Chapter 46 You Brought This Upon Yourself

The happiest one was undoubtedly Joseph.

He threw himself at Yvonne, insisting that she couldn't back out now.

"It's just a parent-teacher meeting. Don’t worry, I won’t back out," Yvonne comforted the little guy.

Joseph was excited and insisted on dragging Yvonne up together.

Elijah followed closely, keeping a distance of two to three meters.

RD Mount was less than a thousand meters high, and the terrain was relatively gentle. However, halfway up, Joseph, despite being in high spirits, started to pant.

Elijah noticed that something was wrong with his complexion and quickly took out a bottle of transparent spray from his backpack, spraying it into Joseph's mouth twice.

Joseph furrowed his eyebrows and licked his lips repeatedly.

"Are you alright?" Yvonne nervously sweated in her palms.

"The medicine tastes a bit bitter, but I'll tough it out," Elijah said.

Yvonne couldn't tell if he was talking to Joseph or to her.

Joseph leaned on Yvonne, and she sat on the stone steps, gently patting his chest, asking in a soft voice, "How are you feeling? Is it more comfortable now?"

"Auntie, I must climb to the top today." Joseph raised his head, determined.

His breathing was becoming rapid, and Yvonne looked at Elijah with hesitation.

Their gazes met for a brief moment.

Elijah remained calm and collected.

Yvonne suggested, "Let's head back the same way once Joseph's breathing stabilizes."

Elijah's gaze fell on Joseph as he bent down to touch his forehead. "We'll do that once we're ready."

"Listen to Auntie and go down the mountain early. Once it gets warmer after the New Year, the three of us will climb to the mountaintop together," Yvonne said.

Joseph looked helplessly at Yvonne, and Yvonne comforted him, "You've already done great climbing halfway up RD Mount. If it weren't for you leading the way, I would have given up and gone down the mountain long ago."

After a moment of silence, Joseph nodded and agreed to go down the mountain.

RD Mount was a small mountain with cable car stations only at the entrance and the mountaintop, so they had to walk down.

"Joseph, let me help you." Elijah took off his backpack and handed it to Yvonne.

Before Yvonne could react, Elijah had already carried Joseph on his back and started walking down the mountain.

While climbing up the mountain, Joseph was talking and laughing, but on the way down, he weakly clung to Elijah's back and occasionally called out "Auntie" in a feeble voice.

He was truly a child worthy of pity.

Elijah hurriedly walked, carrying Joseph's lonely and desolate figure on his back, and Yvonne's heart inexplicably ached.

She suddenly remembered that woman named Emily.

How deep must the love and hatred be for someone to abandon their spouse and child...

Twenty minutes later, the three of them arrived at the parking lot at the foot of the mountain.

Yvonne and Elijah carefully placed Joseph in the backseat, took off his windproof coat, and let him lie down.

Joseph's breathing gradually calmed down, and a healthy blush appeared on his cheeks.

On the way back to the city, Elijah drove slowly. Yvonne was afraid Joseph would feel suffocated, so she intentionally left a one-centimeter gap in the rear window for him.

Elijah made a call to bring Louis to Bird Hills, and Joseph underwent an examination, which confirmed that he had no major problems. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

At noon, Louis had an appointment and hurriedly left.

Yvonne felt that Elijah was being too indifferent toward her. If she stayed any longer, she wouldn't be able to maintain her dignity, so she decided to leave. Auntie insisted on keeping her and said they should at least finish lunch.

"Did you submit your entry for the RD competition? If not, I can take a look for you," Elijah suddenly said to Yvonne.

In fact, Yvonne had already submitted the entry yesterday, but Elijah's words made her sense a hint of keeping her around. She smiled and replied, "Sure, if we can find a quiet room, you must help me take a good look."

"Let's go to the study on the second floor," Elijah said with a tranquil expression, his cold temperament permeating his very bones.

Watching Elijah's tall and erect figure, Yvonne's lips curved with a confident smile.

As long as Elijah gave her the chance to be alone with him, she could soften his heart again!

The study on the second floor was even larger than the one in Rhode Hills. The three walls were lined with solid wood bookshelves, filled with various law books.

Yvonne had ulterior motives and casually closed the door after entering.

"Send me the final version of the design drawings," Elijah said, already opening his computer.

Yvonne sent him the version she had submitted yesterday, and he earnestly examined it on the computer.

"Mr. Harper, let's talk." Yvonne deliberately placed her hand on his shoulder. "I promise you, in a few days, Ryan and I will draw clear boundaries."

"You've put your hand in the wrong place." Elijah remained cold. "Don't think that using these methods will earn my forgiveness."

"I want to know, what methods can earn your forgiveness—" Yvonne hooked her fingers around his neck and whispered in his ear, "Elijah, isn't it enough for me to admit I was wrong?"

Elijah furrowed his brows, reaching out to push Yvonne, but she was prepared and sat on his lap.

At that moment, Yvonne disregarded her face and dignity.

She sealed Elijah's lips with a passionate kiss, skillfully unfastening his belt with her hands.

Elijah felt his blood rush through his body, but he reversed the roles, nibbling on Yvonne's earlobe. "It's your doing..."

Caught up in the emotional moment, Yvonne kept asking, "Are you ready to forgive me?"

Because Auntie and Joseph were downstairs, Elijah restrained himself throughout the whole process.

