Chapter 3

"Merida!"

Andrew rushed over, frantic.

"The future of this school is riding on that invitational! How can you be so heartless?"

He looked at Wesley beside me.

"Her family has spoiled her rotten!

"Tell her to stop behaving like a princess!"

"I'm not throwing a tantrum."

I checked the competition's start time on my phone.

"The competition starts at 9:30 a.m.

"I usually get up at 8:30 and wear a face mask for 15 minutes.

"Then I go through my skincare routine and put on my makeup. I don't get to school until ten.

"You don't expect me to give up sleep for this, do you?"

Tom couldn't hold back a snort. "What do you expect from a girl who can't do anything but her makeup?

"Is putting on makeup the only thing you're good at?"

"None of your business. I refuse to leave the house without makeup."

"Which matters more, your makeup or this school?"

"Staying beautiful."

Andrew was grinding his teeth.

Minerva glared at me and turned to Ryan.

"Does this idiot have to be there?"

"Yes."

"Then if she won't cooperate, we'll tie her up and take her to the competition!

"There's no way she's holding this up! What are the rules for the final round?"

"It's a timed speed round. What matters is how fast you answer the questions.

"If neither team can answer them, you could be in trouble."

"Why?"

"Since she won't have done much by then, the host may call on her to answer."

"In theory, yes."

David relented.

"If she agrees to compete, I can try to have the start pushed back half an hour.

"She can bring her skincare products and makeup to school and put them on while she eats breakfast."

William wasn't having it.

"Mr. Mercer, you're letting her get away with far too much!

"This is a real academic competition, not a beauty pageant.

"And why should her makeup hold all of us up?! Would she die without it? Can't she even leave the house?"

While they were talking, I finished fixing my makeup.

I took the water Wesley handed me, sipped it, and frowned.

"It's too hot. My tongue's going to blister. Take it away."

Everyone looked a little uncomfortable with how fussy I was being.

Even David had had enough of me.

"Merida, remember where you are.

"This isn't your mansion."

Tom rolled his eyes.

"Princess, you usually turn your nose up at everything, and we can't be bothered to argue with you.

"But if you won't cooperate this time, you'll have the whole school against you."

Tom and I had been on decent terms at first.

But then he got close to Minerva.

After that, he kept his distance like everyone else. He also started calling me an idiot or just a pretty face all the time.

I lost count of his snide remarks.

I looked at them with a small smirk.

"If I compete, you'll have a very good chance of winning."

"What's that supposed to mean? You think we need you to win this?"

Minerva raised an eyebrow at me. Unfazed, I gave her a cold smile.

"Call it bragging, then."

I didn't explain further. Questions like these were child's play to me.

I was the sole designated heir to the Hale Group, a multinational conglomerate. My grandfather wanted me to join the board and take over as soon as I finished high school.

But I'd loved dancing since I was little.

A year earlier, my mother had helped me transfer into this private high school.

If I stood out in this national competition, my grandfather would send people to bring me home to take over the business.

So I'd deliberately made myself seem average just to be free to dance.

I focused on having fun and looking good, hoping he'd give up and find another heir.

I didn't think they would believe any of that if I told them.

To them, I was just some new-money heiress. The dumb blonde.

Tom said, "You have three hours before the roster has to be submitted. Think it over."

When David saw that I wouldn't even sign, he slammed his fist against the wall.

"Get the organizing committee on the phone. Ask about a substitution.

"Whatever happens, we are not forfeiting this."

He didn't take any of it out on me.

Even though he was falling apart, he made the call calmly.

But none of the students left.