Chapter 11
“No need. Stay here.”
Paige stopped Mira and said apologetically, “Mira, I believe you, and Allen won’t blame you. It’s just that Allen and I have just got married, which has made Abby insecure all the time. Abby even ran away from home a while ago. Sometimes Allen can’t bear to blame her, for fear that he might irritate her, and she will run away again.”
“I’m fine, Paige. I’m just worried about you. With Abby’s character, you may suffer in the future,” Mira said, feeling sorry for Paige.
Paige shook her head. “Life is never easy. You know I’ve always been very tolerant. I had no problem accepting my parents‘ divorce and you and Elle moving in. Besides, Allen told me about Abby before we got married. I willingly entered their lives, and I don’t regret it. Even if I fail in the future, at least I tried, and I won’t have regrets.”
Mira didn’t know what to say.
In the end, she stayed the night.
She slept with Paige.
Abby insisted on being accompanied by Allen instead of
Paige.
apter 11
40 Vouchers
It was the next morning.
Hugh went down to breakfast after a refreshing sleep.
He was relatively late, as Brenden, Taryn, Brady, and Sylvia were already here.
“Now that everyone is here, let’s dig in.”
Hugh felt that something was missing, but he could think of nothing for a while. He picked up the fork and was about
to eat.
Brenden banged the table, making a great sound. “Put it down! We have rules in our family. No one is allowed to eat before everyone is here.”
Hugh was stunned.
Being reminded, he suddenly knew why he had felt so comfortable this morning.
There was indeed someone missing. He almost forgot he was married.
“Where’s Mira?”
Taryn grumbled, “What time is it already? Is the whole family supposed to wait for her?”
Brady said, “Mom, she’s young, and it’s perfectly normal for her to sleep in.”
“She is married now. Since she is now one of us, she should know our rules.” Taryn looked at Sylvia. “She is on your
15
watch now. Discipline her so that we won’t embarra** us”
Sylvia said sarcastically, “Mom, I don’t dare discipline her at all, given her temper. Besides, she seems to have run away from home last night.”
“What?”
It was Brenden who asked. “What happened?”
Brenden glared at Hugh. “Did you say something?”
Hugh was a bit stunned.
He had asked Mira to sleep in a different room last night. He had not expected her to leave.
“Dad, I didn’t say anything,” Hugh strongly denied it.
Brenden sneered. He knew how mean Hugh could be better than anyone.
“Surely you said something unpleasant to her. And you! Why didn’t you tell me that Mira had left till now? We live in the suburbs. Has it ever occurred to you that the traffic here isn’t convenient, and it is dark at night? She is a young woman. What if something happens to her when she’s out there alone?”
Sylvia guiltily explained, “Dad, I found out this morning.”
Brenden ignored her and ordered Hugh, “Go get Mira back right now. Bear the consequences of your own mistakes.”
Hugh was livid. “Dad, I have to go to work later…”
40 Vouchers.
“Fine. Then about the woman’s treatment…” Brenden turned to look at Hugh.
Hugh immediately got up, gritted his teeth, and said, “Fine. I’ll go.””
“Eat before you leave,” Taryn said.
“I don’t think skipping one meal will kill him,” Brenden snorted.
Hugh was so pissed off that he was in no mood to eat, so he grabbed his car keys and left.
After asking Lucas for the Boyle’s home’s address, he drove directly there.
The Boyle family lived in a small townhouse with a small garden.
Hugh rang the doorbell, and a middle–aged woman in an apron answered the door. She froze when she saw the tall handsome man at the door.
“I’m here for Mira,” Hugh said indifferently.
“You are…”
“Hugh Leopold.”
The two words made Elle tense.
It was the first time she had met such a distinguished rich man. She turned to Odin in the dining room and shouted, “Odin, Mr. Leopold is here.”
48.41%
40 Vou hous
A huge sound rang out.
Odin almost knocked the plate over.
He quickly ran over with tension, excitement, and appeasement. “Mr. Leopold, what brings you here? Come inside!”
Hugh frowned, disgusted by Odin’s gesture.
With Odin’s status and worth, Odin may not be a match for a manager in Hugh’s company.
If Odin hadn’t been lucky enough to marry Mariah Jordan, the daughter of the Jordan family, a man like Odin wouldn’t have been qualified to be Hugh’s father–in–law at all.
When Hugh went through relative files, he saw that Odin had an affair over a decade ago, divorced Mariah, and married a kindergarten teacher.
To be honest, he despised Odin genuinely.
And it made him want to divorce Mira all the more.
“Where’s Mira? I’m here for her,” Hugh said, cutting to the chase. “Tell her to get out.”
“Mira?”
Elle was confused. “Hasn’t she been taking care of you at the Leopold’s home?”
“She ran away from home last night. She didn’t come back?” Hugh’s pupils shrank.
He then thought about the fact that there was no taxi near the Leopold’s villa at night at all, and he couldn’t help but wonder if something may happen to Mira,
“No.” Elle was nervous. “Why did she run away? Did you or your family bully her?”
“What are you talking about? Who is Mr. Leopold? Why would he bully Mira?”
Odin angrily pushed Elle aside and quickly said to Hugh, “Mr. Leopold, don’t be angry. I didn’t raise her well. She has been stubborn since childhood. I’ll call her right away to tell her to get back here.”
Then Odin called Mira right away.
***
Meanwhile, Mira was having pasta.
It was made by Allen.
“Paige, I finally saw Allen’s strengths in something other than his physical appearance and academics. He’s a good cook.”
As Mira was sighing, her phone rang.
She picked it up and heard Odin scold, “You damn girl! Don’t you think you’re a bit too old to run away from home? Mr. Leopold has come to our place to look for you. Get your a** back here!”
Mira’s face went cold. “Fine. I’ll be back.”
