Elian was five years younger than that boy, and there was a significant difference in their size. Yet, he fought with such ferocity that neither of them would stop until they were both bloodied and bruised.
It wasn''t until the other boy cried and promised to return the toy that Elian finally let up.
From that day forward, whether they were older or the same age, everyone had a newfound fear of Elian. No one dared toy a hand on his stuff.
He was the kind who would go to any lengths to get what he wanted.
Jasper snapped out of his reverie and noticed Elian was preparing to leave.
"I have a contract to sign today. If there''s nothing else, I''ll take my leave. You''re free to do as you wish," Elian said, turning on his heel and striding out of the venue.
Jasper watched Elian''s retreating figure, his brow furrowed in thought.
"Are those two really serious about this?" he wondered aloud.
Suddenly remembering something important, Jasper hurried after Elian. "Hey, wait up, Elian! I haven''t visited Mr. Ashcroft yet!"
He had nearly forgotten that crucial task. He''de to Zephra specifically with instructions from his family to pay a visit to Mr. Ashcroft. That was the real purpose of his trip.
The next day, ChronoSpace Esports was set for the grand finale of their live stream.
Thanks to all the pre-event publicity, the streaming room was packed to the brim on the day of the finals.
But Miranda''s top supporter remained unchallenged at the top of the leaderboard. Thements from the other rich folks below were nothing short of hysterical.
"Are you guys looking for a butler? Maybe I could fit the bill?"
"Bet you all haven''tughed in ages, huh? (Professional Butler at your service)"
"Hey big spenders, mind throwing some of that cash my way too?"
"You rich kids are not cutting it; the top supporter''s got the real clout!"
...
All this left the rich folks seething but silent, resignation descending upon them.
They had to admit, none of them could outshine the top supporter.
Miranda and Sebastian once again took their seats. Just like the first day, both teams were prepared on either side of the stage.
The game was originally an online
PC game, but it had been adapted
for mobile to cater to the fast-paced,
on-the-go gaming culture. It was now the hottest mobile game, around, corresponding to the theme of the show.
Arabe was seated in the center of the Vortex Esports team, with Lysander by her side.
When the host asked Arabe, "Arabe, how has the practice been going? Do you have any fighting words to share?" Arabe replied cheekily, "I''m a newbie when it
been
practicing much. But that''s okay, Lysander will carry me to victory, right?"
She shed Lysander a cute, winning smile.
Lysander and his teammates frowned slightly, but the former nodded in agreement nheless.
The host chuckled. "It seems Be, you''re brimming with confidence."
Arabe intentionally turned her gaze to Miranda. "I trust my brother."
She emphasized the words "my brother", and then smiled at Miranda. "I''ve trusted him all my life."
The host seemed to understand the subtext. "No wonder your brothers adore you so much. You''re quite the cherished sister."
Arabe smiled back, her eyes daring Miranda to challenge her. She seemed to be saying that the four Hawke brothers would always favor her. To them, Miranda was nothing but a castaway.
Sebastian nced at Miranda, too. The host, almost instinctively, looked at Miranda. "What a coincidence! Miranda, you have thest name Hawke too. I''m curious, do you have any siblings?"
The question made Lysander''s expression change, and he too nced at Miranda. Arabe''s lips curled into a smirk.
She had orchestrated this question, wanting to embarrass Miranda in front of everyone.
The Hawke family had sponsored the event, so of course, the host was inclined to y along with their requests. It was a harmless question, after all, so the host had agreed.
Miranda smiled softly. "Yes, I do."
Arabe loved unting her close ties with Dorian and the others in front of Miranda.
During the three years Miranda
spent with the Hawke family, Arabe never missed an
opportunity to remind her that, in the eyes of the four brothers, Miranda was worth less than a stray dog, let alone as much as a single one of her fingers.