Chapter 292

Chapter 292 X86%

Bianca couldn’t quite figure out the reason, but that didn’t stop the jealousy bubbling inside her. Ever since Elysia had left school, the dark cloud hanging over Bianca’s head had slowly lifted.

She no longer had to hear Elysia’s name constantly, and she had almost forgotten about her.

‘Given enough time, everything would return to how it used to be, she thought. But now, Elysia was back. She had shattered all of Bianca’s hopes for the future, dragging everything back to square one.

Bianca couldn’t accept it. She couldn’t stand being overshadowed by Elysia’s brilliance, and being forced to settle for second place. And she especially couldn’t stand watching Justin grow closer to Elysia while she remained nothing more than a side character.

Her hands clenched tightly, jealousy threatening to overwhelm her. Then she remembered the strikingly handsome man who had been standing beside Elysia earlier. A sly glint flashed in her eyes.

If Justin finds out about her true nature, he’ll definitely start to dislike her. This could be a good plan. Elysia, let’s see how you keep trying to charm Justin after this. Being labeled as fickle won’t do you any favors.

Meanwhile, the Maybach was pulled into the Royal Bay villa district, an area inhabited by elite figures from various fields—

people of immense wealth and high social status. After parking the car in the garage, Alice was the first to jump out.

“The air feels fresher wherever Elysia is, she thought, taking a deep breath. She turned back to the car and reached out her hand to Elysia.

“Elysia, let me show you around. I’ve got so many fun things upstairs. I’ll introduce them to you one by one!”

Elysia smiled and placed her hand in Alice’s. But just as they were about to head up the stairs, Zane’s voice stopped them in their tracks. “Have you finished your homework?”

Alice froze. “Zane, I’ll do it later.”

“Do it now.”

“Zane, please!”

“Hmm?” Zane’s brow furrowed, his tone low and firm. “You ranked last in your class this time. How can you even think about playing? I don’t know how the Hartley family’s excellent genes managed to skip you entirely.”

Alice pouted at his harsh words, muttering under her breath. “Just call me a failure already. Why beat around the bush?”

“What did you say?”

Alice immediately backtracked, not daring to repeat her earlier comment. “Uh, I said I’ll do my homework right now,” she replied, her tone suddenly serious.

She grabbed her backpack, sat down at the nearby table, and spread out her homework. Picking up a pen, she stared at the problems, completely lost. ‘Zane’s never been this ruthless before,‘ she thought, chewing on the end of her pen in frustration.

Glancing up, Alice noticed Zane and Elysia watching her. She quickly looked back down at her homework, pretending to focus.

But no matter how hard she tried; she couldn’t figure out where to start. ‘If only I could get some help, she thought.

Then it hit her. ‘Help? Elysia’s the top student in the grade–a total genius. Having her teach me would be way better than struggling on my own, Alice thought.

1/3 Chapter 292 86%

Her eyes lit up as she turned to Elysia. “Elysia, I don’t know how to do this. Can you help me?

At those words, Zane’s eyebrow lifted slightly. ‘Have Elysia taught her? With Alice’s IQ, she’d probably run Elysia razzed, he thought. The thought of Elysia being worn out by the task made him step in without hesitation. Tll teach you he said firmly Time seemed to freeze. Alice was stunned. ‘Zane’s going to teach me? What happened to him? Normally, he refuses to help me, saying I’m too slow to understand. Why is he offering now? Is this even the same Zane? she thought.

Alice’s gaze shifted to Elysia, her mind racing. ‘Is it because of Elysia? she wondered. She had to admit, that was the most likely explanation. If Elysia could teach her, she wouldn’t need to ask Zane for help.

Elysia was so much better than Zane–gentle, understanding, and patient. Zane, on the other hand, was like an eternal iceberg. If he teaches me, I’ll probably freeze to death before I even learn anything, she thought.

With that thought, Alice turned to Zane and declared, “Zane, I want Elysia to teach me. Her look said, “With Elysia here, you can step aside.”

Zane opened his mouth to argue, but before he could say anything. Elysia spoke up. “Zane, let me teach Alice, she said, her tone calm but firm.

Zane hesitated, his eyes meeting Elysia’s sincere gaze. The words stuck in his throat, and instead, he muttered. “Alice might not be a good learner. If it’s too hard, don’t push yourself. It’s not your fault if she doesn’t get it.”

Alice’s face darkened at his words. ‘Zane just called me dumb, and he didn’t even try to hide it, she thought, feeling a surge of grievance.

I’m going to curse him. Let’s see how long it takes him to win Elysia over. One year? No, two years! Wait, three years! Yes, three whole years!‘ Alice thought.

Elysia, however, understood Zane’s concern. He was worried she’d feel bad if she couldn’t teach Alice. A soft smile played on her lips. “Don’t worry, Zane. There’s no student I can’t teach. It might just take a little more time, but I’ll manage.*

Then she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “My tolerance is much stronger than you think,” she said, her breath brushing against his ear. Straightening up, she gave him a sweet smile before walking over to Alice.

Zane watched her, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His eyes, usually so cold, now sparkled with warmth.

He couldn’t stop replaying the moment she had leaned in, her breath warm against his skin, her words soft and teasing. ‘Does she even realize how much of an effect she has on me?‘ he thought, his heart fluttering.

In the past, he had despised any woman who tried to get close to him. Their every move had made him feel disgusted. But with Elysia, it was different. He wanted to give her everything–his time, his attention, his heart. She was the only exception. As he watched her, his smile deepened, but there was a seriousness in his eyes. ‘I’ll protect her, no matter what, he thought.

Turning away, Zane poured himself a glass of water and downed it in one go. Then he headed to the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out a few ingredients. Tying on an apron, he began washing and chopping vegetables, his movements practiced and precise.

Hearing the sounds from the kitchen, Elysia glanced over. Through the open window, she could see Zane w “Zane can cook?”

she asked, surprised.

g with ease.

Alice nodded. “Yeah, he usually cooks. If he’s too busy, he asks Cora Allen to come over and help.”