Just as Camille was basking in her silent triumph, Stellar finally lifted her head, her bright eyes curving with an easy confidence."I was just considering how to phrase my response accurately," she said calmly. "Because, in reality, this question has two possible answers, meaning there are two correct solutions."A ripple of shock spread through the room.Even the professor’s expression shifted, his interest visibly piqued."Miss Rivers, can you explain what the two solutions are?" he asked, leaning forward.Without hesitation, Stellar articulated both possibilities with perfect clarity.The professor glanced down at the answer key, then nodded in satisfaction.The room fell into stunned silence.Even Camille stood frozen, her face paling in disbelief.How was this happening?!Behind the observation monitors, Victor burst into laughter, his face beaming with pride."Did you see that?" he said, still grinning. "That’s my student. She never fails to exceed expectations!"Beside him, S
"But with so many fools doubting her, even if we believe in her, it won’t be enough to convince everyone," Victor said, his expression clouded with frustration."That’s easy," Stephen replied, raising an eyebrow. "Activate Plan B."…Back in the exam hall, the instructor was caught in the middle of a growing crisis, unsure of how to handle the situation.Just then, someone entered from the doorway, handing him a fresh exam paper along with a whispered message.The instructor let out a quiet sigh of relief, nodded, and turned back to the class."Everyone, quiet down," he announced as he stepped onto the podium, placing the paper on the desk with a firm slap."Since so many of you are questioning whether Miss Rivers cheated, but lack any real proof, we’ll settle this with another test. “This new set of five advanced questions has been created just now by Victor Stone and Stephen Ward. If she can answer them, that should be enough proof for everyone. What do you say?"The room fell into
The moment the words fell, the entire room turned their furious gazes toward Camille.Thinking about how they got led around by the nose once again, they felt utterly humiliated.And it was all because of Camille.Her face went deathly pale, cold sweat beading on her forehead. “N-no, that’s not true…”The sharpness in their eyes was like a blade against her throat, making her shrink back in fear."Camille Dawson!"Even the professor had reached the limit of their patience this time."As a student, you not only participated in cheating but also tried to frame someone else. Your actions are utterly disgraceful!"Without mercy, the professor declared, “I will report this to the school. You can wait for the disciplinary action!”At that moment, Camille felt as if lightning had struck her.Disciplinary action—she knew exactly what that meant.Years of hard work and dedication, completely destroyed in an instant.Her world came crashing down.…The exam was finally over.Stellar left the cla
He pushed a stack of documents across the desk. "Take these and go over them as soon as possible. Once you officially join the team, don’t slow everyone down." Stellar knew he was all bark and no bite. A smile tugged at her lips as she obediently took the files. "Professor, I’ll give it my all. I won’t embarrass you." …Meanwhile, Yvonne was lounging at home, sipping afternoon tea, waiting for good news from the school. As long as Stellar failed the exam and couldn’t get into Victor’s project team, the partnership with Riverfront Corporation would fall through. That would give the Harlow and Moore families a greater advantage. More importantly, she could finally give her father a satisfactory answer and she wouldn’t have to put up with Percy anymore. Just as she was relishing the thought of Stellar’s downfall, her phone rang. Seeing Camille’s name on the screen, Yvonne’s eyes lit up. A smirk curled on her lips as she answered. "So? What took you so long to call—"
Stellar had no idea what Yvonne was plotting. But even if she did, she would deal with it as it came. Joining the research team made all the effort of the past two weeks worth it. As she stepped out of the school in high spirits, her phone suddenly rang. It was a number she hadn’t seen in a while. "Miss Rivers, if I don’t call you first, are you never going to reach out to me? Heartless little thing." A woman’s lazy yet slightly aggrieved voice came through the speaker. It was her best friend, Suzy Walsh. The one person who, despite all the rumors and gossip, stuck by her side these past two years. The only one who genuinely cared about her and put her feelings first. But a while ago, they had argued over Percy, and things had been tense ever since. Between the cold war and Stellar’s packed schedule, she had completely forgotten to reach out. Now, hearing Suzy’s voice again, a softness crept into her expression. "Where are you? I’ll come find you." "That’s mo
This time, Suzy was set to star in a major production called “Whispers of Ivory and Shadow.” For some reason, when Stellar first heard the title, it felt oddly familiar. But she didn’t think much of it. Midway through the evening, she stepped out to use the restroom. On her way back, she unexpectedly ran into Xavier. Unlike Percy’s other friends, who always looked down on her with disdain, was different. He always treated her with respect, never mocking or belittling her like the rest. So, when she caught him staring, she remained calm and greeted him politely. To her surprise, he blocked her path, hesitating as if he had something to say. She frowned slightly. "Do you need something?" "You really broke up with Percy?" Xavier asked. She didn’t deny it. "Yeah." He studied her face for a long moment, then finally spoke again. "Percy’s planning to sue you. He says he’s going to drag your name through the mud." Stellar didn’t even flinch. "Let him." Her voice w
Chris finally realized Xavier was serious, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind?" But almost immediately, his shock morphed into mockery. "Or maybe the price just isn’t high enough for you. Fine, name it, how much will it take to get you on board? A hundred thousand dollars?" Xavier’s expression remained ice-cold. "There isn’t a price." He wasn’t going to sell his conscience just to help cover up their mess. Chris let out a sharp, sarcastic laugh. "Well, aren’t you noble? Acting all righteous now, like you’re better than the rest of us." Then, as if a sudden realization struck him, his eyes flickered with amusement. "Wait a second… don’t tell me you’ve got a thing for Stellar. Is that why you’re so eager to distance yourself from us?" The second the words left his mouth, Chris realized he might have overstepped. He just came from the private room where they learned that not only had Stellar refused to crawl back to Percy, but she had actuall
After finishing their meal, Stellar led Suzy to their destination. It wasn’t a high-end shopping mall or a luxury boutique but a small, tucked-away shop in a quiet alley. The storefront had a classical charm, and the moment they stepped inside, they were greeted by a minimalist yet elegant interior. It was a hair accessory boutique. Ornate hairpins and combs were displayed on wooden shelves, each piece carefully arranged. But what truly stood out was the jaw-dropping price tags. Stellar pulled Suzy straight to the back of the store, stopping in front of an emerald-green hairpin. "Take a look at this one." Having spent years in the entertainment industry, Suzy had developed an eye for luxury. At first glance, the design seemed understated, yet the craftsmanship was anything but simple—bold yet timeless, its intricate details drawing her in. Her gaze swept over it, then dropped to the small nameplate below. The moment she saw the designer’s name, she nearly jumped in
Hearing Zayden’s offer, Stellar couldn’t deny that she was tempted."Alright, I’d love to give it a shot!"A satisfied smile spread across Zayden’s face.He reveled in the feeling of having her within his grasp, unwilling to let go."I’ll personally take you there tomorrow.""Then…" Stellar was about to say she needed to head back and prepare.But the moment Zayden sensed she was about to part ways with him, he quickly spoke up."Senior, I didn’t just come here to see you today. There’s someone I want to take you to meet.""Who?""Our old mentor. He’s in town for a while. Would you come with me to visit him?" His gaze was sincere, almost pleading.Stellar hadn’t expected him to be so respectful toward their teacher.Back when they were younger, she assumed Zayden hated their mentor and their fellow classmates—practically everyone except her.Maybe she had misunderstood him.With a warm smile, she nodded."Of course! I haven’t seen him in so long. Let’s stop by a shop and pick up some g
Stellar had never seen such shamelessness.Not only had Joy stolen her work, but now she was twisting the situation to make herself the victim.Backing down wasn’t an option—not for her."Fine. If that’s the case, I’m out of the final stage of this project!" she declared without hesitation.The room fell into stunned silence.Many were taken aback by her decisiveness, unable to hide their shock.Joy was the first to recover."Miss Rivers, do you really think the team can’t function without you?" she sneered. "This isn’t some playground where you can throw a tantrum. If you quit now, your work will be discarded, and your internship might not even be approved. Are you sure you want to be this reckless?"She spoke as if she were lecturing a child—one who was acting spoiled and irrational.But Stellar merely let out a cold laugh, standing her ground."Yes. If this place can’t even uphold fairness, I see no reason to stay."With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.Joy’s gaze dark
Deep down, she refused to be seen as a delicate flower—someone incapable of standing on her own without a man's protection.But that wasn’t something she could easily explain to anyone.Yet, as if reading her mind, Stephen’s reply came through:"I know you don’t like being treated this way. I’ll talk to your uncles for you."Stellar was taken aback.She assumed that since Stephen was pursuing her, he would seize this opportunity to spend more time with her.Instead, he was turning it down.Stellar: “Why would you…?”Stephen: “I won’t force you into something you don’t want. But whenever you need me, I’ll always be there.”His words struck a chord in her heart.A slow smile spread across her lips.This time, she didn’t bother with polite refusals or empty words.“Okay.”That night, she fell asleep with an inexplicable sense of warmth.The next morning, upon arriving at the base, Stellar received an official notification.Her proposal had been approved.It should have been good news.Aft
Stellar hadn’t expected that.Stephen suddenly turned to her, his gaze deep and unwavering, his voice low and serious."What if I said I was?"Her heart skipped a beat.A rush of emotions flooded her all at once—nervousness, panic, uncertainty, and warmth."I…"She pressed her lips together, her mind scrambling for words.Maybe it was the intensity of his gaze, or maybe it was something else entirely, but she found herself speaking, her voice steady."You misunderstood. He’s my junior—someone I look out for, like a younger brother. That’s all."The moment the words left her lips, Stephen’s dark eyes lit up.They were brighter than the moon hanging in the night sky.In an instant, all the tension, unease, and frustration he felt earlier vanished.His voice was rich and unwavering."That’s all I needed to hear."So, it wasn’t just him.Stellar’s heart pounded against her ribs.She quickly averted her gaze, trying to compose herself. But the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her.
