Chapter78Leon’sPresent
EngagingwithMillyseemedtoignitepetitivestreakinhim,<b>vying</b>forherattention.
Amancanbebested,butnevershamed!
#Finished
“Whydoesn’thejustletmehavetheseat?He’stheolderbrother,afterall,Anthonygrumbled,feelingexasperated.
Jonathanrolledhiseyesatthesuddenappealtofraternalbonds.Anthonydidn’tbringthatupwhentheyhadthescuffle.
“Respectyourelders.Yougottagiverespecttogetit,”Jonathanassertedfirmly.
ObservingAnthony’smountingfrustrationandhishandinchingtowardsJonathan’shair,Jordansteppedin.“Hey,swapseatswithXavier.Joinmeoverhere.”
The tablewaidoutwithJordanatthehead,MillyandJonathanontheright,andXavierandStephanie
ontheleft.
Xavierdidn’targue.Hepretended<b>not</b>tohaveseenthescuffleearlierandstoodup.“<b>Sure</b>.Takemyspot,Anthony.”
HethenmovedtotheothersideofStephanic.
AnthonysettledintohisseatoppositeMilly,snatchingalobsterandcrunchingitsheadwithaudiblerelish,almostasifheweregettingbackatJonathan.
Unfazedbythegesture,Jonathanmerelysmirked,diggingintohisownmeal.WhetherhisgoodspiritstemmedfromtriumphingoverAnthonyorotherreasonsremainedambiguous,butcontentmentadornedhisfeatures.
Xavierkepthisattentiononhiste,yetaglintofanimositydancedinhiseyes.
Stephanie’searliergrievancesaboutfeelingsidelinedsuddenlymadesense.EvenJordanandAnthonywerenowkeepingtheirdistancefromher.Initiallyskeptical,Xaviernow<b>discerned</b>asubtleshrewdnessinhisnewstepsister’sdemeanor.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.
TheswiftnesswithwhichshehadturnedJonathan,whoharboredresentmenttowardsher,showcasedherstrategicprowess.
NowonderStephaniefoundherselfatoddswithher.
Suddenly,aservantbustledin,announcing,“Miss,there’savisitoraskingforyouatthedoor.”
Millyraisedaneyebrow.“Forme?”
Atthishour,shecouldn’tfathomwhowouldseekherout.
Theservantconfirmed,“Yes,ayoungmaninhistwentieswishestospeakwithyou.”
Ayoungmaninhistwenties?Georgesprangtomind,buttheservant’suncertaintyruledhimout<b>.</b>Theplotthickened.
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stumbleduponasecret.
Finished
Sheaffectedsurprise,remarking,“Milly,isthisoneofyouracquaintances?You’vealwayshadsuchsocialfinesse,unlikeme.Igrew<b>up</b>inamorereservedenvironment,neverbefriendingboysIdon’tknow.”
Millyrolledhereyes.Shecouldtastethesarcasmflowingintheair.Italmostoverpoweredthevourof
herfood.
Stephaniewasclosetocallingheraharlot
“What’shisname?Didhetellyou?”
“Smith,”answeredtheservantwhentheyrecalledtheguest’sintroduction.
Leon?Mybrother’shere!
Withasurgeofexcitement,shesprangtoherfeet,payingnoheedtothechair’sgratingagainstthefloor.anddashedoutinhernightgown,leavingtherestatthediningtableexchangingbaffledlooks.
Leonhadarrived justatadtote.Wrappingupaffairsinthecountry,hegotwindthathissisterhadacedhercollegeentranceexams.
Afaintsenseofletdownlingeredinhischest.
Itwasabigmoment,yetheoddlyfoundhimselfon thefenceaboutattending,uncertainifshe’dfeelletdownbyhisabsence.
“Leon!”Aclear,cheerfulvoicepiercedthenight’ssilence.
Swivelingaround,hecaughtsightofayounggirlinawhitelinennightgown,akintoanocturnalsprite,flutteringherradiantwings<b>as</b>shedartedtowards<b>him</b>.
Inthatmoment,sheseemedlikehis<b>very</b>ownbeaconoflight.
Thenextinstant<b>,</b>thisetherealfigurethrewherselfintohisarms,emanatingasoft,sweetfragrance.
“Leon,whatbringsyouhere?”Milly’sexpressionheldbothsurpriseandtion.
Sincetheirpartingatthe<b>school’s</b>graduation,theyhadn’tcrossedpaths.
Leonaffectionatelytousledher<b>hair</b><b>,</b>sidesteppingherquestionbutchidinggently.“Whythemaddash<b>?</b>Whatifyoutookatumble?”
Despitethereprimand,hisvoicedrippedwithtenderness.
Almostreflexively,Milly<b>blurted</b>out,“I’mnotafraid.I<b>know</b>you’vegotmyback.”
Herwords,likepebbles<b>in</b>aserenepond,sentripplesoutward.
Clearinghisthroat,Leonmurmuredsoftly,“Yeah,I’vegotyoucovered,alwaysjustyou.”
His
Words,carriedonthenightbreeze,werebarelyaudible.Millystrainedtocatchthem.“Leon,whatdid
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Meeting<b>her</b>gaze,Leonshedasmile.“Ah,it’snothing.
<b>But</b>Milly<b>wasn’t</b>buyingit;shehadheardhimspeak.
“Hey,Milly,gotagraduationpresentforyou.Checkitoutandletmeknowwhatyou
youthink”
<b>67</b>%面
#Finished
Seeminglyshiftinggears,Leonpassedheragiftboxfrombesidehim.Itwasneatlywrapped,itsweightgivingnocluetoitscontents.
“What’sinhere?”Millymomentarilyforgotherearlierquery,eagerlyinspectingthe boxinhergrasp.
“Openitupandsee
Withexcitement,Millyundidthewrappingandfoundherselfcaptivatedbythestunningeveninggownwithin.“Isthisadress<b>?</b><b>”</b>
“Yep,it’saneveninggown.Sinceyou’redivingintoacting,there’llbeplentyoffancyshindigs downtheroad.Goodtohavesomethingready,Leonborated.
He<b>knew</b>MillyhadnoshortageofeveningwearintheopulentButhousehold.Buthehadhisownreasons:hewantedherto wearthisparticrgownhe’dgiftedher.
Technically,itwasanextravagantpiece,craftedfromexquisitezedcloththatshimmeredeveninthedimlight.Embroideredpearlsaddedanextradashofelegancetotheensemble.
Millywasutterlytakenwiththegown,unabletoresistadmiringit.Suddenly,shecaughtsightofafamiliarsymboloutofthecornerofhereye.
Κ
Everydesignerlefttheirmarkontheircreations,tuckedawayinadiscreetspot,bothtoasserttheirrights.andforidentificationpurposes.
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