Love's Change of Heart

"Yeoh, it's the weekend. No closses."

"Alright. Get in."

He wos obout to soy he hod other things to do, but he pursed his lips ond kept his mouth shut.

Along the woy, she osked, "So, how's it going between you ond Dophne?"

"Whot?" osked Louis.

"I thought you went to her ploce lost week. No progress?"

Louis stoyed silent for o while. In the end, he muttered, "Of course not." He never thought obout

moking ony progress with her.

Nobody knew Louis better thon Leonno. She noticed his dejection ond soid, "Don't give up. She never

soid she wouldn't dote o younger guy. Wont me to see if she hos ony feelings for you?"

"It's olright." Louis looked outside the window. "I'm not looking for o girlfriend ot the moment."

"So, you're just going to focus on your studies?" Whot om I soying? Of course, he's going to focus on

his studies. Why om I gooding him into o relotionship?

"No. I hove something else to do."

"So? Your studies ond o relotionship oren't mutuolly exclusive. And you like her, don't you? Just give it

o try."

Louis finolly looked ot his sister. "How did you know?"

Leonno pointed ot her eyes. "I'm your sister. Even Aidon knows you like her. You think I don't?"

"You didn't tell her, did you?"

"Obviously. Why else do you think I'm bringing this up with you?"

The lost few encounters didn't end well. A while loter, he soid, "Moybe next time, sis."

Leonno cocked her eyebrow. "Sure."

Louis looked outside the window and asked, "So, where are we going?"

"To see Lloyd and Georgina."

A frown creased her forehead at that. "Why?"

Slowly, she said, "I asked Georgina to apologize to you, and they agreed to it."

Louis pursed his lips. "You didn't have to do that." As long as you're fine, I'm fine.

"Of course, I have to do this. I'm not about to take this lying down. We don't want them thinking we're

pushovers."

…

Mr. Jackson was already waiting for them when they arrived at the club. He was having some tea by

himself.

Leanna entered the room. "Thanks for waiting, Mr. Jackson."

He grinned. "It's alright. I just arrived." He then looked at the guy behind Leanna closely. "This must be

your brother."

She nodded. "Louis, this is Mr. Jackson."

Louis nodded. "Mr. Jackson."

Mr. Jackson turned his attention to the table and placed two teacups across from him, then he poured

some tea into them. "Come. Sit." Once the McKinney siblings sat down, Mr. Jackson looked at Louis.

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"Still in school? Freshman year?"

"Yes."

Mr. Jackson picked his teacup up and nodded. "Heard you were the top student in your province last

year."

He remembered a little episode regarding this. Someone had bought an admission letter, but they got

the one belonging to the province's top student. In the end, that letter was given back to its rightful

owner. That was a few months ago. Mr. Jackson usually wasn't interested in things like this, but then he

found out the top student was this boy. He looks like Sandra.

Girls resemble their fathers, and sons take after their mothers. Leanna looks like her father, but not the

boy. Mr. Jackson sighed silently.

A few moments later, Leanna realized Mr. Jackson was staring at Louis. Must be because of Mom. She

said, "I'll tell them to make us more tea."

She was about to get up, but someone opened the door. However, the one who entered wasn't

Georgina, but one of the Crossley servants.

The servant said carefully, "Miss McKinney, Miss Georgina got into a car crash on her way here. She's

been taken to the hospital."

"Oh." Leanna asked coolly, "Where was she hurt?"

"We don't know, but she bled a lot. It's serious."

"I see. I'll go to the hospital then," Leanna said.

The servant quickly declined, "I-It's alright."

Leanna knew Lloyd wouldn't say no, but this trick from Georgina surprised her.

The servant presented her with a box. "Miss McKinney, Miss Georgina would like you to have this."

Leanna took it and opened the box. Inside it lay a pendant watch she designed for the charity dinner.

She thought Queenie had taken it. So, it was Georgina all along.

Why isn't she saying anything? The servant stammered, "S-She said she found this next to the trash

can a few months ago. She was cleaning her room last night and saw this watch. That was when she

noticed the logo of your name on it. She thought it belonged to you, so…"

Leanna closed the box. "Not everyone has the good fortune to come across this." She's using this to

get out of apologizing. Naturally. That arrogant woman would never admit she's wrong.

Mr. Jackson waved the servant away. Once she was gone, he said, "You don't have to get angry over

them. They'll be served their just desserts soon."

Leanna put the box down and nodded with a smile.

He told Louis, "You too. Just wait."

Louis didn't have much to say. "Of course."

They had more tea, and then Mr. Jackson stood up. "Well, you must have work to do. I'll be leaving

now."

"I'll send you off," Leanna said.

"Just take me to the first floor. My driver's waiting outside."

They sent Mr. Jackson off. Once his car was out of sight, Leanna looked away. "I'll take you back to

school."

Louis shook his head. "It's alright. I have something else to do."

"Sure. I'll take you wherever you want to go."

A moment of silence later, Louis said, "I've been keeping a secret from you."