Chapter 358

Julian frowned in pain. Then, he turned away and covered his bruise. “Low-quality makeup. Allergic reaction,” he said vaguely.

‘I shouldn’t have bought that foundation that cost less than twenty. It came off after I sweat,’ Julian thought frustratedly.

Stella had a taut expression. ‘Does he think I’m blind? That’s clearly a bruise from getting hit by someone!’ she thought.

She asked with a dark expression, “Did the people here do it?”

“No.”

“Then, who did?”

“I told you, nobody hit me. It’s an allergic reaction!”

Seeing how this punk refused to confess, Stella brought up Shelley again, “Then, I’ll call Ms. Cooke and ask her.”

‘Intimidating him using Ms. Cooke’s name is despicable, but it’s useful,’ she thought.

As expected, Julian immediately confessed when he heard Stela say she wanted to call Shelley.

“I got it while fighting with a classmate.”

He continued with slight panic, “Hurry up and give me back the money!”

“I can return it to you, but I’m going to send you back to school now.”

When Julian heard her words, his expression turned icy.

“I’m not going,” he said.

Stella saw his expression and knew there was much more to the matter.

“How many days haven’t you gone to school?”

Julian pursed his lips. After a long while, he finally said, “I’m dropping out.”

Stella instantly seethed hearing his words.

“How old are you? What can you do if you drop out? Serve tea and do hard labor? You can do hard labor while you’re young, but how about when you get old? What will you do then?”

Julian seemed really annoyed and reluctant to discuss the topic. He said through gritted teeth, “It’s my life, so I’ll choose the path I want. Leave me be!”

Stella was enraged, “Leave you be and let you live like a loser? Look at you; you look like a clown! Is this the path you choose?”

Julian straightened his neck, “It’s none of your concern!”

Seeing how Stella was about to lose her temper, Keegan stopped her.

“At this time of the day, there probably won’t be anyone at school if you send him there.”

“Then you tell me what I should do?” she asked.

“Isn’t it Monday tomorrow? The teachers should be in school on Monday. You can take him to school tomorrow and understand the situation,” he said.

‘That’s true. Even if I go now, I won’t necessarily find his class teacher. I don’t even know the specifics of Julian’s situation. If I don’t get to the root of the problem and solve it, he’ll find a chance to escape from school even if I send him back,’ thought Stella.

“Then, I’ll go tomorrow. You’ll stay at my house tonight. If you dare run away, don’t even think of getting back your 3000 dollars. I’ll even tell Ms. Cooke about what you did!”

Sure enough, Julian bought it. He was annoyed, but there was nothing he could do.

Most of the children at the orphanage had a disability; almost all of the able-bodied children had been adopted. Julian was one of the few non-disabled children in the orphanage. He was aloof, stubborn, and less cheerful than the children his age. He could not get along with the others when he first arrived at the orphanage.

Shelley patiently counseled him and reformed him bit by bit. That was why no matter how bad -

tempered he was to others, he would immediately behave himself when others mentioned Shelley.

Stella called Felicity and told her to go back with Aldor after this. Then, she went downstairs with Julian and Keegan. Coincidentally, they encountered Sophia the moment they got out of the elevator.

Behind Sophia were two staff members of the clubhouse. They were pushing a trolley and about to enter the elevator.

On the trolley were two whole boxes filled with boba drinks. Sophia was a little shocked to see Keegan.

“There’s still a second round after this. So, Keegan and Stella, are you guys leaving now? Everyone’s still got a lot of programs prepared.”

Stella glanced at Sophia, whose gaze was practically stuck on Keegan.

‘Me not liking Keegan is one thing, but Sophia constantly coveting something that’s mine makes me feel disgusted,’ she thought.

And so, Stella said without changing her expression, “It’s getting late; it’s almost nine o’clock.

Everyone’s pressing us to have a baby, so your brother-in-law and I need to go home and work hard. If we go home too late, it’ll hold him up from going to work tomorrow.”

Keegan was speechless, and so was Julian.