《The?Real?Daughter?Came?Back?to?Chill?and?Kill》


 Chapter 1

    They were all acting strange all of a sudden.

    The seven older brothers who once treated me like a thorn in their side and only cared about the fake heiress now wanted to not only protect me for life but also dere my position as the real heiress of the Quinn family.

    My parents, who used to brush me aside, even wrote in their will that everything would be left to me.

    I couldn''t believe it.

    Too bad I regressed into the past and had already lost all hope in them.

    ...

    "Scarlett Quinn, was it you who stole Lily''s Celestial Drop?"

    A young man''s voice thundered like a muffled p, jolting Scarlett out of her sleep.

    The door was kicked open. Her seventh-eldest brother, Jonah Quinn, was standing there with his hands on his hips, ring at her furiously.

    This all-too-familiar voice and situation made her suddenly realize-she wasn''t in that hellish psychiatric hospital anymore.

    She was back... in the storage room she had lived in for five years.

    She had regressed into the past!

    As the haunting memories of her past life flooded her mind, her eyes gradually turned cold.

    She was meant to be the beloved daughter of the prestigious Quinn family in Yendale, but fate had other ns when the family''s enemies swapped her at birth.

    The truth had only recently been uncovered, and she was quickly brought back to the Quinn residence.

    But even after they brought her home, they refused to publicly acknowledge her as one of their own.

    Instead, they let her stay in the Quinn residence as a live-in maid.

    Having grown up like an orphan, Scarlett especially treasured the family bond she had finally found, yearning for their love more than anything.

    As such, she didn''t mind at first and tried her best to please every family member.

    Yet, the harder she tried, the more her older brothers looked down on her,paring her to the fake heiress at every opportunity.

    They called her a country bumpkin and a troublemaker who was not even good enough to be a maid for the fake heiress.

    At school, they turned a blind eye to the bullies who would harass her. At home, they wouldn''t even let her eat at the table.

    Trying to please them only got them tobel her as conniving, while pushing back only got them to call her inconsiderate.

    Lily Quinn was the adored, high-and-mighty princess, whereas she was the rat that lived in the gutter.

    And the most ridiculous part? When Lily faked a fainting spell to frame her, everyone believed it.

    They fussed over Lily, tending to her like she was made of ss. As for Scarlett, they drove her out of the house, making her kneel outside in the dead of winter.

    The night air was below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, yet they showed no concern for her well-being.

    The bitter wind was like knives to her exposed skin. As her body went numb, all color drained from her face. In the end, she passed out from the cold.

    On the other hand, the rest of the family stayed warmly indoors,ughing together like one big happy family.

    They hadpletely forgotten about her, the one they had cast out under the guise of punishment.

    It was through this repeated cold indifference that her spirit finally shattered.

    Scarlett lost control of her emotions and confronted them, telling them that it was Lily who had framed her. But her eldest brother used her emotional state as a reason to personally see to it that she was sent to a psychiatric hospital.

    When her parents visited her, their eyes were filled with cold disappointment and distrust.

    "How could we have had a daughter like you? If we had known you were like this, we would never have brought you back home!"

    Then, they turned to look at the fake heiress with a look of satisfaction, saying, "Good thing we have Lily. She''s the one who''s more like our own!"

    Then, they turned and left without even looking back.

    As they walked away, Scarlett saw Lily''s victorious smile directed at her.

    "I''m the true pride and joy of the Quinn family, Scarlett. You''re just a pitiful vermin who will always be beneath me!"

    Scarlett endured endless torment in that hospital, where a mad doctor subjected her to relentless electric shocks that ultimately led to her dying an excruciating death.

    Perhaps even whoever was watching her couldn''t bear to watch her suffer any longer, and so they granted her a second chance at life.

    But this time, she would never yearn for so-called family again, as if anyone would want this kind of ridiculous rtionship!

    "Scarlett, are you deaf? Where did you hide Lily''s Celestial Drop?"

    Gazing up, Scarlett noticed that a crowd had gathered outside.

    In the face of their disappointed and questioning gazes, she simply raised an indifferent eyebrow.

    "There are so many people in this house. Why would you assume I stole it? If you don''t have evidence, I can sue you for nder!"

    The people outside were stunned. Clearly, they hadn''t expected the usually unassertive Scarlett to suddenly speak so boldly and refute them.

    "Scarlett..."

    Lily immediately put on a pitiful act. "My Celestial Drop is very important to me. Mom and Dad spent two months searching for the perfect crystatin Soutnd to create that ne for my birthday. It''s the only one of its kind in the world. So please return it to me, Scarlett!"

    Her voice was soft as a whisper, sounding as if she could burst into tears at any moment.

    What she said was like adding fuel to the fire, and immediately, everyone became even more convinced that Scarlett was the thief.

    Curling her lips into a mocking smile, Scarlett calmly and indifferently stared at her so-called family outside the room.

    "Okay, I get it. You''ve mentioned how much Mom and Dad love you five times already, how every good thing is given to you, and how you''re the most precious child of the Quinn family.

    "No need to keep repeating yourself. But I''ve already told you-without evidence that I stole it, this is nothing but nder."

    "Scarlett!" Todd Quinn, her father,

    abruptly exploded in anger. "Not only

    did you steal and refuse to admit it,

    but now you''re also speaking to your

    sister this way? You have no

    manners whatsoever!"

    Todd was filled with disappointment. The Quinns were blessed with outstanding

    genes.

    All of their sons excelled in their respective fields, and Lily carried herself with grace and elegance. Yet, Scarlett was the one ring exception.

    They believed it must be because she grew up in a vige that she became inherently vicious and utterly rotten.

    "My biological mother gave birth to me, but did not raise me. What kind of manners am I supposed to have?"

    Scarlett raised an eyebrow aloofly, her eyes calm and unruffled. "Since the ne is missing, why don''t you check everyone else? Maybe someone close to Lily took it."

    As she spoke, her gaze suddenly sharpened, locking onto the quiet maid standing off to the side.

    In her past life, she had panicked, knowing how valuable that ne was. That made her look guilty, sealing her reputation as a thief.

    It was onlyter that she learned the maid named J Hooper had been instructed by Lily to take the ne and frame her.

    Scarlett was locked in the dark storage room as punishment without food or water for an entire day and night.

    Not only that, they had forgotten that today was her birthday as well.

    Yet, her so-called family had only prepared an borateing-of-age party for

    Lily while telling Scarlett to stay hidden in the storage room, afraid she''d disgrace the Quinn family.

    Now that God had given her a second chance, how could she possibly make the same mistakes?

    "How could I possibly steal from Ms.

    Lily? Everyone knows I''m the closest to her. You''re the one who''s always been jealous of the expensive gifts Mr. and Mrs. Quinn give her, which is why you took the ne and are trying to frame me!"

    J put on a pitiful, hurt expression, looking as innocent as could be.

    "Oh, Scarlett, just give it back, okay? We''ll get you another er," Margot Bowman, her mother, piped up. Though her tone was gentle, the distrust in her words was unmistakable.

    "What''s the point of all this talk? Just search her already!" The impatient Jonah snapped, stepping forward to barge into the room.

    "I dare anyone to touch my things!" Scarlett''s expression froze over in an instant.

    Jonah stopped in his tracks, utterly stunned.

    Had Scarlett, who had always been obedient and meek, gone bad? Scarlett swept her gaze across each of their ridiculous faces and said coolly,

    "Since you''re all so convinced I stole it, let me show you who the real thief is!"

    She strode straight to J, grabbing her cor with swift precision before reaching into it.

    "Hey! What are you doing?" J screamed in panic, clutching her chest desperately.

    But Scarlett, undeterred, quickly reached in and pulled out a dazzling ne

    gleaming with brilliant light. It was the priceless Celestial Drop.

    She presented it before hurling it hard at Lily.

    "There! Your precious Celestial Drop! So, what are you going to use me of

    now?"

    All sound vanished, leaving a tense stillness behind.

 Chapter 2

    Lily''s face went pale in an instant. She never thought that a country bumpkin would see through her n so quickly.

    Scarlett had even known exactly where the ne was hidden.

    Shooting a quick re at the ipetent J, Lily then hurriedly bent down to pick up the ne, putting on an overly tender act.

    "It''s great that we found it. That''s all that matters. Jonah, I told you it wasn''t Scarlett. She and I had a scuffle this afternoon, and I identally fell into the pool. The ne must have slipped off then.

    "J must have found itter but couldn''t bring herself to return it, which caused me to wrongfully use Scarlett."

    Wow. Lily sure had a way with words-she''d immediately spun a new usation.

    Sure enough, Jonah''s conflicted expression darkened once again into fury.

    "Scarlett, you know Lily can''t swim, and you still pushed her into the pool? Do you really hate her so much you''d rather see her dead than alive?"

    Todd also fumed, "Even if we did wrongly use you, I never imagined you''d do something so vicious!"

    Margot shook her head in disappointment. "Scarlett, you''ve really broken my heart."

    Those words would have left Scarlett heartbroken before, but not anymore.

    Her lips curled into a mocking smile. "Since you''re all so sure I pushed her, then next time I''ll make sure I do. Wouldn''t want to waste the me."

    Fury washed over Todd, leaving his face ashen. "You heartless brat! How did we end up with a daughter like you?"

    "Daughter?" Scarlett shot back with a sneer. "Howe you didn''t bring up the fact that I''m your daughter when you were wrongly using me just now?"

    "Scarlett, how could you say something like that?" Lily immediately put on a wounded, innocent look. "You were the one who started-"

    "Lily, are you not tired of acting?" Scarlett cut her off coldly. "Your acting''s pathetic. Stop putting on a show in front of me. It''s an eyesore."

    Margot frowned. "Scarlett Quinn, like it or not, we''re family. Apologize to your sister, and we''ll let this matter go."

    "Family?" Scarlett repeated the word, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

    "A family that throws her a birthday party while making me stay in a storage room? A family that jumps to use me even when I''ve done nothing wrong, and demand I apologize?"

    Gazing at these biased, double-standard so-called family members, Scarlett scoffed. Everyst bit of longing for their care was already gone from her heart.

    She turned and stormed back into her room, mming the door behind her. Everyone outside was stunned.

    This was the first time since Scarlett''s return that she had acted with such defiance, showing the Quinns no regard whatsoever.

    "People from the sticks are so crude!"

    "She''s insanepletely unreasonable!"

    One by one, they left with sullen expressions.

    Inside, Scarlett finally felt peace in the silence.

    She nced around at her shabby room and felt nothing.

    A year ago, when she was first brought back to the Quinn residence, they took her

    straight to this dirty, cluttered storage room.

    They said, "You''ve juste from

    living out in the sticks, so you don''t know the proper etiquette yet. Guests often visit, so just stay here for now. Once you''ve learned the ways of high society, we''ll let everyone know about your identity."

    She then waited for five years, only to meet her end under torture in a psychiatric

    hospital. And still, they never acknowledged her not even once.

    Even earlier today, she was drawn by the liveliness in the front yard and couldn''t help but approach Lily''sing-of-age party, only to be scolded harshly, "Who let you out? How embarrassing! Go back in!"

    Just as she turned away, she heard one of her supposed family members say, "That''s the new maid. She''s not used to our rules yet. My apologies."

    Her room was nothing but cold and cramped.

    The broken skylight offered no barrier as the frigid wind rushed in. Her still-damp clothes stuck to her skin, and the biting chill burrowed deep into her bones.

    s, the Quinns never noticed. And even if they did, they chose to ignore it.

    Ironically, that skylight had just been broken a week ago by none other than Lily with a baseball.

    "Sorry, Scarlett! I didn''t hit the ball properly and broke the skylight. Hope I didn''t scare you. I''ll have it

    reced right away. They say the weather''s turning cold. We wouldn''t want you getting sick."

    But no one ever came to rece it. The entire Quinn family had never treated her

    like she mattered.

    "What''s the point of staying in a ''home'' like this?"

    Scarlett quickly packed her things. She''d had enough of this suffocating ce.

    Though she had already lived in this ce for a year, her belongings were pitifully few.

    There were just a few faded articles of clothing and a couple of reference books she''d bought with her own hard-earned money.

    Her so-called family, in the name of "breaking her bad habit of greed", gave her only 500 dors as her living stipend each month.

    That wasn''t even enough for her basic needs at school. She had to work part-time just to scrape by.

    Lily, on the other hand, had a ck card from their eldest brother, and she was able to swipe hundreds of thousands at any time.

    Suitcase in hand, Scarlett walked toward the exit.

    Inside the living room, the whole family was gathered around Lily, watching her unwrap presents with joyfulughter.

    They looked like a real family, whereas she was nothing but an intruder.

    Thus, no one noticed when she slipped out the side door. But just as she stepped outside, a tall, imposing figure blocked her path.

    "Scarlett, where do you think you''re going?"

    The Quinn family''s eldest son, Jonathan Quinn, was furrowing his brows disapprovingly.

    Scarlett wasn''t about to be polite to him, nor did she have any intention of stopping.

    "Get out of my way."

 Chapter 3

    Jonathan nted his hand on her suitcase, stopping it in its tracks. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

    "What''s with you again in the middle of the night?" Todd strode over, his tone full of anger. "You''ve already messed up the round-the-world trip your mother and I had nned! Can''t you learn to be more considerate like Lily?"

    Heh. That round-the-world trip again.

    In her past life, when she was suffering in the psychiatric hospital, she called them for help countless times.

    All they said was that the doctors had her best interests at heart and that she needed to be more considerate. After all, they had a round-the-world trip to go on.

    Only when Lily was injured by another psychiatric patient did they bother to return ��and even then, they only spared her a nce.

    That was also the cruelest they had ever been, as they had handed her over to death with their own hands.

    She had never known parents could be this irresponsible.

    Staring at them coldly, she retorted, "You want me to be considerate?"

    "You brought me back into the family, yet left me in that broken-down storage room, out of sight from everyone.

    "I''ve been here for an entire year, and not once have I enjoyed the most basic privileges of being your daughter. Forget about wealth and glory, I had to work part-time just to cover my living expenses. What did you ever give me?"

    Todd stared at her in disbelief.

    It wasn''t that he realized he was wrong-he was just shocked by her tone. How could she speak to him like that?

    His face darkened. "How much more money do you want? When are you going to drop this nasty habit of always asking for handouts?"

    Margot chimed in with a gentle tone, "Sure, we didn''t give you much allowance, but it''s not like we gave you nothing. That''s not fair to us as your parents. Besides, we only did it for your own good. Once you get rid of those bad habits from growing up in the sticks, we''ll give you whatever you want."

    Scarlett let out a cold, bitterugh.

    "What a joke. Your so-called ''own good'' means making me live worse than the maids? At least the maids get paid. What do I get?"

    Todd and Margot were left speechless.

    They were usually out and rarely concerned themselves with household matters.

    All they knew was that their sons were helping Scarlett get rid of her "bad country bumpkin habits". They had no idea what her life was really like.

    They instinctively turned to the only ones still at home-the eldest and youngest

    sons.

    Jonah pulled out a card and held it out to her. "So, all this fuss is just to get some money, right? There''s a million on this card. Is that enough for you?"

    Scarlett sneered. "You should just save that for your precious little sister."

    "Scarlett, don''t be mad. This is all my fault. I''ll give you anything you want, as long as you forgive me," Lily said with a guilty look.

    Scarlett raised an eyebrow at her. "Is that so? Fine. Then give me that Celestial Drop ne Mom and Dad gave you. Can you bear to part with it?"

    Lily bit her lip as tears welled up in her eyes, looking absolutely aggrieved.

    "Don''t push it, Scarlett!" Jonah shouted, unable to contain his frustration any longer.

    Scarlett merely scoffed. "If you can''t bear to give it up, then don''t pretend to be so generous. This identity as a Quinn family daughter? I don''t give a damn about it. You want it, right? Then it''s all yours!"

    With a sharp tug on her suitcase, Scarlett turned and stormed out of the house,

    her steps resolute, her posture straight as an arrow.

    The whole family was stunned. They had never seen Scarlett like this before.

    Lily secretly rejoiced as Scarlett acting like this would only push the Quinns further away from her.

    On the surface, however, Lily put on a worried expression.

    "She''s really leaving..."

    "She''s just throwing a tantrum." Margot consoled her, "Don''t worry. When she realizes she can''t manage on her own after a few days out there, she''lle crawling back."

    Todd, on the other hand, barked, "If you have the guts to leave, then don''te back! As far as I''m concerned, the Quinn family has no daughter like you!"

    He believed that if she thought throwing a tantrum and leaving would scare him, she thought wrong.

    Todd wasn''t about to indulge her. If she got away with it this time, what would happen next time?

    Scarlett paused in her tracks andughed. "Great. Just what I wanted. As of today, I''m cutting ties with all of you. I will never set foot in this house again!"

    She spoke with rity and conviction, not the slightest waver in her tone. Even though her damp clothes made her look a little dishevelled, she walked away in determined strides.

    The Quinns were momentarily stunned, but soon the criticizing began again.

    "Did we starve her or something? What the hell was that nonsense she just spouted?"

    With a dark expression, one of them fumed, "She''s really gone crazy for leaving just like that! Let''s see how she survives without us!"

    "Oh, right, wasn''t it Jonathan who

    got her into that fancy private school? Since she''s cutting ties with us, let''s make it a clean break. Jonathan, call the principal and have her expelled. Let''s see whether she won''te crying back!"

    Lily had told them that, besides being at the Quinn residence, the ce Scarlett

    liked to hang out most was at school.

    If even the school turned her away, with nowhere to go, she''d definitelye crawling back and beg for forgiveness.

    With a furrowed brow, Jonathan nodded. "Yeah, she needs to be taught a lesson. She should know that she can''t survive in Yendale without us."

    Lily was secretly delighted to hear that.

    Todd and Margot didn''t object to the idea either. They believed she needed to be taught a lesson and only then would she behave.

    Otherwise, if she kept causing trouble like this, how were they supposed to enjoy their world tour in peace?

 Chapter 4

    The dimly lit and secluded road leading away from the Quinn residence stretched ahead.

    Scarlett pulled out a set of silver needles from her bag and quickly inserted them into her GV14 acupoint, LI11 acupoint, LI4 acupoint, and the tips of her ten fingers.

    Back at the Quinn residence earlier, her whole body had already been burning like a furnace.

    Yet no one in the entire family noticed her condition besides herself.

    Scarlett was personally mentored by Alton Becker, a man who had a resounding reputation in the medical world, known as a living legend.

    When she was only three, while ying in the mud with the other vige kids, she happened to encounter Alton leading a group of students into the mountains to gather herbs.

    Out of curiosity, she tagged along and, just from overhearing snippets of their conversation, was able to recognize many medicinal herbs.

    When it came time to eat, all the other kids went home for lunch except for her. She, with her dirty little fingers in her mouth, just stared at the students eating instant noodles and drooled.

    She noticed they had collected a lot of herbs, some of which were said to be rare and hard to find.

    So she turned around, went into the mountains, and brought back arge handful. She went up to the white-haired old man leading the group and said, "Sir, I''ll give you these Arician leaves, ntago asiatica leaves, and Ardisia lindleyana leaves... Can I have just one bite of your noodles? Just one bite! I''m so hungry..." Alton was taken aback, probably because she named those herbs so smoothly and confidently.

    Not only did Alton give her an entire cup of instant noodles, but he also bought her several boxes to take home before asking her to take him to her house.

    Her home had only a mentally unstable mother and a bedridden grandmother.

    After his visit, Alton frequently visited her and even cured her grandmother.

    It was from that moment on that she resolved to study medicine under Alton.

    But two years ago, Alton passed away from natural causes, leaving her this box of silver needles.

    Since returning to the Quinn residence this year, she had used these needles to cure a variety of ailments for the family.

    Todd''s frozen shoulder, Margot''s migraines, and Jonathan''s cervical spondylosis were just the beginning.

    She also treated her second brother, Jared''s trigeminal neuralgia, her fourth brother, Jackson''s insomnia, and even the tendonitis affecting Julius, Jacob, and Jonah-her fifth, sixth, and seventh brothers, respectively.

    She even cured Lily of her uterine issues.

    As for her third brother, Josiah Quinn, he was a doctor himself-an exceptional surgeon.

    Josiah was rather put off by her use of silver needles for healing.

    What she remembered most clearly was when he warned her, saying, "Mr. Becker had countless mentees around the world. Now that he''s passed, you''d better not

    go around unting his name and recklessly using those needles.

    "If something goes wrong, Mr. Becker''s reputation will be ruined!"

    But the truth was, she had truly cured the long-standing ailments of her family members.

    They enjoyed the benefits she brought, yet still looked down on her skills, disregarding herpletely.

    In her previous life, around this time, she had also suffered a high fever.

    If Lily hadn''te to her searching for the Celestial Drop, she might''ve died

    without anyone ever knowing.

    Fortunately, she no longer ced any hope in them.

    Scarlett made her way into the city, bought some medicine, and spent the night at a hotel.

    The next morning, she prepared to move into the school dorms.

    Although her current school was the top academy in Yendale and was filled with students from wealthy and influential families, it still provided dormitories for all students, considering privacy and lunchtime naps.

    But in reality, almost no one actually lived on campus.

    She would probably be one of the first to do so.

    Yet, the moment she stepped through the school gates, she could feel the strange

    stares and whispers surrounding her.

    "Isn''t that Scarlett? I heard she got expelled for stealing."

    "Why''s she dragging a suitcase? Is it full of the stuff she stole?"

    "Wow, I never would''ve guessed! She always seemed so quiet and well- behaved..."

    Scarlett instantly knew it could only be Lily and Jonah behind this again.

    She had also been burdened with the same baseless usation in her past life.

    At school, she became a walking target for everyone. The constant whispers almost drove her to depression.

    She had tried to exin herself, but under Lily''s sly maniptions, her words only made things worse.

    Eventually, her ss A ssmates signed a petition to have her transferred to another ss.

    Even the homeroom teacher, whom she had always respected, looked at her coldly and said, "You''ve affected the reputation of ss A far too? much These students are all aiming for top national scores. If you drag them down, what can you possibly do to make up for it? Please, do us a favor and transfer."

    However, she clearly had more potential to be the national top scorer than any of them.

    Still, the teacher and everyone else chose not to believe in her, giving up on herpletely.

    Unable to endure the verbal abuse in ss A, shepromised and moved to the underachievers'' ss, thinking that with hard work, she could still reach the

    top.

    Yet, she didn''t expect that many of Lily''s admirers would be in that ss. Led by Jonah, they bullied her for half a semester.

    They pulled her hair in ss, poured ink on her clothes, smeared glue on her chair, stuffed dead rats in her backpack, and threw basketballs, volleyballs, and baseballs at her head during PE.

    Jonah, the instigator, merely stood not far away and watched.

    Only after she was thoroughly humiliated would he step forward with disgust and say, "This is the punishment you deserve for stealing. I''ve spoken up for you a lot with them. You should be thanking me for that."

    And just like that, the relentless bullying destroyed her.

    On the day of the SATS, Lily even pretended to care, handed her a ss of fresh milk, and urged her to do well.

    Scarlett knew Lily couldn''t possibly be that kind, but she drank the milk anyway as Jonah was watching.

    The result? She had severe diarrhea andpletely bombed the exam.

    Thinking back to those cruel images left Scarlett feeling nothing but cold, unfeeling detachment.

    Strangely enough, this time around, she was directly expelled from the school, but if they thought they could get rid of her that easily, they were sorely mistaken.

    She was no longer the Scarlett of her past life, the girl who swallowed every injustice silently.

    With her suitcase in tow, she made a beeline for the academic affairs office.

    The Dean of Students, Herbert Riggs, threw a sheet of paper at her face without even looking up. "Look what you''ve done, Scarlett. You''ve been expelled!" Scarlett bent down to pick it up. It was an expulsion letter, stamped with the vice principal''s seal.

    She curled her lips into a cold smile. "Before expelling me, did you get the principal''s approval?"

    Herbert was momentarily stunned,

    then scoffed, "Why would we bother

    the principal just to expel a

    troublemaker like you? Students like you only tarnish the school''s reputation. You''re a cancer to society."

    Sneering, Scarlett tore the expulsion letter in half.

    "If you want to expel me, have the principal sign it."

    With that, she turned and walked away, suitcase in tow. Herbert was leftpletely dumbfounded.

 Chapter 5

    "Scarlett Quinn, stop right there!" Herbert roared in fury.

    The entire office fell silent in an instant. Every gaze turned toward the girl at the doorway.

    Even a student who had been called in with his guardian stoppedining.

    He lowered his voice and whispered to the man beside him, "Uncle Xavier, she got expelled for stealing. That''s way worse than what I did. I guess I''m off the hook now..."

    Scarlett instinctively nced sideways, and when her eyesnded on the man referred to as Uncle Xavier, she paused for a second.

    The man wore a finely tailored ck suit. Sunlight streamed in through the window, outlining his perfect side profile and eyes as dark as ink.

    When their gazes met, his pupils slightly contracted, as if a hint of surprise flickered in those calm, dark eyes.

    However, almost immediately, he regained his usual cold and distant demeanor.

    Even so, his dark eyes remained fixed on Scarlett.

    The boy next to him widened his eyes. Was his aloof, icy grand-uncle actually staring at a girl for that long?

    "What''s her name?" Xavier Stroud asked, his voice low and maic.

    The boy named Percy Stroud froze for a moment, and for the first time, he felt an overwhelming pressure.

    "S-Scarlett Quinn," he stammered from shock.

    Just then, a familiar voice drew Scarlett''s gaze.

    "Scarlett, I know you''re upset about getting expelled, but you shouldn''t take it out on the teachers."

    Lily had appeared at some point, cradling a stack of workbooks in her arms.

    Turning to Herbert, she added in a gentle tone, "Sir, please don''t be mad. I''m sure Scarlett didn''t mean it."

    Herbert''s face immediately softened into a pleased smile when he saw Lily.

    Then his eyes returned to Scarlett, now filled with disdain.

    "A student should act like one! Just look at Lily-graceful, respectful, and upright!

    And you? You''re always sneaking around and disrespecting your elders!"

    His voice grew harsh as he added, "You should really learn from her!"

    A mocking smile yed on Scarlett''s lips. "Sorry, I just don''t have the acting skills."

    "You..." Herbert looked at her like she was beyond redemption.

    Lily immediately put on a look of heartbreak and disappointment. "Scarlett, I really

    was just trying to help. I didn''t think you''d misunderstand me like this..."

    By now, the hallway outside the office was packed. Several of Lily''s admirers stepped in to defend her.

    "Scarlett, that was way out of line. How could you say that about Lily?"

    "She didn''t even me you for stealing her Celestial Drop. She''s been speaking up for you, and this is how you repay her?"

    "You''re just an ingrate! You don''t deserve to be in our school!"

    Even teachers who were normally kind joined in the rebuke.

    "Making mistakes isn''t the problem-it''s refusing to acknowledge them. In the real world, small errors can snowball into major disasters, harming both yourself and those around you."

    "We simply cannot condone such behavior."

    "A student with no integrity has no ce in a respectable institution."

    The entire office became a courtroom of voices condemning Scarlett.

    Just then, Jonah pushed through the crowd and strode in.

    Without even considering the usations Scarlett was facing, he questioned her sternly, "Scarlett, I heard you''re troubling Lily again. When will you stop? She''s not the one deciding to expel you from the school. Why do you keep going after her? Aren''t you tired of it yet?"

    All eyes locked on Scarlett as though she were some monstrous criminal. Nevertheless, she remained calm and cold, her clear eyes untouched by emotion.

    Jonah was stunned. He had thought that faced with such usations and questioning, Scarlett would panic, immediately bow her head, admit her fault, and beg for his forgiveness.

    He had even rehearsed his rejection in his head. Since she was always picking on

    Lily, he wanted to make her suffer more.

    Yet now, her indifferent demeanor left him utterly baffled.

    As Scarlett calmly looked around at everyone using her, she asked with a

    sneer, "So the reason for my expulsion is just because I stole Lily''s Celestial Drop, right?"

    She nced at Jonah.

    That one look made Jonah instinctively avert his eyes, guilt welling up in his chest.

    A sharp voice from the hallway shouted, "What else could it be? We don''t want thieves in our school!"

    Scarlett gave a thoughtful nod, as though considering the answer. Then her gaze snapped back to Lily and Jonah. "You''re the ones who said I stole it, right?"

    Lily quickly shook her head, eyes wide with innocence. "Please don''t misunderstand. I never said that."

    "Then why don''t you tell us was it me who stole your Celestial Drop?" Scarlett pressed, her eyes sharp and unforgiving.

    Lily felt a sudden chill. When did this country bumpkin be so sharp?

    In the past, Scarlett would never confront her directly. Scarlett would always try to defend herself, and Lily could easily twist the story with some well-timed "nice" words to pin her for whatever usation thetter wanted.

    But now, Scarlett was actually confronting her head-on, leaving herpletely on the defensive.

    "Of course not," Lily answered with forced sincerity, cursing Scarlett inwardly.

    Scarlett raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping over everyone present with chilling rity.

    "If I didn''t steal anything, doesn''t that make all of you guilty of nder? ording to Rule Eight in the student handbook, nderers receive disciplinary action and fose 15 credits. If a teacher nders a student, shouldn''t they lose their eligibility for awards?"

    As soon as she was done speaking, silence fell, both inside and outside of the

    office.

    The same students who had been shouting in Lily''s defense now started backing

    away, eager to distance themselves from the situation.

    "I-I only repeated what I heard..."

    "Yeah, me too! I was just passing it along!"

    "If she didn''t steal anything, there''s no need to blow this out of proportion!"

    Even the teachers grew uneasy, quickly burying themselves in paperwork or

    staring at their phones, trying to avoid Scarlett''s gaze.

    She took in all their reactions with a calm detachment.

    Just a few sentences could''ve solved everything-so why, in her past life, had she

    let Lily lead her by the nose?

    Maybe it was because she cared too much about what the Quinn family thought.

    Back then, she didn''t dare offend anyone-not even the beloved adopted daughter, Lily.

    But in this life, she no longer cared. Without those mental shackles, her mind was

    clear.

    A faint smirk tugged at her lips. "How odd. If I didn''t steal Lily''s Celestial Drop, then who started the rumor?"

    Her head snapped up, her piercing gaze directed at Lily.

    Lily turned pale, her forced smile barely holding.

    "Don''t get me wrong-it really wasn''t me."

    Jonah immediately stepped forward to shield her like a loyal knight. His brows furrowed in confusion and doubt, but he still forced himself to defend her.

    "What are you trying to say? That Lily spread the rumor? She already said she didn''t do it what more do you want?"

    "But the three of us were the only ones in the entire school who knew about it," Scarlett replied with a sneer. "If it wasn''t her, then you''re the one who spread it,

    no?"

 Chapter 6

    Jonah was momentarily at a loss for words.

    He, too, was puzzled. Scarlett hadn''t stolen the ne. He had been there when everything happened.

    So, how had the rumor spread through the school, escting into ims that Scarlett had stolen it?

    He turned to look at Lily.

    Lily immediately appeared stunned and hurt, her eyes reddening as if she could cry at any moment.

    "Jonah, do you not believe me?"

    Jonah''s heart softened. After hesitating for only a second, he chose to trust his beloved Lily.

    "Of course I believe you. Don''t worry. I understand what''s going on now."

    He gently patted Lily on the head. Lily beamed with delight, sneaking a triumphant nce at Scarlett.

    That flicker of smugness didn''t escape Scarlett''s notice. She couldn''t help but roll

    her eyes.

    Jonah turned back, sneering as he questioned, "Scarlett, is this another one of your games? You wanted everyone to falsely use you so you could y the victim and make me forgive your past behavior? Nice try-I almost fell for it!"

    Scarlett burst outughing. She pped her hands and said, "Brilliant, Jonah. With that imagination, you really ought to write novels.

    "Fine, let''s go with your logic. This was all my grand n. I wanted everyone to think I was a thief, to insult me, and to corner me-all because I have low self- esteem! Happy now?"

    As her smile faded, she snapped coldly, "Talking to people like you is aplete waste of my time."

    Jonah''s face darkened with anger. He parted his lips, only to shut them again.

    Something felt off, but he couldn''t pinpoint what.

    Yet when he looked at Lily''s sweet, innocent expression, he convinced himself all over again��Scarlett was just stirring up trouble.

    Just then, a cocky, mocking voice rang out.

    "Wow, what a brilliant performance. Some people''s ability to twist the truth is truly impressive!"

    Everyone turned toward the speaker-it was Percy, who''d been summoned to the office with his guardian.

    As Jonah looked in that direction, his pupils shrank. It was as if he''d seen a ghost. For a long moment, he couldn''t say a single word.

    The man standing beside Percy also spoke. Every syble he uttered was as sharp as a de of ice.

    "With students like these, it seems the teachers at your school aren''t much better either."

    Xavier was tall and poised, with an icy, handsome face. His dark, deep-set eyes seemed to pierce through every ounce of deceit in the room.

    Jonah''s expression shifted slightly, but he only pressed his lips together and remained silent.

    Scarlett narrowed her eyes at him, a glint of scrutiny and contemtion shing in their dark depths.

    As Lily stared at him, her eyes shone with awe. She quickly tried to exin, "Sir, you''ve misunderstood my brother-"

    Before she could finish, Jonah grabbed her arm to stop her.

    It was clear-Xavier was someone even the Quinn family didn''t dare provoke.

    However, Herbert, oblivious to the sudden shift in atmosphere, stood up and began lecturing Xavier.

    "You should focus on educating Percy instead. I''ve heard he often skips ss to go to inte caf��s and that you''re hardly home. You bear a lot of responsibility, too, for neglecting the education of the boy..."

    He rambled on and on.

    As if finally finding his sense of purpose as the dean, Herbert began a long- winded tirade.

    It seemed he was trying to take this chance to vent the frustration he had just suffered from Scarlett.

    Percy nervously stole a nce at Xavier''s face. He wanted nothing more than to cover his own-Xavier had never been reprimanded like this before!

    What rotten luck. Xavier had only just returned from abroad when a teacher called home for a meeting.

    Under the circumstances, he wouldn''t even dare to think about covering it up. They were of distinguished and unique standing in Yendale, yet they chose to hide their real background in order to live like regr people.

    Even at school, they presented themselves merely as members of an ordinary, wealthy family.

    It was doomed. Herbert surely never expected the person he was criticizing so enthusiastically to be a big shot.

    If he knew who he was lecturing, he''d probably be scared out of his wits.

    And sure enough, Xavier''s face was growing darker by the second. His narrow, dark eyes gleamed with icy fury.

    Even Herbert, normally so strict and imposing, began to feel the suffocating pressure. His words grew disjointed, then finally died out altogether.

    Percy''s homeroom teacher was already drenched in cold sweat from fear.

    He had thought that Percy''s parents woulde. He never expected such an intimidating, powerful figure toe instead.

    Wiping his palms nervously, he stammered to defuse the tension, "Uh... That''s all for today. Percy, please lead your guardian outside."

    Percy let out a sigh of relief and looked over at Xavier.

    Xavier cast onest frosty nce at Herbert, so cold it seemed to freeze him in ce.

    The look made Herbert shudder. It was like a cold wind had swept through him, and he immediately regretted the impulsive criticism he had just given.

    Xavier turned and strode out.

    As he left, he cast a final nce at Scarlett from the corner of his eye. Scarlett gave a small nod in thanks since he had spoken up for her earlier.

    For some reason, she felt a flicker of interest toward this mysterious man.

    The oppressive atmosphere lifted the moment he was gone.

    Only then did they notice that they had each gone still, breath caught, when Xavier''s face fell.

    How terrifying must his presence be to cause such an effect?

    Herbert grew even more restless, deeply regretting his impulsive behaviour. As for Scarlett, she turned and walked toward the door.

    Jonah stared at her. Her back was straight, ponytail swaying behind her. Even

    though she''d been expelled, she didn''t seem the least bit rattled.

    ie''

    He couldn''t stop himself from calling out, "Scarlett, since you''ve been expelled, you only have two options-pack up and leave, of apologize to me and Lily! Maybe then I''ll find a way for you to stay."

    With a raised eyebrow, Scarlett turned with a calm, indifferent look. "If I was expelled for stealing Lily''s Celestial Drop, and now it''s clear I didn''t, then on what grounds does the school have to expel me?"  Jonah scoffed, answering disdainfully You really think there needs to be a reason? You''re just some country bumpkin the school took i?as a special case. If they don''t want someone with no background, that''s their right."

    So that was how they saw her, just a hillbilly girl from a vige.

    That could exin why they were so defensive around her and treated her with such disdain.

    Scarlett''s voice turned colder. "If they want to expel me, they can have the principal say it to my face."

    Jonah shot back with sharp, unfiltered sarcasm, "The principal''s too busy to deal with an ordinary transfer student like you. Besides, he has an important guest today��no time to waste on a nobody."

    This elite private high school in Yendale was renowned for its unparalleled academic resources and exceptional faculty.

    Naturally, the principal of such a school was no ordinary Joe. He held great power

    and had ties with many prominent figures in business and politics.

    Anyone who could be called an important guest at this school must also be extraordinary.

    A strange thought flickered in Scarlett''s mind. Could that important guest be...

    him?

 Chapter 7

    Scarlett narrowed her eyes by a fraction. It seemed she would have to meet the principal in person.

    Back when the Quinn family brought her back, they hadn''t even consulted her before directly enrolling her in this school.

    But even before she was brought to the Quinn residence, she had already been corresponding with this school''s principal through letters.

    The principal, Bill Hayes, had invited her to attend this high school, offering full tuition exemption and even promising to sponsor her living expenses for three years.

    At the time, she had declined. She wanted to stay in her small hometown, close to her mother and grandmother, to take care of them.

    It wasn''t until the Quinn family intervened and arranged for her mother and grandmother to move into a nursing home that she could attend this school.

    The Quinn family thought her admission was entirely under their control-little did they know that whether she attended or not was entirely her decision.

    If she wanted to stay, no one could drive her away.

    If she didn''t want to attend this school, no one could make her stay.

    Scarlett didn''t intend to waste any more time on pointless people or matters. She grabbed her suitcase and walked away without a backward nce.

    Jonah opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he silently closed it again. His gaze lingered on Scarlett''s tall, resolute figure, and an inexplicable sense of loss stirred within him.

    She used to tread carefully around him, always afraid of offending him. But now, she didn''t seem to care about him at all.

    That realization unsettled Jonah deeply, leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

    "What''s wrong, Jonah?" Lily tugged at his sleeve, speaking in a soft, sugary voice.

    Jonah looked away. "It''s nothing." After a moment''s pause, he added, "Scarlett''s been acting a little strangetely."

    "I think so too... Could it be that she was shaken because Mom and Dad gave me the Celestial Drop yesterday? This is all my fault then..."

    Lily lowered her head, her voice filled with remorse. For once, Jonah didn''t rush tofort her.

    Instead, he frowned slightly. He had forgotten that it had been Scarlett''s birthday yesterday, too.

    They had all been busy preparingvish gifts for Lily andpletely ignored Scarlett.

    Could Scarlett be reacting this way because she was upset they hadn''t prepared anything for her?

    "Don''t overthink it. This isn''t your fault," Jonah said stiffly before turning and striding away.

    Lily felt suffocated, frustrated beyond words. She hadn''t expected Scarlett to clear her name so easily today.

    It seemed to her that the web she had spun was effortlessly ripped apart, and now even Jonah''s attitude toward her had changed slightly.

    Damn Scarlett. Why hadn''t she just died by the roadside? Why did she have toe to school and ruin everything?

    Turning back, Lily immediately put on an apologetic face and said, "I''m so sorry, everyone. This whole mess started because of me. I didn''t expect a rumor to cause such a misunderstanding="

    Before she could finish, Herbert cut her off, "This isn''t your fault. Rumors don''t just appear out of thin air. She must have questionable character to have rumors like that spread about her. You''re the pride of our school, Lily. Don''t me yourself. Go on back to ss now."

    Outside the staff quarters, sunlight poured over Scarlett''s tall, upright figure.

    Just as she was about to head upstairs to look for Bill, a yful, clear whistle echoed from above.

    Looking up, she spotted the same boy she had just seen in the office, illuminated by the warm sunlight.

    He was wearing the school uniform, but it was casually unbuttoned to the second button, revealing the edge of a white T-shirt underneath a picture of youthful arrogance and recklessness.

    "Hey, gorgeous! Come on up! Mr. Hayes is waiting for you in his office!" he shouted.

    When Scarlett didn''t immediately move, Percy grew impatient and bounded downstairs, grabbing her suitcase.

    "I''ll help you with that."

    Scarlett raised an eyebrow but let go of the handle, allowing him to help. "Percy Stroud?"

    "Hehe, that''s me! We''ve met before you probably forgot."

    "I didn''t forget, Mr. Apology."

    Percy was famous for getting into trouble and writing endless apology letters, often having to read them aloud during school assemblies.

    The speechless Percy looked defeated. "Well, that killed the mood. I''m talking about when we met at the inte caf��. You were amazing at gaming."

    At his reminder, Scarlett recalled meeting him there.

    To make ends meet, she once boosted ounts at an inte caf�� to earn extra

    cash and identally pulled off a wless match, causing a stir.

    Percy hade and insisted on buying her snacks, asking if he could be herckey.

    She had, of course, turned him down. She had no interest in having followers.

    "Hey, Scarlett, why were you living in Jonah''s home? What''s your rtionship with him?" Percy asked as he had been curious about this for a long time.

    He didn''t believe the rumors that Scarlett was a maid at Jonah''s house.

    After all, what kind of maid could y games that well?

    Besides, what kind of maid would dare talk back to their employer? The scene today had been so satisfying!

    Jonah had always been the golden boy at school-handsome, smart, adored by teachers and all the female students alike. Wherever he went, he carried himself like he was untouchable.

    Percy had long been sick of it.

    Scarlett said calmly, "I was fired."

    Percy looked at her in disbelief. "You

    really were a maid at their house? I thought you were some distant rtive they were too embarrassed to acknowledge, so they made up the maid'' story. Rich families love to do that kind of nonsense to maintain appearances."

    Scarlett lowered her gaze, a look of irony crossing her face.

    That was the rich and powerful, all right-their appearances were above all else.

    "Man, with your skills, why the heck would you humble yourself working as a maid? Even if the Quinn family is the richest in Yendale, your gaming ie in a week must crush a month''s sry there!

    "And now they fired you and tried to get you kicked out of school. That''s so not worth it! Scarlett, why don''t you boost my ount instead? I pay you ten thousand dors a month, and I''ll help you stay in school too!"

    Scarlett gave him a sidelong nce. "Does that uh... elder who came with you even allow you to y games?"

    Percy did get called to see the teacher with his guardian for ditching ss to y games after all.

    "Pfft! Elder?" Percy burst outughing at the strange way Scarlett referred to Xavier.

    Just then, as they turned a corner, Percy came face to face with Xavier''s cold

    stare. Hisughter died a swift death.

    "Elder....... I mean, Uncle Xavier, I brought her!"

    Percy wanted to bang his head against a wall. This was all Scarlett''s fault for making himugh.

    He shot Scarlett a slight re.

    Xavier calmly raised his well-defined hand and gave Percy a flick on the forehead.

    Percy hissed in pain, rubbing his head.

    As Scarlett watched their interaction, she felt a little puzzled.

    It was Xavier who had sent Percy to fetch her? What?

    Xavier turned to Scarlett, his voice low and smooth. "Don''t refer to me as an elder.

    I''m not that old. Percy and I just have a bigger generation gap since I''m his grand- uncle that''s all."

    Percy''s eyes widened like saucers. Xavier was exining himself to Scarlett? What was happening today? He was seriously acting super weird!

    Could he have taken a liking to Scarlett? Even if Scarlett was rather pretty, that

    was just not likely. He never seemed interested in women. Moreover, the age gap between them was massive.

    There was no way Xavier would go for someone this young, right?

    Percy''s mind spun wildly with guesses.

    As Scarlett stared at Xavier, she felt a strange sense of familiarity, but she couldn''t

    recall when they had ever met.

    She asked, "Have we met?"

    Xavier''s gaze darkened slightly, but he didn''t answer her question.

    At that moment, Bill stepped out of the nearby room with a kind smile. "Don''t just stand there. Come on in, everyone."

 Chapter 8

    "Scarlett, how did you end up offending the Quinn family?" Bill asked, his tone stern yet concerned.

    Instead of answering, Scarlett asked, "My expulsion from school, that was the Quinn family''s doing, wasn''t it?"

    Bill nodded, smiled, and said, "I didn''t agree. In my school, no one''s influence holds sway. Besides..."

    He paused, ncing at the man beside him before continuing, "Someone spoke up for you. That made it even less likely for me to hand you over to another school."

    Scarlett looked at Xavier in surprise.

    Xavier satzily on a couch, his long legs casually crossed, radiating a sense of refined nobility and keen intellect.

    She grew even more puzzled. Who exactly was this man, and why would he speak up for her?

    Bill then turned to Xavier and said, "Mr. Stroud, weren''t you looking for a tutor for Percy? I think Scarlett would be perfect."

    As soon as Bill finished speaking, Percy pointed at Scarlett and cried out in disbelief, "You want her to tutor me? You''re kidding, right? In every exam since she transferred here, she has rankedst! Her total score isn''t even higher than mine!"

    He tilted his head proudly, as if his scores were something to brag about.

    Xavier shot him a cold nce. "You couldn''t even get into ss A, and you still have the nerve to talk about others?"

    Scratching his nose, Percy fell silent, though he looked visibly displeased.

    With a smile, Bill said, "I trust my judgment. There''s no way I could be wrong about her."

    Percy snorted, convinced that Xavier would never agree.

    After all, Xavier cared a lot about his academic performance. He wouldn''t havee here and fussed about his results otherwise.

    Moreover, Xavier had even rejected many guaranteed admissions on his behalf, insisting that he take the SATS.

    Percy said, "There''s no way my grand-uncle will agree!"

    Just as the words left his mouth, Xavier said in a deep voice, "Sure."

    The shocked Percy whipped his head around, staring at Xavier in disbelief. Just as he was about to protest, a cold warning nce from Xavier silenced him.

    Though still unwilling to ept this, Percy became even more confused. What the hell was going on with Xavier today?

    Scarlett couldn''t help but say, "I haven''t agreed yet."

    Xavier''s lips curled slightly. "Oh, you will."

    The exasperated Scarlett raised a brow, intrigued by his confidence. "And what if I won''t? Your rtive here doesn''t exactly look studious."

    Percy immediately exploded, bouncing on the spot and pointing at Scarlett.

    "You''re the stupid one! Who works as a maid and gets kicked out? That''s just embarrassing!"

    Scarlett was speechless.

    Xavier swept his gaze across Scarlett, his eyes unreadable as he looked like he could see right through her. "You must be strapped for cash."

    Scarlett frowned and said nothing.

    It was true she was short on money, but she''d never admit it so easily.

    As if seeing through her again, Xavier added, "If you tutor Percy, for every point

    he improves on the next exam, you get ten thousand."

    Scarlett''s eyes narrowed a little.

    Truth be told, Percy wasn''t stupid. He simply never took studying seriously.

    In her past life, after entering the underachievers'' ss, she realized that even the

    worst-off rich kids usually had guaranteed admissions.

    Only she and Percy were left to rely purely on the SATS.

    In her past life, she''d assumed Percy''s background was just as tragic as hers.

    Only now did she realize that sometimes, the more powerful the background, the fewer shortcuts were allowed.

    Back then, she lived through hell every day, bullied by half the ss.

    As for Percy, he would asionally stand up for her, but most of the time, he wasn''t even at school-he was killing time at inte caf��s.

    In the end, Percy must have offended someone, as he was ambushed and beaten

    in an alley just days before the SATS and never even made it to the test hall.

    This life, considering Percy had once helped her out asionally, she didn''t mind giving him a hand.

    Besides, he had a lot of potential, which meant she could earn a lot more.

    Xavier fixed his gaze on Scarlett and spoke again. "After the SATs, for every point above the top-tier university cutoff, you get 100,000 dors per point."

    Scarlett was stunned.

    Good lord, did his family own a gold mine or something? How could he be that rich?

    Her heart thudded madly at the offer, but on the surface, she remained calm.

