Skye’s New School

After signing the documents, Lake also received Skye’s educational records from the Children’s Services.

However…

It was bad.

Skye had been attending school sporadically since she was eight years old, sometimes not even going once a week. Despite this, her academic performance was still among the top in her class.

Perhaps this was a common trait of geniuses.

I skip class, I sleep, I don’t study, but I always pass.

But sporadic attendance definitely wouldn’t work.

It needed to be stable.

Therefore, Lake wanted to transfer Skye, who had been attending a school in Queens that was comparable to a prison’s affiliated school, to Midtown High School.

Only.

Ms. Nilice shook her head. "I’m very sorry, Major Edwin, but fall admissions for this year have already closed."

Midtown High School operated on a quarter system, and admissions for each quarter were almost always filled to capacity the moment they opened. Decisions were then made after entrance exams and other evaluations.

A day had already passed since the admissions window closed.

And.

Ms. Nilice looked at Skye’s file in her hand and shook her head with a less-than-optimistic expression. She said to Lake, "Major Edwin, this Skye was essentially in a semi-dropout state for most of last semester."

Lake smiled. "But her grades are excellent, aren’t they?"

Nilice nodded, admitting, "In terms of academics, Skye is indeed a student with great learning talent. However, Midtown High School teaches not only academics but also responsibility and the future. I’m worried that if Skye were to enroll, her current academic attitude would easily…"

Lake interrupted directly. "You can rest assured about that, Ms. Nilice. The reason for Skye’s previous academic attitude was the lack of a stable learning environment in any of her foster homes. I am now Skye’s legal guardian, and I will ensure she attends school on time."

Nilice opened her mouth.

Lake offered his biggest bargaining chip. "Ms. Nilice, I understand your son wants to get into Yale. I can write recommendation letters for him with a few of my classmates."

Ms. Nilice looked up. "…"

Half an hour later.

Lake escorted Ms. Nilice downstairs, shook her hand, and then watched her drive away.

Finally, it was settled.

Back in his office, sitting on his sofa and taking a large gulp of Bourbon, Lake let out a long sigh of relief.

Only God knew what he had gone through to find Ms. Nilice and to persuade her to agree to Skye’s transfer.

First, he asked a friend to help contact Ms. Nilice. Then, to find a way to convince her, Lake even utilized the Department of Homeland Security’s investigative agencies to find a breakthrough.

After that.

He contacted several of his Yale classmates in New York. After some pleasantries, he explained his purpose. Once he received their assurance that they would write recommendation letters, he had his friend arrange the meeting with Ms. Nilice.

The choice to meet at the Department of Homeland Security building was also calculated.

By choosing to meet Ms. Nilice in his office here, Lake was sending a message: "Help me this time, and I will owe you a favor as the Deputy Director of Operations for the New York State Department of Homeland Security."

Ms. Nilice’s referring to Lake as Major Edwin again was undoubtedly her way of testing whether Lake could accept an even higher offer.

Lake chose to accept.

Simply put.

Lake used his military and Homeland Security credentials, along with recommendations from three high-ranking individuals, to exchange for Skye’s school transfer permit with Ms. Nilice.

This was very expensive.

Although it didn’t involve any monetary bribery, the combined value of those three things was far more significant than money.

However…

Education itself is expensive.

Especially in the Federation, only those lower-class white people believed in so-called "happy education." Middle-class whites, to ensure their children didn’t grow up thinking the Earth was flat out of sheer happiness, diligently chose elite education for them.

Under the arrangements of certain individuals, the cost of receiving this so-called elite education was even more than ten times that of "happy education."

So…

When Lake revealed his ultimate bargaining chip, he was prepared to resort to the final weapon, Ms. Karen, if Ms. Nilice still didn’t budge.

Ms. Karen was one of the shareholders of a high school in Washington, which was also the alma mater of Lake and Betty.

However…

If he had brought Ms. Karen into play, Lake was prepared psychologically for Ms. Nilice to disappear without a trace.

No one could extort him with impunity.

As it stood?

This was the extent of the biggest bargaining chips Lake had prepared, so Ms. Nilice chose to accept. It was a win-win situation.

Only.

It was evening.

Lake ordered some Chinese takeout, and as they ate dinner together in the dining room, Skye looked at him and said, "I don’t want to go to Midtown High School."

"Why not?"

"I was doing fine at my old school."

"You mean the one you haven’t been to in three months?"

"…"

Lake looked at Skye with amusement. "Also, did you know that the last exam you took was actually the eighth-grade graduation exam?"

