The Enigmatic Return (Neera and Jean) novel Chapter 822

Jean was already home when Neera arrived.

He left the auction before it had concluded.

When he saw the box in Neera's arms, he asked knowingly, "Is that the painting you got from the auction?"

Neera nodded. Her eyes twinkled with delight.

"Yup, do you want to see it?" she asked.

Jean nodded. "Sure."

They reached into the box and pulled out the painting. The couple admired it for a while.

Jean's gaze was still fixed on the painting when he casually inquired, "Did you get anything else?"

"Not really," Neera said, "but Avery did. He won a set of jewelry. He claimed it was a gift. Given his determination, it must be for someone he likes."

Jean found her casual remark suspicious. His face grew darker when he heard this.

He didn't say much but gently stroked her hair.

"You must be tired after such a long day. Take a bath and get some rest."

He was right. Neera was sleepy.

"Okay, I'm going upstairs," she yawned, covering her mouth.

She then went upstairs.

Jean returned to his room as well.

He didn't turn on the light right away after closing the door.

For a while, he just stood there in the pitch black while his eyes adjusted. He then walked to the balcony and gazed out the window at the night view.

After being annoyed for no apparent reason, he felt the urge to light up a cigarette.

He returned to the bedside table to retrieve a pack of cigarettes. He went back out to the balcony, lit up, and continued smoking.

Even though he didn't enjoy smoking, he could have done so if he wanted to.

He used to light up when he was feeling tired, and that was before he met Neera.

Jean hadn't smoked in quite some time.

The smoke entered his lungs, and he exhaled it slowly, like a veil that hid his face from view.

His gaze, however, remained as sharp as ever. It saw through the haze and stared into nothingness.

Avery, I hope you have feelings for someone else and that the jewelry isn't a gift for Neera. Whether the Bartitsu Guild or any other family that gets in my way, I will destroy you all mercilessly.

…

Neera took a bath. Her hair was still damp, and she didn't fall asleep immediately.

She heated up two cups of milk in the kitchen, drank one, and brought the other one upstairs for Jean.

The odor of smoke met her nostrils as she entered the room, and she frowned.

She stepped onto the balcony. A question popped into her mind as soon as she saw his silhouette, "Did you smoke?"

Jean had not expected her to visit him in his room.

He was taken aback and instinctively lied, "No, Ian did."

Neera didn't buy it at all. Ian was someone she had known for a long time, but she had never seen him smoking.

She squinted her eyes, leaned in close, and gave him a sniff. She immediately detected a faint tobacco odor.

Although she didn't mind the smell, she frowned slightly.

She questioned him directly, "Why did you lie and blame it on Ian? Is there something bothering you?"

Jean was surprised at how much it bothered her.

He admitted helplessly, "No, I just got lost in thought and took a few puffs. I hardly ever smoke. If you don't like it, I'm not going to touch it again."

Neera could tell this man was telling the truth. She reflected on how long they had been together and realized that she had never seen him smoke. She finally let go.

"Smoking is bad for your health; you should try to avoid it as much as possible. You can talk to me about anything that's bothering you. I can help ease your load a little bit.

Jean's ice-cold heart melted as he looked at her bright and sincere eyes. He lowered his head and kissed her lips. He then agreed with a smile.

Instantly, he felt better about himself again.

Avery, on the other hand, arrived home and casually placed the jewelry box on the table.

Violet appeared in white rabbit pajamas. She descended the stairs with a cup in her hand. She was pleasantly surprised to see the jewelry box.

"It's lovely! Is this for me, Satan?"

Avery gave her a casual glance and stated, "In your dreams."