Chapter 368
The foreign language competition arrived sooner than expected.
To everyone’s surprise, Uriah showed up as well, looking more spirited than ever.
“I’m an old man now,” he chuckled, “but I’ve always loved watching kids. Now that I’m retired, any time the kindergarten has an event like this, I’m coming along for the fun.”
The moment Matty saw him, his face lit up. He darted straight into Uriah’s arms.
“Mr. Malcolm! You came too!”
Uriah grinned, ruffling Matty’s hair. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss your competition for anything. I’m here to cheer you on.”
There was something childlike in the old man’s nature that matched Matty’s energy perfectly. The two of them, despite their vast age difference, always seemed to get along effortlessly, like old friends who could play together all day.
Standing nearby, Xavier watched the scene unfold. His gaze softened, a subtle wave of something unreadable flickering in his
eyes.
As if sensing his look, Uriah glanced back at him. Their eyes met briefly. The old man offered a slight nod before returning his full attention to fussing over Matty.
Xavier’s gaze darkened a shade.
It was clear now. Uriah had figured him out.
But neither said a word about it. A quiet, mutual understanding lingered in the air-both aware, neither willing to name it aloud.
Xavier shifted his attention toward Sharon.
He’d heard Matty mention this “Mr. Malcolm” plenty of times, always assuming he was just some elderly man with exceptional medical skills. It wasn’t until their last meeting that he realized the truth-Uriah was the founder of the Malcolm Group itself.
Uriah had stayed out of the spotlight for decades. Most people in the business world barely remembered his name. Xavier only recognized him by sheer coincidence.
It stunned him that Sharon, seemingly by accident, had become close to someone so formidable.
His gaze flickered as another thought crossed his mind. That childhood friend of hers-John Westin-his background seemed… complicated as well.
And then there was Wendy, always hovering at Sharon’s side. No clear history yet, but something told him she wasn’t as simple as she appeared either.
Xavier stood there, quietly watching the three-Sharon, Matty, Uriah-chatting and laughing together.
His eyes, as deep as night, softened with a faint, almost imperceptible haze.
Sharon was anything but ordinary. And the people drawn to her were just the same.
Then-right on cue-a jarring, nasal voice cut through the air.
“Tsk, Xavier, you’re really something, huh?” Nate’s voice oozed mockery. “The head of the Cooper family, and this is who you find to help raise your kid? If you wanted a babysitter, there are plenty of heiresses lined up. But no… you picked some uneducated nobody.”
He sneered, eyes sliding toward Sharon’s little circle. “Look at her. Her so-called friends? Either meatheads with no brains or wrinkly old men. Pathetic. You’ve got them cheering for your son, and you don’t even feel embarrassed?”
Chapter 368
The laughter, the warmth in the air snapped. Gone.
Silence.
Everyone turned to look at him.
There was no anger or shouting. Just cold, flat stares. As if they’d just stepped in something foul on the sidewalk. Something, that didn’t even deserve the effort of disgust-just a sidestep and a shake of the shoe.
Wendy didn’t even bother sparring with him this time. Once upon a time, she might’ve fired back with sharp words. Now? Not worth the breath.
She barely spared him a glance, like looking too long might actually lower her 10.
Wendy sniffed. “Sharon, it smells like crap here. Let’s move inside.”
Sharon smiled, gently took Matty’s hand, and nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.”
Not a single one of them spared Nate another look. They turned, left, just like that.
Nate’s face darkened, lips curling into a cruel sneer.
“Go on, Sharon. Enjoy it while you can. In a bit, I’ll make sure you embarrass yourself in front of everyone.”
Once they were far enough, Wendy glanced back over her shoulder, then muttered under her breath, “Is it just me… or is Nate actually brain-damaged? 1
“I mean, seriously. How many times has he lost to you now, Sharon? And the man still doesn’t learn. What is this, some kind of masochism? Gets beat down, comes back for more?”
She scoffed. “After last time, Hendricks Group’s market cap evaporated by the hundreds of millions. If it weren’t for his dad and Carter scrambling for emergency PR, they’d be halfway to bankruptcy by now.”
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