Chapter 343 Life Always Leaves Regrets

• Casper Frost seemed to toss out his cold, ruthless persona. He started playing to his strengths, pulling the emotional card. His talk with Lucas Fray looked friendly on the surface, but sparks were flying under it. Sean Wilson and Aileen stood far in the back. Rhea Wood hugged her cat, totally at a loss. Sean tugged Aileen’s sleeve. “Let’s bail. No way we’re becoming collateral damage in this mess.” Aileen blurted, “If we go, what about Rhea?” “She’ll handle it. Husband and brother, simple as that!” Before Aileen could agree, Sean laughed and called out, “Alright, today’s inspection’s done. We’re heading out. If we’re late, the school gates will be locked.” Rhea hurried to say, “I’ll see you off.” “No need. We’re gone.” As soon as Sean and Aileen left, the air between the three got even weirder. From the driver’s seat, Sean Wilson poked his head out and called, “Mrs. Frost, aren’t we heading back?” “Yeah,” Rhea answered quickly. One car. Three people. How do you sit? Technically, Lucas should sit in the passenger seat. But that would make Rhea’s brother feel awkward. If Casper took the front, he might flip right there. So Rhea stepped up, opened the door, and took the passenger seat. The two men sat in the back. The tense scene kept rolling inside the car. “Mr. Fray, how much longer will your inspection take? If you need help, just say it. Wandering around alone like this isn’t reliable. Want me to get a few pros to back you up?” “No need. I taught in Oldham for years. I know those kids better than anyone. I believe I can find what’s best for them.” “You’re really selfless, Mr. Fray—putting the kids first and spending years teaching in the mountains.” “You flatter me, Mr. Casper. Back then, Rhea and I decided we’d dedicate ourselves to education in remote areas. Rhea also said she’d work with me for a lifetime.” “Kid promises don’t count. But now she’s married to me, and I’ll support anything she wants to do.” “Support? Easy to say, not so easy to do.” After a long pause, Lucas finally lowered his voice and said what he’d been wanting to say: “Mr. Casper, you and Rhea are from two different worlds.” Casper let out a light chuckle and said, rock solid, “Even if we are, I’ll pull her into mine.” The talk cut off. The back seat went quiet. What Lucas had seen these days made him feel Casper did like Rhea. But then there were the rumors, and the way Rhea had publicly announced at the celebration party that she and Casper were drawing a line. If they had no problems, Rhea—who’s usually easygoing—would never be that firm. So Lucas still couldn’t let it go. Not because his own feelings were crushed, but because he was afraid she’d be unhappy. Hearing the quiet behind her, Rhea let out a breath. She stroked Five Grains, her hand moving gently over its little head. Five Grains was covered in wounds and bandages, but as long as it was with Rhea, it stayed calm and quiet. Rhea kept silent, hoping Casper and her brother could get along. Casper was the man she liked. Lucas was the boy she grew up with. They were both important to her. The air in the car stayed off-kilter, and only Ricky at the wheel seemed oblivious. Once they reached Mirage, Lucas didn’t keep sparring with Casper. He said a quick word to Rhea and went to rest. After Lucas went back to his room, Rhea could feel the sharp edge around Casper mellow out. She sighed, hugged Five Grains, and stepped to Casper’s side. “Casper, can’t you and my brother just get along?” Casper arched a brow. “Aren’t we already getting along?” “Not really. It just feels like the vibe between you two is off.” “If he stayed away from you, and stopped giving you that look every man understands, we wouldn’t have a problem.” “Casper, Lucas isn’t that kind of man.” Lucas had always been respectful and restrained. But Casper? He’s the Great Demon King. With a man who clearly liked his wife living right under his nose, the fact he hadn’t crippled Lucas already was him being generous. Hearing Rhea speak up for Lucas, Casper felt sour. He sighed softly. “Sweetheart, you didn’t let me come along on your inspection, so I didn’t bother you. I waited with Five Grains at the school gate for two hours. Did you guys have dinner? I haven’t eaten anything…” Rhea’s attention jumped. “Casper, come on. Why wait that long? Just call me.” “I was afraid I’d mess up your work.” Right then, Casper looked even more innocent than the cat in Rhea’s arms. Rhea’s heart pinched. “What do you want to eat? I’ll cook.” “Pasta. With a fried egg on top.” “Let’s go.” The smell of frying eggs drifted far down the hall. Lucas came out for a look. Seeing the two of them by the table, his gaze grew gentle. Their relationship—yeah, it seemed solid. When he thought of himself, a thread of regret tugged at him. But that’s life. Life always leaves regrets. … Rhea’s days were packed. She wished she could split herself in two. One to go to classes, one to scout schools with her brother—and she needed one more to stay with Casper. Too bad she couldn’t clone herself, so she juggled it all and kept moving from dawn to late night. Casper’s insomnia seemed way better. Dr. Fray hadn’t dropped by in days. His meds went from three times a day down to two. There was some drama around her class group project, but Rhea didn’t care. As for the hostility from a few people like Cheng Zijin, Rhea cared even less. After a few busy days, Rhea got her monthly break. It felt like she’d barely been in class this month. She planned to use those days to go with Lucas and check out schools around Wingston. At first, Casper just waited outside with the cat. Later, Rhea gave in and had him wear a mask and tag along. So their little team looked unusual. School officials kept sneaking glances at the man at the back holding a cat. Even with a mask and only his eyes visible, he had presence for days. The kind of guy you could tell at a glance not to mess with. Luckily he was holding a cat, or people would’ve been on edge. Maybe it was just Rhea’s imagination, but once Casper joined them, their inspections went a lot smoother.