Chapter 186

“She’s not bad.” Charlotte completely ignored Olivia and tugged Shirley out from behind her, putting her right in front of Mr. Lane. “You should take her as your student.”
Be Mr. Lane’s student? Shirley’s eyes went wide, her mind buzzing like she’d just hit
the jackpot.
Olivia almost laughed out loud. Mr. Lane had turned her down, so how could Shirley possibly have a chance?
Before she could say anything, Mr. Lane nodded. “Alright. Anyone Lottie recommends is the real deal. Shirley, work hard. If you get into The Cabinda University, I’ll personally mentor you.”
Personally mentor her? For most students, being taken on by Mr. Lane was a dream they’d never reach. And now, just like that, the chance had landed in Shirley’s lap. Why her?
“Shirley, hurry and thank Mr. Lane,” Eleanor said softly, honestly happy for her.
“Thank you, Mr. Lane! I promise I’ll work hard!” Shirley nodded, fighting back tears, her face shining with excitement.
The three of them walked off together, chatting and laughing, leaving Olivia standing alone, completely ignored. Her fists clenched tight, her eyes locked on Charlotte’s back, a storm of jealousy and anger brewing inside her. Go on, be proud now, she thought. Let’s see who gets the last laugh.
It took some effort for Charlotte to finally see Mr. Lane off. She dragged a dazed Shirley back to the classroom, only to bump into Andrew, who looked panicked and flustered.
“Charlotte, are you alright?” Andrew looked surprised to see her.
“What could possibly be wrong?” Charlotte shot him a glance, walked straight to her seat, and dropped into her chair. “Got anything to drink?”
“Yeah.” Without thinking, Andrew grabbed the fruit wine from his desk, popped the cap, and handed it to her.
Charlotte’s throat was parched. She
took the bottle and gulped down wo hit het hard
big mouthfuls The bu
and her face changed instantly. She frowned and looked at the label. Fruit wine. It had alcohol in it.
She set the bottle down, her brow still furrowed.
“Charlotte, are you sure you’re okay?” Andrew asked, noticing her sudden shift. “Anthony’s waiting outside. Don’t worry, he’ll help—”
Before he could finish, Charlotte stood up, scooped her things into her bag, and slung it over her shoulder. “Tell Eleanor I’m leaving.”
She was out the door before anyone could stop her, disappearing down the hallway.
Now only Andrew and Shirley were left in the back row. Still confused, Andrew leaned over and said, “Hey, Shirley
“Yeah?” Shirley glanced up, her round cheeks glowing with a huge smile. Her eyes sparkled, bright and full of life.
For a second, Andrew’s heart skipped a beat. He couldn’t help but think, Shirley looked even prettier when she smiled.
In the car, Anthony lounged in the back seat, his presence cool and commanding.
He held a cigarette loosely, letting the smoke drift lazily through the air, adding to his mysterious vibe.
“Anthony, we didn’t even need to do anything. Ms. Main handled it all,” Hans said from the front.
A proud, almost cocky smile tugged at Anthony’s lips.
“Anthony, should we Hans was about to ask if they should head back to the office, but he caught sight of someone in the distance. A
Sm figure was stumbling tow
their car. “Anthony, I think that’s Ms. Main.”
Anthony exhaled a slow stream of
smoke, his eyes narrowing as he
looked out the window, He saw
Charlotte cheeks flushed and steps
uneven. Something was clearly
wrong. She looked like she’d been drinking.