Chapter 42

Sophia Lowell's fingers trembled as the document folder slipped from her grasp.

Her eyes welled up with tears. "If Sister wants it, she can take it," she whispered meekly.

Her pitiful demeanor made Evelyn Laurent look like some villainous bully stealing her prized possession.

"You—" The boy beside Sophia started forward angrily.

Evelyn's sharp glare froze him in place.

"Evelyn Laurent!" Margaret Hill shrieked. "Have you no shame? Stealing from your own sister!"

Ignoring the outburst, Evelyn calmly opened the folder and scanned its contents.

"Aha," she sneered. "An exchange student position at Harvard."

She held the acceptance letter between two fingers with visible disdain.

"That's Harvard's exchange program!" A red-faced boy protested. "Do you know how competitive that is?"

"Yeah," another chimed in. "Better than someone who couldn't even get into Harvard!"

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

The corners of Sophia's lips twitched upward briefly before she resumed her tearful act. "Does Sister think this opportunity is beneath her?"

One side of her face remained swollen, her tears poised to fall—a sight designed to evoke sympathy.

But those glistening eyes held unmistakable calculation.

Though not as prestigious as full admission, Harvard's exchange program remained many students' dream.

Sophia intended to humiliate Evelyn publicly, to make her writhe under everyone's scorn.

Evelyn noted her smug expression.

With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the letter to the ground. "Indeed. It's beneath me."

Sophia scrambled to retrieve it, her voice suddenly shrill. "You may look down on me, but don't insult Harvard!"

Her dramatic delivery drew stares.

"Apologize!" Three boys demanded in unison.

Evelyn crossed her arms, gaze razor-sharp. "Acting so high and mighty—one might mistake you for an actual Harvard student."

She stepped closer, her voice dropping to an icy timbre. "Why not get into Harvard properly? Don't you like it?"

Each word struck like a dagger, piercing Sophia's insecurities.