Chapter 81
Both Nydia and Hazel had high hopes for Violeta.
When a member of the dance club in the front row overheard Hazel’s words, they scoffed and said, “If you can’t appreciate it, then don’t watch it. Do you really think the tennis club’s performance is good? Well, you might be disappointed. Whether the tennis club can compete today is another matter!”
Hazel squeezed her hand, causing coffee to spurt out of the straw.
“What did you say? Why would we be disappointed?”
“Because their props were destroyed, it’s uncertain whether they can perform now.”
Hazel and Nydia exclaimed in unison, “What did you say?”
Meanwhile, backstage.
With everyone’s frantic efforts, the props were finally rearranged.
Kaylee stretched her waist and said, “Mission accomplished!”
“When will they finish their dance? Are they going to go on stage?”
Someone ran out to take a look and coincidentally saw the members of the dance club finishing their performance.
The members of the External Affairs Department came in to ask about their preparations. Seeing that they were ready, they quickly made hand gestures for them to move onto the stage.
The host at the front reserved about five minutes for them to prepare.
Before leaving, Kaylee encouraged Violeta and said, “Vio, good luck!”
“Okay.”
They moved the props, and Violeta was also getting ready to go on stage.
Zoren and the other three also cheered for Violeta. They left the backstage area to go to the front to watch her performance.
Lucy, at the front desk, came down from the dance club with the members and happened to pass by Violeta.
The members of the dance club didn’t expect her to catch up in time. They stopped on the stairs and watched Violeta go on stage. In the contrast of light and shadow, one went up and one went down.
It seemed that the outcome of this competition was already predetermined.
“They actually caught up. Haha, they’re lucky.”
Casey and Zelena exchanged glances, and then Casey said, “It doesn’t matter even if they catch up. Our performance must be more exciting than theirs. Just wait and see!”
Lucy pursed her lips and remained silent.
For some reason, she had a feeling that they would lose this time.
Having studied dance for nearly fifteen years, it was the first time Lucy had such a feeling.
Moreover, if she hadn’t seen it wrong just now, the dress Violeta was wearing seemed to be the costume of Irene Persley, the female lead in “The Prosperous Dynasty. She was also known as a renowned actress in the drama industry and a treasure of the theatre world.
Lucy’s gaze froze, and she turned to look at Violeta’s back.
The elegant skirt could only be achieved with real silk, as well as the gemstone embellishments on the shoulders and waist.
“President, what’s wrong?
The dress Violeta is wearing
“Isn’t it just the same style as the one from the affordable version of The Prosperous Dynasty for nine dollars?”
Lucy was confused.
If it was an imitation, how could it have such a high level of exquisite craftsmanship and authenticity?
Suddenly, she thought of a possibility. Could it be that Violeta is the daughter of the White family who has just returned?
Beside her, Casey said, “Violeta is Lena’s sister, although not by blood. The costumes of the drama The Prosperous Dynasty are at the collector’s level. How could she possibly wear the authentic ones?”
“I heard that even museums were rejected when they wanted to collect the real ones!”
“It’s impossible for ordinary people even to catch a glimpse. There’s no way Violeta could be wearing them. They must be replicas.
Hearing their words, Lucy felt a sense of relief.
Furthermore, even if Violeta was wearing authentic costumes, she doubted that her ballet performance could be of such exceptional quality!
At the front desk.
Clap, clap, clap!
Applause resounded as the curtain rose, and the classical music filled the ears of the audience.
Once the curtain was fully raised, a lotus-shaped, classic auspicious pattern appeared on the large screen. In the center of the pattern stood Violeta, holding a delicate lute.
The mesmerizing stage design alone left the audience breathless.
On the spacious stage, she danced alone, and with each spin, the exquisite jewelry on her costume shimmered and sparkled in the refracted light.
The mesmerized audience below couldn’t take their eyes off her.
Every movement she made, captured by the cameras, was as exquisite as a work of art.
She was living up to the saying. “One ballet spin, one turn through a thousand years.”
Hayden and the other three sat in the middle of the front row. Zoren led the applause.
Clap, clap, clap!
“Beautiful!”
Inspired by his lead, the audience below also began to applaud.
Hayden’s gaze never wavered from her. His fair and slender hands clapped along.
Violeta’s dance transported everyone into the poem “Drunk on the beauty’s lap, awaken to hold the world!” Her ballet performance exuded an exotic charm. Who could resist witnessing such a beauty dancing before them in ancient times?
The performance lasted only three and a half minutes. Just as everyone was left wanting more, Violeta finished her final bow.
Nydia and Hazel were extremely excited as they watched from the audience.
“So beautiful! Gorgeous!”
“Oh my god! She’s so beautiful! Who said she couldn’t perform?”
Hazel got so excited that she accidentally squeezed her coffee cup, causing the coffee to spill over the heads of the dance club members in the front row. Whether intentional or not, it was hard to say.
“Hey, are you crazy?”
Hazel rolled her eyes and casually wiped her hands. She took out the banner she had prepared from her bag, holding one side of it with Nydia.
“Violeta, I love you to the moon and back!”
“Violeta, I love you!”
Not only did they shout, but Hazel also encouraged other students from the sports school to join in. The voices grew louder and louder. Those who didn’t know would think they were cheering for a celebrity!
Sitting next to them, Archer was at a loss for what to do with their commotion. He raised his hand to cover his face, embarrassed to be associated with them.
The commotion from the back row caught the attention of Zoren and his group in the front row. They turned their heads and saw this group of students from the sports school. They were stunned to see their reactions.
“Huh? It’s you guys!”
Violeta, who was just about to take a bow on stage, also heard the commotion from the audience below. With a glance, she spotted Nydia and Hazel holding up banners.
Oh, my goodness!
She hadn’t expected them to actually come and hold up banners!
Violeta was slightly taken aback and blushed a little. Then she quickly stepped off the stage.
Immediately, the host went up on stage and asked everyone to start voting for the best performance of the Moon Festival today.
The audience below was all reluctant to leave.
This closing dance is amazing. It makes me feel like this small stage is not enough for her to showcase her talent.
“Yes, it’s incredible. After watching her dance, I almost forgot what the previous performance was. Do you remember?”
“It was a popping dance, right?”
A few members of the dance club standing in the backstage corner also watched her performance in awe.
Except for Lucy, almost no one among them could comprehend Violeta’s true level. They simply felt that her dancing was incredibly beautiful!
Only Lucy knew that Violeta’s ballet performance had far exceeded her expectations! It could almost be compared to that of a professional ballerina! This was not at an amateur level.
They were all stunned.
Zelena was the first to react.
“What’s so great about this? Our popping dance is even more challenging!”
Chapter 82
“Yes, President, our popping dance is more challenging. With so many of us, our stage presence is superior!”
“She can’t compare to all of us alone. If the audience has any discernment, they will definitely vote for us.”
“Just now, the applause when we left the stage was much louder than hers. What’s the big deal?”
“Isn’t that right, President?”
Lucy’s eyelashes trembled, and she couldn’t find the words to respond.
She didn’t want to admit that they had lost. However, as a professional dancer, Lucy couldn’t deny that Violeta’s performance just now was impressive.
She could only turn her head and look at Zelena, asking, “Didn’t you say she had no dance background?”
Zelena immediately clicked her tongue, “I… I don’t know when she learned. She has no dance background.”
Someone raised a question, “Could it be that Violeta found a teacher?”
“But didn’t Lucy say before that there is no one else who can teach at such a high level except for the master of classical dance, Grace?”
“Grace has stopped accepting students. How could Violeta have been taught by her?”
Lucy said. “Strictly speaking, Grace isn’t stopping accepting students. She only accepts the last one as her final closed-door disciple.
“Six years ago, Grace made it clear that she would carefully select her final disciple, choosing only the best of the best.”
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.
If Violeta is truly Grace’s disciple, she must be the one in a million that Grace had spoken of.
It was already rare to be recognized by Grace as a dancer but to receive such high praise meant that Violeta must be someone exceptional in her eyes.
Casey clenched her fists and firmly declared, “It’s impossible. Violeta can’t be the one. Don’t be discouraged, everyone. She’s just better at stage design than us.”
Zelena nodded in agreement. “That’s right! Besides, the results haven’t been announced yet. We must be the winners!”
Could Violeta alone have the potential to break their reign as number one?
Just the thought of it made them feel extremely dissatisfied,
However, reality always had a way of humbling people.
Finally, the voting results were announced.
The dance club had lost!
Upon hearing the news, everyone backstage jumped for joy.
“Wow, we won!”
“We won: This is amazing!”
Kaylee happily embraced Violeta and said, “Vio, we won!”
“Violeta, you truly are our tennis club’s treasure! This is the first time we’ve felt so triumphant. We finally defeated the dance club at the Moon Festival! Let’s see if they dare to be arrogant next time we meet!”
This is fantastic!”
Everyone gathered around Violeta, spinning in circles of celebration.
Violeta had put a lot of effort into practicing her dance. Now that she had achieved first place, she was naturally overjoyed.
She also felt that she had fulfilled her dedication to herself in her previous life. Even though her ballet performance had not been broadcast on television, it had been performed in front of so many audience members, which made all her hard work worthwhile.
“Oh, by the way! Now that the competition is over, we can settle the score!”
“The people from the External Affairs Department just informed us that they have reviewed the surrounding surveillance footage and indeed found someone who came backstage the night before.
But that person was wearing a mask and a hat, so the footage doesn’t reveal the identity.”
Kaylee said. “But the earring Vio saw backstage earlier is solid evidence. After conducting an investigation, the External Affairs Department has decided to publicly announce this incident on stage and punish the culprit severely.”
“That’s great. Let’s go out quickly.”
“I am curious to know who would commit such a despicable act.”
Everyone left the backstage area.
At that moment, most of the audience in the front were ready to disperse. The Minister of the External Affairs Department took the stage and grabbed the microphone to make an announcement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please wait a moment. Although the Moon Festival has come to an end, we have encountered a highly deplorable incident today. We owe an explanation to the tennis club. Therefore, we have decided to reveal the truth right here.”
If it were any other club, the External Affairs Department would not have attached such significance to it.
The tennis club had several influential members, so they couldn’t be taken lightly.
Therefore, they had to provide an explanation, and doing so publicly on stage was the best approach.
As soon as these words were spoken, the people who were about to leave the venue returned.
Archer and his group sat comfortably in their chairs, observing the unfolding drama.
“Perhaps you are not yet aware, but before the start of today’s performance, the champion club of the Moon Festival, the tennis club, experienced an unprecedented act of malice. Their props on stage were deliberately destroyed!”
The majority of the audience below the stage were students from Toland University. They began to whisper and discuss among themselves.
“What? The props were destroyed? That’s outrageous! We almost missed out on such a wonderful dance performance.”
In a corner of the audience, members of the dance club gathered. Lucy casually rested her arm on her waist, looking coldly at the Minister of External Affairs Department.
She didn’t care as long as it wasn’t the dance club’s doing.
But she would never have expected that the person behind this incident was actually someone from her dance club!
Suddenly, a spotlight shone on Lucy. Her expression froze for a moment.
The Minister of External Affairs Department said, “Lucy, as the president of the dance club, you need to explain what happened here.”
Lucy’s heart tightened, and a hint of panic appeared on her face. She asked, “Me? Explain what? I don’t know anything.”
“You don’t know? The surveillance footage revealed that the person who destroyed the tennis club’s props came out from the backstage of your dance club. However, she was wearing a mask and a hat, so her face couldn’t be seen. As the president of the dance club, shouldn’t you be held responsible for this?”
Lucy was stunned.
Zelena, who was standing behind Lucy, had a slight change in expression.
Obviously, they didn’t expect this matter to involve so many people.
The Minister of External Affairs Department invited Violeta to come forward and provide evidence. Violeta took out the crystal earrings she found at the scene.
“You should recognize this earring. It belongs to one of you! Lucy, as the president, if you are one of them, the school will punish your entire club.”
Lucy had the support of her family behind her, so punishment was irrelevant to her.
But most of the members of the dance club were ordinary students. How could they withstand a punishment from the school? If this matter escalated, it might even delay their graduation.
So everyone panicked.
“How is this possible? Who went and destroyed the tennis club’s props? Come forward!”
“Wait, this earring looks familiar. It seems like Zelena wore it.”
Yes, I remember Zelena wearing it.
*So, Zelena is the one who destroyed the tennis club’s props?”
Everyone’s gaze immediately turned towards Zelena. “Zelena, if you dare to do it, you should have the courage to admit it. Don’t involve everyone else!”
Chapter 83
Zelena found herself the target of thousands of accusing eyes.
For a moment, panic flashed across her face as she looked up and met Violeta’s gaze on the stage.
Violeta, looking down from the stage, stared back at her with cold and indifferent eyes.
Lucy realized the gravity of the situation. The host on stage handed her an earring, which she took in her hand. She turned to Zelena and asked seriously, “Zelena, do you have an explanation for this?”
Zelena clenched her teeth and tried to explain, “This earring…”
All eyes in the audience were fixed on her, waiting for Zelena to reveal the truth.
The entire audience’s gaze was focused on her.
Zelena lowered her head. Her bangs covered her expression, and only the shadows could be seen under the lights. This earring indeed belongs to me.”
“Whoaa!”
After Zelena’s confession, a buzz of discussion erupted in the audience.
“It’s someone from the dance club. I have to say, this kind of behavior is truly despicable! How could they stoop so low? It’s just an intra–school program, and they can’t even tolerate their opponents on the same stage. Who knows what they’ll do after graduation when they enter society?”
“They’ve gone too far. They’ll do anything for first place.
“Zelena doesn’t seem like that kind of person. I didn’t expect her to do something like this.”
“Haven’t you heard the saying a woman’s heart is as deep as the ocean?”
Lucy’s eyes flashed with surprise. She asked, “Zelena, why would you do such a thing?”
Zelena clenched her fists but remained silent.
The Minister of External Affairs Department on stage held the microphone and announced, “The Moon. The Festival is organized by our External Affairs Department. Now that the real culprit has been identified, the tennis club must be given an explanation for this incident. Zelena’s unauthorized destruction of the tennis club’s props is a serious offense. The school will impose severe punishment.”
The audience in the back row, who were from the sports school, reveled in the spectacle.
Someone took the lead and asked, “What kind of punishment? They won’t announce it on stage and then sweep it under the rug, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right! If there’s going to be punishment, they should announce it directly on stage. Let all of us hear it!”
“Announce the punishment!”
The commotion from the audience made it difficult for the Minister of External Affairs Department.
Actually, this matter could have been resolved privately through negotiation, but now it had to be dealt with publicly to appease the crowd.
After hesitating for a few seconds, the Minister of External Affairs Department had no choice but to announce. “The situation is severe. The preliminary punishment is a public reprimand, but a thorough investigation will be conducted. If the allegations are true and the offense is serious, the student will be put on probation.”
Probation?
That was a major punishment. It could even lead to suspension from school.
Moreover, Zelena was only a freshman. She was already facing this punishment. If she makes any more mistakes in the future, she might be advised to drop out or have her classes suspended.
This punishment was truly harsh!
The members of the dance club exchanged glances, their tongues wagging in astonishment.
Lucy pursed her lips and also felt that this punishment was too severe.
Casey stood beside Lucy. Her eyes darkened as she watched Zelena’s figure. She muttered softly, “Say something-
But Zelena remained silent.
Violeta noticed that Zelena kept her head down as if confessing to a crime.
This was not the Zelena that she remembered. Could she just quietly accept defeat?
Something was off!
Zelena definitely still has a backup plan!
After handing the microphone to the host, the Minister of External Affairs Department prepared to step down.
The drama had ended, and the audience was ready to leave their seats.
However, at that moment, Casey suddenly rushed up to the stage and grabbed the microphone, loudly exclaiming, “It’s not like this!”
“What did she say?”
Everyone was shocked.
The Minister of the External Affairs Department frowned sternly and asked, “What are you doing?”
Casey glanced at Zelena in the audience and unexpectedly admitted her own mistake.
“It wasn’t Lena who did it. It was me!”
“Wow!
Not only were the people on state stunned but the audience was also taken aback.
What was happening?
There was even a surprising twist.
