Chapter 764 - 760: Your Posturing Failed

Meanwhile, in the Lorcain University cafeteria, Ethan Sterling finally got the chance to introduce Holly to Jameson Stone and Renee Reid.

"Allow me to make a grand introduction! This is our team’s ace Support player and our very first female member, Holly!"

Holly looked at Jameson Stone and Renee Reid, blinking in confusion. ’Didn’t Ethan say there was another woman on the team?’ she thought. ’How am I the first?’

Jameson Stone was excited too. "Ethan, you really got her to join? Does that mean I get the credit for this?"

"Of course. You get top honors for this one," Ethan said.

Jameson couldn’t wait to speak to the bewildered Holly. "Holly, I’m Jameson Stone, the team’s mid-lane mage! I’m the one who stumbled upon your stream during the break and recommended you to Ethan!"

"Oh, is that right? You’ve got good taste, then," Holly said, half-joking.

She turned to Renee Reid. "Are you the other female player on the team?"

Renee Reid had been enjoying the show. Hearing the question, she quickly shook her head. "No, no, I’m just a regular fan. I’m good friends with both of them—the three of us were high school classmates."

"I’m Renee Reid. I’ll be your cheerleader from now on!"

Holly nodded, understanding. She then turned to Ethan, her expression puzzled. "Ethan, didn’t you tell me there was already a woman on the team? Why did you say I was the first one just now? What about the other one?"

An embarrassed expression immediately crossed Ethan’s face, but he decided to be honest. "Well, uh, we’re actually still in the process of recruiting the other one. But don’t worry, I’m confident she’ll join. So the honor of being the first female player has fallen to you."

Holly: "..."

"I’m sorry. I was a bit too eager to get you to join. Please don’t be mad at me," Ethan said, taking the initiative to apologize.

Holly smiled. "I’m not. I didn’t join the team solely because of another female player, and I don’t regret my decision."

"It’s just that... there are only three of us right now. We still have two positions open, and we need two substitutes. Can we even make it in time for the spring Collegiate League?"

"As for the other woman you’re recruiting... want me to try talking to her? It might be more effective, girl to girl."

Hearing this, Jameson couldn’t help but sigh. "Holly, you’re a good person for offering, but Helen White isn’t actually difficult to talk to. She’s pretty straightforward. From the very beginning, she flat-out said she wouldn’t join. Lately, though, her stance seems to have softened. She said she’d consider it, but we have no idea for how long. She marches to the beat of her own drum. Pestering her is useless."

Ethan nodded in agreement. "Maybe some bizarre turn of events will suddenly make her agree."

Holly listened, confused. ’A bizarre turn of events?’

’That’s such an abstract way of thinking.’

Little did they know that at that very moment, right at the entrance to the school cafeteria, Owen Griffin was blocking Helen White’s path.

"Hey, beautiful. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve come looking for you. Still not going to give me the time of day?"

Helen White found his tone nauseatingly greasy. She frowned, her patience wearing thin. "And why should I? Haven’t I told you already? I have absolutely no interest in joining your team."

"I was presumptuous before. My apologies." Owen Griffin stuck his hands in his pockets and flashed a smirk he clearly thought was handsome. "I didn’t realize you were the heiress to White Pharmaceuticals, so I figured money could win you over."

"Since you’re clearly not short on cash, you can name your own terms. I’ll meet them, whatever they are, as long as you join."

"Whatever they are?" Helen White eyed him coldly.

Owen Griffin nodded.

Helen just scoffed and asked, "How about you go die? Can you fulfill that request?"

Instead of getting angry, Owen Griffin actually laughed. "No need for that, is there? It’s not like we have some deep-seated hatred for each other. Why are you so hostile toward me?"

"I just think you’re kind of disgusting, and our vibes just don’t mesh." Helen White rolled her eyes and tried to push past Owen Griffin to leave.

But Owen Griffin’s patience had run out. There wasn’t much time left before the spring season, and he’d been holding the team’s Shooter Position for Helen White. If she didn’t join, he’d have to start looking for someone else from scratch.

More importantly, the main reason he was trying to poach Helen White was to piss off Ethan Sterling, since he knew Ethan was also trying to recruit her.

He sidestepped, blocking her path once more. Before Helen could express her annoyance, he cut in, "I’ve been holding this position open for you. Rejecting me again and again is a bit heartless, don’t you think? We’re fellow students at the same school, after all. This isn’t right, is it?"

In all his years, few people had ever gotten the better of him. Ethan Sterling was one, and now Helen White was another.

Owen Griffin had a twisted personality. After being repeatedly stonewalled and mercilessly humiliated by Helen White, his tone was now laced with suppressed anger.

Helen White sensed the shift in his emotions, but she couldn’t have cared less. "It’s not like I asked you to hold a spot for me. You’re the one being delusional, and now you’re trying to guilt-trip me?"

"Well then, I’m so sorry, but I have no morals. You can’t kidnap me."

’And what’s this nonsense about being fellow students? There are thousands of students at Lorcain U. Am I supposed to give face to all of them?’

’How laughable.’

"Well, let me tell you something. No one chosen by me, Owen Griffin, can refuse. You’ll join my team in the end, I guarantee it!"

"Huh?" Helen White couldn’t help but scoff. "Buddy, are you having a bout of eighth-grader syndrome? Watched too much Digimon? ’The chosen one’..."

’Go home and be your mom’s "chosen one"!’

’It’s hopeless, really. What in the world goes on inside the heads of these dumbass guys? How can anyone be this self-important?’

’Do they really think acting all high and mighty in front of women makes them look cool?’

’Compared to him, Ethan Sterling is practically a saint!’

"Believe it or not, that’s up to you. But I’ve made my stance clear today, and I will see it through."

"Oh, really?" Helen White snorted, giving Owen Griffin a look like he was a complete moron. "Well, that’s a real shame, because I can now officially inform you that your little power trip has failed."

"Because I’ve decided to join Ethan Sterling’s team!"

Those words alone made Owen Griffin’s expression change drastically. "What? Impossible! I’ve been keeping tabs on both of you. You never agreed."

"I did. Just now." Helen White gave a faint smile, took out her phone, and held down the voice message button. "Ethan, I’ve made up my mind. In order to stop being perpetually harassed by a certain ridiculously overconfident guy, I’m officially notifying you right now: I’ve decided to join your team!"

She released the button, and the voice message sent with a WHOOSH. Raising an eyebrow, she looked smugly at Owen Griffin’s ashen face. "Maybe Ethan Sterling will even thank you for this."

A second later, a voice message from Ethan came through. Helen White played it on speaker right in front of Owen Griffin. Ethan’s excited voice blared out, "Really? Well, thank that guy, then! Welcome aboard! I knew you’d come, but I never imagined this is how it would happen!"

He had just been spouting nonsense about Helen White possibly joining due to some "bizarre turn of events."

Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy!