Chapter 1036
Chapter 1035:
Cole let out a soft chuckle, amused. “For challenging me to a duel when you were burning with a fever yesterday p>
Taylor rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. “I never really wanted to duel you. I admire you. I don’t know why I acted so foolishly yesterday p>
“I don’t hold a grudge,” Cole interrupted.
Taylor blinked, surprised. He had been bracing for a scolding. Cole’s easy forgiveness threw him off.
“When you were born, I was already seven,” Cole said earnestly. “I watched you grow. I know you well. I won’t hold a single outburst against you. But you’re grown now. You must learn to control your temper. Think before you speak or act. It’s fine at home, but don’t make the Evans name a laughingstock outside p>
“I understand, Cole. I promise I’ll stop being immature!” Taylor said, nodding fast, touched by Cole’s kindness. “I can’t believe you’re being so forgiving. I’m mortified about what I did yesterday. I could kick myself p>
Cole watched Taylor closely, noticing his genuine remorse, with tears welling in his eyes.
Elliana had told Cole the night before that the AI chip in Taylor’s brain was built to mimic neural networks. She suspected whoever planted it wanted the chip to merge with Taylor’s mind. If that happened, the chip would fuse with Taylor’s brain and control his thoughts and actions.
But the technology wasn’t perfect yet. The brain needed time to accept the chip. Since it was newly implanted, Taylor’s brain hadn’t fully merged with it. That explained his split behavior—sometimes he was himself, and other times he obeyed the chip. When he was himself, his choices were his own. When the chip took over, he followed whoever pulled the strings.
In this moment, Taylor’s apology seemed real. His eyes held true feeling. He appeared to be himself.
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Cole felt a rush of pity. As the family head, he had a duty to protect every member from harm. But he hadn’t realized when such a significant manipulation had been done to Taylor, and guilt prickled him.
Cole’s voice softened with sympathy. “You had a fever yesterday. That made you rash and foolish. I’m not blaming you. Let’s move past this. You look worn out. Eat something and rest in your room p>
With that, he lowered his gaze, ready to continue with his paperwork. But Taylor stayed, awkward and uneasy. “Cole, I was being foolish even before the fever. I need to confess my wrongdoings to you p>
Hearing this, Cole paused in his file sorting and looked up. “What else did you do p>
Taylor faltered and then held out his phone with both hands. “Cole, take a look yourself. I’m the one behind the username ‘Ice Lilah p>
Cole rarely bothered with the Ublento Medical University forum. He hadn’t known Taylor had caused trouble there. He took Taylor’s phone and skimmed the posts. Anger instantly flared inside him. If he hadn’t known about the chip, he might have thrown Taylor out on the spot.
Still, knowing that Taylor sometimes acted under the chip’s control, Cole swallowed his anger and kept his voice calm. “Why would you do things like that p>
“I don’t know,” Taylor said, face bitter. “It felt like I was under a spell. Yes, Lilah ignores me, and I get annoyed. Sometimes I complain to let off steam. But I would never go that far on purpose. I can’t explain why I did it p>