Chapter 118: San Fierro University!
When Luca Hale saw Diana Kennedy again, she looked far healthier than she had a month earlier. The weariness that once lingered in her face had faded, replaced by a healthy glow, and there was a brightness in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. Even her voice carried more strength than it used to.
With a warm smile, Diana welcomed Luca and his younger sister into the apartment.
For nearly a month, Sophie had never openly admitted how much she missed Luca, but Diana didn’t need her daughter to say it aloud. Every time Luca called, Sophie seemed to come alive. The quiet, reserved girl would light up instantly, smiling from ear to ear as though someone had breathed fresh life into her.
"Luca," Diana began gently, her voice carrying the warmth only a mother could have, "Sophie has always been a sensible child. But she’s also sensitive... and a little stubborn. If the two of you ever have small disagreements or misunderstandings, I hope you’ll be patient with her."
Her eldest daughter’s heart now belonged completely to the young man sitting before her. As a mother, Diana wanted nothing more than for them to walk this road together without allowing life’s little hardships to drive them apart.
If that day ever came, she knew Sophie would be the one left with the deepest scars.
Luca nodded seriously and gently enclosed Sophie’s small hand within both of his.
"Please don’t worry, Auntie. I promise I’ll treasure Sophie with everything I have."
A relieved smile spread across Diana’s face.
"Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease."
With Luca holding her hand so naturally in front of her family, Sophie felt heat rush to her cheeks. When he made that heartfelt promise to her mother, her face bloomed into a vivid blush, as radiant as the flowers outside the window.
She instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but Luca’s grip remained warm and steady. After a brief struggle, she gave up and allowed their fingers to remain intertwined.
Inside, however, she was happier than words could express. The tiny resistance had only been born from embarrassment.
Rachel Kennedy watched her older sister with a bright smile, genuinely delighted for her happiness.
Only Trish Hale rolled her eyes from the side.
She had no doubt her brother would cherish Sophie.
The problem was... he would probably say the exact same heartfelt promise to Naomi Monroe.
Just like he’d somehow managed to smooth things over with Mom earlier.
’The scent of another girl’s perfume on your clothes is definitely hazardous to your health,’ Trish thought.
She didn’t even dare imagine whether there were more mysterious older sisters she hadn’t met yet.
’Seriously, Bro... you’d better drive carefully. If this car ever flips over, nobody’s going to be able to pull you back out.’
When Diana invited them to stay for tea, Luca politely declined. It was getting late, so he and Trish soon said their goodbyes.
Before leaving, Luca suggested taking Sophie out the following day, but she reluctantly shook her head.
"I still have classes to teach."
She was working part-time as an assistant instructor at a private learning center. The job didn’t offer long-term security, but the pay was excellent for a university student.
Even though she planned to leave eventually, she wanted to finish the current term first. Her students’ final examinations were approaching, and changing instructors now would only disrupt their preparation.
"Alright," Luca said with a smile. "Then I’ll come pick you up as soon as your last class ends tomorrow."
As the siblings rode home, Trish suddenly turned toward him.
"Brother... what would you think if I applied to San Fierro University?"
San Fierro University wasn’t the country’s undisputed number one institution, but its reputation was still outstanding.
With Trish’s consistently excellent grades, as long as she performed normally on her entrance examinations, admission was well within reach.
"Go for it," Luca answered without hesitation. "The moment you get accepted, I’ll arrange an apartment near campus. If you don’t feel like living in the dorms, you can move in immediately."
He already owned several luxury apartments in Golden Water Bay Complex, so all Trish would have to do was choose whichever one she liked best.
A villa wasn’t practical since none were close enough to the university, and he wasn’t about to make her endure a long daily commute.
"Really?" Trish’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "That’s amazing! Then Rachel and I can live together again as roommates!"
Luca raised an eyebrow.
"Wait... Rachel’s applying to San Fierro University too?"
Trish grinned triumphantly.
"Of course! Her grades are almost the same as mine, maybe only ten points lower overall. Getting into the same university shouldn’t be difficult. And the moment she found out I was aiming for SFU, she immediately decided she wanted to apply there too."
"Perfect."
Luca smiled, reaching over to ruffle his sister’s hair.
"Then work hard. The moment your admission letter arrives, I’ve got a huge surprise waiting for you."
"What surprise?"
The moment she heard the word, curiosity lit up Trish’s face.
She knew her brother wasn’t the same man he used to be. Gone was the young graduate who once hesitated for ten minutes before buying a twenty-dollar shirt.
Now he casually drove luxury cars, bought expensive properties, and wore a Patek Philippe watch that shimmered beneath the moonlight.
Compared to the wealthy classmates who loved showing off their family money, Luca’s fortune existed on an entirely different level.
Whatever surprise he had planned, it definitely wasn’t going to be ordinary.
"Hmm..."
Luca deliberately kept her waiting for a few seconds before finally speaking.
"Once your acceptance letter from San Fierro University arrives, enroll in driving school during the summer. After you get your license..."
He smiled.
"I’ll buy you your own sports car."
"A sports car?" Trish’s eyes widened. "A real one? How expensive are we talking?"
She swallowed hard.
Beneath her cheerful personality was a genuine love for cars and machinery. The thought of driving a high-performance sports car onto campus on registration day sent her imagination soaring.
Seeing her excitement, Luca couldn’t help laughing.
People often claimed women didn’t care about cars, but he had never believed that. They might not obsess over horsepower figures or engine layouts, but who wouldn’t enjoy sitting behind the wheel of a beautiful luxury machine? The thrill wasn’t limited to men.
"The price doesn’t matter," Luca said casually. "As long as it’s the one you truly want, I’ll pay for it."
Trish froze for a split second before bursting into laughter.
"Haha! Bro, you’re officially the greatest brother in the entire universe! Love you!"
She winked dramatically and formed a heart with both hands toward him.
The image of herself driving her own dream sports car after receiving both her university admission letter and driver’s license filled her mind so vividly that her long legs practically bounced with excitement.