The Enigmatic Return (Neera and Jean) novel Chapter 1255

Compared to Avery's astonishment, Jean remained much calmer, his face expressionless as he said, "Since Neera is here, naturally, I have to come and keep her company."

Avery's lips curled into a half-smile, carrying a hint of mockery.

"Neera has been here for a while. Yet, you come here now and say such things. Don't you think it's a bit too late?"

Jean was unfazed. "As long as our hearts are together, it doesn't matter whether I come early or late. What's important is that I'm here and she wants me to be here."

Avery was clearly annoyed.

"You certainly are bursting with confidence, but your timing is off. I suppose Neera has told you about the recent events. This is Phison. No matter how powerful you are outside, you're nothing here. Your status alone can't protect Neera, so you should have some self-awareness."

Jean not only didn't get angry, but instead, he laughed.

"Perhaps you're right. You have the right to be arrogant as the third elder of the Bartitsu Guild. However, even you, with your high status, couldn't protect Neera, could you, Mr. Cox? From what I understand, during the trip to Mount Cloud, you didn't seem to be of much help. In the end, it was the Lordsworth Estate that protected Neera, wasn't it?"

As soon as those words were uttered, Avery's face darkened considerably.

"Does it matter? At least I can have someone around to protect her at all times, but what about you? What can you do? You probably can't even enter Phison without someone else's help, right?"

Jean raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you getting angry out of embarrassment, Mr. Cox? That won't do. You must maintain your dignity even if my words hit where it hurts. Losing your temper like this is unbecoming of a family head, let alone a guild elder."

Avery's brows furrowed tightly, his expression becoming even stonier.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't reveal his emotions.

However, he had encountered one setback after another on Neera's side, and Jean's sudden appearance at such a critical juncture evoked a profound sense of threat in him.

That was why he momentarily lost control of himself.

The atmosphere was stifling with tension.

It was Chad who, upon hearing a report from a housekeeper, came out and finally broke the taut atmosphere.

"Avery, you're here! Don't just stand there. Come in and have some coffee."

Avery shifted his gaze and greeted, "Good morning, Mr. Gordon. I'm here to see Neera."

Chad smiled. "She's probably still sleeping. Stay and have breakfast with us."

He turned to Jean after that. "Jean, are you still going for a run? If not, go and wake Neera up. Breakfast is ready."

Jean nodded slightly and entered the mansion first.

Avery watched his retreating figure, his gaze thoughtful.

The ambiance during breakfast was quite strange.

Neera couldn't help but feel a bit awkward upon seeing Avery, recalling how Jean had spoken about him the night before, full of jealousy.

"Mr. Cox, thank you for taking the trouble to visit me. I'm feeling much better now."

She cautiously stole a glance at Jean as she spoke.

Avery caught the subtle movement, but his face was devoid of expression. He responded calmly, "I didn't have much to do anyway, so I thought I'd come and visit you."

At that moment, Jean responded lukewarmly, "I heard that the Bartitsu Guild is about to hold a Council of Elders. I'm sure you have plenty to prepare as one of the elders, Mr. Cox. You don't need to make this trip and waste precious time if you're busy. We wouldn't want to inconvenience you."

Avery glanced at him. Not wanting to waste words, he simply said, "Mr. Beauvort, you worry too much. I know how to manage my time."

Jean smiled. "I hope that is the case."

Neera didn't know how to interject herself into the conversation, so she kept silent.

She feigned ignorance of the underlying tension in their conversation, focusing intently on eating her oatmeal instead.

Sitting next to them, Chad and Adriana exchanged glances. Both felt somewhat resigned.

Jean acted as if nothing was wrong and affectionately served Neera food. He peeled eggs for her and cared for her in every possible way.

Neera couldn't help but feel perplexed, knowing full well that he was deliberately provoking Avery.

This guy, despite being cold-hearted, becomes incredibly petty when it comes to matters of the heart, getting jealous over the slightest things. Well, it's unexpectedly cute.

"Oh dear, don't just focus on me. You should eat too. Your food has gone cold," she said, glancing at his bowl.

Jean raised an eyebrow. "Then serve me something warm."

Amused by his rare display of boyishness, she gently said, "All right."

The triplets watched with amusement, their hearts filled with joy. They secretly gave their father a big thumbs up.

Avery, on the other hand, was becoming increasingly displeased. He barely touched his food and hastily left.

After he returned, Violet couldn't help but complain, "Satan, how many times have you been rejected? It's about time you give up. Don't you think so? I can see that Ms. Garcia doesn't care about you at all. You've been fussing over her, attending to her every need, but look at the result. She doesn't appreciate your kindness at all and only focuses on that Beauvort!"

Not getting a response from Avery, she pouted, feeling bad for him. With a lollipop in her mouth, her persuasion came out in a mumble.

"Why not just let it go? Stop pursuing her. With your status, you can have any woman you want. Why obsess over her? Especially when she's a tree that won't blossom for you. Hmmph! I don't see the need."

Avery took out a bottle of wine from the liquor cabinet, poured himself a glass, and sat by the bar, silently nursing his drink. He didn't speak a word, lost in his own thoughts.