Ch. 2391..2400

Chapter 2391 Chapter 2391 Xyla Quest peered at the silent adults around her and asked calmly, "Who hit my son?"

Meanwhile, her bodyguards had made their way to the office's entrance and stood neatly in a row. Their fully black attire was intimidating to the others, making them feel suffocated. The boy's father stammered. "I-it w-was me. I'm s-sorry, Ms. Quest. I was ignorant. I didn't know these two were your children. If I had known, I wouldn't have done it."

She ignored him. "Which hand did you hit him with?"

He took a deep breath. "M-my right h-hand."

Her frown deepened. "Got it. Someone will be here to claim your hand later."

He paled in fear at her words. Trembling like a leaf, he gazed at her pleadingly. "I'm sorry, Ms. Quest. I'm truly sorry."

Xyla scoffed. "If apologizing worked, then why do we need the police?"

He knew it was over for him.

He hastily went down on his knees as he peered at Xyla, Lynette Batton, and Leon Batton. "I'm truly sorry. Please forgive me!"

The twins merely glared at him in contempt before quickly looking away, unwilling to spare him another glance.

"Who's a teacher here?" their mother asked as her furious eyes swept over the rest of the group.

Two female teachers immediately approached her. "Me," they said simultaneously.

"The man's the one at fault. Why didn't you step in?"

The principal hurried over to hold her hand affectionately. "Here's what happened. We were still investigating earlier. It's not exactly like we didn't care." "Oh, is that so? That wasn't what I was told."

The principal started laughing nervously. "There must've been a misunderstanding."

Xyla smirked, knowing very well that she was making things up even without investigating further.

Meanwhile, the teachers attempted to appease her- "Ms. Quest, we didn't intend to stand idly by. Really."

"Yes, it's true. You've misunderstood us."

"I can see for myself whether there's a misunderstanding or not. I sent my children here because I thought this school had the best standards, did you know that? It was supposed to be a decent place," Xyla stated incredulously.

"Looks like I was wrong. Your standards are even worse than those other kindergartens if you support bullying.

"I'll have someone come to sort through their withdrawal paperwork tomorrow.

"Meanwhile, you will all pay for what you did. My children won't get bullied for nothing."

Her anger was mounting the more she spoke, resisting the urge to beat all the teachers up right there and then.

She got the full story from what the nanny said. On top of that, she also witnessed everything herself when she arrived earlier.

The teachers chose to side with the more powerful party.

The children already had to experience these things at such tender age. She wasn't sure if they would be traumatized by these childhood incidents for e Thinking about what her children encountered earlier made Xyla's heart break into pieces.

They had always been the most important people in her life, so she would go to great lengths to protect them against whoever hurt or messed with them.

Lynette and Leon felt relieved when they saw how their mother reacted.

They gazed at her with awed expressions on their faces as Leon began explaining the ins and outs of the fight.

Meanwhile, Lynette repeatedly nodded and agreed with what Leon said.

Hearing their account of the entire incident made Xyla feel even more upset.

Chapter 2392 Chapter 2392 Then, Leon Batton started telling Xyla Quest about what transpired in the office earlier. He described what the man and his wife said or did and also what the teachers had done. Their hearts began to pound when they heard themselves mentioned, hoping that he wouldn't divulge too much but they were all surprised by his eloquent speech.

He could narrate such intricate details with emotional depth beyond his years.

This kid was practically a genius.

The more Xyla listened, the more upset she seemed.

She had one particular quirk, and it was that she tend to be protective of her family and friends.

"Okay, excellent." She glared at the responsible parties once again before waving toward the door's direction. "Come in, all of you."

Her bodyguards waiting right outside promptly entered, forming a circle around everyone. They had heard everything Leon described, and now their faces betrayed the rage they felt. How could they allow these people to trample all over the children like that?

The principal, teachers, and the boy's mother knelt on the ground at the daunting sight of those men and began begging for mercy.

"Calm down, Miss Quest."

"What are you doing? Are you going to beat us up? Please don't!"

"We know we were wrong."

However, their pleas fell on deaf ears as Xyla's expression remained unchanged.

She didn't seem affected at all.

