Chapter 247

Chapter 247

Brandon stepped into the courtyard without ceremony, his gaze immediately fixed on Ray in Beatrice's arms.

Ray had just woken up and was staring with big, curious eyes at this stranger.

Brandon's heart skipped a beat.

Those features, that nose—even though he was just a baby, the bone structure clearly carried traces of the Bowen family.

He wanted to reach out and touch him, but was afraid of scaring the child, and even more afraid of Frederick chopping off his hand. He could only rub his hands together awkwardly, grinning foolishly. "This... this kid is really handsome!"

Beatrice remained silent.

Frederick remained silent.

The atmosphere became instantly, painfully awkward.

Frederick stepped forward, casually positioning himself between Brandon and Beatrice.

"Is there any food left? Just dish him up a bowl—anything will do."

"Yes, there's more." Beatrice snapped back to attention. "I'll have the help prepare a few more dishes."

"No need, no need!" Brandon waved his hands quickly. "Just something to eat—I'm not picky!"

Despite his words, when Beatrice brought out several freshly prepared dishes, Brandon's eyes lit up.

Home-cooked meals—nothing like the precise presentation of hotel chefs, but carrying an indescribable warmth and fragrance.

He picked up his utensils and dove in without ceremony.

Frederick sat across from him, not touching his own utensils, just quietly watching.

Beatrice sat in a chair slightly further away, holding Ray, feeling somewhat at a loss.

Brandon wolfed down his food in no time, then looked up with his mouth still full, mumbling through the food, "Delicious! Your household staff cooks better than five-star restaurant chefs!"

Beatrice smiled. "Just home cooking—I'm glad you like it, Mr. Bowen."

While eating, Brandon asked with seeming casualness, "Ms. Jennings, you're not local, are you? Your accent sounds like you're from around Riverside City?"

Beatrice's nerves tightened imperceptibly.

"Yes."

"Riverside City's great—fertile land, rich resources, really genuine people there."

Brandon's gaze swept almost imperceptibly over her left eyebrow.

There, under the light, you could indeed see an extremely faint small mole.

His heart started racing again.

"I'm pretty familiar with that area, too." He tried to build rapport. "What part of Riverside City are you from originally?"

Beatrice lowered her eyes, gently patting the increasingly restless Ray in her arms, her voice distant. "A very small place—you wouldn't know it even if I told you."

Brandon wanted to press further, but caught a warning look from Frederick across the table.

That gaze was cold as ice, making him swallow the words that had reached his lips.

He gave an awkward laugh and went back to his food.

The meal ended in this strange atmosphere.

Brandon finished eating with satisfaction and stood up. "I won't disturb your rest any longer. David, walk me out?"

Frederick stood and followed him outside.

At the gate, Brandon turned back to look at Beatrice holding her child, his face showing unprecedented sincerity. "Beatrice, thank you for the hospitality today. This meal was the best I've had in twenty years."

With that, he stopped lingering and strode out of the courtyard.

Beatrice stood frozen, not quite understanding what he'd meant.

Outside the courtyard, night had fallen deeply.

Brandon got into the car but didn't start it immediately.

He pulled out a gift box he'd prepared beforehand—it had some weight to it, done in deep red holiday colors. The golden embossed pattern gleamed faintly under the streetlights, with "Peace & Joy" printed prominently even in the darkness.

This was something he'd specifically gone to get before returning to Beatrice's house.

He looked back at the small courtyard glowing with warm light and handed the gift box to Frederick.

"This is a meeting gift for Ray."

Frederick didn't take it. "She won't accept it."

"I know." Brandon stuffed the box into Frederick's jacket pocket. "My nephew can't go without a proper meeting gift."

As he said this, his underground boss swagger surfaced again.

Frederick looked at him and didn't refuse again.

"When you find anything, contact Liam directly."

Frederick's voice returned to its usual cold hardness. "Don't come here again."

"Got it—you're such a nag." Brandon started the car and rolled down the window, taking one last complex look toward the courtyard.

Something occurred to him, and he added, "Oh, right, those wastes from Riverside City—I already dealt with them. And that Taylor family girl—do you want me to..."

"No need." Frederick cut him off. "I'll handle the Taylor family situation personally."

Brandon raised an eyebrow but didn't ask further questions.

He knew this Frederick was fiercely protective—whoever crossed him was doomed.

The black SUV's taillights lit up and quickly disappeared down the winding mountain road.

