Chapter 214 The Painting Born for Him
Eric didn't rush back after leaving; he wandered around Riverside Villa, hoping to spot Molly with her drooping head and small, pitiful figure.
He wasn't a good guy, but Molly always tugged at his heartstrings.
"Mr. Clark? What are you doing here?" May asked, surprised to see him.
Eric looked embarrassed and stammered before softly asking, "May, where does Molly live?"
May was astonished. "What do you want? Molly's young and doesn't usually see outsiders. Don't scare her!"
Eric raised an eyebrow. "May, you've known Edward and me since we were kids. You know what kind of person I am."
"To Edward, you're great," May said, giving a thumbs up. "But to women, not so much," she added, giving a thumbs down.
Eric rubbed his forehead, speechless.
After much persuasion, May reluctantly agreed to take him to see Molly.
"I'll wait at the door. Say what you need to quickly. It's not good if someone sees you," May instructed sternly.
Eric laughed. "May, no need to be so nervous."
He strode into the room and closed the door, leaving May momentarily stunned.
Inside Molly's room, Eric was taken aback. Compared to Jessica's luxurious room, Molly's was overly simple, almost empty.
Hearing noise from the bedroom, Eric tiptoed towards it. The door was ajar, and he saw Molly at a desk, writing something.
Eric's eyes deepened as he quietly walked up behind her to see what she was writing. His heart trembled when he saw it was a drawing of him.
"Finished," Molly said, putting down the pen and admiring her work.
"When do you plan to give it to me?" Eric asked.
Molly screamed in fright, jumping up and trying to cover the drawing, but it was too late. Eric quickly snatched it from her.
"Give it back!" Molly's cheeks flushed as she stood on tiptoe, reaching for it.
Eric, much taller, found her attempts futile. In her frustration, she grabbed his tie and reached around his waist to snatch it.
"Let go, you're choking me!" Eric gasped. He had to bend down, pick Molly up by her waist, and place her on the desk to relieve the choking.
"Give it back! That's my drawing!" Molly's eyes were watery and relentless.
"The person in the drawing is me. Technically, you're infringing on my portrait rights," Eric said, his gaze warming. "As compensation, how about giving me this drawing, Molly?"
Molly's face turned red with shyness, and she tugged hard on Eric's tie.
Eric's eyes widened, and he leaned forward, pressing Molly beneath him. Their lips were just a hair's breadth away.
The memory of last night's kiss resurfaced, and he felt a rush of heat.
"It tickles," Molly said, turning her face away quickly. Eric's breath tickled her, and her heart pounded.
Eric felt a blur before his eyes. Molly's soft body made him reluctant to leave. Using all his strength, he suppressed his desire and straightened up, his eyes misty and breathing heavy.
Even though Molly was an adult, she was frail and small. Curled up on the desk, she looked pitifully tiny.
She buried half her face in her knees and reached out to Eric. "Give it back."
"I saved your teddy bear last night. How about a drawing in return?" Eric leaned on the desk, slightly towards her. "I really like this drawing. Can you give it to me, please?"
"I've already prepared a gift for you," Molly said timidly, her toes curling.
"Where is it?" Eric's eyes lit up.
Ten minutes later, Eric returned to his Ferrari with a cake box in his left hand and the rolled-up portrait in his right. He couldn't stop smiling.
Ever since Byron's birthday party, when he saw Molly give Byron a drawing, he had secretly hoped to get one himself—a unique drawing just for him.
Unexpectedly, he really got it and was indescribably happy.
Eric happily put away the drawing and eagerly opened the cake box. Inside was a simple, slightly ugly blueberry mousse cake. He picked up a bit of cream with his finger and tasted it.
Eric frowned, chewing. "Why does it taste a bit sour?"
Late at night, Evelyn was applying a face mask, sitting in her study playing games on her computer. She was tired but worried because William had gone out to follow Donovan and hadn't returned. To stay awake, she played games while waiting for news.
There were official emails from the game team inviting her, the top female player in the international server, to join professional competitions, but she always declined.
'Playing games is for fun. Why tie it to fame and fortune? Do I need the money?' she thought.
A message popped up from Gilbert in the game.
Rose: [Want to play a game together?]
Lucifer: [OK, invite me.]
Gilbert joined her on voice chat, his clear and pleasant voice filling the study. "Good evening, Lucifer."
"Good evening, Rose," Evelyn replied.
"It seems like you're handling the pressure well. Ada's situation hasn't affected you much," Gilbert said with a gentle laugh.
"Of course," Evelyn said confidently.
Gilbert laughed softly, then asked, "Can I help you with Ada's situation?"
"No need. This is a battle between me and the Wellington Group. Although it's not a big deal, it's not appropriate to involve the Alexander family. Thank you for your offer," Evelyn politely declined.
"I'm not representing the Alexander family. I just want to help you personally," Gilbert said softly, filled with concern.
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "Don't you believe in my abilities or think I can handle it alone?"
"Yes, I do" Gilbert chuckled. "I just don't want you to be so tired so you can have more time to play games with me. You haven't been online for days."
Evelyn was momentarily stunned, blinking her bright eyes.
'Has he been waiting online for me all this time? Oh, the rich young master just back from Aurora Isle, so idle and friendless, no wonder he keeps clinging to me. It's a bit pitiful.'
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and William's voice came through. "Evelyn! I'm back!"
Seeing William return, Evelyn quickly said to Gilbert, "Gilbert, I have an urgent matter here. Talk later. Good night!"
Without waiting for his response, she exited the voice chat.
On the other end, Gilbert looked at the chat interface with only his avatar left. His long lashes fluttered, and he softly said to himself, "Good night, Evelyn."
Then, his gaze darkened, and he clicked the mouse twice. Replacing the game interface on the screen were detailed background profiles of William and the two others from the Flynn family.
