?Chapter 1041:

    Gracie had already emerged from the restroom and had been watching from a distance. Each time Brenna hit Waldo, Gracie couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Waldo deserved that.

    Feeling exhausted, Lilith made her way to Brenna’s side, pouring some lemon water before settling in for a chat.

    Not long after, Lilith excused herself, and Gracie stepped up to y against Ernst. She moved with surprising finesse, nearly matching Ernst’s level. Their rallies grew more spirited by the minute.

    Watching Gracie y, Waldo found himself drawn to her. He thought he should make an effort to win her over.

    A smirk crossed Lilith’s face. “You really didn’t hold back. Thatst hit nearly killed him,” said Lilith, shaking her head.

    “I honestly can’t stand the guy,” said Brenna. “He knows Gracie works as the vice president at the Mitchell Group, but that didn’t stop him from making a move on her. It’s like he doesn’t care about Ethan at all.”

    No sympathy appeared in Lilith’s eyes. “Waldo definitely deserved it. But Gracie’s supposed to be your rival in love, right? Why go out of your way for her? That’s not like you.”

    “I didn’t do that for her. It’s just that Waldo rubs me the wrong way. If he’s desperate to meet women, he can hang out at a bar. He acts like he’s on the hunt as soon as he sets foot here, and I’ve had enough of it.” Brenna swirled her ss of lemon water, took a sip, then set it aside. “Come on, let’s have a match.”

    Switching courts, Brenna and Lilith found themselves beside Thiago and Ellie, who were locked in a lively rally.

    Not far away, Darwin sat by himself, silently cursing his luck. Every time he tried to get close to Brenna, Ethan was always around.

    Catching sight of Brenna walking over, Darwin sprang to his feet, racket in hand. “Care for a game, Miss Harper?” he asked, shing a hopeful grin.

    Lilith said, “I’ll let you two have the court. My arms are dead tired. I’ll just watch from the sidelines.”

    Darwin appreciated Lilith’s gesture and thanked her.

    Brenna was surprised to find that Darwin’s tennis skills were also quite great. His movements were professional, matching Brenna’s level. They yed a thrilling match.

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    After their rally, Darwin wiped his brow and smiled at Brenna. “Miss Harper, this ce has a great vibe. What do you say we make this a regr thing? I could even set you up with a membership,” he said, unable to hide the admiration in his eyes. In his mind, Brenna was one of a kind. Talented with numbers, inventive with machines, and now proving herself on the tennis court. He couldn’t help but feel a little out of his league.

    Ethan, having just wrapped up his own match against Waldo, had been watching Brenna y for a while.

    “Brenna,” Ethan said as he walked over with a gentle demeanor. He knew about Brenna’s connection to Darwin and suspected she hadn’t had the chance to exin things to him yet.

    He figured it would be best if he stepped in.

    “Mr. Atkinson,” Ethan said to Darwin with a nod, reaching out his hand for a handshake.

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