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Chapter 90
Jason was battled. He glanced out the window instinctively. “The sky wasn’t raining money, so what is there to celebrate?
Bewildered, he asked, “Mr. Woods, what’s the occasion?”
A thought crossed his mind. Maybe Mr. Woods wants to order a batch of furniture? Is he calling to butter me up for a discount? He considered it. ‘Well, I suppose that could work
Unaware of the strained relationship between Aurora and Jaxon, Calvin continued in a playful tone, “Come on, Mr. Crawford. You shouldn’t be so wrapped up in work that you miss big news about your own kid.”
Erik scored over 1450 on his SAT, placing him comfortably above average nationwide. It was more than enough to meet Merrida University’s requirements.
Merrida University had a solid national ranking, so Calvin could finally breathe a sigh of relief. His reputation wouldn’t take a hit after all.
When he first heard the score, he was shocked – pleasantly so. He’d always thought Erik was a lost cause, a failure he couldn’t prop up. He’d even considered buying a degree from some foreign college just to save face.
But to his surprise, Erik had quietly achieved this impressive score, far better than his previous attempts
“Mr. Crawford, my boy tells me he wouldn’t have even made it into community college if it wasn’t for Aurora” Calvin said over the phone, oblivious to how Jaxon’s face darkened at the mention of Aurora’s name. “You’ve done a fine job raising that girl, Mr. Crawford!”
He was still basking in the joy of Erik’s success, oblivious to Jaxon’s silence on the other end of the line. His face ached from smiling, but he couldn’t stop gushing. “Mr. Crawford, I heard Aurora topped STEM rankings at Mereida! That’s incredible news! We’ve got to celebrate. I’m throwing a party, and you both have to be there!”
Jaxon’s fist tightened at the news, his knuckles cracking. ‘Mereida’s top science student? Aurora is the top student?
He couldn’t help but shake his head. ‘How is this possible? She’d just arrived from the countryside. Getting into Mereida University would have been impressive enough, but becoming the top science student? Unbelievable!”
Meanwhile, Calvin continued to praise Aurora, oblivious to Jaxon’s reaction. He even threw in a few compliments for Jaxon. “Mr. Crawford, you’re a master at raising kids. Maura was already doing great at Mereida High School, but your long–lost daughter has surpassed even her! I could never manage that. Heck, if it weren’t for Aurora’s influence, my boy Erik would still be struggling to keep up!
“Anyway, I won’t keep you any longer. Just don’t forget about the graduation party at our place, alright?”
After hanging up, Jaxon stood frozen, phone still in hand, stunned by Calvin’s news.
‘How on earth did this happen?‘ he thought. It didn’t make sense.
Maura had never dropped out of the top ten at Mereida High School. He hadn’t even dared hope she’d be number one.
How on earth did Aurora, a small–town girl, outshine my meticulously groomed Maura? Then, a thought struck Jaxon. If he hadn’t fallen out with Aurora, he would be basking in Calvin’s praise right now.
As a newcomer to Mereida’s elite, Jaxon had poured his heart and soul into securing a foothold in high society. Hosting a party
for Aurora could have been his chance to ride the SAT success wave.
Just imagining it, he knew it would be quite a spectacle.
He might be able to rub elbows with those big shots who’d never given him the time of day before. After all, everyone had a
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kid or two in school, and good grades were the gold standard for judging the up–and–coming generation,
It was a shame he’d fallen out with Aurora recently. Looked like he’d be missing out on all that glory.
A faint sense of regret welled up in Jaxon’s heart. As he wallowed in his remorse, his phone rang again. It was an unknown
number.
The voice on the other end was calm and authoritative clearly someone used to power. “Mr. Crawford, this is Logan Cross, Jack’s father. My son’s been tutored by Aurora, and his SAT scores are impressive. I’m hosting a celebration for his graduation in two weeks. I’d love for you to swing by.”
After getting Jaxon’s response, he hung up abruptly without another word.
Unlike the chatty Calvin, Logan got straight to the point. It was as if he was simply notifying Jaxon, not asking for his input.
“Yes, yes, of course,” Jaxon stammered, barely containing his excitement once he realized who was on the line.
Logan was a big shot in Mereida. Having his support in business dealings could open countless doors. Even the Newton family from Jydratica knew better than to cross him.
The fact that Logan was calling Jaxon personally had him over the moon. Even though they were just on the phone, Jaxon found himself instinctively bowing in respect.
Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart, Jaxon made up his mind. He’d attend the Cross family’s graduation party come hell or high water.
There was just one problem – things were still tense with Aurora, He’d need to smooth things over with her first.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” Jaxon called out, quickly composing his expression and sitting up straight, ready for his secretary’s report.
The secretary placed two invitations on the desk. “Mr. Crawford, these are for the graduation parties of the Woods and Cross families.”
Jaxon picked up the invitations, barely containing his excitement while maintaining a calm exterior. Thank you. That’ll be
all.”
As he looked at the envelopes in his hands, a glint of calculation Bashed in Jaxon’s eyes.
He leaned back in his plush chair, silently plotting how to mend his relationship with Aurora,
Aurora had lost her mother at a young age. Since Victoria had entrusted the child to him, he was Aurora’s father.
Jaxon was confident that he and Aurora could mend their relationship. After all, they were father and daughter. He’d call Aurora later and ask her to move back home. There was no place like home sweet home.
Meanwhile, Aurora was flooded with calls from her former classmates in Class F, all inviting her to their graduation parties. She turned down every single one.
After past lifetimes‘ worth of social gatherings, none of which left her with fond memories, Aurora had no desire to attend anymore.
Most people took the hint after one rejection, but Margaret was relentless, refusing to take no for an answer,
Every time Aurora hung up, Margaret would call right back. This game of phone tag continued until Aurora finally lost her
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cool.
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The moment the phone buzzed again, Aurora swiftly picked it up and launched into a tirade without even checking who was calling. “How many times do I have to say no? Are you seriously that dense?
“If you spent half as much time hitting the books as you do harassing me, you wouldn’t have scored a measly 1350 on your SATS. You’d be heading to Jydratica with me!”
Sunrise Pharmaceuticals‘ new drug had reached clinical trials, and as the mastermind behind the formula, no one understood it better than Aurora.
She needed to be on standby to adjust dosages based on incoming data. There wasn’t a moment to spare.
With her days packed to the brim, wining and dining felt like a colossal waste of time.
After a brief silence, a rich, cello–like voice came through the phone. “Aurora, did you perhaps get the wrong number!”
