Chapter40 respectfor Celestestruckthefloorwithaheavythud.TheonlyreasonIkeptyoubymysidetolearnthepianowasoutofrespeyourRowlandfamily,butyouvethrownmywordsaside,shesaid,hergazeicy. Withthat.Celesteslammedthesheetmusicfromthepianototheground. ThiswasthefirsttimeCeleste,usuallycomposedandelegantinfromofthemedia,hadeverlosthertemperlikethis. Soletmebeclear:evenifIthrowthesescoresawayorburnthem,Idontwantyouplayingthern.Youhavebrokenourpromise,andfromnowon.Inolongerhaveyouasastudent!Celestecontinued. Master!Emmaliesfaceturnedpale,herbodyswayingasifshecouldbarelyholdherselfup. Theaunderstoodherwell.EmmaliewasntthisupsetjustbecauseshewaslosingCelesteas amaster.ItwasbecauseCelestehadpubliclyairedherdirtylaundry.ForsomeoneasproudasEmmalie,that wasworsethandeath. Moreover,TheahadcalledCelestehereintentionally.TheRowlandfamilydidntknowmuchaboutCeleste,butTheadid. Celestevaluedherreputationaboveallelse.Yearsago,althoughshehadabitoffame,itwasnothingcomparedtothewealthoftheRowlandfamily. Atthattime.Celestersonlysisterwasgravely ill,andtheyreliedonthetuitionmoneyprovidedbytheRowlandfamilyforhersurgery.Ivy,desperatetohaveCelestetakeEmmalieonasastudent,hadevenresortedtothreats. IfCelesterefusedtoteachEmmalie,IvywouldmakeitimpossibleforhertoliveinSarlimar.Eventually,Celestereceivedthemoney,andhersisterwassaved.ButthatthreatlingeredlikeathorninCelestesheart. TodaywasjustanopportunityforCelestetoventherfrustrations.And IvyneverimaginedherintentiontopleaseEmmaliewouldbackfirespectacularly. TheasupportedtheswayingCelestehurriedlyandcalledforadoctorquickly. Suddenly,aglarefilledwithintensehatredfellonThea.Sheliftedherheadfearlessly,meetingEmmaliesgazewithindifference. TearsstreameddownEmmaliesfaceasshetrembled,hervoicebreaking.Thea, IreallydontknowwhatIcandoforyoutoletmego.Haventyoudoneenoughtogetbackatmealltheseyears?Fine,Illgiveyoumylife.Thatsenough?Thatswhat youwant? Withthat,Emmaliewentlimpandcollapsed. EvenCeleste,whowasolderandstillstandingdespiteherangerremainedupright.Butinstantly,shepassedouttoo. Thosewhohadinitiallyharboreddoubts aboutEmmaliechangedtheirtunequickly. Ifindthiswholesituationodd .IsuspectTheabribed Celestetohumiliate Emmalie.PoorEmmalic,bulliedbyhersisterlikethis Seriously?DoyouevenknowCelestestemperament?Howcouldsuchaproudpersonbebought?IthinkThea probablysaidsomethingbad aboutEmmalieinfrontofher. IcantbelieveCelestewouldlistentoabitchswordsandgiveupherstudent.OhmyGod! Theacouldntbebotheredwiththem.Soon,thedoctorarrivedhurriedly.Seeingthechaoticscene,hewasunsurewhichsidetochoose. Manyshoutedtosave Einmalie first.However,Theastoppedthedoctorandsaidtohim seriously,LetscheckonCeleste 10 Fri,Oct25 Chapter401 first.Shesolderand needsaptentionrightaway. 60%H AsforEmmalie,sheoften playedtheroleofthebullied,pitifullittlesisterinpublic.And sheevenclaimedthatTheawaspureevil ThenTheadecidedtoshowEmmalieatasteofherownmedicine.AsshepassedbyEmmalie,Theaintentionallysteppedhardonherhand. Emmaliewincedinpain,herfeaturestwistingindiscomfort.Andshealmostcriedout. Oh!Theaexclaimed,feigningsurprise.Ihadnoideamysisterhad fainted.Ithoughtshewasjustlyingherelikeadog.Mybad,mybad. AreyouallfansofEmmalie?Theapretendedtoask,Well,ifsheissopopular,makesuretotakehertothe hospitallater.okay? Withthat,Theaturnedtoleave.Fiveminutesearlier,Nicolashadsentheramessageaskinghertowaitforhim inthecaroutsidetheschoolgate. Initially.TheaplannedtolookforthepresidentofAureliaUniversity.Butafterawholeday,hestillhadntappeared,soitseemedhewouldntshowuptoday. Intheluxuryvan,Nicolassatonthecouch,lookingathisiPadasifhehadbeenwaitingforawhile. Nexttohimsatarefinedmiddleagedman. Youmust beMs.Rowland,Thea?Assoonas shesatdown,therefinedmanspoke. Theaworeaperfectsmileonherfaceandaskedsoftly,Yes,mayIask whoyouare? Nicolasputdownhisdevice,saying.ThisisthecurrentpresidentofAureliaUniversity,EthanMonroe. Theaseyeslitupatthementionofhisname.Shegreetedhimwarmly.Oh,PresidentMaddox,whatapleasure! However,Ethansdemeanorwas rathercool .Heignored TheasoutstretchedhandandturnedtoNicolas. Youaskedmetocometodiscussgivingyour companyanotherchancetotalkaboutthis collaboration.Nowthatwevemet.Ithinkitsstillnotsuitable.Letsdiscussitanotherday?Ethansudseriously. Hearingthat ,Theawasstunned.Shehadntevengottenachancetospeakbeforeshewasdismissed.President…,shestartedtoplead. ButNicolasheldherback.Hisexpressionremainedneutralasheorderedthedriver toopenthedoor.Thenwewontdisturbyou,PresidentMaddox Ethannodded.Justashewasabouttogetoutofthecar , acheerfulvoicecalledout,Dad! Agirlrushedover,leapingintohisarms.Ethansgazesoftened,filledwithaffectionashelooked ather. Theacast acuriousglanceatthegirl,momentarilytakenaback.IsntthatJoyce ? AsifsensingTheasgaze,Joycelookedup,hereyesfilledwithexcitement. Thea,youreheretoo?sheasked . Ethanfrownedslightly.Doyouknoweachother? Joyceansweredhappily.Dad,shestheamazinggirlItoldyouabout.Shesignedacollaborationwithmelasttime.Ireallyadmire her, so shesmyfriendtoo, Hearingthat,Theafeltwarmthspreadinherheart.WhilesheandJoycehadntinteractedmuch,theyhadindeedhititoff well. 2/3 11:40Fri,Oct25. Chapter40 68% However,Theaalwaysmaintainedacomfortablesocial distanceandneveroversteppedherboundaries.SheneverexpectedJoycetodeclareinfrontofothersthatTheawasherfriendopenly. Soon,EthanlookedatTheawithnoticeablysoftereyes.Sheoftenmentionsyoutome.Idontrealizethatsyou.ItseemsImisunderstoodyou,heexplained. HearingEthanswords.Theaknewthiswasherchance.Shetooktheinitiativetosay,PresidentMaddox,perhapsyouveheardsomegossipaboutmefromEmmalieandthevicepresident.ButIbelievethatmypersonalmattersshouldnthinderthecollaborationbetweenmycompanyandyourschool.Moreover,ImnotwiththeVirtuexGroup,andIhopeyoucangivemeanotherchance.