Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Nicholas was speechless, thinking, ‘What did I do to deserve this? I’ve been quietly eating my meal.‘ Then he set down his fork.
The eight men all stared at Nicholas, their glares practically screaming “get lost.” The tension in the room was palpable.
Patrick raised an eyebrow and asked, “Mr. Baxter, you have something urgent to deal with, so you’ll have to leave now, right?” He was practically forcing Nicholas to leave.
Nicholas grabbed a napkin and replied, “Uh, yeah, actually, I do have something to take care of.” He wasn’t stupid—he could tell they were trying to get rid of him. He looked up at Sharon sitting between her brothers.
Sharon looked quiet and well–behaved, but her eyes occasionally revealed an expression that didn’t quite match her innocent appearance. This made Nicholas more and more curious about her.
Sharon noticed his gaze and looked over. She thought, ‘My fiancé is handsome and charismatic–just standing there, he’s already a sight to behold. His looks are my type. I guess having such a fiancé isn’t bad at all–at least, he’s easy on the eye.’
She smiled slightly. “Alright, see you.”
Her eight brothers immediately got jealous and thought, “See you? Maybe it’s better if we never see him again.”
Nicholas nodded slightly and turned to leave the private room.
Once he was gone, the atmosphere in the room lightened up. The eight handsome men, who had an intimidating aura, were suddenly brimming with endless enthusiasm.
“I can’t believe our little sister is the famous Master Skyler. She’s just as amazing as I am, huh?” said Marvin.
“Marvin, you’re unemployed–do you have any shame? She can be like anyone, just not like you,” one of his brothers said.
Marvin, a playboy, protested, “Hey, I’ve been working hard to turn over a new leaf, okay?” ‘Could they stop bringing up my past already? Who doesn’t have a few skeletons in their closet?‘ he thought.
Julian suddenly spoke up. “So, Shari, you’re into carving?”
None of the eight brothers had any talent for it.
“I used to carve wood for fun, but later I switched to stone. It’s a good way to pass the time,” Sharon replied casually. Then her gaze flickered slightly.
Of course, that wasn’t the real reason. She had studied gemstone carving and jewelry design because she and others were trying to enter the jewelry
market.
As the boss, she felt obligated to put in the effort, although she couldn’t even remember how many businesses she owned, which was why the mishap with the Atlantis Hotel happened.
She couldn’t help but think, ‘Will my brothers get suspicious? How am I supposed to explain this? Ugh, getting exposed is so annoying.’
Richard burst out laughing. “I’m so proud of you, Shari. You are so talented and smart. Just thinking about how those people outside got completely humiliated is so satisfying.”
The other men eagerly chimed in, showering Sharon with praise.
And of course, this incident quickly spread. This was another rumor about Sharon, after the one about her using the Queen’s Hall at the Atlantis Hotel, and it was more shocking than the last.
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People were stunned to learn that the famous lapidarist was a young woman. Given the timing of Skyler’s rise to fame, Sharon must have been in her early teens when she created her first masterpiece. She was a true genius.
Wayne and his family had always painted Sharon as a country bumpkin, claiming she was wild, unruly, and even disrespectful to her grandmother. But she was nothing like what they said.
The most unbearable thing was that Sharon’s eight brothers walked around like they owned the world, and their favorite phrase was now the same.
Whenever they met someone, they’d say, “Have
you
eard of Master Skyler? That’s my little sister. Isn’t she smart?”
If the person didn’t compliment Sharon, they’d smile and add, “Oh, I get it. You’re just jealous. After all, you’re not lucky enough to have a sister as smart as mine. Am I right?”
Those people were furious with the Vance brothers‘ smugness and wished they would tone it down for once, just to have some peace.
It seemed the Vance brothers weren’t satisfied with all the recent attention they’d received–between Sharon’s bounty, her coming–of–age party in the Queen’s Hall at the Atlantis Hotel, and the shocking revelation that the famous Master Skyler was their sister.
Because of Sharon, many wealthy families began to set their sights on having daughters. Their sons were useless, so they hoped to have a cute daughter who might grow up to be as brilliant as Sharon.
Meanwhile, the relationship between some siblings suddenly became particularly strained.
The younger sister complained, “Sharon’s brothers always praise her. All you do is put me down.”
The older brother rolled his eyes. “That’s because Sharon is impressive. If you were as good as her, I’d smother you with praise.”
Comparison sometimes could lead to intense frustration.
Things were especially tense for Wayne and his family.
No one in his family wanted to believe that Sharon, whom they considered a country bumpkin, was Master Skyler. They refused to accept it.
Wayne looked worn out. He needed to find a way to fix the situation quickly, or the safety of his family would be at risk. The Pierce family had already sent word, saying they needed their high–ranking martial artists back soon.
In Baxter Estate, when Edward heard the news, he was overjoyed. “I’m so glad I arranged for this engagement. Shari is the best.”
Arnold remained indifferent. He looked at his son and asked, “What do you think?” He was increasingly convinced that Sharon was no ordinary person. Ever since she appeared, Wayne and his family had faced endless difficulties.
Nicholas slowly said, “She’s very smart.”
“Have you never doubted her?” asked Arnold, surprised that his son, usually so sharp, had suddenly acted like a fool.
“Why would I doubt her? Being low–key yet outstanding isn’t her fault,” Nicholas responded. He was being protective of Sharon.
Arnold gritted his teeth in irritation as he complained inwardly, ‘It’s obvious that Nick’s heart has been stolen by that young lady. Ah, sons–when they grow up, they stop listening to their fathers.‘
“Honey, what are you talking about? Why should Nick doubt Shari? Shari’s a good girl. She grew up in a different place and kept her abilities hidden to avoid danger. That was a wise move, especially when the Crawford family couldn’t protect her back then,” Wendy chimed in with a smile.
Then she turned to Nicholas. “Did you have a good talk with Shari after I left that day?”
Nicholas paused. He hadn’t stayed long enough to have a proper conversation. This was a tough question, and he didn’t want to answer it.
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Chapter 55
Wendy sighed. “Shari’s coming–of–age party is in a few days. You have to make a good impression. Your gift has to stand out. Got it?”
Edward turned to Nicholas. “Nick, what are you planning to give her?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” Nicholas replied. He had never given a girl a gift before.
Edward snorted, disappointed in his grandson.
Three days later, at the Atlantis Hotel, a grand coming–of–age party was being held.
From early morning, luxury cars kept pulling up outside the hotel, as guests from distant places checked in for their stay.
The streets surrounding the Atlantis Hotel had been closed off in advance. Only those with invitations could enter.
But outside the hotel, an argument broke out.
Seated in her wheelchair, Roxanne pointed her finger at the general manager of the hotel and snapped, “Do you know who I am? How dare you stop me from entering!”
“I’m sorry, but you need an invitation to enter,” the general manager replied, calm and unyielding.
Roxanne’s expression darkened. She and her family didn’t have an invitation. Sharon had sent out a ton of invitations, but they weren’t invited.
“Ms. Sharon Vance is here!” someone suddenly announced.
Eight luxury cars pulled up and lined up neatly outside the hotel. All of them were custom–made, limited–edition Rolls–Royce–the epitome of luxury and extravagance.
