Chapter 59
My heart sank.
I scanned the room and caught Mia smirking, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. So, this was her doing.
“Cheating?” I echoed, trying to keep my voice steady. “Do you have any proof?”
The teacher crossed her “rms. “You were at the bottom of the grade in the last quiz, and now you’re in the top thirty percent. That’s a significant leap. Care to explain?”
I blinked, momentarily stunned..
I hadn’t realized I’d improved so much.
For a second, the accusation of cheating didn’t even register because all I could think about was how my hard work had paid off. I had been studying non–stop, pushing myself beyond my limits, and now, finally, I had the results to show for it.
The classroom was buzzing with murmurs of disbelief. As soon as the teacher mentioned my name,
could feel the eyes of my classmates boring into me.
They couldn’t believe I had scored so high. And honestly, I could sense their doubt like a thick fog hanging in the room.
Someone muttered, just loud enough for others to hear, “There’s no way Sophia got those grades on her own. She’s never even come close before.”
Another voice chimed in, adding fuel to the fire, “Exactly. No wonder the teacher suspects her of cheating.”
The teacher, standing sternly in front of the class, sighed heavily. His brow furrowed in frustration as he glanced at me.
“The difference between your grades in the last two tests is quite simi
find the right words.
he said, struggling to
“It’s unusual, to say the least. For that reason, we’ve decided you’ll need to retake the test, with new questions, to clear any doubts. Do you object to this?”
tood there, my mind racing.
Chapter 50
Anger bubbled inside me, but I kept it under control.
“Of course, I object!” I snapped, my voice louder than I intended. “Why should I have to retake the test? What evidence do you have that I cheated?”
The class grew silent as everyone turned to stare at me, waiting for the drama to unfold.
Mia, ever the opportunist, jumped up from her seat, her smug smile spreading wider as she seized
the moment.
“Look at her, all defensive. If you didn’t cheat, what’s the harm in taking the test again? Shouldn’t you. be eager to prove yourself?”
she taunted, her voice dripping with false innocence.
I laughed, but it was a humorless sound, filled with frustration.
“So, you’re accusing me without a shred of evidence? What happened to the rule that the accuser must prove their claim? Isn’t this slander, Mia?”
The class h“ld its breath, anticipating what would come next.
I continued, my voice firm and unwavering.
“If anyone can just throw around accusations without proof, does that mean I’ll have to keep retaking tests every time someone feels like it? I might as well quit coming to class altogether.”
At that, a few murmurs of agreement could be heard from the back of the room.
Even Ryan, who usually stayed out of conflicts, glanced up with a flicker of surprise on his face.
It wasn’t like me to stand up for myself so fiercely. Normally, I would avoid confrontations, but this time was different. I wasn’t the same girl anymore.
Ryan stared at me, confusion and curiosity warring in his expression. **Is this really Sophia? he must have been thinking. **What happened to the timid girl I used to know?**
The teacher cleared his throat, trying to regain control of the situation.
This isn’t about slander, Sophia,” he said with a measured tone. “This is about clearing up any misunderstanding. We don’t want anyone to have doubts about your achievements. This retake is just a precaution.”
J–crossed my arms, refusing to back down.
The Alpha’s
Tine,” I said coolly, “T’ll retake the test. But I’m not doing this just to prove myself. I want to make sure this kind of baseless accusation doesn’t happen again.”
Turning to Mia, I locked eyes with her.
“Let’s make a bet, Mia. If I pass this test without cheating, you drop out of school. But if it turns out I did cheat, I’ll drop out. Deal?”
Mia’s face went pale, and she faltered. She wasn’t expecting that kind of challenge.
“W–What?” she stammered, glancing around at the class for support.
