《Flora鈥檚 Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 The sky seemed draped in ayer of ck cloth, devoid of any light, pressing down with an oppressive darkness that made it hard to breathe In September, Cedarvale had been suffocating for nearly half a month before weing its first storm. The young girl was in a bitched state, kneeling on the ground, her body soaked by the rain and on the verge of copsing. The man stood in front of het staring at her through the thick curtain of rain, his eyes filled with destion and disappointment. Flora, you could even push someone down the stairs! You don¡¯t like him, but it doesn¡¯t mean you can treat him like this! Get on your knees right here and think about what you¡¯ve done!¡± ¡°Dad, my sister is still young Please calm down. Il go and exins to the Stonnells. It was the voices of her father and brother¡­. Flora struggled to open her heavy eyelids, and through the thick rain, she could barely make out the two blurry figures So, what they say about seeing illusions before you die is true. It had been three years since her father and brother passed away, and this was the first time Flora had seen them in her dreams. She knew they hated het, hated her for ruining the Irving family, so much so that they wouldn¡¯t even appear in her dreams And then there was Connor, the man who loved her to his very bones¡­ The rain was heavy, like stones crashing down, and Flora desperately wanted to say something to her father and brother, but she had no strength left not even a little. Her body gave way, and the world turned dark once more When Flora woke up, her eyes were met with the ring brightness of an incandescent light, and her mind was momentarily nk Hadn¡¯t Carina and Aaron locked her in a warehouse to die in a fire? Where was this? Flora struggled to move her eyes, taking in her surroundings. Everything was familiar, frightening her so much that she sat up abruptly from the bed. The sudden movement made her dizzy, and she nearly passed out again. Wasn¡¯t this her old room? But hadn¡¯t the Irving family home been sealed off a year ago?! The pain in her body reminded her that this wasn¡¯t a dream, and a ludicrous thought froze her blood. Could it be¡­she had been rebom? What about her dad? Her brother? And Connor? Flora was frantic, with countless questions swirling in her mind. She abruptly threw off the covers, goat out of bed, and opened the door to leave She had barely reached the staircase Haven¡¯t you knelt enough?¡± when a stern voice rang out. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? nning to cause more trouble? Floras heart and steps halted. This familiar voice stirred a wave of shock in her heart, and she turned around abruptly. The man was in his forties, with a steady gait, approaching her now with an anger that seemed hard to quench Tears instantly filled Flora¡¯s eyes, and they rolled down unchecked. Raul was initially funous, but the sight of her crying softened his heart. Then he remembered how she pushed someone down the stairs and his tone hardened again. ¡°You still have the nerve to cry? Go back to your room!¡± Flora only saw his lips moving, barely hearing what he said. Her tears flowed even more fiercely, overwhelmed by the sight of her family slive after three years. Raul panicked, wondering if he had indeed punished her too harshly Still, the thought of what Flora had done angered him ¡°Flora, I know you don¡¯t like Conner, but what you did wea olmagros. How cou you push him down the stairs?! Push Connor down the stairs? Flora¡¯s heart skipped a beat She remembered Originally, Connor had been obsessively pursuing her. She was annoyed and had listened to Carina¡¯s suggestion to fake a suicide. attempt. When Connor tried to save her, she pushed him instead. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She had been rebom at that exact moment ¡°Now Connor is about to leave, and you won¡¯t have to see each other again.¡± Leave? Was Connor leaving? That¡¯s right. After being deeply hurt by het Connor had left Cedarvale in despair. Their next meeting was after her father and brother¡¯s death when he came to her, offering to take care of her. Her heart was set on Aaron, so she naturally refused, and even humiliated him cruelly. He left heartbroken, and theirst meeting was when she died in a fire. No, he couldn¡¯t leave! Flora blurted out, ¡°I have to bring him back!¡± She had been given a second chance at life, a chance to start over with him, and she wouldn¡¯t let Connor leave. ¡°Why would you chase after him if you don¡¯t like him?¡± Raul¡¯s anger red again. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare cause more trouble!¡± ¡°Who said I don¡¯t like him?¡± Flora replied impulsively. Would someone who liked another push them down the stairs? Raul was convinced she was being reckless. If she went to Connor now, it would surely mean devising new ways to torment him. ¡°You stay in your room, and don¡¯t leave without my permission Raul was enraged and coughed violently, his face turning red with anger. Flora promptly fell silent, fearing she might truly anger him. She obediently returning to her room. But as soon as he left, she stealthily made her way to the Stonnell family house Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Connor lived not too far from the Irvings, just a twenty¨Cminute journey away. The rain was pouring down hard, and despite Flora holding an umbre, she still got drenched. As she arrived, she just caught sight of a group of bodyguards packing up luggage. Connor¡¯s trusted aides, Moss and Beck, were already loading tworge suitcases into the car. Her heart skipped a beat. Luckily, she arrived just in time, or else he really would have left! As she approached, the bodyguards also noticed her. ¡°What is this bitch doing here?¡± Beck¡¯s face fell instantly. Damn it. She had pushed their boss down the stairs, breaking several of his ribs. He neart got crippled, and yet she had the audacity to show up. ¡°Let¡¯s just ignore her. We¡¯re leaving anyway.¡± Moss also genuinely loathed Flora. Hearing this, Beck felt a bit better. Right, they were about to leave. As soon as their boss got a bit better, they would depart, never to see this woman again. They couldn¡¯t understand what Connor saw in her. She¡¯s clumsy and shrewish, always dressed up like a crazy person. They really despised Flora and had no intention of dealing with her, but as Flora kept walking towards them, they couldn¡¯t just pretend she wasn¡¯t there. When Flora was about two meters away from the vi¡¯s iron gate, Moss stopped her, with a hostile expression. Flora halted, hesitating, ¡°I want to see Connor- ¡°You want to see him? What for? To see if he¡¯s dead?¡± Beck thought of Connor, who¡¯s still bedridden, and felt a surge of anger, his teeth grinding loudly really wish I could push you off the fifth floor and let you taste what it¡¯s like to have all your bones broken!¡± Moss¡® tone was also filled with annoyance. ¡°Ms. Flora, you better go back. Mr. Connor will soon leave Cedarvale and will have no more ties with you.¡± Upon hearing this, Flora became even more anxious. No! He couldn¡¯t leave! She couldn¡¯t help but look up towards the second floor. The wind was howling, blowing a corner of the curtain on the second floor, where Connor was. Maybe he was watching her right now. Flora knew she couldn¡¯t leave now. If she did, Connor might sneak away Now that she got a second chance, she absolutely could not make the same mistakes again. Knowing Moss and Beck wouldn¡¯t let her in, she gritted her teeth and shouted, ¡°Connor!¡± ¡®Connor Her voice gradually grew hoarse, echoing again and again before being swallowed by the rain. However, Connor was inside and seemed indifferent. In the bedroom on the second floor, Connor was half¨Creclining in bed, his handsome features pale and his eyebrows furrowed, looking very tired. Flora¡¯s voice reached him, time and again. He mmed his eyes shut, not wanting to listen. He didn¡¯t understand what Flora meant. Moss had said they were about to leave, yet she stille to stop him. Did she want him to leave now? He was exhausted and really didn¡¯t want to deal with her, but it was still raining outside. He had heard she was punished and made to kneel and was feverish¡­ Connor was just about to feel pity and concern for her when he remembered how she had pushed him down the stairs for Aaron That moment of hatred in her eyes, stil vivid in his memory, chilled him. He shouldn¡¯t pity her. He steeled his heart not to listen or care. After a few breaths, Connor resignedly picked up his phone and called Moss. ¡°Tell her to go back home. As soon as she leaves, I¡¯ll leave He was leaving here. He wouldn¡¯t be a bother to her anymore. If possible, he really didn¡¯t want to leave, but Flora hated him so much. She even pretended to commit suicide to push him down the stairs. She really wanted him dead. Sure enough, after he spoke, the noise below ceased. Heh. Was she happy he was leaving? Connor¡¯s eyes stung sharply. Silence ensued, but soon, Flora¡¯s voice, intentionally loud, came through. I¡¯m not leaving! Connor, you can¡¯t leave either! I¡¯ll stay right here today! If you don¡¯t see me. I just keep standing here!¡± ¡°Then stay.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. After a moment of silence, Connor hung up the phone. Did she think he couldn¡¯t bear to leave her? Is this why she w was forcing him like this? Connor smirked. If she wasn¡¯t leaving? Then she must keep standing in the rain. A little rain won¡¯t kill anyone. Two minutester, Connor opened his eyes again. ¡°Bring her up.¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Moss and Beck escorted a drenched Flora to stand before Condor The moment she saw Connor, tears streamed down her face, and they mingled with the rain. ¡°Connor.¡± she whispered, almost inaudibly, ¡°you¡¯re still alive¡­¡± That was good, He was still alive. They were both still alive. ¡°I¡¯m not dead, and you¡¯re not pleased with that? Want to push me down again?¡± That sentence reignited the fire of anger Connor had been barely holding back, bringing him to the verge of explosion. He grabbed a nket and threw it over Flora, his voice harsh, ¡°Moss, take her away now!¡± Flora realized her mistake toote. Before Moss could drag her away, she threw herself in front of Connor, desperately apologizing. ¡°Connor, I didn¡¯t mean it! I came specifically to see you and to apologize, I know I made a mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have pushed you down the stairs. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Now she was apologizing to him¡­ She always left him half¨Cdead. When did she ever apologize? She was just pretending Flora, I¡¯m about to leave, and after that, I won¡¯t bother you again, and you won¡¯t have to put on this act with me.¡± Connor slowly closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t want to see her again, worried that it would make him unable to leave. ¡°No, Connor, I don¡¯t want you to go. Please, don¡¯t leave, okay?¡± Flora grabbed his hand, looking at him anxiously. Flora¡¯s hand was ice cold and still wet, numbing Connor¡¯s entire arm. She actually initiated contact ¡°You don¡¯t want me to leave?¡± Connor¡¯s expression was unreadable. ¡°Don¡¯t go. I realize my mistake¡­ Flora nodded, gripping his hand tighter. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave. I like you. Connor still stared at her, his gaze cold. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to leave?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°You like me?¡± ¡°Mhm¡­¡± Connor forcefully pulled his hand away, a mocking smile on his cold face. ¡°Flora, do you even believe your own words?¡± ¡°I said, I¡¯m leaving, and 111 be gone soon. I will no longer be in your way. You hate me and should be happy enough tough out loud.¡± He stared at Flora, slowly raising his hand to touch her cold, delicate face. ¡°Youe running to say this now. Do you think you haven¡¯t yed with me enough?¡± ¡°No-¡± Flora¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that if your act fails, I really won¡¯t leave?¡± Connor¡¯s words grew colder his dark eyes intimidating. ¡°I might stick with you for a lifetime- Thest word stuck in his throat as Connor felt warmth on his cheek. The chilling fear in his eyes suddenly disappeared, leaving only confusion and bewilderment Did she just kiss him? She had lied before, but she had never kissed him. What exactly do you want to do! ¡°Connor, I really didn¡¯t lie to you.¡± His gaze just now had shaken Flora, and in her desperation, she covered his mouth. ¡°I know I¡¯ve done many wrong things, and you might not believe me, but I¡¯ve really realized my mistakes. Please don¡¯t go, okay? Stay!¡± ¡°Sir, don¡¯t believe her. This woman is full of lies! Beck hurriedly interjected, fearing Connor would fall for Flora¡¯s lies Moss also scrutinized Flora intensively Today, Ms. Flora still looked as unattractive as ever but strangely different ¡°Connor, please, don¡¯t leave. Please, I can¡¯t bear to see you go. I¡¯ll treat you well. I like you. ¡°You think just a few words will make the master believe you?¡± Beck continued. ¡°He won¡¯t be fooled by you! We¡¯ve packed everything- ¡°Okay.¡± Connor, finally spoke. His gaze was fixed on Flore His left cheek was still wet. It¡¯s where she had kissed him. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Flora had barely stepped out of the car when Beck drove away, leaving her nearly tumbling to the ground. She knew Beck didn¡¯t like her, considering the things she had done in the past. It was hard for anyone to like her.- It didn¡¯t matter though. Connor had promised not to leave! She would visit him again tomorrow With a rxed expression, Flora walked into the Irving household. However, the Irving household was under a gloomy cloud at the moment. The maid saw her and kept giving her meaningful looks. The whole house was filled with the tension of impending rage. Raul was sitting on the couch, his face burning with anger, and her brother Henrik didn¡¯t look pleased either. Their furious expressions made Flora a bit guilty, but when she noticed Carina sitting beside them, her body shook violently with hatred, overwhelming her like a tidal wave Carina! She had considered her the best of friends, yet she conspired with Aaron to ruin her family, leading to their deaths in a fire! All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Flora, you¡¯re finally back. Where have you been?¡± Carina had been watching the door and hurried over when she saw her return. ¡°Did you go to see Aaron again? You.¡± At the mention of Aaron, Raul exploded. ¡°You saw him again? Haven¡¯t you u caused enough trouble for him?¡± Raul was shaking with anger. Flora was his daughter, whom he cherished, but her recent recklessness had disappointed him deeply. ¡°Dad, let¡¯s not get angry. Let her change her clothes first, Henrik said, draping a nket over Flora¡¯s shoulders. At twenty¨Cfive, he was handsome and spinted, his eyes full of affection for Flora Henrik Flora fought back the urge to cry, took a deep breath, and then her icy gazended on Carina. ¡°I just got back. How did you know I went to see Aaron?¡± ¡°Canna hadn¡¯t expected Flora to question her. ¡°Flora, didn¡¯t you say you liked Aaron and wanted to sneak off to see him? You wanted 10¡­ A crisp p cut her off, and Carina was left in disbelief until the burning pain on her cheek convinced her that Flora had indeed hit her! ¡°Carina, how shameless can you be?¡± Flora smirked, satisfaction filling her as she rubbed her numb wrist. Raul and Henrik were stunned, taking a moment to process what had happened. Raul roared, more shocked than angry. ¡°Floral What are y doing? She¡¯s your cousin!¡± ¡°Dad, let¡¯s hear Flora out¡± Henrik protected Flora, puzzled. His sister usually followed Carina¡¯s advice so why had she struck her today? ¡°Dad, do you know why I was so foolish to push Connor down the stairs?¡± Carina felt a jolt of panic at Flora¡¯s hate¨Cfilled gaze. Flora stared at Canna, her eyes red with hatred. ¡°It was Carina. She egged me on, saying that if Connor became crippled or dead, he couldn¡¯t bother me anymore. She told me to pretend tomit suicide, then push Connor down the stairs.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. How could I possibly suggest Flora hurt Connor¡­ Carina¡¯s face was swelling, and her eyes were slightly red. Comparing his often reckless daughter and his gentle, quiet niece, Raul believed Carina without question. So he didn¡¯t doubt Carina and only gave Flora a puzzled look. Flora was different today. Flora knew her past recklessness made it difficult for them to believe her, but she had prepared for this. ¡°Dad, Carina suggested it through a text message. Just check her phone.¡± Flora¡¯s phone had been destroyed when she jumped from the roof, leaving no trace of it, so they had to check Carina¡¯s. ¡°Carina, hand over your phone, Raulmanded after a long look at Floral Carina slowly took out her phone, secretly thrilled because she always deleted any incriminating messages after chatting with Flora Flora¡¯s n was indeed foolish. She opened the chat and scrolled to the bottom. At first, it was just sisterly talk, butter on, nearly two thirds of the unversation revolved around Aaron. Raul detested Aaron to his core, and seeing that name made his blood boil. 12.36 Fuming, Raul was dizzy with anger. He stared at Flora with disappointment. ¡°You push Connor down the stairs, and now you¡¯ve learned to nder and shirk responsibility? How did I mise a daughter like you!¡± Carina inwardly gloated but feigned a soft voice, choking up, ¡°Uncle Rau, there might be some misunderstanding between Flora and me. It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t me her¡­¡± Flora didn¡¯t respond. She just tumed and ran upstairs. Her action seemed to confirm their suspicions of quilt, making her retreat seem like the act of someone caught in a lie Raul was heartbreakingly disappointed, the eyes of a man past his prime reddening with anger. Henrik, watching his sister¡¯s retreating figure, felt that things were not as simple as they seemed. Less than a minuteter, Flora humed back down, clutching aptop. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll prove to you that I wasn¡¯t lying¡± Flora, expressionless, took Carina¡¯s phone and connected it to theputer with a USB cable. A flicker of contempt and disgust passed through Carina¡¯s eyes. Flora was just putting on a show. She was a nobody. What could she possibly achieve? Flora¡¯s slender, pale fingers flew across the keyboard, leaving only afterimages as theputer screen shed with rows of code. Raul and Henrik were stunned, while a sense of foreboding suddenly mose in Carina¡¯s heart. She pressed down on Flora¡¯s hand on the keyboard. Her instincts told her that she had to stop Floral Carina actually felt a sense of fear towards Flora, feeling ridiculous yet unable to control the panic within her. ¡°Flora, stop this nonsense. You¡¯re ming everything on me. I won¡¯t hold it against you. Unele Raul isn¡¯t in good health and can¡¯t handle this stress.¡± Flora¡¯s gaze slowly moved from the hand pressing on hers to Carina¡¯s face, a yful and mocking light in her eyes. ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°Flora, what¡¯s gotten into you today!¡± Carina¡¯s face turned shades of green and white. How could she be afraid of this loser? But today, Flora seemed like apletely different person, truly unsettling. Flora used to be so obedient, but today¡­ Flora just looked at her for a while. Her direct gaze made Carina feel uneasy. Then Flora withdrew her gaze with utter calmness. Her fingers topped swiftly on the keyboard again. Watching Flora¡¯s serious face, Raul and Henrik felt a bit excited, even though.Flora might just be causing a scene. Turned out Flora had a talent. She could be steered towardsputer science! Slowly, many chat records appeared on the screen, with more popping up. Carina¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, and N?velDrama.Org holds this content. nd her panic increased. Under her panicked gaze, Flora pressed thest key forcefully. ¡°Done¡± The screen had flickered too violently just before, making the content unclear, but now, the chat records were fixed on the screen, with several messages erged. They were messages from Carina to Flora Carina told Flora if she didn¡¯t want to be with Connor, there was a way out. Flora could have him severely injured, better yet, bedridden forever. That way, she wouldn¡¯t be tied down to him. Carina also suggested most of the things Flora did to hurt Connor After reading all the chat records, Raul felt a chill down his spine. Carina had always seemed gentle and quiet in front of others, but behind the scenes, she was horrifying. It was like harboring a snake that might bite you at any moment. Carina had no way to argue with irrefutable evidence in front of her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she knelt on the ground ing with emotion, she begged, ¡°Uncle Raul, I¡¯m sorry, II was worried about Flora. I know she doesn¡¯t like Connor, so I gave her that advice¡­ I know what I did was wrong, but Flora is my cousin. I just want her to be happy, even if all the consequences fall on me.¡± She was smart, knowing that arguing was futile, so she chose to downy the situation and take on the title of a caring sister. ¡°Is that so? For my sake?¡± Flora sneered mockingly ¡°Dad, you clearly told me you didn¡¯t want me to be with Aaron, but Carina always deliberately brings up Aaron in front of me and even tries to stir up trouble between you, Henrik, and me!¡± The more Flora spoke, the deeper the hatred grew Memories of her past life flooded back, and her voice was filled with sorrow. Her fingers tapped on the keyboard, bringing up arge batch of chat records and phone recordings. Most of them were about Aaron. Every time Flora lost interest in Aaron, Carina would deliberately mention his recent activities in front of Flora, even intentionally creating opportunities for them to be alone. Besides, there were many conversations about Raul and Henrik. Carina stirred up trouble, speaking ill of therd behind their backs, exacerbating conflicts between Flora and her family during times of disagreement, which caused Flora¡¯s rtionship with Raul and Henrik to deteriorate further. Raul could forgive Carina at first, but now, she¡¯s just totally unbearable. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll prove to you that I wasn¡¯t lying¡± Flora, expressionless, took Carina¡¯s phone and connected it to theputer with a USB cable. A flicker of contempt and disgust passed through Carina¡¯s eyes. Flora was just putting on a show. She was a nobody. What could she possibly achieve? Flora¡¯s slender, pale fingers flew across the keyboard, leaving only afterimages as theputer screen shed with rows of code. Raul and Henrik were stunned, while a sense of foreboding suddenly mose in Carina¡¯s heart. She pressed down on Flora¡¯s hand on the keyboard. Her instincts told her that she had to stop Floral Carina actually felt a sense of fear towards Flora, feeling ridiculous yet unable to control the panic within her. ¡°Flora, stop this nonsense. You¡¯re ming everything on me. I won¡¯t hold it against you. Unele Raul isn¡¯t in good health and can¡¯t handle this stress.¡± Flora¡¯s gaze slowly moved from the hand pressing on hers to Carina¡¯s face, a yful and mocking light in her eyes. ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°Flora, what¡¯s gotten into you today!¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Carina¡¯s face turned shades of green and white. How could she be afraid of this loser? But today, Flora seemed like apletely different person, truly unsettling. Flora used to be so obedient, but today¡­ Flora just looked at her for a while. Her direct gaze made Carina feel uneasy. Then Flora withdrew her gaze with utter calmness. Her fingers topped swiftly on the keyboard again. Watching Flora¡¯s serious face, Raul and Henrik felt a bit excited, even though.Flora might just be causing a scene. Turned out Flora had a talent. She could be steered towardsputer science! Slowly, many chat records appeared on the screen, with more popping up. Carina¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, and nd her panic increased. Under her panicked gaze, Flora pressed thest key forcefully. ¡°Done¡± The screen had flickered too violently just before, making the content unclear, but now, the chat records were fixed on the screen, with several messages erged. They were messages from Carina to Flora Carina told Flora if she didn¡¯t want to be with Connor, there was a way out. Flora could have him severely injured, better yet, bedridden forever. That way, she wouldn¡¯t be tied down to him. Carina also suggested most of the things Flora did to hurt Connor After reading all the chat records, Raul felt a chill down his spine. Carina had always seemed gentle and quiet in front of others, but behind the scenes, she was horrifying. It was like harboring a snake that might bite you at any moment. Carina had no way to argue with irrefutable evidence in front of her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she knelt on the ground ing with emotion, she begged, ¡°Uncle Raul, I¡¯m sorry, II was worried about Flora. I know she doesn¡¯t like Connor, so I gave her that advice¡­ I know what I did was wrong, but Flora is my cousin. I just want her to be happy, even if all the consequences fall on me.¡± She was smart, knowing that arguing was futile, so she chose to downy the situation and take on the title of a caring sister. ¡°Is that so? For my sake?¡± Flora sneered mockingly ¡°Dad, you clearly told me you didn¡¯t want me to be with Aaron, but Carina always deliberately brings up Aaron in front of me and even tries to stir up trouble between you, Henrik, and me!¡± The more Flora spoke, the deeper the hatred grew Memories of her past life flooded back, and her voice was filled with sorrow. Her fingers tapped on the keyboard, bringing up arge batch of chat records and phone recordings. Most of them were about Aaron. Every time Flora lost interest in Aaron, Carina would deliberately mention his recent activities in front of Flora, even intentionally creating opportunities for them to be alone. Besides, there were many conversations about Raul and Henrik. Carina stirred up trouble, speaking ill of therd behind their backs, exacerbating conflicts between Flora and her family during times of disagreement, which caused Flora¡¯s rtionship with Raul and Henrik to deteriorate further. Raul could forgive Carina at first, but now, she¡¯s just totally unbearable. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Back in her room, Flora hurriedly changed her clothes and soaked herself in a hot bath Looking at her reflection, she gasped in shock. The girl in the mirror had a messy head of blond hair, and her f her face was a patchwork of ck, red, blue, and purple. Flora almost scared herself when she looked up. The thought that she had kissed Connor, looking like this, made her mouth twitch. It was a testament to true love that Connor hadn¡¯t kicked her out on the spot. Unable to stand the sight, Flora quickly cleaned herself up. The messy hair was beyond saving, so she tied it into a little topknot on her head. After removing severalyers of makeup, her glowing and radiant skin was revealed. Her cheeks were as delicate as the freshest petals, and her long, thick eyshes were dotted with water droplets. With a gentle blink, it was as if the entire gxy appeared in her eyes. Flora was quite pleased with her current appearance and inwardly scored herself for listening to Carina and dressing up like some punk rocker. As Henrik knocked and stepped in, he was met with the sight of a young girl d in a white nightgown. Her face was fresh, revealing a her striking, vibrant features. A sh of surprise crossed his eyes as he walked over and handed Flora a new smartphone. ¡°Ive reced your SIM card for you. It¡¯s already inside.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Flora was incredibly moved, receiving the phone as if it were a royal decree Henrik smiled and lightly tapped her on the forehead, it¡¯s gettingte. Get some good rest¡± ¡°Wait, Henrik! Can you help me fix this mess on my head?¡± Hennik was a master of styling in the entertainment industry, sought after by many celebrities for his expertise. Flora was at her wit¡¯s end with her blond mess. She didn¡¯t want to keep looking like this! ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± ¡°Just make it look normal and pretty!¡± Henrik chuckled and tugged at the little topknot on her head. ¡°My sister, you always look beautiful no matter what¡± After er p hot bath that warmed her through,bined with Canna¡¯s departure, Flom felt rxed and slept soundly. Text moming, she got ready and went to find Connor Her hair was still a mess, so Flora wore a mask and a hat. Just as she was leaving the vi to hail a cab, someone stepped out from the side. ¡°Flora!¡± Flora stopped dead in her tracks. Under the mask, her lips quivered. Aaron¡­ What a coincidence. Not far away, a bodyguard snapped a photo of the two and sent it to Connor. His job was to monitor whom Flora met up with Aaron strode up to Flora, looking down at her with suspicion. Why did she wear a mask today? Gone were the garish makeup and colors, revealing eyes as deep and mesmerizing as the cosmos itself, unintentionally captivating. He quickly snapped out of it. Aaron, how could you be so enchanted by this ugly duckling? You¡¯re here to seek justice for yourdy: This ugly girl couldn¡¯tpare to Carina in the slightest. Heposed himself and began to scold. ¡°Flora, Carina has always had your best interests at heart. How could you hurt her and drive her out of the Irving family home? When did you be so heartless?¡± Flora took a moment to regain herposure before looking up at him. Aaron still had a youthful look, but his eyes were filled with . She regretted ever falling for him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Aaron continued to chew her out ¡°Go apologize to Carina right now, and I might consider forgiving you and taking you out for a meal.¡± His disdain for Flora only grew after thinking of how Carina was distressed and crying the night before Flora continued to stare at him silently, her gaze unsettling. In the vi, Connor sat on the bed, silently gazing out the window. Dawn was breaking, the sky a dim gray He couldn¡¯t shake off Flom¡¯s words from yesterday. She said she liked him and begged him not to leave her. He knew her motives weren¡¯t pure, yet he still yearned for her N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Flora said she would visit him again today. He hoped she would keep her word. ¡°Get me a change of clothes,¡± he said quietly to Moss and Beck after a moment.. Flora would be arriving soon, and he needed to present himself well. He couldn¡¯t see her in this disheveled state. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 The words had barely left his mouth when his phone began to ring, Connor picked it up, taking a nce. In a sh, a storm seemed to brew across his face. Veins bulged on his forehead. The picture he received made Aaron and Flora appear exceptionally close because of the angle. Early in the moming, the two of them were at the vi¡¯s entrance, lost in their world of affection. Were they nning to elope? What did Flora¡¯s words mean to him yesterday? Was she deceiving him on purpose, wanting to see him lost in love and then trample on his heart? Moss and Beck came in cheerfully with some clothes, but upon seeing Connor¡¯s expression, his heart skipped a beat, and he inadvertently took a nce at the phone, almost scored out of his wits. It was over. That stupid girl had only just returned, and now she was already getting cozy with that guy Sit, you see, I told you she was faking it! Beck eximed angrily, Flora had deliberately provoked Connor yesterday, and today, she was cuckolding him! ¡°We¡¯re not staying in this goddamn Cedarvale anymore! You should just take care of that girl and her lover!¡± Beck furned as he packed up angrily. Connor¡¯s breathing was erratic, and he dialed his bodyguard¡¯s number, his tone icy. ¡°Bring Flora here.¡± Flora promised him yesterday, and now she was cozying up with someone else. Connor was not so easily yed ¡°Yes,¡± the bodyguard responded seriously, but the next second, he froze. ¡°Wait, boss¨CMs. Flora pped that guy!¡± ¡°p!¡± Aftering back to her senses, Flom raised her hand decisively,nding a heavy p across Aaron¡¯s face, leaving him stunned. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± he shrieked. ¡°Why are you screaming at me? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m hitting you?¡± Flora raised her hand again, delivering another p. This time, Aaron¡¯s face swelled up. She hadn¡¯t even sought him out yet, and he was already provoking her. ¡°And you have the nerve to stand up for Carina and insult me? You really think too highly of yourself. You¡¯re nothing but a nobody from the gutter. You¡¯re nothing without my funding and connections that got you into school!¡± Fineered, raising her hand again. This time, Aaron quickly dodged, but Flora feinted, delivering a kick to his groin instead. The bodyguard filming from a distance instinctively crossed his legs. Goodness, that kick looked brutal. ¡°Flors, you¡¯re insane!¡± Aaron bent over, gasping in pain, and roared, ¡°What, is this your new tactic? I know you want to be my girlfriend. Don¡¯t think I¡¯d like you for this!¡± Flora nearly vomited. She was fed up with him living off her, and yet acting all high and mighty every day. ¡°You disgust me. Look at your face. What makes you think I would want to be your girlfriend? Are you even worth a finger of my fianc¨¦? *ll have the apartment you¡¯re living in taken back. From now on, I won¡¯t give you a dime. I have plenty of money, and I¡¯d rather give it to a dog than to you. ¡°You¡¯ve been squatting here all day, haven¡¯t you?¡± Narrowing her eyes at him, Flora picked up her phone and dialed the security booth. There¡¯s a troublemaker here. Take him away!¡± The security arrived in less than a minute, handcuffing Aaron and taking him away! ¡°Ms. Flora, we apologize for the oversight that disturbed you.¡± The security guards were very respectful towards Flora, knowing she was the daughter of the Irving family. ¡°We¡¯ll take him to the police station right away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s him. Next time he shows up, beat him up,¡± Flora ordered. The security got the message. This man had annoyed Flora Aaron, now detained by security, was genuinely shocked. He could never have imagined Flora changing so much. ¡°Flora, you ¡°Shut up, idiot.¡± Flora couldn¡¯t stand another nce at him without feeling nauseous. She got into her car and headed for the hospital. She thought about the fact she would see Connor soon, and her mood finally The words had barely left his mouth when his phone began to ring Connor picked it up, taking a nce In a sh, a stom seemed to brew across his face. Veins bulged on his forehead. The picture he received made Aaron and Flora appear exceptionally close because of the angle. Early in the moming, the two of them were at the vi¡¯s entrance, lost in their world of affection Were they nning to elope? What did Flora¡¯s words mean to him yesterday? All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Was she deceiving him on purpose, wanting to see him lost in love and then trample on his heart? Moss and Beck came in cheerfully with some clothes, but upon seeing Connor¡¯s expression, his heart skipped a beat, and he inadvertently took a nce at the phone, almost scared out of his wits. was over That stupid girl had only just returned, and now she was already gelling cozy with that quy ¡°Sir, you see, I told you she was faking it Beck eximed angrily. Flora had deliberately provoked Connor yesterday, and today, she was cuckolding him! ¡°We¡¯re not staying in this goddamn Cedarvale anymore! You should just take care of that girl and her lover! Beck fumed as he packed up angrily Connor¡¯s breathing was erratic, and he dialed his bodyguard¡¯s number, his tone icy. ¡°Bring Flora here¡± Flora promised him yesterday, and now she was cozying up with someone else. Connor was not so easily yed. ¡°Yes,¡± the bodyguard responded seriously, but the next second, he froze. ¡°Wait, boss¨CMs. Flora pped that guy!¡± to her senses, Aftering back to ¡°What are you doing?!¡± he shrieked. Flora raised her hand decisively,nding a heavy p across Aaron¡¯s face, leaving him stunned. ¡°Why are you screaming at me? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m hitting you? Flora raised her hand again, delivering another p. This time, Aaron¡¯s face swelled up. She hadn¡¯t even sought him out yet, and he was already provoking her. ¡°And you have the nerve to stand up for Carina and insult me? You really think too highly of yourself. You¡¯re nothing but a nobody from the gutter. You¡¯re nothing without my funding and connections that got you into school!¡± eered, raising her hand again. This time, Aaron quickly dodged, but Flora feinted, delivering a kick to his groin instead. The bodyguard filming from a distance instinctively crossed his legs. Goodness, that kick looked brutal. ¡°Flora, you¡¯re insanel¡± Aaron bent over, gasping in pain, and roared, ¡°What, is this your new tactic? I know you want to be my girlfriend Don¡¯t think I¡¯d like you for this!¡± Flora nearly vomited. She was fed up with him living off her, and yet acting all high and mighty every day. ¡°You disgust me. Look at your face. What makes you think I would want to be your girlfriend? Are you even worth a finger of my fianc¨¦? ¡°I have the apartment you¡¯re living in taken back. From now on, I won¡¯t give you a dime. I have plenty of money, and I¡¯d rather give it to a dog than to you. ¡°You¡¯ve been squatting here all day, haven¡¯t you?¡± Narrowing her eyes at him, Flora picked up her phone and dialed the security booth. ¡°There¡¯s a troublemaker here. Take him away!¡± The security arrived in less than a minute, handcuffing Aaron and taking him away! ¡°Ms. Flora, we apologize for the oversight, that disturbed you.¡± The security guards were very respectful towards Flora, knowing she was the daughter of the Irving family. ¡°Well take him to the police station right away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s him. Next time he shows up, beat him up, Flora ordered. The security got the message. This man had annoyed Flori. Aaron, now detained by security, was genuinely shocked. He could never have imagined Flora changing so much. ¡°Flora, you-¡± ¡°Shut up, idiot.¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 At the vi, Connor watched the video on his phone, his smile slowly spreading. He said to Moss, Tell Beck not to pack up anymore. We¡¯re not leaving¡± Beck had juste upstairs to hear this after packing up half of their stuff. He was puzzled. ¡°What?¡± Did all that packing go to waste? Half an hourter, Flora arrived at the vi. The bodyguards didn¡¯t stop her this time, and she entered without any hindrance. ¡®Connor!¡± She opened the door and greeted him with a radiant smile. Her mask was already removed, revealing her stunningly beautiful features. Moss and Beck were almost bug¨Ceyed. Was this- Flora?! How had she be so pretty? Was she still the same unremarkable girl from before? Connor watched her for a moment, surprised but stillposed. ¡°Have you been waiting long?¡± Flora asked. ¡°Not at all,¡± Connor replied, avoiding her gaze as if indifferent Moss and Beck could hardly stand it. Not at all? Yeah right. Sir, you¡¯ve been waiting here like a lovesick fool for ages! ¡°How are you feeling today? Does it still hurt?¡± Flora asked as she came in, Connor fell from such a height and breaking several ribs, and it was natural to still feel pain a few dayster. Connor hadn¡¯t slept well since the fall, but he nodded. ¡°Much better.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten, right? I brought you breakfast. Flora chuckled softly, shaking the breakfast bag in her hand. Moss and Beck were on high alert, fearing Flora had poisoned the food. har Connor¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, merely responding with a ¡°Hmm.¡± Flora was seemingly oblivious to Moss and Beck¡¯s anxious expressions. She opened the bag and took out a bowl of soup, sipping it herself first before handing it to Connor ¡°It¡¯s still warm. Drink up¡± Connor took a sip. Flora fed him a spoonful at a time until he had finished the entire bowl. She asionally cracked a joke, making Connorugh softly, a slight curve forming on his lips. With Flora¡¯s voice filling the room, the cold hospital room seemed to warm up. Moss and Beck stood silently aside, and even Beck, who usually disliked Flora, had nothing to say. After all, no matter what Flora¡¯s intentions were, at least she could make Connor happy. Connor didn¡¯t speak, simply leaning against the pillow, watching Flora with a smile that could melt hearts. In the past, her smiles were for Aaron, but now they were directed at him. Truthfully, he was confused. He couldn¡¯t believe someone could change so quickly. She liked Aaron so much. How could she suddenly not? Or was it that she discovered his people at her home and pretended for his sake? Was her kindness a temporary constion or a genuine change of heart? He had intended to let it slide, but seeing Flora p Aaron, he wasn¡¯t satisfied anymore. Perhaps Flora was truly trying to like him? Should he trust her? ¡°By the way, Connor, I won¡¯t be able to visit you tomorrow, Flora suddenly said. It felt like a bucket of cold water had beeh poured over him. Connor¡¯s heart turned cold. All those pleasant fantasies became knives stabbing his heart. He shouldn¡¯t have held any expectations. See, Flora was just ying with him, treating him as a pastime. She got bored in just one day and was leaving. ¡°Leave now if you want to. Don¡¯te tomorrow, and don¡¯t bothering ever again.¡± Connor¡¯s tone suddenly turned cold. He leaned against the pillow, eyes closed, exuding an aura that kept people distance Flors was stunned. What happened? Everything was fine a moment ago. Why the sudden temper? Was it because of what she just said? 12:36 ¡°Connor, you misunderstood¡­¡± Flora realized and exined with a mix of helplessness and exasperation. Tm not leaving you. I have something to do tomorrow, so I can¡¯te. Perhaps you forgot that tomorrow is Monday. I have school.¡± Connor¡¯s brow twitched. He had indeed forgotten. Flora was a senior in high school. He suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. He had indeed misunderstood. ¡°By the way, Connor, I brought you a gift!¡± Flora took out a sachet from her pocket. I know you often have trouble sleeping. This is at blend I made myself, filled with various herbs. Wearing it can help you sleep better. I was rushed, so it¡¯s a bit rough.¡± The sachet, previously used by Flora, was a bit old. The pink fabric was embroidered with the narne Flora. A faint herbal scent mixed with a subtle touch of jasmine was released from the sachet. It was a fascinating aroma that seemed to calm the soul. As Connor took the slightly faded sachet, his hands trembled slightly. This was the first gift Connor had received from Flora. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Her eyes were red, presumably from the effort put into making the fragrant blend. Connor¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 On Monday, Flora headed off to school. As she stood at the gates of Westbrook High School, Flora¡¯s emotions were a mix of anticipation and resolve. In her past life, she¡¯d devoted herself entirely to Aaron, neglecting her studies, until Raul paid a hefty sum to secure her a spot in a second¨Ctier college. But this time, she was determined to get into a top university! Taking a deep breath, Flora walked in with determination in her step, drawing attention from everyone around her. Flora was strikingly good¨Clooking. Her clothes hung on her frame, entuating her figure even further. Her skin was glowing under the sunlight, and her eyes sparkled like gxies. Depending on her expression, she could look enchanting or somewhat Tierce. ¡°Wow, when did such a hottie enroll in our school?¡± ¡°Ah, she¡¯s gorgeous, I¡¯m totally smitten! Is she a new transfer student? I need her number in like three minutes!¡± ¡°Looks like Carina¡¯s reign as the campus queen might being to an end.¡± Students discreetly took photos and shared them on the school forum. ¡°Wait, doesn¡¯t the beauty look a lot like that weirdo Flora?¡± ¡°Are you kidding? How could she look anything like that freak? Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t seen Flors around these past few days, and honestly, my mood¡¯s been better for it.¡± ¡°That girl¡¯s always dressed like she¡¯s out of a horror movie. I bumped into her on the field once and had nightmares for days. Sympathetic nces were thrown her way. ¡°Not only is she ugly, but she¡¯s also dumb as a rock. Her poor grades are dragging down Westbrook High¡¯s college admission rates. Now everyone knows about Flora, the ugly girl, making our school theughingstock.¡± As Flora walked, she found the gossip rather amusing. She hadn¡¯t realized she had such an impact. She made her way to ss Z. Before ss started, the room was filled with noise, which quieted down as Flora entered. Flora was bathed in the warm sunlight. Her skin and the simple clothes she wore seemed to radiate with allure A wave of admiration swept through the crowd, especially among the boys, who were practically drooling over her Excited whistles ps filled the ofr ¡°Holy crap, isn¡¯t that the hottie from the forum? She looks even better in person!¡± ¡°Could she be a new student in our ss?¡± Flora, ignoring the stares, walked confidently to thest row by the wall and took a seat. ¡°You you shouldn¡¯t sit there. That spot is cursed!¡± The boy in front of her turned around to caution her. ¡°Cursed?¡± Flora looked at hi The boy, named Dane, had previously shown nothing but disdain for her. Faced with Flora¡¯s clear gaze, Dane blushed. *That¡¯s where a girl named Flora used to sit. She was absolutely disgusting,¡± he said with a look of disgust. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, she got into troublest week for hitting a teacher and is surely going to be expelled!¡± Flora looked at him emotionlessly, and after letting him finish, she calmly said, ¡°I am Flora¡± Dane was bbergasted. Everyone who had been eavesdropping was in shock. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. The room fell silent as if they had seen a ghost. She was Flora, the outcast?! How¡¯s that possible! Flora remained expressionless and began to review her textbooks. She actually had a photographic memory but had neglected her studies entirely because of Aaron. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¡°Heavens, who knew the ugly duckling could tum out to be a swan once she cleaned up!¡± The ss was still in a state of shock. *Pfft, even if she looks decent, what does it matter? She¡¯s the shame of ss Z. Because of her, we have been theughingstock marry times now.¡± ¡°Exactly, and thankfully, she¡¯s about to be expelled. Spending one more day with her is just disgusting.¡± The jeering continued, filled with righteous Indignation. The students were oblivious to the ringing of the ss bell. Ms. Jade, the Spanish teacher, strode into the noisy ss Z, a flicker of annoyance passing through her eyes. She bellowed, ¡°Are you all deaf? Didn¡¯t you hear the bell? You¡¯re the loudest in this whole building!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Her ss, ss Z, was always at the bottom. No teacher liked having students with poor grades. She mmed her textbook onto the podium, her gaze sweeping to the student sitting in the back row against the wall. When she saw a girl with striking looks and a ponytail, her eyebrows furrowed. She didn¡¯t care who the girl was, possibly a new transfer student. She was concerned that Flora hadn¡¯te to school. She scoffed, randomly pointing at two boys. ¡°You two, clear out Flora¡¯s desk and toss her stuff out Her face lit up with the thrill of seeing Flora expelled. ¡°The school¡¯s policy states that any student absent for seven days or more will be expelled! Flora hasn¡¯t shown up today, which makes it seven days. She¡¯s officially expelled! Toss all her stuff out!¡± The students stared at Ms. Jade incredulously. Flora was here, but Ms. Jade just hadn¡¯t recognized her. Flora was caught by surprise by the misunderstanding. She stood up, ¡®Ms. Jade, without an official expulsion notice, even a teacher has no right to throw a student¡¯s belongings out.¡± ¡°And who are you to lecture me? ss Z is the trash of the school. ss Z was the worst performing ss, and Ms. Jade always felt frustrated teaching them. Someone talking back just made her even angrier. Hearing this, the mood in ss 2 soured; no one liked being called trash. ¡°Ms. Jade, as a role model, are you familiar with the ethical standards for teachers? No teacher should ever call their students trash¡± Being publicly criticized by a student was humiliating for Ms. Jade, who, in a fit of rage, retorted, ¡°What¡¯s it to you if I¡¯m throwing Flora¡¯s stuff out!¡± Outside, cicadas buzzed loudly, and the hot, humid air mixed with the heat wave made Flora¡¯s voice distinctly clear in the ssroom. ¡°Because I am Flora.¡± She was Flora! Ms. Jade¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She stared at the girl standing upright, struggling to find any resemnce to the Flora she remembered. She¡¯s still as detestable as ever! Ms. Jade¡¯s dislike for Flora stemmed not just from her poor grades but also from a past embarassment Flora had caused her in front of the whole school. She had always wanted to get Flora expelled. Shaking off her shock, she sneered, ¡°So what if you showed up today? You¡¯re still getting expelled! You¡¯ve been marked for major offenses three times. ording to school rules, if you fail all your subjects in the exam half a month from now, you¡¯re out!¡± ¡°The exam hasn¡¯t even happened yet. How do you know I won¡¯t pass?¡± This statement made Ms. Jadeugh, along with the rest of ss 2. ¡°Hahaha, she actually thinks she can pass.¡± ¡°If she can pass, Ill eat my hat!¡± Even Ms. Jade was mocking her ¡°Seriously? Alright then, if you do pass, fill apologize in front of the whole ss. No, the whole school! Now, get out of my ssroom. I won¡¯t tolerate such scum here!¡± Surrounded byughter, Flora remained expressionless. She picked up an English textbook and gracefully exited the room Chapter 12 Chapter 12 The news of Flora and Ms. Jade¡¯s bet spread across the school in less than half a day Everyone thought Flore had lost her mind. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡®Someone who scores single digits actually has the nerve to say she can pass?¡± Someone mocked. Another person¨Cadded with disdain, ¡°I bet that ugly freak¡¯s brain got fried!¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey, she¡¯s not ugly anymore. She¡¯s the campus beauty now! Even prettier than Carinar Carina listened to her ssmates with a cold face. After being busted by the Irving family, she had been living in a small apartment. She knew Flora had be beautiful. Flora had always been pretty. Even without makeup, Flora could outshine Carina. Carina was aware of that, so she always made Flora disguise herself as ugly ¡°Carina, dear, Flora¡¯s nowhere near as good as you. Ha, she even bet with Ms. Jade that she could pass all her exams. Where does she get her confidence from? You¡¯re the top of our grade, Carina, and that bitch dares topare herself to you?¡± Jennifer spoke. She¡¯s from ss 2 and always looked up to Carina ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Maybe Flora really has changed¡­¡± Carina advised, though inwardly, she was pleased. Yes. No matter how pretty Flora was, academics were Carina¡¯s strong suit. Carina would make the Irving family realize what a mistake they made by driving her away. When Flora walked into the cafeteria at lunch, she was met with a barrage of mocking nces. She calmly went to o the counter and got herself a portion of ribs, and just as she sat down, someone started trouble. A pair of legs in sneakersnded on the table in front of her ¡°Hey, freak, hurry up and get us some food!¡± She looked up to see a group of boys in basketball jerseys, reeking of sweat, looking down at her arrogantly. They were on the same basketball team as Aaron. Back when she liked Aaron, they took advantage of her kindness, making her fetch their meals and treating them to dinners. Over time, they became haughty, treating Flora like a servant Flora nced at the legs on the table, her voice icy. ¡°Get your feet off the table.¡± Brian sneered, not taking Flora seriously at all, Flora, got a bit of backbone now, huh? Dont think Aaron would like you just because you¡¯ve prettied up! Hurry up and get us food, or we¡¯ll make you regret it¨Cow!¡± A squeal like a pig being ughtered rang out. Flora had kicked Brian in the stomach Brian fell to the ground in a sorry state, clutching his abdomen in pain. ¡°Don¡¯t know where to put your feet? Then let me teach you¡± Flora said, looking down at him. Her foot pressed down on his ankle, her dark pupils reflecting a captivating light. ¡°You bitch! §±l kill you- Before he could finish, Flora¡¯s foot moved from his ankle to his face. She stomped hard on his mouth! ¡°Can¡¯t speak like a decent human? Everyone was stunnedi They couldn¡¯t believe what they were seeing. Was this the same timid freak from before? Brian¡¯s face turned purple. He struggled to get up, but the seemingly frail Flora had enough strength to keep him pinned down. Connor had taught Flora how to fight. Flora had been a tomboy since childhood and climbed trees and walls. She was physically stronger than many men. The rest of the team was petrified, forgetting even to help their friend. Brian¡¯s face turned blue under her. He strained with all his might to grow through clenched teeth, ¡°Freak!¡± Flora¡¯s eyes grew colder, her foot pressing harder on his mouth. ¡°Say that again?¡± Brian let out a painful groan. Before a patrolling teacher could arrive, Flora pulled him up, draping an arm over his shoulder, pretending they were just buddies. With a smirk, she looked at Brian. ¡°We¡¯re all ssmates, so there¡¯s we need to make it ugly, right?¡± She appeared overly friendly as if the ferocious person just a moment ago wasn¡¯t her. Brian was livid, his eyes bulging. How could someone be so shameless? ¡°Flora¡± Just then, an incredulous male voice called out Flora¡¯s hand paused on Brian¡¯s shoulder. A young man in a red and white jersey ran over. It was Aaron. Aaron rushed over. His eyes swept over Flora¡¯s stunning face. A flicker of astonishment passed through him. Then, seeing her close to Brian, he bellowed, ¡°Take your hands off him! You¡¯re a youngdy. Have you no shame?¡± Flora scoffed. It seemed he hadn¡¯t leamed a lesson from the time she hit him at her vi¡¯s doorstep. She gave him a look. ¡°And who are you to judge?¡± Everyone was shocked. Nobody expected Flora to react this way. Wasn¡¯t she the one who adored Aaron and always chased after him? Aaron was taken aback, uncertain as he stared at Flora That day at the vi¡¯s doorstep, she had caused him such embarrassment. He nearly spent a night in jail. Mow, she was talking like this. How did she change so drastically? Still, a person couldn¡¯t change overnight. Aaron thought this was just Flora¡¯s tactic to attract him. He roared, ¡°Flora, you are disgusting!¡± ¡°Disgusting? Aaron, let¡¯s settle the scores then and see who¡¯s really disgusting.¡± Flora suddenlyughed. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°The jersey you¡¯re wearing. I had it custom¨Cmade by a designer for $7,000 ¡°The wristband, I bought it, $900 ¡°The watch, also my purchase, $19,000¡± ¡°Those shoes on your feet, I bought them for $10,000 Flora stated the facts calmly, and as she listed the figures one by one, the room erupted in astonishment Goodness, a jersey for $7,000 Shoes for $10,000! Every guy in the room was intergally roaring. ¡®Hey, Flora, are you in need of a boyfriend?¡® We can do it! We really can! As Florn went down the list, Aaron¡¯s face tumed as red as a beet. ¡°Flors, have you had enough? ¡°Even the underwear you¡¯re wearing. I bought that too.¡± Flora chuckled, ¡°What on you wasn¡¯t bought by me? Without me, with your dismal grades, do you think you could have gotten into Westbrook High School? For the past two years, I¡¯ve been taking care of your every need. I¡¯ve spent no less than $700,000 on you¡± Everyone looked at Aaron with a nuanced expression. It turned out he was a trophy boy. Spending a girl¡¯s money wasn¡¯t really a big deal since Flora was willing to spend it on him. However, Aaron was living off Flors while acting all high and mighty at school, as if Flora was the one pestering him. That it was crossing the line. The surrounding nces were sharp as des, stinging Aaron His face turned fierce, and he roared, ¡°Floral¡± He tried to drag her, but Flora stepped aside, dodging him. ¡°Aaron, you live off my dime, yet you look down on me. Just in bank transfers alone, I¡¯ve sent you over $400,000, and the records are still there, I could easily make you cough up that money. ¡°But, it¡¯s too dirty. Everything about you is just too filthy. I basically threw that money to the trash.¡± Then, Flora walked away with big strides. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Aaron came from a poor rural background. When Flora first saw him, he was wearing a faded blue shirt and yellowed canvas shoes. It was easy to adapt from frugality to luxury but hard to return to frugality from luxury. Used to delicacies and high brands, Aaron could never go back. His bad karma was still to follow. Leaving the cafeteria, Flora returned to her dorm. She lived in a single dorm room. Actually, the Irving family¡¯s house wasn¡¯t far from the school, but Flora, from her previous life, didn¡¯t get along with her family. Also, to be closer to Aaron, she insisted on living on campus. Henrik donated a building, so the school prepared a single dorm room just for her. The pile of books on her desk was covered in dust. After cleaning them, she sat down to study seriously People in ss 2 noticed Flora¡¯s unusual behavior. She, who had never touched a book before, was now seen reading as soon as ss ended. However, she flipped through the pages in an unnatural speed, breezing through several pages in the blink of an eye. Teachers were at a loss seeing her, reading ¡®ke that wouldn¡¯t likely lodge knowledge in her brain. They thought it better she read books than y all day, so they let her be Flora had a photographic memory, Humanities were not a problem for her, but math was a real challenge. After a while, she fell sleepy and couldn¡¯t help but think of Connor. She was wondering what he was up to. Flora took a selfie with her phone, making sure to highlight the pile of books in the background. After editing the photo for about twenty minutes, she was quite satisfied and sent it to Connor. (School is so tiring. Studying is so hard On the other end, Connor held his phone, looking at the chat with a, his expression dead serious. Flora was leaning on her desk, wearing pajamas, makeup¨Cfree. Her eyes were red, looking on the verge of tears. Flora seldom messaged him, so he was very cautious, afraid his reply might displease her. He thought that Flora was actually crying and felt very distressed. [Are you crying? Don¡¯t cry. If studying is too hard, then take a break] Flora could imagine him frowning, and she chuckled to herself. If I don¡¯t study, I won¡¯t get into a good university. If I don¡¯t get into a good university, how can I be worthy of you? What if you don¡¯t want me anymore?] [Flors, only you don¡¯t want me. It¡¯s not the other way around.] Flora¡¯s heart skipped a beat. In her previous life, Connor had said that line too. She quickly changed the subject. [Did the doctore for a check¨Cup today? What did he say? How are you feeling now? [I¡¯m much better, probably fully covered in a fortnight.] to the l Flora sent a voice message, each word dripping with flirtation. ¡°Then, Connor, you must take good care of yourself. Listen to the doctor. Once I¡¯m done with school stuff, Ie to see you. What should I do? I¡¯m falling for you more and more¡­¡± Her voice was slightly deep when she lowered it but deliberately soft and melodious when she raised it. Connor¡¯s cheeks warmed up. He felt the quickening beat of his heart. His voice sounded slightly rough. ¡°Flora, I miss you too¡­ Thank you. Thank you for being close to me, even if it¡¯s just to humor me. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 The day of the exam arrived swiftly. The first subject to tackle was Humanities. As soon as the test papers were distributed, Floma nced over them briefly before diving into her answers. Dane, whose grades were also quite poor, sat not far from Flora, He looked up just in time to see her writing furiously. When he managed to see what she was writing, his face darkened. Flora seemed to barely look at the questions before wildly filling in the answer sheet for the multiple¨Cchoice section.. This wasn¡¯t attempting the questions. It was outright guessing. With her random answers, she might as well have chosen B for everything, hoping for the blind luck of a broken ck being right twice a day Flora finished the entire test in just half an hour and thenid her head down on the desk to sleep. The invigtor, who was also Flora¡¯s English teacher saw her sleeping and shook her head in disappointment. She was sleeping, and yet, she hoped to pass every subject Thest subject was Spanish. After the test papers were handed out, Flora spent less than half an hour on them before going back to sleep on the desk. She slept soundly for nearly two hours. The invigtor sighed repeatedly. After the exams, everyone took a deep breath. The students of ss 2 were even more at ease, all engaged in vigorous discussions about their answers. ¡°Hahaha, I was in the same exam room as Flora, You guys wouldn¡¯t believe it. She spent the whole time sleeping and barely wrote anything. It¡¯s hrious, and she thinks she can pass everything¡± ¡°That idiot is finally going to leave ss Z. I wish I could throw her stuff out right now¡± ¡°Hey Jennifer, how did you do this time?¡± a girl familiar with Jennifer asked her. Jennifer nodded. ¡°This time, the questions were a bit tough, but I think I scored around six hundred for all subjectsbined.¡± The girl looked envious. ¡°Ah, you must be at the top of our ss again. You¡¯re so amazing, I probably didn¡¯t even score five hundred¡± Just then, Flora walked into ss 2. ¡°Oh look, Flora is back, someone said sarcastically. ¡°How did you do?¡± Flora went to her desk, put down her pencil case, and replied, ¡°Not bad.¡± This elicited a burst ofughter. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. The person who spoke before continued to mock her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Flora thought seriously for a moment. ¡°Being at the top of the ss shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± She had overheard Jennifer saying she scored around six hundred, which was the highest in the ss. So, Flow¡¯s score, being the top of the ss, was assured The room fell silent for a moment, and thenughter erupted even louder. Everyone stared at Flora with disdain, thinking she was boasting too much. ¡°You, the top of the ss? More like the bottom!¡± Jennifer also sneered. The top of the ss? In her dreams. ¡°Jennifer has always been our top scorer with scores over six hundred. Have you ever scored over three hundred? Now you¡¯re talking. about being the top? That¡¯s hrious.¡± Jennifer proudly lifted her chin, her gaze sweeping over Flord¡¯s striking features, a hint of jealousy flickering in her eyes. Flora didn¡¯t respond. She simply packed her things and went back to her dormitory. The afternoon exams were over, and there were no sses in the evening. The teachers were busy grading papers To simte the final exam, the studepis¡® names on the tests were covered ¡°Oh wow. this year¡¯s students are something else. Someone actually scored a perfect score on Spanish.¡± After grading the papers, a teacher eximed in surprise Chapter 15 Chapter 15 1237 Unable to curb her curiosity, she sneakily peeked at the name, but it was covered, revealing only the surname ¡°Irving¡± ¡°Ha, it must be Carina from ss A¡¯s paper, she guessed. ¡°That kid is bright and so well¨Cbehaved.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The ss A homeroom teacher beamed with pride just as Carina came by to hand in her homework. She pulled her aside and subtly praised, ¡°Carina, you did well this time.¡± ¡°Ha, more than just well you aced Spanish.¡± There were only a few top¨Cstudents. Among them, only one had the sumame Irving, so the teachers naturally thought it was her paper. ¡°Didn¡¯t you score a 720st time? Keep it up, and you¡¯ll definitely get into Westbrook College¡± Carina herself hadn¡¯t expected to ace Spanish and was thrilled beyond words. This Spanish test had an unusually high number of new words and phrases, including a reading passage she hadn¡¯t fully understood. Blushing, she said, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll continue to work hard.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Flora from ss 2 your cousin? I wonder how she did. I heard she even made a bet with Ms. Jade, right?¡± someone in the office mentioned, keen on stirring things up. Jade¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I was proctoring Flora¡¯s exam room, and that child slept through the entire thing. Both are from the Irving family, yet so different.¡± The teachers shook their heads in disappointment. Jade¡¯s expression grew even grimmer. She was embarrassed by ss 2 each time during exams. ¡°ss Z is just a bunch of hopeless cases, and Flora is a disgrace to Westbrook High School ¡°Ms. Jade, that¡¯s not right to say,¡± the ss 2 homeroom teacher, Keaton, interjected, displeased. ¡°We¡¯re teachers. No matter what, we shouldn¡¯t speak of our students that way¡± He knew about the dispute between Flora and Jade, including their bet. He did not like Flora himself, and thinking she was on the verge of expulsion, he hadn¡¯t intervened. Still, as the teacher of ss Z, he couldn¡¯t allow such disrespect Jade, face grim, said no more. Carina also wisely made her exit. Just minutes after she left, a shout of astonishment came from the office. ¡°Only one point off in Literature! My goodness!¡± Hearing this, the teachers hurried over. A student only had one point off on the reading section. And they had a perfect score on the composition! A: Theposition was bold and proud, stirring excitement in the reader. ¡°This student has quite the ir for writing!¡± ¡°Wait, why does this handwriting look so familiar¡­¡± The first teacher quickly retrieved the Spanish paper andpared the handwriting to the Literature paper¨Cit was identical. This doesn¡¯t seem to be Carinas¡­ the Literature teacher remarked. He had graded Carina¡¯s Literature work before, which was overly flowery and pedantic, nothing like thismanding and bold piece. Driven by curiosity, they sneakily checked the name. The entire office was struck as if by lightning! ¡°Flora?! How could it be her!¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 On Wednesday morning, Mr Keaton walked into ss Z with ack of report cards, his expression less than pleased. This was a fomir sight for the students of ss Z. Every time after exams, Mr. Keston would look as if he¡¯d lost a dear family member ¡°This time, everyone has performed quite well on the test. Jennifer and Holly have shown the most improvement. Then there are some of you who didn¡¯t even pass the basic requirements. I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been up to. Please, make more of an effort ¡°Now, let me announce the rankings. First ce, Jennifer, with 570 points. Second ce, Holly, with 556 points. Third ce¡­. ¡°And thest ce goes to Dane.¡± Everyone had a general idea of their own scores and rankings, so there was no surprise there. However, they were curious about Flora¡¯s score, which Mr. Keaton hadn¡¯t mentioned. ¡°Mr. Keaton, why didn¡¯t you read out Flora¡¯s score?¡± ¡°Yeah! Haha, is it because Flora scored so low that you¡¯re embarrassed to say 11?¡± Mr. Keaton¡¯s gaze swept over to where Flora sat quietly in the back row, his expressionplex. ¡°Flora,e with me, please¡± Flora stood up and obediently followed Mr. Keaton out of the ssroom. The students were even more curious about what Flora was needed for. paton took Flora to the administrative office. Mr. Keaton Inside, all the teachers were gathered around a stack of papers, looking grave. Each paper had Flora¡¯s name written in the top left ¡°English 149¡­ only missed one point in the reading section. This is unbelievable¡­¡± ¡°Humanities 2931 293! Do you understand what this means?¡± The to paperh teachers were in despair in their decades of teaching, they had never seen such perfect answer sheets. But they were too perfect, exactly matching the answer keys, and with Flora¡¯s name on them¡­.. ¡°She is here! N?velDrama.Org holds this content. As soon as Mr. Keaton and Flora entered, all the teachers looked over. Jade also nced over a cold smirk on her lips. ¡°Flora, these are your test papers. Take a look for yourself and tell us what you think!¡± Mr. Trevor said coldy. Flora nced at the papers on the table. English 149, Spanish 150, Math 145, Social Studies 293¡­ ¡°I¡¯m very satisfied¡± she replied. The scores were even higher than she had expected. Mr. Trevor had hoped she would confess to cheating, but instead, she actually praised her own results, which infuriated him. ¡°Floral You¡¯ve been ignoring school rules and acting recklessly, and now you even cheated! Tell us, where did you get the answers from?¡± Flora understood now. They thought she had cheated. ¡°I did not cheat,¡± she said, frowning. ¡°How ridiculous! You didnt?¡± Jade scoffed, picking up the Spanish paper. Tve taught you for over a year. Do you think I don¡¯t know your level? How did you score full marks? The essay contained many advanced words that are not typical for someone your age!¡± ¡°Flora, just tell us where you got the answers from.¡± Ms. Banks, thenguage teacher, urged. She was kind¨Chearted and, despite Flora¡¯s uneptable behavior, wanted to give her a chance. ¡°I¡¯ve said it. I didn¡¯t cheat¡± Flora replied, growing imitated. ¡°And how do you exin your answers matching the answer key exactly?¡± Mr. Trevor used her of making excuses. ¡°Is there a rule that says a student¡¯s answers can¡¯t match the answer key exactly?¡± Mr. Trevor was so angry he was practically gnashing his teeth: ¡°Fine! Very well! We can¡¯t handle you, so we¡¯re calling your parents!¡± Themotion in the office didn¡¯t take long to spread throughout the school ¡°Did you hear? Flora cheated! She cheated her way to the top of the gradel¡± ¡°She¡¯s so stupid, even when cheating, she can¡¯t get it right, Mr. Trevor is furious, and he¡¯s already called her parents.¡± *This time, Flora is definitely getting expelled!¡± Twenty minutester, Raul and Hennik hurried to the school. Mr. Trevor hadn¡¯t been clear about what had happened over the phone, making them extremely anxious and fearing the worst for Flora. ¡°Mr. Irving, Henrik!¡± Carina had been waiting by the door and rushed to meet them. ¡°You must be here about Flora. Don¡¯t worry, She¡¯s okay for now¡± ¡°Carina, what exactly happened to Flore?¡± Carina looked like she was struggling to speak. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ she cheated. Somehow, Flora got her hands on the right answers and cheated he? way to the top of the grade.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Raul and Henrik said in unison, then strode into the administrative office. Seeing their faith in Flora, Carina almost bit her tooth in frustration and followed them in. Inside, they saw Flora standing against the wall. Chapter Chapter 17 Chapter 17 ¡°Flora!¡± ¡°Dad, Henrik¡­ ¡°It¡¯s alright now, we know everything. Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve got it.¡± Henrik gently ruffled her hair and said softly. ¡°Mr. Raul, please take a look at Flora¡¯s exam paper yourself,¡± Mr. Trevor said with a sigh of irritation ¡°Sir, Flora really made a mistake this time. I apologize on her behalf and hope you won¡¯t blow this out of proportion. It could ruin Flora¡­¡± Canna pleaded camnestly. Mr. Trevor listened to Carina and felt even more that, despite the two girls sharing thest name, the difference between them was vast. ¡°Carina, you don¡¯t have to defend her. The nature of this matter is truly appalling! Both of you share thest name. Flors, look at your sister! Virtuous and academically excellent in every aspect! And you? Hopeless!¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Upon hearing this, both Raul and Henrik¡¯s expressions turned cold. ¡°Carina, Flora doesn¡¯t need your apology. She hasn¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± Henrik said coldly Mr. Trevor. ¡°Hasn¡¯t done anything wrong? Didn¡¯t you see the exam paper¡­¡± ¡°Flora is incredible and scored so well. Even I wasn¡¯t this good when I was studying.¡± Hennk affectionately flicked Flora¡¯s forehead with his index finger Raul also nodded repeatedly. ¡°What do you want to eat when we get home? I will cook it myself. I need to celebrate my precious daughter scoring the highest in the grade!¡± Carina was in disbelief, and everyone present was stunned. Mr. Trevor was so furious he almost choked, roaring, ¡°Can¡¯t you see? She cheated!¡± ¡°How could Flora cheat to get the top grade? Who would she copy from?¡± Henrik retorted. Mr. Trevor was speechless, spreading out the correct answer sheet. ¡°Look, it¡¯s almost identical to the correct answers! And you, as her family, must know Flora¡¯s usual academic performance. How could she possibly score the highest in the grade.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Henrik replied indifferently, ¡°Are you suggesting Flora stole the correct answers? The school manages the exam.and answers, so how could they have ended up in a student¡¯s hands? Isn¡¯t that your problem?¡± ¡°Mr. Raul¡­¡± Mr. Trevor, unable to argue with Henrik, turned his gaze to Raul. ¡°I know my daughter¡¯s character well. She would not cheat. And even if she did cheat, she couldn¡¯t have scored this high¡± Raul supported Flora unconditionally. ¡°As for you, Mr. Trevor, using my daughter of cheating without solid evidence has severely damaged her reputation. You owe her an apology.¡± Should he apologize to Flora?! Mr. Trevor felt like punching someone. ¡°Mr. Raul, if you continue to insist on this educational philosophy, then I have nothing else to say. We will just expel Flora¡± He knew it. Flora tumed out this way because her family indulged her. Flora said, ¡°I didn¡¯t cheat, and you have no right to expel me. Do you think that a poor student can¡¯t work hard and achieve excellent results?¡± ¡°There are hardworking students, but you are definitely not one of them.¡± Jade said, ¡°Just look at your usual grades. Do they qualify as the oue of hard work? Fine, if you want to prove it, I¡¯ll give you the chance¡± ¡°There¡¯s actually a way out. The teachers can devise another set of questions for Flor. If she can solve all of them, it would prove she didn¡¯t cheat.¡± Jade wasn¡¯t trying to help Flora. She wanted to see her fail more miserably. Mr. Trevor, holding a grudge, agreed with Jade¡¯s suggestion. Il Flora didn¡¯t admit it, they would make it impossible for her to argue Jade immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll write down a few advanced vocabry words. If you can recognize them all, I acknowledge your score.¡± Jade swiftly wrote down twenty advanced vocabry words in a notebook. The teachers beside her frowned. These words were beyond the sybus. They were college¨Clevel vocabry. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Flora¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as she quickly picked up a pen and wrote down the meanings beneath the words. Watching her skillfully write out the meanings of all the words, Jade¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. These words would challenge even a college student, yet Flora seemed to handle them effortlessly. ¡°Ms. Jade, how did I do? Did I get them all right?¡± Flora nced at Jade, a smile ying on her lips, though her smile had a mischievous glint. Jade¡¯s face turned sour, and gritting her teeth, she wrote down a long string of words. She hadn¡¯t been able to define it during her graduate studies and had been penalized by copying it numerous times. Flora was still a high school student. She definitely couldn¡¯t recognize it. Everyone saw the word she wrote, and their expression turned uneasy. Jade was clearly trying to make things difficult for Flora with an overly challenging word. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Cold sparks flew from Raul and Henrik¡¯s eyes. Flora watched Jade yfully and leisurely picked up her pen, writing down one word after another. Jade¡¯s face turned ashen at what she wrote. How could it be? How could she know the answer? ¡°Ms. Jade.¡± At that moment, Flora spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve tested me so much, I¡¯d like to give you a little test. Can you tell me what this term means?¡± Flora wrote down a whopping twenty¨Ceight¨Cletter word. Jade, breaking out in a cold sweat, looked at it and, after a moment, said through gritted teeth, ¡°it¡¯s xenotransntation!¡± Floraughed, and the teachers who were presentughed as well. It¡¯s normal to not know such a long word, but the awkward part was Ms. Jade¡¯s previous attempt to stump Flora with a long word As a student, Flora had answered correctly, but as a teacher, Jade had gotten it wrong, which was quite embarrassing Hearing theirughter, Jade knew she had misspoken and, in a panic, corrected herself, ¡°I was wrong. It should be vasoconstriction!¡± Henrik coldly said, ¡°Mr. Trevor, it seems the teachers at your school don¡¯t have a very strong knowledge base. With her level, I¡¯m quite skeptical if she¡¯s truly qualified for this job.¡± Jade¡¯s face turned even paler, and she saw Flora smiling at her, saying word for word, ¡°The actual meaning of this term is anti disestablishmentarianism.¡± No one doubted Flora¡¯s grades were falsified anymore. She recognized so many advanced words, so getting a perfect score in Spanish was not surprising. The next test was on humanities. Geography, political science, and history teachers each gave her a few questions. Flora merely nced at them before beginning to speak, her answersplete and fluent, almost identical to the correct ones but even more concise. *¡­ The detailed exnations are also given in the book, on pages 38 and 76¡± The teachers present were so shocked they were speechless. They quickly flipped through the books, finding Flora¡¯s words to be exactly urate. With such an astonishing memory, scoring 293 in humanities was not at all difficult. The literature teacher had nothing to test, by now they all believed Flora¡¯s grades were genuine. Mr. Smith was more excited than anyone and volunteered enthusiastically, ¡°Hey, hey, Flora, I¡¯ve already prepared a question for you Come and give it a try.¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Flora¡¯s top rank was beyond question. Mr. Smith had her tackle problems to see if she could solve them. Carina nced at the problem. It¡¯s fromst year¡¯s mathpetition. She had attempted it as well but only managed to answer the first part. She never solved the second part of the question. Looking at the problem on the paper Flora felt a headacheing on. She truly despised math She asked eamestly, ¡°Can I skip this?¡± Mr. Smith wore a look of hurt. ¡°You¡¯ve done everyone else¡¯s Why won¡¯t you do mine? You¡¯re breaking my heart.¡± The thirty¨Csomething male teacher shamelessly acted cute, cousing Flora¡¯s lips to twitch involuntarily before she resignedly began to work on the problem. Math wasn¡¯t her strong suit, but she had a photographic memory. Any problem she had seen, she could recall and adapt solutions to simr questions on the spot Mr. Smith watched her solution, nodding in satisfaction. Flora¡¯s approach might not have been the most flexible, but it was faultless. He had given this set of problems to severalpetition hopefuls, and very few could answer all correctly. By now, the atmosphere in the office varied. Carina and Jade were in disbelief, unable toprehend how Flora, who seemed clueless just days ago, suddenly became a genius. It was utterly baffling. Keaton was equally astonished. Tumed out their ss harbored a hidden academic prodigy! ¡°Flora, your results are genuine, and I owe you an apology for doubting you,¡± Mr. Trevor, a very progressive person, admitted his mistake and promptly apologized to Flora After all, the school had discovered a genius and was eager to support her. They feared she might in a fit of pique, skip school like before. Flora nodded in acknowledgment of Mr. Trevor¡¯s apology and then turned to Jade with a mischievous smile. ¡°I remember, Ms. Jada, you once said if I passed everything, you¡¯d apologize to me in front of the whole school¡± Jade¡¯s face turned beet red. She hadn¡¯t expected Flora to actually make such a demand. She was the teacher, and Flora was a student. How could she apologize to Flora? ¡°I can¡¯t do that!¡± Jade said imitably ¡°As a teacher, you should lead by example. Ms. Jade, are you going back on your word?¡± ¨C ¡®Ms. Jade, just keep your promise. It¡¯s just an apology, no big deal.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Exactly, look at how gracious Flora is. If you ever need help with problems, feel free to ask me anytime I might not be your assigned teacher, but I¡¯m always avable!¡± The teachers in the office tantly began to court her. Who wouldn¡¯t like a student with good grades? And Flora was not just a good student. She was a genius! She might even top the city in the national exams. They all wished they could teach ss Z and to be the teacher of a top performer! Under Mr. Trevor¡¯s insistence, Jade finally agreed to apologize. Soon, the entire student body was swiftly gathered, disying the efficiency reserved for star students. The students, suddenly called together, were puzzled. What could necessitate such arge-scale assembly? This is definitely because of Flora! Didn¡¯t you hear? She audaciously stole the answers to the senior year test and even topped the grade. The school administration must be dealing with her!¡± ¡°Wow, she was top of the grade? Impressive! How did she find the answers to the senior test?¡± ¡°I want to know, too! Maybe she can get me a copy of the test so I won¡¯t get beaten when I go home ¡°That idiot Flora is finally getting expelled. ss 2 will be rid of a nuisance atst! We won¡¯t have to face ridicule anymore? The people from ss 2 said excitedly. Jennifer raised her chin, scoffing. Flora was so foolish that she was even incapable of cheating properly. Who else would actually top the grade by cheating? Flora was just asking to be expelled. Soon, Mr. Trevor and his entourage arrived. Following them was arge group of teachers and Flora. 1237 B pier ¡°It seems the issue has indeed blown up! Nearly all the teachers are involved!¡± ¡°This time, Flora won¡¯t get away with it. Do you think she¡¯ll even be able to take the final exams?¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Mr. Trevor, standing on the podium, projected his voice across the field, silencing the students. ¡°Today, we¡¯ve gathered because there¡¯s an important matter to announce. ¡°Many of you may already be aware of the suspicions surrounding Flora¡¯s alleged cheating.¡± ¡°Here ites, the moment of truth!¡± The students from ss Z craned their necks in anticipation. Flora was about to be expelled! Mr. Trevor took a deep breath and dered loudly, ¡°I am here to correctly inform everyone that Flora did not cheat! She is the rightful top scorer of her grade! She is our grade¡¯s top scorer with a total score of seven hundred and forty¨C two!¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Flora didn¡¯t cheat. She rightfully camed first ce! The assertive deration sent shockwaves through the audience! *Flora scored over 742 without cheating and got the top rank for the whole grade? How is that even possible!¡± ¡°There must be something fishy here!¡± Within the ranks of ss 2, Jennifer¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. If that loser didn¡¯t cheat, how could she possibly have topped the entire grade? ¡°I apologize for our previous misunderstanding of Ms. Flora and for any damage to her reputation,¡± Mr. Trevor said sincerely. ¡°I also hope that our students will take inspiration from Ms. Flora¡¯s experience. It¡¯s a perfect example that with hard work, sess is definitely achievable!¡± ¡°This can¡¯t be true!¡± Someone from ss A voiced their skepticism. ¡°Everyone knows Flora¡¯s usual performance. How could she suddenly be the top of the grade!¡± ss Z was the one they looked down upon the most, and Flora was considered the least capable among them. Now that she had scored the highest in the grade, it was a hit to the pride for ss A! ¡°Sic, you can¡¯t just cover this up because Flora¡¯s family is wealthy Flora is from ss Z, and all of them are underperformers. How could she possibly top the grade!¡± Flora moving from the bottom to the top of the grade was utterly absurd. They refused to believe it Seeing Raul and Henrik standing by Flora¡¯s side, many spected whether the Irving family¡¯s influence and their donations to the school were behind Mr. Trevor¡¯s alleged falsification. Before Mr. Trevor could respond, students from ss Z became indignant. Dane angrily retorted, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®ss Z are all underperformers? How are we underperformers? So, only ss A has the right to top the grade?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, even the ¡®underachievers¡® of ss Z have topped the grade, beating your ss¡® second cer, Carina, by a whopping twenty points!¡± ss Z united like never before, not necessarily to defend Flora, but because they couldn¡¯t stand the arrogance of ss A nor tolerate their nder. ¡°Stop it! Aren¡¯t you ashamed! Flom clearly cheated!¡± Jennifer blushed with anger upon hearing Dane and the others. Dane¡¯s group turned to nce at her, displeased, ¡°When people insult us, we have every night to retaliate. Is it shameful to stand up for ourselves? Jennifer, you¡¯re from ss Z, too. Instead of defending us, you¡¯re siding with others?¡± The eyes of ss Z students collectively turned towards Jennifer with disapproval. Ashamed, she fell silent ¡°Silence! This is a school, not the streets. What next, a brawl?¡± Mr. Trevor eximed, ¡°We have already verified the truth. All teachers can attest that Ms. Flora didn¡¯t cheat.¡± ¡°Unless she retakes the exam, we refuse to believe it!¡± ss A was in turmoil. They had studied tirelessly, day and night, for years to achieve their proud grades. A student who had always been at the bottom suddenly rising above them was infuriating. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Mr. Trevor found himself in a difficult position. He understood how unbelievable it was for Flora to top the grade, and if these students really started making a fuss, it could be troublesome and could even alert the authorities. ss Z¡¯s homeroom teacher, Mr. Keaton, suggested, ¡°We assert Flora¡¯s grades are genuine because we¡¯ve retested her. Since there¡¯s disbelief, why not review the surveince footage?¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 The Dean¡¯s office was under surveince. What a great idea! Mr. Trevor looked at Keaton with approval and ordered someone to retrieve the surveince footage. Carina clenched her teeth and fists, her hands tightly balled at her waist: She couldn¡¯t understand how Flora could change so drastically overnight. Once the footage was retrieved, Flora¡¯s status as top of the ss would be confirmed. She couldn¡¯t help but nce at Raul and Henrik. Their gaze stayed on Flora, filled with tender love and unwavering belief. The footage was quickly brought in, and Mr. Trevor had it disyed on arge screen. Everyone watched in silent anticipation. Even Aaron from ss six couldn¡¯t help but look up. On the screen, Flora was misunderstood by the teachers, and she calmly imed she hadn¡¯t cheated. The teachers started to challenge her with questions, beginning with Spanish. The long string of vocabry was hard enough for them to pronounce, yet Flora effortlessly wrote down their meanings. The few from ss A who spoke up first looked terribly ufortable, staring at the screen as if they¡¯d seen a ghost. They didn¡¯t even know the meanings of those words, but Flora could spell the words with confidence. ¡°Ms. Jade, you¡¯ve tested me so much, I¡¯d like to test you now. Can you tell me what this word means?¡± As Flora spoke, the entire student body couldn¡¯t help but let out excited cheers. Wow! Incredible! They watched intently as Jade was left speechless, her face flushing with embarrassment and shame, much to their delight. Jade wasn¡¯t popr at the school, and there were many who hate her. ¡°Ah! Flora is awesome! Her knowledge is impable. She even has the answer down to the exact page number. Is she some kind of a genius?¡± ¡°Absolutely brilliant! Her essay writing is top notch! Graceful and powerful, truly the work of a master. How could someone who writes like that ever be the nobody others imed? It seems we have all misunderstood her ¡°From now on, Flora is my idol! Anyone who dares to insult her is insulting me!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. No one doubted Flora¡¯s integrity after the video. It was proof enough. Once everyone had calmed down, Mr. Trevor said, ¡°The main reason I called you here today is for another matter.¡± He gave Jade a look. Jade felt utterly humiliated but she knew it would only get worse if she resisted. She took a deep breath and faced the students. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Ms. Jade. As you¡¯ve all seen, Flora has truly shown us her capabilities and, in recognizing her talent, has taught me a lesson. I apologize for any negativements I¡¯ve made about Flora in the past. But as teachers, our harsh words stem from a ce futures.¡± of deep concern and hope for your ¡°Flora, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Then, Jade bowed deeply. Her nails dug into her flesh, but she maintained her composure. The room fell silent, then erupted with exmations of astonishment. It was always the students who apologized to the teachers. This was the first time a teacher apologized to a student! Aaron watched Flora on the stage, his stomach churning, his eyes bloodshot with emotion. Flora stood there, bathed in the spotlight. She seemed to glow,manding everyone¡¯s attention. He finally admitted to himself that the girl he had always found annoying and considered a disgrace, the one he despised, seemed¡­ truly out of his league now. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Students at Westbrook High School were still buzzing with excitement on their way back to ss. Flora had be a legend at Westbrook High School almost overnight. She silenced everyone who had ever looked down on her Some students with poor grades saw Flom as a role model. They even hung her photos above their beds, hoping for a miraculous tumaround just like hers. Students from ss 2 also returned to their lessons, while the Irving family took Flora home to celebrate. Their dading girl had made them so proud with her stunning achievement. Of course, they had to celebrate There w ne were no teacher to stop het, as Flors could just skip ss with these grades. Flora had left some items in the ssroom, so she asked Raul and Henrik to walt for her at the school gates. As she approached theer of the academic building, a girl suddenly appeared in front of her. The girl stood on the steps below, her eyes red and swollen, staring intently at Flor. ¡°You¡¯re not Flora. Who are you?¡± Flora looked at Carina calmly and smiled. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not the Flora of the past. The foolish Flora is dead. I¡¯ve been rebom.¡± While speaking, Flora slowly ascended the stairs until she was standing on the step right above Carina, looking down at her slightly ¡°Carina, I should actually thank you. You gave me the chance to be rebom from the ashes.¡± Flora¡¯s cold eyes narrowed slightly. In them, Carina saw intense hatred, and even a killing intent. Panic surged in Carina¡¯s heart. ¡°Flora!¡± She yelled, trying to make herself less afraid. ¡°Carina, we have a lot of unfinished business. But I¡¯ve been too busytely to deal with you. If you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯ll stay away from me and my dad. Otherwise, you¡¯ll learn what consequences are Then, Flora turned to leave. Carina watched her retreating figure, a mixture of jealousy and madness shing in her eyes. She suddenly reached out to push Flora. She wanted Flora dead. Flora had stolen Uncle Raul¡¯s attention, and the honor that should have been hers. Carina should have been the top scorer She wanted to kill Flom! Just as she was about to touch Flora, Flora casually stepped aside. Due to inertia, Carina tumbled down the stairs. ¡°Ah! Carina let out a scream. Flora didn¡¯t even look back and coldly continued forward. ??? That evening, after dinner, Flora stayed at the Irving family¡¯s house to rest. After taking a shower, she picked up her phone to call Connor- The call connected in about three seconds. ¡°Hi Flora¡± Connor¡¯s maic voice mixed with the sound of static reached her ears. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Connor!¡± Flora called out cheerfully, her voice filled withughter, ¡°We¡¯ve finished our exams. Guess what score I got¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Seven hundred and forty¨Ctwo. Top of the ss. ¡°Hmm, impressive. Connor wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised or astonished It¡¯s like to him, Flora scoring nearly perfect marks was nothing out of the ordinary. Flora chuckled. This feeling of being trusted unconditionally was wonderful. ¡°I¡¯m free tomorrow. Can Ie see you?¡± ¡°Sure¡± His immediate response seemed almost impatient. He hadn¡¯t seen her for days. The next day. Flora got up early, got ready, and hurried over to Connor¡¯s ce. The bodyguards, who previously treated Flora as if she were a g greeted her warmly and politely. They had seen the changes in Flora too. She had be more attractive and likable. 12.38 D Even if it was likely all an act, it didn¡¯t matter. As long as she could keep Mr. Connor happy, that was enough Previously, every visit from Flora would leave Connor furious, causing them trouble too. Now it was different. Her presence seemed to bring joy to Mr. Connor warming up the cold vi. Flora quickly entered the vi and saw Connor already dressed and waiting for her at the dining table. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 She approached, ¡°Are you feeling all better now? Why not just have breakfast in your mom?¡± *Tm mostly recovered,¡± Connor replied to one question and then the other, ¡°Just waiting for you¡± He couldn¡¯t just spend every day in bed talking to her He had just fallen down the stairs, his body riddled with fractures, unable to get up, but now he was much better. ¡°Then, when the family doctor arrives, I¡¯ll have him give you a check¨Cup, Flora said, womed he was pushing himself too hard. After all, falling from the fifth floor, even with awn to cushion the fall, would be quite an ordeal for anyone. Connor responded with a nonchnt ¡°Mmm¡± ¡®Let¡¯s have breakfast first¡± Flora loved avish breakfast, eggs Benedict and such, all freshly made in the kitchen on Connor¡¯s instructions, very fresh and delicious After breakfast, the family doctor arrived, and Flora apanied Connor for his check¨Cup. Connor had injuries all over his body, necessitating the removal of his clothes, so Flora had to wait outside. She peeked through the door crack. This man would be hers to care for soon, so why should she step out now? ¡°What are you doing!¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Beck brought the medicine over and saw Flora peeking through the door crack. Beck¡¯s eyes widened, and he walked over and closed the half¨Copen door. This girl had no shame! She¡¯s peeking at Mr. Connor during his examination And Mr. Connor was down to his underwear Beck didn¡¯t rush to deliver the medicine anymore instead he stood in front of Flora like a guardian deity. He had to protect Connor¡¯s honor. Flora¡¯s lips twitched in annoyance, toozy to bother with this fool Ten minutester, the check up was done Flora and Beck went in Connor was leisurely buttoning up his shirt, a glimpse of his corbone visible, his tanned skin stretched over an eight pack and perfect Adonis belt. be like a pervert. Stop! Flora, you can¡¯t be like a pervert Connor caught her expression and chuckled ¡°Have you had your fill of staring?¡± ¡°Al?¡± Flora was stunned for a moment, then realized what Connor was refering to. He had noticed her peeking She honestly answered, ¡°No¡± She hadn¡¯t even gotten a good look before Beck had blocked her thoroughly Beck was annoyed, thinking thathis girl truly had no shame. He had to wam McConnor about her Connor, with azy demeanor, said, ¡°Well, whenever you want to have a look, fil let you see enough Flora blushed, but boldly responded. ¡°Mmm, Mr. Connor is recovering very well,¡± the doctor said after examining Connors condition. ¡°Just needs to go out more, and get some sunlight help the bones heal better¡± ¡°And you know¨Cyou are what you eat is quite true. Mr. Connor should drink more bone broth¡± Hearing bone broth Connor frowned. He hated drinking such greasy stuff. The doctor knew Connor¡¯s temperament, so he addressed Flora. She could persuade Connor. ¡°Bone broth. I¡¯ll remember that Flora nodded, ¡°Ill bring it over every day.¡± Beck genuinely considered Connor¡¯s preferences, ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything else that could be nounshing? Mr. Connor dislikes bone broth ¡°I like it very much¡± Connor said unflinchingly, cutting off Beck Flora bringing soup every day meant he could see her every day The doctor said Connor needed to get out and enjoy some sunlight, so Flora simply dragged him out shopping Connor wasn¡¯t interested in shopping, but he was interested in Flors. As long as he could be with her, he was happy. He was happy, but Moss and Beck, carrying bags upon bags, went the verge of tears. ¡°Could you perhaps buy a little less Moss and Beck¡¯s hands were nearly full. The shopping desire of women was indeed terrifying. ¡°Do I buy a lot? Flora looked back, nearly missing Moss and Beck¡¯s heads behind all the boxes. Flora raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not much, Connor said coolly as he paid. If Moss and Beck couldn¡¯t carry it, Connor could call a couple more people to carry bags for Flora. If she was happy, buying the enti street was no issue. After an afternoon of shopping, Flora was hungry, so Connor took her out for a meal. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Connor took Flora to the Grand Duke Hotel. It¡¯s the most eye¨Ccatching hotel in Cedarvale, rumored to have a powerful owner behind the scenes, whose identity remains a mystery to this day. Even the most privileged guests must make a reservation to dine here. At the moment, the manager was eagerly following beside Connor, nodding and bowing in a ttering manner. ¡°Mr. Connor, why didn¡¯t you say you wereing? I would have arranged everything in advance.¡± ¡°It was ast¨Cminute decision. No need for special arrangements, just the usual will do, Connor said nonchntly, holding Flora¡¯s wrist gently. The manager escorted Connor to his private dining room, asking respectfully ¡°Mr. Connor shall we prepare the usual dishes for you?¡± ¡°Bring some spicy dishes, and some desserts that girls generally love.¡± Flora was taken aback upon hearing this. She loved spicy food, while Connor preferred lighter vors. In her past life, she had despised Connor and even caused him to be hospitalized after making him drink a pot of extremely spicy soup. Feeling a pang of guilt, Flom quickly said to the manager, ¡°Please add some light¨Cvored dishes, with less spice and salt, and without garlic ortro.¡± Connor stared at Flora in astonishment, wondering how she knew his preferences. The manager, with a curious nce at Flora, mused to himself. There were rumors that Mr. Connor had peculiar tastes since no woman had ever been seen with him before. He could tell Connor¡¯s attitude toward this girl was extraordinary, filled with barely concealed affection. As Connor remained silent, the manager took it as his approval and went to instruct the kitchen. Soon, the dishes were served. Flora ced the spicy dishes on her side and the lighter ones near Connot even pouring him some milk with affectionate care. Moss and Beck frowned upon this scene. Although Flora had changed, the shadow of her past actions made them fear she might poison Connor. In the past, she would intentionally choose strong¨Cvored dishes, causing Connor almost to suffer from a stomach bleed. Why was she now being so considerate? Unable to help herself, Flora stole nces at Connor, who had been staring at the dishes since they were served, lost in thought. Did she remember his tastes incorrectly? Didn¡¯t he like these dishes? That didn¡¯t seem right. Connor felt his heart racing, almost leaping out of his chest. She actually remembered his preferences. This meant she truly cared about him Lost in his thoughts, he was suddenly presented with a peeled shrimp, held in Flors¡¯s expectant hands. ¡°I just tried this, and it¡¯s delicious. You should try it.¡± Connor took the shrimp and the meticulously wiped Flora¡¯s hands clean before cing the shrimp te in front of himself. ¡°You eat. I¡¯ll peel,¡± Flora couldn¡¯t help but smile, propping her head up and tilting it to watch him. He peeled, and she ate. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful. ¡°By the way, do you still have the sachet I gave you?¡± Flora asked suddenly while eating. ¡°Yes,¡± Connor nodded. ¡°How do you find it?¡± ¡°It helps me sleep.¡± Connor found it even harder to fall asleep, but that sachet somehow had a calming effect on him, allowing him to sleep much longer than before. ¡°That¡¯s good. You can throw the old one away. I¡¯ve made you a new one, which should work even better. I give it to you next time we meet¡± Connor didn¡¯t respond, just continued peeling the shrimp. He would always keep anything given by Flora. ¡°Connor, you¡¯re really not cool, man. You came here and didn¡¯t even tell me.¡± Just then, a boisterous male voice Interrupted the moment The man barged into the dining room. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Fiora instinctively looked up, raising an eyebrow slightly at the man¡¯s entrance. It¡¯s Ray, Connor¡¯s good friend, In her past life, Flora did not get along with Connor, causing Rey to dislike her as well. Could it be that the elusive owner of the Grand Duke Hotel was Ray? Ray was also sizing up Flora. He heard from the manager that Connor had brought a pretty young girl, which he found hard to believe. Connor¡¯s heart had been previously captivated by someone Ray thought unworthy. How could he have eyes for other girls? Ray was astonished to find Connor was actually attentively peeling shrimp for Flora. He walked over and sat down, his eyes filled with gossip and excitement. It seemed Connor had finally moved on from his past affliction. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 ¡°Hey, youngdy, you¡¯re looking gorgeous.¡± Ray said with a yful grin, his eyes a mischievous twinkle. ¡°Hello¡± Flora nodded. Ray frowned at her voice. Why did it sound like that beast? He quickly dismissed the thought. How could that ugly ducklingpare to the beauty before him? Her skin was glowing, her lips fresh and plump like newly blossomed roses. He teased Connor, ¡°Look at you, fancying this type, huh!¡± Ray draped an arm over Connor¡¯s shoulder winking, ¡°Did you have a change of heart? I always said that ugly girl wasn¡¯t right for you. Look how much better this is, a handsome man and a beautiful lady, quite the sight.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Connor shot him a cold nce, but he remained unfazed, leaning back in his chair with an air of ease. ¡°A ugly girl?¡± Flora¡¯s lips twitched. Well, she indeed looked hideous back then. ¡°Gorgeous, don¡¯t overthink it. That horrible creature couldn¡¯t hold a candle to you,¡± Ray said with a roguish charm. ¡°You¡¯re so cute, if Mr. Connor hadn¡¯t made his move, I might have pursued you-¡± Before Ray could finish, his mouth was stuffed. Connor fed him a peeled shrimp, his gaze holding a warning. Ray, unfazed, chewed on his shrimp, grinning at Flora, ¡°So, beauty, what¡¯s your name?¡± Flora straightened up, meeting Ray¡¯s gaze, and curved her lips into a sweet smile. ¡°I, am, Flora,¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Flora¨Cwhat?!¡± R suddenly choked on the lobster he hadn¡¯t swallowed yet. He stared at Flora, persisting. ¡°The Flora I know?¡± Her smile was radiant, ¡°That would be me.¡± Ray fell silent. After a long pause, he blurted out, ¡°You had stic surgery?!¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ve always been naturally beautiful, just underappreciated before, Flora huffed, disdainfully ncing at him.. Ray earnestly replied, ¡°With that shameless tone, I believe you¡¯re Flora.¡± Flora ignored him, and ate another shrimp Connor peeled for her. She also forked a piece of barbecue to Connor¡¯s mouth, The two of them shared their food, making Ray frown deeply. Was this woman on something today? Or was she plotting something? After dinner, Flora went to the restroom. Ray leaned back in his chair, eyeing Connor, his lips twisted in a smirk. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to keep deluding yourself?¡± Connor meticulously dried his hands, every move exuding nobility. ¡°I don¡¯t mind it he said coolly However, Ray y saw a fleeting softness in his eyes. The great Connor was wrapped around a girl¡¯s fingers. Ray¡¯s voice cared a hint of mockery, ¡°Already forgotten the pain once the wound healed?¡± Connor red at him dissatisfied. Ray shrugged, nonchntly, ¡°Sult yourself. But if what happenedst time urs again, even if you stand in the way, I won¡¯t let her off.¡± Ray was still smiling, his demeanor casual, but his eyes were serious. When Connor was pushed down the stairs, Ray was so mad that he actually wanted to finish Flora off. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her, Connor had said. Connor knew his friend meant well, but Flora was off¨Climits to everyone. Ray scoffed, saying no more. Connor asked. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been looking for Night Vell? How¡¯s that going?¡± Ray grew frustrated, ¡°Night Veil¡¯s been off the radar for over two years. Recently, I heard they are back. I¡¯ve been sending invites to Club 257, but Night Veil hasn¡¯t responded even once.¡± Club 257 was the most mysterious club in the country. It housed top figures from various fields, unparalleled geniuses. For years, forces have tried to uncover the founder of Club 257, to no avail. Night Veil was Club 257¡¯s most formidable hacker, and also, the wedd¡¯s top hacker, with numerous powers vying for her service. Hiring her would cost at least eight figures. 12:381 Ray had heard about Night Veil¡¯s reappearance and tried to make contact, but after half a month, there was no sign of her. ¡®Can you believe it? I spent three hundred million to find out what she¡¯s been up to, only to be told she¡¯s preparing for final exams. Final exams. Can you believe it?¡± Flora walked in from outside, and had just happened to hear these words. She fell sil Chapter 26 Chapter 26 ¡°Since we have finished eating, let¡¯s head back,¡± she said with a light cough. Connor nodded. On the way back, Flora could no longer resist her drowsiness and fell asleep on Connor¡¯s shoulder. Connor asked Moss to drive slower and more smoothly. He slightly tilted his head to look at the person resting on his shoulder The girl looked sweet in her sleep, asionally smacking her lips slightly parted, which was so adorable. Ray said he was deluding himself, and perhaps it was true, but he didn¡¯t mind as long as his girl could always stay by his side. Connor sat up straighter trying to make Flora feel morefortable. The girl moved her head and rubbed it against his shoulder. By the moonlight, Connor saw the glistening spot on his shoulder. His expression cracked for a moment. Despite his urge to move because of his cleanliness obsession, Connor remained still, maintaining the position all the way to the Irving family¡¯s vi. Flora hadn¡¯t woken up, and Connor didn¡¯t wake her. Twenty minutester, Flora woke up, looking dazedly out the window. Seeing her own house, she mumbled, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Connor nodded. Flora rubbed her eyes, bing a bit more awake. She then saw the wet spot on Connor¡¯s shoulder and her face tumed red instantly. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± she blurted out She had drooled on him! ¡°Connor said softly. ¡°It¡¯ste. You should head back and rest.¡± ¡°You should get some rest too, Flora said as she got out of the car. Just as she was about to close the door, she stopped, leaned back into the car, and looked into Connor¡¯s puzzled eyes. A kiss landed on his lips. it was as light as a feather, quickly making its mark and then darting away. hocke Connor¡¯s eyes tumed wide, shocked, and disbelieving. Flora just chuckled softly, ¡°Good night, Mr. Connor.¡± Then, she ran off. Connor raised his hand, touching his lips. His heart was beating wildly. That tingling sensation, as if electrified, made him break out in a sweat. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Flora had kissed him. Connor felt a bit of regret for not reacting immediately. It was the first time Flora had initiated a kiss. Flora returned to the Irving family like a cat that got the cream. Henrik happened toe out for a drink and saw her, asking, ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°On a date.¡± Henrik couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Flora took a shower and logged onto herputer. Her fingers flew over the keyboard, and the screen instantly turned ck, with only one icon shing at the top A video call request came through, and Flora epted. ¡°Baby, you¡¯re finally online. People have been looking for you like crazy. They¡¯re driving me insane.¡± The woman¡¯s voice carried a hint of resentment, and her exquisitely made¨Cup face was unforgettable at first nce. She was in a nightclub, the noise of various sounds blending together in the background. She wore a tight, red, deep V-neck dress, and her cleavage prominently disyed on the screen. Flora, drying her still¨Cdamp hair, replied nonchntly, ¡°Just finished exams. Didn¡¯t have time.¡± ¡°Ive been telling people the same, that you were busy with the exams, but they¡¯re so annoyed they¡¯re calling me a liar.¡± The woman looked at Flora¡¯s youthful face with envy. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder they¡¯re upset. Who would¡¯ve thought Night Veil is actually a high school girl?¡± Flora smiled, ¡°Miss Crimson, stop teasing me.¡± ¡°Seriously though, are you interested in taking a job? There are a few offers, all pretty good.¡± ¡°Not Interested.¡± Flora waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯m really too busy¡± Dise c dhirien continuend To be offent enar¡± ¡°imen set o herly willing ¡®¡® any he Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Flora arrived at ss 2 on time. As she entered, the previously noisy ss 2 fell silent. Everyone watched her with different feelings. It¡¯s not like the mockery before, but with something else added. The person they considered a useless fool had be the top student of the grade. They still felt it was like a dream. Jennifer¡¯s eyes were filled with jealousy as she watched Flor Flora just calmly walked to her seat and sat down. The first ss was Spanish, and Jade walked in with an expressionless face, she nced at Flora sitting at the back, and then looked away ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the exam fromst time. Everyone take out your papers.¡± ¡°The multiple choice questions are gimmes, so we¡¯ll skip this part ¡°We won¡¯t go over the reading section. If you don¡¯t understand, look up the meanings yourself.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°I won¡¯t exin the trantion quizzes as well. Find the meanings online yourself.¡± The students quickly flipped through their papers, their faces turning sour Even Jennifer couldn¡¯t help but sweat. This exam was difficult, with many grammar points they hadn¡¯t understood, and Jade was calling them basic questions, skipping all of them. ¡°Someonee up and write the Spanish to English trantion on the board¡± After saying that, Jade picked several students toe up. The few students managed to write only the basic words, forming sentences, but with chaotic grammar. Jede immediately burst out, ¡°What have you been doing! I¡¯ve taught all of these. Look at this mess you¡¯ve written. After ss, copy it a hundred times and now, get out¡± Several students were scolded to tears, shamefully standing outside with red eyes. For the rest of the ss, Jade kept belittling the people of ss Z, seizing every opportunity to chew them out. Tm teaching! What are you doing? You can¡¯t do it and you¡¯re not even paying attention.¡± A girl was eamestly taking notes, but her pen ran out of ink. As she was refilling it, Jade scolded her, ¡°You are all bottom¨Crung students. What do you think you can leap to be the top of the grade like some people? You don¡¯t have the talent, so you better listen to the lecture properly¡± Flora irritably pressed the pen cap, exuding a bit of hostility/Flora was sure, after Jade had been made a fool, she was taking it out on ss Z After sses in the aftemoon, Flora was heading back to the Irving family home but was stopped by a group at the alley entrance. They werd a bunch of thugs, and she recognized the person at the edge. It¡¯s Brian, the guy she had beaten up in the cafeteria. ¡°Hans, that¡¯s her!¡± Brian red at Flora, teeth clenched. He had been mortified in front of so many people because of herst time. This time, he wanted her to pay. Flora realized what was happening. They were here for revenge. The man named Hans had bleached blond hair, bulky, with his bare arms tattooed with garish, unsettling tattoos. His gloomy gazended on Flora¡¯s face and then on her body, his openly lecherous look nauseating. ¡°Sweetle, you the one who beat up my buddy?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Flors cocked an eyebrow, ¡°That was me.¡± Her tone was defiant ¡°Looks like a good girl, but turns out to be a wild one,¡± Hans leered at Flora, ¡°I won¡¯t be hard on cute girls. Considering you¡¯re a pretty one, rll give you a chance. Apologize to my buddy, thene hang out with me for a bit, and we¡¯ll let this slide.¡± ¡°And if I don¡¯t? Flora leaned against the wall, hef eyes slightly narrowed. 12.23 M ¡°Dene, isn¡¯t that Flora being surrounded over there?! Dane and his friends were walking along,ughing and joking, their school jockets slung over their shoulders, locking carefree. Someone with sharp eyes spotted Flora surrounded by a group at the alley entrance. Hearing this, Dane stepped back, leaned back slightly, and looked towards the alley entrance. It was indeed Flora, She leaned against the wall, one leg slightly bent resting against it. Her expression was indifferent and defiant Surrounded by a group of menacing¨Clooking youths, any other girl would have been crying by now ¡°Should we get involved with Hans? Flora is from our ss. We can¡¯t just ignore it, right?¡± Alex hesitated. Hans was well¨Cknown as a troublemaker in the area, someone no one dared to provoke. But Flora was a ssmate, after all. They couldn¡¯t just stand by.. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 ¡°Look, I¡¯m giving you a chance here. Don¡¯t make me regret it.¡± Hans gaze was icy as he slightly narrowed his a The girl in front of him had such pleasing features that he found himself a bit more patient than usual. Flora was annoyed. She shifted her neck slightly. Just then, a group suddenly rushed over eyes. ¡°Hans, what brings you here! Long time no see, let me buy you a drink.¡± Leading the group, Dane walked up to Hans and stopped in front of him, smiling. Hans was a regr at Dane¡¯s family¡¯s diner, so they had a somewhat closer rtionship. The others positioned themselves in front of Flora, all wearing apologetic smiles. Hans nced at him, ¡°This has nothing to do with you Move aside¡± ¡°Hans, she¡¯s a friend of ours. If she¡¯s caused any trouble, we¡¯ll apologize on her behalf. Please, let¡¯s not make this difficult for her¡± Dane spoke with a hopeful grin. Hans¡® face turned colder, his patience wearing thin. ¡°Did I not make myself clear? 7 Move¡± ¡°Hans,e on, do me a solid.¡± His attempt at friendliness was met with disdain from Hans, ¡°Where do you get the nerve, thinking you have any say here? Beat it if you don¡¯t want trouble.¡± Dane¡¯s expression darkened. The situation grew serious. They were just students, far from being able to handle real troublemakers. Their words fell on deaf ears around Hans. ¡°The mood among Dane¡¯s group turned sour. They knew leaving Flora behind was not an option. Her fate would be sealed without their intervention. Dane signaled Alex with a nce. Positioned in front of Flora, Alex whispered, ¡°We¡¯ll hold them off. You take the chance to run and call the police, got it?¡± Flora raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by their solidarity. They knew they were in for a beating, yet they stepped in to save her. Hans watched them as if they were a joke, ¡°Ha! Look at these kids, thinking they can y the hero.¡± Theirughter filled the air, ¡°Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ll move or we¡¯ll have to make you¡± Hans¡® punchnded on Dane¡¯s stomach, the ring with its sharp edges forcing a pained grunt from him. Alex and the others cursed under their breath and rushed to help. This left Flora momentarily overlooked. She subtly moved her hand in her pocket. Seeing Dane and the others getting hit, she sighed. So much for trying to help Dane didn¡¯t dare provoke Hans further. They were just students, and Hans and his gang were the real deal. They were outmatched. They didn¡¯t fight back much, instead focusing on protecting themselves. When they noticed Florawas still standing there, they got anxious. Why wasn¡¯t she running? Hans leaped, aiming a kick at Dane¡¯s face. Dane¡¯s expression changed as he stumbled back, bracing for impact and closing his eyes in resignation. However, the expected pain never came, reced instead by a scream that seemed to belong to Hans. Opening his eyes, Dane saw Hans on the ground, clutching his side in agony He stared incredulously at Flora, who had just withdrawn her leg. Just as a thug was about tond a punch on Alex, Flora leaped forward, kicking the thug in the back. The thug screamed, falling face¨Cfirst to the ground. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. In less than a minute, the thugs were all on the ground. Flores strength was ternfying. The air seemed to tear with her kicks. Those hit by hery on the ground in pain, unable to stand The sound of bones breaking could be heard ¡°Who are are you calling little girl? Still want mypany?¡± Flora, standing over Hans with a sneec seemed nonchnt Hans was on the verge of spitting blood. His shoulder felt like it was shattered. This woman was as strong as an ox! 12-23 Flora¡¯s martial arts skills were taught by Connor and refined by a man Raul had found. In her past life, she had been very skilled, and handling a few thugs was easy. And somehow, after her rebirth, her strength seemed even greater Witnessing Flora taking down everyone, Brian was terrified. He cautiously tried to slip away, but Flora¡¯s icy gaze caught him, ¡°And where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Miss, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Brian cried, not expecting Flora to be this formidable, *Just a simple apology, and you think it¡¯s over? Flora¡¯s smile was teasing yet chilling. Brian was petrified, fearing he¡¯d end up like Hans and the others. ¡°Come here.¡± Brian hesitated, but fear drove him towards Flora. When he got within a meter of her, Flora kicked him right in the mouth. This kick was far stronger than any before. Brian couldn¡¯t even cry out in pain. He copsed to the ground, clutching his mouth in agony. Flora coolly withdrew her foot, the kick a message for today¡¯s events and for the humiliations Brian had caused her in a past life. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 The silence at the scene was as deathly as a grave. Dane and the others stared at the effortlessly calm Flora, shocked and unable to recover for a long time. Just then, the sound of sirens approached from afar Dane¡¯s face changed drastically. ¡°Who the hell called the cops?¡± ¡°It was me.¡± A teenager raised his hand. He had called the police thinking they were definitely going to get beaten by Hans to the point of being unrecognizable, never expecting things to turn out this way. When the police arrived and saw the people sprawled all over the ground, they made their assessment. It¡¯s a brawl. Everyone was taken away. ¡°Officer, believe me, it was really her! She beat us up!¡± ¡°Yes. Officer, it was her who beat us up like this. In the police station, Hans and the others pointed at Flora, making their painful statements. Flora, being pointed at, suddenly smiled. Immediately, a shiver man down their spines. The police officer kept frowning, and finally impatiently mmed the table. ¡°Hans! Do I not know you guys? How many times have your been brought in this month for fighting? And now you say some girl beat you up. Do you think that¡¯s believable?¡± ¡°Just ask anyone if they believe it.¡± The officer said, ncing at Flora, who stood against the wall. At first nce, it was clear she was different from these thugs and the bad students hanging around Wearing a neat uniform, her hair tied in a high ponytail, she looked like the most ordinary, well¨C behaved high school girl. Hans was frustrated, experiencing for the first time the feeling of being unable to argue his case. If only he knew, he wouldn¡¯t have tampered with the surveince. ¡°Officer, were really not lying. We were really beaten up by her Hans argued weakly. Tired of hearing it, the officer looked towards Flora, his tone unconsciously softening. ¡°Youngdy, what do you have to say?¡± ¡°Officer, look at me, do I look like someone who could beat them up like that?¡± Flora countered. In their hearts, Dane and his group nodded fervently. Based on the countless instances of Hans and his group being brought in for causing trouble, the officer concluded that it was Hans and his group who first bullied a student from Westbrook High School and ended up being beaten up like this by the students. ¡°You¡¯re all seniors, and this year is crucial for you. You guys should focus on your studies.¡± The officer earnestly advised, ¡°Although everything¡¯s clear and there¡¯s no issue, you still need someone toe and sign for your release before you can leave¡± Dane and the others grimaced. They knew that calling their parents would inevitably lead to getting a beating when they got home. The first person Flora thought of was Henrik. She called him. ¡°Flora?¡± The call connected quickly, and Henrik¡¯s gentle voice reached her ear. Flora got embarrassed and said. ¡°Henrik¡­¡± ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Henrik paused from flipping through his files, sensing something amiss in her tone. ¡°I got into a fight¡­ I am now at the police station¡­ Flora reluctantly ryed the situation, and by the time she finished, Henrik had already left his office for the police station. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m on my way¡± ¡°Okay¡± After hanging up, Flora was about to put away her phone when it rang again, It was Connor. Flora was scared out of her wits. Why was Connor calling now? She felt like she was facing death, and with resignation, she answered the call. The moment the call connected, Connor¡¯s somewhat anxious and deep voice came through the phone. ¡°Where are you?¡± 12.23 Tm not anywhere¡­ Flora felt guilty. She didn¡¯t want Connor to know she was at the police station. After all, it wasn¡¯t a big deal, and the didn¡¯t want him to worry ¡°How are you at the police station?¡± On the other end, Connor became even more anxious. Flora fell silent. How did Connor find out? ¡°Flora, speak!¡± Connor¡¯s voice trembled slightly. Flora sighed, knowing she had to tell the truth or Connor would worry himself sick. She resignedly confessed, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, it¡¯s just got into a fight, but I¡¯m not hurt. I¡¯m at the police station near my school¡± ¡°Wait for me. Ill be right there. After saying that, Connor hung up before Flora could respond. Flora looked at the dark screen of her phone, feeling a bit helpless The young officerforted her. He thought she would be traumatized by the incident, ¡°I can tell you¡¯re a good student, probably with good grades too, right? It¡¯s yourst year, so focus on your studies.¡± Before he could finish, a call came through. He nced at the caller ID and quickly answered. ¡°Hello? Chief? What¡¯s the matter?¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Officer Johnson, did you arrest someone named Flora?¡± Chapter 30 Chapter 30 The young officer found it odd that the Chief was getting involved in such trivial matters, ¡°Yes, how come Is she alright? Nothing happened to her right? The Chief¡¯s heart was in his throat. That guy was famously known for doting on his sister to an extreme. If anything happened to Flora under the chief¡¯s watch, that guy. might just tear the police station down. Even the usually slow¨Cto¨Ccatch¨Con officer could tell there was something special about Flora now. He couldn¡¯t help but steal a nce at her, realizing thisdy must have quite the background. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chief, she¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± The Chief finally rxed. ¡°Let them go, and make sure nothing happens to Flora.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± No sooner had the young officer hung up than another call came through. He frowned upon seeing the caller ID. The Director¨CGeneral was calling too? What was going on today? He hesitantly answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Officer Johnson, did you happen to arrest someone named ¡°Flora?¡± The young officer¡¯s heart skipped a beat ¡°Yes, yes, release that youngdy immediately.¡± Flora was treasured by someone very important. The voice from the Director¨CGeneral sounded tight and panicked, ¡°Remember, handle her with care. Don¡¯t let her make a fuss.¡± After ending the call, the young officer stared at Flora with shock in his eyes. Who exactly was she, to make two high-ranking officials take action? At that moment, Hennk arrived, looking like he had rushed over. He was relieved to find Flora safe and sound He was drenched in sweat, his usually neat attire now disheveled from running, all because he feared something might have happened to Flora. After Henrik signed the necessary documents, the young officer let Flora and the others leave. ¡°Flora, well be off then.¡± Dane said dryly. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± Flora nodded slightly, her delicate face breaking into a smile. A group of young men blushed and hurriedly left. Just as Flora st stepped out of the police station, she saw Moss. Ms. Flora, Mr. Connor is waiting for you in the cart Flora peeked at the car parked across the street, feeling a bit quilty. Connor hade too. Henrik said softly, ¡°Go ahead, have a good talk. I need to stop by the traffic department.¡± Flora was puzzled. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°Paying a fine.¡± A rare hint of embarrassment crossed Henrik¡¯s usually gentle face N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Flora instantly got it, both touched and amused, After Henrik left, she walked over to the car door and opened it. First, she saw a pair of charming eyes. Flora was taken aback. Ray was sitting next to Connor, disappointed at seeing her unharmed. He had been right beside Connor when the call was made, hoping she would be badly hurt so he could enjoy the drama Connor pushed him slightly, ¡°Get out.¡± Ray sluggishly moved to the passenger seat. upset, she Flora carefully climbed into the back seat. She cautiously nced at Connor¡¯s somewhat darkened face. Knowing he was ups decided to y the sympathy card. She poked his arm, her voice choked with feigned distress, ¡°Connor, my hand hurts.¡± Connor looked at her, his heart softening, and took her hand. Her delicate fingers were slightly reddened, though it couldn¡¯t have been very painful. 12:23 ¡°Next time something like this happens, you must protect yourself. If you¡¯re not sure you can handle it, stall them and call me Immediately.¡± ¨C ¡°Don¡¯t worry, those thugs couldn¡¯t hurt me,¡± Floraughed, wrapping his hand with hers, and quickly fished out a brand¨Cnew sachet from her pocket, handing it to Connor ¡°Here¡¯s a new sachet I made for you. Keep it safe. You can throw the old one away¡± A faint scent of medicinal herbs mixed with gardenia filled the car, instantly refreshing everyone inside. The uneasy heart seemed to calm down at that moment. Moss and Ray couldn¡¯t help but look over. ¡°Connor, why would a grown man carry a sachet around?¡± Raymented. ¡°Mr. Ray, Ms. Flora¡¯s sachets are magical, Moss said, ¡°Wearing it over time helps with sleep and overall well¨Cbeing¡± They had been with Connor and witnessed how the sachet improved his sleep quality significantly, even affecting their own energy and spirits for the better. Ray was skeptical. Seriously? At best, it might contain some sleep-inducing herbs. When Flora noticed Moss seemed interested, she said, ¡°If you want, I can make one for you when I have time.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Flora.¡± ¡°I want one too,¡± Ray quickly added. Though he wasn¡¯t keen, he wanted one if others had it. Flora nced at him, ¡°Pay up.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Rayughed. ¡°Two million,¡± Flora said with a straight face. ¡°You must be out of your mind.¡± A mere sachet for two million? That was almost as much as what fragrance S¨¦raphine charged for a custom scent. How was this scamming attitude any different from that person at Club 257? The thought of those ten million made Ray¡¯s head ache. Tuesday Flora still made it to ss Z Z right on Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Dane and his friends couldn¡¯t help but nce over at Flom. She was neatly dressed in her uniform, her hair tied in a high ponytail, and I was hard to believe she was the same person who had fiercely fought in the alley just the day before. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. As soon as Flora sat down, Jade walked in. She instinctively looked over at Flora in the corner, a Bash of disgust crossing her eyes. ¡°Today, we¡¯re going to review the grammar from hit Three Jade would only go over the material once before moving on to exercises. A few minutester, she would have students stand up and share their answers. If a student chose the wrong answer she took the opportunity tounch into a tirode. ¡°How many times have I gone over this type of question, and you still don¡¯t get it. Are you not listening at all, or are you just as dumb as a post. Not just dumb, but ugly and overweight too. If I were you, I¡¯d be too ashamed to evene to school.¡± The girl was so humiliated she couldn¡¯t lift her head ¡°Dane, Alex, both of you, how could you get such a simple question wrong? What are you going to do in the final exams, count how many meals you¡¯ve eaten? Youre hopeless, all of you You¡¯re a disgrace to Westbrook High School: Dane¡¯s friends were also caught in the barrage. Jade spared no one, leaving them metaphorically bloodied and bruised. Flora leaned back in her chait her expression growing colder, her pen tapping sporadically on the desk. She was getting increasingly Imitated Jade was still ranting when a grating sound interrupted her. ¡°Ms Jade, if one person doesn¡¯t understand, maybe it¡¯s their issue, but when a group doesn¡¯t understand, maybe you should check yourself. Isn¡¯t it because of your teaching methods that they failed to understand?¡± The screeching of chair legs against the floor followed as Flora stood up, her clear, untroubled eyes fixed forward. Jade had been holding back her anger all along, and Flora spoke, she exploded instantly, ¡°My teaching methods?¡± She repeated the words before suddenlyughing. ¡°Alright then, since you think my teaching is so poor, why don¡¯t you try? I¡¯d love to see what the top student of our grade can do. Flora actually stepped up to the podium Grabbing a piece of chalk, Flors began to write and illustrate on the ckboard. When Flora was younger, Raul had hired many top tutors for her. Jade was nothingprared to them. Having absorbed some teaching methods over the years, Flora unexpectedly drew everyone in. Even those who were initially disinterested found themselves engrossed.. She exined everything so vividly and clearly, making the previously obscure concepts seem simple. And once understood, they couldn¡¯t forget it. Even Dane and his friends listened with great interest Jade¡¯s initial amusement turned to an ugly grimace. Does everyone understand?¡± After Flora finished, she would patiently exin again to anyone who didn¡¯t get it. There was no arogance or disdain. The people of ss Z were gradually touched. Perhaps they had indeed been too harsh on Flora before. The old Flora, despite being a bit ugly and having a bad temperament, hadn¡¯t really done anything bad to them. It was they who had often mocked her. After covering the key points, Flora tossed the chalk into the tray a and dusted off her hands, tuming to look at Jade. Jade felt mortified, but luckily, the bell rang for the end of the ss, and she left ss Z clutching her books. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ¡°Flora, I¡¯m a bit confused about this problem. Could you exin it to me a bit?¡± A girl approached Flora timidly, cing her notebook on hot desk Flora nced at it, recognizing a geography analysis question. ¡°When you encounter a question like this, you should think about it from this angle..¡± Flora exined patiently, much more concisely than the teacher, getting straight to the point. Kaylee¡¯s thoughts, initially muddled, gradually became clear ¡°Do you get it?¡± It was only after finishing that Flora realized a crowd had gathered around them at some point Kaylee nodded shyly, I understand, thank you. You exin so well, and you draw nice too.¡± ¡°it¡¯s nothing.¡± Flora gave a genuine smile. People realize Flora was actually kind, and some who had been eager to ask questions approached her ss Z might be underperforming, but it was full of students nning to get into a good college. Having the top student of the grade willing to help them was rare. Jennifer was also a top student but disliked exining things to others, often getting annoyed if asked too much, Flora was different. She was patient and her problem¨Csolving methods were simple and efficient, enlightening many who had been confused before. Jennifer couldn¡¯t help but tum her head to see everyone surrounding Flora. Her face turned sour. When the teacher arrived, the students returned to their seats one by one. It was English ss, and the teacher allowed them to study independently. Dane was dozing off at his desk when suddenly someone poked his back. He turned around to see Flora slipping a package to him from beneath the table. He was surprised at first but then opened it, finding various ointments inside. Thanks for yesterday¡± He heard Flora¡¯s voice, deliberately lowered A warmth surged in his heart, and his ear tips blushed. That evening, after taking a shower, Flora opened herptop. Chnson sent a video call invitation. ¡°Ray has offered ten million.¡± Flora was surprised by the high price he was willing to pay. ¡°What¡¯s his request?¡± ¡°His request is Crimson paused deliberately, her smile somewhat mischievous. To find the perfumer Seraphine¡± Flora, ¡°What does he want with S¨¦raphine?¡± 1 checked. His sister has asthma, so he wants to find perfumer S¨¦raphine for a treatment.¡± The creations of Perfumer S¨¦raphine were worth their weight in gold. Her perfumes could enlighten the mind, treat illnesses, dispel negativity, and rejuvenate the spirit. S¨¦raphine¡¯s creations were usually auctioned, but she had not made a public appearance in the last two years. Ray was desperate, seeking Night Veil to locate S¨¦raphine. Even if it meant kidnapping, he was determined to have her create her perfumes. Crimson took in Flora¡¯s exasperated expression, teasing, ¡°So, are you taking the job?¡± Flora fell silent. The moming All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. sses in ss 2 were so stuffy that everyone felt sleepy Barely making it to the break, they dashed for the door, only to be cked by Keaton ¡°What¡¯s the rush! Get back, I¡¯ve got something to say Everyone groaned, reluctantly sitting back down. ¡°The New Year¡¯s party ising up, and each ss needs to prepare a performance. Let¡¯s discuss what our ss should do, and I will 1224 report to the organizingmittee by the end of the school day¡± But the boys showed little interest, while the girls were quite enthusiastic With only fifteen girls in ss Z, Jennifer decided that all the girls would perform a dance together, but she deliberately excluded Flora. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Dane was not convinced, ¡°If all the girls are going, what about Flor?¡± Jennifer didn¡¯t even want to ask Flore, but Dane and his friends had quite an influence in the ss, and she felt obligated to ask, to clear it with the teacherter. With a sigh, she asked in a perfunctory manner, ¡°Flora, are you joining?¡± Leaning back in her chair and twirling her pen, Flora seemed indifferent, ¡°Not Interested¡± ¡°Alright, got IL¡± It was a clear case of exclusion. Dane¡¯s face darkened immediately. ¡°Who cares.¡± Dane snorted coldly, ¡°Flora, dont be sad, if she doesn¡¯t want to y with you, we will.¡± Flora said dryly. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Im not going either I can¡¯t dance. I want to save e some time to focus on my study¡± Kaylee¡¯s voice was very s soft N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She was always invisible in ss. Jennifer unemotionally acknowledged her with a ¡°Hmm¡± and crossed her name off the list. Flora didn¡¯t take the matter to heart. After school in the afternoon, she went to see Connor She had to spend more time with him. He was quite the jealous type, very insecure. If she didn¡¯t spend enough time with him, he would start overthinking again. She had told Connor about her visit, so as si she got out of the car, she saw him waiting at the doorstep of his house. She smiled gently and quickened her steps, ¡°Connor¡± She ran straight into his arms. Connor, his heart melting, took her backpack and slung it over his shoulder, ¡°What do you feel like eating tonight?¡± ¡°Hmm, there are quite a few options.¡± Flora, hooking her arm in his, listed, ¡°Grilled shrimp, grilled pork ribs, duck a l¡¯orange¡­¡± She had a feast in mind. The next day, when Flora arrived in the ssroom, she saw the girls huddled together, passionately discussing on their phones about which dance to perform. ¡°The hottest thing right now is Rafael. Every dance he performs sets off a craze. Why don¡¯t we do histest, Dance of Love?¡± ¡°Ah! That would be amazing! Having the chance to perform my idol¡¯s dance on stage, I could die happy.¡± Flora initially had no interest, but the mention of Rafael made her stop in her tracks. ng his ear. Eluminated by the lights, he seemed to glow entirely. His eyes closed, he lost himself in the world of dance, moving with the melody. After watching, Floramented lightly. ¡°This dance isn¡¯t suitable for you.¡± Her tone was mild, merely stating a fact. The girls were unhappy. ¡°Why do you say this dance isn¡¯t suitable for us?¡± One mocked, ¡°Yeah, do you know anything about dance? You¡¯re top of the grade, but it doesn¡¯t mean you know everything.¡± ¡°Jennifer has been dancing for over five years. She nearly made it into the specialized ss. She didn¡¯t say this dance is not good, so why do you?¡± ¡°His dance style is mncholic and slightly sinister, filled with a sharpness born of despair, something you can¡¯t possibly convey.¡± The girls grew impatient, Tve been a fan of Rafael for four years. How would I not know his style? If you¡¯re not performing, don¡¯t mess with us.¡± Flora stopped talking and returned to her seat. ¡°Flora¡­¡± Kaylee, with a soft voice, wad holding her books. She came to consult again. Kaylee was very diligent, something Flora admired, but her grades never seemed to improve Kaylee couldn¡¯t find the right method, only knew to memorize blindly With Flora¡¯s patient guidance, Kaylee¡¯s grades had already improved significantly. Flora checked the problems Kaylee got wrong and exined patiently. After the exnation, Kaylee had an epiphany and quickly thanked her. Just as Kaylee was about to return to her sent, Flora spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. If you want to join the performance, go ahead. I don¡¯t mind.¡± Kaylee had always been focused, but just now, she had nced over at Jennifer¡¯s group several times. She seemed really interested in participating. Flora continued, ¡°If you¡¯re embarrassed, I go talk to them for you.¡± Kaylee¡¯s eyes widened, and she shook her head vehemently, ¡°No, don¡¯t get me wrong. I don¡¯t want to join¡­ it¡¯s just, I really like Rafael.¡± At the mention of Rafael, her eyes lit up. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 ¡°Ive been trying to buy Rafael¡¯s album for ages, but despite camping out for it for weeks, I haven¡¯t been able to snag one¡± Whenever Kaylee talked about Rafael, she, who was usually so reserved, became much more talkative. It was as if that shining. passionate young man was a beacon of light in her otherwise dull youth. Kaylee¡¯s disappointment was palpable whenever she mentioned the album. Whenever Rafael released an album or held a concert, tickets and copies would sell out in minutes. Ordinary people stood no chance of getting them. Flora listened without much expression, leaning boredly on the table. Noticing that Flora wasn¡¯t interested, Kaylee fell silent and returned to her seat Floray on the table and texted Connor [Sleepy] The weather was muggy and hot, making her feel more and mom drowsy I¡¯m craving some rose sorbet. Would youe with me to get some?) [Lunchtime? Connor replied Yeah are you busy? [I¡¯ve got time. I¡¯ll pick you up at noon.] [Great] Around noon, Ray came by at the Stonnell residence and didn¡¯t see Connor, He asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Connor?¡± A servant replied respectfully, ¡°He and Ms. Flora went out for lunch.¡± Ray was taken aback. Didn¡¯t we agree to have lunch together? Chapter 33 Dane was not convinced, ¡°If all the girls are going, what about Flor?¡± Jennifer didn¡¯t even want to ask Flore, but Dane and his friends had quite an influence in the ss, and she felt obligated to ask, to clear it with the teacherter. With a sigh, she asked in a perfunctory manner, ¡°Flora, are you joining?¡± Leaning back in her chair and twirling her pen, Flora seemed indifferent, ¡°Not Interested¡± ¡°Alright, got IL¡± It was a clear case of exclusion. Dane¡¯s face darkened immediately. ¡°Who cares.¡± Dane snorted coldly, ¡°Flora, dont be sad, if she doesn¡¯t want to y with you, we will.¡± Flora said dryly. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Im not going either I can¡¯t dance. I want to save e some time to focus on my study¡± Kaylee¡¯s voice was very s soft She was always invisible in ss. Jennifer unemotionally acknowledged her with a ¡°Hmm¡± and crossed her name off the list. Flora didn¡¯t take the matter to heart. After school in the afternoon, she went to see Connor She had to spend more time with him. He was quite the jealous type, very insecure. If she didn¡¯t spend enough time with him, he would start overthinking again. She had told Connor about her visit, so as si she got out of the car, she saw him waiting at the doorstep of his house. She smiled gently and quickened her steps, ¡°Connor¡± She ran straight into his arms. Connor, his heart melting, took her backpack and slung it over his shoulder, ¡°What do you feel like eating tonight?¡± ¡°Hmm, there are quite a few options.¡± Flora, hooking her arm in his, listed, ¡°Grilled shrimp, grilled pork ribs, duck a l¡¯orange¡­¡± She had a feast in mind. The next day, when Flora arrived in the ssroom, she saw the girls huddled together, passionately discussing on their phones about which dance to perform. ¡°The hottest thing right now is Rafael. Every dance he performs sets off a craze. Why don¡¯t we do histest, Dance of Love?¡± ¡°Ah! That would be amazing! Having the chance to perform my idol¡¯s dance on stage, I could die happy.¡± Flora initially had no interest, but the mention of Rafael made her stop in her tracks. ng his ear. Eluminated by the lights, he seemed to glow entirely. His eyes closed, he lost himself in the world of dance, moving with the melody. After watching, Floramented lightly. ¡°This dance isn¡¯t suitable for you.¡± Her tone was mild, merely stating a fact. The girls were unhappy. ¡°Why do you say this dance isn¡¯t suitable for us?¡± One mocked, ¡°Yeah, do you know anything about dance? You¡¯re top of the grade, but it doesn¡¯t mean you know everything.¡± ¡°Jennifer has been dancing for over five years. She nearly made it into the specialized ss. She didn¡¯t say this dance is not good, so why do you?¡± ¡°His dance style is mncholic and slightly sinister, filled with a sharpness born of despair, something you can¡¯t possibly convey.¡± The girls grew impatient, Tve been a fan of Rafael for four years. How would I not know his style? If you¡¯re not performing, don¡¯t mess with us.¡± Flora stopped talking and returned to her seat. ¡°Flora¡­¡± Kaylee, with a soft voice, wad holding her books. She came to consult again. Kaylee was very diligent, something Flora admired, but her grades never seemed to improve Kaylee couldn¡¯t find the right method, only knew to memorize blindly With Flora¡¯s patient guidance, Kaylee¡¯s grades had already improved significantly. Flora checked the problems Kaylee got wrong and exined patiently. After the exnation, Kaylee had an epiphany and quickly thanked her. Just as Kaylee was about to return to her sent, Flora spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. If you want to join the performance, go ahead. I don¡¯t mind.¡± Kaylee had always been focused, but just now, she had nced over at Jennifer¡¯s group several times. She seemed really interested in participating. Flora continued, ¡°If you¡¯re embarrassed, I go talk to them for you.¡± Kaylee¡¯s eyes widened, and she shook her head vehemently, ¡°No, don¡¯t get me wrong. I don¡¯t want to join¡­ it¡¯s just, I really like Rafael.¡± At the mention of Rafael, her eyes lit up. He stomped up to Connor¡¯s room on the second floor without anyone stopping him. Connor had ordered that Ray could freely enter any Including his C Ray didn¡¯t even bother to take off his shoes before copsing onto the bed and rolling around a bit. His somewhat greasy face rubbed against the pillow As the previously tidy bed became now a mess, he grinned, satisfied. This would definitely annoy Connor, who was a neat freak. ncing around, he noticed a sachet on the bedside table. He remembered the fragrance from the car ride the other day. He picked up the sachet between two fingers and examined it. The fabric was a bit w wom, with Flora embroidered in the bottom righter. The scent wasn¡¯t as strong as it had been in the car, but it till pleasant and refreshing. ised an eyebrow, tucked the sachet into his pocket, and left as if nothing had happened. In the cafe Flors was eagerly devouring her bowl of sorbet, the subtle rose fragrance bringing a cool relief that spread throughout her body. She squinted her eyes infort. Connor, watching her content expression, couldn¡¯t help but smile Suddenly, she stretched her hand toward him ¡°Try some.¡± Holding a spoonful of sorbet toward him, she was beaming with excitement. Connor stared at the bowl, filled with various toppings that made it somewhat unappealing to him, and then back at Flora. He hesitated for a moment before slowly taking a bite He wasn¡¯t fond of desserts loaded with too many extras, and found the mix of vors odd. Flora seemed to love it. ¡°How is it?¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡± After swallowing, hemented. Flora, thrilled, pushed the half¨Cfinished bowl of sorbet toward him, ¡°Then you can have it.¡± After saying that, she went to order an ice cream. Connor stared at the sorbet she pushed toward him and the milkshake she hadn¡¯t finished. Flora wanted to try everything but would only have a little of each. He felt a headacheing on. After the meal, Connor drove Flom back to school. tting out of hand As the car stopped by the curb, Flora noticed a flyer stuck in the door. ¡°Ugh, these ads are getting The flyer was for some loan service, Flora remembered, in her previous life, how rampant loan scams and predatory lending had been, causing many to suffer She crumpled the flyer and tossed it into a trash can. After Flora entered the school, Connor headed home. Upon his return, he noticed the sachet was missing. The servants wouldn¡¯t touch his things, so there was only one suspect. He took out his phone and made a call. ¡°Yo, had a nice meal with your Flora?¡± The call connected, and a cheeky voice answered. Connor replied coldly. ¡°Give it back to me.¡± Ray admitted outright, ¡°You ditched me, so I took one of your things. What about it?¡± ¡°There are things you can¡¯t take. I¡¯ll send you something else.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Flora give you a new one? What¡¯s it to you if I take the old one?¡± Connor, looking at the messy bed, was exasperated, ¡°I¡¯ll give you the SUV you wanted, just return the sachet.¡± Rayughed triumphantly, ¡°Talk is cheap. Let¡¯s see if you actually buy it. As for the rest, fill think about it.¡± Connor knew Ray was a lost cause and didn¡¯t bother continuing the topic, ¡°Hows Aisha?¡± At the mention of Aisha, Ray¡¯s tone darkened, ¡°Same as always. I¡¯ve asked Night Veil to look for S¨¦raphine, but no word yet.¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 After her embarrassing moment in ss Z. Jade toned down a lot. She still gave the cold shoulder to ss 2 but stopped nitpicking like before Jennifer and the other girls Is were busy with dance rehearsals, leaving no time to bother Flora Flora noticed that Dane had been absent from ss for the past few days, and Alex and a few others often skipped school, sometimes showing up with bruises and swollen faces. After thest ss, Flora caught Alex trying to sneak away and asked, ¡°Where has Dane been thesest few days?¡± ¡°He¡± Alex hesitated, as if weighing his words carefully ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Flora frowned ¡°Flora, you¡¯re better off not asking. If we tell you, Dane will have our heads¡± Alex chuckled nervously Flora stared at him, her hand resting on his shoulder. ¡°Are you sure you wont say?¡± Her tone was light, yet it camed an implicit threat that Wex and the others couldn¡¯t ignore. ¡°Flora, please just let it be, he pleaded bitterly Flora knew something was definitely wrong from his reaction. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°If you consider me as a friend, then speak up What happened? Alex didn¡¯t want to say, but Flora insisted. After struggling Flora¡¯s hand paused on Alex¡¯s shoulder What sighed and said, ¡°Dane got into trouble. Remember | ¡°After Hans got out, he kept showing up at Dane¡¯s liner trashing: into Hans¡® trap and lost tens of thousands Danes family can¡¯t cough their diner can¡¯t even do business anymore¡± Alex exined, distressed Dane tried to get H. to back off, but he fell night of money and with Hans constantly causing trouble, Flora¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Why didnt you tell me sooner?¡± ¡°Dane didn¡¯t want us to tell you Flora grabbed her school jacket and strode out, pulling out her phone to call Crimson ¡°Miss Crimson, Ineed a favor It was a mess in the Thompson Diner A group of young g men in ck, sporting tat os stood gu ce with metal rodil. Passersby quickly steered clear upon seeing them Dane¡¯s parents stood trembling in aer supported by each other Dane, head lowered, clenched his fists so tight his body shock volently with rage and helplessness, his face tuming a shade of purple The fearful nces from his parents felt like daggers in his back, making him feel utterly worthless. He had never been their pride and jou and now he had brought them such trouble od with one foot on a chair, tably tapping Danes shoulder with a metal rod, the gesture brimming with insult ¡°Got the money yet? Dane, I did reminded you. With the rest piling up, how long do you think you can drag this out?¡± ¡°Hans, I find a way to pay back what I owe. Please just stop harassing my family¡¯s diner¡± i ¡°Danny, thats not right its only fair to pay back what you owe. How can you call it harassment?¡± ¡°Hans, please, I¡¯m begging you, let me go The words came out choked with anger and despair Dane closed his eyes in pain, his back involuntarily bending, curling up Hans, quite satisfied with Danes reaction, continued, ¡°Danny, we had some rapport. We could¡¯ve lived in peace, but you had to sever ties over a girl?¡± He tapped Danes shoulder with the rod, took a big loss because of you. If I don¡¯t get it back, how am I supposed to keep my reputation? It¡¯s not just you, your buddies too. I remember every face. We¡¯ll settle our scores slowly ¡°Guys, sorry for the scare, but what can I do when you¡¯ve raised such a wonderful son?¡± Hans gestured mockingly towards Dane¡¯s parents Ashton and Manan, his greasy grimacing face contorting disgustingly Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Dane suddenly lifted his head, his blood¨Cred eyes staring staring at Hans. ¡°Do you really have to take things this for?¡± ¡°Oh, got angry, did you?¡± Hansughed, and his iron rod, originally resting on Dane¡¯s shoulder, suddenly awung down hard towards it. Dane winced in pain, a muffled grunt escaping him as his body was forced to bend. A pair of fiery red eyes red deathly at Hans. He knew Hans wouldn¡¯t let him off easily. Dane felt that instead of enduring further torment from Hans, it would be better to make a desperate attempt. As the iron rod came down again, a cold glint shed through Dane¡¯s eyes. He suddenly raised his hand, catching the iron rod Hans hadn¡¯t expected him to fight back, so he waspletely caught off guard and shocked for a moment. Seizing the opportunity, Dane wrestled the iron rod from Hans¡® hands and swung it towards his head. Dane had had enough! Since being docile doesn¡¯t stop Hans from messing with you, he¡¯d rebel. Screw Hans!. Hans was startled, quickly trying to dodge to the side, but was still a bit too slow. The iron rod struck his shoulder sending a wave of intense pain. Hans¡® face contorted, his eyes filled with fury. ¡°What did you just do!¡± Hans, after all, had been toughened by the real world. Both in the force of his blows and in ruthlessness, he far outmatched Dane. In just a few moves, Dane was beaten to the ground. Hans stepped on his chest. ¡°Trying to be tough with me, huh?¡± He snarled, his brows menacingly furrowed, ¡°Alright then, III show you tough¡± ?? ? ? ?? ?? ? ? ? ? He drew a knife from his coat, ¡°Today III cripple one of your hands to teach you a lesson.¡± ¡®Let go of my son! Let go of my son!¡± Marian screamed and rushed forward, hitting and biting at Hans with all her might. At that moment, she knew no fear All she knew was that she couldn¡¯t let her son be harmed. Hans, annoyed, pushed her away. Marian¡¯s back hit a fallen table hard, her face turning pale with pain instantly Ashton also charged forward, but what match were these two elders for Hans. Instead, they ended up getting hurt themselves. Dane was furious. ¡°Mom! Dad!¡± ¡°You scum! Let go of my son! Let go of my son!¡± Ashton and Marian roared, disregarding their pain and charging again, but Hans was irritated. 1 fools How them out¡± He ordered his minions. Upon themand, two of them carried the couple and threw them outside. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Ashtonnded hard on the ground, in agony The minions then threw Marian out, but just as she was about to hit the ground, a figure shed by catching her with precision. Flora, supporting Marian, looked around the wrecked room, her eyes growing colder. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± The minions, seeing Flora, remembered the incident in the alley, their legs trembling with fear. Hearing themotion, Hans turned. When he saw Flora supported Ashton and Marian, his cold eyes narrowed. ¡°What are you doing here? Dane roared. A wave of despair surged in his heart, Flora instructed Alex and the others to take care of Ashton and Marian, then she stepped forward, walking into the diner. With the memory ofst time, these thugs dared not stop her. As she approached, Flora¡¯s oura grew even colder, Hans nced at Flora, still feeling the pain from theirst encounter. He hadn¡¯t sought her out yet, but here she was,ing for him. ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± Flora crouched down, examining Dane¡¯s body. At the sight of his bloody shoulders, her pupils contracted. Her Icy gaze shot towards Hans. ¡°You did this.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, but a statement. ¡°So what if I did?¡± Hans scoffed, not taking Flora seriously at all. He signaled his minions with a nce, and they immediately blocked the exit, trapping Flora inside the diner. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Hans thought thest time they were unsessful because they were short handed and ill¨C equipped. This time, with more than twenty of them, he didn¡¯t think that this women could still handle them. Flora didn¡¯t waste words with him. Picking up the metal rod from the ground, she swung it towards Hons with all her might. She remembered where Dane¡¯s injuries were and aimed the rod at the exact same spots on Hans. ¡°Damn! Bitch!¡± Caught off guard, Hans took a blow to the shoulder and immediately dropped to one knee on the ground. The searing pain in his shoulder drove him to the edge of reason. ¡°What are you waiting for? Get her ¡°Yes!¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. A gang of underlings armed with knives and metal rods charged at Flora ¡°Flora!¡± Alex and the others screamed, eager to rush to her aid, but in the next second, a figure flew out. Flora kicked bane out of the way. ¡°Just stand there and watch!¡± Her vorce was cold, like an arrow slicing through the air, tearing a rift in the atmosphere. Flora was truly furious. Her strikes were merciless and heavy. ¡°Shit!¡± A blow to her back sent Flom stumbling forward. She took a couple of steps before regaining her bnce. Her grip on the rod turned white, theers of her angry eyes lifted, her gaze, bloodshot, sweeping over each ferocious face. ¡°Now I¡¯m mad ¡°Ha ha ha ha!¡°. ¡°Hans, look at how arrogant this chick is! She¡¯s asking for it.¡± ¡°Grab her. Later, I make her beg for mercy beneath me.¡± Hearing their vulganties, a deadly aura flickered in Flora¡¯s eyes. The power that had been sealed within her erupted at that moment. She flipped the metal rod from the ground into her hand. Her movements were like lightning as she darted towards them. The gang was taken aback. Before they could even see clearly how she moved, their bellies, feet, and various body parts were all struck. In a blink of an eye, they were all down on the ground. Hans watched Flora in shock and disbelief. How had this woman changed so drastically? Initially, she was all brute strength, but now, her agility and technique were peerless. Not even professional mercenaries moved like her. The store was filled with screams, and in a moment, the gangy defeated on the ground, unable to get up. Silence. Dead silence, Dane stared at Flora in disbelief, forgetting his own pain. ¡°Flora, she¡­ damn!¡± Alex swallowed hard, his mind in turmoil. If they hadn¡¯t seen it with their own eyes, they wouldn¡¯t have believed that the woman who had just ughtered her way through was Flora. Flora yed with the iron rod, squatting slightly and staring at Hans, whose skull was cracked. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother with you afterst time, but you just had to ask for it. Haven¡¯t you had enough of prison?¡± ¡°Listen, we¡¯ve checked your background. Youe from a wealthy, prestigious family, cough cough¡­¡± Writhing in pain, Hans¡® body felt like it was shattered. Speaking moved his muscles, causing unbearable pain. He gasped for air, looking up at Flora crouching before him, andughed coldly. ¡°But you can¡¯t meddle in our affairs. I¡¯ll admit defeat. I can¡¯t handle you But Dane¡­ cough cough! He won¡¯t get away. Hearing this, Flora¡¯s casual demeanor disappeared. She stomped hard on his injured shoulder. ¡°Flora, let it go.¡± Dane stepped forward. His injudes made his steps falter. He had always wanted to keep Alex and Flora out of this because of exactly this reason. These affairs weren¡¯t so simple. Once you mess with these people, they cling like a burr, impossible to shake off. 12:24 1 Just then, someone with sharp eyes shouted out in joy at the sight of an appmaching group. ¡°Baker!¡± ¡°Baker!¡± Their joyful shouts contrasted with the dread on Dane and Alex¡¯s faces upon seeing the group approach Baker was the boss of this area, and everyone listened to him. His arrival mode things even more complicated. Hans was overjoyed, ¡°Baker, we¡¯re here!¡± After his excited shout, he tumed to Flora with malicious glee and smugness, ¡°Chick, you¡¯re done for now.¡± In the minds of these thugs, Baker was basically a god. By the age of ten, Baker had taken over Cedarvale¡¯s trade, his methods ruthless and chilling Hans and Baker didn¡¯t really have a close rtionship, but Hans was considered one of his, and being beaten up here meant Baker would surely intervene. Baker, approaching with heavy steps, had a grim expression. His expression turned even more gloomier It was clear he was furing. When Baker got angry, things were serious. Dane and Alex instinctively stood in front of Flora. They knew Flora could fight, but the situation had escted beyond simple fisticuffs. These were people they couldn¡¯t afford to provoke ¡°Baker! It¡¯s her! This woman is the one who did this to us.¡± Hans boasted triumphantly, unaware that Baker¡¯s expression was growing darker by the second. ¡°Help us teach her a lesson¨Cah!¡± Hans let out a scream of agony. Baker¡¯s foot came down hard on his abdomen. ¡°Shut up!¡± The crowd was stunned. This was not what they had expected. What shocked them even more was yet toe. They watched as Baker, a figure almost mythical in stature, bent down and bowed deeply to Flora. It¡¯s a ny¨Cdegree bow. ¡°Flora, I¡¯m sorry, I failed to control them, causing you trouble.¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Hans and his group watched Baker bowing deeply to Flora with a mix of respect and apology, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. The scene was utterly shocking. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, you can deal with this.¡± Flors statched out her foot, hooked a chair leg, and straddled the chair, resting her hands on the backrest When Baker saw the injury on her am, his face instantly turned pale. His gaze, cold and piercing, shot towards Hans ¡°Flora, let me take you to get that wound treated first. Baker said, concerned. If those people found out Flora was injured on his turf, they¡¯d have his head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, just a scratch¡± Flora dismissed it carelessly. ¡°Let¡¯s deal with the matter at hand first Baker had already been briefed on the situation before arriving. He kicked Hans in the leg, ¡°What are you staring at, apologize to Flora now!¡± Hans couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°Baker why are you afraid of this girl?¡± And Baker even asked him to apologize! ¡°Kneel!¡± Baker¡¯s voice was icy, as he kicked Hans directly in the knee. Pain shot through Hans, forcing him to kneel directly. The sound of his kneecap shattering was heard clearly by everyone Dane and Alex exchanged shocked looks. ¡°Stop¡± Flora waved her hand, a slight redness to her eyes, ¡°He didn¡¯t harm me, no need to apologize to me.¡± Baker understood her meaning. He nced at Dane then back at Hans. His cold eyes were like arrows. ¡°Hans, I believe I¡¯ve said before, we have three rules; no touching students, the elderly, or women. You¡¯ve tantly broken two of those rules on my territory¡± Hans trembled all over too scared to meet Baker¡¯s gaze. ¡°Baker¡­ L¡­.¡± ¡®Where¡¯s the debt note?¡± Hans reluctantly pulled out the note, and he handed it over with clenched teeth. Baker took it, nced at it, and saw that Dane had already paid Hans two hundred thousand ¡°Where¡¯s that two hundred thousand?¡± ¡°L. I deposited it into my bank ount.¡± ¡°Give me the card.¡± Hans, very unwillingly, ¡°Baker. ¡°And the PIN.¡± Hans could not defy Baker and, despite the pain, handed over the card and shared the PIN. ¡°How much is in the ount?¡± thousand ¡°Four hundred and twenty th Baker handed the card to Dane, ¡°The money in this ount is now yours. Use it as you see fit. The rest ispensation for you. The diner needs to be renovated after being smashed up. It¡¯s what you deserve. Don¡¯t feel bad.¡± ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± Dane frantically waved his hands. He¡¯d be insane to ept Baker¡¯s money. ¡°Keep it¡± Flora spoke up, her voice light. Baker felt that Dane was too talkative. Since Flora had already spoken, he directly handed the card to Dane. ¡°Hans won¡¯t bother you anymore. If you need anything in the future, you can alwayse to me, I¡¯ll also find someone to help with the diner¡¯s renovation.¡± ¡°Thank thank you, Baker¡± Baker looked a little impatient, so Dane didn¡¯t refuse any longer and reluctantly epted. Flora was chilling on her chair handszily draped over the backrest, when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She took it out to see a message from Connor Connor [Haven¡¯t you finished ss yet?] 12:25 N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Flora straightened up. She had forgotten to tell him. Flore: [Wait for me, I¡¯ll be right there.] She stood up and tumed to leave. ¡°I have another matter to attend to, Ill be going now¡± The situation wed mostly handled, and she felt no need to stay any longer. Baker hurried after her, Flota, let me drive you¡± ¡°Stay here, and handle the aftermath.¡± ¡°But your injury¡­ let me take you to the hospital to have it looked at Baker was still worried. ¡°You¡¯re so bothersome. Flora nced at him, ¡°Also, don¡¯t mention my injury to Miss Crimson and the others.¡± Just then, a taxi came by, and Flora hailed it, rushing off to school. Baker watched the tax disappear before heading back to the diner. Hans was still kneeling on the ground. Without Baker¡¯smand, no one would help him up, and Hans didn¡¯t dare to stand on his own. ¡°Get up.¡± Hearing Baker¡¯s words, Hans scrambled up as if granted amnesty, only to hear Baker¡¯s cold voice again as he was halfway up. ¡°You have one day to leave Cedarvale. I don¡¯t want to see you or your gang here again, or else, you know the consequences.¡± Hans¡® legs gave out, and he fell heavily to the ground again. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Flora humed to the school entrance and immediately saw Connor¡¯s car parked across the street. She quickly walked over and got into the back seat. ¡°Sweating already?