Hiding Behind Her Superficiality by Kyla Olson

“Really? You’re going over to Joneson Residence today?”

Elspeth was so excited that she grabbed Arthur’s hand. All along, she thought she would have to wait for much longer as she didn’t think Arthur would agree to do so this quickly.

“That’s right. If I don’t go, someone might end up destroying my house.” Arthur glanced down at their clasped hands and carefully withdrew his. His tone and manner seemed disdainful.

“Who are you calling a nuisance?”

Elspeth fished a cherry tomato out of the salad bowl and tossed it into her mouth in a huff. However, since he was willing to help her rescue her mother, she forgave him, albeit reluctantly. “Do you need me to head over to Joneson Residence with you today?”

Arthur set down his spatula and eyed her as she fiddled inside the salad bowl with her bare hand. “You? Are you even considering going over with me?” he remarked distastefully. “Aren’t you afraid that you’ll get caught and be locked up again?”

“Hah!”

Elspeth stuffed the final mouthful of salad into her mouth. After recalling Michael’s refusal to stop coming after her, she gave up on the idea. “You’d better go by yourself, then.”

Arthur grilled the last steak and cracked some black pepper over the top before serving it up on the dining table. “Go and get the fried eggs from the kitchen. We can have breakfast first.”

Elspeth was a little nonplussed to hear Arthur instructing her so casually. I’m not your maid, so why must I listen to you?

She stubbornly turned away and pretended she didn’t hear him.

“Hurry up and bring it over, or else, you won’t be getting breakfast.”

“Can’t you do it…”

Elspeth gritted her teeth. She was going to protest, but she remembered that her mother would be coming over soon, and if she didn’t have breakfast, her mother would be worried and upset, so she begrudgingly brought the eggs over from the kitchen.

Arthur placed one of the fried eggs on Elspeth’s plate and said, “What a good girl. Here’s a fried egg as your reward.”

“Why are you talking to me like that, Arthur?”

confused as she eyed the fried egg. His attitude toward me has taken a

doing things that

lesson by now, but this time, he didn’t

How… strange!

you now?” Arthur raised his fork and took an

so don’t act as

her eyes. To avoid hearing any other kind of suggestive comments from him, she

so hard that it

then, so what? Either way, you and I will be getting engaged soon, so what’s wrong with an engaged

How nauseating.

had no choice but to force a smile for the sake of getting what she wanted. “Right. Nothing’s wrong. Anyway, let’s drop this subject. Hurry up and eat. Once you’re done eating, you can go and bring

raised his

and wiped her mouth elegantly with a tissue before saying with a smile, “Well, I’ll be waiting to hear the

she cleared the table and brought

chest as he watched her bustling around

I never noticed that she’s not

…

abroad, Arthur

his granddaughter, so he was visibly haggard. He even had more

that you want to take

rare and peculiar, so she needs

delivered to our

you’ll be able to achieve the optimum results.” Arthur smiled faintly and took a sip of tea. “Why would

had a point, so Michael’s frown slowly disappeared. “Can you keep my daughter safe

had a point, so Michael’s frown slowly disappeared. “Can you keep my daughter safe for me if I hand her

not a bodyguard.

keep her safe, why should I let her

do have an excellent candidate