Chapter 20 Come Home with Me Sydney's smile wavered slightly . " If it's too much trouble , never mind … " Despite her casual dismissal , her eyes betrayed a hint of sadness . 10 Free Goins " When I visited GOD today and saw how protective they were of Azalea , I felt envious . It reminded me of the camaraderie you shared with your former teammates . Isn't that kind of team spirit something special ? " she mused aloud . " Bastian , you know I have congenital heart disease . I can't do much physically , and I didn't have many friends growing up . I've played a lot of Glory League , though , and I'm pretty good . I just thought maybe I could join your team and make some friends . " She paused , biting her lip , " But I was impulsive . The Anexis competition is crucial , and I shouldn't have put you in this position . I'm sorry . " With that , she bowed slightly , apologizing as she turned to leave . Internally , Sydney counted to three , anticipating his response . As she reached the count, she heard Bastian call out from behind her . A subtle smile played on her lips . " It's okay , it's just a game . If you really want to , you can join us . But , Sydney , could you just play in the initial match ? " Bastian relented in the end . Despite his reservations , he could not bring himself to deny his sister , whom he had once cherished deeply . Considering that GOD's main mid - laner would not be playing , and recognizing that Sydney's skill level was indeed professional , Bastian accepted that they might lose the first game . He viewed this as a courtesy to the opponents . Sydney's face lit up with joy , and she spun around to embrace Bastian , exclaiming , " Thank you , Bastian ! " In that embrace , Bastian could not help but wish it were Azalea instead . Unseen by him , Sydney's smile carried a hint of victory . She had reasoned that Azalea must have gotten close to Wylie through gaming . By demonstrating her prowess on the field , she was sure Wylie would notice her . Meanwhile , Cassius was restless in the next room , troubled by the day's events replaying in his mind , disrupting his sleep . " Cassius ! Save me ! " The image of a young , tearful Azalea begging for help haunted him . He had stood by , powerless to act . Bastian had been correct ; he was afraid to confront his past errors . His feelings toward Azalea had evolved from guilt to a deep - seated fear of what her continued presence meant . Yet , he believed he was not mistreating her . He was trying to make amends . 1/4 14:34 Sat , 9 AUG Chapter 20 Come Home with Me +10 Free Coins Overwhelmed , Cassius rubbed his forehead and picked up his phone to review a lile he had previously overlooked . His assistant had diligently noted every detail . " Ms. Azalea appears to be struggling financially , seeking part - time work extensively , the file read . He had suggested Azalea ask her family for help , but Azalea insisted on keeping her financial troubles private . " Ms. Azalea is also tutoring classmates part - time for extra income ." Tutoring ? Cassius's frown deepened . His assistant had mentioned this before , but he had not taken it seriously , dismissing it as a mere hobby . He read on … " Ms. Azalea has been working part - time for the past two months and has managed to save a considerable sum . Apparently , she's been planning a birthday surprise for you , sir . She's picked out a luxury tie , quite expensive , perfectly matching your style . " A tie , for his birthday ? Cassius was taken aback . He recalled a night when he caught Azalea hiding something , her expression guilty upon being seen … His assistant had attached a photo of the tie , taken secretly . Seeing the photo left Cassius stunned , a wave of confusion washing over him . Azalea had bought this tie ? How could that be ? He remembered that day vividly …. On his birthday , Sydney had announced she wanted to give him a special gift , claiming she had purchased it with money she earned herself . However , the gift had mysteriously disappeared . The family searched everywhere , only to discover a tie , exactly like the one Sydney described , in Azalea's backpack . Azalea tearfully insisted she bought it with money from her part - time job , but no one believed she could afford such an item . Her parents were enraged by her supposed deceit and punished her harshly . The rest of the family celebrated his birthday with great joy , all except Azalea , who was punished and locked away in a damp , dark basement . At the time , Cassius did not react much , dismissing Azalea as merely vain and dishonest . Now , seeing the proof in his assistant's report … Cassius took a deep breath . Gifts had never been scarce in his life , but this was the first time someone had ||| 2/4 Chapter 20 Come Home with Me remembered his birthday with such thoughtfulness . He had assumed it was Sydney's doing at the time . 410 Fran Com " Cassius , you're the best in the world ! " Azalea had said once , holding a financial magazine , looking up at him with eyes full of genuine admiration and innocence . But now …. " Cassius , if you dare to touch me again , I'm cutting all ties with you ! " With a loud slam . Cassius felt his head spin , as though something significant was slipping from his grasp . He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out . His face paled , his eyes clouded with bewilderment . Wasn't he already trying to make amends ? Setting down his phone , he decided not to dwell on the past . He would inquire about the tie later , and regarding Azalea , he planned to apologize the next time they met . The following day , Azalea headed to the training base as usual . In the evening , as she left , her usual driver was unavailable . Not wanting to trouble Langdon , she opted to take a taxi home instead . Stepping outside the villa complex , she spotted a familiar vehicle . It was Ivy's red Ferrari . Azalea's brow furrowed , and then she noticed a middle - aged woman in a custom - made suit stepping out of the car , flanked by two bodyguards . " Azalea ! " Ivy called out to her . Azalea did not want to engage , turned , and started to run . Ivy , hindered by her high heels , could not keep up , so she gestured frantically for the bodyguards to chase after her . Azalea had not run far when a hand clamped down on her shoulder , stopping her . The bodyguards flanked her , treating her like a fugitive . " Azalea ! Why are you running ? " Ivy finally caught up , her face red and breathless with exertion . " If I don't run , should I wait to be treated like a criminal by you ? " Azalea retorted . Despite the sparseness of the area , a few passersby turned their heads to look . Ivy's cheeks turned red with embarrassment at Azalea's sharp words . She gestured for the bodyguards to let go , but they still remained close , making it clear that escape was 394 Chapter 20 Come Home with Me an option for Azalea . 110 Free Colon Standing her ground , Azalea looked at Ivy with a mix of disdain and curiosity . " Mrs. Lark , you're an acclaimed international brand designer . What brings you to chase after someone as insignificant as me Today ? " The sarcasm in her voice was palpable , and though it irked Ivy , she held back her irritation for the sake of Sydney . " You're a young woman , why aren't you at home ? Come home with me , " Ivy pleaded , trying to soften her approach . " Azalea , I know you're upset . When we get home , I'll have your brothers apologize to you , okay ? We're family , why all this drama ? Come home with Mom , and help Sydney out . You'll still be my darling . " If Sydney gets expelled by Jubilee , it would be a disgrace . Gossip would ruin her reputation . " Ivy made her plea and set the conditions . In the past , such a plea from Ivy would have had Azalea rushing home , even if it meant playing second fiddle to Sydney . Yet , this time , Azalea just smiled . Ivy had said plenty , even promised that her sons would apologize , but she never suggested that Sydney should apologize . In Ivy's eyes , her sons might have been wrong to slander Azalea without reason . But Sydney ? What had Sydney done wrong ? She was just too afraid to lose her family's affection . ||| Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!