That afternoon, as Stellar stepped out of the library, a slender figure suddenly emerged from the bustling crowd, blocking her path. "You’re Stellar Rivers, right?" The woman in front of her had wavy, styled hair and a designer handbag slung over her shoulder. Arms crossed, her expression was haughty and condescending. She looked to be in her early twenties, clearly a student, and somewhat familiar. "And you are?" "I’m Camille Dawson, a graduate student under Professor Stone." Camille sized her up, her gaze dripping with disdain. "I heard you graduated two years ago, yet now you’re back, acting like you belong here, taking the same exam as us to get into Professor Stone’s latest research team. I can’t help but wonder—what kind of strings did you pull? You must be really talented." Her tone was laced with sarcasm. But Stellar remained unfazed, her expression calm as she countered, "Is there a rule that says alumni can’t return for further studies?" Camille let out a
The memories replayed in her mind, each scene striking at her heart like a sharp blade.But now, she was no longer the person she used to be.She had the courage to face this head-on. She would never be the weak, helpless girl who let others trample over her. Giving in would only allow the schemers to win and give them more reason to gloat.She paused briefly, then spoke, her voice calm and unwavering."Do you really think a single photo is enough to spread rumors and condemn me?"Her clear, steady voice carried through the air like a gentle stream, silencing the murmuring crowd.Camille was caught off guard for a moment, but quickly lifted the photograph again, her expression smug."This picture alone is proof that your relationship with him isn’t ordinary. What else is there to argue?""I don’t need to argue. I just need to point out one fact."Stellar raised an eyebrow, then asked coolly,"The day you took this picture, why didn’t you mention that Professor Stone was there too? Th
The day of the exam arrived quickly.Stellar woke up early, dressed in a crisp white button-up and jeans, and tied her hair into a sleek ponytail with a headband. She looked every bit the perfect, diligent student.After twirling in front of the mirror with satisfaction, she headed downstairs.At the dining table, Mary had prepared a special breakfast—a double-yolk egg with ham—her face full of warmth."Miss, good luck! You’re going to ace this exam."The familiar gesture, a tradition she had seen countless times, stirred an unexpected wave of emotion in Stellar.It reminded her of the days when she was still in the Harlow family. Back then, before they knew her true identity, her adoptive mother had cared for her just as sincerely. She had also prepared eggs and ham before important exams, wishing her success.But those days were long gone.Pushing aside the memories, Stellar wrapped Mary in a tight hug."Thank you, Mary. I’ll take all the luck I can get."This feeling—being cared
"Correct answer."A flicker of shock crossed Camille’s eyes.Stellar actually got it right?It must have been a lucky guess.Didn’t Yvonne say she had spent the last two years doing nothing but chasing after men? How could she possibly still be keeping up?The instructor quickly moved on to the second and third questions.And every single time, before anyone else had a chance to fully process the problem, Stellar had already pressed the buzzer, delivering the correct answer without hesitation.Camille’s expression finally shifted.Her fingers curled into fists, her nails digging into her palms. There was no way Stellar was guessing all of them right.By the fourth question, Camille straightened in her seat, sharpening her focus."Regarding the structural components of a mechanical system, which principle must be applied…"This one was noticeably harder than the previous ones.Even after carefully analyzing it, ten full seconds passed, and Camille still couldn’t figure out the answer.
Just as Camille was basking in her silent triumph, Stellar finally lifted her head, her bright eyes curving with an easy confidence."I was just considering how to phrase my response accurately," she said calmly. "Because, in reality, this question has two possible answers, meaning there are two correct solutions."A ripple of shock spread through the room.Even the professor’s expression shifted, his interest visibly piqued."Miss Rivers, can you explain what the two solutions are?" he asked, leaning forward.Without hesitation, Stellar articulated both possibilities with perfect clarity.The professor glanced down at the answer key, then nodded in satisfaction.The room fell into stunned silence.Even Camille stood frozen, her face paling in disbelief.How was this happening?!Behind the observation monitors, Victor burst into laughter, his face beaming with pride."Did you see that?" he said, still grinning. "That’s my student. She never fails to exceed expectations!"Beside him, S
"But with so many fools doubting her, even if we believe in her, it won’t be enough to convince everyone," Victor said, his expression clouded with frustration."That’s easy," Stephen replied, raising an eyebrow. "Activate Plan B."…Back in the exam hall, the instructor was caught in the middle of a growing crisis, unsure of how to handle the situation.Just then, someone entered from the doorway, handing him a fresh exam paper along with a whispered message.The instructor let out a quiet sigh of relief, nodded, and turned back to the class."Everyone, quiet down," he announced as he stepped onto the podium, placing the paper on the desk with a firm slap."Since so many of you are questioning whether Miss Rivers cheated, but lack any real proof, we’ll settle this with another test. “This new set of five advanced questions has been created just now by Victor Stone and Stephen Ward. If she can answer them, that should be enough proof for everyone. What do you say?"The room fell into