    "Fine, I''ll give it a try. Not for the money, of course. It''s just that I see some potential in Percy here. I''d hate to see him waste it and do badly on the SATS." Percy gave her a look of pure disdain. With a frown, he remarked, "You expect anyone to believe that? Money-grubber!"

    Scarlett said nothing in response.

    Bill chuckled. "Good, it''s settled then. Scarlett, Percy, go back to ss. I still have some matters to discuss with Mr. Stroud."

    Scarlett nodded. As she turned to leave, she nced again at the tall, handsome Xavier.

    Bill addressed Xavier rather respectfully. There shouldn''t be such a distinguished person in Yendale, though.

    By the time she left, the ss bell had already rung a while ago. Percy raced back to the ssroom while Scarlett calmly wheeled her suitcase to the dormitory.

    Even though she had cleared her name this lifetime, she found her bed turned into a garbage heap just like before.

    It was covered in trash. There were drinks and toiletry liquids spilled, soaking her sheets and nket, and her mattress was wet too.

    Scarlett''s gaze was cold and indifferent as she stared at the mess. She knew exactly who was behind it.

    Without a word, she pulled out her spare bedsheets and bedding from her locker, walked over to the bed across from hers, and quickly changed everything out.

    Then she swapped the items on the matching desk and even changed the assigned student ID tags that showed which beds belonged to whom. Once everything was done, the best bed in the dorm was now hers.

    Scarlett looked at her new bed and pped her hands in satisfaction "Not bad. If others don''t know how to cherish what they have, they can''t me me for doing what I have to."

    Satisfied, she grabbed her textbooks and headed to ss.

    Meanwhile, in ss A, Jonah had been distracted ever since he got back.

    He pulled out his phone and started browsing for birthday gifts. But no matter how much he looked, nothing seemed as nice or luxurious as what he had gotten for Lily.

    He decided to order something random since he believed Scarlett would treasure anything she received. After all, she came from the sticks and had probably never even seen anything fancy, untike Lily, who had been pampered by everyone in the family growing up and had already seen what the world had to offer.

    "Jonah, are you picking out another gift for me?" came a soft, sweet voice, interrupting what he was doing.

    He looked up and saw Lily blinking her big, innocent eyes at him, making his heart

    melt.

    "But I don''t like this color. I prefer this one," Lily said with a bright smile, pointing at a pink stuffed toy.

    Without hesitation, Jonah ordered it. "I''ll but whatever you like. What else do you

    want?"

    "Um... Maybe I shouldn''t. You''ve already bought me so many gifts that my room''s practically overflowing."

    Jonah''s pupils contracted slightly. Lily''s gifts filled up her whole room, but what about Scarlett?

    Had they ever even given Scarlett a single proper gift?

    He frowned faintly.

    "Jonah, what''s wrong?"

    "Lily, help me pick out a gift for Scarlett."

 Chapter 9

    A flicker of hatred appeared in Lily''s eyes before she nodded with a smile, "Sure."

    She asked casually, "Jonah, what made you decide to buy a gift for Scarlett?" "Yesterday was her birthday too," Jonah replied, slightly annoyed.

    He wondered why she couldn''t have simply asked for a gift herself. It felt as if they owed her something. Surely, running away and being rude to him was excessive, wasn''t it?

    "Oh! If you hadn''t mentioned it, I would have forgotten Scarlett''s birthday was yesterday too," Lily said, her tone apologetic as if just recalling it. "No wonder she was so upset. She wanted the Celestial Drop that our parents gave me. Maybe I should give it to Scarlett?"

    "No, that was a gift to you from our parents. Wear it without worry," Jonah replied, putting away his phone as his expression turned cold.

    He continued, "She has the audacity to be angry. We''ve provided everything for her at the Quinn residence-food, a great school-yet she''s still unsatisfied. She even wants to push you out and take the Celestial Drop! If she''s that greedy, I think if the school expels her, where else can she go?"

    She would have no choice but to return to the Quinn residence and apologize. Jonah decided against giving her the gift. He couldn''t encourage such poor behavior!

    Lily nervously bit her lip and said, "Scarlett''s gone to meet with the principal. What if she convinces them? Maybe we should just let it go. Scarlett acted like she didn''t even know us earlier. If we get her expelled, what if she really cuts ties with us?"

    "You''re too soft-hearted. You''re always defending her. She would love nothing more than totch onto us and drain us dry. There''s no way she''d disown us. This is probably hertest ploy to y hard to get. Stop defending her.

    "Also, it''s not easy to get a meeting with the principal, let alone persuade him to do something. Everyone knows the principal is seldom on campus during regr days. If he''s there, it''s usually because he''s meeting important guests.

    "Even though the principal is at school today, I noticed that gentleman from Capitol as well. The principal won''t have time to see her."

    Lily thought about the striking andmanding man she had just encountered. He was more handsome and impressive than all seven of her brothers put together. It was clear he was someone who held a high position for a long time. There was certainly no one as young and remarkable as he in Yendale.

    Curious, she asked, "Jonah, are you referring to the man we saw in the office today? Isn''t he Percy''s father?"

    She recalled that Percy didn''te from a particrly influential family. They were just moderately affluent. But how could his father be so remarkable?

    Jonah narrowed his eyes in thought. "It appears Percy isn''t an ordinary person either. You should avoid him from now on," he advised.

    He continued, "I once saw that man at a Capitol cocktail party with Jonathan. Although I don''t know his exact identity, everyone there referred to him as Mr. Stroud. They say that with just a snap of his fingers, he can topple the Capitol''s nobility. He''s like a legend."

    Lily looked surprised and clenched her fists, new emotions flickering in her eyes.

    "Jonah! Big news!" Keith Hactt burst into the ssroom like a whirlwind, skidding to a halt in front of Jonah''s desk.

    "Scarlett actually went to see Mr. Hayes! And Mr. Hayes didn''t expel her!"

    Jonah was shocked, disbelief written all over his face. He almost eximed, "How is that even possible?"

    "It''s true! Mr. Hayes also scolded Mr. Tucker and told him to retract the expulsion notice. I heard it myself in the office!"

    Lily appeared taken aback and silently cursed to herself. Why couldn''t this country bumpkin just disappear quietly instead of sticking around to irritate her?

    Outwardly, she quickly adopted apassionate expression and gently reassured Jonah, "Jonah, don''t worry. I believe the main

    reasonScarlett doesn''t want to

    leave this school is that she''s afraid of being too far from us. If she were actually expelled, seeing as again would be quite difficult for her."

    In public, she and Jonah would only refer to Scarlett by her name, so no one knew Scarlett was Jonah''s sister. Even if some were aware of her connection to Jonah, they assumed Scarlett was merely a maid in his household.

    While most students here were from noble and wealthy backgrounds, there were also regr students who attached themselves to the nobles, attending the school aspanions. Thus, in everyone''s eyes, Scarlett was seen as Lily''spanion student.

    After listening to Lily, Jonah frowned and replied, "Fine, let her stay in the school. She managed to get away with it so easily."

    When Scarlett entered the ssroom with her textbooks, the room buzzed with chatter about her, and people asionally nced in her direction.

    "I can''t believe she had the nerve to go see Mr. Hayes," someone said.

    "I wonder how she convinced him. Maybe he didn''t expel her because of the Quinn family''s influence," another suggested.

    "For sure. She''s just a girl from the countryside with no connections. It''s like she won the lottery being picked by the Quinn family to be Lily''spanion student."

    Despite the murmurs, Scarlett ignored them, keeping her gaze forward as she made her way to her seat in the back row. She settled in, opened her textbook, and began to read.

    Suddenly, Lily stood up, workbook in hand, and approached Scarlett. Her voice was soft yet clear enough for everyone to hear. "Scarlett, here''s your workbook. You''ve made a lot of mistakes again, but I''ve corrected them for you. Make sure you look over it so you don''t fall behind."

    Upon hearing thesements, the focus of the gossip shifted.

    "Lily is such a kind friend to her study partner, but Scarlett doesn''t appreciate it at all. She was so rude in the office earlier."

    "I don''t think it''s fair for Lily. Scarlett''s grades are terrible, yet Lily is still trying to help her improve. But look at Scarlett''s attitude!"

    Scarlett nced up at Lily, her eyes filled with icy sarcasm. "Changing my right answers to wrong ones just to get attention��is that fun for you?"

    Lily sighed, her brow furrowed. "Scarlett, I know people misunderstood you because of the Celestial Drop incident, and you''re feeling wronged and upset. But I''m not the one who caused this. Can we talk calmly? I genuinely want to help."

    With that patient and helpless demeanor, it was as if Scarlett had wronged her again.

    Jonah quickly approached with a serious face. "Scarlett, don''t be ungrateful. Lily corrected your mistakes. You should at least thank her!"

    Scarlett smirked, letting out a cold chuckle. She truly owed it to Lily for always being at the bottom of the ss. Lily, as the academic monitor of ss A, was responsible for collecting and managing the homework and test papers.

    Scarlett used to wonder why her answers were always incorrect during exams, why her homework would mysteriously vanish, and why the exercises in her workbook were always wrong.

    1.n

    Lily was precisely the person who could console her then, provide her with new homework books, and help her correct the errors in her workbook. Everyone believed Lily was genuinely kind to her and that she should feel grateful. Jonah even shared this belief.

    Shepleted a set of test papers for a self-assessment. Upon checking her answers, she realized she had achieved a perfect score, with no signs of her usual oversights or mistakes.

    It was only at that moment that she understood Lily''s scheme. Lily had manipted the situation to garner attention by putting her down. This way,

    everyone would perceive Lily as kind, selfless, and helpful.

    Meanwhile, it painted Scarlett as someone with poor grades, ungrateful, selfish,

    and ipetent.

    "Alright, let me check which questions I missed," Scarlett said.

 Chapter 10

    Scarlett flipped open her exercise book to review hertest assignment, which had ten key questions. To her dismay, she had gotten seven wrong.

    Jonah looked at her with a teasing gaze. How could she get such basic questions wrong? Thankfully, no one knew she was his sister by blood. It would be mortifying for him.

    "Oh? You did all the steps right for this one, but how did you end up with 13 over 13, and then simplify it to seven?"

    Jonah remarked bluntly, "You''re just being dumb! And here, you calcted the square root of nine, but your answer was 30?"

    "It''s because your mind is all jumbled up!" he continued.

    Scarlett went through seven ridiculous errors in session. Even the least observant person would realize something was amiss. She was a senior in high school. Despite her not-so-great grades, it was improbable for her to make such simple errors repeatedly. Clearly, the numbers had been altered.

    In her previous life, Scarlett had noticed someone meddling with her work but chose not to confront Lily, avoiding a potential argument. This decision, however, cost her numerous chances to showcase her academic abilities.

    Jonah''s face grew increasingly troubled as he examined Scarlett''s exercise book. His eyes filled with confusion as he reviewed it. Curious ssmates gathered around to see for themselves.

    "It''s odd. How could the same errors happen seven times consecutively?"

    "It looks like someone altered the answers."

    "But after the teacher marked it, Lily meticulously corrected the errors using a red pen."

    "Though these mistakes were so basic, there was no need to correct them..."

    The group was left puzzled.

    Scarlett sneered at Lily. "Ms. Lily of the Quinn family, do you have anything else to say?"

    Lily appeared hurt as she replied, "You don''t think I changed the answers, do you? I''ve been doing my best to help improve your grades. Changing them wouldn''t benefit you at all."

    Scarlett retorted, "It doesn''t help, but isn''t this exactly what you wanted?"

    Lily''s eyes reddened, as if she had been deeply wronged. Jonah immediately wrapped his arm around Lily''s shoulders to show his support.

    He frowned and said, "Scarlett, do you have some kind of persecutionplex? Yes, your workbook seems altered, but Lily is more concerned about your grades than anyone else. She wants you to seed more than anyone. How can you think so poorly of her?"

    He continued. You just can''t stand her, right? If that''s the case, why not leave ss A if you dare? Go to the underachievers'' ss where grades don''t matter, and no one will be as meticulous as Lily. Even if you make basic mistakes, she''ll still carefully correct them for you!"

    "Excellent!" The homeroom teacher entered the ssroom with a hint of excitement and dered, "I support Jonah''s suggestion. Scarlett, you really shouldn''t remain in ss A. Your poor grades significantly lower the ss average."

    Scarlett''s performance was indeed at the bottom, making her unqualified to stay in ss A. However, she was acknowledged as apanion student of Lily, so not even the homeroom teacher could arbitrarily decide her ss cement.

    With Jonah''s proposal, the teacher felt he could finally release his frustration and remove the problem student from ss A.

    The ssmates quickly chimed in, advocating for Lily. "Exactly. Scarlett should be moved to the ss for underachievers. Everyone knows how hard Lily has worked to improve her grades this past year. But Scarlett is too stubborn, and her grades remain poor!"

    "She''s also ungrateful. Her attitude toward Lily is terrible, as if Lily owes her something. She''s just unappreciative."

    "I agree with Jonah. A student with poor performance, whocks gratitude and is selfish, should be sent to the underachievers'' ss!"

    "I''m with Jonah too! Lily shouldn''t have wasted so much effort on someone like her!"

    Amidst the mor, pride gleamed in Lily''s eyes, though outwardly, she appeared

    to be considering Scarlett''s situation.

    "Stop talking about her. None of you understands the circumstances. I owe Scarlett something. I just want to be kind to her and help her..."

 Chapter 11

    Jonah cut in abruptly, "You''re part of the Quinn family. You don''t owe her anything whatsoever. Don''t say that again."

    Lily nced at Scarlett with concern, her expression genuinely moving.

    Scarlett was filled with disgust. She gathered her textbooks, shot a cold look at her old ssmates, and said, "There''s no need to force me out. I''ve been wanting to leave this ssroom for a while."

    The homeroom teacher seemed delighted as if a long-held dream had been fulfilled. He promptly informed the teacher of the ss for underachievers that he intended to transfer Scarlett to their ss.

    At their school, there was one ss A, five regr sses, and four sses for underachievers. In her past life, Scarlett had been ced in ss F due to her beingbeled a "thief" in her previous life. In this life, even though she was innocent, the ss A homeroom teacher still assigned her to ss F.

    This was because the ss F homeroom teacher, a young man who enjoyed challenges, was the only one willing to ept her. The other homeroom teachers disliked Scarlett, viewing her as an underachiever.

    Scarlett exited the ssroom with her textbooks in hand. Her stride was steady, and she held herself with straightposure, showing no signs of being pushed out. As she had mentioned before, she had been looking forward to leaving that ssroom for quite some time.

    Growing increasingly frustrated by her calm attitude, Jonah suddenly said, "Scarlett, standing out in ss F won''t be simple. If you want to get back to ss A, you''ll need to plead with me."

    Scarlett paused and sneered, "Don''t worry. Even if you pleaded, I wouldn''t return."

    Jonah was seething, his handsome face clouded with rage. He couldn''t understand where Scarlett found the nerve to address him this way. Didn''t she realize that her attitude only deepened his disdain for her?

    Lily was delighted. She wished Scarlett would keep up her arrogant behavior. Once in the ss for underachievers, what could Scarlett possibly learn? Even without tampering with Scarlett''s grades, Lily knew Scarlett had no chance of sess!

    She turned to Jonah and gently reassured him, "Jonah, don''t be upset. Once Scarlett spends some time in the underachievers'' ss she''ll understand that you had her best interests at heart. When she recognizes her error, she''ll definitelye to seek your forgiveness."

    Jonah remarked irritably, "She''s beingpletely irrational. If she believes she can catch my eye like this, she''s delusional!"

    Meanwhile, it was already midday. The bell sounded, and students hurriedly exited the ssroom, making their way to the school cafeteria.

    Lily and her best friend Nadia Hayman were strolling arm in arm toward the cafeteria when their roommate, Joanna Walter, dashed over, panting heavily. "Nadia, you need to get back to the dorm quickly and see this!" she eximed.

    "Scarlett''s gone mad! She switched her bed with yours, and now your bed is piled with trash!"

    By this time, Scarlett was back in the dorm room, enjoying a bowl of instant noodles while sitting on the bed.

    Nadia stormed into the room and yelled, "Scarlett, get off my bed!"

    When Scarlett remained still, Nadia became enraged and lifted her hand to strike her. Nadia understood that, despite Lily appearing to look after Scarlett, she actually despised her the most. This unspoken approval from Lily allowed Nadia to continue tormenting Scarlett.

    However, when she swung her hand, it missed Scarlett and instead hit the instant

    noodles Scarlett was holding. The cup of noodles flipped over andnded squarely on Lily''s head as she entered the room. Soup and noodles sttered all over Lily.

    The entire dormitory was left in shock. Lily stood there, motionless. Having been spoiled since she was young, she had always looked down on junk food like instant noodles. Yet

    now, this very junk food

    her from top to bottom. Lily snapped and released a heart-wrenching scream.

 Chapter 12

    Scarlett held a fork in one hand while her other hand, still poised as if holding a bowl, hovered in mid-air.

    Looking surprised, she said, "Nadia, if you dislike Lily, just say so directly. There''s no need for such extreme revenge, is there? Plus, you wasted nearly all my instant noodles."

    Nadia''s expression was filled with panic and stress. "What nonsense are you spouting? Scarlett, you did this on purpose!"

    Her family''s business waspletely reliant on the Quinn family, and she couldn''t risk upsetting Lily. She hurried to help Lily remove the instant noodle container. Seeing the mess all over Lily and her clothes, Nadia was so worried that she felt helpless.

    "Lily, let me take you to the bathroom to get cleaned up first."

    Lily''s hand by her side tensed into a trembling fist. With clenched teeth, she shouted, "Nadia Hayman!"

    Nadia''s face turned ashen with fear. "It wasn''t intentional. Scarlett was the one who put the instant noodles in front of me. I swear I didn''t mean to..."

    "So, if it wasn''t idental, you did it on purpose, didn''t you?" Scarlett intentionally exacerbated the situation, eager to watch them sh.

    After all, one of them was openly causing trouble for her, while the other did it behind her back. In her past life, she hadn''t been able to stand up for herself, but that didn''t mean she''d let them push her around this time.

    She said, "It''ll probably take a lot of body wash to clean up this mess. Isn''t it curious how Nadia just happened to spill all the body wash on the bed?"

    Lily shot Nadia a menacing re, making Nadia even more nervous.

    "It was purely idental," she stammered. "When body washbines with milk tea, beef jerky, and oil, it solidifies and bes impossible to clean. I only intended to mess up Scarlett''s bed linens and quilt."

    "Oh, is that so? Well, that''s quite a coincidence. Shampoo can definitely work as a body wash substitute."

    "Just stop!" Nadia tried to exin again, "We use a lot of shampoo, so that''s why I ended up using the body wash..."

    In other words, with Scarlett''s intentional steering. The more Nadia attempted to rify, the more tangled her exnations became. She reached out to grab Lily, but Lily shook her off. This caused the noodle soup that had dripped onto her sleeve to ssh onto Nadia''s face.

    Feeling disgusted, Nadia instinctively wiped her face with her hand. This action only fueled Lily''s anger further. She stormed toward the bathroom.

    As she closed the door, she yelled at Nadia, who was following her, "Leave me alone! I don''t want to see you again!"

    Nadiay t at the door, repeatedly apologizing. But Lily, who was in the bathroom, paid her no attention.

    Frustrated and on edge, she decided

    to confront Scarlett instead. "Scarlett, this is entirely your doing! You purposely set me up and aimed to create a rift between Lily and me. You''re just getting back at me!"

    "You''re pretty clever."

    Scarlett rested against the bed, eyes glued to her phone without moving her head. Her voice was nonchnt, as if she were simplymenting on a pleasant day.

    Nadia stared at Scarlett in astonishment. How could she appear to be an entirely different person today?

    Previously, regardless of how much Nadia tormented her, Scarlett would never utter a word of protest and would simply clean up the chaos quietly.

    Yet today, with just a few remarks, Scarlett managed to make Lily resent her. Nadia was nearly driven insane by Scarlett''s nonchnt demeanor. She lunged forward and seized her. "Stand up! Who said you could sit on my bed?"

    Instead of making contact, Scarlett swiftly caught Nadia''s wrist. She twisted it behind her back, and shoved her onto the trash-strewn bed across from them.

    Nadia screamed in agony. Her face covered with a thick, mysterious substance on the bed. The overwhelming odor filled her nostrils, making her gag.

    By now, a crowd had formed at the dormitory door. They hade to witness Nadia confronting Scarlett, but were surprised to find the situation reversed, with Scarlett confronting Nadia instead.

    In an instant, everyone was taken aback, their faces frozen in shock. Scarlett fixed a frosty gaze on the individual below her. With a slight squeeze of her fingers, the person cried out in agony.

    She cried icily, "Is that your best, yet you still have the audacity to torment others? Release me! Let go of me!"

    Scarlett scoffed, "Weren''t you the one who ced all this here? Why are you so repulsed by it now?"

    Unable to control herself, Nadia actually threw up.

    Scarlett let go of her abruptly, stepping back while covering her nose and mouth in disgust. Nadia''s wrist throbbed painfully, and her stomach continued to churn. She couldn''t understand how Scarlett could be so bold and with such incredible strength!

 Chapter 13

    She had difficulty standing but managed to shout, "Joanna, Jessica, Gabrie, Ashley... Everyone,e here! I want Scarlett to kneel and apologize to me today!"

    The group, who looked up to Lily and Nadia as their leaders, began to slowly encircle Scarlett upon hearing Nadia''s call.

    Scarlett arched her eyebrows, realizing she needed to show off her abilities today. If she didn''t, they might underestimate her and believe she was an easy mark for bullying.

    As Alton guided her in medical skills, she took it further herself, delving into martial arts by mastering acupuncture points andbing through various texts.

    Initially, she used her skills to confront the men who mistreated her mother. But upon arriving in Yendale, she feared the Quinns might disapprove, so she concealed her martial arts abilities and did her utmost to behave like a refined

    Even when faced with bullying, she restrained her emotions and endured it with considerable effort.

    During those moments, Lily would always step in to defend her just when it was needed. Whenever she was close to losing control and ready to act impulsively, Lily would calm her emotions before they boiled over.

    Consequently, she would feel thankful to Lily, unaware that Lily was the one orchestrating everything. From now on, she wouldn''t tolerate or hold back for the sake of those unimportant individuals.

    Amid Joanna and the others, she decided to stand her ground. These girls, ustomed to a life of luxury andfort, couldn''t tolerate even the slightest difort. She employed the phoenix fist technique, targeting each pressure point with the knuckle of her middle finger to inflict precise pain.

    Before long, the dormitory was filled with screams and cries. Outside, a growing crowd gathered to see what was happening. Scarlett decisively kicked the door shut and locked it from the inside.

    It wasn''t fear of being seen that prompted her actions. Rather, she wanted to prevent the girls from escaping-she had other ns for them.

    At that moment, Nadia''s face turned ashen with fear, and she pointed at Scarlett

    in shock. "Y-You... How could you hit them!"

    Scarlett nced at her sideways, her gaze icy.

    "What? Do you want to get hit too?" she asked, raising her hand slightly.

    Nadia was so frightened that she covered her head.

    Scarlett smirked, "If you don''t want a beating, clean the dormitory. You have ten minutes. If there''s any unpleasant smell left, you''ll get another taste of my fists."

    Nadia was stunned. How could Scarlett demand they clean the dormitory? Although cleaning was supposed to rotate weekly among them since Scarlett had moved in, she had been the one doing it. The other wealthy girls wouldn''t even think of touching a broom.

    Just then, someone attempted to flee, unwilling to clean the filthy dormitory.

    However, before she could reach the exit, Scarlett grabbed her by the cor and threw her to the floor. "Either clean up or face a beating. It''s your decision."

    A group of girls could only softly grumble as they picked up brooms and rags starting to scrub the floor Even Nadia, holding back her intense feelings of frustration and anger, started cleaning up the trash scattered across the bed. Lily emerged from the bathroom and was taken aback by the scene.

    "What are you doing?" she asked. Nadia rose from the ground and hurried toward her,ining, "It''s all Scarlett''s fault. She hit us and forced us to clean the dormitory."

    Lily nced at Scarlett, who was leisurely enjoying her second bowl of instant noodles, and her expression was a mix of emotions.

    She appeared to be a totally different person, more headstrong and impulsivepared to how she behaved at home. This was even better as it made Lily seem more reasonable and kind byparison. Their parents and seven brothers

    would only grow fonder of her and like Scarlett less.

    She swiftly grabbed her phone, snapped a picture of the scene, and shared it in the family group chat.

    With a sorrowful tone, she said in the message, "Scarlett is still upset with me and is venting her anger on Nadia and the others. Not only did Scarlett strike them, but she also forced them to kneel and scrub the floor.

    "I''m so concerned that if Scarlett keeps this up, she might end up offending them.

    I don''t mind enduring some grievances, but I''m worried they might seek revenge on Scarlettter."

    Right after sending the message, Scarlett''s phone buzzed. She checked it, then let out a cold chuckle.

 Chapter 14

    Scarlettpletely forgot that she was still part of this so-called family group, and it was Lily who had invited her to join. Lily''s intention was simply to make her feel envious of how the entire family showered her with attention through the group messages.

    The stunning photos ofndscapes taken by her parents during their travels were shared exclusively with Lily. Whenever her brothers exchanged gifts, enjoyed tasty meals, and admired the beautiful scenery, they would only include Lily in

    their tags.

    She felt invisible within the group, unable to speak up from start to finish. It was as though she were an outsider, observing the love and care this family shared for one another. Scarlett, feeling toozy to deal with the family''s reaction, simply

    exited the group.

    When the members noticed her departure and tried to tag her for criticism, she was nowhere to be found. Attempts to message her resulted in a red exmation mark. It wasn''t until they tried calling that they discovered Scarlett had blocked them all.

    The Quinns were in disbelief that Scarlett''s decision to leave the family was genuine. They were outraged. They viewed her actions as disrespectful, rude, and mean-spirited. Thankfully, they hadn''t revealed her identity to the public, sparing the Quinn family from potential embarrassment.

    Right then, Lily noticed that her parents and brothers were all reassuring her, advising her to pay no attention to Scarlett''s antics. They insisted they wouldn''t acknowledge Scarlett''s ims of identity. Even if someone sought revenge on Scarlett, it wasn''t their concern.

    Lily tucked her phone away, feeling quite pleased. The lunch break had ended, and the dormitory was now impably clean. Scarlett was very content.

    The others, having worked hard without eating all afternoon, shot resentful looks at Scarlett. However, whenever Scarlett looked up at them, they would quickly avert their eyes.

    Scarlett gathered her textbooks, lifted them, and got ready to go to the ssroom.

    She warned the others. "If anyone touches my stuff again, I won''t hold back. If something gets broken, I can''t pay for it, and I won''t pay for it. You''ll have to deal with it on your own!"

    The others were too upset to speak and recoiled, fearing a beating. They couldn''tprehend how Scarlett did it, but whenever sheid a hand on them, it caused unbearable agony.

    Scarlett swung open the door to find a crowd gathered outside, observing the scene. Initially, they had intended to inform a teacher about the disturbance in the dormitory.

    However, Lily was usually the

    exception when it came to standing up to Nadia and her clique, who, backed by their influential families, frequently tormented other students and treated the bystanders poorly.

    Consequently, the onlookers silently opted to keep quiet. Listening to the sobbing and cries from Nadia''s group, they actually felt a sense of satisfaction.

    Whenever they encountered Scarlett now, they instinctively moved out of her way. They had never realized that Scarlett, whom Nadia frequently picked on, possessed such remarkable fighting abilities.

    The moment Scarlett walked out, the dormitory descended into turmoil.

    "Scarlett walloped me! What is wrong with her today?" voices echoed. "Does she think she can treat us like this?"

    Nadia approached Lily carefully, attempting to link arms. "Lily, you saw everything. Scarlett was intentionally targeting us. Just now, it was she who..."

    But before Nadia could finish, Lily pulled away and linked arms with Joanna instead. Joanna''s eyes

    sparkled as she swiftly grasped

    Lily''s arm tightly. Nadia was the one closest to Lily, and this bond had greatly benefited her family''s business.

    The Walter family had always been positioned behind the Hayman family. But now that Lily had distanced herself from Nadia and chosen Joanna''spany instead, Joanna saw an opportunity to help her family gain some leverage against the Hayman family.

    Nadia''s eyes brimmed with worry and unshed tears. "Lily..."

 Chapter 15

    Nadia couldn''t imagine how she would manage at school or exin things to her family without Lily''s support.

    Lily gave a dismissive snort and said, "Joanna, let''s head to the ssroom."

    The group in the dormitory grabbed their books and ran after them, leaving only Nadia standing there awkwardly.

    "Scarlett, Scarlett!" she called out.

    "It''s all your fault! This is all on you!" Her eyes burned with anger as she red at Scarlett''s bed. While she didn''t dare to touch it, she was already plotting other ways to get back at her.

    Scarlett headed directly to ss F''s ssroom. At this hour, only a handful of students were present while most were still rxing in their dorms. She walked to an empty seat in thest row, sat down and started reading her textbook.

    Thanks to her remarkable memory, she could recall information almost instantly, allowing her to learn rapidly.

    Two passes through the textbook were all it took for Scarlett to master it, reciting it perfectly in either direction. Now, a quick nce left her unimpressed; the contents were alreadyrgelymitted to memory.

    Just as she was about to pick up a different book, someone abruptly sat down next to her, even going so far as to drape an arm across her desk.

    "Scarlett, is it true you got expelled from ss A and ended up with us underachievers?" someone in the front row asked, pretending a book was a microphone aimed at Scarlett.

    "Let''s have a chat. You bypassed the standard sses andnded right here with us. So, Scarlett, what''s going through your mind right now?"

    Scarlett was speechless. Percy joined in, mimicking a microphone with a rolled-up paper, directing it toward Scarlett.

    "Let me ask too. Now that you''ve lost the Quinn family''s support and were ousted from ss A, Scarlett, how are you feeling at this moment?"

    Scarlett lifted her gaze to meet Percy''s. Her face was adorned with a smile, yet her tone was icy. "I feel the urge to crush you."

    Percy seemed to have a realization, his expression shifting. "Are you angry because you''re embarrassed? You were quite bold, even daring to provoke your supporter. Do you regret it now?"

    Scarlett couldn''t be bothered to exin further. She shot him a frosty look. "Is this your seat?"

    "No."

    "ss is about to begin. So why don''t you get back to your seat?"

    "Hey, I''m not leaving. I''m going to sit next to you. What are you going to do about it, bite me?"

    Just then, the rightful owner of the seat showed up, and Percy promptly switched ces with them. Both of them had a ton of books. They were apparently toozy to lug them back and forth between the dormand the ssroom, so they just left

    everything in the ssroom.

    Remembering her promise to Xavier, Scarlett pulled out two test papers from the pile of books. When she looked at them, she was nearly stunned. One Engria test paper was

    vel

    covered in game chara Papas

    sketched with a gel pen.

    The teacher had somehow found nk spaces to mark with bright red crosses. For such straightforward grammar questions, Percy had managed to get every answer wrong. She frowned, wondering if he had done it on purpose.

    "Give it back! Who gave you permission to look at it? Go focus on the big red crosses on your own test paper!" Percy grabbed the test paper back and shoved it into the drawer as if it were trash.

    Scarlett smirked and said, "The drawings on it are pretty nice. You''ve got some artistic skill."

    "Hmph, naturally!" he replied with a smug grin, lifting his chin proudly.

    Then he added, "Don''t think that just because you praise me a few times, I''ll let you tutor me. We''re about the same level, so mind your own business."

    Scarlett burst intoughter.

    "Intentionally picking the wrong answers to tank your score and doodling all over the test sheet isn''t rebellion. You''re trying to catch someone''s eye, aren''t you? Maybe your parents or that Mr. Xavier Stroud?"

 Chapter 16

    Percy was surprised. He hadn''t anticipated that Scarlett would be able to tell he had purposely answered the test questions incorrectly just from ncing at the paper.

    Narrowing his eyes, he studied Scarlett closely. "So, you''re not just any ordinary person! Are you also trying to catch your parents'' attention?"

    Scarlett chuckled once more. "So, you''re aiming to grab your parents'' attention. But generally, don''t parents appreciate kids who achieve excellent grades? How would they feel about your behavior now?"

    Percy held back his words, realizing he''d been coaxed into confessing the truth.

    Scarlett ventured another guess, "Or maybe your siblings all excel academically, and you want to stand out by being different?"

    "Damn it!" Percy eximed in surprise. "Did you put a surveince camera on me?"

    "No need for a camera. I only needed my brain."

    Percy pressed his lips together. Since Scarlett had figured it out, there was no point in denying it. "My parents live with my sister, and they hardly evere to Yendale, not even once a year.

    "My sister was a top student, so they assume I''m just like her. That''s why they rarely pay attention to me. Only when my grades drop significantly will they make a special trip to Yendale to check on me."

    Scarlett was somewhat confused. "Why aren''t you living with your parents?"

    Percy instantly narrowed his eyes, adopting a defensive expression. "I''ve shared all my secrets with you, and yet you still want to know more. Why are you so intrigued?"

    Scarlett fell silent.

    Did he actually believe she was keen to know? They were just discussing this, and she found it odd, so she asked offhandedly. If he wasn''t willing to share, she wasn''t interested in hearing it either!

    "Alright, if you don''t want to tell me, then don''t," Scarlett said, her expression turning frosty as she returned to her book. "ss is starting. Don''t talk to me."

    "Hey, what''s going on with you?" Percy pressed, determined to have a conversation. He pulled his chair closer and sat beside her. "I''ve confided in you about my secret. You need to tell me why you''re also trying to get your parents'' attention."

    Scarlett replied coolly, "I don''t have parents. I only have an adoptive mother."

    Percy was speechless, his eyes brimming with empathy. "So you''re seeking your adoptive mother''s attention?"

    "No. She''s a mental patient and can''tprehend that."

    The conversation was simply too difficult to carry on! Percy was at a loss for how to console Scarlett. He started to speak but then stopped himself. He hadn''t anticipated meeting someone in a worse situation than his own.

    Yet, his curiosity grew. Given that Scarlett wasn''t seeking anyone''s attention, why did she, like him, intentionally score poorly?

    At that moment, Mike Sawyer entered the ssroom and announced loudly,

    "Settle down, everyone. We have a new student joining us. I''m sure you all know her already, right?"

    A few daring students immediately

    started creating amotion. "Scarlett, the one who got expelled from ss A, the helper of the Quinn family, Lily''s study buddy. Everyone knows that!"

    "She''s also a country bumpkin, not like the rest of us."

    "Exactly, Mr. Sawyer. Why do you ept just anyone?"

    "You might want to be careful, Mr. Sawyer; it could affect your performance." Percy casually rested his head and gave Scarlett an assessing look from the side. Observing the conversation about her, he couldn''t resist remarking, "Impressive. You manage to maintain a calm demeanor even now. Your mental toughness is remarkable!"

    Upon hearing this, Scarlett merely offered a slight smile. The memory of facing the entire school''s disdain in her previous life had effectively immunized her against such minor barbs.

    Mike frowned and said sternly, "Be quiet, everyone! Scarlett is now part of ss F, and she belongs to our big family! Would you speak to your family like this at home?

    "Where someone is born is beyond

    their control. Scarlett''s cement in

    this ssroom proves that her

    abilities match yours. If basic

    respect among ssmates is

    beyond you, how can you hope to navigate theplexities of an evolving society?

    "Now, get up and apologize to Scarlett immediately."

    The group reluctantly pursed their lips and rolled their eyes.

    "Do we really have to, Mr. Sawyer? I don''t want to apologize to someone from the countryside."

    "Neither do I. It would be mortifying if people found out."

    A chorus of protest erupted, one voice joining another.

 Chapter 17

    The ss teacher, Mike, was also at a loss. He walked over to Scarlett andforted her, saying, "Don''t mind them. What''s most important is focusing on your studies. As long as you graduate from this school sessfully, your future will be in your hands."

    Scarlett stood up and nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Sawyer."

    The only person she truly appreciated at this school was Mike.

    In her previous life, it was Mike who epted her, encouraged her, trusted her,

    and even secretly gave her test papers, urging her to study.

    During those difficult times, Mike was the only one who gave her warmth and support, constantly hoping she could break through her struggles, achieve good results and change her fate.

    However, just half a monthter, Mike became the target of all the teachers'' resentment because of his excessive attention toward her.

    Eventually, the school used it as an excuse to fire him because the entire ss performed poorly on the monthly exams.

    In this life, she would never let Mike suffer such unfair treatment again.

    She remembered that in a month, there would be the Elite Math Tournament, which would determine the eligibility of all the math teachers for evaluation. Each math teacher had two spots for thepetition. Mike was not only the teacher in charge of ss F but also a math teacher.

    Perhaps, she could lend him a hand.

    Afterforting Scarlett, Mike walked over to the podium, took the stack of test papers he had brought and handed them to the student in front to distribute.

    "We''ll be doing a quiz today," he said.

    The ssroom erupted in groans. No one liked doing tests.

    Even Percy took his book, turned it upside down on his head and slouched over the desk, saying, "Great, now I can sleep."

    Scarlett remained silent.

    However, Mike didn''t get angry. Instead, he cheerfully pped his hands and encouraged them. "Come on, everyone! This pop quiz is different from the usual ones. This time, we''re tackling elite math questions."

    Someone shouted in protest, "Mr. Sawyer, I''m not doing it. I can barely manage to score a zero on your regr tests. I''m afraid I''ll give you negative marks on these elite math questions."

    The whole ss burst intoughter.

    Mike remained calm and slowly said, "Do you know why we''re doing elite math questions?"

    "I know, because there''s the Elite Math Tournament in a month, but that''s for ss A students, right? We don''t need to do it, do we?"

    "Why don''t we just have self-study instead? I''m three stars away from reaching Mythic rank."

    "Trash, I''ve already hit Mythic with 20 stars."

    "Take me with you! Let''s do it together!"

    "Sure, let''s go!"

    "I''m in too!"

    Suddenly, chaos erupted, and the ss waspletely out of control. Mike almost couldn''t hold them in check.

    Mike calmly said, "Don''t sell

    yourselves short, everyone. Although our ss has beenbeled as the

    capable. In fact, you''re even smarter

    than the kids in ss A. I mean, if you can reach Mythic rank in a game, I''m sure ss A doesn''t have anyone that good."

    Someone deliberately retorted, "Mr. Sawyer, the school heartthrob has Mythic

    rank with 100 stars and goes god-mode every match!"

    Mike was speechless.

    In ss F, scenes like this yed out every day.

    However, Mike was still able to stay calm, which showed that his mental resilience

    had been shaped by the ss.

    Despite the constant noise andughter, he kept his teacher''s dignity and principles, saying, "You all just had lunch, so your brains are nice and sharp. This is the perfect time to do some elite math questions. Don''t worry, even if you''ve given up on yourselves, I never give up on you!

    "Come on, kids! I''m looking forward to the surprise you''ll give me!"

    From the back of the ssroom, a student shouted, "Since I just got back from lunch and didn''t y any games, I feel sorry for my sharp brain."

    Another student responded, "Hurry up, I''ll carry you!"

    A third student teased, "Mr. Sawyer, we''re short one person. Do you want to join

    us?"

    Mike just sighed in response.

    Scarlett grabbed her test paper and kicked the chair next to her, where Percy was almost snoring.

    Percy jumped up in shock and said, "Was that an earthquake?"

    Scarlett pped the test paper down in front of him. "Do it. If your score is higher than mine, I''ll be your free coach for a week."

 Chapter 18

    Percy was so thrilled that his clean, rebellious ck eyes sparkled with excitement.

    Afraid Scarlett might back out of her promise, he immediately wrote up a contract, signed his name, and then handed it over for Scarlett to sign.

    Scarlett was a bit speechless. It was rather childish, but she still signed it.

    Percy folded the agreement and tucked it into his pocket, then smugly bit the pen cap and said, "Just wait, I''m going to crush you!"

    This was just a regr elite math test, and it wasn''t going to be a challenge for Percy. When Scarlett saw him start working seriously on the problems, she smiled and quickly got to work herself.

    The students in the front row turned around in shock to see the two of them actually doing the test.

    Everyone knew Percy was the type who would sleep through exams.

    What was going on today? Was he nning to actually put in some effort?

    Someone jokingly called out to Percy to y games.

    Without even looking up, Percy snapped, "Don''t bother me!"

    To their surprise, Percy was actually being serious. Seeing this, some students who were torn between ying games and doing the test started focusing on their papers as well.

    Mike had only stepped out for a moment, but when he returned and saw that more than half the ss was working on their test papers, his face lit up with surprise and excitement.

    He knew that this group of kids had endless potential. No one should give up on them.

    At that moment, the school''s dean, Herbert, walked in. Seeing the ss unusually quiet, he pushed open the door and asked, "What''s going on in ss F? Why aren''t you in ss?"

    Mike, who was still working on his test paper, didn''t res

    immediately.

    Someone from the ss replied, "We''re doing elite math questions!"

    Herbert was surprised at first, but after scanning the room, his expression shifted to one of disdain. "So, you really are doing elite math questions... How many of you actually understand any of it?"

    He scoffed and turned to Mike. "Mr. Sawyer, I''m not trying to be harsh, but you''re wasting everyone''s time. Even if you want to find two students for thepetition, do you really need to pick from this ss? Why not just give me your two spots? ss A has plenty of students who want to participate in the Elite Math Tournament."

    His tone was full of condescension and disdain for the ss.

    Mike stood up, wearing a serious expression "Mr. Riggs, I believe these kids deserve equal opportunities. Just because they''re in a lower-performing ss doesn''t mean they should miss out on this chance. It only takes one ss period toplete the questions, and maybe one of them has what it takes topete in the Elite Math Tournament. Even if they don''t win, it''s still an opportunity to broaden their horizons."

    Herbert gave him a disbelieving look. "ss F''s math scores are always at the bottom. Don''t you see that? If you still believe in them, then keep your faith. But don''t say I didn''t warn you if you don''t get the recognition you''re hoping for, you know the consequences."

    Herbert cast a nce around the room, his eyes pausing on the students still glued to their phones. With a disappointed shake of his head, he turned and walked out without another word

    Mike''s eyes flickered with concern, but he quickly pulled himself

    together and smiled. "Don''t Wet

    everyone. Just focus on your papers Even if none of you end up qualifying, I can still choose two students from other sses."

    Some of the students who had been ying games reluctantly put their phones away and picked up their papers.

    Out of the corner of her eye, Scarlett noticed Percy flipping his test paper over. In no time, he was already ahead of her, scribbling so quickly it looked like his ballpoint pen might catch fire.

    It seemed like Herbert''s words had triggered something in him.

    In the past, Herbert had frequently provoked ss F, but back then, Percy was

    either asleep or skipping ss to go to the inte caf��.

    The other students were no better. They would show some temporary effort, but it was only fleeting.

    Soon enough, it was back to ying games and cking off.

    In her previous life, when Mike made his final picks, he chose her and another student from a neighboring ss.

    On the day of the tournament, it poured.

    Lily and Jonah stayed at a hotel near the test center. Scarlett couldn''t afford that, and she didn''t want to ask them for money again, so she returned to the Quinn residence instead.

    When it was time to leave, she couldn''t even find a single umbre in the entire vi.

    She ended up soaked, squeezing onto a crowded bus in the rain. By the time she finally arrived at the test center, she was already an hourte. She never even made it through the doors.

    Not only did she let down Mike''s efforts and expectations, but she also fell seriously ill because of it.

 Chapter 19

    This time, she was going to repay everything, including the kindness she received from her previous life.

    Soon, the bell rang for the end of ss, and the team leader collected the test papers.

    Mike took the papers to the office to grade, and when he got to Scarlett''s and Percy''s papers, he couldn''t help butugh in surprise. "I knew it! Our ss has real talent!"

    A curious teacher came over for a look and muttered, "Don''t get too excited. Looks like they just copied the answers online."

    Herbert handed Mike two test papers. "Take a look at Jonah and Lily''s papers. Same questions, and even they couldn''t finish in 40 minutes, yet your ss managed to finish and still get decent scores. Even if they cheated, it''s pretty obvious."

    One of the math teachers even scoffed, "If students from your ss really solved this on their own, I''ll spell my name backward."

    Mike frowned. He didn''t believe his students would cheat on something like this, but he didn''t argue with Herbert or the others. Instead, he quietly kept a closer eye on Scarlett and Percy.

    When the papers were handed back, Percy stared in disbelief at Scarlett''s test paper.

    The elite math test had a max score of 100, and she got a perfect score.

    On the other hand, he had made a careless mistake on one multiple-choice question.

    Scarlett smirked. "You lost."

    Percy looked suspiciously at her. "Did you cheat? How could you get them all correct?"

    Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "If you''re not convinced, why don''t we try another paper?"

    Percy waved it off immediately. "No, no, I give up. You win, alright?"

    His brain was already fried from this one elite math paper. He had no intention of

    doing that again, especially not with Xavier waiting for him at home.

    After school, Percy dragged his feet and refused to leave. He sprawled across his desk, wailing dramatically, "I''m dead. I''m so dead. Why did school have to end? don''t want to leave. I love school."

    Scarlett had just finished packing her books and was about to head back to the dorm when she nced at him. "Aren''t you going to the inte caf��?"

    "Only if I''ve got a death wish," Percy groaned, sitting up with a defeated look.

    He grabbed a few random books and stuffed them into his backpack. His handsome face was full of gloom as he muttered, "Hope I live to see tomorrow." Scarlett couldn''t help butugh. It looked like he was in for a beating at home. Percy watched herugh, momentarily lost in thought.

    They had been messing around all day, but this was the first time he had seen herugh so openly.

    She was always so calm and distant, as if nothing in the world could stir her emotions. Even when she smiled, it was faint, like it could disappear in the blink of an eye.

    But now, her smile was casual and carefree. Her eyes were clear and bright, almost like they could wash away all the world''s worries and diforts.

    When he snapped out of it, Scarlett was almost out the door. He quickly chased after her, calling out, "Hey, I''m not in a rush to go back. Since I lost the bet, how about I treat you to dinner?"

    Scarlett hesitated for a moment. She had nned to go back to the dorm, eat some microwave mac and cheese, and then head to her

    part-time job to collect her panel

    Since someone was offering to treat her, she might as well skip the mac and cheese.

    "Sure. Let''s go to the restaurant where I work, and make sure themission for this meal goes to me," she said.

    Percy''s face twitched.

    Not only did she let him treat her, but now she was asking him to credit hermission too. He had never met anyone so audacious and shameless before.

    Scarlett took a few steps, and when she noticed he hadn''t followed, she nced back at him with a teasing look. "Are youing or not?"

    He immediately scampered after her, grinning sheepishly. "I''ming!"

 Chapter 20

    Scarlett brought Percy straight to one of the VIP rooms. She knew Percy had money to spare, and besides, booking a private room would increase hermission by a hundred dors.

    Percy skimmed through the menu and started ordering without batting an eye, picking dishes that added up to over a thousand dors. In no time, the table was filled with food.

    Scarlett did a quick calction. This could feed her for three whole days.

    She could pack up the leftovers. The dorm had a fridge and a microwave, so at least for the next three days, she wouldn''t have to rely on microwave food.

    Just as they were eating, Percy''s phone rang. A cold voice came through the speaker. "Where are you?"

    Percy jumped, nearly dropping his phone. He stammered, "I was hungry, so I came out to eat. If you''re busy, don''t worry about me. I promise I''ll head straight home and do my homework after this..."

    At that moment, the door to the private room swung open, and Nadia appeared with a hostile look on her face.

    "Scarlett, I knew you''d be here!"

    Then, she spotted Percy. "Well, well, if it isn''t Mr. Apology himself. What''s this? Are you two on a date or something?"

    "Wow, Scarlett. You just got to ss F and you''re already cozying up to Mr. Apology? Seriously, you''re shameless."

    On the phone, the voice on the other end grew colder. "Send me your location."

    Frightened, Percy immediately hung up. He shot to his feet and yelled, "If anyone calls me Mr. Apology again, I swear I''ll lose it!"

    Percy was tall and lean with sharp features, typically exuding aid-back air as if nothing could ever bother him. But right now, he was a different person. His eyes were burning with intensity, as if he could snap and cause a storm at any moment.

    Percy''s outburst caught Scarlett off guard. This was the side of him she hadn''t expected. He radiated a rebellious and intimidating demeanor that seemed impossible to ignore. Nadia was also taken aback by Percy''s sudden fury. She faltered for a moment before quickly trying to recover.

    "I-I''m here to find Scarlett. Scarlett,e out here!" she stammered.

    Scarlett casually picked up another bite of food. The spread was too good to let go cold.

    Seeing that Scarlett wasn''t responding to Nadia, Percy shot a look at the door and snapped, "Get lost. Don''t bother us."

    Nadia shivered slightly but quickly fired back at Scarlett, "You''ve been fired. If you still want to make money, you''d better apologize to me and Lily!"

    With that, she dashed out, clearly afraid Percy might lose it again.

    Percy looked at Scarlett with concern. He had no idea how hard things had been for her, but now he understood.

    To earn a modest living, she worked

    at this restaurant after school, serving tables for a small wage. Now that she had been fired, Percy couldn''t help but worry about what she would do next.

    Scarlett raised an eyebrow, giving him a nonchnt nce, before saying with a

    slight smile, "Don''t worry about me. You should be more concerned about yourself."

    Percy blinked in confusion. "Why?"

    "I was actually here to quit and settle my pay. Being fired works out just fine," she said, pausing for a moment before adding, "From now on, be focusing on your grades. You''d better watch out."

    Percy was left speechless.

    As they continued chatting, Percy''s phone vibrated on the table. He picked it up, and his eyes widened in shock. Xavier had actually sent him a message. Though it was just a single word, it was a first.

    Looking at the message that read "Address," he pped his forehead, suddenly

    remembering that Xavier had asked him for the address before he hung up.

    It was all because of that girl, who had called him "Mr. Apology" during their call. If

    she hadn''t said that, Xavier would never have gotten so angry.

 Chapter 21

    Xavier didn''t know that Percy often had to write self-reflections. If he found out, Percy''s butt would probably be in trouble.

    He also had no idea why Xavier needed the address, so he quickly sent it over.

    Afterward, he looked up and asked curiously, "Scarlett, do you know my Uncle Xavier?"

    Scarlett nodded.

    Percy stared at her in shock. "When did you guys meet? What happened? Come on, spill the beans!"

    Scarlett picked at her food and said casually, "We just met today. Weren''t you there the whole time?"

    Percy felt a little cheated for getting his hopes up. He thought for a moment and muttered, "I still feel like you two must have known each other before. At the very least, Uncle Xavier seems to know you."

    Scarlett replied, "I''m not sure. Perhaps Mr. Hayes introduced me to him."

    Percy fell into thought. "That could be it. He''s been desperate to find me a tutor."

    With curiosity bubbling up again, he asked, "By the way, why does Mr. Hayes like you so much? He treats you like you''re his own daughter."

    Scarlett didn''t answer. It was tooplicated to exin in a few words.

    After finishing off thest of her spaghetti, she grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth and asked, "Are you done eating?"

    Percy patted his stomach with a grin. "I''m full. I have to admit, the food here is actually quite good."

    Scarlett stood up without a word. "That''s cool. Keep an eye on the table for me. I''m going to grab some takeout boxes."

    Percy was speechless. He wondered if he had really just heard her mention takeout.

    His mouth twitched. This was the first time he had seen someone pack up leftovers after eating out.

    Scarlett grabbed a takeout box and went to find the manager to settle her wages.

    Although she had been fired, it had happened after she brought Percy to the private room and helped him ce the order. Because of that, she was still entitled to half a month''s base sry plus themission from the meal, which added up to 1,300 dors.

    However, when she asked the manager for her pay, the manager said, "Your wages have already been settled for you."

    Scarlett''s expression immediately darkened. "I didn''te to settle it myself. This

    is against the rules."

    The manager helplessly pointed to

    the private room opposite. "The

    people in that room settled it for you. They have some status. I can''t really do anything. Since we''ve worked together over the past few days, please don''t make things hard for me. Go ask them for it."

    Scarlett nced at the opposite room. The door was closed, so she had no idea who was inside.

    Still, something in her gut told her to ask, "Is theirst name Quinn?"

    The manager nodded, looking as if he feared offending them, then quickly left.

    Scarlett grabbed the takeout box and returned to Percy''s private room. Her expression was a little sour, and Percy noticed immediately.

    He was going to tease her about packing up leftovers, but when he saw her face, he hesitated to speak.

    "Are you alright?" he asked carefully.

    Scarlett quickly packed the leftover food and handed it to Percy. "Hold this for me. I''m going to deal with some pests."

    Percy stared at the takeout box in

    front of him, feelingpletely baffled. He never imagined that one day, he would be reduced to carrying someone else''s leftovers. If anyone from the Stroud family saw this, he would never hear the end of it.

    Still, he picked up the takeout and headed to the doorway to watch the drama unfold.

    Scarlett pushed open the door to the private room next door. When she saw the people inside, she gave a cold, mocking smile.

 Chapter 22

    Inside the private room sat Jonah, Lily and a few of Lily''s friends.

    The moment Scarlett stepped in, Jonah set down his fork and raised an eyebrow, giving her a look like he was just waiting for her toe over and apologize.

    A sh of smugness crossed Lily''s eyes when she saw Scarlett. "Scarlett, how did you end up working part-time at a ce like this?" she asked, feigning concern. "I heard you''ve been working here for over half a month and only made a little over a thousand dors."

    That money wasn''t even enough to cover the cost of this one meal. In fact, everything Lily was wearing-including her hairpin��was worth more than that thousand dors.

    Lily couldn''t help but feel triumphant. Scarlett, a country girl who struggled so hard just to make a living, had no right topete with her for the title of heiress to the Quinn family. Lily loved watching Scarlett''s hard-earned money fall short, while she herself could casually spill more in a day.

    Joanna scoffed. "Look at those shabby clothes. I bet she''s never seen a table this fancy in her life."

    A few of Lily''s friends joined in.

    "She quit being the Quinn family''s maid just to work here? That''s hrious."

    "Honestly, she might be the only broke one in our school."

    "I can''t believe I''m in the same school as someone like that. It totally lowers my status."

    Jonah''s face darkened as he listened to the insults.

    "Enough, everyone, shut up!" he snapped.

    He liked the feeling of Scarlett needing him. Watching her struggle made her more likely to turn to him for help, and he enjoyed that.

    However, the things those girls were saying were getting uglier by the second. No matter what, Scarlett was still his sister. They shared the same blood, and he couldn''t just stand by while people mocked her like that. It was an insult to their entire family.

    However, Jonah didn''t speak up for Scarlett. Instead, he just looked at her, waiting for her to admit she was wrong and apologize.

    Lily noticed Jonah had silenced the others and quickly seized the opportunity: Her eyes flickered, and she said, "Scarlett, you''re from the Quinn family, so how could you work here serving food? Why don''tyoue back? Don''t be angry with me. Jonah only wants you back, so he had you fired from here..."

    Scarlett interrupted, "How much would you pay me to go back?" Lily was taken aback.

    Before she could respond, Scarlett continued indifferently, "Here, I work

    four hours a day for a bas of

    2,200 doftars a month, plus

    She called the monthly 500 dors living stipend her sry and referred to the Quinn family as Lily and Jonah''s family, drawing a clear line between herself and them.

    She hadpletely cut ties and no longer saw herself as part of their world.

    Jonah''s face darkened. He could call her the Quinn family''s maid to the outside world, but he wouldn''t let her think of herself that way. It would only make it seem like they had treated her horribly.

    He said coldly, "If that''s how you''re calcting things, then what about the food you eat, the ce you live, and the elite school the Quinn family pays for? How do we settle that bill?"

    Scarlett found his words utterly ironic. If he wanted to do the math, then she wouldy it all out for him.

    "I only eat at the Quinn family''s ce on weekends, and most of the time, you don''t wait for me, so I end up eating whatever''s left. If I don''t eat, it goes straight into the trash. Even so, let''s be generous and say that one meal costs 50 dors.

    "As for where I lived, it was just a storage room under the stairs-no sink, no bathroom, no shower. I had to borrow from Wanda in the maid''s quarters. If I were to charge by hotel standards, 200 dors a day would be a fair rate. That''s 6,000 dors a month."

    She paused and continued, "As for this school, you should go ask Mr. Hayes why I haven''t been expelled yet. Do you really think the Quinn family can rule Yendale? I can''t even attend school without your permission. Everything I just mentioned is what the Quinn family

    has given me. Now, let me tell you what I''ve done for you."

 Chapter 23

    "By the standards of a maid, just working the night shift alone would earn a base sry of around 15,000 dors a month. As for me, I''m on call for the night shift anytime, and for the day shift, I''m also always avable at the vi. I treated your tendonitis and Ms. Quinn''s period pain, both with acupuncture over the course of half a month. If you were to pay for that treatment elsewhere, it would cost you at least several thousand dors," Scarlett said.

    She added, "As for Mr. and Mrs. Quinn and the other heirs of the Quinn family, I''ve treated all their ailments with acupuncture. Just those treatments alone saved you a huge sum in medical expenses. Don''t think that because you provide me with food and shelter and pay me 500 dors a month, I should be grateful to the Quinn family. I''m not that cheap!"

    The moment Scarlett finished speaking, the room fell silent.

    Jonah''s face turned pale with embarrassment, and for a long time, he didn''t know how to respond.

    Lily''s expression darkened as she stole nces at Jonah''s face, worried that he might soften after hearing Scarlett''s words.

    Lily''s group of friends widened their eyes, all with expressions as if they had just seen a shocking scene. They didn''t expect the richest family in Yendale to be so stingy. No wonder Scarlett wasn''t afraid to offend her benefactors and even dared to directly confront them.

    Anyone with a sane mind would be upset in Scarlett''s shoes. She earned only 500 dors a month while doing work worth tens of thousands of dors, living in poor conditions and eating subpar meals.

    However, none of them dared to show any reaction, for fear of offending the Quinn family.

    After a long pause, Lily noticed Jonah was at a loss for words. She quickly tried to smooth things over, but her words were carefully chosen, with hidden meaning behind them. "Scarlett, are you ming Jonah for not giving you enough money? Don''t you already know why you only get 500 dors a month? If it weren''t for that incident..."

    Jonah seemed to find a way to retort and immediately said, "If you hadn''t stolen Lily''s ck card and spent hundreds of thousands of dors, you wouldn''t be getting only 500 dors a month now. You need to fix those bad habits of yours."

    Scarlett sneered. That had happened just a month after she joined the Quinn family, when Lily took her to a high-end store full of designer bags, saying she was buying a few gifts for friends and asking Scarlett to help pick them out.

    After they picked out the bags, Lily suddenly said she had an urgent matter and handed Scarlett the ck card, asking her to pay.

    When Scarlett returned home carrying several luxury bags, she was met with a barrage of scolding from her brothers.

    They said, "So, the ck card was in your hands. No wonder hundreds of thousands of dors disappeared so quickly!"

    "Lily would never spend so recklessly. You really think you''re the true heiress of the Quinn family, don''t you?"

    "Coming from the countryside, it''s no surprise you''re so fixated on luxury. That kind of vanity needs to be dealt with."

    Jonathan then questioned Lily, asking how the ck card ended up in her hands.

    Tears welled up in Lily''s eyes as she said, "I don''t know. I came back today and found the card was missing..."

    The others immediately assumed Scarlett had stolen it. Even when she tried to exin what had really happened, they dismissed it as an excuse After all, the designer bags she brought home weren''t even Lily''s style.

    They knew her preferences well.

    As a result, her monthly allowance of 5,000 dors was shed to a mere 500 dors.

    Later, Lily tearfully begged for forgiveness, iming she was scared of Jonathan and didn''t

    realize he would receive a text alert when the card was used in stores. If

    she had known, she never would

    have taken her there to shop.

    Jonathan''s anger was terrifying, so Scarlett had believed Lily''s exnation, thinking she was truly unaware. She''d also wanted to maintain a good rtionship with Lily, so she took the me for her.

    But in reality, Lily was fully aware that Jonathan would receive an alert when the card was used in the mall. She rarely used the card in such ces because of that very reason.

    All of this was part of Lily''s scheme to ruin Scarlett''s reputation in the Quinn family and get her disowned.

    Scarlett sneered, "Ms. Quinn treated that ck card like a precious gem. If I could steal it and spend hundreds of thousands, I must be quite the expert!"

    With a mocking smile, she added coldly, "If the Quinn family is so desperate for money that you have to steal the wages I earned from my part-time job, then fine. Let''s just say that the 1,300 dors went to feeding the dogs."

 Chapter 24

    With that, Scarlett walked away.

    Jonah suddenly stood up and shouted angrily, "Scarlett, stop right there!"

    He pulled out a small bundle of cash and threw it straight at Scarlett. "The Quinn family doesn''t need your money. Take it and leave!"

    Those one-hundred-dor notes fluttered down like snowkes, falling over Scarlett''s head.

    She didn''t turn around, nor did she bend down to pick up the money. She stood there with her back to him, exuding an air of aloofness and disdain.

    Jonah watched Scarlett, and for a moment, he regretted throwing her hard-earned money on the ground.

    However, as soon as he thought of Scarlett''s insulting words about the Quinn family, he felt justified. She deserved to be humiliated in return.

    He wanted her to know that if she dared to go against the Quinn family, there would be no good oue for her.

    Scarlett smirked as she turned around and coldly locked eyes with Jonah. "Since the Quinn family doesn''t need it, I suppose you should settle the medical fees then. Otherwise, always owing a country girl like me a favor will only lower the Quinn family''s reputation."

    Jonah''s eyes widened in disbelief, and his face twisted with anger.

    Lily put on a pitiful look and said, "Scarlett, are you really going to be so heartless? If you need money, just tell me. I''ll give it to you. Don''t do this, please?"

    Her words immediately distorted Scarlett''s intentions, making it seem as though Scarlett was just asking for money.

    As expected, Jonah''s expression turned even colder after hearing Lily''s words. He sneered and said, "I thought that after a year, you would have at least gotten rid of your greedy nature. But no, you''re still the same; always seizing an opportunity to ask for money. You''re truly disappointing."

    Scarlett turned around with an indifferent attitude and said, "What can I do? I grew up poor in the countryside, so I''m always afraid of being broke. I can''t shake the habit of wanting money. Now, just tell me are you going to settle the bill or not?"

    Jonah felt like he was punching air. His anger was building up, but he couldn''t express it.

    Scarlett clicked her tongue and shook her head. "The richest person in Yendale isn''t so impressive. He can''t even pay a few hundred thousand dors in medical fees."

    "I''ll give it to you," Lily said, immediately pulling a ck card from her wallet.

    Jonah stopped her. "Don''t fall for her tricks. She''s just trying to get some money from us. Do you really think I''m that easy to fool?"

    "She cured us..." Lily said, feigning concern. "Besides, she must be really short on money, living on her own. Why don''t we take this chance to help her out?"

    Jonah scoffed. "If she''s poor, it''s not our fault. She left the Quinn family on her own. Who else can she me? Put that card away. Even if I gave her the money, I won''t let you give it to her."

    Lily looked at him helplessly. "Fine."

    Yet the look she gave Scarlett brimmed with smug triumph, silently taunting, "Keep trying-but my brothers will always stand by me, and you''ll matter to them like I do."

    Scarlett didn''t care at all. She rolled her eyes and said, "The Quinn family''s reputation as the richest muste from being stingy. I''ve learned something new today."

    Percy, who was standing outside, couldn''t hold back hisughter.

    Jonah frowned. "Who''s out there?"

    Joanna ran out to check and called, "Mr. Apology, what are you doing here?"

    As soon as Jonah heard that nickname, he immediately guessed it was Percy. His

    mind quickly shed to the influential figure standing with him that day.

    His expression shifted slightly as he walked out and said, "Percy, this is a matter for the Quinn family."

    "I see," Percy replied nonchntly,zily propping himself up against a chair in the lobby, showing no intention of leaving.

    Jonah''s frown deepened.

    Scarlett walked toward him and said, "Let''s go."

    Percy gave Jonah a knowing nce, then stood up with the takeout box in hand

    and followed Scarlett.

    He asked, "You really don''t want your sry?"

    Scarlett replied, "Yep, I gave it to the dogs."

    Jonah now understood that Percy hade with Scarlett.

    When did they get so close?

    As Jonah listened to their conversation, he felt a weight in kis chest. He turned and looked at the scattered money on the floor, coldly saying, "Joanna, pick up the money and send it to Scarlett."

    He didn''t want outsidersughing at the Quinn family for fighting over such a small amount of money.

    Lily noticed how close Percy and Scarlett were. Percy had a wild and carefree demeanour. Even with the takeout box in his hand, it couldn''t conceal the wealth and arrogance that seemed to surround him.

 Chapter 25

    Through Percy, Lily seemed to still see the distinguished and handsome man from earlier that morning. A wave of jealousy suddenly washed over her.

    Percy should''ve been focused on her, not Scarlett. She couldn''t understand why he was giving Scarlett the attention instead of her. She had to find a way to take him away from Scarlett.

    Lily was confident. After all, this wasn''t her first time doing something like this. Scarlett had no idea that Lily had set her sights on another one of her new friends. They stepped outside and immediately bumped into Xavier.

    He was tall and impably dressed in a luxurious ck suit. His features were sharp and striking, and his presence carried a natural authority. The moment he appeared, a powerful pressure seemed to spread around him, drawing everyone''s attention.

    As he walked toward them, many pedestrians couldn''t help but turn their heads.

    Percy cursed under his breath, stuffed the takeout box into Scarlett''s hands and immediately tried to run.

    "Stop."

    The word alone was enough to freeze Percy in ce. He stood stiffly, as though trapped by an invisible force.

    Xavier walked over and asked coldly, "Why didn''t you go home right after school?"

    Percy turned around with a cheeky grin and put on his best act. "I was just having Scarlett help me with some lessons. I couldn''t exactly take her home with me, so I used the time after school to go over a few questions."

    Scarlett was speechless.

    He didn''t even blink while lying. Clearly, this wasn''t the first time Percy had tried to fool Xavier.

    Xavier pursed his lips before replying, "You can take her home."

    Percy''s heart was still thudding wildly. He froze for a second before blurting out, "Huh? What?"

    He wondered if he had heard it correctly. Did Xavier really just say he could take Scarlett home?

    That was Xavier''s private domain. No woman had ever entered before.

    To help Percy with his lessons, Xavier was making a huge sacrifice.

    Flustered, Percy quickly said, "It''s

    really

    J

    necessary. She can j

    help me at school..."  SWI

    "Take her home. I''ll supervise while she tutors you," Xavier said.

    Percy was taken aback. This was a disaster.

    Scarlett was equally confused. Did she really have to go with them?

    She asked in confusion, "Uncle Xavier, do you mean I should go back with you two?"

    Xavier frowned in displeasure. "Don''t call me Uncle Xavier. Mr. Stroud is fine."

    Scarlett blinked. "Mr. Stroud, do you mean..."

    Xavier replied, "Do I need to repeat myself?"

    Scarlett waspletely baffled but followed them toward the luxury car.

    Joanna came running out of the restaurant. "Scarlett, wait! Your wages!"

    Scarlett stopped, turning to look at her.

    After shoving the money into

    Scarlett''s hands, Joanna turned and ran off eager to im credit. She didn''t spare a nce at Xavier Percy, or the luxury car parked just ahead of Scarlett.

    If she had, she would''ve definitely freaked out.

    Scarlett looked at the 1,300 dors in her hand and let out a satisfied smile.

    As she caught Percy and Xavier''s e curious gazes, she said cheerfully, "The dog gave me my wages back."

    Percy bit his lip, barely holding in hisughter.

    Xavier nced at the thin wad of bills in her hand with curiosity but didn''t say a word.

    The three of them walked toward the car.

 Chapter 26

    Percy instinctively reached for the backseat door. He nned to toss his

    backpack in before climbing in himself. However, Xavier grabbed him by the cor and hauled him over to the front passenger seat instead.

    Percy looked reluctant. He would much rather be sitting in the back with Scarlett.

    Xavier coldly asked, "Were you nning to make Ms. Quinn sit in the front? Where''s your sense of chivalry?"

    "I didn''t mean "

    Percy wanted to argue that he and Scarlett could sit in the back while Xavier took the front. But when he met Xavier''s icy, intimidating gaze, the rest of his sentence died in his throat.

    He gave in and slid into the front seat.

    Scarlett had no choice but to take the backseat beside Xavier.

    With a man like Xavier beside her, it was impossible to ignore his presence.

    She couldn''t help stealing nces at him from the corner of her eye.

    His expression was calm, which only made his features look sharper and more defined. His dark eyes were deep, like a bottomless vortex. Just a fleeting nce from him was enough to send her heart racing.

    She couldn''t tell if it was from nerves or something else.

    Scarlett had always thought her seven brothers were handsome enough to rival any celebrity. Only now did she realize that there were always people more extraordinary than those she knew. Xavier was even more impressive than her seven brothers, easily outshining the entire entertainment industry.

    The silence in the car made Percy ufortable. He suddenly turned to Scarlett and asked, "Scarlett, are you really not rted to the Quinns in any way?"

    Scarlett was taken aback. "Why do you ask?"

    Percy''s curiosity red up. "I just get the feeling that Jonah and Lily are acting really weird toward you. It''s not how they''d treat just any maid. They seem like they''re trying to force you to go back, or maybe make you apologize."

    He asked with a hint of intrigue, "Do you have dirt on them? Is that why they won''t go all out against you?"

    Scarlett smirked slightly. She knew they wouldn''t dare make a real move against her now. They were only testing her limits, probing for her weaknesses. In her past life, she had endured it all, but that patience had only led to more cruelty.

    She said, "We used to be connected, but not anymore."

    Percy nodded as if he had figured it

    ��

    out. "I knew it! I can understand that.

    The richest family in Yendale

    probably wouldn''t want to boast"

    about having a rtive raised in the

    countryside, but it''s alright. Don''t worry, I''ve got your back."

    Scarlett replied, "No need for that."

    In this new life, she wasn''t going to depend on anyone. The moment she had been isted and electrocuted to death in the psychiatric hospital, she had realized that relying on others was not as effective as discovering her own strength. C��ntent

    Percy grinned. "You''re quite the character. I actually admire how you''re not afraid

    to dive right in, no matter the trouble."

    Scarlett fell silent. She was tempted to punch him.

    Just then, Xavier spoke up with a hint of authority and coldness. "Percy, have you figured out how you''re going to exin today''s events to me?"

    Percy quickly turned away from him, falling silent in fear.

    The car slowly drove into a grand estate hidden behind the bustling city center, just a half hour from the school.

    Scarlett was surprised to discover that someone could own such a vast private estate in the heart of Yendale, where every square foot ofnd cost a fortune.

    The car slowly drove down a path lined with blooming flowers and lush greenery Ahead, an imposing structure came into view-a grand mansion, magnificent in both scale and splendor, far surpassing anything she had ever envisioned.

    Scarlett widened her eyes in awe.

    A massive wrought-iron gate opened automatically, revealing a mansion with towering spires that seemed to stretch up to the clouds, as if telling the story of the family''s once-glorious legacy.

    The fountain''s droplets danced in the air, the streetmps stood tall with a ssical charm, and the flower arrangements were elegant and colorful.

    Everything around her radiated a sense of history and nobility.

    Scarlett felt as if she had stumbled into a fairytale mansion. Even with her usual indifferent expression, she couldn''t hide her shock.

    After getting out of the car, she stared at the mansion for a long time.

    Percy leaned over with a grin. "Don''t you think my house is pretty impressive?"

 Chapter 27

    Scarlett nodded. "You''re not as simple as you seem."

    "You''re wrong," Percy said with a grin, waving his finger yfully. "I''m actually very simple. Theplicated one is Uncle Xavier. This estate is his family''s legacy. I''m just here for the ride!"

    Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "You''re pretty shameless."

    Percy chuckled. "It''s hereditary."

    Just then, Xavier walked over and gave Percy a light tap on the head. Percy quickly ducked, clutching his head and darting into the mansion without a trace.

    Scarlett instinctively took a step back, maintaining a polite distance from the mysterious Xavier.

    At first, she had only suspected that Xavier held an important position. Now that she saw the grandeur of the mansion, she was sure that Xavier was undeniably a powerful and mysterious figure.

    She couldn''t afford to mess with someone like him.

    As Xavier noticed Scarlett subtly avoiding him, his gaze darkened. "Come inside," he calmly said.

    He walked toward the mansion while Scarlett maintained a respectful distance, following him from behind.

    Once inside, Scarlett was once again stunned by the opulence that surrounded her.

    A massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. Meanwhile, the walls were adorned with paintings by renowned artists, and the floors were covered in luxurious red velvet carpets. This ce was nothing less than an extravagant mansion.

    "You''re back, Mr. Stroud," a sharply dressed middle-aged man greeted, giving Xavier a respectful nod.

    "Arrange a room for her. She''ll be staying here to tutor Percy," Xavier said.

    He then nced over at Scarlett and added, "This is the butler here, Edmund Barrett. If you need anything, feel free to ask him."

    Scarlett was stunned. She never mentioned that she was nning to stay here.

    "Mr. Stroud, I was nning to..." she began to protest.

    Xavier cut her off. "You''ll stay and help Percy with his lessons for now."

    He turned to Edmund and ordered, "Edmund, go fetch Percy."

    Scarlett was speechless. She hadn''t nned on staying at all. She had wanted to head back to school. How had she ended up in this situation, living in someone else''s mansion without even realizing it?

    At first, Edmund was surprised that Xavier would bring a young woman back to the mansion. However, when he saw her face more clearly, he suddenly understood and felt slight thrill of excitement. He quickly set off to prepare a room for her.

    Xavier told Scarlett to rest in the living room while he headed to his study.

    Even though his study was secure, he locked the door behind him and then walked toward the hidden space behind the bookshelf.

    It was a secret room, cleverly concealed by the strategic cement of bookshelves.

    On the desk were several sketches of a young girl. Each sketch had subtle differences, as though the artist was trying to capture every nuance of her appearance. However, each one looked strikingly simr to Scarlett.

    Xavier picked up the one that most resembled her. A gentle, faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.

    Ten years ago, when he was 18, he had participated in a private off-road race. During that event, he had suffered a serious ident. Someone had tampered with his car, causing the brakes to fail, and then deliberately forced him off the track.

    The car had plunged down a cliff and crashed into ake below.

    He thought he was done for. The excruciating pain in his body nearly crushed his will to survive.

    In his foggy state, he saw a nimble little girl trying to smash his car window with a sharp rock.

    He couldn''t help but chuckle. After all, this was a race car, withminated ss and twoyers of bulletproof film. There was no way she could break it.

 Chapter 28

    At the time, Xavier was already disoriented and couldn''t understand how she managed to get him to shore. All he remembered was waking up to find her blowing air into his mouth.

    He couldn''t control himself and vomited up whatever water had filled his lungs. His injuries were too severe, and even though he tried to focus, he couldn''t make out her face.

    All he could hear were her words, chattering in his ear.

    "Why are you racing at such a young age? Seriously, are you trying to get yourself killed? If it weren''t for me, Scarlett Quinn, you''d be dead a hundred times over. Ugh, these injuries are so bad. Hey, how do you unlock your phone? I can''t figure it out! Alright, let me take care of your leg first. Hang in there!"

    After a moment, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew! Finally got you back. Stay here, I''ll go get help to carry you. You''re badly hurt, you need to get to the hospital right away."

    Through his blurry vision, he saw her skip away with a little backpack behind her. He tried to call her name, but all that came out was a weak whisper. "Scarlett..."

    Before she could return, his men found him.

    He was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.

    Later, his personal doctor told him it was a miracle he survived. Even the people who were at the scene weren''t sure they could have saved him.

    The private doctor even suggested that it must have been a highly skilled

    traditional medicine practitioner who saved him. The acupuncture technique used

    to stop the bleeding was something only an expert could perform.

    He told the doctor that the person who saved him was a little girl, only about seven or eight years old.

    The doctor didn''t believe him, iming he must have suffered brain damage and was hallucinating.

    Xavier was certain it wasn''t a

    hallucination. The sound of her voice

    was so vivid, and the warm, soft

    sensation of her lips against his was something he could never have

    imagined.

    As soon as he recovered, he returned to the mountain to search for her, but found nothing.

    Over the years, he often dreamed of her, constantly sketching her innocent face. Then, today, he finally met her again. At first, he thought it was just someone who looked like her, but when she introduced herself as Scarlett, he was almost certain it was her.

    She had grown up, but she hadn''t changed much. She was still as graceful and beautiful as a mermaid who had stepped ontond.

    However, there was something more somber about her now. She wasn''t as

    cheerful or carefree as before. She was distant and aloof.

    He couldn''t bring himself to approach her, and the cruelest part was that she had forgotten him.

    Xavier''s eyes dimmed. He carefully gathered the sketches and locked them away in a coded cab. Only then did he grab a finance book and quietly leave the study.

    Meanwhile, over at Quinn Manor, the eldest son of the Quinn family, Jonathan,

    had just gotten home from work when Jonah came looking for him.

    "Jonathan, did Mr. Stroud from the Capitole to Yendale?" Jonah asked.

    Jonathan paused for a moment. "I haven''t received any notice."

    "I saw him today. He turned out to be Percy Stroud''s guardian. Could Mr. Stroud

    be from Yendale? Howe we didn''t know about it?" Jonah replied.

    Jonathan was surprised. "Did you see Mr. Stroud today?"

 Chapter 29

    Jonah said, "Yeah! I thought it was pretty strange too. Who knew there was such a big shot here in Yendale?"

    Jonathan thought for a moment, then picked up his phone to make a few

    inquiries. After a brief pause, he said, "You must have been mistaken. Mr. Stroud is still abroad."

    Jonah frowned in confusion. Had he really mistaken someone else for Xavier? But with how big Yendale was, it wouldn''t be impossible for someone to look like Xavier.

    He suddenly remembered seeing Percy at the restaurant, leaving with a takeout box in hand. If Percy really had something to do with Xavier, would someone of his status be involved in such a lowly act?

    Besides, Percy''s background seemed so ordinary. How could he possibly be connected to Xavier?

    It turned out that he had overthought it.

    Lily was curled up on the couch with her tablet, watching a drama, but her ears perked up to eavesdrop on the conversation.

    When she heard that Xavier was still abroad, all of Percy''s supposed status and charm seemed to fade. In the end, he was just an ordinary rich boy-not someone worth her time and effort.

    However, she still didn''t like seeing anyone paying attention to Scarlett. She was determined to snatch Percy away from her.

    All the men in the world should revolve around her, while Scarlett should be the one that all men despise.

    Lily casually brought something up. "Jonathan, Jonah and I both got first and second ce in the Elite Math Preliminary Test today, so we''ll represent the school in the Elite Math Tournament next month. The top three get extra points for the college entrance exam."

    Jonathan walked over and affectionately ruffled her hair. "You''re outstanding, Lily. Even though you''ve already secured a spot, you still work so hard."

    Lily frowned and said, "However, I had another argument with Scarlett today. She even went to ss F with Mr. Apology. I''m so worried about her studies. There are fewer than a hundred days left until the SATS. What if she doesn''t make it?"

    Jonathan frowned. "Didn''t she get expelled from school?"

    Jonah stepped forward, saying, "She went to see Mr. Hayes. I don''t know what she said, but Mr. Hayes actually overturned Mr. Tucker''s decision to expel her."

    He paused and continued, "What I really want to ask is-why didn''t Mr. Hayes expel her for our sake? Why would he risk offending the Quinn family just to keep her around?"

    Jonathan found it strange. He had already given a heads-up, and things like this rarely went off track. With the Quinn family''s influence in Yendale, even Bill should have

    shown respect.

    He immediately called the vice principal, Donald Tucker. However, the answer he received left him stunned.

    Jonathan''s expression darkened. "What did you say?"

    Lily and Jonah both turned to him, curious to know why Scarlett was allowed to stay.

    Jonathan ended the call and said

    coldly, "Scarlett saved Mr. Hayes'' wife a few years ago. He''s been

    keeping a spot open for her at thet

    schooDever since. She was never here because of the Quinn family. She earned her ce through Mr. Hayes'' personal gratitude."

    Jonah pursed his lips.

    Only then did he understand why Scarlett had told him to ask. She had never

    relied on the Quinn family to get into this school.

    Back then he had thought she was just being arrogant and bragging After all, this school was nearly impossible for ordinary people to get into. If the Quinn family hadn''t pulled strings, she would''ve never made it in?  sw?ovel

    He had always believed she benefited from their generosity and was still ungrateful.

    If what Scarlett said was true, did that mean the Quinn family actually owed her?

    He kept telling himself that it was impossible. The Quinn family could never owe anything to Scarlett.

    After all, she was a Quinn by blood. As long as she fixed her bad habits, she would still have a share in the family''s wealth.

    However, she greedily wanted topete with Lily, target her, and push her out of the Quinn family.

    Lily had been pampered in the Quinn family since childhood, and there was no way she could handle hardship outside. She was narrow-minded, malicious, and insatiable.

    Jonah said, "Even so, she can''t just do whatever she wants in front of us just because she did Mr. Hayes a favor! Did you see how she acted today? She dared to challenge me!

    "She was raised in the countryside and has no manners! If she doesn''t get rid of that awful attitude, she''d better not think abouting back to the Quinn family!"

 Chapter 30

    Jonah thought to himself that he might as well let Scarlett y her runaway act since she wanted to.

    Only when she had suffered enough would she shed the bad habits she brought with her from the countryside. Then, she would realize that the best choice for her was to return to the Quinn family. Even if she wanted toe backter, he wouldn''t let her get her way so easily.

    She had truly pissed him off today.

    Lily said, "Jonah, don''t be angry. Maybe Scarlett justcks money, and that''s why she asked you for the medical fees. How about we give her a little? I really can''t bear to see her suffer outside..."

    She had underestimated Scarlett. She didn''t even know that Scarlett had once treated Mr. Hayes''s wife.

    Jonah would definitely remember what Scarlett had said earlier today. Lily couldn''t let Jonah soften and feel like he owed Scarlett. She had to remind Jonah of how Scarlett had humiliated the Quinn family today.

    She casually said, "Otherwise, Scarlett might think we can''t even afford that little medical fee..."

    Jonah interrupted angrily, "Our family is the richest in Yendale. Do you really think we can''t afford that small medical fee? The more she wants it, the less I''ll give her. Let''s see what she can do! She''s so heartless and doesn''t care about our family honor. Why should I care about her?"

    He turned to Lily and said, "Lily, you''re too kind. She wants to kick you out of the Quinn family, and you''re still speaking up for her. I feel so sorry for you."

    Lily lowered her head, feeling dejected. "After all, she''s the real daughter of the Quinn family, and I''m just the adopted daughter. You all like me so much, so it''s understandable that she doesn''t like me..."

    Then, Lily straightened her back and said with determination, "I''ve made up my mind. I can''t keep relying on your protection. Once I get into university, I''ll move out, and Scarlett cane back. Jonathan, Jonah, could you try to ept her, please?"

    Jonah sighed and affectionately said, "You''re always thinking about her. Why don''t you think about yourself for once? You''re the heiress of the Quinn family, raised with everything you need. How can we let you suffer out there? You should be living under our protection, enjoying the life that an heiress like you deserves."

    Jonathan nodded in agreement, saying, "Don''t worry, we haven''t revealed Scarlett''s identity to the public. In our hearts, you''re the true heiress of the Quinn family."

    "We know how to judge things, and liking someone isn''t just about words," he added with a deep sigh. "If Scarlett had even half the sense you have, we wouldn''t be so frustrated with her."

    Lily joyfully wrapped her arms around both of her brothers and sweetly said, "Jonathan, Jonah, you guys are so good to me. I love you both so much! I want to be your sister forever."

    Jonathan smiled warmly, "Silly girl, you''ll always be our sister."

    Jonah nodded. "That''s right, Lily. Don''t let Scarlett''s actions make you overthink. I swear, I''ll protect you for the rest of your life. No one can take what''s yours!"

    Lily felt a surge of satisfaction and pride. Scarlett must be delusional to think she could snatch her brothers away.

    Since Scarlett had decided to run away from home, she should never expect to return to the Quinn family andpete with her again.

    Scarlett was nothing more than a country bumpkin. Even if she were the real heiress, she would still have to leave the Quinn family in disgrace.

    Lily guessed that Scarlett was probably still worrying about her future livelihood.

    However, Lily was mistaken.

    Although Scarlett was worried, it wasn''t about survival. She was actually stressed over the

    handsome and almost otherworldly Xavier, who was watching her while she tutored Percy.

    Feeling the weight of his intense presence, she was stressed out, but she calmly

    pulled out a workbook and gestured to Percy beside her.

    Percy shook his head.

    Scarlett blinked in confusion.

    "What''s wrong?" Xavier suddenly asked.

    His voice was gentle, yet in the vast hall, it still carried an air of authority.

    He noticed Scarlett''s subtle gesture and added, "Percy, take out the book."

 Chapter 31

    Percy wore a miserable expression as he pulled out all the books he had brought home from school.

    He knew Mike had assigned homework, but he was the type who never actually

    did it.

    Naturally, he hadn''t brought the homework back with him. He had just randomly grabbed a few books on his way out, just for show.

    Unfortunately for him, he had grabbed nothing but extracurricr books. Among them was a novel titled "The Overbearing CEO Fell in Love with Me."

    Scarlett noticed the garishly colorful cover. She pulled it out and was instantly speechless.

    "That''s not mine!" Percy immediately denied. "It belongs to Stacy Finch, the girl who sits next to me. I have no idea how it ended up on my desk."

    Suddenly, Xavier reached out and took the book from Scarlett''s hands. His slender fingers identally brushed against hers.

    Scarlett instinctively pulled her hand back as if electrocuted, a slight frown forming at the cold touch.

    Xavier lifted his gaze slightly to nce at her, frowning faintly as well. He assumed she disliked being touched.

    But it had been an ident-unintentional.

    Scarlett gently rubbed the spot where he had touched her under the table, then turned to Percy and asked, "You didn''t bring any of Mr. Sawyer''s homework?"

    Percy flipped through the few books in front of him, looking embarrassed. "Nope." Scarlett sighed, but she understood.

    Percy was known as Mr. Apology. He was the kind of guy who probably needed to write a self-reflection essay just to function. If he had remembered to bring his homework, that would''ve been the real surprise.

    She handed him a workbook and said, "Then get a notebook and copy down this page''s assignment. From today onward, you have to do everything Mr. Sawyer assigns. Even if you don''t bring the workbook, you can still turn in your notes."

    Percy groaned. He didn''t want to write anything. His mind was already on his video game, and his teammates were probably already online.

    He asked, "Can I just do it tomorrow when I bring the book? Let''s call it a day. I''m heading to my room."

    He stood up and tried to make a run for it.

    "Stop." Xavier''s voice was cold and firm. He demanded, "Do as Ms. Quinn said. I''ll be watching."

    Percy was utterly speechless.

    At the same time, Edmund had already brought over a brand-new notebook.

    "Good luck, Mr. Stroud," he said cheerfully.

    Under Xavier''s watchful eyes, Percy had no choice but to ept his fate. He sat down and began copying questions from the workbook.

    If he had known it would turn out like this, he would''ve definitely brought the damn workbook home.

    After writing for a while, Percy

    looked up and saw Scarlett scrolling on her phone. And to his horror Xavier was actually reading "The Overbearing CEO Fell in Love with Me."

    He wasn''t even ncing at his usual finance books.

    Panic set in. Xavier was actually reading a romantic smut novel.

    Forget embarrassing, if Xavier stumbled on one of those ridiculous, over-the-top

    scenes, there was a good chance he''de after Percy for it.

    Percy reached out and tried to snatch the book away, but it wouldn''t budge.

    Xavier''s fingers mped down like iron, and when Percy tugged harder, Xavier finally looked up. His cool, indifferent eyes swept over Rercy like a silent reprimand.

    Percy froze and instantly retracted his hand, shing a sheepish grin. "Xavier,

    don''t you have more important things to do?"

    Xavier was usually ridiculously busy. Even when he dide back to Yendale, he

    would leave again within hours to fly overseas.

    This was already the longest he''d stayed in the past three years.

    ''n''

    Xavier''s voice was low and cold as he said, "I heard the SATs are in less than a hundred days. Your parents care a lot about your results this time. They asked me to keep an eye on you. So, I''ll be staying here for a while."

    Percy was dumbfounded.

 Chapter 32

    Percy slumped back into his chair, looking utterly defeated. Until the SATs were over, he could kiss his carefree gaming days goodbye.

    Suddenly, Scarlett asked, "Why isn''t this ce listed on any maps?"

    She found it strange that a ce like this existed so close to the city center, yet no map contained it. She had checked every map she could find, and the only ce marked was Jondalia Gardens.

    Scarlett knew about Jondalia Gardens. It was the biggestndmark in Yendale.

    She had visited it in her previous life too. But all she had seen were a few free- roaming animals and a vast, crystal-clearke. She hadn''t seen any grand Eurofian-style architecture.

    When they entered earlier, she had glimpsed theke and recalled walking along a short path that wound through a small forest.

    After that, vibrant flowers and lush greenery surrounded them until they finally arrived at a grand estate.

    Xavier spoke gently, "This ce used to be a political stronghold in thest century."

    Scarlett immediately understood why it was not listed anywhere. It was highly secretive. Even the Quinn family seemed unaware that Yendale had a ce like this.

    She boldly guessed that perhaps someone as powerful as a former president had once lived here. That was the only exnation for how the estate''s mystery had been preserved until now.

    If this ce was part of Xavier''s family legacy, then his background was probably...

    Before her imagination could run any further, Xavier said calmly, "Don''t overthink

    it. I''m just an ordinary person. My ancestors were the impressive ones."

    Percy, scribbling away at his assignments, couldn''t help but purse his lips. Perhaps that line could fool some innocent girl, but not him.

    Xavier turned to Edmund and instructed, "Bring the map here for Ms. Quinn to see."

    "Yes, Mr. Stroud," Edmund replied before leaving the room.

    Percy suddenly jerked his head up. The map of this ce was supposed to be top secret. Yet Xavier was just casually handing it over to an outsider.

    What the hell was going on?

    Ever since Scarlett showed up, Xavier had been strangely approachable, even amodating.

    Usually, no matter how many gorgeous girls tried to get close to Xavier, they were all driven away by his cold temperament and frosty expression.

    Even Edmund would never smile at outsiders. But today, Edmund had actually smiled at Scarlett.

    Something was definitely wrong. Way too wrong!

    Could it be that Scarlett had some kind of magic that made people in power lower their guard around her?

    But then why hadn''t the Quinn siblings been affected the same way?

    Percy''s mind spun faster and faster, but the more he thought about it, the less sense it made.

    Meanwhile, Edmund returned. He unfolded arge map in front of Scarlett.

    Her eyes widened in shock. Only after seeing the map did Scarlett truly realize how massive this ce was.

    Jondalia Gardens was merely a cover. It was just a tiny tip of the iceberg.

    Even though the world was at peace now, there were still countless hidden sentry posts scattered beyond the Eurofian-style manor.

    Beyond the gardens, the estate stretched into rolling mountains that continued all the way to the outskirts of the city.

    At the

    of the mountains, there

    Con and even subway

    were

    It looked like a normal

    urban area at first nce.

    But nestled among the peaks were full-blown military bases.

    This Eurofian manor was like a fortress cocooned by forests,kes, and mountains. Even if someone dropped a bomb on it, the explosion

    might not even reach the center.

    Scarlett was stunned that they were showing her such a detailed map. Weren''t

    they afraid she might memorize it and tell someone?

    Edmund was still smiling. He even began to exin theyout to her.

    "Ms. Quinn, this mountain here is

    where the Stroud family''s ancestral tombs are. If you''re wandering around, best not to go there,b

    Edmund said politely.

    He added, "And here. These are military bases. Please avoid entering by mistake."

    "And also..."

    Scarlett was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 33

    Scarlett didn''t want to know any of this.

    Right now, she deeply regretted asking that extra question earlier.

    She should''ve known. If a ce didn''t even show up on a map, it had to be hiding

    some major secret. And now she knew everything.

    They wouldn''t kill her to keep it quiet, would they?

    After Edmund finished his exnation, he rolled the map back up neatly.

    "Ms. Quinn, please don''t worry," Edmund said with a reassuring smile. "Since you''re staying here, we''ll treat you as one of our own. As long as you harbor no thoughts of betraying Mr. Stroud, you''ll be considered a partial master of this estate."

    "Why did that sound so ominous?" Scarlett thought.

    Percy gaped. "Wait, what? She''s just my ssmate! How can she suddenly be a partial master here?"

    Still smiling, Edmund replied, "Mr. Percy, I believe Mr. Stroud knows exactly what he''s doing."

    "But even if he''s right about her tutoring me, that doesn''t mean she should be a partial owner of this ce!" Percy eximed, utterly baffled.

    He just couldn''t wrap his head around it.

    Then another thought hit him. Xavier was sacrificing way too much for his sake.

    It would be aplete betrayal of Xavier''s effort if Percy kept cking off.

    So, even if it were just for Xavier''s sake, Percy had to study properly.

    Lowering his head, Percy furiously scribbled away at his assignments, newly determined.

    Meanwhile, Scarlett sat stiffly. She waspletely ill at ease. She felt like she had walked right into a carefullyid trap.

    And now, there was no getting out of it. She knew too much.

    If she tried to leave, the countless hidden mechanisms around here would probably take her out before she could even reach the door.

    She let out a silent sigh and forced herself to answer Edmund withposure.

    "Thank you for the reminder. I understand," Scarlett said, her voice calm but resigned.

    Under Xavier''s powerful presence, Scarlett somehow managed to "tutor" Percy through his assignment.

    Calling it tutoring was a bit of a stretch. Basically, she just lent him her workbook so he could copy the questions down.

    When it came time to actually solve the problems, Percy didn''t ask her a single thing.

    After finishing, Percy packed up his assignment with a big grin, waiting eagerly for Xavier''s praise.

    But Xavier instead turned to Scarlett

    and said, "You''ve had a long day. Get

    some rest. I''ll have someone drive you both to school tomorrow

    morning."

    With that, he picked up the novel and his finance book. Then, he turned to leave for the study.

    Percy was unwilling to ept it. He hurried after Xavier and said, "Hey, Xavier finished all my assignments today. Aren''t you gonna praise me at least a little?"

    Xavier gave him a chilly nce. "You didn''t even bring the right books home. You''re lucky I''m not punishing you. And if Ms. Quinn wasn''t here,

    you''d be getting a real beating tonight."

    Percy''s tongue was tied upon hearing his words. He rubbed his nose sheepishly.

    Noticing the romance novel in Xavier''s hand, he quickly blurted out, "Uh, what about that book?"

    "I''ll keep it," Xavier said curtly.

    Great. Now Percy would have to buy Stacy a new romance novel.

    Back in the study, Xavier casually set his finance book aside and continued reading the romance novel.

    Though it was full of cheesy, over-the-top drama, he found it oddly enlightening.

    He had never seen anything that spelled out so clearly how a man should go about pursuing a woman.

    Besides, the male lead vaguely reminded him of himself. It almost felt like this novel had been tailor-made for him.

    He was even considering getting a few more of these books from Percy. Meanwhile, Scarlett headed to the bedroom that had been prepared for her.

    A maid opened the door for her. Scarlett kept herposure as she walked in and closed the door behind her.

    But the moment she turned around, she pressed a hand over her mouth in shock. This wasn''t just a bedroom, it was a luxury penthouse.

 Chapter 34

    The room stretched out before Scarlett, easily over 3,000 square feet.

    It was at least 30 or 40 times bigger than the tiny storage room she had lived in

    for a year.

    The furnishings wereplete. There was a mounted TV, a plush recliner, a fullputer setup, a luxurious writing desk, an ergonomic lounge chair, and even fitness equipment.

    And there was an enormous Eurofian-style princess bed, draped in soft pink and white gauzy curtains.

    The mattress was covered in silky sheets and fluffy nkets, while the floor beneath wasyered with a thick, snow-white fur rug that looked ridiculously expensive.

