Chapter 130
For the tip, Raymond finally gave in.
When it was over, he stormed out of the classroom, fists clenched tight. He hurried all the way to the north side of the city, searching every street, only to realize there wasn’t a coffee shop there at all.
A wave of anger surged inside him. At that moment, Raymond wanted nothing more than to tear those guys apart. But as the thought flashed through his mind, his face suddenly went pale. He realized this was exactly how he used to mess with Simone.
As senior year kicked off, the school started piling on even more practice tests and worksheets. To help everyone gear up for the SAT, they even added an extra evening study session just for the seniors.
With the SAT right around the corner, most students spent every minute outside eating and sleeping glued to their desks, grinding through endless problems. But Simone was the only one who managed to stay totally chill.
Since the school always made exceptions for top students, Simone became the only senior who didn’t have to attend the late–night study session.
Word of this spread like wildfire through Sogin High School. Plenty of people gossiped behind her back, saying she was arrogant and bound to slip up on the next test. But it didn’t take long for Simone to prove them all wrong with her top score.
Someone couldn’t help but sigh. “Geniuses really are built differently. Even with one less class every day, she still takes first place like it’s nothing.”
After that exam, anyone who’d doubted Simone’s decision to skip the last evening study session had nothing left to say.
Friday night rolled around, which meant another family dinner at the Irwin Mansion.
Ever since Nolan’s last move against the Irwin Group, he hadn’t set foot in the Irwin Mansion. Simone honestly didn’t expect to see him there that night, and it caught her off guard.
When Nolan spotted Simone, he looked away, his gaze dodging hers. Remembering everything he’d done and how cold she’d been to him at the Irwin Group last time, he actually felt a little afraid to face his niece.
Just as he was trying to avoid her, looking flustered, Simone walked right over. Nolan froze, and the next second, he heard her clear, bright voice.
“Uncle Nolan.” Simone flashed him a smile and sat down on the sofa in front of him like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Nolan was stunned for a moment, then asked uncertainly, “Simone, you’re not mad at me anymore?”
“Why would I be?” Simone looked at him, genuinely puzzled.
Nolan swallowed, struggling to get the words out. “I almost forced Cyrus out of the Irwin Group. Don’t you hate me for that?”
Simone shook her head and said seriously, “Uncle Nolan, that was all just a misunderstanding. How could I hate you? Even if you really had taken over the Irwin Group, I wouldn’t have hated you.
“I only tried to stop you because I was worried you’d regret it once you knew the truth. But now that you do, you have every right to compete for the Irwin Group. I actually support you and Cyrus going head–to–head.”
“You really think that?” Nolan had to admit, her words hit him right in the heart.
“Of course.” Simone smiled, then added after a pause, “I’m sure Cyrus feels the same way.”
Just then, Cyrus came downstairs and happened to catch her last sentence. He smiled slightly and said, “Simone’s right.” That’s his girl and she really got him.
Nolan was caught off guard by his brother’s voice. He hadn’t expected Cyrus to jump in.
He was even more surprised that Cyrus and Simone were on the same page. For a moment, he didn’t know what to feel.
The two brothers had always been rivals, and they’d never actually sat down and talked things out. Thinking about everything that had happened recently, Nolan suddenly didn’t know how to face him.
Simone glanced at the two of them, then got an idea. “I’ll go check if the food’s ready in the kitchen,” she said.
Simone left a quick remark and headed to the kitchen, leaving just the two brothers alone in the living room. The air instantly turned awkward.
1/2
Chapter 130
Cyrus cleared his throat and, trying to play it cool, sat down right where Simone had been sitting.
He kept tapping his fingers on the leather cushion, and after a while, finally broke the silence. “Simone really likes you, you know.”
At the mention of Simone, a rare spark lit up Nolan’s usually indifferent eyes.
“Of course she does. I’m her Uncle Nolan,” he replied, nodding with a proud grin.
Cyrus was caught off guard by Nolan’s smugness.
He’d always thought his little brother was cold and gloomy. No one knew he had this side to him.
“You seem to like Simone a lot too, Cyrus pointed out, noticing Nolan treated her even better than his own son.
“No doubt about it,” Nolan admitted without hesitation.
He looked straight at Cyrus and said, “You might be her dad, but if you ever treat Simone badly, don’t blame me for swooping in and taking her away.”
Cyrus had been pretty calm up until now, but the second he heard Nolan talk about taking Simone, his face darkened.
He shot back coldly, “Don’t even think about it. Simone’s my daughter. Keep your hands off.”
Nolan snorted. “Then you’d better always treat her right.”
They’d barely exchanged a few words, but sparks were already flying. Neither could stand the other, so they both just went silent, ignoring each other.
After a long pause, Nolan: finally spoke up, sounding a bit reluctant, “About what happened before–that was on me. If you want compensation, just say so.”
He thought for a second, then added, “I know you let me win last time.”
The Irwin Group was way too solid to lose to Apex Systems. Nolan had figured out as soon as he got home that Cyrus had gone easy on him.
Cyrus let out a cold laugh, not bothering to spare Nolan’s feelings. “Forget compensation. Just stop holding a grudge against me, and quit eyeing my daughter. That’s all I ask.”
Nolan was speechless and he thought, ‘Why does Cyrus always have to be such a pain in the ass?‘
With Nolan’s surgery coming up soon, Simone and Quinn headed over to Consen Institute of Medical Research together after school.
When Quinn walked in, Nolan was lying in his hospital bed, picking at his bland patient meal. He caught sight of Quinn out of the corner of his eye but didn’t even bother to look up.
Quinn couldn’t help but let out a frustrated laugh. He opened the bag of fruit he’d brought, picked out the biggest apple, and took a dramatic bite
out of it.
Chomping on the apple, he glared at Nolan. “Nolan, am I really your son or not?
“I came all the way here after a full day of classes, spent my own allowance to buy you all this fruit, and you don’t even ask me how I’m doing?”
Only then did Nolan finally look up, his tone slow and dangerous. “Quinn, are you looking for trouble? Who said you could yell at me?”
Nolan shot him a glare sharp enough to kill, and Quinn immediately straightened up, quiet as a mouse,
Looking at his clueless son, then at the mountain of fruit piling up in the corner, Nolan looked like he was about to lose it.
He ri
me to
Quin
