The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson) novel Chapter 340

Chapter 157 Collateral Mischief-2

Chapter 157: Collateral Mischief-2

Claim

Harper groaned, dragging a hand down her face. “Kenji, that ‘face’ you’re talking about belongs to

Ashcroft. The last person on earth I want anywhere near me right now.”

He tilted his head, feigning thought. “Mmm… you sure about that? Because the way you yelled ‘No!

Of course not!’ sounded like a little too much conviction.”

Her eyes widened, mortified. “Oh my God, you’re insufferable.”

Kenji grinned wider, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. “You like him.”

“I do not!” she snapped instantly, voice pitching higher than intended.

He laughed so hard he nearly fell off the couch. “Wow, defensive much?”

“Kenji-”

“Don’t worry,” he cut in, feigning innocence. “I won’t tell Dad.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You’d better not.”

Kenji tilted his head with a teasing smile. “Depends. What’s in it for me?”

Harper glared daggers at him, but her lips twitched despite herself. “Kenji, I swear, if you breathe a

word-”

He lifted a finger. “You’ll tell Mom about summer camp, I know,” he said, chuckling. “You’ve been holding that over me for five years.”

“Because it works,” Harper shot back, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

She leaned forward, narrowing her eyes, a slow, wicked smirk curling her lips. “And I’ll also tell Mom about-” she tilted her head thoughtfully, as if savoring the memory, “-the magazine she

found under your bed.”

Kenji groaned. “Oh, come on-”

“-the girl you cried over in sophomore year. What was her name again? Mika, right?” Harper

added, eyes glinting with delight.

“Oh… and don’t forget the time you stole Dad’s car for midnight boba,” she continued, voice dripping with faux innocence.

Kenji winced. “That was one time!”

Harper’s eyebrow shot up, her grin going wicked. “And we absolutely can’t forget your shodo

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Chapter 157 Collateral Mischief-2

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disaster what a train wreck. I had to secretly video call your principal to wrangle a make-up

Churn

project so you could pass. You owe me big time. Wait until Mom and Dad hear about this – you’re

so dead.”

Kenji froze, eyes wide. “You wouldn’t.”

Her grin widened, sharp and merciless. “Try me.”

Kenji pouted, shoulders slumping in mock surrender, shaking his head. “Fine, fine. Truce… for now. But shouldn’t you be more worried about finding that cure than about your boyfriend showing up-?

“He’s not my-!” Harper groaned, cutting herself off before she could give him more ammo. Forget it. I’m focusing on the cure. That’s what matters.”

Kenji smirked, glancing out the window as their car pulled into the Takahashi estate. “Sure. Whatever helps you sleep tonight, Ane.”

Harper’s eyes flashed at her brother. “Drop it, or I’ll drop you off-push you out of this moving car.”

She jabbed a finger at him for emphasis, then immediately huffed and covered her face when Kenji

whooped with glee.

Kenji threw his hands up in mock surrender, grin wide and dimples on full display. “Truce! Truce!”

he crowed, still laughing as Harper pretended to glare him down. The tension broke into a ripple of laughter, the moment as ridiculous as it was affectionate.

Anko’s stoicism cracked for the smallest beat-a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth, the ghost

of a smile that vanished before anyone could claim it. He returned to watching the road, the

silence now more companionable than tense.

Harper turned her face to the window. The city lights smeared past in streaks of orange and white,

and despite herself, a faint, reluctant smile tugged at her lips. Beside her, Kenji’s laughter had

softened into quiet, contented breathing; Anko’s presence remained steady, silent, almost

protective.

For a moment, the car hummed with ordinary life again-teasing siblings, exasperated sighs, small, fleeting moments that made the world feel less like a battlefield and more like home.

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