Kicked Out, She Came Back To Rule - Chapter 32: Chapter 32
You are reading Kicked Out, She Came Back To Rule, Chapter 32: Chapter 32. Read more chapters of Kicked Out, She Came Back To Rule.
When Tobias opened the bathroom door, it was empty.
He frowned. He could've sworn he'd heard a man's voice in Kaia's room earlier. But now he wondered if he'd just been imagining things.
"Forget it. I don't need to go anymore. Get some rest," Tobias said, keeping his voice calm.
"Okay. Close the door on your way out," Kaia answered, acting like nothing was out of the ordinary.
"Sure," Tobias replied with a nod.
After he left, Kaia checked the bathroom, trying to figure out where Joel had hidden.
The window was sealed shut, except for a small vent—way too small for anyone to fit through.
Then she heard a noise, and Joel suddenly dropped down from the ceiling. "Man, that was close! Good thing I moved fast, or we'd be busted."
"You just got lucky. Don't pull that stunt again," Kaia scolded.
She quickly ushered him toward the door. "Come on, quit wasting time. Get out of here, and stop sneaking into my room."
"Got it," Joel muttered, leaving with an awkward smile.
*****
The next morning, Kaia got a call from Ruth, telling her to come home for dinner.
As soon as Kaia left, Erasmus showed up at Moreno Manor in a hurry. "Mr. Moreno, did you really say someone made better coffee than mine last night?"
Tobias pulled a coffee pot out of the fridge. "It's been sitting overnight, so it's not at its best. But I bet you can still tell the person who made it knows what they're doing."
Erasmus poured himself a cup. One sip and his eyes lit up. "Wow! Even after sitting all night—when coffee usually tastes awful—it's still this good. The aroma's even better, almost like cold brew. Mr. Moreno, who made this? I have to meet them!"
"She just left. I'll tell you when she's back," Tobias said.
Erasmus plopped onto the couch. "Then I'm not going anywhere. I've got nothing better to do today anyway."
For a man in his sixties, he was acting like a kid refusing to leave without candy.
Tobias thought it over. If Erasmus was this impressed, it meant Kaia's coffee-making had to be even better than he'd realized.
The more he learned about her, the more curious he got. A girl her age, with so many unexpected skills—it didn't add up.
Tobias glanced at the coffee pot and smiled like a hunter spotting prey.
*****
At the Bennett family house, Ruth was trimming her nails when she casually said, "Your SAT is tomorrow. Stay here tonight. I'll have the maid make you something healthy you like. That way you can't say I'm playing favorites or neglecting you."
Kaia gave a cold laugh. "So you're not worried about my test—you're just worried about what people might say."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ruth snapped, not liking the accusation.
"Exactly what it sounds like. I remember when Andrea took the SAT—you cooked for her yourself and begged her to eat. For me, you have the maid do it, and you act like it's a big favor."
"Kaia, is that how you talk to your mother?" Lincoln cut in, voice sharp. "She's not feeling well. You expect her to cook for you, huh? Don't you have a heart? Is this what we taught you?"
Kaia didn't bother arguing. No matter what she said, they always sided with Andrea. It was like she wasn't even their kid.
"If that's all, I'm leaving," she said, waving dismissively.
He frowned. He could've sworn he'd heard a man's voice in Kaia's room earlier. But now he wondered if he'd just been imagining things.
"Forget it. I don't need to go anymore. Get some rest," Tobias said, keeping his voice calm.
"Okay. Close the door on your way out," Kaia answered, acting like nothing was out of the ordinary.
"Sure," Tobias replied with a nod.
After he left, Kaia checked the bathroom, trying to figure out where Joel had hidden.
The window was sealed shut, except for a small vent—way too small for anyone to fit through.
Then she heard a noise, and Joel suddenly dropped down from the ceiling. "Man, that was close! Good thing I moved fast, or we'd be busted."
"You just got lucky. Don't pull that stunt again," Kaia scolded.
She quickly ushered him toward the door. "Come on, quit wasting time. Get out of here, and stop sneaking into my room."
"Got it," Joel muttered, leaving with an awkward smile.
*****
The next morning, Kaia got a call from Ruth, telling her to come home for dinner.
As soon as Kaia left, Erasmus showed up at Moreno Manor in a hurry. "Mr. Moreno, did you really say someone made better coffee than mine last night?"
Tobias pulled a coffee pot out of the fridge. "It's been sitting overnight, so it's not at its best. But I bet you can still tell the person who made it knows what they're doing."
Erasmus poured himself a cup. One sip and his eyes lit up. "Wow! Even after sitting all night—when coffee usually tastes awful—it's still this good. The aroma's even better, almost like cold brew. Mr. Moreno, who made this? I have to meet them!"
"She just left. I'll tell you when she's back," Tobias said.
Erasmus plopped onto the couch. "Then I'm not going anywhere. I've got nothing better to do today anyway."
For a man in his sixties, he was acting like a kid refusing to leave without candy.
Tobias thought it over. If Erasmus was this impressed, it meant Kaia's coffee-making had to be even better than he'd realized.
The more he learned about her, the more curious he got. A girl her age, with so many unexpected skills—it didn't add up.
Tobias glanced at the coffee pot and smiled like a hunter spotting prey.
*****
At the Bennett family house, Ruth was trimming her nails when she casually said, "Your SAT is tomorrow. Stay here tonight. I'll have the maid make you something healthy you like. That way you can't say I'm playing favorites or neglecting you."
Kaia gave a cold laugh. "So you're not worried about my test—you're just worried about what people might say."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ruth snapped, not liking the accusation.
"Exactly what it sounds like. I remember when Andrea took the SAT—you cooked for her yourself and begged her to eat. For me, you have the maid do it, and you act like it's a big favor."
"Kaia, is that how you talk to your mother?" Lincoln cut in, voice sharp. "She's not feeling well. You expect her to cook for you, huh? Don't you have a heart? Is this what we taught you?"
Kaia didn't bother arguing. No matter what she said, they always sided with Andrea. It was like she wasn't even their kid.
"If that's all, I'm leaving," she said, waving dismissively.
End of Kicked Out, She Came Back To Rule Chapter 32. Continue reading Chapter 33 or return to Kicked Out, She Came Back To Rule book page.