Chapter 315: It's All Over

Having just finished work, Caleb Lowell was heading downstairs for a glass of water when he noticed a dim, yellow light still on at the bar near the staircase.

He hesitated, wondering how this group of henpecked husbands dared to keep drinking so late, or if they had just forgotten to turn off the light when they went upstairs. He decided to go check it out.

He had only taken a few steps when Kai Preston spotted him and quickly waved him over.

“Well, well, the Lowell family’s number one is still awake? Come on over, have a few drinks with me.”

Hearing the voice, Caleb paused. ‘Suddenly, I don’t really feel like going over there anymore. What’s up with that?’

Being called “number one” by Kai Preston felt strange, somehow. It was a little creepy, like he was about to end me in the next second…

Caleb walked over, trying his best to appear calm, only to find his own father was there too.

“Uncle Quincy, Dad, why are you two still up?”

“Waiting for your sister. Did you just finish work now?”

Charles Lowell grabbed a clean glass from the side and placed it in front of him. “Here. If you want a drink, pour it yourself.”

Caleb was stunned for a moment. “Waiting for Nola? Did she go out?”

Charles Lowell shot him an exasperated look.

“Didn’t I tell you at noon? She’s going to find that Andy tonight. She’s been gone for over two hours.”

“You told me… did you? When?”

If he recalled correctly, the extent of their conversation today had been limited to:

Leaving for work this morning:

“Dad, I’m off to the company.”

“Mm.”

And after returning to the old family home from work, when greeting everyone in the room, it came to:

“Dad.”

“Mm.”

Perhaps because the confusion in his dear son’s eyes was almost palpable, Charles Lowell blinked.

“Oh, I didn’t tell you? I must have forgotten then. No matter. Here, have a couple of drinks to help you sleep. You’ll sleep sounder later.”

As he spoke, he poured some liquor into the glass he had just given him.

Caleb: ‘…Two minutes ago, you told me to pour my own if I wanted a drink ^_^’

“Wait, is that the point? You just said Nola went to find Andy. Did she go by herself? How dangerous is that?! And wasn’t the plan to wait until the robots were sold before catching him in the act?”

“Hey, don’t panic. It’s just that your dad didn’t explain it clearly,” Kai Preston said, patting his shoulder reassuringly.

“By the time they left, the man had already been caught. Besides, that kid from the Grant family and Nina went too. There’s no danger, don’t worry.”

Hearing this, Caleb finally relaxed a little.

“But… why so suddenly? Just last night, she told me to release the plan today.”

Charles Lowell downed the liquor in his glass in one gulp and said in a heavy voice, “Because plans can’t keep up with changes.”

He then selectively recounted the story of receiving the package at noon and the things Yvonne Lowell had told him.

“Why… why didn’t she tell us?”

Caleb’s voice was a bit hoarse.

‘Is this why she had to claim she had amnesia before?’

“Would telling you have helped? What could you have done for her?!”

The glass was slammed onto the table with a sharp CLACK. Charles Lowell’s deliberately lowered voice trembled slightly.

“You can’t help her, I can’t help her, none of us can help her! You have to understand, this is her own business. We can’t interfere, and we shouldn’t. The only thing we can do is not cause her trouble and wait for her to come home! Understand?!”

Was he afraid? Of course, he was afraid. Ever since he was in Country X and recognized the Japyrian who took a bullet for his wife as his own daughter, he had been afraid every single moment.

Furthermore, the fact that she didn’t need to stay with her unit like other Japyrians and could even have her own career on the outside spoke to the special nature of her position, and what kind of perilous missions she must have to undertake.

Or perhaps, those dangerous missions were her entry ticket, the probing stones she cast out to test the waters.

So when he learned that Pluto was backed by Aurelia, his first reaction wasn’t relief, but worry. He worried that if people from Country M found out, it would bring disaster upon her.

But just as he had said, there was nothing they could do except try not to cause her any trouble.

Caleb Lowell opened his mouth, but it felt as if his throat was stuffed with cotton, unable to form a single syllable.

Just as the atmosphere grew heavy, the sound of a car engine came from outside.

Charles Lowell and Caleb Lowell exchanged a look and quickly stood up to walk toward the door.

Kai Preston smiled silently. Now he was finally certain that having Yvonne come home to her family had been the right decision.

Stroking a non-existent beard, he clasped his hands behind his back and slowly followed them.

The moment Yvonne Lowell and the others stepped inside, Charles Lowell grabbed each of them by the shoulders, inspecting them closely. He only relaxed after seeing they were unharmed.

“As long as you’re okay, as long as you’re okay…”

“Don’t worry, it’s all over.”

A warmth spread through Yvonne Lowell’s heart as she gently reassured him.

“That’s right, Uncle Lowell. We’re all fine,” Nina Jennings and Zachary Jacobs added.

Yvonne Lowell looked at Caleb Lowell beside her.

“By the way, Brother, Andy has been handed over to the government authorities for selling company secrets.”

“Okay, I know what to do.”

Caleb Lowell understood her meaning. He patted her head, a hint of pity in his eyes. “By the way, where’s Leo?”

“Oh, he went back next door. He said he’ll come over with Grandpa Grant and the others tomorrow.”

Charles Lowell snorted coldly. “I bet he heard we tidied up a room for him and is deliberately staying away, isn’t he?”

The children of their families had played together since they were young, so each had their own designated room in the others’ houses. Leo Grant was no exception.

And now he was looking down on the guest room he’d slept in since childhood?

Hmph. The ambition of a wolf! He ought to be punished!

Yvonne Lowell draped her arm over Charles Lowell’s shoulder and teased,

“Old Man Lowell, I don’t think you’re one to talk. You’ll be sleeping in a guest room today too, won’t you?”

“So what? I want to! I just don’t want to disturb your mother’s rest!”

Having his thoughts exposed, Charles Lowell shot her an annoyed look.

“Yes, yes, of course. Then you should hurry off to bed. You’re a grown man, yet you’re keeping my brother up all night. As someone who’s been there, don’t you know how hard my brother works?”

Hearing this, Kai Preston began to back away silently.

Yvonne Lowell’s voice floated over, “And you, old man, where do you think you’re going? Looking for another drink?”

“No! I was just getting sleepy and heading to bed! It was your dad, he insisted I have a drink with him, otherwise I’d have been asleep long ago! He even said he wants to drink again tomorrow night, what a handful…”

As he spoke, Kai Preston even put on a show of yawning.

Charles Lowell stared at him, stunned. “Weren’t you the one who said…”

“Come on, let’s go, Old Man Lowell. Let’s go upstairs to bed. I told you not to worry, but you wouldn’t listen, and you insisted on dragging me to drink with you…”

Kai Preston quickly cut him off, slinging an arm over his shoulder and guiding him upstairs.

Charles Lowell: ‘…Wow. A backstabber, are we?!’

The group left behind exchanged glances, shrugged helplessly, and then went their separate ways to their rooms.