Ch. 111..120
Chapter 111 Loved By Everyone
“What? The officer is here to talk to Sophie?”
“Seriously? Oh, my idol…”
“Sophie is really despicable. Aren’t Bailey and Mason enough for her? Why is she seducing this officer now? What a promiscuous woman!” someone muttered angrily.
“But they are so handsome.”
As the students were all gathered at the entrance and refused to come in, Rhett grabbed his cane and strode over to them.
“Aren’t you all coming in? The reminder bell has rung a while ago. What are you all doing here?” he demanded.
The girls were reluctant to head in even after Rhett had shown up.
They couldn’t help but wonder what the officer’s name was and where his office was. They hoped to see him again, too.
“You’re all getting demerits if you don’t head in now!” Rhett warned angrily. Why are the students getting more difficult nowadays?
He was about to teach the culprit who attracted their attention a lesson when he noticed Eustace’s uniform. At once, his furious expression turned into a welcoming smile.
“Sir, may I know the reason for your visit?” he asked politely.
“Oh, it’s nothing important. You should get back to work. I’d like to have a word with Sophie,” Eustace responded civilly.
“Oh, I see. Sophie, answer the officer’s questions properly. You don’t have to hurry back to class. I’ll help you ask for a leave from Mr. Hayes,” Rhett said.
Sophie was rendered speechless.
Did I say I want to take a leave?
Eustace was observing her all the while and knew she was upset. He immediately said, “Please go back to work. I’ll just talk to Sophie here. It won’t take long, so there’s no need for you to be concerned.”
“Sure. Go ahead.” Rhett then brought the students into the school grounds.
Silence ensued. The autumn sun shone on them warmly as Sophie turned to look at Eustace.
Eustace was wearing his police uniform, and she was clad in her school uniform.
Strangely, they both looked pleasing to the eye.
Bailey had something up today and arrived at school later than usual. The sight of Sophie and Eustace together at the school gate made him frown in displeasure.
In the end, Sophie got into Eustace’s Land Rover.
“What do you want to talk about?”
“Over ten mercenaries were sent to the SWAT team last night. Were you behind this?”
Wow. So Felix really did send those men to the SWAT team.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Sophie feigned nonchalance.
“Oh…”
Eustace observed Sophie carefully but couldn’t tell anything from her expression.
He was great at investigation, but his skills were rendered useless before Sophie.
“Right. There’s no way you get to encounter those internationally renowned mercenaries.”
“If there’s nothing else, I shall go back to class now.”
After Sophie got out of his car, Eustace gave her a bag.
Sophie didn’t take it from him.
“What is this?”
“I bought some breakfast for you.” He had visited The Crown early in the morning to buy breakfast for her.
Sophie glanced at her bun that was no longer piping hot and accepted the bag from him.
“Thanks!”
The first self-study session was about to end by the time Sophie returned to the classroom.
Aaron told her to return to her desk without asking any questions.
Once the session ended, a girl ran to Sophie.
“Sophie, who was that hunk at the gate this morning? What is his name? Do you have his phone number?”
Sophie’s brows snapped together impatiently.
“No comment.”
Eustace’s job was pretty sensitive, so there was no way she’d divulge his information to her classmates.
The girl lost her cool and demanded, “Sophie, why are you so arrogant? So what if you’re prettier than us? You seduce every man you come across. Don’t you think you’re disgusting?”
“Yeah, how disgusting. What a b*tch.”
Bailey had just arrived at Senior Class 8 to talk to Sophie when he heard the girls insult her.
“Shut up!”
There was a hint of fury in his voice.
Bailey had always behaved like Prince Charming who came straight out of a fairy tale, so the girls had never heard him talk that way.
“Bailey, you—”
“If I hear anyone speak badly about Sophie again, don’t blame me for taking action,” Bailey warned.
It didn’t matter what others said. He only believed what he saw.
Ysabelle was already fuming aside, but Bailey had stood up for Sophie before she could say anything.
“Bailey, have you fallen in love with Sophie?”
Many girls had a crush on Bailey. They were filled with resentment toward a common enemy after seeing Bailey defend Sophie.
“Who I like is none of your business.” Bailey refused to spill anything.
Seeing his reaction, the girls fell silent and glared at Sophie.
Sophie gave the breakfast Eustace bought to Ysabelle.
“Breakfast from The Crown? Who gave this to you?”
“Eustace.”
“Oh.”
Ysabelle had had breakfast this morning, but she still ate some as it was from The Crown.
“Sophie, I ran into a problem in my physics experiment and failed to solve it. Could you help me out?” Bailey piped up.
Sophie nodded and followed him to the physics lab.
The girls fumed at the sight of them leaving together.
“Am I going to get my heart broken even before I start dating him?”
“Has Bailey fallen in love with Sophie? What a seductress!”
“Shut up! It was Bailey who came to Soph! Soph is loved by many. Are you jealous of her?” Ysabelle retorted as she chomped on her breakfast.
“Ysabelle, stop acting all high and mighty! Sophie only spends time with you because you’re uglier than her!”
Ysabelle might be pretty, but she wasn’t as pretty as Sophie.
Ysabelle snorted. “Sowing discord, huh? Do you think it’s that easy to sow discord between me and Sophie? Dream on!”
She ignored them.
After all, Sophie was her best friend, and she knew Sophie well.
Sophie and Bailey arrived at the physics lab so she could help him check his experiment out.
Sophie immediately realized what was wrong after he showed her the steps once.
Bailey watched as Sophie carried out the experiment again. His favorable impression of Sophie grew even more.
“That’s it.” Sophie completed the experiment and sat down.
“Let me try.” When Bailey was busy with the experiment, Sophie sprawled on a table and soon fell asleep.
After completing the experiment, Bailey turned around to see that she was sound asleep. He shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over her.
He then took a seat across from her and observed her silently without doing anything.
Willow had noticed Sophie and Bailey entering the lab and had sneaked in after them.
She had been hiding in a corner and had taken a few photos of Bailey shrugging out of his jacket.
As Sophie and Bailey were alone in the lab, Willow had taken the photos at a suggestive angle that would cause everyone to misunderstand his action.
She glanced at the photos on her phone and flashed a smug grin.
Without hesitation, she sent the photos to a classmate who had a crush on Bailey and hinted to her to post the photos on their school forum.
The girl didn’t disappoint her. Willow scrolled the page on the forum with the photos and chuckled evilly.
chapter 112 Rumors
By the time Sophie woke up, it was half past ten. The second period had begun.
Thus, she did another experiment in the lab and waited until the third period ended before returning to her class.
The students were busy scrolling through the forum. Sophie and Bailey had caused an uproar after the photos were posted.
Once Sophie showed up, the rest began whispering among themselves.
“Seriously? How shameless of them to do this in school!”
“Yes! What an unsightly scene! This isn’t the Bailey I know!”
“This isn’t Bailey’s fault! Sophie must’ve seduced him. That’s right. She seduced him.”
Ysabelle had been searching around for Sophie. When the latter came back, she immediately dragged her out.
“Soph, let’s go.”
Sophie regarded her dubiously. What’s wrong?
“You want to skip classes again?”
“Yes, yes.” Ysabelle thought that skipping classes was a great idea.
The photos that were posted online had made Sophie the talk of the town, and many horrible comments had been posted.
“There’s no need for that,” Sophie rejected. She wasn’t one who would escape from problems.
“Soph,” Ysabelle pleaded worriedly.
“What happened?” Sophie kept her cool.
Under Sophie’s sharp gaze, Ysabelle finally gave her phone to Sophie.
After seeing the photos and the title of the post on the forum, Sophie flashed a smile.
However, her smile struck Ysabelle as horrifying.
“Soph, are you okay? Someone is obviously trying to bring you down. You…” Ysabelle was at a loss for words.
The photos were taken at an angle that seemed to suggest they were doing something improper in the lab.
No one would believe Sophie no matter what she said.
“Soph, don’t scare me. I trust you no matter what. I’ll always be on your side,” Ysabelle vowed.
“Mm, I know.” This person took photos of us in the physics lab. Everyone else is in class, so who followed us all the way there and took these photos?
“We can track the person who posted these photos and ask him or her to delete them.” Anyone with a brain wouldn’t believe this rumor. It was useless to explain things now, and time would prove everything.
“No worries. I’ll teach the person who posted this a lesson. I can delete the post myself, but there’s no hurry,” Sophie said.
Meanwhile, Bailey had just stepped into his class when a few boys blocked his path.
“Bailey, you look aloof. I had no idea you’d do that in school!”
“Yeah! You’re quite bold, huh? Even if we wanted to f*ck, we’d bring our partner to a motel.”
“I can’t believe you dare to f*ck someone as filthy as Sophie. Aren’t you afraid of getting infected with STDs?”
“Stop it, Woody. It was Sophie who ignored you. Otherwise, you would’ve slept with her!”
“Right. I’d risk getting STDs to f*ck someone as gorgeous as Sophie,” Woody Shaw responded with a sleazy grin.
Bailey’s expression turned as dark as thunder.
“Forget it. Bailey, stop acting all prude. Tell us how it feels to f*ck Sophie,” Woody urged.
“Hey!” Bailey grabbed Woody’s collar. “You’d better watch your tongue instead of spreading baseless rumors, Woody!”
Woody chuckled.
“Why? You slept with her, right? Why do you look all pent up? Didn’t Sophie satisfy you?” Woody wasn’t afraid of Bailey, for he was also a bigshot in Jipsdale Premier High.
Without warning, Bailey gave Woody’s nose a punch.
Woody only regained his composure when blood trickled down his nostrils.
“F*ck you! How dare you hit me, Bailey?”
A fight promptly broke out between both of them.
Bailey might be a top student, but he was also good at fighting.
Seeing that, the other boys tried to separate them.
“What are you doing? There’s no need to fight over a girl!”
“Yes! You’ll get expelled for fighting in Jipsdale Premier High!”
Even if the boys wanted to fight, they would do it outside the school.
“Let me go! If I don’t teach him a lesson today, he’ll assume he’s a hunk adored by many!” Woody yelled.
His nose was still bleeding, and he couldn’t stop the fury from surging through his entire being.
He didn’t mind getting expelled as long as he got to beat Bailey up.
Bailey’s eyes were red. “If I hear you say Sophie’s name again, I swear I’ll beat you to a pulp!”
He couldn’t be bothered about the wounds he had sustained in the fight.
This was the first time the girls had seen Bailey fighting. Their adoration for him promptly grew.
“Oh, dear. I never realized Bailey could be this manly!”
“Yes! Woody is skilled at fighting, but he managed to defeat Woody! Oh, I love him!”
“A pity that he showed his manly side to defend Sophie from Senior Class 8. What’s so good about her?”
“I know, right? She isn’t even that pretty.”
“She’s nothing but a b*tch who loves seducing men. What a wretched young woman!”
“Willow, didn’t she seduce your boyfriend, Mason?”
“Yeah, she’s so despicable. Remember how she seduced Mason when you were in the hospital?”
Willow snorted. “Mason and I are deeply in love. We’re going to get engaged soon, so I believe he won’t fall in love with someone else.”
“Really? Willow, you’re only nineteen! Are you seriously going to get engaged this soon?”
“I’ve been in love with Mason since middle school. He’s the only man I’ll marry, so it’s fine for us to get engaged this early,” Willow said blissfully.
Thus, everyone assumed Sophie was the one who tried to break them up and continued insulting Sophie.
“Willa, you’re so lucky to have met someone you love at this age. Most importantly, he loves you, too. You guys are such a perfect couple. Congratulation!”
“Thanks. I have absolute trust in Mason. He won’t budge no matter who tries to seduce him,” Willow responded proudly.
“Of course. You’re pretty and smart, an all-rounder. He won’t fall for someone else unless he’s blind.”
“I trust Mason. Thanks!” Willow flashed a gentle smile. Deep down, she wanted nothing more than for them to continue insulting Sophie.
When Bailey found Sophie and Ysabelle, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Sophie was lying on the field, basking in the sun idly.
No girls would be as calm as her if they were in her shoes!
Chapter 113 Feeling Smug
“Sophie, are you all right? I’m sorry. It was all my fault. If I hadn’t asked you to carry out the experiment at the lab, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Bailey felt a pang of guilt. However, there was no use wallowing in guilt, as he could not change what had happened.
Sophie sat up. The sun was so bright that she squinted in response.
“You’ve done nothing wrong. This has nothing to do with you. Don’t worry. No matter what they demand, you still have me around to back you up.”
Bailey was surprised. He was there to soothe Sophie, and he certainly did not expect that she would say something like that. He could not help but wonder if the girl had somehow mistaken her role in the matter.
“Bailey, I would really like to ask you a question now. Why did you remove your jacket? You were only doing an experiment in the laboratory anyway. Do you know you’re confusing other people that way?” Even though Bailey was handsome, Ysabelle was not charmed, as he had been a nuisance to Sophie.
Sophie only wishes to live an uneventful and normal high school life. Is that really too much to ask? Why do these people keep hounding her?
“I…” Bailey found himself suddenly at a loss for words. “I’m sorry.”
That was the only sentence that he could bring himself to say right then.
“I’ve said that you have nothing to do with this. What’s with the injuries on your body?”
She reckoned that not many would dare to provoke Bailey at Jipsdale Premier High.
“Yeah. Why are you hurt?” Ysabelle chimed in.
“Nothing. I just taught a few guys a lesson for not watching their tongue.”
Ysabelle felt her hostility toward Bailey melting away as he said that.
“You’ve got some guts, Bailey. I really wanted to beat them up when I heard them badmouthing Sophie like that, but I held the urge in the end. You’re the man.”
Bailey flashed Ysabelle a bitter smile.
“Bailey, I think it’s time for you to stop interfering in this matter. I will deal with the rest.”
“Sophie, things have only taken this turn because of me. I will not just sit idly by and shrug it off. I will see that the post is deleted, find out who’s responsible for this, and demand the culprit apologize to you.”
Bailey left as soon as he said that.
“I’ve always thought he’s quite a dashing man. Now that I’ve seen him defending you like that, he’s even more charming now,” Ysabelle said. “But, Soph, no matter how dashing he is, he’s never going to surpass Uncle Tristan. He really likes you.”
Sophie was rendered speechless.
“I’m serious. Do you think I should tell Uncle Tristan about this?”
“No. It’s just a small fight between classmates. Why bother him with such trivial matters?”
“Oh, please, as long as it concerns you, I’m sure it’s no trivial matter to Uncle Tristan.”
“I said, do not tell him,” Sophie snapped.
“Soph, Uncle Tristan is not like the other shallow-minded people. He believes in you. I’m sure he will believe whatever you say, just like I do. What other people say will never make us doubt you.”
Ysabelle thought it was best for her to put in a few good words for her uncle. Otherwise, she thought Sophie might really get snitched by the outstanding men swarming around her.
When they were having lunch in the cafeteria, Ysabelle accidentally bumped into Willow. What a small world.
Willow’s tray was knocked to the ground.
“Are you blind?” the girl beside Willow yelled.
“Are you all right, Willa? Were you scalded? They did this on purpose! Did you guys see her? She’s doing this because she couldn’t get Mason!”
“How are you so shameless, Sophie?”
“How is it possible that he asked you to do something like that at school? How shameless can she be?”
“Jipsdale Premier High is a renowned school. How could we have students like her? This is so humiliating.”
All girls in the cafeteria gesticulated at Sophie right then as they desperately wished they could throw her out.
Ysabelle was stumped, for Sophie had done nothing wrong.
In fact, Ysabelle was the one who had bumped into Sophie. However, nobody cared, and they put all the blame on her as they chastised her.
“You’d better go see an ophthalmologist at the hospital if your eyesight is so terrible. I could sponsor the fees,” Ysabelle retorted. She could not stand them slandering Sophie. “I was the one who bumped into Willow. Why are you guys hounding her? Why, are you guys not satisfied with being keyboard warriors on the forum? Come to think of it, I really do believe that you guys were the ones who posted those posts on the forum.”
“Does it matter who posted them? It’s the truth anyway.”
“You guys will know if it matters once I find out who the culprit is.” Sophie snickered. These people really think they can leave unscathed after getting on my nerves.
In the past, she could not be bothered by them as she had thought that they were beneath her.
However, it was apparent that they had reckoned that she was the type to just suffer in silence. You guys are dead wrong. Sophie found the shallow-minded people amusing.
Willow’s lips curled into a mocking grin. Is she still not going to give up even after this? Her reputation is down in the dumps. Who’s willing to be associated with her right now?
Sophie glanced at Willow.
Look at that smug smile on her face. Does Willow really think I can do nothing about her? Does she still think I am still the gullible and weak Sophie from five years ago?
Willow instinctively retreated a few steps back when she locked eyes with Sophie. She found the latter’s gaze oddly intimidating. Sophie had done nothing, and yet Willow felt a chill down her spine.
However, at the thought that no one could trace any posts on the forum back to her, Willow regained her composure. What can Sophie do to me anyway?
She had nothing to fear because she had taken no part in anything that had happened. She was merely an observer.
“Sophie, why are you looking at Willow like that? You’ve committed such a disgraceful act, and yet you have the cheek to glare at her. Who do you think you are? Are you trying to pick a fight?” Willow did not have to say anything, as there would be others who would speak up for her. She only had to stand graciously aside and put on an innocent look. This had always been Willow’s tactic.
“Even if fifty more people were to come, I don’t think all of you combined would be able to rival me. But I don’t wish to dirty my hands by hitting the lot of you,” Sophie spat out. She sounded arrogant, yet no one doubted her ability.
Ysabelle had a look of admiration on her face.
That’s my girl. So what if they’re trying to slander Sophie with those photos on the forum? They can never put her down.
“Get out of my way.”
The people blocking Sophie’s way fanned out right away.
Sophie went to take her food.
Then she turned around and approached Willow.
“Feeling smug, are you? You’re the only one who is capable of coming up with a cheap trick like this.” Sophie sat down at a table by the window after saying that.
Chapter 114 We Are Not Meant For Each Other
Willow, who was still lining up at that time, looked awful upon hearing that.
“Willa, what did she whisper to you? Did she threaten you? Don’t be afraid. You have our support. We won’t let her bully you.”
Willow forced a smile and said, “I’m sorry. I can’t join you guys for lunch. I’m going back first.”
Noticing the fear on Willow’s face, the other girls put all the blame on Sophie.
“Willa, you don’t have to be afraid. Many of us are here to support you.”
Willow shook her head. “I’m not feeling well. You guys enjoy your meal.”
With that, she walked out of the cafeteria.
Meanwhile, Ysabelle sat in front of Sophie after receiving her lunch set. Then she took out a piece of tissue and wiped her spoon.
“Soph, have you identified who it was? We have to find and teach the person a lesson. Otherwise, many people will think we are easy prey.”
“Who else would scheme against me at all costs other than Willow?”
“D*mn it. What’s wrong with Willow? She can devote herself to becoming Mrs. Laird. What does it have to do with you?” Ysabelle was exasperated because of Willow. “Why does she always have to show up in front of you? Has she no shame?”
“All right, eat up. I’ll handle it. I won’t let Willow off the hook.”
Ysabelle was relieved upon hearing Sophie’s words.
The driver dropped Willow off at the Laird residence after school in the evening.
Constance’s lips curled into a smile when she saw Willow.
“Willa, you haven’t come here to see me for many days. Did Mason bully you? If he ever bullies you, you must let me know. I’ll surely teach him a lesson for you.”
Willow came up to Constance and held her arm to go inside.
“He didn’t! Why would Mason bully me? He’s been treating me well. I was busy because of the final exam. Mrs. Laird, you don’t mind that, do you?” Willow was always well-behaved before Constance.
“The final exam is important, but your health is even more so. Mason has just returned. You should spend more time with him. Honestly, I’m fond of you and hope you two can get together in the future.” Constance was worried that Mason would look for Sophie. “Mason will come home for dinner later. Try your best to impress him, okay?”
“Thank you, Mrs. Laird.” Willow was excited when she heard that Mason would be here for dinner.
As expected, Mason came home at six o’clock in the evening. However, he merely nodded at Willow.
The three of them sat at the dining table, and Willow kept putting food on Mason’s plate.
Moments later, Mason put his fork down.
“Mason, what’s wrong? Aren’t these your favorite dishes?”
“Willow, I’m not a kid. You don’t have to take care of me like this. I can pick up any food I want. This is my home.”
Deep down, Mason thought he had to be clear with Willow or he would waste her time.
Willow’s expression turned grim, and her hand froze after Mason rejected her kindness. She gazed at Constance helplessly, unsure of what to do.
Constance could only shake her head.
But the next moment, she helped Willow ease the tension. “Just ignore him, Willa. He’s learned a lot of bad habits from overseas.”
The meal ended on an unhappy note.
When Willow wanted to help the housekeeper do the dishes, Mason stopped her.
“Willow, you’re our guest here. How can you do something like this? Let’s go out for a chat.”
Willow’s face turned paler when she heard that.
What does he want to say to me?
Slowly, they headed toward the courtyard outside.
Looking at Willow, whose head was lowered, Mason felt slightly hesitant to speak his mind.
However, once Sophie flashed through his mind, he thought he had to be cold-hearted. After all, everything would have turned out differently if he had been cold-hearted five years ago.
“Mason, what do you want to tell me?” Deep down, Willow didn’t wish to face the truth. Fear overwhelmed her when she saw Mason’s expression. “Ever since you went abroad, I’ve been waiting for your return. Now that you’re back, I think we can finally be together, right? Mason, I love you from the bottom of my heart. I don’t mind even if some might think I’ve lost my self-esteem because of it. Nothing else matters as long as I can be with you,” Willow confessed before Mason could speak.
She then went closer and hugged him tightly.
“Mason, I love you!” Willow eventually burst into tears. She had a bad omen that what Mason had said earlier was to foreshadow his intention to break up with her.
Mason pushed her hands away and took a step back to maintain a distance between them.
Deep down, he knew that Willow loved him. However, love is never about a person’s feelings.
“Willow, I’m sorry. For all these years, I only treat you like my sister. Now, I’ve finally realized that I always love Sophie. I was too weak five years ago.”
Willow couldn’t say a word. Mason had broken her heart no matter how hard she had tried to salvage their relationship. Sophie was the only one he loved.
“No matter what, I’ve failed you. I didn’t make it clear to you. I’m grateful to you for saving me. I wouldn’t have become who I am today without you. But loving someone is not about being thankful.”
Willow hated Sophie deeply.
Why? Sophie can get everything I work hard to obtain without doing anything. All I want is Mason. Is it an excessive demand?
“Mason, I love you so much. Please don’t be so cruel to me.”
“Willow, I’m sorry. I can’t give you the love you want. I might sound irresponsible, but I believe you will meet someone who deeply loves you someday.”
After Mason finished, Willow snickered and took a few steps back.
Mason couldn’t help but frown upon seeing her reaction.
“Willow—”
“Why? Mason, why must you do this to me? You agreed to be my boyfriend. Everyone knows you’re my boyfriend and we’re going to get engaged soon. How am I going to face them if you want to break up with me now?”
Willow continued to shuffle backward.
When she moved closer to the artificial lake behind her, Mason could not help but furrow his brows.
“Willow, calm down. Stop moving backward. It’s dangerous.”
“What’s the point of living if you abandon me? I might as well die.”
“Willow!” Mason called out in a quavering voice.
“Mason, you still care about me, don’t you? You’re worried about me!”
The next moment, Willow lost her balance and fell into the icy cold lake after letting out a scream.
“Willow!” Mason immediately rushed forward, jumped into the lake, and swam toward her.
Chapter 115 Kick Her Out
The December air in Jipsdale was chilly. Willow felt as though every inch of her body had frozen.
Mason swam toward her and pulled her up to the ground.
Willow coughed nonstop, her face as white as a sheet.
Constance came out at once when she heard the noise. At the sight of their sorry state, she exclaimed, “What happened? You two looked fine just a while ago. How did you end up like this? Mason, how could you have the heart to hurt a girl who is deeply in love with you?”
Willow tilted her head to puke up a few mouthfuls of lake water before she turned to look at Constance piteously. “Mrs. Laird, I’m fine. It was only an accident. Don’t be mad at Mason. It has nothing to do with him.”
“Poor girl, why are you still speaking up for him? I really don’t know what to say.” Constance then turned to glower at Mason. “Why are you still standing there? Hurry up, and carry her to your room. She needs a hot bath so she won’t catch a cold.”
Without uttering any words, Mason carried Willow and headed to his room.
The housekeeper had already prepared hot water for Willow to take a hot bath.
“Mr. Dixon, I can see that Ms. Tanner really likes you. She was the one keeping Mrs. Laird company when you were not around for the past five years. If not for her, Mrs. Laird would have been lonely. Now that you’re back, you should treat her nicely. How could you cause her to fall into the lake?” the Laird family’s butler said earnestly. He dared speak his mind, as he had watched Mason grow up.
“Take good care of her. I have to go now,” Mason said, then turned to step out of the room. He did not expect that Willow would suddenly get all worked up.
After taking a hot bath, Willow felt a lot better.
Since she was alone in Mason’s room, she whipped out her phone and lay on his bed to take a few pictures. After editing them with the software on her phone, she sent them to Sophie.
At that moment, Sophie had just returned from dinner with Ysabelle. She scrolled her phone after the message notification sounded and saw a picture sent by Willow.
Ysabelle drew closer to her inquisitively and could not help rolling her eyes at the picture. “Soph, your sister is ridiculous. How could she have the cheek to send you this kind of picture? Isn’t she worried that you might post them on the forum to take revenge on her?” How could she send her indecent pictures to others? I’ve never come across anyone as shameless as her!
“There is nothing in this world that she can’t do. She only wants to show off to me that she’s together with Mason.”
Sophie continued to browse through all the other pictures sent by Willow.
“Tch! I bet she’s the only one who thinks highly of Mason Laird. Anyway, Soph, I must comment that you used to have really bad taste. How could he end up being in a relationship with her? Truly, birds of a feather flock together.”
Regardless of what had happened, it was an indisputable fact that Mason had been in a relationship with Willow.
“I’ve never mentioned that I like him, have I?”
Ysabelle’s face lit up. “Really? So you’ve never fallen in love with him? I was right, then. I knew your taste wasn’t so bad!”
Sophie had managed to track down the culprit who posted those pictures on the forum. Before her self- study session, she headed straight to Senior Class 1.
At the sight of Sophie entering their class, the students began to whisper among themselves.
“Why is she here again? What is she trying to do?”
“Yeah! Willow is not attending the self-study session tonight. Did she do something again?”
“Angie, a word, please,” Sophie drawled.
It never came across Angie’s mind that Sophie would drop by and look for her. I uploaded the pictures with my alternate account. Why is she here to see me?
“Why are you looking for me? We’ve never crossed paths with each other, have we? What are you up to?” Angie looked wary. She had overheard those rumors about Sophie. If they were to get into a fight, she was certain that she was no match for Sophie.
“Yeah! How could you look down on us, Sophie? How dare you make a scene here! What do you want?”
“Do you think your family owns Jipsdale Premier High and you can behave however you like here?”
“Do you really not want to take this elsewhere? Or perhaps you prefer that I make things clear here?” Sophie asked impatiently.
Angie had no choice but to get to her feet and step out of the classroom.
“I know you were the one who posted the pictures on the forum.” Sophie cut to the chase.
Angie grasped the hem of her uniform anxiously.
“What do you want? I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
She was convinced that Sophie was confronting her personally, as she did not have any evidence in her hands.
Since she doesn’t have any evidence, why should I admit it? If Bailey knew I was the one who posted the pictures, he wouldn’t forgive me! No way! I can’t let that happen! I like him so much!
“Well, since I’m here, it means that I have evidence in my hands. I’m giving you a chance to set everything straight on the forum. If not, you only have yourself to blame when things get ugly.”
With that, Sophie walked toward Ysabelle, who was waiting for her at the side.
“Was it really her? No wonder there’s a saying that you should never judge a book by its cover. She has always been a demure young lady. Who would have thought that she had the guts to do so?”
“Let’s go. It’s time for the self-study session.”
“Huh? Are you going to let her off just like that? Don’t you know that everyone in Jipsdale Premier High is talking behind your back? And it’s not anything nice? How I wish I could slap them to teach them a lesson!”
“Willow is not here yet, isn’t she? I won’t leave her out, of course. I’ll settle the score with them when she’s back.”
When Angie returned to the classroom, all the other girls gathered around.
“Angie, are you all right? Did Sophie bully you? If she did so, you mustn’t hesitate to tell us. We’ll report to our teachers. We can even write a petition and request the management to expel her from the
school.”
“Exactly. Sophie has tarnished the reputation of our school. Let’s get her expelled!”
“Don’t do that. She didn’t bully me.” Angie was on the verge of tears. Now that Sophie had evidence, she presumed she would have to pay for the price if things were to blow up.
“Angie, you’re just too timid. You don’t have to be afraid.”
Without a second thought, the students listed all of Sophie’s so-called wrong deeds on a piece of paper and signed on it.
“I think we should get the others from other classes to sign on it too. They surely have something against her. After all, many in our school are falling heads over heels for Bailey.”
“You’re right. Don’t worry. I’ll look for the others from the other classes after the self-study session. I’m sure we’ll be able to kick her out of Jipsdale Premier High this time!”
Angie became all the more uneasy. The situation was getting out of control, and she was at her wits’ end.
Nonetheless, she had to admit that she could barely wait for Sophie to be expelled from the school.
Chapter 116 I Will Wait For You To Grow Up
“Have you heard, Soph? Everyone’s signing a petition to have you expelled.”
Ysabelle had heard about this from other girls during a restroom break.
She was so livid that she nearly started a fight with them.
“Oh?” Sophie continued to work on her math question while acting as though she had heard nothing.
Seeing that, Ysabelle snatched her pen away.
“Now isn’t the time to be focusing on math! What are you going to do? With so many people hoping to kick you out, the school’s going to have to consider it for real! Not only that, but the authorities are already furious about whatever happened on the school forums!”
Ysabelle was frantic by now, and yet Sophie appeared as calm as usual.
“What are you doing, Sophie? I’m talking to you about something really important! Can’t you take this more seriously? Wait, how about this? I’ll get Uncle Tristan to donate a library to the school. That way, they’ll stop bothering you.”
Ysabelle figured this was a good idea.
There’s no problem money can’t solve.
If the problem is not resolved, that’s just because the money wasn’t enough.
Fortunately, money was never an issue for the Lombards.
“I can take care of the situation,” Sophie replied. Since they keep coming after me, I’m only going to look like a coward if I don’t get back at them.
As the self-study session concluded, Tristan’s car could be seen parked right outside the school building.
“I’m guessing my uncle already knows what happened, but I swear I didn’t tell him about it. Why are you looking at me like that? I really didn’t tell him anything!”
“What are you getting all nervous about? If you didn’t tell him about it, then you didn’t.” Sophie was amused by Ysabelle’s behavior.
“Okay. Well, I’ll be heading back now,” Ysabelle concluded but then stopped to turn around, still feeling worried about Sophie. “I think you should give Uncle Tristan some reassurance, though. No guy would ever be happy to see the girl he likes getting caught up in a rumor with another boy.”
Uncle Tristan gets real scary when he’s upset.
Sophie couldn’t help but laugh when she saw how concerned Ysabelle looked.
The latter glared at her.
“Hey, Sophie! You’re going too far! How could you still laugh when I’m so worried about you?”
“Get home safe and have a good rest. You don’t have to worry about me.”
Ysabelle reluctantly entered her car. She would have really wanted to spend the night with Sophie if it wasn’t for her fear of that uncle of hers.
She probably needs company at times like these.
After Ysabelle left, Sophie walked toward a silver Lamborghini, opened the door, and hopped in.
The creases between Tristan’s brows instantly faded when he saw her enter his car of her own accord.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in Frosa?” It’s only been a few days. Has he taken care of everything there? How is he back so soon?
“You sound like you don’t want to see me.” The prior look of dismay Tristan had on his face quickly returned.
“That’s not true! Why wouldn’t I want to see you?”
“Did you miss me? I already started missing you just after being away for a few days.”
“Mr. Tristan…”
Did I miss him? I don’t think so! I’ve been too busy to even think about him.
Judging from her expression, Tristan knew he had expected too much from her. There was no way this heartless girl would miss him. Even if he were to leave this planet for a long while, she probably wouldn’t even remember that there was once such a brilliant man who had stood by her.
Seeing the disappointment on his face, Sophie didn’t know what to do.
The atmosphere inside the car suddenly turned cold.
When they finally arrived at Wisteria Apartments, Tristan could no longer contain himself. He pinned the woman against the wall and gave her a long kiss.
It was only when she nearly lost her breath that he let go of her.
“What about now?” Do I not have any effect on her at all? There has to be something, whether it’s good or bad!
Sophie’s chest continued to heave, and she gazed up at him upon hearing his words.
Those large, charming eyes of hers only served to enchant Tristan further.
Unable to control his own thoughts, the man lowered his head to kiss her again.
In response, Sophie wrapped her arms around his waist subconsciously.
Her heart began to race as their bodies pressed against one another.
This was a feeling she had never felt before. It was all too foreign, but she didn’t seem to hate it.
Tristan locked her in an embrace as he rested his chin on her shoulder, breathing heavily. He was on the verge of losing his mind. Seeing Sophie like this was akin to having a spell cast on him; he was absolutely entranced.
“Mr. Tristan —”
Upon realizing how hoarse her voice sounded, Sophie immediately stopped talking.
Tristan couldn’t help but smile at that. It turned out he did affect her in some way.
As a reward, he gave her a peck on the forehead.
“Good girl. Don’t worry. I’ll wait for you to grow up.”
Sophie was still young.
So no matter how tormenting it felt for him, he didn’t want to sully her.
“Get some rest and don’t think about anything else. Leave whatever’s happening in school to me.”
The young woman became displeased as she heard that. What does he mean? Is he going to take care of things for me?
“I can take care of it by myself, Mr. Tristan. You don’t have to interfere.”
Tristan furrowed his brows. Is she that against me trying to help her?
He certainly didn’t feel good being shut out of her world like that.
He liked her so much that he wanted to be a part of everything she did and experienced, and yet, she had never wanted him to be involved from the start.
Despite feeling his anger, Sophie remained unfazed. When it came to matters related to her principles, she would never be willing to compromise.
The two were at a standoff until Tristan eventually ceded. There was nothing he could do. He was the one who had fallen for her first, after all.
“I’ll be leaving now. Get some rest.” The man released his grasp on her before turning to leave.
There was a hint of dejection in his eyes, and his silhouette looked especially lonesome.
Did I go too far?
Just as Sophie wondered that, she received a phone call from Mason. The latter’s phone number had stayed the same for the past five years, so even if Sophie had long deleted his contact, she could still easily recognize these eleven digits.
The woman rejected the call instantly. There was really nothing for them to talk about at this point.
Mason felt as though his heart was being grappled tightly when he heard the beeping noise coming from his phone.
She still hasn’t forgiven me. That’s why she’s not picking up.
Tristan walked out of Wisteria Apartments at that very moment, and Mason balled his hands into fists at the sight of that.
So, she was with another guy?
Tristan had also noticed Mason while walking out of the apartment area.
Is he still not giving up?
Chapter 117 His Childishness
Tristan entered his car but didn’t drive away at once.
Instead, he took a cigarette out of the box, lit it, and puffed on it in intervals.
Mason continued to phone Sophie, but she still didn’t pick up.
And in his next attempt after that, he realized she had already blocked his number.
The man smiled bitterly. She’s the same as always, never leaving any room for mercy.
“Are you really that heartless, Sophie? Are you not going to forgive me no matter what I do?”
Mason returned to his vehicle, but instead of driving off, he remained outside the apartment building for the rest of the night.
He waited all night and finally alighted his vehicle after seeing Sophie appear at the entrance to the building early the next morning.
“Soph, why didn’t you pick up? Can’t we stay in contact as regular friends?”
Having to see him first thing in the morning put Sophie in a bad mood.
“I don’t think we can even be friends at this point, so drop it. You have no right to talk to me in that accusing tone.”
Just as the woman was about to leave, Mason hastily grabbed her by the wrist.
“I’ve already broken up with Willow. Let’s stop harping over what happened five years ago, okay? Can we just start over?” Mason asked pleadingly.
He was so helpless before her and just couldn’t forget her even after five years had passed.
Sophie was usually grumpy in the morning, and hearing this man’s nonsense really made her seethe that she tackled him to the ground.
“I told you not to tell me about your disgusting love affairs with Willow. I’m not interested. You can deal with whatever happens between you guys on your own. Why bother coming to me?”
Just like Mason, Tristan naturally hadn’t left since last night either.
Seeing what was happening, the latter broke into a genuine smile while inside his car.
That’s just like her. She’s always so full of energy.
Mason got back on his feet.
“Are you still mad at me, Soph? I admit I was wrong for not taking your side five years ago.”
“Mad at you? I have no need to feel that way. Don’t assume everyone has as much free time on their hands as you do! I have plenty of other things to worry about, so leave me alone.”
Seeing there was no way to get through to her, Mason figured he would make better progress with his actions.
But at that moment, Sophie noticed Tristan standing behind Mason and called out, “Are you done watching? Let’s go get breakfast.”
Tristan stopped smiling.
“Sure.” He was clearly in a good mood today and wouldn’t get upset no matter what Sophie said. Seeing her torment his rival in love like this made him feel as if he was on cloud nine.
Mason quickly went after them.
“Who is he, Sophie? Do you know who this guy is?” he asked, not wanting to give up.
“Who he is has nothing to do with you,” Sophie retorted. “Just watch yourself and make sure Willow doesn’t cause me any trouble.”
She then took Tristan to her favorite place to get breakfast pies.
The woman ordered two pies and gave one to him.
“Here. It’s really good.” She had discovered this dish by chance.
Costing only five each, it was filling and tasted unbelievable.
Tristan took the pie from her and sat on a chair placed on the sidewalk.
He then picked up the disposable cutlery and began to eat next to her.
Both of them were especially good-looking that despite only sitting there and enjoying some breakfast pies, they slowly attracted the gazes of many passersby.
“Isn’t that Sophie Tanner? How did she land herself such a hot guy?”
“I wonder too. He’s so handsome. He looks like a prince who walked out of a TV screen. Everything about him seems so noble.”
“Knock it off. What kind of prince would eat a breakfast pie at the side of a road like that?”
“You’re right, but I love how he looks.”
“Oh, please. Anyone who hangs around with Sophie has to be just as trashy as she is.”
A man who had been listening in all the while couldn’t help but chime in, “You’re all clearly jealous. Every guy Sophie hangs out with always looks exceptional.” Sophie didn’t have much of a good reputation, but there was no denying how stunning she looked.
Tristan could naturally hear the conversation too.
Having finished his breakfast pie, he threw the disposable box and cutlery into the trash can nearby.
Then, seeing him stare at her the whole time, Sophie gave him the rest of her pie.
“Was it not enough for you? I’ll buy you a bigger one next time.”
Tristan didn’t know how to respond.
He was actually full, but nevertheless, he took her remaining food and finished it.
“Now that we’ve had breakfast, I think it’s time you head back.” She still had a lot to deal with at school. Today is not a good day for me.
“Okay. Remember, you can call me if there’s anything you can’t handle on your own. I’ll be right there no matter what it is.”
Since she didn’t want him to interfere with her affairs, he decided to let her have her freedom. But if the end result wasn’t something he wanted, he would step in without fail.
“Okay,” Sophie answered frostily.
Tristan didn’t know what to do with her.
He felt slightly better after caressing her hair and leaving it in a mess.
Sophie stared at the man in frustration. It was her first time seeing such a childish side of him.
“Go on. I’ll leave after watching you enter.”
The young woman walked past him.
Ultimately, he couldn’t resist grabbing onto her arm and pulling her into a hug.
He then kissed her on the forehead.
Sophie was furious, but seeing her in that state made Tristan happy.
She was always so cold toward everyone, like a robot. That was why the man always wanted to aggravate her. Watching her grow infuriated made him feel as if he was different from everyone else.
Mason had been following them the whole time, and he found himself unable to breathe at the sight of the way they interacted with one another.
She actually let him kiss her?
He was so envious that he nearly went mad.
When Sophie arrived at the classroom, all the students stared at her gloatingly.
However, the young woman paid no attention to those jealous eyes.
Not long after, the principal’s secretary dropped by. “Sophie Tanner, Mr. Langston wants to see you,” he announced, sounding much more amicable than before.
The girls who heard that began to whisper among themselves.
“She won’t be able to get away this time.”
“I think so too. I heard Bailey’s mom is here. You know she’s the school director. The fact that even she has to make an appearance shows what a big deal the situation has become.”
“I’ve met Bailey’s mom once. She’s super terrifying. Sophie’s done for this time.”
Chapter 118 Only One Spot
Sophie walked freely into the principal’s office as though she owned the place.
Inside, Andy, Bailey’s mother, Whitlea Dixon, and Derrick, the homeroom teacher of Senior Class 8, were all present.
Andy’s face scrunched up when he saw that it was Sophie again. Even though Sophie got into the school because of Felix, her results were outstanding—perhaps even better than the other students.
It was just that he had no idea how to deal with the matter since Bailey was involved in it this time.
“Sophie, can you explain what happened at the physics lab?” The uploaded photos had caused a stir on the school forum for the past few days. It caught the attention of many parents as a result.
Essentially, they deemed school as the place for students to acquire knowledge. It was unquestionable why they would have such violent reactions after the school was involved in a matter like this.
Fixing her gaze on Sophie, Whitlea realized that the former was a beauty with immensely charming and delicate facial features.
Nonetheless, that was the kind of physical appearance she hated the most.
Sophie whipped her head around toward the couch, where Whitlea was seated. That must be Bailey’s mother. They share an uncanny resemblance. She indifferently answered, “Mr. Langston, what else can I do in the lab other than experiments?”
“My purpose of asking you over today is no other than hearing your perspective about the situation at the lab when the incident occurred. You should know that the photos on the forum have created a
negative impact. Many parents and students are highly concerned about the incident. If we don’t handle things well, it’ll do no good to you and Bailey.”
Andy was tactful with his words because he knew Felix was one of Tristan’s men, and no one dared to get on the nerves of anyone from the four prominent families in the entire Jipsdale.
“Mm.” Sophie remained nonchalant, and her attitude gave off a vibe that she was not the least bit worried about the current situation.
Right at that moment, a door knock sounded.
Andy instinctively furrowed his brows. Who would it be at a time like this? I’ve got so many matters yet to handle. Who’s here to cause trouble?
Still, he let the people outside in.
“Mr. Langston, we’re the student representatives of the incident this time. A notorious student with bad conduct like Sophie is unworthy to be a student at our school. We’re petitioning for you to expel her.”
There were several girls outside the door, holding a petition in their hands.
At once, the grimace on Andy’s face became more pronounced.
“You all should head back first. The school will handle this matter and give everyone a satisfactory answer in due course.”
“Mr. Langston, we believe you’ll give us the answer we want. If the school continues to condone Sophie’s behaviors, the students who put in their hard work to study like us will be utterly disappointed.” Those girls glared at Sophie in disdain as they clarified their stand.
After the principal’s assistant sent them out, the atmosphere in the office instantly turned heavy with tension.
Derrick had been quietly standing at the side, as he did not know what to say. Deep down, he still believed Sophie.
“Mr. Langston, there must be some misunderstanding. I believe in Sophie’s character. She isn’t someone who would do such a thing.”
Whitlea, who had stayed silent, stood up from the couch and walked up to Sophie.
Looking at the nicely dressed woman before her, Sophie remained unfazed. There was not a tinge of fear in her gaze.
“What else is left to say? It’ll only cause adverse effects for the school if you continue to let her stay! Besides, this student has a bad record, right? I’d say the easiest way is to expel her, Mr. Langston. She’s nothing but a student with a bad reputation. I don’t think there’s a need to call for a director’s meeting to expel her!”
“Mdm. Dixon, we haven’t gotten to the bottom of the matter. Rashly expelling a student doesn’t sound like a reasonable plan.” Andy dared not take too big of a risk to make such a decision.
“What other details are there to establish? How’s Bay’s performance in school? Don’t tell me you’re still unclear, Mr. Langston. Very well, let me set things straight. I don’t care if anything has happened between them, but this matter has indeed affected Bay,” Whitlea snapped. “Her expulsion is the only way to alleviate the impacts caused to the school and Bay. He still wants to get into Jipsdale University and the research institute too! Is that more than enough? What about her? So what if she’s the second in the entire school?” She was ready to eradicate anything that stood in her son’s way.
“Mdm. Dixon.” Andy knew he was in no place to disobey the member of the board of directors. Nonetheless, he dared not hastily decide since Felix was behind Sophie’s admission to the school.
“Mr. Langston, have you been staying in your position for too long? Do you wish to change to another position instead?” Whitlea was growing impatient. She’s nothing but trash. Can’t they make the decision and get rid of her? There’s no need to waste so much time on her!
Anger and annoyance were building up within Andy. However, there was nothing he could do, as she was the director. All he could do at that point was put a smile on his face.
“I know Mr. Dixon is a brilliant student, Mdm. Dixon. But Sophie isn’t too inferior either. If they both take part in the physics competition this time, perhaps they’ll both—”
“Jipsdale Premier High only has one spot for the physics competition, Mr. Langston. What are you trying to imply?” Whitlea was so unhappy that she wanted nothing more than to give a forceful kick to Andy’s mouth.
What ensued was a moment of dead silence.
“Since there’s only one spot, the best way is for them to compete fairly for it if they wish to participate in the physics competition.” Derrick was unable to tolerate it any longer. Does she mean that only Bailey has the right to participate in the competition?
“Who are you? Do you think you’re in a position to speak up?” An ugly scowl crept up to Whitlea’s face. “Let me repeat myself again. Bailey must participate in the upcoming physics competition. How can a student who got expelled represent Jipsdale Premier High? You must be kidding, right?”
Right then, Bailey barged into the principal’s office, and Whitlea’s expression changed.
“Why are you here? No matter what the problem is, I will settle it for you. Get out of here now.”
“I’m of legal age. I hope I can make my own decisions on matters that concern me. Can you not interfere?”
Finishing his words, Bailey approached Sophie and pulled her arm, preparing to head outside.
“Sophie, don’t worry about this matter. I’ll shoulder all responsibilities. I was the one who asked you to go to the lab. This has nothing to do with you.”
No matter what the consequences are, I will face them by myself. Even if it means expulsion, I should be the one bearing this punishment. Besides, nothing happened between us in the physics lab.
“Bailey Dixon, do you still acknowledge me as your mother?” Whitlea was seething with anger. “Are you treating me this way because of this little wretch? I’ve been planning everything for you, but what about you? You’re only messing around in school! You are nothing but an embarrassment to the Dixon family!”
Sophie frowned.
Bailey’s mother is honestly too much. She doesn’t listen to Bailey at all. Does she think the decisions she made for him are always the best?
“Mom, don’t put her in a tight spot. This matter has nothing to do with her. I’ll put in extra effort for the physics competition and make sure I won’t disappoint you. But please don’t hurt her.” Bailey sounded especially despondent.
Whitlea pinning all her unfulfilled dreams on him had undoubtedly caused him to experience burnout.
Chapter 119 Standing Up For Her
Hearing that, Whitlea stepped forward and pulled Bailey over.
“Bailey! How could you say those words to me just because of a girl like her?” Her eyes reddened with fury.
Helplessness and plea flashed in Bailey’s eyes.
“Mom, please. I promise I will fulfill all of your demands. The only exception is her. Do not touch her.” The girl his mother wanted to deal with was his crush and the only gleam of hope and light in his dull world.
“No way. She can’t be studying in the same school as you. So long as something affects you, even for the slightest bit, I will not compromise.” Whitlea was very assertive with her stand. She wanted to prove to that man and make him regret his decision for abandoning Bailey and her.
“Mr. Langston, you shall decide if you want to expel her now or if you want me to arrange a director’s meeting and fire you from your position because of your disobedience.”
The dominance of Whitlea was so overpowering it left the crowd feeling disgusted.
Andy felt his head throbbing so badly that he felt as if it was on the brink of exploding. Given Whitlea’s character, he was clear she would do as she said if things did not go her way.
“Mdm. Dixon, I made no mistakes. What right do you have to expel me?” Sophie finally broke her silence. Is she trying to use her authority on me? Well, that also depends if she does have enough power to do so.
“How dare you talk to me so disrespectfully even at this point? Do you think the Tanner family will defend you?” Whitlea said coldly.
“I don’t need the Tanner family to defend me. I am the victim of this entire incident. Even if the school wants to expel someone, that person won’t be me.”
Seeing her rebellious countenance, Whitlea let out a sneer.
“Are girls your age so naïve nowadays?”
“Mom!” A stinging pang rose within Bailey’s heart. He knew he would not be able to face the girl he had good feelings for the same way again after implicating her and causing so much trouble for her.
“Shut up. You’d better not interfere with this matter. Otherwise, I will make sure that girl disappears from Jipsdale,” Whitlea threatened despite the many people around.
“You’re making it sound like your family owns the school, Mdm. Dixon.” Sophie was full of contempt. She’s one arrogant woman, huh? It’s a pity she still doesn’t have that much capability to act so snobbishly.
“Don’t go on anymore, Sophie.” Derrick looked at her concernedly. In truth, almost everyone was aware that Whitlea’s father was part of the underworld. Although he had since steered away, the mere thought of it still freaked Derrick out. “I believe this matter is truly a misunderstanding, Mdm. Dixon. It was Mr. Elswick who arranged for them to participate in the physics competition together. If you’re bothered by it, I’ll make sure she doesn’t appear together with Bailey in the future. She’s still young. I hope you’ll let her off this time.”
Derrick was a genuinely responsible teacher who cared a lot about his students. Knowing that Sophie would have a bright future, he did not want her to suffer any harm or grievance because of the matter. He adored her as a student.
“Mr. Hayes, do you think you’re qualified to speak when you’ve taught someone to become so shameless?” Whitlea spared no consideration for Derrick.
“Don’t bother yourself with this matter, Mr. Hayes. I won’t leave Jipsdale Premier High.”
“Mr. Langston!” Whitlea felt that the entire discussion was a waste of time.
In the end, Andy still picked Felix’s side. After all, the latter was someone he could not afford to offend.
“I’m sorry, Mdm. Dixon. Before we get to the bottom of this matter, I can’t just expel Sophie.” It was probably the first time Andy had been so firm.
Derrick could not help but sneak a glance at Andy in awe.
As expected, Mr. Langston does have the bearing of a principal. He doesn’t bow down to power or authority.
Likewise, Sophie also turned to look at Andy. In fact, she could very well understand even if he chose to expel her from school at that point.
“Very well. I guess I’ll have to hold a director’s meeting, then.” Rage had completely consumed Whitlea. She could not believe that Andy would make such a decision when he had been polite toward her all along.
Whitlea stormed out and slammed the door shut.
The rest in the principal’s office exchanged a look.
“I’m sorry,” Bailey apologized on behalf of his mother.
Seeing him that way, Sophie was unsure how to comfort him.
Bailey is indeed a poor thing. Everyone is full of envy for him, yet no one expects him to be in such a pathetic state.
“Bailey, you don’t have anything to do with this matter. Someone is targeting me, and it just so happened that you were there.”
“Don’t give me that look.” Truth be told, Bailey did not like their gazes at all.
He left the principal’s office, thinking that there was a need to have a good chat with Whitlea.
I can’t just let things end here.
“You should head back first, Sophie. I will think of something.” Andy believed he had to report the matter to Felix. “Mr. Hayes, you too. Go for your classes.”
After their departure, he immediately gave Felix a call.
It was because of the incident last time that he had Felix’s contact number.
At that moment, Felix was in the midst of a meeting when he received the call from Andy.
The former had similarly saved Andy’s number in his contact from the other time since Ysabelle was also studying at Jipsdale Premier High.
Seeing that it was Andy on the caller ID, he immediately called a stop to the meeting and headed outside to answer the call.
“Mr. Northley, I am Andy of Jipsdale Premier High. Mdm. Dixon of the board of directors strongly requests to expel Sophie. I’m afraid I won’t be able to fight against her power any longer.”
“What? Mdm. Dixon? Who the heck is that?” Felix furrowed his brows.
Andy then relayed everything that had happened in the past few days to Felix.
“All right, I got it now. Don’t let anyone hurt Sophie, or you won’t be able to face the consequences.”
Upon concluding the call with Andy, Felix immediately gave Tristan a call.
“Mr. Tristan, you should’ve heard about everything that happened to Sophie, right? Bailey’s mother, Whitlea Dixon, brutally humiliated Sophie today!” Even though Sophie had retorted, Felix thought they should not just let the matter slide when the other party had provoked them.
“Mm.”
“Mm? Why do you sound so cold? Did you and Sophie get into an argument?”
“Felix!” Tristan called out warningly.
“It’s a more than reasonable suspicion, no? But are you intending not to do anything about that? I thought this was a good chance.” Felix scratched his nose awkwardly. Aren’t girls all soft-hearted beings? If he appears to help Sophie in such a difficult situation, I’m sure she will be very touched!
“She isn’t like other girls.” Of course, Tristan would love to help her resolve all the problems she encountered, but he could do nothing if she did not give him the opportunity.
“All right. If that’s the case, I won’t say more. I’m still in the midst of a meeting. I’m hanging up.”
After ending the call, Tristan could not help but think about her.
I wonder what she is doing now. Is she thinking of me?
With those thoughts in mind, Tristan made another call.
Sophie’s phone rang as she walked out of the principal’s office with Derrick.
“Mr. Hayes, you should go back first. I need to answer a call,” Sophie said as she pulled out her phone.
“Sophie, as much as I believe you, it isn’t a good thing that everybody keeps criticizing you like this. Don’t you think so?”
“Mr. Hayes, go ahead and speak your mind.” Sophie thought Derrick was a cute teacher who would unconditionally defend and protect his students.
Noticing that Derrick still had something to say, Sophie declined the call.
On the other side, Tristan had been waiting for her to answer the call for a long time. Sadly, not only did she not pick up, but she even rejected his call. His face darkened.
Thinking of me, my a*s! She even declined my call.
Tristan stood up, intending to head down to Jipsdale Premier High directly to look for her.
Chapter 120 Just Like A Pest
“Sophie, I know you’re multi-talented, and I really hope that you can take part in the physics competition. But I think you should withdraw from it since Bailey’s mom really wishes for him to take part. The Dixon family has a lot of influence in our school, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you because of this,” Derrick said with a worried expression on his face.
Taking a pause, he continued, “You’re a very talented kid. I really don’t want—”
“Mr. Hayes, I really appreciate your advice,” Sophie interrupted. She knew that her teacher wanted the best for her, and she had always held him in high regard. “Indeed, I was not keen on participating in the physics competition previously. But I think I will have to take part in it now.”
She did not like Bailey’s mother’s attitude and wanted to teach her a lesson.
“Sophie! You—” Derrick exclaimed, his brows knitted together.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Hayes! Trust me, I can handle this. Just leave it to me.”
Yet, Derrick could not help but worry. How is she intending to handle it? She’s just a student!
Even so, he did not press on and returned to his office.
Just then, Sophie received a call from Tristan.
She answered the phone after walking to the corridor.
“I’m at your school entrance now,” the man said.
Sophie froze when she heard that. What is he doing here? Classes are still ongoing. ”Mr. Tristan, what’s the matter? Class is starting soon.”
Didn’t we just part ways this morning? Did something serious happen that he has to come here now?
“It’s nothing. I tried calling you just now, but you didn’t pick up. I was worried that something might have happened to you so I came here to check on you.”
Compared to Sophie’s composure, Tristan suddenly found himself rather ridiculous.
“I’m fine.” To give the man some reassurance, Sophie repeated, “Mr. Tristan, I’m really all right.”
“I’m glad to know that. I’m leaving, then.”
“Wait.” Since Tristan had already traveled all the way there, Sophie felt that she should at least meet him for a while.
While she was walking down the stairs, she overhead Angie talking to Willow on the phone at the corner of the stairs.
“Willow, what’s the plan now? You were the one who sent the photos to me. What should we do now that the matter has blown up?”
Angie was terrified. She had only posted the photos on the spur of the moment, as she was clouded with anger.
She felt extremely unsettled at the thought of how scary Sophie was.
“Angie, although I sent you the photos, I didn’t ask you to post them on the forum, did I? Besides, nothing has happened yet. Why are you worrying in advance?” Willow was still running a fever after falling into the lake. However, she perked up at once when she heard about Sophie’s situation at school.
Almost bursting into tears, Angie exclaimed, “You don’t know how scary Sophie is!”
“That’s enough. Just relax.” Willow hung up after saying that.
The moment Angie turned around, she saw Sophie standing on the stairs, staring at her.
She dropped her phone in shock as the color drained from her face.
“S-Sophie… Don’t come over!” Angie shouted, a horrified expression on her face.
Sophie was speechless. What did I do? She looked as if she had just seen a ghost!
Angie turned around and dashed off at once. However, she tripped and fell on the stairs, as she was too flustered.
Even though she could feel a sharp pain in her knees, she ignored it and continued running.
Sophie ran after her.
“Sophie, why are you chasing me?” Angie yelled.
“Willow won’t be able to help you,” Sophie said before she turned and walked away.
Angie slumped to the ground. Why does she look so horrifying? What should I do now?
Sophie sneaked out by scaling the wall. When Tristan saw her jumping down from the wall, his heart skipped a beat.
This girl! Why does she have to climb over the wall when she can just walk through the gate?
Tristan was smoking a cigarette next to his car while waiting for Sophie. When he saw her, he snuffed out his half-smoked cigarette at once and tossed it into the bin.
After she walked up to him, Tristan opened the car door for her. She hopped into the passenger seat and closed her eyes.
She had wanted to see him when she received his call earlier on. However, she realized that she had nothing to talk to him about and decided to take a quick nap in his car instead.
“Did you not sleep well last night?” Was it because of Mason? That guy had stayed outside Sophie’s apartment for the entire night.
“Aren’t you the one who didn’t sleep well instead?”
From Sophie’s words, it was apparent that she was aware that he did not go back the night before.
Seeing that Sophie had fallen asleep, Tristan took off his suit jacket and draped it over her.
Willow arrived at the school in the afternoon.
A few of her closest friends ran up to her when they saw her and said, “Willa, it looks like Sophie will be expelled from the school for sure. In the future, no one will dare to snatch Mr. Laird away from you anymore.”
“I know you girls care about me, but no matter what, Sophie is still my sister. I really don’t want that to happen to her,” Willow said, looking sad.
“Willa, although you genuinely care for her, she has never treated you as her sister. If she had, she would never have tried to snatch your man away.”
“Exactly! Don’t let others take advantage of your kindness.”
When Angie heard what the other girls said, she could not help but shudder with disgust.
Those girls were unaware of Willow’s true character and enjoyed hanging out with her. However, Angie found the situation extremely ridiculous after knowing what she was really like.
Angie approached Willow after the other girls had left.
“Willow, everything happened because of you. Are you really going to stand idly by?”
The smile on Willow’s face completely disappeared when she saw Angie.
Frowning, she replied, “Angie, you should get things straight. You did that because you have a crush on Bailey. If he knew about it, what would he think? Besides, don’t forget who his mom is. If she finds out what you have done, you can forget about staying at Jipsdale Premier High. Anyway, Sophie doesn’t know that it was you who posted those photos. Nothing will happen if you don’t say anything.”
Angie grimaced when she heard that.
Sophie doesn’t know about it? Obviously, she knows! She just hasn’t told Bailey yet.
Angie did not dare to think about how Bailey would react if he knew she was the one who did it. She was sure that he would loathe her forever.
Angie deeply regretted what she had done. If she had remained rational and not acted on impulse, she wouldn’t have to live every day in fear.
Willow let out a cold snort before shooting Angie a glance.
Look at how scared she is although nothing has happened yet! It’s no surprise that she’s always been bullied. Serves her right that no one likes her, and she can only admire her crush secretly.
While heading toward the classroom, Willow bumped into Sophie at the stairwell.
As there were only the two of them, the corners of Willow’s lips curled into a smug smile.
“Sophie, you should just leave Jipsdale! This place is not for you. See, even though you’ve been here for just a while, you’ve already created so much trouble. You’ve even become the common enemy of all the girls in school. Everyone is hoping that you’ll be expelled.”
To the others, Sophie was just like a pest that they were trying to chase away.