Chapter 412
Leander leaned against the railing, and his black hair whipped wildly in the night
breeze. “So you’re saying that if someone can pull off just one of those things, you’d actually respect them p>
Margot crossed her arms. She was only sixteen, but tall and striking, almost giving Stella a run for her money.
She tilted her head toward him, and for a moment, caught his deep eyes glinting in the darkness. Her expression faltered slightly.
A few seconds later, she lifted her chin with a haughty tilt. “Yeah. So which one of them do you think you can actually do p>
From the start, she had spoken to Leander with pure disdain, like he was nothing to her.
There was a time when she had looked up to him, treated him like the gold
standard, and admired everything about him. But then he disappeared without a word. That had planted a tiny seed of resentment in her heart. Later, when she went off to the city for school, she saw and experienced so much more. That’s when it hit her—Leander was just some guy with no family, no transparent background, nothing like the big names at her school or the respected figures she’d known on the streets. He wasn’t worth her admiration at all.
After seeing him now, all she felt was that she’d been played. And part of her wanted to unleash all those years of bottled-up feelings. It was almost like revenge.
Leander chuckled softly, saying nothing. He shifted, leaning casually against the railing, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. “You speak so plainly, so organized. Sounds like there’s someone you do admire. Hudson? Tens of millions in the bank, his family ranked in the top twenty wealthiest in the county, and he still doesn’t impress you. Now I’m curious-who does p>
Margot scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. “Hudson? He’s nothing special. Sure, he’s loaded, but big deal. Tens of millions? That’s not even real money in my world. At my school in the city, most of my classmates have at least five people in their families worth over a hundred million. If you want me to actually admire someone, Hudson’s not even close p>
She lifted a slender and graceful finger. Her eyes were sparkling with an unusual light. “If there’s anyone I really admire, it’s got to be the big shot of Ascendia— Gumus p>
“Gumus?” Leander’s brow twitched. His expression shifted into something hard to read.
“Absolutely p>
Margot’s voice took on a playful lilt as she went on. “Gumus is Ascendia’s top-tier boss. Look at the whole Mornwick power rankings he could easily snag a top-five spot. He controls billions in assets and serves as the chief operating officer of Ascendia under Jeff Enterprises. Connections, money, influence—he’s got it all. Even the dads of some of my classmates who come from powerful families treat him with kid gloves, pouring him drinks and showing respect. And the biggest thing? He works directly for Mr. Ashcroft of Mornwick—he’s one of Mr. Ashcroft’s men p>
She shot Leander a side glance. After seeing his confused expression, she rushed to clarify. “Mr. Ashcroft is the underground king of Mornwick, ruling all the big players in the city. One man holds an entire province under his thumb. Guys like Tommy from Southridge, Frankie from Ravenridge, and even Gumus from Ascendia-they all fall in line for him. Being connected to him, even just as a subordinate, makes you elite. Gumus works for Mr. Ashcroft, backed by Jeff Enterprises, and he’s got insane connections and influence of his own. That’s the kind of person I really admire p>
Leander slipped one hand into his pocket, shaking his head with a faint smile. “I thought you meant someone else… turns out it’s Gumus p>
His tone was casual, almost understated, with a hint of an unreadable smirk. Margot’s brow furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean? From the way you say it… are you saying you’re even tougher than Gumus p>
Leander didn’t answer right away. He just stretched his neck a little. “Here’s the deal, Margot. Let’s make a bet. Tomorrow, after Stella’s engagement party, if I can prove to you that I can impress you—make you genuinely admire me then from that moment on, you do exactly what I say. Deal p>
Margot sized him up from head to toe and burst out laughing when she noticed his outfit barely cost five hundred bucks. “Leander, do you really think I’m still that little girl who used to follow you around like a puppy p>
Her expression was proud and regal, like that of a haughty phoenix.
“Fine, since you want a bet, let’s do it! If you can actually impress me, I’ll follow your word without question. Whatever you tell me to do, I’ll do it, no arguments. You don’t even have to reach Gumus-level heights. Just hit about eighty percent of what Gumus’s eldest, Howard, has achieved, and I’ll see you as my idol. I’ll listen to everything you say p>
Her eyes narrowed slightly, a sly smile tugging at her lips. “But if you fail, then I want you to break up with that girl from earlier and spend three days at Ascendia with me. Do you dare take that bet p>
This girl, her temper really isn’t anything like it was when she was a kid!
Leander suppressed a smirk, though his expression remained calm. He nodded lightly. “It’s a deal p>
The next day, around noon, Daphne finally stirred awake. The sounds of commotion from outside the room immediately reached her ears.
She opened her eyes to find Leander sitting at the edge of the bed. His deep, clear eyes fixed on her. “You’re awake. How’d you sleep last night p>
Daphne stretched a little and felt her whole body loosen up. It was the best she’d slept in ages.
“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever slept that well p>
Leander brushed a hand across her forehead and gave her a small smile.
“Come on. Let’s head out-all of Mdm. Murphy’s relatives are already here. It’s
Stella’s big day, so we should at least show up for a bit p>
Daphne agreed and got dressed before heading out with him.
Gemma’s place was huge-four full floors and an expansive open yard that had to be close to a hundred
square meters. Long tables weret
already set up
ywhere ten
people to a table. The whole place felt like a countryside wedding feast.
“Leander, Daphne. You’re finally up p>
Gemma’s expression was bright with excitement. When she spotted them, she waved them over.
“Come on. I’ll take you to the second floor. You can sit with Margot. A few of her classmates are coming too. You guys will fill a table just right p>
Leander nodded and followed her upstairs to the living room. Margot was already there with a group of sixteen and seventeen-year-old girls, chattering away.
They were all dressed similarly. Think nightclub-queen energy. Way too mature and way too bold for their age.
When Margot saw Leander and Daphne come up, she curled her tip
a little. Her besties shot them quick side glances but the moment they noticed how tall and handsome Leander was, their eyes lit right up.
“Margot, Leander is a guest. You’re the host, so make sure you look after them p>
Gemma reminded her before hurrying back downstairs.
The moment she disappeared, Margot’s besties pounced with teasing voices.
“Girl, you didn’t tell us you had a friend this good-looking p>
“Were you planning to hide him for yourself or what p>
These high school girls spoke without a filter. Bold, loud, and not even pretending to
care that Daphne was sitting right there.
“You id*ots, what are you even talking about?” Margot snapped, her cheeks warming for once. She shot them a glare, then turned to Leander with a half-smile.
“Leander, didn’t you say you wanted
me to behave and take school
seriously? You now have an audience. Why don’t you show my besties what’s so impressive about you that I should look up to you p>