Chapter 8: Pleading in Person

Words : 1587 Updated : Aug 14th, 2025

The air in the hotel room felt heavy. Leanna Yare sat on the sofa in the living room area, her gaze shifting between Elijah Quinny and Raven. Expressionless, Raven gathered the papers on the table, set them aside with precision, and poured tea for the two of them. Her movements were brisk and coolly efficient, silently conveying her displeasure with Leanna. Leanna looked at Elijah, a tangle of conflicted feelings churning inside her. She had once burned with resentment; now it was just a tangle of conflicted feelings and a stubborn refusal to accept how things turned out. Raven's beauty and composure made her feel insignificant, and that gap lent her voice a brittle sadness. "Time flies. In a blink, so many years have passed. Do you remember the last time we saw each other? It feels like yesterday," Leanna said, feigning nostalgia, trying to stir old emotions. Elijah leaned back on the sofa, his expression detached. He remembered meeting Leanna seven years earlier: she'd been a naive girl. The years and the city's allure had stripped that away, leaving her consumed by material desires. A pang of regret ran through him. Entrusting Jolie to her had been the gravest mistake of his life. "Riveria's changed-a lot," he said, then cut to the chase. "When was the last time you saw Jolie?" Leanna froze, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. Her silence stretched too long. Elijah's heart sank. She had no idea how their daughter was doing-let alone cared. Anger and guilt clogged his chest; he had handed his child to a woman this cold. "Elijah, I-" "From what I've learned, Jolie has been missing for at least a week," he said coldly. "You're her mother-you didn't hear a thing?" Leanna lowered her head, scrambling for excuses. "She's still a kid. Where could she even go? And the teacher should be responsible, too. I have so much on my plate every day, I just-" Thwack! Raven flung the file in her hand to the floor, then calmly stooped to pick it up and stepped aside. A smile, devoid of warmth, tugged at the corner of Elijah's mouth. "I figured that even if things weren't great, at least you and Jolie could rely on each other. Turns out you've tossed aside the most basic duty of a parent. It's disgusting." The smile faded, his voice turning icy. "You didn't come today for Jolie, did you?" Leanna lifted her head and forced a smile. "Elijah, you know I married into the Looske family-the eldest son, Felix, married a divorcée like me. That wasn't easy, so-" "So you have a new family, and your own daughter becomes disposable?" Elijah cut in, his scorn stripping away his last illusion. Leanna surged to her feet, temper flaring. "How can you say that? You left me and our daughter back then. Did you think about what we faced? Now Felix has been arrested, and Romeo cries for his father every day. What am I supposed to do?" He watched her teeter on the edge of a breakdown, his gaze turning colder still. "Get out. You're not here for Jolie; you're here about the Looske family. All you care about is their little prince." "Elijah Quinny, watch your mouth!" Her voice turned shrill. "You really think the Looske family will hand all its power to your child?" He shook his head, contemptuous. "Still counting on your son to buy you status? Dream on." When pleading failed, Leanna's tone sharpened into a threat. "I came because of our past. The Looskes have serious clout. Taking you down would be easy. Don't make this hard on yourself." "If the Looskes are so capable, why don't they get their people out themselves?" Elijah's lips curled in mockery. Leanna flushed with anger but found nothing to say. "Enough. Get out. Once you walk through that door, we're done. From now on, Jolie has nothing to do with you," Elijah said, rising to his feet. Leanna lunged to grab him, but Raven stepped in, calm and immovable. "Miss Yare, you heard him. You're not welcome here. Please leave," Raven said, planting herself in the doorway. Leanna ground her teeth, shot Elijah a poisonous look, and hissed, "You'll regret this. The Looskes haven't even started for real. When they do, we'll see if you come begging." She shoved the door open and stormed out. Raven slammed it shut, muttering under her breath, "A woman who can abandon her own daughter-she's worse than an animal." Elijah didn't answer. "The Looskes haven't gone all in yet. What they've done so far is just over Elliot and Felix-they're still holding something back." He turned to Raven. "Any news from Zero?" Raven shook her head. Elijah exhaled, his brow furrowed, a heavy gloom settling over him. "I'm going out for a walk." He left the room and wandered alone through Riveria's streets. The city had become unrecognizable, gone from a sleepy third-tier city to a major metropolis. As he walked, he felt it all-same place, but everything felt different now. Near the riverside bridge, a commotion broke out. He looked up. A breathtakingly beautiful young woman sat astride the guardrail, clearly ready to end her life. A crowd had gathered at a safe distance. No one dared approach. Some pointed and joked; others held up their phones, live-streaming, their voices dripping with mockery. "Hey, live-streaming a bridge jump! Send a rocket and make her jump!" someone jeered, naming the app's pricey virtual gift. Elijah's face darkened. He strode in, yanked a man's phone from his hand, and smashed it on the pavement. "You think this is a show? A life is at stake. How can you be this cold-blooded?" The man glared. "You broke my phone. Pay up!" But Elijah's presence hit like a wall, and the man's bravado crumpled before he could finish. Elijah didn't waste time on them. He moved slowly toward the guardrail and tried to reach the woman. "Ma'am, please step down. We can talk about whatever's wrong. Don't do this." She heard him but gave no sign. In the crowd, someone muttered under his breath. "Who does he think he is? The Peacekeeping Bureau isn't even here. Like it's his place." Elijah's eyes cut over, sharp as a blade. The man clammed up and hunched his shoulders. Elijah stopped a short distance behind the woman and prepared to edge closer. Then the woman suddenly spoke.

Chapter 8: Pleading in Person

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