Chapter 45 Mockery
Chapter 45 Mockery
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“Freshmen in the gifted youth program usually stood out, but she went further than that. By junior year she had already filed for her own patent. She was the rising star of the School of Aviation. Later, something happened, and she gave up her direct path toward a PhD. Otherwise, she would probably still be there.
“She’s probably even Jackson’s idol back then, Lenora.”
The mention of Jackson Shayman, the very person Lenora was chasing, set her off immediately.
“You just made that up! Hardly any girls study aircraft manufacturing, and now you’re saying one of them was some genius? And a beauty on top of that? No way. Jackson would never fall for some random girl.”
Fiona laughed. “Exactly. And even if such a girl existed, could she really outshine our Lenora? Those girls in aviation could pass a one off as a ten.”
“Exactly. Oh, by the way, Lenora, that girl earlier–did she get work done on her face? Do you know where?”
They didn’t lower their voices. Their words carried across the hall and landed on Anneliese, who caught every word. Her eyes dimmed, shadowed with self–mockery.
The White family and Zacharias never even knew she had graduated from Astoria University.
When she entered the gifted program, Zacharias was still in his last year of high school. That was when Melody’s cancer was first found. His grades collapsed, and the pressure crushed him.
If Astoria University hadn’t given her a scholarship, she would have stayed in her hometown to keep Zacharias company.
For his sake, she never admitted she was heading to college. She told him she was going out to see the world. She secretly handed her scholarship money to Melody to cover Melody’s
surgery.
Later, Zacharias got accepted into Braveton University in Oceaton. She wanted to tell him the truth, but the lie dragged on too long. By the time she tried, the words stuck in her throat.
Once he started his sophomore year, he threw himself into his startup and stopped paying attention to her.
When the White family finally found her, they didn’t bother asking about her past. They
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Chapter 45 Mockery
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branded her inferior to Selina and called her troubled.
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Still, Anneliese wanted to prove herself. That year, Astoria University held a ceremony, and she was chosen to give a speech as a student representative.
She mailed her family an invitation. She waited in the auditorium until everyone else had left.
No one came.
She walked back through the rain and found out Selina had returned sick from a trip. Everyone rushed to the hospital. Her invitation had vanished. No one ever saw it.
When they came home, her parents lashed out. They accused her of being selfish, of ignoring her sister’s illness, of wasting time instead of staying by the family.
She never got to explain. They were too busy cooking for Selina before rushing out again.
Not long after, rumors spread.
Her story tore through the university like wildfire.
Whispers followed her everywhere. Fingers pointed. It felt like thorns digging into her back.
Then, Zacharias confessed his feelings and offered to take her abroad for a break.
It was during his hardest days of building his company. She was deeply moved.
After they returned, she gave up her plans for graduate school. She graduated early and worked as his secretary.
It embarrassed her professors and her alma mater, so she stopped mentioning Astoria University altogether.
Looking back, she realized how many foolish choices she had made.
Anneliese stepped out of the restroom with a bucket and mop. Suddenly, the weight in her hand disappeared.
She turned. A tall boy in a gray tracksuit caught up from behind and bent down to take the
bucket.
“Anneliese, I wonder if you still remember me. I’m Jackson.”
He was tall and lean, his short hair damp with sweat as if he had just finished running. His features were sharp, his smile bright and clean.
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Chapter 45 Mockery
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Anneliese’s eyes filled with confusion. When Jackson realized she didn’t remember him, his smile faltered.
“Back then, you told me to wait at the School of Aviation. I came like I promised, but you were gone. And now you don’t even remember me. That hurts.”
His words sparked her memory.
“Oh! You’re that law student, right? You really switched departments?”
Jackson’s eyes lit up again. His smile spread wide. “Yeah, that’s me.”
He still remembered his first day at Astoria University. He had been dragging his suitcase, lost on the way to the law school.
Suddenly, something buzzed overhead.
He looked up and saw what looked like a giant insect hovering. It was a drone. Its camera whirred and clicked.
Then, a soft, clear voice called from behind.
“Hey freshman, this is the School of Aviation’s new camera drone. You don’t mind if we post your picture on the school’s official welcome page, right?”
He turned around. A dazzling girl in a pinafore jogged toward him, controller in hand.
Her smile and the summer breeze under the camphor tree stayed with him ever since, carved deep into his dreams.
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