Chapter 387 Not for Sale
Tessa walked Landon out, apanying him all the way to his car.
Just before getting in, Landon asked, "The physicspetition is right after New Year''s, isn''t it? When does it start exactly?"
He remembered she had to travel to Simonville after the holidays, but wasn''t sure about the date. He hoped it wouldn''t ovep with her eighteenth birthday.
"January 10th," Tessa replied.
Landon let out a silent breath of relief.
Good. Her birthday was on January 2nd-he could still celebrate hering-of- age with her.
But then Tessa added, "We''ll leave for Simonville five days early for training."
After all, it was a national physicspetition, and their teacher Mr. Chen wanted to be sure they were well- prepared.
Landon''s expression darkened. "With Nico?"
He hadn''t forgotten-that kid liked his Tessa.
"Yeah," she nodded. "Navoris First High got two entries. Nico and I were both selected."
"...Oh." Landon''s mood visibly soured.
"What''s with that face?" she asked. "It''s just a physicspetition."
"Nothing. I just won''t be able to go with you," he muttered.
After her birthday, the Lu Corporation would be back in full operation. He had a major strategic campaignunching that needed his direct oversight-he couldn''t leave the pack at that time.
"It''s just a week, including training. You don''t have toe."
"...Only a week?" he repeated in disbelief. "Do you know how long a week is?"
"If I were your age, maybe it wouldn''t be so bad," he added quietly. "Then I could be with you more, do all the same things."
Tessa raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Mr. Landon, what''s that supposed to mean? You''re not old. And for the record-I like guys a little older."
"...Really?" Landon instantly lit up like a kid at Christmas.
Well then. If she liked older, he had nothing toin about.
"Mm." Seeing how happy he looked, Tessa couldn''t help butugh too.
Montedra''s fierce, domineering Alpha King-showing her his softest, silliest side.
Landon slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her forehead.
pter 387 Not for Sale
"Alright. Go back inside."
"Drive safe."
She watched him leave, warmth lingering in her chest-until her phone rang.
It was Sharon.
Tessa almost hung up without a word.
“Tessa, it''s just a meeting. I''m not that terrifying, am I?" came Sharon''s smooth voice.
Tessa didn''t respond. Whether Sharon was terrifying or not had nothing to do with her.
Still, she agreed to meet.
Finjore:
She knew Sharon well enough-when she wanted something, she wouldn''t stop until she got it. Better to get it over with now than be harassedter.
They met at an upscale café. Sharon was already seated when Tessa arrived, and barely looked up when she walked in.
Tessa sat across from her. "Is there something you need, Madam Sharon?"
She didn''t see any reason the two of them should be having coffee together.
Sharon slid a ck card onto the table.
"Back out of the physicspetition. There''s five million in here-call it pocket money?"
Tessa stared at the card, momentarily speechless. She''d never been bribed with money before.
"Madam Sharon," she said slowly, "are you under the impression that I need five million? Or are you just worried your son can''t beat me?"
First, she''d sent someone to cripple her hand. Now she was throwing money at her.
How pathetic.
Sharon''s face darkened. "Not enough? I can double it-another five million. Just stay out of thepetition, and stop seeing Nico altogether."
She made no effort to hide her contempt. It was clear: she didn''t like Tessa, not one bit.
"There''s nothing to talk about." Tessa stood up.
The moment she did, a dozen armed werewolf mercenaries stormed into the café.
Sharon mmed her palm on the table. The serpent-shaped scar on her wrist writhed grotesquely as her voice turned cold and sharp.
"I gave you a choice. You didn''t take it. So don''t expect to walk out of here."
Her right hand, once crippled by Landon, still bore the scar of that humiliation-but clearly, she hadn''t learned a damn thing.