Chapter 36: I’ll Wait for You
Sharon and Melanie jumped before turning around, confused.
Sharon's eyes went first to Simon, who was sweating profusely. They then shifted to Selena, who emerged from behind him, followed closely by Shirley.
Selena's voice had also surprised Simon, and he turned to look at the two ladies.
"Sh*t!" Melanie cursed softly. "What are they doing here?"
Sharon's jaw clenched. "I want to know that too," she thought.
"Sharon Andre! How dare you not greet us?" sneered Selena, standing in front of Sharon haughtily with narrowed eyes.
Melanie rolled her eyes, annoyed.
Everywhere the youngest child of the Lefebvre family went, she gave off the feeling of being a snuck-up and conceited brat who always looked down on everyone else.
Sharon's face was impassive. "What are you doing here?" she asked calmly, her voice void of any emotions.
However, Sharon's indifferent tone irked Selena, who scowled. "Why do I need to explain anything to you?"
"Alright, then!" Sharon snorted to herself silently.
She shrugged and said, "Goodbye."
With that, Sharon dragged Melanie with her to leave.
"Sharon Andre! What's with your attitude? I haven't finished speaking!" Selena leaped up, blocking Sharon's path, and pulled her back roughly, snarling.
Selena hated this face of Sharon's the most!
Nothing she ever said or did seemed to provoke any reaction from her.
In the end, she merely felt like a clown.
Selena's face darkened, seething. "If it hadn't been for my brother, do you think you'd still be here, living such a good life? What an ungrateful wretch!"
"That's enough, Selena! You're taking it too far!" Sharon glared at her. "I don't talk back because I don't want to fight, not because I'm afraid. But that doesn't mean that my benignity is endless, so don't push me! I would also like to remind you that this is a university, so please behave yourself!"
...
"How dare you act so arrogantly!" Selena fumed.
With just a few words, Sharon got Selena's blood boiling.
It did not matter if Sharon ignored her, Selena would lose her temper either way.
Giving Selena the cold shoulder, Sharon dragged Melanie along.
"Sharon! Stop right there! Sharon Andre!" Selena started to go after her before remembering that Shirley was standing behind her, and halted. Displeased, she gritted her teeth and stomped her feet like a child her eyes staring holes into Sharon's retreating figure.
...
Shirley had been quietly watching their quarrel from the sidelines.
When Selena angrily turned back to her, Shirley quickly hid the animosity in her eyes and gave Selena a helpless look.
"Say, how can there be someone as shameless as her? Everything she has right now is all thanks to our family, but she acts like she owns it all. Ugh. I get so pissed off whether I see her!" Selena held Shirley's hand and scowled.
...
In the past, Shirley would have jumped out to soothe Selena's ruffled feathers. Today, however, she merely said in a nonchalant tone, "That's because Leonard adores her. Why should she care what others think when she still has him to back her up? Otherwise, I bet she wouldn't be this arrogant."
Shirley knew Selena despised Sharon because of how much Leonard adored her.
Ever since Leonard brought Sharon home, he'd more or less completely forgotten about his sister.
He would always forget her birthday, but never Sharon's. Even if he was out of town, he would still rush back for Sharon's birthday.
The more Selena thought about it, the more infuriated she got.
...
If it weren't for Nathan and Rosamond who treated her so well, she would have suspected that she was actually the adopted child instead!
Selena may have not spoken aloud, but the resentment on her face spoke volumes.
Shirley knew that if Sharon had been standing in front of them, Selena would not hesitate to tear her apart!
Shirley's lips curled into a cold smirk, her eyes venomous.
Simon, who was not far behind them, frowned slightly. His lips pressed together into a thin line as complex emotions flitted in his eyes.
"I guess not all rumours about Sharon being adored by the Lefebvre family are true..." Simon thought to himself.
Simon felt his a tightening in his chest and his hands clenched into fists, his eyes flashing with determination. Eventually, Simon narrowed his eyes on the two ladies and turned to leave, his body tense.
"Are you alright?"
Melanie went over to her seat, looking at Sharon, whose jaw clenched slightly.
Sharon stilled for a moment before shaking her head. "I'm used to it."
It wasn't the first time Selena has acted like that.
However, seeing Shirley reminded her of something and rubbed her the wrong way.