Margaret sat drenched, her body still trembling from the lingering effects of the electric shock.But this was only the beginning.Every single torture device in this prison—every cruel mechanism—was designed based on her own suggestions.She planned to personally oversee Stellar’s suffering.Yet, in a cruel twist of fate, it was now all coming back to her.She tried to scream for help, but no one outside would answer her.What awaited her was the next round of punishment."What goes around, comes around."Outside, Stellar watched coldly before turning away.Without sparing another glance, she walked off with Stephen and Zayden.As they left the compound, Stellar glanced at Stephen, curiosity flashing in her eyes."By the way, how did you figure out this was a trap?"Stephen explained calmly, "I’ve studied mechanical traps before. The way this place was structured, along with the control panel on the wall, made it pretty obvious."Stellar’s eyes sparkled with admiration. "Wow, that’s i
"You don’t have to thank me. Saving Stellar was simply the right thing to do," Stephen said smoothly. Now that things had reached this point, there was no way he would back down. Instead, he subtly staked his own claim. "Stellar is very important to me. If anything, I should be the one thanking you for stepping in." A flicker of hostility flashed through Zayden’s eyes, and though he still wore a smile, there was something eerily cold about it. "My senior is also the most important person to me," he stated, enunciating every word with deliberate emphasis. Stephen, unbothered, simply responded with a casual, almost teasing tone. "Is that so? Strange, I don’t recall Stellar ever mentioning you before." Zayden’s expression darkened instantly. Sensing the growing tension, Stellar finally stepped in. "Alright, enough of this. You two can stop arguing now." Turning to Stephen, she asked, "How did you even know I was in trouble?" "Your uncle called me," he answered. St
The moment Zayden appeared, Percy’s eyes lit up like he had just seen his savior.Using every ounce of strength left in his battered body, he crawled forward, grasping onto Zayden’s pant leg in desperation."Zayden, help me! Stellar offended you, so I brought her here to teach her a lesson for you, but she turned around and beat me like this! Please, you have to save me!"Zayden’s jaw clenched, the vein on his temple twitching violently."You idiot. Who gave you the right to lay a hand on her?! Are you looking for death?"With that, he delivered a vicious kick, sending Percy flying across the room.Percy felt his insides shift as he crashed to the ground, gasping in pain.What the hell?! Wasn’t Stellar the one who had pissed off Zayden? Then why… why was he protecting her?Before he could process it, Stephen had already stepped toward Stellar, scanning her from head to toe."Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.Stellar raised a brow, flashing a bright, teasing smile.
The bodyguards immediately understood and shut the basement door behind them.With everyone gone, the only ones left in the dark, enclosed space were Stellar and Percy."Stellar, are you really sure about this?" Percy asked again, wanting confirmation.She gave him a sweet, innocent smile. "Of course. Now, can you untie me?"Percy hesitated for a moment."You’re not scared I’ll hurt you, are you?" Stellar tilted her head, her voice soft, almost teasing. "Don’t forget, I can barely move right now. And if you keep me tied up like this, how am I supposed to hold you?"She even pouted a little, as if sulking.Percy’s heart nearly leaped out of his chest.It made sense. She was completely powerless right now. There was no way she could fight back—wasn’t she already at his mercy?Feeling reassured, he finally moved forward and loosened the knots.As the ropes fell away, Stellar stretched her stiff wrists, rubbing the soreness out before curling her fingers into a slow, deliberate fist."S
He needed to know everything about her—to have complete control over her life—so he could bring Stellar back to his side. But not long after he sent the message, his phone rang. "Mr. Zayden, there’s something I need to report," his subordinate said cautiously. "You’ve had us keeping an eye on the side branch, and today, our men discovered that Percy kidnapped a woman. She looks strikingly similar to the one in the photo you just sent me…" His voice trailed off, hesitant. "What did you just say?!" Zayden slammed his foot on the gas, his eyes dark with lethal intent. "That bastard actually dared—where did he take her?" The subordinate quickly rattled off an address. "They were heading in that direction, but we haven’t pinpointed their exact location yet." "Find it!" Zayden barked, yanking the steering wheel to make a sharp U-turn before speeding toward the location at breakneck speed. …At the same time, multiple forces were searching for Stellar. Meanwhile, she had