Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 198

A bunch of people swarmed around the entrance, suddenly making the spacious hall feel cramped.

Even the air seemed to freeze.

I thought to myself, if Darren hadn’t shown up just in the nick of time, I bet these folks would start thinking I was up to no good again, right?

And Darren, clueless as ever, didn’t seem to notice the mix of looks being thrown his way. He gave me a gentle glance and then politely said hi to Hogan and Hilary.

Hogan was his usual self, all cool, calm, and collected, without a flicker of emotion on his poker face.

But Hilary couldn’t take her eyes off Darren, with a hint of nosiness in her gaze, and she said, “Professor Yearwood is all dressed up today; I could hardly recognize him without a closer look.”

That’s when I noticed Darren had gone all out, wearing a charcoal grey single–breasted suit and crease–free trousers, which gave him a more businesslike and polished vibe, dialing down his usual casual and laid–back look.

Pretty snazzy.

responded in his even–keeled manner. “You flatter me, ma’am. To

Xaviera, it looks like you’re about to meet the parents with Professor Yearwood real

that I was meeting Darren’s parents, I frowned slightly and lost all desire to

waste my breath on

“Ms. Irwin, you’ve got it wrong. We’re just having tea with the elders. Besides, you and Hogan… are we going to be hearing

to Hogan with a helpless look, and said with her sweet, soft voice, “Well, I’ll go

my face briefly before shifting his gaze to Darren and said, “Since when is Professor Yearwood such a gossip?”

light, but there was a hint

uncomfortable to hear.

to smooth things over by softly suggesting, “Shouldn’t we go to the elders? They

quickly got the hint. “Look at me,

understandingly, with a smile in her eyes, “It’s not polite to make the elders wall.”

any

heard Hogan say, “Now that everyone’s here, let’s go

other, and just as we were nearing our booth, Darren suddenly stopped and looked at me

“What’s up?”