Chapter 46
In the art world, Devin was a towering figure a master among masters, revered like a living legend. There was never a shortage of eager parents patir to apprentice their children under his name.
The Burke family’s doorstep had practically been worn down by relentless visitors, and Grace, his daughter–in–law, had grown thoroughly impatient dealing with them.
ང་ པར་བ་བ་མ་༥༦༢
So when she saw Geneva arriving with a young girl in tow, she assumed, of course, that this woman was just another parent desperate for her child to become the next prodigy.
Geneva had no intention of lingering where she wasn’t welcome. Calmly, she handed Grace a paper bag. “This was something Mr. Burke and I arranged earlier. Could you please pass it to him for me?”
Grace, clearly annoyed, realized that unless she you go?”
accepted it, the woman might not leave. So with a sigh, she took it. “Fine. You’ve delivered it, now can
Without saying a word, Geneva turned and walked av
away with her daughter.
She didn’t let Grace’s attitude bother her. People alw
claimed equality for all, but Geneva knew better–there was no such thing between classes. She and Grace lived in two different worlds. There was no point demanding courtesy where none would be given.
The bag? Grace barely gave it a second glance before tossing it aside.
Later that afternoon, her good friend Giselle Todd dropped by with her young son. The kids were playing together when Giselle’s boy stumbled across the bag, pulled out the helmet inside, and started playing with it.
By the time they were leaving, the child refused to take it off.
Giselle looked a little embarrassed, but Grace waved it off. “It’s just a regular helmet. If he likes it, let him keep it.”
So Giselle’s son walked out of the Burke estate with Geneva’s invention on his head.
Neither Devin nor Bobby knew Geneva had already come by. Bobby was still waiting eagerly for the finished product.
Geneva had told him days ago that it had passed all tests and was ready. So why hadn’t it arrived?
Growing impatient, Bobby messaged her on WhatsApp. No response.
Worried, Bobby stood up and reached for his coat. Devin looked up from his work. “Where are you going?”
“I don’t know what’s going on with Geneva. She hasn’t replied. I’m going to find her,” Bobby said, brows drawn tight.
“Slow down,” Devin said. “Let me call her first.”
He picked up the phone and dialed. After a brief conversation, he turned to Bobby. “She says she already delivered it a few days ago.”
“But I haven’t seen it,” Bobby said, confused.
So Devin called the whole household together to investigate.
Grace finally remembered. “Oh, that? I didn’t think it was anything valuable, so I just took it to get her to leave.”
Devin’s brows knitted. He immediately realized Grace had misunderstood Geneva’s visit and clearly hadn’t been very polite about it eit,
But Bobby didn’t notice. He asked, “So where is it now?”
Grace thought for a moment. “A few days ago, Giselle brought her son over. The kid liked the helmet, so I let him take it.”
1/3
19:14 Tue, 27 May 19 ■
Chapter 46
Bobby’s face darkened. “How could you give away something of mine without asking?”
“Oh, come on, Bobby,” Grace said, waving it off. “It was just a regular helmet.”
“That was not a regular helmet,” Bobby snapped.
He was furious. Refusing to speak to his mother anymore, he stormed off, ready to go to the
Todds and get his helmet back.
Grace was left blinking, confused. ‘What was so special about that helmet? And who exactly was that Geneva woman?‘
Before Bobby could even leave the room, guests arrived—Giselle and her entire family, arms full of gifts.
The Burkes were caught off guard. Grace stepped forward. “What’s all this?”
Giselle took her hand with a big smile. “We’re here to thank you, of course!”
Grace stared at her, baffled.
Giselle gushed, “That helmet you gave my son–I thought it was just a toy. But ever since he started wearing it, his memory’s gotten better, his mind’s sharper, even his sleep has improved! He refuses to take it off, not even at night! He used to struggle with memorizing even one passage, and now he can memorize one in ten minutes flat.
“At first, we didn’t believe it, so we had his uncle look at it–you know, the one in neuroscience? He took it apart to examine it and said it’s some kind of brain development device. But now we can’t put it back together, so we came to ask–where did you get it? Do they sell adult versions?”
Grace was speechless. She had no idea what Giselle was talking about.
Bobby, meanwhile, was pacing with excitement.
Clearly, Giselle’s son had a natural aptitude for memory retention, something no one had noticed before. Now, thanks to Geneva’s invention, that talent had finally surfaced.
It proved one thing–Geneva’s research was a success.
But when Bobby heard the helmet had been dismantled, his excitement turned to outrage.‘
They tore it apart? That was my helmet! I haven’t even touched it yet!‘
He clung to Devin’s sleeve. “Grandpa, we have to go see Geneva. Now.”
Devin nodded. “Alright, I’ll take you.”
Truth be told, he hadn’t placed much hope in Geneva’s project. But now? He realized he had underestimated her.
Grace, feeling a little wounded by Bobby’s cold shoulder, turned to Devin. “Dad, the kid-”
Devin cut her off. “That helmet was a gift for Bobby from Ms. Motley. Didn’t she tell you that when she came by?”
Grace vaguely remembered Geneva mentioning it, but she hadn’t paid attention.
She had no idea it was anything special.
Geneva looked like a plain, unremarkable woman–how was she supposed to know that woman could invent something like this?
Then Grace’s husband, Elian, chimed in. He’d already noticed the helmet wasn’t available on the market. Clearly, the inventor hadn’t launched it yet. As a businessman, he immediately saw the potential.
As Devin and Bobby turned to leave, Elian quickly stepped forward. “Devin, I’d love to meet Ms. Motley myself. Could you introduce us?”
213
13:14 Tue, 27 May 7 May
Chapter 46
Devin nodded. He knew Geneva would eventually need funding to scale her invention.
The Burke family had status, yes—but not the kind of capital Geneva would need.
Elian, however, was a tycoon. Wealthy. Well–connected. And known for his integrity.
So yes, Devin would make the introduction.
And with that, they set off together–just as Geneva was on her way to pick up Melanie.
