Chapter 70

“You have no idea; she’s having a tough time with the Langstons,” Orion said.

“She’s got six brothers looking out for her. How can she have it bad?”

Orion’s voice was muffled. “But there’s also a stepsister, the driver’s daughter. The Langstons treat that girl really well, while Lemira constantly gets sidelined and neglected.”

At first, he too thought Lemira had it pretty good, but now he realized she was just like a lost lamb. It tugged at his heartstrings and made him want to treat her better.

After hearing this, Thaddeus sighed. “I knew it. I saw her brother at the infirmary last time, and something felt off. I thought it was just him being rebellious, but turns out there’s more to it. Just now, seeing how sweet she was, it didn’t seem like what the rumors said.”

“Who the hell plays favorites like that? Neglecting their own sister over a stepsister? I want to make it up to her. If it weren’t for her parents’ accident, she wouldn’t be living like this,” he added.

Orion tilted his head, his eyelids drooping, hiding the fleeting sadness in his eyes.

Thaddeus said, “The accident back then was just that, an accident. Don’t put all of this on yourself. If you want to do something nice for her, then go ahead; you two are kind of in the same boat.”

But Thaddeus worried, feeling that Orion’s way of making amends was crossing a line. Perhaps Orion himself hadn’t realized it.

The next day, a torrential rain poured down. Lemira watched the heavy rain outside, feeling troubled. It was the first day of her period, and if her shoes got wet, her stomach would surely act up.

As Lemira prepared her backpack and was ready to leave, she heard the door next to hers open. Thaddeus waved. “Morning, Lemira. It’s pouring out there; it’s going to be tough to hail a cab. We’ll give you a ride to school.”

Orion stood by, giving her a glance. “Let’s go.”

Lemira didn’t refuse; her mood inexplicably lifted.

The three of them headed to the garage, and Lemira saw the black luxury car. Turning to Thaddeus, she asked, “Is this your car?” Orion had picked her up in this car yesterday. She had looked it up last night and realized it wasn’t cheap—a cool million dollars.

Thaddeus coughed. “Ah, yes, definitely mine. See these lines? Pure class!”

Never pass up the chance to claim a sweet ride, he thought.

Orion took the passenger seat, casting a cold glance. “Drive!”

“Roger that!” Thaddeus was more than willing, especially since he had his eye on this car before Orion got to it.

Sitting in the back, Lemira noticed their dynamic and felt a pang of envy. Due to Evelina, she had always been somewhat friendless. She envied the way Orion interacted with his friends.

With the rain coming down hard and traffic piling up, they finally arrived at the school entrance, crowded with people and vehicles. Orion was the first to get out, holding a large black umbrella, and stood by the rear door. Lemira paused, opened the door, and stepped out.

The rain was heavy, blurring everything around her. But not a single drop touched her. His slender hand held the umbrella, revealing just a bit of his wrist. The large umbrella shielded her from the rain, giving her a dry space. Lemira asked, “Is there just one umbrella?”

“Of course not, Lemira. You take the umbrella to school.”

Thaddeus braved the rain to retrieve another umbrella from the back and then stood near Orion, clearly trying to keep them apart. Orion, unfazed, handed the umbrella to Lemira. When she took it, it still retained his warmth.

Lemira looked down. “Then I’ll get going.” Feeling uplifted, she walked ahead.

“Lemira, wait up. Mind if I share the umbrella?”