Chapter 2167

Nathaniel looked up from his plate, his gaze hard as ice against stone as it landed on the boy. “Don’t push your luck.”

Elliot’s lower lip trembled, his excitement collapsing into a defeated pout.

Cecilia’s heart tightened. She shot Nathaniel a warning look, then turned back to her son. “Elliot, if you want friends to come over, of course you can invite them.”

Joy flickered back across the child’s face, though he still glanced at Nathaniel, quietly seeking final approval.

Nathaniel would never contradict Cecilia in front of the children, and they all knew it.

“Fine,” he said at last, his voice noticeably softer. “Have them over.”

A grin exploded across Elliot’s face, wide enough to chase away every lingering shadow in the dining room.

That evening, Elliot typed out enthusiastic invitations to Dante and every other classmate he could think of.

Because he’d posted the news in the class group chat, Felix saw it too. A spark of excitement lit behind the boy’s eyes.

“Mom, can I go to a classmate’s house tomorrow?” Felix asked, lingering at the kitchen doorway.

Miranda was nibbling fruit at the counter. Without looking up, she asked coolly, “Have you finished every assignment your teacher gave you?”

Felix shook his head, his gaze dropping to the floor.

“Then why would you even think about going out to play?” Miranda’s question cut through the air, crisp and sharp as the apple in her hand.

Night pressed against the windows. It was past nine, but formulas and vocabulary words continued marching across Felix’s notebook.

Only after the clock crept past eleven did the lesson finally end, the tutor snapping his books shut with quiet satisfaction.

In the foyer, Miranda walked him to the door, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial hush. “With Felix’s progress, he must be ranking near the top of his class now, correct?”

“Rest assured, Mrs. Rainsworth. With his daily lessons and natural talent, no one in that classroom can outscore him. He’ll take first place.”

First place.

The words rang like a victory bell, and Miranda couldn’t hide her smile.

“Thank you,” she said, delight coloring every syllable.

Only after seeing the tutor out did she turn back inside.

In the study, Felix was slumped over his desk, cheek pressed against an open workbook, breathing evenly in exhausted sleep.

Miranda lifted him gently and laid him beneath the quilt. She smoothed the blanket, her whisper barely disturbing the dark. “Baby, don’t blame me. Everything I do is for you. One day, you’ll thank me for all this.”

If her husband couldn’t outshine Cecilia, then she would make sure her son eclipsed Cecilia’s sons. The thought hardened into a silent vow.

Miranda’s fingers curled into a tight fist, her knuckles whitening with resolve.

She had once sent Felix overseas, hoping foreign boarding schools would sharpen his mind—but he’d been too young. Lonely nights and unfamiliar hallways had broken him.

With no better option, she brought him home again. From now on, everything would revolve around his success.

Word had it that Jonathan’s school was the best in the city, so she made arrangements for Felix to enroll there as well.