shut her laptop. She pulled out th

lose to Bramville University. It only took

omeone was tailing her. She stopped and turned, and

closer and murmured

ng past. She didn't want trouble out in the open, so she picked up her pace. The

d the alley, they froze. It stretched ahead of th

y stood, their faces

en go? How can sh

er his breath. "Now I get why they s

le. She looked like an ordinary college student. But th

stu

he circled out through another street a

after she shook off the men who had been chasing her,

xpression turned sharp right away. "Why ar

y were in the same year, though they belonged to

slike turned into open disgust. Luckily, her family had no plans to p

rate her birthday, and his family and

ght she would r

rd Elena. The instant they recognized who it wa

t a hint of hesitation. "Does t

understand your position, do you? You even followed us here. Let me be clear, Elena. We already gave your family five hundred thousand before. That

ome from a proper background. Someone like

overthinking it. I have no interest in your so

her with a mocking smile. "If that's t

round for the wealthy. Someone with Elena's background clearly didn't fit i

that, it won't help you. My brother isn't even in the co

e, or she's just greedy. Five hundred thousand won't last forever. If she married into your family

with open disdain. "We would n

is face. The sight of her irritated him. After everything that had ha

es, and spoke in a steady tone. "Dad, yo

. If things turned messy here, it would b

"Elena, your father once helped me when I needed it. Because of that, I agreed to that arr

grandson. Even so, our family won't leave you without support. If somethin

stir up trouble here and make us look b

nderstand what I'm saying, or do you just ignore anything you don't like? I already told you I came to en

eement with Walter: once she turned twen

ven so, she never wanted marriage, and she didn't need protection from the Barnes

engagement. Somehow, they took it the wrong way and assumed she came to claim it. Not only did they refuse to

her exactly what kin

bringing up, she had never received any o

d every face th

, she was only trying to sav

If you act properly, I can make sure you stay in Bram

ly wore thin. "That's e

ger. Without another word, she turn

entrance. "Hold it right there. You're still planning to go inside?

glanced at her. Her voice came out

to fire back, but someone app

his tone respectful. "We

o him. "Mr. Wells, sor

motioned toward the interior. "E

rig

act for a moment. The manager him

riends exchanged looks. Shoc

ran deep, and even its manager held a positio

gh influence to receive that kind o

, then returned in a rush of ang

probably working here. I heard she got an in

nd on her arm. "Forget about her. It's your birthda

omeone like that only showed up in places like this for work, or to g

mother's and spoke with clear irritation. "Mom, can't you have