¡± Connor handed her a tissue. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to keep you waiting and got anxious.¡± Flora chuckled nervously, feeling a bit quilty, ¡°If you¡¯re hot, you could take off your coat.¡± She was wrapped up tightly, and Connor felt hot just looking at her. He thought Flora was acting a bit strange. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not that hot. I just broke a sweat running over here. If she took off her coat, Connor would definitely see the bruises. ¡°Is everything alright with you today? Connor frowned, ¡°Did you do something guilty? Are you hiding something from me?¡± He was just speaking his mind, but Flora suddenly widened her eyes as if his words deeply wounded her. ¡°You¡¯re being harsh with me.¡± Connor was slightly stunned, ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re interrogating me?¡± ¡°Tm just asking.¡± ¡°Your tone is harsh,¡± Flora red with an aggrieved and angry face. Connor was speechless. He couldn¡¯t follow the young girl¡¯s train of thoughts. He didn¡¯t get what was on her mind. ¡°What would you like to eatter?¡± Feeling a headacheing on, he quickly changed the subject. ¡°How about a spicy soup?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± At night, Flora returned home to find Raul and Henrik still awake, ¡°Good evening.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She approached them, shaking the bag in her hand, ¡°Connor bought some apple pies from Tully¡¯s, and there¡¯s still plenty left. I brought some back for you to try.¡± The way Flora mentioned Connor repeatedly made Raul feel a bit jealous. When Flora didn¡¯t like Connor, he was worried. He had watched Connor grow up and knew his character well. Raul couldn¡¯t be more relieved with Flora in Connor¡¯s care. Now, seeing his daughter¡¯s eyes and heart full of Connor, Raul began to feel jealous. ¡°You can have it. I¡¯m old, and my teeth aren¡¯t so good.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass too, Flora. You enjoy,¡± Hennik said indifferently. Flora still smiled, ¡°You¡¯re not eating? Then, en, I¡¯ll have it myself. I was worried there wouldn¡¯t be enough for me¡± So, she was just being polite earlier. ¡°I¡¯m going to my room to wash up now. Goodnight.¡± Flora, carrying a big bag of snacks, cheerfully went upstairs. After washing up, shey in bed messaging Connor. There was a knock on the door. ¡°Flora, it¡¯s me, May Ie in?¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Henrik entered, holding a ss of milk.. Seeing Flora in her pajamas, lying in bed with her hair still damp, he frowned slightly. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Flors asked. ¡°You came back smelling like spicy soup today. Drink some milk. It¡¯ll ease your stomach tomorrow.¡± ¡°Aww, you¡¯re so sweet!¡± Flora smiled, taking the milk and drinking a big gulp. Henrik took a hairdryer from the shelf, plugged it in, and adjusted the temperature. When Flora finished her milk, he said, ¡°Come here, let¡¯s dry your hair before you s ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m used to it.¡± sleep¡± ¡°Be good¡± 12:25 Flora slowly walked over and sat down. The hairdryer buzzed, but it wasn¡¯t annoying. ¡°Flora, I¡¯m nning to start a talent agency. It won¡¯t be very big initially. I¡¯ve been in the entertainment Industry for so many years, and I¡¯ve built some connections. Many artists are willing to follow me.¡± Henrik spoke gently, his tone even. Flora¡¯s heart trembled. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 The shadows of her past life were too heavy, casting fear in her heart. In that past life, Carina and Aaron had used theirpany to bring about Henrik¡¯s downfall. But this was no longer her past life. She had been reborn and was determined not to let history repeat itself ¡°Hennk, I¡¯ve got an idea too.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it?¡± ¡°In recent years, various entertainment apps have be popr, and young people have started surfing the web extensively This represents both opportunities and arger tform. I think, alongside nurturing stars, you should also focus on cultivating inte celebrities¡± ¡°Inte celebrities Henrik was momentanly puzzled N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Smartphones are bing more essible, and everyone, regardless of age or gender, is watching videos and following trends.¡± Flora exined the concept of intemet celebrities in simple terms, and Henrik listened in astonishment. ¡°You¡¯re really incredible. He marveled. ¡°I can even rmend some people to you.¡± Flora said excitedly, knowing that though these individuals seemed inconspicuous now, they would be wildly popr across the country in a few years. She picked up a pen and swiftly wrote down a few names. ¡°You must bring these people into your company. In a few years, they¡¯ll definitely be sensations.¡± In the ever¨Cevolving entertainment industry, no one could quarantee certainly of sess, but Henrik believed in Flora unconditionally. *ill have my assistant contact the people you mentioned tomorrow¡± ¡°Okay¡± Flora nodded, inwardly relieved. She was afraid Henrik would probe further, and she wouldn¡¯t know how to respond. The warmth from the hairdryer made Flora feel slightly overheated, causing her to roll up her sleeves unconsciously The bruises on her arms became visible. Henrik, holding the hairdryer, paused. Flora quickly realized and hurriedly pulled her sleeves back down, sneaking a nce at Henrik, Noticing his unchanged expression, she felt relieved. He probably didn¡¯t see it. After drying her hair, Henrik applied some essential oil and conditioner ¡°Alright, go to sleep early¡± ¡°Okay, good night.¡± Hennk took the empty cup and left, his expression darkening as he closed the door. He took out his phone and called Connor As soon as the call connected, he asked coldly. ¡°What happened to Flora¡¯s injunes?¡± He hadn¡¯t asked earlier because Flora¡¯s demeanor clearly showed she was afraid of them finding out. Connor had been with Flora these past few days and would likely know the reason. ¡°She got hurt?¡± Connor¡¯s heart tightened, Henrik was dissatisfied. ¡°She¡¯s with you every day, and you didn¡¯t know she got hurt?¡± Connor suddenly remembered Flora¡¯s strange behavior during the day. It had felt off to him then. ¡°Is it serious?¡± he asked, his voice tight with worry. ¡°Just some superficial injuries.¡± That¡¯s why Henrik had managed to contain his anger until now. Still, his sister should not have to suffer in silence. ¡°I look into this and get you a satisfactory answer. After hanging up, Connor instructed Moss to investigate the incident thoroughly. It didn¡¯t take long for Moss to uncover the whole story ¡°It was those involved in the disturbance who were detained with Ms. Flora. After their release, they sought revenge on Ms. Flora¡¯s friend. She stood up for her friend and got into a fight with them, resulting in her injuries¡± The night was dark and void of any light. In the room, the cold marble floor tiles reflected a chilling light under the incandescent bulbs ¡°If that¡¯s the case, make sure they never get the chance toe out again Connor¡¯s voice was colder than the night, filled with ruthlessness and a hint of murderous intent. ¡°Understood.¡± Hans had been up to no good for years, umting a long list of offenses. Sending him bnd hers was easier than ever Chapter 41 Chapter 41 In the blink of an eye, New Year¡¯s Eve arrived. The entire school was buzzing with excitement, and under the guidance of their teachers, the students carried their little stools to the schoolyard to sit. The school distributed glow sticks to every student to set the festive mood The first performance was a poetry reading, which nearly put everyone to sleep. Backstage was a hive of activity. Jennifer and the girls from ss Z were particrly anxious. Luck was not on their side as they drew the third¨Ctost slot. To make matters worse, they were scheduled right after Carina. Canna had been a dancer since childhood, excelling particrly in ballet. Following her performance,parisons were inevitable. ¡°Jennifer.¡± A gentle voice called out, and Carina approached them slowly. She was dressed in a blue and white ballet costume, with the hem of her skirt fluttering gently with her movements, reminiscent of gentle waves brushing softly against the heart. She appeared ethereal, pure, and otherworldly. Every smile and frown was perfectly ced, and although it seemed a bit deliberate, there was no denying her breathtaking beauty. ¡°How are you all prepared?¡± she asked with concem. Jennifer replied disheartenedly. ¡°We¡¯re all set, but definitely not as graceful as your dance, Carina.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You¡¯re also great,¡± Carina said. ¡°I saw the program list and it says all the girls from se Z will perform together. Why isn¡¯t Flora here?¡± ¡°Why bring her up, Carina? Bad luck,¡± Jennifer said imitably at the mention of Flore. ¡°She can¡¯t dance, so she didn¡¯t join. I really don¡¯t get what¡¯s so special about her. These days, people in our ss almost worship her, just because her grades are slightly better.¡± Carina still smiled, ¡°if she can¡¯t dance, it¡¯s probably for the best she¡¯s not on stage. Today¡¯s event is quite significant. If Flora w stage and couldn¡¯t dance, it would surely upset the school executives, maybe even result in a major reprimand.¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s almost my tum. I need to get ready. Good luck to you all.¡± After saying her part, Carina left, leaving Jennifer behind to ponder went on ¡°Next up, we have Carina from ss A performing a ssical ballet¨CMoonlight Serenade.¡± Thunderous apuse broke out from the audience. Many boys whistled in admiration. Florazily lifted her head. On the high stage, Carina stood barefoot in her blue and white ballet costume. Her hair fell to her waist, tied only with a ribbon. The spotlight focused on her, making her look like a fairy from the mountains. She danced, leaped, and bent, executing each movement to perfection. Her flexible body seemed boneless, captivating the male students in the audience. Flora watched for a while before lowering her head again. Carina was beautiful, yes, but soulless. To her, Carina seemed not so much to be dancing as s she was showing off. The school executives nodded and praised continuously from below. In the VIP seats, a man in a dark blue suit with his hair tied back watched Carina¡¯s waist intently, licking his lips with evident interest ¡°Find out about her background.¡± His assistant hurried toply As the performance ended, the crowd cheered even louder ¡°Thank you, everyone¡± Canina bowed and exited the stage, smiling with an unstoppable pride. Next, it was ss 2¡¯s turn. With Carina¡¯s exceptional performance as their predecessor, Jennifer and her peers¡® dance seemed lackluster. The audience watched with diminished interest N?velDrama.Org holds this content. From a professional standpoint, their movements were not up to standard or particrly exciting. nother respects, there was nothingpelling about their performance. ¡°Why did Jennifer and the others choose such a dance? I¡¯m totally lost.¡± Dana scmiched his head, utterly confused Rafael¡¯s dance felt like a deep, soulful conversation, using extreme movements and performances to paint vivid pictures in the audience¡¯s minds, making them feel as if they were part of the scene. Jennifer and her peers failed to grasp the essence, resorting to superficial performance moves, which is why the audience was left baffled. This was also why Flora had initially argued that they were ill¨Csuited for this dance. As their dance ended, the apuse was sporadic and scattered. Jennifer and her friends left the stage with tears in their eyes, The host returned to the stage, continuing. ¡°Please enjoy the next performance by ss Z.¡± There was a pause in her voice. The program list had been amended with a pen. -ss Z, Flora, solo dance any rehearsals, and her name was unexpectedly The host hesitated because she remembered that Flora had not participated in any included. However, on such an important asion, there was no room for mischief. The host didn¡¯t dwell on it, assuming there was another arrangement by the school. She was the host, and she would announce what was written in the script. ¡°Next, please enjoy the solo dance by Flora from ss Z.¡± Flora had be a celebrity at Westbrook High School. The announcement of her performance was met with cheers. Everyone eagerly anticipated her performance. The teacher responsible for the evening¡¯s program was taken aback to hear Flora¡¯s name and quickly scanned the program list. Flora¡¯s name was nowhere to be found. Dane and the others looked worried. They spent every day with Flora, who had never signed up for a performance. Now, her name was announced, clearly someone intended to set her up. Kaylee also frowned, turning her worried gaze toward Flora, who was at the back. ¡°Flora, what do we do now?¡± Dane asked anxiously. Flora was good in a fight, but asking her to perform a delicate dance might be a bit of a stretch. ¡°What else can we do? Just go for it¡± + Flora stood upzily and headed backstage. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Backstage, the teacher was chewing the host out, ¡°What were you thinking! Flom never signed up for the program, and she hasn¡¯t attended a single rehearsal. Why did you call her name!¡± ¡°Someone added Flores name to my script, I thought it was arranged ed by the school. The host felt wronged as well The teacher was furious but knew this wasn¡¯t the time to assign me Catching sight of Flora approaching, he hurriedly said, ¡°Flora. can you dance? Nevermind, it doesn¡¯t matter, just go up there and wing it, anything will do.¡± Flora hadn¡¯t appeared for so long, the audience was getting restless, starting to murmur among themselves. What¡¯s happening, why isn¡¯t she on stage yet?¡± ¡°Is she scared, too afraid to perform, haha!¡± In the front row, the school executives looked at each other equally puzzled by the situation Just then, Flora slowly walked onto the stage. She hadn¡¯t changed her clothes, just wearing the simple school uniform. The cold white light casting upon her, adding an air of chilliness. Dane and Alex were on edge, thinking no matter how Flora ended up dancing, they had to p loudly for her, to stand up for her Backstage, Jennifer was staring at Flora standing on the stage. Just the thought of Flora making a fool of herself filled her with excitement The teacher looked utterly despondent, already imagining how disastrous the performance could turn out. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Flora moved. Without music or apaniment, even the best dance could seemcking. But not hers. Every move Flora made was just right, crisp and clean. Shes like Canna, who was all about showing off her skills. Flora seemed like a natural dancer, one with her soul. She wasn¡¯t trying to please anyone, just dancing to her heart¡¯s content. As if with some kind of magic, she attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Cool and aloof, she touched everyone¡¯s soul. When the dance ended, the audience was stunned for a long moment.. ¡°Flora is amazing!¡± Dane and the others were the first to snap out of it bursting into loud cheers. A thunderous a apuse broke out. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Flora is incredible! She can dance so well¡® ¡°I thought Carina was already amazing with her dancing, butpared to Flora, Carina¡¯s nothing¡± ¡°Her style seems so familiar, it reminds me of Rafael¡¯s style. Is she a fan of his?¡± The crowd cheered enthusiastically Amidst the cheering. Flora remained calm andposed, bowed, and then exited the stage. Backstage, Carina¡¯s face was extremely sour. She had never realized Flors could dance like that.. Flora had taken dance sses before, but had chased the dance teacher away within days. Raul and Henrik hadn¡¯t bothered to hire another teacher for her since. ¡°Floral¡± As soon as Flora reached backstage, Jennifer and her group blocked her way. Jennifer stared at her fiercely, teeth clenched, ¡°The dance you performed is clearly Rafael¡¯s. You must have practiced for quite a while, huh? You¡¯re so cheap, secretly learning our practice for Rafael¡¯s dance, just waiting for this moment, right?¡± ¡°Get help if you¡¯re sick.¡± Flora was taken aback by Jennifer¡¯s twisted logic. ¡°Drop your act Jennifer hated Flora¡¯s nonchnt demeanor. She was furious enough to make a move. Flora effortlessly dodged to the side, and due to inertia, Jennifer stumbled forward. Face down, she took a harsh foll People from ss Z quickly helped her up The teacher, smiling, came over tovish praiseon Flora. Expecting Flora¡¯s performance to be a disaster, he was surprised to elevate the atmosphere to a climax instead. see it ¡°Let¡¯s get to the bottom of this first. Flora said calmly. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 The party ended sessfully, and all the staff remained behind. The teacher in charge decided to investigate who was causing trouble behind the scenes. The nature of the incident was quite severe. If it hadn¡¯t been for Flora¡¯s unexpected dancing skills, the consequences would have been unimaginable. The prime suspect was the host. ¡°It really wasn¡¯t me! I have no beef with Flom. Why would I want to hurt her?¡± The host was on the verge of tears, feeling wronged. This had nothing to do with her. ¡°As the host, you were present from rehearsals to the actual performance. You knew whether Flora was part of the performance or not. Why did you call her name?¡± ¡°I thought Flora was ast-minute addition to the stage. You saw it too. Her name was on the list. ¡°Since nothing major happened, let¡¯s not pursue this any further, Jennifer said dryly, avoiding eye contact. ¡°Indeed, maybe it was just someone¡¯s idea of a prank. Continuing this investigation will only harm Westbrook High School¡¯s reputation. Everyone is exhausted. Let them go home and rest,¡± Carina said softly before turning to Flora, ¡°Flora, what do you think? Carina cleverly passed the difficult question to Flora, who had been sitting in a chair, ying with her phone. If Flora continued to make a fuss, it would seem petty. ¡°Ah.¡± Flora propped her chin, looking at her, ¡°This has something to do with you, though.¡± ¡°What? What does this have to do with me?¡± Carina was taken aback and quickly defended herself. ¡°Then why are you panicking?¡± As everyone looked at her, Carina fell silent. Flora looked down at her phone, which had shifted from a blue screen to disying something else. Putting her phone away, Flora stood up and said to the teacher, Tm going to the restroom.¡± The teacher waved her off and continued instructing the staff. He had already checked the surveince footage, but it had been. tampered with and was now useless. Therefore, he was even more convinced that this incident was premeditated. Jennifer, sweating nervously, saw the teacher questioning others and sneaked out for some air. At the entrance, she saw Flora. Leaningzily against the wall, Flora nced at Jennifer as if she had been waiting on purpose. ¡°It was you who tampered with it, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Her cool statement made Jennifer¡¯s already racing heart threaten to leap out of her chest. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Jennifer instinctively nced at the backstage, relieved to ¡®see no one was paying attention to them. She hurried to Flora, lowering her voice in a furious whisper, ¡°Stop ndering me!¡± Since the surveince was destroyed, all evidence was gone. The teacher had been investigating for so long and had found nothing. Thinking this, Jennifer felt a bit more confident. Flora remained silent, just staring at her closely. Her clear eyes reflected Jennifer¡¯s visibly panicked face. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one chance.¡± Flora¡¯s voice was steady, ¡°Admit it, and we¡¯ll let this go.¡± Jennifer thought Flora was bluffing and scoffed, ¡°Flora, do you have evidence? You¡¯repletely ndering. Alright, you say it¡¯s me, then show the evidence.¡± As Flora remained silent, Jennifer¡¯s arrogance grew. Theirmotion caught the attention of everyone backstage. The teacher came out and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Flora. She¡¯s using me of this incident out of nowhere.¡± Jennifer eximed loudly. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Jennifer felt that Flom¡¯s baseless nder might actually turn out to be an opportunity. If Flora¡¯s usations led the teacher in charge to form a bad impression of her, perhaps the issue would be dropped altogether The girls from ss 2 who were on good terms with Jennifer also spoke up in her defense, ¡°Flore, are you out of your mind? Why are you doubting your own ssmate?¡± ¡°Think you¡¯re something special just because you¡¯re top of the grade and a good dancer?¡± ¡°Enough, everyone quiet down.¡± The teacher in charge scolded loudly, and the previously vocal students quickly fell silent. ¡°Flora, you im that Jennifer is behind this. Do you have any evidence?¡± the teacher asked Flomt, her tone softening considerably Flora nced at Jennifer. Meeting her gaze, Jennifer lifted her chin defiantly, unafraid. Flora truly didn¡¯t understand how someone who had done something wrong could still appear so righteous. Jennifer had no personal vendetta against her, so she gave Jennifer multiple chances. ¡°Jennifer,¡± she said coldly, a stark contrast to before, Tim giving you onest chance.¡± This only convinced Jennifer further that Flora had no evidence and was merely bluffing. If Flora had any evidence, she would have presented it already instead of questioning her repeatedly, wouldn¡¯t she? Jennifer scoffed, ¡°Flora, I don¡¯t need you to give me any chances. On the contrary, if you can¡¯t produce this so¨Ccalled evidence to prove did anything, you must apologize to me in front of everyone¡± Jennifer figured that stirring things up would effectively cover up the whole roster issue. Flora stared at her for a moment before finally shaking her head, picking up her smartphone, and handing it to the teacher ¡°Please, take a look for yourself,¡± she said. The teacher took the phone, and as he looked at the screen, his expression darkened considerably. Carina had a bad feeling in her heart. Jennifer was nervous, but still convinced that Flora couldn¡¯t possibly have any evidence. ¡°Flora is framing me. Don¡¯t believe anything she shows you-¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that you in this video? How could this be fabricated,¡± the teacher exploded in anger. He turned the phone screen around, and it showed a surveince video. In the video, it was clear as day: Jennifer sneakily altering the performance roster while the host was away. ¡°It¡¯s not what it looks like¡­ Jennifer instinctively wanted to exin, but what could she say with the evidence right in front of her? ¡°Please don¡¯t be angry. Jennifer, she must have been confused.¡± Carina tried to mediate Flora took her phone back, not even ncing at Jennifer. She greeted the teacher and left She had given Jennifer a chance, and Jennifer had not taken it. What happened next was out of her hands. That evening, back at home, Flora received a video call from Crimson. ¡°A bunch of brats dared to trouble you, and you had Baker holding back from telling us. People in the guild were moring to avenge you,¡± Crimson was talking about the whole Hans thing. ¡°But just as we were about to step in, someone else taught him a lesson. Life imprisonment plus a prison sentence, that should keep him upied.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Flora was momentarily taken aback. If it wasn¡¯t Crimson and the others who had acted, then who? Could it be¡­ ¡°By the way, about Ray¡¯s situation, what have you decided? He¡¯s quite anxious. If you¡¯re not interested, fll turn him down.¡± Flora rested her chin in her hand, thinking back to her past life, Ray had always stayed by Connor¡¯s side, never leaving him no matter how destitute Connor became After a moment, she said, ¡°Tell him, check it out this Saturday.¡± Crimson clicked her tongue, ¡®TII let him know¡± Chapter 45 Chapter 45 The next day, Flom went to ss. As soon as she arrived at ss Z, she could feel an awkward tension in the air. The girls all stared at her with animosity. The timid ones whispered behind her back, while the bold ones directly confronted her, ¡°Flora, do you realize because of you, Jennifer got called out in front of the whole school, and now she¡¯s too embarrassed to evene to ss: ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Dane spoke up before Flora could respond, ¡°She started it by messing with Flora first, and now she¡¯s just facing the consequences. What does this have to do with Flora?¡± One girl retorted. ¡°But Flora¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t she? Without Jennifer, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten so much attention. Is it necessary to keep holding a grudge?¡± ¡°Your¡± Dane was so angry he was practically gnashing his teeth and stood up, ready to confront her. If she weren¡¯t a girl, he might have thrown a punch. ¡°Sit down.¡± Flora gave him a look and handed him a newly written math problem, ¡°Study¡± ¡°Faker.¡± The girl huffed coldly and left. Dane, faced with the challenging math problem, cautiously nced at Flora, who was deep in her book, ¡°Flora, you¡¯re not mad?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°If a dog bites you, you don¡¯t bite back.¡± Kaylee came over with her textbooks, and Flora was used to it by now, ¡°Which problem can¡¯t you solve?¡± ¡°This one.¡± Kaylee pointed to a question. Flora took a moment to understand the problem, then exined it to Kaylee. Thank you, I get how to do it now.¡± Kaylee thanked her enthusiastically. Remembering the earlier incident, she whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t mind what they said. They¡¯re just jealous of you. You¡¯re an amazing dancer. Are you a fan of Rafael too? Your dance style is a lot like his.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Flora thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Sort of. I guess.¡± Kaylee was even more delighted and pulled out a keychain with Rafaels face on it from her pocket. It¡¯s really hard to get Rafael¡¯s merchandise. I happened to have two, so I¡¯m giving you one.¡± Flora took it, poking the cartoon face with her finger, thinking it was quite cute, Since she had received a gift, she naturally wanted to give something nice in retum. Her phone vibrated, a message from Connor. Connor. [What do you want for lunch? Flora: [Stir¨Cfry sounds good. I¡¯m craving ribs.] Connor: [Sure. Also, we have a day off after tomorrow. Where do you want to go?) Flora thought for a moment and typed: [I already have ns this weekend, going out with a friend. Sorry] Connor: [No worries, just stay safe.] Right after Connor sent the message, a call came in. It was Ray When the call connected, his excited voice came through. ¡°S¨¦raphine has agreed to treat Aisha this weekend!¡± Saturday. At the Brimer family¡¯s front door, Ray paced back and forth anxiously He had offered to pick up S¨¦raphine, but she had said there was no need and that she woulde by herself. Thinking the expert probably didn¡¯t want to reveal her identity, he didn¡¯t insist It was almost noon, and S¨¦raphine hadn¡¯t arrived yet. He was worried she might not show up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If S¨¦raphine said she¡¯de, shell be here! Connor reassured him. Ray knew this, but the waiting made him overthink. Finally, a taxi stopped in front of them. A person got out of the car She was dressed in an oversized ck T¨Cshirt and cargo pants, concealing her figure. She wore a baseball cap on her head and a phoenix¨Cshaped mask on her face, only revealing her eyes. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 ¡°Mm¡± The voice was hoarse to an exaggerated degree, making it Impossible to discern whether it was a man or a woman. People of status often disguised themselves this way. It wasn¡¯t surprising Where¡¯s the patient?¡± ¡°She¡¯s inside.¡± Ray said excitedly. ¡°Would you like to rest first, or¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s see the patient right away. ¡°Alright!¡± Ray led the way to the front, with Flora striding forward. As she passed by Connor, her breathing hitched for a moment but quickly returned to normal. She knew Connor would be there, so she had spent the whole moming getting ready, ensuring that he would never recognize her. ¡°You guys go ahead, I have some things to take care of and will come overter Connor told Ray, paying no attention to Flora Inside the Brimer family mansion, chaos reigned. The young girl was clutching her chest, her face a mask of difort. She struggled to breathe, her complexion tuming a ghastly shade of purple. Her body was convulsing, presenting a terrifying sight The Brimer family members were gathered around Aisha, visibly distressed. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Please! You must find a solution quickly!¡± A group of physicians had administered numerous treatments to Aisha, but her symptoms showed no sign of improvement. The doctors were sweating profusely, at a loss for what to do next. They had never encountered such bizame symptoms before. Sometimes it seemed like asthma, but despite trying every possible remedy for over a month, they couldn¡¯t cure Aisha. Instead, her condition had only worsened. The girl was gasping for air, unable to speak, tears streaming down her face. Ray, leading Flora, changed his expression drastically upon hearing the noises inside. He knew Aisha must be having another attack. ¡°Make way! Move!¡± He grabbed Flora¡¯s hand and rushed forward. The Brimer family was already irritated and their faces darkened further upon seeing Ray. Why was he here? *S¨¦raphine, please see what you can do for her.¡± Ray was desperate, the sight of Aisha in pain was like a knife twisting in his heart. Flora¡¯s gaze fell on the girl lying in the bed, whose pallor was sickly pale. Her veins seemed as though they were about to burst through her delicate skin, Asthma? Flora raised an eyebrow. It didn¡¯t seem that simple. No wonder they had sought her out. She stepped forward, intending to approach the bed, but someone darted out to block her. ¡°Who are you? What do you want to do?¡± Flora¡¯s appearance was indeed strange, not seeming trustworthy, so it was natural for them to be cautious about letting her near Aisha. Everyone watched Flora with suspicion. ¡°She was invited by me. She has a way to curb Aisha¡± Ray said anxiously Paul¡¯s face darkened even more upon seeing Ray. How dare Ray show his face? If not for Him, Aisha wouldn¡¯t have lost her parents and ended up in this state. Paul was furious but restrained himself, not wanting to make a scene. Take her back with you¡± ¡°S¨¦raphine truly has a way to cure Alsha¡± ¡°Ray, are you done?¡± Paul¡¯s patience hadpletely run out. Aisha¡¯s painful moans felt like a knife stabbing his heart, and here was Ray causing a disturbance. The person in front of him, with their unique get¨Cup, looked nothing like a doctor. How could such a young person possibly cure Alsha? ¡°Yeah, Ray, please don¡¯t make a rash decision out of desperation. We¡¯ve been discussing solutions.¡± The group of doctors also watched Flora unfavorably. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 ¡°Yeah, you are always discussing. Did everything ever change though?¡± Ray cast them a chilly nce, the sound of Aisha¡¯s agonized moans piercing his heart like a knife. When he spoke to Paul again, hist tone softened. ¡°Uncle Paul, please just let S¨¦raphine take a look. I¡¯m not messing around. We can¡¯t just watch Aisha suffer like this.¡± Hearing this, the members of the Brimer family seemed touched, and Paul hesitated. However, seeing Flora¡¯s youthful arrogance, he steeled his heart. ¡°As long as I¡¯m here today, you are not toy a finger on Aisha. Ray, if you keep this up, I¡¯ll have to inform the folks over at Maple Grove.¡± Paul¡¯s stance was firm. It wasn¡¯t that he judged a book by its cover, but Flom¡¯s attire was far from what one would expect of a professional doctor. ¡°Ray, if you really care about Aisha, then stop this madness. Look at thepany you keep: Paul¡¯s son, Wade, chimed in. His gaze towards Ray was filled with enmity, as if looking at an enemy. He spoke too forcefully, and his ponytail swayed slightly with his words. ¡°Exactly. You say she can heal? I might as well im I can heal. If she cures Aisha, I¡¯ll let you kick my head around like a football.¡± A young girl joined in the conversation. She was Paul¡¯s daughter and Wade¡¯s sister. Her features were pleasant, but the scorn in her brows made her unlikable. Flora understood clearly now. Ray was not wee in the Brimer household. She was here to heal, not to get involved in family disputes. She only knew that Aisha¡¯s condition was dire. ¡°If we don¡¯t treat her now, the patient will die.¡± Flora said earnestly. The girl was struggling to breathe. At her words, Ray paled and pushed past Wade and Yvonne, who were blocking his way. ¡°S¨¦raphine, please proceed with the treatment.¡± He cleared a path, and Flora took the opportunity to approach Aisha¡¯s bedside. Her condition was severe. Flora frowned deeply, quickly taking out a specially prepared sachet of herbs, cing it near Aisha¡¯s nostrils. ¡°Dad! Look at Ray! She¡¯s going too far!¡± Yvonne cried out, almost falling to the ground just moments before, her arm now throbbing in pain. ¡°Ray! You¡¯re out of control!¡± Paul was furious, ordering the servants, ¡°Throw out Ray and this girl he¡¯s brought with him!¡± The servants were actually intimidated by Ray. He had a fearsome temper, and though they didn¡¯t dare provoke him, they had to follow Paul¡¯s orders. ¡°Get out!¡± Ray roared, his eyes zing as he stared down everyone. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me if you value your lives.¡± The servants were terrified, not daring to touch him. Their gaze shifted towards Flora. Flora¡¯s expression was also at its breaking point as the servants tried to drag her away, preventing her from focusing on Aisha¡¯s condition. ¡°Do you want her to be cured or not?¡± After being tugged at by the servants, Flora lost her temper. She was only helping because Ray was Connor¡¯s friend, but these Brimer family members were making it impossible to feel any sympathy. ¡°You must be kidding me. Everyone, out!¡± Yvonne shouted loudly, ordering the servants in the room to kick them out Just then, a group burst into the room. Leading them was Connor. ¡°Mr. Connor.¡± Seeing Connor, the previously triumphant Brimer family¡¯s demeanor shifted noticeably. ¡°Paul.¡± Connor nodded, giving the bound Ray a nce, his brow furrowing slightly Moss and Beck stepped forward, quickly subduing the group of guards. Paul was aware of the close rtionship between Connor and Ray. Connor¡¯s presence was mostly for Ray. Had it been anyone else associated with Ray, Paul would have driven them away. However, Connor¡¯s status was undeniable, and Paul could not act rashly. He said stiffly, ¡°Mr. Connor, this is a matter for our family. I must ask you not to interfere.¡± ¡°Wsha was like a sister to me, and her troubles are mine to bear, Connor¡¯s tone was cool, yet he maintained decorum, every gesture exuding an air of nobility. ¡°S¨¦raphine is a healer of great renown, one we¡¯ve been fortunate to secure. She truly can save Alsha.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°In any case, I will take responsibility for what happens next.¡± ¡°Those of you who wish to stay and watch may do so. Those who do not may leave.¡± With those words from Connor the expressions of the Brimer family darkened further They were in irate. This was the Brimer family¡¯s home. On what grounds did Connor have to tell them to leave? Still, despite their dissatisfaction, they found themselves unable to voice any objection in Connor¡¯s presence. Even the usually boastful Wade bit his tongue, remaining silent. Flora watched Connor, who was standing amidst the crowd yet exuding a calm andposed presence. Her eyes sparkled with admiration. Connor looked so handsome! Her gaze was intensely passionate, and Connor, feeling it, looked back at her. Except when interacting with Ray and Flora, Connor¡¯s demeanor towards others was always marked by a chilling aloofness. His icy gaze made Flora shiver, prompting her to quickly avert her eyes and focus on the patient¡¯s condition. After a while, her brow furrowed. She wasn¡¯t a doctor, but as an aromatherapist, she had some knowledge of alternative medicine. The girl¡¯s illness seemed unusual, not like asthma. ¡°When did she start showing these symptoms?¡± She whispered her question. ¡°Three years ago.¡± Ray responded quickly. Three years prior, after the death of Aisha¡¯s parents and her move from Maple Grove to Cedarvale, she began exhibiting these symptoms. ¡°Did she show any signs before the episodes?¡± ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t think so.¡± Ray was too distressed by Aisha¡¯s suffering to concentrate on Flora¡¯s question. He anxiously asked, ¡°S¨¦raphine, can you heal Aisha?¡± Flora didn¡¯t respond immediately but took out several bottles and jars, eventually selecting a sapphire blue one. Once the bottle opened, a refreshing fragrance filled the room, invigorating everyone¡¯s spirit She held the bottle to Aisha¡¯s nose, and as the scent flowed in, Aisha¡¯s tension eased, her body rxed, her eyes closed, and her breathing, though still irregr, improved significantlypared to before. The Brimer family was astonished, staring in disbelief. Their looks towards Flora shifted from disdain to curiosity. Who was this person that had so quickly stabilized Aisha? Ray was trembling with excitement. S¨¦raphine¡¯s reputation was well deserved. She could indeed heal Aisha. Connor¡¯s gaze on Flora was inquisitive. Even though this girl didn¡¯t physically resemble the woman he held dear, he found himself vaguely drawn to her. ¡°She¡¯s not suffering from asthma. It¡¯s more urate to say she¡¯s experiencing a psychological disorder, Flora exined as everyone watched. ¡°She must have gone through some traumatic event, causing her body to react this way. Her condition is quite severe. If it continues unchecked, she might not five more than six months.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only As the room filled with anxious nces, Flora smiled. ¡°But you¡¯re lucky to have me here. Shell be fine. However, I need some specific ingredients for the treatment ¡°Whatever you need, just tell us. We¡¯ll make sure to get it for you,¡± Ray said eagerly. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Connor had Moss bring paper and pen. Flora Instinctively reached to write but stopped herself, remembering Connor was present. Writing herself would surely give her away. rous medic R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She put down the pen and dictated to Moss insteed, listing numerous medicinal herbs and Ingredients in technical terms, which Moss struggled to note down. ¡°For now, her life isn¡¯t in immediate danger. To cure herpletely, well proceed once I have all the necessary items, Flora stated. ?? ? ? ??? ? Moss and Beck hurried off to gather the required materials. ¡°S¨¦raphine, I¡¯ve arranged a room for you. Please, make yourselffortable. Should anything arise with Alsha, youll be nearby,¡± Connor said nonchntly. The Brimer family was imitated. This was their home! Their opinion was tantly disregarded by Connor¡¯s arrangements. Flora¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement. The notion of her being close for convenience was clearly Connor¡¯s way of keeping an eye on her. Had it been anyone else, she might have left already. But since it was Connor, well, his decisiveness and masculinity were just too appealing. Her voice carried a hint of amusement, ¡°Alright then, I stay.¡± 0 Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¡°S¨¦raphine, what happened to Aisha?¡± Connor asked. That¡¯s something you¡¯ll have to ask them.¡± After Flora had examined Alsha, her expression was grim. Hearing this, Connor¡¯s icy gaze turned coldly towards the members of the Brimer family, carrying a chill that even the zing aun couldn¡¯t melt away ¡°What did you do to Aisha just now? Flora said. Alsha was fine before. How could she possibly be vomiting blood now? At her words, Connor and Ray both sharply tumed their attention to the members of the Brimmer family. Yvonne, who was previously acting arrogantly, felt a shiver in her heart and quickly lowered her head. Wade couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous as well. ¡°What have you done?¡± Ray¡¯s voice was hoarse with emotion. Although there had been some bad blood between him and the Brimers in Cedarvale, he knew they truly cared for Aisha. That¡¯s why he hadn¡¯t been wary of them. Facing Ray like this, Yvonne felt somewhat uneasy and immediately directed her anger towards Flora. ¡°Don¡¯t try nder us! What could we possibly have done? It¡¯s you who treated her poorly andN?velDrama.Org holds this content. won¡¯t admit it. And look at you, dressed so strangely, wearing a mask even in broad daylight. Are you too ashamed to show your face?¡± Flora¡¯s long¨Csuppressed anger finally erupted. She stood up abruptly, her eyes beneath the mask reddening slightly, ¡°Since you all don¡¯t seem keen on curing the patient, I won¡¯t waste my efforts anymore. Ray, I will return the million dors in consultation fees you paid me. Now, I refuse to continue treatment¡± The members of the Brimer family were really unbearable. No matter what they said about her, Flora wouldn¡¯t care. What she couldn¡¯t ept was that they had administered medication to the patient without her knowledge. This was a major taboo in her profession. ¡°A million dors in consultation fees!¡± Yvonne was shocked by this number. She even thought Flora must be crazy for money. But Flora had no reason to lie, especially with Ray right there. Such a lie would be too outrageous, Their family couldn¡¯t possiblye up with a million dors. Had Ray lost his mind, giving this strange person so much money? He wouldn¡¯t even spend two thousand dors on a dress for her! ¡®S¨¦raphine! Please wait!¡± Flora was truly about to leave, and Ray hurriedly followed, with Connor right behind him. If it had been anyone else, Flora would have left for good, but she could see that Connor also cared deeply for Aisha. She had spoken in anger when she said she would stop treating Aisha, but now that they hade out after her, it gave her a way to step down gracefully. She deliberately slowed her pace, and soon, they caught up with her. ¡°S¨¦raphine, I apologize. We were indeed in the wrong, but the patient is still in there. You can¡¯t just stop treatment halfway,¡± Ray pleaded Leamestly ¡°Just confine your treatment. I¡¯ve made sure that all unrted persons have been sent out of the room. You won¡¯t be disturbed, Connor said ¡°I will cure Doubled! the patient, but the consultation fee will be doubled.¡± Ray nearly choked on his own breath, but if Flora could truly cure Aisha, then so be it. Two million dors was a steep price, but he could manage it. ¡°Alright, alright, doubled it is. Please, go check on Aisha now.¡± Now that Flora¡¯s anger had mostly subsided, she turned and headed towards Aisha¡¯s room. The previously triumphant members of the Brimer family were barred from entry. Their faces turned as red as beet. To be stopped from entering a room in their own house, it would be aughingstock if word got out. ¡°Connor, this is too much!¡± Wade gritted his teeth in anger, ¡°This is our house. What right do you have to stop us from entering.¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Connor didn¡¯t say a word. He didn¡¯t even nce at Wade but instead took a big step and walked into the room. Flora and Ray als walked in without looking sideways. Wade, having been tantly ignored repeatedly, had eyes smoldering with anger. He could pt Conner¡¯s disdain, but Ray was an outcast. What gave him the right to look down on them too? In a fit of rage, Ware let loose without restraint. Harsh words followed one after another ¡°Wade, do you think Mr. Connor is too easy¨Cgoing?¡± Those lowly remarks made Moss and Beck¡¯s face tum sour. Wade should feel lucky he¡¯s from the Brimer family, as those words alone could have cost him dearly. ¡°Wade¡­ Yvonne tugged at Wade¡¯s sleeve, showing a timid look unlike her usual bratty self. They knew Connor wasn¡¯t easy¨Cgoing: Wade had nearly been crippled by him before, Moss¡® words were like a bucket of cold water, cooling Wade downpletely, even making him a bit scared. He stiffened his face and fell silent aling Aisha Inside the room, Flora was still treating Ray, with a heart full of unease, stood by, waiting. After a while, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°S¨¦raphine, how is she really?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no major issue. Rx¡± Flora spoke lightly. ¡°Ill give you an addresster. Just send what I asked you to buy there, and ile back the day after tomorrow to check on her. Now, I need to leave.¡± ¡°S¨¦raphine, I have everything here. Whatever you need, I can have someone fetch it immediately. Can you please stay for a bit longer?¡± Ray was still womed. Aisha was not yet awake. If Flora left and something unexpected happened, what then? ¡°Are you trying to keep me here?¡± Flora, helping Aisha to lie back down, replied indifferently upon hearing Ray¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. I didn¡¯t mean that. It¡¯s just, with you here, in case of any emergency-¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°As long as you keep those people outside from causing any trouble, there won¡¯t be any emergencies. Flora interrupted him sharply. Ray couldn¡¯t help but frown. Why was this person so sarcastic with him, yet seemed quite amiable with Connor? Ray was indecisive, worried about offending S¨¦raphine yet also reluctant to let her leave. ¡°Aisha hasn¡¯t woken up yet. Maybe you could leave after she wakes?¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t trust me, you shouldn¡¯t have asked me toe here in the first ce.¡± Ray fall silent. Had he offended Connor somehow? Why did it seem like she had a grudge against him? He looked at Connor, signaling him to say something Connor nced at Flora and said to him, ¡°You stay here and take care of Aisha. Il take S¨¦raphine home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can go back on my own.¡± Flora¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Why did Connor want to take her back? Was it because she had shown a w? ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and it¡¯s hard to get a cab here. Let me drive you.¡± Connor was insistent, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, Flora agreed. She had her secrets to keep and didn¡¯t want to react too obviously. afraid Connor might notice something off. When Flora obediently followed Connor out, Ray was even more puzzled. Why y was she so nice to Connor, yet so mean to him? In the car, Flora casually gave an address, keeping her eyes forward, not speaking. Connor, a man of few words himself, naturally didn¡¯t initiate conversation. The ride was unusually quiet. ¡°Well, just stop here, please. I can walk the rest of the way¡± ¡°Here?¡± Connor looked at her through the rearview mirror, quessing she didn¡¯t want to reveal where she was going. He didn¡¯t say anything more and pulled over Flora got out of the back seat. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. You went to the Brimer family to heal Alsha. It¡¯s only right for me to take you back.¡± Flora raised an eyebrow. Although she knew Connor only saw Aisha as a sister, hearing Aisha¡¯s name from his mouth repeatedly sparked a teasing thought in her mind. Ha Mr. Connor this nice to everyone? You are not only nice to me, but also to that Aisha. Aren¡¯t you afraid your girlfriend at home might 12:26 get jealous?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend. She¡¯s my fianc¨¦e. Connor corrected her seriously, ¡°Besides, you can¡¯t compare the two.¡± Alsha was his friend. As for S¨¦raphine¡­ He wasn¡¯t sure why, but if it were anyone else, he would have had Moss and Beck take her home. Today, however, he chose to do it himself. Perhaps because he saw a glimpse of Flora in her. Flora chuckled and didn¡¯t tease him further. ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Connor.¡± She waved and walked away briskly. Soon, she disappeared into the crowd. Connor didn¡¯t have anyone follow her. Someone of her stature wouldn¡¯t want their privacy intruded upon. S¨¦raphine was well¨Cknown in the world of perfumery. He wash¡¯t worried she¡¯d pull any tricks Chapter 52 Chapter 52 The next day, Flora went to her ss 2 as usual. Jennifer who had been staying at home for two days, also showed up for ss. Upon seeing Flora, she red viciously at her, her gaze as ifced with venom. Flora just ignored her, walked to her seat, and sat down, Dane thoughtfully passed her a carton of chocte milk, even taking the time to insert the straw for her. Flora took it naturally, sipped, and said lightly, ¡°Show me the homework you¡¯ve done¡± Dane¡¯s expression turned into a grimace as he huntedly handed his notebook to Flora. Under Flora¡¯s supervision these past days, their grades had significantly improved. They could now handle the basic questions, but s60 struggled with the more difficult ones. Flora, expressionless, marked a few red crosses on the notebook, then patiently wrote down the detailed steps to solve them on the side. ¡°Take this back and copy it twenty times.¡± Flora¡¯s gaze fell on Alex and his group of friends in the front row, who were enjoying the drama. She added calmly. ¡°You too.¡± Groans filled the air. Kaylee walked over just in time to see this scene and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly. She and Flora had developed an understanding: without her saying anything, Flora knew she was there to consult about a problem. ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°This one.¡± Kaylee pointed timidly at thest question. As Flora was exining to her, Flora¡¯s phone rang¨Cit was a delivery man saying her package had arrived. Flora nudged Dane¡¯s chair in front of her ¡°Go help me get a package.¡± ¡°Right on it. Just send me the collection code to my phone.¡± Dane excitedly went out, and when he returned, he was carrying a box. ¡°Flora, what did you buy? It¡¯s kinda heavy.¡± ¡°A gift for Kaylee.¡± ¡°For me?¡± Kaylee was surprised and ttered. She didn¡¯t expect Flora to get her a gift. ¡°Open it,¡± Flora said, nodding towards the box, Dane and Alex, along with the others, crowded around, curious. Kaylee, a bit nervous and excited, opened the box and immediately her eyes widened. ¡°This is an album by Rafael!¡± Her voice trembled with excitement The name Rafael instantly drew the attention of most people in ss Z ¡°It¡¯s really Rafaels album!¡± ¡°All of his albums from thest three years seem to be here. Flora, this is quite the gesture!¡± Everyone was filled with envy and jealousy. Rafael was the top star in the entertainment industry in recent years. Even his albums from two years ago were hard for the average person to find. Most of ss Z were fans of Rafael, and they were all green with envy. ¡°No way! There¡¯s an autograph! Rafael¡¯s autograph!¡± Someone with keen eyes spotted the signature on the back of the album and eximed Each album had Rafael¡¯s autograph on the back Kaylee was shocked, ¡°Flora, this is too precious¡± ¡°Just take it, Flora shrugged. As everyone was in the midst of their envy and jealousy, a voice piped up. ¡°Flora, have you no shame, unting these pirated copies?¡± Jennifer was skeptical. She came over to take a look and imed they were fake. ¡°Jennifer, what makes you say Flora¡¯s albums are fake?¡± Dane asked, displeased. ¡°Hmph. Because I have Rafael¡¯s real autographed album.¡± Jennifer sneered, pulling out her phone. ¡°Rafael and my dad¡¯spany partnership. Look, this was when I visited the set a few days ago. Here¡¯s a picture of me with him¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really Rafaell Jennifer, you¡¯re so amazing. You get to meet Rafael and even take a photo with him.¡± The girls¡® eyes sparkled with admiration. They all dreamed of seeing Rafael, even if just from afar. Jennifer¡¯s vanity was immensely satisfied. She snorted and flipped to the next photo. ¡°Look, this is the autograph Rafael gave me. Hispletely different from the ones on Flora¡¯s albums.¡± She even zoomed in on the autograph, prompting everyone to take a closer look, and indeed, something seemed amiss. The handwriting did appear to be different. The next day, Flors went to her ss 2 as usual, Jennifer, who had been staying at home for two days, also showed up for ss. Upon seeing Flors, she red viciously at her, her gaze as ifced with venom. Flora just ignored her, walked to her seet, and sat down. Dane thoughtfully passed her a carton of chocte milk, even taking the time to insert the straw for her. Flora took it naturally, sipped, and said lightly, ¡°Show me the homework you¡¯ve done.¡± Dane¡¯s expression tumed into a grimace as he hurriedly handed his notebook to Flom. Under Flora¡¯s supervision these past days, their grades had significantly improved. They could now handle the basic questions, but still struggled with the more difficult ones. Flora, expressionless, marked a few red crosses on the notebook, then patiently wrote down the detailed steps to solve them on the side. ¡°Take this back and copy it twenty times. Flora¡¯s gaze fell on Alex and his group of friends in the front row, who were enjoying the drama. She added calmly. ¡°You too.¡± Groans filled the air. Kaylee walked over just in time to see this scene and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly. She and Flora had developed an understanding without her saying anything. Flora knew she was there to consult about a problem ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°This one.¡± Kaylee pointed timidly at thest question. As Flora was exining to her, Flora¡¯s phone rang¨Cit was a delivery man saying her package had arrived. Flora nudged Dane¡¯s chair in front of her ¡°Go help me get a package.¡± ¡°Right on it. Just send me the collection code to my phone¡± Dane excitedly went out, and when he returned, he was carrying a box. ¡°Flora, what did you buy? It¡¯s kinda heavy¡± ¡°A gift for Kaylee¡± For me?¡± Kaylee was surprised and ttered. She didn¡¯t expect Flora to get her a gift. ¡°Open it,¡± Flora said, nodding towards the box. Dane and Alex, along with the others, crowded around, curious. Kaylee, a bit nervous and excited, opened the box and immediately her eyes widened. ¡°This is an album by Rafael!¡± Her voice trembled with excitement. F F The name Rafael instantly drew the attention of most people in ss Z ¡°It¡¯s really Rafael¡¯s album!¡± of his albums from thest three years seem to be here. Flora, this is quite the gesture!¡± Everyone was filled with envy and jealousy. Rafael was the top star in the entertainment industry in recent years. Even his albums from two years ago were hard for the average person to find. Most of ss 2 were fans of Rafael, and they were all green with envy ¡°No way! There¡¯s an autogimph! Rafael¡¯s autograph!¡± Someone with keen eyes spotted the signature on the back of the album and eximed. Each album had Rafael¡¯s autograph on the back. Kaylee was shocked, ¡°Flora, this is too precious¡± ¡°Just take it.¡± Flora shrugged. As everyone was in the midst of their envy and jealousy, a voice piped up. ¡°Flom, have you no shame, unting these pirated coples?¡± Jennifer was skeptical. She came over to take a look and imed they were fake. Jennifer, what makes you say Flora¡¯s albums are fake?¡± Dane asked, displeased. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 It was clear that the signature on Jennifer¡¯s alburn was more elegant, while the one Flors gave to Kaylee seemed less so, a bit childish, and each signature was apanied by a little stor of the end. Refeel never had the habit of dmwing stars with his autographs. ¡°So, it¡¯s a fake¡± ¡°Showing off with fake albums, how shameless. Even if I couldn¡¯t get my hands on one, I would never buy a fake.¡± ¡°This is the quality of the top student in our grade? Buying fakes?¡± Several girls who were close to Jennifer had been displeased with Flora for a long time, and now they seized the opportunity to mock her mercilessly. ¡°This is a gift from Flora. Whether it¡¯s real or fake, it¡¯s none of your business.¡± Kaylee¡¯s face tumed red with the effort of squeezing out these words. These people were so annoying. This was a gift from Flore, and real or fake, she cherished it. ¡°Kaylee, you¡¯ve got some nerve now, speaking up like that.¡± The girls sneered contemptuously, ¡°You think of her as a friend, but she just sees you as ackey. She gives you pirated stuff, and you¡¯re still eager to please.¡± Kaylee¡¯s eyes were red with anger, and she wanted to argue that it wasn¡¯t true, but she was clumsy with words and rather timid. Her lips trembled and she couldn¡¯t utter a single word in rebuttal. ¡®Til give you three seconds to get back to your seats before we have to resort to physical means¡± Dane flexed his wrists, his eyes filled with imitation and restrained anger. He nced at Flora out of theer of his eye. Despite being scolded like that, Flora remained indifferent and unperturbed. The more he thought about it, the angner he became. This group of people was clearly taking advantage of Flom¡¯s good temper The girls were quite afraid of Dane and didn¡¯t dare to continue their ruckus. They returned to their seats, though they still muttered under their breaths. ¡°Ha, now we can¡¯t even talk about it. If you¡¯re that capable, dont buy the pirated ones at all ¡°Exactly, shameless.¡± Hearing these words, Kaylee felt even more indignant for Flora, her eyes red, her voice choked, ¡°Flora, I¡¯m so sorry! Flora, who had been reading, looked up at her, puzzled, ¡°What does this have to do with you?¡± It wasn¡¯t Kaylee insulted Flora. Kaylee was heartbroken. Flora had given her a gift with good intentions, and now it was being maligned by these people. She felt so hurt. ¡°Flora, I love the gift you gave me.¡± Kaylee took a deep breath, her face still flushed, ¡°Whether it¡¯s authentic or pirated, in my heart, they¡¯re priceless treasures.¡± Flora looked up at her again. ¡°It¡¯s not pirated.¡± Her tone was calm, as if stating a fact. Jennifer, who had been watching the whole time, scoffed, ¡°Shameless, still won¡¯t admit it.¡± She continued, ¡°Flora, if your albums aren¡¯t pirated, then since you¡¯re so capable of getting so many authentic albums, surely you can get tickets to Rafael¡¯s concert in Cedarvale ten days from now, right?¡± 1 2 3 6 2 2 2 3 Flora couldn¡¯t be bothered with her. Arguing with someone so stupid would only lower her own IQ. But Jennifer thought her silence was an admission of defeat and became even more excited. ¡°You can¡¯t do it, but I can.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Saying so, she took out a concert ticket from her bag. It was a VIP ticket, and although the location was a bit at the back, it was still quite impressive. The girls showed envy, ¡°Jennifer, you¡¯re amazing. Getting a VIP ticket is something I wouldn¡¯t oven dare dream of ¡°Jennifer¡¯s dad has business dealings with Rafael. She¡¯ll definitely get to meet Rafael often. I¡¯m so jealous.¡± Dane couldn¡¯t stand the way the girls were fawning over Jennifer, and he rolled his eyes dramatically. ¡°Since you think Jennifer is so great, why don¡¯t you ask her to get a few tickets for you too? Her father has business dealings with Rafael, after all. Such a small matter should be easy for her, rig Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Dane mocked the girls¡® tone, his voice somewhat affected and exaggerated, causing Flora to shiver with difort. ¡°Stop that¡± ¡°Okay okay.¡± All eyes turned to Jennifer, filled with eager anticipation. Of course, they knew Dane was provoking Jennifer, but this time, they didn¡¯t stand up for her. They really wanted to go to the concert, and maybe Jennifer did have a way *Jennifer, can you really get us into the concert too?¡± They looked at Jennifer with hopeful eyes. Jennifer was embarassed She had begged her dad for half a month to get that VIP ticket If she asked her dad to let all her ssmates in, he might kill her Still, she didn¡¯t want to embarrass herself in front of Flora. ¡°I definitely have a way, and I get you in,¡± she said through gritted teeth. The girls¡® eyes sparkled with disbelief, ¡°Jennifer, can you really get us in?¡± ¡°Of course¡± Jennifer nodded emphatically. After all, she had only said she would get them in, not that she would get them tickets. When the time came, she would just have them dress up as staff and sneak in. ¡°Jennifer, we want to go too.¡± A few boys said, trying to curry favor Jennifer nodded, ¡°Okay, just let me know if you want to go. But everyone knows the beef between me and a certain person. If you take something from me and then go to her don¡¯t me me for not being nice.¡± She was tantly nning to iste Flora with the entire ss, Dane¡¯s eyes reddened with anger, ¡°What¡¯s so great about that? Just some tickets. Who cares!¡± ¡°We can also get our own. Alex, check online. Let¡¯s buy some too. And we want the best seats.¡± ¡°Dane, that might be difficult¡± Alex swallowed hard and said, ¡°Rafael¡¯s concert tickets were sold out on the day they went on presale.¡± Then find a scalper. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s more expensive.¡± They could scrape the money together if needed; the key was to stand up for Flora. Dane wasn¡¯t really into celebrities. He had only heard of Rafael, who seemed quite popr. But how could Rafael be more popr than a topedian like Dave Chappelle, whose stand¨Cup show he had attended. Alex swallowed again, speechlessly stared at Dane. ¡°Don¡¯t you know even scalped tickets are hard toe by, and do you know how much they cost?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°How much?¡± Alex gestured the amount. Dane¡¯s eyes widened in shock, That¡¯s robbery!¡± It was more than his family¡¯s annual ie. ¡°Country bumpkin. Jennifer mocked. Dane¡¯s face turned gloomy instantly. Jennifer was definitely the most annoying girl he had ever met. ¡°Sorry¡± Kaylee apologized softly. It was all her fault. If Flora didn¡¯t give her a gift, Flora wouldn¡¯t have been macked by these people. ¡°ss is starting. Go back to your seats.¡± Flora nced at her and said indifferently. Kaylee was too soft and too easily bullied. The first ss was geography, and everyone was dozing off. Flora put her phone in the desk slot and sent a message. Flora: [You there?] The Wild One: [Little troublemaker did you get the albums?) Flora: [Yeah.] The Wild One: Jill be in Cedarvale in a few days, Lets meet up for a meal.] Flor [Let¡¯s talk about thister. Do you still have tickets for the Cedarvale concert? I need ten] On the other end, Rafael, who was getting his makeup done, became unsettled upon hearing this. He quickly typed: [What, you¡¯reing to see me? I just have my assistant pick you up.) I¡¯ming with ssmates. It¡¯s inconvenient] Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Jennifer and Carina were having lunch together, still griping about Flore ¡°Can you believe her?¡± Jennifer said, shaking her head in disbelief. ¡°Buying knockoffs and acting so righteous about it. If I were her, td be too ashamed to show my face.¡± Carina listened, a smile unwittingly ying at theers of her lips. She could only imagine how embarrassed Flora must have been. Deep down, Carina didn¡¯t really believe that Flom would be foolish enough to buy some pirated albums. But Jennifer spoke with such conviction. It was hard not to be swayed ¡°You should have seen it. Flora was utterly humiliated,¡± Jennifer was is still animatedly speaking when suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she spotted someone. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Aaron over there?¡± At her words, Carina also looked over In just over a month, Aaron seemed like apletely different person. Gone was his usual splitted demeanor, reced by a look of dejection. His clothes were pilling, and the edges of his shoes were frayed. He walked with a hunched back, head down, an air of gloom surrounding him. He was carrying several takeout containers, probably picking up food for someone else. The old Aaron only ever had others fetching food for him. Him doing this errand was unheard of Without Flora¡¯s protection, he had reverted back to the impoverished student from a small town, subject to others ridicule. ¡°Aaron¡¯s changed so much, and I almost didn¡¯t recognize him. His grades plummeted in thest mock exam. Jennifer whispered gossip. ¡°And I heard he¡¯s even taken out loans.¡± ¡°I see¡± Carina listened indifferently. Aaron seemed to have noticed her too, as he started walking towards her Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. *Jennifer, I just remembered the teacher asked me to see him. You enjoy your meal. Carina stood up and quickly left. Aaron stopped in his tracks, his hand holding the takeout containers turning slightly pale. It was break time, and the campus was crowded. A group of girls running past bumped into Carina, who was ascending the stairs. ¡°Be careful.¡± A man¡¯s maic voice sounded in her ear. After stabilizing herself, Carina turned her head, Her gaze traveled up from the man¡¯s expensive¨Clooking suit, and settled on his face. His eyes were filled with concern. ¡°Thank you.¡± Carina nodded in thanks, withdrawing her arm from the man¡¯s grasa. The man smiled, ¡°You¡¯re wee. You¡¯re Carina, right?¡± ¡°You know me?¡± was invited by your school¡¯s administration to attend the New Year¡¯s Eve party. I was there,¡± the man exined, his ponytail slightly swaying in the wind. ¡°Your dance was captivating, one of the most beautiful I¡¯ve ever seen¡± Carina, sharp as she was, could tell the man was wealthy and influential. If he could be invited by the school¡¯s administration, it meant that he must be a person of status in Cedarvale. ¡°Thank you, I didn¡¯t perform my best that day.¡± She said modestly, her cheeks coloring with a blush, her eyes misty and alluring. The man¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re too modest. Let me introduce myself. I¡¯m Wade, here¡¯s my business card.¡± Saying so, the man pulled out a business card from his pocket. Carina epted it, ncing at it from the corner of her eye. Her heart skipped a beat. Wade of the Brimer family. The man before her was Wade Brimer the son of the Brimer family. She had caught the attention of Wade! Her heart raced with excitement, though she maintained a cool exterior. She knew all too well that these wealthy men preferred a woman who seemed unattainable. Wade had seen through countless people, especially ly women, and he saw right through her act as if it were child¡¯s y. ¡°Tr¡¯s lunchtime. Have you had lunch yet? How about i treat you to a meal? To thank you for that splendid dance at the party that left me 12:27 awestruck.¡± His voice was smooth and charming. Carina¡¯s ears reddened. Tve already eaten. I have other matters to attend to and can¡¯t join you for lunch.¡± She worried that epting his invitation too readily would make her seem too easy in Wade¡¯s eyes. ¡°What a pity. That¡¯s alright, you go ahead. My assistant is waiting for me at the door. I should leave. Carina hadn¡¯t expected him to leave so briskly and was at a loss. Unseen by her, Wade, turning away, had a yful smirk on his lips. Hmm, Easier than expected. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Flora got up early, dressed up beautifully, and headed out She was nning to visit Connor at his mansion for a surprise visit without telling him in advance. However, Rafael called her, saying he had arrived in Cedarvale and invited her out to meet and to hand over the concert tickets to her So, Flora decided to take a cab to meet Rafael first. On her way, she received a call from Connor N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Wwwake?¡± ¡°Mmm, I only had a ss of milk this moming, and now I¡¯m really hungry Flora¡¯s voice carried a hint of coquetry, ¡°I finished the puff pastries you bought Connor frowned, ¡°Have the housekeeper prepare something for you to eat. You have a stomach condition. Going hungry will only make it worse.¡± ¡°Get L Flora replied with augh, Tve got something else on. Talkter¡± Flora ended the call happily, paid the driver and entered the restaurant. On the other end, after hanging up. Connor changed his clothes and went out to Thompson¡¯s Bakery to buy puff pastries. Flora was picky with food, but she really liked the puff pastries, especially since they were individually packed and couldst a long time. He always bought extra so she could carry them around as snacks. In the private room. e saw her entering. Rafael was already waiting and almost rushed up to give Flora a bear hug when he Flora dodged to the side gracefully and sat down on a chair with a cool demeanor Rafael nearly hit the wall and red at her imitably, ¡°Ice¨Ccold. I miss you so much, and you don¡¯t even care.¡± ¡°Stop that¡± Flora said, resting her chin in her hand with a look of disdain, but her eyes were soft. Rafael was a public figure and wore a mask and sunsses to cover himselfpletely, afraid of being recognized. ¡°Here, your tickets, all in the best spots.¡± Flora took them and put them in her bag, ¡°You could¡¯ve just had your assistant give them to me. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being snapped by paparazzi?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know why I came in person?¡± Rafael replied imitably, ¡°It¡¯s because you had been blinded by love recently.¡± Flora fell silent. She and Rafael had known each other since childhood, introduced by her family during a trip to their ancestral home. They spent a few months in the countryside. Back then, Rafael disliked her, thinking she was too pretentious as a city girl, even throwing her into a dog kennel once. However, over time, their bickering turned into friendship. She had a crush on Aaron, and when Rafael found out, he berated her for her poor judgment and warned that Aaron was no good. Back then, she was indeed blinded by love, refusing to hear anything bad about Aaron, leading to a fallout with Rafael. In her previous life, before she died, Rafael dropped everything toe to Cedarvale for her, only to be a step toote, She wondered what his expression would be like if he knew she ended up in a tragic fire. Flora slowly smiled, somewhat self mockingly, ¡°Yeah, blinded by love.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, my bad for bringing it up¡± Rafael felt ufortable and quickly changed the subject. ¡°Tve practiced the dance moves you revised a few times and sent the video to your email. Check it out when you have time,¡± ¡°Sure¡± Outside. On the street. A ck Maybach was parked in the middle of the road. The window was slightly rolled down, and the person inside, with dark. 10:30 brooding eyes, watched Flomughing and talking with Rafael A cold, almost insane atmosphere spread in the confined space of the car. Beck and Moss were too scared to even breathe too loudly. Who would have thought they¡¯d run into Flora with another man? ¡°Bring her over.¡± Connor¡¯s expression was t¨¦mifying, his voice hoarse. His eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Yes.¡± Beck got out of the car, but then Connor¡¯s voice came again. ¡°Forget it¡­¡± His voice sounded weak, even a bit aggrieved, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Flora had been so different these days, as if she were someone else. He didn¡¯t want to break this fragile understanding between them. Moreover, he wanted to trust her. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 After their split Flora made a beeline for the Stonnell residence. She furiously rang the doorbell. The butler, surprised to see her, opened the door ¡°Ms. Flora¡± ¡°Is Connor in?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in his room upstairs.¡± The butler hesitated before adding, ¡°Connor just came back from an errand and has been in a foul mood ever since¡± In a foul mood? Flora raised on eyebrow and ascended the stairs. At Connor¡¯s door, she encountered Moss and Beck. Their expressions changed upon seeing her. What was she doing here? This was adding fuel to the fire. Ever since Connor returned, he had locked himself in his room and hadn¡¯t Their nces made Flora feel puzzled. She thought to herself. ¡°Why are they all looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Is Connor inside?¡± She asked in a hushed tone. Beck ignored her, but Moss nodded with a tight face. Remembering what the butler said about Connor being in a bad mood, she lowered her voice even more and asked, ¡°He is in a bad mood today?¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Pretending to be ignorant? It¡¯s all because of you.¡± Beck, already on edge, exploded at this remark. Flora¡¯s frown deepened, and she knocked on the door. ¡°Go away¡± A cold voice emanated from inside Flora couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Connor was indeed angry She pushed the door open and entered. The door was unlocked; no one ever dared to enter without Connor¡¯s permission. Ray was one exception. She was another Beck hurriedly tried to stop her, but Moss grabbed his hand and pulled him back. ¡°Better to let Ms. Flora in to clear things up than to let Mr. Connor suffer alone.¡± ¡°She clear things up? She¡¯s always rubbing salt in the wound. It¡¯s only because Mr. Connor dates on her and can¡¯t bear to part with her.¡± Beck still harbored resentment from past incidents. Moss remained silent, his intuition telling him that Ms. Flora had changed. Only she could soothe Connor¡¯s mood, The room was dimly lit Upon entering, Flora was hit by a strong smell of tobo. Connor had been smoking Clearly, he was in a very bad mood. Her footsteps were light, but in the silent room, they sounded conspicuously loud. Connor¡¯s already aching head throbbed even more ¡°Get out. Who had the audacity toe in without permission? ¡°Do you really want me to leave?¡± Behind him, the pleasant voice of a young woman rose, carrying a light fragrance that assaulted Connor¡¯s senses. His rigid body began to numb. He turned and saw Flora approaching him step by step. His eyes reddened instantly. His swollen eyes made Flora pause. Things seemed serious. ¡°Connor, you look scary when you¡¯re angry Flora approached him, ncing at the full ashtray beside him, ¡°The room stinks. What¡¯s the matter? Can you talk to me?¡± Talk to her¡­ ¡°Why did you lie to me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Flora didn¡¯t catch on immediately, responding in confusion. Her expression, in Connor¡¯s eyes, seemed like she couldn¡¯te up with an answer, attempting to continue the deceit. 10:30 apter The anger he had been suppressing surged. Images of Flora and Rafael being intimate reyed in his mind. He lost all reason. He grabbed Flora¡¯s wrist tightly, pulling her down and pushing her onto the couch. His broad body pressed against hers. His breath was frantic and almost mad. ¡°Flora, do you not want me anymore?¡± Connor, whomanded Cedarvale, appeared like a vulnerable boy at that moment, his eyes welling up. His voice choked. ¡°Now that I¡¯m healed, you want to leave me. Is that it? All the kindness of these days, was it justpensation? Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Every word he uttered added to the pain in his chest, until his body Involuntarily curled up. The weight pressed down on Flors, leaving her almost breathless. She got it Connor felt insecure. ¡°Did you see me meeting with a man?¡± Flora quickly grasped the situation. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Connor didn¡¯t answer, just stared at her with reddened eyes, as if silently using her It seemed she was right. Flora sighed intomally, realizing the surprise had tumed into a scare, ¡°Can¡¯t you trust me? He¡¯s just a friend. Don¡¯t I have the right to meet with frends?¡± *You lied to me.¡± She had said she was tired and wanted to stay home. She refused to meet him, but she dressed up beautifully to meet another man. Flora sighed, struggled to take out her phone from her pocket, and showed the chat with Henrik ¡°Look, I was actuallying to see you, to surprise you. About that guy, he¡¯s just a friend who asked to see me. After meeting him, I rushed over to see you.¡± Connor¡¯s chaotic breath calmed down a bit as he stared at the phone screen. On it, were messages she sent Henrik about going to see Connor and asking which dress he liked more, thinking Connor would appreciate it. ¡°Connor, I really don¡¯t like it when you act like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Connor panicked. Would Flora be angry with him? ¡°Go open a window. It¡¯s stuffy in here.¡± Seeing Connor like this left Flora at a loss. Connor quickly got up, opened the curtains, and the window, waiting for the air to clear. Once done, he stood aside, looking helpless and guilty, like a child who had done something wrong. Flora sighed, walked up, and hugged him. ¡°Connor, it hurts me when you¡¯re like this. Im sorry. I won¡¯t lie to you again. I wanted to surprise you, but it ended up causing a big misunderstanding.¡± ¡°You¡¯re great, Connor¡± She emphasized every word, ¡°Really great, and I really, really like you¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because I feel qu guilty or n to leave after your leg heals. I truly like you. ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions next time, okay? If there¡¯s a misunderstanding, I hope you can talk to me directly. Trust is crucial between us.¡± ¡°Flora¡­¡± Connor¡¯s voice was rough. ¡°But you¡¯ve improved. Before, you would have just directly dragged me away.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it Connor confirmed. Flora, feeling both frustrated and sympathetic, decided to drop the subject. ¡°What did you go out for?¡± ¡°To buy puff pastries.¡± ¡°Where are they?¡± Connor quickly presented the bag. ¡°Want some?¡± He asked her, his tone cautious. In front of Flora, he was incredibly insecure. He didn¡¯t think she truly loved hirn. ¡°I am pissed, not hungry anymore.¡± Connor¡¯s mood darkened, so she added, ¡°As punishment for your unwarranted jealousy, you¡¯ll eat them all.¡± ¡°I bought them for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want them?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll watch you eat¡± Connor had no choice but to start eating the pastries. Flora knew he disliked these sweet treats; making him eat them was her way of punishing hisck of confidence. However, after watching him eat two, her heart softened. She took the remaining pastries from him. Lie down, I¡¯ll massage your leg. ¡°Are you still mad?¡± Connor asked. ¡°A little,¡± Flora admitted honestly. It wasn¡¯t anger but more of a feeling of empathy. Connor didn¡¯t say anything and justy down obediently. Outside, Moss and Beck, worried after not hearing from Flora for a while, couldn¡¯t help but eavesdrop. Then, indescribable sounds came out. ¡°Rx a bit. You¡¯re too hard ¡°My hands are getting sore.¡± ¡°¡°Is the pace too fast?¡± I haven¡¯t even started, and you¡¯re already struggling?¡± ¡°Connor, you seem a bit weak.¡± Beck¡¯s eyes widened. Connor¡¯s innocence would be ruined by this woman. This couldn¡¯t happen! Beck was about to charge in when Moss quickly grabbed him, his voice very low, ¡°Are you insane? Do you want Mr. Connor to send you away?¡± Till sacrifice myself. His honor must not be tarnished.¡± Beck heroically prepared to sacrifice himself, but just then, the door opened from the inside. Connor and Flora walked out. Beck instantly lost his nerve. Secing the sweat on Connor¡¯s forehead, he couldn¡¯t help but think. It was over in just a few minutes? It seemed that Connor was intleed a bit weak. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 On a weekend morning. Flora was awakened by an early call from Ray- She almost answered it before realizing it was from a backup phone. So she quickly lowered her voice. With a raspy voice, she answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°S¨¦raphine, pleasee quickly! I don¡¯t know what happened, but Aisha has had another episode.¡± Flora paused, then hurriedly replied. Til be right there.¡± When she arrived in a ruch, Connor and Ray were them, along with several members of the Brimer family. Ray looked anxious. ¡°S¨¦raphine, how could Alsha suddenly fall ill again?¡± ¡°Did she not take her medication on time?¡± Flora spoke softly, her gaze sweeping over the members of the Brimmer family. Yvonne was the first to react negatively, stomping her feet. ¡°Why are you looking at us like that! We didn¡¯t do anything. Don¡¯t try to pin this on us. I swear if anything happens to Aisha, Il use you of intentional homicide and have you locked up for life! ¡°Shut up.¡± Ray scolded, his eyes darkening with anger. Aisha had been improving these past few days. It had been a long while since herst episode, proving S¨¦raphine¡¯s renowned skills were not unfounded ¡°Why are you yelling at me. After you met Aisha, she fell ill, and it¡¯s all because of you. She must hate you now.¡± The usation caused Ray¡¯s heart to clench, pain piercing him like needles: ¡°Enough from you!¡± This time, it was Paul who spoke, his demeanor vastly different from before. After S¨¦raphine had left thest time, he had made inquiries. The results were surprising. His expression softened with respect when he looked at Flora, also tinged with a hint of fear. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only S¨¦raphine was not someone they could afford to provoke. Their previous attitude towards S¨¦raphine could be described as nothing short of terrible. ¡°S¨¦raphine, my daughter has been spoiled by me. Please don¡¯t take it to heart¡® Yvonne was incredulous, unable to believe her father was being so respectful towards this person. Flora had a good idea of what was going on. The sounds of Aisha¡¯s painful moans filtered from the room, but Flora could tell they were stronger than before. She was not in immediate danger, ¡°If you know she¡¯s been overindulged, then it¡¯s time for a change¡± Flora stated calmly. She pulled out several spices from her bag. ¡°These are needed shortly, would Miss Yvonne kindly grind them into a powder for me? ¡°This is a job for a servant. You¡¯re humiliating me.¡± Yvonne said angrily. ¡°It seems you¡¯re not entirely foolish¡± Flora smirked in amusement, her wordsced with mockery The insult was tant, challenging Yvonne on what she could actually do about it Everyone present understood that Flora intended to teach Yvonne a lesson. Aisha¡¯s life was hanging in the bnce, and any dy could be dangerous. Paul nced at Flora, then at Connor and Ray. The message was clear. They were already showing him respect by their patience. Take the spices down and grind them into powder Paul said to Yvonne. It was time for his daughter to temper her temperament. Her current attitude was bound to bring her trouble someday. Having S¨¦raphine ask her to grind the spices was a light punishment. With S¨¦raphine¡¯s capabilities and status, she could find a hundred ways to make Yvonne beg for mercy. Yvonne was extremely displeased, even her father was siding with this person. Still, she was smart enough to know that arguing further would not benefit her. There would be other opportunities to deal with this a ground the spices. rdo, She could ask someone to do it for her. After all, no one would know who ¡°Beck¡± Connor¡¯s voice was calm, slow, and authoritative, ¡°Stay with Miss Brimer and see if she needs any help.¡± Flora almostughed out loud. Flors thought to herself. ¡°That¡¯s my man. You really do understand me.¡± Chapter 60 Chapter 60 10:31 Yvonne was fuming to the point that her nose seemed to twist, while Flore strolled into the room, her demeanor bright and brisk, In the room, Aishay on the bed, convulsing violently. She clutched her neck with both hands, struggling to breathe. Flora quickly approached, taking out a perfume she had prepared beforehand and dabbing it on Alsha¡¯s forehead, neck, and wrists. Visibly, within just a quarter of an hour, Aisha¡¯s cyanotic complexion began to improve gradually. Her breathing became steadier. ¡°She was choked with rage,¡± Flors stated calmly. ¡°She hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet. It¡¯s best not to let her experience any extreme emotions for now. Even after she¡¯s better you need to control her emotions.¡± Choked with rage¡­. Ray¡¯s heart clenched. Was it really because of him? Had Alsha grown to detest him so much that just seeing him would choke her with rage? Soon, Aisha woke up. She slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw were a pair of calm eyes hidden behind a mask. Her gaze swept across everyone in the room, pausing briefly on Ray. Then she shifted her gaze, focusing back on Flora. ¡°Did you save me?¡± Her voice was cold, carrying the chill of winter frost. In Aisha¡¯s eyes, Flora saw a deste despair. The girl showed no desire to live, something Flora had realized during her treatment. Flora nodded. ¡°Yes, it was me. 1 see. The girl didn¡¯t say thank you. Her amber eyes looked empty, staring off into space. Seeing her like this, Flora was inexplicably reminded of herself in a past life. She wondered what kind of ordeal the girl had been through to end up this way. Flora didn¡¯t say anything else, just asked her, ¡°Want some candy?¡± Aisha looked visibly taken aback, frowning slightly. She had been chronically ill, her skin a pallid pale where every vein was clearly visible. Flora pulled out the pastries from her pocket and handed it to Aisha. ¡°It¡¯s quite sweet.¡± Behind her, Connor¡¯s face changed slightly at the sight of the familiar pastries, his gaze on Flora bing more probing. Aisha stared at Flora for a moment, took the pastries with a cold expression, tore open the wrapper, and bit into it. She chewed without any expression, as if even the sweetest treats tasted nd to her. Flora asked everyone to leave, so Alsha could rest and recover. Outside, Flora said, ¡°Aisha¡¯s condition has improved significantly. Just avoid overexciting her. If this happens again, don¡¯t worry, just use the perfume I left, dab it on her as I did, and shell recover shortly! ¡°Thank you, S¨¦raphine.¡± Ray was so moved, tears welled up in his eyes. Flora gave him azy nce and said, ¡°You¡¯re wee. Just transfer the consultation fee to my ount. Eight million.¡± Ray¡¯s face stiffened, thinking incredulously that she had actually doubled the fee. However, if it could cure Aisha, he was willing to pay, even if it meant emptying his family¡¯s coffers. ¡°S¨¦raphine, I have a friend¡¯s son who has a simr condition to Alsha¡¯s. I¡¯d like to ask for your help, no matter the cost. Paul said, somewhat ingratiatingly ¡°No matter how high the fee is, I¡¯m not interested. I¡¯m not in need of money.¡± Flora didn¡¯t even look at him, her lips curling into a slight, mischievous smile. ¡°What do you want, then?¡± Paul frowned, imitated by Flora¡¯s attitude. ¡°I make house calls based on people, not payment. If I like someone, it could even be free. If I don¡¯t, no amount of money will make me treat them.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°And you, the Brimer family. Flora¡¯s voice dragged, ¡°I find every single one of you annoying, so I tly refuse to treat anyone rted to the Brimer family¡± Paul¡¯s face darkened. He had shown ber some respect, and she was tantly acting so arogant. ¡°Seraphine, I respect you, but don¡¯t push it.¡± ¡°I just did. What are you going to do about it?¡± Flora chuckled lightly, using her hood to look at him, her eyes sparkling with mockery. Suddenly, Ray felt that the eight million consultation fee was well spent. At least S¨¦raphine was willing to make a house call, which meant she didn¡¯t hate him that much. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 p¨¦raphine, let me take you home.¡± Pay escorted Flora out, then turned to Connor and said, ¡°You should head back and rest foo ¡°I¡¯m going to the Ining family¡± ¡°Going to loser again?¡± Ray sneered, a hint of disdain shing in his eyes at the mention of that girl. Flora need inwardly. Connor drove eff first Ray offered to take Flora home, but she declined. He watched as Flora got into her car, then he helped her close the door Then, as if something urred to het she said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to transfer my consultation fee, ten million¡± Ray, ¡°Wasn¡¯t in eight million just now? How did it suddenly be ten million?¡± Flora¡¯s smile widened, her tone icy. ¡°You¡¯ve imitated me Flora dashed home and had just changed her clothes Connor hade I voicesing from the living room. She knew he was suspicious of her. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have rushed over th ¡°Why are you here?¡± i Flora descended the stairs, covering her eyes as if she had just wok ic She approached Connor, hugging his waist, softly whispering The fragrance of jasmine lingered on the girt, something Seraphinecked Connor felt as if he was bewitched, to think that Flora was machine brought you some food. A you home alone?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Flora nodded, ¡°They¡¯ve all gone out¡± Hennik was busy setting up his talent agency, que upied ¡®Do you want to go out this afternoon! Connor and softy ¡°I do, but I don¡¯t want to wash my har it ¡°After you finish the food, fl wash it for you¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a deal¡± Monday: Flora with her backpack, walked into ss 2. Before ss had even started, a bunch of people were excitedly gathered around Jenter taking about Rafael¡¯s concert Jennifer, you¡¯re amazing You can get us at any ¡± ¡°I never dreamed that one day I could go to Rafael¡¯s concert to season Jennifers family owns an entertainmentpany, and they have coboration with Rafael Geming us backstage passes is nothing for her Jennifer basked in the praises. When she saw Flora, she deliberately spoke louder ¡°My dad sad, Rafael has decided to enter into a long term coboration with ourpany From now on, I be seeing him often if you guys want autographs or something, I can get them for you? Last time Flora danced to Rafael¡¯s song Jenter thought Flors was also a fan of Rafael, so she deliberately said so much to provoke Flora The girls became even more envious ¡°Oh my god, this is like a plot from a teen drama You guys will definitely park something The gris began to fantasize, wishing the you and Rafael wouldn¡¯t end up gether from being a over time, would you? N?velDrama.Org holds this content. tartched. She didn¡¯t even know what to say. These gr ed the topic to Flora S¨¦raphine, let me take you home.¡± Ray escorted Flors out, then turned to Connor and said, ¡°You should head back and rest too Im going to the Irving family¡± ¡°Going to see that loser again?¡± Ray sneered, a hint of disdain shing in his eyes at the mention of that girl. Flora sneered inwardly. Connor drove off first. Ray offered to take Flora home, but she declined. He watched as Flora got into her car, then he helped her close the door. Then, as if something urred to her she said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to transfer my consultation fee, ten million.¡± Ray, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it eight million just now? How did it suddenly be ten million?¡± Flora¡¯s smile widened, her tone icy. ¡°You¡¯ve imitated me.¡± Flora dashed home and had just changed her clothes when she heard voicesing from the living room. Connor hade. She knew he was suspicious of her. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have rushed over like this. F 2 2 1 2 8 6 3 2 ¡ì ¡ê 8 % ¡À ¡°Why are you here?¡± Flora descended the stairs, covering her eyes as if she had just woken up. She approached Connor, hugging his waist, softly whispering. The fragrance of jasmine lingered on the girl, something S¨¦raphinecked. Connor felt as if he was bewitched, to think that Flora was S¨¦raphine. ¡°I brought you some food. Are you home alone?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Flora nodded, ¡°They¡¯ve all gone out.¡± Henrik was busy setting up his talent agency, quite upied, ¡°Do you want to go out this aftemoon?¡± Connor asked softly. ¡°I do, but I don¡¯t want to wash my hair¡± ¡°After you finish the food, Ill wash it for you¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a deal,¡± Monday. Flora, with her backpack, walked into ss Z Before ss had even started, a bunch of people were excitedly gathered around Jennifer, talking about Rafael¡¯s concert. ¡°Jennifer, you¡¯re amazing. You can get us all in.¡± ¡°I never dreamed that one day I could go to Rafael¡¯s concert, to see Rafael in person.¡± ¡°Jennifer¡¯s family owns an entertainmentpany, and they have coborations with Rafael. Getting us backstage passes is nothing for her.¡± Jennifer basked in the praises. When she saw Flore, she deliberately spoke louder, ¡°My dad said, Rafael has decided to enter into a long¨Cterm coboration with ourpany. From now on, I¡¯ll be seeing him often. If you guys want autographs or something, I can get them for you.¡± Last time Flora danced to Rafael¡¯s song. Jennifer thought Flora was also a fan of Rafael, so she deliberately said so much to provoke Flora The girls became even more envious. ¡°Oh my god, this is like a plot from a teen drama. You guys will definitely spark something.¡± The girls began to fantasize, wishing they y were the heroine. ¡°Jennifer, you and Rafael wouldn¡¯t end up together from being acquaintances over time, would you?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so envious.¡± Floras lips twitched. She didn¡¯t even know what to say. These girls¡® imagination was quite something. ¡°Flora, I heard your brother also wants to start an entertainmentpany?¡± Jennifer turned the topic to Flora. 10:31 How do you know? Flors frowned, giving her a nce. ¡°Your brother has been seeking Investments everywhere. How could I not know? He even approached my dad¡¯spany. Jennifer felt even more triumphant, ¡°Originally, out of consideration for our being ssmates, I thought about asking my dad to help your brother out. But your brother is just not good enough, and my dad couldn¡¯t bring himself to sign the deal.¡± ¡°Jennifer, stop your lies.¡± Dane and his friends looked very displeased. ¡°That¡¯s right, what¡¯s so great about sneaking in dressed as a staff member. You won¡¯t even have a proper seat. Stop bragging about it.¡± Dane didn¡¯t care how much they bragged. He just couldn¡¯t stand Jennifer¡¯s snide remarks, always implying something about Flora. ¡°So what if we dressed as staff members? You couldn¡¯t even get through the front door¡± D¨¢ne¡¯s words triggered a wave ofughter. ¡°Exactly, at least we didn¡¯t stoop to buying pirated albums.¡± ¡°Say that again, I dare you¡± Dane, enraged, stood up abruptly from his chair. The person who had spoken looked a bit scared, not daring to speak again, but still looked defiant, muttering under their breath to provoke. Dane, chair in hand, approached. ¡°You gonna repeat it?¡± That person couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, ¡°Dane, if youy a hand on me, I tell the teacher to get you expelled. You¡¯ll get a major demerit.¡± Daneughed in anger, spat out, ¡°Coward, I¡¯m not even interested in this anymore.¡± ¡°Dane,e back,¡± Flora was rummaging through her backpack, not even lifting her head. ¡°If you keep talking like that, I¡¯ll tie you up on the street.¡± Dane warned with a re, then went back to his seat with his chair. After Dane¡¯s outburst, everyone was a bit intimidated, no longer crowding around Jennifer. They returned to their seats, reviewing their textbooks. ¡°Flora, don¡¯t be mad. These people just need to be put in their ce.¡± Dane spoke loudly, not bothering to lower his voice, making the atmosphere in ss Z even more awkward Flora didn¡¯t respond to him, she rummaged through her backpack for a while and finally took out the VIP tickets Rafael had given her She had casually put it in her bag before and had forgotten which pocket it w Chapter 62 Chapter 62 ¡°Here.¡± She ced a stack of tickets all in Dane¡¯s hands. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Dane took them, curious. Then his eyes widened in shock ¡°Holy ¡°shut up, be quiet¡± Flora nced at him, warning him not to make a fuss. It took Dane a moment to digest the information, and even then, he was still in disbelief. His hands frembled as he held the tickets So many tickets to Rafael¡¯s concert, and all of them were for the best spots in the house. ¡°Flora, where did you get these?¡± He whispered to Flora, unable to contain his excitement. ¡°A friend gave them to me.¡± Flora said casually, Tve taken mine, and there are nine left, you decide how to distribute them.¡± Dane¡¯s group had a total of eight people, eight tickets. Kaylee could take thest one just perfect. Flora had managed to get a ticket for each of them. ¡°I¡¯ll distribute them after ss. Dane said excitedly, admiring Flora¡¯s calm demeanor even more. Flora was just awesome. She could give away so many prime concert tickets without batting an eye And then there was Jennifer, who could only brag about getting ss Z to dress up as staff for the concert He started looking forward to the look on Jennifer¡¯s face when she saw them at the concert. Flora was messaging Rafael, lying on the table. [You¡¯re considering a coboration with the Haines Media?] [Huh?) Rafael replied with a question mark, and it took a while before he replied again. I checked. They wanted to coborate, but they got kicked out in the first round. I wouldn¡¯t have known what that backwaterpany was if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it] Rafael: [Why, you know them?] Flora: [Got beef.] Rafael: [Got it] Flora: [Hmm.] The Irving family Floray on the couch, munching on chips, casually asking her brother Henrik next to her. ¡°Those people I mentioned before, have they signed?¡± Hennik lowered his newspaper slightly, revealing his handsome features, his tone amused and slightly exasperated. ¡°Almost all of them, except for one. When my guy went to find him, he was feeding pigs. Sald he wanted to raise pigs, and had no time to be some celebrity. Eventually, I convinced him by offering to set up a farm in the city so he could continue his pig farming. Only then did he reluctantly agree.¡± Flora almost diedughing. ¡°Flora, where do you meet such¡­ strange people.¡± Henrik couldn¡¯t help butugh, those people could only be described as strange. Some were pig farmers, some chopped wood in the mountains, and some were stay¨Cat¨Chome dads. They were ordinary looking, nothing special, hardly the type to be famous. ¡°Trust me, in two years, they¡¯ll surprise you.¡± ¡°Alright, I trust you.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Even if they didn¡¯t be famous, it was fine. It was all for Flora¡¯s happiness. ¡°By the way, bro, Rafael¡¯s in Cedarvale now, looking for partners, why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite well¨Cinformed.¡± Henrik smiled indulgently. ¡°Though I have some influence in the entertainment industry, mypany is still new, with shallow roots. There are countless big companies looking to coborate with Rafael. He won¡¯t choose mine. Even establishedpanies like Haines Media have been turned down.¡± 10.31 ¡°Haines Media won¡¯t lest much longer. Flom shrugged, although she had been focused on Aaron In her past life and hadn¡¯t cared much for these matters, she still remembered some details. Haines Entertainment, it seemed, would face a major crisis and shut down a yearter. All their assets would be seized, possibly due to corruption. ¡°What?¡± Henrik was curious, not understanding why Flora would say that Flora smiled, not continuing on that topic, but talking about Rafael instead, ¡°Just give it a try, who knows, Rafael might choose you.¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 ¡°Okay, I give it a shot.¡± Henrik didn¡¯t hold much hope. In his view, the chances of Rafael choosing him were slim to none. He was just doing it to make Flora happy Flors looked down at her phone, opening her chat with Rafael and sending another message. As Rafael¡¯s concert drew nearer, the excitement among the ss Z students became uncontroble. This might be their only chance to see Rafael, and they were determined to prepare well They pooled together whatever money they had and bought a telescope and a camera. As staff, they would only be at the entrance, and without a telescope, they wouldn¡¯t be able to see Rafael clearly at all. But as a group of students without much money, they had to scrape together what they could. Listening to their discussion, Dane couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. ¡°Sorry, please continue. I just couldn¡¯t hold it in,¡± Dane said, thoroughly amused. They were so far away, he thought, even with a telescope designed for stargazing, they¡¯d hardly be able to see Rafael¡¯s face. Hisughter shifted everyone¡¯s attention to him. ¡°Dane, didn¡¯t you say you were going to buy tickets? How did it go, did you get them? Show us.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop being Flora¡¯sckey? We¡¯ll talk to Jennifer, see if we can get you in as a staff member, how about that?¡± off men ¡°Beg us, and we¡¯ll take you in,¡± Dane tried hard to stifle hisughter. Flora, who was exining a question to Kaylee, looked up with an expressionless face. Catching her nce, Dane immediately behaved, ignoring them. ¡°This approach to the question is not quite right¡­¡± After reviewing Kaylee¡¯s solution, Flora frowned. She took Kaylee¡¯s notebook, intending to demonstrate the correct way, but then noticed the design sketches on the page. The model was supposed to be Rafael, with his signature purple¨Cblue hair and sparkly earrings. ¡°Did you draw this?¡± Flora was somewhat surprised. ¡°Just.. just doodling.¡± Kaylee was embarrassed. Flora nced at the draft, ¡°it¡¯s really good.¡± Flora said sincerely, ¡°You have a talent for design. You could consider a career in fashion design. ¡°Really?¡± Getting the affirmation, Kaylee was thrilled, ¡°Flora, I love fashion design, and I want to major in it in college.¡± Kaylee became more talkative when talking about her passion, ¡°Flora, do you know the designer Rose? She¡¯s my idol. My dream is to meet her one day and join the Rose design team.¡± Rose, the world¡¯s leading designer. Her designs had gone international, winning first ce in an international designpetition two R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only years ago. Countless people wanted her help in designing clothes, but Rose was the kind of person who did everything ording to her mood. Even A¨Clist celebrities had to gauge her mood if they wanted her to design clothes for them. The only exception was Rafael. Every outfit he wore to public events was specially designed by Rose. Many were curious about their rtionship. But despite much digging, no juicy details were found. ¡°I hope, one day, Rafael can wear something I¡¯ve designed, standing on the stage, shining brightly. I know I¡¯m not good enough yet, but I¡¯ll work hard¡± Kaylee said with a fighting spirit. Flora stared at her and said softly. ¡°You can do it.¡± After Kaylee consulted Flora, slie returned to her seat. Flora took out her phone, seeing a message from Connor. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Connor: How about a trip to Blossom Valley this Saturday?) Flora had always mentioned wanting to go, but never seemed to find the time. She replied with feigned regret, I can¡¯t, I¡¯ve got ns this Saturday. Im going to a concert] [With frends?) [Yeah] [Is it all set?] [Mhm.] Even through the screen, Flora could imagine how disappointed Connor must be feeling. She felt a twinge of guilt. He was too insecure sometimes. A little neglect, and he¡¯d start to think she wanted to leave him After a moment¡¯s thought, she decided to try her luck and continued typing. [Or, you coulde with me?] The concert would be too noisy, Flora thought Connor wouldn¡¯t like it. [If you don¡¯t want to, no pressure. We can go somece else when we¡¯re both free Worried Connor might feel awkward to refuse, she quickly sent another message before he could reply [Ile pick you up from the Irving residence in the morning. [Okay] On the day of the concert, Flora had been ready for a while, but Connor hadn¡¯t arrived yet. This was unexpected; Connor was never the type to bete. [Connor, are you ready yet?] She messaged him while lounging on her bed. Elsewhere Moss and Beck were shocked to see Connor sweating over his choice of outfits. He had changed clothes dozens of times, starting before dawn and still hadn¡¯t settled on the right outfit. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s gettingte. Ms. Flora must be getting anxious, Moss reminded him. Hearing this, Connor nced at his watch. Indeed, there wasn¡¯t much time left. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only He held up two outfits, asking Moss and Beck, ¡°Which one?? ¡°The one on the left¡± ¡°I was thinking the left one too, Moss and Beck echoed. Connorpared the two outfits again, frowning. ¡°Really? I think the right one looks younger, a bit better.¡± He was already several years older than Flora. He couldn¡¯t afford to dress too maturely. Moss and Beck fell silent. By the time Flora was almost falling asleep waiting, Connor finally arrived. She hurried downstairs and saw Connor standing by the car door Today, he was dressed simply in a white shirt and jeans, his hair casually tousled but not unkempt, adding a touch of wildness instead. Faint light filtered through the gaps in the trees, casting a soft and warm glow on his handsome features. Gone were the aloofness and haughtiness of the past. He looked years younger. A smile brightened his already attractive eyes. Flora walked up to him, not hiding her admiration, ¡°Connor, you look different today¡± ¡°How so?¡± Connor asked casually, though he was a bit nervous. Did he look strange dressed like this? ¡°You look great. And there¡¯s a certain liveliness about you.¡± Floraughed. Connor secretly breathed a sigh of relief and opened the passenger door for her. Considering they were going to meet Flora¡¯s friends, Connor chose not to show off, opting for a modest car ¡°Moss and Beck didn¡¯te today?¡± 10:31 Flore sat in the passenger seat, looking at Connor as he fastened her seatbelt, and asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve assigned them other tasks. It¡¯s just the two of us today,¡± Connor exined. ¡°There are snacks in the back if you get hungry! ¡°Great.¡± Flora turned and grabbed a big bag of snacks from the backseat to hold in herp. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Outside the grand theater. Kaylee and Dane, along with their friends, were waiting for Flora, their backpacks slung over their shoulders. ¡°Hey, kids, are you here to see Rafael too?¡± A man in a leather jacket approached them and asked, ¡°I¡¯ve got some Rafael¡¯s concert tickets for the town area. Want them?¡± Scalpers had already set their sights on Kaylee and her group since they were lingering outside without entering, a scene quitemon here. ¡°No, thanks.¡± Kaylee shook her head. ¡°We have tickets. Even if they didn¡¯t have tickets, she wouldn¡¯t buy from a scalper. Disappointed, the scalper walked away. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Dane? So, you guys actually showed up. Jennifer and the folks from ss 2 strutted over. Seeing them, Dane frowned, clearly annoyed. ¡°Looking for scalpers to buy tickets, huh?¡± They had seen Dane¡¯s group talking to a scalper earlier. ¡°A scalper¡¯s ticket goes for a five¨Cfigure sum. Can you afford it? Ha¨Cha! Why isn¡¯t Flora here? Isn¡¯t she always so boastful? Why not have her take you in?¡± ¡°Why are you even here if you¡¯re just going to start trouble?¡± Dane retorted, his patience wearing thin. ¡°Dane, we¡¯re just looking out for you. Maybe if you ask Jennifer nicely, she might just soften up and let you sneak in as part of the crew¡± Dane couldn¡¯t help butugh at the absurdity, ¡°We don¡¯t need to. We have tickets, and they¡¯re for the best seats in the house, right in the center of the inner circle.¡± Theirughter grew louder. They did not believe a word he said.. ¡°Ha¨Cha! Seriously? I bet they don¡¯t even havewn tickets.¡± Dane was furious. Earlier, he had handed all the tickets to Flora for safekeeping. Keeping the tickets with them was a constant worry. They couldn¡¯t eat or sleep well, fearing they might lose them. If Flora had been. there, they would¡¯ve already used the tickets to p these mockers in the face.. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So, bitten off more than you can chew, huh? Can¡¯t produce the tickets now, can you?¡± The boy who had spoken earlier felt even more triumphant. ¡°The tickets are with Flora. She hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡± ¡°Dane, since when have you be so bad at making excuses? The tickets are with Flora? Fine, we¡¯ll just wait and see if Flora can produce the tickets when she arrives.¡± Jennifer¡¯s eyes were filled with , clearly not believing a word from Dane and his group. She was also eager to see them embarrassed. There was some time still left before the concert started, so they decided to wait for Flora to arrive. About fifteen minutester, Flora and Connor arrived. As Flora got out of the car first, Connor went to park on the side. Due to the angle, Connor¡¯s back was to them the entire time, so they couldn¡¯t see his face, only a broad silhouette. Jennifer nced at the car model with disdain. How could they show off with such an average car! ¡°Who¡¯s that guy with Flora, so close to her? Could he be her boyfriend?¡± ¡°No way. Could her taste be that bad, choosing such a poor guy?¡± That car was barely worth a few tens of thousands. Flora waited for Connor to park the car, then took his arm and headed towards the grand theater. As they approached, everyone got a good look at Connor. A wave of astonishment swept through ss Z, especially among the girls. Wow, he was handsome. Jennifer could hear her own heart pounding. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 ¡°Why are all of you standing here?¡± Flora was taken aback to see them all huddled together. ¡°Flora, who is this guy?¡± Dane asked, his eyes locked on Connor, winking and nudging, his tone dripping with curiosity. They all noticed it¨Cthe closeness between Flora and that man was undeniable. ¡°He¡¯s my fianc¨¦, Flora stated calmly. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Fianc¨¦!¡± Dane and the others were taken aback. ¡°Flora, how old are you to have a fianc¨¦ already?¡± ¡°I¡¯m of age,¡± Flora replied lightly, then introduced Dane and Kaylee to Connor, deliberately ignoring Jennifer and her group. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Connor, Flora¡¯s fianc¨¦. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you all from Flora, Connor greeted them warmly, opening a bag of snacks and drinks he¡¯d brought along. ¡°Thank you for looking out for Flora at school. I¡¯ve brought some beverages and snacks; please help yourselves to whatever you like.¡± Jennifer, witnessing the affection between Connor and Flora, felt a surge of jealousy. However, she quickly suppressed these feelings. After she saw at the bag Connor was holding, disdain and mockery shed in her eyes. No matter how handsome, he appeared to be just another poor boy. He just brought snacks for a first meeting, and they were of brands she¡¯d never even heard of. He looked like a college student, probably only with Flora for her money Her family were far wealthier than the Irvings. ¡°Ha, Flora, Dane was just saying you had VIP passes, iming they were with you. I¡¯d like to see if you can actually produce them.¡± A girl lingered her gaze on Connor¡¯s face for a moment longer than necessary before reluctantly turning away, her wordsced with mockery. ¡°What does it matter to you whether I have backstage passes or not?¡± Flora was genuinely puzzled by their eagerness to humiliate themselves. ¡°Ha, you probably don¡¯t have them.¡± The girl who spoke earlierughed loudly. In their eyes, Flora couldn¡¯t possibly have the tickets. They had doubted her from the start, waiting only to see her embarrassed. ¡°Ah.¡± Flora nced at her skeptically, her demeanor nonchnt, ¡°Well, as it turns out, I do have them.¡± ss Z watched as Flora leisurely pulled out a stack of something from her bag. They focused, and their expressions changed drastically in an instant. These were indeed backstage passes. And not just one or two, but over a dozen. How¡¯s this possible! Jennifer couldn¡¯t believe her eyes, staring hard at the stack of backstage passes in Flora¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Someone couldn¡¯t help but reach out to touch the stack of passes in Flora¡¯s hand. Dane immediately snapped, ¡°Get your dirty hands off. Can you afford to ruin them?¡± The person withdrew their hand, disgruntled. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? They¡¯re just a few backstage passes.¡± They suppressed their shock and jealousy, sourly adding, ¡°You¡¯d still have to wait in a long line. Jennifer is the daughter of the event¡¯s main sponsor. She could even get us a signed photo with Rafael.¡± Just then, a man in a suit, wearing a badge, quickly approached. He scanned the crowd and then locked eyes on Jennifer and her group, rushing over with a hint of excitement. ¡°Ah! Devin! Devin!¡± The fans in line burst into excitement upon seeing the neet Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Rafael¡¯s agent Devin, was here! ¡°Devin, what brings you here?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Jennifer and Devin knew each other, and quickly fell into an easy chat. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up a VIP Devin¡¯s response was terse, his gaze then fixated on Flora, visibly excited. ¡°Flora, Rafael sent me to pick you ¡°¡°Okay.¡± Flora¡¯s response was indifferent, her expression unchanging, but inwardly, she felt a bit helpless. Rafael still didn¡¯t understand the concept of keeping a low profile. He actually sent his agent out in the open like this. Everyone present was nearly popping their eyes out in shock. What was going on? How did Rafael¡¯s agent know Flora? And from the sounds of it, they seemed pretty familiar ¡°Flora, you know Rafael?¡± Dane stammered. ¡°Let¡¯s get inside.¡± Flora was the first to move. The stunned Dane, Kaylee, and others hurriedly followed. ss Zs members were left standing, their minds a whirlwind of shock and jealousy. Flora actually knew Rafael! They were green with envy. If Flora knew Rafael, then Dane and the rest could easily meet him, perhaps even get autographs and photos? ¡°Right.¡± Devin bad only taken a few steps when he turned back to Jennifer, ¡°Jennifer.¡± ¡°You better not bring your friends inside,¡± he said coldly, his demeanor starkly different from how he treated Flora. ¡°They¡¯re all still students. Them pretending to be staff members makes me question the legitimacy of the organizers. ¡°I¡¯ve already discussed this with Christopher. He told me to tell you, your friends should return from whence they came.¡± After saying this, Devin followed Flora, leading them through a staff¨Conly entrance. Jennifer¡¯s face turned pale and then flushed, a sight to behold. She had arranged for the members of ss 2 to sneak in as staff members, and someone assured her it was okay Devin¡¯s words clearly meant she wasn¡¯t allowed to bring the members of ss Z inside. ¡°Jennifer, what¡¯s going on? You hadn¡¯t arranged it at all, had you?¡± Her friends¡® mood, already foul, worsened upon hearing this. ¡°L¡± Jennifer took a deep breath, gritting her teeth, ¡°There¡¯s been ast¨Cminute issue. It looks like you all can¡¯t go inside for now. Just head back, and I¡¯ll try to get Rafael¡¯s autographs for you.¡± Her friends could onlyugh in frustration. *Jennifer, are you ying a joke on us?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t boast if you can¡¯t deliver.¡± The more they thought about it, the more they felt cheated. Had they known, they would have followed Flora like Dane did. To be directly led inside by Rafael¡¯s agent would have been so prestigious ¡°Such a liar, you¡¯re not even worth a fraction of what Flora is.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been yed for days, and we even spent so much money on binocrs. You owe us that money!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re done here. Just seeing her annoys me. Let¡¯s go grab some milkshake.¡± With that, they left in a huff, Jennifer¡¯s face was a picture of embarrassment and humiliation. She felt utterly disgraced. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Dane and the others looked around with wide¨Ceyed wonder, their excitement palpable as they seemingly didn¡¯t know where to put their hands or feet. ¡°Rafael is getting his makeup done backstage. Flom, do you all want to go now?¡± Devin asked in a low voice. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Flora nodded, the kids were too enger to see Rafael. Devin quickly led them backstage. Backstage, Rafael had been waiting for a while, constantly looking towards the door. ¡°Oh my, please don¡¯t move around so much¡± The makeup artist was eat her wit¡¯s end. ¡°Flora!¡± Finally, Flora and her group walked in, and Rafael sprung up immediately. ¡°You¡¯re finally here!¡± Dane and Kaylee just watched as Rafael, who always shone brightly and carried himself with a cool aloofness on stage, ran towards Flora, arms wide open for a hug. Connor stepped forward, blocking him with an unfriendly expression. Rafael abruptly stopped in his tracks. He had noticed Connor the moment he walked in. Despite wearing nothing more than a simple white shirt and jeans, Connor captured everyone¡¯s attention instantly. ¡°Who are you?¡± Rafael asked, looking displeased. ¡°Watch your tone.¡± Flom nced at him, ¡°This is my fianc¨¦, Connor. ¡°Fianc¨¦?!¡± Rafael nearly choked on his saliva. A france? Since when? Weren¡¯t youpletely focused on Aaron? ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± Rafael¡¯s gaze towards Connor became much more serious. Dressed in simple attire, the man might seem underwhelming at first nce. But Rafael knew better. Every item the man wore was worth at least in the six figures. The aura of affluence around him, coupled with a subtle aloofness, was like the pine trees in the early morning mountains, shrouded in a thick mist With just one in R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only one look, Rafael realized that this man was powerful and not to be trifled with How did Flora get involved with someone like this? ¡°Pleased to meet you, I¡¯m Connor. Connor extended his hand politely, nodding slightly with an inherent nobility. Every movement was captivating. Ignoring Connor, Rafael turned to Flora, ¡°You¡¯re engaged to him just like that? Aren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯s after your money or something worse?¡± ¡°Are you asking for trouble?¡± Flora nced at him lightly. She then grabbed Connor¡¯s hand in mid¨C air, their fingers interlocking. Rafael pouted, looking somewhat wronged. Dane and the rest were stunned. Was this the Rafael they knew? Howe he was so obedient in front of Flora. ¡°Stop making a fuss. My friends here want to take a photo with you and get your autograph.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no problem at all. Come on over, everyone.¡± Rafael greeted Dane and the others, his tone/noticeably cooler than when he spoke with Flora ¡°Rafaell Sign here! A Right here! This shirt, Im going to treasure it!¡± Alex, holding a pen and pointing at his shirt, said excitedly. ¡°Rafaell Me too, me too!¡± Rafael was used to it many fans were even more enthusiastic than them. ¡°You¡¯re friends of Flora, so you¡¯re my friends too. If she needs anything at school, I¡¯m counting on you all to lend a hand.¡± ¡°Rafael, you¡¯re too kind. It¡¯s Flora who looks after us.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly Dane and the others nodded vigorously. After Rafael took photos with everyone, a somewhat nervous Kaylee asked him, ¡®Rafael. I really like you. Can I have a photo with just Chapter 69 Chapter 69 ¡°Then, Mr. Rafael, maybe we can take a photo together some other time.¡± Kaylee awkwardly waved her hands, afraid of bothering Rafael ¡°Sure.¡± Rafool did insist The concert was about to start, and Flom and Connor, among others, made their way out from backstage. ¡°Devin, can you look up everything about Connor for me? I want all the information. Rafael¡¯s eyes shed with a cold light as he watched Connor walking away arm in arm with Flom ¡°Understood,¡± Devin nodded Flora and her group¡¯s tickets were in the third row in the middle of the Inner field The first five rows of the inner field were sold to the public, mostly to directors and producers coming to support the event. These were people of status. As Flora and her group took their seats, they attracted a lot of attention. The entertainment circle was small. Almost everyone knew each other. A group of unfamiliar faces, especially as young as they were, naturally drew curious and scrutinizing nces. Most of the attention was on Flora and Connor The lighting around them was dim, with sudden shes illuminating their perfectly sculpted features. They seemed destined for the stage, captivating everyone¡¯s attention just by siting there. Several directors and producers could hardly contain themselves. They had never seen such promising talent, with looks that could dominate the entertainment industry. ¡°Which agency are you with?¡± A director sitting in front of Flora had been watching her for a while and couldn¡¯t help but turn around and ask ¡°We¡¯re not in the entertainment industry, we haven¡¯t signed with any agency¡± Flora replied. Not signed with any agency?! The excitement among the crowd grew, ww, and several top agents couldn¡¯t stay seated any longer. ¡°Miss, are you interested in entering the entertainment industry?¡± An agent from a few rows back couldn¡¯t help but turn her head. She was one of the most reputable agents in the industry, known for propelling artists to at least mid¨Ctier fame. From the moment she saw Flora, she knew this girl could be a star She then couldn¡¯t help but nce at Connor. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The man looked in his early twenties. He had a pair of captivating eyes, exuding a sense of aloofness. Despite wearing a simple white shirt, his every move radiated nobility and indifference, intimidating even a seasoned industry veteran like her. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m still in school and don¡¯t n to enter the entertainment industry for now.¡± ¡°What grade are you in?¡± ¡°Senior year. ¡°Then you should focus on your studies. But no worries, take my business card, and after you graduate, feel free to contact me.¡± Without waiting for a response, the agent handed over her card, eager not to lose such promising talents, Trust my judgment. You and your handsome friend could be even more popr than Rafael.¡± ¡°How can you scout people at Rafael¡¯s concert? The girl is still in high school; you¡¯re too eager.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡± Several colleagues chimed in, then handed their business cards to Flora. ¡°You¡¯re born for the stage. It¡¯d be a waste not to enter the entertainment industry. Just focus on your exams for now, and think it over No rush, just call me when you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°I have a script that¡¯s about to start shooting in a few months, and there¡¯s a role of the fourth female lead that I think would suit you perfectly. Feel free to call me if you¡¯re interested.¡± In no time, Flora¡¯s hands were filled with business cards. She found it both amusing and slightly overwhelming. In the distance, Jennifer watched, her nose almost crooked with anger. These were the big shots of the Industry, with immense influence and high standards. Before, she had gone through great lengths just to meet them, barely getting a word in, let alone a nce. And now, they were all fawning over Flora. Why did Flora get everything! Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Jennifer clenched her teeth, resolved not to let Florn continue to triumph. Wasn¡¯t she very affectionate with her boyfriend? Then she would steal him away. Jennifer was confident. She was almost as beautiful as Flora, and her family was wealthier. Winning over her penniless boyfriend would be a piece of cake. In the spotlight, Rafael finally took the stage. Darkness enveloped the stage. A single beam of light illuminated his figure, adding a touch of solitude and chill As the music began, so did his movement. Every move was executed wlessly, and everyone in the audience could feel the explosive power within him. From despair and breakdown to a forceful tumaround, the power of his heart wrenching roar left everyone breathless. They were captivated by the man on stage. Rafael¡¯s dance was as natural as it was wild. He had once been criticized by peers, iming his dance was too dark for the big screen. However, Rafael was a beacon for many. His soul¨Cstriking dance lifted many from their abyss. His dance seemed to possess a magic, confronting the audience with their deepest insecurities. It might lead to breakdowns and heart¨Cwrenching sobs, but after facing it they would heel. ¡°Ah! Rafael! Rafael! We love you!¡± ¡°Ahl Rafael!¡± ¡°Rafael!¡± The entire crowd screamed their hearts out. Their voices choked with excitement. Kaylee also cried, struggling to catch her breath. Usually reserved, she screamed until her voice was nearly gone. Flora was shocked by the person on stage. It was her first time attending a live concert, experiencing the power Rafael, as a star, brought to his fans. ¡°Do you find it too noisy?¡± She turned to Connor, He usually disliked such scenes. The music and cheers was blending together, so Connor didn¡¯t hear Flora¡¯s words. He leaned in closer, his lips near her ear asking. ¡°What?¡± Flora also leaned in, shouting, 1 said, do you find it too noisy and ufortable?¡± Connor did find it somewhat headache¨Cinducing. Usually, he preferred ssical music and opera. This kind of thing, popr among young girls, was a bit much for him. ¡°Till go to the restroom.¡± He said gently. Flora nodded, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Outside, the deafening noise diminished significantly. Connor walked towards the restroom. A woman suddenly appeared, blocking his path. ¡°Do you remember me?¡± Jennifer stared at the man in front of her, her heart racing The man, justing from the lively concen, had a slightly flushed face. His lips, slightly pursed, bore a hint of restraint. His handsome features, cold and sharp, seemed meticulously crafted by God, refined and captivating. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Connor remembered that she was Flora¡¯s ssmate, but they were on bad terms. He didn¡¯t even nce at her, walking past her. Jennifer had never been so ignored. Her face immediately tumed sour. Fuming, she shouted after Connor¡¯s fetreating figure, ¡°Hey! Do you know what Flora has been doing behind your back at school?¡± Connor paused. Jennifer was thrilled. She knew no man could be indifferent to this. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 ¡°Flora was rumored to have a tangled web of rtionships with numerous men at the school, her reputation stained with whispers of scandal. Do you know Aaron? Once, Flora harbored a deep affection for him, clinging to him relentlessly. Flora might look cool now, but she is despised by everyone at school. Don¡¯t believe it? You can check for yourself at school.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Jennifer grew more assertive, ¡°Your family isn¡¯t exactly high¨Cstatus either. You¡¯re with her just for her money, aren¡¯t you? Well, my family is wealthier than hers! My father is the CEO of the Haines Medi. You have everything if you¡¯re with me!¡± Jennifer¡¯s fondness for Connor was merely skin deep. He wasn¡¯t the kind of man she¡¯d consider marrying. The man in her future was to be of the highest caliber. If Connor was smart, he¡¯d ept her offer and be her discreet lover. Connor bore the calm of a still pond disguising a brewing storm. Haines Media¡­ Hmm. ¡°As long as she chooses to be with me, her past doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said, his demeanor unchanged, as though being with Flora was a blessing he¡¯d earned. Jennifer was momentarily speechless, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re not bothered about her past escapades!¡± Any normal man would be bothered by his girlfriend¡¯s past, right? ¡°I understand my girl more than anyone else. I don¡¯t need others to tell me about her,¡± he calmly retorted. Enraged, Jennifer blurted out, ¡°She¡¯s nothing but a bitch!¡± With the utterance of the word ¡®bitch, the air around them grew tense. Connor¡¯s gaze turned icy, the deepest depths of winter embedded in his eyes. It was sharp and piercing, leaving Jennifer chilled to the bone. Meeting his gaze, Jennifer felt her knees buckle, her throat tighten, suffocating her. Half of Connor¡¯s face was illuminated harshly, his voice colder than ice as he retorted, ¡°Jennifer, consider yourself lucky. I¡¯m not one to raise my hand at a woman. But your words reflect poorly on you. It seems Christopher needs to impose a firmer hand on his children.¡± Christopher was Jennifer¡¯s father¡¯s name. Regainingposure, Jennifer all but sneered. He may have a strong aura, but he was nothing more than a pauper. With a mere word, she could ruin him. Shaking off her fear, she shot back, ¡°My father¡¯s name doesn¡¯t belong in your mouth! You¡¯re nothing more than a poor imposter. What do you think you are?¡± ¡°Mr. Connor! Miss Jennifer!¡± An interruption came. Devin was hurrying towards them. He was her father¡¯s trusted aide overseeing the concert¡¯s security. want Jennifer, oblivious to his distinctly respectful greeting of Connor, hastily ordered, ¡°Devin, perfect timing! I want this man thrown out!¡± She failed to notice the obvious deference in Devin¡¯s gaze toward Connor. Upon hearing Jennifer¡¯s bark, Devin nearly keeled over, ¡°Miss, please! You can¡¯t say stuff like that!¡± His fear was palpable. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Just now, as he came out of the restroom, he saw Jennifer chatting with someone. He vaguely felt the man talking to Jennifer bone a striking resemnce to Connor Stonnell, yet he dared not confirm it. After all, how could Connor possibly make an appearance here? Curious, he approached, only to find, to his astonishment, that it indeed was Connor. He heard Jennifer¡¯s disrespectful remarks to Connor and was nearly scared out of his wils. ¡°Er, Mr. Connor, this youngdy is unaware of your identity. That¡¯s why she spoke to you this way. Please, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± He bowed and scraped, humbly apologizing Jennifer was utterly bbergasted, failing toprehend why Devin was being so polite to a seemingly poord. A bad premonition suddenly struck her. Could it be that this poord was someone of significant importance? Mr. Connor? In all of Cedarvale, the only person worthy of being addressed as Mr. Connor was. Jennifer¡¯s gaze sharply turned toward Connor, a chill running down her spine. She couldn¡¯t help but find her own thoughts ridiculously far¨Cfetched How could this be possible. Connor remained silent, merely lowering his gaze to adjust his cuffs. A cold aura spread. Devin, drenched in cold sweat, was clueless about what Connor might be thinking. He hurriedly signaled Jennifer to apologize. ¡°Devin, are you saying he, he is Connor, the CEO of Stonnell International?¡± Jennifer¡¯s heart was about to leap out of her throat, yet she still found it hard to believe, grudgingly asking Devin. Once Devin nodded, panic and a deeper sense of envy engulfed her. The CEO of Stonnell International, the man held in divine regard, the most prestigious man in Cedarvale, was actually Flora¡¯s fianc¨¦ Why did it have to be her? ¡°Mr. Connor, we truly didn¡¯t know you were here. We apologize for anyck of hospitality¡± Connor remained silent, and Devin had no choice but to speak up again. ¡°Mr. Christopher is backstage. He has always wanted to meet you. Perhaps ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Connor finally spoke. His voice flowed slowly, like the most perfect note drawn from a cello at night. Yet, at this moment, it made Devin and Jennifer shiver in fear ¡°Tell Christopher, before doing business, he should first learn how to raise his daughter. Otherwise, I don¡¯t mind teaching him personally Devin turned pale with fear. He hadn¡¯t heard what Jennifer and Connor had discussed upon his arrival, but Jennifer must have said. something tembly offensive to anger Connor so ¡°Mc. Connor, I¡¯m sorry. It wasn¡¯t intentional. I thought you were¡­¡± Jennifer, pale with fear, nearly bit her tongue. She knew she had caused a huge problem and was terrified If her father found out she had offended Connor, he would kill her! But it wasn¡¯t her fault, was it? Who would have thought that the CEO of Stonnell International would come to such a ce dressed like ¡°Please, have mercy, just this once¡± Jennifer¡¯s voice was mixed with a sob. She was on the verge of tears. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only A girl in distress, looking so pitiful, could move anyone. Yet, Connor didn¡¯t spare her a nce. ¡°Tell Christopher I give him two days to make the Haines family leave Cedarvale. I don¡¯t want to see a single of them in Cedarvale.¡± Connor was not willing to turn a blind eye to this matter. Devin¡¯s face turned ashen. He knew Connor always meant what he said. The Haines family was done for! Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Just as Connor had left, Jennifer received a call from Christopher At the sight of the caller ID, Jennifer¡¯s scalp tingled. Why was her father calling at this time? Could it be that he already knew she had offended Connor? No, no, no¡­ That couldn¡¯t be possible! Bracing herself, she answered the call. ¡°Hello¡­¡± Before she could say more, she was met with a barnage of scolding from the other end. ¡°Get yourself backstage now!¡± Jennifer tumed pale from the scolding. It seemed he really did know. ¡°Devin, you have to help me¡­ Jennifer pleaded, clutching Devin¡¯s hond. Her father knew she had angered Connor and was sure to be furious with her. ¡°Miss, there¡¯s nothing I can do about this. You better think about how you¡¯re going to exin this to Mr. Christopher.¡± If this situation wasn¡¯t handled properly, the Haines family¡¯s years of foundation could be destroyed. With a heavy heart, Jennifer made her way backstage, only to find Christopher pacing back and forth in the main seat. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Jennifer approached him reluctantly and called out. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How do you even have the nerve to call me that? Tell me, what have you done!¡± Christopher was livid During the intermission earlier. Christopher had tried to discuss a partnership with Rafael, but to his surprise, Rafael had tly refused and coldly reminded him that he had a wonderful daughter. Christopher immediately realized this had something to do with Jennifer. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Jennifer trembled with fear. ¡°I really didn¡¯t know that was Connor Stonnell, so I ended up speaking to him rudely. I¡¯ll find a way to make him forgive our family!¡± Christopher nearly stumbled and fell. Connor returned to the inner lounge, seemingly unchanged but now holding several bottles of water. Dane thought Connor was incredibly thoughtful. They were all thirsty, and here he was, bringing water. After opening a bottle, Connor handed it to Flora. She took it and drank several big gulps. Then, Connor screwed the cap back on and put it back in his bag. The concert was nearing its end. Rafael was taking his final bow on stage. ¡°I want to thank all my fans who traveled miles to see my concert. It¡¯s your support that makes me who I am today¡± Rafael took a deep, ny¨Cdegree bow, under the warm yellow stage lights that highlighted his slightly bent back. He straightened up, half his face illuminated by the warm yellow light, his earring sparkling brilliantly. He seemed less wild than usual, more gentle. ¡°Besides, I want to thank someone special here, who pulled me from the darkness and redeemed my life. In this murky world, she was the light that illuminated my path¡± Flora rested her chin in her hand, her eyes slightly moist and touched. 50 As the concert ended, all the fans left with swollen eyes. Kaylee was sobbing uncontrobly, and Dane, not knowing how tofort her, stood by awkwardly with a pack of tissues, Outside the grand theater, the crowd was enormous. Everyone was waiting for a ride ¡°Let¡¯s try to hail a cab and see who can get one first!¡± ¡°Holy cow! How are there that many people? The queue has over five hundred people. Will we even get home? Dane and Alexmented. Just then, Connor said calmly, ¡°it¡¯ste, and it¡¯s not safe for you to go home. I¡¯ve already called for rides. They will get you home safely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really kind of you¡­ Dane and the others scratched their heads and sheepishly smiled, feeling a bit embarrassed. The more they thought about Connor, the more they liked him. Just now, they had all seen it. Connor only had eyes for Flora! He¡¯s so devoted and considerate! 00:10 ¡°You¡¯re all Flora¡¯s ssmates. Of course I have to look after you¡± Connor nodded About five minutester, three cars anived, parked neatly at the theater entrance It was hard to tell the make of the cars, but Dane and the others knew Connor didn¡¯te from a wealthy background They had assumed Connor had called for taxis, but these were private cars. Perhaps they were rented? They appreciated the thoughtful gesture Connor had already asked for Dane and the others¡® addresses and ordered the rides based on the directions to their homes. Dane, Alex, and another boy lived along the same route, so they shared one car Kaylee¡¯s home wasn¡¯t on the way for anyone, so she had a car to herself. Four boys who lived in the same direction shared another car Kaylee was a bit scared to be in a car by herself, especially with the driver looking so grumpy¡­. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, hell get you home safely¡± Flora reassured her that anyone Connor arranged was the safest option Kaylee was still a bit frightened, so Flora suggested, ¡°If you want, you can ride with us. We can drop you off first and then head back.¡± ¡°No thank you¡± Kaylee shook her head. She didn¡¯t want to be a third wheel, ¡°She¡¯s alone in the car Let¡¯s do this shees with us, we drop her off first, then turn back. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Dane rolled down the window and shouted out loud Flora nodded. That could work After sending them off, Flora and Connor got into their car. The window rolled down, and the person inside took off their They had only driven a short distance when a car blocked their path. T sunsses and mask. It was Rafael Chapter 74 Chapter 74 ¡°Why are you leaving so early? Let¡¯s go for a midnight snack.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote. It¡¯s time to head home to sleep.¡± How was itte? It was just after nine! N?velDrama.Org ? content. Rafael was not at all reassured by Flors and Connor being together, He ignored Flora¡¯s waming and turned to Connor. ¡°Hey, are youing or not?? Connor didn¡¯t say anything. His slender fingers casually tapped on the steering wheel. They ignored him, but Rafael didn¡¯t feel awkward. He opened the car door, got out of the passenger seat, and tried to open the back door of Connor¡¯s car. It didn¡¯t open The two inside the car were unfazed. ¡°If I don¡¯t get in the car now, I¡¯ll be on the headlines once the fans catch up.¡± Rafael yed the pity card. ¡°Flora, do you have the heart?¡± A hint of helplessness shed in Flora¡¯s eyes. She knew Rafael was worried about her. She gave Connor a look. Upon receiving her signal, Connor opened the back door Rafael immediately squeezed in,ining. ¡°This car is too cramped. I can¡¯t even stretch my legs. How about we go to my car Instead?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, get out. Don¡¯t follow us Knowing Flora¡¯s character, Rafael didn¡¯t continue on this topic but rather said with a chuckle, ¡°Flora, I didn¡¯t embarrass you just now, did ¡°You missed the beat in the ninth measure Rafael grimaced; well, he still thought he danced pretty well. Flora was indeed a bit hungry and casually chose a diner. From the car to the diner, Rafael kept a watchful eye. If Connor made any overstepping move, he would leap out to break Connor¡¯s hand! But throughout, Connor simply held Flon¡¯s hand and was extremely considerate the entire way. Given Rafael¡¯s public profile, Flora chose the most secluded booth to avoid being recognized. Flora ordered the food, choosing mostly dishes with mild vors. Rafael frowned upon hearing this ¡°Flore, I thought you loved spicy food? Why go for something so nd?¡± ¡°My fianc¨¦ doesn¡¯t eat spicy food¡± The food arrived quickly. Flora had ordered shrimp, and Connor proactively put on gloves to peel them for her. Rafael watched the two interact so skillfully and affectionately and felt like he was force to watch live PDA. After dinner, Flora went to the restroom. Rafael finally found the opportunity to be alone with Connor. He leaned in, his voice deep and forceful. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, and I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re with Flora, but she¡¯s not the kind of woman you can just y around with.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re just looking to have fun, better leave her now Rafael¡¯s eyes narrowed, losing a bit of the wildness and frivolity he had on stage. His gaze became serious and solemn. Connor leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes fixed on him, his tone equally steady and forceful. ¡°My intentions for Flora are serious. Considering you¡¯re Flora¡¯s friend, I let this go, but there won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Rafael felt an inexplicable sense of unease Just then, Rafael¡¯s phone rang. It was his agent, Devin ¡°I¡¯m not going to that reality show, no way! I don¡¯t care. You deal with it. I¡¯m not going!¡± The show¡¯s director and Devin were sophewhat close and had been trying to invite Rafael as a guest. Rafael had politely refused several times, but the director kept insisting, And he was getting annoyed. After heanng this, Connor casually picked up his phone and sent a message to Moss. Make sure Rafael attends the reality show. Whether it¡¯s by financial means or pressure, figure it out.] Moss: [What?] Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Rafael ended the call and saw Connor leisurely enjoying his meal. He frowned and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you. If you hurt Flora In any way, 111 make sure you regret it!¡± ¡°What you described will never happen. With your abilities, you can¡¯t even fulfill that threat.¡± Connor¡¯s tone remained indifferent, but his words were sharp enough to choke someone. Rafael was infuriated. What did Connor mean? He couldn¡¯t fulfill the threat? Was Connor questioning Rafael¡¯s ability? Just then, Flore walked in. She noticed the tense atmosphere between the two. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She sat down, her gaze briefly crossing Rafael. ¡°What could I possibly do? Why are you so afraid of me¨Cbullying him?¡± Rafael replied irritably. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. I¡¯m not womed about you bullying him.¡± Flora slowly spoke, Rafael¡¯s mood had just started to improve when he heard her next sentence. ¡°You¡¯d just end up beingpletely outyed by him.¡± Just as Rafael was about to burst with anger, Devin¡¯s calle in. Rafael thought it was about some variety show arrangements that needed to be finalized, but what he heard next dumbfounded him. ¡°What the hell? Two hundred million? Who¡¯s making such a fuss? Do they want me to participate in that variety show? And I can¡¯t refuse?¡± Flors watched as Rafael¡¯s expression changed from disbelief to utter despair. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. She was more curious than coed. Rafael was on the verge of tears, the despair clear on his face. ¡°I¡¯m off to on that show in Antarctical After dinner, Flora repeatedly warned Rafael not to follow her, or he would face the consequences. Knowing Flora¡¯s temper, Rafael wisely chose not to continue following her. Along the way, he noticed Connor didn¡¯t do anything excessive and was rather gentle and considerate with Flora. This slightly eased his worries. But now, he had to find that damned person, who had nothing better to do than exploit him into getting on that show in Antarctica! In the evening, a gentle breeze blew as Connor¡¯s car slowly came to a stop outside the Irving family¡¯s vi. Connor helped her unbuckle her seatbelt ¡°Make sure to rest early once you¡¯re home.¡± ¡°Goodnight!¡± With a giggly hug, Flora wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her soft body against his. Connor, looking at his beloved girl so close, leaned down slightly. Like a breath of spring, a kiss softlynded on Flora¡¯s lips. ¡°Goodnight Flora blinked, initially unresponsive, then her face turned beet red! Connor¡¯s kiss was incredibly restrained and polite, nearly imperceptible, but the tingling sensation on her lips lingered. Meanwhile, Raul and Hennik were sneakily watching from the second floor bay window of the Irving family¡¯s home. They saw Connor kiss Flors, and their gazes darkened with unspoken thoughts, while they ground their teeth in frustration. Without a word, Raul walked over to the bedside table and picked up an electric shock baton. Then, with a nk expression, he opened the drawer and took out nunchucks. Unbeknownst to Connor, he was moments away from a perilous fate. Henrik, expressionless, came downstairs. He opened the vi¡¯s main door, Without saying a word, he merely stared deeply at the car The vi¡¯s lights shone through, surprising Flora at first, but upon seeing Henink at the door, her ears tumed red. ¡°I should get going. now!¡± She quickly spoke and dashed off! What a pity. If only Henrik hadn¡¯t appeared. Flora had hoped to enjoy a moment with Connor¡­ Well.. Just a little peck. 00:10 Connor also got out of the car, knowing it was impolite to enter the Irving family¡¯s home sote, but since Henrik hade out, he naturally had to greet him. ¡°Henrik.¡± ¡°Hmm¡± Henrik coldly replied, ¡°You¡¯ve brought her home. Now leave.¡± Then, he expressionlessly mmed the door shut In the living room, Raul was nonchntly reading the newspaper on the sofa. ¡°Hey, Dad!¡± Flora greeted. Raul lowered his newspaper slightly, revealing his eyes behind sses. ¡°Flora you need toe home earlier in the future. It¡¯s not safe for a girl to be outte at night!¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Shifting ufortably because of the electric shock baton in his seat, Raul found a more comfortable position. Remembering something, he added, ¡°Oh, and Carina¡¯s birthday is the day after tomorrow. Ask her at school tomorrow how she ns to celebrate with us or her ssmates.¡± Despite Carina¡¯s misdeeds, she was still his niece. Raul still cared for her Carina¡¯s birthday¡­. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Flora paused for a moment. Yes, Carina¡¯s birthday wasing up. Carina¡¯s birthday party had been a disaster for Flora in her past life. Now, with her rebirth, many things had changed. She wondered¡­. What surprises would this time bring? ¡°Til ask her at school. Flora replied, her eyes slightly squinted, a bit mischievous. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 When Flora stepped into ss Z, there was a deathly silence. No one in ss Z even dared to look at Flora. The incident at the theater entrancest time was just too embarrassing! Flora, however, seemed unfazed and leisurely walked to her seat and sat down. ¡°Flora, have you heard? Jennifer went abroad!¡± Dane turned his head, gossiping. ¡°Abroad? Why on earth would she do that?¡± Alex also looked curious. Jennifer¡¯s grades were good. With a push in thest few months, getting into a prestigious university wouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°Probably because she was so embarrassed at the theater! Haha, she couldn¡¯t face us!¡± During the moming break, Carina came to ss Z¡¯s doorway. ¡°Is Flora here?¡± Carina had always been a standout figure at school, and her arrival set ss Z obuzz. ¡°Ah, Carina is here!¡± ¡°The belle of the school is here!¡± ¡°Though I really don¡¯t like Flora, I have to correct you. Anyone with eyes can see that Flora is the true beauty of our school!¡± Flora was surprised to see Carina. She hadn¡¯t gone to look for Carina yet, but here Carina was, seeking her out. She slowly walked to the door, leaned against it, and watched Carina. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± *Flora, tomorrow is my birthday¡­ Carina said, ¡°Even though we¡¯ve had our disagreements in the past, we¡¯re still family by blood. Tomorrow night, I¡¯m having a small birthday party and have invited some ssmates. Would you like toe? You can bring some ssmates with you.¡± Flora leaned against the door frame, giving her a sidelong nce. This was the same excuse Carina had used in their past life to invite her to the birthday party. This couldn¡¯t be good news. ¡°Sure.¡± Flora slowly smiled, epting the invitation. Her eyes gleamed captivatingly as if she could see through everything. Once Flora had agreed, Carina suddenly felt out of ce, and left without furtherment That evening, Flora went home and mentioned Carina¡¯s intention to host her birthday party. Since she had only invited ssmates, it wasn¡¯t suitable for Raul to attend. After a moment¡¯s thought, Raul said to Henrik, ¡°Henrik, you¡¯re her brother. Why don¡¯t you go with her to keep an eye on things?¡± Though Hennik was slightly older, he could still mingle with the younger crowd. ¡°No. I don¡¯t have the time.¡± Henrik declined without a second thought. He held no interest in Carina¡¯s birthday party. Moreover, he truly was busy the next day He had only intended to please Flora by agreeing to sign a contract with Rafael, not expecting Rafael to actually agree, Rafael was always so arrogant that he made investors¡® heads ache. However, he was surprisingly amiable in his presence. Tomorrow, he had to discuss the details of the cooperation with Rafael. ¡°Flora, tomorrow, give this card to Carina. If she¡¯s hosting a birthday party, it should be done well. She¡¯s a girl, after all, and doesn¡¯t have much money.¡± Raul said, handing a card to Flora Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. It was a card with no limit. Carina could spend as she wished. Flora nced at it, her eyes narrowing slightly. She reached out and took it. ¡°Okay, Dad.¡± Raul was too soft¨Chearted and valued family too much. If he didn¡¯t see Carina¡¯s true colors for himself, he would continue to be deceived by her in the future. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 The next day, before school was out, Carina sent Flom a message to meet at the school gates. By the time Flora arrived, Carina and the others were already there. Arge crowd had gathered, mostly from ss A, along with some students from other sses who were close to Carina. There was one from ss Z, May, who often spoke up for Jennifer With Jennifer gone, she quickly latched onto Carina. ¡°Flora!¡± Carina waved to her upon seeing her. Flora had to admit she admired Carina. After theirst embarrassing fallout, she could still act as if nothing had happened. ¡°Carina, why did you even invite her?¡± ¡°Yeah, bad luck!¡± Carina¡¯s close friends frowned upon seeing Flora, making no secret of their annoyance. ¡°She¡¯s here now, so let¡¯s just drop it.¡± Her words made it seem like Flora had eagerly shown up on her own initiative. ¡°You¡¯re too kind. You¡¯re nice to everyone, but you should know some people are just bad to the bone. No matter how nice you are to them, they¡¯ll turn around and bite you hard!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just grab a taxi. It¡¯s not easy to find one at this hour.¡± ¡°No need for a taxi.¡± Canina smiled, ¡°A limo wille to pick us up¡± ¡°Limo service, wow!¡± Everyone was surprised. About five minutester, eight luxury cars neatly parked at the entrance. Let¡¯s hop in, everyone.¡± Everyone¡¯s jaws nearly dropped. ¡°You mean these are the rides picking us up!¡± ¡°Wow, Carina, you¡¯re livingrge!¡± ¡°Heavens, a Porsche 911. I¡¯ve only seen those on TV!¡± ¡°And a Maserati MCI Those cost a fortunel¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Carina smiled, ¡°These aren¡¯t my cars. They belong to a friend who knew it was my birthday and arranged a special pickup for us.¡± ¡°What kind of friend? A boyfriend, perhaps?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be indiculous¡± Carina¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red. ¡°Just a friend,¡± Everyone smirked. The luxury cars all belonged to Wade. Recently, he had been looking for her frequently. Although their rtionship hadn¡¯t taken the final step, it was getting there. May suddenlyughed. ¡°Carina, you¡¯re always so low¨Ckey. This reminds me of Flora¡¯s fianc¨¦ we saw at the theater that day.¡± ¡°What, Flora has a fianc¨¦?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± May said mockingly, ¡°He was driving some beat¨Cup, no¨Cname brand car, probably worth a few thousand at most.¡± May became more animated, ¡°He dressed like he was penniless. Can you believe what he brought as a gift for their first meeting? A bag of no¨Cbrand snacks. How embarrassing it was to even present that!¡± Everyone was shocked at May¡¯s description R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Flora¡¯s family was considered well¨Coff among them. How could she end up with such a boyfriend? But it certainly satisfied their vanity to a great extent. ¡°Flora, how could you choose such a boyfriend? At least find someone presentable,¡± ¡°Ha ha ha, snacks as a first meeting gift, that¡¯s too stingy, hrious.¡± ¡°With Flora¡¯s notorious reputation, who from a well¨Cmatched family would want to marry her? Of course, she¡¯d end up with some poor guy Carina remained silent but was puzzled Flora¡¯s fianc¨¦ was supposed to be Connor, the most prestigious man in Cedarvale. She guessed May might have misunderstood something, but naturally, she wouldn¡¯t speak up for Flora. Flora looked at May, a smirk forming, ¡°What did you expect for a first meeting gift? A mansion? Luxury cars?¡± She paused, then added slowly. ¡°That would be a different price.¡°, Everyone there was no fool and caught the insinuation in Flora¡¯s words. May¡¯s face turned red with anger, shouting, ¡°Flora, what did you? say!¡± ¡°What, hit a nerve, did 17¡± ¡°You!¡± ¡°Flora, have you no shame? You¡¯re still a student. Are you here for the birthday party or just to disgust us?¡± ¡°It seems I¡¯m not wee here, so I¡¯ll leave.¡± Flora shrugged and was about to walk away when Carina quickly grabbed her. ¡°Alright, alright, for my birthday¡¯s sake, let¡¯s not fight anymore. Let¡¯s get in the cars.¡± Flora knew Carina wouldn¡¯t let her leave so easily. Seeing these cars, she guessed Carina must have snagged a wealthy suitor, and this was all a show of extravagance. Why would she let Flora leave without making her point? Chapter 78 Chapter 78 At the karaoke bar, everyone was enthusiastically wishing Carina a happy birthday. Flora was sitting in aer, seemingly out of ce. ¡°Happy birthday to our Carina! Let¡¯s cut the cake now!¡± ¡°Wait a minute, someone¡¯s not here yet.¡± Carina said with a smile. ¡°Who¡¯s missing?¡± Everyone was curious. About ten minutester, someone arrived, looking rushed. It was Aaron. Carina, why did you invite him?¡± A boy said discontentedly. Carina just smiled and replied, ¡°We¡¯re all friends here, aren¡¯t we?¡± Aaron had been having a tough timetely. Without Flora¡¯s protection at school, he realized how hard things could be. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s cut the cake.¡± Carina gave Aaron a look, signaling him to sit next to Flora, and then started to encourage everyone to cut the cake and blow out the candles. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Aaron suddenly sat next to Flora, who looked up at him with a somewhat amused expression. ¡°Want a drink?¡± Aaron managed to suppress his difort and asked Flora. ¡°Yeah.¡± Flora leaned back, watching himnguidly. Aaron would rather die than seek out Flora again, but now, he was desperate Those debt collectors were bing more insistent. Turning to Flora was hisst resort. After the cake, someone suggested ying a dice game in pairs. ¡°Carina, let¡¯s pair up, and uh, Flora, you join in too. The tone was disdainful andmanding. The speaker was Tim, Carina¡¯s desperate suitor, who always disliked Flora. He suggested the dice game, hoping to embarrass her. *Then Flora can team up with Aaron.¡± Carina suggested. Flora didn¡¯t refuse. Naturally, Aaron wouldn¡¯t refuse either. ¡°Just ying is no fun. How about this, the losers drink?¡± fine, but I don¡¯t drink,¡± Flom said. ¡°I drink for you.¡± Aaron quickly offered. Flora looked at him, eager to please, and suddenlyughed, ¡°Okay.¡± How the tables have tumed, she thought. She used to be the one trying to please Aaron. Aaron felt nervous and ashamed under her gaze and turned his face away. The game began. Everyone else came over to watch the fun. Tim grabbed the cup and shook it wildly, then provocatively looked at Flora. ¡°Guess, high or low?¡± ¡°High¡± Flora spoke slowly. A smirk and a sense of victory shed through Tim¡¯s eyes before he lifted the cup. ¡°One, two, three, low! ¡°Sorry, my loss.¡± Flom said as she nced at Aaron next to her without any expression. Aaron awkwardly said it was okay and voluntarily picked up a ss, downing it in one go. The second round began, and Flora shook the dice. Tim, with his eyes closed, listened until she stopped and immediately imed ¡°Low!¡± The cup was lifted, and it was indeed low. Aaron braced himself and drank another ss. In the third round, Tim shook the dice! Under Aaron¡¯s intense gaze, Flora slowly said, ¡°Low¡± The cup was lifted, revealing a high score. Aaron¡¯s face darkened 001111 ¡°Ha ha ha! You lost, drink up!¡± Aaron, teeth clenched, had to drink another ss. After more than a dozen rounds, Flora kept losing. Aaron was in so much pain from drinking. ¡°¡­still high¡± ¡°Wait¡± As Flora uttered the words ¡°still high¡± Aaron¡¯s heart skipped, and he quickly stopped her. ¡°Let¡¯s go with low!¡± Aaron had never seen anyone with worse luck than Flora. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 She just had to guess high or low, with a fifty¨Cfifty chance of winning, yet she kept losing all the way. Flora raised an eyebrow without saying a word. Opposite her, Tim revealed a sly smile. The cup was lifted, and indeed, it was high. Seeing those three sixes, Aaron¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. He was so full of regret that he felt sick to his stomach. He had a burning sensation in his stomach and felt extremely nauseous. He couldn¡¯t even stomach a sip of alcohol. ¡°Flors, have a drink too¡­¡± His forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he spoke with difficulty. Tve said it from the start that I don¡¯t drink,¡± Flora said calmly, looking at him. Left with no choice, Aaron picked up the ss and guzzled down the full cup of alcohol. ¡°Ugh-¡°As soon as he drank it, he couldn¡¯t help but vomit it out. ¡°Ah, disgusting!¡± ¡°Damn, could you be any more gross? If you¡¯re gonna throw up, at least do it outside!¡± Aaron¡¯s face tumed ashen as he clutched his stomach and quickly ran out. ¡°Let¡¯s ignore him and continue,¡± Tim said, shaking the dice cup. He hadn¡¯t had enough fun yet. He was good at this game, not on a professional level, but good enough to take on Flora easily. Having the chance to show off in front of Carina, he was determined to seize the opportunity. Flora said, ¡°It¡¯s two against one here. That¡¯s hardly fair¡± ¡°So, what do you suggest?¡± ¡°Pick one person to y against me. Guessing high or low is bonng. Let¡¯s see who can roll a higher total. Tim almostughed out loud. When guessing high or low, she had been continuously losing. Now, she wanted to level up andpete in a game about rolling a higher total. ¡°Alright, I y against you. Since we¡¯re changing the game, let¡¯s change the stakes as well. The loser has to strip until they¡¯re naked. How about that?¡± As soon as Tim finished speaking, the room erupted with cheers. In their eyes, Flora was bound to lose, having continuously lost in a¡± much simpler game. Flora seemed unaware of her impending doom and agreed instantly. ¡°Fine. But it¡¯s no fun if a guy strips. How about a girl ys? Carina, do you wanna y?¡± dimly lit ro room. It was almost as if she was smiling. Saying so, Flora looked up, her gaze casual yet piercing in the dimly Suddenly, Carina had a bad feeling. Tim was already eagerly agreeing on her behalf. ¡°Sure, no problem! But let¡¯s make it clear the loser can¡¯t back out. Everyone here is witness. With Tim putting it that way, Carina couldn¡¯t say much. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only After all, they had all seen Flora¡¯s performance. She had nothing but losing ahead of her Thepetition officially began. Both Tim and Flora held the dice cup in their hands. They started shaking and stopped at the same time. ¡°You¡¯re definitely going to lose.¡± Tim said with a coldugh, lifting the cup. Four fives and a six! As everyone watched, eager for drama, Flora lifted her cup. Three threes and two fours. An utter defeat! ¡°Hahaha, you lost, strip!¡± Everyone was excited, eager to see Fipra embarrass herself, Flora casually took off her jacket, and when she looked at Tim again, her eyes carried an inexplicable smirk. I made Tim¡¯s heart skip a beat. ¡°Good, I was feeling a bit warm. Now, the game really begins.¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Flora was outrageously bold. Tim sneered, his gaze circling Flora several times. ¡°Just don¡¯t start cryingter.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see who cries.¡± Flora smiled, casually picking up the cup. Somehow, everyone felt a shift in her aura. Her hand, holding the cup, shook rhythmically. Across from her, Tim¡¯s eyes snapped open in astonishment. He was taken aback by her technique, which resembled that of a seasoned pro. To his horror, he realized he couldn¡¯t predict the oue of the dice. Flora mmed the cup down with a grin, ¡°Your turn.¡± Tim frowned, puzzled by her sudden transformation. He quicklyposed himself, dismissing it as overthinking. As he grabbed the cup, his shy technique dazzled onlookers. ¡°Wow, Tim¡¯s so cool when he shakes the cup!¡± ¡°You can tell Tim¡¯s a pro. I heard he¡¯s been into games since he was a kid. By eighteen, he was famous online for his card skills.¡± ¡°Ha, Flora¡¯s done for!¡± 1 can¡¯t wait to see her strip!¡± ¡°Though I¡¯m not a fan of hers, she¡¯s got a great figure. I¡¯m gonna take pictures!¡± ¡°Think shell cry?¡± Mockingughter filled the air, yet Flora appeared unbothered, leisurely sipping her juice. Aaron, pale¨Cfaced after vomiting, leaned against the wall upon entering. He heard the ongoing conversation and grasped the situation. Clutching his stinging stomach, he awaited Flora¡¯s humiliation. He nned to swoop in to help her. Women loved such drama, Flora would surely return to him then. Tim put down the cup, reveling in thepliments and the mockery directed at Flora. He smirked confidently. He was sure of his victory. He didn¡¯t even need to lift the cup to know his oue. ¡°You show yours first¡± He gestured to Flora with a tilt of his chin, full of pride. Flora raised her hand. ¡°Nah, you first.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. If she insisted, so be it! Although he couldn¡¯t quite catch Flora¡¯s numbers, he was certain his total was higher. Tim unveiled the cup to reveal four sixes and a five. ¡°Holy cow! Tim¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°Flora¡¯s definitely lost!¡± ¡°Start stripping! Hahaha!¡± Flora scanned the eager faces around her. Some were already poised with phones for photos. Their disdainful expressions mirrored those from her past life. Her lips curled into a wider grin, her hand lifting the cup- The previousughter and taunts choked in their throats as they saw the numbers. The room fell eerily silent. Pairs of eyes stared in disbelief at the five sixes, dumbfounded. Even Tim¡¯s eyes bulged. How¡¯s this possible! Flora shrugged, her grin widening. ¡°Sorry, got a bit lucky.¡± Then, her gazended on Carina, the implication clear. Canna¡¯s face paled, but they had indeed lost. With so many witnesses, backing out wasn¡¯t an option. She inhaled deeply, removing her jacket. Beneath it, she wore a T¨Cshirt, Losing a plece of clothing was no big deal. She didn¡¯t think Flora would remain this lucky. ¡°Carina, don¡¯t worry. Il win it back next round!¡± Tim dered, brimming with confidence. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 This time, Tim was utterly focused, his gaze fixed intently on Flora. Under his scrutiny, Flora casually picked up the cup and gave it a shake. With no time for Tim to count, she mmed the cup down. Bating his lip, he decided not to listen to the numbers Flors rattled off but to concentrate on his own throw. As he set down the cup, his eyes gleamed with determination. This time, he didn¡¯t think Flora could be so lucky again. Impatient, he lifted the cup Four sixes and a fivel Facing his challenging gaze, Flora slowly curved her lips into a smile, reached out, and unveiled her cup. Shockingly, it revealed five sixes! ¡°How is that possible Tim¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his head. The onlookers, equally astounded, couldn¡¯t believe it. Another five sixes, Flora¡¯s luck was just too unbelievable! Was it that Tim¡¯s luck was too good before, and now his bad luck was finally catching up with him? ¡°Damn it!¡± Unable to hold back, Tim cursed, ¡°Again!¡± He wouldn¡¯t lose in the next round! ¡°Hold on Flora, with a smile brimming with mirth, turned to Carina. ¡°Why are you standing there, strip.¡± Flora¡¯s gaze and everyone else¡¯s unabashedly fell on Carina, making her feel as if she was being objectified. Struggling to maintain herposure, she took off her T¨Cshirt, leaving her in a tank top and jeans, Carina¡¯s skin was smooth. Beneath the tank top, the ck bra was faintly visible. Many of the boys present couldn¡¯t help but stir, swallowing hard. ¡°Never thought Carina would be quite bold. Her bra looks hot ¡°Nice figure.¡± After scanning Carina from head to toe, Flora suddenlyughed somewhat flirtatiously. Carina felt so embarassed¡­ ¡°Carina, I¡¯m sorry, but don¡¯t worry, Ill win this time for sure! Tim spoke firmly. He couldn¡¯t help but nce at certain parts of Carina several times, swallowing hard. Carina¡¯s smile was nearly impossible to maintain. This time, Tim started shaking the cup eagerly from the get¨Cgo. A few secondster, he mmed the cup down with excitement in his eyes. ¡°Flora, you¡¯ve definitely lost this time!¡± With that, he eagerly unveiled his cup, revealing five uniform sixes! ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± ¡°Hahaha, Flora is definitely losing this time. It doesnt get bigger than this!¡± Carina¡¯splexion finally improved. ¡°Hahaha, your turn to strip, Flora!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? I haven¡¯t revealed mine yet.¡± ¡°Please, Tim got six sixes, the biggest there is! What could you possibly have ¡°If you win, it would be a miracle¡± Amidst a chorus of jeers, Flora unveiled her cup. Tim looked over disdainfully, then- His smile frozepletely. His eyes bulged. ¡°How is that possible!¡± 00111 Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. In Flora¡¯s cupy five sixes, and then¡­ One one A single die had split in two, one side showing a six, the other a one. The room fell silent Everyone stared at Flora as if they¡¯d seen a ghost ¡°Flora, you¡¯re messing with me, aren¡¯t you!