Hearing Arabella Donovan say she looked almost identical to her late biological mother, Eloise Donovan's mind reeled, and her hands, hanging by her sides, clenched into tight fists.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Caspian Rhodes, who had been focused on their group ever since Arabella stood up, almost instinctively pulled out his phone and took a picture in their direction.
He zoomed in and out to confirm he had captured clear shots of Eloise and the others before putting his phone away. When he looked up, he met the complex, hesitant gaze of the middle-aged man with him.
The man's stare seemed to say: 'I never thought you were that kind of person, Mr. Rhodes!'
Caspian Rhodes: "..."
Melanie Yates was quiet for a moment. After hearing Arabella's words, she spoke again, her tone stiff and awkward. "You really are from some backward little town, aren't you? So uncultured. A few plates of pastries are all it takes to buy you off. She's just a waitress, what could she possibly tell you? In the end, you still have to pay for them. Forget it, forget it. Just consider it my good deed for the day. My family owns this place. I'll have them pack up a few of every kind for you later."
The words were far from pleasant. Just as Eloise was about to retort, she heard Arabella muttering in her mind.
'Pfft... This Miss Yates isn't just obsessed with looks, she's also a total tsundere. She clearly wants to use these pastries as an apology, but she sounds like she's looking for a fight. And if I remember correctly, didn't she call this place a dumpy little restaurant when she was mocking my fourth sister? Wow, she's so ruthless she'll even insult herself!'
Eloise's mouth twitched. Her gaze toward Melanie Yates suddenly held a hint of pity, as if looking at an idiot. "If you want to apologize, just say so. Your kind offer sounds more like charity. You don't have many friends, do you?"
Her nerve struck, Melanie Yates instantly grew flustered and angry. "When did I say I was—"
"I appreciate this benefactor's kind intentions. To thank you for your generosity, this humble Daoist can offer you a reading."
"You can tell fortunes?"
Mrs. Donovan and Eloise were also surprised. They exchanged a look but said nothing.
"I observe that your left eyebrow is full and elegant, with a line just below its tail. This indicates you have a brother, and that you two share a very close and harmonious relationship."
Melanie Yates was stunned. She did have an older brother who doted on her and always put her first.
Not even Eloise knew this, let alone this outsider who had only just returned to the Donovan family a few days ago.
"However, the end of your left eyebrow appears almost broken. This signifies that your brother's luck has recently turned sour. I fear he faces a bloody calamity. At best, he will suffer physical injury; at worst, his life will be in danger. To avoid this fate, your brother should not leave the house for the next half a month. If he absolutely must go out, he must always be accompanied. He must never go out alone."
At first, Melanie Yates was completely bewildered, but as she listened, her face fell. "How dare you curse my brother!"
"How could this be a curse? I am merely speaking the truth. As the old saying goes, 'ignore my words now, and you'll suffer the consequences.' This concerns your brother's safety, benefactor. You should be cautious."
It had to be said, Arabella's warning truly hit its mark.
Melanie Yates never believed in such things. If Arabella had only spoken about Melanie herself, she would have dismissed it. But she had brought up the family member she cared for most.
Even if she didn't believe it, she didn't dare risk that one-in-ten-thousand possibility.
Her appetite was instantly gone. She shot Arabella a furious glare, grabbed her bag, and walked out.
Only after Melanie's figure had completely disappeared did it dawn on Arabella. "She just left? Am I still getting my pastries?"
'You scared her off, and you're still thinking about her pastries.'
Mrs. Donovan, wanting her two daughters to bond, cleared her throat and reminded her, "It's all right. Don't you still have your sister?"
Arabella's eyes lit up, and she was overjoyed.
'Mhm, mhm, my fourth sister is the reliable one after all!'
"Alright, I'll get them for you later." Eloise forced down the smile threatening to form on her lips. "Serena, was what you just said all true? Is Melanie Yates's brother really going to have an accident?"
Arabella raised her hand in a mock-profound gesture and recited, "Amitabha. Heavenly secrets must not be revealed!"
The Donovan mother and daughter: "..."
'You came from a Sacred Temple, yet you're making a Buddhist gesture and chanting a Buddhist mantra. Aren't you afraid your sect will accuse you of betraying your master and ancestors?'
'Of course it's fake!'
"..." 'And we almost believed you!'
'But according to the original plot, right after Melanie Yates causes trouble for my fourth sister, her brother, the ultimate simp, will accidentally discover Cassandra Lynch hugging and whispering sweet nothings to Simp Number Two. Devastated, he'll go out drinking alone late at night, then get into a car crash while driving drunk and end up in a vegetative state.'
Such is the fate of a simp—to simp and simp until they're left with nothing. Not only do they bring ruin upon themselves, but they also drag their family down with them.
Because of this, Melanie Yates's parents were heartbroken and fell ill, never to recover, and their family business plummeted.
Having lost her value, Melanie Yates was soon kicked out of the female lead's circle of friends and became early-stage cannon fodder.
Hearing the fate of Melanie Yates's family made their hearts pound with fear. They now had an even deeper understanding of the danger posed by the Miss Lynch they had yet to meet.
Caspian Rhodes stood up at once and, meeting the other man's surprised gaze, headed for the restroom.
He first tried calling his cousin several times, but no one picked up, so he had to send a text message instead.
On his way back to his seat, Caspian Rhodes subconsciously glanced at Arabella as he passed by her table.
Unexpectedly, his eyes met Arabella's as she looked up to scan her surroundings. Both of them froze for a second.
'This guy... is so handsome! Are all you city folk this good-looking?'
Caspian Rhodes's steps faltered. For some reason, he suddenly felt the tips of his ears grow hot.
But Mrs. Donovan and Eloise, who had just arrived with a dish, reacted as if facing a formidable foe. Like a mother hen protecting her chick, they immediately pulled Arabella behind them, glaring at Caspian Rhodes with dark, wary eyes full of warning, as if staring down a big bad wolf.
"..."
Caspian Rhodes looked at their expressions and vaguely guessed what was happening. His mouth twitched, but he didn't linger.
Eloise and her mother finally breathed a sigh of relief and quickly changed the subject to the food on the table to distract Arabella.
After lunch, the two of them didn't leave right away.
Now that the truth was out, Mrs. Donovan wanted Eloise to move back home.
Arabella supported this idea as well.
"There are so many rooms at home, Sis. There's no need for you to live outside. It's a waste of money and inconvenient."
'Most importantly, Cassandra Lynch probably already knows my fourth sister has moved out. Who knows what she'll do now that she's backed into a corner? That woman is a real piece of work. She looks all frail and sickly, like she could drop dead at any moment, but in reality, she's ruthless and vicious. My fourth sister might not be a match for her.'
Mrs. Donovan was already worried about Eloise living alone, and now she was even more so. She gripped Eloise's hand tightly and refused to let go.
Eloise felt helpless but had no choice but to agree.
She hadn't taken much with her when she left home, so moving back was simple.
The two of them followed Eloise to her rental place, grabbed her bags, and headed home. The moment they walked through the door, they noticed there was one more person in the house than there had been that morning.