Chapter 19
Chapter 19
“You can do that?” Robert’s eyes moved from the mannequins inside to Charles’s face.
Charles’s alarm bells went off in his head. He was more sure than ever that his brother showing up after all these years meant he needed something.
“Well… Robert, I have to say something,” Charles began. “Aqualore International High School is an elite school. The students all come from rich or powerful families.”
He sighed. “Even parents picking up their kids have to dress properly, so they don’t embarrass their children. You and Yvonne aren’t rich-how could you pull that off? Besides, the tuition’s super expensive. You two can’t afford it.”
“Then you pay for it,” Robert said with a smile, noticing Nina had finished measuring and tucked away the receipt for her uniform.
Charles choked on his spit in shock, turning red from coughing. Robert had always been weak before; when Charles said things like this, Robert never spoke up. Charles didn’t understand how Robert had the nerve to make such a demand today.
But after years of driving for the deputy mayor, Charles had learned a few tricks. He quickly regained his fake smile and said, “Robert, since when did you start joking? Besides, I’m just a driver. I really—”
“So you know you’re just a driver?” Robert dodged Charles’s hand as it reached to slap his shoulder, glanced at him, and then walked out of the store with Yvonne and Nina.
Charles was furious and humiliated. “You-”
Robert’s words hit him hard. Charles thought he’d earned his status through hard work and effort. Now, anyone wanting favors from the deputy mayor had to bribe him first.
He chased after them. “Robert, you’re right. I’m just Mr. Green’s driver. I’m so sorry.”
Charles put on a fake sorry face, but the mockery and contempt in his eyes almost spilled out. “Even though my daughter Sylvia is a top student and loved by the teachers and Mr. Green, I can’t help Nina get in. Sorry about that—”
Yvonne snapped angrily, “We don’t need your help at all.”
“What a coincidence, Charles.” A calm voice suddenly came from beside them.
Charles jumped in surprise.
An elderly man wearing glasses and a shirt, hands clasped behind his back, walked over slowly. He had a wise air about him, like a kind but strict old teacher. A little girl with two small braids followed him.
“M-Mr. Russell…” Charles stammered, greeting him.
“I’m just taking my granddaughter out to play,” the old man interrupted casually, his smile warm but with a hint of seriousness.
Charles quickly nodded and hurried to press the elevator button. “After you.”
“Thank you,” the old man smiled, then looked kindly at Robert’s family and nodded. “I saw you talking from afar. You seem close with Charles. Are you relatives?”
“We’re from the same hometown. Mr. Russell, I happened to run into them,” Charles said quickly, afraid Robert might say something bad about him.
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9:10 pm
Chapter 19
Nina sneered and raised an eyebrow, then saw her parents politely smile and say, “We don’t know him.”
Charles’s face instantly turned ashen.
The old man nodded meaningfully but just smiled and glanced once more at Charles before taking his granddaughter into the elevator.
“Mr. Russell- Charles wanted to stop him but didn’t dare, watching the elevator doors close.
For a moment, his heart was full of panic and anger. He turned and hurried after Robert’s family, his smile much warmer
now.
“Look at you two, both over forty and still so mischievous,” Charles said. “But you can’t joke carelessly like this. Come with me to explain to Mr. Russell. I’ll buy you lunch later.”
hapter 20
