Chapter 201
No one could fathom just how shocked Ike was right now.
That was Master Ninth-yes, the Master Ninth-standing at the absolute pinnacle of the financial world.
A man who could make or break Eldermere with a single move.
And yet, here he was.
Eating at a roadside food cart.
It was almost surreal-he seemed so down-to-earth!
When Ike blurted this out, Skyler Cumming just laughed, “You must be seeing things. No way! My uncle’s a total neat freak-he’d never go near street food, trust me p>
Summer in the city meant swarms of flies and mosquitoes.
And Gordon Sylvester? The king of germaphobes.
For someone like him, eating at a sidewalk stall in the summer was basically starring in his own personal disaster movie.
Besides, Gordon was stubborn as a mule. If he didn’t want to do something, no one could make him—not even his own family.
Forget street food.
Gordon wouldn’t even set foot in a place that didn’t have at least three stars.
So, Ike had to be mistaken.
“I’m not, I swear I’m not!” Ike insisted, never taking his eyes off Gordon. “Just slow down, will you? Turn your head and look. You’ll see Master Ninth! And there’s a girl with him, too p>
The girl had her back to Ike, so he couldn’t make out her face.
But even from behind, her posture and aura were enough to tell him she must be stunning.
There was something so goddess.
Ike marveled silently.
about her, so untouchable-like some kind of
Trust Master Ninth to have such impeccable taste.
Skyler burst out laughing. “Oh, come on! That’s impossible! I can’t even get my uncle to eat street food, and you think some random girl could drag him to a food cart p>
Her uncle was the definition of a straight-laced guy—no way he’d go on a food run with a woman. Especially not to a street vendor.
That was just common sense.
Skyler clearly didn’t believe a word Ike said, and Ike was getting desperate. “I’m telling you, I saw it! Please, just pull over, okay? Stop the car and take a look for yourself! It really is Master Ninth p>
If Skyler wasn’t driving, Ike would’ve yanked his head around to make him look.
It was infuriating.
How could anyone be this stubborn?
But Skyler just shrugged him off. “There’s no point! You don’t know my uncle at all. He’s practically an angel fallen from heaven-do you really think he’d stoop to street food? Unless it starts raining fire, there’s no way he’d take a girl to a food cart. And do you see fire raining from the sky p>
“Just stop the car, please! Let’s go check together.” Ike was nearly beside himself, half tempted to start a fistfight.
“Seriously, why bother?” Skyler sped up, pressing harder on the gas. “Besides, my uncle’s meeting with some big-shot today. If he’s eating out at all, it’s probably at some Michelin-starred place p>
Street food just didn’t match the stature of either man.
Skyler didn’t slow down-in fact, he drove even faster.
Ike was left in the dust, stunned. He fumbled for his phone, trying to snap a photo for proof, but before he could even unlock the screen, they were already at the next intersection.
“Why are you driving so fast? I was just about to get a picture! That really was Master Ninth! I swear on my life!” Ike held up three fingers in a solemn oath.
For heaven’s sake.
Why couldn’t anyone just believe him this once?
He really saw it.
Ike felt like crying.
Totally defeated.
“I think you need your eyesight checked,” Skyler retorted. “I’m his own nephew, and even I can’t get him to try street food. What makes you think some woman could convince him p>
“But what if that girl’s his first love?” Ike shot back.
Of course, sharing barbecue with your first love would beat hanging out with your nephew any day.
First love.
Skyler practically howled with laughter.
Gordon Sylvester, with a first love? That was priceless.
“Trust me, my uncle probably doesn’t even know what that means,” Skyler chuckled, easing up as they neared their destination. “Anyone else might have a first love, but not him. His heart’s been locked up in concrete for years p>
Ike rolled his eyes. “Oh, so you’re psychic now? Can you read his mind?” “Nope,” Skyler grinned.
“Then how would you know? You didn’t see the way Master Ninth smiled at her just now! It was so gentle. I’ve never seen him look like that before p>
Even from a distance, Ike had seen Gordon’s expression.
If he hadn’t witnessed it himself, he never would’ve believed that someone so cold
and aloof could smile that warmly.
Like a spring breeze after a long winter.
Guess there’s always someone out there who can melt even the iciest heart.
Who was that girl, anyway? She must be something special.
“Smile? Ike, you’ve got to be joking. My uncle barely ever smiles at me, let alone
at some girl. What’s gotten into you tonight? You haven’t even started drinking yet and you’re already talking nonsense p>
Skyler shot him a look, as if genuinely concerned.
Ike was at a loss. “I’m telling you, Master Ninth was eating barbecue with that girl, and he was smiling-really smiling! If he never smiled at you like that, maybe it just means you’re not as important to him as she is p>
Skyler didn’t like that at all.
“What, are you saying I’m not important to my uncle? No way! Do you have any idea what he’s done for me? He never used to listen to musicals—said they gave him headaches and only ever played soft jazz. But ever since I told him musicals were a national treasure that deserved to be passed down, now his whole playlist is musicals p>