Chapter - 221


    "Enough!" The old Matriarch''s voice reverberated through the room like thunder,manding the immediate attention of both Rick and Geoffrey. As the argument escted to new heights, she watched with a mixture of shock and frustration, her patience wearing thinner by the second. "This petty squabbling will get us absolutely nowhere."


    Hearing the old Matriarch, both Rick and Geoffrey fell silent, but the tension between them remained palpable, their eyes locked in a battle more intense than any physical confrontation.


    "I couldn''t care less about your personal vendettas," the old Matriarch continued, her voice steely with determination. "All that matters to me is finding a way to save my husband." Frustration etched deep lines into her face as she struggled to contain her anger.


    She was tired of the incessant fighting between these two stubborn men, who seemed more interested in settling old scores than finding a solution.


    The tension in the room reached a breaking point as the old Matriarch''s voice cut through the air like a knife, silencing the heated argument with its sheer force.


    With a steely gaze that brooked no argument, she red at Rick and Geoffrey, her voice a mixture of frustration and anger. "I''ve had it up to here with you two," she admitted, her tone sharp andmanding. "I don''t give a flying fig about your personal grudges, you idiots. Don''t you have you no minds of your own?"


    The old matriarch''s words hung heavily in the room, but before the tense silence could fully settle, Rick, fueled by defiance, shot back with a bold retort. "Listen here,dy," he spat, his eyes shing with challenge as he directed his words at the seething Geoffrey.


    "Why don''t you rein in your mutt before he bites off more than he can chew?" he taunted, his gaze locked onto Geoffrey with unyielding intensity.


    Geoffrey''s rage boiled over, his fists clenching tightly at his sides as he seethed with fury. "Watch your mouth, you insolent bastard," he spat, his voice dripping with venom. Every fiber of his being urged him tosh out and deliver a punch straight to Rick''s smug face, "Don''t get over my nerves now."


    But before Geoffrey could act on his violent impulses, the old matriarch sprang into action with surprising agility, positioning herself firmly between the two men like a seasoned referee. "That''s enough!" shemanded, her voice ringing with authority as she fixed Geoffrey with a steely re.


    Caught off guard by her swift intervention, Geoffrey''s clenched fist slowly unclenched as he begrudgingly stepped back, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. The old matriarch''s icy gaze left no room for argument, her presencemanding obedience.


    The old matriarch had finally had enough of the escting tensions between Rick and Geoffrey. With amanding presence, she cut through the tension like a knife, her voice resonating with authority as she dered, "Let''s cut the theatrics and get straight to the point, shall we?


    I haven''t got time for these shenanigans." Her words reverberated through the room, a palpable tension hanging in the air.


    Sensing the gravity of hermand, Rick nodded subtly, acknowledging her unspoken directive, and obediently made his way to the nearby sofa. As he settled onto the plush cushions, a sense of relief washed over him, his posture rxing slightly in thefort of the seat.


    Meanwhile, the old matriarch took her designated seat directly across from Rick, her expression unreadable as she surveyed him with a piercing gaze. Geoffrey lingered nearby, his eyes darting back and forth between the two of them, his unease palpable.


    With her arms crossed defensively across her chest, the old matriarch leaned forward slightly, her demeanor conveying a sense of urgency. "So, let''s get down to business," she began, her tone cutting through the silence like a sharp de. "What''s your n for curing my husband?"


    Rick couldn''t resist a jab, his toneced with cheeky sarcasm. "Geez, olddy, you''re sounding like a broken record. Are you sure you''re not suffering from a case of memory loss?" he teased, a smirk ying on his lips.


    "Your age is to take some rest rather than pricking your nose in my matters. Let other matters get sorted as per my own convenience"


    Rick''s words seemed to strike the nerves of the old matriarch, igniting a raged response from her. With a sh of anger in her eyes, sheshed out at Rick, her frustration boiling over.


    "Listen here, you insolent whelp! Don''t you dare speak to me like that," the old matriarch retorted, her words dripping with disdain as she bristled with indignation. "Age has nothing to do with it. You may be young and foolish, but that doesn''t give you the right to disrespect me."


