Chapter 48
The stone lions were made of white marble, and even the redwood doors had a fingerprint scanner.
Stepping through the grand entrance felt like entering an ancient noble’s residence. The mansion had a three–part courtyard, and they passed through three beautiful gardens to reach the main hall.
Once inside, the central courtyard held several ancient trees, filling the air with a nostalgic, fragrant scent.
The interior was a perfect fusion of traditional architecture and modern luxury. The grand hall alone was filled with priceless wooden furniture that left Eliana speechless.
A massive painting hung on the wall, created by a famous artist from ancient times. It was the only authentic copy in
existence.
Above the painting, an inscription read: For the public good.
The Wright family wasn’t known for flaunting their wealth but stepping inside their home, it was clear that their status: commanded respect
Two servants entered and courteously offered coffee.
Eliana glanced around and asked. “Where are your parents. Cameron?”
Cameron’s mom. Emily Wright, was a painter, and she’d gone out that morning to find inspiration for her latest project.
Emily and Lucy were great friends, both passionate about art. They would always have long coffee dates where they’d talk for hours about their latest works and ideas. Lucy often sent Emily tickets to art exhibitions, too.
Eliana handed the gift to the servant, who accepted it with a bow and left. Despite his usually easygoing nature. Thomas couldn’t help but tone it down a little every time he visited the Wright family.
Taking a sip of coffee, Thomas turned to Eliana and asked. “So, what do you think of this place?”
While the Davis family mansion was undeniably luxurious, there was something about the Wright family that felt different. Business families and political families just had a distinct vibe,
The Wright family members were more understated. Every inch of their home was perfect, but it wasn’t over the top like the Davis estate. Instead, there was a quiet elegance here, where you’d feel out of place if you didn’t dress up in a suit.
Eliana smiled teasingly at Cameron and said, “I guess I can’t call you Cameron anymore. Maybe I should start calling you Mr. Wright.”
Cameron lowered his lashes slightly, his voice soft. “That’s not necessary.”
“Alright, let’s go check out more of the place,” Eliana suggested.
Cameron’s house didn’t exactly offer much in terms of entertainment, which is why he had set up his own private retreat at Cedar Manor.
Hed been raised with strict discipline, which probably explained why Cedar Manor was filled with high–tech smart home
systems
They headed over to the west wing garden, where Cameron’s rum was. Eliana stepped inside and was struck by how neat. spacious, and orderly everything was. The courtyard outside was full of greenery, all carefully tended by a gardener who came around regularly.
Though there were large trees, not a single leaf lay on the
e ground.
1/4
12 15 Mon Dec 2 G
Chapter 48
But what really caught Elana’s attention were the birdcages hanging from the trees, each one filled with brightly colored birds
Cameron, you keep birds?” she asked in surprise.
Thomas and the others sat on a nearby stone bench while the servant brought over some pastries. They sipped coffee and snacked on treats
Fluna stood by the cages, gazing inside, and realized quickly that these birds were no ordinary pets.
Adam chuckled. “Eliana, this is just the beginning Cameron hasa whole army of birds, and he even trains eagles.”
Cameron had picked up this hobby back in high school, startingwith a small parrot and eventually moving on to birds of prey. He’d even gotten certified for falconry by the forestry department.
Eagles weren’t exactly legal to keep as pets, but the Wright family’s connections meant they could get around the legal red
tape
Though Cameron’s parents didn’t share his interest, somehow this passion for birds had been passed down to him.
Landon let out a playful whistle. “Buttercup, sing Twinkle. Twinkle Little Star!
A small yellow parrot in one of the cages suddenly squawked. ‘Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!”
Landon raised an eyebrow, grinning. “Hey! I’ll cook you for dinner if you keep insulting me.”
Cameron walked over, opening the cage. Without even needing to gesture. Buttercup flew out and landed on Camerons
shoulder.
Eliana’s eyes widened in admiration. “Wow, it listens so well!”
Cameron chuckled softly. “If you reach out. I can make it fly to you.”
Eliana raised her hand, and with a slight movement of his shoulder. Cameron coaxed Buttercup to fly over to her. Eliana gasped in delight as she gently stroked the birds feathers. “It’s so beautiful! Cameron, how did you train it? Teach me, please
From her bag. Lunchie, the little dog, popped its head out, glaring curiously at Buttercup
Training birds takes patience and time, Cameron explained. “Ifyou ever want, I can take you to see the eagles. They’re event more magnificent
Elna nodded eagerly. Id love that!”
She continued to watch the bird in awe, while Cameron looked at her with a soft smile tugging at his lips.
Normally, Cameron was protective of his birds, unwilling to let anyone touch them. Even when he showed them off, hed quickly call them back. But now, he seemed more than willing to let Buttercup stay with Eliana for as long as she liked, even letting her return it to its cage whenever she was ready
Noticing a purple bird in one of the cages, Eliana asked, “Can I pet that one, too?”
Cameron nodded. “That one’s called Violet, a species of violet bini
He carefully placed Violet in Eliana’s hands.
The bird blinked its eyes and squawked Tretty lady: Pretty lady
Elana burst out laughing, and Violet let out a raspy song, singing. “La la la la la la la
12:16 Mon, Dec 2 G
Chapter 48
The sound wasn’t exactly musical, and the bird’s voice was far from pleasant..
Thomas covered his ears. “Oh my god, make it stop!”
But Eliana didn’t mind at all. She laughed heartily, thoroughly entertained by the bird’s antics. That’s too funny!
The more they tried to get Violet to stop singing, the more she belted out her off–key tune, her squawks filling the yard. Before long, the other birds joined in, each one adding to the chorus.
“Fortune! Money!”
Damn! Damn!”
“Good morning!
Lalala, lalala
It seemed like every bird knew a few words, and the yard was suddenly alive with noise.
“Shh” At Cameron’s sharp command, the birds went silent in an instant.
Violer was quickly returned to her cage.
Eliana, still smiling, shook her head. “So this is what birdkeeping is really like. I wish Lunchie would be this well–behaved. Lunchue’s been a little monster lately. It chewed up one of my slippers.”
Cameron glanced at the bag where Lunchie was peeking out. “When it grows up, it’ll be so well–behaved, you’ll be shocked.” he added with a smirk.
For now, Lunchie was still in its playful, mischievous stage.
I’m not holding my breath, Eliana laughed.
A few moments later, they pulled out a deck of cards to play
Eliana grabbed a handful of nuts. “By the way, Sunset Cafe is reopening soon. You guys should come show some love.”
Thomas raised an eyebrow. “They finished the renovations already? That was fast.”
Eliana shrugged. “It’s not a big makeover, just enough to get the buzz going. Once we get the word out and people start noticing, the business should take off.”
Adam grinned. “Maybe you should hire a lion dance troupe for the grand opening?”
“Ugh, definitely not. Too much of a spectacle! The cafe’s all about good value. We didn’t do the best job promoting it before. but now we’ve revamped everything and are pushing the publicity. Oh, and I’ve got a ton of discount coupons to hand out.”
“Well, that sounds perfect. Eliana, why don’t you give us a stack? We can help spread the word at the club.” Thomas suggested
Eliana’s face lit up. “Yes! I’ll bring them over!”
