Chapter 29

Peyton sounded excited. "Your charity project is attracting a lot of attention. Several large companies have expressed interest in participating. Would you like to meet with them?" I thought for a moment. "Sure, arrange a time. But let's keep it low-profile. I don't want this turning into a spectacle." Peyton agreed, and after chatting for a bit longer, he ended the call. Leaning back in my chair, I closed my eyes. The project was progressing more smoothly than I had anticipated, but I knew that the smoother things seemed, the more vigilant I needed to be. … That afternoon, I went to pick up Jonas from school. Both Xavier and Jonas walked out together, but when Xavier saw me, he scowled and said nothing. Yvonne's voice was cold as she called out, "Xavier, get in the car." Without a glance back, Xavier quickly walked to Yvonne's car, not even bothering to say goodbye. I wasn't surprised, and I just calmly watched him leave. Kneeling down to Jonas' level, I asked, "How was schoo