Wendy turned her gaze toward Stanley. "My boyfriend is no less impressive than Mr. Hawk." As she said this, her eyes sparkled with a glow that made it seem like she was genuinely dating someone extraordinary. Stanley's handsome brows furrowed, his expression darkening slightly. "Hahaha!" The Crone family, however, wasn't buying it. Edith scoffed. "Wendy, don't make such grand claims. I don't believe for a second that you have a boyfriend like that!" Lilian added, "Wendy, stop embarrassing yourself." Wendy raised a single delicate eyebrow. She thought of the text sitting in her phone, the one from Samuel. [I'll be in Hovendale in two days.]Her third senior was coming—she hadn't been lying to anyone. "I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now." With that, Wendy turned on her heel and walked away. The others exploded in disbelief. "Wendy is such a liar—she made up a handsome, rich boyfriend just to fool us!" "She should look in the mirror. Rich men ar
The long-awaited Summit Academic Forum had finally arrived, drawing the attention of everyone around. Wendy was up early, already getting ready for the day. She grabbed Halsey's arm. "Halsey, come on. I'm taking you out." "Huh? Where are we going? So many people are heading to the Summit Academic Forum today. I heard Mr. Hawk and that genius girl are going to meet for the first time," Halsey said, gossiping excitedly. Wendy grinned, her lips curling up. "Yeah. That's why we're going to the Summit Academic Forum." Halsey blinked, shocked. "What?" Half an hour later, Wendy and Halsey arrived at the venue. The place was buzzing with excitement. Academic elites from all fields had gathered here. Wendy quickly spotted many familiar faces in the crowd. There was Sienna, who had come with her classmates from Clavendale University. A few days ago, Gilbert had confessed his feelings for her in public, turning her into a laughingstock. So, she had pulled some strings throug
Harry was Jessica's father, but the truth was that he had simply brought Jessica back from the Capital. Jessica wasn't even his biological daughter. Her real father...was someone of immense wealth and status. Jessica came from a family of extraordinary background. Of course, this was the biggest secret hidden deep within Edith and Harry's hearts, and they wouldn't dare reveal it at this moment. Edith looked at Wendy, her face cold. "Wendy, you should stop calling me 'Grandma'. I have no granddaughter like you!" Halsey was taken aback by Edith's lack of remorse. She couldn't believe the words she was hearing. Enraged, she stormed, "What?!" Just then, a small, soft hand gently rested on her arm. Wendy stepped forward, looking straight at Edith. "Grandma, are you really cutting ties with me?" Edith stood her ground, unflinching. "Yes, I am!" Wendy turned her gaze toward Lilian. "Mom, is that what you think too?" The same sentence echoed in Lilian's mind—"I'm
Benny froze for a moment. "Wendy, how do you know my dream girl doesn't like red roses?" Edith quickly cut in, "Don't listen to Wendy's nonsense. I think she's just jealous of the genius girl who's catching your attention, and she's trying to cause trouble." Benny, his patience wearing thin, threatened, "Wendy, you'd better not ruin this for me. I'm going to officially pursue my dream girl!" Wendy found it all rather amusing. With a smirk, she replied, "Well, good luck, Benny." Benny snorted in response. Jessica wasn't about to let the focus stay on the genius girl for too long. She continued to mock Wendy. "Stanley, Wendy's here at the Summit Academic Forum, but she doesn't even have an invitation." Stanley turned to Wendy and quietly asked, "You don't have an invitation?" Wendy shook her head. "Nope." Stanley smirked, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Looks like your 'impressive' boyfriend isn't all that great after all—he couldn't even get you an in
