Sweet Subterfuge

Chapter 264

Chapter 264 Roland stood motionless, tightly gripping his cane with both hands. He only briefly glanced at Kevan in the beginning before becoming completely fixated on Larissa. “And this is.” Although he directed his question at Kevan, his gaze never left Her. Upon hearing that, Kevan pulled Larissa closer. “This is my wife, Larissa.” Roland was clearly taken aback and involuntarily raised his voice, saying, “What? Wife?” Larissa was shocked at the sudden raise of tone, causing her to instinctively press herself against Kevan. Initially, she had assumed he was taking her back to his own “home” in Bartham, but little did she expect that he would bring her to his grandfather’s house. She would never have gone out with him if she had known earlier. “Yes.” Nevertheless, Kevan calmly nodded. “We got married on the 3rd.”

Infuriated, Roland widened his eyes and raised his cane to about hall his height, but he suddenly realized Larissa was still present and had to forcefully lower it again. He gave Kevan a warning look, then turned to Larissa and called out “Lari?” It seemed as though he had instantly transformed into a different person. His previous cold and stem demeanor vanished, and his tone became incredibly gentle as if he feared scaring her away. “What’s Lari short for?” Larissa tightly held Kevan’s hand, their palms fitting together perfectly, and she slowly drew warmth from him, which gave her a sense of security. Years of workplace experience had made her more adaptable than the average person. She mustered a smile and politely answered. “It’s Larissa.” Her voice was sweet overshadowing the slight tremor within it. “Oh.” Roland narrowed his eyes slightly and kindly smiled. “That’s a very beautiful name.” Though she knew he was being polite, she couldn’t help but blush at his compliment. Bartham belonged to the northem region, and in winter, it was much colder than coastal cities like Covenford in the south. The dry air made the cold wind in Bartham feel like a sharp blade cutting across the face. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Roland had no knowledge of Larissa’s background, and when he saw her face suddenly turn red, he thought she wasn’t accustomed to Bartham’s climate and had been severely affected by the cold. “Come inside and have a seat,” he invited her. “It’s too cold outside.” He slowly turned around and walked unsteadily forward. She watched with trepidation, quickly letting go of Kevan’s hand and catching up with Roland, linking her arm with his. She sweetly smiled and said, “Grandpa, let’s walk together.” Her proactive approach surprised Roland. He was momentarily stunned, but then his smile grew even wider, and the wrinkles on his face deepened. *Sure, sounds great!” His voice was filled with indescribable joy and delight. Kevan, who was left behind by the two, observed their interaction and quietly smiled. The main room where Roland lived was in the deepest part of the mansion, but it wasn’t the most magnificent and grand room in the entire compound. On the contrary, the room had an overall worn-out appearance, and the furniture inside had a very old-fashioned style. with some pieces even peeling paint. Kevan later told Larissa that this room had been his grandparents’ bridal chamber, and they had lived there ever since they got married. His grandmother passed away in her forties due to illness, and Roland never remarried. Out of nostalgia for his wife, he hadn’t changed or redecorated anything in the room all these years. The three of them sat in the hall, with a high-powered electric healer placed nearby, warming up the air in the room. Kevan explained, “Grandpa didn’t allow this room to be renovated, so there’s no heating here. If you feel cold, I can have someone bring you a thicker coal.” Larissa was sitting closest to the electric heater-Roland specifically made this arrangement. “It’s quite warm here,” she replied.