Chapter 100: So Confident?
"That’s a possibility. That way, even when Brooke York came back, she wouldn’t be ostracized by the other students since her grades are so good. Maybe the York Family promised Chloe York they wouldn’t reveal her identity as the fake heiress, but then they went and exposed her anyway. So, Chloe decided to stop hiding her true abilities and start taking her exams seriously?"
The teachers chimed in one after another, and the more they talked, the more plausible it sounded. The truth must be something like that.
After the York Family discovered Chloe York wasn’t the real heiress, they wouldn’t let her get good grades and made her pretend to be dumb. As long as she agreed to act dumb, they wouldn’t tell everyone she was the fake heiress.
After the real York Family heiress, Brooke York, was found, the family unexpectedly broke their promise and exposed everything. That’s why Chloe isn’t hiding how smart she is anymore.
"I can’t believe the York Family is so shameless, making her pretend to be dumb. Getting a one or a zero in every subject... I don’t even know how you’d manage to score that low."
"Exactly! Even if you just guessed randomly on the multiple-choice questions, you wouldn’t get a zero or a one!"
"But I heard Chloe York didn’t even test into high school in the first place. The York Family paid for her spot, donated a building to get her in."
A teacher raised a doubt, sharing what they had heard. A lot of students knew about it too, so it couldn’t be fake!
"Sigh, this whole thing is a mix of truths and lies. Who can tell what’s real and what’s not? Besides, we only know about this because of rumors. The principal never tells us anything."
"That’s true! Anyway, let’s stop chatting. The morning reading session is about to start. I need to go watch my class. These kids... it’s like they’re studying for my sake. If you don’t watch them, they won’t take it seriously."
"Tell me about it! My class is the same way!"
The teachers gathered their things and left the office to supervise the morning reading.
Only the math teacher, Ms. Chase, didn’t leave the office. She had heard everything the other teachers were saying. ’I had no idea that child, Chloe York, had it so tough.’
After finishing breakfast, Chloe arrived at school. The campus was bathed in the light of the rising sun, filled with a sense of hope.
"Chloe."
Hearing the voice, Chloe York turned to see Ethan Prescott.
"Chloe, the college entrance exams are coming up soon. What schools are you planning to apply to?" Ethan Prescott asked.
’He wanted to go to the same university as Chloe. In the past, no matter which college he chose, Chloe—even if she couldn’t get in on her own merits—would have found a way to follow him.’
’But he knew the Chloe of today would never do something like that again. Besides, she was more than capable of getting into a university on her own.’
"I’ll go to whatever school my scores will get me into."
With that, Chloe York turned and walked directly to her classroom.
Ethan Prescott wanted to say more, but she was already several steps away.
’It felt like Chloe had answered his question, but also not at all.’
’Of course he knew she’d go wherever her scores got her in.’
’But you still have to list your preferences, right? Sometimes your score is high enough for several schools. Which one would she choose? That’s what he wanted to ask.’
’Sigh, it seems Chloe really doesn’t want to talk to me anymore. But that’s fine. I can just ask her teacher later.’
Just like that, Ethan Prescott wasn’t worried anymore.
Chloe York arrived at her classroom, which was only half-full.
She walked to her seat, sat down, and took out a textbook to start reviewing.
"Chloe, the results for the third mock exam are coming out today! Are you nervous?" Stella Winters burst into the classroom, went straight to her seat, and SLAMMED her bag on the desk as she asked Chloe.
"Not really. I’m confident about it."
"How confident? What score do you think you’ll get?"
"Over 95 in every subject!"
"Oh my god!" Stella Winters couldn’t help but exclaim. The classroom had been quiet, and her sudden outcry made everyone turn to look at her.
"Sorry, sorry! I just got a little too excited. Please, keep studying," Stella Winters said, bowing apologetically to her classmates.
Once everyone had turned away, Stella Winters lowered her voice. "Chloe, you’re seriously confident!" she whispered, giving Chloe a thumbs-up.
’The last time Chloe was this confident was when she was chasing after Ethan Prescott. Who would’ve thought that one day her good friend and deskmate, Chloe York, would be this confident about her studies?’
"Is it? I think it’s fine. For me right now, getting a 95 is a piece of cake."
"Yeah, a piece of cake! Chloe, you can definitely do it! Come the college entrance exams, you might even get a perfect score on everything!" Stella Winters said with a dramatic wave of her hand.
"You know it."
When Brooke York walked in, she saw Chloe York and Stella Winters laughing happily together. ’What could they possibly be so happy about?’ she wondered.
’The mock exam results aren’t even out yet. Are they that sure they did well? Pride comes before a fall. She was just waiting for the moment they failed, when their smiles would vanish, when they’d fall from heaven into hell.’
"Brooke, the third mock exam scores are coming out today." Clara Bell sidled up to Brooke York. "I just overheard Chloe York saying she’s confident she got over 95 in every subject. And that idiot, Stella Winters, actually said she believes her. It’s hilarious."
Hearing this, Brooke York scoffed. "It’s too early to laugh. When the scores are handed out, you’ll have plenty of chances to laugh at them."
"Exactly! Over 95! That’s a score only the top ten students in the grade can get. She was getting ones on the first mock exam, and she’s in the worst class. Now she’s dreaming of getting a 95? Does she think she’s just going to get lucky!"
Clara Bell’s tone was filled with disdain for Chloe York and a fawning respect for Brooke York. "Only our Brooke could possibly score over 95 in every subject, right?"
"Of course. But to be honest, even I’m not confident I can get over 95 in every subject. For her to be aiming for that... she really doesn’t know her place."
"When the results are out, I’m going to use this to laugh in their faces. Let’s see if they can still hold their heads up high then!"
Clara Bell was already prepared. As soon as the scores were released, she would go find Chloe York and Stella Winters to mock them.
Brooke York said nothing more. Of course, she fully supported Clara Bell in this.
Mr. Parker didn’t come to supervise the morning reading session. Instead, he came when class started, carrying a stack of papers. They were clearly the third mock exam papers, and he was about to hand them out.
Seeing this, the students grew a little excited.
Mr. Parker noticed their excitement. He adjusted his glasses and said with a smile, "Alright class, calm down. I’m about to hand out the exams!"