Chapter 249 - 248: Gigi Grant

Yvonne Lowell lay on the large bed in her master bedroom, staring blankly at the ceiling.

It was true what they said: happiness never disappears, it just gets transferred.

In just a few short hours, she had become the one who was completely spent and out of tricks.

Ms. Sutton hadn’t said a single harsh word, nor had she lectured her as an elder or a mother.

Instead, she approached her as an equal, logically and reasonably discussing everything from physical health to personal safety for women, and finally, she even brought up the law against underage drinking.

She appealed to both reason and emotion.

It was the kind of talk that would make her wake up in the middle of the night, wanting to slap herself silly and curse her past self for being so infuriatingly reckless.

Ms. Sutton’s gentle blade was truly lethal with every strike.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Come in," Yvonne said listlessly.

Leo Grant pushed the door open, chuckling at the sight of Yvonne sprawled out on the bed like a boneless fish.

He went over, scooped her up, and held her in his arms. "Still moping?"

"Hmph. A certain someone wasn’t exactly on my side earlier, were they?" Yvonne shot him a sidelong glance.

"When Dad was yelling at me, you made yourself scarce. When Mom was yelling at me, you ganged up on me with her. And now you actually expect me to still love you? You sure know how to look out for number one, don’t you?"

Leo’s expression faltered for a barely perceptible moment. ’How did I never notice this little spitfire had the potential to be a rapper?’

’Was she for real, dropping fast verses and a punchline just like that?’

"Think about it. Since we got together, how have Uncle Lowell and Aunt Sutton treated me, respectively?" Leo asked gently.

"My dad gives you the cold shoulder, and my mom treats you like her own son. What else is there to say?" Yvonne rolled her eyes, annoyed.

"So, doesn’t that mean I have to be extra careful around Uncle Lowell, and also work hard to stay in Aunt Sutton’s good graces?" Leo continued, patiently leading her on.

"Well, you’re not wrong... but why bring this up all of a sudden?"

Yvonne looked at him suspiciously. ’Is he just trying to change the subject to avoid getting an earful?’

"So, what I did just now also makes perfect sense, right? Being cautious with Uncle Lowell, and trying my best to please Aunt Sutton. It lines up perfectly. No issues there."

"That does make... my ass! Grant, you’ve learned how to set traps for me now, have you?!"

Yvonne jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. ’You scheming jerk!’

"Oww," Leo hissed dramatically. "That one definitely shifted at least two of my internal organs. It’s not getting any better without eight hundred kisses." He pulled her into his arms as they both tumbled onto the bed.

"Stop being so dramatic. I barely used any force. What are you, Diana Grant?"

Leo nuzzled against her neck, planting a few soft kisses there. His voice was a little lazy.

"I can’t help it. I have to sleep alone for the next few days. It’s hard not to become all frail and delicate. I have to get fully charged up before I can be back at full health."

He originally thought he’d get to share the master bedroom, but Yvonne’s two brothers dragged him away to pick his own room.

As soon as he picked one, they moved into the rooms on either side of him, acting like a pair of door gods.

He’d planned to wait for them to fall asleep and then sneak upstairs, but when he so much as cracked his door open, he surprisingly heard three doors opening at once.

He had no choice but to pretend he was going downstairs for a glass of water, and he ended up with two shadows tagging along. The three of them actually managed to finish an entire pitcher of lemonade before they all went back to their respective rooms.

God only knows how he survived last night. Not only could he not sleep, but he also had to pee constantly. At one point in the middle of the night, he was even tempted to use a Flying Tiger Claw to just climb in through her window.

Yvonne’s lips curled into a playful smirk. "Gigi Grant."

"Mm-hmm, Gigi is here."

Leo stayed in her room until Yvonne’s brothers came knocking on the door, forcing him to leave. Only then did Yvonne belatedly realize something. ’Did he just distract me so I’d forget to settle the score with him?’

’Damn it! So easily swayed by a handsome face!’

...

Although it was pretty much a done deal that Yancy Lowell would be studying under Professor Spencer, they still had to go through the official process. The formal announcement wouldn’t be made for another week.

So, the group decided to stay in Country M for a few more days to do some sightseeing before heading back with the official results.

First stop: the Pluto Consortium headquarters.

(After all, they had all been to Country M before, for both business and pleasure. So aside from Pluto and Loster, they didn’t think anywhere else was particularly worth visiting.)

When they arrived at the Pluto building, Iris Chase was waiting alone at the entrance.

Yvonne breathed an inward sigh of relief. Thank goodness Zachary Jacobs wasn’t there. Otherwise, he would have definitely pulled some over-the-top stunt like banging gongs, beating drums, and unfurling banners.

"Boss~" Iris Chase chirped, her eyes sparkling. She drew out the word with theatrical flair.

Yvonne rolled her eyes, unamused. "Be normal, or I’m finding a new guide."

"Don’t do that!" Iris snapped to attention, not forgetting to clear her throat.

"Esteemed family of the boss, this way, please. I am your professional tour guide for the day, Iris Chase, and I will be leading you on a tour of the Pluto headquarters."

"Cut the crap and let’s get a move on," Yvonne urged.

’Save me... My toes were curling in my shoes from the secondhand embarrassment.’

Yvonne had only called Iris over to get a free tour guide while she herself went to the top floor to chill out.

But she couldn’t refuse Ms. Sutton, who wanted her to come along, so she had no choice but to tag along miserably.

The tour alone took up their entire morning.

They went straight to the restaurant for lunch before heading up to the chairman’s office on the top floor to relax.

Iris, ever perceptive, excused herself. Besides, she had a whole morning’s worth of work piled up. It was obviously impossible to count on her boss in there for help, so she could only head back to her desk to work overtime. *Sob sob sob.*

Caleb Lowell stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing at the forest of skyscrapers in the distance and the sprawling cityscape of the country below. He spoke up out of the blue.

"Nola, at the very beginning, you three must have faced a lot of difficulties, right?"

The office suddenly fell silent. They had just finished touring the entire Pluto headquarters, and it was no exaggeration to say that it was larger than The Lowell Group and The Grants combined, with a much wider range of business.

And that wasn’t even mentioning that Pluto, as the world’s top consortium, had branches in numerous countries and regions.

And yet these three, who were barely more than kids at the time, had managed to secure full ownership. The process had undoubtedly been far more arduous than any story they had ever been told.

Yvonne was taken aback for a second, then gave a carefree smile.

"Yeah, a ton of them. But I don’t think it’s a big deal. After all, I’ve already endured a lifetime’s worth of hardship. I mean, look around. How many people can say they retired at eighteen? I’m very proud of myself."

Setbacks are inevitable when you’re starting a business. We hit dead ends everywhere we turned, got taken advantage of, made enemies... even failure was just part of the routine.

She didn’t see any reason to hide it. It wasn’t like she was playing the victim; she was just stating the facts.

The three of them went through hell and back to achieve what they have today, to be able to meet at the summit.

So everything she possessed now was something she, Yvonne Lowell, had earned.