Chapter 168Shakira is a woman of principles. She really held on for a full two minutes before finally putting her phone down. Brian, watching from the side, felt a chill of worry.After years of following Walter, he had never seen anyone act this way and actually get away with it. Shakira was definitelythe first.When Walter glanced her way, Shakira cleared her throat and thoughtfully adjusted his hair. Even though she couldn’t fix his hairstyle perfectly, Walter still looked good. Shakira said, “This looks much better.” Walter stayed quiet, instead looking at Xanthe, who was grinning like a fool nearby.He frowned a bit, prompting Shakira to explain, “She came over to study with me, but the rain outside is really heavy. She’ll leave after dinner when it eases up.”Walter nodded and gestured to Levi, “Let’s eat.” Hearing this, Xanthe, regaining her composure, trembled and clung tightly to Shakira’s arm, as if it were her only lifeline in a stormy sea.”No way, no way! Mr. Lopez is going to eat with us?!” Xanthe asked, wondering if she could still make a quick escape.Shakira noticed Xanthe’s pale face and realized that even though Xanthe usually wasn’t scared of anything, she was intimidated by Walter. Shakira asked, “Do you want him to wait until we finish eating?” Xanthe shook her head vigorously, her anxiety clear. Seeing her timid demeanor, Shakira couldn’t help but chuckle. “Don’t worry, with me here, he won’t bite.”Xanthe grimaced inside. Mr. Lopez definitely looks like he can be pretty scary.Shakira led Xanthe to the dining table and naturally grabbed an apron from Levi, heading toward the kitchen. Left alone with Walter, Xanthe was in shock. She felt like she was about to cry, wishing she could follow Shakira. Usually, when she meets her friend’s boyfriend, she is in control while her friend’s boyfriend tries to impress.But in this case, the roles were flipped, and she felt completely powerless. After all, she had bullied Shakira before and had bren seriously reprimanded by Walter for it”Ms. Sullivan,” Walter said casually, startling the daydreaming Xanthe.e straightened up. “Mr. Lopez, I’m sorry for intruding today.” Walter replied softly, “Ms. Sullivan, there’s no need to be so Formal. Feel free to come by more often in the future.”Xanthe was taken aback; she hadn’t expected Walter to say that. It seemed he liked Shakira’s friends.Feeling a bit more relaxed, she responded, “With your invitation, Mr. Lopez, I’ll definitely come by often! After all, Im Shakira’s only good friend! And I’ll need her help with my final exam prep….Walter paused, slowly realizing that he might not know much about Shakira’s life at school her friends, her studies, her situation… Even though he had sent her a cake shortly after she started school, it wasn’t enough.Walter lowered his gaze slightly and suddenly asked, “Does Shakira have few friends at school?”Xanthe replied, “Yes. Shakira prefers to be alone, and after taking a two-year break, she jumped straight into her junior year. When she first got there, everyone was pretty resentful, worried she’d drag our grades down. But later, Shakira proved them all wrong with her amazing results!”As Xanthe talked about the past, a hint of shame crept in. Back then, under Yvette’s influence, she had joined others in mocking Shakira. Now, looking back, she felt really remorseful and lightly hit her own head in frustration 29 Fri, NovChapter 168Walter asked, “And now Are there still people in your class who dislike her?”Xanthe replied. “Of course, it’s different now. Everyone knows Shakira isn’t like the bad student rumors said. They also realize that thanks to her, we all have the chance to intern at Lopez Group, and many are grateful to her.” 94%1 S~ᴇaʀᴄh the ƒindNoᴠᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Walter nodded, then suddenly seemed to remember something, his tone becoming more serious. Xanthe could sense the tension in his voice. “Now that she’s changed your perceptions, assume there are quite a few admirers vying for her attention at school?” Xanthe felt a chill run down her spine; while there weren’t any at school, she knew of one-Sean, that annoying flirt.”No, after you defended Shakira so fiercely, everyone knows she’s your girlfriend, so no one dares to go after her.” Xanthe lied.Walter nodded, “Good to know” He pushed his phone forward, Let’s add each other as friends. If anything comes up on her end, you can reach out to me directly.”Xanthe understood the intention behind this alliance and quickly added him “Don’t worry, Mr. Lopez, I’ll be your loyal allyWalter’s lips curled into a slight smile, clearly pleased with Xanthe’s response. When Shakira came out with a cart of dishes, the two were already deep in conversation.Shakira was pleasantly surprised. “I didn’t expect you two to get along so well Xanthe grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Of course! We have plenty in common!” The commonality being Shakira herself.Shakira’s lips twitched as she thought about Xanthe’s social skills, Xanthe could strike up a conversation with anyone.The servants placed the dishes Shakira had prepared on the table, all positioned near Walter. Xanthe exclaimed, “You even cooked for Mr. Lopez? How sweet!” Shakira explained, “He’s pretty picky, and I’ve always been in charge of his meals” Xanthe waved her finger playfully, her expression saying she understood everything without needing more explanation. That means his heart has been won over by your cooking-how adorable!”Shakira was at a loss for words. Xanthe, now feeling bold after connecting with Walter, chatted nonstop throughout the meal. Shakira stayed aloof, occasionally responding when she grew tired of Xanthe’s questions.If it weren’t for a message popping up on Xanthe’s phone, Shakira might have enjoyed a moment of peace. “Hey Shakira, check the class group.” “Hmm? What’s up?” “They’re talking about whether to go watch the sunrise together the day after Without thinking, Shakira replied, “I won’t be going Xanthe’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Yvette is bringing Joe? What is she trying to prove? Shakira, you have to go! Otherwise, she’ll definitely mock you for still having feelings for her boyfriend!”In a moment of impulsiveness, Xanthe’s words came out faster than her thoughts. Shakira instinctively glanced at Walter, who indeed wore a stormy and ominous expression. Walter spoke in a cold, detached tone. “Is there still lingering affection?” Shakira furrowed her brow. “That was all a misunderstanding; I was…”Before she could finish, Walter set down his utensils and maneuvered his wheelchair toward the exit. “This has nothing to do with me.”Xanthe’s mind slowly caught up, but it was too late. She hunched her shoulders, her expression on the verge of tears. “What should I do, Shakira? I didn’t mean to say that…” Shakira replied, “It has nothing to do with you.”At that moment, Shakira was tagged in the group chat. She opened it to find Yvette deliberately mentioning her, despite her previous silence. Yvette: [Shakira, why don’t you join us? If it’s inconvenient, I can leave Joe behind] Yvette truly was insufferable and manipulative.