A splash of anger.

The next day, Eliza's workload had decreased, and she was working in a relaxed mood. Her phone rang, breaking the calm atmosphere. She glanced at the screen, and her expression turned annoyed. With a swift motion, she added the number to her blacklist.

Before long, her phone rang again. This time, however, she felt a wave of relief wash over her as she picked up the call.

"Eliza!" Hailey's slightly excited voice echoed from the other end of the line.

"How can I help you?" Eliza snapped, still slightly irritable from the previous unwanted call.

"I'm at the café near your office," Hailey said. "Can you spare a minute?"

"Sorry, I'm busy," Eliza rejected, trying to brush her off.

But Hailey's calm tone was unyielding. "Fine. I'll wait for you. When are you going to clock out?"

Eliza's instinct was to hang up the phone, but something suddenly gave her pause. Her expression softened, and she changed her mind. "I'm coming down now."

As Eliza arrived at the restaurant, she spotted Hailey stirring her coffee out of boredom. Hailey's eyes sparkled when she saw Eliza, and she jumped up from her seat, eagerly pulling Eliza toward the round table.

"I already ordered a coffee for you," Hailey said, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "Sorry, I know you might be busy."

Eliza gently pulled her hand away from Hailey's grasp, her eyes fixed on Hailey's naive and lively expression. She sat down across from Hailey, her tone flat as she asked, "Why did you want to meet me?"

Hailey pulled out a pink gift box from her handbag, adorned with a light gray ribbon tied in an intricate bow. As Eliza turned to look at the box, Hailey slid it across the table.

"I bought this present specifically for you during my trip to Paris, Eli," Hailey said, her smile warm and inviting. "I figured you wouldn't have tried this limited-edition perfume before. Why don't you try it out?"

Eliza burst into a fit of soft giggles and gently pushed the gift box back toward Hailey. "I'm sorry, Sister, but I don't really fancy perfumes."

Hailey's eyes sparkled with a hint of frustration, but she skillfully maintained her smiling facade, determined to break through Eliza's aloof attitude.

"Eli, when are you going to stop being angry with me?" Hailey asked, her voice tinged with a hint of desperation.

Eliza raised an eyebrow, picking up the cup of coffee Hailey had ordered for her. "What do you mean?" she asked, her tone neutral.

Hailey's composure began to slip. "Eli, you're being very unfair. Even if you're angry, how could you call the police and have Robert sent to jail?" Her voice trembled, and she struggled to maintain her calm demeanor.

"Fine," Eliza said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Can you please stop that guy from banging on my door?"

Hailey's anger boiled over, and she gritted her teeth. "Eli, you didn't come home for a night, and then some guy in an expensive car drops you off," she snapped, her voice trembling with indignation. "What were you thinking, Eli?"

Eliza's expression turned razor-sharp, her eyes flashing with anger. In a swift motion, she tossed the coffee in Hailey's face. Hailey gasped, her eyes widening in shock as she sprang to her feet.

"It's none of your business," Eliza spat, her voice icy. With that, she turned on her heel and strode out of the café, leaving Hailey standing amidst the commotion, her face dripping with coffee.

----

Eliza halted her steps, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. Just as she was regaining her composure, a familiar voice called out to her.

"Hello, young lady."

Eliza turned to the side, a hint of annoyance still lingering on her face. But as she met Jacob's gaze, she quickly composed herself, a polite smile spreading across her lips.

"Uncle Jacob," she greeted him, her voice smooth once more.

"Uncle?" Jacob repeated, a hint of amusement on his face. "Didn't I tell you not to listen to Natalie?"

Eliza raised an eyebrow. "Why? Natalie calls you uncle, so I call you uncle," she said.

Jacob chuckled and shook his head. "Did you call Dexter 'uncle' too?" he asked, a teasing glint in his eye. He pulled out a handkerchief and held it out to Eliza, waiting for her to take it.

Eliza's lips pursed at the mention of Dexter's name. Jacob's gaze lingered on her face for a moment before he urged, "Take it!" when she didn't immediately accept the handkerchief.

"Thanks," Eliza said, finally taking the handkerchief from Jacob.

"Rub the sweat off your forehead," Jacob instructed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You're not pretty when you're angry," he teased, his voice light and playful.

Eliza's eyes met Jacob's, and she sensed that he had witnessed the scene in the café. With a thin, knowing smile, she said, "Thank you."

Jacob's smile broadened, and he said, "Okay, see you. Don't forget to wash that handkerchief and return it." With that, he quickly turned and walked away.

Eliza blinked, taken aback by his sudden departure. "Huh... O-Okay," she stuttered, watching as Jacob disappeared into the crowd.