9:00 AM.

Mia Grant was leaning against the car window, drowsy and on the verge of sleep.

The car braked suddenly. Her body lurched forward, only to be yanked back by the seatbelt.

Opening her eyes, she shot a look at the man in the driver’s seat and scowled. "What is wrong with you? Having a seizure? Can’t you just brake slowly?"

Simon Adler hadn’t expected her to be so fiery. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed?"

The more Mia Grant looked at him, the more irritated she felt. She finally just turned her head away.

From the side, her cheeks were puffed out and her brows were furrowed.

It wasn’t very intimidating; in fact, it was kind of cute.

"Didn’t sleep well last night?"

"What’s it to you? Shut up and drive."

’She’s like a feisty little pepper,’ he thought. ’You can’t even talk to her nicely without getting a snarky comment or two back.’

Simon Adler released the brake, his eyes on the road ahead. "I imagine you wouldn’t have slept well. Don’t tell me you were up all night. You’re more timid than I thought."

"..."

Mia Grant turned her head, looking at him with a resentful expression. "If you hadn’t shown up, I would have slept like a baby last night."

"You should blame the old gentleman."

Simon Adler easily passed the buck.

At this, the question that had been nagging Mia Grant all night finally surfaced. She turned slightly to face him.

Catching her small movement in his peripheral vision, Simon Adler slowed the car, silently waiting for her to speak.

But she just kept staring at him, her gaze like she was looking at a remorseless serial killer.

The car stopped at another red light. Simon rested one hand on the steering wheel and took the opportunity to glance at her. "What do you want to ask?"

"I’m just curious, why did you become friends with my brother?"

’What a strange question.’

Simon Adler hadn’t expected her to ask something so pointless.

"To use your words, birds of a feather flock together?"

"You two are childhood friends? Like, you actually grew up together?"

"Yeah. Except for college, we were together from kindergarten all the way to our first jobs. We were even in the same class most of the time."

"So, you’ve been his little sidekick for over twenty years?"

Mia Grant used the word intentionally.

Unexpectedly, Simon Adler didn’t hesitate and simply nodded.

Clearly, he was used to the role.

Mia Grant took a breath. "Don’t you feel wronged?"

"Wronged?"

Simon Adler raised an eyebrow.

Just then, the light ahead changed. He looked away from her and started driving again.

Only after they passed through the intersection did he slowly speak. "Why would I feel wronged?"

"Don’t you want to be him? Or surpass him?"

"Why?" Simon Adler kept asking why.

For once, Mia Grant showed him a sliver of patience and explained, "Because you could be just as outstanding as he is."

"Is that so?" Simon Adler was surprised by her words. He glanced sideways, sparing her a bit of his attention, a cryptic smile in his eyes. "So you think I’m not any worse than Silas Grant."

"That’s not it, either," Mia Grant said without a second thought.

The man scoffed, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. "Then what do you mean?"

"I’m saying you could be like him through other means."

"For instance?"

"For instance, if the old gentleman becomes completely disappointed in him, you’d have a good chance to replace him."

"You think pretty highly of me. Should I say thank you?"

"Of course, you can’t do it on your own. That’s why you could marry into the Hughes Family."

"..." Simon Adler was silent for a moment. "Marry you?"

"..."

This time, it was Mia Grant who was at a loss for words.

"Marry Serena Grant!"

"Ohh~"

Simon Adler laughed.

He finally understood Mia Grant’s intentions.

After all that beating around the bush, all those twists and turns, he finally got it.

"You think I have an ulterior motive. You’re afraid I’ll use you to threaten Silas Grant, and then, once he’s been abandoned, I’ll use Serena Grant to officially enter the Hughes Family."

"You’ve given me an idea, though. That’s actually a pretty good plan. If I remember correctly, Serena Grant is the same age as you this year?"

As he spoke, Mia Grant stared at him without blinking, trying to find a clue in his subtle expressions.

Unfortunately, the man before her was just as shrewd.

Mia Grant gathered her thoughts. "Do you dare swear you’ve never had such an idea?"

"Why should I swear? What does it matter to me whether you believe me or not? You’re already here. Do you really think you can get away?"

Before she could answer, he added, "Even if you could, what about next time? And the time after that?"

"Fine." Mia Grant nodded and pulled out her phone.

"Planning to call the police?" Simon Adler noticed her action from the corner of his eye but didn’t pay it much mind.

’She wouldn’t dare call Silas Grant right now. As long as it’s not Silas, it doesn’t matter who she calls. It makes no difference to me.’

"Nope."

Mia Grant brought up her WeChat interface and sent a message.

A second later, the system notification tone sounded from Simon Adler’s phone, which was resting on the center console.

He unlocked it suspiciously and checked the message.

"You sent me a message?"

He froze, then tapped on it to find a string of digits—a mainland phone number.

It wasn’t hers.

"Serena Grant’s number."

"?"

"Hope you win the fair maiden’s heart and marry into the Hughes Family soon."

Simon Adler: "..."

The phone was tossed back, and the man’s arrogant, expressionless mask was back in place.

Mia Grant had been so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open, but now she was inexplicably excited.

All her drowsiness vanished. She propped her chin on one hand and watched the man opposite her as if enjoying a show.

"You don’t need to be suspicious of my relationship with Silas Grant. I’m on his side."

"Why?" Now it was her turn to be the one with a million questions.

"Shouldn’t you be saying that interests come first? I hardly think your friendship is that unbreakable."

"Do you think my relationship with him can be compared to the one he has with Kian Keller or Yates Donovan?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Like I told you yesterday, I’ve lived in his shadow since I was a kid, just like everyone else. I’m used to it."

"Even if I really were ambitious, and I became the one in charge of the Hughes Corp, as long as Silas Grant is alive, do you think I could hold onto that position for a lifetime?"

"So, you also want my brother dead?"

"..."

Simon Adler’s eyelid twitched violently.

"Is this how a top student from Jynsia U does reading comprehension? Who was your professor?"

"Your words are always so empty. I’m just helping you translate your real thoughts," Mia Grant said, her tone completely self-righteous.

Simon Adler sneered. "Are you ever this arrogant in front of Silas Grant?"

"Nope. He’s not just some random guy."

"..."

This time, Simon Adler laughed out loud. "I forgot to remind you—the dashcam in my car syncs to my phone in real-time. I can send what you just said to Silas Grant."

"You wouldn’t dare. He and I can’t see each other right now, anyway." Mia Grant spread her hands in a shrug.

The location set for the blind date was an art exhibition near Central, Portia.

Mia Grant had no idea why the other party had chosen such a place. When they arrived, Simon Adler didn’t go up with her.

"I’m going by myself? You’re really not afraid I’ll run off?"

Simon Adler leaned against the car, reminding her with almost cold-blooded detachment, "In Portia, you won’t even have a chance to smuggle yourself out of the city. Unless, of course, you can teleport."