Mr. Neal, Mrs. Neal’s Gone With The Money

Chapter 12

“Alright,” Mitchell agreed, always ready to fulfill Cynthia’s requests.

Cynthia continued eating but could not help thinking about what was Joshua doing here?

On the other side, Joshua was pondering the same question. After joining Chyler and Yiordan in their private dining room, his mind was filled with the scene he had witnessed when he opened the door.

Why were they sitting so close at such a large table?

“What are you thinking about?” Chyler Young asked playfully, his eyes never losing their amusement. “You said you had something to discuss with us, so why are you so quiet now?”

“It’s nothing,” Joshua replied without elaborating.

Chyler and Yiordan exchanged glances.

The former was always eager to stir up trouble. “I heard that Mitchell has been a virtuous man for the past twenty–eight years, never getting too close to any woman. It seems the rumors might be false after all.”

“Hmm.” Yiordan casually sipped his wine.

Joshua felt annoyed every time he heard Mitchell’s name, so he confronted Chyler directly, ‘ You never fail to annoy me, do you?”

“Perhaps,” Chyler admitted with a smile.

The three of them had been close friends since childhood, so they were not worried about Joshua getting angry. However, Joshua was feeling quite stifled. As he caught a glimpse of Yiordan, who

seemed to be minding his own business, Joshua was reminded of a television show he had watched with Cynthia while discussing matters at home. He suddenly became furious.

Not caring about their feelings, he lashed out. “How does a scumbag like you have the nerve to drink wine so calmly here?”

Yiordan was puzzled, wondering, ‘What did I do to deserve this?‘

Chyler draped his arm around Yiordan’s shoulder, grinning wickedly. “Let’s not argue with someone who’s got so many problems on his plate.”

“You’re no better than me. At least Cynthia isn’t carrying someone else’s child,” Joshua retorted, not giving a damn that they were his good friends.

Chyler’s smile fro

his lips.

Yiordan was utterly confused.

He glanced sideways, still exuding a scholarly aura, and asked gently, “What’s going on?” “Aren’t you here to discuss something with us?” Chyler changed the subject, his mood noticeably worse than before. “Just tell us what it is.”

“Please take care of Jayleen for me for a while. Consider it a favor I owe you both,” Joshua said, momentarily forgetting about Cynthia.

The two of them knew how difficult it was for him to owe anyone a favor.

However, now they only had one thing on their minds. “Jayleen is back?”

Joshua simply replied, “Mm.”

“Are you divorcing Cynthia because of her?” Yiordan asked the crucial question, his expression becoming more complex.

“Yes,” Joshua admitted.

Chyler finally found an opportunity to retaliate. “Have you forgotten how she abandoned you back then, nearly ruining you?”

“It was a misunderstanding. She explained everything to me six months ago. Cynthia won’t let me see Jayleen before we get the divorce papers, so I need your help to watch over her during this time,” Joshua said, not hiding anything from them.

Yiordan still had the impression of Cynthia as a gentle and polite girl. “Isn’t she angry?”

“Not really,” Joshua recalled.

Chyler blurted out, “It seems she doesn’t have strong feelings for you either. She probably married you for your money.”

“She’s not that kind of person,” Joshua instinctively defended her.

“Wait until she asks you for something during the divorce, and then you’ll know. Some people pretend to be virtuous on the surface, but who knows what kind of person they really are,” Chyler said with a mocking smile in his eyes.

“People usually hide their true selves,” Chyler added.

Joshua furrowed his brow, not agreeing with Chyler’s words. He wanted to say that Cynthia did not care about money, but when he thought about the demands she made during their divorce, he was no longer sure. This realization made him increasingly agitated, even affecting his appetite during the meal. Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

He occasionally glanced toward the door, a sense of anticipation building within him, though he was not sure what exactly he was expecting. If there really was something going on between Cynthia and Mitchell, she should have followed him out to explain when he closed the door. However, nearly half an hour had passed without any sign of her.

Lost in his thoughts, Joshua took another sip of his drink. Both Chyler and Yiordan noticed his reaction. After another ten minutes, Chyler could not stand to see him like this anymore. He stood up, hand in his pocket, and suggested, “Once we’re done eating, let’s go next door and say hello to them.”

“I’m not going,” Joshua refused firmly. It was Cynthia who should feel guilty, and she should be the one seeking him out. Chyler, aware that Joshua would not swallow his pride, gave him a way out. “Mitchell came to Jiverton from Nexuria. Shouldn’t we at least greet him?”

Joshua hesitated for a moment. “Let’s go,” Yiordan said, patting his shoulder. With a reasonable excuse, Joshua got up and joined them.

All three were exceptionally handsome, being about 190 centimeters tall. Their appearance together would have caused quite a stir elsewhere. Fortunately, this was a members–only restaurant, and there were not many people around.

Joshua and Yiordan stood together, leaving the task of knocking on the door to Chyler. With his experience in these matters, Chyler quickly gained permission to enter. His eyes swept over Cynthia and Mitchell before settling on the latter with a smile. “Mitchell, you should have told me you were coming to Jiverton. I could have shown you some hospitality.”

“You’re too kind,” Mitchell replied, wiping his mouth with the manners of a gentleman.

“And this is…” Chyler’s gaze fell on Cynthia, deliberately drawing out his words.

Cynthia remained silent. During their two years of marriage, Joshua had never formally introduced her to his friends, but she had encountered them at several events. She did not believe that Chyler did not know who she was.

Mitchell simply said, “A friend.”

“I wonder if Mitchell would mind if I bring two friends to join your table?” Chyler asked without any embarrassment, “It would be nice to get acquainted.”

“I’m afraid it’s not convenient today. Perhaps another time, I’ll have the pleasure of treating you to a meal,” Mitchell politely declined, his refined demeanor intact.

With this brief statement, Mitchell effectively blocked any further attempts by Chyler. This made Chyler take a closer look at Cynthia, realizing that their relationship must be more complex than it appeared for Mitchell to be so resolute in his refusal. 1

Chyler, wanting to stir up some drama and harboring resentment from Joshua’s previous slight, suggested, “Well, then, we’ll be in the private dining room next door. After you two finish your dinner, we can catch up. How does that sound?”

This time, Mitchell did not refuse outright but looked to Cynthia for her opinion.