Chapter 161
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Meru
I’d read about Jeremy Kramer online before. He was known for his love of billiards and had even won a championship in amateur tournaments.
It never occurred to me that he might be connected to Caleb, let alone be close friends with him.
“And this must be our Elaine,” Jeremy said with a smile, his tone warm and familiar.
The“Elaine” sounded friendly enough, yet it sent an involuntary chill down my spine. His profile might have been clean, but Alfred’s reputation certainly wasn’t. There was no way someone raised by Alfred could be entirely innocent.
Appearances could be deceiving.
“Elaine, from now on, just call him Jeremy,” Caleb said, pulling out a chair for me to sit down. “If you ever run into any trouble, feel free to reach out to him.”
I nodded and sat down, thanking Caleb quietly.
Caleb was about to take the seat beside me when Jeremy spoke up. “Caleb, why don’t you sit over there? Let Elaine sit between us so I can get to know her better.”
My heart skipped a beat at his suggestion. I’d always been wary of strangers, especially someone like Jeremy.
I instinctively glanced at Caleb, hoping for some kind of intervention. Without looking up, he calmly set out my cutlery. “You can still talk to her while sitting there.”
I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Trust Caleb to shield me from an uncomfortable situation.
After a few moments of idle conversation, I decided to cut to the chase. “Mr. Jeremy,” I began bluntly, “I’d like to ask you for a favor.”
Jeremy interrupted me with a sudden question. “Do you play pool?”
Caught off guard, I nodded. “Yes, I do.”
“Great,” he said, his smile widening. “Let’s play a few games.”
I hesitated briefly but then agreed. This was a perfect opportunity to get closer to Jeremy–potentially a step closer to his father, Alfred.
As I picked up the cue, I asked, “Is there a reward if I win?”
Jeremy chuckled, glancing at Caleb. “Does Elaine want a prize?”
Caleb shrugged casually. “You’re more than capable of offering one.”
Jeremy nodded, his smile playful. “Alright. Name your prize, as long as it’s within my power to give.”
paused, considering my words carefully. “If I win, I’d like you to agree to one request, Mr. Kramer. Don’t worry–it won’t be anything illegal or unethical.”
Jeremy’s eyes narrowed slightly, though his smile didn’t fade. There was a calculating edge to his expression now, as if he were weighing his options.
Sensing his hesitation, I added, “If it’s too difficult for you, then never mind.”
He laughed awkwardly. “There’s nothing difficult about it. Even if you wanted me, I’d gladly agree.”
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His smooth response caught me off guard, but before I could say anything, Caleb cleared his throat pointedly, clearly signaling something to Jeremy.
Jeremy let out a mischievous laugh and gestured toward the table. “Ladies first.”
I wasn’t interested in dragging this out. Since he wanted me to start, I aimed to finish it quickly. I took my cue and cleared the table in one go, leaving him no chance to play.
Jeremy, however, didn’t seem upset. Instead, he clapped his hands in genuine applause. “You’re really something!”
He added with a grin, “But you’ll let me show off my skills too, right?” He signaled to an assistant to rearrange the balls.
With practiced ease, Jeremy picked up his cue and cleared the table even faster than I had, finishing in less than a minute.
I clapped lightly, genuinely impressed. “You’re even better, Mr. Kramer.”
He smiled but returned to the matter at hand. “According to the rules, you still won. So, what’s your request, Elaine?”
I took a deep breath and met his gaze. “I want to meet your father–Alfred Kramer.”
