Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO

Chapter 1067: Chapter 743: Grand Finale [14] Flaw

The day before the high school entrance exam.

The night before, Oliver Scott agreed with Nora Scott that he would return in the afternoon, and Nora asked Butler Loxley to prepare a few good dishes.

—After all, she didn’t believe Alma Ferreira would take good care of Oliver Scott.

She couldn’t let her... oh no, let Butler Loxley who had taken care of Oliver for a few months, be mistreated before the high school entrance exam.

Yet, until nightfall, when Nora Scott came out of the study, she glanced around but didn’t see a sign of Oliver.

"Where’s Oliver?" Nora asked.

At this moment, Pedro Langley, who just got home from work, heard and slightly raised his eyebrows, while changing his shoes and feeling jealous: "Don’t you ask about me, just about him?"

"..."

Nora ignored him and turned to Marcus Shaw.

"Not back yet." Marcus took out his phone, "He messaged me at two in the afternoon, saying he’d return a bit later."

Nora frowned, "Ask him."

"Alright."

Marcus nodded, pulled up Oliver Scott’s WeChat, and made a call.

But he called twice, and no one answered.

Marcus glanced at Nora and reported truthfully, "No answer."

"No answer?"

Nora furrowed her brows.

"Something happened?" Pedro had changed his shoes and washed his hands, then walked over.

"You can’t expect ivory from a dog’s mouth." Nora glared warningly at him.

Pedro cleared his throat and quickly corrected himself: "Probably the phone’s not with him."

Nora paid him no mind and directly instructed Marcus, "Let’s wait a bit. If he still doesn’t respond, find out Alma’s address and directly go pick him up."

"Okay."

Marcus agreed.

The day before the high school entrance exam, they were indeed worried something might happen.

Even if Oliver had a fight with Alma and got a finger injured, it would affect his exam.

—After all, Oliver is quite delicate.

Seeing this, Pedro said nothing further, shook his head, and told Butler Loxley not to rush to serve the dishes, to wait until they had news of Oliver.

Butler Loxley understood and returned to the kitchen.

Half an hour later.

Nora had picked up the phone to call Biel Hall, but before it connected, Marcus said Oliver had sent a message.

"He said Alma was so desperate when she heard he was leaving, pleading for him to stay. She promised to personally send him to the test venue tomorrow." Marcus explained the situation to Nora, based on Oliver’s WeChat message.

Nora asked, "Did he agree?"

Marcus replied, "Seems like it."

"..."

Nora wrinkled her brow, feeling a sense of dissonance, but couldn’t pinpoint the reason.

She thought about it, couldn’t reach a conclusion, and then sought advice from Pedro, "You’re the strategist, analyze it."

"Hard to analyze, given we don’t know the specifics of Alma and his situation." Pedro walked over slowly, after a moment’s thought, said, "If Alma was desperately pleading for him to stay, with his temperament, he might indeed stay. Based on Alma’s attitude towards Oliver’s grades a year ago, she should also want him to perform well and get city-wide recognition."

"So?" Nora glanced at him sideways.

"There’s also another possibility." Pedro paused, "That is, Alma would rather Oliver not take the exam than let him escape her control."

"..."

Nora lowered her head in thought.

Pedro chuckled, ruffled her hair, "Let’s not think too much about it now. Stay cautious and keep in contact with him tonight, and confirm his situation in the morning. If it’s really the second scenario, we’ll prepare in advance. If he’s safe to take the exam, we’ll bring him back immediately after he finishes."

"Alright."

After weighing the options, Nora nodded in agreement.

Seeing that the two of them had reached a consensus, Marcus simply took on the task of contacting Oliver, saying nothing more, and let them decide.

After all, it was for the high school entrance exam they’d prepared for over three years. Although Nora didn’t hold her own entrance exam in high regard, she was concerned about both Marcus and Oliver, so that night, after repeatedly confirming Marcus was in touch with Oliver and everything seemed normal on his end, she was finally at ease.

She instructed Marcus to go to bed early.

Yet—

She found herself a bit sleepless.

"What are you thinking about?"

Pedro, embracing the restless Nora from behind, nuzzled against her neck, his voice carrying a hint of sleepiness.

