Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem ( Elysia and Tarquin)

When most people see a spread of seafood, they think of a gourmet feast. But all Elysia could see was dollar signs!

Before Tarquin could even open his mouth, Elysia was already firing away, "You handed me a cool million this morning, and now you're splurging on this fancy seafood dinner. What's the deal? Where is all this money coming from?"

Tarquin remained silent, which only made her more anxious and afraid, "You... you didn't get involved in something illegal, did you?!"

Tarquin was at a loss for words, "Is your brain just filled with mush?"

"Your brain is the one filled with mush!" Elysia snapped back, and then pressed on, "If your money is clean, why can't you just say so?"

Tarquin, head down and wearing gloves, meticulously arranged the lobster and king crab layers into the oven, then moved on to start frying some vegetables, clearly trying to ignore Elysia.

But Elysia, standing right beside him, wouldn't stop badgering him, raising her voice, "Don't forget you're a father! Everything you do affects Elijah! You can't get involved in anything shady, not for Elijah's sake."

Tarquin, annoyed by her nagging and initially wanting to send her away, turned to look at her, remembering he had something to ask her, "I'm not involved in anything illegal."

"Then where did the money come from?"

"Some opportunities are meant to be kept secret, you know?"noveldrama

Elysia was momentarily taken aback, suspiciously asking, "So, you made a fortune through legal means?"

Tarquin's eyes narrowed slightly, "A small fortune."

"A small fortune? You gave me a million dollars! And you can afford all this seafood, it's definitely not 'small'! How did you earn it?"

"What's it to you?"

"Teach me, I want to make a fortune too."

Tarquin was speechless...

Claiming bankruptcy, she believed him instantly.

Claiming he made a small fortune through legal means, she believed him again.

If he didn't know she was already a mother of three, he'd mistake her for a college student.

Gullible as ever, her clear eyes radiated sheer naivety.

Seeing her taking the bait, Tarquin decided to play along, "I might consider letting you in on it, but first, answer my question."

Elysia immediately widened her eyes in eagerness, "Ask away! I'll tell you everything I know!"

Tarquin found her innocence somewhat endearing. It was, after all, relaxing to be around someone so uncomplicated.

He didn't inquire about Zane; he had already gotten the information he needed from Keaton. He went straight to the point, "The night I last saw your son, who were you talking to downstairs? What did you talk about?"

He suspected the person Elysia was talking with that night might be the elusive figure he was investigating. Through Elysia, he hoped to dig deeper. At this, Elysia's expression changed dramatically, "Why, why are you asking this?"

Seeing her nervous, Tarquin said, "Just a heads-up, the person you were talking with that night was not a ghost; he was talking to you through a surveillance camera. That's why you could hear his voice but couldn't see him."

"How did you know?"

"I had Lowell snoop around the neighborhood and found that camera."

"And... then?"

Seeing her still nervous, Tarquin was sure her fear wasn't about ghosts but their conversation, "I want to know what you two talked about?" What did they talk about? Their conversation had ranged from her child and their parent-child relationship to the topic of murder!

Elysia's heart raced, "Nothing much!"

Tarquin narrowed his eyes, "Can't say?"

Elysia countered, "Why do you want to know what I talked about with someone else?"

Tarquin was straightforward, "I want to know who he is. I've been looking into him recently. I have business with him."

Elysia's heart skipped a beat, her voice anxious, "What business?!"

That person knew her secret and the kids', which terrified her at the thought of Tarquin finding him.