"Not only that, but it seems the high-level managers of this Summit Academic Forum were the ones who welcomed Wendy just now," Edith said in surprise.Lilian, equally shocked, exchanged glances with her. Sienna then spoke up, her tone dismissive, "Wendy dropped out of school at sixteen. She's always up to something shady. We shouldn't let her intimidate us.""Exactly!" Jessica chimed in, agreeing. "Wendy must be pulling some sort of trick. We should call her out. Grandma, Mom, let's go inside and see what she's really up to!"Edith let out a cold snort. "Good thing I foresaw this and cut ties with her in advance. Whatever mess she causes inside won't be our problem."-Stanley entered the main hall, scanning the area. He looked around, but couldn't spot Wendy anywhere.He had rushed in earlier, trying to follow her, but he had still lost her. Where could she have gone?He turned to one of the staff members nearby. "Who uses the VIP entrance?"The staff member responded respec
The Summit Academic Forum officially began, and the room erupted into a wave of applause.The host smiled and said, "The most anticipated event of today's Summit Academic Forum is the debut of Mr. Hawk and the genius freshman. I'm sure everyone is eager to see this talented young woman take the stage!"All eyes quickly turned to Stanley and the empty seat beside him. Someone in the crowd could hardly contain their excitement and called out, "We can't wait any longer! Let's see the prodigy!"The host laughed. "Alright, let's welcome her to give the opening speech for our Summit Academic Forum!"The genius freshman was about to make her entrance!The previously noisy hall fell silent in an instant, everyone holding their breath in anticipation.Sienna and the students around her were visibly excited. "She's coming, she's coming! It's finally happening!"Edith, Trish, and Lilian had been searching for Wendy the entire time after they entered, but they couldn't find her.They decid
Being a "God of Sleep" was a lie.The lack of education was a lie, too.It turned out Wendy was a prodigy!It turned out the mysterious genius freshman was Wendy!"I never expected this genius freshman to be so beautiful! She looks like an angel! Truly, she's both talented and stunning.""Oh, I think my heart just skipped a beat!"Jessica's hands clenched into fists by her side, her grip tight. She couldn't accept this reality. The Wendy she had always looked down on—this same Wendy—was the genius freshman who had made her so jealous it drove her crazy.Lilian was also in disbelief. She couldn't understand how Wendy ended up on the podium. Hadn't she sent Wendy away to the countryside?At that moment, someone behind them impatiently urged, "Can you two sit down? You're blocking our view of the genius freshman.""If you don't sit down, we'll have to call security and have you escorted out!"Lilian, embarrassed, quickly sat down. She tugged at Jessica's sleeve. "Jessica, sit do
A strange feeling stirred in Stanley's chest. He wanted to say something, but before he could, his palm was suddenly empty—Wendy had already withdrawn her hand. She was quickly surrounded by a group of young elites, all bright minds of their generation. Among them was a man named Lucas Norris, a fellow Harfield graduate who had now made a name for himself as a rising star in the tech industry, the young CEO of a publicly traded company. Lucas looked at Wendy's breathtakingly beautiful face and smiled. "Wendy, I'm curious—what's your relationship status?" Stanley's gaze remained fixed on Wendy as he watched her raise a delicate brow. Then, she answered in just three simple words. "Single and available." Single and available. Those words made Lucas' eyes light up. Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone. "Wendy, since we're alumni, why don't we add each other as friends on Facebook?" Wendy nodded. "Sure, Lucas." And just like that, they exchanged contacts.
