Free Web NovelChapter 31: Chapter 31: Chairman Rhodes, You Must Be Strong
Yuna Rhodes’s tone was gentle, and she acted as if she and Chloe Sinclair were old friends.
This led Mr. Sinclair to believe the two were on good terms, which put him in an awkward position.
After all, he wasn’t on good terms with the Rhodes Family, yet his own daughter seemed to get along so well with theirs. In any case, he couldn’t do anything to upset Chloe.
So, a warm smile spread across his face. He looked at Yuna Rhodes with an expression of fatherly affection. "Chloe, since you two know each other, why don’t you and Yuna go have a look around?"
Chloe Sinclair was all smiles. Without even glancing at the Rhodess, she said, "Dad, Miss Rhodes and I don’t actually know each other."
Yuna Rhodes’s expression stiffened. Realizing something was amiss, Mr. Rhodes quickly tried to laugh it off. "Director Sinclair, I heard the mid-term grades are out. Your daughter must have done quite well, hmm?"
Mr. Rhodes still had a smile on his face, but the contempt in his eyes betrayed him.
"Sigh. Our Yuna’s grades were excellent in middle school, or else she never would have gotten into Kennet First High School. But ever since she started high school, I don’t know what’s happened... her grades just keep getting worse."
A muscle in Mr. Sinclair’s jaw twitched. Just as he was about to cut him off, the phone in his pocket suddenly rang.
He took out his phone and glanced at the screen. It was a call from Chloe’s homeroom teacher.
Mr. Sinclair frowned and said coolly to Mr. Rhodes, "Pardon me, I have to take this."
With that, he turned away and began speaking in a low voice.
Mr. Rhodes couldn’t hear clearly, but he still wore a disdainful expression.
Everyone in high society knew the Sinclair’s daughter was a dunce. He was only saying all this to feel superior to Quentin Sinclair.
After all, it was common knowledge that Chloe’s grades were terrible.
But he didn’t dare to anger Mr. Sinclair outright. He reached out to pat him consolingly on the shoulder, but just then Mr. Sinclair turned away, leaving his hand hanging in the air.
Feeling snubbed, Mr. Rhodes scoffed internally, but his face still wore a gentle smile. "Director Sinclair, poor grades are nothing to worry about. After all, there’s more than one path to success, wouldn’t you agree?"
Mr. Sinclair said nothing, still on his call.
Mr. Rhodes, however, remained unfazed.
"What?!"
Suddenly, Mr. Sinclair gripped his phone tightly, his voice shooting up several octaves. The man who was always so confident and commanding in the business world actually sounded flustered for a moment.
He was standing in the middle of a crowd, surrounded by famous and wealthy business people milling about.
So, when he cried out, quite a few people stopped in their tracks, casting curious glances to see what was happening.
A wave of panic, the likes of which she’d never felt before, washed over Yuna Rhodes. She said hurriedly, "Dad, it’s too crowded here. Let’s go sit down over there."
Mr. Rhodes shot Yuna a glare that frightened her into silence.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sinclair looked incredibly excited, an irrepressible smile spreading across his face. "Mr. Stern, are you saying my Chloe ranked first in the entire grade? Is that right?"
"Yes. Chloe has made huge progress this time. Her problem-solving methods on some of the questions stunned even her teachers. I was wondering, did you hire a private tutor for her?" freeweɓnovel.cѳm
Mr. Sinclair had put the call on speakerphone, so everyone nearby heard it loud and clear.
Noticing the shifting expressions of those around him, Mr. Sinclair’s eyes filled with pride. "Oh, no private tutor," he said. "Her second brother just helped her study for a bit. But the main reason is that my girl is a hard worker."
On the other end of the line, Kyle Stern couldn’t help but feel a thick undercurrent of showing off in Chloe’s father’s words.
After a moment of silence, he said, "Well, please congratulate Chloe for me. By the way, there’s a parent-teacher conference next Friday. I hope you’ll be able to attend if you’re free."
Mr. Sinclair’s eyes lit up, and he quickly agreed. "I’m free. I’ll definitely be there."
After hanging up, Mr. Sinclair turned around. Though only a few minutes had passed, he looked ten years younger.
He looked at Mr. Rhodes and, recalling the man’s earlier taunts, suddenly walked right up to him. He reached out, patted him on the shoulder, and said with the utmost gravity, "Chairman Rhodes, you must stay strong!"
Before Mr. Rhodes could even react, he heard the man continue, spouting utter nonsense with a completely straight face. "After all, there’s more than one path to success. Am I right?"
