Chapter 489: Chapter 489

Chapter 489:

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The dismissal was cold and final. Kellan had initially thought to use Carole, to test how Allison would react to his attention. But instead, Kellan found himself tangled in his own emotions, growing hurt with each passing moment. What Carole had meant as casual banter had turned out to be a grave miscalculation.

The only thing keeping her from outright expulsion was a debt: her family’s past kindness to Kellan’s grandmother. That, and that alone, prevented him from severing ties entirely.

“Kellan, I told my dad I’d meet you at the café. If I go back now, he’ll definitely give me hell.”

Carole’s face paled as the thought crossed her mind. Her father’s punishments weren’t just discipline—they were a form of torment. If she didn’t manage to make things work with Kellan, she knew the brutal consequences that awaited her.

To make matters worse, there were curious eyes all around, watching her and Kellan, likely gossiping about their interactions and expecting some kind of chemistry.

She had thought Kellan’s invitation to the café was a good sign, perhaps even a step forward. Now, though, she couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that it was all backfiring.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, her voice tinged with desperation. “I didn’t sleep well, and I wasn’t thinking straight. It won’t happen again, I promise—”

Before she could finish, Gordon laughed, a cool smile curling on his lips.

“Kellan, if you can meet Miss Perry at the café, I don’t see why I can’t have a date with Allison here,” he said, the faintest hint of mockery in his tone. “Besides, the things Allison and I discuss aren’t for just anyone to know.”

It wasn’t a suggestion. Gordon’s words dripped with thinly veiled hostility, wrapped up as casual conversation.

Kellan’s expression remained calm, but his gaze could have cut through glass. “That’s exactly what I want to say. When I’m speaking with Ms. Clarke, I’d appreciate it if you refrained from interrupting. Otherwise, I’ll have to teach you some respect… for your father’s sake.”

Gordon’s brows arched, and his smile only grew colder. “Oh, is that a threat?”

The entire café seemed to shrink. The warm chatter of patrons faded, swallowed by a tense silence.

Even Carole felt a chill in the air, the weight of the hostility thick enough to slice through.

It wasn’t until now that she realized what was happening. These two weren’t just talking—they were sizing each other up, each vying for Allison’s attention.

Yet in the middle of it all, Allison sat quietly, her gaze steady and impassive, as if she were above the brewing storm.

Finally, with a sigh, she met both of their eyes with a cool, unflinching stare. “Both of you, shut up.”

Carole’s jaw dropped, a tiny gasp escaping her lips.

Did she just…?

Allison wasn’t addressing just anyone. Kellan, heir to the Lloyd family, was feared by most, even from the confines of his wheelchair. His influence was enough to keep others at bay.

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