Semua Bab Boat Against the Current: Bab 11 - Bab 20

Although she was only staying for a month, the room the Vaughns prepared for Lucille was wonderful. It had a great view, good access to sunlight, and meticulous furnishings.For a second there, she even wondered if she had wandered into a showroom. It was Lilian's first time in the guest room, too. When she saw that Elliot had even prepared a shelf full of makeup and skincare products, she lavished praise on her son for once. “Elliot was surprisingly thorough this time. Well, Lucy? Is there anything else you need?”Lucille shook her head, her eyes wide with pleasant surprise. She looked quite a bit like Victoria, yet she always had such a sweet expression on her face. Lilian could not help but want to pinch that familiar face, her heart melting already.However, she had barely lifted her hand before Elliot walked into the room and pressed her hand back down into the luggage. Her plan having failed, she pouted and glared at her party pooper of a son suspiciously. “Are you sure

It was a dreamless night. River’s biological clock woke him up at exactly five o'clock the next morning.He opened his eyes and instinctively reached to his side. Did she not come back all night?River’s mood instantly plummeted to rock bottom again. He returned to his room and picked up his phone. Just as he was about to ask around for her, he felt something underneath his pillow.He reached in and found two objects.Was this… her surprise for him? That was the only possibility River could think of. After all, whenever she ticked him off in the past, she would hide her apology gifts under his pillow and wait for him to discover them himself. It was their little unspoken secret.He felt around the two objects. One seemed to be a letter, and the other was a bank card. He knew without looking that the letter was a love letter. What about the card? Was it a small capital to kick off his birthday celebration?The thought swept all of River's past frustrations away. Suddenly, he

Thanks to her nap on the flight, Lucielle didn’t feel the effects of jet lag when she landed.By 11 p.m., she was sleepy and drifted off almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.At around 2 a.m., an abrupt call yanked her out of her dreams.Seeing her mom’s face on the phone screen, she answered, only to be greeted by a familiar, furious voice.“Who said you could go to England without telling anyone, Lucielle?”It was River.Lucielle was instantly wide awake.She turned on the bedside lamp and glanced at the clock. “It’s two in the morning here in London, River.”River’s ears burned. His jaw tightened. “I told you not to call me that!”“But we’re siblings. That’s not something you can change.”River felt his anxiety spike at her calm acknowledgment of their relationship. His anger boiled over, and before he could stop himself, he blurted out, “Did you think about the fact that we were siblings when you were under me?!”The line fell silent.River immediately regretted hi

The apartment was located beside the University of London. The area was quaint and charming, and Lucielle liked it immediately.Elliot decided to bring her to the apartment first to take note of everything they needed to buy. Afterward, he showed her around the neighborhood, pointing out nearby markets, restaurants, parking lots, and even alleyways.Lucielle jotted everything down and thanked him.Elliot waved her thanks off casually. Noticing it was almost lunchtime, he asked, “What do you feel like eating?”Unfamiliar with the local restaurants, Lucielle asked for suggestions.Elliot chose a nearby restaurant and led her there.Compared to his parents, Elliot was more soft-spoken. He wasn’t cold, but he rarely spoke unless spoken to. His dependable nature left a good impression on Lucielle. Slowly, she found herself developing a sense of closeness and trust in him.Just as they placed their order, Elliot’s phone buzzed. It was a call from Lillian, asking when they would be bac

Elliot’s well-reasoned offer stunned Lucielle. She hadn’t expected him to understand River’s personality and tendencies so quickly after just one meeting, nor had she anticipated his initiative in offering to protect her.But she had to admit—his concern was valid.From her years of dealing with River, she knew he wouldn’t back down after losing today. He would surely continue to harass her.Elliot’s worries weren’t unfounded.After giving it some thought, Lucielle nodded and agreed to let him know whenever she planned to leave the house.Satisfied, Elliot led her upstairs.As they pushed open the door, they were met with an explosion of confetti.“Surprise! Welcome to London, Lucy!” Lilian shouted excitedly.Lucielle jumped in shock, nearly hitting the doorframe.Having anticipated his mother’s surprise, Elliot reached out to steady her and casually picked a stray piece of confetti from her hair.Lucielle’s attention quickly shifted to the group of people gathered in the l