The Unveiling of Secret Queen

Chapter 406: Chapter 406: It took me half a day to remember who she is_1

She remembered that Nathalie Quinlan’s grades weren’t good; she had used family connections to get into McKinney No. 1 Middle School.

Not only was Nathalie not studying well, but she also ran off to play in Beijing during the school term, a move akin to suicide, as if she had no intention of taking the college entrance exams.

The family wasn’t lacking food, but she didn’t want to lose face.

Nathalie was peppered with questions out of the blue and squinted her eyes, looking rather fierce. She stared at Caryn’s face for a long while before finally recognizing who she was.

They had dined once at the Waterfront Pavilion half a year ago.

A member of the Zachmann Family.

Once she had identified Caryn, Nathalie gave her some face, albeit with a dismissive attitude, ”I came here to take a test.”

”Test?” Caryn Zachmann was taken aback, ”I hadn’t heard about it. What test did you come to take, isn’t the college entrance exam still two months away?”

Nathalie’s phone vibrated. She glanced down and saw that Amadeus Yancey had replied to her message with a location address. It seemed they were waiting for her just outside the attraction.

With an impatient expression on her sharp features, Nathalie’s voice was hoarse as she replied to Caryn, ”Taking an independent admissions test.”

At this moment, Caryn Zachmann’s friends collectively came over, each of them curiously sizing up Nathalie while turning to ask, ”Caryn, who is this younger sister? Do you know her?”

Caryn’s heart tightened, and she almost instinctively answered, ”Just a child from a relative’s family.”

This explanation wasn’t incorrect.

A grand uncle is also a relative.

However, in the commonplace understanding, ’relative’ typically refers to distant relatives.

Someone found Nathalie attractive and took a liking to her, inviting her with enthusiasm, ”Since you’re Caryn’s sister, why don’t you join us? I see you’re here to visit the attraction too, how about we do it together? With your sister here, she can take care of you.”

Caryn Zachmann frowned, standing there watching Nathalie. She neither supported nor rejected the invitation. That proud demeanor was actually a silent rejection. Those she played with were all second-generation Beijing elites, and not every circle mixes with others.

Nathalie glanced at Caryn from the corner of her eye, casually adjusting her single shoulder bag strap. Her eyes were fierce, ”No need, my friends are waiting for me outside. I’ll be off. You guys enjoy your time.”

Caryn had intended to stop Nathalie and ask who the friends she mentioned were, but Nathalie left so decisively and nonchalantly that Caryn missed the chance to hold her back. Nathalie had already blended into the crowd before Caryn could even call out to her.

...

With Nathalie’s trip to Beijing on her mind, Caryn was distracted all afternoon and couldn’t wait to part from her friends.

She drove back home in a hurry.

”Dad, Mom,” Caryn Zachmann entered the hallway, swapped her shoes, and handed her bag to the Filipino maid to sort out. As she proceeded further in, she saw an elderly figure tending to plants in the living room. Her eyes brightened, and she obediently greeted the old man, ”Grandpa.”

Mr. Zachmann was holding a pot of orchids on the verge of blooming, their vibrant green leaves spreading out, evidently well-cared-for. His hair was graying, but despite the aged face with a square jawline, one could tell he was handsome in his youth. Though he lacked the stunning looks of a young man, there was an aura of resilience that had settled with the years.

”Caryn is back, huh?” Mr. Zachmann was pleased to see Caryn returning and set down the orchid pot. Handing the scissors to his caregiver, he smiled warmly at Caryn as he spoke, ”Did you go to school today? Isn’t it Saturday? Doesn’t your school have a holiday on Saturdays?”