Zelena, who had been keeping her head down, suddenly raised her face. Her eyes were red as she looked at Casey on the stage and said loudly, “Casey, what are you doing? Come down!”
Casey frowned, appearing reluctant as she said, “Lena, don’t take the blame for me. It was me who did it.”
“Lena gave me that earring a long time ago. That night, I went backstage and used water to damage the tennis club’s props. You all misunderstood Lena.”
“Lena is a good person. She protected me and took the blame for me, but I am not afraid to take responsibility! I did this myself, Lena knows nothing about it! If there’s punishment, punish me instead!”
Violeta narrowed her eyes and let out a subtle laugh.
What a remarkable display of sisterly love.
Indeed, this is how it should be. This is what Zelena is capable of!
In an instant, Violeta understood everything.
Zelena is most skilled at manipulating and playing the victim.
Of course, she does a lot of ungrateful things.
There’s no way Zelena would risk herself by personally destroying the props.
If Violeta’s guess is correct, she must have instigated Casey to do it.
It would be best if they don’t get caught.
But now that they have been caught, Zelena knows very well that Casey is a straightforward and genuine person. She remains silent and takes the blame for Casey.
It seems like Zelena is taking the blame for Casey. But in reality, she knows Casey will step forward to clarify the situation.
Casey’s character is destined for her to stand up and clarify things.
If Casey were a calculating and cunning person, she wouldn’t have been foolish enough to block Violeta’s path in the hallway last time.
Words like “good person” and “kind” are much more effective when spoken by others than when she acts them out every day.
With so many people in the audience, once today’s incident spreads, the whole school will know that Zelena is a great person who is willing to take the blame for her friend, even at the cost of severe punishment.
After this, whoever sees Zelena, wouldn’t they all praise her as a truly good and beautiful girl?
Violeta couldn’t help but applaud and cheer.
Zelena called out loudly from the stage, “Casey, stop being silly! Come down quickly. I did this.”
Casey shook her head and addressed everyone with the microphone, “I did it. It was all me. Lena wouldn’t do something like this. She wants to reconcile with Violeta and always calls her ‘sis. She couldn’t have done this. I dislike Violet, so I wanted to ruin her show. It was all me. If there’s punishment, punish me.”
“But Casey looked towards Violeta not far away and continued. “Violeta, you’re such a malicious person. You have a kind-hearted sister like Lena. You don’t appreciate her. You will regret it one day!”
This typical act of being betrayed and still helping made Violeta laugh.
She couldn’t hold it in and burst into laughter on stage.
Chapter 84
Casey found Violeta’s smile to be mocking.
She stared at Violeta and felt an intense hatred towards her.
The situation at the scene was incredibly chaotic.
The Minister of External Affairs Department took the microphone and announced, “We will launch an investigation into this matter. Casey, Zelena, do not rush to admit your mistakes. We will uncover the truth.
Casey left the stage silently.
Violeta’s lips curled up slightly as she turned her head to look at Zelena below the stage. Her gaze was filled with a hint of mockery.
Zelena met her gaze, a flicker of darkness passing through her eyes.
The two of them locked eyes from a distance.
This feeling was peculiar.
It was as if they were lifelong archenemies, the ones who understood each other the most.
Casey’s appearance brought about a tremendous change in the situation.
Having been a member of the dance club for two years, no one had expected Casey to be the mastermind. After stepping down from the stage, everyone in the dance club swarmed around her.
This time. Violeta couldn’t expose Zelena, but she wasn’t too regretful about it. She knew it wouldn’t be easy for Zelena to reveal such a significant flaw, so she hadn’t had high hopes to begin with.
She believed the matter had already come to an end.
But unexpectedly, the senior from the tennis club in charge of the campus belle competition also took the microphone and walked onto the stage at some point.
“Everyone, please wait a moment. Now that the incident of the props being destroyed has come to an end, there is still one thing I need to address publicly. Zelena, I have a question for you!”
The audience erupted in uproar, but they returned to their seats and eagerly awaited the revelation.
It seems like they will witness a very interesting drama today!
This is so exciting!
The senior gave Violeta a reassuring look.
Then, she turned to Zelena and asked, “Zelena, you are currently in first place in the second round of the campus belle competition, Tomorrow, the second round of the competition will come to an end, so today, I must clarify something with you.”
Zelena clenched her fist under her sleeve and smiled faintly, saying, “Please go ahead, Senior.
The senior continued. Three weeks ago, we tracked your vote count and found suspicious activity indicating vote manipulation. We discovered that most of the accounts voting for you were not within the campus area, but rather within the southern district of the city. Are you aware of this?”
Zelena didn’t expect her vote manipulation to be discovered.
She felt panic momentarily but quickly regained her composure.
The person who helped her manipulate the votes had assured her that with the rudimentary technology. of the campus belle competition’s backend, they would never be caught. Even if they were investigated, there would be no evidence.
So as long as she didn’t admit it, the school wouldn’t be able to do anything without evidence.
Zelena feigned innocence and replied, “I don’t know, Senior. Could it be a mistake? I have no idea about any southern district.”
The senior responded, “Okay. Since you say you don’t know, let me inform you that your vote count skyrocketed last week, far surpassing Violeta’s vote count.”
“It’s not just us who noticed this anomaly. Other contestants have also complained about your suspected vote manipulation. After investigating the complaints, we found that most of the accounts that voted for you were newly registered within the past three days. Their IP addresses were not within the campus area. Were you unaware of this?”
“I had no idea.
At that time. Zelena was solely focused on surpassing Violeta. She didn’t consider the possibility of being discovered.
Now, she realizes that she was too impulsive back then if only she had taken it slow…
But now, there’s no way out. She can only stubbornly deny it.
Both Violeta and the senior had anticipated Zelena would refuse to admit it…
That’s why Violeta had a contingency plan.
The senior turned to the audience and made a gesture, causing a map to appear on the large screen behind them. The map displayed small red dots, each accurately pinpointed within a range of five meters.
Zelena was taken aback when she saw the map.
The senior smiled faintly and said, “This map is the result of a thorough IP tracking conducted by Violeta and George.”
“Based on these locations, we discovered that over one–third of your votes were cast from the same computer. Zelena, do you have anything to say now?”
“Wow!”
The audience erupted.
“Over one–third of the votes were cast from the same computer, and they all originated from the same address. Isn’t this vote manipulation?”
“Well, just a moment ago, I thought this girl named Zelena was kind-hearted. But I didn’t expect her to be someone who engages in these tricks.”
“Isn’t this treating people like fools? I knew it. Everyone in my dorm voted for Violeta, and all my friends around me also voted for Violeta. So who is voting for Zelena? It must be rigged!”
“Who knows? I even used my parents‘ phone number to vote for Violeta.”
“I can’t believe it. Zelena still denies it. What’s the difference between this and cheating?”
Zelena never expected that they could trace the exact IP address.
Didn’t the person assure her that it couldn’t be traced?
It must be George helping them!
George is a genius in the computer science department. No one else could possibly trace it.
Zelena truly despised Violeta. She had originally planned to win over George. But now George is on Violeta’s side, and they even traced the location of the vote manipulation.
It seems that she can no longer pretend to be innocent.
Zelena quickly changed her tune.
She lowered her head. When she looked up again, her eyes were teary and pitiful. She said, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s going on. Could it be that someone maliciously rigged the votes for me, trying to disqualify me from the competition?”
“Please believe me. I’m not the kind of person who would do such things. Sis, I really want to reconcile with you. How could I secretly engage in these activities? You know me, right? Please help me explain.
Of course, Violeta believed her!
Who else, besides her, would have the audacity to maliciously vote against her?
Upon seeing Zelena crying, Casey and the others from the dance club quickly stepped forward to defend her. “Lena, someone must be intentionally trying to sabotage you from behind. We all believe in you!”
“All the members of our dance club are voting for Lena. She doesn’t lack votes. Why would anyone need to manipulate the votes?”
“There must be a misunderstanding here!”
The members of the dance club stood united at this moment
Initially, Zelena had willingly manipulated the votes. But now, the situation had been twisted to make it seem like someone was maliciously manipulating the votes against her intending to disqualify her from participating.
Her whitewashing technique was remarkable.
