Chapter 528
Chapter 528:
With the principal’s directive and the fear of both Yelena’s and Austin’s influence, there was no room for disagreement.
Thus, the matter was resolved.
As they prepared to part ways, Neil said to Yelena and Austin, “Yelena, Austin, goodbye p>
Today had been transformative for Neil; Yelena and Austin had instilled in him a newfound confidence. The fear of school bullies was now behind him.
Neil made a silent promise to himself to excel academically and achieve influence like Yelena’s. Meanwhile, Yelena exchanged glances with Austin, her words faltering as she hesitated to speak.
“What brings you to this place, Mr. Barton?” Yelena folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow at Austin, her tone sharp with curiosity.
Austin, with a casual shrug, responded, “Oh, nothing much. Just feeling bored, so I thought I’d take a walk p>
Yelena smirked, nearly laughing at how seriously he said it. Did he really come to some high school for his walk? On a Monday morning?
Yelena said to Austin, “Actually, I’ve got everything under control. Anything a man can do, I can handle just as well p>
Austin gave a nod of understanding. Normally, he might have dismissed anyone else’s claims as mere exaggerations. However, Yelena was no ordinary person. She had a knack for making things happen.
Even today, without any assistance from Austin, Yelena had tackled most of the problems on her own. So, whether Austin came or not, it really didn’t matter.
Austin said, “Consider me just meddling unnecessarily.” A smile broke across Yelena’s face as she responded, “Oh, it’s not like that at all. With you here, those troublemakers are less likely to bother Neil in the future p>
“Why are you so good to Neil?” Austin asked.
is packed with thrilling adventures
Had it not been for the significant age gap between Yelena and Neil, Austin might have been concerned. Yelena’s voice softened as she answered, “Perhaps I recognize a little of myself in him p>
When Yelena first met Neil at the orphanage, he reminded her of a hedgehog, curled up in defense against the world. He was quiet, scruffy, and showed signs of a tough life.
Agate later explained that Neil had cycled through several adoptions due to his stubborn, unyielding nature, and his lack of sociability hadn’t endeared him to anyone. One adoptive family even had a father prone to violence, who frequently mistreated Neil.
Eventually, Neil reached his breaking point and called the police, leading to his return to the orphanage.
Fearful of enduring another adoption, Neil deliberately made himself dirty and repellent to dissuade potential families.
As he grew older, the interest in adopting him waned further.
When orphans reached a certain age, many people thought they were too old to be raised and basically wouldn’t consider adopting them. Despite this, Neil persisted in his efforts to appear undesirable.
During a visit to the orphanage with her grandfather, Yelena’s attention was immediately drawn to the aloof, guarded Neil. She saw in Neil a reflection of what she could have become had it not been for her grandfather’s influence in her life.
Yelena didn’t consider herself a saint; she had no grand plans to change Neil. She simply engaged with him in ways that a friend would.
Over time, Neil began to find his own path. Encouraged by Yelena to pursue education and explore new perspectives, Neil’s curiosity was kindled, slowly opening him up to the world around him.
Since Neil had endured unimaginable darkness, his heart had grown both tender and fragile.