Chapter 93
Anthony just smiled and didn’t bother explaining. He slipped his hand into Charlotte’s and led her toward the main hall. With the two of them and the dog, the moment felt especially warm and peaceful.
On the way to Vanguard High School, Charlotte sat next to Anthony, completely at ease as she scrolled through her phone. Someone had secretly recorded what happened at the school gate yesterday and posted it on the school forum. By morning, the comments section had exploded, and every nasty word seemed aimed right at her.
First comment: I thought she only disrespected teachers, but apparently she doesn’t care about her own father or sister either.
Next: Her attitude is so awful, even her own dad can’t stand her.
Another: Look at Olivia, begging her to come home, and Charlotte just stands there, acting all high and mighty. So irritating.
Yet another: Olivia’s honestly so pitiful. Just because she’s a stepdaughter, Charlotte bullies her even when she tries her best.
The comments kept coming.
Post 128: Charlotte, get out of Vanguard High!
Post 129: Seriously, just leave already! Even the air here is better without her.
Charlotte read everything with a calm face, not a single emotion flickering across her delicate features.
Anthony glanced over and caught a glimpse of the comments on her screen. His eyes darkened. Was Lottie getting bullied at school?
“What happened?” he asked, twirling a piece of her silky hair around his finger, his voice lower than usual. “If something’s wrong, you can tell me. I’ll take care of it.”
“Hmm?” Charlotte looked up at him, then shut off her phone with a soft, careless smile. “It’s nothing. I’ll handle it myself.”
Anthony met her clear, deep eyes, noticing how pure and steady they were, almost hiding something sharp beneath the surface. He lifted an eyebrow but didn’t push. He knew Charlotte wasn’t as gentle as she seemed. She was tough and not someone anyone could easily push around.
At Vanguard High School, Charlotte walked in, pretending not to notice the stares and quiet whispers that followed her down the hallway. She made her way to her classroom and leaned casually against the wall, one hand on the desk and the other holding her phone. Her eyes were cool, almost icy, making people think twice before approaching.
She had challenged a teacher, talked back to her elders, bullied her stepsister… Her classmates watched her from the corners of their eyes, unsure what to think. She must have seen the forum. How could she look so unaffected after getting dragged like that?
Some of them even wondered if the rumors were true. Maybe she really had pulled strings to get into Vanguard High. Whoever helped her out must be someone important, someone even the principal would have to respect.
On the other side of the city, in a grand hall filled with the scent of old wood, a line of bodyguards stood perfectly still. At the head of the room sat a stern-looking man in his fifties. Next to him, Kenneth lounged
With his legs crossed, frowning.
printed photo from a security camera.
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The lead bodyguard spoke up. “Mr. Gates, Kenneth. We couldn’t find her based on
the photo from the cameras.”
Arthur Gates glared at the picture of
the girl on the motorcycle. Even with the helmet covering most of her
face, he could see her tinyemet’
that made him almost
was connected to his sister Nora. Maybe she was Notter, the one the Gates family had been searching for all these years.
“Keep looking. I don’t care if you have to search every inch of Cabinda. Find her.”
“Yes, sir.” The bodyguard bowed and left the room.
After they were alone, Kenneth looked up and spoke quietly. “Cabinda’s huge. Finding one person’s going to take time.”
Arthur’s frustration boiled over. “And whose fault is that? If you’d stopped her right then and brought her back to the Gates family, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
Kenneth winced at the outburst and turned away. It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried. He just couldn’t catch up.
Arthur sighed and paced, his eyes glued to Charlotte’s photo. “Your grandfather’s health isn’t great. Don’t let him know anything until we’re sure. Your eldest brother is in the military, your second brother’s still at school… No need to worry them either.”
“Got it,” Kenneth replied, sounding casual.
He thought back to the night he saw Charlotte. The way she carried herself, so fearless and confident, made him grin. No doubt about it—she had the Gates family blood in her.