mr. Warren, the matter wasn’t that serious," she said. "I’ve already had it taken care of."
She smiled politely before adding, "If anything comes up in the future, I’ll definitely let you know."
She didn’t know whether she would truly need his help someday. But considering the relationship they were currently pretending to have ...
It felt like the most appropriate answer she could give.
After that ... she glanced at the time displayed on her phone.
Realizing she was already running a little early, she quietly pushed her chair back and got up.
"I have something to do which is why I have to leave a little early today," she smiled politely. "Please enjoy your breakfast. I’ll head out first."
Dylan simply gave her a slight nod.
Adelyn then turned toward the little girl.
Little Eira was still quietly eating, taking small bites with complete concentration.
Leaning down, Adelyn gently kissed the side of her head before softly saying, "Baby, Mama has to leave first. But make sure you don’t finish your breakfast well. When Mama comes back later ..."
She smiled.
"... I’ll bring you something."
Little Eira immediately looked up at her. Her eyes sparkled. Then she obediently nodded. "Okay, Mama."
Satisfied, Adelyn gently patted her head.
She then gave Jasper, Felix, and Karl a polite nod before turning to leave.
Karl watched her walk away.
Then, as though something had suddenly occurred to him, his eyes widened.
"Sister-in-law, wait!" He hurried after her. "I still need to ask you something!"
Before Jasper or Felix could stop him ...
He was already halfway to the doorway.
Jasper watched his younger brother disappear before letting out a helpless sigh.
He then turned toward Dylan.
Pulling out a chair, he sat down before asking curiously, "By the way, Big Brother ... Why didn’t you ask her why she needed a lawyer?"
He rested an elbow on the table.
"She might actually be in some kind of trouble."
The way Dylan had spoken to her just now ...
That gentle tone alone had already explained everything.
His brother treasured Adelyn far more than he had treasured anyone. Helping her should have been the most natural thing for him to do.
Yet ...
Instead of insisting on helping ...
He had merely asked whether she needed his help.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
It was almost as though ...
He was deliberately being careful around her.
But since when had Dylan Warren ever needed to be careful with anyone?
That simply wasn’t like him.
In all the years Jasper had known his brother ...
He had never once seen Dylan Warren tread carefully around another person —not even when facing situations where he himself stood at an overwhelming disadvantage.
But with Adelyn, he seemed very different.
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