Chapter 896

If Felicia couldn't find him for a day, she would throw a massive tantrum. He was used to it. Working odd jobs and making a little extra cash was just his way of finding a tiny sliver of breathing room in his otherwise suffocating life.

Leonie patted him on the shoulder, trying to comfort him. "Why are you being so pessimistic? You're young, and you have a bright future ahead of you. Plus, not many guys your age can afford to drive a bike that expensive!"

At the mention of the motorcycle, Dorian went completely silent. It was a gift from Felicia, and he had been riding it for over half a year.

When he didn't have it, he had wanted it desperately. But now that he did, he realized it wasn't all that special.

"That's nothing to brag about. The bike isn't even mine."

He had made up his mind. He didn't want the bike anymore; he would just give it back to Felicia.

Leonie nodded. "Oh, right, it belongs to your sister overseas."

Dorian didn't say anything, letting her assume she was right.

His phone continuously vibrated in his pocket. It was Sully calling again. If he kept ignoring the calls, the next person showing up to hunt him down would be Felicia.

Noticing Dorian's distress, Leonie spoke up.

"You really don't have to stay here with me."

Overhearing Leonie's voice through the line, Sully immediately erupted.

"What the hell is going on, Dorian? Are you with a woman right now? Do you have any idea how good Felicia has been to you? Are you trying to get yourself killed? You know exactly who Felicia is in our circle!

I'm warning you. You have exactly three hours to get your ass back here. I'll keep my mouth shut, but if Felicia finds out what you're doing, you know exactly what will happen to you."

Dorian held the phone in silence for a long time as Sully continued to bark orders.

"If you really have something to do, you should go. I should probably head back anyway."

She had been out for most of the day. If she didn't get home soon, Mr. and Mrs. Everhart would genuinely start to panic. She had been having so much fun with Dorian that she hadn't even called home.

She had no idea what Chris and Celia had told Gwyneth upon returning. She'd have to drop by her aunt's house later to check.

Dorian hesitated for a few seconds before nodding. "Alright. I'll take you home."

He hopped onto the bike, handed Leonie her helmet, and drove her straight back to the Everhart estate.

Mrs. Everhart walked into the courtyard just in time to see Leonie climbing off Dorian's motorcycle. Her heart immediately sank.

As soon as Leonie stepped inside, Mrs. Everhart stopped her.

"Leonie, come with me for a moment."

Leonie dutifully followed her mother into the sunroom. Mrs. Everhart looked at her with utter seriousness.

"Was that your new boyfriend? I thought Gwyneth mentioned you were dating Connor?"

Leonie couldn't help but stare at her mother. She knew everything? And here Leonie thought she had been flawlessly covering her tracks.

But she genuinely didn't have those kinds of feelings for Dorian.

"Mom, I'm not dating him. He's just a friend. We had some drinks yesterday, and he gave me a ride home today. That's it."

Mrs. Everhart spoke with unprecedented severity.

"Regardless, you need to be careful when making friends outside our circle, especially with men. You can't gamble your reputation for the sake of someone else's entertainment."

Leonie took the words to heart. It wasn't just because her mother had said them, but because she recognized there was zero possibility of anything happening between her and Dorian. She truly only saw him as a younger brother.

After playing around for the last two days, Leonie had finally gained some clarity No matter how much of a jerk Connor, was, she had to admit that underneath the fun she had today, her mind was still fixated on him.

She didn't know what kind of spell Connor had over her. Maybe all their bickering had actually sparked genuine feelings. Whatever it was, Leonie knew she felt nothing romantic for Dorian.

Dorian arrived back at his apartment, where Felicia was already waiting for him. He pushed the door open to find Felicia flanked by several hulking bodyguards, standing in the room like grim reapers dressed in black.

Dorian walked forward with practiced composure and offered a respectful, "Felicia."

The moment the word left his mouth, the bodyguards stepped forward and brutally slammed him face-first into the coffee table.

"You've got some nerve, Dorian. You live off my dime, sleep under my roof, and you dare bring another woman home?"

When Felicia couldn't reach him, her

sharp instincts told her something

was wrong. She rushed over in a panic, only to find the sheets in the guest room ruffled. She had her men search Doran's room, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, which was the only reason she was still calm enough to wait for an explanation.