Chapter 90
Jason was battling internal conflict. He glanced instinctively out the window. "The sky isn't raining money, so what's to celebrate?"
Bewildered, he asked, "Mr. Woods, what's the occasion?" A thought crossed his mind: Maybe Mr. Woods wanted to order furniture, using this as an opportunity to negotiate a discount? He considered the possibility.
Unaware of the strained relationship between Aurora and Jaxon, Calvin continued playfully, "Come on, Mr. Crawford. You shouldn't be so engrossed in work that you miss big news about your own kid."
Erik scored over 1450 on his SATs, comfortably above the national average and exceeding Merrida University's requirements. This solid national ranking allowed Calvin to breathe a sigh of relief; his reputation was safe.
Initially shocked—pleasantly so—by the score, Calvin had previously considered Erik a lost cause, even contemplating buying him a degree from a foreign university to save face. Erik's achievement far surpassed his previous attempts.
"Mr. Crawford, my boy tells me he wouldn't have even made it into community college without Aurora," Calvin said, oblivious to Jaxon's darkening expression at the mention of Aurora's name. "You've done a fine job raising that girl, Mr. Crawford!"
Still basking in Erik's success and oblivious to Jaxon's silence, Calvin gushed, his face aching from smiling. "Mr. Crawford, I heard Aurora topped the STEM rankings at Merida! That's incredible! I'm throwing a party, and you both have to be there!"
Jaxon's fist clenched, his knuckles cracking. Merida's top science student? Aurora? He shook his head. How is this possible? She just arrived from the countryside. Getting into Merida University would have been impressive, but becoming the top science student? Unbelievable!
Calvin continued to praise Aurora, oblivious to Jaxon's reaction, even complimenting Jaxon himself. "Mr. Crawford, you're a master at raising kids. Maura was already doing great at Merida High School, but your long-lost daughter has surpassed even her! I could never manage that. Heck, if it weren't for Aurora's influence, my boy Erik would still be struggling!"
"Anyway, I won't keep you any longer. Don't forget the graduation party at our place, alright?"
After hanging up, Jaxon stood frozen, phone in hand, stunned. How on earth did this happen? Maura had never fallen out of the top ten at Merida High School. He hadn't dared hope for her to be number one. How had Aurora, a small-town girl, outshone his meticulously groomed Maura? Then a thought struck him: if he hadn't fallen out with Aurora, he would be basking in Calvin's praise.
As a newcomer to Merida's elite, Jaxon had striven to secure his position. Hosting a party for Aurora could have been his chance to capitalize on Erik's success. He envisioned a spectacular event, rubbing elbows with influential people who previously ignored him. Good grades were the gold standard for judging the upcoming generation.
It was a shame he'd fallen out with Aurora. He'd be missing out on the glory. A faint sense of regret welled up. As he wallowed in remorse, his phone rang. It was an unknown number.
The voice was calm and authoritative. "Mr. Crawford, this is Logan Cross, Jack's father. My son's been tutored by Aurora, and his SAT scores are impressive. I'm hosting a celebration for his graduation in two weeks. I'd love for you to attend."
After receiving Jaxon's response, he hung up abruptly. Unlike Calvin, Logan was direct, simply informing Jaxon rather than soliciting his input.
"Yes, yes, of course," Jaxon stammered, his excitement evident upon realizing who was calling. Logan was a powerful figure in Merida; his support could open many doors. Even the Newton family from Jydratica wouldn't cross him.
Logan's personal call overwhelmed Jaxon. Even over the phone, he felt an instinctive urge to bow. Taking a deep breath, he decided to attend the Cross family party.
There was one problem: things were tense with Aurora. He needed to mend their relationship. A knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Jaxon called, composing his expression and sitting up straight.
His secretary placed two invitations on the desk. "Mr. Crawford, these are for the graduation parties of the Woods and Cross families."
Jaxon picked up the invitations, barely containing his excitement while maintaining composure. "Thank you. That will be all."
A glint of calculation shone in Jaxon's eyes as he looked at the envelopes. He leaned back, silently plotting how to reconcile with Aurora. He considered himself Aurora's father, having been entrusted with her care after her mother's death, and was confident they could mend their relationship. He would call her later, inviting her to move back home.
Meanwhile, Aurora was inundated with calls from former classmates in Class F, all inviting her to their graduation parties. She refused each one. Past experiences had left her with no desire to attend.
Margaret, however, was relentless, refusing to accept her refusals. Every time Aurora hung up, Margaret called back. This continued until Aurora lost her composure.
The moment the phone buzzed again, Aurora answered and launched into a tirade without checking the caller. "How many times do I have to say no? Are you seriously that dense? If you spent half as much time studying as you do harassing me, you wouldn't have scored a measly 1350 on your SATs. You'd be heading to Jydratica with me!"
Sunrise Pharmaceuticals' new drug was in clinical trials, and as the mastermind behind the formula, Aurora needed to be available to adjust dosages based on data. She had no time to spare for social events.
After a brief silence, a rich voice responded, "Aurora, did you perhaps get the wrong number?"