¡± Tim stood up abruptly, furious. ¡°Are you cheating now that you¡¯re outyed?¡± Florazily lifted her eyes, calm and collected ¡°You¡¯re the cheating one ¡°With so many eyes on me, how could I cheat? Oh, so you refuse to ept your loss? Tim realized then that Flora was indeed a pro. She had been pretending to be inexperienced on purpose! Fuming, he was at a loss for words. ¡°Strip: then¡± Flora¡¯s gaze slowly shifted to the mortified Carina. She leaned back slightly, her lips curling into a somewhat mischievous smile. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°1¡± Carina¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, a mix of embarrassment and anger coloring her cheeks. ¡°Flora, don¡¯t be too harsh. It was just a game, you know? Why take it so seriously!¡± May quickly stepped in, picking up the shirt Carina had slipped off and helping her back into it. ¡°Exactly, it was all in good fun. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? Did you really want Carina to strippletely?¡± ¡°That¡¯s disgusting. Carina is her cousin, and yet she can be so cruel!¡± Both the guys and girls rallied to Carina¡¯s defense. ¡°If you love stripping so much, why don¡¯t you do it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just trashy at heart and are loving the attention, aren¡¯t you?¡± With her cheeks flushed, Carina draped her jacket around her shoulders. She became the victim, while everyone cast Flora as the viin. Flora found it utterly ridiculous. Their tune was quite different from the one in her past life when she had been theser. They all demanded she strip, even going so far as to tear at her clothes themselves. Now with Carina, the narrative changed. ¡°We had an agreement. Whoever loses strips until they have nothing left. If you can¡¯t handle the game, don¡¯t y.¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind? Can¡¯t you tell it was just a joke?¡± Carina was in tears, and May couldn¡¯t help but scold Flora. The others quickly gathered tofort Carina Flora couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, feeling nauseous. She needed to leave. She strode out to the hallway, seeking fresh ait, but before she could take a few breaths, someone she didn¡¯t want to see appeared before her. Having drunk too much, Aaron looked pale, his eyes bloodshot but fixed on her with intensity. ¡°Flora, you did that on purpose, you? You¡¯re good at the game but kept losing on purpose!¡± didn¡¯t ¡°Yes. So what?¡± Aaron was caught off guard by her straightforward admission, expecting some excuse. ¡°Flora, what are you trying to say!¡± He was livid. ¡°Isn¡¯t this your specialty?¡± Flora¡¯s gaze, cold and piercing, met his. ¡°After all, you¡¯ve yed me like this before.¡± ¡°You-¡± Aaron felt his heart skip a beat under her stare. ¡°¡­ I did do you wrong before, but I¡¯ve said I would change. Can¡¯t we just stop this?¡± He rarely sounded so humbled, not as an admission of his past wrongs but because he still needed something from Flora. Floraughed, ¡°Aaron, do you know what you remind me of tonight?¡± ¡°What?¡± Aaron asked reflexively ¡°A desperate prostitute.¡± Her smile brightened. ¡°Though, to be fait, you don¡¯t quite fit the bill in looks or build.¡± With that, she pulled out a stack of crisp bills from her purse and pped them onto Aaron¡¯s chest. ¡°Considering we¡¯re ssmates, I can¡¯t let you walk away empty¨Chanded. Here, take this as a tip. It should cover your living expenses for a month.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. With those final words, Flora turned and left. Behind her, Aaron¡¯s face turned stormy, and his hands clenched tightly around the money. Furious to the core, he watched her leaving figure, his bloodshot eyes filled with a vengeful re. Even after he had swallowed his pride, she still humiliated him! Did having some money really make her believe she was above everyone else? ¡°Flora, you will regret this, he thought fiercely. ¡°You¡¯ll definitely regret this¡­¡± Chapter 83 Chapter 83 When Flora re¨Centered the private room, May and the others were stillforting Carina ¡°It¡¯s my fault I ruined the fun for everyone,¡± Carina sobbed. ¡°I¡¯ll take you all to ¡®Neon Light.¡± ¡°Neon Light?!¡± ¡°The Neon Light¡® in Cedar Towers?!¡± The mention of Neon Light instantly excited everyone. In Cedarvale, Neon Light was legendary. It was a famed entertainment venue where only the elite could go. Spread across five levels, it offered everything one could desire in terms of food and drinks. Spending a night there could cost millions! However, Neon Light wasn¡¯t just about having the money. You needed a membership card to get in. They had only heard about it in newspapers and on TV and never imagined that they would also step Into ¡®Neon Light Carina nodded with a smile. ¡°My friend has a VIP card. He¡¯ll be joining uster, and we¡¯ll meet up at ¡®Neon Light.¡± ¡°A friend? Isn¡¯t that the person who sent the luxury cars for us earlier?¡± May eximed in surprise. Carina nodded and May was even more shocked and a bit envious. ¡°Carina, your friend must be someone extraordinary to have a ¡®Neon Light VIP card! Who is he exactly? ¡°Um.. he¡¯s the eldest son of the Brimer family, Wade.¡± ¡°Wade! Wade Brimer?¡± The Brimer family was among the top¨Ctier families in Cedarvale. Carina actually knew someone from the Brimer family, and it seemed that that guy had taken a liking to Carina *Are you two dating?¡± May asked curiously. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Carina said shyly. Tm still in school. I won¡¯t agree to anything until I graduate¡± Implicitly, this meant that Wade was indeed pursuing her. ¡°You¡¯re already eighteen. What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Hearing Wade¡¯s name, Flora couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly at the irony. Then there was ¡®Neon Light. If she remembered correctly, it was Con property. May and their friends, mostly from modest backgrounds, rarely had the chance to visit the legendary ¡®Neon Light. They were all excited for Canina to take them and broaden their horizons. Flora had lost interest initially, but the mention of Neon Light¡® piqued her curiosity. She decided to join them for the experience. The group quickly arrived at the entrance of Neon Light¡± ¡°Walt a moment, my friend will be here soon, Carina apologized. ¡°No worries, let him take his time!¡± It was Wade, after all. They felt it was worth waiting even a day and a night. May and the others admired the imposing ¡®Neon Light with envy and a bit of nervousness. They had never been here before. ¡°All thanks to Carina, Ill have the chance to visit Neon Light in my lifetime. I couldn¡¯t ask for more!¡± ¡°Carina might very well be Mrs. Brimer soon. She coulde here whenever she wants.¡± The girls were all praising Carina to the skies. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Carina couldn¡¯t hide her pride. After about ten minutes, Wade finally arrived, His car was a Maybach UFML it sold for over sixty million on the market. Tim couldn¡¯t even resist taking out his phone to snap a photo and then share it on social media ¡°Let me introduce you. These are my ssmates Corina said softly, holding Wade¡¯s hand Wade responded somewhat perfunctorily, his gaze sweeping over May and the others before landing on Flora. He recognized her as the girl who had dazzled the audience with her dance that day. She had left an impression on him, but he knew she wouldn¡¯t be easy to woo. 10:060 Led by Wade, the group made their grand entrance into Neon Light.¡® The Neon Light staff recognized Wade and greeted him respectfully. ¡°Mr. Brimer.¡± This was the Brimer family¡¯s eldest son,manding respect even from Neon Light¡¯s staff. Wade nodded. ¡°The usual¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The staff led the way respectfully. Just then, a a voice rang out. ¡°Wait! We can go in, but Flora Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Tim still remembered the embarrassment Flora had caused him earlier. He had been looking for an opportunity to get back at her ¡°Flora is no good, Wade. She just bullied Carina right in front of all of us!¡± Tim said bitterly, bringing up the incident. Wade was Carina¡¯s boyfriend, and upon hearing this, he surely wouldn¡¯t be magnanimous enough to let Flora join them, would he? ¡°Tim, it¡¯s all in the past. Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore¡­¡± Carina looked downcast, her eyes quickly reddening, her pitiful appearance practically confirming Tim¡¯s words Flora had indeed bullied her. ¡°Yeah, Wade, we shouldn¡¯t let her follow us inside!¡± May and a few other girls, who already hate Flora, added fuel to the fire. ¡°You weren¡¯t there; you didn¡¯t see how horrible Flora was. She practically made Carinacry Hearing this, Wade looked toward Flora. Flora stood a few steps down in the hallway, calm andposed, unaffected by the nder. Whether Carina was bullied or not wasn¡¯t of concern to him, but Flora¡¯s unppable demeanor reminded him of a certain someone he didn¡¯t like. ¡°What do you say, Carina?¡± His gaze swept over Carina as he asked indifferently. ¡°Since it¡¯s all in the past, let¡¯s just forget about it¡­¡± ¡°Carina, you¡¯re too kind. How can we just let it go!¡± May said excitedly. ¡°Unless Flora apologizes to you in front of everyone, there¡¯s no way we¡¯re letting her inside!¡± Floraughed. ¡°Apologize for what? For Carina stripping down and getting seen by everyone?¡± At these words, Carina¡¯s face went pale, especially when she saw Wade frowning. Her heart sank even more. May and the others were left speechless. Then, Flora¡¯s phone rang, and she saw a text from Connor saying he would be there soon. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only She replied with an ¡®Okay and then looked up calmly at Carina and the others. ¡°Td advise you to go up quickly. My fianc¨¦ ising, and with just one word from him, none of you will be able to get in.¡± Mayughed out of anger. ¡°Your fianc¨¦ must be quite something to keep us all out What, is he a shareholder of Neon Light?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the founder of Neon Light.¡± Flora¡¯s calm voice reached May and the others, and they couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. ¡°Hahaha! Flora, you really don¡¯t know the limits of your lies. I¡¯ve seen your fianc¨¦ dressed in bargain clothes. He¡¯s not worth a thousand bucks in total.¡± Everyone thought Flora was boasting, and even Wade watched Flora with a hint of contempt. The Neon Light staff member who was escorting Wade couldn¡¯t help but give Flora a disdainful look. Nowadays, there seemed to be all sorts of people. Their CEO couldn¡¯t possibly be this youngdy¡¯s fianc¨¦, ¡°I¡¯m friends with the CEO of Neon Light.¡± Wade said, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard him mention having any fianc¨¦e. Youngdy, it¡¯s not good to tell tall tales.¡± Hearing Wade say this, May and the others were even more smug. ¡°Hey, someone is tarnishing your boss¡® reputation, and you¡¯re just standing there? What are you waiting for? Kick her out! May looked towards the receptionist as she said this. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 The receptionist looked down on Flora, thinking she was all talk Moreover, she could tell that this group was targeting her. That girl, Carina, who was being doted on by Wade, didn¡¯t get along with her, Carina had climbed her way up to Wade and would surely be a regr here from now on. Quickly, the receptionist made up her mind. She yelled into the pager ¡°Security, we have troublemakers here,e and kick them out¡± May hurriedly took out her phone, ready to record Flora¡¯s embarrassing moment. ¡°Kick out who?¡± A man¡¯s cold voice cut through the air like an ice dagger in the middle of winter. The receptionist saw Connor stride in through the door, and her face changed color. She quickly walked over and respectfully said, ¡°Sir.¡± This man was the founder of Neon Light! The moment May saw the man, her face drastically changed, as if she had fallen into an icy cave. Carina¡¯s smile also froze on her face. Connor actually founded Neon Light The other girls had never seen Connor before. They were both excited and shy in front of him, and their eyes sparkled with amorous feelings. ¡°Who gave you the right to kick people out at Neon Light?¡± Moss said, standing by Connor¡¯s side. They were trying to kick out someone dear to the boss. Were they out of their minds? ¡°Moss, it¡¯s because of this woman. She ndered the president¡¯s reputation, saying the president is her fiance. She=¡± The receptionist hadn¡¯t finished speaking when her words got stuck in her throat. She watched in horror as Flora walked up to Connor took his hand with great intimacy, and he didn¡¯t even pull away! ¡°Why are you onlying now? They were horrible to me.¡± Flora said with a little pout. ¡°Who bullied you?¡± ¡°Her! And them!¡± With someone to back her up, Flora immediately acted like a schoolgirl tattling to a teacher. Flora pointed at the receptionist, and she turned ashen. She wasn¡¯t a fool. She figured it out from Connor¡¯s tolerance toward Flora and even Moss¡® respectful attitude towards her. Flora didn¡¯t seem to be lying. She really was the CEO¡¯s fianc¨¦e! The receptionist had just attempted to kick Flora out. Her legs trembled with fear. More horrified than her were May and the others. Who would have thought that the words Flora said were actually all true¡­ Her fianc¨¦ was really the founder of Neon Light! When Flora pointed at them andined to Connor that they were bullying her, they were both afraid and angry. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Who was bullying whom excatly? Flora was acting like an innocent little gill of a sudden! May and a group of young girls were extremely jealous of Flora. Why did she deserve such a handsome and wealthy boyfriend? Connor looked in the direction Flora pointed in and cast a cold nce at Carina and the others. With just one look, they felt a shiver down their spine. A chill crawled up their spine, making them feel dread. ¡°Moss, kick them out, and from today on, none of them are allowed to set foot in Neon Light¡± Connor¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it was enough to make everyone¡¯s heart tremble. ¡°And you¡± Connor didn¡¯t even look at the receptionist, his voice still cold. ¡°Don¡¯t bothering to work tomorrow.¡± The receptionist tumed pale as death. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 ¡°Wade, can you please speak up for us¡­ Tim¡¯s legs trembled as he addressed Wade, trying to suppress his fear. If his family found out that he had offended the boss of Neon Light, they would kill him for sum! Carina also stared at Wade with pleading eyes. They were all pinning their hopes on him. Hadn¡¯t he just said that he was friends with Connor? Maybe Connor would let this slide, for Wade¡¯s sake? Wade cursed inwardly. Today was just bizarre. He had never heard of Connor having a fianc¨¦e, and yet today, of all days, they happened to meet. He was not really Connor¡¯s friend. That had been a bluff, but who knew it would actuallye to pass. However, he had said it and now so many hopeful eyes were on him. He felt stuck between a rock and a hard ce and decided to give it a try. For the sake of the Brimer family, Connor might not embarrass him too much. ¡°Mr. Stonnell.¡± He approached Connor with a somewhat forced smile. ¡°The incident was a misunderstanding. I had no idea she was your fianc¨¦e. They¡¯re with me. Can you let it slide for my sake?¡± ¡°Why should I let it slide for your sake?¡± Last time, when Flora disguised herself as S¨¦raphine to treat someone at the Brimer family¡¯s home, she knew Connor and Wade were not on good terms Flora couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. Why was Connor so adorable? ¡°Connor, it¡¯s no fun talking like that.¡± Wade¡¯s smile faded a bit, and he spoke in a lower tone, with an audible hint of annoyance. ¡°Moss, Beck, throw him out Connor was decisive, not wasting another word on Wade. At hismand, Moss and Beck each grabbed one of Wade¡¯s arms and dragged him out. Carina was dumbfounded. So were May and the others. It turned out Wade was the liar. He had just imed to be Connor¡¯s friend, but Connor hadn¡¯t given him the time of day. What kind of background did Flora¡¯s boyfriend have for even the Brimer family¡¯s eldest son to show her such respect? Obviously, they would no longer be able to enter Neon Light. To avoid the embarrassment of being thrown out like Wade, they quickly left with their tails between their legs. Carina red at Flora resentfully before reluctantly following the others. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. The drama finally came to an end. ¡°Connor, I¡¯m hungry. Flora rubbed her stomach. She hadn¡¯t eaten yet. ¡°Let¡¯s get some food in my room? Connor asked softly. He had his own private room at Neon Light. ¡°Sure!¡± Flora hugged his arm. ¡°But I¡¯ve been walking all day, and my feet are so sore, I can hardly walk.¡± Her voice was sweet and yful, melting Connor¡¯s heart. ¡°How about I carry you?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Floraughed, wrapping her arms around his neck, allowing him to scoop her up in a princess carry. As they entered Neon Light, many recognized Connor. They were all stunned to see him carry a girl upstairs They were curious which girl had caught Connor¡¯s eye, but her head was buried in his chest, hidden from view. They couldn¡¯t see clearly. Flora and Connor mached the top floor using the CEO¡¯s private elevator and went into the CEO¡¯s restroom. Connor gently ced Flora on the couch before attempting to let go, but Flora¡¯s hands remained around his neck. She was unwilling to release him. He was forced to lean down, his hands propped on either side of her waist. ¡°Hey?¡± He asked softly. They were very close, close enough to feel each other¡¯s breath. ¡°Am I heavy?¡± Flora looked at the fine sweat on his forehead, teasing him. ¡°You¡¯re too light¡± 10:06 She barely weighed anything, making it almost ufortable to hold her. Then why ¡°Then why do you look so tired?¡± ¡°Because¡­ you¡¯ve taken up all the space in my heart¡± Holding Flora was tricky. Too much force might make her ufortable, too little, and he might hurt her. Floraughed. ¡°Connor, you¡¯ve gotten good at sweet talk.¡± Connor ordered some food from the kitchen. Worried that Flora might be hungry before the food arrived, he asked them to bring up some desserts first. Soon, desserts arrived. They were all of Flora¡¯s favorites. ¡°Sign here.¡± As Flora finished a piece of cake, Connor handed her a document. After wiping her hands clean with a napkin, she curiously took the document, and then her eyes widened in shock. Connor was transferring the ownership of Neon Light into her name. All the paperwork was ready. All she had to do was sign her name. The vast Neon Light would then be hers. Considering all the paperwork, Connor must have started preparing this a long time ago. Flora was touched, smiling as she spoke. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± She handed the contract back to Connor, huffing ¡°Being a boss is so tiring. I want to be the girl behind the boss!¡± ¡°Just sign it¡± Connor smiled, gently stroking her hair away from her forehead ¡°Connor,¡± Flora asked with a smile, is this my wedding gift?¡± Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Connor also looked at her. ¡°So, will you ept it?¡± Flora smiled, picked up the pen, and boldly signed her name on the contract. After all, she and Connor were destined to be together for life, so there was no need to make a clear distinction. Besides, if she didn¡¯t sign, he might even worry more, given his tendency to overthink. ¡°Mr. Connor from now on, I¡¯m yours.¡± Flora waved the contract in her hand, her smile as radiant as a blooming flower. From now on, she belonged to him. Connor was deeply moved, took a deep breath, and couldn¡¯t help but pull Flora into his arms, burying his head in her neck. ¡°Flora, I¡¯m so happy. Thank you for giving me a chance to get closer to you. Maybe I¡¯m not the best now, but in the future, I will never let you down.¡± Flora felt a pang of emotion, knowing it was she who wasn¡¯t good enough. Connor was just too wonderful. She didn¡¯t even know what made her deserving of his affection. Monday, at Westbrook High School ss Z After the Neon Light incident, May no longer came to trouble Flora, but her geze towards her was anything but friendly. After helping Kaylee with a problem, Flora handed her a contest entry form.. Kaylee, curious, took it and was stunned after realizing what it was. It was an entry form from Rose. She was sincerely inviting talented designers from across the country to participate in a national fashion designerpetition. The top three winners would have the chance to join the designer team led by Rose. ¡°Flora, thank you, but I¡­ I¡¯d better pass.¡± Kaylee sadly put the entry form back on Flora¡¯s desk. Such an internationalpetition would surely attract many participants. They would definitely be professionals from specialized institutions. Kaylee felt¡­she was just an amateur and probably wouldn¡¯t even make it through the first round. ¡°Afraid of losing?¡± Flom looked up at her. Kaylee indeed felt scared, biting her lip nervously. Tm just not good enough yet. Maybe in a few years..¡± ¡°Instead of muddling through on your own, why not enter thispetition? The judges are all top¨C notch designers from Rose¡¯s team, who will provide the most professional guidance. Even if you might not make it to the final or win any prize, it will still be helpful for you ¡°The biggest tribute to a dream is action. If you¡¯re afraid to even enter apetition, how will you ever step onto a bigger stage? ¡°Just give it a try Dane also turned his head. ¡°Think of it as gaining experience. Who knows, you might just get lucky and win a prize.¡± ¡°Thank you both!¡± Kaylee really wanted to go, but her nature made her hesitate. After being encouraged by Flora, she mustered up the courage to participate. ¡°Ill prepare well!¡± ¡°Good luck, we¡¯ll be there to cheer you on!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kaylee took the entry form and went back to her seat. Jade walked in with a stack of papers. Her gaze swept over Flora, who was slouching at the back. A hint of annoyance shed in Jade¡¯s eyes. On every weekly test, Flora scored almost perfect in all subjects except for Spanish She wouldn¡¯t write a single word, making Jade the joke of the office. ¡°This week¡¯s test results were a disaster. I can¡¯t be bothered with you and don¡¯t want to. May distribute the papers. If anyone has questions,e ask me. Now, study on your own!¡± After saying that, Jade sat down. The people in ss Z knew she didn¡¯t like them and didn¡¯t bother to ask for trouble. 10:071 ¡°What¡¯s she so proud of? She¡¯s not even as good as Flora¡± Dane snorted coldly. ss F Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Mr. Easton was on the stage, lecturing with fervent energy, his enthusiasm sending words flying across the room Suddenly, he caught sight of Aaron sitting against the wall, sneakily engrossed in his own world. Mr. Easton¡¯s face darkened as he briskly stepped down from the podium. Still engrossed and unaware, Aaron didn¡¯t notice his teacher approaching until it was toote. ¡°Hand over your phone! The teacher¡¯s booming voice thundered abow him, making Aaron look up abruptly. He met Mr. Easton¡¯s furious gaze, his face turning pale. ¡°Sir, ¡°Give me the phone¡± Aaron clutched his phone tightly, his face ashen. His phone was filled with messages about debts. How could he dare to hand it over to the teacher? Mr. Easton was disappointed yet concemed. He eximed, ¡°Aaron, do you think you have all the time in the world? Your scores on the recent quiz put you at the bottom. You didn¡¯t even reach the average benchmark!¡± ¡°You know your family¡¯s financial situation. If you¡¯re aware of your hardships, you should be working harder academically than anyone elser Mr. Easton was deeply disheartened. Although Aaron¡¯s grades weren¡¯t always outstanding, they were consistently good enough for a respectable university eptance. However, in thest two months, there had been a drastic decline. Mention of him by any teacher was met with head¨Cshaking disappointment. ¡°Since you¡¯re not interested in the lesson, out you go now!¡± The disdain in Mr. Easton¡¯s eyes, coupled with the anticipatory gazes of his ssmates, felt like sharp des cutting into Aaron. He barely dared to lift his head and hurried out to stand by the door. As soon as the bell rang for the end of the ss, Jade left ss 2 without looking back. The relief among the students of ss Z was palpable. Jade¡¯s Spanish ss was nothing short of torment for them. After ss, a student approached Flora, mentioning that the head teacher, Mr. Keaton, needed to see her In the office, Carina was there too. ¡°Carina, your performance this time was somewhat disappointing. The head teacher of ss A spoke softly, ¡°Your scores in Spanish and Geography have dropped significantly, causing you to fall out of the top ten. Are you feeling too pressuredtely?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just been a bit tired. Carina looked down at her score report, feeling bitter. She had scored only six hundred and eighty points. It was her all¨Ctime low. ¡°Senior year is tough, and the pressure is high, but there are only a few months left. Push a little harder. Even with your scores, hope isn¡¯t Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. lost¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°Alright, you can go now.¡± As Carina was about to leave, she saw Flory/enter. Flora walked straight to Mr. Keaton¡¯s desk, ¡°Six you wanted to see me.¡± ¡°Ah, Miss Floral¡± The office teachers greeted Flora warmly. The teacher who had just been talking to Carina even scooted closer to Mr. Keaton. This kind of reception used to be reserved for Carina¡­ In the past, whenever she visited the office, the teachers were always so enthusiastic, but now, that attention had shifted to Flora Carina bit her lip, and left. ¡°Miss Flora, please take a look at your report card.¡± Mr. Keaton handed her the report card with a hint of imitation, emphasizing the 10:07 Spanish section. ¡°Care to exin? Zero points again?¡± didn¡¯t want to do it.¡± Flora¡¯s nonchnt reply almost made Mr. Keaton explode with frustration. Her scores in other subjects were nearly perfect, except for Spanish. It was indeed a headache for Mr. Keaton. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 ¡°Flora, regardless of any disagreements you might have with your teachers, your grades and your future are yours alone. You can¡¯t afford to be reckless.¡± Mr. Keaton spoke eamestly. He didn¡¯t want Flora to squander her potential. ¡°I understand, Mr. Keaton Flora nodded. Having been given a second chance at life, she was more cautious and cared more about her future than anyone eles. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Keaton sighed and spent a good while trying to persuade her, then allowed her to leave. After Carina left the office, her mind was still filled with the adoration other teachers had for Flora, which only deepened her resentment. Suddenly, a sound caught her attention. She looked over to see two people standing in the small garden. One was Jade, and the other was Mr. Garcia. They were close together, embracing. Jade was tearfully telling Mr. Garcia how Flora had embarrassed her Carina¡¯s eyes twinkled as she stealthily hid behind arge tree, then took out her smartphone to take photos and even a video. Afterward, she quietly left. Upon reaching the entrance of ss F, she saw Aaron standing at the door. Aaron saw her, too. His head hung low with a troubled look. She instantly realized that Aaron had been punished and was standing outside as a consequence Thinking it over, Carina took the initiative and knocked on the ssroom door The lesson was suddenly interrupted, and Mr. Easton looked towards the door with displeasure, which changed to amiability upon seeing Carina. Carina was among the top ten students in her ss, excelling in every subject. No teacher would hate a high¨Cachieving student. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Easton. Ms. Eddison needs Aaron toe to the office,¡± Carina politely said. ¡°Go ahead. Aaron is just outside the door¡± Knowing Carina¡¯s reputation as a diligent student, Mr. Easton had no reason to suspect she was lying. Carina led Aaron away from ss F, but instead of heading upstairs as Aaron instinctively started to do, Carina pulled him aside. ¡°I fibbed. Ms. Eddison didn¡¯t ask for you. I wanted to treat you to some ice cream.¡± The halls were quiet during ss time, making Carina¡¯s voice sound especially clear and pleasant. Carina had been deliberately avoiding him these days. Now that she was suddenly showing closeness and concern, Aaron felt unexpectedly cherished. He silently followed Carina. Carina bought two ice creams and sat on the steps with Aaron to enjoy them. ¡°Im sorry about what happened at your birthday party¡± Carina apologized, ¡°You drank so much. Did your stomach hurt afterward? I didn¡¯t expect Flora to go that far¡­¡± Aaron¡¯s face paled at the memory of Floraparing him to a prostitute. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have brought that up¡­¡± Sensing Aaron¡¯s difort, Carina quickly added, ¡°I know you¡¯ve been tight on moneytely, but as you know, I was kicked out by the Irving family and didn¡¯t have much myself. Il transfer you two thousand to tide you over.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± ¡°Actually, you could ask Flora for a loan. My uncle and cousin dote on her so much, she has millions in pocket money.¡± Carina paused, then said, ¡°The ice cream¡¯s a bit too sweet. Are you thirsty? I¡¯ll go grab us some water.¡± Then, Canna ran off to the snack stand. Aaron looked down and noticed Carina¡¯s phone, which was still on, disying a photo. He focused on it, which was a photo of Ms. Jade and Mr. Garcia. ncing at Carina, who was still in line for water, he quickly took out his phone and snapped a picture of the screen. When Carina returned, she handed him a bottle of water and kept one for herself. She casually slipped her phone into her pocket as if nothing had happened. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Aaron hadn¡¯t even reached ss F when his phone rang. The moment he saw the caller ID on the screen, the chill that shot up his spine was palpable. With trembling hands, he answered the call. ¡°Aaron, you¡¯ve been quite the Houdini, huh? When are you going to pay back the money?¡± ¡°Tucker, about the money¡­ I¡¯ve thought of a solution, but I need a bit mom time from you guys¡­ ¡°Also, I¡¯ve prepared a big surprise for you¡­¡± After school, Flora had nned to grab chicken Caesar sds with Connor However, Jade needed to see her for something and oddly suggested they meet at a caf¨¦. The address was a bit out of the way Flora didn¡¯t even want to entertain the idea of meeting her, but Jade had mentioned Dane and the others, so she went. At the caf¨¦. After sending out a text, Jade coldly regarded Aaron, who sat across from her. ¡°I¡¯ve done as you asked and got Flora toe. Now delete the photos immediately!¡± Jade felt utterly cursed. Today, she had been the butt of the joke among her colleagues at the office, and her mood was already sour. To her dismay, Aaronered her after school. ¡°Ms. Jade, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll delete the photos. Aaron said with a smile. A sh of disgust crossed Jade¡¯s eyes. ¡°What exactly do you want with Flora?¡± ¡°I have some misunderstandings with her that I need to clear up, but she refuses to see me. That¡¯s why I had to ask you for help. Ms. Aaron was telling the truth. Flora had blocked him on allmunication tforms, making it difficult for him to even get a chance to see her. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to get Flora to meet him, which is why he turned to Jade. Jade sensed that things weren¡¯t as simple as they seemed, but she couldn¡¯t be bothered to delve into Aaron and Flord¡¯s affairs. She took Aaron¡¯s phone, deleted the photos, and after making sure there were no backups, she finally left at ease. Aaron, meanwhile, walked to the alley outside. It was the inevitable route from the school to the caf¨¦. Tucker and his gang were already impatiently waiting there. ¡°Where¡¯s this gift you talked about? Where is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s on its way. Just be patient. Aaron hurriedly said, ¡°Her family is loaded. Her yearly allowance alone is in the millions About twenty minutester, Flora slowly approached. When she saw the group of delinquents in the alley, her gaze faltered. Then, she spotted Aaron at the very end, and her eyebrows slightly lifted. ¡°Tucker! It¡¯s her!¡± Aaron eximed loudly. The group immediately surrounded Flora, with a few of the underlings blocking the alley entrance to prevent anyone froming in. ¡°You, get out¡± Tucker looked Flora up and down, suddenly sporting a wicked grin. Upon hearing Tucker¡¯s words, Aaron, gritting/his teeth, left. All this was Flora¡¯s doing anyway. If she had just listened to him and lent him the money, he wouldn¡¯t have resorted to such measures. He had already nned it out. Tucker and his guys could sleep with Flora, and then he woulde in and take some photos. No girl would overlook her own reputation. With those photos in his hand, Flora would have no choice but to do as he said. Tucker, eyeing Flora, inwardly praised/Aaron for bringing them such a catch today. ¡°Sweetheart, you walked right into this one. Don¡¯t me us.¡± Flore leaned against the wall, casually scanning them. She roughly got an idea of what was happening. ¡°Did Aaron tell you guys who I am exactly?¡± she asked lightly. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Tucker¡¯s interest was piqued the moment he saw her, It was the first time he had witnessed a girl remain calm and collected when surrounded by a group of men. ¡°You are from the Irving family.¡± ¡°My family is very wealthy and has a high status in Cedarvale.¡± ¡°But, the Irvings have no say in our street matters. Tucker chuckled, speaking brazenly, the tattoos on his arms giving him a fierce look. ¡°Ah Flora said casually. ¡°You know Baker, right?¡± Tucker was taken aback, not expecting to hear the name Baker from a student. ¡°Tucker, this girl knows our boss¡® name! One of the underlings couldn¡¯t help but speak up. A flicker of something crossed Flora¡¯s eyes. So, they were under Baker¡¯smand. She twirled her wrist. ¡°I seem to recall Baker mentioning that one of his rules is not to mistreat women. Seems like you guys don¡¯t listen well.¡± She didn¡¯t mind teaching them a lesson on Baker¡¯s behalf. ¡°You know Baker?¡± Tucker frowned, unsettled by Flora¡¯s demeanor, but he also found it absurd that she would know him. ¡°He calls me ¡®sister¡± Flora stated eamestly, but upon hearing this, Tucker and his crew couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. *Ha! Tucker, did you hear that? She said Baker calls her ¡®sister!¡± ¡°Has she lost her mind because of fear?¡± Tucker and his crew mocked openly. What Flora said sounded like a joke to therm ¡°Tucker, I think she just overheard Baker¡¯s name somewhere and decided to y along¡± Tucker smirked, his gaze mocking as he looked into Flora¡¯s eyes. ¡°Sweetheart, you must¡¯ve had a hard timeing up with such a story. I¡¯m all for chivalry, so as long as you y nice with us, we won¡¯t hurt you¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Flora remained silent, pulling out her phone from her purse to call Baker But before she could dial, the guy closest to her snatched the phone. Seeing the contact named Baker on the screen, heughed loudly. ¡°Tucker, look, she really does have a Baker in her contacts!¡± Unfortunately, the number was not Baker¡¯s. ¡°Typical Westbrook High School overachiever putting on a full show. Too bad you slipped up¡± The menughed unabashedly. They smashed the phone on the ground, the screen shattering instantly. Flora¡¯s expression turned ice¨Ccold. Anger spread around her furiously. That was a phone Hennik had bought for her. ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the line.¡± She didn¡¯t want to fight. She had promised Connor she wouldn¡¯t start fights recklessly but they were asking for it! ¡°Ha! What can you do about it?¡± Theyughed heartily, not taking Flora seriously at all. One even dared to reach out to Flora. Just as his hand was about to touch Flora¡¯s chest, she moved. Her delicate arm shot up, grabbing his wrist and twisting it to an unbelievable angle. The man broke out in a cold sweat from the pain, his lips trembling, unable to utter a word, not even a cry of pain. The others¡® expressions changed drastically, rushing to help theirpanion, Flora¡¯s gaze turned icy. They didn¡¯t even notice her kick. They only saw her spinning silhouette, and then they were mmed to the ground one after another. The sound of bones breaking echoed through the air. It felt as though their ribs were shattered, and breathing became painful.¡± ¡°You! They struggled to utter a few sybles, looking at Flora as if she were a demon! Outside the alley, those on watch had no idea what was happening inside. They only heard some rustling noises, apanied by men¡¯s low groans and the faint sound of a girl¡¯s breathing. They all wore knowing smirks on their faces. 10:07 Aaron clenched his fists tightly, forcing himself not to think about what might be happening inside. This was all Flora¡¯s doing. She had no one to me but herself! Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Tucker¡¯s face darkened as he spat furiously and charged at Flora. Before his eyes, she had actually beaten his friends to this state. Flora watched him coldly as he came about a half meter away from her, then suddenly kicked out, striking him between the legs. Before Tucker could even cry out in pain, Flora spun around and kicked him in the chest. Tucker flew several meters before crashing heavily to the ground, coughing up blood. ¡°I was going to let you off because you work for Mr. Baker, but you forced my hand.¡± Flora sald, taking steps towards them. Flora walked against the light with a slight smile at theers of her eyes. She looked stunningly beautiful and captivating. Each step she took felt like a heavy stone smashing into Tucker and his gang¡¯s chests. The chest pain that made it hard to breathe seemed even worse now. Flora casually picked up Tucker¡¯s phone from the ground and dialed a number. It was Baker¡¯s private number, known only to a few in Club 257. After a while, the c call connected, and Flora, concise and to the point, gave an address. ¡°Get your ass over here.¡± Ten minutester,Baker truly dide running. His shirt buttons were done up wrong, and he looked disheveled from his dash. The guys at the alley¡¯s entrance couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. ¡°Mr. Baker?¡± Why was he here? He never allowed them to do these kinds of things. If he found d out they were extorting high¨C interest loans and bullying young women, he¡¯d surely have their heads! ¡°Everyone stay put! No one enters!¡± Baker shouted as he rushed into the alley. Thest thing the minions wanted was to go in the alley. They wished they could run away but didn¡¯t have the guts. Aaron sensed something was off. He didn¡¯t know Mr. Baker personally, but the man seemed influential. Tucker and his gang should have been more than a match for Flora, so why did this stranger suddenly appear? He felt uneasy. Something must have gone wrong. He wanted to go in and see, but several people quickly stopped him. ¡°Do you have a death wish? We do not! Just stay put. If something happens to us, you won¡¯t get off easy either!¡± Upon entering the alley, Baker saw Flora. Then, he noticed the people lying on the ground around her and his expression changed drastically. ¡°Mr. Baker Tucker and his gang saw Mr. Baker and looked ashen, Even as Flora made the call, they still harbored a glimmer of hope, but now Mr. Baker had really arrived. So, this girl really knew Mr. Baker ¡°Ms. Floral¡± Baker was nearly scared to death. ¡°Are you hurt? How are you?¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. est time Flora was injured on his turf, Club 257 almost came after him. Now, Flora was in danger on his turf again. The This is the second time. Your men are quite disobedient.¡± The sunset cast a fiery glow overhead, and Flora¡¯s voice betrayed no emotion. Baker broke out in a cold sweat. Cedarvale was vast, with hundreds of gangs/Mr. Baker couldn¡¯t control them all. In recent years, Cedarvale had improved a lot, and many gangs had restrained themselves. Still, there were always those who couldn¡¯t resist their darker impulses. ¡°Ms. Flora, rest assured, Ill handle them appropriately.¡± These people couldn¡¯t stay. Tucker and his gang were pale as death. Who could have imagined Flora, who looked so innocent, could be acquainted with Mr. Baket ¡°Tell me, Aaron sent you. What were you nning?¡± Tucker stammered, ¡°He owes us arge sum of money. He told us you were wealthy and suggested we ahem, take somepromising photos of you to ckmail you intopliance.¡± 10.07 Just as Flora had suspected. Hearing this, Baker was shaking with rage, unable to resist kicking Tucker. ¡°Scum!¡± Even if Flora was just an ordinary girl without special status, she was only eighteen. Their actions were despicable! He had strictly forbidden his men fromying hands on women! Tucker and his cronies didn¡¯t dare to breathe. ¡°Ms. Flora, would you like me to take care of them for you?¡± Mr. Baker asked. Aaron was audacious to target Ms. Flora, If Club 257 found out, he wouldn¡¯t even have a whole corpse left. ¡°We live in a society governed byw. Of course, we¡¯ll act ording to thew¡± Flora smiled. ¡°Aaron wanted to ckmail me for money. Well, let¡¯s y along then.¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Baker had a gut feeling that Aaron was about to face a major misfortune. Outside, the longer Aaron waited, the more anxious he be. Why was there no sounding from the alley? Had something gone wrong? He was eager to go in and check, but several young men blocked him, not allowing him inside. After what felt like an eternity but was only about twenty minutes, there was finally some movement in the alley. A group of people came out. Leading them was Baker. Tucker, followed behind, sporting a ck eye and a swollen face Baker walked out without ncing sideways, not giving a single look to the trembling, frightened underlings. However, as he passed Aaron, he lifted his gaze towards him. Baker had been in the game for many years, and a single look from him was enough to make Aaron¡¯s hair stand on end. It was as if a giant hand was squeezing Aaron¡¯s throat. He couldn¡¯t utter a word. Then, Baker, with a poker face, walked away. He reached his motorcycle parked at the front, swung his leg over it, put on his helmet, started the engine, and drove off As soon as Baker left, the group of underlings couldn¡¯t help but gasp for air, looking as if they had narrowly escaped death. They saw the marks on Tucker¡¯s face and couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply. Baker had been too harsh to have beaten Tucker to such an exten!! Naturally, they assumed that Baker inflicted the injuries on Tucker and his group. Aaron quickly nced inside the alley. Flora was leaning against the wall, the setting sun casting a glow on her partially exposed clothing, highlighting her skin with a cold light. Her head was bowed, her messy hair cascading down, hiding her facial expression. Aaron could clearly see the red marks on her arm. ¡°Here are the photos!¡± Tucker threw a phone at Aaron, almost gritting his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ve done what you asked, but if I don¡¯t see the money. you¡¯re going to regret it!¡± Tucker wanted to beat Aaron to a pulp right then, but he could not. Flora had already spoken, asking him to y along in this charade. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Tucker, holding back his anger, left. Aaron flipped through the photos on the phone. His face lit up with manic joy. ¡°Aaron, why do you have to hurt me like this!¡± At that moment, Flora, leaning against the wall, painfully¡® shouted. Her face was streaked with tears, and her eyes were bloodshot. It seemed as if she had truly suffered from something terrible. Aaron felt a twinge of pity, but more than that, he felt a greater surge of satisfaction from his revenge. The thought of using these photos to threaten Flora excited him even more. Even the smile on his face became somewhat grim. ¡°Flora, you were the one who hurt me first! If you had just listened to me from the start, none of this would have happened!¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Flora asked in a ¡®broken and powerless¡® voice. ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin you. I just want to save myself,¡± Aaron said. ¡°I owe a lot of money, but that amount is just pocket change to you. Give me the money, and I promise I won¡¯t speak of today¡¯s events, and these photos won¡¯t be leaked.¡± Aaron shook the phone, his face threatening R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Flora curled up, trembling slightly upon hearing his words, as if truly afraid he would leak the photos. After a while, shepromised, and her demeanor was one of reluctance and helplessness. ¡°Fine, Tll give you the money, but you have to promise that today¡¯s incident will never be spoken of! Otherwi Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Flora returned to the Irving family home, only to find Henrik visibly distressed ¡°Flora, you¡¯re finally back!¡± Henrik felt a weight lift off his heart. ¡°Where have you been? I couldn¡¯t reach you on your phone.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­ Flors apologized. ¡°I broke my phone¡­ ¡°Silly girl, you scared me to death.¡± Henrik said imitably. Tll just get you another one. Did anything happen to you?¡± ¡°No, just my phone got broken¡­ Beforeing back, Flom had already freshened up. Henrik scrutinized her carefully for a while and, seeing that she was indeed alright, finally felt relieved. ¡°Connor couldn¡¯t reach you and was very worried. You should call him back as soon as possible,¡± Flora was taken aback. She had forgotten that she had a dinner date with Connor ¡°Can I borrow your phone?¡± Flora took Henrik¡¯s phone and hurriedly dialed Connor¡¯s number. It rang only once befom connecting From the other end came Connor¡¯s somewhat hurried breathing. ¡°Henrik, have you heard from Flora?¡± ¡°Connor¡­¡± Flora felt incredibly guilty. On the other end, Connor gripped his phone tightly. ¡°Are you home?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Flora was overwhelmed with guilt. ¡°Sorry.. I identally broke my phone and couldn¡¯t contact you, so I just went home. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine¡­ ¡°Give me twenty minutes. I¡¯ll be right over.¡± After saying that, Connor hung up. Flora quickly changed into her lounge clothes. She also checked herself in the mirror for a while, making sure there was no hint that Connor could pick up on. Connor was too detail¨Coriented. She couldn¡¯t hide anything from him. ty minutester, the sound of an engine roared below, and Flom, leaning by the window, saw Connor getting out of the car. Twenty She ran downstairs to meet him. ¡°Connor!¡± She took the initiative, throwing herself into his arms. Connor stiffened for a moment, then his calloused hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. ¡°Cough¡­¡± Henrik coughed awkwardly. Flora¡¯s face flushed, and she quickly got out of Connor¡¯s embrace. She had forgotten her brother was still there! Connor asked her, ¡°Your phone brake?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Flora nodded, realizing Henrik must have told him. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How did it break?¡± ¡°Just¡­ fell and broke.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s it?¡± Flora bluffed solemnly, ¡°Ah, I found a paradise and buried it there.¡± The phone was shattered to bits. If she showed it to them, they would definitely see it had been deliberately smashed. ¡°Liar.¡± Connor mercilessly exposed her lie. He had been unable to contact Flora all afternoon and was genuinely frightened. He checked the surveince cameras outside the school, but coincidentally, they were down ¡°You stay here and take care of Flora¡± Henrik said. ¡°I have to go back to the office.¡± There was a pile of work waiting for him at the office. He hade back home today because Connor¡¯s call had made him worried. Henrik picked up his coat and left. Now, only Flora and Connor were left in the living room. Flora wrapped her arms recklessly around his waist. ¡°Connor, the shower gel you use is the same as mine. You smell exactly like me!¡± Alright, she admitted her attempt to change the subject was quite awkward. ¡°After school, I was lured out by Aaron Flora said in a muffled voice, immediately feeling Connor¡¯s breathing be erratic. 10:07 ¡°He gathered some people trying to bully me. He was going to take some inappropriate photos to threaten me. But who am I? It only took a moment to knock them all down Floraid everything out, briefly exining what had happened ¡°Tve dealt with him Flora could feel Connor suppressing his anger Tve already figured out how to deal with him. You don¡¯t need to do anything! This time, I want to make sure e he never gets back on his feet! ¡°Connor, do you trust me? Please, let me handle this. I hate Aaron I hate him so much I must return the pain he inflicted on me myself.¡± ¡°What did he do to you?¡± Connor¡¯s heart tightened, and the intense hatred emanating from Flora made even him shiver. ¡°He lied to me! Almost made me miss out on the best thing in my life ¨C Your Flora said cheerfully. ¡°And I spent so much money on him! Of course, I want it all back!¡± ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t interfere. I¡¯ll give you the space, but only on one condition: do not put yourself in danger.¡± Aaron had to be dealt with If Flora wanted to handle it herself, he would let her. If she couldn¡¯t, he would step in to help her. 1 got it¡± After seeing Connor off, Flora went to her room to get her spare phone and inserted the SIM card. The first message that popped up was from Aaron, asking when she would pay him. Flora raised an eyebrow, took a screenshot of the chat, and then transferred two hundred thousand to him. Aaron was desperate. His resorting to such means didn¡¯t surprise Flora. What did surprise her was that Jade would help him lure her OUL I had fallen into his hands so easily. Knowing Jade as she did, it was no surprise that Jade had something on her and h Chapter 95 Chapter 95 The next day, during ss, Jade found herself constantly ncing towards Flora¡¯s seat. After Jade left the other day, she wasn¡¯t sure what had transpired between Aaron and Florn, but it seemed like nothing much had happened. Just as she looked towards Flora again, Flora, who had been looking down, suddenly lifted her head and gazed back leisurely She sported a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, and her eyes sparkled with an all¨Cknowing light. Jade¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away After ss, she hurried off as if chased by a ghost. *Flora¡­ could you check if this is okay¡­¡± Kaylee¡¯s timid voice came through, cing a design draft on Flora¡¯s desk. ¡°Your color scheme¡­ could use some adjustments.¡± Flora nced over andmented, ¡°The decorations on the shoulders are a bit too cumbersome. It doesn¡¯t match the overall design style. Maybe you could¡­¡± Kaylee listened intently, her eyes sparkling brighter with every word. ¡°Flora, you¡¯re amazing! You know so much about fashion design, too!¡± Kaylee eximed excitedly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me in thepetition? You¡¯re really talented. Perhaps Rose might notice you and take you on as an apprentice Flora replied, ¡°Il pass.¡± Kaylee didn¡¯t press further. With less than half a month to the first selection round, she stayed up nights after finishing her homework toplete the design draft. After school, Flora made ns to have dinner with Connor. She had stood him up the day before. She promised to have dinner together but never showed up. ¡°I¡¯ve got some matters to attend to. Can¡¯t have dinner with you¡­¡± Connor apologized. *Then, I guess (1l head back. Flora deliberately sounded exceptionally disappointed. She was just teasing Connor for fun, but he took it seriously. ¡°Flora, would you like to go horseback riding? I¡¯m at the Brimer family¡¯s stables, I can have someone pick you up if you want.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Flon¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. At the Brimer family¡¯s stables. ¡°Connor, who are you chatting with so intimately?¡± Yvonne arrived to see Connor on his phone, speaking in a tender tone she had never heard before. While feeling jealous, she also thought Connor was just as she suspected, despite his usual aloofness, he¡¯d be utterly doting towards the girl he liked Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Once Connor fell for her, he¡¯d speak to her in that same indulgent tone, too! Connor put away his phone and nced indifferently at her, ignoring her and heading straight to where Ray was. Yvonne stomped her foot in frustration! ¡°Miss Yvonne, don¡¯t be upset. That¡¯s just how Connor is. Let¡¯s go for a horse race together?¡± Carina approached, smiling ¡°A race with me? Seriously? Do you know who I am?¡± Yvonne, already in a bad mood from being ignored by Connor,shed out at Carina, treating her as an outlet for her frustration. Carina was nothing but a nobody brought along by her brother Carina¡¯s face tumed pale, but she tried her best to keep smiling. Flora arrived at the Brimer family¡¯s stables with Moss and spotted Connor from afar. She excitedly waved, ¡°Connor!¡± She ran towards him and threw herself into his arms. Flora¡¯s momentum pushed Connor back/several steps before he steadied himself. His eyes showed a mix of helplessness and affection He took Flora¡¯s backpack and slung if over his shoulder. He held her hand and led her to the resting area. Yvonne watched, her expression contorting with jealousy. Who was this girl? Why did Connor treat her so specially? ¡°She¡¯s Flora, Connor¡¯s¡­ fianc¨¦e, Carina chimed in from the side. 10:08 Flora and Connor¡¯s engagement was a secret to many Due to the evident rtionship between Ray and Connor, Yvonne had heard bits and pieces. That girl was Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e?! Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be unattractive? Chapter 96 Chapter 96 In the rest area, Ray leaned against a column, watching the girl sitting in the gazebo with an emotionless expression. His charming. mesmerizing eyes squinted, adding a touch of irritability to his handsome features. The girl didn¡¯t speak, and neither did he. The standoff between them persisted. He was frustrated. He had humbled himself, pleading with her to join him at the horse racing event, yet she still seemed unsatisfied Ray was already in a foul mood, and his imitation only grew when he saw Connor arriving with Flora. ¡°Why did you bring her here?¡± he asked, barely containing his annoyance. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Connor, I wouldn¡¯t have bothereding at all Flore retorted not one to back down. Ray scoffed. ¡°Do you even know how to ride? I¡¯d hate to see you end up looking like a mess after a fall Flora lifted her chin defiantly. ¡°I might not be sure about other things, but when ites to riding, I¡¯m a pro The girl sitting in the gazebo couldn¡¯t help but nce over at Flor. It was the first time she had seen someone talk back to Ray like that. Flora, noticing her gaze, looked back. It was Aisha, the girl who hade to her for treatment. Her condition had improved significantly. Although herplexion was still pale, at least it looked normal now. ¡°What an arrogant im! To think you could tell Ray that riding is your fortel Yvonne approached with a sharp voice, looking disdainfully at Flora Despite her dislike for Ray, she knew his equestrian skills were top¨Cnotch, unmatched except by Connor, Yvonne¡¯s disdain for Flora, initially due to her engagement to Connor deepened upon hearing her boast. ¡°Look at you boasting so boldly. Aren¡¯t you afraid of biting your tongue?¡± The rivalry was evident. Even when Flora was disguised as S¨¦raphine, Yvonne had shown deep hostility towards her. Even now, as Flora, the hostility remained. Flora couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°What are you, a fighting cock?¡± Yvonne was momentarily confused by the remark. ¡°I think your red riding outfit matches your style perfectly, Flora said sincerely. It dawned on Yvonne then, fueling her mage. Flora was insinuating she was a brash fighting cock, arogant and aggressive! ¡°Words are cheap. Why not prove yourself with a challenge? Yvonne sneered. ¡°Im not interested.¡± Flora saw no challenge inpeting. Her opponents wem too weak to spark her interest ¡°s it ack of interest, or are you scared?¡± r you used to be scared just at the sight of horses¡­ Carina chimed in, ¡°Since when did you learn to ride, Flora? I remember Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. This only confirmed Yvonne¡¯s suspicion that Flora was all talk, likely incapable of riding at all. Flora ignored them. ¡°Connor, it¡¯s too noisy here. Let¡¯s go over there.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Connor took her hand and led her to a quieter part of the racetrack. He whistled, and a horse charged towards him. Thunderbolt was Connor¡¯s prized horse, reportedly purchased for a seven¨C figure sum. He was cherished beyond measure. Flora rubbed her hands in anticipation. ¡°May take him for a ride?¡± ¡°Of course. Flora eagerly reached out to pet Thunderbolt, but the horse, clearly displeased, shook its head and snorted aggressively. Taking a step back, Flora avoided any harm. ¡°Thunderbolt¡± Connor¡¯s voice was sterp, his expression chilling. Sensing his master¡¯s displeasure, the horse calmed down, allowing Flora to touch it. However, as Flora attempted to mount, Thunderbolt reared up. Thankfully, Connor was quick to steady her, preventing a fall. Flora, shaken, reflected on the true nature of such a spirited horse. ¡°Let¡¯s not A spirited horse like this doesn¡¯t take kindly to strangers. Il switch to a different one.¡± 10:08 Connor, angered and concerned for Flora¡¯s safety, dered, ¡°No matter how spirited, it¡¯s just a horse. If it doesn¡¯t behave, it¡¯s gone Thunderbolt shivered, whining softly, and knelt down, allowing Flora to mount Connor climbed onto it, securing the reins and holding her close. He feared the horse might hurt her. The couple leisurely rode around the racetrack, their affectionate disy making Ray avert his gaze. He had invited them to help console Aisha, not to unt their romance! Chapter 97 Chapter 97 After taking a leisurely ride around the equestrian center with Flora, Connor stopped in front of Alsha. He spoke softly, ¡°Since we¡¯re already here, why not join us for a ride instead of just sitting around?¡± Alsha nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± She then gracefully mounted her horse. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Ray was puzzled, Connor suggested a ride, and she was immediately on board. Yet when he asked, she wouldn¡¯t even consider it. Frustrated, he mounted his own horse and rode up beside Alsha. ¡°How about a race?¡± Aisha nced at him emotionlessly. Then, suddenly, she whipped her horse into action. *Go!¡± The horse galloped away, leaving behind a stunning blur. Aisha¡¯s proud posture on horseback reminded Ray of the once¨Chaughty Miss Green from the prestigious Green family A smile crept onto his lips, and with a tight squeeze, he spurred his horse into a chase. ¡°Connor, let¡¯s join the race too!¡± Flora eximed, her blood racing. ¡°Alright.¡± Connor was always agreeable to Flora¡¯s wishes. He helped her off her horse and nned to apany her to the stable to find a horse that caught her fancy. Flora was feeling thirsty and asked Connor to fetch her a water bottle while she picked out a horse by herself. As she was carefully choosing, a horse suddenly charged towards her at full speed as if intending to trample her! She quickly dodged to the side, her face paling. The girl on the horseback pulled hard on the reins, and the horse reared up, neighing loudly. Flora was sshed with mud. She looked up angrily to meet Yvonne¡¯s provocative gaze. ¡°Apologizel¡± Yvonne was far from feeling remorseful. She boasted, ¡°This is a ce for riding. If you can¡¯t handle it, you shouldn¡¯t be here. Besides, this is my family¡¯s equestrian center. I can do as I please.¡± Flora¡¯s dark eyes silently fixed on her. Thinking Flora was scared, Yvonne only grew even more arrogant. However, Flora then made her move. She grabbed a whip tied to a post andshed out Yvonne didn¡¯t even see iting. All she heard was her horse¡¯s agonized cry as her mount crashed to the ground, throwing her off. Shended hard. Her elbow smashed into the ground, and pain, radiated through her, Connor, Ray, Carina, Wade, and others rushed over. *Ray! Flora bullied me!¡± Yvonne immediatelyined to Wade. Her wrist was in so much pain she feared it might be broken. ¡°Get her out of the equestrian center!¡± Yvonne demanded, seething. Wade was embarassed by Flora once before at Neon Light, and he had been harboring resentment. Now, the moment he noticed Flora had injured his sister his anger boiled over. ¡°Ms. Flora, you caused my sister to fall from her horse. This is the Brimer family¡¯s equestrian center. Is this the kind of manners taught in the Irving family?¡± ¡°Is intentionally causing harm on equestrian grounds the Brimer family¡¯s teaching?¡± Flora retorted coldly ¡°Had I not dodged quickly, I would¡¯ve been severely injured by Yvonne¡¯s horse.¡± Wade hadn¡¯t seen Yvonne¡¯s attempt to harm Flora, or he wouldn¡¯t have been so boldly indignant Yvonne shouted, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose! But you intentionally caused me to fall!¡± your fall? ¡°Yourck of skill resulting in a fall is hardly my fault. Then tell me, how did I supposedly cause yo e was livid yet unable to articte a defense. Yvonne was Who knew what trickery Flora had used to cause her fall? Chapter 98 Chapter 98 ¡°Have you had enough? Rey said to Yvonne Impatiently, ¡°If you keep this up, then just go back home. It was clear to everyone that Wonne was looking for trouble on purpose, only to find herself outmatched by Flor. Connor¡¯s expression had soured considerably, but for the sake of Ray¡¯s dignity, he had refrained from making a scene. ¡°I¡¯m not causing trouble here!¡± Yvonne was both angry and hurt. Though she didn¡¯t like Ray, she was, after all, his sister. Yet, he was taking Flora¡¯s side! ¡°Yvonne, you¡¯ve gone too far. You owe her an apology.¡± Alsha spoke evenly, her voice serene, merely stating the facts. Aisha¡¯s words only added fuel to the fire, sending Yvonne into a rage. What was so great about Flora that so many people sided with her! Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Aisha, even you¡¯re on her side! What does it have to do with me? If she can¡¯t ride, what¡¯s she doing at a riding club!¡± ¡°Who said I can¡¯t ride?¡± Flora smiled. ¡°Then would you race me! From now on, the loser has to take a detour whenever they see the winner!¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Flora rubbed her wrists, her smile deep with meaning. She was tired of Yvonne¡¯s antics, but she wouldn¡¯t back down if Yvonne insisted on being unreasonable. Yvonne was surprised that Flora actually agreed to the race; more than that, she was excited. Yvonne would show Flor that she was no match for Connor! The rules of the race were simple: threeps around the track, and the first to finish wins. Yvonne¡¯s horse was a gift from Wade on her fifteenth birthday. While it might not be as good as Connor¡¯s Thunderbolt, it was still top¨Cnotch. ¡°You can ride mine,¡± Aisha said nonchntly to Flora. There was not a flicker of emotion in her gaze. Yvonne was shocked that Aisha would offer her horse to Flora. It was a joint gift from Connor and Ray to her. Yvonne had always been envious, wanting to ride it, but Aisha never allowed it. Now, she was willing to lend it to Flora, whom she had just met. ¡°Thanks, but no need.¡± Flora smiled and then went to choose a horse from the stable. She had already spotted one she liked. Yvonne sneered at the horse Flora led out. They were all horse experts here. This horse was skinny and small, with frail, powerless legs. For Flors to think she could win with this horse was utterly delusional. Yvonne mounted her horse with ease, looking down at Flong with a challenge. When Connor saw the horse Flora picked, surprise flickered in his eyes. Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Flora mounted her horse leisurely. At the referee¡¯s signal, Yvonne shot off like a released arrow, fast. Flora, however, stayed put, looking entirely unruffled. Yvonne couldn¡¯t resist looking back when she heard no movement from behind, and a look of disdain crossed her face when she -noticed Flora still standing there, seemingly dazed with fear. ¡°Useless! She¡¯s probably scared stiff,¡± Wonne thought. By the time Yvonne hadpleted half ap, Flora had yet to move. Ray couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°Flora, what are you doing!¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving her a onep head start.¡± Flora gripped the reins, the ring sunlight making it hard to see her expression, but Ray thought she might have had a rough start. He joked, ¡°Connor is she out of her mind?¡± Connor nced at him. ¡°You¡¯re not too bright yourself.¡± When Yvonne was halfway through hey secondp. Floro finally moved ¡°Giddy up!¡± Digging her heels into the horse¡¯s sides, she fluidly snapped the reins. Under the zing sun, Flora seemed like a torrent of fiery nectar, bursting forth with a fierce, captivating brilliance. It was impossible to look away. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Yvonne instinctively tumed around upon hearing the noise. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow as Flor raced towards her on horseback. Flora¡¯s slender body hugged the horse, reminiscent of an eagle soaring through the sky. Her delicate face was lit with an excited, almost predatory gleam. She was moving at an astonishing speed; by the time Wonne snapped out of her daze, Flore was nearly upon her. Yvonne¡¯s face paled as she hurriedly whipped her horse, trying to pick up speed, but before the whip could descend, Flora sped past R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only How could she be so fast? Yvonne panicked, trying desperately to catch up, but it was no use. She couldn¡¯t keep up at all. Flora was simply too fast. In no time, she had created a substantial gap between them. Carina watched in disbelief as Flors outshone Wonne in horse riding and sped away. She remembered Flora always disliked horseback riding. The wind whistled past stinging Flora¡¯s cheeks. Flora gripped the reins tightly. It had been a long, long time since shest rode a horse. She used to love horseback riding as a child and had even won a national championship. Connor was also an excellent rider, and their families often joked about them. Back then, she didn¡¯t like Connor and hated being paired with him. Since then, she hadn¡¯t touched a horse. With half ap to go, Flora passed Yvonne. Yvonne clenched the reins tightly, unable to ept her defeat. She removed the hairpin from her hair, gritted her teeth, and stabbed it into the horse¡¯s belly. The horse neighed in pain, uncontrobly surging forward. Wonne screamed in fear, clutching the horse¡¯s belly tightly. She realized she still couldn¡¯t catch up to Flora, gripped the hairpin, and stabbed deeper. The horse let out a pitiful neigh,pletely out of control, and shook violently. Yvonne!¡± ¡°Yvonne!¡± Wade and the others paled and rushed over to help. Flora tumed around to see the horse neighing wildly, trying to throw Yvonne off. At such a speed, if Yvonne were thrown off and trampled, it would be disastrous. Although Yvonne was disagreeable, there was no deep hatred between them. Flora immediately tightened the reins and steered her horse towards Yvonne. ¡°Ah, ah, ah!¡± Yvonne screamed, ¡°Help me! Help me!¡± She was teetering, about to fall off her horse. When Flora was about a meter away, she leaped from her horse, stepping on its back and using the momentum to jump onto Yvonne¡¯s horse. She positioned herself behind Yvonne, straightened her body, and grabbed the reins with her hands. The horse, unwilling to give up, tried to buck them off, but no matter what it did, Flora remained immovable. Perhaps realizing its efforts were futile, the agitated animal finally calmed down. Flora had sessfully subdued it. Flora dismounted Without Flora¡¯s support, a terrified Yvonne rolled off the horse¡¯s back and fell to the ground. Connor and the others arrived. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Meeting Connor¡¯s worried gaze, Flora smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t put yourself in danger again.¡± He didn¡¯t care about the life or death of others. All he cared about was Flora ¡°Okay¡± Flora nodded, wrapping her arms around his waist from the side. Her fianc¨¦ smelt really good. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Yvonne covered her arm in pain, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Stop crying. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital? Wade shouted irritably. 10.081 What was there to cry about? She was outperformed and even resorted to dirty tricks. If it weren¡¯t for Flore, she might have been trampled to death by the horse! Yvonne, in pain, red at Flora with tear¨Cfilled, angry eyes. Flora may have saved her, but in Yvonne¡¯s view, if it weren¡¯t for Flora, this race wouldn¡¯t have happened, and she wouldn¡¯t have taken such a desperate measure She swore to get back at her! With Wade gone, Carina naturally left, too. Only Aisha, Ray, Connor, and Flora were left at the riding club. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 They had gathered together atst, so Ray suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but nce at Aisha, who remained as cold as ever ¡°You guys go ahead, I¡¯m heading back,¡± Aisha said before turning to leave Ray quickly grabbed her arm. ¡°Come on, Aisha, don¡¯t be like that. It¡¯s rare for us to hang out, and it¡¯s your first time meeting Flora. Won¡¯t you stay for dinner? It seemed she loathed Ray to such an extent that she couldn¡¯t bear to look at him any longer. Ray¡¯s expression soured as he watched Aisha walk away. Swearing under his breath, he resignedly followed her. Flora had never seen Ray so deted. He was usually quite the charmer. She was curious but didn¡¯t pry. ¡°What shall we have for dinner tonight?¡± she asked, leaning on Connor. ¡°What do you feel like eating?¡± Connor asked softly. ¡°I¡¯m in the mood for some fondue.¡± ¡°Alright¡± At the Brimer family¡¯s home, Wade had called in a family doctor to o treat Yvonne¡¯s arm. After examining her, the doctor assured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the bone isn¡¯t damaged. Just rest it for a while, and don¡¯t use it too much¡± Yvonne¡¯s arm was severely swollen, and the pain made her imitable. ¡°Wade, I have a fashion design contest to participate in! How am I supposed to win first ce with my arm like this?¡± Yvonne had always been passionate about fashion design and was a huge fan of Rose. It was a rare opportunity for her to meet Rose up close, and she had been preparing for months, but now, her arm was injured. Wade handed her a ss of water and some anti¨Cinmmatory pills, responding imitably, ¡°And whose fault is that? The doctor said it¡¯s nothing serious. It won¡¯t affect your contest.¡± ¡°Yes, Yvonne, don¡¯t worry too much. Your arm will definitely recover before the contest,¡± Canna tried tofort her Yvonne directed all her anger at Carina. ¡°Shut up! Who gave you the right to use my name? It¡¯s all because of you. You brought bad luck!¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for Carina egging her on and iming Flora couldn¡¯t ride, she wouldn¡¯t have raced Flora, and none of this would have happened. Carina had never been so tantly insulted before and looked visibly upset. Her head was bowed, eyes reddened but not quite crying, a sight that would invoke pity in most men. But not Wade. He was nearly tired of her and harbored some resentment it towards Carina ¡°You shouldn¡¯t stay here. I¡¯ll have someone take you home.¡± Feeling humiliated, Carina clenched her fists but nodded obediently. She didn¡¯t return to Willowtree Estate but went to the Irving family¡¯s home instead. Flora probably hadn¡¯t retumed yet. She had gone to great lengths to have Aaron act against Flora and had indirectly inquired about the oue, but Aaron refused to divulge anything. She wanted to see if she could find any clues at the Irving family¡¯s home. It was a weekday, and both Raul and Hennik were out. The servant hesitated to let her in, saying, ¡°Miss Carina, please wait. Mr. Raul and Mr. Henrik are out. I¡¯ll call them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Carina said coolly. ¡°I¡¯m just here to pick up some of my things. Il be leaving shortly¡± ht to return to the Irving family¡¯s home now? Don¡¯t The servant was still blocking her, and she frowned, ¡°What, do I not even have the right forget, my last name is Irving, too.¡± The servant stepped aside, letting her in Canna was right, after all. The servant had no right to stop her. Carina headed upstairs to her room, closely followed by the servant. Just then, the doorbell rang. The servant nced at Carina and hesitated, thinking she wouldn¡¯t do anything untoward, and went to answer the door Carina quickly entered Flora¡¯s room. The room was a bit messy, and Carina¡¯s eyes fell on theputer on the desk. She hurried over and tried to turn on theputer, but the screen remained ck, unresponsive to her frantic clicking Hearing the servanting upstairs, Carina closed theputer and left. At the door, she noticed several crumpled papers in the trash bin. Curious, she picked them up and saw a fashion design sketch. Although she wasn¡¯t an expert in fashion design, she had an eye for aesthetics. She had seen Yvonne¡¯s designs, and this sketch wasn¡¯t even a tenth as good. If she gave this sketch to Yvonne.. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Her heart raced at the thought! She stuffed the paper into her clothes and hurried out. The servant was justing upstairs. ¡°I¡¯ve found what I was looking for. I¡¯ll be leaving now,¡± Carina said coolly. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell my uncle, Henrik, or Flora about my visit today.¡± Then, she quickly descended the stairs and left the Irving family¡¯s home. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 In the evening. Flora returned home. After taking a shower and changing into her loungewear, she opened herptop only to furrow her brows in irritation, Someone had tampered with herputer. She got up and went out to the living room, where her maid was tidying up. ¡°Did anyonee into my room today?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± the maid answered honestly. ¡°Then, has anyone been to the house?¡± Flora¡¯s stem expression made the maid¡¯s heart jump, fearing that something important to Flora might have been lost. Hesitating for a moment, she mentioned that Carina had visited the Irving family ¡°Understood. Next time Carinaes, don¡¯t even open the door for hec Flora said before turning back to her room and closing the door behind her. The maid patted her chest in relief, marveling at how imposing Flora was and wondering how she knew someone had visited. Back in her room, Flora took herptop to bed, and her slender fingers swiftly danced across the keyboard, bringing up various icons. A chat window from Crimson popped up. She clicked on it and opened the file that had been sent. It was a series of photos. A woman was nestled in a man¡¯s embrace, their intimacy evident. Despite the masks, Flora recognized the woman as Jade. The man was a school administrator Flord¡¯s lips curled into a smirk as she leaned back in her chair, leisurely viewing the photos. No wonder Jade had been helping Aaron. It turned out he had something to hold over her A chat invite popped up on her screen, and Flora pressed the ept button Crimson¡¯s exquisite face appeared. ¡°Miss Irving, how are the designs for next quartering along?¡± A themed fashion show was held at Club 257 branch every quarter, and Flora had always been in charge ¡°It¡¯s fine, just send them to me once you¡¯re done¡± Flora responded ¡°Are you nning to participate in the fashion designpetition?¡± ¡°No. Let Howell take my ce.¡± Crimson was aware of Flora¡¯s unique situation, making her appearance inconvenient. ¡°I still don¡¯t get why you chose to have thepetition in Cedarvale.¡± The headquarters were in the capital, and the previouspetitions had been held there, too. Suddenly, moving it to Cedarvale made many preparations difficult. Crimson had been busy with the preparationstely ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t forget about the perfume making. The auction ising gup soon¡± Every March, Club 257 organized an auction, and S¨¦raphine¡¯s fragrances were always the highlight Many attended just for the fragrances ¡°I know,¡± Flora nodded. At the Brimer family Yvonne was struggling with her design drafts and was surrounded by a pile of crumpled papers. She frantically scratched her head, unable toe up with anything innovative ¡°Miss, Ms. Irving is here,¡± a maid announced after knocking on the door. ¡°Who?¡± she asked imitably ¡°Miss Canna¡± the maid gently reminded her R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°What does she want? Kick her out immediately!¡± Yvonne was too stressed about her drafts to care about Carina ¡°Miss, she said she has something very important for you¡­¡± Otherwise, the maid wouldn¡¯t have dared to disturb Wonne What could Carina possibly have that was so important to her? Yvonne frowned, then said, ¡°Bring her in.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss The maid respectfully left and soon returned with Carina: ¡°What¡¯s so important that you have for me?¡± Yvonne asked impatiently. ¡°Yvonne, I know you¡¯re incredibly talented in fashion design. I recently acquired a new design draft and thought you might want to see IL Despite Yvonne¡¯s poor attitude, Carina remained smiling as she took the draft from her bag and ced it on Yvonne¡¯s desk. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Yvonne thought. What good coulde from someone of such humble beginnings?¡± She didn¡¯t take it senously, merely ncing down with impatience. Then, her gaze froze. The body that had been slumped over the back of the chair suddenly sat upright. She gripped the somewhat wrinkled design draft, her eyes shining brightly. There was astonishment and also envy She was astonished that such a masterpiece could exist in this world, She felt envious that someone possessed such talent, a talent she could never hope to match. ¡°Where did you get this design draft?¡± She asked, struggling to contain her excitement. ¡°I just happened to find it.¡± ¡°Where did you find it?¡± Yvonne could hardly believe that Canna could find such a perfect piece so casually. ¡°It was just by the roadside, crumpled into a ball next to a trash can. I was going to pick it up and throw it away, but then I saw the design sketched on it. I thought of your expertise in fashion design and decided to show it to you.¡± Carina¡¯s exnation was wless, leaving no room for doubt. Yvonne¡¯s gaze shifted from her face back to the paper. Indeed, it was wrinkled, as if it had once been discarded like waste paper. Her envy grew. Life was so unfair. What was considered a worthless draft for some was something others could only dream of achieving. If it was a discarded draft, then it wouldn¡¯t matter if she used it for thepetition, right? No one would ever know. After hastily sending Carina away, Yvonne copied the design onto her own sketchbook and then went to find her fashion design mentor. s the fashio Her mentor, Mr. Eden, had studied abroad and was a renowned figure in the fashion design world. He was also invited as a judge for the famous designer Rose¡¯s uing designpetition. ¡°Why are you here? You¡¯re still injured,¡± Eden asked in surprise when he saw her ¡°My injuries are nothing serious.¡± Yvonne said, then spread out her sketchbook to show him. ¡°This is my new design draft. Do you think I have a chance in Rose¡¯s fashion designpetition with it?¡± Eden had mentored Yvonne for over three years and knew her capabilities well. It would be very difficult for Wonne to achieve a ranking in apetition where the nation¡¯s top designers were participating. His intention was only for her to gain experience. He casually took the sketchbook, giving it a nce. When he saw the design, his eyes suddenly widened. ¡°Did you design this?¡± He was thrilled, his hands trembling as he held the sketchbook. Yvonne nodded hesitantly ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your design style wasn¡¯t like this before,¡± Eden frowned, examining the design draft, ¡°it somewhat resembles Rose¡¯s style. Are you trying to imitate Rose?¡± Yvonne continued to nod. ¡°In the past few months, I¡¯ve been looking at various designs by Rose for inspiration. This is my first attempt at this style. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s any good.¡± She had noticed when she received the design draft from Carina. The draft had a feel reminiscent of Rose¡¯s work. She thought perhaps the person who drew it was also a fan of Rose. ¡°Well done. Very creative.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Eden nodded in approval. ¡°Yvonne, I didn¡¯t expect you to improve so rapidly. With this work, I guarantee you¡¯ll definitely achieve a ranking in the fashion designpetition!¡± Chapter 103 Chapter 103 In the blink of an eye, the day of the fashion designpetition arrived. It happened to be a weekend, and Flora, Dane, and others. came to cheer Kaylee on. Kaylee was so nervous she could barely breathe. Since Kaylee was a contestant, Flora and the others didn¡¯t have to queue. They entered the venue through a special entrance. Kaylee was nearly trembling with nerves, so Flora patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Just do your best. The outfit you¡¯ve designed is really good.¡± ¡°Flera, thank you.¡± Kaylee¡¯s voice was choked with emotion. She really didn¡¯t know much, if anything at all. Over the past month, Flora had helped her immensely. Kayless had nothing but her passion, she was practically a greenhom. Flora handled everything for her, from contacting manufacturers to negotiating fabric choices. Without Flora, producing a physical garment would have been impossible. She might¡¯ve still been stuck with just a design sketch. Elsewhere, Eden was introducing Yvonne to a titan of the fashion world. ¡°Yvonne, this is Mr. Holt. Mr. Holt, this is my prot¨¦g¨¦, Yvonne.¡± Standing opposite Eden was a middle¨Caged man in his fifties wearing sses. His name was Holt, and he was one of the judges for thepetition. He was a highly influential figure in the fashion design world. His opinion could make or break careers. After the introduction, Eden gave Yvonne a look, and she immediately knew what to do. She eagerly said, ¡°Mr. Holt, it¡¯s an honor to meet you! I¡¯ve heard so much about you. I¡¯ve seen many of yourpetitions, and I absolutely adore your design style. It¡¯s a dreame true to meet you in person!¡± Yvonne¡¯s name was well¨Cknown in the fashion design circles. Mr. Holt had heard of her as well. Her talent was undeniable, and with Eden¡¯s support, she quickly became a rising star in fashion design. Mr. Holt, always keen to support talented individuals, was noticeably warmer in his demeanor towards her. ¡°Haha, do your best in thepetition. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing your work.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Holt! I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Mr. Holt smiled kindly Suddenly, Eden spotted a man emerging from a side door of the stage arid quickly pulled Yvonne over, ¡°Mr. Howell! Howell gave him a brief nce and nodded. ¡°Mr. Eden.¡± Yvonne¡¯s heart raced upon seeing Howell. She had only seen Howell in magazines before! Howell was the lead designer of Rose¡¯s design team and a direct disciple of Rose. If he was here, could Rose be here as well? The thought of meeting her idol made Yvonne¡¯s heart nearly leap out of her chest. She greeted him nervously, ¡°Mr. Howell, it¡¯s an honor, I¡¯m Yvonne! I¡¯m a huge fan of your work! I¡¯ve got a collection of every one of your designs at home!¡± Howell acknowledged her with a brief greeting. Just then, his assistant called him over, and he had to leave. Eden told Yvonne, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s getting almost time. You better head backstage and get ready. ¡°Okay!¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. As Yvonne was about to head backstage, she suddenly heard a voice. ¡°Flora, what should I do? I¡¯m still so nervous!¡± Hearing the name ¡°Flora, Yvonne instinctively looked toward the source of the voice and saw Flora with Kaylee and their group. Yvonne¡¯s arm still throbbed, a reminder of the humiliation she faced at the horse track. Her gaze shifted from Flora to Kaylee, noticing the contestant badge on Kaylee¡¯s waist, and her eyes darkened. A few secondster, she strode into the backstage area. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 ¡°Flora, I¡¯ve got to go. My model has arrived. I need to head backstage to prepare.¡± Kaylee was no longer nervous after chatting with Flore and the others for a while. ¡°Go, go, gol You¡¯ve got this! I¡¯m lugging the camera around. I¡¯ll definitely capture your most brilliant moment!¡± Alex said, struggling with the heavy camera. Kaylee smiled, waved at them, and went ahead to meet the model, then headed backstage together. The backstage area was bustling. Many designers were busy doing makeup and styling hair for their models. As the creators of the outfits, they knew best what makeup and hairstyle wouldplement their designs. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Makeup and styling were fundamental skills for every fashion designer. The designers participating in thispetition were mostly industry veterans, and Kaylee, who looked to be only seventeen or eighteen, attracted a lot of attention upon her arrival. ¡°Hey, little miss, how old are you? Are you in college yet?¡± Someone nced at her contestant badge and asked kindly. Kaylee answered sweetly, ¡°I¡¯m still in high school.¡± Everyone was surprised. It was remarkable for a high school student to pass the preliminary rounds and make it to the finals. While they were still in shock, Yvonne entered with her model. Yvonne stirred even more excitement. ¡°It¡¯s Yvonne!¡® ¡°The prodigy, Yvonne!¡± Yvonne was quite well known in the fashion industry. At just neen, she had already won many awards. Moreover, she was quite good at marketing herself. So many people knew of her. ¡°Hello, everyone. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all,¡± Yvonne greeted everyone with grace and politeness, making them like her even more. ¡°Yvonne, it¡¯s an honor!¡± Having seen Yvonne¡¯spetitions on TV, K Kaylee was very excited to see her in person. She reached out for a handshake. However, Yvonne didn¡¯t notice her and walked past Kaylee awkwardly withdrew her hand. Everyone exchanged nces, noticing the apparent discord between Yvonne and Kaylee. Yvonne and her model went to the dressing room to change into a gown. Ten minutester, the door reopened. Everyone instinctively looked over, drawn to the gown worn by the model stepping out behind Yvonne. All eyes widened in amazement. This was their first time seeing such an exquisitely designed gown. The gown was predominantly navy blue, with unknown totems embroidered at the cuffs and neckline. The embroidered patterns blended into the fabric, the gown telling a story of its own ¨C pretty as a picture. The silver threads shimmered under the wallmps, reminiscent of the moon¡¯s soft glow casting its brilliance everywhere. The design was majestic yet understatedly elegant. It was just a gown, yet it somehow inspired a sense of awe. Everyone was stunned for a long time. They knew Yvonne was talented, but they hadn¡¯t expected her to improve this much. It was a huge leap from herst competition entry, almost as if it was designed by apletely different person. Yvonne didn¡¯t miss their expressions and lifted her chin proudly. ¡°As expected of the prodigy, we simply can¡¯tpare with such talent¡­¡± Someone said with a wry smile. Yvonne was undoubtedly going to be the champion of thispetition. She might even be spotted by the renowned designer Rose and taken as an apprentice. Her future was boundless. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Basking in praise from everyone, Yvonne became even mon arrogant Thepetition was about to begin, and everyone stopped crowding around Yvonne to hurry and prepam their models. Kaylee handed the evening gown to her male model, instructing him to go to the fitting room to change. Soon, the model emerged, dressed. The designers instinctively looked his way. The traditional sult was transformed with many additional elements. It broke the stereotypical image of a conventional suit, adding a touch of wildness and rebellion. It was a refreshing change. However, the model¡¯s demeanor didn¡¯t quite match,cking a certain je ne sais quoi. With Yvonne¡¯s stunning design preceding it, Kaylee¡¯s creation seemed rather mundane. The designers tumed their attention away, busying themselves with their own tasks. Kaylee, still a high school student and inexperienced in makeup and hair, was fortunate that professional stylists were avable backstage. She wanted to discuss the model¡¯s hairstyle with the stylists, but the two were preupied with Yvonne and paid no attention to her. Kaylee was taking the stage before Wonne. She checked the time and realized she was running late. Taking a deep breath, she approached the stylists and politely asked, ¡°Excuse me, could you please help with my models makeup and hair first?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re busy? The makeup¡¯s over there. Just do it yourself, one stylist replied impatiently. ¡°I¡¯m not very good at makeup, so¡­ ¡°Then you¡¯ll just have to wait until we¡¯re finished.¡± The stylists, realizing Kaylee had no significant connections or influence, tantly disregarded her. Yvonne was ying with her phone and overheared the conversation. She smirked. She had monopolized the stylists without lifting a finger herself. Others couldn¡¯t stand this but could not speak out. It was clear Yvonne had no fondness for Kaylee. Yvonne was a promising talent likely to join the prestigious Rose¡¯s design tearn. No one wanted to offend her Kaylee¡¯splexion turned sour as she realized she was being targeted. Without another word, she had her model sit, attempting to do his makeup and hair herself. Yvonne nced over intermittently, signaling her assistant with a look. As thepetition drew nearer backstage became increasingly chaotic. Kaylee focused solely on her model. Suddenly, an astonished voice eximed from behind, ¡°Heavens, what happened to your suit?¡± 2 2 3 22 = F Kaylee instinctively tumed, meeting the shocked gaze of a woman behind her. Following her line of sight, she saw arge tear on the back of the model¡¯s suit as if shed by a de. Her mind went nk. The color drained from her face, leaving her pale. ¡°It was fine just a moment ago¡­ How could this happen¡­¡± The model panicked. He was about to hit the stage, but the suit was ruined. Backstage was bustling, and it was impossible to notice who might have tampered with the garment. ¡°You must have carelessly snagged it on a pin or something,¡± another designer remarked sympathetically. The model grew more anxious, fearing he might have topensate for the expensive suit. Biting her lip to calm down, Kaylee told the model, ¡°Take off the suit.¡± Though it was torn, embroidering some designs on it might serve as a makeshift repair Once the model removed the suit, Kaylee quickly grabbed the needle and thread, starting to mend it. Other designers looked on with admiration. Despite her young age, she remainedposed, showcasing remarkable improvisation. Given time, she was sure to achieve great things. Yvonne, resting her chin in her hand, watched the busy young girl. Kaylee alone wasn¡¯t worth her effort. But, Kaylee was a friend of Flora. Kaylee blocked out the world and focused solely on her task. When the model mentioned needing to use the restroom, she nodded mechanically, continuing her embroidery. As the pattern emerged, she couldn¡¯t hide her excitement. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Almost done¡­ Then, a scream pierced the air ¡°No! Someone fell down the stairs!¡± ¡°That looks like¡­ number thirty¨Ceight. Kaylee¡­ it¡¯s your modell¡± Kaylee¡¯s vision darkened as the needle pierced her finger deeply. By the time she arrived, security was already there. The model¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t severe, but with a broken foot, he couldn¡¯t take the stage. Kaylee couldn¡¯t find another model on such short notice a One incident could be a coincidence, but a second pointed to foul y. Kaylee couldn¡¯t understand who she had offended as just a neer. She looked around at everyone backstage. They were staring at her, too. There was sympathy, mockery, and schadenfreude on their faces. Kaylee walked out of the backstage area expressionless, but once she reached the corridor, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears any longer. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 In the audience section, Flora leaned back in her seat, one hand bringing the smoothie Dane had bought her to her lips, the other ying with her phone. [hasn¡¯t started yet. It¡¯s kind of boring She texted Connor Seeing no reply, she sent another message: [What are you up to? Connor quickly replied. [In a meeting.] Flor was about to send an emoji when another message popped up on her phone. It was from Aaron, asking her for money. Floreughed and smoothly transferred ten thousand dors to him. These days, Aaron had been asking her for quite a bit of money. She counted the days and decided it was time to real things in. Her phone vibrated once more. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She thought it was Aaron again. She read it, and then lifted her gaze to see Howell, at her three o¡¯clock, waving at her She put away her phone and told Dane and the others, ¡°I¡¯ve got something to take care of. Il be back in a bit.¡± In theidor, Howell watched Flora, who¡¯szily leaning against the wall in front of him, admiration in his eyes. ¡°Flora, Molly and the others are here. Do you want to meet them?¡± ¡°Not for the moment.¡± ¡°Alright. We¡¯ve received the design drafts you sent, and the samples have been made. Well courier them to you for a look.¡± Howell continued, ¡°This time, some of the contestants have notable talents. There¡¯s one named Yvonne, and I¡¯ve seen her audition work. Though they¡¯re a bit immature, she¡¯s quite gifted for her age.¡± Yvonne? Flora almost thought she had heard wrong. ¡°Who did you say?¡± ¡°Yvonne, from the Brimer family of Cedarvalethe.¡± Flora was bbergasted. Talk about a small world. ¡°If her final piece is promising, Molly and I have discussed it, and we¡¯re thinking of offering her an externship¡± Flora fell silent. She paused, about to speak, when she heard sobbing. Flora recognized the voice, and looking towards the source, she saw Kaylee. She was sitting at the end of the corridor, her head buried in her knees, crying. ¡°Flora, what do you think¡­¡­. ¡°Decide for yourself.¡± Flora walked towards Kaylee. ¡°I¡¯ve got to do something now. You go ahead.¡± Howell nodded and left the corridor. Flora stopped in front of Kaylee. Kaylee was crying so earnestly she hadn¡¯t noticed Flera approach. Flora crouched down slightly and asked, ¡°Why the tears all of a sudden?¡± Kaylee jumped at the voice above her head. She looked up abruptly to see Flora¡¯s face close by, her eyes welling up after a moment. ¡°Flora¡­..¡± She was sobbing painfully. ¡°What happened? Who bullied you?¡± ¡°They¡¯re so mean!¡± Kaylee exined how her clothes were sabotaged and the model was injured. Flora listened without much expression, but her eyes gradually grew colder. She took out her phone and called Rafael. ¡°Still in Cedarvale?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m Elming here!¡± ¡°Send a male model over. Get him to the grand theater within twenty minutes.¡± Flora wasn¡¯t too familiar with models/Rafael would know better. Before bing a pop idol, he had been a model for a long time. She hung up and said to the disheartened Kaylee, ¡°Stop crying. The model will be here soon. Come with me to the entrance to meet him Flora dragged Kaylee to the entrance, where the sounds from inside could be heard. Thepetition had already begun, with models taking the stage one by one. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Time ticked by, and Kaylee¡¯s heart was in knots. They were already calling number twenty. She was number thirty¨Ceight. If the model didn¡¯t arrive soon, it would be toote. Flora leaned against the wall, her demeanor calm and collected. Refeel might not be the best of men, but he was reliable when it mattered. He would arrive on time. Outside, there were few people, only security guards pacing back and forth. The gloomy sky cast a dim light, and the muggy, hot weather only added to the frustration. Kaylee¡¯s hands, hanging by her waist, were covered in ayer of dense sweat. Finally, a minivan slowly drove in. The door opened, and a man in a leather jacket, wearing sunsses and a face mask, stepped out and walked towards them. ¡°Flora!¡± Upon reaching them, Rafael took off his sunsses and winked at Flora ¡°Why did youe yourself?¡± ¡°It was a spur¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmoment thing. Where could I find you a model at thest minute? As it happened, I was nearby shooting something and rushed over as soon as we wrapped.¡± Rafael asked, ¡°Anyway, why did you need a model?¡± Flora briefly exined the situation. ¡°She¡¯speting, and her model had an ident at thest minute. We needed to find a recement quickly Rafael¡¯s gaze fell on Kaylee, and upon seeing her eyes, red and swollen from crying, he suddenly smiled. ¡°It¡¯s you again.¡± ¡°Last time, we missed a photo opportunity. Let¡¯s make up for it this time.¡± Kaylee was so excited she couldn¡¯t utter a word. Her mind went nk. The person Flora called¡­ was Rafael¡­ Was he going to be her model? ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there daydreaming. It¡¯s number thirty¨Cthree now. If we don¡¯t go, we¡¯ll really be late.¡± Flora shook her phone. Dane had messaged, saying they were already calling number thirty¨Cthree. Kaylee snapped back to reality, still somewhat flustered ¡°Raf¡­ Mr. Rafael, please follow me backstage, L? Flora kind of worried Kaylee might bite her tongue. ¡°You lead the way. III follow.¡± Hearing Rafael¡¯s words, Kaylee quickly nodded and awkwardly made her way backstage. Flora, walking towards the audience seats, texted Howell. Check the backstage security footage and find out who¡¯s been tampering with things.] Backstage. Thepetition was hearing its end. Designers who hadpleted their part were gathered, chatting. The conversation soon turned to Kaylee. One female designer nced at the empty seats, a hint of regret in her voice. This young girl is just in high school, and she managed to make it through the preliminaries to the finals. It¡¯s not easy, but it¡¯s a shame¡­. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t have crossed paths with the wrong people. Another person whispered. It was obvious to anyone that Kaylee was being targeted. ¡°Numbers thirty¨Csix, thirty¨Cseven, thirty¨Ceight, get ready!¡± The stage director rushed in and scanned the room, but, not seeing number thirty-eight, he urgently said, ¡°Where¡¯s number thirty¨Ceight? Where is she?¡± ¡°Ah, her model was injured and ran out half an hour ago. She probably won¡¯t bepeting.¡± Someone said with schadenfreude. The director didn¡¯t say much. There were always a few mishaps in everypetition. He was used to it. ¡°Then number thirty¨Cnine, get ready. Line up, after this batch, it¡¯s your turn-¡± Tm here!¡± Kaylee¡¯s voice was rushed and slightly breathless. She hurried in, her forehead covered in sweat. Everyone was surprised. They hadn¡¯t expected her to return. Even Yvonne couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow, The director asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your model?¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 As he entered, the room fell into silence. Yvonne suddenly stood up, staring nkly at theposed Rafeel making his entrance. Rafael, a name synonymous with intemet fame, was known by anyone who had ever surfed the web. Why was the superstar Rafael here in their midst? Their shock was such that they missed what Rafael had just said. Yvonne brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, lifted her chin with pride, and walked towards Rafael, fighting to keep her excitement at bdy. ¡°Hello Rafael, I¡¯m Yvonne.¡± She extended her hand in greeting, the other hand already clutching her phone, ready to snap a picture. This was a chance to brag to her girlfriends. Of everyone backstage, Yvonne was the most stunning, and the prodigious girl. She believed Rafael wouldn¡¯t remain unmoved. However, Rafael didn¡¯t spare her a nce, instead pulling Kaylee past her. He stopped at station number 38, picked up the jacketid out on the table, and asked Kaylee, ¡°Is this the one?¡± Kaylee, blushing, nodded. ¡°Yes!¡± Rafael quickly grabbed the jacket and headed to the dressing room, emerging soon after, perfectly attired. The suit seemed tailored to Rafael¡¯s aura. It¡¯s a seamless fit, as if it was made for him. Wild and unrestrained, it was an embodiment of his very essence Being an actor and having modeled for a while, he found makeup and hair to be child¡¯s y. In no time at all, he was stage ready. The director was already calling out, ¡°Number 38, number 38. Get ready to go on stage!¡± Rafael made his way to the stage wings, unhurried N?velDrama.Org ? content. The models there were all preparing, none looking back. No one noticed Rafael. -Trying to calm her trembling heart, Kaylee edged closer to the door, peering through the crack. From here, she could just make out a ¡°Oh my God, am I dreaming? I never thought I¡¯d see Rafael in my lifetime. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with that girl? How did she get Rafael to model for her?¡± Backstage, everyone huddled together, gossiping, still half in disbelief at the recent events. ¡°That girl really ys her cards close to her chest. Say, if I get on her good side, do you think I could get Rafael¡¯s autograph?¡± ¡°I think you could!¡± Yvonne, recalling how Rafael fael had ignored her, falt indignant. After all, he was just an actor. Wh tor. What was so great about him? She had offered him a handshake, a gesture of grace on her part, Soon, she would show everyone what it meant to be truly breathtaking! In the audience. Flora settled back into her seat as Alex passed her a bag of chips. ¡°How did it go, Flora?¡± ase, was there ever any doubt?¡± Dane raised an eyebrow, his tone cocky, ¡°With Flora on the case, Flora smirked, ¡°Send me yourpleted assignments after we get back¡± A chorus of groans followed. That was so unfair of her! Why did she bring up such a terrifying topic while they were all enjoying themselves? Flora tore open the chip bag, leaned back, and casually watched the stage while munching Number 36 was up, She nced at the stage and then looked away. The design was too gaudy and had lost its essence Who would wear such an ostentatious, heavy garment? Thepetition was being live¨Cstreamed, with many online viewersmenting. 23:47 W Can you smell that? The scent of money! [Excuse me, but will wearing this outfit affect my ability to drive a Ferrari single¨Chandedly?] [To thement above, itll only affect your ability to farm, nt wheat, and pick your nosel] Flora was scrolling through her phone when suddenly, the stage erupted in screams. ¡°Ah! My eyes must be deceiving me!¡± ¡°Am I seeing things? Is that Rafael?¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Chapter 109 Chapter 109 The room erupted with Intense cheers, On the stage, Rafael stepped out slowly, his demeanor casual yet his presence overwhelmingly commanding. The other models were Instantly reduced to mere backdrops, their luster dimmed. He came to a stop, shed a devilish grin, and snapped his fingers. His silver earring caught the light in such a way that it seemed to defy the world¡¯s illumination, In the live stream,ments flew across the screen in rapid session, momentarily crashing the system. [OMG, he¡¯s just too much! Why is my boy Rafael here?! I¡¯m crying. My bestie had two tickets and gave me one so o we could go watch it together, but I didn¡¯t go! I missed my chance to see Rafaell] [Same! Can I still make it if I hop on my helicopter now?!] Ladies, calm down. Aren¡¯t we missing the point here? Why would Rafael be modeling in this kind of competition?] Girls, I found out! Rafael is wearing clothes designed by someone named Kaylee] [Who¡¯s this under¨Cthe¨Cradar designer Kaylee? Never heard of her. Rafael always sets the bar high. Howe he¡¯s suddenly modeling for a neer? This smells like juicy gossip!] ¡°Flora, the model you got at thest minute was s Rafael?!¡± Dane and the others were also caught up in the excitement. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Ah,¡± Flora nodded, her eyes fixed on the radiant Rafael on stage, her lips curling into a smile. Show¨Coff. She chuckled to herself. 2 2 2 0 2 ¨C 0 2 6 8 22 82 On stage, the other models were having a meltdown. Nobody expected Rafael to appear out of the blue. A less experienced model stumbled, nearly falling on the runway. Though she regained her bnce in time, the mistake was made. She rushed off the runway, her face flushed with embarrassment. Backstage, Kaylee was covering her face, on the verge of tears. Her dream hade true. Rafael was wearing the clothes she had designed and was standing on the stage.)) The once unreachable man seemed a little closer to her now. At the judges¡® table, the judges were overwhelmed by the noise from the audience as they evaluated Rafael¡¯s attire and scored. The cheers from the front were deafening, clearly audible even backstage. One designer made ament to Kaylee with a hint of sarcasm, ¡°We really underestimated you. You actually knew Rafael and even got him to model for you.¡± Apart from the judges¡® scores, a hundred randomly selected audience members also got to vote. The final score for the contestants would be abination of both The audience, not necessarily experts in fashion, focused on two things. One, if the model was attractive. Two, if the clothes looked good. Rafael¡¯s influence was undeniable, and the audience¡¯s scores were bound to be high. Some designers were green with envy. ¡°Kaylee, how do you know Rafael? What¡¯s your rtionship? Are you a couple?¡± Curiosity got the better of everyone, and they couldn¡¯t help but gossip, Several pairs of eyes were fixed on Kaylee. ¡°No, no, we¡¯re not¡­ a couple¡­¡± Kaylee frantically rified, trying to dispel any misunderstandings about her and Rafael to avoid causing him any trouble. ¡°I¡¯m not that close to Rafael¡­ Today is only the second time I¡¯ve seen him in person.¡± Nobody believed Kaylee¡¯s words. If they weren¡¯t close, why would the aloof Rafael agree to model for a neer like her? Their rtionship, it seemed, was deeper than she let on. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Rafael and a group of models returned backstage, making way for a new batch to take the stage. The models who had shared the stage with Rafael didn¡¯t look too pleased. Who would have thought their luck would be so poor as to coincide with Anfeel¡¯s appearance? He had overshadowed thempletely. Rafael was all smiles, scanning the room until his gaze finally settled on Kaylee. He took a step towards her. Kaylee¡¯s breath hitched. She watched Rafael stop in front of her, his lips slightly moving. She was spellbound. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the judges¡® reactions. They are visibly pleased. You should be able to secure a position.¡± Though they were nearly half a meter apart, to Kaylee, he felt incredibly close! Her heart raced, and she couldn¡¯t muster a single word, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. Despite Rafael having exited the stage, the cheers hadn¡¯t died down, each wave louder than the last Yvonne listened without a change in expression, though intemally, a storm raged. She wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to steal her spotlight or her fame. Especially not Kaylen, who¡¯s Flora¡¯s friend. She casually lifted her phone, aiming the camera at Rafael and Kaylee. The click of the shutter button could be heard. She nonchntly slipped the phone into her pocket, stood up, and led her model to prepare for their entrance backstage. Flom was ying with her phone, dozing off. Connor had finished his meeting and said he¡¯d pick her upter for some grilled fish. Flora replied with a simple ¡°okay, struggling to keep her eyes open. ¡°Next, we have-contestant number 45, Yvonne, showcasing her design, ¡®Boundless Love.¡± At the mention of Yvonne, Florazily opened her eyes, ncing at the stage. Then, her gaze hardened, A deep blue evening gown hugging the model¡¯s graceful figure caught her attention. Themplight cascaded down, the silver threads shimmering softly like the moon in the sky. As the model drew nearer the designs embroidered on the deep blue gown became clear to everyone. The embroidery looked like a greatndscape. The crowd was stirred. Even those watching the live stream felt inspired! [Absolutely brilliant! This design is the highlight of the show! [It¡¯s more than just a show highlight. It could represent the country at a national fashion design competition.] (Folks, I checked, and the designer, Yvonne, is not even twenty! She has won countless awards and is hailed as a prodigy! [While she steps onto the international stage at twenty, I¡¯m still bumbling through my days.] [This must be what it¡¯s like in the world of geniuses! I¡¯m off to follow her!] I think she and our Rafael would make a perfect match¡­] [Shut it. Why do these fashion designers love to stir things up? No one matches up to Rafael!] [Exactly, shameless. Stop making baseless ims, or you¡¯ll learn what online fury means! Today, apart from those genuinely interested in fashion design, the majority of the viewers were Rafael¡¯s fans. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Rose had provided all of Rafael¡¯s outfits, including his casual wear. She had been a significant support to Rafael even before he rose to fame Rafael¡¯s fans held Rose in high esteem. Knowing she organized thispetition, despite finding it somewhat dull, they eagerly came to support it. So, when someone tried to pair Yvonne with Rafael, the fans collectively took control of the narrative [God, this is astounding. This is my first time witnessing such an impactful design. It feels as if all thendscapes are in my heart¡­] The onsite audience continued their fervent discussions. Their eyes filled with astonishment. Many took out their phones to follow Yvonne on Twitter. She was such a treasure. They needed to cherish her! Onstage, the model struck a pose, then held it, allowing everyone a clearer view of the dress¡® details. Flora leaned back in her chair her eyes emotionless as she stared at the tform, her tongue clicking against her teeth. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Eden watched the expressions of all the audience and judges. He noticed their amazement and couldn¡¯t hide his pride. Having a talented apprentice was a reflection of his own prowers as a mentor. ¡°No doubt, Eden. The student you¡¯ve trained has shown extraordinary toleht,¡± ¡°Indeed, she truly deserves the title of a prodigy.¡± ¡°Yvonne¡¯s design style seems to bear some resemnce to the legendary Rose¡¯s. Maybe Howell should just take her into his team.¡± The judgesmented one after another, their tones filled with admiration for Yvonne. With this one stunning plece of clothing, she intleed deserved all the praise. Howell¡¯s cold and sharp gazended on the model who had just finished walking the runway. His brow furrowed slightly, a sign of his growing displeasure ¡°Are you saying this is your apprentice, 1. Yvonne¡¯s. work? His question was ice¨Ccold, his tone less than pleased. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s her work.¡± Eden felt Howell¡¯s tone was a bit strange but didn¡¯t think much of it ¡°The design was all Yvonne¡¯s own creation, absolutely original¡± Howell¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile, and without another word, he suddenly stood up and made his way through the audience He walked straight to Flora. ¡°Ms, Flora,¡± he called out respectfully. No one expected Howell to suddenly stand and move towards the audience, and the camera crew couldn¡¯t keep up. Flora was sitting next to Dane and others, but only Dane and Alex heard Howell. Their expressions were ofplete surprise. What was going on? Why would thepetition¡¯s main judge be calling out to Flora? Is this design yours?¡± Howell asked in a deep voice. Flora lifted her eyelids to nce at him, somewhat agreeing with his statement. ¡°Why did your design and up in someone else¡¯s hands? ¡°She picked up a draft I discarded.¡± Flora answered, her lowered eyelids hiding her emotions. She had pieced together the timeline. Carina must have taken that discarded draft during her quiet visit to the living family¡¯s home. Howell felt like facepalming. ¡°Do you realize your discarded draft is what many aspire to achieve in their lifetime? Why w would I you throw such a treasure in the trash! Dane was puzzled. Flora, what do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying you designed this dress? ¡°What do you n to do now?¡± Howell asked. The dim light from the wallmp cast half of Flora¡¯s face in shadow. The other half was cold and pale. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Her lips curved into a wicked smile, her voicezy and indifferent. ¡°What I¡¯ve discarded is not for Yvonne to repurpose. It offends me. If she dare to confront me, I must retaliate, mustn¡¯t 17¡± Flora stood up abruptly. Stepping forward, she walked towards the front. Howell stood behind her. Dane and Alex hurried to follow In the live broadcast, the viewers were confused by Howell and Flora¡¯s conversation. [I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening. Can someone exin?] (it sounds like the dress wasn¡¯t designed by Yvonne but by this youngdy] [Guys, I¡¯ve searched all the major websites and found nothing about this girl!] [Is it just me, or is this girl really beautiful? I¡¯m in love!) [Add one more to that! I can¡¯t help but be charmed!] Flora leisurely walked to the front, where all the models had finished their walks, and the judges began to score. All the designers and their models stood on stage, waiting for the final results. Whether intentionally or not, Yvonne positioned herself in the center, the most eye¨Ccatching spot. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 ¡°Howell, you¡¯re here. We¡¯ve been waiting for your scores Eden and the other judges greeted him warmly. They had been at the front, so they hadn¡¯t caught Howell¡¯s conversation with Flom. Nor did they recognize Flora, casting curious nces her way. They didn¡¯t even know why Howell had brought her along. Howell retumed to his seat and picked up the microphone, but suddenly, he handed it to Flora. Flora took the microphone. ¡°I have a question for contestant number 45. Her clear voice echoed throughout the venue. Yvonne¡¯s expression darkened slightly, assuming Flor was there to embarrass her on purpose. She wished she could hurl the microphone at her but restrained herself due to the public setting, maintaining a smile, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°What was the Inspiration behind your creation?¡± Yvonne had prepared extensively for thepetition, researching a vast amount of information as soon as she received the design sketch. She was ready for such a question from the judges. She answered fluently. ¡°To honor my heritage, to fly high like an eagle in service of my country..¡± Her passionate speechsted a minute and a half, and the audience responded with vigorous apuse. Flora smiled, twirling the microphone in her hand, ¡°And do you believe your designs are excellent?¡± ¡°Well¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be modest of me to say,¡± Yvonne replied shyly, then added more confidently. ¡°To every designer, their drafts are like their children, perhaps not perfect, but in their eyes, the most outstanding.¡± ¡°Even if the child was stolen?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Yvonne¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡°Your so¨Ccalled design is just my discarded drafts. I¡¯m surprised my discarded drafts could receive such high praise from you.¡± The revtion caused an uproar. The hall went silent for a moment before erupting into chaos. Online, the live stream viewers were franticallymenting. [Drama Drama! Get your popcorn and drinks!] [Who is this girl? She is so bold?] [This seems a bit much. Who can im their discards could easily enter a national contest?) The majority were skeptical of Flora¡¯s im. After all, she was rtively unknown, whereas Yvonne was celebrated as a prodigious talent Yvonne¡¯s smile froze, and her heart tightened. Flora imed the drafts were hers! How¡¯s this possible! It couldn¡¯t be such a coincidence that the designs were Flora¡¯s. If Flora truly had such talent, why wouldn¡¯t shepete herself? ¡°Flora, think before you speak. You¡¯re using me of stealing your drafts. Do you have proof? Without it, you¡¯re just spreading rumors.¡± Yvonne maintained herposure, projecting an image of being greatly wronged. ¡°So, this is a personal vendetta?¡± The audience realized there had been previous conflicts between the two. Their looks towards Flora turned disdainful. ¡°She¡¯s such a pretty girl but is acting so thoughtlessly someone in the audience scoffed. Another agreed, ¡°You don¡¯t get it. She just wants attention. She thinks the world should revolve around her because she¡¯s pretty!¡± Despite the judgmental stares and criticisms from all sides, Flora remained expressionless, as if none of it mattered to her Howell¡¯s expression was dark as the bottom of a pan, his gaze sharp as a de towards Yvonne on stage. Is that so, Yvonne? Huh? Okay. After today, she could forget about continuing in the fashion industry. He shuddered at the thought that he had once considered inviting Yvonne to Rose¡¯s design team. ¡°Yvonne, I¡¯ll give you one chance to admit to giarism. Otherwise, the consequences will be more than you can bear.¡± Flora¡¯s voice was soft but carried throughout the venue. Her hand holding the microphone was pale, and the veins were visible under the skin R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The light and shadow yed across her eyshes, adding a coldness to her demeanor She had created the designs, but representatives from the National Design Institute had been pestering her. Unable to refuse any longer she had licensed the designs to them. Yvonne giarized from the National Design Institute. She was really asking for trouble. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Thepetition was abruptly halted, leaving everyone in suspense. On stage, Yvonne¡¯s hands, which were resting at her waist, trembled slightly. Howell¡¯s behavior towards Flore was oddly deferential as if she were his superior, The number of people flooding into the live stream kept increasing, and Flora¡¯s name swiftly climbed the trending searches. Inside Stonnell International After concluding a meeting, Connor returned to his office and picked up his smartphone. He meant to check the time and nned to pick up Flors from the Grand Theatre. Instead, he saw his screen bombarded with notifications, all mentioning ¡®Flom #Westbrook High School Flora¡¯s giarism Scandal #Shocking! The tall¨Ctale teller Flora faces humition He wasn¡¯t one for social media, but he had installed plugins on both his phone andputer. Any news that included the word ¡®Flora¡± would automatically be rmended to his device. He clicked one and read through it silently. Darkness filled his eyes. He grabbed his coat and strode out. Moss and Beck waited outside, asking, ¡°Sir, where are you headed?¡± ¡°To the Grand Theatre.¡± Outside the Grand Theatre, the crowd was thick. Most were Rafael¡¯s fans who came for the spectacle, along with the paparazzi. Rafael¡¯s sudden appearance at the Grand Theatre to model for an unknown designer was bound to stir gossip. At that moment, three ck Maybachs slowly made their way through. The crowd parted, making way for them. A few bodyguards in ck stepped out of the cars at the front and back. They formed a human wall with their hands behind their backs, protecting the central car within. The onlookers couldn¡¯t contain their curiosity, wondering who warranted such an entourage. The car door opened slowly from the inside, the first thing to touch the ground being a pair of silver high heels. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Then, it¡¯s a cascade of a blue and white mermaid gown. As the woman stepped out of the car, the gown rippled under the twilight, breathtakingly beautiful. The woman lifted her hand, tucking her golden hair behind her ear. Her blue eyes sparkled like gems, proud and slightly wild. The stunning beauty of the woman left the onlookers gasping, spellbound. She was escorted into the theatre withrge strides by four bodyguards in front and four behind ¡°That¡¯s Queen Algria¡± Someone recognized the woman and eximed. The crowd exploded with whispers at the revtion. ¡°You must be mistaken. How could it be Queen Algria!¡± Queen Algria was the wife of the President of M Country. Such a high¨Cprofile figure at the Grand Theatre was unthinkable. ¡°Wow¡± Some unbelievers checked Queen Algria¡¯s information online and were shocked beyond belief upon seeing her photos. ¡°It really is Queen Algria, my goodness. What brings her to the theatre!¡± As they marveled, a buzzing sound from above caught their attention. They looked up to see a helicopter hovering, adder descending. and a man in a suit stepping out ¡°It¡¯s Louie!¡± Another gasp from the crowd. The ce bolled over with excitement. The famous fashion designer Loule was here! His presence was unexpected. But the real shock was yet toe. A luxurious Maserati MIU slowly approached, and as the identity of the passenger became clear, the crowd went silent, their legs trembling with fear. 23.40 m ¡°What day is it today? So many big shots am here!¡± Inside, everyone was waiting for Teo to arrive. The audience walted, not showing any sign of Impatience. Instead, they were excited. They were anticipating the drama! Suddenly, a disturbance from outside made everyone tum toward the entrance, thinking Teo had arrived. A woman walked in, the cool light from the wallmps casting a serene glow on her, her blue and white mermaid gown shimmering like the sea under starlight, creating waves of awe. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 She was stunningly beautiful. Flora¡¯s brow furrowed at the sight of the neer, a trace of resignation flickering in her eyes. Why was she here? Eden and the judges were so shocked they literally jumped up from their seats. They stared at the woman in disbelief. Why was Queen Algria here? Eden was the first to hurry over, his attitude somewhat ingratiating. ¡°Queen Algria, what brings you here?¡± He was always good at currying favor, or else he wouldn¡¯t havended his position today. The cameras had already been trained on Queen Algria, so everyone in the live stream heard Eden call her ¡°Queen Algria,¡± [OMG! Queen Algria is here! Am I dreaming?] R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only [To thement above, I tried pinching myself, and it hurts. Definitely not dreaming!] [Can I still make it to the Grand Theater? Even Queen Algria is here. This contest will go down in history!] The whole ce was buzzing. The audience took out their phones, snapping photos non¨Cstop. In their lifetimes, they were witnessing Queen Algria in person. This was a story to tell their descendants! ¡°I happened to have some business and came to Cedarvale. I saw the trending news and learned about what was happening here. Someone is ndering my friend, and naturally, I had toe and see for myself.¡± Queen Algria spoke with a smile. [Thedy said someone¡¯s ndering her friend? Who could it be? Yvonne?] [I did some research! Yvonne once went to the States and won apetition, and it was Queen Algria who presented the award! I heard that Queen Algria had even taken her design afterward.] [So Queen Algria really is here to support Yvonne. This is going to be good; let¡¯s see how Flora reacts now.) [Add one from me! Flora is so annoying. Someone needs to put her in her ce!] Eden, too, immediately assumed Queen Algria was referring to Yvonne. He had been the team leader when they went to the States for thepetition. He knew about Queen Algria presenting the award to Yvonne and the high praise she had for her. Not just Eden, even Yvonne herself thought so. Queen Algriaing to support her was something she had never imagined. Proudly, she stepped down from the stage to approach Queen Algria. ¡°Queen Algria, it¡¯s been a while. I didn¡¯t expect our next meeting to be under these circumstances. Right and wrong have their own justice, and I believe I will receive fairness.¡± She raised her voice deliberately. ¡°Those who use despicable means to gain attention will eventually face their consequences.¡± Yvonne¡¯s words confirmed her close rtionship with Queen Algria and sharply criticized Flora, showcasing her fearless spirit. However, Queen Algria merely nced at her indifferently. Her gaze was filled with the arrogance of a Queen. Her voice was even colder. ¡°Who are you?¡± Yvonne¡¯s smile froze. ¡°I¡¯m Yvonne, don¡¯t you remember? I won first ce at the youth fashion design contest, and you awarded me personally. You even took my winning design¡­¡± Queen Algria squinted as if thinking, then after a few seconds, spoke again. ¡°I remember now.¡± Yvonne brightened and was about to speak, only to hear Queen Algria continue. ¡°My daughter took the dress. She used it as a rag for cleaning the floors.¡± Queen Algria¡¯s piercing gaze tumed to her. ¡°What, was that giarized as well?¡± ¡°What?¡± Yvonne¡¯s face turned pale. She nearly lost her bnce. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Queen Algria seemed uninterested in continuing the conversation, gracefully sidestepping her and striding forward. Her gaze was fixed on someone in the distance ¨C Flora. She halted in front of Flora, a hint of a smile flickering in her blue eyes. ¡°Flora, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you again.¡± Her demeanor was starkly different from when she was dealing with Yvonne. The eight bodyguards apanying her also chimed in unison, ¡°Miss Flora,¡± their voices dripping with respect. In the live stream chat- [Confused?] Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. [Double confused?] [Why is Queen Algria¡¯s attitude towards Flora so odd? And those bodyguards, do they seem¡­ scared of her?] [Impossible! The mighty Queen Algria, scared of a high schooler?] [Algria wasn¡¯t here for Yvonne, but for Flora? What did she mean by ¡°Oh, so that was giarized too?¡® Is she proving Yvonne giarized?] The scene was buzzing with excitement and spection. Queen Algria¡¯s words were loaded with implication, subtly confirming Yvonne¡¯s giarism. ¡°Howe you¡¯re here?¡± Flora lifted her eyelids slightly, watching Queen Algria. She had known Queen Algria for two years now. She was Crimson¡¯s cousin. Her daughter was born with a heart condition that worsened dramatically during a visit. It was Flora whom Crimson turned to for help. Given the urgency and the fact that Algria was Crimson¡¯s cousin, Flora didn¡¯t hide her true identity when she went to save the child. Over the years, they kept in touch, mostly with Algnia sending messages and Flora asionally replying. ¡°I was in Cedarvale and wanted to see you. And once I heard about all thismotion, I had to come. It¡¯s my first time seeing someone daring to giarize your work, and I had to see for myself.¡± ¡°Queen Algria! I didn¡¯t do it! You can¡¯t use me just because you¡¯re close to Flora!¡± Yvonne¡¯s defense was weak, her voice trembling. The arrival of Queen Algra shattered her composure. Deep down, she suspected the original work might¡¯ve indeed been Flora¡¯s, but admitting quilt was out of the question. It would ruin her life. ¡°Are you using me of lying?¡± Queen Algria¡¯s eyes narrowed as her hand instinctively moyed towards her waist, then she remembered where she was. Here, drawing a weapon was against thew, so she withdrew her hand. Having held a position of power for many years, Queen Algria¡¯s presence wasmanding, making Yvonne, who was but a young girl, pale with fear. Wonne¡¯s body broke out in cold sweat. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve arrived just in time.¡± A somewhat yful voice echoed. A man walked in from the entrance, his eyes misty behind gold¨Crimmed sses, reminiscent of a foggy forest at dawn. His nearsightedness gave him a look of kindness as if he was looking passionately at everyone. Flora¡¯s head buzzed at the sight of him. It was as if everyone had agreed to show up at the same time. Now, Flora was still oblivious to the uproar online. Seeing Louie, Queen Algria raised an eyebrow. She was somewhat acquainted with him. She had organized many fashion design contests in which Louie had participated in, and she admired his style. Howell, a bit helplessly, approached. ¡°Mr. Louie, what brings you here?¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 One by one, theye, and Flora¡¯s true background could no longer be hidden! ¡°Here for the drama, are we? A public showdown with a giarist? This is too good to miss, Loule said as they made their way towards Flora, calling out to her affectionately. ¡°Floral Sis!¡± Just two words, yet they hit like a boulder dropping into ake, stirring up waves of shock. [Have I gone deaf? Am I hallucinating in my old age? Why would Loule call a high schooler ¡®Sis¡®?] [My goodness, Flora knows Queen Algria and even Loule¡­ What exactly is her background?] The online audience went wild, and the people on¨Csite were almost losing their minds. In their eyes, Louie¡¯s reputation was sacred, and yet, here he was, addressing this young girl as his sister? ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± Flora said, her face expressionless. Knowing Flora¡¯s temperament, Loule didn¡¯t press further, instead turning to Yvonne. ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the nerve to steal Flora¡¯s work.¡± Yvonne could no longer stand, copsing into a chair behind her, thankfully not too embarrassingly. Her initial thought was simple. Even if Flora designed the original work, Yvonne believed she could suppress the matter. After all, without power or influence, Flora had no standing in themunity, and her family, the Irvings, couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the Brimers. But who could have expected¡­.. Not only did Flora know Queen Algria, but she also knew Louie. ¡°Mr. Eden¡­¡± She looked pleadingly at Eden, who returned her gaze with disappointment, decisiveness¡­ and disgust. Eden knew too well that the situation had escted beyond his control. Yvonne¡¯s giarism was all but confirmed, with no chance of reversal. She was finished. The tide hadpletely turned in the chat. The web was abuzz with #ProdigyYvonneSuspectedOfgiarism# By now, it was almost certain that Yvonne was the giarist, yet her fans desperately defended her. [Would the trash¨Ctalkers please shut it! How could Yvonne be used of giarism just based on a few people¡¯s words?] [Exactly, it can¡¯t be that whoever knows more people is the original creator, right?] [I also want to say it must be because Flora can¡¯t provide evidence that she¡¯s dragged so many people into this mess.] [Agree with the abovement. Didn¡¯t Flora say she knew, Teo from the National Design Institute? Half the day has passed, and he¡¯s still not here. She was probably just bluffing!] The onlinemunity was fiercely divided, and so was the live audience. Some believed in Flora, others stood by Yvonne. Twenty minutes passed, and no one from the National Design Institute had arrived. Yvonne grasped at this like a lifeline, her voice filled with frantic hope. ¡°Flora, you said someone from the Design Institute wasing? But they¡¯re still not here!¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°You keep saying I giarized, but you haven¡¯t provided any solid evidence! ¡°Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we¡¯ve wasted so much time because of Flora. ¡°Thispetition has been turned into a mess because of her. Should we let her continue this farce for others tough at us? ¡°I request that Flora be immediately sent out of the grand theater!¡± Just as Yvonne finished speaking, amanding voice rang clear from the entrance. ¡°Who says there¡¯s no evidence?¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Yvonne¡¯s heart jolted, and she abruptly turned to look towards the door. A group of people quickly stepped in. They all wore a badge on their chest. Yvonne recognized it immediately. It was the badge of the National Design Institute The person leading the group was somewhat older, his hair graying, yet his spirit was vibrant, and his eyes shone with rity. It was Teo. When he reached Yvonne, Teo gave her a cold nce before stepping towards Flora. There was a bit of a situation on the way here. Sorry for the dy.¡± Flora nodded slightly. Making it from the National Design Institute in just over twenty minutes was already quite fast. Teo signaled to a man who looked like awyer. The man nodded, pulling out a document case. ¡°I am Anthony, the Chief Legal Officer of the National Design Institute. I am here to represent the Institute in response to the allegations of giarism against Ms. Yvonne. ¡°This is the design blueprint purchased by the Institute from Rose¡¯s design team. As everyone can clearly see, many elements of this design ovep with Ms. Yvonne¡¯spetition entry. Besides, here are the rest of the designs from the same series.¡± Saying so, thewyer pulled out another stack of design drafts. ¡°These are the previous works released by Rose¡¯s design team. The earliest was published six months ago.¡± The photographer even gave those drafts a close¨Cup shot. It was evident that these designs shared simrities with Yvonne¡¯s newly released work. If Rose¡¯s design team had released their work six months ago, then it could only mean that Yvonne had giarized. Yvonne felt as if all her strength had been drained. She had seen those design drafts that the lawyer had thrown out before. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. When she got her hands on those drafts, she was blinded by desire and didn¡¯t think too much about it. Besides, who would have thought that a random scrapped draft would belong to Rose¡¯s design team Her life was¡­.. Ruined. All because of Flora! Yvonne suddenly raised her head, staring at ed her head, staring at Flora with intense eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot and filled with dense veins, ¡°Flora, who exactly are you, and what is your rtionship with Rose¡¯s design team!¡± The Flora she had always looked down upon actually knew Queen Algria, was acquainted with Louie Howell, whom she had tried so hard to please, was utterly obedient to Flora. Even the people from the National Design Institute were polite and courteous to Flora. ¡°It¡¯s not much of a big deal.¡± Flora nced at herzily. ¡± am merely a member of Rose¡¯s design team. I suppose.¡± A high school student whose name no one had ever heard of was actually a member of Rose¡¯s design team! Everyone was astounded, finding it unbelievable. However, after the series of events that had just unfolded, their eptance to this truth had increased considerably. It all made sense now. She was a member of Rose¡¯s design team, so naturally, she knew Louie and Howell. Yvonne clenched her teeth, having anticipated this possibility yet still finding it hard to ept. The Flora she had looked down upon was the girl she could never hope topare to. ¡°In the matter of Ms. Yvonne¡¯s giarism, the National Design Institute will file awsuit, and further announcements will be made on the official website. We absolutely will not let original creators be disheartened, nor will we allow giarists to roam free.¡± As thewyer¡¯s words fell, Yvonne copsed to the ground like a person drowning. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 At that moment, a group of people walked in from outside. Leading them was WHE Given the magnitude of the incident with Yvonne, the Brimer family naturally had to make an appearance. ¡°Wade¡­¡± Seeing Wade, Yvonne cried out, her voice breaking. Wade gave her a look filled with suppressed anger and quickly strode to the person in charge. He whispered a few words to him. The person looked somewhat troubled, but eventually nodded. He had the cameraman cut the live broadcast and ordered the staff to forcefully clear the audience from the venue, offering to refund the price of their tickets. Such a spectacle was rare, not something that could be measured with money alone. No one wanted to leave. However, the staff were insistent, ready to physically remove those who wouldn¡¯t leave. Soon, all unrted individuals had been cleared out. Wade approached Teo, addressing him respectfully, ¡°Teo. I hope you can show leniency towards my sister Yvonne.¡± *She¡¯s young and foolish. I apologize on her behalf. Surely, there¡¯s no need for awyer¡¯s letter. I¡¯ll personallye to offer my thanks another day.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Do you think this is just a matter of being foolish?¡± Teo sneered, ¡°So, this is the kind of family values you uphold, no wonder she¡¯s a habitual giarist.¡± ¡°Yes, what Yvonne did was wrong, but young people deserve a chance. After all, our family and you have connections.¡± Wade paused, then continued, ¡°My grandfather is the head of the National College in the capital city. Do you really want to make this ugly?¡± Wade straightened up, his tone carrying a veiled threat. His grandfather was directly above Teo in rank. Wade thought Teo would definitely be intimidated by this. Teo frowned, clearly troubled by Wade¡¯s words vin Although they were only a branch of the Brimer family in Cedarvale, Wade¡¯s Grandfather cared deeply about his reputation. If Yvonne really went to court, they wouldn¡¯t stand by idly ¡°Even if my sister giarized, it hasn¡¯t had a substantial impact. Give our Brimer family some respect, release a rification online, and we can still be amicable.¡± Despicable! Teo bit back his anger, unwilling to let Yvonne off so easily. And Wade even asked him to issue a rification online? It was utterly vile to use one¡¯s power in such a way. ¡°Wade, if your grandfather knew you were using his name to throw your weight around, he¡¯d be quite the sight.¡± The man¡¯s voice carried a hint of roguishness. Wade frowned and tumed to look. His expression darkened at the sight of Ray and Connor With Connor here, things were going to be difficult. Apanying Connor were Raul and Henrik. ¡°Wade, what you just said is quite interesting. Yvonne is a year older than my sister Flora, so how is she young and ignorant?¡± Heqnk strode in, the usually gentle smile on his face reced with a chill, ¡°As a designer giarism is shameless, and using power to bully others is down right despicable. The Brimer family might be powerful, but my family is not to be trifled with. The evidence against Yvonne giarizing my sister¡¯s work is imefutable.¡± ¡°We¡¯re set on thiswsuit!¡± Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Flora didn¡¯t expect them toe, and hurried forward to greet them. ¡°Dad, Henrik, why are you all here?¡± ¡°When our Flora is in trouble, naturally, we have toe,¡± Raul said softly Hennikughed and ruffled her hall. ¡°Our girl can¡¯t just be bullied for no reason. ¡°And you?¡± Flora felt both warmed and helpless as she nced at Connor and chided. Tm here to back you up,¡± Connor¡¯s voice was slightly hoarse. Flora didn¡¯t quite catch on at first, but after she realized what he meant, she felt slightly amused. Wade hade to bully her using his influence to back Yvonne up, and now Connor was doing the same for her ¡°Connor?¡± Queen Algria¡¯s eyes shed with surprise. She sized up both Flom and him and hesitated before asking. ¡°Flora, what¡¯s your rtionship with him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my fianc¨¦.¡± Queen Algria¡¯s expression changed multiple times. He and Flora were actually¡­. Thinking of Connor¡¯s special status, Queen Algria furrowed her brows. ¡°Queen Algria.¡± Connor uttered a few words, as if greeting, but Queen Algria sensed the threat in his tone Queen Algria remained silent. Facing him, she couldn¡¯t help but feel intimidated. Well, let them be, it was just a fianc¨¦ after all. Teo stared at Connor, lost in thought. He seemed to have seen Connor somewhere before. ¡°Teo,e with me.¡± Moss made a please gesture and took Teo aside, whispering in his ear No one heard what they said, but Teo¡¯s expression changed several times, from initial shock to joy, then to an unstoppable smile. Everyone was curious about what they were saying, except for Flora, who remained calm. She looked like she didn¡¯t care about anything. ¡°Are you still the Flora I know?¡± Ray bent down slightly to meet Flora¡¯s gaze, his eyes full of inquiry. ¡°How have you be so smart?¡± Flora lifted her eyelids, her gaze sparkling as she met his, ¡°You are still the Ray I know, still not so smart¡± ¡°Ha, my 10 test score is 230. ¡°You probably fake that report.¡± While they were bantering, Teo came over with a beaming face. Meeting Wade¡¯s gaze, he smirked, ¡°We¡¯re set on thiswsuit. When you have time, find a goodnd attorney for your sister.¡± Wade¡¯s face darkened. But he didn¡¯t continue with Teo, instead, he turned to Connor. ¡°Connor, the Brimer family has also treated you well. You are our friend. Do you really have to be so ruthless?¡± ¡°I only have one friend, and his name is Ray,¡± ¡°Your Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Wade was so angry he was practically smoking. He knew Connor¡¯s temperament. Once he had made up his mind, nothing else would Sway him. He could only seek help from the Brimer family members in the capital city. But what he didn¡¯t know was that Connor had already made it clear, the Brimer family in the capital city didn¡¯t dare to interfere with this matter Yvonne had to suffer a bit before this matter would be considered closed. The matter finally came to a close Yvonne was taken back by Wade. As she walked away, Yvonne kept her head down, hatred gathering and exploding in her eyes. Flora had caused her so much trouble; Yvonne wouldn¡¯t let it go just like that. If she couldn¡¯t deal with Flora, at least she could deal with Kaylee. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 The farce finally came to an end. Even though thepetition had turned into a bit of a joke by now, the results still had to be announced. Initially. Yvonne had the highest score, with Kaylee ranking eleventh. But now, with Yvonne disqualified, everyone else moved up a spot, making Kaylee the tenth. When Kaylee received her certificate from Howell, her hands were trembling so much that she nearly couldn¡¯t hold 6th it Knowing she was a ssmate of Flora, Howell softened his tone considerably. ¡°You¡¯re very talented. Keep it up, I hope to work with you one day. His voice was loud enough for the other designers on stage to hear. Their expressions all changed. Did Howell mean he wanted to recruit Kaylee to the Rose design team? Kaylee was overwhelmed by the honor, barely able to string her words together. Flora watched Kaylee¡¯s glowing face on stage, a slight smile ying on her lips. The young girl indeed had talent. She was worth considering for recruitment. After the ceremony, there was no need for Flora and herpany to stay for the group photo with all the contestants and judges. Linking arms with Raul on her left and Henrik on her right, she left through a side door. Connor followed closely behind them, with Ray walking shoulder to shoulder next to him. Teo, Louie, Queen Algria, and many other influential figures quickly followed suit. Outside, the crowd was still massive, but the police kept order with cordons every few steps, so it wasn¡¯t too chaotic. Still, it was a sea of heads as far as the eye could see. Teo, all smiles, said, ¡°Flora, you must visit the design institute when you get the chance. I have a meeting to attend now, so I¡¯ll be heading off.¡± Flora nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Flora, I¡¯ll be going too. I¡¯lle to see you when you¡¯re free.¡± Queen Algria hade with a favor to ask Flora, but it was not the right time to discuss it. After saying her piece, Queen Algria left with her entourage of bodyguards. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Flora then turned to Louie as if to say, why haven¡¯t you left yet? ¡°Flora, when did you get a fianc¨¦?¡± Louie adjusted his sses, his eyes scrutinizing Connor. ¡°I¡¯ve always had one.¡± ¡°Does Rafael know about this?¡± Flora nodded emotionlessly. ¡°It¡¯s rare for him not to make a fuss.¡± Louie chuckled with a meaningful smile. ¡°I¡¯ve got apetition abroad to attend to, so I¡¯ll be going.¡± Louie didn¡¯t show the same hostility towards Connor that Rafael did. If Flora wanted to date, let her. It was just a bit of excitement in life. The man in question was no ordinary individual, and Flora was not someone to be easily manipted. Raul and Henrik calmly watched them leave, their facesposed but their hearts turbulent. Their Flora knew so many influential people. And she had somehow joined the Rose design team without making any fuss about it. so, they were relieved and proud. Raul and Henrik were astonished but even Who would dare say Flora was ipetent now? Flora wondered how to exin this to them, thinking they would ask questions. But to her surprise, Raul and Henrik simply smiled at her, asking what she wanted to eatter. ¡°Our Flora has be so impressive, we must celebrate.¡± ¡°Do you want to eat at home, or go out?¡± ¡°I want to eat at home.¡± Flora said with a beaming smile, ¡°I want Dad¡¯s barbecue ribs.¡± ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s head home.¡± Raul responded cheerfully, delighted that his daughter wanted to eat his cooking. ¡°Dad, let¡¯s invite Connor to join us.¡± Flora held Connor¡¯s hand, her tone yfully coy. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 ¡°Mr. Raul, I want toe along too, you wouldn¡¯t mind me, would you?¡± Ray volunteered enthusiastically, raising his hand. Raul and Henrik naturally had no objections, and the group went shopping for groceries before heading to the Irving residence. At the Irving residence, Connor was busy in the kitchen. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. He washed fruit, cut vegetables and boiled ribs. Raul felt a bit embarrassed to have Connor cook on his first visit and made a half¨Chearted attempt to dissuade him. ¡°Connor, you should take a seat on the couch. Mary and I can handle this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate to invite the son¨Cinw over and then have the father¨Cinw do all the work. Raul, please, go take a seat. I¡¯ve got this.¡± Connor¡¯s sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his tanned wrists. He efficiently washed the vegetables and then dried his long hands on the apron. Raut could tell that he was a kitchen expert. His swift and decisive actions showed he was someone who cooked regrly. Raul was pleased. Being able to cook was an important skill for a man. Even though they had a housekeeper, a husband¡¯s cooking had a different feel to it. Flora had a sensitive stomach, so once Connor married her, he¡¯d need to put effort into their meals. Raul left with a smile. In the living room, Henrik sat upright on the sofa with aptop on his knees. He was sending out meeting documents. Ray, feeling right at home, picked grapes Connor had washed from the coffee table and ate them one by one. Ray¡¯s sweet¨Ctalking kept Raul in good spirits. ¡°Hey, Connor, rinse a few apples and bring them out, will you?¡± Flora kicked him without any courtesy, ¡°Can¡¯t you do it yourself?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so stingy. He¡¯s already in the kitchen, so what¡¯s the harm in asking him to wash an apple?¡± Ray responded righteously, ¡°You are the hosts. I¡¯m a guest. It wouldn¡¯t be proper for me to go into the kitchen, right Flora?¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Flora, irritated, threw a pillow at him and walked into the kitchen in her slippers. Connor had just finished washing the apples and ced them on a te. Flora took a fruit knife from the knife rack, ready to cut the apples. Turning around, Connor saw Flora holding the shiny fruit knife and quickly took it from her. ¡°Don¡¯t touch that, just go sit down. I¡¯ve got this.¡± ¡°I can help. I¡¯m not a child. Can¡¯t I even hold a fruit knife?¡± ¡°With me, you are a child, forever.¡± Connor¡¯s tone was serious. He took the fruit knife and began cutting the apples. Soon, he had sliced several apples and ted them. ¡°Take these out.¡± Flora was still staring at him, so Connor smiled helplessly and handed her the te. Flora took the te and walked back to the living room. After setting the te down, she came back in. ¡°It¡¯s okay if I can¡¯t touch the knife, but I can wash vegetables. What else needs to be cleaned? I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Sorry, my fianc¨¦e. In the Stonnell family, it¡¯s a tradition not to let women enter the kitchen.¡± Connor gently pushed her by the shoulders, ¡°Just go sit down, and I¡¯ll be done soon.¡± Flora simply wrapped her arms around his waist, her tone affectionately soft, ¡°I won¡¯t touch anything. Can I just stay with you?¡± Her voice was sweet as honey, melting Connor¡¯s heart. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 The girl¡¯s soft body pressed against his, and he could feel every part of her. The air seemed to be somewhat dry. He nced outside. Everyone was busy, no one noticed them. With the tip of his finger, he lifted Flora¡¯s chin, gazing at her slightly parted, rosy lips. He leaned down and kissed her. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The first two kisses were mere pecks, but this time, Connor was relentless. His overwhelming presence enveloped Florapletely. He invaded her inch by inch, marking her with his scent. Flora¡¯s breathing became erratic. Connor¡¯s kisses almost made her legs give way, and she nearly copsed several times. His calloused hands gripped her waist, supporting her body. Their bodies pressed tightly together, their chests heaving dramatically. Connor could feel the girl¡¯s chest fluctuating continuously against him. Outside, the voices of Ray and Raul, along with the consistent typing of Henrik, reached their ears. The thought that her father and brother were out there while she and Connor were in here made Flora feel a guilty thrill. She couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft moan. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Connor¡¯s breathing became rapid and disordered. Flora¡¯s gasps nearly drove him to lose control, and he wanted more. But he stopped himself. His actions had already been quite out of line. The hand on her waist gently caressed her through the fabric but went no further. He slowly released Flora, and his eyes were a deep shade of red. ¡°Flora..¡± His voice was hoarse, filled with lingering desire. Flora¡¯s legs felt weak again. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s y poker. I¡¯ll go call Flora.¡± Ray¡¯s voice rang out, startling Flora, who quickly put distance between herself and Connor. Ray strode in, stopping at the kitchen door. Noticing their flushed faces and disheveled clothes, he smirked meaningfully. ¡°Whoa!¡± Compared to Flora, who blushed to the tips of her ears, Connor remained calm. He nced at Ray, ¡°Get out.¡± Ray raised an eyebrow, ¡°Hurry up and get ready,e out for poker.¡± Before leaving the kitchen, Flora meticulously checked her clothes, making sure nothing was amiss. The poker table was already set. Ray, Flora, Henrik, Raul¨Cjust the right number for a game. Flora wasn¡¯t very good at poker initially, losing the first few rounds, and neither Raul nor Henrik yed often, so their skills were modest at best. Ray won a grand m. ¡°Full house!¡± ¡°Royal flush!¡± Ray pushed his cards forward, his smile unstoppable. Flora was quick¨Cwitted. With an excellent memory, she quickly grasped the rules. Besides her own hand, she could even memorize her opponents¡® cards. After a few rounds, Ray almost doubted his life. ¡°Six of Diamonds.¡± ¡°Flush.¡± Flora pushed her cards forward with a smile, ¡°Sorry, another flush for me.¡± In no time, Ray was losing big. Connor came out of the kitchen, telling Raul that all the other dishes were ready, and the ribs were prepped, just waiting for Raul to Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Raul cheerfully agreed and let Connor take his ce, as he dashed to the kitchen to prepare pork ribs for Flora. It was his daughter¡¯s special request, and he was determined to do it right. When Connor sat down, Ray¡¯s interest in ying poker waned. Both of them were an unusual pair; ying games with them was a guaranteed loss. However, when Ray thought Connor and Flora would collude for a win, Connor deliberately passed all the good cards to Henrik. Sometimes Henrik didn¡¯t catch on right away, and Connor would continue to deal out another favorable card. Flora, too, quietly fed cards to Henrik. They helped Flora¡¯s brother, and they were ganging up on Ray at the same time? With each hand dealt to Connor, Ray was on the verge of losing his mind. He was consistently the underdog, nearly spiraling into despair. It wasn¡¯t until Raul called them for dinner that Ray felt a weight lifted off his shoulders, hurrying to the dining room. Connor and Flora exchanged a look, their mutual prank on Ray sparking shared amusement. During dinner, Raul asked Connor some questions, to which Connor always responded with humility and respect, offering deep insights. Raul was genuinely impressed with Connor. He had seen the years of Connor¡¯s dedication firsthand. Connor¡¯s devotion to Flora could be described as nothing less than wholehearted. Raul felt reassured entrusting Flora to Connor, but the thought of his precious daughter getting married still stirred a hint of jealousy in him. Therefore, Raul adopted the air of a future father¨Cin¨C law schooling his son¨Cinw. After dinner, Connor prepared to do the dishes. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Flora kicked Ray¡¯s foot, ¡°Think you can freeload here? Go do the dishes.¡± ¡°Flora, your hospitality needs work,¡± Ray said seriously. ¡°You¡¯re not a guest right now.¡± Flora wagged her finger, ¡°Forgot how much money you lost to me? I¡¯m your creditor now. Either pay up or do the dishes.¡± The money was nothing to Ray. He could easily afford it, but he found Flora¡¯s insistence amusing. Shrugging, he voluntarily started to clear the dishes. He took off his jacket and hung it over a chair, rolled up his sleeves, and then said to Connor, ¡°Connor, hand me your apron.¡± Henrik had to leave right after dinner to deal with some business. Raul always took a nap after lunch, and went upstairs to rest. After washing the dishes, Ray came out to find Connor sitting on the sofa with Flora lying across, her head resting on hisp. The sunlight at this time was perfect, casting a warm, dappled glow through the leaves onto the floor¨C to¨Cceiling windows. The expression on Connor¡¯s face was one of a tenderness rare for Ray to see, his eyes soft and filled with an indissoluble warmth. Leaning against the door, Ray watched them and felt a sudden envy. He was happy for Connor¡¯s hard¨Cwon love and envied his long journey finally culminating in a happy union with Flora. And Ray himself? Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Flora woke up to find the sky outside was already darkening. She¡¯d slept too long, and her head throbbed with a slight headache. Throwing off the light nket, she propped herself up to see Connor. He was still in the same position as when she had fallen asleep. When he noticed she¡¯s awake, he put down his book and handed her a ss of water from the coffee table. ¡°Here, drink some water.¡± The water was sweetened with honey, and the temperature was just right. ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± After downing the ss, she got up and headed to the bathroom. Her phone on the coffee table vibrated. Connor nced at it casually, but paused when he saw the name Aaron on the screen. A few minutester, Flora came out. Connor looked at her, ¡°Someone sent you a message while you were in the bathroom.¡± Flora dried her hands and picked up her phone. It was yet another message from Aaron asking for money. Monday, at Westbrook High School. Kaylee¡¯s arrival caused a sensation throughout the school. The incident at the fashion design contest had be well¨Cknown; Rafael had modeled for a neer designer. And that neer was Kaylee. Kaylee had always been invisible at school, with average grades and looks, and no notable talents. Even those who had been in the same ss with her for years sometimes struggled to remember her name. Kaylee wasn¡¯t used to the stares. Luckily, she ran into Dane and some familiar faces at the school entrance, which gave her a bit more courage to enter ss Z somewhatposedly. As soon as she sat down, people from ss Z swarmed around her. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Kaylee, you¡¯re so amazing! You even know how to design clothes!¡± ¡°We all watched the live stream, and you looked so good on stage. You were literally shining!¡± Kaylee, overwhelmed by the praise, could only offer an awkwardugh. ¡°The highlight should be her ability to get Rafael as her model, right?¡± May came over, her tone laced with sarcasm, ¡°Kaylee, you truly surprise us all. So quiet in ss, yet behind the scenes, you¡¯re up to no end of dirty tricks.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kaylee¡¯s face paled as she looked up at May. Kaylee was always timid and didn¡¯t even dare to speak loudly. courage. Saying this one sentence took all her May was unfazed, ¡°You know exactly what I mean. How could Rafael possibly agree to be your model if there wasn¡¯t some special deal between you two?¡± ¡°Yeah, Kaylee, just be honest with us. What¡¯s the rtionship between you and Rafael? Is there some kind of deal between you?¡± Kaylee was shaking with anger. She couldn¡¯t understand why they would harbor such malicious thoughts about her. ¡°Will you ever stop!¡± Dane pushed them away, protecting Kaylee behind him, ¡°Can¡¯t keep up in studies but first¨Crate at gossiping. Kaylee, don¡¯t pay them any mind. They are just lying.¡± ¡°Dane, how can you talk like that!¡± May was angry, about to retort, when a girl beside her nudged her with an elbow. Flora, with her backpack, slowly walked in from the door. Seeing Flora, May visibly cowered and fell silent. The crowd dispersed back to their seats. ¡°What happened?¡± Flora sat down, tapping Dane¡¯s back with her pen cap. She had noticed something was off the moment she walked in. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Dane didn¡¯t want Flora to worry about such trivial matters, especially when it came to their ssmates, who couldn¡¯t cause much trouble anyway. He made a few jokes to lighten the mood and effortlessly deflected the topic. During the break, Kaylee went to the restroom, but as ss time approached, she hadn¡¯t returned. Flora, who had been dozing off at her desk, was suddenly awoken by amotion outside. She heard a slightly shrill female voice exim, ¡°It sounds like some girls are fighting in the bathroom! It¡¯s getting really intense!¡± ¡°It seems to be Kaylee from ss Z! I¡¯ve seen her streams. I recognize her.¡± Flora¡¯s drowsiness vanished in an instant. She straightened up suddenly. ncing at the excited and breathless crowd outside, she stood up and strode quickly towards the restroom. The hallway outside the restroom was packed with students. Inside, angry voices filled the air. P Kaylee leaned against the icy wall, staring at the ferocious girls in front of her. She bit her lip hard, trying to keep herself from feeling too scared. ¡°So innocent behind closed doors, but quite the slut in secret. Even Rafael has been charmed by you, you little tramp!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Still denying it!¡± The leading girl pushed Kaylee, ¡°The news is all over social media, and you¡¯re still ying innocent.¡± ¡°You usee underhanded methods to get to know Rafael and then seduced him to model for you. How shameless.¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t¡­ Rafael and I¡­ we¡¯re not like that,¡± Kaylee tried to exin, desperately wanting them to understand that her rtionship with Rafael was innocent, and that the rumors on social media were false. She didn¡¯t know how she suddenly became the subject of gossip. However, no one believed her. The girl was one of Rafael¡¯s obsessed fans, who, upon seeing the rumors, wanted nothing more than to tear Kaylee apart. Though her patience was at an end, the girl listened for a while and found nothing Kaylee said convincing. Losing her patience, the girl raised her hand to p Kaylee. Kaylee closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face, but the expected pain never came. Instead, a faint scent drifted by her nose. She felt someone step in front of her. Then, Kaylee heard the girl¡¯s scream. When Kaylee opened her eyes, she saw a blue and white school uniform. The girl in front of her was taller by half a head, her ponytail fluttering in the breeze. Kaylee couldn¡¯t see her face, but she could feel the chilly aura emanating from her. ¡°Flora¡­¡± Kaylee covered her face with her hands, sobbing uncontrobly. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The moment she saw Flora, all her pretenses of strength crumbled. She was so scared. Flora¡¯s expression darkened further. Her grip on the girl¡¯s wrist tightened. ¡°Ouch, ouch, ouch!¡± The girl cried out, ¡°Flora, let go of me!¡± ¡°You know what pain feels like?¡± Rage coursed through Flora. Thinking about the p the girl had almost delivered, Flora¡¯s chest filled with fury. Her eyes reddened as if blood vessels had burst. The other girls who were with the aggressor were too frightened to speak, their hearts racing. ¡°Ouch, ouch, let me go!¡± the girl wept. Flora didn¡¯t release her, her icy gaze locked onto the girl¡¯s face. ¡°What did Kaylee ever do to you?¡± Chapter 127 Chapter 127 The mere mention reignited the girl¡¯s anger, and despite the pain, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°You¡¯re always defending her, but do you have any idea what kind of person she is behind your back? To hook up with Rafael, she did so much disgusting stuff. It¡¯s all over the Inte.¡± Flora frowned. ¡°What are you doing? Move!¡± The crowd parted as a group of people, looking very much like teachers, approached swiftly. Seeing Flora holding the girl¡¯s wrist, Mr. Trevor said sternly, ¡°Flora, what are you doing? Let go immediately.¡± Flora nced at the teachers and emotionlessly released her grip. The group was known for causing trouble, so Mr. Trevorplicated. In the disciplinary office, Kaylee, Flora, and a group of troublemaking girls stood in line. asn¡¯t s by their actions, but the case with Flora and Kaylee was more ¡°Mr. Trevor. Look what Flora did to my hand. You must give me justice.¡± The girl took the initiative, raising her swollen wrist and crying out, ¡°Flora¡¯s actions are no different from bullying. She must be expelled, or at the very least, given a major demerit.¡± ¡°Mr. Trevor, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Kaylee hurriedly exined, ¡°They cornered me at the bathroom door and wanted to hit me. Flora was just trying to help me.¡± ¡°You say we wanted to hit you, but do you have any injuries at all?¡± The girl said righteously, raising her hand higher, ¡°Mr. Trevor, my injury is right here for all to see. It¡¯s clear at a nce who¡¯s the bully.¡± Her friends also chimed in, insisting that Mr. Trevor punish Flora severely. After all, there was no evidence that they started the physical altercation. And, the girl¡¯s injury was clear for all to see. Flora had to give them an exnation. ¡°Flora, what do you have to say?¡± Mr. Trevor looked at Flora. ¡°I regret it.¡± Flora¡¯s tone was cold. The girl thought Flora regretted hurting her and became even more smug. She thought that despite Flora¡¯s reputation, she wasn¡¯t so formidable after all. Flora hadn¡¯t stood her ground but instead had apologized to her. She snorted and said, ¡°It¡¯s not toote to regret now, Flora. Just apologize to me, and we¡¯ll let this go. I won¡¯t ask for you to be disciplined, considering we¡¯re all seniors.¡± ¡°I regret not going harder on you.¡± Before she could finish, Flora cold. uttered those words. The girl¡¯s words were stuck in her throat, her face turning gloomier. ¡°Mr. Trevor, look You must give us a proper resolution.¡± Unable to deal with Flora, the girl turned her attention to the disciplinary head. ¡°Mr. Trevor, this really has nothing to do with Flora. It was me¡­¡± Kaylee burst into tears. She felt utterly useless. at her! She¡¯s unrepentant even after doing wrong. It was always Flora who had to clean up her messes. The thought of Flora possibly facing disciplinary action made her tears flow like a breached dam. It wasn¡¯t eptable. Flora couldn¡¯t face disciplinary action, especially in their senior year. ¡°Stop crying.¡± Flora frowned at Kaylee¡¯s tear¨Cswollen eyes. Kaylee was too soft¨Chearted. Such a disposition was bound to bring her trouble. Flora took out her phone from her pocket, tapped on it a few times, and opened a video. She then handed it to Mr. Trevor. The girls, feeling guilty, also looked on. The video showed the scene where they were about to hit Kaylee. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The girl¡¯s face changed instantly Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Who would have thought that under those circumstances, Flora would still remember to take photos! ¡°Mr. Trevor, it was them who bullied Kaylee first. What I did was merely in self¨Cdefense. I demand justice for Kaylee.¡± Flora stated the facts. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Flora. We will handle this strictly,¡± said Mr. Trevor sternly. Though no substantial harm was caused, the nature of the incident was quite severe. It happened at a critical time during their senior year. Thankfully, Kaylee was not seriously harmed. If something had happened, they wouldn¡¯t know how to exin it to the parents. Given the girls had prior misconduct records, Mr. Trevor quickly made a decision on how to deal with the situation. They got a severe reprimand and suspension. Mr. Trevor made calls to have the girls¡® parentse pick them up. The families of these girls weren¡¯t well¨Coff. Their parents appeared to be from working¨Css backgrounds, their faces marked by the toll of hardbor and exposure to the elements. One could imagine their lives weren¡¯t easy. When the parents arrived, they didn¡¯t say a word before fiercely scolding their daughters, then pleading with Mr. Trevor. Some mothers even knelt down to beg. Mr. Trevor had seen too many parents struggling to make ends meet, all for the hope of sending their children to college for a better future. Yet, their children let them down. The situation was bad, with so many students having witnessed it. He must take this seriously. Mr. Trevor hardened his heart, unmoved by their pleas. The parents cried and made a scene in the office before eventually dragging their children away. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Mr. Trevor nced at Flora, who was quietly scrolling through her phone, and then at Kaylee, who was in tears. Thinking of the negativements online, he said, ¡°Kaylee, you¡¯ve always been a well¨Cbehaved student, and all the teachers like you.¡± ¡°But this situation with Rafael¡­ it¡¯s causing quite a stir online, and it¡¯s escting. My advice is for you to go home and wait for things to calm down before returning to school. What do you think?¡± Kaylee¡¯s face turned pale in an instant. Mr. Trevor continued, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll call your mom right now toe and pick you up.¡± ¡°No!¡± Kaylee shook her head desperately, her eyes filled with fear and panic. She couldn¡¯t bear to think of how her mom would react upon learning about her suspension. ¡°Please, I don¡¯t want to be suspended. I can continue attending sses. It¡¯s my senior year, and every moment counts. If I miss several days of school, how will I keep up with my studies or take my exams.¡± ¡°Kaylee, I¡¯m doing this for your own good,¡± Mr. Trevor said helplessly. ¡°You¡¯ve seen how intense your ssmates¡® reactions were. If you stay in school, who knows what might happen? The school simply can¡¯t guarantee your safety. No more discussion, I¡¯m calling your mom right now toe and pick you up.¡± Kaylee¡¯s situation was dangerous. Who knew what could happen next? The school couldn¡¯t take that responsibility. Mr. Trevor quickly called Kaylee¡¯s mother. After hanging up, he kindly told Kaylee, ¡°Your mom knows something¡¯s happened and is very worried about your safety. She¡¯s on her way to the school now.¡± For anyone who¡¯s been through a distressing event, the person they¡¯d most want to see is their family. But Kaylee was far from relieved. She was visibly terrified and even began to tremble. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Flora had just scrolled through several trending topics and had a rough idea of what was going on. She put away her phone and nced at Kaylee, who was visibly sweating from fear. Flora thought Kaylee was afraid of being scolded by her mother when she arrived. Such a good girl, always worried about troubling her parents. Flora spoke up to reassure her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. You¡¯re the victim in this situation; your mom won¡¯t me you.¡± Kaylee bit her lip, not saying a word. About half an hourter, an elegantly dressed middle¨Caged woman slowly walked into the office. The woman was wearing a simple charcoal dress, her hair meticulously done up, without a hair out of ce. Her piercing gaze swept across the room, finallynding on Kaylee. The sound of high heels on the floor was somewhat jarring as the woman bypassed Kaylee¡¯s shoulder and headed towards Mr. Trevor. ¡°Good day, I¡¯m Kaylee¡¯s mother.¡± ¡°Good day, Ms. Faith.¡± Mr. Trevor extended his hand, greeting her politely. Ms. Faith asked about Kaylee¡¯s school life, and Mr. Trevor naturally chose the nicest things to say. ¡°Kaylee is a very well¨Cbehaved student, always listens in ss, and is well¨Cliked by the teachers. She has made significant progress recently, having ranked in the top fifty twice.¡± Ms. Faith¡¯s expression was cold, as if being in the top fifty was still not enough for her. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I have dealt with this incident strictly. Those girls have been suspended. Kaylee¡¯s situation is somewhat special, as she faces some risks at school, which is why we asked for a parent to pick her up.¡± ¡°I support the school¡¯s decision. It was originally Kaylee¡¯s fault. If she hadn¡¯t shown off, participating in some fashion contest, none of this would have happened.¡± What did she mean by it being Kaylee¡¯s fault? Flora frowned upon hearing this. Had she not witnessed it herself, Flora would not have believed that the formidable woman before her could be Kaylee¡¯s mother. ¡°Ms. Faith, Kaylee is truly the victim in this situation. She¡¯s already suffering enough. I don¡¯t think what you¡¯re saying is right.¡± Hearing Flora¡¯s words, Faith turned to look at her. Having spent years in the business world, she had an inherent authority that made many young people instinctively fear her, like her daughter, who always acted timidly in her presence. The youngdy before her, however, seemed to possess a certain boldness, but¡­ ¡°Are you Flora?¡± Faith asked calmly. Flora nodded. ¡°Kaylee often mentions you. Her improvement in such a short time isrgely thanks to you. I appreciate that, thanks you.¡± Faith paused before continuing, ¡°But if there are simrpetitions in the future, where one has to be in the spotlight, I hope you won¡¯t take Kaylee to participate. She¡¯s too soft, too weak,cks conviction, and it¡¯s not for her. It would only waste her time.¡± ¡°Flora, I¡¯m sorry about my mom.¡± Kaylee awkwardlyughed a couple of times, then stepped forward and whispered to Faith, ¡°Mom, can we talk about this back at home? Let¡¯s not continue here.¡± Her voice even carried a plea. Everyone present could see her embarrassment and difort. ¡°Do you even know you¡¯re embarrassing yourself?¡± Faith didn¡¯t spare Kaylee any dignity, ¡°When you followed others¡® advice, and participated in that worthless contest, didn¡¯t you think about the embarrassment then?¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Kaylee¡¯s voice trembled as she clutched Faith¡¯s handbag, shaking ¡°Let¡¯s just go home, okay? Let¡¯s go¡­.¡± Faith frowned, looked at her for a while, then stepped forward, leading the way out the door. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 ¡°Flora, my mom is just like that. Please don¡¯t hold it against her. Kaylee felt terribly awkward. ¡°Just go back and rest. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± Kaylee finally left with ease, after making sure that Flore really wasn¡¯t angry. Watching Falth¡¯s retreating figum, she followed like a deted balloon. Flora knew why Kaylee was so indecisive and timid. It was because she had such a domineering mother. Leaving the office, Flor made a call to Rafael. At Rafael¡¯s private vi. Fans¡® vehementments flooded Twitter entirely. Rafael¡¯s face turned grim as he saw fans escting to doxxing and even mobbing the school in groups. He was about to draft a statement on Twitter when Devin snatched his phone away, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Have you seen the nasty things they¡¯re saying online?¡± Rafael looked displeased. He hadn¡¯t expected to bring such trouble to Kaylee. Just two hours ago, an ount named Shadow Dweller appeared out of nowhere, releasing many photos of Rafael and Kaylee backstage. The angles were tricky, making them appear very close, with a few looking almost like they were kissing. Coupled with some based on, ¡®numored, and insider reveals¡® types of false information, Kaylee was completely portrayed as a scheming girl trying to get close to Rafael. Rafael¡¯s fans immediately became restless, attacking in groups, some even wishing to drag Kaylee out for a public sharing. ¡°You can¡¯t issue a statement now.¡± Devin weighed the pros and cons from a manager¡¯s perspective. These photos had also affected Rafael, and many fans suspected he and Kaylee were dating. Rafael, originally a pop idol transitioning to a serious actor in the film and television industry, was stillrgely dependent on his fanbase. A scandal with a non¨Ccelebrity could have serious repercussions for him. Some fans even started boycotting products Rafael endorsed ¡°And we just watch them attack a girl?¡± Rafael¡¯s temples throbbed, ¡°If fans want to leave, let them. I don¡¯t ept such fans. I can¡¯t let an innocent person suffer because of me.¡± ¡°So, what do you n to say in your statement?¡± Devin tried to persuade him gently, ¡°You, a big stor, modeling for a virtually unknown designer, how can you exin that?¡± It was inexplicable. No one would believe it. The situation was at a deadlock, Rafael¡¯s veins bulging. ¡°But I can¡¯t do nothing and let her face the storm alone.¡± ¡°Ill have thepany buy some trending topics to suppress the news. You staying out of it is the best option, otherwise, it¡¯ll really be a mess.¡± Devin tried to advise calmly. Knowing Rafael¡¯s temperament, Devin feared he might just release a statement impulsively Just then, the phone rang. It was a ringtone Rafael had set specifically for Flora. His eyes lit up, and he quickly said to Devin, Give me the phone.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Devin saw the name ¡®Flora¡® on the phone, and promptly handed it over to Rafael. ¡°What do you n to do about Kaylee¡¯s suation?¡± Flora¡¯s voice came through, slightly hoarse. ¡°I was about to issue a statement, but even if I step forward, it¡¯s still going to be tricky.¡± ¡°Uh¨Chuh.¡± Flora was calm, ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to ¡°I n to use Rose¡¯s ount to make a statement.¡± Those critics would shut up once and for all. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Flora hung up the phone and sent another massa Howell. Attached was the Brimer fa She had already checked. The bumer ou Since Yvonne had delivered a ¡°gift¡± it was only natural for Flors to return the fa After sending it, Flora put away her phone and strode into ss Z The teacher hadn¡¯t arrived yet, and ss 2 was buzzing with noise The students, both boys and gins, huddled together, discus Kaylee¡¯s issue Tve always said it, someone was bound to take care of that slut. May sheered, Kaylee didn¡¯t get hurt, lucky gift if it were some with a shorter temper, she might have been carried out of the restroom It was Flora who helped. Mr. Trevor called them into his office. I wonder what will happen. They won¡¯t get a major dement, will they? it¡¯s our senior year A major demerit could ruin college prospects and essentially their lives. May¡¯s eyes were filled with malice, ¡°Heh, troublemakers like them should be expelled from school¡± Flora stepped through the door of ss Z and heard thisment. She frowned slightly, but she said nothing and silently walked to her seat and sat down Dane, seeing her return, finally rxed. He carefully observed her expression, and noticing that she seemed alright, he cautiously asked ¡°Flora, the school administration didn¡¯t give you any punishment, did they?¡± ¡°No.¡± Dane breathed a sigh of relief. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°What about Kaylee?¡± He asked. ¡°She went home to rest¡± ¡°She got suspended temporarily, right? May raised her voice, ¡°Its a pity Mr. Trevor didn¡¯t expel her A sh of fierceness crossed Flora¡¯s eyes. May continued, ¡°Now our Westbrook High School is famous, everyone knows we have a Kaylee in ss Z. Thements online are brutal. Being in the same school as her I feel like I¡¯m cursed¨C Ah!¡± A thick textbook flew towards May, its sharp edge grazing her cheek and leaving a red mark. The people around her were startled and instinctively stepped back May covered her face, turned her head, and saw Flora sitting against the wall, arms crossed. ¡°Shut your mouth, or I¡¯ll make you¡± Floras voice was cold. Theers of her eyes, slightly reddened, lifted in displeasure. Meeting her icy gaze, May felt intimidated, but she also felt that being scared off by Flora like this was too embarrassing. ¡°Oh my God! You guys, check Twitter Right then, a girls sharp cry sounded May, already feeling humiliated by Flora, saw this as an opportunity to divert attention. She pulled out her phone, expecting to see more scandalous news about Kaylee on Twitter, However, when she logged into Twitter and saw the series of trending topics, she was stunned. #FamousDesignerRoseSpeaks OutForKaylee# Shock! Rose is actually Kaylee¡¯s friends #GeniusGirlYvonneExposedForgianismAndSpreadingScandals# She hurriedly clicked in, eyes widening as the read. The top post was from Rose¡¯s Studio¡¯s official ount The tweet, posted less than half an hour ago, already had hundreds of thousands ofments and retweets. Rose. [Hello everyone, I¡¯m Rose. Kaylee is a very talented contestant, and I really like her. Her model was intentionally pushed down the stairs before thepetition started, resulting in serious injuries. I couldn¡¯t bear to see her efforts go to waste, so I asked Rafael to be her model. I didn¡¯t expect it to cause such a big misunderstanding. I hope this matter can be put to rest and that no more negative assumptions are made about a kind girl.] Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Attached was a video clip. With trembling hands, May clicked on it. It was a surveince video, A tall man stood by the staircase on a phone call, when a woman wearing a baseball cap appeared slowly. She reached out and pushed the man down the stairs. No one recognized the man, but the clothes he wore were all too familiar ¨C it was the outfit Kaylee had designed for the fashion. contest. Rafael had even modeled it on the runway. After watching the video, May exited. In just the few minutes she spent viewing, thements had surged by thousands. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Thement section was buzzing. [OMG! Rose, did you finally remember your Twitter password?] [I know the woman with the cap! She¡¯s Yvonne¡¯s assistant] [Wow, it¡¯s true! I saw her wearing that outfit in Yvonne¡¯s livestream once.] [Yvonne has gone too far. Not only did she giarize, but now she¡¯s resorted to physically harming herpetitor¡¯s runway model. Kaylee is just an up¨Canding designer, but Yvonne went out of her way, risking her own name. What for?] [Kaylee may be new to the scene, but she¡¯s incredibly talented. Even Rose took to Twitter to clear her name. No wonder Yvonne resorted to such despicable acts out of jealousy.] [So it was Rose who arranged for Rafael to model for Kaylee.] [God, we¡¯ve been so wrong about this girl.] Online sentiment shifted in an instant, with a collective apology directed at Kaylee. The fans who had caused trouble were now feeling waves of regret. Who would have thought Kaylee and Rose knew each other? They worried if their words had offended Rose. Rafael¡¯s sess today owed much to Rose¡¯s support. When Rafael first started, many mocked him for his low education, poor background, andck of sophistication, doubting his ability tond high¨Cfashion ads. However, it wasn¡¯t long before Rose¡¯s Studio issued a statement, dering that henceforth, all of Rafael¡¯s event outfits would be personally designed by Rose Two years on, and nothing had changed. It was this move that gradually earned Rafael recognition in the fashion world. Fans dared not offend Rose, fearing she might end her coboration with Rafael in anger. While humbly apologizing, fans also couldn¡¯t contain their anger and flooded Yvonne¡¯sment section with harsh words. Is that how you are raised?] [You are so fake] All thesements, initially aimed at Kaylee, were now directed at Yvonne. [God, Kaylee actually knows Rose?] [Rose is my idoll Oh no, I¡¯ve spoken ill of Kaylee before, and I was hoping to get Rose¡¯s autograph through her] [Kaylee is truly amazing. We underestimated her before. Turns out she knows so many influential people.] The girls who had previously spoken ill of Kaylee were now full of envy. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 All the students were buzzing about the drama between Yvonne and Kaylee. ¡°Carina, I can¡¯t believe it. Yvonne is such an evil person, so wicked¡± Carina¡¯s friend vented to her not noticing the displeased look on her face ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom. Carina grabbed her phone and left the ssroom. Who would have thought that picking up a discarded draft would cause such a stir? As she stepped out, she ran into Aaroning out of the office. He hadn¡¯t expected to see Carina there. He instinctively started to walk away, but Carina approached him, blocking his path. ¡°Do you really not want to see me that much?¡± Carina looked somewhat aggrieved, a sight that tugged at the heartstrings ¡°It¡¯s not that¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. After all, she was the girl he had once had feelings for and Aaron found it hard to be cold to her. ¡°My stomach¡¯s a bit upset. Could you apany me to the nurse¡¯s office?¡± Aaron couldn¡¯t bring himself to refuse. He nodded and followed Carina. He thought to himself that he was now a very wealthy man, and he didn¡¯t have to feel inferior about in front of an orphan like Canna As they were going downstairs, Aaron¡¯s phone rang. He nced at the caller ID, then at Carina beside him, ¡°I need to take this call.¡± Canna nodded. She watched Aaron walk away to a more secluded spot before answering the call. How secretive. She silently moved closer, leaning against the wall to eavesdrop. Due to the distance and Aaron deliberately lowering his voice, she couldn¡¯t hear clearly but managed to catch bits and pieces. ¡°Aunt, just bring my cousin over I¡¯m very wealthy now, and renting a ce for you here is no problem at all. I could even buy you a house.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha, yeah, pleasee over. The one thing I¡¯m not short of now is money.¡± Canna frowned upon hearing this. Wasn¡¯t Aaron supposed to be deeply in debt? Where did this moneye from? As Aaron hung up the call, Carina quickly returned to her original spot. Her pale face was adomed with a smile. That was the look that had captured Aaron¡¯s heart in the beginning. ¡°Are you okay? Why do you need to go to the nurse¡¯s office?¡± Aaron asked. ¡°Stomachache, an old problem.¡± Soon, they reached the nurse¡¯s office. After examining Carina, the doctor said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just a bit of low blood sugar because you skipped breakfast. Youngdy, you¡¯re not that old but you¡¯ve got quite a few health issues. Remember to eat regrly Studies are important, but so is your health.¡± ¡°You, help out by bringing the medicine from the table and mixing it with water.¡± The doctor assured Aaron was Carinas boyfriend, a mistake often made due to seeing too many boys and girlse to the nurse¡¯s office together, and instructed him so. Aaron didn¡¯t object and prepared the medicine as told, leaving his phone beside the bed. Carina nced at it and subtly slipped the phone under the nket After taking the medicine, Carina held her stomach, still seemingly in pain. ¡°Could you go to the convenience store and get me a bottle of milk?¡± Aaron naturally couldn¡¯t refuse. He nodded and hurried out. Other students came in to see the doctor who went to attend to them. Carina quickly took out the phone and unlocked it. Luckily, Aaron hadn¡¯t changed his password. She immediately opened his socialwork app and when she saw the transfer records from Flora, her eyes narrowed. She quickly exited and started browsing through his photo gallery. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 She seemed to see something and couldn¡¯t help but grip her phone tighter. After Kaylee returned home, she had been hiding in her room, avoiding everyone. Faith took away her phone, insisting the focus on her studies. But how could Kaylee concentrate Every time she closed her eyes, she would see those unbearablements online. All of them were insults directed at her. Everything was just¡­. Just then, the door suddenly opened, and Faith marched 1. in. She nced at Kaylee¡¯s nk workbook, her eyebrows knitting together in frustration. ¡°An hour has passed, and you¡¯ve just been daydreaming?¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Kaylee looked down, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s your senior year, Kaylee. You need to put aside all these distractions and focus on your studies. I asked you to listen to me, but Instead, you went behind my back to enter some fashion design contest. Are you scared now?¡± ¡°Mom, can you please stop?¡± Kaylee¡¯s voice trembled. She was already feeling terrible. Why did her mom have to be so harsh¡­. Her mother always criticized and scolded her. Why couldn¡¯t she just offer some words of affirmation orfort for once? ¡°What¡¯s with that attitude?¡± Faiths face darkened, clearly displeased, but upon seeing Kaylee¡¯s weary expression, she held back any furtherments I Faith tossed the phone onto the desk. ¡°Your phone has been buzzing nonstop, and I don¡¯t know who¡¯s been messaging you. But remember, your studiese first¡± Then the left the room, closing the door behind her Kaylee was stunned, not expecting Faith to actually return her phone. She stared at the vibrating phone on the desk. Thements were so malicious, yet she couldn¡¯t help but want to read them to see how badly things had escted. After a mental struggle, Kaylee reached out with trembling hands to pick up her phone. She held it against her chest for a while before finally unlocking it. As soon as she did, a message popped up. Her heart skipped a beat. It was from Dane. Dane Kaylee, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s all sorted now. The message trailed off with an ellipsis. What did he mean it¡¯s all sorted now? A tremor ran through Kaylee¡¯s heart as she tapped into the messaging app She opened her conversation with Dane. Dane Kaylee, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s all sorted now Everyone knows that you were the real victim here] ?? ? ?? ?? After reading Dane¡¯s entire message, Kaylee felt her heart pounding. Suppressing the panic inside, she opened Twitter. There were still numerous private messages, but this time, they weren¡¯t hurling insults at her. [Miss, I¡¯m sorry. On behalf of all Rafael¡¯s fans, I apologize. We were too impulsive before and said a lot of hurtful things.] Miss, you¡¯re really talented in design. I¡¯m a fan now, and fill support you forever. Can¡¯t wait for the day you be a great designer) [Wow, a hidden gem! Miss, you¡¯re so pretty. I¡¯m totally smitten.] Reading through all the warm and supportive messages, Kaylee felt her heart finally settle back into ce. The injustice she had suffered was finally acknowledged, ter name cleared. She felt tears welling up. Following the tags fromizens, she found Rose¡¯s Studio on Twiller. Knowing that Rose had spoken up for her made her heart race. Her situation had reached Rose. The first person Kaylee thought of was Flor. She was a member of the Rose design team. She must know Rose personally and must have asked Rose to help issue the statement. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 The Brimer Family, ¡°How is this possible¡­ Yvonne¡¯s fingers, pale as death, clutched her phone, her gaze fixed on the video Rose had sent Just two hours ago, she was secretly pleased with herself for dealing with Kaylee, but in just a moment, the tide hadpletely turned. Theizens who had been criticizing Kaylee had all migrated to her Twitter,unching a verbal onught against her. Their venomous words, like knives, sliced through her heart with everyment. And the video, how could it have leaked. She had her assistant carefully check before acting. The hallway cameras were malfunctioning. That¡¯s why she had been so bold. As she was at her wit¡¯s end, Wade strode into the room. ¡°Wader¡± Seeing him, Yvonne grasped at his shirt like a lifeline. Disappointment filled Wade¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yvonne, look at what you¡¯ve done! As a prodigious young talent, why did you target a neer designer,¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Wade¡­¡± Yvonne wasn¡¯t truly repentant. She just realized the situation had spiraled beyond her control. ¡°Help me. Please, fix this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± Wade sighed and handed her a tablet. Taking it with trembling hands, Yvonne was met with bold, red letters. The National Design Institute announced her moral failing, expelling her from the fashion design community. Rose¡¯s design team¡¯s official Twitter ount shared the news immediately. And the team added another update. They would be pressing charges against Yvonne for attempted murder. Yvonne, enraged, smashed the tablet. ¡°Who cares! If they don¡¯t appreciate me here, I go abroad. There are plenty who admire me overseas. The First Design Team has already sent me an invitation.¡± ¡°Toote.¡± Queen Algria issued a statement, implementing a total ban on Yvonne. Allpetitions abroad, big or small, would not wee her participation. Her design career, both domestically and internationally, was ruined. ¡°Miss Carina is here.¡± The servant announced respectfully. ¡°Send her back.¡± Wade frowned. His sister was sabotaged by the Irving family, and his heart was filled with anger towards Carina ¡°Wait! Let her in.¡± Yvonne¡¯s words came through gritted teeth. Flora was no saint, and that Carina was no better, That design draft hade from Carina! Soon, led by the servant, Carina entered. Without a word, she nced at the somewhat chaotic room, ¡°Mr. Wade, Miss Yvonne.¡± ¡°You still have the nerve toe?¡± Yvonne¡¯s pent¨Cup rage finally burst forth. She grabbed amp from the bedside table and hurled it at Carina, who dodged smoothly ¡°Are you here to add to my troubles? I knew you were no good. Yvonne bellowed. ¡°Canna, just leave. Wade frowned, scolding. ?? ?? ?? ? ?? ??? ? ¡°Wade, just let me talk to Miss Yvonne might be able to cheer her up.¡± course, his sister was far more important than Carina Wade didn¡¯t believe Carina could cheer Yvonne up. Her presence would only serve as a target for Yvonne¡¯s frustration He had already asked Carina to leave. Her insistence on staying meant she was prepared for whatever came As long as she wasn¡¯t killed or seriously injured, it¡¯s nothing serious. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Wade stepped out, instructing the servants to keep an eye and not let things go too far. ¡°Miss Yvonne, I truly didn¡¯t expect the design draft I identally found to be Flora¡¯s, nor did I expect her to know Rose.¡± Carina apologized, ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility that things have escted to this point. I owe you an apology.¡± ¡°Yes, how coincidental. You stumbled upon Flora¡¯s draft by ident.¡± Yvonne scoffed, taking deep breaths to calm her shaking chest, ¡°Come here.¡± Carina approached her. Just as she was about to reach the bedside, Wonne, who had been sitting on the bed, suddenly stood up and took a swift step towards her. Yvonne fiercely pped her across the face. Carina couldn¡¯t dodge in time, taking the blow full on ¡°Bitch! Do you think I¡¯m a fool!¡± Still unsatisfied, Yvonne kicked Carina fiercely. Carina dodged quickly but still felt the sting of the kick on her thigh. A sh of anger crossed her lowered eyes. ¡°Miss Yvonne, perhaps you should see this first¡± She handed her phone to Yvonne. Yvonne wanted nothing more than to unleash her fury, to beat Carina to a pulp. Yet, her gaze inadvertently caught the phone¡¯s screen, and she paused. Snatching the phone from Carina, she scrolled through the gallery rapidly. In a narrow alley, a girly disheveled and powerless on the ground. If not Flora, then who? ¡°Where did you get these?¡± Carina smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about where I got them from. These photos are enough to ruin Flora completely Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Jade¡¯s Spanish ss was a nightmare for the students of ss 2 During her ss, Flora wouldn¡¯t listen at all, tantly taking out her phone from the desk to y She was chatting with Connor. like? I¡¯ll make it and bring it to school.] Connor: [rm cooking tonight. What would you like Flora: [Fish and tomato and potato stew] Connor: [Okay] Flora smiled, putting down her phone, only to meet Jade¡¯s murderous gaze. Florazily mised an eyebrow in response. Jade was so angry, refusing to look at Flora any longer. When the ss was finally over, Dane, Alex, and Kaylee, among others, went to the cafeteria to eat. They knew Flora would be having lunch with Connor again, so they greeted her before heading off. Flora had barelyid her head down on the desk for five minutes when her phone rang. It was Connor. She pressed the answer button and put the phone to her ear. I¡¯m at the school gate. Come out ¡°Okay¡± Flora exited the school and walked less than fifty meters to the right before seeing Connor¡¯s car. She jogged over and climbed into the back seat. The car was spacious, equipped with a dining table. On the table were the dishes Flora had requested: tomato and potato stew and fish. There was also a soup. It smells so good!¡± Flora hugged Connor¡¯s arm, ¡°You are so talented!¡± Connor kissed her forehead and then withdrew his hand to serve her the dishes and soup. The driver and the passenger seat upants, Moss and Beck, tried to focus on their tasks, but the delicious small was distracting, making them hungry. Beck was not just hungry but also a bit annoyed. This foolish woman, blessed by her fortune, had Mr. Connor cooking for her. After lunch, Flora rested in Connor¡¯s arms for a while. She had sses in the afternoon and went back to school first. As soon as the afternoon sses ended, Flora was packing up to go home. That¡¯s when she received a text from Aaron. [Send me a hundred thousand, Meet me at the Italian restaurant after ss, and let¡¯s go see my aunt.] Flora put her phone in her bag, slowly made her way out of the school, and took a cab to the Italian restaurant. She wasn¡¯t interested in meeting Aaron, but she was curious about this aunt of his. Hah After marrying Aaron in her past life, this aunt had given her a hard time. She arrived at the private dining room, pushed open the door and inside, besides Aaron, there was a woman and a boy who looked about thirteen They were dressed like country folks, their faces dusty, their eyes filled with the hardship and tension ofing to the big city. What Flora remembered, though, was her sharp and mean demeanor When she helped Aaron squeeze into high society, Aaron had brought over his Aunt Maddle. Maddie was harsh and made life difficult for her, but Flora endured it all for Aaron It was ridiculous when she thought about it. Maddie had never seen a girl as beautiful as Flora and asked Aston curiously, yet with a hint of panic, ¡°Aaron, who is this girl?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my ssmate.¡± Aaron gave Flora a look, signaling her to sit down. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Flora sat down gracefully, exuding an innate air of wealth andziness. Maddie felt jealous. Why were they bom as country folks while some were born to be high and mighty city dwellers? ¡°Aaron, what star rating is this hotel? Three-star? Five star? Food here must cost a lot, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just enjoy the meal, I have plenty of money. Later, I¡¯ll take you to a hotel, a five¨Cstar one, with a TV, water heater, and even a sauna.¡± ¡°Oh my, how much will that cost. I know, you¡¯re the most promising in our family. You¡¯re so rich even though you¡¯re still studying. Hans, you must leam well from your cousin.¡± Hans nodded vigorously, ¡°I will! I want to be wealthy like him too.¡± Aaron¡¯s vanity was immensely satisfied. He picked up the menu and let Maddie choose, buting from the countryside, she couldn¡¯t read well and asked him to decide. As Aaron listed many dishes, Maddie was shocked. She might not recognize the dishes, but she could see the prices. A single dish cost four figures, equivalent to a year¡¯s harvest for a rural family. The dishes arrived quickly, and Maddie and Hans ate heartily, grease shining on their faces. They grabbed pork knuckles with their hands, sttering grease onto Flora. A hint of disgust shed in Flora¡¯s eyes. Aaron noticed but felt triumphant. These wealthy people always looked down on them, and now he wanted to trample them underfoot. ¡°Aunt Maddie, after we eat, let¡¯s go get a car. You and Hans will stay here for a while, and it¡¯s inconvenient without one.¡± ¡°A car? But we don¡¯t know how to drive.¡± ¡°No worries, we¡¯ll get a driver, Aaron said confidently. ¡°Flora can take us to buy a BMW. ¡°A BMW!¡± Maddie was shocked again. Even the wealthiest families in their area couldn¡¯t afford a BMW. Flora understood now. Aaron had invited her over to pay for their car Alright then, she¡¯d y with them. She would settle them the grievances of her past and present life all today. Chapter 137 Chapter 137 After the meal, it was naturally Flora who settled the bill. The total came to over $6,000, and Maddie winced as if it physically pained her. Even though she wasn¡¯t the one paying, it still hurt. Aaron suggested they go shopping for some clothes for Maddie and Hans. Maddie, thrilled, dragged Hans to the mall. Flora looked up at the sign and smiled. What a coincidence. They ended up shopping at her own family¡¯s department store. Flora was footing the bill, so they didn¡¯t hold back, buying several outfits and even some expensive jewelry. ¡°Ugh, get away from me, you filthy salesperson. How could you touch the clothes I¡¯m going to buy. If you dirty them, I¡¯m not buying it¡± In just a short while, Maddie¡¯s true nature revealed itself¨Csharp and mean, exuding an air of a nouveau riche. She managed to offend all the salespeople in the shop. ¡°Miss, how can you be with such people?¡± A salespersonined to Flora, puzzled. They couldn¡¯t understand why Flora would bring such people to the mall. ¡°As long as they can pay, they¡¯re customers.¡± Florazily said, ¡°They have money, so just guide them to the more expensive items. Just a few harsh words. All for the sake of sales, right? Just remember to speak nicely¡± Flora knew Maddie had a substantial sum saved up. Today, she nned to make her spend it all. ¡°The total is $50,000. Will you be paying in cash or by card?¡± The salesperson asked with a smile. ¡°Charge it to her.¡± Maddie waved her hand towards Flora. The salesperson caught Flora¡¯s cue and smiled, ¡°Alright, please fill out this form.¡± Maddie didn¡¯t understand why she had to fill out a form but thought that a big mall in the city wouldn¡¯t scam them. Perhaps this was how things were done differently here than in smaller ces. Aaron and Maddie thought alike, believing a reputable department store wouldn¡¯t cheat them, so they didn¡¯te over to check. Flora watched her sign the form, her eyes narrowing slightly with a smile. 2 2 2 5 = 8 Leaving the clothing store, Maddie entered a jewelry store. In a short spa?, she spent tens of thousands again, In less than two hours, Maddie had spent over $300,000 ¡°Oh, my legs are killing me. I can¡¯t walk anymore.¡± Maddieined, taking off her shoes right there in public, somatching her feet. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go buy a car now. I get a driver to take you backter.¡± Maddie eagerly nodded, pulling Hans into a taxi, excited to head to the car dealership. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The staff at the dealership were sharp, instantly pegging them as ¡°nouveau riche¡± and greeted them warmly. ¡°We want a BMW or a Mercedes. We don¡¯t want anything else. Those other brands are beneath us.¡± The dealership staff snickered inwardly. Typical nouveau riche, only knowing about BMW and Mercedes. Soon, Aaron chose a car. It looked luxurious and prestigious, but to someone experienced like Flora, the car was quite ordinary Eager to impress his aunt, Aaron decided to register the car in Maddie¡¯s name. After all, with Flora as his financial backer, he wasn¡¯t worried about money ¡°Oh, you are so considerate. If only Hans could be half as good, I¡¯d die happy¡± Maddie was overjoyed, unable to hide her glee. Aaron called Flora over to pay Flora spread her hands. I¡¯m out of money. I¡¯ve spent it all.¡± Aaron frowned, thinking Flora was bluffing, but then he remembered she had indeed spent a lot. However, he didn¡¯t have enough on him right then. He had already promised Maddie a car and not being able to pay was embarrassing ¡°Sir, we have a special offer. If you¡¯re a bit tight on funds right now, you can put down a $20,000 deposit and finance the rest.¡± The salesman said with a smile, ¡°The interest is very low, and when you have the funds, you can pay off the bnce in full.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go with financing then.¡± Aaron could manage the $20,000 deposit. He figured once Flora went back and got money from her family, they could pay off the bnce in a few days. Since the car was registered under Maddie¡¯s name, the loan had to use Maddie¡¯s ID and bank card. Aaron believed they could pay off the loan quickly and didn¡¯t give it much thought, immediately using Maddie¡¯s bank card. Flora smiled. She only wanted Maddie¡¯s savings, but Aaron was elming for Maddie¡¯s life. She stepped aside, pulling out her phone. ¡°Hello, 9117 I want to report extortion and ckmail.¡± Maddie was already on a video call, bragging to her entire vige. ¡°You have no idea, Aaron is doing so well in the city. He took me to a five¨Cstar restaurant. Look, all these clothes, earrings, nes, bracelets¡­ he even bought me a car.¡± Maddie boasted non¨Cstop, while on the other end, a crowd of people gathered around the phone, their eyes filled with endless envy. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 ¡°That¡¯s the car. A BMW, no less. Aaron gave it to me.¡± Maddie turned the camera towards the brand¨Cnew car she had just picked up. ¡°Pretty stylish, huh? Haha, Aaron didn¡¯t even blink when he bought it.¡± The camera then focused on Aaron, and Maddie excitedly said, ¡°Look at how handsome Aaron has be. Aaron, say hi ¡°Hey guys.¡± Aaron smiled and greeted, enjoying the envy and jealousy in the eyes of those watching through the screen. He stood a little straighter, his vanity immensely satisfied. ¡°Aaron is really something now How amazing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget about us when you¡¯ve made it big. Can my good¨Cfor¨Cnothing son hang around with you?¡± Just then, a group of police officers walked in. The dealership staff were startled. The manager hurried over, fear evident in his heart. ¡°Officers, we¡¯re allw¨Cabiding citizens here. haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± The sudden appearance of the police had him rattled. He was thinking, could it be that browsing porn websitesst night had been exposed? Seeing the police, Maddie didn¡¯t stop the video. Instead, she focused the camera on them, her face a picture of excitement at the unfolding drama. ¡°Who¡¯s Aaron?¡± the lead officer asked. Aaron was taken aback, not expecting the police would be asking for him, ¡°Lam Aaron, officer. Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°Somebody has used you of extortion, involving a sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dors. Pleasee with us. Silence fell over the scene. Maddie was dumbfounded, as were the people watching through the phone. After a moment, Aaron managed a weak smile and said, ¡°Officer, there must be some mistake. Extortion?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll clear it up at the station.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°it¡¯s not true, officer. There must be some misunderstanding, Surely someone is ying a prank. Can you tell me who reported it-* ¡°It was me.¡± A cool voice cut through the heated air. Flora slowly walked over. She looked at Aaron¡¯s astonished and shocked expression, and slowly smiled. ¡°Aaron, you¡¯ve been really stupid in this life.¡± So stupid that he didn¡¯t even understand the crime of extortion, and would boldly demand money from her ¡°Flora, you-¡± Aaron¡¯s incredulous question was cut short as he hesitated. He thought about the records of him asking Flora for money, and his face instantly turned pale. ¡°You set me up!¡± Aaron¡¯s voice trembled. The fluorescent light overhead shone in Flora¡¯s eyes as she slowly grinned, her smile as deadly as a demoning to im a soul. ¡°Yes, Aaron. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you came of age a few months ago.¡± Flora paused, her smile widening. And she said word by word. *Spend the rest of your life in prison.¡± As Aaron was being led away by the police, he was still in a state of madness, his eyes red as if about to burst, his hands still in the position of grabbing Flora¡¯s neck. ¡°Extortion! I was wondering how could a high schooler, who just came of age, make so much money. Just like his dead parents, no good at all.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a scumbag who grew up begging, won¡¯t tum out to be anything good when he grows up. So disgusting, our town has one more person in jaill.¡± All sorts of harsh words were said by the people through the phone. Maddie felt humiliated and quickly hung up the video. Angry, she turned to leave, but a dealership employee stopped her. ¡°Ms. Maddie, please don¡¯t forget to make your loan payments on time.¡± ¡°What loan?¡± Maddie¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Of course, the loan for the car. Mr. Aaron has already registered it with your ID, and you agreed.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want this car¡± This car was worth over a million dors, and she couldn¡¯t pay it off even if she sold herself. ¡°You¡¯ve already signed the agreement, and you can¡¯t just not want it The employee still smiled, though less brightly then before. 00:06 ¡°This is coercion! I don¡¯t care. I won¡¯t buy it. Take the car back. And you have to return the deposit my nephew paid you.¡± ¡°The contract clearly states that if the contract is unterally terminated, the deposit will not be refunded, and you will have to pay apensation fee.¡± ¡°You heartless people, you-¡± ¡°Is Ms. Maddie present?¡± Maddie was interrupted before she could finish her sentence. A woman in professional attire walked in from outside It turned out to be the salesperson from the store they had visited earlier. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 ¡°Ms. Maddie, the items you previously purchased from our store haven¡¯t been paid for yet. I¡¯ve brought the bill to you. Would you like to pay with cash or card?¡± The salesperson smiled broadly, holding a card reader in one hand and a cash counter in the other. Maddie looked wary. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can fool me just because Ie from the countryside. We clearly paid just now. Why should we pay again?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t pay earlier,¡± said the salesperson with a smile as bright as spring. ¡°You only filled out an IOU, which clearly stated that you¡¯d send the money after retuming home. To save you the trip. I¡¯ve personallye to collect. The total is thirty thousand.¡± As she spoke, the salesperson pulled out a stack of bills from her bag, clearlybeled with Maddie¡¯s name. Maddie was stunned. She had indeed signed her name on the document, but how was she to know it was an IOU. N?velDrama.Org ? content. She turned sharply towards Flora, realizing she had been tricked. It was this bitch who had gotten her nephew into trouble with the police, and now she was here to harm her. ¡°Bitch! Did you do this?¡± She red at Flora, her anger nearly bursting into mes. Flora smiled nonchntly, calm andposed, ¡°If you buy something, naturally, you have to pay for it. I never said I would cover your bill. Maddie¡¯s face turned gloomy. Thirty thousand that would drain even her life savings. In a panic, she started stripping off her clothes, leaving only a tank top and shorts, and began taking off various pieces of jewelry around her neck and wrists to hand to the salesperson. Take it all back! I don¡¯t want it anymore! It¡¯s all still new.¡± The salesperson¡¯s expression cooled. ¡°Once items are sold from our store, they cannot be returned, especially since you¡¯ve cut off the tags. If you don¡¯t pay, I have no choice but to involve the legal authorities and proceed ording to thew to have you pay.¡± This scared Maddie, but she couldn¡¯t bear to part with her life savings. She turned her fury towards Flora. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you, you bitch! Hans, beat this bitch up. She¡¯s the reason we¡¯re in this mess.¡± Maddie and Hans, both furious, charged at Flora, wishing they could tear her apart. The salesperson, fearing for Flora¡¯s safety, rushed forward to protect her, but Flora caught her wrist, signaling her to stop. The salesperson only felt a gust of wind pass by her side. She didn¡¯t even s Maddie and Hans both ended up on the ground. see how Flora moved, only hearing several screams as Flora stood before her, arms crossed, looking indifferent as if she wasn¡¯t the one who had just acted. ¡°Ow, my leg¡¯s gonna break¡± Maddie screamed, holding her leg. ¡°My leg is broken! I¡¯m going to sue While she cried, she also gave Hans a look. sue you f for intentional harm.¡± Hans, eyes darting shrewdly, threw himself onto Maddie. ¡°Mom! What¡¯s wrong with your leg? Our whole family depends on you. If your leg is broken, how are we supposed to live!¡± Flora saw through their act immediately. They were just trying to getpensation from her. A cold smile appeared on her lips, and her dark eyes narrowed slightly. Flora spoke slowly, each word deliberate, ¡°If you want to go to the police, fine. If your leg is truly broken, I¡¯ll pay a sum. But if there¡¯s nothing wrong with your leg, then you and Aaron are just trying to extort money, and I have the means to have you locked up, ensuring you never get back on your feet¡± Maddie was frightened by Flora¡¯s chilling tone, her heart skipping Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Flora always seemed so mild¨Cmannered, but when she dropped her facade, she turned out to be a force to be reckoned with People tend to bully the weak and fear the strong, and Maddie was immediately silenced by fear. Flora scoffed and strode out. That money alone would be enough to give Maddie a taste of her own medicine. Outside, Flora could still hear Maddie¡¯s enquished screams echoing from the shop, but she felt not an ounce of sympathy. She remembered all too well how Maddie had treated her. She was merely giving them a taste of their own medicine. Having Aaron sent to jail put Flora in an exceptionally good mood. She hailed a taxi and headed back home. Stonnell Intemational. Connor had just finished a meeting when he received a call from the person he had assigned to protect Flora. After he leamed that Aaron had been taken to the police station, his expression remained calm, as if he had anticipated this oue. He closed the file slowly, his well¨Cdefined hands drumming on the desk, before he finally spoke, ¡°Handle it well. Now that he¡¯s in the jail, make sure he doesn¡¯te out.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± When Flora returned home, Raul was sitting on the couch, reviewing some documents. She leaned over and caught a glimpse of the words. ¡°Elite High School Share Transfer Agreement ¡°Dad, when did we start getting into the education sector?¡± Flora sat down beside Raul, curious. Elite High School was a recently established private school that spared no expense, attracting many public school teachers to join. ¡°A friend of mine started the school and insisted on transferring some shares to me,¡± Raul said with a resigned tone. Raul was known for his integrity and loyalty, making genuine friends in various industries. The owner of Elite High School, had previously fallen on hard times and received Raul¡¯s kindness. After finding sess, he came to repay Raul¡¯s generosity. ¡°I see.¡± Flora responded, not particrly interested in the matter. In just one night in the police station, Aaron had be incredibly haggard. He knew he was thoroughly defeated, but he wasn¡¯t willing to give up. At the very least, he wanted to hire a defense attorney to seek a reassessment of his sentencing. ¡°I want to request a defense attorney!¡± The officer remained expressionless upon hearing his request. He knew that although the evidence was substantial, the trial hadn¡¯t started, and Aaron had the right to a defense attorney. Still, no matter how good the attomey, it was futile. Crossing that individual meant Aaron had no way out. Without any y connections, Aaron couldn¡¯t find a decentwyer. After much deliberation, he decided to call Carina. He didn¡¯t want Carina to see him in such a state, but he was out of options. She was his only hope. The phone call was monitored, with police listening in As Aaron listened to the dial tone, his heart was in his throat. Finally, after several rings, the call connected Aaron was ted. ¡°Carina, it¡¯s mel Aaron!! He rushed to speak. ¡°Aaron?¡± On the other end, Carina frowned at the unfamiliar number. ¡°Carina, you¡¯re the only one who can help me now. Aaron exined everything about how Flor got him into the police station. Carina was shocked. She hadn¡¯t expected Flora to be so ruthless. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find you awyer as soon as possible.¡± Without rest for the whole night, Aaron was on the verge of a breakdown. He couldn¡¯t help but cry at this news. He was terrified. He was so young. He didn¡¯t want to spend his life in jail. After hanging up, Carina¡¯s expression tumed grave. Even if Aaron died in the police station, she wouldn¡¯t bat an eye. But for now, Aaron along. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Today at Westbrook High School, things were anything but calm. Police officers wereing and going, scaring the students into staying inside their ssrooms, too afraid to venture out. In ss Z, everyone was abuzz about the incident ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why are all the police here?¡± ¡°I went and asked.¡± The student who had gone to gather the gossip said excitedly, ¡°It seems to be about Aaron from ss F. He¡¯s been arrested for extortion. The amount involved is quiterge, and he might be facing many years in prison.¡± Everyone here was still a student. While minor mischief wasmon, it was the first time they¡¯d heard of someone they knew being taken into police custody. They were all shocked ¡°How could Aaron do something like that? Who did he try to extort money from?¡± ¡°Flora, could youe out here a moment?¡± Just then, a female voice called from the doorway, and Carina stood there, her expression frosty, Flora had been sitting in the back row helping Dane and the others grade their work. When she looked up and saw Carina, she raised an eyebrow Without moving, she leaned back in her chair, her right hand holding a pen resting on the desk, idly tapping away, her expression indifferent. Carina walked in herself. ¡°Aaron is our ssmate, and you two used to date. How could you scheme against him and send him to jail? Canina seemed genuinely furious, her eyes red with anger. Her indignant voice clearly resonated throughout ss Z All the students in ss 2 looked incredulously at Flora. Was she¡­the reason Aaron was sent to jail? Flora¡¯s hand, holding the pen, paused. It no longer tapped the tabletop with the cap. In the face of Carina¡¯s anger and questioning, she remained nonchnt. It¡¯s as if Carina was nothing but a joke to her. After getting what she wanted, Carina faked a broken heart, hid her face and just walked out. ¡°Flora, did you really call the police on Aaron? Dane swallowed nervously before asking When Flora nodded, his expression turned even more horrified. ¡°Dane, aren¡¯t you afraid shell send you to jail too?¡± May¡¯s voice wasced with sarcasm, Everyone fell silent. They all nced at Flora, their gazesplex Flora¡¯s actions gave them the creeps. What kind of deep hatred does one need to have to send a high school senior to jail? After Carina¡¯s deliberate spreading of the story, the whole school knew about Aaron¡¯s arrest and Flora¡¯s involvement -1 cant believe that Flora, who¡¯s usually so quiet, could be so vicious. She used to love Aaron, and now she¡¯s the reason he¡¯s in jail,¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they say hell hath no fury like a woman ed. It seems Flora did it because Aaron didn¡¯t like her back, and out of spite, she framed him.¡± ¡°Shh¡­Flora¡¯s here.¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. As Flora strolled down the hallway carrying a kettle, with Kaylee at her side, the bunch of students who had been chattering away shut up real quick when they saw hering. ¡°People like her are just backstabbers. No matter how well they study, they¡¯re just society¡¯s trash! We¡¯re seriously unlucky to be in the her same school Flora never cared about what others said. Facing the diverse gazes, she remained indifferent However, Kaylee was quivering with anger. Hearing the girl¡¯s words, she roared, ¡°If Aaron didn¡¯t do anything wrong, thew is just and will prove his innocence. But if he didmit crimes, it¡¯s everyone¡¯s responsibility to ensure he faces justice. You know nothing and yet stand here on your high moral ground, using the vilest words to describe a girl. Is this your so¨Ccalled kindness and justice?¡± She was likely shaking with anger, her voice trembling, with several words nearly breaking. Flora turned to look at her, genuinely surprised. Kaylee was usually so timid. She hardly ever spoke up about anything, yet now Kaylee was defending her so fiercely in front of so many people. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Kaylee¡¯s eyes shed red with anger as she pulled Flors quickly through the corridor, only calming slightly when they reached the deserted stairwell. She was still furious that those people dared to speak of Flom without knowing her at all. Flora opened her thermos, poured some water into the lid, and handed it to the visibly upset Kaylee. ¡°Drink some water, and cool down¡± ¡°Flora, aren¡¯t you angry?¡± Flora¡¯s expression was one of indifference, as if those words had not affected her in the slightest ¡°Getting angry over some insignificant people isn¡¯t worth it, is it?¡± ¡°Bui How could Flora possibly remain so unaffected? ¡°Kaylee, we can¡¯t possibly make everyone like us. Bring true to ourselves is what matters. After all, if a dog bites you, you can¡¯t bite back, can you?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Kaylee stared at Flora, taken aback Flora¡¯s eyes were cleat her demeanor calm and detached. She truly didn¡¯t care about what those people said. Kaylee envied Flora, wishing she could be as strong and fearless in the face of others words. After ss, Jade clutched her books and headed back to the office. ¡°Ms. Jade¡± Someone called after her. Turning around, she saw Carina. ¡°Carina, what is it?¡± ¡°Ms. Jade, did you hear about Aaron being taken to the police station?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Jade frowned, suddenly wary Canna smiled innocently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m telling you this because I want to help. You know that Flora personally had Aaron taken to the station. Do you know why she did that? ¡°It was that time Aaron asked you to call Flora out, and then he deliberately had someone harass her.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Jade¡¯s expression darkened instantly. Carina continued with a smile. ¡°So, Flora wanted revenge. Do you think she¡¯ll let you go?¡± ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Jade¡¯s grip on her books whitened with tension. ¡°You¡¯ve always wanted to get rid of Flora. I can help you. You just need to¡­¡± Carina moved closer to whisper a few words in Jade¡¯s ear. Jade looked troubled, ¡°No, that would definitely get me expelled from the school as well.¡± ¡°Do you know about Elite High School?¡± Jade perked up, of course, she knew. Several of her acquaintances had moved to Elite High School, where the annual sry was several times her current one. *I can get you into Elite High School. Just follow my instructions.¡± Jade was tempted. w was At Westbrook High School, the teachers were all against her, and she felt undervalued. Not only was she exhausted, but her sry also pitiful. Elite High School had always been her dream ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± Jade was conflicted, suspecting Carina of deceiving her Could a student truly have the influence to get her into Elite High S School? ¡°Yvonne Brimer, the second daughter of the Brimer family in Cedarvale, is a good friend of mine. With her status, she could easily make it happen.¡± Jade came from a modest background, and couldn¡¯t reach those lofty social circles. Yet, she always dreamed of mingling with the elite, and often researched Cedarvale¡¯s notllity online The Brimer family was among the most renowned families in Cedarvale. Canina was actually friends with the Brimer family¡¯s second daughter ¡°Carina, you truly surprise me.¡± Jade¡¯s words camed a double meaning. Carina had yed her part too well in front of the teachers. Who would have thought that Carina, always the model student would harbor such a dark, scheming side? 1 never thought Ms. Jade, always so dignified and prudent, could be so reckless in private.¡± Jade¡¯s face hardened, and she red at Carina. Carina met her gaze with a broad smile, then turned to leave. She knew Jade was smart enough to make the right choice. Reaching the stairwell, Carina called Yvonne. ¡°Miss Yvonne, it¡¯s time to release those photos.¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 At this critical moment, Flom¡¯s scandal exploded online, thrusting her into the eye of the storm. Explicit photos of Flora were stered all over the inte. In one photo, she was seen half¨Clying against a wall in an alley, her clothes in disarray, stained with some blood. Despite the blurry quality, there was no mistaking it was Flore. This photo was just the beginning. Later, more explicit images surfaced, one showing Flora nude, pinned beneath a man. The uploader, a newly created anonymous ount, also posted a lengthy article alongside the images. In short, it used Flora of having a messy private life. The article detailed Flora¡¯s past of cheating, fighting, and even resorting to despicable means to have Aaron imprisoned. She was painted as thoroughly viinous, protected only by her family¡¯s influence. The article didn¡¯t just condemn Flora. It criticized the the trending topics. rities for their inaction. Upon its release, the story skyrocketed to the top of Though anyone scrutinizing the photos could see they were faked, the online crowd didn¡¯t care about distinguishing truth from fiction. [Flora? Why does that name sound so familiar? Isn¡¯t she the one who made a ssh at the fashion designpetition? [That girl seemed so kind and innocent on the show, a bit quiet maybe, but these usations don¡¯t sound like something she would do] [Totally agree to thement above. We shouldn¡¯t just take the blogger¡¯s word for it.] [Are you still trying to defend her? How much did Flora pay you? This is solid proof. Unbelievable.] Most people remained on the fence, not jumping to conclusions until an ount iming to be a friend of Flora¡¯s stepped forward with more usations. [Hello everyone. I am a friend of Flora¡¯s. In these three years, Flora has been disrespectful, stubborn, and even ] The lengthy post, nearly a thousand words, detailed Flora¡¯s supposed misdeeds, apanied by everyday photos of her. Now, the allegations seemed irrefutable. Even those who had been watching from the sidelines began to curse out loud, their words more vicious than thest. Flora¡¯s face turned cold as she saw the relentless stream of notifications on Twitter. Without a word, she took out herptop and a cable from her bag and headed to the bathroom. Sitting on the toilet lid, she opened herptop on her knees. Her fingers flew over the keyboard, codes shing across the screen. Just as she was about to take down the malicious content online, she found that everything rted to her had disappeared. Even typing the word ¡°Flora¡± into Twitter resulted in ount suspension. Flora raised an eyebrow. Who was behind this cleanup? Was it Connor? In Stonnell International, Connor stopped typing, his aura darkening. The chilling presence made Moss and Beck too afraid to even breathe. He stood up, making the spacious room suddenly feel ustrophobic. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± In the Irving family, the atmosphere was also tense. Henrik¡¯s eyes burned with anger as he read the baseless rumors online. His eyes, usually with a kind smile, were now filled with rage. Being part of the entertainment industry, he knew all too well that exnations were futile at this point. The only solution was to pull the trending topics. He threw a billion into the cause, and almost immediately the trending search disappeared. Moreover, any search term containing the word ¡°Flora, regardless of case, resulted in ount suspension. This wasn¡¯t something the Twitter tech team could achieve. ¡°Come on, we need to find Floral Raul didn¡¯t even bother to change his clothes, and rushed to pull Henrik along. He was determined to find out who was spreading these rumors and wouldn¡¯t let them get away with it But foremost, they needed to ensure Flora was okay. Facing such allegations, their girl must be terrified. Although the trending topics were removed quickly, the issue continued to escte. Before long, a crowd had gathered, demanding an apology from Flora. ¡°How can we leave our children here with someone like that around.¡± ¡°Exactly! Not only is Flora¡¯s life a mess, but she also has a violent temper and often attacks people. What if she hurts our children?¡± ¡°We need a resolution, or well take this to the higher¨Cups.¡± ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please, calm down. Flora is not the person described online. Those are all rumors. Please give us some time, and we will handle this matter appropriately.¡± ¡°Why should we believe you? The inte says you¡¯re covering for her because of her family¡¯s wealth. We don¡¯t believe you!¡± The crowd outside blocked the doors, preventing anyone from leaving. Inside, the administrators were at a loss, ¡°Everyone, please step aside. This is a critical period for our children. Every second counts, and we can¡¯t afford dys.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re ying the good guys. If you really cared, you¡¯d deal with Flora immediately! N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Let¡¯s go directly to Flora. He¡¯s right, our children¡¯s time is precious, and we shouldn¡¯t disturb them. Let¡¯s find Flora and throw her out.¡± The crowd moved en masse toward Flora¡¯s location, the administrators following worried about what might happen. The noise from the crowd filled the corridors. Students inside couldn¡¯t help but poke their heads out, curious to follow and watch the drama unfold. ¡°Are you still in the mood to meddle in others¡® business? Focus!¡± a sudden, stern female voice scolded. Instantly, everyone inside quieted down, heads down, not daring to speak. In Flora¡¯s ssroom, Keaton was trying to maintain order, his gaze inevitably falling on Flora, And he sighed inwardly. Although Flora had caused some trouble in the past, it was nothing more than childish behavior, and she had shown significant improvement in the past months The usations online were utterly baseless. Just then, a noisy crowd burst in, their uproar filling the space in an instagt. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 The crowd of parents arrived with a storm of anger, almost as if they wanted to tear Flora apart. Sitting in the back row, Flora raised her head. She nced outside, tapped her toes on the ground, and pushed her chair back a little. Then she stood up and walked towards the door with long strides, Dane was right in front of her quickly grabbing her, ¡°Flora, don¡¯t go out there. Let the teacher handle it. If you go out now, they¡¯ll skin you alive.¡± Flora¡¯s voice was soft, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°Gee, what am I afraid of! You¡¯re the one in danger here.¡± Dane thought inwardly. ¡°Why are you acting as if everything¡¯s fine.¡± Flora pulled her hand away from Dane¡¯s and walked slowly to the door. Kaylee and the others quickly followed her. They were afraid that the angry parents might do something to Flora. ¡°I am Flora.¡± Flora stood at the door, facing the angry ms from the crowd of parents calmly Online, Flora had been painted in such a negative light that they expected her to look like a delinquent However, the girl standing before them was dressed neatly in a blue and white school uniform, her hair tied up in a high ponytail. Her face was glowing and clear, especially her eyes, which were so pure, winning people¡¯s favor at a nce. She was the epitome of a well¨Cbehaved girl in their eyes. They were suddenly at a loss for words. At that moment, Henrik and Raul rushed over as well. Following them was Connor. They fought their way through the crowd to Flora¡¯s side. Realizing that Flora was alright, they finally calmed down. They had been terrified when they saw Flora being surrounded. Flora¡¯s expression, which had remained unchanged, finally softened when she saw them. She had worried them again. The parents then remembered their purpose foring and said harshly, ¡°So you are Flora, huh? Looks can be deceiving. You look so innocent and pure, yet engage in such scandalous activities. If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t stay at school any longer N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°You keep mentioning scandalous activities like that¡¯s your family business. You seem very familiar with it,¡± Flora¡¯s words almost choked the person who had just spoken. ¡°Flora, how can you speak to my mom like that!¡± May stepped forward, angrily saying. ¡°So it¡¯s your mom. No wonder Flora drew out thest two words with a meaningful tone. ¡°You brat! Instead of focusing on studies, you just know how to seduce men. You-¡± Raul¡¯s expression suddenly darkened, ¡°Madam, as a parent, you should know what is appropriate to say and what is not. It¡¯s not hard to imagine what kind of daughter you¡¯ve raised.¡± ¡°My daughter, at least, doesn¡¯t have scandalous photos all over the inte. Henrik¡¯s tone was icy, ¡°Madam, if you had any bit of education, you¡¯d be able to tell that most of those photos are doctored. If you can¡¯t see that, it means you should spend more time reading.¡± Sara, May¡¯s mom, was left speechless, without a retort Kaylee stepped forward, bowed to the parents, and earnestly said, ¡°Guys, please calm down. Everything posted online is false, please don¡¯t believe it. Flora and I are ssmates, and I know her very well. She really is a very good person.¡± Chapter 145 Chapter 145 ¡°Kaylee, you can¡¯t just spout nonsense because you¡¯re on good terms with Flora. Hasn¡¯t Flora been involved in fights before? Wasn¡¯t it her who had Aaron taken to the police station?¡± May sneered, seizing the rare opportunity to confront Flora. ¡°May!¡± Kaylee was infuriated. ¡°What, am I wrong? Has she not done all these things?¡± May¡¯s words once again ignited the anger in the hearts of the parents present. They absolutely could not allow such a problematic girl to attend the same school as their children. ¡°Mr. Garcia, are you still going to cover for Flora at this point? Is it really because her family is wealthy?¡± ¡°If Flora doesn¡¯t leave the school, we¡¯re pulling our funding!¡± Mr. Garcia was at a loss. He understood that all the parents were acting out of concern for their children, but he couldn¡¯t just expel Flora. He had witnessed the changes in Flora over these days. He truly didn¡¯t want to ruin her future based on some baseless usations. ¡°Money talks, it seems. Even with Flora¡¯s notorious reputation, they still refuse to expel her. Just imagine how brazen she must be at school. I heard she¡¯s even violent, having injured other students. Maybe our kids have been bullied by her, too.¡± Sara¡¯s statement solidified the parents¡® resolve to drive Flora out of the school. No parent would want to keep a ticking time bomb close to their children. Just the thought of Flora potentially endangering their children sent them into a mix of fear and panic. The parents started to lose control. The corridor, already cramped, became a site of chaos, with Mr. Garcia desperately pleading. ¡°Parents, please, calm down! Be careful! Don¡¯t push and shove¡± But his pleas fell on deaf ears in the mounting hysteria. A parent at the edge of the crowd was pushed, stumbling directly towards the staircase. ¡°Ah!¡± She was headed ground first. A fall would surely be severe, Flora¡¯s expression shifted instantly. She pushed through the parents blocking her path and, in the moment the parent was about to fall, grabbed her hand, pulling her back to safety. However, due to inertia and overwhelming fear, that parent ended up pulling Flora down with her. Cursing silently, Flora attempted to adjust her posture for a safernding when suddenly, she felt a solid ¡°wall¡± at her back. A pair of lightly calloused hands steadied her from both sides of her waist. A faint scent of peppermint wafted to her calming amidst the chaos. his striking, cool features. Turning her head, Flora¡¯s gaze traveled up the man¡¯s immacte suit to meet his It was Connor. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Raul and Henrik humed down, relieved to see Flora unharmed. They were grateful Connor arrived just in time. Otherwise, Flora might have been injured. ¡®Mr. Connor¡­ Mr. Garcia, running down in his concem, was astonished to see Connor. Why was he here too? Connor released his hold on Flora¡¯s waist, his eyes still carrying a lingering chill. Moss, Beck and over twenty bodyguards followed behind Connor, all bearing unfriendly looks towards the arrogant parents crowding the staircase. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 The sight of so many bodyguards made the parents back down instantly. dow The parent who had been saved by Flora just moments ago was filled with grailtude and guilt. Yet, she found herself unable to voice her thanks ¡°You all spoke so harshly about my sister earlier, but when you were in danger, she didn¡¯t hesitate toe to your rescue. Could such a kind¨Chearted girl really be the disgraceful person you¡¯ve made her out to be?¡± Henrik¡¯s chest was trembling, and his voice quivered as he spoke. He was both angry and heartbroken. The parents were at a loss for words. They had seen it with their own eyes. In that moment of crisis, Flora had rushed to help without a second thought, almost as if it was an instinctive reaction. They simply couldn¡¯t reconcile the Flora they had condemned based on online rumors with the young girl standing before them now. Perhaps there had been some misunderstanding after all. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Sensing their attitudes softening, Mr. Garcia quickly spoke up, ¡°Dear parents, please trust the school. We will provide a satisfactory solution as soon as possible. Blocking the school entrance like this prevents the students from focusing on their sses.¡± ¡°Then well leave for now, but we¡¯re only giving you three days. You must give us an answer within these three days!¡± Aside from their newfound belief in Flora, the mass departure of the parents was also due to Connor and the group of bodyguards behind him. Their anxiety was palpable. There was even a premonition among them that if they continued to make a fuss, the bodyguards might just physically remove them from the premises. Mr. Garcia hastily assured them that everything would be resolved within three days. Then, the parents left, and the drama finally came to an end. ¡°Mr. Connor, what brings you here?¡± Facing Connor, Mr. Garcia¡¯s tone was exceedingly humble, even fearful. ¡°My fianc¨¦e wasered in your school, nearly getting hurt. Mr. Garcia, you¡¯re doing a great job,¡± he said, his voice deep and resonant, like a cello slowlying to life, incredibly pleasing to the ear. Mr. Garcia¡¯s face turned pale with fear. Flora was curious. Mr. Garcia seemed to be quite afraid of Connor Even though Stonnell International held a significant position in Cedarvale, there was no need for Mr. Garcia to be so scared, right? ¡°This incident was my oversight. I will handle it.¡± I Mr. Garcia was so frightened that his heart nearly leapt out of his throat. Flora was actually engaged to this influential figure! Putting his hands under Flora¡¯s chest and legs, Connor carried her up and walked towards the school gate. Raul and Henrik were both filled with worry now, and they couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with Connor¡¯s shameless taking advantage of Flora. In a corner, Carina witnessed everything, her long nails digging into her flesh. She couldn¡¯t stand that Flora seemed to have gotten away from this huge scandal so easily. She was far from willing to let it go. After returning. Mr. Garcia ordered a thorough investigation of the incident, especially targeting the individual who had imed to be a Westbrook High School teacher online. The IT department quickly traced the source based on the ID. It was Jade. Furious, Mr. Garcia demanded Jade¡¯s presence. ¡°As a teacher, how could you stoop to posting such disgracefulments about their own student online? Where have your professional ethics gone?¡± Chapter 147 Chapter 147 As soon as Jade walked in, Mr. Garcia was so furious that he threw a document at her. Jade, however, seemed pretty indifferent. She caught the document, smoothed out the creases with her hand, and ced it back on the desk. ¡°What I said was the truth. The things Flora did before are surely worse than what I¡¯ve shared, aren¡¯t they?¡± Jade knew she was about to join Elite High School anyway and felt a sense of triumph. She wouldn¡¯t have to be submissive anymore. ¡°Also, I¡¯m here to resign. I won¡¯t stay in this crappy school. I forgot to tell you, I¡¯ve already received an offer from Elite High School. II soon be part of them.¡± With that said, Jade left with her nose in the air. Thinking about her bright future, she couldn¡¯t stop smiling. In the car, Flora eyed the ID she found on herptop, a chilling glint shing in her eyes. Jade. She hadn¡¯t settled their previous scores, and now Jade was causing her trouble again. She took out her phone and posted a video of Jade and the deputy director of the school looking cozy together online, and also sent a copy directly to the deputy director¡¯s wife. A sly smile yed on her lips. All this time, Connor had been watching her busy herself. When he saw that these troubles hadn¡¯t dampened her spirits, he finally rxed. Henrik and Raul were also observing Flora¡¯s expression, knowing that any other girl would struggle to get over such an incident so quickly. Just then, Raul¡¯s phone rang. It was a call from Mr. Garcia. Over the phone, Mr. Garcia¡¯s voice was loud, as if he was deliberately shouting. He detailed everything about Jade, emphasizing that they had already expelled her. He also mentioned Jade¡¯s ns to join Elite High School. ¡°Elite High School?¡± Flora murmured the name and suddenlyughed. She and Jade were indeed fated to cross paths. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Hearing her voice, Mr. Garcia was overjoyed, knowing she must be with Raul and thus Connor must be nearby too. He quickly said, ¡°For such a disgraceful teacher, we can report to the Department of Education to revoke her teaching license, ensuring she can never work in the education field again. I¡¯m heading to the Department of Education right now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have a better way to teach her a lesson.¡± Flora smirked. What¡¯s the use of revoking Jade¡¯s teaching license? Jade could still live a carefree life She wanted to join Elite High School, right? Then Flora would just have to help her. Although Mr. Garcia didn¡¯t know what Flora was nning, he didn¡¯t insist further and quickly hung up the phone. With Connor involved, Jade was not going to have an easy time. Flora looked at her phone. The video she posted was already making waves. She didn¡¯t need to pay for trending spots like others. With just a plugin, she could keep Jade¡¯s scandal at the top of the trending list, unable to be taken down. The inte was filled with outrage against Jade. The deputy director¡¯s wife had also received the video, and by now, she was probably on her way to confront her husband¡¯s mistress. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Jade walked out of school, brimming with confidence, dreaming of her bright future ahead. Suddenly, someone called her name. Jade turned around instinctively, only to be met with a harsh p to the face. Stunned, Jade had no time to react before another p came her way, along with a kick to her stomach. The woman mounted Jade, hitting her mercilessly. ¡°You bitch! Flirting with my man! Who gave you the guts! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Jade struggled violently, trying to break free, but the woman¡¯s strength was overwhelming. Her nearly 200¨Cpound frame almost suffocated Jade. The woman¡¯s high heels hit Jade¡¯s soft spots, causing her immense pain, leaving her unable to speak. ¡°You bitch! I wam you, if you get close to my man again, it won¡¯t just be a beating¡± The woman left satisfied after half an hour of hitting and kicking Jade. Jade¡¯s clothes were tom to shreds, barely covering anything. Passersby spat at her. ¡°Got beaten for stealing someone¡¯s man, serves you right!¡± ¡°Such women deserve to be punished!¡± Jade struggled to her feet, covered herself with her torn clothes, and ran to the nearest public restroom. How did that vile woman find out about her and the deputy director? Trembling, Jade took out her phone to inform the deputy director. But as soon as she connected to the inte, a barrage of messages overwhelmed her. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. [So, she¡¯s the shameless one. How could she boast about being a model teacher for ten years.] [All mistresses should die. Folks, I¡¯ve found out her name is Jade, living in Cedarvale. Anyone up for a sulfuric acid wee?] Terrified, Jade.could hardly hold onto her phone. Thest message was from her mother. [The Gilliam family does not acknowledge a disgraceful daughter like you. Don¡¯t bothering home. We¡¯ve thrown all your belongings to the dump.] Connor, Raul, and Henrik escorted re back to the Irving family estate. The car stopped in front of the mansion. Noticing that Flora and Connor seemed to have more to say, Raul and Henrik went into the house first. Moss and Beck also tactfully left the car Now alone, Flora wrapped her arms around Connor¡¯s waist and buried her head in his chest. She whispered his name, ¡°Connor. I did it.¡± She had sent Aaron to jail, and Connor¡¯s legs were healed. She had did it. ¡°Mhm.¡± Connor hummed, and Flora didn¡¯t know if he fully grasped the meaning behind her words. ¡°Don¡¯t take those onlinements to heart. Go back and rest well; leave the rest to me.¡± His voice was deep and gentle. ¡°Why should I care about what strangers say?¡± Flora looked up at him, her face clear and bright. Connor smiled softly. Right, his Flora was different from other girls. ¡°Bye. Ill head off first Flora leaned up from his embrace to kiss theer of his mouth, then opened the car door and stepped out. Watching Flora enter the house, Connor¡¯s smile quickly faded Moss and Beck approached, ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve already sent Yvonne back to the Brimer family.¡± Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Moss spoke respectfully, his voice tinged with a hint of fear at the thought of Yvonne being locked in a hidden room. But it was all Miss Yvonne¡¯s own doing. Why did she have to provoke Mr. Connor¡¯s beloved? ¡°Head to the Brimer residence.¡± ¡°Okay¡± In the Brimer residence, it was utter chaos. Early this moming, Connor¡¯s bodyguard came over and took Wonne away. When she was returned at noon, she was covered in injuries, as if she had been bitten by something. The Brimer elders were frantic, immediately summoning the family doctor. After examining Yvonne, the doctor couldn¡¯t help but gasp. ¡°Miss Yvonne seems to have been bitten by snakes. Thankfully, the snakes were non¨Cvenomous. She¡¯s only suffered some superficial injuries and should recover well with some rest.¡± The extent of the injuries implied there had been at least a dozen or twenty snakes. Just the thought made everyone shiver The Brimer elders were in tears, heartbroken. ¡°Connor!¡± Wade mmed his fist on the table in anger. Connor had clearly shown no regard for the Brimer family. ¡°Dad, we can¡¯t let this go. Connor may be powerful, but we can¡¯t let him walk all over us.¡± ¡°Connor has gone too far. Look at what he¡¯s done to our daughter¡± Melinda was also enraged. When she saw her daughter in such a state, she had half a mind to y Connor alive Aisha stood quietly to the side. Seeing Yvonne in such pain pained her too, but she knew Connor wasn¡¯t one to act rashly without reason. Yvonne must have done something to cross his line. Paul¡¯s hands, resting on his hips due to his anger and restraint, were pale and clenched. His eyes, behind his reading sses, were full of fury and resentment ¡°Sir, Madam, Mr. Connor has arrived.¡± At that moment, a servant hurried in. ¡°Let him in.¡± Paul wanted to see how Connor would exin himself. As soon as Paul finished speaking, Connor strode in. With his arrival, the spacious room suddenly felt cramped. Connor¡¯s icy demeanor seemed to lower the temperature of the room. Paul waited for Connor to speak, but Connor just sat down without saying a word. He had no choice but to speak first, his voice dark with anger, ¡°Connor, you¡¯ve hurt my daughter like this. Don¡¯t you have anything to say?¡± ¡°Yvonne tried to frame my fianc¨¦e not once, but multiple times. This was merely a small punishment¡± ¡°How could you be so cruel to Yvonne? She grew up with you!¡± Melinda shouted. ¡°Yes, she did wrong, but your fianc¨¦e wasn¡¯t really hurt, was she? Yet, you were cruel enough to throw Yvonne into a pit of snakes. She¡¯s now covered in bites.¡± Yvonne was terrified of snakes. And Connor had thrown her into a pit of them. Just the thought made Melinda¡¯s heart bleed. ¡°Then you should probably discipline your daughter better. If there¡¯s a next time, what you see won¡¯t be an unharmed Yvonne.¡± ¡°Connor, do you really think too highly of yourself?¡± Wade gritted his teeth, his eyes zing with rage. ¡°Do you think you can really treat the Brimer family¡¯s people with such impunity?¡°N?velDrama.Org ? content. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Connor slowly stood up, towering nearly a head taller than Wade at an impressive 6¡¯3¡°. His formidable presence made hearts race and breaths hitch. Connor¡¯s dark eyes fixed on Wade, and he uttered slowly, ¡°You can try.¡± His voice was as melodious and captivating as a cello, yet it carried an undertone of cold, dangerous menace. Wade felt as if a giant hand had suddenly grasped his heart, making it difficult for him to breathe. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Beck sneered in disdain. Connor only had shown restraint time and again, because he remembered the help he had received from the Brimers in his youth. If it were anyone else, Yvonne would have been done for a long time ago The Brimer family still tried to provoke Connor, clueless to the danger. The atmosphere remained tense even after Connor left. Wade¡¯s face turned from pale to flushed, embarrassed by how easily Connor had intimidated him. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Just then, Yvonne woke up. Melinda rushed to her bedside, ¡°Yvonne, how do you feel?¡± Yvonne opened her eyes, her head throbbing with pain after sleeping for so long. Her mind nked for a moment before the memories of what had happened before she fainted flooded back. The vision of a mass of snakes made her scream and clutch her head. After Paul and Melinda¡¯s soothing, it took Yvonne a while to calm down, though she still trembled with fear. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s all Flora¡¯s fault I ended up like this. It¡¯s all her fault¡± ¡°Yes, yes, my dear I know you¡¯ve been hurt. We won¡¯t let this go,¡± Melinda replied, her heart in agony. ¡°What more do you want. You¡¯re always home. How could you not know what your daughter gets up to. If you had stopped her sooner, would things have turned out this way?¡± ¡°When Connor was here, you didn¡¯t say a word. Now why are you yelling at us?¡± Melinda was already frustrated, and Paul¡¯s scolding only fueled her anger. Paul¡¯s face darkened as he left. Melinda was a gentle person, but as a mother, she couldn¡¯t stand her daughter being hurt like this. They might be powerless against Connor, but surely they could take on the Irving family. ¡°Isn¡¯t Flora¡¯s brother working in the entertainment industry? Wade, you¡¯re familiar with the show biz. Keep an eye out. Flora has Connor¡¯s protection, so we can¡¯t touch her, but her brother isn¡¯t so lucky.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± At the Irving family¡¯s home, Raul and Henrik were busy in the kitchen, while Floray on the couch, unmorously munching on fruit and watching TV ¡°Henrik, I want an apple.¡± She called out, and soon Henrik came out with a te of neatly sliced apples, even thoughtfully providing a fork. ¡°Thanks¡± ¡°Dinner will be ready soon. We¡¯ve made your favorites, pork ribs and shrimp scampl: Hennik sald gently, then went back to the kitchen. From the kitchen, Raul peeked at the door. ¡°Seems like your sister is really okay.¡± Raul, apron¨Cd and holding a spat, watched Flora closely Henrik sighed, ¡°Flora is stronger than we thought.¡± Knowing Flora was alright eased their worries. Then, Raul¡¯s phone ring, which was on the living room coffee table. ¡°Dad, your phone.¡± Flora called out to the kitchen. Raul was busy marinating meat. His hands were covered in sauce. He couldn¡¯t answer it and asked Flora to bring it to him. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Flora slipped into her slippers, grabbed the phone, and ran to the kitchen. After pressing the answer button, she ced the phone next to Raul¡¯s car A male voice came through the phone. Flora didn¡¯t catch what they were saying, but whatever it was, it left Raul looking quite pleased. After hanging up, Raul beamed at Flora and said, ¡°Flora, didn¡¯t you want Jade to get into Elite High School? It¡¯s all set. She¡¯ll be going to the school to sign the contract next Monday.¡± ¡°Can I go see?¡± Flora asked. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll mention it to Zeke, and someone will take you there.¡± Still, Raul was curious, ¡°Why on earth are you so set on getting Jade into Elite High School?¡± Holding her phone, Flora gave Raul a mysterious look. Monday arrived Jade came to the school, her arms full of documents, looking rather nervous. She thought that after all the scandals about her surfaced online, Elite High School would surely rescind their offer. To her surprise, the school was actually allowing her to sign the contract. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Jade, the new teacher. The HR department called me over to sign my contract,¡± Jade said pleasantly. The staff member working there looked up at her gave her an indifferent nce, and lowered his head again, ¡°Show me your offer letter.¡± After taking it from Jade and checking, the staff member handed her a contract. ¡°Take a look. If there are no issues, you can sign.¡± Jade¡¯s college friend worked at Elite High School and had never mentioned anything negative about it. Plus, with such a prestigious institution, she didn¡¯t expect any foul y. So, Jade quickly skimmed through the contract, noting a use about not resigning for five years¨Ca common condition, which didn¡¯t concem her. As she was about to finish, the staff member, appearing to be in a hurry for other things, started to rush her, ¡°Are you done yet? I have meeting to attend soon.¡± ¡°Alright, done¡± Jade hastily responded, grabbed a pen from the desk, and signed her name. ¡°Follow Ms. Wilson to the principal¡¯s office. Someone is expecting you there.¡± The staff member collected the contract and called over a young woman¡­ The young woman led Jade to the top¨Cfloor office. The office was empty, and she asked Jade to wait before leaving. As Jade looked around the luxurious office, marveling at the opulence of private schools, footsteps approached from outside. Jade quickly turned around and bowed respectfully, saying, ¡°Good day, Principal.¡± With her head lowered, she could see a pair of sneakers across from her. ¡°Ms. Jade, giving me such a grand bow after just a few days? You tter me. The girl¡¯s voice was clear and bright, familiar to Jade beyond measure. Jade¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She looked up to meet those amused eyes. ¡°You-¡± What was Flora doing here? As if reading her mind, Flora slowly smiled and said, ¡°I forgot to mention, my father is the major shareholder of this high school.¡± Jade¡¯s face turned ashen. ¡°Did you know I wasing to Elite High School?* ¡°Yes. Without me, Ms. Jade, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten in.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Why would she do this! Flora didn¡¯t answer but instead left her with a meaningful look Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Jade only realized she had been duped by Flom, but the contract was signed, with no room for regret. She could only imagine what the next five years of her life would be like. When Flora left the office, Jade¡¯s screams could still be heard trailing behind her. As Flora walked out of the gates of Elite High School, she received a call from the police station Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Aaron¡¯s case was set. The trial was the day after tomorrow. On the day of the trial, Cedarvale was hit by a storm as fierce as the one on the day Flora was reborn Flora watched as a haggard Aaron was escorted out by the police. He had be significantly thinner in just a few days, his frame nothing but skin and bones, The judge presented a series of incriminating evidence, leaving Aaron with no room for defense. The verdict was quickly delivered It¡¯s life imprisonment, just as Flora had expected ¡°Flora, Mikill you! I never let this go!¡± Aaron noticed Flora and screamed at her in fury, wishing he could tear her apart. Flora watched his meltdown from across the crowd, a slow smile curling on her lips. It¡¯s a silent mockery When she left the courthouse, the storm had significantly subsided. She called Connor, asking if he wanted to go out to eat. ¡°Ray and Aisha areing too, do you mind? Connor was with Ray at the moment. ¡°It¡¯s alright¡± Although Flora didn¡¯t like Ray much, she was quite fond of Alsha. ¡°Then¡­ let¡¯s go dine at the Grandeur Hotel.¡± She was ready to let Ray foot a hefty bill. At the Grandeur Hotel, Connor and Flora sat on one side, Ray and Asha on the other ¡°I want this. And this Flora, cuddling Connor¡¯s arm and resting her head on his hand, pointed non¨Cstop at the menu with her finger. It didn¡¯t matter if they could finish the food or not, since this was Ray¡¯s treat. ¡°Order whatever you want for yourself,¡± Ray passed his menu to Aisha, his t tone was mild but slightly awkward. Aisha didn¡¯t even nce at him, picking up the menu in front of her instead. ¡°A medium rare steak and a cup of coffee, no sugat please.¡± ¡°Since when did you start liking coffee?¡± Aisha had always detested bitter tastes. She used to love drinking yogurt the most ¡°People grow up, and tastes naturally change.¡± Do people change as well?¡± Hearing Ray¡¯s words, Aisha¡¯s hand, which was on the table, moved under it, ¡°I think, you¡¯re more qualified to answer that question than I am.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you fucking talk properly!¡± Ray cursed, his eyes reddening slightly. Aisha stood up, ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± Then, she strode away. Flora¡¯s head was still on Connor¡¯s arm. She curiously observed the tense Aisha and Ray. What exactly had happened between these two in the past? ¡°Have an orange.¡± Connor popped a peeled orange segment into her mouth. The flesh spread its sweet vor in her mouth, and Florafortably squinted her eyes. Such a show of affection! Ray turned his gaze away, refusing to look at the couple in front of him. Instead, he looked in the direction Aisha had left. And he saw something terrible. Alsha was talking to another man. Unlike her usual confrontational demeanor with Ray, there was something gentle about her at that moment. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 He suddenly stood up and walked over, just in time to hear the mon say, ¡°Miss, I know this might be a bit presumptuous since we¡¯ve just met, but I feel a real connection between us. May I have your Instagram ID?¡± Aisha was hesitant to give her Instagram ID to a stranger. Her Instagram friends list had been pretty much the same for years. However, since she had identally bumped into him, it felt rude to refuse. She decided she could just ignor his follow requestter. ¡°okay¡± Just as Aisha was about to let the man scan her code, Ray, carrying her jacket, pulled her aside. ¡°Want to make a friend? Sure, have mine.¡± Ray smoothly pulled out his phone, showing the page. ¡°And you are?¡± the man looked between Aisha and Ray ¡°Dude, can¡¯t you tell?¡± Ray then wrapped his arm around Aisha¡¯s waist and nted a kiss on her cheek. The man, embarrassed, hastily apologized, ¡°Sorry, man, didn¡¯t mean to intrude.¡± After saying that, he quickly walked away ¡°Ray!¡± Aisha struggled to break free, but Ray¡¯s grip on her waist was as firm as in, making it impossible for her to move. Ray had intended to let her go, but the way she squirmed in his arms, her chest pressing against him, made him reluctant to release her. ¡°When did you leam this move?¡± he lowered his gaze, observing her now somewhat disheveled white shirt. ¡°Pervert!¡± Aisha, infuriated, pped him across the face. Despite the p, Ray wasn¡¯t angry. He stared at her with a smile, seemingly enjoying the moment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a perv to my own girlfriend?¡± As he spoke, he tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her even closer, almost into his embrace ¡°We broke up two years ago.¡± ¡°That was your decision, not mine.¡± ¡°Do you have to embarrass me in front of all these people?¡± Although the restaurant wasn¡¯t crowded, the asional passerby would cast their gaze Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ze upon t them. ¡°Then kiss me, and III let you go.¡± Ray was reminded of their past together and spoke with a flirtatious tone. ¡°Ray!¡± Ray knew she wouldn¡¯t kiss him, ¡°Then can you stop being so hostile towards me from now on?¡± ¡°You! Cough, cough, cough!¡± Aisha suddenly started coughing violently. Ray was startled, thinking her illness had red up again. He quickly let her go, ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± Seizing the opportunity, Aisha escaped from his embrace, standing nearly two meters away. She vigorously wiped her cheek where he had kissed her. Ray clearly saw the disgust in her eyes. He heard Aisha¡¯s voice, ¡°Ray, you really disgust me The smile faded from his eyes. His smile disappeared, and his aura turned cold. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Ray and Aisha returned to their seats. Both Connor and Flora could acutely sense that something was off between them. Aisha¡¯s top hade undone by two buttons, revealing the scented pouch around her neck¨Ca gift from Flora. However, its fragrance had faded. ¡°Aisha, it seems like you like scented pouch too,¡± Flora mentioned, pulling out a brand new scented pouch from her ¡°Here, I¡¯ll give you this one. It¡¯s good for your health to wear it¡± Ray scoffed ¡°ignorant. That¡¯s a pouch from S¨¦raphine. You think your homemade trinket can compare? Aisha had recovered well. She seldom fell ill now. Aside from avoiding strenuous activities, she was nearly back to normal. ¡°Don¡¯te begging to meter, Flora retorted with a coldugh Ray responded in kind, ¡°Flora, if that dayes, Ill call you my grandma¡± The waiter brought out their food, mostly dishes Flora had ordered. Spotting a te of spicy crawfish, Flora eximed to Connor, ¡°I want to eat crawfish!¡± Before she could continue, Connor had already put on his gloves. He smiled, picked up a crawfish, and patiently peeled it for her Flora ate each one he peeled. The scene was excessively sweet. ¡°Connor, me tool¡± Ray said, as if on a whim. Connor nced at him, tossing the peeled shell into Ray¡¯s bowl. Ray gobbled it down, ¡°I want more.¡± ¡°Peel it yourself,¡± Connor replied, focusing on peeling crawfish for Flora. Flora was undoubtedly the happiest diner Ray, on the other hand, was seething with frustration After the meal, Connor and Ray went to the parking lot to fetch the car. Flora and Aisha waited outside. Apart from when facing Connor and her family, Flora was usually reserved. Aisha wasn¡¯t much of a talker either. So, they both stood in silence, which wasn¡¯t ufortable. The setting sun painted half the sky blood¨Cred. Suddenly, Flora yelled, ¡°Watch out!¡± Before Aisha could react, Flora had pulled her behind. Where Aisha had been standing, a metal rod crashed down. A group of men, resembling thugs and wielding metal rods, surrounded them with vicious intent. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Flora¡¯s response was swift and decisive. These men were clearly trained. Flora could handle them, but protecting Aisha made it challenging. The attackers hadn¡¯t expected such fierce resistance from a woman. One man, kicked in the stomach by Flora, fell to the ground. Resentful, he suddenly pulled a knife from his clothing. Under the dying light, it gleamed coldly. Flora¡¯s gaze sharpened. The sight of the knife made Aisha freeze, her body shaking as if recalling a traumatic memory. Flora thought Aisha was just scared and paid it no mind. When the man lunged at her, aiming for her eye, Flora dodged and grabbed his arm, twisting it harshly. His arm bent at an unnatural angle, and he screamed in agony. The knife dropped to the ground, and he fell to his knees before Flora. Just then, Aisha, whom Flora had been holding onto, began to scream uncontrobly. ¡°Ah!¡± She brake free from Flora¡¯s grip and dashed to a corner. Flora was stunned, not expecting Aisha to lose control. The man¡¯s eyes shed with malice. Taking advantage of her momentary daze, with his intact hand, he grabbed the dagger from the ground and thrust it towards her. Flora reacted quickly, dodging hastily, but she was still a step too slow Chapter 155 Chapter 155 The de sliced through the palm of her hand. Bright red blood dripped onto the ground, drop by drop. Flora¡¯s expression darkened. Her eyebrows drooped, adding a touch of cold ferocity. She kicked him in the face, sending him sprawling. Then, with another kick, she stomped between his legs. The man let out a piercing scream. Flora stomped twice more. When the scene was almost under control, Flora tumed her head to look at Alsha. She was crouched in a corner, clutching her head and muttering something, her eyes filled with madness and loss of control. ¡°Are yo you okay?¡± Flora walked over to her and squatted down in front of her ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Aisha screamed, wildly iling her arms, her eyes bloodshot At that moment, Connor and Ray quickly ran over Seeing Flora¡¯s blood¨Csoaked hand, Connor¡¯s pupils shrank. He grabbed her hand abruptly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a superficial wound.¡± Flom said nonchntly, ¡°But Aisha, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with her.¡± Ray squatted down, checking Aisha and saying with an urgent tone, ¡°Aisha, are you okay?¡± ¡°Go away! Go away! Go away!¡± Aisha screamed. Suddenly, she grabbed her own neck as if she couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Cough, cough cough¡­¡± Aisha struggled, her face turning paler and paler Ray was shocked. Was she having an attack again? It had been a long time since Aisha had an attack. This time, it must have been triggered by some shock. Ray humedly removed the locket from around her neck, cing it under her nose. Aishas condition seemed to improve slightly, but she still struggled to breathe, making a gasping sound. The locket¡¯s efficacy was almost gone: naturally, it couldn¡¯t help Aisha. Flora sighed, squatted down, and pushed Ray aside, ¡°Step back.¡± She quickly took out a bottle of refined essential oil from her bag, dropping two drops on each of Aisha¡¯s temples, and another two drops under her nose and behind her ears. Ray was rmed. Flora, don¡¯t mess around!¡° But miraculously, right after Flora finished these actions, Aisha¡¯s breathing gradually stabilized, and her paleplexion improved. Connor¡¯s gaze at Flora turned meaningful Ray was overjoyed, but the next second, Aisha copsed onto the ground, falling into unconsciousness. Flora frowned, ¡°I suspect she has a neurological problem. We should hurry and get her to a hospital.¡± At the General Hospital. Outside the emergency room, Ray paced back and forth anxiously, almost going mad, wishing he could just rush in Connor and Flora sat on the cold benches. Floras hand had been treated and bandaged. Fortunately, the cut wasn¡¯t deep and hadn¡¯t reached the bone. After a while, the door to the emergency room opened, and a group of doctors came out. The best neurosurgeons of the hospital were all here. ¡°How is she?¡± Ray quickly asked ¡°We found that Miss Aisha has a foreign mass in the back of her brain, which must be removed as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Does it require brain surgery?¡± Ray tensed up. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°It must be operated on to remove the mass, but it¡¯s too close to the brain nerves, and our ability might not suffice.¡± The slightest mistake could lead to brain death, a risk they couldn¡¯t take. Just as Ray was about to explode with anger, the doctor quickly added, ¡°In this country, probably only one person can perform this Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Jules was the honorary dean of the College of Medicine at Maple Grove University, the most outstanding neurology expert both domestically and internationally. Any surgery became feasible with him on board. However, he was quite the enigma, elusive, and capricious, making it difficult to secure his services. ¡°We¡¯ve managed to stabilize Miss Aisha¡¯s condition with medication, but if she doesn¡¯t undergo cranial surgery within 48 hours, she could be in danger.¡± Jules, ever the phantom, could vanish for months on end for his medical research. Finding him within 48 hours and convincing him to treat Aisha was going to be a Herculean task. But they had to try! ¡°Is there aputer avable?¡± Connor stood up, asking. Though the doctor didn¡¯t understand what Connor needed it for, he promptly replied, ¡°Yes, of course.¡± The doctor led Connor to his workstation, where Connor sat down and began typing rapidly on the keyboard. Lines of code shed across the screen in a blur. Ray knew Connor was tracking Jules¡® whereabouts and didn¡¯t interrupt, waiting quietly by the side. Flora peeked over, seeing the almost wless code on the screen, and smiled. This was her man, breaking through her second¨Ctost security bamer. But finding Jules this way would be difficult. Ten minutester, Connor stopped, his gaze fixed on arge red exmation mark on the screen, his expression grim. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ray was sweating bullets. ¡°It¡¯s untraceable.¡± ¡°How can that be!¡± Connor was among the best hackers out there. It didn¡¯t make sense that he couldn¡¯t find it. ¡°It¡¯s Night Veil.¡± Connor spoke gravely, ¡°It seems Jules is a part of Club 257¡± Every member of Club 257 had their identity concealed. And the one covering their tracks was Night Veil. Ray¡¯s expression stiffened. If it was Night Veil, then it wasn¡¯t surprising. No one in the country could match Night Veil¡¯s hacking skills. Unbeknownst to them, Flora had quietly slipped out. When she returned, she cleared her throat and said, ¡°Connor, don¡¯t lose hope. Give it another try. How could Night Veil be better than you? Maybe this time, you¡¯ll break through.¡± Connor was well aware that his hacking skills were no match for Night Veil¡¯s, but they had to save Aisha. He began to reexamine the code on the screen. His slender fingers flew across the keyboard. No one dared disturb him. Connor, engrossed in the screen, suddenly spotted a loophole. His expression hardened. Two minutester, he sessfully breached thest defense. A set of coordinates appeared on the screen. ¡°Did you find it?!¡± Ray was overjoyed. Connor nodded, then called Moss to get the person at those coordinates. As long as they found where Jules was, they could make hime, even if it meant capturing him. Still, Connor stared at the screen, lost in thought. The first time he tried to decode it, there was no loophole. And then suddenly, there It¡¯s as if someone intentionally left it for him to find Jules. ¡°Flora.¡± Connor suddenly turned to her. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Flora tried to appear calm, ¡°What is it?¡± meaningful tone. ¡°You¡¯re very skilled in perfumery, rivaling a certain someone¡± Connor said, with a m Flora was taken aback. What was Connor implying? Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Could it be that she had given herself away while saving Aisha tonight? As she fretted inwardly, Connor turned his face away, continuing to stare at theputer screen. When night had fully fallen, Moss and the others finally returned. In their hands, they carried on old man in pajamas. The old man was grumbling. ¡°Oh, my old bones, can¡¯t you be a bit gentler! Are you bandits or what.¡± ¡°Mr. Jules, our apologies Moss said, apologizing, but his face showed no sign of regret. Only when they reached Connor did they set Jules down. ¡°You are too violent. My old bones are about to fall apart.¡± Jules said while rubbing his waist, his gaze sweeping over Ray and Connor It¡¯s actually him? Jules frowned slightly. Could it be that the person needing treatment was this man¡¯s lover? No way! Jules gaze then moved past Connor to Flora, and he almost jumped. ¡°FI-¡± Flora sent him a warning look Jules¡® words stuck in his throat, taking a turn, ¡°Good heavens! So, it¡¯s you guys who are seeking old me for treatment.¡± After speaking, he cautiously nced at Floras expression. Seeing her nod in satisfaction, he finally rxed. ¡°Mr. Jules, we apologize for any disrespect. We had no choice, Connor stepped forward, his tone sincere and polite, ¡°The patient is in critical condition and needs your help. As long as the patient is safe, you can name your price, and I will fulfill it.¡± Jules, however, was gauging Flora¡¯s mood, figuring that since they hade to him, she must want him to treat the patient. But he couldn¡¯t just agree to treat them so easily! ¡°Hmph, I can¡¯t see how this is asking for help. Jules was still in pain from his neck, ¡°Since you¡¯ve found me, you should know, I don¡¯t lend a hand easily.¡± ¡°The patients life hangs in the bnce, and as a doctor, how can you stand by and do nothing.¡± Ray was so anxious he felt like he was going to explode, ¡°Just name your requests, and I will fulfill them.¡± ¡°How about this.¡± Jules had had enough, he huffed and said, ¡®Fifty million. If you can afford it, I¡¯ll save the person. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. He just happened to be short of funds for his new medical research The University of Maple Grove had recently stopped funding him, insisting he recruit students, which he found troublesome. ¡°Done, done, done! Even a hundred million is no problem.¡± Ray agreed without hesitation. Jules felt a lump in his throat, feeling he had asked for too little. Ray impatiently dragged Jules to see Aisha. After carefully examining Aisha¡¯s condition, Jules concluded, ¡°This is tricky.¡± Ray was annoyed, thinking, ¡°if it weren¡¯t tricky, we wouldn¡¯t have sought you out.¡± ¡°Everyone, please leave.¡± Jules waved them away, adding, ¡°Leave one doctor and three nurses to assist me.¡± To assist the top neurosurgeon was something many dreamed of. Several doctors were eager, hoping to be chosen. Ray selected an older¨Clooking, more reliable doctor from the crowd to follow Jules into the operating room. The nurses selected also had rich surgical and clinical experience. Connor patted Ray on the shoulder,forting, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Jules is here, and Aisha will be alright.¡± Ray nodded heavily, standing at the entrance of the operating room, a vigil thatsted several hours. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Moss and Beck strode over respectfully and said, ¡°We¡¯ve found out who was behind the attack on Miss Flora and Miss Alsha. It was orchestrated by a woman named Maddie.¡± Connor furrowed his brows, seemingly unfamiliar with the name Maddie. Moss added, ¡°This Maddie appears to be Aaron¡¯s aunt.¡± Aaron was sentenced to life imprisonment and Maddie was nearly bankrupted by Flora. It was natural for her to harbor resentment, even revenge. But shecked the means. Flora said, ¡°Maddie is just a country woman who came to Cedarvale. She struggles even with basic living: how could she possibly hire someone tomit violence?¡± ¡°Find out who¡¯s really behind this.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Moss and Beck hurried off. Ray still stood in front of the operating room. Finally, the doors opened, and Jules and a team of doctors slowly emerged. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°The patient is fine now. With proper care, she can be moved to a regr room.¡± Jules removed his mask, his exhaustion evident after over three hours of surgery. A huge weight lifted from Ray¡¯s heart. ¡°I need some sleep,¡± Jules said, rubbing his temples. ¡°Leave a few nurses to keep a close watch. If anything seems off,e find me Immediately.¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± The doctors beside him nodded fervently, still excited from watching Jules perform the surgery. Jules was indeed the top neurosurgeon, his skills smooth and wless! The doctors were in awe, realizing they had much to learn from the details of his technique. The doctors escorted Jules to his resting room. ¡°You take Flora back, Ray told Connor. Til stay here.¡± ¡°Alright, call me if you need anything.¡± Connor didn¡¯t object. He asked Moss to leave a couple of trustworthy people behind and left with Flora. Flora was exhausted, nearly falling asleep on Connor¡¯s shoulder. When they arrived outside the hospital, Beck had just pulled the car out. Connor and Flora got into the passenger side. In the car, Connor watched Flora sleep peacefully on hisp, his eyes narrowing slightly. Upon reaching the Irving family estate, Flora was still asleep. Connor didn¡¯t wake her. After a short while, Flora slowly woke up. She met a pair of dark, captivating gazes. Rubbing her eyes, Flora said, ¡°Ill go in then. You should head back too, be careful on the road.¡± After saying this, she opened the car door to get out, but her hand was caught. ¡°Wait.¡± Connor pulled a first¨Caid kit from under the seat taking out medicine and bandages. Realizing his intention, Flora obediently ced her hand in his. The bandage, slightly blood¨Cstained, was unwrapped to reveal the wounded flesh, a shocking sight mixed with yellowish medicinal stains. Concerned about causing her pain, Connor¡¯s movements were extremely gentle. After he finished bandaging, he tied a beautiful bow, 1 was even prettier than a nurse¡¯s handiwork. ¡°Keep it dry for the next few days to avoid infecting the wound. leave the medicine with you. Remember to change it on time! Chapter 159 Chapter 159 hapter 159 Connor ced his hand on her head, patting gently, ¡°Go get some rest. Clutching a bunch of medications, Flora camfully pushed open the front door. The living room was dimly lit with only a floormp casting a warm glow over the fabric sofa Hennk sat cross¨Clegged on the carpet, staring at theptop on the coffee table, next to a half¨C finished cup of hand¨Cground coffee. ¡°Henrik, haven¡¯t you slept, or did you wake up this early?¡± Henrik answered, ¡°Haven¡¯t slept all night¡± Connor had called Raul and Henrik ahead of time, exining Aisha¡¯s surgery and that Flora would be staying with them at the hospital Otherwise, they would have been worried sick about Flora not coming home all night ¡°Is there something troubling you?¡± Flora walked over to him, curiosity in her voice Indeed, there was. Lately, the Brimer family had been repeatedly undermining hispany, snatching away many of his resources. Henrik just didn¡¯t want to worry Flora and kept it to himself. ¡°Just a small matter, and I can handle it.¡± It was only when Flora approached that Henrik noticed the bunch of medications she e was carrying and the bandage wrapped around her right palm. His expression changed, ¡°You¡¯re hurt?¡± ¡°Just a minor injury, and it¡¯s nothing serious. Connor has already bandaged it for me.¡± Flora pulled her hand back slightly. Henrik was still not reassured, ¡°Sit down, and let me see¡± Flora sat beside him, watching as Henrik unwrapped the bandage Connor had just applied. The wound was more severe than she had let on ¡°It¡¯s this bad and you say it¡¯s nothing?¡± Henrik¡¯s face darkened. Flora sighed. ¡°Really, it¡¯s fine. The doctor gave me medication, said itll heal in a few days if I take care of it¡± Henrik re¨Capplied the medication and re¨Cbandaged her hand, though his skills were not as adept as Connor¡¯s, resulting in a bulky dressing. He advised Flora, Then listen to the doctor, take it easy and change the dressing regrly. Look at those dark circles under your eyes, you should head upstairs and catch up on some sleep.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Flora agreed and went upstairs to rest. With her hand still injured, she couldn¡¯t take a shower, so she wiped herself down with a washcloth After changing into her pajamas, she picked up her phone from the bed and tumed it an Jules had sent her a message. (Flora, how did I do today? Not bad, right?] Flora typed with one hand, (So¨Cso.] Jules quickly replied, [By the way, Flors, what¡¯s the deal between you and Connor? [Fianc¨¦s) Jules exploded, [Since when do you have a fianc¨¦? You¡¯re so young! Connor hasn¡¯t done anything to you, right?) Flora ignored his rant, adjusted the air conditioning temperature lower, covered herself with the nket, and replied with one hand, Met Loule half a month ago.] N?velDrama.Org ? content. [Where¡¯s that brat?] Mentioning Louie always got Jules worked up. He had only one son and had always hoped Loule would follow in his footsteps, but Loule was passionate about fashion design. [He¡¯s gone abroad for apetition.] Jules became even angrier, furious that Loule¨Chadn¡¯t evene to see him when he was home. I¡¯m going to sleep [Hey, Flora, there¡¯s something else- Before Jules could finish, Flora, showing no mercy, turned off her phone. L Chapter 160 L Chapter 160 Flora woke up to find it was nearly noon. Luckily, it was Saturday and there were no sses. When she came downstairs, Hennik was no longer in the living room; he must have gone to the office. Raul was in the kitchen, preparing chicken noodle soup for Flom. When Flora came down, he quickly set aside thedle to check on her hand injury. ¡°Flora, how is it? Does your hand still hurt?¡± Raul knew shout her injury, clearly Informed by Hennk Henrik had waited for Raul to wake up before leaving, specifically telling him about Flora¡¯s mishap. Worried sick, Raul skipped going to the office and went out early with the housekeeper to buy groceries,ing back to cook chicken noodle soup for Flora ¡°Just a bit, but it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, hands are so important, how can you be careless? Raul pulled her to sit down, ¡°Dome, let me take a look.¡± Raul unwrapped the bandage and upon seeing the long cut, his expression turned serious. ¡°How did it get this bad?¡± ¡°It looks worse than it is. It didn¡¯t reach the bone, so it should heal soon.¡± Raul fetched the medicine from her room, rebandaged her wound, and then served her a bowl of chicken noodle soup he ced on the coffee table. ¡°This has been simmering for over two hours. It¡¯s really good. Try it Thanks, Dad.¡± Flora, using her left hand, took a spoonful of the soup to her lips and immediately squinted her eyes in delight. Her dad¡¯s cooking was simply the best Raul received a phone call and asked Flora to stay and enjoy her soup while he went upstairs to answer it. Flora was chatting with Connor on her phone. Connor. [Did you just wake up?] Flora: [Yeah still a bit sleepy, but can¡¯t fall back asleep! Connor [Did you change the dressing on your hand?] Flora: [Yes, my dad did it for me. Oh, is Aisha awake yet?) Connor [She woke up around 8 this moming. Ray¡¯s been with her the whole time.] Flora was very happy about the news and told Connor she wanted to visit Aisha in the hospital. Connor agreed to pick her up. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. When they arrived at the hospital room, they saw Alsha lying in bed, expressionless, sipping water through a straw. Ray was carefully holding the cup beside her. It was Flora¡¯s first time seeing Ray like this, which she found quite novel. ¡°Alsha, we¡¯re here.¡± Aisha nodded slightly upon seeing them, then gestured with her chin to Ray, meaning she didn¡¯t want any more water. Ray rolled his eyes at her and took the cup away. ¡®My dad made some chicken noodle soup. I brought some over. It¡¯s great for recovery, Aisha. Let me serve you some.¡± Flora was about to open the thermos when Connor stopped her hand. ¡°You sit and rest, Ill do it¡± Connordled some soup pinto a bowl and handed it to Alsha Before Aisha could reach for it, Ray took it instead. Let me feed you.¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± Ray shamelessly replied, ¡°We¡¯ve already kissed. What¡¯s there to be shy about?¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about Aisha raised her hand to hit him but forgot about the IV. She winced with pain. Ray didn¡¯t dare to tease her further, handing her the bowl, ¡°Alright, alright, I give up.¡± Aisha was indeed hungry. Raul¡¯s culinary skills was top-notch, so she finished one bowl and couldnthelp but ask for a second. Ray couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard as he watched Alsha nced at him from the corner of her eye. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 After finishing her second bowl, Aisha said she was full. Ray leaned over to check the thermos, and there was just enough for one more person, Ray hadn¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday. He was really starting to feel hungry. ¡°Connor, serve me a bowl,¡± he said, extending the cup Aisha had just used. It was the only bowl they had. He couldn¡¯t help but nce at Aisha. She was talking to Flora, seemingly oblivious to their side. Luckily she didn¡¯t notice, or she definitely wouldn¡¯t have let him use her bowl. After drinking, Ray was still hungry, so he pulled Connor downstairs to have a meal. In the hospital room, Aisha and Flora were chatting when suddenly Aisha said, ¡°Flora, you¡¯re nothing like the rumors. The Flora in those stories doesn¡¯t sound too great. But the you now are strong and brave.¡± ¡°Rumors are never reliable,¡± Flora replied with a smile. ¡°But rumors don¡¯te out of thin air¡± Aisha leaned against the pillow, looking pale due to illness. She gazed at Flora, ¡®I¡¯m curious, how did you be like this in such a short time?¡± ¡°The old me was foolish, Floraughed, a hint of self¨Cmockery in her voice. ¡°Foolish enough not to see who truly cared for me, unable to distinguish who was really good to me. As a result, I paid a painful price. My change is because I found something I wanted to change for, someone I wanted to protect.¡± Something to change for, and someone to protect. Aisha pondered, what was it that she wanted to protect? After her parents died, her uncle¡¯s family bullied her, as she¡¯s just an orphan. They used the excuse of her weak health to send her to the Brimer family in Cedarvale. Her health was frail, and despite her unwillingness, she had no choice. Now, Jules had already performed surgery on her, telling her that she was cured. She¡¯s no different from a normal person. A thought suddenly came to Aisha¡¯s mind. Suddenly, she felt a desire topete. Florik Entertainment is a scene of destion. All the artists gathered for a meeting, listening to Hennik speak, all seemed disheartened. These days, Wade had been targeting Henrik. Henrik had barely secured a major script when he snatched it away. Moreover, he had blocked many As a result, Fors any resources for Henrik¡¯s artists. ult, many roles that were almost secured by the artists fell through. For several days now, Henrik¡¯s artists couldn¡¯tnd any ads or scripts, making them the subject of ridicule in the industry. Naturally, they harbored some resentment. -Initially, they had joined Florik Entertainment following Rafael, only for things to turn out this way. Compared to them, Rafael was leisurely ying a video game, lookingpletely rxed and at ease. Seeing their expressions, Henrik knew they were not pleased. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, i know these times have been tough for all of us. I¡¯ve gathered you here to say¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know you were in a meeting.¡± Henrik was interrupted before he could finish. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Wade walked in with a big grin, followed by a couple dozen menacing bodyguards. Henrik¡¯s expression darkened instantly. Wade acted as if he owned the ce. What were those security guards doing? Chapter 162 Chapter 162 ¡°Wade, we¡¯re discussing serious matters. Please leave for now?¡± ¡°What serious matters¡® could you possibly have left to discuss?¡± Not only did Wade not leave, but his assistant also brought him a chair and had him sit down. ¡°All the resources you rely on are in my hands now. Your group of artists is on the verge of being cklisted. What, are you gathering to discuss bankruptcy?¡± Even the usually good¨Ctempered Henrik was visibly upset by these remarks. ¡°Wade, this is Florik Entertainment, not the yground of the Brimer family. Out!¡± Wade, with a smug smile, looked towards the gathered artists, ¡°I¡¯m here to offer you a lifeline. I¡¯m giving you a choice: to stay with Florik Entertainment or to join my founded Brimer Productions. I¡¯ve already secured several scripts, including one from the esteemed writer William, titled ¡®Dreams Revisited¡°¡± Wade¡¯s brazen talent poaching right in Henrik¡¯spany, and in front of him no less, was too much to ignore. Upon hearing William, the artists couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. William was hailed as the most promising writer in the entertainment industry. He had written two scripts, both of which were nominated for the Venice Film Festival and won the Oscar. Actors who starred in his scripts all skyrocketed to the A¨Clist. Recently, William penned another movie script. The plot revolves around a heroing who, in her past life, tragically chose a jerk over a virtuous suitor. In her deepest despair, the suitor returns, hypnotizes her, and allows her to revisit her past to understand her regrets. The innovative and unique subject matter has attracted many A¨Clist actors wanting to audition for roles. The artists were excited but also worried. Wade¡¯s obvious targeting of Henrik to poach them raised concems about whether they would receive equal treatment as their fellow artists at the samepany. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Sensing their worries, Wade assured, ¡°Rest assured, if you join Brimer Productions, you will be one of us, and we will do our utmost to promote you. Plus, you won¡¯t have to worry aboutpensation issues.¡± Rafael, who was ying a video game, looked up and his gaze moved from the hopeful yet anxious faces of the artists to Wade¡¯s face, and he clicked his tongue in disbelief. Such audacity. He¡¯s poaching directly from Flora¡¯s brother¡¯s domain. Wade¡¯s words tempted the artists, especially since he had even thought aboutpensation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Henrik.¡± One artist, wearing a ck vest, was the first to stand up, ¡°You have been very good to us, and I appreciate all the support and care you¡¯ve given me during this time, but there are some things I can¡¯t help. I voluntarily terminate my contract with thepany.¡± The artist¡¯s speech was eloquently put, but the bottom line was they wanted to leave thepany. Henrik was expressionless. He wasn¡¯t surprised or angry at the artists¡® decisions. That is the humanity, and this is especially true in the entertainment industry. The woman¡¯s words were diplomatic enough. Henrik stood up, slowly saying, ¡°I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. His gaze was pure, without a hint of malice, truly a sincere blessing. However, his usually warm and gentle face was cold. With one person making the first move, the rest followed suit. One by one, the artists expressed their wish to leave, and in the end, aside from Rafael and a few inte celebrities Henrik had signed on Flora¡¯s rmendation, all the artists had left. Those inte celebrities actually wanted to leave too, but Wade didn¡¯t see potential in them, considering them no¨Chopers without a future. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Wade looked at Rafael, ¡°Rafael, my offer stands for you too. Jain Brimer Production, and I promise, within a year, I¡¯ll make you a top star Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. He believed that Henrik¡¯spany was only surviving because of Rafael¡¯s poprity. Once the artists left, and if Rafael left too, it would be the end of the road for them. ¡°Brimer Production?¡± Rafael looked up from his game, fingers still on the keyboard, skillfully navigating through it. He tilted his head, asking sincerely, ¡°What kind of no¨Cnamepany is that? I¡¯ve never even heard of it.¡± Wade¡¯s face darkened, not expecting Rafael to disrespect him like this. Rafael was just an actor, and Wade could cklist him with just one word ¡°Although Brimer is a newpany, our resources are top¨Cnotch. Once you¡¯re in, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to boost you to the top Rafaelughed, Tm already at the top. Do I look like I need your support?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about the quality of yourpany¡¯s resources, but I do know you¡¯re probably the shortest¨Clivedpany I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Wade frowned, his patience wearing thin. ¡°Can¡¯t you understand?¡± Rafael, seeing the word ¡°Victory¡® on his screen, smiled even wider. His eyes carried an indescribable mischief. ¡°I mean, your Brimer is going bankrupt.¡± Mess with the boss, and you¡¯re asking for trouble. ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Wadeughed angrily. ¡°I want to see whether Brimer Production goes bankrupt first, or if nk Entertainment shuts down first ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Wade, with his entourage of bodyguards and artists, left with dignity. The vast conference room quieted down. Rafael exited the mobile game interface and opened a chat with Little Troublemaker¡® pinned at the top. Rafael: [Did you know your brother is in trouble?) Flora was chatting with Aisha when her phone vibrated. She saw Rafael¡¯s message. Rafael: Little troublemaker did you know your brother is in trouble?] Frowning, Flora said to Aisha, ¡°Aisha, I need to make a call.¡± She stepped out into the hallway and dialed Rafael¡¯s number. ¡°What did you mean by your message?¡± As soon as the call connected, Flora asked. Rafael, now in a restroom, spilled everything about how Wade, relying on the Brimer family¡¯s wealth and influence, was bullying Henrik. He could feel Flora¡¯s anger through the phone after he finished talking. Flora was indeed angry. The Brimer family shouldn¡¯t have targeted her family. ¡°What do you n to do?¡± Rafael asked. ¡°He likes to use money and power to bully others, right?¡± Rafael heard Flora¡¯s coldugh, ¡°Let¡¯s do the same.¡± Although the Irving family might not be as prominent as the Brimer family, they weren¡¯t to be bullied without consequences. Flora felt sorry for Henrik, who had taken everything upon himself without telling them. He entered the entertainment industry without leveraging any connections from the Irving family, achieving everything on his own. Rafael was excited to see how things would unfold. After hanging up, Flora logged onto Twitter/Using Rose¡¯s Studio¡¯s ount, she posted a deration. Then, in Club 257, she shared that tweet ghd posted a notification. Then, she turned off her phone. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Wade instructed the manager to arrange amodation for the talents he had poached from Florik Entertainment, all the while plotting how to deliver a crippling blow to Henrik, He pinned all the humiliation suffered by Connor and Ray on Henrik. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Once he secured the script rights from William, Henrik¡¯s downfall would be sealed. Just then, his assistant rushed in, panic written all over his face. ¡°Trouble, big trouble, sir!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Check the intemet!¡± In his haste, the assistant hadn¡¯t noticed the doorframe and stumbled in, sprawling on the floor. Wade, imitated, grabbed his phone, only to be overwhelmed by a torrent of messages the next second. Leaders across various industries, countless top¨Cnotch professionals, were speaking up for Henrik. In just a short while, the posts had been shared over ten million times. Rose: [From now on, artists under Florik Entertainment will be exclusively dressed by Rose¡¯s Studio for every event, featuring only thetest seasonal limited editions. Note: Rose¡¯s Studio will no longer provide any gowns to Brimer Production.] Regretless: [From now on, any artist under the banner of Florik Entertainment attending A¨Clist events will have their dance routines personally choreographed by me.] DuckOneDuckTwo: [From now on, the exclusive rights to myic series will be with rik Entertainment. Note: All artists under the Brimers are prohibited from any involvement in adaptations of my work] A neuroscientist who even presidents struggle to book: [From now on, artists under Florik Entertainment are wee to contact me anytime for a health checkup, free of charge with their work ID.] A legendary music producer, a famous singer, a leading scientist, a top voice actor¡­ These individuals, leaders in their respective fields, were now all voicing their support for Henrik. The inte exploded with reactions. [Oh my God! Am I seeing things? Regretless, DuckOneDuck Two¡­ they¡¯re all stepping in! [Regretless¡¯s back after more than two years. Did you finally remember your Twitter password?! Have you finished choreographing Rafael¡¯s routine for the next event? Can¡¯t wait to see it.] [Duckie, have you finished drawing youric?] Regretless, Rafael¡¯s personal choreographer, held a special ce in the hearts of Rafael¡¯s fans, who adored not just Rafael but also the mysterious person. They had been captivated by Regretless¡¯s dance, a sight they found unforgettable. Though Rafael remained outstanding, he couldn¡¯t quite match up to Regretless. After two years of silence, Regretless¡¯s return to Twitter sent fans into a frenzy. A fanmented, asking if Regretless had any beef with Brimer Production. Regretless quickly replied, I really hate them.] The fans went wild. For the usually serene Regret to express hate¡® indicated a deep aversion. In less than half an hour, the inte was paralyzed. Each voice that had spoken up was followed by millions, and upon learning that Brimer Production had crossed their beloved icon, the fans collectively targeted Brimer Production¡¯s official Twitter with a barrage of criticism. Brimer Production was forced to disable private messaging andments, but the online bacsh continued unabated. Wade broke out in a cold sweat, unable to fathom why so many were speaking up for Henrik. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Henrik¡¯s background was well known to him. It was impossible for Henrik to be acquainted with so many top¨Cnotch individuals. ¡°Sir, bad news! William has made a statement too. The assistant eximed in horror, holding up their smartphone. Wade was startled and quickly reopened Twitter. Without even trying to search, the name William was already trending at the top. William: [¡°Dreams Revisited¡± has been officially licensed to Florik Entertainment. From now on, every work of mine will be exclusively licensed to Florik Entertainment. Additionally, I do not permit individuals with tarnished reputations to perform in my works. Artists from Brimer Production will forever be barred from participating in any of my projects.] This statement not only shocked the casual observers but also blew up the entertainment industry. William had just mentioned not allowing those with tamished reputations to perform, and then he specifically called out Brimer Production. Wasn¡¯t this outright saying that everyone in Brimer Production was of dubious character? Those who had just left Florik Entertainment for Brimer Production were now regretting it so much that they felt sick. How could things suddenly turn out this way? Practically every industry began to ostracize them, and from now on, artists from Brimer Production could only carry the name of disgrace. Meanwhile, artists from Florik Entertainment became the darlings of the industry. ¡°What are you standing around for! Get us off the trending list!¡± Wade roared ¡°Sir, the moment it happened, I had our tech team try to take it down, but they can¡¯t. The tech team said that Florik Entertainment has some really powerful hackers backing them up, and they¡¯ve done something special to all the trending topics. We just can¡¯t take it down.¡± The assistant looked on the verge of tears as he faced Wade, just in time to see hisputer. Suddenly, he screamed in horror, ¡°Sir, look at yourputer!¡± Wade, startled, looked sharply at hisputer. The screen suddenly went ck, and one bloody big word appeared. ¡°Asshole!¡± Wade was so angry he felt like vomiting blood, and then the word transformed into lines of code. After a few seconds, hisputer booted up again, and he watched as the mouse cursor on his computer clicked on his private files, then started decrypting them. se and Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Remembering what was inside, Wade felt a jolt in his heart and quickly tried to use the mouse and keyboard, but nothing changed. That person sessfully cracked his password. What came into view were hundreds of intimate photos. Wade, naturally a yboy, had been with countless women. Sometimes he¡¯d take photos w, and the screen was shing like a slideshow with his intimate photos. The screen showed the folder was being transferred. Wade was both furious and terrified, and he immediately pulled out the inte cable, but the computer screen didn¡¯t go ck. A few secondster, it showed the transfer was sessful. Finally, theputer screen went dark. Wade gasped for air, still not fullyprehending the situation, when he heard his assistant¡¯s trembling voice. ¡°Sir¡­ your photos, they¡¯re all, all¡­ you better look¡­. The hashtag #BrimerProductionBossWadeSexPhotos# shot up to the top of the trending list. The fact it made it to the top so quickly was clearly the work of a hacker. Wade, trembling, clicked on it, and what he saw were his intimate photos with various women. Some of the more explicit ones were blurred, but the faces were clearer than ever. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Thements below the post were equally captivating One user wrote: I can¡¯t even begin to imagine the happiness of the wealthy¡­ Another chimed in: Folks, have you seen the third photo? That woman looks so familiar, like the pure¨Chearted sweetheart, Tinal] A third remarked. The ninth photo looks familiar too, Isn¡¯t that the winner of the Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Eagle Festival, Roxie? Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Showbiz is indeed chaotic)mented another. [Seconded, someone added. [And I third it.] What I¡¯m most curious about, though, isn¡¯t these celebrities but the identity of the Florik Entertainment CEO. To have so many big namese forward for him, who exactly is this mystery person? Inside the Flonk Entertainment building. Henrik was on the phone until his hand went numb. ¡°Mr. Leo, you¡¯re too kind, I really didn¡¯t take the previous matter to heart, and there¡¯s no need for apologies¡­ Oh, you say both the lead and the supporting actresses will be from Florik Entertainment? Sum, il send the right people for the audition.¡± ¡°Niki, hadn¡¯t you already chosen someone else for the role? Still decided on an artist from Florik Entertainment, huh? It¡¯s just¡­ the previous artist already left. Why not consider someone else?¡± ¡°A few months¡® dy in starting the shoot is fine, but you specifically want an artist under me? Alright then.¡± Just as Henrik hung up, another call came in. He was too exhausted to take it, so he let his assistant answer and take note of who it was. These people, who were once so arrogant, were now humbling themselves to the point of almost kneeling before him. Hennik knew they were spooked by the incident online. He was shocked too. He didn¡¯t even know how he knew so many top talents ¡°Henrik.¡± Rafael strode in, ¡°Many artists have contacted me, asking if we are still signing people. They all want to join.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± Henrik¡¯spany had lost a lot of artists, and they were in need of new talent. ¡°Gray, Drew, Liana¡­¡± Hearing Rafael casually list the names, Henrik¡¯s hand trembled as he held his water ss. These were all top¨Ctier stars! [Flora, you know William?). Flora was browsing the collection of criticisms against Brimer Production when a message popped up. It was from Crimson.. Flora clicked in and replied: Don¡¯t know him.] Crimson: [Then why is he speaking up for your brother?] Besides William, the others who spoke up for Henrik were all from Club 257. Flora found William¡¯s Twitter ount, looked through it carefully, and confirmed she truly didn¡¯t know him. She replied: (I really don¡¯t know him.] Crimson: Maybe your brother knows him? Can you ask on my behalf?) Crimson was in awe of William¡¯s words. She had tried countless times to recruit William into Club 257 57 but was always rejected Flora: [Okay, I¡¯ll ask. I¡¯ve got to go, talkter Just then, Ray and Connor hade back. ¡°You guys took so long for lunch? Figia inquired. They had been gone for over an hour ¡°It¡¯s all Connor¡¯s fault: Ray replied imitably, ¡°Halfway through the meal, he starts checking his phone, chatting with who knows who and taking forever, Flora, you really need to keep an eye on your fianc¨¦, and make sure no one sweeps him off his feet! It was all in jest. Ray knew better than anyone how much Connor adored Flora. Even if the sky fell, Connor wouldn¡¯t spare another 00:24 4 ) woman a nce. ¡°Shut your mouth.¡± Flora ¡®tsked, ¡°Just because you¡¯re unlucky in love, you take it out on others?¡± Ray can handle things here.¡± ¡°Connor, I¡¯m a bit tired. Let¡¯s head back first. Ray Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Paul mmed his cane onto Wade¡¯s shoulder in a fit of rage. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done! it¡¯s all over the inte now. Do you have any idea how people areughing at me?¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Yvonne quickly intervened, stopping the cane from striking again, pleading on behalf of Wade, ¡°Stop hitting him! It¡¯s not Wade¡¯s fault. It¡¯s all Flora¡¯s doing. Wade was just trying to stand up for me, and instead, he got framed by Henrik. The Irvings are nothing but trouble. ¡°I¡¯ve told you not to mess with the Irvings, haven¡¯t I? But did you listen?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just too scared. You won¡¯t avenge me, and you won¡¯t let Wade avenge me either.¡± Yvonne, too, was furious, her eyes reddening as she shouted back. ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s all calm down and stop being angry,¡± Melinda tried to mediate. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Just then, a female voice was heard from outside. A young girl approached, dressed casually in a loose sweatshirt and slightly baggy jeans. Yet, her dignified aura was unmistakable. Her natural pride was evident in the arch of her brows and the set of her eyes. Bare¨Cfaced, her delicate features were unforgettable at a nce. The Brimers¡® expressions shifted. ¡°Selene, what brings you here?¡± Paul recovered, hurrying to greet her. Tm h here to take the exams. I¡¯ll be in your care for the next few months.¡± Selene spoke with a hint of superiority in her tone. ¡°Why would youe here to take the exams? Yvonne couldn¡¯t help asking. Selene was the daughter of the main branch of the Brimer family. Raised with every conceivable luxury and skill, from music and art to medicine, her talents were unparalleled. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Despite being only eighteen, her medical skills surpassed many seasoned doctors. She was even a candidate for Club 257. Why would someone so celebratede to Cedarvale? And they hadn¡¯t received any prior notice. ¡°I¡¯m here for Mr. Jules.¡± *Jules, the neurosurgery genius?¡± Paul furrowed his brows. Selene nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to study under Mr. Jules. Just a few days ago, the elusive Mr. Jules appeared in Cedarvale and performed a craniotomy on Aisha.¡± The Brimers were all taken aback, especially Paul. ¡°A craniotomy? What happened to Aisha?!¡± They had been too preupied to notice anything amiss with Aisha. Paul genuinely cared for Aisha, so his immediate concern was for her wellbeing. Yvonne was more curious about how Aisha came to know Mr. Jules. ¡°Isn¡¯t Mr. Jules known for being elusive? And he¡¯s not someone just anyone can hire. How did he end up operating on Aisha?¡± Selene looked thoughtful. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll visit the hospital to ask Aisha when I have a chance.¡± Actually, the Brimers would realize something was off If only they thought about this. Mr. Jules being in Cedarvale and Seleneing here to take the exams were unrted. Part of Selene¡¯s reason foring to Cedarvale was indeed Mr. Jules, but mainly¡­ it was for the president of Club 257. She was just a candidate for Club 257, and she didn¡¯t even know if the president was male or female. All she knew was the president¡¯s code name: F. Recent rumors had it that F was in Cedarvale. With Jules¡® arrival, Selene was more convinced of her hunch. To Selene, where she took the tests didn¡¯t matter much, but here, she might have the chance to meet F. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 The next day, Flora carried two pots of chicken soup to Stonnell International. Her hand was injured, and Raul had been making her nutritious soups every day. Flora couldn¡¯t possibly eat any more, so she packed up two portions. One for Connor, and one for Alsha. She decided to deliver Connor¡¯s first, and then Aisha¡¯s Inter, The receptionist, as usual, proceeded to register the unfamiliar visitor, ¡°Miss, whom are you looking for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here for Connor¡± Hearing this, the receptionist couldn¡¯t help but give Flora a second nce. The young girl was barely in herte teens, dressed simply in a white blouse and a pleated skirt, her exposed legs long and straight. Her dark hair was tied back in a half¨Cup ponytail, full of vitality. Her clear eyes held a hint of detachment and coolness, but when she smiled, two shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks, making her instantly likable. The girls who usually came looking for Connor were mostly heavily made¨Cup, almost as if they had ¡°I¡¯m here to seduce Connor¡± written on their faces ¡°Do you have an appointment? What¡¯s your rtionship with Mr. Connor?¡± ¡°My name is Flora, and I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e.¡± Flora answered honestly, The expression on the receptionist¡¯s face turned indescribable. They had never heard about their CEO having a fianc¨¦e. The young girl looked fresh and innocent, but she¡¯s just like those other women. ¡°Youngdy, you look quite young. You must still be in school, right? Focus on your studies, don¡¯t daydream about reaching for the stars. Give your parents some peace of mind,¡± the receptionist earnestly advised. She had a younger sister at home about Flora¡¯s age who wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone, obsessed with celebrity culture, causing the family endless headaches. Flora knew she was misunderstood. She blinked, ¡°I truly am Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°Mr. Connor doesn¡¯t have a fianc¨¦e. Please don¡¯t cause any more trouble.¡± The receptionist was getting impatient, her nce briefly shifting towards the door as Moss entered, her expression changing. She quickly lowered her voice to Flora, ¡°Youngdy, you better leave quickly. The CEO¡¯s assistant is here.¡± Women who tried to seduce their CEO under various pretenses were usually escorted out by security. The receptionist wanted to spare Flora some dignity. Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Flora turned around, waving at the approaching Moss, ¡°Moss!¡± ¡°Ms. Flora?¡± Moss, surprised to see her, quickly walked over, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°My dad made some chicken soup, so Ie to deliver it to Connor.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± After spending some time together, Moss no longer held any hostility towards Flora, but his tone was at best neutral, far from respectful. The receptionist watched in astonishment as Moss led Flora to the CEO¡¯s private elevator, her jaw nearly dropping. This was the first time she¡¯d seen Moss being so kind to someone other than Connor. Could it be that this young girl really was the CEO¡¯s fianc¨¦e? Otherwise, why would Moss take her er to use the CEO¡¯s private elevator! The receptionist¡¯s legs trembled. Remembering how she had just scolded Flora in a not¨Cso¨Cnice tone, she shivered with fear. Still, fear couldn¡¯t suppress her curiosity. She quickly grabbed her phone, snapped a photo of Moss and Flora¡¯s backs, and sent it to the staff chat group. [Shocking! Big news, big news! Mr. Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e is here! And she¡¯s a real beauty!! [Fake, right? Mr. Connor has a fianc¨¦e? ¡®thought he didn¡¯t like women?] N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Front Desk Amy. It¡¯s definitely not fakel The girl hersell said she¡¯s Mc. Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e, and even Moss treats her with utmost respect! There are pictures and everything Balding Mike: [No way! Which girl has managed to tame the big bad wolft Ahhh! What does she look like?s there a clear photo of her? Flora had juste out of the elevator when she spotted Connor. He was wearing a sharp, tailor¨C made suit, striding towards her from around theer. ¡°Connor¡± Flora shouted, tossing the insted sk to Moss and then roh towards Connor Connor looked up to see the girl running towards him with open arms, jumping onto him, Instinctively, he spread his arms, his hands supporting the girl¡¯s hips and thighs. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Behind Connor, a group of executives was petrified. Connor walked at the forefront, with them trailing behind. Before they emerged from the corner, Flora didn¡¯t notice them due to the blind spot in her line of sight. By the time she realized something was amiss, it was toote. Being watched by so many people while being affectionate with Connor, even Flora, with her shamelessness, felt her ears turn red. She tried to maintain herposure, signaling to Connor to let her down. ¡°You guys go ahead to the conference room and wait for me.¡± Connor, however, was quite calm. He said to the group of executives, then holding Flora¡¯s wrist, walked to his office. Once the door was closed, Connor pinned Flora against the wall corner. ¡°What brings you here all of a sudden?¡± ¡°My dad made chicken soup, and I brought you some.¡± ¡°Next time we meet, don¡¯t wear such a short dress.¡± Connor¡¯s gaze fell on the girl¡¯s long legs. ¡°Is it short?¡± Flora tugged at the hem of her dress, which was nearly reaching her knees, not short at all. Dad said she looked very neat in this outfit. 1 might lose control.¡± Connor whispered into her ear, his warm breath tickling her Flora shrank a little. ¡°Just stay here and wait for me, I¡¯lle back to keep youpany as soon as the meeting is over.¡± Connor then took out a tablet ced on the coffee table for Flora. If Flora got bored, she could y with it ¡°Alright, go ahead with your work. I¡¯ll just sit here and wait¡± Flora tried ying some games on the sofa but soon lost interest. The games were too simplistic for her liking. She stood up, surveying Connor¡¯s office. The overall color scheme was ck and white, somewhat austere. The office was spotless, with various documents neatly organized on the desk, and two pots of jasmine on the bay window, Flora picked up the watering can from the ground, wanting to water the jasmine. Just then, there was a noise from outside. A woman dressed in a sharp business suit walked in. She frowned upon seeing Flora. ¡°Are you the new intern? Don¡¯t you know that you can¡¯t just walk into Mr. Connor¡¯s office? Chelsea was a senior executive from Stonnell Intemational¡¯s partnerpany. Flora blinked, looking at her, ¡°Didn¡¯t youe in as well?¡± ¡°Am I the same as you?¡± Chelsea, due to her work, often interacted with Connor and recognized most of the Stonnell International staff. She was certain she had never seen Flora before. Thus, she treated Flora as a new inter The young girls these days, always dreaphing of climbing the socialdder. She just joined the company and were already sneaking into the CEO¡¯s office ¡°You, leave right now.¡± Chelsea naturally used a tone of reprimanding a subordinate to speak to her, handing over the documents she was holding to Flore, ¡°This is the data needed for the meeting. Go and make a copy now.¡± Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Flora instinctively caught the papers handed to her, scanning the data with a hint of armusement. Was she being mistaken for an employee? She didn¡¯t mind helping with a bit of photocopying, but Chelsen¡¯s haughty demeanor really rubbed Flora the wrong way. cing the document on the table, Flora then nestled into the couch, engrossed in her tablet. ¡°What¡¯s with that attitude?¡± Chelsea was fuming, ¡°With just one word from me, you could lose your job and nopany in the industry. would dare hire you again.¡± ¡°Chelsea, how did you get in here?¡± Moss had been busy elsewhere and came back only to hear noises from the CEO¡¯s office. Upon seeing Chelsea inside, his expression changed. The office was sacred. Without Connor¡¯s permission, no one, especially not a woman, was supposed to enter. ¡°Moss, you¡¯re just in time. Chelsea narrowed her eyes, pointing angrily at Flora lounging on the couch, ¡°How could you hire a person like this! I asked her to photocopy a document for me, and she outright refused. Don¡¯t I even have the right to ask an intern to do something?¡± Moss was momentarily startled. He didn¡¯t really get the situation but it was clear there had been a misunderstanding. ¡°Chelsea, you¡¯re mistaken. She isn¡¯t an employee of Stonnell International but is, in fact¡­ Mr. Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e. So, you really don¡¯t have any right to ask her to do anything for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Chelsea¡¯s face went through a rapid change of expressions. And she stared at Flora in disbelief. The girl looked so young, yet she was Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Wasn¡¯t it said in the industry that Connor was still single? Humiliated, Chelsea stormed out. She felt utterly embarrassed. Outside, she tossed the document at a desk upied by a young employee. ¡°Copy this for me.¡± The employee, a young intern as indicated by the ID hanging around her neck,plied obediently. ¡°Sure.¡± The copier was out of paper. The inter ced the document on the copier lid and squatted down to replenish it. Unbeknownst to her, someone had carelessly left an uncapped bottle of ck ink on top of the copier. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Is it done yet?¡± Chelsea was growing impatient. The meeting was about to start ¡°Just a moment, almost there,¡± the intern hurriedly replied. Impatient, Chelsea decided to help but identally knocked over the bottle of ink. The unsteady ink bottle toppled, spilling ck ink all over the document. The spill smeared a significant portion of the document, obscuring some critical data. ¡°What are you good for! Can¡¯t you even handle such a simple task!¡± she burst out, ming the intem for everything. The intern felt deeply wronged. It wasn¡¯t her fault, yet Chelsea was pinning all the me on her But the intern knew better than to argue with someone of her stature and quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault. I wasn¡¯t careful enough.¡± ¡°How could thepany hire someone like you!¡± Chelsea yelled. ¡°Do you have any idea how important this document was. Now the data is all ruined. Do you understand the loss this will bring to thepany. Can you take responsibility for this?¡± The intern was terrified, and her legs trembled. She was just a college intern who hadn¡¯t even graduated yet. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Moss came over and asked. ¡°Moss, it¡¯s time you took better care of your employees. I asked her to make a copy of a document for me, but look at what it¡¯s tumed into. This was supposed to be used in the meeting.¡± Chelsea used angrily. ¡°How can someone so clumsy stay in yourpany?¡± ¡°How could this happen.¡± Moss nced at the intern, who was pale with fright. Now was not the time to assign me. ¡°Do you have a digital copy? Let¡¯s print a new one first¡± ¡°The sh drive is on my desk, and it¡¯s definitely toote to get it now.¡± Unrelenting, Chelsea pressed, ¡°Such careless interns are usually fired in ourpany, I wonder what you n to do, Moss?¡± The other employees couldn¡¯t stand by and watch. Wasn¡¯t Chelsea obviously trying to drive someone away? Why would a high¨Cranking.pany executive go out of their way to trouble an intern? Chelsea was a manager¡¯s daughter, and it was only through her father¡¯s connections that she had secured her current position. And she always acted arrogantly. She had just suffered a setback from Flora and was still fuming inside. The intern was just in the wrong ce at the wrong time. ¡°Mr. Moss, I know I made a mistake, but please don¡¯t fire me. The intern was crying out of fear. She had fought hard to get the internship opportunity at Stonnell International. If she were fired now, whatpany would want her? At that moment, Flora walked over. ¡°It¡¯s just a document that got dirty, no need to make such a big fuss.¡± Flora had overheard enough to grasp the situation. Even she could see Chelsea was deliberately looking for trouble, probably because she had been put in her ce by Flora earlier, and now she was taking out all her anger on the intern. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°You make it sound so easy, just a document that got dirty? Do you know how important this document is? It¡¯s needed for the meeting right away.¡± Chelsea sneered sarcastically, ¡°You¡¯ve never been in the workce, so of course, you wouldn¡¯t understand. I can¡¯tpare to you, who has climbed onto Mr. Connor¡¯s coattails at such a young age.¡± It was Flora¡¯s first time at thepany, and she didn¡¯t want to cause a conflict and trouble for Connor, but Chelsea was truly unbearable. With a faint displeasure in her eyes, Flora nced at Chelsea, ¡°If it¡¯s so important, why didn¡¯t you prepare more copies in advance? Why wait until just before the meeting to make copies?¡± The staff internally cheered for Flora. The receptionist had shared Flora¡¯s photo in the group chat. Although they hadn¡¯t seen Flora¡¯s face, they remembered what she was wearing and knew she was Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e. The CEO¡¯s girl was so cool! d to Flora and For a moment, Chelsea didn¡¯t know how to respond to Flora and had to take several seconds before she could speak again, ¡°Yes, I admit I was negligent in this matter, but that doesn¡¯t excuse her mistake.¡± In the end, she was still fixated on ming the intern. Flora was getting annoyed, her eyes carrying a hint of sharpness. It was disgraceful for a senior executive to trouble an intern like this. ¡°I believe that a qualified leader, when faced with an emergency, should not me their employees but should think of ways to minimize the loss¡± Chelsea scoffed, ¡°Easy for you to say, but how? The document is so stained with ink, and the important data can¡¯t even be seen.¡± chopter Chapter 172 Chapter 172 ¡°If I could recite all the data by heart, would you be able to let it go?¡± Flom slowly said. Chelsea paused for a moment upon hearing Flord¡¯s words, taking a while to grasp what she had said, then burst intoughter as if she had heard the most ludicrous joke. *Recite all the data by heart?¡± Chelsea thought Flora was out of her mind, ¡°Have you seen the original data on the documents?¡± ¡°I nced over it when you handed it to me.¡± Chelseaughed. Employees who had been all ears were also shocked. No one believed that Flora could simply nce at the documents and manage to recite all the original data by heart. Moss frowned, thinking Flora was overestimating herself. ¡°Moss, how could Mr. Connor choose such a girl as his fianc¨¦e?¡± Flora ignored their mockery and walked over to the interm¡¯s desk, sitting down. She picked up a pen and paper from the desk and began writing furiously. Chelsea thought she was just putting on an act but didn¡¯t interrupt her, waiting for Flora to fail so she could enjoy her failure. Moss gestured for a seasoned employee to go to the conference room to get Connor. A few minutester, Flora stopped writing, tore the page she had written on from the notebook, and handed it to Chelsea. Chelsea took it, looking indifferent at first. Then, her expression stiffened. She clenched the paper in her hand tightly. ¡°How is this possible..¡± Flora had actually managed to write it all out! And she did so very systematically, even drawing the bar charts that were on the document. ¡°This part of the data is wrong. You got it wrong. It¡¯s not the original data.¡± After staring intently for a while, Chelsea suddenly pointed out a mistake, eximing excitedly. However, she¡¯s only met with Flora¡¯s disdainful gaze. ¡°The original data you had was incorrect, and I kindly corrected it for you. You might want to check the New York Financial Journal, issue 33, where this part was detailed.¡± Flora wasn¡¯t fond of reading it, but Raul often did. She would asionally read along and just happened to read about this topic. ¡°So, everything¡¯s correct, right?¡± ¡°Holy cow, that¡¯s impressive!¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. *Just a nce and she got it right, even identifying and correcting an error in the original data, such a prodigy!¡± ¡°Indeed, the girl who end up with the CEO is extraordinary!¡± The employees knew Flora must have gotten everything right. They couldn¡¯t help but feel exhrated. Chelsea had always been haughty and annoying, and Flora finally gave them a huge sense of satisfaction. Moss was also shocked, not expecting Flora to have such an eidetic memory, able to recite all the data after just one nce. Just then, Connor and several senior executives strode over. The employees quickly got up to greet them. Connor walked straight to Flora¡¯s side. A senior employee had already briefed them on what had happened. Connor wasn¡¯t worried, knowing his girl¡¯s capabilities were beyond their imagination. ¡°Having fun?¡± Connor looked down at Flora, his dark eyes husky, his voice slightly raspy with a gravelly tone, like a cello ying the most perfect melody, tinged with tenderness and affection, intoxicating. Flora looked up, smiling. ¡°Not bad.¡± Everyone went silent, feeling like they were being bombarded with public affection. After all themotion, Mr. Connor¡¯s first question was whether Flora was having fun. Indeed, when a mature man falls in love, he dotes excessively. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Connor also chuckled, hisrge hand patting Flora¡¯s small head affectionately, but when he turned to Chelsea, the smile and affection disappeared from his face. ¡°I¡¯ve heard, Chelsea, that you have quite the opinion about my employees, and even my fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not-¡± Chelsea was terrified. In front of Connor, all her arrogance vanished. ¡°In that case, the partnership between yourpany and Stonnell International will end here.¡± Chelsea was shocked. She hadn¡¯t expected Connor to terminate their coboration over such a trivial matter. ¡°Mr. Connor, you must know that among allpanies, ours can offer the most benefits to Stonnell International. And we were about to finalize everything. Terminating the partnership now would mean all our efforts have been in vain.¡± She tried to sound calm, but cold sweat was dripping down her back. If her father found out she had messed up the partnership, he would be furious. Connor ignored her, tuming to Moss, ¡°Moss, find the contract and notify Mr. Gordrik that the agreement is hereby terminated.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Moss was about to follow Connor¡¯s instructions, Chelsea hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Mr. Connor, I admit I made a mistake earlier I can apologize to you, but is it really necessary to go as far as terminating the contract?¡± She couldn¡¯t understand. She had caused trouble at Stonnell International before, but Connor had always ignored her. Yet today, he was willing to terminate the contract ¡°You made my fianc¨¦e unhappy.¡± Connor¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but everyone heard it clearly. Because she upset his fianc¨¦e, he¡¯s terminating the contract. No matter how lucrative the contract was, it¡¯s not as important as his fianc¨¦e. The employees were touched, witnessing a mature man¡¯s unconditional love. Chelsea was so angry she pointed at Connor and Flora for a long time, unable to utter a single word Moss couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for her. Flora was Connor¡¯s world. Bullying Flora in Connor¡¯s company was asking for trouble. Eventually, Chelsea staggered off, and as she left, she tripped and nearly fell, almost revealing too much. Connor took Flora back to the office. was still a Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. a bit hot and needed to cool down before Flora served Connor chicken soup, which had been kept warm in a thermos. It was eating. Connor pulled Flora onto hisp, holding her wrist and examining the bandage on her hand. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± ¡°A bit, and sometimes it¡¯s a bit itchy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t scratch it.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Connor leaned over to open the cab under the desk, taking out a first aid kit and cing it on the table. He unwrapped Flora¡¯s bandage, disinfected the wound, applied medicine, and rebandaged it Despite Connor¡¯s self¨Ccontrol, he was, after all, a normal man. The girl¡¯s slender legs were pressed against his. Her pleated skirt had ridden up slightly, revealing her ck shorts undemeath. He sighed, adjusting her skirt properly. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, you can¡¯t wear skirts this short anymore.¡± She was too young for him, and he didn¡¯t want to take advantage of her, but it was bing increasingly difficult to restrain himself, ¡°I know.¡± Flora smiled, handing him the now¨Ccooled chicken soup. ¡°Drink up, a and once you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll take the rest to Aisha.¡± Chapter 174 Chapter 174 After Connor finished the soup, Flora sealed the thermos again. Connor had other matters to attend to, so he asked Moss to drive Flora to the hospital. Just as Flora reached the entrance of the ward, she heard Yvonne¡¯s voice from inside, ¡°Aisha, why didn¡¯t you tell us about something as serious as your brain surgery? If it weren¡¯t for Selene mentioning it, we would have had no clue. How are you feeling now? Are you in a lot of difort?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine now,¡± Aisha responded calmly, her gaze sweeping past the doorway to spot Flora. And she quickly waved Flora over, ¡°Flora!¡± Flora stepped inside nonchntly. It was then she noticed another person standing next to Yvonne. The girl was dressed in loose sportswear, her ponytail tied high, and when silent, her demeanor somewhat resembled Flora¡¯s. Only, Flora seemed somewhat colder. Ignoring them, Flora spoke to Aisha, ¡°My dad made some chicken soup for you, and he asked me to bring it over.¡± ¡°No one cares about your chicken soup. Who knows if you poisoned it!¡± Yvonne retorted. Flora had caused such misfortune to the Brimer family. Why was she here! Flora ced the insted box on the coffee table, opened the lid, and offered Aisha, ¡°Want to try some?¡± Aisha nodded. Realizing that she waspletely ignored, Yvonne was fuming, ¡°Aisha!¡± ¡°Yvonne, whatever grudge the Brimer family has with Flora, she¡¯s my friend here,¡± Aisha interjected. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Aisha, you consider her a friend, but she sees you as a fool. The attackers targeted her, and it¡¯s because of her you ended up needing brain surgery.¡± Yvonne and Flora were like archenemies, their animosity palpable. Yvonne med her for being ousted from the fashion design circle, and Henrik for her brother being punished by their father. No good came from the Irving family! Watching Florapletely disregard her, serving the chicken soup to Aisha, Yvonne¡¯s eyes shed with malice. As Flora approached, Yvonne suddenly stretched out her foot, attempting to trip her. However, Flora¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. She simply stepped on Yvonne¡¯s foot and moved past. ¡°Ah!¡± Yvonne screamed in pain, almost falling backward, but Selene, standing beside her, caught her. Aisha was exasperated. She had told Yvonne not to make a scene, but she wouldn¡¯t listen and had to learn the hard way. ¡°Yvonne, stop it.¡± Selene sternly reprimanded her. Yvonne was no match for Flora. Besides, Yvonne¡¯s impetuous behavior was embarrassing her. Upon Selene¡¯smand, Yvonne finally restrained herself. Selene was the prized jewel of the Brimer family, while Yvonne was just from a distant branch in Cedarvale. Therefore, Yvonne didn¡¯t dare to provoke Selene. ¡°Selene, let me introduce you, this is Flora.¡± Despite her fear of Selene, Yvonne couldn¡¯t help but boast about her cousin, who was way more better than Flora. ¡°Flora, this is my cousin, Selene. A prodigy in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She began studying medicine at eight, under renowned masters. Her medical skills are so exceptional that even the dean of the University of Maple Grove praises her endlessly. And, she¡¯s also a member of Club 257.¡± Yvonne¡¯s tone was bragging, almost as if her head was in the clouds. Flora listened indifferently, only sparing Selene a nce upon hearing thest statement. A member of Club 257? She hadn¡¯t heard of Selene being a member. When she noticed Flora looked her way, Yvonne became even more smug, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, my cousin is a true prodigy. You¡¯re nothingpared to her.¡± Selene frowned, feeling that Yvonneparing her to Flora was demeaning. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 ¡°Being proud because your cousin is impressive? What¡¯s there for you to brag about?¡± Flora closed the lid of the insted food container, saying nonchntly, ¡°To those unaware, they¡¯d think you¡¯re the impressive one.¡± ¡°You!¡± ¡°Stop making a fuss. Don¡¯t you know patients need rest?¡± Amanding voice rebuked, as Jules, with his sparse and disheveled gray hair, walked in. He cast a displeased look at Yvonne. He could hear her barking like a dog from far away, utterly annoying. ¡°Mr. Jules.