The moment the words fell, the entire room turned their furious gazes toward Camille.Thinking about how they got led around by the nose once again, they felt utterly humiliated.And it was all because of Camille.Her face went deathly pale, cold sweat beading on her forehead. “N-no, that’s not true…”The sharpness in their eyes was like a blade against her throat, making her shrink back in fear."Camille Dawson!"Even the professor had reached the limit of their patience this time."As a student, you not only participated in cheating but also tried to frame someone else. Your actions are utterly disgraceful!"Without mercy, the professor declared, “I will report this to the school. You can wait for the disciplinary action!”At that moment, Camille felt as if lightning had struck her.Disciplinary action—she knew exactly what that meant.Years of hard work and dedication, completely destroyed in an instant.Her world came crashing down.…The exam was finally over.Stellar left the cla
He pushed a stack of documents across the desk. "Take these and go over them as soon as possible. Once you officially join the team, don’t slow everyone down." Stellar knew he was all bark and no bite. A smile tugged at her lips as she obediently took the files. "Professor, I’ll give it my all. I won’t embarrass you." …Meanwhile, Yvonne was lounging at home, sipping afternoon tea, waiting for good news from the school. As long as Stellar failed the exam and couldn’t get into Victor’s project team, the partnership with Riverfront Corporation would fall through. That would give the Harlow and Moore families a greater advantage. More importantly, she could finally give her father a satisfactory answer and she wouldn’t have to put up with Percy anymore. Just as she was relishing the thought of Stellar’s downfall, her phone rang. Seeing Camille’s name on the screen, Yvonne’s eyes lit up. A smirk curled on her lips as she answered. "So? What took you so long to call—"
Lillie’s manner was polite, her words respectful, with no hint of provocation.Still, Stellar felt a flicker of unease stir in her chest.“The second match—ready, go!”At the sound of the whistle, Lillie made the first move, launching herself forward.Stellar reacted instantly, meeting her head-on. The two quickly locked into a rapid exchange of strikes and counters.To most observers, the fight looked evenly matched. But Stellar picked up on something others might have missed—every one of Lillie’s moves was calculated, ruthless, aimed with precision at the most vulnerable points of her body.A single mistake could lead to serious injury.Thankfully, Stellar’s reflexes were sharp. She dodged every blow by the skin of her teeth, her movements agile and fluid.Dozens of moves passed in quick succession, the two appearing evenly matched.But soon, Lillie began to falter. Her breathing grew labored while Stellar remained steady, her rhythm controlled, her energy barely flagging. The b
Hank wore the smug expression of a man who thought he’d already won. “She agreed to the match. “She can back down now if she wants, but you have to hand over your academy, and maybe I’ll consider letting her walk away.”“Not a chance,” Stellar cut in before Wayne could speak. “I don’t care who I’m up against—bring it on.”“Well said. Gotta admire that spirit.”The match was about to begin.In the first round, Stellar stepped onto the platform opposite Hulk.He cracked his knuckles and looked her over with a leering grin. “Tell you what, sweetheart—bow your head and call me a darling, and maybe I’ll go easy on you.”Stellar gave a low chuckle, eyes glinting with mischief. “Call me ‘Queen,’ and I might let you walk away with a couple teeth still intact.”Hulk’s face twisted in rage, a vein popping along his temple. “You’re dead meat!”The whistle blew.His eyes narrowed, and with a growl, he lunged, throwing a vicious punch straight at her face.It was fast and brutal.If the punch lan
“Miss, are you awake?”Stellar slowly blinked her eyes open, still groggy, only to be met with a close-up view of a man's strikingly handsome face.“Aah…!”She screamed instinctively, jerking upright and startling Stephen awake beside her.From outside the door, Mary’s worried voice called out, “Miss Stellar? What happened? Are you alright?”The doorknob rattled.Mary was seconds from walking in and Stellar panicked.“It’s fine, Mary!” Stellar blurted out in a rush. “I just thought I saw a cockroach—false alarm! Don’t come in, I’m getting dressed!”She got it all out in one breath.Mary paused. “Oh… alright, then.”Only when the doorknob stilled did Stellar finally exhale in relief. She turned and found Stephen watching her with an amused smile.He lay on his side, effortlessly handsome, looking far too comfortable for someone who had just narrowly avoided being caught in such a compromising situation.Stellar’s eye twitched.“I’ll leave you to change then. Breakfast is ready. I’ll g