Frederick stood there for a long time before turning back to the courtyard.

Inside, Beatrice had already put Ray to sleep in his cradle.

She was cleaning up the dishes on the table.

"Your friend... left?" she asked softly.

"Yes." Frederick walked over and naturally pulled the gift box from his pocket, setting it on the table. "A meeting gift for the baby."

Seeing the gift box, Beatrice quickly waved her hands. "That's not appropriate—we just met for the first time. I can't accept this."

"It's his family's custom—meeting gifts for the younger generation can't be returned."

Frederick casually made up a reason, his tone mild but brooking no argument. "Just think of it as... a gesture of goodwill."

He looked at Beatrice, his gaze lingering on the almost invisible mole at her eyebrow, his expression deepening.

Brandon's appearance had been like a stone thrown into still water—while it hadn't caused major waves, it left ripples that wouldn't fade for a long time.

Beatrice couldn't quite put her finger on the feeling, but it seemed like her neighbor David was shrouded in a layer of fog she couldn't see through.

The next morning, Frederick was back to tending his garden as usual, his movements unhurried, his injured leg showing no signs of abnormality.

Sunlight fell across his worn jacket, making him seem as gentle and natural as a tree in the mountains.

The doubts in Beatrice's mind faded away with the morning mist.

Maybe she'd been overthinking—everyone had a few eccentric friends.

She held Ray while sitting in the sun by her garden gate. Frederick came over and handed her a small bag of wild strawberries he'd just picked from the mountains, crystal-clear red.

"Just picked these—try them."

Beatrice thanked him and popped one in her mouth, the sweet-tart juice bursting on her tongue.

Just then, a piercing cell phone ring shattered the mountain village's tranquility.

Frederick pulled out his old flip phone and saw the name flashing on the screen. His expression changed instantly.

All traces of 'David's' gentleness vanished, replaced by a brooding, impatient coldness.

He walked to a corner of the courtyard and answered with his back to Beatrice.

"What is it?"

Liam's anxious voice came through the phone: "Mr. Jeremy Stuart wants you back at the company immediately. There's a problem with the European partnership deal that needs your personal attention."

"Let him handle it himself." Frederick's tone held no warmth.

"He said if you don't come back today, he'll personally come 'invite' you himself."

Liam's voice dropped even lower. "He also said... Ms. Taylor is here."

Frederick fell silent for a moment. The mountain wind blew past, but the atmospheric pressure around him was colder than the breeze.

"Understood."

He hung up the phone, and when he turned back to Beatrice, his face had resumed its calm, unruffled expression.

"I have some urgent business—need to go back to the city."

Beatrice paused. "Didn't you just have your follow-up appointment?"

"It's not a medical thing," he said, looking at her, his gaze lingering on her and Ray for a few seconds. "Family business."

"Okay." Beatrice held Ray closer. "When... when will you be back?"

The moment the words left her mouth, she felt like she was overstepping as just a neighbor.

Without realizing it, she'd already started thinking of David as family.

"Not sure."

Frederick didn't elaborate further, just gave her one long look before turning to leave.

The doubts that had just cleared from Beatrice's mind came flooding back, thick and heavy.

On the top floor of the Stuart Group building, in the CEO's office.

Beyond the massive floor-to-ceiling windows lay Silverwave City's most prosperous skyline.

Jeremy sat in the main chair, his face dark as he watched his son enter.

Frederick shrugged off his jacket, tossed it carelessly on the sofa, and walked straight to the bar to pour himself a glass of ice water.

"So what was so urgent that you had to drag me back here?"

"Do you still acknowledge me as your father? Do you still consider this your family?"

Jeremy slammed the table, trembling with rage. "I asked you to handle the situation with the Taylor family, and what do you do? Hide in the mountains! Do you know what people are saying out there? They're saying the Stuart family heir has abandoned everything for some woman of unknown origins!"

Frederick took a sip of water, the cold liquid sliding down his throat, but it couldn't suppress the irritation burning inside him.

"I'll handle my own affairs."

"Handle them? Your idea of handling is leaving Daisy alone to endure everyone's contempt and mockery?"

Jeremy pointed at him accusingly. "You're going to apologize to Daisy right now! I'll personally explain things to the Taylor family!"

Frederick slammed the water glass down on the table with a sharp crack.

"Not happening." He stared coldly at his father.

"You!" Jeremy was so angry he couldn't speak, his chest heaving violently.