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Novel Catalog
Chapter 48
Ivor had bought a tiramisu cake from Bonnie’s favorite bakery—the one she often raved about. The tiramisu was, without a doubt, the best flavor out of all the cakes they offered. It was a well-known bakery that sold limited quantities of its cakes each day, with the tiramisu being especially coveted. Though Ivor could have easily sent his assistant to pick it up, it was clear he’d gone out of his way.
“How did you know this was my favorite flavor?” Bonnie asked, raising an eyebrow as she stared at the cake.
“I took a wild guess,” Ivor replied with a smirk.
Bonnie wasn’t buying it. There was no way it was just a guess.
He waved her off playfully. “It’s nice and fresh. Hurry up and eat it.”
Though Bonnie was still a little irritated by his teasing earlier, she wasn’t about to waste a delicious cake. She forked a piece and popped it into her mouth, savoring the rich flavors. It was even better than the banana milkshake she’d had earlier.
“How were the SATs?” Ivor asked, his expression serious, as though he had something weighing on his mind.
Bonnie, always modest, replied, “If everything goes right, I’ll have a perfect score.”
Ivor put a hand to his forehead, clearly amused, but he decided not to tease her. She had a way of being so confident, it was almost contagious. Even if she didn’t do well on the SATs, he was sure he could help her in other ways.
“Okay,” he said after a beat, “You should go back and get some rest.”
Bonnie caught the doubt in his eyes, but it didn’t bother her. She knew the truth would come out when the results were announced.
Back at home, as she tried to unwind, she suddenly remembered that her grandparents’ birthday party was that weekend. She’d forgotten all about it in the midst of everything. They were huge fans of Orson’s paintings. If she recalled correctly, one of his pieces would make the perfect gift—expensive, impressive, and meaningful. She could easily get her hands on one, no problem.
Picking up the phone, she dialed Kay.
“You found time to call me, Master! Are you going to teach me more kickboxing? I’m ready to come to you now!” Kay answered eagerly.
Bonnie slapped her forehead, her frustration palpable. “I’ll teach you some kickboxing later, but I need a favor.”
Kay’s excitement intensified. “A favor? Of course, Master! I’ll travel to the deepest depths of hell for you, just say the word!”
“There’s no need to go that far. I just want your grandfather to paint something for me. My grandparents are celebrating their birthdays this weekend, and they’re huge fans of his work.”
“Alright, leave it to me! What kind of theme do you want?” Kay responded instantly.
Time flew by, and before Bonnie knew it, the weekend had arrived. She headed to her grandparents’ birthday party, the painting carefully wrapped in her hands. As soon as she walked into the hall, her cousins surrounded her.
“The SAT results are out today, Bonnie. How did it go? What’s your score?” Fernanda asked with a mocking grin.
The results were out? Bonnie froze, momentarily stunned. She’d completely forgotten about them. It wasn’t that she was careless, but the SATs had been so easy for her that they barely registered. Lately, her mind had been consumed by her research, and the exam felt like a distant memory.
“Her score? You have too high an opinion of Bonnie, Fernanda,” Ysabel chimed in, giving Bonnie a condescending glance. “She’s always flunked her tests.”
“I don’t think she flunked it. She probably got some of it right,” another cousin chimed in.
“I think she definitely flunked it,” Ysabel scoffed.
Vera, standing far off, felt a wave of embarrassment. She pretended not to hear, her face turning red as the rest of the family made fun of Bonnie. It was uncomfortable, but she stayed quiet.
“Never mind the SATs, Bonnie,” Ysabel said dismissively, changing the subject. “What did you get for Grandpa and Grandma? We’ve already given them our presents. Trina gave them a horoscope statue worth a hundred thousand dollars.”
Bonnie, feeling the pressure of their judgment, smiled faintly and replied, “I have something.”
She unwrapped the painting scroll with grace, revealing the piece Orson had created for her. Ysabel burst into laughter before she even had a chance to see the full work.
“Hahaha. Is this really happening? Did you paint something for Grandpa and Grandma with your own hands, Bonnie? How tacky!” she mocked.
“Good grief. If I didn’t know better, I’d think your family was broke. This is a present for our grandparents, after all. You sure were mindful of the cost. This is hilarious!” another cousin joined in, laughter ringing through the room.
The surrounding guests snickered, but Bonnie didn’t let their taunts get to her. She walked straight to her grandparents, Harold and Yolanda, and greeted them with a warm smile.
“Happy birthday, Grandpa. Grandma,” she said, handing them the painting.
Harold and Yolanda were visibly displeased, having overheard the exchanges between Bonnie and the others. They couldn’t hide their disappointment, and Bonnie could see it in their eyes.
The guests began to whisper among themselves. If Bonnie had really painted something herself, it would be a source of humiliation. They had hoped for something grander—perhaps a gift worthy of their status. Bonnie’s gesture, though sincere, was far beneath their expectations.
Harold and Yolanda exchanged a look before Harold spoke curtly, “Okay. You can put it aside and—”
Before he could finish, someone interrupted.
“Well, Bonnie made that for you, Grandpa. No matter how bad it is, you should take a look!”
Everyone turned to see who had spoken. The voice belonged to none other than Ivor.