    Scarlett couldn''t help but kick off her shoes and sink her toes into the soft carpet. Only then did she notice two additional doors tucked off to the side.

    She pushed them open one by one.

    One led to a sprawling bathroom, grander and more luxurious than Lily''s. In the center sat a massive soaking tub, easilyrge enough to fit three people.

    The second door opened into a walk-in closet, extending at least 30 feet deep. Both sides were lined with empty, open wardrobes, waiting to be filled.

    Everything about the ce was so extravagant, it was almost surreal.

    After wandering around for a bit, Scarlett gradually calmed herself down.

    Well, if someone wanted to offer her such a nice ce to live, she would be a fool to say no.

    At least the Stroud family wasn''t like the Quinn family, who treated her like a gold- digger the moment she stepped through the door.

    On the other hand, the Stroud family seemed to trust her without reservation.

    Since it was still early, she turned on theputer and nned to search for some Elite Math papers.

    Maybe it was just her imagination, but theputer here somehow seemed to pull up resources that were moreplete and urate than any she''d ever used before.

    After working through a few problems, Scarlett''s stomach started growling.

    She remembered she had a takeout meal she''d brought in earlier and quickly headed to the living room to find it.

    Sure enough, the food was still there.

    A maid approached her with a warm smile.

    "Ms. Quinn, this must be the food you brought in, right? Are you hungry? I can have the chef heat it up for you," she offered kindly.

    Scarlett nodded as she replied, "Yes, please. Thank you so much."

    The maid beamed even brighter. It was the first time anyone had ever thanked her so sincerely in this house.

    Although she didn''t know exactly

    who Scarlett was, being someone Xavier personally weed was more than enough to earn her respect.

    She couldn''t help but feel a growing fondness for Scarlett.

    The maid picked up the takeout bag and led Scarlett toward the kitchen.

    As they walked, they chatted lightly, and Scarlett learned that the maid''sst name was Collins.

    Jane Collins had worked here for

    over 20 years, following in the

    footsteps of her parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents.

    Her children would eventuallye to work here too.

    Those

    worked here were

    us of a long line of fam

    with the role

    from generation to genown

    Scarlett found it unbelievable. Even bing a maid required a legacy? This ce truly felt less like a mansion and more like a private empire. When they reached the kitchen, Scarlett was once again stunned into silence.

    Jane exined that there was only one kitchen in the building. In other words, each building had its own kitchen.

    The space was vast and breathtaking, so refined it could rival the royal kitchens.

    Two chefs were already busy inside, artfully ting several dishes.

    Scarlett asked curiously, "Is someone else having dinner thiste?"

    Jane smiled. "They''re preparing ate supper for Mr. Xavier, Mr. Percy, and you, Ms. Quinn."

    Scarlett kept her face neutral but felt a trickle of sweat run down her back.

    She had assumed she''d be skipping dinner tonight. But clearly, the household had already anticipated everything.

    "Ms. Quinn, you have five dishes here," Jane said gently. "Would you like everything heated up, or just one or two items?"

    Scarlett flushed a little. "Just the beef stew, please. You can put the others in the fridge for tomorrow."

    Jane handed the food over to the chefs to prepare.

    One of the chefs nced at Scarlett, but said nothing and got to work.

    Scarlett made her way back to her bedroom. Before long, herte-night meal was brought in.

    It was a perfectly warmed beef stew, along with a bnced meal of two light side dishes, a hearty soup, and a small fruit tter.

 Chapter 35

    Scarlett ended up eating way too much in an effort not to waste any food.

    Thankfully, there was gym equipment in the room. She worked out for a long time before finally feelingfortable again.

    The next morning, Scarlett was jolted awake by her phone rm at 5:30 am.

    She slowly opened her eyes and turned it off.

    The room was still pitch ck, and the sky outside was only just beginning to brighten.

    Even so, she quickly freshened up and stepped outside.

    Originally, she had just wanted to walk around and stretch a little, but she hadn''t expected to see Edmund leading the vi''s maids in martial arts practice out on the open grounds.

    Even Jane, who had chatted so warmly with her the day before, was among them.

    Their moves were sharp, precise, and powerful. Their moves were far more refined than anything Scarlett had ever learned from books.

    When Edmund noticed her, he immediately finished his form and said warmly, "Ms. Quinn, you''re up early."

    The rest of the maids quickly finished their forms and straightened up as well.

    Scarlett quickly apologized, waving her hands. "Sorry! I was just passing by. Please, continue."

    She turned to leave, but Edmund smiled and called after her, "Would you like to join us, Ms. Quinn?"

    Scarlett paused, surprised. "Can I?"

    "Of course," Edmund said, his tone kind. "It would be my honor to teach you some basic self-defense."

    A sh of excitement crossed Scarlett''s face.

    She stepped forward and said, "I know a little already, but I''m not very skilled. Edmund, would it be alright if I learned a bit from you?"

    Edmund hadn''t expected her to have any prior training. His expression softened with an affectionate pride.

    "Nothing would please me more," he said.

    The maids stepped back to give them space.

    Scarlett and Edmund faced off in the center. Without hesitation, Scarlett made the first move.

    As expected, her techniques were like child''s y against Edmund.

    He dodged effortlessly and could have easily struck her vital points.

    Yet every time he moved close, he deliberately redirected his blows,nding instead on harmless areas.

    After exchanging well over a hundred moves, Scarlett finally stepped back, breathing heavily and looking at Edmund with deep respect.

    Edmund, on the other hand, had shining eyes filled with pleasant surprise.

    "Ms. Quinn," he said, genuinely curious, "may I ask which school you trained under?"

    Scarlett felt a little embarrassed as she replied, "I taught myself,

    actually. I found some martial arts

    manuals at a flea market and

    learned from them."

    A flicker of disbelief crossed Edmund''s face. He asked, "And how long have you

    been practicing?"

    "About ten years," Scarlett answered honestly.

    Edmund looked even more stunned.

    To reach this level through self-study in just ten years was impressive.

    He had been called a martial arts prodigy, yet even he couldn''t have achieved that without formal instruction.

    A sudden thought struck him. Without warning, heunched another attack, this time far more aggressive and fierce.

    Scarlett quickly realized he wasn''t holding back anymore. The blows came fast and sharp, forcing her to respond with everything she had.

    She gritted her teeth and endured it. She knew what he was doing. He was testing her fundamentals.

    She had read about this before. True martial artists could tell someone''s potential by testing the strength and resilience of their body underreal pressure.

    Scarlett believed she had what it took. After all, she had managed to learn so much from books alone.

    Even Alton had once told her she ought to seek a real master to continue her training.

    Sadly, she''d never had the chance.

    Finally, Edmund stopped.

    His face was flushed with excitement. The usually calm light in his eyes now burned bright.

    Throwing his head back, heughed heartily "Excellent! Truly excellent! You have a fine, flexible frame and great endurance. You''re born to practice martial arts."

    He couldn''t remember thest time he''d seen such potential. The only other

    person who came close was Xavier.

    Xavier''s instincts had been right once again. This girl would be extraordinary one day.

    "Ms. Quinn," Edmund said, his voice full of emotion, "would you be willing to train under me? I would be honored to pass down everything I know to you."

 Chapter 36

    Edmund''s surprise proposal came so suddenly that Scarlett froze on the spot.

    Only after a few moments had passed did she remember to kneel and respectfully reply, "Yes, Mr. Barrett!"

    "Perfect!" Edmundughed heartily.

    "I never thought I''d take on a young apprentice at this age," Edmund said as he continued tough.

    "However, I must consult Mr. Stroud before giving you a final answer," he added, his tone thoughtful.

    "But don''t worry, even if Mr. Stroud doesn''t agree to me taking you as my apprentice, I will still pass on everything I know to you," he reassured her, his eyes filled with sincerity.

    He reached out, helping Scarlett to her feet. His gaze was full of admiration and satisfaction.

    Scarlett looked at Edmund with eager eyes, nodding enthusiastically.

    After that, Edmund taught Scarlett a few more moves. Instantly, Scarlett''s confusion over certain techniques cleared up.

    They only stopped when it was 6:30 am, as the maids had to get to work.

    Edmund told Scarlett, "If you want to learn martial arts,e here at 5:00 am from now on."

    Scarlett made a mental note of that.

    After breakfast, Scarlett and Percy went to school together.

    Although they had a luxury car to drive them, they didn''t go all the way to the

    school gate to avoid drawing attention.

    Instead, they got off at a nearby intersection and walked to school.

    As luck would have it, the Quinn family''s car passed by.

    Lily eximed, "Jonah, look, it''s Scarlett! Why is she still with Mr. Apology?"

    Jonah turned to look, his expression darkening instantly.

    They had been together since yesterday after school, until now.

    Could it be that they had been together all night?

    He scowled, "No manners at all! She''spletelycking in modesty."

    Lily, out of Jonah''s view, secretly smirked.

    She hadn''t expected Scarlett to be so reckless, so quick to give herself to such an ordinary young man.

    This worked out even better. Once Scarlett lost Percy, she would have nothing left. That would be the most devastating blow to her.

    Scarlett and Percy arrived at the ssroom, leaving their ssmates and Mike stunned.

    It wasn''t because they showed up together, but because Percy, who was alwayste and often left early, was actually on time for the morning study session today.

    To top it off, he had even done his assignment.

    Mike was ecstatic, smiling so wide that almost all his teeth were showing.

    As he carried a stack of homework to the office, he told everyone he met, "Percy

    actually handed in his homework today, no reminder needed!"

    It felt like a cause for celebration.

    Other teachers from different

    sses

    were surprised but just

    smiled slightly without making a big deal of it. Only Mike was inexplicably happy all day.

    At noon, Scarlett returned to the dorm.

    Although she had been moved from ss A to ss F, her dormitory hadn''t changed.

    She had just dealt with the group of roommates yesterday, and today they acted polite to her face.

    But once they turned their backs, they were whispering bad things about her.

    Unfortunately for them, Scarlett had excellent hearing. Even when they tried to be discreet on the balcony, she could hear everything.

    "Scarlett came to school this morning with Mr. Apology. They were together all

    night," one of them whispered, eyes wide while gossiping.

    "Of course, didn''t you see the hickeys on her neck and wrist? That''s obviously fromst night," another one replied.

    "I didn''t think Scarlett would be so bold, hooking up with a guy before graduation," a third voice added, sounding both surprised and judgmental.

    "I think she''s just poor and desperate. She''s trying to snag a rich young man while

    she''s still in school. What will she do after graduation?"

    Scarlett tilted her head and nced at the bruise on her neck in the wardrobe mirror.

 Chapter 37

    Scarlett let out a helplessugh. For someone who practiced martial arts, it was only natural to have a few bruises.

    They couldn''t even tell the difference between a bruise and a hickey, yet they had the nerve to gossip about her.

    She walked toward the balcony. The group of girls immediately fell silent.

    Scarlett turned her gaze toward Nadia, the one who had just used her of having hickeys. She gave a wicked smile and asked, "Wanna find out how these so-called ''hickeys'' appeared?"

    Nadia instinctively stepped back, her face full of wariness. "What are you trying to do? Let me tell you, hanging around Mr. Hayes doesn''t make you special. I''m going to tell the teacher you slept with Mr. Apology-ah!"

    Before she could finish, Scarlett struck her pressure point with a swift, precise move.

    The technique was applied just right. Not only did it cause sharp pain, but within seconds, a vivid "hickey" formed on Nadia''s neck.

    The other girls were stunned into silence.

    Lily stood nearby as well. Although she hadn''t spoken earlier, she had deliberately steered the conversation in this direction. She hoped that the whole school would believe Scarlett had no self-respect and had slept with Percy.

    Crossing her arms, Scarlett gave them all a dismissive look.

    "Anyone else who dares to spread nonsense," she said icily, "I wouldn''t mind covering them head-to-toe with these ''hickeys'' too."

    Lily pressed her lips together tightly, seething with rage. Scarlett was clearly warning her.

    Damn it, Scarlett! She was tantly disregarding her authority.

    Yet Lily didn''t dare say a word. She was terrified Scarlett might deal with her next.

    After that, the girls in the dorm became noticeably more obedient. Scarlett finally enjoyed a peaceful and undisturbed nap for once.

    When she returned to the ssroom at noon, the room was still half empty even as ss was about to start.

    Even Percy hadn''t returned as she had instructed. Mike didn''te by to check the attendance either.

    Just then, Stacy came running into the ssroom, out of breath.

    "Scarlett, something bad happened!" she cried, panic in her voice. "Percy got into a fight! He hit Jonah!"

    "Mr. Riggs said he''s going to be disciplined!" Stacy added.

    Although Percy was known for beingte, skipping sses, and writing more disciplinary reflections than homework, he rarely got into serious fights-certainly not enough to warrant formal punishment.

    It was obvious he had gotten himself into real trouble this time.

    Scarlett felt a headacheing on. Percy had finally behaved for a day, and now he was causing problems again.

    "Why did he hit Jonah?" Scarlett asked Stacy.

    Stacy hesitated, her expressionplicated. "They said... they said..."

    Suddenly, she leaned in close and asked, deadly serious, "Scarlett, did you and Percy sleep togetherst night?"

    At once, the entire ss turned to look at Scarlett, their eyes brimming with curiosity.

    Stacy''s face turned red with anger

    "Don''t tell me it''s true! How could

    Percy

    wer his standards like that?

    What do you have that I don''t? How could he like a maid like you?"

    Scarlett knew Stacy had been pursuing Percy.

    After Percy changed seats to sit beside her yesterday, Stacy immediately moved her own seat next to Percy as well.

    Stacy even brought her favorite romance novels to Percy, hoping he''d fall for her after reading them.

    Unfortunately, Percy wasn''t interested in either the novels or Stacy herself.

    If Scarlett didn''t clear up this misunderstanding now, Stacy would probably hate her forever.

    "What did Percy say?" Scarlett asked calmly.

    Stacy huffed angrily. "Of course he denied it! Why else would he get so angry and

    hit someone? I want to hear it from you!" she demanded.

    "I used to think you were pretty decent, encouraging Percy to study and all," Stacy said bitterly. "Now I

    realize you''re just a backstabbipet

    little snake, stealing him right from under my nose. And to think even listened to you and did my assignments yesterday!"

    Scarlett let out a softugh. "Rx," she said lightly. "Percy is just like a little brother to me. I would never be interested in someone like him."

    In this lifetime, she had no intention of giving her heart to anyone ever again.

    She had already learned the painful lesson of having her trust and affection trampled underfoot.

 Chapter 38

    It wasn''t until two periodster that Percy finally returned. He slumped into his seat, his expression dark and stormy.

    An air of violence radiated off him so strongly that even Stacy didn''t dare get too close.

    Several boys with bruised faces trailed in behind him, and Scarlett recognized them instantly.

    They were Jonah''sckeys. The very ones who had tormented her terribly in her previous life.

    Beside her, Stacy''s cautious voice floated over.

    "Percy, are you hurt anywhere?" she asked, full of concern. "I bought you ibuprofen, some antibiotic ointment, muscle pain relief spray, lidocaine patches, medicated cooling spray, extra-strength painkillers, Band-Aids..."

    Scarlett''s mouth twitched. Was she trying to move an entire pharmacy over here?

    Percy scowled impatiently. "I beat them up, not the other way around! Take all that stuff away!" he snapped.

    Stacy looked a little wounded. "But your hand looks injured. Let me at least put a Band-Aid on it?" she offered, almost pleading.

    Percy nced down at the back of his hand, thenzily held it out, letting her carefully stick a Band-Aid on the injury.

    At that moment, Mike stormed into the ssroom, mming a pile of books onto his desk with a loud thud, clearly fuming.

    "Percy, stand up!" Mike barked.

    Percy, far from obeying, leaned back casually in his chair. One of his arms draped over the backrest, exuding an air of reckless defiance.

    Stacy was swooning beside him. She raised her voice to a squeal. "Oh my God, he''s so cool!"

    Scarlett was struck dumb.

    Raising an eyebrow, Percy drawled, "Why should I stand? If anyone should be standing, it''s the ones who spread those disgusting rumors about me!"

    Then he added sharply, "Mr. Sawyer, if you''re nning to make me write a reflection essay or p a disciplinary action on me, they''d better be getting the same treatment. Otherwise, I''m not epting it."

    "Do you even realize you hit someone first? Whoever throws the first punch is automatically in the wrong!" he said exasperatedly.

    "You injured Jonah!" Mike continued. "He''s the top student in the school, and he''s supposed to represent us at the Elite Math Tournament next month. He was our best chance at winning the championship! And you broke his right hand! Do you even understand the consequences of what you''ve done?"

    Percy smirked, all cocky confidence.

    "Yeah, I get it. The consequence is that ss F''s going to take home the championship instead.

    He even shot Scarlett a cheeky wink. "Good luck, little fighter. ss F''s counting on you!"

    Scarlett remained silent, her expression unreadable, clearly signaling that she wasn''t open to anyments or teasing at the moment.

    Mike looked like he was about to explode.

    "Percy," he ground out, "why couldn''t you just behave like you did yesterday? Why did you have to pick a fight with Jonah? Do you know who his family is? The Quinn family aren''t people you can mess with."

    "Mr. Sawyer," Percy saidzily, "maybe you should get your facts straight. He came looking for trouble, not me."

    "Even if he provoked you, couldn''t you just walk away?" Mike snapped.

    "Why should I?" Percy shot back without hesitation. "If I walked away, would you avenge me?"

    Percy added, "Besides, isn''t he supposed to be some kind of genius? Ambidextrous, right? So`l broke his right hand-he canjust write with his left."

    ???

    For a second, it looked like Mike might pass out from rage. In the pointed furiously at the door.

    end, he

    "GetOut! Stand in the hallway! I''m

    starting ss!"

    "I''m not going," Percy said.

    Mike took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.

    "I want to attend ss, Mr. Sawyer," Percy said smugly. "Are you going to deny

    me my right to an education?"

    Mike held back the urge to scream. After a long pause, he said through gritted teeth, "Fine. But if I catch you not paying attention, you''re out!"

    Then he swept a stern re over the bruised boys sitting nearby.

    "And the rest of you! Same deal! Either sit quietly and listen, or get out!"

    Without a word, the boys stood up and filed out of the ssroom.

    Clearly, they preferred hanging out in the hallway over sitting through ss.

 Chapter 39

    Mike was at a loss for words. He was absolutely furious.

    Thankfully, he had an exceptional level of self-control. He was barely managing to suppress his anger and continue teaching.

    Surprisingly, Percy actually paid attention during the lesson, which somewhat soothed Mike''s frayed nerves.

    Before school ended, Mike pulled Percy aside and said sternly, "Make sure you write your reflection properly for the g-raising ceremony on Monday. I don''t want to see you scribble a few lines just to get it over with."

    Scarlett thought for a moment before stepping forward to stop Mike. "Mr. Sawyer," she said, "could Percy''s punishment be put on hold for observation?"

    She continued, "I know the school has a rule that allows disciplinary actions to be suspended for a month. If the student contributes positively to the school during that time, the punishment can be canceled."

    She added, "Percy is sitting for the SATS in three months. A disciplinary record could seriously impact his final grades."

    "I''m hoping you could make an exception," she requested.

    Mike had actually been considering the same thing.

    Though he didn''t have much faith that Percy could redeem himself by making a meaningful contribution to the school, he wanted to buy the boy some time and prevent an immediate mark on his record.

    Mike nodded. "Alright. I''ll speak with Mr. Riggs."

    Heter found Herbert and exined the situation. Herbert merely sneered and said coldly, "It''s only a month. What''s the point of trying? That demerit is going to end up on his record eventually."

    Mike pleaded, "Please, Mr. Riggs. Just give him one month. I promise he won''t cause any more trouble during that time."

    Herbert''s eyes gleamed cunningly as he said, "Fine. I''ll agree to a suspended punishment. But if your ss doesn''t ce at the Elite Math Tournament by the end of the month, you''ll tender your resignation."

    That way, Herbert could bypass the tedious firing procedures and get rid of this stubborn, idealistic young teacher.

    In an elite academy like this, anyone unable to y politics was destined to be eliminated.

    Mike clenched his fists at his sides. It seemed his career might very well end here.

    But even so, he couldn''t stand by and watch his student be permanently marked for a mistake made in anger.

    With nothing more to say, Mike had no choice but to take a gamble.

    He nodded in agreement and said, "Alright. Thank you, Mr. Riggs."

    ...

    Meanwhile, Scarlett had just

    descended the stairs of the

    academic building when she spotted

    Jonah and Lily standing by the

    Ser beds.

    Lily was carefully supporting Jonah''s left side. Jonah''s right arm was in a cast, and his face was marred with small scratches and bruises.

    They seemed to be waiting for her.

    Scarlett didn''t even spare them a nce as she walked right past.

    Jonah''s eyes widened in disbelief as Scarlett walked past him without a nce.

    He had assumed that Scarlett would rush over, fussing and doting on him just like she used to.

    Back when he identally got hit in the head during P.E., she had massaged his scalp for ages, terrified he''d suffer a concussion.

    He had grown used to that tenderness, that care.

    But he had been beaten up badly today, and yet even until school ended, he never once saw

    know

    He thought she simply diet.

    what had happened to him.

    He had purposely waited here after school, expecting her toe running.

    Yet she just walked by like he didn''t exist.

    A surge of inexplicable irritation boiled inside him. Unable to hold it back, he shouted, "Scarlett! Stop right there!"

    Scarlett halted, turned slowly, and shot him a cold, impatient look. "Mr. Quinn," she said icily, "do you ever know when to quit?"

    Jonah''s disbelief only deepened. Scarlett''s tone was sharper, ruder than ever before.

    Fighting back his anger, he asked through gritted teeth, "Didn''t you see that I''m hurt?"

    Scarlett let out a coldugh, already guessing what he was aiming at. "Yeah, I saw. So what?"

    Then her lips curled into a mocking smirk. "You''re not seriously expecting me to care, are you?"

 Chapter 40

    Jonah''s expression turned thunderous. He couldn''t understand why Scarlett had talked to him like that.

    And yes, he wasn''t used to her ignoring him like this. He wanted her toe over and show some concern.

    The moment his pain became unbearable while in the infirmary, Scarlett was the first person who came to his mind.

    He wanted her toe and ease his pain with acupuncture like she used to.

    But before he could even ask, Lily had already mentioned Scarlett, suggesting that this was a good chance to mend things with her.

    At the time, he thought about yesterday''s unpleasant encounter and how Scarlett had humiliated the Quinn family.

    He gritted his teeth in anger. Even though it hurt like hell, he stubbornly refused to call for her.

    Still, he was sure that even if he didn''t call her, Scarlett would hear about it ande running to check on him, just like she always did.

    Wasn''t it always like that before?

    Yet today, even after he endured the pain and got his injuries treated, Scarlett never showed up.

    And now, seeing her sneer at him and ignore him like he was nothing, Jonah felt like he was going to explode.

    "Scarlett, can''t you at least talk to me properly?" Jonah demanded, his voice tight with anger.

    Scarlett gave azy shrug, her tone dripping with indifference. "Oh, getting mad now, are we?"

    Her offhand remark was enough to make Jonah''s blood pressure spike.

    "Scarlett," Lily spoke up, frowning with concern, "do you know why Jonah got hurt so badly?"

    She exined, "He got hurt standing up for you. How can you treat him like this? You''re going to break his heart."

    Scarlett tilted her head, pretending to be confused. "Who exactly are you? What do you have to do with me? Why would anyone stand up for me?"

    Lily looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then said in a low, disappointed voice, "I know you''re still upset that I took your ce as the Quinn family''s daughter."

    "But you know it''s not something I nor Jonah could control," she continued, lowering her gaze. "Jonah was just worried you''d be bullied. That''s why he stepped in."

    "Even if you hate me," Lily added with a pleading look, "you should at least care about Jonah."

    Scarlett let out a coldugh. "How funny. Weren''t you always the one who hated when I showed any concern for Jonah?"

    "Well, don''t worry," Scarlett continued with a mock smile. "Jonah''s all yours now. You should be thrilled."

    "Scarlett, how could you

    misunderstand me like that?" Lily''s eyes filled with tears as she turned to Jonah, her voice trembling. "Jonah I didn''t... I even wanted to call Scarlett over earlier, but you wouldn''t let me."

    Jonah''s expression turned even colder. "Scarlett, why do you always have to think the worst of Lily? She''s been speaking up for you in front of me all along. Have you ever Said a single good word for her?"

    Scarlett let out a short, scornfulugh. "Looks like Ms. Lily isn''t very good at

    making herself clear. She''s been defending me so much, and yet no one seems to like me. What a shame."

    She added sarcastically, "Really, thank you so much, Ms. Lily."

    "Scarlett..." Lily tried to speak again, her voice shaking.

    Scarlett cut her off with a sharp wave of her hand. "Save it. We don''t even know who was born first. Don''t go calling me your sister. Be careful, or someone might overhear and realize you''re nothing but a foster child in the Quinn family."

    "And another thing," Scarlett added coldly, "I am my mom''s only daughter. I don''t have any sisters."

    She looked them both over with icy disdain. "Let me warn you again. I''ve already severed ties with the Quinn family. I would appreciate it if you two would stop bothering me."

    With that, Scarlett turned on her heel and left without looking back.

    Jonah stood there, staring after her in disbelief.

    She was serious. She had really cut ties with the Quinn family.

    Dammit, how dare she act like this toward the Quinn family?

    She was nothing without them.

    Sure, maybe she could still stay in this prestigious academy for now, thanks to Bill. But after the SATS, she''d be nothing but a fallen star, living among the lowest of the low.

    She might not even be able to finish school.

    When that time came, he would see who would still be willing to help her, certainly not anyone but the Quinn family.

    "Jonah..." Lily murmured, looking hurt.

    Jonah''s voice was as cold as ice. "Didn''t you hear her? She said she doesn''t have any sisters, and therefore, you don''t have a sister like her."

    He continued, "Since she''s so determined to throw away a good life and go live in misery, just let her be."

 Chapter 41

    "Let her act as high and mighty as she wants for the time being," Jonah said. "We''ll see if she''s still singing the same tune once the SATS are over!"

    Scarlett returned to the dorm to pack her clothes and books. After she was done, she exited the school, dragging her luggage behind her.

    She bought a few popsicles at the school entrance before heading toward the luxury car that was idling beside the sidewalk.

    Percy had his arms crossed over his chest. When heid his eyes on her, he whipped his head away, his lips jutting out in a pout. "I got hurt because of what happened today, but I don''t see you caring about my well-being at all."

    Scarlett bit into her popsicle. As she looked at the back of his head, which was as round as a ball, she couldn''t help but feel that he was acting rather cute at that moment. She tossed two popsicles at him.

    She grinned and said, "One for you to eat and one for you to ice your injuries."

    She then tossed another popsicle to the driver. "It''s really hot today. You should eat it before we leave."

    "Thank you, Ms. Quinn," the driver said gratefully.

    Percy smirked as he tore the popsicle wrapper and started eating it. He boasted, "Wasn''t I super cool today? Those bastards were no match for me. They were crying on the ground after I gave them a good beatdown!

    "And that former benefactor of yours-I had no idea he was a martial artist. It''s too bad that his opponent was me. It only took me a few strikes before I broke his hand."

    "Good job," Scarlett replied, giving him her fair evaluation. "That''s quite impressive."

    She knew that Jonah was a martial artist and had a ck belt in taekwondo. Most would be no match for him when it came to fighting.

    Unfortunately, he had faced off against Percy. He must have assumed that Percy would be weaker than him, having no idea that Percy grew up in less than ordinary circumstances.

    Even his caretaker was highly skilled when it came to fighting. There was no way that he didn''t possess even a lick of experience when it came to martial arts.

    It was Jonah''s own fault for being so heavily injured. Percy had taken revenge on him on her behalf.

    "Give me your hand."

    "What for?"

    Despite his question, Percy still extended his injured hand toward Scarlett. Other than a few cuts, there was also some swelling. Using the popsicle as a makeshift ice pack, Scarlett ran it over his hand, soothing the swelling.

    Percy looked like he was enjoying himself as his eyelids drooped. He watched Scarlett work as he continued eating his popsicle.

    He had already thought that Scarlett was a beauty since the first time heid eyes on her. However, he was slowly realizing that the more he gazed at her, the prettier she became-especially when she wasn''t wearing her usual indifferent expression.

    He could see the gentleness in the lines on her face, and he thought it should be illegal for someone to be as beautiful as she was. There also seemed to be a

    near indistinguishable air rek

    elegance surrounding her that didn''t seem to be a product of etiquette training. Instead, she seemed to have been born with it.

    Scarlett suddenly lifted her eyes to look at him. Her dark but clear eyes were like two obsidian pools on her pale and wless face.

    Percy was stunned for a moment before his face flushed. "W-what... what are you looking at me for?" he stuttered.

    "Aren''t you the one who''s staring at me?" Scarlett countered in a calm voice. "The swelling on your bruise isn''t going down. Can I use acupuncture on you?"

    He answered "okay" before his mind fully registered what he was agreeing to.

    Scarlett retrieved her acupuncture tool kit from her bag. She had only pulled out the first needle when Percy yelped in surprise and retracted his hand swiftly.

    "What are you doing?" he demanded.

    "Reducing the swelling with

    acupuncture, Scarlett answered. "You''ll have to pay me for my

    service. help you get rid of then et

    swelling before we reach home, so Xavier won''t be able to tell. As for the payment, just give me whatever you think is suitable."

    Scarlett had learned her lesson after having her services continuously taken advantage of by the Quinns. She knew now that she should ask for payment no matter who she was administering treatment to.

    Disbelief was written all over Percy''s face when he extended his hand once more. The swelling on his hand was quite severe. What on earth could she do to reduce it so it would be inconspicuous before they got home?

    "Ms. Quinn, I have to pick up Mr. Stroud from the private airport. He''ll be joining the two of you in the car in the next 20 minutes."

    Scarlett nodded. "Understood."

    20 minutes would be enough time to reduce the swelling on Percy''s hand. However, she couldn''t have predicted that Xavier would join them sooner than expected.

    The backseat door was pulled open when the driver stopped the car at the side of the road. Xavier stood there, watching as she held Percy''s hand and removed the needles from his flesh.

 Chapter 42

    "What are the two of you doing?" Xavier asked.

    His voice was as cold as frost and unmistakablyced with anger, scaring Percy

    to the point that he started quivering all over. He tried to retract his hand, only for Scarlett to tighten her grip.

    "Don''t move," she ordered before turning to address Xavier. "Mr. Stroud, I''m helping Percy with his tendonitis."

    Percy nodded hurriedly. "That''s right! I have tendonitis, and Scarlett is helping me heal it with acupuncture. Her skills are out of this world!"

    He wasn''t even exaggerating. He had assumed that the swelling on the back of his hand would take days to go down. However, Scarlett needed less than 20 minutes to make the swelling disappear.

    It was the only reason he had found the courage to go along with her cover-up story. He didn''t even dare to think about how Xavier would deal with him if he found out that Percy had been beating people up.

    Xavier still looked upset. His lips were pressed together tightly, and an air of iciness emanated from every part of his body.

    Percy felt crushed under the immense weight of his stress. Once Scarlett was done removing the needles from his hand, he retracted his hand at lightning speed and slipped away to the passenger seat.

    Waves of cial cold continued to roll off Xavier''s body after he got into the car, bringing the atmosphere in the vehicle down to the freezing point-until Scarlett pulled out another popsicle from the built-in freezer and offered it to him. "Mr. Stroud, would you like a popsicle?"

    Xavier nced at her before replying coldly, "I don''t eat cold things."

    Scarlett tossed the popsicle back into the freezer.

    Xavier spoke up again, "Since you know acupuncture, why don''t you use it on me?"

    "Are you feeling unwell, Mr. Stroud?" asked Scarlett.

    "I''m feeling ufortable all over," was Xavier''s reply.

    Scarlett had nothing to say to that.

    The silence in the car was rather bizarre. A few moments passed before Scarlett asked again, "Where do you feel most ufortable, Mr. Stroud?"

    "My heart."

    Scarlett felt her throat tightening. There were many possible causes if the issue was with his heart. It wasn''t something that could be easily healed by just poking a few needles into him.

    "Mr. Stroud, have you experienced any difort with your heart in the past?" she asked patiently.

    "No."

    "Do you go for regr check-ups for your heart?"

    "Yes."

    "Did the check-ups indicate that you have any heart issues?"

    "No."

    Scarlett was stumped. "Then, when did you start feeling difort in your heart, Mr. Stroud?"

    Xavier pressed his lips together, but he didn''t answer her question. His heart had felt immensely ufortable when he saw Scarlett holding Percy''s hand. It wasn''t just his heart, but even his lungs were ufortable. He felt so angry that he thought he might blow his top off.  However, he had summoned all his willpowe to keep his fury in check, so it hadn''t been too obvious. Now that Scarlett was questioning him about it, he felt a little too ashamed to admit what he had been feeling to her.  s?novel

    "Just check my pulse. I''m not too sure which part of my body is feeling unwell."

    Scarlett was once again rendered speechless by Xavier''s response. Still, she did as she was told, reaching for his wrist that was pale as porcin. Her fingers

    trembled the moment she came into

    contact with his wrist.

    His skin was as cold as ice, but his pulse was beating powerfully. She pressed down a little harder, taking note of his heartbeat.

    Silence nketed the entire car. Only when the car entered Jondalia Gardens did Scarlett hastily snatch her hand back, removing her fingertips from his wrist.

    Xavier had his gaze locked on her pale and slender fingers. Disappointment filled his eyes at the sudden absence of her touch. He pulled his sleeve down and covered his wrist once more.

 Chapter 43

    Scarlett''s brow furrowed when she asked, "Mr. Stroud, were you seriously injured in the past?"

    Xavier nodded slightly and hummed in response.

    She mulled over her thoughts for a moment before continuing, "Your body has quite a lot of issues. I may have a way to help you, but....."

    Xavier stared at her. He knew very well that it would be no easy task to deal with whatever he was afflicted with. They were all after-effects of the car ident from years ago.

    His personal physician was still researching ways to heal his body even now, but he had been unsessful in his attempts thus far.

    "Speak freely. I''m aware of the condition of my body. If it cannot be healed, it''s not a big deal."

    Scarlett shook her head. "If I say I can heal you, then I will heal you. It''s just that... I will have to charge a fee."

    "A fee?" Xavier asked, stunned.

    She nodded. "I''ve healed many people for free in the past, but rarely do any of them feel gratitude toward me for my efforts. They even think that I''m obligated to save them. However, I''m short of money at the moment, so even if you provide suchfortable amodations for me, I''m afraid I must still charge you for my services.

    "However, this is just me going through the motions. You can pay me as much as you want. Even if you just pay me a dor, I guarantee you that I will heal you of all your afflictions."

    Xavier''s lips curled into a smile. For reasons unbeknownst to him, her words soothed his worries and also made him feel confident in his own body.

    It felt just like it had a decade ago. He had been convinced that he was going to die, but she had been able to pull him back from the brink of death. Even if she suddenly disappeared from his life, he knew that he would still survive.

    His voice had dropped to a low tone when he said, "Okay, I look forward to you curing me."

    Scarlett said, "During the treatment period, you will have to abstain from smoking and drinking, Mr. Stroud. You''ll also have to ensure that you get seven hours of sleep every day. Can you do it?"

    Xavier pressed his thin lips together. He had no issue with abstaining from smoking and drinking. As for getting seven hours of sleep every day...

    In the end, he answered her honestly, "I''m sorry, I can only guarantee four hours of sleep at the most."

    "That won''t do," she said. Out of other options, she offered apromise. "Six hours of sleep, nothing less. If you don''t, there won''t be any visible results."

    Percy turned his head back toward

    them. "Uncle Xavier is usually extremely busy with work and has a serious case of insomnia. It takes him two to three hours to fall asleep. By the time he does, it''s dawn. Even the slightest bit of light will wake

    him.

    "He''s the type of man who will only fall asleep if he''spletely exhausted. The entire private hospital celebrates whenever he sleeps more than four hours. It''s unfortunate, but I don''t think he can fulfill your request."

    Scarlett frowned upon realizing that the situation was moreplicated than expected. However, she was not deterred. She pondered for a moment before saying, "I''ll buy some things tomorrow to help you have an easier time falling asleep."

    The car drove toward a

    Eurofian-style building and came to a stop at the entrance. Scarlett grabbed her luggage, entered the

    building, and made her way to

    the bedroom. Once she had O unpacked her belongings, she set out to look for Edmund.

    "Mr. Barrett, has Mr. Stroud agreed to your request?" she asked.

    Edmund felt a little regretful as he shook his head. "I''m sorry to say that Mr.

    Stroud has not allowed me to take you as my student. However, rest assured, I will still teach you everything that I know."

    He could understand why Xavier had rejected him he had developed a romantic interest in her after

    bumping into her again. It made

    sense now why he hadn''t shown any

    interest in any other women in the years since. Meanwhile, he had brought Scarlett home immediately after finding her again.

    However, Scarlett''s identity and status would only allow her to be his lover at most. She was his savior, after all. It was impossible for him to raise her to the position ofdy of the house even if he wanted to.

    The only thing Edmund could do now was to teach Scarlett some self-defense to repay Xavier''s kindness toward him. He hoped that she would eventually be Xavier''s subordinate instead of his woman.

    Scarlett''s brows knitted together. She thought it wouldn''t be right to ept Edmund''s teachings if she wasn''t his student. It would feel like she was taking advantage of his kindness.

    She mulled over her thoughts before saying, "How about this then? From now on, I''ll call you Edmund instead, and I''ll take care of you after you''ve grown old."

    Edmund couldn''t help the smile that pulled at his lips. Scarlett was rather cute in her own way.

 Chapter 44

    Scarlett continued her exploration of the Eurofian-style building and acquired a general understanding of theyout as well as the facilities that were avable.

    Jane had told her that she could visit any room in the building except for Xavier''s study. She shot a nce at the jet-ck door to the study, noting it was sealed shut. Although she was curious, she was still a guest in the household, so she politely averted her eyes.

    Thest ce Scarlett dropped by was Percy''s room. She entered after knocking, her lips twitching when sheid eyes on the figurines from various differentics and animations adorning the room.

    She did her best to ignore the over-the-top decorations as she pulled up her QR code-she was just here to collect her payment.

    Percy generously transferred 10,000 dors into her ount.

    The next day, Scarlett stopped by the mall to pick up some tools that might help Xavier fall asleep. Among the items she purchased were a ckout sleeping mask, a watch that monitored a sleeping person''s heart rate, an electronic clock that uses hypnosis to put one to sleep, and a few potted herbs that were beneficial for sleep.

    When she made it back to Jondalia Residence, she ran into a young man whom she didn''t know in the living room. He was dressed in arge, white coat and was wearing a pair of gold-rimmed sses. He had a tall nose and a suave

    appearance.

    He was bent over a machine, fiddling with the controls. The other end was attached to Xavier''s arm.

    Scarlett guessed that he was either measuring Xavier''s blood pressure or monitoring something else.

    When he heard her approaching footsteps, the man raised his head to look at her, pinning her with a scrutinizing gaze. "Are you Scarlett Quinn? The one who''s skilled in medicine despite your young age?"

    Scarlett nodded at him politely. "Nice to meet you."

    The man''s lips crooked up into a smirk. He shot a nce at Xavier before directing his gaze back to Scarlett. It was hard to believe that Xavier actually managed to locate the young girl who had saved him all those years ago. She looked simr to the image of her he had drawn.

    However, the woman before him was certainly too young! She must have only been seven or eight years old, ten years ago. He couldn''t believethat someone that young could be skilled enough to stop someone from bleeding out using acupuncture.

    He was nearly 20 years old at the time of the ident and was already considered one of the three geniuses in the medical field. He had been studying medicine for 15 years, but even he couldn''t guarantee that he

    would have been able to save Xavier under those circumstances.

    However, Scarlett had managed to do just that when she was only seven or eight years old. It was simply p?eposterous. He was certain

    that she must have gotten help from

    her mentor. As for Xavier, he had actually managed to remember her pretty face despite how dazed and confused he must have been right after the ident.

    The man asked, "Who did you study medicine with? Who was your mentor?"

    "Mr. Alton Becker," Scarlett answered honestly.

    The man arched an eyebrow as surprise flickered in his gaze. "Not surprising," he murmured.

    Ten years ago, Alton had made an appearance after Xavier was rushed to the hospital. If it wasn''t for his help, Xavier''s after-effects would be much more severe than they were now.

    "This is Caleb Gaztrict, my personal physician," Xavier introduced.

    Gastric? Scarlett pressed her lips together to stop herself fromughing.

    Caleb scowled at her and said, "It''s not spelled the way you''re thinking. I had a feeling your brain was filled with nonsense."

    She forced the corners of her lips down. "Sorry, I couldn''t help myself."

    Caleb was rendered speechless by her response. Scarlett sure had some nerve, she didn''t even bother pretending that she wasn''t making fun of him!

    The worst part of the entire situation was Xavier''s response. "Justugh if you want to. He won''t mind."

    Caleb couldn''t believe his ears. Who the fuck wouldn''t mind being the butt of the joke?

 Chapter 45

    Caleb didn''t have the guts to oppose Xavier''s words since he had already voiced out his sentiment. He chuckled stiffly, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. He looked at the items that Scarlett was carrying, as well as the potted herbs the gardener behind her was cradling in his arms.

    "Are these the tools you''ll be using to cure Mr. Stroud''s insomnia?"

    Scarlett nodded in response. "Yes. Just these should suffice."

    His eyes were filled with disdain, and he was rendered speechless. Her methods

    were so childish! Did she think that they were just ying around?

    He even suspected that Scarlett was trying to scam Xavier just because he remembered that she was his savior.

    On the other hand, the way he treated Caleb was wildly different. What did Xavier think he was? A decoration that just looked pretty?

    "Ms. Quinn, you need to live righteously. You also need to know the person you''re treating, as well as the condition of their body. You''re not even familiar with these things, and yet you''re trying to treat him with these ridiculous methods.

    "Do you think that you can pull the wool over Mr. Stroud''s eyes so easily? Or do you think that I''m someone whom you can easily lie to?"

    "Caleb!" Xavier hissed, his face darkening. "Take your machine and get out!"

    "No..." Caleb replied, sounding panicked. "Mr. Stroud, do you truly believe that she can cure your insomnia? You know how capable I am. How do you think she''ll achieve what even I cannot do?"

    "Mr. Gaztrict," Scarlett cut in suddenly. "I''ve never lied even once, and I don''t make promises that I can''t keep. I''ve checked on Mr. Stroud''s condition, and I''m confident that I can cure his insomnia. If you don''t trust me, you can observe from the sidelines when I administer my treatment."

    Caleb clicked his tongue impatiently. He still believed that she was just making up excuses to scam Xavier. Besides, he was Xavier''s personal physician. He wouldn''t allow any quack doctor to get close to Xavier to poke around his body.

    Being scammed out of his money was one thing, but if her actions got in the way of his treatment and impacted Xavier''s recovery, the consequences would be unthinkable.

    He said, "Since you''re so confident in your skills, why don''t you use your tools on me first? Coincidentally, I''ve been losing sleep for the past few days. If you manage to get me to have a good night''s rest, I''ll be able to pass Mr. Stroud into your care without any worries. But if you''re unable to cure my insomnia, you can stop dreaming about getting close to his body."

    Xavier''s brow furrowed tightly. Caleb was behaving much too ridiculously. He was about to start lecturing him when Scarlett beat him to it.

    "Fine!" she dered. "However, I don''t heal people for free. You have to pay a medical fee to me."

    The words "I knew it" were written all over Caleb''s face. He arched an eyebrow at Xavier, whose face was still hardened.

    "See? I knew she was here to scam you out of your money!" he thought while he stared pointedly at Xavier.

    Caleb was determined to expose Scarlett''s true nature to Xavier. "Fine, if you manage to cure my insomnia, I''ll pay you 20,000 dors for my medical fee. I''l even call you my mentor!"

    "You don''t have to do that. It makes me sound old if you call me your mentor," she replied.

    Caleb pursed his lips. This woman truly had some nerve!

    A few seconds passed before Scarlett said, "You can just call me ''The Great Scarlett''."

    Caleb stared at her with eyes as wide as saucers, speechless. He nearly cursed aloud at her, swallowing the "fuck you" that threatened to spill from his lips. "So ''The Great Scarlett'' doesn''t sound old to you?"

    "Not at all. It sounds cool."

    Unable to help himself, Caleb yelled, "Then you''ll have to call me ''The Great Caleb'' if you can''t cure my insomnia!"

    "Sure."

    Since Scarlett had promised to treat him, she had Jane prepare a guest room for Caleb.

    After moving all her tools into the

    room, she had him take off his

    shoes and lie down on the bed, directing his head toward the edge of the bed. He ended up lying across the bed. Thankfully, the bed was quite wide, which amodated his long legs.

    Fotell

    When Scarlett left the room to wash her hands in preparation, Caleb whispered to Xavier, "Mr. Stroud, please verify her skills for me. To tell you the truth, I don''t have insomnia-I came over right after I woke up. Instead of falling asleepter, I''ll observe how she ns to go about treating me."

    Xavier''s handsome face remained expressionless, but Caleb could tell that he had been rendered speechless. If he wasn''t curious about Scarlett''s methods to treat his insomnia, he would never have

    allowed Caleb to act so out of line.

    C��ntent

    Scarlett returned soon after and covered Caleb''s body with a grey nket. "Close

    your eyes. I''m about to start."

 Chapter 46

    As Caleb closed his eyes, he was already anticipating the sweet sound of Scarlett calling him "The Great Caleb." The ticking sounds of a clock echoed into his ear before he heard her speak.

    "Empty your mind," she said. "The timer has started."

    "I''m not going to!" Caleb countered silently in his mind. "I''m going to think about lots of things!"

    "I''ll do my best to ensure you fall asleep in the next ten minutes."

    Ten minutes? Scarlett may be small-sized, but she sure knew how to toot her own horn.

    "First, I''m going to massage some of your acupuncture points. You''ll be able to feel the pressure of my touch."

    Caleb had to give credit where it was due. Her touch on him was quitefortable.

    "Mr. Gaztrict, is this pressure okay?" Scarlett asked. After a few seconds of silence, she called out to him again, "Mr. Gaztrict... Mr. Gaztrict?"

    She had barely touched the acupuncture points that promoted sleep, but Caleb was already deep in dreand. He was even snoring slightly. Scarlett retracted her hands and checked the timer.

    48 seconds... Was Caleb certain that he had insomnia?

    Xavier pressed his thin lips together and frowned slightly. He felt embarrassed on Caleb''s behalf.

    Scarlett turned her head to look at him, asking, "Mr. Stroud, should we let him continue sleeping?"

    He stepped forward and said, "Move to the side."

    She rose to her feet and did as she was told, taking a few steps backward.

    Xavier raised his fist suddenly before driving it directly into Caleb''s chest, causing thetter to cough up a storm as he rolled onto his side. When he finally caught his breath, he rubbed the spot where he had been hit and asked Xavier in a tone that was dripping with confusion, "Mr. Stroud, why did you hit me?"

    Xavier stared at him coldly and said, "Look at your watch."

    Caleb lifted his wrist to look at the watch that Scarlett had told him to put on before hey on the bed. The device was meant to monitor his sleep quality. Disbelief was written all over Caleb''s face when he noticed that he had been in deep sleep for 20 seconds.

    "How can this be?" he eximed.

    He did his best to recall exactly what had transpired, but he could only remember howfortable he had felt when Scarlett had ced her hands on his head. He had no recollection of the events that came after that.

    Caleb lifted his eyes and shot her a disbelieving look. As a doctor, he was aware that Scarlett had been extremely precise when she pressed her fingers against the acupuncture points. Not only that, but she had also applied the perfect amount of pressure to put him into a deep sleep.

    Scarlett pulled out her phone and showed him a QR code. "Here, scan this."

    Although Caleb was reluctant to admit defeat, he had to uphold his end of the bet. He scanned the QR code and transferred the money to her.

    Satisfied, Scarlett pocketed her phone before saying, "I don''t think you have insomnia. Your sleep quality was very good."