    Her anger simmered just beneath the surface as she leveled a withering re at Rick, her patience wearing thin with each passing moment. "And as for your pathetic attempts at insults, they only serve to highlight your own ignorance," she continued, her voiceced with sarcasm. "I may be ancient, but at least..."


    "And it''s pretty strange to admit that an ancient being like your own being. She needs help of a shitty being like us, ha ha. C''mondy, think sometimes before you speak anything".


    "Look, enough with the attitude, kid," the old matriarch snapped, her patience wearing thin as she fixed Rick with a steely re. "I don''t have time for your smart remarks. Just give me a straight answer."


    Rick''s eyebrows shot up in mock surprise, a smirk ying at the corners of his lips. "And I will say it again," he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "Just trust me on this. It''s not rocket science."


    The old matriarch''s frustration boiled over as she repeated Rick''s words back to him, her voice tinged with incredulity. "So, you are telling me I should just blindly trust you?" she demanded, her tone bordering on disbelief.


    Rick''s response was cheeky, almost audacious. With a mischievous glint in his eye, he met the old matriarch''s anger head-on, his lips quirking up into a sly smile. "Well, would you look at that, you actually heard me right!" he retorted, his sarcasm practically dripping from his words. "Or should I say it louder for you?"


    The old matriarch''s jaw clenched in frustration as she shot a furious nce in Geoffrey''s direction. Geoffrey, already bristling with tension, stood with his fists clenched at his sides, ready to intervene if necessary.


    Geoffrey''s frown deepened as he stepped forward, acting as the voice of reason for the old matriarch. "And why exactly should we put our trust in you?" he demanded, his toneced with skepticism.


    Rick couldn''t help but chuckle at Geoffrey''s blunt question, his amusement evident in the twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "Well, you see," he replied, his voice dripping with yful sarcasm, "because you don''t really have any other options, do you?"


    But rather than easing tensions, Rick''s casual response only seemed to fan the mes of the matriarch''s anger. She shot a sharp look at Geoffrey, halting him in his tracks before he could advance on Rick, who was practically seething with frustration beneath his calm exterior.


    "No, Geoffrey, stand down," shemanded, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife. Her eyes zed with fury as she turned her attention back to Rick, her words sharp and biting.


    "This is all your doing, isn''t it? I should have known better than to trust a mere mortal like yourself," she spat, her bitterness evident in every syble. "How could I have been so foolish to believe that a worthless human could possess the ability to heal cold-blooded spirits? You may have fooled us for now, Rick, but mark my words, I won''t rest until you make good on your promises."


    "But if you tried to double cross me, I will make you pay." She sat in her chair, her eyes fixed on Rick with a view of seeking some reply in return.


    Rick''s smooth voice broke the tense silence that hung between them, his words carrying a sense of calm authority tinged with a hint of mystery. "Now, now, olddy, no need to get all worked up," he began, his tone soothing yet enigmatic.


    "I assure you, I intend to keep my promise. However, the methods I employ for treatment are... unconventional, shall we say? It''s best they remain shrouded in secrecy. But there is one thing I require for the process to proceed smoothly."


    The matriarch leaned in, her eyes narrowing with curiosity as she sped her wrinkled hands together in anticipation. Rick''s deliberate pause only served to heighten the tension, leaving her mind awash with doubt and suspicion.


    "And what might that be?" she pressed, her voice betraying a mix of apprehension and intrigue.


    Rick met her gaze head-on, his expression unreadable as he delivered his request with an air of quiet authority. "I need Evelina to be present," he stated.


    The matriarch''s mind trembled at Rick''s demand, her thoughts swirling with uncertainty and apprehension.


    Her onceposed expression faltered, the lines on her face contorting into a mask of confusion rather than concern as she struggled to make sense of Rick''s request.


    "Why exactly does she need to be here?" she inquired, her voice steady but tinged with bewilderment.


    Rick''s response was unexpected, a yful glint dancing in his eyes as he leaned in closer to the matriarch, a mischievous smile ying at the corners of his lips.


    "Because, my deardy, I believe a pretty face can work wonders," he exined, his tone light but his meaning unmistakable. "And who better to grace us with her presence than the lovely Evelina herself?" With a cheeky grin, Rick''s words hung in the air, leaving the matriarch to ponder the implications of his request.


    "And she might be missing me as well."


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