Chapter 492 Ella
Desmond glanced at his phone again in the car.
No missed calls, no messages.
Today was the third day of the deadline he had set for Clara, but she hadn't even tried to contact him.
Desmond felt a surge of irritation, gripping his phone tightly.
The car drove into the gated community and stopped in front of Desmond's house.
The sky was dim, visibility was low.
"We're here," the driver said, noticing Desmond hadn't moved.
Desmond snapped out of his thoughts, opened the car door, and got out in one swift motion.
"You haven't paid!" the taxi driver called after him.
Desmond paused, frowning, and patted his pockets, but they were empty.
He checked his pants pockets too, still nothing.
He realized he had nothing on him but his clothes and phone.
Desmond recalled that after seeing Eldon's message last night, he had thrown on a jacket and left in a hurry.
He hadn't brought any money, and his car was still parked near the bar because he had been drinking.
The driver, seeing Desmond search himself multiple times without finding any money, worried he might just walk away. He parked the car and approached Desmond.
"I'll go inside and get the money," Desmond said, trying to keep his tone even despite his frustration.
The driver eyed him suspiciously, as if trying to see through him.
Feeling uncomfortable under the driver's gaze, Desmond repeated, "Wait here, I'll get the money."
"No way. How about you leave your phone as collateral?" The driver wasn't about to let Desmond go inside, unsure if he would come back out. Plus, waiting took time.
Desmond frowned deeply. "This phone is worth..."
Before he could finish, someone called his name. "Desmond?"
He turned to see a middle-aged woman walking from the villa.
She looked excited and familiar. "Desmond! It's you! You're back in Luminous City? How are things with Clara? She hasn't been causing you trouble, has she?"
"Who are you?" Desmond asked, annoyed by the woman's familiarity and mention of Clara, which only added to his irritation.
He had given Clara three days to return to Luminous City, and she hadn't contacted him at all. Hearing her name now only made him more upset.
Especially, the woman in front of him looked disheveled and had a foul odor about her.
The driver, seeing a woman who looked like a beggar approach Desmond so familiarly, stepped back in disgust, covering his nose and reassessing Desmond.
He wondered if Desmond might be a beggar too, but Desmond's appearance didn't quite fit that.
Desmond, angered by the driver's judgmental look, swallowed his pride and snapped at the woman, "Who are you? Get lost and stop bothering me!"
"I'm Clara's mom! It's me, Ella!" she said, reaching out to grab Desmond's hand, trying to make him recognize her.
"Stay away from me!" Desmond recoiled in disgust.
Seeing Ella's disheveled state only made his expression colder.
"Desmond?" Ella called softly, not daring to get closer.
Before Desmond could respond, the driver, who had been watching the scene unfold, finally spoke up, "What are you guys doing? Just pay me already."
"I'll get the money from inside," Desmond said, turning to go.
The driver followed, "I'll come with you."
Desmond stopped, "Wait here!"
Did he look like someone who wouldn't pay? Letting the driver inside would only embarrass him in front of his household staff.
The driver was about to argue when Ella spoke up, "How much? I'll pay for Desmond."
The driver looked at her skeptically and gave the amount.
It was only a few dozen dollars, but he doubted this beggar-like woman could pay.
Desmond was momentarily stunned when Ella offered to pay, then tried to stop her, but she had already pulled out the money.
He didn't want to touch her dirty-looking hand, so he let it go.
Ella handed over a fifty-dollar bill, and the driver gave her change.
With the fare paid, the driver got back in his car and drove off.
Desmond, not caring that Ella had paid, walked towards the villa door.
Ella followed, but he didn't stop her.
At the entrance, as Desmond changed his shoes, Ella nervously called out to him.
Desmond stopped at the stairs, turned to her, and said impatiently, "Wait here. I'll get the money, and you can leave."
Ella didn't move forward, but didn't want to be dismissed so easily.
She waved her hands, "Desmond, you don't need to pay me back."
Desmond, annoyed, said, "No need for the fare? Then just leave."
Thinking of Clara irritated him, and dealing with Clara's mother, Ella, was even worse.
Ella's presence would only remind him of Clara, who was already a source of frustration.
"What?" Ella was stunned by Desmond's blunt dismissal, her hands frozen mid-air.
The atmosphere grew tense, the air thick with awkwardness.
Ella quickly remembered her purpose for coming to the Boleyn Villa and, with a nervous smile, said, "Desmond, that's not what I meant."
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