¡± Aisha was sipping soup from a bowl and nodded respectfully upon seeing him. ¡°Ah, having chicken soup? Drink more, it¡¯s good for your health.¡± Aisha was under the primary care of a physician, and Jules didn¡¯t really need toe over, but he did, eager to see Flora. ¡°Mr. Jules!¡± Selene approached, greeting him, ¡°Do you remember me? I¡¯m Selene. We met at the University of Maple Grove three years ago. I was fortunate enough to observe your surgery and even asked you a few questions.¡± Jules stared at her indifferently. He had no recollection of her face. However, the name Selene sounded familiar. The Dean of the University of Maple Grove often mentioned Selene to him. In Maple Grove, Selene was known as a ¡®genius physician,¡¯ and her reputation wasmendable, even among her peers. She had a gift for medicine. He nodded, saying, ¡°I have some recollection.¡± Hearing this, Selene was delighted. ¡°I¡­ am also a provisional member of Club 257. In another year, my probation period will be over, and I¡¯ll be an official member of Club 257.¡± Then, she would be able to meet F. Jules responded, ¡°Hmm, keep up the good work.¡± ¡°Lie down. I¡¯ll examine you.¡± Jules spoke to Aisha. Since he was there, he might as well give the young girl a thorough checkup. ¡°Flora,e help me out.¡± Jules spoke to Flora, his eyes almost became a slit as he smiled. Selene had been adored and admired all her life, so she immediately noticed the stark difference in how Jules treated herpared to Flora. ¡°Mr. Jules, let me assist you.¡± Selene stepped forward, subtly positioning herself in front of Flora to block her. ¡°Yes, Mr. Jules, my cousin is a genius physician, so of course, she should be the one to assist you. What does Floraknow about medicine? If you let her help, she¡¯ll only be in the way.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. While Yvonne elevated Selene, she didn¡¯t miss an opportunity to belittle Flora. Jules frowned, his displeasure evident. He had initially thought Selene was intelligent and modest, with great potential, but now, it seemed she was too eager to showcase herself. Flora¡¯s medical talent was beyond their expectations. She simply chose not to pursue it, even though he had tried to encourage her to learn, to no avail. Although Floracked interest, her exceptional memory,bined with his mentorship, had made her a standout among her peers in terms of medical knowledge, even if she didn¡¯t reach the highest levels of mastery. Selene just couldn¡¯tpare to her. ¡°Step aside. Flora can stay and assist me.¡± Jules said displeasingly. Selene¡¯s outstretched hand froze mid¨Cair. ¡°Let her help. I¡¯m heading back.¡± Flora picked up her insted food container, ncing at Selene, ¡°She has talent. You could teach her.¡± Though she¡¯s somewhat arrogant, pride in a genius is forgivable. Flora had issues with the Brimer family, but not with Selene, who came from Maple Grove. She was clear about whom her grievances were with and wouldn¡¯t misdirect her anger. Besides, she valued talent. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Flora¡¯s wordsnded in Selene¡¯s ears, instantly souring her expression. A nobody was telling Jules her talent was promising and worth nurturing? She felt Flora was deliberately making her look bad. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Alright then.¡± Jules looked rather disappointed. He had hoped to test Flora and see her recent progress. Pointing at Selene with a somewhat reluctant expression, he said, ¡°Then youe over and help me with the equipment.¡± Selene¡¯s face darkened even more. Unaware of her thoughts, Flora, carrying a thermos, headed home. ? ?? ?? ? ? ???* After Jules finished examining Millie, Selene left the clinic. Yvonne quickly caught up to her. ¡°Selene, Dad just called saying he¡¯s sorted out your transfer. You¡¯re moving to ss A, and you can start on Monday.¡± Selene paused, turning to ask, ¡°Which ss is Flora in?¡± Yvonne said with a sneer, ¡°her grades are terrible. She¡¯s even been held back a year and is in the worst, ss Z.¡± Yvonne got into the car, buckling up. ¡°Then tell Uncle to transfer me to ss Z.¡± Monday. Flora went to school. Dane, following the usual routine, brought her breakfast. Flora instinctively reached out with her injured right hand. Dane saw the thick bandage, and his face went pale. ¡°Flora, what happened to your hand?¡± ¡°Just a minor injury.¡± ¡°Flora, the joint exams areing up. Your hand is too precious. Please, no more incidents.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? During morning self¨Cstudy, Keaton came in. ¡°ss, we have a new student transferring in today. Let¡¯s give a warm wee!¡± Everyone was curious. It was close to the exams, and there was a transfer student. Keaton waved towards the door, and a girl in a loose uniform, with her hair tied up high, walked in energetically. ss Z was momentarily stunned. They found her familiar, then erupted in surprise. ¡°Oh my God, it¡¯s Selene!¡± ¡°Am I seeing things? It¡¯s really Selene!¡± Selene was hailed as the youngest prodigy doctor and was even a member of Club 257! She was supposed to be at Maple Grove; why did shee to Cedarvale and to ss Z? ¡°Hi everyone, I¡¯m Selene. I¡¯m thrilled to spend theing months learning and growing with you.¡± After Selene finished, ss Z burst into apuse, Having such a goddess transfer into their ss was a blessing! ¡°Selene, you can sit over there,¡± Keaton pointed to a spot next to May. The seat next to May was originally Jennifer¡¯s, but Jennifer had gone abroad, and it had been empty since. Selene, however, looked towards the empty seat next to Flora. ¡°May I sit there? I¡¯m quite tall. Sitting at the back won¡¯t block others¡® view.* Selene was 1.7 meters tall. Among the girls/she stood out. ¡°Man, she¡¯s picking a fight!¡± Dane couldn¡¯t help but mutter under his breath. Chapter 177 Chapter 177 The teacher had already assigned her a seat, yet she insisted on sitting next to Flora. What was she thinking? At first, no one wanted to sit with Flora, leaving the seat beside her empty. It remained unupied. Kaylee had thought about sitting with Flora once, but she knew Flora preferred to upy the two seats by herself. ¡°Well¡­¡± Keaton hesitated, surprised that Selene had asked to sit with Flora as soon as she arrived. But he knew Flora¡¯s temperament¡­ He loudly asked Flora, ¡°Flora, what do you think about having Selene sit next to you?¡± Selene was surprised that Keaton would even consider a student¡¯s opinion, especially since Yvonne had mentioned that Flora was a poor student. In their school, poor students didn¡¯t have the right to refuse. ¡°Whatever.¡± CU Flora, pen in hand, absentmindedly fiddled with it and half¨Copened her eyes to respond upon hearing Keaton¡¯s question. She was a student following the teacher¡¯s arrangement. Keaton quickly had Selene take the seat. After Keaton left, the students of ss Z couldn¡¯t contain their curiosity and gathered around Selene. ¡°Selene, why did youe to Cedarvale High?¡± ¡°I heard the dean of the University of Maple Grove praised you highly, promising you direct admission into the medical school without needing exams. Why bother attending high school then?¡± ¡°The inte says you¡¯re a member of Club 257. Is that true?¡± Selene answered them one by one, ¡°I came to Cedarvale for some special reasons, which I cannot disclose for now. The dean from the University of Maple Grove had indeed saidst year that I could be directly recruited into the medical school. Still, my ambition lies not with the University of Maple Grove but with medical organizations. And yes, I am indeed a member of Club 257.¡± Following Selene¡¯s words, a wave of gasps filled the room. Medical organizations epassed the world¡¯s most outstanding physicians. It was every medical student¡¯s dream to enter such a ce. Every year, medical organizations recruit the most talented medical prodigies from top universities during their senior year. In Cedarvale, those qualified to enter a medical organization were few and far between. You could count them on one hand. It was said that the neurosurgery genius, Jules, had been scouted by a medical organization, too, but for some reason, Jules seemed particrly resistant to it and never joined. ¡°Selene, you¡¯re really amazing¡­¡± ¡°Are the people in Club 257 really as incredible as they say, true geniuses as the outside world ims? Is it really tough to get into Club. 257?¡± Even Dane, who had been silent, couldn¡¯t help but turn around and ask Selene. Selene nodded, ¡°Club 257 recruits only the top talents in various fields, and one must pass a comprehensive assessment to join the guild. Currently, I am just a reserve member, not yet part of the main guild.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Hahaha, Dane, why do you ask? Do you want to join Club 257 or something?¡± Someone tease Chapter 178 Chapter 178 ¡®Are you looking for trouble?* Dane kicked the person who had just spoken. The person dodged with a cheeky grin. Flora buried her head in her arms on the desk, feeling a headacheing on. It was too noisy. If she had known it would be like this she wouldn¡¯t have let Selene sit nearby. Fortunately, the teacher soon arrived, and the students obediently returned to their seats. The first ss was Geography. Selene couldn¡¯t help but nce at Flora. She saw her seriously looking at the ckboard, h¨¦r right hand wrapped in a bandage and holding a pen, but she didn¡¯t write anything throughout the ss. Her gaze seemed unfocused. A hint of scorn shed in Selene¡¯s eyes. Flora was a true underachiever. She didn¡¯t even take notes. Selene shifted her gaze away from Flora and focused on the lesson. The second period was Math. Mr. Smith exined the two major problems that most students got wrong in thest test, then let everyone study on their own. Dane turned around, holding his notebook, and asked Flora, ¡°Flora, how do you solve this problem?¡± Selene couldn¡¯t help but take another look. It was a problem on curve functions. For her, it was a straightforward question. But for Flora, the so¨Ccalled underachiever, solving it might as well be rocket science. Flora originally wanted to exin, but with her hand injured, she feltzy and reluctant to make the effort. ¡°Do you know how to solve it?¡± Flora noticed Selene was looking over, so she turned her head towards her. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ then, could you exin it to him?¡± Selene frowned. Was Flora ordering her around? Dane, following Flora¡¯s lead and considering her injury, gave Selene a grateful smile. ¡°Then, please, Selene. I would really appreciate that.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Dane asked nicely, and Selene, being new to the ss, couldn¡¯t refuse. She patiently exined the problem to Dane. ¡°Got it, got it.¡± Ten minutester, Dane finally figured it out and thanked Selene before focusing on solving the problems. Flora watched from the side and nodded slightly. Selene¡¯s approach was indeedmendable. Flora saw the benefit of having Selene¡¯s help and thought of letting her assist Dane and others with their problems in the future. During the break, the halls of ss Z were almost bursting with people, all there to see the genius girl, Selene. ¡°Ah, Selene, the genius, is so pretty. Look, she¡¯s not even wearing makeup. Her skin is amazing!¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so straight! She did makeup. It¡¯s just a nude look! I think her skin is just okay, not as good as Flora¡¯s next to her.¡± ¡°How can youpare them? Selene is from Maple Grove, and the dean has personally invited her to join the the University of Maple Grove¡¯s Medical School, and she¡¯s a member of Club 257. Her future is boundless. How can Florapare to her?¡± All day long, Flora¡¯s ears never had a moment of peace. So annoying. Finally, school was over, and the students of ss Z were ready to run out like wild horses freed from their reins. However, they were stopped by the homeroom teacher, Keaton. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Everyone, sit back down. I have one more thing to announce.¡± Amidst groans andints, Keaton walked up to the podium and said, ¡°The school is organizing a Spanish Speech Contest this Friday, and every ss must participate. There will be groups of six from each ss, so discuss amongst yourselves who will go. The administrative office needs the list urgently, by tomorrow moming, so let¡¯s decide now. Those who want to sign up, Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Studying was already exhausting enough; who had the energy to participate in a speech competition? Everyone kept their heads down, silent. ¡°Since everyone is being so modest and not willing to sign up voluntarily, I¡¯ll have to make the call.¡± ¡°Selene, Flora, May, Lucinda, Kaylee¡­¡± Keaton chose those whose Spanish grades were rtively good in ss. ¡°Selene, you¡¯ll be the team leader, responsible for supervising the team members and assigning tasks¡± Although Selene was new, she was already well¨Cknown, possessing a celebrity effect. Having her as the tearn leader wouldn¡¯t cause any disputes, and she couldmand respect. After finishing his announcement, Keaton left. Besides those participating in the Spanish speechpetition, the other students of ss Z quickly slipped away. ¡°May, Kaylee, you two are in charge of drafting the script. I need a preliminary draft by tomorrow afternoon at thetest so I can review and make revisions.¡± ¡°Ah? Tomorrow afternoon? That seems a bit rushed; we might get it done in time.¡± May couldn¡¯t help but speak up. Kaylee nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯m not asking for a final draft. Just a rough one will do. We¡¯re short on time, and since we¡¯re competing, we need to do our best, even if it means getting tired for a few days.¡± Selene¡¯s tone was firm, leaving no room for doubt. Without paying any more attention to Kaylee and the others, she continued, ¡°Lucinda and Davina, you two are responsible for researching online¡­¡± Selene indeed had leadership skills, assigning everyone¡¯s tasks efficiently. ¡°My oral skills are somewhat better than yours, so I¡¯ll take care of the presentation on stage.¡± ¡°As for Flora¡­¡± But when it came to Flora, she hesitated for a moment. ¡°You just need to organize everyone¡¯s work.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Her tone revealed a hint of disdain, as if Flora was a burden. A trace of contempt flickered through Selene¡¯s lowered eyes. Yvonne had said that Flora was a poor student. She probably couldn¡¯t even trante aplete Spanish sentence in the Spanish speechpetition. Flora didn¡¯t seem to mind. She was quiteid¨Cback about these things. Whatever task was assigned to her, she would just do it Discussing the Spanish speechpetition had taken up some time, so it was somewhatte when Flora left school. Connor¡¯s car was still parked in the usual spot. Flora slumped into the car, feeling tired. Connor noticed herckluster appearance, and thought she had encountered something unpleasant at school. ¡°Feeling down?¡± ¡°No.¡± mFlora pinched her temples. ¡°Just got a headache from all the noise.¡± She couldn¡¯t quite understand Selene, who actually enjoyed all the attention. ¡°Who dared to annoy you?¡± Connor let her lie on hisp and began to massage her. ¡°A new transfer student named Selene came to our ss. She¡¯s from Maple Grove and is pretty famous.¡± Flora closed her eyes, enjoying Connor¡¯s massage. ¡°A bit higher. You can apply more pressure.¡± When Connor heard the name, Selene, his hand paused for a moment. He wondered why she woulde to Cedarvale, but he quickly dismissed the thought and continued to massage Flora. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Flora stepped into ss Z and immediately, saw Kaylee standing next to Selene, holding a notebook in her hands. Flora walked to her seat and sat down. Kaylee greeted her and then ced the notebook on Selene¡¯s desk. ¡°Selene, this is the first draft I wrote upst night. Take a look,¡± she said, her voice hoarse and weary. Her face was etched with fatigue, and her eyes were bloodshot fromck of sleep. Selene skimmed through it and frowned. ¡°This won¡¯t do. It¡¯s too superficial. Our topic is about the monumental changes in life brought about by the rapid development of new technologies and the inte. You should do some more research online, maybe check out thetest tech news, summarize it, and then rewrite it. What you¡¯ve written here just isn¡¯t usable.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll write a new one,¡± Kaylee said, taking back the notebook and returning to her seat. Finally, the moming sses came to an end, and the students rushed out at lunchtime. Dane and Alex were excited to grab pork ribs from the cafeteria. Flora went out to eat with Connor as usual. As she was leaving, she noticed Kaylee still deeply engrossed in her writing. She approached and tapped on the desk. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Kaylee looked up tiredly. ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I haven¡¯t finished my speech yet. I want to use the lunch break to get it done.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to write it with May? Why are you the only one working on it?¡± Speaking of May, Kaylee felt somewhat helpless. She had approached her several times to discuss the project, but May was always too busy with her own assignments and asked Kaylee to do more of the work. Kaylee had no choice but to do it alone, and at this rate, they wouldn¡¯t have a speech ready by the competition day. Flora¡¯s phone buzzed. It was Connor asking if she wasing out. She quickly replied that she would be out soon and told Kaylee before leaving. After lunch with Connor, Flora returned to school. In ss Z, most of the students were already napping on their desks. Flora walked over to Kaylee, who was still fervently writing. Flora handed her a takeout box. ¡°Eat something first, then take your time thinking.¡± ¡°Flora, thank you so much.¡± Kaylee was deeply moved, taking the takeout box outside to the hallway to eat. The food¡¯s smell was too strong for the ssroom. Her ssmates were still sleeping. Flora went back to her seat. School resumed at two, and she usually napped in Connor¡¯s RV before going back to ss right on time. Today, she had to bring Kayee some food, so she returned to school right after lunch with Connor. Feeling sleepy, she dozed off uneasily at her desk. When school was over in the afternoon, Kaylee showed her newly written draft to Selene. ¡°You managed this in one day?¡± After reading through the draft, Selene looked displeased. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you how it should be written? Did you even take this seriously?¡± ¡°I really did my best¡­¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s an issue with your abilities,¡± Selene interrupted impatiently. ¡°Do you realize how important this is? We need to base our presentation on your draft and do a series of follow¨Cup tasks. Because of you, we¡¯ve already lost a day!¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Selene spared no courtesy for Kaylee, scolding her in front of the entire ss. Kaylee, head bowed, eyes reddening, was on the verge of tears. She began to doubt herself, wondering if she was truly that incapable, unable to even write a decent speech.. Flora paused from packing her bag, her gaze drifting to the notebook on the table. It was admittedly a bit superficial, but for a high school student, it was passable. It was Selene¡¯s expectations that were too high. Flora furrowed her brows and said, ¡°This draft can work. Among high school students, it¡¯s quite outstanding.¡± ¡°What do you mean can work?¡± Selene looked towards Flora, her gaze sharp as a knife. ¡°My principle is to either do it the best or not do it at all.¡± Saying so, she pped the notebook onto Kaylee. Im giving you onest night to revise it. By tomorrow morning. I want to see your improved draft. If it¡¯s still the same, I¡¯ll ask the teacher to remove you from the team.¡± After her harsh admonition, Selene stood up, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and strode out. ¡°Selene was too harsh.¡± ¡°Kaylee, don¡¯t listen to her. You¡¯re already doing great.¡± ¡°Exactly, we couldn¡¯t even understand what you wrote.¡± A group of guys, somewhat at a loss, tried tofort Kaylee. They all thought Selene¡¯s words were a bit harsh. Kaylee had her head buried, and her shoulders were quivering. Crying wasn¡¯t her intention, but she felt so hurt, and with peopleforting her, it was as if her defenses were breached. She couldn¡¯t help it and just started crying. Listening to the sobbing, Flora sighed and ced her packed bag on the desk. She walked over to Kaylee¡¯s desk and took her notebook away. Then she sat down, picked up a red pen, and began to make corrections. Her right hand, though much better, still hurt after writing for a while. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Dane thought about asking Flora tofort Kaylee since they were both girls, but Flora was engrossed in writing something. He felt it wasn¡¯t right to disturb her. After about fifteen minutes, Kaylee had adjusted her mindset and stopped crying. However, her eyes were still red and swollen, with tear stains on her face, making her look pitiable. ¡°Thank you all. It¡¯s gettingte, and you should head back.¡± Kaylee managed a smile as she spoke to Dane and the others. ¡°Should we walk you home?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not safe for a girl to go home alone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll go home by myself.¡± Kaylee nned to revise the speech a bit more before heading back. No sooner had she finished speaking than an arm appeared before her. Flora ced the notebook in front of her, slung her backpack over her shoulders, and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m heading home now.¡± Then, she strode out. Kaylee caught a glimpse of the notebook, now filled with red marks, surprise flickering in her eyes. She quickly picked it up and looked through thements. Her eyes gradually became teary again. The next day Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Selene stepped into ss Z. She arrived a tut early, her gaze fleeting o ver Kaylee¡¯s empty seat with a hint of annoyance. She had just taken out the textbooks she needed for the morning¡¯s sses and arranged them neatly on her desk when she saw Flor and Kaylee walking in together,ughing and chatting ¡°How¡¯s the draft going? Selene asked Kaylee Her eyebrows knitted in frustration. The previous speech draft was so poorly written, and yet Kaylee had the audacity to arrive at school sote and still seem so cheerful ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Kaylee, a bit nervous at the mention of the speech draft, quickly pulled a notebook from her backpack and handed it over to Selene After the previous two attempts, Selene had almost given up hope on Kaylee. She was a student from a small town whocked talent Selene picked up the notebook, initially ncing over it with impatience, but then her focus sharpened Surprise and admiration reced the expression on her face. Selene read through the entire document, her eyes filled with shock and awe. This draft was exactly what she had been looking for! The writing was powerful and grand, starting from the basics and deepening into clear logic, peeling layer byyer the rapid development of new technologies and the inte. It discussed both the positive and negative impacts and even boldly predicted the future world Not only that, but it also included a wealth of data to support the central idea.of the piece. tato you write this?¡± Selene looked at Kaylee,paring the work in front of her with what she had seen the day before. ¡°It had some revisions from a friend.¡± Kaylee didn¡¯t mention that this friend was Flora. Flora didn¡¯t want anyone to know she had written this speech draft. Who wrote it wasn¡¯t important to Selene anyway, as long as the speech draft met her standards. ¡°It¡¯s very well written. Is it finished?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s still half left to write.¡± Selene handed the notebook back to Kaylee, speaking kindly, ¡°Finish the rest of it. This can be the final draft, just print it out and hand it to me before you leave school today.¡± No sooner had Selene finished speaking than Flora, who had been leisurely sitting at her desk, said, ¡°She can¡¯t write the second half.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Selene nced at Flora, displeased. She hadn¡¯t helped at all and was now causing a scene. ¡°I really cant write it Kaylee mustered the courage to ry the conversation she had with Flora to Selene. ¡°You said when you assigned the tasks that I was to write the speech with May. My part is done. The rest should be written by May. I¡¯ve alreadyid out the entire framework. It¡¯s just about concluding it. It¡¯s not a big deal for her. May had been paying close attention to the discussion. Selene was finally satisfied with the draft, and she was relieved, thinking the task was finally nearpletion. She hadn¡¯t expected Kaylee to pull such a move. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. May stood up abruptly, mming her Spanish book onto the desk with a fierce look, ¡°Kaylee, what are you trying to say? Am I not putting in effort? I¡¯ve also been researching and gathering data online. Selene frowned, finding their argument embarrassing. ¡°I don¡¯t care how you two divide the work. I just want the speech. By this aftemoon, I want to see theplete draft¡± Then, the started reading her book, and Kaylee returned to her seat with her notebook. May was frustrated. She had thought Kaylee was an easy target, but the usuallypliant little wallflower had suddenly stood up for She wanted to confront Kaylee, but then the teacher arrived, and she had no choice but to let it go. Throughout the morning. May kept an eye on Kaylee, noticing that she, indeed, wasn¡¯t working on the speech dreft anymore. May¡¯s face turned darker than a thundercloud Kaylee was always responsible, and May couldnt believe she would end up doing nothing in the end. She decided to let things fall where they may Chapter 183 Chapter 183 At noon, Flora and Kaylee decided to grab lunch together. Flora seldom ate in the cafeteria, but today, she found a nice spot and sat down while Kaylee went to get their meals. ¡°Flora, it seems like May hasn¡¯t really started writing. Should I really wait for her? What if she hasn¡¯t written anything by the end of the day?¡± Kaylee was still worried: Even though it felt good to say those things at the moment, she was afraid. What would happen to their presentation if she didn¡¯t write and May didn¡¯t either? Flora took a bite of her pork and said, ¡°You¡¯ve done your part. Why worry about others? Selene is the team leader. If there¡¯s a problem with the presentation, the teacher will hold her responsible first. She¡¯ll be more anxious than you.¡± ¡°But¡­ wouldn¡¯t that dy the finalpetition? What about the honor of ss Z?¡± Flora sighed, ¡°Selene will figure it out. You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± Seeing Flora¡¯s calm demeanor, Kaylee gripped her fork a little tighter. Flora was right. She had done what she needed to do. She couldn¡¯t keep bending over backwards to help. She had to stand firm. That was the only way she wouldn¡¯t be taken advantage of. By the time school ended in the aftemoon, Selene still hadn¡¯t received theplete presentation. Frustrated, she marched up to Kaylee, mming her hand on the desk. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this? Wasn¡¯t I clear? Where¡¯s the draft?¡± Kaylee was packing her backpack when she heard Selene, causing her to flinch. Remembering Flora¡¯s words, she gathered her courage and looked Selene in the eye, ¡°I said it before. I finished my part. The rest should be done by May. If there are issues with my part of the presentation, Ill do my best to fix them. But I won¡¯t interfere with May¡¯s part.¡± Having packed her things, Flora called out to her, ¡°Kaylee, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Coming!¡± Kaylee grabbed her backpack and walked out with Flora. Selene frowned, catching a glimpse of May trying to leave. She quickly stepped in front of her. ¡°Stop right there!¡± May swallowed hard. ¡°Selene ¡°Til say this only once. I need to see the draft by tomorrow morning.¡± Selene¡¯s eyes were stem and cold. ¡°May, don¡¯t think I¡¯m easygoing.¡± May could bully Kaylee, but she couldn¡¯t cross Selene, who was a genius doctor, the precious daughter of one of the great families of Maple Grove. She quickly replied, ¡°I know¡­ I¡¯ll write it as soon as I get home.¡± Inwardly cursing, May thought Kaylee was a jerk for not writing the rest of the speech. May spent all night looking up information and barely finished the draft by dawn. She didn¡¯t even have time for breakfast and rushed to school. On her way, she bumped into Kaylee and Flora. She red at Kaylee furiously before storming off like a torpedo. Kaylee couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth andugh. ¡°Flora, why do I feel so good about this?¡± She had always lived amodating others, never saying no. If it hadn¡¯t been for Flora, she would have ended up doing the presentation by herself. ¡°Thicken your skin, and you¡¯ll feel even better.¡± Flora nced at her, a smile ying on her lips. ¡°As long as I have no morals, no one can manipte me.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°¡­Flora, you say it with such conviction.¡± Kaylee was shocked. It was the first time she heard someone make such a statement sound so natural. ¡°Because I really have no morals. Flora raised an eyebrow, leisurely finishing her statement, then walked into the ssroom. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Flora and Kaylee had just entered the ssroom when they were greeted by Selene¡¯s furious mar ¡°What is this trash you¡¯ve written? Are you trying to insult me by bringing this?¡± Selene looked at the notebook in her hands, her grip shaking with rage, her face conforting with anger. She threw the notebook at May She was truly furious. If she hadn¡¯t seen the sne produce such garbage! the speech draft herself, she wouldn¡¯t have believed that someone could be foolish enough to ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to write, then don¡¯t. You didn¡¯t need to bring this to humiliate me Selene didn¡¯t hold back her harsh words, berating May in front of everyone in ss Z, who watched the drama unfold with glee. May¡¯s face tumed various shades of red and pale, feeling utterly humiliated N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I really did try my best¡­ I wasn¡¯t trying to embarrass¡­ ¡°Is this really the best you can do?¡± Selene was shocked. Her ten¨Cyear¨Cold nephew could write better than this. Selene¡¯s serious demeanor caused the rest of ss 2 to burst intoughter. May¡¯s face turned even paler. ¡°Never mind¡­¡± Selene was truly exhausted. ¡°Ill finish the draft. Don¡¯t bother.¡± She had thought Kaylee was slow, butpared to May, Kaylee was practically an angel With May¡¯s skills, she wouldn¡¯t produce anything decent even if she spent days and nights on it. After dismissing May, Selene seriously finished the draft before the teacher arrived. The style of the beginning was too grandiose. Although Selene tried to imitate it, it still felt somewhat off. She ced the final punctuation mark just as the teacher walked in for the lesson. She handed the draft to Flora, but her tone was less than pleasant. ¡°Here¡¯s the draft After Lucinda and the others find the right images and data,pile it into a slide.¡± After what happened with May, she wondered if Flora would be foolish enough to mess up the comption. Selene was used to being surrounded by geniuses, now, the contrast was stark. She needed to find F as soon as possible, believing even a short conversation would make all her troubles worthwhile. Lunchtime. Cafeteria. May and Carina were having lunch together. ¡°Carina, you have no idea. Selene didn¡¯t leave me any dignity, criticizing me in front of the whole ss! Just because her family¡¯s slightly better off, does she need to be so arrogant?¡± Just thinking about Selene¡¯s words from the morning made May fume with anger. ¡°Selene really went too far How could she say that to you?¡± ¡°And Flora, too, is infuriating! It was Kaylee¡¯s job to write the speech, not hers. Why did she have to stand up for Kaylee?¡± If it weren¡¯t for Flora, Kaylee would¡¯ve surely finished writing the speech! ¡°I used to think highly of Selene, but now I see she¡¯s just like Flora, using her talent and wealth to act above everyone else!¡± The more May spoke, the angrier she got. Carina¡¯s eyes shed coldly at the mention of ¡®Flora: ¡°May, don¡¯t be angry¡­ They did go too far, and I can hardly resist standing up for you, but¡­ let¡¯s just drop it¡­¡± == 320 335 ¡°Carina, do you have a n?¡± May perked up, eagerly asking. Carina took a sip of her drink, biting her straw, and showed a hint of difficulty. ¡°Well, there is a way to deal with Flora. Didn¡¯t you say Selene gave all the materials to Flor to save on a USB? If, somehow, Flora loses the USB, Selene won¡¯t be able to give her presentation. and your ss teacher will be furious! May¡¯s eyes harrowed. The teachers ordered the students to carry their chairs to the school yground and of ording to their sses In in the lineup for ss Z. Keaton was encouraging a few students who were participating in the Spanish speechpetition Chapter 185 Chapter 185 ¡°How¡¯s the preparation going? Are you feeling confident?¡± ¡°We¡¯re very confident!¡± Selene said with a spile ¡°With you here, I¡¯m relieved.¡± Keaton looked pleased. It¡¯s almost our turn, Get ready.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Selene nodded. ¡°Flora, where¡¯s the USB drive?¡± Flora pulled the USB drive from her pocket and handed it to Selene. On the side, May clenched her teeth in frustration. She had been looking for an opportunity to steal the USB drive but didn¡¯t expect Flora to be keeping it close to her body all along. There was no chance for theft However, that didn¡¯t mean she hadn¡¯t done anything May red at Selene, biting her lip with malice Selene took the USB drive and then reached into her pocket for her speech. But All she found was a pack of tissues. Selene¡¯s face changed drastically. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Keaton noticed her expression and asked. Selene searched all her pockets but couldn¡¯t find the speech. She was sure she had put it in her pocket. ¡°¡°1 must have left my speech in the ssroom. Ill go back and get it now¡± Selene hurried back to the ssroom, but even after tuming her desk upside down, she couldn¡¯t find the speech. How could it just disappear¡­ A student ran in, out of breath. ¡°Selene, Mr. Keaton asked if you¡¯ve found your speech. There are only two groups ahead of us, and it¡¯s almost our tum.¡± On the field, Keaton was also anxiously waiting. He finally saw Seleneing and quickly approached her. ¡°How is it going? Did you find the speech?¡± ¡°Mr. Keaton, the speech is gone. ¡°How could it be gone! Weren¡¯t you holding it this whole time?¡± Keaton hadn¡¯t finished speaking when May screamed out Selene¡¯s face looked terrible. ¡°I remember, I put it in my pocket¡­ This morning. I took off my school jacket because it was too hot.. She thought hard about the details. ¡°Could someone have stolen the speech?¡± ¡°You lose the speech and try to shift the me? Who would take your speech!¡± May was furious. ¡°You were the one who told us to write the speech, saying everything had to be perfect. You made us revise it many times! But now you¡¯ve lost it!¡± Selene had always been a star student, adored and admired by everyone. She was not used to May¡¯s scolding. Her gaze tumed sharp as a knife at May. ¡°Is there even a single word you wrote in the entire speech?¡± May was only someone who¡¯d been dragging them down and had the nerve to me Selene? ¡°Next, we have a presentation in Spanish from the seniors of ss Z. Please wee the representative of ss Z to the stage!¡± The announcer¡¯s words were met with thunderous apuse, but the students of ss Z couldn¡¯t smile Without the speech, what were they to go up with? If their performance in this presentation was too poor, Keaton would definitely face criticism from Mr. Garcia. Although Keaton was a bit strict, he was very good to ss 2 Flora sighed inwardly and said, ¡°Mr. Keaton, let me go. I remember the content of the speech.¡± Selene looked at Flora displeased, thinking she was bragging. Even Selene had personally written the second half of the speech, she couldn¡¯t confidently say she remembered the content, only a general impression. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Flora had only nced at the speech a few times and struggled with even Spanish vocabry. How could she confidently make sucht im? ¡°Mr. Keaton, let me do it My spoken Spanish is not bad, and I think I can manage even without the speech Selene s Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Selene couldn¡¯t believe her ears and even thought she was hallucinating. Keaton didn¡¯t choose her the high achiever, but instead chose Flora, who barely knew a few words in Spanish, While she was still in shock, Flora took the USB drive from her hands and then went up to the stage. It was done in one fell swoop. By the time Selene came to her senses, Flora was already on stage. Carina was working as a staff member today, standing on the side of the stage. A hint of surprise shed in her eyes when Flora took the stage. She silently walked to the judges¡® table and ced bottles of mineral water in front of each teacher. ¡°I heard that before thepetition, ss Z identally lost their speech script¡± Carina mentioned ¡®casually.¡® After she finished, the faces of the judges visibly showed displeasure. Losing the speech script was a matter of attitude. The judges already had a bad impression of Flora. Carina watched their reactions, a slight smile curling at theer of her lips as she retreated backstage. Meanwhile, the students from various sses, who were initially excited, all looked disappointed to see Flora on stage. Wasn¡¯t it said that the genius doctor Selene was going to give the speech? Why was it changed to Flora? They had thought they would have the fortune to witness the genius doctor, Selene. Flora was on stage with empty hands. One of the judges picked up the microphone and asked, ¡°Ms. Flora, where is your speech script?¡± Could it be true, as Carina said, that they lost the script? Flora stood straight, her gaze sharp, and replied loudly, ¡°Before thepetition began, I had already memorized the content of my speech, so I do not need a script.¡± For a high school student with a limited Spanish vocabry, reciting the speech content fluently without stumbling was alreadymendable, Several groups had already performed. Flora was the first to give a speech without a ascript. The judges didn¡¯t say much, merely stating, ¡°Please begin your speech¡± Whether she truly memorized it or identally lost the script, the judges would know as soon as Flora started. Flora inserted the USB into theputer, opened the file, and went straight to the point. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Good evening, esteemed judges; our speech topic today is the rapid development of new technologies and their impact on the future. We have divided our discussion into three parts. The first part.. Throughout the speech, she spoke fluent Spanish, which made the judges nod continuously, unable to hide their joy. Below the stage, Selene watched Flora intently, her mind going nk for a moment. Yvonne had told her that Flora was a repeat¨Cyear student who struggled academically, but how could such a student speak such fluent Spanish? From Carina¡¯s angle, ale, she could only see half of Flora¡¯s body. Flora stood at the center of the stage, so calm andposed, bathed in a radiant light. She was so dazzling that it was hard to look away Carina¡¯s face, however, looked very unpleasant. That concludes all our points. My speech ends here. Thank you to all the judges for your patient listening.¡± As Flora¡¯s words ended, thunderous apuse filled the room. ¡°Flora is amazing! Making a speech without a script, who canpare!¡± ¡°How could anyone but Flora do that!¡± Dane looked proud and satisfied Kaylee watched the glowing Flora on stage, smiling softly and warmly Flora, truly, was an impressive person The judges were very pleased with Flora¡¯s speech. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 No matter the depth of the topic chosen or Flora¡¯s fluent oratory skills, she was the standout of the competition, far surpassing her peers. Even many university students from prestigious colleges couldn¡¯tpare with her. ¡°Your name¡¯s Flora, right? Impressive. With your level of Spanish, you could easily be awarded a schrship,¡± one of the judges praised. Throughout her presentation, Flora used sophisticated vocabry, some of which took the judges a moment to understand, leaving them somewhat abashed. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Thank you, sir. Flora bowed, then stepped down from the podium. Keaton saw hering and gave her a thumbs¨Cup. ¡°Sir, did I make you proud?¡± Flora asked with a smile. Keaton nodded vigorously. ¡°Well done, you¡¯ve really made me proud.¡± ¡°Flora, you were amazing! You went without notes, and your Spanish pronunciation is so spot¨Con!¡± ¡°Though I barely understood what you were saying, Flora, you are just awesome!¡± Dane said, raising both thumbs. Flora kicked him lightly in the heel, teasing without force, ¡°Did you stick to leaming a hundred words a day as I told you?¡± Dane guiltily remained silent. Selene watched as the focus shifted from her to Flora, feeling a twinge of displeasure. She had prepared so long, only for Flora to take all the credit in the end. Silently, she returned to the ssroom, sulking as she sat at her desk. She wanted to take a sip of water from her cup on the desk, but her agitation caused her to clumsily knock a pen to the floor. As she bent down to pick it up, she noticed a corner of an A4 sheet sticking out from Flora¡¯s desk. It stood out among the neatly arranged books. Frowning, Selene pulled out the A4 sheet. The words ¡°Speech Draft¡± caught her eye. Unsurprisingly, ss Z took first ce. Flora and all the team members went up for a photo op with their award. Selene, having returned to the ssroom, was not present. After receiving the award, Keaton excitedly led the students back to their room. As they entered, a book was hurled their way, specifically at Flora. Flora dodged, and the corner of the book hit a male ssmate behind her in the stomach. The boy cried out in pain. ¡°Selene, what are you doing!¡± Selene¡¯s gaze was dark and fixated on Flora, filled with zing anger. Keaton thought Selene was upset about his decision to have Flora speak at thepetition. He quickly said, ¡°Selene, I hope you understand that we are a team, and in all matters, the team¡¯s interestes first.¡± ¡°I chose Flora over you because her Spanish has always been excellent, and she has a photographic memory. She did not disappoint us, securing the first ce for our ss.¡± Keaton earnestly exined, hoping to avoid any discord among the students. However, after he finished, Selene let out a coldugh. ¡°Mr. Keaton, perhaps you should be speaking to Flora. Don¡¯t you find it odd that the speech draft went missing right before the competition was about to start?¡± ¡°Flora, do you have the guts to tell everyone what you¡¯ve done!* Selene used, while Flora looked back, bewildered and confused. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 ¡°What on earth are you raving about?¡± Flora was genuinely puzzled by the confrontation. ¡°Selene, could there be some misunderstanding here?¡± Kaylee was also a bit bewildered. She couldn¡¯t grasp how Selene¡¯s animosity. towards Flors had deepened so suddenly Seeing Flora still putting on an innocent, out for everyone to see. unaware act, Seleneughed in disbelief. She unfolded the Ad paper she held and spread it ¡°This is the speech script. I had it in my jacket pocket all along, and then it suddenly disappeared, only to be found in Flora¡¯s desk, If not Flora, who else could have hidden it?¡± ¡°Selene, you¡¯ve really got it wrong!¡± Kaylee hurriedly said, ¡°Flora would never do such a thing!¡± ¡°Yeah, why would Flora hide the speech script?¡± Dane chimed in. He felt Selene was being unreasonable. Although he didn¡¯t know how the speech script ended up in Flora¡¯s desk, there was absolutely no reason for Flora to have hidden it. ¡°Selene, there must be a mistake somewhere. Flora couldn¡¯t have possibly hidden the speech script, Mr. Keaton, the ss advisor, stated solemnly. ¡°The speechpetition has already been sessfullypleted. Let¡¯s put this matter behind us. Everyone, take your seats and get back to studying.¡± ¡°How could it not be her?¡± The evidence was right there, but they still defended Flora, which infuriated Selene even more. by heart on purpose, then hid it, all to steal the show on the day of the speech. And she seeded, ¡°She memorized the speech script by didn¡¯t she?¡± Selene raised her voice. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t premeditated, how could a repeat student like her memorize the entire speech script? She doesn¡¯t even recognize the words!¡± Selene¡¯s statement left the students with subtly changing expressions. Mr. Keaton coughed lightly, ¡°Selene, you might not be aware since you¡¯re new here, but Flora¡¯s Spanish has always been perfect.¡± Selene was taken aback. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Exactly! Besides, Flora has a photographic memory. She can remember anything she¡¯s read verbatim, without needing to intentionally memorize it.¡± Selene¡¯s eyes widened, disbelieving. ¡°Selene, actually, Flora was the one who edited the speech script for me¡­¡± Kaylee spoke up softly, ¡°So, she really had no reason to hide the speech script.¡± Selene was even more shocked. Flora wrote the speech script! The Flora described by her ssmates was entirely different from the Flora Yvonne had talked about. She looked at Flora, ¡°Then exin why the speech script was in your desk!¡± ¡°Why should I exin something I didn¡¯t do?¡± Tired of the pestering, Flora retorted, ¡°If you want to know who hid the speech script check the surveince yourself. Then, she stepped past Selene and walked briskly to her seat The students in ss Z also sat down quickly, feeling awkward. *Selene, checking the surveince isn¡¯t necessary, is it?¡± May, who hadn¡¯t moved, looked at Selene, who was still standing there, and dryly said, ¡°It¡¯s obvious Flora did it, but everyones covering for her. Let¡¯s just let it go.¡± May was panicking internally. She had forgotten about the surveince in the ssroom Selene suddenly stared at her sharply. ¡°Why are you so nervous?¡± I¡¯m not¡­ Selene ignored her and looked towards Flora, who was sitting calmly at the back of the ss. Narrowing her eyes, she tumed and headed towards the surveince room. The self¨Cstudy period ended, and Selene hadn¡¯t returned. Chapter 189 Chapter 189 ¡°Selene really doesn¡¯t know when to quit.¡± Dane and Flora whispered among themselves, ¡°Flora, who do you think slipped that thing into your desk?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Flora replied nonchntly, her gaze drifting towards May. May¡¯s hand, holding a pen, was trembling. Twenty minutester, Selene retumed. She didn¡¯t even enter the ssroom but leaned against the door. Her gaze was icy, sharp as a de as itnded on May in the center of the room. Her voice was cold. ¡°Maye out¡± ss Z was usually quiet during the study period, and this call, stark and unexpected, felt like a heavy stone smashing directly into her chest. May¡¯s grip on the ballpoint pen turned increasingly pale as she stood up and walked out. *Selene, L Her guilty plea was cut short as Selene mmed several stacks of papers onto her. Printed on the papers were images clearly showing her slipping the speech into Flora¡¯s desk Fury zed in Selene¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve, using me like a pawn.¡± May knew she couldn¡¯t argue her way out. Her voice softened as she pleaded with Selene, hoping she wouldn¡¯t make a big deal out of it. ¡°Selene, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I just got carried away, that¡¯s why_¡± ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®carried away¡® A mistake is a mistake.¡± Selene¡¯s voice carried a chill. ¡°I¡¯ve never been embarrassed like this before in my life.¡± Watching May¡¯s pale face, she continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you around anymore. Leave Westbrook High School voluntarily, and I won¡¯t pursue this matter further¡± May, pale¨Cfaced, begged desperately, ¡°Selene, please give me another chance. I know I made a mistake¡­ The finals areing up. I can¡¯t just transfer schools, and my family isn¡¯t well off. If I leave Westbrook, I¡¯ll have nowhere to go.¡± ¡°You should have thought about the consequences before acting.¡± Selene interrupted impatiently. ¡°May, this isn¡¯t up for discussion. You should know I have the power to erase you from Westbrook High School forever. I¡¯m giving you a chance to leave on your own terms, which is more than you deserve.¡± Then, Selene turned and strode into ss Z May covered her mouth, tears of regret streaming down her face. May transferred out of ss Z. Though Selene didn¡¯t specify, everyone guessed that May was the one who had hidden the speech, and Selene forced her departure from Westbrook. People in ss Z thought Selene had gone too far, yet they also grew more wary of her Indeed, she was from Maple Grove and was able to ruin someone with just a word. Flora felt indifferent. She believed May had brought this upon herself. If May chose to do wrong, she had to be prepared for the consequences. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. On Friday, after a week of sses, Flora came home to find Raul had prepared a feast of her favorite dishes. Raul had left work early, postponing a major project to shop for groceries and cook himself. He did not let the housekeeper, Lauren, lift a finger. During dinner, Raul and Henrik casually mentioned attending Josiah¡¯s nieth birthday hosted by the Bryant family. Flora had some recollection of the Bryant family. For three generations, the Bryants had been distinguished in military and political circles. In his youth, Josiah had participated in wars, and earned significant honors. Though the Bryant family wasn¡¯t the most prominent, their deep rootsmanded respect among many elite circles. Forming ties with such a family would be greatly beneficial for the Irving family¡¯s future Flora, are you interested in going with us? Henrik asked when he noticed her interest ¡°Yes!¡± Flora nodded eagerly. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Given the task of selecting a birthday present, Flora took on the significant responsibility with gusto. Raul and Henrik felt it was a good idea to let Flora prepare, seeing it as an opportunity for her to eventually stand on her own two feet If Flora¡¯s gift wasn¡¯t suitable, they had backup gifts ready. ¡°Mr. Josiah has a keen interest in antiques. You might want to consider selecting some emerald pieces or paintings, Henrik advised. Sticking to these options was a surefire way to avoid mistakes. Early the next day, Flora got up, quickly got ready, and set out to pick a gift for Josiah. She didn¡¯t head to the financial district but ventured into the alleys of some old towns instead. Her brother had mentioned that Josiah was interested in antiques, which were not found in the financial district¡¯s mainstream shopping areas. The more hidden the ce, the better the quality of antiques. After browsing for a while, Flora entered an emerald shop that looked a bit worn down. The shopkeeper, sleeping behind the counter, perked up at the sight of a customer. ¡°Wee! We have all kinds of genuine emerald pieces. What are you looking for?¡± A quick nce told Flora that the shop sold both genuine and fake items, amon practice among most emerald shops. Without pointing this out, Flora noticed that despite some fakes, the genuine items were of good quality. There were indeed some treasures to be found ¡°Let me see that one,¡± Flora pointed to a painting. It was perfect as a birthday gift for an elder. The shopkeeper, all smiles, handed it over, ¡°You¡¯ve got a great eye! This is a masterpiece from the Renaissance period, priceless!¡± Flora ignored the shopkeeper¡¯s exaggeration. While the painting was indeed from the Renaissance era, it wasn¡¯t as valuable as he imed. ¡°How much for this?¡± The shopkeeper eyed Flora, assurning she was an easy mark. ¡°For you, just fifty thousand!¡± Flora chuckled. Fifty thousand¡­ The shopkeeper must have thought she was born yesterday. ¡°Selene! Look at that painting. It¡¯s quite nice! I think Josiah would love it!¡± A familiar voice rang out from behind Flora, making her feel as if it was a small world after all, Yvonne, arm in arm with Selene, walked in. Upon seeing Flora, her expression darkened. ¡°It¡¯s you again!¡± Flora was equally exasperated, wanting to echo the sentiment. ¡°Do the three of you know each other? Even better!¡± The shopkeeper, oblivious to the tension, assumed they were friends. ¡°This youngdy has excellent taste. She chose this Renaissance painting first. What can I get for the two of you?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take the painting!¡± Yvonne dered, giving Flora a challenging look and hugging the painting to her chest. She wouldn¡¯t let Flora get what she wanted. ¡°But¡­ The shopkeeper hesitated, ncing at Flora. ¡°She was interested first¡­ He ran his business with principles. ¡°Whatever she¡¯s offering, I¡¯ll double it!¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let her have it then. I wasn¡¯t that keen on it, Flora said, turning her attention elsewhere. Her eyes settled on an emerald pendant, her gaze sharpening. It¡¯s a high¨Cquality piece of warm emerald, perfect for wearing close to the skin to aid sleep and prolong life¨Ca truly nurturing stone. ¡°Could I take a look at this emerald pendant? Hearing Flora¡¯s interest in the pendant, the shopkeeper took another look at her. From the moment she walked in, her choices had been impable. It seemed he had underestimated her, mistaking her youth for inexperience when she was, in fact, quite the connoisseur Chapter 191 Chapter 191 People with a passion for antiques naturally felt a sense of kinship towards those who appreciated their value. The shopkeeper, delighted, took out the emerald pendant and handed it to Flora. Holding the pendant in her hand, Floro felt waves of warmth seeping into her skin as if it could erase all fatigue. Truly a fine piece of emerald. ¡°Shopkeeper, I was wondering. Just as Flora was about to inquire about the price, she heard Yvonne dere, ¡°We¡¯ll take this emerald pendant!¡± Flora frowned. Yvonne¡¯s continuous provocations were bing imitating. Selene was also losing her patience. Yvonne¡¯s childish tactics were simply beneath her. Seeing Flora¡¯s displeased expression, Yvonne felt even more thrilled. After all, with her wealth, she enjoyed thwarting Flora¡¯s desires. Flora eyed her, squinting. ¡°Yvonne, are you doing this on purpose?¡± ¡°So what if I am?¡± Yvonne wore a smug expression. Flora licked her teeth and remained silent. She didn¡¯t dwell on the pendant and instead turned her attention to other items. Flora: ¡°Let me have a look at that vase¡­¡± Yvonne: ¡°Shopkeeper! Well take that one!¡± Flora: ¡°That bracelet looks pretty good too. Yvonne: ¡°Shopkeeper, well also take the bracelet!¡± Yvonne was willing to pay double the price for anything Flora showed interest in Initially, the shopkeeper was unimpressed by Yvonne¡¯s behavior, but his smile grew wider as time went on. He was more convinced of Flora¡¯s expertise. The items she pretended to be interested inter were all fakes or of infenor quality. She was intentionally misleading Yvonne. Given his disdain for Yvonne, the shopkeeper was pleased with Flora¡¯s actions. Not only had she tricked Yvonne, but she also helped him sell a bunch of unseble items. ¡°Enough! No more!¡± Selene realized Yvonne had almost maxed out her card and finally couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. She grabbed Yvonne. ¡°Have you had your fun? We came here to choose a gift for Josiah, Look at what you¡¯ve bought!¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Although Selene wasn¡¯t knowledgeable about antiques, she came from a distinguished family and had seen numerous valuable items. She could tell that the quality of the emerald pieces was mediocre. Yvonne had overpaid for these items, making her a big sucker. Only then did Yvonne realize how much she had bought. The five million from her dad, plus the three million she already had on her card, were almost all gone¡­. Flora looked at her with a smile. ¡°Oh, Miss Yvonne, you¡¯re running out of money, are you?¡± Yvonne snorted coldly. The Brimer family is the second most prominent in Cedarvale, but the Irvings are just a minor family. If you didn¡¯t shameless hook up with Connor, the Irvings would have been outcast long ago!¡± ¡°The wild tales and scandals of Wafr are still all over the inte. The Irvings maintain our integrity, something you can¡¯tpare to¡­¡± ¡°You!¡± Yvonne was so angry she wanted tosh out, but Flora calmly ced a counterfeit vase in her arms. ¡°Here you go. You just bought this for six hundred thousand.¡± After speaking, Flora looked towards an emerald pendant in the innermost disy case. ¡°Sit please take that out and wrap it up for mo.¡± She had her eye on this pendant from the start. Although its quality wasn¡¯t as good as the first one, she realized that with proper care, it would be more nurturing than the previops pendant Upon receiving the pendant, joy was unmistakable in Flora¡¯s eyes. Yvonne suddenly had an epiphany, realizing Flora had yed her. What she truly wanted was this pendant, while all those previous items were just to deceive her into buying! Just then, a couple walked in and couldn¡¯t help butugh upon seeing the pile of items in Yvonne¡¯s arms. Chapter 192 Chapter 192 ¡°What a sucker! She picked out the fakes and the rejects.¡± Tve been into antiques for over a decade, and I¡¯ve never seen anyons so foolish. Even a three year¨Cold wouldn¡¯t end up with all fakes and rejects.¡± Their voices were delibemtely kept low, but Yvonne still heard them. Her face suddenly turned ugly, and she stared daggers at Flora. ¡°Flora, you yed me!¡± ¡°Only just figured that out?¡± Flora couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You-¡± Yvonne was livid, raising her hand to strike Flora, forgetting she was holding a bunch of stuff in her arms. As she let go, everything crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces. Yvonne felt her heart bleeding. Eight million, just gone like that¡­. The culprit, Flora, had already left, striding confidently away. On the day of the banquet. The Bryant family was universally respected, and at Josiah¡¯s birthday banquet, almost every notable person in Cedarvale was present Outside the vi, expensive cars came and went. Inside, the hall was filled with elegant dresses and fine wines, with guests mingling everywhere Flora wore a pale blue knee¨Clength dress, dignified and elegant, with brown hair cascading over her shoulders, curling slightly at the ends, adding a touch of yfulness. Her lightly made¨Cup face under the lights made her skin look almost translucent, stunningly beautiful She captivated everyone¡¯s attention. Raul and Henrik also wore suits in a simr shade, and the three of them immediately became the center of attention upon their arrival. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Among the guests were several eligible bachelors who, upon seeing Flora walk in, couldn¡¯t hide their admiration. In aer, Yvonne shyly covered her face with her hand, giggling demurely ¡°You¡¯re quite theedian, I enjoy traveling as well; we should go together sometime¡­¡± Yvonne spoke, her voice tinged with shyness However, the man who had been eagerly chatting with her a moment ago was now distractedly looking towards the door soon excusing himself in a hurry. ¡°Miss Yvonne, I¡¯ve got something to attend to, Please excuse me.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡­¡± Yvonne was taken aback. He had just said he waspletely free today and that his only task was to stay by her side! The man hurried off, then stopped to straighten his outfit before picking up a new ss of wine and approaching a girl in a light blue dress Recognizing the girl, Yvonne¡¯s eyes widened, filled with hatred. Flora was here, too! ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Selene asked, approaching with a ss of red wine and noticing Yvonne¡¯s unusual demeanor She found these types of gatherings quite boring, but Josiah had once been kind to the Brimer family. Her grandfather had specifically asked her to attend the banquet. ¡°Selene, that bitch Flora is here!¡± Yvonne said angrily, her eyes zing with fury. Selene nced in the direction Yvonne had been looking and, indeed, saw Flora in her gown. Remembering the incident with the speech and the antique shop, she frowned slightly and then looked away. ¡°Don¡¯t provoke her, you¡¯re no match for her.¡± ¡°Selene, how can even you be afraid of her!¡± Selene¡¯s expression darkened. Selene was hailed as a prodigy doctor and pampered since childhood. Would she be afraid of Flora? Impossible. Sensing Selene¡¯s displeasure, Yvonne realized she had misspoken and quickly fell silent, not daring to say more. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Kelvin, who was Josiah¡¯s only son, humed over to greet the Irving family. Though over fifty, he radiated vitality, with clear eyes that marked him as a good soul. ¡°Hi, Mr Kelvin.¡± Flora and Henrik greeted him with a polite nod. ¡°Ah, you must be Flom?¡± Kelvin smiled and sald, ¡°Last time I saw you, you were just a little girl, and now you¡¯ve grown into a graceful youngdy.¡± Flora smiled shyly Kelvin exchanged pleasantries for a moment, but as more guests arrived, he excused himself to attend to them. Flora was not adept at handling such social situations. She exchanged greetings with Raul and Henrik before wandering off toward the back garden The crowd thinned as she walked toward the garden. A butler¨Clike figure appeared, blocking Flora¡¯s path. ¡°Dear guest, please head to the front hall for the banquet. The back is off¨Climits.¡± Each family had its forbidden areas, and upon hearing this, Flora immediately stopped. She nodded slightly, ¡°My apologies.¡± The butler smiled warmly at her. As Flora tumed to go back, she heard some rustling in the bushes nearby. Curious, Flora frowned and walked toward the sound, only to find an elderly man, seemingly in his seventies, lying on the ground, convulsing as if in great difort. Flora quickened her pace and crouched beside the old man, ¡°Sir?¡± Flora called out twice. The man¡¯s clouded eyes slowly focused, and his wrinkled hand clutched at Flora¡¯s arm, seeing her as a lifeline. Flora quickly checked the old man and diagnosed an acute stroke. Had she not been there, the old man would likely have died. Flora stabilized the old man¡¯s condition as well as she could without tools. Alone, it was difficult to provide further help. The old man was no longer in immediate danger, so Flora hurried off to call for help. As she left, a figure in red appeared, Selene looked around. She had heard some noise and rushed over ¡°Ha¡­ Ha¡­¡± A weak, breathless voice reached her and Selene looked toward the source. ¡°Grandpa Josiah!¡± she eximed upon seeing the old man in the bushes. The old man was none other than the guest of honor at today¡¯s banquet, Josiah. Selene hurried over to check on him. His condition was grave, but it seemed someone had already administered first aid. Without that, Josiah might not havested until her arrival. Josiah was no longer in danger but was very weak. To ease his difort, Selene took a medical kit from her pocket. The silver needles gleamed in the sunlight. Selene had learned the art of alternative medicine, a practice many had looked down upon, including her own family. But she was determined to master it. Through hard work, she had earned respect for alternative medicine. Selene used the silver needles to target several crucial points on Josiah, stabilizing his condition and alleviating his pain. Just then, a group of people led by Kelvin rar over. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Kelvin couldn¡¯t find Josiah in his room, so he checked the security footage and learned that Josiah hade this way. Seeing Josiah weakly lying on the ground, Kelvin¡¯s face turned pale with fright ¡°Selene, what happened?¡± The Bryant family and the Brimer family from Maple Grove had been friends for generations and had frequent Interactions. Kelvin was also very familiar with Selene. ¡°Grandpa Josiah had a sudden stroke, but fortunately, he received timely treatment and is now alright,¡± Selene reassured. Kelvin¡¯s heart, which had risen to his throat, finally rxed a bit. Despite her young age, Selene¡¯s medical skills were not to be underestimated. Still, he remained concerned and had Josiah helped back to his room. He called the family doctor. Only when the doctor confirmed that Josiah was fine did Kelvin truly feel relieved. ¡°Selene, we owe you a great deal this time.¡± Kelvin expressed his gratitude. ¡°The doctor said Josiah was lucky to have received immediate treatment; otherwise, it could have been much worse.¡± Thinking back, Kelvin was still frightened. Selene had medical knowledge, and when they found Josiah, Selene was treating him. Naturally, they believed that it was Selene who had treated Josiah. Selene frowned. Although she had treated Josiah, she wasn¡¯t the one who had brought him back from the brink of death. ¡°Kelvin, you might be mistaken¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Josiah started coughing on the bed. ¡°Cough, cough, cough!¡± Kelvin hurried to attend to Josiah and then asked a servant to lead Selene to the living room. ¡°Selene, you saved him. I will remember this kindness. It¡¯s too chaotic up here; why don¡¯t you go downstairs for a while.¡± The news of Josiah¡¯s sudden stroke and how Selene miraculously cured him had already spread. Praises for Selene could be heard everywhere. Yvonne saw Seleneing down from upstairs and excitedly took her by the hand. ¡°Selene! You¡¯re incredible, do you know that? You¡¯re famous now!¡± ¡°What?¡± Selene didn¡¯t quite understand ¡°Selene, stop pretending. It¡¯s all over the ce; you saved Grandpa Josiah, and now everyone is calling you a miracle doctor!¡± Yvonne thought that after saying this, Selene would be very happy, as who didn¡¯t like to be praised? However, Selene not only didn¡¯t show any signs of happiness, but her expression also seemed somewhat grim. She listened to the conversations around her. Everyone was saying, ¡®Genius physician, Selene She bit her lip and tumed to Yvonne, saying, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me,¡± ¡°Selene, what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I mean, the one who saved Grandpa Josiah wasn¡¯t me.¡± Selene wouldn¡¯t im the credit of others. All her honors were earned by herself. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°It was not you? Then who was it?¡± Yvonne was taken aback as well. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That person¡¯s medical skills are even beyond mine. I¡¯d like to know who she is.¡± ¡°Who cares! Anyway, now everyone thinks it was you who saved Grandpa Josiah. Even Kelvin believes sol From now on, the Bryant family owes you a big favor. Isn¡¯t that good?? Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Yvonne felt indifferent and even thought that Selene was quite lucky. Even though she wasn¡¯t the one who saved the day, everyone believed it was her, and she got to reap all the benefits. A flicker of displeasure crossed Selene¡¯s eyes. She found herself disliking Yvonne more and more. With nomon ground in their conversation, Selene walked away to a secludeder to be alone. ¡°Ugh, what a poser!¡± Yvonne couldn¡¯t stand her superior attitude. So what if she was talented and considered a prodigy? Yvonne was once hailed as a prodigy in the fashion design world, but it was all because of Flors that she was knocked off her pedestal. As she thought of this, anger welled up in Yvonne again, and she scanned the living room. She spotted Flora sitting on a small sofa, delicately eating a dessert. A man stood in front of her, seemingly flirting with her. Yvonne recognized the man. He was the fianc¨¦ of a friend from her circle. Her friend was known for her fiery temper. Anyone who dared flirt with her fianc¨¦ would face her wrath. Seizing the opportunity, Yvonne walked over to her friend. Flora was lounging on the sofa, appearing somewhatzy. When she returned to the backyard, the old man was nowhere to be found. Later, she learned that Josiah had suffered a stroke in the backyard. Thankfully, Selene was there to administer first aid, saving his life. Flora realized the elderly man was Josiah. But now, she didn¡¯t receive credit for saving him. Instead, Selene had received the credit. However, Flora didn¡¯t care for false honors. She was just relieved the old man was alright As she was thinking this, a shadow fell over her. She saw a rather handsome man. The man¡¯s cheeks turned a shade of red, looking somewhat shy and awkward. ¡°Hello, Ms. Flora, I¡¯m Casey, Ive been watching you since you arrived. Your every smile and gesture has captivated me. I was wondering if I might have the honor of adding you on social media.¡± Flora felt goosebumps at his words. She was about to decline sternly when a woman rushed over and began hitting the man! ¡°Casey! Have you no shame? I look away for one moment, and you¡¯re hitting on another woman?¡± ¡°Let me go! It¡¯s none of your business who I talk to! If it weren¡¯t for our mothers, I wouldn¡¯t have even agreed to this engagement!¡± Hearing this, the woman grew even angrier gripping Casey¡¯s ear as if she intended to tear it off. Eventually, feeling pity for her fianc¨¦, she stopped and kicked him away, then turned her unfriendly gaze onto Flora¡¯s stunning face. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°You little homewrecker, of all the people you could flirt with, you chose my fianc¨¦! You¡¯re not even that old. Why are you acting so slutty!¡± Themotion quickly drew everyone¡¯s attention, especially since Flora was the center of attention earlier. Seeing Flora in trouble, Raul and Henrik quickly made their way to her Chapter 196 Chapter 196 ¡°Flora, what¡¯s happened?¡± Raul and Henrik positioned themselves protectively in front of Flora, asking in hushed tones. ¡°Oh, I was wondering who it was. Turns out it¡¯s the Irving family¡¯s failure, Flora.¡± Upon seeing Raul and Henrik, the woman immediately. recognized Flora¡¯s identity. She sneered, ¡°Mr. Raul, you sure have raised an interesting daughter, one who specifically targets others fianc¨¦s.¡± Her background was much more formidable than the Irving family¡¯s, so she didn¡¯t take Raul and Henrik seriously. Knowing that Flora was of a lesser status, she felt even more emboldened to insult her. ¡°Ms. Millie, please watch your words!¡± Hennik¡¯s handsome face darkened with anger. ¡°If someone can¡¯t keep their fianc¨¦ in line, they should look at themselves, not nder other women.¡± Flora silently gave Henrik a thumbs up. Her brother was so cool! Millie was left speechless. She also felt that quarreling in front of so many people was embarrassing. She red at Flora resentfully and walked away, not willing to let it go. No one took the incident to heart, considering it was just a minor squabble between young women. ¡°Flora, be careful. If anything feels wrong,e find us immediately.¡± Henrik couldn¡¯t help but express his concern for Flora. Raul also looked worried. They were concerned about Flora attending such arge party for the first time and possibly being bullied. Millie¡¯s earlier usation was a prime example. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Flora smiled. Im not the one being bullied here. They can¡¯t bully me.¡± Just then, two girls approached and warmly took Flora¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re Flora, right? We¡¯ve heard about you, and you¡¯re even prettier in person than in photos!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind what happened just now. Millie is always like that.¡± ¡°It must be boring for you here. Come outside with us.¡± The two girls were a bit too forward. Flora felt ufortable being pulled by them but still followed. Otherwise, her dad and brother would keep worrying about her. The girls led Flora to the doors leading outside. There was arge swimming pool. The doors were soundproof, and once closed, the noise from the living room was almost entirely blocked out. The two girls, who had been clinging to Flora¡¯s arms, suddenly changed their demeanor. Their hands gripped her arms tightly. Behind her, a gust of wind carrying the heavy scent of perfume approached. It was Millie, looking for a chance to retaliate after being humiliated in public. She raised her foot, aiming to kick Flora into the pool. Despite being restrained by the two girls, Flora suddenly broke free, stepping on their thighs and leaping into the air with a perfect spin! Her foot connected with Millie¡¯s back. Millie was in pain and fell into the water with a ssh. Flora also managed to kick the two girls, who had grabbed her, into the pool. After dealing with them, she leisurely turned around to face two other girls who were holding sticks, now frozen in shock. They were clearly in cahoots with Millie, and were even holding thick sticks. Flora clicked her tongue. These girls were quit¨¦ vicious. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Chapter 197 Chapter 197 She took a step forward, moving towards them. Upon seeing her approach, the two girls were so frightened their legs trembled. They were unable to run away. It was as if their legs) were nailed to the ground. However, Flora was always one to show mercy. Since the two girls hadn¡¯t caused her any real harm, she decided not to pursue the matter further. She walked up to them, her tone surprisingly amiable, almost negotiating. ¡°Lend me that stick you¡¯re holding.¡± The girls were already scared stiff, not daring to move an inch. Flora simply took the stick from their hands and turned around, leisurely watching the three drenched figures struggling in the water. Whenever one of the three was about toe out of the pool, she¡¯d give a swing of the stick. She always controlled her strength, only intending to cause pain, not injury Flora squatted down, tapping the stick in her right hand against her left palm. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Far from the haughty airs they held in the living room, Millie floundered in the water ke drowned rats. Flora watched her with a smile. ¡°Honey, men are jerks, especially the ying types. They deserve a good kick.¡± ¡°Look at you, pretty and from a good family. Why put all your eggs in one basket? That man is not worth your time. ¡°Ladies, why do we make it hard for each other? We¡¯re already at a disadvantage. When we¡¯re faced with a jerk, we should band together, not turn on each other.¡± Still smiling, Flora continued, ¡°Let¡¯s call it even today. But if you bother me again, I won¡¯t be so kind.¡± After saying this, Flora kindly helped Millie up before turning to leave. Millie couldn¡¯t swallow her pride. She watched Flora¡¯s retreating figure and charged at her, trying to catch her! Just as she was about to touch Flora, Flora deftly sidestepped, but unfortunately, Flora stepped on the stick on the ground and stumbled backward. Flora quickly steadied herself, trying not to look too bad even if she fell. But then, her back bumped into a wall of muscle. The man wrapped his arms tightly around her. The familiar scent of mint enveloped her, and Flora turned to see Connor¡¯s tense jaw. ¡°Connor!¡± Flora eximed joyfully. ser to se see themotion The doors burst open, and a crowd poured out. There were Raul, Henrik, and a bunch of guests eager The girls, dressed scantily for the sake of appearance, were now almost fully exposed after getting soaked. The colors of their undergarments were painfully apparent. Some of the younger men couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard before gentlemanly averting their gazes. Millie¡¯s father quickly took off his suit jacket and draped it over her ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s all Flora¡¯s fault!¡± Millie sobbed, ¡°She pushed me and my friends into the pool and hit us with a stick! Daddy, you must seek Justice for your daughter!¡± Her father always doted on her, so Millie thought she would surely persuade him to punish Flora with her tears. After all, the Irving family was of no significant standing and was unworthy of fear. However, after hearing her story, her father shouted, ¡°Shut up!¡± Walker was beside himself with rage. Of all the people Millie could have provoked, she had to mess with Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 The shouting left Millin speechless. She stared nkly at her father as he stood up and walked towards Flors. More urately, he walked towards Connor, who was beside Flora ¡°Mr. Connor, I apologize for my child¡¯sck of discipline the caused trouble with your fianc¨¦e. I will ensure stricter guidance at home! Mr. Walker said with a forced smile, his words dripping with respect. ¡°Ms. Flor, your generosity is vast. Please don¡¯t hold it against her Millie watched in disbelief as her father groveled, knowing well that the Irving family was but a minor n. It wasn¡¯t the Irving family hel feared. It appeared to be the man standing by Flora¡¯s side. Recalling her father¡¯s address to the man, her heart skipped a boat! The only person her father would call Mr. Connor was the one from the Stonnall family- N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Connor Stonnell! Millie¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Flora was actually Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦el ¡°What are you standing around for? Come here and apologize to Ms. Floral Mr. Walker chided, noticing Flora¡¯s silence and turning his reprimand towards his daughter, Sweat broke out on Millie¡¯s forehead. Who would have thought that the notorious Flora would be Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e¡­ She couldn¡¯t muster the will to refuse, especially under her father¡¯s stern gaze. ¡°Ms. Flora, it¡¯s my fault earlier. I¡¯m sorry!¡± Although she despised Flora, she wasn¡¯t foolish. The Stonnell family was not one to be trifled with ¡°Connor, did you hear what she just said?¡± Flora turned, feigning innocence as she looked at Connor. A sly glint passed through her eyes. With someone to back her, naturally, she would seize the opportunity to unt her power. Connor¡¯s lips curled up slightly, ying along. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Millie stared daggers at Flora, nearly spitting fire. It was clear Flora was deliberately humiliating her! Under her father¡¯s urging and the curious gazes of the onlookers, Millie took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Ms. Flora, I apologize for my rudeness earlier. You are a kind person. Please forgive me¡± Flora wasn¡¯t really out to get her. There was no deep hatred between them. She had already taught them a lesson. Connor¡¯s gaze had been fixed on her the entire time, and at her suggestion, they left. He nodded, ¡°Remember what I told you earlier, or you¡¯ll be at a loss, Flora wamed, turning back to Millie as they walked away. Obsessing over a worthless man to the point of losing oneself would indeed lead to a great loss, just like her past self. Hearing Flora¡¯s words, Millie remembered being pushed under the water by Flora and felt it was a taunt. Her eyes reddened with anger as she red at Flora. ¡°Connor, what brings you here?¡± Flora asked, linking arms with Connor as they walked. ¡®The Bryant and Stonnell families have some connections. It was Grandpa Josiah¡¯s big celebration, and my mother asked me toe.¡± Flora knew Connor¡¯s mother had remarried and lived in the States. Sheter had twins with his stepfather. Since his mother¡¯s remarriage, Connor had had little to do with her. Theirst meeting was when he went abroad to get treatment for his legs. ¡°Flora, you really are a ma for trouble. There¡¯s always something happening where you are,¡± a teasing voice suddenly interjected. Flora turned to see Ray dressed in a sapphire blue suit. ¡°Can¡¯t help it. I¡¯ve got a very doting fianc¨¦!¡± Flora retorted, tilting her chin up. ¡°Not like some people, who will forever be a bachelor!¡± Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Ray muttered dismissively, ¡°Just do what you want.¡± He ignored her further and began to scan the crowd for Aisha¡¯s figure. He had never expected Aisha to attend the g. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Ever since the Green family¡¯s downfall, Aisha had locked herself away In her room, hardly ever going out. Seeing her finally taking that step forward made Ray Incredibly happy Watching Aisha weaving through the crowd, it was as if the once proud Indy of the Green family had returned. Connor rarely attended these functions, and many who wished to make his acquaintance never had the chance. Now that he was here, everyone was trying to strike up a conversation with him, which inadvertently elevated Flord¡¯s status as well. The crowd almost lifted Flom to the skies with their praises, Flora was left speechless by theirpliments. They dubbed her as gentle and generous, dignified and prudent¨Cshe began to question if they were even talking about her. Connor, noticing her difort with the situation, took her to a secluded spot to sit down. He had Moss stand guard ahead of them, tuming away anyone looking towork, keeping the area exclusive to them, He then sent Beck to fetch an assortment of pastries for Flora to enjoy. After a while, Kelvin, supporting Josiah, who was dressed in a birthday suit, slowly descended the stairs, apologizing to the guests, ¡°Sorry to keep everyone waiting.¡± Josiah, however, was excitedly gripping Kelvin¡¯s hand, asking. ¡°Where¡¯s the youngdy who saved me? Where is she?¡± Kelvin supported Josiah, careful not to let him get too excited and risk a fall. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she hasn¡¯t gone far.¡± Kelvin looked around, didn¡¯t see Selene, and quietly instructed a servant to bring her over. Soon, the servant led Selene back to them. Kelvin watched Selene fondly and introduced her to Josiah, ¡°Dad, this youngdy here saved you. Her name is Selene, and she¡¯s the most talented of the younger generation of the Brimer family from Maple Grove. Despite her young age, her medical skills surpass many seasoned doctors.¡± Josiah¡¯s gaze fell on Selene, but he frowned slightly. Although his consciousness was blurry at the time, he had some recollection of the girl who saved him. He remembered the girl wore blue and carried the particrly pleasant scent of gardenias. But the youngdy in front of him was dressed in red, which seemed¡­different from his memory. The guests had already heard about Selene saving Josiah. With Kelvin¡¯s high regard for Selene, they all started praising her collectively. ¡°She¡¯s truly a force to be reckoned with. Such remarkable medical skills at such a young age. Her future achievements will be extraordinary. ¡°Miss Selene is so aplished at such a young age, unlike my good¨Cfor¨Cnothing, who does nothing but squander our wealth.¡± Not far away, Connor, Flora, Ray, and Aisha stood together ¡°I heard Grandpa Josiah had a sudden stroke and nearly lost his life. It was Selene who appeared in time to save him.¡± Ray squinted at Selene, the center of attention. ¡°It¡¯s been years, and Selene¡¯s medical skills seem to have improved significantly.¡± He disliked the Brimer family from Maple Grove and Selene even less, but he couldn¡¯t deny that her medical skills were indeed impressive. ¡°I heard Selene is set on joining Club 257, and if she passes the review period this year, shell be an official member¡± Ray clicked his tongue, his tone unreadable, ¡°The head of the Brimer family must be over the moon.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t make it this year¡± Ray¡¯s statement was barely finished when Flora added he Chapter 200 Chapter 200 In a candid assessment, Flora acknowledged Selene¡¯s talent as quite impressive. Yet, after spending some time with her, she concluded Selene still had a lot to leam about humility and grace. ¡°Two more years of polishing are needed,¡± she thought. ¡°Flora, what are you babbling about? Do you even know what Club 257 is? Roy shot Flora a sideways nce, her toneced with disdain Flora returned the look with equal contempt. ¡°Not only do I know about Club 257, but I also know someone else was Grandpa Josiah¡¯s real savior¡± ¡°And who might that be? Ray chuckled, amused by the clolm. With utmost seriousness, Flora stated, ¡°Me.¡± Ray burst intoughter, unable to keep hisposure. ¡°Connor, you better keep Flora in check. She¡¯s got a knack for spinning tales without batting an eye. Amidst the crowd, Selene listened to the guests¡®pliments with a stoic expression. The des felt undeserved. By her side, Yvonne seemed to pick up on Selene¡¯s hesitation and quickly whispered, ¡°Selene, what are you thinking? Everyone believes you saved Grandpa Josiah. If you deny it now, what will they think of you or of the Brimer family?¡± Selene didn¡¯t care much for her own image, but she couldn¡¯t bear bringing shame upon her family. Despite Yvonne¡¯s usual naivety, her words rang true this time. Selene wavered, her confession stuck in her throat, ultimately choosing silence. Josiah, meanwhile, searched the crowd for his rescuer, somehow feeling that the young woman before him wasn¡¯t the one. The search would have to wait until after the birthday celebration. After, it was time for the guests to show their appreciation. The Brimer family presented their gift. Paul stepped forward first. ¡°Grandpa Josiah, I¡¯ve heard about your fondness for antique art, I¡¯ve gone to great lengths to acquire this contemporary masterpiece, The Grand Landscape¡® by the elusive artist, Ethan.¡± As Paul finished, Wade and Yvonne hurried to unveil the artwork, revealing a breathtaking view of majestic mountains and rivers, evoking a sense of national pride and valor. Josiah was visibly moved. He was transported back to days of solidarity with hisrades in defense of their homnd. ¡°An original by Ethan!¡± he eximed, astonished. Ethan, known for his mystical approach to traditional Westemndscapes, had rebuffed numerous offers from national galleries, choosing to paint solely what pleased him and selling his works as he saw fit. His approval was not easily won, regardless of the price. Flora, too, was taken aback by the painting. She pushed through the crowd for a closer look, her brows knitting together in scrutiny. ¡°The Brimer family really pulled out all the stops to secure an Ethan original. Paul¡¯s gesture puts all our gifts to shame,mented one of the guests, unable to hide their envy. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It was purely by chance that I came across Ethan¡¯s work, Paul replied, barely concealifig his excitement. ¡°Recently, I saved an art enthusiast who, in gratitude, sold me this Ethan original for three million.¡± No sooner had Paul finished than a clear, female voice countered, ¡°You spent three million on a counterfeit? The Brimer family really does have money to burn.¡± ¡°Flora, what are you talking about?¡± Yvonne exploded, perceiving Flora¡¯s usation as a deliberate attempt to embarrass them. ¡°Flora, please, don¡¯t make a scene,¡± Raul interjected, trying to calm her down. ¡°Tm not making a scene, Flora insisted, her gaze fixed on the painting. In front of all the guests, she dered, ¡°This is indeed a fake.¡± Chapter 201 Chapter 201 The room went dead silent. The eager look in Grandpa Josiah¡¯s eyes started to fade away. ¡°Ms. Flora, what proof do you have to say this painting is a fake?¡± Paul asked, his eyes narrowing with a hint of hostility. It was clear that if Flora couldn¡¯t back up her im, Paul wasn¡¯t going to let her off the hook easily. The guests thought Flora was being ridiculous too. How could a young woman, who probably didn¡¯t even know the artist¡¯s name, tell if the painting was real or not? Out of respect for Flora being Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e, they only whispered amongst themselves, too polite to confront her directly. ¡°Ethan used a special material in his brush that would reveal a dark blue pattern on the back of the painting under light. If it doesn¡¯t show, it¡¯s a fake, Flora dered confidently. Everyone instinctively turned to look at the back of the painting. All they saw was in white, no dark blue pattem in sight. ¡°Who can prove that what you say is legit?¡± Yvonne snapped angrily. ¡°I could just as easily say there¡¯s no such thing as dark blue patterns.¡± Just then, an elderly man stepped forward from the crowd. Staring at the painting, he said in a deep voice, ¡°This youngdy is correct this is indeed a forgery. I once had the privilege of watching Ethan at work, and as she mentioned, the paint contained a special material that would reveal a dark blue pattern under strong light as an anti forgery measure.¡± The elder was a renowned expert in antique paintings and a distinguished professor at the university, known for his impable reputation. No one doubted his words. Suddenly, the expressions of those present changed. So, the painting was indeed a fake. The Brimer family¡¯s faces turned beet red. They had spent a fortune on a fake painting, and to present it to Grandpa Josiah in front of everyone was beyond humiliating! ¡°Ha ha ha, whether it¡¯s real or fake, the thought is what counts, Grandpa Josiah said, instructing for the painting to be put away. He didn¡¯t want the Brimmers to be too embarrassed at his birthday party It was a good thing someone had pointed out the forgery now Otherwise, if he hung it up or showed it off, only to have itter exposed as a fake, that would have been even more mortifying ¡°My dear, what¡¯s your name?¡± Grandpa Josiah asked Flors warmly, his eyes twinkling N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. For some reason, he felt an immediate sense of familiarity when he saw Flora. Her blue dress reminded him of someone who had once saved him. ¡°Hello, Grandpa Josiah I¡¯m Flora Flora replied, bowing politely ¡°Flora¡± Grandpa Josiah repeated her name, his eyes lingering on the hands Flora and Connor were holding ¡°So, you¡¯re Connor¡¯s fiancee?¡± Flora blushed slightly, while Connor nodded confidently Grandpa Josiahughed heartily. ¡°Connor, I thought you¡¯d never fall for a woman, but here you are, head over heels for this youngdy¡± ¡°My dear, tell me, thisd hasn¡¯t been giving you a hard time, has he? ¡°Grandpa Josiah, Flora was quite the star at school. Countless boys were smitten with her it¡¯s no wonder Connor fell for her Yvonne said sarcastically 1 wonder what the Irving family has brought as a birthday gift. It must be something very special ¡± Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Flora had managed to embarrass the Brimer family in front of everyone, and Yvonne just couldn¡¯t let it go. She wasn¡¯t one to back down without getting even. She¡¯d already tampered with the gift meant for the Irving family¡¯s celebration. As everyone¡¯s curious eyes watched, Raul had someone bring out the gift. The elegant box was opened, revealing an emerald pendant broken into two pieces. Silence fell over the room. All eyes were glued to the broken pendant. The emerald was clearly of high quality, a valuable item. But now, with a big crack down the middle, it was ruined. Emerald is known for its healing properties and spirituality, but a broken plece is seen as a bad omen. Grandpa Josiah, being a devout man, saw the broken emerald and his face darkened. ¡°Flora, what is the meaning of this? You sent Grandpa Josiah a broken emerald pendant!¡± Raul and Henrik exchanged worried nces, their brows furrowed. They instantly knew they¡¯d been set up. They had taken good care of the pendant, and even if it had been bumped around, it shouldn¡¯t have broken like this. This was clearly sabotage. Just then, Flora spoke up, ¡°Dad, you must have grabbed the wrong gift. What we meant for Grandpa Josiah wasn¡¯t this at all! Please wait, Grandpa Josiah, I¡¯ll go get the real gift.¡± Flora signaled Raul and Henrik to stay calm, assuring them she had a n, and then she hurried out of the banquet hall. Connor gave Moss a look, signaling him to follow Flora Yvonne watched Flora leave with a cold sneer. She didn¡¯t believe Flora could whip up another gift in such a short time. Even if she did, it surely wouldn¡¯t be presentable. This way, the Irving family would still end up embarrassed, just like the Brimers! Flora rushed to the entrance, found the Irving family¡¯s car, and took out arge gift box from the trunk. She hurried back to the banquet hall. Moss was waiting at the entrance, handing her a gift bag. ¡°Ms. Flora, this is a special gift Mr. Connor prepared.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Flora opened the gift bag and saw a fine piece of emerald. Connor had managed to prepare such a fine gift in such a short time, which was quite impressive. Flora felt touched. Connor was always like this, not one for words, but proving his care through actions. No matter the situation, he was always there, silently protecting her. With him around, there was nothing to fear. ¡°Thank him for me, but it¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯ve already got a gift.¡± Holding therge gift box, Flora jogged back into the banquet hall. She was quick, taking only about five minutes to retrieve the gift. Everyone was waiting, eager to see what the Irving family¡¯s gift would be. But more so, they were there for the drama. When Flora returned, all eyes were on therge box in her hands. Curiosity filled the room, and everyone wondered what kind of gift Flora could have prepared in such a short time. Raul and Henrik were also worried ¡°Sir, I gave Ms. Flora the gift you prepared, but she didn¡¯t take it. It seems she already had a gift ready.¡± Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Moss sidled up to Connor, whispering something in his ear. Connor responded with a soft ¡°Hmm, his eyes brimming with trust and affection as he watched Flora. She was even more impressive and clever than he¡¯d imagined. With everyone¡¯s eyes on her, Flora opened the gift box. It was a painting. Just earlier, the Brimer family¡¯s painting had almost caused a scene, and here Flora was with another one. The scroll was quiterge, and Flora struggled to open it by herself. She motioned for Henrik to grab one end while she held the other, and together they gently unfurled it. The painting was done in darker hues, capturing the chaos and bloodshed of wartime. The image of soldiers fighting through adversity. continuing the battle even when severely wounded, was vividly portrayed. Sshes of crimson red depicted the soldiers¡® blood. They had paved a noble path with their lives and their hot blood. At the top of the painting, a soldier was depicted from the back, his right hand raised in a salute. A faint golden halo surrounded him, making him look like a divine savior of the warriors. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Grandpa Josiah¡¯s eyes reddened. Memories of fighting alongside hisrades, of the bloodshed and bravery, reyed in his mind. Hot tears welled up in his eyes as he roughly wiped his face. ¡°Amazing! Truly excellent!¡± Grandpa Josiah eximed several times, clearly moved by the painting. Yvonne stared in disbelief, jealousy burning inside her. She was certain that the broken emerald pendant was the gift the Irving family had originally prepared. This was the gift she had put together! She had intended to embarrass the Irving family, but instead, they were basking in glory. She couldn¡¯t believe Flora had managed to prepare such an inspiring gift in such a short time. It had to be Connors doing! ¡°Did you prepare this?¡± Ray asked, echoing Yvonne¡¯s thoughts A perfectly good gift had been ruined, clearly indicating someone had targeted the Irving family. Only Connor could have the means toe up with such a remarkable gift so quickly Connor shook his head, a smile ying on his lips as he looked at Flora ¡°She prepared it herself¡± Ray was taken aback. Flora had actually prepared it herself? ¡°This is the best gift I¡¯ve received today! I have it framed and hang it in my room,¡± Grandpa Josiah said, tears glistening in his eyes. No emerald or precious item couldpare to this gift The decades of fighting seemed to leap off the paper. He had seen it all and hadrades who had been through life and death with him. Grandpa Josiah believed he had no regrets in this life ¡°Grandpa Josiah, I¡¯m d you like it,¡± Flora said, giving Raul and Henrik a reassuring look. Then, she and Henrik carefully ced the scroll back in the gift box. After putting it away, Flora handed it to Grandpa Josiah¡¯s butler. As she approached, Grandpa Josiah caught a whiff of a light gardenia scent on her. His body tensed, and he suddenly looked towards Flora. That scent! ¡°Flora, have you been to the back garden?¡± Grandpa Josiah asked abruptly Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Flora blinked, not saying a word, just letting out a soft ¡°Ah,¡± ¡°It really is you!¡± Grandpa Josiah was over the moon! He had finally found her! ¡°What do you mean, it is you?¡± Kelvin asked, curious. He had rarely seen the old man this excited. When Selene heard Grandpa Josiah ask Flora if she had been to the back garden, she suddenly looked up. A wild thought crossed her mind. However it seemed so impossible, and she quickly dismissed it. Flora had no medical knowledge, she couldn¡¯t possibly be the one who saved Grandpa Josiah ¡°The person who saved me was Floral Grandpa Josiah, holding Flora¡¯s hand,ughed heartily. The room was stunned. Wasn¡¯t Selene the one who saved Grandpa Josiah? Selene didn¡¯t deny it, but suddenly, the savior was said to be Flora. ¡°Grandpa Josiah, could you have mistaken the person?¡± Yvonne spoke up loudly, ¡°It was clearly Selene who saved you! She began studying medicine at the age of ten and is exceptionally skilled. Flora knows nothing about medicine; how could she possibly have saved you?¡± ¡°Yeah, Grandpa, when we found you, Selene was right by your side. She was the one who saved you.¡± Kelvin was also confused. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mistake it! Grandpa Josiah was adamant, ¡°Although I was barely conscious at the time, I remember the girl who saved me wore a blue dress and had a scent of gardenias on her, exactly like Flora¡¯s scent!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°My dear, tell everyone, it was you who saved me, right?¡± Grandpa Josiah looked at Flora, his expression gentle. He had always been fond of Flora, and knowing she was his savior made him even happier. Raul, Henrik, and all the guests turned their eyes to Flora Flora spoke slowly, ¡°I did go to the back garden and saw you lying in the bushes¡­¡± ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± Grandpa Josiah¡¯s heartyughter filled the room. ¡°I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong! My dear, you have saved my life!¡± Ray was dumbfounded, ¡°Flora knows medicine?¡± Connor¡¯s voice carried a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate her. What she knows is far beyond your imagination.¡± ¡°Did you already know?¡± Ray asked. Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t Connor be surprised? He had observed that even Raul and Henrik, her family, appeared incredulous ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Connor answered, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. ¡°But nothing she does would surprise me.¡± On the other hand, Kelvin was embarrassed,. He didn¡¯t know where the misunderstanding had urred. When they found Josiah, it was indeed Selene who was treating him, and most importantly, Selene had never denied it. The crowd¡¯s gaze towards Selene shifted. ¡°If Grandpa Josiah hadn¡¯t recognized the person who saved him as Flora, Selene would still not admit it! Taking credit for someone else¡¯s deed, how shameless.¡± ¡°Genius doctor? I guess that title was also stolen!¡± Most of the speakers were women. Already envious of Selene, they now had a point to magnify and ridicule. ¡°She always acts so high and mighty, as if she¡¯s above everyone else. Now, let¡¯s see how she can continue to be so proud!¡± Yvonne stealthily nced at Selene, who hadn¡¯t noticed their conversation, and joined her friends in righteous indignation. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 As the birthday celebration reached its peak, the Brimer family had be the punchline of every joke. Paul couldn¡¯t hide his embarrassment, quickly made an excuse and hustled his family out the door Grandpa Josiah had taken a real shine to Flora. Despite her young age, her mature insights often left him, a man nearing the twilight of his life, feeling like he had just discovered something new When the party wrapped up, Grandpa Josiah clung to Flora¡¯s hand, reluctant to let her leave. ¡°Flora, you need toe visit me more often. If you¡¯re too shy toe alone, bring Connor along. I¡¯d love thepany.¡± he said with a wann smile. Flora returned his smile and agreed. ¡°And you, Connor, Grandpa Josiah added, tuming to him with a stem look, ¡°don¡¯t you dare give Flora a hard time. Having such a wonderful fianc¨¦e is a blessing for you¡± At first, Grandpa Josiah thought Connor was out of Flora¡¯s league, but now, he wished he could im her as his granddaughter¨Cinw himself. Raul and Henrik, brimming with curiosity, couldn¡¯t hold back any longer As soon as Flora said her goodbyes, they pulled her away. Flora had hoped to chat more with Connor, but there was no chance now. She tumed to him and mimed a phone call, her hand to her Connor mimicked her gesture, his eyes twinkling with a tender smile In the car, two pairs of eyes were locked on Flora Raising her hands as if in surrender, Flora said Dad Hennk, give me a chance to exin¡± ¡°Go on,¡± they prompted Flora gave a brief ount of how the ended up in the back garden mentioned the painting but kept it vague Raul and Hennk were both veterans half¨Ctold | Grandpa Josiah, simplifying the rescue details. She also world. They could tell she wasn¡¯t being entirely straightforward. Her story was Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Flora¡¯s transformation amazed them, but no matter how much she changed, she was still their gut. Seeing her grow stronger filled Raul and Hennik with pride. Back at the Irving household, Flora had just stepped out of the shower when her phone rang. It was Queen Algria ¡°Flora, dear, are you busy these days?¡± ¡°Just get to the point Flora replied, knowing from thest encounter at the opera house that Queen Algria had a favor to ask. She put her phone on the table and nced at the scat on her paim. The new skin itched, and she couldn¡¯t resist scratching it. ¡°Well,¡± Queen Algria began with a chuckle, ¡°a friend¡¯s daughter has had a heart condition since childhood and wants to see if you could Flora noted the roundabout way she was asking ¡°A friend¡¯s daughter? Sounds like you¡¯re not very close. So whye to me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bitplicated. I owe him a favor¡± Though she didn¡¯t like the family, a debt was a debt ¡°What¡¯s their background? Flora asked, scratching her palm again. The new skin broke, causing a mix of pain and relief. ¡°The Bryant family Queen Alga quickly said. She was well¨Cinformed and knew Flora had attended a Bryant family event that evening The person in question wasn¡¯t from the main Bryant family, and their rtionship was somewhat complicated. ¡°Which Bryant family? Flora frowned ¡°The Bryant family in Maple Grovel Hehe, actually, they¡¯ve rted to the Bryants in Cedarvale ¡°Oh¡± Flora, dear what do you think? Queen Alga asked nervously unsure if Flora would agree to the visit. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 ¡°I¡¯ve been a bit busytely. Fil call you back when things calm down a bit.¡± After a moment, Flora finally spoke up. Queen Algria responded, clearly delighted. It was already a big deal that Flora agreed to make a house call; Queen Algria knew she was mostly doing it because of Crimson. Flora hung up and was about to call Connor, but then Crimson called first. She hit the answer button. ¡°Did my cousin reach out to you?¡± The noise on Crimson¡¯s end was so loud it hurt Flora¡¯s ears. She held the phone a bit away from her ear. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Thanks ¡°That¡¯s all you called to say?¡± ¡°Of course not¡± Crimson chuckled. ¡°The Club 257 annual g ising up. I¡¯ve got the quest list ready. I¡¯ll send it to your email. Look it over when you get a chance.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Flora agreed. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m hanging up.¡± ¡°Flora, why are you in such a hurry to hang up on me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy chatting with my boyfriend.¡± Without another word, Flora ended the call. She then dialed Connor. After two rings, he picked up. Connor¡¯s voice, tinged with amusement and a slight electric buzz, came through. ¡°Flora, you seem quite busy these days.¡± He had called twice, and both times she was on another call Floraughed. ¡°What are you up to?? ¡°Just got out of the shower andy down.¡± ¡°Me too.¡°¡± ¡°Video call?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Flora quickly hopped out of bed and fixed her hair in the mirror Half a minuteter, Connor sent a video call request. He was wearing a deep ck velvet pajama set, half¨Creclining on his bed, holding the camera right up to his face. Despite the unttering angle, his sharply defined features were wless, ridiculously handsome. Flora subtly shifted her face to the side, showing only her right eye and a bit of hair, covering part of her face with her hand. Connor saw a big eye on the screen in the dead of night, and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Point the camera at your face. What are you hiding?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it. This angle looks good.¡± Connor really didn¡¯t get the logic of young girls. Monday. ss Z. Flora arrived just on time, as usual. She went straight to her seat and sat down. Selene had been up all night. She watched Flora, who calmly took a bun from Dane and started eating, and finally couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°Flora, you know medicine?¡± ¡°Ah, a bit.¡± Flora swallowed a bite of the bun and nodded. ¡°Just a bit?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. If she knew just a bit, then what did that make Selene? Even if Selene had been the first to find Grandpa Josiah in his condition, she might not have been able le to save him. Yet Flora imed she only knew a bit? Flora was more proficient in neurology, while Selene was known for her skills in alternative medicine. Truly, there was noparison between the two. however, Selene just couldn¡¯t stand Flora¡¯s attitude. It¡¯s like Flora was subtly mocking her title as a genius doctor. During the break, Selene got a call about a delivery and went to the guard room to pick it up. After retrieving the package, she took a craft knife from the pen holder to cut the tape. When she saw what was inside, she screamed in excitement! Many ssmates in ss 7, who had been napping on their desks, were startled by Selene¡¯s scream. Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Everyone was buzzing with curiosity about what could have her so worked up. ¡°Selene, what¡¯s in the envelope?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an invite to Club 257¡¯s annual g!¡± Selene¡¯s cheeks tumed a rosy red, barely able to contain her excitement. The group had been abuzz about the g for days, but Selene had never in her wildest dreams thought she¡¯d get an invite. After all, she wasn¡¯t an official member yet. For the past two years, she hadn¡¯t been able to attend. But now, Club 257 had actually sent her an invitation. Did this mean the club had recognized her? That she¡¯d soon be a full¨Cfledged member? Flora, who was slouched over her desk, nced up at the invitation in Selene¡¯s hand. She furrowed her brow but kept silent. ¡°Oh my gosh, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually seeing an invitation to Club 257¡¯s g! I¡¯ll be bragging about this forever!¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Selene, you¡¯re incredible! You¡¯re going to meet all sorts of brilliant minds from different fields at the g! I can¡¯t even imagine what that¡¯s going to be like!¡± The ssmates buzzed around her, as if they were the ones who had been invited. Selene¡¯s hands shook as she held onto the invitation. She had sacrificed so much for this moment. At the g, she¡¯d finally get to meet F, right? During the next two sses, Selene couldn¡¯t concentrate; her mind waspletely consumed with thoughts of the g. Flora, meanwhile, checked her email on her phone and opened a file sent by Crimson. Sure enough, Selene¡¯s name was listed at the bottom, along with a few other provisional members. Flora took a screenshot and sent it back to Crimson. [Are provisional members attending this year?] Crimson replied quickly: [Yeah, a few higher¨Cups thought it would be good to observe their character up close for evaluation. Makes sense to me, so I agreed. But don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t get near the core members, just milling around the edges.] [If you think someone¡¯s not suitable to attend, just cross them the list.] Flora nced at Selene, whose cheeks were still flushed with joy. After a moment, she replied: [I¡¯ve checked the list, and it¡¯s fine.] Crimson sent back a thumbs¨Cup emoji. At lunchtime, Dane and his friends, along with Kaylee, went to the cafeteria. Knowing Flora had ns to eat out with Connor, they didn¡¯t invite her. Connor had some trouble on the way and apologized to Flora for making her wait in the ssroom. Selene, too excited to eat, stayed behind as well. With everyone else gone, the ssroom was empty except for Flora and Selene. Selene decided to use the restroom. She carefully ced the invitation inside her desk, taking a final worried nce before heading out. When she returned, Flora was gone, and she sat down, eager to admire her invitation again. However¡­ The invitation was missing. Selene¡¯s heart sank as she frantically searched her desk. No luck. She remembered that it had only been her and Flora in the room. Hesitant, she began to search Flora¡¯s desk but still found nothing. The invitation couldn¡¯t have just vanished. Selenebed through ss Z, her eyesnding on the trash can. She froze in horror, Her treasured invitation had been tom to shreds and tossed in the trash! Chapter 20B Chapter 208 Chapter 208 It was only her and Flora in the ssroom. Now, the invitation was tom to shreds, and she had vanished. Who else could it be if not her? Selene was livid, her eyes bloodshot, her body trembling with rage. She stormed toward Flora¡¯s desk. Around one in the afternoon, students shuffled back into the ssroom, ready for a quick nap. But the sight at the back of the ssroom left them all stunned. Selene was standing over Flom¡¯s desk, ripping books into pieces and throwing them onto the floor, stomping on them with fury. The once pristine book covers were now smeard with dirt and footprints. ¡°Selene, what are you doing¡­¡± The students of ss 2 were frozen in shock. Without a word, Selene grabbed a book, tore it apart, and tossed it into the trash can. Her reddened eyes were filled with hatred. ¡°Holy crap¡­¡± One by one, the students entered, eyes wide at the dramatic scene unfolding before them. Dane and Kaylee,ughing and talking, entered the ssroom, only to see a crowd gathered at the door. Curious, Dane pushed through the crowd. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­ He choked on hisst word, nearly losing it. ¡°Selene, what the hell are you doing!¡± He rushed over, snatching the half¨Ctom geography book from Selene¡¯s hands and pushing her away in frustration. Kaylee and Alex hurried over as well. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Scraps of paper littered the floor, with a history book, tom beyond recognition, on top. The page it was opened to disyed a name. Floral, written peatly. ¡°Selene, have you lost your mind!¡± Selene remained silent, her gaze shifting to Flora¡¯s now empty desk, feeling a slight reduction in her rage. She picked up her phone, Ignoring Dane and the others, and strode out. She needed to contact Club 257 to see if they could reissue another invitation. As she reached the door, she bumped into Flora, who wasing in.. Selene remembered her tom invitation, and scoffed coldly. Well, she¡¯d like to stay and see what Flora had to say. ¡°Flora!¡± Dane, picking up the books, saw Flora and shouted, his eyes reddening. Flora was still a bit drowsy. She hade over after lunch without taking a nap. Hearing Dane¡¯s cry, she frowned, nced inside, and instantly woke up. The ssroom was eerily quiet, her desk aplete mess. Flora approached, nced at the books in the trash can, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It was Selene. It was already like this when we came in¡­ Dane said, angrily looking towards Selene at the door. Again, Selene. her tone neutral Flora lifted her gaze to Selene. ¡°You -you did this.¡± Selene crossed her arms, meeting her stare. ¡°Yes, it was me.¡± She sneered. ¡°Flora, you should have thought of the consequences before you did something bad. You tore up my invitation, so I tore up your books. You brought this on yourself.¡± ¡°Selene, are you freaking insane! How could Flora ever tear up your invitation! She wouldn¡¯t even nce at that thing!¡± Dane cursed, furious. Ha. Not even a nce? That was an invitation from Club 257. Flora probably never saw it. How could she not be tempted? She did it on purpose. She just tore apart her invitation because she¡¯s envious of her happiness. ¡°Fine¡± Amidst the tension, Flora spoke calmly. ¡°Good that you admit it.¡± She slowly rolled up her sleeves, stepped forward, and approached Selene. It¡¯s like she¡¯s not mad at all. Selene watched her. ¡°What do you want to do? We¡¯re not done talking about the invitation-¡± She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. Flora reached out, grabbed her hair, and dragged her from the front to the back door. Then, pressing her head down, Flora pushed Selene against the trash can. Selene¡¯s hands instinctively braced against the rim. ¡°Pick them up the way you threw them, or eat them up Chapter 209 Chapter 209 From a young age, Selene was always the golden girl, never having faced such humition before. Her face was flushed with anger. ¡°How dare you try to justify yourself? Do you have any idea how important that invitation was to me? And you destroyed it! I needed it to get into Club 2571¡® she fumed. She almost missed out on the annual g because of this. How was she supposed to get into Club 257 now, let alone meet F? ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have gotten in with that thing anyway¡± Flora scoffed coldly. ¡°Are you picking it up or not?¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Selene snapped through clenched teeth. ¡°Fine.¡± Flora didn¡¯t waste any more words and simply kicked Selene right into the trash can. ¡°Not picking it up? Then enjoy eating it.¡± Selene tumbled into the trash can while Flora watched emotionlessly, picking up the books from her desk and throwing them into the can, hitting Selene with each one The book stack was light, but man, did it hurt when flung! Themotion attracted students from several sses who came to see what was happening. The scene of Selene getting kicked into the trash can by Flora left them in shock. Their faces tumed pale. Damn. Flora was bold, treating the prodigy so harshly. However, no one dared to speak up, knowing Flora was unpredictable and might just throw them into the trash can next. The trash can wasrge, and Selene rolled on the ground a couple of times before crawling out. Fortunately, the trash can wasn¡¯t full, mostly just scraps of paper but she was aplete mess. Selene was livid. She grabbed a book and huded it at Flora with all her might. Flora, with azy flick of her eyelid, caught the book before it could hit her face. Then, weighing it in her hand, she threw it back at Selene. It seemed effortless, yet the thin book carried the force of cutting through the air, hitting Selene squarely in the face. Theer of the book left a red mark on her face, slightly bleeding. Selene¡¯s eyes reddened with anger. ¡°Floral Where do you get the confidence to be so arrogant? It was you who tore up my invitation¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to repeat myself over and over again to save your intelligence. Who told you I was the one who messed with your invitation?¡± ¡°There were only the two of us in the ssroom at the time. After I left, you were the only one left! When I came back, the invitation was torn up. I checked the surveince, and it was tampered with. Who else could¡¯ve done it so wlessly but you?¡± ¡°Selene, do you have a persecutionplex? Dane said imitably. ¡°And you imagine the person persecuting you is Flora. You¡¯ve already misunderstood her once with the speech incident, and now you¡¯re doing it again!¡± Alex spoke with disdain, ¡°Some genius doctor I think you¡¯re just stupid. My ten¨Cyear¨Cold nephew knows you need evidence for everything.¡± ¡°Selene, are you just jealous of Flora?¡± Kaylee¡¯s tone was as calm, as it stating a simple fact. ¡°A person only targets someone out of Jealousy. You¡¯re always targeting Flora because you realize, despite calling yourself a genius doctor, there are many areas where you can¡¯t compare to her. You¡¯re panicking, afraid, and resorting to any means necessary.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Kaylee hit a nerve, and Selene suddenly shouted angrily, her eyes bloodshot as she red at Kaylee. Kaylee had been by Flora¡¯s side for so long, and had grown some courage. She wasn¡¯t as timid as before, no longer shrinking back at the sound of a raised voice like a scared bunnie. She met Selene¡¯s gaze, her grip on her pen tightening as she confidently said, ¡°You¡¯re just throwing a tantrum.¡± Selene¡¯s anger stemmed from the fact that Kaylee was partly right. Ever since returning from the Bryant family every time she closed her eyes, she could hear Grandpa Josiah praising Flora. Thoseurels were supposed to be hers. She never imagined Flora would enter her domain of medicine, seemingly stealing all her glory, so she, who was always the center of attention, started to panic. The invitation incident was just a tipping point, an excuse to vent her emotions. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Selene had her pride and her limits. She wouldn¡¯t stoop to framing someone. Flora was the one who destroyed the invitation, the one who did wrong, yet now everyone was speaking up for her, making it hard for Selene to ept She didn¡¯t say another word but stormed out of ss Z. Ten minutester, the ss teacher Keaton came to find Flora, asking her to visit Mr. Garcia¡¯s office. 14-5 Flora followed Kenton out, her expression unfazed. Dane and the others were worried. ¡°Selene wouldn¡¯t use her family¡¯s status to twist the truth and get Flora expelled, would she?¡± In terms of status, Selene was the prized jewel of the Brimer family from Maple Grove, a peerless genius. The Irving family, though significant in Cedarvale, couldn¡¯tpare to the Brimer family of Maple Grove. If Selene stooped so low as to use her family¡¯s influence to pressure the school authorities, then Flora was in trouble. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Outside ss A Carino saw Selene and Flora leaving one after the other and asked curiously The atmosphere seemed off. A ssmate filled her in on the details, ¡°Flora really has the guts, throwing Selene into the trash can like that,¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Carina responded indifferently, her tone revealing no emotion: ¡°Flora really is brave then! Provoking someone from the Brimer family of Maple Grove¡­ Flora, you¡¯ve really done it now. Flora followed Keaton to Mr. Garcia¡¯s office and upon entering, saw Selene sitting on the sofa, already changed into a new outfit, with Mr. Garcia pouring her water and speaking to her in a soothing tone. ¡°Mr. Garcia.¡± Flora stepped in, calling out Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Sure, let¡¯s give this text a more natural and casual English feel, while ensuring it retains its original charm and drama: Mr. Garcia¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw her. ¡°Flora, you¡¯re here! Come on in and have a seat,¡± he said quickly. He reached out to guide Flora to sit next to Selene, but even with all his effort, Flore wouldn¡¯t budge. Selene, lounging on the couch, nced up at Flora. Feeling Selene¡¯s gaze, Flora lowered her eyelids slightly and gave her a sidelong look. The tension between them was palpable, like a storm about to break Mr. Garcia¡¯s attempt at a smile faltered. He was caught between a rock and a hard ce. He chuckled awkwardly and said, ¡®Flora, Ive heard about the misunderstanding between you and Selene. I¡¯ve looked into it deeply, and it seems like just that¨Ca misunderstanding You¡¯re both students here; there¡¯s no need for things to get ugly, right?¡± Selene shot to her feet. ¡°It¡¯s not a misunderstanding. Flora ripped up my stuff and threw it in the trash.¡± Both Selene and Flora were forces to be reckoned with for Mr. Garcia. Trying to stay calm, he asked, ¡°Selene, do you have any proof that Flora was the one who destroyed your belongings?¡± ¡°She destroyed all the evidence!¡± ¡°Then without evidence, we can¡¯t definitively say it was Flora, can we?¡± Mr. Garcia smiled. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t we let bygones be bygones and turn our conflict into peace? Once we uncover the truth, we can make a proper judgment. How does that sound?¡± Selene¡¯s sharp eyes fixed on Mr. Garcia. ¡°Mr. Garcia, are you trying to protect Flora?¡± Still smiling, Mr. Garcia said, ¡°I am the dean of Westbrook High School. Whatever I do, it¡¯s in the best interest of the students, without favoring anyone.¡± Selene raised her voice. ¡°Flora tore up my invitation and threw my books into the rain. You haven¡¯t mentioned a word about that, and you don¡¯t think that¡¯s favoritism?¡± ¡°No one saw Flora tear up your invitation, but everyone saw you tear up Flora¡¯s book. Later, Flora threw your book out the window so let¡¯s call it even¡± ¡°I see what you¡¯re saying. Mr. Garcia.¡± Selene scoffed, tucking some stray hair behind her ear. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to be reasonable, Mr. Garcia, then neither will I. Here¡¯s the deal: ss Z can¡¯t have both me and Flora. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of the Brimer family¡¯s influence in Maple Grove.¡± Her tone was dripping pping with threat. Selene didn¡¯t want to y this card, but Mr. Garcia¡¯s apparent bias towards Flora left her no choice. The smile on Mr. Garcia¡¯s face faded a bit. At his age, being threatened by a young girl was hardly dignified. He knew all about the Brimer family¡¯s power in Maple Grove, but Flora was engaged to someone even more influential N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Seeing the change in Mr. Garcia¡¯s expression, Selene confidently lifted her chin. It should be obvious whom to choose between her and Flora. After a long pause, Mr. Garcia spoke. ¡°ss Zs performance is below average, and with your grades, Selene, it¡¯s not a good fit for you. The ss we originally had in mind for you was ss A. How about we transfer you back to ss A?¡± Selene¡¯s smile froze, and she stared at Mr. Garcia in shock. He chose Flora over her? She had never considered moving to ss A. With the drama between her and Flora, what would people think if she left now? ¡°I hope you¡¯ve thought this through, Mr Garcia,¡± she warned him. Her family background and grades were top¨Cnotch, and she had a good shot at being valedictorian. Anyone else would have chosen her. Mr. Garcia replied calmly, ¡°This is the only solution I¡¯vee up with after careful consideration.¡± Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Selene¡¯s eyebrows knitted together and just then, Flora, who had been fiddling with her phone, suddenly handed it over. Selene took it instinctively, and as she was about to return it, something on the screen caught her eye. It was a surveince video. The footage clearly showed that right after Selene left, Flora received a phone call and left too, without even er Sel touching Selene¡¯s invitation. Then, a sneaky figure slipped in through the back door found the invitation in Selene¡¯s desk, and shredded it. But Selene didn¡¯t recognize this girl at alli ¡°Wasn¡¯t the surveince broken? Where did you get this footage?¡± Selene asked, her gaze sharp. Flora reached out, took the phone back, and said, ¡°Think before you act. I¡¯ve let you off the hook several times now. Selene, this is thest time.¡± Then, she walked away. Selene stood there, watching her leave, her eyes slightly red, mostly from anger. Flora was too full of herself! ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Mr. Garcia cleared his throat, ¡°Miss Selene, if you want to join ss A, I can take you there now.¡± It¡¯s better to keep those two apart. Selene replied coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ss A Ill stay in ss Z!¡± She wanted to stay right here to knock Flora down a peg. She wanted everyone to know that she was the best! The exam was this Friday, and she was determined to outshine Flora academically Selene had never cared topete with anyone before, but with Flora, she had to win! When Flora returned to the ssroom, Dane and the others quickly asked, ¡°Flora, what did Mr. Garcia say?¡± ¡°What else could he say.¡± Flora shrugged. She sat down, throwing one leg over the back of Dane¡¯s chair. ¡°It¡¯s done and dusted¡± About ten minutester, Selene came back too. Just like Flora, she sat down without a word, radiating a ¡®keep out vibe. Neither of them had any books, and they spent the whole day leaning back in their chairs, arms crossed, silent The teachers were intimidated by their demeanor. They thought about lending their own books to the girls but couldn¡¯t bring themselves to say it. Their reputations for having fiery tempers had spread throughout the school, making them known as untouchable. Later, at the Irving household. After dinner, Flora went back to her room to rest. Henrik knocked and came in, holding a big box. ¡°What¡¯s that you¡¯re holding, bro?¡± Flora asked, curious Henrik ced the box on the table. ¡°These are all my notes and books from high school. I¡¯ve kept them all this time, and you can use them. You can¡¯t go to ss without textbooks¡± ¡°So you know about it¡­¡± Flora said, smiling sheepishly. ¡°You are so formidable at school, it¡¯s hard not to know, Henrik chuckled. Henrik had graduated from Westbrook High School in 2013 as the valedictorian and was admitted to the University of Maple Grove with the highest scores in the city. He never left the alumni group, so naturally, he knew about the situation between Flora and Selene as it was the talk of the town. ¡°Alright, get some rest now.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Henrik.¡± ¡°Goodnight.¡± The next day, Flora lugged the big box to school, and Selene brought an even bigger one. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Flora was about to take out all the books to organize them in her desk when Selene dropped a stack of books on her desk first. The textbooks were old, collected from who knows where, with very detailed notes. Besides the textbooks, there were also some notebooks. On the cover were the words, ¡°Valedictorian Notes.¡± Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Selene dropped another stack of books on Flora¡¯s desk. ¡°Here, consider these my apology¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Flora raised on eyebrow. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Selene wasn¡¯t thrilled with her tone. ¡°These textbooks are from top students, filled with detailed notes. And these notes¨CI copied them myself. They¡¯re Henrik¡¯s notes! Do you even know who Henrik is? He was the student who got the highest score thirteen years ago!¡± Selene felt she had done more than enough. She had ripped Flora¡¯s book and now she was compensating with an entire set. Flora never took notes. These books Selene brought were from all the top students. If Flora had just been a bit more diligent, studied those notes, she could have easily gotten into a top university Flora casually picked up one of the notebooks. The notes were indeed her brother¡¯s. However, they were copies, and they didn¡¯t feel as good as the originals Henrik had given her. She closed the notebook and handed it back to Selene. ¡°No thank you, I have my own books. You can keep these.¡± Then, she pushed the stack of books back towards Selene. Selene frowned, clearly displeased. She wondered what good books a poor student like Flora could possibly have. These books and notes would be fought over if offered to others. Yet Flora didn¡¯t want them. Keeping a straight face, Selene decided to stay silent, She had offered the books, and if Flora didn¡¯t want them, she better note beggingter. Flora pulled the books from the box and ced them on the table. A few pages were open, and Selene couldn¡¯t help but nce over She recognized the handwriting immediately and frowned. ¡°Where did you get these books?¡± The handwriting was identical to the notes in her own books. Flora was exasperated. cing thest book on the table, she sincerely asked, ¡°Do you know why Henrik¡¯sst name is Irving?¡± Selene was confused. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Flora continued, ¡°Because my dad¡¯sst name is Irving.¡± Selene was still puzzled. Flora opened the first page of the top book and said tly. ¡°Henrik is my brother¡± Now, Selene was stunned. After school, Connor splurging on Ray¡¯s tab. me to pick Flore up for dinner Flora suggested they go to the Pearl Hotel for a fancy meal. She loved the idea of ¡°Flora, I need to go to the States for a week,¡± Connor said suddenly, halfway through their meal. Flora looked up. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Connor pursed his lips. ¡°It¡¯s about my y mother.¡± Flora nodded. ¡°Send my regards to your mom if you get the chance.¡± ¡°Sure. Take care of yourself, and call me if anything happens. I¡¯m avable 24/7: Flora was chewing on ribs but her mind was elsewhere. Queen Algra had asked her to go to Maple Grove to treat someone. With Connor leaving Cedarvale, she could use this time to go to Maple Grove. ¡°I haven¡¯t even left yet and you¡¯re already distracted?¡± Connor teased, noticing her wandering gaze. He ced some peeled shrimp into her bowl. ¡°Will you miss me?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Flora nodded eagerly. ¡°Without you here. Ill be a wreck! I won¡¯t eat well, won¡¯t sleep well. I just sit around missing you all day.¡± Connorughed, his lips curling into a gentle smile. He was leaving early the next morning, and when Flora offered to see him off, he declined. He didn¡¯t want to disturb her since she¡¯d sull be sleeping. After dinner, Connor dropped Flora back at the Irving residence and then went back to his vi to pack. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 The next moming. Flora woke up to a message from Connor. He had sent her his flight number. She replied with a simple smile emoji. After leaving the chat, she found Queen Algria¡¯s number and dialed. The call was answered almost immediately. ¡°Hey Flora, what¡¯s up?¡± Queer Algria¡¯s voice was filled with delight, clearly happy to hear from her. ¡°I¡¯ve got some free time over the next few days. Can you set things up for me toe to Maple Grove?¡± ¡°Absolutely! When do you n to arrive? Il make sure someone is there to pick you up! ¡°ITI be there by six this evening.¡± Flora quickly calcted the time. After her sses, she¡¯d head straight to the airport and arrive at Maple Grove right around six That aftemoon, just before the end of herst ss, Flora sent a message to Raul and Henrik, letting them know she wouldn¡¯t be home tonight and would be staying at a ssmate¡¯s ce. To put their minds at ease, she included a list of her ssmate¡¯s phone numbers. Once the message was sent, she pulled Kaylee aside and exined that she needed her to cover for her. ¡°If my dad or my brother calls and asks if I¡¯m with you, just say I am. If they ask to talk to me, brush it off. I trust you can handle it¡® Kaylee was the quintessential good girl. No one would ever suspect her of lying. ¡°Are you sure this is safe, Flora? Where are you going tonight? Could it be dangerous?¡± Kaylee asked, Her concern evident. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Il be fine. Have you ever seen me not handle things?¡± ¡°Alright then¡­¡± Kaylee said, feeling somewhat reassured. Nearby, Selene overheard their conversation and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Spending the night out, Flora? You¡¯re really bold.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it to you? nning to snitch? Dane shot back, clearly irritated. After a previous incident, he couldn¡¯t stand Selene. She seemed like a snake, waiting for the right moment to strike at Flora. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your drama,¡± Selene retorted, rolling her eyes before returning to her book. After school, Flora went to Mr. Keaton to request a day off for the next day. With her impable track record, Mr. Keaton granted her request without hesitation. Flora changed out of her uniform in a nearby public restroom, swapping it for casual clothes and adding a mask and hat for good measure. She then hailed a taxi and headed to the airport. With some time before boarding, she settled into a seat in the departure lounge and started ying with her phone. A message from Crimson popped up. [Hey sweetie, I¡¯m on my way to pick you up! You¡¯ll see me as soon as you step out of the airport!] Along with the message was a link to a navigation map. Flora hadn¡¯t mentioned her trip to Maple Grove to Crimson, so it must have been Queen Algria who told her. The PA system announced boarding, prompting Flora to gather her things, adjust her mask, and head to the gate. An hourter, the ne touched down. The arrival hall was crowded with people waiting to greet passengers. Flora followed the crowd, scanning the sea of faces for Crimson. Before she could spot her, a voice called out, ¡°Flora! Over here!¡± Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Flora nced in the direction of the voice. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The woman was about 5¡¯9¡°, with a jaw¨Cdropping figure that her tight workout gear only entuated, her generous chest straining against the fabric. For convenience, Flom had also thrown on some sportsweat butpared to this woman, she felt like she was back in grade school. She looked down at her own modest chest and sighed. Taking a step, she started walking towards the woman. Before she could get very far, Crimson came sprinting over Wapping her in a tight hug. ¡°Ah, Flora, sweetheart! I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± Flora¡¯s face was totally smothered in Crimson¡¯s soft bosom. ¡°Cough, cough, cough!¡± She almost choked but thankfully, Crimson released her just in time. Crimson grabbed Flora¡¯s backpack and slung it over her own shoulder, guiding Flora out of the airport. ¡°You¡¯re hardly ever in Maple Grove. Want to swing by headquarters?¡± Crimson chatted as they walked. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anyone you wereing. They¡¯d be over the moon to see you.¡± ¡°Maybe not this time,¡± Flora replied, a bit rushed. She needed to be back by tomorrow night at the latest, or her dad and brother would start asking questions. Plus, there were folks at Club 257 she wasn¡¯t keen on running into. ¡°Alright, if you insist.¡± Crimson didn¡¯t push it. Once outside, Crimson asked Flora to wait while she fetched the car from the parking lot. Flora was about to respond when something caught her eye, and suddenly she bolted! A red Lamborghini was speeding towards a kid standing in the middle of the road. Flora dashed in, scooped up the child, and rolled to the side just in time. The car zoomed past, missing her leg by mere inches, before swerving and crashing into the curb with a loud bang. The roof crumpled on impact. Flora¡¯s wrist, cradling the child¡¯s head, smacked hard against the curb. Sharp pain shot through her, and she went a bit pale as she got up, still holding the child with one arm. ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± Crimson ran over, relieved to see Flora mostly okay. The kid, Initially too shocked to react, started bawling once his mom arrived. ¡°Thank you. Thank you so much!¡± The kid¡¯s mother, tears streaming down her face, kept thanking Flora. She couldn¡¯t fathom what might have happened if Flora hadn¡¯t intervened. ¡°Just be more careful next time. Don¡¯t let him run into the road like that; it¡¯s really dangerous,¡± Flora advised, rubbing her sore wrist. ¡°Seriously, how can you be so careless? That was my brand¨Cnew car! Do you have any idea how much it cost?¡± The woman from the Lamborghini stormed over, livid about her wrecked roof. She red at Flora and continued, ¡°That car was worth eight hundred thousand dors! I just got it three days ago! And now, thanks to your kid, it¡¯s totaled! Couldn¡¯t he have yed anywhere else but the middle of the road?¡± She¡¯d spent half a year vincing her dad to buy her that car for hering¨Cof¨Cage celebration, and now it was ruined. She knew her dad wouldn¡¯t buy her another one. The thought made her eyes ze with fury. The kid¡¯s mom turned white as a sheet. She had never seen an eight¨Chundred thousand¨Cdor car in her life. Chapter 215 Chapter 215 ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s my fault for not keeping a closer eye on my son. The child¡¯s mother, holding him tightly, kept bowing and apologizing to the woman, her voice trembling with fear. She almost kneeled in desperation. But the woman wouldn¡¯t let up, her arrogance on full disy, ¡°Do you think a simple sorry fixes everything? What about my car? if you don¡¯t have the money, why are you wandering around cousing problems for everyone?¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Cimson couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, ¡°She¡¯s already apologized. Isn¡¯t that enough for you?¡± Anyone who can afford a luxury car wouldn¡¯t care about a minor repair cast, yet the woman kept humiliating them over it. ¡°It¡¯s my car that got damaged, not yours. Of course, you think it¡¯s no big deal.¡± The woman red at Crimson, noticing her towering height of 5 feet 9 inches, which made her feel a bit intimidated. When she shifted her gaze back to Flora, her expression turned even colder. It was this s girl! If If she hadn¡¯t suddenly appeared, making her panic and steer abruptly, her car wouldn¡¯t have been damaged! ¡°Miss, please let us go. We really can¡¯t afford to pay such arge sum!¡± The child¡¯s mother, now crying, ended up kneeling with her son in her arms The woman just watched coldly. As the mother was about to kneel, a pair of gentle hands helped her up. Flora lifted her, her eyes shing with a hint of coldness. She looked directly at the woman, speaking clearly, ¡°At a busy intersection like this, you should have slowed down. You were obviously speeding and not paying attention. ording to trafficws, thisdy owes you nothing. In fact, you owe herpensation.¡± ¡°You expect me topensate her?¡± The woman looked incredulous, as if she had just heard the most ridiculous thing. ¡°I haven¡¯t even settled things with you, and you¡¯re already butting in?¡± The woman scanned Flora¡¯s outfit, unable to recognize any brand, so she assumed it was cheap streetwear Her look turned to disdain, ¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m Jenny. No one in Maple Grove dares to ask me forpensation, especially not poor people! If you hadn¡¯t opened your mouth, maybe I would have let this go, but now, I¡¯m going to make sure they pay up everything they have!¡± Flora¡¯s brow furrowed; the girl was incredibly stubborn and spoiled. The most willful girl she had known was Yvonne, butpared to this girl, Yvonne was nothing. Without wasting more time arguing, she turned to the child¡¯s mother, ¡°Your child is scared, take him home andfort him. Leave this to me. Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t bother you.¡± The child¡¯s mother hesitated, nced at the woman, then at Flora¡¯s determined face, and slowly nodded, quickly carrying her son away. Flora and Crimson walked away briskly. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The woman, now furious, blocked their path, ¡°You think you can leave just like that? I have you know, as long as you¡¯re in Maple Grove, there¡¯s no one I can¡¯t find! Do you know who my father is? I can have you both thrown its jail!¡± Crimson flicked a business card into her hands, ¡°My contact info and address are on there. Anytime you¡¯re ready, let¡¯s see how you n to get me into jail. Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Crimson and Flora didn¡¯t think much of the little incident that had just happened. First, Crimson took Flora out for a meal before they headed off to the Bryant family¡¯s estate. ¡°Do you have a beef with that new member, Selene?¡± Crimson asked as she stopped at a red light, resting her elbow on the window. ¡°Hmm?¡± Flora turned to look at her, a bit puzzled by the sudden question. ken her Crimson nced over, ¡°I know you. If Selene hadn¡¯t ticked you off, there¡¯s no way you¡¯d have taken her off the annual meeting list yourself.¡± Fibra raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯tment. As the light tumed green and the traffic began to move, Crimson lightly pressed the gas. ¡°If you don¡¯t like Selene, I just kick her out of Club 257 when we get back.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see,¡± Flora said, tilting her head in thought Selene might have a difficult personality, but she was undeniably talented. Maybe she could change her ways. Extending her probation period could be an option. Crimson didn¡¯t care much either way; Selene was just a prospective member, after all. It didn¡¯t matter to her if she stayed or left ¡°There are snacks in the back seat Crimson said, nodding towards the back. ¡°All your favorites. Help yourself if you¡¯re bored.¡± Flora reached into the back seat, pulling arge storage box onto herp. She opened it to find an array of her usual go¨Cto snacks. She pulled out two pieces of hard candy, unwrapped one for Crimson and one for herself, popping it into her mouth. They arrived near the Bryant estate. Flora put on a mask and a hat, making sure she was well¨Cdisguised before getting out of the car. Even though she¡¯d already changed her look, the mask gave her an added sense of security. Crimson, on the other hand, followed her openly. Having lived in Maple Grove for years, she was well¨Cknown and saw no need to hide. At the Bryant family¡¯s doorstep, Crimson knocked. Soon, a butler¨Clike figure opened the door. ¡°Are yo you the esteemed guests here for the treatment?¡± the butler asked, eyeing them carefully. Crimson nodded. ¡°Please,e in! The butler quickly ushered them inside. In the living room, a row of bodyguards in ck suits stood, looking intimidating. ¡°Please wait a moment. I¡¯ll go get Mr. Bryant,¡± the butler said before hurrying up the stairs. Flora and Crimson exchanged a nce, then calmly took a seat on the sofa. Meanwhile, Jenny entered the Bryant estate, feeling super annoyed. She¡¯d just sent her car for repairs and hadn¡¯t even had time to eat. She was still figuring out how to tell her father about the car, if she did, he might never buy her another one. The more she thought about it, the more imitated she became, ming Flora and Crimson for her woes. ¡°Miss!¡± The servants greeted her respectfully along the way. ¡°Did someone importante?¡± Jenny asked, ncing into the living room and noticing all the bodyguards. ¡°An esteemed guest hase to treat your sister,¡± a bodyguard replied respectfully. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Hearing this, Jenny¡¯s mood brightened. S¨¦raphine, who was supposed to treat her sister, had arrived! She handed her bag to a bodyguard and excitedly mn into the living room. But when she got there, she saw Flora and Crimson sitting leisurely on the sofa. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Jenny¡¯s voice rose as she quickly approached them. ¡°What are you doing in my house?¡± Crimson and Flora exchanged a nce, moving from surprise to speechlessness. Indeed, it was a small world full of unexpected encounters! Chapter Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Jenny couldn¡¯t quite grasp why they had shown up at the Bryant mansion, especially since she was already fuming with anger. ¡°Well, well, I haven¡¯t evene looking for you, and here you are, delivering yourselves to me. You guys, grab them!¡± At hermand, several bodyguards moved forward and pinned down Flora and Crimson. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Flora¡¯s gaze was icy, but she remained still, letting the bodyguards hold them. Crimson looked completely unbothered, a hint of mockery dancing in her eyes. Messing with Flom was practically a death wish. Jenny smirked with triumph. ¡°You were all so cocky at the airport, weren¡¯t you? Let¡¯s see you keep that up now! Cross me, and I¡¯ll make your lives a living hell!¡± The memory of the airport incident filled Jenny with intense rage. She raised her hand, aiming a p at Flora¡¯s face. As her hand came down, Flora, though restrained, subtly moved her elbows,nding a sharp blow to the bodyguards¡® abdomens. Pained, the two bodyguards let go of her. With pinpoint uracy, Flora caught Jenny¡¯s descending hand and twisted it hard. ¡°Ah!¡± Jenny screamed in agony, breaking into a sweat. ¡°Let go of mel¡± Instead of letting go, Flora tightened her grip, causing Jenny even more pain. The nearby bodyguards, now rmed, rushed to rescue Jenny. ¡°What¡¯s all this racket?¡± Just then, amanding voice boomed from upstairs. A middle¨Caged man¨Cdescended the staircase, followed by the butler who had earlier greeted Flora and Crimson. Jenny cried out, ¡°Dad! She is bullying me! You have to teach them a lesson!¡± Jordan strode down, his gaze turning stem as he saw Flora holding Jenny¡¯s hand. ¡°Let go.¡± His voice was hoarse but carried immense authority. Flora raised an eyebrow and slowly released Jenny¡¯s hand. Although she hadn¡¯t used her full strength, she had intended to teach the arrogant youngdy a lesson. Jenny¡¯s hand would need several days to recover. ¡°Dad, my hand hurts! It¡¯s not broken, is it?¡± Jenny, clutching her painfully weak hand, cried bitterly. Jordan frowned, his displeased gaze fixed on Flora, and instructed the butler to call a doctor. Thanks to the frequent illnesses in the Bryant family, they were never short of medical professionals. Soon, the doctor arrived and bandaged Jenny¡¯s hand. ¡°Sir, rest assured, the youngdy¡¯s arm hasn¡¯t suffered any bone damage. It just needs a few days of proper care to recover.¡± After bandaging, the doctor was inwardly sweating. The person who had inflicted the injury clearly had a deep understanding of human anatomy. While they avoided breaking Jenny¡¯s bones, they targeted the most painful spots, causing more pain than a fracture would. ¡°Dad! She¡¯s the one who damaged the car you gave mel And now, she has injured me right in front of you. This is tant provocation! You can¡¯t let her get away with this!¡± Jenny said viciously, her eyes wide with hatred for Flora ¡°Sir, this is S¨¦raphine, rmended by Queen Algria to treat Ms. Bryant¡¯s condition, the butler interjected hurriedly, trying to control the escting situation. They had gone through great lengths to invite the renowned healer and couldn¡¯t afford to offend her. ¡°She¡¯s S¨¦raphine?!¡± Jenny was taken aback. Chapter 218 Chapter 218 The bodyguard had mentioned that S¨¦raphine had arrived, but the moment S¨¦raphine saw Flora, nil she could think about was the humiliation she suffered at the airport. She wanted nothing more than to see Flora humiliated, forgetting entirely about the situation at hand Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s really S¨¦raphine? Could she be an imposter?¡± The girl in front of them was so young, it was hard to believe she could be the famed S¨¦raphine. Jordan¡¯s curious gaze also fell on Flora, just as surprised that the legendary S¨¦raphine could be so youthful. But no one in their right mind would dare impersonate S¨¦raphine, especially not on the Bryant family¡¯s turf. ¡°Mr. Bryant, I¡¯m Crimson, Queen Algria¡¯s cousin. We¡¯re here purely out of respect for Queen Algria Crimson¡¯s lips curved into a mesmerizing smile, her enchanting eyes slightly narrowed, a mix of coldness and sarcasm, ¡°But I must say, the Bryant family¡¯s hospitality is quite unique. We¡¯ve been here for ages and haven¡¯t even been offered a cup of tea, yet we nearly witnessed a bloodshed first?¡± ¡°My deepest apologies to both of you. This oversight is entirely my fault,¡± the butler said, bowing slightly. He had been preupied with fetching Jordan and focusing on Ms. Bryant¡¯s illness, completely forgetting to make the necessary arrangements. ¡°Why are you apologizing to her?¡± Jenny scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s so young, what could she possibly do? For all we know, S¨¦raphine¡¯s reputation might just be all smoke and mirrors!¡± Flora was getting annoyed. Her visit to the Bryant family was purely out of respect for Crimson, if it hadn¡¯t been for her promise to Queen Algria, she would have left right away. ¡°Are we going to start the treatment or not?¡± Flora¡¯s tone revealed her growing impatience. Jordan¡¯s icy gazended on Flora, his eyes somewhat murky. The girl was too young, and he seriously doubted her medical skills. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s terrible Just then, a servant hurried down from upstairs, eximing, ¡°The young miss is having an episode again!¡± Jordan¡¯splexion changed drastically. Take S¨¦raphine upstairs,¡± he said decisively. As S¨¦raphine and Crimson ascended the staircase, Jordan followed. Jenny started to follow as well, but Flora¡¯s voice stopped her in her tracks. ¡°Jenny stays.¡± She was too arrogant and would only get in the way of the rescue efforts. Jenny stopped, then felt a surge of anger, Flora was clearly targeting her! ¡°You stay here. Don¡¯te inside,¡± Jordan said coldly, ncing at her. ¡°Dad!¡± Jenny protested. ¡°Your sister¡¯s condition is critical,¡± Jordan replied, knowing Jenny¡¯s temperament too well. He feared she would only be in the way. As Jenny¡¯s face turned red with anger, he narrowed his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss your matters after your sister¡¯s condition improves.¡± Jenny suddenly understood Jordan¡¯s intention. She was overjoyed. Yes, saving her sister was the most important thing now. If Floracked the ability to heal her sister, she would settle both new and old scores with her. Even if Flora managed to cure her sister, she would make sure Flora regretted it! Led by the butler, Flora entered a room on the far right of the second floor. Before even stepping inside, she could hear painful moansing from within. The door was ajar, and as she pushed it open, she was immediately hit with a pungent smell. The room¡¯s windows were tightly shut, not allowing any air to circte, with a musty and stale odor assaulting her senses. Several doctors stood anxiously by the bed. Approaching, Flora nced at the woman on the bed. The woman resembled Jenny and .due to her chronic illness, herplexion was unnaturally pale. She moaned in pain, her face contorted in agony. Her damp eyshes trembled slightly, evoking a sense of pity. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 ¡°Ouch¡­ it hurts so much¡­. The doctors, already in a state of panic, became even more flustered as the woman¡¯s cries of pain echoed through the room. ¡°What do we do now? We can¡¯t control the situation!* ¡°Administer propafenone and verapamil, one of the older doctors instructed. ¡°But¡­ she¡¯s too weak right now. Giving her these drugs might be too much for her another doctor objected. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. Il control the dosage, the elder doctor reassured. Although he was well aware of the risks. There were no other options left. A bold move might still save the patient¡¯s life. Flora, watching the doctors prepare the injection, spoke up with a calm but firm voice, her beautiful eyes slightly narrowed. ¡°If you inject that shell be dead in less than ten minutes.¡± The doctor holding the syringe trembled, almost jabbing it into his own thigh. He tumed to face Flora, his expression darkening when he noticed she was just a young girl. ¡°Young Indy, what do you know!¡± At such a young age, what could she possibly know to question his decision? ¡°The patient¡¯s condition is too severe. Her body can¡¯t handle the medication you¡¯ve prepared. It¡¯ll only speed up her death.¡± ¡°Please escort this youngdy out. We can¡¯t have her disrupting our efforts to save a life!¡± The doctor, already at his wit¡¯s end in the chaos, was irked by Flora¡¯s interference. ¡°S¨¦raphine, can you treat our young miss?¡± The butler asked, still somewhat doubtful. It wasn¡¯t that he judged her by appearance or age. He knew that history was full of young medical prodigies, but someone as young as Flora, iming such expertise, was rare. After closely examining the woman¡¯s condition, Flora made her diagnosis. ¡°I¡¯ve got a 70% chance now, but if we wait any longer, it¡¯ll drop to 40% Despite her youth, her words carried weight, dispelling any doubts. Jordan, standing by the door, couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces at Flora upon hearing this. The butler was taken aback. They had consulted dozens of doctors for the young miss¡¯s illness, and none had ever imed such high certainty. He grew respectful, thinking, she truly was rmended by Queen Algria for a reason. He looked over at Jordan, who nodded. The butler then stepped forward and politely addressed the doctors, ¡°You¡¯ve all worked hard these past few days treating our young miss. We¡¯ve prepared some pastries downstairs, please enjoy them and then rest in your rooms.¡± The doctors were utterly bewildered. The patient was in critical condition, yet the butler was asking them to go downstairs for pastries and rest. What did this mean? ¡°Are you nning to let this young girl treat the young miss?¡± The elder doctor¡¯s voice rose, almost breaking with disbelief. With Mc Butler¡¯s nonmittal response, he felt it was absurd. Being asked to leave and reced by a girl barely out of her teens was a great insult to them. ¡°Since they want her to treat, let¡¯s not stop them. I want to see how this girl handles it, another doctor said. Ms. Bryant¡¯s condition was critical, nearly beyond hope. The Bryant family, known for their assertiveness, wouldn¡¯t allow them to leave. They were more than d that this hot potato could be passed to an overconfident young girl, so that she could learn her lesson. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. However, the doctors didn¡¯t leave. They intentionally stayed to witness Flora¡¯s potential failure, and also to prevent her from misusing medication and causing further harm to Ms. Bryant. They were there to step in if needed. Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Flora approached the bed and sat down Chapter 220 Chapter 220 This woman¡¯s condition has been lurking since birth and is only now showing itself. The Bryant family has done their best to take care of her. ¡°Give me the backpack,¡± Flora said. Crimson quickly handed over the bag. Flora unzipped it and pulled out a bottle of hertest essential oil blend. She opened the cap and carefully ced a drop on the woman¡¯s philtrum, then added drops to her temples and behind her ears. With no equipment on hand, checking the woman¡¯s brain was tricky for Flora. She suspected there was something more than just the congenital issue, some residual problem in her brain causing this sudden episode. Flora grabbed some paper and a pen from the bag and jotted down a list of medicinal ingredients and equipment needed for further examination. An older doctor leaned over to peek at her notes and his eyes widened in shock. ¡°This is madness! It could kill her!¡± he eximed. The doctor was furious, thinking Flora was just inexperienced. But it turned out she didn¡¯t even know the basics! Some of the ingredients she listed were ipatible, something even a beginner would know. This wasn¡¯t just reckless; it was dangerous! The butler, who had been about to send a servant to fetch the medicine, hesitated, his hand trembling. ¡°S¨¦raphine, this¡­¡± Crimson couldn¡¯t stay silent any longer. ¡°If you trust her, do as she says. If not, let us go and let these doctors handle it,¡± she said, exasperated. ¡°People beg Flora for her help. If it wasn¡¯t for the debt my cousin¡¯s family owes you, you wouldn¡¯t even have her here.¡± ¡°Do as S¨¦raphine says,¡± Jordan¡¯s voice broke the tension. The butler, relieved, hurried off with the list. The doctors nearby were livid. ¡°Jordan, if you let this go on, Ms. Bryant will die because of her,¡± one of them warned. ¡°I appreciate your concern,¡± Jordan replied firmly. These doctors had been around for days without any improvement in his daughter¡¯s condition. Why not let Flora try her methods? If his daughter worsened under Flora¡¯s care, he would hold her ountable. Heartbroken and frustrated, the doctors left. They had tried to warn them, but their words were ignored. Soon, a servant brought the equipment and medicines Flora had asked for. She turned to Crimson. ¡°Crimson, help me hold her.¡± ¡°Alright, Crimson responded, stepping over to lift the woman. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Flora, without a shred of gentleness, pinched the woman¡¯s jaw and shoved two pills into her mouth, pushing them straight to the throat. The woman swallowed them easily. Flora picked up an instrument from the table, her face serious. ¡°She¡¯s going to be in a lot of pain and will struggle. Make her down.¡± sure you hold Crimson clicked her tongue. ¡°Leave it to me, don¡¯t worry.¡± Though she wasn¡¯t skilled in medicine or martial arts like Flora, she could definitely hold down a bedridden woman. The instrument¡¯s cord was too short to reach the outlet, so Flora asked the butler for an extension cord. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 She plugged in the device, took a deep breath, and pressed it against the woman¡¯s chest. ¡°Clear!¡± The defibritor buzzed to life. The woman¡¯s body jolted violently with each shock, her face contorted in agony as she fought against it. Crimson held her down with unyielding strength, preventing any movement. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The room echoed with her screams. Jordan¡¯s face twisted with a mix of concern and hardness. His gaze towards Flora became icy. ¡°She better cure my precious daughter,¡± he thought. ¡°Or there¡¯ll be hell to pay.¡± After about thirty shocks, the woman waspletely spent. Any more would be too much. Flora turned off the device, instructing Crimson to help the woman lie down. She checked her vitals. The woman¡¯s heart rate had steadied significantly. Flora wiped the sweat from her forehead and finally allowed herself a small smile. ¡°How is she, S¨¦raphine?¡± the butler asked anxiously. They¡¯d never seen anything like this, and it had everyone on edge. ¡°She¡¯s out of immediate danger,¡± Flora replied. ¡°Her life isn¡¯t at risk right now.¡± She nced at the tightly shut windows. ¡°Open all the windows. Fresh air will help her recovery.¡± ¡°Right away,¡± the butler nodded eagerly. ¡°The patient is in aa. She should wake up within three hours. I¡¯ll check on her again then.¡± While they had temporarily stabilized her, the root cause might still require surgery. But for now, surgery was out of the question. After giving her instructions, Flora and Crimson left the room, their backpacks slung over their shoulders. The butler quickly arranged for some food. In the living room, Jenny was waiting. The butler knew Flora and Jenny were bound to sh, so he had a room prepared for Flora and Crimson to rest and eat. Jordan, still skeptical, called in other doctors to examine the woman. He couldn¡¯t rely solely on Flora¡¯s judgment. The new doctors were stunned after their examination. ¡°Did you bring in some kind of expert to treat the young miss?¡± they wondered aloud, unaware of Flora¡¯s involvement. Jordan didn¡¯t answer directly. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°When we treated her before, her heart was weak, and things looked grim. But now, her breathing is steady, and her heart is strong. She¡¯s out of danger!¡± Jordan¡¯s expression shifted, contemtive. It seemed S¨¦raphine did have some real skills. He instructed the butler to let the doctors rest. Just as the butler left, Jenny entered. ¡°Daddy, how¡¯s sister?¡± ¡°The doctors said your sister¡¯s much better now. She¡¯s out of danger.¡± Jenny¡¯s face lit up. Her sister was the one who always looked out for her, and knowing she was safe brought immense relief. But the thought that Flora was behind her recovery gnawed at her. ¡°So, dad, what¡¯s the n? Are we really going to keep that woman around to treat sister?¡± Jenny raised her bandaged hand, tears welling up. The pain was still there. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Jordan said, patting her head gently. ¡°But your sister¡¯s healthes first. Once she¡¯s fully recovered, you can do whatever you want. I won¡¯t stop you.¡± Once his daughter¡¯s illness was cured, S¨¦raphine would no longer be necessary. Jenny¡¯s happiness was all that mattered. A mere S¨¦raphine wasn¡¯t worth his concern at all. Chapter 222 Chapter 222 In the room, Floray on her bed, chatting away with Connor on her phone. Crimson sat next to her, typing furiously on herptop. The butler had left some food on the table, but neither had touched it. They had just eaten, and frankly, they weren¡¯t in the mood for anything from the Bryant family. Flora had just sent Connor a funny sticker when his message popped up, [What are you doing?] [Hanging out with a friend. How¡¯s everything with your mom?] [Almost sorted. I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can.] Flora sent back a sticker that said, [Waiting for you.] ¡°Seraphine?¡± A knock on the door was followed by Jordan¡¯s voice. Flora sat up and opened the door. ¡°Is she awake?¡± Jordan walked in with the butler, who was all smiles. ¡°She hasn¡¯t woken up yet, but she looks a lot better. Ms. Seraphine, your medical skills are truly impressive.¡± Rubbing his hands together eagerly, the butler Jordan looked anxiously at Flora too. ¡°There is.¡± Flora nodded. Ked, ¡°Is there a permanent cure for the youngdy¡¯s condition?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°What is it?¡± The butler¡¯s excitement was palpable. ¡°A craniotomy.¡± Flora hooked a chair with her foot and dragged it behind her to sit down. ¡°But this would be my first time performing one. I¡¯m not sure about the sess rate.¡± She had seen Jules perform many neurosurgeries and had assisted him when there was a shortage of hands. But that was just as an assistant. Leading a craniotomy would be a first for her. ¡°There¡¯s another, safer method,¡± Flora said, watching the butler and Jordan¡¯s faces change. ¡°I can craft some special sachets and essential oils. As long as she keeps them with her, they can suppress the symptoms. However, it¡¯s only a temporary fix, and there¡¯s no telling when she might fall ill again.¡± Floraid out the options clearly for Jordan. The decision was theirs. His brows furrowed, and his usually sharp gaze now carried a hint of confusion as he weighed the options. Flora waited patiently without rushing them. After a moment, Jordan spoke up. ¡°I choose the first option, a craniotomy.¡± He said it with a weight in his voice, as if the words were forced out. His daughter had suffered enough, and rather than living like this indefinitely, it was worth risking a daring attempt. ¡°Seraphine, if you can save my daughter, you will be wellpensated.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the fee I deserve.¡± Flora¡¯s requested fee wasn¡¯t exorbitant, fifty million. If it weren¡¯t for a friend¡¯s request, she wouldn¡¯t havee even for several billion. Flora asked Jordan to prepare what was needed for the surgery. She had considered performing the surgery at home, but theck of a sterile environment could increase the risk of infection. However, Jordan had already instructed his staff to build a sterile operating room. Because his eldest daughter had a unique condition, he had feared this day mighte and had prepared a sterile operating room at home well in advance. The surgery would be challenging for Flora to perform alone. She asked Crimson to assist her. Crimson had worked under Jules for a while, and though her talent wasn¡¯t as high as Flora¡¯s, personal coaching from Jules meant her neurosurgery skills were decent. Assisting with the operation would be no problem. But the two of them alone wouldn¡¯t be enough. After some thought, Flora told Jordan, ¡°Find us another doctor, preferably a neurosurgeon.¡± Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Jordan didn¡¯t waste any time finding a doctor. And wouldn¡¯t you know it, the doctor he brought in was none other than Dr. Falcone, the very same doctor who had always looked down on Flora with a critical eye. When Jordan asked Dr. Falcone to assist Flora with a brain surgery, the doctor nearlyughed out loud. The idea seemed ridiculous to him. ¡°Miss, have you ever done a surgery like this before?¡± he asked skeptically. Flora shook her head, ¡°No, this is my first time.¡± Dr. Falcone was so outraged he could barely speak. ¡°Jordan, you¡¯re ying with your daughter¡¯s life.¡± ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Jordan replied firmly. ¡°Just assist Flora, and I promise you won¡¯t lose a cent of the funding for your research.¡± Reluctantly, Dr. Falcone agreed, but he made it clear that if anything went wrong, he wouldn¡¯t take the me. Once the patient was prepped, Flora checked her condition to make sure she was ready for surgery and then wheeled her into the operating room. Outside, Jordan and Jenny waited anxiously. Inside the OR, the tension was palpable. Brain surgery required absolute focus; any mistake could be fatal. ¡°Dr. Falcone, hold the instrument steady. Crimson, keep a close eye on the patient¡¯s vitals,¡± Flora instructed. ¡°Got it,¡± Crimson nodded. But Dr. Falcone, ever the critic, was quick to jump in. ¡°The spot you¡¯re choosing to cut is problematic. From this angle, you might hit the optic nerve, causing blindness. And this here isn¡¯t right either¡­¡± ¡°Dr. Falcone, if you¡¯re not going to help, you can leave,¡± Flora snapped. Thest thing she needed was distractions. Dr. Falcone¡¯s constant interruptions had pushed her to the edge. Her cold, determined gaze bore into him, making him fall silent with a huff. With the room quieter, Flora focused on the task at hand. She made the incision with steady hands. A neurosurgeon¡¯s hand must be rock steady, touching a nerve the wrong way could spell disaster. Before she started, Dr. Falcone had noticed her hands were shaking slightly. But once she began, it was like she became a different person. Her hands were perfectly still! Even Dr. Falcone had to admit she was good¨Creally good. He watched in awe as she navigated around nerves to remove a blood clot deep in the brain. She was quick and steady, better than many seasoned pros. After the clot was removed, it was time to stitch up. Flora was sweating, but she remained as steady as a mountain, her hands never wavering. Dr. Falcone was beside himself with excitement. He had never seen such skillful stitching! He leaned in for a closer look, identally nudging the instrument. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Flora¡¯s hand froze. The view on the monitor shifted; she could no longer see the area she was stitching. For a brain surgeon, losing sight of the operative field was disastrous. Dr. Falcone was in a state of utter panic. He had only anticipated causing such a significant error! Chapter 224 Chapter 224 meant to get a closer look, to understand the procedure better, but he hadn¡¯t Crimson¡¯s face paled with anger. She wanted to give Dr. Falcone a piece of her mind, while also felt a surge of worry for Flora. Beads of sweat dripped down Flora¡¯s forehead. She pressed her lips tightly together and, after a few seconds, resumed stitching. Her movements were much slower and steadier than before. Dr. Falcone and Crimson hardly dared to breathe, fearing they might disturb Flora. After an agonizing twenty minutes, which would have made anyone¡¯s hands tremble from being held up in the air for so long, Flora showed no sign of weakness, even while performing such aplex surgical procedure. Another five minutes passed, and Flora finallypleted thest step. When she stepped away from the operating table, her hands were trembling uncontrobly. Her right hand, which had been injured while protecting a child and had hit the curb, was now in excruciating pain after performing such a demanding surgery. ¡°From here, I¡¯ll leave it to you,¡± Flora said, massaging her sore hand, addressing a guilt¨Cridden Dr. Falcone. ¡°You can handle the closure, right?¡± ¡°Absolutely, no problem at all!¡± Dr. Falcone nodded vigorously, his previous underestimation of Flora reced entirely by admiration and respect! He had been too hasty in judging Flora, thinking her youth meant her skills werecking. But this surgery had profoundly changed his view! With the surgery sessfullypleted, all three of them breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°S¨¦raphine, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± As Flora was about to leave the operating room, Dr. Falcone quickly approached her and bowed deeply at a ny¨Cdegree angle. It was a gesture of profound respect. Dr. Falcone emphasized his words carefully, ¡°I was disrespectful towards you before, S¨¦raphine. I hope you can forgive my ignorance.¡± ¡°Please, stand up. I¡¯m not upset,¡± Flora said, covering her head in slight exasperation. ¡°Do you know who taught you? Your stitching technique reminds me of Dr. Jules.¡± ¡°You know Jules?¡± Flora raised an eyebrow. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Dr. Falcone¡¯s face showed humility and embarrassment, ¡°I was fortunate enough to attend a few of Dr. Jules¡® lectures. I desperately wanted to be his apprentice, but he found mecking and refused.¡± ¡°Who did you study under?¡± Dr. Falcone asked again. ¡°It¡¯s not something I can discuss.¡± In truth, her mentor was Jules, as he had taught her the skills, even though she wasn¡¯t formally his apprentice. But currently, as S¨¦raphine, mentioning Jules as her teacher could potentially cause unnecessary trouble for him. Dr. Falcone grew even more respectful, thinking Flora¡¯s mentor must be some reclusive master, hence her reluctance to disclose his identity. At the operating room¡¯s door, Dr. Falcone courteously opened it for her, his demeanor eager to please. Jordan and others had been waiting outside. Seeing them emerge, they eagerly inquired, ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°The surgery was a sess. The youngdy will be fine, Flora said, rubbing her aching wrist. Hearing this, Jordan, the butler, and Jenny were overjoyed. ¡°You can move her to her room now. The anesthesia hasn¡¯t worn off yet, but she should wake up by tomorrow morning.¡± By the time they finished the surgery, it was already eleven o¡¯clock. Jordan arranged for Dr. Falcone to be escorted back to his residence, while Flora and Crimson retired to the guest room prepared for them by the butler. Flora figured that once Ms. Bryant woke up tomorrow morning and she had checked her over, they would be able to leave. frod The next morning at seven, Flora and Crimson got up, washed, and headed out. A servant waiting at the door respectfully said, ¡°Mr. Bryant instructed us to ask you to visit the youngdy¡¯s room once you were awake.¡± Upon reaching Ms. Bryant¡¯s room, they heardughter. The door was open, and the butler, seeing them, hurriedly invited, ¡°Pleasee in!¡± Flora and Crimson strode in. Jordan and Jenny bit upon seeing them. were there, their faces still lit with the remnants of joy, but their expressions sobered a Ms. Luna Bryant was sitting up against her pillows, eating a bowl of oatmeal spoon by spoon. Her eyes, lowered with a misty look, were unfathomable. It was like the early morning feg in a forest, elusive and mysterious. Perhaps due to her long illness, there was always a somber aura about her. Though she and her sister looked very much alike, Ms. Bryant had a unique air about her that Jenny did not possess. ¡°Are you S¨¦raphine?¡± Luna asked with a weak smile on her pale face. ¡°My father told me about you. You saved me.¡± ¡°How are you feeling now?¡± ¡°Much better. I¡¯m not feeling tight¨Cchested or headachy anymore.¡± ¡°Ms. S¨¦raphine, you¡¯re truly miraculous!¡± the butler couldn¡¯t help but interject. ¡°Since your arrival, our youngdy¡¯s condition has improved remarkably! She¡¯s been so lively this morning, eating three bowls of oatmeal and even asking for something more vorful!¡± ¡°Eating more is good, but try to avoid anything too greasy,¡± Flora advised after a thorough checkup. ¡°You¡¯re going to be just fine. Just make sure to rest well for a half month, and you¡¯ll be indistinguishable from a healthy person.¡± Being indistinguishable from a healthy person¡­ Luna¡¯s heart raced with the thought. Chapter 225 Chapter 225 From the moment she was born, she was hindered by a physical ailment that kept her from running and ying sports like everyone else. Most of her days were spent leisurely at home. In recent years, her condition had worsened significantly, confining her to her bed nearly every day. She had seen countless doctors, all of whom could only manage to suppress her symptoms. She had undergone chemotherapy repeatedly, almost losing hope.. Flora was the first person to assert with certainty that she could recover and lead a normal life. Luna¡¯s hands clutched the nket so tightly they turned white from excitement. Jordan and Jenny also wore expressions of pure joy. The family¡¯s butler, even more eager, asked, ¡°Seraphine, are you saying that our young miss will never rpse again?¡± Flora nodded. ¡°Is there anything we should pay attention to, or any medication she needs?¡± ¡°No,¡± Flora replied, pulling a piece of paper from her backpack and handing it to the butler. ¡°Prepare meals for your young miss three times a day ording to what I¡¯ve written here, and she¡¯ll be fine.¡± The butler treasured the paper, carefully tucking it away. Flora slung her backpack over her shoulder and said, ¡°Mr. Bryant, your daughter¡¯s illness is cured. We¡¯ll be taking our leave now.¡± ¡°Why not stay a bit longer, Seraphine? You can leave once my daughter has fully recovered,¡± Jordan suggested. ¡°As long as she follows the diet I¡¯ve prescribed, she won¡¯t rpse. We have other important matters to attend to ¡°After Flora spoke, she grabbed Crimson¡¯s hand and strode out. Jenny watched their departing figures, panicking. She hastily tugged at Mr. Bryant¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Dad!¡± Jordan¡¯s eyes darkened slightly as he mulled over his thoughts. Seraphine¡¯s medical skills were indeed extraordinary. It would be a shame to let her go just like that. If he could make her work for him¡­ He said in a deep voice, ¡°Seraphine is off¨Climits, but you can do as you please with the other one.¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Excitement flickered in Jenny¡¯s eyes as she hurriedly stood up and left. Just as Flora and Crimson reached the living room, ready to exit the foyer, a sharp voice from behind themmanded, ¡°Stop them!¡± The bodyguards at the door collectively moved to block their way. Flora turned around, her gaze falling on Jenny and Jordan upstairs. Her eyes were icy and sharp as a de. ¡°Mr. Bryant, what is the meaning of this?¡± Jordan chuckled lightly, his smile cold and calcting, like a snake ready to strike. ¡°Seraphine, my daughter¡¯s health has not fully recovered yet. It would be better if you stayed a bit longer before leaving.¡± ¡°So, you are not nning to let us leave?¡± Crimson¡¯s eyes shed dangerously. Flora remained silent, her downturned eyes filled with intense cold. ¡°It would be best if Seraphine decides to stay,¡± Jordan continued, tapping lightly on the staircase railing. ¡°The Bryant family¡¯s status in Maple Grove is well¨Cknown to you, Seraphine. Should you decide to stay, we will fully support your development, offering endless benefits.¡± Crimson almostughed out of sheer disbelief. As if the Bryant family could ever hope to detain Flora? He would never know what hit Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. him! ¡°And if I insist on leaving?¡± Flora lifted her eyelids, her gaze turbulent, her voice cold as frost, lowering the surrounding temperature by several degrees. ¡°Then I might have to resort to some extreme measures,¡± Jordan said, his hand rhythmically tapping on the staircase, his tone casual and indifferent, clearly not considering Flora Chapter 226 Chapter 226 In Jordan¡¯s eyes, no matter how good S¨¦raphine¡¯s medical skills were, she was just a frence doctor¨Cno power, no prestigious family background, hardly a threat. ¡°S¨¦raphine took this deal solely for Queen Algria¡¯s sake, with Club 257 vouching for her in the middle. Did you ever consider what would happen if you turned on us? Could you withstand Club 257¡¯s wrath?¡± Mentioning Club 257 made Jordan hesitate for a moment, but he quickly regained his lofty demeanor. He didn¡¯t believe Club 257 would go against the Bryant family over someone like S¨¦raphine. As for Queen Algria, a few sweet words would smooth things over. Besides, they could detain S¨¦raphine without a trace, unbeknownst to anyone. ¡°S¨¦raphine, I don¡¯t want things to get ugly. Just agree to join us, work for us, and I¡¯ll let you go,¡± Jordan smiled. ¡°In turn, I¡¯ll use the Bryant family¡¯s resources to elevate your status.¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± Crimson¡¯s fiery temper red, and she grabbed Flora¡¯s hand, striding towards the door. The bodyguards, upon receiving a signal from Jordan, suddenly drew their guns from their belts! Jordan¡¯s deep voice followed them, ¡°S¨¦raphine, we truly don¡¯t want to harm you, but if you take another step, I can¡¯t guarantee what will happen to yourpanion.¡± Flora stopped in her tracks, her eyes reddening and a terrifying intent to kill emerged. ¡°Damn it.¡± Crimson cursed under his breath. The Bryant family had always had a notorious reputation, but considering he had once saved her cousin¡¯s daughter, they owed him a favor, which was why Flora was here for treatment in the first ce. But this time, the Bryant family was going too far! Flora stopped, and Jenny approached them gleefully. ¡°Weren¡¯t you so proud a moment ago? It seems you knew fear after all.¡± Jenny mocked, ¡°So what if you¡¯re a miraculous healer? You¡¯re still at our mercy now!¡± Her hand still ached, fueling her rage against Flora. ¡°Thinking you¡¯re so tough? Let¡¯s see if you dare to keep that attitude now!¡± Jenny raised her hand to p Flora. ¡°Jenny!¡± Jordan¡¯s expression changed dramatically. Jenny was no match for Flora! Flora remained still, watching Jenny¡¯s descending hand, her pupils shrinking with a burst of chilling intent. Her slender arm rose, catching the woman¡¯s wrist precisely. This time, Flora showed no mercy, kicking Jenny¡¯s knee, causing her to half¨Ckneel in agony. Flora¡¯s grip tightened, and the next second, the sound of bones breaking mixed with the woman¡¯s screams filled the room. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. The bodyguards were stunned, and Crimson seized the opportunity. He moved behind the nearest bodyguard, striking him in the neck with his elbow, then taking his gun as the guard was incapacitated. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Before the other bodyguards could react, Crimson aimed the gun at Jenny¡¯s head. ¡°Anyonees closer, and I¡¯ll blow her brains out!¡± Jenny was so nervous her pores seemed to explode. ¡°You can¡¯t touch me! If anything happens to me, you won¡¯t make it out either!¡± Crimson smirked, his finger casually on the trigger, ¡°Why don¡¯t we see if we can make it out after I shoot you.¡± Jenny was terrified, every hair on end. The woman¡¯s voice was cold, filled with deadly intent; she had no doubt that Crimson would pull the trigger. ¡°S¨¦raphine, if you so much as touch my daughter, you won¡¯t be able to leave.¡± Chapter 227 Chapter 227 ter 227 ¡°Ha¡­,¡± Flora chuckled, but her eyes were cold as ice. ¡°You really think you can stop uChaps?¡± The Bryant family had pushed her too far. Just when everyone thought Flora and Crimson would take Jenny as a hostage to escape, Crimson, following Flora¡¯s signal, let Jenny go. Taking Jenny hostage? That was beneath them. They wanted the Bryants to beg them to leave. With no one to hold her up, Jenny copsed to the ground. Terrified, she crawled away like a frightened puppy, her body trembling. The guards rushed to her side, but Jenny¡¯s legs were too weak to support her, and she nearly fell again. and snot as she wailed, ¡°Daddy, kill them!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Thedy of the Bryant family acting like this was an embarrassment! as a mess of tears Jordan stared at Flora with a serious, almost ominous look, and for some reason, a wave of fear washed over him. But he quickly suppressed it. No matter how skilled S¨¦raphine was in medicine, she had no real power. Jordan decided to break Flora¡¯s spirit. He ordered allmunication devices on Flora and Crimson to be confiscated and then had them taken to the dungeon. Starve them for a few days, and they¡¯d surely break. Flora and Crimson let it all happen without a fuss. Their attitude was casual and rxed. The Bryant family might want them to stay now, but soon they¡¯d be begging them to leave. ¡°Dad,¡± Luna, looking pale, was helped out by a servant. ¡°Is it really okay to treat S¨¦raphine like this?¡± ¡°These so¨Ccalled geniuses are always so proud, but it won¡¯t be long before I break her and make her listen to me.¡± Luna didn¡¯t agree with her father¡¯s methods but kept quiet. Her illness was cured, and she no longer needed S¨¦raphine. Actually, she held a grudge against these prodigies. Why did she have to suffer from birth while others were born talented? The dungeon was really just a basement¨Cnarrow, enclosed, and damp, with not a single ray of light. Staying there too long could drive anyone mad. Flora and Crimson walked in as if they were strolling through their own backyard, showing no signs of panic or urgency. ¡°Look at them, acting all high and mighty. So what if she¡¯s a genius doctor? She¡¯s still locked up,¡± sneered one of the guards. ¡°I wonder how long she can keep up that attitude. After hurting the youngdy, she¡¯ll get what¡¯s coming to her,¡± another guard added, smirking. Ordinary people naturally envied geniuses. ¡°I¡¯d heard the Bryants were ruthless, but this is a new low,¡± Crimson said indignantly. ¡°One minute they need our help, the next they betray us. Once I get out, I¡¯ll make sure they pay!¡± Flora rubbed her wrists, staying silent. She had seen through the Bryant family¡¯s schemes from the start. She had a n. Soon, they¡¯de begging to her. Meanwhile, Jordan had called a doctor to check on Jenny¡¯s hand, expecting it to be just a dislocation. But after examining her, the doctor¡¯s face turned grave. ¡°Sir, who hurt the young miss?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The injury is severe. The person who did this knew exactly where to hit¡­,¡± the doctor hesitated, ¡°The best course of action would be for the person who caused the injury to reset the bone, otherwise-¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Otherwise what?¡± Jordan asked anxiously. Swallowing hard, the doctor replied, ¡°Her arm/might be useless.¡± Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Jenny¡¯s tears flowed uncontrobly, and she sobbed, ¡°Dad, what are we gonna do? I don¡¯t wanna end up disabled¡± ¡®Calm down, Luna tried tofort her. ¡°We won¡¯t let anything happen to you. Besides¡­¡± ¡°Easy for you to say! It¡¯s not your hand that¡¯s about to be severed!¡± Jenny was in so much pain, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Dad, it hurts so much¡­ please, let S¨¦raphine out. Let her heal my hand! Hurry!¡± Jordan¡¯s face soured. He had just imprisoned S¨¦raphine. If he released her now, what would be of his authority? Luna realized her father¡¯s dilemma. She stood up, walked to Jenny¡¯s side, and offered some half¨C hearted constion, ¡°Jenny, be good. Who said we only have S¨¦raphine? We can consult more doctors; surely, we can heal your hand.¡± To Luna, Jenny¡¯s injury didn¡¯t seem that dire. How painful could it bepared to the chemotherapy Luna had endured while bedridden? Jenny had lived a safe and healthy life for so many years¡­even if she did end up disabled, she would still be fortunate. More fortunate than Luna had been. Jenny couldn¡¯t listen to any of it. All she knew was the unbearable pain, and that her father and sister weren¡¯t showing her any concern. She broke down, pushing Luna away violently, screaming, ¡°Get away! I want Flora! Get her here right now!¡± Luna, weakened from her long illness, was easily pushed to the ground, her abdomen hitting the corner of a cab. She doubled over in pain, clutching her stomach. Jordan¡¯s expression changed, reprimanding Jenny, ¡°Why are youshing out at your sister!¡± Just awakened, Luna was still frail, and Jordan, fearing for her health, rushed to help her up. However, Luna suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and then fainted! Jordan was shocked and quickly summoned a doctor to examine Luna. After a thorough examination, the doctor¡¯s expression became peculiar, a mix of anxiety and confusion. ¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± the doctor said, furrowing his brow. ¡°Miss Luna¡¯s condition had stabilized before, but now, it has suddenly worsened. Her breathing is erratic, and she¡¯s severely depleted internally. She¡¯s in critical danger!* ¡°Aren¡¯t you a doctor! Find a way to cure her!¡± Jordan roared. The doctor was in a difficult position. If he could cure Luna, he would have done so already! ¡°Miss Luna¡¯s sudden deterioration is truly bizarre. With my limited medical skills, I cannot determine the cause in such a short time.¡± Wiping sweat from his brow, the doctor trembled, ¡°Her condition is extremely dangerous. She could die at any moment. I suggest you immediately contact the exceptional doctor who treated Miss Luna before. She¡¯s the only one who can save her now.¡± Jordan¡¯s face darkened. He now understood why S¨¦raphine had been so confident before. First, it was his younger daughter, and now his older one. He had underestimated S¨¦raphine! ¡°Bring S¨¦raphine here!¡± The words came out reluctantly. Upon receiving the order, the butler rushed to the dungeon. Ten minutester, he returned, drenched in sweat. ¡°Sir, no matter what we say, S¨¦raphine refuses toe out!¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°What are all the bodyguards for if they can¡¯t even bring back one person!¡± Jordan was furious. The butler looked distressed. Both Flora and Crimson were skilled martial artists, beyond the capabilities of the guards, who dared not use firearms against them. The dungeon was now littered with incapacitated bodyguards. Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Connor stood by the hospital bed, his eyes fixed on the middle¨Caged woman lying there, emotions swirling in his chest. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw Ray¡¯s name shing on the screen. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Stepping outside, he shut the door quietly behind him and answered the call in the hallway. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ray¡¯s voice crackled with excitement. ¡°Connor, have you heard about the chaos in Maple Grove? The Bryant family brought in S¨¦raphine to heal their daughter, but they had the audacity to imprison her. Now, every major yer is mobilizing. The Bryant family is toast!¡± Ray was practically bouncing off the walls; he¡¯d never seen so many factions move in unison before. The Bryant family sure had guts messing with S¨¦raphine. ¡°Hey, should we-¡± But Connor had already hung up, his heart pounding in his chest. He quickly dialed Moss, urgency seeping into his voice as he barked, ¡°Back to Maple Grove!¡± Jordan rushed to the dungeon, only to find Flora and Crimson lounging on straw mats, looking completely unbothered. The floor was littered with unconscious bodyguards. The remaining guards stood frozen, too terrified to move. Jordan¡¯s face darkened, his eyes narrowing with cold fury. S¨¦raphine was even harder to control than he had anticipated. If he couldn¡¯t bend her to his will, he¡¯d break her. But first, he needed her to cure his daughters. Jordan red at Flora, his eyes sharp as daggers. ¡°S¨¦raphine, I broke my promise, and so did you. You meddled with my daughters¡® treatment.¡± The girl crossed her arms and slowly lifted her eyelids, her expression unreadable. ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal. You cure my daughters, and I¡¯ll let you go.¡± ¡°Not interested.¡± Flora stood up slowly, brushing off her clothes. Not interested? His daughters¡® lives were hanging by a thread, and she just casually said she wasn¡¯t interested? ¡°S¨¦raphine, don¡¯t push your luck. I respect your remarkable skills and have been patient, but if my daughters suffer because of you, I will make you pay with your life!¡± ¡°Bryant, if your daughters end up worse, it¡¯s your own damn fault!¡± Crimson snickered. ¡°Make S¨¦raphine pay? The whole Bryant familybined isn¡¯t even close to being enough!¡± ¡°Arrogant brat!¡± Jordan¡¯s fury boiled over. He ordered a guard to fetch a whip, determined to teach Flora a lesson. The whip cracked through the air, aiming straight at Flora. She sidestepped gracefully, dodging the lashes with ease. But the cell was cramped, leaving little room to maneuver. Several strikes came dangerously close to Crimson. Flora¡¯s eyes hardened. As the whipshed out again, she caught it in mid¨Cair! A red welt appeared on her hand. With a fierce yank, she wrested the whip away and snapped it back towards Jordan. He couldn¡¯t dodge in time, and the whip tore a bloody line across his face, Skin split open in an instant. ¡°Sir, we have a problem!¡± The butler rushed in, whispering urgently into Jordan¡¯s ear, ¡°We got a call from Club 257!¡± ¡°What?¡± Jordan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Ignoring his wound, he hurried out of the dungeon, staring at his phone¡¯s incessant shing. He took a deep breath and answered. A gravelly voice rumbled from the other end. ¡°Bryant, you¡¯ve got some nerve, messing with Club 257¡¯s people. Since when were S¨¦raphine and Crimson affiliated with Club 257? Jordan¡¯s heart pounded in his chest. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 ¡°There¡¯s got to be some misunderstanding, I¡­¡± ¡°You have twenty minutes. I want our people out of the Bryant estate unharmed, or Club 257 will raze it to the ground!¡± Jordan, gripping the now silent phone, felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. Who could have imagined that Crimson and S¨¦raphine were actually with Club 257? Before S¨¦raphine arrived, he had already checked her background, finding no ties to any organization. That¡¯s why he dared to treat her the way he did. Just then, the phone started ringing off the hook again. Nowpletely frazzled and in no mood to answer, Jordan tossed the phone to the butler, signaling him to take the call. After the call, the butler, trembling, said, ¡°Sir! It¡¯s people from Queen Algria¡­ They demand we release S¨¦raphine and Crimson immediately! Otherwise, they¡¯ll destroy the Bryant estate without a second thought!¡± Jordan felt his chest tighten. In the following minutes, countless calls came in, all demanding the release of S¨¦raphine. ¡°Someone from the National Research Institute called, ordering us to release S¨¦raphine immediately¡­¡± ¡°Someone from the Cloud Shadow Auction House called, giving us half an hour to release S¨¦raphine¡­¡± ¡°Beep-¡± The phone started ringing again, like the sound of doom! Jordan was drenched in cold sweat, as if he¡¯d been pulled out of water. Hearing the ringtone, he trembled and nodded to the butler to answer. After a few words, the butler¡¯s legs began to shake, ¡°It¡¯s¨CIt¡¯s the Stonnell family. They said if anything happens to S¨¦raphine while she¡¯s here, they¡¯ll destroy the Bryant estate!¡± ¡°What!¡± Jordan¡¯s legs gave out, and he copsed to the floor in shock. Who exactly was this S¨¦raphine, to have both Club 257 and the Stonnell family stepping in for her! ¡°Sir, what do we do now¡­¡± Even the butler was stunned, having never seen such a disy of power before. Any one of these forces could shake Maple Grove to its core with just a foot stomp. Yet now, they were all moving for one S¨¦raphine! Jordan was ashen¨Cfaced. He knew he had bitten off more than he could chew. He was filled with regret, realizing he should never have tried to control S¨¦raphine. He risked not only his two daughters but potentially the entire Bryant family. ¡°To the dungeon, now!¡± Jordan got up and hurried to the dungeon. Club 257 and Ruby Path had issued a strict ultimatum. Within twenty minutes, they had to see Flora safe and unharmed, or they would indeed raze the Bryant estate! Jordan had no doubts about the seriousness of their threats. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Upon reaching the dungeon, he ordered the bodyguards to release Flora and Crimson. Then, bowing deeply to Flora, he said, ¡°S¨¦raphine, I was blind to your true stature and have offended you. I offer you my sincerest apologies and beg your forgiveness. Please, spare me and the Bryant estate! If you still feel aggrieved, feel free to deal with me as you see fit! I will personally ensure your safe departure from the Bryant estate.¡± The bodyguards were clueless about what had transpired. They watched Jordan¡¯s abject humility in utter disbelief, their eyes nearly popping out. Jordan had only been gone for a short while, but upon his return, he seemed like apletely different person, showing such politeness and respect toward these two women. Jordan could no longer care about his dignity. Facing Club 257 was already beyond him, and now the Stonnell family was involved too¡­ The more he thought about it, the more regret he felt. If he had known it woulde to this, he would have sent Flora away right from the start. Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Jordan¡¯s change in attitude toward Flora didn¡¯t catch her off guard. Rubbing her delicate, pale wrists, she leaned against the wall, her head tilted slightly as she looked at him, speaking in a casual tone, ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty nice here. I don¡¯t n on leaving yet.¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± Jordan¡¯s face went pale with fear. ¡°S¨¦raphine, please, have mercy on me¡­¡± If she stayed, the folks from Club 257 and Ruby Path would definitelye down hard on the Bryant family! Crimson felt a wave of satisfaction at his reaction. ¡°Ever heard the saying, ¡®It¡¯s easy to invite the devil in but hard to send him away? You wouldn¡¯t let us leave before, and now we¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Please, I beg you, just give me a break¡­ I¡¯ll personally see you out of the Bryant family. How about that?¡± Now, Jordan had lost all his pride. Though he still felt a burning resentment, the thought of Flora¡¯s powerful backers made him desperate to get rid of this hot potato as soon as possible. Leaving just like this? That¡¯d be letting him off too easily. Crimson¡¯s eyes flicked to a corner where a whipy, her eyelids lowering slightly. It was with that whip that he¡¯d almost hurt Flora. ¡°Bring me that whip.¡± The bodyguard pointed out by Crimson looked confusedly at Jordan. Only after seeing him nod did he go fetch the whip. ¡°Hit nhim. Crimson¡¯smand was simple, but it sent a chill down the bodyguard¡¯s spine. To whip Jordan? The old man would kill him for sure! ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to?¡± Her slightly squinted eyes sent a cold shiver through him. Crimson¡¯s voice wasced with displeasure. ¡°I¡­¡± The bodyguard couldn¡¯t stop trembling. A flicker of resentment passed through Jordan¡¯s lowered eyes. He¡¯d already humbled himself, and yet Crimson still wanted to publicly humiliate him. He harbored resentment but was ultimately cowed by the power behind Flora. He shot a cold nce at the bodyguard. ¡°Do as they say.¡± Though the bodyguard was terrified, Jordan¡¯smand left him no choice. He closed his eyes, clenched his teeth, and the whip fell heavily on Jordan¡¯s back. ¡°Are you putting on a show?¡± Crimson scoffed, ¡°There¡¯s no blood. You think we¡¯re leaving just like that?¡± The bodyguard had no other choice but to use all his strength. Whip after whipnded heavily! Before long, Jordan was drenched in blood, his skin torn open. The pain left him sprawled in the muddy ground, gasping in agony, bloodied, and nowhere near his former arrogance. Crimson felt her anger subside somewhat. She took Flora¡¯s hand and strode away. Jordan, thinking of his two suffering daughters, bit his teeth and pleaded again, ¡°S¨¦raphine¡­ it¡¯s our fault. We mistreated you, but as a healer, could you please spare my daughters¡­¡± Flora paused for a moment, then strode out of the basement. Jordany powerlessly on the ground, filled with regret, but it was toote for regrets. At the Bryant family¡¯s gate, Flora and Crimson walked out confidently, all the bodyguards showing a look of reverence, none daring to stop them. As soon as they stepped out of the Bryant family¡¯s gate, a disturbance came from the sky. Flora and Crimson instinctively looked up, only to see several helicopters circling above the Bryant family. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding. Are the guys from Club 257 making such a big deal out of this?¡± Crimson clicked her tongue, instinctively thinking it was Club 257¡¯s people. Flora thought the same, but as the helicoptersnded, they realized something was off The emblem on the helicopters was not Club 257¡¯s trademark symbol, but¡­ After a moment of contemtion, Crimson¡¯s expression changed drastically, ¡°It¡¯s Ruby Path¡¯s people! Why would Ruby Path¡¯s people suddenly show up? Could it be for Flora? Crimson became wary, shielding Flora behind her. As the helicopter slowlynded, a group of well¨Ctrained special forces soldiers jogged out, standing on both sides with a respectful and serious demeanor. A man wearing a mask walked out. The man, dressed in a sharp, tailor¨Cmade suit, strode down from thedder. The mask hid his face, making his features indiscernible, but his dark, chilling eyes emitted waves of coldness. At this moment, the man¡¯s steps were somewhat disordered, his gaze locked on Flora behind Crimson, and he walked quickly toward her. Crimson¡¯s heart tightened, realizing she had guessed right. It was indeed Flora they were after. As Crimson pondered how to protect Flora, she sighed behind her. ¡°What are you doing!¡± As Flora continued to walk forward, Crimson was shocked. However, Flora patted her hand, signaling her to be at ease, then continued walking toward the man. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. He had a mask on, but if Flora couldn¡¯t recognize him, it would truly mean she had lived two lives in vain. Connor obviously recognized her as well. Seeing her approach, the man abruptly stopped. Flora walked toward him step by step, just like he had rushed to her countless times before. This time, it was her turn to rush toward him. When she was about a meter away from the man, Flora stopped. ¡°Connor¡­¡± Her throat felt a bit dry, making her voice hoarse and not very pleasant to the ear. The man¡¯s body trembled slightly, then he extended his arms, pulling her into his embrace. From a distance, Crimson¡¯s eyes nearly popped out. Holy cow¡­ What was happening?! From inside the helicopter, Moss and Beck, watching Connor embrace an unfamiliar woman, was also stunned. Connor suddenly returned to Maple Grove, and was it all for this woman? Had him fallen for someone new? Beck wore a frown, and although he wasn¡¯t fond of Flora, he disliked this mysterious woman even more. He would rather have the master stay with Flora, who had improved herselftely. Who knew whether this stranger had good or ill intentions? Beck secretly decided that once they got back, he would inform Flora that Connor was out there stirring up trouble with women! Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Behind her, Crimson¡¯s stare was practically boring holes into Flora. Releasing Connor, Flora cleared her throat. ¡°Connor, hang on a sec, I¡¯ve got something to handle.¡± Connor nodded, his eyes tracking her every move. Flora dashed over to Crimson. ¡°Head back to Club 257. I¡¯ll fill you in on everything when I get back.¡± Crimson hesitated, ncing between Flora and Connor, but eventually, she swallowed her curiosity and nodded. She still had the Bryant family to deal with, Connor¡¯s gaze lingered on Crimson for a couple of seconds before shifting away. He recognized her; she was the vice president of Club 257. So, his Flora was truly deceptively mysterious. In the helicopter, Flora removed her mask and hat, using a special toner to wipe off her makeup. Connor had already taken off his mask and stood by, watching Flora cleanse her face. With the heavy makeup gone, her stunning beauty shone through. Seeing that familiar face, Connor¡¯s eyes softened. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°When did you recognize me?¡± Flora asked curiously as she patted her face dry with a towel. ¡°The day Aisha had her surgery,¡± Connor replied honestly. Flora¡¯s eyes widened in realization. In the urgency of that day, she had inadvertently revealed herself while treating Aisha. ¡°Does Ray know too?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Ray was so focused on Aisha that he wouldn¡¯t have noticed. Flora¡¯s lips curved into a slight smile, pleased that Ray was still in the dark about her identity. She clung to Connor like an octopus,pletely letting her guard down. ¡°Is everything sorted with your mom?¡± She asked in a soft, somewhat sweet voice. ¡°Not yet.¡± Connor tightened his grip on Flora¡¯s waist. ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off at the Irving family, then head back to the States.¡± Flora¡¯s safety was the only thing that eased his mind. Flora rested her head against Connor¡¯s chest, her voice tender. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me; I can handle everything.¡± She didn¡¯t want Connor to be so exhausted. He had rushed back to Maple Grove upon hearing she was in trouble. ¡°But I can¡¯t be at peace. I can¡¯t bear the thought of anything happening to you,¡± Connor¡¯s voice was strained. ¡°Flora, I can¡¯t live without you.¡± Her nose tingled with emotion. Flora looked up into Connor¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Connor, you won¡¯t be without me. We¡¯ll be together forever and always.¡± Nothing in this life could tear them apart! Connor¡¯s lips pressed into a tight line, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing. He could feel the intense pounding in his chest, making his ears buzz. His hand gently covered Flora¡¯s eyes as he leaned down, his lips meeting her cherry¨Cred ones in a gentle bite. After dropping Flora off at the Irving family¡¯s home, Connor rushed back to the States, covering for Flora with a little white lie, deceiving the suspicious Raul and Henrik. Flora hadn¡¯t been home all night and only returnedte the next day. If it weren¡¯t for seeing Connor personally drop her off, Raul and Henrik would have been worried. Upon returning home, the first thing Flora did was soak in a bath for an hour. When Crimson frantically called her through a video chat, Flora pressed the answer button. On the other side, Crimson was soaking in a bath filled with rose petals. As soon as the call connected, she blurted out, ¡°Flora, what on earth happened? Spill the beans, or face the consequences!¡± Chapter 233 Chapter 233 ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± ¡°And how do you even know someone from Ruby Path? And you guys were¡­¡± Just thinking about what happened earlier made Crimson¡¯s heart race almost out of her chest. ¡°His name¡¯s Connor. He¡¯s my fianc¨¦.¡± Flora¡¯s words hung in the air, leaving a long silence on the other end. Finally, Crimson found her voice, ¡°Flora, you¡¯re really something else.¡± ¡°Eh, it¡¯s no big deal.¡± A voice call popped up on the screen. Flora nced at the caller ID and said, ¡°Gotta go. Your cousin¡¯s calling.¡± Crimson weakly waved her hand. No doubt it was about the Bryant family situation. ¡°Dear Flora, I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± As soon as the call connected, Queen Algria¡¯s voice, filled with guilt, came through. She had sent Flora for treatment, never expecting it to turn out like this. Flora¡¯s hand rested on the edge of the bathtub, silent. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make this right for you.¡± Queen Algria continued, ¡°I¡¯ve settled my debt with the Bryant family, and I¡¯ll help you get what¡¯s yours too.¡± Florazily replied, ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡± Jenny was going to suffer. And Luna. The stunt she pulled with the medicine, while not fatal, would keep Luna bedridden for a good half a year. That was the price they had to pay. Queen Algria f¨¦lt immensely guilty, apologizing repeatedly to Flora and promising to take revenge on her behalf before hanging up. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. In reality, the Bryant family was already doomed without Queen Algria¡¯s intervention. Club 257 wouldn¡¯t let them off, neither would Connor, along with countless others wanting to avenge Flora. The next day, Flora woke up to a text from Crimson. The Bryant family had been annihted. From then on, the Bryant family of Maple Grove was no more. Jordan and his daughters had also left Maple Grove, their whereabouts unknown. After getting ready, Flora had breakfast and headed to school. She arrived just on time, as always. Seeing her, Kaylee was overjoyed. ¡°Flora, you¡¯re finally back! She had been covering for her these past days, feeling uneasy all the while. She was scared, scared that something might have happened to Flora. Flora smiled at her, knowing it was hard for such a good girl to lie for her. She pulled out a lollipop from her pocket and handed it to Kaylee. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m back now. Have some candy to rx.¡± Just as the teacher came over, Kaylee quickly took it and returned to her seat. , ?? Selene couldn¡¯t help but nce at Flora. She was curious about where Flora had been these past days, but she knew even if she asked, she wouldn¡¯t get an answer, so she didn¡¯t bother. Selene didn¡¯t care where Flora had gone. Her most important task was to be stronger, to let everyone know she was better than Flora! Flora was munching on some candy when she saw Selene looking over. She took out another lollipop and asked, ¡°Want one?¡± These candies were bought by Crimson, who had stuffed several handfuls into her pockets at the time. Selene turned her face away. Flora smoothly put the candy back in her pocket when the girl¡¯s open palm stretched out towards her. Flora raised an eyebrow, nced at Selene, who was seriously answering questions, and ced a Milky Way lollipop in her palm. Chapter 234 Chapter 234 After school let out in the afternoon, Selene strolled through the school gates. Across the street, a car from the Brimer family waited for her. Out of nowhere, someone who looked like an assistant popped up in front of her. The person handed Selene a business card. ¡°Miss Selene, hi there. I¡¯m Mr. Kelvin¡¯s assistant. He¡¯s asked me toe and find you.¡± Selene nced at the card and sure enough, it bore the name of Kelvin¡¯s assistant. ¡°What does Mr. Kelvin want with me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out once youe with me,¡± the assistant replied, all respectful and polite. After giving a quick word to the Brimer family¡¯s driver, Selene followed the assistant to the Bryant family¡¯s estate. F & F = = PE At the Bryant family¡¯s guesthouse, the sound of crying and sobbing filled the air. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°Daddy, it hurts so much,¡± Jenny cried, clutching her arm. She was in unbearable pain. It had been days, and there was no sign of improvement. The doctors had said if they couldn¡¯t find a better solution soon, amputation might be the only option. ¡°Stop crying!¡± Jordan snapped, his face dark with frustration. Though he felt sorry for Jenny, he was more annoyed. If she hadn¡¯t insisted on crossing S¨¦raphine, they wouldn¡¯t be in this mess. Like a dog with its tail between its legs, he had toe to Cedarvale. ¡°When is that miracle doctor you mentioneding?¡± Jordan turned to Kelvin. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent someone to fetch them,¡± Kelvin responded, his expression cold and impatient. Jordan held his tongue, but beneath his lowered gaze was a deep¨Cseated bitterness. If hist family hadn¡¯t been ruined, he wouldn¡¯t have had to return to this small town of Cedarvale, let alone cater to Kelvin¡¯s whims. Twenty minutester, the assistant brought Selene to the guesthouse. As soon as she stepped in, she noticed Jenny still crying and Luna lying weakly on the bed. Her brows knitted together in concern. ¡°What can I do for you, Mr. Kelvin?¡± Selene asked. ¡°Selene, I hate to bother you, but these are my two nieces. They¡¯ve both been hurt, and I was hoping you could take a look,¡± Kelvin exined. Jordan¡¯s expression shifted slightly. He knew who she was¨Cthe seconddy of the Brimer family in Maple Grove. But what was she doing in Cedarvale? ¡°Let me have a look,¡± Selene said. Selene began with Luna. The girl¡¯s symptoms were so bizarre that even Selene couldn¡¯t immediately figure out what was wrong. She frowned, stood up, and moved on to examine Jenny¡¯s injury. The moment she touched Jenny¡¯s arm, Jenny let out a blood¨Ccurdling scream. ¡°Ah! It hurts! Can¡¯t you be more gentle?¡± ¡°Quiet, Jenny!¡± Jordan barked. He was grateful that Selene was willing to help and didn¡¯t want Jenny¡¯s outburst to drive her away. Jenny, remembering past reprimands, dared not make any more noise. Despite the pain, she bit her lip and endured it. ¡°How did they end up like this?¡± Selene asked, genuinely puzzled by the strange conditions of the sisters. ¡°Is there any way to treat them?¡± Jordan asked, his voice tinged with embarrassment. He didn¡¯t want to admit it was because they had crossed S¨¦raphine. ncing at Luna on the bed, Selene¡¯s face showed concern. ¡°My medical skills Luna¡¯s pulse was steady, but something was very wrong internally. ve their limits. I can¡¯t determine why she¡¯s like this.¡± Jordan turned even paler and pointed to Jenny¡¯s arm. ¡°What about her arm? Is there no way to fix it?¡± ¡°I might be able to heal her arm, but there will be side effects. In the future, she won¡¯t be able to use it for heavy lifting, and even holding a fork might be tough,¡± Selene warned. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 ¡°I won¡¯t ept it!¡± Jenny screamed,pletely breaking down. How would she be any different from a broken person in the future? Jordan stayed silent. They had consulted numerous doctors over this period, and most had rmended amputation. Only Selene imed she could heal Jenny¡¯s hand. But if she couldn¡¯t exert force afterwards, wouldn¡¯t that leave her incapacitated? ¡°Dad, what brings you here?¡± Kelvin suddenly called out towards the entrance, his face paling a bit as Grandpa Josiah slowly walked in. The Bryant family had a long history of loyalty and service, in the military and in politics, but Jordan was the exception. Always inclined towards the unconventional, he had fallen out with his family over it. Years ago, Grandpa Josiah had forbidden any mention of him within the Bryant household. Kelvin had initially resolved to keep out of their affairs but couldn¡¯t bring himself to abandon his brother¡¯s familypletely, eventually bringing them to the guesthouse. Jordan hadn¡¯t expected Josiah toe, visibly flustered and frightened. ¡°You thought you could hide it from me?¡± Grandpa Josiah¡¯s piercing gaze swept over, his eyes narrowing, a sharp glint within. ¡°Dad! I¡¯m really sorry, but now I¡¯m truly out of options. Look at your granddaughters, they¡¯re suffering! I may be a mess, but the kids are innocent!¡± ¡°I have no son, nor do I have these granddaughters. They were good girls, led astray by your teachings. Look how defiant and willful they are, a far cry from the Bryant family¡¯s spirit!¡± Jordan was scolded into silence. Even though Grandpa Josiah harbored resentment towards his son, he was, after all, an old man and couldn¡¯t help but feel a familial bond. If he had truly hardened his heart, his son wouldn¡¯t even be allowed through the door. ¡°How are they doing?¡± Grandpa Josiah sighed internally and inquired about Jenny and Luna¡¯s condition. Kelvin repeated what Selene had said earlier. Hearing this, Grandpa Josiah also frowned. ¡°Dad, you have extensive connections. Can you find a renowned doctor to save Jenny and Luna?¡± Jordan bit the bullet and spoke. Selene, though young, had already outshone many renowned doctors. If even she was at a loss¡­ Grandpa Josiah suddenly thought of the young woman who had saved him. He said gravely, ¡°Kelvin, go to the Irving family, and bring Flora here.¡± Selene¡¯s expression changed slightly. Was Flora the first person Grandpa Josiah thought of? Could Flora¡¯s medical skills really surpass hers? ¡°Dad, you want me to fetch that girl?¡± Kelvin¡¯s expression wasplex. In his view, Flora was too young and rtively unknown. If even Selene was helpless, could she make any difference? ¡°Do as I say.¡± Grandpa Josiah was running out of patience, his tone harsh. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Grandpa Josiah appeared angered, so Kelvin didn¡¯t dare dy any further and hurried to the Irving family to invite Flora. At the Irving household, Raul, Henrik, and Flora were having dinner when Kelvin arrived, surprising them. ¡°Flora knows some medicine, but she¡¯s no expert. If so many doctors couldn¡¯t do anything, Flora is even less likely to help.¡± After hearing the reason for Kelvin¡¯s visit, Raul was hesitant to let Flora get involved. The situation must be dire if so many doctors had failed. If Flora managed to cure them, it would be a good thing, but what if she couldn¡¯t? Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Kelvin noticed Raul¡¯s hesitation and said, ¡°I get it, Raul. Ms. Flor¨¤ may be young, but she¡¯s got mad skills. She saved my dad at that dinner party and blew everyone¡¯s mind. We totally trust her. Even if she can¡¯t pull off a miracle, the Bryant family will always be grateful to her.¡± With thingsid out like this, Raul felt it would be ru go, he¡¯d back her up no matter what. ¡°Dad, let me go with Kelvin and check it out,¡± Flora said. ¡°Alright then,¡± Raul replied. to refuse. He looked at Flora, trying to gauge her feelings. If she didn¡¯t want to Since Flora agreed, Raul kept his worries to himself but still asked Henrik to tag along. Henrik¡¯s presence would give Raul some peace of mind. Half an hourter, Flora and Henrik arrived at the Bryant family¡¯s estate. Before they even stepped inside, Flora heard familiar cries of pain. She frowned. It couldn¡¯t be. But as she walked in and saw Luna and Jenny, her lips twitched. It really was them. ¡°Sorry to trouble you again,¡± Grandpa Josiah said, standing up and walking over to Flora, looking a bit embarrassed. ¡°We have two patients here, and we¡¯d appreciate it if you could take a look.¡± ¡°Dad, you¡¯re seriously letting this young girl treat Jenny and Luna?¡± Jordan eximed, eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°She¡¯s just a kid. What can she possibly know?¡± he continued, doubt clear in his voice. Not everyone was a prodigy like Selene, achieving so much in medicine at such a young age. ¡°She hasn¡¯t even agreed yet. Why are you getting so worked up?¡± Grandpa Josiah snapped, irritated. Jordan shrunk back, too afraid to say more, though his face still showed his displeasure. His aversion to Flora was almost tangible, not just because she was young and seemed inexperienced, but because she reminded him of Seraphine. ¡°Grandpa Josiah, I can¡¯t help,¡± Flora said firmly. Grandpa Josiah thought she was upset because she felt disrespected. ¡°You haven¡¯t even looked yet. How can you say you can¡¯t do anything? Just take a look. It¡¯s okay if it doesn¡¯t work out,¡± he pleaded. 3] ]] Selene, watching the scene, felt a pang of jealousy. Any small amount of goodwill she had felt towards Flora hadpletely vanished. She was used to being the star, and she couldn¡¯t stand someone else stealing her thunder. Flora genuinely didn¡¯t want to treat them, but Grandpa Josiah was a decent guy, and he had asked so earnestly that she couldn¡¯t refuse. Without another word, she walked over to Jenny and took her hand, a bit roughly. Jenny winced and cried out, ¡°Ouch, ouch, be gentle, please¡­¡± Selene followed closely, curious about Flora¡¯s methods. But when she saw Flora holding Jenny¡¯s hand and pressing three inches below her armpit, she panicked. ¡°You can¡¯t do this! Her arm has multiple joint injuries. What you¡¯re doing willpletely ruin her arm!¡± Selene shouted. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Hearing this, Jenny, terrified, yanked her hand back, enduring the pain. ¡°Are you trying to kill me?¡± Jenny eximed. Flora turned to Selene, her eyes narrowing. ¡°If you know so much, why don¡¯t you treat her yourself?¡± Selene was momentarily speechless. Turning to Grandpa Josiah, she said, ¡°Grandpa Josiah, I can¡¯t guarantee I can heal her hand, but if Flora keeps going like this, your granddaughter¡¯s hand will be ruined for sure!¡± Grandpa Josiah hesitated, unsure of what to do. Kelvin stepped in, ¡°If everyone doubts my sister¡¯s skills, then there¡¯s no point in us staying here. We¡¯re leaving.¡± Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Henrik grabbed Flora¡¯s hand and started to leave. They never wanted to get involved in this mess. ¡°Wait!¡± Grandpa Josiah called out urgently. He turned to Flora with a serious expression. ¡°Please, treat with confidence. No matter what happens, the Bryant family will never me you.¡± He had invited Flora, and he would trust in her. ¡°Grandpa Josiah!¡± Selene¡¯s voice shook with anger. ¡°You don¡¯t need to say anything more. I trust Flora,¡± Grandpa Josiah said firmly. Selene¡¯s face twisted in frustration. Out of respect for Grandpa Josiah, Flora suppressed her irritation and walked briskly towards Jenny, who recoiled in terror as if she had seen a ghost. Flora grabbed Jenny¡¯s wrist, gave it a fierce stretch, and then a hard twist! The room echoed with Jenny¡¯s screams of agony. Selene stood by, arms crossed, watching coldly. Flora¡¯s methods seemed reckless and could potentially leave Jenny¡¯s right hand disabled. She was eager to see how Flora would handle the situation. However, amidst the cries of pain, Jenny suddenly shrieked with excitement, ¡°Oh my God! My hand doesn¡¯t hurt anymore! It really doesn¡¯t!¡± Jenny clutched her hand, her eyes sparkling with joy. ¡°How is that even possible¡­¡± Selene hurried over to check Jenny¡¯s pulse. Sure enough, her hand was healed! But how? As Jenny celebrated, Flora¡¯s voice cut in, ¡°Don¡¯t get too happy yet. Your hand isn¡¯t fully healed. For the next two months, no baths, no soft beds¨Csleep on the floor if you have to. Otherwise, your hand will deteriorate again.¡± Jenny felt a shiver run down her spine. No baths for two months in this heat? She¡¯d go crazy. But given Flora¡¯s recent sess, she believed every word. Jordan, amazed by Flora¡¯s skill, adopted a more respectful tone. ¡°Ms. Flora, you truly are a miracle worker! I have another daughter. Could you take a look at her?¡± Flora nced at Luna. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. Just sleep under fiveyers of nkets every night, no air conditioning. And bathe in leftover dishwater three times a day for half a month, and she¡¯ll be fine.¡± Everyone stared in disbelief. Fiveyers of nkets in this heat, no air conditioning, and bathing in leftover dishwater? It sounded absurd. ¡°Grandpa Josiah, I¡¯ve given my advice. I¡¯ll be heading back now,¡± Flora said. Then, Flora and Henrik left without looking back. Selene frowned, deeply skeptical of Flora¡¯s methods. ¡°Grandpa Josiah, Flora¡¯s treatments are ridiculous.¡± Even traditional remedies weren¡¯t this bizarre. She wondered if Flora bore a grudge against the Bryant sisters. Grandpa Josiah found it hard to believe too. But Jenny¡¯s hand had healed. ¡°Do as Miss Flora said!¡± he ordered firmly. The thought of bathing in leftover dishwater made Luna nauseous. Outside, Henrik and Flora walked side by side. Thinking of Flora¡¯s outrageous prescriptions, Henrik couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Flora, do those crazy remedies of yours really work?¡± Flora gave azy ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Do you have a grudge against them?¡± Henrik frowned. ¡°You are smart.¡± ¡°It was pretty obvious,¡± Henrik said, half¨Camused, half¨Cexasperated. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Do you think I went too far?¡± Flora asked, blinking innocently. Henrik touched Flora¡¯s head gently, his eyes soft with affection. ¡°You are the kindest and most sensible person I know.¡± Anyone who made Flora take such drastic measures must have really crossed a line. Chapter 238 Chapter 238 The Next Day. ss Z. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Noting Dane deep in thought, Flora asked. Earlier, Mr. Keaton had called him to the office. Since back, he seemed preupied. ¡°Flora, Mr. Keaton wants me to try out for a sports schrship. College of Physical Education of Maple Grove is organizing a national basketball tournament. If I can win first ce and get over 400 on my academic scores, I could get into College of Physical Education. ¡°With my grades, I¡¯d barely scrape into a second¨Ctier college. But I¡¯m decent at basketball, got some muscle. Maybe I could get lucky and make it. ¡°But if I go for it, I¡¯d need to train intensively, which means no time for studying. And if I don¡¯t win the championship and my academics suffer, I¡¯ll be out of options.¡± Hearing about the sports schrship, Flora paused, he In her past life, Dane had joined the national basketball some reason, he didn¡¯t y in the final match. pen stilling for a moment. digournament organized by Maple Grove and even reached the finals. But for Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Later, his college entrance exams didn¡¯t go well either. They weren¡¯t that close back then, and after the exams, they lost touch. She had no idea where Dane ended up. ¡°If you want to go for it, then do it.¡± Flora twirled her pen, deep in thought. Having gone through the college entrance exams once, she could potentially give Dane the exam questions to ensure he scored high. But Flora decided against it. In this second chance at life, many things had changed, and she couldn¡¯t be sure if the exams would still be the same as she remembered. Besides, she had already been giving Dane and the others tips that closely matched what would likely be on the exams. Dane clearly wanted to go; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be so conflicted. He decided to talk to his parents. If they agreed, he¡¯d try for the schrship. The vibration of a cell phone in the desk drawer caught Flora¡¯s attention. Picking it up, she saw a message from Crimson. [Flora, are youing to the auction the day after tomorrow? I moved it to Cedarvale just for you.] [I¡¯ll see.] Flora repliedzily, then opened Connor¡¯s chat to send a message. Flora: [Have you finished your work?] Connor replied quickly: [Done. I¡¯ll be back the day after tomorrow.] Flora sat up straight: [What time? I¡¯ll pick you up.] Connor: [Afternoon flight, shouldnd around five.] Connor¡¯s return would coincide with the start of the auction. Her right hand holding the phone, she typed: [Mr. Connor, fancying to the auction for a bit of fun?] Connor: [Sure.] After picking up Connor, they headed to the auction together. This kind of underground auction was held in secret, not just anyone could enter without the right connections. Most attendees preferred anonymity, hence the masks. Flora put on her phoenix mask and handed Connor a dragon mask. Both of them, already standing out with their distinct aura, became even more noticeable. Upon entering the auction, they attracted countless gazes. A man in a ck tee and green cargo pants approached Flora and Connor, his opening remark, ¡°You two sure know how to make an entrance.¡± The speaker was Ray. Being long¨Ctime friends with Connor, he could recognize him even under a mask. ¡°Why¡¯d you bring her along?¡± Ray knew Connor wasing to the auction but didn¡¯t expect him to bring Flora. Chapter 239 Chapter 239 ¡°Am I not allowed toe?¡± Flora tilted her chin up at him defiantly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll end up in tears.¡± This ce had all sorts of people. He just hoped Flora wouldn¡¯t get frightened. ¡°Let¡¯s head upstairs,¡± Connor suggested. The ground floor was crowded and noisy. The second floor had private rooms and was much quieter. But not everyone could stay on the second floor; it was reserved for the top families. Om Ray walked briskly to the second floor, then turned towards a room. ncing back, he saw Flora already heading to the third floor with Connor. Ray quickly intercepted them. ¡°Flora is new here, but Connor, don¡¯t you know better? The third floor is off¨Climits.¡± The third floor wasn¡¯t open to the public; only those attending the auction could go up there. Flora blinked. ¡°Oh, we can¡¯t go to the third floor?¡± ¡°Try and see for yourself,¡± Rayughed. There were bouncers on the third floor. Flora managing to get past them would be surprising. Previous attempts had all been thwarted. Though confrontation wasn¡¯t feared, no one wanted to stir trouble during the auction. Hearing this, Flora raised an eyebrow and continued upwards. Connor silently followed by her side. Ray, with his arms crossed, leisurely waited for Flora to return with a sour expression. However, after a while, there was no sign of theming down. He started to worry. Could something have happened? Ray hurried upstairs, only to be stopped by the bouncers, ¡°Sir, the third floor is not open to the public. Please, head back down.¡± Ray¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Where did you take my friends? One was wearing a phoenix mask, and the other a dragon mask.¡± The bouncers then showed a realization, ¡°Oh, you must be the ¡®clueless friend¡® thedy mentioned! Please,e on up. It¡¯s the first room on the left.¡± The bouncers smiled amiably. Ray tentatively stepped forward. When he realized they weren¡¯t stopping him and even smiling, he felt the world was surreal. Reaching the first room on the left, he entered and indeed found Connor and Flora. They had a bucket of fried chicken and c on their table, along with some desserts and snacks. The auction house never served food; at most, they provided tea. Once, Ray came here, feeling hungry and ended up spending a lot on a terrible meal! ?? ? ? And now, they called Flora ¡®thedy¡® and treated her as one of their own! Ray¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Flora, you know people from the auction house?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Flora took a sip of her c, respondingzily. Since Connor already knew she was S¨¦raphine and was connected to Club 257, Flora saw no point in hiding it anymore. Ray looked at Flora with new respect. She actually knew people from the auction house, and they were quite respectful towards her. ¡°Darling! You finally made it!¡± Just then, the door swung open, and a woman¡¯s seductive yet excited voice filled the room. Flora¡¯s face found itself in Crimson¡¯s bosom once again. Ray was even more surprised to see Crimson. The vice president of Club 257 knew Flora, and they seemed to be on good terms! Noticing Connor¡¯s unsurprised expression, Ray felt as if a cat was scratching at his curiosity. He was too eager to find out what rtion Flora had with Club 257 and the auction house! N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Crimson finally noticed the two tall men standing nearby. Her eyesnded on Connor. His presence was so intense and , it made Crimson feel a bit uneasy. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce us?¡± Crimson shot a nce at Flora. ¡°Ahem, Crimson, this is my fianc¨¦, Connor, and this is Ray,¡± Flora said, awkwardly touching her nose. Crimson¡¯s knees almost gave out. Flora¡¯s fianc¨¦¡­ wasn¡¯t he the big shot from Ruby Path? She had only seen Connor briefly before, and he had been wearing a mask, so she hadn¡¯t recognized him until now. ¡°Hello,¡± Connor said, standing up to greet Crimson. ¡°Ourst meeting was rushed; I apologize for any rudeness.¡± Crimson was taken aback by Connor¡¯s politeness. She forced augh. ¡°No worries, no worries. I should thank you for sending me home of Club 257?¡± Ray asked, picking up the c Connor had been drinking and taking a big gulp. Connor shot him a cold nce. ¡°That was my c.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m drinking Flora¡¯s. What¡¯s wrong with taking a swig from your drink?¡± Ray said, feeling justified. He turned to Flora. ¡°And you, Flora, when did you meet Crimson?¡± ¡°Figure it out yourself,¡± Connor replied, peeling an orange for Flora without much expression. As they spoke, the auction began. The host took the stage. ¡°Thank you all for traveling from afar to join us today. I am the host of this auction, Luke¡­¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. After a brief introduction, he got straight to the point. ¡°I hereby dere the auction started!¡± The hall erupted in thunderous apuse. ¡°The first item up for auction is Mrs. Winter¡¯s Tears, starting at 1.6 million, with each bid increment no less than a thousand.¡± Mrs. Winter¡¯s Tears was a pearl ne created by the renowned designer Mrs. Winter, using her own tears in memory of herte husband. After finishing this ne, Mrs. Winter followed her husband in death. The precious love story behind it made countless people willing to pay a fortune for the ne. The auction had mostly female participants, with men showing little interest. It finally sold for 5 million. ¡°Our next item up for auction starts at 3 million.¡± After the host¡¯s announcement, the staff brought a tray onto the stage and pulled away the red cloth to reveal a set of white bones. Many were startled. ¡°What¡¯s this about, bringing out something like this for auction?¡± ¡°Disgusting! Those are bones! They can¡¯t possibly be human bones, right?¡± In a room on the third floor, Connor¡¯s gaze fixed on the bones on the stage. His dark eyes flickered with a hidden gleam. He recognized them at once as dragon bones, retrieved from the summit of a high mountain. Only a fearless mercenary group could procure such an item. Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Many superstitious folks, chasing the dream of eternal youth, would brew broths from dragon bones. Though it was just a superstition, carrying ground dragon bones close to one¡¯s body did seem to bring some benefits. ¡¤ ¡°Three million six hundred thousand!¡± A voice rang out from the second floor. Upon hearing it, Flora frowned slightly and peered through the window to the second floor. It was Jordan. Even though he was wearing a mask, Flora recognized him instantly. She raised an eyebrow, amused by his audacity to attend an auction hosted by Club 257. ¡°Three million six hundred thousand and one dor!¡± Flora called out casually. Ray, who was sipping on a soda, spat it out, and the room erupted inughter. ¡°Ha! One dor! What a joker!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Does this girl have a grudge against the man from before?¡± Bidding up by a single dor was clearly a p in the face. The rooms on the third floor were specially soundproofed, so no one could tell where Flora¡¯s voice wasing from. Jordan felt the sting of the insult. ¡°Iif you wish to raise the bid, do so properly. What is the meaning of raising it by just one dor?¡± ¡°Has anyone said you can¡¯t raise the bid by just one dor?¡± Flora retorted. The crowd, after some thought, realized the auctioneer had indeed forgotten to mention any rule against it. Still, the attendees were either wealthy or noble, and none would foolishly raise by just one dor. The auctioneer, though surprised by the move, naturally sided with her own. With a light cough, she stated, ¡°The guest is correct; we did not specify that one cannot raise the bid by just one dor. The auction continues.¡± Jordan was so angry he could barely breathe straight. ¡°Three million seven hundred thousand!¡± ¡°Three million seven hundred thousand and one dor,¡± Flora replied nonchntly. Jordan trembled with rage. ¡°Four million!¡± ¡°Four million and one dor.¡± ¡°Four million five hundred thousand!¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Four million five hundred thousand and one dor.¡± Jordan as fuming. He hade to the auction to buy a gift for Grandpa Josiah, knowing the item was special at first nce. He intended to purchase it to curry favor with Grandpa Josiah, as he was currently staying with the Bryant family. Little did he know, a persistent girl woulde out of nowhere to deliberately oppose him! ¡°Five million!¡± He continued to bid. ¡°Five million and one dor,¡± Flora said, her slow, feminine voice following him. A calcting light shed in Jordan¡¯s eyes. He smirked coldly. Trying to drive up the price, was she? Fine! He would make her regret it! ¡°Six million!¡± he shouted, speeding up his speech to give her no time to react. As expected, right after he finished, her voice responded. ¡°Six million and one dor!¡± ¡°Seven million!¡± ¡°Seven million and one dor!¡± ¡°Seventy million!¡± Jordan¡¯s chest vibrated intensely with those decisive words. He excitedly awaited the voice to challenge again. However, there was no further bid. The auctioneer, almost too eager to finish, took the stage. ¡°Are there any more bids? Seventy million once, seventy million twice, seventy million thrice! Sold!¡± The final gavel strike felt like it hit directly on Grandpa Josiah¡¯s heart, leaving his mind nk. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 ¡°Haha! Seventy million for a busted bone? What kind of fool throws that kind of money around?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to see who¡¯s bidding. It¡¯s cracking me up.¡± The constantughter in the room felt like heavy stones brutallynding on Jordan¡¯s heart. He nearly lost his bnce and fell to the ground. Upstairs, Flora was contentedly finishing off her chicken drumstick. She hadn¡¯t intended to trick him into bidding so much; his own n to trap her had backfired. No matter how precious, that dragon bone wasn¡¯t worth seventy million. He had made a huge loss this time. Connor¡¯s lips curled into a soft smile as he watched Flora, his eyes filled with gentleughter. His Flora was so adorable. The earlier auction items were somewhat genuine, butter, all sorts of bizarre and gory items came up. That¡¯s how underground auctions usually were; without the thrill, there was no audience. Crimson¡¯s auction was considered a breath of fresh air,cking many sordid affairs. ¡°Next, we proudly present S¨¦raphine¡¯s crafted perfumes, a total of five bottles, to be auctioned one at a time. To those who have already won an auction, please refrain from bidding in the next round to give others a chance,¡± the auctioneer announced loudly. ¡°The auction starts now, with a starting bid of ten million, and each bid must increase by at least one hundred thousand!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. As the auctioneer finished, the room reached its climax. Many hade to the auction specifically for S¨¦raphine¡¯s perfumes. ¡°Ten million thirty thousand!¡± ¡°Ten million fifty thousand!¡± ¡°Eleven million!¡± ¡°Thirteen million!¡± ¡°Twenty million!¡± The bids were fierce, with amounts of money that many ordinary people wouldn¡¯t see in their lifetime being tossed around as if they were mere numbers. ¡°Forty million!¡± The room fell silent at that bid. Talk about deep pockets, going straight to forty million! Flora turned to look at Ray, who had ced the bid. ¡°You want S¨¦raphine¡¯s perfume?¡± Ray nodded. ¡°I n to give it to Aisha.¡± Flora thought for a moment and said, ¡°For Aisha¡¯s sake, how about this: you give me ten million, and I¡¯ll give you two bottles.¡± Ray was startled, initially thinking Flora had two bottles of S¨¦raphine¡¯s perfume. But then he doubted it S¨¦raphine¡¯s perfumes were priceless treasures. How could Flora have them, and two bottles at that? He paused, then asked, ¡°You¡¯re not talking about perfumes you crafted yourself, are you?¡± Flora nodded. Ray couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Flora, perfume and perfume are not the same. S¨¦raphine¡¯s can sell for millions because it¡¯s crafted by S¨¦raphine. Yours¡­ at most could fetch a thousand, and that¡¯s a friend¡¯s price from me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Flora clicked her tongue. ¡°I gave you a chance. Don¡¯t regret itter.¡± ¡°Connor, you better keep an eye on your wife.¡± Ray, half amused and half exasperated, ignored Flora and focused on the bidding. Eventually, he won the first bottle of perfume for sixty million. With the first bottle gone, everyone was eager and ready for the next rounds. chapter 243 Chapter 243 The second bottle of perfume started at a cool ten million, with each bid needing to be at least three hundred thousand more than the The moment the host finished speaking, the crowd went wild. ¡°Twelve million!¡± ¡°Thirteen million!¡± ¡°Sixteen million!¡± ¡°Neen million!¡± When the bidding hit neen million, Flora couldn¡¯t help herself and looked towards the voice. Squinting through the crowd, she spotted two men wearing masks. She was startled¨CRaul and Henrik were here. Raul and Henrik wanted to snag the perfume for Flora. She loved dabbling with different scents, and even though they didn¡¯t get it, they thought buying her a bottle would make her day. Besides Flora, someone else recognized Henrik¡¯s voice. ¡°Hey, doesn¡¯t that voice sound familiar? Like someone from the Irving family?¡± Yvonne frowned deeply. Wade turned to the source of the voice, and when he saw Raul and Henrik, his gaze turned icy. He had suffered so much at the hands of the Irving family that he could recognize them even if they were wearing masks. Indeed, it was them. What a small world, running into them here. They wanted S¨¦raphine¡¯s perfume? As long as he was around, they could forget about it. Wade might not have much, but he was loaded, definitely richer than the Irving family. ¡°Thirty¨Cone million!¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. In no time, the price had skyrocketed. ¡°Thirty¨Cthree million!¡± Henrik called out. No sooner had he finished than another voice countered, ¡°Forty million!¡± ¡°Forty¨Ctwo million,¡± Henrik shot back. That same deep male voice followed, ¡°Forty¨Cfive million!¡± Slowly, thepetition thinned out. Only Henrik and Wade remained in the game. It was obvious to everyone¨Cthey were rivals. At first, Henrik didn¡¯t care, but he soon felt the hostility. He nced at Wade, meeting his challenging gaze. Henrik¡¯s eyes darkened, thinking it was just his luck to run into an enemy. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Out of cash?¡± Wade taunted when Henrik didn¡¯t continue bidding, his voice dripping with mockery. In a private room on the third floor, Flora¡¯s eyes narrowed. She pulled out her phone and dialed Crimson. Down below, Wade kept jeering, ¡°If you¡¯re broke, why evene to an auction? Don¡¯t embarrass yourself, just go home.¡± His words were so harsh that even the crowd found it ufortable, but no one spoke up, not wanting to invite trouble. Right then, the host, who had been on stage, received a call and then announced loudly, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please quiet down. There¡¯s been a little issue with the auction. ording to the higher¨Cups, we¡¯ve decided to give this bottle of perfume to these two gentlemen!¡± As soon as the host finished, staff members walked up to Raul and Henrik, handing them the perfume. The room fell into stunned silence. The smile on Wade¡¯s face froze instantly. Chapter 244 Chapter 244 At the auction house, it was unheard of to give away items for free. The crowd¡¯s gaze towards the Irving father and son duo was a mix of curiosity and respect. To be so favored by the auction house, their status must be exceptional, likely influential figures. Raul and Henrik exchanged bewildered looks. They hadn¡¯t anticipated the auction house would gift them spices. Raul, feeling triumphant at Wade¡¯s envious re, thanked the staff and took the spices. In a room on the third floor, Ray eyed Flora suspiciously. ¡°Flora, did you set this up?¡± Flora just smiled, saying nothing. ¡°Why would the auction house gift spices to the Irving family?¡± Yvonne furned, stomping her feet in frustration. The Irving family had stolen the spotlight again! Wade¡¯s expression darkened, but soon, a sinister smile spread across his lips as an icy glint shed in his eyes. The underground auction house was a ce of mixed repute; trouble was expected. He swore the Irving family would pay! The final three bottles of spices sold for an astronomical sum, nearly one hundred million, marking the near end of the auction. Gradually, people started to leave. Raul and Henrik also got up to leave. Just outside the auction house, a group blocked their path. A man and woman slowly emerged from the crowd. Raul and Henrik tensed. at the sight of them. ¡°Wade, what do you want?¡± Henrik stepped forward, positioning Raul behind him. Wade¡¯s eyes under his mask gleamed coldly. Without a word, he just waved his hand. The thugs blocking Raul and Henrik¡¯s path charged at them! Back in the third¨Cfloor suite, Crimson walked in and handed Flora a card. ¡°Here, darling, the money from the spices sale aftermission, all two hundred and sixty million of it.¡± Flora pocketed the card. Crimson winked, ¡°But I heard Jules is back. With that kind of money, I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be enough to fend him off.¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Jutes was always focused on medical research, requiring substantial funds. For the past two years, it had mostly been Flora sponsoring him. Every time an auction ended, and Jules knew she had money, he¡¯d pester her relentlessly until he got some. Ray watched as Crimson handed Flora the card filled with a fortune, connecting it to her earlier call that had the auction house gift spices to the Irving family. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at Flora with newfound understanding. ¡°Flora, are you S¨¦raphine?!¡± Three pairs of eyes turned towards him, their looks almost mocking Ray¡¯s realization. Just then, a staff member knocked and entered. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Crimson, those two guests you had us deliver spices to are being ambushed at the entrance, and a fight has broken out.¡± Normally, the auction house stayed out of such matters, but since Crimson had arranged for the spice gift, the staff thought it best to inform her. Upon hearing this, Flora stood up abruptly and strode towards the exit. At the auction house entrance, a crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle. Such vendettas and fights weremon here. Although Henrik was trained in martial arts, he was outnumbered and had to protect Raul. They were at a disadvantage. Henrik¡¯s fists were bloodied. His legs, though steady, began to tremble. His eyes, usually warm, were now bloodshot and wild, invoking fear in those who dared look. Chapter 245 Chapter 245 The thugs sprawled across the ground, their eyes brimming with fear as they looked at Henrik. They hadn¡¯t expected this refined¨Clooking young man to be such a powerhouse, holding his own against them for so long. But he was just one guy, outmatched and outnumbered, struggling to keep up with their relentless assault, his strength waning. Sharing a quick nce, the thugs spread out, attacking Henrik from all angles like cowards. Henrik sidestepped swiftly, dodging an iing punch, then, quick as a sh, he grabbed the attacker¡¯s arm and twisted it with brutal force. The sound of bones snapping filled the air as the arm bent at an unnatural angle. The man howled in agony, and Henrik kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying, just in time to glimpse another thug swinging a bat at his back. Normally, he could¡¯ve dodged it, but after fighting for so long, his body was on the brink. His legs felt like they were made of lead, too weak to muster any strength, his dodging slowed to a crawl. The bat mmed into the back of his head. Pain exploded, his head throbbed as if it were splitting open, Henrik gritted his teeth, letting out a muffled groan, and fell to one knee. Dizzy and nauseous, he shook his head, trying to stave off the sickness. Sweat mixed with blood dripped down, soaking his clothes. His back was slightly bent, but his inherent pride was clear, refusing to bow even with his body covered in wounds. The onlookers couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of respect. What a gutsy kid! Wade, holding the bat, approached Henrik, looking down at him. ¡°It hurts, doesn¡¯t it? Here¡¯s the deal¨CI¡¯ll give you a chance. Kneel and beg for mercy, and I¡¯ll spare you and your father.¡± Henrik looked up. His face was sticky with blood and sweat, utterly disheveled and vulnerable, yet there was something terrifying aboutThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. him. ¡°In your dreams.¡± Those three words, spat out from deep within,nded with force. Wade saw the scorn and mockery in Henrik¡¯s bloodshot eyes. He was livid. The bat in his hand came crashing down on Henrik¡¯s shoulder! Henrik¡¯s back involuntarily bent, his hands gripping his pant legs tightly, refusing to kneel despite his legs going numb! ¡°Henrik!¡± Raul, held by two thugs, was seething. ¡°Wade, if you harm my son, the Irving family will never let you off!¡± ¡°Ha! Raul, look around. Don¡¯t you find your wordsughable?¡± Wadeughed triumphantly. ¡°Your son refuses to plead, but you can. Just kneel down and kowtow three times to me and my sister, and I¡¯ll let you go.¡± Yvonne, too, looked excited, wishing Flora could be there to witness this spectacle. ¡°Over my dead body!¡± Raul roared, his voice strained, followed by violent coughing. Wade sneered, ¡°The Irving family, always so proud. But I¡¯m curious how long you canst. Beat them until they beg for mercy, and don¡¯t stop until they do!¡± ¡°Dad!¡± As the bat raised to strike Raul, Henrik¡¯s expression finally changed. He could endure any amount of suffering, any beating, but Raul was different. His father¡¯s health was already fragile, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to take it! The bat came down towards Raul¡¯s shoulder. Just as it was about to hit, a tall figure leaped forward, blocking the blow with his right hand, absorbing the impact. Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Connor didn¡¯t even flinch as he bent his long leg and delivered a solid kick with the tip of his leather shoe straight into the thug¡¯s knee. The sound of bones cracking mixed with the thug¡¯s agonizing scream as he fell to his knees, defeated by the pain. Wade, spotting Connor, knew they were in deep trouble. He grabbed Yvonne¡¯s hand, and tried to make a run for it but was quickly blocked by auction house staff. Just then, Flora and Crimson rushed in with others. Raul was now pinned down and Henrik was covered in injuries. Flora¡¯s eyes narrowed in fury. Rage washed over her, making her blood boil. Her eyes turned red, radiating a murderous intent. She moved like lightning. The thug holding Henrik down didn¡¯t even see hering. Before he knew it, a girl was standing in front of him, her slender hand gripping his throat. Despite her petite frame, she lifted the man clear off the ground. Terror washed over the thug¡¯s face as he struggled wildly. Another thug, realizing the danger, swung a baseball bat at Flora. She dodged effortlessly, spun around, andnded a hard kick on his back. He screamed and fell face¨Cfirst to the ground, only to have another body crash down on him as he tried to get up. The pain was unbearable, like every bone in his body had shattered. ¡°Henrik¡­¡± Flora crouched down, trying to make out Henrik¡¯s face, now unrecognizable beneath the blood. Hot tears fell as her voice broke. ¡°Flora¡­ don¡¯t cry¡­¡± Henrik¡¯s strength was all but gone. A blow to the back of his head had left him dizzy and in agonizing pain. Seeing Connor, he knew Raul would be safe. Relieved, hisst bit of strength drained away, and he passed out. Flora cradled Henrik, realizing the severity of his head injury. Blood was still oozing out, and within her trembling chest, rage and hatred swelled. With eyes zing, she red at Wade and Yvonne in the distance. She longed to tear them apart, but her father and brother¡¯s injuries took precedence. At the hospital, Connor, Flora, Crimson, and Ray stood anxiously outside the emergency room. Flora, though skilled in medicine, couldn¡¯t bring herself to calmly assess Raul and Henrik¡¯s conditions. The sight of their injuries made her fear she might lose control and kill Wade and Yvonne herself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything will be alright,¡± Connor said, wrapping his arm around Flora¡¯s waist, his heart aching at her pale face. After what felt like an eternity, the emergency room doors finally opened. The doctor stepped out, and Flora hurried over. ¡°Mr. Raul only has some superficial injuries, nothing serious. He should recover well with a week of rest,¡± the doctor began, his tone serious. ¡°However, Henrik¡¯s injuries are quite severe. Multiple soft tissue damages, but the main concern is his head injury.¡± Flora¡¯s hand tightened on Connor¡¯s arm. ¡°He must undergo brain surgery to remove the clot. But there¡¯s a risk. If the surgery fails, Henrik might end up in a vegetative state.¡± Flora¡¯s body shook violently, nearly copsing. Thankfully, Connor was there to support her. ¡°Is the surgery absolutely necessary?¡± Flora¡¯s voice trembled uncontrobly. The doctor nodded gravely. ¡°It¡¯s imperative. This may give Henrik a chance to survive.¡± ¡°How certain are you?¡± Connor asked. ¡°About fifty percent,¡± the doctor replied, looking troubled. Henrik¡¯s condition was grave, and he wasn¡¯t very confident. ¡°I heard that Dr. Jules performed miracles in Cedarvale. If we could get Dr. Jules to perform the surgery, then Henrik might have a chance.¡± That¡¯s right! Jules! Flora quickly took out her phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed Jules¡¯s number. Twenty minutester, Jules hurried in. Fortunately, Jules was still in Cedarvale. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to arrive in time. Briefed by Crimson on the situation, Jules understood the gravity of the situation. Without wasting time, he donned surgical attire,pleted the pre¨Csurgery preparations, and entered the operating room. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t worry. You know Jules¡¯s capabilities,¡± Crimson consoled Flora. ¡°Your brother will be fine.¡± Flora remained silent, her gaze fixed on the operating room door. Finally, the door opened, and Jules stepped out.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°How did it go?¡± Crimson asked eagerly. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Jules said, removing his mask and exhaling deeply. ¡°With proper rest, there shouldn¡¯t be anyplications.¡± Hearing this, Flora¡¯s tense body finally rxed. ¡°Honey, I told you your brother would be fine,¡± Crimsonforted Flora. ¡°Stop worrying. Look at you, your eyes are all red. Go get some rest.¡± But how could Flora rest now? ¡°What about Wade and his people?¡± she asked. Ive had Moss and Beck detain them,¡± Connor said, tightening his grip on Flora¡¯s hand. ¡°Whatever you decide to do, I¡¯m with you.¡± 12:01 Chapter 246 ¡°I want Wade sent to the police station¡± Just thinking about Raul and Henrik covered in blood made Flora seetha with hatred. The Brimer family had crossed a line this time. ¡°Okay,¡± Connor said gently, ready to support Flora in whatever she chose to do. ¡°Crimson,e with me for a moment.¡± Flora released Connor¡¯s hand, signaling for Crimson to follow her down the condor At the end of the hallway, Flora leaned against the wall, her gaze slightly lowered, concealing her emotions. In a hoarse voice, the se ¡°I need you to do a few things for me at Club 257,¡± ¡°Just say the word,¡± Crimson replied, having a vague idea of what Flora intended. The Brimer family tried to harm Flore¡¯s family, which was akin to courting death. Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Henrik didn¡¯t wake up until noon the next day. Flora had been by his bedside since yesterday, and when she savi him awake, she practically jumped with joy. ¡°Henrik! You¡¯re finally awake!¡± she eximed. Henrik¡¯s head still throbbed a bit as he turned stiffly to see Flora¡¯s red, tear¨Cstained eyes, and his heart melted. ¡°Flora¡­¡± he murmured. Connor poured a ss of warm water, helped Henrik take a sip, and thoughtfully adjusted the bed to a morefortable angle. ¡°How long have I been out?¡± Henrik asked, his whole body aching, each word a strain. ¡°Almost a day and a night,¡± Connor replied. ¡°And Flora, have you also stayed up for a day and a night?¡± Henrik, fighting off the pain, raised his hand to ruffle Flora¡¯s slightly messy hair. ¡°Look at your eyes, red like a little bunny.¡± Floraughed, though a bit sadly. ¡°You just never miss a chance to tease me! You must be starving after sleeping so long. What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll have Connor get it.¡± ¡°Some oatmeal will do,¡± Henrik said with a gentle smile, his eyes softening. 2 2 5 8 7 2 2 2 2 2 9 2 5 2 3 F 3 0 2 3 0 2 As Henrik woke up, everyone in the room let out a collective sigh of relief. Soon, the whole crew came to see him: Crimson, Ray, Jules, and even Raul, who was wrapped in bandages. After Henrik finished his oatmeal, Jules helped him sit up and reassured a nervous Flora. ¡°Flora, don¡¯t worry. Your brother is recovering well. With proper care, he¡¯ll be out of here in no time.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Flora said, feeling a huge weight lift off her shoulders. ¡°What are you thanking me for? We¡¯re practically family,¡± Jules replied. Flora pulled out a card Crimson had given her and handed it to Jules. ¡°Twenty¨Csix million dors, this should cover a few months for you.¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Jules¡¯s eyes lit up as he epted it, his wrinkled face breaking into a broad smile. ¡°You and I are like family, so I won¡¯t even pretend to decline!¡± Ray watched Flora and Jules interact so naturally, and frowned slightly. Flora was clearly very close with Jules. He suddenly recalled the time Aisha needed brain surgery. Initially, Jules had been unwilling to perform the operation, but then agreed out of the blue. Ray had thought it was because of Connor, but now it seemed Flora yed a big part in that decision. It was exhrating to realize that the girl everyone thought was incapable had turned out to be a top¨Ctier powerhouse! Raul, with tears in his eyes, patted Henrik¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Goodd, I knew you¡¯d pull through.¡± He knew his son could handle anything. ¡°Dad, a little harder and I might just have to go back under,¡± Henrik joked, rubbing his slightly sore shoulder. In the midst of their happy moment, amotion erupted outside. ¡°Let us in! Let us in!¡± voices demanded. Through the frosted ss, Flora saw the Brimer family parents and Selene being blocked by Moss and Beck. ¡°Let them in,¡± she said. She was curious to hear what they had to say. Connor went out and instructed Moss and Beck to let them through. ¡°Mr. Irving, I came here to apologize for my children,¡± Paul said, looking genuinely remorseful. ¡°My two ungrateful kids are spoiled by me. They even hired thugs to hurt people. We will cover all the medical expenses for you and Flora. I know this can¡¯t make up for the suffering you¡¯ve endured, but it¡¯s a gesture of my sincerity.¡± Crimson was visibly disgusted by Paul¡¯s words. What does he mean by covering the medical expenses? It¡¯s not like the Irvings would be short of money. Raul and Henrik both remained silent. Flora picked up theptop from the bedside table, sat on the couch, and stayed quiet as well. All eyes were on the Brimer family trig. Paul, looking increasingly awkward, continued, ¡°Whateverpensation the Irving family demands, we will do its utmost to fulfill. Mr. Irving, you have children too; surely you can¡¯t bear to see kids locked up in a police station, right? How about we settle this privately for now, and as soon as my children are released, I¡¯ll make sure theye over to apologize in person.¡± Chapter 248 12:01 Chapter 248 After talking in circles, they finally got to the point. He just hoped the Irving family would drop the charges and release Wade and Yvonne.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We don¡¯t wantpensation, just justice. Yvonne and Wade hired someone tomit murder, nearly killing my brother. We wor withdraw thewsuit,* ¡°Yes, my kids made a mistake, but no one died, right?* Melinda interrupted, ¡°Your father and brother are fine. So why take this to court? Tell us whatpensation you want ¡® Melinda¡¯s heart was heavy. She had juste from the police station, and in one night, Wade and Yvonne had been tortured beyond recognition. How could they endure more of this? ¡°Wade has to go to prison; that¡¯s the price for his actions.¡± ¡°We should be talking to your father, not you,¡± Melinda snapped at Flora. Her gaze darkened as she looked at Flora. Her kids were usually obedient. If it weren¡¯t for the constant pressure from the Irving family. they wouldn¡¯t have resorted to violence. ¡°We came here in good faith, trying to talk things out. Don¡¯t be ungrateful. The fight could be seen as a simple brawl. As I understand, Henrik fought back. Going to court is time¨Cconsuming and uncertain. Why make it ugly? The Brimer family is wealthy and powerful. Are you sure you can win awsuit against us?¡± Crimson almostughed. Did Melinda really think she could intimidate Flora? Flora was a master at wielding power. Raul was shaking with rage. Her son had nearly beaten Henrik to death, and now she even threatened him. Did they think the Irving family was an easy target? ¡°We might not be as rich as the Brimer family, but we¡¯remitted to thiswsuit. Wade will definitely spend years in prison.¡± Paul and Melinda¡¯s faces darkened. They weren¡¯t afraid of the Irving family but worried about Connor. The Irving family alone wasn¡¯t a threat, but if Connor intervened, it would be a problem. Selene, who hade with Paul and Melinda, believed in paying for one¡¯s mistakes. Wade and Yvonne¡¯s predicament was their own doing. Still, they were her rtives. Looking at Flora, who was typing away on herptop, Selene said, ¡®Flora, the Brimer family is at fault, but do you need to take it this far? Wade and Yvonne are young. Do you really want them to spend the rest of their lives in prison?¡± Flora¡¯s fingers flew over her keyboard. She looked up and retorted, ¡°And who do you think you are?* Selene was taken aback, not expecting Flora¡¯s bluntness. Her face fell. ¡°Raul, are you set on making enemies of the Brimer family?¡± Paul stared Raul down. They had tried everything, but the Irvings were adamant. It was time to get tough. ¡°If anything happens to my kids, you will pay. There wille a day when you¡¯ll beg us for mercy. Let¡¯s go!¡± The Brimer family stormed out, and to anyone watching, it might have looked like the Irving family were the real viins. Flora nced at her screen, hit the final enter key, and sent her message. Her reveng Chapter 249 Chapter 249 ¡°Sweetheart, the Irving family refuses to drop thewsuit. What are we going to do?¡± Melinda asked, her voice tinged with worry. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯ll get the bestwyers for Wade and Yvonne. There¡¯s no way we can lose this case!¡± Paul replied with a cold sneer, his eyes glinting with determination. ¡°Selene, you¡¯re from Maple Grove and you¡¯ve got a lot of connections. Do you know any top¨Cnotchwyers?¡± ¡°I know a few. I can make some calls,¡± Selene said hesitantly. She really didn¡¯t want to get involved in this mess. The whole situation with Wade and Yvonne seemed utterly ridiculous to her. They hurt someone in broad daylight and even ended up in jail. It was embarrassing to admit they were her cousins. Under Melinda¡¯s pleading gaze, Selene reluctantly dialed awyer she knew. He was highlypetent and well¨Crespected in Maple Grove. The call was answered quickly. At first, thewyer seemed enthusiastic, but when Selene mentioned the Brimer family from Cedarvale, his tone changed abruptly, and he hung up. Selene made several more calls, all with the same result.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Miss Selene, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help, but no one would dare take on the Brimer family¡¯s case. It¡¯s too risky,¡± onewyer exined before hanging up. Selene had put the call on speaker, and thewyer¡¯s fearful tone was loud and clear to both Paul and Melinda. ¡°What does that mean? Why won¡¯t anyone take our case?¡± Melinda¡¯s anxiety was palpable. Without a goodwyer for Wade, they were in serious trouble when the court date came. Paul frowned and called anotherwyer he was friendly with. ¡°Mr. Paul, I can¡¯t ept this case. You¡¯ve angered the wrong people. The Lawyers¡® Association has made it clear¨Cno one can afford to take on the Brimer family¡¯s case if they want to keep their career.¡± ¡°It must be Connor!¡± Melinda spat out angrily. ¡°Who else could do this?¡± Just then, Paul¡¯s phone rang. It was his secretary. Paul answered, and the voice on the other end was frantic. ¡°Mr. Paul, there¡¯s trouble! The police are here with evidence of tax evasion. and embezzlement. They¡¯re going to shut down thepany!¡± ¡°What!¡± Paul nearly fainted from the shock. No one in Paul¡¯s position had a spotless record; they all had their skeletons. The evidence the police had was rock¨Csolid, leaving Paul no room to argue. Brimer Group was sealed, and all of Paul¡¯s assets were frozen. Even the house they lived in was to be seized. Overnight, they had nowhere to go.. Forget about helping Wade and Yvonne; they couldn¡¯t even take care of themselves, ¡°Selene, please, can you call someone in Maple Grove?¡± Melinda pleaded desperately. ¡°You see what¡¯s happening to our family. If Maple Grove doesn¡¯t help, we¡¯re doomed.¡± ¡°Aunt Melinda, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll call Grandpa,¡± Selene reassured her. Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Selene never thought things would get this bad. Paul and Melinda were convinced Connor was behind it, but Selene had a gut feeling it was more Flora¡¯s doing. Could Flora really be that powerful, to bring the mighty Brimer family to ruin overnight? Selene dialed her grandfather Nick¡¯s number. He picked up almost immediately. Before Selene could get a word out, Nick, as if he knew what she was going to say, spoke first. ¡°Selene, stay out of this mess and get out of Cedarvale. Book a flight for tonight ande back right away.¡± ¡°But Grandpa¡­ I¡¯ve got my finalsing up.¡± Selene didn¡¯t want to go back to Maple Grove; she came to Cedarvale to find F, and she hadn¡¯t seeded yet. ¡°Do you really need to take those exams? I¡¯ve got everything sorted for you. Come back tonight. The medical organization will be recruiting in a few days. Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯ve always wanted?¡± ¡°I get it.¡± Selene muttered, her lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°Dad! Are you really going to abandon us? We¡¯re your children too!¡± Paul grabbed the phone from Selene. ¡°Wade and Yvonne are still stuck at the police station. They¡¯re your grandchildren. Don¡¯t you care at all about what happens to them?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve messed with people you shouldn¡¯t have. There¡¯s nothing I can do. Whether you get through this or not is up to you.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Nick¡¯s tone towards Paul was icy, a stark contrast to his warmth with Selene. Nick was a man who prioritized his interests. When Paul went to Cedarvale, the family had already written him off as a failure. Over the years, he¡¯d ignored Paul and had hardly any feelings for Wade and Yvonne. ¡°Dad, but now we¡­¡± ¡°Beep beep-¡± Before Paul could finish, Nick hung up. Paul was utterly crushed. He copsed to the floor, like a puppet with its strings cut, his gaze vacant. Yvonne and Wade were sentenced to ten years for grievous bodily harm. Paul got eight years for tax evasion and other charges. Melinda, having lost her husband and children overnight, reportedly went mad. No one knew where she went. The Brimer family, once a big name in Cedarvale, had fallen, leaving people to shake their heads in pity. The financial news covered it for days. Raul despised the Brimer family, but even he was stunned into silence when he heard. He spent his days making nutritious broths for Henrik, and Henrik¡¯s health slowly improved. Flora went back to school. Her desk mate was gone; she overheard from ss Z that Selene had transferred. Flora didn¡¯t care. Whether Selene stayed or left made no difference to her. ¡°Flora, Selene asked me to give this to you.¡± During the break, Kaylee handed Flora a note. Flora raised an eyebrow in surprise. She hadn¡¯t expected Selene to leave her a note, but she figured it wouldn¡¯t be anything good Lazily, Flora unfolded the note, reading the flowing handwriting. Chapter 251 Chapter 251 The Anal wear was feet racing with shark Theater in ss Zupa p serious problem an Ates and there had gone to Education. They emely pats in the national batman end the primary and and advanced to the Why part by the Master College of PhysicalThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. eate They were busy with training poy day no tenger rating buhang Flowh actually have a mamarrustomed to the absence During the evening study seesion, then and the stairs retumad, lenking mobally wiped ave There, this Stay is the semifinals of the basketball toumament at the gym. Bey wante and varchus y?¡± Dane tumed dmund, leeking ei Flim with wager eyes For mer his hopelu game and agreed instantly ¡°Sure, just give me a call on the weekend remind me Wight if youe wel definitely perform wall and won¡¯t let you down smiled, handing Dene the notes she had prepared. Here are the key points organized today Make sure you memorize them Thank you Dene was deeply moved Flors would painstakingly organize kay points for each of them every day focusing on their weaknesses any sign of irritation. Meanwhile, Canne went to the teacher¡¯s office to ask questions alexam imminent, Carina had thrown herself entirely into studying. She knew she had no safety and could only rely on you¡¯ve been very motivated in your studiestely Keep it up, and getting into the University of Maple Grove will be no problems Your man weakness is in the mathematical analysis of geometry you lost points an his problem your recent exam. This area is a bit challenging for you so I¡¯vepiled some materials that should be very helpful for you. Take hem home and have a look, the teacher ¡°Thank your fl work hard¡± Carma nodded eamesty Wow, Flom is really something else Another perfect scor The essay writing is truly beautiful it has a unique iterary style that¡¯s bold and the waste leve I was witten by a young girl; That this girl, as long as stw doesn¡¯t mess up on day of the final exam, st The other teachers were reviewing the test papers from the past few days, and tw The smile on Carma¡¯s face slowly faded and a cold ight pattered beneat ? But what #Fone couldn¡¯t even atand the tatis The cy¡¯s top a Praise for Flora dinner Flom by vervred des sent terpenes of thetest medical equipment he had purchased which cob on. He also bought vanced medcelona worth any manom Connor wandege hit you unlo Flora quickly reply! Flors typed Chapter 251 Chapter 251 [Flora, I¡¯m back in Maple Grove. By the time you see me again, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll have surpassed you.] Flora read the message, clicked her tongue, crumpled it up without any expression, and tossed it into the trash can. The final exam was fast approaching, with less than a month to go. The atmosphere in ss Z had be unusually tense; during breaks, there was no more goofing around, just serious studying and problem¨Csolving. Alex and Dane had gone topete in the national basketball tournament organized by the Maple Grove College of Physical Education. They smoothly passed the preliminary round and advanced to the semifinals. They were busy with training every day, no longer trailing behind Flora, who actually found herself somewhat unustomed to their absence. During the evening study session, Dane and the others returned, looking totally wiped out. ¡°Flora, this Saturday is the semifinals of the basketball tournament at the gym. Do you want toe and watch us y?¡± Dane turned around, looking at Flora with eager eyes. Flora met his hopeful gaze and agreed instantly. ¡°Sure, just give me a call on the weekend to remind me.¡± ¡°Alright! If youe, we¡¯ll definitely perform well and won¡¯t let you down!¡± Flora smiled, handing Dane the notes she had prepared. ¡°Here are the key points I organized today. Make sure you memorize them.¡± ¡°Thank you, Flora!¡± Dane was deeply moved. Flora would painstakingly organize key points for each of them every day, focusing on their weaknesses without any sign of irritation. Meanwhile, Carina went to the teacher¡¯s office to ask questions. With the final exam imminent, Carina had thrown herself entirely into studying. She knew she had no safety and could only rely on herself. *Carina, you¡¯ve been very motivated in your studiestely. Keep it up, and getting into the University of Maple Grove will be no problem. Your main weakness is in the mathematical analysis of geometry; you lost points on this problem in your recent exam. This area is a bit challenging for you, so I¡¯vepiled some materials that should be very helpful for you. Take them home and have a look,¡± the teacher said kindly. ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll work hard!¡± Carina nodded earnestly. ¡°Wow, Flora is really something else. Another perfect score!¡± ¡°Her essay writing is truly beautiful! It has a unique literary style that¡¯s bold and free. Hard to believe it was written by a young girl.¡± ¡®Tsk tsk, this girl, as long as she doesn¡¯t mess up on the day of the final exam, she¡¯s sure to be the city¡¯s top scorer.¡± The other teachers were reviewing the test papers from the past few days, and their words were full of praise for Flora. The smile on Carina¡¯s face slowly faded, and a cold light gathered beneath her drooping eyelids. The city¡¯s top scorer, huh? But what if Flora couldn¡¯t even attend the exams on the day? In the evening, after dinner, Floray sprawled on her bed. Jules sent her photos of thetest medical equipment he had purchased, which cost just about two hundred million. He also bought advanced medications worth sixty million. Flora¡¯s two hundred and sixty million in her ount was gone just like that. Jules: [Flora, you see how poor the organization is, how much it needs you. You have to keep up your good work, okay?] Flora¡¯s mouth twitched, and she sent back an eye¨Crolling emoji. Connor sent a message: [Are you asleep?] Flora quickly replied: [Not yet!] Connor Any ns for the weekend? Anywhere you want to go, anything you want to eat?] Flora typed: [I¡¯m going to watch a basketball game this weekend. Do you want to with me?] Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Before they knew it, the weekend had arrived. Flora and Connor headed out together to watch Dane¡¯s basketball game. Kaylee had also managed to sneak out to join them, even though her mom had strictly forbidden it with finals just around the corner. Ever since she started hanging out with Flora, she had be a lot bolder. She would never have dared to do this before. Dane and Alex lit up when they saw Flora and the crew, and they all went inside the gym together. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Dane,¡± an obnoxious voice called out.¡± A group of guys in basketball jerseys swaggered over, looking just as cocky as they did in thest game. Dane¡¯s expression turned icy. These were the yers from Cot High School. They had narrowly lost to managed to win the next few games to make it to the yoffs. them by one point in the preliminaries. Thankfully, they had ¡°You guys made it to the yoffs? Pfft, I¡¯d suggest you drop out now. If you face us again and get destroyed, it¡¯s gonna be pretty embarrassing, don¡¯t you think?¡± The guy¡¯s eyes flicked over to Flora and Kaylee, and he let out a low whistle. ¡°Oh, and you¡¯ve got some girls here too. Looks like you¡¯re doing pretty well at Westbrook High, huh? Cute chicks.¡± ¡°Watch your mouth, Jack!¡± Dane snapped. Jack just smirked, lookingpletely unfazed. ¡°My mouth¡¯s always like this. So, which one of these girls have you been with? Share the fun, will ya?¡± ¡°Jack!¡± Dane roared, ready to swing at him. Flora quickly grabbed his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t do it!¡± There was a referee watching from the sidelines. Even though Flora didn¡¯t know much about basketball, she knew that fighting before the game could get Dane disqualified. It was clear Jack was trying to provoke him on purpose. Jack raised an eyebrow and then turned his attention to Flora. He could see Dane cared about her. He reached out to touch her face. ¡°Quite protective, huh? How about you have some fun with me¨CAh!!¡± Jack screamed like a banshee. ¡°It hurts! Let go of me! Let go!¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Connor stood there, his face cold as ice. He had one hand in his pocket while the other twisted Jack¡¯s fingers down. The rest of Jack¡¯s team looked too scared to even move. ¡°You guys go in and get ready,¡± Connor said to Dane. Dane nodded eagerly, throwing a smug look at Jack before leading Alex and the rest of the team into the arena. ¡°Still feel like talking trash?¡± Connor asked calmly, watching Jack squirm in pain. ¡°No, no! I won¡¯t! I¡¯m sorry! I really am! Please, I need to y in the game. It¡¯s super important to me!¡± Jack was practically in tears. Connor finally let go, only because Flora had told him how crucial this match was for these boys. It would decide if they could get into Maple Grove College of Physical Education. Connor hadn¡¯t gone all out on Jack, just enough to teach him a lesson. Otherwise, Jack¡¯s hand would¡¯ve been useless by now. Jack rubbed his sore fingers, too scared to cause any more trouble, and quickly led his teammates into the arena. But one thing was clear¨Che was definitely going to hold this grudge against Dane. Chapter 253 Chapter 253 The game hadn¡¯t started yet, and Flora, Connor, and Kaylee managed to snag a spot right in the middle of the bleachers. Around them, it was mostly teens their age, all there to cheer for their friends. Mixed in were some middle¨Caged parents, clearly there to support their kids on the court. The heat was sweltering, and Connor, being the thoughtful guy he was, went off to grab some ice cream and ice¨Ccold water for Flora and Kaylee. The whistle blew, and the game was on! Dane and his team were the first to hit the court. It was Flora¡¯s first time seeing them y. Dane was lightning¨Cfast and worked perfectly with Alex, quickly putting the other team on the back foot. In the end, Dane¡¯s team clinched the win with a solid six¨Cpoint lead. The teens erupted in cheers, hugging each other in celebration. Flora took a bite of her ice cream, feeling a wave of happiness wash over her. On the other side, Jack and his team also scored a victory. Jack shot a dark look over at Dane¡¯s team. He better hope they don¡¯t face off, Jack thought, because if they do, Dane¡¯s in for it. ¡°Next up, Westbrook High vs. Cot High. Teams, get ready,¡± the referee announced. At the ref¡¯s call, Flora looked up to see Dane¡¯s team and Jack¡¯s team making their way to the center of the court. ¡°Seriously?¡± Kaylee eximed, remembering the tension between Jack and Dane from earlier. Flora stayed quiet, her eyes glued to the court. ¡°You might as well give up now,¡± Jack sneered. ¡°If it¡¯s anything like the prelims, you¡¯re going down hard. It¡¯ll be embarrassing.¡°. ¡°Who¡¯s gonna lose? We¡¯ll see after the game. Last time, you only beat us by three points. Big deal,¡± Alex shot back. Both teams trained at the same ce and often shed over the court. Jack¡¯s team, riding on their school¡¯s academic rep, always looked down on them, and the resentment had been building for a while. ¡°Why waste your breath? Let¡¯s just show them what we¡¯ve got and have them begging for mercy!¡± a Cot yer jeered. ¡°You ready?¡± the ref called out. Dane and Jack nodded. The ref tossed the ball high into the air! Dane, with his long legs, kicked the ball towards his team. Jack missed the catch, his face darkening, ¡°You two, nk him!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Cot¡¯s yers closed in on Dane from both sides, with Jack tight on his heels. But Dane, moving like a sh, spun around Jack and passed the ball to Alex, who was already in position for a powerful shot. Scored! Dane and Alex¡¯s perfect teamwork left Cot struggling to keep up. They were running in circles, exhausted, while Dane¡¯s team was still going strong. Alex passed the ball back to Dane. He broke through the defense with a stunning leap and m dunked it! Two points!This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. The crowd erupted in thunderous apuse. ¡°OMG, Westbrook High is so awesome! Their forward is called Dane, right? I¡¯m totally crushing on him!¡± ¡°Is Jack¡¯s team even trying? If we knew they¡¯d be this bad, we wouldn¡¯t have bothered cheering.¡± they ¡°Yeah, getting beaten this badly by Westbrook High is just embarrassing.¡± Chapter 254 Chapter 254 ¡°With this kind of performance, they think they can represent Comett High School in the nationals? They¡¯re dreaming!¡± Jack¡¯s face turned a deep shade of red as he overheard the students from Comett High School grumbling. By halftime, Westbrook High School was already ten points ahead. ¡°Has Dane¡¯s team lost their minds today? They¡¯re ying like beasts!¡± The yers from Comett High School were fuming. ¡°How has Westbrook High improved so much since the prelims?¡± They were struggling to keep up.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Jack shot a nce at Dane and his team, who were all smiles, and a cold glint shed in his eyes. *Jack, what do we do now? If we are still like this, they¡¯re definitely going to win,¡± a yer from Comett High School asked with a serious expression. ¡°Win? Not so fast Jack sneered, ¡°Gather around, I¡¯ll tell you what we need to do when we get back on the court¡­¡± ¡®Dane, those losers from Comett High School are up to something,¡± Alex nudged Dane with his elbow. ¡°Let them plot. We just need to focus on our game.¡± Dane stood up and addressed the Westbrook High School yers loudly, ¡°Everyone yed great just now. Keep it up, and this game is ours! ¡°Let¡¯s follow Dane¡¯s lead!* ¡®Let¡¯s crush Cot High School!* ¡°After we win, let¡¯s hit up that burger ce Dane¡¯s family owns!¡± *Sure, eat as much as you want.¡± After Dane finished speaking with a grin, he couldn¡¯t help but nce up at Flora in the stands. Feeling his gaze, Flora saw his eyes sparkling like stars. He lifted his chin towards her as if to say, they were sure to win. Flora smiled and gave them a big thumbs up. When the second half of the game began, Cot High School¡¯s strategy hadpletely changed. They stopped focusing on defense and started ying aggressively. Just as Alex intercepted the ball, a Comett High School yer charged straight at him, deliberately knocking him down. Alex hit the ground hard, writhing in pain, and another Comett High School yer stomped on his elbow. ¡°Ah!¡± Alex screamed in agony. The game was temporarily halted due to the incident. Dane hurried over to check on Alex¡¯s injury. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t see you fall.¡± Looking at Alex, who was pale and sweating from pain, the Comett High School yer withdrew his foot, feigning innocence. ¡°You did that on purpose!¡± The Westbrook High School yers shouted, outraged. ¡°Prove it. The ref didn¡¯t say we did it on purpose, so what makes you think so?¡± the Cot High School yers retorted confidently. ¡°Well, it was just an ident. The game will continue.¡± The referee coughed lightly and quickly walked away. The Cot High School yer smirked at Dane and walked off. *How are you? Can you continue?¡± Dane helped Alex up, frowning with concern. ¡°Yeah!¡± Alex clutched his swollen elbow, his face set with determination. The game resumed, and Dane was the first to sessfully intercept the ball. A group of Cot High School yers blocked him, intentionally jabbing him with their elbows and bodies. Dane narrowly avoided injury several times. Protecting the ball, he faked a move and passed it to a Westbrook High School yer. Just as his teammate caught the ball and was about to shoot, a Cot High School yer charged at him, tripping him and stomping on his fingers! In no time, Dane¡¯s teammates were battered and bruised. Chapter 255 Chapter 255 ¡°Cot High School had really hit a new low, stooping to such dirty tactics because they couldn¡¯t win fair and square!¡± ¡°The kids from Westbrook High were way too honest for their own good, and now it looked like they were in for a major hit. That ref was clearly in Cot¡¯s pocket. Winning this time? It was looking next to impossible.¡± ¡°If I ever see anyone from Cot High, I swear I¡¯ll deck ¡®em every single time!¡± In the stands, Cot High¡¯s students wore faces full of shame. They were just as disgusted with Jack¡¯s antics; winning like this was nothing to be proud of. ¡°Let¡¯s bail. Hanging around here is just embarrassing.¡± One by one, Cot High¡¯s students started to leave, afraid that staying longer would only stir up more anger. ¡°Flora, this is beyond ridiculous!¡± Kaylee was shaking with rage. She¡¯d never seen such tant cheating on the field, such dirty tricks. Flor¨¤ stayed silent, her pretty face icy cold. Her steely gaze was locked on the court, a frosty glint in her eyes. Dane and his team were battered, the scoreboard showing a five¨Cpoint gap, leaving them trailing behind Cot High. However, the ref kept tuming a blind eye, not handing out any real penalties to Cot¡¯s yers. Flora pulled out her phone from her pocket, scrolled through her contacts, and fired off a text. Unbeknownst to her, Connor also picked up his phone, his fingers flying over the screen. On the court, Dane watched his teammates get hurt by Jack¡¯s dirty moves, shaking with anger. ¡°Dane, heads up!¡± Alex shouted, hurling the ball towards Dane with all his strength. As Dane jumped to catch it, Jack came out of nowhere, elbowing Dane in the back and kicking him hard in the knee.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Pain shot through Dane, and he crashed to the ground. Jack easily snagged the ball and, with a sneer at Dane, sank it into the hoop under Dane¡¯s furious re. The ref blew the whistle, ¡°End of the second quarter. Ten¨Cminute halftime.¡± ¡°Dane,¡± Alex rushed over to help him up. He wasn¡¯t much better off, his face and body covered ¡°Jack, you¡¯re a disgrace!¡± Dane¡¯s eyes zed with anger. in Jack crossed his arms, lookingzily at him, a smug grin on his face, ¡°Like they say, love and necessary¨Cit¡¯s our game. You could forfeit now and save yourself some pain.¡± war. Winning by any means ¡°Forfeit? Not a chance!¡± ¡°Even better.¡± Jack chuckled, leaning in close so only Dane could hear, ¡°N Then, he sauntered back to the bench. ¡°Next quarter¡­ I¡¯ll make ake sure you¡¯ll never y basketball again.¡± The entire Westbrook High team looked defeated. With a biased ref and such scummy opponents, how could they keep ying? Losing seemed inevitable. ¡°Maybe¡­ we should forfeit¡­¡± A younger teammate suggested timidly. ¡°We can¡¯t!¡± Dane said through gritted teeth, ¡°Giving up would only make those jerks happy. Even if we to y the next quarter!¡± As Dane finished, apuse erupted. drop dead on this court, we have Connor, Flora, and Kaylee strode over. Flora watched Dane with admiration, ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± ¡°Flora¡­¡± Dane¡¯s eyes filled with tears, a lump forming in his throat. He¡¯s almost on the verge of crying. Connor handed Dane a ck bag, ¡°These are some ointments. They¡¯re really effective. Rub them on your injuries. You¡¯ll feel a lot better. Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Dane expressed his thanks and quickly handed out the items to everyone. ¡°Come on, guys, y hard. You¡¯ve got this next game,¡± Flora encouraged, seeing their downcast faces. ¡°If those jerks don¡¯t cheat, we can definitely win! The ref¡¯s biased too, always favoring Cot High. How are we supposed to y like this?¡± Alex, clutching his swollen hand, was fuming. ¡°Next game, he won¡¯t be your ref anymore,¡± Flora¡¯s voice, though soft, carried a chilling certainty. ¡°Flora, what do you mean by that?¡± Dane asked, puzzled by her confidence. Meanwhile, Jack was having a quiet word with the referee. ¡°Thanks a lot. When I get back, I¡¯ll put in a good word with my dad to get you into Sports Council.¡± Jack¡¯s father was the deputy director of Sports Council, which exined the referee¡¯s favoritism. ¡°I¡¯ll need one more favor. You know Dane, the forward from Westbrook High, right? I want him out of the game for good.¡± The referee flinched at Jack¡¯s ruthless request. Destroying Dane¡¯s future over a grudge? But with Dane¡¯s ordinary background, it was clear who he¡¯d side with. The referee gritted his teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jack, I¡¯ll take care of it. I¡¯ve had enough of Dane too.¡± Suddenly, a disturbance erupted outside the court. A group of men in suits strode in.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Jack instinctively looked over. There were about ten of them, and while he didn¡¯t know three, the rest were from Sports Council, including his father, George. ¡°Dad!¡± Jack ran over, beaming. Dane and his teammates from Westbrook High looked even more dismayed. Everyone knew George was the deputy director. They were sure he was there to support Jack. ¡°My dad¡¯s here. You¡¯re all finished,¡± Jack sneered at Dane, eyes gleaming with anticipation. He walked briskly to George, missing the stormy look on his father¡¯s face. ¡°Dad, why are you here. You-¡± ¡°Smack!¡± The sharp sound of a p cut Jack off mid¨Csentence. Clutching his cheek, he stared at George in disbelief. ¡°Dad, why did you hit me!¡± George wanted to do more than p him. ¡°You disgrace! What have you done!¡± Seething, he pped Jack again, making both cheeks swell. ¡°Mr. George, what is this about?¡± the referee stammered, bewildered. ¡°Are you the referee?¡± George¡¯s re was icy as he eyed the badge around the man¡¯s neck. ¡°Your job is to be fair, which you clearly failed at.¡± The referee paled as George continued, ¡°Effective immediately, you¡¯re fired. Sports Council has cklisted you. You¡¯ll never work in sports again.¡± The referee¡¯s mouth gaped as he tried to defend himself, ¡°I was just helping your son- ¡°Shut up!¡± George snapped, barely restraining from kicking him. ¡°Helping my son? You were ruining him.¡± Ignoring the referee, George scanned the room and strode toward Flora and the others. Chapter 257 Chapter 257 ¡°It¡¯s on me for not keeping a tighter rein on my kids, which led to them acting out on the field and being downright nasty to their opponents. On behalf of my son, I apologize.¡± George stood in front of Dane, bowing deeply, his words dripping with sincerity. Dane was taken aback. George, a deputy director, actually apologizing to them? ¡°Dad! What are you doing?¡± Jack couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. The father he admired and respected was now bowing and apologizing to Dane and his team? ¡°Get over here and apologize too!¡± George yanked Jack over, forcing him to apologize. Jack, full of teenage defiance, red angrily. ¡°Dad, have you lost it today? Why are you scared of Dane? His family runs a diner, right? Even if I did more than just mess up the game, even if I seriously hurt him, they wouldn¡¯t dare say a word!¡± George was petrified by Jack¡¯s reckless words, fearing he¡¯d say something even worse and upset that important figure. He kicked Jack¡¯s shin with all his strength. Caught off guard, Jack¡¯s legs buckled, and he ended up kneeling right in front of Dane! Humiliated and furious, he tried to get up, but a strong hand pushed down on his shoulders. George¡¯s voice was urgent and tinged with fear, ¡°Apologize to the Westbrook High School team right now!¡± Jack¡¯s eyes, red and swollen, were tightly shut as he gritted his teeth. He refused to speak. No way was he apologizing to Dane! Facing Jack¡¯s stubbornness, George became both anxious and angry. He pulled out hisst threat, ¡°If you don¡¯t apologize, you can kiss basketball goodbye for the rest of your life!¡± Jack¡¯s expression changed instantly. He didn¡¯t doubt his father¡¯s words for a second. His fists clenched at his sides, and he forced out, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± The boy¡¯s voice was defiant, filled with reluctance and bitterness. As Jack finally apologized, George breathed a sigh of relief. He watched Dane, his tone unexpectedly conciliatory, ¡°Dane, everything that happened was Jack¡¯s fault, and I sincerely apologize on his behalf. He went against the spirit of sportsmanship and disrespected the rules of the game. Comett High School will be disqualified from thispetition. I hope this solution is satisfactory to you?¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. George was sweating bullets, fearing that even after all this, Dane would still be upset. Just half an hour ago, two powerful figures had called the director, seriously discussing thepetition¡¯s matters. The head office made it clear: if he couldn¡¯t appease Dane, his role as deputy director was over. Even the Maple Grove Sports Council got involved, showing just how serious the situation was. When George talked about disqualifying their team, Jack and the rest of the Cot High School team went pale, losing all their earlier swagger. They couldn¡¯t understand why George was being so submissive to Dane, whose background seemed so ordinary. What could possibly make the deputy director so fearful? Dane was just as confused. He swallowed hard before saying, ¡°We only ask for fairness and justice. The sports field should be sacred, not tainted with disgrace.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, absolutely.¡± George nodded vigorously, then cautiously asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re not angry anymore?¡± Dane, ¡°Uh, yeah.* Finally, George felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders. He had brought new referees from the sports authority to ensure the fairness of thepetition. With Cot High School disqualified, Westbrook High School was dered the winner by default. Westbrook High had already won two matches, and with one more victory, they would advance to the finals in Maple Grove. ¡°Dane, seriously, are you some kind of secret big shot?¡± The Westbrook High School teammates stared at Dane with intense curiosity. Chapter 258 Chapter 258 What kind of big shot was he to make the deputy director of Sports Council treat him with such respect? ¡°Stop nagging. Rest up and get ready for the next match.¡± Dane ignored them, his eyes locked on Flora as he leaned in slightly and whispered, ¡°Flora, it¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Just focus on the game.¡± Flora didn¡¯t answer him. Instead, she smiled, took Connor¡¯s hand, and returned to the stands. Dane knew it had to be her. Only Flora could be so formidable. No wonder she had confidently dered that the referee would be dismissed. He was really moved. Flora was just too wonderful, doing so much for them behind the scenes! Dane¡¯s skills was decent already, and as long as the match was fair, his victory was almost certain. In the third round, Dane¡¯s team won without any surprises and advanced to the finals sessfully. Alex was ecstatic about celebrating. Connor treated them to a meal at the Pearl Hotel. Dane and Alex,ing from ordinary families, had never been to such a luxurious restaurant before and were unsure how to act. Kaylee, whose family background was slightly better than Dane and Alex¡¯s, behaved elegantly and modestly, albeit with a touch of shyness. ¡°Good heavens, a dish for thirteen hundred! Is it rimmed with gold? This is way too expensive!¡± Alex eximed upon seeing the menu, nearly jumping in shock. ¡°This is too pricey¡­¡± Dane gulped nervously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, everyone. This restaurant belongs to a friend of mine, so we don¡¯t need to pay. I also want to thank you all for helping Flora at school. This is my first time treating everyone, so please, feel at ease and don¡¯t be shy.¡± This eased Dane and the others¡® minds a bit. It was only natural for Connor, Flora¡¯s fianc¨¦, to treat them to a meal. They just needed to take advantage of his generosity a bit more. The group began to order freely. *What would you like?¡± Connor asked Flora softly, holding the menu. ¡°You decide, I¡¯m fine with anything.¡± Flora leaned against him, her voice soft and tender. Connor smiled wryly and expertly chose some of Flora¡¯s favorites. When the food arrived, he thoughtfully served Flora, his gaze never leaving her. Kaylee watched them, feeling envious. Where Flora was, Connor¡¯s eyes saw no one else. She too longed for such affection. After the meal, Connor arranged for everyone to be driven home. Kaylee, Alex, Dane, and another teammate shared one car, while Flora and Connor took another. The remaining four teammates were in a third car. Leaving the Pearl Hotel, all headed in the same direction home. The three cars drove through the night in unison. It was gettingte, and the roads were not busy, but Connor still drove slowly, adhering strictly to the speed limits. The two cars behind followed quietly. As they approached a traffic light, Connor¡¯s car and the car in the middle passed through just as the light turned green, but by the time it was Dane¡¯s turn, the light turned red. The car had to stop. A minuteter, the light turned green again, and the driver sped through the intersection, but Connor and Flora¡¯s car had already driven far ahead.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, several motorcycles suddenly appeared from the side. Riding alongside and purposely cutting them off, the motorcyclists tried to force them to stop. The car wobbled dangerously, and Kaylee¡¯s head hit the window. Dane quickly steadied her. One motorcycle made a sharp turn and skidded to a halt in the middle of the road. Seeing the motorcycle up close, the driver¡¯s heart tightened, and he hastily braked. ¨C The motorcyclist removed his helmet, revealing himself to be Jack. His face was hard to make out against the dark night sky, but the dim streetlight reflected in his narrowed eyes, filled with hatred and burning fury. Chapter 259 Chapter 259 ¡°Why is it always you? What do you want?¡± Jack, clutching his helmet, marched over to them. His face was still swollen and red, and the hatred in his eyes was unmistakable. He tried to open the car door but found it locked. As he leanedzily against the door, the dim streetlight cast shadows on his fierce face. ¡°You think you can just walk away after getting us kicked out of thepetition? It¡¯s not that easy.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t us who messed things up for you; you did that all on your own. Plus, it was your dad who kicked you out, not us. Why are you taking it out on us?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of all this talk?¡± Jack sneered. ¡°If you¡¯re so tough, get out of the car and let¡¯s settle this one¨Con¨Cone.¡± Dane didn¡¯t want any trouble. They had made it to the finals, and the coach had stressed the need to be extra careful. He didn¡¯t get out of the car. Instead, he calmly met Jack¡¯s gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this. I have to get to Maple Grove for the grand finals. If I were you, after such a big embarrassment, I wouldn¡¯t show my face around here.¡± Jackughed angrily. Why should they get to go to the finals after getting us disqualified? No way! ¡°You want to leave? Fine, but only if you have the guts to drive over me.¡± Jack slowly walked in front of the car, leaning against the hood with an air of defiance. Dane¡¯s expression darkened, but he chose not to get out. It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid; he just didn¡¯t want to risk something happening to Kaylee, who was in the car. The standoff continued. Alex couldn¡¯t keep his cool like Dane. He rolled down the window, stuck his head out, and yelled, ¡°Jack, hasn¡¯t your dad hit you enough yet? Do you forget that you knelt down like a dog and apologized to Dane?¡± ¡°Exactly! If it weren¡¯t for Dane¡¯s generosity in forgiving you, you¡¯d still be kneeling!¡± The teammates in the car nodded vigorously in agreement. Alex shouted, ¡°Believe it or not, with just one phone call from Dane, you¡¯ll have to kneel down again, calling Dane ¡®Grandpa¡®!¡± Jack, already burning with anger, was reminded of the humiliation at the gym by Alex¡¯s words. His face turned livid, his grip on the helmet tightened, and he grabbed Alex¡¯s neck sticking out from the window, smashing the helmet down on his face! Dane was shocked and grabbed Alex, trying to pull him back, but this only made Alex¡¯s situation worse. Dane hastily opened the door and got out, swinging a punch at Jack. Only then did Jack let go of Alex and dodge to the side.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Alex, clutching his neck, coughed in pain. ¡°You bastard! That was low!¡± He gasped for air, not forgetting to curse Jack. Damn, Jack was actually trying to kill him just now! ¡°Guys, get him!¡± At Jack¡¯smand, several bikers got down and started beating Dane. Dane realized it was toote to get back into the car. He could only shut the door forcefully. ¡°Don¡¯t get out. There¡¯s a girl in the car!¡± Jack¡¯s gang was street fighters, and naturally overpowered Dane. In just a few moments, Dane was beaten ck and blue. Alex and another teammate also got out, but it was toote to close the door. Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Chapter 260 A tattooed young man yanked open the door, which hadn¡¯t been properly closed, and found only a middle¨Caged driver and a little girl pale with fright inside. He frowned. In their line of work, there were rules and a code of honor¨Cthey didn¡¯t mess with women or the elderly. Muttering a curse, the tattooed guy shut the door and went off to deal with Alex and Dane. Dane had taken a punch to the gut and was pinned against the car door, unable to move. Jack pped his face, sneering, ¡°You think you deserve an apology from me. You wanted topete in the finals, right? I want to see you do that with a busted hand!¡± Jack pulled a pocket knife from his coat, its cold de reflecting his twisted grin. He viciously swung it towards Dane¡¯s fingers. Right then, a Range Rover roared onto the scene, heading straight for Jack. Realizing the car about to hit him, Jack instinctively dodged to the side. The car screeched to a halt in the middle of the road. The doors flew Jack, still spooked by previous encounter Pen, andor and stepped out with determination. with Connor, felt a twinge in his hand at the sight of him. ¡°Flora, you¡¯re here!¡± Dane and Alex lit up at the sight of Flora, nearly moved to tears. Flora had arrived! ¡°What are you waiting for? Get them!¡± Jack signaled to a group of thugs, who charged at Connor. They had a rule not to hit women, so theypletely ignored Flora standing by. Connor didn¡¯t even flinch as he watched them approach. His dark eyes swirled with a fierce intensity. The thugs couldn¡¯t see how Connor moved. By the time they came back to their senses, they were already sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain. Jack felt a jolt of fear, realizing how formidable Connor was. He tried to flee, but Connor stepped closer. Just one look from Connor, and Jack was paralyzed. His legs felt like they were filled with lead, unable to move an inch. ¡°We let you off once already. Why do you keep causing trouble?¡± Flora strode up to him, her eyes filled with impatience. ¡°He humiliated me! How can I just let that go?¡± Jack swallowed hard, shouting, ¡°Go ahead and hit me! But I won¡¯t let this go! You can¡¯t protect Dane forever!¡± ¡°And what will it take to end this?¡± Flora thought of the incident with Hans. She hadn¡¯t handled it well, leading to Dane and his family facing retaliation. Jack¡¯s eyes glinted, ¡°There¡¯s one way! Let Dane and me have a car race! If he wins, I¡¯ll drop it all. I won¡¯t bother him again, nor will I seek revenge!¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± Alex roared, his eyes bulging with rage. Everyone knew Jack had been racing since he was a kid. Dane used to race too, but that was years ago. How could he possibly beat Jack? Racing was also dangerous. One wrong move and you¡¯re dead. Jack was clearly out to kill Dane! Flora rubbed her wrist. ¡°Does it have to be Dane? How about I race you instead?¡± Her voice cut through the night, reaching everyone¡¯s ears. There was azy edge to her tone, yet it was filled with fierce defiance.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Jack couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. Flora wanted to race him? She¡¯s just a young girl. Could she even drive? He shot a look at Connor, a n already brewing. They¡¯d only met a couple of times, but Jack could tell Connor had a thing for Flora. He couldn¡¯t get to Dane directly, but if he could make Connor suffer, that would be just as satisfying. Racing had been his thing since he was a kid, so taking on a girl was no big deal. If she got hurt in the process, it would definitely hit Connor where it hurt. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll race you. But let¡¯s have a bet. If I lose, I¡¯ll stop bothering Dane for good. I¡¯ll avoid him whenever I see him. But if you lose¡­. you have to kneel and kiss my shoe!¡± Jack said with a sneer. Flora stared at him, her face unreadable. ¡°You better keep your word. After the race, you stop going after Dane.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. If Jack tried to back out, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to deal with his family. Jack quickly nodded. ¡°I promise, after the race, we¡¯re done with this.¡± ¡°Flora! How could you agree to this?¡± Dane was almost in a panic. ¡°Jack has been racing since he was a kid. You can¡¯t beat him! And racing is dangerous, even the smallest mistake could¡­¡± Flora narrowed her eyes slightly, giving him a calm, reassuring look. ¡°Trust me.¡± Her voice was steady and confident. Jack chuckled, eager to see if she could stay thatposedter. He put on his helmet, hopped on his motorcycle, and took the lead. Connor and Flora followed slowly in their car, with Dane, Alex, and Kaylee quickly catching up. In the car, Flora sat in the passenger seat, leisurely munching on cookies as if she wasn¡¯t about to race. Connor nced at her, pursing his lips. ¡°Let me race him,¡± he said. Flora blinked, turning to face him. ¡°What? Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± ¡°It is dangerous, Connor replied seriously. His half¨Csibling from his mom¡¯s second marriage loved racing and had once broken his leg. It took nearly a year with a specialist to recover fully. Flora smiled, offering a cookie to Connor¡¯s lips. He hesitated, then took a bite. ¡°Just trust me. I wouldn¡¯t do anything I¡¯m not confident about. With you here, I¡¯ve got too much to live for.¡± ¡°Flora, can you listen just this once?¡± There was a trace of helplessness in Connor¡¯s voice. He knew Flora was capable, but racing wasn¡¯t a joke. He couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her being in any danger. ¡°Connor¡­¡± Flora blinked. Normally, Connor would have given in, but not this time. ¡°Alright,¡± Flora sighed. ¡°You drive, but I¡¯ming with you, in the same car.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Connor knew this was Flora¡¯s final concession. He didn¡¯t refuse. He was confident he could protect his girl. The night grew deeper as they reached the outskirts, where the roads were even emptier: Jack wished he could speed up to 200 mph, but the car behind him stayed strictly under 40 mph. Even the traffic cops would have to tip their hats to them for being suchw¨Cabiding citizens Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Jack was about to lose it, but he purposely slowed down, letting them catch up. After half an hour, they reached a quiet spot at the base of the hills. From there, the winding roads up the mountain looked dizzying. Jack¡¯s sports car was confiscated by her father, so he had to call his friends to bring his own car. To avoid any disputester, he made sure to bring a witness. The witness, Tomas, was a local big shot. Everyone around here listened to him. Hemanded serious respect. Racing was amon thing here, and Tomas was used to it. ¡°Who are you racing?¡± Tomas asked. Jack¡¯s driving skills were pretty good among his peers, and Tomas knew him. Me, Connor said slowly. Jack frowned. ¡°Why you? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be the girl next to you?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I change my mind?* Flora huffed, sounding defiant. ¡°It¡¯s either race me or don¡¯t race at all,¡± Connor¡¯s voice was icy, his dark eyes cold and detached. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s do this!¡± Jack was a bit scared of Connor, but he soon calmed down. Racing was his thing; he couldn¡¯t lose. This was his chance to knock Connor down a peg! Tomas nced at Connor, feeling uneasy. The guy had an aura that made people want to bow down. Even Tomas felt a bit shaky around him. Why did Jack get mixed up with someone like this? Tomas had a bad feeling that Jack might lose, but he kept quiet. He pulled out two waivers, handing one to Jack and the other to Connor. Racing was dangerous, and idents could be fatal. To avoid troubleter, participants had to sign waivers. Whatever happened, happened, and no one would be held responsible. Jack quickly signed his name and looked at Connor, worried he might back out. After Tomas collected the signed waivers and stamped them, Jack eagerly went to test his friend¡¯s car. ¡°What about your car?¡± Tomas asked Connor. ¡°Over there.¡± Following Connor¡¯s gaze, Tomas was stunned, ¡°You¡¯re racing in a Land Rover?¡± Connor and Flora always kept it low¨Ckey with friends, driving more ordinary cars. Tomas was shocked; this guy didn¡¯t seem like the type to drive a Land Rover. And this was a race. How could a regr Land Roverpete with Jack¡¯s friend¡¯s souped¨Cup sports car?This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Under Tomas¡® gaze, Connor simply nodded and got into the driver¡¯s seat. Flora was already in the passenger seat, holding a bag of chips. They looked so rxed, like they were heading for a pic, not a race. Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Flora made sure her seatbelt was securely fastened. Jack leaned out of his car window, casting a disdainful smile when he spotted their Land Rover. He thought to himself, ¡°With that kind of car, they think they can beat me?¡± ¡°Everyone ready?¡± Tomas asked, following the usual pre¨Crace routine. Jack gripped the steering wheel tightly and yelled, ¡°Ready!¡± Florazily stretched her hand out of the window and shed aid¨Cback peace sign. At Tomas¡¯s whistle, Jack¡¯s car surged forward, quickly disappearing into the winding mountain roads. Connor started his car at a leisurely pace, following behind. Dane looked anxious. Jack had been racing since he was a kid, and he was driving a professional sports car. Dane didn¡¯t expect Connor to win; he just hoped they wouldn¡¯t get into any trouble. ¡°Dane, you think Flora will be alright?¡± Alex asked shakily, feeling weak at the sight of the mountain roads. ¡°Don¡¯t jinx this!¡± Dane snapped, clenching his hands tightly by his sides. ¡°Do you know who Flora is? Nothing¡¯s going to happen to her.¡± Tomas, engrossed in a mobile game, perked up at the mention of ¡®Flora.¡® Distracted, he missed a beat in the game, resulting in his screen turning grey. ¡°What did you say that girl¡¯s name was? Flora?¡± He immediately pocketed his phone and turned to ask Dane and Alex with urgency. Dane, puzzled by Tomas¡¯s sudden intensity, simply responded, ¡°Yeah.¡± Tomas froze, his voice tightening. ¡°Flora from Westbrook High School¡¯s senior ss?¡± Dane found Tomas¡¯s reaction strange but nodded anyway. Then, he watched as Tomas¡¯splexion went pale, a look of utter dismay on his face. ¡°Good heavens, it¡¯s that legend!¡± Baker had long since notified all the brothers in Cedarvale to steer clear of Flora and show her respect. *Come on, let¡¯s catch up to them!¡± Tomas hurriedly got into his car and floored the gas pedal, speeding off. He inwardlymented, hoping nothing would happen to Flora, or Baker would have his head! ¡°We should follow too!¡± Noticing Tomas¡¯s grave expression, Dane grew anxious. He got into the car, urged the driver out, and took the wheel himself.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Kaylee and Alex, without hesitation, buckled up in the backseat, holding on tight. In the middle of the mountains, Jack nced at the rearview mirror to find the road behind himpletely empty, not even a sign of Connor¡¯s car. He smirked, deliberately slowing down, yet they still couldn¡¯t catch up. ¡°They think they can race me. Yeah right.¡± He resolved to make Connor bow down to himter, ready to thoroughly humiliate him. Meanwhile, Connor was driving at a leisurely pace. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other propped against the window, supporting his head, he seemed utterly carefree. When he nced at Flora, he noticed she had neatly folded her chip bag and tossed it in the trash can, now wiping her hands with a napkin. ¡°Finished?¡± he asked softly, his voice like the deep, soothing notes of a cello. Flora nodded, tossing the napkin into the trash as well. ¡°Hold tight.¡± As his words fell, the car¡¯s speed suddenly increased. Everything outside the windows blurred, streaking past, leaving only trails of motion. Flora gripped the handle, her eyes alight with excitement. In an instant, they caught up to Jack¡¯s car. Hearing the engine roar from behind, Jack quickly nced through the rearview mirror, his eyes widening in disbelief at the approaching car. Chapter 264 Chapter 264 How did it get so fast all of a sudden? Without giving Jack any chance to react, Connor shot forward, driving parallel to Jack¡¯s car before overtaking him! Jack¡¯s heart pounded as he steadied himself and floored the gas pedal to keep up. The car ahead cruised smoothly down the middle of the road, leaving Jack with no room to overtake. Minutes ticked by in a tense stalemate, Jack¡¯s hands slick with cold sweat gripping the steering wheel. He knew this track like the back of his hand and remembered that roughly a mile ahead, there was a sharp curve. That was his only shot at overtaking Connor. Otherwise, the finish line would be upon them. Connor nced in the rearview mirror, spotting Jack¡¯s car speeding up. He then looked ahead at the curve and instantly grasped Jack¡¯s n. A cold glint shed in his dark eyes. His speed remained steady, but he was firmly keeping Jack at bay. Jack¡¯s hands trembled slightly on the wheel. The curve was wide enough for two cars. He aimed to take the side closest to the mountain, but Connor, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, blocked every move Jack made! The tires screeched sharply against the road, Jack¡¯s car nearly hitting the guardrail multiple times. Large beads of sweat trickled down his forehead. With bloodshot eyes filled with fierce determination, Jack stared down the car ahead. He mmed the pedal to the metal, aiming his car straight at Connor¡¯s. If he couldn¡¯t win, he wouldn¡¯t let Connor win either! Connor caught Jack¡¯s menacing expression in the rearview mirror, a careless smirk tugging at his lips as he lightly tapped the steering wheel. A sharp, chilling light gleamed in his narrowed eyes. Jack had only one thought: crash into him! He floored the gas pedal, the car shaking violently as it barreled toward Connor¡¯s. Connor jerked the steering wheel to the right, veering towards the mountain. In the night, the sound of tires skidding was piercing and urgent. Jack mmed on the brakes, missing his target. Frustrated, he gritted his teeth and charged again at Connor. Connor remained unruffled. He turned the wheel to the left, positioning his car near the guardrail once more. Jack¡¯s car followed, crashing violently into Connor¡¯s again. Connor¡¯s grip tightened on the steering wheel¨Cnow was the moment! Jack watched in horror as Connor expertly maneuvered his car to a stable stop by the mountain. As Connor¡¯s car sped off, Jack realized toote there was a sharp right turn ahead. Unable to turn in time, his car crashed through the guardrail, plummeting off the cliff. Jack¡¯s screams echoed in the night air. Tomas and Dane rushed to the scene, watching a car plunge off the cliff. The darkness made it impossible to tell if it was Connor¡¯s or Jack¡¯s car. They instinctively feared the worst for Connor.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Flora!¡± Dane¡¯s eyes were red, fists clenched, pounding the steering wheel in a mix of self¨Creproach, guilt, regret, and panic. ¡°Oh my God, Flora!¡± Tomas was even more terrified. If anything happened to Flora, Baker would kill him! He quickly sent two guys down the mountain while he continued to drive up to see what was going on. When they reached the top, they saw a Range Rover parked steadily in the middle of the road. To their surprise, Connor and Flora, who they thought were in danger, were sitting in the car, perfectly fine. Chapter 265 Chapter 265Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Seeing Flora unharmed filled Dane with overwhelming joy. Kaylee and Alex had tears in their eyes, relieved but still shaken. ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Flora said as she stepped out of the car. ¡°It¡¯s Jack who¡¯s in trouble. You guys should get some help down there, quick.¡± ¡°Right away,¡± Tomas replied, nodding hastily, his tone submissive. Jack¡¯s friends stared down at the smoking wreck of the car, their hearts sinking. That car was newly assembled, and now it in ruins. ¡°You¡¯re all finished!¡± a young man spat, ring at Flora and Connor. ¡°Do you know who Jack is? His dad¡¯s the head of the Sports Council. He¡¯s not going to let you off easy!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Tomas snapped, his face darkening. Even he had to be respectful towards Flora. Who was this kid to talk like that? fault. Tomas knew talking about revenge now would just make him look bad. And the tire tracks on the ground made it clear. Jack had tried to ram Connor¡¯s car multiple times but failed due to hisck of skill, ending up crashing himself. Besides, Flora and Connor had signed a waiver before the race. Even if Jack died, it wouldn¡¯t be th In simpler terms, Jack had iting. The young man knew Tomas¡¯s temper and fell silent, though he still felt resentful. Tomas arranged for Jack to be taken to the hospital, finally ending the chaos. ¡°Uh, Ms. Flora, I noticed your car got a bit scratched. How about I get someone to fix it for you?¡± Tomas asked, wringing his hands, looking uneasy. Jack had recklessly crashed into them, denting the rear of their car. Flora gave Tomas a curious look. His attitude had done aplete 180 in such a short time. ¡°No thank you. Can we go now?¡± Flora asked. She had a rather good impression of Tomas; at least he kept his word, unlike the other punks they¡¯d dealt with before. ¡°Of course, of course!¡± Tomas said, practically tripping over himself to agree. Who would dare stop Flora now? Tomas bid Flora farewell with the utmost sincerity, his solemn manner leaving Flora a bit puzzled. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s gettingte. You guys should head back now, or you¡¯ll get scolded, especially you, Dane,¡± Flora said as they reached the foot of the mountain. ¡°Flora, I¡¯m really sorry for causing you trouble again,¡± Dane said, his voice filled with guilt. ¡°What does this have to do with you?¡± Flora replied, giving him a look. ¡°Stop worrying and go home. Focus on your finals!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Dane nodded vigorously. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to get a good ce!¡± He wouldn¡¯t let Flora down. The next day, news of Jack¡¯s ident was all over the inte. The official statement urged people to cherish life and avoid street racing. Jack was severely injured and would be bedridden for months, missing the final exams. The inte was abuzz with pity, ss E, Carina was furiously writing, sleeping less than four hours a day in the final month. Her eyes were red, and her skin showed signs of stress. With not enough hours in the day for her studies, she paid no attention to anything else. 5 While her ssmates buzzed with discussions, she remained focused on her work. It was only when they mentioned the injured person had been hurt in a street racing ident and would miss the college entrance exams that she paused and looked up. Silently, Carina picked up her phone to check the local news. Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Watching those photographs, a bold idea suddenly struck her mind. What if Flora ended up in the same state?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. With less than a week to the exams, the school had already let out. Teachers were in online groups, earnestly answering questions, hoping their students could score just a bit higher and change their destinies. Raul hadn¡¯t been to the office recently, leaving everything to his trusted team. He spent every day at home, whipping up nutritious meals for Flora. Three days before the exams, the school asked the students toe back to collect their admission tickets.. In ss Z, all the students sat together, a sense of mncholy hanging in the air. It wasn¡¯t a standout ss, and there were all the past conflicts, but this separation might mean they¡¯d never see each other again. Mr. Keaton, holding a stack of admission tickets, called out names one by one. Each student woulde up to collect their ticket and a stationery bag. ¡°Your scores have been really steadytely. Just keep your cool during the tests, and you¡¯ll do great. Getting into a top university shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Keaton.¡± A schrly¨Clooking boy held his admission ticket, tears welling up in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t have high hopes for you. Just try to exceed your usual performance during the tests. Getting into a second¨Ctier university would be good enough. Review the key points I sent you yesterday once more; ast¨Cminute cram might still boost your scores a bit.* ¡°Thanks, Mr. Keaton.¡± The ss¡¯s most mischievous boy was unusually obedient at that moment. ¡°Kaylee, your academic performance has always been excellent, so I won¡¯tment on that.¡± Mr. Keaton handed the stationery bag and admission ticket to Kaylee, softly saying, ¡°My biggest hope for you is to be a bit more courageous, more outgoing, and more assertive. You¡¯ll find your life bing much more wonderful.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kaylee¡¯s voice cracked with emotion. All the students were in tears. It was only at this moment they realized, the brief three years had truly passed. The ssmates who had been together day and night were about to part ways. ¡°Flora, you-¡± Mr. Keaton looked at Flora, thought for a long time, but still couldn¡¯t find the right words. This child was wless. *Just remember toe back and visit.¡± He sighed atst, his voice tinged with bitterness. ¡°Okay.¡± Flora nodded, taking her stationery bag and admission ticket back to her seat. After all the admission tickets were handed out, Mr. Keaton reluctantly gazed at his students below. ¡°ss, sometimes I may talk too much, which might annoy you, but it¡¯s all because I want the best for you. Hard work pays off, and sesses to those who are diligent. I hope you all stay true to your initial aspirations and keep moving forward. Wishing you a bright future.¡± The students burst into tears, pping vigorously. At the door, a crowd of teachers, their eyes also red, wanted to say onest word to everyone. Mr. Keaton briefly spoke, then gave the floor to them. The first to enter was the English teacher, who, after going over several key points, said with reluctance, ¡°As hard as it is, it¡¯s time to say goodbye. I hope you all be happy and kind¨Chearted people.¡± Next came Mr. Smith, still in his id shirt, his expression stern, ¡°You might find me strict now, but when you get to college, you¡¯ll miss my rigor.¡± Then the Spanish teacher came in, holding back tears, she reiterated a multitude of precautions, ¡°Remember, after finishing multiple choice questions, make sure to shade in the answer sheet, and you write that essay! Any phrases you remember, just write them down. Every point can determine your future.¡± After all the teachers had spoken, the students were already in uncontroble tears. Chapter 267 Chapter 267 After the students had wiped their eyes and packed up, they all headed home. Kaylee and Flora walked side by side, the weight of the day still heavy on their shoulders. Flora nced over at Kaylee, noting the dark circles under her eyes and the pallor of her skin. She figured Kaylee was just stressed about the uing exams. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much,¡± Flora said, trying to be reassuring. ¡°If you just do your best, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kaylee replied, forcing a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes. The truth was, her stress wasn¡¯t just about the exams. It was about her future. She had told her mom she wanted to study fashion design, but her mom was dead set on her pursuing finance. This had led to several heated arguments between them. On the third floor of their high school, across from ss E, the ss president caught up to Carina. ¡°Hey, you forgot your pencil case, he said, handing it to her. Carina had been lingering in the hallway, lost in thought. ¡°Thanks,¡± she mumbled, taking the pencil case. ¡°What were you looking at?¡± he asked, curious. ¡°Nothing much,¡± she replied, shaking her head. ¡°Well, good luck on your exams. I hope you have a bright future,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°You too,¡± Carina said, but her eyes were elsewhere. She watched Flora and Kaylee walking together below and clenched her pencil case tightly. With Flora around, it seemed like her own future would always be in the shadows. Determined, Carina hurried downstairs, trailing behind Kaylee and Flora. At the school gate, Faith¡¯s car was waiting. After saying goodbye to Flora, Kaylee got into the car. ¡°Good luck on your exams, Flora,¡± Faith said, rolling down the window. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Faith,¡± Flora replied with a smile. Faith drove off, and Flora waited a moment longer until she saw Henrik¡¯s car. She jogged over, opened the passenger door, and hopped in, tossing her pencil case and admission ticket onto the back seat. From her spot under arge tree, Carina watched Henrik¡¯s car pull away. She took out her phone and made a call. ¡°They¡¯ve left the school. The license te is¡­¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Inside Henrik¡¯s car, the atmosphere was rxed. ¡°Dad wants to know what you¡¯d like for dinner,¡± Henrik said. ¡°Lobster Thermidor!¡± Flora eximed without missing a beat. ¡°No way,¡± Henrik said, shaking his head. ¡°You can¡¯t have greasy food two days before the exams. It might upset your stomach.¡± Flora slumped in her seat, defeated. ¡°Fine, whatever¡­¡± Henrik chuckled at her reaction. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a taxi that seemed to have been following them for a while. He frowned, but shook off the feeling. Who would be following them, anyway? In the taxi, Carina ducked slightly, sensing Henrik¡¯s gaze. At a red light, Henrik stopped the car, waiting for it to turn green. Once it did, he drove off, taking a turn onto an arch bridge where the traffic was lighter. Suddenly, a truck from the opposite direction swerved out of control, heading straight for them. Henrik¡¯s heart raced as he yanked the teering wheel to the side. But a car was in thene next to them, leaving him with no safe direction to turn. There was a woman holding a child in the passenger seat of the other car. Henrik made a split¨Csecond decision. He turned the wheel hard to the right, aiming for the bridge railing. mming on the brakes, he leaned over, pulling Flora into his arms, holding her tightly as they braced for impact. Chapter 268 Chapter 268 The car mmed into the stone bridge, its hood shattering into pieces, the windshield cracking open, and shards of ss embedding themselves into Henrik¡¯s back. ¡°Henrik!¡± Flora¡¯s voice trembled uncontrobly, a strong scent of blood invading her nostrils. ¡°Flora¡­ Im okay¡­¡± Henrik managed a weak smile, trying to reassure Flora. Around them, the screams of onlookers filled the air. Henrik¡¯s voice was barely a whisper, more breath than sound. The car was precariously perched on the bridge, nearly plunging into the raging river below. Firefighters arrived quickly, using tools to pull the car back onto solid ground. The car door was jammed, so the firefighters had to st it off. Flora helped Henrik out of the car, and once they were out of the cramped vehicle, Henrik¡¯s injuries became painfully visible. Flora¡¯s eyes widened in horror at his blood¨Csoaked back. From a distance, Carina watched Flora, safe and sound, her eyes filled with rage. She had risked everything, yet Flora remained unharmed, not a scratch on her. Why? Connor and Raul rushed into the hospital room. ¡°Flora, how are you? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± They asked anxiously as soon as they entered. Upon learning of Flora¡¯s ident, they had hurried over. ¡°Henrik protected me, so I wasn¡¯t hurt,¡± Flora said. ¡°But he¡¯s badly injured.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just superficial wounds,¡± Henrik, lying in the hospital bed, said helplessly. His injuries appeared severe, but fortunately, they were mostly superficial, none of the ss shards had prated deep enough to reach the bone. With some medication and a few days of rest, he would recover. It hadn¡¯t been long since Henrik¡¯sst surgery, and now he was injured again. Raul, worried, quickly went to consult the doctor. Only when the doctor assured them that there was nothing serious did Raul¡¯s heavy heart finally lighten. Flora¡¯s phone wouldn¡¯t stop buzzing. She stepped into the corridor, pulling out her phone, messages from Crimson and the others flooding in. Crimson: [Babe, how are you? Is it serious? I¡¯m firing up the chopper and heading back to Cedarvale now!] Rafael: [Flora, how did you end up in an ident out of the blue! If you¡¯re not replying, it must be serious! I¡¯m on my way!] Jules: [Flora, I¡¯ming. Just wait for me.]This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Besides them, other executives from Club 257, hearing about Flora¡¯s ident, were beside themselves with worry. One by one, they were ready to board their private jets to Cedarvale. If they came, Cedarvale would truly be in for a storm. Flora, holding her phone in one hand, typed. F: (I¡¯m not injured. Don¡¯te here.] Her message only intensified the group¡¯s activity, all expressing their concern and unwillingness to stand down. Flora found a mirror, took a full¨Cbody photo, and posted it in the group chat. This group, each influential enough to shake their respective industries with a mere stomp, now scrutinized Flora¡¯s photo on their phones, checking for any injuries. After posting, Flora pocketed her phone, ignoring them further. ¡°There¡¯s something fishy about this incident.¡± Connor approached her, stating. Flora showed no surprise, as if she had anticipated this. Leaning against the wall, her eyes slightly downturned with a hint of coldness, ¡°What did you find out?¡± CHAPTER 269 Chapter 269 Just hearing that name made Flora¡¯s eyes re with even more anger. It¡¯s her again! ¡°What do you want to do about it?¡± Connor asked quietly, waiting for Flora¡¯s response. Massaging her wrists, Flora¡¯s voice was heavy. ¡°Connor, can you do one more thing for me?¡± It was time to show her father who Carina really was. Twenty minutes , Flora walked into the hospital room holding a folder. She handed it to Raul. ¡°Dad, take a look at this.¡± Sensing the seriousness in Flora¡¯s eyes, Raul took the folder and started reading. His expression grew darker with each page until his hands, clutching the folder, began to tremble and turned pale. ¡°Bastard!¡± Raul roared, hurling the folder to the floor. ¡°Carina!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Ovee with rage, Raul began to cough violently. Connor, who had already prepared a ss of water, handed it to him. Raul clutched his chest, struggling to catch his breath. D Henrik picked up the folder from the floor and skimmed through it. The documents clearlyid out Carina¡¯s misdeeds. She had been colluding with the Brimer family, plotting against the Irving family and Flora. Even the recent car ident was her doing. Henrik, already familiar with Carina¡¯s character, showed no surprise at the contents of the file. Raul, on the other hand, was heartbroken. He had never been fond of Carina¡¯s ways, but she was still his niece. He had never mistreated her over the years. Even after he had driven her out of the Irving family, he had sent a caretaker to look after her properly. In the end, he had been nurturing a viper in his midst. Raul closed his eyes, feeling the wind pick up outside. The curtains fluttered, and a cool breeze brushed against his back. ¡°Do whatever you think is necessary,¡± Raul said, his voice heavy yet resolute. He was clear in his conscience. Flora knew that Raul valued family above all else and must be feeling incredibly hurt. She and Connor left the hospital room, giving him some time alone. As for Carina, Flora already had a n. On the eve of the exams, Carina had hired someone to hit her, all to prevent her from taking the exam. Flora intended to return the favor. The sweltering summer heat rolled in, and with it, the highly anticipated exams. The first day was stifling and overcast, adding to the oppressive atmosphere as if something big was about to happen. Flora and Kaylee were both at Westbrook High School, their designated exam center, while Alex and Dane went to other locations. Connor, Raul, and Henrik all came to see them off. Flora and Kaylee entered the school together but were assigned to different buildings. As they parted, Kaylee hugged Flora. ¡°Good luck, Flora.¡± Flora gently patted her back, wishing her luck in return. Carina¡¯s exam room was in the same building as Flora¡¯s, even on the same floor. She had been on edge, fearing the driver might expose her, but two days had passed since the ident, and the police had not Carina sighed in relief. If Flora had known it was her doing, she would have confronted her by now. It wasn¡¯t like her to hold back. After the first day of the exams ended without incident, Carina was fully at ease. CHAPTER 270 Chapter 270 On the second day of the exams, after finishing her humanities and social sciences test, Carina emerged earlier than most. Her quick ¡°It wasn¡¯t too bad,¡± Carina replied with a shy smile. ¡°Actually, it felt a bit easier than the practice tests.¡± She stood there in her knee¨Clength pure white dress, her dark hair cascading down her back. Her smile was infectious, her eyes curving into charming crescents. ¡°Wow, sounds like we¡¯ve got a top student here! Which university are you aiming for?¡± another reporter chimed in. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m hoping to get into the University of Maple Grove,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s a prestigious ce! Good luck!¡± the reporter encouraged. Meanwhile, Flora exited the exam hall and noticed Carina being interviewed by the roadside. She looked pure and innocent, a picture of perfection. If Flora hadn¡¯t been burned before, she might have been charmed by Carina too. But instead, she sneered and walked toward Connor and the Irving family. That evening, Carina¡¯s interview video went viral. Given the buzz around the exams, anything rted to them easily trended. With her good looks and academic prowess, Carina quickly became the nation¡¯s darling, topping the trending charts. Even the University of Maple Grove shared her interview. ¡°Wow, what kind of parents raise such an outstanding daughter? Makes me want to kick my own daughter who only knows how to eat and sleep,¡± onement read. ¡°Girl, leave your contact info. I¡¯ll help you move your stuff when you arrive at our college,¡± another chimed in.. ¡°I¡¯m in love. What¡¯s her Twitter handle? Gotta follow ASAP!¡± someone else added.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Her name¡¯s Carina, a senior at Westbrook High School. She¡¯s always been the belle of Westbrook High, and her grades have never dropped out of the top five!¡± anotherment praised. ¡°I¡¯m Carina¡¯s ssmate. She¡¯s always so kind and gentle, truly a great person!¡± a peer vouched. Overnight, Carina¡¯s Twitter followers shot up by over half a million. She hadn¡¯t expected that a simple roadside interview would make her so popr. Yet, she kept her excitement in check, grabbing her Spanish textbook to review key points. Tomorrow was herst Spanish exam. She had performed well in all her previous exams, and as long as nothing went wrong with Spanish, she felt confident she could secure her spot at the University of Maple Grove. The next day, at 8:30 am sharp, Carina entered the examination hall. Her newfound fame hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed; her ssmates now looked at her with a mix of envy and admiration. Carina sat down, back straight, radiating quiet pride. At 9:00 am, the exam started right on time. After the listening section, Carina felt even more confident. Listening had always been her weak point, usually tripping her up with two or three errors, but this time she felt she might have nailed it. After finishing up the readingprehension, Carina felt buoyant and confident, envisioning the University of Maple Grove waving her
  1. in.