Shooting one fast glare of disdain at them, she lowered herself to one knee before her children and gently caressed their faces. "Lynette, Leon, you are coming home with Mommy. You will never have to study here again, is that okay?"

The kids nodded at the same time with determined looks.

"Yes, I'd rather not study in such a place," Leon replied.

"Exactly," his sister piped in. "They don't deserve us."

Xyla smiled before turning to address the nanny. "Take my kids to my car, please."

Shanice nodded instantly, knowing that Xyla didn't want them to see what would happen next to avoid leaving too many bad memories in their minds.

She held their little hands and led the way out of the office.

Lynette and Leon were unusually obedient and did as told.

When they left, Xyla turned around and spoke to one of her bodyguards. "Take that child outside, too."

Her children had already gotten their revenge on that kid for what he did, so he didn't need to witness more awful things there.

The kid was terrified, acting like a petrified statue as he allowed himself to be brought outside el net didn't even dare to speak A bodyguard quickly closed the door behind him, and the entire room was engulfed in deafening silence.

It felt even more tense.

A huge fight was about to break out.

Chapter 2393 Chapter 2393 Xyla Quest glanced at the closed door and then pointed out the kindergarten principal, teachers, and the boy's parents to her bodyguards. "This one, them, and these two. Perhaps it's time for a proper lesson for the adults for a change."

Xyla was not the sort who would casually choose violence unless it was deemed necessary. But after what happened to Lynette Batton and Leon Batton earlier, none of those she had singled out were innocent.

Her children were everything to her, so she would do everything in her power to punish anyone who hurt them.

At that moment, her only thought was to take revenge for the pain they had suffered.

As her expression hardened at the thought, those people she had pointed out knelt on the ground, preparing to beg for leniency.

However, before they could speak, Xyla had turned around and walked out.

Recalling everything they said before, she thought of how humble they seemed now.

How ironic, she thought to herself.

Suddenly, being rich and powerful as Quest Group's president and the wife of Dragon Group's president proved to be rather handy on such an occasion.

A commotion came from the office she had just left, and sounds of people crying out in pain assailed her ears, but she didn't look back.

She didn't feel the least bit sorry for them as she calmly walked away from the building after closing the door behind her.

Upon returning to her car, she saw Leon embracing his sister as they waited obediently in the passenger seat while their nanny sat behind them.

The twins raised their thumbs at their mother with looks of admiration when they saw her.

Xyla had demonstrated to her children her full support in front of so many people today.

Additionally, she had also avenged them.

They both thought their mother was amazing.

"Mommy, you were so cool just now. I admire you so much," Lynette told her, beaming with pride.

"Yeah," her brother agreed coolly.

His cheek had noticeable bruises from being slapped, prompting Xyla to reach out and gently stroke his face. "Does it still hurt?"

He nodded. "Just a little. That man was too cruel. Mommy, he's going to be punished, right?"

He knew his mother had them escorted from the principal's because they were about to officet y punished.

She nodded in reply. "Yes. I don't care who they are, but anyone who bullies my children will get their fair punishment. Of course, that only happens if my children are O innocent."

Her son instantly nodded. "We understand."

Lynette also followed suit.

"I will protect you two for the rest of your as long as you are in the right and haven't done anything principally wrong," Xyla said.

Her children felt deeply touched by what she'd said, offering them a limitless sense of security.

It felt even more upsetting upon recalling what they went through earlier, and seeing how obedient they were now.

"Mommy, which school are we going to now?" Leon asked.

Chapter 2394 Chapter 2394 Xyla Quest considered carefully for a moment. "I'll have to discuss this with your father tonight. There's no rush."

Leon Batton and Lynette Batton nodded simultaneously.

"All right, let's go home. We need to get an ice pack for your swollen cheek. Otherwise, it won't recover even after a few days," she added. Her son agreed with a nod. He had no intention of going against his mother's decision.

Xyla drove them back home and immediately iced his bruise before spending some time playing with her children in the nursery.

They seemed overly generous to their mother by letting her have first dibs on their favorite toys because she had stood up for them today.

The children eventually fell asleep after exhausting themselves, with her stationed nearby to work on her laptop.

In the evening, Stanley Batton, who had been swamped with work all day, returned home and walked directly into the nursery.

He noticed Leon's swollen cheek as soon as he walked in, even with his son sound asleep in bed.

Stanley's facial expression immediately turned gloomy as he hastened his steps and approached the bed. "What happened to Leon?"

He felt the twinge of pain in his heart, despite the fact it was Leon's cheek that was swollen.

Xyla turned off her laptop with a sigh before recounting everything that happened to their children in the afternoon.

She watched his facial expression darken as he listened with a clenched jaw.

"What? I can't believe something like this happened! Get all these peo-"

"Get them all beaten up, right? I've already done that," she interjected before he could finish his sentence, knowing what her husband was thinking without even needing to guess.

Stanley continued to frown deeply even though a look of approval appeared in his eyes. "Okay. You did great."

"Not only that, but I even want the principal and the teachers to be fired. What do you think?" Xyla asked.

"Such people don't deserve to be educators. Getting them fired would be best since we're doing good for the world," he answered with a sneer. o "I am also contemplating destroying the business that belongs to that kid's parents," she told him with an arched eyebrow.

"I won't have a problem even if you kill them," he replied without hesitation.

His supportive stance made her snap her fingers decisively. "Okay."

"Do whatever you want. No matter what happens, I've got your back Stanley declared as he affectionately ruffled Xyla's hair, making her heart grow warm.

In the next moment, she shrugged with a smile on her face. "Have you forgotten? I'm all grown up now. I can back myself up so that I won't need to trouble you. All you have to do is stand by my side and watch me."

He sighed at her words.

Indeed, his wife had matured and grown significantly over the past few years, becoming a businesswoman who could hold her own.

He didn't need to get involved much, whether in her business or daily life.

He was so proud of how much improvement she had made, and he rather enjoyed this kind of life where they were equally capable. His smile gradually widened. "Yeah, you're right."

Leon opened his eyes then and promptly closed them again when he saw his parents having an intimate conversation.

“The thing is, I don't want to let Lynette and Leon stay in that school. Where do you think is the better alternative?” she asked.

Her husband might trust her judgment, but Xyla still felt she should discuss such matters with Stanley.

After all, she still couldn't think of any other alternative kindergarten for their children.

Stanley considered for a moment before answering. "I think Dream Kindergarten is a decent option. What do you think?"

Chapter 2395 Chapter 2395 Dream Kindergarten was only second to Phaeton Kindergarten as an option for royal families.

It was good in every aspect.

Xyla Quest nodded at his suggestion, so with Stanley Batton, they happily decided on it.

That night, Sharon Lindt and Wilson Batton came over for dinner that Stanley cooked.

The family had a good dinner together.

After the meal, they all settled down in front of the television to watch the live broadcast of this year's White Jade Awards Ceremony.

It was a widely popular program as one of the four most prestigious awards ceremonies.

In previous years, the ceremony always took place in a foreign country.

This year, it was held within the country with Dragon Group as the current organizer of the awards ceremony.

The Battons were supposed to be present, but they chose to watch the live broadcast at home so they could accompany their children.

This time, Josh Batton and Lukas Ronaldo were both nominated in the Best Actor category based on the movie with two male leads, Ocean.

Xyla paid particular attention to this category as she was curious about who would win the award.

Over the past few years, Josh and Lukas have achieved significant success in their respective careers with spectacular accomplishments in both films and television dramas.

Lukas, in particular, had improved rapidly over the years, making Xyla so proud of his accomplishments.

Most importantly, she was pleased that he had remained humble through it all.

Even after winning countless awards in the film and television industry, he never forgot his roots. He continued to work hard every day while remaining as courteous to everyone as before. No matter what jobs the company booked for him, he would complete them without complaints.

Apart from Josh, he was Xyla's favorite talent in the company.

She was worried he would leave to join another company after achieving success.

However, he didn't do so.

Over the years, countless agents had tried to poach him away, but he never wavered no matter how lucrative their offer was. He never even considered them Bet Xyla found it impossible not to appreciate an employee like him.

Right then, the awards ceremony was presenting the Best Newcomer Award.

The camera zoomed past the audience off-stage, showing Josh and Lukas briefly.

