Chapter 484

Harrison glanced up, locking eyes with Elliot without hesitation.

"Didn't Evelyn mention she was supposed to compete with both of you?"

Elliot adjusted his glasses. "Her grades slipped recently, so Grandfather arranged private tutoring. That's why she can't participate now."

"What kind of tutoring exactly?"

"Advanced mathematics competition prep."

Harrison remained silent.

...

The following morning, Evelyn dragged herself to her math olympiad session. "This is impossible. Can I just take notes instead?"

She blinked when she saw Harrison already seated at her usual desk. Rubbing her eyes, she approached in disbelief. "Harrison? What are you doing here?"

Without looking up from his notebook, he replied, "Mother enrolled me after hearing about the extra credits for competition winners."

Evelyn couldn't suppress a giggle. "I thought I was the only victim here! Aunt Beatrice got you too?"

"Seems we're suffering together."

"But these problems are ridiculously difficult!"

Evelyn wanted to cry. When would this torture end?

Harrison gave a resigned smile and took her textbook. "These problems are actually quite simple. Want me to show you?"

He pointed at her half-finished solution. "Your approach here is incorrect. If you look at the question structure..."

Where her teacher's explanations had left her confused, Harrison's clear breakdown made everything click. "Harrison, I understood immediately when you explained! Why does it make no sense when the teacher says it?"

"You're much better at teaching than our instructor! Will you help me with the problems I can't solve?"

Evelyn gazed at him with hopeful kitten eyes.

"Fine."

That single word made Evelyn's heart leap. Suddenly, math olympiad didn't seem so terrible anymore.

In fact, she began feeling the slightest spark of interest.

...

For half a semester, Harrison attended every session with Evelyn. When competition results were announced, Evelyn held a gold medal for her grade level.

Staring at the gleaming award in her hands, everything felt surreal.

"Harrison, this is all because of you! I could kiss you right now! Can you imagine Grandfather's face when he sees this..."

Harrison watched Evelyn's lips move, but only one phrase registered. Even if said casually, those words made his pulse quicken.

...

By second semester of junior high, Evelyn had grown accustomed to their study sessions.

One afternoon after PE, sharp pains began radiating through her abdomen. At first, she dismissed it as cramps.

But the pain intensified until her face drained of color. Her legs gave out as classmates finally noticed her distress.

"Evelyn? Are you okay?"

"Evelyn, what's wrong?"

"Someone help!"

"Quick, take her to the nurse!"

Harrison was leaving class when a panicked girl grabbed his arm. "You're Evelyn's brother, right? Something's wrong - you need to come now!"

His heart lurched before she finished speaking. "Where is she?"

"The infirmary."

Harrison took off at a sprint, his dress shoes pounding against the linoleum.

"Evelyn? What happened? Talk to me!"