hapter 178: The Little Firecracker-3
There was a beat. Then-
“Mom? Is Maya there?” Harper asked, urgency slipping through despite herself. “Is she okay?
I can’t get a hold of her. Her phone’s off. I’ve been calling all day.”
Alice answered calmly, almost amused. “Calm down. Yes, Maya is here. And she’s perfectly fine.”
Across the table, Maya stiffened.
Her heart sank as realization hit.
She slipped a hand into her pocket and pulled out her phone. The screen was black. She pressed the button.
The moment it powered on, the room erupted-notification chimes, vibrations, one after another, echoing far louder than she expected.
Maya froze.
“I- I’m sorry,” she blurted out, flustered, fumbling to silence it as the sounds continued their
relentless chorus.
When she finally managed to mute it, she glanced down at the screen-and her breath caught.
Missed calls flooded the display. Dozens. Over a hundred.
Most of them from Damien.
The rest-from Harper.
Unread messages stacked beneath them, Damien’s name repeating over and over. Messages she hadn’t even had the chance to open.
Beside her, Damien couldn’t help but glance down. He saw the screen. The timestamps. The sheer volume.
Something in his chest loosened.
So that’s why.
She wasn’t ignoring me.
1/3
Chapter 178 The Little Firecracker-3
Her phone was just… off.
The tension in his shoulders eased, just a fraction-enough to matter.
Harper let out a breath on the other end of the line, the tension in her voice easing.
+25 Points
“Oh. Okay. Good-good.” She hesitated, then asked more carefully, “Um… Mom? Is Damien with you right now?”
Alice glanced up. “Yes. Why?”
There was a brief pause.
“Is… is this a good time?” Harper asked. “I need to tell him something important.”
The shift was immediate.
Alice’s gaze moved to Damien. His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. He glanced toward Ashcroft, then toward the elders seated around the table, weighing the moment.
Before anyone else could speak, Eleonor set her napkin aside.
“Let’s move to the study,” she said evenly. “For privacy.”
No one disagreed. Subtle nods passed around the table.
On the speaker, Harper clearly heard the decision.
“Oh-great!” she said quickly. “Perfect, then. Give me ten minutes and I’ll be right back on.” She paused, then added briskly, “Oh-and Mom? Please tell Jaime to plug his laptop into a screen. I’ll send him a link. Okay?”
“Alright,” Alice replied, amused. “We’ll be ready.”
“Thanks! Bye!” Harper chirped, and the line went dead.
Chairs scraped softly as everyone rose, moving toward the study with quiet purpose. The air was thick with anticipation, each step carrying a weight they all felt but dared not speak.
Jaime broke off immediately, heading toward his room. “I’ll grab my laptop,” he called over his shoulder, already halfway down the hall.
As everyone else moved through the manor’s corridors, Maya’s pulse quickened, Damien’s jaw tightened, and Alice’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. The air seemed charged.
No one knew what Harper would say… but everyone knew it mattered.
23
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.