Violeta stood on the stage, casually targeting Zelena’s vulnerability.
“Zelena, it seems like you have quite a few enemies. Manipulating votes requires a significant amount of money. By my calculations, these manipulated votes must have cost thousands of dollars. Someone spent so much money just to maliciously target you. You really know how to make people hate you.”
Chapter 85
Every word from Violeta pierced Zelena’s heart.
Zelena had spent a significant amount of money, hoping to become the campus belle of Toland University.
However, instead of becoming the campus belle, she had become a laughingstock!
She had wasted thousands of dollars for nothing.
She was speechless and unable to express her bitterness.
Not only was she unable to speak, but she also had to continue pretending to be ignorant and innocent.
“I genuinely didn’t know. I’m sorry, Senior. I unintentionally disrupted the fairness of the competition, but I truly didn’t know about this matter.”
“I don’t lack these thousands of dollars, but couldn’t I have used them to treat my friends to a lavish meal? Why would I go and manipulate the votes? I would never knowingly commit such an act. Please believe me.”
The senior had underestimated Zelena’s shamelessness. She thought that presenting the evidence would be enough to prove her guilt.
But she hadn’t expected Zelena to twist the truth and come up with a different explanation.
Now she couldn’t deny the possibility that malicious vote manipulation had occurred, leading to Zelena’s disqualification.
Members of the dance club below shouted.
“Now that it’s been investigated, it’s the perfect opportunity to clear Lena’s name.
“Yes, Lena is not the type of person to do such things.”
Just earlier, she was so kind-hearted and even took the blame for Casey. She would never do something like this.”
“I bet someone secretly manipulated the votes to harm her! I won’t say who.“–
The senior was left speechless.
She looked at Violeta.
After exchanging glances, the senior could only say, “Alright. Since that’s the case, we will reset all the votes. that were manipulated backstage. Zelena, do you have any objections?”
All the manipulated votes would be reset, and the IP address of the computer used for vote manipulation would be blocked.
Zelena’s thousands of dollars went down the drain.
If she had known earlier, she might not have manipulated the votes in the first place!
It was all for nothing!
Zelena couldn’t find any joy in this situation, but not being disqualified from the competition was already the best outcome.
She forced a smile and said, “Okay, thank you, Senior. Thank you all for speaking up for me.”
With the two farces coming to an end, everyone could finally disperse.
After Zelena’s manipulated votes were reset, she instantly dropped from first place to seventh.
Although she didn’t fall out of the top ten, the gap between her and Violeta was too wide. She was left far behind!
The two farces had finally come to an end.
Violeta stepped down from the stage and was surrounded by the members of the tennis club.
It was a double joy!
Violeta had not only won first place in the Moon Festival on behalf of the tennis club but was also firmly in first place for the second round of the campus belle competition.
Everyone knew that once you secured first place in the second round, your ranking in the third round was almost guaranteed.
Moreover, Violeta had performed a ballet dance tonight. With so many people in the audience, they were not fools. It was certain that Violeta’s votes would skyrocket again once they returned home.
Who would dare to compete with her for the top spot in the campus belle competition?
“Vio, you’re amazing!”
“The members of the dance club were arrogant before. Now that Zelena’s manipulated votes have been reset, let’s see if they’re still proud!”
They were talking when Kaylee suddenly felt a bump on her arm.
Kaylee turned her head to look and saw Lucy walking towards them with a few members of the dance club.
The members of the tennis club stood behind Violeta, with a group of boys supporting her. Violeta stood in the middle with Kaylee, forming a sharp contrast with the group of girls from the dance club.
They whispered in hushed voices, asking. “Why are they approaching us?”
“Did they lose the match and now they want revenge?”
“Come on, who’s scared of them?”
But they were overthinking. Lucy was not someone who couldn’t handle defeat. She didn’t come here to cause trouble.
She approached Violeta, calmly inspecting the dance costume she was wearing, and asked, “Violeta, who taught you how to dance?”
By the way, Violeta was also wearing the emerald green bracelet that Grace had given her earlier today.
“Why do you want to know?” Violeta replied.
Lucy slightly lowered her eyelids and responded, “I’m curious. You don’t seem like someone without a dance background. Although the dance club lost today. I didn’t lose to you. From a professional perspective, I can see your weaknesses, but the audience couldn’t. I’m very curious about who taught you.
Before Violeta could respond, a cool and clear voice came from behind them.
“It’s Grace!
Everyone turned their heads and saw Nydia and Hazel, accompanied by a group of people from the sports school, approaching.
Not far behind them, Hayden and his group were strolling towards them.
Nydia said, “It’s Grace Parker who taught her.”
Hazel added, “Exactly.”
Upon receiving the correct answer, Lucy lowered her eyelashes.
Indeed, it was Grace.
In fact, Lucy already knew the answer before she came to ask.
But she was unwilling to believe that Violeta could be so fortunate and receive Grace’s teachings, so she sought confirmation.
“Grace? Didn’t the president say Grace is no longer teaching? Can’t you at least come up with a better lie? Besides, just because you say she was taught by Grace, does that mean it actually happened? Then, I can also mention that I am a disciple of the national dance master!”
Someone raised a question.
Nydia and Hazel couldn’t help but laugh:
They ignored the person who raised the question and turned to Lucy instead.
“Lucy, care to explain?”
Lucy turned her head and glanced at the members behind her, saying. These two are Grace’s disciples.”
“What?”
The Nelson twins became Grace’s disciples at a very young age because their mother was a close friend of hers.
So they were not only Grace’s disciples but they could also be considered Grace’s goddaughters.
If their words were not trustworthy, then no one in this world could be trusted.
Just like Lucy, the Nelson twins also started learning dance at a young age. Moreover, they were wealthy heiresses in the same social circle. Although their relationship was not good, they had known each other for over ten years.
The person who raised the question blushed and dared not speak again.
Lucy looked at Violeta and chuckled, “Wow, you’re lucky. Grace stopped teaching a long time ago. How did you manage to impress her?”
This can only be attributed to Violeta having a good connection. It’s Niall’s credit that he was able to persuade Grace.
Hazel asked. “Why did she need to impress her? When a talented person meets someone who appreciates her, the teacher takes her as the last disciple. Vio is our teacher’s final closed-door disciple.”
Nydia nodded, “She’s our junior, so we came here today to support her.”
What did they say?
Grace took Violeta as her final closed-door disciple.
This is a shocking revelation!
Everyone in the dance club was wide-eyed.
“What?”
After a moment of shock, Lucy burst into laughter and shook her head, saying, “Violeta, you are the biggest surprise I’ve encountered since returning to the country. Since Grace has taken a liking to you, curious about what accomplishments you will achieve in the future. The days are still long, and I genuinely hope to see you on the stage of the Lotus Award.”
Chapter 86
Lotus Award?
Upon hearing that, both Nydia and Hazel’s expressions instantly changed.
The Lotus Award is the most prestigious dance award in the country, and it is the dream and honor of every professional dancer.
It is held every two years, with hundreds of dancers participating each time.
This demonstrates the difficulty of winning this award.
Lucy intentionally said this just to mock Violeta, implying that she would never be able to win the Lotus Award in her lifetime.
After saying that, she left with the members of the dance club.
Kaylee asked, “What is the Lotus Award?”
Nydia replied, “The Lotus Award is the most authoritative dance award in the country. It is held every two years and is the most coveted prize for professional dancers. My sister and I will also sign up for the Lotus Award next year.”
Hazel added, “Lucy is so good at sarcasm. How did we not notice before that she’s so two-faced?”
“Vio, you don’t have to listen to her nonsense.”
Violeta was not particularly interested in dance. She only learned ballet to fit the role.
She did not even claim to be a “professional dancer.”
Therefore, Lucy’s sarcastic remarks did not affect Violeta. Awards like the Lotus Award were worth the dedication of someone more passionate about dance, like Nydia and Hazel, who had been dancing since childhood.
Hazel walked up to Violeta and said, “Don’t worry, Lucy will also participate in the Lotus Award next year. Let’s defeat her on stage!”
Violeta smiled gracefully and replied, “Sure.”
The Moon Festival had come to an end.
Jasper stepped forward and announced, “The Moon Festival is over, and we have achieved a complete victory. Since we’ve broken the dance club’s reign for the past few years, let’s go out tonight and celebrate!”
Upon hearing this, the members of the tennis club cheered with joy.
Although only Violeta performed on stage tonight, they all contributed their efforts backstage. Therefore, they should share the fruits of their victory.
“Long live. Jasper!”
“Yay! I want to have a whole roasted lamb!”
Jasper responded, “Alright, let’s go to Springtime Club. I have already made a reservation.”
Nydia and Hazel also wanted to join in the fun. “Hey, take us with you!”
A few members from the sports school also shouted, “We want to go to, Archer! Let’s go together!”
Archer rolled his eyes, adjusted his cap, and coldly said, “If you want to go, go by yourselves. I’m not interested.”
After saying that, Archer turned around and left.
The members of the sports school were slightly stunned but then approached Archer and hooked their arms around his shoulder. “Let’s go, let’s go! Hey, Jasper, we’ll drive ourselves.”
Kaylee patted Violeta’s shoulder and whispered, “Vio, you should remove your makeup and change your clothes. We’ll meet outside later.
“Okay.
Violeta changed her clothes and came out from backstage after the venue was cleared.
Everyone got into their cars and headed to Springtime Club.
At night, the lawn was illuminated with star-shaped lights, and everyone was grilling lamb under the gazebo, enjoying the food and beer.
It was hard to imagine that people from the sports school and the tennis club could sit at the same table. While playing games, they did not forget to tease each other. Archer looked displeased, but he still graciously accepted his losses and drank quite a bit.
Nydia and Hazel were laughing heartily on the side.
The atmosphere was joyful and harmonious, and it was hard to believe that they had been fierce competitors on the field before.
After some time, Hazel sat down beside Violeta, holding two bottles of peach–flavored fruit beer in her hands.
Using a bottle opener, she removed the cap and placed one bottle in front of Violeta.
“Vio, I asked those cheerleaders about what happened last time. They said someone told them that you have a bad reputation and would bully students from other clubs, so they wanted to teach you a lesson.”
The glass filled with peach–flavored fruit beer emitted a refreshing mist as it was poured. Soon, a layer of frost formed on its surface.
“It appears that someone from your club was causing trouble behind the scenes. Luckily, you weren’t harmed.”
Violeta lifted the glass of fruit beer and took a sip, calmly replying, “Hmm, I know who it is.”
Violeta was well aware that Zelena had instigated the members of the sports school’s cheerleading team.
“Who is it? Could it be Zelena, the one who rigged the votes?”
Violeta raised an eyebrow. “Why do you say that? Do you think it’s her?”
Hazel playfully winked at her. “Just a hunch. You know how accurate my intuition can be.”
Violeta chuckled at her expression. “Indeed, it’s quite accurate.”
Indeed, only girls could keenly perceive subtle differences among their own gender.
Some people’s vibes, even without any prior contact, could be clearly felt as incompatible when they met.
“Well, this is quite challenging. I can’t stand people who pretend to be pitiful.”
“It’s okay, we still have plenty of time. Let’s just have some fun with her.”
“Hahaha!”
Hazel burst into laughter.
A voice from the side complained, “Damn it, I thought a dinosaur escaped. You scared me.”
Hazel instantly stopped laughing and rushed over at lightning speed.
Toby, do you want to die?”
Then, Violeta heard arguments and the sound of a chase next to her.
Hazel caught up with the boy and gave him a beating.
“Spare me, heroine! I was wrong!”
“I am your daddy!”
Violeta chuckled and picked up her glass of fruit beer.
As she was about to take a sip, her phone suddenly rang with electronic music. It was Niall.
He was probably checking in and wanted to ask why Violeta had not returned home so late.
Violeta quickly took her phone and ran to a quiet place nearby to answer the call.
“Hey, bro.”
“Vio, it’s so late. Why haven’t you come back? Is the show over?”
“Bro, we’re celebrating outside. I won! Hehe.
“I knew you would win but it’s late, so you have to be careful. Who are you with?”
“I’m with…”
Violeta was about to answer, but before she could finish her sentence, the situation behind her escalated further.
“Call me Daddy!”
“Oh, Daddy, I’m sorry.”
Violeta quickly covered her phone to prevent Niall from hearing that, but she was a step too slow and Niall still heard.
“Vio, what’s going on over there?”
Violeta awkwardly smiled, “Bro, nothing much, they’re just fooling around behind me. I’m with Zoren and the others. Oh right, Hayden’s here too. I’ll let Hayden talk to you.”
Violeta caught a glimpse of Hayden not far away, so she quickly ran over and placed the phone on Hayden’s face. After she did that, she made a face at him.
Violeta knocked over the beer glass in Hayden’s hand, causing the beer to spill onto his fingers and slide down his fair skin.
He blinked slightly and discreetly moved the glass, switching hands to answer the phone.
“Hello?”
Niall’s voice came through the phone, “Ah, Hayden, are you also at the party?”
Hayden’s serene gaze fell on Violeta’s playful face, and he replied calmly, “Yeah, we’re just hanging out and we’ll be back soon. Don’t worry, Niall.”
With Hayden around, Niall could rest assured.
He knew Hayden was not someone who liked to cause trouble.
“Alright, I can rest assured now. That little brat Zoren is so unreliable. You should bring Vio back later.”
Since Niall was not on speaker, Violeta had to lean closer and rest her head on Hayden’s shoulder to listen. to him.
Upon hearing Niall’s words, Violeta responded cheerfully, “Sure thing, Bro!”
Since they were so close to each other, Hayden caught a faint whiff of jasmine shampoo in the air.
As he held the phone, he could also feel the slight tickle of Violeta’s hair on his hand.
Chapter 87
After ending the call, Violeta retrieved her phone. She had only used Hayden as an excuse to end the conversation with her brother.
“Thank you. My brother wouldn’t have felt at ease without your help,” she expressed her gratitude.
Hayden wiped the beer stains off the back of his hand with two tissues and calmly responded, “So you see me as a tool?”
Violeta’s gaze momentarily froze. “Huh? No, not at all.”
It was then that she realized she had accidentally spilled beer from Hayden’s glass.
“Should I pour you another glass?” Violeta picked up the bottle from the table, preparing to pour him more.
Hayden stopped her in time. “Why should I drink so much? This is alcohol, not a tonic.”
“Fine.”
Reluctantly, Violeta put down the bottle.
Hayden discarded the tissues and glanced at her, asking, “What brand of shampoo do you use? It smells nice.
Do you mean the jasmine scent? That’s not shampoo, it’s essential oil. Do you like it? I can send you the link when I go back.
At that moment, Zoren, with flushed cheeks from drinking, approached them. “What essential oil? Are you guys going for a massage later?”
Violeta covered her nose. “Ew, you stink!”
Zoren leaned closer and sniffed himself. I don’t! How can you say that, Vio? Come, smell me. Say I don’t stink!”
He leaned forward to let Violeta smell his arm, but before he could get close to her, Hayden firmly grabbed his hand.
The pain made Zoren’s eyes much clearer!
“Ouch! Hade, you really went all out, huh? Are we still buddies?”
Zoren pulled back his arm and shook it, wincing in pain.
Hayden asked, “Are you sober now?”
Jasper and Liam walked over to them. “He’s asking for trouble, no wonder he’s called a contemptible wretch.”
Liam added, “That’s right. Of course, Hade won’t go easy on him.”
Zoren turned his head and glared at them, “What are you guys bickering about?”
Jasper and Liam stuck out their tongues at Zoren.
When the two of them started acting silly, Zoren walked over, elbowing them and kicking their butts.
The three of them were fooling around.
Hayden shook his head helplessly, sat down, and leaned against the back of the chair.
Violeta finally understood.
No wonder her brother only trusted Hayden.
Among the four of them, Hayden was the most reliable, while these three were completely out of control!
Especially Zoren, he could not be relied upon at all!
Even so, with Hayden’s cold personality, it would be a good balance to have these three friends with their personalities,
If all four of them had the same personality as Hayden, it would be dull.
Violeta’s gaze fell on Hayden. He leisurely leaned against the back of the chair, the light above his head adding a warm touch to his aloof demeanor. He had a picturesque appearance, and right now, he looked noble and ethereal.
Sensing Violeta’s gaze, Hayden raised his eyes and met her gaze.
Violeta smiled at him.
Hayden’s eyelids twitched slightly. He felt as if something had struck his heart.
After being dropped off by Hayden, it was already dawn.
As soon as Violeta got out of the car, Tuna pounced on her. She caught it and used its paws to bid farewell to Hayden.
“Goodbye.”
Hayden’s expression softened. “Goodnight.
After watching Violeta walk inside, he rolled up the window and instructed the driver to drive away.
The second round of the campus beauty pageant had ended, and Violeta emerged as the winner.
All of the top ten contestants advanced.
After the vote count was reset to zero, Zelena, who was originally in seventh place, slipped down to the ninth spot.
Luckily, she still managed to advance to the third round.
However, without the option to manipulate the votes, it was wishful thinking for Zelena to surpass Violeta.
The vote count for the third round would be based on the previous two rounds, so Violeta had already been designated as the campus belle of the new term at Toland University.
Not to mention her stunning performance at the Moon Festival. The video recorded on that day had already been viewed nearly a million times on the forum and shared over a hundred thousand times.
Who could possibly compete with her?
Zelena knew that anything she did right now would be in vain, so she stopped fighting.
After a few quiet days, there was some new activity in the class,
That day, the instructor walked into the classroom with a boy and a girl.
The girl had delicate features and eyes like water.
The boy had bright eyes and an elegant demeanor.
Violeta was taking notes, while Kaylee was playing a game on her phone.
The instructor said, “Everyone, please quiet down. I’d like to introduce two new students to our class.”
Kaylee lightly tapped Violeta’s hand and whispered, “Vio.”
Violeta’s pen paused and she looked up.
The two people on the stage were introducing themselves.
“Hello, everyone. My name is Hattie Ridge. I have just transferred to Toland University and I hope to learn from all of you. This is my twin brother, Benson Ridge.”
I’m Benson Ridge. Nice to meet you all.”
Hattie and Benson Ridge.
Upon hearing these names, both Kaylee and Violeta were stunned.
When they went to the play that day, they had talked about Liam suddenly having a brother and how two illegitimate children from Harbor City would be fighting him for the family inheritance.
It seemed that Jasper was right.
These two had been transferred to Violeta’s class!
Violeta exchanged a glance with Kaylee, and Kaylee also realized that these two were the twins they had talked about at the theater the last time.
She lowered her voice and whispered to Violeta, “Vio, these two are the ones we talked about last time….
“Yeah, it’s them.”
“Gosh!”
Hattie and Benson also reminded Violeta of some other things.
She did not remember when they were talking about this at the theater, but now that she saw their faces, she suddenly remembered.
Hartie and Zelena were very good friends!
No wonder she couldn’t remember.
In her previous life, Violeta was just a white-collar worker. She would either be going to class or work.
She had no contact with Zoren, so naturally, she did not know Liam.
So, how would she know that Hattie and Benson were related to Liam by blood?
Now, everything was connected.
In Violeta’s memory, not long after Hattie came to the class, she became very close with Zelena, and they went everywhere together.
After their debut, Zelena and Hattie maintained a good relationship. They would appear on variety shows together and showcase their sisterly bond in front of the camera!
Based on Violeta’s understanding of Zelena, there was no way she would be friends with someone from an ordinary family.
Hattie had the support of the Ridges, so that was why Zelena became friends with her.
So that’s how it is!
Violeta lowered her gaze. She had no good impression of Hattie!
In the previous life, Violeta had very little interaction with Hattie, but there was once a conflict between them.
During a singing class, Violeta caught a cold from juggling work and study, so her voice became hoarse. She needed to get some water and medicine.
Hattie happened to be going to get water as well.
There was very little water left in the water dispenser, and luckily, Violeta managed to take the last bit of boiled water.
By the time it was Hattie’s turn, there was none left.
Violeta saw some bottled water nearby, so she kindly suggested that they could share it.
However, unexpectedly, Hattie responded with sarcasm and disdain, “My face would be ruined if I drank the same water as you, right?”
Yes, at that time, Zelena caused an allergic reaction on Violeta’s face, and she was already very self-conscious about that.
Hattie’s mocking words deeply pierced Violeta’s fragile heart, but she did not say anything and just left with her can of water.
Perhaps Hattie perceived Violeta’s silence as a sign of vulnerability, so she extended her hand and forcefully pushed Violeta.
Caught off guard, Violeta lost her balance and the scalding water from the cup spilled onto her arm, resulting in painful blisters.
Chapter 88
The commotion caught the attention of both the students and the teacher.
Hattie fabricated a story, claiming that Violeta had fallen because she couldn’t stand still.
Violeta had no evidence to prove that Hattic had pushed her. Even if someone had witnessed it, they wouldn’t come forward to testify for Violeta, as they didn’t want to offend the well–off Miss Hattie Ridge.
Thus, Violeta had no choice but to suppress her anger.
This incident completely changed Violeta’s perception of Hattie.
Hattie was just as cunning as Zelena,
After having such a conflict with Hattie, Violeta started hearing some gossip about her in the entertainment industry.
They said that Hattie had a terrible personality. She would use ventriloquism to insult people on stage during recordings, and she would treat the staff very poorly. Moreover, she would also act like a diva and bully newcomers.
Violeta believed all of them.
After all, Hattie was that kind of person!
Unfortunately, in her previous life, Violeta didn’t know Liam.
Therefore, she had no idea how the conflict within his family unfolded.
No wonder Liam warned them at the theater last time that the twins weren’t so simple.
Zelena sat in the middle row closer to the front. When Hattie introduced herself on stage, Zelena immediately recognized her.
Zelena vividly remembered that Hattie was the illegitimate daughter of the Ridges in Quinston, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that Hattie’s mother was the renowned actress, Hannah Leid, from Harbor City!
If she could establish a good relationship with Hattie, she would have one more connection in the entertainment industry in the future.
Zelena wanted to befriend Hattie not only because her mother was Hannah, but also because in her previous life, Violeta was Hattie’s biggest competitor when she entered the entertainment industry.
Hattie relied on her mother’s resources and quickly rose to fame. Soon after, she became a well-established figure in the industry.
Hattie and Violeta were fierce rivals in the entertainment industry.
Zelena would try to win over anyone who competed against Violeta.
The instructor said, “All right, find a seat and sit down. You can come to the office later to get the study materials.
Hattie smiled gracefully. “Okay.”
There were many empty seats at the large table below the stage. After Hattie scanned the room, her gaze fell upon Violeta and Kaylee sitting in the back row by the window.
When she saw that there were still many seats next to them, Hattie said to Benson, “Bro, let’s sit in the back row. There are plenty of empty seats”
Benson nodded. “Okay”
Just then, Zelena took the initiative to greet them, “Hattie, why don’t you sit here? This is the best spot.”
Hattie didn’t say anything and glanced at Zelena.
Then, she looked at the back row again. She noticed the clear division between the front and back rows. It was as if there was a barrier separating them,
Violeta and Kaylee were the only ones in the back row, and no one was sitting close to them.
In an instant. Hattie understood that these two people in the back row were being isolated by this class.
The feeling of isolation was something Hattie knew all too well.
Since they didn’t have a father since they were young, the two siblings were isolated, excluded, and mocked in class.
Hattie despised this feeling.
She didn’t want to be isolated anymore.
“Bro, let’s sit here.”
When Zelena saw them sitting down, she smiled and said, “Let me introduce myself, I’m Zelena. I hope we can become good friends in the future.”
“Sure.”
Just like that, Zelena became Hattie’s first friend in the class.
Zelena had a purpose in getting close to Hattie, so she would ask Hattie to hang out with her after class.
In just half a day, the two of them became inseparable.
During lunchtime, in the cafeteria,
Kaylee didn’t know much about Hattie, but when she saw Hattie hanging out with Zelena, she disdainfully remarked, “Birds of a feather flock together! This Hattie probably isn’t a good person either.”
Violeta chuckled upon hearing Kaylee’s words.
“You have a talent for judging people, Kay.”
“Right, Vin? Then don’t you think so?”
“I’m not sure yet, so let’s wait and see,” Violeta casually replied.
Violeta had experienced Hattie’s personality in her previous life.
However, she hadn’t interacted with Benson yet.
Benson was likely Liam’s biggest competitor in the family business, so his scheming and cunning were definitely on par with Hattie’s.
Jasper and his gang had mentioned in the theater that if Benson dared to come, he would definitely be dealt with.
Violeta didn’t know anything else.
However, it was estimated that Benson wouldn’t have an easy time at school.
A few days later.
Zelena introduced Hattie to the dance club.
Due to Hannah’s high expectations of Hattie and Benson since they were young, they quickly caught up with the learning progress even though they were transfer students who joined the class midway.
Undoubtedly, they were outstanding. Coupled with Hattie and Benson’s good looks, they had already become famous in the performing arts field in just a few days. There were even people anonymously asking on the confession wall if they were single.
Hattie and Zelena had similar ways of doing things. They both liked to bribe their classmates and giving gifts was the quickest way to win people’s hearts.
As the saying goes, “A kind word and a gift will open any door.”
On this day, it was physical education class.
During the break, Violeta and Kaylee were chatting.
A gust of wind blew by, carrying with it the voices of several people talking and a faint scent of high–end sandalwood perfume.
“Hattie, the perfume you’re wearing smells really good. What brand is it? I’ll buy a bottle next time.”
“Oh? My perfume? You can’t buy it. It was a gift from my grandmother. She has a collection of antique perfumes, and this one is worth a fortune now. Lena, if you like it, I’ll give you a sample later.”
“Okay. It smells really nice.”
Gillian, who was next to them, said, “High–end perfumes are indeed different. Hattie, you came too late. If you had come earlier, you could have participated in the campus beauty pageant. If you had also participated, that person wouldn’t stand a chance.”
Candy added. “Yes, if you had participated. Lena probably wouldn’t have been bullied!”
Hattie asked, “Huh? Who bullied Lena?”
The girls glanced at Violeta and Kaylee sitting not far away.
“Who else? She’s sitting right over there…”
Zelena interrupted them. “That’s enough. Although I really hoped to achieve a good ranking in the campus beauty pageant, it’s just not possible this time. I don’t know what’s going on with the votes. Maybe it’s just bad luck.”
“It’s not just bad luck. Clearly, someone is up to something!”
“They’re just envious and malicious, so they can’t stand to see you doing well. Those kinds of people will never succeed; they’ll remain in the gutter for their whole lives.”
Although they didn’t mention any names, everyone knew they were referring to Violeta and Kaylee, who exchanged a glance.
They wouldn’t argue, but they would fight back!
When the break was over, they started doing the moon salutation.
Kaylee accidentally bumped into Gillian, causing her to fall face down with a loud thud. Her front teeth hit her lip, and the pain made tears stream down her face. She stood up, covering her mouth, and cursing loudly, “Kaylee! Are you blind?”
Kaylee adjusted her stance and nonchalantly remarked, “Apologies, but my mother has always praised me for having a well–endowed derriere ever since I was a child. She claimed it’s indicative of good health and longevity, unlike certain short-lived individuals with caustic tongues. It’s as if they have transformed into bitter melons.”
Gillian didn’t know how to react.
Chapter 89
Gillian had long been aware of Kaylee’s sharp tongue, and since she couldn’t win against her, she glared fiercely in her direction.
At that moment, the physical education teacher ed around and saw Gillian, reprimanding her,
“Gillian, why are you standing up? Do you want to fail this class?”
Gillian swallowed her grievances and replied, “I didn’t do anything.
“Then catch up quickly!”
… Okay.”
After the physical education class ended, Candy wanted to get back at Gillian. She planned to trip Kaylee when she wasn’t paying attention.
However, her plan failed because Violeta kicked the foam pad just in time, covering Candy’s foot.
Unaware of the situation, Kaylee turned around and accidentally stepped on Candy’s foot, causing her to cry out in pain.
Kaylee glanced at Candy and coldly said, “I’ve never seen such a foolish person who willingly extends their foot for others to step on.”
“Okay.”
Violeta picked up her bag and left the gym together.
Hattie saw everything and slightly lowered her eyes with a subtle expression.
She never expected that Violeta had some tricks up her sleeve.
When they were filling out the club registration form earlier, Violeta noticed Kaylee’s birth month and realized her birthday was in two days.
Given their current relationship. Violeta naturally wanted to give Kaylee a gift.
However, she was having trouble deciding what to give.
In the end, with Irene’s suggestion, Violeta decided to give her a bottle of perfume.
Violeta knew that with Kaylee’s personality, she would definitely give an equally valuable gift in return. So, she deliberately didn’t tell Kaylee the price of this bottle of perfume. She just vaguely mentioned that it cost about 15 dollars.
In fact, this perfume was a limited edition launched by Ella this quarter, and because the brand was too niche, it was only available through private high–end customization. Hence, there were no counters, and it could only be purchased through certain means.
Even with the high price, there was a high demand even when there was no supply. So, the perfume successfully arrived in Kaylee’s hands on her birthday.
When Kaylee received the gift box, she was shocked. “Wow, Viol This must be expensive! It looks so luxurious just from the packaging.”
Violeta said, “It’s okay. Open it and see if you like it. My mom and I picked it together.”
Kaylee cherished the packaging so much that she was reluctant to tear open the exquisite lacquer inside.
As soon as she opened the gift box, a pleasant rose fragrance wafted out.
Then, a delicate vintage round bottle came into view. The burgundy liquid inside resembled red wine.
“Wow! It’s perfume!”
Kaylee was extremely surprised.
“I think you’ll like this scent.”
Kaylee hesitated to take it out. She looked at Violeta with a grateful expression and said, “This is my first bottle of perfume! I always used to secretly use my mom’s. I love you so much, Vio!”
Violeta smiled. “I’m happy to give you your first bottle of perfume. It would be even better if you like the scent too.”
“How can I not like it? I love it!”
The scent emitted by the perfume was that of roses. It was not overpowering but long-lasting, just like the fragrance that had wafted out of the gift box.
Kaylee exclaimed repeatedly. “This is the best–smelling perfume I’ve ever encountered.”
“Haha, I’m glad you like it.
After receiving the gift, Kaylee was over the moon the entire day.
In the afternoon.
During the physical education class, Gillian kept catching a faint rose fragrance emanating from Kaylee and Violeta.
It smelled incredibly pleasant but subtle as if she was in a rose garden. The scent was not overpowering at all, yet it had the power to captivate people and uplift their moods.
Not only Gillian, but several others also caught a whiff of this fragrance.
So, they started discussing it during the break.
“Did you smell it? Yes, I smelled it too.”
“The perfume smells so luxurious, I’ve never encountered anything like it before.”
No one could accurately describe the scent of this perfume they simply found it very pleasant.
Only Hattie, with her arms crossed, correctly identified the perfume. “If I’m not mistaken, it should be Ella’s recently launched Bamboo Eau de Parfum.
“Ella?”
Hattie explained, “Actually, Ella is not just a brand name, it’s also a person’s name. The founder of this brand named it after herself.”
“Ella is a private custom perfume brand from Northern Orion. It’s luxurious but very exclusive. Only true perfume enthusiasts are aware of this brand. However, it’s understandable that you’re not familiar with it since it specializes in private custom perfumes that cater to very wealthy women.”
Speaking of this, Hattie felt somewhat proud. “My mom has an entire wall of perfumes, and she owns at least ten bottles of Ella’s high–end custom creations.”
In other words, her mom was extremely wealthy.
Having a custom–made perfume required a significant amount of money because the scents needed to be tested one by one until the customer was satisfied.
It consumed a large amount of resources and took a considerable amount of time.
Each trial was equivalent to burning money.
Therefore, if one wanted to have a custom–made perfume from Ella, one should not even think about it if one did not have a six-figure budget.
Hannah was an avid perfume collector, so Hattie had naturally experienced a wide range of high–end fragrances.
“There is a noticeable difference in scent between high–end perfumes and cheap ones. The one I smelled earlier was Ella’s latest release for this quarter, Bamboo Eau de Parfum. It must be the one.”
Since Hannah was a premium member of Ella, the brand had sent her a sample half a year ago to try out before Bamboo Eau de Parfum was even launched.
Hattie also smelled it and vividly remembered the distinct and refreshing rose scent. She could still recall the scent even now.
This fragrance was truly unique and could not be replicated.
After smelling it, Hattic concluded that once this perfume was released, it would undoubtedly become extremely popular!
However, Hattie was curious about how Ella’s new limited edition ended up in physical education. classroom.
Also, how did Violeta and Kaylee get it?
Hattie was well aware of how challenging it was to obtain Ella’s perfumes.
Ella did not frequently release new perfumes; they only launched one every two years, and limited editions were even rarer.
As soon as Bamboo Eau de Parfum was launched, it sold out within five seconds. Hattie had also asked someone to purchase a bottle for her, but it had not arrived yet.
Upon hearing Hattie’s explanation, Zelena exclaimed, “Oh my, really?”
“Lena, what’s wrong?”
Zelena furrowed her brow, looking puzzled, “Actually, Hattic, you’re right. This perfume is Ella’s Bamboo Eau de Parfum. I brought a bottle with me today. Remember when you gave me a sample of your vintage perfume? So this time. I specifically brought mine to share with you. However, I haven’t even sprayed it yet, so how did it end up on them? How strange.”
Upon hearing what Zelena said, everyone was taken aback and immediately realized.
“I know! They must have stolen your perfume!”
“They are thieves!”
Chapter 90
“How could Kaylee afford such an expensive perfume?”
“Hattie mentioned before that this perfume is priceless and impossible to obtain.”
“Kaylee did not come from a wealthy family. Her family is just an average working-class family! She must have stolen it.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Lena, don’t worry. We’ll confront her and settle the matter!”
During the last–fitness class, Gillian and Candy had a falling out with Kaylee. Today was the perfect opportunity to resolve the issue.
After class, Violeta and Kaylee left the classroom together to change clothes.
Violeta was the first to finish. She told Kaylee, “I’m going to the restroom.”
“Okay, we’ll meet outside.”
Violeta nodded and left the changing room.
Not long after she left, Candy and her gang surrounded Kaylee.
Zelena and Hattie stood at the back and watched coldly from the sidelines.
“Kaylee, did you spray perfume on yourself today? Show us the perfume.”
Kaylee zipped her bag and glanced at them. She questioned, “Why should I show it to you?”
That perfume was a gift from Violeta. Kaylee cherished it so much that she only sprayed a tiny amount when she opened the packaging.
These people were Zelena’s followers. Why should she show it to them?
Kaylee couldn’t be bothered to look at them. She grabbed her bag and was ready to leave.
Gillian stepped forward and blocked her path. She repeated, “Show us the perfume.”
“Yes, we won’t let you leave unless you show it!”
“What? Are you trying to cause trouble? Do you think I’m easy to intimidate?”
Kaylee often played tennis, and she was strong. She shoved Gillian with a single push.
Gillian lost her balance and almost fell.
Kaylee sneered, “Skinny girls like you want to bully others? You’ve got the wrong person!”
She took big strides forward and was ready to leave the changing room, but someone grabbed her bag.
Kaylee thought it was Gillian. When she turned around, she realized it was Hattie.
“What are you trying to do?”
Hattie held onto her bag and chuckled. She challenged. “Take out the perfume and show it to us, then you can go.
“Why should! show it to you?”
“Because you stole it! That perfume belongs to Lena!”
Did you steal that perfume?
Kaylee instantly became furious. She barked, “Who do you accuse of being a thief?”
“If you didn’t steal it, then show me the perfume!”
“Yes, show it!”
“Take it out!”
“Why are we even talking to someone like her? Let’s just snatch the bag.”
The perfume was in Kaylee’s bag, and the group rushed over to snatch it.
Kaylee desperately held onto her bag, not letting them take it. Unfortunately, she was outnumbered.
When her bag was about to be snatched away, Violeta pushed the door open. She stood at the entrance, where the light shone into the room from behind, casting a shadow over all of them.
The girls who were trying to snatch the bag were all stunned. Everyone was dumbfoundedly looking up at Violeta.
Violeta stared coldly at them. Her gaze was dark and emanated a chilly aura. Those girls instinctively let go. of the bag.
Kaylee quickly held the bag tightly in her arms.
“Vio.”
Violeta had agreed to meet Kaylee outside. She waited for a while and didn’t see Kaylee, so she went back to the dressing room.
She didn’t expect to encounter this scene.
Violeta walked in and asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. They want to steal my bag.
Before, the gang was bold when it was just Kaylee alone.
When Violeta returned, they weren’t as arrogant as before.
Gillian said, “Violeta, you came back just in time. Lena’s perfume had gone missing. Her perfume scent matches what you two are wearing. We want to check Kaylee’s bag. Is that too much to ask?”
Candy chimed in “Yeah if you didn’t steal it just now it.‘
“Haha!” Violeta laughed. I have to prove that I didn’t steal? What kind of ridiculous logic is that?
“Who gave you the authority to search freely? If mere suspicion can lead to conviction, then I suspect your brain is filled with nonsense. Would you like to open up your brain for me to examine?”
The group was speechless.
Zelena stood up and said, “They are all doing this for me. Let’s calm down. If Kaylee doesn’t want to show us, then we’ll have to go to the counselor. Stealing is wrong, and it will definitely result in a serious punishment.”
Gillian echoed, “That’s right, 1 heard the counselor is selecting the best student of the month. If this matter escalates, it will be a serious offense, and the counselor won’t let her off the hook.”
Kaylee protested, “Hey! Watch your language.
Violeta remained calm and indifferent. She agreed, “All right then, let’s go to the counselor.
Zelena lowered her eyes. Originally, she just intended to do this to dampen their spirits.
She didn’t expect Violeta to be so bold and willing to go to the counselor.
Could this girl really afford Ella’s perfume??
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
She wouldn’t believe it until she saw the perfume.
Shortly, the group arrived at the office.
After hearing about the incident, the counselor asked seriously. “There is a possibility of a mix–up of perfumes. Zelena, why are you so convinced that your perfume was stolen by them?”
Zelena explained, “Counselor, you may not be aware, but this perfume can’t have a similar scent to others. It has only been on the market for a short time, and besides, we all smelled it.
Hattie can vouch for us!”
Hattie nodded and said, “I have a keen sense of smell for perfumes. There is no way I could have mistaken it.”
The counselor looked worriedly at them and shifted his gaze to Violeta and Kaylee.
“Can’t they afford to buy it themselves?”
Gillian and Candy burst into laughter.
“Counselor, you have no idea. That perfume is in high demand and impossible to find in the market.”
“It’s almost skyrocketing in price. How could Kaylee afford it?”
“Yeah
Gillian and Candy were just children from an ordinary working-class family, but they started mocking Kaylee with Zelena and Hattie’s support.
They didn’t even know the brand before, but now they were arrogantly mocking others.
The counselor felt offended.
Kaylee was shocked by their explanation. She couldn’t believe that the perfume Violeta had given her was so expensive.
Violeta had told her it was a few hundred dollars, and she foolishly believed it.
If the truth hadn’t come out, Kaylee would have thought the perfume was not expensive. She never expected it to have two extra zeros on the price tag.
Despite this, Kaylee had no doubt that Violeta had bought the perfume and not stolen it.
The counselor looked at Kaylee and said, “Since that’s the case, why don’t you take out the perfume and show us?
The show it to them?”
Violeta interrupted, “If we show the perfume and prove that it wasn’t stolen, how will we handle the situation?”
The counselor thought for a moment. He was going to select the star of the month. It would be ideal if nothing serious happened in the class. If a serious theft incident occurred, it would definitely affect his selection.
If the item had been something common, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but this perfume was so expensive that it was bound to attract significant attention and be treated as a serious matter. This could lead to a grave offense.
His chances of being selected would be ruined.
Moreover, both Zelena and Hattie came from wealthy families, while Violeta was the daughter of the chancellor!
He couldn’t afford to offend anyone.
He was in a dilemma.
“Maybe we can handle it this way. If it’s proven that we didn’t steal it, Zelena and Hattie will be punished with the task of cleaning the toilets for a month. Does that seem fair to you?”
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