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Chapter_18
Patrick’s gaze lingered on Yvette for a moment longer than he intended, and a part of him couldn’t help but be impressed. She was not at all what he expected. In fact, she was stunning—a sharp contrast to the plain, unremarkable image of a country girl he had conjured in his mind. Her beauty eclipsed even Winona’s, someone he had already considered striking in high society.
As Patrick admired her in silence, Lucas cleared his throat, bringing Patrick back to the present. The subtle yet pointed sound made Patrick realize he was staring too long. He quickly wiped the look of admiration from his face, forcing a smile as he straightened up and tried to regain his composure.
“Ms. Zeller, this is Mr. Williams from Argrol University. He’s here to deliver a letter from Mr. Sunderland,” Lucas introduced, his tone respectful and formal.
Patrick, however, couldn’t shake his confusion. Why was Lucas treating Yvette with such respect? He was well aware of the rules of high society—someone with no maternal family to back her could hardly make waves in such an elite environment, especially after being suddenly found. She was likely nothing more than a pawn in the Chambers family’s game, a tool to secure their future connections.
He allowed his disdain to show. “Yvette better learn to recognize her place around me,” he thought bitterly. “Otherwise, life will be difficult for her at Argrol.”
Yvette, dressed in casual jeans, a loose T-shirt, and an athletic jacket, gave no reaction as Lucas spoke her name. She leaned against the wall lazily, her expression unreadable, yet calm. It was clear to Lucas that she was unfazed by the formality of the situation, a trait he genuinely admired.
Patrick couldn’t help but frown at Yvette’s indifference.
“From Simon Sunderland? Hand it over,” Yvette said simply, breaking the silence.
The audacity! Patrick seethed internally. She doesn’t even offer a single word of politeness, and she calls Mr. Sunderland by his first name so casually? What kind of arrogance is this?
Yvette took the letter from Lucas and turned as though she had no further interest in the matter. Patrick felt his patience snap.
“Ms. Zeller, what an impressive attitude! I’ve been here for so long, and you don’t even bother to look my way? That’s a bit rude, don’t you think?” he snapped.
Yvette froze mid-step and turned sharply to face him, her beauty now tinged with an unmistakable coldness. “Anything else? Or do you want me to admire your face? What’s wrong with you?” Her voice was laced with annoyance.
Patrick, momentarily stunned by the harshness in her tone, struggled to respond, his anger simmering just beneath the surface.
Lucas, sensing the growing tension, stepped forward, ready to intervene. He knew that Patrick held grudges, and if Yvette pushed too far, Patrick could make life difficult for her at the university. As the dean of Argrol, Patrick wielded a great deal of power, and Lucas wasn’t about to let that power go unchecked.
But just as Lucas moved to speak, a cold voice cut through the air.
“Yvette’s behavior is none of your business, Mr. Williams,” Zachary’s voice rang out, filled with authority.
Patrick froze. He turned to see Zachary standing in the doorway, a stern look on his face. The weight of Zachary’s gaze made Patrick realize he had crossed a line. The truth dawned on him—scolding Yvette in her own house? Patrick had greatly underestimated Zachary’s protective instincts when it came to his daughter.
Zachary’s words were sharp, but not as sharp as the coldness radiating from his expression. Patrick, humiliated, suddenly realized the gravity of his mistake. He had come into this house with confidence, expecting to teach Yvette a lesson, but now he was the one feeling the sting of his actions.
There was no way he could back down without looking weak, but he also didn’t want to escalate things further. His anger boiled, but he managed to mask it.
“Well, since you all don’t want me here, I’ll take my leave. I’ve delivered Mr. Sunderland’s letter,” Patrick muttered, still seething but trying to keep his composure. “I’ll be ready to welcome you to Argrol University next week, Ms. Zeller. Hope your time there is ‘thrilling,’” he said, emphasizing the last word in a tone dripping with thinly veiled sarcasm.
Yvette, unfazed by the slight, merely chuckled to herself as she processed his words. “Thrilling,” she thought with a smirk, her eyes gleaming coldly. “I wonder just how ‘thrilling’ it’s going to be.”
Zachary caught the threatening tone in Patrick’s voice and shot a hard look at Lucas. “Lucas, show him out.”
Patrick, his pride wounded, stormed out of the Chambers residence, cursing under his breath. He had walked in with confidence, thinking he could easily assert his authority, but now he was leaving in disgrace. “I’ll make sure Yvette pays for this,” he vowed silently, his mind already plotting ways to get back at her.
Back inside, the atmosphere had shifted. Zachary insisted that Yvette stay for coffee, an offer she surprisingly accepted. She quietly took a seat and drank the coffee with an almost careless ease, as though her mind was elsewhere. Zachary wanted to comment on how quickly she drank, but every time he opened his mouth, Yvette shot him a look that clearly said “Back off.”
Zachary, sensing the tension, wisely chose not to push her.
Yvette, on the other hand, took the letter from Simon and tossed it onto the table, indifferent to Zachary’s curious glances. After a moment of silence, she spoke, her voice calm yet playful. “Go ahead. Look if you want,” she said without glancing up from her phone.
Zachary blinked, surprised by her casualness. “Huh? You’re giving me permission?” he asked, still processing the sudden change in atmosphere.
Yvette gave him a pointed, cold glare, her eyes full of impatience, as if to say, “Are you an idiot? Can’t you see it’s right there?”
Zachary chuckled to himself, realizing how much he had underestimated his daughter’s boldness. “I’ll open it then. Don’t regret it later,” he muttered.
Yvette’s lips curled into a subtle smile, her eyes flickering with amusement. “Playing coy at this age?” she thought, but she kept her thoughts to herself.
Zachary carefully opened the envelope, revealing the words “Admission Recommendation Letter.” His hands faltered as he read the letter’s contents, his eyes growing wider with disbelief. The letter was unlike any other—Simon Sunderland himself had personally signed it, and it was meant for exceptional talents, not simply the ordinary admissions process.
Zachary, overwhelmed by the letter’s weight, took a moment to compose himself. “Do you know what it says?” he asked Yvette, his voice tinged with wonder.
Yvette slowly lifted her head, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous gleam. “I told you I didn’t need it,” she replied casually, as though the admission recommendation were no big deal. “You just didn’t believe me.”
Zachary was speechless. Yesterday, he had interrupted Yvette when she tried to explain something to him. Now, he realized how wrong he had been.
Before he could ask Yvette anything else, the door opened, and Nellie and Winona walked in together, their presence adding yet another layer to the already charged atmosphere.
