Chapter 125 Cousin
I wasn't sure what Leonard had said, but the woman suddenly laughed and glanced toward the door.
When her eyes landed on me, they lit up as she hurried over to open the door.
"Eva,
a, why are you standing outside? Come in!"
The way she acted with the casual authority of someone who belonged there like she was the host, left me stunned.
Zack gave me a quick nod before excusing himself. "Looks like Mr. Harmon has important guests. I'll come back another day."
I knew it wasn't the right time to discuss business matters, so I had Jean escort him out.
"Mr. Harmon, who's this?" I cautiously asked as I entered the office.
"Eva, how could you not recognize me? I'm your cousin, Alisa Green!" she said, slightly offended. She glanced at me and then at Leonard.
"I told you, Eva's forgotten all about me. Here I am, recognizing her right away, and she can't even remember her own cousin!" she added, her tone dripping with mock reproach, reminiscent of Lily's playful but manipulative manner.
The name Alisa did ring a bell. She was Uncle Keenan's youngest daughter and had an older brother, Jasper Green..
"My apologies, Alisa. We were probably in second or third grade the last time I saw you. I really don't remember much.
"And considering you didn't make it to Grandpa's funeral because you had urgent matters, I haven't had a chance to see you since then."
I smiled politely, keeping my tone neutral. It was obvious she was here on behalf of the Green family to discuss a potential collaboration with Harmon Group
The overpass project was a gold mine and a great opportunity for exposure. They wouldn't miss the chance to try their luck, especially after Keenan saw how important I was to Leonard.
Alisa turned around and looked at me awkwardly.
I'm sorry about that. I really was busy back then. Plus, I was only a couple of years older than you at the time, so it wasn't like I had any say in the matter.Text © owned by .
She quickly backpedaled, throwing in a string of half-hearted apologies. I just smiled at her, silently
thinking that her acting skills were going to waste.
If Lily was a fake innocent girl, Alisa was an extreme hypocrite.
Her upbringing had clearly made her confident, perhaps too much so.
Yet, looking at her appearance-her outfit, makeup, and even her body language-I saw that she had followed the same path as Lily-she was trying to mimic me. She missed the mark, though. I rarely dressed in such revealing clothing.
Partly because my figure didn't allow it and partly because of the scars I was constantly covering up.
But to her, having a face that slightly resembled mine was enough, and being family gave her an event easier way to cozy up to Leonard.
Chart 125 Gous
I knew why she was here, but instead of confronting her directly, I remained silent, holding my document. and standing beside her.
Leonard seemed a bit uneasy, glancing between the two of us. "Eva, don't we already have dinner plans. tonight..."
Alisa interrupted him. "I've already booked a restaurant for us." She flashed a sweet smile. "We're family. after all. It would be nice to catch up."
"You wouldn't say no to me, would you, Mr. Harmon?" she added, her tone suddenly taking on a hint of vulnerability as she lowered her gaze, appearing slightly hurt.
I noticed her necklace was strikingly similar to the one Leonard had gifted me. She was clearly putting in effort to dress up like me
Considering that Keenan and my father had looked quite alike, it wasn't surprising that Alisa and I had a familial resemblance. She had taken full advantage of that resemblance.
Since she had already put it that way, it was hard for Leonard and I to refuse.
During dinner, Alisa kept up her charming facade, constantly catering to Leonard and ordering all his favorite dishes. Leonard maintained his gentlemanly demeanor, but he hardly spoke. Meanwhile, Alisa kept the conversation alive, clearly enjoying the attention she was receiving. As we finished up and the bills had been settled, Alisa turned to me with a hesitant smile.
"Eva, I really don't like staying in hotels. They never feel like home. Since we're a family, would it be alright if I stayed at your place for a few days? You wouldn't mind, would you?"