    Caleb was too embarrassed to tell her that he had been pretending since the start. He never would have guessed that she was so skilled. He also never expected that a genius in the medical field such as himself would be humiliated one day.

    He coughed slightly. "Well, The Great Scarlett, I''ll leave Mr. Stroud in your care."

    Scarlett thoroughly enjoyed the sound of that nicknameing from Caleb''s mouth. Her lips curved into a smile, and she looked quite smug. She turned around to ask Xavier, "Mr. Stroud, would you like to give it a try?"

    Xavier stared at her for a short moment before speaking in a low voice, "Sure. Let''s go to my bedroom."

    The three of them made their way to Xavier''s bedroom. His room was decorated in simple shades of grey easily revealing the simple yet

    expensive tastes of its owner. R matched Xavier, who was steady and reserved, dignified and cold, and also had a quick mind.

    Xavier didn''t lie on his bed, instead, he sank down onto the lounge chair. Since his insomnia was quite severe, Scarlett had prepared several potted nts to set down around him, includingvender, hoary stock, jasmine, and chrysanthemum.

    Thevender and hoary stock would help with calming and soothing his nerves, allowing his body to rx and fall asleep sooner. As for the jasmine, it would reduce his anxiety, which would allow him to let go of his feelings of nervousness.

 Chapter 47

    The chrysanthemum would help Xavier with his fatigue and also calm his senses. Scarlett had carefully selected them, making sure that their fragrance wasn''t too strong, but also not too faint. Their scent had the effect of rxing anyone who smelled it.

    After washing her hands, Scarlett retrieved the ckout eye mask and handed it to Xavier. He was a slight germaphobe, so he didn''t ept the mask immediately.

    Caleb asked hastily, "Did you just buy this? Have you washed it?"

    Scarlett instantly guessed that Xavier had germophobia based on Caleb''s questions. She understood his concerns, since the Quinn brothers also had varying degrees of germophobia. While caring for them, Scarlett had developed the habit of cleaning and sanitizing all her tools long ago.

    "Don''t worry," she said. "I disinfected it earlier."

    It was also the reason why she hadn''t given the eye mask to Caleb while she was treating him.

    Caleb was surprised by her answer. "You''re quite meticulous, aren''t you?"

    It appeared that Scarlett was well suited to being a doctor.

    Xavier epted the eye mask from Scarlett after her reassurance. Once everything was ready, Scarlett started the timer.

    "Empty your mind. The timer has started. I''ll do my best to ensure you fall asleep in the next ten minutes. First, I''m going to massage your acupuncture points. You''ll be able to feel the pressure of my touch."

    Scarlett ced her hands gently on Xavier''s head. However, despite how he had emptied his mind as she instructed, he couldn''t help but tense up when he felt her soft and warm fingertips brush against his scalp.

    "Rx. There''s no need to be nervous," Scarlett murmured. "Is this pressure okay?"

    Xavier''s voice was low and slightly hoarse when he answered, "Yes."

    Caleb stood to the side and observed as the scene unfolded. His eyes widened when he nced at the watch that was meant to monitor Xavier''s sleep quality. For whatever reason, Xavier''s heart was beating at 140 beats per minute.

    Scarlett could also detect Xavier''s nervousness, and she decided to change gears. "Mr. Stroud, let me tell you a story. I want you to listen closely and tell me what the story is about.

    "A long time ago, in the Sachet Kingdom, there was a princess named Sally. She was taken away from the pce from the moment she was born. She grew up and matured as the years passed, but nobody told her that she was actually a princess-"

    Scarlett continued to tell Sally''s tale in a slow and calming voice. After massaging his temples for a while she noticed that Xavier still showed no signs of falling asleep. She then pulled out her acupuncture tool kit and inserted a silver needle into his skin.  ''

    Caleb had the urge to stop her at first, but when he realized that the tool kit belonged to Alton, he instead grew curious about how Scarlett nned to utilize it.

    Five minutester, Xavier''s heartbeat slowed down as every muscle in his body began to rx.

    Scarlett''s brow was furrowed tightly. His insomnia was a lot more serious than she anticipated. Her massage waspletely ineffective, and she had only been able to force him to rx and prepare his body for sleep by using acupuncture. Despite her efforts, Xavier was still unable to fall into a deep sleep. He would wake at the slightest movement, and his heartbeat would quicken again.

    Scarlett let her voice trail off as she stopped telling her story and gently removed her hands from Xavier''s head. It had taken 30 minutes for his breathing to even out. The watch around his wrist finally showed that he had fallen into a deep sleep.

    Disbelief was written all over Caleb''s face. His fingers flew across the screen of

    his phone rapidly as he typed out his thoughts for Scarlett to see.

    "What the fuck, you''re amazing! Your hypnosis skills will put those international hypnotists to shame!"

    Caleb had hired a hypnotist to try to induce Xavier to sleep in the past. However, Xavier had been as stubborn as a bull. No matter what the hypnotist tried to do, he kept his eyes open, refusing to close them and refusing to go to sleep.

    The hypnotist had also been stunned, never expecting she would face a challenge as formidable as Xavier during the span of her illustrious career.

    On the other hand, Scarlett had only given him an eye mask to wear before sticking a few needles into his head, and he fell into a deep slumber. She grabbed her phone and typed a reply.

 Chapter 48

    "I''m not using hypnotism," Scarlett exined in her reply. "It''s more akin to a type of sleep aid. I had him empty his thoughts to rx his mind. However, the nerves in his cerebral cortex are too active, which is a stress response after experiencing severe trauma. If he continues this way, he''ll die of depression."

    Caleb replied, "You''re right, but not even medication can control the activity of his nerves in his cerebral cortex. His body has developed an immunity to the drugs, so nothing is effective on him anymore.

    "To top it off, he''s already depressed. Don''t be fooled by his regr appearance- once he spirals, he''ll resort to self-harm. Since you''re Mr. Becker''s apprentice, your acupuncture skills must be extraordinary. He even left his tool kit with you, after all.

    "I hope that you can continue practicing acupuncture on Mr. Stroud to cure him of his insomnia. I would also like to apologize for my rudeness earlier. If you''re interested in working in the medical field in the future, those of us at Gaztrict- Johnson Hospital will wee you with open arms."

    Caleb was nothing if not adept at adapting to the situation at hand.

    Scarlett narrowed her eyes after reading his message. So he was the owner of Gaztrict-Johnson Hospital, a rival to Josiah''s hospital.

    In her past life, Josiah''s medical achievements nearly made his hospital the top hospital in the country. However, he had been overshadowed by Gaztrict-Johnson Hospital at every turn, resulting in his hospital forever being stuck in second ce.

    To fulfill Josiah''s wishes, she had begun her illustrious career as an acupuncturist in his hospital. Those who could not be healed at Gaztrict-Johnson Hospital would miraculously be cured after she treated them.

    With her help, Josiah''s hospital finally took the top spot in the medical field. Her acupuncture achievements had also boosted his hospital''s reputation, pushing it to be the country''s top hospital.

    However, when Lily developed kidney failure after excessive drinking, Josiah had asked Scarlett to donate one of her kidneys to Lily since they werepatible.

    She had refused with the thought that she wouldn''t be able to continue working at Josiah''s hospital if she were missing a kidney. How could she help him maintain his spot at the top of the medical field then?

    Scarlett never would have imagined that Josiah would lie her on the operating table after she copsed from exhaustion one night after working overtime for an entire week. She had been shocked awake when he switched on the blinding lights.

    Josiah had been dressed in scrubs, and he was holding a needle, clearly prepared to inject the anesthetic into her veins. Terrified, Scarlett had tried to struggle against him, only to

    realize that she had been tied to the table.

    "Don''t be scared." Josiah had tried to reassure her. "I won''t let you feel any pain. Everything will pass soon."

    Scarlett had been infuriated. She roared, "I didn''t agree! I didn''t sign my name on the organ donor form! What you''re doing now is against thew, Josiah!"

    "Lily will be in a lot of pain without this kidney," was Josiah''s reply. "Besides, you''re only losing one. I''ll make it up to you."

    Scarlett eventually lost consciousness after the chilly liquid was injected into her veins. When she finally woke up, not only had she lost a kidney, but she had also suffered a decline in most of her bodily functions.

    Her so-called family hadn''t shown her even a hint of concern after the operation. They were too busy orbiting happily around Lily, even though only a single wall separated Scarlett and her.

    Josiah''s promise to make it up to her came in the form of a small promotion. She had been promoted to the position of a senior physician in the traditional medicine department. However, Scarlett could no longer perform the duties of her new position.

    She often felt listless and weak. She developed anemia, which eventually deteriorated into chronic kidney disease. She would often feel like passing out after only sitting for a few moments at her desk.

    She also no longer had the strength to enter the operating room, and her hands would tremble violently when she held the acupuncture needles.

    Scarlett could no longer help Josiah when he needed her, and she could no longer treat any patients for long term, not when she would.

    copse before the patients did not

    As

    a result, the reputation of Josiah''s hospital suffered a huge blow, allowing Gaztrict-Johnson Hospital to reim its number one spot in the medical field.

    Josiah started to treat her with disdain. He thought of her as useless for ruining

    the hospital''s reputation. He ended up firing her, using the excuse that she

    needed time to rest to heal her weak body.

    When Scarlett recalled all the horrible things that had happened to her in her past life, her expression slowly turned icy.

 Chapter 49

    Caleb was a little stunned by her response. He didn''t think that he had said anything out of line.

    Scarlett grabbed his phone and typed out a message that read, "I would like to work in your hospital''s traditional medicine department."

    In her past life, she had helped Josiah immensely with her acupuncture skills. However, he hadn''t shown her even a sliver of gratitude and had even stolen her kidney with his own two hands.

    In this life, she wanted to see if he was still capable of surpassing Gaztrict- Johnson Hospital without her help. Not only was she not going to help him, but she was going to join his rival hospital. She wasn''t going to let Josiah off the hook that easily.

    She had carried her vengeance from her past life when she regressed, and she was going to exact her revenge on him in this life!

    Caleb had to temper his bubbling excitement after reading her message. His hospital was at the top of the medical field when it came to all specialties except for traditional medicine. There were several reasons for this, one of them being how people these days did not believe in the effectiveness of traditional medicine.

    Only the elderly folks were interested in it. However, they would only turn to traditional medicine when they needed to take care of and maintain the condition of their bodies, or if they wanted a massage, or if they needed physical therapy.

    There were plenty of health centers that offered simr and better servicespared to his hospital.

    Thus, the traditional medicine department in his hospital had a rather grim future, since the physicians who were truly skilled had been poached away by those health centers.

    It was like a dreame true for Caleb to hear that Scarlett wanted to join his hospital-in the traditional medicine department, no less! She was practically a genius in this field!

    His spirits were at an all-time high when he typed out his reply. "I''ll offer you the position of senior physician if you join our traditional medicine department."

    Scarlett arched an eyebrow, surprised by his response.

    "I don''t have a medical resum��. Aren''t you afraid that I''ll ruin the reputation of your hospital if you hire me as a senior physician?"

    "You must be joking. You''re Mr. Becker''s apprentice! Him passing down this acupuncture tool kit to you is the best medical resum�� you can possibly have."

    "I had no idea you thought of traditional medicine so highly. I always assumed that modern medicine geniuses such as yourself would look down upon traditional medicine."

    "You shouldn''t generalize. I have huge respect for traditional medicine, Others might not be aware of how effective traditional medicine can be, but I''ve seen with my own eyes how Mr. Becken saved someone from the brink of death. Even with the skills I have now, I cannot guarantee that I can do the same.

    "Although traditional medicine isn''t very popr now, it doesn''t take away from its effectiveness. Ms. Quinn, I have high hopes for you!" was Caleb''s enthusiastic response.

    "Thank you," Scarlett replied. "Once I''m done with my SATS, I''ll intern in the traditional medicine department."

    Worried that Scarlett would slip through his fingers, Caleb quickly replied, "No need. I''ll give you a position right now. Besides, you still need to treat Mr. Stroud, so we''ll consider that as you working for my hospital."

    Scarlett pondered his suggestion for a moment. Finding no fault with his reasoning, she agreed without much hesitation. His suggestion benefited her. Not only would she be able to skip the application and internship process, but she would also be able to earn some extra ie.

    Caleb asked her for identification documents and bank ount details. Not even ten minutester, he sent an electronic work ID to her. His efficiency surprised Scarlett.

    Xavier had no idea that Caleb would sessfully convince Scarlett to join his hospital in the first 30 minutes he spent in deep sleep. His sleepsted from afternoon until evening, totaling a solid six hours.

    The room was very quiet when he woke up-Scarlett and Caleb had left a long time ago.

    He sat up slowly, a hint of disbelief swirling in his dark eyes. His body felt as light as a feather, as if the years of fatigue that had collected

    on his shoulders had been swept away in one fell swoop. It had been a long time since he was able to experience such restful steep.

    When Xavier raised his wrist to check the watch that monitored his sleep quality,

    he realized that he had been in deep sleep for five hours. His lips curled up, and

    he lifted his defined but slender fingers to brush gently over the curve of his smile.

    "She really is something else," he murmured to himself.

 Chapter 50

    Scarlett bumped into Xavier when she was on her way back to her room. She had just finished a boxing lesson with Edmund. She raised her hand and waved at him before saying, "Mr. Stroud, you''re awake. How do you feel?"

    She was wearing a set of ck, form-fitting athletic wear that showed off the lines of her body, entuating her exquisite figure. Her smile was bright and genuine, and her clear eyes sparkled like stars. Her beauty was truly breathtaking.

    Xavier''s eyes darkened as he made his way over to her leisurely. "I feel great." He paused for a moment before continuing, "When''s the next treatment?" Scarlett smiled and said, "That''s up to you, Mr. Stroud. It would be ideal if it were at night."

    "Alright, I have work tonight. Come to my bedroom tomorrow night at 10:00 pm."

    Scarlett walked with him for a short distance before she spoke up again. "Say, Mr. Stroud. I noticed that there''s a shooting range in the next building. Is it alright for me to learn how to shoot?"

    Xavier nced at her from the corner of his eye. "You can," he replied. "But you have to be careful."

    The guns and bullets he stocked in the shooting range were all real, so the recoil was powerful. He was worried that Scarlett would identally hurt herself since she was so thin. She didn''t even look like she could hold a gun properly.

    He mulled over his thoughts for a moment before adding, "I''ll teach you personally when I have some free time."

    "Thank you, Mr. Stroud!" she said gratefully.

    Scarlett had noticed that the building was a goldmine of training centers. Not only was there a shooting range, but it was also equipped with other high-ss facilities. There was even a built-in race track.

    She had always been interested in trying her hand at such activities, but she hadn''t been allowed to use the facilities during her time with the Quinns. They assumed that she would spoil the expensive equipment since she was from the sticks. She could only watch as Lily yed around in those facilities.

    No matter how much she wished for it, she was never given permission to use the facilities.

    Thus, she had spent a long time exploring the building, but she hadn''t touched any of the equipment since she hadn''t gotten permission from the owner of the house. However, Edmund had told her that she was free to use whatever facility was avable.

    But she had been too embarrassed to do so. She had said, "But I don''t know how to use the equipment. Could you teach me?"

    Edmund''s tone was apologetic when he replied, "I can''t make that decision. You should ask Mr. Stroud instead."

    She didn''t expect that Xavier would agree so easily to her request, even though she had only been trying her luck when she asked him. He even said that he would personally teach her.

    Scarlett suddenly felt that her luck had turned around. Everything had been smooth sailing ever since she left the Quinns.

    Not only had she been able to find a home in this mysterious ce, but she was also able to learn martial arts with Edmund, who was an immensely skilled martial artist.

    Now, she was even allowed to try her hand at the activities that she had always wanted to do in her past life. She was in such high spirits that she managed toplete two sets of elite math questions in a single sitting.  vel

    When the next day arrived, Scarlett hadn''t forgotten her main purpose for staying

    at Jondalia Residence. She sought out Percy and asked, "Have you finished writing your apology letter?"

    Percy was loungingzily on the couch, and his eyes were glued to his phone

    screen.

    "What apology letter?" he asked before shouting at his phone, "Go! Go! Go! Kill them all!"

    Speechless, Scarlett grabbed his bag and searched through his books. As expected, he hadn''tpleted any of the assigned work. There wasn''t even a sign of the apology letter either.

    She snatched his phone away and arched an eyebrow at him. "You''re ying ''Pride of Kings'' even though you haven''t finished your homework?"

    Percy lunged at her, trying to snatch his phone back, but Scarlett held the device far out of his reach.

    "Give it back to me!" he eximed,

    panicked. "I''m in the midst of ranking up! Jonah can''t y the game right now because of his.

    broken hand. I''m going to use this opportunity to surpass him! m going to show those

    gaming-addictedckeys of his what a real top yer looks like!"

    Scarlett barked out augh. "You have my gratitude for breaking his hand. I won''t forget what you did."

    Percy scoffed. "It''s his fault for stirring up trouble in the first ce. What''s wrong? Are you going to stick up for your former benefactor?"

    Scarlett nced at Percy''s phone. His champion had already met his death in the game after being inactive, and his teammates were cursing him out in the chat. They even threatened to report him to get his ount banned.

    "I was the one who earned the majority of Jonah''s 100 stars," she said. "If you

    want to surpass his rank, I can y the game for you."

    "What? Jonah actually got someone else to y the game for him?"

    Percy suddenly felt his shame fleeing from his body. He knew that Scarlett was skilled at gaming. Winning a game in "Master of Myths had been as easy as

    breathing for her, so ying el

    Pride

    of Kings" should be a cakewalk inparison.

 Chapter 51

    Scarlett said again, "But you still have to finish all the homework the teacher assigned. That includes an apology letter of no less than a thousand words."

    Percy was torn. He had already lost three games in a row. One more and he would drop a rank.

    Scarlett nced at his screen, speaking slowly, deliberately, "They''ve already pushed your tower. Your teammate who''s ying the mouse character just said he''s reporting you for trolling. Bet you''ve racked up quite a few stars by now, huh? Would be such a shame if this ount got banned."

    That did it. Moments ago, he was mocking Jonah for using cheats. Now, without hesitation, he shouted, "Fight! Come on, help me fight! Please don''t let this ount get banned. I''ll do the homework, I''ll write the apology letter. I swear I''ll write until you''re satisfied, alright?

    "I''m begging you, please..."

    He was really panicking now, hands sped together and begging.

    Scarlett didn''t tease him any further. The corner of her mouth lifted into a sly smirk as she twirled the phone in one hand, then jumped back into the game.

    What started as a hopeless match flipped the moment she took over. The tide turned fast. The enemy team started asking in the chat if they were up against a pro booster.

    Percy was grinning like a fool next to her. The game ended in aeback victory.

    Scarlett took the phone and walked toward the entrance. "Let''s go. Time to do your homework."

    Percy grabbed his backpack and trotted after her like a happy puppy.

    Xavier stepped out just in time to see Scarlett sprawledzily in a chair, casually ying on her phone.

    Right beside her, the usually homework-allergic Percy was sitting still and scribbling furiously in his notebook.

    Xavier''s gaze paused on Scarlett for a few seconds longer than necessary. Her fingers were slender, her joints distinct, and they were shaped elegantly and naturally, as if they were carved from marble.

    Her delicate features carried a trace of mischief, a hint of sarcasm, and the bold confidence of someone who didn''t care what others thought. She was wild, in the most captivating way.

    It felt like this was the real her. It was a moment he didn''t want to interfere with, but something about that made it hard to look away.

    Scarlett finished the match quickly

    and set her phone on the table. Instantly, all that untamed energy disappeared. She picked up Percy''s notebook and scanned it. "You''re not done yet?"

    Percy like he was on the

    copse. "You y way too

    fast. pen was practically

    smoking, and I still up."

    They had agreed that for every match she yed, he had to write at least 200 words. Now, five matches had flown by, and he had barely managed a few hundred.

    Scarlett skimmed what he had written. Her eye twitched. "I told you to write an

    apology letter. What is this? A toddler''s diary?"

    She read it aloud, forcing him to listen to the sheer nonsense he had put on paper.

    "I punched Mr. Quinn once. He yelled. Then he punched back, which I dodged. Hahaha."

    Ten more lines of "Hahaha" followed after the first line.

    "He missed! I punched him again, and he yelled again. He tried punching back again, which I dodged again. Hahaha."

    Another ten lines of "Hahaha" were written, which were finally followed up with "He missed again."

    "Are you serious?" she deadpanned. Scarlett stared at him, eyes twitching. "How did I never realize your apology letters were this bad?"

    Percy rubbed his nose awkwardly. "Well, usually Stacy writes mine. I''ll just read what she wrote in front of the whole school tomorrow."

    No wonder. She remembered thinking his public apologies always sounded so eloquent, like something out of a textbook.

    "What apology letter?" A deep, low voice cut through the room, freezing them both in ce.

    Scarlett turned her head and saw Xavier standing at the staircase, tall and straight, with no idea how long he had been there.

    Percy''s face went ghost white. He subtly shifted in his seat, ready to bolt at any second.

 Chapter 52

    "Uncle Xavier, weren''t you in a virtual meeting? Why are you out here?" Percy asked nervously.

    One look at his guilty face, and Xavier knew he had gotten himself into trouble again.

    Bill had hinted that Percy had been acting outtely.

    Apparently, every week during the school''s g-raising ceremony, Percy managed to make an appearance. It was something that Xavier, an alumnus of the same school, knew all too well. Showing up at the ceremony like that was never a good sign. It had been a long-standing tradition.

    His face darkened. He strode over and grabbed the apology letter from Scarlett''s hand, eyes sweeping over the page. In a sh, the calm in his gaze turned into a brewing storm. "Percy!"

    Percy flinched, then bolted like a spooked rabbit.

    "Edmund!" Xavier snapped.

    Scarlett didn''t even notice where Edmund came from. In a blur, Percy had been hauled back like a sack of potatoes.

    "This time it wasn''t my fault, I swear!" Percy whined. "It was Jonah. He started a rumor about me at school. I just lost it and hit him! I''m telling the truth! I didn''t do anything wrong this time..."

    He looked so pitiful that even Scarlett felt a bit bad for him. He was clearly terrified of Xavier. She spoke up, "Mr. Stroud, Jonah really did start the rumor. The homeroom teacher only made Percy write the apology letter because he didn''t want him to offend the Quinn family."

    Percy nodded so hard it looked like his head might fall off. He stared up at Xavier with wide, hopeful eyes.

    However, Xavier''s face remained cold, a storm lingering in his eyes and furrowed brows. His gaze locked onto Percy like a predator. If Scarlett hadn''t spoken up, he would''ve definitely gotten a beating.

    "You remember what I told you," Xavier said, voice low and

    dangerous. "As long as you''re still a student, you''re just a regr nobody in Yendale. What did Mr. Quinn say that made you throw punches?"

    Percy wiped his tears. "He said I was dating Scarlett. And... and then he said we... He couldn''t even bring himself to

    himself to say it at first. Then, with a sharp breath and a resigned look, he muttered, "He said we''d slept

    together."

    The temperature in the room plummeted. Xavier''s expression turned deadly, a cold light shing through his eyes. Even Scarlett instinctively took a step back. This man was terrifying.

    "Uncle Xavier, I won''t hit anyone again, I swear. I messed up, I get it..." Percy trembled. He kept his head down, not daring to look at Xavier''s face. He knew the man was furious.

    Thest time Xavier got this mad, some noble family in the capital copsed overnight.

    Then Xavier spoke, his voice echoing through the room like ice shattering. "You didn''t mess up. If this ever happens again, hit him harder."

    Percy''s head snapped up. "Huh?" Did he hear that right? Was Xavier taking his side?

    He blinked, unsure if this was some kind of trap. "So... about the apology letter... do I still need to write it?"

    Xavier picked up his phone, his expression unreadable as he typed something. Momentster, he said, "No. You''re done."

    Percy broke into a wide grin. Just like that, he knew it was handled.

    This was the first time in his three years of high school that Xavier had stepped in for him. He puffed out his chest a little, clearly proud.

    Scarlett could already sense something fishy going on, though. She couldn''t help but wonder. If Percy didn''t turn in an apology, how exactly would this all blow over?

    What she didn''t know was, over at the Quinn family home, Jonathan was just about to get a call from Donald.

 Chapter 53

    No one knew what Donald had said, but Jonathan''s expression turned dark and tight. As soon as he hung up, he immediately called Jonah.

    Jonah, who had just been watching random videos because he couldn''t y games with one hand, saw the caller ID and instinctively picked up. "Jonathan,

    what''s up?"

    Jonathan''s furious voice exploded through the phone. "Jonah, do you know what kind of mess you''ve made?"

    Jonah blinked, confused. He sat up straighter. "What? What did I do?"

    "Tell me, who broke your hand?" Jonathan asked.

    "Percy!" Jonah said.

    "And why did he break it?" Jonathan asked again.

    "How would I know? He just lost it and..." Jonah tried to make something up.

    "Are you still lying to me?" Jonathan was livid. He hadn''t thought much of it when he came home and saw Jonah''s arm in a cast, hanging across his chest.

    He had asked a few questions, and when Jonah said it was just a fight with a ssmate, he had let it go with a warning to be more careful.

    However, Donald personally called toy everything out in detail. Not just to inform him, but to demand an official written apology from Jonah. The next morning, he would have to stand in front of the entire student body and apologize to both Percy and Scarlett.

    Donald stressed that the matter had caused serious disruption, and if the apology wasn''t sincere, Jonah''s record might even carry disciplinary action.

    Jonathan had been baffled. He was part of the Quinn family. How could something so minor warrant such a big response?

    However, Donald had calmly said, "This is Mr. Hayes'' decision. Even your dad wouldn''t be able to change it. I suggest Jonah take the loss and do what''s required."

    Rubbing his temples, Jonathan

    snapped into the phone again, "Did you see Percy and Scarlett dating with your own eyes? No? Then what gave you the right to start spreading rumors about them?

    Worse-using them of sneaking around in private? Where''s your sense of decency?"

    Jonah''s face fell. "Scarlett told you that, didn''t she? She''s always two-faced like this. First, she tells

    me she wants to cut ties with th

    Quinn family, then she turns around and goes behind my back to you, dragging my name through the mud..."

    "It wasn''t her," Jonathan cut in coldly. "Donald contacted me."

    His brows remained tightly furrowed. "The school has already formed an investigation team overz this. After reviewing the situation they''v@determined you were in the wrong. So yes, you''re writing a letter of apology, and yes, you''re reading it out loud at the g-raising ceremony tomorrow. Be sincere about it. This is not the time to y victim."

    Jonah couldn''t believe what he was hearing. His wrist was broken. He hadn''t even gone after Percy or Scarlett for that. Wasn''t that enough of a favor already? Now the school was forming an investigationmittee and ming him?

    Furious, he snapped, "Why should I apologize? I''m the one with the broken hand!

    If anyone needs to be writing an apology, it''s Percy!"

    "Jonah, this is not up for discussion. If you want to bring shame to the Quinn family, go ahead and refuse. But don''t cry when you have to face the consequences!" Jonathan said.

    The call ended, but Jonah just sat there, stunned.

    All his life, he had been the school''s pride and joy, the student everyone admired,

    the teachers'' star pupil. His grades were always among the best. His little followers practically worshipped him.

    Even when he made a mistake, the teachers would let it slide. His friends would rush to me someone else. He had never written a single apology letter and never thought he needed to.

    Yet now the school hadunched a formal investigation and decided he was the one at fault. They wanted him to write a public apology letter to the two people he disliked most. He couldn''t believe it. It felt like a bad joke.

    Grabbing his phone, his gaze clouded over as he sent a message to Scarlett: "Tattletale, you really know how to pull strings, don''t you?"

    Even if Jonathan said it wasn''t her, he didn''t believe it. No one else would have had the influence to push the school into forming amittee over this.

    She must''ve gone straight to Bill for Percy''s sake. Turning on her own brother for some outsider. Amazing.

    However, when he hit send, the message didn''t go through. A big red exmation point appeared on the screen. He had been blocked.

 Chapter 54

    Scarlett had no idea any of this was happening.

    Under Xavier''s watchful eye, she "tutored" Percy through his homework.

    After what had just happened, Percy was being unusually obedient, even handing over his finished work to Xavier for inspection, his excitement making him seem like a happy puppy wagging its tail.

    Xavier acted like he didn''t notice Percy''s desperate need for praise. Instead, he turned to Scarlett with a calm smile and said, "Thank you for your help today. If you want anything to eat, just tell the kitchen."

    Percy''s proud smile froze, his expression quickly turning pitiful.

    Scarlett couldn''t help but stifle augh.

    Only then did Xavier nce at Percy, his tone turning cold as hemented, "Your handwriting''s awful. Did you write this with your feet?"

    Percy was speechless. His face practically screamed injustice.

    Later that night, Scarlett was about to head to Xavier''s room to help him fall asleep when she spotted him striding out the door. Dressed in a ck tactical jacket, his tall figure cut a sharp,manding presence, every step brimming with the power and intensity of a man marching into battle.

    It was clear something urgent hade up. His departure was sudden and hurried, but even so, he radiated an unshakable authority that made it impossible

    to look away.

    Scarlett stopped in her tracks, quietly watching him and his men leave.

    It wasn''t until Edmund returned that she finally stepped forward and asked, "Why did Mr. Stroud leave so suddenly?"

    Edmund shook his head and said in a low voice, "Mr. Stroud''s schedule isn''t something we should question and discuss."

    "But��" Scarlett frowned, worry shing across her face."��he didn''t sleep at allst night. He worked straight through the night in the study and didn''t rest during the day either. If he keeps going like this, it''ll wear him out."

    "Don''t worry. Wherever Mr. Stroud goes, Dr. Gaztrict will be with him." Edmund reassured her. Ever since the incident ten years ago, Xavier had never traveled without a physician nearby.

    Though his entourage seemed

    small, the doctors lived close by, either in Jondalia''s hospital or nearby vis. If anything ever happened, even something as small as a headache, medical help would arrive within minutes.

    Even so, Scarlett remained uneasy. She had checked Xavier''s pulse before. She knew how badly his body had been worn down. However, with a genius like Cafeb around, maybe worrying about him wasn''t really her ce.

    Pushing her concerns aside, she returned to her room.

    The next day, the g-raising ceremony was about to begin. Students from every grade, from freshmen to seniors, were gathering under the gpole. The top students from the senior ss A were already preparing.

    Normally, whenever it was the seniors'' turn, Jonah and Lily would be the ones front and center, with Jonah as the g bearer and Lily as the escort. However, today, someone else was standing there.

    "Look! It''s the seniors'' turn this week, but Jonah isn''t the g bearer!"

    "No way! I finally had an excuse to stare at Jonah out in the open, and now this?"

    "me Mr. Apology! If he hadn''t broken Jonah''s hand, there''s no way they would''ve reced him."

    "Ugh, Mr. Apology is the worst! The school should just expel him already!" "Isn''t he supposed to read his apologyter? We should all protest when he does. Let''s make the school kick him out! It''s the only way to get justice for Jonah!"

    "Count me in! Jonah''s my dream guy. Anyone who dares hurt him needs to pay!" The gossip andints spread like wildfire.

    Soon, ss F lined up as well.

    Standing at the back of the group, Scarlett kept her hands in her pockets,zily watching the chaos unfold up front.

    Percy stood directly in front of her as Stacy shoved an apology letter into his hand. "Take it!"

 Chapter 55

    Percy refused to take the paper, yet he wouldn''t exin why. Instead, he teased Stacy. "I don''t want it. I''ll just wing it when I get up there."

    Stacy nearly lost it. "You already got a demerit! You think you can just wing it again? Take it and read through it now! You can''t mess up likest time. If you sound insincere, Jonah is going toe after you, and I won''t be able to help you!"

    The Finch family could never win against the Quinn family.

    Percy grinned, looking every bit the troublemaker he was. "It''s fine. Worst case, I get expelled. Saves me the trouble of going to school."

    Stacy looked like she was about to cry. If she could go up there and read the apology letter for him, she would''ve rushed toward the stage already.

    Just then, Mike called out from the side of the field, "Percy, Scarlett,e to the front."

    Usually, only the shortest students stood in front. Besides that, it was only those who were about to be praised, or, more often, criticized.

    Neither Scarlett nor Percy was exactly short. Being called up could only mean trouble.

    Under the gleeful stares of their ssmates, Percy straightened his back and strutted to the front. He wasn''t scared at all. He wouldn''t be the one reading the apology letter anyway.

    Scarlett frowned. She didn''t understand why she was being dragged into this.

    In the chaos, Stacy shoved the apology letter into her hands, telling her to give it to Percy.

    Scarlett weighed it in her palm. It was five pages thick. It had to be at least 2,000 words. Stacy had really gone all out for Percy.

    She stuffed the letter into her pocket and followed Percy to the front, standing side by side with him. When she nced to the right, she saw Jonah standing at the front of the ss A line, his face dark as a thundercloud.

    Scarlett raised an eyebrow, putting two and two together. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, knowing things were about to get interesting.

    The g-raising ceremony quickly moved on to the rewards and punishments segment. No surprise, ss A once again won the honor g.

    Jonah went up to ept the g, his face dark.

    Whispers rippled through the crowd.

    "Why does Jonah look so pissed today?"

    "Isn''t it obvious? His hand''s broken, and he still has to go up there as ss A''s rep. Of course he''s pissed."

    "It''s all that damn Mr. Apology''s fault! I hate him so much!"

    "Me too! He''s gonna read his apology soon, right? We need to boo him off the stage and get him expelled!"

    Herbert heard every word they said. Not only did he not stop them, he wished for them to continue doing so.

    A teacher couldn''t stand it and was ready to scold the students, but Herbert stopped her.

    "What are you doing? Are you going to stop the students from standing up for what''s right? That''s not what a teacher should do. Besides, Bill''s here too. Let him see for himself that some kids are just rotten to the core," Herbert said.

    Bill always scolded him for judging students by their backgrounds, warning him that even if he was Donald''s brother-inw, and even if he was a renowned teacher from a school of good reputation, he would be fired if he kept up.

    However, some kids had no background, no discipline, and thought they could do whatever they wanted. It was time they paid the price.

    Herbert stood there, arms crossed, waiting for Percy to walk up and get booed off

    the stage. It would be the perfect moment to vent some of the frustration he had built up from Bill''s lectures.

    However, right then, the teacher speaking onstage nced toward the front rows and made a small gesture toward Jonah.

    The teacher''s voice rang out, "I believe most of you already know what happenedst week. Jonah and Percy had a serious conflict, and Jonah was injured as a result. Now, let''s invite the student responsible for the incident toe up and read their written apology, and formally apologize to the victim."

    Jonah''s fingers clenched around the folded letter, knuckles turning white. He took

    a heavy step toward the stage.

    Herbert froze. "Wait, what? Why was Jonah going up there? Wasn''t this supposed to be Percy''s punishment?"

 Chapter 56

    At that moment, a bunch of students who couldn''t see the stage clearly, or just couldn''t be bothered to look, immediately started shouting their protests.

    "Get off! Get off!"

    "Get lost! Get lost!"

    "We don''t ept your apology! Our heartthrob doesn''t ept your apology!"

    "Expel him! Expel him!"

    "Mr. Hayes, expel him! Expel him!"

    They had already assumed that the one reading the apology must be Percy. They couldn''t wait to see him get torn apart by the whole school. They were going to avenge their beloved Jonah!

    The students in the front row, who could actually see what was happening, turned pale and scrambled to shout over the cacophony. "Stop! Stop! You''re making a mistake!"

    "It''s not Mr. Apology. It''s Jonah!"

    "Shut up, all of you!"

    However, their voices were drowned out by the deafening protests from the back.

    Even Herbert was panicking now, shouting at the top of his lungs. "Shut up! Shut up, all of you! Stop yelling right now!"

    However, it was toote. He hadn''t stopped them while he still could. Now, the chaos was out of control, and there was nothing he could do.

    The teacher he had scolded earlier, who had long had enough of his double standards, sneered, "Weren''t you the one who said we shouldn''t stop the students from standing up for justice? What are you doing now?"

    Herbert nearly exploded with rage, his face darkening as he barked, "Get them to quiet down already!"

    The hypocrisy was almostical.

    Meanwhile, standing alone on stage, Jonah looked like he was about to copse. He had always been the golden boy, admired and ttered by everyone around him. They were careful when talking to him, and nobody ever dared to upset him.

    However, now, the hatred and rejection from the crowd mmed straight into his pride, leaving him.pletely shaken. He gripped his apology letter so tightly that his knuckles turned white, barely able to stay standing.

    Scarlett arched an eyebrow as she watched. Seriously? He was already falling apart? In her past life, she was targeted and humiliated by the entire school. She knew how Jonah felt right now.

    Back then, there wasn''t a single voice willing to stand up for her. All she saw was disgust and disdain in everyone''s eyes. She had wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and disappear forever.

    Instead, they dragged her into a public trial, shamed her in front of the whole school, and nailed her to the pir of disgrace.

    Yet, here Jonah was, crumbling over a simple misunderstanding. She had really overestimated him.

    Off to the side, Percy was practically glowing with excitement and pride. "Wow, I didn''t know I was this popr. The whole school''s standing up for me."

    Scarlett remained silent.

    He sprinted up the stage, yanked the microphone out of Jonah''s death grip, and bowed deeply to the crowd. "Thank you, thank you, everyone! Please calm down! I know I''m handsome and you all love me, but seriously, this is too much. Don''t get yourselves in trouble with the Quinn family for my sake. I get it, I really do!"

    He then ran from one end of the stage to the other, blowing kisses to the crowd. Scarlett''s mouth twitched violently. This guy was unbelievable.

    Even Bill and the other teachers standing nearby were frozen, staring at him like they couldn''t believe their eyes.

    Meanwhile, the students who had heard Percy''s voice over the microphone were still trying to figure out how he could be so shameless.

    Before they could process it, the truth finally rippled from the front rows to the

    back. "It''s not Percy reading the apology! It''s Jonah!"

    "We messed up! We totally messed up!"

    "Oh my God, it''s really Jonah?"

    "Do you think Jonah thinks we hate him now?"

 Chapter 57

    "Oh my, it really is Jonah! I couldn''t see because the people in front were too tall!"

    "What do we do? What do we do? What if he thinks we hate him?"

    The whole crowd gathered under the gpole broke into noisy chaos.

    Bill strode onto the stage, grabbed the microphone out of Percy''s hands, and spoke with a voice full of authority and power. "Everyone, quiet down! What do you think you''re doing, making a scene under the national g?"

    The crowd immediately fell silent. Bill rarely spoke publicly, but when he did, the intimidation he gave off was immense.

    His expression was cold and sharp as he scolded them. "Even if you don''t like someone, this is not how you treat them. What have your teachers been teaching you? Where''s Herbert? Why didn''t you stop them in time? Do you realize how much damage this kind of behavior can cause to a student?

    "From now on, no one is allowed to speak during the g-raising ceremony! Percy, stop blowing kisses. I know a lot of students like you, but you should stay humble. No showing off."

    "Got it, Mr. Hayes!" Percy grinned and happily hopped off the stage.

    The students in the front rows clenched their teeth in rage. Percy was shameless!

    Bill continued, "Jonah, I hope today serves as a wake-up call. A shy background doesn''t give you the right to push others around. People may stay silent out of fear, but when the timees, what you''ll face is a difficult blow.

    "Today, your schoolmate taught you a lesson. In the future, your fate is in your own hands. Alright, you can continue." Bill handed the microphone back to Jonah.

    Herbert was sweating bullets by now. It was all wrong. Everything had gone horribly wrong. If he had known things would spiral like this, he would''ve stopped those students right away. How could his prized student, the best of the best, be humiliated like this?

    However, he didn''t even dare to speak up. If he tried to exin it away, he would only expose himself and show everyone he could have stopped it earlier, but chose not to. Bill would tear into him even worse.

    Meanwhile, standing alone on stage, Jonah sank into deep self-doubt. He had always lived under the shining halo of the Quinn family, always at the center of attention. He never imagined he could ever be disliked.

    When Scarlett had told him she hated him, he had brushed it off as her ying hard to get.

    After all, he was a member of the Quinn family. How could anyone possibly hate him? She must have had some hidden motive.

    However, now, he realized the painful truth. No matter how privileged he was, he wasn''t some priceless gem everyone adored.

    People had the right to dislike him, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to ept it.

    Slowly, he raised the microphone to his lips, but instead of reading the speech he had prepared, he chose to speak from the heart. It was as if he were pushing aside his background as a Quinn and showing his real self.

    "Good morning, teachers and fellow students. I''m Jonah from ss A. Last Friday, during lunch break, I had an unpleasant incident with Percy. It was my fault..." He spoke every word clearly, sincerely, and honestly. It was an actual self-reflection, not just an empty apology.

    Scarlett narrowed her eyes slightly, watching him. The Jonah today was not quite the one she had expected. Maybe this so-called humiliation today wasn''t such a bad thing for him after all.

    Percy clicked his tongue. "He''s really apologizing? Didn''t think he had it in him. Maybe he''s not such a wimp after all."

    Before long, Jonah finished his speech. He turned to ss F, bowed deeply, and apologized. "I''m sorry, Percy and Scarlett. I spread rumors about your rtionship without knowing the truth. I apologize."

 Chapter 58

    Percy grinned and waved it off. "Forget it, forget it. Your hand''s already broken anyway. I didn''t lose anything. I''m in a good mood today, so I''ll let it slide."

    At this point, Scarlett saw no reason to keep ignoring him and gave a slight nod. Lily stood there,pletely stunned. Jonah had actually put away the carefully prepared written apology she had given him, and even apologized so sincerely. For what? Jonah hadn''t done anything wrong! It was Percy who broke Jonah''s hand. If anything, Percy was the one who should be apologizing!

    Jonah walked off the stage, still in a daze. Everyone swarmed around him, talking over each other, trying to exin.

    Only then did he realize that they had gotten it all wrong. The protests earlier hadn''t been directed at him. They had been aimed at Percy.

    However, none of that mattered anymore. That bitter taste had already sunk deep into his heart, scraping away a good part of his arrogance.

    "Jonah," Lily said, looking at him with worried eyes. "Why didn''t you read the apology I wrote for you?" The one she prepared had technically been a self- reflection, but anyone who read it would know it painted Percy as the real troublemaker.

    Jonah had only wanted to apologize because he was raised well,pletely different from that arrogant Percy. Yet, Jonah hadn''t read it. He apologized for real.

    Now the whole school knew Jonah had been the one who picked the fightst Friday, and that he had been the one in the wrong.

    Jonah, pale-faced, looked at Lily. "The things I saidst Friday... they were pretty disgusting, weren''t they? No wonder Percy threw the first punch."

    Lily stared at him, filled with worry. "Jonah, what''s wrong?"

    Jonah smiled faintly. "Nothing. I just suddenly figured some things out. Come on, let''s go back to ss."

    Lily stayed rooted to the spot, watching his back as he walked away. Her eyes darkened, poisoned with rage. She cursed Scarlett silently. If it hadn''t been for her, how could Jonah have suffered such a blow today?

    Jonah had always been proud and perfect. He never did anything wrong. Even if he misunderstood

    Scarlett and Percy''s rtionshet

    Scarlett should have been grateful he even noticed her, not plotting this dirty revenge.

    Only Percy would lower his standards enough to tolerate a dirt-poor country bumpkin like her.

    Lily turned and caught sight of Nadia waiting nervously nearby.

    Nadia rushed over the second she noticed, smiling obsequiously. "Lily, let''s walk back together?"

    Lily gave her a bright smile. "Nadia, doesn''t your family run a martial arts studio? Do you think anyone there could take down Percy?"

    Meanwhile, back in ss F, Percy had already heard the full story about the protests. He didn''t care at all, though. He stayed sprawled across his desk,zily flipping through a novel.

    Scarlett cast a nce his way. He wasn''t stupid. He probably figured out from the start that the protests weren''t meant for him. Instead of clearing things up, he deliberately let it blow up, just to knock Jonah down a peg.

    Mike walked into ss, a rare smile on his face. Anyone could tell he was in a great mood.

    After chatting with the ss for a bit, he headed over to Percy. "Percy, even though Jonah apologized, your disciplinary record is still under observation for a month. If you want it cleared, you''ll have to earn it," he said.

    s?novel

    "The school''s got a spot open for the Elite Math Tournament. I''m giving it to you. Do you want to take a shot at proving yourself?"

    Percy shifted from hiszy sprawl, propping up his head and sitting up straighter.

    Before he could even answer, a few of Jonah''sckeys burst outughing. "Are you serious? Letting himpete? Do you want the whole school to be embarrassed?"

    "Yeah, right! Percy winning something? You might as well go home and keep dreaming."

    "That loser? If he wins anything, I''ll write my name backward!"

    "I''ll eat shit upside down!"

 Chapter 59

    "I''ll streak around the field!"

    "What an idiot!" someoneughed.

    Percy smirked coldly and suddenly knocked on Stacy''s desk. "Come on, write it down. Evan rke will write his name backwards. Simon Hughes will handstand and eat shit. Ryan Walker will streak around the field."

    Stacy, who had been sulking at Percy just moments ago, quickly grabbed a sheet of paper and started scribbling it down.

    Percy swept his gaze across the group, grinning. "Better remember it. Don''t you dare back outter."

    The boys cracked up even harder, not the least bit worried. They were convinced that a guy like Percy, who ranked at the bottom in every subject, could only dream about cing in the Elite Math Tournament. What a joke.

    Mike smiled warmly. "So, you''re saying you''llpete?"

    Percy leaned backzily in his chair, a cocky smile tugging at his lips. "Of course. How else am I supposed to p a bunch of losers in the face?"

    Honestly, he hadn''t nned on wasting time on something like this. It would cut into his gaming hours. However, since Jonah''s little gang thought so little of him, he figured he might as well enter, crush it, and shut them all up.

    Mike beamed and ced a thick stack of practice papers on his desk. "These are past Elite Math Tournament questions. You''ll need to get through all of them within the week. If you don''t know something,e ask me."

    Percy''s smile froze instantly. "That much?"

    Was it toote to regret this?

    Mike chuckled. "It looks like a lot, but once you start, it won''t be that bad."

    He then turned to Scarlett to ask for her decision. After observing herst week, he realized that although both she and Percy were a bit rebellious, they took their studies seriously. Especially Scarlett-she truly dived up to her reputation from ss A. C��ntent

    Not only did she handle her assignments beautifully, but she even managed to drag Percy along with her. That pop quiz they aced? He had no doubt they hadn''t cheated and believed they were fully capable of the Elite Math Tournament.

    Looking back, he was grateful he

    had fought to bring Scarlett into his ss, even if it meant risking Herbert''s wrath. Back then, he was simply driven by the hope of saving a lost girl. Little did he know that the lost girl turned out to be a treasure. C��ntent

    "I''ll participate," Scarlett said with a nod. She had already nned to enter the Elite Math Tournament anyway.

    Mike''s grin widened as he handed her another thick stack of papers.

    The following week, Scarlett spent nearly every minute outside of ss buried in practice papers.

    Percy, on the other hand, asionally cked off. He even ditched school once to hang out at an inte caf����only to get dragged back by Scarlett like a sack of potatoes.

    The weather grew hotter by the day. Students swapped their long-sleeved uniforms for short-sleeved ones. However, along with the changing season came something uglier. Scarlett and Percy found themselvespletely ostracized.

    In the eyes of the students, they had failed to avenge Jonah during the g-raising ceremony. They had even humiliated him. So, in typical mob fashion, everyone decided to me Scarlett and Percy instead of reflecting on their own blind loyalty.

    Percy didn''t care. He had made it very clear when he beat up Jonah that he wasn''t someone to mess with. Push him too far, and he would beat you senseless.

    So even though people still whispered andughed behind his back, mocking him

    for daring topete against the golden boy and golden girl, they didn''t dare cross him directly.

    Thus, Scarlett got the full brunt of it. Just like in her previous life, she was targeted by Jonah''s fan club.

    However, unlike before, this time, she hit back.

 Chapter 60

    In the bathroom, Scarlett was locked inside a stall. She kicked the door open without hesitation, grabbed the girls who trapped her by their hair, and shoved them one by one into the stall. She packed them in tight.

