High School Again: The President's Secret Lady Boss

After the picnic came to an end, Winter went straight to the local library to meet Marcellus and the others. 

Starting from the time she noticed that she was being stalked up until when Jacob parted ways with her and her friends, she told him everything that had happened. He listened through it all. She wasn't sure how exactly he felt about it since he didn't say anything the whole time.

They're still at the lounge of the local library, seated across from each other. George and Violet haven't come back yet. While they wait for them, they talk about what went down hours ago.     

Only when Winter finished telling everything did Marcellus finally speak up.

"I see. That's quite an adventure you had there…" he started before letting out a sigh.

"First off is that stalker. I believe that the Middleton's will deal with it, especially since the safety and privacy of their heiress is on the line. However, you mentioned you're also considering the possibility that one of your family members themselves had sent the spy."

"Yeah. I don't really trust my relatives, so whenever things like this happen to me, I can't help but be suspicious of them. Of course, I'm still open to other possible suspects..." she said with a downcast gaze.

"So, how do I address this? This is one of the reasons why I don't want to gather too much attention. Hiding behind my alias and taking on an anonymous identity is better sometimes." 

"Don't worry. I understand your concerns, but there's really no helping it. As long as you're careful and attentive, you can avoid troubles. Bring at least one bodyguard with you, too. You'll get used to this kind of situation soon enough." 

"That's what Sir Minerva also said." 

"At any rate, just like the case with your parents, it's better to get a third party to take action. If you don't want to trust the Middleton's, then you can depend on the Lexington's. I'm more than willing to help you."   

Touched, she stares at him appreciatively and pretends to be all teary-eyed. He simply chuckles at her adorable display of gratitude. Giving her a piggyback ride earlier is enough for today, though. She really shouldn't continue endearing him like this. He doesn't know how long his restraints will last.

"Anyway, moving on…" Marcellus trailed off and faked a cough, snapping out of it.

"So, you had a chance encounter with Jacob Minerva on top of that. Ever consider if he's the one who sent the spy? He could just be pretending to be a savior for all you knew." 

"I don't think so. Why would he show himself up to me if that's the case? That'll defeat the purpose of sending someone to monitor me in the first place. Besides, he didn't know that I was already aware that I was being followed when he confronted that stalker. He just really helped me out…" Winter explained with a contemplative expression.

"Oh, and also, introducing Sir Minerva to my friends is my way of showing him that I'm not doing anything that can earn their suspicion. 'I'm just a normal teenager with a normal group of friends' – I wanted to tell him something like that without actually telling him."

"And you did great in changing our meeting location at the last minute. That's good. I believe you perfectly pulled it through. You worked hard." 

At his compliment, she beams and titters like a toddler who's been given a candy. 

He knows someone who's been craving for praises when he sees one. She appears to be enjoying it whenever she's being commended like this. It makes sense, though. He's already aware that she worked all her life to gain acceptance and recognition but to no avail.   

And perhaps, the time to give her the reward she deserves has finally come.     

"Listen, Ms. Agreste, about Uncle Harold's homecoming party..." Marcellus brought up.

"Are you going to accept the invitation?"

"Before I answer that, may I ask if the Middleton family is also invited…?" Winter inquired.

"I have to decide if I'll go there as my alias or as one of them."

"I'll be surprised if they're not invited. This is a special event, after all."

"Right. I see. Let me think about it."

Per her request, he lets her have a moment of silence to herself. Yet as soon as he thinks of a certain question, he can't keep himself from speaking up once more. Thoughtfully, he asks, "Say, you already know that you'll be the head of the Middleton family, right? What's the need of preparing behind everyone's back when you'll just try to earn your relatives' acknowledgement in the end? Will it not be much easier if you'll be publicly supported by these people while they're still in power?" 

"You're not wrong there, but…" she answered, smiling a little.

"Actually, I think there had never been any competition between me and Bianca to begin with. Their decision on making her the successor had long been set. Even with merits, I can't be the head of the family because no one will ever support me."

"So, your circumstances are that difficult, huh?"

"That's why forming connections outside of my family has always been my top priority. I know you already know this, but to business owners like us, people are our most valuable assets. No matter how competent and skilled someone is, it's impossible for them to do everything alone. That's what happened to me in my former life. I was carrying everything on my own. And so, I failed. Quite miserably."     

"Because of that, you decided to use your personal assets and name instead of the Middleton's before you could inherit your parents' company this time. Since your business plans already had great potential, the funds you personally earned had multiplied. And so, all the ventures you've been doing this whole time will help you in a lot of ways once you've become the head of your family. Am I right?"

Winter gives Marcellus a nod.

Now that they're having this conversation, she's starting to get an idea on what she will do from now on. He's not the only one who's getting some enlightenment here. She herself is beginning to understand things better.

"At least to my relatives, I'm still too young, and I lack the reputation. In my current circumstances, if I try to gain my Uncle and Aunt's favor by showing off my hidden skills and contributing to our company like what I'm doing with yours, will it not only serve to increase the amount of scheming against a child who stands out like a sore thumb?" Winter continued.

"Ms. Agreste," Marcellus breathed, a bit astonished.

"Before I become the head of the family, I want to surround myself with people I can trust. I can always prove my value anytime, and besides, I don't want to be just be told that I'm qualified. I want to be in a position where no one can deny my right."   

At that moment, he can't help but think that it's impossible to fall any harder than this.

She really shines the brightest when she's talking and acting like this. Her green eyes would always shine brilliantly like precious jewels – making her look like an 'emerald' in the rough, he supposes. But rather than the physical aspects, her independence, determination and intelligence make her appear more attractive. 

"You really are something…" Marcellus exhaled deeply, smirking. 

"Then, this must make me one of your people."

"You're special, though…" Winter remarked with a grateful smile.

"After all, you're the very first."   

"It's my pleasure."

He bends down a little and bows before her, making her giggle. She may not be taking it seriously, but he is genuinely honored to be her first. 

"Thank you for bringing up all of these things, Sir Lexington. Now, I have made my decision…" she beamed at him, steeling her resolve.

"I'll reveal my identity as the anonymous investor during your uncle's comeback party. However, I still have some time before that. So, I'll be proceeding with the next phase of my plan."

"The next phase? Mind telling me what it is?" he asked while he slightly tilted his head, intrigued.   

"What I want to do here goes beyond simply handling a business. This is not just about commerce anymore. There's also a bit of politics and a lot of household management. Yet before I can do those, I'm planning to discover and cultivate talents."

"Discovering and cultivating talents, huh? That's a good idea. Most large-scale conglomerates do conduct such things. However, it's not just merely about offering money for scholarships, donations and other charity works. It's about giving those talents what they desperately want and need. That way, they can be your own people."

"Right! Exactly! You really understand me the most, Sir Lexington!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's right. Just what would you do without me?"

It was when they're at that point of their conversation that George and Violet finally returned with some refreshments. They entered the lounge to see them acting all chummy with each other and cheering about something regarding mutual understandings. 

And then, they blurted out in sync, "What did I miss?"