h4Chapter 156: Chapter 154: Reaching a Consensus/h4

    On thest day of June, Elliana Lyle received her graduation certificate, marking theplete end of her university life.

    Nancy’s matter had no concrete leads under investigation, yet Galen Collins had discovered the person behind illegal live streaming. However, this person turned out to be a foreigner named Vincent, making it not that easy to apprehend him immediately.

    The clues seemed to be breaking again, but Simon King was still the prime suspect since Luna had found out about his private dealings with Vincent.

    What surprised her the most was that Simon King’s divorce case had been going on for more than a month, and it remained entangled in court without a definite oue.

    As a result, Simon King’spany was poorly managed, leading to overdue wages on its live streaming tform, and Radiant Light took the opportunity to lure numerous popr streamers away from Simon King’s tform at a low price.

    "Young Madam, you’ll be heading to North City tomorrow, should I help you pack your things?"

    "Mm, okay."

    Sitting on the sofa munching on chips, Elliana Lyle showed little reaction, as she was engrossed in a new script on her phone at the moment.

    Sister Wang had gotten her a new role, in a time-travel fantasy series adapted from a novel titled "The Apprentice Wants to Gank Me Every Day".

    As for now, only the leading roles had been confirmed, with her as the female lead and the male lead being Yates Zander, whom she knew fairly well.

    Ding ding...

    The phone in the vi rang at that moment, quickly answered by a maid.

    A few secondster, the maid ced the phone down and said to her, "Young Madam, Security says that the Young Master’s stepmother is here. Should we let her in?" The maid waited for Elliana Lyle’s indication.

    Norman Bet’s stepmother?

    Though a stepmother, definitely not someone who should be kept at the door!

    "Please, bring her in."

    ...

    Within half a minute, a gorgeous middle-aged woman walked in, well-maintained and looking ageless, with her hair tied low and a strand left gracefully across her forehead, exuding a gentle intellectual aura.

    The pale green qipao with dark patterns enhanced her elegance and wealth.

    This was Norman Bet’s stepmother, Mia rke! Seeing this woman, Elliana Lyle couldn’t help but feel tense. She didn’t expect Norman Bet’s stepmother to be so youthful.

    Yet she also knew that this woman wouldn’t be easy to handle, since there was that time she tried to marry another woman to Norman Bet, which had left Elliana Lyle with a bad impression of Mia rke.

    "Hello, Aunt Mia."

    "You are Elliana Lyle?" As soon as Mia rke spoke, her demeanor shifted immediately.

    Just moments ago, she seemedposed and dignified, but now she had a rather unrestrained vibe.

    The voice might naturally carry a seductiveness, but at this moment Mia rke tilted her head slightly, giving an enticing nce.

    This was not the demeanor expected from an elder at all.

    After scanning her from head to toe, Mia rke smiled with satisfaction, saying, "You look quite delicate, how old are you this year?" After speaking, she coyly walked over to the sofa and sat down.

    "..." Why did it feel like... being appraised in a notorious ce?

    Nevertheless, she politely replied, "Aunt Mia, I’m 20."

    Mia rke brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, smiling, "Already an adult, huh? I thought you were underage. Where’s Norman? Went to thepany?"

    "Yes, he went to thepany."

    "Perfect, you apany me to meet Norman. I’m new to the South City and not familiar with the ce."

    Elliana Lyle: "(●—●)"

    ...

    "I’ll call you little Ellie then, and don’t call me aunt, I’m only 30, just 10 years older than you. Call me sister instead."

    At this time, as Elliana was driving towards Melody Harmony, Mia rke, sitting at the back, was continuously chatting about random topics, and now wanted Elliana to call her sister...

    "No, Aunt Mia, you’re the elder, generation hierarchy should be respected." To be honest, she didn’t expect Mia rke to be just 30, as she remembered that Uncle Bet was nearly fifty!

    Faced with her unwillingness toply, Mia rke seemed unperturbed and instead said, "Ellie, stop over there. I’m thirsty and want something to drink."

    Seeing the nearby café, she had no choice but to reply, "Alright."

    After parking the car by the roadside, she followed Mia rke into the café.

    "Elliana."

    As soon as they entered the café, a male voice called out to her.

    Turning around, she saw the person seated at the table they passed by was Shawn Lyle.

    "Dad? Why are you here?" Elliana felt a bit puzzled, wondering why Shawn Lyle appeared in a ce like this?

    Mia rke then spoke, "Ellie, is this your father? You chat with him; I’ll head to meet Norman myself."

    Before she could react, Mia rke had already sashayed away. When she tried to catch up, Shawn Lyle grabbed her firmly!

    "Ellie, apany Dad for a bit."

    The grip was quite strong, causing soreness in her arm!

    In the past month, Shawn Lyle had persistently asked her to return to the Lyle family home and had visited the Bet household, but each time was turned away.

    She knew well that returning to the Lyle family home offered her no benefits.

    "Alright."

    Only then did Shawn Lyle loosen his grip, and she sat opposite him.

    "If you have something to say, please go ahead." Currently, her attitude towards this father was like dealing with a distant stranger. As long as Shawn Lyle didn’t do anything overboard, she couldn’t be bothered to lose her temper.

    Watching Mia rke’s departing figure through the ss, her heart sank, knowing Mia rke couldn’t possibly be acquainted with Shawn Lyle.

    Hence, it’s unlikely that Mia rke had deliberately led her here, but... it seemed too coincidental.

    When she noticed two men standing at the cafe’s entrance, an ominous feeling arose, wondering if Shawn Lyle intended to forcibly take her home?

    "Ellie, Dad is here today to discuss something with you."

    Elliana Lyle suppressed her anxiety, focusing back on Shawn Lyle. Despite a growing fear, she maintainedposure and asked, "What is it?"

    Today’s Shawn Lyle seemed quite different from usual, once again wearing that deceptive warm facade, which in turn made it even more terrifying.

    Especially since the café was empty, only she and Shawn Lyle were there, with only one staff member who was watching her, clearly not someone she could count on for help.

    Shawn Lyle smiled warmly, "Dad still hopes you can return home. After all, living with Norman before marriage is inappropriate. Don’t you agree?"

    This matter had been mentioned by Shawn Lyle countless times. Upon talking about marriage, she suddenly remembered that Mia rke wanted someone or another to marry Norman Bet!

    And from various indications, Shawn Lyle seemed to hold a grudge against Norman Bet, although she didn’t know why, what she knew was that Shawn Lyle didn’t want her to marry Norman Bet!

    Their goals were almost identical, so they must have formed an alliance?

    Yet she just couldn’t fathom how Mia rke became acquainted with Shawn Lyle. There had to be something she wasn’t aware of!

    "Dad, let me use the washroom first."

    "Go ahead."

    Shawn Lyle didn’t stop her. As she got up to take her phone from the table, he remarked, "No need to y with your phone in the washroom."

    With that said, he took the phone from her hand, confirming her suspicion that Shawn Lyle intended to take her back to the Lyle family.

    Were it not for the rule ofw, Shawn Lyle might have already forcibly made a move.

    "Alright, I’ll be back soon." She didn’t insist on retrieving her phone as she still had her smartwatch.

    Concealing her wrist under her skirt, she left the seat.

    Once Elliana left, Shawn Lyle’s expression turned increasingly somber.

    ...

    Reaching the bathroom, Elliana quickly locked the outer security door, then entered a stall and locked that door too.

    Afterpleting these actions, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, her heart pounding loudly, echoing in the restroom.