Chapter 419
Chapter 419:
“That was the president earlier, Mr. Wilson, wasn’t it?” Austin asked, his eyes lingering on Yelena, curiosity evident in his tone. “He didn’t give you any trouble, did he p>
Yelena shook her head, her voice steady and composed. “No trouble at all. He actually wanted us to head straight in without waiting, but I refused. It didn’t feel right to bypass everyone else and stir up resentment among the students p>
Austin tilted his head slightly, intrigued. “So, you had your friend bring you an invitation instead p>
His tone was casual, but there was a subtle edge to the question, as though he was fishing for more details about Brody.
“Yes,” Yelena answered, her tone neutral, offering no further explanation.
Austin studied her for a moment longer, as if trying to read between the lines. Before he could press further, someone approached with a polite but firm request. “Mr. Barton, could we trouble you for a speech on stage p>
Austin sighed internally, the weight of expectation settling over him. He stood reluctantly, sparing Yelena a soft glance. “Please, excuse me for a moment,” he said quietly, his voice carrying a hint of something unspoken.
As Austin stepped onto the stage, the room seemed to shift. A ripple of excitement spread through the audience like an electric current.
“He’s like the CEO of a billion-dollar company, straight out of a movie p>
“No way—he’s better than any movie star I’ve seen! If only he were my husband,” another added with a wistful sigh. “Does anyone know his socials? Facebook? Instagram? Anything p>
“I’ve looked,” a third chimed in. “He’s a mystery. The only thing I found was a single official photo on the university’s site p>
𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵:
“And even that one looks like it belongs in a magazine! Who even looks good in an ID photo p>
Erica, seated near the front, caught snippets of their conversation and fought the urge to turn around. Her curiosity burned, but with the faculty sitting beside her, she was forced to maintain her composure.
Onstage, Austin began his speech, his voice rich and commanding. He scanned the crowd as he spoke, his eyes instinctively searching for Yelena. But the bright stage lights obscured his view, leaving the audience a faceless sea.
Yet his sweeping gaze had its own unintended consequence—dozens of students convinced themselves he was looking directly at them.
Erica leaned closer to Yelena, a mischievous glint in her eye.
“Did you see that? Mr. Barton was definitely looking at you p>
Yelena hesitated, her calm facade faltering for just a moment.
“I don’t think so p>
In truth, she wasn’t sure.
But Erica’s playful remark lingered, and her heart gave a small, unexpected flutter.
Just as Austin stepped onto the stage, Hugh approached and casually slid into his vacant seat beside Yelena. “Yelena, could you do me a favor p>
“No,” Yelena replied flatly, not even glancing at him.
Erica’s eyes widened, her gasp barely contained. She stared at Yelena, stunned that she could refuse someone like Hugh so outright.
Hugh, unperturbed, let out a dry chuckle. “I helped you earlier. Just think of this as returning the favor,” he said, his smile tight, though a flicker of annoyance crossed his face.
Yelena said nothing, her silence louder than any refusal.
Undeterred, Hugh leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. “Monica claimed to be a violinist and wanted to perform. Anyways, I turned her down. With your skill, she’d only embarrass herself trying to show off in front of you. It seemed pointless to indulge her p>