Chapter 20 Now She Wants My HelpÂ
Alfred replied, “Not necessarily.Â
“If you want, you could have Toby wrapped around your finger.”Â
Alfred saw things clearly. Over the past year, Toby had been getting beaten up by Maya pretty often.Â
Toby probably wished she would come to him, crying and begging for help.Â
“Then what should I do?” Maya blinked. She’d always dealt with Toby using fists.Â
In her last life, she hadn’t been likable either.Â
She didn’t know how to soften her tone or act cute with Thomas, so it made sense that people didn’t like her.Â
Maya was practical.Â
As long as her future school life could stay peaceful, lowering her head to Toby wasn’t a problem at all.Â
94Â
“You just need to show a little goodwill. He’ll be overjoyed,” Alfred said flatly, radiating low energy. He hated it when Maya asked him such obvious questions.Â
Why does she suddenly care about Toby?Â
Is it because of the environment?Â
Is there something at the school that scares her enough that she’s even willing to make peace with Toby?Â
Maya mumbled, “Show goodwill?”Â
How?Â
She had no idea.Â
But that was fine.Â
She could learn.Â
At a school like that, social skills mattered.Â
Maya decisively accepted Alfred’s suggestion.Â
She decided she’d start treating Toby nicer.Â
The next morning, Maya woke up early.Â
She put on the uniform Wendy had ironed overnight.Â
A navy blazer, a gray pleated skirt, and a white shirt with a light blue bow tie.Â
1/4Â
10:14 Fri, May 1Â
Chapter 20 Now She Wants My HelpÂ
Wendy had even styled her hair into a side ponytail, tied with a matching ribbon.Â
Perfect.Â
When she went downstairs, Toby was in the living room, looking down as he adjusted his cuffs.Â
The school-issued uniform fit him perfectly, more like a custom suit than a uniform.Â
94Â
Fire bagÂ
The black fabric made his pale skin look even whiter, outlining his slim waist. His hair was slightly longer than a year ago, soft black strands falling over his forehead. The childishness in his features had faded, replaced with a sharper, more striking kind of beauty.Â
He’s… so pretty.Â
In just one year, he’s grown fast and somehow gotten even better-looking.Â
Maya wasn’t someone who cared about looks. If anything, she preferred ugly people.Â
Ugly people made her feel safe.Â
After so long spent hurting each other, standing at the top of the stairs, she instinctively shot him a wary look.Â
Sensing her gaze, he turned and looked up at her, already dressed and ready.Â
In that instant, the sickly air around him vanished. His lips curled into a mocking smirk as he struck first. “What are you staring at?”Â
Maya didn’t answer.Â
He sneered, “What now?Â
“You heard you’re going to Harmony, so now you suddenly wanna suck up to me, hoping I’ll go easy on you?”Â
She didn’t reply.Â
Toby kept talking smugly, but the girl suddenly ran down the stairs.Â
And this time, she didn’t punch him or insult him.Â
Toby hadn’t expected that. His body tensed slightly. His hand paused mid-motion while fixing his tie as he stared at her.Â
He had no idea what she was planning.Â
“What are you doing?” he muttered.Â
The next second, the girl suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist.Â
Whoa.Â
Maya gasped internally.Â
2/4Â
1Â
OÂ
OÂ
OÂ
<Â
94Â
Chapter 26 Now She Wants My HelpÂ
He really does smell nice.Â
Every time she hit him before, she’d caught that faint scent on him, not strong, more like some expensive fabric softener.Â
Now, with her face pressed against his waist, the scent was even clearer.Â
What a refined guy.Â
She even got distracted analyzing the fragrance.Â
Toby, meanwhile, froze completely.Â
Instead of an attack, it was a soft hug.Â
Her face was pressed against his waist, and from the sensation, he could even tell she’d just sniffed him.Â
This completely out-of-character behavior made all his sharp words die in his throat.Â
For once, he didn’t know what to do.Â
At the same time, after a year of fighting nonstop, Maya wasn’t used to saying anything soft to him either.Â
She looked up, meeting his dark gaze as he examined her.Â
Then she asked directly. “Will you help me at school?”Â
Toby didn’t answer.Â
Her question was blunt and reckless.Â
Her intentions were way too obvious.Â
Maya realized it, too. It sounded cold and stiff.Â
So she quickly added in a small voice, “You’re my big brother. You have my back, right?”Â
That effortless “big brother” sent a mess of emotions crashing through Toby.Â
Shock, disbelief, astonishment, and something even he himself had never noticed before, something hidden and twisted…Â
It was a faint trace of satisfaction.Â
Of course, those feelings were too subtle. His strongest reaction was still thinking she’d lost her mind.Â
Faced with her sudden hug and attempt at reconciliation, he instinctively snapped, trying to sound tough. “You’re so annoying.Â
“Why should I help you?”Â
All she ever did was hit me, and now she wants my help?Â
1Â
OÂ
GÂ
5Â
OÂ
<Â
3/4Â
Fri, MayÂ
Chapter 20 Now She Wants My HelpÂ
Too late.Â
93Â
Seeing his cold, unmoved expression, Maya decisively tightened her arms around him, locking him in place so he couldn’t leave.Â
584Â
1Â
10:15 Fri, May 1Â
This Time. Ill Be the Villain’s Favorite Daughter