Casey had asked the question everyone wanted answered. The whole room went quiet, and all eyes turned to Kaia.
Casey was clearly being nasty, hinting that Kaia was hanging around an older man for money.
Most people would’ve snapped back or tried to explain. But Kaia just gave everyone a cold look, acting like she couldn’t care less. She didn’t even acknowledge Casey’s existence.
That only made the whole class angrier. After what had happened at the Hart Club, they were all tching to gang up on her.
‘Kaia, you think you’re all that, huh? Casey asks you a question, and you just ignore her. So what if you know Miss Crawford? You act like you’re better than everyone. You’re not some rich princess, you know,” one girl said.
Yeah, exactly. We don’t know how you met Miss Crawford, but I’m betting it wasn’t anything good. She probably has no idea what you’re really like. When she finds out, she won’t want anything to do with you–she might even smack you around,” another chimed in.
Kaia calmly finished her breakfast before turning to face them. “You should all be studying instead of gossiping. Your grades are awful. Is this how you thank your parents for sending you to school? I actually feel bad for them.”
Her words stunned the whole class.
“Wow, Kaia. You’ve got some nerve. You’re the worst student here. Who are you to talk about our grades? Look at yours–you’re always getting zeros,” someone shot back.
“Getting zeros doesn’t mean I’m dumb,” Kaia said flatly. “The tests are too easy to waste my time on. I’d rather work on solving the NP–C problem.”
The NP–C problem was one of the toughest math problems in the world–something geniuses had been trying to crack for centuries.
But Kaia had solved it in less than a day, stunning mathematicians worldwide.
One classmate burst out laughing. “That’s hilarious! Did you guys hear that? Kaia says the tests are too easy! Who are you trying to fool?”
“Exactly. Solving the NP–C problem? If someone like you could solve that, pigs would be flying by now. Funniest thing I’ve heard all year,” another said.
The room exploded in laughter, the insults getting nastier.
“So, Kaia, since you’re such a genius, I guess you’re applying to Morganburg University, right? That’s pretty bold,” a girl with tiny eyes sneered.
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“Oh, please, Noelle. Don’t give her that much credit. Morganburg University is the best school in the city. Only the top of the top get in. If we’re lucky, maybe one person from our whole school could make it. Kaia? No chance. If she gets in, I’ll shave my head right here,” another girl said.
“Me too. I’ll shave mine,” someone else added.
“Count me in!” others chimed in, clearly treating it as a joke.
Kaia glanced around and stayed calm. “If you’re so sure, want to bet on it?”
“What kind of bet?” someone asked.
“If I get into Morganburg University, you all shave your heads,” Kaia said.
“You’re on. But if you lose, you shave yours,” a classmate said.
“Deal,” Kaia replied coolly.
A boy held up his phone. “I got that all on video. I’ll post it in the class group chat. Kaia, if you try to back out, we’ll make the video go viral. The whole city will know you’re a liar. Good luck showing your face after that.”
By the end of the day, everyone in the school knew about the bet.
Casey and her crew made sure the rumor spread far and wide so Kaia couldn’t back out. If she lost, she’d be humiliated in front of everyone.
The school had been noisy all day, and Kaia thought she’d finally get some peace once she got back to the Moreno family. But the second she walked into the mansion, trouble was waiting for her.
‘Kaia, you’re nothing but a country bumpkin–loud, rude, and totally out of place here. You’re not Even good enough to be Tobias’s maid. I don’t know what my grandpa was thinking, wanting you to marry him.
‘And Aunt Gemma wants you as her daughter–in–law, huh? Forget it. I’m telling you right now, I don’t agree with this marriage. You need to leave Tobias and never see him again.”
The voice belonged to Cecelia Moreno, Tobias’s cousin. She’d always hated Kaia, convinced that Tobias should only be with her best friend, Bianca.
Kaia let out a cold laugh. “You don’t agree? And who exactly are you? Why should anyone care what you think? Tobias isn’t your son, is he? Then mind your own business.”
“You-” Cecelia’s face went red, too furious to speak.
Bianca, who had come with her, couldn’t hold back anymore. She shot Kaia a glare. “I’d heard you were rude, but I didn’t think it was this bad. Cecelia is Toby’s cousin. How can you talk to her like
that?”
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“Oh, so you know she’s just his cousin, huh? Then you should also know I’m his fiancée. If she dares to talk to me like that, who’s really being rude–me or her? Don’t pin this on me. I’ve got better things to do than waste time on your nonsense,” Kaia said coldly, turning to leave.
That was the last straw for Cecelia. She completely lost it and raised her hand to slap Kaia.
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Chapter 23
Chapter 23