Stanley, the wealthiest man in Hovendale, had the power to command the world with a mere gesture. As long as he was present, Jessica was confident no one would dare to speak ill of her.In other words, with Stanley by her side, Jessica believed she embodied the ultimate pride of the Crone family.The room quickly quieted down, the gossip dying away.Lilian, wearing a smug smile, looked at Wendy. "Wendy, I know you despise me, but you can't just stand by and let Jessica die, can you?"Jessica immediately chimed in, "Wendy, you know I have a heart condition. Stanley even spent a fortune asking you to treat me, yet you refused to help. You wanted to watch me die, didn't you? How cruel can you be?"The two of them played off each other, bringing up the heart condition to pin the blame on Wendy.Wendy had known from the moment this mother-daughter duo showed up that they were clearly setting the stage for something.Wendy's eyes narrowed as she faced them. "Jessica, do you really not
Everyone gathered around Edith and Lilian, marveling at how they had raised such an exceptional young lady like Wendy.Tonight's dinner was filled with elites from all walks of life—exactly the kind of crowd Edith had always dreamed of. She had always craved the spotlight, yearning to stand on the highest stage and bask in everyone's admiration. For years, Edith had placed her hopes on Jessica and Trish. She had been living in a fantasy where Jessica married Stanley and Trish married Dr. Ceylan, hoping these two would elevate her to the top. But now, what Jessica and Trish couldn't accomplish, Wendy had easily achieved for her.Now, Edith truly was the center of envy.Oddly, this wasn't the feeling she had expected.Edith forced a smile, one that barely concealed her discomfort.Lilian, standing next to her, clenched her fists in frustration. She too wore a smile, but it was more painful than tears.At that moment, Wendy looked over at Edith and Lilian, her lips curling into a
Wendy smiled softly as she said to Cyril, "I've heard for a while that Trish is one of your prized students."With that, Wendy settled into a seat, her eyes clear and her smile teasing as she looked at Trish. "According to seniority, Trish should be my grand-apprentice. So, Trish, I'd like you to offer me wine."Wendy sat confidently in the center of the room, her gaze a mix of humor and challenge, as she watched Trish.Trish felt like the pride she took in her prestigious education had just been crushed under Wendy's words."Alright. Someone get the wine," Cyril called out.Moments later, a maid arrived with the wine, and Cyril turned to Trish. "Trish, go serve Dr. Ceylan some wine, and call her 'Grand-mentor'."Trish stayed rooted to the spot.Wendy's lips curled into a sly smile. "Why are you hesitating? Come over here."Someone nearby chuckled, "Trish, to have Dr. Ceylan as your grand-mentor is a rare blessing. Why are you still standing there? Go offer her wine."Edith and
Dr. Ceylan had withdrawn from the public eye for three years, all for Stanley. It wasn't until now that Stanley finally understood that.He gazed at Wendy's delicate face, his voice trailing off. "Wendy, I—"Before he could finish, Wendy interrupted by addressing Halsey. "Hey, it's all in the past. We don't need to talk about it anymore. Let's go over there.""Okay," Halsey agreed, ready to leave.But Stanley reached out and grasped Wendy's slender wrist, stopping her from walking away.A sharp hiss escaped Wendy as Stanley tightened his grip.Wendy winced, and Stanley looked at her arm. "What's wrong?"Halsey quickly pulled Stanley's hand off Wendy's wrist. "Do you remember the kidnapping? Well, she was injured during the ordeal. Especially her arm—there's a large bruise there."Stanley's handsome brow furrowed in concern."Of course, at that time, you didn't hesitate to choose Jessica. You took her away and left Wendy behind. So, Mr. Hawk, you really don't need to be concer
