Chapter 99 - 98: I’m Yvonne Lowell-Brained
As Yvonne Lowell opened the car door and stepped out, Leo Grant immediately pulled her into his arms and gently kissed her forehead.
"You’re here."
"Why did you come down to wait? It’s not like I don’t know the way," Yvonne Lowell said, shooting him a playful glare.
"It’s fine. I wasn’t busy just now anyway." Leo Grant squeezed her hand in his, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Why are they so cold? You should have worn something warmer."
’Oh, yeah, right. You’re not busy at all,’ Silas Lynch fumed internally. ’My keyboard is about to catch fire from typing so much, but of course *you* don’t feel busy ^_^’
"The car has heating, so I’m not cold. The food is on the passenger seat. Go get it." Yvonne Lowell gestured toward the car with her chin.
Leo Grant leaned down and gave her a quick peck.
"I just can’t with you, always wanting kisses out in public."
Yvonne Lowell: ...???
"I meant for you to get the food!" Yvonne Lowell gave him a light, exasperated kick.
"Alright, I guess I was getting ahead of myself," Leo Grant said with a shrug.
’Wait, what?! What’s with that hint of disappointment?!’
Holding the food container in his right hand, Leo Grant led her inside with his left.
The young woman at the front desk was the same one from last time. Her eyes lit up when she saw Yvonne Lowell.
"Hello, Miss Lowell!"
"Long time no see," Yvonne Lowell said, waving at her.
Leo Grant lifted their clasped hands and waved them as well.
"Babe, you’re supposed to wave with your right hand."
Yvonne Lowell shot him a sidelong glance. ’She knew exactly what this guy was up to.’
She smiled at the receptionist, then dragged him towards the elevator.
She left the receptionist behind, squealing internally. ’This is so good! My ship is real!!’
Happiness is better when shared. She quickly opened the work group chat, where everyone was still discussing why President Grant was standing at the main entrance.
[Ms. Lowell at the Front Desk: Case closed, everyone! President Grant was waiting for Miss Lowell!!!]
[TheOnlyBeautyInIT: Woohoo! I won! A month of afternoon tea on the house. For today, I’ll start with a soufflé and a latte. @HaveYouCodedToday?]
[HaveYouCodedToday?: Damn! President Grant didn’t go down to get Miss Lowell when she came before!]
[Ms. Lowell at the Front Desk: Hehe, and they came in holding hands! President Grant even called her ’babe’!!]
[PRsBestWriter: What?! Does the PR department have a job to do?!]
[DontWannaHireToday: For real?! Are they together?]
[TheSecretariatsHandsomeGuy: It’s true!! They’re on their way up!! President Grant has this ridiculously goofy smile on his face!!]
[DontWannaHireToday: I knew it! Those two definitely have something going on. They look perfect together!!]
[Emotionless Assistant Ford: Are you all done with your work? Want me to share some of mine?]
[PRsBestWriter: Assistant Ford, the thing is, we can’t really do your kind of work. [tucks hands]]
[TheSecretariatsHandsomeGuy: Don’t mind him. Assistant Ford is just grumpy. President Grant dumped all his work on him, hahaha.]
[Emotionless Assistant Ford: @TheSecretariatsHandsomeGuy They can’t do it, but you can. Come to my office.]
[TheSecretariatsHandsomeGuy: Assistant Ford, my cat is calling for me on the pet cam. I have to go soothe it, bye-bye!]
And just like that, a world where only Silas Lynch suffers was born.
...
Leo Grant placed the food containers on the coffee table, ladled some soup for Yvonne Lowell, and the two began to eat.
Recalling how he’d woken up that morning to dozens of 60-second voice messages from different men, Leo Grant asked, "Did Uncle Lowell and Caleb have anything to say?"
Hearing this, Yvonne Lowell raised an eyebrow. "Comrade Grant, isn’t your reaction time a little slow? Are you only getting scared now?"
"No, I’m just a little curious about their attitude," Leo Grant said, rubbing his nose awkwardly.
’He couldn’t very well tell her they’d all threatened and warned him, could he?’
’The ones younger than him were one thing, but when it came to his elders, he’d been pretty meek. How embarrassing...’
"My mom seems happy about it; she could barely hide her smile. But my dad and the others..." Here, Yvonne Lowell paused deliberately.
Seeing the eager look in his eyes, just as she’d hoped, Yvonne Lowell gave a triumphant smile.
"I talked with them. Right now, I can only say they’re not against it, but that doesn’t mean they’re fond of you. You still have a long way to go."
Leo Grant wasn’t too disappointed. It was what he had expected, and at least his future mother-in-law was on his side.
Besides, as long as Yvonne Lowell was with him, he didn’t mind being a bit meek in front of the Lowells—even if it meant having to call Yancy Lowell, who was six years younger than him, "big brother-in-law."
Yvonne Lowell wiped her mouth with a napkin. "By the way, I have to go out this afternoon."
"Where are you going? I’ll go with you!" Leo Grant forgot all about cleaning up the food containers and sat down beside her.
"No need. I’m just letting you know. I probably won’t be back for about a month," Yvonne Lowell said, scratching him under the chin.
’A month?! He thought she just meant going somewhere in Kingsland, like a shopping mall or something.’
You could almost see the invisible tail behind Leo Grant droop. He wrapped his arms around Yvonne Lowell and buried his head in her neck.
His voice came out muffled. "Will it be dangerous?"
Yvonne Lowell froze for a moment, then stroked his spiky, gelled hair. "It’s not dangerous. I’m just going to a class."
Leo Grant snapped his head up, his eyes full of suspicion. "Just a class? Not a fight?"
Yvonne Lowell’s eyes were filled with certainty. "It really is just a class. They’ve been rushing me for a while now. I promise, no fighting."
’...though beating someone up wasn’t out of the question,’ she added to herself.
"Alright then." Leo Grant pecked her lips a few times. "We just got together, and now we have to be long-distance. I don’t want you to go."
Yvonne Lowell was amused. "What, should I tie you to me with a rope and take you along?"
"Hm? Can you really do that?" Leo Grant’s eyes lit up.
Yvonne Lowell pushed his face away in exasperation. "In your dreams! How did I never notice you had this lovesick side to you?"
"I’m not lovesick, I’m Yvonne Lowell-sick." Leo Grant brought her hand to his lips for a kiss. "When are you leaving?"
Yvonne Lowell glanced at the time. "In about half an hour. I need to go back to Tidalview first."
Leo Grant was sad. Leo Grant was upset. Leo Grant was not happy.
’Although he felt a little down, there was nothing for it. They both had their own careers to attend to.’
’He wasn’t some pining, neglected husband. He was the perfect, supportive partner.’
"I’ll walk you out, then?"
"Alright. Just to the first floor."
The corners of Leo Grant’s mouth turned down, but just as he was about to speak, she covered his mouth with her own.
’Huh?! His precious girlfriend was kissing him on her own initiative!!!’
Even though he knew she was just placating him, he subconsciously cupped the back of her head.
Half an hour later, Yvonne Lowell emerged from the president’s office, hand in hand with Leo, her lips slightly red and swollen.
When they reached the car, Yvonne Lowell squeezed his palm. "Alright, you should go back up. I’m leaving now."
"I’ll watch you leave."
’Sigh. What a tyrant.’
Yvonne Lowell stood on her tiptoes, gave his chin a light peck, then got in the car and drove off.
As she pulled out onto the road, she could still see his figure, standing perfectly straight where she had left him.
...
Yvonne Lowell returned to Tidalview to change her clothes. She then walked out of the villa complex and got into a low-key black sedan with no markings.