Chapter 57 did you just get rejected to your face?
With an indifferent expression, João Pedro asked, “Isn't the monthly exam the day after tomorrow?”
“Wow, brother! How did you know that?” Octavio interrupted, surprised.
João didn't even bother to look at his younger brother. His eyes remained fixed on Katherine. “Bring your books for each subject to my office tonight.”
I'll check your progress.“
Katherine frowned slightly. She held his gaze and replied in an emotionless voice, ”Thank you, but I don't need that.“
Without giving João any opportunity to reply, she walked away.
Octavio blinked several times in shock. ”Brother... did you just get rejected to your face? Is that right?"
João Pedro's expression became even darker. He turned his gaze to Octavio, emanating an icy coldness. “After dinner, you will go to the study room to review the material. And you will not leave there before two in the morning.”
Octavio's smile froze instantly. Seeing his brother's imposing figure walking away with the dog, he ran after him, desperate. “Wait a minute! She's the one who put you in a bad mood, why do I have to suffer? I studied all day today!”
“Three in the morning,” João declared, without slowing down.
Octavio swallowed hard and shut up immediately. If he complained one more time, he would probably spend the night awake poring over his books.
During dinner, Anastasia couldn't contain her indignation and brought up the subject. "I waited at the Park's house until they both came back. I found out that they really did go to school and embarrassed Katherine. Those two crossed all boundaries!“
Joseph Arbex looked at the young woman with genuine concern. ”Katherine, did they give you a hard time?“
Katherine glanced quickly at João Pedro, who kept his eyes fixed on his plate, and replied calmly, ”It's okay. João helped me resolve the situation."
“Speaking of which, João...” Anastasia frowned, watching her son. “Why have you been coughing so much lately? Do you have a sore throat?”
João's sculpted face flushed in an unusual way, a rare reaction for the always icy CEO. He quickly composed himself, clearing his throat. “It's nothing, Mom.”
Katherine glanced at him, and the corner of her mouth curved into a slight smile. Accustomed to his calculated indifference, seeing him so visibly upset was, at the very least, amusing.
Suddenly, she felt a touch on her hand. Turning her head, she came face to face with Octavio, who was approaching with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
“Call me ‘brother’ too,” he whispered. “And I promise to protect you when we're at school.”
Before Katherine could react, Anastasia intervened: “Don't even think about it, Octavio. Kath is a year older than you. You're the one who should call her ‘sister.’”
“What? She's older?” Octavio's eyes widened in shock. “Then why are we in the same grade?”
“I started school late,” Katherine replied simply. The truth was that, at the time, she had hardly had a chance to study.
Octavio dropped his cutlery, making a theatrical scene. “So, in this family, I'm officially the youngest of everyone?”
Katherine flashed a gentle, almost maternal smile and patted him affectionately on the back of the head. “Behave yourself, ‘little brother,’ and I'll protect you.”
Octavio felt his male pride wounded, but Katherine's touch disarmed him. Meanwhile, João Pedro frowned, and his gaze lingered on the back of Octavio's head for a few seconds longer than necessary. The mood at the table had changed.
After dinner, Katherine went out for a walk to clear her head. The class chat group was in an uproar: the monthly test would decide who would be demoted or promoted, and the anxiety was palpable.
When she decided to go back to change her clothes, she felt someone's gaze on her. Instinctively, she turned her head and saw João Pedro standing in the distance at a fork in the road.
He was holding Samoyed's leash, watching her silently before turning his face away and continuing on his way. He really likes walking that dog, she thought indifferently. Katherine went upstairs, grabbed a few essentials, put them in her backpack, and set off on her mountain bike.
The vehicle was light and allowed her to move quickly through the side streets. However, as soon as she crossed the property gate, a figure ran towards her, blocking her path.
“Katherine!”
She braked sharply, the tires skidding on the asphalt. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?” she hissed, frowning.
Gabriel Park let go of her bike's handlebars, visibly embarrassed, and scratched the back of his neck. “Sorry, I was too anxious to talk to you.”
“Get to the point. What do you want?” Her expression was pure ice.
“I just wanted to explain that I had no idea my parents would be coming to school. I never told them anything!” Professor Wilson probably opened his mouth. It wasn't me, I swear.
“Is that all?”
Gabriel was surprised. She didn't seem to care at all, as if the incident in the principal's office was an irrelevant memory. “Anyway... I wanted to apologize.”
“I understand. Now get out of the way,” she said, gesturing for him to move aside.
Gabriel took a step back, but didn't give up. “Where are you going? I can drive you, it's faster.”
Katherine was about to ignore him and ride off when an idea occurred to her. She turned her head and looked at Gabriel with an enigmatic gleam in her eyes. “Do you really want to do well on this month's test?”
“Yes! Definitely!” Gabriel nodded vigorously. “I studied hard this week.”
He needed to prove to his parents that his ‘passion’ wouldn't ruin his future. Katherine gave a smile that Gabriel couldn't quite decipher.
“Great. Then follow me. If you survive the night, your grade will surprise a lot of people.”