Chapter 9 Her Brother Made Hot Pot
Not very peaceful!
Jean wasn’t sure <b>what </b>Sofia meant by that. But the girl continued, “Whatever you do, don’t go near the art building. Lacey and Deon both got into something dangerous over there.”
Lacey and Deon?
Weren’t those the two who bullied her today?
That was great news!
Whoever was lurking in the art building doing the Lord’s work deserved a medal<b>. </b>
Jean’s face–rxed, her expression <b>casual</b>. “Really…? What kind of danger?”
“It happenedst month,” Sofia exined, her brows still tightly furrowed. “School hadn’t started yet. The two of them came to campus with a few others to hang out and something happened in the art building. The school covered it up, so not many people know.”
“Then how do you know?” Jean asked.
Sofia sighed, clearly reluctant. “My uncle works <b>as </b>a security guard here.”
Sofia came from an ordinary background. She got into Sterford Academy entirely on the strength of her grades–though her uncle being on staff didn’t hurt.
Her uncle was a talker. Always rambling about school gossip and rumors.
He’d let this one slip by ident.
It wasn’t like she wanted <b>to </b>know, okay?
“You’re <b>not </b>afraid I’ll spread it around?” Jean raised an eyebrow.
Sofia just shrugged. “There’s no such thing as a <b>real </b><b>secret</b>. Everythinges out eventually. Sooner orter. But you’re the <b>only </b>person I’ve told<b>.” </b>
Jean’s eyes lit up, clearly intrigued. “Then tell me–what exactly happened to Lacey and Deon in the art building?”
Sofia shook her head. “I <b>don’t </b>know… my uncle wouldn’t tell me.”
In fact, he’d been tight–lipped <b>about </b>the whole thing. He hadn’t shared a single detail.
All he’d said was-
It was creepy. He didn’t want her having <b>nightmares</b>, so he left it at <b>that</b><b>. </b>
But today, both Lacey and Deon had shown up to school like nothing had happened. They looked totally normal. No weird behavior, no aftere?ects,
really that serious? Sohan
couldn’t help but doubt it
can found herself thinking too
elt h?r a lot of strange secrets were hiding just beneath the surface.
That badge from the mysterious Voice of God group, the perfectly polished but oddly charged atmosphere of Sterford Academy.
She was supposed to be in a feel–good, badass female lead novel, right?
7:39 PM c
Chapter 9 Her Brother Made Hot Pot
+8 Pearls
After school.
The Bentley was parked at the <b>usual </b>spot. Jean, backpack in hand, hustled to the curb and climbed in.
When <b>she </b>got home, the moment <b>she </b>stepped inside
She saw Dominic’s tall figure standing in the entryway.
“Dominic?”
She blinked in surprise. You’re home <b>early</b>?”
n was
Dominic was always swamped with work. He left before dawn and came back after dark. Seeing him home while the sun was <b>still </b>up was enough to throw her off.
“<b>I </b>got a call
from the
<b>principal </b>today, so I left early,” Dominic <b>said</b>, eyes fixed steadily on his little sister.
His expression was unreadable. There was pressure in the crease between his brows<b>, </b><b>a </b>cold edge in his voice, <b>and </b>something <b>darker </b>lurking underneath.
-You <b>never </b>tell me anything about what’s going on at school”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Dominic seemed to realize something. His gaze shifted slightly,
He didn’t really have the right to say that
After <b>all</b>, he’d ignored her for so long. Never showed interest. Never checked in.
If <b>she </b>didn’t feel like opening up to him<b>, </b><b>it </b><b>was </b>perfectly reasonable.
The weight of that truth made his frown deepen.
Jean scrunched her mouth.→
Wow, Dominic’s <b>acting </b><i>like </i>he actually cares. I’m <b>so </b>touched… but let’s be real, he’s still head over heels for that Lawson family princess. I’m <b>just </b>a random little sister he happened to pick up along the way.
While she was deep in thought, Dominic suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.
His usually cold and stoic face cracked slightly. He looked almost exasperated.
He truly had no <b>idea </b><b>what </b>kind of nonsense <b>his </b>sister’s brain was churning out all day.
He hadn’t even met Selena yet.
Even if–like Jean imed–he ended up <b>involved </b>with her in the future<b>.. </b>
Did that mean he had to fall in love with her?
Dominic led Jean into the dining room, <b>and </b><b>she </b>immediately spotted the steaming <b>hot </b>pot <b>bubbling </b>in the middle of the table, surrounded by tes and tes of sliced beef.
Who Can this guy read my mind or something? How did he know I was craving hot pot.. and thin–cut beef, toot!
Domine turned his head slightly and gave her a quiet look<b>. </b>
The truth was, he could hear what she was thinking
The two of them sat facing each other
Jean couldn’t wait. She grabbed a handled of beef slices and dumped them in–but she used too much for??,
Chapter 9 Her Brother Made Hot Pot
Jean’s heart skipped a beat. Her hand trembled, and her fork almost slipped from her grip.
Oh no. That look. He <b>wants </b>to throw me into the pot
Dominic froze in the middle of wiping himself off
Jean hit her lip and gave him the saddest, most pitiful look she <b>could </b>manage. “Dominic, I didn’t mean to
He kept wiping his shirt, his <b>voice </b>neutral. “It’s fine.
Jean looked even more miserable. “I know you’re mad”
Dominic, “I’m not
Jean said. “Yes, you are,”
Dominic was speechless.
The handsome man suddenly looked up. Without warning, he reached out and-
Gently flicked her on the nose.
She blinked. And realized there was a shiny streak of red oil now sitting right on the tip of her nose.
Jean was speechless.
+B Pearls
“There. Now we’re even.” Dominic looked at her greasy, glistening nose–his handiwork–and for <b>once</b>, there was a rare flicker of amusement in his eyes.
Jean pouted.
Fine. Whatever makes <b>you </b>happy. As long as you’re not t
throwing me into the po
Dominic’s lips curved in the faintest hint of a smile, like a flower blooming in the cold.
the first time Jean had seen him smile like i
that.
He still had some od stains on his face, which made his normally untouchable aura feel just a little more human
Whenever Jean w
around Dominic, she always felt tense. He <b>was </b>the cold.”
boss <b>type</b>–<b>hard </b>to <b>read</b>, harder to
But right
the seniled back at him.
They didn’t say anything else and started rating
Halfway d?unghi, Jean suddenly thought of Winston.
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