Shadows of Destiny: A Tale of Liberation

Chapter 145

Elijah pushed his glasses and matter–of–factly told Renee, “You might not know this, Madam, but

whenever my boss gets drunk, he always ends up like this. In fact, you’re not the first person he hugs

so tightly like a bolster, unwilling to let go. Trust me, Madam. We’ve been through this. I know for a fact

that it’s perfectly feasible.”

“So,” he added, “if you don’t mind, I must trouble you to endure it for just a while. Once my boss has

sobered up, I’m sure he’ll be really grateful.”

Naturally, everything he said was nonsense. He merely intended to give Stefan and Renee a chance to

be closer, because the sober version of Stefan Hunt would never do anything that would hurt his ego or

embarrass him. Despite that, women’s hearts were conquered by the constant pursuit, especially a

woman as perfect as Renee, now that she had become the director of the Electronics Technology

Association. How else could Stefan win her heart if he refused to exert a little effort and employ a few

tricks?

Miraculously, Renee actually bought Elijah’s nonsense.

“Fine,” she said. “Hurry up and take us home then!”

She turned around and glanced at Stefan, who had been holding her tight in his arms, soundly asleep.

A complicated mix of emotions arose in her heart.

She was not that surprised to find that he behaved in this strange way whenever he was drunk. After

all, exactly the same thing happened on that night–he was also holding her tight and would not let her

go, which ultimately led him to sleep with

her!

If she had known that he would be this crazy, she would never have played the drinking game with him,

even if her life depended on it.

And so the three of them walked out of the karaoke bar in that extremely bizarre formation–with Stefan

holding onto Renee tightly, while Elijah supported Stefan as he led them out of the door.

They hailed a cab on the side of the road. Even after getting inside the car, Renee was still stuck in

Stefan’s arms, which were wrapped tightly around her neck. No matter how hard she struggled, she

just could not break free from him, so all she could do was helplessly urge the cab driver to hurry.

“Please speed up!”

They soon reached Hunt Manor. This was the house that Renee called home for the last four years, but

today it was just another grand building that had no room for her anymore. If there had not been an

emergency, she would never have willingly taken a step back into this place ever again.

Meanwhile, Briar, whose pregnant belly had ballooned in size, was in the grand living room,

dramatically weeping and lamenting about her plight to her future mother–in–law, Francine Milford, like

a soap opera actress.

“It’s not like I don’t want to cultivate a closer relationship with Stefan, Aunt Francine, but he’s just

always so busy with work. that I can count on one hand the number of times he spent the night at

home, ever since I moved here…”

“What can I possibly do when I barely ever see him?” she added.

“You’re right,” replied Francine in a voice thick with concern. She was sitting on the couch, frowning

deeply. “It is indeed unfair to blame you for not taking any initiative. I know my son very well. No one

can ever force him to do anything that he doesn’t want to do. As for your engagement, I think there’s

nothing we can do but postpone it.”

She had initially assumed that Stefan didn’t marry Briar earlier because he hadn’t divorced that gold

digger Renee Everheart. However, although they were officially divorced now, his relationship with Briar

hadn’t improved.

Seeing how her son never mentioned the subject of marriage when Briar’s belly was getting bigger and

bigger by the day really broke her heart!

But as soon as Briar heard what Francine said, she sprang up to her feet anxiously and protested, “We

can’t postpone it anymore, Aunt Francine! Any further delay and my baby will be born an illegitimate

child! You must find a way to help me!”

She hadn’t acted so pitifully in front of Francine for the sake of a compromise, but only because she

wanted to put more

pressure on Stefan to marry her through his mother.

“Okay,” Francine replied plainly. “Just give me some time, and I’ll think of a way.”

Ever since seeing Briar’s disgusted face when she learned of the misdiagnosis that Stefan was

paralyzed, Francine knew that this woman was not as harmless and innocent as she might seem.

Nevertheless, the child in her belly was still the flesh and blood of the Hunt family, and she had to do

whatever she could to help her eldest grandchild.

It meant Stefan had to marry Briar without delay!

Just at that moment, Stefan, Renee, and Elijah stepped out of the cab and laboriously made their way

into the manor in their bizarre formation.

As the two groups of people bumped into each other, they were stunned and speechless for a while. It

created a scene that was comically strained, yet awkward at the same time.

“Madam!” Elijah hastily broke the silence. “What a coincidence to find you here! What a lively scene!”

Renee could not help but roll her eyes. No one in this world deserved the first spot in a contest for the

person most likely to create a painfully awkward scene more than Elijah Young!

“You… what is going on with you two over there?!”

Francine erupted in anger when she saw Stefan holding onto Renee so tightly like that, fearing that

these two were back together again.

“You should ask your son!” replied Renee.

“Why are you guys still standing there?” she added impatiently. “Hurry up and lend us a hand!”