Wendy gave a small, graceful smile and nodded casually.Stanley watched her, and at that moment, everything clicked. He finally understood why Wendy always called Cyril by his first name every time she saw him. It was because Cyril was her apprentice.Wendy was Dr. Ceylan."Dr. Ceylan, after you graduated from Harfield, you went to Condoria to participate in the development of a large-scale plague vaccine. Then, you suddenly disappeared. What happened?" "Yes, Dr. Ceylan. You disappeared from the public eye for three years. We've all been wondering what you were doing during that time." The group of people around her was clearly fascinated by Wendy.Wendy's lips curved into a playful smile as she answered, "I got married.""Married? You're married?" "Who could possibly be the amazing man who captured your heart? I'm so curious." Wendy's clear, piercing eyes briefly met Stanley's before she looked away. She laughed softly. "At the time, he was a vegetable.""A vegetable? You
Wendy told Stanley to make an appointment to talk to her.Stanley's handsome face darkened immediately. No one had ever dared to make him make an appointment. Wendy was the first."You'll have to excuse me."With that, Wendy walked off with a group of people, leaving Stanley standing there, frozen.Stanley could only stare, his expression cold.At that moment, Zayn approached. "Mr. Hawk, how about I talk to Ms. Wendy's assistant and schedule an appointment for you?"Right after Zayn spoke, Stanley shot him a sharp, cold look.Zayn felt completely innocent. "Before, Ms. Wendy was just Ms. Wendy. But now, she is the wonder doctor, Dr. Ceylan, a legend in the world of medicine. She's always been hard to reach. Even the wealthiest people have to schedule appointments to see her. I don't think you need to be upset, Mr. Hawk. Ms. Wendy surely isn't targeting you."Zayn was only trying to explain, but the more he spoke, the worse Stanley's mood seemed to get.Stanley snapped, "If you'
As soon as Wendy finished speaking, Jessica immediately stepped forward. "That's not what I meant..."Wendy fixed her gaze on Jessica. "Then what did you mean? Do you want me to treat you?"Jessica fell silent, unable to find the right words.Wendy's lips curved into a sly smile. "I can treat you, but you'll have to beg me."Wendy was making Jessica beg her.Jessica's face drained of color.Wendy knew Jessica all too well. Jessica had always looked down on her, holding herself in high regard. The revelation that Wendy was Dr. Ceylan was a great blow to Jessica's pride. Now, making her lower her head and beg for help was more humiliating than anything—far worse than death.It wasn't just Jessica who felt the sting. Edith, Lilian, and Trish all felt the discomfort growing inside them, each more uneasy than the last.Wendy's piercing eyes glinted with amusement as she looked at them. "Now, you're the ones who need something from me. When you beg, you have to show some sincerity
Jessica's gaze fell on Wendy's name tag, which clearly read Dr. Ceylan.Jessica gasped, her breath catching in her throat. She stared at Wendy in utter disbelief. "Dr. Ceylan? Wendy, you're...Dr. Ceylan?"Edith, Trish, and Lilian all saw it too, their mouths dropping open as they stared at Wendy in shock, as though they'd seen a ghost. "Wendy, w-who are you, really?"Wendy raised an elegant brow, her expression calm. "You've been searching for Dr. Ceylan, right? Well, I am Dr. Ceylan. Dr. Ceylan is me!"What?! Wendy was Dr. Ceylan?!Jessica, Trish, Edith, and Lilian were all frozen in place, unable to speak. They had never in their wildest dreams imagined that Wendy could be Dr. Ceylan. How was that even possible?It was Jessica who managed to regain her voice first. "That's impossible! This must be some kind of lie! Wendy, you're pretending to be Dr. Ceylan, aren't you?"Trish shook her head in disbelief. "How could you be Dr. Ceylan? Dr. Ceylan is a miracle doctor! Since yo
Jessica snorted. "Wendy must know you're looking for her, and she's deliberately hiding from you. What a manipulative woman!"Edith chimed in, "Mr. Hawk, don't worry about Wendy. She's not in any real danger."Zayn glanced around at the cold-hearted members of the Crone family and couldn't help but wonder if Wendy was really related to them.Zayn then said, "Mr. Hawk, I've got some good news."Stanley looked at him. "What good news?""Dr. Ceylan just contacted us. The doctor couldn't make it to the banquet last night because of something urgent, but will be at the hospital first thing tomorrow morning to see Ms. Jessica."What?Jessica's eyes lit up. "Really? Dr. Ceylan will come to the hospital tomorrow morning to treat me?"Edith's face lit up. "This is incredible! I'm sure Dr. Ceylan will be able to treat Jessica's heart condition."Trish added, "I was so disappointed not to see the doctor at the banquet. But now, I can't believe Dr. Ceylan will be here tomorrow morning! Thi