CHAPTER 248: CHAPTER 248: AT THIS MOMENT, SHE MISSES ELIAS MADLY

Florence Sinclair fixed her gaze, and the man facing away from them turned his head to speak to the waiter.

The face was undoubtedly Auden Hughes, who had refused to join her for lunch at the Sinclair Family home earlier, citing a social engagement.

Florence Sinclair felt her blood freeze in an instant, her phone almost slipping as she was about to take a photo.

She had suspected these two were up to something; it seemed her intuition was correct.

"Sis," Isabelle Sinclair nudged her, "Why are your eyes so red? Do you have high blood pressure?"

"Juliana... Juliana! I’ll make you pay!"

Florence swallowed her anger, quickly finding a number among her contacts and dialing it.

Auden Hughes was chatting with Juliana Jacobs about funny high school anecdotes when a walking stick suddenly dropped behind him.

Caught off guard, he took a solid hit.

He turned around, not daring to show anger, and stood up respectfully.

"Grandpa, what are you doing?"

By now, the entire restaurant was watching them.

Old Mr. Hughes pointed at Juliana Jacobs and said, "The Hughes Family’s reputation is not yours to squander in such places with this kind of woman!"

"This kind of woman," the words whipped through the air like a lash, full of humiliation.

"How can you face Florence with what you’re doing!"

The old man was so furious he jabbed his cane hard.

"Grandpa, who tattled to you? We’re just having a normal meal here..."

"Old man!"

Juliana grasped her glass tightly, her knuckles slightly pale, but her face maintained a composed smile.

She interrupted Auden Hughes, taking over the confrontation.

"Saying your grandson is disgracing you—aren’t you disgracing yourself by labeling a gender as indecent without knowing the facts? Is it in your heart that only your kind of gender is noble and respectable?"

"Juliana, let’s not say anything more," Auden Hughes murmured in dissuasion.

But Juliana ignored him, "Don’t forget, you were also born into this gender you label as ’indecent’."

"You..."

The old man’s face flushed red, appearing unsteady.

Auden Hughes quickly supported him, "Grandpa, don’t be upset."

"Old Mr. Hughes!" Juliana deliberately raised her voice, "Was it the Sinclair Family’s second daughter who sent you here? She doesn’t trust her boyfriend and violates others’ privacy to track me, while you indiscriminately insult people and act if you’re passing out pretending to extort sympathy. The Hughes and Sinclair Families are quite the match—hurry up and get them married; I’ll definitely contribute."

Her words prompted laughter from the restaurant patrons.

Old Mr. Hughes, his faux fainting exposed, couldn’t maintain his composure and immediately instructed his accompanying bodyguard, "Escort this woman back, let’s have a good... discussion."

"Old Master Hawthorne, it’s been a while, still so fiery."

Everyone turned to see Evan Grant walking forward with a calm demeanor, finally standing beside Juliana Jacobs.

Juliana’s gaze darkened.

"Chairman Grant," Old Mr. Hughes’s attitude improved noticeably, "You and her... are you..."

Evan Grant smiled faintly, "She is my ex-wife; we’re here on a business trip to Kingsford. Old Master Hughes didn’t know, she and your grandson are high school classmates."

Indeed, Old Mr. Hughes did not know and was momentarily speechless.

Continuing with a smile, Evan Grant said, "In the afternoon, I heard your grandson booked this restaurant to invite my ex-wife for a meal. My ex-wife didn’t know this was a couples-only place, which I found inappropriate, but your grandson said there’s a dish here unavailable elsewhere."

Everyone could understand; Auden Hughes had schemed against his ex-wife.

With a slight pause, Evan Grant gave Auden Hughes a sharp look, "Thanks for the hospitality, but she won’t be visiting the Hughes Family, we bid farewell."

With that, he reached to put his arm around Juliana, intending to lead her away.

But Juliana anticipated his move first, picking up her bag and stepping forward.

Evan Grant awkwardly lowered his hand, dutifully falling into step.

Passing Auden Hughes, Juliana’s gaze was calm, her voice cutting.

"Fake friendship isn’t worth much; I hope Mr. Hughes gives a fair judgment on my friend’s application. I’m brave enough to release the recording; it’s up to you."

Auden Hughes frowned, "A misunderstanding, I’ll explain another day."

But Juliana ignored him, leaving directly.

Old Mr. Sterling’s expression became colorful,

Auden Hughes continued to support him, "Grandpa, you don’t know what Florence’s nature is? You’ve been provoked by her."

Thus, the grandfather and grandson left the restaurant under the eyes of curiosity, bearing the embarrassment.

Juliana proceeded to the restaurant door, the night wind hitting coolly against her face.

Evan Grant hurried to catch up, gripping her wrist with an unyielding gentleness, "I’ll take you."

Juliana pulled her hand free, "Chairman Grant, you arrived quite coincidentally. Don’t say you’re waiting for Luna Thorne again; an old trick doesn’t stay fresh."

Evan Grant pressed his lips, "Juliana, you blocked me, I couldn’t reach you, so I had to check into you, follow you—it’s all because you forced me to."

So it was all still her fault.

Juliana considered giving him a smile of irritation redundant, even reluctant to converse further.

"Stop being stubborn; let’s discuss somewhere else," Evan Grant suggested.

"We have nothing to discuss."

At this point, Raine Kane had already pulled up with the car.

Juliana opened the car door and turned her head back, her gaze tranquil.

"Evan Grant, a conversation is two-way, not your unilateral announcement. When you’re ready to speak to me in terms of ’discussing,’ not ’ordering,’ perhaps I’ll consider giving you a few minutes."

"Also, your intervention tonight was utterly unnecessary, don’t expect my gratitude."

With that, she stepped into the car.

Watching Juliana’s car decisively merge into the traffic, Evan Grant’s expression remained unaffected, yet his jawline tightened.

Ethan Carter approached quietly, "Chairman Grant, your appointment with the other party is coming up—you need to depart immediately."

Evan Grant withdrew his gaze with a dark mood, returning to his usual authoritative demeanor, "Let’s go."

In the car, Juliana remained silent.

She found herself thinking of Elias Langley.

That man would never talk to her with Evan Grant’s superior tone.

In her memory, every time they quarreled, no matter who initiated it, he would bow his head, take fault and soothe her in the end.

Juliana had never sought to argue for right or wrong in their marriage, but Elias’s almost instinctive concessions and patience made her keenly feel she was someone he loved cautiously and appropriately.

Despite the past embedding a thorn in her heart, it still faintly ached.

Yet this pain couldn’t obscure the fact she was fiercely missing him now.

Raine Kane didn’t know what she was thinking, glanced at the rearview mirror, and called "Juliana" to bring her back to reality.

"Our original plan was to tempt Florence Sinclair to appear, making a fool of herself in front of everyone. The more embarrassed she becomes, the more she’ll lose her composure. However, Evan Grant disrupted this; should we adjust our strategy?"

"No need to adjust," Juliana replied calmly, confidently, "I planted a thorn in Auden Hughes’s heart. After going back, he’ll certainly trouble Florence Sinclair."

Just as she finished speaking, Juliana’s phone rang.

It was Elias Langley calling.

After forty hours of cold war between them, he took the initiative to call.