Disrespectful

Hansel blinked once before chuckling and chose to narrate his most recent trip. It didn't matter even if it was merely seeing a world-famous church, but Keagan was engaging in the conversation with so much enthusiasm. For someone who had been a CEO for so long, Hansel felt a little pain in his chest just from listening to this girl.

Why did this girl sound so versed in making wild conversations, even if her eyes were not smiling? Did she train herself to be annoying to keep people from getting intrigued by her? With a mouth like that, most successful men would turn away from her. Yet the ones who kept asking for company…

Were the rumors about that agency correct?

"Damn, how annoying." Gephardt suddenly scoffed, making Keagan flinch and freeze. He then turned to Hansel with his version of pouting. "I don't know how her brain melted from the curler, but she wasn't like that before tonight. If she was, I would have kicked her out regardless."

"…I was just…" Keagan couldn't help but deflate. She had forgotten that Gephardt was around and would run his mouth as well. She couldn't even look in Wren's direction.

Hansel waved his hand. "Don't be like that, Gephardt. Miss Keagan only wants me to feel welcome in her space, just as she was welcomed by Wren. How about you? What are you up to these days? Otto did mention how you kept on promising cat food to the strays. Are you planning to form an army?"

At those words, Gephardt growled a little. "That guy has always been rude to me, Grandpa. I only did that one time! One time! Right, you said you went to…"

The conversation rolled again, but it was between Gephardt and Hansel. Keagan took a deep breath and focused on eating now. She had already made herself apparent; she could relax and go away in silence. However, she caught the weight of Wren's gaze on her face. When she looked up, she met Wren's kind gaze and smile in her direction.

"…Madam…" "Grandpa! We're here!"

Keagan's voice was drowned out by a little girl's loud entrance. The ex-model shrunk to herself as she let someone have the limelight. After all, it was a beautiful child. She had long dark hair which was similar to Wren's, making it easier for Wren to blend in with the Chastain family. However, that girl looked at Wren and made a rather sour face.

She then ran up to her great-grandfather and hugged his arm. "Grandpa, I saw a nice restaurant outside. Let's eat there instead!"

"We can go there tomorrow, Belle." Hansel hummed, making the girl pout at him. He just patted her head, wary of touching her bejeweled hair clips. "Be good now and take a seat. The food has been waiting for you. Go on now. I asked them to make your favorites."

"…you're in my seat." Belle went to Hansel's other side and stared straight at Keagan. The girl was too young to be a bitch, but that was all she exuded. She was even asking Keagan to leave her seat. "Dacian sits next to Grandpa, and so do I. Get off my seat. You're warming it."

"…" Keagan felt a little bitter in her mouth. Was she really letting herself be bullied by a child? Then again, that was what Belle was—she was just a child. There was no need to stand her ground against a little girl. Moreover, this was Wren's niece, while she was just a guest. It was better to give in.

The blonde woman only collected her plate like a pathetic servant and left the seat at the table. She would look for one in the open, but she didn't know where to go. Gephardt wouldn't give her a spot next to him, right? Should she sit around the foot? But the food would be too far from her reach if she sat there.

It was just that Gephardt got up from his seat and walked to collect Keagan's plate and body. He pulled her to the seat next to his, but he left her there. The man glared at the unsuspecting little girl and circled the table, only to stop behind her. At this, everyone else felt like time stopped—especially Belle.

She would turn behind her, but Gephardt slammed a hand next to the girl's plate. Belle shrieked and locked gazes with his cold eyes. Gephardt, without regard to Hansel's worried gaze, scoffed. "Maybe it was better for you to just eat outside. I don't want disrespectful people at Wren's table. Keagan is our guest, and you have no right to boot her out. This is your last warning."

"W-Who are you? Grandpa!" Belle ran from her seat and went to hug Hansel in fear. The other man with them went to stand behind Hansel, ready to take action in case Gephardt followed through.

"What are you doing? She's just a child." The younger male, possibly Dacian, frowned at the handsome cat of the house. "Why are you getting violent?"

Gephardt glared at the man who had no Chastain blood in his body. He was just a stepson of Belle's mother, who was Hansel's daughter. Then again, the cat had no reason to harm those who hadn't shown disrespect toward Wren. Gephardt only put his arms akimbo and turned his nose up. "Are you that girl's carer? You're forgetting to discipline her."

At those words, Dacian frowned deeper. "Let it slide, please. You're scaring a child. If the lady wants an apology, I will apologize on Belle's behalf."

"Gephardt, that's enough," Wren spoke, and Gephardt only scoffed before leaving that side of the table. The kind madam suddenly sported a neutral expression. "I was the only one warned by Grandfather about your flawed upbringing. I apologize for my servant's loud reaction. 

"However, please reflect on this, Miss Belle. Your great-grandfather is friends with a lot of powerful people. You can't just ask that out of just about anybody." Wren continued eating as Gephardt pushed Keagan to sit down before taking his seat himself. "You're lucky Keagan is kind. Not everyone will have that kind of reaction toward you."

Belle sniffed and let Hansel clear her tears. She just sat closer to Hansel since Dacian brought the chair to them. With red eyes and an angry gaze, she didn't back down from Wren's gentle scolding. "But Grandpa's friends look good. She's ugly. I thought she's just a maid here."

Deep breathing. Hansel reached out to hold Belle's head to stop her from talking. He bowed a little, even if it was strange for him to do so. The Carousel Group must be serving Wren well, but that didn't mean the Chastains could speak against her like this. Hansel was worried that the madam would ask her many servants to carve the little girl's heart for her to eat.

Even if he rarely made a blunder, Hansel still knew how to beg Wren for forgiveness. "Wren, please don't get angry at her. I'll talk to her later. I'm sorry about this, Miss Keagan."