chapter2241

On the drive back, Cecilia stopped to pick up Jon and Elliot.

Inside the elementary school, afternoon light spilled across the corridors.

Classes had just let out; children stuffed books into backpacks, eager to head home.

Felix, new to the school, expected the royal treatment he'd enjoyed in kindergarten. Instead, every kid clustered around Jon and Elliot.

Uneasy, he zipped his bag, spotted Dante waiting for the twins, strode over, and slammed a shoulder into him.

"A good dog should stay out of my way."

Dante frowned. "Who are you calling a dog?"

Felix tipped his chin. "Whoever answers." The smug look dared Dante to act.

Dante swallowed his temper; his family's business ties to Felix's clan chained his hands.

He clenched his fists and kept silent.

Seeing that, Felix grew even cockier. He stuck out his tongue. "Dante, I thought you'd do something. Turns out you're a barking dog that can't bite! Ha! You trail Jonathan and Elliot every day-why not fetch your masters and have them fight for you?"

His smart-aleck tone could have started a riot all by itself.

Sophie stood off to the side, eyes turning red with angry tears.

"Felix, you're way out of line," she said.

Felix, shocked that a girl dared call him out, shoved at her without a thought.

Dante's patience snapped the moment Felix laid hands on his desk partner.

Before Dante could swing, Felix wobbled and pitched face-first toward the pavement.

Behind him, Jonathan quietly set his foot back on the ground.

Felix hit hard and howled from the sting shooting up his limbs.

"Who-who kicked me?" he screeched.

Maybe he bullied people too often; nobody answered, and certainly nobody pointed at Jon.

"Dante, Sophie, let's head back," Elliot said, stepping right over Felix.

Dante grinned. "Sure."

Felix ground his teeth. "You three, stop right there!"

Not a soul obeyed.

The whole crowd watched him like he was the punch line to a bad joke.

Flat on his back and bawling, Felix still hollered after them.

Jon, Elliot, and the others gave him zero attention.

Most classmates disliked Felix already, so none bothered to help him up.

Left alone, he scrambled upright and hurried after them.

Chasing, he cursed Dante and Sophie nonstop, but he kept Jon and

snames out of it

TO

They were almost at the front gate, and Felix's mouth was still running.

Dante swallowed his temper, yet Jon and Elliot finally halted, unable to listen anymore.

Felix caught up and met four faces radiating fury.

He gulped, then demanded, "Which one of you kicked me?"

Jonathan stepped forward. "I did. Got a problem?"

Hearing that, Felix's bravado leaked away, though he tried to hide it.

"Jon, we're cousins. How can you side with outsiders instead of me?"

Jonathan let out a cold laugh. "Felix, ever heard what regular folks say?" "Say what?"

"First generation close, second I

so, by the third or fourth we're

strangers, Jonathan erincvel

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Felix blinked. "What does that even mean?"

Elliot cut in Bro, quit chatting with a dummy then told Felix, weren

told Felix, "He means

buddies