Chapter 12

At the office, Anthony Baldwin, the dean of Briskvale High, slid his glasses higher, eyes narrowed as he scanned the file in front of him.

Grace's academic file told a familiar story-three transfers and unimpressive marks across the board.

Still, the admissions director's reminder echoed in his mind. Rodger Holden had contributed an entire building to the school. That kind of generosity made many things easier to overlook.

Using the desk phone, Anthony called out, "Ms. Dixon,could you stop by my office for a moment?"

It didn't take long for the door to swing open.

Ellie Dixon entered, her dark-rimmed glasses perched high and her chin held higher. "Mr. Baldwin, is this really so urgent? My honors students are in the middle of a major group project."

She had a history of sending students to the top of the SAT rankings, and she knew it.

A string of successes had built her reputation, and she wore it like a badge.

Trying to maintain a neutral tone, Anthony met her gaze. "There'll be a new face in your classroom today -Grace Miller." ①

"Excuse me? You mean a transfer?" Ellie's skeptical gaze flicked toward Grace, who waited silently by the wall.

Grace lowered her gaze,long bangs falling forward to shield her features, an unmistakable awkwardness hanging around her.

Without much hesitation, Ellie decided Grace fit the profile of a struggling student-she had seen plenty who never managed to improve.

"You can't be serious, Mr. Baldwin! The semester's well underway, and you're telling me we have a new transfer?" Ellie's voice rang out.

It was understandable that the protest was so sharp-transfers were unheard of at Briskvale High, a school famous for its strict policies.

Anthony let out a weary sigh. "These are her academic records. Does this look like a joke to you?"

Without another word, Ellie flipped through the papers, and a wave of disbelief left her momentarily unsteady.

"Not a single mark for Math, English, or Science?"Ellie's voice sliced through the air, her hand trembling as she jabbed at the transcript. "You're telling me she failed every core subject? Why would you even consider putting her in the honors class?"

The mood in the room shifted, tension thickening the air.

Anthony cleared his throat, keeping his voice low and careful. "Ms. Dixon, perhaps you could be a bit more considerate..."

It didn't help that Grace stood right there-his words did little to soften the blow.

Snapping the folder closed, Ellie glared at him,her eyes hard behind her glasses. "This is the top class in the school, Mr. Baldwin! Every student here has lvy League dreams. How is she supposed to keep up with them?"

Grace stayed quiet, head lowered and lashes casting faint shadows across her cheeks, the picture of shy resignation.

No one noticed the hint of a smirk that flickered and vanished on her lips.

"Ms. Dixon, that's enough." Anthony's voice grew firm as he pulled out a sealed document and slid it across

the desk. "The school board has already decided."

A single glance at the paper, with the principal's bold seal,drained all color from Ellie's face.

She wasn't ready to give in just yet. "Even top-tier teachers struggle with students who have this record.At least let her prove herself with a placement test."

Without waiting for an answer, Ellie snatched up a science test paper from the desk.

"Here-see what you can do with this." She hoped the difficulty would discourage Grace from staying.

Ellie would rather see the girl bow out now than face certain embarrassment in front of the entire class.

Anthony hesitated, then finally gave a resigned nod."Grace Miller,take a seat and begin when you're ready."He knew the exam was notoriously tough.

Science had always been Ellie's specialty-she'd chosen the hardest paper for this little test.

Settling into a chair, Grace picked up her pen and started the exam.

From her spot nearby, Ellie watched closely,ready to witness Grace stumble and embarrass herself.

Keeping her head down, Grace moved her pen across

the page, her hand flying as if the questions were routine.

Ellie stood nearby, arms folded and a smirk on her face, certain the test would overwhelm even her brightest students.

To everyone's shock, Grace rose from her seat in under fifteen minutes. "I'm done."

Anthony and Ellie stared at her in disbelief. That was impossibly fast.

Anthony felt a quiet sigh form inside him. Maybe her troubles weren't just poor grades-maybe she truly lacked focus. A trace of disappointment crept over him.

Ellie let out a mocking laugh. Speed meant nothing if the answers were nonsense. Clearly, Grace had just filled the sheet to look impressive.

Even so, Ellie snatched up the test and gave it a quick scan,blinking in surprise.

Every question had an answer. Her skepticism only deepened. Surely, Grace didn't believe that simply answering everything would make her stand out.

Grabbing her pen, Ellie began marking, the pen's scratch filling the silence.

However, as the answer key matched up line after line,

Ellie's face darkened-Grace hadn't missed a single question.

Finishing up, Ellie's voice went cold. "She completed this science exam in under fifteen minutes. Every answer is correct."

Anthony stood rooted to the spot,completely floored.Could Grace actually be gifted? He'd never witnessed anyone breeze through a placement test without a single mistake.

With a bitter edge, Ellie said with a scoff, "It's hard to believe, Mr. Baldwin. Such hard questions done this fast? Forget her transcript, this is clearly a case of cheating. I won't sit back and welcome a student who plays us for fools."