Zoe Shaw rubbed her temples, nursing a headache. This was going to be a bit tricky. Since the Ford family didn’t believe she was Penney, who could she find to cover for her?
Just then, someone pushed the door open, interrupting her train of thought.
Taking advantage of Cyrus Ford’s absence, Claire Lockwood had marched over specifically to confront her. "Zoe Shaw, didn’t you leave? What are you doing back here now? What kind of game are you playing?"
Cyrus had already left Zoe feeling completely exasperated; she was in no mood to argue with Claire. However, Claire aggressively pressed on, hurling various accusations at her.
"So, you regret it now and want to cling to Cyrus again, is that it? I’m warning you, don’t even think about it!"
Thinking of Cyrus, Zoe felt her short fuse ignite at Claire’s words. She let out a cold laugh and deliberately sneered, "I’m just using you, you idiot."
Back in the day, Zoe had been simple-minded and wholeheartedly devoted to her relationship—until Claire sought her out and declared:
"Let me introduce myself. I am Cyrus’s childhood sweetheart and his fiancée, Claire Lockwood.
"I heard you’re dating him? That’s fine. No matter which wealthy family a young master belongs to, he is bound to have a few wild flings in his youth.
"I don’t care how many women he messes around with on the side. I just want to advise you that Cyrus will ultimately only marry me. Don’t get too attached to him. When you end up hurt, don’t blame me for not warning you."
Claire had been arrogant and aloof, her eyes brimming with icy mockery toward Zoe. Zoe’s blood had boiled, her pride flaring up. She was the dignified eldest daughter of the Shaw Group; how could she be belittled like this? She had treated Claire like a formidable enemy.
But looking at her now, Claire was nothing more than an ant brandishing its claws—weak, utterly foolish, and simply not worth her time.
Hearing Zoe’s sarcastic admission, Claire trembled with rage. Her words caught in her throat, and she stormed off with her teeth clenched.
Of course, the real reason Claire left so abruptly was because she had grown suspicious. She had heard that when Zoe sneaked out this time, she had also spirited Jonathan Shaw away. Claire’s eyelids twitched wildly; she couldn’t shake off a deep sense of foreboding. New chapters come out on NovelPing first.
Unable to wait another second, she hurried to find Cyrus.
Fortunately, Cyrus was still in the study. Claire put on a radiant smile. Feigning concern, her voice dripped with its usual sugary sweetness. "Cyrus, you work so hard. You’re still busy even after coming home."
Cyrus acted as if he hadn’t heard a word, keeping his head down as he worked. Left hanging, Claire didn’t seem to mind. She was already accustomed to his cold attitude.
After a moment, she leaned in and probed tentatively, "Your son has been at the Ford family home for several days now, but there hasn’t been much news. Have you found the boy’s mother yet?"
Cyrus’s expression remained stern. "No."
Hearing this, Claire breathed a quiet sigh of relief and plastered the smile back onto her face.
"I see Jonathan has been going to school lately, and I wonder if he’s able to keep up with the curriculum. Why don’t I be his tutor? We’re all living under the same roof anyway, so it would be convenient. What do you think, Cyrus?
"We know each other well, which saves us the trouble of finding an outsider later on. Cyrus, I genuinely want what’s best for the child."
Cyrus slightly raised his eyes. He seemed to be considering it but didn’t respond.
Having already made up her mind, Claire continued pitching herself. "Cyrus, you know I have a high aptitude for painting—I’m already at the level of an international master. Besides that, I’m well-versed in music, chess, and calligraphy. I believe my professional skills are more than enough to teach a child."
Just as Claire was lobbying Cyrus, a knock sounded at the door. Elaine Carter had just come out of Faye Ford’s room when she heard from the servants that Claire had hurried to Cyrus’s study not long ago, so she followed her over. After all, regarding the incident where they let Zoe go during the day, Elaine was worried that Claire might accidentally spill the beans in front of Cyrus.
Little did she expect what she would walk into. As soon as Elaine entered, she overheard Claire talking about becoming Jonathan’s tutor. Elaine’s eyes narrowed slightly as she calculated something in her mind. For once, she actually agreed with Claire’s idea.
"She’s right, Cyrus. This child is a descendant of the Ford family, after all, and you know the rules. He ought to learn various skills from a young age. Besides, he isn’t that little anymore. If he starts catching up now, it won’t be too late." Elaine leveraged Jonathan’s age and appealed to the strict schedules Cyrus had followed in his own childhood to persuade him.
Cyrus furrowed his brows in deep thought. He recalled the carefree image of Jonathan chasing after the butler earlier. They had a point. Jonathan had been playing around non-stop lately; he was indeed too mischievous. Now that he was back with the Ford family, it was time for him to pick up his studies again. He couldn’t allow Zoe to keep spoiling the boy.
Elaine’s words were, of course, entirely insincere. She wished for nothing more than for Cyrus’s son to be a useless good-for-nothing. But since Jonathan had returned and was threatening Faye Ford’s position, Elaine needed to keep the boy firmly under her control.
A trace of coldness flashed through Cyrus’s deep, dark eyes. "In that case, you will temporarily serve as Jonathan’s tutor."
Joy washed over Claire’s face, revealing a triumphant smile as she made repeated promises. "Okay, Cyrus, don’t worry. I definitely won’t let you down." She smugly wondered how that disobedient little brat would ever escape the palm of her hand now.
"I won’t disturb your work any longer then, Cyrus." Hiding the malice in her eyes, Claire turned and left the room.
After wandering around the house, she finally found Jonathan in the living room. Claire stepped in front of Jonathan, forcing a gentle and amicable smile, her voice still sickeningly sweet.
"Jonathan, I have great news for you. From now on, I’m going to be your tutor, and I’ll be teaching you how to paint."
"Huh?" Jonathan froze for a second. When the meaning of Claire’s words finally registered, he almost threw up his breakfast. His face stiffened, his big round eyes filled with disbelief. He suddenly jumped to his feet. "Oh, excuse me, I suddenly need to use the bathroom."
Claire blinked and actually followed him, waiting right outside the door. "Alright, but be quick. I still need to draw up your study plan in a bit."
Jonathan pouted, locked the door with a loud CLICK, and retreated inside. A second later, looking utterly devastated, he pulled out his phone, crouched in the corner by the sink, and dialed Rory Shaw’s number.
As soon as the call connected, Jonathan cried out loudly, "WAAAH! It’s over, Rory! Do you know what happened? That stupid woman is actually going to be my tutor and teach me how to paint!"
Upon receiving Jonathan’s call, Rory’s eyes flickered. Seeming to deliberately avoid Zachary Morgan, she had specifically found a secluded spot to answer.
"Shh! Jonathan, keep your voice down! I just tricked Mr. Morgan into coming back to the country. If he hears us, we’ll be completely doomed."