“I should be going now. Do stay in touch!” The last words carried unmistakable emphasis.

“Mm.” The noncommittal sound conveyed neither enthusiasm nor rejection. The moment Bonnie disappeared from view, Ernest’s smile evaporated like morning mist under harsh sunlight.

Elissa completed her descent precisely in time to glimpse Bonnie’s retreating figure, fruit platter in hand, her entire being radiating unmistakable joy.

“Has your conversation with your grandfather concluded?” she inquired, her voice returning to its normal register.

With fluid efficiency, Ernest pocketed his device and rose to his full height. “Shall we depart?”

“Yes.” Elissa’s head dipped in affirmation, a subtle furrow forming between her brows. “If you don’t mind my asking, what were you discussing with Bonnie moments ago?”

“Nothing of consequence.” Ernest’s response hovered in the nebulous territory between truth and evasion. “Merely exchanging pleasantries.”

Was that truly all? Elissa’s mind balanced precariously between acceptance and skepticism, instinct whispering contradictions. Yet she refrained from probing deeper, swallowing the questions that crowded her throat.

The labyrinthine complexity of their relationship hardly needed additional complications. Pressing him for details would only paint her as possessive, adding another layer to their already tangled dynamic.

They exited side by side, footsteps synchronized. Just as they approached his vehicle in the street’s muted lighting, a familiar figure intercepted their path—Bonnie, appearing as if conjured by some cosmic coincidence.

“Oh, Elissa, Mr. Flynn!” Bonnie’s voice lilted with feigned surprise. “Heading out already?”

Discomfort etched itself across Elissa’s features. The statistical anomaly wasn’t lost on her—Bonnie had directed more words toward her in this single evening than throughout their entire shared history.

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“Alright then. Take care and drive safely.” Bonnie’s fingers fluttered in a wave, her smile revealing perfectly aligned teeth.

Elissa ducked into the passenger seat, the leather cushion sighing beneath her weight. As the vehicle glided forward, Elissa’s gaze drifted toward the window, inadvertently connecting with Bonnie’s watchful stare.

Bonnie’s lips curled into something beyond mere friendliness—a calculating, almost predatory expression that sent an involuntary chill down Elissa’s spine. An unshakable premonition settled in Elissa’s gut—Bonnie was orchestrating something beneath the surface, something deliberate and potentially devastating.

Fragments of the evening’s interactions flickered through her mind as her eyes slid toward Ernest’s profile. The pieces arranged themselves into a disturbing pattern—whatever Bonnie planned, Ernest stood at its center.

“Mm?” Ernest’s brow furrowed, catching her scrutiny. “Is something troubling you? Why the intense examination?” Find the newest release on Find[?]ovel.net

“Nothing worthwhile,” Elissa muttered, shaking her head as irritation prickled beneath her skin.

What wild conclusions was she jumping to? No tangible evidence supported these suspicions. And even if some connection did exist between Bonnie and Ernest, what recourse did she have? What right did she possess to interfere?

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