After Betrayal - I Married a Handsome Tycoon-Chapter 136: Fatal Attraction

How should one describe the relationship between Moira Sloan and Lillian Kidd?

They only really became close after Kain Alden passed away.

Before that, Lillian had always been busy with school affairs. She wasn’t distant from her husband’s apprentices, but one could hardly call them close.

However, Moira had always respected Lillian.

This was out of respect for her master and his teachings, and also because she remembered how well Lillian had taken care of her and her fellow apprentices over the years, seeing to all their needs.

They weren’t related by blood, merely joined to the same master.

For her to do as much as she did...

Honestly, it was more than enough.

A person shouldn’t be ungrateful.

Noticing the odd tone in Lillian’s voice, Moira shot a look at Flora Rhodes, signaling for her and Shauna Duane to start eating without her. She then took her phone and walked to the entrance of the little restaurant to answer the call.

"Lillian, what’s on your mind?"

Lillian’s voice was choked with emotion. "I want to reopen Erudite Pavilion."

Hearing this, Moira’s brow furrowed instantly. "What?"

Lillian’s voice was thick with tears. "Moira, I know. When your master closed the shop, he said that Erudite Pavilion would never open for business again, but I... but I..."

As Lillian spoke, she broke down into sobs, unable to continue.

Moira was silent, listening quietly without a word.

If Lillian had asked for anything else, Moira would have done everything in her power to support her.

But this...

In all her years as his apprentice, she had never once defied Kain Alden, except for when she chose to be with Shane Jennings.

Lillian cried for a while. Seeing that Moira still hadn’t given her an answer, she composed herself and said, "Moira, it’s not for any other reason. I just... I just want something to hold on to his memory."

Moira asked, "What do my senior brothers say?"

Lillian replied, "Your third and fourth brothers said they’ll follow your eldest brother’s lead."

At the mention of her eldest brother, Moira frowned, an inexplicable sense of aversion washing over her.

It was strange. She had never even met this eldest brother, and he had even helped her with the matter concerning Rachel Yates, yet she felt an instinctive repulsion toward him.

After a moment, Moira spoke. "Lillian, let’s take our time with this." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"Moira..." Lillian pleaded.

"Lillian, I understand what you mean, and I can sympathize with how you’re feeling, but I really can’t make this decision by myself. I need to discuss it with my brothers."

Her aversion was one thing.

But as the youngest apprentice, she couldn’t be the one to take the lead on something like this.

Nor could she bear the responsibility.

Hearing Moira’s response, Lillian didn’t push. She just murmured an "mhm," chatted about a few other things, reminded Moira to take care of herself, and finally hung up.

After ending the call, Moira lowered the phone from her ear.

She stared at the dark screen, pursing her lips.

’Reopen Erudite Pavilion.’

Moira took a shallow breath, lost in thought for a few seconds.

Moira didn’t immediately ask Caleb Lockwood and Rowan Churchill about it. For one, Caleb was still getting his tattoo. For another, she needed to sort through her own thoughts on the matter first.

A few minutes later, Moira returned to the restaurant.

She had only been gone for a little while, but Flora Rhodes and Shauna Duane were already getting along like a house on fire.

As she sat down, Flora and Shauna were huddled together, looking at a phone.

Moira asked curiously, "What are you watching?"

Flora showed her the phone. "It’s a lonely world, bleak and gray... but a bunch of sexy men are coming my way."

Moira glanced down.

Good lord. In the video, several grown men were swaying their hips with seductive flair.

The video title was just as eye-catching: *My Queen, you must be tired after a long day...*

Moira looked away. "Tsk."

Flora said teasingly, "What’s that ’tsk’ for? You think their moves aren’t as good as ’Mr. Mmm-mmm’?"

’Mmm-mmm.’

’That wild man.’

Moira said, "They have weak hips."

Moira’s shocking comment made it Flora’s turn to go, "Tsk, tsk, tsk."

After dinner, the three of them took a cab back to the lacquerware shop. Just as they got out, they spotted Connor Quinn sitting on a stool in the doorway of the tattoo parlor, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he stared at his phone.

His back was slightly arched.

Of his two long legs, one was planted firmly on the ground, the other slightly bent.

He wasn’t deliberately trying to look cool.

The masculine energy just radiated from him.

Seeing this, Flora poked Moira in her slim waist.

Moira raised an eyebrow, then her eyes narrowed. ’Now isn’t he infinitely more captivating than those hip-swaying, crotch-thrusting guys in the videos?’