Chapter 14 Secret Mission
Chapter 14 Secret Mission
The two of them stood outside Graceville Manor, watching the car slowly disappear into the distance.
Nicholas broke the silence. “Let’s walk and wait for the car.”
“Alright.” Sharon’s tone was as cool as ever. She fell into step beside him, leaving the manor behind.
They followed the winding hill road. Streetlights lined the roadside, casting their shadows long across the road. Neither of them spoke, but the atmosphere wasn’t awkward.
Nicholas glanced down at Sharon’s petite frame and sweet face, but he knew her personality couldn’t be more different.
Out of nowhere, he said, “You don’t have to worry about the Oriston Academy recommendation letter.”
Knowing how much Edward liked Sharon, Nicholas figured his grandfather would probably shove an invitation into her hands if he could.
Nicholas’s voice was low and somehow magnetic. It was the nicest voice Sharon had ever heard.
“I’m not worried,” she replied, calm and aloof.
She already had the offer, after all. She just hadn’t decided whether to accept it or not. With everything going on, she’d wait for her brothers to return before making a call.
Nicholas noticed her expression, like she was holding something back. He muttered inwardly, ‘She really takes things at face value, huh? Tell her not to worry, and she actually doesn’t.‘
Suddenly, Sharon looked up at him. “You don’t want the engagement, do you?”
She stared at his handsome face, and every inch of him exuded a wealthy and privileged air. Sharon figured a guy like him probably didn’t like being forced into a marriage.
Nicholas hadn’t expected the blunt question. He shot one right back. “What about you?
“I don’t want it, ‘cause I don’t even know you.”
“Same here.”
They both cracked a small smile. They both felt like they weren’t so different after all.
They kept walking side by side. Sharon added, “Thanks for helping me out.”
Nicholas replied, “You’re still my fiancée, on paper anyway. If someone disrespects you, they’re slapping me in the face. And I don’t allow anyone to bully my people.”
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A hint of a smile tugged at Sharon’s lips. She liked what he said, and she felt the same
way.
After that, they stopped talking. The quiet stretched on, but neither of them minded.
Soon, a car from the Baxter family pulled up. The driver, seeing Nicholas casually strolling with Sharon, almost hit the gas instead of the brake.
The driver marveled inwardly, ‘Am I seeing things? Mr. Baxter is actually walking and chatting with Ms. Vance? I thought he hated this engagement, but they look kind of good together.‘
It was just the driver’s imagination. Actually, Nicholas and Sharon didn’t talk much at all.
The driver thought to himself, ‘Gotta admit, Ms. Vance has a sweet look. With her face, she can easily win over anyone.‘
Once they got in the car, Nicholas asked Sharon, “Which hotel are you staying at?”
He figured she probably wasn’t in a fancy place. After all, she came to Aerions by train. He was already thinking of booking her a better hotel.
“Atlantis Hotel,” Sharon replied.
Nicholas paused for a second and thought in surprise, ‘Well, never mind what I was thinking. But seriously? She came in by train, and she can afford rooms at Atlantis? That’s a bit unexpected. Last I checked, that hotel doesn’t welcome the Vances.‘
Sharon caught the surprise in his eyes and explained, “A friend gave me their membership card.”
“It’s a nice place,” Nicholas said but didn’t ask more questions.
He then recalled the train incident. He wanted to ask Sharon about something, but he
couldn’t find a better excuse.
He thought to himself, ‘Forget it. We still haven’t figured out who tossed that traitor out. Whoever it was must’ve been pretty damn skilled.’
The car soon arrived at Atlantis Hotel.
Sharon glanced at the familiar building and then turned to Nicholas. “Bye. See you next time.”
Nicholas replied, “Bye.”
He watched her walk away, something nagging at him. He felt like she hid something, yet he just couldn’t put his finger on it.
After Sharon got out of the car, the driver spoke up, “Sir, I think Ms. Vance is actually pretty great. She’s pretty and polite. Sure, she didn’t grow up in a good family, but once
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she gets into Oriston Academy, she’ll catch up fast.”
