Chapter 81
Winnie and Kathryn attended a prestigious school, St. Mary’s Academy, while Amber Hobson studied at St. James Preparatory. So, it was no surprise that Cutler was out of the loop regarding the social dynamics at St. Mary’s.
Without waiting for Winnie’s response, Cutler showed off as he emphasized, “Amber scored a legacy admission to Emerald University.”
Amber stood by, smiling demurely as if embarrassed, yet she didn’t interrupt.
That was the first time Winnie had heard about the criteria for selecting a city’s youth ambassador. She turned to Cutler and clarified, “I don’t have a legacy spot.”
Her bluntness took Cutler aback. “What? You don’t have a legacy admission, huh? Then how were you chosen?”
His gaze inadvertently shifted to Terrell, suspecting that his uncle might have pulled some strings. After all, the final list was in the hands of The Bright Group.
Understanding his nephew’s insinuation, Terrell chuckled. “Don’t look at me like that. Winnie wasn’t even back with our family when the list came through.”
His implication was clear. There was no nepotism involved.
Cutler turned back to Winnie, who seemed to be in on some secret.
“The youth ambassador is typically from the most accomplished high school students of the year,” he prodded, “Are you a top student at your school?”
“Decent enough,” Winnie replied casually.
Hobson, who couldn’t contain himself, interrupted, “Decent means… what exactly?” Top of the class?
Before he could finish his thought, Winnie’s cold gaze swept over him, reminding Hobson of their prior agreement to keep mum. He awkwardly fell silent, though his eyes remained fixed on
her.
Aware of Hobson’s curiosity, Cutler inquired further. “What’s your class rank?”
Winnie frowned slightly, tired of the endless questioning from someone she barely knew.
“Do I have to tell you?” she retorted sharply, leaving Cutler momentarily speechless. Before he even had a chance to respond, Winnie was already up the stairs, leaving him irritated by her blatant disregard for courtesy. She was nothing like Amber!
Amber watched Winnie’s reaction with a secret smile, soothing Cutler. “You’re grilling her like it’s an interrogation. No wonder Winnie’s upset.”
Before Cutler could reply, Hobson, confident that Winnie was out of earshot, couldn’t help but blurt out. “She’s got such a short fuse. There’s no way her grades are any good.”
1/3
12:35
Chapter 81
Although they weren’t at the same school, they were familiar with the top names from the handful of elite schools in Emerald Bay. The top students often crossed paths in mock exams and academic competitions, but neither Hobson nor Amber had ever heard Winnie’s name in
those circles.
Amber felt relief as they contemplated Winnie’s potential lack of academic prowess. That could only mean her newly recognized cousin couldn’t threaten her status. Turning to Hobson, she mentioned the upcoming exam results. “Tomorrow’s the big day. With your consistent performance, you’re sure to rank well.”
Amber had already secured her spot at university and wasn’t sitting the exams, but that didn’t stop her from comparing Hobson’s expected success to Winnie’s unknown results.
Hobson replied with a smug smile, “Don’t worry. I’ll be joining you at Emerald University.”
His tone was confident, not needing a legacy admission when he was sure of his academic
success.
Amber responded with a genuine smile. “Then I’ll bake a cake tomorrow to celebrate.”
Though pleased, Hobson insisted, “You just got discharged from the hospital. Don’t push yourself.”
“I’ll be fine.” Amber reassured him.
Overhearing their conversation, Springer rolled his eyes and decided to head upstairs.
Amber’s mood soured as she watched Springer retreat. Despite her attempts at making amends since returning home, Springer remained indifferent. Was Springer dismissing the idea of acknowledging her as a dear cousin?
The thought darkened Amber’s mood, which didn’t go unnoticed by Cutler, who inquired about her wellbeing. Amber deflected by expressing regret at not experiencing the rite of passage.
that was the SAT.
*Hobson’s grades are better than mine. If he scores as the state’s top student, university admissions officers will be knocking on our door tomorrow,” she said shifting the focus back to Hobson.
Hobson grinned with nonchalance and confidence. Even though their families could afford to send them to study abroad, the significance of the SAT was well–acknowledged among their peers, much like the Henderson family.
After the Quentin family tried to intimidate Winnie the previous day, Clifford had his assistant intervene. The Quentin family’s business suffered and couldn’t keep up with the online backlash.
As Kathryn and Hans‘ clout fell, the backlash against them on social media revved up. Infuriated, Kathryn had turned off her phone.
As the exam results release drew near, the online world’s attention shifted, albeit slightly.
12:35
Chapter B1
Suzan’s eyes lit up with a eureka moment as she looked at the situation with fresh eyes.
“All this drama has almost made me forget about the SAT scores releasing tomorrow!”
Kathryn was in no mood to think about that, not to mention the online debacle.
Quincy hadn’t come to see her since the fallout over the Amulet incident. They were at odds. and it weighed heavily on her.
“I’m a mess right now. How can I possibly care about some test scores?” Kathryn was brimming with frustration.
“That’s not what I’m talking about!” Suzan Insisted, “Think about it. The Internet will be flooded with news about the results when the SAT scores come out tomorrow. Who’ll have the time to keep dragging your name through the mud? If your scores are good and you get accepted into a prestigious institution like Capital University or Silverpine University, it’ll prove you’re al student of character and scholarship. Online folks tend to put good students on a pedestal, and the hate will surely die down.”
Suzan spoke with utter conviction, and initially taken aback, Kathryn began to feel a glimmer of uncertainty. “Really? You think that’ll work?”
“Absolutely.” Suzan reassured her. “People are much more forgiving when it comes to higher education candidates. Our goal is to fix your public image as much as possible.”
Even if it ended up in court, it might not result in any sentencing.
Suzan laid out the strategy, and Kathryn’s spirits lifted as if she’d got a lifeline. Her grades might not be top of the class, but they were good enough to secure her a spot in a prestigious university.
With this newfound hope, Kathryn suddenly eagerly anticipated the SAT result release.
She even turned on her phone proactively.
After all, if she got accepted into a top–tier college, the admissions office would call with the news, and she didn’t want to miss that for the world.
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