Chapter 71

Zane looked at her with concern. “You alright? Should we head to the hospital?”

Elysia shook her head lightly. “I just need a moment to catch my breath.”

Zane quickly went to the nearby minibar and grabbed a bottle of spring water, twisting off the cap and handing it to her. “Here, drink some water.”

“Thanks,” Elysia said, taking several sips.

“How do you feel now? You sure we don’t need to make a hospital run?”

“Yeah, no need, I’m fine.”

Zane let her rest for a bit before asking, “When did you get back to town? And how on earth did you get into a tiff with Gage?”

Elysia replied, “I’ve been back for a while. Heard from Blossom that Winona was out of the country shooting a film, so I didn’t drop by to visit.”

Mentioning Winona’s filming abroad, a fleeting shadow crossed Zane’s eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“Yeah, she’s been gone sometime now. She got a gig that required hush–hush production and even signed a nondisclosure agreement. No clue when she’ll be back. Heck, even I Can’t reach her.”

After saying this, Zane quickly changed the subject. “So what’s the real deal with you and Gage?”

Elysia frowned. “I was bartending the other night, and he set his sights on me. From the moment we met, he was trying to…”

Zane got the picture and scowled. “That Gage is a notorious womanizer in Jindale City, always loafing around, never serious about anything. If it weren’t for his brother Donovan Slater’s reputation, he’d have been taken down a peg long ago.”

“The Slater family, they’re powerful here?”

“Yep, they’re one of Jindale City’s leading families.”

“I’ve heard of the Bradford family, never the Slaters.”

“The Slater family’s been on the rise these past few years. The reason being Ms. Slater from their family is tight with… well…”

He caught himself, remembering Tarquin had disowned the connection, and quickly pivoted, “Ms.

Slater’s close friendship with the Bradfords has given the whole Slater family a leg up. That’s why people tread lightly around Gage.”

09:44 “No wonder Gage’s so brazen.”

“We can’t mess with his likes, so it’s best to steer clear.”

“Got it, and thanks for today.”

“Don’t mention it. But how did you end up bartending?”

“I didn’t have a job lined up, so I took a part–time gig. Just my luck to run into him on my first night.”

Zane frowned. “That’s no place for someone like you.”

Elysia gave a wry smile; she, a penniless soul, couldn’t afford to be choosy. As long as it wasn’t illegal, any job that paid was good enough.

Zane asked her again, “Where have you been all these years? We looked everywhere for you, nearly drove ourselves mad. We even filed a missing person report when we couldn’t find any trace of you.”

Elysia’s lips moved, but she was at a loss for words.

“Ding, ding, ding…”

Zane’s phone suddenly rang, and he glanced at the screen, “Sorry, gotta take this call.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Zane stepped aside with his phone. “Hello?”

The voice on the other end was frantic. “Zane, you here yet? Mr. Bradford’s already arrived, and you’re not here. Do you have any idea how much effort I put in to set up this meeting for you? We finally get a chance to have dinner with Mr. Bradford, and you’re not seizing the opportunity to make a good impression. Get over here, pronto.”

Zane glanced at Elysia and responded, “I’ll be right there.”

Seeing the situation, Elysia knew he had obligations. “Go on, get to your meeting. We can catch up some other time.”

With a hint of regret, Zane said, “Business matters, never–ending social commitments.”