    Then she mmed the door shut and locked it from the outside, leaving them screaming for help that never came.

    During P.E., someone deliberately threw a basketball at her head. She hurled it back, mming it into the attacker hard enough to leave them seeing stars.

    Back in the ssroom, someone dumped water all over her. She grabbed a bucket used to rinse mops and drenched the culprit from head to toe.

    She found a dead rat stuffed in her backpack. Without blinking, she grabbed it and shoved it straight down the ringleader''s shirt.

    Someone even had the guts to spit at her. She dragged them down, shoved their face into the spit-stained floor, and rubbed until it was spotless before letting them go, howling and crying.

    After that, everyone thought Scarlett had lost her mind. She was even scarier than

    Percy.

    No one dared mess with her without thinking twice about whether they had the guts to survive it.

    When Jonah heard about it, he was stunned. He had known his gang wanted to get revenge for him by picking on Scarlett, and he hadn''t stopped them.

    In fact, he had been looking forward to seeing her break down ande crying to him for forgiveness. What he didn''t expect was for her to fight back like a lunatic. Had shepletely lost her mind?

    Lily said worriedly, "Scarlett has pissed off so many peopletely. What are we going to do?"

    Jonah''s mood soured even further. Ever since Scarlett left home, nothing had gone his way.

    Lily added, "I heard Scarlett also signed up for the Elite Math Tournament. She doesn''t have much money, and she even quit her part-time job to focus on it. She''s probably hoping to win the prize money.

    "But now that she''s made so many enemies, I''m worried she won''t even make it into the exam hall. If she can''t get that prize money, everything she''s worked for will be for nothing."

    Jonah sneered.

    "Someone who can''t

    even pass basic math wants to enter the Elite Math Tournament? she not afraid of bing aughingstock?" He really couldn''t understand what the ss FO

    homeroom teacher was thinking. No wonder Mike was stuck managing the worst ss in the school.

    Lily''s expression flickered. "But what if Scarlett actually has the ability, and they just won''t let her in?"

    "There''s no ''what if"," Jonah said

    firmly. He didn''t see Scarlett as any

    kind of threat. Frowning, he

    ???

    continued, "Lily, stop worrying about

    her. She''s the one who chose to leave the Quinn family and turn her back on us. Whatever trouble she gets into now has nothing to do with us.

    "We should focus on preparing for the Elite Math Tournament. We must win first ce. I heard the organizers are really serious this year. They''re picking the three smartest students to represent Yendale in the national Elite Math Tournament.

    "This year''s the first time the Elite Math Tournament is being expanded to a nationalpetition, and the rewards will be huge. Winning will not only bring prize money, but also bonus points for the college entrance exam. And there''s even a gold medal made of real gold.

    "Of course, the Quinn family doesn''t care about money or medals. But since we''repeting, we have toz fight for our family''s honor. Those three spots must include us. Especially you. You''re the Quinn

    ver

    family''s heiress. If you win the gold medal, we''ll throw you a grand celebration.

    "That way, even if Scarlett tries to expose your background someday, you won''t have to worry. Your brothers will have already paved the way for you."

    "Jonah... you''re the best..." Lily choked out, eyes red with emotion. Inside, though, she was already steeling herself. No matter what, she would win a spot in the Elite Math Tournament.

    Scarlett wanted to shine? Lily would make sure she never even got the chance.

 Chapter 61

    ss F''s homeroom teacher, Mike, was giving Scarlett and Percy some private tutoring. It was Saturday, and the three of them had agreed to meet at an outdoor caf�� for a test.

    After grading their papers, Mike was overwhelmed with excitement.

    Who said these two students were idiots, morons, or hopeless cases?

    These two were clearly geniuses, prodigies-once-in-a-lifetime talents you couldn''t find even if you searched high and low!

    He felt like he''d struck gold.

    He figured that the two had been hiding their true abilities all along, probably to avoid standing out too much and making enemies among the rich heirs and heiresses at school.

    But after some recent unpleasant events, it seemed they had finally snapped and decided not to hold back anymore.

    He couldn''t help but feel a little sorry for them. Without a powerful family background, going to a school like theirs must have been unbelievably tough.

    He first exined to them how seriously the higher-ups valued the Elite Math Tournament.

    Then he said, "You''re both strong. As long as you don''t ck off in theing weeks, I believe at least one of you will be able to ce."

    Percy shook his head and curled his lip.

    Mike thought he wascking confidence and quickly encouraged him, "Trust me. I''ve seen Jonah and Lily''s papers-even they''re not on your level."

    "Mr. Sawyer, you really underestimate us," Percy said smugly, hands in his pockets. "We''re aiming for the championship. We''ll win you two spots at least."

    Mike was stunned. Then he broke into a delighted grin.

    Percy then turned to Scarlett and said, "Remember, you promised-if I win the championship, you''ll help me rank up in Pride of Kings. If you break your promise ��liar, liar pants on fire!"

    Scarlett nodded calmly. "Yes, yes, liar, liar pants on fire."

    Mike was speechless.

    Wait a minute��Percy wasn''t even studying seriously for thepetition. He was doing it just to rank up in a video game?

    And here Mike was, worrying about him, thinking he was emotionally shaken.

    Mike helplessly gave them another set of practice papers to take home.

    Scarlett nced at the questions. There were some she had never seen before-questions that were unique, cleverly designed, and full of deeper insights. She couldn''Phelp but take a second nce at Mike.

    She had always known Mike was incredibly talented in math, and no elite math questions could stump him.

    But she hadn''t expected that he would actually write some elite math questions himself for them to solve.

    Were some of the practice papers he gave her in the previous life also his own creations?

    No wonder Lily always found ways to get her hands on them after catching sight of them. It looked like Lily''s past sess was thanks to some help from Mike.

    But in this life, without those practice papers, she was curious to see how Lily would perform.

    She put the practice papers away and returned to Jondalia Residence with Percy.

    Xavier hadn''te back all week. Scarlett didn''t ask-after all, it was rude to pry into his whereabouts.

    That evening, she and Percy were doing practice questions in the living room when Edmund burst in.

    "Ms. Quinn, please bring your kit of acupuncture needles ande with me, quick."

    Edmund had never looked so anxious before. Scarlett immediately rushed to her room to grab her kit.

    "What''s going on?" Percy followed them, concerned.

    Edmund looked grave. "Mr. Stroud is

    injured. His cranial nerves are

    spiraling out of control, and he has

    copsed. The doctors can''t do

    anything, so Dr. Gaztrict asked Ms.

    Quinn to give it a try."

    "What? It''s that serious?" Percy frowned and quickly got into the car.

 Chapter 62

    They soon arrived at Jondalia Private Hospital.

    When Scarlett arrived at the ward, she saw Caleb surrounded by a group of middle-aged doctors in the hallway. They were all anxiously debating treatment ns.

    Caleb looked awful-his hair was a mess, and his whole demeanor radiated frustration and restlessness.

    "No, no, absolutely not! Mr. Stroud''s body can''t take any more of this!"

    He rejected every proposal the other doctors came up with.

    "Mr. Gaztrict, please reconsider. Mr. Stroud can''t wait any longer."

    "That''s right, sir. This is the only way left."

    "If you still can''t make a decision, I''m afraid Mr. Stroud..."

    Sensing someone approaching, Caleb suddenly looked up. His dull eyes lit up like he''d just found a lifeline.

    "Ms. Quinn,e with me quickly. Take a look at Mr. Stroud!"

    An elderly man, Noah Gaztrict, who had been sitting silently on a bench, suddenly spoke up. "Caleb! What do you think you''re doing?"

    He leaned on a cane, his white hair stark and his face deeply lined with age. He had an air of powerful authority.

    "How could you let a little girl near Mr. Stroud at a time like this? You must be out of your mind!"

    Caleb grabbed Scarlett by the arm, too rushed to exin to him. "Grandpa, I have to let her try. I''ll exin everythingter."

    "Stop them!" the old man ordered.

    Immediately, several men in ck blocked the door.

    "Grandpa, trust me. Right now, she''s our only chance!"

    Noah slowly stood up, his voice stern. "Mr. Becker''s disciple already tried, and you saw the result! And now you want to ce your hopes on a young girl? You''ve clearly lost your sense of judgment!"

    Xavier had been injured in Capitol. The top medical minds across the country had been summoned within hours, including the most experienced disciple of the

    legendary Alton Becker.

    But even he had been helpless.

    Caleb, despite everyone''s objections, insisted on transferring Mr. Stroud to Yendale for treatment.

    Everyone assumed he did it to make use of Yendale''s more advanced medical equipment. No one expected that the moment hended, he''d call Edmund to bring Scarlett over.

    Even though he had told them she was Mr. Becker''s most prized disciple, seeing her now-so young and inexperienced-looking-made them all hesitate. They couldn''t help but think that Caleb had truly lost it in his desperation.

    Mr. Stroud hated women getting too close to him.

    Now, he was near mental copse, and Caleb wanted to bring a woman into the room to treat him?

    If Mr. Stroud saw her, he might spiral even further. Or worse,pletely lose his mind.

    Noah couldn''t allow Caleb to be the one responsible for harming Mr. Stroud.

    If that happened, the entire Gaztrict family would suffer.

    "She''s different! She''s inherited Mr. Becker''s acupuncture techniques!" Caleb argued. "Ten years ago, when Mr. Stroud almost died, it was Mr. Becker''s acupuncture that saved him!"

    Noah paused, but he still objected, "She is not Mr. Becker. Mr. Becker was a nationally renowned medical sage, revered for his acupuncture. But who is she? Just a nobody!"

    "If she were truly as skilled in acupuncture as Mr. Becker, why would she bepletely unknown in the medical world?"

    "If something happens to Mr. Stroud because of her, her life won''t matter, but

    you''ll have doomed the entire Gaztrict family!"

    "I will not allow you to take her in there!"

    Caleb''s expression tightened. His eyes were sharp with unshakable determination.

    "Today, no matter what, I will bring her in."

    "Grandpa, don''t forget how you first earned the Stroud family patriarch''s favor. It was that chance that got you into the Stroud family''s private medical team."

    "Even if the odds are slim, I have to try!"

 Chapter 63

    Over 60 years ago, the Gaztrict family had been just a small, insignificant household in Capitol. At that time, Noah Gaztrict was only a medical intern.

    One Sunday, the hospital received a critical case-acute pulmonary edema.

    Only two interns were on shift, one of whom was Noah.

    When they learned that the patient was the head of the Stroud family, the other intern trembled in fear and immediately called the department director.

    Only Noah noticed how dire the situation was and took action himself, going straight into the operating room.

    By the time the director arrived, Noah had already saved the Stroud family head''s life.

    From that day on, the Gaztrict family gained a foothold in the Stroud family''s private medical team.

    And with that opportunity, they skyrocketed, rising to be one of the top noble families in Capitol within just a few decades.

    Combined with Caleb''s extraordinary medical talent, the Gaztrict family had reached its peak. They''d enjoyed 60 years of glory, and Noah didn''t want any mistakes now.

    Thinking back to that fateful day, a flicker of hesitation appeared in his aged eyes. But still, he couldn''t bring himself to hand Xavier''s life over to such an

    inexperienced girl.

    Even back then, he had only dared to operate because he had observed countless surgeries and practiced techniques repeatedly.

    But this girl? She looked like she was still in high school!

    "No! She has no experience. If she goes in, she''ll just make things worse! And besides, Mr. Stroud despises women-"

    "Something''s wrong!" A nurse suddenly burst out of the room, cutting him off in a panic. "Mr. Stroud has pulled out all his tubes and monitors��his behavior is extremely erratic!"

    Caleb shoved aside the guards blocking the door and dragged Scarlett inside.

    "Caleb!" Noah roared, furious, his eyes nearly bulging as he shouted and waved, "Stop him! Stop him!"

    But by the time anyone could react, Caleb had pulled Scarlett in and locked the door behind them.

    The crowd of doctors outside stood in stunned silence.

    Once they realized what had just happened, they broke into chaos. They were clutching their chests and pacing anxiously.

    "It''s over. Mr. Stroud''s mental state is already on the edge of copse. If he sees a woman now, it''ll push him over! He''ll gopletely mad!"

    "Mr. Gaztrict has lost his mind!"

    "What do we do now? If anything happens to Mr. Stroud, none of us will make it back to Capitol alive!"

    "Mr. Gaztrict''s going to get us all killed!"

    Noah clutched his chest, furious. He copsed into a chair.

    Breathing weakly, he gave the order, "Break the door open, now! Mr. Stroud must

    be taken to surgery immediately!"

    "Mr. Gaztrict''s been bewitched by that woman! He won''t even listen to me anymore!"

    At that moment, he hated that girl to the core. So young and pretty-how could she possibly have endured the harshness of medical training?

    She must have seduced Caleb!

    Caleb had always been devoted to medicine. He hadn''t even dated once in 30 years. It must be that girl who had him bewitched.

    The sound of fists pounding on the door rang out from outside.

    Inside, Caleb used his back to brace the door and shouted urgently, "Scarlett, leave this to me! Go treat Mr. Stroud!"

    "Two days ago, Mr. Stroud was

    caught in a terrorist attack. He was

    thrown 15 feet away by the

    explosion. He suffered severe abrasions, broken ribs, and a major head injury."

    "There''s a blood clot in his brain that

    hasn''t been absorbed, and his

    nerves are hyperactive. For the past two days, he''s only been calm

    because of heavy sedatives. Without them, he bes extremely

    agitated, restless, even

    WI

    self-destructive."

    "His body can''t take any more medication. Your only option is to try acupuncture��

    to regte his neural activity and dissolve the clot."

    "If that doesn''t work, we''ll have no

    ver

    choice but to perform brain surgery. But that''s the worst possible oue-he''s too weak to survive a procedure that major."

    As Caleb spoke, Scarlett began searching the room for Xavier.

    In the end, she found him curled up in the cramped bathroom.

 Chapter 64

    At that moment, Xavier lookedpletely defenseless.

    He was curled up in a corner of the bathroom, clutching himself tightly.

    His hair was disheveled, and his blue-and-white hospital gown was soaked with fresh blood-clearly, his wounds had reopened.

    Half of his face was buried in his arms, revealing only a pair of bloodshot, terrifying eyes.

    Those eyes were filled with exhaustion and a violent hostility strong enough to destroy anything.

    He stared at Scarlett with a guarded, feral re, as if he might leap out like a furious beast and tear her to pieces at any second.

    Scarlett was startled by the sight, but not a trace of fear lingered on her face. She calmly raised both hands above her head and approached him cautiously.

    Her voice was soft, gentle, andforting. "Don''t be scared, I won''t hurt you. And please don''t hurt me, okay?

    "Can I touch you? Just a slight touch to help you feel better. Don''t be afraid. I''ll protect you. No one will hurt you."

    Step by step, she drew closer, slowly reaching out her hand. Xavier still red at her with those crimson eyes, unmoving.

    It wasn''t until her hand gentlynded on his head that a faint tremble passed through him. As if something had flickered in his memory, a glimmer of realization lit up his eyes.

    A raspy, nearly inaudible voice escaped his throat. "Scarlett..."

    "Yes, it''s me," she answered softly. "I''m Scarlett."

    "You must be so tired these past few days... Want to sleep for a while? I''ll stay right here. No one will disturb you."

    She fully ced her palm on his head, using her thumb and forefinger to gently massage acupuncture points.

    He stared up at her without blinking, but his wild, violent energy gradually began to dissipate.

    His reactions were slightly dyed. Then, a surge of intense emotion suddenly surfaced in his deep, dark eyes.

    Just as Scarlett lowered her head to retrieve her silver needles from her kit, Xavier abruptly let go of himself and leaned heavily into her arms.

    His strong arms wrapped tightly around her arm, like a scared child desperate for safety.

    Scarlett froze.

    "Don''t go." His voice was hoarse, like it hadn''t been used in days.

    She stiffly tried to ease her arm out of his grasp, but not only did he not let go, but he clutched her even tighter.

    He even growled, agitated and forceful, "I won''t let you leave!"

    Scarlett looked helpless. Given the fragile state of his nervous system, even the smallest emotional trigger could tip him over.

    She gentlyforted him, "Okay, okay... I won''t go. I''ll stay right here with you."

    She turned look at him. The light

    shone

    his deathly pale face..

    skin was nearly translucent, as if it

    I shatter at a touch Contet

    Wond

    His eyelids lowered slightly. Those long

    shadows that softened the usual sharp edges of his handsome face.

    She couldn''t help but stare at him, increasingly awestruck the more she looked.

    He had a broad forehead, sleek and full. Exquisite arched brows. Eyes that were deep and soulful. A tall,

    straight nose. And sharp, graceful lips...

    Each feature was wless. Together, they formed a face that looked like a gift

    from the gods themselves.

    Not only perfect, but breathtakingly perfect.

    She couldn''t tear her gaze away from him.

    Just then, the sound of banging on the door rang out. The voices of Caleb and

    Percy arguing from the outside followed.

    "Now''s not the time to interrupt! Hold them back!"

    "If you want to get in, you''ll have to go through me first!"

    From outside, Percy shouted toward the room, "Scarlett! How''s Uncle Xavier

    doing?"

 Chapter 65

    "They''re so noisy." Xavier frowned, clearly irritated.

    Scarlett pressed her lips together tightly. With all that chaos outside, there was no way Xavier''s ailments could be treated in a calm environment.

    She leaned in and whispered to him, "Mr. Stroud, could you... Could you go out and ask them to stop?"

    Right now, they would probably only listen to him.

    Xavier instantly tensed up again, his arms tightening around her. "You''re not allowed to leave. I won''t let you go!"

    "I won''t leave, I promise. I''ll stay right here and wait for you," she soothed gently. "It''s just too noisy out there. If you go out and tell them to stop, I''ll be here the whole time. I promise."

    She raised her other hand as if swearing an oath.

    Xavier stared at her slender fingers for a moment, then reluctantly loosened his grip and slowly stood up. But the moment he was on his feet, his dangerous, vtile air returned.

    He strode out into the ward, his injured leg still bleeding.

    "Get the hell out!" His furious roar echoed through the entire room.

    In that instant, the icy rage that radiated off him seemed strong enough to freeze everyone solid.

    Noah opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, said nothing.

    Seeing that Xavier had apparently regained his senses, he simply waved at the others, signaling them to retreat.

    Once the door shut again, one of the doctors asked nervously, "That girl... is she already... did Mr. Stroud...?"

    Everyone knew that once Xavier lost control, he recognized no one, not even his own family. Anyone who came close would be treated as an enemy.

    Once, Percy had identally gone near him and was nearly strangled on the spot. They all suspected that the girl was probably already torn to pieces.

    Caleb began to panic, his brows tightening, fists clenched.

    Had he really put her in danger?

    Percy turned pale. "No! I''m going in!"

    Caleb grabbed him. "Xavier just regained his rity. It''s best not to disturb him now."

    "And what about Scarlett?" Percy suddenly exploded. "Caleb, are you freaking insane?! Uncle Xavier lost

    Cand you sent

    there? Are you trying to kill her?"

    He had seen firsthand how terrifying Xavier could be when he broke down. He didn''t recognize anyone and had almost strangled him to death once.

    Now Scarlett was trapped in there... she was likely doomed!

    "Caleb! I must''ve been out of my mind to trust you! Uncle Xavier had an episode, and you didn''t even tell me?

    "Damn it! I even helped you block those people��if I had known, I would''ve saved Scarlett first!"

    Percy was furious, clenching his fists, ready to punch Caleb. But Noah signaled the bodyguards to stop him.

    Noah chuckled slowly. "Mr. Percy, that girl went in willingly. You can''t me Dr. Gaztrict for that. You''re being a little unreasonable.

    "Besides, if she were able to calm Mr. Stroud down, then dying for that is almost... honorable."

    Percy shot Noah a re so fierce he nearlybusted.

    If Noah weren''t so old, he''d have punched him blind right then and there. He was spouting such shameless lies with a straight face.

    Caleb was clearly the one who had dragged Scarlett in after he called her over!

    "I''m warning all of you," Percy growled, "if anything happens to Scarlett, I''ll make Mr. Gaztrict pay with his life!"

    Cursing and furious, he kicked over a waist-high potted nt nearby.

    Bl.neq

    The moment Xavier returned inside the ward''s bathroom, he shot straight back into Scarlett''s arms, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

    He even adjusted himself into afortable position. He had one long leg stretched out, and the otherzil bent, as if Scarlett were a human pillow.

    Scarlett was speechless.

 Chapter 66

    Scarlett sat stiffly, leaning against the cold floor and wall. Thankfully, it was nearly summer, and the room''s air conditioner wasn''t on, so she didn''t feel cold.

    What bothered her more was the sight of Xavier''s leg, which was still bleeding heavily. She frowned slightly.

    "Mr. Stroud, how about lying on the bed?"

    If she could coax him to sleep, she could then treat his wounds properly. The bathroom really wasn''t the best ce for this. But to her surprise, Xavier suddenly turned his head toward her, eyes burning intensely.f

    "Will you lie down with me?"

    "Huh?" Scarlett was caught off guard. "I... I don''t think that''s appropriate..."

    The moment the words left her mouth, his expression immediately turned into pure disappointment, like a child who had just been refused candy. Something about that look tugged at her heart. In his current mental state, he really seemed like a lost child.

    She didn''t know what kind of childhood he''d had, but it was clear that hecked a deep sense of security. He was terrified of being left alone. She couldn''t help but reach out and gently pat his shoulder like one would to soothe a child to sleep.

    "Don''t be afraid. I''ll stay by your side. I won''t let anyone bully you or hurt you. I''ll wait with you until you''re all better."

    She noticed his eyelids drooping a little. He looked sleepy, but he couldn''t seem to fall asleep. His whole body was restless, and his breathing had grown a little heavy.

    So, she softly suggested again, "Let''s go to bed, okay? I''ll lie down with you."

    "... Mm." Xavier grabbed her wrist tightly, almost fearfully, as if worried she''d go back on her word.

    Scarlett sighed. For now, she could only treat him like a scared child. One of her hands was held in his iron grip, while the other helped support him as they walked to the bed.

    Xavier was tall. He stood a whole head taller than her. As she looked down to guide their steps, she heard a low grunt above her.

    She immediately shifted from simply helping him walk to wrapping an arm around his waist, allowing him to lean on her and lessen the strain. "Walk slowly. There''s no rush. Where does it hurt?"

    His voice was hoarse and slightly pitiful. "My thigh... and ribs. Everything hurts." "It''s okay. Lean on me. Once we lie down, it won''t hurt as much."

    Step by step, they slowly made their way out of the bathroom and to the hospital bed. By the time they got there, both of them were drenched in sweat-Scarlett from sheer effort, Xavier from the pain.

    She recalled how earlier he''d strode out and forced everyone to leave as if nothing was wrong. He probably hadn''t been fully lucid then and hadn''t even felt the pain. Which meant his body might''ve suffered more damage without him realizing it.

    Carefully, she helped him lie down, then turned to shift her kit to the front, ready to take out her acupuncture needles. But before she could, Xavier suddenly gripped her wrist again and yanked her toward him.  ?wnovel

    She gasped in surprise, stumbling straight onto his chest and looking up at him. His devastatingly handsome face was now up close. Those deep, swirling eyes had a pull like gravity, making her heartbeat spiral out of control.

    "You''re not allowed to leave." He said it with pure, possessive dominance.

    Scarlett stared at him in a daze for a few seconds. She then came back to her senses and tried to sit up, but he still wouldn''t let go.

    His grip on her wrist didn''t loosen for a second, so she gave up, nestling helplessly beside him. She lifted her free hand and gently patted his chest.

    "I won''t go. I''m staying right here with you. Just close your eyes and rest. You''ll feel better after a nap."

    "Sleep now, just sleep. I''ll be right here the whole time... even after you fall asleep."

 Chapter 67

    Scarlett softly coaxed him again and again, her voice never faltering. This was probably the most patient she had ever been in her life.

    Not even in her past life, when she had seven older brothers, had she ever coddled anyone like this. She kept going until her throat went dry.

    Finally, Xavier''s heavy eyelids slowly lowered, his breathing gradually bing steady and deep.

    Scarlett stopped patting his chest and quietly reached for her acupuncture needle kit from the bag. But even in sleep, he was restless. His brows were tightly furrowed, his body still wracked with pain.

    She opened the kit and ced it within easy reach. Then, with one hand, she began unbuttoning his hospital gown, revealing arge section of his chest, which was bruised and dark purple. The sight was shocking.

    Scarlett sucked in a breath. Her brows furrowed tightly. He was this badly injured and still had the nerve to walk around?

    She was so angry she didn''t even know what to say. She red up at him, then picked up a needle and began acupuncture to ease his pain.

    One needle after another, and gradually, the tension in his brows began to ease. Then, she moved to his pants, preparing to treat the bleeding in his thigh.

    In her eyes, Xavier was nothing more than a patient right now. Her thoughts were clear. Her only goal was to heal him.

    Just as her hand touched his waistband, there was a click. Someone opened the hospital room door from the outside.

    Percy, unable to hold back his worry, cracked the door open just enough to peek in. And what he saw made his eyes go wide in disbelief.

    What the hell was Scarlett doing? She was lying in Xavier''s arms, and she was taking off his pants!

    That wasn''t all. She''d unbuttoned his shirt, too! She saw everything, his chest, his abs, everything!

    Percy was shocked. How could Scarlett be that kind of person? He mmed the door shut with a loud bang,pletely overwhelmed by what he had just seen.

    His mind was in chaos. Not only had Scarlett survived Xavier''s rampage, but she''d even gotten into bed with him and done that.

    Percy shuddered violently. She was too bold! Sure, Xavier was ridiculously good- looking, but that didn''t mean she could take advantage of him while he was unconscious!

    Did she even know how much he hated women touching him? Besides, if those people saw her like this, she''d be dead without even a trace of her bones left.

    Behind him, Caleb asked anxiously, "What did you see? Did Mr. Stroude out? Is Scarlett still alive?"

    All eyes turned to stare at the back of Percy''s head. He swallowed hard, slowly turned around, and stayed nted in front of the door. "Now''s not a good time to go in."

    Caleb''s face grew darker. "Did something happen to Scarlett?"

    Noah snorted coldly. "Hmph! That ignorant little girl. Thought she could cure Mr. Stroud, and now she''s paid the price. Serves her right."

    Percy couldn''t even begin to exin. What was he supposed to say? That Scarlett wasn''t dead, and that she was actually feeling up Xavier?

    If word got out, Scarlett was done for. She had treated him well these past few days, so he decided cover for her for now. Later, he''d score with her.

    personally settle the

    Caleb, seeing Percy''s reaction, was flooded with regret. He turned and punched

    the wall with great force.

    It was over. He had truly endangered Scarlett, a girl with such rare talent. Now, the world of traditional

    medicine would lose a bright rising star. If he had known it would turn

    out fike this, he would''ve never called

    her here.

    Back inside the hospital room, the door mming had jolted Xavier awake He opened his eyes suddenly and locked gazes with Scarlett, whose hands were still holding the waistband of his pants.

 Chapter 68

    Scarlett finally realized the situation she was in and quickly pulled her hand back. Her face was flushed.

    "Uh... I didn''t mean anything by it. I just wanted to check the injury on your leg."

    "Oh," Xavier responded lightly, but the corner of his lips curled up slightly as if amused by her obvious attempt to exin herself.

    Scarlett hesitated. "Maybe you could let go of my hand, and I''ll go grab some scissors to cut your pant leg open?"

    "That''s just troublesome," he muttered, voice curt and sharp. "Just take them off."

    Scarlett was speechless. She stressed again, helplessly, "I really just want to see your thigh injury."

    "Mm. Take them off."

    Scarlett went silent. She was sure now that Xavier had misunderstood her intentions. She tugged at her wrist, but the man''s expression immediately turned cold, and his grip tightened even more.

    Scarlett looked around and then had an idea: "Alright, then. I''ll proceed."

    "Mm."

    She lowered her head and picked up his pant leg with her teeth, attempting to tear it I open. Xavier simply watched her quietly.

    Scarlett gnawed at the fabric for a while, cursing in her mind. What kind of hospital gown is this? Who made it so durable?

    Suddenly, she froze in ce. Calmly, she reached into her bag and pulled out an acupuncture needle. She stabbed it three inches below his navel with a clean, precise motion.

    The view was instantly cleared.

    Xavier didn''t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. He continued to quietly watch her, his gaze surprisingly gentle. Even the exhaustion in his eyes softened into a kind of tender indulgence��as if no matter what Scarlett did, he''d let her get away with it.

    Scarlett snuck a nce at his expression, and when she saw nothing off, she lowered her head again and continued tearing at the cloth. Finally, the thick fabric gave way.

    She quickly began her acupuncture treatment, stopping the bleeding and easing the pain with practiced skill. Then came round two of coaxing him to sleep. After everything, Scarlett herself waspletely exhausted. Whileforting him, she identally drifted off, falling asleep right there on his shoulder.

    Half an hourter, the hospital room door creaked open again. Earlier, though Percy hadn''t exined what happened, he had told Caleb that Xavier had fallen asleep.

    Caleb, having calcted that

    enough time had passed for Xavier''s brain activity to stabilize, decided

    now was the moment to resum''

    treatment. But the scene that

    greeted them when they opened the door left everyone frozen in shock.

    Xavier''s hospital gown was unbuttoned, exposing his firm chest. His pants were in tatters. They looked like they''d been chewed up by a dog, and his injured thigh waspletely visible.

    Most shocking of all, Scarlett was asleep next to him! Her head was resting on his shoulder, and his arm was wrapped intimately around her waist. The two of them looked just like a pair of lovers. ''

    Everyone at the door stood

    wide-eyed, speechless. The sound of the door opening jolted the ever-alert Xavier awake. His sharp gaze

    immediately swept toward in

    the

    intruders, eyes radiating ice-cold warning.

    The crowd froze in terror. No one dared to make a sound. Still, the intense stares directed at Scarlett roused her.

    She slowly opened her eyes. She saw the room full of people and instantly sat up straight, fully alert.

    "Dr. Gaztrict, you''re here. I''ve already stabilized Mr. Stroud''s cerebral hyperactivity and stopped the bleeding and pain. You may now proceed with the next phase of treatment."

    Everyone was shocked.

    Noah''s aged eyes widened. He was utterly dumbfounded.

    Caleb was the first to regain his senses. He was overwhelmed with joy. Scarlett was not only alive but unharmed, too. Even as he saw her lying beside Xavier, he didn''t question it for a second.

    He rushed forward, put on his stethoscope, and began examining Xavier''s condition.

    Scarlett also prepared to get out of bed, but as soon as she set one foot on the ground, Xavier''s hand shot out and gripped her wrist again.

 Chapter 69

    Scarlett froze. She felt awkward under the strange stares of so many people.

    She looked toward Xavier and said gently, "Mr. Stroud, why don''t you let Dr. Gaztrict lie here with you and keep youpany?"

    Caleb was speechless. What did she mean? Did she want him to lie next to Mr. Stroud?

    Caleb screamed internally, "Ms. Quinn, please don''t drag me down with you!"

    Who would dare lie next to Mr. Stroud? Was she trying to get him killed? Only someone as bold as her could even think of such a thing.

    Xavier stared intently at Scarlett. His voice was firm and domineering yet tinged with childish insistence.

    "I won''t let you leave! Stay. Keep mepany."

    Scarlett went silent. Caleb''s hand trembled as he nervously adjusted his gold- rimmed sses, his eyes filled with disbelief.

    Had Xavier''s brain been damaged from the explosion? Was the man who avoided women like the gue relying on Scarlett? Could this be another post-traumatic stress response, like the one he''d suffered after that near-fatal incident 10 years ago?

    He needed to run more tests.

    Caleb gave Scarlett a subtle signal, asking her to go along with it. Helplessly, she forced a smile and looked at Xavier. "Okay, I won''t leave. I''ll stay with you."

    Caleb then ushered the crowd out the door with his eyes. Seeing as Xavier was improving visibly and no longer in need of surgery, the others had no excuse to interfere with his decisions.

    Noah finally let out a breath of relief. The Gaztrict family was safe. But his expression darkened quickly, and he waved over a subordinate, ordering them to look into Scarlett.

    He hadn''t expected this girl to have real skills. Not only did she calm Xavier down during an episode, but she even broke through his aversion to women. She really did show a bit of the brave spirit he once had.

    Inside the room, Caleb reattached the tubes and sensors that Xavier had previously torn off. Soon, the monitors began disying his vitals again. After reading them, Caleb was shocked.

    Xavier''s neural activity had dropped to the normal range ever recorded, as if something hadpletely soothed him. Rarely had he ever seen him in such a peaceful, stable state.

    When he looked up at Xavier, he saw that his eyes were half-closed, but his gaze never left Scarlett, as if he was afraid she''d disappear the moment he looked away.

    Caleb narrowed his eyes,

    understanding dawning in his mind. So it was a PTSD response from that traumatic incident 10 years ago, and Scarlett had be his only emotional anchor, his lifeline.

    Scarlett sat with Xavier for a while, gently coaxing him to sleep. He looked utterly

    exhausted, with dark shadows under his eyes.

    When his eyes finally closed, Scarlett signaled for Caleb to hand her the acupuncture needles. She gently inserted one into the acupuncture point in his scalp, helping guide him into a deep sleep. ''

    The grip on her wrist loosened instantly. She pulled back her red, bruised hand and flexed her fingers.

    "Damn, his grip is crazy!" She thought. Any longer, and he might''ve broken her hand.

    There was nothing more she could do. It was time to let Caleb take over.

    She stepped out of the room, only to be met with a corridor full of highty respected physicians, all staring at her like she was a living miracle. She narrowed her eyes, face cold.

    "Mr. Stroud was utterly exhausted. Hisck of a sense of safety prevented him from falling asleep, which led to his mental copse and violent behavior.

    "Why didn''t any of you try to lull him to sleep? Instead, you were here debating brain surgery? I seriously question your medical qualifications."

    The group of doctors was silent. They thought, "With all due respect, who the hell dared approach Mr. Stroud?"

    Even the sedatives stopped working. If they got any closer, they would''ve died.

    Noah''s face flushed with shame. This was the top medical team in the country, yet they were being humiliated by some insignificant girl.

    However, he couldn''t argue back. He could only swallow his pride in silence.

 Chapter 70

    As Scarlett walked ahead, Edmund and Percy followed behind. Thetter crossed his arms, his gaze repeatedly drifting over to Scarlett.

    She looked so serene andposed, like someone untouched by desire, but behind closed doors... Suddenly, Edmund broke the silence.

    "Mr. Stroud, Mr. Xavier''s injuries are quite serious this time. Your parents must be very worried. You should return quickly and exin everything that happened today. Reassure both of your parents. With Dr. Gaztrict here, Mr. Xavier will be fine.

    "And as for what should be said and what shouldn''t... I''m sure you understand." Saying too much could only hurt Scarlett.

    Edmund believed that if she and Percy had once been close enough to sit together and do homework, then there had to be some feelings there. Percy likely wouldn''t want Scarlett to be a topic of gossip within the Stroud family.

    Percy pouted. Of course, he knew what he should and shouldn''t say, but a small part of him couldn''t help thinking differently.

    Xavier had been taken advantage of, and obviously, he wouldn''t dare tell their parents. To the Stroud family, Xavier was practically a god. If they ever found out someone hadid a hand on him, they''de after Scarlett without mercy.

    Without saying another word, Percy quickly got into the car. Scarlett watched the car as it drove away, her striking eyes narrowing slightly.

    "Mr. Barrett, you sent Percy away on purpose, didn''t you?"

    Edmund replied calmly, "There are some things I need to discuss with you�� things he''s still too young to hear."

    Scarlett raised an eyebrow. Clearly, the Stroud family had gone to great lengths to shield Percy. It was no wonder he turned out so mischievous and willful, with just a little touch of foolishness.

    "Alright, Mr. Barrett. I''m listening."

    Edmund slowed his pace, walking beside her as he spoke in a low, steady voice.

    "Earlier, when you came out, you mentioned that Mr. Stroudcked a sense of security, which led to his mental breakdown and irritability. Actually, all of this stems from a deeper issue.

    "I hadn''t nned on telling you any of this, but I heard that you visited Dr. Wand''s clinic and were able to calm Mr. Stroud during a critical moment. I think it''s important for you to know, as it could help with treating his insomnia.

    "Mr. Stroud is the highest-ranking member of the Stroud family in terms of seniority. I''m sure you noticed that from the way Mr. Percy addressed him.

    "Mr. Stroud is four generations above the current head of the Stroud family, who still shows him respect by addressing him as Mr. Stroud You must be wondering why Mr. Stroud holds such a high position at such a young age... Well, it all goes back to the upheaval 23 years ago."

    As he spoke, Edmund''s voice grew rough, and a deep, painful hatred flickered in his eyes.

    "That day was Mr. Stroud''s fifth birthday. As the eldest and only direct male descendant of the Stroud family, his status was incredibly prestigious. Because of this, the Stroud family even chartered an entire ind to celebrate his birthday.

    "Over a hundred direct descendants of the Stroud family went to that ind," Edmund said quietly.

    "My father, my mother...even my child was among them. I stayed behind to watch over this ce. By some twist of fate, I was spared from the disaster."

    A bitter smile tugged at his lips as his hand clenched tightly at his side. "That day, pirates of unknown origin raided the ind. They killed everyone they came across and looted everything in sight.

    "Mr. Stroud was just a mischievous boy at the time. He had hidden himself inside a giant gift box, nning to surprise everyone.

    "But when he heard the screams, he peeked through a crack and saw his parents, his siblings, and all his close rtives being brutally murdered by the pirates, who went as far as beheading people, stuffing their heads into sacks, and bragging about how many they''d killed.

    "Mr. Stroud''s mother was pregnant with her second child. She was just three months away from giving birth.

    "But those monsters... before they shot her, they ripped her belly open, pulled out the bloody infant, and yed with it like a toy.

    "And then, right in front of Mrs. Stroud, who was still breathing, they tossed the baby into a bonfire. They even joked about roasting and eating it..."

    Edmund raised a hand to his eyes, rubbing them wearily, his voice thick with sorrow as he went on.

    "Mr. Stroud had been hiding inside arge gift box the entire time. That''s what saved him from their bullets. But the horror he witnessed that day became a nightmare that''s haunted him ever since.

    "The pirates ughtered everyone and took all the valuables and gifts from the ind. By the time I got the news, two days had already passed.

    "When I arrived with the Stroud

    family''s forces, the ind was a nightmare Severed limbs and mangled bodies were everywhere. Rivers of blood ran through the ruins. It was the most horrifying, brutal, and heartbreaking scene I''ve ever witnessed in my life"

    Edmund ced a hand over his heart, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

 Chapter 71

    "Even now, the memory felt like a knife twisting in his heart. A lifetime wouldn''t be enough for him to let it go.

    "We mobilized hundreds of forensic experts just to piece together everyone''s remains," he said, his voice heavy with grief.

    "But Mr. Stroud was the only one we couldn''t find. I immediately led the troops to hunt down those pirates, but they had vanished without a trace.

    "That''s when I realized this wasn''t some random attack. It was a premeditated massacre, and there were aplices on the inside.

    "Out of the thousand security personnel the Stroud family brought, half were killed on the spot. The rest simply disappeared. The Stroud family had been set up. Someone wanted to wipe them outpletely."

    By now, Edmund''s voice shook with hatred and indignation. His emotions were running high.

    "But I wouldn''t let them have their way!" he dered, his voice regaining some strength. "I entrusted the Stroud family''s assets to a coteral branch, helping the family survive the storm.

    "But the Stroud family never truly recovered. They gradually declined. Even Mr. Stroud..." Edmund let out a deep sigh.

    "I spent eight years searching for him, but I couldn''t find him. Then, one day, as I was returning to Silvermere Bay, a gaunt young man suddenly stopped my car.

    "He was barefoot, dressed in rags, his hair long and unkempt, reaching down to his shoulders. He looked like a beggar, but I recognized him instantly.

    "He looked so much like his father, especially those chilling eyes. They were exactly the same.

    "I brought him back to the manor, but he didn''t say a word. He would just eat until he was full, then sit there staring into space. If I hadn''t reminded him, he wouldn''t have even realized he was hungry or known it was time to sleep.

    "This went on for two months before he finally said anything to me. He told me he''d killed them all.

    "When I pressed him for more, he refused to say another word. Around that same time, my private investigator shared what he had found."

    Edmund frowned, his eyes clouded with heartache.

    "So, it turns out that after Mr. Stroud was hidden in the gift box and taken away, he ended up at that organization''s training camp by ident.

    "He was trained just like any other child. But in that training camp, they didn''t treat the children like human beings.

    "They fed them raw meat and forced them to kill each other. Only the survivors were given cooked food, and even that was barely better than what dogs ate.

    "That''s how Mr. Stroud fought his way out, slowly and steadily. When he was 13 years old, he found the chance to kill his superior and escape.

    "I''m not sure how he made it back here from that remote, wild ind. But one look

    in his eyes told me all I needed to know. He wanted revenge.

    "I told him that the only way to find the culprit and get his revenge was to be a normal person and

    strengthen the Stroud family. H

    started going to school like everyone else, earning things like ying golf, riding motorcycles, and racing cars.

    "On top of his studies, he also delved into finance. During that time, I barely ever

    saw him sleep. That''s when I realized he had insomnia.

    "To help him rest, I would often slip sleeping pills into his milk. Even then, he could only manage a maximum of five hours of sleep before waking up to find something else to do.

    "That was until ten years ago. Someone challenged him to a private off-road race in Ashbourne. Do you remember that period of time?" Edmund asked Scarlett.

 Chapter 72

    As Edmund recounted the story, Scarlett felt a sharp pain in her chest. She had always believed her previous life was the worst of the worst, that no one in the world could have suffered more than she had. Butpared to Xavier''s experiences, her own struggles seemed trivial.

    It was no wonder that Xavier had such severe mental health issues. The activity in his brain was constantly out of bnce. She couldn''t imagine how anyone could endure what he had without their mind breaking.

    Edmund''s question snapped her out of her thoughts, and forgotten images shed before her eyes. "Could it be... him?"

    A look of surprise, quickly followed by realization, shed across Scarlett''s face. It was no wonder he had seemed so familiar when she first saw him. She had once, unknowingly, saved him!

    It was the time she had just received a box of silver needles from Alton. She was eager to practice, but no one was willing to be her test subject. She had already poked and prodded everyone she knew.

    Even her mother, who usually approached her with a silly grin, would hide at the sight of her during that time. She was desperate to find someone to test her skills

    on.

    That day, with a small basket strapped to her back and the excuse of searching for herbs, she had ventured farther than ever before. After crossing two mountains, she figured that even if she identally hurt someone, no one would be able to trace it back to her.

    But as she walked, a huge object suddenly tumbled down from above, nearly crushing her. With a loud ssh, it plunged into theke, drenching her from head to toe.

    Clutching her wildly beating heart, she muttered a curse under her breath. Still puzzled, she hesitated, then retraced her steps to see what exactly had fallen. She dove into theke and swam toward the object, only to discover a person trapped inside.

    Alton had always told her, "Saving a life is the greatest gift you can give," so without hesitation, she decided to lend a hand.

    However, that car-like contraption was incredibly sturdy. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t get it open.

    When she saw that the water hadpletely submerged the man''s head, she realized that there must have been a leak somewhere. After some effort, she found it right by the ss corner near him.

    Using the tip of her sickle, she pried it open and pulled the young and unconscious man out. He was heavy, but thankfully, she was strong enough to drag him ashore.

    The young man had swallowed a lot

    of water and wasn''t breathing, but his pulse was still there. Without hesitation, she began administering CPR, pressing on his chest and abdomen. Fortunately, she managed to revive him.  s?novel

    However, his injuries were severe. It looked like nearly every bone in his body was broken, and many of his wounds were still bleeding heavily.

    Scarlett was far from being afraid; she gripped her silver needles and was eager to put them to use.

    Alton had recently taught her acupuncture techniques for stopping bleeding, but she hadn''t had the chance to try them until now. She was even a little excited.

    Once she managed to stop the bleeding, she realized his severe external injuries were beyond her skill to treat.

    She tried to contact his family, but no matter what she did, she couldn''t unlock his phone. Left with no other choice, she decided to go find help.

    She hadn''t gone far when a series of booming sounds erupted behind her, followed by a sudden gust of wind. Startled, she turned around only to see a helicopternding nearby.

    Several people in white coats quickly emerged and carried the young man away.

    She ran back to the vige, eager to

    tell Alton what had happened. But by the time she arrived, Alton was already gone. It wasn''t until six. monthster that he returned to visit

    her and continue her medic

    training.

    By then, she had nearly forgotten the whole incident. Little did she know, the

    young man she had saved was none other than Xavier himself!

 Chapter 73

    Suddenly, Scarlett understood why Xavier had brought her here and why he was treating her so differently. He had recognized her from the start. He was repaying her.

    The realization eased the unease in Scarlett''s heart, recing it with a strange warmth. She had treated many people, but it seemed only he was truly grateful, genuinely repaying her kindness.

    As for the others... not only were they ungrateful, but they also sought to exploit, oppress, and humiliate her.

    Scarlett nodded. "Yes, I remember. He was badly injured. I stopped the bleeding and stabilized his critical wounds before I went to call for help.

    "But just as I turned around, a helicopter appeared and took him away."

    Edmund offered a warm, grateful smile. "You''re not just Mr. Stroud''s savior. You''re the savior of the entire Stroud family. If it hadn''t been for you back then, we might''ve lost him.

    "The year he got injured during the off-road race was when the Stroud family was finally on the rise, thanks to him. That''s when we became a target. They wanted to wipe out the Stroud bloodline.

    "Luckily, Mr. Stroud pulled through. Not only did he survive, but he also became even more determined.

    "In just a few short years, he rebuilt the Stroud family''s business empire and even expanded into several countries. Everyone in the family sees him as a living legend.

    "But I know that deep down, Mr. Stroud has never let go. He''s been holding his breath all these years, waiting for the right moment to take his revenge.

    "As long as he uncovers any family tied to that bloody incident years ago, even if they''re nobles in the capital, he can bring them down overnight. Because of this, Mr. Stroud earned the reputation of a god of death and a demon.

    "Although everyone fears him, deep down, they all secretly wish for his downfall. Mr. Stroud''s sudden departure from Jondalia this time was because he found new clues rted to the old case.

    "He couldn''t bear to let them slip away, but who would''ve thought he''d fall into another trap? Mr. Stroud''s life has been nothing but pain and exhaustion..."

    Edmund''s eyes glistened with tears as he looked at Scarlett. "Ms. Quinn, Mr. Stroud is truly grateful to you. Please. You must prioritize his

    health. No matter the cost, ''n

    willing to cover all medical O expenses. I only ask that you help him recover..."

    Scarlett quickly responded, "Mr. Barrett, please rest assured. I''ll do everything I can to heal Mr. Stroud. And thank you, Mr. Barrett, for trusting me enough to share all of this with me."

    Such a deep-seated blood feud was a scar every member of the Stroud family wished would stay buried.

    Edmund had lost his parents, his wife, and his children because of it. The weight he carried was no lighter than anyone else''s in the family.

    And yet, he stood tall, bearing half the burden of the entire Stroud family. For eight long years, he had tirelessly searched for Xavier, and after finding him, he cared for him with unwavering devotion.

    To Scarlett, he was nothing short of a living legend. A deep respect for him rose within her, along with a profound sense of awe.

    Edmund continued, "The Stroud family today has several hundred people, all descendants from minor branches back then. Many weren''t even recorded in the family genealogy.

    "To support the Stroud family, I personally verified each individual''s identity and added them to the family tree.

    "Due to their distant kinship, their

    generational ranking ended up being quite low. Even the family head selected, who is the most respected elder among the Strouds, is still a generation below Mr. Stroud.

    "Ever since Mr. Stroud returned and turned the tide, leading the family back to prosperity, he has be the pir of our entire lineage. To

    every member of the Stroud family, Mr. Stroud is nothing short of a deity."

    Edmund shared even more details about the Stroud family.

    Scarlett listened quietly; her heart was heavy with a mix of emotions.

    Those in high positions often have their status and power disyed for all to see, even revered like gods. But the darkness and suffering they endure behind the scenes always remain hidden.