"Thinking about the future," Nora turned to face him and nestled into his arms, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, "Raising a child, does it take a lot of effort?"

"Never raised one, wouldn’t know."

"Hm."

It’s easy to say now; you’ll see when the time comes.

—After all, the father is already starting to study parenting books.

The two of them didn’t speak for a long time.

Finally, Pedro’s voice suddenly sounded more awake, "You’re worried about managing control as a mother. Being too lenient might turn the child into the next Marcus, lacking motherly love; being too attentive might pressure the child into becoming the next Oliver."

"..." Nora felt a bit embarrassed but couldn’t deny it, "There are precedents after all."

Marcus Shaw and Oliver Scott are indeed outstanding.

However, beneath their excellence lies a suffocating past.

Neither Evelyn Easton nor Alma Ferreira make for competent mothers.

"You don’t need to worry too much." Pedro Langley smiled.

"Hmm?"

"Your grandfather raised you. You carry his legacy." Pedro paused, then added, "And here, don’t we also have Loughton and Butler Loxley?"

"..."

Thinking of Antonio Easton, Nora Scott slowly exhaled and suddenly felt relieved.

It seems, it’s not wrong at all.

With a few words from Pedro, Nora’s mind was put at ease, and she fell asleep in his arms peacefully.

...

The next day.

Nora Scott woke up at dawn and also woke up the still-sleeping Pedro Langley.

Pedro, drowsy-eyed, picked up the alarm clock by the bed, glanced at it, and was both amused and exasperated, "It’s only five o’clock."

"Shouldn’t I get up early to prepare?" Nora asked confidently.

This startled Pedro, "Prepare for what?"

"Prepare my mood."

"..." There was no way to refute that.

Pressing Nora under him for a kiss, Pedro asked with a smile, "Were you this nervous during your own college entrance exam?"

"..." Nora hesitated and then slowly replied, "Nervous my ass. I overslept and nearly arrived late."

Pedro chuckled, "Double standards."

"..."

Nora ignored him and forcibly dragged him out of bed.

After washing up, getting dressed, and having breakfast, it wasn’t even six o’clock.

"..."

"..."

With nothing to do, the two sat idly facing each other.

At this moment, Marcus Shaw entered from the adjacent room, seeing them sitting on the sofa, he was slightly stunned, "Up this early?"

Pedro turned, intending to speak, but was stopped by Nora. She shot a warning glance at Pedro, then raised an eyebrow at Marcus, "Breakfast is ready, you can eat first. Have you packed everything?"

"...I just woke up." Marcus had just finished washing up, a bit groggy, and spoke slowly.

"Your teacher sent me some notes yesterday, I forwarded them to you. Read them carefully." Nora instructed, "Don’t forget anything."

"Mm."

Marcus nodded, unhurriedly.

Pedro watched from the side, unable to hold back his laughter. The siblings seemed to have reversed roles, with the non-examiner being more anxious than the one who was actually taking the exam. Yet the one who was to take the exam was surprisingly calm.

It was rare for Marcus to hear Nora nagging so much in one morning—more than in a whole month before—and he wasn’t upset, quietly listening, complying with whatever Nora said, without any objections.

After talking for a while, Butler Loxley brought Marcus’s breakfast to the table.

"Master Shaw, breakfast."

"...Oh."

Marcus walked over.

After being called "Master" for half a year, Marcus could now accept the title calmly, no longer breaking out in goosebumps at every mention.

Nora poured herself a glass of water and suddenly thought of something, asking Marcus, "Did Oliver text you?"

By this time, Oliver Scott should be awake.

They had agreed yesterday that Oliver would text them as soon as he woke up to report his status at any time.

"Let me check."

Marcus slowly took out his phone.

Glancing at it.

Then furrowed his brows.

Seeing Marcus’s odd expression, Nora leaned over, "Nothing?"

"There is."

Marcus pressed his lips together.

Pedro asked, "What did he say?"

"He said he’s awake and will head out after breakfast." Marcus recounted.

Nora "oh"-ed, then took another look at Marcus’s stern expression and asked curiously, "Then what’s with that look?"

Marcus frowned, "He called me Marcus Shaw."

"..."

"..."

Nora and Pedro froze.

Then, Marcus articulated slowly, "He almost never calls me by my name."