Hope Never Died

4︱The Fancy Dinner

She stops in front of a black Rolls-Royce that's parked in front of the doors, and my jaw drops.

"You keep getting surprised," she says with a cheeky laugh.

"You've gone too far," I tell her, glaring at the car.

Not only that, she also has a private chauffeur. He's an old man dressed in a crisp suit, complete with a flat cap.

"Evening, Neil," she says cheerfully.

He pauses to survey me. "I take it; you're not going home."

"Food first," she chirps. "That's my friend, and you get to take us to a restaurant of your choice."

"Your grandmother said to take you straight to your residence—"

"Tell her I'm still in the company," she drawls. "Besides, it's not like I'm robbing a bank; I'm only going to eat, then I'll go home."

He casts her a nervous glance. "You like to get me in trouble, don't you?"

"Oh, come on, Uncle," she says, pinching his cheeks. "Have I ever done that?"

He shoots her a miffed look and opens the back door. She grins and turns to me, gesturing at the interior. "After you, Grandpa."

"Stop calling me that," I hiss when Neil turns to me with furrowed brows. I nod at him and climb in. She comes in after me, and Neil closes the door. "Is he actually your uncle?"

"Nah, I don't have any living blood relatives other than Helene, Orion, and Nona."

"That's it?" I say, raising my eyebrows.

"Yep. So basically, when Nona passes away, our line's over. She's the last LeBlanc, and only by marriage. I'll soon take another name, and Orion isn't my brother from Dad. So, yeah, if she dies—" she claps her hands together once "—the line's over. The traditions die with her."

"Isn't that a good thing?" I ask, raising an eyebrow as Neil gets into the driver's seat and starts the engine.

"No," she says immediately. "She raised me. I don't know what I'd do without her."

"How come she took over if she's not even LeBlanc by blood?"

"Fun fact: She's actually my great-grandmother," she says, amused. Neil starts driving.

My eyes widen, and she laughs, turning to the side to cough into her hand.

"Yeah, she grew up with my great-grandfather, and then they got married. They had my grandfather, then my great-grandfather died, my grandfather got married, and they had Dad. If they never had Dad—or if they had a girl in his place—the line would've finished with my grandfather. So when Dad passed away, the only LeBlancs left were Helene and moi. And we were going to get married, eventually. So they had Margot step in... And I bet you're really confused now."

I give her a look. "I'd very much rather have a cardiology course than try to understand your family."

She laughs and turns to the shaded window.

"I never wished to be different, you know," she says quietly. "I mean, sure, there were things that I wanted to be different. But overall? I love my family. Unlike Helene, that's why she moved with Anthony to Germany; they wanted to be as far from Nona as possible. But I like my life the way it is. And if something happens to Nona, I honestly don't know what I'll do; that's why I need you to tell me if something is wrong with her."

Her gaze is desperate and vulnerable. I can't bear it, so I look away.

"Please, Elias."

I swallow and shake my head. "She's fine."