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Chapter 31 Samuel was stunned.
“Isn’t our home cozy? I would’ve gone home if it hadn’t been
jealousy flared up.
She clenched her fists tightly, trying to hide the bitterness rising within her.
Every time Nicole was around, it seemed like the entire family forgot about her, especially Grandpa.
She had worked hard, trying to earn his approval, but all her efforts seemed to pale in comparison to Nicole’s effortless charm.
Nicole, however, remained calm in the face of all the attention.
She knew that her grandfather’s actions came from a place of care, but she couldn’t help but feel guilty for the unspoken tension in the room.
She didn’t want to be the cause of any rifts within the family, but at the same time, she couldn’t deny the importance of her own goals.
It was a tricky balance, and as much as she appreciated their support, she was starting to feel the weight of their expectations.
Mr.
Riddle Sr.
looked around the room, seemingly unaware of the growing tension.
“I have my reasons for wanting to send Nicole to school myself.
It’s important that she feels supported, and I know how hard she’s been working.
Besides, I haven’t had the chance to spend much time with her since her return.” His gaze softened as he turned to Nicole.
“You’ll do great in your studies, Nicole.
Don’t worry about anything else.
Just focus on your future.”
Nicole couldn’t help but smile at his words.
Despite the underlying strain in the room, his support felt like a warm embrace.
Still, she couldn’t ignore the unease creeping in, especially with Norah’s discontent growing more apparent.
It was clear that things would only become more complicated as time went on.
“Thank you, Grandpa,” Nicole replied sincerely, trying to put the situation behind her for now.
She didn’t want to cause any further friction.
“I’ll make sure to stay focused on my studies.”
Seeing that the conversation was veering into uncomfortable territory, Steve quickly jumped in with a lighthearted comment.
“Well, I guess if Grandpa’s sending you off, we can’t compete with that.
But you’d better come back with some serious study tips for us!”
The room lightened a little, and even Norah couldn’t completely hide a small, begrudging smile.
The distraction was enough to ease the tension, but Nicole could feel the undercurrents of competition and jealousy swirling around her.
She would have to navigate this delicate balance carefully, or things might soon spiral out of control.
As they all began to settle down, Nicole couldn’t shake the feeling that more challenges awaited her, not just in her studies, but in her family dynamics as well.