She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew) novel Chapter 228

Chapter 228
Even during the Christmas holiday, heirs like Anabel and Matthew remained busy, with social obligations seamlessly woven into their lives.
Only families like the Donovan family could truly kick back and relax, free from the burdens of family visits, indulging in whatever leisure activities they chose.
Arthur and Alaric made time every day to teach Maria how to drive, practicing in the parking lot of their community with the car Athena had given Arthur.
They kept the speed excruciatingly low; one brother sat in the passenger seat, guiding Maria while the other patrolled the area, ensuring that no pets or kids wandered in and caused an accident.
Fortunately, the parking lot was mostly empty, with hardly a car in sight.
However, it quickly became evident that Maria wasn’t a natural behind the wheel. After several days of lessons, she could barely manage to crawl along, and it seemed unlikely she’d pass the driving test without failing at least four or five times.
Alaric ruffled her hair, speaking earnestly. “Maria, this just proves you’re not cut out to be a driver; you’re meant to have someone else chauffeur you around. Keep at it, and one day you’ll have your car and driver.”
Maria could only respond with a resigned sigh. Thanks for the pep talk, Alaric.”
When they weren’t out practicing driving, the Donovan brothers often took people from Vission Group out for basketball or tennis. After burning off energy, they’d return for snacks and drinks, wrapping up their evenings with games.
Among them, Brandon often found himself engrossed in deep conversations with Penny and Nickle, as the three seemed to connect remarkably well
Zayn, Harry, and Rufus often found themselves in the boxing ring, throwing punches and getting in some serious practice, while the rest of the crew cheered them on from the sidelines, shouting encouragement.
Meanwhile, Wesley and Claire were frequently seen hand in hand, though no one really knew where they kept slipping off to–most likely off chasing some youthful romance.
Athena, on the other hand, was usually glued to her computer, typing away, only breaking away to take her grandmother for leisurely walks.
By the fourth day of the Christmas celebrations, the folks from Vission Group were gearing up to head home.”
As they prepared to leave, each of them handed Josie a gift before grabbing the treats Claire had packed up, thanking the Donovan family as they drove away.
With her arms piled high with presents, Josie looked up and sweetly announced, “Mom, these are for you.”
Everyone around her affectionately patted her little head, chiming in, “Josie, you’re so thoughtful! Your mom is so lucky to have you.
Alaric carefully took the pile of gifts from her and arranged then on the table, his curiosity getting the better of him. “Wow, these boxes are packed; they must have a ton of stuff inside.”
Claire laughed as she began unwrapping one of the gifts. “These are all for Josie, so I can’t just take them. Josie, you can play with them however you like
But her voice suddenly trailed off, and everyone exchanged stunned looks.
“Walt, are those… dollars?”
1/3
55%
11:05 Fri, Oct 18
Chapter 228
To everyone’s shock, the gifts were crammed with deep green hundred-dollar bills, and there were easily dozens of them.
disbelief.
Alaric’s eyes widened in disbelief. “No way, are you saying these gifts are filled with cash?”
Claire quickly tore open every single gift, her jaw dropping as she realized they were all hundred-dollar bills–not a single exception.
After counting, she found a jaw-dropping total of 396 bills, amounting to an incredible $39,600.
Even though the Donovan family wasn’t struggling financially anymore, the sheer volume of cash left everyone speechless.
Claire turned to Athena, her brow furrowed in concern. This is way too much money; we absolutely have to return it.”
“Not a chance,” Athena replied, waving her hand dismissively, her demeanor relaxed. “For them, this is just pocket change; it really means nothing. If we try to give it back, it would just seem rude.”
Claire was left staring, utterly speechless, just like everyone else
Alaric crossed his arms and pretended to shiver, voicing what everyone was thinking, “Athena, your lab folks seem so impressive: I’m honestly scared to even ask where they come from
Athena smited tightly. “Honestly, they’re just regular people–two eyes, a nose, a mouth–nothing special. Besides, they don’t mean us any harm, so there’s no need to worry about it.”
The Donovan brothers exchanged glances, nodding in agreement. “Since Athena has said it, Mom, just graciously accept it,”
As Claire sorted through the stacks of cash, she began tapping away on her phone. “I need to make a note of this; I owe this person a favor now”
And just like that, two days later, the Christmas holiday came to an end.
Athena dropped her grandmother off at the hospital, and as she returned home, everyone else shifted back into work mode, shaking off the holiday vibe.
Claire was thrilled to learn that Brandon had landed a full-time job and started considering buying him a car as a gift.
But he waved her off, saying, “There’s so much traffic during rush hour; the subway is way quicker than driving. Plus, since I’m in tech, I’m mostly stuck in the office anyway. I rarely go out for meetings, so a car wouldn’t do me any good.
Claire didn’t push it; she simply told him to let the family know if he ever needed a car in the future.
Before they knew it, a week zipped by in a blur of activity.
One morning, Athena strolled into the lobby, stifling a yawn, and immediately spotted Brandon, who was glaring at the TV as if it had personally offended him
Curious, she followed his intense gaze to the screen, which was airing a news segment.
The announcer was saying, “Renowned artificial intelligence expert Rhett from Saint Porier University in Aeloria has published a groundbreaking paper in the latest issue of Nature. In this paper, he explores the potential of merging artificial intelligence with the human brain and limbs to assist the elderly sick, or disabled with simple tasks they can’t manage alone…
“It’s a different kind of possibility from human-Al integration, the news anchor continued. “This approach emphasizes the supportive role of Al rather than full integration, focusing on holy it can physically assist humans without needing to connect to their neural networks…
“For example, elderly individuals who struggle to walk or can’t speak may need assistance moving around or using the restroom. Al could use their lip movements and body signals to understand their needs, transforming into a cane or
2/3
11:05 Fri, Oct 18
Chapter 228
handrail as required…
55%
Brandon listened intently, his initial anger shifting to a complex mix of admiration, longing, and sadness that clouded his
features.
As the news segment wrapped up, he shut his eyes and sighed heavily in English, “It’s so unfair! This world is just so unfair! How can someone so talented be wasted on a total jerk like him? It’s ridiculous that a loser like that has so much academic power and controls the futures of so many students. It’s just wrong…
Just then, Claire walked in from the kitchen with breakfast. “Brandon, breakfast is ready!”
He quickly clamped his mouth shut, forcing a calm smile as if nothing had just happened.
Athena quietly watched the exchange, a sense of satisfaction bubbling inside her. Rhett had truly gone too far this time.
He was in for it now.
#
SEND GIFT