After Alyssa and Sean packed up, they prepared to return to Solana City with Mandyâs medication for Jasper.
âLyse, are you in a hurry? Canât you stay for dinner? Itâs almost ready,â Lyla called out to her and hurried over, wearing an apron.
âItâs alright, Lyla. I have to get home soon,â Alyssa replied. She gently held Lylaâs face in her hands and examined her.
Then, she suggested, âYour birthday is just around the corner. You should take a few days off, relax, and stop doing all the chores. Treat yourself to some beauty spas and look your best for your big day this weekend!â
Lyla grumbled, âWhat birthday? I never wanted to celebrate it. The thought of all the socializing on Sunday tires me.â She sighed. âIâm only doing it for your dad.â
âNo, youâre wrong. Heâs doing it for you. Or rather, weâre doing it for you,â Alyssa corrected her.
âListen to me. Donât overwork yourself, I have my spies at home, and theyâll report to me if you refuse to listen.
âIf Iâm upset, Iâll show up at your birthday party empty-handed and eat all your food! Heh heh!*
Sean smiled at Alyssaâs playful act as she pretended to be angry. Her little button nose and her pouted cherry lips were adorable.
A smile lit up Lylaâs lovely face. She playfully pinched Alyssaâs cheek and said, âFamily is the best gift!â
Having grown up in an orphans Lyla had been discovered by talent agents while performing in a theatrical troupe. She had then signed with an entertainment agency and embarked on her acting career.
Sheâd had a challenging upbringing compared to some of Winstonâs other wives. She hadnât come from a prominent family like Mandy, whose family ran a business, or Colene, whose father was a gangster.
Therefore, she often felt inferior and believed she wasnât a good fit for Winston and the Taylor family.
Her only desire was to lead a low-profile life and avoid causing trouble for anyone.
Alyssa felt a lump in her throat upon hearing Lylaâs reply. Sometimes, she envied Winston for his many wives. She had the thought of inheriting Winstonâs business and subsequently forming a harem of her own.
Too bad it was hard to come across decent men. It would be pointless to have a harem if she could only âLyse.â A stern voice interrupted her thoughts. Turning around, she saw Jonah in his black pastorâs robe with a Bible in his left hand. He gracefully descended the white marble stairs.
âHey, Jonah.
âPlease donât hurry back yet. I need to have a talk with you.â
In the tea room, Jonah made Alyssa some fragrant tea. She watched him prepare the tea with much admiration. His grace could rival that of a royal prince.
It seemed impossible to find Jonah a woman who could match his class and poise.
Jonah gently handed her the cup of tea and asked calmly, âLyse, are you at all interested in Jameson?â
âHuh?â Alyssa went blank and nearly dropped the cup.
âIâm serious.â
âNo. Nada. Nein. Non,â Alyssa replied firmly, shaking her head.
âOkay then. You shouldnât keep too much contact with him,â Jonah advised, sipping on his tea elegantly.
âUm, Jamesonâs the one who came to me. I never wanted to be close to him,â she argued.
âAnd you neither accepted his feelings nor rejected them? What does that make you, a player?â teased Jonah, âWhat are you talking about? Iâm not! How could you say that about your sister?â Alyssa countered, her face blushing in anger.
âLyse, if youâre not interested in him, you need to set boundaries. What youâre doing now is giving him false hope.â