apter 5 Scarlett, Don’t Argue With Idiots

He honestly thought he was hallucinating from sleep deprivation. “What did you just say?”

Scarlett’s disgust was written all over her face.

“Was I not clear enough? Don’t mistake my tolerance for an invitation to shamelessness.”

Connor’s pupils contracted in shock.

In his memory, Scarlett had always been obedient and soft–spoken around him.

–

Even with all the fights over Reba in the past year, she’d never red at him like this — let alone talked back.

Did she really call off the engagement and cut ties with the Joynersst night to end things for good?

iNo. /iiNo /iiway/ii. /i

Scarlett had once humiliated herself just to act like a servant for his mother. There was no way she’d just walk away from him.

She must be doing this to make him bow his head first – clearly just posturing.

The thought only made him more irritable. “Scully, you’ve gone far enough! If this keeps up, I won’t help you anymore!”

Scarlett actuallyughed.

This so–called “help” always came with demands for her to lower herself and suffer in silence.

She really didn’t need it.

In fact, she shouldn’t have even said a word just now. It had been a waste of breath.

“Figures. There’s no point arguing with idiots.”

She turned to James.

“James, let’s go.”

James gave the two standing there a mocking nce, then walked off to open the car door.

Scarlett didn’t even nce at Connor again. She turned and left.

Connor stood frozen, stunned again. He started to wonder if someone had cast a spell on her.

He was so thrown off, he didn’t react at all standing there like a puppet.

Behind him, Reba’s brow was furrowed.

She’d heard Scarlett call that man “James.”

bIf /bshe remembered right, btheir /bprofessor had said a genius named James would be joining theb soon.

biCould /i/bit ibe/ii… /i

biBang/i/b!

Before she could figure out the implications, a dull thud broke her thoughts.

She looked up instinctively.

At some point, Stanley had shown up

–

and tried to punch James.

But James moved quickly and dodged. The punch mmed into the car’s hood instead.

Stanley’s knuckles instantly turned purple and swollen.

“Youy a hand on my sister, and you’re dead!”

Stanley didn’t care about his injury. He moved in to strike again.

“Stanley!” Reba ran over and grabbed his arm.

“Calm down. Scarlett’s just trying to build a better rtionship with her senior from theb – it’s not what you think.”

She only said it to test the waters.

When she wasn’t corrected, she knew she was right that iwas /iJames.

—

He had skipped grades, held numerous national patents, and most importantly – he was rich, the kind of man with an unlimited future.

If someone like him really started working with Scarlett…

It would be a disaster.

She looked down, thinking hard, then added softly, “Scarlett hasn’t won any awardstely. Wanting to connect and improve herself isn’t a bad thing. Stanley, calm down – don’t get in her way.”

Stanley’s rage finally began to fade.

When he saw Scarlett about to get into a car with a strange man, his mind had filled with awful assumptions. He’d felt nothing but disgust for her behavior.

But as her brother, he couldn’t just stand by so heshed out.

–

Now that Reba exined it, he realized he might’ve jumped to conclusions.

Not that he thought it was his fault.

Scarlett hadn’te home all night and was now hanging around with some guy first thing in the morning.

And… this was their senior?

―

Reba had mentioned this guy before apparently he was also one of the evaluators reviewing their

Some new thought shed through Stanley’s mind, and his face darkened as he red at Scarlett.

Yesterday he’d said she hadn’t achieved anythingtely – and now she was turning to this senior for help?

Typical shortcut thinking from someone with no brains.

No matter how much the Joyners threw resources at her, she’d always be worthless.

“She’s doing something serious? What, ttering people so she can p her name on papers you spent weeks writing?b” /b

He turned to Scarlett. “Scarlett, I’m warning you – giarize Reba’s work again, and I won’t go easy on you just because we used to be family!”

James blinked at that, staring at Scarlett in shock.

His expression clearly said: iWhat /ikind iof /iiidiots /iiare /iithese /iipeople/ii? /i

But Stanley interpreted the look differently – he thought James had just realized what kind of person Scarlett really was.

“As their brother, I normally wouldn’t interfere. But since you’re here to evaluate their work, I suggest you take a hard look at who actually has the talent.”

James was speechless.

Did the Joyner family really not know how much Scarlett had contributed to medicine?

“Don’t worry,” he said coolly. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”

Reba gave a delicate sigh. “James, please don’t be upset. Scarlett’s been stuck in her researchtely, which is why she’s been reaching out for help. Please, help her.”

She looked like she wanted to say more but didn’t dare. Her expression was perfectly calcted to provoke curiosity.

Usually, anyone seeing that look would ask what was wrong.

And if James so much as hinted, she’d be able to destroy Scarlett’s image in his eyes.

Even if Scarlett’s research seeded, no one would believe in her again.

James, however, looked like he had a giant question mark over his head.

iHelp /iiScarlett/i? iWho /iido /iiyou /ithink I iam/ii, /iiher /iib /iiassistant/ii? /i

Still, when he saw Scarlett clearly fed up with this whole situation, he immediately spoke up. you put it that way, of course I’ll help her.”

“Well, since

Reba froze. iWhat/ii?! /i

Scarlett had absolutely no interest in wasting another word on these clownsb. /bShe climbed into the car.

James followed and told the driver to go.

The others only snapped out of it after the car had already sped off.

Straight into a faceful of exhaust.

Reba could barely keep her expression in check.

If James really helped Scarlett, then everything she’d done before…

iNo. /iiThat /iican’t /iihappen/i.

She quickly pulled out her phone and fired off several messages in the family group chat.

When everyone in the group backed her up, she finally rxed.

She took a deep breath and put on a sweet smile. “Good thing James wasn’t mad – and he’s still willing to help Scarlett. That’s such a relief.”

She turned to the others. “Connor, Stanley, don’t look so grim. Scarlett’s just trying to make a name for herself. If she seeds, you two can be proud of her too, right?”

Stanley stared after the car with disdain. “If she’s that capable, I’ll have everyst Joyner resource pulled from her today.”

Someone with no real skills – even if she could summon angels from heaven – would stille crashing

down.

And when that happened, even if Scarlett begged on her knees, he wouldn’t give her a single cent.

Connor said nothing. He stared ahead, expression darkening.

He didn’t know why, but even though he knew Scarlett hadn’t betrayed him or slept around, he felt

restlessb. /b

—

Like something had slipped through his fingers and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get it back.

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