Chapter 24
Alice’s interest was piqued by Jack’s suggestion. They hid in the back, watching as Luke led the team to take down the monsters.
After all, the big boss was tough to beat and required teamwork; by the time they were close to success, everyone was usually on their last legs. Normally, no one dared to snatch the boss from a well–known team like this. But there were exceptions. Alice knew the boss’s attack patterns; she knew the optimal moment to strike.
She and Jack worked seamlessly together and landed the final blow at the perfect time. They successfully snatched the boss away from Luke and Chloe.
The world channel lit up with the announcement: Congratulations to Sweet Lemon for defeating the Peach Blossom Spring Boss!
When Luke saw this outcome, he exploded in anger over the headset, shouting, “What are you all doing? How did they steal the boss?”
Chloe added fuel to the fire, “They were new accounts. Didn’t they know who we are? How dare they steal our boss!”
Luke roared, “Kill them!”
But soon, Luke’s screen went black; and the rest of the team fell to the ground, motionless. Luke stared at the name “Sweet Lemon“, feeling an unsettling familiarity in the way this player fought. It was so much like Alice! Could she have intentionally created a new account to steal his boss? No, Alice couldn’t be that skilled yet.
Meanwhile, Alice and Jack had claimed the boss and received the dropped treasures, but i couldn’t compare to the thrill of outsmarting Luke and Chloe!
After playing for a while, their takeout arrived.
Jack paused.“Let’s eat first.”
Alice noticed a small cake, the same brand as the one Chloe received earlier. She looked at him.“Why did you buy a cake?”
“Girls like these things. Consider it a reward for your good performance. You didn’t disappoint me.”
Alice was touched. However, Jack ‘s expression turned a bit awkward as he added coldly, “It was just part of the takeout.”
Alice picked up the small cake, feeling it was a special treat just for her. She took a bite, lowering her
gaze, unable to calm her emotions.
Jack watched her in silence for a long moment. He swallowed hard, “Is the cake bad?” This cake was supposed to be popular.
Alice nodded. “It’s delicious. It’s been a long time since anyone bought me a cake.” Since her parents passed away, she hadn’t celebrated a birthday. Her brothers never remembered that she liked this cake; it was never for her.
Jack’s gaze fell on her.“Don’t you eat cake on your birthday?”
Alice was silent for a moment, “My parents died in a car accident on my birthday. I haven’t celebrated since.” Because that day was the anniversary of their passing. The atmosphere at home was always heavy on that day. She felt she had no right to celebrate.
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Jack’s heart felt like it was being squeezed, struggling to breathe. He couldn’t help but turn his head, his lips pressed together, his expression cold with anger and guilt. His hands instinctively clenched, veins popping on the back of his hands.
Alice sensed the shift in the atmosphere and looked up, pretending to be indifferent,“Honestly, I don’t care about celebrating my birthday because I don’t feel like it.” After all, that day was her parents‘ memorial. What right did she have to celebrate?
Jack controlled his emotions. Seeing her quiet, pale face, as docile as a small animal. She stood there silently, almost invisible. Her understanding demeanor made him feel both angry and helpless.
He cleared his throat, his voice a bit hoarse, “It’s getting late, you should head home. Kids shouldn’t linger outside.”
“I know. Can I still come here to find you later?” Alice looked at him, her eyes filled with uncertainty.
Jack’s gaze turned dark as ink, “You trust me that much? Don’t you think I’ll deceive you?” “Because I don’t have anything worth you deceiving me over.” Alice looked at him with complete honesty, “Teacher, you’re my only friend right now.”
“Friend?” He smirked, then said sternly, “Don’t trust people easily, especially men.”
“Okay, I’m leaving.” She waved and left the infirmary.
After she walked out, Jack remained seated, looking at the cake and remembering a smashed cake at the accident scene years ago. His head began to throb uncontrollably. Since that accident, he hadn’t eaten cake again.
After a long while, he received a call:“Sir, Miss Welch has arrived home safely.” He hung up, his silhouette stretching long in the sunset.
When Alice returned to the Welch family home, she found Noah sitting on the sofa, clearly waiting for her. She wore a blank expression, “Noah.”
Noah looked up, seeing his distant and stubborn sister, unsure of how to react. He had suspected Alice might have cheated when her grades improved so much, but he never expected her results
years of average to be genuine. Yet, how could she have suddenly improved so much after performance?
He felt Alice had changed significantly; she wasn’t just rebelling against them but had genuinely transformed. He felt a mixture of happiness and loss. The little sister who used to revolve around him seemed to have vanished! Her good grades were a result of hard work, not defiance. Noah began to reflect on his own biases against Alice, especially after Luke’s antics at school; he realized he had overlooked Alice’s feelings for too long. Was that why she had changed so much? His tone was complex. “It’s late. Were you at a study hall again?”
“Yes.”
Noah sighed. “Isn’t the environment at home better than the outside study room? The outside world is complicated, with all sorts of people. You shouldn’t do your homework in those places; it’s not safe.” Alice pressed her lips together, here we go again, making decisions for her.
Noah continued, “Since Chloe’s grades have dropped significantly, I’ve hired a tutor for her. You should join too. If Chloe has any questions, you can help her out since you’re classmates. When she’s absent, you can take notes for her.”
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Alice’s eyes were filled with sarcasm. So it was all for Chloe that he wanted her to come home to do homework.
Alice straightened her back.“I refuse.”
“Alice, I know Luke made a mistake at school today, and you’ve proven your strength. But we’re still family. Chloe’s decline is due to the team competition preparations. Since you’re not participating, you should put in some effort to help her improve her grades; after all, you have experience.”
Alice found it ridiculous.
“I refuse!” She felt explaining was a waste of breath.
family,
you
ashamed?“. Luke burst out, pointing at her and cursing,“Alice, do you have any conscience? You’ve taken
contributed nothing! Aren’t from the Welch
yet Alice felt a surge of irony. She’d worked hard for the Welch family in her past life, honing her gaming skills to lead the team to victory. But what did she get in return? Chloe cried a few times and easily replaced her, taking her champion spot. In this life, she wouldn’t make that foolish mistake.
“Fine, from today, I’ll move out and won’t use a single cent of the Welch family.” The break started now.
