Chapter 279 You Wouldn't Dare to Go, Would You?
Chapter 279 You Wouldn't Dare to Go, Would You?
"What are you two sneaking around for? Just say what you want to say, don't pull these little tricks."
Isabella leaned back in her carved dining chair.
Her fingertips casually traced across the smooth marble tabletop.
She looked up at Charles and Dylan standing before her,
her tone carrying a hint of feigned impatience.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled shadows on the floor,
stretching Charles and Dylan's shadows long across the ground.
Sixteen-year-old Charles and Dylan wore matching three-piece suits,
their hair neatly combed, but their faces couldn't hide their mischievous look—
clearly they were up to something.
"Cousin, why would you think that of us? We're being totally sincere."
Dylan spoke first, pouting his lips, his big eyes blinking with an air of grievance, looking like a wronged little thing.
Isabella let out a light snort, setting down her coffee cup. The bottom clinked crisply against the table.
"You two brats, you think I don't know what schemes you're cooking up?"
"Cousin, you've already taken care of the study hall situation, so you don't have any other plans after this, right?"
Charles asked tentatively.
Isabella's gaze swept over them, pausing slightly when it landed on Charles.
Charles's eyes were clearly flickering, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the corner of his clothes—
that look made it obvious he was plotting something.
Sure enough, Charles's eyes darted around, and seeing Isabella remain silent, he leaned forward a bit, his face breaking into a flattering smile, his tone overly affectionate.
"Cousin, you went to the study hall ultimately for our sake, right?
Actually, you just wanted to help us but felt too awkward to tell us directly.
You do care about us two brothers, don't you?
You want to get along well with us and make up with us, right?"
He spoke with such apparent sincerity that even Dylan nodded along beside him,
"Exactly, exactly! Cousin, we know you care about us."
Isabella's lips twitched, a barely noticeable smile flashing in her eyes, though her words remained firm.
"You're reading too much into it. I was just dealing with Grandpa. He nags every day, saying I don't know how to look after my cousins as their older cousin. I just didn't want to hear his nagging."
As soon as she said this, Dylan panicked.
He rushed forward in quick steps,
carefully placing the cup of steaming flower tea he was holding on the table, afraid of spilling even a drop,
then dropped to one knee,
threw his arms around Isabella's leg, and rubbed his head against her knee.
"Cousin! Cousin! Please help us!"
Isabella was startled by Dylan's sudden move and immediately stood up.
She looked down at Dylan clinging to her leg and rubbed her forehead helplessly.
"What are you doing? Get up! Just talk normally!"
But Dylan refused to budge, looking up at her with pleading eyes.
"Cousin, if you don't agree, I'm not getting up!"
Isabella, worn down by their pestering, could only sigh.
"Fine, tell me what you want. As long as it's not too much, I'll agree."
Hearing this, Dylan immediately beamed, quickly scrambling up from the floor, dusting off his knees, and said with a grin,
"Cousin, we did really well on our exams and got recommendation letters from our professors, so we have fifteen days of vacation!"
Isabella raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she looked at him.
"So? Taking a vacation is good. If you want to go somewhere, just tell your parents directly, right?"
Charles, seeing his chance, quickly stepped forward,
pulled out a tablet from his backpack, opened a page, and held it in front of Isabella.
"Cousin, we and some classmates want to go on vacation to Royal Peaks Manor."
Isabella glanced at the tablet screen, which displayed several bold articles: 'Royal Peaks Manor! Internet-famous check-in spot! You'll want to come back again! Super fun vacation destination!'
But right below were different articles:
'Paranormal Activity Spotted! Tourist Encounters Ghost at Night, Exploration Team Goes Missing!'
accompanied by an eerie photo of the manor—dark clouds shrouding a peaked villa, looking thoroughly creepy.
Isabella responded lightly, her tone flat.
"Haunted?"
Dylan nodded quickly, then hurriedly waved his hands to explain,
"Cousin, it's not really haunted! The place has been turned into a haunted house attraction now,
it's just a tourist spot, you know?
Inside are just role-playing staff members dressed up as ghosts to scare people.
Lots of young people love going there—it's really exciting!"
He paused, his face showing a hint of frustration.
"Charles and I already made plans with our classmates, but Mom and Dad won't let us go.
They say the place isn't safe.
If we don't go, our classmates will definitely make fun of us and call us cowards!"
Isabella watched Dylan's anxious expression and couldn't help but laugh.
"So, at your age, your pride is bigger than the sky. Your family won't let you go, so you're pestering me, your cousin, to back you up?"
"Cousin! You're so smart!!"
Dylan nodded eagerly, stepping forward to grab Isabella's hand and shaking it vigorously, his wheedling tone practically overflowing.
"Cousin, if you come with us, Grandpa, Grandma, and Mom and Dad will definitely let us go!
Please come with us, okay? Just think of it as keeping us company!"
"Not going."
Isabella refused without hesitation, decisively.
"What's fun about a place like that? All gloomy and dark. I can't even catch all the real ghosts out there, and you want me to go to some boring place like that with you? I'm not interested. Besides, you're a bunch of kids going to play—I have nothing in common with you."
"Cousin, please please please!"
Dylan persisted, shaking her hand non-stop.
"You're only two years older than us, we definitely have things in common!
Come with us, it'll be really fun!
The manor has a little beach with really fine sand, and you can even go out on the water!"
"Going out on the water is even more out of the question."
Isabella frowned and objected, her tone carrying unquestionable firmness.
"You're not even eighteen yet, you don't even have licenses. How would you operate a yacht?
It's too dangerous. I could never agree to that."
"Not a yacht! A jet ski!"
Dylan quickly corrected her, afraid she'd misunderstand.
"Just those small ones that don't go very fast, and there's an instructor watching nearby—super safe! Can we do jet skis? Cousin, just once, please?"
Isabella still frowned, showing no signs of relenting.
She really had no interest in these so-called "thrilling activities."
Rather than being scared in a haunted house, she'd rather stay home and sleep.
Seeing this, Charles knew the soft approach wasn't working, so he had to try a different tactic. He deliberately said,
"Cousin, you're not scared to go, are you?