 Chapter 74

    That night, Scarlett tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Edmund''s words echoed relentlessly in her mind.

    Early the next morning, she was haunted by a nightmare. In her dream, pirates swarmed the ind like wild beasts, gunfire crackling amid the sh of swords. Blood sttered across the sand, turning the sea a deep crimson.

    The entire dreamscape was drenched in red, and the thick scent of blood was hanging heavily in the air.

    In the midst of the chaos, a small boy cowered inside a gift box, peeking through a narrow crack as he watched his loved ones brutally ughtered one by one.

    He pressed his hands tightly over his mouth, terrified of making a sound. His eyes were filled with helplessness, fear, and tears.

    Scarlett jolted awake, her heart pounding violently. It was just a dream, yet it had left her shaken to the core. She couldn''t begin to imagine how Xavier, only five years old at the time, had survived those dark years after witnessing such a horrifying bloodbath.

    Suddenly, her phone vibrated on the bedside table. Scarlett reached for it. It was a call from Caleb.

    "Scarlett, get to the hospital, quick!"

    Caleb''s voice was tight with tension and urgency.

    Scarlett shot upright in bed, and the frantic shouts of medical staff still echoed through the phone.

    "Quick! Stop, Mr. Stroud!"

    "Mr. Gaztrict, Mr. Stroud has gone mad! He''s gone mad!"

    "Help!"

    There was no time to even change out of her pajamas. Scarlett grabbed her purse and bolted out the door.

    At the same time, Edmund had also gotten the news and was speeding out of the garage in a car.

    "Ms. Quinn, get in the car, quick!"

    As Scarlett jumped into the car, her heart raced in her chest. Now, she deeply regretted leaving the hospital the night before.

    She had thought Xavier''s mental state was fragile, that he had regressed into a childlike dependence, desperately craving security. She believed that he would eventually heal as long as someone stayed by his side andforted him.

    But she hadn''t realized the extent of the trauma he had suffered as a child. This wasn''t something that could be soothed with a few kind words.

    Her expression grew serious, and a heavy weight settled in her chest. She couldn''t help but wonder if Xavier would think she had lied to him when he woke up and found her gone.

    As she arrived at the hospital, distant screams of terror reached her ears.

    "Mr. Stroud, please! Let go! Let go!"

    "Mr. Gaztrict! Mr. Gaztrict!"

    Scarlett rushed forward, her heart pounding. She saw Xavier gripping Caleb''s neck, his eyes bloodshot and his expression twisted with rage.

    A suffocating killing intent radiated off him, teetering on the edge of madness.

    His voice, hoarse and ragged, seemed to scrape out from between clenched teeth.

    "Give her back to me! Give her back!"

    "You killed her! I''ll make you pay with your lives!"

    Caleb''s eyes had

    already started to

    roll back. His face flushed a deep crimson. . His hands were weakly

    hammering against Xavier''s ar

    But Xavier was beyond reasoning,pletely unmoved by Caleb''s desperate attempts.

    Two needles were still stuck in his broad back. One was filled with a sedative, the

    other with an anesthetic, but neither seemed to have any effect on him now.

    Scarlett had long noticed his unusual constitution. Caleb had mentioned before that his body had developed a strong resistance to drugs.

    After hearing Edmund''s exnationst night, she suspected that Xavier''s condition had been forcibly altered during his years at the training camp. She had seen this kind of body before with Alton.

    For someone like him, medication would only be less and less effective over time. Scarlett pulled out a silver needle, stepped up behind him, and swiftly inserted it into a pressure point on his head.

    Xavier''s spine stiffened abruptly.

    Though he was on the verge of copsing, he slowly turned his head to look at Scarlett as if trying tomit the face of the person who had hurt him to memory.

    It was a testament to his incredible willpower.

    Only when he saw that it was Scarlett did he finally close his bloodshot eyes and fall heavily toward her.

    Scarlett nearly lost her bnce trying to catch him.

 Chapter 75

    Edmund rushed forward and grabbed Xavier around the waist, catching him just in time before he copsed onto Scarlett. Meanwhile, Caleb clutched his throat, coughing violently as he scrambled backward, desperate to crawl out of the room.

    It was utterly terrifying. It wasn''t the first time Xavier had choked him during an episode.

    But usually, there were sedatives and anesthetics. Someone was always able to pull him free from Xavier''s grip.

    However, Xavier seemedpletely out of control today. Neither medication had any effect.

    Caleb had been convinced Xavier had killed Scarlett. That was why he hadn''t seen her when he woke up.

    He waspletely innocent!

    But no matter how he tried to exin, Xavier acted as though he''d witnessed it with his own eyes. He was convinced that Caleb was the killer and nearly strangled him to death as some twisted form of atonement for Scarlett''s life. Just then, the medical staff finished quickly tidying up the room.

    Edmund helped Xavier onto the hospital bed, his face full of deep concern. "Ah, this injury has definitely worsened. I don''t know when he''ll ever recover." "Mr. Stroud is either on the road to more injuries or on the road to recovery. His life is so difficult," Scarlett said, her voiceced with concern.

    Scarlett bit her lip, then, after a moment''s hesitation, said, "Mr. Barrett, could you please request a leave of absence for me from school? I''ll stay here to take care of Mr. Stroud."

    Edmund nodded. Right now, Scarlett was the only one who could calm Xavier''s emotions.

    He hadn''t told herst night that after the serious injury Xavier suffered ten years ago, he''d been tracing her portrait every night before bed.

    Only when he was satisfied with his drawing would he put down his pen and lie down.

    Over the years, it had be a habit.

    So, perhaps only Scarlett could give Xavier the sense of security he needed.

    At Yendale Harldon Academy, Edmund had arranged an extended leave for Scarlett and taken her textbooks as well.

    When their homeroom teacher, Mike, heard that Scarlett would be absent for a while, he hurriedly shoved a thick stack of advanced mathpetition papers into Edmund''s hands.

    Herbert couldn''t help but scoff when he saw this. "Taking leave during the crucial preparation period for the Elite Math Tournament? Can''t you see what''s happening here?

    "She doesn''t care about this tournament at all. Honestly, I suggest you give up on her and let my student take her spot."

    With a cold smile, Herbert looked at Mike, his arrogance showing despite his request. "If ites to that, even if the school expels you, I''ll make sure to speak up for you."

    He was clearly the one trying to im thepetition slot, yet he acted as though he were doing Mike a favor while making demands.

    Mike felt a wave of frustration. He frowned and said, "I''m sorry, Mr. Riggs, but since Scarlett agreed to participate in the Elite Math Tournament, I believe, as her teacher, I should trust my student."

    Herbert''s expression darkened.

    "Fine. If you insist on letting a poor student take part, I won''t argue �� further. However, when ites to Jonah and Percy''s disciplinary actions, I will make sure to record them fairly in their files, based on their contributions to the school."

    Mike''s heart sank. It seemed Herbert wasn''t going to let Percy''s punishment slide so easily. All he could do now was hope that Percy would perform well in thepetition and clear his name.

    Meanwhile, Percy noticed Scarlett

    wasn''t at school. After asking around, he found out she had taken a long leave. He immediately

    decided to skip ss after the

    two periods and headed straight to

    the inte cafe.

    Lost in the heat of the game, a hand suddenlynded on his shoulder. A voice,

    calm yetced with danger, whispered in his ear, "Having fun?"

    Percy jumped, ripping off his headset and swearing, "What the fuck!"

    His words caught in his throat as he stood abruptly, looking as though he''d seen a ghost. "Edmund? What are you doing here?"

    Without a word, Edmund dragged him out of the inte cafe. "Ms. Quinn has assigned me to supervise your studies. If you skip ss again, don''t me me for what happens next."

    Edmund shed a chilling smile.

    Percy was left speechless.

    Edmund continued, "Ms. Quinn also asked that you take careful notes in ss and give them to her after school. Even though she''s on leave, she doesn''t want to fall behind in her studies."

    Percy immediately protested, "Wait, why should I care if she falls behind? She''s my tutor, not the other way around!"

    "Hmm?" Edmund frowned, displeasure clearly showing on his face.

    Percy fell silent, his shoulders sagging. He mumbled a reluctant, "Oh."

    In his mind, he was filled with

    confusion. Wasn''t Edmund supposed to be Xavier''s loyal

    with Scarlett? Moreover, Edmund didn''t even listen to the head of the Stroud family. Why would he listen to Scarlett?

    That was so strange.

 Chapter 76

    At the Quinn residence, Lily casually mentioned Scarlett''s absence from school.

    Jonathan''s face immediately darkened. "She took leave? What''s going on with her?"

    Lily shook her head innocently. "I''m not sure. She hasn''t been to school all week. I heard a middle-aged man request leave for her."

    Jonathan''s expression soured even more at this.

    Jonah frowned deeply. "Ever since I publicly apologized to her at the g-raising ceremonyst week, she''s been acting like she''s on top of the world, looking down on everyone. I don''t know how many people she''s offended at school."

    "I''m a little worried," he added. "Could someone have dealt with her?"

    Although he couldn''t stand Scarlett, no matter what, she was still their biological sister. If anything happened to her, they wouldn''t be able to face their parents.

    Lily immediately grew anxious. "Ah? What should we do?"

    Jonah turned to Jonathan. "Can you track her location?"

    They had installed a tracker on her phone as a precaution, a suggestion from Lily.

    Thankfully, it had proven useful, revealing just how often Scarlett lied. She frequently skipped sses to hang out online or at bars but would never admit it when she came home.

    She even used the Quinn family name to rack up debts at various clubs, nearly ruining their family''s reputation, and still refused to take responsibility. Her older brothers had cleaned up more than their fair share of messes for her.

    On the other hand, Lily wasn''t like that. Someone raised in the countryside would always carry a bit of that with them. Once they moved to the big city, they got caught up in the pursuit of status.

    Scarlett''s phone had been a gift from Jonathan, which meant only he could track it. He picked up his phone and fiddled with it for a moment, a look of confusion crossing his face.

    "Jonathan, where is she?"

    Jonathan frowned, suspicion clear in his expression. "The tracker says she''s at the house."

    Jonah''s face instantly darkened. "She actually dares toe back?"

    He stood up and strode toward the door, eager to see Scarlett grovel for their forgiveness in order to return.

    She had shown them so little respecttely, and they were desperate to see her submit, to feed their need for superiority as her older brothers.

    "No, she''s not outside."

    Phone in hand, Jonathan followed the arrow on the screen, heading toward the storage room under the stairs.

    It was the same ce where Scarlett used to live.

    Jonah scoffed. "So quick toe crawling back, huh? And hiding from us, too. Looks like she couldn''t make it out there and doesn''t even have the guts to face us anymore."

    Though he spoke with disdain, a strange sense of relief washed over him, just knowing she was back seemed to be enough.

    Unable to hold back, he kicked the door open and roared, "Scarlett! How dare you show your face here again! Where else could you find a better ce to live? Now you finally realize how good the Quinn family has been toyou?"

    Martha, the housekeeper from the adjacent nanny''s room, stepped out with a look of confusion on her face. Scarlett still hadn''t returned. What were Jonah, Jonathan, and ly doing?

    The storage room door creaked open, releasing a musty wave of damp and dusty air. Jonah

    instinctively stepped back, waving his hand in front of his face, and immediately cursed, "Scarlett, what are you doing? Trying to suffocate me?"

    But only silence answered from the darkness inside, the stillness unsettling.

    Martha hesitated, then said cautiously, "Mr. Jonathan, Mr. Jonah, Ms. Quinn... Ms. Scarlett hasn''te back yet!"

    Disbelief shed across Jonah''s face. "How is that possible? The location clearly shows she''s..."

    "Jonah!" Jonathan cut him off sharply.

    Only Lily and her brothers knew that Scarlett''s phone had a tracking device installed.

 Chapter 77

    "This feels like we''re invading Scarlett''s privacy. It just doesn''t feel right."

    But Martha sensed something more beneath their words, leaving her confused and unsettled.

    To her, Scarlett had always been a genuinely good person. She treated the Quinn family, and even the housekeepers, with humility and kindness.

    Scarlett had even used acupuncture to ease their rheumatism, something that even the major hospitals hadn''t been able to treat effectively. Thanks to her, the pain that once red up whenever it rained or the wind blew had be much more manageable.

    Whenever they were overwhelmed with work, Scarlett would jump in without hesitation, never minding the dirt or the hardbor.

    In her spare time, she was often found reading. She was diligent and hardworking. To them, Scarlett was far more sincere and genuine than Lily.

    It was strange, though. Despite Scarlett being the biological daughter, the brothers seemed to prefer their adopted sister, who had no blood rtion to them.

    They couldn''t quite understand it.

    Jonah struggled to ept that Scarlett hadn''t returned, especially since tracking showed her location was inside the house.

    Pinching his nose against the smell, he walked in and flipped on the light switch to the storage room.

    Without Scarlett''s regr care, the ce had fallen intoplete disarray. It had only been half a month, yet a thinyer of dust already coated the table.

    Fallen leaves, carried in by the wind, were scattered across the floor.

    Jonah looked up and finally noticed arge hole in the skylight.

    The edges of the opening were already covered in cobwebs.

    He remembered Lily identally breaking it while ying baseball, but she had clearly said she''d had it reced the very next day.

    So, how could it still be broken?

    Just then, Jonathan walked in, his gaze sweeping over the room as a sh of surprise crossed his face. It was his first time ever stepping into this room.

    He had never cared which room Scarlett lived in. After all, there were no bad rooms in the Quinn residence.

    He had always assumed that even the worst room here would be hundreds of times better than anything in the countryside where she came from. But he had never realized there was such a small, dark room hidden away in the house.

    His voice was sharp with anger as he demanded, "Who allowed Scarlett to stay in this room?"

    Jonah shifted ufortably, his eyes flickering instinctively toward Lily, who stood by the doorway. Although he had been the one to bring Scarlett here that day, it was Lily who had chosen the room.

    She had even suggested, "Jonah, do you want to test Scarlett? I have an idea. Let''s have her stay in the downstairs storage room first. It''s not as nice as the rooms upstairs, but it''s still better than a hotel."

    But was it really better than a hotel?

    A flicker of panic crossed Lily''s face before she quickly stepped forward and said, "This ce was definitely clean and tidy a year ago. I even had the floors redone. I don''t know how it got like this after Scarlett moved  shovel

    in Si

    Jonah frowned and asked, "Why wasn''t the skylight reced?"

    Lily looked up as if noticing it for the first time, her face flushing slightly with a touch of feigned annoyance.

    "Oh heavens, why hasn''t it been fixed yet? I''ve mentioned it several times! That housekeeper must have been so careless!"

    Standing by the door, Martha rolled her eyes in exasperation. She had never heard Lily give any such instructions. Talk about shifting the me!

    Lily went on, "It''s such a shame that the housekeeper was fired. She really caused Scarlett a lot of harm. Otherwise, I would have given her a piece of my mind."

    The truth was, the skylight had broken a month ago during a cold snap when the temperature had plunged to just a few degrees.

    At that moment, Jonah and

    Jonathan both remembered Scarlett lying in this very room on the day of theing-of-age ceremony. She was soaked through and burning with fever. Their brows furrowed, troubled expressions clouding their faces.

    Just then, Lily eximed, "Isn''t this Scarlett''s phone?"

 Chapter 78

    Jonah stepped forward and picked up the phone from the table. It was covered in a thickyer of dust. Beneath it, a folded piece of paper caught his eye.

    Lily picked it up and read it aloud. Scarlett said, "I don''t care for phones with trackers. Having a family like you is the worst luck imaginable!"

    Jonah snatched the note from her hands, crumpling it angrily in his fist.

    "Scarlett really doesn''t care about us at all! Even if the ce she''s living in is rough, couldn''t she have just told us?

    "She insists on suffering out there, waiting for us to find her. Does she seriously think we''d feel sorry for her? Ha! Hrious! I won''t feel sorry for her, not one bit!"

    Jonathan pinched the bridge of his nose, a headache beginning to form. "Go upstairs and tidy up a room. We''re bringing Scarlett back."

    Jonah struggled to hold back his anger. "Jonathan, Scarlett''s the one who ran away and said all those awful things! She doesn''t even consider us family! Why should we bring her back?

    "If we bring her back, won''t it show that the Quinn family actually cares about her? I can''t stand that self-righteous, scheming girl!"

    Jonathan sighed. Though they were wrong for putting a tracker on her phone, she shouldn''t have said such harsh words.

    Scarlett had picked up all sorts of rough habits from the countryside. She could casually say the most vile and unpleasant things.

    Indeed, they couldn''t let her think the Quinn family was desperate for her.

    That would only give her more confidence, and who knew what other hurtful things she might say in the future to harm them?

    "Then let her stay out there a little longer. But we need to prepare a proper room for her. When shees back and apologizes, she can''t be allowed to live in such a terrible ce again."

    When Scarlett left, she''dined about the storage room she was staying in, saying it was dirty and messy, but they hadn''t taken herints seriously.

    This was the Quinn residence, home to the wealthiest family in Yendale, covering several thousand square meters in the heart of the city, wherend was incredibly expensive.

    Even the dirtiest, most cluttered storage room would be a thousand times better than the small, cramped space she used to live in.

    But who could have guessed that this storage room wasn''t just dirty and messy? It was also dark and cramped...

    "Jonah, make sure to check on Scarlett more at school. Don''t let her get bullied too much."

    If their sister was bullied too severely, it would be a disgrace to the Quinn family. Jonah nodded.

    Jonathan added, "Some important figures are expected toe to Yendale soon, so keep a low profile."

    The Quinn family had only risen to prominence as the wealthiest in the region in recent years.

    It was said that decades ago, a powerful n had once called Yendale home. This family not only had ties to high-ranking government officials but also to the wealthiest individuals in the world, ever controlling the nation''s financial pulse.

    Not even ten Quinn familiesbined could rival such a colossal entity.

    Yet, for reasons unknown, this influential family had vanished overnight. Even someone as well-connected in the business world as Jonathan knew very little about what had happened.

    Jonah asked curiously, "Is something going on in Yendaletely? I haven''t heard anything about a national conference being held here!"

    "It''s not a national conference. Yendale hasn''t hosted one in decades, and it''s not going to anytime soon."

    "That''s strange," Jonah said, thinking aloud. "Yendale''s doing really well. Cities less developed than ours have hosted national conferences several times.

    "Why does Yendale always get overlooked? I can''t shake the feeling the government is wary of something, but that can''t be it!"

    "It''s probably because of that powerful family that disappeared decades ago. I don''t know the full details, but it seems like anyone who tried to dig into it was silenced. The government is still a bit cautious."

    Jonah''s eyes widened in shock. "They''re still wary after all these years? That

    family must have been incredibly influential back then!"

    "Hmm." After a brief pause, he continued, "The key figuresing to Yendale this time seem to have some connection to that family haven''t fully figured out what''s going on in Yendale that''s drawing them here."

    BUMS

    "Drawing them here?" Jonah''s expression darkened. "You don''t think they''re nning to take over Yendale and snatch our top spot, do you?"

    Jonathan gave Jonah a light tap on the head, irritated. "Those big shots are the wealthiest in their own provinces and cities. Why would they care about our title in Yendale?

    "Just remember... if you run into anyone with thest names Stroud, Gaztrict, or Lancaster... stay clear. There are families we simply can''t afford to mess with."

    Jonah rubbed his head, unease settling in.

 Chapter 79

    At Jondalia Hospital, Xavier had finally woken up. When he saw Scarlett by his side, he became unusually quiet, disying full cooperation with his treatment.

    He even drank water when she asked him to and ate when she told him to. He was as obedient as a child.

    Seeing him like this, Scarlett felt a twinge of sadness in her heart. It was as though all he needed was a bit of reassurance, and he could quickly pull himself together, doing his best to live a normal life. His resilience was both touching and heartbreaking.

    "Sir, a few members of the Stroud family areing to visit today. I''ll step out to the restroom to avoid them, but I''lle back as soon as they leave."

    Xavier immediately shook his head. "No!"

    He grew anxious and restless if he couldn''t see Scarlett for even a moment. Feeling helpless, Scarlett came up with a n.

    "But I need to use the restroom. You''re not going to stop me from that, are you? If

    I hold it in and get sick, I won''t be able to stay by your side."

    Xavier replied, his brow furrowing as if he were making a difficult decision. After a pause, he finally said, "You have five minutes."

    Scarlett smiled brightly. "Okay! I''ll be back as soon as the Stroud family leaves."

    With that, Scarlett sent a message to Caleb.

    Just as she entered the restroom, the door to the ward swung open, and several men with powerful presences walked in. Among them was an elderly man with graying hair, a tall andposed middle-aged man, and a few others, all with bloodshot eyes, their faces etched with nervousness and concern.

    "Mr. Stroud, are you feeling any better?"

    "Mr. Stroud, you really need to take care of yourself."

    "Uncle Xavier, please get well soon. Your nephews from the Stroud family will handle everything, so you don''t need to worry."

    Xavier''s brow furrowed with impatience as he nced at the countdown on his watch. Before they could finish speaking, he interrupted, "Aren''t any of you busy?"

    The men were momentarily taken aback.

    "Are you all this free? If you''ve got nothing to do, I can always find something for you."

    His gaze was like a razor''s

    edge-cold, sharp, andced with a hint of bloodlust. It felt as if he

    w to tear them apart, sending

    an icy shiver down their spines.

    A cold sweat broke out on their foreheads. As powerful individuals, it had been a

    long time since they''d felt such terrifying pressure.

    "We... we have urgent matters to attend to."

    If it hadn''t been for Xavier''s health, they wouldn''t have interrupted their busy schedules to rush over.

    They''d even spent most of the day waiting outside just to get a chance toe in and offer their condolences.

    "Then what are you waiting for?" Xavier''s voice was as chilling as ice.

    They didn''t dare linger any longer. Swallowing the well-intentioned words they had prepared, they lowered their heads and quietly retreated.

    Outside, a number of influential figures from various provinces and sectors were

    waiting to pay their respects to Xavier.

    They immediately asked, "Why did youe out so soon?"

    "How is Mr. Stroud?"

    "Is Mr. Stroud doing any better?"

    "Are we allowed to go in and offer our condolences?"

    The ones who had just exited were the head of the Stroud family and a few other powerful figures within the family. Upon hearing the questions, they found themselves at a loss for words.

    They had been kicked out by Xavier!

 Chapter 80

    Caleb had actually advised against so many people visiting Xavier. But these

    were influential figures he couldn''t afford to offend, so he had no choice but to ask Scarlett to help persuade Xavier.

    To his surprise, even the few members of the Stroud family who managed to get in hadn''t fared well. Edmund could only settle them for the time being, hoping for

    a better opportunity to bring them back and offer their respects.

    Inside the ward at that moment, as soon as those people left, Scarlett stepped out. She looked both helpless and at a loss for words.

    "Sir, those people just came to visit you. Why did you send them away?"

    Xavier, however, pointed to the countdown timer on his watch and replied, "They were talking too much. Time''s almost up."

    He then added, "If they hadn''t left, I wouldn''t have been able to see you."

    Scarlett was at a loss for words, unsure whether tough or cry. Those were prominent figures one usually only saw on television! Well, for now, she could only indulge Xavier.

    In the following days, with Scarlett by his side, Xavier received his treatments on schedule. With Scarlett''s acupuncture as supplementary therapy, his eating and sleeping habits had improved significantly.

    Edmund had been spotted several times, quietly wiping away tears in the corner. During his free time, Xavier enjoyed reading finance and economics books.

    Scarlett would sit next to him, working on her exam papers and extracurricr exercises.

    The ward was filled with a quiet, peaceful atmosphere, something that never failed to surprise Caleb. Sometimes, when Scarlett managed to lift Xavier''s mood, he''d allow a few important visitors toe in and offer their well wishes.

    Of course, Scarlett always excused herself to the restroom during those visits. But even the most powerful and influential people didn''tst long. Xavier would impatiently dismiss them within ten minutes.

    One day, after finishing an exam paper, Scarlett looked up and saw Xavier rubbing his temples in exhaustion. She walked over and gently took the finance book from his hands.

    "Sir, the blood clot in your head hasn''t fully dissipated yet. You shouldn''t be reading these kinds of books for too long. It could strain you," Scarlett advised.

    "How about we y some games to rx?"

    She knew that if he got too bored, Xavier might be irritable, which wouldn''t be good for his recovery.

    Xavier nodded obediently, picking up his phone and handing it to Scarlett. "You teach me."

    Meanwhile, Jonah had been trying to

    track down Scarlett for a week without any luck. During PE ss, he happened to run into ss F.

    spotted Percy sitting under a tene

    ying games, and approached him. "Do you know where Scarlett went?"

    Without looking up, Percy replied, "No idea."

    Jonah frowned. "She''s gone. Aren''t you worried?"

    "Why would I worry about her?" Percy rolled his eyes. "Go away. Don''t interrupt my game."

    Lily''s voice wasced with frustration. "Percy, Scarlett was the closest to you after she moved to ss F. She''s really missing, and we''re not joking around."

    Percy''s lips twitched. When Scarlett was still at school, these two had stood by and watched her get bullied without lifting a finger.

    Now that she was gone, did they want to find her just to continue the bullying? Did a former housekeeper fired by a wealthy family, deserve to be treated that way by these rich kids? Percy couldn''t stand their hypocrisy.

    "Oh, she''s gone? Maybe she''s dead. Didn''t you guys hate her? Probably bullied

    her to death!"

 Chapter 81

    Jonah''s eyes widened in disbelief. Lily was initially taken aback, a sh of wild joy briefly lighting up her eyes, but her expression quickly shifted to one of feigned

    concern.

    "How could that be? You must be joking! She''s so tough, she''s more likely to be the one bullying others. Who would dare bully her? I can''t believe it!"

    Percy sneered. "If you don''t believe it, go check for yourself. Why are you asking me? Are you out of your mind?"

    Lily''s chest tightened with frustration.

    Percy was absolutely infuriating! Everyone else treated her with respect, but he was the only one who constantly got under her skin. Yet, the more he irritated her, the more she craved his attention, her desire to win him over growing stronger.

    She turned to Jonah. "Jonah, let''s try calling Scarlett again. We live in a society governed byw; surely nothing bad has happened to her."

    Though she said this, deep down, she secretly hoped that someone or anyone would make sure Scarlett was out of the picture for good, keeping her from evering back.

    Jonah didn''t believe anything terrible had happened to Scarlett either. He borrowed a ssmate''s phone and dialed her number.

    Scarlett had blocked both his and Lily''s numbers, but even this call went unanswered. A sense of unease began to settle in Jonah''s chest.

    Lily quickly tried to reassure him with a possible exnation. "When Scarlett ran away, she didn''t take her phone. She didn''t have much money either. Maybe she can''t afford a new one, and that''s why we can''t reach her?"

    Jonah thought it over, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice. "These days, everything depends on having a phone. She doesn''t have any money, and she didn''t take hers. I bet she''s doing this on purpose, making us worry because we can''t get in touch with her!"

    Lily spoke softly, "Scarlett probably did this because she was angry about us putting a tracker on her phone. We were in the wrong. Jonah, please don''t me her. When we find her, let''s get her a new phone from Quinn Corporation."

    Jonah scoffed. "You''re the kindest one, always thinking of her. She''s getting off easy."

    Meanwhile, Scarlett held the newly acquired limited-edition brand phone, her beautiful eyes sparkling with delight.

    She quickly swapped the SIM card from her old phone into the new one.

    That old phone had been a second-hand device she bought for 500 dors the night she left the Quinn residence. She''d refurbished it herself, hoping it would hold up until graduation.

    Who would''ve guessed that after just a couple of games with Xavier, it would crashpletely?

    Xavier had Edmund send her a

    brand-new phone. She had seen this phone before but had never used

    one herself. She knew it was one of the top-tier models in the world.

    It wasn''t just expensive. It was a limited edition, often out of stock, and incredibly hard to get your hands on.

    It featured a unique operating system with robust security. Rumor had it that you could even crack walnuts or stop bullets with it.

    The Quinn family also made phones, but theirs were all mass-market models that her brothers wouldn''t touch. They probably thought they were too low-end.

    They all used this particr model, a series of ssic gray versions.

    Lily had the ssic green model. She always used it without a case and often held it in her hand, intentionally showing it off.

    But the one in front of her was a pink version she had never seen before.

    Scarlett nced at Edmund with hesitation.

    With a smile, Edmund asked, "Ms. Quinn, is there something you''d like to ask?"

    Scarlett, slightly embarrassed, replied, "Um... is this phone... perhaps not genuine? I''ve never seen this brand release a pink version."

    She knew Edmund probably wouldn''t give her a fake, but she couldn''t rule out the possibility that someone down the line had tried to pull a fast one on him. After all, she''d checked the official website, and there was no pink version listed.

    Edmund chuckled. "Ms. Quinn, please don''t worry. This is a custom internal

    edition that is not avable for public sale.

    "Its performance actually exceeds

    that of themercially avable models, and it can ess the- Stroud family''s private website. Everyone in the Stroud family uses this phone.

    "Ms. Quinn, you''re now part of Mr. Stroud''s personal medical team, which means

    you''re practically one of the Stroud family members.

    "This phone was specially customized for you, Ms. Quinn."

    Scarlett was taken aback.

    She quickly lowered her gaze to examine the new phone. This incredibly powerful

    phone had actuallye from the Stroud family''s ownpany!

    She was truly benefiting from her association with them!

 Chapter 82

    Soon, Scarlett received a text from an unfamiliar number. "Scarlett, I''m warning you. Don''t try to disappear on me!"

    The sudden threat took Scarlett aback. A couple of dayster, the same number sent another message.

    "Scarlett, it''s Jonah. Call me now!" Scarlett rolled her eyes and immediately blocked the number.

    She had heard from Percy that Jonah and Lily were desperately looking for her and found it utterly ridiculous. They practically wished she didn''t exist when she was with them like she was a thorn in their side.

    But now that she was out of sight, they were scrambling to find her, acting like they were terrified she might disappear. Something had to be wrong with them.

    Scarlett ignored them. As long as she stayed put, no one outside would hear about her.

    The Elite Math Tournament was just a week away. Every day, besides treating and caring for Xavier, she was buried in math questions. Once she finished the existing ones, she''d go online to find more questions to solve.

    ...

    Meanwhile, as Jonah''s messages were ignored, his anxiety grew by the day. He even regretted letting his underlings bully her. He had forced her to fight back like a wild animal, angering so many people in the process.

    Now, with no sign of her, he couldn''t shake the thought that it was all his fault. His mind was too scattered to focus on the math questions. He spent over an hour on a paper, barely making it through half of it, before he tossed his pen aside in frustration.

    Lily walked in holding a few test papers, her face flushed with excitement. "Jonah! Look, I got Mr. Lancaster''s elite math questions!"

    In the world of elite math, Caius Lancaster was a household name. Not only was he the mastermind behind the Elite Math Tournament question-making team, but he was also the creator of some of the most challenging, nearly insurmountable problems.

    Caius'' elite math questions were never made public. Only children from the most influential and powerful families had a chance to get their hands on them.

    The two test papers in Lily''s hands had been obtained through countless efforts, with Herbert pulling strings and using all sorts of connections. Jonah was so stunned that he momentarily forgot about his worries, immediately diving into them.

    Lily suddenly looked a little downcast. "Thepetition is just a week away, and Scarlett definitely won''t have the chance to try Mr. Lancaster''s questions.

    "She could''ve worked through these if only she were at home. At least she wouldn''t get such a bad score even if she didn''t ce."

    Jonah frowned. "These problems are moreplex than regr elite math questions. She probably wouldn''t even understand the basic ones. Giving her these would be a waste of time.

    "Besides, these are Mr. Lancaster''s questions. Only someone with serious expertise can handle them."

    Meanwhile, the homeroom teacher of ss F, Mike, heard that Herbert had managed to get Caius'' questions. In an effort to help Percy and Scarlett, he humbled himself and requested a copy for the two of them.

    However, not only did Herbert outright refuse, but he also mocked

    him harshly in return. Mike was

    furious but put on a brave face, encouraging his students. He sent a message in their group chat.

    "Keep going, guys! Just one week to go. Give it your all!"

    Percy replied with a photo in the chat. Then, he added, "Give it all you''ve got! We even had Mr. Lancastere over to our ce for the final push!"

    Mike opened the photo and nearly jumped out of his seat. He couldn''t believe his eyes. Was that Caius in the flesh?

    Scarlett also posted a photo and wrote. "These were all brought by Mr. Lancaster. With these, winning the championship shouldn''t be a problem."

    Mike nervously tapped the photo, which was a massive stack of elite math tests, at least a hundred pages thick. Plus, all of them were Caius'' questions!

 Chapter 83

    Herbert was still basking in the glory of securing just one of Caius'' test papers,

    even going so far as to instruct students not to let Mike see it, as if he were some thief who might steal the questions. However, Mike''s students could now solve every single one of Caius'' questions, and they even had his guidance.

    The surprise came so suddenly that Mike couldn''t help butugh out loud as he looked at his phone.

    Herbert, who was as smug as ever, turned to the teacher next to him and said, "See? Another poor kid from the underachievers'' ss has lost their mind.

    "It''s not my fault they couldn''t get Mr. Lancaster''s problems. It''s because they just don''t have the ability. Besides, Mr. Lancaster''s problems aren''t something those kids could even solve."

    Scarlett was focused on going through the questions at Jondalia Hospital, not willing to waste even a second. Coincidentally, Caius was one of Xavier''s visitors for today.

    After everyone left, Scarlett casually said, "It''d be nice if I could do Mr. Lancaster''s elite math questions."

    Xavier immediately had Edmund call Caius back. He even asked him toe up with new questions right there on the spot. Caius broke out in a cold sweat while writing the questions.

    Scarlett couldn''t bear to watch, so she asked him if he already had any existing questions. Without hesitation, Caius instructed his assistant to bring in all the problems he''d prepared. A thick stack of papers arrived, and it was every single question Caius had created over the years.

    Scarlett quickly called Percy, and the two of them dove into the questions together.

    Caius didn''t dare leave until Xavier said something. He sat by their side, ready to review and offer guidance. After each test, Scarlett and Percy would hand it back to him for feedback.

    He would always smile warmly after reviewing. These two children were the most talented, intelligent, and logical thinkers he had ever met. No matter howplex the elite math questions were, they would immediately understand as soon as he offered the slightest hint.

    Indeed, nothing about the people around Xavier was ordinary. Caius, now more serious than ever, focused all his attention on the two.

    ...

    Soon, the day of the Elite Math Tournament arrived. At dawn, thunder rumbled, and the winds howled like a storm.

    It was already pouring outside by the time Scarlett got out of bed, just like in her previous life. She stared out the window at the heavy rain, feeling a little disoriented.

    The rm clock hadn''t gone off in her past life, and when she woke up, the first thing she did was scramble to find an umbre. However, there wasn''t a single umbre in that massive vi.

    She had wanted the driver to take her to the school, but all the cars were already out by sheer coincidence. She called several of her brothers for help, but not a single one was willing to lend a hand.

    They used her of lying, iming that there were cars at home and that she was just making up excuses to get attention. They told her they were busy and to stop trying to manipte them.

    Jonah was the harshest, saying, "Where were you earlier? Didn''t you think of finding a hotel near the exam hall? Lily even called you.

    "This is your fault for not wanting to leave the vi. Figure it out on your own!"

    Lily had indeed called her, but she told her that hotels near the exam hall cost around $2,000 a night and that she would have to pay for it herself.

    However, her budget was only $500 a month at that time. Where would she get that kind of money?

    As for the other brothers, they all believed she was lying, and they had their reasons for it.

    She was short on cash, and Lily had introduced her to several side jobs, such as working in an inte cafe, a bar, or serving at a club. The part-time pay was good, and she was grateful to Lily for her help, even swearing to keep it between them. She couldn''t tell the family, or it

    would be seen as a betrayal.

    However, what she didn''t know was that she had fallen into Lily''s trap. The ces

    she was working at could all be seen by Jonathan through his phone.

    At first, she denied it, even iming

    she had no idea about the credit charges at the club. But when things didn''t add up, she quit those jobs, only to realize it was toote. She had been branded as a liar, and her brothers looked at her with nothing but disgust and contempt.

    On the day of the Elite Math Tournament, all she wanted was to get to the exam hall. She just wished one of her brothers would speak up, ask the garage worker not to make it harder for her, and give her a ride.

    But they refused, sure that she was lying again, using this as some ploy to get their attention.

    In the end, she had no choice but to run from the vi and head toward the bus stop. She was soaked through, drenched to the bone. By the time she reached the exam hall, she was already an hourte and she wasn''t allowed to enter.

 Chapter 84

    As Scarlett recalled these things, she felt a sharp hurt rush through her. She even found it amusing. The more she cared about her family, the deeper they chose to hurt her.

    But now, she no longer cared. Those so-called family members would never be able to hurt her again.

    "Scarlett," came Xavier''s husky voice from behind. "Are you okay?"

    Scarlett had been living in Xavier''s hospital room for the past few days, attending to him tirelessly.

    Xavier had already woken up as she walked toward the window, his gaze fixed on her.

    She stood tall, her lengthy hair cascading around her shoulders, radiating an aura of elegance and sharpness, as if nothing could ever bend her. But the more she exuded this strength, the more Xavier sensed that she had a story to tell.

    When she turned back toward him, her expression wasposed, as though the memories she buried had faded into nothing but a blur in her eyes.

    "You''re awake, Mr. Stroud," Scarlett said with a faint smile. "It''s raining outside, so I might need to leave earlier today."

    Xavier''s brain activity had gradually returned to normal over the past few days, so her leaving for half a day was no problem. Additionally, she had already informed him that she would be taking an exam that day.

    Xavier nodded. "Let Edmund drive you to the exam."

    "It''s okay, Mr. Stroud. I''ll go with Percy. He''sing to pick me up."

    Xavier studied her, his dark eyes calm and steady, yet a soft glow seemed to quietly flicker within them.

    Scarlett, who was feeling uneasy under his stare, slipped into the bathroom to freshen up and change. She was representing Harldon Academy in the exam today, so she had to wear the school''s uniform.

    She lookedpletely different when she emerged from the bathroom. Her energy was renewed with a subtle yet striking air of coolness about her. Her long hair was neatly tied up, and the white shirt clung to her body, outlining her sl��m, toned figure, which gave her an aura of rity and grace.

    The school emblem was pinned on her chest, the hem of her skirt slightly cinched, highlighting her slender waist and tall stature. Her deep blue skirt, falling just above her knees, revealed her long, slender

    legs, and with each step, her

    movements were more graceful than thest.

    Xavier''s gaze faltered for a moment, something flickering beneath the surface of his eyes. Scarlett didn''t notice it and stepped outside to order breakfast.

    The thunder had subsided, but the heavy rain continued to pour relentlessly. Scarlett ate quickly, then stood up to leave, only to be stopped by Xavier.

    "Scarlett." His expression was calm, but there was an undeniable pressure in his presence, something that made her heartbeat quicken.

    "Mr. Stroud, is there anything else you need?"

    It seemed like he had something on his mind, but whatever it was, it ended up as a simple "good luck."

    Scarlett smiled lightly. "Thank you, Mr. Stroud."

    She turned to leave, then paused, walking back with a soft smile. "Don''t worry, Mr. Stroud, I''ll be back after the exam. I''ll stay by your side until you recover."

    Xavier''s lips curled into a thin smile, clearly pleased with her words. She reassured him onest time, then hurried down the stairs.

    Percy''s car was already waiting outside, and the driver had gone ahead to hold an umbre. Once Scarlett got in, the driver returned to the front seat and started the car.

    Percy, who was lounging in the passenger seat with his legs casually bouncing, shot Scarlett a knowing look. Scarlett was dumbfounded and asked, "Are you having a stroke?"

    Percy stopped bouncing his legs and gave her a mischievous nce. "You really took Uncle Xavier for a ride, didn''t you?"

    Scarlett rolled her eyes in disdain. What kind of question was that?

 Chapter 85

    Scarlett had just turned to look out the window when she heard Percy speak again. "I saw it, you know. Last time, you..."

    Before he could finish, Scarlett mped her hand over his mouth. She caught the driver''s curious, wide-eyed stare in the rearview mirror from the corner of her eye.

    Percy froze. Though her hand was firmly over his lips, all he could focus on was the softness of her touch and the faint fragrance of her skin. Despite the coolness of her touch, it burned like fire, making his heart race.

    Scarlett shot him a re. "Stop it! I was treating Mr. Stroud''s illness! Stop spouting nonsense!"

    She released her hand, but Percy was annoyed. "Is that really how you treat someone''s illness? I didn''t see Caleb ripping Uncle Xavier''s pants off to treat his illness."

    He hadn''t had the chance to bring it up before, but it had been gnawing at him. It made him ufortable every time he thought of that scene. To him, Xavier was pure and noble, untouchable by anyone.

    But Scarlett, an outsider who had only gotten into Jondalia because of him, dared to vite Xavier. He was angry. Very angry.

    Scarlett sighed and exined the situation she had encountered at the time.

    She then said, "I was worried you''d misunderstand, so I tore his pants leg. You saw it for yourself after that, right? Mr. Stroud''s pants were already ruined."

    Percy finally calmed down, though he still narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure you didn''t have any improper thoughts about Uncle Xavier? After all, he''s the most handsome man in the world."

    "I''ve never seen anyone more handsome either," Scarlett responded without thinking.

    Percy''s eyes went wide. "You!"

    Scarlett quickly added, "But I would never have improper thoughts about someone so much older than me. With so many nephews, nieces, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, it would terrify me.

    "I only want to make money now!"

    "Good, good!" Percy finally grinned.

    "Mr. Percy, Ms. Quinn, someone is trying to cut us off," the driver suddenly spoke

    up.

    Scarlett looked through the dark rain

    curtain and saw two ck sedans driving side by side in front of them, deliberately slowing down. As a result, their car was forced to slow down as well.

    Percy immediately exploded. "Who dares to cut off my car? Hank, ram through them!"

    Hank nodded. "Mr. Percy, Ms. Quinn, please fasten your seatbelts and hold on tight."

    Without another word, Percy began to buckle his seatbelt. Scarlett, who was a bit confused, followed suit and fastened hers.

    Just as she finished, the car suddenly elerated. She instinctively grabbed the armrest, her eyes widening in shock.

    Hank quickly veered the car to the right.

    The cars in front,

    thinking he was

    going to overtake from the right, immediately moved right to block him. But in that instant, Hank

    skillfully swerved to the mid

    and

    floored the gas pedal, shooting through the gap between the two cars.

    The speed was so fast that Scarlett felt her heart leap into her throat.

    Hank didn''t immediately slow down after overtaking them. Instead, he passed several more cars before gradually slowing down.

    Upon seeing that Scarlett was tense, Percy said, "Hank used to be a race car driver. There''s no way two cars could''ve boxed him in!"

    He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did that scare you? You''re kinda jumpy, huh?"

    Scarlett calmly released her grip on the armrest. "Who would try to cut you off? Did you offend someone?"

    The car that was picking up Percy was a typical luxury model, a more modestly priced Audi worth around a million dors. Percy shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe it''s just a coincidence?"

    But soon, he''d realize just how wrong he was.

 Chapter 86

    The Elite Math Tournament site was located on the outskirts, and with the heavy rain, the roads should''ve been pretty empty. However, as they drew closer to the exam site, the traffic appeared to intensify.

    They could see the site just after crossing therge suspension bridge, but as their car drove onto the bridge, something strange happened. The vehicles that had been driving normally suddenly turned around and began encircling their car.

    They were trapped.

    Several ck sedans behind them also sped up, blocking their rear escape route. A few men stepped out of the cars. They were dressed in ck tank tops, their bodies covered in tattoos and bulging muscles. The rain pounded down on them, but it seemed like they didn''t even notice, standing there like menacing beasts. Percy cursed under his breath, "Damn it! They really are targeting me!"

    Scarlett''s expression turned serious. "There are eight cars and sixteen people. Looks like they''re all thugs."

    Percy nced at his phone. "Mr. Sawyer''s calling. He''s already at the tournament site."

    Scarlett nodded. "Don''t panic. We still have half an hour."

    "Who''s panicking?" Percy scoffed. "I''m just telling you, Mr. Sawyer''s already there."

    "Mr. Percy, Ms. Quinn, you should head to the site first. I''ll handle these people," Hank suggested.

    Percy sneered. "Your fighting skills might be enough to handle a couple of them, but with this many, you''ll end up getting yourself killed!"

    His mind raced as he quickly came up with a n. "Alright, since they''re after me, I''ll get out of the car and deal with them."

    "Hank, take Scarlett to the Elite Math Tournament site. If the road''s blocked, just smash through and get her through."

    "No way!" Scarlett immediately rejected the idea. "I can''t leave you here to take this risk alone."

    Percy felt a warmth in his chest but tried to brush it off with a carefree smile. "Don''t worry. I''ve got this! These guys are no match for me. You focus on the exam!

    "One of us has to stand up for Mr. Sawyer no matter what. The school''s a bunch of prying little snitches. If we don''t make it onto the leaderboard this time, Mr. Sawyer''s career is finished."

    Percy then rolled up his sleeves, ready to step out of the car. He

    nov

    rested his hand on the door handle, waiting for Scarlett to say

    something else to stop him, but...

    "Fine, just stay safe."

    Percy was dumbfounded by her reply. Wait, how could she trust him this easily when there were so many thugs?

    Before Percy could respond, Scarlett shoved him out of the car. "I''m not giving you the umbre; it won''t do you any good anyway. Good luck!"

    Percy stood there in the pouring rain, instantly drenched. He watched as the car sped away, his face turning red with fury.

    He screamed at the car, "Scarlett!

    You said you wouldn''t leave me to face this alone! You coward! What kind of friend abandons someone in a crisis? I can''t beat all these people! I really can''t!"

    Clearly, Scarlett knew he couldn''t handle so many thugs.

    As soon as Percy got out of the car, she ordered the driver, "Hank, drive ahead

    and scare them off. Let''s see if they''re really as fearless as they seem."

    Hank immediately floored the elerator, and when the thugs saw the car barreling toward them, they quickly stepped aside.

    Hank smashed through their circle of cars, breaking the encirclement. He then mmed the brakes, bringing the car to a stop.

    Scarlett opened the door. "I''m going to rescue Percy. Hank, stay in the car and be ready to take us out of here at any moment."

    "Got it, Ms. Quinn. Stay safe!" Hank didn''t hesitate. If he got out of the car, it

    would just slow them down when they needed to leave quickly.

    Meanwhile, Percy was already surrounded. The thugs didn''t waste any time and charged at him as soon as Percy got out of the car.

    Percy was fuming, fighting back while hopping around.

    "Who sent you guys? I''ll find out who you are if I have to!"

 Chapter 87

    "Scarlett! I''m never trusting you again! You liar! Do you even deserve my sincerity? I even tried to protect you!"

    Percy was fending off the thugs in front of him, but he didn''t notice someone sneaking up behind him with an iron rod, ready to strike him on the head.

    Just as the blow was about tond, someone suddenly grabbed his arm, pulling him to the side. He stumbled and looked back, only to see the iron rod swing right past his head.

    To his surprise, Scarlett had appeared. With a swift turn, her sleek ponytail flicked water droplets everywhere, and her long legs shot up, delivering a powerful kick to the thug. The thug was sent flying backward, stumbling 20 feet before mming into a car and copsing in a heap.

    Scarlett strode forward, kicking the iron rod from the thug''s hand and tossing it to Percy. "Take it. Fight back!"

    Percy was momentarily stunned, but he quickly caught the iron rod. He watched Scarlett out of the corner of his eye as she moved with incredible speed through the rain. Every strike was swift and merciless, full of deadly force and cold intent.

    Even though she was drenched to the bone, she didn''t look the least bit disheveled. Instead, she exuded a strong aura. He had never seen a girl so uniquely fierce, cold, and full of power.

    Percy grinned, getting into the fight with renewed excitement. But just before he could fight back, Scarlett suddenly grabbed his wrist and shouted, "Run!"

    His legs moved instinctively, and he found himself running alongside Scarlett toward the other side of the bridge.

