Chapter 61
As Charles spoke, he suddenly bowed. Lana, ever the perceptive assistant, immediately stepped out and quietly closed the office door behind her.
“Uncle Charles, what are you doing? You’re my elder. How could I possibly let an elder bow before me? Please, don’t do this. If there’s something you need, just tell me. As long as it’s within my power, I’ll certainly help,” said Sienna.
Half an hour later, Charles left the office. As Lana passed him in the hallway, she noticed his visibly agitated expression, his brows knitted with profound gratitude.
Seeing the Harold Group transfer documents on Sienna’s desk, Lana had worked with Sienna long enough to grasp the situation immediately.
“Miss Enna, are you really going to take on this sinking ship that is Harold Group? There are countless companies lining up to work with Hart Corporation these days. Compared to them, Harold Group just doesn’t measure up at all,” said Lana.
Lana knew all too well that for Sienna, profit was everything. Without profit, everything else was just empty talk to her.
“You’re right, Lana. Harold Group is indeed a sinking ship, a small company on the verge of bankruptcy, not worth acquiring. But since Charles is using his son as collateral, I’ll just wait and see,” Sienna explained.
Charles’s intention was clear. He wanted his only son, Chris, to stay under Sienna’s wing and secure a livelihood. The condition was the Harold Group.
“Miss Enna, frankly speaking, Chris is a spoiled rich kid, arrogant and idle. If you want him to stay in the company, it might require considerable effort,” Lana hesitated and said.
Sienna said, “Never mind. You’ll handle his placement when he arrives.”
Lana nodded. “Yes, Miss Enna. There’s one more thing. Regarding Miss Amber, I’ve looked into her situation at school and uncovered some information you might want to know.”
Sienna set aside the documents and interlaced her fingers on the desk, her gaze turning cold and focused. “Go ahead.”
Lana began, “Miss Enna, Miss Amber has no interest in studying whatsoever. She simply can’t absorb knowledge. She has consistently ranked last in the entire school, and last time she even handed in a blank test paper.
“The teacher called Jocelyn to the school, and from what I’ve learned, Jocelyn has always encouraged Amber not to study if she doesn’t want to, even egging her on to talk back to the teachers."
She continued, “Because of this, Miss Amber has a terrible reputation at school, and the teachers are at their wits’ end. Her only friend is Mia Carter, but according to my investigation, Mia has close ties with Jocelyn.
“This might be a calculated attempt to get close to Amber. Miss Enna, should I take any action?”
Sienna raised her hand slightly, a glint of ruthlessness flashing through her frosty eyes. “Not yet. She resents me right now. Too much interference would backfire. Some things she needs to learn through experience.”
Lana seemed to understand Sienna’s tough love. Sienna doted on her sisters but never spoiled them or allowed them to become arrogant, domineering, or lacking in self-reflection.
“Schedule a meeting with her teacher at my earliest convenience,” said Sienna.
“Understood, Miss Enna. I’ll take care of it right away.” Lana nodded.
After a full day of forced labor, Jocelyn finally got to eat. Starving and exhausted, she wolfed down her food with unladylike abandon, not caring about appearances at all.
Jocelyn’s eyes burned with terrifying hatred. ‘Sienna, I’ll never forget this humiliation. Just wait, I’ll make you pay in blood,’ she vowed silently.
At the hospital, Linda hadn’t expected Aiden to be so severely injured. He couldn’t even get out of bed.
Linda devoted herself wholeheartedly to caring for him. Even when she felt weary or frustrated, just one look at his face made all her exhaustion worthwhile.
Aiden sighed, “I’m going to get some shut-eye. Keep it down.”
Linda beamed brightly and said, “Alright, Honey. I promise I won’t say a word. Sleep tight.”
Jocelyn called. Linda glanced at the sleeping Aiden, quietly slipped out into the hallway, and answered, “What is it?”
“Mom, when are you and Dad coming back? If you don’t come home soon, Sienna’s going to kill me. I can’t take it anymore,” said Jocelyn.
Linda said, “It’s not that we don’t want to come back. Your father’s injuries are just too severe. The doctors say he won’t even be able to get out of bed for a month.
“Jocelyn, Sienna is more cunning than she looks. Don’t go head-to-head with her, or you’ll be the one to suffer. You need to learn to leverage those around you, especially Amber.”
Jocelyn impatiently hung up the phone. ‘As if I don’t know such basic things,’ she scoffed inwardly.
But Amber was already at school. Jocelyn fumed inwardly, ‘How dare she just go off to school without even telling me first? Such bad manners. Just wait. I’ll teach her a lesson she won’t forget.’
“Hey, it’s me. Tell Amber to…” Jocelyn called.
At this moment, Amber was at school. Amber was chauffeured to school first thing in the morning by Elbert. It was Sienna’s orders. Sullen, she sat in class, tuning out every word the teacher said.
“Amber, let’s hang out together after school, okay? I’ll take you to this really fun place I know.” It was Mia, Amber’s only friend at school, who was speaking.
Amber’s eyes lit up at the mention of going out to have fun. ‘Why wait till after school? Let’s just ditch class now,’ she thought, barely able to sit still.
“Mia, really? I can’t wait till after school. Let’s just go now,” Amber suggested.
Mia glanced at the naive Amber, a barely perceptible sardonic gleam flickering in her eyes, while a warm smile lingered on her lips.
“Amber, don’t be so impatient. We have to wait until after school,” Mia said with a coaxing smile. “I need to collect the homework first. Oh, by the way, could you do me a little favor?”
“Of course.” Amber would never say no to Mia.
At school, Mia was the only one who would actually hang out with her.
Mia even encouraged Amber’s lack of interest in studying, telling her, “If you can’t focus, just don’t bother. Your happiness comes first after all.”
In this elite private school, Mia was the only one who truly wanted to be Amber’s friend.
“Amber, could you take this letter to Adrian in Class 1 for me?” said Mia.
Class 1 had its legendary figure, Adrian Winslow, the ice-cold academic ace whose untouchable record of perennially topping the rankings earned him the nickname “scholarship magnet.”
It was said that Adrian didn’t come from a wealthy family, but he was so good-looking that most girls at school worshipped him as their campus crush.
“Wait, is this a love letter?” Amber asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Mia feigned embarrassment. “Oh, don’t ask. It’s nothing special, just a letter. Could you help me deliver it, please, Amber?”
Amber grinned, instantly catching on, and eagerly took the letter from Mia. “Don’t worry, and leave it to me. I’ll make sure Adrian gets your love letter.”
Mia grabbed Amber’s arm and whispered pleadingly, “Amber, please, don’t tell him it was me, okay? If my parents ever found out, they’d kill me. You’re my best friend. Please.”
“Don’t worry. I’m on it,” said Amber.
“Okay,” Mia smiled.
Mia watched Amber’s retreating figure, lips curling into a smirk. ‘What an idiot,’ she thought contemptuously.
Then she pulled out her phone and texted: [She’s on her way to deliver the love letter. Get ready, everyone.]
Amber marched straight into Class 1, spotted Adrian at his desk, and walked right up to him. “Here you go,” she said bluntly.
The classroom erupted in gasps and jeers, with many students egging on the spectacle.
*Guys, come quick. She’s delivering the love letter.”
“Whoa, is that a love letter she’s giving him? So lame.”
“Oh my god. Isn’t that Amber, the girl who always ranks dead last in the whole school? How does she even have the nerve to give a love letter to our top scholarship student? The audacity!”
“Rumor has it she scored zero on the last test. She probably can’t even read the alphabet, let alone write a love letter. I bet she can’t even get through the alphabet!”