The two A-list celebrities from X Entertainment were considered legends in the entertainment industry.

The camera focused on them before panning away.

Tonight, Josh and Lukas dressed up to the nines to attend the ceremony.

Lukas wore a tight-fitting black suit with a white shirt on the inside. He looked very handsome even without much makeup.

Josh wore a deep purple suit over a white shirt, also looking effortlessly handsome.

They both had a refreshing yet gentle vibe.

They were seated among numerous attractive people around them, yet they were still the most eye-catching presence in the entire venue of the awards ceremony.

Female celebrities around them would occasionally steal glances at them.

They were at the center of attention.

The camera focused on Josh and Lukas again after finishing the Best Newcomer Award, depicting both talking to each other with their heads low.

Their gorgeous looks and similar personalities made them extremely attractive even by having a simple conversation.

Soon, the Most Promising Actor nominees were announced, and the camera zoomed in on Lukas and Josh as the former was cued.

When Josh heard Lukas' name, he instantly smiled proudly.

The younger actor did the same.

"Next, I would like to announce that the winner of the Most Promising Actor award goes to," a presenter paused, and then both presenters announced together, "Lukaso Ronaldo." en swnovels.net Lukas smiled and slowly stood up, waving politely at the audience around him.

Then, Josh stood up to hug him. "Congratulations."

Chapter 2396 Chapter 2396 Lukas Ronaldo returned Josh Batton's smile and hug.

The camera captured their exchange as it followed Lukas up on stage after the congratulatory hug.

Josh joined the audience in applause and watched him with a proud expression on his face.

As a senior, he was pleased to see a junior from the same company doing so well.

Lukas' popularity soared in the past few years, making them on par with one another in terms of talents and capabilities. Somehow, they ended up in a healthy competition despite people saying they were rivals who couldn't share the limelight.

Additionally, Josh would never want to hurt his junior in any way.

He thought it was great that the entertainment industry had new talents like Lukas.

While everyone watched, Lukas walked onto the stage, remaining calm in front of the camera.

He had lost his self-consciousness after many years of being under the spotlight. He always seemed undaunted no matter the occasion. Xyla Quest was delighted to see him like that.

Sharon Lindt couldn't look away from the screen. "Lukas is so handsome."

"Have you grown fond of him recently?" Xyla asked.

"Yeah, I'm a huge fan. Xyla, you must take good care of him," her mother-in-law told her. "Give him more support and publicity, got it?"

Sharon had a concerned look on her face, much to Xyla's amusement, who often saw the same expression in fans welcoming their idols at the airport.

She nodded. "Okay, don't worry."

"Get him roles as the main lead in movies and variety shows. I want to see him more often," the older woman added, acting like a schoolgirl with a celebrity crush when she spoke about him. "Okay, okay. Don't worry."

"Oh, right. The self-heating rice cooker Lukas endorsed is going on sale at midnight. I have to set my alarm to buy it.

"There's also a magazine on sale at the 20time. I've got to buy that yel as well Sharon added while programming her phone's clock to wake her up before midnight.

Her attention returned to the television, right in the middle of Lukas' acceptance speech.

Xyla had always been aware that her elaw bought products her idols, so she wa at all.

Stanley Batton and Wilson Batton were also aware, but her grandchildren couldn't resist making fun of her.

"Umm, Grandma, you're like a little kid," Lynette Batton said with a giggle.

"You're not rational," Leon Batton spoke up.

Sharon rolled her eyes at them before caressing their faces gently. hat's the point of being r è should be wild and?

"Aren't you worried that Grandpa might be jealous?" her grandson asked.

"I doubt it. He'd join me."

Everyone was speechless. It was something no one expected.

Indeed, this was true love.

Wilson caressed his wife's face affectionately. "That's right."

"Grandpa, you're awesome," Leon said.

"Lukas deserves it. He's the best," Wilson said.

Xyla remained silent, thinking that he sounded exactly like his wife.

They were still as in love as a young couple.

She wasn't surprised.

The awards ceremony went on while the Batton family watched with rapt attention.

After a while, she got a little bored and opened Weibo to discover a hot topic that made her gape in shock.