“Um…” Stellar looked flustered. “I forgot to bring my clothes, so I borrowed your bathrobe. Sorry about that.”“It’s fine.” Stephen didn’t realize how hoarse his voice sounded until the words were already out.“I’ll just head back to my room then…”She turned to leave, but just as she took a step, a flash of lightning split across the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.The lights cut out in an instant, plunging the room into darkness.“Ah!” Stellar flinched and stumbled forward, instinctively crashing into him, her body pressed tightly against his chest.She was warm, soft, still smelling faintly of shower gel—the subtle, clean scent wrapping around him. For a moment, Stephen’s thoughts scattered.But when he felt her trembling, instinct took over. He wrapped his arms around her without thinking. “Don’t worry. It’s probably just a power outage.”His voice, low and gentle, carried a soothing calm that helped ease her tension.Just as she began to relax, another crack of thu
"Of course, no problem at all!""Take your time, there's no rush."The couple smiled warmly, their expressions full of quiet joy. With the perfect successors in sight, both seemed genuinely pleased.Mary even chimed in with a suggestion, “Mr. Ward, why don’t you stay for dinner tonight?”“Thank you, Mary. I’d be happy to,” Stephen replied with a courteous smile.But after dinner, a light drizzle began to fall outside. At first, no one paid it any mind.Then the drizzle turned into a downpour, rain lashing against the windows as flashes of lightning split the sky.Stephen was getting ready to leave, but the sudden turn in weather made Stellar hesitate. “Why don’t you stay the night? It’s not safe to drive in this storm.”They had already shared a room once before, so she didn’t see any reason to fuss over it.Stephen glanced toward Mary and Wayne, hesitating.“You should stay, Stephen,” Wayne urged. “We’ve got plenty of guest rooms here at the courtyard house.”“Well, if you insist,
Wayne stood off to the side, a little taken aback.The man in front of him looked every bit the part of a well-bred heir—polished suit, refined demeanor. And yet, he knew how to fight?“You sure you want to spar with me?”Stephen looked mildly surprised by her challenge.“Why not? Afraid you’ll lose?” Stellar raised a brow, a glint of mischief flashing in her eyes. “Relax, even if you do, I won’t tell anyone. Your secret’s safe with me.”He knew she was baiting him, but he still took the hook with a smirk. “Alright then, let’s see what you’ve got.”Stephen shrugged off his coat and hung it nearby, left in a crisp white dress shirt. With effortless precision, he rolled up his sleeves, his fingers moving with a fluid grace that was oddly captivating.Stellar gave her head a shake, forcing out the sudden thoughts that slipped in.“Ready... go!”She lunged forward, a sharp punch aimed straight at his face, but Stephen sidestepped neatly, twisting his body as his open hand shot out to gr
"I never agreed to any of this. You made the arrangements on your own, so you should be the one to deal with the fallout. I'm not going."His tone was firm, and it instantly darkened Grace’s expression. “Stephen!”He'd always been cold toward her, but he had never flat-out embarrassed her like this.Suddenly, her thoughts turned to the woman she’d seen hidden away in his villa last time. Her gaze turned sharp.“It’s that woman, isn’t it? She’s the one filling your head with nonsense! I’m telling you now—I will never approve of that relationship!”Stephen, however, remained unfazed.He'd never had a close relationship with his parents. He didn’t care what they thought back then, and he didn’t now.“Then wait for Grandfather to return and ask him what he thinks.”Lately, Marcus had been overseas, traveling the world with his wife, and likely wouldn’t be back anytime soon.“You’re using your grandfather to pressure me now?”Grace let out a cold laugh. “Do you really think he’d accept ju
After watching the demonstration, Stellar quickly memorized it. She took a deep breath with her eyes closed, then opened them again, her gaze sharp. Moving step by step, she repeated the moves with precision.Wayne, who had been watching from the side, was dumbfounded.She wasn’t just mimicking the movements—her strength and control were spot on, powerful and exact.Everything Mary bragged about turned out to be true.In fact, it was even more impressive than she’d claimed.“She’s a natural martial arts prodigy!”Wayne’s eyes lit up as he grew even more excited. “Stellar, let me be your official mentor! Carry on my legacy! I’ll teach you everything I know, every move from my school—what do you say?”Before Stellar could respond, Mary exploded, “You shameless old man! She’s the one I picked as my apprentice! Who do you think you are?”“Don’t get cocky, you old hag! It’s up to Miss Stellar to decide which school she wants to follow. For all you know, she might prefer mine!” Wayne refus
Mary was about to punch Hulk square in the face, fists clenched in fury at the way he’d just humiliated Stellar.But before she could move, Stellar stepped forward and gently patted her shoulder, calming her down. Then she turned to face the other side and spoke, her voice steady."You want to fight me? Fine. But I have one condition—it has to be an official match. “If your side loses, I want a public apology. And I want a banner that reads: 'Ironclad Academy lost to Rising Cloud Academy and left in disgrace.' “From that moment on, you stay away from us permanently."Her words left Mary and the others stunned."Listen to this one!" Hank barked out a laugh like he’d just heard the world’s best joke. "You really think you can take us down, little girl?"Stellar raised an eyebrow, a cool smirk tugging at her lips. "What, are you scared?""Who’s scared?" Hulk snapped, instantly provoked. "You want a fight? You’ve got one! But if you lose, you’ll get on your knees, bow your head, and d