The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 1634

Andrew could have sworn he was right. Was his memory playing tricks on him?

Before he could switch gears and come up with a new conversation topic, a message lit up his screen.

Shirley: It’s getting late, Grandma’s telling me to go to bed.

He typed back right away. This early?

Shirley: Yeah. You should get some rest too. Good night.

After staring at the blinking cursor for a while, Andrew typed, Good night, sent it, and just like that… silence. Shirley never replied.

He lay on his bed, staring at their awkwardly short chat. He kept flipping his pillow, rolling from side to side, wide awake. Ever since starting college, Shirley barely texted him anymore. And in these last couple of weeks, it actually seemed like she was avoiding him.

Was chatting with him really that unbearable? Or maybe… she just wasn’t into him?

Or… maybe Shirley had met someone she liked at The Cabinda University. Maybe that was why she was keeping her distance.

An uneasy feeling bubbled up inside him. He grabbed his phone again, looking for someone to talk to.

He pulled up Anthony’s profile, hovered his thumb, but put the phone down. He just couldn't bring himself to reach out.

He tried Charlotte’s profile, checked the time, and let out a sigh. She would have been asleep by now.

That left only Stella and Parrish.

Andrew rubbed his temples in frustration. Those two were both hopelessly single and had zero romantic experience. Honestly, they probably understood even less than he did.

Geneva could see how much Shirley liked him. But falling for someone from the Blair family—a family like that, their lives were just too far apart. As much as wealth sounded nice, Geneva only really wanted Shirley to have a quiet, safe life.

“Shirley, you’re not lacking anything. You’re my precious girl.” Geneva hugged her closer, her words gentle and warm. “You’ll meet someone who fits you perfectly, one day.”

Some other day. Someone more suitable. Who could really know what the future holds? The only thing Shirley felt for sure was the dull ache in her chest, as if her heart might burst right then and there.

“Grandma, I got into the exchange program,” Shirley murmured, hugging her tightly, pressing her face into Geneva’s shoulder. Her voice trembled, low and scratchy. “When I graduate, I’ll work extra hard, make good money, and give you the best life ever.”

“My sweet girl.” Geneva nodded, feeling her pain as if it were her own.

Shirley was always so mature, so sensible. She understood her own feelings all too well. She knew she liked Andrew. She also knew, deep down, that she shouldn’t let those feelings get out of hand.

But love was complicated, and when you’re a teenager, how could you ever hope to control your heart?