Chapter 179
When he heard the student’s confession, Ronald jumped to his feet so fast that he sent books and papers tumbling off his desk, scattering everywhere.
“What… what did you just say?” His eyes were huge, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
Did he really just admit that the 48-point exam was his?
Forty-eight points. Dead last in the whole grade.
His star student, the one he was always so proud of, had scored the lowest. This wasn’t just embarrassing. It felt like someone had thrown him down and stomped on him for everyone to see.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Lee. I had a stomachache during the test, so… I couldn’t finish it.” The boy looked guilty as he apologized.
There might have been a reason, but it didn’t change the fact. An A-Class top student had come in dead last. Ronald had never felt so humiliated in his entire teaching career.
“So the ninety-point test belongs to Charlotte.” Shirley’s voice rang out, sweet and bright, with just a touch of pride. “Charlotte even beat Olivia by a point
“Charlotte, you’re second place. You’re not going anywhere.”
The whole room was stunned by how fast everything had turned upside down. The famous Mr. Ronald had ended up with the lowest-scoring student. Shirley, the girl he’d kicked out of A-Class, had taken first place. Charlotte, the girl nobody believed in, had come in second.
It all sounded impossible.
The higher Ronald’s ego had soared a few minutes ago, the harder he crashed now. “No way Ronald’s face turned pale. He stared at the ninety-point paper, mumbling, “This can’t be Charlotte’s. There’s no way she got ninety.”
“If she could score ninety now, why did she come in last before?” Eleanor frowned, confused, and stepped up to look at the test herself. She studied the handwriting. It was definitely Charlotte’s.
“Second place is all I needed.” Charlotte’s voice was soft and cool as she finally looked up.
Eleanor took the chance to speak up. “The handwriting matches. It’s really her test.” Ronald suddenly had nothing to say.
Then, out of nowhere, he started laughing coldly. “I get it now! Both of you did way better than usual. You and Shirley must have cheated together.”
Eleanor’s eyes narrowed at his accusation.
“Charlotte, you really did this on your own, didn’t you?”
Charlotte lowered her eyes, her voice low and calm. “Wasn’t Shirley supposed to take the B version? take it with her. Getting second place again shouldn’t be hard.”
No more arguments. The scores would speak for themselves.
“Good.” Eleanor’s confidence was back. She looked at Ronald and Mr. Baker. “Mr. Baker, let’s give them the test.”
The B version was still sealed. There was no way anyone could have leaked the questions. This was as fair as it got.
Charlotte stood there, calm and steady, the kind of quiet that made everyone else uneasy. Ronald felt a chillur through him for no reason. he could explain.
“Fine. We’ll test them right here in the office. And bring in Olivia, too.”
One girl was just a nobody from the countryside. The other had a reputation for cheating. There was no way either of them should have scored that high. He was
determined to prove that Oliva was stiff the best student at Vanguard High.
“If Shirley and Charlotte don’t make the top two, they’re both out.”
Charlotte just raised an eyebrow, her voice lazy and unbothered. “And if we do? Then you’re the one who has to leave.”