Heiress' Househusband is a Secret Billionaire
Chapter 365: He Is the Only Decent One

Chapter 365: He Is the Only Decent One

Lariette reluctantly ended the call when Madeline drove past the main gates of the apartment, heading to the basement parking call. Once again, she told Ruediger not to worry.

The hour had just turned half-past seven when Lariette and Madeline arrived at the apartment unit. The latter carried takeout bags and shouldered a backpack of clothes.

"I gonna call Grandpa," Lariette glanced at Madeline as she walked toward the living room, "Sorry, Maddie."

"It’s fine," Madeline chuckled. She gestured to the kitchen, "I’ll serve us dinner in the meantime. Well, time to treat this like my own home."

Lariette laughed as Madeline immediately headed to the kitchen while humming a song. As for her, she sat on the couch with one hand holding the phone.

The living room was aglow by the main lamps, the light casting a gentle halo over Lariette. Her long hair, now loose from her usual tidy braid, cascaded over her shoulder.

Soon, Chairman Delaney’s anxious questioning echoed from the phone. Lariette laughed softly as she thought how similar her grandfather’s reaction was to Ruediger’s earlier.

"Yes, Grandpa. I’m fine. Maddie’s with me. She gonna sleep here this weekend," she said calmly, her thumb tracing circles on her knee absentmindedly, "I wasn’t really surprised."

Chairman Delaney’s voice on the other end echoed with concern. Exasperated, he complained, "That brat dared to do this over and over. If Brian hadn’t held me back, I would’ve gone to the station myself."

The elderly man was aware of Vincent’s previous stunts in trying to reach Ruediger. Disgust flooded his heart like oil and then set ablaze with his anger.

More soft laughter escaped Lariette’s lips, though her eyes were a little tired, "I know I can rely on you. But it’s okay now. I’ve told Mr. Kingsley I’d press charges if it happened again."

She didn’t mean to be benevolent to the one who had caused her trouble. She tried to stay calm before the need to do the last strike finally came.

"Yes, for now," Chairman Delaney begrudgingly agreed, "That boy and his father are a disgrace to their bloodline. You’re lucky that Eddy is the only decent one."

"Hehe~ He really is," Lariette chuckled, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkled in admiration, "He wanted to come home early, but I told him to finish everything there. Aunt Felle needs him more right now."

Upon hearing Chairman Delaney’s sigh, Lariette laughed again. Then they continued talking for a bit more before she ended the call. She promised to contact him tomorrow.

Putting her phone down, Lariette let out a groan before plopping on the couch. A huge wave of exhaustion abruptly hit her. She felt so tired that she didn’t want to even lift a finger.

Her eyes half-lidded, Lariette faintly heard the clinks, rustles of takeout containers and footsteps from the kitchen. She sniffed when a divine smell wafted in the air.

Hungry.

She was so hungry.

But so tired too.

Lariette almost drifted to sleep when Madeline’s voice floated through the air, "Lari! The set smells amazing! I brought extra because why not? Let’s eat!"

"Ah... okay..."

When Lariette forced herself up, Madeline had just reappeared from the kitchen holding two steaming bowls of creamy potato stew. The latter laughed at the sight of her friend’s pitiful look.

"Go wash your face," Madeline placed the bowls on the dining table, her merry voice a cheerful contrast to the fading tension in the air, "Come on. Or how about I tattle on you to Rudy? You have five seconds. Five... four..."

That was enough to jolt Lariette up.

"Maddie! No!"

Lariette quickly ran to her bedroom before Madeline followed through with her so-called threat. She grumbled when her friend laughed out loud.

In fifteen minutes, a refreshed Lariette joined Madeline at the dining table. The smell of garlic, butter and rosemary filled the apartment. A pot of hot vanilla rooibos tea sat on a side of the table.

"Less stressed, en?" asked Madeline teasingly when Lariette ate the stew.

"Hehe, yeah," she replied, still tired but with a genuine smile on her lips.

Then, neither of them spoke for a few minutes as they let the stew warm their bodies, chasing the lingering cold out of their chests. The silence was comforting instead of awkward.

Eventually, Lariette exhaled before setting down her spoon. A frown marred her forehead, "I really hate them."

Maddie, who had been dipping grilled bread into her bowl, paused, "Vincent? Them?"

"Vincent, Chairman Alvord. And everyone who tries to trouble Eddy," Lariette sighed.

Madeline held back from saying anything in response, knowing her friend had just begun venting. She silently poured more tea into their cups.

Lariette’s voice, laced with dismay, echoed in the dining area. Her appetite faded slightly as she was inadvertently reminded of the event that had just happened.

"Not just for what they did recently, but... for everything they did to him back when he was still a helpless child. Now, they try to worm their ways into his life as if Eddy owes them something."

The Alvords were beyond cruel and shameless!

Madeline reached for Lariette’s hand on the table. With a firm shake of her head, she said, "He doesn’t. Rudy doesn’t owe his father and the Alvords anything. Not after everything in his childhood."

Lariette glanced at Madeline’s hand on hers. A ghost of a smile lingered on her lips, "I was surprised, Maddie... when he first told me about... his mom and everything after... I don’t want the past to pull him back."

"It won’t," Madeline replied, firmer than earlier, "You know how strong and decisive Rudy is. And with you by his side, my mom and I won’t have to worry much about him."

Both Madeline and Felicia were aware that Ruediger had revealed his past to Lariette, but not everything yet. Still, they believed the pair’s newly established romantic relationship would be in jeopardy.

Lariette quietly took in Madeline’s words, trying to let go of some of her worries in order to believe her friend. She squeezed the latter’s hand.

"Okay, I better stop thinking of this matter. Vincent and Chairman Alvord can rot miserably," Lariette’s lips quirked upward, "Thanks again for hitting him too."

Madeline blinked, looking so innocent, "That was pure instinct, my friend. I saw his stupid face and heard his stupid excuse and my hand just moved. Boom!"

"Hahaha! Remind me not to be on your bad side."

"Hey! We’re in the same league! We gonna torment anyone who bullies us!"

The two best friends burst into laughter. It felt good to laugh freely after such a depressing moment in the day.