Chapter 109
After sitting down, they ended up at a table directly across from Phoebe and Horjula.
Phoebe and Brenda, uus kest into the dim corner and purposefully turned to the side, went muoticed by the others.
At the table across, Sienna and Edith avoided sitting with the other girls. Sienna took her place next to Leon, and Edith beside Frank.
The four of then sat together on a large couch. Two men in the middle with a woman on either side.
Once they ordered drinks, Leon and Frank started chatting, with Sienna and Eliths pouring drinks for them, looking very much like two complex.
Phoebe’s sharp hearing allowed her to catch the general gist of their conversation.
Leon was talking to Frank about investing in a web series, and it seemed like Frank was planning to fund Cair’s new show.
Phoebe turned to Brends and asked, “Were Leon and Frank always this close?”
Phoebe didn’t know Frank well. He’d gone abroad shortly after she arrived in Solara City.
Brenda replied quietly, “Leon, Frank, and Reece all went to high school together. In school, they were practically inseparable, like the Three Musketeers
She added, “Leon’s actually two years older than us. He took a two–year break before re–enrolling, which is why he ended up in our year.”
Brenda explained that she knew Leon well, as her brother had gone to high school in Solara City from freshman year, but she stayed behind because of her grandfather.
When he passed away in her second year in high school, Brenda initially wanted to stay to support Phoebe
However, with the inheritance she received, her mother encouraged her grandmother and father to transfer her to Solara City to complete high school. Brenda ended up in the same class as Reece and the others.
To defy her mother and partly out of a rebellious streak, Brenda had played the part of a “slacker.”
Secretly, her basics were solid from studying with Phoebe. Yet when it came to exams, she deliberately wr record as the lowest–ranked student.
wrote the wrong answers, holding onto her
‘s future but because it h
it hurt her pride.
Her mother was furious every time she saw those grades, not out of genuine concern for Brenda’s
After all. Soren and Reece were top students, consistently ranking in the top three of their respective years. Even the other cousins maintained good grades.
It made Brenda’s performance an ongoing topic at family gatherings, much to her mother’s embarrassment. Brenda, however, found it amusing
In her year, Frank was known as the “genius” of the school, always ranking first. When Brenda transferred, the teacher seated her beside him.
Frank was reserved and had a cool demeanor. Brenda had initially tried chatting with him, but his response was so cold that she didn’t bother again.
One day, an older boy who’d dropped out of school tried to pursue Brenda. She turned him down firmly, telling him to stay away.
But his ex–girlfriend caught wind of it and ambushed Brenda with a group of ten or so.
Brenda could handle herself in a fight, but they outnumbered her. In a moment of distraction, the girl picked up a brick, ready to swing it at her
bead
As Frank happened to
ito pan b
by the alley, he swung his backpack and knocked the girl aside, saving Brenda from a blow to the head.
He stepped in further and managed to bring down several of the boys surrounding her.
Although Frank usually had a cool, composed demeanor, his good looks and status as a top student were well–knoWIL
Hat
But that day, fighting in his school uniform, he struck Brenda as handsome and unexpectedly charming:
tom that inouent. Brenda stopped pretending to be a “slacker” and focused on catching up with hank. She often sought him out to ask for help
Though Frank would appear annoyed, he always took the time to explain things patiently. Other girls also tried approaching him with questions bas he brushed them off coldly.
Chapter 109
After sitting down, they ended up at a table directly across from Phoebe and Brenda.
Phoebe and Brenda, tucked into the dim corner and purposefully turned to the side, went unnoticed by the others.
At the table across, Sienna and Edith avoided sitting with the other girls. Sienna took her place next to Leon, and Edith be
beside Frank
The four of them sat together on a large couch. Two men in the middle with a woman on either side.
Once they ordered drinks, Leon and Frank started chatting, with Sienna and Edith pouring drinks for them, looking very much like two couples.
Phoebe’s sharp hearing allowed her to catch the general gist of their conversation.
Leon was talking to Frank about investing in a web series, and it seemed like Frank was planning to fund Cain’s new show.
Phoebe turned to Bre
Brenda and asked, “Were Leon and Frank always this close?”
Phoebe didn’t know Frank well. He’d gone abroad shortly after she arrived in Solara City,
Brenda replied quietly, “Leon, Frank, and Reece all went to high school together. In school, they were practically inseparable, like the Three Musketeers.
un in our year
She added, “Leon’s actually two years older than us. He took a two–year break before re–enrolling, which is why he ended up
Brenda explained that she knew Leon well, as her brother had gone to high school in Solara City from freshman year, but she stayed behind because of her grandfather.
When he passed away in her second year in high school, Brenda initially wanted to stay to support Phoebe.
However, with the inheritance she received, her mother encouraged her grandmother and father to transfer her to Solara City to complete high school. Brenda ended up in the same class as Reece and the others.
To defy her mother and partly out of a rebellious streak, Brenda had played the part of a “slacker.”
Secretly, her basics were solid from studying with Phoebe. Yet when it came to exams, she deliberately wrote the wrong answers, holding onto her record as the lowest–ranked student.
Her mother was furious
every 1
time she saw those grades, not out of genuine concern for Brenda’s future but because it hurt her pride.
