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Genius Kids Scheme: Claiming Daddy’s Billionaire Emp
Chapter 138
The SUV pulled into Emerald Garden, tites crunching on the gravel getaway, the estate felt both welkoming aud oddly constraining.
the familiar buildings came into view. After theit weekend
“Finally home!” Lucas pressed his face against the window, leaving a mudge. “Tim starving.
Alex suddenly sat up straight. “Hey, look at Uncle Adam’s place.”
A black Bentley sat parked by Adam’s entrance. As they drove closer woman stepped out, smoothing her cream–colored suit.
“Who’s that lady?” Lily craned her neck.
Thomas glanced in the mirror, his friendly expression instantly cooling. “That’s Ms. Wright.”
Adam’s jaw clenched for just a split second. if you blinked, you’d miss his reaction to her presence.
Samantha stood waiting with perfect posture, her hair falling in waves, her makeup flawless. When their car pulled up, her professional smile switched on like a light.
Thomas parked and helped Adam with his wheelchair, their movements quick and efficient after weeks of practice.
Irene helped the kids out of the back seat, instantly feeling the weekend’s relaxed mood evaporate.
Samantha’s smile flickered when she spotted Irene. Her eyes darted between Adam, Irene, and the children, clearly trying to figure
out what she was seeing.
“Adam,” she said warmly, “what perfect timing! I was just-” Her eyes landed on Irene again. “You all came back together? From
somewhere?”
The question hung awkwardly. The triplets instinctively moved closer to Irene, eyeing Samantha with undisguised suspicion.
“What brings you here?” Adam asked bluntly.
Her smile twitched before she recovered. “The medical research project. I thought we could discuss details tonight.” She brushed at her sleeve. “I was in the area anyway.”
Adam gave a slight nod. “I see.”
Thomas pushed Adam toward the villa. Samantha fell into step beside Irene and the children, trailing behind like they were all heading to the same party.
“We barely got to talk last time,” Samantha said with forced friendliness. “Everything happened so fast.”
“Yeah, it was busy,” Irene replied simply.
“So you’re handling Adam’s therapy?” Samantha’s eyes swept over Irene like she was checking for flaws. “Must be exhausting, looking after him.”
Looking after him?
bit back a laugh. This Samantha woman is acting like she’s Adam’s guardian too. Exactly like Sophia did at first.
The condescension wasn’t subtle. It echoed Sophia’s initial approach, but where Sophia had genuine concern beneath her snobbery, Samantha’s interest seemed purely territorial.
Irene assessed the situation coolly. She’d dealt with enough power plays to see through this one. I’m definitely not some low–level
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Chapter 138.
naive ght, she thought. Her life intimidation game isn’t going in work in me.
Not exartly a hardship, Irene replied with calm dignity, stepping fund a bush. Adam’s already expressed his appreciation
She deliberately moved closer to Adam as she spoke, closing the physical gap between them with a casual confidence that made her relationship with him appear more intimate than it actually was. The subtle positioning wasn’t lost on Samantha, whose smile stayed fixed while her eyes hardened.
When Thomas offered to take the kids‘ backpacks, trene handed the over with the easy familiarity of someone completely at home in Adam’s space. She caught Samantha watching the exchange and hold her gaze a moment longer than necessary, her r expression pleasant but unwavering.
Alex, picking up on the tension, looked up at Adam. “Hey, Uncle Adah, who is she?”
The direct question cut through the fake pleasantries. Adam didn’t hesitate. “A friend.”
Even from several feet away, Irene could tell that “friend” was a generous description.
Samantha’s smile tightened. “Irene’s being modest,” she said sweetly Adam and I go way back. Our families have been partners+ forever. Her eyes locked with Irene’s, silently marking territory. “We basically grew up together. Any help with his care feels personal to me.”
Here was her usual trick again emphasizing her long history and family connections with Adam. It was the kind of status reminder that usually made women approaching Adam reconsider their position and back off. Samantha had used it successfully many times before, watching women’s expressions fall as they realized they couldn’t compete with generations of family ties.
Lucas stepped closer to Irene, his face suddenly serious. “You don’t need to worry about that, lady,” he said, dropping any pretense of politeness. “We’re super tight with Uncle Adam! Just yesterday we went stargazing and hit the hot springs together! We don’t do the formal thing anymore. Uncle Adam doesn’t even bother saying thanks to Mom these days–we’re basically family!*
Irene wanted to sink into the ground. She glanced at Adam, expecting at least discomfort, but caught only the hint of a smile at the
corner of his mouth.
Lily darted forward and grabbed Adam’s hand. She looked up at him, bottom lip pushed out. “Right, Uncle Adam?”
Something in Adam’s expression softened. He nodded once, fingers closing around Lily’s small hand.
Lily beamed. She bounced on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Uncle Adam’s the best!”
Samantha’s perfect mask slipped for a moment. She stared at the scene–Adam holding Lily’s hand, the boys hovering protectively near Irene, Thomas watching with hidden amusement. They looked like they belonged together.
And she was obviously, painfully, the odd one out.
They’re supposed to be doctor and patient, her mind raced. When did they get so… close?
As they reached Adam’s door, Samantha visibly pulled herself together. When she spoke again, her voice had cooled to business- meeting precision.
“Irene,” each word carefully measured, “thanks for your medical help with Adam. I need to discuss some private matters with him about our families‘ business. I’m sure you understand.“”
She turned to Adam, her voice softening deliberately. “Some decisions only we can make together. Right, Adam?”
The words seemed innocent enough, but the look she gave Irene contained unmistakable triumph–a silent claim of territory.
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Irene met her gaze without
Samantha’s eyes tracking her
ching, instantly reading the barely haden hostility. The truth hit her with sudden clarity as the fatt very move: Samantha wasn’t just being protective of a family friend.
She was treating Irene like a rival.
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