Chapter 12: You Have Always Been the Best

“What don’t you understand?” Jillian asked Madelyn as they ate at a restaurant near the school.

To her surprise, Madelyn shrugged helplessly. “Alas, I don’t understand any of it, Jillian. I’m relying on you now.”

“Huh?” Jillian clearly didn’t expect Madelyn’s grades to be so poor. She then said, “Alright then, I’ll highlight all the key topics for you. You’ll need to review them thoroughly when you get home.”

After finishing, Jillian carefully picked up a pen and circled all the key points for Madelyn, leaving no detail out.

Madelyn found herself admiring Jillian. This girl is genuinely kind, easy to get along with, and surprisingly holds no grudges despite Madelyn’s past mistreatment of her. She felt a deep sense of gratitude. “Thank you, Jillian!”

Far from finding it a bother, Jillian was actually quite enthusiastic. “No problem at all. If you need it, I can even help you with extra lessons.”

Madelyn nodded firmly. “Mm-hmm, thank you for your kindness, Jillian. Rest assured, if I have any issues with my homework, I’ll definitely come to you for guidance. However, there’s no need for it after school because… I have a tutor at home.”

Whenever the topic of this tutor came up, Madelyn would break into a broad grin, her eyes squinting, just like a mischievous little imp.

After finishing their meal, Madelyn and Jillian exchanged contact information. Subsequently, Madelyn hailed a taxi and headed toward Lockhart Group.

In the car, Janessa called. Madelyn saw it but pretended not to, ignoring the call. Janessa had called three times in a row but no one answered. She couldn’t help but feel uneasy, even a bit angry. She wondered if Madelyn was deliberately ignoring her calls or simply hadn’t heard them. The feeling that things were spiraling out of control within her was becoming increasingly intense.

Arriving at Lockhart Group, Madelyn swaggered right in. From a distance, Malcolm saw Madelyn approaching and felt an immediate headache, as if conditioned by reflex. Not her again! Is she here to cause trouble?

So, he quickly stepped forward and asked, “Mrs. Lockhart, what brings you here?”

Madelyn didn’t beat around the bush; she asked candidly, “I’m here to see Sebastian. He’s here, isn’t he?”

Malcolm nodded. “Mr. Lockhart is in his office right now. Would you like me to let him know you’re here?”

“Sure, go ahead.” Madelyn nodded, then obediently sat down on a couch.

Malcolm hurried back to his seat and immediately dialed the CEO’s office line. In a somewhat flustered tone, he said, “Mr. Lockhart, Mrs. Lockhart is here. She wants to see you and is currently waiting on the couch.”

Why is she here?

Sebastian’s brow twitched slightly. “Understood,” he said before ending the call.

In no time, Sebastian emerged. His tall figure was clad in a well-tailored suit, exuding an air of sophistication. His noble demeanor was utterly charming.

At the sight of him, a sweet smile spread across Madelyn’s face.

On the other hand, Sebastian, upon seeing Madelyn, couldn’t help but furrow his brows. “What are you doing here?” He was growing increasingly perplexed, wondering what Madelyn was up to.

Madelyn didn’t care whether he was welcoming or not as she said with a cheerful smile, “I’m here to study.”

Sebastian quirked an eyebrow in confusion. “Study?”

“Exactly, I was on the verge of taking my graduation exams. But there are so many topics I don’t understand. So, I have come to you for help.”

Madelyn knew very well that Sebastian was a dual PhD holder of Finance and Management from the Mysonna Institute of Technology. With such a top student as her tutor and the chance to get even closer to Sebastian, how could Madelyn possibly let this golden opportunity slip away?

However, she was met with a ruthless rejection from Sebastian. With a stern expression, he said, “This is a workplace, not your cram school. I have work to do and no time to deal with you. You should go home.”

Unexpectedly, Madelyn was not ready to give up. “Please, don’t be like that, Sebastian. I promise I won’t disturb you. I’m begging you, just let me stay for a while. All my credits for this semester have been almost deducted. If I don’t catch up now, I definitely won’t be able to graduate. And, if you don’t let me in today, I’m not leaving!”

As she spoke, Madelyn once again put on that pitiful expression, making one’s heart involuntarily soften. Her attitude was resolute, and she seemed determined to stay. When he saw her firm expression, Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose, turned around, and spoke in a cold yet helpless voice. “Come in.”

“Here I come!” Madelyn was over the moon. Clutching a pile of textbooks, she dashed straight into the office.

Soon, the office door was closed, leaving Malcolm standing there with doubts clouding his mind. Is this really the same Mrs. Lockhart who has always been arrogant and domineering? How does she seem like a completely different person? It seems that women are truly fickle!

Upon entering the office, Madelyn clutched her textbook, scanning the room from left to right. Finally, her gaze landed on Sebastian’s desk.

“Sebastian, may I use your desk for a while?” Madelyn asked, her tone somewhat wary. Fearful of rejection, she quickly followed up with a placating remark. “Don’t worry. I only have a few things. They’ll only take up a tiny bit of space. I promise they won’t be in your way at all.”

Sebastian gave a slight nod, signifying his agreement.

Madelyn couldn’t help but beam with joy. She then scurried off to the side, fetched a chair, and finally settled herself opposite Sebastian. With a docile demeanor, she spread out her homework on the table. Then, with a pen clamped between her teeth, she began studying diligently based on Jillian’s annotations.

Initially, Sebastian thought she was just fooling around. However, seeing her serious demeanor, he couldn’t help but feel a little puzzled. After holding back time and again, he finally couldn’t help but ask, “Didn’t you used to dislike studying? What’s this sudden change all about?”

At that moment, Madelyn looked up at Sebastian, her expression earnest as she spoke. “I used to dislike studying, but now… I’ve made up my mind to buckle down and focus on my studies. I won’t neglect my academics any longer! However… I might need your help.”

As she spoke, Madelyn’s voice gradually softened. Sebastian slightly furrowed his brows, asking, “What do you need help with?”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Madelyn placed the stack of notes that Jillian had highlighted in front of Sebastian. She spoke with a helpless tone. “I don’t really understand any of this. Could you perhaps teach me?”

Sebastian didn’t look at the notes. Instead, he was deeply gazing into Madelyn’s eyes, subtly sensing that she probably wasn’t lying. In the end, he gave a slight nod.

Madelyn immediately jumped up in excitement. “Hurray, you’ve agreed to teach me!”

As she spoke, Madelyn couldn’t contain her excitement. She darted across the desk, wrapped her arms around Sebastian’s neck, and planted a fervent kiss on his face.

“Sebastian, I knew it. You’re the one who treats me the best!”