Chapter 38
The vibe in the room turned weird real fast.
Preston wasn’t ready for Regina to call him out like that. His blue eyes flicked around, jittery. “Uh, well, you saved my parents, so it’s only right I stick around and look out for you, yeah?”
Regina blinked in surprise. “Did they send you?”
“No.” Preston avoided her gaze, his voice faltering, “I came on my own.”
Regina was taken aback.
She was a bit glad, because this could be her earlier plan actually working.
Just then, the boys‘ phones buzzed with a message.
Preston, his face flushing under Regina’s watchful eyes, quickly shifted gears. “I got a message. Let me check.”
He absently grabbed his phone, his eyes widening in shock when he read the message.
A notification appeared on the screen:
[Regina Mitchell’s Humanity +1]
Everyone in the room looked at Regina in surprise, their expressions shifting.
Regina, too, realized Preston was still holding her hand.
She gave a light laugh and squeezed his hand firmly. “You’ve been holding my hand all this time? Sorry to make you worry.”
“Ding!”
[Regina Mitchell’s Humanity +1]
Everyone’s eyes widened in curiosity as they looked at Preston.
His face turned bright red, his heart pounding so loudly it felt like it might escape his chest!
Not only that, but his palm was uncomfortably sweaty.
He wanted to pull his hand back but didn’t quite want to.
Torn between pulling away and not wanting her to notice his sweaty palms, he trembled a bit.
Preston was caught in an awkward bind.
Regina, unaware of his inner turmoil, seized the moment.
She finally gathered the courage to ask, “When I fainted from the gunshot, did your parents lose faith in me?”
She carefully probed, “Do they think I’m a lousy bodyguard now?”
Preston looked shocked she’d even go there. He jumped in quick. “No way! My parents are super thankful–they’d never trash you!”
His expression turned apologetic as he furrowed his brow. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have ignored you. If we had come together, I could’ve protected you, and you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”
Regina was confused and didn’t understand his meaning. “Why would you want to protect me?”
Preston hesitated, unsure how to explain.
He lowered his gaze, his long lashes casting a shadow. “I said I didn’t want to sit with you before, but now, I’ve changed my mind.”
His fingers secretly clutched the bedspread as he stumbled over his words. “What if… what if I wanted to switch seats and sit next to you? Would you still be cool with that?”
Regina went still, brain buffering.
1/3
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hapter 28
Right then, Roy shoved a phone in her face, stepping up.
“You saved my dad, so I transferred three hundred thousand to your account. Thank you for saving him,” said Roy, flatly.
Regina’s head snapped to him. “Wait, what?”
She looked at Roy in surprise. “How did you know my account number?”
Roy remained calm, “I looked into your details”
Regina blinked in confusion. “Huh?”
Roy put away his phone, his face stern. “Thanks for saving my dad.”
Regina remained speechless.
Suddenly, everyone’s phones went off again.
“Ding!”
[Regina Mitchell’s Humanity +5]
Preston stared at the notification in shock. “Huh?”
He looked at Roy, confused.
Roy smirked, clearly pleased with himself.
A puzzled and annoyed look crossed Preston’s face.
He thought, ‘So, it was a competition now?
‘Fine.
I’m in!
He angrily grabbed his phone. “Regina, give me your account number.”
Regina blinked. “What for?”
Preston tilted his chin up, his voice full of confidence. “You saved my parents, so you should be rewarded. I need to give you money too, right? Regina thought it made sense. “But I don’t know my account number. It’s a new one.”
Preston froze for a moment and glanced toward Roy, uncertain.
Roy put away his phone and turned his head away, clearly unwilling to give the number.
Preston’s expression darkened.
“Oh, you’re gonna play it like that?” he smirked and whipped out his phone.
“Fine,” he started a call.
Then he stared at Roy “I have my own ways!”
He pinged his butler, told him to track down Regina’s account, and sent the cash in a flash–Then he shoved his phone in her face, grinning like a champ. “Check out how much I sent.”
Regina stared at the number in disbelief. “Seven hundred and seventy thousand!?”
Roy’s eyes widened.
He was floored.
Preston smirked, smug as hell. “Lucky number, right? Got to make it mean something when you give a gift.”
The other boys gaped, unable to believe it. “No way! You don’t just throw so much at someone you barely know. Are you crazy?”
Just then, their phones buzzed again: [Regina Mitchell’s Humanity +10]