Yvonne lay half-reclined on the armchair, her cheeks flushed, while Elijah, fully dressed, sat at the computer.

"I marked a few places, quickly make the changes and submit it. The submission channel will close at two in the afternoon."

"You can relax, I uploaded it last night." Yvonne didn't want to deceive him anymore and laughed lightly.

Elijah suddenly turned around, his eyes filled with a mocking taunt. "So, does that mean you wanted to sleep with me when we came upstairs?"

Yvonne stood up from the chair, and her knees went weak as her feet touched the ground, nearly stumbling.

"Don't be angry, I will be responsible for you." She smiled, getting closer to Elijah and attempting to pinch his cheek.

Elijah held her wrist and pressed her against the bookshelf.

She looked into his eyes. As she stared deeply at the man just inches away, she laughed softly and said, "Everyone enjoys it, why pretend to be righteous!"

Elijah reached out to hold her delicate chin, silently gazing back at her.

Her seaweed-like curly hair was slightly messy, with a few strands falling on his palm, tickling him.

From his palm, the sensations quickly spread to his heart.

Elijah let go of Yvonne and opened the window.

The chilly wind of early winter blew in, extinguishing the flickering thoughts he had just ignited.

"Yvonne, don't think that sleeping together can take us back to the past. Leave." Elijah's tone was resolute.

Yvonne thought she had misheard and stood there stunned.

"Let me say it again, leave, and don't appear in front of me and Joseph again," Elijah said, fearing she wouldn't give up.

Yvonne's face was burning.

To show her apology, she willingly approached him, seeking his embrace.

Since he didn't intend to forgive her, why didn't he push her away and instead follow his heart?

Even though they had already slept together, why didn't he show any affection? Why did he keep bringing up the incident that "crossed his bottom line"?

Being slapped in the face again and again by Elijah, Yvonne's thoughts of reconciliation faded.

She gathered her blouse, which had fallen to her waist, and buttoned it up one by one.

"Let's go, Mr. Harper." Yvonne's melancholic voice grew distant. When Elijah turned around, Yvonne had already gone downstairs.

He straightened his clothes, picked up the scattered documents from the floor, and headed downstairs.

His heart felt empty.

Lunch was plentiful, but he only had a little before leaving Bird Hills.

The morning had been bright with winter sunlight, but in the afternoon, the sky turned gloomy, and the wind grew strong. There was a high chance of temperature dropping tomorrow.

He didn't want to go back to Rhode Hills, nor did he want to go to the law firm. Aimlessly, Elijah drove around the streets.

An incoming call instantly piqued his curiosity.

He clicked and heard Anthony's clear voice, "Mr. Harper, hello."

"Hello," Elijah spoke with emotion.

"Last month, the White Group had a property rights case, and we hired a lawyer from Seattle. We lost. Next month is the retrial, and I would like to ask you to be our attorney. I know Mr. Harper is busy, but you can rest assured about the compensation." Anthony's speech was neither hurried nor slow, and his attitude was humble.

Not to mention that Anthony was now a member of the White Group, even if he was just the son-in-law of the Davis family, Elijah couldn't bring himself to refuse.

But Elijah didn't want to take it either. "I already have cases lined up until March next year, so you should find someone else."

"Please help me, Mr. Harper. Among the entire legal circle, it is only your abilities that convince me." Anthony was sincere. "How much have you charged for the other cases? I'll pay double. How does that sound?"

"It's not about money, it's about genuinely lacking the capacity." Elijah's voice was cold. "If there's nothing else, I'll hang up."

"Mr. Harper, Yvonne and Ryan are engaged. It must be hard for you, right?" Anthony said gently.

Elijah paused.

"Yvonne is a difficult woman to manage, but as long as you can hold a place in her heart, she'll treat you with all her sincerity. I feel honored to have experienced that."

"Keep Mrs. White in check and don't let her meddle too much. I haven't pursued the incident where Yvonne was kidnapped last time." Elijah's tone remained flat, but Anthony sensed an intimidating force.

"In the future, you don't need to worry about Yvonne's safety," Anthony said softly.

Elijah found the conversation uninteresting and ended the call himself.

Anthony's words lingered like a needle in his heart.

Unconsciously, he drove into Sunshine Community. Through the car window, he looked toward Yvonne's apartment.

His vision wasn't great, so he took out his glasses from the compartment.

He only saw half-closed curtains and didn't catch a glimpse of that familiar figure.

Elijah got out of the car and wandered around the community.

Yvonne's car was nowhere to be found.

He became restless, worried.

He found Yvonne's phone number, tried several times, but still couldn't make the call.

He took out a cigarette box from the car and smoked two in a row before his emotions calmed down.

At that moment, the sound of a closing car door came, followed by familiar footsteps.

Elijah turned around and saw Yvonne carrying two large shopping bags, preparing to go upstairs.

In the past, Yvonne would have greeted him already, but this time she acted as if she hadn't seen Elijah.

Elijah watched her walk into the building and hurried to catch up.

"Wait." Elijah stopped her.

"Mr. Harper?" Yvonne was polite, but there was a hint of distance in her eyes.

Elijah clenched his lips, struggling to speak.

Seeing him silent, Yvonne lightly hummed, "If you want to apologize, just say it. I am generous, I never hold grudges."

"You dropped your water cup in my car, so I came to return it." Elijah finally suppressed what he wanted to say and instead spoke some irrelevant words.