Chapter 11 Don’t Expect Anything From Me

Jean ran straight into the bathroom.

Don’t ask her why bshe /bdidn’t go back to ss. She just happened to need to pee, okay?

By the time she returned to the ssroom, the atmosphere had clearly shifted.

Deon’s seat was empty–he wasn’t there.

+8 Pearls

And the rest of the ss had lost their gossip–loving energy. Everyone sat with serious faces, quietly focused on their bown /b

tasks.

What the heck was going on?

Jean

sat down, puzzled, when the back of her shoulder got poked with a pen again.

turned around-

bSofia /bhad leaned in. The girl might be a top student, but she was just as into gossip. She lowered her voice, speaking like she was sharing state secrets. “Guess who just showed up?”

“Who? Some celebrity filming a variety show at our school““Jean guessed wildly. With the way Sofia was actin someone huge.

Sofiab:/b…

it had to be

“bIt /bwas Dominic She enunciated each word clearly. “You knowb, /bthe Ginger family, The most powerful bname /bin irford

Dominic?

Jean blinked in surprise.

Her lovely discounted older brother, what was he doing at school?

“Deon and his mom got the shock of their lives.” Sofia spoke like was just another Tuesday, clearly unmoved by Deon’s humiliation. Then her expression shifted, and she added with a hint of lingering fear, “Dominic is seriously scary. Do you know what he said?”

“What?” Jean asked tly.

“He bsaid—/b” Sofia tried to bmimic /bDominic’s tone and posture, “Winter’sing. Looks like it’s time for the Mills family to go bankrupt.*

“PAL”

bJean /bwas lucky bshe /bdidn’t bhave /bwater in h

her mouth or she would’ve spit it all over the desk.

bWasn’t /bthat the bssic /bCEO novel line? The legendary “bWinter /bbhas /be. You’re finished.”

She could guess Dominic had shown up to bstand /bup for herb. /b

Butan bthat /bmethod

Thank god she ran fast. Watching it go down in person might’ve been too much secondhand embarrassinent to handle.

Dominir had gone to Sterford Academy for jean, yes.

But the girl had bolted before he could even bspeak /bto her, because….

7.39 PM c

Chapter 11 Don’t Expect Anything From Me

The high school basketball court.

A few boys lounged around the edge of the court. Winston bsat /balone on the far end of a wooden bench.

He popped open a bottle of cold water and took a long, effortless swig, wild and elegant all at once.

Beads of water slid down the corner of his mouth like dew clinging to a flower–bright, pure, mesmerizing.

+8 Pearls

“So, Rn walked over with his own bottle, handnding lightly on Winston’s shoulder. He gave a half–smile. “That little girl yesterday, she’s really your sister?”

Winston didn’t reply. He just kept drinking his water in silence.

Once he finished, he gave a faint nod..

“No wonder you didn’t flip out…” Rn looked thoughtful. With how that girl had clung to Winston yesterday, anyone else would’ve been shut down hard. But Winston let it slide.

So she bwas /bhis sister….

Rn had known Winston f

for years.

but only found out about the sister recently.

After all, Winston treated family like strangers–cold, distant, even hostile.

He avoided them. Never talked to them. And he never mentioned them either.

Everyone knew about Winston’s four famous older brothers. But this sister? You’d never know she existed unless someone told you.

“But,” Rn tilted bhis /bbhead/b, unable to hold back, “I thought you hated your whole family. Yesterday, you really didn’t act like it… bIs /bshe different?”

Winston’s cold gaze flickered slightly.

His fingers tightened around the water bottle, bcrushing /bit in his hand until it warped and twisted.

Rn immediately shut his mouth.

He’d known Winston long enough to read the signs–and right now, Winston was bristling like a hedgehog, all prickles and inalice,

Still, he didn’t really get it

Winston wasn’t even looking at him. His bfocus /bwas locked on the far side of the basketball court.

bRn /bfollowed his gaze-

And saw ba /btall man in a suit standing there. Cold, imposing, with the same sharp features as Winston.

Their eyes met across the court.

One standing, one suting. Neither blinking.

That bguy /bRn’s voice came out barely above a whisper.

Dominic and Winston walked, one in front of the other, into the small wooded area beside the court

The white haired teenager had both hands in his pockets. His face was cool and expressionless, “Well, this is rare What are you doing here?

few inches taller. He looked down at hijs brother, his

seyes thoughtful as

he finally sail.“You never answer calls

7:40 PM ?

Chapter 11 Don’t Expect Anything From Ma

Used to him being cold. Used to him bavoiding /beverything.

Dominic’s fingers tightened bslightly/b.

If he hadn’t heard Jean’s thoughts, he never would’ve made this much effort to see Winston in person.

This rebellious, ruthless, distant brother… was not someone Dominic was good at dealing with.

He tried to bsound /bapproachable. “You bknow/b, you coulde home once bin /ba while.”

+B Pearls

Winston’s smile deepened–sharp and mocking, like cold petals catching the light just before they cut. “You’re kidding, right, Dominic! Don’t act like you care. It’s better for everyone if we stay bout /bof each other’s blives/b,”

Dominic’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t lose his temper.

“But yesterday, you helped Jean,” he said calmly, simply stating a fact. “Looks like you’re notpletely heartless after all.”

as just for fun.”

Winston’s eyes narrowed. His face turned to ice. “bThat /bwas just

“Don’t expect anything from me, Dominic. Nor you. Not bJean/b. I don’t want

The white–haired boy’s lips curled as he delivered the final blow, “-either of you anywhere near me.”

bSend /bGifts