THE PUREBLOOD'S HEARTBEAT

CH 11:

At that moment, the atmosphere in the Carter family's Mapleline Residence was unusually jovial.

Mrs. Selena Carter hung up the phone, her face alight with excitement. Her eyes sparkled brightly, enhancing her already striking beauty. One would hardly believe she was forty-five, as she still looked no more than thirty.

“ What did she say?” Mr. Carter asked, his gaze fixed on his wife. Judging by the excitement lighting up his wife's face, he knew the call must have gone well.

At fifty, Mr. David Carter owned a small family Bakery on Pulse Street, earning a modest monthly income of 3,500 AUR.

His shop was well-known among high school students, thanks to its enviable location. It sat squarely between two rivals school: Starlake High School to the right and Silverbridge High School to the left, each treating the bakery as neutral ground in their quiet competition.

The Bakery had become a favorite haunt for hungry teenagers from both sides, who treated it as a daily battleground like sworn rivals.

Mr. Carter, despite his age, still retained traces of his youthful attractiveness.

Lynette was his eldest child, already twenty-three. While Averia, his second and last child had just turned eighteen – five years separating them.

Both girls inherited the excellent gene of his wife, their mother, Mrs. Selena Carter, along with his good looks and intellect.

“ She agreed.” Madam Carter laughed, her voice light and delighted.

CLICK!

The door creaked open, the sound echoing in the living room, followed by Averia's bubbling voice.

Averia, Lynette's younger sister, was striking in her own right. Her big, bright eyes, flawless fair skin, and soft rosy lips spoke of the family's good genes. she shared Lynette's beauty, but hers carried a more bubbly, effervescent energy.

“ Mum, Dad – your lovely daughter is back!” She said with a grin, clearly please with herself.

Puff!

Mr. Carter's lips twitched into an amused smile at his youngest daughter's dramatic entrance.

“ Oh! Ave, you're back,” Mrs. Carter said, trying hard not to roll her eyes at her daughter's antics.

“ Yes, mum… Who were you on the phone with?” Averia asked curiously.“ I heard you say ‘She agreed.’ ”

“ Oh, that!” Mrs. Carter chuckled.“ It was your older sister. She promised she'd come along with us tomorrow.”

“ Really!” Averia's eyes sparkled, brimming with happiness. Her love and admiration for her elder sister ran deep, ingrained in every part of her being.

Averia remembered how Lynette had always stood by her side, protecting her from bullies at school. Back then, her big nerdy eyeglasses and ponytail made her an easy target. She had never had the courage to tell her parents, enduring it all in silence.

But Lynette was different ,a force to be reckoned with. Not only would she teach those bullies a proper lesson, she would make sure they understood it, dragging them from school all the way to their homes and even demanding compensation from their families.

If they misbehaved even the slightest, Lynette would beat them again and again…until the poor kids had no choice but to switch schools.

That was why, despite knowing that her older sister was only a D-list actress, Averia remained her biggest fan. She devoted herself to keeping her sister's fanpage active and growing, no effort too small.

“ Go take a shower, you smell of sweat!” Mrs. Carter exclaimed, wrinkling her nose and holding it in mock disgust.

“ Oh! it hurts…” Averia gasped, eye wide in mock horror.“ My mum despises me… her own beloved!” She clutched her chest and staggered back, making the scene as dramatic as possible.