205 Busy 

The female secretary bought a gift for Gordon that would surely please a little girl. It was a doll, exquisitely crafted from head to toe, with a delicate face, beautiful clothes, and silky–smooth hair. 

Gordon grabbed the gift and headed straight to Caroline’s place. 

When he arrived downstairs, he locked eyes with Leo, who was also holding a cute, pink gift box. 

Leo’s eyes widened in surprise, but then he quickly greeted Gordon politely. “Uncle.” 

Gordon grunted in response. He was just as taken aback to see Leo here, but he didn’t mind. 

Having Leo around actually made him feel more at ease. 

Leo glanced at the gift in Gordon’s hand and then at his own. Just by the color of the boxes, it was obvious they were both for 

Eloise. 

Gordon furrowed his brows in thought. “What special occasion is it today?” 

He was here to curry favor with Eloise, but what about Leo? 

Could it be Eloise’s birthday? 

T 

Chapter 205 Busy 

~~] 19 min left 

Gordon, who was far from being a perfect father, let alone a perfect grandpa, had no idea when Eloise’s birthday was. 

If it really was her birthday, the doll he’d brought might seem a bit too ordinary. 

And it was too late to get something else now. 

But Gordon was quick–witted. 

He figured the doll was just a starter. If it was Eloise’s birthday, he could always give her something more substantial, like an education fund. 

There were plenty of ways to show his love for her. 

Leo was initially puzzled by Gordon’s presence. Gordon, his uncle, had a strained relationship with his cousin Caroline. They hardly ever interacted, almost like strangers. 

And then it hit him–wasn’t his relationship with Caroline in the same boat? 

Today, not only did Gordon show up, but he also brought a gift for Eloise. Like Gordon, Leo first thought it might be Eloise’s birthday. 

But then he remembered that her birthday was still some time 

away. 

Suddenly, it all made sense. 

He was here to bond with Eloise, and Gordon was clearly here to patch things up with Caroline. 

At that moment, their fates seemed strangely similar. 

The two men stared at each other for a moment before Gordon 

finally broke the silence. “Where have you been lately?” 

Leo forced a wry smile. “Busy with work,” he replied. 

Gordon gave him a serious look. Seeing that Leo didn’t want to elaborate, he let it go. 

Leo might be a kid in his eyes, but he was an adult, and it wasn’t right for elders to meddle too much in his affairs. 

With their own agendas in mind, they went upstairs together. 

Alistair opened the door and stood there, stunned for a good while at the sight of them. 

Eloise, seeing the gifts they’d brought for her, looked just as confused. “Is it my birthday today?” 

Gordon slipped on a pair of disposable slippers and said in a soft voice, “Even if it’s not your birthday, can’t I give you a present today, sweetie?” 

Leo chimed in, “Yeah, Eloise. You don’t have to wait for your birthday to get gifts.” 

It was obvious what they were up to, showing up right at mealtime. 

The maid quickly got busy frying up a few more dishes. 

Alistair welcomed them in with a big smile, while Caroline remained aloof. 

But neither Gordon nor Leo dared to complain. They were just glad she didn’t kick them out. 

The family rarely had guests—well, these two probably couldn’t even be called guests. 

They were family, but the current situation was really sad. 

The family of three was used to their quiet routine, and suddenly having two more people around made the place lively. 

Alistair had a quiet day. 

He casually glanced at the two men sitting across from him. 

Alistair guessed they were as calm on the surface as he was. 

But he knew that beneath the calm exterior, there were undercurrents, and things were about to get turbulent. 

hapter 205 Busy 

Sure enough, just as they were about to start their meal, Gordon’s phone rang. 

19 min leff 

Gordon frowned slightly, looking rather annoyed. Who would call at such a warm and harmonious moment to spoil the mood? 

He gently stroked Eloise’s head and said with a warm smile, “Sweetie, eat up and grow tall, like a little sunflower reaching for the sky!” Then he made his way to the balcony to take the call. 

As he listened to the person on the other end, his face gradually darkened. Halfway through the conversation, he interrupted the caller, saying in a hurried tone, “I’ve got an emergency on my hands. I’ve gotta go right now.” With that, he rushed out of the door in a blur. 

Meanwhile, Eloise opened her mouth wide as Alistair popped a delicious shrimp into it. She chewed it slowly and then said, “Poor Grandpa. He’s always so swamped. Can’t even sit down for a proper meal.” 

Leo let out a silent sigh of relief. 

He was glad he’d cleared his schedule for this meal. 

He’d been looking forward to spending some quality time with Eloise. 

In foot ho’d oven hoon daydreaming about buying an apartment 

Chapter 205 Busy 

119 min letr 

in this neighborhood, maybe one just across the street from Caroline’s. That way, he could see Eloise every single day! 

But the best–laid plans often went haywire. 

Before long, Leo’s phone rang. 

Leo cast a cold glance at the caller ID and, without a moment’s hesitation, hit the “end call” button. 

Eloise asked him, “Uncle, why don’t you answer the phone? Is it a scammer’s harassing call?” 

What a sweet girl his daughter was, even coming up with an excuse for him. 

Leo nodded and put a tender, delicious piece of meat on her plate. “Yeah, it’s a harassing call.” 

Hardly had he finished speaking when the “harassing call” came in again. 

Leo hung up, and the caller called back. 

He hung up, but the caller was persistent. It rang again right away. He blocked the number, thinking that would be the end of it, but then other unknown numbers started popping up on his 

screen. 

Leo just stared at his phone, a silent groan in his mind. 

Eloise exclaimed, “Wow, the scammer is so persistent!” 

Leo stood up. “I’ll go and give the scammer a piece of my mind,” he said and headed to the balcony. 

A little later, he came back with a similarly grim look on his face. He grabbed his coat and said in a hurry, “Sorry, I also have something urgent and have to leave right away.” 

At the door, he seemed to remember something. Leo turned back, ruffled Eloise’s hair, and then scurried out under Caroline’s disapproving glare. 

Eloise sighed like a little adult, “Alas, even Uncle is so busy. Luckily, Mom and Dad aren’t that busy, or else no one would be able to have meals with me every day.” 

***** 

In the cramped car, Gordon’s face was unusually gloomy. 

An audio clip was playing slowly. 

“You’re talking nonsense!” 

This denial was from Paige, with a hint of barely perceptible panic in her voice. 

A strange man said, “Afraid to admit it? I’m really curious what 

Mr. Gordon Ashbourne would think if he heard my “nonsense.” 

There was an obvious threat in his tone. 

There was the sound of a chair leg scraping against the floor. Then Paige’s voice came again. “Don’t be impulsive. It’s not what you think. There must be some misunderstanding.” 

“Misunderstanding? I wish it were a misunderstanding! But it’s my life that’s been ruined, and it’s me who’s had my leg broken! Do you know how I’ve lived all these years, Professor Paige Ashbourne?” 

Gordon sat there, frozen in his previous position, as if struck by lightning. 

He seemed to know who the speaking man was now. 

*****