Chapter 859

Chapter 859:

Fernanda stopped mid-bite. “He’s not joining?”

“That’s right. His team won’t release him,” Neal explained, clearly annoyed. “A team that prioritizes promotion over competition refuses to let him go. It’s ridiculous.”

Neal was deeply committed to e-sports and held great admiration for Ritchie’s skills.

Not having him on the team was not only a setback for them, but it also deprived Ritchie of a chance to grow. Neal was really upset about it.

Fernanda stopped chewing her bread, lost in thought.

“Let’s visit Ritchie at his school later,” she said. “We’ll talk to him face-to-face.”

Neal wasn’t taken aback by her suggestion. He knew Fernanda well enough to expect that kind of determination—one that valued talent and sought to uplift others. She was even more dedicated to ensuring that others had fulfilling lives than he was.

Having faced difficulties herself, she was always eager to assist others in finding their path.

When they came out of the lab, it was already four in the afternoon.

Neal took Fernanda to a charming diner near the school entrance, where he ordered food for her before they called a taxi.

Ritchie’s school was quite close to Esaham University, just a ten-minute taxi ride away.

The campus boasted modern architecture, including sleek buildings and a grand library at the front. A large three-tiered fountain graced the entrance, sparkling in the afternoon sunlight.

As they walked by, the fountain’s spray misted their faces with a refreshing coolness.

Neal called Ritchie, who told them to meet him at a nearby building.

Following the signs, they spotted Ritchie by the entrance, casually leaning against a pillar. He wore a faded red sweatshirt, and his hands showed signs of paint, hinting that he had been painting not long ago.

The studio was empty except for Ritchie. Easels were arranged neatly in a circle, though the floor was cluttered with paint buckets, palettes, and brushes. The brushes were clean, as were the palettes and white paint, which normally stained easily. The environment felt very comfortable.

🌟𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓱𝓮𝗿𝗲 𝓪𝓽: gⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⫷𝖼𝗈𝗺

On the easel was a partially completed painting of a wheat field, rendered in various shades of yellow, exhibiting rich and vibrant hues. Ritchie was seated before this easel.

“What did the school have to say?” Neal asked.

“What else could they say? They won’t let me leave,” Ritchie replied, squeezing a bit of yellow paint from an almost empty tube. “Unless I graduate, I’m just here to enhance the school’s prestige.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Neal said sharply. “Keeping you sidelined isn’t enhancing their prestige. By the time you graduate, you’ll have missed your prime.”

Ritchie just shrugged and gave an exhausted smile, choosing to remain silent.

His brush strokes intensified, channeling his irritation onto the canvas. Neal settled onto a nearby stool, thinking of a way out of this situation.

Suddenly, the studio door was flung open with a jolting force.

Ritchie’s face transformed upon seeing the intruders.

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