Chapter 535

Yvonne’s comment instantly brightened up the atmosphere at the table.

I gently patted her head. “If you’re awesome, you won’t have any trouble finding a boyfriend.”

“Okay, I’ll study harder,” Yvonne said, now with a clear goal and motivation.

My mom gave me a reproachful look. “Don’t fill Yvonne’s head with that stuff. She’s still so young.”

I said calmly, “It’s fine. She’s more mature than most kids her age. Learning how the world works early can help her avoid taking unnecessary detours.”

In my previous life, Tracy used sugar-coated words and empty promises to mess with Yvonne’s view of the world, leaving her stuck in her own little world, thinking only about herself.

She had a nasty temper, huge ambitions, always aimed high but never put in the work, and honestly thought the world revolved around her. In the end, she turned into a runaway wild horse – impossible for anyone to rein in.

My dad circled back to the topic and asked, “Is that Nathan really that impressive? He’s in the tech business, right? He looks pretty young. It’s really a young people’s world now. I couldn’t understand a thing he said yesterday.”

I smiled and reassured him, “Dad, you were pretty amazing when you were young too.”

That made him smile.

While we were having breakfast, Ryan showed up at the door, arms loaded with gifts and fresh fruit.

Yesterday, he only brought presents for me and Yvonne, not realizing my parents were also around.

So, he came by early this morning to make up for it, dressed sharp, looking like the picture of sunshine and charm.

My parents couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces as they watched this young man, with a spark in his eyes and a thoughtful vibe.

“Mr. and Mrs. Holcomb, how about joining me for lunch? My treat,” Ryan said, after joining us for breakfast and already making plans for lunch.

My parents looked at me, and I nodded with a smile. “Sure, I was planning to take them out for a meal anyway.”

Yvonne clapped her hands excitedly. “Great! It’s been ages since I’ve eaten out.”

Ryan looked at Yvonne and smiled, “How about I introduce you to a big sister at lunch?”

My heart jumped. “What big sister?”

Ryan didn’t even glance at me, just kept his eyes on Yvonne and said offhandedly, “Oh, Nora’s back in town. I suggested Uncle Ryan bring her to Hachester for a visit. Turns out, some of her classmates are from here too.”

I was freaking out inside, but kept my face totally calm.

“Your uncle’s bringing his daughter to lunch?” I asked.

Ryan finally looked up at me, giving me that innocent, hopeful look. “Is that okay? I was planning to invite Uncle Ryan and Nora anyway. Yvonne and Nora are about the same age – they’ll probably hit it off.”

Yvonne’s big dark eyes widened with excitement, and she looked like she wanted to say something, but I gave her a warning look.

She quickly swallowed whatever she was going to say.

“Ryan, why don’t you just have lunch with your uncle and the others? I want to take my parents out for a meal and show them around,” I said, politely turning him down.

Ryan looked a little disappointed. “Come on, Victoria, it’s really not a big deal. You’ve already met my uncle – it’s just one meal.”

My parents, clueless about the real situation, tried to persuade me, “Yeah, Victoria, it’s just a meal. Ryan’s uncle must be someone pretty impressive, right?”

Ryan smiled and said, “My uncle’s a businessman.”

My parents, thinking Ryan’s uncle was just an ordinary businessman, went ahead and decided for me that we’d all have lunch together. I couldn’t find a good reason to say no.

Ryan hung out at my place, playing chess and gaming with Yvonne, making small talk with my dad. My mom, who had thought he was too young last night, was now starting to really like him.

She said he had a great personality, was someone who really connects with kids, and was straightforward and sincere.

I thought back on Ryan. He was a real puzzle – sometimes acting like a kid, other times having depths you just couldn’t figure out. Honestly, there was way more to him than met the eye.

Whenever he was with me, he’d put on that playful, boyish act, but I knew that was just for show. When it was just the two of us, I could tell he was actually a force to be reckoned with.

At 11:30, we headed to the restaurant we had booked.

I made sure Yvonne rode with me and reminded her, “Don’t say anything wild at the restaurant, okay? Try to get along with that big sister, and don’t go losing your temper for no reason.”