Chapter 4 He Is a Tyrant

• Erin and Arthur sat across from each other in the villa’s dining room.
• Arthur wasn’t in the habit of eating breakfast, but he would show up in the dining room every morning to accompany her for breakfast when he was at home.
• Erin held up a currant bun with a fork while biting it from time to time, but her sparkling black eyes lingered on Arthur, who was drinking coffee and reading the newspaper across from her.
• Just then, a deep male voice suddenly spoke. “Just say what you want to say.”
• Startled, Erin nearly shook the currant bun off her fork with a tremble in her hand.
• Arthur raised his black eyes from the newspaper to look at her.
• His lack of expression scared Erin the most. After gulping, she put down the fork and put her palms together under her chin in a praying gesture. Staring hopefully at Arthur with her bright, clear eyes, she pleaded in a low voice, “Uncle Arthur, I’d like to join the autumn outing organized by my school next week.”
• “No.” Arthur turned her down right away without consideration.
• Erin rubbed her fair and tender palms against each other while pleading in a low voice, “Uncle Arthur, it’s already my last year in high school, yet I have never joined the autumn outings or spring excursions organized by the school, and you never allowed me to attend ordinary class gatherings. Please let me go this time, okay? Please, Uncle Arthur. Please…”
• Arthur stared at Erin’s pitiful face. Just when Erin thought there was a chance, her hopes were dashed by his reply. “There’s no room for discussion.”
• Erin was speechless with frustration. What a tyrant!
• She stared angrily at Arthur for a while, only to lose interest when she found that he didn’t bother to care about her at all; she got up with a grunt and was about to leave the dining room.
• “Finish the breakfast on your plate and drink up your milk,” ordered Arthur unhurriedly.
• Erin clenched her fists and plumped herself down in her seat. Then, she grabbed a bun right away and shoved it into her mouth as if she held a grudge against it.
• Arthur watched as Erin ate her breakfast indignantly while glaring at him with reddened eyes. Pressing his lips together with a slight frown, he lowered his deep, black eyes, preventing others from discerning his actual emotions at the moment.
• When Isabelle stepped into the classroom through the door with her school bag slung over her shoulder at Angelwood High School, she saw Erin bending over her desk and jabbing a pen into it. She seated herself next to Erin and looked at the latter, asking, “What’s wrong? You look out of sorts.”
• Erin sighed and shook her head.
• Twitching the corner of her mouth, Isabelle took out her breakfast from under her desk and started eating. As she was eating, she asked, “Didn’t you say yesterday that you’d go back and ask your superior for permission? How did it go? Did he let you join the autumn trip?”
• Sigh. Erin gave a long sigh.
• “Well.” Isabelle figured out what had happened after hearing Erin sigh. “It seems that your superior didn’t give you permission.”
• “I just don’t understand why Uncle Arthur wouldn’t allow me to take part in activities like autumn trips.” Erin was particularly depressed since she couldn’t figure out the reason behind Arthur’s refusal.
• “Not only does he forbid you to attend activities like autumn trips, but you even have to ask him for permission to have dinner with me. Erin, he simply wants you to be in his hands and under his control. You won’t be able to fly away even if a pair of wings were attached to your body.”
• Uh…
• Erin licked her lips before whispering, “That’s a little exaggerated.”
• “Haha.” This was the only response Isabelle could give.
• Erin shot Isabella a glance before her long eyelashes drooped slightly.
• After the last lesson had ended that afternoon, Erin walked toward the door of her classroom with Isabelle while stuffing her exam papers into her school bag.
• Just then, someone called her name from behind. “Erin.”
• Erin and Isabelle stopped and looked back to see a good-looking and refined young man wearing a clean white T-shirt and a pair of casual pants. He stared straight at Erin, his handsome cheeks blushing.
• Erin recognized him. He was Jude Sutton—the monitor of Class 3-D, the captain of their school’s basketball team, and the secret crush of countless young girls… and boys of their high school.
• In fact, even Erin and Isabelle had secretly gone to see him play basketball. He looked drop-dead handsome when he did slam dunks!
• But… how does he know me? Erin thought to herself. She blinked and stared vacantly at Jude before asking in a soft and clear girlish voice, “D-Did you call me just now?
• Jude seemingly took a deep breath before walking toward Erin and Isabelle.
• Erin held her breath slightly as she watched him approaching, step by step. Isabella, on the other hand, stepped back with great self-awareness.
• Upon noticing Isabelle’s movements, Jude blushed even deeper; he stopped two steps away from Erin.
• The young man looked handsome and shy with his clean-cut features and bright eyes, which sparkled as if they contained the galaxy.
• Puzzled, Erin tilted her head to one side while looking at him. “Can I help you?”
• “I’m Jude Sutton.” Jude seemed a bit nervous as he clenched his fists slightly.
• “I know that.” Erin smiled at him. “I don’t think there’s a person in the school who doesn’t know your name, Jude.”
• Surprisingly, her customary words caused blood to rush to Jude’s handsome cheeks; even the tips of his ears reddened.
• For some reason, Erin thought Jude looked a little cute that way.