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Chapter_261
Jeremiah walked into the dessert shop, his military uniform commanding attention. He had an aura of authority that seemed to push everyone around him into silence. As he entered, the room instinctively cleared, as if the mere presence of the “Living Reaper” was enough to freeze time.
He had tracked Yvette here using the GPS in every vehicle within the Skyland fleet, including the small black scooter she had been riding lately. When his meeting concluded, he came straight to this place. However, he hadn’t expected to find Aurora here, much to his surprise.
Standing at an imposing six feet seven inches, Jeremiah’s presence alone was enough to make everyone around him uneasy. His dark eyes, deep and unreadable, swept across the room. His gaze paused for a moment on someone, and though subtle, the faintest of smiles tugged at the corners of his lips. Yvette must’ve kept her identity under wraps. If anyone knew who she was, my mother might have reacted… differently, he thought to himself.
He didn’t bring it up, and Yvette didn’t either, both choosing to keep her secret. His attention then shifted back to Aurora.
The moment Jeremiah’s gaze swept over the group of women, including Darnell, their breathing seemed to slow down. They had all heard the stories—Jeremiah’s reputation was legendary. Even a frown from him could spell trouble. Eleanore, in particular, found herself wishing she could sprout wings and escape.
The youngest, iron-willed commander of Clusia—the name that had become famous throughout Betrico—had entered the room. The air around him felt heavy, and the women knew they wouldn’t be able to hold their composure much longer.
Aurora, ever enthusiastic, greeted him with a bright smile. “Jeremiah, what are you doing here? It’s been so long, and you’ve only gotten more handsome! Truly, you’ve inherited all my good looks!”
Jeremiah paused for a moment, a slight look of helplessness crossing his face. “Mom,” he said, his voice a little strained, “being naturally good-looking doesn’t really apply to me.”
Unfazed, Aurora waved her hand dismissively. “I know, I just wanted to point out how beautiful I am. Don’t overthink it.”
Jeremiah was left speechless.
Aurora’s excitement only grew. She was genuinely thrilled that Jeremiah had come for her. Tiptoeing up to him, she gave him a playful pat on the shoulder, a smug grin forming on her face. “Jeremiah, what brings you here? Did your dad send you? He’s always overthinking everything. Doesn’t he know how tough I am? It’s such a hassle for you to come!”
Her words were light-hearted, but the glint in her eyes betrayed a certain arrogance. The women in the room, still nursing their injuries and fear, dared not speak up. All they wanted now was for Jeremiah to leave.
Jeremiah, however, ignored Aurora’s teasing and focused his gaze on the women. His expression shifted to one of calm inquiry. “Mom, what happened?”
Aurora’s eyes widened in surprise. From his words, it seemed Jeremiah wasn’t aware of the situation. Why is he here, then? Is it a coincidence? Maybe he just comes here for coffee and desserts… Wait, no, he doesn’t like that sort of thing. He must be here with his girlfriend! Aurora’s mind raced, and a gleam appeared in her eyes at the thought of finally meeting her future daughter-in-law.
For a brief moment, Aurora lost herself in these thoughts.
Jeremiah, noticing the dreamy expression on her face, couldn’t help but know she was probably daydreaming again. He turned his attention to Darnell, who stood nervously in his uniform, clearly out of his depth.
Darnell, swallowing his fear, stepped forward. He thought to himself, I really shouldn’t have left the house today. This is not the right day for this…
Taking a deep breath, Darnell addressed Jeremiah. “Mr. Jeremiah Chavez, I’m Deputy Chief Darnell from the Betrico Police Station. Mrs. Chavez came here for coffee today, and things… got a little heated. There was a minor altercation with some of the ladies.”
Noticing the slight frown on Jeremiah’s face, Darnell quickly added, “But don’t worry, Jeremiah. Mrs. Chavez wasn’t hurt. In fact, she handled things herself. Before you arrived, she agreed to settle everything privately, with one condition. She wanted these ladies to apologize to this young lady here, and that would be the end of it. However, they were a bit… reluctant.”
Darnell wiped the sweat from his forehead, the chill of Jeremiah’s presence not lost on him. The man exuded command without uttering a single word.
Jeremiah’s gaze shifted to Yvette, who stood with her hands in her pockets, her eyes cast downward. His voice, calm and even, broke the silence. “What does this have to do with her?”
In that moment, Aurora finally realized something. She knew her son well enough to sense the anger building in him. She was a little confused—Why is he angry? I haven’t done anything wrong. Still, she didn’t want to risk further confrontation. Walking over to Yvette, she took her hand, pulling her back toward Jeremiah.
Yvette, her gaze half-lidded, looked down at the delicate hand placed gently on hers. It was warm and dry, clearly well-maintained, but there was an air of quiet care in the touch.
Yvette didn’t say a word, merely allowing Aurora to lead her.
Jeremiah, who had been watching from a distance, paused for a moment. He knew Yvette well, and it surprised him to see her allowing such an intimate gesture. He had never seen her quite like this before, especially not with Aurora.
As Aurora led Yvette back to Jeremiah, she beamed at him. “Jeremiah, this is Yvette, my new friend. She helped me out today. She’s the one who stopped the door from opening and made sure those ladies didn’t escape. Without her, I’d have been running around, going door to door, which would’ve been exhausting.”
Eleanore and the others could hardly contain their fury at the words. If anyone tried to run away today, Aurora would have followed them to their homes. That’s just too much! They couldn’t believe what they were hearing.
Without waiting for Jeremiah’s response, Aurora turned to Yvette and continued, “Yvette, this is my son. He’s in the military and just doing his job. He’s a bit aloof, so don’t mind him.”
Jeremiah glanced down at Yvette, and Yvette looked up at him. Their eyes met for a brief, silent moment—one with a hidden smile, the other completely unreadable. Despite the exchange, neither of them said a word.
Aurora, oblivious to the silent exchange, continued to smile. She was used to Jeremiah’s stoic nature. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how his girlfriend put up with him.
Jeremiah, meanwhile, had no doubt that with Yvette around, Aurora was safe. He turned his gaze back to the women in the room and then to Darnell, his voice soft yet commanding. “The reason.”
Darnell’s heart, which had finally begun to settle, once again tightened in fear. He knew what was coming now—Jeremiah wasn’t going to let this go easily.
The women, still nursing their injuries, kept their heads down in silence. Darnell was both frustrated and angry. These rich women, always gossiping, now couldn’t find the courage to speak in front of Jeremiah.
He took a deep breath and answered as respectfully as he could. “Mr. Jeremiah Chavez, these ladies said something that reached Mrs. Chavez’s ears, and she… confronted them. I don’t know exactly what was said, but you’ll have to ask Mrs. Chavez and these ladies directly.”
Jeremiah’s gaze locked on one of the women in front of him—Gloria. He recognized her from a few social events at the Chavez family home.
Jeremiah’s eyes turned to ice. He knew Aurora wasn’t one to overreact unless something serious had been said. The women must have crossed a line.
His gaze never leaving her, he spoke softly, but with an unmistakable authority, “Speak.”
Gloria, unable to hold it in any longer, trembled. Her fingers dug into her palm as she fought to control her fear.
Eleanore shot her a look of pure hatred. You’re usually so clueless, but now you’re talking non-stop. What an idiot!
The other women, too, were furious with Gloria for spilling everything. But Gloria couldn’t back down. With a fearful glance, she finally spoke up, recounting everything she had heard.
Aurora, though slightly surprised by Gloria’s sharpness under pressure, couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride for Jeremiah. Indeed, people’s true potential shows itself under pressure, she thought, her heart swelling with pride.
