bChapter /bb53 /b

Elric knew better than to directly demand a high price, Aria bwas /bnot someone to be trified with “Your brother’s injuries have nothing to do with my he stated coldly.

Aria gave him a sharp look. “We didn’t ask you for any money. It’s normal to have some friction during a basketball game, but you don’t even know bwho /bactually bumped into your son. So why are you targeting Nathan?”

The situation on the court had almost turned into a brawd, and no other patents had gotten involved, except for them.

Her gaze was chilling, eyes as sharp as if she could road his soul.

Elric finched and quickly averted his eyes, adopting a defensive stance. “We just want thirty thousand dors. For someone like you, Ms, Saxon, that amount is just pocket change, isn’t it?”

Aria nced briefly at Leofric, who stood protectively by his mother’s side, then returned her attention to Elric

“I won’t give you any money,” bshe /breplied Matly.

He pressed, “Fine, then bgive /bit to my son.”

“What’s his is mine.” he muttered dismissively.

ast into

Aria was unbothered. “I’m not trying to make things difficult. If Leofric can get

“If you agree, we’ll sign an agreement. If not, you can talk to mywyer,”

ca prestigious university, I’ll pay thirty thousand.

Elric thought for a moment and realized pressing the matter further wouldn’t benefit him, so he backed off

His goal had been aplished.

Aria btook /bba /bpiece of paper from Valene and prepared ban /bagreement, pen in bhand/b.

Nathan leaned in to nce at the paper and couldn’t help but mutter, “Your handwriting is terrible.”

bAria /bsimply replied, “Those who cause trouble don’t have the right to speak in front of me.”

“I was just trying to help!” Nathan shot back.

“Fool,” she retorted.

Nathan’s nostris fared in frustrationb. /b

Valerie quickly interjected, “Respect your sisterb./b”

Reluctantly, he swallowed his words.

Once the document was signed, Eric walked away with a spring in his step.

Loofric nced at Aria and then followed his mother bout/bb. /b

Aria stood up. “Sorry to trouble you. bNow /bthat it’s resolved, I’ll be leaving”

“it’s no trouble at all,” Valerie said with a smile, clearly approving of how Aria handled the situation–simple and direct

“Ms. Saxon,” Valerie continued, “why did you agreed pay so quickly when it’s bobvious /bthat Leoric’s parents are trying to extort you?”

Aria thought back to Leofric

b1/3 /b

His school uniform was faded, his frame thin and frail, showing signs of malnutrition.

His mother was no better.

“it’s because the money doesn’t matter for me,” she said simply

Those words left Valerie sprechless.

Micah, suppressing a chuckle, observed with growingplexity in his eyes.

He thought to himself, ‘Everyone says Ms. Saxon is cold and ruthless, but there’s a kindness in het

Just then, Micah’s phone buzzed. It was a message from Logan is it all sorted?]

Micah replied: [Yes, Mr. Saxon. It’s done.

Logan ordered: There’s an issue with a project. Come back quickly with your bodyguard. We need to take care of it)

Micah was taken aback. Logan’s messages were always demandsb, /bnever exnations.

After exchanging a quick word with Aria band /bNathan, he left immediately with the bodyguard.

Nathan, feeling both grateful and awkward, burned to Aria. “Thanks for today. I’ll pay you back, really, I’ll cover the thirty thousand

Aria didn’t bother responding–after ball/bb, /bshe hadn’te for him.

The two were never on the same wavelength anyway. Nathan, bunfazed /bby herck of response, pushed open the door and left

His friends immediately swarmed around him.

One of his friends eximed, “Nathan, I didn’t expect you to be so tolerant. Even though you’ve got a temper, you didn’t ask us to pay for anything after

Nathan looked confused. “Pay for what?”

Another chimed in. “We heard! Your family bought you a huge insurance policy. Anyone who hurts byou /bhas to pay, right?”

“Your family is really nice. After all that happened, you didn’t ask Taion to pay?” the third said.

Nathan was bat /ba loss for words.

How could he exin that Aria had taken care of everything? If the Vellier family came looking for him again, thin

He could only nod. “Yeah, they bought it for meb, /bbbut /bit’s not a big deal.”

But it was a big dealb. /b

That night, after the incident, Logan immediately bought high insurance policies for everyone in the family

ild get worse.

His good friends, while being provoked by othersb, /bpushed him forward, shouting, “Deat him up! If you get sued forpensation, you can’t afford it!”

Word spread, and soon, his ssmates treated him like a pariah, avoiding him as if he were a gue.

Anything even remotely risky–like moving healy things–he was excluded from

He became the fragile little bboy /bof the entire grade.

Nathan, oblivious to how his life would change, looked around and saw a girl with a low ponytail and ck framed sses,

10:43 Wed, 28 May G

Their eyes met

“Move. You’re in the way.” Her voice was clear, but with an icy edge

Nathan instinctively stepped aside, then looked back at the girl, only to see her frozen, her eyes wide with

She stood motionless, Staring at something, or rather, someone.

Nathan wondered, “What is going