Chapter 23 Inspiration and Intuition.

iForget /iit.

Sean was tempted to press for answers, but knowing Jasper’s sharp tongue, he figured it was safer to keep his doubts to himself.

Worst bcase/b, if his grandfather asked about the restaurant deal, he’d just say it was Jasper’s idea.

And if it actually lost money? He could always crash at Jasper’s ce for a while. He’d been eyeing that massive estate of his for ages anyway.

“Wrap it up. We’ll be leaving Trenwyn in two weeks.”

Sean blinked.

“What?b” /b

He still had several local restaurants left to try!

But then it hit him.

“Didn’t

you say this ce had great people and energy, and you wanted to break through your bottleneck here? And what about those lectures you promised the university president? You can’t just bail.”

Jasper set down his bowl, fingers tapping the table rhythmically.

“Fourteen days. Five lectures. That’s enough time.”

“Wait–what about your breakthrough?”

“I’ve already got a spark of inspiration.”

Sean nearly leapt out of his chair.

His eyes went wide. “What? When?!”

“Just now.”

Sean froze, blinking. “Wait… what?”

He squinted suspiciously. “Jasper, if you’re gonna make something up, at leaste up with a better

excuse.”

They’de to the restaurant straight from theb. No detours. Nothing strange.

How exactly had inspiration struck?

Jasperdled himself another bowl of soup. “Believe it or don’t.”

Sean scoffed. Not a chance.

What, did bJasper /bthink he bwas /bstupid?

If breakthroughs were that beasy/b, the world would be full of geniusesb. /b

In the bathroom, Scarlett washed her hands and nced at her reflection in the mirror.

It had only been two days since she left the Joyner family.

But the dark circles under her eyes had already lightened a bit.

No doubt about it–a woman needs the right soil to grow and thrive.

“Miss, you dropped your hair clip.”

Next to her stood a little girl in a pink princess dress, holding up a blue hairpin.

Her tiny, doll–like face had soft dimples, and her big round eyes sparkled like grapes in sunlight.

Instantly adorable.

“Thank you.”

Scarlett epted the hair clip. She’d bought it years ago, after seeing Stanley give Reba a diamond- studded one. She’d felt a twinge of envy.

But instead of asking the Joyners for anything, she had gone to a small shop and bought a simr clip for a few bucks–then embedded it with ab–grown blue diamond she’d cultivated herself.

The result looked even better than the original.

Later, Reba falsely used her of stealing, nearly taking the clip by force.

Scarlett had to fight hard to prove the gem was synthetic before they let it go.

That incident left a mark on her.

To this day, it was the only piece of jewelry she had ever made or bought for herself.

“Miss, you’re really pretty.”

The little girl tilted her head, her ribbon bobbing as she beamed up at Scarlett.

Too cute–anyone would want to ruffle her hair.

Scarlett smiled. “You’re even prettier than I am.”

The girl’s eyes lit up like stars.

Just then, her mother arrived. She greeted Scarlett politely and was about to take the child away.

But Scarlett called out, stopping her.

b“/bbMiss/bb, /bbyour /bbdaughter /bneeds treatment. Sooner rather thanterb./bb” /b

Wendy bYale’s /bwarm expression turned icy in an instant.

“I’ll let that slide bsince /bmy daughter seemed to like you, but watch what you say. Words have consequencesb.” /b

Her powerful aura filled the roomb, /bchilling the air around them.

Scarlett nodded. “I understand. But her condition bis /bserious. If you treat it early, there’s still time. If you wait-”

“Enough!”

Wendy snapped, and the bodyguards posing as bystanders began to move toward them.

Her daughter was off–limits.

And if this woman didn’t understand a polite warning, Wendy had no problem teaching her a lesson.

“Scarlett!”

Sean had been waiting forever. When Scarlett didn’t return, he went looking–only to find her still near the restroom over an hourter.

His voice cut through the tension, halting the guards.

Everyone recognized him: Sean, the golden boy of the Jandale Qin family.

Even Wendy paused, taken aback.

“Sean?”

He jogged over and stood beside Scarlett, then turned at the familiar voice.

“Wendy? What brings you to Trenwyn?”

She studied him for a moment, then nced at Scarlett again.

“Visiting my father.”

Sean nodded. Her father was the president of Scarlett’s university and lived here most of the year.

“And this must be your niece. Come on, call me Uncle.”

The little girl pouted and raised her chin in defiance.

But her sulky look only made her even cuter–impossible to resist.

Wendy sighed and waved her hand. “Don’t be rude.”

She hugged the child tighter, frowned, and said, “Keep your people in line.”

With that, she turned and left.