Skye blinked.

Lake shrugged. "So, it’s fine if you want to go to your old school, but your grades show that you’re not qualified to repeat a year. You can go to ninth grade, Skye."

Skye looked a bit confused. "Really?"

Lake wanted to laugh.

She had graduated from junior high almost three months ago and didn’t even know it?

Skye immediately came to her senses and shook her head. "Then I still don’t want to go to Midtown High School."

Lake shrugged. "Okay, where do you want to go then?"

It was the same principle as before.

Just as Karen had adopted Lake without any ulterior motives, Lake had adopted Skye for no ulterior motives either. After all those years of Karen’s teachings, she had always listened to Lake’s own thoughts. Lake felt that he could now listen to Skye’s own thoughts and opinions.

Life is your own. As long as your choices don’t leave you with regrets, that’s all that matters.

This was another piece of advice Karen had given Lake.

Skye shook her head. "I don’t know. I’ll go to whichever public school accepts me."

Midtown High School was too expensive.

The cost of the two surgeries, plus the clothes she bought this afternoon. Good heavens, it was the first time Skye had seen clothes worth $600 being charged as if they were $60.

Lake looked at Skye. "A public high school, that’s fine too."

Skye looked up at Lake.

Lake stroked his chin. "Wait, the enrollment period for public high schools has already passed. It seems like Midtown High School is the only one available right now. How about you try going there first? If you’re not happy, we can change it."

Skye’s expression became a little strange. "I’m not a child, Lake."

Lake smiled. "I know. That’s why I’m telling you the truth. If you don’t believe me, you can check online. You have a computer in your room, don’t you?"

Skye looked at Lake seriously.

Lake’s expression was very calm.

If it weren’t for this, he wouldn’t have used those three conditions to persuade Nelis. If it were during the enrollment window, a letter of recommendation from him would probably have been enough.

Skye finished her meal in a flash, got up, and ran to her room on the second floor.

Her room.

As Skye went upstairs, she felt a sense of disorientation. It seemed like her belongings back then consisted of just that one blue backpack; all her possessions were inside it.

Lake chuckled as he watched Skye run upstairs.

A little while later.

Lake habitually reached for a bottle from the wine cabinet, then blinked at the locked door.

Where was the key?

Lake found the key at the bar, took out a bottle of Bourbon, and was about to pour himself a drink when he paused. After thinking for a moment, he poured himself a full glass, put the rest of the Bourbon back in the cabinet, locked it, then looked up and, with a whoosh, directly put the key into his storage space.

This way, he could ensure 100% safety and prevent underage girls from coming into contact with alcohol.

Lake thought to himself, then recalled Betty’s first experience with alcohol. Thinking carefully, it seemed Betty’s first hangover occurred when she was eighteen, still three years away from the legal drinking age.

So, this rule was flexible?

Lake blinked, feeling an urge to call Karen to consult.

About half an hour later.

"Knock, knock."

"I don’t remember closing the door."

"…"

Lake looked up at Skye as she entered the study and smiled. "This is your home too. You can go anywhere. Of course, we can make an agreement: I won’t go into your bedroom, and you shouldn’t go into mine. How does that sound?"

Skye gave a slightly awkward smile. "Thank you, Mr. Edwin."

This statement had a double meaning.

Lake withdrew his gaze, refreshing the assassin orders on The Continental Hotel’s backend, his expression indifferent. "You can call me Lake, or… I don’t know. But don’t call me Mr. Edwin. That’s what strangers call people. The correct way to address me is Major Edwin or Director Edwin."

Skye remained silent.

Lake looked up. "The information should be found by now. So, what do you think about studying at Midtown High School? If you’re not willing, I can find some connections to get you into a public high school closer to home."

Skye waved her hand. "No, thank you. I’m very satisfied. Thank you, Ai… Lake."

Lake chuckled.

That’s more like it.

They were only nineteen years apart. If others called him "Mister," Lake would understand it as respect. But when Skye called him that, Lake felt only distance and an endless sense of unfamiliarity.

This won’t do.

They would be under the same roof for at least another six years. If he had to hear "Mister Edwin" this and "Mister Edwin" that every day, Lake felt he’d age considerably.

Lake smiled at Skye, who was still standing at the doorway. "So, see you tomorrow?"

Skye opened her mouth. "…See you tomorrow, Lake!"

With that.

Skye turned and left the study.

Lake, meanwhile, continued to indulge in his online shopping spree.