"Your family's little darling's temper is as bad as always. To be honest, I'm a little worried about her future," Melanie said with a straight face.
Sharon glared at her. "First, she's not from my family. Second, I'd say that you're worrying too much!"
"But don't you think so, too? For someone from the Lefebvre family, she seems a bit... stupid." Melanie said, pointing to her own head. "Like a dimwit who would help a thief count money after being robbed."
Sharon said nothing in response.
Just as the bell rang to signal the end of the afternoon lessons, Sharon's phone under her desk vibrated as well.
Sharon took it out and checked the caller. When she saw the words "Master Leonard" flashing on the screen, her heart sank.
Sharon waited until it almost went to the voicemail before reluctantly swiping to answer the call.
"Master Leonard," Sharon whispered.
"Daniel told us to meet up at Moonlight Pavilion later. You're going, too." Leonard's rich voice came from the other end of the phone. "Are Paul and the rest going as well?" Sharon asked.
"That's right," he answered.
"Alright, then." Sharon muttered reluctantly.
"Be good. The driver is already at your school gate. Hurry up and get moving." Leonard's deep voice was more affectionate than usual.
"Okay." Sharon responded and hung up the phone quickly.
Gripping on to the phone tightly, Sharon let out a sigh of relief.
She grabbed her bag and got up. She turned to leave but saw Melanie standing beside her, her eyes filled with suspicion.
Sharon paused. "Wh-What's wrong?"
Melanie glanced at her blushing ears and trembling eyes and shook her head. "Nothing. Let's go."
Looking at Melanie, Sharon picked at her phone case subconsciously.
At the Moonlight Pavilion.
A waiter led Sharon to the VIP lounge that Daniel and the others often used.
She was the only one who had arrived, so she sat on the sofa while waiting for the others.
Feeling bored, Sharon took out her phone and swiped through her Twitter feed to pass the time.
"The banquet will be held in Vermont City and the invitations are already being sent out. We have even received confirmation from those who have already received theirs and will be attending."
A deep male voice rung out as the doors pushed open from the outside.
Sharon removed her eyes from her phone and looked up.
Leonard and his executive assistant, Tim Hall, walked in and shifted their gazes at her.
Sharon stood up from the sofa and greeted Leonard. "Master Leonard."
She then turned her head to give Tim a polite nod.
Tim merely reciprocated, saying nothing else.
Leonard stared at Sharon. "Come here."
Sharon glanced at Tim before walking over.
Once she was close enough, a warm hand cradled hers.
Sharon gave a small shiver, and her face turned red, frowning at Leonard.
Leonard's face was calm as tugged at her hand to sit at the dining table. "Are you hungry?"
Previously, Sharon would have paid no mind to their intimate actions.
Now, however, she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable having her hand held by Leonard. Not to mention, they were not alone in the room.
She took her uneasiness as a guilty conscience, that she was afraid someone would figure out Leonard's feelings for her.
So, as soon as she sat down, she quickly pulled her hand back and shook her head. Her head was low as she replied, "No."
At the loss of her touch, Leonard stiffened, staring coldly at Sharon with narrowed eyes.
Sharon's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly got up from her seat. She muttered in a shaky voice, "Excuse me, I need to use the loo."
She turned around and stumbled out of the lounge, her head held low.
Tim must have thought that she was acting out of the ordinary today and stared at her a few seconds longer.
When he turned back, he found Leonard watching him with murderous eyes. He stiffened, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up, and he immediately gulped. "I'll go check whether Director Adams and the others have arrived."
Wearing a stoic expression, Tim all but ran out of the lounge.
At the washroom.
"The others should have arrived by now," Sharon thought to herself, heaving a sigh.
Sharon got up from the toilet lid, opened the cubicle door, and walked out.
She went over to the sink and washed her hands.
Once done, she lifted her head to look at her reflection in the mirror. She took a deep breath and turned to exit the washroom.
She turned a corner and headed for the lounge room right ahead. But before she took another step forward, she spotted a bunch of cigarette butts littered on the floor, and saw a pair of muscular legs enclosed in a pair of black suit pants standing there.
Sharon's heart jumped to her mouth, and she quickly retracted her body and ran back into the washroom.
"Stop right there!"
A sinister male voice rang out from behind.