Chapter 506
Chapter 506:
“Neil, come here. I need to talk to you,” Yelena stated firmly.
The young man, Neil Fletcher, stood frozen, unable to move. He had thought his hiding spot was secure, certain Yelena wouldn’t find him. Yet, she had located him astonishingly quickly.
“Yelena, I p>
Observing Neil’s lanky frame, Yelena noted how his height was offset by his slightness, making him appear fragile, as if a gust of wind could knock him over. A shadow of concern crossed her face.
“Let’s talk,” she said firmly, guiding Neil back to the table she had occupied earlier.
Austin, observing the exchange, began to understand why Yelena had chosen the booth over a private room upstairs. It dawned on him that Yelena’s real intention for being here wasn’t to enjoy a casual drink; she was here to find someone. The drinks were merely a secondary concern.
As Neil approached the table with Yelena, he paused, noticing someone else was already there. Austin debated whether to introduce himself. Typically, others rushed to introduce themselves to him to gain favor.
“This is…” Yelena started to introduce Austin, but before she could finish, Neil leaned forward with a curious expression and asked, “Is he your boyfriend?” Both Yelena and Austin looked at each other, visibly surprised by the question.
Neil observed their reactions and then burst into laughter, his chuckles filling the air. Having known Yelena for a long time, this was the first instance Neil had seen her look this flustered. It was clear she held some affection for Austin.
Pleased by Neil’s assumption, Austin smiled subtly.
Yelena then shifted the topic, saying, “Do you realize how worried Ms. Blakely is about you?” She didn’t press further, knowing Neil’s nature well. His personality reminded her much of her own, which was partly why she felt such a strong responsibility towards him. Like her, Neil preferred to manage challenges independently, avoiding burdening others whenever possible.
Yelena’s approach resonated with Neil. He looked at her, remorseful, and said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen p>
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Yelena responded gently, “Tell me what happened p>
She wasn’t there to blame him; she was determined to help him resolve whatever issue he faced.
Initially reluctant, Neil knew resisting was futile given Yelena’s determination to uncover the truth. Thus, he decided to be forthcoming and shared the entire story.
The trouble began during an exam when Neil observed some classmates cheating, passing notes among themselves. When the note reached him, he refused to participate and did not pass it on.
Enraged by his refusal, the classmates confronted him after the exam. They dragged him outside the school premises, threatening him.
Despite being outnumbered, Neil wasn’t intimidated. When they attacked, he defended himself, managing to fend off all three. Neil sustained a swollen eye from the altercation, which had mostly healed, leaving just a trace of a bruise.
He believed explaining the situation—that he had been attacked first—would clear things up, but instead, he found himself being reprimanded by the teacher.
The underlying issue was the social standing of his aggressors; they belonged to wealthy, influential families, whereas Neil, an orphan, had no one to champion his cause.
The teacher, aware of Neil’s lack of support, unfairly sided with the wealthier students.
Fury sparked within Yelena upon hearing this. The injustice of the situation—of Neil being bullied and marginalized—was intolerable.
She firmly said to Neil, “Whether you decide to stay at that school or not, I’ll ensure this matter is handled properly.” All she needed was a signal from him; if he wished to leave, she would facilitate his transfer to another school.
Neil hesitated, but then admitted, “Yelena, it’s okay. Honestly, I’ve never been fond of school. I think I’d prefer to start working sooner rather than later p>