Chapter 556 Counterattack David
Yvette's words dropped like a pebble into still water, sending ripples across the surface of Albert's composure.
"What did you say?" Albert's voice trembled slightly.
His gaze locked onto Yvette's face, searching her expression for any hint of what she truly meant. Yvette's eyes sparkled with mischief, and just as Albert's anticipation peaked, she bit her lip in a shy smile, a fleeting blush coloring her cheeks.
"There are many people in this world who love you," Yvette said, meeting his gaze with earnest sincerity. "You have to believe that."
Albert stared at her, the tremor in his chest refusing to settle. He watched her bright eyes and heard her gentle tone, feeling his confusion and shock slowly give way to warmth. Even without her saying the words explicitly, he could sense her feelings clearly enough.
Perhaps only Yvette could read his emotions so perfectly.
Albert raised an eyebrow, his entire demeanor softening. "Who loves me?"
"BoBo, CiCi, Grandfather, Grandmother," Yvette blinked thoughtfully. "They all love you."
"And?" Albert pressed.
Yvette opened her mouth to respond when a man's voice cut through their conversation.
"Albert, Yvette."
Both turned to see David approaching them slowly. He still favored one leg, his limp barely concealed despite his efforts. Though the rain had stopped, Albert kept the umbrella open, maintaining distance between them and David.
David stopped before them, wearing his familiar gentle smile—the same benevolent mask that both Albert and Yvette knew concealed something far darker.
Albert glanced at him sideways but remained silent.
"Seeing that you're both well puts my mind at ease," David said with practiced warmth.
His words made Yvette's expression shift, instantly transporting her back to that underground room where she and the children had been trapped. Her body began to tremble involuntarily.
Albert sensed her distress immediately, tightening his protective hold around her waist as if lending her his strength. Yvette lowered her gaze and leaned into Albert's solid presence.
David's eyes glinted with provocation, his smile taking on a mocking edge. "Albert, I have something I'd like to discuss with you. Would that be convenient?"
Albert met David's gaze with steady composure, his eyes cold and unwavering as they swept dismissively over the tie at David's chest. He could already predict exactly what David intended to say—undoubtedly some boast about the tie, hoping to sow seeds of doubt between them.
Why else would David wear such an inappropriate accessory to a memorial service?
Albert's lips curved in a slight smile before he spoke, his voice low and commanding. "Say it right here. Yvette's not an outsider—there's nothing she can't hear."
David's expression froze.
Albert's dark eyes were filled with ice, his smirk dripping with contempt. He took Yvette's hand and stepped closer, lowering his voice to whisper in David's ear, "Some tricks only work once, and they certainly can't shake someone who already knows the truth. Understand, David?"
David stood frozen, his smile gradually fading as the seconds ticked by.
Albert wasted no more words on him. He folded the umbrella and guided Yvette away from The Valdemar Villa, leaving David to stare after their closely entwined figures with eyes full of malice.
The post-rain world seemed veiled in gossamer mist. Albert's gaze was focused and intense as he gripped the steering wheel, navigating the slick roads with careful precision.
Yvette sat in the passenger seat, quietly watching the world beyond her window. The rain-washed pavement reflected the amber glow of streetlights, casting her entire form in a soft, ethereal light.
The car's interior was steeped in contemplative silence, broken only by the gentle patter of raindrops against the windows. Albert glanced sideways at Yvette, noting how her profile seemed particularly melancholy in the quiet.
His lips pressed together briefly before he finally spoke. "What's on your mind?"
His tone was casual, though it was clear he'd been wrestling with the question for some time.
Yvette turned to face him. "What did he want to talk to you about? Was it something I couldn't know?"
Albert's fingers drummed a steady rhythm against the steering wheel as he considered his response. "Probably wanted to brag about how you and the children bought him that tie."
Combined with Albert's earlier words, understanding dawned on Yvette's face.
"He probably didn't expect that I already knew everything," Albert continued.
Yvette nodded. "I didn't expect that either." Then something occurred to her, and she looked up at him sharply. "So before, when you saw the tie I bought, you thought I'd given it to him?"
Albert raised an eyebrow noncommittally.
Yvette bit her lower lip in embarrassment. "I never gave it to him. He must have found out which one I purchased."
"I know," Albert's voice was matter-of-fact. "He was deliberately trying to provoke me."
He spoke with such casual indifference, as if he hadn't been the one who'd been upset earlier.
Yvette covered her mouth to hide a laugh, the melancholy atmosphere around her instantly dissolving. The mood in the car lightened considerably.
Their small world seemed suspended in time, with only the sound of rain and their synchronized heartbeats filling the space between them.
Yvette tilted her head slightly, her bright eyes studying Albert's sharp profile. "When I asked you to come, didn't you refuse? What made you change your mind?"
Her lips curved upward in a mixture of curiosity and delight.
Albert remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the road ahead, something unguarded flickering in his dark eyes. He drew a quiet breath, his voice low and resonant.
"If I hadn't come, wouldn't you have gotten soaked in the rain?"
His tone was playful, and Yvette knew he was teasing her.
"How could you have known it would rain if you weren't coming?" Yvette folded her hands in her lap, studying him intently.
A red light appeared ahead, and Albert gradually applied the brakes. As the car came to a smooth stop, he turned to face her.
"I always come for Grandfather's memorial," Albert said quietly. "Besides, I knew you genuinely wanted me there."
Yvette nodded, then pressed further. "But when I first asked you to come, why did you refuse so quickly?"
Albert paused, caught off guard by her persistence.
He raised a fist to his lips, clearing his throat softly. "I thought that to convince me to go, you might agree to some... concessions on my terms."
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