Chapter 210

When Alaric overheard the conversation, he instantly recalled pressuring Lemira into the match, a wave of guilt washing over him. He was relieved her grades hadn't suffered.

"Didn't the Langstons raise her? To cut ties over some grievances—who does that?"

"Lemira, come down and explain. How have the Langstons wronged you?"

Asher felt like the butt of a joke, an embarrassment unprecedented in this circle. All this was Lemira's doing.

Lemira descended from the stage, her gaze icily sharp. "Yesterday, did you reject Orvin University's admission offer, telling them I wouldn't attend?"

Asher's face fell, speechless.

"Did you demand I stay local, to attend the same school as the Langstons' adopted daughter who didn't even make it to community college?" Lemira pressed.

The crowd gasped.

"Lemira, a top scorer going to Orvin University, is an enviable achievement. To think the Langstons would refuse!"

"Exactly! If I had a daughter like her, I'd rent out a restaurant for three days to celebrate. If even the hobos didn't know, I'd consider it my failure."

"The Langstons prefer a failure over their own talented sister? They must be blind!"

Hearing these murmurs, Asher exploded. "It's not like that! Staying local is for her own good!"

"For my good?" Lemira's gaze dripped with sarcasm. "For my own good, you asked me, a top scorer, to attend community college with someone mediocre? That's your idea of what's best for me? Spare me the Langstons' supposed kindness."

Asher couldn't meet Lemira's eyes, guilt gnawing at him.

Alaric intervened, attempting to ease the tension. "Asher didn't mean it. Don't take it the wrong way!"

"And you!" Lemira turned on Alaric. "Forcing me to skip classes for a video game tournament, relying on me to win the playoffs. Without me, you wouldn't have stood a chance in the finals."

Alaric winced. "Sorry, it's all my fault. I should never have pressured you. Thankfully, your grades weren't affected."

"I don't need your apologies, but I'm done with the Langstons. Understand that."

Lemira turned and left, determined to sever all ties with the Langston family.

Asher, seething, addressed his secretary. "Keep this quiet. We can't let it spread." Otherwise, the Langston family would become a laughingstock.

He looked around. "She just had a little disagreement with us. Teenagers—you know how hard they are to manage."

Alaric was anxious. "Asher, why turn away Orvin's offer? Lemira's the top scorer. Our parents would be thrilled to have an Orvin student in the family."

Asher, speechless and stubborn, refused to admit fault. "Given her temperament, what if she causes trouble at Orvin? Staying local is best for her."

"Asher! She has us to watch out for her at Orvin. What trouble could she possibly cause? Why can't you think straight?"

Realizing Asher's error, Alaric hurried after Lemira.

Lemira walked alone, Orion by her side. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah."

"Ready to stop avoiding them?"

Lemira's lips curled into a cool smile. "I thought distancing myself from the Langstons would let me start anew. But now I see some people just don't learn until you spell it out for them."

Having spoken her mind, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders.