"I normally wouldn’t speak about a student’s private life," Jenny began, her tone heavy with implication, "but since it’s come to this...Ella has long been disowned by the Yu Family and since then, she has been relying on... sigh... overall, these rumors aren’t untrue.’’
If she finished her sentence, then the impact of her words would have diminished.
However, Jennie’s vague words were even more dangerous as they left more to one’s imagination.
"To anyone who heard her words, it would seem like Ella had done far more disgusting things than what the rumors spoke of."
Gauging everyone’s reactions, Jennie continued, ’’Keeping her here would only harm us in the long run."
"She is just a young girl. You make it sound like she has the ability to corrupt the entire institution,’’ Professor Grimwood dismissed Jenny with a light wave of his hand, ’’Kids tend to blow things out of proportions so we cannot judge a student based on what other students are saying about them.’’
Some of the professors immediately showed their agreement to what Professor Grimwood said.
’’That’s right. If we start suspending every student based on rumors, then in no time, there would be no students left in this university.’’
Jenny smiled, ’’You overlooked one thing. She is still an academic failure. That gives us enough reason paired with this to expel her.’’
"An academic failure?" Professor Grimwood stroked his beard as he looked at Jenny thoughtfully, ’’Did you perhaps mispronounce academic genius?"
Every person in the room froze.
Some were shocked while others who had taught the class Ella was in were confused.
’’Professor, do you really think of her so highly?"
’’I haven’t seen her in university during these years even though I teach her class and from what I know, her performance has never been exceptionally well.’’
As people voiced their opinions, Jenny spoke up with a soft sigh, "Professor, just because she did well in one of your tests doesn’t make her a genius.’’
"If she was such a failure as you people claim, how did she even manage to get past the entrance exams and enter the Imperial University?" Professor Grimwood stroked his beard, rolling his eyes.
The people were all shocked.
Except for Jenny who had joined a few months after this batch’s entrance examination.
Someone spoke up, ’’Professor, you mean...’’
’’That’s right. I have a poor memory and I did not remember at first but after pondering over it for a while, I remember her to be one of the toppers of that year’s entrance examination. She scored full marks in more than one subject.’’
The smile on Jenny’s face faded a little.
’’If so, why does nobody... remember her...?" Someone asked.
’’Because there were other toppers like Ruby in the same batch, belonging from a distinguished family and having a good reputation. And in the heat of Ella’s scandals from then, nobody saw her in a good light. Even if someone remembered her scores, they would think it was some other Ella."
Nobody noticed the hint of paleness on Jenny’s face.
Clueless about her near expulsion from the university, Ella strolled inside the classroom like she was just stepping into her backyard.
She ignored all the gasps and whispers and looked straight at the first desk.
There were no signs of Ruby.
They had parted on a wrong note yesterday due to Adrian’s unexpected presence in her room.
Ella had planned to clear her misunderstandings with Ruby today—
Ella’s thoughts were snapped when a dark shadow moved towards her.
Ella stepped back just as the person swung an arm at her, trying to corner her.
At the last moment, Ella dodged by swinging to her left.
The bucket of black paint splashed on the board and at the person who had swung it.
"How dare you?!" The girl seethed, with the black paint dripping from her face.
Ella pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the drop of paint that had touched her pinky, ’’Oh, what did I do?"
’’Don’t act all ignorant!" The girl snapped.
Hearing the voice, Ella took a good look at the girl.
And her movements paused for a moment.
For some reason, the person’s features looked familiar to her.
Yet, Ella couldn’t quite place how she knew her.
’’What are you standing there in a daze for?’’ Two girls who stood behind the one who had splashed paint on Ella spoke up, ’’Why did you retreat just now? Did you do that on purpose?"
The entire class cheered on, some watched the show in silence.
Ella snapped out of her daze.
’’Was that...?" Ella pointed at the paint dripping off the blackboard and looked at the girls innocently, ’’...meant for me?"
’’What else do you think?"
’’I thought you were painting the board black,’’ Ella smiled gently.
The trio almost puked in anger.
The one in the front clenched her fists.
Ella tried to step past them but the two girls stepped in front of her.
’’You are blocking my path,’’ Ella looked up at them.
Both the girls crossed their arms in front of their chest, ’’The path is too thin too fit you anyway.’’
The girl who had splashed the paint on Ella remained quiet but smiled along.
Ella clicked her tongue, ’’If the path can’t fit me then step aside and make way for me, ladies~"
With that, she grabbed both the girls by their shoulders and gently pushed them aside before passing by the gap between them.
Everyone’s jaws dropped.
Wasn’t this girl too shameless? Too thick-skinned?
Ella smirked. Kiddos!
’’Shameless people would surely get their retribution in their own way. With her scandals making headlines in the university and with her damaging the reputation of our class, how long can she walk so arrogantly around here?" One of the girls scoffed.
The other spoke up right after, ’’After she put our god through so much humiliation, he did not come to class today...’’
Ella’s head snapped to her side and she found it empty. Ah, so Kade was the reason for the early morning vengeance showered on her...
’’Forget it, let’s go back to our seats,’’ the girl who spoke up was the one who had splashed the paint on Ella.
’’You are too kind, Jasmine,’’ her friends muttered before following her.
The name rang a bell in Ella’s head and she immediately remembered who the person was.
Or more like, how this person was related to Adrian in her previous life. Jasmine should be none other than Adrian’s future sister-in-law.
The very thought of Adrian made her freeze.
It suddenly struck her with the realization of what she had been forgetting since the morning.
And her face paled a little.
Oh no, the big devil had face timed her and she had not answered his call. She even forgot to call him back.