Chapter 259
Perla still felt uneasy around Brad. The young man standing there carried a weight that made her chest tighten. She lowered her gaze and murmured, “Zaylee isn’t feeling well. She might have caught a chill.”
Brad asked, “How would she catch a chill in this heat?”
Perla didn’t know the reason either and stayed quiet, while Brock stepped in. “She’s probably still stressed from moving to a new school. I saw her walking alone in the garden last night. The hills get cold after dark. Maybe the wind got to her.”
Brad gave a short nod. “Let her rest today.”
Before he could say more, Zaylee appeared at the doorway in her school uniform. She coughed and said, “I’m fine. My throat burns a little, but I can handle school.”
Perla touched her forehead. She didn’t feel any fever but still asked, “Are you sure, Zaylee?”
“It’s fine, Mom. School is tough enough already, and I don’t want to fall behind just for missing a day.” She turned to Brad. “Are you heading out too? If yes, can you give me a ride?”
Brad had gotten up quite early, and it was still far from the time to meet Rylie. Nevertheless, he said, “You still need to have breakfast first. After eating, let the driver take you.”
“I don’t eat breakfast. I don’t feel like it,” said Zaylee, her lashes trembling as she lowered her eyes.
Brad looked at her for a long moment before saying, “Zaylee, you’re like a sister to me. There’s no need to be timid in front of me. If you really don’t want to have breakfast, then let’s go.”
A sister? She hated the thought of being only that to him.
Zaylee kept her smile soft as she followed him downstairs. Perla stayed silent, her gaze heavy. She knew her daughter’s feelings were written all over her face. Brad, being the heir of the Morgan family, must have noticed and tried to put space between them by calling her “sister.” She hoped Zaylee would catch on.
Before they left, Brad asked the kitchen staff to pack breakfast and placed it in the driver’s seat.
When Zaylee saw it inside the car, her face brightened, and she said shyly, “Brad, I’m really not hungry. You didn’t need to bring breakfast for me.”
Brad gave her a quick glance and said coldly, “It’s not for you.”
Zaylee froze, unsure how to respond.
He added, “Didn’t you say you weren’t eating?”
If she ever wasted time over breakfast, he would never consider giving her a ride. Brad hated being late, especially since he was meeting Rylie, who shared the same obsession with punctuality.
Zaylee laughed awkwardly, her cheeks burning. “Sorry, I thought it was for me.”
Brad kept silent. After a while, he pulled up. “We’re here.”
She nodded, trying to hide her disappointment, but it faded when she caught the wide-eyed stares of her classmates as she stepped out of the car. Closing the door behind her, she noticed a classmate nearby. She hurried over and tapped on the driver’s window. When it rolled down, showing Brad’s sharp profile, she smiled. “Thanks for the ride, Brad. I hope you have a good day at work. Goodbye.”
She made sure her classmates saw his face. As the car pulled away, she walked down the shaded path of the school until a friend rushed over. “Oh my gosh! Zaylee! Was that the person I only ever see in newspapers?”
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