She Stuns the World - Chapter 399: Chapter 399

A few minutes later, Athena and Brandon were seated on the couch in the old residence. One sat on the left and the other on the right.
Athena poured a glass of water and placed it in front of Brandon. She asked, "Brandon, aren't you in Aeloria? Why are you here?"
The man whom Athena caught secretly moving into the Donovan family's old residence was her second brother, Brandon Donovan.
Brandon had said in the group chat that he would only be able to return to the country in February or March next year at the earliest.
Brandon decided to come clean.
He took off his hood, picked up the glass, and emptied it in one gulp. Then, he gave Athena a gentle and gratified smile. He said, "Athena, I'm so happy to see you. I truly am very happy. It's just that I didn't want you to see me like this."
Athena blinked and sized him up. She asked, "What's wrong with your appearance? I think you look quite good."
The Donovan family had good genes, so the children of the family were all good-looking.
Brandon was no exception.
He was slim, handsome, and had distinct facial features. He had a pair of shrewd and sharp eyes like an eagle, an aquiline nose, and thin lips.
His gaze and tone were gentle, and he seemed harmless now. However, when he had yet to realize that the person who pounced on him was Athena, the gaze he revealed was extremely cold and sinister. He emanated a dangerous aura.
Brandon fell silent for a few seconds. He spread his hands and smiled bitterly. He said, "I completed my studies in advance and obtained my bachelor's degree. I originally planned to secretly return to the country before Advent Sunday to give everyone a surprise. Unexpectedly, I was robbed on the way to the airport. I lost all my luggage, including the diploma I just obtained."
Athena sighed when she heard that.
The school Brandon studied in Aeloria was prestigious for his major. However, the area where the school was located was infamous for frequent crime. International students were even more likely to be targeted by local hooligans and gangsters.
Two years ago, a student from Osceiton was shot to death by gangsters because they refused to hand over their laptop.
Athena reckoned the reason why Brandon could run so fast and move so nimbly might have been due to living in such an environment.
The bitter smile on Brandon's face turned into a smile of relief. He said, "Fortunately, I'm experienced. I kept my passport, plane ticket, and identity card on my person, so I managed to board the plane back to the country."
He explained, "When I reached Kitmore City, I had nothing. I didn't want anyone to know about this. That's why I called and emailed the school to send me a new diploma while I hid in the old residence. I planned to wait for the diploma to be sent over before going home. I didn't expect you to find me here."
He covered his face with his hands. He said, "I feel so embarrassed now."
"There's nothing embarrassing about this." Athena patted Brandon's shoulder gently and comforted him. "Everyone has been robbed at some point in their lives. It is very normal. No one will laugh at you for being robbed. The family will be very happy to know that you're back. Why don't you come home with me?"
"About that..." Brandon hesitated. "I was hoping that I could at least earn some money and buy everyone a gift before going back. I can't go back empty-handed like this. How could I face the rest of the family?"
Athena was speechless.
She thought, 'Is Brandon someone who cares so much about his image in the eyes of the other family members?'
It might be so.
It was said that Brandon was very smart. Aside from Zilvia and Athena, he was the smartest child in the Donovan family. His grades had always been top-notch since he was young, and he had never dropped the ball.
Everyone said that he would definitely become a great person in the future.
Perhaps it was because of his talent and the environment he was in that he had cultivated an extremely high self-image.
He had studied abroad alone for so many years. He must have wanted to return to his hometown in glory. However, in the end, he was robbed and returned penniless. Athena reckoned this might have made him very ashamed to face everyone in the Donovan family.
Athena asked, "What job are you working at now?"
Brandon was silent for a while before saying, "I am working as a food delivery guy."
After saying that, he explained, "It's almost Christmas. No company is hiring at this time of year. I plan to deliver food for a period of time. After the New Year, I'll look for a formal job."
Athena could see the guilt on his face. She did not try to persuade him to go home immediately. She only said, "I'll help you keep this a secret. Let me know when you decide to go home. I'll come pick you up in my car."
She thought for a moment and said with a smile, "Claire and Arthur are good at cooking. Until you decide to go home, I'll send you food from home every day."
"That's great!" Brandon's eyes lit up at first when he heard Athena say this. Then, he thought of something and shook his head. He said, "No. This place is too far from our new home. The weather is also cold. It would be too tiring for you to make the trip back and forth. How about this? You come once every three days and bring enough food for three days at a time. I'll heat it up."
Athena smiled. She said, "Tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m., I'll send food over. You can go to work after eating."
Brandon was both happy and hesitant. He asked, "Isn't 9:30 in the morning too early for you? You can come over later."
"It's not too early," Athena lied. "I usually wake up at seven in the morning and can leave the house by 8:30."