Shirley was slightly taken aback. She had heard Claire's maternal grandfather's family lived in Cabinda, but she hadn't expected them to look like this.
She whispered to Claire, "Our grandfather looks filthy rich."
"You think? He's the wealthiest man in the country," Claire replied deadpan.
Shirley thought Claire was just exaggerating and brushed it off.
Wealthy, sure, but the richest man in the country? Highly unlikely.
Shirley considered herself fairly well-connected in Apex, but her real focus was on the stunning men flanking the older gentleman.
"What about the one in the floral shirt? Who's he?"
"My cousin." Seeing the gleam in Shirley's eyes, Claire instantly read her mind.
Was this girl actually setting her sights on Owen?
That was a dead end. Owen was a seasoned playboy who had dated his way through high society; he'd never look twice at a naive girl like her.
Of the three Churchill brothers, Norris, the eldest, was famously indifferent to romance. Phil, the second brother, treated his career as his true love and money as his mistress.
Only Owen cycled through girlfriends like the seasons, entirely incapable of settling down.
"What about the other one? Don't tell me he's your cousin too?" Shirley gestured toward Norris with her eyes.
"Yep, my oldest cousin."
Shirley beamed. "Claire, have you ever considered letting me join the family?"
She rarely used Claire's name with such honeyed sweetness; her motives were blatantly obvious.
Claire rolled her eyes. "Not a chance. Hard pass."
Shirley's personality was a terrible match for any of the Churchill brothers.
She simply couldn't handle their world.
She was way too innocent.
"Wait, your oldest cousin looks incredibly familiar. I swear I've seen him somewhere before."
Shirley stroked her chin, deep in thought.
"You probably have. He's the math professor from The Cabinda University who coached my competition prep."
"He was also our team leader during the tournament."
Realization dawned on Shirley's face. "I knew I recognized him! Isn't he the guy who
got ambushed with a confession from a female reporter at the airport?"
"I saw that interview. Everyone was saying it was such a shame for the reporter falling for an tey, untouchable god like him. Utterly hopeless."
Claire nodded.
That summed it up perfectly.
Claire had never once heard Norris utter Fannie's name.
Her aunt, however, had mentioned the girl once, praising her sheer courage and determination.
While Claire and Shirley were chatting, Pandora personally escorted the Churchill patriarch to the head table.
Padgett kept a low profile. Barely anyone in the room recognized him, which made him feel much more at ease.
The teachers simply assumed he was a distant relative and paid him no mind.
Karla and Oakley arrived separately to avoid drawing attention.
Oakley, in particular, was terrified of being mobbed by fans.
That was why he showed up late.
Slipping into the room, he quietly took an empty seat.
He happened to sit at a table full of doctors, none of whom recognized the mega-
star.
At most, they noted that the young man was exceptionally good-looking.
Even Abbott was at that table, and their conversation revolved entirely around complex medical cases and patient histories.
Oakley?
He couldn't understand a single
word they were saying, but he
silently decided
decided
veryone at his t
table
was an absolute genius. .net>
Only Shirley kept stealing glances toward their table during the meal.
When Oakley casually glanced up, she finally got a clear look at his face.
It was her ultimate idol!
Shirley's heart hammered in wild ecstasy, but she knew she couldn't lose her mind at Claire's gala.
She squeezed Sophia's arm so hard she nearly left bruises.
Sophia used every ounce of willpower not to punch her.
"Shirley, don't tell me you're still obsessing over men while we're eating
is the food here,
s the food here not enough
to keep your mouth shut?" Content"
The cuisine at Hearth & Kettle was phenomenal, flawless in presentation, aroma,
and taste.
Sophia was eating so much she wished she had a second stomach.