Chapter 209
“According to our star student Mirabella’s approach, these answers are quite elaborate. For a whiz kid like her, I bet it’s a walk in the park,” the physics teacher remarked casually as he set the papers down. After all, she was a prodigy who could breeze through problems that stump even International Olympiad competitors.
Mr. Hammond turned his gaze toward Morgan, his expression unreadable. “Morgan, are you still insisting that I investigate whether Mirabella has been cheating?”
Morgan stood rooted to the spot, feeling more embarrassed than ever before. The corners of his mouth twitched as he realized that his years of accumulated professional integrity had just been shattered.
The silence that filled the room was palpable.
The physics teacher glanced between the two men and then coughed behind his hand, breaking the quiet.
“By the way. Mr. Hammond, you really should consider my suggestion. Having Mirabella in a humanities class is a waste of talent. If there’s nothing else we can do, we should at least have her sit in on my physics lectures,” he suggested.
Mr. Hammond didn’t press Morgan further. It wasn’t that he didn’t care, but he knew that sometimes, stopping just short of an outright accusation could instill a deeper sense of shame–a shame that would haunt a person for life.
Collecting his thoughts, Mr. Hammond replied to the physics teacher, “I’m afraid you’ll have to ask her yourself. I’ve suggested a class transfer before, but she refused.”
Morgan’s hand trembled slightly.
“Alright, I’ll have a word with her. We can’t let such talent go to waste,” the physics teacher said offhandedly. Mr. Hammond offered a wry smile and said no more.
After lunch, Mirabella returned to the classroom and sprawled lazily across her desk, using a book to shield her eyes from the light.
Meanwhile, on the school’s forum, an anonymous post surfaced claiming Mirabella had cheated in the competition by getting her hands on the questions in advance. The post even listed her previous grades from the county school, which were far from stellar.
As the forum erupted in speculation and gossip, comments poured in.
[Those grades… they’ve got to be fake, right?]
[What’s going on this semester? It seems like there’s a new rumor about Queen Mira every other day. Aren’t they tired of getting their faces smacked?]
Chapter 200
Isn’t Mirabella a humanities student? I heard this competition was heavy on math and science–think about that.]
I just started stanning Queen Mira, and now I can’t tell fact from fiction. Can someone clarify this mess?)
The post had already amassed hundreds of comments.
Jenna, clasping her phone, rushed back into the classroom and saw Mirabella still napping. She couldn’t wait any longer and snatched the book off her face, “Mira, we’ve got a big problem.”
Mirabella lazily turned her head, still half–asleep and visibly annoyed at being disturbed.
Jenna touched her nose sheepishly and handed the phone to Mirabella. “Someone’s saying you cheated in the competition and that you had prior access to the materials, which is why you always come in first.”
Mirabella barely glanced at Jenna’s phone and yawned, “Boring.” She then casually pulled out another book and placed it over her face again.
Jenna’s lips twitched in frustration. Not daring to disturb Mirabella further, she simply said, “It might be boring, but it’s all over the school forum. If we let them slander you, what will the underclassmen think? Whoever posted this clearly wants you out of Parkside High School for good!”
So annoying!
Mirabella flipped the book off her face and stood up abruptly, storming out of the room.
