Chapter 54 girl he was supposed to protect.
“She was publicly harassed and had the decency not to report it,” retorted João Pedro, his voice tinged with arrogant laziness. “I am being generous in consideration of our family ties.”
“Mr. Arbex! Are you going to allow her to have a love affair? One boy today, another tomorrow... signing this is for her own good!”
João Pedro let out a short, humorless chuckle. “Romantic affair? She's not interested in anyone at this school. What romantic affair could she have here?”
“What do you mean?” Mrs. Park gasped. “Are you saying my son isn't good enough for her?”
“Indeed,” João Pedro's voice sounded elegant and definitive. “He is unworthy.”
“Sir! How can you say that? Your grandfather personally praised my son, you...”
“If you are not satisfied with my assessment,” João interrupted sharply, “you can transfer your son to another institution. Or, if you prefer, I will take care of his transfer myself today.”
Mrs. Park's arrogance crumbled. Her fear of confronting the Arbex heir overcame her maternal pride. The director, realizing that the wind had changed direction, didn't even wait for the order.
“Mr. and Mrs. Park... should we call your son to sign?”
“We're not signing anything!” Mr. Park intervened hastily, pulling his wife away. “Let's forget about today. Mr. Arbex, this was just a misunderstanding between children. We have business to attend to, we need to go.”
The door to the room opened abruptly. Mrs. Park almost ran out, the crumpled stack of papers in her hand, closely followed by her husband.
As they passed Katherine, Mr. Park forced a weak smile. “We were just being rude, miss. Please accept our apologies. Don't take it personally.”
Mrs. Park muttered an inaudible “sorry,” unable to look Katherine in the eye, and they both disappeared down the hallway.
The next second, João Pedro left the room.
His tall, upright figure framed the doorway. Katherine remained motionless, her calm gaze meeting his deep, serene eyes. The setting sun created a golden aura around them, but the atmosphere between them was cold and charged with unspoken questions.
João Pedro walked toward her, stopping at a distance that imposed his presence. He did not look like a savior, but a master who had just put the pieces in place.
“Let's go,” he said simply. “We have a lot to talk about on the way.”
João Pedro's scent of mint and sandalwood enveloped Katherine, creating a bubble of tension half a meter away. For the first time, her posture was not relaxed; there was a subtle uneasiness in the way she avoided his gaze, focusing on the distant pine trees.
“How long until class is over?” His deep voice broke the silence.
Katherine checked her watch, her voice neutral: “Fifteen minutes.”
“Don't go. Go home.”
He turned around, but stopped when he realized that Katherine was still standing motionless, leaning against the railing. João glanced sideways, his expression indecipherable.
“Will you walk me to the street?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“My mother's orders,” he replied curtly.
“Oh... in that case, you can go. I'll talk to her later and explain.”
Displeasure crossed João Pedro's sculpted features. He wasn't used to being dismissed. “Go get your backpack,” he ordered, moving forward without waiting for a response.
Katherine watched his back for a second before following him. As they entered room 18, the silence of the review was interrupted by the sound of Katherine opening the drawer. An avalanche of love letters and small gifts fell to the floor. Katherine picked up one of the objects, examined it curiously, and put it in her pocket before leaving.
João Pedro frowned, his gaze fixed on the bulge in her coat.
“Let's go,” she said, passing him.
As they walked, her cell phone vibrated. João, due to the difference in height, couldn't help but glimpse the message on the screen: \[Do you miss me? (Kiss)(Kiss)\].
His eyes darkened instantly. An unfamiliar bitterness invaded his chest. Katherine stopped suddenly and turned to him. “I have something to do at the last minute. You can go ahead.”
João Pedro felt the words die in his throat. He just let out a muffled “Hmm” and watched her walk in the opposite direction.
At the school gate, he felt, for the first time, like a stranger in the life of the girl he was supposed to protect.
Headquarters of the Calligraphy Enthusiasts Association
Katherine quietly entered the prestigious association and sat down in the visitors' area. To her surprise, Cauan Laser was there. His face lit up when he saw her, but he quickly replaced his surprise with a look of disdain, treating her like a stranger.
When the manager approached Cauan to take him upstairs, the boy couldn't resist throwing in a barb: “I remember there's a level restriction here, right?
”Yes, Mr. Laser. Level D certification, at least,“ confirmed the manager.
”You should review your security,“ said Cauan, glancing sideways at Katherine. ”Don't let just anyone in.“
As soon as Cauan went upstairs, the confused manager instructed the team: ”The great Primordial is arriving today to accept an apprentice. Pay attention to who comes in and out."
Katherine drank her green tea, ignoring the buzz of other Level B members demanding to see the master. Her phone vibrated again: \[Something unexpected came up. I won't be able to make it today, sorry! I'll make it up to you later.\]
Katherine sighed. That contact was the kind of person who failed at crucial moments.
However, the mention of “Primordial” piqued her curiosity. Amidst the confusion between members and staff at the reception desk, she quietly got up. With the agility of someone who knows how to go unnoticed, Katherine walked around the counter and climbed the stairs to the second floor.
The atmosphere there was in stark contrast to the ground floor: the silence was so thick that she could hear the distant echo of a conversation coming from one of the private rooms.
She wasn't there to ask for autographs; she was there to find out who this “Primordial” was that Cauan Laser so desperately wanted to impress — and whether he was of any use to her own plans.