After all, Soren and Reece were top students, consistently ranking in the top three of their respective years. Even the other cousins maintained good grades.
It made Brenda’s performance an ongoing topic at family gatherings, much to her mother’s embarrassment. Brenda, however, found it all quite amusing.
In her year, Frank was known as the “genius” of the school, always ranking first. When Brenda transferred, the teacher seated her beside him..
Frank was reserved and had a cool demeanor. Brenda had initially tried chatting with him, but his response was so cold that she didn’t bother again. One day, an older boy who’d dropped out of school tried to pursue Brenda. She turned him down firmly, telling him to stay away
But his ex–girlfriend caught wind of it and ambushed Brenda with a p
a group
of ten or so,
at her
Brenda could handle herself in a fight, but they outnumbered her. In a moment of distraction, the girl picked up a brick, ready to swing it at head
As Frank happened to pass by the alley, he swung his backpack and knocked the girl aside, saving Brenda from a blow to the head.
He stepped in further and managed to bring down several of the boy’s surrounding her.
Although Frank usually had a cool, composed demeanor, his good looks and status as a top student were well–known.
But that day, fighting in his school uniform, he struck Brenda as handsome and unexpectedly charming.
From that moment, Brenda stopped pretending to be a “slacker” and focused on catching up with Frank. She often sought him out to ask for help
with her studies,
Though Frank would appear annoyed, he always took the time to explain things patiently. Other girls also tried approaching him with questions, but he brushed them off coldly.
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Chapter 100
Brenda cominued to rope him into outings, sometines mombly. He always acted reluctant but would still shows up at their meeting.
For college entrance exams, she studied hand to get into
the same university as him and, on his advice, majored in busines
By their think year, Frank had already completed his undergraduate courses, earned all his credits, and graduated early after passing all his exams. He got into a prestigious graduate program abroad.
Before he left, he mentioned be planned to start a company overseas, hinting that Brenda could join him after she graduates,
Once Frank moved abroad, be and Breida kept in touch, albeit with or casional delays in his responses.
Whenever she encountered academic challenges, he woulid even video call to patiently guide her. So, after finishing her degree, she went abroad, joining his company,
That was when Brenda found out there was a new addition, Edith, Frank’s secretary, who seemed entirely focused on him.
Brenda confronted him about Edith, but he dismissed it, saying there was nothing between them and told her not to overthink.
Whenever she med to establish a clear relationship with him, he would steer the conversation away. Edith’s presence led to several arguments.
between them.
Just before returning home, they had planned a dinner together. But Elith suddenly fell ill, and Frank skipped their date to go to the hospital to see ber. That led to a fight and subsequent silence between them.
Watching Phoebe’s decisive breakup with Reece, Brenda felt an overwhelming exhaustion from her situation. She finally let it go, leaving Frank and coming home to support Phorbe.
Brenda and her brothers had only moved to Solara City for high school. At that time, Ploche was still living in another city, so she hadn’t been familiar with all these details.
Though the three of them kept in touch, they rarely discussed others since they didn’t know the people in each other’s circles.
ly after her college graduation and entry
into the entertainment industry.
Phoebe was acknowledged as part of the Jenkins family
Only then did she learn that Reece and Leon had been classmates and childhood friends. Still, she didn’t ask much about their high school alays
Phoebe said. “That explains why they seem so close. Frank is even investing in Cain’s new show?
Brenda remarked, “If I knew h
he was your brother back in school, I would’ve given him a piece of my mind.”
Brenda and Reece had just moved to Solara City and became classmates with Leon in high school.
At that time, the Jenkins family had stopped publicly searching for their lost daughter, and no one from the Hill or Jenkins families had brought it
- up.
Fron would occasionally mention his sister, always in ass allectionate tone, so Brenda and the others had no reasons to suspect she wasn’t Leon’s biological sibling
They rarely pried into family matters.
Moreover, Phoebe and Iron didn’t resemble each other enough to rise any suspicions that Phoebe might be the Jenkins family’s lost daughter.
When they eventually learned that Phoebe was Leon’s sister, it came as a complete surprise.
Phoebe laughed. “No worries. if I ever get the chance, I’ll give him a piece of my mind myself.”
As the two continued their conversation, Sienna across the way took a sip of her drink, only in
y to start cinghing violently, her eyes reddening. Leon immediately moved to pat her back, and she leaned into his embrace, taking the opportunity to act coy.
Niema took the opportunity in Iran into him, acting coy and seeking his comfort. She muurled into his chest and wrapped one arm around his
Leon enamled her in a comforting l hug, lowering his head to soothe her and polling out a napkin to wipe the alcohol from her Brenda, in disbelief, snapped a picture and muttered. “Are they serious! They’re still sililings!” “Their interaction didn’t resemble sibling affection at
and Reece had never been this door when they were young
After moving to Solara City, their sibling relationship hul grown increasingly distant. They no longer even had small gestures like head pats or
linked asal uxial events.
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7:45 PM ·
Chapter 109
Phoebe was often stunned to see Sienna and the five brothers from the Jenkins family being this close. She said, “You’re not wrong. Sienna is quite
Phoebe also realized that the five brothers acted this way because Sienna had deliberately guided them, making it a habit.
Her gaze drifted over to where Edith sat nearby, and she was surprised to see the look on her face.
Chapter In
