Secrets 306

Chapter 306 Hidden Terms

Colt laughed. “Honestly, Mr. Fletcher, with skills like yours, not becoming a hacker feels like wasted talent. Kidding, of course.”

Jasper gave no response. He took all the praise with the same calm detachment, neither pleased nor proud.

Jack, meanwhile, was already tipsy and getting rowdy.

“Pixel or Dreamweaver? Doesn’t matter–she’s incredible either way.”

“Pixel is the wisest woman I’ve ever met.”

“She’s my friend for life, and that makes you my friend too, Colt. So come on, let’s drink to that!”

Colt, flushed from the alcohol, laughed and joined Jack, the two nearly clinging to each other like old brothers.

Jasper hadn’t had much to drink. He sat quietly, watching them with an impassive expression.

Scarlett, however, kept stealing glances at him.

Every time she started to believe Jasper was simply a good man, he would remind her she was still his experiment. The swing between warmth and detachment tugged her mood from peaks to valleys, leaving her unsettled.

Sensing her gaze, Jasper turned. His

eyes

softened.

Scarlett quickly looked away. Fine. Some things weren’t worth overthinking.

Back in the Joyner family days, she had already learned–nothing in this world came without a reason. If someone gave freely, it only meant their purpose hadn’t surfaced yet.

Even if it left her uneasy…

The dinner ended on a pleasant note.

Outside the restaurant, the evening wind carried a cool bite.

“I’ll take you home,” Jasper offered when he noticed her subdued mood.

“Mm.” Scarlett nodded.

In the car, Jasper didn’t start the engine right away. Instead, he turned to her. “Did the racetrack

scare you today?”

“No. It was thrilling.” Scarlett shook her head. Just remembering the rush made her heartbeat quicken.

Jasper lowered his gaze, thoughtful. His tone was certain. “Then it’s because of the contract.”

Scarlett opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught. Any denial felt weak.

At that moment, Jasper reached over, his hand ruffling her hair with a gesture both natural and indulgent.

“You understand the contract’s details?”

Scarlett stiffened. She had read it carefully at the start. There hadn’t seemed to be any traps. And she didn’t believe Jasper would set one for her. Afterward, she hadn’t given it another thought.

“Are there hidden clauses?” she asked.

Jasper blinked, momentarily thrown. Then he shook his head. “No. You’ll receive project funding for your work.”

He paused, his gaze settling on her.

“And… your older brother will also be part of the project.”

Not Oliver–her real brother from the Lane family.

When Scarlett had returned home, she hadn’t seen him. Her parents and Eugene had said he was tied up in a closed project.

She had no bond with him, but since her family spoke highly of him, she had always hoped for a chance to know him.

“I see.”

So Jasper’s goal was for her to meet her brother with a lighter heart. His words about sharpening tools had little to do with it.

A quiet warmth filled a corner of her chest.

Jasper started the car and drove her home.

They didn’t speak for the rest of the ride, but silence didn’t feel awkward. Instead, a soft comfort flowed between them.

At her building, Scarlett unfastened her seatbelt. “I’ll head up.”

“Mm.” Jasper nodded. “Rest early. Don’t overthink.”

“All right.” She opened the door, but before stepping out, she glanced back. “Mr. Fletcher… thank you.”

Then she hurried upstairs. From her window, she watched his car vanish into the night before pressing her hand over her pounding chest.

The next few days, her mood was unusually bright. She smiled through everything.

Jack noticed. “You’re glowing. Something good happen?”

Scarlett’s cheeks colored. “Nothing.”

“Nothing? Please.” Jack arched a brow. “Your eyes are sparkling. Be honest–does this have to do with the graduation ceremony? What are you hiding? You haven’t even been rehearsing.”

Scarlett: “!!!”

She had completely forgotten!

Sure enough, Sharon called, asking about her plans for the ceremony. Scarlett stammered, utterly at a loss.

She had no idea what to perform.

Sharon reminded her. For more chapters visit finḑnovel.net

“You used to learn pipa, remember? That old man who taught on the overpass–you studied

under him.”

Scarlett nodded slowly.