The Billionaire's True Heiress From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 1020

Lyle grimaced, panic rising in his chest. "Norris, I actually have somewhere I need to be—"

"Cut the crap!" Norris snapped, slicing right through the excuse.

With an order like that, Lyle wouldn't dare move an inch.

He had been utterly terrorized by his cousins during his childhood.

He wasn't afraid of his aunt, but Norris was ruthlessly cunning, and Phil was physically intimidating; there was no escaping either of them.

On top of that, their striking looks and silver tongues ensured that the elders always took their side.

Lyle had suffered countless silent defeats at their hands.

As a result, he was conditioned to act like a terrified mouse whenever the two cats were in the room.

Having delivered his order, Norris hung up.

Lyle handed the phone back to Claire, pressing his palms together in a pleading gesture. "Claire, I haven't done anything to offend you, have I?"

"I just wanted to take you to dinner. Why did you have to drag Norris into this?"

"If you're willing to treat someone you barely know, how could you leave out Norris?"

"I was just doing you a favor. Why aren't you showing any gratitude?"

Claire stared at Lyle with a look that clearly screamed, *You are completely delusional.*

Her deadpan expression was so severe that Lyle almost started questioning his own sanity.

Norris emerged a moment later. He gave the two girls a curt nod before leveling a heavy glare at Lyle. "I thought you were treating us to dinner. Lead the way."

"Well..." It wasn't that Lyle was entirely opposed to buying Norris a meal.

But a lifetime of being dominated by Norris triggered his fight-or-flight response, and right now, all he wanted to do was flee.

"What are we having?" Norris asked Lyle, though his eyes darted to the girls for their preference.

"Mr. Dean mentioned he wanted hotpot," Claire chimed in, stepping up to answer for the cowering Lyle.

"Fine, hotpot it is," Norris agreed, turning to Yolande. "Are you good with that, Yolande?"

Yolande's eyes practically sparkled. "Absolutely!"

*Why didn't I think of this when he was bothering me?* she thought to herself.

Running to the older relatives was nowhere near as effective as unleashing Norris on him.

Sure enough, Lyle stammered out a weak protest. "H-how about that place near the school? I already made a reservation."

"That place is nothing compared to The Pinnacle," Norris flatly rejected.

He then eyed Lyle with deep skepticism. "Are you offering to treat when you don't even have the money?"

"Who says I don't have money?!"

Lyle bristled immediately.

Being called broke in front of the woman he was trying to woo was a massive blow to his fragile ego.

"The Pinnacle it is!" Lyle puffed out his chest, desperately trying to save face. "I eat there all the time anyway. I was just hoping to try something new for a change."

Did Norris believe a single word of that? Not a chance.

Norris casually sent a text to Phil and Owen, letting them know that Lyle was treating Claire and Yolande to dinner at The Pinnacle.

Both brothers understood the assignment immediately.

Phil and Norris were twins, sharing a near-telepathic connection.

And Owen instantly guessed that Lyle had been harassing the girls.