Hot topic number four: '#Josh Batton and Lukas Ronaldo look like a couple#'.

Chapter 2397 Chapter 2397 After staring at the link for a few seconds, Xyla Quest clicked on it to find posts published by random netizens and marketing accounts about Josh Batton and Lukas Ronaldo as a couple. There were video attachments that showed them together with captions- "The halls are filled, and people express their deepest love."

"But I only look into his eyes, and I don't care about what everyone is shouting."

The words quoted seemed familiar to her. They were lyrics to a song she knew.

Those lyrics, coupled with lingering stares shared between the actors amidst a crowd of thousands, really did make them look like a couple.

Oddly enough, she could see why these people shipped them as a couple. Fans would often fantasize about celebrities dating other celebrities they approved of.

However, she couldn't understand why these people would think so when Josh was already married.

As she perused down further, she could see a newly formed community forum dedicated to the guys as a couple.

The forum was named Stars Collide.

It wasn't hard to guess the meaning behind it, alluding to the fact that Lukas and Josh were both celebrities who somehow met and fell in love.

These netizens were certainly very creative.

Reading on, she saw even more comments from random netizens— "Lukas and Josh look so good together."

"Stars Collide. It's so sweet!"

"Josh is already married. Are you sure this is okay?"

"Hey, have you thought about how Annabeth feels? I'm sure she's speechless."

"Honestly, I know it's fake, but I still think they're suitable for each other."

"A relationship between an established celebrity and an up-and-coming celebrity is entertaining."

"The way Josh looks at Lukas is entertaining, isn't it?"

"I don't care. Stars Collide is real. They are a real couple."

Xyla felt a little shocked after reading these comments, but celebrity gossip was a regular part of the job in the entertainment industry. Artistes and talent management companies usually chose to ignore them, so she didn't plan on paying too much attention to any of it. After exiting the topic, she briefly perused other hot topics on the list.

Hot topic number one: '#Josh Batton's outfit#'.

Hot topic number two: '#Lukas Ronaldo's outfit#'.

The word 'explosive' was at the end of both topics, meaning they were equally popular.

Xyla was pleased that Lukas could attain such popularity in a brief amount of time after his debut.

She could see various compliments from his fans after clicking on the link. She briefly skimmed through the comments before exiting.

After browsing Weibo for a while longer, she shifted her attention back to the awards ceremony on television again, seeing a beautiful female actress and a famous director walk onto the stage.

“Up next, we'll be presenting the most important award of the night, and that is for the Best Actor category," the actress announced.

“Who is in the running to be the winner this the scr year? Let's take a look at director said, turning to look at the screen for the nominees," the screen behind them.

at a big The names of several male nominees appeared on the screen with snippets of their featured films.

These included Lukas, Josh, and other pioneers in the film industry.

The director continued to speak once the nominees were introduced.

"I'm of Jade's Best Actor award is Lukas Ronaldo!"

to announce the winner

Chapter 2398 Chapter 2398 Everyone in the audience started clapping at that moment.

Josh Batton also jumped to his feet to hug Lukas Ronaldo. "I'm very happy for you, man!"

He was glad his friend won the award, knowing how hard he had worked over the years.

Meanwhile, other celebrities around them also began applauding excitedly for Lukas despite feeling envious in private.

In front of the cameras, they had to act supportive of their fellow peer's success.

Lukas' mind went blank when the presenters announced his name. He had won multiple awards over the years, but none were as significant as this one.

It was a very emotional experience for him at that moment. Scenes from his memory of his initial debut until his first acting job in a film began replaying in his mind. His debut went smoothly because he had Xyla Quest as his boss.

However, his acting journey was tumultuous, to say the least.

He remembered being mocked by various people when he first announced his dream of entering the film industry. People said singers shouldn't become actors.

They even openly expressed their doubts about his acting talent for the big screens.

All these years, Lukas kept working hard to prove himself.

Now, with this award, he proved to everyone that he really could become a successful actor.

Nothing could stop a singer from becoming an actor as long as they were willing to work hard to improve daily.

Right then, the actress up on stage continued to speak amidst the cheers. "The director isn't done yet. For the first time ever, we have another winner of the Best Actor award. "And that honor goes to... Josh Batton!" she added with a broad grin.

