From Ashes to Queen: Now I Call the Shots novel Chapter 60

Chapter 60 Teacher, Not Quite

That was one hell of a compliment…

Jasper reached out and took the robot cat. “If you don’t know how to flatter someone, just don’t try

Scarlett looked embarrassed and kicked a little stone by her foot.

“You don’t like being a teacher?”

Jasper glanced at her, his thin lips moving slightly.

“I don’t have a teaching certificate.”

Scarlett went quiet.

Then, despite herself, she laughed a little.

Getting certified to teach at a university really was kind of a hassle.

Jasper had never officially taught. He’d only ever been invited to give the occasional lecture–of course he didn’t have any kind of official credentials.

Still, the way he said that…

It really did seem like he had zero interest in teaching.

“Meet at the lab tomorrow morning.”

He was giving her time to sort out her schedule.

– Scarlett nodded. “Alright, Mr. Fletcher.”

She adapted quickly, immediately switching to a more formal tone.

But-

Jasper’s brows twitched slightly.

“On campus, go with the official title.”

Scarlett was confused.

Didn’t he say he didn’t like being a teacher?

“Okay, Mr. Fletcher.”

Something in his eyes seemed to thaw a little.

“Don’t be late.”

Scarlett smiled softly.

“I’ve never been late to class.”

Jasper gave a slight nod. “Good.”

Chapter 60 Teacher Not Quite

Jack stuck his head out from the car. “Call from Jandale.

The warmth in Jasper’s gaze vanished. His whole expression turned cold and heavy.

Scarlett guessed it was someone from Jandale upset with how he’d handled the Robert family.

Probably calling to scold him.

Better him than her–she was out of here.

After Jasper got back in the car, Jack waved his phone. “It’s your old man.”

The pressure around Jasper was so intense, it felt like a low–pressure vortex.

No one dared get close.

Jack promptly hung up.

“Whoops. Slipped.”

He went ahead and powered off the phone too.

Didn’t want to deal with Jandale blowing it up.

“Jasper, I’m telling you, if you go back to Jandale now, they’ll nag you to death.”

Jasper didn’t answer.

Jack wisely changed the subject.

“You’re really bringing Pixel into this? Then we’ve got to assign her protection. Back when Aurora got involved…”

When they’d first started looking into this case, Jasper’s close friend Aurora had taken the lead.

She’d finally uncovered a lead, and just when they were preparing to take everyone down-

Aurora drowned.

Everyone knew it was murder.

They had sworn to get justice for her.

But Aurora’s body had vanished.

That was no accident–it was a direct provocation.

Jasper had come to Trenwyn following the trail.

Today was meant to be about vengeance for Aurora.

But somehow, at the last minute, he changed his mind–and handed the Robert family a one–way hell instead.

et to

14. 14.

Wed, 30 Ju

Chapter 60 Teacher, Not Quite

“Yeah. You take care of it.”

Jasper didn’t object this time. He got in the car and shut the door.

Jack nodded. He understood what that meant: Scarlett was now part of Jasper’s circle.

He had no objections.

After all, if Scarlett hadn’t thrown that medicine pouch today, they might’ve suffered serious losses.

Pixel had earned her place.

48 Pearls

Scarlett went to the classroom first.

With graduation approaching, she wasn’t quite as busy, but there were still a few classes she needed to wrap

1. up.

So she came back to grab her books.

Night had fallen.

The campus streetlights flickered on one by one.

Here and there, a few figures passed, quieter than the daytime.

A good setting for a walk or some quiet reflection.

After everything that had happened at the Robert estate, she still felt like her blood was pumping too fast.

She mentally reviewed how Jasper had handled everything, marveling at how effectively he had used distraction to buy time.

“She’s here!”

There was a commotion near the classroom.

Someone shouted, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She frowned and looked ahead, clearly irritated.

At the entrance stood a familiar figure.

Eugene?

Even stranger–he was holding a bouquet of flowers.

When he saw her, he smiled and walked up.

“I was kind of a jerk to you earlier. I know you’re still mad. So here–have some flowers. Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

Eugene shoved the sunflowers into her hands, wearing that same smug expression.

As if to say, “I already gave you flowers–now it’s your turn to apologize.”

Chapter 60 Teacher, Not Quite

Scarlett looked down.

✪ +5 Pearle

The bouquet was already wilted. Seven or eight sunflowers in total, and one of them was missing a petal

It looked like something someone had thrown out and he’d picked up off the ground.

In the past, she never would’ve cared about little things like this.

She used to tell herself that as long as the family had good intentions, the outcome didn’t matter.

She’d brainwashed herself into that line of thinking–again and again–until that fake, forced sense of family trapped her completely.

Thinking back on how she used to be, she gave a bitter smile, then looked up, her voice cold.

“Did these come free with a rose purchase?”

Eugene had already decided–if she apologized, he’d begrudgingly accept and give her a lecture about how she should be polite and respectful to her older brothers.

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