CHAPTER 961: CHAPTER 961: MUST BE HOME BEFORE 9 PM

Mr. Ford froze, not expecting Leah to suddenly ask and catch him off guard.

Leah’s eyes were clear, and her lips carried a smile, "Uncle Ford, you’ve already sent someone to investigate the relationship between Justin Xavier and me, haven’t you? This time, are you here to help me or to use me?"

Mr. Ford looked at Leah, his expression returning to normal, "Leah, you truly are the daughter of the Thorne family. However, rather than saying I’m using you, I’d say we’re helping each other. Our goals are aligned—my hatred for the Xavier family is genuine, and helping the Thorne family seek revenge is genuine as well. The only person you can team up with right now is me."

Leah fell silent, only speaking after a while, "I need to think it over."

"Alright, Leah, I’ll wait for your news."

At this moment, a clear, sweet voice sounded, "Daddy, I’m back~"

Leah looked up, and it was Mr. Ford’s daughter, Simon’s sister, Cheryl Ford, who had returned.

Cheryl had just turned 18 this year, a freshman in college. She was pretty and vibrant, with an innocent and lively appearance, very charming.

They say daughters are a father’s little comfort, and Mr. Ford immediately smiled benevolently, "Cheryl, it’s so cold, why are you still wearing a dress?"

Cheryl ran over and hooked her arm around her father’s, pouting her red lips, "Daddy, all my classmates are wearing this, dresses look good, girls love to look pretty~"

Mr. Ford gave a helpless yet doting smile.

Leah could tell that Mr. Ford was a good father; he protected both of his children, Simon and Cheryl, very well.

Leah’s gaze fell on Cheryl, and she suddenly envied her. If her daddy were still around, she might have turned out just like Cheryl.

At this moment, Cheryl saw Leah, her eyes lit up, "Oh my God, look who it is, Leah Thorne, are you really the famous Leah Thorne? I’m one of your little fans. Leah, can I take a photo with you? My classmates will go crazy, they’ll envy me to death."

Cheryl bounced over to Leah and looked at her in awe.

Leah had a good feeling about this cute, innocent little sister, maybe because she was living the way Leah wanted to. Leah nodded, "Okay."

Cheryl happily took a photo with Leah and even got her autograph.

At this moment, Simon came out, "Daddy, Leah, Cheryl, dinner is ready. Let’s go inside and eat."

...

Leah had dinner at the Ford home. Cheryl was like a cute little sparrow, chattering around her, gossiping about the entertainment industry. Simon had no chance to get close to Leah, and he kept giving the oblivious Cheryl repeated glares. The atmosphere during dinner was very harmonious, giving Leah a long-missed feeling of home.

After dinner, the servant served fruit, and Simon speared a plump, translucent grape and handed it to Leah, "Leah, this grape is very sweet. Try it."

Leah was about to reach out to take it, but just then, the villa’s door opened, and the servant outside said, "President Xavier is here."

Justin Xavier was here!

Leah looked up and saw two bright headlights piercing through the darkness outside. A Maybach luxury car sped over and slowly stopped on the lawn outside the villa. The driver’s door opened, and Justin Xavier’s tall, handsome figure came into view.

Tonight, Justin was dressed in all black, wearing a black trench coat over a high-necked black sweater. He had gold-rimmed glasses on his face, and his features, cloaked in a cold mist, were as perfect as if they had walked out of a comic book, forcefully drawing everyone’s gaze and capable of eliciting a chorus of screams.

Justin closed the car door and strode over with long steps.

Mr. Ford immediately went up to greet him, politely saying, "President Xavier, what brings you here? You should have given me a call before coming so I could invite you for a home-cooked meal."

Justin curved a thin smile, polite yet distant, "No need to be so formal, President Ford. I’m here to take Leah home."

With that, Justin looked up towards the silhouetted figure under the vintage palace lantern in the corridor, "Leah, come over. You’ve played enough, it’s time to go home."

Leah looked at Justin, then obediently walked over to his side.

Justin had an overcoat in his hand, which he draped over Leah’s shoulders, his long fingers deftly fastening the buttons for her.

Simon was very reluctant for Leah to leave and tried to persuade her to stay, "Uncle Xavier, it’s still early. Why not stay a bit longer?"

Justin’s handsome face remained expressionless as he looked down at his steel watch, "It’s already nine o’clock. Leah must be home before nine."

"Ah?" Simon was taken aback.

Justin extended his large hand to hold Leah’s soft, delicate hand, "This is the Xavier family rule. She must be home before nine. Leah’s upbringing is quite strict."

After saying this, Justin opened the passenger car door, stuffed Leah into it, then returned to the driver’s seat, and the Maybach luxury car sped away.

Justin took Leah and left.

Simon was very unhappy. He’d met Justin twice and always felt Justin controlled Leah too strictly. That kind of possessiveness wasn’t like that of a brother towards a sister, but rather quite pathological.

What family rule, Leah was no longer a child who needed to be told to come home before nine.

"This Justin Xavier is simply too domineering, Leah isn’t even his real sister!" Simon said discontentedly.

Mr. Ford watched the direction in which the Maybach disappeared. Justin Xavier must have timed his arrival perfectly, with nine being his absolute limit, no later.

"Simon, do you like Leah?" Mr. Ford asked his son.

Simon nodded, "Yes, Daddy, I like Leah, and I want to pursue her."

"No!" Mr. Ford immediately refused.

"Why? Leah is Uncle Thorne’s daughter, and she’s also my fiancée. Why don’t you agree, Daddy?" Simon asked in surprise and confusion.

A cunning glint flashed in Mr. Ford’s eyes. Leah was no longer the illustrious daughter of the Thorne family she once was. Now entangled with her supposed brother, how could she be worthy of the Ford family?

"Simon, don’t ask any more questions. I have my reasons. There are plenty of reputable girls from good families, take your pick, but Leah is absolutely not an option!" Mr. Ford went upstairs.

Simon looked at his father in perplexity, not understanding why his father opposed his relationship with Leah.

"Brother~" At this time, two fingers tugged at the hem of Simon’s clothes; it was Cheryl.

Simon looked at Cheryl, "Cheryl, what’s the matter?"

Earlier, no one had noticed Cheryl. Now her fresh and pretty little face was all red. She bit her red lip with her white teeth, shyly glancing in the direction where Justin Xavier had disappeared, and asked softly, "Brother, who was that man just now?"