Chapter 2: First Encounter
Three years ago, at the university in London, in the library.
"Ava, may I ask you out this weekend?"
"I'm sorry, I have other plans."
Ava gathered her bag and left. As a senior, she was too busy to indulge in daydreams. After exiting the school gate, she skillfully took a bus and then walked to a luxurious villa on the outskirts.
Ava worked as a tutor at this villa, and the compensation was quite good, which was why she was willing to travel a long distance and go through quite a bit of trouble to work here.
After all, not every girl is born to be a princess in a honey jar.
"Teacher Ava is here," the butler said politely as he opened the door and called out towards the interior, "Young master, your teacher has arrived."
The usually quiet villa was different today; the lights in the living room were on, the heating was ample, and even the sound of the television could be heard.
Ava changed into slippers and walked in curiously, seeing a man leaning on a cushion, half-lying on the sofa, watching a financial program on TV with a languid gaze.
She was somewhat stunned; she had been coming here for nearly two years, and she had never seen a third person in this villa besides the butler and the child.
Noticing her arrival, the man's gaze shifted slightly and fell on her. Ryan's lips curled slightly, nodding slightly in greeting.
"Sister Ava, come in quickly," the voice came from the second floor. Looking up, Ben was already calling her.
As soon as she entered the room, she felt the atmosphere was off; Ben's mood was clearly quite low.
"What's wrong?"
"That's my uncle."
It seemed that he had guessed what she was going to ask, and Ben spoke a step ahead of her.
Uncle? Ava pondered thoughtfully. Ben's family situation was actually quite complicated. His grandfather, Ethan, was the richest man in London, and Ben's father, Daniel, as Ethan's eldest son, was a notorious playboy. He divorced Ben's mother early on and became even more unrestrained in his romantic affairs after the divorce. Come to think of it, there hasn't been any news about him in the media for quite some time.
Ben called that man his uncle? That meant he was Daniel's younger brother, Ethan's second son.
Logically, there should be no secrets about the family of the richest man in the city. Everything could be found online with a simple search. However, Ethan's second son had always been a mystery. There was hardly any information about him on the internet. Some said that Ethan, too disappointed with his eldest son, had placed his hopes on his younger son, thus keeping him away from the limelight from a young age, allowing him to do what he needed to do undisturbed and under the protection of his family.
But one thing was certain, his name was online; he was called Ryan.
"Why is your uncle here today?" Ava took out her book and casually asked.
"Today is my grandfather's birthday, and he's here to pick me up."
"I see," Ava nodded, smiling, but speaking the truth in her heart, "Your uncle is quite handsome."
"..." Ben rolled his eyes, reminding her, "Class is starting, teacher."
After class, Ryan didn't forget to ask if she needed a ride. Ava was in a hurry, so she didn't refuse.
The car with three people was a bit awkward. Due to his father's relationship, Ben couldn't get close to his uncle. Ben simply closed his eyes and slept in the back seat.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Ava sneaked a glance at the man driving next to her, a man who would have countless entanglements with her in the future. This was their first meeting.
"You're Ben's uncle, right? I need to talk to you about Ben's recent academic performance."
Ryan was driving and was taken aback when she suddenly said this, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Go ahead."
"You parents should spend more time with your child. Ben always lives alone, which is not conducive to his physical and mental development. His recent physics grades have dropped."
Parent? Ryan was both amused and annoyed. He wasn't Ben's father; when did he need to fulfill his duties as an uncle?
"..."
"Also, I've attended several parent-teacher meetings on behalf of Ben, and their teachers are almost complaining. It's better for Ben's parents to attend these meetings."
Just as Ava was about to continue, the car suddenly stopped. Ryan's sharply defined face turned slightly, but his gaze did not shift towards her.
"You've arrived."
that was the only sentence he said to her.
"Mr. Ryan, were you listening to what I just said?" Ava was a bit angry, feeling disrespected.
Everything she said was the truth. Her feelings towards Ben, beyond the daily tutoring, were filled with compassion.
"I will pass it on."
Reluctantly, Ava got out of the car. Ryan's attitude always made her feel like she was being pushed out of the car.