Nicholas thought, ‘I should bring this up to Grandpa. The four families can hand out recommendation letters, but only, to their own bloodline. Everyone else has to pass a test. Will Grandpa accept that?‘
When Sharon got back to the hotel and walked into the family suite, she saw Martin and the others sitting on the couch.
Martin greeted her. “Oh, Shari, you’re back.”
“Yeah.” She glanced at him and asked, “Is Gloria gonna enroll soon?”
“Uh–huh,” Martin replied with a nod.
Just then, Alyssa chimed in. “Sharon, I’m not trying to blame you or anything, but couldn’t you just keep your head down when Roxanne scolded you? Look now, we all got kicked out.”
Alyssa had planned to stay at Graceville Manor. Once her daughter started school, the family name would keep the bullies away, and she’d have something to brag about when she went back to their hometown.
But now? Not only were they kicked out, she was worried they’d get dragged into some mess. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.
Sharon’s gaze turned cold. “My brothers didn’t live there either.”
Alyssa insisted, “Yeah, but you’re a girl. You just gave up a golden opportunity. That school is for the elite. Most people wouldn’t even get the chance to dream of it.”
“Enough.” Martin suddenly snapped, glaring at Alyssa. “Roxanne is not being nice to Sharon. Leaving away from that house is the best for Sharon. Drop it. If you bring this up again, you can go back home by yourself.”
Sensing Martin’s rage, Alyssa shut up immediately. She’d always looked down on Martin, who was too honest and even a bit dull.
But he managed to save quite a bit working as a chauffeur for the rich, so she married him. What she didn’t expect was the extra baggage that came with him–Sharon.
At first, Alyssa thought she hit the jackpot when the “baggage” turned out to be a rich heiress. But after seeing all the drama in the Vance family, especially Roxanne flipping the table like it was nothing, Alyssa got spooked.
****
Once the argument was over, Sharon went back to her room.
She unlocked her phone and looked up Oriston Academy. The top search result read: The Cradle of the Upper Class.
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‘Damn, that title really sounds awesome. This place is dripping with privilege, she thought.
There were pages and pages of brochures and introductions. Basically, the school was divided into two houses: House of Ivory and House of Obsidian.
The courses looked impressive. House of Ivory leaned toward liberal arts, full of spoiled rich girls and future trophy wives. A whole bunch of society ladies and socialites had graduated from there.
House of Obsidian, on the other hand, was more STEM–heavy. It had produced scientists, politicians, and all kinds of power players.
Everything looked fine on the surface. But Sharon couldn’t wrap her head around one thing–if this place was really that prestigious, why was it messing around in the black market and stealing her bounty jobs? She wanted to know what this school was really about.
Exiting the glossy school website, she opened another app, and her phone screen changed immediately.
It was a bounty hunter platform. Strange listings popped up constantly, but the highest–paying one was always the same: capture the cuties.
“Cutie” on this platform wasn’t actually cute. They were mutated creatures- sometimes looked like lizards, sometimes like alligators.
These things were deadly. Most people would even be easily consumed by them. But in the black market, someone always offered an attractive reward and posted their
locations.
Sharon used to take on few jobs. One day, she got curious and accepted one of the missions. That was when she discovered a whole other side of the world–a darker
one.
Such creatures came from the underground. But what happened to them after they were caught? What were they used for? Who created them? She still had no clue.
Suddenly, a new message popped up on the app. It was from Zanker.
Zanker: [Zero, got a job for you. The client specifically asked for you. Are you in?]
Sharon: [I can’t. I’m tied up right now.]
Back when she lived in Cloudies, she came and went as she pleased. She’d tell Martin she was off on a hiking trip or something, and he never questioned it. Martin had always been good to her, never tried to control her.
But now that she was in Aerions, things were different. She couldn’t move as freely. Besides, she didn’t know when her brothers would come back, so for now, she had to
stay put.
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Zanker: [Still sad about last time, huh? That job you were on got snatched by Oriston Academy. Don’t go head–to–head with those freaks from House of Obsidian. They might target you.]
Sharon: [What the hell kind of school is that?]