Lukas was over the moon to hear this. He and Josh acted in numerous movies together, and the senior actor mentored him in many ways.

He hoped Josh could win the award more than anyone else.

Hearing the second announcement, Josh was visibly stunned that he had also won, but the initial shock faded away as he calmly stood up and nodded politely to the audience.

Thunderous applause greeted his ears as cameras pointed at both winners. Lukas grinned and opened his arms wide to hug him tightly. "Congratulations!" He returned his smile. "Congratulations to you, too. Let's go and get the award."

Lukas nodded, allowing him to lead the way up onto the stage.

They were at the center of attention as all eyes were on them.

Up on stage, they received their awards from the presenters who walked off stage together after exchanging congratulatory hugs.

Josh and Lukas stood next to each other as they started their acceptance speeches.

Josh waved at Lukas, motioning for him to start first.

The latter acknowledged with a smile and spoke into the microphone. "I'm very honored to receive this award. It hasn't been an easy journey, but thankfully, my company never gave up on me.

"I'd like to express my gratitude to my boss who has been supportive of my career all along. Thank you always being on my side. To mene you're like a bright light on the path known as life. You've guided me numerous times when I felt lost.

"I also want to thank my fans, mentors, and peers who have helped me during my journey in performing arts.

"I will work even harder in the future to produce better results as my way of giving back to all of you."

Chapter 2399 Chapter 2399 "I'd also like to take this opportunity to state my position on a particular matter.

"I have been approached by many companies, attempting to recruit me and even willing to pay a great deal of money to terminate my contract with X Entertainment.

"I'm grateful for how much they value me, but let me state this clearly so that nobody will waste their efforts on me any longer.

"I will never leave X Entertainment, and I'll always stay in X Entertainment.

"I, Lukas Ronaldo, will always remain with Xyla Quest," Lukas Ronaldo declared with utmost sincerity.

He didn't intend to address this openly, but too many people have approached him as of late, and it was starting to affect his quality of life.

Hence, he needed to say these things today to put an end to it.

Apart from that, there was an even more important reason. He wanted to reassure Xyla.

He knew that whatever conditions those companies offered would spread like wildfire within the industry.

She would eventually learn of the news.

Just because she didn't ask him about it didn't mean she was unaware.

Acting as his boss, she would be insecure if she discovered that others were poaching her best-performing artiste.

Therefore, Lukas wanted to use this opportunity to reassure her that he wasn't going to leave.

As soon as he made this public statement, he could hear thunderous applause.

Meanwhile, the comment section in the awards ceremony livestream was already flooded with various reactions- "Wow, Lukas is such a loyal person."

"Lukas is the best kid in the entertainment industry."

"Xyla is a good judge of character. All the artistes she manages are excellent."

"I believe Xyla must be a good boss. Otherwise, why would her employees all be so loyal?"

These comments also brought him closer to people who didn't know him before.

His reputation even soared after his statement.

། He waved to the camera and the audience before giving way to Josh, stand in front of the microphone to give his own acceptance speech.

who casually walked over to Josh, At first, he thanked the company and his peers, and then he added, "I also want to thank my wife Annabeth for always being by my side, offering me support and encouragement.

"From now on, I hope we can stay together forever, and always be as in love as when we first started dating."

His words instantly caused numerous female celebrities to feel jealous, while the single people were forced to witness his public display of affection. Meanwhile, the audience responded with booming applause.

Netizens went wild in the comment section- "Ahh! Josh is the best husband in the world."

"Why is Annabeth so lucky? Josh must love her a lot to say such things during the awards ceremony."

"I would feel so touched if I were Annabeth."

"Stop saying all that. I already wish I were her."

"In the beginning, I wanted them to break up. I didn't think Annabeth was good enough for him. Now, I realize they're pretty good as a couple. Josh is happy."

"Josh and Annabeth must stay together forever."

While everyone watched, Josh also waved politely at the camera and the audience before leading Lukas offstage.

Over at Stanley Batton's home, Sharon Lindt never once looked away from Lukas. She was mesmerized by his appearance on screen.