The Enigmatic Return (Neera and Jean) novel Chapter 1425

“Mommy, is there something troubling you? You seem like you've encountered some difficulties.”

Neera paused for a moment, a helpless smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“How come even you guys noticed it? Is it that obvious?”

Penny nodded, then shook her head. “It's not obvious, but we can feel it. Perhaps this is what they call a mother-daughter bond.”

Sammy chimed in, “And a mother-son bond.”

Neera smiled lightly. Not wanting them to worry, she just made up an excuse.

“There's really nothing much going on. It's just that I've been a bit busy lately over here. I'm just a bit tired, I guess.”

Upon hearing that she was tired, the three little ones were incredibly understanding. They quickly urged her to rest.

“Get some rest, then. We won't disturb you any further. Once you've recovered, we'll give you a call!”

After speaking, they faced the camera, waved their hands, said goodnight, and quickly hung up the phone.

Before Neera could even respond, the video call was abruptly ended, leaving her somewhat amused.

The bathroom door swung open, and Jean emerged, clad in a bathrobe. His chest was half-exposed, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of his pectoral muscles.

His hair was still wet, with droplets of water trickling down the strands of his hair. Some droplets found their way to his shoulder, sliding down his collarbone before finally disappearing beneath his bathrobe.

Neera blinked, inexplicably feeling a bit parched, and quickly averted her gaze.

Jean was drying his hair. He chuckled lightly and moved closer to her. “What are you hiding from? It's not like you've never seen it before. Are you still shy?”

Neera wrinkled her nose, then reached out to tug at his bathrobe, pulling it down. “Sit down. Let me help you.”

Jean raised an eyebrow and readily took a seat next to her, relishing in the service she provided.

Neera dried his hair roughly, seemingly venting her frustration.

She removed the towel, revealing his messy hair. She tried to hold it in but couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Throughout the whole time, Jean did not stop her at all, indulging her antics. At that moment, he let out a soft sigh, raised his hand to smooth his hair, and turned to look at her.

“Are you feeling a bit better now? You've been distracted all day, hardly even smiling.”

Neera gave a soft grunt in response and suddenly buried herself in his arms.

“I feel so uneasy. I don't even know what's wrong with me. I was really looking forward to this day, but now that it's here, I'm somewhat apprehensive. I'm afraid... I'm afraid I might cause trouble for the Gordon family, or even worse, inflict irreparable damage. If that's the case, then I would become a sinner of the Gordon family. At that time, it won't just be my personal problem. Even Uncle Chad, I fear, would be blamed and criticized by the elders of the Gordon family. I'm afraid I would let down Uncle Chad's trust...”

She knew that the Bartitsu Guild was not so easy to deal with. The Cox family might have been lucky to get away, but the Gordon family might not be so fortunate.

In this battle of wits and courage, where danger lurked at every corner, a single misstep could plunge them into an abyss.

She didn't want to drag the entire Gordon family down with her.

Jean understood her thoughts. He pulled her closer into his embrace with his strong arms.

“I understand that no matter how much I say, you may still feel uneasy and scared at this point. All I can say is, I'm here with you. No matter what you do, I'm by your side, doing my best to support and encourage you. I will also do everything in my power to protect you.”

Neera took a deep breath, and all she could smell was his refreshing and comforting scent.

She nodded slightly, her arms tightening around him a bit more. With her eyes closed, she leaned against his chest.

That night, Neera drifted off to sleep, only to be awakened by a sudden chill that ran through her entire body. Her stomach ached, the pain so intense that she broke out in a cold sweat.

“Neera... Neera, wake up.”

Jean was a light sleeper and noticed something was off about her. With a stretch of his long arm, he turned on the bedside lamp.

At a glance, he saw the young woman's deathly pale face. Cold sweat dampened the hair on her forehead, and her delicate eyebrows were knitted tightly together. Her lips, bitten by her own teeth, had lost all their color.

He paused for a moment, his heart suddenly tightening, and then something occurred to him.

He lifted the blanket for a quick glance and immediately grasped the situation. He swiftly carried her into the bathroom.

Neera was in so much pain that she was unable to move even a finger. She curled up in his arms, letting him take care of everything for her.

Once he had cleaned her up and changed the sheets, she felt him carrying her to the bed.

“It hurts so much.” The warmth of the blanket was not enough to fend off the icy coldness of her hands and feet. She was in unbearable pain.

Jean's heart ached unbearably. He tenderly kissed her forehead, his large hand reaching under the covers to rest on her lower abdomen.

After a gentle massage, he whispered in her ear, “Bear with it. I'll be right back, okay?”

Neera half-opened her eyes, looking at him listlessly, then closed them without much energy. “Okay,” she murmured.

Soon, Jean left the room. After a short while, he returned, now holding a glass that was steaming hot.

He gently lifted her from the blankets, cradling her in his arms. He cooled the content in the glass and said, “Open your mouth.”