    But his eyes were still locked on the tips of her hair, wet with rain as if those droplets carried a deadly allure. The world around him seemed to blur and quiet, leaving only the sound of the rain falling, each drop hitting his heart.

    "Ahh!" Percy clutched his head, wincing in pain. With a loud bang, he mmed right into the car doorframe.

    Scarlett was already inside the car, ring at him. "What are you doing? Hurry up and get in!"

    Feeling embarrassed, Percy quickly scrambled into the car. The moment the door mmed shut, Hank floored the elerator, speeding toward the Elite Math Tournament site.

    Percy finally understood that

    Scarlett had never intended to leave him behind. She had just wanted

    him to draw the fire so that they could break through the encirclement and escape whenever necessary.

    He felt a bit guilty for misunderstanding her earlier. As he was about to apologize, Scarlett spoke first, "Stop staring at me!"

    Percy was confused, but he was determined to watch her, even more so because she didn''t want him to.

    However, his face turned beet red after just one nce. He then quickly turned his head toward the window, pretending he hadn''t seen anything.

    Scarlett was soaked through, her clothes clinging to her body, and her undergarments were faintly visible.

    After sensing the awkwardness, Hank discreetly adjusted the rearview mirror and

    said, "Ms. Quinn, don''t worry. The clothes will arrive soon."

    Scarlett nodded and then asked, "Who did you piss off? Those people were definitely trained."

    Percy, feeling wronged and a bit aggrieved, replied, "How would I know? With Edmund watching over me these past few days, I didn''t even

    have time to skip ss or go to en

    inte cafe. How would I have the time to offend anyone?"

    He still couldn''t make sense of it, but then it hit him.

    "They seemed to be stopping me from getting to the tournament. Could it be Mr. Riggs'' people? He''s always opposed to our participation in the Elite Math Tournament.

    "He''s always mocking us, saying we won''t get any good results. He messes with

    Mr. Sawyer every chance he gets. He''s the most suspicious!"

    Scarlett wasn''t sure either, but then she thought back to the college entrance

    exams when Percy had gotten beaten up by a group of people.

    Given how good he was at fighting, if he couldn''t attend the exam, it was probably the same group.

    "Forget it. Let''s just focus on the exam. We''ll figure this out after it''s over."

 Chapter 88

    Scarlett slipped into the new clothes as soon as they were delivered. Percy waited for her to finish changing and exit the car before he went in to change himself. Then, with their tournament slips and pencil cases in hand, they went inside the building to find Mike.

    When Mike saw their wet hair and regr clothes after the rain, he started to worry.

    He quickly said, "Stand here and wait for me, don''t rush off. I saw how heavy the rain was today, and I was worried you''d catch a cold. I''ll go make some tea and bring them over."

    Percy wrapped an arm around Scarlett''s shoulders. "Mr. Sawyer is really great. We''ve got to give it our all this time. Not for any awards, but for our pride!"

    Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "You finally have a conscience, huh?"

    Percy sneered. "I can''t stand seeing people being treated unfairly, especially people who are good to me. If I can, I''ll wipe that smug look off Mr. Riggs'' face!"

    As they spoke, they saw Herbert leading Jonah and Lily out from around the corner.

    Even at this point, Herbert was still holding onto the exam papers, exining the questions to the two of them. Clearly, he had high expectations for them.

    "Scarlett!" Lily looked up, her expression startled for a moment. "Jonah, it''s Scarlett! She''s fine! She''s here for the exam!"

    At the same time, she noticed Percy standing next to Scarlett. A wave of unease sank in her chest as she cursed Nadia in her mind for being useless. How could she fail to stop just one person?

    Percy had turned over a new leaf recently. He''d started attending sses and working on his test papers. Herbert had often joked about how Mike was being driven crazy by his students, always grinning like a fool.

    Lily felt something was off, so she got a few of Percy''s math test papers from Mike. She hadn''t been prepared for what she saw. Percy actually nailed the questions that even she and Jonah struggled to solve.

    Where would that leave her and Jonah if Percy took part in thispetition? The champion would be long gone from their grasp.

    She didn''t know why Percy had

    suddenly be so skilled, but she

    was certain he couldn''t enter the Elite Math Tournament. She deliberately guided Nadia to send people from her family''s martial arts school to deal with Percy

    The perfect oue would be to have him bedridden for a year so there''d be one less threat when the college entrance exams rolled around. To her surprise, there he was, standing unscathed.

    Lily was panicking inside, but on the outside, she masked it with a look of joy, her eyes fixed on Scarlett.

    Jonah looked up, a sh of surprise crossing his face, but it quickly turned into a stern expression. He strode forward, demanding, "Scarlett, where have you been all this time?"

    Herbert followed closely behind, sneering. "You two actually dare to take the exam? I''ll give you credit for the bravery."

    Scarlett ignored Jonah and nced at the papers in Herbert''s hand, noticing they looked familiar.

    Herbert didn''t worry at all about an "underachiever" seeing the papers. After all, the exam was just minutes away, and they wouldn''t be able to make sense of them with their brains, let alone remember anything. He even handed the papers to them.

    "Take a look if you want. These are problems set by Mr. Lancaster. I am the only one who has ess to two copies of his papers in this whole school. You''re probably never going to see his questions in your life.

    "Go ahead, try memorizing a few. Maybe you''ll manage to score more than ten." His tone was dismissive, as though their attempt at the tournament was a joke.

    This year''s Elite Math Tournament paper was worth 100 points, with an additional 20 points awarded forpleting extra questions, totaling 120 points. If they managed to achieve a two-digit score, it would essentially rule them out of the top. ranking.

    Scarlett smirked, but before she could raise her hand, Lily snatched it away.

    She shoved the paper toward Scarlett, her voice filled with feigned concern. "Scarlett, stop pretending. Just take a look.

    "I did this paper. I''ve taught you how to memorize problems before exams. You still have a few minutes, so you might as well use this time to memorize a few questions."

 Chapter 89

    The way Lily spoke, it seemed like Scarlett only got good scores by memorizing the questions, and all the credit went to her.

    Scarlett raised her hand, and the paper fell to the ground. Her voice was as cold as ice. "There''s no need for that."

    Lily quickly bent down to pick up the paper, a gleam of satisfaction shing in her eyes. She was worried that Scarlett might actually take the paper and memorize the questions. She knew Scarlett''s memory was sharp, way better than all her brothers''bined.

    Scarlett would have memorized the paper in five minutes, and she would have no problem solving simr questions during the tournament. At first, Lily had been really worried that Scarlett might manage to ce in the Elite Math Tournament. She had even felt a wave of relief after Scarlett had disappeared. But now, she wasn''t all that concerned after seeing her suddenly appear.

    After all, she had done two of Caius'' papers herself, and they were extremely difficult. Scarlett clearly wasn''t capable of tackling Caius''s questions. Besides, if Scarlett wanted to return to the Quinn family, she wouldn''t dare to outscore Jonah. Lily had once told Scarlett that Jonah hated anyone scoring better than him, which was why Scarlett had intentionally lowered her scores in the past. Even if she could get a high score, she probably wouldn''t dare beat him this time.

    Percy couldn''t hold back his sneer. "You did just two of Mr. Lancaster''s papers, and you''re showing off? Why not try the whole stack?"

    Lily quickly exined, "Mr. Lancaster''s papers are never sold to the public. These two were only obtained by Mr. Riggs through his political connections."

    "Oh, so those connections aren''t that impressive, huh?" Percy shrugged.

    Herbert''s expression turned sour, his tone dripping with disdain. "No wonder you''re in the underachievers'' ss. How could you possibly understand Mr. Lancaster''s importance in the elite math world?

    "Me talking about Mr. Lancaster with a stubborn student like you is truly insulting to him!"

    He snatched the exam paper back, his expression dark as he continued, "I had good intentions at first, hoping you''d take a look so you wouldn''t embarrass our school too much. But it seems that''s unnecessary now.

    "Once the Elite Math Tournament resultse out, we''ll settle all the scores, old and new! Jonah, Lily, let''s go!"

    Lily hid her gloating smile, giving Scarlett a thumbs-up.

    "Good luck! If you want to return to the Quinn family, you''d better do well on this exam," she added, emphasizing the words "do well" with a deliberate bite.

    Scarlett understood exactly what she meant. She had been foolish enough to fall for Lily''s tricks in her past life, constantly lowering her scores out of fear of making Jonah angry.

    She had held herself back during the college entrance exams, and thanks to Lily''s schemes, her scores had plummeted to absurdly low levels. As a result, the Quinn family believed she was dim-witted, and they treated her with disdain.

    This time, she lifted her head, a confident smile spreading across her face, full of determination andposure.

    "Don''t worry. I''ll do my best." A sense of unease stirred in Lily''s chest, but when she nced at Caius'' papers again, she quickly suppressed the feeling.

    Jonah, who was observing Scarlett after so many days, couldn''t shake the feeling that something about her had changed. It was as though she was slowly drifting further away from them.

    He didn''t say a word and eventually

    walked off. After all, he couldn''t stand being ignored by Scarlett, If she did it again, he feared it would throw him off and ruin his performance in the tournament.

 Chapter 90

    After Herbert and the others left, Percy stroked his chin, deep in thought.

    "It seems like Herbert didn''t send those thugs. The way he looks down on us, he wouldn''t even bother.

    "If we don''t perform well at the Elite Math Tournament, that''ll give him more reason to gloat. So, there''s no need to send someone to stop us right now.

    "Who exactly is trying to stop us from taking the exam?"

    Scarlett crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. She calmly reminded him, "They''re not trying to stop us. They''re trying to stop you."

    Percy sighed. "Fine, fine, it''s me. But seriously, who''s trying to stop me?"

    Then, Mike appeared, holding two cups of tea, quickly walking toward them.

    "Hurry up and drink this while it''s hot," he said. "It''ll help chase away the cold, and you really don''t want to catch a cold now."

    Percy casually draped an arm around Mike''s shoulder, grinning widely. "Mr. Sawyer, what will you reward me with when I bring home a championship?"

    Mike chuckled. "Let''s not even talk about a championship. You can have whatever you want if you can ce at all. The same goes for Scarlett."

    "Deal! No backing out!"

    Soon, the Elite Math Tournamentpetition began. There were a total of 200 contestants from high schools all over Yendale. Harldon Academy had sent ten students.

    The hall was divided into five separate rooms, each with 20 students. By chance, Scarlett and Jonah were assigned to the same room, though one sat in the front row while the other sat in thest.

    Scarlett settled into her seat in the front row, her gaze fixed straight ahead. As soon as she got her hands on the paper, she started writing.

    Jonah, who was sitting further back, couldn''t help but nce at her. He saw her bending over the paper, writing without pausing to think. He shook his head in disbelief.

    This was the Elite Math Tournament

    they were attending, not some

    ve

    ordinary test. One could at least get a few points just for putting something down in normal exams, but this was totally different.

    He then lowered his head, focusing on his paper. The invigtor made his rounds in the room, finally stopping beside Scarlett. He couldn''t help but nce down at her, growing more and more surprised, though his expression remained calm and unaffected.

    An hourter, students had the option to submit their papers early. Scarlett had long since put down her pen and was spinning her ballpoint pen between her fingers.

    The invigtor couldn''t help but remind her, "There''s still half an hour left. If

    anyone wants to submit their paper early, you may do so."

    Jonah had just finished solving thest bonus question. He felt a bit uneasy, unsure if his answer was correct. He was about to

    double check when Scarlett raised her hand. "Hi, I would like to submit my paper early."

    The teacher smiled. "Alright, leave your paper where it is. You may leave."

    Scarlett packed her pen and tournament slip into her pencil case, then walked out of the room. All the students in the room looked up at her, their eyes wide with shock.

    Jonah was also stunned by Scarlett''s action. He gave the bonus question another quick look, and once he was sure there were no mistakes, he raised his hand to hand in his paper.

    He saw Scarlett just exiting the bathroom at the end of the hallway as he stepped out.

    "Scarlett." He quickly walked toward her.

    Scarlett was irritated and didn''t even spare him a nce. She was about to head downstairs when Jonah grabbed her wrist. "Scarlett, are you done? Didn''t you hear me calling you?"

    Scarlett shook off his hand and took several steps back as if trying to avoid him. She frowned, her voice icy.

    "Is it not obvious I don''t want to talk to you? When did you be so shameless, always forcing a conversation?"

    Jonah froze up, his face turning beet red as he shot her a disbelieving re. "Is that any way to talk to me?"

 Chapter 91

    "What kind of attitude do you expect from me? If you''re used to being spoiled, don''te running to me when you can''t handle it," Scarlett replied.

    Jonah took a deep breath, forcing down the seething anger bubbling inside him. "What''s happened to you? Where have you been these past few days?"

    "Does it have anything to do with you?"

    "Scarlett, no matter what, you''re still one of the Quinns!"

    Scarlett sneered. "I might have forgotten about that if you hadn''t mentioned it. Am I still your sister, the rich daughter of the Quinn family? Or am I just the little maid who got fired?"

    "Are you ming me for not acknowledging your identity? You know as well as I do that admitting it right now would harm Lily. Why do you insist on causing trouble for her?

    "Do you have any idea how much she''s sacrificed for you? Can''t you just bear with it for her? Once we''ve paved the way for her, then we''ll acknowledge your identity. Isn''t that better?"

    Scarlett nodded with a sarcastic smile. "So it''s not my bad habits that are the issue. It''s Lily, huh?

    "Fine, then keep going. Don''t let me stop you from paving the way for her. Do it right; do it openly. At least this way, she won''t have wasted her time ying the role of your adopted sister."

    Jonah felt a pang, her words leaving him rattled.

    He quickly added, "Your bad habits are part of the reason, too. Anyway, if you want to return to the Quinn family and have us acknowledge your identity, you''ll have to follow our arrangements.

    "Stop causing chaos. Do you have any idea how many people you''ve offended recently?"

    He raised his hand as if to signal he was giving up on this conversation.

    "Forget it. I won''t talk to you about this anymore. I''m asking you, what have you been up to these past few days?"

    Scarlett found itughable. He didn''t want to talk about these things, as if she were the difficult one tomunicate with. No, he was just afraid someone might overhear and find out the Quinn family''s secrets, right?

    "I''ve already said it''s none of your business."

    With that, Scarlett turned and walked downstairs.

    Jonah took a deep breath and chased after her. "Scarlett, I''m warning you. Don''t go messing around outside.

    "If you do, the Quinn family will never acknowledge your identity! You''ll only bring shame to the family''s name!"

    Scarlett paused, then turned sharply. "Remember what you said. You''d better never acknowledge my identity because I''ve already severed ties with the Quinn family. From now on, don''t evere bothering me again."

    She then turned and walked away.

    Jonah stood frozen, unable to recover for some time. He couldn''t figure out where Scarlett, this girl from the countryside with no

    background and nothing but

    Quinn family behind her, got the nerve to stand up to him every time.

    Was it because of her martial arts skills? Did she think no one could push her around? She was being utterly naive. Some things couldn''t be solved with brute strength alone.

    Jonah mmed his fist into the stair railing, his gaze dark and filled with venom.

    Percy stood at the corner upstairs, leaning against the wall, stunned. He had finished his paper early, and he saw Jonah chasing Scarlett down the stairs as he came out. He hid behind the wall, listening to their conversation, and his world nearly shattered.

    Scarlett wasn''t the Quinn family''s maid but the real daughter of the family. It was

    no wonder he always felt that Scarlett had an aura about her that people from ordinary families couldn''t have.

    He suddenly thought that Jonah must be out of his mind for choosing an adopted sister over his real sister. But that wasn''t the point.

    The point was that Scarlett was stunning, talented, confident, gracious, and smart. And then there was Lily, average-looking, average in talent, fake, foolish, and hypocritical.

    The Quinn family had not only failed

    to acknowledge Scarlett''s true identity but had even made her out to be a mere maid. Scarlett must have done something really bad in her past life to end up with such a bizarre family this time around. C��ntent

 Chapter 92

    Percy was about to head downstairs when he noticed the silenceing from the stairwell. But just then, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning around, he saw that Lily had finished early and wasing down.

    He raised an eyebrow, and after recalling what he''d just overheard, his gaze toward her became significantly more intriguing.

    Lily froze when she saw Percy. Did he finish his paper early? Damn it!

    She quickly walked over, shing what she believed was her most charming smile. She tried to sound casual and asked, "Percy, how did you do on the test?"

    Percy crossed his arms, a knowing smile tugging at his lips as he nced at her. "Definitely better than you."

    Lily felt her heart tighten, almost unable to keep her smile intact. "Oh really? Then you must be confident about winning first ce, right?"

    "Of course?" Percy''s lips curled into a sly grin. "Did you manage to finish thest bonus question?"

    Lily chuckled. "I did, luckily. I had already worked through Mr. Lancaster''s practice papers, and one of the questions was the same type as the bonus one.

    "I heard that the Elite Math Tournament didn''t include any of Mr. Lancaster''s questions, but he somehow managed to predict the bonus question. That''s impressive."

    Percy could tell there was a lot of bragging in her words. She still thought that only she and Jonah had worked through Caius'' practice papers. Percy almost didn''t want to spoil it for her after seeing her so pleased with herself.

    But he couldn''t resist smirking. "Mr. Lancaster did indeed give a simr question, but the method to solve it is different. His question was more challenging, and it required using the substitution method with an indefinite integral.

    "But the bonus question was a bit simpler. Using substitution would have made it moreplicated. You actually needed to use the integration-by-parts method... Uh, are you okay?"

    Lily''s face grew paler with every word he spoke. She forced a smile and asked, "Did you also do Mr. Lancaster''s practice papers?"

    Percy nodded casually. "Of course, it''s not a big deal. It''s not just me, though. Scarlett did even more than I did."

    He emphasized the point. "Scarlett is way better than I am. She solved those difficult problems in less than five minutes. Mr. Lancaster even praised her as a real prodigy!"

    "You... You also met Mr. Lancaster?" Lily''s voice trembled.

    "Yeah, of course. Why else would Scarlett skip ss and hang around Mr.

    Lancaster, asking him for extra help?"

    Lily''s eyes went wide in shock.

    Percy delivered the final blow. "First and second ce are definitely

    el.ne?

    going to be me and Scarlett, so you can forget about them. As for third ce..."

    He gave Lily a quick once-over, then shook his head with a smirk. "Eh, you''ve got no chance, too."

    Lily was left speechless. Percy took a few steps down the stairs, then turned back for onest hit.

    "The bonus question equals eight. If you didn''t get eight, you didn''t score a single point. Heh!"

    Lily froze, her heart sinking. She had gotten 64!

    Panicpletely overtook her, and she couldn''t even pretend to stayposed. She hurried down the stairs, pushing past Percy and running toward Jonah.

    "Jonah, what did you get for the bonus question?"

    Jonah frowned. He didn''t like to discuss the answers right after the test, but since Lily asked, he answered, "Eight."

    Lily''s face drained of color. Jonah was confused. "What''s wrong? Did you get something other than eight?"

    "I..." Lily was on the verge of tears. "I used substitution, and I got 64."

    Jonah was speechless. That

    question clearly didn''t require

    substitution. Suddenly, he started to

    wonder if Lily might not be all that sharp But he couldn''t bear to

    say

    something that would hurt her, so he quickly tried to reassure her.

    "It''s okay. That question was really tough. I doubt many people got it right."

 Chapter 93

    Lily kept her head lowered, tears streaming down her face. Meanwhile, Scarlett walked straight out of the hall.

    Mike was waiting on the first floor outside the hall. Upon seeing here out first, he approached her, his excitement brimming.

    He didn''t ask how the exam went or why she had finished first. Instead, he handed her a bottle of warm mineral water and said, "Don''t dwell on it once the test is over. Just wait for the results.

    "Take this weekend to rx. I''m giving you special permission to skip your homework. Just make sure you show up to school on time next Monday."

    Many teachers were watching Scarlett at this moment, their expressions a mix of curiosity and shock. They were looking around, trying to figure out which school she, who wasn''t even in uniform, was from.

    Herbert immediately distanced himself, clearly disdainful. In his eyes, Jonah, Lily, and Percy were on one end of the spectrum, while Scarlett was on the opposite extreme.

    Jonah and Lily finishing earlier was normal. But Scarlett finishing early meant she couldn''t have done well. If she were tied to him in any way, it would be aplete embarrassment!

    Soon, Percy came out, followed by Jonah and the teary-eyed Lily.

    Scarlett nced across the room just in time to meet Lily''s gaze. The jealousy and resentment in her eyes were practically boiling over.

    Scarlett raised an eyebrow at her and shed a cold, mocking smile. Lily seemed to have said something to Jonah, then pulled a small box from her bag and started walking toward Scarlett.

    "Scarlett, I have something for you. Let''s step outside."

    Scarlett didn''t even acknowledge her. Since she didn''t care about Jonah''s reputation, there was no reason to care about Lily''s.

    Without sparing her a nce, she turned to Mike and said, "Mr. Sawyer, I''m heading home. See you next week."

    Mike smiled warmly. "See you next week."

    Scarlett then headed outside, with Percy following closely behind.

    Lily bit her lip, feeling wronged, then quickly chased after them.

    It wasn''t until they were outside that she spoke up. "Scarlett, I got my brother to get you a new phone. It''s the hottest model sold under the Quinn family''s brand.

    "You could never afford something this good with the little money you''ve made from your part-time job. This one''s brand new, just for you."

    She extended the box towards Scarlett.

    Scarlett casually slung her bag over one shoulder, her other hand in her pocket, as she nced at the phone with a bored expression. She scoffed sarcastically, "You''re offering this nice of a phone to me? Don''t you want it?"

    Lily stepped closer and lowered her voice, "Scarlett, you better take it. I know you''re feeling all smug right now, but no matter how good your grades are, people will still look down on you if you don''t have a hundred bucks to your name.

    "At least you can put on a front with this phone!"

    Percy suddenly leaned in, his head popping up between them. "Hey, you''re really just gonna act like I''m not here?

    "This phone''s an old model, right? What else can it even do besides making calls and watching videos? It probably can''t even y games, huh?

    "You''re making Scarlett carry this phone to put on a front? God, you''re killing me!" Percy wasughing so hard that he almost copsed.

    Lily''s expression darkened, her anger growing. Damn it, she had hoped Percy was far enough away to not hear, but he''d closed in so quickly.

    This phone was indeed one of the worst-performing models they had picked from a selection of popr phones. The reason was simple-Scarlett was a beast at games.

    She could rack up a hundred stars in Pride of Kings with ease. Jonah still bragged about those hundred stars in front of hisckeys. If Scarlett had

    a better phone and yed ever

    better, it would be a p in Jonah''s face.

    Jonah didn''t want that to happen, and Lily, being the understanding sister, had

    chosen this particr phone for her.

    She forced a smile and exined, "Scarlett doesn''t y games, so a phone with too much power would be wasted. This one is just right for her."

 Chapter 94

    Percy''s temper red for no reason after hearing that. "Who the hell told you she doesn''t y games?"

    Scarlett was a gaming powerhouse, and he had never seen anyone y better than her. As it turned out, all that time she was stuck at the Quinn residence, they kept pping her with the "non-gamer"bel.

    So, they gave her crappy phones that could barely run anything, and yet still made her grind ranks on Jonah''s ount behind the scenes. Good grief, what kind of messed-up crap had Scarlett been through?

    Suddenly, everything clicked for her, too. It was no wonder the Quinn family kept gifting her phones ever so often. But they were phones that, conveniently, couldn''t run games.

    It wasn''t just to secretly install trackers on them but also to stop her from gaming. What the hell were they so scared of? Were they scared she''d outshine Jonah by climbing the ranks? That was absolutely ridiculous.

    The truth was, she had never even cared about stuff like that. She didn''t even particrly like gaming.

    It was only when Jonah lost a match and was feeling down that she''d quietly dive into Pride of Kings, training for a few nights straight until her phone was practically overheating. Then, the next time Jonah lost again, she''d casually pick up his phone and carry him back to victory.

    Back then, Jonah was still stuck at the Celestial rank.

    She was the one who pushed him all the way up from Supreme Mythic to Divine Mythic, Invincible Mythic, Paragon Mythic, and finally to Legend Mythic, which meant having one hundred stars in the mythic rank.

    Every time she saw Jonah light up with happiness after ranking up, she couldn''t help but smile along, putting even more effort into studying the game. And now, looking back, all that effort just felt soughably meaningless.

    Lily quickly jumped in to exin, "No, no, that''s not what I meant! I just meant that Scarlett told me herself she doesn''t like ying games."

    As she spoke, she blinked her watery eyes pitifully, like she was the picture of innocence. Percy rolled his eyes at her reply. He hated crybaby types who teared up at the drop of a hat.

    Girls like Scarlett-fierce, sharp, fearless, those were the ones one couldn''t help but admire.

    Lily once again held out the phone. "Scarlett, please take it. We really want you to have it."

    Scarlett stepped aside without a word, her attitude crystal clear. Percy

    immediately moved to block the space between them, a sly smile ying on his lips.

    "Well, isn''t this interesting? Wasn''t Scarlett just the maid you guys fired from the Quinn family?

    "This is the first time I''ve seen a sugar daddy chase after a maid to give her gifts. What''s the deal? Do you have some secret you''re hiding?

    "Or wait... don''t tell me that Scarlett''s actually part of the Quinn family? And because she grew up in the countryside, you couldn''t bring yourselves to admit it, so you pped a ''maid''bel on her?"

    Lily''s face turned ghostly pale. "No, that''s not it! I just... I just worry about her living

    out here all on her own."

    Percy shed a sharp grin. "Ha! I thought so! No way, right?

    "I mean,e on. You guys are the richest family in Yendale. Even for you,

    pulling something that shameless would be a new low! Right?"

    Then, Scarlett grabbed Percy by the back of his cor and yanked him away.

    She looked coldly at Lily and said, "Don''te looking for me again. Unless you want me spilling all your precious Quinn family secrets."

    Without waiting for a response, she dragged Percy toward the car. Percy deliberately shouted, "Secrets? What secrets? Did I hit the nail on the head?"

    Lily stood frozen, fists clenched so tight around the phone box that her nails ripped right through the packaging. She gritted her teeth, her voice a low, vicious hiss. "Scarlett, you damn bitch."

    She then stormed off.

    On the way back, she spotted a trash can and hurled the phone into it without hesitation. When she returned to Jonah''s side, she kept her voice low as she reported, 4 gave the phone to Scarlett. It''s just that she said the phone''s specs were a little too low."

    Jonah''s expression darkened instantly. "She''s lucky we even bothered! She should buy her own if she''s so picky! Who does she think she is, turning her nose up at it?"

    Honestly, though, hearing that Scarlett had epted the phone did give him some relief. At least now they could keep tabs on her.

    And the phone''s specs were garbage? That was even better. That way, she wouldn''t be able to y

    Pride of Kings on that thing. The.

    current season wasn''t over,

    and

    he

    was still the Legend Mythic, the idol of all his followers.

 Chapter 95

    Back in the car, the air around Scarlett felt heavy. Percy didn''t even dare to breathe too loudly.

    After a moment, he carefully turned on Pride of Kings and nudged the phone toward her.

    "Do you want to y a couple of matches? It might help blow off some steam."

    Plus, he could use a few extra stars on his rank while they were at it. Scarlett nced down at his phone screen, then pulled out her own device instead.

    Her old pink phone was tucked into a clear, minimalist case. The smooth 120Hz disy flickered to life, looking sleek and high-end.

    She said casually, "Now that I think about it... It''s been two seasons since Ist logged into my own ount."

    Percy leaned over eagerly. "I bet you dropped outta Mythic rank by now, huh?"

    Scarlett re-downloaded the game and logged in. As soon as the screen loaded, her rank fell straight from Supreme Mythic down to Celestial Star 1.

    Percy couldn''t help but burst outughing as hepared it to his Mythic rank.

    "Man, your rank is trash now, hahaha! Look at me, though! I''m so freaking awesome!"

    Scarlett couldn''t even be bothered to remind him that it was she who had carried him up there in the first ce. Her slender, pale fingerszily tapped across the screen, and she queued up a match without much thought.

    Percy sat beside her, propping his face in his hands to watch her. He loved watching Scarlett y. She never looked like she was trying too hard, her fingers dancing across the screen with effortless precision.

    Even her casual posture couldn''t hide the fact that she absolutely dominated the battlefield.

    Having her on your side was like

    holding a winning lottery ticket while going up against her was like walking into a buzzsaw. By the time their car pulled into Jondalia Hospital, Scarlett had finally tucked her phone away.

    Fever

    The next day, Xavier finally got the green light to leave the hospital, but he was stuck at the manor for now. The moment Xavier set foot inside the manor, he disappeared straight into the study.

    Scarlett had just returned to her room when Edmund came rushing over to find her.

    "Ms. Quinn, could you please talk to Mr. Stroud? He''s locked himself in the study, buried in paperwork again."

    Scarlett frowned. He really doesn''t know how to take care of himself. She''d had to be strict with him back in the hospital. There was no reading, no documents allowed, just pure rest.

    But when she so much as turned her

    back, he''d sneak financial books under the covers, read investment reports in secret, and even tiptoe around at midnight to nce at files. And if she caught him, he''d pretend to be asleep.

    He was honestly harder to guard than a mischievous kid. Now, they''d barely been back ten minutes when he had already managed to vanish into the study while she was upstairs putting her things away.

    Scarlett then headed toward the study. But she paused once she reached the door.

    She remembered very clearly that Edmund had said she could explore the manor all she wanted, but the study was strictly off-limits.

    She nced back at Edmund. "You''re sure you want me to just walk in?"

    Edmund nodded frantically. At this point, Scarlett already knew the Stroud family''s biggest secret anyway. She wasn''t just Xavier''s savior but was also the Stroud family''s savior.

    Still, if she ever dared leak anything she knew Edmund would personally make sure she disappeared. But so far, he trusted Scarlett deeply and was cing all his hopes for Xavier''s recovery squarely on her shoulders.

    After getting Edmund''s full approval, Scarlett dropped her hesitation and pushed

    the door open.

 Chapter 96

    The door to the study creaked open, and a rush of ancient charm and the scent of books filled the air. At first nce, everything was lined with mahogany

    bookshelves, all neatly filled with books.

    The room felt vast, and the echo of footsteps lightly bounced off the walls. The entire space radiated an aura of nobility and solemnity.

    Scarlett instinctively took quiet steps, heading toward therge mahogany desk. The moment the door swung open, Xavier sensed that the visitor wasn''t Edmund. He quickly shut the documents in his hand, adopting an innocent look as he folded his arms over the papers.

    "Mr. Stroud, you should rest more," Scarlett said. Xavier''s dark yet clear and cold gaze softened the instant he saw her.

    Standing by the door, Edmund couldn''t help but feel a pang of jealousy. Xavier had never looked at him with such gentleness.

    Xavier''s voice was low as he spoke, "I wasn''t looking at any documents."

    He couldn''t even bring himself to meet Scarlett''s eyes when he lied. Those mesmerizing dark eyes of his turned toward the window instead.

    Scarlett couldn''t help but think Xavier was kind of adorable sometimes. She stifled augh and chose not to call him out on it.

    "That''s a relief. If I find you sneaking a look at the documents again, Mr. Stroud, I''l have to make you sleep for an extra hour as punishment."

    Xavier already had trouble falling asleep and absolutely hated it. That was far worse than not working at all.

    But what could he do? He was the patient, and Scarlett was the doctor.

    He also secretly enjoyed being cared for by her, as though it made up for theck of affection in his childhood. So, he listened to whatever Scarlett said. This dynamic gave her increasing confidence, though her genuine concern for his well- being was always at the forefront.

    Upon hearing her words, Xavier quickly stood up as if worried she might catch him in the act of reading the documents. He then hastily grabbed a book from the desk and walked toward her.

    "I remember you mentioned wanting to learn shooting the other day. I''ve been meaning to give you this book, but I just didn''t have the time. I came in earlier to fetch it for you."

    Scarlett''s eyes lit up. She had been so busy with the Elite Math Tournament recently that she had almost forgotten about this, but somehow, Xavier still remembered.

    She took the book, flipping through its pages. It was filled with detailed descriptions of various firearms, including thorough instructions on how to assemble, load, and shoot them.

    She hugged the book to her chest and smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Stroud." Then, she seemed to recall something. "When I came back, Marika told me that the peonies in the southern garden bloomed beautifully after yesterday''s rain. "Would you like to take a walk through the garden, Mr. Stroud? Your leg injury has almost healed, so a little walk would help with the blood congestion in your head."

    Xavier''s body had a strong recovery rate. His external injuries had mostly healed after lying down for half a month, and only the blood clot in his head remained.

    He gently nodded. "Mm, let''s go together."

    With that, Scarlett clutched the book and followed him out of the study. They had barely reached the stairs when suddenly, Percy came running down from upstairs, heading for the door.

    "Uncle Xavier, I''m going out for a bit!"

    "Wait." Xavier''s tone was calm, but it instantly made Percy freeze mid-step. "I heard you were surrounded yesterday?"

    Percy scratched his head awkwardly. "It''s just a small matter. I can handle it."

    Xavier''s expression remained unchanged. Yet when he looked at Percy, his eyes were heavy enough to make him feel suffocated.

    Percy confessed reluctantly, "I just found out that those people came from the Ninefold Academy. I swear I didn''t provoke them.

    "I suspect someone paid them. A friend of mine has some leads and asked me to meet in person."

    His friend was Stacy, who ran a detective agency. After the attack, he posted some evidence in his

    social circle, sending a

    warning

    to whoever was behind it to watch out.  s?novel

    Stacy had seen the post and immediately set her private investigators to work, helping him trace the origins of those skilled fighters. She had also said some of the evidence couldn''t be sent to him and had to be handed over in

    person.

    Coincidentally, he also intended to pay Stacy the fee for using her detective agency, which was why he was nning to go out.

    "Ninefold Academy?" Scarlett said, a thought suddenly crossing her mind. She turned to Percy, asking, "Have you had any dealings with Nadia?"

    "Nadia? Who''s that?" Percy looked confused.

 Chapter 97

    Scarlett exined, "The Ninefold Academy is part of the Hayman family''s business. They have a son and a daughter, and each of them has control over half of the academy''s personnel for their own use.

    "Nadia is the Hayman family''s precious daughter, and she''s also the discipline officer of the advanced ss. Plus, she and Lily are best friends. Oh, but that''s probably not the case anymore.

    "However, Nadia might still want to mend things with Lily. Some of the Hayman family''s major projects rely heavily on their rtionship, as they''ve had long- standing cooperation with the Quinn family."

    Percy had little impression of Nadia, but after hearing this, it suddenly clicked for him.

    "I haven''t done anything to Nadia, but I did have a run-in with Lily. Wait, no! It''s not that I ''ran into'' her. She was the one who kepting over, and I didn''t pay her any attention."

    Percy kept bumping into Lily during the past two weeks when Scarlett had been on leave. He''d run into her in the teacher''s office, at the cafeteria, even at PE ss. It felt like an uncanny series of coincidences.

    ss A was on the first floor, while ss F was on the second. Every time he left his ssroom and went downstairs, he''d pass right by ss A''s door.

    He couldn''t help but suspect Lily was doing this on purpose. At first, she just flitted in front of him like some aloof, elegant model, exuding a cool and noble aura. Then, she started greeting him.

    "Percy, fancy seeing you here!"

    "Percy, you''re here, too."

    "Percy, may I sit next to you?" Her voice was soft, so gentle that it could almost make you drown in it.

    Back then, Edmund was watching Percy closely, taking his phone to prevent him from ying games in ss. This left him totally frustrated.

    Moreover, he''d already had a run-in with Jonah, and he didn''t think highly of his sister either, so naturally, he was just simply irritated. That was why he tly rejected her without a second thought.

    "Not a chance!"

    "Are you blind? If I''m not here, where else would I be?"

    "Nope, there''s a ghost sitting next to me!"

    He didn''t even bother to nce at Lily. But yesterday, he could clearly see the venomous resentment in her eyes after snapping at her a few times.

    Percy pped his hand in realization. "I get it now! It''s her! Lily! It''s no wonder she kept ''coincidentally'' running into me the past few days and then suddenly vanished.

    "It''s because I ignored her, and now she''s pissed off, nning to take me down! This girl is absolutely vicious!"

    When Scarlett heard the phrase "coincidentally running into me," her eyelid twitched slightly.

    That was indeed one of Lily''s usual tricks. Back when she was learning medicine from Alton, she had a senior who was also one of Alton''s proudest disciples.

    They used to practice medical techniques together, but everything changed the

    year the Quinn family took in Lily, and that senior finally admitted he had feelings for her.

    At the time, Scarlett was still underage and rejected him.

    Afterward, she was taken back by

    the Quinn family. But the senior didn''t give up. He followed her all the way to Yendale and showered her with attention in every way possible.

    Then, Lily showed up.

    She''d always "coincidentally" run into him, start chatting, and then add him as a friend. Lily used some methods to make him grow tired of her and eventually, he stopped contacting her altogether.

    But Scarlett knew the senior had joined Josiah''s hospital, and now it was Lily who was the one confessing her feelings. She had to admit that Lily had some real skills.

    She could make every man revolve

    around her, with all their attention

    focused solely on her. But what

    �֧�

    surprised her was that Percy hadn''t

    fallen for it. She couldn''t help but

    think maybe she had misjudged him after all.

 Chapter 98

    "Damn it! Lily, just you wait!" Percy stormed out in a fury. Xavier nced at him coldly, offering no reaction.

    Scarlett quietly observed him, sensing that his attitude toward Percy was a bit strange. It was clear he cared about Percy, yet it seemed like he never intended to step in and help him with his problems.

    It was almost like he was letting Percy roam free within his boundaries without intervening. From the information she gathered about the Stroud family, Percy was just one of the many children from coteral branches.

    He was also mischievous and rebellious, spending most of his time ying games. Yet, Xavier seemed to hold him in high regard and protected him fiercely. Even Edmund was the same.

    It seemed like he was following her instructions, supervising Percy''s studies, but Scarlett couldn''t shake the feeling that Edmund was using her instructions as a convenient excuse to keep an eye on Percy.

    She remembered when Percy''s parents came to visit Xavier. Percy had excitedly leaped into his mother''s arms, only for her to immediately push him away when she noticed Xavier''s somber expression. Despite being her own son, she needed to look to Xavier before showing affection, which always felt off to Scarlett.

    It was clear that Edmund hadn''t revealed all of the Stroud family''s secrets to her. But she understood that she was still an outsider. Knowing a portion of the family''s secrets already signified a high level of trust.

    "What''s on your mind?"

    Xavier noticed Scarlett had zoned out, and her thoughtful expression caught his eye. He found it a little endearing and couldn''t help but gently tap her forehead.

    Scarlett snapped back to reality, stepping back with an awkward smile. "Mr. Stroud, aren''t you going to step in and help Percy?

    "Lily is highly favored in the Quinn family, and with the Quinn family being the wealthiest in Yendale, it might be hard for him to solve this on his own."

    Xavier strolled toward the garden and replied softly, "This is his own business."

    He paused for a moment, then added, "If he can''t even solve this little problem, how can he possibly shoulder the responsibility of the entire Stroud family in the future?"

    Scarlett''s breath caught as she realized he was training Percy as his sessor. But this wasn''t how a sessor should be trained, was it? Percy didn''t exactly strike her as the heir type.

    "Mr. Stroud, is there anything you need me to do?"

    Scarlett felt that, since she was already tutoring Percy in his studies if Xavier was genuinely training perhaps she could offer some

    assistance. But to her surprise

    Xavier seemed not to understand her words and turned around with a puzzled look.

    Scarlett quickly rified, "If you''re training Percy to be the sessor of the Stroud family, is there anything you need me to assist with?"

    Xavier smiled. "There''s no need to trouble yourself. I don''t want to force him. Let him make his own choices in the future."

    Scarlett felt like pulling her hair out. It seemed she couldn''t quite decipher the mind of a big shot like him. But she also realized that she couldn''t just keep living here without contributing.

    She needed to do something more meaningful. After all, the Stroud family had a history full of hardship and suffering.

    She didn''t want to find herself one day needing Percy, only to have him still be in his carefree, reckless state. She couldn''t stand it, and neither could the Stroud family. With a second chance at life, it felt like she had a new purpose!

    As they talked, the two of them had already wandered into the garden. Although

    heavy rain had fallen the day before, today, the sun was shining brightly.

    The garden was bursting with

    eto

    flowers in every shade, from violet to red. In particr, the clusters of peonies were breathtakingly

    beautiful. Walking on the soft grass and gazing at the vibrant colors before her, Scarlett felt her heart lighten; its beauty was also soothing.

    She took a deep breath, inhaling the fragrant air that seemed to prate her senses, refreshing and invigorating.

    Unable to resist, she sat in a rocking chair beneath the pear blossom tree, flipping through the book she had in hand. A gentle breeze blew by, and the white petals of the flowers scattered across the pages of her book.

    Scarlett couldn''t help but feel utterly at peace. Xavier took a brief stroll before finding a spot to sit as well.

 Chapter 99

    The caretaker quietly entered the garden, carrying a tray. She ced a ss of in water next to Xavier and a cup of fruit tea beside Scarlett before retreating silently.

    Xavierzily leaned against the back of a lounge chair, his longshes casting a shadow over his eyes as he gazed intently at Scarlett. His slender fingers absently tapped on the armrest, and a hint of a fond smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

    Scarlett was so engrossed in the book that she lost track of time. Eventually, she reclined on the rocking chair, holding the book above her head,pletely absorbed in it.

    More than half an hour passed before Xavier quietly left the garden without her noticing. When she finally realized it, several hours had already gone by. The caretaker called out to her, reminding her it was time for dinner.

    Scarlett excitedly asked Xavier at the dining table, "Mr. Stroud, may I try shootingter?"

    She had read most of the book and felt confident enough to try it.

    Xavier gave a slight nod, his voice low and calm. "I''ll teach you after dinner."

    Scarlett, brimming with excitement, ate her dinner quickly.

    Xavier, who usually took his time with meals, sped up as well, indulging her enthusiasm. Soon, the two of them moved to another room.

    They opened the door to the shooting range, and the walls were lined with various types of firearms. In the center of the room, arge table was covered with a variety of scattered equipment.

    Scarlett''s eyes widened in awe as she took in the sight.

    "What would you like to start with?" Xavier asked, casually picking up a small handgun and turning it over in his hands like it was second nature.

    Scarlett''s gaze swept over the weapons: submachine guns, rifles, sniper rifles, handguns... She wanted to learn them all.

    But in the end, she chose the small handgun. She picked one up, testing its weight in her hands. It was solid, and she could tell instantly that it was a real firearm.

    Xavier walked over to the corner where the safe was, took out a box of small- caliber bullets, and selected a suppressor from the table before heading toward the shooting range.

    Scarlett hurriedly followed, listening as Xavier exined the safety precautions.

    "This handgun doesn''t have much recoil, but it''s loud, so you''ll need to attach the suppressor. Once you''re used to the sound, you can shoot without it," he continued.

    As he spoke, Xavier guided her hand on how to properly hold the gun,

    vel

    how to aim, and how to pull the trigger. At one point, he stood directly behind her, his arm

    stretching over her shoulder cing her small hand in hisrger one.

    Scarlett felt a bit uneasy, her back suddenly aware of the heat radiating from his

    solid chest. "Focus. Keep your eyes on the target."

    Scarlett stopped hesitating. After all, having Xavier teach her personally was a rare opportunity, and she wasn''t about to waste it.

    She focused intently, blocking out the presence behind her, ignoring the warmth of his touch. With a slight pressure from his index finger, Scarlett pulled the trigger with a sharp snap.

    "Bang!" Even with the suppressor, the sound was loud and clear. Scarlett quickly looked at the target, and to her delight, she''d hit the bullseye!

    "Mr. Stroud, I did it! I hit the target!" She was ted, eager to try again and keep practicing.

    Outside the shooting room, the caretaker, busy with cleaning, couldn''t help but peek inside, then rushed off to gossip with Edmund.

    "Edmund, Mr. Stroud is personally teaching Ms. Quinn how to shoot! This kind of treatment is more than even Mr. Percy gets! Do you think Mr. Stroud is training Ms. Quinn to be part of the Stroud family?"

    Edmund was unfazed and replied with a knowing look, "Perhaps."

    After all, training a future matriarch for the Stroud family was hardly

    anything out of the ordinary.

    Ke

    However, what was uncertain was whether Scarlett''s potential could be fully tapped into.

    The caretaker, filled with excitement, chimed in, "Oh, that''s wonderful! I really like Ms. Quinn. Not only is she sharp and pretty, but her medical skills are incredible.

    "She''s such a talent. I heard Mr. Stroud''s health problems are all cured by her. She''s truly our savior.

    "Ever since Ms. Quinn arrived, the atmosphere in the manor has felt lighter. If we could work alongside her, that would be fantastic."

    Edmund''s lips curled slightly, but he knew the truth. It was unlikely that they''d have that opportunity. Still, he didn''t let on about Xavier''s intentions.

 Chapter 100

    Meanwhile, Lily was also practicing shooting at Quinn Manor. The sound of gunfire echoed from the shooting range, ringing through the vi. She hadn''t even bothered with a suppressor so the entire vi could hear the gunshots.

    Jonah was ying a game in his bedroom. He was in a high-level match, but as usual, he was getting wrecked. He lost every round and was reported for feeding.

    He threw his phone down in frustration, scratching his head. "Damn it, when will this ever end?"

    He stormed into the shooting room, but when he saw that it was Lily practicing, he held back his anger.

    "Jonah, do you want to give it a try?" Lily asked with a smile. After taking all that frustration out on the target, she felt a lot better.

    Jonah nced at the target. Aside from the bullseye, the rest of the target was riddled with holes. Her shooting skills needed some work!

    But he didn''t want to hurt her feelings, so he said, "Some of those shots were right near the bullseye. Your aim''s definitely getting better."

    Lily pouted and whined, "No matter how much I practice, I can''t shoot as well as you. Could you teach me again, hand by hand?"

    She loved the intimacy of having Jonah hold her while teaching her to shoot. Jonah also enjoyed her dependence on him. He immediately pulled her close, guiding her hand as she took a shot.

    It was a bullseye!

    "Wow, Jonah, you''re amazing!"

    Lily turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking at him with affection as if they were a couple.

    Jonah casually pulled her arms down and asked, "Did you contact Scarlett today?"

    Lily''s smile faltered for a moment. She quickly tilted her head, looking a bit aggrieved. "I did, but it seems like she blocked all my contact info."

    Jonah''s expression darkened. He didn''t want to make himself looke pathetic by trying to contact Scarlett, so he asked Lily to do it. But he hadn''t expected Scarlett to cut him off so decisively.

    Feeling a bit down, he picked up the gun and loaded it, firing a few shots, each one hitting the bullseye.

    "Oh my god! Jonah, you''re amazing!" Lily eximed, her eyes shining with admiration.

    But despite his skill, Jonah seemed disheartened. "Back then, Scarlett wanted to learn how to shoot, but I refused her, telling her that someone from the countryside wouldn''t understand.

    "If she had just asked me, maybe even given me a little charm, I would''ve taught

    her. Why couldn''t she be more like you-cute and eager?"

    As he spoke, he reloaded and fired

    again, followed by eight more shots. Thest two shots missed the target. Lily''s heart tightened as she sensed his lingering attachment to Scarlett.

    Was bloodline really that big of a deal?

    Scarlett had treated him that way, and yet he still couldn''t forget her.

    "Jonah, I''ll always be here for you. I''ll never leave you." Lily wrapped her arms around him from behind, her voice soft and sweet, but her eyes were filled with resentment.

    Jonah sighed. "You don''t understand. She''s from the Quinn family, with the blood of the Quinn family running through her. With her talent... she must have a natural gift for shooting."

    At the time, he hadn''t taught her out of selfishness. After all, he was the worst shot among the seven brothers.

    He feared that if Scarlett had the same natural talent, she would surpass him, and that would truly be.

    The Quinn family''s ancestors were famous for their achievements. Their grandfather was a sharpshooter in his youth and held a high military position.

    In their generation, the family''s police badge had been passed to the fourth brother. He was the most gifted in shooting and martial arts among the seven brothers.

    Jonah had talent, but whenpared to his brothers, he was the least skilled of them all.

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