NovelGoldChapter 37 Twenty minutes later, an elderly man with silver-streaked hair entered the classroom, the homeroom teacher of Class 8 trailing closely behind.
The teacher quickly introduced him. "Everyone, this is Mr. Xavier, our school's headmaster." The announcement stunned the entire class.
No one had expected to see the headmaster in person-much less in their classroom. It felt like an immense honor.
At Havencrest Preparatory Academy, the headmaster was a reserved figure who rarely appeared on campus. Yet Mr. Xavier was legendary across all Havencrest schools-famous for his unyielding principles and refusal to bow to power.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThanks to Mr. Xavier, Havencrest Prep had avoided the unsavory practices plaguing other elite schools: no wealthy families buying their way in, no teachers playing favorites based on a student's background. It was a place where merit truly mattered.
Every student at Havencrest admired him deeply.
Now, under dozens of watchful eyes, the headmaster strode straight toward Citrine.
He caught sight of the blood smeared across her forehead and gave a startled gasp. "Good heavens, Citrine! What on earth happened to you? Con, let's get you to the nurse's office." Concern clouded his face.
But Citrine just wiped the blood from her temple, unfazed. "I'm fine. Actually, I asked you here to helpprove I didn't cheat on the exam." "Cheat? Who's accusing you of that?" The headmaster's expression darkened at her words.
She shot a glance at the crowd around her, subtly indicating the culprits.
Mr. Xavier's eyes hardened, voice laced with warning. "Letmake this clear to you troublemakers-spreading rumors is a crime. Don't think I won't call the authorities." His commanding presence was enough to silence most of the students. No one dared utter a word.
But there are always a few who don't know when to quit.
"Headmaster, if you look at Citrine's grades over the past semester, you'll see there's just no way she could improve this quickly. I think you should investigate this thoroughly." Clifford, wincing in pain, mustered the courage to speak up.
He hadn't expected his appeal to backfire so spectacularly.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmMr. Xavier didn't hold back. "Before you open your mouth, try engaging your brain. Are you dense? The Primus Academy testing rooms are monitored from every angle. Do you really think we wouldn't catch a cheater? We spend millions every year on exam security-you think that's for fun?"
"Letbe clear: Citrine could not I have cheated. I can personally vouch Π for her. She aced the entrance exam N with perfect scores across every subject-the highest marks in our history." "If you still don't believe it, feel free to review her past tests and transcripts. Her ability to precisely target her scores is something most of you couldn't master in a lifetime." "And if you're still suspicious, go ahead-quiz her yourself. Ask something tough. If she can't answer, then maybe you'll have a case." After that, the room was silent. No one dared object.
Clifford and Laird were left humiliated, but even their bruised egos couldn't drive them to further protest.
Though the matter had been settled, the scuffle between Citrine and Clifford couldn't be ignored. Them homeroom teacher summoned both to the office for a stern lecture, and by the end, each received the dreaded "call your parents" slip. After school, the two of them were kept behind in the office. They sat side by side, both exuding an air of icy indifference, each trying to outdo the other in silent defiance.
That's how Sawyer found them when he walked in the once inseparable siblings, who used to be so close that not even Jeanette could wedge herself between them, now sitting worlds apart, locked in a chilly standoff after coming to blows.
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