Chapter 649:
Yelena turned to Bella with a playful glint in her eyes and said, “What now? Doesn’t seem like I got a scolding.”
Bella’s face darkened, her frustration flaring like a spark hitting dry tinder.
Yelena was toying with her, and they both knew it.
Seeing Bella’s barely concealed irritation, Yelena smirked and added, “You’re right—I did it on purpose.”
Just then, John appeared, almost tripping over himself in his haste.
He’d rushed over the moment he heard that the injured construction worker had been taken away by the ambulance, eager to thank whoever had stepped up to help.
When John spotted Yelena, his brows shot up in surprise before a grin spread across his face. “Well, I’ll be damned—it’s you again. Looks like I owe you another one.”
Yelena tilted her head, genuinely puzzled. “Another one? Since when did you owe me anything?”
John, assuming she was being coy, gave her a cheeky wink. “Oh, come on. You know what I’m talking about.”
But Yelena really didn’t. She blinked at him, speechless.
Changing the subject, Yelena gestured at the house nearby. “Is this place yours?”
John stiffened, realizing the question edged dangerously close to a topic Austin had deliberately kept from Yelena. Deciding to stay tight-lipped, he shrugged it off with an air of nonchalance.
Yelena raised an eyebrow, but instead of pressing, she asked, “The workers are insured, right?”
“Of course,” John replied smoothly. “All the paperwork’s squared away. I’ll take care of everything.”
𝗢𝗻𝗅𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘁 𝗀𝖺𝗅𝖓𝗈𝗏𝗲𝗅𝗌⍿ⅽ𝗈𝗆
If he couldn’t handle something this minor without causing trouble for Austin, he’d have no business being in Austin’s inner circle.
Satisfied, Yelena gave a small nod. “Good. Looks like my work here is done. I’ll be heading out.”
John perked up. “Want me to give you a lift?”
Yelena waved off the offer. “Nah, I’ve got my car.”
“Alright then,” John said with a friendly grin. “But if you need anything, you know where to find me.”
As Yelena drove off, John pulled out his phone and immediately called Austin.
“Austin, just a heads-up—I kept it vague when Yelena asked about the house. But, man, you’d better clue her in soon. If she figures it out on her own, she’s going to be real ticked.”
John trusted that Yelena was open-minded enough not to make a mountain out of a molehill, but he figured it wouldn’t hurt to give Austin a heads-up—just in case things took an unexpected turn. Austin was on the same page. “Got it,” he said to John with a quick nod over the phone.
As soon as the call ended, Austin wasted no time. He had Domenic, his ever-reliable assistant, book a nice restaurant without delay.
Next on the agenda? Calling Yelena.
Yelena’s brow furrowed when her phone buzzed. Austin almost never reached out to her directly—let alone with an actual call.
Was something amiss?
“Hello? What’s going on?” she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and caution.
Austin wasn’t one to beat around the bush. “Got any plans tonight? I want to take you out for dinner.”
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