Chapter 458
Claude invited Lionel to the church for a meal.
When Lionel arrived, he saw Claude standing by the entrance and walked up to greet him.
“Claude,” Lionel said warmly.
Claude returned the smile. “Sorry to have to meet you here,” he replied.
Lionel glanced around the quiet church, aware of the hardships Claude had recently faced. Looking at him with reassurance, he said, “Everything will pass, Claude.”
Claude understood the kindness behind Lionel’s words and smiled faintly. “Don’t worry. I’m not that fragile. I’m used to living with less. Life in the city no longer suits me, so I thought I’d spend more time praying here.”
Their bond was strong—Lionel regarded Claude as his savior.
“If not for you, I wouldn’t have had the chance to speak with you here, Claude,” Lionel admitted.
“Don’t say that, Lionel. Let’s go inside,” Claude replied.
Lionel smiled, pausing their conversation. “Sure, let’s go.”
As they walked into the dining room, Claude commented, “The food here is surprisingly good.”
Seated at the table, they were served a generous meal.
Claude poured Lionel a drink and casually inquired, “I heard the Harris Group is interested in a piece of land in a fishing village?”
Lionel hesitated, holding his glass carefully. “I—I’m not sure about that.”
Knowing the matter was confidential, Lionel refrained from sharing details.
Claude noticed Lionel’s caution and reassured him, “I’m just making conversation.”
Relieved, Lionel replied, “That’s good. I can’t discuss those things, even though I owe you a lot.”
Claude nodded understandingly. “You’re quite cautious, but you should know the relationship between Yancey Bank and the Harris Group. There’s no need to be overly guarded.”
He smiled knowingly.
Although Lionel felt he might have been too guarded, he wasn’t fully aware of the current status between the two parties.
“Apologies, Claude. Perhaps I’ve been too uptight,” Lionel admitted.
Claude interrupted with a smile. “Let’s just enjoy lunch today. No need to dwell on business.”
Relieved, Lionel agreed, “Alright. Let’s drink.”
They continued their conversation over drinks, the atmosphere growing lighter.
Meanwhile, Ana used the excuse of a nightmare to convince Tyler to take Olivia to the church to pray for the baby.
That morning, Ana summoned Tyler from Sandalwood Palace, appearing visibly shaken as she recounted her disturbing dream. Olivia was surprised by Ana’s distress.
Tyler remained composed, his expression unreadable as he listened.
Ana urged him, “It’s better to prepare for the worst and be pleasantly surprised than to be overly optimistic and face disappointment. Tyler, please take Olivia to the church to pray.”
Maisy shared Ana’s worry as she overheard the conversation.
After a brief pause, Tyler agreed, “We’ll go to the church this afternoon.”