Chapter 451

Chapter 451

“Can I… talk to you for a moment?” Eli asked quickly. “If you don’t mind p>

Josh glanced around, then looked back at her. “Now p>

He could already tell how many eyes were on them. How could they not be? Eli stood out in her Saint Loisse uniform. Her school was known as SunRise Academy’s biggest rival. And now one of its students was standing here -approaching Josh directly, without warning.

“If this isn’t a good time, it’s okay,” Eli said hastily, visibly awkward. Truthfully, she wouldn’t have done this at all if her mother’s orders hadn’t been ringing in her head. “I can p>

“You’re making a lot of people stare,” Josh said, wiping the sweat from his face. “What do you want to talk about p>

Eli’s face flushed with embarrassment. She took a step back, lowering her head. “I’m sorry-

“Come with me,” Josh cut in, already gathering his things.

Eli blinked. “What p>

“We can’t talk here,” Josh said shortly. “Come on-we’ll talk outside.” He slung his sports bag over his shoulder and walked ahead, stopping briefly to say goodbye to his teammates. He brushed off their many questions about the girl who had approached him after practice.

“It’s none of your business,” Josh said with a laugh, as if it cost him nothing to say so.

Neither of them spoke as Josh led the way toward the parking area. Just as he’d said, the Miller family driver was already waiting for him.

“Good afternoon, Young Master,” the driver greeted respectfully upon seeing Josh. He moved to help carry the sports bag, but as usual, Josh declined with a polite smile.

“I need to talk to my friend first,” Josh said. “You can wait outside for a moment p>

“Of course, Mr. Josh,” the driver replied. That was all he said, though the request clearly struck him as unusual. More than once, his gaze flicked toward the girl standing beside Josh.

“Get in,” Josh said, and Eli obeyed at once.

Inside the car, an awkward silence settled between them. The engine was running so the air conditioning could stay on, the windows sealed tight. Josh took a bottle of water from the storage compartment nearby and placed it

in front of Eli.

“Thank you,” Eli murmured. She didn’t dare lift her gaze to look at him. All she could do was clutch the bottle in her hands, squeezing it tightly without any intention of drinking.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Josh asked.

Eli’s grip tightened. “I don’t have anyone to talk to p>

Josh glanced at her, frowning slightly. “You… don’t have any friends? And that’s why you came to me p>

“No,” Eli replied quickly. “It’s not like that. I’m just… confused p>

“Confused about what?” Josh asked, adjusting his seat.

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“My men,” Eli admitted honestly. She took a deep breath, clearly struggling to continue. But she was already here, sitting across from Josh-there was no point delaying what her mother wanted her to say, “She keeps asking when I’ll meet Grandma again p>

Josh fell silent. “And p>

“I told her, Grandina is busy,” Eli went on. “But my mom doesn’t like that answer p>

“Why do you have to do what she wants?” Josh asked.

Eli lowered her head even further, her voice barely audible. “Because she’s my mother p>

Josh turned to look out the window. “That’s not an answer p>

Eli said nothing for a moment. Then, at last, she spoke again. “Because I want to be accepted p>

Josh turned back to her. “Accepted by whom p>

“The Miller family,” Eli replied. “I just want to be treated the same in this family. You’re… my family too, right p>

Josh frowned, clearly struggling to understand why Eli was even questioning this. “You want to be accepted and have the same status in my family? Like who p>

Eli hesitated, but she had no room left to retreat. The words slipped out before she could stop them. “Like Grace p>

Silence fell between them the moment Eli said it.

Josh finally let out a long breath. “Do you realize what you’re saying p>

Eli looked down. “I don’t mean to take anything away from anyone p>

“But your words point in that direction,” Josh replied, doing his best to stay calm. “What you’re asking for isn’t something I can decide p>

“I just want to be close to Grandma,” Eli said, looking up at him.

“If that’s your goal,” Josh said, “then you don’t need to bring Grace into it p>

Eli fell quiet for a long moment. “My mom said… if I don’t take action and ask for clarity about my place in the Miller family, I’ll be left behind p>

Josh turned fully toward her, his gaze steady. “Your mother told you to say that p>

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