Chapter 19

Tropped out in middle school, Shiloh's face went pale. Over a decade of teaching, she had only worked with top-performing students. Now, as she was faced with a middle school dropout, her composure was visibly shaken. She turned to Noelle, struggling to process the situation.

"Noelle, why did you drop out of middle school?"

As straightforward as ever, Noelle replied bluntly, "Because sitting in a classroom was boring?"

It was the kind of response Shiloh had heard countless times from students who despised school, still hearing it now made her feel faint. This wasn't just a mismatch of expectations; it was a full-blown crisis of professional pride.

Observing quietly, Leia couldn't help the flicker of satisfaction inside. She had planned to subtly nudge Shiloh's opinion of Noelle in the wrong direction, but it turned out there was no need. Noelle's own words and actions were doing the job perfectly. Leia was certain Noelle wouldn't last long.

Shiloh was a renowned private tutor, known for her pride and selectivity. Once she dismissed a student as hopeless, no amount of persuasion or money could change her mind.

"Mom and Dad went to so much trouble to hire Ms. West, and Noelle's going to scare her off in a single day. They'll be so disappointed."

Well, it's her own fault, Leia thought smugly.

With a sharp thud, Shiloh dropped a middle school textbook onto the desk in front of Noelle, who looked distracted. Though she'd kept her composure around Kimberly, now that they were alone, Shiloh's patience had run out.

"Noelle, how much of middle school do you remember?" she asked. Her expression was cold, her tone curt. It had been years since Noelle had set foot in a classroom. Shiloh's plan was to get through this session, find a polite excuse, and leave for good. After all, her reputation was built on a 100% admission rate to top universities. Now, she was asked to teach a middle school dropout. It seemed like a waste of time and a potential stain on her pristine track record.

For her part, Noelle wasn't interested in tutoring either. Neither wanted to be there, and the tension was obvious. Tilting her head, Noelle lazily flipped through the textbook.

"This stuff's too easy. Got any high school material?"

Shiloh's eye twitched. Did she just order me around? Does she think she's some entitled princess? She's nothing like Leia. You have hands, don't you! Get it yourself! Shiloh snapped.

Noelle glanced at her, unimpressed. If Shiloh was going to be rude, she wasn't going to play nice either. With an exaggerated pout, she stood and huffed, "Fine, I'll get it myself." She marched to the bookshelf, pulling down a stack of high school textbooks.

Watching her, Shiloh nearly laughed in disbelief. This country bumpkin. She's nothing like Leia. Where's the grace? The manners! She's rough, clueless, and unrefined, she thought.

Noelle flipped through the high school material, her expression unbothered. The content seemed simple, far below her level. During a previous mission, she'd spent time at a tutoring center, soaking up lessons from teachers across all grade levels. Thanks to her sharp memory, she'd retained most of what she'd overheard. Now, as she looked at the high school material, all that knowledge came flooding back.

Shiloh crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Had enough? If so, come sit down and start studying," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She didn't believe for a second that Noelle could handle high school material. To Shiloh, this was just another empty attempt at posturing.

Noelle put the high school textbook down and turned to Shiloh. "I'm done studying."

"What did you just say?" Shiloh stared at her, stunned. Before Shiloh could lose her temper, Noelle added, "Just give me the test papers. I want to try the senior year exams."

Eli returned from his run to find Damon, Leia, and Kimberly sitting in the living room. Kimberly glanced toward the stairs, her expression worried. "I wonder if Noelle can keep up after being out of school for so long."

"Mom, don't get your hopes up," Damon said, setting a plate of peeled walnuts in front of Leia. He scoffed, "Why did Noelle drop out in the first place? Because she couldn't handle it. Making a slacker pick up a book after all these years is like dragging a mule uphill."

"Damon, don't talk like that," Kimberly said with a sigh. She knew Damon had always disliked Noelle. "Noelle might seem a little behind, but she's still my daughter with your father. If she puts in effort, she could surprise us."

Kimberly's words hit Leia like a slap. So, Mom really plans to accept that brat? she thought, her fingers curling into the fabric of her skirt.

Noticing Leia's expression, Damon immediately spoke up. "Mom, I don't care if you're planning to take Noelle in or not. But to me, Leia is the Anderson family's daughter, my only sister. Leia is sitting right here, and you're not even thinking about how your words might hurt her."

Realizing her mistake, Kimberly turned to Leia with an apologetic look. "Leia, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

Leia shook her head, forcing a smile even as she clutched her skirt tightly. "Mom, it's okay. I'm not upset." She gently tugged Damon's sleeve and said hoarsely, "Damon, don't be mad at Mom. Noelle's her biological daughter, so of course, she cares about her. I really don't mind."

But as she finished, her eyes reddened with unshed tears.

"You always keep everything to yourself," Damon muttered, his chest tightening with sympathy. Leia's such a good girl, and yet they're all obsessed with Noelle just because of some bloodline nonsense. Have they lost their minds? he thought.

The mood in the living room turned heavy. Eli, sensing the tension, changed the subject. "Damon, why are you still home? Don't you have practice with your team today!"

After graduation, Damon had become a race car driver, winning the world championship in his rookie year. But even for a prodigy, the training schedule was relentless. Still seething, Damon replied coldly, "Why else? I'm staying to watch whatever ridiculous stunt Noelle pulls next."

Eli sighed and thought Damon really had too much time on his hands.

Just then, a servant came rushing down the stairs, nearly tripping in his haste. Damon frowned. "What's the hurry? Did you forget all your manners!"

The servant bowed slightly. "I'm sorry, sir," he said. "Miss Noelle Anderson asked for a practice test, so I'm heading out to buy one."

"Weren't there test papers prepared already? Why go out now?" Damon asked, his frown deepening.

"Yes, sir, but we only have middle school tests. We didn't think to buy high school ones," the servant replied.

"What?" Damon scoffed, barely hiding his disdain. "She didn't even finish middle school, and now she wants to try high school tests, huh?"

"Yes, sir," the servant said with a nervous nod. "Actually, she asked for the senior year mock exams."