Chapter 22
Chapter 22
The conversation wasn’t loud, but since Lance was sitting right in front of them, he heard every word.
Lance looked like he’d just seen a ghost, disbelief written all over his face. “Kyle, don’t tell me Lenore is that aunt you always talk about.” He wondered. What’s going on here?
Lenore raised an eyebrow with a teasing smirk. “Always talking about?”
Lance nodded absently, responding without thinking, “He talks about his aunt all the time, saying she’s really beauti… Uh…” “Shut up. Kyle quickly covered Lance’s mouth and pushed him away, glancing nervously at Lenore. “Don’t listen to him.” Lance wasn’t making it up, but the news was too shocking to process. “Your aunt? There’s no way Lenore could be her.” He thought, ‘Lenore is only 17 and Kyle is 18. Even if she’s a late–born child, that seems impossible. Plus, they have different last names.
Kyle’s mouth twitched as he explained quietly, “She’s my grandpa’s goddaughter. Is that okay?”
Lance just stared, speechless.
The school had just let out when Lenore’s phone rang. It was Troy again. She picked it up, doodling on a piece of blank. paper with her left hand. Her voice was icy. “What’s up?”
Troy’s voice was tense, filled with warning. I don’t know how you got into Greenvine High, but if you get Esther into trouble, you’ll regret it.”
Lenore laughed lightly. “You’d better tell her not to provoke me
Troy wondered, Talking to her is like punching a pillow. The inheritance is something only Lenore can claim. With just half a year left, now isn’t the time for a fallout
Troy took a deep breath to calm down. “You should act like you don’t know Esther at school.”
Lenore replied casually, “Hanging up now. Troy called her to wam her every time, making her lose patience.
After she hung up, irritation flickered across her face, but she didn’t lose her cool. Kyle leaned in, whispering, “Aunt Lenore, you still haven’t cut ties with the Smedley family, huh?” He thought, Someone like Troy isn’t worthy of being her dad at all?
Lenore was focused on her drawing, not looking up as she replice flatly, “No.” The inheritance stored in the bank on Peace Avenue contained something she wanted.
Seeing she wasn’t interested in discussing it, Kyle wisely dropped the subject. He glanced at her paper, where the rough sketch vaguely resembled mechanical parts, with a delicate swallowtail butterfly adorning the edge.
Later that afternoon, Lenore texted Bonnie and then grabbed an excuse slip for the evening study session before leaving school. As soon as she stepped outside, a figure blocked her path.
A man in a black suit with sunglasses, who looked like a bodyguard, approached and greeted her respectfully.
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Chapter 22
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The lighthearted vibe Lenore usually had disappeared instantly fer eyes turned cold, and her voice was sharp. “Who sent you?
The man visibly flinched. He quickly pointed to a black Mercedes–Benz parked nearby. “It’s Mr. Chapin.”
Lenore licked her lips as she walked over but didn’t get into the car. Standing beside it, she radiated an effortless charm that was both elegant and intimidating. “What do you want?”
The man inside didn’t leave the car or open the door. Instead, he lowered the window just enough to reveal a pair of narrow, anxious eyes. “I heard you left Peacefield for Jinslenburg, so I came to check on you.”
After a pause, he added. “I brought some guards. How about they stay to protect you?”
“Why the close watch? Do they think I’ll cause chaos? Lenore wondered. She gave a scornful laugh, her voice dripping with chill. I’m just attending Greenvine High. I won’t be in any trouble. Tell your people to piss off.”
“Studying? You?” Those seemed to be the only words the person the car could muster, his eyes wide with shock. Even the bodyguard looked stunned as if he had misheard.
Lenore raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin creeping onto her face. “Got a problem with that?”
Both the man in the car and the bodyguard stayed silent.
They could hardly argue. Everyone on their team knew Lenore was something special. She could read at three and master martial arts by five, and by ten, she had outsmarted grown scholars and made powerful figures bow to her skills.
In their eyes, she was practically a legend. And now she was saying she went to school. No one wouldn’t think that was a joke. The man in the car noted her school uniform and thought, If Lenore isn’t pulling our leg, I should probably mourn for the students at that school. Not just a minute, but a whole hour.”
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