Just as she was about to fill in her answer sheet, amotion erupted outside. Two police officers stood there, choosing not to enter so as not to disturb the students. The invigtor stepped out to speak with them in hushed tones, then returned with a slightly changed expression. She walked straight to Carina¡¯s desk and tapped on it gently. ¡°Could you pleasee outside for a moment?¡± CHAPTER 271 Chapter 271 Carina¡¯s grip on the pen tightened suddenly, leaving a deep scratch on her exam paper. The entire exam hall turned to stare at her, their gazes like daggers piercing her back. Gritting her teeth, she stood up, straightened her back, and walked out. ¡°Are you Carina?¡± a police officer asked, giving her a quick once¨Cover. Carina nodded stiffly. ¡°We need you toe with us. You¡¯re a suspect in a premeditated murder case and need to assist with our investigation,¡± he said. The bright sun overhead did nothing to dispel the sudden chill that enveloped Carina. Her fingernails dug into her palms, but the pain barely registered. ¡°Officer, I¡¯m in the middle of my finals¡­ Can this wait until after I¡¯m done?¡± Carina¡¯s voice was strained. ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s not possible. You need toe with us now,¡± the officer replied, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. ¡°Please, let me finish my exams first,¡± Carina begged, her teeth chattering and her body shaking. ¡°You must understand how important these exams are¡­ ¡°Sorry, but we have orders to bring you in immediately,¡± he said, maintaining a professional, detached demeanor. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to help; he simply couldn¡¯t defy the orders from above. The words ¡°orders from above¡± sent chills down Carina¡¯s spine. Her eyes, bloodshot and desperate, locked onto the officer. ¡°It¡¯s Flora, isn¡¯t it? She¡¯s behind this, isn¡¯t she?¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It had to be Flora. She had timed this perfectly, giving Carina hope only to plunge her into darkness. The officer didn¡¯t respond to her usations and instead handcuffed her, leading her out. The suddenmotion had everyone in the exam hall craning their necks, assuming someone had been caught cheating. Even Flora, amidst her essay, nced out the window. Carina sensed it too and their eyes met. Flora saw the madness and hatred in Carina¡¯s eyes and twirled her pen with a smile. The scene took her back to a past life. Back then, she was the one hysterical, and Carina had looked down on her before burning her alive. As Carina¡¯s eyes widened in rage, Flora mouthed the words clearly, ¡°I did it on purpose.¡± Carina¡¯s screams pierced the air, catching the officers off guard as they struggled to restrain her. Worrying about disrupting the other students, the officers hurriedly led her away. Outside, the crowd was evenrger than on previous days, with journalists ready to capture the students¡® exit. But instead of students, they saw police officers escorting Carina out. Everyone stared in shock. Carina had been trending on social media just the day before, confidently dering her goal to attend the University of Maple Grove. Now, she was being taken away by the police? The journalists were quick to react, snapping pictures and recording videos of Carina. In the crowd, Raul and Henrik watched silently, saying nothing. Carina had brought this upon herself. The multitude of staring eyes felt like knives cutting into Carina as she trembled, covering her face with her hands as she got into the police car. Tears slipped through her fingers. CHAPTER 272 Chapter 272 She knew it was the end. Her life, her dreams for the future, all shattered by FloraThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. At eleven o¡¯clock, the bell rang, signaling the end of the exam. Pens dropped, and thest test was finally over, marking the conclusion of three grueling years of high school. Students burst out of the exam hall, some crying, someughing,pletely letting loose, feeling like they¡¯d finally escaped a prison. As Flora stepped out of the school building, she ran into Kaylee. ¡°Congrats, you¡¯re free now,¡± Flora said, wrapping an arm around Kaylee¡¯s shoulder with a smile. But Kaylee wasn¡¯t as cheerful as the others. She knew all too well that this wasn¡¯t freedom, just a step into another cage. Looking at Flora, she softly said, ¡°Flora, let¡¯s keep in touch. Don¡¯t forget about me.¡± ¡°Silly,¡± Flora said, tapping her on the head. ¡°Come on, our families are waiting for us. As soon as they stepped out of the school gate, Flora spotted Connor, Raul, and Henrik waiting. She waved goodbye to Kaylee and ran into their weing arms. ¡°Finally done with exams. I¡¯m exhausted,¡± Flora said, nestling into their embrace, yfully pouting. Raul¡¯s heart melted. ¡°Haha, you worked so hard. Tell us, what do you want to eat?¡± ¡°I want shrimp scampi! And hot stew!¡± ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Because of Flora¡¯s exams, Raul had previously kept her away from greasy foods. But now, she could have whatever she wanted. Sitting in the car, Flora browsed Twitter on her phone. The name ¡°Carina¡± was trending in the top ten. #Shock! High school student arrested by police on exam day# #Westbrook High School student Carina# #Beautiful top student Carina¡¯s image copses# Flora clicked on one of the trending topics, only to see a flood of angryments. ¡°She¡¯s more disgusting than fake gum. I can¡¯t believe I liked her yesterday. Makes me want to vomit.¡± ¡°This is the fastest image copse I¡¯ve ever seen. I knew something was off when I saw her interview yesterday. That creepy smile wasn¡¯t a good sign!¡± ¡°Am I the only one curious about why she was arrested? Cheating or what? Seems like a big deal.¡± ¡°I know, she hired someone to hurt another student. The other student had better grades, so she hired someone to run them over!¡± ¡°She¡¯s so evil. When can we dance on her grave?¡± Flora skimmed through thements and then exited the app, her face expressionless. These kinds ofments were expected. That evening, Raul prepared a feast, all the dishes Flora had been craving. Flora ate until her stomach was full, slouching back in her chair,pletely unbothered about appearances. Connor skillfully massaged her stomach while Raul and Henrik watched, smiling with satisfaction. After dinner, Connor suggested a walk. ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t want to go,¡± Flora groaned, feeling too tired and just wanting to copse into bed. ¡°Come on, be good. Let¡¯s take a walk,¡± Connor said softly. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go for a walk,¡± Raul and Henrik chimed in together. Flora sensed something was off but couldn¡¯t put her finger on it, so she quietly followed Connor outside. They walked around the park, and Flora noticed Connor seemned unusually nervous, his hand mmy with sweat. ¡°Are you hot?¡± she asked, feeling the moisture in his palm. Connor pressed his lips together, his breathing uneven. Just then, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out to check. ¡°Who is it?¡± Flora asked, leaning in to see, but Connor quickly covered her eyes with his hand. ¡°Flora, close your eyes.¡± CHAPTER 273 Chapter 273 ¡°Don¡¯t open your eyes, just follow me, okay?¡± Connor¡¯s deep, magne voice carried a hint of nervousness. Could this be what she thought it was? Had Connor finally figured it out? Was he nning a surprise? Connor gently guided her forward, his arm wrapped around her. Every time Flora tried to sneak a peek, hisrge hand would cover her eyes again. ¡°Trust me. Don¡¯t look yet.¡± Flora obediently stopped trying to look. With her sight blocked, her hearing became sharper. She could sense more and more people around them, and she recognized a few familiar voices. ¡°Alright, you can open them now.¡± Flora couldn¡¯t wait to open her eyes. She found herself in a scene illuminated by twinkling lights and pink balloons, with arge heart made of red roses on the ground.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ray, Raul, Henrik, Moss and Beck stood across from them, watching. ¡°Flora, I¡¯ve waited for this day for so long.¡± Connor was nervous, fearing Flora might not like it. He knelt down on one knee before her. ¡°My life has been filled with misfortune, but heaven pitied me and brought you into my life. Flora, will you be my wife?¡± He knew she was still young, and he shouldn¡¯t rush, but he couldn¡¯t help it. After Flora¡¯s final exams, he had nned to propose. Only through this ceremony could he be sure she was his. ¡°These are properties in my name, all transferred to you, and this card contains all my savings. I¡¯m giving it all to you now.¡± Flora watched as Connor took out a thick stack of documents, amused and speechless. Most people proposed with rings and flowers, not bank books. Her Connor, so silly. ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything else?¡± she teased with a smile. Connor panicked. Did she think his gifts were too clich¨¦? have something else!¡± He hurriedly pulled out a small gift box and carefully opened it. Inside was a custom¨Cmade ne with a jasmine bud pendant. Flora smiled, leaned forward, and lifted her hair. ¡°This is more like it. Help me put it on, my future husband¡­¡± The word ¡°husband¡± sent a current through Connor¡¯s entire body. His hand, holding the gift box, trembled. His chest heaved with overwhelming joy. He forgot to stand up, remaining half¨Ckneeling as he put the ne on Flora. His hands were shaky. It¡¯s the first time he put a ne on his girl, inevitably a bit clumsy. Flora patiently waited, then pulled him up from the ground. e took the hair tie from her wrist and put it on Connor¡¯s. ¡°Keep it on. Don¡¯t take it off. You¡¯re taken now, no getting too close to other girls. I¡¯ll get jealous.¡± ¡°Only you. Only you can be this close to me. I only want you.¡± Flora understood his meaning, her eyes sparkling withughter. She gently pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips. Connor¡¯s eyes darkened, and he gripped the back of Flora¡¯s head, deepening the kiss. He was too happy, his breathing hot and tumultuous, as if he wanted to imprint Flora into his bones. ¡°Hey, hey, hey! We¡¯re still here, you know!¡± Ray yelled, annoyed. Raul and Henrik discreetly coughed. It took Connor a while before he finally released Flora. Her ch heart made of red roses on the ground. ¡°Connor, who arranged all this?¡± she asked, ¡°I did,¡± Ray stepped forward proudly. ¡°Moved/aren¡¯t you?¡± flushed, and her gaze darted around until itnded on therge Flora gave him an expressionless look, then turned to Connor. ¡°Connor, does Ray have a grudge against you?¡± Otherwise, why would he arrange it so tacky like this? Time flew to the 23rd, the day everyone had been eagerly awaiting¨Cthe release of the final exam results. Early in the morning, the teachers of Westbrook High School¡¯s senior year gathered in the office, waiting. The usually calm teachers could sit somewhat peacefully, but those who were naturally impatient paced back and forth, making everyone dizzy. ¡°Can you stop pacing, please?¡± one teacher looked at Keaton irritably. ¡°You¡¯re making my head spin.¡± ¡°I¡¯m anxious, okay?¡± Keaton kept pacing, wondering how the students had performed. Finally, at 9 oclock, all the teachers crowded together to see the results. The data analyst had the scores into a chart for easy viewing. The top ten in the grade were mostly students from ss A, except for Kaylee. She was seventh in the grade and twentieth in the state. ¡°Well done!¡± Keaton was thrilled. He hadn¡¯t expected Kaylee to score so high. This time, the exam was so difficult, and she managed to score higher than usual! She could even aim for the University of Maple Grove! Keaton nced at other students¡® scores in his ss. Aside from Kaylee and the yet¨Cto¨Cbe¨Ccounted Flora, five had reached the threshold for top universities, twenty for first¨Ctier universities, and the rest were in the second tier. Keaton was quite satisfied with these results. ss Z was known to be the worst in the school. His goal wasn¡¯t high, just wanting every student to have a university to attend. ¡°Hey, why isn¡¯t Flora¡¯s score listed here?¡± A teacher came over, eager to see Flora¡¯s results, but after looking through, he realized Flora¡¯s wasn¡¯t there. Keaton was also eager to know Flora¡¯s score. The school¡¯s tally was slower than students logging in to check themselves, so Keaton stepped aside and called Flora. Just before the call was about to disconnect automatically, it was answered. Keaton heard Flora¡¯s somewhat hoarse voice. ¡°Hello¡­¡± ¡°Are you still sleeping?¡± ¡°I just woke up.¡± Noise rustled on the other end as Flora got up from bed. CHAPTER 274 Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Keaton was getting frustrated. Torn, do you know the results am out today? You can check them now ¡°Now I know, I check them in a bit, Flora replied, rubbing her aching head¨Cshe had only managed to sleep around five in the morning. Keaton was speechless. Why couldn¡¯t she check them now? He had never seen anyone soid back about their resultst ¡°Well, just remember to check themter,¡± he said helplessly ¡°Okay¡± Alter hanging up, Flora copsed back onto her bed Ten minutester, she got up, picked up her phone, and entered the website. It showed no information. In the ss group chat, messages were shing non stop, everyone had already checked their results and were posting screenshots in the group Kaylee and Dane had sent her private messages. Kaylee: Flora, are you still not awake?] Dane: Flora, have your scorese out yet? W bad?) Why haven¡¯t you said anything? Did you do so well you¡¯re afraid to tell us and make us feel Flora replied to each one and then tried the webpage again. Still no information. She simply gave up on checking and, after getting ready went downstairs for breakfast. Raul and Henrik had already eaten and were each busy with their own things, neither having gone to work today. When he noticed Flora came down, Raul asked indifferently, ¡°Flora, did you get your results?¡± ¡°Not yet¡± she said, shaking her phone Henrik was surprised. Still no results? Could they have been intercepted? When Henrik had topped the city, his results had been intercepted tog By eleven o¡¯clock, Flora still hadn¡¯t found her scores. University of Maple Grove. Academic Affairs Office All the professors crowded together, eyes glued to the screen numbers, burning with intensity. ¡°What kind of genius is this!¡± eyes, they would never believe someone could achieve such scores If they hadn¡¯t seen it with their own ex Staring at the screen with Flora¡¯s name, Mr. Garcia of the University of Maple Grove¡¯s eyes were aze! Such a talent, they must keep her at the University of Maple Grovel They absolutely cannot let Oakville College snatch her away! ¡°Quick! Intercept the scores tightly. They must not leak out! I¡¯m heading to Cedarvale right now, to get to Flora before Oakville College does! That¡¯s not good, Mr. Garcia.. the programmer was sweating profusely, ¡°We can¡¯t hold it back anymore!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Til take a helicopter!¡± Upon hearing this, Mr. Garcia didn¡¯t hesitate and hurried off to Cedarvale. Cedarvale Westbrook High School. Keaton satin front of theputer, surrounded by a bunch of teachers. Everyone¡¯s results hade out, except for Flord¡¯s. If there were still no results by now it must have been intercepted ¡°It seems Flora did quite well¡± ¡°Mr. Holt, do you have any idea what Flora¡¯s scores might be?¡± ¡°Probably around 730,¡± Keaton estimated conservatively. Considering the difficulty of the test, there weren¡¯t many who scored above 130 nationally All the teachers exchanged nces. If Keaton¡¯s estimate was correct, then Flora was definitely Cedarvale¡¯s humanities top acoged Chapter 274 ¡°Ah! It¡¯s here, it¡¯s here!¡± Just then, a technician suddenly shouted, ¡°Flora¡¯s scores are out!¡± Hearing this, the teachers rushed over. Then, row after row of numbers appeared before their eyes, they could hardly believe what they were seeing! ¡°Holy smokes¡­¡± Keaton cursed in disbelief. These scores were not just the top of the city. CHAPTER 275 Chapter 275 She could be the top scorer of the Nation! And not just in one subject, but every single one! Westbrook High School was about to be the talk of the town, all thanks to Flore¡­ The Irving household was in chaos. The phone wouldn¡¯t stop ringing. ¡°Hello? Is this Flora¡¯s residence? I¡¯m calling from the University of Maple Grove¡¯s admissions office! Flora, would you be interested in joining us at the University of Maple Grove? You can pick any major you want, and we¡¯ll throw in a $50,000 grant every year! If you have any other demands, we can discuss them too. Mr. Garcia is already on his way to see you! He¡¯ll be there soon! And hey, if anyone from Oakville College calls, don¡¯t believe a word they say¨Cit¡¯s a scam. Block them right away!¡± ¡°Flora, this is Oakville College¡¯s admissions office! Don¡¯t you feel like you¡¯d be perfect for Oakville College? You can choose any popr major, and if we don¡¯t have what you want, we¡¯ll create it just for you! Make sure not to meet with anyone or sign anything before our dean arrives! Especially those from the University of Maple Grove¨Cif you see them, chase them off with a broom, okay?¡± ¡°Hi Flora, we¡¯re joumalists from Cedarvale TV. When can we schedule an interview? Ever thought about bing a celebrity?¡± ¡°Hello Flora, this is¡­ ¡°Hello Flora, this is¡­¡± Call after call poured in, and Raul couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He yanked the phone cord out of the wall ¡°Hey s ¡°Hey sis, check your scores already.¡± Henrik¡¯s eyes were sparkling with excitement. When he had topped the city, it wasn¡¯t nearly this big of a deal. He had a feeling Flora¡¯s score would be off the charts. Flora pulled out her phone and logged onto the website. After refreshing, a row of numbers appeared on the screen. She nced at it, raising an eyebrow slightly. Just as she thought, nothing surprising.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. As they studied Flora¡¯s calm expression, Raul and Hennik¡¯s hearts pounded in their chests *Did the resultse out?¡± ¡°They did.¡± Flora said calmly, then handed the phone over. Raul and Henrik leaned in to look, and then¡­ They were stunned They nced at the ever¨Ccalm Flora again and silently closed their gaping mouths. Flora was so chill. They couldn¡¯t let her down by freaking out. The news that Cedarvale had produced the national top scorer spread like wildfire across the inte. Flors¡¯s achievement was trending everywhere. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even dream of scoring that high¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t just a top student or a genius, it¡¯s like the Goddess of Literature herself came down!¡± ¡°Anyone who¡¯s been through high school knows it¡¯s impossible to lose so few points in humanities. There¡¯s definitely something fishy here. I demand to see the exam room surveince footage!¡± ¡°I agree with thement above. Perfect scores in Spanish and math, fine. But this in humanities? No way! I study untilte every night, my hair¡¯s falling out, and my face is covered in zits. Look at Flora. She¡¯s just like that Carina before, all looks and no substance!¡± ¡°Get real, how could you cheat on a national exam? Even if you did, could you score this high? Even with the answers, you couldn¡¯t copy them perfectly, Flora¡¯s scores were so insanely high that the inte was in an uproar, especially when someone dug up her high school grades, which were mostly single digits. She was a total underachiever back then. Thismotion even caught the attention of top officials in the Department of Education, CHAPTER 276 Chapter 276 A student who had struggled to pass exams for three consecutive years suddenly started acing every subject in thest few months of high school. It was nothing short of miraculous_ The Department of Education hurriedly set up an investigation team overnight to review the surveince footage from the examination hall When they saw Flora finishing all her questions in just half an hour and then snoozing at her desk, they couldn¡¯t help but smirkin disbelief. To quell public suspicion, the Department of Education blurred the surveince footage and posted it online. It immediately drew a massive audience. After watching thisizens were ere left speechless. Questions that left others scratching their heads were a walk in the park for her, done in just half an hour, followed by a cozy nap?Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. At that moment. Westbrook High Schools Twitter ount posted a video. It showed Flora and Jade making a bet that Flora would rank first in the whole school, followed by a video of her being quizzed by teachers from various subjects. In thements section, the official ount also posted a photo. It was of Flora¡¯s middle school grades and her final grades from senior year. Before Flora had met Aaron in middle school, she was nearly scoring full marks on every test This was proot enough of her solid foundation. The video was a shock to all doubters. How could a person with a photographic memory cheat? As someizens said, even cheating couldn¡¯t give you such high scores Tm totally convinced. So, there really are people who look this good and score this well¡­¡± ¡°To think someone could ck off in the first and second years of high school, and still effortlessly top the national exams in senior year I¡¯m so jealous¡± ¡°It tums out Flora¡¯s brother was the national top scorer 13 years ago. Talk about the importance of good genes! Flora¡¯s action had truly cemented her legendary status! At this time, her phone was buzzing non¨Cstop. People she barely knew were congratting her, and her phone was about to explode Flora set herputer to block calls from unknown numbers and muted her social media apps, which made things much better. Her phone vibrated, and seeing the name Connot her eyes softened significantly. She answered the call, ¡°Connor.¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing¡± His voice, mixed with a hint ofughter and static, reached Flora¡¯s ears, making her smile. ¡°Of course¡± After saying this, Flora couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°I ranked first in the nation, Do I get a reward?¡± ¡°Next time we meet, I¡¯ll bring you something¡± Hearing some noise downstairs, Flora hung up the phone and went down to check. She saw that the living room was filled with many people. The crowd filled up the living room, and they were clearly divided into two groups, distinguished by the different colors of their clothes. One group was wearing ck and red shirts, the other in blue and white, both emzoned with a crest on the chest. Leading them were two elderly gentlernen, looking as if they were ready to argue at any moment. The younger ones beside them also red of each other, as if they were swom enemies. The elderly man in the ck and red shirt, noticing Flora descending the stairs, eximed, ¡°Oh, this must be Floral He excitedly stood up. Flora nced at the crest on his chest, recognizing who he was. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself, I¡¯m they dean from the University of Maple Grove, Mr. Garcia,¡± he said, adjusting his gold-rimmed sses and handing her a business card. The other elderly man, not to be outdone, stood up and extended a friendly hand towards Flora. ¡°Hello, Miss Flora, Im the dean from Oakville College, Mr. Williams. Your achievements are quite impressive. Have you thought about what major you¡¯d like to pursue in college?¡± CHAPTER 277 Chapter 277 ¡°Hmm Flora mulled it over for a moment, then said, ¡°I want to study medicine. She had been torn betweenputer science and medicine for quite a while, but in the end, medicine won out. No one could rival Flore inputer science. Harvard had even dangled a tempting offer for her to teach there, but she turned it down..Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The incident with Henrik¡¯s surgery had been a wake up call for her. She wanted to get serious about medical training so that if anything like that ever happened again, she could help her loved ones. When she mentioned her interest in medicine, Mr. Williams eyebrows twitched slightly. Oakville College¡¯s strongest program wasputer science, their medical program didn¡¯t quite stack up to the University of Maple Grove¡¯s But he couldn¡¯t bear to let such a gem slip through his fingers. Gritting his teeth, he said, ¡°Our medical school is one of the best in the country! If you choose Oakville College, we¡¯ll give you a $500,000 schrship every year and you¡¯ll be taught by top¨Cnotch professors. How about it? Tempted?¡± *Flora, don¡¯t listen to him!¡± Mr. Garcia chimed in excitedly. ¡°When ites to medicine, University of Maple Grove has the clear advantage! Our programs are better! You know about Jules, right?¡± Mr. Garcia continued quickly. ¡°The medical genius Jules is the dean of our medical school and the vice chancellor! If you choose University of Maple Grove, you could be his prot¨¦g¨¦, with full tuition waived and an additional $1 million schrship every year!¡± He even yed his trump card, Flora, didn¡¯t your brother graduate from University of Maple Grove? If youe here too, it¡¯ll be like keeping it all in the family.¡± Mr. Williams gave a sorrowful look. Flora, your brother already went to University of Maple Grove. Maybe it¡¯s time to give Oakville College a chance. spread the love around¡­¡± Mr. Williams had fought hard for Henrik back in the day, but Henrik still chose University of Maple Grove, and that had stung for a long Btime. Henrik, feeling caught in the crossfire, thought, ¡°Why drag me into this?¡± ¡°Mr. Williams, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m leaning towards University of Maple Grove, Flora stood up and apologized to Mr. Williams. the moment she said she wanted to study medicine, Mr. Williams had almost guessed she would choose University of Maple Grove. After all, their medical program was the best in the country, and they had Jules. ¡°Flora,puter science is also a great field,¡± he made onest attempt. ¡°Consider it. Coding can be fun.¡± Flora shook her head. ¡°No, thank you.¡± Her gaze was resolute, and Mr. Williams could tell she was someone who wouldn¡¯t change her mind easily. He sighed, another brilliant talent slipping through Oakville College¡¯s fingers. Mr. Garcia, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t stop grinning, ¡°Flora, wee to University of Maple Grove! So, it¡¯s settled, you¡¯re one of us now Flora nodded slightly, her expression calm Mr. Garcia handed her his phone number and walked away! ted. Mr. Williams, however, looked crestfallen. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s just one top student. No need to look so down. Let¡¯s go grab a drink, Mr. Garcia patted him on the shoulder, voice deep Mr. Williams couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly. Just one top student? He made it sound so trivial after all that fighting! If Flora had chosen Oakville College, he didn¡¯t even want to think about theints he¡¯d hear from his wife, to the point where he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep in his own bed! The news of Flora choosing University of Maple Grove¡¯s medical program spread quickly online. It even stirred the medical CHAPTER 278 Chapter 278 The recruitment at the medical organization had just wrapped up. This year¡¯s batch of students wasn¡¯t exactly ster, but one name stood out Selene. She had the talent they were looking for and had even secured the second¨Chighest score in the national exams. The recruitment officer had just taken Selene under his wing and was getting ready to take her back to the States when a call came in from headquarters ¡°Cedarvale? Flora? Got it.¡± He hung up the phone with a respectful nod ¡°Sir, did you just mention Flora?¡± Selene, who was busy sorting through medical manuscripts nearby, froze at the name. Flora¡¯s name had been all over the cetely, and Selene was well aware of her. The recruitment officer wasn¡¯t surprised and nodded excitedly. ¡°Yep, Flora, the top scorer in the nation! We¡¯ve heard she¡¯s interested in medicine, and the higher¨Cups have instructed me to bring her on board.¡± Even though rumors were swirling that Flora had already epted an offer from the University of Maple Grove¡¯s medical program, it didn¡¯t really matter. The medical organization was the dream destination for every aspiring doctor. Flora, hearing the chance to join, would probably be over the moon. This was also a perfect opportunity to knock Jules down a peg The recruitment officer¡¯s excitement, as if he¡¯d struck gold, made Selene¡¯s heart sink a bit. She¡¯d worked so hard to get into the medical organization, and he hadn¡¯t been nearly as thrilled when he¡¯d recruited her. ¡°Come with me. W We¡¯ll head straight back home from Cedarvale,¡± he told Selerie. Suppressing her feelings. Selene nodded. The recruitment officer was convinced that Flora joining the medical organization was a done deal, so he tweeted: [Off to meet Flora. Wee the medical organization.] He even attached a picture of an airne. The tweet quickly racked up thousands of likes andments. Mr. Garcia, upon seeing the tweet, was livid. They had just announced that Flora was joining the University of Maple Grove, and here was the medical organization making such a bold statement. This felt personal: Fuming. Mr. Garcia took a screenshot and sent it to Jules, bombarding him with voice messages. Minutester, Jules replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Flora will definitely choose the University of Maple Grove.¡± Mr. Garcia thought Jules was just trying to console him, which was oddlyforting. It was nice to see Jules could be reassuring. But it still hurt to think they were about to lose such a gem. Mr. Garcia knew deep down that when it came to medicine, the University of Maple Grove couldn¡¯tpete with the medical organization. After replying to Mr. Garcia, Jules sent a message to Flora [Flora, the medical organization¡¯s people areing for you. Did you know? Flora was chatting with Connor when she saw Jules¡® message and frowned. [What?] [Check Twitter I reckon the medical organization¡¯s folks are almost at your doorstep] Upon checking Twitter, Flora saw the post from the medical organization¡¯s recruitment office. She rubbed her wrist out of habit, a slight mocking smirk forming on her lips. Where did the medical organization get the confidence that she would surely join them? Tapping on the tweet, Flora seemed to recall something unpleasant, her gaze deepening. In ss Z¡¯s group chat, everyone was congratting Flora, Besides those like Kaylee and Dane, who were already close to her, others were somewhat ingratiating. Being recognized by the medical organization promised immeasurable future achievements. Even Keaton and various subject teachers were congratting her. Flora ignored the messages in the ss group, opening private chats instead. She responded to the congrattions from Keaton, Kaylee, Dane, and others.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. I won¡¯t be joining the medical organization] CHAPTER 279 Chapter 279 No sooner had Flora sent the message than her phone rang with a call from an unknown number. She had no intention of answering, but her fingers identally tapped the screen while she was typing. She sighed and pressed the answer button.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Is this Flora? I¡¯m an admissions officer from the Medical Institute. We¡¯re arriving in Cedarvale soon. I¡¯ll send you our flight details. Make sure you pick us up at the airport¡± The person on the other end hung up immediately after speaking, followed by a text message. The tone was definitely haughty Flore raised an eyebrow at her phone. Seriously? They wanted her to pick them up? Was this some kind of power move? With a chuckle, Flora nced at the flight information before closing the message and returning to her chat with Connor. Meanwhile, the admissions officer and his teamnded at Cedarvale Airport. He scanned the area but saw no sign of Flora. His mood soured. He had called her in advance to ask her to meet them. When they arrived, she was nowhere to be seen. Trying to keep his anger in check, the admissions officer called Flora again. After several attempts with no answer, he began to wonder if he had been blocked. His face darkened, and any positive feelings he had towards Flora vanished. What did it matter if she was a genius? Or the top in the country? The medical orginzation was never short of geniuses. Everyone who made it into it was top-tier in their field. It wasn¡¯t her ce to throw tantrums Holding back his rage, the admissions officer led his team to the Irving residence, even more determined to put Flora in her ce. At the Irving residence, Raul was cooking in the kitchen, with Henrik assisting, while Flora lounged on the couch, eating watermelon and watching TV. The doorbell rang. Flora put the watermelon down, wiped her hands, and went to open the door. Six people stood outside. One of them looked familiar It was Selene. Leading them was a middle¨Caged man in a whiteb coat, wearing a badge on his chest that caught Flora¡¯s eye. ¡°Are you Flora?¡± Flora nodded, arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe without inviting them in. Her casual demeanor further imitated the already displeased admissions officer, Tm an admissions officer from the Medical Institute. I called you earlier,¡± he said, sounding like he was reprimanding a subordinate. ¡°1 had already asked you to pick us up at the airport, and here you are, still in your loungewear at home. You better have a good exnation for this.¡± Flora slightly raised her eyebrows and smiled slowly. ¡°Ah. Couldn¡¯t be bothered.¡± Her words, though few were bold. The admissions officer¡¯spanions, including Selene, all looked taken aback. They couldn¡¯t help but think how arogant she was. Was being the top in the country enough to justify such arrogance? The admissions officer¡¯s face soured, thinking she was too naive and unaware of the real world. ¡°Flora, you¡¯re young and your perspective is limited. You have no manners. I don¡¯t me you for that. Once youe back with me to the medical organization, ensure someone properly educates you to rid you of this bad attitude.¡± Raul and Hennk, hearing themotion, came out just in time to catch the officer¡¯s words, feeling displeased. ¡°No manners?¡± Flora squinted, amusedly watching him. ¡°I think a person with manners wouldn¡¯t make their guests stand outside while talking¡± the officer replied with a sharp tone. ¡°I might indulge you now, but once you¡¯re at the medical organization, you must follow the rules.¡± Flora rubbed her wrists, her thin eyelids lifting. ¡°The medical organization? Never heard of it.¡± The admissions officer was taken aback. The medical organization was world¨Crenowned, and she imed to have never heard of it! CHAPTER 280 Chapter 280 The renowned medical organization, with branches worldwide, is a haven for medical prodigies. Honestly, you don¡¯t exactly meet the crite to join such an elite group. However, recognizing your potential, the organization has decided to make an exception for you. But be wamed, if your performance isn¡¯t up to par, you¡¯ll be shown the door without hesitation.¡± The recruitment officer¡¯s words were carefully chosen to keep Flora¡¯s ego in check. She was already quite full of herself. If she believed the organization needed her, it would only inte her ego further To ensure Flora understood the prestige of the organization, the recruitment officer continued, ¡°Let me put it this way, joining the medical organization is every aspiring medical professional¡¯s dream, the pinnacle of their career goals! The University of Maple Grove can¡¯t even begin topare.¡± Flora listened quietly until he finished, then smirked and replied with a hint of sarcasm, ¡°Oh, how impressive. I have no interest in your so¨Ccalled prestigious medical organization, and I respect it even less. I¡¯m only considering the medical department at the University of Maple Grove As for you go back to wherever you came from?¡± Her voice was cold and defiant. After her statement, she mmed the door shut. The recruitment officer, staring at the tightly closed door, was left fuming with frustration. No interest in the medical organization? Looking down on it? Such audacity from a national top scorer! He swore he¡¯d make her regret this ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to Cedarvale High and were Flora¡¯s ssmate? the recruitment officer asked, turning to Selene. Selene nodded, her eyes still on the closed docs, her mind racing. hat she had just said? Did she just dismiss the world¨Crenowned medical organization so casually? ¡°Excellent¡± the recruitment officer sneered, a cold smile forming. ¡°From today, the organization will invest its finest resources in you. I want you to outshine her. Soon enough, Flora will have no choice but to look up to you!¡± By then, Flors would be green with envy. Selene, head bowed, didn¡¯t feel any joy. She sensed the support wasn¡¯t because of her talent but as a means to spite Flora, which felt humiliating the living room, Raul and Henrik exchanged nces. Flora¡¯s anger was quite the spectacle. Flora had always wanted to pursue medicine, and the medical organization would have been the best option. But if she disliked it, so be Their girl, no matter where she went, would always shine the brightest. After the recruitment officer left, he published a lengthy essay It painted Flora as talented butcking in substance. She was described as rude and arrogant, and her brilliance was overshadowed by her hubris. The medical organization, while valuing talent, ced a higher premium on character. Flora¡¯sck of manners was a disgrice to the organization, and she would never be allowed to join. The publication caused an d an uproar Everyone had assumed Flom¡¯s admission into the medical organization was a done deal, but this was a dramatic twist. Taking the organization¡¯s side, public opinion quickly turned against Flora.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Commenter 1, [What¡¯s the use of talent? IQ doesn¡¯t equate to EQ. I stand with the medical organization!) Commenter 2, [After watching the video, Flora doesn¡¯t seem like the person the organization describes¡­ She seems quite polite to me?] Commenter 3. I¡¯m a ssmate of Flora¡¯s. She¡¯s genuinely nice. Though she maye off as cold to outsiders, once you get to know her, she¡¯s very approachable. She¡¯s always helping and tutoring her ssmates. Her character is not at all what the medical organization ims] CHAPTER 281 Chapter 281 At the University of Maple Grove¡¯s social media feed, a startling post cought Mr. Garcia¡¯s eye, leaving him in shock. Like many others, he had expected Flors to join a prestigious medical program. Now, it seemed she¡¯d somehow ruffled some feathers Instead. Though Mr. Garcia only met Flora just once, he knew better. Flora wasn¡¯t at all like the medical board described. She was polite, though a bit reserved, which was understandable for someone meeting new people. Convinced that Flora belonged at the University of Maple Grove, Mr. Garcia decided it was their duty to stand by her. He quickly responded to the medical board¡¯s post using the University¡¯s official ount. University of Maple Grove Official, You, sit, are an antiquated fool, devoid of any real understanding! If you were gone, the grass over your grave would grow tall! His response quickly shot to the top of the trendingments. One userughed. Haha, I¡¯m dying! This is how cultured folks throw shade¨Cno swearing needed.]This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Another admitted. I¡¯m lost. I¡¯ve read too little to get this burn. Can someone exin?] A helpful trantor chimed in. (Mr. Garcia basically said: ¡®Old man, you know nothing. If you were dead, weeds would be overgrowing your grave by now!] Thisment went viral. The admissions officer was furious enough to nearly break his phone. But deleting it would only make him look worse. Meanwhile, Flora¡¯s name was disyed prominently in Cedarvale Square. It had been a decade since Cedarvale had seen a national top scorer, and Flora had certainly made her hometown proud. With media and reporters flocking to her Flora felt overwhelmed and longed for a break. Inside the executive office of Stonnell International, Connor watched Flora slumped on a small sofa and offered. ¡°How about we visit my base for a change of scenery?¡± Moss, entering to deliver some documents, overheard and paused, thinking of the old saying, ¡°Beauty blinds the wise.¡± if those people knew Connor was casually inviting a girl to his base with such an invitation, they would be outraged. Flora readily agreed and informed her family, that she would be joining Connor for an outing. Raul and Hennik trusted Connar implicitly, with him around, they were confident Flora would be safe. Besides, Flora deserved some rxation after her exams. With their blessing, Flora began packing. The next day, they set off for Ruby Path, with Moss and Beck tagging along. The staff had already been informed of Connor¡¯s return and eagerly awaited their arrival. As the helicopter touched down at 10 AM, the executives stood in line, their respect bordering on reverence as they watched a figure with a sunhat emerge. Behind her, Connor appeared, casually carrying thedy¡¯s chain bag over one shoulder, draping a lc sun¨Cshielding jacket over his arm, and holding a bottle of sunscreen spray in his hand, The executives were left puzzled and speechless. CHAPTER 282 Chapter 282 Moss and Beck brought up the rear stepping outst. Each person was lugging bags and packages, clearly filled with the girl¡¯s belongings. The division heads exchanged puzzled looks, not expecting a girl to be part of the group. Curious nces flicked over Flora, but they quickly turned their respectful attention to Connor, and in unison, greeted, ¡°Boss.¡± The base was split into four divisions: Intelligence, Enforcement, Logistics, and Medical. The only one absent was the head of the Medical Division, who had othermitments Connor nodded, his gaze softening as itnded on Flora ¡°Tired? Want to rest for a bit?¡± Flora adjusted her sun hat lower ¡°Yeah, a bit¡± Connor took her hand and led her into the base. ¡°Beck, what¡¯s the deal? Why did the boss bring a woman here?¡± asked Chad, the head of the Enforcement Division, frowning deeply. Beck, with a sour expression, didn¡¯t bother to respond. Moss, standing nearby, said indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s the boss¡® fianc¨¦e. ¡°Her?¡± Zack, the head of the Logistics Division, scowled, visibly disdainful. He thought the boss¡® fianc¨¦e should be someone noble. elegant and powerful ¡°Here¡¯s a piece of advice: don¡¯t mess with Ms.
  1. s. Flora. After saying this, Moss quickly followed after Connor,
The division heads followed suit. They passed through a narrow door and along a corridor, arriving at a house with an ancient aesthetic. Connor first took Flora upstairs to rest. ¡°Get some sleep first.¡± Flora noddedzily. After a restless night and an early flight, she was indeed tired She slept for over two hours and woke up to find it was already past one. Descending the stairs, she found Connor sitting on the couch in the living room, with the division heads standing to one side. The head of the Logistics Division was reporting to Connor but paused and frowned slightly upon noticing Flora. Connor saw Flora, stood up, and took out a prepared meal from the microwave. ¡°Have some food now that you¡¯re awake.¡± Connor knew Flora¡¯s preference, so he had these ingredients flown in especially.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay¡± Still groggy from sleep, Flora replied. She hugged Connor¡¯s waist and nted a kiss on his cheek, then snuggled against his chest. The division heads all appeared shocked ¡°Continue,¡± Connor said, cing a ss of milk on the table for Flora, then nced at Chad, the head of the Enforcement Division, and added lightly the new Connor made no effort to keep Flora separate. Chad was somewhat surprised but quickly resumed his report. ¡°Luke says shipment will arrive soon. I¡¯m thinking we head out the day after tomorrow to the border, just in time for the pickup. The Red Scorpions have been eyeing us for a while, and also¡­¡± Flora paused mid¨Cbite upon hearing Red Scorpions, raising an eyebrow and picking up her phone to connect to the inte. Raul and Henrik were asking if she had arrived and whether she was having fun. Flora responded to each. After finishing her meal, she thought about taking a walk. Connor was busy a people to protect her, knowing they couldn¡¯t afford any mishaps with Flora. and couldn¡¯t apany her. Moss had arranged for two ¡°Ms. Flora, they will be apanying you from now on. If you need anything, just let them know¡± Moss said before hurrying off, burdened with overseeing all four divisions and their multitude of tasks. ¡°What are your names?¡± Flora asked, lifting her gaze to the two young men before her. They seemed young, barely in their twenties. ¡°Colton,¡± CHAPTER 283 Chapter 283 Dressed in a sleek ck uniform, the young man spoke with an icy tone, his eyes showing a hint of impatience. He was from the Enforcement Division When he was assigned to shadow a girl, he found this task utterly degrading. The division¡¯s assessmentpetition was just around theer, and everyone else was deep in training. Yet, here he was, stuck babysitting, even if the girlwas his boss¡® fianc¨¦e ¡°My name¡¯s Lance, Ms. Flora.¡± Meanwhile, another young man in a bright yellow uniform, who had a naturally cheerful demeanor, introduced himself. He was from the Logistics Division, assigned to assist Flora, and he was genuinely happy about it. His talents weren¡¯t exceptional, and after several years at the base, he had only made it to the lowest rank in Logistics For him, following orders was paramount. He heard that Ms. Flora was the boss¡® fiancee. It felt like hitting the jackpot for Lance.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Moss had carefully nned their assignments. Colton, skilled inbat, was perfect for protecting Flora. However, his cold and taciturn nature led Moss to also assign the ever¨Ccheerful Lance to keep herpany. Eagerly, Lance started giving Flora a tour of the base, chatting non¨Cstop, while Colton trailed behind them, silent and stone¨Cfaced. Apart from Yara, the head of the Medical Center, the base was filled with men. Seeing Flora, they quickly deduced she must be their boss¡® girl. People passing by greeted Flora politely. As they moved forward from the residence and crossed a cobblestone area, they arrived at arge training ground. Behind it was a senes of neatly arranged bungalows, each with a sign: Enforcement Division, Logistics Division, Intelligence Division, and Medical Center At the moment, many people were training hard on the grounds. ¡°Their training method is all wrong,¡± Floramentedzily after watching for a bit Hearing this, Colton nced at Flora, noticing her slender arms and legs, and frowned. She clearly wasn¡¯t a martial artist, yet she dared to make such ament? He detested pretentiousness the most. ¡°Ms. Flora, you understand this stuff too? My talent isn¡¯t great, so I couldn¡¯t tell,¡± Lance said, scratching his head, looking embarrassed. ¡°Is that girl the boss fianc¨¦e?¡± Yara, dressed in ab coat, asked as she nced over the square at Flora, narrowing her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s her Heard she just graduated from high school,¡± said the assistant, who was preparing medication nearby. He also nced at the square before pursing his lips. ¡°High school graduate? She¡¯s quite young then, Yara muttered, her thoughts unclear. ¡°Yeah, I wonder what the boss sees in her,¡± the assistant whispered, venting slightly In fact, everyone had always thought Yara and Connor were a perfect match. Yara, the only woman at the empire base, was highly skilled in medicine, formidable inbat, and could endure hardships. She¡¯s nothing like those delicatedies. Many division heads thought only Yara was worthy of Connor. She wouldn¡¯t hold him back, and she¡¯d make a great partner. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get back to work,¡± Yara said softly, returning her focus. After touring the base, Flora felt bored and unimpressed, seeing nothing but shirtless men training. ¡°Ms. Flora, are you bored?¡± Lance, noticing Flora¡¯sck of enthusiasm, thought for a moment and said, ¡°Ruby Path has an underground arena. Almost everyone whoes to Ruby Path ends up trying it out. If you want, I can take you there, Ms. Flora.¡± CHAPTER 284 Chapter 284 Lance hailed from the southern regions, his pronunciation a bit muddled with a soft drew Flora smiled, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go check it out¡± Colton frowned. It was already four in the aftemoon and Flors wanted to head out? That meant held have to skip his training for the dar Plus, the underground fight club was a dangerous ce, not somewhere ady like Flora should be ¡°Ms. Flora, it¡¯s gettingte. You should head back and rest¡± Flora nced at Colton and started walking. ¡°You go on with your business. You don¡¯t have to tag along Lance can take me¡± Lance was hopeless at martial arts, and Flora was as delicate as a flower if trouble found them, they could bom end up in serous danger. Colton felt a headacheing on but reluctantly followed The underground fight club was bustling with mostly men, swearing and looking like they were ready for a fight Flora wore a hat and pulled her sun¨Cprotective shirt up to cover her chin. In the center of the club, there was a ring with ¡°Fight to the Death¡± ringly written over it. The fighters up there were risking fer lives for money. The winner would get fifty thousand dors. Sometimes, if the crowd was entertained, they¡¯d throw in a bonus But song note ring meant facing either death or severe injury. Only those desperate for cash or reckless enough would step up destinat The two fighters currently in the ring were covered in blood, barely able to stand, but neither willing to give up. Once on the des ring, they knew the stakes. Their only goal was the money. Flora watched the ring, her lips pressed tightly together. Colton had thought that a delicate youngdy like Flora would be scared at the sight of such a bloody scene hired, she was surprisingly calm, which impressed him. ¡°Ms. Flora, who do you think will win?¡± Lance peeked through his fingers, his eyes fixed on the gory match Flora didn¡¯t answer, her gaze fixed on the ring. Lance nudged Colton with his elbow, ¡°Colton, who do you think will win?¡± ¡°Quiet Colton said tersely, then nced at the ring. The guy with the ck bandana is going to lose.¡± Three minutester, the man with the ck bandana finally couldn¡¯t hold on and fell to the ground, defeated. The man with the red bandana was also exhausted, barely standing. Only after the referee counted down from ten and his opponent still didn¡¯t get up, did he copseThis is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The defeated many on the ground, tears streaming down his face. His wife, who was seriously ill, needed expensive surgery. He fel useless for not winning. ¡°Let¡¯s get back.¡± Flora withdrew her gaze and stepped away, only to be blocked by a group of men. ¡°Colton, is that really you?¡± The leader, Cullen, nced at Flora andughed, ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this? Got kicked out and now following a woman, living off her?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get beaten, then get lost¡± Colton hadn¡¯t expected to see him here. In Ruby Path, there were two major forces. One was the Empire Base, and the other was the Red Scorpion Base. They were Cullen was from the Red Scorpion Base. In a previous base skirmish, Colton and Cullen were opponents. Colton had beaten Cullen so badly that he couldn¡¯t leave his bed for months, and that¡¯s how their feud started. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, and you¡¯re still so arrogant, Cullen sneered, his gaze sweeping over the weak Lance and the gets beaten today is still uncertain.¡± CHAPTER 285 Chapter 285 Colton furrowed his brows, eyeing the twenty¨Csome guys behind Cullen. ¡°Seriously? Ganging up now?¡± he thought. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t even blink at such a threat, but today was different. He had Flora to worry about. He had to be more cautious. ¡°Cullen, I don¡¯t have time for your games today. Bring fifty people next time if you want, and I still take you on, but for now, move aside! Colton gripped Lance¡¯s hand with one hand and Flora¡¯s with the other, trying to leave Cullen and his Red Scorpions quickly blocked their path. It was only because Colton had two ¡°Trabilities with him that they dared to stop him. If he were alone, they wouldn¡¯t have even tried. Around Ruby Path, Colton was one of the top fighters, and not many could best him. I¡¯m not letting you go. What¡¯s got you so worked up? How about this kneel and beg, and maybe I¡¯ll let you pass,¡± Cullen sneered, his hand arrogantlynding on Colton¡¯s shoulder A sh of cold anger flickered through Colton¡¯s eyes. He stared at Cullen¡¯s hand on his shoulder, trying to keep his cool, but he couldn¡¯t hold back. He grabbed Cullen¡¯s wrist and twisted it hard. ¡°Ouch, let go! Let go!¡± The Red Scorpions rushed forward. Colton¡¯s gaze darkened as he shoved Cullen back, scattering the charging crowd. But they quickly regrouped and came at him again. Despite his skills, Colton was outnumbered. He couldn¡¯t protect himself and Flora and Lance at the same time. He shoved them into a narrower, blocking the entrance as he faced the attackers alone. Lance, trembling, called for backup on his phone. He wanted to help but knew he¡¯d only be a burden. ¡°Get him! Make sure Colton is dead today, or don¡¯t bothering back!¡± Cullen shouted, clutching his injured hand. Colton fought fiercely, but even with so many against him, they couldn¡¯t overpower him. Soon, they shifted their focus to Flora, noticing how protective Colton was of her. This distraction made Colton vulnerable, and he took several hits. Cullen, seeing his chance, stood behind the overwhelmed Colton and swung a metal rod at his back. Colton reacted, but not quickly enough to dodge. Just as he braced for the impact, someone yanked him back by his cor. The rod narrowly missed his chestThis is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Flora kicked Cullen¡¯s hand, making him drop the rod. She caught it effortlessly, weighed it for a moment, then hurled it at Cullen¡¯s abdomen. Though it seemed like a light throw the rod hit with the force of a ton of bricks, making Cullen spit out blood and sending him flying into a wall. Flora¡¯s eyes scanned the crowd with a mischievous grin as she charged forward like an arrow. In no time, the Red Scorpions were on the ground, groaning in pain. Colton stared at Flora, stunned and speechless for what felt like CHAPTER 286 Chapter 286 o fit an egg. Lance¡¯s mouth dropped open, wide enough to fit ¡°Ms. Flora wow you¡¯re incredible!¡± ¡°Where are they? Where are those Red Scorpion bastards?¡± Empire Base folks rushed in, decked out in their dark robes, weapons in hand, looking all tough and ready to conquer the world Colton nced at them, clearly unimpressed, ¡°Took you long enough¡± ¡°Lance sent us a message, and we came as fast as we could.¡± Even though Lance wasn¡¯t the most talented guy and had spent years in Logistics, everyone liked him because he was genuinely nice. People at the base loved chatting with him. Even the cocky young members of Enforcement had a soft spot for Lance As soon as the Enforcement squad arrived, they hovered around Lance, checking if he was okay,pletely ignoring Flora. Their captain, known as Willens, spotted the defeated Red Scorpions sprawled on the ground, looking surprised. He nudged Colton with his elbow. ¡°Dude, you¡¯ve got guts, taking on that many andying them all out.¡± Colton shot aplicated look at Flora, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, it was¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head back, Flora cut him off, striding ahead. Colton paused, realizing Flora didn¡¯t want anyone to know she was the one who took down the Red Scorpions, so he stayed quiet. ¡°Hang in there, bro,¡± Willens said sympathetically to Colton. He thought it was rough for an Enforcement guy to be stuck protecting a women. Colton didn¡¯t respond, just followed Flora out. Lance quickly caught up with them. Back at Empire Base. Connor set down his papers and looked at Flora, his voice gentle, ¡°Did you have a good time?¡± ¡°It was alright,¡± Flora grinned. ¡°Colton got hurt, though.¡± Hearing that, Connor nced at Colton¡¯s bruised face and frowned, ¡°What happened?¡± *Just some idiots causing trouble, Flora said, plopping herself into Connor¡¯sp and wrapping her arms around his neck, a sly smile on her lips. ¡°But I took care of it Colton¡¯s expression was unreadable. The sweet, cuddly girl now seemed like a totally different person from the fierce Flora earlier. Was this what people meant by sweet but deadly? Connor knew how capable Flora was; he wouldn¡¯t have brought her to the base otherwise. As long as she was okay, he let her handle things her way. He squeezed Flora¡¯s hand and turned to Colton and Lance, ¡°You two go get checked out at Medical,¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Colton headed to the Medical Division, The staff there knew Colton well and were shocked to see him all beaten up. *Colton, weren¡¯t you out with the boss¡® fianc¨¦e? How¡¯d you end up like this?¡± Being in Enforcement, getting hurt wasn¡¯t unusual, but Colton was supposed to be protecting Flora. Seeing him like this was definitely something to gossip about. Colton didn¡¯t exin, just said, Tm here for some meds.¡± ¡°Colton?¡± The curtain was pulled back, and Yara stepped out. ¡°What happened to you? Take off your shirt, let me take a look¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, not too serious. Just need some ointment for these bruises, and i¡¯ll be good.¡± It was alreadyte, and he still had to make up for the training he missed today. Yara grabbed two bottles of ointment and two bottles of pills from the counter. ¡°You know how to use the ointment, so won¡¯t go overMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. Colton took the item and headed CHAPTER 287 Chapter 287 Yara suddenly piped up, ¡°Oh, by the way, the boss asked you to keep an eye on Ms. Flora. She¡¯s alright, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief¡± Yara smiled. ¡°Ms. Flora¡¯s young and has been pampered her whole life. Please be careful with her and try not to upset her. You¡¯ve only been with her for a day and she got hurt people at the base might start gossiping¡± Colton frowned. ¡°Ms. Flora, she.¡± He paused, then said, ¡°She¡¯s actually quite nice, not what youd expect.¡± Yara watched in surprise as Colton walked away. She knew his temperament¨Che was never one to willingly protect a delicate woman. Just hours ago, he couldn¡¯t stand Flora and now he was defending her. That Flora, she was something else. Empire Base and The Red Scorpions often butted heads, with members frequently getting into fights. Winning or losing was just part of the game. The Red Scorpions couldn¡¯t shamelessly keep picking fights after that. And so, the issue was dropped. The next day Flora slept in until the sun was high in the sky. After freshening up, she went downstairs In the hall, Connor, the Head of Enforcement, and the Head of Medical were deep in discussion. Connor¡¯s expression was indifferent until Flora appeared, then it instantly softened. Yara noticed the change in his demeanor, her eyes flickering ¡°Til just grab something to eat from the kitchen,¡± Flora said, giving Connor a look before heading into the kitchen. Connor, who had half¨Crisen, sat back down. Yara continued her report. ¡°The Head of Enforcement and I have discussed the overseas shipment it¡¯s really important. We leave the base at four in the morning. Intelligence¡¯s Gavin will be joining us; his hacking skills are the best we¡¯ve got..¡± *Can Ie along?¡± Flora brought out her food and listened while eating. After Yam and the Head of Enforcement finished speaking, she politely asked, ¡°Can I join?¡± All three tumed their gazes toward her. ¡°Looking for a little adventure?¡± Connor asked softly. Flora gasped, ¡°Yes.¡± The Head of Enforcement, Chad, twitched his mouth. Such an important task and Connor had used the word ¡®adventure? Did he think this was a game? ¡°Then you shall have your adventure. I have matters to attend to tomorrow and can¡¯t apany you¡± Connor agreed indulgently. ¡°Boss, escorting the shipment is tough work. Ms. Flora has been pampered since birth, I¡¯m afraid she might not handle it¡± Yara said with a smile. ¡°Ms. Flora, we¡¯re leaving at 4:30 in the morning. Can you manage that?¡± Chad snorted. Seriously, could this delicate youngdy hack it? ¡°I can.¡± Flora blinkedzily. Was it her imagination, or did Yara seem to have some animosity towards her? After leaving the estate, the Head of Enforcement looked clearly annoyed. He couldn¡¯t understand why the boss insisted on bringing this extra baggage along. ¡°Alright, since the boss has spoken, we¡¯ll just follow orders,¡± Yara said, looking up at the sky. ¡°I¡¯ll go back and revise the n. The route we nned before is too rough, and has too many snakes and rats; I worry Ms. Flora won¡¯t be able to handle it¡± Hearing this, the Head of Enforcement felt even worse, thinking that bringing Flora was just asking for trouble. But Yara was different Despite being a woman, she wasn¡¯t fussy at all Why hadn¡¯t the boss taken a liking to Ms. Kaylee instead?Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. CHAPTER 288 Chapter 288 At four in the moming the next day, everyone was ready to roll, and Flora showed up right on time.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Colton and Lance, being her personal bodyguards, naturally tagged along. The Enforcement Chief nced at the heaps of bags Colton and Lance were lugging, his brow furrowing. ¡°So much stuff, does Ms. Flora think this is a vacation or something?¡± he thought, shaking his head. Out of sight, out of mind, he decided, and after getting everyone organized, they set off. ¡°Ms. Kaylee, aren¡¯t we moving a bit too slowly?¡± the Enforcement Chief couldn¡¯t help but ask. Five hours had already passed since they¡¯d left, and usually, they¡¯d be nearing the border by now, but they were still stuck in Ruby Path. ¡°Let¡¯s take it slow,¡± Yara said with a sigh. We can handle the rough stuff, but Ms. Flora can¡¯t.¡± ¡°So annoying,¡± the Enforcement Chief grumbled, frowning. By eleven, they finally reached the border and met Adler. The border was a dusty mess A scruffy man with a beard squatted on a rock, slurping noodles. Seeing them approach, he asked curiously, ¡°What took you so long?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± the Enforcement Chief replied, not wanting to get into it. ¡°Where¡¯s the goods! ¡°Over there.¡± Adler quickly polished off his noodles and led them to a warehouse. The goods were all there. The Enforcement Chief had his team start loading the stuff. While they were waiting, Flora stepped out to stretch her legs. ¡°Is that the boss¡® fianc¨¦e?¡± Adler asked, a bit thrown. ¡°Yep the Enforcement Chief said, pursing his lips. He thought their boss¡® ster reputation was going down the drain because of Flora. Noticing Adler¡¯s gaze, Flora gave him a small nod and a smile. Adler chuckled, ¡°She¡¯s pretty nice, not as bad as you all made her out to be Quite the looker, too.¡± ¡°Does being pretty help in our line of work? Strength is what matters,¡± the Enforcement Chief retorted. ¡°You guys worry too much, Adler said, his tone easygoing. He¡¯d been stationed at the border for years and had an optimistic outlook. ¡°Our boss knows what he¡¯s doing, If he likes her, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°Fine, you have a point, the Enforcement Chief muttered. He was just worried Flora would be a weak spot for Connor. Once the goods were loaded, they hit the road again. By noon, they had just crossed the border Having been on the move since four in the moming, everyone was starving. The Enforcement Chief called for a break. Everyone pulled out their bread to eat, Yara included, leaning against a big tree with bread in one hand and water in the other. Flora was the only exception. They watched as Lance spread out a pic nket and then pulled out fruits, milk, and lunch boxes from the bag. The lunch boxes were packed by Connor himself for Flora the day before, with a perfect bnce of meat and veggies. There was even a pot of pork rib soup. Its mouth¨Cwatering aroma filled the air. Flora had asked Connor to make extra, enough for three or four people. She took out chopsticks and handed them to Lance and Colton, signaling them to dig in. ¡°This is amazing! I haven¡¯t had food this good since I got to Ruby Path!¡± Lance eximed excitedly after taking a bite. CHAPTER 289 Chapter 289 Colton took a bite, his eyes lighting up with pleasure ¡°This is really good he eximed, savoring the tabte They were all of Chinese descent, but the food at Ruby Path had its own unique ir, different from what they were used to back in China As they ate, memones of their hometowns came flooding back Flora smiled, ¡°Of course it¡¯s delicious. Your boss made it all himself, and the ingredients were flown in fresh¡± Colton and Lance were both stunned, suddenly unsure how to react. The boss had cooked this? They never expected to taste food made by him in their lifetime! With the boss nowhere in sight, they took the opportunity to savor a few more bites, realizing this might be a once in a lifetime chance The rest couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard The head of Enforcement discreetly took a few more bites of his dinner roll. Yara¡¯s grip on her bottle tightened. Did Connor actually cook for Flora ¡°Alert! The Red Scorpions are trying to hack our location!¡± Gavin from Intelligence shouted, his mouth still half¨Cfull with a dinner roll. He quickly put hisptop on the ground and, seeing a big red exmation mark on the screen, his face turned pale. He hastily set aside his roll and water, ced theptop on hisp, and started working frantically to patch the vulnerabilities. The head of Enforcement and Yara crowded around him, tense and anxious The Red Scorpions sudden attack on their firewall aimed to uncover their location and intercept their goods. Although they weren¡¯t afraid of the Red Scorpions, no one wanted them causing unnecessary trouble. After finishing her meal, Flora strolled over with a bottle of milk. She nced at Gavin¡¯s screen. He was drenched in sweat, eyes glued to the monitor. The vulnerabilities were piling up faster than he could fix them Flora watched for a moment before speaking up. ¡°Let me try Gavin, already on edge, snapped, ¡°Shut up!¡± He was too frazzled to deal with her interference. Yara tried to be diplomatic, Ms. Flora, if you¡¯re bored, please wait in the car. We¡¯re dealing with something serious here.¡± Everyone shot her annoyed looks, treating her like a nuisance. Flora remained calm and unbothered by their hostility. Five minutester, Gavin¡¯sputer crashed. He tried to reboot it, but the screen stayed stubbomly ck. Frustrated, he punched the ground twice. ¡°We¡¯ve been breached.¡± ¡°Our locations exposed?¡± the head of Enforcement asked, his face darkening. With their positionpromised, the Red Scorpions would be on them soon, and a fight was inevitable.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. As tension mounted, Flora¡¯s voice cut through, ¡°Can I try y now?¡± Her eyes were cool, but her tone was friendly. She had a soft spot for Connor¡¯s team, even if they didn¡¯t trust her yet. Everyone else was too busy to pay her any mind. Flora sat down cross¨Clegged, picked up theptop, and started tapping away. Gavin frowned, thinking she was taking it too lightly. Just as he was about to stop her the screen flickered back to life. CHAPTER 290 Chapter 290 Gavin¡¯s face changed abruptly as he locked his gaze on the screen, eyes wide with intensity The girl¡¯s pale, slender fingers flew over the keyboard, lines of code ricing across the screen. Flora seemed nonchnt, the zipper of her sunshirt pulled up to her chin. Her beautiful brows were slightly furrowed as shezily watched the screen, her beauty absolutely mesmerizing. The head of the Enforcement division held his breath. This Flora was a far cry from the girl who used to sweet¨Ctalk Connor every day. She even managed to inspire a sense of awe in him. ¡°All done.¡± Flora said, hitting the final enter key. Several blinking red dots appeared on the screen. She had not only concealed their location but also pinpointed the positions of The Red Scorpions and other nearby organizations What kind of sorcery was this? ¡°Ms. Flora-¡± Gavin¡¯s voice trembled. Flora slipped her hands into the pockets of her sunshirt and stood up to leave. The head of the Enforcement division couldn¡¯t understand the codes, but seeing Gavin¡¯s expression, it seemed the storm had passed. ¡°Is it resolved?¡± asked the head of the Enforcement. ¡°It¡¯s resolved¡± Gavin¡¯s voice was dry. ¡°Ms. Flora¡¯sputer skills are far superior to mine.¡± As the deputy head of Intelligence, Gavin had the bestputer skills in the base. For him to admit his inferiority showed just how exceptional Flora¡¯s hacking skills were. The head of the Enforcement division was visibly pleased, looking at Flora with a much softer gaze. Well, that¡¯s good. Very good. Having a unique skill like that. She might just be a match for our boss after all. Yara nced at the screen, a dark glint shing in her eyes. She hadn¡¯t expected Flore to be a hacker¡­ Flora got back to her car and immediately received several frantic messages. With a nk expression, she tapped the red hang¨Cup button.. Mncholy Uncle: Boss? Where are you now? Do you have aputer with you? Pleasee help me! Mncholy Uncle: I¡¯m in the middle of a heist, but suddenly a formidable hacker has appeared on their side! Even I, your disciple, am no match for them! Pleasee help mel Mncholy Uncle: Boss! Master Boss, where are you? Why hang up? Is that polite? Annoyed beyond measure, Flora picked up her phone to reply.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. $: Since it¡¯s someone else¡¯s stuff, just stop stealing it. Be a good citizen. Mncholy Uncle: ? Mncholy Uncle: You¡¯re not right. With a nk expression, Flora blocked him ¡°Boss, there seems to be someone over there!¡± Just then, a rustling sound arose. About twenty rugged men approached. Each was bare-chested, wearing only shorts. Their exposed skin was marked with various scars, a gun tucked into their waistbands, and each had a me¨Cshaped tattoo on their corbone. Seeing the tattoo, everyone¡¯s expression changed. Mercenaries. Mercenary groups weremon abroad, all desperate ouws. The head of the Enforcement division would never have guessed their luck in encountering a mercenary group. No one wanted to face a bunch of desperados head-on. The head of the Enforcement stepped forward, speaking amiably, ¡°Gentlemen, we are members of Empire Base here for a shipment. It¡¯s fortunate to meet you all. Here¡¯s a little something Saying so, the head of the Enforcement handed a check to the leader of the group. Internally, he was anxious; even mentioning Empire Base might not help with these fearless mercenaries The man had a long scar across his face, his mouth slightly protruding, looking somewhat fierce when he smiled. CHAPTER 291 Chapter 291 The man held the check worth two hundred million, licking his chapped lips. ¡°That¡¯s quite a haul.¡± The boss of Enforcement chuckled dryly. ¡°You all can go now,¡± the man said, slipping the check into his jeans pocket. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± the boss of Enforcement quickly instructed his team to move the goods and leave. Colton and Lance, well aware of the man¡¯s nature, immediately positioned themselves to shield Flora as the mercenaries emerged. But then Yara suddenly spoke up, ¡°Ms. Flora, be careful.¡± It was only then that the man noticed the young woman in the crowd. ¡°Hold on!¡± he shouted, his eyes narrowing wickedly as theynded on Flora, protected by Colton and Lance. ¡°You all can leave, but this prettydy stays.¡± The mercenaries behind him grinned evilly. The boss of Enforcement cursed inwardly. He knew it¨Cbeing too pretty was a curse in their line of work. Forcing a smile, he said, ¡°Gentlemen, she¡¯s our boss¡® fianc¨¦e. If we don¡¯t bring her back, our boss will kill us.¡± The man licked his teeth, his eyes never leaving Flora. ¡°A fianc¨¦e¡¯s not a wife. If she¡¯s gone, you can always The boss of Enforcement cursed silently again but kept smiling. He pulled out another check from his pocket. ¡°Brother, how about this¡­¡± find another.¡± This time, the man refused, his patience wearing thin. ¡°I don¡¯t want money. Do you think we¡¯re short on cash? We¡¯ve been out here for months without a woman¡¯s touch. Either the prettydy stays, or none of you leave.¡± The mercenaries behind him jeered, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, beauty, we¡¯ll treat you real nice!¡± Flora¡¯s sunhat was tilted down, hiding her eyes, only her tightly pursed lips visible. A chill seemed to spread over her. ¡°Gentlemen, let us go today, and I personally bring some women over tomorrow. Deal?¡± The boss of Enforcement¡¯s face was turning sour with frustration. ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re fooling? I was being nice because I respected you. I want that woman; she looks feisty enough. I don¡¯t want anyone else!¡± The man¡¯s temper red, and he swiftly drew a gun, pointing it at the boss of Enforcement¡¯s head. ¡°Boss!¡± The Empire Base team quickly pulled out their pistols. Seeing this, the mercenaries did the same. Both sides were on edge, ready to erupt. The boss of Enforcement¡¯s face darkened. A head¨Con sh would mean casualties, something he wanted to avoid. But giving Flora up wasn¡¯t an option. Even though he didn¡¯t like Flora, she was his boss¡® fianc¨¦e, and he had to take her back safely. Just as the boss of Enforcement prepared for a fight, Flora stepped out from behind Colton and Lance. -Her stunning beauty was exposed under the scorching sun. The mercenaries felt a tightening in their stomachs, their throats dry as they instinctively licked their lips, eyes burning with desire. ¡°Ms. Floral Colton and Lance¡¯s expressions changed, shocked by Flora¡¯s bold move. Under the zing sun, Flora¡¯s face remained calm, her clear eyes fixed on the man, her voice cool. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, just let them go.¡± The man paused, thenughed, his facial scar twisting grotesquely. The girl had spirit, and he liked that: Chapter 292 Chapter 292This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°Come over here, then I let him go, the man said, licking his teeth. He was wary of the Empire Base folks. Both sides had guns, and if things went south, no one wasing out unscathed Hearing this, Flora started walking towards him. ¡°Ms. Flora!¡± Colton and Lance quickly grabbed her hand. Flora turned slightly, a small, confident smile ying on her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡± With that, she skillfully broke free from their grasp Colton was taken aback, vividly recalling how Florn had taken down the Red Scorpions in theirst underground fight. She was a force to be reckoned with¡­ His hand hung in mid¨Cair, frozen. ¡°Ms. Flora! Don¡¯te over here!¡± The Enforcement leader, eyes wide with disbelief, couldn¡¯t fathom Flora risking herself for him. She absolutely couldn¡¯t get hurt! ¡°Stop her!¡± he shouted. The man, annoyed by his chatter, punched him in the stomach. ¡°Shut up, or I¡¯ll kill you right now¡± The Empire Base men were in a bind. They didn¡¯t want their leader in trouble, but Flora was crucial too. Even if they weren¡¯t her biggest fans, she was the boss¡± fianc¨¦e, and they had to keep her safe at all costs. Without hesitation, they moved to stop Flora. The boss¡® fianc¨¦e couldn¡¯t be harmed, they¡¯d risk their lives to ensure her safety. Flora, looking a bit exasperated, tapped the ground with her toes and performed a series of backflips, gracefullynding in front of the man. ¡°I¡¯m here now. Can you let him go?¡± She stood there calmly, hands in her pockets, exuding confidence. ¡°Ha ha ha! What a girl, I like you!¡± the man said, true to his word. He grabbed Flora, pulling her into his embrace, then pushed the Enforcement leader away with a strong shove Once free, the Enforcement leader picked up a handgun and aimed it at the man. But the man grabbed Flora by the neck, positioning her in front of him, gun aimed at her head. ¡°You really want to push your luck?¡± he taunted. He was betting they wouldn¡¯t dare harm Flora, which is why he let the Enforcement leader go. ¡°Drop your guns. I only want the prettydy; the rest of you can leave,¡± he said. The Enforcement leader¡¯s grip tightened on his gun, his eyes practically zing with frustration. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear our boss? Drop your guns!¡± the mercenaries shouted. The Fet Enforcement leader, after a moment of hesitation, lowered his weapon. The Empire Base men, exchanging nces, followed suit. The manughed triumphantly, but just then, Flora made her move! She slipped out of his grasp like an eel, swiftly grabbing his wrist and twisting it hard. The handgun fell, and Flora caught it mid¨Cair With a powerful kick, she sent the man crashing to his knees, a force that even the mercenaries couldn¡¯t withstand. Everything happened so fast that it wasn¡¯t until Flora had the gun aimed at his head that the other mercenaries realized what was happening and collectively aimed their guns at her. But considering the man¡¯s safety, they didn¡¯t dare shoot. The Empire Base men were also stunned by Flora¡¯s actions, especially the Enforcement leader, who trembled with excitement They had always thought Flora was fragile, but she had proven to be incredibly powerful. ncing around at the guns pointed at her, Flora remained indifferent, showing no fear. CHAPTER 292 Chapter 292 ¡°Come over here, then I let him go, the man said, licking his teeth. He was wary of the Empire Base folks. Both sides had guns, and if things went south, no one wasing out unscathed Hearing this, Flora started walking towards him. ¡°Ms. Flora!¡± Colton and Lance quickly grabbed her hand. Flora turned slightly, a small, confident smile ying on her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡± With that, she skillfully broke free from their grasp Colton was taken aback, vividly recalling how Florn had taken down the Red Scorpions in theirst underground fight. She was a force to be reckoned with¡­ His hand hung in mid¨Cair, frozen. ¡°Ms. Flora! Don¡¯te over here!¡± The Enforcement leader, eyes wide with disbelief, couldn¡¯t fathom Flora risking herself for him. She absolutely couldn¡¯t get hurt! ¡°Stop her!¡± he shouted. The man, annoyed by his chatter, punched him in the stomach. ¡°Shut up, or I¡¯ll kill you right now¡± The Empire Base men were in a bind. They didn¡¯t want their leader in trouble, but Flora was crucial too. Even if they weren¡¯t her biggest fans, she was the boss¡± fianc¨¦e, and they had to keep her safe at all costs. Without hesitation, they moved to stop Flora. The boss¡® fianc¨¦e couldn¡¯t be harmed, they¡¯d risk their lives to ensure her safety.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Flora, looking a bit exasperated, tapped the ground with her toes and performed a series of backflips, gracefullynding in front of the man. ¡°I¡¯m here now. Can you let him go?¡± She stood there calmly, hands in her pockets, exuding confidence. ¡°Ha ha ha! What a girl, I like you!¡± the man said, true to his word. He grabbed Flora, pulling her into his embrace, then pushed the Enforcement leader away with a strong shove Once free, the Enforcement leader picked up a handgun and aimed it at the man. But the man grabbed Flora by the neck, positioning her in front of him, gun aimed at her head. ¡°You really want to push your luck?¡± he taunted. He was betting they wouldn¡¯t dare harm Flora, which is why he let the Enforcement leader go. ¡°Drop your guns. I only want the prettydy; the rest of you can leave,¡± he said. The Enforcement leader¡¯s grip tightened on his gun, his eyes practically zing with frustration. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear our boss? Drop your guns!¡± the mercenaries shouted. The Fet Enforcement leader, after a moment of hesitation, lowered his weapon. The Empire Base men, exchanging nces, followed suit. The manughed triumphantly, but just then, Flora made her move! She slipped out of his grasp like an eel, swiftly grabbing his wrist and twisting it hard. The handgun fell, and Flora caught it mid¨Cair With a powerful kick, she sent the man crashing to his knees, a force that even the mercenaries couldn¡¯t withstand. Everything happened so fast that it wasn¡¯t until Flora had the gun aimed at his head that the other mercenaries realized what was happening and collectively aimed their guns at her. But considering the man¡¯s safety, they didn¡¯t dare shoot. The Empire Base men were also stunned by Flora¡¯s actions, especially the Enforcement leader, who trembled with excitement They had always thought Flora was fragile, but she had proven to be incredibly powerful. ncing around at the guns pointed at her, Flora remained indifferent, showing no fear. CHAPTER 293 Chapter 293 Flora felt pretty sure she could slip away from the mercenaries without a scratch, but the Empire Base folks? They were a real pain. If things got violent, she worried she might identally hurt them. After all, they were Connor¡¯s men, and she didn¡¯t want any harming their way. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. Just let us go, and I promise you¡¯ll be safe,¡± she said. The man¡¯s knees buckled in pain. He could feel something pressed against his head and gritted his teeth in frustration. Who would¡¯ve thought this seemingly delicate girl was such a badass? Heering Flora¡¯s words, he sneered, ¡°Do you even dare to shoot?¡± ¡°You were just holding me hostage. What are you scared of?¡± Flora¡¯s eyes, shaded by her sunhat, lifted nonchntly. ¡°You know, if we fight, it¡¯s a lose¨Close. Your life and your brothers¡® lives, all gone because of me¨Cwhat a waste that would be.¡± Considering the Empire Base crew and his own brothers, the man knew Flora had himered. He didn¡¯t expect her to understand his thoughts so well, and it made him uneasy. She was right; dying because of a woman was too humiliating, even for desperadoes like them. ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll let you go,¡± he said through gritted teeth. Flora grabbed the man by the neck and lifted him effortlessly, like he was a little chick. Til let you go once we¡¯re safe.¡± They¡¯d rather have anThis is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The mercenaries looked frustrated and humiliated. Being threatened by a woman? That was a hard pill to swallow. They¡¯d all¨Cout brawl with Flora. Flora had the Empire Base folks go first, holding onto the man as she walked at the rear. Colton and the Enforcement Leader stuck close by her side, ready for any surprises. Yara¡¯s eyes shed coldly. Flora had been full of surprises. Not only was she a hacker, but she also knew martial arts. Colton was head over heels for her, and even the Enforcement Leader was impressed. At this rate, everyone at the base would be falling for her The group moved quickly, the mercenaries¡® eyes following them like hawks. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. Already on edge, the mercenaries instinctively opened fire. In the chaos, bullets aimed at Flora. She dodged quickly, but the next bullet hit the man¡¯s throat. His eyes widened in shock as he died. Seeing their leader killed, the mercenaries thought Flora and her group had betrayed them. They had let them go, but now their leader was dead. Enraged, they went berserk, determined to avenge him, especially targeting Flora. If it weren¡¯t for that woman, their leader would still be alive! Gunshots filled the air, and a fierce battle was about to erupt ¡°Everyone, get to cover!¡± the Enforcement Leader shouted. The group scattered. Colton stayed by Flora¡¯s side, fighting alongside her with perfect coordination. Lance, knowing his limits, hid and took shots at the mercenaries when they weren¡¯t looking The Enforcement Leader had just shot a man in front when he heard gunfire behind him. Turning, he saw a mercenary with a bullet in his forehead, still holding a gun aimed at him. A cold sweat broke out on the Enforcement Leader¡¯s back. He nced at Flora, who had shot the mercenary, and felt a wave of relief. If it hadn¡¯t been for Flora¡¯s quick action, he would¡¯ve been the one shot. CHAPTER 294 Chapter 294 Yara had just taken down a mercenary when she noticed another one charging at her. Her brows knitted together, a cold glint sting in her eyes As the mercenary got closer, Yara shifted her aim from his head to his gun wielding right hand and fired, hitting her mark the then opted for closebat. In the melee, Yara purposely loosened her grip, letting the gun drop into the man¡¯s hands. He tried to aim it at her, but his injured hand couldn¡¯t muster the strength. Yarn easily redirected the gun towards Flora, who was busy dealing with two other mercenaries in the jungle. Yara, skilled in medicine and well¨Cversed in human anatomy, pressed a point under the man¡¯s armpit, causing his trigger finger to twitch involuntarily. To an outsider, it looked like the mercenary had taken a shot at Flora all on his own. ¡°Ms. Flora, watch out!¡± Yara shouted after a brief pause Flora, having just dispatched her opponents, dodged just in time. But then, a figure lunged at her to shield her. Lance stood in front of her ready to take whatever wasing. Flora grabbed his hands and yanked him aside. The bullet, which was aimed at his back, just grazed his arm It didn¡¯t hit him, but the graze was nasty, bleeding profusely and looking pretty gruesome. ¡°What were you thinking? Ms. Flora could¡¯ve dodged it! Who told you to jump out like that? Colton, visibly upset, scolded Lance. Lance looked down, not daring to say a word. He had rushed out without a second thought when he saw the danger. Finally, the group of around twenty mercenaries was eliminated. Members of Empire Base were more or less injured, but thankfully. there were no fatalities. The head of the Enforcement division knew their survival without any casualties wasrgely thanks to Flora, who had taken out most of the mercenary group. Yara and the medical team quickly got Western medical supplies from the vehicle to treat the injured. *Lance,e here; let me dress your wound,¡± Yara said softly, kneeling in front of him with a first aid kit.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°No need, Yara. You go help the others. Ms. Flora¡¯s got me covered.¡± Lance smiled, his eyes lighting up with pure, untainted innocence. ¡°Ms. Flora¡¯s too important to be dressing wounds, don¡¯t you think?¡± Yara frowned ¡°It¡¯s fine, hehe. Ms. Flora¡¯s really nice,¡± Lance chuckled, his innocence shining through Raised within the base, they didn¡¯t stick too strictly to any hierarchy. Flora fetched a medical kit from the vehicle and sat down beside Lance, taking out various bottles and jars. All were high¨Cquality medicines prepared by Connor before they set out Flora cleaned Lance¡¯s wound, then applied some antiseptic powder before expertly bandaging it. Her skills were even more polished than Yara¡¯s. Yara blinked, ¡°Ms. Flora, you know medical treatment?¡± Flora responded with a modest, ¡°A little.¡± Yara didn¡¯t think too much of it, assuming Flora just knew the basics. After all, people living on the edge like them tended to pick up some emergency medical skills. She went to treat the head of the Enforcement, but he waved her off, ¡°No need, I¡¯ve only got a minor injury. Don¡¯t worry about me; go help the others.¡± CHAPTER 295 Chapter 295 After a tough mission, a lot of the Empire Bose crew was banged up, some pretty badly. Jason, the head of Enforcement, didn¡¯t want to waste resources if he didn¡¯t have to. Yara gave Jason a quick once¨Cover, his wounds weren¡¯t too serious, so she handed hirm a couple of bottles of meds and moved on to treat the more critical cases. Colton was hurt too, but not too bad, thanks to Flora stepping in and blocking several deadly blows. After finishing up with Lance, Flora went over to help him. Trying to keep a straight face, Colton was still moved by Flora¡¯s kindness. She was the boss¡® fianc¨¦e, yet she didn¡¯t have any airs about her as she patched them up Once Flora finished bandaging him, she packed up the medical kit. She cought a glimpse of Jason struggling to bandage his own arm, his right hand making it tricky Squatting down in front of him, Flora said, ¡°Jason, let me help you with that.¡± Jason looked up to see Flora¡¯s delicate, pale hands taking the mess of a bandage from him. The gesture hit him right in the feels. ¡°Ms. Flora, thanks for saving me back there,¡± he said, genuinely impressed and thinking she really was the perfect match for Connor. Soon enough, everyone¡¯s injuries were dealt with, and it was time to figure out who fired the first shots that nearly ruined their escape. In all the chaos, nobody knew who the shooter was. ¡°Maybe it was one of those mercenaries. It couldn¡¯t have been one of us, right?¡± suggested someone from the Medical Division, and the others from Empire Base nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, they probably aimed at us but missed and hit their own guy,¡± someone else chimed in. ¡°Alright, Jason, as long as we¡¯re all okay, that¡¯s what matters. It¡¯s gettingte, and we need to get the shipment back or we¡¯ll have to answer to the boss, Yara said.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Jason nodded, still wondering if it really was the mercenaries who fired those shots. Flora, putting the medical kit back in the car, nced at Yara Was she overthinking things? Luckily, the shipment made it back to Empire Base without a hitch. Connor had just returned and frowned at the sight of Jason and the others looking worse for wear. But seeing Flora unhurt, he rxed. ¡°Tired?¡± he asked, wrapping an arm around Flora softly. Flora smiled, ¡°I¡¯m okay¡± ¡°Wanna rest upstairs for a bit?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Flora said, hugging him and resting her head on his shoulder. ¡°Come up and sleep with me.¡± The others couldn¡¯t help but cringe a little, looking away. The cute, affectionate Flora in front of them was worlds apart from the fierce warrior they knew. ¡°I still have some things to take care of. You go ahead, I¡¯ll be up in a bit affection ¡°Okay, Flora nodded, nuzzling his neck before heading upstairs. Connor said, patting her head with a mix of helplessness and As Flora disappeared up the stairs, the softness in Connor¡¯s eyes vanished, reced by a cold, stern look as he turned to the others. ¡°Alright, spill it. What happened?¡± CHAPTER 296 Chapter 296 The next day. Flora didn¡¯t wake up until almost noon. After lunch, she decided to take a stroll. Gavin, who¡¯d been waiting at the estate entrance, called out to her. ¡°Hey, Ms. Floral ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Flora tumed to look at him. ¡°Could youe with me to TechHQ? I¡¯ve got someputer issues and could really use your help, Gavin said, looking a bit sheepish. The previous day, after returning to TechHQ, Gavin had raved about Flora¡¯s skills to the boss. Now, both the boss and the rest of the team were eager to meet her ¡°Sure,¡± Flora replied without hesitation, She was bored anyway and figured it might be fun. Gavin, thrilled, led Flora into TechHQ. The ce looked a lot like a cyber cafe, with long rows of desks, each topped with aputer. As soon as they walked in, Flora was greeted by the rapid tter of keyboards and the clicking of mice. ¡°What have you been doingtely? Have you even been training? Look at your hand speed¨Cit¡¯s terrible!¡± The boss was berating someone whose head was hung low in shame. ¡°Uh, boss, I brought Ms. Flora, Gavin said, clearing his throat The boss looked over his eyes lighting up as he quickly approached Flora. ¡°Ms. Flora, Gavin tells me you fended off that cyber attack from The Red Scorpions?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Flora said casually The boss seemed skeptical. Flora, with her delicate appearance, didn¡¯t look like someone who could have such impressive skills. But Gavin wasn¡¯t known for lying. ¡°Ms. Flora, could you test your reaction time for us?¡± The boss led her to aputer set up for this purpose. ¡°Just click the mouse as soon as the software starts.¡± To make sure Flora understood, he had Gavin demonstrate. The software, designed by the boss himself, was meant to test reaction times crucial for hackers, where both skill and speed mattered. Flora blinked, not really getting the point of this test, but she didn¡¯t argue. She sat at theputer and, as soon as the software started, clicked the mouse just like Gavin had shown her Everyone crowded around to watch, curious to see if Flora was as skilled as Gavin had imed. Under their scrutiny, Flora calmly clicked the mouse. The screen disyed the result: 0.04 seconds. The boss¡® face froze for a moment. The rest of the team exchanged nces, their expressions a mix of surprise and disappointment. This was hardly impressive- even the slowest member of TechHQ could manage 0.02 seconds. Had Gavin exaggerated? How could someone with such a poor reaction time be a hacking prodigy? Unfazed, Flora didn¡¯t know if her time was good or bad but figured it wasn¡¯t great based on their reactions ¡°Uh¡­ well, the boss coughed awkwardly. ¡°For a woman, that¡¯s not bad at all. Just keep practicing.¡± With that, he walked away, and the rest of the team dispersed, ignoring Flora as if she didn¡¯t exist. ¡°Ms. Flora, let me take you back, Gavin said, feeling the awkwardness. ¡°Alright,¡± Flora nodded. It was clear they didn¡¯t think much of her, so there wasn¡¯t much point in stayingMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. Just then, an rm red. ¡°It¡¯s those bastards from The Red Scorpions!¡± the boss shouted, quickly sitting down to patch the breach, Gavin rushed over to help, leaving Flora behind. The rest of the team crowded around, trying to see the screen. The boss¡® fingers flew over the keyboard, his eyes glued to the screen, brow furrowed in concentration. The leader of The Red Scorpions was a top¨Ctier hacker, rarely matched by anyone in the Ruby Path. That¡¯s why the boss had been so eager to meet Flom after hearing she had defeated them. ¡°Damn it!¡± The boss cursed as the screen filled withplex code, making it nearly impossible to keep up. Sweat dripped from his forehead. Then, a message appeared, ¡°Grandson, I¡¯m your grandpa!¡± The boss nearly smashed theputer in frustration. The Red Scorpions were mocking him! ¡°Let me try.¡± came a calm, feminine voice. A pair of slender, pale hands appeared in front of the boss. Chapter 296 The next day Flora didn¡¯t wake up until almost noon. After lunch, she decided to take a stroll, Gavin, who¡¯d been waiting at the estate entrance, called out to her ¡°Hey, Ms. Floral ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Flora tumed to look at him ¡°Could youe with me to Tech Q? I¡¯ve got someputer issues and could really use your help, Gavin said, looking a bit sheepish The previous day, after returning to TechHQ, Gavin had raved about Flora¡¯s skills to the boss. Now both the boss and the rest of the team were eager to meet her. ¡°Sure,¡± Flora replied without hesitation. She was bored anyway and figured it might be fun. Gavin, thrilled, led Flora into TechHQ. The ce looked a lot like a cyber cafe, with long rows of desks, each topped with aputer. As soon as they walked in, Flora was greeted by the rapid tter of keyboards and the clicking of mice. ¡°What have you been doingtely? Have you even been training? Look at your hand speed¨Cit¡¯s terrible!¡± The boss was berating someone whose head was hung low in shame. ¡°Uh, boss, I brought Ms. Flora, Gavin said, clearing his throat. The boss looked over, his eyes lighting up as he quickly approached Flora Ms. Flora, Gavin tells me you fended off that cyber attack from The Red Scorpions? ¡°Something like that, Flora said casually. The boss seemed skeptical. Flora, with her delicate appearance, didn¡¯t look like someone who could have such impressive skills. But Gavin wasn¡¯t known for lying. ¡°Ms. Flora, could you test your reaction time for us?¡± The boss led her to a great based on their reactions ¡°Uh¡­ well,¡± the boss coughed awkwardly. ¡°For a woman, that¡¯s not bad at all. Just keep practicing.¡± With that, he walked away, and the rest of the team dispersed, ignoring Flora as if she didn¡¯t exist ¡°Ms. Flora, let me take you back,¡± Gavin said, feeling the awkwardness. ¡°Alright, Flora nodded. It was clear they didn¡¯t think much of her, so there wasn¡¯t much point in staying. Just then, an rm red, ¡°It¡¯s those bastards from The Red Scorpions!¡± the boss shouted, quickly sitting down to patch the breach. Gavin rushed over to help, leaving Flora behind. The rest of the team crowded around, trying to see the screen The boss¡® fingers flew over the keyboard, his eyes glued to the screen, brow furrowed in concentration. The leader of The Red Scorpions was a top¨Ctier hacker, rarely matched by anyone in the Ruby Path. That¡¯s why the boss had been so eager to meet Flora after hearing she had defeated them. ¡°Damn it! The boss cursed as the screen filled withplex code, making it nearly impossible to keep up. Sweat dripped from his forehead. Then, a message appeared, ¡°Grandson, I¡¯m your grandpa!¡± The boss nearly smashed theputer in frustration. The Red Scorpions were mocking him! ¡°Let me try,¡± came a calm, feminine voice. A pair of slender, pale hands appeared in front of the boss. CHAPTER 297 Chapter 297 The chief of the Cyber Division instinctively leaned back in his chair, creating some distance. The light inside was dim, with theputer¡¯s flickering glow casting shadows on Flora¡¯s face. Her eyes, slightly downcast, seemed indifferent. Her fingers moved leisurely over the keyboard, yet the vulnerabilities on the screen were being fixed one after another. In just moments, the situation had drastically changed. With a casual effort, Flora had The Red Scorpions retreating step by step. The chief held his breath, his eyes, deep and absorbed, glued to the screen, radiating intense light. His body trembled with excitement. Gavin, too, was shaking with enthusiasm. This was it! This was how Flora had repelled The Red Scorpions before! Just when the chief thought Flora would push the advantage and counterattack, she showed restraint, pushing them back without further pursuit ¡°That¡¯s enough¡± Flora said, pulling her hands away from the keyboard. Tve just added a few moreyers of protection to the firewall. The Red Scorpions won¡¯t be able to breach it again.¡± ¡°Ms. Flora, you¡¯re amazing! The chief¡¯s eyes sparkled with admiration. ¡°How did you do it?!¡± ¡°Just like that,¡± Flora said with a slight lift of her hand. ¡°What criteria are you using? Speed of hand? While that¡¯s important, what¡¯s more crucial is the brain.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°You¡¯re right, Ms. Flora, the chief said, his face solemn as he began to question his own thinking. Maybe he had been mistaken in his approach. ¡°Ms. Flora, could you take a look at a couple of programs for me?¡± The chief rubbed his hands together a bit embarrassed but also hopeful. Since she was already there, helping them out with a couple of programs was no big deal. The chief respectfully asked Flora to sit down and opened a few programs. These were programs he hadbored over to the point of going bald, yet there were still some unsatisfactory aspects. Flora propped her chin with one hand and pressed the keyboard with the other, examining the codes intently. asionally, she added content within a senes of codes. The chief stared intently at the screen, watching Flora¡¯s additions unravel the difficulties he had faced in recent days, feeling a breakthrough, an epiphany. Other members of the Cyber Division watched eagerly, some even taking out notebooks to jot down knowledge points. By the time Flora finished, she looked outside to see it had already turned dark. She moved her wrist, feeling a bit sore. ¡°That¡¯s enough for today. I should head back.¡± an in his forties like that ¡°Will Ms. Florae again tomorrow?¡± The chief looked at her with an intense gaze. Being looked at by a man in made Flora somewhat ufortable. ¡°Well see,¡± she coughed lightly and said. The chief rubbed his hands together. ¡°Let me walk you out, Ms. Flora, If you¡¯re free tomorrow, why note over again? It¡¯s fun here, don¡¯t you think¡­ He seemed as if he wished Flora would stay in the Cyber Division forever.
  1. n. She walked over and
Flora left the Cyber Division with a mix ofughter and tears. Back at the house, Connor was busy in the kitchen. hugged him from behind, resting her head on his shoulder and yfully nibbled at his neck. Connor stiffened, his knife pausing mid-chop, his gaze deepening. He put down the knife, turned around, and wall corner. His hands carefully positioned on Flora¡¯s head and shoulder, ensuring she wouldn¡¯t get hurt. CHAPTER 298 Chapter 298 Afterwards, a passionate kiss consumed her. The man¡¯s overpowering masculine scent left Flora¡¯s legs trembling. His rough hands settled on either side of her legs, steadying her delicate frame. ¡°Mmm¡­ It¡¯s so hot.. With summer in full swing, both were lightly dressed, and her soft body pressed lightly against his made Connor feel like he was going to burst. His hands, which had been resting on her legs, started to explore. They slipped under her skirt, making contact¡­ Right then, a deafening ¡°bang¡± came from the living room! Moss and Beck had dropped a basin of water on the floor. ¡°Boss, w¨Cwe, we¡­¡± Moss and Beck stammered, ¡°We¡¯ll leave now! Right now!¡± And they dashed away in a sh. Back in the kitchen, Connor and Flora were still pressed against the wall. His eyes were bloodshot, theers tinged with red, and his heavy breathing was thick with desire. Flora¡¯s gaze fell on his Adam¡¯s apple, and she couldn¡¯t help but swallow ¡°Don¡¯t y with fire next time.¡± Connor leaned in his tongue gently brushing against her earlobe. ¡°Flora, when you tum twenty.. F¡¯ll take you and I won¡¯t hold back The next day, Flora woke up unusually early. She grabbed her phone to check the time and saw a nd saw a flood of of messages. Mncholic Unde: President! Mncholic Uncle: Master! Mncholic Uncle President Master, pleasee out, I beg you. If you don¡¯t help me, I be bullied to death. Flora raised an eyebrow, knowing exactly why he was reaching out. She took a few sips of water from the ss on her bedside table before leisurely replying
  1. What¡¯s up?
¡°Mncholic Uncle sent several more messages and voice notes. Flora calmly scanned the notifications before responding
  1. I see.
Mncholic Uncle: Master, you think it¡¯s excessive, right? Someone¡¯s hired a top¨Cnotch hacker, and their style is eenly simr to yours. I almost thought it was you! Aren¡¯t you on summer break? You must have time, can you help me deal with this hacker?
