Chapter 638


    Vivienne was no stranger to using her imagination. She rummaged through her bag and handed Aaron


    a stack of papers. “I need the final product in three days. Get it done.”


    Aaron epted the papers, and to his surprise, they contained ns for a state-of-the-art camera


    system made from transparent crystal material. If installed as the eyes of a bionic robot, they would be


    indistinguishable from human eyes!


    “I assure you, the task will bepleted.”


    This was Aaron’s first mission since joining the Nine Mystics Society, and he could not afford to take it


    lightly.


    He had to nail it to impress Vivienne and to prove that he, not Percival, was her most capable assistant.


    “Good.” Vivienne nodded, watching Aaron’s confident demeanor.


    This was his chance to prove himself, and whether he seeded or failed, she would finally be able to


    flush out the traitor.


    The reason she had tasked Aaron was to test him, to ensure he was not naively treating the Society


    like some kind of adventure game.


    As Vivienne prepared to leave, Aaron opened his mouth to speak when a deep, maic voice called


    out from ahead.


    “Vivienne, I’m here.”


    Both Vivienne and Aaron looked up, their expressions changing. Vivienne was ted. Aaron, on the


    other hand, was clearly annoyed.


    “Mr. Wolf! Did you bring the strawberry cheesecake?” Vivienne ran over like a schoolgirl, throwing


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    herself into Percival’s arms, her eyes lighting up at the thought of her favorite treat.


    Percival chuckled and ruffled her hair. “Don’t you want to see me instead of just eyeing the


    cheesecake?”


    “There’s nothing like a strawberry cheesecake made by Mr. Wolf himself. Give it here!”


    Like a kitten after cream, Vivienne could not wait to dig into the cheesecake, and the stoic Percival


    unwrapped it for her to enjoy with ease.


    As the sun cast its dying light across the yground, the two strolled off together.


    Aaron watched Vivienne’s profile as she savored each bite of the cheesecake, while the one he had


    waited half an hour in line to purchase sat abandoned on the steps.


    The setting sun’sst gleam highlighted the cake box before fading away, along with Aaron’s sweet


    hopes.


    The mocking whispers of the wind seemed to scoff at his futile effort. “Howughable, your painstaking


    efforts couldn''t outshine a simple ‘I’m here’.”


    From a distance, Mara watched the scene unfold, a slow smile creeping across her lips.


    Aaron sat dejectedly on the steps, methodically eating the strawberry cheesecake he had bought. The


    cloying sweetness made him feel nauseous as if he might retch.


    Mara approached with a timely offering of iced coffee.“I heard the campus heartthrob was moping here,


    so I came to check it out.”


    Aaron epted the iced coffee. Though he had not spent much time with Mara, their mutual friend


    Keh had introduced them, and they had be friends.


    “Thanks, but what’s this about a campus heartthrob?” Aaron asked, surprised.


    Mara sat down beside him, plucking a strawberry from the cake and popping it into her mouth. “You


    and Keh, man. The gaming ace and the future finance mogul, the ideal boyfriend, inheriting a


    fortune. You guys are always together, and people are shipping you two together, big time.”


    Aaron frowned. “What’s all this nonsense?”


    “You’re not one for the campus gossip, I guess. I knew about it on my first day. The top-liked post on


    the campuswork is about you and Keh ying basketball.”


    Mara showed him the campuswork on her phone. “Look at all the confessions. People are saying if


    you guys were not a thing, they’d go after you.”


    Aaron nearly choked on his tea. “There’s nothing between us. If anything, he’s my rival. Always has


    been.”


    Mara couldn’t help butugh at Aaron’s flushed face. “I know you guys are just bros, but it’s fun for us


    to fantasize. There are plenty who have secret crushes on you.”


    At the mention of secret crushes, Aaron’s spirits visibly sank.


    Secret crushes were painful. No amount of strawberry cheesecake could cure that kind of heartache.


    Mara saw right through Aaron, having witnessed the scene with Vivienne.


    “Something on your mind? If you want, I’m here to listen,” she offered with a warm smile.


    Aaron, needing to vent, did not care who was listening anymore.


    “I’ve liked someone for years. She’s been my entire youth, but she doesn’t like me back. She’s already


    engaged to someone else.”


    Aaron hung his head low. “I don’t know how to get her to notice me. It feels like she’s slipping away.”


    “She was never yours to begin with! You’re outstanding, but Percival is many times more outstanding,”


    Mara thought silently, though she maintained a sympathetic exterior.


    Aaron paused. “Are you saying she’s been waiting for me to make a move? But she’s engaged.”


    “So what? If she really didn’t care for you, would she meet with you? Being engaged is not the same as


    being married. It’s not about breaking up a rtionship; it’s about finding true love.”


    As Mara spoke, Aaron stood up. “How did you know we met?”


    Aaron waved him off, "Nah, I got this." Co?tent оf Draмa?ovеls.cом


    "Alright, suit yourself. I''ve got an appointment with my sister-inw tomorrow for a treatment. I''ve been


    breaking out like crazy, so I guess I won''t have time to run your love errands anyway," Mara said with a


    nonchnt shrug.


    "Your sister-inw?" Aaron raised an eyebrow.


    Aaron thought for a moment, then said, "Alright, where''s this treatment happening? I''ll swing by."


    "Really? Thanks, man!"


    Mara forced a bright smile, but a shadow of ulterior motives flickered in his eyes.