Genius Kids' Scheme: Claiming Daddy's Billionaire Empire Chapter 107: New Car

"Well, look who remembered my number," an old man chuckled. "The world must be ending."

"Just busy, as usual."

"Too busy to call an old man who taught you everything you know?" The professor's mock offense couldn't hide his genuine pleasure. "What's the emergency this time?"

"I need a favor," Adam said, getting straight to the point. "I want you to teach some kids."

A snort came through the line. "You know I don't do that anymore. Too many entitled brats with helicopter parents thinking their precious angels are the next Einstein."

"They're smarter than I was at their age," Adam said quietly.

The laughter cut off abruptly. "You've never said that about anyone."

"Because it's never been true before."

Another pause. "Who are these mystery geniuses?"

"My neighbor's kids. They need someone who won't bore them with basics they figured out years ago."

"So you thought of your cranky old professor, huh?" The fondness in his voice betrayed him. "Fine. I'm curious. When?"

"Saturday morning? Thomas can pick you up."

"Tell him to bring decent coffee. And Adam? If they're not as brilliant as you claim—"

"They are," Adam cut in. "You'll see."

After hanging up, Adam stared at his phone. When exactly had he started caring so much about those kids?

\---

Irene groaned as she clicked through yet another review site. Finding good schools for normal kids was hard enough. Finding ones that could handle three gifted five-year-olds? Nearly impossible.

"Mom, when do we start?" Lucas appeared at her elbow, munching an apple.

"Soon, honey." She ruffled his hair, hiding her exhaustion. "Just making sure I find the perfect places."

After dropping the kids with Joseph, Irene tackled her growing list. By lunch, she'd arranged for the triplets to attend Silver Academy three days weekly, with Adam's professor handling math and calligraphy. The specialized classes would be split between different instructors across the city.

Which left one major problem.

"I need a car," she muttered, scrolling through listings. Taxis would cost a fortune, and public transit with three kids and their gear wasn't realistic.

By evening, she'd narrowed it down to three models – all practical, spacious enough for three boosters, and with top safety ratings.

Her phone buzzed the next morning. "Ms. Sterling? The car's ready this afternoon."

Four hours later, Irene signed the final papers and took the keys to a midnight-blue SUV with enough room for everything a mom of three could need.

"Perfect family vehicle," the salesman beamed. "Great safety features too."

Family. The word still caught her off guard sometimes. Five years ago, she'd been struggling alone in a foreign country with newborn triplets. Now she was buying a family car for her brilliant kids about to start school.

Life was weird that way.

\---

"Mom got a car!"

The triplets spotted it from the window before Irene even turned into the driveway. They raced outside like a tiny stampede, nearly knocking Joseph over in their excitement.

"Easy!" he laughed. "It's not going anywhere!"

By the time Irene parked, three small faces were pressed against the windows, leaving smudgy fingerprints and foggy breath marks on the glass.

"Can we go for a ride?" Alex asked immediately.

"It's huge!" Lucas spread his arms wide.

"Is it really ours?" Lily bounced on her toes.

Irene laughed, their excitement infectious. "Yes, all ours. No more waiting for rides."

Thomas wandered over from next door, curious about the commotion. "Nice wheels," he called, whistling appreciatively. "Taking it for a test drive?"

"That's the plan." Irene opened the back door, showing off the interior. "They already installed the safety seats."

"Need help figuring out the features?" Adam rolled down his ramp, eyes sweeping over the vehicle.

Irene hesitated. She hated asking for help, but the dashboard had baffled her during the test drive with its array of buttons and screens.

"Actually, I have no clue what half these buttons do," she admitted.

Adam's mouth quirked up at one corner. "How about a proper first drive? I can walk you through everything."

"Us too?" Lily piped up, vibrating with hope.

"Obviously," Adam replied, his expression softening the way it only did for the kids. "Can't test a family car without the whole crew."

Ten minutes later, they were settled—kids buckled in back, Adam beside Irene in the passenger seat.

"Where to?" she asked, adjusting her mirrors.

"Take the coast road," Adam suggested. "Good mix of driving conditions."

As they pulled away, Adam began explaining everything—the adaptive cruise control, lane assistance, and the entertainment system that had the triplets completely entranced.

"This button here," he said, leaning across to indicate a control near her hand.

Irene pressed it, surprised when her seat adjusted to better support her back.

"Memory settings," Adam explained. "You can program different positions for different drivers."

The scent of his cologne registered suddenly as he reached to adjust something on her dashboard. The car's front seat felt surprisingly intimate with both of them in it.

Adam seemed oblivious, focused entirely on the navigation system. His voice remained steady while Irene found herself oddly distracted by details she normally ignored—the clean angles of his profile, the precise way his hands moved as he demonstrated features.

"The child locks control from here," he continued, pointing to another button. "And this limits the audio in the back, for when you need them to focus."

"You know a lot about this model," Irene observed.

"My company partners with the manufacturer," he explained. "We reviewed the safety features when designing the accessibility controls. My engineering team tested everything."

From the back seat came excited discoveries as the triplets explored hidden compartments with the enthusiasm of archaeologists finding ancient treasures.

"Secret pocket in the door!" Lucas announced.

"Bigger one under the seat!" Alex countered.

Lily leaned forward between the front seats. "You should name the car, Mom."

"Name it?" Irene glanced in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah! Every important thing needs a name!" Lily insisted, eyes bright.

"What do you suggest?" Adam asked, turning slightly.

Lily tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Something blue and happy!"

Alex leaned forward, ever practical. "Can we talk about the engine instead?"

Adam surprised Irene by explaining the car's mechanics in terms the five-year-old could understand, breaking down complex concepts with unexpected patience.

By the time they circled back home, Irene felt much more confident behind the wheel. The navigation no longer seemed impossible, and she'd memorized the essential controls.

As they pulled into the driveway, Thomas emerged carrying what looked like car accessories.

"Perfect timing," Adam called to him. "Let's get those installed."

Thomas held up several items—a dash cam, trunk organizers, and tablet mounts for the back seats.

"What's all this?" Irene asked as she stepped out.

"Just some practical additions," Adam replied. "The tablet mounts prevent car sickness. The organizers keep emergency supplies handy."

Irene watched Thomas efficiently install each item, struck by how thoughtful each selection was. Everything focused on safety and convenience—exactly what a mother of three would prioritize.

"Thank you," she said simply. "This is really helpful."

Adam nodded once. "Thomas can program your garage door opener too, if you want."

Irene felt a smile tug at her lips. "That would be great."

As Thomas worked on the final adjustments, Irene found herself watching Adam with the triplets. He was answering Lucas's endless questions about engines with surprising patience, even pulling up specs on his phone when asked for details.

Days passed in a comfortable rhythm, and before they knew it, the evening of Samantha's birthday celebration had arrived.