Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, Mia Grant heard the System shriek in its familiar, cold, chanical voice.
AHH!
HOST, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!
Mia’s eyelashes trembled, and her hand gripping the phone tightened slightly. As if waking from a dream, she frowned, belatedly realizing just how abrupt her statent had been.
In the past, she would have avoided such provocative words at all costs.
But today, she had taken the initiative.
After a fleeting mont of panic, she looked up again, her expression as calm as ever.
anwhile, on the other end of the line.
Yates Donovan had been enjoying the show, but after hearing that line, the playful smile on his face instantly froze.
When he ca to his senses, he didn’t even glance at Silas Grant’s expression. He sat up straight, snatched the phone off the table, and switched off the speaker.
"What’s gotten into you today? Since when did you start telling such bad jokes?"
Mia blinked but didn’t say a word.
One second, two, three...
"After all these years, that Keller’s tricks haven’t improved one bit. No wonder he’s been back in the capital for two days without making a peep. So this is what he was waiting for."
Yates seethed.
His reason for being pissed off was probably different from most people’s.
He felt as if his ho base had just been raided.
And by his nesis, no less.
Mia paused, then said, "Who told you it was Kian Keller?"
Yates frowned. "If not him, then who else could it be?"
"Actually..."
The explanation was on the tip of her tongue when the fire escape door was pushed open. Her class president found her and breathed a sigh of relief. "Mia, you left so quickly... Have you filled out the form in the group chat yet? We’re just waiting on you."
Mia hadn’t seen any group ssage. "Oh, sorry. I’ve been a bit busy the last couple of days, so I wasn’t paying attention. I’ll fill it out now!"
"Gotta go." Tossing this out, she imdiately hung up the phone.
"Hey—"
The voice was cut off abruptly.
Yates pulled the phone away from his ear, his mouth twitching slightly as he stared at the dark screen.
’She just hangs up like that.’
Knowing he wouldn’t be able to pry any answers out of her, Yates decided to call one of his subordinates to investigate what was going on.
’She sounded so serious, but she said it wasn’t Kian Keller.’
’Then who could it be?’
’A prank?’
SCREECH. A chair scraped lightly across the floor.
Yates paused, his hand hovering over the phone, and looked up instinctively.
The figure across from him had already stood up, grabbing his own phone from the table and heading for the door.
He raised an eyebrow, his gaze following the tall figure. "Where are you going? Are we still getting food later?"
No one answered.
His only reply was the sound of a door closing with deliberate force.
Yates clicked his tongue, both annoyed and amused.
’That little brat is getting bolder and bolder.’
’Whether the engagent is real or fake, he’s been dropping hints. She knew perfectly well Silas Grant was listening, but she still had to say sothing that’ll get her spanked.’
’The favored ones are always fearless.’
’Yes, Silas Grant can’t return to the capital for now, so he can’t do anything to her.’
’But everyone in his circle in Portia is probably going to suffer for it.’
The thought of having to face Silas Grant’s foul mood every day for the next week made Yates sigh and click his tongue. ’Did I wipe out the entire Grant Family in a past life or sothing?’
’I really must owe their family.’
—
That afternoon, Mia Grant ran into Felix Sinclair as soon as she stepped out of the classroom.
He seed to have been waiting in the hallway for a while. It was the end of class, and everyone was heading out. Only he stood his ground, unmoving, enduring the baptism of everyone’s stares.
Mia shouldered her bag and, ignoring the other probing glances, walked out with Felix.
The two of them skipped the elevator, taking a leisurely stroll down the stairs instead.
Felix had booked a nearby restaurant, and they drove there.
During the al, Felix brought up the matter of canceling the engagent.
Mia stopped eating and sat up straight, ready to listen.
"Don’t be nervous." Felix noticed her unease and didn’t beat around the bush. "My mother is fine with it. She’s agreed, and she also asked to convey her apologies to you."
"We should have discussed this with you beforehand. We’re very sorry for any trouble this has caused you."
Mia was flattered and waved her hands dismissively. "No, no, no. Actually... it wasn’t much trouble at all. For , it almost felt like a form of validation."
"I’m very happy."
She laughed out loud.
Perhaps it was genuine, or perhaps she just didn’t want him to feel guilty.
Felix gazed at her, feeling more and more that she was like a book he held in his hands.
At first glance, the cover’s summary was what drew him in.
Upon opening to the first page, the table of contents was brief and plain.
The initial content might even turn so readers away.
The prose was a pile of ornate words that seed to lack substance.
And between the lines, it read like soone moaning for no reason.
Only those who truly loved her, who read on with patience, would co to understand and appreciate the charm of her personality.
Her very existence was a contradiction.
She was a bird trapped in a cage, one that would never be content to stay put.
Give her even the slightest opening, and she would spread her wings again.
She was free-spirited, she was radiant. Favored by God, whose fingertips had lightly kissed her features.
And so, she beca the most vibrant stroke of color in this black-and-white world.
Wherever he looked, it seed only she was alive, and in full color.
Felix was infected by her smile and couldn’t help but curve his own lips in response. Even his usually placid features were tinged with a hint of warmth.
Mia, with her face cupped in her hands, was still chattering away at him.
He listened patiently, not interrupting.
After a long while, when she had talked until her mouth was dry, he finally spoke up. "There’s one more thing I’d like to ask your opinion on."
Mia took the glass of water he offered, took a small sip, and nodded with her cheeks puffed out. Two seconds later, she swallowed and said, "Go ahead."
"My mother wants to know if you’d like to completely break free from the Grant Family’s control right now."
"Does your mother have a way?"
"If you want, our engagent party can proceed as scheduled."
"..." Mia froze.
His gaze caught the shattered light in her eyes, and he spoke calmly, "Don’t worry, it’s just a front. It’s only an engagent; it won’t bind you in any way. Later on, if you have other ideas or... find soone you like, we can call it off publicly at any ti."
Felix lowered his eyes. "I don’t know what your plans are, but I know you must be desperate to leave the Grant Family. And not just by moving out, either."
"If you don’t have a complete plan yet, I hope you’ll seriously consider my... my mother’s suggestion."
He paused for a mont, and Mia’s heart skipped a beat.
It was as if she could hear him begging her, hoping she would consider *him*.
Mia fell silent.
’The Grant Family is, indeed, a problem for .’
’I have to draw a clear line.’
’And not just with words.’
’Otherwise, if it isn’t the Sinclair Family this ti, there will be a steady stream of the Marshall Family, the Wallace Family, and so on... countless fiancés waiting for .’
’To the Grant Family, I’m just a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. They hate , so they’ll definitely squeeze every last drop of value from in revenge—through an arranged marriage.’
’So, it would be best to have a formal occasion to publicly announce that we’ve severed ties.’
’And the engagent party for the Sinclair family’s eldest son is indeed an excellent opportunity.’
"You don’t have to give an answer right away, but..."
"I accept."
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