<h4>Chapter 304: Inner Copse</h4>


    Julia was a smart woman; she knew that any further meddling would only expose her, so she decided to pull back while she could still save Carter Group. If a scandal involving her were to break out... the entire Carter Group would surely copse!


    ...


    The morning breeze was especially cool as E walked along the path on campus, dressed in a light purple casual outfit.


    "E, wait for me!" A voice called from behind. E turned around to see Lauren running toward her, her face flushed from the effort.


    Lauren panted, her face glowing, "E, good morning! Did you have a great time on your vacation?"


    Lauren had taken a few days off too, supposedly due to some family matters, and had spent several days in the countryside.


    E nodded, "Of course! Who wouldn’t enjoy a vacation?"


    And she had been *very* happy indeed, especially after seeing Mason, Rachel, and Be, those eyesores, being humiliated. She had been in a great mood for days.


    "Hehe, Mr. Nelson must have treated you really well, huh? Ugh, where’s my prince charming? I, Lauren, still haven’t found him," Lauren said, half-joking, half-jealous.


    E smirked—where in the world were all these "princes" people dreamed of?


    "In reality... when you meet someone you truly like, even if he’s not a prince but a dark horse, you’ll still love him like crazy."


    E chuckled. Love was such a mysterious thing; no one could really understand or predict it.


    Lauren’s gaze drifted toward a nearby carved bench. "There’s still ten minutes before ss starts. Let’s sit for a while. The ssroom is too noisy."


    She tugged E to the bench.


    E noticed that Lauren’s attention wasn’t really on their conversation; her eyes kept straying to a boy not far away.


    He was dressed in white casual clothes, leaning against a pine tree, engrossed in whatever he was doing on his phone. His handsome features seemed to glow in the morning light, making him look especially captivating.


    It was Henry. E realized she hadn’t seen him in a while.


    But she really didn’t want to go over and say hello, even though he wasn’t as hateful as Hannah!


    "Hey, look, isn’t that Henry? You may not like him, but I think he’s amazing—so quiet and handsome!" Lauren whispered, her eyes unable to hide her admiration. Although E didn’t think much of Henry, Lauren’s heart was already fluttering.


    E nced at her and asked teasingly, "Don’t tell me you’re into him?"


    "So what if I am? I *do* like him!" Lauren admitted.


    "Then go for it!" E cast a brief nce at Henry. Dressed in white, he looked serene and dignified, like a prince. He was the kind of guy girls like Lauren dreamed of, the type that made many stop and hope he’d notice them.


    Just as E nced at him, Henry suddenly looked up, a ripple of emotion flickering in his otherwise calm eyes.


    He hadn’t expected to see E.


    He thought she’d be avoiding him, staying as far away as possible. His heart leaped with excitement, filled with anticipation. But then the reality hit him—she was going to be his future sister-inw...


    His heart sank, and the light in his eyes dimmed once again.


    E quickly looked away, checking the time. Only two minutes had passed since they had sat down.


    Casually, she opened a webpage and started reading a novel online.


    "E, he’s totally checking you out!" Lauren whispered in her ear while E was absorbed in her story.


    E paused, her brows furrowing. "Lauren, I’m his sister-inw."


    Lauren pouted, "But love doesn’t care aboutbels or status!"


    "That’s why... it’s better if you don’t bring him up to me again," E said coolly, her long fingers pressing the standby button on her phone before slipping it into her bag. "I’m heading out now."


    "Alright, you go ahead. I’ll sit here for a bit," Lauren replied, her face a little flushed and her heart sinking with disappointment. Why couldn’t the one she liked ever like her back?


    As E walked away, it took Henry a long time to pull his gaze back, his heart heavy with regret and sadness. How many times in a lifetime does one experience a love that is unattainable, a secret infatuation that remains unspoken?


    Though it was painful, it had a certain beauty—like a moth drawn to a me.


    Henry’s emotions were all over the ce that day. After ss, he drove home, his mind unsettled. It had been several days since James had been home, and Grace’s trial was still two months away, scheduled for the fifteenth.


    When Henry parked his car, he was surprised to see James’ vehicle in the garage.


    He’s back.


    Henry entered the house as usual, but James wasn’t in the dining room. "Sir, the master has asked you to go to the study. He said he has something to discuss with you," the servant ryed.


    Henry paused for a moment, abandoning his n to eat first, and headed upstairs.


    Inside the study.


    James was leaning back in his chair, looking like he had aged by decades. When Henry entered, James gestured for him to close the door.


    The study was a quiet ce; once the door was shut, it cut off all outside noise.


    "Dad, why aren’t you eating? Is something wrong?" Henry asked softly.


    James looked at Henry, his handsome face reminding him of how, after living together for so long, people could even begin to resemble each other in appearance and demeanor.


    James had never once doubted that Henry was his son.


    But the DNA test report had shattered that belief, leaving him devastated.


    "I came back tonight... to tell you a secret," James said quietly, his gaze filled with pain. "You... are not my son."


    Henry’s eyes widened in shock, utterly stunned. This revtion hit him harder than anything,pletely shattering the image of Grace as a loving mother.


    At least in Henry’s heart, Grace was still his real mother, so despite all the terrible things she had done, Henry could never truly hate her.


    But in this moment, hearing James’ words, Henry felt a sudden surge of disgust toward Grace.


    "Dad... this isn’t true! It can’t be true!" Henry was unwilling to ept it, terrified to believe the reality in front of him.


    James gave a sorrowful smile. Despite everything, he didn’t feel hatred toward Henry. Even though Henry wasn’t his biological son, the bond they had built over more than twenty years wasn’t something that could be easily erased.


    "I wish you were my son too... but here is the report. Take a look yourself. I won’t be leaving you anything from my estate, but I’ll transfer five million to you, which will be enough to cover your college tuition," James said, his voice filled with resignation. In his mind, he was already being merciful.


    Henry’s hands trembled as he picked up the report from the table. His eyes quickly scanned to the bottom line...


    "No... this isn’t true! It’s not real! Dad, tell me this is fake!" Henry cried, tearing the report into pieces in a fit of rage and disbelief.