  1. Not interested, no time.
After sending the message, Flora smoothly turned off her phone. Connor had thoughtfully left her breakfast in the microwave. After eating. Flora decided to head out for the day. Colton and Lance, as usual, were right behind her ¡°Ms. Flora, fancy a visit to the Enforcement club? Colton asked, recalling the mission set by his boss ¡°Sure¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. She hadn¡¯t been to Enforcement yet, so it was a perfect chance to check it out The three of them made their way towards Enforcement. At the entrance of Intelligence, the leader was eagerly waiting. Seeing Flora, he rushed to greet her. ¡°Oh, Ms. Flora, you¡¯ve finallye, please,e in Colton stepped forward, blocking Fibra with his usual icy demeanor. ¡°Pax, Ms. Flora has already agreed to visit Enforcement today.¡± ¡°Ah, what¡¯s so fun about Enforcement? It¡¯s just a bunch of brawlers. Intelligence is way more interesting. Ms. Flore,e see the program I¡¯ve tweaked!¡± CHAPTER 299 Chapter 299 Forehand tobed from the tug¨Cof¨Cwar,her side willing to give in. I ¡°Alright, alight¡± she sighed finally freeing her hand. ¡°TII head to Enforcement today Next time, I promise Ill drop by Intelligence¡± ignoring the wounded look from the Intelligence Chief, Flora walked into the Enforcement Division. The Enforcement Chief shot a smug look at his Intelligence counterpart and walked in after her, grinning from ear to ear. Colton and ¡°What¡¯s the dea? Why¡¯s Ms. Flora suddenly so popr? Weren¡¯t Jason and Pax just hating on her the other day?¡± Outside the Medical Division, two apprentices crushed herbs and peered out curiously. behind the counter paused her task of organizing medicine and saw the Enforcement Chief happily escorting Flora inside. A sh of frustration crossed her eyes. Inside the Enforcement Division, the young recruits trained with reckless energy, the air thick with the smell of sweat. They were caught off guard when the Chief brought Flora in, scrambling to put their shirts back on. ¡°You two go ahead and keep training. I show Ms. Flora around,¡± the Intelligence Chief said, shooing Colton and Lance away. Though Lance wasnt officially part of Enforcement, his friendly nature made him a favorite. The Enforcement Chief often let him join their training sessions Lance,e over here and throw a few punches! Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ve improved.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. The Enforcement members eagerly surrounded Lance, curious to test his strength My brothers, you all know how strong I am, Lance said, scratching his head shyly. His face, still boyish, turned a bit red as he handed over arge bag of goodies. ¡°You guys must be exhausted. I brought some drinks. Take a break before you keep training.¡± Peeking into the bag, the young men found it packed with their favorite snacks, all neatlybeled. Their hearts warmed at Lance¡¯s touhul gesture ¡°Lance, you¡¯re the best. You remember everyone¡¯s favorite snacks.¡± Off in the distance, a young man with a pompadour watched jealously. He was just a low¨Cranking member of Logistics. Why did Lance, another low¨Cranker, get so much love from the Enforcement guys? The young man had joined Enforcementst year, but with average talent and a reserved personality, he remained unnoticed. His envy towards Lance, who was cherished despite his rank, was palpable ¡°Hank, bro, this is for you. I¡¯ve seen you drink it a lot, hope you like it¡® Lance handed a bottle of soda to Hank, who took it with a cold stare before finally smirking. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, how about sparring with me? ¡°Sure, Lance. Hank¡¯s not too tough; a bout with him should be perfect for you.¡± Jason chimed in. He was the one who had led the Enforcement team to rescue Colton from a duel, and had remarked that Colton was stuck with Flora Hank¡¯s face twisted at the ¡°not too toughment, but he sneered when Lance agreed to the match. CHAPTER 300 Chapter 300 He was determined to show them what he was made of! To prove they were wrong to underestimate him! ever seen Lance in action A makeshift ring was set up in the enforcement department, specifically for sparring matches. Flora had never and was curious about his skills. She hooked a chair with her foot, pulled it over, and settled in to watch. In the ring, Hank and Lance faced each other, with Jason acting as the referee. The moment Jason announced the start, Hank charged at Lance like aet! To the onlookers from the enforcement department, Hank¡¯s speed wasn¡¯t anything special, but for Lance, who wasn¡¯t well¨Cversed in martial arts, Hank¡¯s moves were a blur. In a sh, Hank was right in front of him,nding a fierce punch on his chest! The powerful punch sent Lance stumbling backwards. But Hank wasn¡¯t about to let him off that easily. Grabbing Lance¡¯s arm, he yanked him back and unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks. Hank channeled all his resentment and anger into his assault, yet controlled his force just enough to pull Lance back each time he was about to fall, only to continue the onught of punches and kicks ¡°Diel¡± Hank cursed inwardly, swinging his fist towards Lance¡¯s head! ¡°Stop, Lancel¡± Everyone from the enforcement department went pale, rushing forward to intervene. If that punchnded, Lance would be seriously injured, if not dead. But it was toote! They couldn¡¯t possibly reach the ring in time! Just as Hank¡¯s fist was about to connect, mere inches from Lance¡¯s head, a figure darted forward, grabbing Larice by the cor and yanking him backwards. As the punch missed its target, Hank instinctively tried to swing again, but Colton, who had rushed to the scene, leapt into the ring andnded a kick on Hank¡¯s side Hank screamed as he was sent flying off the ring, crashing to the ground with two of his ribs broken. Flora released her grip on Lance¡¯s cor. As soon as she let go, Lance copsed like a puppet with its strings cut. Flora quickly knelt down to support him. She pulled out a bottle of medicine from her jacket, unscrewed the cap, and had Lance drink it. After swallowing the medicine, Lance felt the pain fade significantly, and his strength began to return¡­ ¡°Ms, Flora¡­ what did you give me?¡± he asked, his voice weak.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°A lifesaver,¡± Flora replied coolly It was a new medicine Jules had sent her, developed after years of research and costing a fortune. It was designed to quickly heal injuries and boost physical strength. ¡°Hank, you went too far! You knew Lance wasn¡¯t as skilled, yet you still went all out!¡± The rest of the enforcement department crowded around to check on Lance¡¯s injuries, furious to see theirrade so badly hurt. Hank sneered, ¡°Exactly. One should know their own strength. Being the least skilled from Logistics, with mediocre martial arts, what right did he have to Chapter 301 Colton was one of the top enforcers in the agency, practically unbeatable. Hank knew better than to challenge him; he wouldn¡¯tst more than a few moves against Colton¡¯s skill. ¡°I¡¯m talking about Lance!¡± Hank sneered, trying to mask his fear of Colton. ¡°He¡¯s too weak to be here. If he¡¯d told me how weak he was sooner, I could¡¯ve gone easy on him.¡± Everyone at the agency clenched their fists in anger at Hank¡¯s bragging. Oh, Hank, they noted. They¡¯d make sure to avenge Lance. Flora stood up slowly, her gaze calm as itnded on Hank. ¡°You keep calling others weak. Do you think you¡¯re strong?¡± Hank, who hadn¡¯t been on thest mission and was clueless about Flora¡¯s abilities, dismissed her as just a pretty face who¡¯d won Connor¡¯s favor. ¡°Compared to him, I¡¯m definitely stronger,¡± he retorted with disdain. ¡°Isn¡¯t the agency¡¯s assessment tournament in half a month?¡± Flora asked Colton quietly. Though confused by her question, Colton nodded.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°In half a month, if Lance passes the assessment, you¡¯ll leave the agency. Do you dare to bet?¡± Flora challenged. Hank¡¯s arrogance didn¡¯t belong in the agency. Flora¡¯s voice, though soft, was clear to everyone. Hankughed in disbelief, thinking he misheard. How could Lance, who had failed the assessment for three years, pass in half a month? ¡°If he passes, I¡¯ll not only leave the agency voluntarily, I¡¯ll bow three times to him. But if he fails,¡± Hank paused with a smirk, ¡°he must leave Empire Base!¡± Hank had always wanted a reason to drive Lance away. ¡°Deal,¡± Flora said, her voice steady as she rubbed her wrists. ¡°Colton, help Lance back,¡± she instructed before leaving. 11:13 ¡°Ms. Flora, why would you make such a bet for Lance? Just for a moment of satisfaction?¡± Colton asked, his face grim as he supported Lance, ¡°Lance, don¡¯t talk to Ms. Flora like that,¡± Lance, regaining some strength, said more confidently. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for Ms. Flora¡¯s help.¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Colton snapped, his gaze fixed on Flora with dissatisfaction and anger. ¡°I¡¯m confident that in half a month, Lance will pass the assessment,¡± Flora stated, turning to face him. ¡°Are you thinking of pulling strings?¡± Colton frowned. ¡°The boss won¡¯t agree.¡± That was the only exnation Colton could think of for Flora¡¯s confidence. Flora considered the idea of pulling strings but then dismissed it. ¡°The assessment rules allow challengers to pick any member of the agency for a duel. If they win, they¡¯re in. I¡¯m sure Lance can defeat Hank in half a month.¡± ¡°But bing strongeres at a price. It¡¯ll be hellish. Can you handle it?¡± she asked Lance seriously. Lance knew his own limitations but, looking into Flora¡¯s clear, calm eyes, he felt a surge of confidence and determination. ¡°Ms. Flora, I can endure any hardship to be stronger!¡± Determined to prove himself, Lance was ready for any challenge, even if it meant being expelled from Empire Base. Flora smiled slightly and led Lance to the punching strength machine. ¡®Give it a try,¡± she encouraged. The machine disyed the top ten rankings, with the agency¡¯s chief at the top, Colton second, and Yara fifth. Flora was the only woman on the list, standing out prominently. Lance inhaled deeply, assumed a stance, and threw a punch! Lance¡¯s name, photo, and punch strength appeared on the screen. 268¡­ The lowest by far, a vast difference from Colton¡¯s 879. 2/3 11:13 pier Flora sighed; the result was much worse than she anticipated. Even the weakest at Club 257 had nearly 400. Lance, disheartened, said, ¡°Ms. Flora, I really am weak¡­¡± CHAPTER 302 Chapter 302 ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Flora said, coughing lightly. ¡°You¡¯ve had a rough day. Go home, rest up, and be here at 7 a.m. sharp tomorrow. And Colton, you better be here too.¡± Lance was taken aback. Since he¡¯d known Flora, she never woke up before noon. Now, she was willing to get up at the crack of dawn just to train him. He was touched. Ms. Flora is really something special¡­ Colton stood off to the side, his face dark and brooding, not saying a word. Once Flora returned to the mansion, she texted Jules. Flora: I need more of that new medicine you developed. Send me as much as you can, especially the ones that speed up recovery. Jules replied quickly: Got it. Should I send it to Cedarvale? Flora: No, send it to Ruby Path. She sent the address over. Jules: What are you doing at Ruby Path? Going to see Road too? ¡°Road too¡± was the founder of The Red Scorpions. Their base was at Ruby Path, so Jules assumed Flora was going to meet him. Flora: I¡¯m not with him. And don¡¯t tell him I¡¯m at Ruby Path. Otherwise, he¡¯d throw a fit, and just thinking about it gave Flora a headache. A deep, maic voice came from behind her, ¡°Who are you texting so intently that you didn¡¯t even notice I was back?¡± The next second, the sofa next to Flora sank as Connor sat down beside her. Flora smiled, then threw herself into Connor¡¯s arms, hugging his waist. ¡°I missed you,¡± she said, her voice soft and sweet. Connorughed, a deep rumble from his chest, hisrge hand stroking her hair. ¡°Looks like our Flora has done something spectacr today.¡± Flora grinned, looking up at him, not surprised he knew. ¡°Do you know what Colton asked me today?¡± 712 11:13 Chapter 302 ¡°What?¡± ¡°He asked if I was looking for a shortcut,¡± Flora said, her eyes crinkling withughter. ¡°Mr. Connor, will you let me take this shortcut?¡± Connor slowly reached out his calloused hand, gently pinching her chin. ¡°That depends on how sincere Mrs. Hoff is.¡± Floraughed softly, her hand sliding over Connor¡¯s waist through his shirt. ¡°Is offering myself enough?¡± The atmosphere turned charged. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± A series of coughs broke the moment, as Zack, the head of Logistics, and the head of the Medical Division stood awkwardly at the door. Flora got up from Connor¡¯s embrace. ¡°You guys talk. I¡¯ll go upstairs.¡± With that, she briskly walked upstairs without looking back at Connor. Such a tease! Connor chuckled, a soft light in his eyes. Yara, holding the documents, looked pale. She¡¯d never seen Connor so tender¡­Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. What did that woman have that made the boss value her so much? Zack, the head of Logistics, spoke respectfully, ¡°Boss, we¡¯re already negotiating with Master Jules. No matter the cost, we have to get that batch of medicine.¡± Master Jules had developed a batch of medicine that could rapidly enhance human recovery from injuries, causing a global sensation. Every faction wanted it, including Empire Base. Zack quickly shifted the focus to Yara. ¡°We owe a lot to Yara for this. If it wasn¡¯t for her being Master Jules¡® niece, we might still be looking for him.¡± Yara spoke solemnly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boss. I¡¯ve been discussing it with my uncle. As his niece, he will definitely help us.¡± If she could secure this batch of medicine, everyone in the base would respect her more. Maybe the boss would see her in a new light¡­ 2/3 11:13 ¡°If we get this batch of medicine, Yara should be credited,¡± Zack continued, singing Yara¡¯s praises. He saw her as the perfect choice for Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Yara was kind¨Chearted, capable, and much better than that delicate Flora. Plus, as the niece of the legendary healer, Master Jules, she was leagues ahead of Flora. Connor listened, his expression unchanged. They¡¯d been after Master Jules¡® medicine for a long time. He hadn¡¯t known that Jules and Flora were already acquainted, and even now, Connor didn¡¯t want to use that connection. The next day, Flora was up at 6:30 a.m. After summer vacation, it was rare for After her to wake up so early, and she was still half¨Casleep as she washed up. breakfast, she went out, and it was exactly 7 a.m. Lance and Colton were already waiting. ¡°Follow me,¡± Flora said, leading them to the arena. It had been several days since theirst visit. The arena hadn¡¯t changed much; on the stage, two people were fighting desperately. To win, they spared no means; to win, they broke their limits over and over. ¡°Do you see now?¡± Flora asked Lance. ¡°To win, you must pay the price. To be stronger, you must fight and surpass yourself again and again.¡± ¡°Ms. Flora, I can do it!¡± Lance said, clenching his fists, his teeth gritted. He was never afraid of hardship; as long as he could be stronger, he was willing to do anything! ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of letting Lance enter the deathmatch arena, are you?¡± Colton spoke up, his brows tightly knit. CHAPTER 303 Chapter 303 Stepping into the ring was definitely a solid way to get stronger. Back in the day, Colton had to face the arena to pass Enforcement¡¯s assessment, even bing champion for three seasons straight. But for Lance to step into the ring with his current skills? He¡¯d just be asking for a beating, maybe even worse. When Flora heard Colton¡¯s concern, she raised an eyebrow, ¡°Of course not.¡± Colton felt a bit relieved but was still puzzled. If Flora didn¡¯t bring Lance here to fight, then what was the n? Flora found a booth by the window on the second floor, where she could see the arena clearly. She ordered some popcorn and soda, snacking leisurely while instructing Lance, ¡°Lance, watch these matches closely. Halfway through each one, tell me who you think will win and why the loser lost.¡± To get stronger, it¡¯s crucial to learn how to analyze an opponent¡¯s weaknesses. Mastering this skill will make future training much more effective. ¡°Got it, Ms. Flora!¡± Lance nodded seriously, eyes glued to the arena. They sat there the entire day. At first, Lance waspletely lost, unable to predict the oues. But after watching over a dozen matches, he started to get the hang of it, predicting who would win and analyzing why the others lost. ¡°Ms. Flora, I think he lost because he hesitated too much,¡± Lance said thoughtfully. ¡°He had a chance to knock his opponent down but missed it because he hesitated. His opponent caught his breath and then delivered the final blow.¡± Flora nodded, satisfied, ¡°Well said.¡± ¡°Ms. Flora, I think the guy who lost just now isn¡¯t weaker. His agility and reaction speed were great, but his opponent had more strength. His biggest mistake was trying to match his opponent¡¯s pace instead of setting his own.¡± 1/4 11:13 Chapter 303 Flora¡¯s smile widened, ¡°Great progress.¡± She checked her phone, stood up, and said, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s head back. Remember, tomorrow at 7 a.m., be at the mansion¡¯s entrance.¡± The next day, Flora brought Lance and Colton back to the undergroundpetition arena. After two days, Lance could make urate predictions about the match oues and exin why someone lost about two¨Cthirds into the matches. ¡°Ms. Flora, watching the opponent is important, but strength is crucial. If there¡¯s a huge gap in strength, nothing else matters,¡± Colton couldn¡¯t help but say. Two days had passed, and aside from observing, Flora hadn¡¯t let Lance do anything else. Despite seeing Lance¡¯s improvement, Colton was still anxious. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Flora said, supporting her chin with a smile. ¡°The person I¡¯ve been looking for has been found. Colton, please invite that man to our booth.¡± Colton followed Flora¡¯s gaze to a muscr man in the crowd who had been in the ring twice since yesterday, losing once and winning once. He was covered in bruises but still refused to give up, intending to sign up again. What does Ms. Flora want with this guy? The next day. Training ground. In the ring, Lance stood face¨Cto¨Cface with the muscr man Flora had asked Colton to invite yesterday. Flora had observed the man closely. His fighting style was somewhat simr to Hank¡¯s but more skilled. Despite being desperate for money, the man had never used dirty tricks in the ring, proving his integrity. The man, named Freddy, kept entering the ring to raise money for his wife¡¯sThis is property ? N?velDrama.Org. 2/4 11:13 cancer treatment. Upon learning that Flora wanted him to spar with Lance and was offering two million dors, Freddy agreed without hesitation. Flora promptly transferred one million as a deposit for him to pay for the treatment. In the ring, Freddy eyed Lance warily. Considering him a member of the Empire Base and someone Flora was willing to invest heavily in, he must be skilled in martial arts. Below, Flora lounged in a chair, with Colton by her side acting as the referee. At Colton¡¯s signal, Freddy charged at Lance with a shout, swift as the wind, his fists aiming for Lance! ¡°Ahh!¡± A scream echoed as Lance was thrown from the ring,nding near Flora¡¯s feet. Freddy, still in his punching stance, looked baffled. How did Lance end up on the ground so quickly? It was only one move¡­ Lance, clutching his stomach, staggered to his feet and re¨Centered the ring. With a hesitant nce at Flora, seeing her nod for continuation, Freddy charged at Lance again. With the previous experience, Lance quickly sidestepped as Freddy approached, narrowly avoiding the punch. Just as Lance attempted to counter from the side, Freddy¡¯s quick response allowed him to leap and spin in the air, striking Lance¡¯s shoulder with a downward smash. Lance winced in pain, his knees buckling, falling heavily. Yet, he quickly struggled to his feet, fists aimed at Freddy, ¡°Again!¡± Freddy easily dodged with a light sidestep, then kicked Lance¡¯s back. The young man couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and copsed onto the ground, spread¨Ceagled. Freddy hesitated, looking towards Flora for guidance. 11:13 Chapter 303 ¡°Go all out, no mercy, just leave him breathing,¡± Flora¡¯s voice was cold, her eyes devoid of warmth. To grow stronger, one must endure hardship; there are no shortcuts. CHAPTER 304 Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Time and time again, he hit the ground, only to get back up. If it weren¡¯t for Flora¡¯s medicine, he¡¯d have run out of steam long ago. By the end of the day, Lance was covered in bruises and cuts, his body a roadmap of pain. There were moments when even Freddy hesitated, reluctant to hit him again. But he was there to do a job, and Flora hadn¡¯t called time yet, so he had to keep going. Despite the agony, there were gains. From barely managing to survive a single move, Lance could now go toe¨Cto¨Ctoe with Freddy for two rounds. ¡°That¡¯s it for today; we¡¯ll pick up tomorrow. As the clock struck five, Flora stood up, tucked her phone into her bag, and said it with the nonchnce of someone used to giving orders. Colton rushed to the ring to help Lance up, noticing the welts and bruises. marring his skin. His fingers turned white as he gripped Lance¡¯s shoulder, a sh of concern crossing his face. The next day, Lance still took a beating, but it wasn¡¯t just one¨Cway traffic anymore. He was starting to fight back while defending himself. By the end of the session, he¡¯d managed tond five hits on Freddy! Seeing his progress, Lance was ecstatic, feeling a boundless energy surging through him. On the third day, he got in eight hits, and his defenses were rock solid. Freddy had to crank up his effort to sixty percent just tond a blow. Fourth day¡­ Fifth day¡­ Tenth day¡­ ¡°Hal¡± Chapter 304 Lance clenched his fists, eyes narrowing as Freddy charged at him. From barely perceiving Freddy¡¯s moves, now Freddy¡¯s actions seemed almost slow to him. The punch sliced through the air, carrying a force that seemed to rip the atmosphere apart. Lance pushed off the ground, soaring to an incredible height, spinning perfectly mid¨Cair, andnded a powerful kick on Freddy¡¯s back! The impact sent Freddy flying forward! He was about to tumble out of the ring! Freddy felt his feet slipping off the edge, breaking into a cold sweat. Just two more inches, and he¡¯d have fallen off. In only ten days, Lance¡¯s progress was staggering! Freddy had to stay on his toes, no room forcency! ¡°Again!¡± Lance was on fire, his whole being radiating energy. He felt a powerful force trapped inside him, eager to be unleashed. The more he fought, the stronger he felt, his attacks growing even fiercer! Freddy couldn¡¯t keep up anymore. ¡°Stop, stop, give it a rest. We¡¯ve been at it all morning, and you¡¯re still going like a man possessed. Don¡¯t you ever get tired?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. gett Freddy, utterly spent, plopped down on the ring, his voice hoarse from thirst. Lance, a bit sheepish, scratched his head. Ms. Flora¡¯s medicine really was something else¨Cit made him feel like he could go on forever¡­ Ms Flora¡¯s concoctions/were the most potent he¡¯d ever had. Every dose filled him with endless energy, numbing the painpletely. That¡¯s how he managed to push his limits over and over again. His rapid improvement wasn¡¯t just his effort; Flora¡¯s contributions were immense. ¡°We¡¯ve trained enough for the morning; let¡¯s grab some lunch and pick up Flora stood up, carrying two bottles of water to the ring, handing one to each. of them. Freddy and Lance chugged their bottles in one go. ¡°Thanks, Ms. Flora!¡± Lance wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes shining like stars. In just ten days, Lance was a different man, his voice brimming with confidence, his eyes sparkling with determination. He had a newfound toughness, but his smile was still as innocent as ever. Flora headed back to the manor for her meal while Colton took Lance to the main dining hall. The hall was packed, and the sight of Colton and Lance immediately drew attention. Everyone knew about the bet between Lance and Hank, and curiosity was at an all¨Ctime high about who would win.. These days, whenever Lance showed up, he was always battered, making everyone wonder if he was secretly training. ¡°I¡¯ll grab the food; you find us a spot,¡± Colton said and disappeared into the crowd. Lance got two bowls of soup and found a seat to wait for Colton. ¡°Man, there¡¯s something different about Lancetely. He¡¯s been leaving early anding backte, covered in bruises but still cheerful. Do you think he¡¯s really training in secret?¡± Hank and his buddies were huddled together, whispering. Hank sneered, ncing over at Lance. ¡°A loser¡¯s a loser, no matter how much they train.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Hank. Our boss is an Enforcement disciple; Lance can¡¯t evene close!¡± Another chimed in, ¡°Three days until the Enforcement evaluation match. Lance is gonna be begging for mercy!¡± ¡°Do you think the boss¡® fianc¨¦e is nuts? Lance can¡¯t even take one move from our boss, but she thinks he can win.¡± ¡°Ha! Those pampered girls don¡¯t know anything. She¡¯s not worthy of the boss. Only someone like Yara, who¡¯s both noble and strong, deserves him. The boss is probably just having some fun; he¡¯ll ditch her soon enough¨CAh! What the hell!¡± Hot soup drenched the guy¡¯s head, and he screamed, ¡°Lance, are you crazy?!¡± Lance mmed the soup bowl on the table, his usually cheerful eyes now icy cold. ¡°I¡¯m just teaching you some manners. Ms. Flora is the boss¡® fianc¨¦e, a woman of high status. You will not speak of her that way.¡± CHAPTER 305 Chapter 305 A young man frantically wiped his face, greasy soup running down from his hair. He was about to lose his mind! ¡°Lance! Damn it, stop acting like you¡¯re all that! What did I even say? Who in the base hasn¡¯t talked like this behind others¡® backs? Following someone around for days, you¡¯ve sure gotten bolder, daring to dump hot soup over my head!¡± Lance looked at him coldly, his somewhat chubby face filled with anger. ¡°You owe me an apology!¡± ¡°Apologize my ass! You¡¯re just asking for it!¡± The young man, unable to contain his fury, swung his fist towards Lance. Although he wasn¡¯t considered very strong in the base, he was more than a match for Lance. Lance had humiliated him in front of so many people; he was determined to make Lance kneel and beg for mercy! As the young man¡¯s fist approached, the only thought in Lance¡¯s mind was how slow and weak the punch was. His opponent was so weak that Lance didn¡¯t even bother to move. Thinking Lance was too scared to even dodge, the young man grew even more arrogant. A look of disdain shed in Hank¡¯s eyes. Scared stiff just like that? With such meager skills, and still dreaming of beating him in the trial match. three dayster? Ridiculous. The young man¡¯s fist was just half a finger¡¯s width away from Lance¡¯s face! Seeing him still not dodging, everyone panicked. Lance was well¨Cliked in the base, treated like a younger brother by everyone; Chapter 305 they couldn¡¯t just watch him get hit. Just as they were about to step in and help, Lance finally moved. Hezily raised his hand, not even bothering to look directly at the young man, but his grip on the young man¡¯s fist was precise and firm. It seemed effortless, yet the young man showed a painful expression. ¡°Ouch, ouch, let go!¡± The young man felt like his bones were about to be crushed. He struggled to pull his hand away, but Lance¡¯s grip was incredibly strong, tightly holding his hand, making it impossible to withdraw. ¡°Hank, help!¡± The young man screamed loudly. Hank¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He disdained to intervene, feeling Lance wasn¡¯t worthy of being his opponent. But since the young man was his, and with so many onlookers, it reflected badly on him to have the young man suffer humiliation at Lance¡¯s hands. Hank reached out to grab the young man¡¯s arm, his strength more than enough to pull the young man¡¯s hand from Lance¡¯s grip, but it felt as if the young man¡¯s hand was shackled by iron, impossible to withdraw. Hank¡¯s gaze hardened as he finally took Lance seriously. A chill passed through his eyes, and Hank swiftly moved to strike at Lance¡¯s chest! Lance dodged swiftly, then countered with a punch, striking hard at Hank¡¯s chest! Hank¡¯s expression changed as he stumbled back to dodge. Lance¡¯s punch barely missed Hank¡¯s chest, but it shocked everyone present! Everyone knew what Lance used to be like; he stood no chance against Hank, who could send him flying with a single punch.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. But now, Lance was able to dodge Hank¡¯s attack and almostnd a punch on Hank! Hank was utterly astonished, clutching his slightly numb chest, his eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°Hank¡­did you pull your punches?¡± The young man, also startled, asked Hank instinctively. Other than Hank holding back, he couldn¡¯t imagine any other possibility! Could it be that Lance had transformed so much in just a short period? Hearing the young man¡¯s question, Hank¡¯s expression darkened further, his mind a tumultuous sea. Stabilizing his mind, he red at Lance with disdain. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve put in quite the effort over these ten days, wanting to beat me. But you¡¯re still too weak. With your little strength, you think you can win against me? Ridiculous! You don¡¯t even deserve to stay in the base. In the trial match three days from now, I¡¯ll personally see you expelled!¡± With that, Hank turned and strode away. The young man and Hank¡¯s few followers quickly followed. ¡°Lance! You were amazing! You¡¯ve changed so much!¡± ¡°Tell me! What did you do these past days? Did you go through some secret. training?¡± ¡°To improve so much in such a short time, did the boss give you special treatment?¡± Everyone crowded around Lance, their faces filled with excitement. Lance¡¯s change was so dramatic, they wouldn¡¯t have believed it if they hadn¡¯t seen it with their own eyes. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Colton squeezed through the crowd, cing two dinner tes on the table. with an indifferent expression, scanning the excited group, clearly indicating it was time to eat and for the irrelevant people to leave. Knowing Colton¡¯s temperament, no one dared stay any longer, leaving reluctantly. Lance turned to Colton, asking, ¡°Baker, how did I do just now?¡± His youthful face flushed with excitement, he loved the feeling just no 15 experienced. He now had strength, no longer easily underestimated, capable of protecting. others instead of always being protected. ¡°Not bad.¡± Colton uttered two words, but the corners of his lips involuntarily curled up. Lance became even happier. ¡°Then Baker, let¡¯s eat quickly and head back to the training ground!¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Colton responded. In the distance, the Chief of the Enforcement Hall watched Lance, thoughtful. He had witnessed the entire scene and was amazed by Lance¡¯s transformation. He was curious about what Flora had done to achieve such rapid progress in just ten days. Everything would be clear on the day of the trial match. CHAPTER 306 Chapter 306 Finally, the day of the big assessmentpetition was here. This annual event wasn¡¯t just for recruiting into the Enforcement division; it also included the Medical and Intelligence divisions. Usually, the participants were either new recruits who hadn¡¯t been ced in a division yet or members like Lance, who wanted to switch divisions. The exams were spread over three days: the first day for Enforcement, the second for Medical, and the third for Intelligence. The tests began each day at 9 a.m. After a sleepy breakfast, Flora and Connor made their way to the training grounds. The training grounds were buzzing with excitement, packed with disciples from all four divisions, each in their designated areas. The Enforcement disciples wore ck uniforms, the Logistics disciples yellow, Intelligence in red, and Medical in white. As for the new recruits who hadn¡¯t been assigned yet, they wore casual clothes. The yearlypetition had everyone buzzing with excitement, discussing it eagerly among themselves. But the chatter died down the moment Connor and Flora appeared. Even though it was just nine in the morning, the midsummer sun was already high, painting the sky a fiery red. All the disciples stood up, their eyes filled with reverence and admiration as Connor ascended the ten steps. d in a simple ck t¨Cshirt and cargo pants, with one hand in his pocket and the other holding Flora¡¯s, his rxed demeanor couldn¡¯t hide his natural nobility -andmanding presence. ¡°Greetings, boss!¡± The words erupted from their chests, carrying a deep sense. of faith and echoing loudly! At the top of the steps, there was a throne big enough for two. Connor helped Flora sit down first before taking his seat. His dark eyes scanned the crowd kneeling before him, and he quietly said, ¡°Rise.¡± Everyone stood up as Zack from Logistics took the stage as the host. He gave a brief introduction, and thepetition started. The rules were straightforward: anyone who could defeat an Enforcement disciple would qualify to join the division.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. 1/2 09:12 ¨C ¡°First up, Daniel.¡± As Zack¡¯s voice echoed, a young man in a yellow uniform stepped onto the stage. ¡°I choose to challenge Hank!¡± Daniel announced boldly. Among the Enforcement disciples, Hank was considered one of the weaker ones, so Daniel picked him for a better chance of winning. Hank strode onto the stage, sneering at Daniel¡¯s slim frame. He wasn¡¯t surprised Daniel had chosen him; most people thought he was the weakest in Enforcement. But today, Hank intended to prove them wrong. As soon as Zack signaled the start, Danielunched an attack. Hank easily dodged the move, circled to Daniel¡¯s side, and grabbed his wrist, twisting it hard- A scream pierced the air, sending shivers down everyone¡¯s spines. Hank let go of Daniel¡¯s now¨Cfractured hand and kicked him hard in the knee. Daniel fell to his knees, shaking with pain. Seeing Daniel in such agony, Hank felt a rush of satisfaction. He delivered another hard kick to Daniel¡¯s back, and the young man copsed, unable to support himself any longer. CHAPTER 307 Chapter 307 Hank had finally had enough of tormenting him and kicked him out of the ring. The staff quickly rushed to help the young man up and took him away for treatment. Hank won, but the arena was dead silent; hardly anyone cheered, and everyone looked grim. Sure, in the ring, it was supposed to be a no¨Cholds¨Cbarred fight, but Hank¡¯s actions crossed a line. Even among teammates, such brutal force was frowned upon. Not even Colton, known for his icy demeanor, would go to such extremes in a match. Jason¡¯s face was a mask. While Hank¡¯s methods were ruthless, Enforcement wasn¡¯t a ce for the soft¨Chearted; the weak faced harsh fates. ¡°Lance, Hank was way too rough. You better watch out!¡± Over in the Logistics section, Lance¡¯srades expressed their worries. Everyone knew about the bet between Hank and Lance, and seeing Hank¡¯s brutality, they feared Lance might get hurt too. Lance stayed silent, his hands clenching slightly on his knees, his eyes drifting up to Ms. Flora. She lounged back in her chair, seemingly indifferent, but when she sensed his gaze, her eyes met hiszily. Just that one look was enough to calm Lance¡¯s heart. Ms. Flora had put so much effort into training him; he had to win. Not just for himself, but for her too. On stage, Flora watched Hank¡¯s swift, precise movements with a hint of surprise in her eyes. He had made significant progress. His kicks were stronger, his movements quicker than during his Enforcement days. As for Lance¡­ Her eyelids drooped slightly, her indifference slipping a bit. ¡°The next challenger is from Logistics, Zack.¡± Zack announced, and the young man strode onto the stage without hesitation. ¡°I choose Jason.¡± Jason was strong, well¨Cknown in Enforcement, and the young man¡¯s direct 09:13 0 challenge surprised many. Flora only had eyes for Lance, watching the others withzy disinterest. The young man was agile and strong, but Jason¡¯sbat experience was superior. He timed his attacks and defenses perfectly. In the end, the young man lost. But even in defeat, he was gracious and bold, ¡°Brother Jason, you¡¯re incredible, but I won¡¯t give up. I¡¯ll keep training and challenge you again in the next assessment!¡± Jason smiled, respecting a worthy opponent, and extended his hand. ¡°You¡¯re impressive too. I look forward to that day.¡± The audience erupted in thunderous apuse. This was what true respect looked like, a stark contrast to Hank¡¯s pettiness.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. As the young man left the stage, Zack continued, holding the list. ¡°The next challenger is¡­¡± He paused when he saw the name ¡®Lance¡® before continuing, ¡°Lance!¡± CHAPTER 308 Chapter 308 Lance slowly stood up, making his way through the crowd to step onto the ring. All the senior members of the Enforcement Club furrowed their brows in concern. ¡°Is Lance seriously thinking of challenging Hank?¡± ¡°We saw Hank¡¯s moves earlier. He¡¯s gotten way stronger, and his attacks are vicious. Can Lance really handle it? What if something happens?¡± ¡°Lance, don¡¯t be an idiot. Pick me instead; I¡¯ll go easy on you and still get your into the Enforcement Club.¡± ¡°With the club leader watching? If you dare throw the match, he¡¯ll throw you out of the club.¡± The seniors were anxious, fearing Lance would indeed choose Hank. Hank already had it in for him. Once on the ring, who knew how hard he would hit? ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried at all?¡± Jason looked at Colton, who had always been protective of Lance. Yet now, he sat silently, not showing a hint of worry. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Be honest, how good is Lance now?¡± Colton quietly watched the ring, his voice cold and emotionless, ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough.¡± Flora, sitting in her chair, shifted to a morefortable position. The sun was too bright, dazzling her eyes, so she squinted towards the action. ¡°Lance, who do you choose to challenge?¡± Zack asked. He knew about Lance¡¯s bet with Hank but didn¡¯t agree with Lance¡¯s choice. Hank was too ruthless. If Lance faced him, he¡¯d be at a serious disadvantage. Lance saw his concern and took a deep breath, ¡°The one I choose to challenge is- He steeled himself and shouted two words, ¡°Hank!¡± After calling out Hank¡¯s name, Lance, standing on the tform, clearly saw 20913 the mixed reactions from below. There were looks of worry, disbelief in his strength, and some that seemed to mock him¡­ No one believed he could win. His gaze swept across andnded on Flora, who casually mouthed something. He understood it¨Cit was: Good luck! His blood surged, and he nodded vigorously at Flora! He would definitely give it his all!N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Hank, whose name was called, stood up and walked towards the ring, with at mocking grin. Really brave, daring to challenge him. ¡°I thought you¡¯d chicken out, not dare to call me out,¡± he stood opposite Lance,. not hiding his disdain and mockery, ¡°I advise you to forfeit now. Otherwise, I can¡¯t guarantee what state you¡¯ll be in after we start fighting.¡± ¡°The match isn¡¯t about who can talk tough; I might not lose. Enough talk, let¡¯s start!¡± Lance finished speaking, spread his legs shoulder¨Cwidth apart, clenched his fists, and entered a ready stance. The whistle blew, and the match officially began. Hank was about to make a move, but Lance, like an arrow released from its bow, rushed towards him at an incredible speed. Hank¡¯s heart skipped a beat, barely having time to react, he instinctively dogged. The fierce wind from the punch whistled past his ear, making Hank¡¯s ear tingles numbly. His body couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly, unable to hide his shock. Chapter 308 Such rapid speed¡­ Such powerful force¡­ Even he found it difficult to contend with! Thest time in the cafeteria, Lance was nowhere near this strong! In just a few days, he had improved so much! The senior members of the Enforcement Club were also stunned. I ¡°Holy crap, did I see that right? Lance almost hit Hank just now?¡± ¡°Oh my God, when did Lance get so strong!¡± ¡°Look, Hank got totally caught off guard! Lance, go for it! Beat him down!¡± After the initial shock, the crowd erupted into excited cheers! Lance was well¨Cliked among the four halls, and all the club members cheered him on! Colton remained silent, but the tightness of his lips eased a bit, and the oppressive aura around him lightened. Flora shifted her position, resting her head on Connor¡¯s shoulder amidst the cheering. She squinted and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Even Connor was surprised by Lance¡¯s improvement, but knowing it was Flora¡¯s doing, it felt right. He turned his head to look at the little woman resting on his shoulder, smiling, ¡°Nicely taught.¡± Flora¡¯s voice was filled with pleasure, ¡°Who else could have taught him?¡± On the ring, Hank, hearing the overwhelming voices rooting for Lance to beat him, twisted his face into a grotesque snarl. ¡°Heh¡­¡± a scornfulugh came from his chest, his eyes dark and menacing as he stared at Lance, ¡°I underestimated you. But winning against me won¡¯t be so easy!¡± Hank changed his strategy to focus more on defense. He saw Lance as a headstrong youth, attacking without reserve. It wouldn¡¯t be long before he¡¯d be out of stamina, and that would be Hank¡¯s 09:13 pter chance to strike. What he didn¡¯t know was that Lance had been sparring day and night with mercenaries for the past ten days. Moreover, with Flora feeding him those precious medicines like candy, his physical condition had drastically improved. His stamina was off the charts! Even with such intense and frequent attacks, Lance could maintain hisposure without breaking a sweat, whereas Hank started to falter. He internally screamed, what kind of monster is this! The members of the Enforcement Club were also shocked by Lance¡¯s extraordinary stamina. They admitted to themselves that even they couldn¡¯t haveunched so many attacks in such a short period. They would have been exhausted long ago. Jason s¨¢t up straight, his gaze fixed on Lance, internally astounded. Lance¡¯s improvement had far exceeded his expectations. What exactly did Ms. Flora do to enable such a transformation in such a short time? CHAPTER 309 Chapter 309 Large beads of sweat trickled down Hank¡¯s forehead, stinging his eyes as they fell. After a grueling ten¨Cminute standoff, Hank was drenched, his throat dry and his tongue parched. He knew he couldn¡¯t oust Lance in this endurance. test. The longer the deadlock, the worse it got for him. With a sudden burst of resolve, Hank decided to go for a quick and decisive strike,unching an all¨Cout attack. Hank was no stranger tobat. He had a wealth of experience, while Lance, if you counted, only had Freddy as a notable opponent. Hank¡¯s moves were varied and unpredictable, throwing Lance off his game at first. His responses were chaotic, making it clear he was struggling to keep up. Everyone watching held their breath, eyes glued to the stage, not daring to blink. Soon enough, Lance began to catch on to Hank¡¯s tactics, countering each move with pinpoint precision. Against such overwhelming strength, all of Hank¡¯s tricks were useless. After several exchanges, Hank took a few solid hits from Lance, leaving him looking utterly disheveled. Hank had always been arrogant and overbearing since joining the Enforcement. Many disliked him, and seeing him humiliated brought cheers from the crowd. They shouted for Lance to teach him a lesson and kick him. out of thepetition.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Hank knelt on the ground, sweat dripping heavily onto the surface. Each drop felt like a heavy stone crashing into his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. His chest was filled with frustration and resentment, and he was on the verge of exploding. He couldn¡¯t understand it. Just half a month ago, Lance was a nobody, and now he was a powerhouse. Hank was convinced the boss had secretly given Lance special training. He had fought tooth and nail for his position, while Lance, considered a nobody, was pampered by everyone. Now, even the boss. seemed to be in his corner. Life had always been smooth sailing for Lance. Hank couldn¡¯t ept this. He wouldn¡¯t allow Lance to join the Enforcement, even if it meant sacrificing himself. With a cold glint in his eyes, Hank suddenly leaped up, aiming a punch at Lance¡¯s face. His energy was spent, making his movements slow. Lance easily caught the punch, but Hank was counting on closebat. 09:13 1 ¡°Die!¡± Hank shouted, raising his other hand, which held two silver needles. The needles were nearly invisible under the sunlight, aiming straight for Lance¡¯s eyes. ¡°Watch out!¡± The crowd gasped in shock. No one expected Hank to resort to at sneak attack. The rules clearly stated that weapons were not allowed, andpetitors had to fight unarmed. Before entering the stage, contestants. were supposed to leave all weapons behind. However, Hank¡¯s silver needles. were so small they went undetected during the inspection. The staff hadn¡¯t anticipated someone being bold enough to cheat in such a manner. The silver needles, glinting under the sun, forced Lance to squint, dying his reaction. The needles grazed his cheek, leaving a bloody trail. Lance quickly grabbed Hank¡¯s arms, breaking them with force, then delivered a knee to Hank, forcing him to kneel. Hank knelt in defeat, his arms broken and hanging limply. His life was over. The moment he chose tounch a sneak attack, he had ruined his future. The Enforcement would never take him now. But having failed to injure Lance, he was filled with unbearable frustration. The match was over. The Enforcement members rushed to check on Lance¡¯s injuries and to give Hank a harsh lesson. ¡°Lance, are you alright? I hope your face isn¡¯t ruined,¡± Jason said, visibly anxious. Lance¡¯s right cheek was bloody, a terrifying sight. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Lance said, his voice soft. ¡°It¡¯s just a scratch.¡± Colton, with a storm brewing in his eyes, especially after seeing the cut on Lance¡¯s face and realizing Hank had aimed for his eyes, was shaking with rage. He picked up the silver needles from the ground, clutching them tightly, then advanced towards Hank, driving the needles into his eyes. Everyone had been focused on Lance and hadn¡¯t noticed Colton¡¯s actions until Hank¡¯s screams filled the air. The sight of Hank, his eyes pierced and bleeding profusely, shocked everyone. Despite the scorching sun, a chill ran down their spines. No one expected Colton, known for his cold demeanor and pride, yet always adhering to the rules, to act so drastically. Hank had erred, but it was not Colton¡¯s ce to mete out punishment. CHAPTER 310 Chapter 310 Lance¡¯s face went ghostly pale, and without missing a beat, he dropped to one knee in front of Connor, who sat in a high¨Cbacked chair. ¡°Boss! Colton only stepped in to defend me. If there¡¯s any punishment to be handed out, let it beN?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. mine!¡± Connor hadn¡¯t expected Colton to pull such a stunt. He nced between Colton and Lance, giving Flora¡¯s hand a gentle squeeze. His voice was calm and emotionless. ¡°Get up.¡± Lance, drenched in cold sweat and unsure of Connor¡¯s intentions, hesitated to move. ¡°The rules were clear: no weapons or tools that could harm another. Hank¡¯s sneak attack was a tant vition. He¡¯ll be expelled from Empire Base, his tongue cut out, his hands crippled. As for Colton-¡± Lance¡¯s heart pounded in his chest. Connor continued, ¡°Since you acted to protect arade, we¡¯ll let this slide. But if you don¡¯t hit a strength of 950 in the year¨Cend Enforcement test, we¡¯ll deal with it then.¡± Lance was overjoyed, relieved that Connor wasn¡¯t going to punish Colton. This was way more lenient than he¡¯d hoped for! Colton knelt with a straight back, respectfully saying, ¡°Thank you, boss. I won¡¯t let you down at the year¨Cend assessment.¡± Lance defeated Hank and officially joined Enforcement. Ashton, representing Enforcement, handed Lance the badge with a proud smile. ¡°Well done, kid. We¡¯ve been waiting for you. Remember, now that you¡¯re part of Enforcement, stay humble and keep training hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it my all!¡± Holding the badge, Lance felt a lump in his throat. He had dreamed of this moment countless times, but without Ms. Flora, it might have remained just that¨Ca dream. 09:13 ¡°Lance, now we can train together, and you¡¯re officially our junior brother,¡± the senior members of Enforcement teased, their eyes full of proud affection, like a family celebrating a younger sibling¡¯s growth. With Lance stepping down, thepetition continued, though it lost some of its excitement for the crowd. It wasn¡¯t until six in the evening that the selectionpetition finally wrapped up, with Enforcement taking in fifteen new members out of over four hundred applicants, highlighting the fiercepetition. After three days, the base returned to its usual calm. Flora, exhausted from the past few days, went to bed early the evening the selection ended and didn¡¯t wake until ten the next morning. As she made her way downstairs, heated voices drifted up from the living room. ¡°Boss! Ms. Flora is perfect for Intelligence! You didn¡¯t see her hacker skills; she scared The Red Scorpions off for days.¡± ¡°Boss, don¡¯t listen to him! Ms. Flora is clearly more suited for Enforcement! You saw Lance¡¯s progress yourself, who else but Ms. Flora could have made such a difference in just a few days?¡± In the living room, Pax and Jason stood face to face, arguing heatedly, neither willing to back down. Connor, sitting on the couch with his shirt wrinkled from the tension, rubbed. his temples, visibly annoyed. Seeing Flora, his expression softened, and he waved her over. Flora approached and sat beside him. Jason and Pax looked at her as if she were theirst hope, eager to whisk her away. Flora was puzzled by their intense stares. Connor handed her a ss of warm water, saying lightly, ¡°They want you to be a mentor.¡± Flora, about to drink, paused, her eyes widening in surprise. A mentor? That was unexpected. ¡°Ms. Flora, you¡¯re incredible! Right after the selection, I had Lance test his strength, and he¡¯s nearly at 800! Such improvement in just a few days is nothing short of miraculous, all thanks to you,¡± Jason said eagerly, rubbing his hands together. ¡°On behalf of all Enforcement members, I sincerely invite you to be a mentor for Enforcement. You can train those kids however you see fit.¡± Pax couldn¡¯t wait to add, ¡°Ms. Flora, your hacking skills are legendary. After you broke through The Red Scorpions¡® attack, every member of Intelligence was in awe. We¡¯re all eagerly hoping you¡¯ll join Intelligence!¡± Flora was at a loss, meeting their hopeful gazes with a mix of confusion and a slight headache. Connor chuckled, finding her bewildered expression amusing. He stood up to prepare some food for her in the kitchen. As soon as he left, Pax and Jason became even more insistent. Two men, both old enough to be her father, now looked at Flora with pitiful eyes, like abandoned puppies. ¡°Cough¡­¡± Flora massaged her nose. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m cut out for teaching. I make a good mentor¡­¡± at not ¡°No! You¡¯d be perfect!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one else but you, Ms. Flora!¡± They insisted with utmost seriousness. Ms. Flora was indeed perfect! And if not, it was their disciples who weren¡¯t up to par. But no worries, a good scolding would set them straight! CHAPTER 311 Chapter 311 Flora couldn¡¯t help butugh and cry at the situation before finally giving in and agreeing to mentor both the Intelligence and Enforcement divisions. ¡°Ms. Flora, are you heading to Enforcement now? All the apprentices are already gathered and started their training. It would be perfect timing for you toe over and offer some guidance,¡± Jason said, rubbing his hands together excitedly. ¡°Why should Ms. Flora go to Enforcement first?¡± Pax shot him a re but turned to Flora with a smile, ¡°Ms. Flora, the Intelligence apprentices have been eagerly waiting for you. We¡¯ve even prepared a little wee party!¡± ¡°You old geezer, always trying to one¨Cup me,-aren¡¯t you? Which is more important, Enforcement or Intelligence?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®which is more important¡®? You think Intelligence is beneath you? You Enforcement guys are just a bunch of brutes! If it weren¡¯t for us in Intelligence helping you stay hidden and avoid trackers, you¡¯d have been toast ages ago!¡± ¡°Keep arguing and you¡¯ll both be out on your ears.¡± A man¡¯s icy voice cut through the argument like a cold shower, silencing Jason and Pax, who sulked and dared not speak further. Connor stood at the dining table, his tall frame making the space feel cramped. He set the table and called out, ¡°Flora,e have dinner.¡± His voice was gentle and doting, a stark contrast to the icy tone he had used moments ago to scold Pax and Jason. They obediently shut their mouths, not daring to speak further, quietly waiting for Flora to have her meal, Moss and Beck came looking for Connor, needing him to handle some matters, so he left first. Flora took her time finishing her meal, then headed to Enforcement.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Jason and Pax followed behind her. Choosing Enforcement over Intelligence was a real blow to Pax, who looked at 09-10 Flora with mournful eyes the entire way. Outside the Medical Division, two medical apprentices sat at the entrance, grinding herbs and quietly chatting. ¡°I heard Jason and Pax got into a heated argument over asking Ms. Flora to be their mentor. Looks like it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Say what you will, but Ms. Flora seems genuinely impressive. Lance passed the Enforcement assessment race in just half a month under her guidance. I wish she could teach me too,¡± one apprentice said, eyes full of admiration and longing. The other apprentice scoffed, ¡°You actually believe it was all her doing? It must have been the boss giving Lance special treatment. Otherwise, how could Flora have such influence?¡°. ¡°Shh, stop talking, the chief is right behind us,¡± the first apprentice gestured for silence, cautiously pointing to Yara behind the counter. Yara was busy texting Jules on her phone. She had reached out to Jules several times, but each time, the response was the same. Busy with experiments and couldn¡¯t spare the time for these trivial matters. The issue with the special medication would have to wait until he was finished. But Yara couldn¡¯t wait any longer. She needed to secure her position in Connor¡¯s heart as soon as possible. After sending a message and not receiving a quick reply from Jules, she grew impatient. Hearing the apprentices¡® conversation, she looked up to see Jason eagerly inviting Flora into Enforcement, her brows furrowing slightly. She put down her phone and silently made her way out, heading into Enforcement. Inside Enforcement, all the apprentices were training. Lance and Colton were there too. As usual, they had been waiting at the estate early in the morning for Flora. But Jason had sent them back to train, saying he would apany Flora 09.19 Chapter 311 today. CHAPTER 312 Chapter 312 ¡°Gather around!¡± Jason blew his whistle, and all the trainees immediately halted their exercises, quickly forming three neat rows. Upon seeing Flora, a bunch of almost shirtless young men felt a bit flustered. ¡°Master, you should have warned us before bringing Ms. Flora here! At least let us throw on a shirt or something! We have our pride, you know!¡± ¡°From today onwards, Ms. Flora will be your Instructor. How you train and what you train will be under her guidance. Treat her with the same respect you show me. Anyone who disrespects her will have to deal with thewman¡¯s whip.¡± Hearing this, the trainees¡® faces paled. Colton, standing front and center, looked up at Flora with a mix of curiosity and anticipation in his eyes. Lance, on the other hand, was over the moon; he couldn¡¯t be happier about Flora being their trainer! But the rest of the Enforcement trainees wore expressions that ranged from skeptical to downright dismayed.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The idea of a woman instructor seemed ridiculous to them. Even though Lance always credited Flora for his quick progress, they were suspicious. They figured the boss was just giving Lance special treatment, and Flora had little to do with it. ¡°Master, having Ms. Flora as our instructor might not be the best idea,¡± one trainee cautiously voiced. ¡°She seems too delicate to lead the Enforcement team. It feels a bit forced.¡± They were trying to be polite. Had it not been for the help Flora gave Lance, they might have been much blunter. ¡°Quiet! You should consider yourselves lucky to be taught by Ms. Flora!¡± Jason snapped, barely containing his anger. It had taken a lot of effort to get Flora to agree to this role. If they scared her off, he¡¯d be livid. ¡°Who told you Ms. Flora is weak? Her strength far exceeds anything you can 09:20 S Chapter 312 imagine! I guarantee, in a one¨Con¨Cone fight, none of you would stand a chance against her!¡± The trainees knew Jason wasn¡¯t one to exaggerate, but still¡­ Flora, with her slender build, didn¡¯t exactly scream ¡®master fighter.¡® ¡°Ms. Flora, being the instructor for the Enforcement team isn¡¯t a role just anyone can fill. You have to show us you¡¯re up to the task. If you genuinely are that strong, we¡¯ll respect you as our instructor. But if you¡¯re not, we can¡¯t ept you.¡± One trainee stepped forward to voice the group¡¯s thoughts, and the others nodded in agreement. Only real strength would earn their respect. If Flora couldn¡¯t prove herself, they wouldn¡¯t acknowledge her as their instructor. ¡°Brothers, you don¡¯t get it. Ms. Flora is seriously powerful! She¡¯s taken down dozens of The Red Scorpions in the undergroundbat ring by herself! And during that escort mission, even mercenaries couldn¡¯t beat her!¡± Despite the endorsement, the trainees remained silent and resolute. They needed Flora to prove her strength to ept her willingly. Flora nced at their stubborn faces, rubbing her wrists with a smirk. ¡°Jason, is this the wee party you mentioned?¡± CHAPTER 313 Chapter 313 Her face showed no sign of wee. Jason awkwardly wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Honestly, he was looking forward to seeing Flora show her stuff. During theirst run¨Cin with the mercenaries, Flora hadn¡¯t gone all out, and he was curious just how strong she really was. Flora flicked her wrist and said casually, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± With those crisp words, Flora turned to leave, but Jason quickly stepped in her way. Just then, Yara walked up, a sly smile on her lips. ¡°Why so upset, Ms. Flora? It¡¯s natural for them to question your abilities since they don¡¯t know you. How about this, Ms. Flora? Spar with me and show them what you¡¯ve got. They¡¯ll be convinced.¡± Flora raised an eyebrow. A match against her? Whether or not the Enforcement crew respected her was the least of Flora¡¯s worries. She never wanted to be their instructor in the first ce. If anyone else had suggested it, she would¡¯ve walked out without a second thought. But seeing Yara reminded Flora of that incident where someone fired shots, killing a mercenary and sparking a brutal fight. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s have a match,¡± Flora said with a meaningful grin. Though Jason hadn¡¯t known Flora long, he understood her well enough. She wasn¡¯t one to bow to force or provocations. Her quick agreement caught him off guard. A cold glint shed in Yara¡¯s eyes, but she hid it behind a warm,posed smile. The crowd couldn¡¯t hide their excitement. Despite being a woman, Yara was one of the top fighters at the base, highly respected by the Enforcement members. But they were even more eager to see Flora in action. Lance, Colton, and even 09:20This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 313 Jason had sung her praises. Now they finally had the chance to see for themselves! Yara wore a loose martial arts robe, while Flora was in a white t¨Cshirt and high¨Cwaisted denim shorts¨Chardly the best outfit for a fight. Jason arranged for a new set of martial arts robes for her. Since the Enforcement never had female members, the robes were made for men and hung loosely on Flora, making her look even more slender. ¡°How about wearing mine? I have a new robe, and I can have someone fetch it from the Medical Division right now,¡± Yara suggested. ¡°No need,¡± Flora said, rolling up her sleeves and pant legs. ¡°This is fine. Let¡¯s start.¡± Jason acted as the referee, and with the blow of the whistle, the match began! Yara made the first move, quick and sharp like a swallow darting through the air, aiming right at Flora. The crowd buzzed with excitement. Yara was as impressive as ever! Flora didn¡¯t move, her face expressionless as she watched Yara with half¨Clidded eyes. Seeing Flora stand still, the crowd grew anxious. The attack was closing in¨Cwhy wasn¡¯t she moving? Could she be frozen with fear? Even Yara hadn¡¯t expected Flora to remain so still. Knowing Flora¡¯s reputation, Yara had put her full strength into the move, something even Jason would be cautious of. But Flora seemed utterly unperturbed, which came off as sheer arrogance. Yara¡¯s eyes grew colder. Flora had been stealing the spotlighttely, and Yara wanted to publicly bring her down a peg, to show everyone she was the only one worthy of the boss. That was her real reason for challenging Flora. ¡°Ms. Flora! Dodge now, or it¡¯ll be toote!¡± As Yara¡¯s strike came within inches, Flora still didn¡¯t budge. Even Lance lost his cool, shouting and stomping his feet in frustration. The force of Yara¡¯s punch tore through the air, aimed straight at Flora¡¯s neck. Just a hair¡¯s breadth away! Many in the crowd couldn¡¯t bear to watch, closing their eyes and muttering that the master and Lance had clearly overhyped Ms, Flora, She seemed just a pampered girl, too scared to even dodge. Then, a scream pierced the air! But it wasn¡¯t Flora¡¯s voice¨Cit was Yara¡¯s. A collective gasp of disbelief followed. ¡°Holy cow, did I see that right? Just one kick¡­ she sent Yara flying!¡± Those who had shut their eyes opened them wide to see Yara being hurled off the tform, mming into a pir, then bouncing back onto the tform, face down, sprawled out. Blood spurted from her mouth, and the sound of bones breaking was unmistakable. Flora calmly lowered her leg. The arena fell into stunned silence. Jason¡¯s eyes were wide with shock as he stared at Flora. The Enforcement disciples looked like they¡¯d seen a ghost. That kick, not even aimed at them, left them feeling as though their bones were aching. How could petite, slender/Flora have such strength? Her kick was lightning fast! They¡¯d only seen a blur! Colton¡¯s hands were clenched at his sides, barely able to contain his shock and excitement. Flora¡¯s strength far exceeded their expectations! 09:20 Chapter 313 In the entire base, aside from the boss, no one could match her! Yara felt like her bones were shattering, the pain so intense breathing hurt. All around her, praises for Flora¡¯s prowess turned into daggers stabbing at her with every word of admiration from those who had once looked down on Flora. She seethed with rage and resentment. She couldn¡¯t stand losing to Flora like this! She had to win this match¡­ No matter how strong Flora was, Yara believed she still had other tricks up her sleeve. CHAPTER 314 Chapter 314 Yara pushed herself up from the ground with both hands, struggling mightily to stand. Every bone in her body felt like it had shattered, and the pain was intense. The more it hurt, the deeper her hatred for Flora grew. Once she steadied herself, her bloodshot eyes locked onto Flora, who stoodzily across from her, barely acknowledging her presence. Gritting her teeth, Yara mustered all her strength and charged at Flora, her fist clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. She aimed straight for Flora¡¯s face, but Flora casually tilted her head and caught Yara¡¯s fist mid¨Cair. This was the moment Yara had been waiting for! A cold glint shed in her eyes as she raised her other hand and grabbed Flora¡¯s. To an onlooker, it might have seemed she was trying to break free, but Yara was targeting Flora¡¯s pressure points. As a skilled medic, she knew exactly where to strike. She pressed hard, three inches below Flora¡¯s shoulder, with a precise jab. Flora¡¯s grip weakened, her arm drooping. Seizing the moment, Yara swung her fist towards Flora¡¯s face, but before she couldnd the punch, a blow to her abdomen sent her flying again. She crashed into a pir and bounced back but managed to stay on her feet this time. Flora¡¯s eyes narrowed at the sight of her limp arm, a sharpness flickering in them. Yara had hidden her true intentions well, but Flora hadn¡¯t missed the deep¨Cseated hatred in her eyes. What had been a suspicion was now a certainty: Yara had fired those shots. And the one that had nearly hit Lance. Back then, Yara had been fighting fiercely with a mercenary, who had fired wildly, endangering Lance. Flora had doubted it at the time, but it seemed imusible that Yara, who had no apparent reason to hate her, would do such a thing. Now, everything was clear. Flora stepped towards Yara, her ck cloak making her slender frame seem even more fragile, yet the powerful aura she emitted was suffocating. ¡°Do you like Connor?¡± she asked, her tone neutral. The sudden question caught Yara off guard. Her face turned a mix of red and pale, but she didn¡¯t deny it. Flora noted her reaction and knew she hadn¡¯t guessed wrong. With a gentle press on her shoulder, the strength returned to Flora¡¯s previously limp arm. 1/3 09:20 Chapter 314 Yara watched Flora¡¯s calm demeanor, her pupils shrinking. Could it be that Flora also knew medical techniques? ¡°Those shots in the forest, you fired them, didn¡¯t you?¡± Flora continued, her voice cool. Those who had been with Lance, Colton, Jason, and other Enforcement members on the supply run knew exactly what Flora was referring to. Their eyes sharpened, all turning towards Yara. Yara¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She hadn¡¯t expected Flora to bring up the past. Feigning outrage, she said, ¡°Ms. Flora, do you not know that ndering someone demands caution? As the head of the Medical Division, how could I have fired those shots?¡± Her voice trembled with feigned injustice, as if she had been greatly wronged. Some couldn¡¯t bear to watch and spoke up in her defense. ¡°Ms. Flora, you must be mistaken. Yara couldn¡¯t have fired those shots. You weren¡¯t there; Yara has always been at the forefront, risking her life to protect us. She had no reason to do such a thing,¡± a member stepped forward to say.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Having been there, he knew the urgency of the situation firsthand. He couldn¡¯t believe that Yara, who had ensured their safety at great personal risk, could be responsible for the painful injuries they had suffered. Seeing everyone defending her, Yara¡¯s confidence soared. Her influence in the base was deep¨Crooted, not easily shaken by Flora. She looked at Flora, each word deliberate, ¡°Ms. Flora, your remarks just now were an insult to me and a questioning of the boss¡® trust in me. You must apologize!¡± She was pushing her advantage, expecting to see Flora back down, to remind -her of her unshakeable status in the base. Flora paused, then a smile cracked across her face. But the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes, which held a chilling depth. Gone was herziness; she stood tall, facing Yara. Her gaze wasmanding and formidable. Yara, unnerved, found her knees weakening but red back at Flora, defiance in her eyes. The facade was already torn; no need for pretenses now. ¡°Ms. Flora, I have been in the base since I was fifteen, saving countless lives, will not allow you to humiliate me like this. You must-¡± But before she could finish, Flora raised her hand. 09:20 Chapter 314 A pnded harshly on her cheek, immediately swelling and bleeding. In disbelief, Yara was still processing when Flora¡¯s hand came down again on the other cheek. With both cheeks swollen, Flora finally retracted her hand, looking satisfied. ¡°Flora! How dare you!¡± Yara screamed, her voice trembling with rage. As she spoke, blood¨Cstained teeth flew from her mouth. Before she could react further, Flora¡¯s foot kicked at her knees. Yara fell to her knees in pain, Flora¡¯s foot pressing down on her back like a massive stone, forcing her to grovel like a defeated dog. ¡°Now do you see what I can do?¡± Flora looked down at her, a cold smile on her lips. ¡°Even if I hadn¡¯t confirmed those shots were yours, just for coveting my man, I¡¯d have every reason to beat you.¡± ¡°With just one word, I can have you thrown out of this base.¡± CHAPTER 315 Chapter 315 The room went dead silent. No one expected Flora to be so gutsy. Those two ps had everyone wincing in sympathy. ¡°Ms. Flora, that was uncalled for!¡± Yara¡¯s fans finally snapped out of it, yelling angrily, ¡°Yara¡¯s the head of the Medical Division and has done so much for the base. Who do you think you are to humiliate her like that?¡± ¡°Yeah, you use her of firing those shots without any proof. For all we know, it could¡¯ve been you! Yara¡¯s been here forever, giving her all, and what have you done since you got here, besides being the boss¡® fianc¨¦e?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t handle me, huh?¡± Flora nced over their furious faces, ¡°Deal with it.¡± Colton¡¯s lips twitched. Ms. Flora¡­ she was definitely the most unique person he¡¯d ever met. ¡°Considering your contributions to Empire Base, I¡¯ll let this slide. But there won¡¯t be a next time.¡± With that, Flora finally lifted her foot off Yara¡¯s back. Without another word, she strode out of the Enforcement office. It took Jason a moment toe to his senses, and he quickly sent someone to help Yara. Colton and Lance snuck out, following Flora. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Yara would do something like that! Just goes to show, you can¡¯t judge a book by its cover. I used to think Yara was pretty decent,¡± Lance babbled beside Flora, his expression exaggerated. Flora had been feeling a bit down, but Lance¡¯s words made her feel better. ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m making this up about Yara?¡± Flora had seen it with her own eyes, yet no one believed her. Most people thought she was just causing a scene. 09:20 She got it, though. Yara had been at the base for years, and she was the new girl. Of course, they¡¯d side with Yara. 2 She didn¡¯t need their trust. But having someone believe in her unconditionally felt great. ¡°Ms. Flora, you wouldn¡¯t nder anyone!¡± Lance¡¯s slightly chubby face puffed up, ¡°I¡¯ve not been with you long, but I know you! You wouldn¡¯t have acted against Yara if you weren¡¯t absolutely sure.¡± ¡°Ms. Flora, the guys at Enforcement are good people. They were rude to you, but please don¡¯t be mad. We oftene back from missions all banged up, and it¡¯s Yara who heals us. So, they¡¯re protective of her.¡± Lance kept talking while watching Flora¡¯s face carefully, worried she¡¯d be upset or start disliking the Enforcement folks. Colton hadn¡¯t said a word, but it was clear he believed in Flora unconditionally and hoped she wouldn¡¯t hold it against the Enforcement team. ¡°For Lance¡¯s sake, I won¡¯t stay mad.¡± Flora¡¯s lips curved into a smile, ¡°I¡¯m heading back to the mansion. You guys should go back to Enforcement.¡± She didn¡¯t realize she was still wearing her Taoist robe until she reached the mansion door, having forgotten to change earlier. She walked into the mansion, spotting Connor on the sofa. Surprised at her outfit, he asked, ¡°Why are you dressed like that?¡± Flora waved it off casually, ¡°Nothing much. Just had a fight. I¡¯m going to change.¡± After changing, she heard amotion downstairs. She went down to find Zack, Jason, and Pax in the living room, with Zack looking especially furious, ¡°Boss, Ms. Flora really crossed the line this time! Yara¡¯s done so much for the base, and everyone respects her. But Ms. Flora humiliated her in front of everyone, and now Yara can¡¯t even move!¡± ¡°The base disciples are really pissed at Ms. Flora. If you don¡¯t do something, how will you keep order?¡± Zack was a big fan of Yara and didn¡¯t like Flora at all. 09:20 He¡¯d felt uneasy about her before, but now he downright loathed her. He saw Flora as nothing more than a spoiled princess. After Zack finished speaking and saw Connor still unresponsive, he added urgently, ¡°Boss, you didn¡¯t see the state Ms. Kaylee was in! Jason was there; he saw it too!¡± Caught off guard, Jason coughed awkwardly, ¡°Ahem¡­ Well, it wasn¡¯t all Ms. Flora¡¯s fault. Yara challenged Ms. Flora to a duel.¡± ¡°Duel or not, did she have to hit so hard?¡± Zack was livid, Yara had been beaten beyond recognition! ¡°I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding. Ms. Flora is the easiest person to get along with. She wouldn¡¯t hurt someone without a reason,¡± Pax chimed in.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Zack was baffled, wondering what kind of spell Flora had cast on them. They used to dislike her as much as he did, but now they were all defending her. He couldn¡¯t understand it, really couldn¡¯t. Flora was just a delicatedy, what kind of charm did she possess to make them treasure her so? Connor listened to Zack¡¯s rant impassively, his expression unchanged until he saw Floraing downstairs. His gaze softened as he gestured her over, ¡°Flora,e here.¡± Flora walked over and sat beside him. ¡°Why did you hit Yara?¡± Connor asked softly, his arm around her shoulder. ¡°First, she provoked me. Second, I found out she was the one who had previously hurt Lance. Third, she has her eyes on my man.¡± Flora¡¯s response was straightforward and confident, ¡°I¡¯ve already been more than fair.¡± Seeing her list the reasons so earnestly, Connor¡¯s eyes sparkled with amusement. Especially at herst words, his lips curved into a smile. He affectionately stroked Flora¡¯s head, ¡°Right, I know. If our Flora had been serious, she would¡¯ve been out ofmission.¡± CHAPTER 316 Chapter 316 Zack was floored, almost losing his breath in shock. ????? ?? ?? Public disys of affection had their limits, and POPOVA was Yara, still in bed! Was Zack supposed to thank Flora for her restraint in the boss¡® eyes? ¡°Boss¡­¡± Zack couldn¡¯t hide his dissatisfaction, convinced Connor was utterly spellbound by Flora. ¡°The exnation has been given. Now, leave,¡± Connor¡¯s voice, smooth and rich like a cello¡¯s melody, was elegant and captivating. His expression remained neutral, but everyone knew he was angry. Pax quickly dragged Zack out, fearing his stubbornness would truly infuriate Connor. Evicted from the mansion, Zack still wore a look of indignation. ¡°Can you believe Flora? How could the boss, with all his wisdom and strength, be so blind for her sake, unable to tell right from wrong?¡± Jason chimed in, ¡°Don¡¯t let your fondness for Yara bias you against Ms. Flora. She¡¯s genuinely nice. Spend some time with her, and you might end up liking her too.¡± Pax agreed, ¡°Exactly, Ms. Flora is really nice, much more genuine than Yara.¡± Seeing them defend Flora only fueled Zack¡¯s anger more. There was no way he¡¯d ever take a liking to that delicate flower, What good was her beauty? Yara had exceptional medical skills, saving lives. Could Florapare? Yara managed to secure a critical medication from Jules for the base. Could Flora do the same? If not, he had no reason to start liking her! He felt Pax and Jason were just as bewitched by Flora as Connor, and, frustrated, Zack stormed back to Logistics, the headache of the medication issue looming . After this incident, a lesson was learned by all: Do not cross Flora. She was Connor¡¯s treasured darling. Yara took a full ten days to get out of bed, during which Connor never visited. This infuriated her to the point of smashing things. Flora, on the other hand, was thriving, bustling between Intelligence and Enforcement. Committed to being a good mentor, she generously shared all she knew. In just over a fortnight, the hacking skills of everyone in Intelligence had improved, delighting Pax beyond words. The Enforcement trainees were being pushed to their limits, now understanding how Lance had improved so quickly; it was akin to torture! Even they were struggling to keep up. But the gains were evident; they all felt significantly stronger. ¡°Hey, Lance, what¡¯s Ms. Flora feeding you guys?¡± Jason asked one day after training, eyeing Lance and Colton popping pills like candy. The other Enforcement trainees gathered around, eager and hopeful, Lance and Colton¡¯s rapid progress seemed linked to the supplements Flora provided, boosting their vitality and breaking physical barriers to new levels of strength. ¡°Just some vitality boosters,¡± Lance replied, scratching his head honestly. ¡°Give us one, please?¡± Jason looked longingly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, bro¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ Ms. Flora gave these to me. If you want some, you¡¯ll have to ask her yourself,¡± Lance apologetically refused, following Colton back to training. Jason sulked. How miserly over a few pills! He approached Flora, busy fanning herself with a paper fan. ¡°Ms. Flora¡­¡± Flora looked up, ¡°Yes?¡± Chapter 316 Swallowing nervously, Jason stammered, ¡°Ms. Flora, as Enforcement¡¯s mentor, you should treat everyone equally, right? What kind of supplements are you giving Lance and Colton? Can we try some too?¡± His plea was pitiful, almost to the point of tears. The other Enforcement trainees listened intently, nearly roaring with desire. They too were eager for the boost. ¡°That supplement isn¡¯t for you,¡± Flora stated tly.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Jason¡¯s face fell, ¡°Ms. Flora¡­ That¡¯s tantly favoring them..¡± ¡°I am favoring them,¡± Flora nced at him, ¡°So what?¡± Jason was speechless. No arguments there. Flora checked her phone; it was five o¡¯clock. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. We¡¯ll continue tomorrow.¡± Returning to the mansion, Connor was yet to arrive. Flora lounged on the sofa, scrolling through her phone, chatting with Raul, Henrik, Crimson, and Dane. When six o¡¯clock came and Connor still hadn¡¯t returned, Flora wondered if something had happened. Connor was usually home by this time. Moss entered briskly, a meal box in hand, ¡°Ms. Flora, the boss has been held up and won¡¯t make it back in time. He asked me to tell you to have dinner and rest early. There¡¯s no need to wait up for him.¡± Understanding the demands on Connor as the leader, Flora didn¡¯t fuss, simply letting Moss go after a few questions. After dinner and a shower, shey in bed, resting for the night. CHAPTER 317 Chapter 317 The vast Emergency Department was jam¨Cpacked with injured patients, the smell of blood mixed with the scent of charred flesh fermenting in the humid air. The doctors werepletely overwhelmed, and even those with the most basic medical knowledge had volunteered to help out. Adler had been stationed at the border for years, but this sudden attack had left over a hundred of his men dead from the artillery fire, with only about thirty surviving. Those who survived were all injured, many of them disfigured by the sts. In the innermost room of the Emergency Department, Connor and four other leaders stood around Adler, whoy on the bed. His body was almost entirely covered in injuries, with a particrly gruesome wound on his head, bleeding profusely. Yara was frantically trying to stop the bleeding and treat him. The burns on his body were manageable, but the head wound was another story. Adler had been shot in the head, near the skull, and even a professional neurosurgeon would be hard¨Cpressed to treat him, especially since neurosurgery wasn¡¯t Yara¡¯s specialty. ¡°Boss, Adler¡¯s been shot in the head, close to the skull. It¡¯s critical, and we need to operate immediately, but I can¡¯t guarantee I can save him¡­¡± Yara said, biting her lips ¡°How likely is it that you can save him?¡± Connor asked, his gaze fixed on Adler, his dark eyes heavy with worry. ¡°At most, I have a 30% chance.¡± Yara clenched her teeth. ¡°Actually, if we could get my uncle, Master Jules, toe here, Adler would have a fighting chance. But he¡¯s in Europe, and there¡¯s no way he can get here in time.¡± ¡°Only 30%¡­¡± Jason¡¯s heart sank. The other leaders were silent. Thirty percent might as well be no chance at all. They were used to the dangers of their line of work, but seeing a brother who had faced death alongside them now lying on the brink was still gut¨Cwrenching. Chapter 317 Connor¡¯s left hand clenched into a fist behind his back, his jaw tight. ¡°Do your best to treat him.¡± He squeezed out the words, his voice rough. ¡°Yes!¡± Yara nodded firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare for the surgery right away.¡± The base had a sterile operating room for such emergencies. Yara had Adler moved and recruited two promising disciples to assist her. The surgerysted over four hours, finishing at 1 a.m. Connor and the three leaders waited outside the whole time. Finally, the door opened, and Yara, dressed in surgical gear, walked out.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How did it go?¡± Zack rushed forward, his voice hoarse with anxiety. Yara removed her mask, looking exhausted but excited. ¡°The surgery was a sess! We got the bullet out. He¡¯s not out of the woods yet, but the rest should be manageable.¡± Adler¡¯s life was saved! Pax, Jason, and Zack couldn¡¯t hide their excitement. Connor¡¯s eyes flickered, and the tension in his chest eased. ¡°Yara, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Zack¡¯s admiration for Yara grew, convinced she was perfect for Connor. Her medical skills were outstanding, and her martial abilities were impressive, far surpassing Flora¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯ste; you all should get some rest,¡± Yara suggested, looking at Connor. ¡°Boss, you should go back too. I¡¯ll handle things here.¡± ¡°Yara, take care of yourself,¡± Zack added. ¡°You were badly injuredst time and still haven¡¯t fully recovered. Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± ¡°Although the bruises haven¡¯tpletely faded, I¡¯m much better now. Ms. Flora¡­ she must really dislike me. Boss, please don¡¯t me Ms. Flora. She¡¯s your fianc¨¦e, and no matter what she does, I¡¯ll endure it¡­¡± Yara forced a weak smile, her pale face looking even more pitiable. Pax and Jason exchanged nces, thinking her words were quite loaded. Chapter Connor merely nced at Yara, his thoughts unreadable. After instructing her to take good care of Adler, he returned to the manor. Yara watched him leave, her hands clenched at her sides. Flora had hurt her badly before, and Connor had nevere to check on her. She had just performed hours of surgery, and even Zack showed concern, but Connor hadn¡¯t said a word. She wasn¡¯t ready to give up! Once Adler was healed and she had the miracle drug, she wondered if Connor would still underestimate her. Connor returned to the manor, quietly went upstairs, and opened the door. The room was dark, with only the bedsidemp casting a soft yellow glow, making Flora¡¯s sleeping face look gentle. Connor approached the bed, picked up the remote control, turned up the temperature a bit, and pulled the nket over Flora. ¡°Goodnight,¡± he whispered, kissing her forehead before leaving. The next day, Flora woke up early, feeling uneasy without Connor beside her. After getting ready, she went downstairs and saw Connor busy in the kitchen, which lifted her spirits and brought a smile to her face. She leaned on the kitchen doorframe, watching him. ¡°What time did you get backst night?¡± ¡°After midnight. It waste, and I didn¡¯t want to wake you, so I rested in the next room. Set the table, breakfast is ready.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Flora set the table, and Connor brought out the tes. Flora preferred a Chinese¨Cstyle breakfast, which was more intricate and time¨Cconsuming than Western breakfasts, but Connor didn¡¯t mind the effort and made various dishes for her. Just as they finished breakfast, Moss and Beck hurried over. Moss whispered something to Connor, who stood up and quickly left, with Moss and Beck following closely behind.. CHAPTER 318 Chapter 318 In the hospital room, the tension was palpable. Adler¡¯s condition had taken a nosedive, and his vital signs were fading fast. Moments earlier, his illness had suddenly worsened. Yara had done everything she could think of, but nothing seemed to work. ¡°Yara, what the hell happened? Didn¡¯t you say Adler was stable? Why did he suddenly get worse?¡± Zack burst into the room, with Pax and Jason hot on his heels. As soon as they heard Adler¡¯s condition had deteriorated, they had rushed over. Yara was sweating bullets, baffled by the sudden downturn. The surgery had gone well, and Adler had been stable for hours afterward. But now¡­ ¡°The boss! The leader has no heartbeat!¡± a doctor shouted, his voice cutting through the room like a knife. The rm red, its urgent beeps making everyone¡¯s breath catch. Connor had just arrived outside and, hearing themotion, his face darkened even more as he strode in. The crowd parted for him immediately. Yara was desperately trying to revive Adler with a defibritor, but it was no use. Adler had lost all signs of life. He was gone. ¡°Willensther Adler.. he¡¯s dead¡­¡± Yara whispered, closing her eyes as if to shut out the harsh reality. The room fell silent, except for the asional sob. Zack covered his face, struggling to hold back tears. Pax¡¯s eyes were red, and Jason was trembling. Adler had been with them since the very beginning, before any of them had joined. He had mentored them all. Despite the harsh and dangerous conditions at the borders, Adler had volunteered to defend them, enduring countless hardships over the years. He had done so much for the group, and now they couldn¡¯t save him. Connor felt a tightness in his chest, his breathing heavy. Just then, Flora walked in, catching Yara¡¯sst words. Her brow furrowed as she walked toward the bed. Everyone was so wrapped up in their grief that they didn¡¯t notice Flora until she was right there. 12:30 ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Yara snapped, pushing Flora away, her voice dripping with bitterness and resentment. Flora barely gave Yara a nce. ¡°If you keep blocking me, he¡¯ll really be gone.¡± ¡°Ms. Flora, what do you mean? Is there still hope for Adler?¡± Jason¡¯s voice trembled with a flicker of hope. ¡°Any longer and it¡¯ll be too Chapter 319 ¡°Techniques passed down through generations have their merits. How can you be so sure it won¡¯t work?¡± Flora said, her voice steady. Flora had learned this particr method from Jules. It was the same technique Jules had used to save Louie, who had gone into shock multiple times. Everyone had thought Louie was a goner, but Jules brought him back. Yara snorted. ¡°We¡¯ll see. Just don¡¯te crying to me when he actually dies and you can¡¯t handle the aftermath, Ms. Flora.¡± Flora shot her a sideways nce. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who dered Adler dead before I even got here?¡± Yara, fuming, turned her head away, unable to respond. Hours dragged on, and Adler showed no signs of improvement. They reced the charcoal over and over, and the medicinal herbs were applied repeatedly. Zack, Pax, and Jason were losing hope, thinking it might be kinder to let Adler go peacefully instead of prolonging his suffering. But Connor was resolute, insisting they follow Flora¡¯s lead. Another half hour passed, and still, there was no change. Yara¡¯s sarcasm grew more pronounced. ¡°Looks like Ms. Flora¡¯s method isn¡¯t working after all.¡± Flora, her eyes half¨Cclosed, ignored her. In the room, Moss and Beck were shirtless, fanning the charcoal fire vigorously. Sweat poured off them like they¡¯d just been pulled from a pond. Everyone was drenched in sweat, parched, and exhausted. ¡°Adler¡¯s finger moved!¡± Beck suddenly shouted. He had seen Adler¡¯s finger twitch slightly. Everyone turned to look at Adler, tense and hopeful. His right hand¡¯s finger twitched ever so slightly, but it was definitely a movement! ¡°He¡¯s moving! Adler¡¯s eyelids twitched!¡± Excited cries filled the room, hitting Yara like a boulder to the chest. Impossible! Adler was supposed to be dead! 12:31 Disbelieving, Yara rushed to the bed, finding Adler still lying there. She quickly looked away as Zack hurriedly covered Adler with a nket. At that moment, Flora walked in calmly. Seeing their friend waking up, Jason and Pax were ecstatic, their admiration for Flora boundless. ¡°Ms. Flora! You¡¯re amazing!¡± they eximed excitedly. Yara, after a careful check, confirmed Adler¡¯s vital signs were indeed recovering, though his heartbeat and pulse were still weak. Her premature announcement of Adler¡¯s death was a direct p in the face. ¡°Ms. Flora, thank you,¡± Zack said sincerely, his previous disdain and dissatisfaction gone. Flora had saved Adler, earning Zack¡¯s deep respect. Flora spoke lightly, ¡°He¡¯s awake, but he¡¯s not out of the woods yet. To fully recover, he needs another surgery. We didn¡¯t get everything out of his head, which caused the shock and nearly killed him.¡± ¡°Leave the surgery to me. I¡¯ll make sure Adler recovers fully!¡± Yara quickly said, not wanting Flora to take the spotlight again. Flora nced at her, lifting a strand of hair with her delicate wrist. ¡°You? Yourck of skill nearly killed him, and now he needs a second surgery. Are you nning to harm him again?¡± Yara was left speechless, with no one in the rooming to her defense. Connor, of course, trusted Flora unconditionally. Jason and Pax were already on Flora¡¯s side. Zack, though previously protective of Yara, was now fully focused on Adler¡¯s condition. ¡°Yes, I admit I made a mistake. I¡¯ll be more cautious from now on,¡± Yara said, taking a deep breath and turning to Connor. ¡°Boss, besides me, no one here is qualified to perform the surgery. Please, trust me one more time. I¡¯ll make sure Adler recovers!¡± She had to save Adler. Otherwise, she would lose her standing for good. ¡°Who said no one else was qualified?¡± Flora blinked, smiling nonchntly. ¡°Do you know a skilled doctor, Ms. Flora?¡± Zack asked eagerly.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I do, but by the time he arrives, it might be toote.¡± Yara scoffed, at least she was aware of her limitations. 2/3 12:31 Chapter 319 Zack¡¯s heart skipped a beat, suddenly entertaining a bold idea. He looked at Flora, his words tumbling out. ¡°You don¡¯t mean yourself, do you?¡± Flora nodded seriously. The room fell silent for a moment. They had doubted Flora, thinking her sess with Adler was just blind luck. But Flora was genuinely skilled in medicine¡­ Had it been earlier, Zack would have been skeptical, but now, he couldn¡¯t muster a single word of doubt. It seemed Pax and Jason were right; Flora was incredibly skilled, far beyond their imagination. Pax and Jason struggled to hide their amazement. Martial arts, hacking, medicine¡­ Was there anything Ms. Flora couldn¡¯t do? Yara was internally shaken, unable to believe Flora was not only skilled in medicine but might even surpass her. Panicked, she pleaded, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve already operated on Adler once. I¡¯m fully aware of his condition. Please let me lead the surgery! Ms. Flora saved Adler, but she used traditional methods. Brain surgery is no joke! One mistake could be fatal! It¡¯s too risky to let her try. Please, let me do it!¡± She was so desperate she was almost incoherent. ¡°I¡¯ve been with the organization for years. My medical skills may not be the best, but they¡¯re well¨Crecognized. Please, let me lead the operation.¡± She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of Flora performing the surgery. If Flora¡¯s superior medical skills were revealed, she would never be able topete¡­ CHAPTER 320 Chapter 320 Several of the leaders were leaning towards having Yara perform the surgery. ¡°Like I mentioned,¡± Yara said, ¡°I¡¯ve operated on Adler before and have the experience. Despite my recent misjudgment, my medical skills have always been top¨Cnotch here at the base.¡± They didn¡¯t know much about Flora¡¯s abilities and were hesitant to take the risk. Connor didn¡¯t even nce at Yara. His eyes were locked on Flora, who met his gaze with a confident smile. ¡°Flora will handle the surgery,¡± Connor dered, firm and resolute. ¡°Flora, whatever you need, just let me know, and I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s ready:¡± He knew Flora never took on tasks she wasn¡¯t sure she could handle. He trusted herpletely. Connor¡¯s unwavering decision nearly drove Yara to the brink of rage. ¡°Boss, since you¡¯ve chosen Ms. Flora, I won¡¯t object. But I insist on being present during the procedure, just in case something unexpected happens,¡± Yara said. Connor looked to Flora for her thoughts. She shrugged nonchntly. ¡°If she wants to watch, let her. It doesn¡¯t bother me,¡± Flora replied. In no time, everything required for the surgery was prepped, and Adler was moved to the operating room, Even with Flora in charge, the leaders were still uneasy. After seeking Flora¡¯s consent, they, along with Connor, donned sterile suits and stayed to observe. ¡°Hand me the tweezers,¡± Flora instructed Yara. Despite her years of experience, this was the first time Yara was acting as an assistant and being ordered around by Flora. It stung her pride. Grinding her teeth, she handed the tweezers to Flora. The leaders watched tensely, hardly daring to breathe as they observed Flora,T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. 12310 Chapter 320 It was also Connor¡¯s first time seeing Flora operate. His dark eyes were fixed on her, unwavering. On the operating table, Flora was a different person altogether. The usual yful and carefree demeanor she showed around him was reced by a serious, focused professional. ¡°That incision point is wrong!¡± Yara eximed as Flora adjusted the equipment and prepared to make an incision. ¡°That area is packed with nerves. Cutting there could damage Adler¡¯s optic nerves and cause blindness!¡± The leaders gasped. ¡°I¡¯m the lead surgeon here,¡± Flora snapped, her patience wearing thin. ¡°Neurosurgery is critical. If you want to stay, then keep quiet.¡± Yara felt humiliated and angry, reprimanded publicly. Flora¡¯s chosen incision point was indeed risky, and she wasn¡¯t even allowed to voice her concerns! Fine, Yara thought. She kept silent, waiting to see how Flora would handle anyplications. Flora focused on the equipment, making a swift and precise incision. Her hand, holding the scalpel, moved with confidence, navigating through the densework of nerves to reach the hematoma To an outsider, the process might have seemed simple, but only professionals knew the true difficulty. Less than two centimeters from the hematoma was a -vital nerve. The slightest tremble could cause brain death. Yet, Flora¡¯s hand remained remarkably steady, with not even a hint of a tremor. Yara was filled with disbelief. She had attempted to clear this blood clot before but had been too nervous, failing to remove itpletely. But Flora, with her quick and steady hands, had cleared it in an instant. Flora¡¯s medical skills far surpassed Yara¡¯s. A deep sense of crisis enveloped Yara. She couldn¡¯t let Flora seed. If the surgery was a sess, there would be no ce for her in the base anymore. Suddenly, a terrible idea urred to her. She slowly shifted her position. Everyone¡¯s attention was on Flora, and with the operating table between them, no one noticed her movement. Flora, focused solely on the surgery, paid her no mind. Yara slowly lifted her foot, aiming a kick at Flora¡¯s knee. The motion was light, as if she had identally bumped into Flora¡¯s leg, but the kick was aimed at a pressure point that could bring an ordinary person to their knees. Flora grunted, her knee bending involuntarily. Yara¡¯s lips curled under her mask, thrilled at the thought of Flora losing grip of the scalpel and cutting Adler¡¯s brain nerve, killing him. But to her shock, despite the pain, Flora¡¯s hands remained as steady as ever, maintaining their exact position. Impossible! Yara thought, panicking. She prepared to strike again, but Connor approached swiftly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he demanded, noticing Flora¡¯s distress immediately. Yara was forced to retract her movement, feeling a deep resentment. Flora, her legs weak, bit down on her teeth, barely managing to keep herself from falling. Her hands, though sweating profusely, remained stable. ¡°Ms. Flora, you¡¯re sweating. Is something wrong?¡± Yara asked, feigning concern while looking for an opportunity to target Flora¡¯s arm pressure points. But before she could act, Connor, sensing something amiss, stepped between them and pushed her back. Seizing the moment, Flora quickly finished the suturing. Once done, Flora could no longer hold on, leaning against the operating table and half¨Csquatting. Connor rushed to support her. Flora pressed on a pressure point near her knee, easing the pain and weakness. ¡°What happened?¡± Connor asked, his jaw tense. Flora didn¡¯t answer. She stood up, walked over to Yara, and pped her hard across the face. ¡°How dare you!¡± CHAPTER 321 Chapter 321N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Flora¡¯s chest heaved with fury. She¡¯d never been particrly fond of Yara, but she hadn¡¯t expected her to be so ruthless. As a doctor herself, Flora knew the stakes. If her hand had trembled or slipped for even a second. Adler could have died. Yet, Yara had chosen that moment to attack! To frame her, Yara had been willing to risk Adler¡¯s life! Unable to contain her rage, Flora pped Yara hard. Twice. Yara hit the ground, her cheeks swelling and bleeding. ¡°Ms. Flora, what are you doing?¡± Yara whimpered, tears streaming down her cheeks, ying the victim to perfection. Her sneaky actions had gone unnoticed by everyone else. The three leaders were stunned to see Flora suddenly p Yara. ¡°Ms. Flora, could there be some misunderstanding?¡± Zack asked, defending Yara, though his tone was far from friendly. But considering Flora had just saved Adler, he was being unusually polite. In the past, Zack would have quicklybeled Flora as capricious, but now he was willing to consider the possibility of a misunderstanding. Pax and Jason stayed silent, having interacted with Flora more. They knew she wouldn¡¯t act without reason. ¡°Yara, I always thought your issue with me was because of Connor. I believed you were at least loyal to our base, which is why I let things slide,¡± Flora¡¯s anger grew as she spoke. She stomped on Yara¡¯s chest, each word emphasized with force. ¡°You¡¯re a doctor. You knew what your kick could do. If I hadn¡¯t held steady, if my hand had shaken, Adler would be dead.¡± Yara, struggling to breathe under Flora¡¯s foot, shot back, ¡°Ms. Flora, you can¡¯t use me without proof¡­ When did I kick you? You can¡¯t me me for almost messing up your surgery.¡± She was confident there was no evidence. Her actions had been covert, hidden from view. Even if Connor believed Flora, punishing Yara without proof could cause unrest among the base members. The three leaders exchanged uneasy nces. It was hard to believe. Yara had been with the base for years, saving many lives, including Zack¡¯s. They couldn¡¯t imagine Yara doing such a thing. But Flora lying seemed equally 1/3 Chapter 321 Improbable¡­ ¡°Ms. Flora, there must be some misunderstanding,¡± Zack said finally, his voice dry. Pax and Jason, though silent, seemed to agree. There seemed to be no other exnation. ¡°Check the surveince,¡± Connor ordered coldly The leaders perked up. The operating room had surveince. Reviewing it would clear things up. Moss and Beck quickly fetched the footage but returned with grim faces. ¡°Boss, the surveince has been tampered with.¡± Yara smirked, having anticipated this. She¡¯d been bold because she knew the footage waspromised. Pax volunteered to repair it, but the sabotage was sophisticated. Despite his efforts, he couldn¡¯t fix it quickly. ¡°Boss, the surveince can¡¯t be fixed right away. I¡¯ll take it back and work on it,¡± Pax said, looking serious. ¡°Let¡¯s not bother,¡± Zack suggested. ¡°We know Yara. There must be a misunderstanding¡­¡± ¡°Give me theputer,¡± Flora demanded, her face set in determination. Pax, eager to see Flora¡¯s skills, handed her theptop. But before it reached her, a hand intercepted it. Flora¡¯s gaze followed the hand up to Connor¡¯s face. Her eyes were slightly red from hours of staring at monitors. ¡°You¡¯ve just finished surgery. You¡¯re tired. Rest and leave this to me,¡± Connor said softly. ¡°Okay,¡± Flora nodded, sitting down with a tense expression. If Yara tried to stand, Flora kicked her back down. Yara¡¯s frustration was palpable, her eyes zing with anger. Flora watched coldly, her eyes slightly reddened, exuding a chill. With theptop on hisp, Connor¡¯s fingers flew over the keyboard. His long, sculpted fingers moved with precision, his focus on the screen, his lips pressed together, showing a hint of stoicism. Watching him, Flora felt her mood lift. Her man was indeed handsome! On the screen, codes whirled and danced, dazzling to the eye. Pax could barely keep up. With a final keystroke, the code vanished, reced by a video. 212 Chapter 321 ¡°We cracked it!¡± Pax shouted, his excitement a blow to. Yara¡¯s confidence. Yara trembled. She hadn¡¯t anticipated Connor personally repairing the surveince. But she had one more trick up her sleeve. Even if the surveince was restored, she believed it wouldn¡¯t definitively prove her guilt. CHAPTER 322 Chapter 322 The three leaders quickly moved in to take a look. Flora nced at the screen and said, ¡°Around one hour and seven minutes, give or take five.¡± Connor scrolled the footage to the timestamp Flora mentioned. ¡°Stop! Right there!¡± Connor hit the pause button as soon as Flora spoke. But the surveince had blind spots. It only showed Yara moving slightly closer to Flora, but didn¡¯t catch any evidence of Yara intentionally kicking her. Flora watched, then licked the back of her teeth and smirked. No wonder Yara was so confident she wouldn¡¯t get in trouble. She knew about the blind spots in the surveince, and even if it was fixed, it wouldn¡¯t reveal much. ¡°Ms. Flora, what do you have to say now!¡± Yara stood up shakily, her voice filled with despair. ¡°You¡¯re the boss¡® fianc¨¦e, and I¡¯m just a minor leader here. You can hit or scold me, and I¡¯ve endured it all! But this time, you falsely use me of plotting against Mr. Chen, and I can¡¯t ept that.¡± She wiped away a tear, looked at Connor, and said, ¡°Boss, since I can no longer stay here, there¡¯s no point in me staying any longer. I voluntarily leave the club!¡± ¡°Yara, don¡¯t say things out of anger. You¡¯ve been wronged, but you can¡¯t just leave like that!¡± Zack anxiously tried to stop Yara, worried she really would leave. Yara and Pax exchanged nces, feeling things were too coincidental. Yara had spent years in the operation room; she was familiar with the surveince, yet she stood right in the blind spot¡­ Was it a coincidence or intentional? Tears welled up in Yara¡¯s eyes as she looked at Connor, her appearance pitifully delicate, enough to soften any man¡¯s heart. But the man she wanted to win over had eyes and heart only for Flora. Connor¡¯s gaze swept towards Yara, and with just that look, Yara felt as if she¡¯d fallen into an ice cave.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Hand over your club entry token to Enforcement, and then you can leave.¡± His voice was devoid of any warmth, crushing thest bit of hope in Yara¡¯s heart. She felt like a joke. She had given her youth and everything to the club, only to be dismissed by Connor with such words. Even Zack tried to retain her, but what about Connor? To him, she was just like dealing with a small cat or dog. 1/3 10:28 Chapter 322 Yara was utterly heartbroken. She deeply sighed. Her years of love were all in vain. Her deep love and tenderness turned into nothing, reced by intense hatred! When she loved Connor, he disregarded her. One day, they would beg her to return to the club! Dragging her injured body, Yara left step by step. When she reached the door, she looked back. The man she had loved for six years was holding Flora, with a tenderness in his eyes she had never seen before. A taste of iron surged to her throat, and Yara spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, dragging her battered body away step by step. From the operation room to the Enforcement Office, she had to cross the long training grounds. It was the club members¡® training time, and the ground was crowded. Seeing Yara¡¯s grievous injuries, all the members were shocked. ¡°Yara, how did you get so seriously injured? Was It those bastards from The Red Scorpions who ambushed us?¡± A few eager members quickly came over to support Yara. Disciples from the Medical Division, upon hearing the news, also rushed over with medical kits to treat Yara. Yara refused, a bitter smile on her pale face. Under the scorching sun, her body swayed. ¡°In the years I¡¯ve spent here, I¡¯ve had the happiest moments of my life, but all good things muste to an end, and this is as far as I go, I have asked the boss to let me leave the club, and from now on, I have no ties with the Empire Club.¡± Her words stirred up a storm. All the members were shocked. ¡°Yara, what happened? Why are you suddenly leaving the club?¡± ¡°Did something happen? Tell us, and we can solve it together!¡± Tears welled up in Yara¡¯s eyes, and she couldn¡¯t help but cry. ¡°Thank you, everyone, but I¡¯m really leaving this time.¡± ¡°For the club, I¡¯ve been through thick and thin, but I can¡¯t ept being humiliated and wrongfully used. Ms. Flora, she¡­¡± Yara choked up towards the end, leaving much to the imagination. She had always been the strongest; it was the first time they saw her cry like this, she must have suffered a great injustice. ¡°Was it that Flora who did this to you again?¡± The disciples from the Medical Division were furious. ¡°She¡¯s gone too far! Last time you were in bed for half a month because of her! And now, as soon as you recover, she does it again!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the boss and demand that Flora be severely punished!¡± All the members were enraged. Flora had crossed their line. ¡°No need to go.¡± Yara closed her eyes, feeling powerless and hopeless. ¡°You don¡¯t have to offend Ms. Flora for me, or you¡¯ll end up like me.¡± 2/3 10:28 Chapter 322 ¡°From now on, I won¡¯t be here to protect you. You must be careful and try not to provoke her. I, as a club leader, have failed to protect you.¡± After saying this, Yara boldly walked into the Enforcement Office, handed over her token, and left the club without looking back. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and Yara took it out to see a message from Jules. A small smile formed on her lips. She was leaving in disgrace now, but soon, they would be asking her toe back! In the hospital room, Adler¡¯s condition had improved, and he would wake up in no more than two hours. He was finally out of danger, and the three club leaders should have been happy, but the thought of Yara¡¯s situation dampened their spirits. ¡°After such a long surgery, you must be exhausted. Go rest,¡± Connor said softly. Florazily responded, indeed tired after hours of surgery. ¡°Call me as soon as Adler wakes up.¡± She hadn¡¯t been gone long when Moss and Beck rushed in, their expressions somber and anxious. CHAPTER 323 Chapter 323 ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve got a letter from Jules,¡± Moss announced, looking serious. ¡°What does it say?¡± Zack perked up instantly. They¡¯d been negotiating with Jules for two weeks, and messages from him were rare. Could it be progress on the miracle drug? Moss looked uneasy. ¡°Jules said he could give us a batch of the miracle drug, but only because of Yara. She has to be the one to receive it.¡± Zack¡¯s excitement soared at the beginning of the message, but thest part felt like a bucket of ice water, leaving him utterly deted. His expression was downright miserable. The boss had driven Yara away, and now that the miracle drug was within reach, they couldn¡¯t even touch it. ¡°Boss, I really think the issue with Yara might just be a misunderstanding,¡± Zack said, rubbing his hands together and letting out a nervousugh. ¡°Yara¡¯s been at the base for years; she¡¯s done a lot for us. Saying she wanted to leave was probably just her speaking in anger. If you reached out to her, I¡¯m sure she¡¯de back.¡± Connor remained silent, and Zack, sensing the futility, stopped talking. They all knew their boss too well. There was no way he was going to swallow his pride and ask Yara back. News about the miracle drug spread like wildfire throughout the base, thanks to some unseen hand stirring the pot. The disciples at the base had been desperate for the drug, and now that there was finally a chance to get it, it was all ruined because of Flora. Everyone med Flora; if it weren¡¯t for her, Yara wouldn¡¯t have left, and the drug would be theirs. Dissatisfaction was rampant throughout the base. The disciples were less diligent in their training, and the leaders constantly looked troubled. They wished they could convince Connor to put the greater good first and reach out to Yara, but they knew it was a lost cause. Yara knew the base was in turmoil over the miracle drug. She thought Connor woulde crawling back soon, but a day passed without a word from him. Even her things, which she hadn¡¯t had time to pack, were thrown out. 1/3 10:34 Yara was livid. Anyst bit of hope she had was extinguished Since Connor was so heartless, she no longer had any reason to consider his feelings.. After leaving the hotel, Yara headed straight for The Red Scorpions. So, while the base was filled withints andmentations, another bombshell dropped. Yara had joined The Red Scorpions, and the miracle drug would be supplied to them. Any disciple from the base willing to join The Red Scorpions would receive five doses of the miracle drug each month. The miracle drug was incredibly valuable; just one dose could significantly enhance one¡¯s abilities. This news enraged most of the base¡¯s disciples. Despite their desire for the drug, they had their principles and would not betray the base. Yara¡¯s actions only deepened their disdain for her. But the Medical Division was thrilled. They were Yara¡¯s prot¨¦g¨¦s, trained by her personally. Now they had the opportunity to rejoin her and get the miracle drug, achieving two goals at once. Nearly two¨Cthirds of the Medical Division disciples volunteered to leave the base. ¡°Boss, Yara has gone too far! After all her time at the base, she actually turned against us!¡± Zack was fuming, regetting ever speaking well of her to the boss. She turned out to be nothing but a snake! Pax was just as furious. ¡°It¡¯s just a miracle drug. Our base¡¯s disciples are the best of the best. Even without that so¨Ccalled miracle drug, we can still outperform them!¡± ¡°Yara even used the miracle drug as bait. She¡¯s aligning all Ruby Path forces with The Red Scorpions against us,¡± Jason said,ughing in disbelief. ¡°Does she really think that bunch of nobodies can shake us?¡± Connor sat in the middle of the sofa, his expression cold and unreadable. When Flora walked in with Colton and Lance, she heard their conversation and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Ms. Flora, how¡¯s Adler doing?¡± Jason¡¯s anger seemed to dissipate a bit at the sight of her. ¡°He¡¯s doing well, already able to eat.¡± They¡¯d been too busy to care for Adler these past few days, leaving Flora to tend to him 2/3 10-34 Chapter 323 tirelessly. Now Zack was incredibly fond of Flora, realizing how blind he had been to have ever liked Yara, that venomous woman! ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the miracle drug. I¡¯ve already taken care of it.¡± Seeing their worried faces, Flora said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve been in touch with Jules. He¡¯s already sent the miracle drug. It should arrive by the day after tomorrow at thetest.¡± The room fell silent at her words. ¡°Ms. Flora, what did you say?¡± Zack thought he might have misheard. Flora repeated herself, ¡°Actually, the miracle drug isn¡¯t as mystical as you¡¯ve made it out to be. It indeed has a remarkable effect on strengthening the body and can help improve one¡¯s abilities quickly, but ultimately, it¡¯s still up to the individual.¡± ¡°Ms. Flofa, what¡¯s your rtionship with Jules?¡± The leaders stared at her intently. Anyone else, and they would have thought she was boasting. Yara was Jules¡¯s niece, and Jules had announced he would give the drug to Yara. How could Flora possibly get Jules¡¯s miracle drug? ¡°We¡¯re pretty close,¡± Flora said casually, taking a seat next to Connor. ¡°Thanks for your hard work, Flora,¡± Connor said, reaching out to stroke her hair softly. ¡°Then tonight, Mr. Connor can treat me as a reward.¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. CHAPTER 324 Chapter 324 Floraughed as she wrapped her arms around his waist, not caring about the people around them. She mentioned it was just a massage, but the three leaders were blushing, thinking about the evening¡¯s ¡°rewards.¡± How exactly would they be rewarded? Ms. Flora, how could she be so bold? ¡°Ms. Flora, have you encountered that batch of miracle drugs?¡± Zack asked eagerly. Flora seemed to know quite a bit about the miracle drugs. ¡°Seen them, even tried them,¡± Flora shrugged. She had actually tried them! The three leaders grew even more curious about her rtionship with Jules! ¡°After you took it, how did you feel?¡± They stared at Flora intently, nearly bursting with curiosity. The feeling¡­ Flora didn¡¯t feel much¡­ Just felt it was pretty expensive, costing her a few billion. Flora tilted her head, pondering for a moment before saying, ¡°You might want to ask Lance and Colton about that.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Lance and Colton were taken aback. Lance scratched his head, looking confused, ¡°Ms. Flora, I haven¡¯t tried the miracle drug either, I don¡¯t know.¡± Colton, however, quickly realized what she meant, his eyes widening in disbelief, ¡°Ms. Flora, the drugs you gave us before, were they the miracle drugs?¡± Seeing Flora nod, Colton looked as if he had been struck by lightning. They had never imagined those were the miracle drugs. Flora had given them so much, telling them to take one whenever, as if they were just candy. Colton felt a profound loss, all those miracle drugs wasted. ¡°You gave them the miracle drugs?!¡± 1/4 10:34 Jason¡¯s voice rose, almost breaking. He knew Flora had given Colton and Lance some drugs, but he had never imagined they were the miracle drugs. Such precious miracle drugs, yet Flora had provided boxes of them for their leisure¡­ Ms. Flora was defying the heavens! Zack was about to kneel before her. He was wrong, so very wrong. Ms. Flora was the real hidden boss, and he had thought she was weak! They couldn¡¯t help but look forward to The Red Scorpions making a fool of themselves! Elsewhere. The Red Scorpions. Yara hadn¡¯t been able to contact Jules all day. She had called Jules several times with no answer, and had also called Jules¡¯s assistant several times. Finally, someone answered. ¡°What did you say? My uncle ising to Ruby Path personally?¡± Hearing the assistant¡¯s words, Yara was thrilled. Her uncle still cared about her. Knowing she was wronged in Ruby Path, he personally came to support her! Yara excitedly shared the news with Lando. The owner of The Red Scorpions. Lando was also pleased. Once they got the drugs, they could unite all the forces in Ruby Path to eliminate Empire Base. ¡°Mr. Lando, my uncle will probably arrive tomorrow afternoon at four. Please organize a wee for him.¡± Yara¡¯s tone was more like that of a superior giving orders. Lando did not appreciate her attitude. Honestly, the reason Lando took Yara in was solely because she was Jules¡¯s niece. Jules had a decent rtionship with his mentor, and his niece, driven out by Empire Base and looking pitiful, received his help. 2/4 In the end, it was all for Flora¡¯s sake, Many thought he took her in for the miracle drugs, but that wasn¡¯t the case. His mentor was Flora, and with a little coaxing and acting cute, those miracle drugs would be his. He would never let Empire Base get their hands on them. ¡°Got it.¡± Lando replied impatiently. He finally understood why she had been driven out by Empire Base. Once Jules arrived, he would have her leave, sparing them her presence. His mentor was much more adorable. The next day at four in the afternoon. All members of The Red Scorpions waited in the square for Jules¡¯s ne tond. But by nearly four¨Cthirty, there was still no sign Yara grew anxious, and her calls to Jules went unanswered. Could something have happened on the road? The miracle drugs should be on the ne; nothing could go wrong. ¡°Boss!¡± A member rushed over, speaking to Lando, ¡°Master Jules¡¯s ne has arrived, but it went straight to Empire Base! And Master Jules has dered that the miracle drugs are for Empire Base!¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Yara¡¯s eyes widened! She knew Empire Base all too well, and aside from her, no one could connect with Jules. And after telling her uncle about her grievances with Empire Base, how could he possibly hand over the miracle drugs to them! Lando couldn¡¯t believe it either. Had that old man Jules lost bis mind! ¡°Why not keep the good stuff for his own people, but instead give it to outsiders?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head to Empire Base now!¡± Lando rushed to Empire Base, determined to get there before the deal was done, to give Jules a piece of his mind! 3/4 10:35 Chapter 324 He alone might not be enough; he needed to call his mentor! Yara hurriedly followed. Empire Base. Flora sat on the sofa, idly ying with her phone. The three leaders were reporting work to Connor nearby. Recently, there wasn¡¯t much to report; they just wanted an excuse to see Flora. Flora had mentioned the miracle drugs would arrive today. The sun had set, and the day was nearly over, yet there was still no sign. They were too embarrassed to ask, not wanting to seem distrustful of Flora. Jules: Flora! I¡¯ll be at Empire Base in ten minutes! Excited? Thrilled? Flora: ¡­ You¡¯reing personally? Jules: Heard you were wronged there, of course, I had toe! With a sigh, Flora put away her phone and looked up at the three leaders. ¡°The ne will be here in ten minutes you might want to go receive it.¡± 4/4 CHAPTER 325 Chapter 325 The Miracle Drug Has Arrived! Chapter 325 Jason, Zack, and Pax were practically buzzing with excitement, every fiber of their being alive with anticipation. They quickly organized a team to wee the arrival. Just eight minutester, everyone from the base gathered in the training field, their eyes glued to the slowly descending helicopter. The air was electric with excitement, except for Connor and Flora, who stood calmly at the back. The helicopter door opened, and an elderly man in a whiteb coat stepped down the stairs slowly. ¡°Jules!¡± Jason, Zack, and Pax gasped in unison. They had expected an assistant to deliver the miracle drug, not Jules himself! Ms. Flora hadn¡¯t given them any heads¨Cup. They could have thrown a whole wee ceremony! ¡°Master Jules, you¡¯ve made it! Was the journey exhausting? We¡¯ve got tea and snacks ready for you. Come inside and rest,¡± Zack said, his smile eager and almost too enthusiastic. They hadn¡¯t received the miracle drug yet, so they were eager to make a good impression. 4 But Jules barely nced at him, his eyes scanning the crowd for Flora. There were too many people, and his eyes began to strain. Why was everyone packed in here? Zack, puzzled, tried again, ¡°Master Jules, you- Before he could finish, Jules¡¯s face lit up. He bypassed Zack, heading straight into the crowd. The members parted, forming a path wide enough for three people to walk through. §¤ With the crowd out of the way, Connor and Flora stood out clearly at the back. ¡°Flora!¡± Jules hurried over to Flora, looking her up and down. ¡°Have they been treating you well here?¡± ¡°No one can make me feel wronged,¡± Flora shrugged. ¡°So, someone has* tried to wrong you,¡± Jules frowned deeply. They had no idea Flora was at Ruby Path and hade to Empire Base. Otherwise, they would¡¯ve brought more people to support her. This was Connor¡¯s turf, practically like a second home, and a new bride like Flora could easily be mistreated. ¡°What kind of fianc¨¦ are you?¡± Jules red at Connor. Even Yara, a mere leader, had insulted Flora repeatedly, showing just how much she must have suffered here. Jules knew all this because of Yara, who hadined about Flora numerous times. He 1/3 09:49 Chapter 325 hadn¡¯t realized she was talking about Flora untilter, but once he connected the dots, he knew Flora had been wronged. Normally, Jules wouldn¡¯t dare speak to Connor like this, but thinking of the hardships Fl¨®ra might have faced, anger took over. ¡°Speak kindly, why so hostile?¡± Flora looked at Jules, annoyed. Jules was heartbroken. Indeed, a grown daughter couldn¡¯t be kept at home! ¡°Master Jules, I¡¯ll take good care of Flora and ensure she¡¯s never wronged,¡± Connor said, appearing unusually docile. He knew Flora valued Jules as a respected elder, which meant Jules was naturally his elder too. Zack, Pax, and Jason were stunned. Their boss had such a side? And Master Jules¡¯s concern for Flora was beyond their wildest imagination! Seeing Jules ready to settle scores, the three leaders and all the base members felt a pang of guilt. Flora had indeed been wronged here. They had doubted her, looked down on her, even ndered her. For a girl in a new environment to face only malice, anyone would have felt terrible and probably would have left. But Flora, with her remarkable abilities, had earned the trust and admiration of all the base members. In the living room, Connor, Flora, and Jules sat on the couch, with the three leaders standing by. Jules took out a contract from his briefcase, prepared as per Flora¡¯s request. ¡°Here¡¯s the contract. Take a look, and if there¡¯s no issue, sign it,¡± Jules said. Zack, who handled these matters, suppressed his excitement and read through the details carefully. When he saw certain uses, his hands trembled with shock. The contract stated that apart from a necessary portion for the country, all the rest of the miracle drug would be provided to Empire Base! They had thought Jules would allocate them a small percentage, with the rest going to other forces. But now, he was giving all of it to them! ¡°Even though we¡¯re all on the same side, we need clear ounts. Apart from the profits. from the drug itself, I want two percent of your base¡¯s annual profits,¡± Jules said. The benefits the miracle drug would bring were countless, and two percent of the profits wasn¡¯t much. Other forces had offered nearly half of their profits.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Zack looked at Connor for approval, and after getting a nod, he agreed without hesitation. They knew they were already getting a huge advantage, and Jules was doing this for Flora¡¯s sake. Jules continued, ¡°The two percent annual profit goes directly into Flora¡¯s ount. Also, I hope you understand, I can terminate this contract at any time. I¡¯m signing this contract with you all because of Flora. Let me not hear of her being wronged here again, or you 09:49 Chapter 325 know the consequences.¡± Flora paused from ying with her phone. She truly hadn¡¯t expected Jules to direct the two percent profits entirely to her. She felt a bit helpless, yet warmed by the thought. Jules was establishing her authority in Empire Base. CHAPTER 326 Chapter 326 Jason, Pax, and Zack exchanged nces, their hearts pounding with shock. Master Jules was willing to go to such lengths for Flora, treating her better than his own daughter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master Jules. Ms. Flora is our boss¡® fianc¨¦e and thedy of Empire Base. We won¡¯t let her face any trouble here,¡± Jason reassured him. The previous misunderstandings were simply because they didn¡¯t know Flora well. Now, they felt she deserved to be treated like royalty. They were eager for her to marry Connor immediately, fearing such an amazing woman like Ms. Flora might end up with someoneThis is property ? N?velDrama.Org. else! Hearing their promises, Jules couldn¡¯t help but smile as he signed the contract. Zack, holding the contract, grinned so broadly that his face wrinkled. Just then, Moss and Beck walked in briskly. ¡°Boss, The Red Scorpions are here,¡± Beck announced gravely. ¡°Those bastards dare to show up?¡± Jason¡¯s blood boiled at the mention of The Red Scorpions. ¡°Let¡¯s go teach them a lesson,¡± Zack said, waving the contract triumphantly. The Red Scorpions surely came knowing Master Jules was here, trying to stop the contract signing. They had previously strutted around, full of themselves. Now, with the contract in their hands and Master Jules treating their boss¡® fianc¨¦e like his own daughter, Zack was curious to see how they would dare be arrogant now. Zack, leading with the contract in hand, followed by Jason and Pax, looked as if they were heading out for a fight. ¡°Shall we go out?¡± Jules asked Flora, aware of her connection to Lando. Flora massaged her forehead, feeling somewhat helpless and weary. ¡°Let¡¯s go out.¡± The Red Scorpions stood menacingly outside the gates of Empire Base, all seething with anger. The people of Empire Base, positioned inside, looked equally displeased, especially at the sight of Yara next to them. They wished they could douse the traitors in boiling oil. Bringing a traitor to their doorstep was indeed provoking! ¡°Well, well, look who it is. High Chief Lando himself. What brings you to our humble abode?¡± Zack, Jason, and Pax sauntered out leisurely, their smiles irritatingly smug. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you,¡± Lando said impatiently. ¡°I want to see Jules. Call him out now.¡± ¡°Master Jules is currently discussing a miracle drug with our boss. He might not be 09:49 Chapter 326 avable for a while,¡± Zack blinked and added, ¡°Oh, High Chief, maybe you didn¡¯t know. Master Jules has already signed a contract with us. From now on, all the miracle drugs he develops will be exclusively for Empire Base, and he won¡¯t sell to any other power.¡± Hearing this, Lando¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Master Jules had given exclusive rights to all his miracle drugs to Empire Base? Had he lost his mind? Yara, too, couldn¡¯t believe it. She couldn¡¯t fathom how Empire Base had managed to achieve this. When she had mentioned it to her uncle before, he had only agreed to give her a portion of the miracle drugs. Empire Base, which had previously needed her to establish a connection with Jules, had, in such a short time, convinced her uncle tomit all future miracle drugs exclusively to them. CHAPTER 327 Chapter 327 ¡°It¡¯s impossible! My uncle values that miracle drug way too much to just hand it all over to Empire Base! You¡¯re either lying, or you used some sneaky trick to get it!¡± This was the best exnation Yara could muster. ¡°Underhanded? Us? We wouldn¡¯t dream of stooping as low as you. Betraying your friends and then turning on them? That¡¯s your style, not ours.¡± ¡°Yara, do you really think the base can¡¯t manage without you? Let me tell you, our boss¡® fianc¨¦e is miles ahead of you in every way. Thinking you could even dream of our boss? Please, take a good look in the mirror first.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t evene close to our Ms. Flora. She¡¯s not even worthy of tying her shoes!¡± The three leaders, along with the base disciples, took turns mocking Yara, nearly driving her to a heart attack with their sharp words. ¡°Lando, instead of wasting your time here, you should be figuring out how to exin this mess to the other factions.¡± Lando had previously used the miracle drug to persuade various factions, both big and small, to risk offending Empire Base and ally with The Red Scorpions. 9 Now, with the miracle drug gone, Lando had no way to appease those factions. Even without Empire Base lifting a finger, those factions alone would give them a hard time. Lando¡¯s face darkened as he looked at the contract in Zack¡¯s hand, his expression sour as if he¡¯d swallowed something rotten. Had Jules lost his mind? Actually signing a deal with Empire Base? He had called Jules several times, but no answer. He even tried calling Flora, but still no luck.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Master, you¡¯re the only one who can stop Jules from making a huge mistake, why aren¡¯t you answering? ¡°Say it again, call Jules out!¡± Lando had lost all patience, his gaunt eyes ring at the three leaders as he spoke coldly. If they didn¡¯t bring out Jules, they were ready to storm in. They hade prepared for this. ¡°What are you all eagerly waiting for me toe out for?¡± Just then, Jules strolled out leisurely. 09:50 Chapter 327 Seeing him, Yara couldn¡¯t wait to exim, ¡°Uncle!¡± ¡°Uncle, you know what Empire Base has done to me. Why would you give them the miracle drug?¡± Tears welled up in Yara¡¯s eyes, as if she¡¯d suffered the greatest injustice. But she failed to notice that at this moment, Lando was staring intently at Flora beside Jules, his face a picture of shock. Jules looked at her feigned pitiful appearance and sneered, raising his hand to deliver a harsh p. ¡°Shut up! Do you really need me to remind you of your own deeds?¡± ¡°Uncle¡­¡± Yara was dazed by the p, unable toprehend why Jules would hit her¡­ She was confused, but the reason for Lando¡¯s reaction upon seeing Flora was bing clearer¡­ No wonder Jules had uncharacteristically given the miracle drug to Empire Base; it turned out his mentor was at the base. Then seeing Flora and Connor holding hands, Lando had an epiphany! ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me Connor¡¯s fianc¨¦e was Flora!¡± Lando confronted Yara, his face as colorful as a painter¡¯s palette. 9 Thinking back to when he had spoken ill of Flora alongside Yara, he was both angry and annoyed. Without waiting for Yara¡¯s reply, he pped her hard across the face! CHAPTER 328 Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Lando¡¯s p barely satisfied his anger as he stormed toward Flora, step by step. Three leaders quickly moved to block his path. ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Lando¡¯s voice boomed, his face flushed with fury. Jason sneered, ¡°You better realize you¡¯re on Empire Base turf. Take another step, and neither you nor your Red Scorpions will leave here alive.¡± Lando swallowed his rage, his face shifting from pale to an envious green, his eyes locking onto Flora, tinged with sorrow. ¡°Master¡­¡± The three leaders froze, almost thinking he was addressing them. ¡°Master, how could youe to Ruby Path and not tell me? Look at how your disciple has been bullied.¡± Lando¡¯s voice was filled with grievance, nearly welling up with tears. Flora couldn¡¯t stand his overly dramatic nature. It was exactly because he was so troublesome and theatrical that she had reluctantly taken him as her disciple. ¡°I see you¡¯re doing just fine, not bullied at all,¡± Flora said, ncing at him with a rather indifferent tone. Seeing Lando acting all cutesy and spoiled with Flora left everyone in shock. Master¡­ Master? Flora was Lando¡¯s master? Yara¡¯s cheeks swelled, squishing her eyes into an odd shape. She stared at the scene, her heart pounding with shock and awe. In the living room, the atmosphere turned awkward. Flora and Connor sat calmly, while Master Jules lounged on the opposite sofa, legs crossed, enjoying the show. Lando stood to the side with the three leaders. ¡°Master, did Connor sweet¨Ctalk you into this?¡± Lando asked, his face pained. ¡°Men¡¯s words are the least reliable. Master, you¡¯re young; don¡¯t be fooled. Connor is not your true match.¡± Connor, handing Flora a peeled orange, nced darkly at Lando. Zack red, ¡°How is our boss not Ms. Flora¡¯s true match? They¡¯re perfect for each other!¡± hapter 328 Had it not been for Lando being Flora¡¯s disciple, they would have been beaten half to death at the door, let alone sitting herefortably. ¡°Ms. Fl¨®ra is our boss¡® fianc¨¦e. So by that logic, shouldn¡¯t you be calling our boss ¡®Master¡®?¡± Jason, seeing Lando¡¯s frustrated face, couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Are you asking for a beating?¡± Lando, already simmering with anger, nearly lunged at Jason. ¡°One more word and you¡¯re out.¡± Flora¡¯s coldmand fell like a bucket of ice water, instantly calming Lando down. He pouted, visibly upset. ¡°Master, now that all the miracle drugs have gone to Empire Base, The Red Scorpions are on the brink of copse. You can¡¯t just watch as your disciple¡¯s creation folds¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± Flora bit into the orange, its sweetness lifting her spirits. ¡°Give The Red Scorpions fifty percent of the miracle drugs.¡± ¡°No,¡± Flora refused without a second thought. ¡°Thirty percent?¡± Lando was nearly in tears. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Twenty percent then?¡± Lando¡¯s voice choked up, a grown man on the verge of crying. Flora didn¡¯t even look at him, knowing well he was acting. ¡°I won¡¯t give you the drugs. But there¡¯s one way to save The Red Scorpions: ally with Empire Base.¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Allying with Empire Base would deter other hostile forces, and as allies, The Red Scorpions could also ess the miracle drugs. ¡°Ally The Red Scorpions with Empire Base?¡± Lando was in disbelief at what he heard. The Red Scorpions and Empire Base had always been at odds, and now Flora suggested an alliance?! The three leaders were displeased with Lando¡¯s reaction. If he was reluctant to ally, they were even less keen on allying with The Red Scorpions. ¡°Ally, and you get forty percent of the miracle drugs. No alliance, and I wash my hands of you.¡± Flora was firm. ¡°From now on, we¡¯re one family. Why act like sworn enemies?¡± ¡°The Red Scorpions allying with the Empire means as long as The Red Scorpions remain loyal, we¡¯ll treat disciples of both with equality, sharing resources and growing together,¡± 16:24 Chapter 328 Connor added, knowing Flora¡¯s intentions to reconcile the Empire with The Red Scorpions. Lando, despite his reluctance and fears of being subdued by Empire Base¡¯s disciples, eventually signed the alliance contract unwillingly. ¡°Master, I¡¯m doing this for you!¡± Even while signing, Lando didn¡¯t miss a chance to y his part. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯d disdain allying with Empire Base! It¡¯s embarrassing! And Master, be careful around Connor, don¡¯t get deceived by him¡­¡± Flora pped the back of Lando¡¯s head, nearly giving him a concussion. ¡°Speak respectfully, call him ¡®Master Dad.¡± Lando, ¡°¡­¡± What a world. CHAPTER 329 Chapter 329 ¡°How should we handle Yara?¡± Lando asked, his tone icy. That woman had schemed against Flora countless times. Letting her off easily just wouldn¡¯t cut it. ¡°Let Uncle Sean deal with her,¡± Flora replied, mindful of the rtionship between Jules and Yara as uncle and niece. Jules gave Flora a grateful look. Even though Yara was a distant rtive and they shared no real bond, she was still his niece. He couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch her lose her life. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of it. Yara won¡¯t trouble you again,¡± Jules reassured. Flora noddedzily. With Yara under Jules¡® watch, her days were numbered. ¡°Master, why don¡¯t you stay at The Red Scorpions for a while?¡± Lando asked eagerly, rubbing his hands together. It was rare for Flora to visit Ruby Path, and he had tons of technical questions to ask her. ¡°I can¡¯t. School¡¯s starting soon, and I need to head back,¡± Flora said, thinking of the uing semester. ¡°Alright then,¡± Lando replied, feeling a bit bitter. He used Flora of prioritizing love over friendship in his mind. The news of The Red Scorpions and Empire Base forming an alliance spread quickly through Ruby Path, shocking everyone. The two had been notorious rivals since forever, and now they were joining forces? Curious minds soon discovered it was all because of a woman named Flora. Her name echoed throughout Ruby Path, and many wanted to see her in person. Jules took Yara away, and those who had betrayed Empire Base were expelled from The Red Scorpions. Once cast out by both major forces, no one else dared to take them in. In the ruthless world of Ruby Path, survival without protection was impossible. Empire Base¡¯s disciples were thrilled with the oue and held Flora in high regard. They had heard it was Flora who secured the miracle drugs for them. Master Jules, a highly respected figure, treated Flora like his own daughter. Even the boss of The Red Scorpions was her disciple. They were ready to worship Flora as a deity. When Flora was about to leave, every disciple came to see her off, their reluctance evident. The three hall masters wished she could stay forever. When Flora first arrived, everyone had looked down on her. But within just over a month, she had won them over with her skills. 16:24 Chapter 329 The ne left Ruby Path andnded in Cedarvale. Raul and Henrik knew Flora was returning and didn¡¯t go to work that day. Instead, they went to the supermarket early in the morning to buy lots of ingredients. At eleven in the morning, Connor and Flora arrived at the Irving family home. ¡°Oh my darling daughter, you¡¯re finally back! Let me take a look at you!¡± Raul eximed, opening the door with excitement. He looked Flora up and down, his face full of concern. ¡°Living away from home must have been tough, right? Look at you, you¡¯ve lost weight.¡± Flora couldn¡¯t help butugh. She hadn¡¯t lost any weight. Connor had been cooking delicious meals for her every day; she had actually gained a bit. ¡°Uncle Sean, these are some local specialties Flora and I picked up. Hope you like them,¡± Connor said, holding a variety of items. Raul was overjoyed, beaming from ear to ear. It wasn¡¯t about the gifts themselves, but the thought behind them. ¡°Great,e on in, dinner will be ready soon,¡± he said. While waiting, Henrik brought out two tes of chilled watermelon. ¡°Bro, you¡¯re the best!¡± Floraughed, spearing a piece with a fork and savoring it. Connor went to help in the kitchen, while Flora, without a care, sprawled on the sofa, eating watermelon and scrolling through her phone. She had posted a status update when shended, and her phone was buzzing with messages. ¡°Connor, I want some water!¡± Flora called out, feeling the need for something less sweet after all the watermelon. Connor quickly brought out a ss of water from the kitchen. Flora took it, drinking deeply, and smacked her lips in satisfaction. She replied to a few important messages, holding her phone in one hand. Soon, the meal was served, filled with Flora¡¯s favorite dishes. Raul and Henrik kept piling food onto her te, worried she wouldn¡¯t eat enough. ¡°Dad, Flora was only gone for a month. Is all this fuss necessary?¡± Henrik asked, amused. Raul, hardly eating himself, just watched Flora with misty eyes, making Henrik bothugh and cry. ¡°It is necessary! My daughter is worth it!¡± Raul huffed. ¡°As if you weren¡¯t the one constantly asking when Flora would be back.¡± Floraughed, ¡°If you miss me this much now, what will you do when I start school?¡± 16:24 Chapter 329 New students at the University of Maple Grove were required to live on campus, meaning Flora would onlye home during long holidays. Raul straightened up. ¡°Your brother and I have talked it over. We¡¯re nning to move to Maple Grove. That way, you cane home more often. We¡¯ve already picked out a house near your school and are preparing to move thepany there.¡± This past month, they had been busy with this n. The Irving family had worked hard to establish themselves in Cedarvale, and now they were leaving it all for Flora. She was too talented to be confined to Cedarvale; they needed to keep up with her pace.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Flora was deeply moved by their decision. In the blink of an eye, it was time for the new academic year to start at the University of Maple Grove. Raul, Henrik, and Connor all apanied Flora to the university. CHAPTER 330 Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Maple Grove University. The top school in the country. In front of its understated yet elegant entrance a long banner weed the new students. On the wide wee avenue, lush oak trees lined both sides, under which rows of tents had been set up. Seniors from various departments sat underneath, eagerly helping the freshmen with any questions they might have. Under the tent of the Medical Department, a senior sat idly, his attention caught by the shade above him, prompting him to look up. The girl standing in front of him wore a slightly oversized sun¨Cprotective shirt and jeans, making her appear even more slender. Her pale skin seemed to glow under the harsh sun. A sun hat was pulled down low, casting shadows over her long eyshes. The senior was momentarily stunned, taking a few moments to snap back to reality, his face flushing with embarrassment. ? ¡°Are you a new student in the Medical Department?¡± he asked. ¡°Mm.¡± Flora nodded slightly in response. ¡°First, please fill out this registration form, then scan the QR code on the table here. It¡¯s for the official department group chat for new students. The first document in the files section outlines the registration process.¡± Flora leaned down, her delicate wrist brushing against the table as she crisply wrote down her name. The senior couldn¡¯t help but nce at the swan¨Clike neck she inadvertently revealed.. ¡°Do you know where your dorm is? Let me take you there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± Flora shook her head, her lips curving into a polite smile, ¡°I have someone to apany me.¡± Hearing this, the senior nced behind her, seeing Raul, Henrik, and Connor, mistaking them for her father and brothers. ¡°Well then¡­¡± the senior rubbed his hands together, ¡°How about we exchange contact information? You¡¯re new to the university, so you might have lots of questions. Feel free to ask me anytime!¡± Flora gave him a look and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m already engaged.¡± 1/2 16:25 Chapter 330 The senior¡¯s smile froze, internallymenting that all the beautiful girls were already taken. Still, he responded cheerfully, ¡°That¡¯s all right, I¡¯m the admin of the neers¡® group chat. If you have any questions, just ask there, and I¡¯ll reply when I see it.¡± Not far away, Raul¡¯s face was dark, ¡°Look at these guys, hungry as wolves. I¡¯m really afraid they¡¯ll devour our Flora.¡± Ever since entering Maple Grove University, the attention on Flora had been unending. If not for the presence of Raul and the others, people would probably have already approached her to make acquaintances. Henrik¡¯s face was grim as well, disturbed by the gazes that seemed to undervalue their precious one. Connor¡¯s eyes were slightly lowered, but his displeasure was evident.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. When Flora returned, he assertively took her hand, marking his territory, and put a mask on her. He wore a matching mask. That managed to reduce the lovestruck gazes The senior watched them leave, then looked down at the registration form. His eyes widened in shock and surprise when he saw the name Flora. That girl was the national top scorer, Flora?! Henrik, an alumnus of Maple Grove University, was well¨Cacquainted with the campus quickly helped Floraplete the series of registration processes. and Thest step was to subm their files to the advisor. After handing in their documents for registration, they could go to the dormitory manager to collect the keys andplete the move¨Cin process. The office was crowded, full of new students in a noisy throng. 1 CHAPTER 331 aring weding desse Marrik. At first the thought his eyes were doing more he led we d Henrik, be called out excitedly Director Summers*This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Henk walked over with a polite greeting ¡°It really is your Director Summers stood up mavened around a group of and came up to Henk. He pped Henk on the shoulder, clearly tiled ¡°W you back to Maple Grove University? Did you miss us? Henrik had been a standout student during his time at the unversity excelling in both character and academics. He was well¨Cknown and well¨Cliked by the faculty and administration Henrik smiled and said. ¡°My sister got into the School of Medione tere i¡¯m just doing her off Hearing this, Director Summers nced at Fiore, who was standing dennd erk withha mask on, and smiled. ¡°Here to submitte enrollment documents? Hand then over He took the documents from Henrikk. The girl at the front of the line wearing a lemon¨Cyellow sundress, withdrew her hand holding her own documents, a tim of jealousy fickering in her downcast eyes. The other new students vating their turn locked on enviously. Connections realy do make things easier, they thought, admining Flore for having such a handsome trotter and being so well¨Cconnected with the school administration When Director Summers opened Flora¡¯s file, a quick nce at her mame mate his hand tremble. He couldn¡¯t calm down for a long time The national top scorer, Floral This family¡­. each one more extraordinary that thest! Flora¡¯s dorm was on the fourth floor, Room 407. The dorm was a four¨Cperson room with bunk beds that had desks underneath. Each bed wasbeled with the names of the new students moving in. By the time they arrived, two of the roommates had already setted in and made ther beds. 1/2 They had gone out to buy necessities, so they weren¡¯t in the dorm. Flora¡¯s bed was the first one on the right, closest to the door. Connor, with practiced ease, climbed up to the bed and started spreading out the sheets and nkets while Flora leaned against the desk, ying with her phone. Kaylee: Flora, which building is your dorm in? Flora: Building B. Kaylee: I¡¯m in Building F. Are you done yet? Dane and I wille to take you out for dinner. Kaylee was also at Maple Grove University. Her scores weren¡¯t quite up to par, but she got in through the design talent route, ranking fifth in her professional achievements and first in academic scores. Dane was studying at Maple Grove College of Physical Education, not far from Maple Grove University¨Cjust a twenty¨Cminute subway ride away. Maple Grove College of Physical Education started the term five days earlier than Maple Grove University, so Dane had alreadypleted his enrollment procedures. Knowing they were starting today, he nned to pick them up. Flora, having her brother, father, and Connor to see her off, didn¡¯t need his help, so she had him pick up Kaylee instead. Kaylee came by herself this time; her mother didn¡¯te with her. Faith had always hoped Kaylee would study finance, but Kaylee was adamant about studying fashion design. When it came time to choose majors, mother and daughter had a huge argument. Kaylee, usually timid and gentle, stood her ground firmly, even resorting to a hunger strike and being hospitalized several times before Faith reluctantly agreed to let her pursue fashion design. Flora replied: Almost done, give me fifteen minutes. CHAPTER 332 Chapter 332 Kaylee: Let¡¯s meet at the school gate and wait for you there. ¡°Who texted you?¡± Connor asked as he finished making the bed and thoughtfully hung up the bed curtains. Noticing Flora replying to a message on her phone, he added, ¡°Was it Kaylee?¡± ¡°Yeah, she and Dane want to grab dinner together.¡± ¡°We¡¯re pretty much done here. Let¡¯s go eat and see if we need anything else,¡± Henrik suggested. They all left and headed to the school gate, where Kaylee and Dane were already waiting. Kaylee and Dane greeted Raul, Henrik, and Connor with shy smiles. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the second cafeteria. There¡¯s a great skillet ce there. And here¡¯s a tip: the chef at the second cafeteria is way better than the ones at the first and third. It¡¯s a bit far across theke, but totally worth it,¡± Henrik, a long¨Ctime student at the University of Maple Grove, informed them. The group began their trek to the second cafeteria when Kaylee¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Hey, senior. My friends and I were just about to eat¡­ Can it wait until after dinner? Does it have to be now? But¡­¡± Kaylee¡¯s expression turned helpless as the call ended abruptly. ¡°Flora, I can¡¯t join you for dinner; something came up,¡± she exined. ¡°What could be so urgent for a freshman?¡± Dane frowned. Kaylee tightened her grip on her phone. ¡°A senior assistant from my major called. There are too many people at orientation, and she asked me to help.¡± In mid¨CAugust, her major had set up a group chat. Although she rarely spoke, the senior assistant reached out and exined a lot about the major, which Kaylee appreciated.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why do they need a freshman with so many people around?¡± Dane¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Kaylee, don¡¯t be as amodating as you were in high school. The more you say yes, the more they¡¯ll take advantage of you. University rtionships aren¡¯t that crucial.¡± Maple Grove College of Physical Education started the semester early, and the school had been heavily promoting the student council, the federation of societies, and various clubs, which Dane had researched a bit. ¡°Okay.¡± Kaylee obediently nodded. ¡°You guys go ahead to dinner. I¡¯ll grab somethingter.¡± ¡°Stay sharp,¡± Flora advised, pulling down the brim of her sun hat. ¡°Sure.¡± Kaylee smiled and ran off. Chapter 332 After dinner and some shopping, Flora returned to her dormitory alone. Raul, Henrik, and Connor, despite their reluctance, couldn¡¯t stay with her at school forever. As soon as Flora reached the dorm entrance, she received a text from Connor. Connor: Did you get there safe? Flora: Reporting in, safe and sound! She added a salute emoji. Flora fished out her keys and opened the door. Inside, three girls were chatting andughing, but they stopped when she entered. A girl in a bunny¨Cpatterned nightgown with a pink headband stood up and smiled. ¡°You must be the roommate for bed number two! I¡¯m Chloe, seventeen, and a local from Maple Grove.¡± Chloe was a bit chubby, and when she smiled, her eyes crinkled into her cheeks, revealing cute dimples. ¡°I¡¯m Emily, eighteen, also a local from Maple Grove. We went to the same high school,¡± said another girl with a bob cut, cing her hand on Chloe¡¯s shoulder in a somewhat leader¨Clike manner. ¡°And I¡¯m Jillian, pure as white,¡± said a girl in a yellow dress with delicate makeup. She briefly scanned Flora, her eyes slightly downcast, making it hard to read her expression. Flora nodded and greeted them. ¡°Nice to meet you all. I¡¯m Flora, from Cedarvale, and I¡¯m neen.¡± CHAPTER 333 Chapter 333 ¡°Wow, so you¡¯re older than all of us!¡± Jillian chimed in, instantly friendly. She pulled open a drawer, took out a pack of cookies, and handed them to Flora. ¡°Here, my mom made these. They¡¯re really good, and I¡¯ve got enough for everyone!¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Out of nowhere, Jillian asked, ¡°What were your SAT scores to get into the University of Maple Grove?¡± Cynthia scratched her head. ¡°Not great, just 683.¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Eilies nced over at Jillian and said, ¡°702.¡± ¡°In our dorm, Jillian¡¯s got the highest score, with a 725!¡± Cynthia turned to Flora. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Flora thought for a moment. ¡°Just average.¡± Jillian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly with a hint of disdain. Can¡¯t even share her SAT score? Must have been really low. After that, Flora headed off to take a shower. Cynthia watched Flora walk away, envy in her eyes. ¡°Our new roommate is so pretty, and she¡¯s so pale and slim.¡± Eilies didn¡¯t hold back. ¡°If you ate less, you could be that pale and slim too.¡± Cynthia and Eilies had been neighbors since they were kids and had gone to the same schools all their lives. She was used to Eilies¡¯s teasing by now. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but she seems familiar. What did she say her name was? Flora?¡± Cynthia pondered, chin in hand. Suddenly her eyes widened, and she turned to Eilies, almost frozen. ¡°The national top scorer! Flora! Is it her?¡± ¡°¡­If I¡¯m not mistaken, yes,¡± Eilies realized too. Cynthia almost shrieked with excitement. ¡°Oh my gosh, what luck to have the national top scorer as a roommate!¡± Jillian paused in her organizing. The national top scorer, Flora, was someone she knew of. The terms ¡®national top scorer¡® and ¡®Flora¡® had been trending for almost half a month. Even her parents had praised her. She¡­ was actually Flora. 1/2 11:40 Chapter 333 Jillian continued to unpack her books, her tone casual. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Flora too. I heard she had a bad rep in high school¨Cfights, skipping sses, talking back to teachers, early dating. And apparently, she has a temper¡­ Be careful around her, don¡¯t piss her off.¡± ¡°Those were just rumors, already cleared up. Besides, if she really did all that and still scored over 740, wouldn¡¯t that be even more impressive!¡± Cynthia¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. Jillian, ¡°¡­¡­¡± At 7:30 in the evening, the department organized a ss meeting. The medical department at the University of Maple Grove didn¡¯t have many students, just under four hundred, divided into ten sses. After the counselor finished the general meeting in therge ssroom, it was time for the smaller ss meetings led by the seniors. Flora and her friends sat in the third row against the wall, with Flora in the most inconspicuous spot. Yet some people just stand out in a crowd. Anyone walking in couldn¡¯t help but notice Flora. Flora chatted with Connor, looking calm and collected. ¡°I know it¡¯s the first day of school and everyone must be tired, so I¡¯ll keep it short and sweet.¡± Even though the senior promised a short speech, itsted nearly half an hour. ¡°Okay, now let¡¯s move on to electing our ss officers. If you think someone is fit to be the ss president, feel free to nominate them. Those interested in being a ss officer can alsoe up to speak. The person with the most votes will be the ss president.¡± Jillian was the first to stand up. CHAPTER 334 Chapter 334 She stepped up to the podium, her voice gentle, ¡°Hey everyone, I¡¯m Jillian. From middle school through high school I served as ss president. I¡¯m responsible and have strong leadership skills. I believe I can make a real difference for each of you¡­¡± Jillian introduced herself thoroughly, talking for a full five minutes. ¡°And that¡¯s my speech. Thanks, everyone.¡± The apuse was sparse and scattered. Jillian had said too much, and honestly, no one was in the mood to listen. Back in high school, they were all tired of these bossy ss officers¨Ctoo talkative and overly controlling. Now that they were in college, they were even less interested in being managed. ¡°Forget the speeches! The only one fit to be ss president is Flora, no one else!¡± someone shouted. ¡°I vote for Flora too!¡± ¡°Flora¡¯s got my vote!¡± nce someone took the lead, others quickly followed suit. Flora was a national top scorer, nearly perfect in every subject. Her bing ss president was something everyone could agree on. The senior ss rep gave a resigned smile. ¡°With so many votes for Flora, it looks like Flora is our ss president.¡± Jillian¡¯s smile froze, her fingers almost digging into her palm. With everyone choosing Flora, what did that make her? Was her speech just a joke? Flora hadn¡¯t really wanted to be ss president, knowing well the burdens it carried. It was a thankless job that often left you stuck between a rock and a hard ce. 05:25 Chapter 334 ¡°Senior, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not up for the ss president role.¡± Flora stood, adding, ¡°My personality isn¡¯t really suited for it either.¡± The senior was taken aback by the refusal. In college, the ss president was the only student who regrly interacted with the school¡¯s leadership, which was super helpful for schrships and awards. It also provided ess to thetest academic resources. This was the first time she¡¯d seen someone turn it down. Cheryl tugged at Flora¡¯s sleeve, her voice a bit too loud, ¡°Come on, Flora, don¡¯t be so modest. Who else but you could do it? Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re all easy to get along with. Whatever you say goes, we won¡¯t give you any trouble!¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°Exactly, we¡¯ll only ept you as ss president.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t turn it down! President Shen!¡± With everyone insisting, Flora had no choice but to ept. Jillian¡¯s chest heaved with barely contained fury, casting a resentful nce at Flora. All that pretending, iming she couldn¡¯t handle it, and yet here she was, taking the position. Next, they elected the studymittee chair, youth league secretary, organizationmittee chair, and artsmittee chair. Eilies was elected as the organizationmittee chair. Cheryl, with her cute looks and outgoing personality, was chosen as the arts The youth league secretary and studymittee chair went to two rather schrly¨Clooking boys. In dorm room 407, aside from Jillian, Flora, Eilies, and Cheryl all secured positions on the student council. The next morning, the school organized everyone to pick up their training uniforms. The hall in the second building was packed, and with the sweltering weather, it 212 05:25 Chapter 334 felt like an oven. ¡°Oh my God, look at this line, it¡¯s gonna kill me,¡± Cherylmented, almost in tears. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for oversleeping,¡± Eilies teased. ¡°With a line this long, how long will we have to wait? Save me!¡± Jillian, meanwhile, scanned the crowd for someone she knew; she didn¡¯t want to wait in line. Flora¡¯s gazended on Kaylee, who was helping distribute the training uniforms. She walked over to ask, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m helping out.¡± Kaylee¡¯s face was sunburnt, with sweat continuously streaming down. Flora frowned at the sight. ¡°Try these on over there. If they don¡¯t fit, bring them back for adjustments.¡± Kaylee handed Flora the uniform and shoes. Cheryl shamelessly edged closer, ¡°Hey, beauty, I¡¯m in the same dorm as Flora. Can we get three medium sets¡­¡± Kaylee generously handed over three sets. CHAPTER 335 Chapter 335 Jillian was over the moon; having connections really did make life easier, sparing them the hassle of queuing up. ¡°I know a senior on the student council, and I managed to snag two sets for us,¡± she said, walking over with three sets of training uniforms in her hands. ¡°But there are four of us in the dorm, why only three sets?¡± Cynthia blinked in confusion. ¡°No worries, though. We¡¯ve already got our training kits. Flora¡¯s friend works there.¡± Jillian¡¯s face darkened at the sight of their uniforms, clearly annoyed, her eyes narrowing as she nced at Kaylee. Back in the dorm with their uniforms, they barely had time to sit down before there was a knock on the door. Jillian, being closest, opened it right away. Several seniors stood outside, with Yvonne, the vice president of the student council, front and center. ¡°Yvonne, what brings you here?¡± Jillian asked. Ever since she¡¯d gotten into the University of Maple Grove, she¡¯d been all about making connections with the upperssmen. Yvonne looked at Jillian, trying to ce her. After ncing at the info on the door, she hesitated, ¡°Jillian?¡± Jillian¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me!¡± Yvonne greeted her politely and then asked, ¡°Is Flora here?¡± When she mentioned Flora, her eyes lit up, a stark contrast to her casual attitude towards Jillian. Jillian pursed her lips, then nodded. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s here.¡± Turning inside, she called out, ¡°Flora, someone¡¯s here to see you!¡± Flora, who was getting some water, walked over to the door, looking puzzled. 05:25 The seniors¡® eyes lit up with admiration when they saw Flora. Her pictures online didn¡¯t do her justice; she was stunning in real life. ¡°Hi, Flora, I¡¯m Yvonne, the vice president of the student council. Interested in joining us?¡± Yvonne asked. ¡°No, thank you,¡± Flora replied coolly. Yvonne was taken aback by the swift rejection and frowned, but quickly forced a smile. ¡°No worries. You¡¯re new here and probably don¡¯t know much about the student council yet. Here¡¯s our brochure, and thest page has our contact info. Our recruitment meeting is on the 20th, after your training. Maybe you coulde check it out.¡± Flora nodded. ¡°By the way, your training starts tomorrow. Got everything you need?¡± Yvonne handed Flora a box. ¡°Here are some essentials. I survivedst year¡¯s brutal training thanks to these. I had some leftovers, and now they¡¯re all yours.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Flora said politely, taking the box. Yvonne smiled and left. Just as Flora was about to close the door, another group approached. ¡°Is Flora here? I¡¯m from the Associations Union recruitment department¡­¡± ¡°Flora, interested in learning about the Medical Society?¡± ¡°I 11 Within half an hour, a stream of clubs and student organizations hade knocking, overwhelming Flora. She grabbed a piece of paper, wrote ¡®No Disturbances, Please¡® on it, and stuck it on the door, finally getting some peace. Cynthia looked on enviously. ¡°This must be the perks of being a top national scorer.¡± Eilies stayed expressionless, busying herself with her stuff. Jillian sat on her chair, her eyes filled with envy. Cynthia, ever the chatterbox, quickly brought up another topic. ¡°Hey, did you 2/3 05:26 ?T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. guys hear? The University of Maple Grove¡¯s training has always been on campus, but this year, they¡¯re taking us to an off¨Csite base for intensive training! Ever heard of Empire Base? It¡¯s thergest training facility in the country, with a global reach. Even national elites show them respect!¡± ¡°They say they¡¯re here to scout talent this time. If anyone stands out, they could get recruited into Empire Base!¡± CHAPTER 336 Chapter 336 Flora had just taken a sip of water and almost choked on it. Out of the corner of her eye, Jillian shot her a sneering nce. Sure, Flora might have her beat academically, but Jillian was determined to outshine her in every other way! Coming from a family of distinguished military doctors, Jillian was not only exceptional in medicine but also incredibly fit. Flora¡¯s delicate frame didn¡¯t stand a chance against her. During the uing boot camp, Jillian vowed to show Flora a thing or two! Unaware of Jillian¡¯s thoughts, Flora couldn¡¯t care less about her plotting. She climbed into bed, grabbed her phone, and texted Connor. **Flora:** Was the boot camp your doing? Connor replied quickly. **Connor:** Looking forward to it? **Flora:** ¡­ **Connor:** Sorry, I missed you too much. The next day, at 9 AM, two thousand freshmen dressed in camouge uniforms boarded buses and headed to the training base. They arrived at the base at 11:05 AM. The winding mountain roads made the two¨Chour bus ride feel endless, leaving some with weaker constitutions feeling dizzy and nauseous. As soon as they disembarked, some couldn¡¯t help but vomit. Cynthia was among them, looking utterly miserable and weakly copsing into Eilies¡¯s arms. ¡°Pull yourselves together! Gather at the field!¡± one of the teachers, responsible for the students¡® safety, shouted through a megaphone. Following the teachers, the freshmen made their way to the field. At the entrance, soldiers stood guard every ten meters, lining up on both sides. Once all the freshmen had assembled, a group of men in military uniforms strode onto the stage. ¡°Is that our chief instructor? He¡¯s so handsome!¡± a wave of gasps echoed through the crowd. Flora lifted her eyes to see Connor standing at the forefront in a military green uniform. His stature was imposing, his features sharp and clear, and his dark, icy eyes carried an air of aloofness and unapproachability. Flora clicked her tongue. Such a charmer.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Connor stood on the stage, his gaze sweeping across the crowd, quickly locking onto Flora, who was positioned towards the back of the third squad. Seeing her looking at him, the corners of his lips couldn¡¯t help but curl up into a soft smile, melting the ice like the thawing of the northern ciers, reviving all things in spring, causing the hearts of many girls to flutter wildly. Jillian, standing just in front of Flora, mistook his gaze as directed at her. Such tender and affectionate eyes¡­ Jillian blushed, straightening her back, ttered by the thought of her own allure. On the stage, Jason, Pax, and Zack saw Connor smile, their expressi¨®ns one of disbelief. Following his gaze, 09:30 pler 330 they then saw Flora. They were utterly baffled. No wonder the boss suddenly insisted on training the students at the University of Maple Grove; it was all because Ms. Flora was here. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Noticing that Connor¡¯s gaze was nearly glued to Flora, Jason couldn¡¯t help but cough lightly as a reminder. Only then did Connor avert his gaze, the warmth in his eyes dissipating, leaving only a deep, cold silence. ¡°Wee to Empire Base. You will spend the next twenty days of boot camp here¡­¡± Connor spoke in a cool tone, his voice deep and resonant, like the most melodious tune yed on a cello. The female students were so captivated by his voice that they hardly paid attention to his words. After Connor finished speaking, all the new students were dismissed to check into their dormitories before heading to the cafeteria for their meal. CHAPTER 337 Chapter 337 **Meet at 1:30 PM.** It was already noon, giving them just an hour to get ready. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh my God, the Head Instructor is so hot!¡± Cynthia eximed, her eyes filled with stars. ¡°And his voice, did you guys notice? He kept looking over at our group. I think he was looking at¡­ Jillian, right?¡± Jillian¡¯s cheeks turned a lovely shade of red, but she didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Are you nuts?¡± Eilies raised her hand and gave Cynthia a yful flick on the forehead. Eilies didn¡¯t think the Head Instructor was paying special attention to Jillian. A man as distinguished as him wouldn¡¯t just fixate on someone. If he was looking at anyone, Eilies thought it might be Flora. ¡°Flora, why so quiet? Don¡¯t you think the Head Instructor is super attractive?¡± Cynthia, ever the chatterbox, couldn¡¯t help but ask. -Flora raised an eyebrow and replied, ¡°He¡¯s alright.¡± Cynthia was bbergasted. ¡°Wow, you¡¯ve got high standards.¡± After a ten¨Cminute walk, they reached their dormitory, only to be greeted by a damp and rundown space with a musty smell. Calling it a dorm was a stretch; it was more like a big, old barracks room with six rusty bunk beds along either side and a long table in the narrow aisle for their belongings. Everyone groaned in dismay upon entering. All the students selected for the University of Maple Grove came from well¨Coff families; living in such conditions was pure torture. When the topic turned to food, Cynthia perked up and quickly started making bed. Just as Flora ced her backpack on the top bunk, Jillian spoke up, ¡°Flora, can I sleep on the top? I get really cold, and the bottom feels too damp.¡± They had arrivedte, and this was thest top bunk avable; the other three were all bottom bunks. Flora didn¡¯t mind and simply hummed in agreement as she moved her backpack to the lower bunk. After a quick tidy¨Cup, they headed to the dining hall for dinner. Cynthia¡¯s face turned green at the sight of the round tableden with a pot of rolls, pickles, and watery soup. ¡°Are you serious? This is what we¡¯re eating?¡± shemented. Chapter 337 She had braced herself for a tough experience but hadn¡¯t expected it to be this challenging. Flora sat down, scooped some soup into her bowl, and grabbed a roll, dipping it into the pickles before taking a bite. Jillian was surprised to see Flora adapt so quickly. Coming from a military medical family, Jillian had been taken to various bases as a child and was strictly disciplined. The first time she had such meals, she couldn¡¯t swallow a bite. It was only out of sheer hunger that she eventually gave in. She hadn¡¯t expected Flora to adjust so swiftly; perhaps Flora had undergone base training too? Eilies sat next to Flora, urging Cynthia, ¡°Eat up; we have trainingter.¡± Resigned, Cynthia sat down and managed to drink a bowl of soup but couldn¡¯t eat any more. Training began at 1:30 PM sharp. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Jason, but you can call me Instructor Chen. I¡¯ll be leading your training for the next twenty days. Now, run fiveps around the track!¡± Jason couldn¡¯t help but nce at Flora in the second row, clearing his throat beforemanding, ¡°ss A, fall in! Right turn, run-¡± Lance and Colton, assigned to the fourth and eighth groups respectively, looked enviously at those in Flora¡¯s group. They, too, wished they were in the same group as Ms. Flora. After fiveps, Cynthia was nearly out of breath. Except for Jillian and Flora, who appeared effortlesslyposed, the rest were nearly copsing from exhaustion. Jason frowned, noticing the girls¡®ck of stamina. At the base, when he trained the men of the Enforcement Division, starting from five miles was the norm. young